Friday, December 9, 2011

Serving Others This Holiday Season was a HUGE success again this year...


I am so excited to report back to all of you that our Serving Others This Holiday Season was a HUGE success again this year! Many families were touched and got to have a Christmas this year thanks to all your help!




Here are some of the people and companies that helped make this happen listed below...

Thank You again so very much and bless you all!!
 
Sweet Tomatoes







There are many other loving people and companies that helped and asked not to be listed here and wanted to remain anonymous. Thank You so very much to all of you and may the Lord Bless you and your families this holiday season! Merry Christmas to you all :)

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Today's Winners...

All are welcome to use this button to post on your blog or sidebar. You are all winners in my book :) 


And today's winners are... 


$50 HearthSong Gift Card...
Rebecca Graham

$50 Wind & Weather Gift Card...
Bored2quickly 

$260 Luggage Set...
Courtney B

$50 Magic Cabin Gift Card... 
Valerie Taylor Mabrey

Spy Kids DVD...
Angela Cisco 

Gallery Collection Card Set... 
Slinky

$50 Plow & Hearth Gift Card... 
Mary Ellen

Pair of Miraclebody Jeans... 
Gina

Softlips Winter Package... 
Jammie
WWillows6

Congrats to all the lucky winners! 

Please e-mail me your mailing info. to: tryingtostaycalm@gmail.com 


*Winners please respond within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen*

Monday, December 5, 2011

THE HELP Review...

THE HELP
Comes Home For The Holidays on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, Digital Download and On-Demand, December 6, 2011 

The Help, the inspirational summer hit film people can't stop talking about, arrives in homes just in time for the holidays, delivering this powerful story on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD, Digital Download and On-Demand, December 6, 2011.

The #1 New York Times bestseller by Kathryn Stockett comes to vivid life through the compelling performances of a phenomenal ensemble cast including Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Bryce Dallas Howard. The Help is a courageous and empowering story about very different and extraordinary women in the 1960s South who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project.

“Davis and Spencer are both brilliant”
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly


DISC SPECIFICATIONS:
STREET DATE:   December 6, 2011 

Feature Run Time: 138 minutes
Ratings: U.S.: PG-13/Canada: PG/Canadian French: G (Bonus Not Rated)
Aspect Ratio:   Blu-ray: 1.85:1
DVD: English, French Canadian, Spanish


Filled with poignancy, humor and hope — and complete with compelling, never-before-seen bonus features — The Help is a timeless, universal and triumphant story about the ability to create change.

The Help stars Emma Stone as the courageous Eugenia „Skeeter
Phelan, who goesagainst the beliefs of her family and friends to find her own voice. The critically praised, emotional performance of Viola Davis as Aibileen Clark, a woman who secretly dreams of one day having more than she has been given, offers a deep emotional storyline. The breakthrough performance of Octavia Spencer as Minny Jackson, whose sass and tough exterior disguise the pain and fear she faces every day, brings both drama and humor to the film. Bryce Dallas Howard breathes life into the catty Jackson socialite Hilly Holbrook and Jessica Chastain brings charm and humor as Celia Foote, a kind housewife living outside of town who longs to fit
in.
 

Our Review:
We loved this movie! At first we felt bad to see how people were treated differently because of the color of their skin, but you gain a love for these women as you get to know them and how they feel. I like Emma Stone's character (Skeeter), she doesn't like how all the white people treat the help so she writes a book about it. There are plenty of laughs in this movie too.

We loved when Skeeter changes one word in her newspaper column so everyone things they are suppose to put their old toilets on the lawn of one of the mean lady's in the movie. She comes out and throws a fit that all these toilets are on her lawn. We were rolling. Then when Minny gets fired she bakes a pie for the lady to say there are no hard feelings but she adds a little extra ingredient in the pie. You'll have to watch the movie to see what she puts in the pie but you'll die laughing. This movie gets you to think about how things were back then and how thankful we are that times have changed for the better. I would recommend seeing this movie.

The Blu-ray has tons of special features too. Deleted scenes, in their own words: a tribute to the maids of Mississippi - where they have people that lived through these times in the past tell some of their stories which is pretty interesting. Another thing I liked is the making of the Help how they talked about how hard it was to get anyone to back this film so they could make it and how they were all old friends that wanted to make this movie happen so they stuck to it and didn't give up, then things fell into place. 

Those who would like to stay connected with the exciting The Help...
 “Like”
the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/thehelpmovie
 Follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/helpmovie
 Visit
the website and mobile site: http://thehelpmovie.com/us/

DISCLAIMER: *I do not receive any money for my posts. I do however receive the review products at no charge to evaluate and express my opinion.*

Friday, December 2, 2011

Crayola Innovative Prize Pack Review and Giveaway...

Inspire hours of wonder, adventure and dreams by giving a child more than presents for the holidays. Crayola brings colorful ideas to life and allows kids to express everything imaginable by making it super easy for parents to find something that will unleash all kids´ original ideas with their Holiday Gift Guide at www.crayola.com/gifts.

From fun coloring and drawing products to activity toys -- every product inspires kids to explore, discover, play, pretend and dream. This holiday season, the Crayola Jewelry Boutique, Crayola Glow Book, Telescoping Crayon Tower and Ultimate Art Supply Kit will free your child´s originality, as they colorfully bring their ideas to life.

Here's some info. about each... 

Crayola Jewelry Boutique
With the new Crayola Jewelry Boutique, kids can become their own jewelry designers! Crayola put a unique "spin" on jewelry making with a special "jewelry spinner" that creates multi-colored beads using Crayola Model Magic. As kids spin their beads into shapes, they can string them together to create original bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and pendants that reflect their own personal style. Let the designing begin!
  • By combining eye-popping colors to create unique beads with the Jewelry Boutique "spinner," the amount of fun and creativity is endless because no two beads turn out exactly the same!
  • For a dazzling finish, coat designs with bead glaze. For even more sparkle and pizzazz, add gems, and interchangeable pendant and bracelet charms
Recommended for children ages 6+, each Jewelry Boutique kit includes 8 packs of Crayola Model Magic to mold 160 beads, 5 bracelet charms, 3 pendant charms, 2 shape cutters, a bead dryer rack, 5 toggle sets, 4 earring posts and ear wires, a bead punch, 18 gems, 2 necklace cords, 1 elastic cord, bead glaze, and the Jewelry Boutique Spinner with storage areas and retails for $24.99.

Crayola Glow Book
Let your kids´ imaginations run free this holiday season while creating glowing, moving art with the Crayola Glow Book. Turn the lights out and watch their artwork come alive on each page and appear as if it is actually moving!

Using special glowing-ink markers to draw on each of the four clear pages, kids can choose one of the four tracing guides to create original scenes, signs and messages, and arrange them in their desired order. Then, just hit the lights and allow your kids to wow you with wildly colorful, glowing animated scenes. Variable light settings create colorful, multi-layered effects. The Crayola Glow Book wipes off easily so kids can use their imaginations to create endless glowing artwork! A simple wet cloth will do.

Recommended for children ages 6+, the kit includes one Glow Book with 4 clear pages, 4 animation tracing guides and 6 glow markers and retails for $24.99.

Crayola´s Telescoping Crayon Tower and Ultimate Art Supply Case
For everyday inspiration and creativity, be sure to keep Crayola´s Telescoping Crayon Tower and all-inclusive Ultimate Art Supplies case handy, so they can always be prepared to create! Filled with crayons and all of the classic art tools for drawing and painting, kids can share their creativity through colorful works of art! 
The Telescoping Crayon Tower and Ultimate Art Supplies case make great gifts every child can use to jumpstart their creativity.
  • The Telescoping Crayon Tower puts limitless color at kids' fingertips and compacts neatly for storage with 150 Crayola Crayons and a built-in sharpener for extra convenience.
  • There are no limits to a child's imagination with the all-in-one, portable Ultimate Art Supply Kit.
Recommended for children 4+, the Ultimate Art Supply Kit contains 24 crayons, 8 washable broad line markers, 12 colored pencils, 8 washable watercolors, 1 paint brush, school glue, scissors, and colored paper and retails for $16.99. The Crayon Tower retails for $17.99. 

We love all the fun products Crayola comes out with. These are all awesome and would make great gifts!

Now here's the really exciting part... 

I get to give one lucky winner a prize pack that includes:
  • (1) Jewelry Boutique
  • (1) Glow Book
  • (1) 150-ct Crayon Tower
  • (1) Ultimate Art Supplies case
  • (almost an $85 value total)
To win...

Leave me a comment 1 entry
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(1 entry daily by clicking here)


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(please leave a comment for each entry) 


Giveaway ends on Tues. Jan. 3rd, 2012.

Disclosure: The Crayola Innovative Holiday prize pack, product information and prize pack for giveaway have been provided by Crayola through MyBlogSpark. *I do not receive any money for my posts. I do however receive the review products at no charge to evaluate and express my opinion.*