Thursday, August 26, 2010

OLD

I just logged onto Yahoo Messenger - and the front news story was about Macaulay Culkin's birthday.  He's 30!!!!!!!  He was a child star when I was a kid...and I thought he was so much older and more mature than me!

Guess what????

He's only 30!!!!  I'll be there in 3 years!!!!  OMG how can someone who I thought of as so much older than me be the same age as me???????

Happy Birthday, Macaulay Culkin!  But can you please stop aging so quickly???????

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Movie Mania!

I feel like I am on a movie watching spree!  I have gone to 3 movies this week!  I saw Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Dinner for Schmucks, and Step Up 3D.

For whatever reason, I seem to really enjoy movies based off of comic books.  This was no exception.  I freaking love Michael Cera.  I know he always plays the same role, but so what?  Don't we typecast tons of actors and actresses?  He is completely adorable and plays his role so well.  I also really enjoyed the girl who played Ramona, she was great!  The plot was great, the movie was a ton of fun, and I would highly recommend it if you're at all nerdy and want to be amused.

I had heard terrible reviews about Dinner for Schmucks, but the previews looked funny and I love Paul Rudd, so I found a friend to see it with me.  After reading the terrible reviews, I was worried that they had shown all of the funny parts in the trailer.  I was so happy to be wrong!  The movie had a ton more funny parts.  It was incredibly silly and the humor was beyond ridiculous, but it was so much fun!  I walked out of the theater glad I had gone.

I had also not heard great things about Step Up 3D, but it had a lot of the dancers from So You Think You Can Dance so I wanted to see it.  The dance sequences were beyond amazing.  Every dancer in that movie was more talented than I could comprehend (although there were a few dance doubles).  The plot was not great by any means, but it was alright.  If you're into dance, watch this movie.  Otherwise, feel free to take a pass on this one.

Whew, I'm exhausted just from blogging about all of the movies I've seen.  Have any of you seen a good movie recently?  Any recommendations?

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Trip to the Dog Pound/Shelter

I don't think I have blogged about it, but we have been looking for a new dog for a few months now.  Our local shelters are all no-kill.  We have been looking and looking, but just haven't found a dog we all agree on. 

My mom was talking to a friend of hers who used to volunteer at one of the local shelters, and this friend suggested we look in some of the neighboring cities or by my grandparents in Los Angeles, as those shelters all have fairly quick "kill" times.

So yesterday, off we trekked to the shelter in San Pedro.  While speaking to a woman who works there, I was struck with an interesting thought.  Is it better to euthanize a dog who isn't getting adopted?  Is it better to have a dog live years (or all) of its life in a small kennel?  The shelters in Santa Barbara seem to think euthanizing just isn't ever acceptable.  This girl in San Pedro seemed to think it was beyond cruel to keep a dog in a cage its whole life, and said they can go crazy and what not.

I'm at a loss as to what to think now.  I see both sides.

What do you think?

Friday, August 13, 2010

Kroger Giveaway and Add Up the Savings Event

As we all know, grocery shopping can be really expensive!


But right now, Kroger stores are having an “Add Up the Savings” Event. Stock up on your favorite General Mills and Kimberly Clark brands. From August 8 through August 21, when you buy 8 participating items from any Kroger store, you’ll receive $4 off of your purchase. Some of the great participating brands include: Cheerios, Yoplait Yogurt, Pillsbury Cookies and Biscuits, Kleenex, Huggies, Betty Crocker Brownies, Cottonelle, and Lucky Charms.


In addition to these great savings, be sure to take advantage of the special Bonus Box Tops Offers and get a jumpstart on helping the participating school of your choice this year.

All you have to do, if you haven’t already, is register at www.RewardYourSchool.com. Once you register, you will automatically receive 5 Bonus Box Tops just for signing up! You will also receive custom offers for Bonus Box Tops for purchasing participating products.

These great offers are:

* Buy any 4 Box Tops products and get 10 Bonus Box Tops

* Buy any 8 Box Tops products and get 25 Bonus Box Tops

The offers you select will then load onto your Kroger Shopper Card to be redeemed once you purchase the items. It’s extra easy because there’s no clipping! Just remember to scan your Kroger Shopper Card and the Bonus Box Tops will automatically go straight the participating school of your choice.

I will definitely be heading over to our local Ralph's to take advantage of this awesome deal!

To buy anything you didn't get during the Add Up The Savings event, I am giving away a $25 gift card to the Kroger family of stores (which includes Kroger, Ralph’s, King Soopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith’s, Fry’s, QFC, Baker’s, Owen’s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Pay Less Super Markets and Scott’s Food and Pharmacy)

For your first (and mandatory) entry into this contest, please say at least 2 of the items listed above that you would like to purchase.   Please make sure to leave your email address in your comments.

To earn extra entries you can (please leave a comment for each additional entry):

1) Become a follower of my blog or let me know if you already follow (you must follow publicly, I have to be able to see you, let me know your username)

2) Become an email subscriber of my blog or let me know if you already subscribe

3) Blog about this contest (and comment with the url)

4) Mention this giveaway on facebook with a link to this post (comment with your facebook name) 

5) Add my button to your sidebar (and comment with the url)

6) Follow my Becca's Contest List blog

7) Follow me on twitter and tweet about the contest using "@sbshortie Win $25 Kroger GC! http://beccasbackyard.blogspot.com/2010/08/kroger-giveaway-and-add-up-savings.html" (comment with your twitter name and the url of your tweet)

8) Become my friend on Facebook (click here and comment with your facebook name)

This contest is open to anyone with a US mailing address that is 18+. Contest ends Friday, August 20th at 11:59 pm pacific time. Winner will be picked and notified by email shortly after.

The Kroger Family of Stores gift card, information, and giveaway were all provided by The Kroger Family of Stores, General Mills, and Kimberly Clark through MyBlogSpark.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Crafting Mama Coming to Nintendo DS in October


Release Date: October 26, 2010


Overview
Mama returns in an entirely new experience that will challenge your creativity. Join Mama and her award-winning formula of addictive, stylus-based activities as you sew, mold, paint, cut and much more. Crafting Mama is the only dedicated crafting game that features 40 different craft projects so you make a new creation every time!

Features
  • The latest addition to the best selling franchise: nearly 7 million games sold!
  • Use your stylus as your master crafting tool as you sew, glue, fold, cut, pin, paint and much more
  • Includes 40 different projects across a huge variety of crafts: make aprons, mini Mama dolls, paper airplanes, birdhouses, patchwork quilts, earrings, boomerangs, mugs, candles, kaleidoscopes, flower decorations, xylophones, and so much more!
  • Use your creations to accessorize Mama or play a mini-game. Sew an apron for Mama to wear, fly a paper airplane you’ve freshly folded and more!
  • Create your own unique craft by choosing your materials, colors and patterns
  • How your creation ultimately looks depends on how well you perform each step of the activity—get a different result every time!
  • Mama will award you bronze, silver and gold medals based on how well you made your craft
  • Explore Mama’s Gallery where you can interact with items in her living room
  • 2 player play lets you craft with a friend
  • Share the Apron craft with a friend who does have a Crafting Mama game card wirelessly!


I am really excited for this game, as any generation can play it.  Grandmas, moms, and kids/grandkids can all enjoy this...or you can play alone!






And one more cool thing...


The time is NOW to go online and play the game thousands of people are playing, Unlock the tC Road Trip, an 8 week, virtual road trip that takes players on an interactive trek across the U.S.  Not only do players have the chance to win a 2011 Scion tC, they are also eligible to win one of over 140 daily prizes being awarded including Flip camcorders, speakers, a Nintendo DSi and much more.

We’d love for you to share this fun and exciting summer game with your readers. To play, all you have to do is go to http://www.unlockthetc.com, register, and begin the road trip.

A brand new Scion tC and loads of ‘Instant Win’ prizes await!