Shorts Shopping: The Saga continues

in , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, May 31, 2013

My daughters are 14 and 10 years of age. They are both smack dab in the middle of a fashion crisis not of their own making.  The crisis? Shorts. Yep. Shorts!


We have been shopping for cool, fun, in style jean shorts on and offline for days now.  We aren’t being picky. Well, not on purpose.  We all just want affordable, classy, not trashy “bootie” shortie shorts. 

Repeat: I will not have shortie shorts in my house or on my girls!

Macy's
Courtesy: Macy's.com

You know the kind. The ones where the pockets hang out in front? The ones where the inseam is the size of my pinky nail? These shorts come complete with whiskers, strategically placed rips, some even have words! All meant to show as much leg and skin as possible. There are even shorter ones than those pictured above.  Older teens and 20 somethings might pull this off, but not my 14 year old.

The shorts for my 10 year old aren’t any better. She loves Justice brand clothing. Here is what I’m met with there. Not so bad in a picture or on a mannequin, but put them on a 10 yr. old playing at the park and you will soon see what I'm talking about. 

shorts
Courtesy: ShopJustice.com

What about us Moms and kids who want something in between shortie shorts and Bermudas that don’t cost 25 bucks a pair? Surely we can’t be the only ones out here searching for nice, ladylike shorts.

Am I the only Mom that still says ladylike? I hope not, but if the leftover shorts at my local stores are any indication, I am in the minority. Have the other Moms just given in and said,”Okay, buy the shortie shorts, if they are in your size! And please make it snappy, because this is our 5th store today!”?  That’s what we keep running into, no nice shorts in their sizes.

I’m not judging, I’m asking. Do you care how much skin your daughter is showing? It’s the last day of May and I’ve already inadvertently seen way too many not properly covered behinds to last me well into July! And don’t even get me started on the less than ladylike way in which some teens are forever picking and pulling trying to get those shorts out of uncomfortable spots! Trust me when I say, I'm not purposely trying to see these actions...but they are everywhere!

There I go, being all ladylike again.  And I’ll make no apologies for it. I’m a classy lady doing my best to raise classy daughters in a world bent on making them anything but. 

Sigh.


We did find these perfect shorts at Macy's, but they are on sale for 27.99 a pair!

shorts
Courtesy: Macy's.com

Sigh again.

I’ll take my daughters shopping again today because I know 2 local stores got in new shipments yesterday. I pray they will both find at least one pair of jean shorts that are cool, fun and in style.

I might even pay more than normal for them! Wish me good luck.

How do you deal with the less is more trend in teen and tween clothing?

Wordless Wednesday- Local Love

in , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, May 29, 2013
I saw this poster over the weekend and had to snap a picture of it. I think it represents Nashville, TN. perfectly.

Tennessee
Local Love

Where do you live? Let me know with a comment! Got a WW post up on your blog? Let me know that too so I can stop by.

Vimbly helps you take on New York

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, May 27, 2013
Thank you to Vimbly.com for sponsoring this blog post. I was selected for this sponsorship by Sverve.com. All opinions expressed here are my own.


Planning a family vacation to New York just got whole lot easier thanks to a wonderful website I recently got introduced to.

 If you live in New York or are planning a trip there, I invite you to check out Vimbly


logo
Courtesy: Vimbly.com

About Vimbly:

“Vimbly shows open time slots for activities, classes, & date ideas by different businesses on a single page and lets users book directly.  These activities include dance, cooking, glassblowing, pizza making, wine tasting, intro to cigars, learning to DJ, improv, scotch pairing, samurai sword fighting, persuasion class, and hundreds more.

Not only does Vimbly show you pricing on each activity, they show the times available for you to book each activity. All useful tools when you are trying to plan a vacation, day trip, or if you live in the city that never sleeps, find something to make you interesting. 


 
Vimbly
Courtesy: Vimbly



I was looking for family friendly NYC activities and these were just two I found.
New York and pizza go hand in hand, so of course we would have to take the NYC Pizza bus tour.
And I know we would all enjoy seeing Manhattan while on this brunch cruise!

cruise
Courtesy: Vimbly
With just one click I knew how much each activity would cost and the best time to book. Vimbly takes the guess work out of planning your trip and activities.

If I lived in New York I would find Vimbly.com an invaluable resource! It has helped me get a handle on what things cost for a family vacation to this awesome city.

I hope Vimbly.com adds more cities because I would use this online tool for every trip we plan.
You can learn more about Vimbly by visiting their website, following them on Facebook and Twitter.

Are you planning a trip to New York soon?

Apple TV Gift Card Giveaway

in , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Welcome to the Apple TV Giveaway Event!
Hosted by Famous Free Samples


famous free samples giveaway
Courtesy: Famous Free Samples
I'm teaming up with a great group of bloggers this week to offer you another great giveaway! 
We want to give away an Apple TV, in the form of a $100 Apple gift card, to one lucky winner!

About the Apple TV:
"Apple TV gives you access to the best 1080p HD content - including blockbuster movies, your music and photos, and more - right on your widescreen TV. You can even play content from your iOS devices on your TV using AirPlay."


About the Giveaway:
This giveaway begins on May 22nd and will run through June 5th at 11:59pm EST. Open to residents of the US only, 18+.

Use the PromoSimple form below to enter the giveaway. Be sure to come back daily for more chances to win. Best of luck to all!


Win an Apple TV


Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way to share this giveaway. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for shipping of prize.

Learn a new craft from home with #Craftsy

in , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, May 20, 2013
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive monetary compensation should you click through the links and purchase an online class or join their referral program. Thank you in advance for your support. 



Have you ever wished there was an easy way to learn a new crafting skill? Every time I go into my local craft supply store I see the sign-up sheets for at least one or two classes I'd love to take but the timing never seems to work out. Now, thanks to my new sponsor Craftsy, I can take a class anytime I want to!



Craftsy online classes
Courtesy: Craftsy.com
         


About Craftsy:

Craftsy is the leading online social crafting platform. We offer full-length, professionally-produced HD video courses in quilting, sewing, knitting, crochet, food, jewelry, paper craft, and more. Custom interactive features allow students to connect directly with each other and with award-winning instructors.

You are see the whole list of classes available by going HERE.  There is a how to on Jam & Marmalade that I have my eye on. And I also want to take a refresher class on sewing, because honestly, my 7th grade home economics class skills leave a little to be desired!

Speaking of sewing, Craftsy offers several free classes like this Free Online Quilting Class! Just do a quick search and I'm sure you will find a free or very affordable class in your area of interest because there are
several classes on sale right now. So go ahead and indulge your desire to learn something new, or perhaps join me on brushing up on a skill that's a little rusty!


Another great feature of Craftsy is the Gift any class feature. 


craftsy
Courtesy: Craftsy.com

"Want to give someone a Craftsy class, but not sure which one to pick? With our "Gift Any Class" cards, you can buy a loved one any Craftsy class of their choosing for $30! Just fill out the form with their contact information and we'll send them a link to choose whichever Craftsy class they've got their eye on, for free. It has never been easier to give the gift of crafting fun!" 


I think Craftsy has come up with a wonderful solution for us time crunched crafters! I hope you'll visit them soon. Not only do they offer classes and a vibrant community, Craftsy also offers you a way to earn a little money with their referral program. Join Crafty's affiliate program today by clicking HERE.


Are you a crafter? What project are you currently working on? 





When a representative from Safer Brands contacted me about possibly doing a review for their organic products I quickly researched the company prior to saying yes. We have had bad experiences with lawn and garden products in the past and I wanted to make sure these products were something beneficial and truly safe to work with. Within 3 minutes of visiting their informative website, I was replying to that email with Yes, please!  Here's what I learned.


I received  free products from Safer Brand to facilitate this review. However, all opinions are 100% my own. 




About Safer Brand Lawn Care:


Organic lawn care


Safer Brand's tag line says it all: It's Organic, It's Effective, It's Safer Brand. The website also states: "Safer® Brand carries the natural gardening products you need for your organic garden, lawn and houseplants. Our insecticides and herbicides are all natural, containing no synthetic or man-made chemicals. Whatever your organic gardening needs are, Safer® Brand can help."


That sounded really good to me since we live on a pretty large property and safety of our yard, outside animals and waterways is very important to us. We waited for the arrival of our products. 




Here's what we received:

Weed control
Safer Brand Restore and Weed Control Step 1 & 2




restore
Safer Brand Lawn Restore Step 3 & 4




spreader
Safer Brand Thermometer and Application Calendar





Trying Products:

Our products arrived in late April just in time to apply. The only problem was it rained every time we were free to apply the products.  We finally caught a break in the weather and got busy.




Here is a photo of the Restore in our spreader.


spreader




And a photo of my wonderful husband spreading Safer Brand Restore on our lawn.



My hubby




I even added the Weed Prevention Plus product to my flower beds prior to mulching.



Safer Brand Weed Prevention Plus


My Thoughts:


I was pleased that the Safer Brand products had no chemical odor. The products smell more grainy than anything. In fact, I saw curious birds coming down to peck and investigate the pellets under a tree. I didn't have to worry about them, my outside kitty, or the lawn! 


So far I am very pleased with the Safer Brand products and will keep you updated with the results as we work through the product application process which happens in July and September. After that I will give my full review. 


I invite you to check out Safer Brand products if you are looking for a safe alternative to harsh chemicals. Visit their website HERE or connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.


Please share in comments: Where would you like to use Safer products in your yard?






Famous Free Samples’ Apple TV Giveaway Event



apple logo
Courtesy:Famous Free Samples

Hi Blogging friends! Are you looking for a free way to increase your social media followers? Then why not join me on TipHero's latest event? You will love the results!


Sign-ups are now open for Famous Free Samples’ latest giveaway event!
  • This event is free to join with an announcement post. If you don't wish to post the announcement, please send the $5 non-post fee to tiphero@gmail.com
  • You'll receive 1 free link for participating (either Twitter or Pinterest)
  • Additional links (RSS/Email, YouTube, Twitter and Pinterest) are available for $5 each
  • Sign-ups for this event end on May 20th
  • Event runs from May 22 - June 5
  • Prize: An Apple TV (in the form of a $100 Apple Gift Card)

Please send all payments to tiphero@gmail.com as a "gift" via PayPal.
Sign up for this event here.

Welcome to my new series of home improvement, D.I.Y. and housekeeping posts! We are doing projects on a budget, happily applying common sense and a healthy dose of elbow grease.  I hope you’ll stop by often to see what we’ve been up to.  


Kitchen Cabinet Help on a Budget:


Are you tired of your drab kitchen cabinets? Wish you could replace them? That’s where we are too. 
When we bought this house several years ago, it was our plan to update the whole house starting with the kitchen and baths. My husband is a professional cabinet maker/woodworker, so finding the right person for the job isn’t the problem. Time and money is. 

With company coming soon, I decided to do something about my kitchen cabinets.
First I borrowed my husband’s Formby’s Lemon Oil furniture treatment and one of his soft cloths. He said it was the best choice for what I wanted to do. He's the pro, so I knew our cabinets wouldn't get damaged.

As you can tell by the label, this stuff has been used and around for a while. It has a nice, mild lemony scent and isn’t real greasy.



oil

After reading the simple directions, I squeezed a small amount on my cloth and set to work. 


Lemon oil
You can barely make out the little yellow spot in this picture.  




This is a before picture of my 1st cabinet:

before

As you can see, the cabinet doesn’t look dirty, just a bit drab.



But the cloth after applying the Formby’s on this one cabinet tells a different story: 


applying Formby's



I keep a pretty neat and tidy home if I do say so myself, so I wasn’t prepared for this yuckiness! I got back to work, applying a liberal amount of enthusiasm to the task. For me there is just something elemental and comforting about doing a task with my hands that allows my mind to work on other stuff. That’s called being in the zone and I like it.



See how shiny the cabinet door looks?

shiny with Formby's


I am very pleased with my new shiny, clean kitchen cabinets! Formby’s even shined up the hardware without making it greasy to the touch. I smile each time I walk in the kitchen. 

This is such a quick and inexpensive way to brighten up your kitchen.
Total project cost = Zero, because we had the Formby’s on hand. I found several companies selling this product online for less than 10 dollars!
Total project time: To complete 13 upper and lower cabinets, inside and out plus drawers = 2 hours. 


I hope you will try Formby’s on your kitchen cabinets too and stop back by and let me know what you think. I’ll be doing the bathroom cabinets next.


What are you working on around your home? 









Rod Stewart is "Time"less!

in , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, May 10, 2013
I participated in this campaign for One2One Network. I received a free copy of the CD to facilitate my review. By posting, I am eligible for incentives. All opinions stated are my own.



I was hooked on Rod Stewart from the first time I heard his gruff voice on my radio singing 
"Wake up Maggie, I think I got something to say to you". 

So when I got the email from One@One Network saying that his new album Time was available for review, I happily joined the campaign. A big thank you to One2One Network for giving me the opportunity to listen to Rod Stewart's first original content CD released in almost 20 years!




About Time:


time CD
Courtesy: One2One Network
  • Rod Stewart has spent four decades being a rock star, three being a parent, and has a new album's worth of rollicking stories to tell. Time is his first album of new material in almost 20 years (and his hairstyle hasn't changed one bit!)
  • Time, releasing May 7th, 2013, marks Stewart's long-awaited return to his songwriting roots and features 12 tracks, 11 of which he wrote and produced.
  • The album was born from a burst of inspiration that came while Rod was reviewing his life for his recent memoir.
  •  Rod rediscovered his voice as a songwriter and rekindled his gift for writing the honest, nerve-touching narratives that have been the cornerstone to the first three decades of his career.


Rod on Writing Time: 



Time CD
Courtesy: One2One Network

  • "Suddenly ideas for lyrics were piling up in my head," he says. "Next thing I knew, I had a song called 'It's Over' about divorce and separation. And now I was getting up in the middle of the night and scrambling for a pen to write things down, which has never happened to me. I finished seven or eight songs very quickly and I still wasn't done, and it became apparent that I would eventually have a whole album of material to record."



My Review:

 I believe song placement on an album is very important and I can see why the powers that be started us off with the up-tempo song She Makes Me Happy. It made me happy just listening to it.
Go HERE to listen to the song and then please come back and tell me what you think.   
The frolicking, fun tempo continues on the second track Can't stop me now where Rod sings about his early career days and I loved that he shared when he met Maggie May!

On the next two tracks, Rod gets serious. On It's Over, his song about divorce, I admired him for remembering his children and saying he'd do whatever suits her. You can really feel his heart in this song. 
Then Brighton Beach is written from the loved and lost eye of youth where he asks "Do you ever stop and think about me? So relatable because who among us hasn't wondered if a high school sweet heart still remembers us?


A few of the tracks didn't resonate with me. They were good musically, but being a lover of a great lyric, I wanted more of the writing I'd heard in the first few tracks. I think my favorite songs were the one's in which he wrote about children. 
They touched on such strong emotions that you feel honored to feel his heart through his words.
 Pure Love, the final and best track (in my humble opinion) is a perfect example of that and this song moved me to tears.



My Take Away:

Time was well worth the wait! Rod Stewart invites us into his life over the last couple of decades with his well written and performed songs. He remembers and honors those that have left a mark on his life and heart. He admits to not being perfect and that he's not done living and having fun, just in a more mature way. 

I would highly recommend this CD to any Rod Stewart fan or anybody who loves a good love song! There are several to choose from on this CD. 

To buy Time please visit iTunes, or Amazon and be sure to follow Rod Stewart on Twitter.
You can also catch him on Katie – Airing 5-10-13 at  3pm EST / Check Local Listings on ABC.


I hope you found this review helpful. Are you a Rod Stewart fan? If so, what's your favorite song?














The Garden Patch Growbox Giveaway

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, May 03, 2013

During one of our recent family meetings, we all agreed that we grow our veggies in containers again this year. This frees up some of our summer and gives us a chance to bargain shop for a much needed rototiller and a few other gardening tools we're missing.

Do you container garden as well? Then you are going to love this giveaway! I've partnered with some great bloggers to bring you:


The Garden Patch Growbox Giveaway

grow box
Courtesy:TheGrowbox.com


My blogging buddy Colleen at My Vegan Gluten Free Life shares her experience with The Growbox below:


"Garden Patch was having a photo contest. I sent in a photo of the tomato plants that I grow using Garden Patch Growboxes. I put them in my south-facing windows of my home in Homer, AK. To my delight and surprise I was one of the photo winners in The Garden Patch Photo Contest, with your voting help! My picture is in their mailing flier.



 winner
Courtesy: My Vegan Gluten Free Life

I just love to Garden and since it's rather difficult in our Alaskan climate I love these Growboxes! I grow cucumbers and green beans also in my house! Of course these Growboxes are used outside but for those of us with challenging growing conditions it is so nice to have one of these inside to grow in! I now have 7 Growboxes & LOVE them!
I LOVE the fact that it has a water reservoir at the bottom of the Growbox. It is large and the access is through the easily seen pour spout. I can leave my home for a week after filling the reservoir, which I do frequently, and when I return the vegetables are in fine shape and condition! The roots grow through the planting media and into the water. It is a fantastic system.
When I received notice from The Garden Patch telling me I had won and they would send me a Growbox, I asked if they would give one as a giveaway instead of sending me one since I use them already. Again to my delight and surprise, The Garden Patch said they would gladly send one as a giveaway prize but also would send me one! Isn't the Garden Patch absolutely fabulous? So one lucky winner will get to have one of these great Growboxes!"


The Garden Patch Growbox Giveaway:

The Garden Patch Growbox comes complete with fertilizer, easy instructions and planting guide. It is made of Tough UV construction lasts a long time! You can see by my picture below. I just hosed off and cleaned my Growboxes getting them ready for use here shortly. Our Alaskan sunshine is lasting at least 12 hours already. All you have to do is just add plants and potting mix. They are a nice 28"L x 14"W x 12"H in size and green or terra-cotta in color. I have the terra-cotta ones. They are USA made.


This Garden Growbox giveaway is open to the US.

Giveaway closes May 31, 2013 at 12:00 AM EST . 

Enter on the Rafflecopter below and good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you Garden? 

Thank you to The Fast Metabolism Diet for sponsoring this blog post. I was selected for this sponsorship by SheSpeaks.com  All opinions expressed here are my own.



Like most women I know, our weight is often on our minds. We go back and forth in sizes and usually draw a mental line in the sand that says " I will not go past this number on the scale! 
That's where I was at the beginning of this year. I was determined to get healthy and stay that way, so reviewing and following the Fast Metabolism Diet plan came at a wonderful time in my life. I had already changed my mindset, was making good progress and was mentally ready to start a new plan. That is the key to success in my opinion. 



About The Fast Metabolism Diet:



Diet
Courtesy: FastMetabolismDiet.com

The basic idea of this diet plan is to keep your body and metabolism guessing by rotating what you eat throughout each week. This is a simple and proven plan carefully designed to induce precise physiological changes that set your metabolism on fire. 

This is done in 3 phases: 
  • Phase 1 ( Monday-Tuesday)- Lots of carbs and fruits
  • Phase 2 ( Wednesday-Thursday)- Lots of proteins and veggies
  • Phase 3 ( Friday-Sunday)- All of the above, plus healthy fats and oils


The Science Behind the Diet:


Fast Metabolism
Courtesy:FastMetabolismDiet.com


About The Author: Haylie Pomroy:

Haylie Pomroy has spent more than 17 years helping people lose weight, improve fertility, overcome health challenges and reach optimal health while still enjoying real food and not going hungry. With clinic locations in Beverly Hills, Burbank, Irvine, and Fort Collins, Haylie is highly regarded in Hollywood and in the medical community.  You can learn more about Haylie here.  You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter



My Review:

I was a bit sceptical of the books claim that I could lose up to 20 pounds in 28 days. Not only did it sound unfeasible, it sounded unhealthy. Also, as the Mom of two impressionable daughters, I try to not use the term "diet" and I do my best to have a healthy body image so they will too. 
But, the truth is: I need to lose weight so I gladly accepted the challenge of change. 28 days is such a short time in the grand scheme of things. 

Here are my thoughts and tips:

  • Be prepared to read before you start this diet! Haylie spells out the science behind the diet and mentally prepares you for your 28 day journey. You'll need that information for what she asks of you, so please don't skip ahead.  
  • Once you are ready to start, double check your grocery list and shop for a full weeks worth of groceries. This book has lots of healthy recipes and a master food list for each week,  which I found very helpful.
  •  Be prepared to drink lots and lots of water! I thought I was good on my water consumption, but no. This diet has you drinking half your weight in ounces per day. Talk about flushing ~ literally and figuratively! So don't start this diet if you are not going to be able to take frequent bathroom breaks. 
  • Speaking of drinking, you aren't supposed to drink alcohol or coffee for 28 days.  I was fine with no alcohol, but no coffee? No way! I get up way too early to not have my morning coffee. I did concede to the plan and stopped using my normal fat free creamer and cut way back on my sugar.
  • Be prepared to keep this book with you for the 28 days. Since you are changing eating patterns and exercise patterns every 2 days, I got a little frustrated with trying to plan family meals and events around this diet, so having the book with me helped me get back on track if I slipped up and ate a piece of fruit on the wrong day.  The great thing about this plan is if you do mess up, just start over! 


My Take Away: 

I followed this diet to the best of my ability and found it easier to follow than first anticipated. The key is to plan! 

Now, to answer the big question: Did I lose 20 pounds in 28 days? 

No I didn't, but I did lose 9.2 pounds, 3 points off my body fat, 1 inch loss overall and gained a new healthy respect for my body and what I am asking of it. To me, that is priceless, so I do recommend this book and The Fast Metabolism Diet for those that need to kick start a new healthy way of eating and living. 

There are lots of resources and tools available to help you decide if this diet is right for you. I invite you to read the FAQ's here, check out the handy app here.  


I hope you found this review helpful. I would love to hear your feedback if you have tried this diet plan or want to. 

© My WAHM Plan · THEME BY WATDESIGNEXPRESS