So, I promise, this is my last post about Chuck. I really wouldn’t bombard you if I didn’t love Zachary Levi the show.

For my final post I want to talk about the Season 5 Finale. If you don’t remember let me refresh you, Sarah and Chuck are sitting on a beach side by side. The married couple reminisces and share one final kiss as the scene fades and then she makes that face. Do you think that that moment was the key in the lock to her lost memories?

The romantic in me believes that for whatever reason that kiss opens the gate of the memories that she has been suppressing. Alright, it’s all the romance novels I read, but still. This is one of those scenarios that you just have to go with “Love conquers all.”

Don’t forget that you can pre-order Chuck: The Complete Fifth Season on DVD by visiting http://bit.ly/HCQtVe and if you enter promo code “c5wbwrd” you will get 20% off!

Disclosure: I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for ‘Chuck.’ My words, my opinions, my life.

I know we are getting ready to enter into Summer but I couldn’t resist talking about the ‘Chuck Versus the Santa Suit’ episode from the fifth season. Basically it’s Christmas at the Buy More. Chuck’s sister Ellie is in full Christmas mode, meanwhile the Omen virus has infected computers worldwide. The virus causes holiday shoppers to panic and things get a little out of control.

Enter Black Friday choas, am I right??

Do you all remember a couple years ago when someone was killed by the stampede of people going into Walmart so now the store stays open all night long, but you don’t get the good deals until a certain time and they keep the palettes all covered up?

Anyway, last year during Black Friday my sister and I went to Walmart shortly after midnight. One of the big ticket items of the year were these Blu-Ray players that were $20. There was a HUGE palette of them all covered up with black plastic and people were crowded around about 4 deep. Fast forward to the magical hour when they took the black tarp off and there was all kinds of pushing, shoving and yelling as people tried to stake their claim on a box. Suddenly, a child started screaming and crying. Instantly a group of people started yelling at everyone else to stop because they were obviously crushing a small child. One large fellow started grabbing people and pulling them away from the palette. Long story short, there was no child. The child crying was well out of danger and was crying because his mom had left him in the cart to grab a Blu-Ray player.

Crazy right?!?

Want to know the funny part? After all was said and done and the large crowd got their players and dispersed, I calmly walked up to the paletter where there were over 50 players left, grabbed one and walked away.

It totally amazes me how crazy people get at these times of year.

Anyway, relive your own Black Friday traumas while watching the Complete Fifth Season of Chuck which can be pre-ordered here: http://bit.ly/HCQtVe. And enter promo code (c5wbwrd) for 20% off + free shipping from the WBShop.

If you are a fan of Chuck then the following featurette is for you! A thank you from the entire cast.

Disclosure: I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for ‘Chuck.’ My words, my opinions, my life.

Last month I was lucky enough to go to the opening night of Cirque du Soleil’s OVO here in Portland.

This is the 3rd Cirque show I have been lucky enough to attend and just like all the others it didn’t disappoint. And trust me, I was a little leery considering this show is all about bugs.

“OVO is a headlong rush into a colourful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. The insects’ home is a world of biodiversity and beauty filled with noisy action and moments of quiet emotion.

When a mysterious egg appears in their midst, the insects are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object that represents the enigma and cycles of their lives.

It’s love at first sight when a gawky, quirky insect arrives in this bustling community and a fabulous ladybug catches his eye – and the feeling is mutual.

OVO is overflowing with contrasts. The hidden, secret world at our feet is revealed as tender and torrid, noisy and quiet, peaceful and chaotic. And as the sun rises on a bright new day the vibrant cycle of insect life begins anew.

You know, what surprises me the most about all of the Cirque shows is their ability to portray humor when really non of the characters speak! Both my husband and I were laughing several times, and I had a grin on my face the entire time. It’s really hard not to when you are viewing such vibrant colors and don’t even get me started on some of their tricks!

Okay, well you got me started. There were several acts that were hugely impressive but by far my favorite is on called “Wall.” This act incorporates a rock wall, trampolines and some lizards. It’s a quick paced, high intensity act that had my heart pumping just watching!

In addition to the amazing acts I also love that the music is from the orchestra live, and their singer has just a simply beautiful voice that will tug at your core.

So, OVO is actually ending its run here in Portland on May 20th. But there is still time to get tickets, they would make a fantastic Mother’s Day gift for sure!

There is also a great deal going on just for Mother’s Day. You can get 25% off price level 1, 2 or 3 tickets on select performances. I will say that in order to receive the discount you need to be a Cirque Club member, but registration is fast and free, plus Cirque Club members receive advance access to the best seats under the Grand Chapiteau, ticket upgrades, partner promotions and insider information on the world of Cirque du Soleil!

Oh, and one more thing. I have a pair of tickets to the May 16th 8:00PM show in Portland to giveaway!!

TO ENTER (MANDATORY ENTRY):

• LEAVE A COMMENT TELLING ME WHY YOU WANT TO TREAT YOUR MOM, WIFE, OR FELLOW MOM TO THE SHOW

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THIS GIVEAWAY WILL END MAY 14TH AT 11:59PM PST AND IS ONLY OPEN TO THOSE THAT ARE ABLE TO ATTEND THE SHOW IN PORTLAND, OR ON MAY 16TH, 2012.
Please visit our OFFICIAL RULES page if you have any questions.

Disclosure: This giveaway was made possible by US Family Guide. I was not compensated. My words, my experience, my life.

The following post is inspired by BRICA®, whose motto is ‘Making Together Better’. It was written as an entry to win a sponsorship to the Type A Conference. Be sure to check out BRICA® on Facebook and Twitter.

It’s no secret that I became a step-mom at the age of 21. A step-mom to pre-teen girls no less.

It’s also no secret that raising these girls was a struggle for me. One that was filled with actions and behaviors that I am not proud of. After all, we were essentially growing up together.

Lastly, it’s no secret that those pre-teen girls have now grown into beautiful, amazing young women. Young women who I am immensely proud of.

Looking back, the biggest regret I have relating to my girls, was that I did not make enough time for us to just be together. I mean, it’s not like we never spent time together. Eating dinner as a family has always been a huge priority in our house, but really the occurances ended there. I always tried to be there for them when they needed me. I always worked behind the scenes, but that was my failure. Instead of stepping up and being proactive, I sat in the background and waited for them to come to me, which I’m sure just appeared to them that I didn’t care.

It’s through grace that I can recognize these failures and endeavor to correct them.

Our younger kids know that spending time together is something we value in our house. They look foward to movie nights that entail snuggling up together on the couch, bike rides on sunny days, and the occasional family trip.

Really, I have my older girls to thank for the memories that I’m making with my younger kids. And for making me carve out special time to spend with them one on one.

So, what does Making Together Better mean to me?

For me, Together is interchangable with Family. Making Family Better.

It’s never too late to change your family dynamic. It’s never too late to view each day as an opportunity to do something that will have a lasting impression on my children. And I don’t just mean my younger children. Just because my girls are now older and living on their own, doesn’t mean spending time together is any less important.

Granted it’s a bit harder now that they are older, especially since one of my daughters lives out of state, but we try not to let that stop us. Thankfully technology makes it easy to continue to be a part of each others lives and spend time together chatting on Skype or texting back and forth. Although the memories we make this way may seem unconventional, they are our memories, our SMILES, our HUGS.

My oldest daughter is now 21, she and her husband are expecting their first child next month.

I feel incredibly blessed knowing that very soon our togetherness as a family will include a small bundle of joy. I’m also excited about showing my daughter support as a fellow mother and seeing the STEPS she takes in this new JOURNEY of her LIFE. A journey that will include tears and LAUGHTER.

These experiences are how we will be Making Together Better.

Because ultimately as a family, we are in this together.

Raise your hand if you have been looking forward to seeing The Avengers?

Well, tonight is the night! Opening nationwide in theaters our favorite comic book heroes come together to save the world.

I gotta tell you, I was able to go and see a screening of the movie earlier this week and when I left the theater I was totally jazzed. One of my pet peeves when it comes to action flicks is all the slow parts that they seem to have. The Avengers didn’t have a slow part, I was enthralled throughout the entire movie.

Now to be honest, I do have a bit of a crush on Robert Downey, JR and since his character Tony Stark is in the film that probably led me to being so enthralled, but regardless it was a great action film. Quick story, I took my eldest daughter to the screening with me and she knows my love of Robert, (yes, we are on a first name basis.) As we were walking out she was giggling to herself, when I asked what was so funny she said, “You should have seen your face with Tony Stark came on screen, you were totally glowing and had the biggest grin on your face!”

I also like the inclusion of characters that haven’t had their own movie like The Hawk and Black Widow. The movie did a great job giving back story on their characters.

Now for my fellow RDJ fans, there is plenty of Iron Man in the movie.

Oh, one more thing, be prepared to laugh, A LOT! Seriously, I don’t know how many times I would be taken completely off guard by a humorous part of the movie. It was the perfect mix of action and comedy.

So hurry and grab your tickets and head to the theater. By Monday all your friends are going to be talking about it and you don’t want to be left out of the loop!

In honor of the movie opening, Marvel has been gracious enough to let me give away a prize pack from The Avengers. Here’s what you can win:

Pair of Limited Edition 3D Glasses

Set of 6 Avengers Buttons

The Avengers Adult Tshirt sizes S-XL

TO ENTER (MANDATORY):

• LEAVE A COMMENT TELLING ME WHO YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTER FROM THE MOVIE

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GIVEAWAY IS OPEN TO US AND CANADA, 18+ ONLY. ENDS WEDNESDAY, MAY 16TH AT MIDNIGHT PST

Be sure to ‘Like’ The Avengers on Facebook to keep up with all the happenings.

I’ve been a fan of the TV show Chuck since the first season. I love the mixture of comedy and suspense, plus I sorta, kinda, have a crush on the lead character, Zachary Levi.

Anywho, even though I’ve never had my brain stuffed with a ton of government info, there are a lot of things that happen on the show that are relatable to everyday life.

For instance, in the 3rd episode of Season 5, Morgan is acting like a bit of a douche because he is experiencing some side effects from Intersect. Chuck can’t quite figure out why his closest friend is behaving this way.

Okay, so I’ve never had a friend act this because a governmental agencies did something to them, but I have had friends whose behavior has suddenly changed and I’m left wondering why. I will admit that there are times when I’m quick to judge and just think to myself, “Wow, (insert name here) is being a total b*$@%#!” Of course once I step back and think about it more clearly, I realize that there must be some influence that is causing the behavior. It’s then that I be a good friend and touch base with them to see what’s really going on and if there is anyway I can help.

See! Totally relatable!

The complete 5th Season of Chuck releases on May 8th. Be sure to PREORDER it now and have it shipped on the day it releases!

Disclosure: I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for ‘Chuck.’ My words, my opinions, my life.

So, it’s Friday and time to think about what to do tonight or this weekend for date night.

If you’re like me and cracked up laughing watching the “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”, and now perhaps you are known to quote lines from the movie to your friends, then you should really see “The Five-Year Engagement” which stars Jason Segel and Emily Blunt. Maybe you haven’t seen “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”, well, you may recognize Jason Segel from “The Muppets” or the TV show “How I Met Your Mother.”

The Five-Year Engagement is the story of Tom and Violet who meet at a New Year’s Eve party and then one year later become engagement. Their engagement experiences some serious trip ups on their way down the aisle.

I can’t wait to watch this movie, especially since I can’t stop laughing every time I see the trailer and she talks about giving him the Cirque Du Soleil of shows..

Don’t know what I’m talking about? Watch this..

The movie opens tonight, April 27th, nationwide. I’ll be going to see it so you should too!

If you go before I do let me know what you think!

I know it is a total cliché, but it is hard to believe how quickly the time has gone by.

Perhaps, it’s because we wanted him for so long before we were finally blessed with him, or maybe it’s just because in my eyes he will always be the small bundle we brought home all those years ago.

Anyway, I know he has some seriously big wishes for his birthday and so do I.

Here are my 7 wishes for his 7th birthday..

1. I wish that your sense of humor continues to grow as much as your legs seem to.
2. I wish that you continue on your walk with the Lord and that you continue to have the courage to stand up for your faith.
3. I wish that your love for reading keeps growing!
4. I wish that you don’t get to old this year to give me a hug in public.
5. I wish that you keep being encouraging of your sister when you think no one is looking.
6. I wish that you will not eat us out of house and home. (Just kidding, sorta.)
7. And finally, I wish that you just keep on the path that you are on, because you are such an amazing little boy and I know I don’t tell you that nearly enough.

I don’t know what it is about the singers this season but I can’t stop myself.

I, like the millions of other watchers, have my favorites and I’m not shy to tell you who they are.

Phillip Phillips will get a post all of his own at some point I’m sure. This post is going to be about Colton Dixon, (pictured on bottom.)

Now, Colton has been on my radar since his somewhat forced audition in the beginning of the season. But it wasn’t until he say “Everything” by Lifehouse that he really stood out to me. First off, that song is one of my all time favorite worship songs and Colton seriously sung it out of the park. I was crying at the end, not just because he sung it so beautifully, but because at the end when speaking to Ryan, Colton proclaimed “God is my everything”.

Here is a kid who is having his dreams come true on national television and yet he is grounded enough to not lose sight of what is important, and ultimately who he has to thank for his gift. It was at that moment that I really started to look at myself and my walk with the Lord. I couldn’t help but ask myself that if I were in that situation would I be confident enough to put my faith out there or would I be too scared of rejection and the ill thoughts of those around me.

I’ve spoken of my belief in God here on my site before. Never anything too in depth and really it was when I was at my lowest of lows. I think many believers are the same way. It’s easy to talk to others about your faith when you are relying on it heavily, I think because you are in the now. You don’t have to think about it to talk about it, you’re living it right then and being touched or affected at that moment. It definitely lends to the fact that most believers don’t talk to God unless we need something. When do we pray? When we are scared, worried, sad. But why not when we are happy, ecstatic, or joyful?

I’m not trying to answer these question, I know I can’t. I just feel that for whatever reason God, being his wise self, chose what He had at his disposal to get me thinking about and re-evaluating how I take my walk with Him.

My thoughts came to a head this evening when I watched Colton’s run on American Idol end. It was at that moment that Colton showed grace. He apologized to America for not being himself the night before and saying some things he regretted. I think he had let the fame get a bit to him and this brought him crashing back to earth.

I don’t think I’ll see another exit from American Idol like Colton’s.

On his knees, praising God, and reconfirming that He is everything we need.

So, what happens when a mom gets to the end of her limit with her kids fighting, not listening and leaving their toys all over the place?

Back in the day this may have led the mom to drink copious amounts of wine, but really we do that anyway. No, in this day and age we jump on the ‘ol internets, log in to Pinterest and start surfing for some inspiration.

I gotta warn you. I am not the craftiest person ever. I mean, yes when the mood strikes me I can knock out a mean scrapbook page, but, as evident by the lack of craft posts on this site, don’t really have that bone in my brain that let’s me think up creative stuff on the fly.

That said, this is the idea that I found on Pinterest and then made.

What is it?

Why, it’s Mom’s Ransom Box!

The original idea came from Becki Madsen of Organic Families blog.

Simply explained, anytime the kids are fighting, not listening, or leave their toys laying around after being told repeatedly to pick them up, a toy goes in the box.

In order for the kids to get the toy out of the box they must select and complete a chore from the envelope. I’ve chosen about 10 chores that I know both my 5 and 7 year old and do. They range from sweeping the kitchen floor to cleaning the toilet in their bathroom. That last one might give some people pause, but I chose it because it’s a chore that doesn’t take a huge chunk of time to complete and I want them to take some pride over their area. By cleaning it they will be less likely to make it messy; hopefully.

We have already used the box once. Actually, about 5 minutes after I made it, it got it’s maiden voyage. The chores chosen?

Girl: Clean bathroom counter
Boy: Clean bathroom toilet

Yep, the toilet right out of the gate!

I have to admit, they did a really great job. When they were finished and were able to get their toys back they were happy and immediately took them up to their rooms. Then they were quick to tell their dad about the chores they did and showed him when it was time to take showers before bedtime.

Now, the kicker is, if a toy stays in the box for 5 days without a chore being completed the toy goes bye-bye. I’m still thinking about this, my husband and I are leaning towards having the kids take the toy to our local Domestic Abuse shelter to donate so that another child can enjoy it. But I don’t know if they will be able to focus on the fact that they are giving to someone else or if they will begin to resent the shelter because it’s taking their toys away.

I’d love to hear what you think, please leave your comment below!