Satellite TV - Is it for you?

Television keeps getting better and better. Maybe you agree with me, maybe not. But you can't beat the options. There are so many new channels. The quality is better, the signal is faster, and you can rewind live tv. Seriously, who could have imagined.

But the debate over whether to get satellite tv or cable is always raging. It's still raging in my neighborhood and in my home! 

Infinity DISH is the largest DISH Network retailer in North America. Most of my neighbors have it.  Even my sisters have it. We haven't made the switch. Why are we taking so long? I mean, really - I see all the cool things they get with their DISH subscriptions. It seems easy enough.

Then I go and look at the DISH TV packages and all of a sudden I think I'm actually getting ripped off with cable. The monthly rate (as of the time of this posting) is $24.99/month. And that's not the end of the savings. Signing up gives you a bunch of freebies. Upgrades, free visa gift cards, free movie rentals. 

And installation in 6 rooms. Our cable company charges extra for each additional room. And it randomly goes out of service. And the options aren't quite as cool. Did I mention our cable subscription costs a lot more too? 

It just might be time to reconsider the DISH. Any opinions? I'd love to hear about your experiences with satellite TV, how you get the best deals, and what you think about the service. 

*This is a sponsored post.

Learning from Gardening

You can learn a lot by keeping a garden: persistence, humility, hard work, accomplishment, utter failure, how to manage control and the complete lack of it, and a little about relationships.

Most gardeners form some sort of bond with any long term garden inhabitants. I know I do. So I cringed as my blueberries and raspberries suffered through rebuilding our garden and the shock of being transplanted.

After transplanting, they've all lost a little life. And one of my blueberry plants looks like it's barely holding on. I won't let it make any berries this year (so it can develop it's roots and branches again) but it may take 2 or 3 years to get back to it's former glory.

Which brings me to the lesson about relationships.... When do you say enough is enough? 


For the past few years, my blueberries have been stellar performers. Since they can last 20-50 years, we had planned to keep them forever. But now they're damaged. They aren't giving me what I want. And I'm not feeling patient about waiting for them to change. To get better....

In 4 or 5 years, they might be perfect. But in the meantime, I can buy a whole new plant - bustling in newness - for under $20 and have 4 solid years of berries before the old plant gets back in gear.

Should I throw in the towel and scrap the plants I have? The smart gardener would say "yes." The patient, caring gardener would say "no."

In the past, I've repaired my damaged plants with electrical tape, moved them to new homes, or just let them grow in all their ugliness.

But now, I don't know. I've recently pulled some of the "weeds" out of my personal life and I think I should do the same in the garden. Should you really keep someone in your life just because you thought you always would?

Should you throw them out when they become damaged? In a lot of ways, plants and people are not the same. But it gives you something to think about.

In my opinion, you should always pick out the weeds and never give it a second thought. But your really good plants - the ones you've worked hard to establish - maybe they should be given a little patience and TLC. You never know - they just may become the best plants you've ever had.

Then again...you may waste years of your life trying to mend something that's forever broken. You never know.

Get a Free BellyBag!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of CryoCell International for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you're expecting, now is the time to look into banking your cord blood. You want to think hard about this decision and make the right choice

I wanted to save my children's blood, but was so confused about how to go about it that I missed the chance. 

If you contact www.Cryo-Cell.com, request an information packet, and consult with an advisor you can get a Free BellyBag. And possibly a whole lot more.

You'll be armed with the information you need to make the right choice for your family

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You can also find information at www.Cryo-Cell.net. While you're there, you can read customer testimonials, compare blood banks, get information from medical professionals and learn so much more about cryology and preserving stem cells.

We've been fortunate that both of our children have been healthy, but that isn't always the case. A friend lost her 6 year old son this year to neuroblastoma  and another friend's daughter is battling a tumor on her pituitary gland. It basically makes her a diabetic and requires constant medication and surgeries just to keep it under control. Both children had inoperable conditions. I don't know if stem cells could have helped them, but you never know. It's worth reading about.

Will we finally compost successfully?

We've been composting in one way or another for about 8 years. And all 8 of those years have been spent learning. Seriously? In 8 years, you couldn't figure it out? Sadly, no.

When I was a kid, we had a 1/2 acre garden and dumped all of our scraps into the far end of the garden. They sat there and rotted until my dad tilled them into the ground in the Spring. Easy enough. It seemed to work. But then again, we were talking about 1/2 acre worth of produce scraps, a tractor, and parents. Things always seem easier when you're a kid and parents are doing the actual work.

Soon after we got married, my sister-in-law sent me a recipe for composting. I build a big square bin out of mesh, filled it with leaves and scraps and waited. It seemed to doing well, until it became full and heavy. The turning part sucked and it became a pit that sat without really breaking down. Actually, it became the local diner for a really disgusting muskrat.

I eventually quit. Then we moved and I renewed my interest in composting. I bought a compost ball.

It rocked. I could close it up and keep rodents out. I could roll it around to mix the compost. It had plenty of air holes for getting air in. Oh....yeah...that's part of why it sucked.

The air holes allowed compost ooze (compost tea?) to drip out all over me whenever I rolled the ball. Nasty. But that wasn't the worst part. As all compost piles do, it became heavy. Rolling it up and down the hill turned dangerous when it rolled back over me and a screw that was sticking out of the side sliced my leg open. Thank goodness I keep my tetanus shots up-to-date. I still have that scar. *sighs*

So I went back to the whip it and forget it method. I created a pit in our forest and just started whipping stuff. I turned it a few times, then I quit. And the stuff just stayed there rotting and stinking for years.

It was a failure and eventually, (Cover your ears!!) I just started throwing my scraps and yard waste in the trash.

But not anymore! We are back in the composting business, and this time we all seem to be happy.

We got this composter for less than $100. I set it into the forest, so it's no longer visible to neighbors (keeping my husband and neighbors happy) and I can spin it without having it roll me down. And no compost ooze dripping out.

It still keeps out most critters (not ants, sadly to say) and seems to be heating up already. I have been throwing more and more out in the compost bin (saving landfill spaces) and most importantly creating organic material for the garden. That's the best part. And it also gives my kids a job. They can take the compost out and roll it. Soon it will be too heavy for them to roll, but they can still fill it up.

Let's hope we can stick with it and get good compost to add to the garden soon. Execution to completion is part of the problem, so wish us luck!

Mosquitoes - Do They really have to Ruin Spring??

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Mosquito Magnet for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

As soon as the weather went above 30 degrees, we were outside. Without coats! We have such a short window of time to really enjoy the outdoors, that it makes sense to enjoy every minute of it.

We got right to work building our new garden and preparing our yard for summer parties and fun. Working in the yard is something I really enjoy. It's so nice to get all of our plants ready to grow, and it's rewarding to see your hard work turn into something beautiful.

But there is something that's not so beautiful - mosquitoes. Almost as soon as we were outside, the mosquitoes arrived. We can occasionally escape them in the daytime, but when my husband is home from work and willing to work in the yard - guess who is waiting? 

Mosquitoes bite and buzz and just make everything miserable. When you're gardening, the last thing you want to do is stop and touch your skin with dirty hands. You can't work if you feel itchy or distracted by the buzzing. And who wants to wear the smelly, chemicals to keep them away?

Well, there may be another solution? Have you heard of the Mosquito Magnet Executive Mosquito Trap and Accessories?  I've seen it before but hadn't used one. What a great idea for making your outdoor time enjoyable. Especially if you entertain in your backyard. It's one thing to battle the mosquitoes alone, but it's quite another to invite friends and have them constantly swatting instead of eating and talking. 

Right now if you purchase a Mosquito Magnet by June 1st, you will get a FREE 18-month warranty. That's 2 full summers without worry.

What's your favorite summer evening event? And how would you love to have it be mosquito free? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Be Careful What you Wear!

Oddly enough - my clothes have been a big topic of discussion in my circle of friends. Now, it's not unusual for friends to give opinions but it is odd for friends to be downright....honest.

A friend recently told me that my jeans made me look fat and dumpy. I'd like to tell you that I had a snippy comeback and said something brilliant, but I didn't. I just stared at here while she continued on. It turns out that I am wearing jeans that are just too big for me. And that makes me look fat.

Interesting. Being called fat doesn't bother me. I know it's not true. But anything that ends in -umpy sends up sizzling red flags. Dumpy. Lumpy. Frumpy. Stumpy. Bumpy. Ew


But could she be right? The offending jeans were a size 5, and to be honest they were baggy. But it's tough to find jeans that actually fit my brand of wide hips, little waist, short legs, etc. She suggested I wear skinny jeans. Puh-leaze!


Yes, I do own skinny jeans. Yes, they fit me. But no, I never wear them as jeans. Most of the skinny jeans I have ever owned have been cut into shorts. I can't stand the way they taper at the ankles and make my shoes look weird.


She suggested ballet flats. Oh barf! Anyone ever heard of Toe cleavage. She was surprised that I had thought this through and decided I had "foot issues."

Oh well. I went home that day and obsessed over the jeans in my closet. Sure there were way too many pairs that I had grown out of. But did I have to wear skin tight jeans to feel normal?

For the next few days I wore my smaller pairs of jeans. Nothing over as size 3. Most a size 1 or so. I felt like I was going to get a UTI, but I did receive numerous compliments. It also reminded me that I didn't need to eat the snacks put out at preschool. Hmmm... maybe there was something to this "wearing your real size thing."

Eventually, I lost 2 or 3 pounds and the smaller jeans were no longer tight. Just say no to snacks, I guess! But what happens now? If my little jeans become "too big" will I have to shop in the kids department just to look normal? And can a 30-something woman look normal in jeans made for 8 year olds? Oh crap. Why does this have to be so complicated.....

Choosing the Right Mattress

Have you ever had to go mattress shopping? If you have, then you know how unbelievable stressful it can be. If not, let me prepare you for what may just be your most difficult purchase ever.

Not only are there a zillion options, there are just as many price points and features. Do you want a pillow top? How many springs? What about the size? Is memory foam worth it? How do you know what you really need and what's going to work for you?

A good mattress is so important for a good night's rest and should last for many years, so this is an important decision. Luckily, there is a source to help. Mattress Find helps you find the right mattress for you. They cross-reference brands and answer all the questions you may have.

They even have a section about how to care for your mattress (even how to clean it!) Everything related to mattresses is covered. Do you need a sleep number bed, memory foam, or a Tempurpedic mattress? Check out Tempurpedic Mattress Find to get the answer.

I found the brand comparisons to be extremely helpful. But the best part? You know what's coming.... Savings. You can read up on exactly what you want, then link directly to retailers for deals and savings. A win-win. Since most people don't know the answers to "what constitutes a good mattress?" it's nice to have a comprehensive site that can give you answers.

*This is a sponsored post

Choosing the Right Summer Camp for your Children

Does scheduling our children's activities really have to be such a stressful event? I can't tell you how stressful it is to hear moms buzzing about all the work they go through to find "the right" summer camps and activities. Yowza!

As it turns out, it doesn't have to be so hard. Not in the selection or the execution. This summer, my daughter will get the chance to attend one of the 12 great KinderCare Summer Camps. 

My favorite thing about the KinderCare camps? I was going to say - how easy it is to find a KinderCare center near you! There are three within 10 minutes of my home and I'm sure there are plenty close to you. 

While that is extremely fantastic - logistically speaking; the best part is the camps themselves. There are 12 amazing programs to choose from. Out of the 12, there are 10 that my kids would absolutely love. The 2 that didn't make the cut are sports focused and my kids just aren't that "sporty." 

But they drooled over the options and fought about who would get to go. In the end, I decided to send my daugther. Both so she would have a nice transition into Kindergarten next fall, but also because I rarely get alone time with my son. 

While she's safely at camp, having a blast - my son and I are going to go on a 15 mile bike/picnic, hike through the forest, work in the garden, swing at the park, rollerblade, swim at the pool, and reconnect in the way only one-on-one time can provide. 

And my daughter? She'll be learning about ancient Egypt, studying hieroglyphics, adorning herself with jewels, and feasting on a variety of unique foods. She's going to love it!

KinderCare recently put out a survey to parents. Here's what they had to say about summer camps:

Check it out here: KinderCare Location Finder.

**I was provided 1 week of complimentary summer camp for my daughter in exchange for writing this post. All opinions expressed are my own and no other compensation was received. Thank you KinderCare for providing us with this great opportunity!

Backyard Safari Outfitters - Review

It's so boring out here! Those were the horrendous words a little boy kept repeating on a recent play date. We were outside. My kids were having a great time. The moms were talking. The little boy kept complaining.

I guess not everyone has a natural inclination toward the outdoors....or do they? Perhaps they just need the right nudge. The right toys. The right adventure.....

I saw this as the perfect opportunity to try out the new toys from Backyard Safari Outfitters. We brought out the Base Camp Shelter, Camouflage, Mega Magnifier, and Expedition Two Hiking Stick. And the fun started right away. 

All of a sudden, they were all explorers. Hunting for treasures. Looking for adventure. Hiding from bears. Not so boring anymore, huh?

To be honest, that kid was a brat and I was amazed that he finally engaged in playing and stopped whining. But after they left, my kids have had a blast with these toys. My kids love the outdoors and have a wild imagination. They have loved hiding out in the shelter while being camouflaged from the world.

They have thoroughly investigated our plants and wildlife (otherwise known as ants and beetles...) with the mega magnifier.

The Magnifier is waterproof, making it all the more fun. They are taking it with to the pool this weekend. To magnify people's butts underwater? I don't know, but they're excited about bringing it in the water.

And the favorite of the entire collection? Wait for it. Can you guess? Yep, it's the hiking stick. I mean who doesn't love a hiking stick? But this one beats a regular stick for a lot of reasons. It won't break or get nasty because it's made of hard plastic. But, really, it looks like a sorcerer's staff. I'm just saying. And who wouldn't want one of those? 

If you can't tell by the image, that's a wolf's head on top of the staff - Awesome!

A hiking stick is great for all the hiking and poking you could ever want to do, but when you can also use it for sorcery, it's going to be a forever fave. 

You can find the Backyard Safari Outfitter's collections at Target, Amazon, Toy's R Us, Walmart, and Barnes and Noble.

**Team Mom provided me with samples of the above products for review purposes. No compensation was received and all opinions expressed are my own. 

Fruit2day Morning Review

I've seen Fruit2day in stores and on TV, but honestly I wasn't interested. I'm not a juice person and I didn't even bother to look at the ingredients. So when I was offered a chance to review Fruit2day Morning, I really thought it was going to suck.

I was wrong. First of all, they taste great. They contain whey powder (for protein) so I was concerned it would be chalky. It might have been a little at first but then I was distracted by the fruit bits. A nice touch. The bits of fruit prompted me to flip over the bottle and read the ingredients.

Yep, real fruit. Plus fruit puree, whey, and a some fruit juices. If you are a smoothie (or shake) for breakfast kind of gal, you might want to check these out. The protein and fruit bits make it a lot heartier (and slower to drink) than straight juice. The entire bottle had 150 calories. Is that good or bad? I don't know: I hardly ever drink calories.

A few snippy points - The Fruit2day Morning that I tried contained maltodextrin (for fiber) and apple juice as the first ingredient. It also contained isolated whey protein. I don't drink juice and personally consider apple juice and maltodextrin to be "added sugar." But it's a natural source of sugar, so I'm not fussing. I would never add maltodextrin or isolated whey protein to my smoothies at home, but a lot of people do.

All in all - it was a hit with the whole family and I great alternative if you are someone who needs/wants a portable fruit smoothie that actually tastes good and is made with decent ingredients.

**No compensation was received for this review. I did receive samples of Fruit2day for review purposes.

$50 AMEX gift card giveaway - to help others

What's the best way to give back to your community? Honestly, the list is endless. But when given the chance, people can come up with some amazing ideas. And Pampers wants to hear what you have to say.

As part of the Little Miracle Mission, pampers is offering one Suburban Jungle reader a $50 American Express Gift Card - to pay it forward in your community.

How did I pay it forward? We were going to help out with our local churches donation garden - helping them to buy seeds and plants. But after the recent tornado hits, we feel a need to help those people whose homes were destroyed.  It seems only right to do both. 

To Enter to win the $50 AMEX gift card: Leave me a comment telling me how you'd use the card to create a Little Miracle in someone else's life.

Extra Entries: Take 3 Extra Entries for every way that you share this giveaway (facebook, Twitter, blogging). Leave 3 additional comments

Take 2 Extra Entries for every way that you follow this blog (google friend connect, email subscriber, @suburbanjung on twitter, Suburban jungle on Facebook)

Take 2 Extra Entries if you join Pampers on Facebook - while you're there, check out the Miracle Missions Tab. Once 2500 people pledge, Pampers will give baby showers to expectant mothers nationwide. Anyone who pledges is entered to win a year's supply of Pamper's diapers and wipes

**This contest ends on May 25, 2011 at 9:00 AM EST. I received a gift card to pay-it-forward in my area for posting this giveaway. All gift cards are given and shipped directly from Pampers. The winner of this giveaway will be selected by random.org and notified by email on May 25, 2011. This contest is open to US residents 18 and older.

Novica $50 Giveaway

Shopping for other people can be extremely difficult. You want to get them something different and meaningful. It's even more challenging if you have to find quality corporate gifts - because your job may be on the line! 


That's what I love about Novica. It's a website full of unique gifts. The kind of gifts you only find if you went on vacation and stumbled across an artisan's shop. While that makes the gift extra special, we can't traipse across the globe searching for the perfect gift. While it's fun - it's not exactly feasible (or very green.)


Check out the gift I found on Novica.com for one of my husband's friends: 

My husband's friend loves photography and he's quite good at it. But what makes this piece special is not just how it relates to his interests, it's handmade from salvaged auto parts: spark plugs, screws, field separators. It's a really cool piece of recycled art. And there's more where that came from! You'll have to check out the site to see all the unique items.


But Novica isn't just about finding gifts, they've recently launched NOVICA LIVE and are looking for moms to become consultants! You may find the perfect gift at Novica and land a cool new job (the type that a mom can do from home.)


And of course - that's not all! Novica would like to offer one Suburban Jungle reader a $50 Gift certificate to use at Novica.com. Father's day is coming up - this may be the year to branch out of the ties and after shave.


To Enter to win: Visit Novica.com and leave a comment telling me what you'd purchase.


Extra Entries: 3 Extra Entries if you share this contest on twitter, facebook, or your blog (you can do all three for up to nine entries)


2 Extra Entries if you follow this blog on twitter (@suburbanjung), Facebook,  or google friend connect (do both and get 4 extra entries)


**This contest will end on June 3, 2011 at 9:00 PM EST. The winner will be selected by random.org and notified by email. I received a promotional certificate in exchange for writing this post and hosting this giveaway. All giveaway prizes are provided by Novica.

fair trade 
corporate gifts
green gifts
microfinance

Kung Fu Panda 2 Prize Pack Giveaway

Kung Fu Panda is back! If you remember the first movie, it was pretty good. I'm excited to watch the second. General Mills is teaming up with Dreamworks to promote Kung Fu Panda 2. You can find Kung Fu Panda 2 spin fighter toys in specially marked boxes of General Mills cereal.


And General Mills would like to share some of that fun with a Suburban Jungle reader. One reader will receive the prize pack shown in the above picture. Included in the prize pack: one original Kung Fu Panda DVD, one specially marked box of Big G cereal, and one spin toy.


To Enter to win: Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite Kung Fu Panda character.


Extra Entries: 2 Extra Entries if you are a follower of this blog on Twitter (@suburbanjung) or Google Friend Connect (2 extra entries for each - so up to 4 extra entries)


**This contest will end on June 3, 2011 at 9:00 PM EST. The contest is open to all US and Canadian residents 18 or older. The winner will be selected by random.org and notified by email. General Mills and DreamWorks provided the prize pack, information, and additional prize pack for this giveaway through MyBlogSpark™

Garden 2011 - Phase 3

The quest for a completed garden is almost finished! All of the four raised beds have been built - not easy on a sloping clay based terrain, let me tell you! 

The fence is up, the soil is ready.....

Now, we just need to remove the last bits of grass, mulch around the beds, cut down the fence posts, and plant the garden! We're looking at a few days without rain coming up, so we should be done soon.

Legend of Kung Fu Package Deal

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Everyone is Kung Fu Overnightin' - Huh! I don't know about you, but that phrase got my attention. Not only because I love the song but because it probably means a good time. 

It just so happens that the Kung Fu Package Deal is a vacation adventure in Branson, MO. The Kung Fu Legends Package at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing includes 4 tickets and exclusive Hilton Family pre-show access, $25 to the Legend of Kung Fu gift shop, and a 1-night stay at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing or the Hilton Convention Center Hotel for 2 adults and 2 children.

Sounds like a great time!  But there's more! Branson has so many special events going on this summer: including the Silver Dollar City BBQ, the 10th annual Motorcycle rally, Lynard Skynyrd and ZZ Top in concert (go beards!), all sorts of family reunion opportunities, and a Girls Getaway!

The Girls Getaway really caught my eye since my sisters and I are looking for a girls getaway location. 

Imagine hanging out without kids! We could spend time by the water, go shopping, head to the amusement parks and not worry about losing anyone! 

But in all honesty, I think the best option is to take advantage of the Branson's Best Value Package. It's a 3-night adventure for a family of 2 adults and 2 children which includes 4 tickets to the Legend of Kung Fu and  2-day passes to Silver Dollar City (for fun bluegrass, bbq, old west style fun,amusement rides and the Marvel cave.  All for as low as $600.

And if you stay at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing or the Hilton Convention Center Hotel, you'll be right in the middle of the action! 

If you haven't planned your summer vacation yet, you might want to give Branson a look. Happy Traveling!

New Running Sandals!

As much as I love cute, flirty sandals; they just don't mesh with my lifestyle. For years, I've worn the same slip on, brown sandals and have hated every minute of it. They fall off. There's no way you can run or climb in them. Blah! They were worthless.

But during that time, I kept looking for good running sandals. What makes a good running sandal? For starters, they need to strap on. They also need to be comfy and allow your feet to lie flat. Oh, and they need to be okay looking and reasonably priced.

It's been the price that's held me back for years. This year, I decided to go for it and I felt like I needed to look at Walmart. Of all places! I never go to Walmart, but I had a feeling the shoes would be there.

And they were! For only $10.88, I finally found my first pair of running sandals. I can't tell you how excited I was! And they have rocked in every way I expected. Now my summer walks and hikes are going to be awesome. And my sandals are going to stay on!

Free product samples, contests, and coupons!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of yoFreeSamples.com for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Looking for a place to find free product sample offers, contests, and coupons? Look no further than yoFreeSamples.com for Freebies, Coupons,and other Free Stuff. 

Most people know that free samples exist. They just don't know where to find them. Most people even know you can find coupons online (thanks in part to bloggers and the new extreme couponing show.) But you might have to search all over the web to find what you're looking for. 

You can find deals and all sorts of sample offers at yofreesamples.com. I checked it out and found a few helpful sections on how to find free samples, how to protect yourself from spammers, and a few samples I hadn't seen anywhere else. There were a ton of free music and homeschool type learning opportunities. 

They also have a big section of printable coupons you can take to your grocery or drugstore.

If you enter your email or join them on facebook, you can have daily free product sample offers, contests and coupons sent to your inbox or your facebook page. How easy is that? Yep, a lot easier than searching all over the web.

Check them out and see what you think. 

Have your Feet ever bled from running?

For a while, I had a consistent running schedule. Then - my neighbor broke my treadmill and I mentally went on strike. The treadmill was repaired but it was never the same. It made noises and it annoyed me that it was ever broken in the first place.

Nobody said this was rational, but this was how it went. So I boycotted the treadmill for about 2 months. But my mud race is coming up and I knew I needed to recondition myself to "go the distance."

So out of the blue, I jumped on the treadmill and went for 3 1/2 miles. No biggie. It was harder than before but my lungs were still up for it. Then I took off my shoes.

The bottom of my socks were really red. The entire bottom of my socks from my toes to right before my heel. My daughter happened to be sitting there and she freaked out. "MOM - YOUR FEET ARE BLEEDING!"

I quickly took of my socks and was shocked at what I saw. No cuts or bruises. Just obvious pores. Red pores. It was almost as though my feet had sweat blood.

Can this even happen? Well - we all know the story of Jesus in the garden, sweating blood, etc. Reading online, it seems to happen infrequently under extreme stress (like anxiety over death: e.g. Jesus in the garden.)

It freaked me out! The run wasn't that bad. And by any athletic standard, it was pretty wimpy. But I must have been really stressed out.

I do have a history of bleeding from stress. The "late-ness" of my in-laws used to make my nose bleed. When I used to work and have really stressful deadlines, I'd regularly lose blood from my rear (and lots of it. sorry, tmi, but it's the truth.) So I guess foot bleeding is my new cue that I'm stressing a bit too much.

I decided to take it easy. I started walking a little more and eased back into sprinting. So far - no more blood.

What you need to know about relationships....

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TwoOfUs for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Think you know everything about relationships? I'll be the first to admit that I am just about clueless. Even after years of dating/marriage, sometimes I feel like I'm still trying to figure it all out. 

And judging by conversations with my closest friends, we're all in that boat.  I recently came across a site called twofus.org that gives tips on keeping your relationship fresh, advice, and relationship oriented stories and articles. 

It's always good to read up on topics important to you, and frankly relationships should be your number one priority. In the end, it's all that ends up mattering. 

This site covers a lot of important topics - things you might be thinking about. Like how to reconnect once your kids leave the nest, Finding time for your spouse, and budgeting together. 

There's also an interesting video up on the site right now talking about face-to-face interaction, versus communicating with technology. I couldn't agree more with what is being said in this video. Real conversations are so important for connecting with family and friends.  It's so much easier to email/text/IM, but it's so much more valuable to really talk to someone.

You can check out twoofus.org online and on facebook. I liked them on facebook to keep up with the current relationship converstations and you can  like them too.

Leave your most common relationship questions in the comment section of this post. Maybe they'll even be answered!

Garden 2011 - Phase 2

Progress has been made in the garden! We are now halfway through our renovation. Rain, 30 degree weather, and blustering winds have slowed us down. Did I mention the frozen, impenetrable clay?

Yeah...there's that too. It's been a mental and physical workout, but I hope to report a finished garden soon!

2 Boxes down, 2 more to go - notice the grave to the right. That's the location for box #3

The blueberries and raspberries have been safely transplanted into their permenant homes (left boxes). We probably lost at least a year's worth of growth in the raspberries and a few of the blueberries were set back a year or more, but most of the plants transfered well. And I'm still hoping for a big berry yield. 

To see phase 1 or my 2010 garden - click here.

Remake Libby's Iconic Jingle - Win $10,000!

When I think Libby's, I think fruits and veggies. And fruits and veggies make me think of eating with my family. Because Family Meal time is important,  Libby's is encouraging families to make it a point to get to the table together!

To help families come together - Libby's and singer-songwriter Jewel  have launched a new contest looking for a new jingle!

What better way to spend dinner, than brainstorming with your family. And maybe winning $10,000! Children love creating new songs and spending time with their parents. This is a great way to get involved - and again - maybe win a lot of money! It's super easy to enter!

To enter, just go to the Libby's Table Facebook page, click on the Jingle Contest tab and upload your video version of the jingle. But HURRY - the contest ends May 13th.

Five finalists will be selected by Jewel. These finalists will compete for America's vote to win the $10,000 grand prize, $2,500 second place prize, and $1,000 third place prize.

You can find more information about the contest at www.getbacktothetable.com and you can follow @LibbysTable on Twitter. Follow the conversation using  Hashtag #LibbysJingle


**This is a sponsored post through the Mom Bloggers Club. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Cream Concentrate

I've come to really love Coconut Oil and use it in almost everything I bake. But what about Coconut Cream Concentrate?

At first glance, it appears to be the same thing. Solid. White. Coconut smelling. But it's not. Coconut Cream is actually a food, not a cooking oil. This didn't stop me from cooking with it, but I found a surprisingly large number of uses for Coconut Cream and am adding more every day.


If you check out the recipe section at Tropical Traditions, you'll find a bunch of chocolate coconut recipes, bars and cookies, smoothies, and soups.


So far, I've used coconut cream in chocolate almond butter balls, in cream of broccoli soup, in coconut banana bread, to add creaminess to hot cocoa, in tropical smoothies, and to make this awesome (vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, and can-free!) pumpkin pie.

This pie only contained 1/6 cup of honey and no other sweeteners - it was fantastic! And crust-less!

There are so many ways to add this tasty coconut cream to your diet. Want to give it a try? Tropical Traditions has generously offered one Suburban Jungle reader the chance to try a FREE jar of Coconut Cream concentrate!

To Enter: Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions Newsletter. Come back and leave me a comment that you signed up.

Extra Entries:

5 Extra Entries for blogging about this contest (leave 5 comments, and at least one link)

3 Extra Entries for tweeting about this contest. (include @suburbanjung in your tweet)

1 Extra Entry for telling me what you'd do with this yum-o honey

1 Extra Entry for following on google friend connect

1 Extra Entry for following @suburbanjung on twitter

1 Extra Entry for following on Feedburner

1 Extra Entry for following @troptraditions on twitter

This contest will end on 5/20/11 at 9:00 PM EST. The winner will be selected by random.org, posted here, and notified by email.  Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Cascade Complete - 24 Hour Challenge and $15 Walmart Gift Card Givewaway

What if someone asked you to leave your stuck-on dishes lying on the counter for 24 hours? No rinsing. No soaking. No scrubbing. And then, after a day for the stains to really stick, you were allowed to finally wash them?

Well, that's what MyBlogSpark asked me to do. The mission: make a blueberry cobbler, let the pan sit for 24 hours, wash in the dishwasher with Cascade Complete.

I willingly took the challenge. They actually had me at blueberries, but I'm predicable that way. Here's my blueberry cobbler (pecan and coconut crusted blueberry/pineapple cobbler - with no added sugar or grains - just in case you were wondering.)

This is NOT the type of pan I like to leave on the counter....

Here it is with some full fat vanilla ice cream

I reluctantly left the pan on the counter for 24 hours (give or take.) Then I loaded up the dishwasher and loaded in a packet of Cascade Complete.

On a side note, I like these little packets. They ensure that my husband and kids can/will participate in washing dishes. A positive that pretty much undoes a lot of the negatives in my opinion.

So.....how did it come out?

I am so sad to report that my pan did not come out clean. I always use my scrubbies to rub out tough, sticky spots and it pained me to let this go in the dishwasher without at least a little scrubbing. And it so I scrubbed it and sent it back in the dishwasher.

Want to give the Cascade Complete 24 hours challenge a shot at your house? Cascade and MyBlogSpark are offering one Suburban Jungle reader a $15 Walmart Gift Card to use to purchase your own bag of Cascade Complete.

To Enter: Leave a comment sharing the meal you're most excited to make and leave to see if Cascade Complete can clean it off.

Extra Entries:
-Leave 3 Extra Comments if you post this contest on your facebook page, twitter, or blog (you can share on all three for up to 9 extra entries, leave your links in the comment section)
-Leave 2 Extra Comments if you follow this blog publicly on google friend connect
-Leave 2 Extra Comments if you follow @suburbanjung on twitter

*P&G provided me with the Cascade Complete All-in-1 ActionPac Kit, 6 trial packs, information, and the $15 Walmart gift card to giveaway through MyBlogSpark. This contest will end on May 19, 2011 at 9:00  PM EST. The winner will be selected by random.org and notified by email. This contest is open to US and Canadian residents 18 years and older.