Welcome to Facebook Like-You-Back (the meme formerly known as Fan-You-Back) hosted by Kelly’s Lucky You, Coupon Mommy of 3 and Simply Stacie!

Are you looking for new Facebook pages to follow and new friends who like your page? Then join us!

1. Add your Facebook page to the MckLinky (you only have to add it to one and it will appear on all).

2. Click on the Facebook link for the three hostesses and “like” them on Facebook. Leave a comment on their wall and they will like-you-back.

3. Like as many more Facebook pages as you want, leaving comments with links so they’ll know where to like-you-back.

Want to help spread the word and add this MckLinky to your blog? Write your own post telling your readers about FLYB. Below the linky box, you’ll see “Want to be a part of this Blog Hop? Click here for instructions and code….” You can also find the code for the Facebook Like-You-Back Button on the sidebar at the right.

***Our Facebook Page of the Week is Let's Just Give It Away!! She takes the #4 spot.***

Want to be our ”Facebook Page Of The Week”? Under the profile picture on a Facebook page, you’ll see “Suggest to Friends”. Please suggest to your friends that they “like” the Facebook Page of the Week, Let's Just Give It Away! Leave a comment below, telling us that you suggested to friends and we will enter you in a drawing for the Facebook Page Of The Week next week. Next week, we will ask everyone to suggest to friends that they follow the Facebook Page of the Week. It could be you!

Thank you for participating and let’s have fun!

By the way, we’d love to have you stop by our blogs too – here’s where we are:

Kelly’s Lucky You
Coupon Mommy of 3
Simply Stacie

Please link up directly to your Facebook page only. All other links will be deleted.

Yooooo-hoooooo! Design Star, where are you?

*sigh* Design Star, Design Star..... *sigh* Where are you? I'm afraid that this show I was so excited about, has lost it's way! The last two episodes have been disappointing for me.

Are you watching? What do you think?

I don't get the "team" dynamics. Is hosting your own design show that much of a collaborative effort?

*sigh*

This week the designers were split into two teams - the boys and the girls-plus-Dan. They were each given an outdoor space on a Manhattan roof-top and challenged to create a space that was reflective of music and the musical instruments that each of them had chosen at the beginning of the show. Again, I'm at a loss, not understanding why teams of five are given a fairly small space and told to be creative, co-operative and cohesive. It's like putting kittens in a pillowcase and not expecting to hear "Mrrrrrowwwwweeeee".

So far, in three weeks, my favorite design has been Tera's white box and she's gone! I loved the first episode-each designer doing their own thing, but still having to work with ONE other in creating their design. Okay, enough of my whining! Oh wait, one more, what's up with the budgets? C'mon HGTV give them some decent money to spend, no more Design on a Nickel.

Q: Here are the two spaces.... If you didn't watch, which do you think won? Don't scroll down yet, I'll tell you below the pictures.

First, the boys
Then, the girls-plus-Dan

Colors? Courtland took the color of his cello as inspiration and created the orange wall. The judges hated it! Nina created the eggplant color in the girls space, which some forum-friends called a Barney wall. Ouch! Balance? I think Nina, even though I don't like her a bit!, is the only designer that achieved anything close to a balanced design. I liked the idea of Stacey's "trumpet" stepped fencing, but the execution with the ivy? Boring. Lighting? Non-existant. Flooring? Big faux pas! Tom was the only one that used a rug.

Neither of the rooms are inviting in my opinion, or even look comfortable! For me, it wasn't who's design was the best, it was who's was the least-worst. Is that a word?

A: Okay, did you agree with the judges? The girls-plus-Dan won (the purple space).

Well, I will keep watching - I love design shows, even bad ones. C'mon HGTV and Design Star, bring back the sparkle and the fun next Sunday night!

Justin on The Bachelorette - What a jerk! Goodbye and Good Riddance!

Did you watch The Bachelorette last night? Yikes! Justin, the wrestler with the broken leg, was finally exposed as the jerk of the season. We knew from the beginning, didn't we? Ever since he gave the Weatherman such a hard time on the first show, I knew this guy was a jerk.

Confession time: this is my first time watching either The Bachelor or The Bachelorette! I was drawn in when we accidentally dvr'd it because it came after another show. And now I'm hooked. The idea of one guy/girl dating multiple people seemed kind of.... hmm, unpleasant. Especially when physical relationships were involved. I've been surprised though, it doesn't seem as exploitive as I thought it might be. Although last nights' olive oil wrestling wasn't exactly a classy touch - just my opinion.

If you haven't been watching, here's a little catch-up - Ali, is a girl that was on a season of The Bachelor with Jake (he was on Dancing With The Stars). She chose to pursue her dream job rather than a relationship with Jake then had a change of heart and the producers liked her so much they gave her an opportunity to be The Bachelorette and find a guy of her own.

Last night, Ali found out that one of the guys on the show, Justin, had a long-time girlfriend and was only on the show for the fame - not to date her. She called him on it and he ran - literally, he was climbing over landscaping to get away from her and the cameras. Busted! He eventually came back to talk to her but had no smug comebacks this time - busted! Nice touch when they showed Justin walking away and the voiceover was his girlfriend's answering machine playing messages Justin had left her, exposing his lies! If you missed it and want to watch, click here, ABC has episodes available to watch on their website.
Who's left?
(clockwise)
Frank - afraid to commit and still in love with his old girlfriend
Roberto - good-looking; nice guy - possibly "the one" (can you tell by center picture, he's my favorite!)
Ty - protective and strong, but exciting enough?
Kirk - not a strong personality but the chemistry is there
Chris - maybe too laid back and easy going for Ali
Surprise last minute entry? Jake?

If you want to read a blow-by-blow funny post about the show, check out Zap2It!

Did you watch?
What did you think?
Have you know a Justin or two?
Are you lucky and NOT married to a Justin?

Giveaway: Celebrating RuralMom.com!

Congratulations to author, Barb Webb, who is featured in this month's issue of Woman's World magazine! One of her websites, RuralMom.com, is one of my favorites. It reaches beyond rural roots and helps all women find a balanced approach to life. We all struggle with materialism, being pulled away from a simple, natural way of life. RuralMom.com has articles that help women everywhere find a realistic approach to dealing with the pressures of modern, rural or urban life.

To celebrate Barb's feature in Woman's World and her Back To Cool Event, Kelly's Lucky You is having a special giveaway. One lucky reader will win a $50 Visa Card! It's one size fits all and everyone has a store near them where the card will be accepted. How will you spend it, if we say "Lucky You!" and you win?

A special welcome to any new visitors from Woman's World - we're happy to have you visit and hope that you will find some interesting and fun reading! Kelly's Lucky You features articles about the things in life that make us feel lucky - family and friends are the big things on my list, so you will find stories about fun things to do with the ones you love most. Bargains, contests, new and unique products or services are everyday experiences that make me say, "I am so lucky, I just....." The writers and readers of Kelly's Lucky You share news about what has happened to make them feel that special lucky feeling.

Welcome!

WIN THIS PRIZE: A $50 Visa Gift Card!

(The Visa Gift Card is a Visa prepaid card that can be used to purchase merchandise and services anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. It will be purchased from GiftCardMall.com.)

TO ENTER:
Main entry
1. Go to RuralMom.com and tell me what you like best about her blog.
Additional entries
2. Subscribe via email or rss feed to Kelly’s Lucky You
3. Follow Kelly’s Lucky You
4. Put the Kelly’s Lucky You button on your sidebar or blogroll page
5. Blog about this giveaway, link to Kelly's Lucky You . Please leave the link to your post in the comments
6. Follow @KellysLuckyYou on Twitter
7. Tweet this giveaway (RT 1x per day)
8. Become a Fan of Kelly's Lucky You on Facebook (please leave your first name and last initial so I can find you)

Leave one comment for each entry.
Contest ends August 15th at midnight CST.

One winner will be chosen and notified by email to the email address provided in the winning comment. The winner must respond within 48 hours of the notification email, or another winner will be chosen. Open to residents of US and Canada.
See my Giveaway Rules page for further information.

Good luck!

Easy and Fun Summer Craft

Are you looking for a fun summer project to do with your children? How about Friendship Rainbow Sticks? This is a great summer camp activity that you can do anytime - even if you have an only child like me! We made necklaces for Rosie and her favorite Build-A-Bear, Bunny.

For each Friendship Rainbow Stick Necklace you need these supplies:

* A popsicle stick
* A piece of string approx 12" long
* 6 colors of paint
* 6 brushes
* A black thick marker
* A pencil


Using the pencil, draw lines on each popsicle stick creating six equal horizontal stripes (one for each letter in the word "friend"). Paint each stripe a different color. Do this on both sides of the stick. After the paint dries, use the black marker to write your name on one side and "friend" on the other. Tie the string around your stick and knot to make a necklace or see directions below for pre-drilled holes. Kids can wear their own or exchange with friends. You can also glue two or three sticks side by side and make a necklace that says "Rosie Friends Bunny". The possibilities are endless!

Note, you can use colored markers instead of paint and brushes.

To drill holes: Mark a pencil dot, where you want the hole on one of the sticks. Carefully drill a hole in your first stick using the slow speed on a variable speed drill and a 3/16" drill bit. Then, using that one as a template, stack two other sticks underneath and drill through those.

This post was written as an entry for Build-A-Bear Camp Happy Heart. If chosen, it will appear on the Build-A-Bearville site. Build-A-Bear is sending me a $25 gift card. Thank you to Jayme and the whole Build-A-Bear family.

I loved everything about this movie!

I loved the story. Young Dre Parker and his mother move to China, so that she can work. Dre is bullied by a group of young men who don't like his attention to a beautiful young girl named Mei Ying.
I loved the acting. Jackie Chan (Mr. Han) was very good in his role as the broken and beaten maintenance man of the apartment building Dre and his mother live in. Dre seeks him out for help. I didn't expect much from Jaden Smith, who plays Dre. His mom and dad (Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith) were producers, after all. I was wrong. Young Jaden was not only good, he was excellent - an absolute joy to watch. I can't wait for his next film. China itself is an additional actor in the film and she is beautiful and talented. There is a lot of scenery and views of China, which I think is partly why the movie is so long.

I loved the music, the costumes, did I mention I loved everything about this movie?

Together Dre and Mr. Han learn together that life can kick you down but you can choose to pick yourself up again. I didn't get that quote exactly right - if you see the movie, come back and comment with the right one, okay?

Two enthusiastic thumbs-up from me - I think you'll like this one!

Giveaway and Deal Alert: Agoo Clothes for Active Kids

Deal Alert
It's an Agoo Friendship Event! Mabel’s Label’s and Agoo Apparel have come together to create an awesome deal! For a limited time, get One $75 Agoo Apparel gift certificate and one $25 Mabel's Label's gift certificate at a whopping 50% off! That is $100 worth of merchandise for only $50!" Click here for more info.

Giveaway
Do you have an active little one? Have you heard of Tushie Huggers?
A Tushie Hugger is a 2-in-1 garment, with the look of a skirt/short combined with leggings. They are trendy AND comfortable. Add a Tushie top and Agoo has created a outfit that kids will want to wear and Moms will love too!

I won a set in a contest but the largest size is 24-36 months, so I thought, "giveaway!"
WIN THIS PRIZE:
One lucky Kelly's Lucky You reader will receive this adorable set, Polka Dot Pop, in size 24-36 months. The retail price is $45.

TO ENTER:
Main entry
1. Go to Agoo and tell me about your favorite item.
Additional entries
2. Subscribe via email or rss feed to Kelly’s Lucky You
3. Follow Kelly’s Lucky You
4. Put the Kelly’s Lucky You button on your sidebar or blogroll page
5. Blog about this giveaway, link to Kelly's Lucky You . Please leave the link to your post in the comments
6. Follow @KellysLuckyYou on Twitter
7. Tweet this giveaway (RT 1x per day)
8. Become a Fan of Kelly's Lucky You on Facebook (please leave your first name and last initial so I can find you)

Leave one comment for each entry.
Contest ends July 8th at midnight CST.

One winner will be chosen and notified by email to the email address provided in the winning comment. The winner must respond within 48 hours of the notification email, or another winner will be chosen. Open to residents of USA only.
See my Giveaway Rules page for further information.

Good luck!

Welcome to Facebook Like-You-Back (the meme formerly known as Fan-You-Back) hosted by Kelly’s Lucky You, Coupon Mommy of 3 and Simply Stacie!

Are you looking for new Facebook pages to follow and new friends who like your page? Then join us!

1. Add your Facebook page to the MckLinky (you only have to add it to one and it will appear on all).

2. Click on the Facebook link for the three hostesses and “like” them on Facebook. Leave a comment on their wall and they will like-you-back.

3. Like as many more Facebook pages as you want, leaving comments with links so they’ll know where to like-you-back.

Want to help spread the word and add this MckLinky to your blog? Write your own post telling your readers about FLYB. Below the linky box, you’ll see “Want to be a part of this Blog Hop? Click here for instructions and code….” You can also find the code for the Facebook Like-You-Back Button on the sidebar at the right.

***Our Facebook Page of the Week is The Kiddie Fashionista! She takes the #4 spot.***

Want to be our ”Facebook Page Of The Week”? Under the profile picture on a Facebook page, you’ll see “Suggest to Friends”. Please suggest to your friends that they “like” the Facebook Page of the Week , The Kiddie Fashionista! Leave a comment below, telling us that you suggested to friends and we will enter you in a drawing for the Facebook Page Of The Week next week. Next week, we will ask everyone to suggest to friends that they follow the Facebook Page of the Week. It could be you!

Thank you for participating and let’s have fun!

By the way, we’d love to have you stop by our blogs too – here’s where we are:

Kelly’s Lucky You
Coupon Mommy of 3
Simply Stacie

Uncle Ben's New Whole Grain White Rice

Food?
Friends?
City?
Cooking?
Snacks?
Free?
Sounds like a recipe for FUN! I'm there!

Uncle Ben's Rice and Mom Central hosted an event at The Chopping Block in Chicago for Moms to network, cook, and learn about Uncle Ben's new whole grainwhite rice options. If your family loves the familiar taste and texture of white rice, but you would like the health benefits of whole grain, Uncle Ben's new product will allow you to enjoy the best of both. We sampled the Long Grain, Chicken and Sweet Tomato varieties at The Chopping Block and they were all delicious. At home, I've made the Cheddar Broccoli and Sean and Rosie both gave it a thumbs-up. Uncle Ben's also makes Garden Vegetable and Taco styles.

Have you heard of The Sneaky Chef? Missy Chase Lapine, author of Simple Strategies For Hiding Healthy foods in Kids' Favorite Meals, has developed tips and recipes using Uncle Ben's new Whole Grain White Rice to help struggling moms and dads sneak nutrition-rich foods into their children's favorite dishes.

If you'd like to learn more about Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice or see recipes, click here!

Pictures, you ask? Well, of course!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Uncle Bens and received the product necessary to facilitate my candid review. In addition, I received a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.