Huge HP Giveaway from Gear Live

I came across this fantastic giveaway today on twitter! Gearlive.com is giving away the following products complements of HP:

HP TouchSmart IQ816
HP HDX18 Premium Notebook PC
HP Pavilion dv4 Entertainment Notebook PC
HP Mini 1000 (Windows XP)
HP MediaSmart Connect
HP Photosmart C6380 Wireless All-in-One printer
HP 564 Photo Value Pack
Microsoft Office Home and Student Edition 2007 with 3 licenses
Microsoft Windows Live
Corel VideoStudio X
Kung-Fu Panda on Blu-ray disc, and two DVDs

To enter this giveaway go to http://www.gearlive.com/ and follow the instructions (easy)
Good Luck!

Build A Bear Charity Event and Auction

About a week ago Game Factory Games had a launch party in LA for their new Build a Bear Workshop game for the Wii. Check out these cool photos from the event http://www1.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=GLS====342521&str=&styp=&sfld=&nbc1=1&sortval=1a

During the party many celebrities created and signed bears and donated them to an online auction for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California. 100% of the proceeds from this auction go to the charity. They have some cute bears made by some great celebs like the Jonas Brothers, Raven Symone, Tori Spelling, James Gandolfini, Melissa Joan Hart and Bonnie Hunt. They would make a great present for kids for the holidays. Each bear also comes with a copy of the Build a Bear Workshop game for Wii. You can find the auction here http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=rwestpr.
Don't miss out on this great opportunity to give a great gift and help a great charity at the same time. The auction ends December 3rd.

I'm so excited to be able to give away a copy of Build a Bear Workshop for the Wii as well as a few other games from Game Factory! I will have the details soon, subscribe to my blog so you don't miss out!

Toys "R" Us My Deals Widget

Girls Night Out

So do you need a GNO but you can't leave the kiddos behind?
Join me on Monday November 24 from 8pm - 12 am est on twitter #GNO
There will be lots of friends, fun and GIVEAWAYS!
Goto http://mommygossip-gno.blogspot.com/ to RSVP and find out how to enter to win.
I can't wait! I'm sooo excited.
Hope to see you there!

Twitter

When a friend of mine introduced me to twitter about a month ago I had never heard of it, now I think I'm addicted!

I had so much laundry to do last week I went to the laundromat to get caught up now 1 week later, it's all still in my van waiting to be put away. LOL Wait, no that's not funny.

I think I need an intervention.

Well, I guess I better get my DH to unload the laundry now, I am determined to get this done today.

I must say NO to twitter today. It's going to be hard!

Holiday Favorites Take 2

Make a Homemade Music CD

For the last 4 years I have made my own mix CD's for friends and family for the holidays. I put my favorite Christmas songs on it each year and everyone really looks forward to receiving these from my family.

Making Your CD
I use Windows Media Player.

1. Put the holiday CD you want to use songs from into your computer and open Windows Media Player. Click rip at the top , this will put your music on your computer

2. After you have ripped you CD collection you want to create a playlist.

3. Drag and drop the songs you want to include into the playlist block at the right of your screen.

4. Arrange the songs in the order you want them to be

5. Once your playlist is complete go to the top menu and click burn. This is when the songs will be transferred to a disk you have placed in your computer. You will need to use CD-R type disks.

Don't have any songs? Try Amazon.com they have lots available for purchase. Until 12/31/08 you can redeem Pepsi points (available on Pepsi Products) for music.

Make a Case and Label for Your CD

I use Microsoft Word.

1. Find the Mailings and Labels tab

2. Click on LABELS, this opens a new window

3. Click on OPTIONS, this opens a new window

4. Go to LABEL VENDORS and find AVERY us letter and choose this

5. Find label 5693 jewel case insert, click OK then click NEW DOCUMENT

6. Here is where you create your label, the top block will be your cover and the bottom block will be your playlist. Here is what mine looked like

7. Print on cardstock, cut out, fold and place in a slim jewel case, available at Best Buy.

8. Next, make a label for the CD.

9. This depends on the CD label package you buy. Follow the instructions in your package to create this label. Here is what mine looked like:

Well there it is, I hope you can follow it okay LOL. If you have any questions, please leave me a comment and I will help you.

Good Luck!

Send Some Holiday Cheer to an Injured Soldier

This holiday season, when you writing out your holiday cards, make an extra one and send it to

An Injured Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001

Let's make the holiday season a little brighter for these men and women who have sacrificed so much for us.

Homemade Jam

I love to make homemade jam for the holidays, and everyone enjoys receiving it. I did not make it last year and everyone was waiting for it! OOPS! If you have never made jam before, trust me it is not as complicated as it sounds, it is actually pretty easy to do but it is time consuming and can get expensive.

Here we go!

Step 1 – Get your supplies ready

Some things you need before you start:

• Jars – I like to use pint jars and give everyone a variety of different flavors instead of large jars of just one flavor. Jars can be reused year after year.
  
• Rings and seals - The rings can be reused each year, but you must purchase new seals every time.
  
• Large pot – This will be used to boil the jars, rings and seals prior to filling the jars.
  
• Pot holders – Don't want to get burnt!
  
• Ladle –The smaller the better so you don't spill when filling the jars.
  
• Tongs - You need ones that grip well so you can get the jars out of the boiling water.
  

Step 2 – Prepare your jars

Wash all jars, rings, and seals in hot soapy water. Rinse thoroughly. Put everything in a large pot full of water and place on medium heat. Once the water begins to boil, turn the heat down but not off. You need to keep the supplies very hot for them to seal easily.

Step 3 – Choose and prepare your fruit

When making my jams, I use a combination of fresh and frozen fruit.

Fresh Fruit

When using fresh fruit, it is important to choose a mix of under ripe fruit (not green) as well as just ripe fruit. Peel any fruit that has a thick outer skin, such as apples or peaches. Remove any seeds or stems. Then cut the fruit into chunks and puree in a food processor or blender.

Frozen Fruit

I like to use frozen fruit because it allows for more variety in the off season, plus it is generally cheaper. ALDI has good mixed fruit and mixed berry varieties. Choose frozen fruit that does not have added sugar. Place fruit in a glass bowl to defrost. Once it is defrosted, place the fruit along with the juice in the food processor or blender and puree.

Step 4 – Choose your recipe

For each recipe you will need fruit pectin. This can usually be found in the store where the canning supplies are located.

Here are a few of our favorite jams:

Strawberry Nectarine Jam

3 cups prepared nectarines

1 ½ cups prepared strawberries

6 cups sugar

1 box fruit pectin

Strawberry Banana Jam

2 cups prepared bananas

2 ¾ cups prepared strawberries

6 ¾ cups sugar

1 box fruit pectin

Banana Bread Jam

3 cups prepared bananas

4 cups sugar

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 box fruit pectin

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp Fruit Fresh powder

1 ¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

Triple Berry Jam

6 cups prepared frozen mixed berries (Aldi)

OR

2 cups prepared strawberries

2 cups prepared raspberries

2 cups prepared blueberries

4 ½ cups sugar

1 box of less or no sugar needed fruit pectin

Blueberry Jam

6 cups prepared blueberries

4 ½ cups sugar

1 box of less or no sugar needed fruit pectin

Pineapple Strawberry Jam

3 cups prepared strawberries

8 oz crushed pineapple in juice

5 ½ cups sugar

1 box fruit pectin

Peach Jam

4 ½ cups prepared peaches

3 cups sugar

1 box less or no sugar needed pectin

2 tbsp lemon juice

Carmel Apple Jam

6 cups prepared apples

2 cups sugar

2 cups brown sugar

1 box fruit pectin

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

Step 5 – Prepare your recipe

Use the following steps to make each recipe

1. Place prepared fruit in large non stick pot
   
2. Stir in pectin; any lemon juice or spices
   
3. Add ½ tsp. butter to reduce foaming
   
4. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (won't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat stirring constantly.
   
5. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute stirring constantly.
   
6. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with metal spoon.
   

Step 6 – Jar and seal your jam

1. Remove a jar, a ring, and a seal from boiling water. Shake off excess water.
   
2. Don't forget to use your potholder when holding the jars!
   
3. Ladle hot mixture into hot jar leaving 1/8 in headspace.
   
4. Wipe jar rims and threads with a paper towel soaked in hot water.
   
5. Place seal on jar and tighten ring.
   
6. Place jar UPSIDEDOWN on a cooling rack and leave inverted for 8 – 10 hours. During this process you may hear the lids "pop" when they seal.
   
7. After allotted time turn jars over and check the seal. Press the middle of the lid; if it springs back the lid is not sealed. If it is not sealed place it in the fridge for several more hours. If this still doesn't work reheat the jam and the jar and try again using a new seal.
   

Tips

Mix only one batch of jam at a time.

Most recipes yield about 8 cups of jam.

Use Microsoft Word to make personal labels using address labels.

Make up baskets that contain a few jars of jam ,some crackers and fancy spreaders. Make great gifts.

Tell family and friends you would love to refill their jars next holiday season if they give them back when their jam is gone!

Don't forget to have fun!

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me!

Our new favorite snack

My 3 year old can't stop eating these! I must confess I like them alot too.
Enjoy!

• New York Style Sea Salt Bagel Crisps - I buy a big bag at Sam's Club
• your favorite cheese, sliced or shredded
• pepperoni

Top a crisp with cheese and pepperoni, microwave on high for 20 seconds.
YUMMY
Way better than a Ritz cracker.

Thanks to my sis in law for introducing us to this snack!

My fav is with shredded colby jack cheese. Whats yours?

Holiday Favorites Series

So, wow I've had this blog for a little over 2 weeks and have given you none of my craftiness!

The holidays are quickly approaching and I am going to do a series on some of my favorite things to make and do and some new things I have tried this year. I hope you all enjoy!

Check out this givaway from consumerqueen.com . I want one of these bad!!!!

Goto consumerqueen.com to register! Don't miss out.

We are giving away a Brand new in the box Flip Video Camera $150 Value.
Technical Details
Simple to use, pocket-sized camcorder with one-touch recording and digital zoomHolds 60 minutes of full VGA-quality video on 2GB of built-in memory; no tapes or additional memory cards requiredConvenient USB arm plugs directly into your computer for easy viewing and sharingBuilt-in software lets you easily e-mail videos, upload to YouTube and AOL, and capture still photos from videoWatch videos instantly on TV with included cable
TO ENTER:
1. You must be registered for our Message Boards (register on the right hand side)
2. You must be a subscriber to our blog (subscribe on the right hand side)
3. You must post 2 Deals on our message board that have not been posted. Deals can be freebies,grocery deals,frugal tips,clearance shopping etc.
4. Post this contest on the internet some where and post the link here to exactly where you posted it at so its easy to find.
5. Do the above and then Post Here that you want to enter using your member name that you registered with.
*** Bonus***
Earn 5 extra entries.Make a Frugal Tip or Shopping Trip or maybe why you like ConsumerQueen.com Video,mention ConsumerQueen.Com and Upload it to your You Tube Account and post your link here! www.youtube.com
DETAILS:
Winner will be picked by a random number generator. Your Number will be the number in which you post here.If you enter the Bonus Round you will make 5 seperate replys for your extra numbers.
Winner will be announced on this blog and will have 5 days to claim their prize!After 5 days we will choose a winner!
If you have questions please ask.
*** NEW BONUS ENTRY***
Get a Bonus entry for each extra site you post the contest on.Tweet Once a day and post here for an extra entry each time..

About Me

Hi, I'm Kim. I am 36 years old and I am really excited to be doing my new blog! Here's a little bit about me.

My Family

My husband and I celebrated our 20^th anniversary of being together this year! We have been married for 12 of those years. We are the proud parents of 4 great kids with lots of energy! A daughter (aka 11) who is 11 , a son (aka 9)who is 9, another son (aka 6)who is 6 and yet another boy (aka 3)who is 3. We also have 3 Labrador retrievers; Ginger, Maggie, and Caesar and 2 cats; Kitty and Timmy. Needless to say I am very busy.

My career

I went to the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and received a degree in Elementary Education in 1994. I never really pursued a teaching career because I got into the Human Resource industry and found I really enjoyed that.

When I had my 3^rd child I started my current career; event coordinator, nurse, taxi driver, chef, laundry matron, referee, personal shopper, assistant baseball coach, PTO vice president, Tiger den leader, the list goes on and on…..for those of you who haven't caught on yet, I am a stay at home mom. I love every minute of it (except the laundry part)!! It really is the job I always hoped I would be able to do.

My interests

• Kids. I love kids. Not only do I have my own, I babysit my friend's children also. I usually have a house full of crazy, loud, energetic kids to contend with, sometimes with a newborn thrown in too! I am also very involved in my kid's schools, sports teams, scout troops and their other interests.
  
• Crafting. I scrapbook, make cards, embroider, sew, make beaded jewelry, do lots of crafting projects with my kids and with cub scouts. As crafty as I am I really can't draw or paint at all! My 6 year old draws fabulous things and I can't even draw a stick person!
  
• Technology. Me and my family are tech geeks. We love the latest gadgets and gizmos, video games, cameras, mp3 players, you name it; if it is electronic we want to know how it works!
  

  I would be lost without my laptop and my Palm Centro. It amazes my mom how much information I get from the internet. I use my Palm to keep track of my busy schedule. Without my color coded calendar I would not know where to be when!
  

  Our favorite electronic item is our Wii! We have a great time playing it as a family. My 3 year old is getting pretty good at bowling!
  

  The electronic item I don't have and want is a Flip camera. I am hoping to find someone I know that has one so I can make some videos to post on my blog. I would really like to try one before I buy one although, I have heard they are really great.
  

• Photography. Going back to the tech geek, I love digital photography. I am always taking photos. I recently purchased my first digital SLR camera, a Nikon D40 and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it
  

  My favorite things to photograph are 1) my children of course! 2) landscapes; especially at the change of seasons. 3) animals; my favorite place to take photographs is the zoo. Pittsburgh has an outstanding zoo and I always get great shots when we go there. And 4) weddings; a wedding is such a happy day and I love to capture the emotions of everyone through my photos.
  

  My daughter is becoming interested in photography also and it is a great FREE activity for us to do together.
  

• Shopping. I think I like this a little too much, but don't we all! One thing I must say is I rarely pay full price for anything I buy. I am always using coupons and browsing the clearance isles when I shop. My favorite clearance isles are at Target. They always have stuff on clearance at great prices. I buy clothes for next season, costumes for next Halloween, and decorations for next Christmas! When toys go on clearance everywhere after Christmas, I make a list and shop for birthdays for the upcoming year. If you know your nephew likes Bob the Builder, why not buy it on sale in January instead of waiting until it is full price in March!
  
• Reading. I love to read, I love to read to my kids, my kids love to read. I cannot say enough about the benefits of reading. I find myself enjoying a lot of my kid's books lately. I have read and loved Harry Potter, also Series of Unfortunate Events, Charlie Bone and the Dear America series of books. It's fun to read what they read and be able to talk about it together.
  

Wow, this went on a little longer than I expected. I'm excited, this is fun! I can't wait to share my stories, photographs, crafts and ideas with all of you. I hope you enjoy J

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