Cleaning Out and Updating

Guest post by Jewel Cole

I decided to go visit my grandmother since it's been two months since my grandfather passed away. I knew she was lonely and she was so overwhelmed with all the things that needed to be done around the house that had gone without getting done in her time of grieving. I thought I'd take a long weekend, stay with her, and spend some time with her while crossing some things off her to-do list. I'm glad I did. We had a great weekend. We were so productive that we were even able to add some new things to her list and finish those things as well. Closets clean, garage cleaned out and reorganized, new curtains hung, security system upgraded and the list goes on. I even had a chance to look at her cable, phone and internet providers and get her updated on those as well. While searching for a new internet provider, I came across http://www.satelliteinternetbroadband.com/hughesnet/. We decided that was a better fit for her now and that's when we decided to check her phone and cable packages too. My grandfather set those up several years ago and there were definitely better deals that my grandmother was missing out on. I'm glad I got to help my grandmother and she seemed a little more at ease to have so much done.

What 2011 Brought to A Mom From The Burbs

2011 had us working with some pretty awesome companies and also found us some new followers. I can't wait to see what 2012 brings for A Mom From The Burbs. It's been really fun holding giveaways for my readers and trying new products.

Because of the sheer amount of requests, I only brought my readers the products I thought they would be interested in. Some of the products were a big hit and some were flops. I think I'll have to research the products even closer before deciding if I want to take them on or not.

My hope for 2012 is that A Mom From The Burbs can continue gaining strength in the blog world.

I won't be accepting any new review requests until January 9th, 2012! It's kind of hard to think when the kids are home from school.

Happy New Year!

Retail Frustrations

I am so sick of how the whole Retail System works when it comes to when they put stuff out. I went online today to see if I could find any deals on Christmas items for next year. I was shocked to find that most stores have swimsuits already out!

It's still December! Why would I be thinking about summer right now? I mean, I LOVE the summer time but for pete's sake, let us get over the holiday hump before putting out summer items.

How many of you still need to purchase boots and other winter items? I know I still need to purchase boots but I probably won't be able to find them. Stores have become all about money and not about what the customer wants.

It's crazy to think that before the kids will be out of school for the summer, the stores will have back-to-school items already on the shelves. They don't even put the item lists out until a week before school starts so by the time we will be ready to purchase those items, there won't be any left. It's really frustrating.

What are your thoughts? Please leave me a comment below!

Ironing Boards and Crafting

Image via http://www.jandofabrics.com

Do any of you use your ironing boards for crafting? I personally don't own an ironing board but was thinking of getting one. I've heard of people using them to cut fabric or even do jewelry making on because of the amount of space they offer.

We use to have one when I was a kid and can remember making shirts with iron on transfers. It was fun making shirts with different images. I also remember that if you didn't wash the shirt inside out the image would start falling off.

If you have an ironing board and use it for crafting, what types of crafts do you use it for? Leave a comment below!!

Movies

Guest post written by Derick Burks

One of my favorite things about Direct TV Lexingtonis that we can watch new releases any time that we want without ever leaving the house. With little children it is really tough to get out of the house to go to see a movie. We have a seven month old and a two year old, and we have not been to the movies since our second one was born. We used to go to the movies all of the time, but with little children that has become virtually impossible. Instead, we rent movies through our program provider. It is a bit more expensive that getting a movie from Redbox, but it is way more convenient. The closest Redbox or Blockbuster is about 10 minutes from our house, so we would rather stay in than have to drive out to rent a movie. Plus, since we never get to go to the movies, we are always interested in the new releases. It is comical how our lifestyle has changed since we have had kids. I am so thankful for our two healthy children, but we certainly have had to do life differently since they came along.

We Have A Winner! ($50 Gift Card Giveaway Winner)

Congratulations Jill M #110! You are the winner of the $50 Gift Card Giveaway.

Thank you to everyone who entered! Have a VERY Merry Christmas!!


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Diary in the Attic by Cindy L Freeman (Book Review)

Diary in the Attic by Cindy L Freeman is about the death of Corrine Melton. She wasn't very well known by her co-workers but they soon find out some interesting things about her past soon after her passing.

The co-workers work to untangle the mystery surrounding Corrine's death as well as the death of her mother. Detectives believe Corrine murdered her mother but the co-workers don't believe it. While Corrine was not the nicest of co-workers they couldn't imagine she could be involved in the death of her mother.

Before Corrine's passing, she calls for Margaret, one of her co-workers, on her deathbed. Margaret believes Corrine thinks that she is her mother and is confused. It's only after Corrine's death that Margaret realizes Corrine did not think she was her mother after all.

Margaret works with a handsome detective to clear Corrine's name and to figure out what really happened to Corrine's mother.

What Did I Think of the Book?
There were points in the book that had me hooked and wanting more but then there were parts that I was just bored stiff. This book is your typical romance/mystery. The book isn't very long, only 99 pages but it gets it's point across.

Would I Recommend it to My Readers?
I would recommend this book to any readers who love stories of love and mystery. To purchase the book visit Dorrance Publishing's online store.

I give this book two out of five stars!!!


Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Diary in the Attic by Cindy L Freeman as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.