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White Cloud

Walmart sent me some products to test and I immediately let the household know.

I wanted to make sure that you get the opinions of more than just me. Funny thing is, I got the exact opposite opinion from two. Kathy liked the fact that the towels were perforated in smaller pieces, while that was what Adam disliked about it.

So maybe getting everyone's opinion is not always the best way. Let's stick with MY opinion. Afterall that's my name on the Masthead up there.

I have to agree with Kathy about the sizing of the paper towels. I like being able to only use a small piece if that is all I need. However, the perforations were tough to separate and were nearly impossible to do with one hand. Carrying a baby around and getting a piece of paper towel turned into quite a process and I ended up grabbing a dish towel instead. When I am not carrying a baby around using these White Cloud Green Earth Ultra-Asorbent Paper Towels live up to their name. I didn't go so far as to stick rival towels in glases of water but on a day to day basis of wipes and swipes they did what I needed them to do.

I also received a package of White Cloud Green Earth Soft Comfort Bathroom Tissue. I put this into the rotation without telling anyone, because really, do you want to know the wiping habits of everyone in my household? Yeah, me neither. What I can tell you is that we have an old sewer system and may times Moe's Plumbing has been here with their snake cleaning us out. I have switched to single ply and am more conscious of how many squares get used. (remember the nuns at St. Gabe's telling us to only use 1 square?)

"White Cloud Green Earth premium tissue products are made with 100% recycled fiber from everyday recyclables such as office paper and magazines".

"It uses 15% less packaging than an equivalent pack. Plus the paper, tube and packaging materials are all recyclable."

Bottom line? These are products I would use. But only if the price were comparable to other brands and probably only if I had a coupon. I love the fact that they are Green and I wish I could afford to be able to pay more for Green products, but that just isn't the case. It is unfortunate in our world that being Green is more expensive, just as eating healthier is also more expensive. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

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A picture is worth a thousand words

Are they not the cutest kids you have ever seen? Ok, I may be a bit biased but still, c'mon, you have to admit they are pretty damn cute!

When PhotoFiddle contacted me about doing a review of their stretched canvas photo product, I jumped at the chance. They take a favorite photo (i.e that cute one up above) tinker it up in photoshop and they put it on stretch canvas and get it ready to mount on your wall.

I am certain that Adam could have done the effects here at home with his mad Photoshop skills (if I could get him to do it), but then what would I do with it? Photofiddle then puts it on to the canvas and makes your photo a painting. I chose Fantasy Art for my photo and it turned out fabulous!

Something like this would make an amazing Mother's Day Gift (especially for a grandparent)! A 15% discount code has been set up by the accounting department to share with my readers. The code adrienne15 just needs to be entered on the shopping cart page in the promotion code box and click apply.

Photofiddle has also offered for one lucky reader to win a $50 gift certificate!

Rules, regulations and all that jazz.......
Head over to Photofiddle and then come back here tell me which effect you like.

For extra entries you can:

1. tweet about this giveaway and leave an extra comment with the link.
   share this on Facebook and leave an extra comment with the link.



2. stumble this and leave a comment with your stumble id.



3. digg this and leave a comment with your digg id.



4. leave a comment on any post on my main blog Adrienne's House and then leave a comment here telling me which post.

This contest will run until April 22 at which time Random.org will choose a winner.

Birthday Balloons

About a month before my birthday, I found Free Birthday Treats. This website links you with all the wonderful businesses in your rea that will "treat" you to a special gift for your birthday, for the week leading up to and the week after my birthday I did not pay for a single dinner. I also got a free car wash and half priced oil change and many many other treats.

One of my dinners (actually the one for Tony Roma's you can use more than once and I used it 3 times) turned into an interesting experience. I was shown to my table (I was eating alone), and just after I sat down I heard the most annoying sound. Squeak squeak, scritch squeak. I nonchalantly turned to see what it was and noticed a gentleman fashioning a balloon animal across the aisle from me. I could see the formings of a teddy bear and was fascinated, of course by now I was beyond the point of a non-calant glance and was downright staring at the man. Another diner got up the nerve to ask "What are you gonna do with that?" WIth the underlying tone of, hey can I have it? The gentleman replied "I am leaving it with the waitresses tip".

Isn't that the cutest thing?! The tip is in the bear's hand and the flowers have such beautiful detail!

Meet Harvey Simpson of Squeaky Clean Productions. He was ever so gracious in answering all my questions: yes he does private parties, yes he does kids birthdays, yes he showcased at the South Pasadena Farmers Market on Thursdays, yes of course I can take a picture. Even more gracious was his ever so patient dining partner, she said sometimes their kids are not so patient when he does this at the end of dinner as they are ready to go by then, but she too fielded questions from other diners and together they presented a couple of kids with amazing creations. I was too shy to ask the parents of the little boy who got the alien hat to take his picture, just trust me it was out of this world (Ba dum bum). As they were leaving they even presented me with a beautiful springtime daffodil. (my pic didn't come out)

If you are in the So Cal area and decide to hire Harvey for an event, please please please invite me.

He's Just Not That Into You

I never watched Sex in the City. It is from there that the phrase "he's just not that into you" originated. And from that a Book was born. And out of any good book comes a Movie. And any movie worth it's salt breeds a great soundtrack, and that is what I am here to talk to you about.

New Line Records sent me a copy of the soundtrack to listen to and since I told you when I began this blog I would never lie, I have to tell you, it took a couple of listenings to grow on me. I think it is because I haven't seen the movie yet. The songs are kind of eclectic and I think would need the movie to piece them together. However, on their own they are each really good.

The Song List includes:

1. I'd Like To (Corinne Bailey Rae)
2. I'm Amazed (My Morning Jacket)
3. Don't You Want Me (Human League)
4. Supernatural Superserious (R.E.M.)
5. Madly (Tristan Prettyman)
6. This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads)
7. By Your Side (Black Crows)
8. I Must Be High (Wilco)
9. You Make It Real (James Morrison)
10. If I Never See Your Face Again (Maroon 5)
11. Can't Hardly Wait (The Replacements)
12. Fruit Machine (Ting Tings)
13. Smile (Lilly Allen)
14. Somewhere Only We Know (Keane)
15. Love, Save The Empty (Erin McCarley)
16. Friday I'm In Love (Cure)
17. Last Goodbye (Scarlett Johansson)

Even before I got the CD I was anxious to see the movie. Now I am even more so.

The best part about this is that not only did New Line give me a cd they are giving one to you as well! Not only that but you will get a Hoodie to go with it!

Personally I would wear something underneath this hoodie, because, well, let's just go with the fact that I have had children and I am probably 3 times this models weight.

All you have to do to win this combination is comment. That's it! Easy peasy! The contest will close on February 20th and a winner will be drawn by random.org.

You can earn an extra entry for tweeting or adding this link to your facebook page.

Good Luck!

Bloggy Giveaway

What I have entered so far:

$245 Kate Spade Bag http://www.wearethatfamily.com/2009/01/and-this-is-where-i-give-away-something.html

Toys R Us FTW

2 weeks ago, Marisa and I went to Toys to buy a kitchen and/or a toy box for Caity. I had seen the toy box I wanted earlier but wanted her opinion on the kitchen. We hmmmmmd and hawed about each one until we noticed that one was on sale that day only for almost half price. Bingo! We have a winner. There were 3 tickets in the pouch so we grabbed one and headed to the cashout with our find. (for those unaccostomed to shopping for large items at Toys they use tickets to represent their inventory level, you bring the ticket to the register, pay and pick it up around the back or they bring the item to you.)

The cashier rang up the toy boxand the kitchen then called back to the warehouse to let them know what we needed. As we are waiting for the items to be brought up, she receives word that there are no kitchens available. I immediately ask for a manager. The person that respond to my request (she was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans and did not act in a professional manner, making me question her managerial status), seemed unfased at my concern that there were multiple tickets in the pouch for an item that was out of stock. She tried to tell me that the tickets were not of importance that they were incidental. Um NO! I spent 3 years as a manager of the second largest Toys R Us in Southern California. I know how they run, and how they work their ticket system. Grant it, it has been over 10 years since then, but really, I have also been a faithful customer throughout the years. I dismissed her opinions and asked for the Store Manager's name, the Warehouse manager's name (Warehouse, in my time was in charge of Ticket Desk) and her name (which I found out later she LIED about!). Then I had Marisa go back and pull all the tickets so no one else would have to go through the same thing.

I called the store manager the next day and he was apologetic and told me he would help me find that kitchen for that price, took my name and number and said he would get back to me before the Holiday. Good, I'm happy with that result.

Fast forward to Christmas Eve.......I have not heard a PEEP out of him, so I call and remind him of the situation, he lets me know that kitchen is not available anywhere in So Cal and offers me anything else in the store for 50% off. Again, Marisa and I hightail it over there to finally get a kitchen. FAIL! They have none in stock except for those that are bigger than MY kitchen. One helpful employee mentions that there is a small Disney one in the back that I may be interested in. Show me anything at this point. I like it, Marisa will tolerate it and off we go to the register. I inform the cashier that we are to get 50% off as per Bill and she is questionable (as she should be) so she calls a manager over, GUESS WHO?! Yep, Miss I don't know what my real name is! She says it is already on sale and looks to be thinking of a way to not give me my discount, when another cashier sees me and says "Your the one who called right? Bill told me she gets 50% off whatever the item/price is". Thank you angel cashier.

So for their transgression we were able to buy this beautiful Princess Kitchen which is regularly $69.99 but we paid only $14.99!

The Store Manager Bill Boyd truly understood Customer Service and the Holiday Spirit.

Good on ya Toys R Us. Now do something about the other one please.