I know I have shown you this face before. I actually find it to be adorable. It sort of grows on you. However, how do you think a sponsor would feel about this cheesy face?

I was doing a mini photo shoot with Luke for a POM Wonderful product review and made the mistake of asking Luke to "smile." I don't know, does this face make you want to run out and buy a case of juice to try?

Click here to learn how to participate in Silly Monkey Stories.

Click here to read all my Silly Monkey Stories!

If you have a Silly Monkey Story to share, sign Mr. Linky below with the link to your blog post (not the link to your main blog page). Please do not forget to visit the other participates and leave them comments to let them know you stopped by!

My apologies for being late with announcing this winner! This contest ended with several others and I missed doing the random drawing for this one.

Better late than never . . . right?

Out of 217 entries, the winner of the No Throw Strap contest is . . .

. . . Pineapple?!!

If you'd like to see more Ruby Tuesday photos, go visit Mary at Work of the Poet!

For all my readers who live on Facebook, you are going to love this Facebook application brought to you by Staples! It's called "I Shred U!" and features four different models of virtual paper shredders. You can choose which one you'd like to use to shred your friends' and family's bad photos. Then the app lets you send your friend a message telling them exactly what you thought about their photo.


This application also allows you to "trick out" the photos by adding fun things to them. How great would your aunt look with a mullet and beard? Take a look at the I Shred U! Demo to see how user-friendly it is and to grab the app for your Facebook account.

Since my dear husband is not lacking in the body hair department, I thought that the Swerve full body groomtool, might be something he should try. He often needs to touch up the back of his neck in between haircuts.

These are a few of the features which made me feel this new body razor was worth trying . . .

- The compact ergonomic design
- Allows one to groom in hard-to-reach places without assistance
- Triple action blade
- Lubricating strip
- Packaging can be reused for storage

What my husband thought about the Swerve:

1) He was impressed that he could be sure that the razor was positioned at the right angle just by holding it flush against his skin.

2) He thought it was easiest to use the Swerve in the shower.

3) He found that holding the tool as directed was uncomfortable for his hand and preferred to hold it between his thumb and index finger instead.

4) He thinks the Swerve is a great tool for maintenance in between haircuts, but would not work well if the hair was too long.

Take a look at his results . . .


Currently, you can purchase the Swerve on Amazon.com and TheSwerve.com .


Thank you to TheSwerve.com for providing us with a review product and contest prizes free of charge.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will win a Set of 3 Swerve Grooming Tools.

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.


How to Gain Entries:
Leave a comment telling me who would get to use these Swerve razors if you won this contest. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) Follow The Swerve on Twitter. Then leave me the link to your Twitter profile in a separate comment.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) Add this blog to your Technorati Favorites. Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so and under what username. Add to Technorati Favorites

4) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post and to the Swerve website. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

5) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

6) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

7) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

8) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

9) Add my "Graco Twin Stroller" giveaway button to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

<br /> <a href="http://3garnetsn2sapphires.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq213/ABOGDesigns/Buttons%20N%20Tags/GracoIpoDble0609.jpg" /></a><br /><br />

10) Add my "Get Cool For School" giveaway event button to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

<br /> <a href="http://3garnetsn2sapphires.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq213/ABOGDesigns/Buttons%20N%20Tags/GetCool4School09.jpg" /></a><br /><br />

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)

Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Thursday, July 9th, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

I can't believe it's Sunday again already! Here are a couple of shots that are a little different. I had lots of adorable photos of Luke from this mini POM Wonderful photo shoot I did with him. It worked out well because he was in a good mood and ready to smile.

"A Good Sharer"

"Coming Clean"


Thank you for taking the time to view my photos this week! If you'd like to play along or see more great photos, stop by to see Lotus at Sarcastic Mom.

Since I have been aiding both PR professionals and businesses with online campaigns for quite some time, I have decided to officially offer my services as 3Garnets PR. These are some of the areas in which my knowledge of social networking can benefit your clients or your business . . .

Product Review & Giveaway Campaigns ~ If you are a PR professional who needs to outsource some of your work or a business that is interested in establishing your brand through the power of bloggers, I will ably assist you in finding the bloggers who will offer you the most benefit by taking part in your campaign. I can make recommendations about what type of campaign is the best strategy for your type of product. I also offer long-term services for businesses who would like a constant stream of reviews and giveaways in order to maximize brand exposure and SEO.

Advertising Campaigns ~ If you are interested in purchasing advertising space on blogs or websites on behalf of your client or your own business, I can assist you by seeking out the best sites to maximize the benefits of your advertising dollars dictated by your budget.

Social Media ~ If you are interested in setting up a Facebook and/or Twitter page for your business or brand, I can quickly do this. I can even create graphics for these pages, including avatars, banners, and Twitter backgrounds. I also offer the service of running and maintaining these social media pages.

Being a member of a large blogging community, I network with a vast number of bloggers daily. If you are interested in discussing a campaign, please contact me via email at 3Garnets PR. I will reply to your inquiry promptly. I can also provide a resume and references upon request.

Okay, so here I sit and it isn't even 6am yet on a Saturday morning. I didn't even go to bed until 3am and still I could not sleep. Here's why . . .

I have a deep phobia of bugs. It doesn't matter what kind they are . . . big, small, crawling, flying, buzzing, even spiders. It took my husband many years to realize how bad my phobia was. I think the point of realization occurred when we were traveling South by car and I realized there were little tiny bugs crawling all over the duffle bag that was at my feet on the passenger's side. We must have picked them up when we put the bag on the ground at the last pit stop. Being trapped in a small place with lots of bugs and not being able to remove myself from the situation is not ideal for me at all. So I started to get itchy. Then my stomach started to hurt and I started to have trouble breathing. I was having a panic attack for the very first time in my life. So that was when my husband first realized that I wasn't just being over-dramatic when I reacted to insects like I did.

Fast forward to last night . . .

Here I was sitting on our bed exactly where I am now (except my husband was not sleeping soundly next to me as he is now) typing away minding my own business. All of a sudden, I felt something nudge me on my behind. I turn to look and there was a huge brown bug on my boy shorts. So I tried to desperately shake the fabric to get it off of me. After what seemed like forever, it fell off onto the bed and I shot off the bed like I was on fire. So then I look and the bug isn't on the bed anymore. Instead I felt something land on the back of my should. That was when I let out a scream. This thing was after me! So I picked up the phone and called my husband on the intercom to get upstairs to catch it.

Well, it turned out that the big brown bug was nowhere to be found. So I sat back on the bed and tried to get some more work done while I waited impatiently for my husband to finish what he was doing on World of Warcraft so he could come to bed. It was tough to concentrate since my skin was itching all over and I was rocking back and forth hoping the bug wouldn't come back to land on me if I was in constant motion. I was also constantly looking around the bed, on myself, and around the room. I even tried to coax one of our cats to stay on the bed with me to be my guard cat, but he refused to cooperate. Nope, not much work got done.

So I tried to go to sleep when my husband came to bed, but I was still extremely itchy and paranoid. It didn't help that it was stifling and humid in our room either. I think I fell asleep at about 3:30am and woke up around 4:30am. I couldn't take just lying there being paranoid and itchy anymore, so I got up at 5am to take a shower. I figured that I could scream loud enough to wake up my husband if there was another attempt to attack me by the big bad brown bug.

You all must think I sound like a nutcase. The amazing thing is that my husband didn't call me one last night. He was sympathetic and tried to help and never made me feel ridiculous once. How wonderful is that?

Our 2.5yr old twins have not had much exposure to the Care Bears on television, so when I was presented with a chance to review the Care Bears: Tell-Tale Tummies on DVD, I was extremely curious to see the twins' reactions. I already knew our 5yr old son would enjoy it.

The Care Bears: Tell-Tale Tummies DVD was released this month, on June 9th, 2009. It is packed with eight episodes, which is a nice surprise compared to the usual four episodes found on most children's DVDs.

What I thought about this DVD as a parent:

1) I have always had a very positive opinion about the Care Bears. Since I was a child, they have represented all that is right in the world. This DVD reinforces that opinion.

2) I like the recurring theme of the consequences of lying on many of the eight episodes. Expanding upon topic the of lying, this DVD also touches upon exaggerations and not taking credit for something you didn't do.

3) Other helpful themes presented to children are the concepts of not being embarrassed about not knowing how to do something, accepting help from others and showing gratitude, that it's okay to help others and not receive credit for it, greediness and hoarding, and how things may not always be as they appear.

What my 3 children thought about this Care Bears DVD:

1) As I predicted he would, my 2.5yr old son smiled and swayed back and forth to the theme song.

2) Although the twins enjoyed the colors, the action, and the special effects, the parts where all the characters stand in a group to carry on discussions managed to lose their attention a bit.

3) My 5yr old son's favorite episode was "No-Snow Day." In fact, he enjoyed it so much that he asked to watch that episode again immediately after the DVD ended.

Overall, I think this was a wonderful DVD. I do love the lessons each episode teaches, unfortunately I do think many of those lessons will be lost on children younger than preschool-age. This DVD is perfect for preschool through early grade school-aged children.

You can find the Care Bears on DVD locally and online most places where children's DVDs are sold, including LionsgateShop.com .

Thank you to Lionsgate for providing us with a review product free of charge.

This week's confession is not something that I did, but rather something that I thought about, which made me feel a little guilty and selfish.

I Confess . . .

It has been gloomy, rainy, windy, and in the 60's and low 70's for over a week now. Being the end of June, it would normally be in the mid to upper 80's where I live. Even though I know it has been awful for my children to be cooped up in the house with no sunshine for this long, I truthfully am hoping it will last a little bit longer. I am not looking forward to a hot humid summer and am definitely not looking forward to nearly doubling the electricity bill by running the air conditioner day and night.

If you're a mom who needs to get something off her chest, visit Victoria at Life Starring the Kids and Me to play along!

I have to admit that I am not a fan of very spicy food. My husband loves salsa though, so I thought I'd give one of the new Pace specialty salsas a try. I chose the Pineapple Mango Chipotle Salsa to take for a test-drive with cooking a simple dish because it sounded like it would be a crowd-pleaser.

If you have seen any of the recipes I've shared on my site, then you know that most of them have five ingredients or less. What we made with the Pace Salsa is . . .

Step 6. Bake chicken at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. You will have to adjust the time according to the quantity of chicken, but don't worry, your chicken won't dry out because it is smothered in salsa.

Step 7. Prepare your rice as directed on the package. It is best to time this to be ready to serve by the time the chicken is ready.

Step 8. Plate each chicken breast next to a bed of rice and top the rice off with some of the salsa that is left in the baking dish.

What I thought about cooking with Pace Specialty Salsa:

1) Although the salsa had quite a bit of kick straight from the jar, it became much milder after being cooked. I did not mind eating it nor did my children. In fact, everyone enjoyed it very much.

2) The smell of the chicken baking with the Pineapple Mango Chipotle Salsa was amazing.

3) See how chunky the salsa is straight from the jar?

Being a huge John Ritter fan, I was so pleased to be able to review Season 2 of the hit sitcom 8 Simple Rules (otherwise known as 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter). Although the late John Ritter only appeared in the first two episodes, it certainly brought back memories of watching Three's Company as a child and the reruns as an adult. I think I have every episode memorized.

When the character of the father Paul (John Ritter) passed away on the show, it made a lighthearted comedy take a serious turn suddenly. I remember when this season aired on broadcast television. When I watched it for the first time back then, I felt so sad because I mourned the loss of the actor. When I watched this season on DVD, once again, I was deeply saddened, but not because of what was happening on the show. I was sad because the show made me think about how my own family would fall apart if we were to have suffered the same loss.

I think the reason why this show was a success is because it is very relatable. Aside from the loss of a spouse and parent, this season of 8 Simple Rules also covers the topics of unexpected pregnancy, educating teens about safe sex, money problems, raising teenagers, and the struggles of a single parent.

I believe bringing on James Garner and David Spade were smart moves on the part of the producers. Both these well-known actors attracted viewers from two different generations . . . well actually three if you count mine. I remember watching Garner in Rockford Files with my father when I was very young and I certainly remember Spade in the television comedy Just Shoot Me.

You can pick up this DVD set locally and online at most places where DVDs are sold, including LionsgateShop.com .

Thank you to Lionsgate for providing us with both a review product and a contest prize free of charge.


What you can win:
One lucky reader will win an 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter: Season Two 3-Disc DVD Set (MSRP $29.98).

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.


How to Gain Entries:
Leave a comment telling me the name of your current favorite television show. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) Follow Lionsgate on Twitter. Then leave me the link to your Twitter profile in a separate comment.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) Add this blog to your Technorati Favorites. Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so and under what username. Add to Technorati Favorites

4) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post and to the Lionsgate Shop. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

5) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

6) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

7) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

8) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

9) Add my "Graco Twin Stroller" giveaway button to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

10) Add my "Get Cool For School" giveaway event button to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)

Good luck in the drawing!

Since after two emails and 96 hours, the JumpStart 3D Online Membership remains unclaimed, I am going to draw a new winner. Let's see who the lucky person is!

Out of 86 entries, the winner is . . .

In honor of the Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest, National Geographic, one of the most respected publishers of amazing photography, and Energizer, home of the Ultimate Lithium Battery and the Energizer Bunny, have teamed up to put together this prize pack to mark the last week of the contest.

National Geographic photographer and contest judge Jim Richardson is a firm believer that you do not have to have the best camera or to be a professional photographer to take the perfect photo. That is why everyone is invited to submit their favorite photos for consideration.

Take a minute to view the slide show below of some of the amazing entries submitted by people just like you . . .

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.


How to Gain Entries:
Take a look at the top ten photography tips offered by renowned photographer Jim Richardson. Then leave a comment telling me which tip helps you the most. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 15 extra entries, submit a photo entry to the Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest. Then leave FIFTEEN separate comments telling me which email you used to register and enter.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) Add this blog to your Technorati Favorites. Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so and under what username. Add to Technorati Favorites

4) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post and to the Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

5) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

6) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day.

7) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

8) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

9) Add my "Graco Twin Stroller" giveaway button to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

10) Add my "Get Cool For School" giveaway event button to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)

Good luck in the drawing!

We have five contests to draw the winners for today and one of them has 25 winners! Since the post will get too long, I am going to just list out the winners for that particular contest.

Let's get started!

Out of 431 entries, the winner of the My Tot Clock contest is . . .

True Random Number Generator Result: 372