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There are many things that I hate about moving all of the time. #1 on that list would probably be the fact that we really can not change a lot about the homes we live in.

I would love to get new sinks for this house. The kitchen one drives me crazy the most often. I hate trying to wash all of my large pans and not being able to fit them in the sink. I have to wash them one side at a time. I also hate that the sink is porcelain. I hate scrubbing off all of the marks that are created on the sink.

I was checking out granite sinks on Mr Direct website and found a few that I would love. I really do not need a double bowl sink so this large single sink would be more what I would want. It can be a top mount or undermount granite sink. Plus a granite sink would not get full of marks from pans.

Mr Direct is a pretty cool site. They have great prices and fast shipping.

We have a winner to announce in the 100 Custom Printed Postcards Giveaway!

The winner is Sue Mickelson! Congrats Sue!

Thank you to UPrinting for sponsoring this blog and providing us with tons of products and giveaways. We are still doing a lot of giveaways so make sure to check out our Current Giveaways.


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I love the new Soft Scrub Total Bath & Bowl and it is not just because I am a Soft Scrub Club Captain! Today it proved to me once again how wonderful it is. I really love this stuff!

Today was just a half day at school and while we think that should mean a fun day... James says that it would be the perfect opportunity to clean. Who wants to clean on a half day? He is no fun!

I hate cleaning and I have passed that hatred on to my children. One of the things I hate about cleaning is that you have to drag out tons of cleaning supplies and then put them all away again. Many times that takes longer than the actual cleaning.


I have cleaning supplies everywhere. The cupboards under every sink are stuffed full of cleaners. We even have 3 shelves in the basement full of cleaners that can not fit in our cleaning cupboards. I have not even used half of the cleaners in ages because I do not like them.

Between Soft Scrub Total Bath & Bowl and Soft Scrub Total Kitchen, I can now clean out those cupboards and free up some space. It also made cleaning super fast and easy. I am all for spending less time cleaning! Do people actually like to clean? They must have a sickness.

Soft Scrub Total Bath & Bowl takes the place of all of your cleaners and has two surprise design extras. I have never seen a bottle like this. The nozzle has a screen that opens and closes. When the screen is closed the spray becomes a thick foam. When you open the screen it becomes a regular spray.

You may have noticed the strange shape of the bottle already. It is specially designed so you can spray it upside down. The angle of the bottle makes it easy to spray into any area. Now one bottle can reach and clean anything in the bathroom with a spray or foam. How convenient!

I timed my cleaning today... 10 minutes to a clean bathroom!

I quickly sprayed the foam under the rim of the toilet and then in the sink and on the handles of the faucet. While the foam went to work I changed it to spray and cleaned the mirror. I wondered if it could really do the mirror but it left a streak free shine.

I then cleaned the wall around the sink and some spots in the shower that looked dirty with the spray. I went back to clean the counter and the sink that had the foam in it. Then it was time to tackle the toilet. I cleaned the seat and under the seat with spray and then scrubbed the foam in the toilet.

That's it... 1 spray bottle and 10 minutes later... the bathroom was clean. I did not even have to drag out a ton of cleaner. The bathroom even smelled clean and not full of chemicals.

*As a Soft Scrub Club Captain I received my bottle free for review. My opinion is 100% my own and was not influenced.

I really love the Seiko Kinetic Watches. Yes, they look great but I love that they are self powered. How awesome is that? The movements of your arm powers the watch! Why didn't anyone think of this before?

A seiko kinetic would make an awesome gift for the man that has everything. They have that really expensive look plus what a conversation piece. Men love to show off their gadgets! I thought about getting one for James for Christmas but he rarely wears watches. He would probably destroy it at work.

I still might get him one in the future. He could wear it when he is not at work or for his meetings and conferences.

When we first sat in our seats at the United Center I immediately noticed the two big screens. On each side of the stage there was a big screen showing everything tweeted @eddieizzard. Twitter on big screens at a show?

What a cool idea! As we sat waiting for the show to begin we got to see what everyone wrote.

It was fun to read as we waited. It also brought the audience closer as they started to talk about the tweets. It took a bit longer to notice what the background was.

Behind the Twitter stream was a changing background. Then we realized that it was actually a video being recorded within the venue. It would zoom in on two people for awhile and then move on to an other area in the audience.

It added to the fun as audience members started a kind of "Where's Waldo" and tried to hunt down who was getting taped at that time. The most fun backgrounds were of people that had no clue they were being shown on the big screen. There were tons of people stuffing their faces with popcorn and pizza.

I think that was the most fun I have had waiting for a show! I was a bit disappointed though. I figured that there was no reason to bring my cell phone along so I could not send anything onto the Twitter screen. :(

I was just introduced to a neat site that makes premium photo books. They are the only company in the UK that will make premium photo books for the general public. Usually you have to go through a photographer who will add on their own fee. They will even ship internationally.

Usually you have to pick between a cheap photo book or go through a photographer and get a very expensive one. These premium Photobook are beautifully designed by a professional. You then receive full proofs to review before you order your book.

These books would be great for any special occasion. Many people are cutting back on expenses on their weddings so the Wedding albums would be perfect. You could wait until you get caught back up on bills and then order one. A Wedding album would also make an incredible anniversary gift.

Slowly but surely I will finish everything. Life has been very busy though. Today I will do the review on the hotel we stayed in. I usually get paid to do reviews or get something for free but I do bad reviews for free!

We chose the Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro. We picked it solely because it was a short walk from the train station.

I will start by giving you their statement from their website...

Cutting-edge luxury awaits you in our sleek and modern guest rooms and suites, offering romantic views of the Chicago Skyline and an amazing downtown location.

I would say that yes, it looks like it was once a sleek modern hotel but it has not aged well. It has been very neglected. Right away as we entered we found that the "automatic" revolving door stopped being automatic as soon as you entered it. That is when the bellman runs over and helps you push the heavy door so that you can enter.

Check in was very fast since we paid online. I liked the security of not being able to go up on the elevators without using a room key. When we got out of the elevator I found the hallways had filthy carpet. I told myself that it was winter and a Friday so maybe they just could not keep up with vacuuming.

Then we entered our room. I found that the carpet in the room was also filthy. Either they do not vacuum often or they really need to replace their vacuums. I pulled back a curtain so I could hang my coat and I found a pair of someone's socks. This really bothered me. How much cleaning could they have done?

I was also not very impressed with the bathroom. One of the things I love about hotels is the sink and mirror area that is outside of the bathroom. They did not have that. They had a very small bathroom with a sliding glass door. The door sat on track on the outside of the bathroom and overlapped a little. The glass was frosted but still! The one time in life that I do not want to be behind glass is when I am on the toilet!

James had a conference call right away so he loved that they had a desk and wifi. He wanted some quiet so I decided to take the girls to the grocery store across the street. That is when I noticed that they did not even have a little fridge and microwave. As a mom this is a must! Even crappy hotels have them. I quick checked to be sure that there was a coffee maker or someone might die! There was a coffee maker but it was the cheapest most pathetic thing I have ever seen.

The rest of the room looked dirty and old. The bedding and towels were dingy and their signature little red Crowne Plaza pillows had their seams ripped open and frayed. The furniture looked like it was once nice but now the corners are all chipped and broken.

On the plus side the room did have a chaise so my one daughter chose to sleep there rather than sleep with her sisters. There was also a beautiful view from the balcony which we used to keep our drinks cold since there was no fridge.

Will I go back? I would rather not. I will try to look for another hotel that is close to the train station. The Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro could be a beautiful place but it is clear that no one cares to do any upkeep.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Coldwell Banker. All opinions are 100% mine.

The federal income tax credit for homebuyers has been extended and expanded to now include homeowners who wish to "move on" after 5 years of living in their current property, as well as first-time homebuyers. The tax credit ends soon though. You must have a written contract by April 30, 2010 and close by June 30, 2010 to receive the credit.

It is a buyers market right now. People everywhere are trying to sell their houses. Many are trying to sell quick before they are foreclosed on. This brings prices way down. Add to that the ever growing list of foreclosures and there are some great deals on houses right now! I have already said before that if you have the money to buy now is the time to buy. Now with the 2010 Homebuyer Tax Credits there is even more incentive.

The 1st time homebuyers credit is for people that have not owned any part of a residence for 3 years prior. They will receive $8,000 ($4,000) married filing separate). The Current Qualifying Homeowners credit is for people that have used the home sold or being sold as a principal residence consecutively for 5 of the previous 8 years. They will receive $6,500 ($3,250 married filing separate).

So what are the qualifications?

• The home must be under $800,000.
• Income - $125,000 for Single, $225,000 if Married (with a $20,000 phase-out of the credit for both). Out

We have a winner to announce in the 250 Premium Business Cards Giveaway!

The winner is Jessi from Jabbering Jessi! Congrats Jessi!

Thank you to UPrinting for sponsoring this blog and providing us with tons of products and giveaways.

We are still doing a lot of giveaways so make sure to check out our Current Giveaways.

We have some more custom printed postcards to giveaway! Our great sponsor Uprinting is giving us some more postcards and they will also be giving postcards to one of our lucky readers.

I absolutely love the postcards I have received from them in the past. I created them using their Postcard Design Templates. They have some great designs that include a matching front and back. My postcards are beautiful and the colors look amazing!

These postcards can be designed for almost any business or personal need. One past winner wanted them to give to a son that started a new business and one wanted to send them out to potential clients. The options do not stop there though. They can be made into baby shower announcement, invitations, note cards, thank you cards, or anything else you can think of.

*Make sure to check out all of our Current Giveaways!

Giveaway Prize: 100 Postcards for 1 Lucky Winner
Size: 4x6; Paper: 14pt Cardstock Gloss
Printing: Full color both sides
Shipping: A few dollars must be paid by the winner for shipping. Offer not available to residents outside of the US.
Last Day To Enter: January 25


HOW CAN YOU ENTER?
Your main entry will be to comment about how you would use the 100 Postcards if you were to win.

EXTRA ENTRIES

* Blog about the giveaway and include a link back to this post. Make a new comment here with the URL to your post. (This is 3 entries!)
* Follow this blog - It is on the left sidebar. If you are already a follower it still counts. Make a new comment here that includes your follower name.
* Subscribe to the RSS Feed (left side bar) and make a new comment.
* Add the Your Fun Family Blog to your blogroll. Make a new comment and be sure to use your URL when you post it. (This is 2 entries!)
* Fav the Your Fun Family Blog on Technorati and make a new comment.
* Follow us on Twitter and make a new comment.
* Share this giveaway post on Kirtsy, Digg, Twitter, Stumble, or anything else you can think of. Each one counts for one entry so each should have a separate comment. It must include the link where it can be found to count.

I will be deleting comments that do not follow the rules so others get a fair chance. Make sure that I have a way to contact you if you win! If I can not find your email address on your comment, profile, or website you can not win.

Ever since James got transferred to Chicago we have been hoping that he would get to come back to Madison. When the phone call came last night that he would be back in Madison we were thrilled. Moving to Chicago was never a thought. Even if he did not get to return to Madison we did not want to move again.

James' work has kept us moving for years. My 14 year old daughter is in 8th grade and going to her 7th school. As much as I would love to be back in the warmth of Arizona, we have been here for 2 years and we would really like to stop moving.

It is really nice to not have to deal with the stress of moving. For years it seemed like I was either packing or unpacking. James would not get much notice before our moves so he would go a month ahead of us. That meant that I was the one that had to take care of everything.

I would do all of the packing and looking for a new place to live. We move so much that we always rent houses. Luckily you can find a lot online. I love how many ads there are for homes and apartments for rent online now.

I would have to look it all up online and make all of the phone calls. If a place sounded promising I would make an appointment for James to go see it. This also meant that I never really got to see a house before we moved in. James would usually take a picture of the outside for me but that was it. We have been lucky most of the time though.

Some houses had owners that almost stalked us. One house in particular had an owner that lived in the same subdivision. The couple would walk past the house at least three times a day. They would stare into our windows all of the time. The owners of the house we are in now are great. I have actually never met them. We have lived here for 2 years now and James has met them maybe twice. It is much nicer than the stalker couple.

I hate when I see old traditions die. I guess as a society we have less time to spend doing the extras. We rush through everything and spend little time enjoying old traditions.

Dating used to mean going to dinner and a movie. Now for most people it means sitting in a crowded bar and never really talking to the person you are with let alone getting to know them. Having a party meant food with friends, great conversations, and maybe a game or two.

The host of the party would spend time planning a fun evening and send the guests home with a party favor as a thank you for coming and something to remember the evening by. Even children's birthday parties have changed. There are seldom party games and party favors. Now parties are just a way for kids to get gifts.

A good party is planned well ahead of time. There is more to do than just sit and drink. If gifts are received there should be some kind of thank you for the guests. Good manners and etiquette have almost been forgotten.

The girl's first experience in Chicago was the Ogilvie Transportation Center. As soon as we arrived to the train station they were mesmerized by how huge the place was. We did not have time to spend there when we first arrived but we spent an hour and a half there before we came back home.


The revolving doors that are everywhere in Chicago gave them a problem every time. They would either go too slow or too fast but they always ended up getting dirty looks from other people. Our hotel had automatic revolving doors but they would stop moving the second you got in them. It was always fun to watch the girls as the doors stopped and they hit the glass.

When we went back to the Ogilvie Transportation Center to catch our train home we had plenty of time to check it out. Our first stop was to the book store. The two hour train ride home made everyone want to buy a new book. Then we went to find some dinner.

Unfortunately, we were rushed the entire trip so the only food we ate while in Chicago was sandwiches from the grocery store by the hotel and at the train station before we left. At least the train station had decent food.

There first floor is full of stores and a food court so we all could get different things. My younger two girls got food at the Pizza Hut, James got a huge Italian Beef sandwich, and my oldest and I got Gyros. I really had hoped to go out to eat but I guess that will have to wait until next time.

These pictures are of where the trains come in from the back of the station.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

We have not had the time to go anywhere for a long time so our weekend trip to Chicago has me wanting to do more traveling. It was great to get away and just have fun with the kids. I loved not having to cook and clean. The kids loved that they had no chores to do.

It was great getting away but I would like to go further away and for longer. Finding places to go with the family can be a problem though. I do not want to spend the thousands it takes to go to some of the tourist towns that are geared towards kids. I think Branson sounds like a nice place to bring the family.

We could go to museums, amusement parks, see a few shows, check out some restaurants, and do a lot of shopping. We have been wanting to check the Ripley's Believe It or Not that is there.

Right now there are some great deals and packages at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. Use your Visa card before Mar. 31, 2010 and get 25% off of their best available rate. You can also earn 2010 bonus Delta SkyMiles® with a 3 nights stay. The Hilton Bed and Breakfast Package and the Romance Package make me think that maybe we should not take the kids on our next trip. We could use some time away!

Our weekend trip to Chicago started and ended with a Metra train ride. James did not want to drive in Chicago and I HATE driving in big cities so we decided on taking the Metra.

The closest pick up was 1 1/2 hours away and then the train ride was 2 hours long. It would have only taken us 2 1/2 hours to drive but it was much nicer not driving.

We picked the kids up early from school and headed to the train station. On the way we stopped for some sandwiches and drinks. The two hour train ride went by quickly since we had lunch to eat, iPods, and video games.

The second the kids saw that the train had a second floor they knew they had to be on the top. The second floor was two sides separated by a luggage rack. It was definitely a commuter train. There was nothing pretty about it. The bottom floor looked just like a bus but the top floor was fold down seats lining the sides and much less full.

We pretty much took over one side of the second floor of our train car on the way there and back. We could all sit in a row and stretch out more. It also had a more private feel to it. I did not like waiting in the cold for the trains but it was much better than driving.

When we lived in Tucson going to the rodeo was a huge thing. Each year there was a big rodeo. The schools would even have "Rodeo Days". They would give the kids Thursday and Friday off so they could go to the rodeo with their family.

In Arizona when you went out you did not just see regular sports on televisions, you always saw PBR bull riding too. It is after all "The Wild West".

Every once in awhile, when we are flipping through channels, we find ourselves stopping and watching bull riding on television still. I think they are all nuts but it is still fun to watch.

Rodeo fans everywhere are dreaming of Houston Rodeo tickets. The Houston Rodeo & Livestock Show is a huge 20 day rodeo. It has everything from a carnival, farming and livestock demonstrations, art, and of course lots of food and shopping.

Everyday after the rodeo, the center ring is transformed into a stage and a big name act performs. The concerts include... Alan Jackson, Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Mary J Blige, Jason Aldean, Jonas Brothers, Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker, Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Blake Shelton, El Trono De Mexico Pesado, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, Gary Allan, Black Eyed Peas, Eli Young Band, Brooks & Dunn, Selena Gomez & Justin Bieber.

It sounds like a full day of fun and excitement!

Last season there were talks about the show Chuck getting canceled. Our family loves to watch Chuck so we were very disappointed. How could anyone not love Chuck?

Chuck is a fun character. He was just an under achiever with no ambition until he has government secrets downloaded into his brain. The original program is lost so before he knows it he is being protected by secret agents and helping them fight the bad guys.

I loved watching him bumble his way through last season but I am enjoying this new season even more. His brain just got an upgrade so he now could be the ultimate secret agent. He is still inexperienced and tends to bumble through it all though. It is kind of like a modernized Pink Panther.

If you are interested here is the new Chuck Season Premier that just aired on Sunday.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of HealthyTuna.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

For a long time now we have heard how good fish is for you. Fish is low in fat, good for your heart and aids in proper growth and development in children. More recently there have been warnings that fish contain mercury and eating large amounts should be avoided.

The FDA still stands behind their statement that eating fish is very helpful in maintaining a healthy life. Many pregnant women avoid fish because they worry about Mercury. The FDA advises pregnant women to eat fish that are low in Mercury like canned light tuna.

They state that the benefits of eating fish are still there but the levels of mercury are low enough that the average size woman can safely eat light tuna once every four days.

Tuna is one of the staples in our cupboards. We always have a few cans on hand. Just the other day James did not feel like making himself a meal so he quickly made a couple tuna sandwiches for himself. I even let him in on my little secret. My tuna sandwiches taste so good because I use tartar sauce instead of mayo and then I add in some Cajun Seasoning mix.

Back when I got my first apartment and money was tight my roommate and I would make a huge batch of healthy tuna pasta salad. A friend of ours would bring vegetables out of their garden so we would just need tuna, pasta, and mayo.

The ingredients would change according to what vegetables we had on had but the usual ingredients were... Cooked and drained pasta, tuna, mayo, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, bell peppers, and carrots. I liked to add some seasoning salt or Cajun seasoning mix.

It helped that we could easily make the pasta and then mix it all together. Not only did we have little money but we had very little time too. We would mix up a huge batch and then have food to last us for a few days.

Life has been very busy and very crazy lately. I am finally able to get some work done so I can also finally talk about our trip this last weekend. There is way too much to cover so I will have to break it up into separate posts.

James and I have loved Eddie Izzard for years so when we found out that he was doing a show in Chicago we knew we wanted to go. As the day got closer we decided to make it a full weekend trip to Chicago and take the kids.

We had a wonderful time but it all seemed very rushed. We were always on the go trying to fit all of our plans in. We wanted to stay an extra day but James really needed to get back to work. We have all agreed that we want to do more weekend trips to Chicago when we have more time to enjoy it and not be so rushed. James works in Chicago so he has not wanted to go there on the weekend but taking the train made him enjoy it more than he expected.

There is a lot to share about our trip so keep checking back for the up coming posts!

If you have not entered our current giveaways yet hurry on over!

It is time to giveaway some more Business Cards! We have not had a business card giveaway since October so I was happy to get this email today! I LOVE business cards. I now have 3 sets of business cards but I would like 2 more. I still have two online businesses that I do not have cards for. It is always important to have cards on hand. You never know when you will meet a potential customer.

I love the UPrinting Business Cards that I have received already! They really are premium cards. They have rich vibrant colors and I love that they are printed on both sides. I can fit a ton of more info on them.

Giveaway Prize: 250 Business Cards for one (1) lucky winner
Size: 2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (skinny card)
Paper: 14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock
Shipping: Winner will have to pay a few dollars for shipping
Eligibility: US Shipping Address

The giveaway will end at midnight January 18th. This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting. Free business cards will be provided to the winner and as a thank you to me for doing the giveaway.


HOW CAN YOU ENTER?

Your main entry will be to comment about how you would use the 250 Free Business cards if you were to win.

EXTRA ENTRIES

* Blog about the giveaway and include a link back to this post. Make a new comment here with the URL to your post. (This is 3 entries!)
* Follow this blog - It is on the left sidebar. If you are already a follower it still counts. Make a new comment here that includes your follower name.
* Subscribe to the RSS Feed (left side bar) and make a new comment.
* Add the Your Fun Family Blog to your blogroll. Make a new comment and be sure to use your URL when you post it. (This is 2 entries!)
* Fav the Your Fun Family Blog on Technorati and make a new comment.
* Follow us on Twitter and make a new comment.
* Share this giveaway post on Kirtsy, Digg, Twitter, Stumble, or anything else you can think of. Each one counts for one entry so each should have a separate comment. It must include the link where it can be found to count.


I will be deleting comments that do not follow the rules so others get a fair chance. Make sure that I have a way to contact you if you win! If I can not find your email address on your comment, profile, or website you can not win.

We have a winner to announce in the 100 Custom Printed Postcards Giveaway!

The winner is Dawn Hild. Congrats Dawn!

Thank you to UPrinting for sponsoring this blog and providing us with tons of products and giveaways.

Once in awhile I share some of my guilty pleasures with all of you. I usually shock quite a few readers too. I have four brothers that are 5 to 11 years older than me. Four boys so close in age meant many fights. My mother often handled this by telling the boys that if they wanted to fight they had to put on boxing gloves and take it outside. Naturally one of them would become a boxer.

My oldest brother was Golden Gloves champion one year and then went on to box for the Army. He traveled all over the world boxing. I was a very young girl but I remember how much he loved it. He would bring home all of his trophies with pride.

On Saturday March 13, Floyd "Money" Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will fight at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. There could not be a more perfect place for this fight. It will definitely be an incredible fight. I pick Mayweather to win because he is a monster in the ring. I am sure that there are a lot of people that would just go because they love Pacquiao and would do anything for Manny Paquiao tickets but I think that Mayweather will win.