******

I’m not extremely girly, and I’ve never been one to spend very much on jewelry, but I most certainly can appreciate a pretty trinket or two. I got very lucky recently: Lisa Leonard let me choose a piece from her collection to call my very own.

I have to admit to you that I had a very hard time choosing. I narrowed my selections down to this cute birdie necklace, because I think it’s timeless, beautiful, and it made me feel so peaceful when I saw it…

And this one, because, well… it says everything I know to be true that I do for my son. And every single one of those things is a cherished task for this woman. Those of you who know my personal site know that I joke and rant about the “perils” of motherhood. I tell you that sometimes this Mommy Gig seems like too much for me. And that’s true, sometimes it does seem like too much.

But there’s never a time when I’d actually give it up. There’s never a time when I’d want to stop being a hand holder, dream soother, or love giver. So this is the piece I asked for, and she even customized it to say “Mommy” instead of “Mama,” since Braden calls me the former most often.

When it arrived at my door, I felt special, even though I had chosen it for myself!

Look how it was packaged:

Simple and beautiful.

I’ve worn it traveling, running errands, and at home. The metal is sturdy, yet delicate and feminine. Holding the charm in your hand you feel the strength in the design, and at the same time, the soft chain that dangles from your fingers is dainty and fine – feminine.

I’ve had people remark about it, and I honestly feel at home with the cool pendant resting on the warm spot right above my chest. It sits above my heart, announcing what lies inside.

Now I need to figure out a way to get that birdie necklace for myself, too. Maybe Santa?

I asked Lisa if she would be willing to give you guys a chance to win one of her lovely pieces, and she suggested that we giveaway a $75 Gift Code that can be used towards anything on the site! I’m so excited to host this giveaway – when you visit her website you will see how special these works are. *happy dancing*

To enter to win a $75 Gift Code from Lisa Leonard Designs , visit the website, find your favorite piece, and then leave me a comment below telling me what that is.

Comments will be accepted from 10:00 a.m. (CST) October 11, 2009 until 10:00 a.m. (CST) October 18, 2009. The winner will then be notified by email, and must respond to claim the necklace.

Please use a valid email address on the comment form.

Rules:

• No duplicate comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link to your tweet in the comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by linking on Facebook and leaving a link to your update in the comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link to your blog post in the comments.
• This giveaway is open to Residents of the US and Canada only.
• Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
• Once notified of having won, you have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Disclosure: This is an uncompensated review. I received the necklace for review, free of charge.

******

Anyone who tells you their marriage is *perfect* is either still on their honeymoon, lying, or is stark raving mad. (Or drunk, oh so drunk.)

If you’re years (or even months) in, you know that all is not of fairy tales and dreams. Hey, marriage takes work (and that rat bastard rarely does his share of it, freaking good for nothing… oh! I digress!) and any woman today knows that there are bumps and humps and lumps. And other umps.

This is not to say that we don’t love our husbands, or that we don’t want to have a happy home.

But hell, we KNOW there are stinky moments.

Secret Recipes for the Modern Wife by Nava Atlas is a parody of a recipe book that will make you laugh at any and all of these types of moments. You’ll find “recipe” after recipe that makes you nod along and belly laugh in understanding. (And I pray not too many of them will have you crying with woe, but that’s another topic entirely.)

I read a few of these “recipes” out loud to my husband. He fidgeted a little while I laughed my butt off. A couple of times I think I stressed a few words to much, and raised my eyebrow a little too hard. I may have actually pierced him with a few hard glares. I can’t remember if I actually shook the book at him or not. But I definitely laughed out loud. Long and hard. (After I wept a little.)

Then he quietly backed out of the room. Not sure why.

Some examples of “recipes” in the book:

• Beans ‘N’ Weenies of Sexual Tension
• Midlife Stress-Stuffed Cabbage
• Control-Freak Cookies

About the author, from the back cover of the book:

“Nava Atlas is an artist and author who is best known for her bestselling vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including the classic Vegetariana. She lives in the Hudson Valley Region of New York with her husband and two sons. You can visit her website at NavaAtlas.com.”

Want to grab a free copy, signed by Nava Atlas herself, and chuckle through it like I did?

To enter to win a free copy of Secret Recipes for the Modern Wife, leave me a comment below.

Comments will be accepted from 4:00 p.m. (CST) October 6, 2009 until 4:00 p.m. (CST) October 10, 2009. The winner will then be notified by email, and must respond to claim the book.

Please use a valid email address on the comment form.

Rules:

• No duplicate comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
• This giveaway is open to US Residents only.
• Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
• You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Disclosure: This is an uncompensated review. I received the book for review, free of charge.

Recently, they’ve designed a whole new system to help women find their perfect fit (the “fit finder,” whic you can see at Lee.com), and I love that, because we all know that finding the perfect pair of jeans/pants can sometimes be a pain. Though when you do, it’s like a love affair of sorts.

What I didn’t realize until recently is that Lee does great work and supports a fabulous cause that touches my heart.

Lee National Denim Day is a grassroots campaign that helps raise money for breast cancer research. I do not have breast cancer; this has not touched my immediate family. But it could, at any time. And I know that many of you have been touched by breast cancer, either yourselves, or through a family member or friend.

I watched this video, and it tugged. So I wanted to share it, and the idea of Denim Day (October 2, 2009), with all of you.

(Had to remove the video b/c it autoplayed every time the site was loaded.)

Disclosure: This is an uncompensated review. I work with Lee as a Fit Ambassador and periodically receive a pair of pants (something new that they have launched) for review and/or giveaway, if I choose, free of charge. So far I have received 2 pair of pants.

It’s no secret that I love taking photographs. It is rare that a day goes by without me utilizing my camera. Photographs are important for so many reasons – they help you reflect, notice the world around you, and often most importantly, they help you capture memories to relive later.

Because photographs can encapsulate a moment in time, viewing them later can elicit strong emotions. It is for this reason that adding photos to gifts adds such great value to them.

I recently created several photo gifts using Snapfish.com, and it was my first time trying out the services of that website.

The site is fairly easy to navigate. I only got hung up a couple of times when I was looking through links to find something specific. And let’s face it: with a toddler screaming in your ear off and on again about such things as “Pee-Pee, uh-oh!” and “THOMAS, WATCH THOMAS!” it’s kind of hard to concentrate anyway, so it may have been more my issue than the website.

For about $50 (including tax & shipping) I was able to purchase 5 photo cards, 2 photo magnets, and an absolutely adorable photo collage mousepad. In one fell swoop I almost entirely covered both Mother’s Day AND Father’s Day for my husband, father, mother, mother-in-law and father-in-law.

Now THAT is what I call SUPER FREAKIN’ AWESOME.

Creating my custom photo collage mousepad was easy and fun!

The products arrived very quickly, and everything is really beautiful. The cards arrived packaged carefully, and all the photos and printing are crisp and great looking. I adore the fact that I was able to have return addresses pre-printed on the envelopes – it looks really lovely.

The photo magnets are so amazing – this is the perfect way to add photos to your kitchen without the hassle of frames. Just slap the magnet on the fridge! My mother and mother-in-law are going to love them.

And the mousepad? Well, it’s for my dad, and for one evil second I thought I might have to keep it for myself! What a super cool gift. Personalize it with whatever is special to the person you’re gifting, and it’s an immediate win.

There are plenty of options at the site for fabulous Father’s Day gifts. Remember that it’s coming up on June 21st! Order by June 13th to get your gifts delivered on time.

Desk Organizer
Playing Cards
Golf Towel
Frosted Stein
Collage Mousepad
Apron
Square Key Chain
Photo Panels
Collage Posters
Books of any size 8×8, 8×11, leather or custom covers

And don’t forget the cards! Lots of designs are available, so you’re sure to find something just right for the guy you have in mind. And creating them is a lot of fun.

To get you started off right, you have a chance to win a $50 Gift Card to Snapfish here!

To enter, leave me a comment below and share what the most important father(s) in your life mean(s) to you  – or you may leave a link to your post on your own blog in the comments below.  The contest will begin at 9:00 a.m. (PST) May 11, 2009 and ends 5:00 p.m. (PST) June 13, 2009.

Please use a valid email address on the comment form.

Rules:

• No duplicate comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
• This giveaway is open to US Residents only, age 18 or older.
• Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
• You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

And you have 57 chances to win! Head over to the BlogHer.com review/giveaweay round-up page and check out all your other chances to snag this awesome prize.

Official Sweepstakes Rules

Disclosure: This is a compensated review. I received a $50 gift card to order prodcuts from Snapfish for review of said products and the ordering experience, free of charge.

Some time ago, a big box arrived at my doorstep.  I am like a little kid on Christmas when packages show up at my house.

And I have a little kid’s sweet tooth to boot, so when I looked at the box and saw those classic blue eyes, and that little face smiling at me, ringed in auburn curls? I was some kind of happy Kidult.  Heh.  And then I thought, “Well, there goes the idea of losing weight in the new year!” and I ripped into the box.

It was full of boxes of Little Debbie snacks.  I almost died of happiness right on the spot.  Then I noticed that they were “100 Calorie Snacks.”

And then I DID die.  Because I could eat them AND diet.

Have I lost 50 lbs eating Marshmallow Treats and Triple Fudge Brownies?  No.  But I have lost 5lbs since then, and it’s not because John and I didn’t sample everything in that box at least a thousand times. (Okay, so I exaggerate a little.)

Those treats are delicious, and since they’re packed in small portions, they make it really easy for you to manage having something tasty even while you’re watching your figure and caloric intake.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m losing weight, it does NOT work for me to go without treating myself. The trick is to watch portions! These 100 Calorie Snacks make it so easy.

(Just, you know, don’t eat the whole box in one day.)

Would you like to squee like a child on Christmas day as a box of delicious 100 Calorie Little Debbie treats shows up on YOUR doorstep?

Leave a comment on this post through March 29 and you will be entered into a random drawing to win a box full of treats! (And I don’t mean samples – I mean several full size boxes of snacks!)

3 Winners will be chosen when the comment period has ended. (Must have valid email and respond when contacted.)

Good luck!

Disclosure: This is an uncompensated review. I received the a box of assorted Little Debbie 100 Calorie Snack boxes for review, free of charge.

I Can Do That! Games are a great way to foster self-confidence in your young children while they are laughing and and having fun. They can play board games just like older kids – that are designed for things that they can do!

There is a full line of Dr. Seuss games that will have your little ones getting a kick out of being silly, and learning in the process.

The latest games feature everyone’s favorite monkey, Curious George. Or, as my 2 year old calls him, “Doo-is Dorge!”

I had a chance to play with one of the games myself – The “Curious George Hide and Seek Zoo Game.”

It’s designed for children ages 4-8, so it’s a bit advanced for Braden. I can tell you, however, that it comes with a yellow Walkie-Talkie, which he immediately commandeered and used as his own personal telephone on which to have important discussions with The Man in the Yellow Hat.

Once he took a nap, I set up the game and tested it out. You basically follow the prompts given by the Walkie-Talkie and a spinner on the game board to collect cards and earn points. It’s very easy to understand, and offers problem solving, turn-taking, and direction-following opportunities. The most fun happens when The Man in the Yellow Hat freaks out about the animals escaping. This is when everyone else slaps on an animal mask and hides, while the person in charge of the Walkie-Talkie must find them before the music stops (2 minutes).

This part of the game actually encourages running around. When was the last time a board game gave your kids an opportunity to problem solve AND get some exercise?

The game is fun, exciting, and educational. And I have a feeling that the rest of the products at I Can Do That! Games are similarly entertaining and enlightening.

If you’d like to score one of these games for yourself, head over to the I Can Do That! website and have a look at the games. Then, in the comments section here, tell me which game you like the best. Your comment earns you an entry.

You may leave a comment through March 25.

On Thursday, March 26th I’ll randomly draw one winner to receive a free copy of the Curious George Hide & Seek Zoo Game.

(Please use a valid email address on the comment form, and respond when contacted in order to win.)

Disclosure: This is an uncompensated review. I received the Curious George Hide & Seek Game for review, free of charge.

I jumped a little ahead of myself – DOH! – and changed the Feed Address (to reflect the new name) before I made an announcement here.  If you were previously subscribed, your subscription will no longer work!

The old feed address was: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/WhoDoesntLikeFree

(or same thing with the “2″ removed).

The new feed address is: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/sarcasticmomreviews

Click the icon below to subscribe in a reader and not miss any great reviews or giveaways!

Subscribe in a reader

To subscribe by email, fill out this form, and verify!

I will love you forever and ever if you’ll subscribe to the new feed. Plus, everyone will think you’re cool.  And your butt will no longer look fat in those jeans.

Yeah, it’s that powerful.

I know you’re thinking this post is going to be dirty.

But that’s just because you have a dirty, dirty mind.  (Or you know I do, and you have become accustomed to expecting this type of thing from me.)

But today, I’m going to tell you about how I get my hair dry without killing my fingers and hands.

I’ve had arthritis pain since I was 18… and one thing you can be sure of is that this does not lessen as time goes by.  Just the contrary!  A few years ago I cut my hair very short…

…because the act of drying my long hair was just becoming too much for my hands – I would end up in pain every time.

I have recently grown my hair long again (my husband missed it, and it took him years to admit that).

Back to the hair blow-drying pain!  Until I recently tried the Blo & Go.

No, this is NOT me. Heh.

You attach this device to a wall or mirror and then you slide your hair dryer into it and fasten it down.  The angled arm is adjustable, so you can position the dryer exactly as you like it. And then?  Use both of your hands to work the brush through your hair, without having to worry about holding the dryer!

I do have to warn that I had a very steep learning curve with it.  Most of us are used to moving the blow dryer down the hair shaft as we dry.  When using this product, you have to re-learn how to move when you’re drying your hair.  I suggest keeping it very close to your head, and moving your hair and head so that the dryer still moves down the shaft of hair (which is best for your hair).  It took several times for me to get the hang of that, and I was a bit frustrated at first.  I kept at it, though, and now that I’m used to using it, I am so glad I have it.

This takes so much of the work off of my joints; it’s amazing. I definitely feel less pain in my hands when I use this product.  And you know what?  It’s totally fun to be able to use both of your hands to style your hair and just let the dryer hang there.

Looks like my husband will get to enjoy my extended tresses for a bit longer now.

Would you like to Blo & Go?  Just leave a comment on this post.  Comments will be accepted through February 23, 2008.

One commenter will be randomly selected to receive a free Blo & Go! (Must have valid email and respond when contacted.)

Good luck!

Disclosure: This is an uncompensated review. I received the Blo & Go for review, free of charge.

(NOM NOM NOM FACEHOLE CRAMMING DELUXE NOM NOM)

And apparently, I was totally painting a picture of myself which is exceptionally inaccurate, because JenCaSea asked me if if I had a bread maker or if I was just that domestic.

And I had to laugh. And then snort. Choke on my spit. And then laugh some more.

Because, as I told her not long after… yes, I do have a bread maker, and NO I am not all that domestic: the reeking toilets, piles of dirty laundry, and sticky floors around here can attest to that. I just like bread, it appears.

I mean, I stay at home a lot, yes. I occupy the domicile.

But I occupy it in the manner of a Supah Slob. Ahhhh, yeah.

You know who helps? My husband and son.

And the dog.

See, we humans drop crumbs, lint, hair, food slime, and general filth.

Then the dog adorns it by spreading his little, tiny Chihuahua furs over it all.  Like a million little eyebrow hairs of stink. He finishes it off by going outside, and then tracking dirt from the back yard lovingly into the house.

So we have crumby, linty, hairy, slimy, furry, dirt coated floors.

NICE.

I like to pretend it’s just not there.  The filth, that is. Because my usual floor cleaning technique is broom and dust pan, then mop and bucket. Cause that’s nice and environmentally friendly.

Unfortunately, it’s not Lazy Slob Friendly.

Know what is? Swiffer.

Yep. Slap on a dry cleaning cloth for the dog hair, grime, and general filth. Instead of pushing the dirt around in piles with the broom, just let the MAGICAL SWIFFER PAD MAKE IT ALL BETTER.

Seriously. It’s magic. There is no other explanation. Yup. Do not attempt to talk me out of the existence of magic. (Just buy a Swiffer and shut up.)

If there isn’t magic, then how does all the crap on my floor go onto this MAGIC PAD?

Try not to gag.  Trust me, the picture doesn’t even do it real justice.  You are lucky.

When you’re done cleaning up the filth your family and ungrateful pet (what, just mine? cause, dude. he is.) have decorated the floor with, tackle the… sticky stuff.

I’m thinking week old pancake syrup splatters, dog drool, and random splurts of apple juice. YUM.

Swiffer Magic Reappears. Bad Floor go bye-bye. Well, Hello, Good, Pretty, Shiny Floor!

Really, it’s so easy. They are fast, tough, and easy to use. It’s perfect for the in-between cleanup that any mother or pet owner needs.

For the big jobs, the mega ones? I’m still going to keep my mop and bucket. I just believe in using those (at least 3 times a year). But the Swiffer (both dry and wet) is SUPER for the in-between stuff.

So instead of being a Supah Slob in-between my mop cleanings, I can go all the way clean with Swiffer. That’s right. No more half-assing for this momma. (My mother would be so proud. Do you know how many times she told me to stop half-assing things when I was a kid??? Not that I am traumatized or anything. *twitch*)

If you’d like to “go all the way clean with Swiffer,” Visit http://www.swiffer.com for more information and to save $2 on any one Swiffer® Sweeper Starter Kit!

My husband and son will probably be weirded out that the floors are all clean so much more often now. They are going to start expecting me to bathe regularly and clean the toilets.

That’ll be the day.

What’s your cleaning must have accessory or super-fantastic cleaning secret?

_____________________________________________________________________________
Disclosure: Compensated review commissioned by Blogher. I received a swiffer stick, dry cloths, and wet cloths for review, free of charge.

For more reviews, visit here.

Towards the end of last year, John and I decided that it was time to move Braden from his crib to a toddler bed. Is it just me or is the room spinning a bit? Why is my chest so tight? Oh yeah, that’s that thing that happens when I’m reminded of HOW MUCH MY KID IS GROWING UP. *sniff* We found the perfect little bed and ordered it from JCPenny.com.

Isn’t it darling?

We really wanted to graduate him from the nursery sheets he was using too, and found some absolutely wonderful toddler bedsets at Olive Kids. In fact, Olive Kids carries all kinds of colorful and fun kids designs for all purposes.  Many things can be personalized, and they are all incredibly cute and fun. I decided to let John make the final decision on the bedset design (and if you know anything about my control issues, you will know this is a big deal) and even though I really wanted the Wild Animals Set:

John chose the Planes, Trains, & Trucks Set:

And Pillow Sham:

And you know what? He CHOSE WELL. Braden loves it – he exclaims over the “Pwanes!” and “Twucks!” and “Twains!” And it is really adorable.

It’s made with bright, happy colors, and the material seems strong, yet nice and comfy. And he adjusted to his new bed, pillow, and bedset MUCH faster than I wanted him to had expected him to. I blame credit the soft sheets and warm, cuddly comforter. Would you like to sample a little Olive Kids fare? You would!?  Well, okay!  One winner will receive a personalized bookmark, placemat, and nametag in your design choice.  Go check them out!

Make sure you check out all they have to offer and then come back here and leave a comment about what you like the best. Comments will be accepted through Tuesday, February 17th.

At the end of the comment period, one commenter will be randomly selected to win a personalized bookmark, placemat, and nametag! (Must have valid email and respond when contacted.) Good luck!

Disclosure: This is an uncompensated review. I received the Olive Kids Planes, Trains, &  Trucks Toddler Bedset, Sham, & Comforter for review, free of charge.