I'm a Winner

Just a little shout-out to Chronicle Books to say thank you for choosing me as a random winner for Noodles Every Day. I promised I'd post a review on their site after trying a few recipes and I'll link to those reviews here. Can't wait!

My Intro to YouData

Way back when I learned about sk*rt from OMSH (you know, Heather, who commented once that she promises never to make me drink any Kool-Aid). Sk*rt eventually became Kirtsy, Heather became an editor, and I just don't go there often. I do get their emails every week or so and I certainly pay attention to contests. Especially contests where they are giving away a free laptop (it's over -- I didn't win). I was curious about this whole YouData thing and went to their site to learn more.

Well, the first thing you need to do is fill out some surveys about yourself. I'm a sucker for surveys. Just love giving people my opinion about things. So I signed right up and proceded to survey away. That took no time at all and then I could go look at some ads. Just some cute little banner ads in their ad viewer on the website. Boom, I had earned 25-cents. Not much, but more than I usually bring home. (Why, oh why, don't I get paid for each poopy diaper I change???) So, since it was a lot easier than changing a diaper and they promised to put a shiny quarter in my PayPal account, I was having fun. I clicked thru each banner to the respective advertisers' websites to earn some more change, 15-cents here, 17-cents there. The next thing I knew I had learned about Kiva.org and seen some scary (as in eww, I don't want to dust that) Halloween figurines and some crazy expensive baby furniture. Random surfing could have produced the same results. Pretty soon the kids needed me so I got off the computer.

I didn't think about it until a few days later when I got an email from PayPal saying that I've received $3. Huh? Sure enough it's from YouData. Well, thank you! So I instantly go back and view more ads and listen to the happy little ka-ching sound. I am loving YouData.

Free Starbucks? Sign me up!

Thank you, Heather, for pointing me at this cute Lego photo of MommyKnows'. I had no idea that Legos came in those colors; they are still choking hazards for my kids. The super cool part is that the photo has a link to MommyKnows' blog and that has an post where she is giving away $10 Starbucks gift cards. Woot! Doubling my entry by telling you about it. Go comment and get in the drawing.

Ooh, Carriers Too!

There's a second give-away. Go enter. Now. Go!

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

Free BumGenius Starter Kit!!!

Yes, I mean those 3 exclamation marks. I want this kit so bad I could spit! So here's my blog entry promoting the contest so that I can get an extra entry. Crossing my fingers for me and my kids' bums!

Go check it out!

Win a Bum Genius 3.0 Starter Kit from Nature's Child - Wholesome Goods for Mothers and Babies

Chocolate Glaze Cures Adultitis

Just because I'm in the mood to share this with more people. I wrote this up for an entry into Daring Young Mom's adultitis cure give-away. The history part at the end wasn't in my comment though.

Here is my way to be more childlike.

Sneak a snack when no one is looking. You know your kids do (or will do) that when you aren't. My fave is this chocolate glaze on vanilla ice cream. I get to have it when they nap at the same time as a victory snack.

1 pound of bittersweet chocolate
1/2 pound of butter

Melt, stir, indulge.


Notes: Trader Joe's Pound Plus bar works great. You can make a small batch with no adjustments. Unsalted butter works too, but I add a bit of salt then because I like chocolate and salty (not a lot of salt though).


Helpful math: If you use the Trader Joe's bar here are the proper proportions for smaller batches.
20 squares + 1 stick of butter
10 squares + 1/2 stick of butter (4 tablespoons)
5 squares + 2 tablespoons of butter


History:
This recipe is from a now-defunct bakery I worked at. We used it instead of frosting on our chocolate cakes by popping the cake in the freezer between putting on thin layers. Build it up until no cake crumbs or filling is visible. Top with warm, strained or food-processed apricot glaze if you want it shiny. Keep cool if you aren't going to cut it that day. On the day of serving you can leave it out for hours as long as you've done a good job of sealing it with the chocolate. Cut with a sharp knife dipped in HOT water. (It will probably crack when cut. All the pieces that crack off are treats for the person who was forced to cut the cake.)

Enjoy!

Want to win a sling?

Stephanie over at Adventures in Babywearing is hosting a sling give-away! Go over and enter for yourself.

In case you don't win, you can just go to KimzKreations and buy a sling.

I'm off to shop!

Yet Another Contest

Despite the fact that my husband thinks this contest stuff is a bit sad (phhbbbt), I found another contest I want to enter.

If you want to enter too, just go to Fina 'Drea (this is my first time there). She's giving away a purple frog WubbaNub from Baby Dagny.

I poked around Baby Dagny a bit and found some great stuff. There is a hooded towel and wash cloth made from bamboo. Sounds weird, but I bought a pair of socks at Target that were made of bamboo and they are the softest that I own. Completely luxurious, yet a quick-growing, renewable resource. Yipee! But the coolest thing that I found at Baby Dagny was this device to basically strap your kid to anything. And it's on sale! We struggle with how to keep The Biscuit safely seated when we go to relatives' homes at the holidays and I think this may be just the thing. It also looks great for in the shopping cart since it has some cushion. I've just been putting the sling under him for awhile now, but The Cupcake is going to be in the sling so I'll need a better solution. He's too big to use it on the floor though, and I'll never give up my Patemm Pad and Pitaka (we have the large Patrick with pockets and an extra Emma Pitaka -- because it keeps wipes moist FOREVER), so maybe The Buddy is overkill?

Another Contest

What the heck, I've decided to enter Pink & Blues Blog's Dooney & Bourke Bag & Victoria’s Secret Perfume contest too.

Thanks to Adventures in Babywearing for sharing that this contest is out there.

A Contest

I keep seeing contests all over, but I've finally decided to actually enter the one going on now at Adventures In Babywearing.

I love earrings and the ones she's giving away from Cheeky Jewelry look lovely. I hope I win!

I think what got me off my duff to enter is that they are sage green (one of my 3 favorite colors). I haven't worn earrings much since I had my son, which is a shame. I have some absolutely beautiful Mikimoto pearls that I really should wear every day. My husband bought them for me for no special occasion -- which makes them pretty darn special. I think I'm just paranoid about them getting pitted or loosened from their setting so I don't just put them in and leave them in. Ah, someday when small people aren't grabbing at me all the time...

Update:
I just went and looked at all the earrings on Cheeky Jewelry's site and they totally remind me of the earrings that we made for my wedding (I had my cousin's help to make a beaded headband & earrings). I so love those too, but can't wear dangly things around the babies. Actually, the boy may be old enough that he'll understand not to grab, but the girl has an amazingly quick and strong grab so it will still be awhile before I dangle. I miss that so!