Wordless Wednesday (Linky) - Praying Mantis

I went to air up Rachel's bicycle tire and discovered a little friend.  I have always thought a praying mantis is so cool looking.

Escape Monthly And 20% Off For Life

Everyone deserves an escape every month -  Even You!  Life is stressful and it's sometimes hard to schedule time to relax.  How about getting a care package in the mail every month designed specifically to help you de-stress and escape from the chaos of everyday life? 

Check out Escape Monthly! It's a destination-inspired monthly delivery of luxury products to help you relax, renew and escape!   They're doing a Vermont Holiday Escape next month.  It's filled with full-sized, high-end gourmet food, spa, beauty products and more.




They also give a lucky member a great vacation package to the destination of the month.  Use code YOURESCAPE to get 20% off for life of your subscription!

Since recently announcing November's Vermont Holiday Escape, there has been an overwhelming response. 

Vermont  has so much to explore. From it’s renown arts and culture to its beautiful back country and natural landscapes, the state offers an unparalleled look into some of the finest places in all of the United States. 

Fall in love with its quaint towns, lovely farms, and immense heritage of finer, yet simple living. 



What do you like to do to relax?  Even if you rarely get to, what is your favorite way to slip into your bliss?

Flash Giveaway - Movie Tickets #AllisLost

All Is Lost opened in NY and LA October 18 and nationwide Octover 25th.

Academy Award® winner Robert Redford stars in All Is Lost, an open-water thriller about one man’s battle for survival against the elements after his sailboat is destroyed at sea. But with the sun unrelenting, sharks circling and his meager supplies dwindling, the ever-resourceful sailor soon finds himself staring his mortality in the face.

Written and directed by Academy Award nominee J.C. Chandor (Margin Call) with a musical score by Alex Ebert (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros), All Is Lost is a gripping, visceral and powerfully moving tribute to ingenuity and resilience.

View the official trailer below.



Try out the All Is Lost Interactive Movie Poster - Move and click your mouse accross the GIFs to control the scene and transport yourself on a solo voyage into the Indian Ocean.

One of my lucky readers can win 2 Free Movie Tickets.  Enter to win with the easy rafflecopter form below.  Giveaway is open to the US & Canada and ends 10/31/13.

Each household is only eligible to win 2 Free Movie Tickets via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

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.

Easy Bake Oven 50 Year History

Can you believe the Easy Bake Oven has been around for 50 years?  Over 23 million Easy Bake Ovens have been sold and Time Magazine named it one of the top 100 toys of all time.  Did you have an Easy Bake Oven as a kid or have you bought one for your kids?

To celebrate 50 years, I thought I would share this neat infographic on the evolution of the Easy Bake Oven.  (click on to see larger version)   

Wordless Wednesday (Linky) - Over The Rainbow

Yesterday Rachel came running in the house yelling, "Mama, grab your phone and come outside quick!"  She was so excited to see a double rainbow.  It was hard to see at first, but I caught the double in the third picture.

Ozeri Precision Digital Bathroom Scale Review

I have been wanting a digital scale for quite awhile.  I was still using one of those old fashioned ones that I couldn't even see well enough to tell exactly which line it was on.  I am so glad that I can now see exactly how much I weigh easily with the Ozeri Precision Digital Bathroom Scale.

This scale has the following features:

• Uses 4 precision GX sensors that weigh up to 400 lbs.
• Award winning design has an oversized platform made of impact-resistant tempered glass
• New InstaOn technology captures weight upon contact ( no tapping required)
• Button to easily switch from lbs, kg and st
• Runs on 1 Lithium 2032 battery for better performance
• 1 year warranty

My favorite features are:

• New widescreen LCD shows easy to read and immediate results
• Auto calibrates
• Turns off to conserve battery
• Low battery indicator light

 

When I first opened my scale, I couldn't believe how thin it is. I also like the sleek design, so it will match any bathroom decor.  I am very satisfied with this digital scale.  It also seems that everyone who happens to pass through my bathroom must also like it, because they can't leave without stepping on it.

You can buy the Ozeri Precision Digital Bath Scale (400 lb Edition) with Widescreen LCD and Step-on Activation, in White at Amazon and save $30 - On Sale for $14.95.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Cash4Books October Bonus

Sell your used books, get cash back and shipping is free.

I have used Cash4Books in the past to sell some of my used books.  I have made around $150 selling 16 books in total.  Textbooks will get you the most cash back as will more recent titles.  

I love how easy the process is and I don't have to pay anything upfront.

1. Enter ISBN from back cover of your book and get your cash offer.  It is a 10 or 13 digit number that will look like the one in the picture below. 
   
2. If you accept cash offer, enter shipping information and print prepaid shipping label.
3. Box up books and drop off at post office.
4. Receive payment by check or PayPal.  (I always received PayPal payment within 10-14 days)

Now is the time to sell your used books and get an additional 10% cash bonus.  Sell 3 or more books and receive an additional 10% bonus with a maximum of $50 in bonus cash.  Offer expires 10/31/2013.  At checkout, enter code Patch2013 to receive your bonus.

New Juice Review - #V8Refreshers

I'll admit that I would never touch a V8 in the past because I'm not a veggie girl at all.  I remember when I  the first V8 drink came out, it looked like thick tomato juice and freaked me out.  That was a long time ago and they've come a long way since then.

You no longer have to love vegetables to drink V8.  Though I don't like many veggies, I am a bigtime fruit lover.  Now I can enjoy V8  juice too with the new V8 V-Fusion® Refreshers.  They are a light and crisp juice drink with a 20-25% blend of fruit and vegetable juices.

These juices are naturally sweetened, 100 calories and contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. With the flu season upon us, they are also a great source of vitamin C.

V8 V-Fusion® Refreshers come in 4 flavors to make both adults and kids happy.

Black Cherry Berry
Cranberry Grape
Tangerine Passionfruit
Peach Strawberry

I received the Black Cherry Berry and Peach Strawberry to try.  Rachel and I drink juice everyday and she was excited when I told her we were trying some new ones.  She is an extremely picky eater and not just with her food, but drinks also.  We tried the Black Cherry Berry first because I thought she would like it the best.  We both really did, since the bottle was empty in no time.  

I also liked the Peach Strawberry, though Rachel didn't care for that flavor as much.  I get tired of the same old juice flavors and V8 V-Fusion® Refreshers gave me some new combinations that I enjoy.  I think I'll try the Cranberry Grape next.   What flavor would you try first?

For more information you can also visit their Facebook page:  facebook.com/v8vfusion


Disclosure:  I received a complimentary product for review purposes.  The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience. 

Modcloth Now Has Private Label Brands

Modcloth is excited to announce their two very first private label brands, Bea & Dot and Myrtlewood.  These were designed by Modcloth with the best of vintage in mind.

Featuring an array of playful prints, feminine silouhettes and classic cuts inspired by you.  Most of their private label items also come in a full range of sizes from XS to 4X.  Check out just a few of the cute styles below.  Click on the picture of your favorite for more details.











Universal Stunner Dress by Bea & Dot.

You'll love the cap sleeves, sweetheart-esque neckline and pleated A-line skirt.





















The Clock Strikes Fun Skirt by Bea & Dot

Lined, fit-and-flare skirt in ivory decorated with antique clocks and gears.

Sacramento Style Skirt by Myrtlewood.

A-line skirt features bolds stripes of butter yellow, jade and magenta. This skirt is fully lined and perfectly pleated. 

























According To My Studies Blazer by Myrtlewood.

This blazer is light charcoal with cropped sleeves, dotted navy lining, pewter buttons  and curved cutouts.














Let me know what you think about Modcloth's new private label brands.  Are there any pieces that you would love to add to your wardrobe?


  

Wordless Wednesday (Linky) - Beach Cruise Finds

I made my friend drive me around on some errands the other day.  We finished with an hour to spare before the kids got out of school.  So I thought it best to use that last hour very wisely by taking a drive down the beach.

First we saw Patrick, but his buddy Sponge Bob was nowhere around.....

Maybe he was eaten by this shark.........

And to end our adventure, we even found us a new ride:)

Free Opportunity For Bloggers - Holiday Gift Card Blowout

Attention Bloggers:  This is a free opportunity to participate in a giveaway and offer your readers a chance to win a $500 Amazon gift card.

 

FREE With Paid OPTIONS/ OPEN WW

This giveaway is hosted by Happy Home and Family

Prize: $500 Amazon Gift Card Event

Tentative Dates: October 20 – November 20

Get 1 Free link (Twitter) with announcement post. ($5 waiver fee without announcement post)

The blog who refers the most bloggers will get free co-host spot. (If you paid for co-host and wins referral prize, your payment will be refunded)

Questions? Email me: admin@happyhomeandfamily.com

GRAB THE ANNOUNCEMENT POST HERE

SIGN UP HERE and please mention that Lil' Debi As Mama referred you.

Disclaimer:  Lil' Debi As Mama is not responsible for giveaway. I am only a participant in this giveaway and sharing with you an opportunity to participate in it as well. Any questions or problems, please contact above host(s). Thank you.

Nimli Shawl Giveaway

Nimli is a curated marketplace of makers and sellers.  They are a community of independent designers, curators and consumers. 

You can find the latest styles for men, women and kids with everyday free shipping in the U.S.  They also offer beauty and tech products or find that perfect gift you've been searching for. 

I love to check the Nimli Deal Shop for the latest discounts.  They really offer some great savings.  I've seen a lot of scarves in this fall's fashions.  Nimli has some really cute scarfs in many different colors and patterns for 80%  off right now.  They are regularly $125, now marked down to only $25.  Those are the kinds of deals I love. 

How would you like to wrap yourself in warmth with a pashmina shawl from Nimli?  Enter to win a Stone Azuri pashmina shawl.  This great versatile shawl would make a nice addition to any wardrobe.  Easy entry with the rafflecopter form below.  Giveaway ends 10/20/13 at 12 am and is open worldwide. Good luck everyone.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure:  I was financially compensated for this post. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  All photos courtesy the Nimli website.

PIpeline Spills And Breaks

I'm sure everyone has seen the news reports about the devastation from flood waters in Colorado. As floodwaters continued, authorities also had to evacuate stranded residents and deal with an oil and gas industry broken pipeline.  While other industry pipelines were sagging as saturated sediment eroded around the expanding river.

Operating oil and gas facilites in flood plains is risky.  Flood waters can spread oil, gas, and chemicals making contamination and clean up efforts harder and more complicated.  These spills are also extremely costly to clean up.  I can't imagine the devastation and loss of those Colorado residents and the tough road they have ahead of them.



In March of this year a pipeline in Arkansas sprung a leak.  Oil spilled onto lawns and the road.  Thousands of barrels of oil and water were recovered.  This leak caused people to be evacuated from their homes.  The breach was in a pipeline that starts in Illinois and carries crude oil to the Texas Gulf Coast.  The video above shows some of the damage and oil just running like a river down a neighborhood street.

The U.S. has 170,000 miles of pipeline transporting 11.3 billion barrels of petroleum products each year.  With so many pipelines, corrosion control services are highly important for maintaining the integrity of our pipelines.

      
Protect underground assests with cathodic protection services.  What is cathodic protection?  It is a technique used to control the corrosion of metal surfaces.  It prevents corrosion by converting all of the anodic (active) sites on the metal surfaces to cathodic (passive) sites by supplying electrical current from an alternate source.

Having a premium corrosion control service using a highly qualified workforce of NACE certified inspectors and NACE corrosion specialists is important to maintaining pipelines.  Then maybe we wouldn't have so many pipeline leaks and breaks that affect people on the local level in such horrible ways.

Disclosure:  This post was sponsored by Corporate Conversions, LLC.  All opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.

Beltane - 10 Tales Of Witchcraft #bookreview

I recently read Beltane - Ten Tales of Witchcraft edited by Rayne Hall.  This is a book of ten stories by different authors and writing styles.  Each author shares their visions of witches and witchcraft.  To reflect each author's individual voice, you will find both American and British words and spellings.

I have always been intrigued by the history of witchcraft and stories of witches.  Therefore I was looking forward to reading this one and with Halloween around the corner, what better time.

Some witches are good, some evil and some in between.  The witches in these stories practice different kinds of witchcraft including Traditional, Stregheria, Santeria, Wicca and more. The following are the ten stories included in this book.

Accidental Witch by Liv Rancourt
     This wiccan may get more than what she bargained for.

Alba by Karen Heard
     Who is the witch behind the murders at Bindings Wood?

By The Pricking Of My Thumbs by Jonathan Broughton
     Never has there been a performance of MacBeth like this.

The Cat Maiden by Mertianna Georgia
     An interesting twist to a love story.

The May Lady Vanishes by Pamela Turner
     Will someone tear this coven apart?

Hanging Witch Of Painter Mountain by Lawrence Barker
     Life or death is measured on Painter Mountain.

Thirteen Steps by Debbie Christiana
      Karma is a bitch.

Four Bony Hands by Rayne Hall
     The tables are turned.

Mishmash Magick by Carole Ann Moleti
     Sometimes you've got to be creative to survive the Bronx.

Love Magick by Debra Dunbar
     Young love and magick.

I enjoyed reading all of the ten stories and they kept my attention from beginning until end.  I also liked that each story and character was totally different.  You didn't know what you were going to get next which kept it so interesting to me.  I did wish that a few of the stories would of continued a little more, as I felt like I was kind of left hanging.  

One of my favorite stories was Alba.  It had me totally entralled right from the beginning and I couldn't read it fast enough to see what was going to happen. 
   
It's a great collection of short stories.  You'll experience love and hate, good and evil, mystery and intrigue, and more all in one book.



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wordless Wednesday (Linky) - The Little Things

A few weeks ago I was having a bad mama day.  You know those crazy bad days, we've all had them.  Anyway, that evening I took a shower to try to wash off the bad day.  When I came out in the living room, I saw this.  My daughter made it for me to try to cheer me up.  It was so sweet and made all the crap of the day melt away.

It's the little things like this that I treasure.  It also reminds me, as the saying goes, "Don't sweat the small stuff."