The winner of my cash give away:<br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://www.melinanutshell.com/2008/04/20-cash-giveaway.html" target="_blank">

Petula from <a href="http://petulaw.blogspot.com/2008/04/mothers-day-contest.html">Its a Woman's World</a> is running a great <a href="http://petulaw.blogspot.com/2008/04/mothers-day-contest.html">contest</a> where 10 lucky people will win a ScanDisk Cruzer Gator Flash Drive!!! Unfortunately i cant enter because its only open to people with a US postal address - but i wanted let all of you know about it :D<br /><br />Click on Petula's beautiful little button for more info:<br /><a target="_blank" href="http://petulaw.blogspot.com"><br/><br/>

<p><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wy_TB6onHVE&amp;hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wy_TB6onHVE&amp;hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></p><p>I found this over at <a href="http://mylittledrummerboys.blogspot.com/">My Little Drummer Boys</a> Blog - very funny!</p><p>If your up for any more laughs check out my blogging buddy <a href="http://canucklehead.ca/">Canucklehead's blog</a>, he has stacks of recorded jokes in his <a href="http://canucklehead.ca/ha_ha_ha/">Laugh</a> section that are hilarious!!!</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-2522163862248095";
/* End of Posts */
google_ad_slot = "5830289250";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>

My google page rank has dropped back to 0 again! It was at 3 for about a month &amp; a half, i have no idea how it got to a page rank of 3, i kept seeing other blogs with much more traffic than mine with a lower rank &amp; wondering why mine was higher, well, whatever it was its all over now :(<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-2522163862248095";
/* End of Posts */
google_ad_slot = "5830289250";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>

My auntie sent me an email yesterday with this joke on it &amp; i thought it was funny so i wanted to share it with you:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The boss wondered why one of his most valued employees had not phoned in sick one day. Having an urgent problem with one of the main computers, he dialled the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">' Hello ? '</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">'Is your daddy home?' he asked. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;">' Yes ,'</span> whispered the small voice. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">May I talk with him?' </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The child whispered, <span style="font-size:85%;">' No .'</span> </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, 'Is your Mommy there?' </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;">' Yes .'</span> </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">'May I talk with her?' </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Again the small voice whispered, <span style="font-size:85%;">' No .'</span> </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, 'Is anybody else there?'</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;">' Yes ,'</span> whispered the child, ' a policeman '. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, 'May I speak with the policeman?' </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;">' No, he's busy '</span>, whispered the child. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">'Busy doing what?' </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;">' Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the Fireman ,'</span> came the whispered answer. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Growing more worried as he heard a loud noise in the background through the earpiece on the phone, the boss asked, </span><span style="font-size:130%;">'What is that noise?'</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;">' A helicopter '</span> answered the whispering voice. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">'What is going on there?' demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Again, whispering, the child answered, <span style="font-size:85%;">' The search team just landed a helicopter .'</span> </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Alarmed, concerned and a little frustrated the boss asked, 'What are they searching for?' </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle... </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">' ME .'</span> </span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-2522163862248095";
/* End of Posts */
google_ad_slot = "5830289250";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>

<span style="color:#999999;">Do you have a business that would benefit from eliminating expensive manual processes? Would you also benefit from optimised productivity? Then why not try</span> <a href="http://www.netsimplicity.com/index.asp">NetSimplicity</a><span style="color:#999999;">'s free 30 day trial of one or both of their key products. They offer products such as</span> <a href="http://www.netsimplicity.com/industries/legal.asp">Law Office Management Software </a><span style="color:#999999;">which is designed to reduce wasted time caused by inefficient room scheduling, it also allows law firms to bill their clients more accurately. For more information please check out their website.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-2522163862248095";
/* End of Posts */
google_ad_slot = "5830289250";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>

Well, were back from the farm. We've actually been back for a week...Ive just been really lazy :D<br /><div><div></div><div> </div><div>Thought id stick in a couple of pics. First of all i should say its Rocky's parents farm - here it is, 160 acres of undulating hills:</div><div>

<span style="color:#999999;">American Home Craft Inc offer high quality products like cabinets, counter tops, windows &amp; entry doors that are designed &amp; engineered with high quality materials &amp; boast excellent workmanship.<br /><br />One service they offer caught my eye, its called</span> <a href="http://www.ahcionline.com/texture-coat.php">Texture Coating</a> <span style="color:#999999;">&amp; personally id never heard of it before! Apparently instead of painting, staining or fiber-cement siding your house you can use a product called Tex-Cote which is not only designed protect your house but it will also help to reduce your energy bills by reflecting the sun's heat. Amazingly it can even reduce the temperature of your external walls by up to 40º! Now that's impressive!!! If you want more information please check out the</span> <a href="http://americanhomecraftinc.net/">American Home Craft</a> <span style="color:#999999;">website.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-2522163862248095";
/* End of Posts */
google_ad_slot = "5830289250";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>

Were off to Rocky's parents farm for the week so ill be away for a couple of days, so don't get up to mischief while I'm gone ok!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-2522163862248095";
/* End of Posts */
google_ad_slot = "5830289250";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>

<div>Recently after a local <a href="http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/">ABA</a> meeting i was chatting with a couple of mums &amp; we were discussing the bad food grandparents had fed our kids. I told them that my mum bought a bunch of ice cream cones for jet, which i wasn't to happy about because i don't really want him eating ice cream unless its a special occasion. </div><div> </div><div>Anyway, one of the mums gave me a fantastic idea about what to do with the ice cream cones! She said you can bake muffin mixture in them, they turn out looking like little ice creams, they are fun &amp; best of all Jet doesn't leave crumbs all over the house when he is eating them - plus he absolutely loves them! the only problem is he gets all worked up &amp; keeps doing his little "ehh ehh ehh" sound when he sees them come out of the oven &amp; wants to eat them straight away before they cool!</div><div></div><br /><div>Here's a pic of Jet thoroughly enjoying his ice cream muffin:</div><div>

<span style="color:#999999;">We have been renovating our house for the past 2 years &amp; its been going very very slowly (you know what they say about builders &amp; their own houses!) but its finally almost finished. There is just one room to gyprock &amp; paint &amp; one bathroom to do &amp; that's it! </span><br /><span style="color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="color:#999999;">There are lots of fantastic sites on</span> <a href="http://www.luxuryhousingtrends.com/">home improvement</a> <span style="color:#999999;">&amp; while browsing through some of them I stumbled across one site called Luxury Housing Trends &amp; discovered a <a href="http://www.luxuryhousingtrends.com/archives/2008/04/periodic_table.php">Periodic Table Shower Curtain</a> - lol, how funny, you should have a squiz at it!!!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-2522163862248095";
/* End of Posts */
google_ad_slot = "5830289250";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>

The Breast Cancer Site needs your help! They are trying to donate at least one free mammogram a day to underprivileged women. All you have to do to help them meet their quota is click on a pink button that says "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" on their site - it wont cost you anything except a few seconds of your time &amp; it will help fund free mammograms for women in need — low-income, inner-city and minority women whose awareness of breast cancer and opportunity for help is often limited. Your click is paid for by site sponsors, and mammogram funding is provided to clinics throughout the U.S. through the efforts of the National Breast Cancer Foundation.<br /><br />When you click on the button they display ads from their site sponsors. 100% of the money from these advertisers goes to their charity partners, who fund programs to provide the mammograms to women in need.<br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;"><a href="http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2">**CLICK HERE**</a></span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2"><span style="font-size:180%;">to help give </span><span style="font-size:180%;">free mammograms today</span></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-2522163862248095";
/* End of Posts */
google_ad_slot = "5830289250";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>

<span style="color:#999999;"><a href="http://www.aerocare.com/default.asp">AeroCare</a> offer 24 hour emergency and non-emergency ambulance services throughout the world for people who need to be transported over 200miles needing medical attention and/or people who are unable to tolerate sitting upright up in an airliner. Their services are covered by many insurance companies (check with your individual fund) and they use direct billing to insurance companies with pre-approval.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#999999;">AeroCare boasts a high quality service with professionally trained medical flight crews, high safety &amp; service standards as well as a well maintained fleet of aircraft.<br /><br />For more information on AeroCare's </span><a href="http://www.aerocare.com/">reliable air ambulance service</a><span style="color:#999999;"> or to obtain a quote check out their website today.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-2522163862248095";
/* End of Posts */
google_ad_slot = "5830289250";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>

Would you like to win $20? Yep, you read right! I am giving away $20 (USD). Why you ask? Well, partly because I'm a little nutty &amp; partly because this money is money Ive purely earned doing paid posts &amp; id like to give some of that back to the people that visit my blog (&amp; in turn generate more visitors - no its not all purely innocent).<br /><br />First off let me say that <strong>you absolutely have to have a pay pal account</strong> to enter this comp, payment will <strong>ONLY</strong> be made via pay pal. You also need to have a blog - but that's it.<br /><br />Some of you might remember <a href="http://www.melinanutshell.com/2007/11/want-to-win-50-usd.html">my previous comp to win $50</a>, the reason I'm not doing a $50 cash giveaway this time is because I'd like to run these competitions more often so i thought id do a lesser cash prize so i can afford it &amp; $20 is still something right? The lucky winner of my previous comp was <a href="http://rantingsofawoman.blogspot.com/2007/12/i-won-mels-contest.html">Carrie</a>.<br /><br />So what do you have to do to enter? Two things - First write a short post linking to my main page <a href="http://www.melinanutshell.com/">http://www.melinanutshell.com/</a> including info on this competition. Then stick my cute little badge somewhere on your site, the code is in the box below:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.melinanutshell.com/">

<span style="color:#999999;">Have you got a blemished credit rating? Then Bad Credit Offers can help you with their</span> <a href="http://www.badcreditoffers.com/">bad credit loans</a><span style="color:#999999;">. They can help you find the right home, personal &amp; car loan to suit your needs &amp; can also help you with</span> <a href="http://www.badcreditoffers.com/">bad credit credit cards</a><span style="color:#999999;">. Bad Credit Offers also offer a range of bad credit &amp; debt relief options - visit them today to find out more!</span><br />

I just went over to <a href="http://www.allforwomen.com.au/">All for Women</a> &amp; discovered that i didn't get shafted off their top <a href="http://www.allforwomen.com.au/top-50-australian-womens-blogs/">100 Aussie Women's Blogs</a>! YAY!!!! Not only that but I'm no longer #100 Ive moved up the list &amp; I'm now #82 :D<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-2522163862248095";
/* End of Posts */
google_ad_slot = "5830289250";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>

I saw this meme at <a href="http://rantingsofawoman.blogspot.com/">Carrie</a> &amp; <a href="http://petulaw.blogspot.com/">Petula's</a> Blogs &amp; im pretty bored tonight, not much on tv plus i loved reading (well...looking at) their answers so i decided to give it a go myself. Here are the rules:<br /><br />1. Go to <a href="http://www.photobucket.com/">http://www.photobucket.com/</a><br />2. Type in your answer to the question in the “search” box.<br />3. Use only the first page.<br />4. Insert the picture as your answer.<br /><br />Sounds like fun so here i go!<br /><br />What is your relationship status?<br /><a href="http://s274.photobucket.com/albums/jj261/boomoo22/?action=view&amp;current=a.jpg" target="_blank">

<span style="color:#999999;">Do you want to save time &amp; money while you are searching for an online lender? If the answer is yes then <a href="http://www.bestleadinglenders.com/">Best Leading Lenders</a> can help you. They are focused on finding you the best interest rate with fast approval. Best of all none of their loans have application fees, so you can apply for any loan through them without any charges or obligation!<br /><br />Best Leading Lenders can help you with Debt Consolidation, Credit Cards, Home Loans, Payday Loans, Personal Loans, Student Loans &amp; they can even help you get an</span> <a href="http://www.bestleadinglenders.com/auto-loans/">Auto Loan</a><span style="color:#999999;">. To make sure you enjoy your visit to their website they don't even have any paid advertisements - so why not check them out today!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-2522163862248095";
/* End of Posts */
google_ad_slot = "5830289250";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>

I'm not a vegetarian, but i don't like eating meat every single day. So I'm on the hunt for some good vegetarian recipes. The thing i don't like about a lot of them is that they just look like glorified side dishes or they don't contain very little protein.<br /><br />I'm not sure where i found this recipe but i love it, ok, so the picture doesn't look fantastic but it is yummmmmy! Its also great because it doesn't have many fresh ingredients so i can keep everything i need for it in the pantry &amp; have it as a back up meal. The only fresh ingredients are basil, which we have an abundance of in the garden &amp; tomatoes &amp; there are always some of them in our fridge. Best of all it only takes about 30 mins to make! So here it is:<br /><br /><strong><u>Chick Pea Curry</u></strong><br /><strong><u></u></strong><br /><strong><u>

<span style="color:#999999;">Want to call internationally really really cheap? Well then, you should check out Phonecards Avenue.com &amp; their</span> <a href="http://www.phonecardsavenue.com/call_to/india_phone_cards.html">cheap India Phone Cards</a><span style="color:#999999;"> - you could save up to 95%! </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#999999;">Phonecards Avenue have the lowest rate calling card plans, the best variety of phone cards &amp; secure online purchase facilities. They also have instant online delivery so there's no waiting around &amp; to make things even easier they have an online account management system as well.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#999999;">At the moment they are even offering a 3% cash back on every purchase - what more could you ask for? So if your looking for cheap calls, check out</span> <a href="http://www.phonecardsavenue.com/">Phonecards Avenue</a> <span style="color:#999999;">today.

Today i made some playdough for Jet. I used a recipe that i received by email from Emma at <a href="http://www.brindabellababy.com.au/">Brindabella Baby</a> - i love receiving emails from her because she always puts something fun or interesting on them. She stuck a fabulous muffin recipe at the end of one of her previous emails &amp; now its one of my faves! ill have to take a pic of the muffins next time i make them &amp; post the recipe for you all - they are sooooo yummy!!!<br /><div></div><br /><div>Anyway, today i thought id give playdough a go, ive never made it before but it worked out really well. Jet's probably a bit to young for it, but he had fun mushing it with this rubber hammer thingy he nicked from granddad's tools &amp; one of my kitchen utensils (actually, its one of his, since that's really all he likes playing with i bought a set for him!)</div><div> </div><div>

<span style="color:#999999;">Sick of having a .blogspot.com address? Don't know where to go to register a domain name? Cant find any sites that offer domain names at a reasonable price? Well then, you better check out Pay Less Domains. They are Australia's favorite domain name registration site with lots of cheap domain name offers. Not only do they do the regular .com, .net .org etc domain names, you can also register .com.au, .co.nz &amp; .co.uk domains with them - they are a fully accredited domain name registrar for .com.au Australian domain name! They also have email, domain &amp;</span><span style="color:#666666;"> <a href="http://reg.paylessdomains.com.au/ashop/hosting.jsp">web hosting</a> </span><span style="color:#999999;">available as well as SSL Security Certificates. </span><br /><span style="color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="color:#999999;">Pay Less Domains boasts 24 hour 7 day per week free customer support as well as free email hosting, free URL forwarding, free renewal reminders &amp; free management tools. What more could you ask for?</span><br /><span style="color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="color:#666666;"><span style="color:#999999;">So why not</span> <a href="http://www.paylessdomains.com.au/g/25076/register-a-domain-name.html">register a domain name</a> <span style="color:#999999;">for less at Pay Less Domains today!</span><br /></span><span style="color:#666666;"></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-2522163862248095";
/* End of Posts */
google_ad_slot = "5830289250";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>

I love perusing the baskets of stuff outside my local lincraft store, they often have some form of yarn out there that they are trying to get rid of. Recently while delving into one such basket i made a rather pleasant discovery! They were getting rid of some stuff called 'big wool', its just lincraft brand 100% wool &amp; it varies in thickness if that makes any sense, ie it has about an inch of really thick stuff then gradually over 2 inches or something goes to about an inch of thin stuff.<br /><br />Initially i bought 6 balls, they were only $1.50 each. Then a week later i went back &amp; in the bottom of the basket i discovered they still had some so i bought another 6!!! Its great for making scarves &amp; beanies out of so I'm going to make a couple for friends &amp; me ofcourse :D<br /><br />The first set I've made took 2 balls for a scarf &amp; 1 ball for the beanie. Here's some pics:<br /><br /><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_jIzFbChX1B0/R-jcDIywlfI/AAAAAAAABVo/xT-gsGFWy4g/s1600-h/set.jpg">

<a href="http://simple-reviews.blogspot.com/">Simple</a> has two fantastic competitions running at the moment. The first is for a <a href="http://simple-reviews.blogspot.com/2008/03/before-diapers-you-need-pail.html">cloth diaper pail liner</a> from <a href="http://www.kidalog.net/">Kidalog</a> &amp; the second one is for a <a href="http://me4kidz.com/">Me4Kidz</a> <a href="http://simple-reviews.blogspot.com/2008/03/me4kidz-review-and-giveaway.html">meddibuddy</a> ...i just couldn't help entering them both :D<br /><br /><a href="http://me4kidz.com/">