Party in the Country

Posted on by Mandy

This past Friday night E.B. went to, hands down, the best children’s birthday party we’ve attended yet.  I normally tolerate kiddie birthday parties just for his sake, but I actually found myself enjoying this one so much, and it wasn’t because it was so over-the-top.  In fact, it’s simplicity and location were the very things that made this party such a hit.

Where?

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In the country.  Yes, you read that right.  The party was held in the middle of a cotton field that the birthday boy’s parents own.  This really allowed them to be “free-range” kids for 2 blissful hours.  They ran in the fields, they had a scavenger hunt atop a big hill, they enjoyed a hayride, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over an open fire, and absolutely wore themselves out.

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And the hill the kids were climbing?  Turns out, it’s an Indian mound.  The area of the Mississippi Delta that we live in has several of them, but I had never seen this one as it was tucked away on private property and surrounded by trees.  The Delta is very, very flat, so these usually stick out pretty obviously.  Once I discovered it was a mound I just had to go climb it for myself.  The view from atop was pretty cool.

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We came home with dirt on us from head to toe.

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But it was so much fun, and I decided that the world would be a better place if everyone had a place in the country they could go to.

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Bing “Our School Needs” Blog Tour

Posted on by Mandy

With so many school districts across the country having to eliminate teacher salaries and educational programs due to budget cuts, many schools are having to come up with some creative ways to raise money for the extras not provided in the school budget.  My son’s school collects Box Tops and Campbell’s soup labels, as well as sells giftwrap and a couple of other fundraisers to raise money for needed funds.  Every little bit helps.

Bing believes that every child deserves a great education and that’s why they are sponosring the “Our School Needs” contest.  The overall winning school will win $100,000 and three other schools will win a first prize of $50,000 each! 

To enter your school, visit Bing’s “Our School Needs” site for more details.  There will be 3 seperate categories for submissions: Grades K-6, 7-9, and 10-12.  

How It Works:

Step 1: Teachers and students can create an entry for their school, including a story of what their school needs, photos and videos optional.  Students under 18 will need a parent or guradian to submit the entry on their behalf. 

Step 2: Entries are made available for everyone to see and rate online. The 5 top rated submission in each category (15 total) is guaranteed a slot in the final panel.  Top rated submissions and the top editors picks will then be turned over to a distinguished panel of judges who will determine the 15 finalists.

Step 3: Voting begins on October 27. Students and teachers can submit entries until Friday, October 22.  Winners will be announced Tuesday, November 9.

You can also click here to watch this video that explains the submissions process.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Bing and received a DonorsChoose.org giving code and gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Holiday Shopping

Posted on by Mandy

I was just informed yesterday via a social networking site that there are only 2 months until the Christmas holidays.  Needless to say, I vow every year to be more prepared than the last, but it somehow never gets done and I find myself last minute shopping.

One thing our family definitely has to take care of is buying a new artificial tree.  Ours had to be retired after last year, and I’m just too lazy to take care of a live tree.  Of course, once that’s taken care of I’ll be on the search for more great holiday ornaments to adorn the tree with.

Gift giving is always an area I struggle the most with during the holiday season.  Unless someone specifically tells me what they want or need, I draw a complete blank when it comes to purchasing their gift.  I like to give gifts that are unique and that are also useful.  One favorite standby of mine, especially when it comes to the men in  my family, is magazine subscriptions.  From GQ, hunting and fishing magazines, to car enthusiast magazines, these always seem to be a hit.

I’m currently preparing for gift giving this year and will be considering monogrammed items, custom t-shirts, books and music, plus a few other items to find just the perfect thing.  I’m also vowing to be completely finished before Christmas Eve.

Business Insurance

Posted on by Mandy

Starting your own business can be exciting and profitable. Sometimes deciding to work for yourself can be one of the smartest career moves a person can make in life. I’ve often dreamed of owning a small bookstore. I love books and reading, but because I work in a bookstore now, I can see the enormous amounts of hard work and risks that go along with being a business owner.

Because business ownership can be risky, you’ll want to protect your investment with business insurance. There are many things to consider when insuring a business. Preparing to be covered for liabilities and insuring your place of business and inventory, if applicable, is one of the most important first steps in owning a business.

By shopping around for the best business insurance rate, you will have a chance to see what each individual insurance provider can offer you as well as make sure the agent you choose will be available to answer any questions you may have.

Any agency you consider should be able to provide you with business insurance quotes according to your needs as well as make suggestions if there are additional needs to consider that you may not have thought of.

Hormel- Get Back in the Swing of School Giveaway

Posted on by Mandy

By now, if you have children that attend school, I’m sure everyone is getting settled into their daily routine. It’s tough juggling homework and the morning rush. If you pack your child’s lunch, it can also be difficult coming up with a variety of options to keep their lunch from being boring.

Hormel Foods has a variety of mealtime and snack options that are perfect for busy mornings, crowded evenings and even to stash in your purse or car when you’re on-the-go:

•Sandwich & salad central: There’s no need to spend your entire morning making a lunch that will keep you going all afternoon. You can whip up a satisfying salad or sandwich that tastes great and is easy to bring along to work. Top a veggie-laden chef salad with your favorite cheese and a handful of Hormel® bacon toppings or top toasted whole-grain bread with the new varieties of Hormel® Natural Choice® lunch meat in brown sugar deli ham or mesquite deli turkey.
•Just say salsa: Salsa is quickly becoming the go-to condiment for kids and adults alike. For mild, hot and everything in between, CHI-CHI’S® Snackers® are the perfect on-the-go snack that comes in convenient 4-ounce single serving cups. Dip into them with chips or fresh, vegetable sticks for a snack that packs a healthy punch. To shake up your sandwich routine, swap salsa for mayonnaise and add a little kick to your midday meal.
•Let your mini sous chef step in: Ready to get inspired by your after-school snacker? Hormel® turkey pepperoni minis lend themselves to a world of snack time creativity. Have your kids join in on the fun and make English muffin pizzas, peppy pasta salad, or even pop them straight from the bag!

We recently received a fantastic package from Hormel to help us get back into the swing of school.

· Lunch tote: BUILT Market Tote

· Water Bottle: Plastic, BPA-Free Water Bottle

· Product samples of CHI-CHI’S® SNACKERS® and Hormel® pepperoni minis snac pacs

· Coupons for Hormel® Natural Choice® deli meats and Hormel® bacon toppings

The little individual Chi-Chi’s Snackers were a big hit with my son who has recently discovered that he loves nachos. I’ve mentioned before how much I love the Hormel Mini Pepperonis, but this lunch tote really blew me away. Since it was too girly-looking for my son, I have started taking it to work with me and I just love it!

Hormel has generously provided a prize package with the above products for one of my readers to help you get back into the swing of a new school year.

To Enter: Leave a comment on this post telling me what is the hardest thing about getting back into the school routine for your family. Deadline to enter is Friday, October 22, 2010 at 11 PM Central. U.S. Only. Void where prohibited.

BONUS ENTRIES:

After you have left a comment (see above), you can also earn up to 5 bonus entries! Choose as many (or all five) of the options below as you want:

1. Subscribe to Mommy Cracked in a reader by clicking here. (Leave a comment on this post telling me you did so).

2. Subscribe to Mommy Cracked by email and confirm the subscription. This option is in the sidebar. (Leave a comment on this post telling me you did so)

3. Tweet this contest and leave a comment on this post with your link on Twitter.

4. Click here to follow me on Twitter and leave a comment on this post telling me you did so.

5. Click here to become a fan of Mommy Cracked on Facebook and leave a comment on this post telling me you did so.

That’s it! Good luck!

I received the above products from Hormel in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Deer Hunting Season

Posted on by Mandy

There’s usually only a couple of stipulations to planning a wedding in the South, or at least where I live.  You don’t plan a wedding during SEC football season and you most certainly don’t plan a wedding during hunting season.  Doing so would guarantee that more than half the male population wouldn’t show up, the groom most likely included. 

The other day a friend posted this hysterical video on Facebook and I laughed until I cried, because all of the menfolk around here are gearing up for some serious deer hunting and I truly think they all believe this deep down:

Now don’t you appreciate the hunter in your life just a little more?