Nanny Loves Prizes GIVEAWAY LINK-UP! ~Open 11/24 - 11/27

Time for another Giveaway Link-up because Nanny Loves Prizes!

  After last weeks fiasco {read my previous giveaway post for the details} I was so nervous about entering giveaways this week that I found myself double checking everything, even though I knew I followed, subscribed, tweeted, etc, I just wanted to be sure. I think I suffered from mild post-tramatic-giveaway-shock-disorder.  I am recovering, and even though I had a really busy schedule this week getting ready for our Black Friday thru Cyber Monday sale for my store and preparing for our visit to see the grandbabies for Thanksgiving, I did manage to enter some great giveaways.

One giveaway that I have really, really want to win is one of the Jumbies dolls.  Specifically, I wanted to win Darwin the Duck-Monkey.  Isn't he just the cutest?

I have been trying to win Darwin the Monkey-Duck for weeks, but so far I have had no luck.  I am currently entered in about 3 giveaways for him.  Sunday night the pressure just got to me and I went over to the Jumbies Store and bought him!  Well, him and two of his buddies (below).  How could I resist?  They are so inexpensive at just $7.95 each AND they offered $2.95 shipping for up to 3 Jumbies in a single order...so I had to buy 3 in order to take advantage of the great shipping rate.  Now I will probably win all three of the giveaways I am entered in, which will be 6 Jumbies that I will win since they all are for 2 Jumbies each.  I guess my grandbabies will get lots of Jumbies this year :)  I just could not help myself.

Yuri the MooseCow (Moose-Cow)

Zumbo the Zelephant (Zebra-Elephant)

While I am talking about great giveaways of toys...I also want to bring a little extra attention to the 4 Christmas Giveaways that I have going on over on my store's blog.  Our most recent one is a Double Giveaway because 2 Lucky Readers will Each Win a Zoobies 3-N-1 doll of their choice.  PLUS, if the you purchase a Zoobies from us now through the end of the Giveaway and then you Win, you will get your choice of another Zoobies or an eGift Card of equal value so you have a Winner Guarantee!  We have three other Christmas Giveaways too.  There is a GROOVY Girls Princess Seraphina Doll, an OLIVIA Musical Tin Tea Set, and ending on Monday is a Melissa & Doug Wooden Farm Touch & Feel Puzzle. 


Oh, I did win something this week.  It is a CP Dock Plug-in Shelf for my Cell phone from Just Another New Blog 

I can So use this!  My phone dangles off in the floor half the time that it is on the charger and I have to be careful not to step on it.  But soon that will not be a problem for me!

So, without further adieu, lets get to this weeks Giveaways!  What shall we enter this week???

This Giveaway Link-Up will be open through Saturday at Midnight so add your new giveaways through the remainder of the week.  For us Entrants...start now and keep coming back through Sunday to enter all of the great giveaways available.  What a great way to get some FREE Christmas Gifts!

If you are hosting a Giveaway on your blog, or would like to share a Giveaway that another blogger is hosting then please add it below! This is my Nanny Loves Prizes Weekly Giveaway Link-up that opens on Wednesdays and allows entries through Saturday at Midnight. If you are like me and love entering giveaways on the weekends when I have time to actually play on the computer instead of work, then be sure to check here every weekend for a bunch of Great Giveaways to Enter!

I love looking through images much better than reading text lines to find the giveaways that I want to enter so my giveaway linky has thumbnails of the item that is in the giveaway, not just the blog button.

Here are the 5 simple rules for adding Your Giveaway in Nanny's Giveaway Linky:

1) The giveaway item must be family oriented, no 'adult-only' giveaways please.  That doesn't mean the giveaway cannot be something for a grandma, or adult in general, but it cannot be on a site that requires you to be over 18 to view the page, if ya know what I mean.

2) The url link must take the reader directly to the giveaway post, NOT to your blog in general.  We don't want to have to search around for the giveaway post.  That takes valuable time away from our entries :)

3) The image you include must be of the item that your are giving away or the company logo, not your blog button.  If the giveaway item is a service or gift card then include their company logo.

4) I allowed 90 characters to describe your giveaway so please follow this format:  
Name of your blog ~ Name of Giveaway Item ~ Date giveaway ends.

5) No Spam, advertisements, etc. this is for legitimate giveaways only.

I will be entering these giveaways myself, so I will be checking that each giveaway link has followed the 5 simple rules above and I will delete any that do not.

Okay, what have you got for us this week?!?!

I Wish You and Yours a Very Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

My husband is So Multi-Talented!

He Really is.

He is the only man I know that can rebuild a BMW engine in a weekend...

...grade and level our 1 mile dirt road on his tractor in the evenings after work...

...totally re-wire the electrical on a house in a week...

 ...build a strip mall one summer...

...build a hi-fi stereo system from random components and make it sound like Willie Nelson is actually sitting in my livingroom singing to me...

...keep his wife Very Satisfied in the Romance department {blush}...

...and remove a toilet on his lunch break to fish the ZhuZhu pet out of the sewer line that my grandson flushed -without complaining too much.

 I am so blessed!

My Sweetie!

This post has been linked to the GRAND Social blogging event. If you are a grandma blogger, come join the event!

Nanny Loves Prizes GIVEAWAY LINK-UP ~open til 11/20

Time for another Giveaway Link-up because Nanny Loves Prizes!

I 'almost' won something this week.  I would never have known but I received an email from the blogger to say that I Won, but was disqualified because I was not on the Twitter follow list.  I specifically remember entering that contest and tweeting, subscribing, commenting, etc.  I did click on the 'follow' link right after posting my tweet about the giveaway, but apparently there was a glitch, or I left the page too quickly after clicking on the follow link so it didn't complete.  The fact that I did not confirm that my follow was completed was my fault, I accept that, but really, was is necessary to send me a snotty email to basically say (*I am paraphrasing here, they did not use these exact words, but this is the jest of what they meant)  "Oh, you Won! but we are not giving it to you, or giving you a chance to correct the one and only thing that you did not accomplish...we see your tweet, but darn, you didn't follow us there.  You did complete ALL of the other entry requirements, but Too Bad, So Sad, we are giving your prize to someone else."

It is not the point that they disqualified me for not following...I totally understand that, but to email me to rub it in is really poor PR in my opinion.  Okay, done venting.  Lets have some fun with other GREAT Giveaway Bloggers!

This Giveaway Link-Up will be open through Saturday at Midnight so add your new giveaways through the remainder of the week.  For us Entrants...start now and keep coming back through Sunday to enter all of the great giveaways available.  What a great way to get some FREE Christmas Gifts!

If you are hosting a Giveaway on your blog, or would like to share a Giveaway that another blogger is hosting then please add it below! This is my Nanny Loves Prizes Weekly Giveaway Link-up that opens on Wednesdays and allows entries through Saturday at Midnight. If you are like me and love entering giveaways on the weekends when I have time to actually play on the computer instead of work, then be sure to check here every weekend for a bunch of Great Giveaways to Enter!

I love looking through images much better than reading text lines to find the giveaways that I want to enter so my giveaway linky has thumbnails of the item that is in the giveaway, not just the blog button.

Here are the 5 simple rules for adding Your Giveaway in Nanny's Giveaway Linky:

1) The giveaway item must be family oriented, no 'adult-only' giveaways please.  That doesn't mean the giveaway cannot be something for a grandma, or adult in general, but it cannot be on a site that requires you to be over 18 to view the page, if ya know what I mean.

2) The url link must take the reader directly to the giveaway post, NOT to your blog in general.  We don't want to have to search around for the giveaway post.  That takes valuable time away from our entries :)

3) The image you include must be of the item that your are giving away or the company logo, not your blog button.  If the giveaway item is a service or gift card then include their company logo.

4) I allowed 90 characters to describe your giveaway so please follow this format:  
Name of your blog ~ Name of Giveaway Item ~ Date giveaway ends.

5) No Spam, advertisements, etc. this is for legitimate giveaways only.

I will be entering these giveaways myself, so I will be checking that each giveaway link has followed the 5 simple rules above and I will delete any that do not.

Okay, what have you got for us this week?!?!

Update Your Google and/or Blogger Profile So We Can FIND YOU! ~ Instructions included

Do you take the time to post a thoughtful comment about a blog, but don't receive any kind of reply from the blogger?  Do you participate in Blog Hops but don't seem to get many (or any) follow backs?  It may be because your Google Profile is not set up correctly.

Many times I get a really great comment on one of my posts and I want to reply to that commenter, but when I click on reply in my email program, it says the email address is "NoReply-Comment@blogger.com" because that person has their preferences set to NOT allow replies to their comments via email.  Another situation I run into is that I discover a new follower on my blog and I want to go see their blog and follow them back, but when I click on their profile picture I get a list of blogs that they are following, but no link to their own blog.  Why, because they have not taken the time to add their own blogs to their Google/Blogger profile.

If you don't want to share this information with everyone that clicks on your profile, then at least include your blog url in your comment so I can find you and your blog.  I ALWAYS follow back, unless your blog is terribly offensive or your comment was spam.  But if I cannot find your blog, then I cannot possibly follow you back.

You can have a perfectly wonderful blog, but if you don't share it with the world, no one will find it.  So Update your Google and/or Blogger profile today!  It is really easy to do. 

 Well, maybe 1, 2, 3....7, 8, 9.  But it is really easy!

Let's start with the Google Profile.  

1. Just go to http://google.com (if you are not already signed in, then sign in with your google ID).
2. At the top-right of the page you will see a link that says "Settings", click on it. 
3. Select "Google Account Settings"
4. In the First section titled "Profile" click on the link that says "Edit Profile"
5. Off to the right you see some check boxes that say "Display my full name..." you can check this box if you want your full name displayed but you don't have too.
6. The next one says "Allow people to contact me without displaying my email address" click that box so that when you comment on a post, the blogger can hit reply to the comment they receive via email and reply back to you to thank you for your comment, or to respond in some way to your comment.
7. Down below that you will see another section titled LINKS. You should see a list of blogs linked to you (Your blogs), if you don't, then you need to enter your blog URL and Blog Name in the spaces below to add them to the list.  If you have more than one blog (like I do) then add them all if you like.
8. To the right of that you will see "MY Links" to show what all links you have added.  You can put them in a different order if you like, such as the most important being at the top, by clicking on the up or down arrows next to each link. 
9. Before leaving this page, be sure to click the "Save Changes" link at the bottom.

Now let's update the Blogger Profile.

1. Follow the instructions from Steps 1, 2, and 3 above.
2. In the second section, under 'My Products' you will see "Blogger -Edit" ~ Click on the Edit link.
3. A new page opens that says User Profile.  The first option says "Share My Profile" that box should be checked.
4. Below that is the option to "Show My Email Address" this makes it possible for me to reply to your comments via email, (or find your email address if you Won a Giveaway) so check that box.
5. Below that is says "Show My Blogs" with a link that says "Select Blogs to Display" click on it.
6. A new page opens with a list of your blogs. Put a check in the boxes next to the blogs you want people to be able to find when they click on your profile picture in a GFC Follow box, or when you comment on a post. 
7. Be sure to click "Save the Settings" before leaving this page. 
8. Then click the "Edit Profile" link near the top to be taken back to your profile where you can do other things like add a picture and a Display Name, as well as some other general information that you may or may not want to share with others.
9. Before leaving this page, be sure to click the "Save Profile" link at the bottom.

Now when you post a comment on my blog (or anyone else's) and when someone clicks on your name or profile picture, they will be able to find YOUR blog too.  If you post a really thoughtful comment on my post, I will be able to reply with an equally thoughtful email back to you.

This is how we make the world a little smaller...by sharing and getting to know each other through our blogs. I hope this post was helpful.  It seemed like the easiest way to tell everyone at once about the situation where we cannot find you after you follow or comment.

Meet Me On Monday ~ Blog Hop

For weeks now I have read many of the blog posts from the Meet Me on Monday blog hop hosted by Java at Never Growing Old.  I never have time on Mondays to sit down and participate but this week I came home early with a Migraine and I am relaxing here in my cozy bed with my laptop so I thought,
"What the heck, it is her 22nd Edition, I think it's time I joined in the fun."

Every Sunday Java posts five get to know you questions that you can copy and paste into your own Monday post and we can all learn a little more about each and every one of us!!





Questions:

1.  Do you eat Sushi?
2.  What kind of bath soap do you use?
3.  How often do you talk to your Mom?
4.  What TV shows do you watch on a regular basis?
5.  Did you start Christmas shopping yet?

---------------------------------------------------------------
Here are My Answers!
Oh...this is me-->


1. Do you eat Sushi?
Yuck, NO WAY! Like Java, I don't even like to watch someone eat it!

2. What kind of bath soap do you use?
I use Suave body wash with exfoliating beads.  My skin is so sensitive that I can't hardly use anything to clean my face that doesn't break me out in a red rash. I have tried lots of expensive so-called hypoallergenic cleansers but they irritate my skin too.  Then I discovered this cheap body wash at Sam's Club that did not irritate my skin at all, so I buy it in bulk now, lol.


3. How often do talk to your mom?
My mother and I do not talk at all.  We have had a strained relationship since my birth and a few years ago I just stopped even trying. I have sort of a surrogate mother who I spend time with in a mother-daughter way, if fills the need for both of us since she never had a daughter herself.

4. What TV Show do you watch on a regular basis?
I don't have TV service (by choice), however I download The Daily Show with Jon Stewart because it is the only program I could not do without.  Many nights a week the hubs and I set up the laptop on the coffee table and watch Jon Stewart while we eat dinner.

5. Did you start your Christmas Shopping yet?
Yes and No.  I have thought about what I will get for my daughter and son-in-law, but I have not actually bought anything yet.  My grandkids are a different story.  I am always buying things for them so I have a nice stock pile of things that would make great Christmas or Birthday gifts. I will be going over their Wish List on our Thanksgiving visit so that is when the real shopping will begin.  The hubs and I don't buy gifts for each other.  We plan little romantic getaways, then after the Holiday is over we sneak off together.

Now I am going to go read everyone else's answers...Nice to Meet Ya!


This is a blog hop so if you want to put the linky on your post just click the "Get the Code" at the bottom of the linky.

Your link MUST include your Meet Me On Monday post or it will be deleted!

Also PLEASE either put the "Meet Me On Monday" button in your post or link your post back to Never Growing Old.  Java has found several people just posting the questions and answers in their post and no one knows that they actually belong to a meme and linky!

Mammograms are a Necessary Evil

I had a mammogram this week.  Not my first, and certainly not my last since I am approaching 50 years of age.  I have missed a few years due to a move to a new state and getting new doctors and all.  But felt that I really should get off my fanny and get in there for a new one.  What better time to plan such an event then Breast Cancer Awareness month?   So I called at the end of October and made my appointment.

I call it 'Necessary' because we women are all at risk of developing breast cancer...some at higher risk then others. After the age of 40 the risk increases dramatically.  I have tried to do the self-examinations but after having a breast reduction in 1998 I have so much scar tissue that I would not be able to discern one lumpy spot from another.  I am amazed that the mammogram can see through all of that, but apparently it can.

This is me in my gown waiting to go in.

I call it 'Evil' because it is not exactly a pleasant experience.  First they give you this gown with a waffle or thermal-looking pattern to it (see the picture below), that 'looks' like it might be really soft and comfortable, but it is not! This thing feels like you are wearing a cardboard egg carton.  I know that sounds like a really strange thing to describe the texture, but it really does feel like that!  Then they take you into the room with the large digital imaging equipment.  They have you hug this machine in a very awkward and slightly uncomfortable way as they lay your breast out on a clear plexi-glass plate and stretch it out.  Then another clear plexi-glass plate comes down on top of your breast. The top plate presses down until your breast looks a bit like a pancake and you think, "Oh Boy, please don't malfunction!".  The machine stops pressing just when you are ready to scream "Uncle" then the technician manually cranks the plate down just a bit more. 

See the texture? It LOOKS like it would be soft.

At this point you may think about running away, but you better not because they have got your breast securely pinned in this machine...you may leave, but your breast is not going with you.  Then you are told to 'Not Move' while she runs the digital imaging scan.  And you are done!  Well, not quite...she has to do the other breast.  And don't think you are done yet... you get to repeat this process with a sideways image of each breast too.  When you are done, you would love to really hate the woman that just squished your breasts in every position, but you can't because she is so darn nice.  She thanks you for coming in, asks if you have any questions, and patiently answers them...I really wanted to not like her, but I couldn't.

Three days after getting my Mammogram, my doctor called to let me know that everything looked just fine in the images!  I guess the peace of mind is worth it.  It is not as bad as getting a Pap Smear, that's for sure!  And now I don't have to worry about and dread doing it again -until my next Annual Mammogram appointment next November.  Mammograms are a Necessary Evil, that really isn't as evil as it sounds.  One of my dear friends would not be with us today if it had not been for a Mammogram that detected a cancerous lump in her breast.  Thank you Mercy Regional Breast Care Center!

Have you had a Mammogram before?  Do you get them Annually?  I would love to hear your thoughts...

Nanny Loves Prizes Giveaway Link-up 11/10

Time for another Giveaway Link-up because Nanny Loves Prizes!

I have been having such a great time with this Giveaway Link-up.  I have met several new bloggers, and we have become followers of each others blogs.  I have entered almost all of the giveaways that were listed in the linky last week and the week before.  And, I have WON some too!  In the last week I have Won 3 Giveaways!

Here is what I have won this week...

For Me ~ a LOVE Reusable Bags STASH IT in the 'Love Haight' design.  Retail Priced at $9.95
Won from: MomsReviews4You blog.  If you would like to buy one for yourself, visit their website to see all of their products by clicking HERE.

The STASH IT is a super convenient lightweight shopping bag that stuffs into it’s own attached stretchy pouch that can fit in your pocket or purse. Cleverly designed with a quick clip and it holds up to 35 lbs. It’s so fun and convenient, you’ll never forget your bags again.  The Dimensions are: 14”W x 13.5”H x 5.5” bottom gusset.

~.~     ~.~      ~.~     ~.~     ~.~     ~.~     ~.~     ~.~   

For my Granddaughter Sydney ~ a Book called Octopus Opposites from Barefoot Books Retail priced at $16.99 hardcover edition.
Won from: One+One=4 blog. If you want to buy this book or any of their other wonderful childrens books click HERE.

Octopus Opposites.  Empty, full; push, pull; young, old; hot, cold! The creatures in this vibrant book range from friendly elephants to exotic kookaburras, each with a pair of opposites to share. A companion to Alligator Alphabet and Counting Cockatoos, Octopus Opposites will encourage youngsters to find opposites all over the place in their own worlds. The learning continues at the end, where readers find out where each of the animals makes its home.   For Ages 1 to 4 years. Written By: Stella Blackstone and Illustrated By: Stephanie Bauer.

 
~.~     ~.~      ~.~     ~.~     ~.~     ~.~     ~.~     ~.~    

For use by Me & My Grandkids, I won Baby Signing Time Vol. 1

Retail Priced at $21.99
Won from: Oh So Savvy Mom blog.  If you would like to purchase this or any of their Baby Signing DVD's click HERE.

The magic and effectiveness of the Baby Signing Time videos is created by a combination of cute, engaging animation, an adult teacher (Rachel) who teaches the signs one at a time, simple and catchy songs, and children and babies who show off their signing skills thus encouraging your own little one to try.  Want to see something amazing? Watch the video of Amy's son at age 16 months doing sign language that she taught him with Baby Signing Time.

~.~     ~.~      ~.~     ~.~     ~.~     ~.~     ~.~     ~.~   

If you are hosting a Giveaway on your blog, or would like to share a Giveaway that another blogger is hosting then please add it below! This is my Nanny Loves Prizes Weekly Giveaway Link-up that opens on Wednesdays and allows entries through Saturday at Midnight. If you are like me and love entering giveaways on the weekends when I have time to actually play on the computer instead of work, then be sure to check here every weekend for a bunch of Great Giveaways to Enter!

I love looking through images much better than reading text lines to find the giveaways that I want to enter so my giveaway linky has thumbnails of the item that is in the giveaway, not just the blog button.

Here are the 5 simple rules for adding Your Giveaway in Nanny's Giveaway Linky:

1) The giveaway item must be family oriented, no 'adult-only' giveaways please.  That doesn't mean the giveaway cannot be something for a grandma, or adult in general, but it cannot be on a site that requires you to be over 18 to view the page, if ya know what I mean.

2) The url link must take the reader directly to the giveaway post, NOT to your blog in general.  We don't want to have to search around for the giveaway post.  That takes valuable time away from our entries :)

3) The image you include must be of the item that your are giving away or the company logo, not your blog button.  If the giveaway item is a service or gift card then include their company logo.

4) I allowed 90 characters to describe your giveaway so please follow this format: Name of your blog (or initials if it is too long) ~ Name of Giveaway Item ~ Date giveaway ends.

5) No Spam, advertisements, etc. this is for legitimate giveaways only.

I will be entering these giveaways myself, so I will be checking that each giveaway link has followed the 5 simple rules above and I will delete any that do not.

Okay, what have you got for us this week?!?!

Remember, this linky is open until Saturday at Midnight!  Please tweet about this new giveaway link-up...the more people that know about it, the more giveaways will be added so you don't have to hunt all over the internet to find great giveaways! 

Nanny Loves Prizes ~ Giveaway Link-Up 11-3

Time for another Giveaway Link-up because Nanny Loves Prizes!

If you are hosting a Giveaway on your blog, or would like to share a Giveaway that another blogger is hosting then please add it below! This is my new Weekly Giveaway Link-up that opens on Wednesdays and allows entries through Saturday at Midnight. If you are like me and love entering giveaways on the weekends when I have time to actually play on the computer instead of work, then be sure to check here every weekend for a bunch of Great Giveaways to Enter!

I love looking through images much better than reading text lines to find the giveaways that I want to enter so my giveaway linky has thumbnails of the item that is in the giveaway, not just the blog button.

Here are the 5 simple rules for adding Your Giveaway in Nanny's Giveaway Linky:

1) The giveaway item must be family oriented, no 'adult-only' giveaways please.  That doesn't mean the giveaway cannot be something for a grandma, or adult in general, but it cannot be on a site that requires you to be over 18 to view the page, if ya know what I mean.

2) The url link must take the reader directly to the giveaway post, NOT to your blog in general.  We don't want to have to search around for the giveaway post.  That takes valuable time away from our entries :)

3) The image you include must be of the item that your are giving away or the company logo, not your blog button.  If the giveaway item is a service or gift card then include their company logo.

4) I allowed 90 characters to describe your giveaway so please follow this format: Name of your blog (or initials if it is too long) ~ Name of Giveaway Item ~ Date giveaway ends.

5) No Spam, advertisements, etc. this is for legitimate giveaways only.

I will be entering these giveaways myself, so I will be checking that each giveaway link has followed the 5 simple rules above and I will delete any that do not.

Alright, lets have some fun...Show Us Your Giveaways!

Please tweet about this new giveaway link-up...the more people that know about it, the more giveaways will be added so you don't have to hunt all over the internet to find great giveaways!