Secret's In the Sauce

Seriously. If you love Taco Bell sauces, you'll love this. And the best part is...it's not even hideously bad for you. The whole bowl contains 0 fat, 4g of carbs, 2g of sugar, and only 260g of sodium...the whole bowl! And surely, you won't eat the whole bowl, right?

We try to keep it healthy around here, so I Google recipes often and make my own variations of them. Sometimes they are a hit...sometimes, not so much. My taco sauce recipe was a hit for sure and we use it every time we have taco night now. 

Secret's in the sauce! The secret is always in the sauce, but this one is not so secret. Try this, you'll love it! So simple and easy. 

What you'll need:

• 15 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 tspn chili powder
• 3 tspn cumin
• 3 tspn onion powder
• 2 tspn white vinegar
• 2 tsnn garlic powder
• 1 tspn paprika
• 1/2 tspn sugar
• 1/2 tspn cayenne

Add all ingredients and stir!

That's it. No mess, no cooking, no fuss! We use this to season our taco meat (ground turkey). Use it on your taco salads. I use it for burritos and as a substitute for high sodium enchilada sauce. Substitute as you like. You get the point. This stuff is GOOD! And it's a much healthier alternative. 

Try it, share it, like it, and let me know what you think! Seriously, my family thinks it's better than Taco Bell! I feel like I've arrived. Secret's in the sauce!

Sparkle on and enjoy!

'Tis the Season to be Sparkly....

Falalalala...la.la.lala!

It's totally the season to be sparkly and I'm so ready for it this year! I have my sparkle nails on (pretty much the norm but these are pretty snow flaky if I do say so myself). I'm ready to get my white Christmas tree up and decorated in sparkly ornaments. I'm ready to hang sparkly snowflakes from the ceiling so the babies can have "snow" again this year!

Yup, 'tis the season and I say bring it. Let the sparkling begin. This is such a beautiful time of the year for so many reasons. We just finished giving thanks for all of our blessings and now we get to celebrate again. For some it's spiritual, for some it's all about family, for some it's about the lights and glitter, and for some it's about all of the above. No matter what the holiday means to you, enjoy every moment of it. 

It's the most wonderful time...of the year! 

Relaxing Family Together Time with Lipton Tea & Honey

It's been a really busy year around my house. B and I are both working long hours, the girls are in school, and it's just been hectic. There hasn't been much family together time lately and that's just not healthy. So this week, I decided to make a special day, just for the family, watching football and movies. 

My plan was to keep things simple but to make them feel special since I haven't been doing enough of that as of late. They are the most important thing in my life and I should be showing them more often. 

Now y'all know I'm not fancy by any means and I like things quick and easy. I could have spent hours in the kitchen whipping up some fabulous meal and concocting some stupendous beverage from scratch, but that wouldn't have left much together time at all. So I did what any good wife and mother with limited time would do...I cheated! What? It was all for the sake of family. 

I threw together some Queso Dip and chips, and cut up some sausage and cheese because these snack plates are some of my family's favorite food pairings. They look fancy (for me anyway) and I can slip in some dairy, veggies, and fiber without being detected. Pretty clever huh?

While I was preparing the snack trays, I had my little homemade cheat treat "brewing" in the hot Texas sun. I found the new Lipton Tea & Honey Pitcher Packets at Walmart earlier in the week. When I realized that Lipton Tea & Honey was made with real tea, had only 5 calories and 1 carb per serving, I had an idea that would be sure to make my family smile. We're from Georgia where Sun Tea can be found on porch railings every where you turn. But that takes time and patience, neither of which I have readily available. 

So I grabbed a pitcher, a Lipton Tea & Honey pitcher packet, Lemon Iced Black Tea, mixed in the water, tossed in fresh lemon slices, and simply let it sit out in the sun for about an hour to bring out the flavor of the lemon. No fuss at all and the tea was wonderful! All of the health benefits of "real" tea, and low in calories, carbs, and sugars. 

The only thing left to do was sit down, relax, and enjoy time with the family. There were smiles, laughter, and LOTS of football. Mostly, it was just good to have everyone in one room all at the same time.

Good eats, great drinks, and the easiest family entertaining I've done in a long time. Try Lipton Tea & Honey at your next gathering with family or friends. These are great to keep on hand for the holidays and just as great for every day family meals. The pitcher packets are available in Lemon Iced Black Tea, Mango Pineapple Iced Green Tea, Blackberry Pomegranate Iced Green Tea, and Peach Apricot Iced Black Tea. And if you are just looking for a single serving, these flavors and more are available in To Go tea sticks as well.

To read more about the health benefits of tea, and to find out more about the fabulous products Lipton has to offer, be sure to like Lipton on Facebook and follow Lipton on Twitter. 

What are your family's favorite together time snacks? I'm sure they would pair well with at least one of the Lipton Tea & Honey flavors available. Be sure to stock up for the holidays and check one of those worries off your list!

Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Lipton. As always, all opinions, ideas, and photos are entirely my own. #CBias #SocialFabric #FamilyTeaTime

Just Sit Back and Smile...Sh*t Mommy Blogger's Kids Say

And so tonight, I'm officially a "Mommy Blogger". I've always thought of myself as a Lifestyle Blogger in the fact that I blog about my life. But I realized today that my blog has affected my family, and my life, and my children just kind of "get" me. You see, Bubby just turned 4 and I've been on this blogging adventure for 2 years now. It's really all he knows, and he thinks it's "normal". 

Case in point: Today was Thanksgiving. I hope you had an amazing day! But for me, it wasn't just a day to be thankful, it was a day of "work". With Lipton Tea and Honey Pitcher Packets at that. So of course I plated the appetizers with the tea front and center. This is our life. I set everything out. Cheese and crackers. Queso and chips. Pitcher of Lipton tea with lemon slices of course, and everything was beautiful. And then IT happened. The day I realized I was a "Mommy Blogger".

The 12 year old, who is not used to this lifestyle yet, went to dive in. She was hungry. There was food. She was thirsty, there was drink. But as she went to dig in, there was an immediate shock. A halt. And the 4 year old taught the 12 year old "the" lesson. 

Bubby: "No Angel! Stop! You can't eat yet! Mommy has to take a picture first. Just sit there and smile!".

And he was right. And his wisdom for what Mommy does is spot on. This is his life and he's OK with smiling for the camera before eating, or drinking, or playing. It's how we roll, and this is the life of a Mommy blogger. I have arrived because my 4 year old son "gets" me. And for the record, they did get to dig in and apparently the digs, and the drinks were great!

Love what you do, and figure out your place in this world. And if you have the support of those around you, that makes it even better. So...I'm a Mommy Blogger...there are worse things and I'm happy that my family supports my efforts! Rock on and appreciate those that love you. It was a good day here. I hope you got a giggle out of yours!

I'm Thankful For...

It's that time of year and I'm reflective. I'm an emotional hot mess most of the time but this time of year, it might just get a little bit worse. So today, I'd like to share my top 10. We all have so much to be thankful for, no matter what's going on in our lives. There is always something good and it's time we recognize it. So here we go. My top 10. 

10. My health. I'm alive and still kickin'. That's saying something after all I've put myself through all of these years. I'm thankful but I'm sad that some of the people in my life aren't as lucky. 

9. In this horrid economy, I still have a roof over my head, food on my table, and my children have what they need. 

8. My job. I get to work from home, in my jammies, without a shower at times, but it's lucrative, and I'm lucky to be one of the ones that's "made it". I'm my own boss and I'm difficult on me, but it's a good thing and I enjoy what I do. 

7. My online friends. I've never met most of them in real life but I love them just the same. They know my secrets. They know my inner thoughts, and they are brave enough to stick with me. 

6. I'm thankful to still have both of my parents. I'm middle aged and everyone in my bracket doesn't have this luxury. We had a scare 3 years ago, but both of my parents are still with us, and that's a beautiful thing. 

5. My siblings. I'm not very close to one of my sisters anymore because of her life choices, and mine, but I still love them both very much and I always will. 

4. Long term relationships. I still talk to friends that I went to high school with. We laugh, we cry, we still connect. My dad was wrong about this. I still remember their names, and I know their children's names, and I still feel close and thankful to have them in my life. 

3. Skipping. It's underrated. Do it, you'll see what I mean. 

2. My marriage. In a world of break ups, I'm still on the roller coaster. Sometimes I want to get out of line. But most of the time, I'm anxious to get back in line after the ride. Life is full of ups and downs and I'm thankful for the ride, no matter what. It's not always easy, it's not always fun, but it's always worth it. He holds my heart and our souls are one.

1. My children. I love them more than anything in this world. I'd give my own life for them. Bryana, Paetyn, Bug, and Bubby are the reason that I exist. Without them, I am nothing. Despite their flaws, and despite mine, we are a force and we will forever remain connected, no matter how near or far. They are the reason that I was put on this earth. I've been blessed and I am lucky!

So that's my top 10. What are you thankful for this year? Life is good. Be thankful and remember to count your blessings. 

Happy Thanksgiving and remember, I am thankful for all of you! Sparkle on!

Sunday Sanity: They Make Me Sparkle

What sparkled in my world this week? THEM! We had a beautiful day having lunch, visiting Santa, and just spending time together. I've regrouped lately and re-evaluated my life and my time. I haven't spent enough of my time with my family over the past year. Today was a step in the right direction. And watching their happy steps just made my heart smile!

We'll be doing a lot more of this in the coming year. I'll be sharing today's fun with you shortly but for now, know that I am in a happy place and all that sparkles for me has been right in front of me all along. My eyes are open and I'm smiling! It was a good day! 

What sparkled in your world? Appreciate what you have now, because tomorrow it could all be gone. Don't neglect the important things in your life, and as always, sparkle on!

A Bright Idea for Giving with GE Lighting and Champions for Kids

"As part of my partnership with GE, I received coupons for my GE light bulbs. All opinions posted about my GE Lighting experience are my own."

Today I had a bright idea! What? I have those from time to time. It's a fabulous plan for killing a bad habit, saving money, helping the environment, and most importantly, for helping some of the children in need in my community this holiday season. Sounds great right? Well the folks at Champions for Kids and GE Lighting sure think so and they've agreed to help. They want to make it SIMPLE for me and YOU because they think it's that important.

I haven't participated in a Champions for Kids Simple Service Project in a while in a giving capacity (shame on me) but I have helped to facilitate others in their giving efforts (a little redemption at least, right?) so I'm super excited to be giving back again because it's been too long!

My idea is simple but multifaceted. I have a serious light bulb issue. As in, I buy the cheap ones, I let them blow, and I steal from other fixtures in my household to replace the ones I need most. The one above is the most important as it sits over my desk and is in use approximately 16 hours per day. If it blows, I go on the hunt and I start stealing (it's from myself, so it's OK).

This poor chandelier (yes, I know it's ugly, I live in an apartment for now and I didn't choose it) was my first target. And yes, you see that correctly, it only has 1 bulb left!

No light in the living room other than the fish tank and the TV. That should be enough right? Well you get where this is going. I just don't buy bulbs and because I buy the cheap ones, they blow often. You can visit any room in our apartment and see pretty much the same thing. But this method is neither effective nor efficient and I have to do something about it!

But how can I turn this in to something good for my family, my environment, and my community? Again, it's SIMPLE! B loves light bulbs and when I told him my plan (without even knowing) he recommended GE Lighting for energy efficiency and longevity. I had no clue what I needed so I did what I seem to do best, I Googled it!

GE Lighting made this part easy. I choose an option and go...I chose Technology.

And I chose CFL bulbs because I hear they save a lot of energy and are reasonably priced (both important factors to me). I need to replace 7 empty sockets plus replace the bulb in the lamp over my desk that keeps blowing from overuse. By just replacing these 8 bulbs, I'll save $45.29 annually and help the environment! Plan 1 underway.

And any time I save money, even a dime, I put it away to make donations to the children in my community because every dime, or dollar, or $45.29 can make a huge difference in the life of a child that doesn't have much at all. 

And if you know me at all, personally or through my little dot on the web, you know that the thought of children going without necessities like food, clothing, shelter, books, clothes, toys...breaks my heart. Children are the real victims of society and of this economy, because they are helpless. They can't change their situation and they shouldn't have to. But I can and I want to help. And I will help. As always, I've decided to make a donation to the Montgomery County Women's Center. They offer many services but the one the touches my heart the most is that there is a need for a Battered Women and Children Shelter. These women have been through so much, I've been there and I know the pain and helpless feeling only too well, and they just want to start a new life for themselves and for their children. This organization helps them do that. But for these children, right here at my back door, the holidays won't be very full this year. They'll have a roof over their heads and the shirts on their backs, but they need deserve so much more! We are fortunate and my children have everything they need, and most of what they want. I can't give the kids in this shelter everything they want (although believe me, I would if I could) but I sure can give them some of the things that they need! So that's the plan. Stay tuned because I'll be back to share.

Please let this SIMPLE project of mine inspire you to do the same in your own community. It doesn't take much to help and GE Lighting and Champions for Kids are making it simple to do your part online without leaving your home. You can win a $100 Walmart gift card for the charity of your choice by reporting your SIMPLE Service Project. Find out more on the GE Lighting Facebook page! Learn more about how GE Lighting can save money and the environment with this lesson plan.

Find out how much you can save with the GE Energy Savings Calculator. Start your savings with this printable coupon. Take that savings and make a donation. I assure you, there are kids in your community that need your help! Just do it!

Follow GE Lighting on Twitter and Facebook. 

Follow Champions for Kids on Twitter and Facebook.

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ Champions for Kids and GE Lighting #CBias #SocialFabric #GELightingCFK

Hickory Farms and Family Holiday Traditions for Me and You!

This time of year always sneaks up on me. I'm never quite ready for the holidays, or football season, both of which are huge in my household. I like to make things special to make my family feel loved and show them how important they are to me. I have fond memories of my own childhood and family traditions, and I want my children to have the same. 

My family was never in to sports so that kind of thing wasn't an issue. But I do remember my Mom always having Hickory Farms Sausage on plates with cheese and crackers for all of us to enjoy at both Thanksgiving and Christmas before the meal was ready. It was something we looked forward to every year. In fact Hickory Farms gift packages have been a classic holiday tradition that brings family and friends together for more than 60 years. It was high time I brought this tradition in to my own home!

Football season is my indicator that the holidays are upon us. And I promise you, if the Dallas Cowboys are playing, they're on my TV and my boys are glued! So this past Sunday, I decided to set up a spread and join in this tradition of theirs ours.

The holidays got an early start in our house and the tradition began.

B and Bubby enjoyed some bonding time, some football, and a fabulous snack and it was a good evening!

B always tells Bubby to keep his eye on the ball, but I think he only had eyes for the cheese and crackers!

We'll be doing this for a lot more of the games and over the holidays and you should too! It's important to have family traditions, especially at the holidays. Your children will cherish those memories for years to come. Family traditions are so underrated in this hustle and bustle world of ours. Many Americans have a distinct memory of Hickory Farms at their holiday gatherings from childhood. Let's bring that nostalgic feeling back this holiday season that Hickory Farms is so proud to be a part of and continues to focus on and celebrate its long standing heritage of tradition and authentic holiday memories. These are the types of memories I want my children to have when they are grown!

The gift pack we received for this family together time was awesome. It came in a handy tool bag that B can use on the job. You can get the Taste of the Trade Toolbag, and many other fabulous gift items or packages for your holiday gatherings, by shopping online at Hickory Farms as well as in their 700+ stores and kiosks across North America. You can even find their products in select retailers!

AND, just because I love my readers so much and want you to start your own traditions to bring back the nostalgia of the holidays that you had as a child, I am giving away one Hickory Farms Taste of the Trade Toolbag to one of you! 

You'll receive the Toolbag which contains:

• 2 Hickory Farms Signature Beef Summer Sausage 10 oz.
• Farmhouse Cheddar 10 oz.
• Jalapeño Cheddar Blend 10 oz.
• Holiday Spiced Almonds 4 oz.
• Golden Toasted Crackers 4.4 oz.
• Olive Oil & Rosemary Crackers 4.4 oz. 

Happy holidays and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Compensation and products for review were provided to me by Hickory Farms via MomTrends. I received a free sample of the product for the purpose of this review and to facilitate a giveaway. As always, the opinions and ideas are entirely my own and are not indicative of the opinions of Hickory Farms.

Of Course Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life!

This statement is pretty much redundant in itself. I mean of course today is the first day of the rest of your life. Each day is in fact. But some days, this statement is more relevant than others. Today is one of those days for me.

I've been on a long term contract through a fabulous company for almost a year now. It's been a good ride. But today, that journey ends and I move on, with this first day of the rest of my life. I stepped away voluntarily with a bigger plan. Now I'm hoping that plan takes shape because, honestly, I have no clue what my plan is at this point! 

Part of my plan, a HUGE part, includes my family. I've missed them and they miss me. Tonight I played with my babies like I haven't played in entirely too long. It felt good!

I'm technically unemployed. I have other contract work going on, but it's not a "sure thing" and the income is hit or miss. But we laughed tonight, the babies and I, like we haven't done in a long time. We played cars, we colored, I chased them around as a unicorn and as a shark. And we just laughed! It felt good. 

So although I'll miss my work buddies (seriously, I love those ladies and will miss talking to them on a daily basis), I've missed my family more! I've got plenty to keep me busy with work and my family but I'm looking forward to some "free" time here and there! 

So today is the first day of the rest of my life. I'm looking forward to it. I think I hear a playground calling! Enjoy your day because every one is a first to something. Never regret your decisions and always let your heart lead the way!

So I'm 2...What's Your Excuse?

Today, I'm 2. Well my blog is anyway, I *might* be a little bit older than that. SHUSH! No big deal right? WRONG! I'm 2! I've been doing this little bloggy thing for 2 whole years and that's kind of a big deal!

You see, if you bother to Google it (which is really important to do because you should believe everything you read on the internet), you'd know that the average life a blog is not a healthy number. Estimates lead me to believe that it is somewhere around 44 days. 44 days? Seriously, they couldn't even plug away for 2 months? WOW!

Anyway, back to me, because that's how I roll. Back in November of 2010, I was coerced in to starting my little tiny corner of the internet and I was diggin' it. I kept plugging away, writing from my heart about stupid crap that people were reading. Why they were reading it, I'll never know, but reading it they (you, thank you very much) were so I kept at it. And I've been doing this for a full 2 years now and I'm kind of proud of my little sparkly corner. 

Sometimes, I just rant, but people visit. Sometimes I rant in the closet and you don't even know it. You couldn't even imagine how many posts I have unpublished because they aren't fit for human (or humanities') consumption. But this spot, or dot, or whatever you want to call it, is mine. And I'm thankful every day that people come to visit me and I'm not ready to give up yet!

So this week, we will celebrate my toddlerhood. There will be giveaways (yea, I know I never do those, but I'm stepping outside of my little black box) and there will be prizes for those of you that have stuck by me through this incredible venture in my life! It's been fun and I hope to be doing this 20 years from now. Heck, as long as you let me talk, I'm gonna do it! If you know me, you know this to be truth. 

So please be sure to stop back by this week for the festivities that are my "birth" week. And a HUGE thank you to all of you that have supported me over the past 2 years. Y'all are what make me sparkle and I appreciate you more than you know!

And to be honest, I'm glad I'm 2. It gives me an excuse to act out. What's your excuse?  

Sunday Sanity: Flowers Make It All Better!

What sparkled in your world this week?

Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most actually. We all know that. As long as someone loves you, you can take whatever life has to throw at you. I have that someone in my life and I am thankful. This week, as I looked around, I knew that I had a lot to be thankful for. I have my beautiful babies of course and for that, I will always be grateful. But when I get frustrated, I often throw my head back with my hands over my eyes and I groan thinking how horrible it all is, and how overwhelming. But the minute I pull my hands away, I look up and I see the beauty that surrounds me and I'm at peace again. 

This week, as I looked up from my desk, I saw these beautiful carnations. They reminded me of Spring and of the beauty of nature. 

And when I looked in to my kitchen, I saw these breathtaking roses. This is the beauty that is my life. And I am thankful. Thankful that I have beauty surrounding me in the form of flowers because my husband appreciates me and shows it (this wasn't always the case, but it is now and I appreciate that...the past is the past). And beauty because the people that surround me are beauty in themselves. 

I'm a lucky woman. I might get frustrated but I have a wonderful husband, 3 beautiful daughters, and an incredible son. Life doesn't get any better than this!

Sparkle on and don't forget to stop and smell the roses, or carnations, or whatever other flowers you might run in to this week. Life is a thing of beauty, stop letting the moments pass you by and just enjoy the scenery!

Turn and Face the Strain...Ch Ch Ch Changes

OK, so sometimes life poses difficult decisions. We all face them. Recently I was posed with a HUGE one. I've been working about 60 hours a week (seriously well + that) from home (set aside my work I do at home as a mom and a wife) and it's been overwhelming. I was handling it well but I was simply over committed. This has affected my family and my well being. We've been doing well financially and I've been plugging away, pulling my weight. But I've been sacrificing my integrity in a way. I haven't been me at all. I've been living in this little black box and I've forgotten the things that matter most. 

Those things are my husband, my children, my friends, and ME! I got so busy making money that I forgot who I was. I had moved back in to the "zone" that made me not sparkle in the first place and I ignored all of the important things in life. I buried myself in work. That is not who I want to be. I want to be a wife, a mother, a friend...someone people can love and trust. I want to be the person that makes people laugh and feel good about themselves. I just want to be me again!

And so, when faced with a tough decision earlier this month, I chose me, my family, and my friends. I could continue working the job that I loved (but is not a guarantee) or I could continue working a job that I was doing simply for a guaranteed check. I decided to step away from the lucrative job by choice because it was the right thing to do. My heart leads the way. I've let my checkbook lead my decisions in the past, and that never made me happy. My heart tends to be right so I will continue to follow it, right or wrong. My family, and my true friends, support my decisions so I feel strong. I will always have doubts and wonder if I made the right choice, but for now, I'm good. 

I'm all about family, community, and friends. My heart is my guide and I'm following it. 

Time may change me, but I can't change time...ch ch ch changes!

Wish me luck!

The Eyes of a Child

I've always heard that the eyes are the window to the soul. And I've always believed this and looked deeply in to the eyes of everyone I meet. The more you look, the more you'll know that the origin of this sentiment is uncertain. Most searches lead you to an old English proverb, but to me, quite honestly, the origin isn't as important as the message, and the truth of the message. If your eyes sparkle with pureness and beauty, I trust you. But if your eyes are dull and devoid of light, I am leery. The eyes reveal all and I am thankful that my babies' eyes shine brightly. Not just the beauty of their color, but that their eyes both smile, and they warm my heart because I know that their souls are beautiful!

The sun illuminates on the eye of the man, but shines in the eye and the heart of the child. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Seek the wisdom of the ages, but look at the world through the eyes of a child. - Ron Wild

My children's eyes, like their souls, are beautiful and I will never grow tired of reflecting in their beauty. I am lucky beyond repair and I love looking in to their eyes, and their beautiful souls, on a daily basis. 

Trust the eyes people, they never lie!

Surf and Sparkle On...Trojan Free!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I live in this little black box of mine an awful lot! Every morning I wake up, hustle the girls to school, fix Bubby some breakfast, and open up my world online, ready to work. My daily mantra greets me and I do try to stay calm and sparkle but it's just not always possible. Sometimes I get frustrated. 

You see, my job requires me to check links all day, every day. Links can contain really icky things, and those icky things often invade my computer. And it gets slow...really slow! I have a lot of free antivirus software loaded, but it just doesn't block everything. I can usually clean it up with the free stuff, but it sure would be nice if it was prevented in the first place. 

Quite honestly, my biggest problem seems to be with Punch Tab that likes to automatically, without permission, load the Babylon toolbar and files in to little corners on the inside of my little black box. What is Punch Tab you ask? It's a pop up that some bloggers use to make about a 5th of a penny for each click they receive. It's annoying but it's a part of my job. Must block the Babylon Beast because it is affecting my life. 

About a week ago, B posted the above picture on Facebook with the caption "Never stops working!". It made me sad when I realized that although it does seem true to them, and I'm not spending enough time with my family, it's not entirely true. I do sit here pretty much from dawn to dusk but I'm not always working. Often, I'm waiting. 

I'm quite honestly often looking at a screen that looks like this! Redirecting, or Google still working, or searching for results. And worse than that, I'll attempt to type and finish a whole paragraph and wait for 5 minutes for my computer to catch up. This is not productive, it is not a good use of my time, and it is NOT sparkly!

So I decided it was time to invest some of my hard-earned money into something that would free up some of my time and speed up my work. It was time to pay for some computer security to save this little black box of mine, and my sanity. True to form, I Googled it before heading to the store.

First glance tells me that Kaspersky and McAfee have top rated software. I did a further search asking which computer security software does the best job at blocking Babylon and both of these names were at the top of the list. I asked for recommendations from my blogging friends and the majority sent me to Kaspersky. So with knowledge in hand, the babies and I headed to Walmart. I could have ordered online but I'm not patient and I like to touch things and read labels. I'm an in-store shopper and Walmart is most convenient for me so I can pick up other items I need while I'm there. 

After a long time (way too long for the babies I might add) at the store comparing products and trying to find the latest versions of the software, I decided to go with Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 even though it was so last year (OK it is this year but there is a newer version and I wanted it). It got great online reviews, more importantly friend reviews, and I had read that it would block the Babylon Beast. I was sold!

The babies and I headed home, with McDonald's to reward them for their patience (not) at the store and I started downloading. I was going to be productive, Babylon free, and fabulous!

Let me admit right now, the download was excruciating. It took forever actually but probably because my computer was already so slow.  

But I sure did get a warm and sparkly feeling when I saw that my computer was protected!

And much to my surprise, after a Critical System Scan (which found nothing), and a Full Scan, Kaspersky found that my computer had 3 instances of the Trojan virus! That's right, little soldiers from various sites had loaded in to 3 separate virtual wooden horses and had attacked my little black box. Bad soldiers! Naughty wooden horses! Kaspersky to the rescue!

Now let's be totally honest here, I am not an I.T. person and I'm not a tech Guru by any means so I have no idea if I chose the best security software on the market but I do know that my computer has been quick like a bunny for the past two days and I've been super productive. I've been surfing and sparkling without issue and I'm very pleased. Once I get caught back up, I'm sure my family will be pleased too!

I never want to see B post anything like that on his Facebook wall again. It just made me sad because I'm not always working, and I'm tired of waiting!

Tonight, I'm happily sitting in my little corner of the world, in front of my little black box, catching up, and I'm calm while the family plays in the background. Life is good and I'll never go the "free" route again! This software was worth every dime!

Always remember...Keep Calm and Sparkle! There is no other way!

Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. All opinions, ideas, and photos are entirely my own! #CBias #SocialFabric

Don't Wait for Halloween 2013 to Play "Dress Up" Again!

We love Halloween in our house. There is no other holiday where you get to pretend to be your heart's desire, or something funny or silly, or a super hero, or whatever, and it be socially acceptable. If I had my way, we'd dress up every day (truth be told, sometimes we do and I've been known to wear a tiara to Walmart just to laugh at the reactions). For me, it's a holiday for family bonding. For them, it's about giggles and CANDY! But it doesn't matter because we all enjoy it! It's not all scary and witches...it's Bumble Bees, Super Heroes, and Ostriches...OH MY!

For once, here's a post that's picture heavy, and word light (I hope) because I wanted to share our Halloween memories with y'all!

I did mention ostriches, right? It's OK, he can't help himself. It's funny and it's OK to laugh. Everyone else did too! I'm just happy to see him happy!

Of course we can't forget my Superman. He was so excited when we crossed the bridge high up over the road. He was sure to point out that he was "Up in the Sky...just like Superman!". It was almost as good as flying for real. 

Swear that stupid ostrich made it in to at least half of my photos. Can't a momma just take pictures of her babies without an ostrich in the way? OY!

But finally, there was trick or treat and happy times!

And sibling love and bonding that makes this momma's heart happy!

But Super Bubby was tired!

And Baby "B" had an attitude so it was time to wrap things up!

And it was a good night. Of course any night I spend with B and the babies usually is a good night. I hope y'all had a Happy Halloween and that you keep the fun going all year round like we do. Wear a boa to Target, a tiara to Walmart, a cape to pick your kids up from school! Seriously, life is too short to wait on a yearly event to enjoy yourself and pretend. "Dress up" is OK year round, and you don't need the reward of candy, because the giggles are reward enough in themselves!

Enjoy Life and Sparkle On!