Got Chocolate?

It's not everyday that someone offers you a free bar of chocolate. M&M Mars however is doing just that. Each Friday, through the 25th of September, if you are one of the lucky 250,000 U.S. residents to respond first, Mars will send you a coupon worth one free bar of chocolate.

Yes siree, one free bar of Three Musketeers, Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, Dove or Bag of M&M's could be yours for the incredible low price of F-R-E-E!

All you do is log on to their website at Mars Real Chocolate and fill in your email address as well as your home address, etc. They will then send you a coupon within 6 weeks (I sent them my information and got my coupon within two weeks.) You can only request the coupon on Friday's and they limit the total coupons you can receive to one per Friday and four to any one address. That's FOUR free bars of chocolate!

Now if you're wondering, I spent my coupon on my favorite candy bar, a Three Musketeers Mint Dark Chocolate bar. I was totally selfish and ate the entire thing by myself after amply freezing it for one hour. (It's the only proper way to eat it.) My next coupons will go to my kids and then to my hubby. It's only fair. However if the mood strikes and I'm PMSing, nobody better stand in the way of me and my Milky Way!

Have a gloriously chocolatey day!

Why I Foster Dogs

I watched a program the other day about a dog who had been hogtied, muzzled and then thrown in a garbage dumpster in Phoenix. The Humane Society was called in and rescued this dog before it had succumb to certain death. I just heard yesterday about a dog that had been left outside in 110+ degree weather with the owners leaving their back gate open hoping that it would just runaway. A rescue organization was called by the neighbors and the dog is now safely in their hands. I hear these stories EVERY DAY in the media and in the group forums that I volunteer with.

What is wrong with these people!

It for these reasons and many others that I foster dogs in my home. The perception that we are a throwaway society is no more apparent than when we treat animals like trash. You don't have to be an animal lover to know that we as a society are responsible for the care and welfare of all domesticated animals even if you don't want or own a pet. With that being said, I understand that many people these days are losing their homes and can't afford or can't care for their animals anymore. Although it is a national tragedy, here in Arizona it is a far worse fate because animals are left in conditions that mean certain death within hours, not days, with our scorching summers. There are organizations that are more than willing to take these animals no questions asked. Why then do people make their pets suffer needlessly?

My involvement came after we lost our beautiful lab of 14 years named "Dave". He was a pound puppy that my husband adopted at the age of 3 1/2 months. He had been previously tied to a tree in the yard and left alone. When the previous owner's husband left on a fishing trip, the wife, who didn't like the dog and was mad at her husband, returned him to the animal shelter. When the husband returned from the trip he tried to get the dog back, but my husband was already in the process of adopting him. I'm glad the Humane Society denied the man's pleas and we ended up with the best dog in the world. So when we lost Dave, I really couldn't bring myself to get another dog, but since we were set up as two dog household anyway, (we also have an 8 year old Lab/Great Dane named "Chloe"), I thought it would be a good way to keep Dave's memory alive by fostering dogs that came out of difficult situations like how Dave started out and the ones mentioned above.

So even if you don't want a pet or even like animals, please remember that it doesn't take much to be kind. To give some water to a thirsty dog or to take a stray cat to an animal shelter so that it doesn't get run over. (I actually keep the number to animal control on my cell phone in case I see a stray animal on the road.) If you're considering adopting a pet or even fostering, the need is greater than ever. We can't save all of them, but to the one you save it means the world.

Here are some links:

http://www.hsus.org/ (Humane Society)

http://www.azhumane.org/index.shtml (Arizona Humane Society

http://www.aawl.org/ Arizona Animal Welfare League and SPCA)

http://www.azlabsandgiants.org/index.html (the organization I foster for)

http://www.petfinder.com/ (Petfinder.com)

http://www.pets911.com/index.php (Lost and Found Dogs and Cats as well as adoption)

VIDEO ABOUT FOSTERING

You wanna do what this summer?

For the past couple of months, my husband has had this itch to go camping. I personally have never been camping so there is definitely some ground rules that need to be set before we head off into the so-called, "wild". Not that I oppose roughing it for a couple of days, but a girl's gotta draw the line somewhere.

#1. I'm not sleeping in a tent on the ground - bugs in my hair or sleeping bag is something out of one of my childhood nightmares.

#2. I'll settle for a tent trailer - however it MUST have a toilet because I'm not venturing out at 3 'clock in the morning in pitch darkness to accidentally squat next to Yogi the bear.

#3. I will not kill anything for food- that includes anything with gills, antlers, or hooves unless I have a personal chef along and even then, DON'T tell me what I'm about to eat.

#4. I will kill anything that flies, crawls or stings - PETA be damned, I call it self-defense.

#5. Camping out does not translate to "mom-does-everything-just-like-at-home"-if that's the case, I'll hire a maid to go with you guys while mom enjoys 3 days of peace and quiet at home.

So as novice campers, we headed out to see some trailers at a place called Little Dealer Little Prices in Mesa. Not much to look at from the parking lot, but once you go inside it's like stepping into a log cabin museum. A cave-like tunnel leads into their indoor showroom that looks like you've stepped into a forest campground at twilight. (Not that I know what a campground at twilight actually looks like, but let's just pretend I know what I'm talking about.) I've got to say, it's pretty cool. They really try to give you that outdoorsy feeling. Even the salespeople are dressed up like Park Rangers! All they need is Yogi Bear to show up to take souvineer photos!

Anyway, after darting in and out of all the trailers, we left the place with our wallets intact. No impulse purchase, thank goodness, although I must say we were tempted. The place is a real kick in the head and the kids absolutely loved it. Next we headed off to Bass Pro Outdoor World in Mesa. If you have never been to this place, you have to go at least once. I've never seen a bigger collection of camoflauge in one place! (They even sell camo pacifiers!) The place is designed like a wildlife museum on steroids. It has more stuffed heads, fish tanks, shooting galleries and NASCAR enthusiasts then a redneck wedding. Needless to say, the boys loved it.

So now all the planning needs to take place. We've decided to rent a trailer and try it out first before we make the plunge. So...first have to reserve a trailer, outfit our minivan with a hitch, find a suitable campground in the middle of summer that hasn't been overrun by campers, then I have to plan what to take, what to not take and how to keep my sanity with two toddlers, one overgrown toddler and an 85 lb. Labrador.

Wish us luck. If we even make it out of the driveway, it will be a miracle. :0)

Can't plant anything in the desert...nonsense!

I personally have tried to grow everything from strawberries to tomatoes out here in the dry desert heat and have failed everytime. I admittedly DO NOT have a green thumb for such things so I was really doomed from the start. (That and a dog who loves to eat strawberries and tomatoes.)

Thank goodness there are lots of farmers still left in the valley of the sun who make a pretty good living at making things grow. Infact, they are willing to share their crops every season with us would-be farmers and invite the public to pick out their own veggies and fruits.

This weekend check out Dobson Family Farms who operate out of the Sheep Springs Sheep Company on Alma School Rd. and Queen Creek Rd. next to Target. They are offering organic sweet corn for 4 ears for a $1.00. You can go out to the stalks and pick out your own or choose from already picked corn in the office. I know my kids would love to pick their own corn and then reap their rewards for the 4th of July.

If you miss out, there are still lots of farms around the valley that you can visit and pick your own produce. Some even provide entertainment like hay rides, petting zoos and train rides. Go to this link http://www.pickyourown.org/AZ.htm#listings to find the one closest to you. Most are seasonal and I would call before hand to make sure the farms are open for business.

Happy picking and have a wonderful 4th of July!