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• Mr. Coffee Cafe Latte Machine - Ends Jan 13
• Massage Envy Gift Card - Ends Jan 17
• $50 Amazon or Paypal - Ends Jan 21
• $50 Amazon or Paypal - Ends Jan 22
• $50 Amazon or Paypal - Ends Jan 27
• $150 Gift Card to Country Outfitters - Ends Jan 31
• $50 Amazon or Paypal and $50 Gift Card - Ends Jan 31
• Kindle Fire HD - Ends Jan 31

New Year, New Look for Men

The new year is here and it’s time to upgrade your look. Time to chuck the old look out of the window and go for what’s happening in fashion. In this article we discuss a few trends in men’s fashion and grooming.

Men’s Fashion Trends for 2013

Come new year, things not only look different, but also fresh on the fashion scene. Here are a style tips to make yourself look good in this new year...

1. Colors: There’s no doubt about the fact that navy blue was the “in thing” for men’s clothing in the year 2012, which is why blue is still very much happening this new year too. However, it’s not as dark as it was; it’s a bit more lighter with strong mid-tones. Think a clean, clear lake.

2. Patterns: The focus in 2013 is on plurality. What does this mean? Men need to get comfy with the idea of owning more than just “plaid”. It’s about mixing/matching two different patterns in order to create a real contrast in the look.

3. Fabrics: Yes, cotton is a safe fabric to go for, but it’s also very common. The fabrics that you should try this new year are wool and tweed. When you wear tweed, it adds a rustic feel to your sports jacket/blazer and wool works great as a part of a sweater.

4. Watch: While this is not a real fashion trend that is exclusive for 2013, it does make a difference. To keep up and change the wristband of your watch is a worthy style practice. Go for straps that suit your personal style.

Facial Hair Trends for the New Year

Let’s face it, facial hair on men has always been seen as an attractive feature. So how have facial hair trends evolved and what do they look like this new year? Let's find out...

#1: Classic Beard: Want to look all sophisticated and mysterious? Then go for the classic beard look where you look ungroomed, but stylish. Having this type of beard requires you to do some trimming and shaving, for which you can use one of those safety razors. This helps you keep the smooth lines.

#2: Goatee: Although it has been around for centuries, this style that has been popularized by none other than Johnny Depp where you have a french style mustache and beard, which is also known as goatee. What makes it different from the traditional french beard is that it’s “low key” and doesn’t cover a lot of facial area.

#3: Stubble: Whether you want to keep it well groomed or leave it scruffy, stubble is in style yet again in the year 2012. It’s something that women love on men since it gives out a raw feel. For men it’s low maintenance style as it looks manly and doesn’t need a big commitment.

Regardless of how fashion conscious you are, the tips that we discussed above will most definitely help you upgrade your look for 2013.

--guest post

$50 Amazon or Paypal - Alaina Claiborne Book Blast

MK McClintock's Alaina Claiborne

Alaina Claiborne

How far would you go to avenge your family and save the one you love?

In nineteenth-century England, Alaina Claiborne had a loving family, a cherished friend, and devoted servants. She spent her days riding across the grassy hills of the English countryside, joyful and at peace.

Then tragedy strikes and her world is forever changed. Searching for those responsible is her only focus . . . until she meets Tristan.

Tristan Sheffield, a man of many talents, searches out those who don’t want to be found. His past is filled with secrets and deeds he would rather leave deeply buried. However, when his life unexpectedly entwines with Alaina's, he soon discovers they share more than a mutual desire to catch a murderer.

On their hunt for a man driven by greed, Tristan and Alaina find that love is the greatest weapon against evil, and they'll stop at nothing to survive.

Purchase Now on 

Kindle

Kindle Fire HD Giveaway

January Kindle Fire Authors

Goodreads »

20 Amazing Authors have joined together to bring you 1 Amazing Giveaway!

The winner will have the option of receiving a Kindle Fire HD (US Only)

Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)

How to Organize a Garage

The garage is HIS domain. However, I have this over-organizational gene in my DNA so anything out of place makes me anxious. Yes, even in his garage. I discovered one of the best ways to get my wonderful husband to organize his garage goodies was to help him, also known as supervising. He came up with the great idea to hang some of his otc tools on pegboard on one wall, so off we went to the nearest hardware store. Shopping is something I'm good at doing. He's got a nice big toolbox, but not everything fits in it.

We (and by we, I mean he) hung big hooks and a rack on the wall for the yard tools and stuff with long handles. He even attached one of those nail and screw drawer organizers on the wall, because he can't bear to throw anything away. He might need it someday. The little cubby hole in the wall is actually under the stairs that are in our house, so it's the perfect spot for the sawhorses and shorter wood scraps (that he'll need someday).

Best of all is the wood shelving system he built along one whole side of the garage. It seems like it took forever (I'm sure it was only a few months) but it's worked out great for everything else that ends up in the garage. I was thrilled when he decided to paint it all white, although it didn't take long to not be so white anymore. If it was my garage, there would be lots of boxes with labels on the front of each one, but I'm just happy all his stuff is off the floor. Well, most of it is anyway.

Considering Opening a Home Daycare?

After 25 years in the childcare business, I often meet moms who ask me - "How easy it is to start your own home daycare?" It's pretty easy to start, but actually running a home daycare is quite a challenge and is not for the faint of heart. If you can answer YES to all the questions below, then....well, let's just see how you do...

1. Would you be okay with changing a really gross poopy diaper (that isn't your own child's) ten times during the day?
2. Can you tune out (while still paying attention) to the sound of 100 children talking all at the same time? NOTE: You will never be asked to care for that many at once, but some days it certainly sound like there are that many children.
3. Will you lovingly and thoughtfully discipline the child that isn't yours, without prejudice, that just smacked your own child over the head with a wooden toy hammer?
4. Can you recognize and take care of all the emotional needs of a child that isn't yours? Can you do this six times over? Ten times over? Twelve times over?
5. Are you able to prepare all the following for at least six kids every single day:
1. a theme with a focused lesson
2. a arts/craft project and/or a science project
3. two snacks and a lunch on a written menu
4. a back-up plan for any situation
6. Can you smile genuinely and greet every parent and every child, every day, at drop-off and pick-up for four years?
7. Would it be okay with you to have to wrestle at least six children into a coat,  a hat, and a pair of mittens (or even five-finger gloves) every day for four months straight? 
8. Are you able to cheerfully and successfully (without puking) clean up another person's vomit or exploded diaper that landed on the carpeting in your home?
9. Can you control your temper when you exit the bathroom and discover one child coloring on everything you own with a red crayon, another child standing on the table, while another child throws blocks across the room?
10. Do you love working with children and making a real difference in the world?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, than you're probably already a home daycare provider. If you're considering opening a home daycare, the first place to start is to check with your state's childcare licensing office to see the minimum requirements. There is always a need for quality childcare!

Tylers Low Acid Gourmet Coffee - Review

Tylers Coffee is a gourmet low-acid coffee. Their Arabica coffee beans are hand-picked in South America then shipped to the roasting facility in Arizona. They use a computerized Z-Roasting procedure that assures an optimum roasting time for maximum flavor and minimum acid.

I received a small sample packet of Regular Tylers Coffee. Since I only use two scoops of coffee grounds, it's about three pots of coffee. The coffee grounds are finely chopped and smell wonderful. I brewed up a pot of coffee and although I normally add some chocolate coffee to the filter, I wanted to try this straight.

I enjoyed the Regular Tylers Coffee taste and I really appreciated the low acid feature because I drink a lot of coffee. I did miss the touch of chocolate taste that I usually have in my coffee cup, but it's a really good tasting gourmet coffee!

Find out more at www.tylerscoffees.com and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Win a Free Massage in the Just January Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Just January Giveaway Hop hosted by GoingCrazy!! WannaGo??!! and Planet Weidknecht. Check out all the blogs on the linky below and enter to win some great prizes! Each blog is sponsoring a giveaway of at least $20 value! 

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I'm giving away a gift card for a
FREE MASSAGE
FROM MASSAGE ENVY!
Enter below to win!

Wedne$day Wealth Giveaway Linkup

Welcome to Wedne$day Wealth,

the giveaway linkup where you can

enter to win all kinds of great swag!

If you have giveaways, feel free to link up!

Create Preschool Counting Sticks

Sometimes even the simplest of activities provides children with experience in many areas of development. Creating Preschool Counting Sticks is inexpensive, easy for all ages of preschoolers, and is a wonderful integrated activity.

Each child gets five popsicle sticks. Count them out loud together, touching each stick. Number each stick with 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Put them in order. Count them out loud together, touching each number. Put them in reverse order. Count them backwards out loud together, touching each number. Mix them up and put them in order again.

Provide a basket of colored markers. Name each color together. Count out five markers and lay them alongside the five counting sticks. Use the markers to decorate the counting sticks. Freedom in creativity is very important for children. Provide only encouragement and materials for art. There is no wrong way to make something.

Children practice fine motor skills when handling small items such as the sticks, the markers, and the marker lids. Children practice social and emotional skills by sharing one basket of markers between two children and by waiting their turn for the marker color someone else is using. They use manners as they learn to say, "Please pass the basket."

Guide them on the steps they will need to clean up after their activity...Put all markers in the basket, Stack all the art trays on the shelf, Stack the marker baskets on the shelf, Use baby wipes to remove marker marks from hands, and Throw away the baby wipes. This teaches them to care for and respect the things they use. Involving them in the clean-up process gives them ownership of the materials.

Allow them plenty of time to use the preschool counting sticks throughout the room. Interacting with the counting sticks will generalize over into other areas of play, which helps to solidify the concepts in the child's mind. When it is time to move on to another activity, provide each child a baggie to collect their five sticks together to take home to show their parents what they made and how they use them.

Win $50 Amazon or Paypal - Heart of the Ocean Book Blast

Heart of the Ocean
by Heather B. Moore

A dark secret . . . a grieving ghost  . . . a handsome stranger  . . .
What more could Eliza Robinson want?
Except for maybe her life.

In Heather B. Moore’s enthralling 1840’s historical romance, Heart of the Ocean, Eliza Robinson has turned down the very pretentious Mr. Thomas Beesley’s marriage proposal. As a business partner of Eliza’s father, Thomas quickly discredits the family and brings disgrace to the Robinson name.

While her father scrambles to restore his good name in New York City, Eliza flees to the remote Puritan town of Maybrook to stay with her Aunt Maeve. Although relieved to be away from all- things-male and unforgiving gossip columns, odd things start to happen to Eliza, and she is plagued by a ghostly voice. Her aunt’s explanation? That Eliza is being haunted by a woman who died of a broken heart twenty years ago.

After Aunt Maeve is tragically killed, Eliza's life is put in danger as she tries to uncover the mystery of her aunt's death. She encounters Jonathan Porter in Maybrook, whose presence in the town seems suspicious, yet she finds herself drawn to him. When she discovers that Jonathan’s dark secrets may be the link between the dead woman who haunts her and her aunt’s murderer, Eliza realizes that Jonathan is the one man she should never trust.

Purchase

Amazon * Smashwords * Barnes n Noble

ENTER BELOW TO WIN!

Morning Glamour Satin Pillowcases - Review

Do the words "morning glamour" describe you as you roll out of bed? Me neither. Maybe after a long hot shower and a pot of coffee? Me neither. Actually, now that I think about it, those two words are kind of an oxymoron (complete opposite) in my life. Well, they were, until I received these Morning Glamour Satin Pillowcases. They give Beauty Sleep a whole new meaning!

From their website:
Studies have shown that sleeping on a satin pillowcase can reduce wrinkles and help eliminate hair loss and breakage. As you age, the "sleep" wrinkles that develop overnight, do not disappear as quickly as they once did and may even become permanent. This can leave you looking old and tired. Eliminate those wrinkles before they start by sleeping on "Morning Glamour." Your face glides smoothly over the silky satin, keeping lines and wrinkles to a minimum. And it's great for your hair also. When your head moves on a cotton pillowcase, friction develops that can damage and break hair. Because your head slides smoothly over "Morning Glamour," that damaging friction is eliminated and hair is healthier.

Available in prints and solids, Morning Glamour pillowcases come two to a set and this gorgeous zebra print gave our bedroom some new zing! I love the soft, smooth feeling of these pillowcases. I also love that it's a pocket design that fits snugly around the pillow, so the pillow stays put in the pillowcase. My husband and I have been sleeping on these pillowcases for about a week now and we both love them. The satin stays much cooler than a regular cotton pillowcase too. I asked my husband this morning if I looked glamorous and he said, "Of course!"

Check out Morning Glamour Satin Pillowcases at www.morningglamour.com and follow them on Facebook and Twitter!
Disclosure: I received these products at no charge in exchange for my honest review.