Purex and Make-A-Wish giveaway (Now Over)

I am very lucky to have been picked to be a part of the Purex and Make-A-Wish giveaway. I have seen some of my own family members use the services this organization provides for children who are sick. It can make memories to last a lifetime.

How can you help?

Join with me in making a pledge to purchase Purex detergent during the month of February or donating to Make-A-Wish in some other way. 

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illnesses, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family.

Purex will pay a minimum guarantee of $250,000 to Make-A-Wish, but you can help make a difference and get the payment up to $400,000 by purchasing Purex liquid detergent or liquid fabric softener between February 1st 2014 and February 28th 2014. *

Be sure to stock up on Purex during the month of February as every bottle helps in our effort to support this great cause. Learn more about Make-A-Wishbelow and show your support by spreading the word – share this page with friends and together let’s make wishes come true!

More than 14,000 wishes were granted in 2013 alone. To learn more about Purex and Make-A-Wish, please visit www.purex.com/make-a-wish, or one of the links towards the bottom of this post.

Now for a chance to win a free coupon for bottle of Purex Mountain Breeze detergent value ($6.00). There will be two winners. MarksvilleandMe wishes everyone who enters Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can check out Purex on 

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Website

And Make-A-Wish

YouTube 

Twitter

Facebook

Website

Disclosure

Being a part of Purex insiders I was  provided free coupons to giveaway on my site to get the word out about both Purex and the Make-A- Wish foundation. All comments are my own.

Getting Crafty with Boroax Sweepstakes

20 Mule Team® Borax isn't just for cleaning, there are many uses for it including uses in crafts. 

Making Homemade Candles:
3 tablespoons of 20 Mule Team® Borax
1 tablespoon of salt
1 cup of warm water

This treatment is for your wicks. Put it in the solution for 24 hours. When it dries, it's ready to be used in your homemade candle. This will get rid of the smoke and reduce the ash.

Preserve Flowers: 

1 part 20 Mule Team® Borax
2 parts cornmeal
1 airtight canister

Pour about one inch of  mixture in bottom of canister.  Put flowers on this layer and cover with the rest of the mixture. For flowers with lots of petals, like roses you should pour the mixture directly
onto them before you put it in the container. This should eliminate all the moisture in the petals so they dry out, instead of wilting.

My personal favorites are   

Bouncy Balls

Floam

Flubber

Gak

Slime 

Snowflakes

I am sure there are plenty more variations on making crafts with borax if you have a favorite use for 20 Mule Team® Borax please share below.

About the Sweepstakes

Get crafty with 20 Mule Team® Borax. There are so many ways 20 Mule Team® Borax can help beautify your home, learn how to get crafty and get entered to WIN $500!

Enter Getting Crafty with Boroax Sweepstakes for your chance to win $500. I am thinking Craft supply stock up time. 

You can check out 20 Team Mule Borax on 

Facebook

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Website

Disclosure

Being a part of Purex insiders I was  provided a link for my friends and family to enter the sweepstakes, by doing so I may be picked to win a prize.

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The world lied to me, I thought

The world lied to me, I thought that it was much more trust worthy then it is. I have learned to just let people talk and if they follow up on what they say then they do, if they don't then oh well, live and learn. I try to keep my word as best I can but life doesn't always go the way we would like and you just can not always do what you say.

There is a big difference in saying something and not being able to do something then saying something and just not doing it because you never really meant what you said in the first place. One is unplanned while the other is meant to do harm or damage.

At first when these things happened it hurt a lot but after a while you start to just shrug is all off, except that is when it comes from someone very close to your heart then all bets are off and there is no telling what might happen.

Some people say things that are untrue to try and hurt your reputation just because they are missing something in their own lives. They haven't learned compassion. Others say things in a fit of anger and then don't know how to make things better.

These are things that tear friends, family, towns, and even countries apart. I pray every day for the world and the people in it, that they will all come together to do good things for everyone not just the few. Humans are selfish and have fallen far away from loving their neighbor. May God have mercy on us all.

There was a tremendous amount of stress

There was a tremendous amount of stress while we were homeless, and even into when we first were getting settled in the new house. We were only supposed to be homeless a few days but it turned into weeks, and months before we could move into the house we wanted to rent.

When we took our things out of storage, we found that many of the things were moldy and had to be burned like our brand new couch. We had brought out stove but there was no gas hook up so we ended up getting rid of it and using the stove our land lord had here, until we could buy one of our own.

At first all we had were beds, and hard chairs to sit on. it was stressful to say the least. It was August and time to begin thinking about school supplies for the kids. Of course while we were homeless we burned through all of our savings eating out everyday, and keeping the kids busy when they were out of school. All of their toys were in storage.

Shopping for school only happened because I called the one Credit card company we had and asked for a raise in the amount we could spend. I then took our empty Credit card and did all of the kids school shopping with it, maxing it out, and even though we did have to close that account because a snow ball effect took place after we were homeless I can now say that Credit card has been paid off in full and we are again in good standing even though we told them we do not want another card at this time.

Being pregnant while working and being far away from my children while working didn't make things any better. We trusted a lot in our older children to hold the fort down. We couldn't afford a child care worker, that is what I did before working outside of the home, we really didn't know anyone in the area so we did the best we could with what we had until I had Dorothy and then I became a Stay at Home Mom again as per my Dr.'s instructions and years later here I am Blogging and loving it.

I could go on and on about the stress but just know there was a tremendous amount of stress for both us as adults and for our children during this time of transition.

I felt helpless

Have you ever been in a situation where you feel helpless? We have more then once. The biggest being when we ended up being Homeless in 2007. We were paying our rent, our bills, and doing everything we were supposed to do. Little did we know that our Land Lord was taking our money and not paying their mortgage, so when the Sheriff came and gave us eviction papers dated for 72 hours we were at a loss.

I was pregnant with our 6th child, both my husband and myself were working full time jobs, as well as our children being in school. It was a mess. We had to find a place to put our belongings, find a place to live, explain to our kids what was happening, all while trying to fit it around our jobs which took up most of our waking hours.

We had to leave behind many things because we were renting two of the biggest units near us to store most of our belongings, but we just could not fit anymore with out renting another which we could not afford. We left behind a new fridge, all 5 of the kids new bikes, my brand new coffee table, air conditioner, our shelves, many of my husband tools, toys, lamps, garbage cans, brand new mower, clothes etc.

We ended up being homeless for about 3 months before we could move into the house we now live in. Department of Social Services couldn't help us because we both had full time jobs and didn't have drug or alcohol problems, we couldn't stay at a shelter because they had a curfew and our jobs had us working until after midnight or even later, forget about friends or family. I have heard many times you find out who your real friends and family are when you are down and need help, and it really is true.

My husband slept on the concrete outside of our job, while the children and I slept in our station wagon. We had to eat out every day because we didn't have anywhere to cook other then the microwave at our job, and a small fridge that was on the premises.  I felt helpless, all we had to depend on was God to see us through, which is what we did.

One night I had hit rock bottom and told God he had to get off of his A$$ because I couldn't take it anymore. The next day our landlord called and said we could move in. I don't suggest you talk to God like that but I had been broken and it was all just taking a toll on my body and mind.

We are still replacing things 7 years later but we are doing much better overall. I am very thankful to God for taking the helpless feeling away, and providing for us each and every day.

A little side note before this happened my husband and myself had been praying for the same thing with out  knowing. We had prayed for Patience and Patience is what we got. Some people say be careful what you wish for but I have to add to that and say be careful what you Pray for too.

SmartKlean Laundry Kit Giveaway

SmartKlean was created in 2009 by a family who wanted to make a difference. SmartKlean is an intentionally renowned brand which makes laundry care safer, enjoyable and more economical because for too many decades now a convention has taken place, which are wasteful, chemical-laden products. SmartKlean offers innovative alternatives to help others reduce their exposure to toxic chemicals and economize. 

Mami's 3 Little Monkeys reviewed SmartKlean's Wash Ball and Stain Stick. Read their review to see how it works on clothing, bedding and even safe and effective on cloth diapers! Plus, you could probably EXTEND the life of your cloth diapers and have to strip your diapers LESS often if you were to switch to this Wash Ball as there are no harsh chemicals, it uses a physical process instead of chemicals like laundry detergent. Read more here. 

What a awesome invention and so convenient too. I know most people like to save money and also buy earth friendly products and this might just be the answer. MarksvilleandMe wishes everyone who enters Good Luck!

Giveaway Details!

One winner will win a SmartKlean Wash Ball & Stain Stick, a $54.80ARV. 

Open to both US and Canadians whom are at least 18 years of age. 

Giveaway will run from January 20th at 12pm CST through February 3rd at 11:59pm CST. 

Winner's entries will be verified, winner will be notified via email and will have 48hrs to respond. 

For your chance to win, simply complete however many entries you wish in the Giveaway Tools entry form below. Good luck!

Entry-Form

Disclosure: MarksvilleandMe has not been compensated for this publication, nor am I responsible for the fulfillment of the prize(s). Please contact Sarh at mamis3littlemonkeys(AT)yahoo(DOT)com if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

What I could see happening...

It not what I could see happening but what I am seeing happen. I see people each and every day being more depressed, strung out, and losing a little bit of themselves each day. Of course I see those who are doing well, but those having a worse time is standing out more and more.

The economy sucks, prices are up, jobs are hard to find. People are sick and the insurance companies are saying we won't pay for the medications that keep you healthy but you can take this lower rate one and go down hill we just don't care.

I have known all my life that there are people who really care about others and others who just pretend to care, or care because there is something in it for them. It is far and in between that you see the true hearted person who really wants to make a difference in the lives of those around them. Those people will be rewarded someday while those who pretended or did it for gain will pay the price, or even better yet those who don't care about anyone but themselves, I guess those would be the ones who have it really coming.

Never wanting harm to really come to anyone myself, I know how it is to give, give, give with nothing in return. I know it is better to give then to receive but sometimes you just want a little back, and to be honest it isn't like I haven't  seen a return because I have, little miracles here bigger ones there. Sometimes as a human we forget our path, and have to right it to bring ourselves back to where we need to be.

This is what should be happening in the world today with each and everyone, but money clouds most peoples judgments. One step at a time is all you need to get yourself back on the right path, or take it smaller and go one moment at a time. After a while you won't even remember how you got off in the wrong direction.

Can I just get my...

Can I just get my medicine? I have Fibromyalgia and everything was going well with getting my medication through my husband's insurance when he was working and even on workman's comp, until that is he was laid off while still being on workman's comp. Then we had to apply for medicaid which took over 5 months to go through. During that time I was left with no medication because we couldn't afford it.

When the insurance finally went through we were on Medicaid for one month, I was able to get my medication, and then it switched over to and HMO. I ordered my medication they said I had to have a pre-authorization which I got but the insurance still denied to pay for my medication. They suggested another medication that is not approved for Fibromyalgia and that is quite dangerous to use.

I just had an appointment with my Dr. and he agrees he does not want me on anything else either, and doesn't understand why I was denied. For Fibromyalgia it should have been approved. He was also telling me under the new medical plan he has elderly people with diabetes taking needles and insulin  again because the new insurance will not pay for the insulin pens that make things easy for everyone especially those with shaky hands. It is crazy that people even voted this in.

So I have applied for Disability why? Because if I get it my medication will be paid for. Crazy right? I guess that is how they want it through so can I just get my medicine now?

We spent months...

We spent months making sure we had caught up with things so that our bank account wouldn't go negative and that we were on a budget, then we received a letter this week from unemployment. Some of you might remember that his unemployment had been held back for almost a month then they deposited it all at one time into our bank account, well the new letter says my husband wasn't able to work during that time so we owe them back all of the money, and now that he is eligible they are going to with hold his unemployment again until the over payed amount is payed back.

First of all he was eligible the first time we just have to appeal and send in the paperwork stating he was under 100% for the first date that he began applying for it, which he just got done typing up and is ready to send out.

Second of all things were going quite smoothly until his checks from his insurance company went missing along with the unemployment being stopped. Needless to say we are not on budget at all, there is just no way to pay for everything we have with what is coming in right now. We are scrapping by to say the least with being a bit behind on our rent, which is something we did not want to happen, but has. We will get through it, just have to wait for them to review the case and then put all of that money back into our account.

Sometimes it just does not matter how much you plan because it just does not work out. We spent months planning with nothing to show for it, not because of something we did but because of something out of our hands. So here we go on faith alone to get us through this next big hurdle.

Donate Girls Scout Cookies to the U.S. Military

here she is

This is my daughter Dorothy she is 6 six years old, she is in Troop 1180. and this is her first year selling girl scout cookies. I can't take orders for cookies from my online friends because I have no way to deliver the cookies but I can offer my friends from online the opportunity to donate one or more boxes of cookies to the U.S. Military at 4.00 a box through Paypal. 

If you would be interested make sure I have the name you would like to be seen for the donation and send as a gift to damarks@fairpoint.net. 

Her goal is to sell  at least 10 more now at least 6 more as of 1/18 donated boxes for a special patch through the Council Gift of Caring program called the Cookie Star Patch Pin, but remember this is a donation and the more we give to those who serve, the more they know how much we care.

 Imagine the look of a U.S Military person receiving their own box of cookies just because some one cared enough to donate, not to mention how yummy of a treat it will be. 

Again if you are interested please make sure I have the name you would like to be seen for the donation and send as a gift to damarks@fairpoint.net. 

Thank you from Dorothy, Troop 1180, the Girl Scouts, and the U.S. Military.

My Chickadee Designs Giveaway

Welcome to the My Chickadee Designs Giveaway! 

Sponsored By: My Chickadee Designs

Hosted By: Mami's 3 Little Monkeys 

My Chickadee has lots of customers whom baby-wear and they thought it would be nice for little ones to have their own carrier just like their parents. The Mini Carrier is made of 100% cotton fabric and is lined with a soft leatherette, with hook and loop adjustable straps that cross and close. The Mini Carrier also features My Chickadee's signature front pocket and this can be worn as a front or back carry. These Mini Carriers fit children from 18 months old up to 5 years old. Not only is it easy to clean as it is machine washable, it is also compliant with CPSIA standards as well as lead and phthalate free.

Read Mami's 3 Little Monkeys full review here. 

Very cute give away, I know my now grown up girls would have loved to have this when they were little, and my still little girls will get one with their new dolls for Christmas 2014. MarksvilleandMe wishes everyone who enters Good Luck!

One lucky reader will win a My Chickadee Mini Carrier ($22ARV) of their choice! 

Open to US only

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm CST on January 29th

Winners entries will be verified. Winner will have 48hrs to respond to email notification or a new winner will be chosen. For your chance to win, simply complete entries through the Giveaway Tools entry form below. Good luck!

Entry-Form

Disclosure: MarksvilleandMe was not compensated for this publication nor am I responsible for the fulfillment of this prize. This event was organized by Mami's 3 Little Monkeys, please contact Sarh at mamis3littlemonkeys@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

Florida Giveaway

 Organized by:
Lauren Paints | a beautiful life

 Sponsored by Alice on Vacation.com

Prize Package includes:

3 days/2 nights of accommodations for 2 in FLORIDA! 

 Location Choices: 

Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, 

Key West, Miami Beach, New Smyrna, 

Orlando, Palm Beach, St. Augustine or St. Petersburg. 

 Must be at least 21 years old. 

I can not say enough, how wonderful this would be for some lucky person. For us we live in the North-East and the weather has been crazy to say the least. One week it is freezing, the next it is warm enough to open up windows and turn off the heat. I would love to lay on a beach somewhere warm and soak up some rays. As each day goes by I get whiter and whiter, I am in competition with a sheet here, that is no joke. MarksvilleandMe wishes everyone who enters Good Luck!

 I've teamed up with Lauren Paints | a beautiful life
& AliceonVacation.com 

to giveaway an awesome Florida Vacation,

this giveaway will provide one lucky winner with
3 days and 2 nights worth of accommodations in Florida.

{Picture taken in St Petersburg, FL}

Florida is paradise, each location has it's own local charm
and all kinds of entertaining activities to partake in!
Theme Parks, Beaches, World Famous Restaurants and Clubs,
 a little something for everyone!
Where would you like to visit?
What kind of fun do you enjoy having on the beach?

Imagine parasailing or maybe visiting Disney...
Picture your feet in the sand and days full of tanning...
Maybe you'll play a game of volleyball
or enjoy a Daquiri while lounging in a hammock....
One lucky winner will have the luxury of knowing your hotel stay is taken care of by
Lauren Paints | a beautiful life and Alice on Vacation.com!




Enter to win this amazing giveaway with the form below:
{entries will be verified ---  Giveaway runs:1/15/2014-2/15/2014}

Entry-Form

Paradise is waiting...

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact Alice Kingsleigh with questions! This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. You must be 21+ to win.

Get a Clean Start Sweepstakes

Let Purex start your new year off in style! We’ll take care of your new wardrobe and detergent needs for all of 2014. Enter to WIN $1,000 towards a new wardrobe and a year’s supply of Purex detergent below!

Get a Clean Start Sweepstakes

Oh boy what I could do with a $1,000. I am in need of a new wardrobe. Most of the clothes I wear are as old as my older children, 23, 19, and 16 years, no joke I am serious. I need an upgrade badly, but want to wish all of my readers who enter Good Luck!

You can check out Purex on 

YouTube

Twitter

Facebook

Website

Disclosure

Being a part of Purex insiders I was  provided a link for my friends and family to enter the sweepstakes, by doing so I may be picked to win a prize.

Google

Purex New Year, New You Sweepstakes

Stay fit & fresh this year with help from Purex. Enter to WIN a Basis Fitness Tracker & a year’s supply of Purex Crystals! Purex Crystals do not interfere with moisture wicking fabric; they work great for all your sportswear! Let Purex help you stick to your resolution this year. Enter below for your chance to WIN!

New Year, New You Sweepstakes

How many sweepstakes keep you both fit and your clothes smelling fresh? I have no idea but this is the first for me. MarksvilleandMe wishes everyone who enters Good Luck!

You can check out Purex on 

YouTube

Twitter

Facebook

Website

Disclosure

Being a part of Purex insiders I was  provided a link for my friends and family to enter the sweepstakes, by doing so I may be picked to win a prize.

LapGear Giveaway Event

Welcome to the LapGear Review and Giveaway Event hosted by Crafty Spices.

This is not another computer desk, it is the perfect lap desk for more than just your laptop, it is ideal for tablets, smart phones, and eReaders. To read Jay’s full review follow this Link-Here

This giveaway will begin January 13 and will end January 28, it is open to all U.S. and Canada residents age 18 and over, void where prohibited. One lucky winners will be randomly selected from all valid and verified entries.

I would love to have this for my bedroom sure would be nice to have something hard to write on for my journal, or something to place my laptop on while I am in the bedroom. As is I move my computer around so that it does not have a chance of overheating and getting off of the blanket would be great. I will be looking into one of these really soon. MarksvilleandMe wishes everyone who enters Good Luck!

Enter the rafflecopter for a chance to Win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Jay @Crafty Spices did receive a product for free and is sharing her personal opinion with all of us.  Her opinion may differ from ours and yours.  Neither Crafty Spices or MarksvilleandMe  are responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected.  All entries will be verified. 

Good Luck

WallArtsy Vinyl Wall Decal Giveaway!

Welcome to the WallArtsy Vinyl Wall Decal Giveaway! 

Sponsored By: WallArtsy

Hosted By: Mami's 3 Little Monkeys

WallArtsy is a small vinyl wall decal business that is run by a husband and wife team, Sam and Sharon, they are located in Mobile County, Alabama. They offer a wide variety of quality custom made inspirational wall art, including, but not limited to personalized name wall decals designed for babies and children, wall quotes for any room in your home and more. All of WallArtsy’s vinyl material is the highest quality indoor vinyl made right here in the US. Sam and Sharon take great pride and satisfaction in their work and the products that they offer, however it doesn’t stop here. They don’t stop once the customer’s order is shipped, they also want to make sure that all customers are satisfied from start to finish and that the final results leave their customers happy. 

Read Mami's 3 Little Monkeys full review here.

One lucky reader will win a $45 GC to WallArtsy! 

Open to US residents, 18yo+

Ends on January 24th at 11:59pm CST

Entries will be verified, winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

Winner will have 48hrs to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen. 

Good Luck!

What a great way to add a little something extra to any room in your home! I have a few ideas of my own that I would love to add to our home, starting with the girls rooms. As always MarksvilleandMe wishes everyone who enters Good Luck!

Entry-Form

Disclosure: MarksvilleandMe is not responsible for the fulfillment of this prize, nor did I receive any compensation for this post. If you have any questions please contact Sarh at mamis3littlemonkeys@yahoo.com 

I never received an answer.

Have you ever asked someone something and they say you know...but you really had no clue so you asked again? I have and I never received an answer. Actually this even goes as far as my husband he asked the same question and it was met the same way.

Sadly it has caused a split in the family going on for a few years now, but there is nothing more we can do because we asked, but didn't receive an answer. We have come to the realization that there never was anything wrong, or there would have been an answer, that in itself shows just how sick someone can become when they are so bent on hurting others that they have to make something up and then when asked can't answer because they know in the end if they use what they made up which wasn't true to begin with, they can't answer because they don't have a real answer to give.

I learned long ago it is better to be honest and open, something my parents taught me from day one, and something I have tried to hand down to my children. There isn't anything that can not be worked through, unless you don't want to work through it. So here I am... waiting...but alas I never received an answer...and probably never will.

Redbox Review

I am a BzzAgent and recently I was given a free month of redbox instant by verizon to try out. My job is to let you know in my opinion what our family thought of the service.

First of all the price 

For only $8 a month, you get 4 DVD credits at the kiosk every month + movies you can stream instantly. Rent new releases from nearby kiosks or stream movies on the go from your smartphone, laptop or tablet.

Now what our family thought.

First of all make sure you are on redbox instant and not just redbox we made this mistake a few times during our free month, which caused more problems then it was worth.

The first time we used it I got really excited because they had a whole slew of movies to watch that were new to me, then reality set in and I found out they were mostly at the Kiosk or for on demand which cost $ 3.00 a pop.

I actually found a few movies on redbox that I could not watch on my other online service so that was really nice. It seems what one does not have the other does, but for the most part they have all of the same movies.

We found it comparable to other online rental sites, one of which I have been with from almost day one and have kept my subscription too except for a few times when there had to be that extra cut in finances.

The rental from Kiosk was a total waste for me, didn't use my codes at all.

For me the nearest Kiosk is about 20 miles away too far to just run out to get a movie and have it back the next day with the price of gas these days so for those living in a rural area this might not be the best option for you. 80 miles for me for two round trips for a movie is just not cost effective.

On the other hand if you live next door to one then this would could be a great option, just not for us.

I found that it was harder to find a movie I liked because of the way you had to search for them. Sorry I keep comparing it but once you have been with one company for such a long time, you are either just as good or better, or you just don't get accepted and I think this is just what happened in our family.

I hope that if you are looking for a site to rent from online you will give them a try, it might have worked out better for our family if we had not been with the company we have had for so long. If I get the chance to have another free trial I will give it another whirl and see if goes over better, but until then I am not sure how long but if you go to sign up, you can also get a free month trial. 

Do you rent from online? If so which company and how do you like them? More then one? Which do you like best?

Redbox Instant Twitter

Redbox Instant by Verizon Facebook

Redbox Instant by Verizon Website

Redbox Website 

Redbox Twitter

One mothers account of daily life..

If you're at all interested in knowing more about our family you can always check out my other blogs which are in the tabs above but just in case you haven't and would like to know where to start why not try One mothers account of daily life which should be updated more then it is, but life here is busy, I do what I can. I have so many things to write but finding the time to do it all around our schedules can be a bit daunting but I haven't given up and hope you enjoy getting to know MarksvilleandMe a little better while you are here.

I've seen some pretty horrible...

When you have company coming do you run around cleaning even if it is already tidy because you know you can spruce up a few more things? Our family does. We had company coming today and did just that. Mind you it was just picking up the bathroom and vacuuming, but it was still a spruce up none the less.

After our company came and went we all got on the conversation of messy houses. I've seen some pretty horrible houses in my day. From rich to poor I have seen it all, some that are dirty, smelly, a hoarders dream, or any combination in between. I have been places where you wouldn't dare take a seat, breath, and others you couldn't wait to flee.

Our home itself has been anywhere from organized and tidy to a complete disaster, with the later happening mostly when I have been ill mind you, but also when I was working two jobs outside of our home, putting in over 120 hours a week. I don't even remember much about those times other then making a lot of money. When all was said and done, it was not worth it. My health, my house, and my children all suffered from it.

Even though I've seen seen some pretty horrible houses what matters in the end is that it is a happy home, full of love, laughter, and family. 

That is completely selfish.

Yesterday my daughter took me out to get my pedicure she had promised me on Christmas for a present. While on our way it came down to getting my nails done or getting the money in cash so we could have gas in our vans tank. My husband's unemployment is again on hold. I wish they would get it together. I chose getting gas in our van over the pedicure, besides who besides myself would enjoy my pretty feet in the winter?

Later on in the evening the same daughter came to our house needing a place to stay. I didn't get to writing my blog posts for yesterday because she needed us... she is 8 1/2 months pregnant...if I had done my blogs and not have taken care of her people would have said that is completely selfish.

I am always giving up things or my time so that I can help others, it just seems to be in my nature, even if it impairs my health. I feel guilty when I am ill, not being able to do for others during those times, and no one can say that is completely selfish.

Who touched the...

Who touched the... seems to be something that is heard often in our home. I buy certain ingredients for recipes and when I go to make them, more often then not something is missing, leaving me to figure out what to make in it's place. Meal planning is a real hassle when this happens. 

My husband has his own desk and I have my own, yet almost every time we need something, it isn't where it is suppose to be and you will hear us say who touched the...? Funny even with all of the who touched the..., I can  most times help my children find what they are missing. 

Remotes are another who touched the...moments in our home. For some reason the kids just don't have it within them to put them back in the rooms where they belong. We often find the computer room remotes in the bathroom, or stranger yet up in their rooms. I don't ask really but how does that happen? 

Never mind chocolate it goes so fast in our home most people don't even know we had any including ourselves because it seems to disappear as fast as we replace it. Also if you asked who touched the... everyone says it wasn't them so I am convinced we either have a ghost or at least a borrower in our midst. 

I've been here all night.

I've been here all night, OK well most of the night. We went out earlier for a wake for a friend that my husband had worked with, then out to return something to Walmart for my daughter, and then home again. When we returned we had a note on our door from our neighbors, something about bad water pressure.

Before we had left for the wake I had a message from our other neighbor that their pipes were frozen, didn't think anything of it till we checked our water and had almost no water pressure ourselves. My husband ventured down in the basement which is no small feat with an injured leg mind you and finds the water pump running non stop and it sounding like it was going to kick the bucket.

Needless to say I have been here all night talking back and forth with the neighbors and our landlord, hoping that they fix it first thing in the morning so things can get back to normal.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

Yeah, yeah, yeah

That is what my landlord said when I called him this evening.

I told him the neighbors had messaged me earlier that they were having problems with their pipes, and I had a note on my door from the other set of  neighbors that live in the house in back of us that they had no water pressure.

He said it would be 3 hours before someone would get here. I told him my husband was going to turn off the water pump because it was running non stop and he didn't want it to cause a fire, besides it didn't sound too kosher while running.

I messaged the one neighbor back and called the other, a little while later when I called our landlord back he said his workers wouldn't be here till tomorrow.

Yeah, yeah, yeah is what I said.

While messaging back and forth to the one neighbor I find out their heater broke down a few weeks back and the landlords men have been back there every few days trying to get it fixed, and that was probably what made the pipes break in their house last night.

My husband said with the water pump running non-stop because of the break we were lucky we had water as long as we did. The frozen water is just spreading with the pipe broke. Wish someone had said something earlier about the pipe because it would have saved the pump and our electric bill, just hope our pipes don't go next.

My husband is thinking they may need a new water pump as well as the pipes replaced in the back house.

Of course all we will hear from the Landlord is...Yeah, yeah, yeah

Freshly Picked Moccs Giveaway

One winner will win a pair of Freshly Picked Moccasins in their choice of color and size! 

These moccasins are available in sizes 1 - 10. 

Read Mami's 3 Little Monkeys review here.

What a cute giveaway, I even have to enter this one, these will look cute on my grand daughters. I think we have had a pair of moccasins for everyone of our children, so cute on either boy or girls, and they go with pretty much everything. 
MarksvilleandMe wishes everyone who enters Good Luck!

Giveaway is open to US residents whom are at least 18 years of age at the time of entrance and it will end at 11:59pm CST on January 18th, 2014. For your chance to win, simply complete entries in the Giveaway Tools form below. Winner's entries will be verified, winner will be emailed and will have 48hrs in which to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Good Luck!

Entry-Form

Disclosure: MarksvilleandMe was not compensated for this post nor am I responsible for the fulfillment of the prize. 

New Year, New You Giveaway

Welcome to the New Year, New You Giveaway.

Organized by Mom Powered Media. Co-hosted by My Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Life, Memoirs of a Clueless Woman, Mother of Imperfection, The Frugal Exerciser and Secret Southern Couture.

Emperola.com is the best place where to list your giveaway or sweepstakes for free. We highly recommend to use "featured listing" to get more contestants. Besides that, you can now enter for a chance to win $80 via Paypal!

One grand prize winner will receive a ProForm Performance 400 S Treadmill. Additional winners will receive one of the following: a $250 Visa Gift Card, $100 GAP Gift Card and Body Gospel DVD!

As always another great giveaway event for my readers. I love giveaways that have more then one winner. Who couldn't use the gift of health with a new Treadmill, a shopping spree with the $250 dollar visa card, or the $100 Gap gift card? I know I am in, how about you? MarksvilleandMe wishes everyone who enters Good Luck!

Giveaway ends January 31st at 11:59pm, open to US and Canadian residents only, ages 18+. To enter please use the giveaway form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  Disclaimer: The participating bloggers including MarksvilleandMe were not compensated for this post. We are not associated with any of the companies named above. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household. Void where prohibited by law. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received. Confirmed Winner(s) (by Random.org) will be contacted by email. Winner(s) have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this giveaway. MarksvilleandMe is not responsible for product shipment/delivery. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

"The Blog Dare"

One of my goals it to make my blog better so I have taken on a few challenges and hope to add a few more things over the year to really make my blog my own, not that it isn't already, but I want it to be something people want to come back to, reading it because, well they feel like they are apart of our family.

I am a part of "The Blog Dare", which is a dare to blog everyday for year by using prompts they give us, which can be twisted and turned into all sorts of interesting tid bits of pure blogging joy, OK maybe not all job, I am sure some might make you think, cry, or even angry, either way they are all to get bloggers tobe able to write about almost anything even if it is out of the area of our blogging niche.

I have up to day three done and if you would like you could scan through what I have written and give them a read as well as entering some great giveaways I have posted. Good luck if you enter and here is to meeting my Dare Challenge each day this year.

Happy Reading Everyone!

Just don't do it!

I know most of you know of a brand that has used the logo "Just do it" for a very long time and might still, but there are times when you "Just don't do it". For instance doing drugs. Just don't do it, if a Dr. has not prescribed it you shouldn't be doing it, if they do, question it anyways and try to get away with not taking any for as long as you can, or at least look into alternatives. 

I know in the Bible it says something about wine, but frankly I have tasted quite a few and haven't got past the first or second sip. Yuck. Grape juice or Sparkling Cider for me please. I really don't know how people can stomach it. I can take the strawberry daiquiri and Pina colada with or without the alcohol it really doesn't matter, and yes when I was underage I did drink several times until I had a hangover and I told myself I would never have one again, which I have held true to. I can still count on my hands how many full drinks I have had while married to my husband and we have  been together for  23 & 24 years.

Just don't do it when your friends want you to try smoking. It isn't worth cancer, bad breath, stained teeth, stinky clothes, and nicotine fingers, not to mention ash trays. Yucky. When you see someone else making a mistake don't repeat it yourself, and if you are warned, take the warning to heart it just might save you heartache in the end.

I know we all want to be independent but when someone else has been through it before and they warn you of the problems...Just don't do it. There are so many more things we can learn lessons from on our own that no one around has had to endure and then we ourselves can tell others...Just don't do it.

Almost there

Almost there is how I feel most of the time.

Having been sick most of my life, due to a low immune system sure didn't make things easy for me. I wanted to be the one to do it all, and I accomplished a lot in between my times of being sick. I did a good job of keeping up and almost getting it all done, then enter the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia in my 40's and it all started to make sense to me. The pain, the tiredness, not feeling well when everything else seemed fine, it brought all of my illnesses together and for the first time they all linked together. It just all took a toll on me. When I was feeling well I pushed my body till it couldn't fight off the smallest virus. I still tend to push myself when I am feeling good, which my Dr. says I have to stop doing, and has been telling me for years, I just was not listening to him. I keep telling him I am almost there.

Now to what am I almost there for is the question. I am almost there to raising all 6 of my children. I am almost there to writing my book, getting the house decorated, cleaned, to having life well perfect. I am a perfectionist at heart and want everything perfect although I know deep down nothing can be perfect, but I suppose wanting things to be perfect came from being sick so often. It was something I could control or so I thought. I would always want things but wouldn't use them because I wanted things to be perfect before I used them, as time went by and children came into my life those things continued to just sit there.

It wasn't until the last few months that I have started using the very things that I have always wanted to, so that I could enjoy them. I find that the more you try and make things perfect the more they seem to go backwards, but it doesn't stop me one bit from trying to better the world around me.

MarksvilleandMe takes on the 52 Week Savings Challenge

I was saying I would like to save a little something this year and while scanning Pinterest I found a great way to save that I think even our family can accomplish. It is the 52 week savings challenge and MarksvilleandMe is ready to take it on.

Here is a look at what it looks like. I am sure several sites have the charts available to print but I chose the site below. You can click on the picture to reach the page or go to Easily Save Almost $1400 in 2014 – 52 Week Savings Challenge.

I know I have heard family, friends, and have seen other bloggers wishing they could just save more this year so if anyone else wants to take on this challenge, why not give it a try, if all works out we will all be $1378 richer by the end of 2014.

Goals for 2014

As usual I thought I would put my goals to pen and paper or in this day and age computer and internet. We start this year with our bank account at 83.11 and our savings 0.00. Would love to work on the savings a bit more this year, but first and fore most is paying down our debt which isn't much at all. We have been credit card free for about 7 years now and have paid most of them off. We have a few more bills we owe and would like to see them all paid up before the end of 2014 putting us completely debt free for the first time in a long time. We have done it before and we are close to doing it again. This time we are not going back unless we buy a home of our own. It just is not worth it to have anything hanging over your head when hard times roll in, which is hard for us because we are spenders rather then savers.

I was able to hit my goal of making $1000.00 last year online topping out at $1545.41 so I will set this years Goal at $1,500.00 and see where it goes. You may ask how do you make money online? Well for me it is a few sites I do here and there on top of surveys which I have been doing way before I had a computer and they use to come in the mail. I haven't made a dime blogging yet, but others say you can so I would like to see if I can make that happen too, but for those keeping tabs my goal is for online sites not blogging. If I make money blogging I will fill you in at years end. I will also post over the year about sites where I make my online money which in our house is used for birthday and Christmas presents, and really helped out with our budget, in case anyone would like information and would like to do the same.

For me personally I would like to shed some more pounds the numbers on the scale have been up and down all year. Mainly from being on and off of the medication that makes me able to do things I normally don't have the energy for or because I am in too much pain to get much done. Such is the life of living with Fibromyalgia. Always a surprise to find out where you have pain from day to day and the  days there is none while both having energy is even further in between. This is why when I am feeling well I use it while I have it, like yesterday I used it all up and today I am hurting all over, but I was able to get a lot done and the family had a blast ringing in the New Year, well worth the pain I am in now. You can follow my weight loss over at the above tab Pam's Fight to Lose Weight.

As a family we thought we would like to start a once a month family dinner night where everyone is invited in our family. Those who come can enjoy time together with us and those who don't can always come the next month. The door will be open either way. I have to iron out the day and it has to be soon so I can let those who would like to be a apart of our dinner nights know so they can plan accordingly. We sit down almost every night as a family for those who are in our household but having extended family and our children who have grown and flown the nest would really be nice.

As a blogger I am going to work on game reviews with our family over the year, and also branching off to do a blog about places in the area where we live which is called the Tri-State area. New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. I will base it in the nearby towns near where we live and if all works out well branch out even further as time goes by. Not sure if I should open a new tab for that or list it right here under a Heading stating something like MarksvilleandMe visits ________.  

Of course I have tons more planned like my daughter Dennise's Sensational Seventeenth Birthday in April, Dorothy and Deanna's combined  half Birthday's Candyland style between May and June. Working on getting a new vehicle, purchasing new living and computer room furniture, painting our bedroom, the bookshelf in the hall upstairs, and the neat rolling doll house bookcases we picked up for free a few winters back. Growing a bigger garden this year, painting and making our enclosed porch a nice retreat to entertain guests during the warmer months, maybe even add a fire pit outside if our landlord ever fixes the railings on our front porch. A trip down south to see my sister and the colleges Dennise would like to attend, which will also double as a much needed vacation we haven't had in about 8 years. I might even be able to visit the ocean for the first time ever in my life which would be awesome.

The biggest thing this year for me is that I am here, alive, and ready for God to lead me, which I know may be on a totally different path then what I would plan, but something I am willing to do for him, even if I do kick and scream a bit along the way. Here is to a New Year and all of the possibilities it holds for my family and yours. Let's make it the best year we can.