Wanchai Ferry Winner

Congrats to Amy 

Sneak Peek Walmart Black Friday Ad

I just got a sneak peek at the Walmart Black Friday ad. They have some goodies if your up for standing in line all night.

Here is the link to check it out

Walmart Black Friday Ad

Oregon Chai Twitter Party November 16th 2010

Do you like chai tea? Oh my I love it. I have tried many different brands of chai tea. I have also made if from scratch. There is not a brand out there that holds a candle to Oregon Chai Tea as far as I am concerned.

I just noticed on the website that The Original™ Chai Tea Latte Mix now comes in a 10 oz canister. Just thinking about it makes me want to run right out to Target and get a canister. 

Guess what here is the link to a $1 off coupon!

Now you know I printed mine right out!

Want to keep up to date on all things Oregon Chai?

Check out the Oregon Chai Facebook page 

or follow them @oregonchai on twitter

 I wanted to let all of you Oregon Chai Tea lovers out there know about an upcoming Oregon Chai  Twitter party. See the details below and write them down in your day planner so you don't forget. See ya there!

Oregon Chai is having its last Twitter party of the year on Tuesday, November 16, from 7 to 8 p.m. Central Standard Time.

Host and wellness expert Peggy Hall will be there to share her tips for staying calm and collected this holiday season as well as how to share the gift of Me Time with your loved ones. 

You’ll also be able to bring your own questions for her to answer. 

Did we mention prizes? We’ll be giving away a plethora of chai and other gifts. One lucky participant will even win a $100 grand prize! Follow @OregonChai and @PeggyHall to join in on the fun. The party hash tag to win is #OregonChai. We hope to see you there!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Oregon Chai.. All opinions expressed are my own!

Holiday Spending: A Handmade Holiday?

Like the name of my blog says times are tough. They are tough all over the country. The area that I live in has been on the news for the past three years as the highest in unemployment and the highest in foreclosures.

I mentioned to my family that maybe this year we should exchange handmade gifts. It didn't go over too well as you can imagine. Mind you all three of my children, two daughters and a son are very crafty. 

( One of my daughters is married and has two children of her own. My son also is out of the house with a girl friend and a 16 month old daughter.)

But they have been spoiled by better times and parents who wanted to give them what we didn't have when we were growing up. Even as adults my two oldest children think Christmas is still all about them. 

My youngest child who is 13 has had the hardest time of all my children as far as this economy goes. When I think back and remember the times ( when money wasn't a problem)  that I joked with my husband about how the youngest would be expecting a brand new car when she turned sixteen I cringe and think to myself just how different just a few years can make.

Any way........In the past I have made handmade items and given them to family and close friends. Then it wasn't a matter of money like it is now. Then I made things like cocoa mix, jam, cookies and candies because I wanted to and many people do not have the luxury of having a crafty person in their family. And they appreciated a homemade food item.

I have also made bath salts and soaps, sachet pillows and hand painted items. So I am very capable of creating beautiful handmade gifts. But the idea just didn't fly. 

Well the kids and grand children will get store bought gifts but not as many as they would have in years past. I am sure there are millions of other people in the same predicament.

What do you plan on doing this year? Would you ever consider exchanging homemade/handmade gifts?

Ten Tips for New Moms who are Bringing a Baby Home

Ten tips for new moms who are bringing a baby home

Now that your pregnancy is over. You survived labor and delivery. Yes there was a minute or two that you didn't think you'd make it but you did. 

Congradulations!

  Now you have that sweet little bundle of joy to bring home. 

Sorry to tell ya this while that warm fuzzy glow of new motherhood is still flushing your face but that was the easy part. Yep pregnancy, labor and delivery was the easy part. Sure was!

I would like to share a couple of tips with you. Yes I am qualified to dispense this practical advice. I have three children of my own and three grandchildren. The three children are 25, 20 and 13.

I am the mom, grammy and mother in-law who knows it all. Well not really but I have come to learn a bit in all these years of mothering.

1 Breast is best! If you were thinking about it please try. Your not only feeding your baby what mother nature intended but you are passing along all the immunities your own body has developed to your new baby. This will help your newborn be healthier then if they were bottle fed. If you are nursing and are having problems with the baby latching on call the La Leche League hotline and get the number for a support person in your area.

2 Accept any and all help offered. Unless it is a person who is really annoying to you. Then you should politely decline the help. If a friend or family member asks what they can do to help. Tell them something you need done. Did you leave a pile of laundry on the floor in your mad dash to the hospital? Let them wash and dry it for you before you go home.

3 Keep a supply of hand sanitizer near by. Have everyone use it before they pick up the baby. You don't want anyone passing along any nasties.

4 If your bottle feeding remember that the dishwasher will sanitize anything, bottles, nipples, binkies. Before bed prepare enough bottles for all the night time feeding and have them ready to go in the fridge.

5 If you can avoid taking your newborn out to any public places for the first two weeks. Do it. Most of the illnesses that are going around can and will be picked up in a public area where many people have been.

6 When your new baby seems fussy wrap him or her up tighly in a receiving blanket. For the first few weeks this helps them feel like they are still snuggled up warm inside your womb.

7 Nap when your baby naps. New mothers need lots of rest. Your new baby is getting use to their new surroundings and you are trying to get into the new schedule of new motherhood.

 If your running around crazy trying to get things done while the new little one is napping you are going to get worn out.  

8 Don't try to be super mom! The laundry can wait, the dishes are fine in the sink while you rest. Your babies father is capable of taking on some extra chores while you recover from giving birth. 

9 Drink plenty of water. If your breastfeeding this is even more important. Drinking water will help you get rid of all the extra water your body has been carrying around for the last 9 months. It will also keep you from getting dehydrated. Each time you sit down to feed your baby whether it is the breast or a bottle pour yourself a glass of water and drink it during the feeding time.

10 Enjoy your new baby. This is not the time to stress out about all of lives little frustrations and problems. I know this is a hard tip to swallow that why I left it for last. You baby will only be a newborn for a short time. You need to take this time to get to know each other and to bond. Tell your self you will worry about it later....whatever it might be. Take a week or two. Let someone else handle all the stressing things in your life. You husband, mother, friends and family can help cook, clean and help with other children in your family.

I hope these tips have helped you. Being a new mother is hard but it doesn't have be if you ask for help from your family and friends. This seems simple but I know it can be hard to ask for help sometimes.

Enjoy your new baby!

Disclosure “I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Lysol® Wee Wisdom blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here. 

Take the Rodelle Challenge

Take the Rodelle Challenge, share your passion for baking with us and enter to win a year supply of Rodelle gourmet baking essentials!

Share your memories for a chance to win.

Check out the Rodelle Challenge Facebook Page for all the details.

CLOSED: CSN Giveaway

 

I love shopping at all of the CSN websites. A few months ago I was lucky enough to win a blog giveaway. Oh it is so fun shopping on someone elses dime.

CSN was generous enough to offer me a $35 gift code for one of my lucky readers.

Isn't that great! You can either buy yourself a present if you win or start your Christmas shopping. If your a savy shopper pick out an item that offers free shipping and it won't cost you a dime of your $35 prize.

Look what you can get if you win my giveaway!

Rachael Ray “Bubble & Brown” 2-Piece Stoneware Baker Set in Green - 51030

 

I can't believe these Rachel Ray Bakeware sets are under $35

Have you ever checked out CSN's contest page? They have some awesome giveaways of their own.

Giveaway Details

Do you want to win a CSN $35 gift code? Of course you do.

 Rules

Giveaway ends November 21st, 2010 11:59 pm eastern

Please follow these rules. They are pretty simple. I do not check every single comment. But when I pick a winner I go through your entries to see if you did what you were suppose to do.

Mandatory Entry

All other entries will be deleted if you do not do this first.

Answer this question: If you win will you be shopping for yourself or for a gift?

Please leave an email address with at least your first comment! I have no way to contact you if you win. I will pick another winner at my own discretion if there is no email address left.

Extra Entries

                                                               

Would you like more chances to win?

 Of course you do! Here is a few ways to get some more entries into this awesome giveaway!

1) Like my Times Are Tuff Facebook page earns you 4 extra entires. If you are nice enough to say hello when you do you get a bonus entry.

Make sure you come back and leave me a comment with your Facebook account name.

Please leave the word BONUS in that comment.

(That makes 5 entries all together for liking my page and leaving a comment )

2) Follow my Times Are Tuff Blog on Google Friend Connect and leave me a comment letting me know. Two Extra entries. (Leave two comments)

3) Blog about my giveaway with a link back to my blog post earns you 5 extra entries. Leave 5 comments.

4) Follow Timesrrtuff on Twitter and tweet my giveaway. Leave me a comment with the link to your tweet. 2 extra entires

5) Daily tweets earn one extra entry each day. Come back each day and leave a comment with the link to your tweet.

6) Sign up for email updates to my blog earns you 3 entries. There is a place on the right sidebar!

You must confirm your email subscription for this to count!

7) Enter my Wanchai Macaroni Grill Giveaway  earn 1 more entry ( November 14th, 2010)

8) Enter my Pillsbury Love The Pie Giveaway ( Ends November 17th, 2010 )  and earn 1 more entry 

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

Disclosure: CSN Stores is allowing me to host this giveaway to help promote their products and website.No monetary compensation was received for this post.All opinions are my own.