Giveaways Around the Blogosphere

Wow, it has been quite some time since I have done a list of giveaways for you all. It is so easy to get sidetracked with other things in life. Anyway, here is a new list of some interesting blog giveaways to peruse. Good luck!

• Feels Like Home (ends 4/10)
  Win WomenHeart's All Heart Family Cookbook
  
  
• Feels Like Home (ends 4/8)
  Win a Lil Rinser
  
  
• Amanda (ends 4/11)
  Win a Seventh Generation Living Home Starter Kit
  
  
• Brain Foggles (ends 4/3)
  Win a Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer
  
  
• Coupon Princess (ends 4/6)
  Win a Seventh Generation Free and Clear Kit
  
  
• An Island Review (ends 4/4)
  Win the Double Daring Book for Girls
  
  
• An Ordinary Life (ends 4/15)
  Win a $100 Men's Warehouse Gift Card
  
  
• An Ordinary Life (ends 4/8)
  Win a Mugen Pop Pop
  
  
• Everything in the Kitchen Up Close (ends 4/4)
  Win a GelPro Kitchen Mat
  
  
• Sweeties Swag (ends 4/6)
  Win a shopping tote
  
  
• Mrs. Cox's Slice o' Heaven (ends 4/6)
  Win a Sampler of Food Should Taste Good Chips
  
  
• The Funky Monkey (ends 4/7)
  Win White Sands Hair Styling Gel
  

Tiki Topple

I have found another fun board game to share with you all. This one is called Tiki Topple by Gamewright. This one is a 2008 Mensa Select game even but don't think it is hard to play at all. It is actually a very simple and quick game.

You can play with 2, 3, or 4 players. You play in just a few rounds. Each player gets a Tiki card that shows the order of the top 3 tiki color blocks you want to try and get. You use just a few other cards to move the various tiki pieces up and down the board to help get yours in the order on your card. The trick is, the other players are trying for different tikis in different orders at the same time. The rounds are short, just about 10 minutes or so each. They recommend ages 10+, but I think if you have a child who really is into board games you could go a bit younger even if you wanted.

Hubby and I seem to be evenly matched with this game. He likes this game since it is not a word or trivia game (I tend to kick his butt on those). T still has not tried this game with us but I'm not sure why. It is fun and quick, make sure to try it if you have the chance!

Bold Nuts!

If I was more creative in my writing I'm sure I would come up with some catchy opening here, but the title was as good as it gets.

Anyway, huge recommendations to you all to try Blue Diamond Wasabi & Soy Sauce Almonds. They are delicious! Bold is almost an understatement for these little taste explosions. The wasabi gives them a definite kick right off the bat when you put one on your tongue. They look mild-mannered but I assure you looks are deceiving with these crunchy almonds.

Blue Diamond offers a few other varieties in their Bold collection which I think I may have to try. I also stumbled across a coupon for 50¢ off any item on their promotions page.

We Won!

Last night we went to another trivia night and holy cow, we won! There was even a prize, $100 for the table, a 1st place ribbon, and 1/2 off for all of us on the next trivia night.

This one was a bit more fun than the one we usually go to. It was a smaller crowd, they moved pretty quickly, and the questions overall were a little easier (at least I thought they were). This group of people seemed a bit more relaxed also, but that might have been because beer and setups were included in the price of admission. I also don't think anyone in the entire room really was worried about winning or not.

Oh, and on top of our team winning the trivia, I also won one of the 50/50 drawings to the tune of $118! Woohoo! The evening was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to the next trivia night.

Spring and Easter Finds

Even tho the calendar has marked that spring has started, to me the beginning is always at Easter. My family has always celebrated Easter and everyone has their own feelings about it, but for me it is all about Springtime. We will go to Grandma's house and have a nice meal, visit with family, and of course, the big Easter Egg Hunt! My dad has always been the "Easter Bunny" and does a great job of putting out hundreds of eggs filled with money all over the place in the yard. I still hunt the eggs, although now I just give my finds to T. I thought I would share some Spring/Easter finds from Amazon with you today to help get you in the mood for the upcoming holiday!

	This Easter Bunny 3-D Cake Mold is just too cute! I love that it is 3-D rather than the flat molds I normally see. I see a carrot cake in the future for this item!
	When T was little this was something I tucked in one of his Easter Baskets, The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, and he loved the book. Heck, I still love this book!
	Want to try a little something more than dip-n-dye eggs this year? Egg Painting and Decorating: 20 Charming Ideas For Creating Beautiful Displays is the book to get you on your way. There are some fantastic ideas to be had here!
	Need a cookbook to inspire some new spring dishes? Try A Menu for All Seasons: Spring with great photos and wonderful recipes!
	If you are ready to start some seeds then the Burpee Ultimate Seed Starting System can help things get going. I don't have much of a green thumb but I'm going to try again this year to at least grow some herbs for cooking (I can grow a ton of basil).

My First Visit to Trader Joe's

I have heard folks talking about Trader Joe's stores for a while now and we have a couple of locations in the St. Louis area. Finally, the other day T and I headed out to check out Trader Joe's. I had mentioned that we were going on Twitter ahead of time and was sent this fantastically funny "commercial" video

What was even funnier was that when we went to the store we saw all those things that were in the video. It was fun looking for all those things.

I really liked the store overall. It is quite a bit smaller than the regular grocery store we visit so I'm not sure if I would be able to use that as a main shopping location. There are a lot of great different products that I don't normally see at my regular store. Trader Joe's carries a lot of organic items and items for those with various food allergens would find some useful products also. I do not recommend going while you are hungry because they do have a lot of snack foods and candies. Granted some of them are some healthier choices but still easy to go overboard.

We tried some blackberry juice samples and some chicken ravioli samples, the juice gets 2 thumbs up, the ravioli maybe just one (good but not yum). They had a nice selection of breads that were very fresh; I picked up some ciabatta rolls for the burgers we were having that night. A huge assortment of cheeses which I just quickly glanced at and then moved on because I knew if I stayed too long I would buy lots of cheese. The meat department is very small, but had some nicer selections of fresh items. The frozen food aisle is apparently a favorite of many and they have quite the assortment of things not sold at traditional grocery stores. I had heard lots of positive comments about many of these items so we picked up a few to have on hand for quick lunches during the week. My nephew raves about their chocolate chip cookies so even tho they were pricey we had to pick up a bag and try those - yummy!

Customer service was wonderful. Everyone working in the store was very friendly and had smiles on their faces. They quickly pointed out their weekly drawing to me during checkout also (love giveaways) so I'm hoping for a call that I won. Trader Joe also has a nice selection of reusable shopping bags, much cooler than the plain jane bags we usually find.

I think it was a successful trip and I have been pleased with everything we have tried so far. If it was a tiny bit closer to home I would go more often. It is just a couple of blocks from Hubby's work however so I can always send him there if need be. If you have one in your area I think it is definitely worth the time to stop by and check out Trader Joe's. Happy shopping!

Fingers Crossed For Snow!

I know it is spring but I was tickled to see a chance of snow in the forecast for St. Louis this Saturday night. This might even be a fairly large snow event if everything falls into place. My fingers are crossed because I love snow. It is so beautiful and just always makes me happy to see it. Hubby says this is because I don't have to drive back and forth to work in it - but hey, he is off work Saturday and Sunday so he can just sit back and enjoy it too!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Kellogg's Eggo Bake Shop Twists Review

The other day Mom Central asked me to be a part of a blog tour on Kellogg's Eggo Bake Shop Twists. This kind of goodie is something T does ask me to buy at the store and occasionally I do give in. We like Kellogg's and Eggo products generally so I thought we would give it a try.

I received coupons for 2 free boxes and was instructed to pick up a box of each flavor, Apple and Strawberry. I found them at our regular grocery store the other day for $2.89 per box (the coupons made them free for me this time). Tonight T and I decided to give them a try.

I hadn't really paid much attention to the box when I bought them so I was a bit surprised to notice tonight that there are only 4 twists per box. That is about 73¢ each which is not a ton of money but with many of us pinching pennies a little tighter it is not thrifty either. They are about the same size as a granola bar. They are easy to cook, just throw them in the microwave for 45 seconds and then let sit for 2 minutes. T and I both were expecting something slightly flaky based on the appearance, but they are more doughy. It's not bad, but not just not what are eyes had led us to believe. You can see from the picture that they don't have a ton of filling. The apple tasted like a nice amount though, not too gooey and messy, but still enough that it was moist and flavorful. The strawberry variety definitely was on the dry side and not very fruity tasting. We both preferred the apple variety easily.

I think if you like convenience foods and want something a little different that the Kellogg's Eggo Bake Shop Twists might be something to try. You might want to watch for coupons or sales of course to help bring the price down a little. The flavor is nice and would be a quick and easy item to grab for breakfast or a snack.

Thanks again to Mom Central and Kellogg's for the chance to try out this new product!

Happy International Waffle Day!

Did you know today (March 25) is International Waffle Day? I stumbled across that tidbit last year and our family celebrated with a trip to Waffle House for dinner. This year I decided to make my own waffles at home. Believe it or not, I had not ever made waffles before (not counting Eggo Waffles).

The other day I picked up a waffle iron at Target, nothing fancy and nothing big since my kitchen if full to the brim already (but I love appliances). I figured I would just go with the good old reliable Bisquick for my waffle mix; I just threw in a little vanilla extract for some extra flavor. Then on my first trip to Trader Joe’s (more about that in another post) I picked up some Wild Main Blueberry Sauce and some fresh blueberries also. While they were not the best waffles I have ever had, they were pretty tasty and satisfied our need to celebrate International Waffle Day. I may just starting playing around with some other recipes to come up with a more crispy-around-the-edges waffle like I remember as a child.

If you have a personal tried and true waffle recipe you would like to share, please feel free!

They Grow So Quickly

Another milestone today. I took T clothes shopping and for the first time we bought jeans for him in the men's department. We've been buying shirts there for a while, but somehow buying the jeans in that department just seemed more monumental to me, and I think even to T. I guess I will not be visiting the boys department any longer. It's a sad moment and happy moment all at once.

They grow so quickly...

Energizer Keep Going Hall of Fame & Giveaway

They keep going and going and going... Do you know someone, besides the Energizer Bunny, who that describes? If so you can nominate them (or yourself even) right now for the Energizer Keep Going Hall of Fame where they may win a $10,000 cash prize plus a $5,000 donation to the charity of their choice!
The Energizer Keep Going Hall of Fame was started in 2006 as a way to honor everyday people for the energy and perseverance they show in their daily lives, no matter what challenges they might face. Energizer is looking for candidates with a great story about how they have positively impacted others through strong leadership and perseverance. You have until March 31, 2009 to nominate that “Keep Going” person you know. Then they will narrow the nominees down to 100 semifinalists who will be honored in their hometowns, and then down to 10 finalists whose stories will be posted online. The voting will begin to find the next inductee started on June 26, 2009. Plus each vote will trigger a $1 donation from Energizer to the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation up to $10,000!

Several of you have known me “online” for years and know that my mom has been faced with many of her own struggles, including being a breast cancer survivor. While she still struggles with issues daily she is truly a “Keep Going” type of person and is always there to lend a helping hand to anyone and support whomever she can. T and I were discussing describing people for homeschool one day and when we got to his grandma and he said she just keeps going and going and is like the Energizer Bunny! I think that T and I will have to nominate my mom.

On top of the great Energizer Keep Going Hall of Fame they, of course, make great batteries. We have been Energizer users for years and years. I just bought a jumbo pack of Energizer AA batteries the other day even. We have tons of things that use batteries in this house – we are starting to use rechargeables for many plus we have also found the Energizer Advanced Lithium and Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries which last 4x and 8x longer than even the regular long-life Energizer batteries.

The Giveaway: Energizer has been generous enough to offer an assortment of Energizer batteries for a prize to one of my readers! You will get several packs of Energizer batteries and even a plush Energizer Bunny - a $35+ value!

Required Entry: Leave a comment letting me know who you might nominate for the Energizer Keep Going Hall of Fame.

Extra Entries: The following are all extra things you can do for more entries. Leave an additional comment for each thing you do to earn extra entries.

• Blog about this giveaway on your own blog (please don’t copy my entire post onto your blog though). leave the direct link to your post in your comment for an extra entry.
• Subscribe via email to my feed and let me know in your comment for an extra entry.
• Follow me on Twitter @RobynsWorld and send a tweet about the giveaway. Leave a direct link to your tweet (instructions here) in your comment for an extra entry. Here is a tweet you can use (or make your own):
  Win an Energizer Battery Prize Pack from @RobynsWorld http://snurl.com/energizer Plz RT
  

Rules: Only one of each entry method listed per person/family/household. No entering on behalf of others, using extra identities or others identities, no automated program entries, etc. If I catch you cheating you will be banned from this and all of my future giveaways! This giveaway is only open to those with US mailing addresses, ages 18+ only. All entries must be received by 11:59pm on Tuesday March 31, 2009. I will pick the winner and email them and they have 48 hours to claim the prize. If no response, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!

This giveaway has ended
Visit the main giveaway page for the winners
and all of the open giveaways still available!

Live JVC Camcorder Giveaway!

Kristin over at An Ordinary Life is having a live giveaway for an awesome JVC Camcorder. The 10,000th commenter wins the camcorder - you can comment lots of times (but not right in a row) to help get to that magic number. Join in the fun at An Ordinary Life now while there is still time!

Homemade Veggie Wash Recipe

This came from @VeggieChefMayra via Twitter when I asked if you can make your own veggie wash instead of buying commercial products. This is to clean off waxes and other "stuff" that is on your produce before you eat/use it.

1 tbs organic lemon juice
10 drops grapefruit seed extract
2 tbs baking soda
1 cup filtered water
3/4 cup white vinegar

Mix well in a sprayer bottle. Shake before use. Spray produce (not mushrooms though) and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse well.

Thanks again @VeggieChefMayra!

Music Moms - Corneille Review

I am excited to be a part of a new program called Music Moms which lets me sample new music that is not kid-oriented. I love silly kid songs, but I need more than silliness (plus now that T is older he despises "kid music").

My first CD is by Corneille entitled The Birth of Cornelius. When I first opened the package I thought I probably would not like this right away, but once I popped in the CD it really was not what I expected for the most part. The overall feeling is sort of adult contemporary music I think, sort of easy listening music. Corneille has a light sounding voice, very melodic and pleasant. The music is a good background type of CD to play around the house. My only problem with it is that even though the music is light, the bass sound is pretty heavy and I personally find that a little distracting. After adjusting the mix on my stereo it helped a bit. Song #7 Too Much of Everything is my favorite on the CD.

I listen to a wide variety of music so I'm always open to hearing something new. Classic rock is always my first choice, but I like new rock, country, pop, classical, and lots of other categories. All three of us really enjoy music (Hubby and T both play guitar also) and so there is almost always music at least in the background at our house. The CD collection and MP3 collection in our house is extremely eclectic between myself, Hubby, and T.

So aside from the kids silly songs, what type of music do you like to listen to around the house, in the car, whenever?

Got Poken? Win One!

So these days it seems there are a bazillion and one social networks that you can belong too. Many of us belong to more than one and so when you meet someone in real life you have this long list of things you could share. A Poken makes all of this much simpler!

Aren't they cute?

You can simple plug your Poken into a USB port and instantly share the social networking info you want with the new people you meet. Plus if they have a Poken you can give theirs a "high four" by touching the hands on each of your Poken together and it will exchange info for you both to see. If you do any sort of meetups, tweetups, conferences, or any other in real life meeting of online folks you should think about getting a Poken!

Plus, you have a chance to win one a Poken right now! This giveaway runs a bit different and requires 2 steps.

First - visit the Poken website and then come back here and leave a comment telling me the name of your favorite Poken

Second - click here to fill out the entry form

Remember, you must do both to be eligible to win the prize. This giveaway is open to residents of the US only and runs until 11:59 pm next Sunday March 29, 2009. There will be one winner selected from all entrants on all the Momfluence participating blogs. Good luck!

Thanks to Momfluence for the chance to participate in this campaign!


This giveaway has ended
Visit the main giveaway page for the winners
and all of the open giveaways still available!

Who Won?

Looking to see who has won my past giveaways? I list all the winners on My Giveaways page, go take a look. You can always find the link right under the big graphic at the top of the page.

Along with winners of past giveaways, you can also find the list of current giveaways I have going on.

muvee Review

Do you ever want a more interesting way to show your digital photos? How about creating a slide show movie with them? Muvee Reveal can do just that quickly and easily!

I was given the opportunity to try out the muvee Reveal program and the best thing about it is the drag and drop function of adding photos. Even if you are not good with computers I think you can figure this program out. Once your photos are in, then you pick a style (several to select from and more on their site), add music if you like and it's ready! There are plenty of extra tweaks you can do of course, but if you want simple it does that very well. In my muvee you can see I just did simple to give you an idea. It only takes a few minutes to do something like what I have done.

You do need a computer that can handle some video (dedicated video card would be best and at least 2GB memory). I wasn't able to use this on the main desktop I work on because I have an integrated video card that just can't handle this program. My second attempt on one of our other computers worked even though it said it didn't pass the test during installation (I did not get that warning on the first installation though which was odd). One other minor thing that annoyed me is that in the default setup it is marked to install the Yahoo toolbar and set it as your default search. This is a pet peeve of mine when programs try to install extras like this by default (and more and more are trying it). Just make sure to uncheck those 2 boxes when installing if you don't want those added.

You can download a 15-day trial on their website right now also and if you like it the cost is just $79.95. It is Windows XP and Vista compatible and supports regular as well as high-definition video. Thanks to Family Review Network and muvee for the chance to participate!

Welcome to the Party - Ultimate Blog Party '09

5 Minutes for Mom is hosting the Ultimate Blog Party '09 from now until March 27th. Join in, have fun, win prizes, meet new people, make new friends! On Twitter, watch for #ubp09 as well for more party fun.

For those of you stopping by Robyn's Online World for the first time, welcome! I'm happy to have you join me! My blog is just about me and my life and my family. I try to share some of my geek-ness with you with tips, hints, and ideas for using your computer and the internet. Cooking is another of my favorite things so I share some recipes and adventures in cooking regularly. I am a homeschooling mom of 1 teenager so that is mixed in also. Reviews too - I really do enjoy doing them. If you like to win prizes make sure you check out My Giveaways page to see what prizes I have to share (right now you can win a $100 Amazon.com Gift Card!).

Over in the right sidebar you can find a search box to use for my blog, plus you will find my label (keyword) links and my archive links. If you still have trouble finding what you need just ask - I'm around all the time.

Where else can you find me? Twitter would be one of the best places. Just follow me @RobynsWorld - I am a twitterholic these days! I do have a Facebook page, but I'm still just learning over there but please feel free to friend me.

Oh and did I mention you can win prizes from the Ultimate Blog Party '09? There are tons of prizes up for grabs - my top three picks are:

1. #58 Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer from Moms Who Think
2. #89 $100 HomeGoods gift card from HG Openhouse
3. #69 A case of products from Dei Fratelli
   

And if my top three picks are already chosen, I’d love any of the following (in order of preference):

#56, #113, #19, #21, #22, #37, #26 or anything for for women or home (no baby stuff since my son is a teenager).

Thanks for stopping by and please make yourself at home and look around!

Obama on The Tonight Show

I think President Obama did a great job on The Tonight Show. In case you missed it...

Win a Digital Video Camera & Help Save a Life!

It is amazing how I keep finding out little things I have in common with so many of the other folks I've met thru blogging and twitter. Recently I learned that Amy aka Resourceful Mommy is the mom of a preemie; T was also a preemie. Then I found out that Amy participates in the March of Dimes annual March for Babies as Team Emma. She is looking to meet her goal of raising money to help these great cause and you can donate easily online. To help with awareness she has found a great sponsor to donate a fabulous prize - a VADO digital video camera! For your chance to win you can blog about her giveaway, make a donation to team Emma, twitter about the event, or place the widget on your blog. You can find all the details on the giveaway over at Amy's blog, Resourceful Mommy. The March of Dimes really is a wonderful organization and a worthy cause. Please take a few minutes to stop by Team Emma and read more about it. Good luck Amy - I know you can reach your goal!

Happy Spring!

Happy 1st Day of Spring! This is not my favorite season (winter is), but it is still nice to see the seasons change always. Here in St. Louis we really are having a beautiful day with the high in the upper 50's and very sunny with a cool breeze. My tree has bloomed as you can see, that part of spring I do love.

We even were at the park today, that's where one of T's homeschool teen groups decided to meet today. The kids all walked around the park and enjoyed the nice weather and the parents visited. I think they decided to meet up again there next week also if the weather is nice.

So what did you do for the 1st day of spring?

Eat Your Veggies & Play With Your Food!

So we all heard eat your veggies growing up, but usually it was don't play with your food. Hidden Valley is encouraging you and your kids to really play with your food today though on their new Veggie Adventures game.

T’s first real food to try was sweet potatoes; he loved them then and still does now. Of course now as a teen he loves a really big variety of vegetables. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that Hubby and I have always encouraged him to try new things and given him a variety of things to pick from. When we go to the grocery store he is always searching out new vegetables and fruits to try out. He also has learned that while he may not like a vegetable prepared one way it doesn’t mean he may not like it another way. Even as adults Hubby and I have learned to enjoy more and more vegetables by trying out different preparations with them. Give it a try in your family – you might be surprised!

Hidden Valley’s game is a very cute game that is perfect to play with your young kids (or grandkids, nephews/nieces, whoever). T would have loved this when he was little, particularly because one of the portions is a driving game which was always his favorite. The game is free to play and is a great way to point out veggies your kids may not have tried yet. The more familiar with them they are the more likely they will try it at a meal since it’s not an unknown to them. I have to admit the driving part of the game is harder that it looks though. I have tried several times and cannot get to the end. Even T tried and could not do it so I don’t know what we are doing wrong. Regardless, I think the little ones will enjoy playing along. They also have an activity section with even more veggie fun to check out.

Let me know if you make it through and what is your favorite veggie? Do you have a fun way that you encouraged your kids to eat their veggies?

Thanks once again to Mom Central for sharing another great family resource!

Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!

I knew that would get your attention! I don’t know who first “discovered” bacon but they should have gotten some sort of prize for it. It just tastes yummy! Now I would love to add bacon to everything but that probably wouldn’t be the best thing in the world for me, but the folks over at Bacon Salt have saved the day!

Yes, I said Bacon Salt. Have you tried it?

It is F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!

We have been sprinkling it on everything lately instead of using salt. I’m going to try to remember to tuck a bottle in my purse next time we go someplace with fries. I’m going to ask for no salt when I order and then use the miraculous Bacon Salt when it arrives – oh that should be so good!

One of the most amazing things about the original Bacon Salt is that it is low sodium, zero calories, zero fat, vegetarian, and kosher! Can you believe it? Plus, it honestly makes things taste like BACON! Now they have other varieties too including Hickory, Peppered, and Natural – all equally delicious. And Baconnaise which is something you just must try.

Hubby has been lucky in the food department this week because today I made him another of his favorites (but not mine), deviled eggs. This was actually the first time I have ever made them. Normally he gets them from his Favorite-Mother-In-Law (yes, my mom and that is what he really calls her) and he raves about them. She gave me the recipe but I never got around to making them. Then when I was on the Bacon Salt website and looking at recipes I spotted the Baconnaise Deviled Eggs and I knew I had to make them for him. I didn’t have any chives or green onions on hand, so that part I skipped. The only extra thing I added was paprika to the top because Hubby says what’s a deviled egg without paprika? Let me tell you, he was one happy camper when he got home from work today and I showed him the tray of Baconnaise Deviled Eggs! He went on and on and said they are fantastic. I asked if they were better than my mom’s and he almost said yes, but then he said he honestly couldn’t compare because these have such a wonderful unique taste with the bacon flavor. I can live with that.

Bacon Salt and Baconnaise really are fantastic products and I highly recommend them. You can find it at a ton of stores across the country or buy it online. Oh, and you fellow Twitter fans make sure to follow @BaconSalt too. That is actually how I learned about Bacon Salt to start with, on Twitter!

Making Life Better Review

Mom Central sent me info on another useful site, this one is from Unilever and is called MakingLifeBetter.com. Unilever is one of those companies that has all sorts of brands you know and probably use regularly like Hellman’s, Suave, Klondike, Knorr, Vaseline, Lipton, Ragu, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Wish-Bone, All, Ben & Jerry’s, Axe, Bertolli, Breyers, and many more. Their website of course tells you about their products, but there is so much more including recipes, tips, and special offers.I love their advanced recipe search page because they give you so many options. You can do the usual where you search by ingredients or meal type, but they also have a search option for Budget Recipes, Quick & Easy, and Make Ahead, and Smart Choices search options for low fat, low carb, vegetarian, and other choices. You can also search for recipes using their specific product brands which is nice if you have something on hand and want to try something new.

I did a search just by marking Wish-Bone, Budget Recipes, and Grilling and came up with Asian Grilled Steak which sounds like something Hubby, T, and I would all love and it’s only $2 per serving! Another budget friendly recipe is the Toasted Ham & Cheese Tortas. We have been on a toasted sandwich kick lately but sub shops are expensive for a good hot sandwich these days. This one comes in at only $2.05 per serving which is a heck of a lot cheaper than when we go to Penn Station or Quiznos for dinner. I honestly am impressed at the variety of recipes they have. There are several I will be trying out.

When you visit make sure to visit the News & Offers page for coupons and other goodies on some of their products.

Save $$$ Fix It Yourself

With the economy in the toilet there is plenty of talk about how to save money in various ways. We are not rich, never have been, so saving money when Hubby and I can has always been an issue. One of the biggest ways we save money is by fixing things ourselves. Some of our friends immediately call a “professional” when something isn’t working and not under a warranty and we are amazed at how much they spend. I do realize that not everyone can fix everything, but many things you can at least give it a try.

I am lucky to have Hubby who is a very handy-man type guy. He will take apart just about anything (I have to admit it makes me nervous sometimes). Yesterday was a great example. I opened the dishwasher yesterday morning to finish loading it and to run it and saw to my horror that there was standing water in the bottom of it. Ack! Of course, this on a day when we were having company for dinner where I was cooking a lot and really needed that dishwasher. I called Hubby at work to ask him what to do and he said this was more his type of repair and just leave it until he got home that night. As soon as he got home he assessed the situation, dug out some tools and started taking the dishwasher apart. He dug around, pulled apart, turned on/off, made some grunts here and there, and then fixed it and put it all back together and said “there ya go, all fixed!” It only took him about 20 minutes or so. Had we called someone to come out and fix it I’m sure we would still be waiting and I know it would have cost at minimum $100.

All of us are so lucky to have the wonderful internet at our fingertips these days. If you don’t know where to start, start online. Look up the make and model of what is broke. Put in a keyword or two with the problem you are having. Chances are you might find others who have had the same issue and can start you down a path to fixing it yourself. Hubby and I both (and even T now) use the internet often to help fix things. It has saved us a bundle over the years.

So next time something breaks save a buck or two and see if you can fix it yourself. You might be surprised at how simple some things are to repair even and it is a nice sense of accomplishment when you do it on your own.

Wordless Wednesday

This is the same tree as in my Wordless Wednesday from 5 weeks ago. I definitely think Spring is on the way. It's a Bradford Pear tree in case you are wondering. Are you trees starting to bud?
(See more photos at Wordless Wednesday and share your own)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Yes, another holiday to celebrate. Our reason to celebrate is just to honor the Irish-ness of our family. Hubby also loves it because he gets one of his favorite meals. We are having guests for dinner but not everyone likes the traditional so I make a few different things.

This year I am making corned beef and cabbage, a shepherd's pie, and bread pudding with Irish whiskey sauce. Oh, and I was going to bake some bread but instead I am just going to bake some canned crescent rolls because my cousin is coming and that is one of her favorites.

Corned beef and cabbage is Hubby's favorite and I make it every year for him even if he is the only one eating it. Neither T nor I care for it. Luckily, there are usually plenty of folks around who are happy to stop by and join in his once-a-year meal. If you haven't made corned beef and cabbage it is super easy. You can buy the corned beef brisket at almost any grocery store this time of year. I cook it all in the crockpot. First peel a few carrots and chop into large pieces along with 2 onions in large pieces. Throw those in the bottom of the crockpot. Rinse the corned beef and set on top and add the spice packet that was in the package also. Pour one beer over the top and then use water if you need more liquid to cover. Place the lid on and cook on low for 8 hours or so. A half hour before serving remove the corned beef and cover with foil. Cut the cabbage into 8 wedges and place in the crockpot and cook for 30 minutes. Slice the beef against the grain and serve with the carrots, onions, cabbage, and cooking liquid.

Shepherd's Pie is another easy meal. It's sort of like stew with mashed potatoes on top. There are thousands of different versions of this recipe available, but just make it your own and what suits you and your family. I use beef because it's less expensive than lamb for us. Some use ground beef, I use a sirloin cut into small bite sized pieces. Start by sauteing an chopped onion, chopped garlic, and chopped carrot until soft. Toss the pieces of beef in some seasoned flour and brown well in a bit more olive oil. Toss the veggies back in, add some butter and flour and cook for a minute or so. Now add some beef stock (you could also use some beer here) to make the gravy. I throw in some frozen peas also and a bit of Worcestershire sauce. Place this in a baking dish and then top with mashed potatoes. If you add an egg yolk to your mashed potatoes it will help them brown up nicely and look pretty. Put it in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or so at 350, you can broil it for a few minutes at the end also to brown more if you like.

The bread pudding recipe I use is from, believe it or not, Cooking Light Magazine It is FABULOUS!

You can read more about the history of this day on Wikipedia.

Win $1,000,000

The 44th Pillsbury Bake-Off is going on right now. You can enter until April 20th. It is not just dessert type recipes they are looking for either, they want all types of things! The categories this year are:

• Breakfast & Brunches
• Entertaining Appetizers
• Dinner Made Easy
• Sweet Treats
  

You have to use 2 or more of their ingredients.

One of these days I'm going to enter, maybe this year, who knows? Have you ever entered? Do you know anyone who has been picked as a finalist or won ever?

Happy Birthday Hubby!

Happy 40th Birthday Hubby!

How many quarts in a gallon?

I always forget how many quarts in a gallon, cups in a pint, cups in a gallon, etc. so I was thrilled when reading blogs today that over at homeschooledyear.com she had a post with 2 fantastic graphics to have on hand with that info. Go take a visit and print them out!

Homeschool Computer Groups

T is quite picky about doing group activities with homeschoolers. I was quite pleased (shocked) when he asked me about organizing a laptop computer group. Today was the first get together and I would definitely count it as a success!

We just had 4 kids total, but I think that was a nice amount. The kids had their space to sit and talk and discuss computer stuff. All of the parents sat at another table and just talked about a variety of things. One thing that was interesting was how all of our kids were only children and how they are all quite picky about which homeschool events they want to take part in. Here I was thinking T was the only truly picky one. When the time was up we walked over to tell the kids and they all said they wanted to do it again next week even. Woohoo!

If your homeschooled kids are into using their laptop computers see if there is a group already in your area. If not, try making your own. Ours is not a class, but more just a free form event for the kids since they are older. I think there are plenty of teenagers out there being homeschooled, but they seem to have trouble finding each other. I'm tickled pink that T is sharing an interest with a few more kids as of today!

Current by Discover Review

UPDATE: After using this card for just a short period of time we have had many problems and I do not recommend them. Please see my updated review.

Mom Central sent an email the other day with a chance to review a new product for teens. It is funny how I get these opportunities at the same time they come up in real life with T. This tour is for Current by Discover Card.

T is a fairly smart shopper for someone his age. He will take the time to research pricing, read reviews, and debate how much he really wants or needs something before actually buying it. Heck, he even uses coupons! T knows that signing up for emails from stores (both online and off) gets him special offers and promotions and regularly does this (we have a special email for him just for this purpose even). Each week he earns a modest allowance for doing his share around the house. He is also very lucky to have generous friends and family who regularly gift him money on birthdays and holidays.

Because we are such an online type of family he often finds better deals online and wants to order them. He did not have any other way of doing this besides going thru me or Hubby so he had asked about getting a debit card or something similar. Then the offer for the Current by Discover Card showed up and it sounded like a good solution for our family.

There is a $5 monthly fee, but many prepaid debit cards have fees like this. I felt that the tools offered with this card though were worth the monthly fee. The initial minimum load is $20 which has to be paid by a credit or debit card by the parents. So to get started you will have to put $25 out. There are no minimum balances though and the parents can easily add money to the account by their own credit/debit cards or bank accounts. A nice feature is the spending limit also. The teens can also have their paychecks directly deposited onto the card which I think is a nice feature. As a parent I can see exactly what has been spent and even get text alerts on them. I can restrict areas of use like no liquor stores, no ATMs, etc. There are even more tools available on the website for parents, including all the security feature details. I love that I will be able to add his allowance onto it each week automatically also.T was able to pick out his choice of card designs even. I was surprised at his choice; he picked the simplest design. Go figure! His card arrived in about a week and we had to activate it and set up accounts online for both of us. As the parent my online controls are different than this, but we both can easily see things like account balance. The card works just like any other debit card and he can run it as credit or debit with a pin number he selected.

T is excited about this new responsibility. We will use this to help him learn even more about handling his own money and continuing to be responsible about it. A great part of our homeschooling lessons as always – remember life is learning!

Thanks again to Mom Central for letting me know about Current by Discover! Oh, and I found on code (after I signed up of course) for your first months fee when you sign up. The code is: BOX10901 - that will save the $5

UPDATE: After using this card for just a short period of time we have had many problems and I do not recommend them. Please see my updated review.

Wordless Wednesday

Ok, so my Wordless Wednesday isn't every totally wordless (if you knew me in the real world this wouldn't surprise you). ACowboysWife at My Wooden Spoon posted a super simple apple turnover recipe using canned biscuits. I thought I would give it a try but use cherry instead. Mine umm, failed, to say the least. I won't even go into the various names we gave these based on how they look - make your own jokes LOL!

Oh, they didn't taste horrible, but it's not something I would make again and I'm glad we didn't have company for these.

Preparing for April Fools' Day

April Fools' Day is just a couple of weeks away. Are you ready? There are some great pranks you can do, but some require a little planning ahead which is why I'm reminding you all about it. T enjoys the silliness of this day so I'm going to try to come up with a few funnies for him and Hubby.

Family Fun Magazine has a fantastic assortment of ideas that you can use. Some are quick and easy, others more involved. Take a look and pick out a few that you can try on your own family this year.

TeacherTube

Another great homeschool resource - TeacherTube! If you and your kids enjoy those gem educational/information/instructional videos that you can find on YouTube, then take a look at TeacherTube. There are even more goodies to be found and you also don't have a lot of the umm, questionable videos and comments that are on YouTube. That's not to say everything is fantastic on TeacherTube, but it's easier to surf around without worrying about what "extra" stuff you are going to stumble upon. We have come across some interesting videos in the short time we have been using it that T has really enjoyed. He records some of his experiments so I'm trying to convince him he should share some of them on TeacherTube, but he is still not sure about that.

One of my favorites is a circumference video that shows you how to do a "table trick". T likes these types of things that allow him to share info with friends and family in a fun way. Let me know if you have any favorites.

moderncat Toy Week

I've mentioned moderncat before, but I just wanted to remind all you cat lovers out there about the blog again. They are having another great theme week over there. This time around it's Toy Week! Lots of reviews and information about cat toys and plenty of giveaways as well. Join the fun at www.moderncat.net

Trivia Night

Do you go to Trivia Night events? We do one each year with all the family which was this past Saturday night. Lots of fun as always. Why we don't go to more of them I'm not sure, there are plenty of them in the St. Louis area all the time (here is a huge list St. Louis area Trivia Nights).

We all went out to eat first together, then off to the event. We have learned to ask for a corner table when we register in advance because it's always jam packed. T and my nephew even come along and seem to enjoy it as much as all the adults. I think a lot of that is because we do not take it seriously but rather just as a fun family event to share. Our table never wins, but that is ok with us. We laugh and joke and just enjoy the time together. This year the one down side is that my mom wasn't feeling well (she is getting better) so she wasn't able to join us. She is the brain of the group too so we were in trouble! Everyone pitched in with the answers though and got at least one or two questions on their own during the night. I like that, it makes everyone feel special when they contribute.

ZoomAlbum - Giveaway & Review

I have got another something new and nifty to share with everyone. It is the ZoomAlbum Kit! I was lucky enough to be given a kit by ZoomAlbum thru Family Review Network to try out (and one to giveaway – keep reading). If you watch Martha Stewart you may have seen this on her show (watch the video here). These kits allow you to make a custom 3”x3” photo book with your own home printer.

The kits contain enough materials to make 3 albums, each with 12 pictures each. Some kits also allow for a photo cover, others are a solid color cover. The basic idea is their software allows you to drag and drop 12 pictures of your choice, print them out on this single sheet of specialty paper which then folds up in an accordion type style, and then enclose them in the included chipboard cover. The idea is very simple, but you do need to take your time with it, especially on your first album.

My first album had a few issues, but had I watched the videos first and followed the tip for printing with my brand of printer I could have avoided these. So I do highly suggest watching a video or two on their website first and if need be follow the special tips for HP printers.

My ZoomAlbum Cover with Lottie & Peaches
(the cover photo wraps fully around to the back also)

The albums are cute for making a nice keepsake book for anyone of a special event, person, pet, trip, or whatever you like. I think these would be great learning books for little ones also of any words you are trying to teach them. For the more crafty folks out there think embellishing and altering for these albums. You could easily add decorative fibers/threads along the inner binding, slip thin pieces in between the pages that would be “glued” in automatically, and with a fixative you could even add to the actual photo pages. Really, the possibilities are endless here.

For the crafty entrepreneurs out there, ZoomAlbum also has a Photobook Coach program that you might look into to earn some extra money.

The Giveaway: Here is your chance to win your own ZoomAlbum Kit! A $32.95 value!

How To Enter:

Required Entry: Visit the ZoomAlbum website for inspiration, then come back here and leave a comment letting me know what the theme would be of your first ZoomAlbum.

Extra Entries: The following are all extra things you can do for more entries. Leave an additional comment for each thing you do to earn extra entries.

• Blog about this giveaway on your own blog (please don’t copy my entire post onto your blog though). Leave the direct link to your post in your comment for an extra entry.
• Subscribe via email to my feed and let me know in your comment for an extra entry.
• Follow me on Twitter @RobynsWorld and send a tweet about the giveaway. Leave a direct link to your tweet (instructions here) in your comment for an extra entry. Here is a tweet you can use (or make your own):
  Win a Zoom Album Kit from @RobynsWorld http://snurl.com/zoomkit Plz RT
  

Rules: Only one of each entry method listed per person/family/household. No entering on behalf of others, using extra identities or others identities, no automated program entries, etc. If I catch you cheating you will be banned from this and all of my future giveaways! This giveaway is only open to those with US mailing addresses, ages 18+ only. All entries must be received by 11:59pm on Monday March 16, 2009. I will pick the winner and email them and they have 48 hours to claim the prize. If no response, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!

This giveaway has ended
Visit the main giveaway page for the winners
and all of the open giveaways still available!

Norton Online Family Free Trial

I'm always on the lookout for security programs for our network of home computers, plus options to share with others. Recently I tried out Norton Online Family as part of a blog tour with Mom Central to share with all of you.

What is different about this program is that you can easily monitor the activity on multiple computers. More and more families have more than one computer these days so solutions like this are really needed. Not only can you customize it for different computers that your kids use, but you can also customize it based on the different Windows User accounts on just one computer.

The setup is fairly simple, it says only a couple of minutes but depending on your skill level and how many computers you might need a bit more time. Just read the instructions and prompts as you go along. Once installed you can view a summary of child(ren) from today, yesterday, or the last 7 days, questionable activity, all activity, which web sites they visited, view their instant messages, see what search terms they used, view which social network activities they have been doing, and even if they have been trying to disable or tamper with the security to get around it (they all try this at some point).

Along with being able to see what has happened, you can define what is allowed to start. You are able to block access to specific sites or categories for each child, set up time restrictions, turn off instant messaging and certain social network sites. You can customize this for each child in your house. That means your older kids can have a bit more freedom that your younger ones. As they grow and mature you can continue to adjust their individual profiles as needed.

While it's still in beta, I think Norton Online Family seems like it will be a good solution for many families. It puts everything you need altogether in one central program which makes it easier for most families as well. Some of our kids are more tech savvy than the parents, but that doesn't mean as parents we just ignore and assume are kids aren't going places they shouldn't. It's important for you to have some idea of what is going on. You need to still continue to talk with your kids and explain rules for their internet usage and talk about their safety, but Norton Online Family can help you keep informed and keep your kids a bit safer all at the same time.

Right now you can try out Norton Online Family for free also. Just visit their site to get started. They have a short video that explains things also that you might want to watch first. Thanks again to Mom Central for sending me the information about this new service from Norton.

Have Duplicate Files?

If you are like me you end up with lots of duplicate files on your computer. I find this happens the most for me with image files. I move them around, create new folders with copies for projects, share with family in my shared folders, all sorts of things. We also end up with duplicates of T's school work on multiple computers somehow.

The other day I was watching Tekzilla and talked about Duplicate Cleaner. I just tried it and it's a great freeware program! I thought I would pass it along to all of you. The program is pretty easy to use, just follow the prompts. It will scan whatever files and folders you want and the different file types you want and search for duplicates. It will then propagate a list of all of them and you can decide which ones to keep and which ones to delete. There is even an image preview screen if you want to double check your photos before you delete them.

You can read more of the details and get the free download of Duplicate Cleaner here. Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday
Title: Please Return This Year

No Pajama Pants in Public Please

I really don't know why this is a trend I keep seeing more and more of. I know pajama pants are comfy, I have several pair myself. Hubby loves his, and even T has some. They are nice for throwing on in the evening when we know we aren't going out any longer or expecting guests or even possible drop-in guests. In the winter those flannel pajama pants just can't be beat to keep warm and cozy. But people, come on! Wearing your pajama pants out like they are a pair of jeans, slacks, or even sweat pants? What is going on?

I do understand, I suppose, that someone may have to urgently run and pick up some meds or something late at night, I guess. I am talking about the folks who are just wandering around the grocery store, local discount stores, and yes I have even seen someone wearing them at restaurants though. Really! Have you seen them too or is this just a phenomenon here in St. Louis?

You can't help but giggle when you hear someone wearing them ask someone else, "but how can you tell they are pajama pants?" Honestly, you don't know how we can tell? Umm, maybe the fact that they are plaid flannel with bright pink kittens all over them is a clue? Guys, we can tell yours also even though they are manly-man colors and themes. Just because it says Xbox 360° or Halo on it doesn't make them look un-pajama like or cool for out in public.

I'm totally for being comfortable. I wear jeans and t-shirts most of the time myself. Heck since we homeschool we have been known to be "in school" still in our pajamas from time to time. Once we are ready to open the door to head out into the world though the real pants go on! Maybe stores should add a new line to their signs...

No Shirt...
No Shoes...
No Pajama Pants...
NO SERVICE!

Munny Dolls

Last week on The Bonnie Hunt Show (I think she is so funny and down-to-Earth) she had Rosie O'Donnell on as a guest (I adore Rosie also). Along with talking for a bit they did a craft segment. Rosie brought these adorable dolls called Munny (pronounced like money) with her that you can draw on and create anything you like with them. The small 4" dolls run about $10 each. There is a Dunny available that is similar but with long ears! I enjoy little things like this to create and put on my desk so I will definitely be picking up some of these. Hopefully, Hubby and T will also play along. After all, March is National Craft Month! They have a gallery to show you what some others have done - amazing! Bonnie Hunt is also giving away a Munny on her website.

On the Munny section they even have a couple of lesson plans for teachers. I'm thinking that we may end up doing these as a lesson for homeschool. Art is one of my favorite subjects and T enjoys it as well.

Nature's Source Review & Giveaway

Once again I was offered the chance to review a household cleaning product. Hmm, I’m beginning to wonder why I get so many of these. Do you think someone is trying to tell me I need to try harder to clean the house? I have told you all before it is not my strongest skill. Luckily, Hubby does jump in to do a lot of cleaning around here. One of Hubby’s jobs is cleaning our bathroom shower, but with his asthma some of the harsher chemicals he used to use have now been ruled out for him. When given the chance by Family Review Network to try out Nature’s Source Natural Bathroom Cleaner I volunteered Hubby right up for the job – gee I’m so sweet in that way!

Hubby sprayed down the shower walls, floor, and fixtures as always. What he noticed right away is that the super strong odors that are not pleasant were not there. It did have a noticeable scent, but it was much more pleasant to him (and me) and didn’t seem to aggravate his asthma at all. Hubby followed the directions on the package and then stepped back to admire his work. He was sufficiently pleased at the results noting that it cleaned the soap scum, especially that super scummy area under the soap dish. It also cleaned up the hard water stains at the bottom of the shower, we have terribly hard water and this is a stinker for him to clean sometimes. Hubby has asked me to continue to buy this cleaner instead of the previous Scrubbing Bubbles cleaner we had been using for the job. I have to say it did shine everything up nicely and the scent had vanished by the time I took my shower. Thanks Hubby!

The Giveaway: Here is your chance to try out another Nature’s Source product. One lucky reader will win a bottle of Nature’s Source Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner.

How To Enter:

Required Entry: Visit the Nature’s Source website and then come back and leave a comment telling me something you learn about any of their line of products.

Extra Entries: The following are all extra things you can do for more entries. Leave an additional comment for each thing you do to earn extra entries.

• Blog about this giveaway on your own blog (please don’t copy my entire post onto your blog though). Leave the direct link to your post in your comment for an extra entry.
• Subscribe via email to my feed and let me know in your comment for an extra entry.
• Follow me on Twitter @RobynsWorld and send a tweet about the giveaway. Leave a direct link to your tweet (instructions here) in your comment for an extra entry. Here is a tweet you can use (or make your own):
  Win Nature’s Source Cleaner from @RobynsWorld http://snurl.com/nscleaner Plz RT
  

Rules: Only one of each entry method listed per person. No entering on behalf of others, using extra identities or others identities, no automated program entries, etc. If I catch you cheating you will be banned from this and all of my future giveaways! This giveaway is only open to those with US mailing addresses, ages 18+ only. All entries must be received by 11:59pm on Monday March 9, 2009. I will pick the winners and email them and they have 48 hours to claim the prize. If no response, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!

This giveaway has ended
Visit the main giveaway page for the winners
and all of the open giveaways still available!

Comment & Win #6 - $100 Amazon Gift Card

See, I told you another one would be starting! Thanks to my generous private sponsor for keeping this going! Make sure you read the rules as always because you wouldn't believe how many people don't and their entries don't count. Good luck!

What can you win? A $100 Amazon.com Gift Card

You earn entries just be making comments on any of my OTHER posts here on my blog from March or April 2009. That means you go to the other posts (start on the main page if you like) and read and at the bottom of that post click the comment link and tell me what you think about that post. No need to tell me you are entering the giveaway - you are automatically entered just by making the comment (I get an email every time a comment is made). The requirements of getting an entry for your comment are:

• Your comment must either have a profile linked to it with a visible email on the profile or you must include your email in your comment If you aren't sure about the profile thing look at this for help.
• You can earn one entry for EACH comment you make on my different posts from March & April
  
• The comment has to be more than thank you, how cute, wow, etc. just to get a quick entry
• Only the first comment per post will count
• Only comments made from 3/1/09 to 4/30/09 will count.
  
• You may not enter on behalf of others or use multiple identities (if I catch you cheating you will be banned for life from all of my giveaways)
• You must be 18+ and a resident of the USA
• You must reply within 48 hours to your win notice or I will move on and pick a new winner
• The giveaway ends on April 30, 2009 at 11:59 pm (CT)

Again, don't comment here on this post. Just go to any of my other posts (look at the archives over on the right side to find all of them for March and April) to make your comments. Want to know when I add new posts so you can get more entries? You can subscribe to my feed via email or a reader.

Earn 1 extra entry for each of these things you do:
If you have done anything to earn an extra entry just send me an email with a subject line of Comment & Win Extra Entries letting me know and I will credit you the extra entries. You can include all the extra entries in one message to me.

1. Subscribing to my feed via email
2. Blogging about this giveaway on your own blog (must send me a direct link)
2. Adding my button to your sidebar (must send me a link)
2. Follow me on Twitter (@RobynsWorld) and then send a tweet about the giveaway. Each tweet must include the link below and @RobynsWorld in it to count. For credit send me an email with a direct link to your tweet (see instructions here). A tweet you can use is:
   Win a $100 Amazon Gift Card from @RobynsWorld. Enter now http://snurl.com/win6 Plz RT

I really enjoy reading every one's comments and appreciate you taking the time to stop by. Good luck everyone!

If you don't understand how to enter or have a question - just ask.

Don't forget to enter all of my current giveaways while
you are here for your chance to win some great prizes!

It's Tech Day!

We are headed off to my brother's house today. It's tech day for us. Hubby is going to do his auto tech stuff and install a stereo and speakers into one of my brother's trucks. For me it's computer stuff. My brother can do simple stuff on the computer but any sort of maintenance or updates and he just calls me. I find it easier to just go down there and do most of it myself rather than walk him thru it over the phone. I told Hubby I need to start making sure friends and family get only laptops so they can just bring them all to me.

So how many of you are the go to person in your family for something? Be it cars, computers, or whatever?