Something Like Life

Hmmm...as I sit here and write this post I am trying to remember if I have ever mentioned my son's skin condition yet. My middle son has a condition called X-linked Ichthyosis as a mom this is a very frustrating thing. Sometimes the itching and pain is unbelieveable and without some kind of constant moisture. Recently I was able to review a product called Monkey Balm . Monkey Balm is 100% all natural and uses the ingredient Sea Buckthorn to help promote relief. Sea Buckthorns have been found to have many health benefits including: Reducing of inflammation Soothing of discomfort from numerous skin conditions Helping to heal wounds and burns Promoting healing of acne, rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis Hydration and moisturizing of the skin Improvement of skin tone and texture At first I was a little skipticle about this product. While nothing will take away his condtion I have noticed that he has seemed fare more comfortable. Normally his feet crack until they bleed and he is fo

I have to admit I am a person who just loves the Holidays. I hate getting gifts, I know that sounds bad but I just love giving! This is my first year doing a Holiday Guide and I really hope that I can meet all my sponsors wishes and help them to grow as a company. I have been very blessed this year to have so many sponsors want to help out with a big giveaway as well. I am teaming up with my friend at My Side of Life and we are going to do what we love best(with the help of our sponsors of course) we are going to GIVE! So don't miss out in seeing all the hot new and wonderful products that your loved one would love to recieve. Many you will also have the chance to WIN! Our Holiday Guide starts tomorrow Mine can be found HERE and as soon as I get a link from Melanie I will post hers as well ;o) So sit back and enjoy, make sure you get those great products that your family craves!

What a crazy month this has been in our pet family. First Ms.Jessie had a fast growing mammary tumor that weighed 14 ounces! In just over a week she went from an amazingly healthy 12 year old dog to a very sick dog in extreme pain. I was sure all hope was lost just as our package from Petmate came in. After lots of tears we decided to have her surgery (spending my entire first paycheck). Then what seems like two very long weeks ago our new friend Sparky came down with Parvo and the tears flowed again. With all the dog grieving over the constant change in this house no one wanted to  with anything. I'm glad to say that as Sparky slowly recovered from his Parvo Jessie got her stitches oout and more then bounced back to life! Chewing is her thing she really doesn't chew on this she should not but even as her teeth are mostly missing now she loves a good treat. So the first thing that we were able to review in our box of goodies was Booda Bones  and they were very popular.

What don't I have to be thankful for this week. I am healthy despite the grossly large amount of germs I have met up with, My dog Jessie is fully recovered and better then ever! Our little puppy Sparky ate his first bite of food for the first time in a week and is drinking water finally again on his own as well. I have a house and a job plus the most wonderful friends, family and fans one blogger could ask for. I am actively prepairing to not only advvance in my career but to advance my blog. I hope everyone had a great week and is ready to embark in this journey with me! Love you all I couldn't do this without your support.

As you may remember a while back I started a challenge using with Creative Bioscience. If you don't remember you can read HERE to find out more about it. I just wanted to take a few minutes to update you on the results I have seen so far. As you probably know if you are regular reader life has been a little more then crazy my eating has been strange at best. I have been losing some weight though whic is really amazing to me, I have long struggled with these last 10-15 pounds. I can't say I have more energy because of my extreme lack of sleep.lol I am however making it through the day without passing out ;o) which sometimes happens. Overall I think my health has really seen a difference and I can't wait to finish the other half of my challenge. Hopefully with better eating habits and more sleep .

As you have seen animals are a big part of our family. With 3 kids, 4 dogs and 2 cats we are quite a large family to.lol Petmate has really blessed me with a great bunch of reviews to do. My animal babies have had a great time reviewing these products. There is just way to much good stuff to cram it all in one post so here is the run down on our kitty fun products. This cat wheel my cats haven't yet messed with but they are extreme stratchers so I have no doubt that once they figure it out they will really enjoy it.lol It is made of durable plastic covered in carpet. The bottom is a cardboard emory material perfect to help file down their nails and comes complete with catnip. They are however LOVING the other two great products that I was sent to review. First was a product from their partner company FAT CAT which is ironically funny considering this is my chubby cats favorite toy.lol The Fat Cat Tiki Hut is easy to assemble and really durable. I was a little worried at firs

UGH.....storage, what can I say this house completely lacks storage, so I am always looking for new storage options. Recently I came across a brand that I had not yet heard of before called Packaways . I was able to review Packaways Classic in two separate sizes. The large 21 Gallon tote really has been perfect for my extra bedding materials. I seem to have a million pillow cases, sheets, and blankets that well let's face it when left out they just end up everywhere. Since I have no linen closet this has been the perfect alternative. I also review the smaller 12 gallon size which I place all our extra school supplies in. With a bed that is a bit taller these have fit great underneath my bed. If you aren't that lucky they do make a size perfect for nearly any under bed storage option :O) I love that you can write what is in them and if that later changes you can erase and re-write whatever needed storing at that time. They are easy to stack and come in 4 great colors.

Nothing is more fun as a child then having something with your name on it. Maybe I am just a little partial and jealous of these items because growing up the stores never had items with my name on them. Well now there is a company where you can get so many items that are not only personalized but are such great quality. Stuck on You has been by far one of the reviews I have probably had the most fun on this year. From the beginning I got to deal with great people and picked out my own items. It literally took me a couple hours to make my choices and personalize them. Not because it was hard but because I was like a kid in a candy store haha.

It seems these days there is a "box" membership for everything, and I won't lie I am in love with them. I know so many people in this country are like me and don't live near stores that offer many of these products. Recently I was given the chance to try out a new subscription box called NatureBox. Now as I get older I have tried to make some major changes in my life. Problem is the store around here carry really nothing healthy! Organic is pretty much out of the question as well. NatureBox is a way for me to get around that. For under $20 a month NatureBox provides 15-20 servings of healthy snack foods, and we all know snacking is my downfall. All the things it doesn't have is all the things I love! As you can see there is so many reasons to love these products. The prices are reasonable and it is delivered straight to my door. Which really makes the prices GOOD since I don't have to spend $20 driving to buy similar products.  Here is my August Box

It has been a couple of weeks since I have written a thankful Thursday post and let me tell you some days it was tough to find something to be thankful for. My cat had a blood clot in his back. then my dog had to have a tumor removed. Then this week my puppy (Sparky the one my husband brought home) got parvo. Whether it is the lack of sleep that is giving me the time inside my head to think of things to be thankful for or the great support I have in my life I am ready.lol I am so thankful that all 3 of my pets are still with me. I have talked many times how important my pets are in our lives. I have shed more tears(and money) in the last month then in the last 7 years. Through it all though I have been blessed that with the help of the vet and my knowledge they are now all  healing. I'm thankful for my job. I can't say enough what a challenge some days are.lol That isn't even the word for it. However there are so many times that I can just stop and look around. Someone

As you know I love to label, I label EVERYTHING. lol I know it is a little paranoid but really my husband and I work very hard for what we have and well I would lose my head if it wasn't attached so putting a name on it really just helps me to have a chance of getting some of the things I lose back.lol Applied Labels gives me that peace of mind. From school boxes to jackets I can label them all. I love how well they stick to the items and even after washing them in my dishwasher. Although I no longer have babies my kids do still carry around drink bottles. At nearly $10 a piece I would go broke allowing them to just take them to school. My daughter alone already this year has had her water bottle returns more then 10 times. Applied Labels are also very easy to apply. I have included this Youtube video to show you more: These labels can be personalized for your needs and come in so many designs and sizes you can really find something for your needs. They have bottle labels

Welcome to the Bobee Diaper & Wipe Dispenser Giveaway! Hosted by Giveaway Promote . Sponsored by Bobee .

Welcome to the $100 Cash Giveaway! Hosted by Giveaway Promote . Sponsored by RewardIt . In just three months, RewardIt has made over 100 people winners. They are looking forward to launching their full site very soon so that they can make even more people winners. RewardIt will allow users to earn virtual currency called Reward$ just by searching the web, playing games, watching videos, redeeming coupons and much more!

  As a mother I know that nothing is more precious then seeing your baby smile. I heard once that a smile is more contagious then the flu and can brighten any day. If you think about it, nothing could be more true. Have you ever walked by someone and they smiled?? Most likely you smiled back and it made you think. Sadly all over the world there are beautiful children who lack that smile. Not because they are sad or have no reason to smile.It is because they can't smile either from a medical deformity or because they just don't feel they are pretty because of something they were born with. Operation Smile is out to change that, for as little as $240 they are preforming life changing operations to children with cleft Plates and cleft lips. Now you are wondering about my title right?? What does Campus Book Rentals have to do with giving a child a smile?? www.CampusBookRentals.com is donating 1,000 life saving operations in their partnership with Operation Smile. I have

 If you are a regular around here you have seen many times how much I love to grill :O) It is West Texas after all and well, that is what we do. Nothing is better then grilling a big steak and watching some football. Like many people I enjoy my steak with a good sauce. Recently I was given the chance to review a product called Country Bobs. I've used it a couple of times lately and I have to tell you I am in LOVE. The taste to me is somewhere between a BBQ sauce and a steak sauce. Honestly it reminds me of a little BBQ joint my mother use to to take me to as  a kid. We have used it on Ribs while we were grilling and they were soooo....good! Just last night I had it with some smoked sausage mixed with my regular BBQ sauce. It really took my sausage from good to great! My husband(who didn't know I had done anything different) asked what I used because it was just so much better. I can't wait to try some of the great recipes available on their website. Don't miss out

It seems we never have enough to keep Chloe busy during the day and because she is growing and learning things so rapidly, many of our toys are out of date. I want to find things that will last awhile, not just in the quality of the product but also in the learning experiences. What I mean by that is, I would like things that she will continually learn from or find different uses for as she grows and learns new skills. *Insert Mona MElisa Designs. Mona MElisa Designs sells interactive peel and play wall kits among other things. I was given a chance to review their Peel & Play Farm Wall Play Set. I chose this set because right now we are working with Chloe on her animal sounds. View Full Album

One thing I think everyone, regardless of age, these days does is write. You write in school, your shopping list, and at work. Every day requires some type of writing and lets face it, nothing is more annoying then being in the middle of writing something and your pen skips or your pencil breaks. Well a high quality pen is one of the best investments I think by far that you can have. Not only are they nice to have but they save so much pointless stress. recently I got the chance to review 11 great pens, pencils, and highlighters from a company called Shoplet.com . Zebra Pens were a brand that I admit I had never heard of before I was approached with these products. Being the nerd I am I was stoked that I received so many different types.lol From green highlighters that can be use for homework and reading. To a mechanical pencil that saves me the one thing that really annoys me most....a breaking pencil! Now I know what you are thinking and pen is a pen is a pen right? Nope wrong!

Sometimes I feel like I talk about my toilet to much on here ;o) that is life though right?? Well we are not fixing it this time thank goodness. This time we are talking about scrubbing. Oh yes the dreaded stinky bathroom is one thing I cannot let happen in my house. With two young boys and a husband there is always that strong threat of the boy pee smell.....now men don't roll your eyes at me. YOU may not smell it but all the moms and wives out there know just what I am talking about. Well Soft Scrub , a brand I already know and love, has a new product out that makes cleaning those hard to clean places even easier. This new soft scrub total not only has a fairly pleasant scent that will not overwhelm you, it it has two spraying options. You can use it as a spray for those every day tasks like counter tops. Or you can switch it to a foam which is great for toilets, faucets, and shower walls. I personally have been loving the foam. The cleaner can stick and disinfect those icky

I've been talking a lot about my 4 legged babies lately and how much I love them, and it is no lie they are very much a part of our lives. Recently I found out about a way to show my love for my pets in another way! FouFou Dog has recently launched a great new line called Love Your Breed . This new line has everything from luggage tags and key chains, to plush toys and pens. While not all breeds are currently available they are adding as they can. To view their fall/winter 2012 catalog you can go HERE . I was so glad to be able to review some of their products in a variety of breeds! All the great products I received  Now I received these products several weeks ago and when I first got them I looked at the luggage tag(brown puppy in the middle) and was like well poo it doesn't look like any of my puppies. I guess the hands of fate knew something I didn't. He looks JUST like our new puppy that found us! You remember sparky right?? He doesn't sit still long bu

<a href=" http://totsandme.blogspot.com/search/label/Tuesday%20Giveaway%20Linky "><img alt="Tots and Me" src="http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt58/kewkewphoto/TuesdayGiveawayLinkup2.jpg" border="0" alt="num2"></a> Welcome to Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up with your hosts Karen @ Tots and Me  and Emily @ Emily Reviews Our co-hosts this week are  Ashley from  Forgetful Momma-Bottles, Diapers...Babies   and  Mellissa from  Something Like Life     . This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways. Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up 1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please) 2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to

So sad to say after 6 months we have lost our first chicken. Yesterday she was in very bad color but still eating and drinking. Sadly last night our big female chicken passed away. I knew this day would come and she lasted 2 months beyond her expected life. It is still quite sad for everyone. Middle chicken still has a slight limp but she is in good color and eating and drinking well. I really hope I don't lose another :*( :*( she will be missed

Welcome to the $100 Mommy Bear Media Gift Certificate Giveaway! Hosted by Giveaway Promote . Sponsored by Mommy Bear Media . Mommy Bear Media offers fast, free shipping on top-rated, family-friendly DVDs.   Mommy Bear Media carefully examines all movies and TV shows and chooses to only sell the best family-friendly movies. They have a fantastic selection of DVDs and Blu-Rays including The Lorax, Tangled, The Hunger Games, Twilight and many more.   If you're a blogger, you'll want to check out the new blogger program Mommy Bear Media has just unveiled. As a Mommy Bear Media Premier Blogger, you'll be able to earn a commission for clicks and sales, be entered into their weekly giveaway pool plus more.

Welcome to the $100 American Express Gift Card Giveaway! Hosted by Giveaway Promote . Sponsored by RewardIt . In just three months, RewardIt has made over 100 people winners. They are looking forward to launching their full site very soon so that they can make even more people winners. RewardIt will allow users to earn virtual currency called Reward$ just by searching the web, playing games, watching videos, redeeming coupons and much more!

I guess it is fairly amusing that as I get older I become more and more worried about the way I look. I won't lie I was kind of blessed as a teenager and young adult. Minimal care for me to look "good" but now that time is catching up I need a little extra care. I recently learned about a new subscription box program that has helped me(some clueless about all the new products) learn about some wonderful beauty products. BeautyBox5 send 4-5 sample products monthly to your door! You can select to pay monthly($12), quarterly($30), or yearly($100) for your boxes. I think I may go with the yearly and save not only the time in having to pay every month but to save the $$. Now I know what you are saying....IS IT WORTH IT?? I questioned this myself so I did some Googling myself. Here is a picture of my box so you know what I am describing. The All Natural Face Vegan Eye Shadow~$3.50 value! Smith's Rosebud Salve 0.8 ounce~$6 value! It's a 10 Miracle Hair Mask 13m

I'm sure we all know by now how big of a pet lover I am. With now 4 dogs, 2 cats and 3 chickens.....well how couldn't I be. Between working, 3 kids, 9 animals, 1 husband and a blog....let's just say I have been more then a little busy. Running to the next town over to get animal supplies just isn't in my time budget lately. Mr.Chewy has helped me a lot with that. With all the brands I love I can shop for almost all my pet needs in just a few minutes, without leaving my couch. I am not bound to store hours and no longer need 2 hours to get everything done. From cat litter to dog food it is all shipped straight to my door. I was given a $50 credit in order to try their service the first time. I was amazed how many great products I could get and since my order was over $49 I received FREE SHIPPING! My products arrived in about 3 days and my pets were all very eager to help me review what came in our box.Now for some reason I had a blonde moment and my vacuum cord made it

As some of my long time readers may know we are a camping family. We love to be out in nature in our pop up camper. In fact we even have a new growing forum about camping all over America. Well when out on the road for 10 days at a time it is obviously a must that we have supplies on hand. Recently I had a chance to review a couple of products for a company called Human Gear . Founded in 2007 in San Fransisco, California they are out to make real gear for real humans. Currently they make 4 great products prefect for your travel needs. The GoToob I think is probably my favorite. Available in 3 different sizes it can hold anywhere from 1.25 ounce to 3 ounces and made of food grade silicone they are easy to squeeze. My favorite part is the moveable ring on the outside that allows you to select which product you have inside. I also had the chance to review both sizes of the GoTubb . With it's easy open design it can be opened with just one hand. While the only thing I could th

With school starting we all know the struggle of finding things to send for lunch that our kids will actually eat. I know I have mentioned time and time again how picky my 4 year old is, so packing her lunch most morning just makes my head spin. Clif Bar has come up with a great new product just for kids. Clif Kids ZBar Crispy to me is comparable to other brand crisp type bars, but they are Organic and well, I really love that I can actually pronounce all the ingredients inside. Available in 4 great flavors they are a great addition to our lunch menu, insuring me that not only is my daughter EATING something but she is getting healthy fats, protein and fiber. With a smile even :O)Available online or you can find the store nearest you HERE !              Available Flavors:           *Chocolate           *Chocolate Chip           *Cookies N' Cream           *Peanut Butter          Great Benefits :           *No high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils

It is no big secret that appearance is such an important thing in life. Whether you are working or simply going to the store, let's face it judgement is human nature. As you may know if you are a regular reader I recently started a new job. Well the week before I started I began this great review from Whitening Lightning as well. With the opportunity to improve not only the brightness of my smile but and a little shine to my appearance. 

 I'm sure by now most of my readers have heard of Sodastream ...no you say?? Well recently I was given the amazing opportunity to review this great product so let me tell you a little about it! If your family is like my family you LOVE to have a nice cold glass of soda. With the price of soda rising more and more I am paying what seems like a fortune for our soda habit. Unless I happen upon a sale, which we all know is rare these days, I pay $4 for a 12 pack of soda which means about 33 cents a can. With the Sodastream I am only paying 25 cents a can. I know it seems that 8 cents a can is not a lot of money but think of it this way, my husband drinks 1 can of soda minimum a day and there are  365 days in a year. So at a minimum I will be saving $29.20 a year! Now that Sodastream has release a new energy drink that is just like Red Bull that amount has sky-rocketed even more! Where could you ever find an energy drink for only 25 cents a can???Well you couldn't, even buying fr

What is more annoying then an ANT! I've made posts in the past about killing ants naturally outside. Well the problem is I really cannot go sprinkling cornmeal all over my house.lol So finding a fairly safe way to control all the little boogers inside was a must. By now I am sure most of you have heard or the brand Combat and perhaps have even used their products before in one way or another. Recently I learned about a new product called Combat Source Kill MAX and received both the Ant Gel and Ant Bait to review.

With summer comes heat, we all know that and yeah yeah I complain about it a lot lol. We also know by this point in the blog that I LOVE ice cream. Well problem is my muffins top also REALLY love ice cream and it all seems to go straight there and they have a fat party. Work out you say? Well yeah but that isn't going to get rid of all the fat from a traditional ice cream, not to mention have you ever read what was in other store bought ice creams?? Some of them are quite bad for you in just about every way! Artic Zero is out to change all that. With only 150 Calories a PINT, not a serving but a pint you can pretty much enjoy as much as you want. their pints are also fat free and loaded with 14 grams of protein. Now their bars are a little bit worse for me (which of course that means they were my favorite) but better then a traditional ice cream bar and available in 4 different flavors and the pints in 6 flavors!  Now I mentioned the bars were my favorite but the pints were