MandaJo111

I just wanted to tell you that I really think it is awesome what you are doing for this little girl. I love giving. The feeling I get helping those in need is so wonderful. And knowing how much it means to others -- even if they never know it was from you is very empowering.

I don't know how I would make it sometimes without the deals on this site. When DH came home for leave and saw the piles of presents he was blown away. He thought for sure I had spent a fortune. He was amazed when I told him the super deals I got on here. Thank you to Brad and all of the others that make this site what it is! :) Merry Christmas!!!!

No it is actually a furberry. http://www.amazon.com/SpinMaster-20007287-Strawberry-Spaniel-Furberry/dp/B000VZU3N8 Mouse over the other pics below to see it in "berry form". That is how it will be on the shelf. Here is a link to the locket pals: http://www.amazon.com/Bandai-Girlz-Connect-Locket-Yellow/dp/B000U46C30/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t Mio Pet -- http://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-75050-Mio-Purple-Blue/dp/B000R4NKYW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1198433410&sr=1-1 MIO PUP is one ultra-cool highly interactive companion that walks, talks, moves, grooves and glows to a mash-up of high-tech robotics Virtual emotion and EMOTOTRONIC technology - As you get to know MIO PUP his eyes reveal when he's happy or sad, excited or hungry More than 100 "eye-con" images that light up in his eyes! MIO PUP gets excited when you tickle his sensors and is happy when you pet and play with him MIO PUP companion comes with a bone

Those were just the ornament exchange. I posted my great gifts earlier for the SS portion. And I still have to wait another couple of weeks to open my birthday present and card from my SS. :) You guys always make me feel so special. :)

I have been off for a few days since DH left to go back to Iraq and exciting news as well -- that will be in a new thread. i got TWO beautiful personalized ornaments from my secret elf. And the timing could not have been better. I took DH to the airport on the 20th. When I got home I checked the mail. Since we are on post we have little locking boxes and if there is a package there will be a key to the larger box. And lo and behold there was a key. I always feel like a kid on a scavenger hunt when there is a key lol. I opened the box right there at the mailbox. The first ornament I opened was an American flag that said "God Bless SGT Nuckoles" :) Awe that one made me cry. A good cry mind you, it was so sweet. So then I realized there was a second one in the box. I opened it and it was a gorgeous frosted glass cross with God Bless the Nuckoles Family engraved on it. They are so beautiful. They look great on the tree. I took close up pics of them on the tree and sent to DH. He just made it back to Iraq today so he should see them soon. Thank you so much. :) It was so thoughtful. For those of you who are not happy about having to have an elf. Let me just say that I feel even more special getting an elf because I got someone that did something purely from their hearts, not because they were getting anything in return. Had my husband not been heading back right through all of this I would have gladly volunteered to be an elf. And trust me I will be next year.

I got my SS gift yesterday. Everything was wrapped so cute, and there were presents for the whole family. WOW. I was so surprised. I got a set of BBW's Warm Vanilla Sugar -- my favorite! A pumpkin scented candle in a beautiful bag, some great mental lip stuff, a box of turtles candy (DH Thanks you for those too.), and DS got a color wonders sponge bob pack (how did you know he loves sponge bob so much? :) lol ) And DD got 3 Little Einsteins books that she went nuts over. All I have heard for two days is "Momma, Momma, I see quacks." because there are ducks on the books. :) She adores books and animals so she has really enjoyed them. All of this was inside an adorable gift box. I cannot thank you enough. You sure went overboard. Not that I am complaining. lol Oh and I ALSO got a birthday present and a card that I am not allowed to open till 1-11-08 -- my birthday. Talk about feeling spoiled!! :) I can't wait to open it, but alas I will. :) Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! From all of us!

Did your BIL just get to Iraq? If so that is why they are saying not to send perishable items. For the first month or so they are still setting up, getting the previous unit out and getting their mail going like normal. Therefore it can take twice as long to get items. When my husband first got there they said it would take much longer. However, it did not take near as long as they said it would. It was maybe 10 days and I sent a package the day they gave out the address. That said, I send care packages to my husband every week (except right now cause he is home on R&R :) ). They always have home made rice krispy treats, cookies, etc. in them. I send the flat rate boxes through priority mail and they have taken as long as 9 days and as short as 3 days (yes I said 3 days--not sure how they got there so quick though). The average is about 6 days though. I originally vacuumed sealed every package of cookies, but if you do it that way, don't suck out the air -- it is great to seal it tight, but the ones with no air did not taste right he said. I started just using zip lock bags. For cookies I put two or three in a small bag for rice krispys one large one. That way they stay fresh longer. This time of year chocolate is fine to send as well. Now through February is the best time for that actually. Another hint to keep the cookies extra soft and fresh is to put a couple of pieces of bread in the package with the cookies. Be sure to put a piece of parchment or wax paper in between the cookies and the bread though. The bread will be dry and hard by the time he gets the cookies but the cookies will be soft and pretty fresh. With them saying not to send perishable items DH thinks it is a mail delay. If you seal them (with air) in the vacuum bags they should be good to go. However, with perishable items, be sure to send them priority mail. I hope that helps. :)

Another fun thing is to put stuff like bells or stuff that rattles like newspaper inside the boxes along with the present to throw them off when they shake presents. Or if it is something that is supposed to rattle or shake, buy a cheap towel or cushion it another way to keep it from making noise.

None here yet. I guess I will get mine tomorrow. :) I can't wait to see who I got.

I tease my kids all the time. Mom did it to me so I pass it on. :) I had DS convinced for a while that he was getting a baby doll. lol He said eeww that is for girls if I get it Ashlee can have it. I still remember one birthday as a teen or pre-teen. There was a jacket that I wanted so bad -- I wanted nothing else that year. Mom told me they were sold out when she went to get it but that she got me a shirt instead. I had been to the store and they were all gone so I believed her. She handed me a shirt box and I sadly opened it -- only to find she had crammed and taped the mess out of the box to squeeze the suede jacket into the little shirt box. :)

Here is a quote from Brad : I think he is trying to avoid bringing any attention and that would probably help to do so.

OMG I am so sorry you are going through all this. i was worried when you said they were redoing the order. When I called I asked to speak to a supervisor. That is what I would push for. Is there any way to dispute the charge through the credit card? Keep pressing them. There is no reason you should have to go through all this BS.

It is only 27 days for me. We are doing ours on December 9th since DH will be home on R&R. :)

I got mine this weekend too. I have them in several toys and such so far and all is well. :)

Ohh I am itching to get mine Thanks for all your hard work Eve. :)

$5 off of any $25 beauty purchase

I always use the Reynold's Oven Bags -- the Turkey sized ones. It comes out perfect every time -- even my very first time ever cooking turkey. http://www.alcoa.com/reynoldskitchens/en/product.asp?cat_id=1337&prod_id=1790 The great thing about the bags is it keeps your pan clean as well. And you have a super moist turkey.

This is a link to all of the Little Tikes Toys that are made in the USA (they have this like right on the main site, but for quick reference here it is). http://www.littletikes.com/toys/toys-list.aspx?FS=1&N=26&Ntk=Product+Search&Nty=1&Ntt=made%20in%20the%20usa

For the items I need I have pretty well found some great deals already. I have already bought all of my Christmas presents. I still have to buy some stocking stuffers, but other than that I am done.

Thanks for the hard work Brad. Are there any chances we will exceed the bandwidth and go down?

LOL I just got the same message followed by this one; MandaJo111, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons: Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system? If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation. I think I would die if that happened.

Uhh huh and you thought you would not get caught! ;P

Your regular ECB's are not tripled -- only the ones that you earn quarterly.

Dell does have a federal government contract that you can order under. Here is the link:http://www.dell.com/content/default.aspx?c=us&cs=RC974327&l=en&s=fed Sometimes the deals are good. You should also check the Dell outlet. But if you see one one there that you want you need to buy it right then because they don't last long (and it only stays in your cart for 15 minutes). http://www.dell.com/outlet/ Here is the direct link to the 1521's in the outlet. http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnlineSales/topics/global.aspx/arb/online/en/InventorySearch?c=us&cs=22&l=en&lob=INSP&MODEL_DESC=Inspiron%201521&s=dfh

I can't tell you how many times I have scanned the shark broom vac thingies. I hate that they mark them that way for so long.