The Winner!

Finally!

I know, I know!

Ya'll are so darn patient and I love you for it!

Without further ado...since it's been quite enough ado already...I shall now announce the winner of the back to school giveaway.

Drumroll, please.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:59
Timestamp: 2010-08-27 01:19:13 UTC

Comment number 59 belongs to Susan of Adventures of a Minivan Mom!

Congrats, Susan! Email me with your shipping info and I will get your goodies to you! Hopefully faster than I announced the winner! :)

Back to School Giveaway TIME'S UP!

I ended the school year with a giveaway, so it only seems fitting that I start the new year (puke, gag, sob) with another giveaway!

One lucky reader will win these goodies!



Let's take a closer look, shall we?

In the giveaway package, you will find a 5-pack box of my newest love, Starbucks Iced Via. So good. A new staple in my home.



There is also a cute "Tweet, Tweet" magnetic notepad for all of those to-do lists which seem to get out of control once school begins.



The winner will also receive a cute blogging keychain I made with VistaPrint. (My newest addiction.) One side of the keychain says, "I ♥ blogging." The back side says, "Got Blog?"



There is also a hardback copy of Jodi Picoult's Change of Heart...one of my favorite Picoult books.


AND, last but not least, a $10 gift card to Target!



To enter this end-of-summer giveaway, just answer this question in the comments:

What's one thing you haven't done this summer that you wanted to do?

For me, the one thing I haven't done yet is take the kids on an overnight stay somewhere, but I hope to be able to do so over Labor Day. One last hurrah before everyone is too busy.

For additional chances (leave a separate comment for each):

* Follow or subscribe to this blog
* Tweet about this giveaway
* Send me $100 bucks
* Just kidding

Fine print:

* Contest open to U.S. residents only
* Giveaway ends Friday, August 20, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. EDT
* Winner will be selected by Random.org
* Contest sponsored by me, myself, and I
* Thank you and good night

The Creek

This past weekend, when it was actually cooler than 108 degrees, we had an amazing time at the creek.

The creek is at the farm of my aunt and uncle. Down a long, winding path, past fields of corn and beans, around a pond and through the woods. You eventually make your way to a beautiful oasis. A private hideaway.

This is the view at the top of the steps. Up here is where we sit around the fire, talk, eat, cook, and ride 4-wheelers and Gators.


And drink beer. Lots of beer, apparently.


As you make your way down these steps, you find the creek.


This is where the adventurous slip on their creek-walkin' shoes, grab a walking stick, and head out down the creek.



There's also some rock skipping.


And even some swimming.


And at the end of the day, after we have changed out of wet clothes, there is some soaking of the feet.


Roasting of the marshmallows.


And enjoying the cool evening around the fire.


Ahhhh. Life is good.

Check!

The kids and I were able to check yet another item off our summer to-do list last week! We headed to the Children's Museum for a day of fun and exploration.

I realized when we walked through the parking garage that I left my camera at home. Grrrr.

I shall recap our visit with the help of Google images.

The drive there was uneventful thanks to car DVD players.

A Starbucks skinny vanilla latte added to the enjoyment of the morning.

The line for tickets was beyond long. We wandered our way through the maze for a good 20 minutes.

There were far too many families in matching shirts for my liking. Is it really that difficult to recognize your children? Your grown children? You need a big airbrushed horse shirt to tell them apart from the crowd?

Many parents were confused. It seems as though they thought they had brought their dogs to the museum when it fact they had their children. On leashes. So many children on leashes! What? Why? Might I recommend keeping an eye on your toddler? Holding said toddler's hand? Enough with the leashes already.

Shortly after arriving, the children decided to go into a cave-like slide/climbing area. A few minutes later, Cole came down the slide. The Little Miss? Couldn't find her. Then I heard the screams. She was sitting at the top of the tall, dark, cave ladder screaming hysterically. She was afraid to come back down the stairs AND afraid to go down the slide. Thankfully, an older girl helped the lunatic down the slide.

We made our way to the Barbie exhibit. The best part of the trip in my opinion. Well, except for the Starbucks. The Barbie area was huge. Much bigger than I expected. Lots of cute activities. Dolls from the 60s. Dress up. The Little Miss LOVED it! And I have to admit, it was fun seeing some of the Barbies and accessories I had when I was little.

We even managed to see a John Deere while we were there! They have a Guitars and Cars exhibit right now. Original costumes from Kiss, Michael Jackson, Elvis. Very cool. They had amazing old cars. But the one that caught our attention? The rock 'n roll John Deere lawn mower!

(photo taken with my phone)

After seeing the John Deere, our lives were complete and we were able to head back home. And thanks to my treat receipt, the ride home was just as enjoyable as the drive there.

Thanks, Children's Museum (and Starbucks) for a wonderful day!

The Flower Necklace, a cheaper and much less classy version

I like to consider myself a cheaper, less talented, unsuccessful version of The Pioneer Woman. I mean, without her wildly popular blog, 2 extra kids, amazing giveaways, kickass photography, wonderful cooking, appearances on TV, and bestselling book, we're like the same person.

If you saw her on The Today Show (I am sure they will be calling me next week to discuss my summer checklist or our last visit to the giant toilet) you probably noticed the beautiful necklace she was wearing.



She later blogged about it here. It's from Anthropologie. Someone found the link for it here. It's great, but it's also $58.00. And that's just a little steep for this blogger. You know, the one without the book and movie deal.

I did find a cheaper, less classy version (much like myself) at JCPenney.


It's a $34.00 necklace on sale for $19.99. And I found a coupon code for $10.00 off any $10.00 purchase. The coupon code is TEN2YOU. So, even with shipping to your local JCPenney site, the total comes to just over $15.00.

And when I am on the Today Show talking about harvesting wheat or long toenails, I will be wearing it.

Stick that in your cap and smoke it, PW.

I'm sorry. I am joking about that last part, PW. I love you.

Nine Days

I start school in nine days.

Hmpf.

Typing that makes me physically ill. I get stomach cramps. And then I begin to sweat. My mouth gets dry. I start wringing my hands.

It cannot be true, right? How can my summer be nearly over? It just started!

You know that saying, "The three best things about being a teacher: June, July, and August." It just doesn't apply anymore. I was still in school in June. I have worked in my classroom several times in July. And I go back to school the second week in August.

Here is a to-do list I made on my first day of summer break.

*shopping and lunches out alone and with friends
*a 2-day getaway with just the hubby to Chicago for our 10 year wedding anniversary

*a little mini-vacation with the kiddos...not sure where yet

*Jungle Jim's, Ikea, Newport Aquarium

*house cleaning

*new mulch on the flower beds

*zoo

*Children's Museum

*swimming

*hanging out with my wonderful kids!

At least I managed to get many of those things crossed off in our short time off. I hope to get the rest of the things crossed off too.

In nine days.

*sigh*