I hope everyone had a great Christmas! We sure did! It's been busy busy busy for us, even though we're technically on vacation.
Here are a couple of pictures of the kids opening presents.
It was Jackson's first Christmas. He didn't get a ton of presents, but they were all pretty big in size. He enjoyed ripping little pieces of paper off, but needed help actually unwrapping.
Mason, the seasoned veteran at opening presents. My favorite quote of the day, when he was opening that gift, "A DVD! It must be Up!" How he knew that, I have no idea.
As for me, I didn't have any presents to open. My gift from my parents is a night out with my husband, on them, with no kids! I am so excited. Hubby and I are going to go to a romantic dinner tonight, and then we're hitting South Beach. I can't wait.
I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Christmas, and I hope you got everything you wanted. :)
I can't believe it, it's almost here! I would be lying if I said that I was completely done with all of my shopping. I don't think I am ever completely done with anything!
Back in April, I wrote about Softlips® and their Pure line. Softlips® is a brand that I really love because in all of the years I have been using their products, they have always been consistent in their quality, and never changed.
For the holidays, Softlips® launched a line of limited edition winter flavors. Perfect for a stocking stuffer or as a gift to yourself. They still have the same great moisturizing properties as Softlips' other flavors, and SPF 20 to protect lips from the sun.
Each limited edition winter flavor comes paired with a complimentary Softlips® favorite lip balm. There are two brand new flavors for 2009; Sugar and Spice which is paired with a Vanilla lip balm, and Sugar Plum Berry which is paired with a Cherry lip balm. The other two winter flavors are Winter Mint, and Sugar Cookie.
I just love the Sugar Cookie flavor, but I had to try the new for 2009 flavors as well. I have to say that my favorite is the Sugar Plum Berry. We've been traveling a lot, as you know, and it's really taken a toll on my lips. When I put the Softlips® on, my lip are instantly softer and silkier.
Buy it! Suggested retail price of $2.99 to $3.99 for the dual-stick pack. Now through out the holiday/winter season, the limited addition flavors Sugar & Spice and Sugar Plum Berry will be available in Target and Winter Mint and Sugar Cookie will be available at Walgreens.
Win it! One lucky reader will win a whole set of the new Softlips® limited edition winter flavors.
To enter, simply visit the Softlips® site, look around, and then come back here and comment with something you learned that I didn't mention in my post.
Want extra entries? (Leave a separate comment for each one!) -Be a fan of Nine More Months on Facebook! -Fan Softlips on Facebook! -Follow me on Twitter AND tweet this giveaway. Comment with a link to your tweet. -Be a follower or subscriber to my blog. -Grab my button and tell me where it is. -Favorite me on Technorati (click the little button on my sidebar) -Make a blog post linking to this giveaway and leave a comment with the link to it.
Giveaway ends January 8th, 2010 @9PM PST. US entries only. Winner will be picked via Random.org and announced the following day. Please respond within 48 hours, or a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!
Disclaimer: I received a free sample of the product to review through Robin Leedy and Associates. I did not receive any form of compensation, and all opinions were entirely my own.
The Holidays are upon us. Everyone's rushing around, picking up last minute gifts, running from store to store in the snow and rain and cold. But it's also another season too, Cold and Flu Season. When you're out and about, there's going to be germs no matter what. I always have have hand sanitizer with me, and use the antibacterial wipes at the grocery store, but sometimes that's just not enough.
Enter the MyClyns Germ Protection Spray. MyClyns is trusted in hospitals and by police, firemen, and EMS workers. It's a non-burning, alcohol-free spray that you can spray directly on your face after coming into contact with germs.
Why It’s Unique:MyClyns is the only germ defense for use in the eyes, nose and mouth – offering protection where you need it most – common entry points for most germs. It is a compact, non-aerosol pump spray shaped like a pen and easy to slip into a pocket, baby bag, purse or carry-on (meets airline restrictions) for everyday use and when traveling. MyClyns is safe to spray directly onto the face and even onto open cuts and abrasions. It’s safe for people of all ages, even those who wear contact lenses. While many other germ sanitizers are good for prevention, MyClyns is designed to be used after the unexpected incident occurs –so if a person sitting in front of you or next to you coughs or sneezes, simply take out your MyClyns and spray 2-3 mists on your face and you’re good to go. Each vial has approximately 60 mists and can be thrown out when it’s empty.
MyClyns is the perfect stocking stuffer or gift for any teacher, nurse, bus driver, librarian, or really anyone who is around lots of people or kids.
What do I think about MyClyns? we're currently staying at my parents' house for the holidays, and some of my family members are coming down with something. I've been using the MyClyns, and so far so good. It doesn't burn or sting, and the mist is actually quite refreshing!
Buy it! You can buy MyClyns at CVS stores nationwide for a suggested retail price of $7.99-$9.99.
Stay updated with the MyClyns Facebook. Get the latest news, giveaways and more!
Win it! One lucky reader will win their own MyClyns Germ Protection Spray! To enter, simply visit the MyClyns site and then come back here and comment with something you learned that I didn't mention in my post.
Want extra entries? (Leave a separate comment for each one!) -Be a fan of Nine More Months on Facebook! -Fan MyClyns on Facebook! -Follow me on Twitter AND tweet this giveaway. Comment with a link to your tweet. -Be a follower or subscriber to my blog. -Grab my button and tell me where it is. -Favorite me on Technorati (click the little button on my sidebar) -Make a blog post linking to this giveaway and leave a comment with the link to it.
Giveaway ends January 7th, 2010 @9PM PST. US entries only. Winner will be picked via Random.org and announced the following day. Please respond within 48 hours, or a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!
Disclaimer: I received a free sample of the product to review through Robin Leedy and Associates. I did not receive any form of compensation, and all opinions were entirely my own.
I've always loved music. As a kid I watched musicals with my dad, and one of my favorites was The Sound of Music. There's such a great story behind it, and of course the songs are great. My kids aren't really into movies without animation, but I hope that someday they'll watch some of my favorite musicals with me and find their own favorites.
One thing they really do enjoy is reading. When I found out I was chosen to review the Sound of Music pop-up book, I was super excited. Reading is such a great way to spend time with your kids, and what better way to introduce them to one of my favorite stories?
The book is just beautiful. The illustrations are gorgeous, and the book itself is well-made. There are pop-ups within pop-ups, and the fun never ends. Mason loved the book and asked me to read it over and over to him.
The book was released in celebration of the 50th year anniversary of when Sound of Music first opened on Broadway, along with the Special Edition of the Original Cast Recording: The Sound Of Music. It includes all of your favorite songs sung by the original Broadway Cast.
Buy It! You can buy the album for $11.98 on Amazon here, and the book is $17.81 here.
Win it! One lucky winner will win a copy of the CD! To enter, just tell me Maria's favorite place to sing. You can find the answer, and more fun in the Sing-Along Activity Kit
Want extra entries? (Leave a separate comment for each one!) -Be a fan on Facebook! -Follow me on Twitter AND tweet this giveaway. Comment with a link to your tweet. -Be a follower or subscriber to my blog. -Grab my button and tell me where it is. -Favorite me on Technorati (click the little button on my sidebar) -Make a blog post linking to this giveaway and leave a comment with the link to it.
Giveaway ends January 4th, 2010 @9PM PST. US entries only. Winner will be picked via Random.org and announced the following day. Please respond within 48 hours, or a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!
Disclaimer: I received a free pop-up book through the Classy Closet review panel, and a copy of the CD for a giveaway. I did not receive any form of compensation.
So when I last posted we were on our way from San Antonio to Pensacola, stopping in New Orleans along the way.
You should know by now that nothing ever goes as planned for us. We stopped in Baton Rouge to visit with some friends, and ended up spending almost 3 hours there. We decided to skip New Orleans, because we had another 4 or more hours drive to the hotel.
Driving to the hotel, even though it wasn't as long as the drive to El Paso, was twice as difficult. The roads were more winding, more rainy, and everyone was sleeping. I was so tired, and really wished our hotel wasn't so far away. But by the grace of God we made it there safely.
The next morning we checked out, and were on our way. It was raining and miserable for the beginning of the drive, but when we got to Tallahassee the weather was beautiful. We stopped in downtown to look at the old City Hall building and get some fresh air and exercise. We got a few pictures of the whole family. I haven't looked at them yet, but I hope they turned out alright.
After Tallahassee, we decided to skip out on Jacksonville and head to Orlando. Destination: The World's Biggest McDonald's. If you've never been, it's loads of fun. There's a big play area and tons of arcade games. We didn't eat there, but we played for a while, and then Santa showed up!
We originally planned on staying in a hotel somewhere outside Orlando. We decided to just suck it up and drive through to my parents' house in the Keys. It was about a four and a half hour drive. This time, Hubby actually did the night driving, so I was able to relax a little.
I am pleased to say that we made it the whole 2900 miles with no incident. I can only hope that the drive back goes as smoothly. For now, I'll be enjoying my vacation with as little driving as possible!
Yesterday was possibly one of the longest days of my life. My husband and I switched off driving, but since he has a hard time driving at night, I think I may have gotten the worst of it. I got about a good hour of sleep in the car on the way to El Paso after driving through the night. After a hellish experience in downtown El Paso (never again) we hit the road. At 4:00 PM I resumed driving again, determined to make it to San Antonio.
Someone told me that it takes three days to drive through Texas. They weren't kidding. It took 9 hours to get San Antonio last night. I drove through windy roads in fog and rain and narrowly missed a couple of deer. No exagerrations. By the end of the night the kids weren't doing too great either. I don't blame them. We were on the road for 28 hours before we finally got to the hotel. I'll tell you what, it was so nice to be in a bed for a few hours and get a hot shower and breakfast.
We had originally planned to depart at 5:00 AM. We quickly changed that. We'll be spending a little less time in New Orleans than we had set aside, to make up for it. Our next hotel is about 3 hours from New Orleans so we'll have to use our best judgement on when we want to leave the city.
It's a little rainy now, but the kids are asleep, the music is on, and we're on our way.
So we're currently on the road as I type this entry. One of the things I wanted to make sure I had before we left was a reliable phone, so o got an iPhone. Now I am never more than a fingertip away from the internet. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing.
I'd like to thank my in-laws for watching the kids for two hours and making dinner so we could get the car packed and the house cleaned. We had planned to be on the road by 9:00 PM and for once we are running on schedule!
Our first major stop will be Yuma, AZ for gas, but we won't be doing a big stop until we get to El Paso at around 8:00 AM. Yes we're driving straight through. It was the only way I could find for us to get a lot of ground covered in a short amount of time. Hopefully the kids will sleep the whole time. I'll let you know how it goes!
I'll be sure to check in later, but for now I'll be keeping hubby company while he drives the first shift.
*Update* We just stopped in Tucson for some gas and a restroom break. I drove from 11:00PM until almost 5:30. I don't how I kept myself awake while everyone else slept. Oh wait, yea I do, it's called 5-hour Energy and it totally works. It's been a long time since I pulled an all nighter, but I fully enjoyed rocking out to some of my favorite songs.
Because I had to stop to pee like 5 times we are running a bit behind schedule. No worries though, we have a couple of really long stops planned for El Paso and Ft. Stockton so I'll just shave 15 minutes or so off of them. As for the kids, they're doing pretty well so far. Jackson is dozing in and out while Mason watches cartoons on the lap top. Hopefully they'll keep it up. That would be nice, wouldn't it?
Oh yeah. It's really freaking cold!
*Another Update*
We are way behind schedule. I didn't account for time changes. Oops. Oh well we'll get there when we get there. Haha.
We had FIVE winners from the Gift List Giveaway. I tried my best to get each winner their first choice, so I hope everyone is happy! As usual, I had a little help from Random.org.
The first winner was #9:
Christina said... "i would loooove the michael buble cd and then the kenny loggins cd! all these prizes are great though! thanks for the entry"
Christina won the Buble CD!
The second number picked was #34:
Dana said... "from peanuts to the pressbox...and michael buble!"
Dana, From Peanuts to the Pressbox is yours!
Our third winner was #14:
Jessica said... "I would love the Rock of Ages CD and then the Buble CD. Thanks for the giveaway."
but she also said... "I would love the Blue Moon book and the Michael Buble CD. Oh I really hope I win!!!!"
Sarah, you win Once in a Blue Moon!
Our last number pick was #1:
Muthering Heights said... "Oooo, I would love to with the Kenny Loggins CD for my kiddos! Thanks for the entry! :)"
Easy enough, congrats to all the winners. I will contact you soon to get your addresses. I will be sending these myself, and trying to do it while getting ready for our road trip that we're leaving on TODAY!
Only two days left until we leave on our big trip. Thankfully we got a lot of things done over the weekend, and even got some things done yesterday, regardless of the fact that both of the kids had a stomach bug.
Here's my list from last week:
-Laundry. (Although it's really never-ending.) -Make a list of everything I want to pack. (Half-way there.) -Pack. -Get the van tuned-up. -Finish planning the route. -Clean out the fridge. -Get the whole house in order. (Hate coming home to a dirty house.) -Renew the registration. -Sign up for Triple-A again. -Take Jackson in for his very overdue 9-month shots. (This is not going to happen, oh well.) -Borrow my in-laws car top carrier. (Tomorrow.)
It wasn't on the list, but on Saturday we cleaned the van completely out to get it ready. We also got a new car seat for Jackson, (compliments of my mother-in-law) so both of the kids seats are less than a year old. I feel like we accomplished quite a bit, although the packing is what I am not looking forward to most.
I gave the first winner a full three days to contact me and I haven't heard anything, so I am choosing a new winner. This time, I made sure my winner had an email address for me to contact them. Thanks again to a little help from Random.org, our winner is comment number 91.
Now, my computer was acting up and I had to wipe everything off and start over, so I don't have my picture-editing stuff on here right now. So you're going to have to bear without the screen shots. I know, I am terribly sorry.
So, according to Random.org, the winner is comment number 46.
Janelle said: I learned that Byndoo’s name essentially means ‘a small thing having a crucial role in a larger plot’.
I also learned and loved that they are members of 1% for the planet.
Since it's all about "going green" I'd have to choose the green one:)
Janelle, I have no contact information for you. I need to hear back from you in 48 hours or I will have to choose a new winner. You have until 10:00 AM PST on Monday. Hope you see this, and congrats!
I hope you're not already tired of hearing me talk about my road trip, because I am going to be blogging the whole time! One week from right now we are going to be on our way to Florida. I am super excited!
I am currently writing my list on everything I think we will need to bring. So far I have clothes (duh), first aid kit, toys, and food. Obviously I am not done with my list yet. But I have a question for you guys.
If you were going on a long trip what is one thing you would couldn't go without?
I look forward to reading your answers, and check out more Aloha Friday at An Island Life!
In celebration and appreciation for hitting 250 blog followers I am throwing a little giveaway!
I know most of you have finished your holiday shopping already, but if you have room for another gift or two, then this is the giveaway for you. On to the prizes!
For the kids:
Kenny Loggins singing some of your favorite Disney songs! Great for a stocking stuffer, or maybe just to replace that Wiggles CD in your car stereo...
For the Broadway lover:
Classic rock hits sung by the original Broadway cast!
Eileen Goudge's newest book, Once in a Blue Moon. You can check out my review here.
And for the sports-lover:
You can check out my review for that here as well!
How to enter! Leave a comment with your first and second choice of prizes. I will pick 5 winners, and try my best to get everyone the prize they want.
Want extra entries? (Leave a separate comment for each one!) -Become a fan on Facebook! -Follow me on Twitter AND tweet this giveaway. Comment with a link to your tweet. -Be a follower or subscriber to my blog. -Grab my button and tell me where it is. -Favorite me on Technorati (click the little button on my sidebar) -Make a blog post linking to this giveaway and leave a comment with the link to it.
Giveaway ends December 9th @9PM PST. US entries only. Winner will be picked via Random.org and announced the following day. Please respond quickly so I can send the prizes out before we leave!
After the fountain incident in San Diego, we weren't ready to go home just yet. Mason got a change of clothes, and Hubby just had to ring out his clothes the best he could and deal with it. There was more to see!
I think planning may not be one of my most strong suits. In less than 10(!!!) days we will be embarking on the long drive to Florida. I have saved a little money, and I have booked two hotel rooms. That is all I have done so far. There is still so much to be done.
-Laundry. -Make a list of everything I want to pack. -Pack. -Get the van tuned-up. -Finish planning the route. -Clean out the fridge. -Get the whole house in order. (Hate coming home to a dirty house.) -Renew the registration. -Sign up for Triple-A again. -Take Jackson in for his very overdue 9-month shots. -Borrow my in-laws car top carrier.
And I'm sure there's more.
I'm so excited, but equally nervous. This trip is possibly one of the biggest things I've ever done and I want it to go perfectly. I want to look back on it fondly, and not think "Why the heck would I do that?" I may even want to make it into a family tradition. Maybe not a cross-country trip every year, but a family trip nonetheless.
But most of all, I don't want to get so overwhelmed with it all that I don't even enjoy it. So I am proposing to myself to take it one day at a time. For the next few days I will pick two things from my list and do them. Then when it's time to go I will be ready. I will be so ready.
