New Game in Town

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PlayStation MOVE. All opinions are 100% mine.

There is a new game in town, and my family is anxiously awaiting its arrival in our home.

My boys have been big Playstation fans since the original console came out many years ago.

My daughter has enjoyed a variety of the action games, while the only one I really got into was a car racing one that we would all compete on.

Each console upgrade has brought us better graphics and action - keeping us all entertained over the years.

Now, enter the Playstation Move, which works with the current Playstation 3 game console.

Move over boys, this is one upgrade that Mom is going to be using more than she ever has.

There is one game I have my eye on - and I know it will be just mine.

The Get Fit with Mel B game would get me up to Move around and get in shape.

My son already has his eye on the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11.

I can't wait to see him physically teeing off in this game - right in the middle of the living room!

And I bet The Fight: Lights Out game will give my husband even more exercise than my Mel B one will give me.

I can just see us all - it will be hilarious and a lot of fun.

If you already have the Playstation3 console, then you can upgrade for just $99 with the MOVE Bundle package.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we will!

Cold Season Has Arrived

They are starting to succumb all around us.

One by one each family member has caught their first cold of the season.

It is closing in, and my fingers are crossed that my husband and I do not get it too.

Our little grandson has been with us all weekend, and I hope he is also immune.

Tried to keep the little hands clean the best we could.

We added some extra garlic and onions in the rice at lunch in hopes of some additional protection.

Meanwhile, we will supply the sickos with cough drops and decongestants and whatever else they need to get well.

Of course, we all know that they are most contagious before they even get sick.

Fingers are now doubly crossed!

The Swimming Was Grand!

The first day of autumn arrived yesterday, and what a glorious day it was!

It was the warmest day we have had in while - 82 degrees under the shade trees that still have leaves.

We hadn't been swimming in a week - the air temps have just been a tad too chilly.

But not today, this first day of fall.

Down to the lake we went, swimsuits on, and towels in tow.

With my thermometer, of course.

The water registered 65.4 degrees, and it felt pretty chilly on the feet.

But, we were there, and we were ready, so in we went.

The feet and legs adjusted quickly, but the arms kept the chill.

Such nice warm air to come out to - it was quite a grand swim.

Hopefully not the last - the weatherman says it is supposed to be 90 degrees on Friday.

And you know where we will be.

Reuse to Save Money and Our Planet

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Aladdin. All opinions are 100% mine.

Reusing just makes sense.

And by doing it wisely, it can keep more cents in our pockets.

The biggest benefit of all - it can help save our planet.

The resources it takes to make disposable bottles is ridiculous - seven million barrels of oil are used to produce the disposable bottles that Americans go through in one year.

I didn't even realize oil was used to make them - that is a big waste.

And speaking of waste - all those empty bottles are then added to the landfills - 137,000 each day in the US alone.

To help combat all this waste,  Aladdin has come up with the Do The Reuse Challenge .

This challenge is a 30 day commitment to give up all disposable water bottles, food containers, and paper cups.

By making coffee at home in the morning instead of buying it, one can save almost $500.

By putting that coffee in a reusable coffee mug, it will help put a dent in the 23 billion paper coffee cups that will be thrown away this year.

Now, if you really want to keep some of your hard earned dollars - take your lunch to work.

Saving over $2300 a year should make most people think twice about eating out every day.

These challenges are far from impossible and will make a big impact on our lives and the planet.

I have already signed up to take them - I am always interested in saving anything in any way I can.

Join Aladdin on Facebook to keep up with the progress of these challenges and the families who are blogging about them.

No Deals Today

The market trip was very disappointing today.

We never fail to find a few good deals - especially on the veggies and in the meat department.

There were none to be found today, and it really has me wondering what is going on.

No markdowns or coupons and even the regular sales were lacking any deals.

We were on the search for dinner, and I figured that if we can't find anything, then ground bison was always a good choice.

Low fat, great taste, and about the same price as the better ground beef.

Walking down the meat aisle, I grabbed the familiar package, but quickly put it back with a gasp.

The price read $7.29.

Two weeks ago, when we last bought it, it was $5.49.

That was a shock, especially after not finding any deals anywhere else.

If this is the way of things to come, things are going to get even tougher than they already are.

By nature, I usually try to keep a positive attitude, but this really got me down.

Lighting up on the meals isn't a bad idea, but I still need to feed us healthy food.

The junk is still fairly inexpensive, but junk is something I will not buy.

Time to take stock and fasten the belt a bit tighter.

The Fall TV Lineup

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of TiVo. All opinions are 100% mine.

The new Fall TV lineup has finally arrived with many of the new shows beginning tonight.

My favorite, Dancing With the Stars, will be the first one airing tonight and again tomorrow night.

My aunt in Texas and I are such big fans of this show and we have to call each other each week to discuss all the specifics.

And best of all we love to predict who is going home that night.

She is usually the one who is right - she is a former dancer and really knows what to look for with each contestant.

We get a kick out of it and are more excited about this season than some of the previous ones.

We like the amateurs who compete, not the professional dancers who have a huge advantage over everyone else.

And this season has no professionals for once - so it should be a good one!

And keeping it all organized is easy with the new TiVo Premiere.

This handy gadget can also keep you up to date on your favorite actors and their new projects.

Besides TV shows, this gadget can also search on the internet for movies and web videos - that has got to be my favorite feature of this new device.

Quite a powerful tool and it is all controlled by a cool Slide Remote.

It slides, just like a cell phone, to reveal a full qwerty keyboard - very handy for searching on the internet.

By joining the TiVo Facebook Fan Page, you can keep up with all their new innovations.

They are also having a "30 Slides in 30 Days" Sweepstakes, so be sure to Enter to Win that giveaway too.

This season promises to be a good one all around!

Riding a Motorcycle as Exercise

Okay, I know it isn't a strenuous thing, but riding a motorcycle does provide some exercise.

Not in the traditional sense, but it does require upper body strength and balance at all times.

I am the passenger, so my upper body doesn't get the workout my husband's does.

My legs and back get more of a work out though.

I hang-on with my legs quite often, and with no backrest, I need to keep upright at all times.

No slouching - I wouldn't want to flop off the back, especially on the powerful machine we drive.

We stopped at the lake today, but didn't go swimming.

The water temp was 67 degrees compared to the 68 degrees on Tuesday when we last went swimming.

The wind was gusting today - it would have made the swimming hard - it certainly required some extra hanging-on while on the bike.

We got home with just in time - within the hour a rain storm had moved in.

Glad we took the time to enjoy the warm afternoon - I'll take the motorcycle riding form of exercise any day!

Back to Floor Exercises

The last two days have not even been close to swimming days.

The air temps have not gone above the low 60's and it has been really damp and chilly.

I bet the water is still really nice, but we don't want to risk the chance of getting too chilled and catching colds.

The park is locked from now on, and we have to walk down to the lake - too far for getting out all wet and walking back in the cold air.

So - back to the floor exercises for me.

I haven't done them since the very beginning of summer, and I thought it was going to be tough.

I was quite surprised - I had no problem with any of them.

When I first made up this routine - about 10 years ago, it took weeks to be able to get through it - and the muscle pains almost had me immobile when I pressed too hard.

Guess the muscles remembered and didn't protest at all.

Perhaps the swimming helped, I don't know, but I won't complain!

9/10 and Still Swimming

This is a record for us.

Usually by August 31, we are done for the year - very rarely have we gone into September with us still in the water.

The next few days I will be recording the air and lake temperatures so I can use it as a record to go by in the future.

Today the air temp was 66.2 degrees and the water temp was 69.9 - almost 70.

It was very overcast - the clouds were quite gray, but it didn't rain all day.

The winds were very light compared to the past week.

It was a joy to swim in the calmer water without being swamped by the waves.

The winds were from the west instead of the south - perhaps that's why it was a bit calmer - they were coming from the land instead of the open lake.

We took the car down instead of the motorcycle - it was just a bit too nippy to be going 55 miles an hour for over 6 miles of traveling and be all wet from the water.

One other nice thing - the swim lines were gone.

It felt so free to be swimming in the open lake!

Apple Season

The apple orchard was open this past weekend when we took a ride up.

The pick your own option wasn't available yet, but they had a good selection to purchase in the barn.

My daughter and I decided to split a peck - we both were thinking along the same line.

Apple Crisp was going to be on menu sometime within the next few days.

She has already made hers - I will be making mine tomorrow.

I had to locate my little apple peeler/corer/slicer gadget.

A most ingenious invention - it certainly makes the job of readying the apples a real breeze.

A dollop of whipped cream right after the crisp comes out of the oven - and we will all be in heaven after dinner!

Free Sample for Baby

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boudreaux's Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% mine.

Free is always good.

And when it comes to babies, it is even better.

Babies are a great gift and joy in our lives, but one must admit, they certainly are expensive.

We strive to give them everything they need and keeping them in good health certainly keeps us breathing a sigh of relief.

Many things are preventable for these little guys, and one such thing is diaper rash.

If you have ever seen one on a poor little one's bum, then you understand why they are so miserable and tearful.

Using Boudreaux's Butt Paste on a little one's behind when regularly changing a diaper will prevent it from even breaking out with a rash.

Now that is worth it for everyone.

Keeping the baby happy is ultimately keeping the parents happy.

This ointment comes in several different sizes - a big 16 oz tub, several flip top tube sizes, and my favorite, a single use foil pack.

That single use pack is perfect for the diaper bag - how I wish they made these when I had my babies.

By going to the website for this product you will find the instructions for obtaining a free sample of this handy ointment.

Free is good, happy parents is really good, and a happy baby is the best.

Fidgeting Burns Calories

We may not give it much thought, but fidgeting burns calories.

It is considered a non-exercise activity, and it can burn an additional 300-800 calories a day.

It is put in the same category as stretching, changing posture, or getting up from a chair.

So, when you find yourself waiting in line, stuck in traffic, or watching TV commercials, think of it as an opportunity for exercising, and do some fidgeting.

Any kind of movement counts, and keeping those muscles moving is the important thing.