You are SUCH a Mooch!

I have a problem. I am addicted to books. I have piles and piles (and maybe a few more piles) of books that I am reading, plan to read, think maybe I should read, or think someone else should read.

My children have inherited this sickness and each of their rooms is full of shelves of books and piles of books. And they want more books. Always more books.

Of course, this is a good sickness to have. But it can take a toll on the wallet. And yes, there is always the library. But I frequently can't find what I want at the library - and I also have some patience issues (I know, shocking) and so off I go to Barnes & Noble and drop more cash for more books...

And then I found that mooching can be such a good thing! Now I am also completely addicted to the Bookmooch website.

Basically, you list all the books you have (from all of those piles) that you would like to give away to a new home. People who want those books "mooch" them from you and you send them off to their new families. You pay postage (media mail - about $2.50 per book) to send the books away, and you get "points" in return.

Then you take your points - one point per book generally - and use them to mooch new books that you want. And they are sent to you FOR FREE!!

If the books you want are not immediately available, you can build a wishlist, and when one of them becomes available, you get an e-mail. It is such a beautiful system.

I have given away 40 books (!) and gotten 30 FREE ones in return (and I have enough points to get 14 more!)

You can find TONS of kids books on Bookmooch. We have gotten a bunch of "Magic Treehouse" books and a bunch of "The Littles" books. Also lots of bestsellers, current books, older books. The most current will take a little while to get to Bookmooch (people must buy, read and decide they no longer want them first) - but I got all of the Shopaholics for free (not proud that I read them...but I didn't pay for them!)

If you can control yourself (as I frequently can not) at the bookstore and just write down the books you'd like and then go check Bookmooch, you could save yourself a TON of money.

And it is earth-friendly! Recycling at it's finest! Great lessons to teach your kids - patience, cheapness, and reuse/recycle!

Mom's Night In - GIVEAWAY!

I was invited to participate in a "Mom's Night In" by my friend Colleen (AKA Classy Mommy). We met when she did a review of Stuff for Sprouts for me a while back, and was actually the person who suggested that I consider starting a blog to support the business.

Anyway, being invited to a blogger event did wonders to make me feel like a "real" blogger, and not just the amateur that I am. The event was organized by Role Mommy and sponsored by the makers of Slendertone products and Sane Fitness and they threw quite the party!

Free manicures were available (for those able to elbow through the crowd to the manicure table - sadly, I was not one of them) and done by manicurists from Calista Grand. A make-up artist (also from Calista) was doing makeovers. I shy away from that sort of thing since every professional make-up job I have ever had has left me just this side of drag queen, but those who did participate were looking quite fab. There was also someone doing chair massages. I did partake of the massage, much to the consternation of the masseuse who felt that the knots in my shoulders were a personal challenge. Sorry, I just internalize stress. And being in a lovely house filled to the brim with cool people I don't know is an excellent equation for stress.

Very few social skills :(

I did meet some really nice people and learned a little bit about Slendertone products. I even got FREE products to bring home and try. Check that out - swag!

The product demonstration was quite entertaining, as many of the attending blog-mamas tried on these electronic muscle stimulating contraptions. One lucky lady tried the arm exercisers and cranked them up until her hands were twitching. AWESOME!

Another (I will name no names) was outed as an expectant mom due to the fact that she couldn't try the products. Electronic stimulation and pregnancy apparently do not mix!

I snagged a "Revive" system to bring home. This seems to be the most multi-tasking Slendertone product. It has two gel-pad things that you can stick on various parts of your body and differing levels of "stimulation" that make it appropriate for either massage/muscle recovery or muscle strengthening.

I tried it out on my shoulders and lower back in massage mode. Once I got over the clammy stickiness of the pads, it was very enjoyable. A little awkward to apply, but nice.

The kids wanted to try, but the products are not appropriate for kids. I think you could accidentally fry them or something (yikes!)

Mike offered to be a guinea pig and tried out the ab mode. Very very entertaining to watch as he cranked it up until he was unable to stand. Giggle. We both thought it was an interesting experience, but I am not sure it will be something that we add to our routine on a regular basis.

But here's the good news (for those of you who have stuck with me this far!) I have a brand-spanking new Slendertone System-Arms exerciser for the arms (pictured above, not on me). A $99.99 value!!

I am giving this baby away to the commenter who gives me the best reason that I should. So...comment away...beg, plead, cajole...I am ready!

Because, see...I am like a totally REAL blogger now! Yay!

Greatest Deal on Earth!

How do you feel about the circus?

We haven't been in years. We took Sprout when she was about 3. She loved it...even touched an elephant! She lovingly carried the program around for months and months!

But given Tater's well-documented fear of dressed-up things and (god forbid) clowns...the circus just didn't seem like the place to take him.

However, since the Christmas breakthrough, where he was able to be in a place with a tattered collection of dressed-up creatures without losing his mind, perhaps the circus is back on the radar! Yay!

I would love it if it was, because my friends at Moms Central have hooked me (and you!) up with a great deal for circus tickets! Here's the scoop:

Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 (that's $11 per ticket!!!) by entering the code "MOM" at select ticketing channels (including Ticketmaster). The offer is good on all performances, with a minimum purchase of 4 tickets required. Additional tickets can also be purchased at $11 each!
Offer not valid on Circus Celebrity Seating, Front Row and VIP seating or combinable with other offers. Other Restrictions May Apply.

Offer #2: Ringling's Baby's First Circus program allows babies under 12 months of age to receive a free ticket voucher that can be exchange for a free ticket to any Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily performance. Anytime, anywhere, no expiration date!
Upcoming performances include:

Newark/East Rutherford/Uniondale/NYC
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
March 5 - April 13 Offer not valid on performances from April 10 - 13
at Madison Square Garden

Washington D.C./ Fairfax, VA/ Baltimore, MD
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
March 18-April 19

Philadelphia
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
May 13-May 25

Phoenix
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
June 24-June 28

Houston
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
July 15-July 26

Anaheim/LA/Ontario
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
July 8-August 2

San Francisco
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
August 12-August 23

Dallas/Ft Worth
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
July 29-August 16

Sacramento
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
August 27-August 30

Kansas City
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
September 16-September 20

To see which Ringling Bros. tour is coming to a town near you, visit www.Ringling.com. And visit www.ticketmaster.com to use the 4 tickets for $44 code, MOM.

Maybe this could be a step in Sprout's quest to have Tater Disney-ready at some point in their shared childhood. Sounds like a great deal...we might even have money left over for therapy afterwards.