Hill's Pet Nutrition

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hills Pet Nutrition for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

So, I joined up on Social Spark.  I am still trying to figure it all out, so please bare with me.  However, you get to hear about some great products and deals. 

Our dog Dolly.  The kids LOVE to dress her up.  She's a good sport.

First off is Hill's Pet Nutrition

(I have to be honest, I think I have only tried some of the breath treats for dogs.  However, I may look into them more after reading about them.)

 

Here's Charlie.  He's such a love bug!

Here's the scoop:

 *Visit http://bit.ly/nT6qYu and research the Hill’s Healthy Mobility Challenge.  I know I am going to check it out. 

*Ycan register now and receive $30 in coupon offers.  Who couldn't use an extra $30 to use on their pets.

*Get this...registering automatically enters you in the Sweepstakes where 30 winners will receive FREE PET FOOD for a year!  That would save a bunch of $$!

*To get more information about Hill’s Science Diet dog food by visiting http://bit.ly/nh5LiQ.  Again, I will be doing some reading today.

*Did you know Hill’s Pet Nutrition is on Facebook? http://www.facebook.com/HillsP…  Who isn't on FB!

Again, some links for you:

Hill's Healthy Mobility Coupon

Hill's Pet Nutrition

Hill's Pet Nutrition on Facebook

just pulling photos out of the files

The kids have colds.  Not bad, but still sick.

We made a teranium for science...thanks Anne for the container.

C picked out the plants, some type of fern and a cactus.

Just about done.  For some reason the colors relax me.

Art...watercolor and cut outs (no drawing allowed, for the cut outs) to make a stormy day. 

C's...she always put so much thought into her art.  She wasn't sure what to draw in the sceen.  I suggested off of the top of my head a graveyard.  There you go. 

She always has the better water colors too!

Son's...um, blame the medicine or the goofy mood, or call it totally abstract art...

He took more of our cut pieces and made something out of it.

Let me explain...the thing on the bottom left is a boat with someone's arm, then there are birds lined up on the dripping glue, in the middle we have a hill, with a tree and a dinosaur, and then on the right is another hill.

He even added a 3D affect to the tree.

Mine.  It is much harder then you think to just cut out items without first drawing them.

They Are Onto Me

I had mentioned that I have been trying out new recipes without much success.

Here's the scoop.

I don't like to give some cooks a bad rep, so I won't really tell you whose cookbook I have been using.

However, she is married to a Jerry Seinfeld.

The main thrust of her cookbook is eating healthy (and who isn't trying to feed their family better).

She adds pureed vegies to almost everything.

Even desert.  These called for pureed carrots, but I was out.  So, I added pureed yellow squash.

Son took one bite and spit it out.  Seriously.  They weren't that bad.  Though too salty.  Hubby and can handle the "healthy" taste, but not the kids.

Her Spinach Chocolate Chip Mint Ice Cream was a thumbs down too.  I ate it all!  You have to like the taste of greek yogurt.  Can't taste the spinach, honest.

I have a few more to try and probably toss, but I will keep her trick of adding vegie purees to our food, though not religiously.

Just a word to famous cooks or those who are putting together a cookbook.  

PLEASE don't tell us "This is the best...I have ever eaten.", "Is this what Heaven smells like?"  and the like, until you've feed it to others outside of your family.  "Sounds too good to be true" fits in this case.

Alpacas...

We went to the Alpaca Farm today.

Pretty neat (for me anyway).

The little brown girl is only 2 weeks old.

These are all females.

Males.  Much friendlier.  One wanted to kiss people.

Here's C petting the baby.

Alpaca facts.  (let's see how much I can remember.)

From South America

From the camel family.

Can be breed two weeks ago giving birth!  These people wait longer.  (There were other breeding facts I will spare you.)

Need to be in a herd. 

Pretty gentle animals.

Do hum!  (that one's for the twins!)
Breed for their fleece.

Their hair/s are hollow which act as a great insulator.  (Something like R90 where our roof has R30?  Some factoid the lady put out there.)

You can't import them from South America any more.

Breeding them is catching on and growing.

A rug made from Alpaca fleece needs no washing; simply flip it over, sweep under the rug and walk on it.  You can hand wash if needed.

Their fleece is great.

  *socks will absorb wetness and not be wet.

  *she really went on about the fleece.

Their manure can go directly into the garden without burning your plants.

They have sweet breath.

Oh, one more interesting fact...the all go "to the bathroom" in the same spot.  (true.  we saw it.)

Just in case you wanted to learn more here's a site.

Random, Very Random

I have been going back between two pounds.  Gained two, lose two, gain two...I have prevailed and finally lost three!

I am going to have a few hours to myself today!

It seriously seems like everything I make for dinner lately is a miss.  I have been trying new recipes (more on that later) and have yet to find a good one.  Last night was a bomb and so we had not-so-yummy leftovers.  I left the table and the conversation turned to what it was like eating in the Depression.  "Is this what it was like?"  Son actually concluded that now is probably worse.  See what I mean.

I highly doubt the my beloved Red Sox are going into the post season.

We just came out of revival and man was it good.  God moved powerfully!

Need to come up with something for our church potluck this Sunday.  Something tried a proven.

Being Nosey

So our kids think I am nosey.

I ask them questions about everything really.

Even hubby agrees at times.

But I am the mom for goodness sake.  I NEED to know these things, right?

I know that some people believe that if you don't ask your kids/teens questions they will just talk and you'll be able to "tell".  Okay, maybe. 

So I am going to give it a try.  Only ask really important questions, like "How many fish sticks do you want?",
"How did you do on your math?"  (this one they do tell me w/o asking sometimes.)

I am going to see how this don't ask, they'll tell method works.

How about you?  Are you a nosey mom?

Calling all Post Cards

We are studying US History right now and I thought it would be grand to have a post card from each state.
When the kids where very little and homeschooling was not a thought in our minds, we had a huge US map in their room.  I had hung some post cards with strings (yarn) to the coordinating state.  A big HOWEVER, we got rid of it.  I kick myself everytime I think about it.  Anyway, we have a new US map and would love to do the same thing, just more in depth.  I also got inspired by this blog post.

Here's where you come in:

I know I have readers from all over.

Would you be so kind to send a post card of your state and maybe a bit about it...population, industry, etc.

How awesome that will be!

If you are willing, please comment with your email (if I can't get to your blog) and I will email you my info.

Thanks a bunch!

We have:
New Mexico
Coming:
Tennessee (I believe.)
Washington (I think.)
Utah (thanks Mandi!)
Hawaii
Illinois
Mass, VT & NH
California

Also, just for kicks, I have a poll on the top right hand side.  :)

Okay, I managed to take a few photos.

Picked these up at WalMart.

(imagine them right side up.)

White Chocolate Candy Corn M&M's...VERY sweet.  They have a hint of candy corn flavor otherwise just candy coated white chocolate.  Not complaining, but won't buy again.

The kids even said they were too sweet.

Another goodie I bought while grocery shopping...Pumpkin Pie Bar mix.  I usually make my own desserts, but I am longing for Autumn and Daughter loves to bakes. 

Yesterday morning, outside of our gargage.  Every Sept. hot air balloons fly over the city.  We almost always get them over our house, landing in our street (twice).  This year the closest we got was this lone balloon.

Now off to:

finish putting away the groceries

laundry

straighten house

dishes

iron

you get the picture

Thanks for your comments...they really make me feel loved!

busy busy busy

is anybody still out there?

i know i have been a bad blogger.

we have been almost crazy busy.

between homeschooling, revival (awesome), life, errands, life, i have not taken many photos or found time to blog.

will you forgive me?
i promise to blog here soon, if you promise to comment.
it makes me feel good. ;)

ten on ten

awhile ago i saw a blog post featuring ten photos of the blogger's day on the tenth of the month.  i have been wanting to do this for some time.  i finally did.  here's my 10 on the 10th.   i don't know if the blogger is still actively doing this, but what the hey!  it's a great idea.

caught up on my blogs, etc. while i ate breakfast.

picked up daughter from sleep over.  we really do clean our car.  it's just very dusty here.

had tuna, iced decaf and kettle corn for lunch.

ironed

enjoying some cooler temps

went to another party.  daughter drove us there.

returned book for daughter to the library.

did some errands.

had an evening concert/healing crusade at a local park.  here's my friend anne of alamo talking to a lady about Jesus.

the rap group.  a friend and i prayed with to young ladies.  the Holy Ghost was in that witness.  awesome!

where were you?

i know that ALL over the web, radio and tv the talk is about 9/11.  i for one was getting "tired" of it, a bit, if i may be honest.  however, i did watch two videos this morning that brought me back to that morning.

i remember it was around 8-ish here.
i was getting our daughter and myself breakfast.  (i don't even remember where our son was at that time.)
for some reason i was chatting with my sister-in-law in the phone.
the radio was on...NPR.
i remember as my SIL was talking hearing the words on the radio announce that the first plane had struck the  tower.
i mentioned it to my SIL.
like so many other people didn't think too much of it.
then the second one struck.
i felt like the rug was pulled out from under me.
i told her to turn on her radio and what had just happened.
we hung up.
i remember thinking, what in the world?
i don't remember if i called hubby or not.
only i was in a numb state.
(what will happen now?  what does this mean?  will hubby be called back into service?)
even though we were far from the scenes i felt unsafe.
daughter was in kindergarten and it was half day.
i took her to school, numbly going through our routine.
there, i noticed there wasn't as many people.
one mom and i talked.
she being an air force wife felt the sting even more.
i remember her telling me. "that bringing the kids to school is good.  it keeps them in there routine."
i think hubby came home early.
we went to a friend's house to watch it all on tv. 
those images are FOREVER etched into my heart.

after a few days of being glued to the radio and internet, flags showing up everywhere, one vision sticks in my head...
i was at the school dropping of daughter when a few jets flew overheard from our air force base.
those jets, those pilots became real to me.
i remember thinking, that jet noise sure holds a lot more weight.
and those pilots may go and fight and never come back.
sobering.

how has 9/11 changed me?
while my flag isn't flying as much i would like to think i have more of an American pride.a level of safety was taken and still lingers.
honestly, i feel a certain uneasiness, distrust towards a certain race of people.
i hope though that the events of 9/11 have brought some sort of maturity.
i feel more connected to past generations who have seen and lived through similar events.
i say thank you to more military personnel now.

as i end this post, i know that America is still divided on so many fronts.
i know that the world we live in is different than 10 years ago.
i also know that God is still in control and it is upon Him i stand.

God bless America today and every day.

rag rug

i finally tried my hand at making a rag rug.

(these pics are taken from the laptop.  all of our camera batteries are dead.)

my first attempt looked more like a very loose hat.

i rewatched the videos. (she has the best tuts!)

this one is actually my second one.  i am using material here.  this is not finished.

my first one (well third attempt).  using old t-shirts.  not done either.  this one's going in to our laundry room.

or i may start a new fashion trend!

have a great day!

is it september already!?

where did the time go?
have you seen it?

this month i want to...
remember my sister's b-day
take the kids to see alpacas
exercise more
have some ladies over
not get mad at hubby hunting so much
make my first peach pie
spend more time with God
do some art with the kids

****************************
just because i know you like photos:
here's one of me in the 70's.

Another Zucchini Recipe

ok, so the title is a bit misleading.

i don't really have a zucchini recipe for you.

More of a handy hint, with lots of photos to get my point across for your enjoyment.

you can do this with any zuc bread recipe.

cut up zucs like so.

just throwing in our little compost container (this goes out to the outside composter).

put eggs, oil, vanilla, and zucs  in the blender along with any other liquids. 

you can also add half of an orange, rind and all (minus seeds) at this point.  you won't regret it.

give a whirl on puree setting.

pour it into your dry mix.  mix as usual.

bake as instructed and enjoy.

and please if you're still reading, my comment button is lonely.  thanks!