Possible FREE T-shirt

Ya'll know I'm ALL OVER T-shirts!! 

Especially FREE T-shirts! 

I LOVE this shirt and hope I'm one of the people randomly selected to get one!!

You can sign up for your (possible) t-shirt HERE!

This will also sign you up to be a Beta tester of THIT when it goes live.  From what I can tell, it's a new social networking innovation! I can't wait to see how it goes!!

P.S. This is the same as I posted on Money Saver Marci

Three Years Since our New Normal

I like to bring awareness about Traumatic Brain Injuries.  To let other people out there know that they're not alone in dealing with this.  Three years ago today, DH had his first brain surgery to put a shunt in.  It was supposed to be a routine surgery, and he would get out of the hospital in a couple of days.  For one day he was good.  He didn't have a bad headache, and was actually in a good mood.  Then they discharged him.  Since it was late, we stayed in the Fisher House overnight and during the night the vomiting began.  The next morning, he could barely stand up.  I put him in a wheelchair and Monster in his stroller and wheeled both up to the emergency room at the hospital.  Nothing.  They sent us home.  When we got home, DH went to bed and stayed there almost a week with the vomiting, and increasing lethargy.  So, I called his doctor.  We were told to go up for his appointment early in the morning even though it was in the afternoon.  They did an emergency CT scan, and blood work.  Everything turned out fine.  BUT...I'm very thankful that we had a good doctor that coould tell that there was something wrong with DH and admitted him to the hospital.  

After a day or so on the hospital, it was discovered that there was an infection in the shunt.  He was scheduled for surgery right away to remove the shunt.  After a week in the hospital, right at Monster's first birthday, DH was discharged home on IV antibiotics.  I had to learn how to mix them and administer his IV twice a day.  Then, the long uphill battle for DH to get his strength back so that he could go in for another brain surgery to put in another shunt...that took almost a year.  During that time, we've gotten used to our "New Normal".  DH has headaches all the time, sometimes he's wobbly when he walks, and he has a very bad memory.  But, I believe that we're never given more than we can handle.  Yes, we've been through a lot, but it has made our family stronger.  We appreciate our days together and we especially appreciate days when DH doesn't have bad headaches.  Hydrocephalus is a part of our life.  I'm constantly worried about a shunt malfunction.  I always try to make sure that DH is walking in a straight line, and there's some days he needs his walking stick.  Then, there's the days when he gets the really bad headaches.  Hydrocephalus never goes away, but it can be treated.  The brain damage that DH has because of the Hydrocephalus can never be fixed.  We just have to learn how to live with it. 

Daddy and Monster opening presents on Monster's first birthday! 

Maggie Bags Review and Giveaway

Ya'll know my LOVE of purses!  Especially unique purses!  Sooooo...I was able to review a Maggie Bags Cicily Tote! I chose the one in Chocolate and LOVE it! I also ordered the chocolate and pink wallet.  I'm really picky about my purses and wallets and Maggie Bags has delivered! 

Now, I have to say, this is NOT the first seat belt purse I own.  I got a different one a couple years ago, and like it, but it was so stiff and narrow that I can only use it for "pretty" days and not daily use.  Here's a picture of the inside of that one.

This is my normal stuff that I carry in a purse.  You can see it barely fits.  

This is that same stuff in my Maggie Bags Cicily Tote! There's room left over.

This is all the stuff that I had in both purses...yes it's a lot of stuff.

As far as quality...I'm in love and want another one!  I just have to wait until I save some money...LOL.

The thing that I like about seat belt bags is that they use recycled seat belts.  What happens is this.  The auto industry has extremely high standards, so there's a lot of seat belts that don't meet the specifications. What happens to all that extra stuff?  It's made into purses and other things. 

This is perfect for my everyday use.  It has the signature PURPLE Maggie Bags lining.  It holds everything AND...the wallet even holds everything.  I like the zipper part of it because it stays closed and it too has the PURPLE lining!! 

You can see it holds everything with room left over.  

And now, for the fun part!  Maggie Bags has been extremely nice and allowed me to have a giveaway of the Cicily tote!!

All you have to do is enter via the rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Earth Day 2013 and Glass Dharma Review and Giveaway

I've always been an eco-friendly type of person.  Growing up on a military base, you're taught not to litter, not even cigarette butts.  We were always struggling, so we saved cans to recycle for that little bit of extra money.  Now, as a grown up, I try to encourage Monster to do the same thing.  I try to stay away from plastic as much as possible. We recycle a lot of things here in the country, all the way down to the chicken poop (it makes GREAT fertilizer). 

You can see here, when we go to the Zoo, we take our own cups, and I use my Glass Dharma straw!  With a year pass, we end up going to the zoo a lot!

With Earth Day this year, I wanted to do something special, so I contacted my favorite glass straw company, Glass Dharma.  I've always had a thing about drinking from a cup and ALWAYS use a straw, so using a glass straw is more preferable to me than plastic straws.  They're also prettier in my opinion.  Whenever I use my glass straw in public, I get people asking about it and I love to spread the word to be more eco-friendly. 

What makes Glass Dharma straws so strong?  They use BOROSILICATE GLASS which is the same glass used in brands such as Pyrex.  These straws are dishwasher and microwave safe. There are also several different sizes available for anything from smoothies to tea.  They can also do some special orders if you prefer those really tall cups!!   

Earth Day 2013 is April 22.  This year, I'm having a giveaway for Earth Day.  I'm incredibly lucky that Glass Dharma is providing a $25 Gift Card for one lucky reader!  Also, if you go to Glass Dharma's Blog you can read about their "sip the world, Make a difference" project.

 

  When you make a PlanetCare Pledge you can get a PlanetCare package that includes coupons from Glass Dharma, Eco Lunch Boxes, Eco Bags, Pura Stainless, amd bambu. 

Now through March 31, 2013 you can enter to win a $25 gift card to Glass Dharma!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway