Happy Friday!

It's been a couple/few weeks since I participated, but I'm spending a lot of time nursing and blog hopping seems like a good activity this weekend!  Please don't forget to leave me a comment if you decide to follow, I'd love to check your blog out!

Wordless Wednesday Dec 29

Announcing...

Sorry for the lack of posting over the last month. Things should start getting back to normal soon, I promise!

But onto the good stuff!

I'm now the mommy of a beautiful little girl!!!

CSN Preferred Blogger - Coffee Tables!

If you haven't figured it out by now, our apartment is a little on the small side.  Our living room is pretty much full with just a couple of recliners and end tables, but that doesn't seem to stop me from browsing for coffee tables!  We technically have one, a lift top similar to the one below.

I really like it, you can pull the table up to enjoy a small meal in front of the T.V. or just pull it up to keep whatever may be on it out of reach of little fingers!  It worked great when we had our sectional, but now that we've tried to downsize, I like the look of the rectangular ones.  I think we're avoiding sectional sofas from now on, so our corner table would look a little odd.  If we decide to get another coffee table, I would probably insist on another lift top, maybe one similar to this one!




What do you think?  Have you tried one of these styles?

Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming CSN review!

Friday!!

It's been a couple weeks since I joined in on a Friday hop!  I'm still not feeling all that great, but I'd like to welcome all new followers and if you all would leave me a link in the comments, I'd love to come check out your blog and return the favor!

Heart of Haiti

As you may remember from a previous post, I really like finding exotic and beautiful gifts that tell a story.  Here's another opportunity for artisans to get their goods and products out to the masses!  This time, I want to tell you about Heart of Haiti, available on Macys.com!

The Heart of Haiti collection has already led to employment of 350 artists in Haiti and has provided some financial benefits for an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people in the country.  Most items in the collection cost between $25 and $60 and are a great way to add those unique pieces (and stories!) to your home.

Through the sale of Heart of Haiti products, artisans are able to earn life-changing income for themselves, their families, and their communities. The initiative is enabling artisans to repair homes, pay school fees, and feed and clothe their families. The income also allows them to have access to better nutrition, improved education and healthcare.  You really can't go wrong in supporting this program, and the pieces are gorgeous!  Better yet, they're made from recycled materials (So you're supporting upcycling in another country!)

Go check out the pieces, and, if you like, come back here and share with us what your favorite is!

I have written this post to spread the word about Heart of Haiti through a Mom Bloggers Club member program and will receive a Heart of Haiti pendant as a thank you.

Chocolate Holidays!

Anyone who even kind-of/sort-of knows me, knows that I LOVE chocolate.  I love to eat it, share it, and give it as gifts.  Really, how can you go wrong if it's someone that you know loves chocolate?

I know an easy go-to (read: last minute, unfortunately) gift for my mom or sister is a nice box of chocolates.  There are SO many kinds available!  I will probably end up doing the same thing when Talker Man starts school, I personally know some teachers who would more than enjoy a box of Hershey's Pot of Gold candies!

If you get a chance, go check out the Hershey's holiday website for all kinds of awesome craft ideas!  There are so many, I personally like the Reese's Miniature Holiday Candy Tree.  What a great centerpiece or creative gift!

What do you like to do in terms of holiday candy?  Gift it?  Receive it?  Get creative?  Tell me your ideas!


By writing this post, I am entering a contest for a Hershey’s Pot of Gold prize pack as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club.

Show Your Helping Hand!

According to Feeding America, approximately 5.7 million different people receive emergency food assistance from the organization in any given week.

To raise awareness about the national issue of hunger, Hamburger Helper® is partnering with GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter and actor Tim McGraw to help Feeding America deliver millions of meals to local food banks through the Show Your Helping Hand™ campaign. McGraw will lend his voice to the campaign through a Public Service Announcement which will be distributed nationwide. Click here to view the PSA.

Support the campaign by submitting codes from specially marked boxes of Hamburger Helper at www.showyourhelpinghand.com or by logging on to make a donation. Hamburger Helper has already donated more than half a million dollars and will contribute up to an additional $100,000 to Feeding America through this program. Don’t think one code will make a difference? The 17 cents Hamburger Helper donates per code is enough for Feeding America to deliver one meal to a local food bank.

And your friends and family can also have a chance to win an autographed copy of Tim McGraw’s “Southern Voice” CD by visiting www.showyourhelpinghand.com.

Win!

Prize: Thanks to Hamburger Helper and MyBlogSpark, one lucky winner will be receiving the above pictured prize package, including a box of Hamburger Helper, a Hamburger Helper foam “Helping Hand” and a copy of Tim McGraw’s “Southern Voice” CD. In addition, Hamburger Helper will make a $10 donation to the Show Your Helping Hand™ campaign on your behalf!

Entries: I must be able to easily find an email address for the winner. If it isn't in your visible profile, please include it in your comment. If you're chosen and I can't find an email address, I'll be forced to choose another winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email before another winner is chosen.

This giveaway will run from today, December 1, 2010 until Wednesday, December 15, 2010.

Mandatory:
1) How do you and your family show YOUR helping hand?  Have you put in a Hamburger Helper code?  Do you donate things you no longer use?  Do you volunteer?  Share with us :)

Extras: (Please leave separate entries for each, each extra is worth 1 entry unless otherwise stated.)

2) Follow my blog.

3) Follow Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings on Twitter.

4) Tweet this giveaway (1 extra entry per day, please leave the tweet link) Can use: Show Your Helping Hand!  Enter to win a Hamburger Helper prize package from #myblogspark http://bit.ly/eUKiRV #giveaway

5) Subscribe to my blog feed.

6) Grab my button and display it on your blog.

7) Enter any of my other giveaways (1 extra entry for each giveaway entered, post separate comments)

8) Blog about this giveaway (5 entries, please post 5 comments)

Disclaimer: The above information, giveaway prize package and prize package provided to me were all supplied by Hamburger Helper through MyBlogSpark.

Sorry all!

I haven't totally disappeared, I promise!  Turns out the barely-able-to-function-exhaustion is hugely due to low iron.  They put me back on iron and hopefully I can start getting through the day without wanting to lay in bed 24/7 when the kids are napping.  I have some good posts in my head, they just need to be typed up.  I'll be back.  ;)