Book Review: Aurora Fee

I was given the opportunity to review Aurora Fee by Parent Reviewers. (as you can see, my cat Stubby was a bit attracted to the book as well...)

First, I will tell you all that my favorite genre of book is horror, supernatural, mystery etc... so when I saw that Aurora Fee was actually about a teenager who was part human and part cat, I knew that this sort of read would be right up my alley.

Aurora Fee has lived a long, long time. She has experienced sadness as well as happiness in the many years that she has lived, but like any teen, yearns for her one true love. Sometimes love brings danger, and sadness too-something Aurora knows all too well.

Because she looks different, with her cat like qualities-some people are frightened by her. Others are totally entranced. She never stays in one place too long, it is just too dangerous. Besides, after her emotions cause her to morph and grow cat ears, whiskers, or even a tail... people start to get suspicious.

Aurora Fee struggles with the normal teenage emotions, but never wants to get too close to anyone. Those she does get close to face grave danger as her past comes back to haunt her.

I read the book in two nights, curious to find out if Aurora Fee finds true love, while dealing with events and individuals that have returned from her past to torment her. Even listening to her inner voice can be a danger, as she later finds out.

Without spoiling the story for those who want to read it, I will say that I enjoyed this book. It is a book I would let my 9 year old read, because it is not filled with raunchy words or descriptive sex scenes. (I can read those in my own horror books, but my 9 year old will have to wait quite a few years for that!)

Aurora suffers from normal teen feelings, wanting to be loved, and of course, the fear of being different. Something we all can relate to in one way or another. I was surprised to see that the writer of this book is only a teen herself, I think she did a great job and had a great handle on the emotions and experiences that teens face on a daily basis. This is a good book for a tween and/or teen to read, and fits the young adult paranormal genre perfectly. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review Aurora Fee :)


Disclosure: I was provided a copy of the book free of charge in order to give my opinion on it. The review above is based on my own thoughts and opinions in regard to the book, others may have their own views.

Deja's 9th Birthday Party December 11, 2010

Last weekend was Deja's 9th birthday party, and we decided to have it at the local bowling alley Sparetime Recreation . We had a great time, and the party was very affordable! Deja had invited her whole class but about 7-8 kids showed up.

For $13.00 each, the children get to bowl for two hours plus each get 2 pieces of pizza and french fries along with unlimited pitchers of soft drinks. We had several adults stay as well, and I ordered three extra pizzas so everyone would have something to eat. Daddy was also happy because they served beer :)

The great things was that it was indoors (out of the cold, the winter months in Maine are horrible for birthday parties) all I had to bring was the cake, and I didn't even have to clean up! Each child that attended also got a coupon for a free string of bowling as well. We had fun with the goody bags, and I included a couple of special items in 2 of the bags. If the child had one of those items, they got a special prize as well (which in this case was a $5.00 GC to McDonald's) The kids seemed to like it and all were excited about the contents of candy and toys in their bags.

Hubby and I loved the combination pizza, OMG it was SO good! Hubby said we are definitely going back to the bowling alley soon for another one. (hmmm... I want to try their nachos!) If you live in Maine, there are 3 locations: Waterville, Augusta and Lewiston. It is definitely worth checking out. The total for us, not including beer lol... was about $160.00 for the kids meals, bowling, AND additional pizzas ordered. Not a bad deal at all. Plus Deja got to bring home a keepsake of the party, a bowling pin that was autographed by all that attended. She's already asking to go back next year!

**For those wondering about Deja's custom birthday shirt, I had it made by Curious Georgia on Etsy, the shop owner worked with me and with what Deja wanted to create a great tee shirt that she can wear not just on her birthday, but every day! Pay her shop a visit to see if there is something you might like for your little ones...

General Mills Big G Cereals Movie Night Prize Winner

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

52

Timestamp: 2010-12-18 02:21:24 UTC

Congrats goes out to slb3334! I am off to email you now :) Thanks for entering everyone, and be sure to enter my NuWave Oven giveaway below!

It's a NuWave Oven Giveaway!

Well dear readers, I have an AWESOME surprise for you today! After seeing my review of the NuWave oven that I did yesterday, the company has generously offered a giveaway here on my blog! That means one of you will be lucky enough to win a NuWave oven of your own!

I have to tell you all that the couple of times we have used the oven, it has worked just great. Hubby used it today at lunch time to cook up some pork chops, and he said they were juicy, and delicious. I don't know about you, but one thing I worry about when cooking meat is whether I will overcook it and it will end up drying out and be as tough as a piece of old leather. And as we both know, a shriveled piece of leathery looking meat is neither appetizing nor appealing-in my house, it ends up in the trash because even the cats won't touch it. The steak we had yesterday was juicy, but NOT greasy-just the way I like it. I could almost feel the cholesterol leaving my body, lol.

The oven comes with a DVD, cookbook, and a laminated card which helps you pick the right time and temperature to cook your food. I keep the laminated card right near my oven, and plan to use it a few times until I finally get the hang of cooking in the oven. My oven came with a bonus pizza set as well, which was pretty neat since we eat lots of pizza here in my house. Now, rather than ordering out I will be able to make my own versions of a healthier pizza right in my NuWave oven. If hubby lets me, I might bring it in to our next potluck dinner at work and cook a whole chicken in it to show my co-workers how NuWave cooking can be fun and show them how easy it is to use it. The great thing is that we can continue working and not worry about it, the NuWave will let us know when its time to turn the chicken over and when it is finally ready for eating :)

I am very pleased to be able to offer one of my lucky readers a NuWave oven of their own! These ovens retail for over a hundred dollars, and one of you will receive it for FREE! Yay! Below please find all the info you need in order to enter to win...

Giveaway begins today 12-15-10 and ends on my birthday 1-15-11 at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be selected via Random.org and notified by email-I will need winner to confirm with a physical address & phone number for shipping purposes in 48 hours or I will have to select another winner. Giveaway is limited to US only. You MUST leave your email in your comment or have it visible on your profile so that I can contact you.

For your first MANDATORY entry there are TWO things you must do: 1. Be a blog follower via GFC AND 2. Visit the sponsors website and tell me something you learned about the oven. (hint, check out their FAQS page)

You can earn extra entries too! Check out how below: (+2 equals 2 separate comments)

+1 easy peasy, tell me what you would make in your NuWave oven!

+3 Add my button to your sidebar or add me to your blog roll

+5 Add me to any giveaway linky, let me know where in your comment, unlimited

+1 tweet this giveaway, leave link in your comment, can do this once daily

+1 Follow me on twitter micaela6955

+10 Blog about this giveaway on your blog and leave a link to your post

Have fun, and Happy Holidays! Good luck to all those entering, I just know whoever wins it will love it!

NuWave Oven Review

Early one morning last week I heard my husband come home and turn on the TV as he settled down in bed next to me. I had to work in a couple of hours, and really didn't want to be bothered by the light shining from the TV but I figured if it was keeping him entertained... then so be it.

But instead of the normal "guy" stuff he usually watches (boxing, old Westerns, action flicks...) I was hearing some infomercial talk about something called a NuWave oven. This was NOT good. If my husband was keeping the channel on long enough to sit through an infomercial, something was telling me I had better have my wallet out. (or at least a major credit card)

I do NOT buy things from infomercials, I hate the inflated shipping charges and the fact that it might NOT do what it's supposed to. I opened an eye and glanced over at him... the poor man was salivating watching the foods cooking in this oven. I calmly told him to turn off the TV and go get himself a bowl of cereal and milk.

All week the man did NOT shut up. I have to admit, he kept that infomercial on WAY too long and interrupted my minimum 8 hours nightly beauty sleep. For that I was NOT pleased. But that did not stop him from talking about the NuWave oven and all its cooking goodness-nope, it made him even want the darn thing MORE...

Finally, I gave in and started researching it online. Checking out the good and the bad. Trying to make an informed decision, as any smart consumer would. But I was determined not to pay shipping or give out any information to anyone over the phone. Knowing that "Seen on TV" products can sometime be found in regular stores, I knew I'd hit paydirt when someone mentioned they had gotten theirs at Kohl's.

Ah Ha! And I just happened to have a new Kohl's card that needed breaking in. First, I checked online to no avail. No NuWave oven on the website that I could find. Then I called the store. When the friendly associate confirmed that they indeed had them in stock, I knew what was going to happen next. My husband, rubbing his hands together and grinning like an evil scientist plotting the end of the world announced that as soon as our daughter's birthday party was over we were heading to the nearest Kohl's.

This was a battle I knew I had lost. So off we went this past Saturday in search of a NuWave oven. My husband, who has been to Kohl's all of four times, apparently had some sort of radar or something-as he made a bee line to the exact spot where these ovens were located with no assistance. Eagerly he picked up a box and began walking at a good clip to the checkout area. My daughter and I hurried after him, trying to catch up.

Once we got the NuWave oven home, he lovingly laid the box on top of the stove and waited for me to do something. I did do something, I ordered takeout. I made him suffer a few days, until today. For when I came home tonight, I was greeted to the sight of my NuWave oven cooking steak and baked potatoes. By golly, he'd even mopped the entire kitchen floor to get on my good side.

By now, I am sure you will want to know how the food tasted. Amazingly, it was good. The thing worked. It was neat seeing the grease dripping off the steaks and knowing that I was going to be eating a bit healthier tonight, and it is much better than pan frying up a steak for sure. The potatoes were good too, and crunchy, not soggy in the least. The house didn't fill with smoke, and clean up (which hubby ALSO did) was a breeze. Cooking was quick as well, with the NuWave oven using convection, infrared and conduction combined I was surprised at how fast the food cooked.

I am anxious now to try a few other things in it, such as a roast, pizza, whole chicken, etc... While the oven is around $120 or so, I got it for a little under a hundred using Kohl's cash and the percent off coupons they have been sending out lately. So far, I am satisfied with my purchase and hope to continue using it to create more great meals for the family in less time-especially since my full time job has been crazy these past couple of months. A NuWave oven would make a great holiday gift, for yourself or a family member :) I think hubby has already gotten me my gift, lol! (we'd just finished cooking in it, hence the steam on the inside in the photo)

Disclaimer: I was not provided with anything from the company for this review, this was done to let others know about a product I bought and paid for myself and my own experience with it. Your own opinions or experiences may differ.

CSN Store Winner!

I would have posted earlier, but I am so NOT feeling it. Stayed home today with a cold, which has become a sinus infection. The doctor couldn't see me today, so I am off to work tomorrow with the help of Tylenol Cold and Sinus. I just can't miss another day... we are so behind, and I feel so guilty whenever I am out. But working while your head is in a funk... well, that is not always fun either. Two of my co-workers have health issues, and when they get sick, they REALLY get sick. And can be out for a week or so. Another reason for me not to be there today.

Now to the announcement you've been waiting for... the winner of the CSN Store GC! Per Random.org the winner is...

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

216

Timestamp: 2010-12-09 00:26:46 UTC

which is Gina from The Crave to Save blog! Congratulations! I will be emailing you in a few to confirm delivery of your prize :) Don't forget to enter my Big G Cereals and movie tickets giveaway!

Yum! You Know You Want Some...

I actually ate this last night... No, it's not ice cream but more of a cream and brownie sundae. I definitely needed the chocolate and sweet goodness after a busy week of work.

Today my daughter turned 9, it is amazing how time flies by so quickly. At first, they are babes in arms, then crawling around as inquisitive toddlers, then becoming independent tweens, then teenagers, and before you know it... they are all grown up!

My son will be 18 on the 16th, eek! He's going to be an ADULT.... lol, now that may mean he is legally one, but he doesn't ACT like one yet-big difference! He's assumed a lot of responsibility being a teen dad of TWO little boys, which is not easy when you and your significant other are also still children yourselves. But they have done well, and I am proud of them for the steps they have taken so far.

Here in Maine, it has been cold and snowy. I am SO over it-heck, I want those 80 degree temperatures and sunshine back! Work has been super busy, as expected-but we did have a fun cookie and ornament swap today that broke up some of the day to day routine and made things fun.

Lastly, I have been suffering with a head cold. Hoping to get over it by the weekend for my daughter's party AND hoping to not share the love and give it to her BEFORE her party! The last thing I want is for her to be sick on her special day with family and friends...

Well readers, I will be choosing sometime tomorrow for my winner for the CSN Stores prize. Good luck to you all and keep entering! Until 11:59 PM EST that is. Don't forget to enter my other giveaway, you can win some yummy General Mills cereal and some movie tickets. Enjoy the week! I will post the winner tomorrow evening.

Win a movie night prize pack!

Now that the craziness of Thanksgiving is over, I finally have had the chance to relax a bit. Work is still crazy, but 'Tis the Season, as they say...

One thing I love to do is sit back and relax in the morning with a bowl of cereal and glass of milk. (I will let you all in on a secret, I have NEVER eaten cereal in a bowl with milk-I eat it dry, by the handful, straight out of the box with a nice cold glass of milk on the side) One of my FAVORITE cereals from my childhood has been Lucky Charms, OMG I could eat a whole box if they'd let me, lol.

When I was contacted by My Blog Spark and asked if I wanted to do a giveaway for a couple of boxes of General Mills Big G cereals AND movie tickets to boot, I jumped right on it. If you haven't seen the specially marked packages in your stores yet, be sure to look for them. By purchasing specially marked packages of Big G cereal and entering the codes from two boxes you can earn a free movie ticket! Considering going to the movies can be pretty pricey nowadays, this is a great bargain-even sweeter if you have coupons for the cereal or find it on sale!

I received two boxes of the specially marked packages of Big G cereal and four movie passes, which is great since my daughter has been begging me to take her and a friend to the movies. She will get in free next week on her birthday, so these tickets will come in super handy!

So here are some important things to remember: Starting this month, you can receive a free movie ticket when you purchase two specially marked packages of Big G cereals including Honey Nut Cheerios® (17 oz.), Cinnamon Toast Crunch® (17 oz.), Lucky Charms® (16 oz.), Trix® (14.8 oz) and Reese’s Puffs® cereal (18 oz.)
After purchasing two participating cereals, visit generalmills.com/moviecash to enter the unique code found inside each box of cereal and print your free Movie Cash certificate (good for one admission of up to a $12 value at participating theatres). To find a participating theater in your area, log onto emoviecash.com/dis_locator.

I'm pleased to say that I am able to provide one of my readers with the same prize package I received: 2 boxes of cereal and four Movie Cash certificates. This giveaway is for US residents only and will end December 16, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be chosen via Random.org and have 48 hours to respond to winning email. Please leave a way to contact you in your comments or via your profile, so I can contact you if you win.

For your first, MANDATORY entry tell me: Which cereals are you looking forward to purchasing to earn e-movie cash? For me, it would most definitely be Lucky Charms!

Additional entries as follows: (if it says +2 leave me two comments)

+1 Follow me on twitter micaela6955
+1 Tweet this giveaway, leave link in comment-Add #myblogspark hashtag, daily :)
+3 Add my button to your sidebar or add me to your blog roll
+5 Add me to any giveaway linky, let me know where in your comment, unlimited
+1 Something easy, tell me your favorite breakfast cereal :)



Disclosure: The information and giveaway above were all given to me from General Mills through MyBlogSpark.