Breast Cancer Awareness Month w/ Brooklyn Bean Roastery - Review and #Giveaway

Cancer is no light topic to discuss for most people nowadays.  I've been touched personally by Cancer as a whole from both sides of my family, my inlaws, and several friends.  I know I'm not alone in its effect on all levels as the disease seems to be all around us.  With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I was thrilled to learn one of my favorite brands had a special seasonal coffee in honor of everyone affected by the disease.

A Ladybug on the Go Starts a New Adventure

I want to share some NEW and EXCITING information as A Lucky Ladybug starts an exciting chapter of adventure.

My family used to camp a ton when I was a little girl and my sisters and I always had a blast.  The tradition of camping has been such a memorable one that now having children of my own, I want them to enjoy the same great experiences I had as well as form those exciting memories and traditions for our own family.

Be Brave and Kind and Love More w/ The Talking Shirt

I have always been one of those people who loves to find unique and out of the ordinary clothing and accessories especially those that help better express myself.  I am all about expressing your personality through clothing, hair color, tattoos, and any other way you feel.  Back when I was in college I used to love finding shirts that had creative or quirky sayings on them.  Now I live for finding shirts that not only represent me but set an example for my kids to see good in the world.

The Talking Shirt Review and #Giveaway

I have always been one of those people who loves to find unique and out of the ordinary clothing and accessories especially those that help better express myself.  Way back when I used to live for finding shirts that had creative sayings or quotes on them.  I am all about expressing your personality through clothing, hair color, tattoos, and any other way you feel.

Ooops I'm Pregnant and (was) Freaking Out! What Do I Do?!!

*Some adult language

So the news is out, A Lucky Ladybug is expecting the unexpected this Fall.  It's been an exciting and very scary couple months for myself and my family which I want to share with each of you.  Pregnancy can mean so many things and it is different for everyone.  Normally I'd keep a lot of this to myself but being a Blogger this time around, I know I am not alone in my nervousness and excitement.  I took a few minutes to explain this past weekend my pregnancy and family history.  But now I want to share the shock and utter fear we/I have been dealing with since discovering the news.

My husband and I were not trying for another and in fact were finally making plans for a life without diapers, bottles, and late nights (not by choice).  Being that having another child was not even a thought in the back of our minds, we had begun remodeling our new home for more of a grown up kids and adult atmosphere.  We've got a bar area for the adults, dart board and pool table, and a complete gaming set up for the kids (and well Kevin).  No more baby gates, hiding baby dangers, and toddler toys.

Then everything changed...

A Lucky Ladybug's Family (aka Baby History)

So the news is out, A Lucky Ladybug is expecting the unexpected this Fall.  With a new baby on the way, I now have an extremely fun time in a woman's life to share with all my readers.  Although it's not my first go around, it is the first time I will be able to share everything online and with each of you.  Pregnancy can mean so many things and it is different for everyone.  Normally I'd keep a lot of this to myself but being a Blogger this time around, I know I am not alone in my nervousness and excitement.

My Art Gallery® For Kids Review and #Giveaway #HGG

This review/giveaway was brought to you by AdvertiseWithBloggers.com and My Art Gallery For Kids.

        Every child loves to color at one point and time in their life!  My boys absolutely love to do crafts of any sort at home.  Dane especially loves creating pieces of art while at school and at home.  He has his own desk and creative art nook in his room where he spends hours creating "masterpieces"!

Lorax - Let it Grow Lyrics

I just had to share these since we watched this movie for the first time ever today!  I absolutely love how unbelievably sensitive my Dane (4) can be. He tries to understand the meaning behind everything. For example why it is sad to cut down trees and important to care about them and the planet!  This movie and Dane's words/thoughts about it all brought tears to my eyes!  Things CAN be as simple as this childrens movie and its meaning.  It all honestly begins with the children of today themselves and what we teach them!

A Lucky Ladybug Reaches 1000 Lucky Posts

Thank you to all my readers who have followed me from the beginning and those who have recently joined!  I have finally published my 1000th post after a little over one amazing year!  I absolutely love each and everyone of you and hear every comment you make.  I am always looking to improve and appreciate all of your feedback and patience as I learn how to improve and become a better blogger each day!  Thank you again!!

Life in General and My Thoughts of Chantel's Journey

I just feel like crying for my best friend right now...I would do anything to take away her pain.  Chantel is the strongest woman I know and I look up to her in more ways than one.  I have the faith that what is happening to her, she can handle with all that strength and the strength that we can all give to her through our thoughts and support.

Chantel did not get the news she so much prayed for in her travels to the hospital in Philly.  Baby's outlook doesn't look promising in the least.  PLEASE pray for her, Steve her husband, and for her unborn baby Alianna Faith Negoshian.  Sometimes there are plans made for us and others that are out of our control.   

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Cherish those moments you have with each other and never take them for granted.  Each moment spent being angry, sad, hurt - is another moment of happiness you can never get back.  No career, job or amount of money is EVER worth it.  And any person who makes you feel that way either hasn't realized this themselves or isn't worth your tears to begin with.

I may not be a person of extreme faith but I am a person of extreme passion and love.  I wear my heart on my sleeve.  I don't want any of you to feel as though some of these post lately are too dramatic or all ranting. But I like them even if they can be a little dramatic because they bring me back to reality.  No one's life is truly perfect and if it seems as though it is they just don't open about their problems.  

As a blogger I've agreed to share those daily thoughts with all of you - not just product reviews and coupon matchups.  I am a very real person and I hope you never lose that faith in me.  I will always be honest with you whether you will agree with my thoughts or not.  

Thank you Alianna for reminding us how important family/friendship is and how unimportant the "other stuff" is!!

You can read Alianna's story HERE

A Lucky Ladybug's Super Hero

     So I wanted to share one of those proud moments of my life.  My son almost brought tears to my eyes last night and not from being sad or happy but from laughing so hard.  My husband may not think this is quite as funny as I do but...oh well!  My sister always buys me little ladybug things whenever she comes across them.  The most recent one you will see below is a glow in the dark ladybug mask (which you probably won't catch me in).

I need to introduce Dane "A Lucky Ladybug Super Hero"

He fights crime every where he goes, keeps people being nice, and always remembers to recycle

Need a green friendly tip...just ask him, he's got the answers!  He also speaks baby in case you have a toddler/infant you can't understand.

NEVER FEAR A LUCKY LADYBUG IS HERE!!!!!

(I love him so much!!!)

Knouse Foods/Lucky Leaf Adventure 2012: Part 2 of 4

     The day we visited one of the Lucky Leaf orchards, we found the grower had three of his children working along side himself (all willingly since you know how kids can be, haha).  It was absolutely the coolest thing to watch as the machinery went through the orchard gathering cherries since there is such a short period of to do so.  Usually cherry season is approximately two weeks long at least but because of the frost and other weather conditions this year, it has been shortened to one week to gather all the cherries in their prime stages of growth.  This is mostly due to the weather here in Michigan since 70% of cherries in the U.S. come from Michigan.

     Because it can take up to five years to get a tree with fruit, trees are planted in rows and trimmed specifically to allow maximum sunlight and to keep fruit growth evenly distributed through the tree.  All of the fruit is grown for either fresh or processing purposes.  Although there is a shortage of cherries because of weather conditions, this year has also been different in that we had such an early Spring and blooms started approximately four weeks early.

     150 kinds of apples such as fuji, golden delicious, granny smith, or york are used for both for pie filling, apple sauce and juice.  Balaton montmorency cherries are the most commonly used tart cherries.  All apples are hand picked and the same goes for sweet cherry trees to avoid bruising or other damage but as you can see for efficiency purposes, most tart cherries are done mechanically.  This is possible (as you can see in my pictures) by placing two pieces of a conveyor belt/tractor on each side of the tree and shaking it vigorously for maybe 3 seconds.  By doing so all the cherries are dropped onto the belt where a blower blows the leaves off to the ground placing them back to earth where they naturally belong.

     From here cherries go straight into ice bins to keep them from breaking down and getting soft.  They must be processed within three weeks to ensure their freshness.  Actually today's cherries you will find through the assembly line are at the latest yesterdays picked cherries which is very fast production from tree to can.  Each cherry then goes through a series of operations to perfect them for your plate.  From the lawnmower blade which completely removes the stem onto the cherry pitter which pierces each cherry precisely in the center to remove the pesky pit.  There are non stop tests along the way and after to check efficiency of all machinery used and to ensure the happiness of each customer.

     Cherries are then cooked directly in the can you see and buy to be sure all the freshness is locked inside.  Each heated to a specific internal temperature and flash cooled as well to keep all food in the safe temperature zones.  Lucky Leaf has four plants throughout Pennsylvania and one located here in Michigan which are all equipped with some of the most advanced and technological equipment available (some even more efficient than say those "other bigger" competitors).

     One of the really exciting technologies used at Lucky Leaf is the way they store and process their apples for year round production.  Since we know most fruit cannot be grown through all seasons and we want the fruit that is produced here in the United States.  Once the apples are sorted for either processing or fresh use (usually the biggest are used for the grocery stores), they are prepped to be put to sleep.  About 1/3 of all the apple crops are placed in one of the 18 CA (controlled atmosphere) where it is pumped full of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.  These apples are then sealed in the room at a moderatored temperature of 31-36 degrees and in a sleeping condition for up to a year.  This sleeping state keeps them from rotting, ripening OR growing any further.

     Because Lucky Leaf is again such a self sufficient operation, they actually create their own take nitrogen and carbon dioxide instead of purchasing it thus saving transportation emissions.  They use regular air from outside the plant and first strip the nitrogen then the carbon dioxide.  The air is then re-released outside in a way that it is clean oxygen without polluting the air in any way.  These plants also use three different size compressors which each use different amounts of energy.   The largest compressor is only used when in prime harvest season which is only about 400 hours a year saving large amounts of energy.  All of the engineers who work in this facility are trained effectively to keep everything safe and operating during a power outages.

     Frequently tested thoroughly for any defects in the packaging materials or processes, there are pre-approval checks throughout the assembly line on the specifics such as the pits, the various internal temperatures, the water waste throughout, stems, and of course pesticide amounts.  Then checked after for mashing at any point during the process and weights after cooking as compared to before.  The cans are also thoroughly inspected to check for flaws throughout or on the seams, as well as making sure there are no air pockets/air bubbles inside the can after it is sealed.

To be continued....

Knouse Foods/Lucky Leaf Adventure 2012: Part 1 of 4

     I was recently given an amazing opportunity (in my eyes) to participate in several up close and personal activities with Knouse Foods/Lucky Leaf.  For those of you who don't know, last Monday I flew into the Baltimore airport (which I was not impressed with in the least) to begin my trip into Peach Glen, PA.  This is where you will honestly find nothing but everything. Not too far from historic Gettysburg, you will find nothing but farm land and small towns.  However, this is a beautiful sight to see - beautiful rolling hills of plush orchards lay with in my opinion enough history to compete with such a town as Gettysburg.  Peach Glen is the home of Knouse Foods which provides most of the country with the Musselman's and Lucky Leaf Brands.  Being as large as they are they have their own zip code and fleet for distribution.

Lucky Leaf Pie Filling Summer Recipes Review and Giveaway AND Special Announcement!

     I am so excited to tell all my readers that recently, I was asked to participate in something truly awesome with a company I have worked frequently with over the past year.  During the 3rd week of this month, I will be taking an exciting trip to the Lucky Leaf Orchards in Pennsylvania to watch their process from start to finish of creating such yummy pie fillings.  If there ever was a time for you to get the real details of what goes on behind the scenes at a company such as Lucky Leaf, now is the time.  I would love to hear any questions you would like asked and anything you want me to be on the look out for.  You know me by now, I am not afraid to ask anything or dig into something others may shy away from!  I hope to hear from each of you!

Patrick Haller Tattoo Artist at Eternal Ink Tattoos in Eastpointe MI Review

     As always, I love going places others wont as far as discussions or debating.  In saying that this may not be one of those reviews you really want to read if you feel strongly against the topic of body art.

HAPPY 1 YEAR BIRTHDAY A LUCKY LADYBUG!!!

So excited to announce A Lucky Ladybug has finally reached it's ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY!!!  Come join us in a celebration tonight at 8:30 pm via Facebook for some fun trivia and giveaways!!!

A Lucky Ladybug Close to 1000 Followers

WOW....I really din't expect this anytime within the first year but we are nearing 1000!!!!  Please share with your friends.  I am always open to suggestions and love everyone of my fans special each one of you!!!!!