O'Charley's Review

Ok I'm not being asked to do this.  But going off that I am short of cash and the fact that I am always looking for deals.  I found one today eating with my sister in law.  We went to O'Charley's.  I'm here to tell you that I had some of the best fish and chips that I have ever had.

Not only was it scrumpous but it was reasonably priced.  Two meals for $14.99.  My sister in law and I both had a plate of fish with french fries.  The fish was light and crispy.  It came in three good size portions as well.  The meal was served with hot buns.  Those buns melt in your mouth literally.

If you have one that is local, please stop by and check it out.

Google Reader...wow

So my friend blueviolet over at A Nut in a Nutshell answered some questions on her blog awhile ago.  I decided to do the same questions.  Please be sure to check her out.

You're kind of crazy with your commenting. What gives?

I love love to read other blogs but I'm so far behind right now.  I am trying to catch up I promise.  But it seems that I keep falling behind no matter how I try.

I was trying to keep up with all of my followers blogs.  But honestly its impossible.

So following blueviolet's example, I am now using Google Reader to do the following:

I have a folder of Must Read blogs in my google reader. Once I find that I'm visiting a blog frequently, it goes in that folder.

My friends are automatically put in there.  I'm always looking for new and fun blogs to read.  Keep my interest..be funny I'm gonna follow you.

If you follow me, if you make comments on my blog.  I will follow you as well.  I love to visit the people that comment on my posts.  I love to learn more about my readers.  I love to share with you.

I am trying to read my Must Reads every day.  Now since I just started google reader, I have like a 1000 posts that show as new.  I'm doing my best to catch up with everyone.  I was behind before but I didn't know it was that much. 

If I find that I am leaving comments and never getting answers back... I will stop commenting.  Just like blueviolet, I don't like one-sided friendships. 

So if you are following me, expect that I am now a stalker of yours.  Ok ok I'm a friendly stalker.

Do you respond to every comment you receive?

A lot of times I answer your comments by email but sometimes I do it by stopping in at your blog.  I'm just finding it so consuming sometimes.  If you take the time to write a nice comment, I'm going to respond more than likely by email.  Please be patient though.  I do get behind.

I hate your giveaways. Why do you do them?

Well I have only done one of them.  I really liked it.  I expect that I will do more if... big if.. I can get sponsors.  If you want me to do a giveaway, please be sure to contact me.

How come you never post your awards?

So this question really doesn't apply to me.  I try to post all my awards.  I try to award them according to the rules.  I, also, try to never give an award out twice to the same person.  I simply love acknowledging my wonderful blogger friends and the new blogs I found. 

And another question of my own:  Will you being doing reviews in the future?

Yes, I plan on doing reviews in the future but I will always have a blog about something else on those days as well.  I don't want to become just one thing or another.

I love talking about my kids.  I love pictures.  I love sharing moments.  I love sharing things that I have experienced or will.  I love sharing my family's story.  But most of all, I love that you enjoy reading my blog.

I love you guys..  Now stop over and check out blueviolet.  You will appreciate her I promise.  She's great.

PR NOTE:  If you are interested in me doing a review or giveaway for you, please contact me at tami@heartsmakefamilies.com.  Thanks so much.

Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie Lee Curtis is a famous actress but were you aware that she wrote children's stories?  She wrote the book, "Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born".  Jamie Lee Curtis approached this book from the adoptive side of things.  She has adopted both of her children.

When a child, whether adopted or natural, asks you about how they were born.  They want to know all of the details.  How small they were.  How you felt when you first held or saw them.  And many other things.  In this book, I was able to explain to Faith how we felt.  I was able to adjust it to what happened with her.  I dreamed of the moment that Faith would come into our lives.  This book is so close to the actual experience that.  It even talks about the excitement of when the phone rings to tell you it is happening.  It is written in such a format that a small child could understand.  You can feel the magic of the experience when you are reading it. Faith loves this book.  She said that it was as if the author was speaking to her.  She just learned what an author was last week at school. 

The illustrations are vivid and happy, enriching the text and adding to the festive atmosphere. This book is about belonging to a family.  It celebrates adoption.  It's specifically good for out-of-town parents but its great for any kind of adoption.  You just have to explain how it fits your situation.  This book is a wonderful way to introduce the idea of adoption to your child.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is adopted, is an adoptive parent, or wants to talk to children about adoption.

Note:  This is only my opinion.  No one paid me to write about it.

Disney Hannah Montana Rock Star Electric Guitar

The advertisement was:  Sing a favorite tune with pal Hannah Montana and this rockin' electric guitar.  It plays the songs "Who Said," "Best of Both Worlds," and "This is the Life."  Features light-up, realistic strumming strings, volume and echo controls, plus a sing-along microphone that amplifies your voice.  Requires 4 "AA" batteries, included.  Guitar measures 24" x 8.5".

My daughter wanted this guitar over everything she wanted for Christmas last year.  She decided to tell me at the last minute as well.  So I drove all over until I finally found it at Walmart for $39.99.  I bought it.  I was so excited because I got that perfect thing she wanted from Santa Claus.  I had no clue that it would turn out to be the worst gift of all.

My husband and I always keep one gift out for the end of the night at our house.  The purpose is to hold that one special gift for them.  Just in case something goes wrong during the day which does happen. 

The guitar itself is fantastic but not the headset.  The headset wouldn't fit her head or my son's head.  In fact it didn't appear to be able to fit anyone's head.  So I tested that theory out the next day on several children's heads.  None of them fit. 

The tunes that it was supposed to play were very poor quality.  We could barely understand the words.  They seem to be coming out of a styrofoam box.

If you don't care about the music or the headset, I would recommend purchasing the guitar.  If your child wants to really act like a rock star like the advertisement proclaims, this is not the purchase for you.  Don't waste your money.

Note:  This opinion is solely mine.

Frustrated at Banks

Faith came home yesterday with this packet of information from school. In it was a letter from a local bank offering a Minibank program for the duration of their school year. This program is a great way to teach children the importance and responsibility of saving for the future, while at the same time gaining experience of doing their own banking. They are encouraging kids to come up with their own reasons for saving money. Whether it is for Christmas gifts, a new bike, their first car, or college tuition or anything else. Now the bank will be set up on Wednesday of every week in the lunchroom for the children to come and deposit money.

Now my feelings about this:

1. I believe in saving. Each of my kids has a piggy bank that they keep their money in. They have to spend it sometimes on things that I will not buy. They need to know that there are limits for what we will give them too.


2. I believe the sooner that you get your kids saving the best off for them.

But what frustrates me is:

1. I believe that we are in a recession so how many parents are going to be able to do this? I don't believe its fair to taxs the parents like this. My daughter knew what that paper was about when she got home.


2. Now all the bullies of the school know when kids will have money. You think they won't pressure the little kids for their money?


3. They said the program was during the school year so is it not free after school lets out?


4. You realize that this is the elementary school that she is going too. I think its a great marketing tool though. I mean the school system let this go home with all the students. Lets see: there are 4 first grade classes of 28-30 so thats 120 kids just in first grade.

I know I know..silly things. I would love someone's elses opinion on this. Sometime I wonder if I am way off base.

Trip to Kmart - YIKES!!!

Ok so I go to Kmart to get school clothing. I made a major mistake which nearly broke my heart. I let Faith to to the bathroom by herself after checking the restroom to make sure that it was empty. I was looking at toddler's clothing which is right next to the hall that goes into the bathroom. I knew no one could get into that bathroom without me seeing them. I got distracted looking at sweat suits while she was in there.

When she came out, she went the other way. Even though, she knew where I was. I didn't see her coming out. I went to check on her. It couldn't have been five minutes. She wasn't in the bathroom. So I started to call her name. No answer. Then there is this public announcement security call. Now I'm freaking out so I head for the front of the store. Then the announcement comes on again. If you have lost your daughter who is 6 please come to layaway.

Well I didn't know where layaway was but I started looking. I finally get there. She is fine but a little shaken. I'm very fortunate. She actually had a store clerk come up to her because she looked scared. I asked her why she didn't come to me after coming out of the bathroom. She forgot where I was. She had to have walked right by me. But she's ok!!! Thank God! I would have died if something bad had happened. That I can assure you will not happen again.

Ok so I finish shopping and go to the checkout lane. There is one lane open and that one is in training. So I knew right off it was going to be a while. I wait like 10 minutes before the cashier finally gets to me. I write a check for the first time since my wallet was stolen. The cashier puts it in her machine and it’s refused!!!! Now I know there is money in there but they refused my check. They said that this new company called Certegy Check Services told them to deny my check. Now I know what Chex Systems is but this new company I had no clue of. I was so embarrassed. All these customers are staring at me while I look for my credit card which I didn't want to use.

So I get home and I call this CERTEGY CHECK SERVICES. They told me that it was a clerical error. I'm still ticked.