My Favorite Plant

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Whitney Farms for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have lots of plants in my house.  Up until recently, I didn't exactly have a green thumb.  I would kill any plant that I was given.  A couple of years ago, I discovered the beauty of African Violets, and decided to buy a couple.  Thankfully, they were pretty hard to kill, and I was able to keep them alive with little care.  In fact, they are still alive, and I now have four of them in my windowsill. I have added plants to my home since those first Violets, and I have gotten pretty good at caring for them.  My secret is leaving the hard work to the professionals, and by that I mean, using the proper soil and plant food.

That plant overe there in that picture is my favorite.  I love the way it cascades down the front of my bookshelf.  All I do is water it once a week, and it seems to do well.  I do find myself pulling off yellow leaves every now and again, but for the most part, it is a pretty healthy plant.

Whitney Farms® makes it easy to care for your plants.  They have a full line of 100% natural organic soil and organic plant food that pretty much take the guess work out of caring for your plants.  Their products are designed to be easy to use, have low to no dust, no manure odor, and contain beneficial microbes. Their specially designed protein-based blends provide your plants with both macro and micronutrients that help them to grow and thrive.  

You can find a $3 off coupon by clicking one of the links above, making it even cheaper to try these products on your plants.  

I am going to us eone of those coupons myself.  I have been wanting to replant my African Violets, because they are getting really big and I want them to continue to be healthy.

The New #CoronaRita At Chili's

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Chili’s Grill & Bar for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I started something new last month that I should have been doing for the last, oh, I don't know, the last twenty years.  I sat down and made a budget for myself, that way I knew exactly how much money was going towards bills every week, and how much money I have left over to spend.  Surprisingly, I had more extra money last month than I have in a while.  I am hoping that I can do that evey month, that way, I can take the kids out more.

The first thing I want to start doing is taking the kids out to eat somewhere other than a fast food restaurant.  There are lots of places I see now that I drive all day long that I would love to try, and Chili's is one of them.  The closest one to where we live is about thirty minutes away, but after checking out the menu online, I know it's somewhere we would love to eat!

They have a great kid's menu, which is important when taking Brandi out to eat.  She is a picky little creature, but there are several options I know she would love.  Ryan and Kasi are sure to find something they want, and I am looking forward to trying their Lighter Choice Grilled Chicken Sandwich, which comes with tomato, lettuce and non-fat honey-mustard dressing.  It is served on a wheat bun, with steamed broccoli on the side.  Sounds delicious, right?

While I was on their website checking out their menu, I saw that they have a new drink, the CoronaRita, which is made with Jose Cuervo Especial Tequila and Corona.  I love Margarita's, so I am sure I would enjoy this drink.  I'm not sure  would drink if I had my kids with me, but I know I can convince the guy I'm seeing to take me there one night.  We don't have to go for dinner, just drinks.  And maybe dessert.  I bet the  Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie would go great with the CoronaRita at Chili's.  Heck, anything chocolate goes great with alcohol in my opinion. 

Have you ever eaten at Chili's? If so, what would you recommend I eat? What is your favorite entree or dessert?  And make sure you try their new CoronaRita the next time you are there, and come back here and let me know what you think!

Please remember, you must be 21 years or older to drink alcoholic beverages and as always, please remember to drink responsibly.

Rebuilding Together And Pfister

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pfister for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Rebuilding Together is a national nonprofit organization providing critical home repairs, modifications, and improvements for America's low-income homeowners. In the past thirty years, 3.4 million volunteers have completed work on over one hundred thousand homes across the United States. 

For nearly 100 years, Pfister has been a leader in the plumbing industry, offering a wide variety of innovative, first to market plumbing fixtures and many additional products that have helped define the industry. They are proud to partner with Rebuilding Together with a goal to donate twenty thousand dollars in faucets to American communities in need.  Right now, when you sign up for Pfister's newsletter, you will be provided with a FREE Home Safety and Energy Saving guide from Rebuilding Together. I signed up, and the tips in this guide are awesome.  Some of them I knew.  For instance, I have known for awhile now that I need a more energy efficient washing machine and dryer.  My washing machine is pretty old, and I am really wanting a front loader, which I have heard are very energy efficient.  My dryer has seen better days, too.  I have to run it through two cycles to dry a single load.  I know tat is sucking up my power.

Check out the Friends of Pfister campaign site and sign up for yourself.  Yu can potentially save up to five hundred dollars a year by following their tips.

Help Fight Hunger

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Walmart Foundation for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Did you know that Springtime is the worst time of year for food pantries to keep their shelves stocked? 

Me either.  Thankfully, I have never gotten to the point where I have needed to reach out to a food pantry, but there are over fifty million Americans who do just hat.  I can not even imagine waking up in the morning and not knowing how I am going to feed my family.  There is something all of us can do to help make food available to those who need it.  Starting April 9th (and continuing until April 30th) you can Vote to fight spring hunger with Walmart .  Just visit that page and vote for the community you believe the money should go to.  Walmart will donate a total of $2 million to the 21 communities receiving the most support: $1 million to the winner and $50,000 each to the 20 runners-up. Winning communities will be announced May 1st. 

I checked out the list (there are 200 on there) and was shocked to see the county where I live listed.  I live in Spartanburg, SC, and the Spartanburg SC Metropolitan Statistical Area has an unemployment rate of 11.4%. The highest rated community was in CA, with an unemployment rate of 29.7%.

In addition to voting, you can also help by purchasing select products from ConAgra, General Mills, Kraft and Kellogg's while shopping at Walmart. By doing so, you, the customer, can donate meals to Feeding America or Action for Healthy Kids, a nonprofit fighting childhood hunger. Check your local Walmart for more details.

Easter Crafts With Tulips

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of iBulb for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I think this little bunny planter is adorable, and super easy for even the littlest kids to make (as long as mom is right there to help!). All you need are a few basic craft supplies and a recycled can.

The ears and whiskers are made out of white pipe cleaners. Use the pipe cleaners to shape the ears and then glue white and pink felt to the back.  Glue them to the inside of the can. Glue on the whiskers with a mini pink pompom nose in the middle.  Add googly eyes, and you have the cutest little bunny! The perfect touch is the beautiful cut tulips filling the can.  I am sure every Grandmother out there would proudly display this as a centerpiece on the table for Easter dinner.

If you are looking for a centerpiece that is a little less childish, check this one out:

This one is super simple to make.  All you need are two glass vases, one small enough to fit inside the other. Stuff paper Easter grass (which I love! It is so much better than the plastic strings) between the vases, fill the inner vase with water and add some tulips, matching the color of the flowers to the paper grass.  Beautiful, right?

Miracle-Gro® Expand ‘n Gro™

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Now that you have seen what Expand ‘n Gro™ can do, what are you going to do with it? I know what I am going to do with it. I am going to fill beautiful planters to grow flowers in.

I live in an apartment that is on the second floor, and I have a very small porch outside my front door.  I wish I had a yard to landscape, but I'll make due with what I have.  I like the fact that with the Expand ‘n Gro™ I don't have to lug a big bag of potting soil up my steps. I love the fact that this stuff expands to three times it's size, so a little goes a long way.  It also:

• Can produce up to 3X the Flowers and Vegetables!* *versus native soil
• Significantly improves soil for multiple years
• Feeds for up to 6 months
• All natural fibers hold up to 50% more water than basic potting soil

I'm not sure what type of planters I am going to get, but I'm thinking those long rectangle ones would line up nicely against the railing outside my front door.  Now if I could only decide what kinds of flowers to plant.  I'll have to do a little research, since my poor doesn't get any sun. 

Do you have any idea which flowers grow well in the shade?

High School Reunion

Thanks for the post from Barney Crosby

I am a geek, and proud of it. I have always been the type of person that enjoys school and learning, and I have never been embarrassed about it. Kids in school used to tease me when I was young, but it never bothered me. I never felt the need to be cool, and I knew that one day I would find my place. My mom always told me that the cool kids in school would end up being losers, and she was right. I went back for my ten year high school reunion last week, and the most popular kids hadn’t done anything with their lives. I have a great job working for Clear Internet, so I was proud to tell everyone what I was up to. I think that some of the people were shocked to see that I turned out pretty normal. It was good to see some of my old friends, but for the most part I could have done without the reunion. I thought it would be more fun than it was seeing everyone.

Pineapple & Mangosteen

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Triad Retail Media for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have a secret.  I smoke.  I think my boss knows, though I have never smoked in front of him.  I carry a can of air freshener in my van, and I spray like crazy at the end of every day.  I also smoke in my home when the kids are at their dad's house, and I have been trying to find a product that will mask the smell. 

I am excited to try the new Glade® Expressions™ oil diffuser the next time the kids are away.  They have a pineapple mangosteen scent that I am dying to try.  In fact, they have several new Glade® Expressions™ fragrance mist choices, including Cotton & Italian Mandarin (only available in Fragrance Mist form), Fuji Apple & Cardamom Spice, and Lavender & Juniper Berry.  The fragrance mist container is stylish, and the oil diffuser is very pretty.  I am probably going to try one of each. I can save money by using a coupon for $1.50 off of any Glade® Expressions™ at Walmart, where I can also take advantage of their everyday low prices. To find the coupon, click on either link above. And, if for some reason I am unsatisfied, I can fill out this form and get my money back. 

The oil diffuser offers long-lasting, true-to-life fragrance, which lasts 30 days and doesn’t require electricity.  The no-spill design fits with any décor in your home. The fragrance mist is artfully designed and pretty enough to fit any décor, making it a convenient and stylish home-fragrancing option. It has squeeze-to-spray activation for easy and comfortable spraying, and is refillable with your favorite Glade® Expressions™ fragrance.  I may just have to try every scent.  I mean with a money back guarantee, how can I go wrong?

TV Addiction

Guest post of the week by Nestor Nielsen

Ever since I got my Directv connected through expertsatellite, I have been addicted to the National Geographic Channel. I know it’s dorky, but some of their shows are so interesting! Today I got sucked into a marathon about mafias in different cities. I initially got sucked in watching one about Miami, since that is where I’m from originally. I had no idea things were so bad there in the 1980’s. I was a little kid then, so I guess I was too young to realize that the drug trade was so robust and violent. It was pretty cool seeing how much drug money affected life in South Florida, and how much control the cartels had. After that was over, another show came on about the mob in Philadelphia. Then two more shows about gangsters in New York’s Chinatown, and then Russian mobsters in Brooklyn. After that I knew I had to do something to get off of the couch. It was really hard, but I managed to pull myself away and go for a run with my dog. If it wasn’t for him I probably would have sat there for another few hours!

Get A Free Phone From Sprint

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprint for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have been thinking about getting cell phones for my kids.  Ryan and Kasi both have cell phones, but they are pre-paid phones that I only refill with text cards.  I would like for them to have phones they can talk on, too.  MY problem is that I don't want to buy them new phones, because that can get really expensive.  Sprint is having a huge online sale right now where I can get them free phones, with free activation, when I order new service. 

They are offering their Nexus S™ 4G ($50 MIR converts to instant + $99.99 web only savings) and their HTC EVO™ 3D ($50 MIR converts to instant + $50 web only savings) for free from now until February eighth.  Both phones are pretty, too.  Check them out:

The only problem is that I think Brandi may be a little too young for her own phone, but she will feel left out if I don't get her one, too.  I would not let her carry it to school or anything, but it might be good for her to have it for when she is running around the apartment complex with her friends. 

What age do you think kids should get their own phones?

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you looking to save money on your monthly prescriptions?  With the help of Walgreens Prescription Savings Club, you can do just that.  It's inexpensive to join, only costing $35 a year for the family plan or $20 a year for the individual plan.  Membership brings you savings on over 8,000 brand name medications and all generic medications.  You can also get discounts on flu shots, nebulizers, and diabetic supplies.  You can even save money on pet prescriptions. 

Buying Walgreen brand products can even earn you bonuses.  I have bought several different Walgreen brand products in the past, and they are just as good, if not better, than the name brand products, which is awesome since they are cheaper, too.

You can stay updated and support Walgreens by following Walgreens on Twitter and liking Walgreens on Facebook.  I am going to get the individual membership for myself, since my kid's prescriptions are covered by Medicaid.  I don't go to the doctor often, only when I am really sick and can't get better on my own.  Even then, I make a trip to the emergency room because I can not afford a trip to my doctor's office.  Saving money on whatever prescriptions I am given would be a blessing.

Parapro

Guest post of the week by Deangelo Spencer

I finally graduated from college in May of this year. I took the teaching certification tests and am now a certified teacher. I have applied for teaching jobs in 15 different counties, but have only had two interviews, in which someone else was hired. I did have one job offer as a parapro in an elementary school, so I decided to take it. The pay for a parapro is far below that of a teacher. I found a roommate that is in a similar situation and we rented a small two bedroom apartment. Money is going to be really tight for us for a while, especially since I will not get my first paycheck until my second month of teaching. We decided to search TexasElectricityProviders online and found that we could save money on our power bill using fixed-rate energy, so that is one thing that we don’t have to worry about. My brother helped me to create a strict budgeting plan that includes working a second job for at least six hours a week, so I need to find a job waiting tables at night. Things may be pretty tight for a while until I can find a job as a teacher.

New Lights

The apartment I live in has ceiling mounted lights.  I think the complex went with the cheapest, ugliest fixtures they could find, because they are horrible.  They have plastic coverings that have yellowed with age, and no matter how much I scrub them, they just will not come clean.  If I could choose flush mount ceiling lights to replace them, I would pick the one pictured above.  I love the frosted globe and the little decorative piece on the bottom.  

I wonder if the apartment manager would let me replace my lights if I paid for them myself? Probably not.

Finally...

Post contributed by Noah Schmidt

Comparing dish vscable has been a full time job for me lately and it’s because I want to get this TV thing right. Watching BRAVO is the closest thing to a hobby I have since I work so much and I want to ensure I’ve got all the channels I need as well as DVR so I’ll never miss an episode of Housewives or Millionaire Matchmaker. My boss is running me ragged lately with all the new clients but you know, there’s something to be said for putting in your dues young so you won’t have to worry about doing it once you’re older. I don’t have time to get out and meet people the way things are so me and Andy Kohen are going to just have a TV relationship at home – that’s good enough for me! One day I’ll want to get in a relationship and have kids and all that but for now I’m going to keep working my butt off in hopes of that promotion I hear rumors of.

Slim-Fast 3•2•1 Plan

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Slim-Fast for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Slim-Fast has a new plan, and I am super excited to try it out.  It's called their 3•2•1 Plan.  Simply put, you can have two shakes or meal bars, one 500 calorie regular meal, and three snacks.  For your snacks, you can choose from Slim-Fast's 100-calorie snack bars, fruits, nuts or veggies.  As an overweight woman, I can tell you that being able to eat is a big factor in sticking to a meal plan. 

I tried Slim-Fast years ago, and back then, you could only have one meal a day and two shakes.  I found it hard to drink two meals.  I never felt full.  Plus, the shakes were kind of gross.  I was given the opportunity to try one of their new shakes for free, and I have to say, it was pretty good.  My kids liked them, too.  Brandi tried one, and said it tasted like a chocolate shake.  There are five different flavors now, as opposed to the basic chocolate and vanilla of years ago.  The new flavors are:

• Creamy Milk Chocolate
• French Vanilla
• Rich Chocolate Royale
• Cappuccino Delight
• Strawberries N’ Cream

We tried the Rich Chocolate Royale, and like I said, it was really good.  I am looking forward to trying the rest. All the Slim-Fast can be found nationwide at Wal-Mart, Target, Safeway and Kroger, and online at Amazon.com and the Slim-Fast 3-2-1 Store on Facebook.

Just like everything else these days, Slim-Fast has a facebook page, and I encourage you to "like" them, especially if you are looking for encouragement in your own weight lose journey.

Decorate Your Home With PartyLite

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PartyLite Simple Pleasures Holiday Sweepstakes for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you ever attended a PartyLite party?  My sister hosted one several years ago, and I bought the most beautiful candle.  I believe it was their Gemini candle.  It was two candle holders joined together by brass rings.  I loved that candle.  I think I still have it somewhere around here. My sister got a bunch of free stuff when she hosted her party, which is one of the many benefits of hosting a party.  I would love to get my friends together for a night of candles and fun to earn free stuff for myself.  I mean, who wouldn't?

PartyLite just had a sweepstakes, called the PartyLite Simple Pleasures Holiday Sweepstakes, where they gave away five $500 PartyLite gift certificates to people who registered to host parties.  I would have loved to have won one of those.  I could have finished all my Christmas shopping!  Instead I have to fight the crowds Friday and go shopping after work.  Crazy, I know.  I would have loved to have gotten all the women in my life one of these:

It's a ScentGlow warmer, and it makes your house smell wonderful.  You just add some Scent Plus™ Melts, Aroma Melts™ or Scented Oil, plug it in, and an electric warming plate spreads the fragrance throughout the room.  

They have several different ones to choose from, but I like this Holiday ornament one.  I am big on decorating for Christmas, and this would make a wonderful addition to my collection.

Make sure you "like" the PartyLite Facebook page to find out about special monthly offers online for party hosts and guests.  They also just released their Winter/Spring 2012 Catalog on December 16, which is full of beautiful candles. You should check that out, too.

Beautify Your Yard With Tips From Dig. Drop. Done.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am super mom!  Seriously.  I always knew I was a good mom, but here lately, I have discovered that I really can do it all.  I work, I cook, I clean house, I get the kids up and off to school every day, I make sure they get to all their performances and rehearsals.  Sure, I need a little help now and then, but everyone does.  Right?

I want you to meet Marcy.  She's a super mom like me. 

She has all these super tips about gardening, and when the best time is to plant all the beautiful bulb flowers you want to grow in your yard.  Right now, I don't have a yard to plant bulbs in, because we are living in an apartment complex.  But if I did, I would want to grow these beautiful purple crocus bulbs. I bet I could probably grow them inside in a planter.  I used the Garden Guru Tool at Curbside Chaos to find out when the best time to plant these bulbs would be.  The tool was simple to use.  Al you have to do is:

Step 1 – Pick your Country
Step 2 – Pick your location within that Country
Step 3 – Choose the type of bulb you want to grow
Step 4 – Check out the Planting Guide that shows you how to plant your bulbs.

My results were:

You really should check out the website right now, because they are having a contest where you can win a $5,000 yard makeover including a visit from Taniya Nayak (@TaniyaNayak on Twitter).  Taniya will go through and give you tips on the best way to update your yard! She will give you creative ideas for incorporating flower bulbs into your landscape. All you need to do to enter is submit a photo of your yard at CurbsideChaos.com.  You can visit www.digdropdone.com to learn more.  You can also help donate money to Rebuilding Together, the nation’s leading nonprofit, working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize communities. Simply share about Dig. Drop. Done. on twitter.  Easy enough, right?

So, which bulbs do you plan on planting this year?

A Great Stocking Stuffer

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprint for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

My kids want cell phones for Christmas.  Ryan has one, but all it does these days is text.  I have to buy a card for it every month, which is sometimes hard to so considering money is really tight around here.  I have been thinking about switching to Sprint and getting all of us new phones, including the girls. 

I need to make up my mind soon, though, if I want to take advantage of this awesome deal Sprint has going on right now.  From December 12 through December 14, Sprint is giving away their Android™ powered EVO 4G devices for free!  This offer is only good online, but they are also offering free shipping, which is awesome. 

It gets even better!  I can have the activation fees waived for new lines.  I am pretty sure I will have to put up a deposit, but free phones and free activation is hard to pass up.  I can already see the smiles my kids will have on their faces Christmas morning if they wake up to cell phones.

I think my girls would prefer the one that has the slide out keyboard.  I know that will make texting easier for them.  And we all know how much girls, especially teenaged girls, like to text!

I'm Not Moving Anymore

 In the past sixteen years, I have moved more times than I care to remember.  In the past three years alone I have moved three times.  I have become quite the expert packer, but I do not want to have to do that again for a long time.  Thankfully, I like where we live now.  The kids have friends, and I am friends with several of my neighbors. It's when the kids get home and all they want to do is go outside and ride their bikes with their friends. I am hoping that I will be able to find the money before Christmas to get each of them a new bike.

If I ever have to move again, it will be somewhere new.  I was looking online, and I found sites like rentedmonton.com are so helpful. I can look at properties in all kinds of locations and find the perfect place for me and the kids.  When we moved into this apartment, I had never set foot in it.  I knew it was a three bedroom, but I didn't actually view it until after I signed the lease because it was being cleaned.  I wish the apartment complex had a website so I could have seen it first, but they don't.  I was thrilled when it turned out to be the perfect place for us.

For now though, I am going to stay put right here.  The rent is reasonable and I can pay the bills on my own.  And that's important for us single parents.

Norton For Small Business Owners

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Norton Small Business by Symantec for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

How do you know which anti-virus software is right for you?  There are so many options available, and it can be confusing trying to find the right one to fit your needs.  I have heard really good things about the products Norton offers, and if you own a small business, it is even more important to have the right software on your computer.  You should check out Norton Small Business by Symantec.  This past September, they launched both the Norton 360 and the Norton Internet Security 2012.  You can even get 30% off Norton Small Business Products now.

I am not good with all the technical stuff, but from what I understand, having good malware protection can save you money in the long run, especially if you have to hire an expert to clean your computer of viruses.  I know I have had my share of computer viruses, and I am so thankful that my computer experts are relatives, so except for lost time online, it didn't cost me anything to have my computer restored. 

So even if you don't own a small business, it is still important to protect yourself online.  I am sure Norton has a program that can benefit you, no matter what your anti-virus needs are. Please leave me a comment letting me know which Norton product you think would work best for you and why.  Thanks!