Samples, Secrets and update

To start out, I have downloaded my Master Cleanse information and have made my "grocery list", unfortunately my son has a touch of a stomach bug (well I think he drank too much tub water, opps) and we will not be leaving the house today. Hopefully he will be better tomorrow and I can go get my supplies and get started. Check back tomorrow to get an update. We have plans this weekend and I really was looking forward to jump starting my weight loss.

Now back to the topics for today.

First off, I was reminded of a site that I have been a member of for over 5 years now, but have not taken advantage of on a regular basis. The site is startsampling.com it is a great site where you get samples of products and then return to give your opinion of them. You earn points for visiting the page, filling out opinion surveys and for contests. I have done this on and off for several years and have always received my samples and my points and they have always kept my account active with my points. I looked at my points today and had over 4000 and I hadn't been to the site in atleast 6 months. So I truly recommend this site for samples and maybe a couple extra prizes along the way. I have requested some samples and will be checking back regularly (hopefully) for more.

Now what are our secrets and information for today.

Six Secrets of Internet Home Buying - US News and World Report

May 6, 2008 ... How to get the most out of your online real estate search.

You Don't Know Jack About Firefox! [Software Tutorials] ·

Sample Secrets. Chapter 6, Tips, Tricks and Hacks. There are many subtle features hidden beneath the Firefox hood.

Windows Secrets

Here are some Windows XP Secrets for today.
Not sure how many of you are on XP, but this could be useful. We have 1 XP and 1 Vista at our house.

Top Story
Keep XP fresh until Windows 7 arrives
XP is an operating system with serious legs
Eight simple rules for keeping XP rejuvenated
Clear the clutter from XP's many cubbyholes

Wacky Web Week - This is just cool!!!!
Windows rocks! The OS plays a Who classic

I'm gonna try it.

I am going to do the 10day Master Cleanse. I have ordered the product and will do it once I have read the information. In my past life I did a cleanse that was given to me by my brother - who is very up on health and exercise. I lost 7 pounds, but as Raylen Sterling states in his sales pitch,

The Master Cleanse Is Not As Easy As Everyone Thinks

and I started to stray near the end of the cleanse. So this new book that helps make the cleanse easier sounds great to me. I am excited to finally decide on something and jump start my weight loss, which I plan to turn into a healthy lifestyle - I really hate the word diet and tend to eat worse when I am on one.

I Heard It Through the Diet Grapevine - New York Times

Dec 10, 2006 ... While popular diets and fasts come and go, “master cleanse” remains a perennial

Master Cleanse Lemonade Diet, Juice Fasting and Water Fasting

For some people, just losing weight will lower blood pressure and the master cleanse is great for weight loss

Detoxing the Body (Master Cleanse, Lemonade Diet, Fasting ...

I did the Master Cleanse (The Lemonade Diet) and within the first 3 days my gout was gone

So are you ready to check it out with me? Master Cleanse

MommyFest and Contest Winner

Yes its really over, can't we stay just a little bit longer. MommyFest 2008 is over. I am already looking forward to the next Blog Party, please invite me, please, please.....
What a great week it has been. I have attempted to visit as many participants sites as humanly possible (way too much time on the computer this week). I have found many places to go for support and help in my everyday life, my health and in my business, oh and my favorite helping kids with business. Those were just the "guest" speakers. There were so many great sites out there I have bookmarked, joined or Feeded I can't wait to continue on in this Mommy Blog world.
I will be starting my soon, stop by and check it out if you get the chance, maybe I will need to have a contest over there soon.
Thank you so much for all those who stopped by to visit me, I have all the comments, links and twitters recorded. The names are in the bucket the winner to be announced very soon. Okay here we go and the Winner of the $75.00 Visa Gift Card is..............
Angie
Congratulations to you, I will be contacting you to find out where you want this to go.
Thank you to everyone who entered, I hope we can do this again soon.
Good luck with the all the other contests, there sure were tons of great ones out there. Have fun and check back often. Maybe I'll have to run another contest.

Routines

Last night I was speaking to my husband about MommyFest and how I am trying to make my posts for this week helpful and informative, and easily commented on (for the contest) and he suggested talking about the boys routines. I was like well maybe and not 5 minutes later I am going through my sons preschool orientation packet and there is a whole page on routines. So here I go.

A routine is an event that is completed on a regular basis, frequently involving a series of responses.

• Schedule and routines are important because
• They influence a child's emotional, cognitive and social development
• They help children feel secure and comfortable
• They help children understand the expectations of the environment
• They help reduce the frequency of behavior problems
• They can result in higher rates of child engagment

We have set up a very easy routine for nap and bedtime that are very similar and works well for use. I don't think details will help you , everyone is different - we read stories - but you could sing, cuddle, talk whatever works for you and your child. I think the important things are they remain as consistant as possible, sometimes babysitters think we are a little overboard with making sure they know the "routine" and follow it, but we rarely have problems with bedtime this way.

• Remember:
• A schedule that is followed consistently helps make settings more predictable for children and adults.
• When planning activity scheduless, caregivers should consider the balance of activites
• Longer play periods can result in higher levels of play behavior
• There should be times when children are given a choice of activities

Do you have a good routine set up, or do you have any advice for routines?????

Contest

Here is what I have to offer for my Mommyfest Contest on my blog.
How does at $75.00 Visa Gift card sound to you????

Here is how you enter.
Every comment of value received during MommyFest will get 1 entry to the contest (don't forget the leave name and email information)
If you provide a verifiable link from your blog/site to homeworkermother.blogspot.com that will award you another entry in the contest (make sure you let me know, so I can check the link and again I need contact information).

At the end of MommyFest all entries will be placed in a hat and a name will be drawn for the winner. I will contact you via email to get shipping information. The prize will go out to the winner Saturday May 17, 2008. I will also post the winner on my blog the same, so check back at the end of the contest to see if you are the winner.
Odds of winning are based on number of entrants.

Secrets (helpful ones)

Sorry this is getting posted so late in the day, I am still trying to recover from my crazy day yesterday. I planned on talking about Facebook today, but changed my mind.
I have decided to try something different today. I originally was going to have a vent Friday or something like that, but again I have changed my mind. Isn't that what women are suppose to do? HAHAHA
So to help those who are looking for a comment of value for today, so you can enter my blog contest. Here we go
Lets share our secrets, no I don't want you to air your dirty laundry on my blog. Helpful secrets, tips, ideas that you use everyday to help with being a mother, going to work, getting things done or clean, ect....l I will try and make this a habit every wednesday, it's the middle of the week and we all need a break and maybe a few good secrets.

I'll will start of course:
To keep the floor mats in our vehicles new and clean, we put down towels in the winter time to protect them from the salt. You can then occasionally take them out and clean them. In case you are wondering yes we are that obsessive!!!!

Now how about you?

To go with our secrets theme, I found this site.
Free Secret Love Letters!