Glad to be back

I know I have been MIA these last few days.  The reason?  I was bitten by a spider and since I'm allergic, I had a problem!  I ended up having to go to my general surgeon to have the wound opened.  Believe me, I do not wish this on anyone!  Now, don't get me wrong, Dr. A is a wonderful surgeon. He actually saved my hubby's life a few years ago, and I know he saved my daddy's leg, after his wreck.  I love this doctor, I just hate having to get cut...again!  My immune system is so crappy, I end up with infections a LOT and whenever it attacks a wound, I have to get the wound opened...nasty, nasty, nasty!

Getting away from the gory details, I'm on antibiotics.  I feel much better, and I'm back!  Expect more reviews to be posted this week, along with a new giveaway....

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time............

~~~~~~~~~Shelly~~~~~~~~~~

Tiny Bites Food Shears Review

When feeding young kids, one of the most important things I do is to make the foods small enough for the kids to safely eat.  Cutting food with a knife takes too long and I've cut myself more times than I want to admit! So when I was offered the chance to review Tiny Bites Food Shears, I jumped at the chance. 

What are Tiny Bites Food Shears?  They are portable kitchen scissors designed by parents for parents, to cut kids food at home or on the go!  You can create perfect bite-sized pieces, easy-to-eat strips, and even fun shapes and letters!

Why do parents ♥ Tiny Bites Food Shears?  They are made of cutlery-grade stainless steel blades.  They have a child-proof protective blade cover.  Tiny Bites Food Shears are sold two in a package for $9.99.  You can use then at home and on the go, and they have a child-proof protective blade cover.  They have an on-blade inch ruler, and are dishwasher-safe.  Create perfect bite-sized pieces with the food shears, or any shapes you like.  They have a comfort-spring yellow lever that provides additional tension to cut through thicker food (like french toast and steak)!  They are also BPA-free, lead-free, and dishwasher-safe.  And the thing I really like about Tiny Bites Food Shears is that they were created by parents for parents!

Why did I like them?  It took a lot less time using the Tiny Bites Food Shears than it did when I used a knife to cut up food.  I loved the fact that I could cut up steak with them.  The klutz in me was happy not to get injured cutting my steak!  No knife needed!  The blade cover is also a huge plus, because I threw the extra shears in my purse and was not worried about them damaging my purse or cutting me!  Clean up is quick and easy!  Just throw them in the dishwasher!

Where can you buy them?  You can order them online by clicking HERE.  Tiny Bites offers free ground shipping in the continental U.S.  They are also available at select retailers across the country.  Click HERE for a location near you. 

For more information check out the Tiny Bites website.

I was very pleased with the quality and durability of the Tiny Bites Food Shears!  I have used them for a lot more than cutting up food for the kids.  I now use them during my food prep, when I am cutting vegetables and even when I'm cutting up some raw meats.  Tiny Bites will make a great gift for parents of small kids, or for anyone who wants to easily cut their food into smaller pieces.

Thanks for stopping by!   Until next time.....

   ~~~~~~~~~~Shelly~~~~~~~~~~


Disclosure:  This item was provided to me free of charge.  The opinions I stated are my own.  I was not compensated for a positive review, nor was I required to post one.


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Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion & Twitter Party

Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion


Moms and kids just want to have fun and Rayovac has the power to make it happen!  From June 21st through July 20th Rayovac is empowering families to have fun through the Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion!
 
Rayovac has an awesome promotion running right now where you can win daily prizes for answering a daily question about your summer.  There are no right or wrong answers!  It's so easy. Here's how!
First, Like Rayovac on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RayovacFans.  Then answer the question.  Today's question asks about your camping style.  Fill out the entry form and answer the question in 25 words or less!  It could not be easier!!




Rayovac Powers Your Summer Twitter Event


Join Rayovac and 5MinutesForMom for a Twitter Event to support the exciting Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion. The Twitter Event will feature more than 20 fun giveaways from Rayovac ranging from a summer supply of Rayovac Batteries to $50 Target Gift Cards.

Rayovac Powers Your Vacation Summer Promotion Twitter Event
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Time: 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. CST
Location: #rayovac
Follow: @Rayovac_Battery, @5minutesformom, @CirclePRMary

These twitter parties are a lot of fun!  Make sure you take the time to join us for a chance to win awesome prizes!

Hope to see you there!!!

      ~~~~~~~~~~Shelly~~~~~~~~~~
 
DISCLOSURE:  The first 99 bloggers to promote the Rayovac Powers Your Summer Twitter Event won a prize package from Rayovac.

Symptom Cold & Flu Pak Review

     I was given the opportunity to review the Symptom Cold & Flu Pak and I was thrilled to do it.  Every time we go on vacation somebody gets sick and we have to find somewhere to get them medication.  Finding meds is not a problem when you are in a well populated area, but when you are camping, or in another remote location, it can be a nightmare.  This is where Symptom Pak comes in handy.

    You can handle most aspects of a cold or cough, or even an allergy with a portable kit called SymptomPak™. SymptomPak™ is like a first aid kit for your cold. It is a small, blue box that features five of the ingredients most often needed for colds, cough, fever, and flu. The individual ingredients come in separate bottles, rather than in one multi-symptom pill or liquid. You can treat only the symptoms you have, instead of taking doses of medication for symptoms you don’t have, which might render you sleepy or groggy.

     SymptomPak™ makes having a cold even more manageable by including a small pill box in the “Pak”, so you can take your chosen medication(s) with you when you go sight-seeing or helicoptering around a volcano, for instance. Each bottle in the “Pak” contains 30 tablets, which should get you, or anyone who is traveling with you, through your vacation much more comfortably and safely. It’s better to take what you’re familiar with than taking drugs in a foreign country where you might not recognize the ingredients.

     As soon as we headed off to the lake for a short weekend trip, my daughter, Future FBI, started complaining with a headache.  I was able to open up my Symptom Pak and get her something for her headache.  The following morning, my hubby, Chefy, was complaining with a stopped up head.  Back to the Symptom Pak to grab him meds.  I was able to treat the specific symptoms they exhibited instead of dosing them with things they didn't need.  I love the idea of having the medicine available this way.  It saves us from taking time out of our trip to track down something to take.  Without the Symptom Pak, we would have had to drive over an hour to find medicine.  From here on out, the Symptom Pak travels with us, where ever we go!
    
Symptom Pak is available on leading internet sites such as Amazon.com, Drugstore.com, Target.com, Rite Aid.com and Health Warehouse.com. For more information visit http://www.symptompak.com/.


Thanks for stopping by!  Until next time.....

                              ~~~~~~~~~~Shelly~~~~~~~~~~

Disclosure:  The product was provided to me at no charge.  I was NOT compensated for this review.  The opinions I expressed are purely my own. 

Proportions Food for Dogs Review

     Our Shih Tzu, Ginger, is a huge part of our family.  She is Future FBI's baby, which makes me a grandma.   LOL!  She's not a pet, she IS a member of our family! 

     We always try to feed Ginger the best food we can find for her, and when I was offered the opportunity to review Proportions Dog Food, I jumped at the chance. With the Proportions program, you are given a customized meal for your dog. The meal that was designed for Ginger came in pre-measured packets and I put it together. First, I opened the Crunchy Blend (kibble) and poured it in a bowl. Then I poured the Hand Carved Chicken in Pumpkin Soup over it. Then I sprinkled the Harvest Mix (dehydrated fruits & veggies) on top, and then lightly mixed the food together!



     When I placed the food in front of Ginger, I expected her to smell it, take a small taste and walk away, which is her usual routine.  Not this time!!  Ginger put her face in the bowl and she never moved until her bowl was empty!  I have never seen her eat anything like that!  I loved the fact that the food was tailored to the specific health and dog breed.  Each dog has unique needs and the Proportions takes that into consideration when they put your dogs meal plan together.  We were very pleased with the food.  Ginger was as well.

     If you would like more information about Proportions, or to order a sample for your fur baby, click HERE.  I think you will be very pleased with the sample.  Your fur baby will be too!


Thanks for stopping by!  And just a little FYI...For those wondering about a sudden change in the food...I got the OK from her vet!

Have a blessed week!
                                   ~~~~~~~~~~Shelly~~~~~~~~~~
Proportions provided me with the Free sample of their food for my dog.  I was not compensated for this review!  The opinions are purely my own!  I was NOT encouraged to write a positive review.  I only post reviews on products I truly like.

How to get a good nights sleep...NOT!

     My hubby and I have been sleeping on a "thrown together" lump of wood we call our bed.  Don't get me wrong, we have a decent mattress, but the frame of our bed is another story.  When I first bought my own furniture, 20 years ago, I thought I was buying a "quality" item.  Boy, was I wrong!  The warranty that came with my furniture as good for 2 years.  I guess that is why I started having issues by year number three. 

Since we are doing some remodeling of our home, we have started the hunt for a new bed! This is one of the beds we like:

                                                
I love the storage aspect of this one!



                                                         On the other hand, my hubby likes this one:
                                                           
This is a nice bed too, but I still need storage!
                                                                      Maybe we can compromise on this one:

     :
Decisions! Decisions!  The only good thing about our dilemma is...we have not gotten to remodeling our bedroom!  Seems I have a little more time to...influence the decision!   What bed do you like?

Til Next time....

Kroger Family of Stores Pound for Pound Challenge & *GIVEAWAY*

Congratulations to Comment #13 Mari. The Giveaway is now closed!  Thanks to everyone who entered!

     I have been a plus sized woman most of my adult life.  I have tried a little bit of everything to lose weight, but each time, I'd gain it right back.  This cycle was very frustrating and eventually, I just stopped trying. 

     My parents began watching the Biggest Loser last season, and they encouraged me to watch it.  When the new season began, I started watching and I became hooked.  The show is encouraging to me, because I know that if these people can lose weight, I CAN LOSE WEIGHT!  Watching the struggles they go through motivates me to go on, even during my darkest times. 

     The Kroger Co. Family of Stores, General Mills, NBC's hit TV Show "The Biggest Loser" and other key sponsors are partnering to donate up to $1,080,000 to Feeding America this year.  Feeding America is the nation’s leading domestic charitable hunger-relief organization.  Would you like to help?  All you have to do is visit www.pfpchallenge.com/Kroger to make your pledge to lose weight.  You can also get more information on the challenge and to find tools to change your life for the better. It is free, easy and only takes a minute to make a change that can help you and help the hungry in your local community.  Through June 30, 2010, for every pound you pledge to lose, the Pound For Pound Challenge will donate 14¢ to Feeding America.  That is enough to deliver one pound of groceries to a local food bank!

     I pledged to lose 50 pounds!  YES, I said 50 pounds!  I'm very serious about losing the weight and my pledge will provide 50 pounds of food to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, which is located at 3808 Tarheel Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609.  Do you have a few pounds to lose?  Want to make a difference in someones life?  Pledge to lose some pounds and help out people who are less fortunate that you are! 

     As the official supplier of the Biggest Loser Ranch and partner of the Pound for Pound Challenge, the Kroger Family of Stores wants to help you achieve your goals. If you´ve ever watched of the Biggest Loser, you may have seen several great General Mills products featured on the show. These products, including Yoplait Greek yogurt, Total, and Multigrain Cheerios, are available at your local Kroger Family of Stores and can help you stick to your weight management plan.  The Kroger Family of Stores includes Kroger, Fred Meyer, Ralph´s, King Soopers, City Market, Dillon's, Smith´s, Fry´s, QFC, Baker´s, Owen´s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Pay Less Super Markets and Scott´s Food & Pharmacy.  Which of these Kroger Family of Stores is near you? 

                                       Giveaway
To promote the Pound for Pound Challenge, the Kroger Family of Stores, along with General Mills are offering a $30 Kroger Gift Card that can be used at any Kroger Family Store. 

Wondering how you can win?  It's simple.  Just follow the rules listed below and enter!

Rules and Ways to Enter...
Main Entry:  Make a pledge to lose weight at the Pound For Pound Challenge and let me know you did.  If you don't have any weight to lose, tell me what things you do to help those less fortunate.
(This entry must be done in order for you to get credit for entering the giveaway and to be eligible for bonus entries)
Extra Entries:
#1:  Follow me publicly on Google Friend Connect and leave me a comment letting me know you did.
#2:  Follow me on Twitter @sleatham1 and leave me a comment with your twitter id.
#3:  Tweet the following and leave me the link in your comment.  You can tweet once daily for extra entries.
       Enter to win a $30 Kroger GC good at any Kroger Family of Stores @sleatham1 http://tinyurl.com/29zjbwt
#4:  Blog about this giveaway with a link back to Shelly's Bits & Pieces(http://sweepnsave.blogspot.com/) or place on a McLinky, or other contest sharing sites. Leave the URL to your blog post in the comment. (5 Extra entries)
Giveaway ends on June 17th at 11:59pm EST.  Winner will be contacted by email and has 48 hrs to respond.

Thanks for stopping by!
                             

The Kroger Family of Stores gift card, information, and giveaway were all provided by the Kroger Family of Stores and General Mills through MyBlogSpark!

Oreck Platinum Pilot Giveaway at Mom Knows It All

     Imagine my delight when, while reading through my email newsletters, I found out that Mom Knows It All is holding a giveaway for an Oreck Platinum Pilot Vacuum Cleaner!!  I have been battling with my crappy "dinosaur" vacuum for quite a while now, and have been praying for a new one.  Since my finances say NO, I was very happy to find this giveaway!  My old vacuum is only about 5 years old, but it has been through a rough time.  The cord had to be repaired, because one of our old dogs chewed it in half.  I have to unclog the hose at least once a week, because EVERYTHING clogs it up...and the filters for the machine are almost impossible to find...GRR! 
     It would be great to win the Oreck Platinum Pilot because it uses a unique ball-joint and pivot connection to get into most places, and because it weighs about 10 pounds!  If you're looking for a new vacuum, run on over and enter at Mom Knows It All!  Remember...You can't win if you don't enter. 

Until next time,