Wordless Wednesday: Brandcation Fun with Lisa

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WORDLESS

This is Lisa from 50 in 8, we became such great friends, I really miss her, and talk to her almost every day via email or Twitter. 

We had SO much fun, I cannot wait to get together again with these absolutely fabulous women!

Cartoon of the Day - Thanksgiving

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A Thanksgiving funny to start getting you in the mood.....

{Click to enlarge}

Wishing you all fun as you prepare for the holiday. Be safe if you are traveling and please remember our troops and their families who will not be together this holiday.

 

"The Closer" on TNT - Season 5 Giveaway

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**GIVEAWAY CLOSED - WINNERS CHOSEN!!!**

If you recall, I wrote a post a little over a week ago about my LOVE of the TNT TV show "The Closer" and how the final shows of season 6 will begin showing on TNT on December 6th at 9:00/8:00c - I already have my DVR set to record all the episodes just in case I'm not home.  :-)

Well, the extremely generous people of TNT have offered THREE of my readers the chance to win a DVD of the entire Season 5 to watch whenever they want... how fantastic is that?  You can relive the antics of the outstanding award-winning  Kyra Sedgwick and the adorable G.W. Bailey and the rest of the fabulous cast.

So... what do you need to do to win the Season 5 DVD???? Here is the mandatory entry rules:

~ "Like" TNT on their Facebook page (feel free to say something nice about me if you wish.)  AND/OR

~ Follow TNT on Twitter

PLEASE DO BOTH IF YOU HAVE AN ACCOUNT WITH BOTH 

Extra entries after you have completed mandatory entry(ies):

(one extra entry for each, please leave separate comment for each entry, thank you!)

~ Follow me on Google Friend Connect (left sidebar)

~ Subscribe to my blog (right sidebar)

~ Follow me on Twitter (right sidebar)

~ Add my button to your blog - sidebar or blogroll (right sidebar)

~ Tweet this giveaway (write your own or use the retweet button at the bottom of the post and leave link)

~ Add giveaway to your Facebook page (please leave me your link)

~ Blog about this giveaway - three extra entries (leave link, please)

PLEASE make sure you leave a way for me to get in touch with you if you are the winner, or I will have to choose someone else... Giveaway ends Sunday, December 5th, 10:00pm Eastern. All entries posted after that time will be deleted. Winners will be chosen by Random.org.  GOOD LUCK!!!

 
{Disclosure: I will be receiving a copy of "The Closer" Season 5 on DVD from TNT also -WooHoo! Thank you!! No other compensation was received for writing this post. All opinions expressed are mine alone - I love this show and really thing you should watch it!!}

Monday's Music Moves Me: "T" is for.....

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Welcome back to our rockin' good meme Monday's Music Moves Me! The exciting music meme that XmasDolly and I are hosting, now along with Larry from Cakeblast and Callie from JamericanSpice. Won't you play along... here are the rules:

First step: You need to run on over to You Tube, (or wherever your find your songs/videos) and get your pick for the day according to the theme. Upcoming themes are over on Dolly's blog on the right sidebar.


Second Step: Grab our "Monday's Music Moves Me" button above or on Dolly's right sidebar.


Third step: Dance with (follow) your hostesses (that would be me and Dolly); grab our buttons; then sign the linky, either here or on Dolly's blog - they are linked.

Final step: Start lookin' for a partner and boogie on down to her blog (or his), and say hello by leaving a comment, and tag (follow) her/him. If you've been tagged (followed) be polite, and go on over there, leave a comment and tag (follow) her/him back.

In honor of Thanksgiving this week, our theme is songs that begin with the letter "T", so I have chosen two - but I had major computer problems and had to reinstall Windows 7 and all of my operating systems and programs and for some reason, I can't get my video programs to work (UURRGGHHH!) so I'm just going to post photos and lyrics of my songs and give you a link to YouTube so you can head over to hear the songs.... Which you absolutely have to do - at least for the first song because you will be missing something that you must experience at least ONCE in your lifetime....


Tiny Tim singing Tiptoe Thru the Tulips  (there really is NOTHING like it!!)


{See Tiny Tim on YouTube}

Tiptoe to the window, by the window that is where I'll be......

Come tiptoe through the tulips with me!

Tiptoe from your pillow, to the shadow of a willow tree.....
And tiptoe through the tulips with me!

Knee deep in flowers will stray, we'll keep the showers away.

And if I kiss you in the garden, in the moonlight, will you pardon me?

Come tiptoe through the tulips with me!






Don Ho singing Tiny Bubbles (Another classic that needs to be heard)

{See Don Ho on YouTube}

Tiny bubbles (tiny bubbles)

In the wine (in the wine)
Make me happy (make me happy)
Make me feel fine (make me feel fine)

Tiny bubbles (tiny bubbles)
Make me warm all over
With a feeling that I'm gonna
Love you till the end of time

So here's to the golden moon
And here's to the silver sea
And mostly here's a toast
To you and me

So here's to the ginger lei
I give to you today
And here's a kiss
That will not fade away


Now, don't forget to sign the linky and visit the participants and leave a comment. For more Monday music fun, visit Amanda, Run DMT and Hairbows & Guitar Picks.  You may even be picked as the Spotlight Couple for next week like our couple for this week... who were chosen by Random.org.  The special couple of the week for today is:

~~  Papi at Punk Rock Papi  and
~~ SmArtee Pantz at Insightsandbellylaughs       {...... and the crowd goes wild!!!!}

Now lets get dancing everyone and I hope you all have a magnificent Thanksgiving with your friends and family. Be safe, healthy and happy. Please remember our soldiers who are away from their loved ones this year and say an extra prayer for them and hope they all come safely home soon!!

ROCK ON, MY FRIENDS!!

XmasDolly: FAVORITE WIGS.COM Review/Give-Away A WIG Valued up to $75

My friend Dolly, you all know her, has this amazing giveaway going on at her blog, XMasDolly, for a WIG valued up to $75 from Favorite Wigs ... I'm really excited about this because now that I got all my hair cut off, I'm kind of missing the long curls I used to have. It would be nice to be able to have long beautiful hair when I get dressed up for holiday parties this year and if I can win one of these beautiful wigs, I may just be able to do it!

All you have to do is link on this link: XmasDolly: FAVORITE WIGS.COM Review/Give-Away A WIG Valued u... and it will take you over to her blog so you can see all the ways you can enter into the giveaway. The contest Ends Friday, December 3rd at 11:59pm CST, so good luck!!

While you are there, make sure you read the whole post and see what Dolly did with the wig that she was given to do her review... she is just an amazing person and I LOVE her to pieces.


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My Little Boy is Back on American Soil

Just wanted you all to know that my little boy Nikolaus arrived back in the U.S.A. on Wednesday morning around 10:30am - talk about a totally relieved mom!!

He still has some things to do at his post in Connecticut, where he lives with his girlfriend, Michelle, and where he is based out of, but as soon as everything gets settled, he and Michelle are going to come down here to visit us... You KNOW there will be tons of photos of that visit.  As soon as I have more information, you will all be the first to know. HaHa

I received this video from a friend of mine, a retired Army General, that was just so fitting and I wanted to share it with y'all.  I want to thank you all for being so wonderful and supportive while Nikolaus was deployed - I truly could not have made it through this long year without all of you.  However, please remember that there are still lots of other young men and women stationed overseas continuing to fight for our freedoms and they are someone's sons and daughters, husbands and wives.  Let us not forget to continue to pray for them and support those they have left behind.

“Lucky Me” - A Music Video For The Troops By Helene Cronin - watch more funny videos

Thanksgiving Recipes From Butterball *Giveaway*

{Image Credit}

My friend Caryn from Rockin Mama has a terrific giveaway on her blog, Rockin Mama, just in time for Thanksgiving. She is giving away two gift checks good for a Butterball Turkey. I don't know about you, but I LOVE Butterball turkeys... they are the only ones we eat in our house. They just have that special flavor and juiciness that no other kind of bird offers.

Click on this link Thanksgiving Recipes From Butterball *Giveaway* to see how you can enter... you have until Monday, November 22 at 11:59 pm PST.

Good luck!!

Happy 82nd Birthday Mickey Mouse

Most of you who read my blog know that I am a HUGE Disney fan and my favorite character of all is Mickey Mouse!

So it is only fitting that today on his 82nd birthday that I honor him with a special cake:

So have a piece of cake and sing along with me:

Happy Birthday, my dear friend Mickey Mouse!!

Brandcation + Dinner Shows = AMAZING

During Brandcation last weekend we had the opportunity to visit two of the dinner theaters here in town and we had a fantastic time.

On Friday night, we went to Sleuths Mystery Dinner Show... here is what the website says about Sleuths:

"Join us in one of our three intimate and climate-controlled theatres as you mingle with outrageous characters. Watch out, you might be chosen for a cameo role in the show!  All shows are 2-1/2 hours of scripted mystery, improvisation and audience participation. Watch for anything suspicious, interrogate the suspects and help us solve the crime!  Bring your investigative skills, your appetite, and be prepared to laugh your way through the evening."

The show that we saw was called "Holidaze in Hillendale” and it is describe this way:

"Mayor Rockwell and the citizens of Hillendale invite you to their quaint Americana town to celebrate their Annual Holiday Pageant and compete for fame and fortune on TV’s #1 reality show. The contestants will do anything to win even if it means taking out the competition!"

Our group was broken up into about 5 or 6 tables (with my table being the best of course, TeeHee) and we had such a blast watching the show and enjoying our dinner. I laughed so hard and really had fun sitting next to Kim from What's that Smell because she has SUCH a great sense of humor. When the "murder" is committed, the audience needs to question the "suspects" to try and figure out who is the guilty party.  Let me tell you, I guessed wrong! I didn't care because I had a fabulous time.

For more information on Show times and Ticket Prices, check the Sleuths website. This is a place that I will absolutely be taking my boys to when they come down to visit and will be recommending to all my visitors. If you are in the Orlando/Kissimmee area, definitely set aside one night to visit Sleuths Mystery Dinner Show!



Then, on Saturday evening, we had the privilege of seeing the dinner show at Arabian Nights in Kissimmee - it is actually located right across the street from the entrance to the community where I live - and I have never been there, go figure. From their website:

"There is something for everyone at Arabian Nights Dinner Attraction in Orlando, FL. From the moment guests enter the magnificent Palace of Horses, they are treated to a variety of entertainment that appeals to all ages.  When the show begins, the magic of Arabian Nights comes to life. Guests are entertained by more than 20 of the most talented equestrians in the world performing a variety of astounding feats on horseback in 22 exciting acts."



One of the most fun things was that when we first walked in was that we had a group photo taken - not an easy feat for the poor photographer - try getting 33 women all corralled into one area and looking the same way AND looking half-way decent at the same time.

After we had our photo taken we went into the waiting area for the pre-show where there was a belly dancer who actually picked members of the audience to dance with her... she picked men, women and children of all ages, it was quite amusing.  There was also a full bar there that you could purchase drinks.

Next we went into the stadium style seating theater and immediately started being served our meal beginning with salad and all you could drink soft drinks, water, beer and wine. There were several different main courses that you can chose, check out the website for all the different meals and side dishes available.

I think the horses were absolutely gorgeous in this show, I really loved them - I am such an animal lover. I think that this is an excellent show for "tween" girls as there was a girl around the age of 12 at the end of our table who was completely enthralled with every aspect of this show.

 

 

The ladies at our table got totally involved in the "Princess" aspect of this show, myself included, and just HAD to purchase ourselves some twinkling pink tiaras for the evening - we were just like kids again. I truly enjoyed being with all these wonderful women and sharing this experience with them.

  

For more information on showtimes, ticket prices, directions and photos of the performer and horses, go to the Arabian Nights website.




I want to thank both Sleuths Mystery Dinner Show and Arabian Nights for providing the tickets to all of us to see these amazing shows and enjoy the fabulous dinners as part of our Brandcation adventure.