2008 August | Product Reviews by The Experimental Mommy

Blog Trip: Start your Engines!

August 31, 2008 By admin 16 Comments

Hello Fellow Travelers! My name is Bridgette and I am the Mommy of two beautiful girls, Lily (3.5) and Aubrie (6 months). My husband and I were high school sweetharts and now live in a suburb of New Orleans.

Girls RULE!

New Orleans is known for many great things: music, food, festivals, Mardi Gras….and hurricanes (both the beverage and the weather). I have been talking about my great City this month in rememberance of the third Anniversary of Katrina as well as hosting a corresponding “Renew Your Spirit” giveaway series. Check it out!

I work full time outside the home as a Lab technician and in my spare time (haha) I teach dance.
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Looking forward to the next stop on the Blog Tour!

**edited to add: We are currently evacuated from Hurricane Gustav. I hope to be more active in the Blog Trip as soon as I can!**

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Filed Under: Promotions

Gustav: My story (Part 1)

August 31, 2008 By admin 5 Comments

Let me get right to the point……we are safe. I am no fool; we evacuated this morning (Sunday) at 3:30am. After one and a half hours on the road, we had only gone about 15 miles. For an entire hour, we did not move one single inch. The entire trip, which should have taken only 4.5 hours, took us 12 long and agonizing hours. Now considering in my car I had a talkative 3 year old, a tired 6 month old, a tense husband and a nervous dog, it’s a miracle that we all made it here in one piece and relatively happy.

Aubrie takes a moment to check the best route!

One thing that amused me today on the trip was that at every overpass along the route, people that lived in that particular town came out and stood on the overpasses to wave at us. Lily got a kick out of it. She thought she was in a parade!

It’s just a waiting game now. Keep praying.

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Filed Under: My So-Called Life

To those of you that have sent emails…..

August 31, 2008 By admin 1 Comment

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers! You have no idea how much it means to me! For some reason, my email provider (Cox Communications) will not let me reply to emails right now. Maybe the system isd overwhelmed with the amount of email in th New Orleans Metro area? Anyway, just wanted to say THANKS and let you know that I am not ignoring you!

We are safe. I promise to update soon.

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Filed Under: My So-Called Life

We interrupt your regularly scheduled blog……

August 30, 2008 By admin 18 Comments

…..so I can run like hell. LOL! Depending on the track of Hurricane Gustav, things may get a bit slow around here. I apologize if it takes me longer than expected to pull winners for the current contests, and I still have 3 more great ones to list! Hopefully, I will have Internet access at the hotel and will be able to keep you all informed. But, I will be safe. My whole family is leaving as well. Just pray that we have a home to come back to!

See that red dot on Louisiana? Yeah, that’s just to the West of where I live. Fabulous. Oh, and did I mention that today is the Anniversary of Katrina? Something is just really WRONG with that!

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Filed Under: My So-Called Life

Giveaway #3: WINNER of the Fleur-de-lis onesie

August 29, 2008 By admin 2 Comments

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:9
Timestamp: 2008-08-30 04:57:48 UTC

Congrats to Erika from Chic Shopper Chick!! You won the Fleur-de-lis onesie! Please contact me at hunnb@cox.net within 72 hours to claim your prize and let me know the size, color (pink or blue), short or long sleeve!! You may also select the NOLA CEO onesie if you would prefer!

Thanks to everyone for participating! We still have 7 fabulous prizes to win!

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Filed Under: Giveaway Winners

OOOppsss

August 29, 2008 By admin Leave a Comment

I was only half awake this morning when I was approving your comments from last night. I inadvertantly rejected about 5 entries into the new contest. If you entered and do not see your comment, please enter again! I’m so sorry!

Moral of the story: Don’t blog while you are still asleep. LOL!

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Filed Under: My So-Called Life

Giveaway #2: WINNER!!

August 28, 2008 By admin 3 Comments

Thank you all so much for your your participation in the Renew Your Spirit Giveaway #2! We had 169 entries! Don’t forget Jaden’s store, My Flat in Paris Couture for all of your holiday shopping!

The winner of the Fleur-de-lis keychain is:

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
109
Timestamp: 2008-08-28 11:33:47 UTC

AMY (mom2bears)!!!!!! Congrats!

Amy, please contact me within 72 hours to claim your prize (I don’t see any contact info for you).

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Filed Under: Giveaway Winners

The Avenue

August 27, 2008 By admin 1 Comment

I’ve had a lot of fun telling you all the great things about New Orleans! I hope you can see now WHY people here are so passionate about rebuilding. As the Anniversary of Katrina draws near, and Hurricane Gustav is looming in the distance, I have started counting my blessings and have begun making preparations for the next “big one.” I wanted to share with you a song by Cowboy Mouth entitled, “The Avenue.” After Katrina, this song embodied the spirit of the people who are struggling to rebuild their homes, their lives….their CITY. The song refers to St. Charles Avenue, one of the most beautiful streets in New Orleans.

This line really hits home for me, “And the parades will ride again, I’ll see my family and my friends, because this WILL NOT be the end of The Avenue.”

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Filed Under: My So-Called Life

Renew Your Spirit Giveaway #5: CONTEST CLOSED

August 26, 2008 By admin 100 Comments

Thank y’all so much for the great response so far to the Renew Your Spirit Giveaways! To reward all of your hard work, I am giving TWO prizes to the winner of this giveaway!!

The first prize was donated by Cassie at Madison Envy. How cute is this fuschia Fleur-de-lis tote bag?!? You will also win this “joyful” handmade Fleur-de-lis notecard made by Daria from Dluxe Designs! This card is embellished with several 3 D fleur de lis. This card measures 5.5 x 4.25 inches and comes with a white envelope and a protective cello sleeve.

The Rules:

Initial entry:

1. Please visit BOTH stores, Madison Envy and DLuxe Designs and post here in ONE post which is your favorite product from each store.

Extra entries:

1. Do you have Entrecard? If so, advertise your blog on my site for TWO extra entries!

2. If you have entered ALL of the other Renew Your Spirit Giveaways (#1-#4), post in a comment and let me know!

3. Follow me on Twitter (BridgetteLA) and let me know you did so!

Make sure you leave a blog address or email address so I can contact the winner! Each entry must be in a separate comment. Contest open to U.S. residents only. This giveaway will end on September 3rd at 11:59pm.

Ready, Set, Geaux!