FiNallY, ThE ChiC BuD GiVeAwAY!

Okay, FINALLY, the giveaway. Since my lovely assistant was asleep last night, we got up at 6 AM to make this video. Please give us a break, we're new at this, so the quality is not great.

Thanks to all of you for entering. Those of you who are new, or lurkers, don't be strangers, come back again.




So, the winner (watch the video for the name, duh) has 48 hours to contact me with your name and address. Or else we do this again!

Enjoy the day!

PS, That is SO not my voice.
Is it?

A SeLfLeSs SaCriFiCe

Yes, for your amusement and to make sure that you can rest assured and KNOW that you are not as inept, forgetful, fashion backwards or unlucky as I am...

I will tell you about a few unfortunate incidents that have occured to me this week.

Exhibit #1

• I hid my work keys somewhere safe and I thought, handy; since I had no need for 3 dozen heavy keys from 3 different churches on my week-long jaunt about a Carribbean island
• I also cleaned out my car, so I wouldn't be *quite as embarrassed at leaving my 6 year old MomVan at the dealer's for a week
• I came home from vacation on Monday. As of 5 PM today, Thursday, I could not find them
• How well could I Freakin have hid them and WHATHAPPENEDTOMYMEMORY that I can't remember where I put them after only one week!!!??
• I'm beginning to panic here, people, this is not good for my blood pressure.
• I looked in a box in the laundry room
• I looked under my bed
• I looked in the shoe rack
• I looked in the garage
• I looked under the couch

Tonight at dinner, I found them.

In a box (aha! I KNEW it) that I had hidden under the skirt of the dining room chair I was sitting in. Yes, it was the first night this week that I actually sat at my dining room table. It's been a busy week back.

Whew.

Exhibit #2

• I went to get my hair cut today
• [on the plus side, my stylist (is that what you call the hair-cutter?) complimented me on the boxed hair color (medium brown) that I used on Monday in my desperation to hide my gray hair]
• on my way out, the receptionist asked me if I would like to have my eyebrows waxed for free.
• Hey! Wow! It's my birthday! Woot! Oh wait no, that was last week.
• Oh, shit. I must be bushy. No, wait, I don't have thick brows and while I'm pretty lax about tweezing, I don't have a lot of hair there and my brows have a pretty normal shape on their own.
• So, okay, why not? I explain to her that the last time I was waxed, I can still see some redness on my brow bone. A year later, people.
• I do realize that she is in fact, offering free waxing, not because I'm hairy or it's my birthday; but because she's trying to recuit new clients. Okay, cool.
• While in the chair (OUCHITHURTS!) she offers to do my upper lip area.
• F&*%, maybe I am hairy!?
• No, she says, even she (in all of her 24 years of glory) waxes there too. "Everybody does"
• Oh, hell, it's free too, so why not?
• HOLY MOTHER OF ALL THAT IS GOOD! WHATTHE H-- DID I JUST DO???!!!!
• That HHHHUUUURRRRRTTTSSS!
• I left sporting a lovely angry red puffy mustach and nuclear red eyebrows.
• And I had an errand to run at Wegman's. Such a lovely sight.
• Yeah, it was that pretty.
• Ummm, NO, there are no pictures.
  

About the GiVeAwaY

Okay, so I just came home to have my lovely assistant, Emma, pick a name for the contest and found her fast asleep on my bed.

:-(

With the TV on.

Despite the fact that her room wasn't cleaned.

From the tell-tale snores on the couch downstairs, I surmise that she wasn't well supervised in my absence.

Anyway, if I went ahead and picked a name without her, I would face an extremely disappointed genie tomorrow. (Oh, yes, she has assembled props for this event)

So, if I can rouse her early, I told her we'd shoot the video tomorrow before school.

Stay tuned, folks.

Testing

Okay, I got this cool signature from a link the ETW posted (thank you!)

But I'm an idiot and I can't figure out how to get it to be a part of my post template.

When I add the url, I get this:

http://www.mylivesignature.com/signatures/54487/90/0A3C0348987BD765FBF549B6D543A902.png

This is what I want, but I don't want to have to upload the picture file with every d&*% post.

Any ideas?

Please help me not be embarrassed!

Please go click here so I stay on the front page for more than 1 day.

I love you all and thankyouverymuch.


Okay, I *know it's silly, play along won't you? If you submit your blog, I'll click for you. ;-) Promise.

MWAH!

Oh...this pic is the one that I used for my blog image:
So, click on THAT one when you open up the Top Momma page. :-D

Back in the saddle again...

Or at least back in the US, home from sunny, tropical St. Kitt's.

I am hopelessly behind on all things blog related.

But I wanted to remind you that you can STILL enter the ChicBuds giveaway. (See previous post).

Yes, in another demonstration of the fine art of procrastination, I am swamped with back-to-work, back-to-school, catch-up-on-laundry stuff, so I don't think I will be able to have my lovely assistant, Emma, choose the winner until Thursday.

So, tell a friend, (or don't and keep your chances of winning at better odds). But really, tell your friends because ChicBuds are pretty cool and people should know about them. I read a Twitter that they're on RadioShack.com now. Go check them at at chicbuds.com and tell me if you don;t think they're the cutest. Really, I think you'll agree.

Oh, have I whined yet about how I left my camera charger AT HOME and thus my battery was EXHAUSTED by Monday and so, I have no pics, unless my husband can figure out how to get them off his video camera and onto a computer. DOn't hold your breath. Yes, indeed, after much handwringing and searching before I left, I found the camera computer cords, but FORGOT THE STOOPID CHARGER. Can you say "IDIOT". Yup, that was me.

Finally.... The GiveAway

Okay, so I've been MIA. I'm in St. Kitts, in the British West Indies and internet access costs $14.95 for 24 hours. Well, I've been offline for almost 3 days and I broke down tonight. DH is watching 24 and tomorrow AM he's golfing, so I can take my laptop to the pool deck and indulge without ridicule!

Sooo..... about the giveaway. I have one pair of black ChicBuds with blue swarovski crystals, courtesy of Kandi, from ChicBuds (You can follow her on Twitter... she's ChicBudsJr) Anyway, when I first heard about theses headphones, I thought they were just bling for your ears and Ipods. The first thing you notice are the cool colors and the crystals.

But that's not the best part.

They are RETRACTABLE!

Yes, they extend and retract so you can adjust them, depending on whether you're using them on your computer, Ipod, have them in your pocket, on your arm, whatever.

And NO MORE TANGLED HEADPHONES in your purse! (or where-ever!) That, to me, is the BEST part.

Really.

But the designs, colors and bling are cool too. Go on over to the ChicBuds website. Look at the designs to match your Ipod, designs for guys and all the colors of crystals.

So, leave me a comment, tell me about your current headphone woes, which design you like best (but remember the giveaway is for the black ones) My lovely assistant, Emma, will appear on video and choose a winner when I return.

Here I am wearing my ChicBuds on my way to my fabulous lunch with Heather and Andi. Yeah, I know, I never blogged about it. It was fabulous, they were witty and wonderful, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I sure hope they would too.

We interrupt ....

....this string of sad excuses posts for a little dish on RHOC.

Who watched?

For some good dish, go here or here.

My random thoughts:


Did you catch the cougar cousins line about the mouse tattoo? "Oh, you can't see it? Maybe the pussy ate it" Ick. Barf. Gag.

I couldn't believe the shit Vicki's son was giving her. She PAID for his cruise and he wouldn't go to her seminars? AYFKM?

Though there weren't many attendees, were there?

I wonder how much Gretchen keeps up with her college friends? Off-camera, I mean. GMAB, another girl's weekend? because she has such a rough life.

Kara was turning into a total bitch.. 2 floor apt, indeed.

Can't wait to hear about Jeana's date. Besides kids who treat her like crap, she seems so normal. And sad.

More excuses

Just so you know....

I would totally update my blog, but I can't seem to find the cord for my camera and so I can't download any pics. :-(

Weep with me for a moment.

Excuses, excuses

This...

...Is why I haven't been blogging.


My daughter gave me Twilight for Christmas and I finished it in a few days.

A friend from church found out that I liked it and has been feeding me the other books as quickly as I can devour them.

Last week I read New Moon.

He gave me Eclipse on Sunday.

I finished it this morning at 7:06 AM.

It's a miracle that my kids didn't miss their buses at 7:30 AM.

I need to go to work, but I REALLY want to read just a FEW pages of Breaking Dawn.

Is that so wrong?


Anyway.....

The ChicBuds are great. They're waay cool, but I have to arm wrestle my daughter for control of them.

Did you know that they also make RockBuds in cool patterns that are perfect for guys. Or for girls who aren't into bling.

Check 'em out here: www.chicbuds.com

I promise to do the giveaway this week BEFORE I go to St. Kitt's.

That is, I'm planning to go to St. Kitt's if DH and I are still speaking to each other.

We need to go to St. Kitt's to remind each other that we started out as best friends. Ever have those weeks?

I'm going to need another one of those girlfriend lunches soon. Andi? Heather? Karen? Lea? Anyone in driving distance? Lorrie?

Speaking of driving.....

The fam is going to NYC and CT for Greek Easter. (that's the week after American Easter and the start of April vacation here.) We plan on going to the NeW YanKeE STaDiuM in the city that never sleeps on Saturday (Lorrie? Yoohoo?), then on Monday after Greek Easter we are driving to Washington, DC to do the rite-of-passage family trip to the all of our national monuments.

We're dropping DH off at the airport Wednesday morning for a business trip to Dallas, then we are road-tripping back to Rochester. I imagine we'll be passing through Philly... or maybe Pittsburgh... or the Poconos..... Maybe a detour through Baltimore before that...anyone in a path of intersection between DC and Rochester that wants to meet for coffee or an ice cream cone or something... let me know.

I'll be back. A vampire is calling my name. And a werewolf.

Dammit, I have to work today.

Talk Amongst Yourselves

I have a few posts to catch up on:

• my fabulous lunch with Andi and Heather
• my ChicBuds review
• my ChicBuds Giveaway
• random observations

But in the meantime.... I leave you with this:

What did Bloggers do before they blogged?

Were you a journal writer? A diary-keeper?

Were you more or less socially connected in real life?

Do you consider yourself out-going or shy?

What have you given up to make more time for blogging?


P.S. If you know where the Traveling Bloggy Box of Goodness is, please raise your hand! (Then, email me)

LuNcH DaTe! or WooHoo, It's FriDaY!

I am taking a break from my ho-hum routine, playing hooky from errands, cleaning and work and going out to lunch with 2 Blogger Buddies.

One, I met in the fall for the first time and one I have only cyber-stalked.

Both of them live in the same metropolitan ( I take creative license with that term) area that I do.

Perhaps it's more accurate to say that we live in 3 suburbs of the same small Upstate NY city.

But no matter, the fact is that we are geographically close enough to meet for lunch.

Close enough to put gestures and faces and inflection to the banter that we are familiar with through blogs.

Close enough to expose gray roots and Mom jeans (NO! I kid!) and new hair cuts (sadly not mine).

Close enough to share a few laughs and maybe make new friends. Or at least close enough to eat together.

But far apart enough that we won't have to play hide and seek in Wegman's in case we don't want to do it again. ;-)

I think it's great to go out on a limb and meet someone new. I flew to Chicago in September to meet 4 women that I only knew from message boards. I even shared a room with one. Except for the fact that I probably snored, I think it went well. I had a great time and did something outside of my routine. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I'm meeting Heather and Andi.

Go check out their blogs. They're both humorous and observant and I'm really looking forward to lunch.

I'll fill you in later. :-)

Enjoy the day.

PS. I'll be wearing my ChicBuds out and about today! Don't forget the Give Away coming soon!

RaNtS and RaVeS - mini version!

RaNtS:

• DH. ... 'nuff said.
  
• laundry
• mean people who suck (someone stole DS's ipod out of his locker during wrestling practice)
  
• deadlines

RaVes:

• sunshine (THANK YOU, GOD!)
• communities - even virtual ones
• New opportunities
• Give-Aways
• ChicBuds!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, ChicBuds.

To the delight of my DD, I was given a pair of ChicBuds earphones to test drive this week.

She wants me to keep the white ones with pink crystals (her obvious choice) and I'm leaning towards the black ones with blue crystals.

After I do exhaustive test research on these, I will be giving away a pair.

Right here.

On this very blog.

I know. I'm shocked, too. I feel like I've been launched into the big leagues.

So, a HUGE shout out to ChicBuds and Kandi Brown who have made me hip and cool in my daughter's eyes and have made us both very excited to flaunt these, try them out, and review them.

And GIVE AWAY A PAIR TO ONE OF YOU!

Stay tuned for more details as I sashay my way around town with these babies.

They even make a Men's Designer series. This would be waay cool for Valentine's Day!

Go check'em out here: www.chicbuds.com

See you soon!

The SupahMommy giveway

Okay, here are the details of of the contest over at Supah D's blog:



Show this company some love. Ek- spesh-i - lee chosen for you: for

VALENTINE'S DAY

A collection of hand painted earthenware for you: the best mommy friends in alllllll the land ( echo voice). Valentine's theme. Why not treat yourself?Offered by my insanely funny and witty bloggy land friend Lorrie of

Our Name is Mud...is a Cinderella ceramics story. Owner Lorrie Veasey started the company by selling her unique pottery designs at small venues and street fairs held in New York CitY What began as a card table on a city sidewalk evolved over the course of ten years to a multi million dollar company, and has made a leader in the ceramic giftware industry.

Seriously. You. Will. Die. Lauging. At. Her. Creative. Genius.

Starbucks mugs: be gone with you. Pfaltzgraft? What's that?

Check this stuff out.

Everything Supah-D said is true. I ♥ Lorrie and Our Name is Mud.

The ONLY mugs I use for my morning coffee are my Domestic Goddess mug from Lorrie and my Opinions of a Broad "Bite Me" mug from Sheree. I ♥heart Sheree too!

So, quick! run over here to check out SupahMommy's giveaway. The rules are all posted clearly and the contest ends on February 7th.

I'm a SlaCkeR

I owe a shout out to Supah-D's giveaway

and

I have info about my

Very

First

Give

Away.

(With apologies to Lorrie and Sheree who both made me wonderful offers in December [which was not a good time for me to be creative since DH was in the hospital] and I dropped the ball...... but this one fell into my lap and they actually shipped the product to me after I just Tweeted a "hey, I'm interested".)

So, here I am.

Here's a hint:

They're chic.

And cool.

And girly.

And techie.

And you're sure to be the envy of your friends. Or at least your teenage daughter.

:-)

I'll be back.

And I will post about Supah-Ds giveaway. (It's from Our Name is Mud - you KNOW you don't want to miss out on that!)


.... Oh and did I mention that I went to see TWO movies last weekend? The kids and I saw Mall Cop on Saturday when DH was in FLORIDA; and DD and I went to see Hotel for Dogs during the you-know-what. Both were amusing. I don't know *when the last time I saw a movie before it went to the dollar theater or came out on DVD. I really want to see New in Town and a few others that are probably already GONE from the theaters.