Mr. Chewy (Pet Food & Supplies) $25.00 Giveaway

December 28, 2011 By

The other day I wrote a review about an online pet food supplier called Mr. Chewy. Here is the review if you would like to take a moment to read it, http://www.shescribes.com/2011/12/have-pet-food-delivered-right-to-your-door-with-mr-chewy.html.

I would like to add to the review that their customer service is awesome. I am extremely pleased with my experience with Mr. Chew from start to finish. They have a new customer in me!

The more I think about an online pet food (and some supplies) delivery service, the more I like that idea.

I am not a lazy person (although I find excuses to put off cleaning as long as I can :-) ). But the idea of lugging a 15 pound bag of dog food or cat food up six flights of steps is not something I look forward to. Thank goodness for my husband. If it wasn’t for him I don’t know how I would get the dog food, cat food and kitty litter up stairs into our condo.

I really like the idea of ordering pet food online and having it delivered right to my door. My husband is not getting any younger and our UPS and FedEx delivery guys are all young and strong. I think they can handle it a bit better then my husband.

The other day I was thinking about the Winter too (that is my dog, above, taken last Winter). When it’s bitterly cold outside the last thing I want to do is bundle up, sit in a freezing car until it warms up and then head down to the grocery store. I rather just open my front doo and find it waiting for me. :-)

Mr. Chewy has a delivery program where you can schedule deliveries of pet foods and other products. My husband and I are seriously considering that. In the new year we’re going to keep track of how quickly we need to buy more food and litter for our dog and cats. Once we have an idea of how often we need to replenish we’ll look into Mr. Chewy’s automatically delivery option. It would be nice not having to worry about the pet foods and to know that we’ll always have enough.

Thankfully Mr. Chewy offers a variety of brand name pet foods. They also have some I have never heard of before but that is pretty cool too since some of those are all natural and actually better options then some of the brand names.

Shipping on order $49 and over is FREE and shipping on orders under $49 is only $4.95. Usually shipping is what prevents people from placing orders online. I honestly would have thought they would ship by weight, in which case the 16.5 pound bag of cat food we just ordered would have cost more then the food it’s self.

My order even shipped in two boxes with no additional shipping and handling fees.

Mr. Chew also donates to charity. When you refer a friend and they place an order they will receive a 10% discount if they use your special code. In turn Mr. Chewy will donate $10.00 to one of the three pet charities they work with or you can opt to have the money split 3 ways (that is how mine is set up).

If you make a purchase on Mr. Chew use the discount code SHES1013 for 10% off your first order.

If you’d like to check out Mr. Chewy please visit www.MrChewy.com.

Mr. Chewy has generously offered a $25.00 gift code for al lucky reader. The code will be delivered via e-mail ASAP so you can use it right away. Thank you Mr. Chewy!

To enter please comment on what you would like to purchase at Mr. Chewy if you were the lucky winner.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional.

- Subscribe to She Scribes via E-mail or RSS. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” Mr. Chewy on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/MrChewyPets.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- Follow Mr. Chewy on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/MrChewy.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter (www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes) and tweet about this giveaway. Be sure to include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I may see it too. This is limited to three tweets per day.

- Blog about this giveaway and include a link back to this post. Please provide the URL of the post.

- Share this giveaway with others (Facebook, Digg, Technorati…). Be sure to tell me what you did and provide a name and/or URL so I can verify.

This giveaway is open to US residents and will end on January 09, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using  a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply or a new winner will be chosen. The gift code will be sent via e-mail. No mailing address is required for this giveaway.

Other awesome giveaways are found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. Mr. Chew provided the gift code.

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12 Easy Ways to “Go Green” in 2012 – Part II

December 28, 2011 By

Yesterday I posted some easy things everyone can do in 2012 to help not only our environment, but also ourselves. Today I’m going to post tips 7-12. If you would like to read tips 1-6 please visit my other post, http://www.shescribes.com/2011/12/12-easy-ways-to-go-green-in-2012-part-i.html.

7. Plant a Garden. Anyone can plant a garden. They don’t even need to take up much space. More and more “city dwellers” are finding creative ways to have gardens including window boxes and gardens created in alley ways and tended to by neighbors or people in the community.

Why grow a garden? With the high price of food growing your own fruits and vegetables can help you save money. It will also encourage you to eat healthier.

Growing your own produce means less reliance of grocery stores which translates into less shipping of products around the globe which decreases emissions.

A community garden is a great way to help supplement local food banks to provide nutritious foods for those who would otherwise go hungry.

Gardens are inexpensive to create and maintain. The only “expense” to you would be your time tending to the garden (which many people find relaxing).

Planting trees also benefits our environment. :-)

8. Share a Ride. Consider carpooling with friends and co-workers rather then take your own vehicle. According to the University of California Transportation Center, each shared car replaces 15 personally owned vehicles. In 2009, car-sharing was credited with reducing U.S. carbon emissions by more than 482,000 tons. 

Many cities and towns across the country have carpool programs in place to help commuters find an ideal ride to get them to and from work.

Not only is carpooling a great way to reduce carbon emissions it can also help save you money on gas and tolls if you split the costs with your other riders.

If you cannot find anyone to carpool with, and your town/city doesn’t offer a carpooling service, consider taking mass transit or better yet, biking or walking to work if possible.

9. Support Local Food Recovery Programs. What is a Food Recovery Program you might ask? Each year approximately a third of all food produced for human consumption (roughly 1.3 billion tons) gets wasted. In the United States alone 34 million tons is wasted, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The biggest waste of food comes from bakeries, grocery stores and other food providers who throw away tons of food daily. Much of the food that is toss out is perfectly edible but is cosmetically imperfect or has passed its expiration date.

To combat all this food waste, many organizations have set up food recovery programs to collect th food and to use it to provide meals to homeless shelters and food banks. Not only does it feel the hungry it also keeps food away from landfills.

You can help by donating dried or non-perishable food you won’t be using to your local shelter or food bank. You can also encourage your local grocer or favorite restaurant to consider donating edible food “waste” to a local shelter or food bank too. 

10. Turn down your heat. I live in the Northeast. I know how bitterly cold the Winter can be. Thankfully we have direct sunlight all day long which helps to heat our condo. We also live on the top floor so anyone below us who turns the heat on we ultimately feel it too (hot air rises). The only time we put the heat on is early in the morning to get rid of the chill. Sometimes it gets so warm in here we have to open a window in the dead of Winter.

My Dad was fanatical about keeping the thermostat at 65 degrees. Even if our home was chilly we were not allowed to turn up the heat. Instead we had to wear sweats and wrap blankets around ourselves. I have taught my kids the same thing. If they are chilly they need to put on socks, sweats and if need be wrap themselves up on their Snuggies.

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that consumers can save up to 15% on their heating and cooling bills just by adjusting their thermostats. Turning down the heat by 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours can result in savings of 5-15 percent on your home heating bill. Make sure to turn down your thermostat when you leave for work (no point in having a warm home when you are not there to enjoy it). Or consider purchasing a programmable thermostat and set it to go on just before you get home to warm your home before your arrival.

11. Switch to Eco-Friendly products. There are so many wonderful eco-friendly products available on the market these days, and most of them are comparable in price to their non-eco-friendly counterparts. Such products include Energy Star rated products, energy efficient light bulbs, products made our of recycled or re-purposed goods and products that will decompose and not sit in a landfill for the next million years.

12. Freeshare/Freecycle unwanted items. Most towns and cites across the country have a local Freeshare or Freecycle group. If you do not have one locally consider staring one.

A Freeshare/Freecycle group works like this. If you have an unwanted item that is still perfectly good, you simply just don’t need it anymore, you can let the group know about it. If someone in the group has a need for the item they come and pick it up. This is done for FREE. There is no exchange of money. You are simply giving away (for free) an item you no longer have a need for.

Over the years I have Freeshared/Freecycled my kids bikes that they outgrew, toys they no longer played with, books we no longer needed to hold on to and many other items. In turn I have picked up some great books and toys for my kids, even a guitar!

If you feel uncomfortable doing this with strangers, that is understandable. I felt the same way until I Freeshared / Freecycled a few items as well as picked up some items for my family. Most people are friendly and you get to know others in the group very well. If it makes you feel more comfortable you can start your own group with your neighbors, friends and co-workers. Get together once a month or a few times a year and swap your unwanted goods for items you might have a need for.

Not only does it keep perfectly good items out of landfills it also saves you money because you won’t have to go out and purchase the items.

There are just 12 things you can do in the new year to be more Earth friendly. If you have additional ideas I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to comment.

Kimberly

 

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Filed Under: Ramblings

Getting Healthy in 2012 ($50 GNC Gift Card Giveaway)

December 28, 2011 By

The new year is only days away. For most people the new year brings new hope and new adventures. It’s also a time when most people resolve to improve their lives, or the lives of others. Personally I don’t like to make resolutions because I a believe it’s only setting myself up for failure. Rather then make resolutions I set goals for myself. My usual yearly goals are to be organized, exercise, eat healthy, read more and spend more quality “couples time” with my husband (aka Date Night). These are just some of my yearly goals. I have more.

Getting healthy and staying healthy is always on top of my goal list. I want to make sure I’m around for a long time so I can enjoy my future grandchildren and maybe even great-grandchildren.

I suffer from a few health issues including Diabetes, Iron Deficiency Anemia and B-12 Deficiency Anemia. I also need to take Vitamin-D and Calcium.

Diabetes can only be controlled through diet, exercise and medication. My Anemias are also suppose to be taken care of medically but due to the cruddy healthy insurance we have we cannot afford it. I’m SUPPOSE to get yearly IV Iron Infusions (normally 8-12 weeks) and monthly (although my doctor would prefer weekly) B-12 shots. Thanks to our insurance these are not an option for me. I have to resort to taking vitamins to help supplement my needs until we can afford the medical treatments again.

Did you know that B-12 deficiencies can cause irreversible brain damage? That scares me the most. I don’t want to have Demensia or some other brain ailment because of the B-12 deficiency. That is why it’s important for me to take B-12 pills (or sublingual B-12 which absorbes better).

Thanks goodness we have a GNC down the road from where we live. I’m able to pick up B-12 and Iron pills whenever I need them.

I’m not the only person I know who recognizes their need to get healthy and stay healthy. Many of my friends and family members tell me the same thing. They want to get into a routine exercise program as well as eat healthy and get more vitamins and nutrients into their bodies. Sometimes that is not accomplished by foods alone. Sometimes we need to take supplements to make up for what our bodies are lacking.

Most people only need to take a multivitamin to make sure they meet all their daily recommended allowances of vitamins and minerals. GNC carries pretty much every brand of Vitamins & Minerals you can think of. You can check them out there, http://www.gnc.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=3593185.

Personally I want to try the GNC B-12 1000 (120 count) pills. They dissolve in your mouth (similar to a sub-lingual) which is perfect for me because I have absorption problems.

I also want to try out the GNC Gentlesorb Iron Vegetarian Capsules (90 count). Thankfully GNC has reviews on their site. From what I read about these Iron pills they work great and are gentle on your stomach. If you have ever had to take Iron pills before you know they can reap havoc on your stomach. These sound gentle enough to use every day without problems.

I’m not “self medicating”, so to speak. I genuinely have to take these supplements as per my Hematologist. Before taking any kind of a supplement I would recommend that you speak with your doctor first.

I’m going to ask my doctor if I can take the GNC Salmon Oil 1000. I hear that it’s great for your heart, memory and cholesterol. I’d like to try this and see if this helps me too. There is nothing worst then totally forgetting something. Not too long ago I stood in front of the open refrigerator door looking for something and I totally forgot what I went in there to get (carrots). That scares me! I worry about “brain issues” a lot. I don’t want them!

If dieting to lose weight is one of your goals in the new year, GNC has a lot of diet aids too. I personally don’t think they work, but I know others who swear by different diet aids. A few people I know swear by HCG for loosing weight.

If exercise is on your new year’s “to do” list GNC has you covered with many different types of sports nutrition products. Personally I’m going to try and get back into walking. It’s simple, non-impact and free to do.

For more information about GNC products, or to find a store near you, visit www.GNC.com.

GNC has generously offered to give a lucky reader a $50.00 GNC gift card. Thank you GNC!

To enter please comment on what product you would like to purchase from GNC if you are the winner. Please be as specific as possible if you can.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional.

- Subscribe to She Scribes via E-mail or RSS. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” GNC on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/GNCLiveWell.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- Follow GNC on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/GNCLiveWell’

- Follow GNC’s Marketing Director on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/JeffHennion.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter (www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes) and tweet about this giveaway. Be sure to include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I may see it too. This is limited to three tweets per day.

- Blog about this giveaway and include a link back to this post. Please provide the URL of the post.

- Share this giveaway with others (Facebook, Digg, Technorati…). Be sure to tell me what you did and provide a name and/or URL so I can verify.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents and will end on January 11, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using  a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Box) or a new winner will be chosen.

Other awesome giveaways are found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I will be receiving a GNC gift card as compensation for this post. There was no financial compensation. The opinions expressed are my own. GNC will be providing the gift card.

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Mugz Ice Cream Makers

December 28, 2011 By

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream!

Who doesn’t love ice cream (except those with allergies and who are lactose intolerant :-) ). Even though we tend to eat more during the hot summer months, ice cream is readily available year round.

Most kids love ice cream. Mine sure do. We tend to have some in the freezer all the time, although the kids know they cannot eat it every day. I also tend to buy ice creams that are already a serving size like cones, bars or sandwiches. That way I know my kids won’t over do it like they would if they had to scoop out ice cream from a container. Even though they know not to take too much it’s way too tempting for them not to.

Did you ever wonder if kids would crave something, like ice cream, as much if they had to “work” for it? What if kids had to make the ice cream themselves every time they wanted some. Do you think they would want ice cream that often?

I have seen plenty of appliances and gadgets on the market that allow you to make fresh ice cream at home. Most come with a hefty price tag that makes it almost not worthwhile.

There is a less expensive option to make your own ice cream at home. It’s called Mugz Ice Cream Makers. Mugz come with everything you need to make fresh, homemade ice cream, including a tiny spoon and recipe booklet.

Mugz are available in four different characters: Penguin, Dog, Polar Bear and Seal. They are pretty cute too. We have the Penguin.

Using the Mugz to make ice cream is pretty simple. Just add ice and salt to the bottom part of the container. In the top part add milk or cream and anything else you want to flavor your ice cream. Then screw both pieces together and then shake like crazy for around three or four minutes. The result – approximately four tablespoons of ice cream.

I know, most people are saying “Only 4 tablespoons?”. Yes, that is correct.

There are pros and cons to the Mugz Ice Cream Makers.

Pros

-  Fresh ice cream anytime you want it.

-  The ability to create your own flavors, or invent new flavors.

-  Easy to use.

-  Easy to clean.

-  Children of all ages can make their own ice cream (younger ones will need parental assistance).

-  A cheaper option then most other homemade ice cream makers.

-  Portion control since you can only make a little bit.

Cons

-  It makes only around 4 tablespoons of ice cream, which is a “tease” to ‘tweens through adults.

-  Sometimes you have to shake upwards of 5 minutes or longer (I don’t know why – might be the ingredients).

-  Often the ice cream came out too soft, almost like melted soft serve.

I don’t know if this is a pro or a con but I liked using the Mugz to make slushies rather then ice cream (my kids did too). We use whatever juice we have in the house, even Orange Juice.

Here is a brief video to give you a better idea of how Mugz work.

 For younger children (10 and under) this would probably be the perfect. For ‘tweens and teens it’s not as exciting. My teen lost interest in it after a few times (but she uses it to make slush). My ‘tween kept interest in it a bit longer, now he doesn’t use it as much because he says, and I quote, “It’s too much work“. I guess for them they would like to see a bigger “payoff” (more ice cream) for all the shaking they have to do.

On a side note all that shaking is good exercise. :-)

On a scale of 1-5 I’d give Mugz a 3. It has it’s good points and it’s bad points. I’m on the fence with this one as far as if I really like it or I don’t. I guess you’ll have to decide that for yourself.

Mugz are available online at various retail locations.

For more information visit www.GeospacePlays.com. While you are there check out all the other cool toys they carry. You can also follow them on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/Geospace and Twitter, www.Twitter.com/GeospacePlay.

Kimberly

*I received a free product sample in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own. 

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Get in shape in 2012 with the Fitbit XBOX 360 Kinect bundle

December 28, 2011 By

 

Now that we’re stuffed ourselves with turkey, ham, tons of holiday cookies, cocktails and other tasty goodies, it’s time to get back on track and think about our health again. The start of a new year usually turns to thoughts of health and nutrition. I bet if you surveyed 1,000 people more then half would be planning on starting an exercise routine and eating healthy in the new year.

If you are someone who is planning on getting healthy in 2012 you might be interested in this information.

On December 27, 2011, Sam’s Club Game Hub is launching a new holiday bundle with XBOX 360 Kinect to help shoppers and their families actually keep their New Year’s fitness resolutions. The Fitbit XBOX 360 Kinect bundle, includes an XBOX 360 Kinect, a FitBit Activity Tracker and ”Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012“, the sequel to the #1 fitness game on Kinect. 

The FitBit Trackeris like a super advanced pedometer that tracks your real-time activity stats, including: steps, distance, floors climbed, and calories burned. People using the FitBit claim that because they are aware of their daily movements, they walk 43% farther and lose an average of 13 pounds. 

The Fitbit Ultra uses a MEMS 3-axis accelerometer that measures your motion patterns to tell you your calories burned, steps taken, distance traveled, and sleep quality. A built-in MEMS altimeter measures your vertical climb up stairs and hills.

The FitBit also gives users valuable information on sleep patterns, helping you figure out better habits. Sleep is an important factor when it comes to weight loss. Studies have found that people who get an adequate amount of sleep each night tend to lose more weight and keep it off compared to those who don’t. I sleep an average of 4-5 hours a night, which could explain why I have a hard time loosing weight and keeping it off.

The “Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012” fitness game is a social and fun workout experience, totally customizable. Your Shape includes over 90 hours of activities to suit you and your family’s taste and fitness goals. It also has a feedback system that guides you on how to improve your technique and results. 

Your Shape will take players into a stimulating world showcasing an array of captivating visual effects and an environment that will transform as their workouts evolve in the game. The improved player projection will allow players to see themselves in the Your Shape universe and keep a close eye on their workouts.

With Your Shape you can choose how you want to play. Do you want a personal trainer to help meet your set fitness goals? Or do you want to focus on a specific muscle group? You can also build a program around the time you have to work out.

These technologies are meant to help people stay on top of their 2012 fitness goals from home, easily allowing all family members and friends to be involved. The Fitbit is like a friendly personal trainer that goes where you go!

If you would like to learn more about this bundle please visit www.SamsClub.com/GameHub. There you can also watch a video that explains more about the bundle.

It does sound like an interesting fitness package. Most people can’t afford a gym and often walking or using exercise DVDs can be boring, especially if you do them every day. This special fitness bundle seems like it would be a nice change of pace from a regular routine, and dare I say it sounds fun too.

Kimberly

*I was compensated for this post however any opinion expressed is my own and not influenced in any way.

 

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The best day of your life (Quote)

December 28, 2011 By

I stumbled across this quote this evening. I really like it and I thought it was too nice not to share with my readers.

“The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own.

No apologies or excuses.

No one to lean on, rely on, or blame.

The gift is yours.

It is an amazing journey and you alone are responsible for the quality of it.

This is the day your life really begins.”

-Bob Moawad

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Filed Under: Ramblings
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