Have You Seen My Pins?

Can we just take a moment and marvel in the wonder that is Pinterest? I am so hooked on this site that I could sit for hours and hours pinning and repinning. After browsing hundreds of pins I always feel like I'm a Martha Stewart/Rachael Ray Wonder Woman!


I've made a few things from the site and I cant believe some of them actually turned out! I'm pretty biased with my pins, but they're pretty fantastic. If you'd like to check them out, you can follow me here. Excuse me while I pin post some things I've made and will make sooner rather than later.

I'm not the best cook, alright? i made this post roast and about keeled over. It was AMAZING! So easy and so good! I make it every few weeks now!

 I made this peanut butter fudge yesterday. It was easy enough that I didn't screw it up, and good enough that we all had some. (And sweet enough that there's still plenty left!)

This white chicken enchilada is on my list for this week or next. Doesn't this look awesome?!?

Freezing water and letting kids chip away at it?!? Genius. Especially on hot summer days!

Mommy's Ransom Box... This will be happening in my home.

I have to do this with my girls' handprints! How awesome!


Obviously this isn't Pinterest, so if youre at all interested in being AWESOME, get your butt over there and make some stuff!

Did someone say FREE?!?

Who's your favorite blogger?

I sure hope you said me, because Im about to show you how to earn some awesome stuff!

If you're my friend on facebook, youve heard me talk about it. If you "like" my AHWT Facebook Page Im sure youve seen me mention it, too. Im talking about Viggle.

Viggle is an app for your iPhone (and more recently Android) that lets you earn points for watching tv. Once you earn so many points you can cash them in for prizes and rewards. I started viggle in late February and have cashed in $240 in Amazon gift cards. They are constantly changing their reward inventory to find things to fit everyones preferences.

So- let me show you a step by step on how to make the most of this app. Have a seat, grab a cup o' joe, and get your learn on.

First off let me point you in the right direction to actually get the app. If you have an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad you can get it in the app store Here. If you have an Android phone, Viggle is currently testing their beta version on you. (yay you!) Go get it Here.

Let it finish downloading. Ill wait.....

........

Ok. Now that you have the app (You DO have it by now, right? I didnt wait for nothing!) Lets get started. Youll need to set up your account with email, a username and password.

Now you can start doing the fun stuff! I learn everything easiest when its in front of me with pictures and step by step. I pretty much need to be taught like a 5 year old. So, Ill make it easy on you all, too.

***NOTE: All pictures will be from an iPhone as I dont have android to show you what it looks like. I assume its pretty much the same***

This is the screen you get when you first open the app. (minus the pic in the left corner) You want to have your tv on whatever show you want to check into. Make sure you are a few feet away from the tv, so your phone has a chance to recognize it by the microphone. When you are ready to check into a show, you tap the icon in the middle of the screen.

 
At that point, youll see this screen. The wavy lines will mean that it is "listening" to whatever is on the tv. Try to keep all backround noises (such as talking, the air conditioner....) to a minimum.....

If this screen comes up, it means it hasn't properly registered the show. Tap the "Try Again" icon and make sure the volume is up on the tv and all other noise it quiet.

This screen will appear when it is trying to match what its "hearing" to a show. Give it a second to register.

If the device still can't understand what you are trying to check into, you will be given the option to manually check in. When you start to type the show name you are watching, it will bring up a list of shows that are currently on tv at that moment. Tap the show you are watching and TA-DA! Youre in.

Once the device recognizes the show you are watching, you will get this screen. (I checked into The Killing) MAKE SURE you tap the pink "Confirm Check-In" icon at the top right of the screen. If you do not do this, you will not be checked into the show and you will not get the points.

YAY!!! At this point you have probably checked into your first show!

Now, wouldnt it be great to get some additional points while your show is on? Read on, grasshoppers..... Ive got you covered.

At the bottom of the screen, there are 3 icons. "What's On", "Check In", and "Rewards". When you tap the "Whats On" on the bottom left, you will see the featured shows. These shows, when you check in to them, will give you bonus points. For example, Conan here in all his sexiness, will give you 100 bonus points on top of whatever you would normally earn for the show.

If you tap that screen (poke him in the eye, he wont feel it), you will get this screen....

The white bar below the show ad is whatever bonus points you can get at anytime. These can range from 5 points to 100 points. (Occasionally youll get one for higher. Last night I got one for 125 points. When you tap that white bar, it will either give you a game to play, a poll or quiz to take, or an ad to watch. usually its the ad. Once you complete whatever it has you do (you will need to complete it in its entirety), you will get a pop up box that looks like this....

This is also the same box that will appear when the show you are checked into is over. Your points at this point should be added to your account and you can tap that pretty little x in the top right corner. (Note- After doing that on this picture, you can see there is a 30 point bonus waiting for you to tap!)

When you get the points for a show you were checked into, you can go back to the beginning screen by tapping the "Check In" icon on the bottom center of your screen.

Also note the "Rewards" icon on the bottom left. When you tap that, you will be taken to a screen resembling this one....

This is where you can cash in your points. You can see how much each reward is for, and what you can get. When you tap the reward you are interested in, it will give you more info. There is also a redeem icon to get your goods that you earned for basically doing nothing.

That there is the basics! Now, let me fill you in on a few tips Ive learned along the way......

• You get 2 points for each minute you are checked into a show. If it is a featured show, you will get the 2 points per minute plus the bonus. 
•  The longer the show you are checked into, the more points you will get. Featured shows usually start at 8 and end at 11. (There are exceptions) During the day, I try to catch up on shows from the previous night (Ill get to that) Or check into a news show I may have playing in the backround.
• If you have a dvr - USE IT! I dvr all featured shows every night. I check into whatever I need to the night it is on, and I check into the rest the next day. Please note you cannot manually check into a show that is not on live.
•  You do not need to be checked into an entire show to get the bonus points. You only need to be checked in to a show for 10 minutes to get the bonus points associated with it. For example, if I checked into Conan when he first came on at 11, at 11:10 I can check into another show and still get my 100 bonus points. Remember tho, you will not get the full 120 points associate with a 60 minute show. 
• While browsing the "Whats On" featured shows you will occasionally come across some extra bonus point ads. You can watch these ads once. You cannot watch it twice hoping for more points unless you restart the app.
• Keep a lookout for "Viggle Live" special events. These come across on the white bar like bonus points, but they will consist of questions about what you are watching for even more bonus points. 
• You can only get 6,000 points for any given day. This includes any and all bonus points and check in points. Keep this in mind.

Thats all I have off the top of my head. Please comment with any questions you may have and enjoy! This app is amazing! 

Now go earn some points!!

Melissa's Law - Please Sign This Petition!

"Stop the Violence" bracelets*

You all know how passionate I am about Domestic Violence, right? (While youre here please check out this post to see why) A few months ago I stumbled across a news story about Lori M, aka Lmbr Timber Onu of Emerald Coast Roller Derby. She was severely beaten as a result of Domestic Violence. Fortunately she survived, but as many of you know the sting of DV lasts a lifetime.


I am amazed by Loris strength and willingness to share with the world her story. She has a facebook page that is updated by Lori and friends. They keep us up to date on how she is doing and provide everyone with info that can help others struggling.


Today on the Lori Aid 2011 page they posted about "Melissa's Law, Mandatory Monitoring of People with Restraining Orders Against Them". You can read more about the bill here.


A law requiring anyone with a receives a PFA (Protection From Abuse or restraining order) would be monitored and violations would be reported to police as they are happening is amazing. Think about how many lives this could save! Unfortunately a piece of paper doesnt protect victims from their abusers. And sadly back in 1996 in Williamsport, PA a PFA meant next to nothing. My mom called and reported her abuser several times and the police brushed it off as a minor call. If there had been a Melissa's Law then.... who knows what could have happened. Maybe things would be different.


We need something like this. We need another way to protect those who need it. We need to sign the petition and we need to make this law a reality.


Sign The Petition Here


* - You can order the bracelet seen above by clicking here

For the Ladies - No More Tampons!

This is not a post for the squeamish (although I dont necessarily plan on posting anything about blood and gore....) I just couldnt live with myself if I didnt share this with everyone....

I saw a post on a blog a few months ago from a gal in the UK. I cant for the life of me remember the blog name.... Anyway she was talking about this thing called a Mooncup. Basically it was a menstrual cup. You use it in place of tampons or pads. I was intrigued so I read on...

It costs between $20 and $25. There are 2 sizes (one if you are 30 or younger and havent had a child vaginally and another if you are over 30 and/or have had a child vaginally.). It is similar to other menstrual cups Divacup and Softcup.

I liked the fact that the Mooncup was made with medical grade products and you could reuse it cycle after cycle (Some women have said they can be used up to 10 years! Not sure Id recommend that long...). If I switched to this from the tampons I usually used I wouldnt be putting all kinds of chemicals in my body (literally - scented tampons... really?!?) AND with tampons being between $5 - $10 a box and 1 box per cycle I could save some serious $$$!

So, I ordered it from Amazon. I had nothing to lose (except $20).... I had to wait a few weeks to try it, but once I did, I was hooked. I was worried Id be able to feel it like tampons, but you cant! Its awkward at first and it takes a few tries to get used to, but this is the best thing ever! It doesnt leak and you can wear it up to 12 hours before emptying it!

I cant say enough good things about it. I highly recommend giving it a try.

*End commercial*

How To: Build the Perfect Taco

In-Grud-E-Ants

Tacos. The perfect yum yum dinner. 3 of the 4 people in my humble home will eat them with a smile. (Hubs is super picky - hes happy with Hamburger Helper on taco night) It has taken me 28 years to create the perfect taco, but alas - I have done it! And because I think youre all pretty fantastic, Im going to share with you! Enjoy - you can thank me later.

 You Will Need:

1 lb Lean Ground Beef
Taco Seasoning (Taco Bell brand is the best!)
Water
Taco Shells
Taco Sauce
Cheese (Kraft 3 cheese crumbles works best for me)
Lettuce
Sour Cream (Daisy for the win!)

Heres how you do it:

Bake the shells at 350 for 3 minutes. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese

Spoon the prepared ground beef on top of the cheese

Top with a little more cheese (Nobody said this was healthy...)

Microwave for a few seconds

Smear (what a nasty word!) some sour cream on the sides of each shell

Top with tons of lettuce

Add taco sauce

Taa-Daa!!!!! The perfect taco. Ive got these bad boys on the stove right now. Theyre gonna be goooooooooooooooood!

What are YOU having for dinner??

Happy 2nd Birthday, Delaney!

Exactly 2 years ago from this very moment I was strapped to a hospital bed, weeping from the most amazing joy while my OB was putting my uterus back in my body... My daughter was being cleaned up and I was still in awe. The moment I was waiting for, what I had waited so long for was finally happening.

Minutes Old....

Delaney in a word is sassy. She knows what she wants and shes not afraid to go for it. She loves to sing, dance and watch Spongebob. She is a girly girl and loves her jewelry and clothes.

Delaney on her first Birthday

Delaney is very sensitive and usually cries when she is being scolded for doing something not nice. Yet she always reminds other kids to "Be Nice!" Her vocabulary is growing everyday and she is polite while always saying "please and "thank you"

Delaney on her 2nd birthday (same shirt!)

I can honestly say that my life truly started 2 years ago. My life has more meaning than it ever has and my faith in everything was fulfilled. I understood the truest form of love you could ever imagine and I thank the highest power every single day for making my dream come true and giving me my daughter.

Delaney-

You are my everything. I wish you happiness, health and love. May all your dreams come true and you live happily ever after. I love you with all my being and its an honor to be your mom.

Love, Mama

Artsy-Fartsy Me

First off, I have a confession. Ive been sitting here for the last hour trying to get started on this post and before I knew it, I had successfully pinned 30+ pins on my pinterest board. It sucks me in and by the time I rip myself away I feel like Im freaking Martha Stewart and able to make anything my creative ass can imagine.


In reality I feel like my creative juices have stopped flowing long ago.


I used to love to write. And take photos. And design. And paint. And sometime in the last few years I lost that. I imagine it was after I first got married and felt I had to devote all of myself to being the perfect wife, taking care of any and every need my husband had. I became so devoted to everything BUT myself and became someone I didnt recognize.


I havent created anything worth sharing (creative-wise) in sometime now. I miss it. Im in a place now where Im much happier and more secure than before.


Its time to find "me" again. Stay tuned.