Lil' Debi As Mama: August 2013

August 28, 2013

Wordless Wednesday (Linky) - 4th Grader

First Day Of 4th Grade. I can't believe it. It seems like not so long ago I was walking her to her first day of pre-school.

Mighty Handle Review & Giveaway

Mighty Handle makes it easier to carry more grocery bags, whether you just have to walk across the driveway or up a flight of stairs. It's also handy for carrying hanging clothes, housewares and more.

The handle is light, durable, comfy, no slip and ergonomic. The anchor design system balances the weight so you can carry up to 50 lbs. of bags in one hand. Best of all, the Mighty Handle is made in the good ol' U.S.A., is 100% recyclable and dishwasher safe.

While I was trying to think of different items the Mighty Handle would be helpful for besides carrying groceries, I thought of gifts and baskets. Everytime I go to a birthday party, shower or other gift giving event, I always see people having a hell of a time carrying all their gift bags and baskets to the car and home. This could save a lot of trips back and forth to load up all your goodies.

I no longer have to worry about the bags spilling or tipping in the back seat everytime I turn a corner. I will admit that I am not the best driver. After placing your bags on the seat or in the trunk, twist the Mighty Handle twice and fold it down to prevent spills.

See how simple it is to use in the short video below. Shopping made easier and more mighty.

I keep mine in the side pocket of our truck for easy access. Usually after a stock up trip to the grocery store my hubby makes trips back and forth bringing the bags in while I'm putting them away. He only makes one trip when he uses the handle.   It also makes it easier when my daughter and I go to the store. She actually likes to help me bring in the bags now just so she can use the Mighty Handle.

You can get the the Mighty Handle at Schnucks and Hen House stores or at Amazon. Mighty Handle - 2 Pack

It is also currently rising in Walmart's "Get On The Shelf Program". Vote to get this product sold at Walmart by visiting https://getontheshelf.walmart.com/product/1481/Mighty-Handle

Find more information about the Mighty Handle on Facebook and Twitter. Better yet, you can enter to win your own and see for yourself how it makes your shopping easier. Giveaway will end 9/11/13 and is open to the U.S. Easily enter with the rafflecopter from below. Good luck to everyone.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a free product for testing purposes. All oponions are 100% my own based on my experience.

August 20, 2013

Wordless Wednesday (Linky) - Cruising Downtown

These pictures of Rachel were taken when we took a family vacation to my hometown of Pontiac, IL in June. It is a small town about 100 miles south of Chicago. It has also become quite the tourist mecca for those who tour the historic and famous Route 66. There are one of these cool painted cars on almost every corner of the downtown/ Main Street. They really are pieces of art.

I would really love if you would leave a comment with which car is your favorite. I'm just curious as to which ones would be more popular. Thanks and Happy Wordless (well not so wordless today) Wednesday:) and don't forget to link up your awesome pics.

August 19, 2013

Firmoo Glasses Giveaway - 2 Winners

Firmoo is the most popular online eyeglasses store. I have previously reviewed their glasses and I just love them. I actually just received the sunglasses I ordered, which is my third pair. I have become a huge Firmoo fan. They offer quality glasses at affordable prices that are 80-90% lower compared to that of a local store.

Firmoo has also launched their First Pair Free Program for new customers to test out their products and service for free by paying shipping only. They have so many fashionable frames to choose from that I have a hard time picking just one.

I am so glad to partner with Firmoo for another of their great giveaways. You can win a pair of eyeglasses/sunglasses without free shipping from the Classic Series. Two winners will be chosen. Eyeglasses selected include frame plus 1.5 single vision lenses. Sunglasses selected include frame plus zero-powered lenses.

Classic Glasses, Timeless Fashion. As low as $16

Make sure to share the giveaway with your friends and after 50 valid entries, an extra pair of free eyeglasses/sunglasses with free shipping will be offered to one of my luckiest readers. Valid entries are only those that comment with the URL or item # of which pair you would like to win.

Giveaway ends 9/1/13 and is open to most countries. You can check which countries Firmoo ships to at http://www.firmoo.com/help-p-84.shtml. Easily enter through the rafflecopter form below. Good luck to everyone.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

August 18, 2013

#StandingUp To Bullies Giveaway

Bullying is an issue very close to my heart and we need to stand up against bullying. Did you know that 160,000 U.S. students stay home from school each day because they are so scared of being bullied? Every child deserves to get an education in a safe environment without fear of bullies.

Standing Up is a heart-warming family movie with an important anti-bullying message. The movie is based on the beloved young adult novel and directed by the acclaimed D.J. Caruso. Standing up follows two kids who get bullied by a vicious summer camp prank. Left together on an island, their adventure begins when they decide not to be victims and Stand Up.

One of the things we can do to understand the problem and discuss solutions is to be inspired. That's what this movie does. Get the DVD August 20th!

Check out the Standing Up blog app.

Watch the trailer.

Do you stand up to bullies? Or do you let them intimidate you and others? Take the quiz to see where you stand.

Beat The Bully - tips and tricks to beat the bullies in your life

Take the Anti-bullying Pledge! (click on PDF image above to print) Read it, sign it and hang it somewhere you can always see it as a reminder. Bullying can effect even the strongest of people. I have my pledge hanging on the fridge.

Besides the movie's charm, it also carries a powerful message. After watching, talk with your kids about some of the life lessons in the movie and encourage them to ask questions.

You can also get the stunning soundtrack from Varese Sarabande Records September 3rd on iTunes and in stores September 24th.

I am pleased that I get to give one of my readers a Standing Up DVD signed by director D.J. Caruso. Easy entry with the rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to the U.S. and ends 8/30/13. Good luck to everyone.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Lil' Debi As Mama is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

August 12, 2013

DIY Project - Corner Bench

We have been very busy getting ready to move in a couple of weeks. For the last 3 years, we have lived in an apartment and I am so glad to be moving back into a house with a huge yard. It has been a lot of extra work because we are also doing the remodeling ourselves.

Despite the work, I have really enjoyed being able to do some DIY projects. It lets me use my creative side and I get to work with my hands.

My first project was a corner bench my husband brought home for me. Someone had it by the side of the road for garbage pickup and my hubby just knew I would like it. As they say, "One man's trash is another man's treasure."

It just needed a little cleaning and there were a couple of rips on two of the seats. I happened to have some fabric in my crafting supplies that I thought would be perfect for recovering them.

I cleaned it all up and told the hubby to disassemble the three parts I wanted to recover and give me his staple gun. I have never done any seat recovering, but I was confident I could handle the task. Which actually means I was just going to wing it like I usually do and see what happens.

I basically just laid out my material on the floor, set the seat on top of it and cut my material around it with enough extra to wrap around. I didn't measure or make sure it was cut perfectly straight since I would just be wrapping it underneath and stapling it. Nobody cares what the underneath part looks like.

The seats were originally covered in a brown leather that I left as is and just covered over. I was a little more careful when stapling the fabric to make sure I was making it tight enough. It didn't take me long at all to finish all three pieces.

Here are some pictures of the finished bench which I thought turned out pretty good. It will make a nice addition to my new kitchen and didn't even cost me a penny. Now that really makes me smile:)

Have you done any DIY projects lately? I would love to hear about your favorite at home project. I have a few more in the works and will be posting those as I get them finished. Right now I am working on painting and recovering some stools.

Kidecals Review #LABELITDONTLOSEIT

It's back to school time and I've almost got my daughter ready. I always write her name on her backpack, lunchbox and other supplies since she tends to misplace things. After a while though the marker tends to fade or run if it gets wet, so this year I'm using labels.

I received 120 cute rainbow labels with her full name on them from Kidecals. Kidecals offers personalized and waterproof name labels and decals. These labels are great for kids and busy moms. You decide what information will be printed on the labels. They also offer grown up labels for organizing, weddings and more.

Stick to any surface

Waterproof

Dishwasher and washing machine safe

Over 80 designs to choose from

I wanted to test out how waterproof they really are. I put one on a cup that I put in the dishwasher and one on a pair of shorts before doing laundry. I was surprised they came out looking the same as they did before I washed them. I thought maybe the edges would roll up, but the labels were still stuck perfectly.

Check out Kidecals on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter and see how others are designing and using their labels. Create luggage tags or some labels for your potluck containers. It's fun to design your own decals.

Also check out their keycals as seen on the Today Show. Jazz up your keyboard with these fun removable decals.

Sign up for the Kidecal newsletter and receive 15% off all your purchases and always free shipping no matter how much you order.

Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a free product for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

August 7, 2013

Tween Back To School Savings

We all know how important it is for tweens everywhere to wear what they like and to have clothing that fits their personality. I want my daughter to create her own style, but I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for it.

That's why zulily is having a Back to School event dedicated for your tween, giving you all of the great savings that zulily has to offer. Whatever their developing tastes, zulily has plenty of on-trend choices to help them on their fashionable way. Happy Shopping!

Wednesday, 08/07
Tween Week: Wild Style – Lions and cheetahs and zebras – oh, yes! Taking a walk on the wild side has never been more fun thanks to this menagerie of fierce animal print fashions.
zulily

Thursday, 08/08
Tween Week: The Trendsetter – With these fresh takes on camo, your modern trailblazer is sure to stand out. Let some military-spired looks invade her closet and watch her conquer the world.

Friday, 08/09
Tween Week: The Sporty Girl – For active girls, comfort is key, but fashion isn’t forgotten. These sporty styles offer high-performance functionality without leaving her taste for trends in the dust.
zulily

How ready and organized are you for back to school? Print the zulily checklist to make sure you haven't forgotten anything. Glad I did because I forgot rain boots. They really help save the sneakers if it's raining at the bus stop.

Wordless Wednesday (Linky) - Still A Tree Climber

My daughter, Rachel, broke her arm back in May. She was climbing a tree and fell. Did this experience make her not want to climb trees anymore?

Nope! Here she is in a tree again a month after getting her cast removed.

Then she tells me, " But Mama this is a different tree. I won't climb the one I fell out of anymore." Like that was supposed to make me feel better and not worry. Kids will be kids:)

An InLinkz Link-up

This week I am using a new link up tool. I would like to know if you like this new linky or do you prefer the old one used in all previous Wordless Wednesday posts. I love to hear from my readers so please comment below.

August 5, 2013

Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream #nofilter

I have never used a BB cream before, but keep hearing more about them lately. I was very glad that Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream was one of the products to test in my Influenster SunVoxBox.

I have been using a face moisturizer ever since I can remember. I always use a moisturizer with an SPF 15 to help protect against the harsh Texas sun. On top of my moisturizer, I usually use a foundation because of my uneven skin tone. Olay's BB Cream combines both of these products into one with a tinted moisturizer.

I picked the fair to light tint to compliment my light skin tone. I like the ease of only having to use one product, especially since I really don't like having to use foundation. The BB cream applies smoothly, quickly and doesn't even feel like you're wearing anything on your face. It's just enough tint to help even out my complexion and leaves my skin looking brighter.

I can't believe I am posting a no makeup picture of myself.

On the left - Before applying BB Cream

On the right - After applying BB Cream

The pictures really don't do it justice. You can see what a bigger difference it makes in person.

I spend a lot of time outside and the beach is my favorite place, but I don't like to take a lot of time applying different products for my daily beauty regimen. Olay Fresh Effects is making my daily routine a little easier with it's six skin perfecting benefits.

• Refreshes skin instantly
• Brightens for a radiant glow
• Evens tone with a splash of sheer color
• Hydrates for 24 hours
• Smoothes for softer feeling skin
• Protects against UV damage with SPF 15

I do think I will try the light to medium next, just to see if there is a big difference. I always have had problems picking out makeup shades and my skin tone changes with the seasons. I found a pretty good price with free shipping on Amazon or you can purchase it directly from www.olayfresheffects.com.

Have you ever tried a BB cream? And if so, did you like it? I love to hear from my readers and their experiences.

Disclosure: I received this product from Influenster for testing purposes. All opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

August 1, 2013

Back To School Giveaway - Over 150 Prizes & Winners

I am so excited to bring you this awesome giveaway with so many cool prizes. Start off back to school with a bang and enter now. Good luck to everyone.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclpsure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Lil' Debi As Mama is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.