Karen’s Opinion

I became familiar with Amy Poehler when I watched the movie Baby Mama. Who knew that this popular star would be cracking everyone up at the TCA awards? This woman keeps us laughing. Now she is moving into her own sitcom with, what else, a comedy dealing with politics. From what I read, the sitcom will be about a local politician being “normal”.

Amy Poehler uses her popularity to drive attention to something close to her heart, our youth. Moms and girls in general are excited about a new show that Amy Poehler is involved with. The widget on this post features Amy Poehler’s interviews with a few young and extraordinary girls of different ages on how they are changing the world with dance and music.

This CosmoTV widget, Smart Girls at the Party, is just what we need our girls to watch as they make choices and decisions. The great role models in Smart Girls at the Party are excited about what they do. They feel free to be energetic and follow their hearts instead of following the crowd. Watch the widget to see what I mean. You can get your own widget here and put it on your own blog. Feel free to spread the word using your favorite social medium like Facebook and Myspace.

Oh boy! This has been a great month for me. I just received word from Laura at Buy Better and Have a Better Life that I won the Fandango coupon at her giveaway! Thanks so much Laura.

My husband and I seldom go to a movie and I think it is because we are too cheap to spend the money. I like to go to the theater. We have a new one near us. It has the reclining type seats and big cup holders. It is really nice. In fact, I was so comfortable the last time we went, I fell asleep. Now I have to rent Marley and Me because I missed the first half. LOL

I am not sure which movie we will see but there are a few I have on my list.

Petsmart has put out a warning about the dog biscuits they sell that contain peanut butter. Petsmart announced it is recalling the biscuits they sell that used the peanut butter from Peanut Corporation of America. While the risk to our pets is minimal, there is risk to humans from handling these products. It is important for people to wash their hands–and make sure children wash their hands–before and, especially, after feeding treats to pets.

From the FDA website:

January 23, 2009: A combination of epidemiological analysis and laboratory testing by state officials in Minnesota and Connecticut, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have enabled FDA to confirm that the sources of the outbreak of illnesses caused by Salmonella Typhimurium are peanut butter and peanut paste produced by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its Blakely, Georgia processing plant.

Peanut butter is sold by PCA in bulk containers ranging in size from five (5) to 1,700 pounds. The peanut paste is sold in sizes ranging from 35-pound containers to product sold by the tanker container. Neither of these products is sold directly to consumers.

However, through its investigation, FDA has determined that PCA distributed potentially contaminated product to more than 70 consignee firms, for use as an ingredient in hundreds of different products, such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream. Companies all over the country that received product from PCA have issued voluntary recalls of their products.

I feel so sorry for the Peanut Corporation of America. They are a family owned business just like ours. I imagine that this is devastating to their company. I wonder what happened.

I did read where peanut butter Girl Scout cookies are safe. At least we don’t have to give those up.

What would make Christmas feel special for you? Would it be eating freshly baked Christmas cookies with a glass of cold milk? Would it be reading a book while wrapped in a comfy quilt? How does staying in Ralphie’s house sound?

Yes, I am talking about Ralphie as in the “You’ll shoot your eye out”, kid. During the Christmas holiday season, bidders were able to participate in the ebay auction to stay Christmas Eve & Morning in A Christmas Story House.
Photo provided by ebay.

The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is dedicated to assisting our nation’s servicemen and women severely injured during the wars on terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan and other hot spots around the world. Beginning at the bedside of the severely wounded, WWP provides programs and services designed to ease the burdens of these heroes and their families and aid in the recovery process and smooth the transition back to civilian life.

You will find other auctions through The Wounded Warrior Project like Longaberger basket sales and other fine items. This one struck me as special. I love the movie, A Christmas Story.

Spend Christmas Eve & Morning in the house from A Christmas Story
VIP EXPERIENCE FOR 4 WITH AIRFARE, HOTEL, & MEALS INCLUDED!

“A Tribute to the Original, Traditional, One-Hundred-Percent, Red-Blooded, Two-Fisted, All-American Christmas…” is now yours for the bidding. eBay Giving Works, eBay’s program that empowers people to buy and sell for a cause, and A Christmas Story House & Museum, celebrating the film’s 25th anniversary, invite the winning bidder and 3 guests to spend Christmas Eve & Christmas Morning reliving their favorite moments from the cult classic A Christmas Story at the original Christmas Story House in Cleveland, Ohio! This special experience is being offered exclusively on eBay Giving Works, with all proceeds from the charity auction going to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Experience includes:

* Airfare for four (4) people from anywhere in the lower 48 states to Cleveland, OH (up to $1800 total)*
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* 2 Day, 2 Night stay for four (4) in a suite provided by the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel
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* Christmas Eve accommodations for four (4) at the A Christmas Story House
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* Christmas Eve dinner for four (4) provided by Pearl of Orient Chinese restaurant
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* Christmas Day dinner for four (4) provided by Sans Souci, an award-winning, fine-dining restaurant in the Renaissance Hotel
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* $200 stipend for food & beverages during stay included

It appears that there were 33 bids on the auction and the winner spent $5,250.00 to stay at Ralphie’s house. I’ll bet they had fun and feel that their money was well spent.

My regular readers know that my son is getting married this July. He and his fiance have been planning a beautiful wedding. I have been working on the things, as parents of the groom, that we need to take care of. The rehearsal dinner location has been determined and the menu decided upon. My husband will be wearing a tux so that is taken care of. I have ordered my dress and it is waiting to be altered. Gotta lose a few pounds before that happens! I just have to decide on my shoes. I love shoes and am excited to get to buy a new pair.

I found a great place to buy stylish shoes. I want my shoes to be special and am excited about Daniblack shoes. Their exquisite shoes have been featured in ELLE Accessories, People StyleWatch, Lucky and Marie Claire magazines and are beautiful. I found so many styles that will go with my dress that it is going to be hard to decide which to buy. Decisions, decisions. I want to be comfortable and I think the way their style called Violet are designed with Padded insoles might be the ones I choose. But they only come in black. Hmm, I like these silver ones called Vain. The way the leather upper wraps around the ankle might give me more stability for a shoe I will be wearing all day and night. They shimmer in two-tone copper and silver metallic nappa leather. Oh my. I think it is going to be hard to decide. Daniblack is the creme de creme of fashion when it comes to shoes.