Ultimate Blog Party 2009 & Chic Buds Giveaway!

I am so excited to be participating in 5 Minutes for Mom's Ultimate Blog Party :) I can't wait to start blog hopping and finding great new friends. If you haven't joined the fun yet, go to 5 Minutes for Mom right now and link up!

Did you know there are prizes!? Who doesn't love prizes. The top 3 prizes I would like to win are:
~#58 Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer provided by Moms Who Think
~#45 Diaper Bag from Made by Michelle
~#41 Charm Necklace from Elemental Memories

I also like Intl1, Intl 36, USC10, USC74,#113, #118.

Welcome to my blog! My name is Kim, I am a 36 years old and I have been married for 13 years this year. We have 4 great kids, a daughter who is 11, and 3 boys ages 9, 7, and 3. We also have 3 dogs, they are all labs, a yellow one, a black one and a chocolate one. We also have 2 cats. We live in a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA.

I just posted my 100th blog post today as well, so you can read 100 things about me here.

I also have a great giveaway to celebrate the Ultimate Blog Party! I am giving away a pair of Chic Buds ear buds. I love my Chic Buds!, I use them for my laptop and for my MP3 player all of the time. They are super cool, compact and stylish. You can find out more about Chic Buds here.

Here is what you need to do to win your own pair of Chic Buds!

Main Entry ~ please complete both parts to be eligible.
1. Read my 100 Things About Me post and let me know if there is anything we have in common.
2. Subscribe to my blog by clicking the panda in my upper right hand sidebar.

Bonus Entries ~ leave separate comments for each task completed.
1. Follow my blog (left sidebar)
2. Put my button on your blog
3. Follow me on twitter here
4. Tweet this contest by copying this tweet "Win a pair of Chic Buds from Craftymamaof4 http://bit.ly/sErfm "(you can do this once a day, leave a comment each day)

PLEASE READ THIS
US entries only please. Please make sure to leave a valid email address or your Twitter ID in at least one of your comments. I will not hunt you down if you win. If you do not follow the entry requirements as stated above, your entry will be invalid, so please make sure you read the directions carefully :) This contest will end at 11:59 pm EST, Sunday, March 29th . The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified via email or Twitter DM. The winner will also be posted on this blog. The winner has 48 hrs from the time of the posting to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen.

Happy 100th Post To Me! 100 Things About Me

Wow I can't believe it's been 100 posts already! Time sure flies when you are having fun doesn't it!

From what I understand it is time to do a "100 things about me" post for my 100th post. Here goes, they are in no particular order, just typing as I think of them. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think :) Thanks.

Most of you know I am married and have 4 kids so I'm gonna skip that! I hope you enjoy :)

1. I always wanted to be a toe dancer and took dance for 13 years until they finally told me (at age 14) I didn't have a chance cause I was too tall.
2. I'm 5'11" tall
3. I like to garden and I have had my own garden for about 7 years. 4. My favorite girlfriend movie is "Grease" I know all the words by heart.
5. Before my Twitter addiction, I was addicted to playing Webkinz.
6. My first car was a brown Plymouth Volare. It only had an AM radio and no rear window defogger. We parted when it spontaneously caught on fire on my way home from student teaching one day.
7. I have a degree in Elementary Education from The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Also known as UPJ.
8. I met my husband when I was 16, we have been together ever since.
9. I used to be really skinny. Disgustingly skinny.
10. I collect Precious Moments. I currently have over 200.
11. I have never taught a day in my life, I ended up working in Human Resources after graduating from college.
12. I had MAJOR 80's hair.
13. I am afraid of heights, but I love the adrenaline rush of a good roller coaster.
14. I went to England when I was 13 with an Explorer group and partied HARD! OMG would you let your 13 year old daughter do this? I know I wouldn't, hard to believe my mom let me go.
15. I lived in a bubble as a child, my mom was very protective. (why did she let me go overseas???)
16. So, when I was in labor with my 1st child I blamed my mom for all of my pain because she never let me get hurt so I didn't know what real pain felt like. Love you Mom :) All the pain was worth it.
17. When I was little I used to cry about my "problems" to my poodle Pepe.
18. I used to sell Pampered Chef and I think I have everything they produce.
19. My best friend is Wendy, she lives in Nashville, and I miss her everyday.
20. I always wanted 8 kids, but finally realized 4 was my limit.
21. I can't stand the smell of vanilla candles, they give me a headache.
22. I love chocolate, but I don't like chocolate cake.
23. I can't eat french fries without ketchup, but I can't eat ketchup on anything but french fries.
24. I don't drink coffee, I don't think I have ever even tasted it.
25. When I was in labor with my 1st child I flashed my dad (I was delirious) to show him the one spot on my belly where all the pain was. I think he is still recovering.
26. Before November 2008, I didn't even know what blogging was.
27. I was in love with Kirk Cameron as a tween.
28. I also was in love with John Taylor from Duran Duran, still love them today.
29. My first concert was Duran Duran in 1988, I went with my Grandma.
30. I said I was gonna get pregnant on my honeymoon, and I did. My Grandma was counting on her fingers when my daughter was born 3 weeks early.
31. I watch way too much tv and I let my kids watch way too much tv.
32. I have a weakness for bags of all kinds. I had 4 different diaper bags with my last baby.
33. I hate doing dishes.
34. My house is always a mess.
35. I love Disney movies and I think I have most of the older ones on VHS.
36. My favorite flavor is raspberry.
37. My favorite color is pink.
38. I live across the street from my parents, next to my mother in law and on the same block as my brother. My parent's house is the house I grew up in.
39. I love the beach.
40. I torture my children every time we go to the beach while trying to get the "perfect" beach photo. I think they still like the beach.
41. I can't dance.
42. I like Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers, but my DD11 and DS9 keep trying to tell me I'm to old to like them.
43. I am an impulse shopper
44. I don't have any cavities
45. I'm stuck here on #45
46. I have recently fallen in love with Edward from Twilight
47. I bite my fingernails
48. I cry way to easily, I even tear up when I talk to people in regular conversations.
49. I have watched every episode of Survivor from the beginning
50. I met Amber after the first time she was on Survivor
51. I met Amber and Rob after Survivor All Stars.
52. I love the Harry Potter books.
53. I love Ellen.
54. I love Chris Mann.
55. I swear I saw a ghost when I was a kid in my Aunt's attic.
56. I use way too many paper plates. (see #33)
57. I fixed my wiper fluid hose in my Volare once with a straw from Sheetz. It was winter and I needed my wiper fluid to make it home from college!
58. I dye my hair, I have tons of grey. Really!
59. I never learned how to drive a stick shift.
60. I grew up boating every weekend from the time I was just a few months old.
61. I never learned how to water ski (see #15)
62. I cried when my Dad sold our boat. It was about 8 years ago :(
63. I wish I could afford a boat.
64. I am Italian.
65. I want a tattoo. I don't know why since I don't like pain, it's a mystery to me.
66. "@tncountrygal thinks I'm good people" ~ thanks @tncountrygal :)
67. I used to have 5 piercings in my ears, they have long since closed up and I am now down to 2. 68. I have a ton of shoes, but I hate wearing shoes.
69. I eat my salad without dressing.
70. I don't like to try new foods.
71. I did try Indian food for the first time at SXSW and it wasn't so bad.
72. I still don't like to try new foods. Lol
73. My favorite ice cream is Eddy's Loaded Peanut Butter Cup. YUMMY
74. I just started text messaging last week at SXSW.
75. I cannot make brownies to save my life. They are either uncooked or hard as bricks.
76. I am a Pepsi addict
77. I still have my pooh bear and blankie from when I was little, thanks to my mom who saves everything.
78. I threw away the roses from my Mom and Dad's wedding cake (over 30 years old). They were in her freezer, I was cleaning it out, I didn't know what they were until months later. She was pretty mad when she found out. Sorry Mom :)
79. I can't take liquid medicine, I have an overactive gag reflex all I have to do is smell the medicine and I'm done.
80. I listen to Taylor Swift while I cut my grass.
81. I stay up way too late every night (like tonite, gotta finish tomorrow)
82. When I was a tween I was the roller skating limbo champ at our roller rink.
83. Merry-go-rounds make me ill.
84. I like to do puzzles.
85. I'm a geek, would be lost without my electronics.

86. I dream of winning the lottery, but I never play. I guess it doesn't work that way huh?
87. I have always wanted a light blue convertible VW Cabriolet. Do you think I could fit 4 kids in one?
88. I am a Cub Scout Den leader.
89. I worship the sun. I used to use baby oil mixed with iodine when I was in high school to accelerate my tan.
90. I am clumsy.
91. I don't like making lists about myself.
92. I am obsessed with putting things in containers. My pantry is full of Tupperware and all the kids toys are sorted and put into storage bins.
93. I can't sing.
94. I had a piano teacher when I was around 9 and I hated it, I wish I would have stuck it out.
95. I love to read, I wish I had more time to do it.
96. I do lots of crafts (duh, I know that's kinda obvious, but I thought I'd throw that one in!)
97. I like to bake cookies (unfortunately I like to eat them too)
98. I don't like Spongebob
99. I can't spell.
100. I love you for sticking around until #100 and reading all this crazy stuff about me :)

My First Blog Award!

My dear Twitter friend Erin from Son up to Son Down, gave me my very first blog award a few weeks ago! I am so excited! I just started blogging at the beginning of November and feel as if I have come a long way in that short period of time and I LOVE my blog. It is great to see that others feel the same way I do!

Upon receipt of this award the recipient must list 6 things that make her/him happy then pass the award forward to others so, here goes:

My Family


I have know my hubby for 20 years (wow, that's more than half my life) and we have been married for 12 years. He works 2 jobs day and night so I can stay home with our 4 kids, Emilee, our only girl, Zac, Austin, and Nathan. Here is our "everyone be crazy" Christmas photo. Doesn't it make you happy just looking at this photo

My Laptop


I would be lost without my laptop. I take it everywhere with me! I love being online and working on my blog. This makes me very happy :)

My Wii
When we first got our Wii 2 years ago, I was totally addicted! I played Elebits until my hands hurt and I had a headache, but I was determined to beat the game and I did! My addiction has lessened since then, but when I find a game I like (which is not hard to do) I love to play to get my mind off of other things and relax. Again happiness :)

My KitchenAid Mixer
I don't know what I did without this little beauty! Makes baking so much easier. Easy makes me very happy :)

Scrapbooking

I don't get much time to do this, but I love to do it. I love looking back at all the old photos and seeing how sweet my kids where at different ages. It's hard to believe how fast they grow up. Going away on scrapbook retreats really makes me happy :)

CouponsThis is a new thing for me. I just started trying to do serious couponing and I think I'm doing pretty good! It feels great to save money and I can't help but smile when I tell people what I am able to get with my coupons for a lot less money than I used too! Who wouldn't be happy about saving a ton of money? :)

Now it's time to pass this award on. Here are the blogs I have chosen to give this award too:

1.) Carissa and Jyl at Mom it Forward ~ These gals are the hosts for the weekly Girls Night Out (#gno) Twitter parties. They have big plans for their blog for the New Year. In their words "Mom It Forward empowers women to achieve success through service, strength and socializing. By strengthening families and communities Mom It Forward is changing the world one mom at a time." If you haven't checked Mom It Forward out, you should! #GNO is every Tuesday night on Twitter, 9 pm EST.

2.) This Military Mama ~ her blog posts are straight from the heart and honest. I admire her ability to put it all out there and share with everyone. She is a great twitter friend and so much fun to talk too!

3.) Melissa THE Consumer Queen ~ Melissa is the person to check out if you want to save money! She is amazing :) There is a lot of great money saving info on her site. I have learned a ton from her in the last few weeks and have saved bunches of money myself! If you haven't been to the castle, you are missing out!

4.) Ali from MissionFieldDesigns ~ Without Ali, my blog would not be so beautiful! She designed my blog exactly as I imagined. I choose my graphics and she put them together perfectly! She is a very talented designer and if you are interested in a blog redesign, you really should check her out. I just read on her blog that she is thinking about adoption and is in need of funds to help with her dream. Her blog designs will help raise the money her family needs to move forward with an adoption.

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