I can now save your life!

I am a fire warden at work. I have been certified in high rise fire safety for the last 12 years. Go me! For years I have been able to get people out safely if our building is on fire. So far I have only had to corral people during fire drills.

Today I spent the day in training to become certified in first aid, CPR and AED. I have been able to bandage someone us for years, thanks to Hubby. But now I can give CPR and operate a defibrulator.

I hope I never have to use my training, but I can!

The winner of the Yoplait giveaway is....

Queenie Jeannie!

Congrats on winning! I have emailed you for your mailing info.

Enter my giveaway!

Come on, everyone! I need more entries on my giveaway! You can enter through tomorrow night.

Come on....give me some entries!

The best birthday ever!

That is what Hubby said about his birthday today. He is 55!

On Monday, I decided to take the day off so we could spend his whole birthday together. Yes, I know we spend every weekend together, but I think birthdays are special!

We slept late, then I gave him his gift (some cologne he had mentioned wanting) and a card, then headed to the Pizza Hut buffet for lunch. How is that for a frugal hubby? I told him we could go anywhere he wanted and he picked Pizza Hut. Then we went to the pet store to pick up some aquarium necessities and got some new fish.

We brought the fish home to settle in their new place, then went to the movie to see Contagion. I LOVE going to the movies on a weekday! No lines, no crowds and no fussy kids. It was great! And we really enjoyed the movie.

Then we stopped by Kroger and bought a coconut cake and some ice cream. Yes, I could have made a cake, but I didn't. I told Hubby to pick any cake he wanted and he picked the $7 one. LOL!

Back home to relax, then burgers for dinner. Then we watched another movie.

Hubby said it was "the best birthday ever!" So I am happy.

Yoplait Light Swap Giveaway!

Small changes can make a big difference over time. That's why Yoplait Light has created the "Yoplait Light Swap" to remind people that by making simple substitutions, like swapping one item from your diet per day for a 100 or 110 calorie Yoplait Light, you can cut unwanted calories and help yourself feel great about daily diet choices. Through swapping tips for food, fitness, and fashion, the "Yoplait Light Swap" can help remind you how rewarding one simple change can be.

Yoplait Light yogurt offers 33 different options to choose from in fruit, pastry and dessert flavors that contain around 100 calories or less, providing endless swapping options.

Visit www.Facebook.com/Yoplait to share your favorite food, exercise and fashion swaps, find recipes and quizzes. Alison Sweeney, host of "The Biggest Loser" and author of The Mommy Diet, offers this Top Swap Tip on how she maintains her weight with a hectic schedule.

"I'm all about easy solutions, and making simple swaps in my diet helps me lead a healthy lifestyle while juggling everything else. I swap a slice of my favorite red velvet cake after dinner for a cup of Red Velvet Cake Yoplait Light which can save me almost 300 calories, without even thinking about it."

Swap your way to fabulous with the following tips from fashion guru, host of the Style Network's "How Do I Look?" and correspondent for NBC's upcoming series "Fashion Star," Jeannie Mai.

Swap the bus for a 15 minute walk on the way home, and you can save 60 calories.1

Boost your confidence in seconds by swapping more low-key flats for a pair of colorful heels.

Expand your wardrobe without breaking the bank by swapping clothes and accessories with your girlfriends.

MyBlogSpark and Yoplait sent me an awesome prize pack that contained: (1) VIP coupon for a free cup of Yoplait Light yogurt, an adorable insulated tote bag, a water bottle, sunglasses holder, hardcover planner and ballpoint pen.

And guess what??!!! MyBlogpark and Yoplait have generously offered a prized pack just like the above to one of my readers. To enter, just leave a comment, letting me know one change you have made, or plan to make, to make your life better.

For additional entries, you can:

Like Yoplait on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Yoplait and leave a comment here that you did.

Visit the Yoplait website and tell me what flavor you would like to try

If you are a current follower or stalker, leave another comment for an additional entry. Please do not follow me just to enter this giveaway. I know who my current followers are. I don’t want to be mean, but my current friends should get a little special treatment.

I will use a random number generator to pick a winner on Sunday September 25 and the winner will be posted on my blog, as well as notified by email.

Good luck, everyone!

Disclosure: The Yoplait Light Swap prize pack, information and coupon have been provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.

The winner of the Betty Crocker giveaway is....

Raven in a Blue Room!

Congrats! I will send you an email to get your mailing info!

Thanks to all that entered!

Stay tuned...I have another giveaway coming up!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

You have through tomorrow night to enter my Betty Crocker Brownie Giveaway! You can't win if you don't enter!

Good luck, everyone!

What cat do when we are not home.

Hubby left this morning to go camping for a couple of days. When I got home, look what I found:

Spenser, on the left, is the newest kitty. I am pretty sure he is the culprit since neither of the other cats we have, Max, on the right, and Mini, not in the pic, have never played with the toilet paper.

Bad kitty!

Never fear, my frugal friends, I rolled up the tp and it will get used. No waste in this house.

Betty Crocker Brownie Giveaway!

 This fall, warm your family’s hearts and home with a fresh-from-the-oven treat that won’t have you spending hours in the kitchen. New Milk Chocolate Traditional Brownie mix from Betty Crocker® can help you simplify your brownie baking regimen and get a head start on homemade.

• With just the right touch of milk chocolate flavor, your family will love the traditional homemade brownie taste that can be ready in three easy steps.
•  Look for Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate Traditional Brownie mix in the baking aisle of grocery stores this fall.

MyBlogSpark and Betty Crocker sent me this lovely prize pack that was to include one Betty Crocker® Milk Chocolate Traditional Brownie mix, a Betty Crocker apron, cookie sheet, and mixing spoon. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the “cookie sheet” was in actuality a Wilton 9” X 9” covered baking pan.

This weekend I made that package of brownies and they turned out perfect. Well, we didn’t eat them yet. The reason is kind of an “oops.”

I decided to use frosting left from Theo’s birthday cake to frost the brownies. Yummy…frosted brownies. Well, the frosting was mostly milk chocolate colored with a little bit of bright blue I just dumped in one container. I figured I would add some more cocoa powder and it would mix into a lovely chocolate frosting.

Guess what?! If you mix ¾ light chocolate colored frosting with ¼ bright blue, add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and mix it all together and it turns out…..

Army Green! Yes, lovely dark olive colored. I didn’t think it was THAT olive colored, so I dumped it on the cooled brownies. Yep, it did look THAT olive!

So, I had a brilliant…if I do say so myself…idea! Chance is coming home from Afghanistan early in October. So I decided to freeze the pan of brownies and when he gets home, I will decorated it with a “Welcome Home” message and take it to his welcome home party. I will be making other stuff, but thought the accidental frosting color would work just fine.

MyBlogSpark and Betty Crocker have offered one of my lovely readers a prize pack of their own! The giveaway winner’s prize pack will contain: One Betty Crocker® Milk Chocolate Traditional Brownie mix prize pack which includes a Betty Crocker apron, cookie sheet, and mixing spoon.

How cool is that?!

How do you enter? Well the first entry is super easy. Tell me who you would make brownies for.

For one additional entry each, you can do any or all of the following. Then leave me a comment that you did.

• Check out the Betty Crocker website http://www.bettycrocker.com/ and tell me something delicious you found there.
• Like Betty Crocker on Facebook Betty Crocker
• Follow Betty Crocker on Twitter Betty Crocker

If you are a current follower or stalker, leave another comment for an additional entry. Please do not follow me just to enter this giveaway. I know who my current followers are. I don’t want to be mean, but my current friends should get a little special treatment.

I will use a random number generator to pick a winner on September 18 and the winner will be posted on my blog, as well as notified by email.

Good luck, everyone!

Disclosure: The product, information and prize pack have been provided by Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark.

Some pics from Theo's 5th birthday party

I thought I would share some pics since I don't have anything to write about it. Hope you enjoy my family as much as I do!

The birthday boy

 Samantha and Meredith

 Samantha and John 

 the birthday boy again

Wyatt in the pool 

Hubby and I were taking pictures and didn't manage to be in any of them. LOL!

Happy Labor Day!

Another day off for me and I am putting it to good use. Hubby and I are headed to our local farm to buy some fresh produce. Yummy!

For all of you waiting with baited breath, here is a pic of the cake I made for Theo's 5th birthday party. It was a success!

After Hubby and I checked a total of 8 stores and didn't find they type of train I wanted, or any cake sized train for that matter, or a rocket ship, I got creative. I found a Thomad Engine and used swiss cake rolls for cars. Theo declared that I "make the best cakes."

My mother-in-law said that she couldn't tell the difference between my cake and one from Kroger. I THINK she meant it as a compliment. LOL!

Happy Labor Day, all!

Taking a day off to make a cake.

Yes, I was just on vacation a week ago. But I still took today off! I have a lot of vacation days left, so decided to use one to have a long holiday weekend.

The big reason for a day off? Theo's birthday party! Our oldest grandson, Theo, turned 5 on Monday, so our side of the family will have his birthday party tomorrow. As usual I am in charge of the birthday cake. He told me a couple of month's ago that he wants a cake with a train and a rocketship on it. LOL! Meredith told Bob that Theo wants chocolate cake and chocolate frosting.

I will use a boxed cake mix. Yes, from a box. But I am using Wilton's Chocolate Buttercream Icing recipe for the frosting. I used Wilton's Buttercream Icing recipe before and it was a big hit, so decided to try the chocolate one. I know it will be a success.

I am taking the easy way on the train and rocket and will buy toys to use on the cake. That way, Theo will have the to play with after eating the cake. Cake and toys...what better thing to have on your birthday, right?

Bob went this week and bought Theo's gift, a Leapster game and he said he would get the cake decorations for me. He came home with race cars and a stealth bomber. LOL! He thought I said race cars and couldn't find a rocket. Um...yeah, Honey. That is not what I wanted. So we will be going to buy the train and rocket today. I am thinking I can find them at the dollar store.

So, I am being a little Martha today. I will post my creation when it is done.

Happy Friday to all!