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Everything Southern & So Cotton Pickin Cute

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Special K Coffee House Breakfast Shakes

Are you swimsuit fit yet?  Summers coming on fast, especially here in Florida.
Everyday I think about how hot is going to be and how little clothing I'm going to want to wear. That thought leads me to taking a look in the mirror and walking away and vowing to work a little harder at getting fit.

The hardest thing for me is finding something nutritious and quick in the mornings. Usually I grab a frozen waffle - not a great choice.  It has no protein and nothing to keep me going for long, which then leads me to grab something sweet for some instant energy (which is of no value) and I then crash.  Bad planning on my part.
Special K to the rescue.  They know women are busy and on the run and that weight management is a top priority for many of us.  So they've come up with the New Special K Coffee House Breakfast Shakes in 5 delicious flavors.

  • Even though these delicious shakes are less than 200 calories each serving includes 10g of protein and 5g of fiber.
  • They also provide nearly 1/3rd of the daily value of key vitamins and minerals often lacking in women's diets, giving you the nutrition you need to kick start your day and helping you stay on top of your weight management goals from the get-go.
  • Plus, the convenient bottles can travel anywhere and contain as much caffeine as a cup of coffee!

Final Opinion

  • In the mornings I really like something cool to drink so this was right up my alley.   I usually save hot coffee for an evening drink. 
  • I like getting that boost of caffeine to get my day going. 
  • Having something that's quick to grab and easy to take on the runs a big plus but the real question test is in the taste and performance.  
  • I give the Special K Coffee House Breakfast Shakes a high 5!  It kept me full for hours with energy to get through my morning routine of walking and then cleaning.  I didn't have to break once for a snack and there was no crash! The Chocolate Mocha taste great.  I can't wait to try the Vanilla Cappuccino next.

How to get free products like me

Because I'm a BzzAgent I get to try the newest and latest products when I sign up for a mission.  It's fun to try and best of all it's FREE.  
BzzAgent is the leading social marketing company or WOM (word-of-mouth) website that companies use to help get the word out about their newest products while getting some honest feedback from people like us.  You don't have to be a blogger to become a BzzAgent, as long as you are willing to share your opinions on social media, you can be a BzzAgent. 

To participate as a BzzAgent, you'll want to be sure to sign up for MyPoints too.  As an added bonus BzzAgent surveys pay in MyPoints, which can be redeemed for special savings and store gift cards. You'll definitely enjoy those perks!

Here's how to sign up for both

Register with BzzAgent now by using the link below. http://bzzagent.com

To hook up with MyPoints just leave me a comment below. That way I can refer you and you'll receive an email from MyPoints.

Hugs Y'all...
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it's in your power to help them.
Proverbs 3:27

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Giveaway Galore News

Man, Julie has been working here patootie off over at Mamawj's Moment Away.  She's been reviewing products and finding giveaways to host for us.  She's got "5" right now that you can enter.  There is something for everyone, kids and adults alike.

But before I share her giveaways I want to give you a little update on mine.  First the Dial Deep Cleansing Giveaway is ending earlier than I had planned.  It seems the FREE coupons expire at the end of the month and the only way I can get them to the winners in time is to end the giveaway at 5PM TODAY.  So if you haven't enter please do so.  I don't normally get coupons with such a short life, so I never even noticed the early expiration.  My apologies.  Go HERE to enter:
My second giveaway is for the Scott's Liquid Gold Spring Survival Kit.  So if you enter both mine and Julies', you get double the chances of winning.  Mine ends 4/1.  Enter HERE.
Now, lets breakdown the Mamawj's Moment Away giveaways:

Orkin Bed Bug Home Prevention Prize Pack Giveaway - Ending 3/31. Enter HERE.
NBC American DreamBuilders Giveway.  You can win a $50 Lowe's Giftcard. Ending 4/1. Enter Here.
MiniClock Spring Forward Day Light Savings Time Giveaway. Ending 4/1.  Enter HERE.
Scott's Liquid Gold March Spring Clean Product Giveaway.  Ending 4/1.  Enter HERE.
Home Town Buffet, Old Country Buffet and Ryan's - Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys Giveaway.  Ends 4/16.  Enter HERE.
Fabulously Fresh Purex Crystals Giveaway. 3 Winners - Ending 4/25.  Enter HERE.

Good Luck Y'all...
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
~Proverbs 30:5

Monday, March 24, 2014

Stepping Into spring

We've been having the best spring like temperatures this month.  Uh-well up until today, when a little cool front decided to make an appearance.
Episcopal High School Aerial View 
What is a cool front in North Florida you ask?  Well the high today is only 62 with gusty winds, making it like long sleeve and jacket weather. Yes, we wear warm clothes when it's in the 60's here people.  And it's going down to a whopping 56 tonight folks.  When you've got 62% humidity and overcast skies - it's a chilly cold. (cue the violins).
That's quite a change from the 78 degrees on Friday when I took these pictures.  I'm still out walking daily and it was so nice outside that we walked about 3 to 4 miles round trip to a private school in the neighborhood.  Okay, so I originally was walking that far to get an icee but it became a nice park afternoon walk instead.
We were surprised to see Lastinger Hall when we were walking the grounds of the school. The Lastingers' were our next door neighbors up till a few years ago when they move to the beaches in St. Augustine.
IMG_7957 
I didn't get a picture of the center of the Halls so grabbed the one above from the web. The building features Jeffersonian arches and beautiful columns with outdoor hallways and second story decks with views of the St Johns River downtown Jacksonville.
The picture of the cargo ship above reminds me of my dad.   He was an electrician at the Jacksonville Shipyards for 34 years until he retired.

Jacksonville has long been know as an international shipping port.  It's long history which includes English sailors trading ammunition and guns to the French from Fort Caroline for food and a boat in 1565, which is the first international commerce recorded in the new world.  Because of this, the port uses the phrase, Jacksonville: America's First Port.

Even before FL was a state in 1845, cotton and timber were traded and shipped to the port.
Jacksonville is now known for it's professional football team the Jacksonville Jaguars.  You can see Everbank field beneath the Hart bridge.  Our home is located not far from here and you can see the bridge from our neighborhood.  The school grounds are located at the foot of the South end of the bridge.
I wish I could've had a better angle to photograph the whole butterfly bed.  There were 3 in graduated sizes and so cheery!
This majestic oak is so much bigger than my photo makes it appear.  In 1966 Episcopal High School of Jacksonville was established, and the Great Oak has shaded and sheltered students ever since.  To give you an idea of it enormousy - that's a 12,000 sq foot wooden deck that surrounds the tree.
This massive tree is older than the city, and by most estimates, older than the United States.  See, this is why you should get out and get to know the area you live in.  That was a new find and fact to me.
The old tree called the Great Oak, is also known as the Keystone Oak.  Mary Packer Cummings and her husband, Charles built the family estate, Keystone Bluff, in the 1880's. Mrs. Cummings was the daughter of Asa Packer, who built Lehigh Valley Railroad, founded Lehigh University and was the governor of Pennsylvania.  When Mrs. Cummings died in 1912, she bequeathed the twenty-eight-acre Keystone Bluff to St. John's Episcopal Parish and, in 1921, the church established a boys' home on the property.



I just love this beautiful granite cross and the carving at the base.  This was in memory of the William Barnett Family (as well as his wife and another family).  Mr. Barnett was the founder of the Barnett Bank.  The same bank that our neighbor was president and CEO of.
I love this old house with it's cheery yellow paint.  The back is above and the front below.
Built in 1893, the Cummings guest house is one of two buildings remaining on Mary Packer Cummings' 19th century Keystone Bluff estate.
These buildings are now used as part of the campus.
The Acosta House above was built in the late 1800s or early 1900s.  It was purchased by St. Elmo W. Acosta in 1911, a Jacksonville businessman and City Council member, who one of our many bridges is named after.  It currently houses photography classes and studios.
This building was constructed as part of a bowling alley by Charles Cummings in 1895.  Cummings, who didn't get along with an adjacent neighbor, constructed it along the property line so the neighbor "would get the full benefit of the noise from the bowling....and card games."  And you thought you had spiteful neighbors.
The building reminds me of a horse stall or carriage house with a nod to a church at the end. Or maybe Steeplechase. Either way I love the architecture.
Here's a photo of Mrs. Cummings herself on her yacht, the Keystone, with Captain Henry D. DeGrove at the wheel.  Mrs Cummings used it for service between Jacksonville (downtown now) and Keystone Bluff, which was her winter home.  That would be a 5 minute or less ride now-a-days.

If you're having warmer days where you live, I hope you'll really get out and do a little exploring for yourself.  A little walk turned into a fun excursion and a little history hunt.  I love learning new stuff about my own neighborhood.  You will too. 

But don't worry about us, our weather changes it's mind daily. Just look at the 5 Day forecast to see what I mean. Oh' quit hatin!
Monday
62°
56°
80%
13mph NNE
Tuesday
72°
42°
10%
AM Clouds/PM Sun 
17mph NW
Wednesday
60°
46°
Mostly Sunny 
12mph NNE
Thursday
70°
60°
20%
Cloudy 
10mph ESE
Friday
77°
64°
60%
Scattered Thunderstorms 
11mph SSE











Have you been out enjoying the spring weather?  What's the last fun place you visited?  Let me know, I want all the fun details.
Hugs Y'all...

The Lord will continually guide you and satisfy you even in sun-baked places.  He will strengthen your bones.  You will become like a watered garden and like a spring whose water does not stop flowing.
Isiah 58:11

Saturday, March 22, 2014

NEW Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap Giveaway

What do you do over and over every day?  If you guessed washing your hands you'd be right.  With all that washing going on, don't your hands and your senses deserve a little something special.  Dial thinks so.

I love the way the Purex Insiders package the products they send me.  I know right away what it's going to be without even opening the box.  The summer colors got me excited to rip it open.  I'm a real fan of liquid soap and look forward to trying the newest and latest!  And we all know how I feel about smell.  Love a pretty scent!
With outdoor projects like the one above, we're going to be need a good hand soap. That's a whole lot of dirt to spread and the projects don't stop there.

Dial's newest hand soap has gentle micro-scrubbers to get those hands clean.  Right away you know this soap is something special, a premium soap.  Just take a look at how thick this it is. Nothing like the thin, runny hand soap you usually see.  Then there are those little scrubbing beads to really clean the grime from your hands.
I don't have time to fool with frou-frou soaps that don't clean at this time of year.  I need a product that's going to scrub my hands clean, but with all that work and all that washing, hands can dry out fast.  I want something gentle too.  Dials NEW Deep Cleansing Hand Soap has taken that into consideration too.  Those guys are pretty smart over there, they've added moisturizers too. Way to go Dial!!
I found these scents in my local Publix Supermarket and with the coupon attached you an even save a little moolah. :)
Besides the NEW Deep Cleansing Hand Soap you'll find a whole array of Dial choices like the anti bacterial formula above.
New Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap is the latest soap in the Dial Brand.  These premium soaps feature vibrant scents, a gentle micro-scrubber formula that smoothes and moisturizes the skin, and a completely new design that adds personal style to your home.

They come in 3 vibrant scents that excite and inspire:


  • Water Blossoms invigorates with a crisp floral scent inspired by aquatic botanicals.
  • Yellow Raspberry and Black Sugar refreshes your senses with a tart and rich sweetness.
  • Coconut Lime Verbena brightens your day with juicy and tangy citrus.

You can learn more about Dial on the sites below:

My thoughts:

I received the Coconut Lime Verbena and the Yellow Raspberry and Black Sugar scents both of which I like, but I was really hoping for the Water Blossoms, guess I'll be buying that one next.  It just looks and sounds more like my kind of scent.  

I've put one in my kitchen where we do a lot of hand washing and the other in our half bath.  Both scents have put me in the mood for sunshine and summer.  Plus I just think the vibrant colors are exciting and pretty.  

But I'm not the only one who lives in this house, there's a guy here too.  Neil doesn't want a girly perfume scent and I don't blame him.  Again the Dial people were covering all the bases because these scents are gender friendly.  Plus Neil can appreciate the micro-scrubbers.  He's a bar soap kinda guy and I hate having a dirty bar of soap laying around, especially in the front bathroom.  Now we're both happy!! This is the perfect family soap.

Bet you'd like to win your own Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap,  right?  Well you're in luck, Dial and I are giving away a FREE coupon to 3 lucky Cotton Pickin Cute readers.

How you can enter:

Giveaway ends 3/26 at 5PM.  It's simple just follow the easy instructions on the Giveaway Tools Form below.  *Remember you must complete the mandatory entry for all your entries to count.
Hugs Y'all...
"I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.  So don't be troubled or afraid.
                                                    ~ John 14:27

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Spring Survival with Scott's Liquid Gold Giveaway

What do you first think of when you think about spring? Flowers? Easter? New Clothes? Cleaning?  I think of all of those.  They all have a common factor - a FRESH start.
Flowers pop up after a winters nap.  Easter celebrates the resurrection of Christ our Lord. New spring fashions come out and it's a time to freshen our wardrobes.  And even our energy is suddenly renewed and we get that inner urge to CLEAN.  Spring cleaning is a tradition. And what better products than Scott's Liquid Gold to help us get that deep clean that we're after this time of year.
Scott's Liquid Gold Wood Cleaner and Preservative, one of the America's most well-known and trusted brands, is proud to be celebrating their 61st Anniversary!! And they're offering a Spring Survival Kit to one lucky Cotton Pickin Cute reader. More on that below.

Their prices are very reasonable too:

Scott's Liquid Gold Wood Wash Concentrated $6.25
Scott's Liquid Gold Wood Cleaner and Preservative in an aerosol can $4.99
Scott's Liquid Gold Dust 'n Go $4.49
Scott's Liquid Gold Clean Screen $7.99

Just a few of the many uses of Scott's Liquid Gold:

I was surprised to learn just how many surfaces, besides wood that I could use Scott's Liquid Gold products on.  

To clean and restore:


  • Window screens
  • Metal or plastic office equipment
  • Window sills(wood, tile or aluminum
  • Stickers from bumpers, windows, appliances, etc.
  • Stainless Steel Silver, copper, chrome wrought iron, and brass items (wash thoroughly before using)
  • Gold irons
  • Chrome
  • Plexiglas
  • Gun stocks
  • Stained glass
  • Metal tools
  • Road tar from cars
  • Soap scum from shower doors and tiles (helps prevent buildup)
  • Plastic pots used in garden (outside surface only)
  • As a lubricant for:

    • Squeaky hinges
    • Household fans
    • Nuts and bolts
    • Bicycle chairs
  • Swivel chairs
  • Sliding door tracks
  • Garden hand tools
  • To clean and soften leather on:

    • Ball mitts
    • Hiking boots
    • Luggage
  • Saddles
  • Old/antique books
  • Dashboards
  • Other:

    • To clean and prevent rust on metal and wood garden and farm hand tools.
    Here's a little History and the Future of Scott's Liquid Gold:
    In 1951 the president's grandmother bought the Scott's Liquid Gold formula.  His dad then began batching and bottling the product in the family garage and selling it from the back of a station wagon.

    What is the secret to the success of Scott's Liquid Gold?
    Simple - it's based on developing the best, most innovative, reasonably priced products as well as an extreme dedication to innovation and customer service.

    Well they have come a long way from their garage and station wagon days.  Now they have a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, located in Denver, Colorado, which leads the industry!
    While still embracing the latest technology, communications and media, they still hold true to their roots and promise the same great products and service for the next 60 years and MORE...

    You can learn more about Scotts Liquid Gold here:

    http://www.scottsliquidgold.com/
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Pinterest
    Youtube

    My final thoughts of Scott's Liquid Gold:
    Neil and I spend a lot of time collecting and selling antique items. Many of those items are have beautiful wood like you see on phonograph below.  Condition, patina and finish of wood are everything in the world of antiques. So as you can imagine we're very particular about the products that we use to clean them.  I can honestly say that we wholeheartedly recommend Scott's Liquid Gold on not only the wood but the brass and nickle as well.  I was surprised to learn that Scott's Liquid Gold Wood Wash Concentrated is even safe to use on my refrigerator! And it works great, just look at how clean it looks!! And who knew that they had a product like Screen Clean for my valuable electronics?
    So if you'd like to get your spring cleaning on just use the Giveaway Tools form below to enter:

    Would you like more chances to win a SLG Spring Survival Kit?  You're in luck because Julie over at Mamawj's Moment Away is hosting a giveaway just like mine.  Click HERE to go to Julie's and enter.

    I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people.  Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
    ~ 1 Timothy 4:2