Safe Travel Wishes for Me and The J's

I feel ill and really want to cry although I am trying to show a brave face, not to mention I am at the office and crying is not really seen as professional.

So we have been planning a trip to NH since October and my mom purchased us tickets. Us as in me, my husband and the two Js. Well last night my husband had a job interview (which is great because we have been without two incomes for more then 2 years) but now the second interview is Tuesday the 4th which means he cannot come with us. Don't get me wrong I am so excited for him about this job and let me tell you he better get it since he is missing our trip! Did I mention that I am turning 30 on the 6th which means we will not be together for my birthday!

Of course now I am worried because I have to travel with a crazy 4 year old and a crazy 10 month old with a layover in DC!!! Please let us arrive safely with no delays and especially no cancellations! (You know NH, snow and lots of it lately.)

I will try to keep you posted! We leave tomorrow afternoon so tonight will be lots of packing and planning, then a couple hours of work tomorrow.

And I thought our car troubles were over

For those of you who have been reading my blog you know that we got into a pretty bad accident a month or so ago. If you missed it you can read it here and no worries everyone was fine (except the car). Come to find out the girl that hit us, who admitted to me that she was looking at her GPS and "missed" the stop sign was not insured. Oh she showed her insurance card to the police officer and also told him she stopped but never saw us, not sure how the air blocked her view because that is all that was there, well and the stop sign she missed! Anyway when I called her insurance company to file a claim they told me that the car she had been driving had been removed from that policy in October!! (We were hit in November)

Well after many calls and e-mails I worked it out with my insurance company so that I had to pay a $100 deductible and my car would be mine again. I had to get the letter saying the other driver was uninsured and there were a couple days over Thanksgiving where they were unsure whether or not they were going to fix it or junk it. (It was over $9000 in work) There was also some argument over the deductible but we won't go there.

Anyway, three plus weeks after the crash we got the car back, returned the rental and life was back to normal. Or so we thought!

The front directional did not work when we picked it up which is funny because I would have thought they would check that stuff. Then on comes the engine light, great. Then a couple days ago we were out shopping and the car took awhile to start, extra great. Last night my husband heads to the store for items to take with us to KY (where my dad and step-mom live and where we are supposed to be heading today for Christmas) and a last minute present. I get a text message that he is stuck and the car will not start. Long story short a mechanic friend helps and gets it started.

This morning I am up and ready for work and nothing when I start the car, except for some lovely clicking noise. ARGH!!

Well right now my husband is off to the body shop that fixed our car for them to take a look and see what is up. If all goes well we will still be on the way to KY, if not we will celebrate here, which will break Big J's heart. She cried when I told her there was a chance we would not be going. Poor baby.

I will keep you posted!

HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY!!

Where in the World are You Wednesday? A Global Blog Hop!

Everyone is invited to join us to blog hop and to share where you are from, it will be fun to meet bloggers from all over the world! Where in the World are you?

Please join your Hosts Simply Stacie who lives in Nova Scotia, Canada and Just Married with Coupons who lives in Rhode Island, US on a fun blog hop adventure around the world. Tell us as anything you would like, what country, state, city or region you are from, lets have fun!

**This weeks theme Holiday Traditions / Activities where you live!


Charlotte, NC traditions.... well there are plenty. Each surrounding town has parades, tree lighting ceremonies even little shopping days for the children. The problem is even after 4 years we have not settled on a tradition of our own in this city. 

One tradition we are trying to keep alive for our children is that we bake a cake for Jesus and leave it out next to the Santa cookies and reindeer carrots. Both Little J and Big J are still too young to really understand yet but they will someday and it is a great tradition to keep.

Download SWAGG app for a Good Cause

A few years ago I was given a lot of gift cards for the holidays, basically because I needed clothes desperately. Well I had then in my wallet which I just so happened to leave in the grocery cart in the parking lot and did not realize it until I arrive home. Of course by the time I went back my wallet had been turned into customer service... minus all my gift cards. I was crushed and there was nothing I could do. If only I had the SWAGG app.

Company Description

SWAGG has launched a new app that deals with the troublesome problem of how to deal with the overabundance of gift cards, loyalty & membership cards that clutter up your wallet or handbag. Basically you can load all those gift cards, loyalty points, etc into your iPhone or Android mobile device.


SWAGG allows consumers to import more than 250 brands of gift cards and rewards cards and, unlike plastic cards, SWAGG permits consumers to view available balance and reward information on most of these cards. Additionally, consumers can use their mobile device to give, get and even exchange SWAGG GIFTS from participating merchant partners such as American Apparel Inc., The Wet Seal Inc., Crocs Inc., 1-800-Flowers.com and Arden B. Through SWAGG, consumers can access the offers that matter most to them, connecting users with more than 3,000 retailers. Retailers benefit by acquiring new customers, increasing in-store business and retaining existing customers.

Review

I was given a $20 SWAGG gift in order to try out the app and review. The concept is fantastic because you can easily load all your gift cards on your phone and never have to worry about losing them or forgetting them when needed. It is also very easy to send a SWAGG gift to someone else via e-mail. Did I also mention you can add all those store loyalty cards as well? You know the ones the make your keys way 20lbs and the only way to save at many stores? Imagine having a key chain with keys on it. (well and maybe a cute picture of the kids!) There are also offers from a lot of stores such as free shipping or % off.

The only downside is that because the app is so new there are only a handful of stores to use your SWAGG gift at. (SWAGG gifts are given through the SWAGG app and are not gift cards that you add from a store) I am holding my $20 and waiting to see what merchants are going to be added. Oh year and the funds never expire!!

Need another reason to download the SWAGG app? For every download in December SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up 2 Cancer.  Click Here to download now and start storing your gift cards! (For Apple and Droid Mobile Devices ONLY - US Residents)


I recieved a $20 SWAGG gift in order to review the application. All opinions are my own and 100% honest.

Pier 1 - Great gift ideas!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pier 1 Imports. All opinions are 100% mine.

Holidays always mean family and parties, this year I sadly will not be throwing any parties, but after looking at Pier 1  I am wish that I was!

I love their tasting series and think it would be great to throw a tasting party with all my friends. So if you a reading this and suddenly have the urge to get me a present here are some holiday gifts ideas.

Mini Ramekins

 

Mini Sauce Tray

Riviera Bowl

Sampler Set (My favorite..Hint)

 Did I mention that I do not cook? But my Lovely Husband does!! 

 Well once I got started I could not stop looking at all the holiday gifts . I do have to mention that the best thing we got from there was our Papasan chair! It is a great reading chair and comes in many colors to accent any home.  (Also great for an afternoon nap)

They even carry items for children as well as some cute stocking stuffers. Big J would love these animal measuring tapes.

 I know a friend who would love the filled bamboo candles, which are on sale! And for the unique gift, why not a glass head. I mean who could not use a glass head? Hmm?

 

While you are out shopping during December, you can support Toys for Tots by dropping off an unwrapped toy and/or making a cash donation at the register at any Pier 1 store. Want to help right now? Like Pier 1 Imports on Facebook and for every new fan they get, they will donate $1 to Toys for Tots.