Wow..I can't believe that it is 2010 already!!  Where did this year go?  So many things happened..good things, bad things, and even in-between things.

I started "It's Really Only a Purple World" early this year and am so happy to have seen it grow to what it is today.  From product reviews to give-a-ways, to events coverage to social issues I seemed to have touched on it all!

I hope that the coming year brings an even better blog experience for you, my dear readers, and I am open to any suggestions you might have about how to improve "It's Really Only a Purple World" as well as suggestions on the types of things you would be interested in hearing about in the upcoming year!

A joyous and safe Happy New Year 2010 to All!!!

No matter what you may be celebrating this season, I wish you Happy Holidays!

Thank you for being a part of this blog and for your support!

A Wrestling Addicted Mommy's Secret Santa 2009: I Got the Coolest Gift and Guess What....It's PURPLE!!!

Those of you who frequent my blog have seen a button on the side for the past month or so regarding A Wrestling Addicted Mommy's Secret Santa 2009 event.  Yesterday I received the most beautiful purple handmade crochet supply bag I have ever seen! 

Obviously Josie from Payley/Oh Baby Boutique took the time to make me something special and personal and I love my Secret Santa for doing so!

I participated in two online Secret Santa exchanges this year and both were fun and fabulous!  I can't wait to do it again next year and I encourage my readers to participate if given the opportunity!

Thanks again to A Wresting Addicted Mommy for hosting thie Secret Santa exchange!  Please take the time to visit both her blog and my Secret Santa's two Etsy shops as a favor to me!

 And Now A Few Words From The Folks At MomSelect: " America's Cutest Last-Minute Tax Deduction" Contest



All Moms would agree that the joy that comes from having a new baby is priceless! The sweet sounds of cooing, chubby cheeks and the intimate bond between parent and child can make any family feel rich with love. But, as any new parents can attest, raising children can have an impact on your checkbook, as well as your heart. In fact, the typical family spends more than $221,000 raising a child through age 17.

TurboTax® the nation's No. 1 rated, best-selling tax preparation software from Intuit Inc. is conducting its third annual nationwide search for America's Cutest Last-Minute Tax Deduction. The parents of one lucky baby, born in December 2009, will win $5,000.

To enter, parents or legal guardians should submit a photo of their baby born between Dec. 1-31, to www.cutesttaxdeduction.com. The deadline for submissions is January 7, 2010. Judges will select 10 finalists, and America will determine America's Cutest Last-Minute Tax Deduction and the $5,000 grand prize winner!

Further details, rules and eligibility are available at www.CutestTaxDeduction.com.  You can follow @TurboTax on Twitter (#TTbaby) or visit TaxBreak, the new TurboTax blog for updates.

Starting Your Day Off Right: Community Coffee, A Review

There is nothing I like better then a great cup of coffee to kickstart my morning especially during the cold New York winters.  Commercial coffees are okay, but never what I consider to be " great".  Coffee house coffees are not only just okay they also can cost a small fortune.

Enter the Community Coffee Company!  Based in Louisiana, the Home of Great Coffee, they have a long tradition of excellence.  Read this excerpt about how they got started:

For four generations, the Saurage family of Louisiana has owned and operated Community Coffee Company. In 1919, Henry Norman "Cap" Saurage discovered the secret of making this great-tasting coffee in his country store in Dixie, Louisiana, near Baton Rouge. He named his coffee "Community" in honor of his community of friends. In 1924, he closed the store and converted his backyard barn into a coffee mill, using coffee beans purchased from a local roaster. In 1941, Cap's son H. Norman Saurage Jr. purchased the company's first coffee roaster, having decided that Community should roast its own coffee to ensure quality at every step. A roasting plant was built in Baton Rouge in 1946.

Over the years, Community Coffee Company would take countless steps to ensure the quality of its product. In 1955, the company began importing green coffee beans directly from coffee plantations in Brazil. In 1970, a new plant was built on the Mississippi River in Port Allen, Louisiana. In 1980, Community introduced the nation's first vacuum-sealed coffee package.



The first CC's Community Coffee House opened on the corner of Jefferson and Magazine Street in New Orleans in 1995. Dozens more opened during the 10 years that followed.

It's been more than 90 years since Cap Saurage founded Community Coffee Company, but our mission has never changed – to share our passion for great coffee with our customers!

I contacted Community Coffee to express interest in reviewing their products ( since I am a major coffee lover) and I was delighted when they responded positively to my request.  In the spirit of full disclosure I received no money for this review, although I was provided with products to sample at no cost to me.

Here is what they sent me:

A 12 oz bag of Their Cafe Special Ground Medium Dark Roast

A Taste of the Holidays Sampler Gift Set

2009 Holiday Tumbler

Time to brew some coffee!!!

First I have to say that the aroma of the ground coffee made my coffee taste buds sing with joy!  Rich and dark and full of flavor....The moment when you have your first sip of a great cup of coffee is always an " Ahhhh" type of moment for me.  The kind of moment when the world stops for an instant and the only thing that exists is you and that mug of java in front of you!

The flavors of the sampler gift set were intriguing: Holiday Jazz, Cinnamon Roll, Pecan Praline, and get this...Bread Pudding!  I thought I had tasted every type of flavored coffee out there but "Bread Pudding" took even me by suprise!  They are all packaged in the cutest gift box ready to be given to your favorite coffee lover.

The tumbler is well made and sturdy and kept my coffee nice and hot when in the car!

Besides having great coffee they really know how to put the "community" in Community Coffee.  Among the many programs they support is the Military Match Program where they will match your purchase for up to four bags of coffee if the coffee is shipped to a person in the military who is stationed overseas.  That means if you purchase four bags of coffee they will ship eight!  I think this is a great way to honor those who are serving to protect our way of life and brings a little bit of home when they are very far away.

Right now they have a great special going on where you get 20% off with free shipping included!  Just use the code: SPECIAL and you will get this great deal...only it wont last forever so order as soon as possible!

Thank you to Community Coffee for not only making a great product but for trying to make a difference.

It's Time to Talk: A Series of Discussions with People Who are Making a Difference Regarding Domestic Violence and Teen Dating Abuse: Discussion 7 of 7 -  Judith Kahan, Chief Executive Officer, Center Against Domestic Violence

This is the last of my blog posts regarding the interviews I conducted during the " It's Time To Talk Day", sponsored by Liz Claiborne and it was also one of my most memorable.

Ms. Kahan is a strong and powerful woman with a long history of providing services to the people in our communities who need it the most.  From the mentally ill to the homeless to domestic violence victims, she has advocated for and effected change on a grass roots level.

As Chief Executive Officer of The Center Against Domestic Violence she oversees a multitude of programs that protect, provide for, and reintegrate people who get involved in a abusive relationship and want to learn how to live a life free of domestic violence.

She was most proud of the RAPP program - NYC's Relationship Abuse Prevention Program which utilizes the concepts of Pride, Education, Equality, and Respect to teach middle and high school children the warning signs of an abusive relationship as well as how to escape from one if they are already being victimized.

Her agency, The Center Against Domestic Violence, located in Brooklyn, NY services an average of 30,000 women and children each and every year.  They provide support, education, and prevention for both adults and teens.

I admire Ms. Kahan for her devotion to the mission to end domestic violence.

Tonight Jews around the world celebrate the first night of Chanukah, this Jew included!

If you are interested in knowing more about this Jewish Festival of Lights, I direct you to this Wikipedia post about Chanukah!

Enjoy!

It's Time to Talk: A Series of Discussions with People Who are Making a Difference Regarding Domestic Violence and Teen Dating Abuse:  Discussion 6 of 7 - Stephanie Orr, Executive Director, Casa Center for Prevention of Abuse and Violence.

Ms. Orr has been Director of the Casa Center for Prevention of Abuse and Violence for the past 21 years. Her agency has succeeded in reaching out to 60,000 teens over the past 25 years.  Think about that.  60,000 lives having been touched by one single agency.  Now imagine those same 60,000 people without the intervention that CASA has provided.  Do you see the same thing that I am seeing?

Ms. Orr also stressed the need to integrate Social and Emotional literacy and optimal relationship skills in our school's curriculum.  She is the MADE Arizona State Action Leader and is passionate about linking child abuse, bullying, and domestic violence as being part of a much larger issue-  violence. 


What struck me as being especially powerful when I visited the site was this statement, in the section on Mission and Vision:


We are all responsible for Abuse and Violence, if for no other reason than we allow them to continue.

We are all responsible.  Whether it is my teen or yours they are still all " our children."

This is the message that I wanted to share about CASA; This is the point of the whole reason for the " It's Time to Talk Day"....

By educating ourselves and our children we make the statement that we will NOT allow abuse and violence to continue.

Think about it.


“I received a $50 Juicy Couture gift card in conjunction with participating in Liz Claiborne’s “It’s Time To Talk” day.”

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep: The Battles of Bedtime

Although my daughter is a teenager, I still face the same issues that all moms face in not only getting your child to go to bed, but to actually go to sleep.

Twittermoms and St. Eve Kids has challenged bloggers to  post about "What are your five tips & tricks for getting your kids to bed on time and getting them to stay in bed?"  This is what I have to say about the answer to that question.

(1) I found early on that abruptly asking a child to go to bed doesn't give them the time that they need to wind down from their busy and active days and go from an active awake state to a sedentary sleepy state.  Kids of all ages need a gradual shift towards settling down enough to drift off to sleep when in bed.

(2) It is important to make sure that all attempts at eating and snacking are done prior to your child going to sleep as well.  If ones body is busy digesting food it will have a terrible time quieting down enough to drift off to sleep.

(3) If your child wants the light on or the door open, so be it.  Better that then to make a child feel afraid in their own bed.  Don't make it an issue; it just isn't worth it.

(4) When my daughter was younger, I used to periodically put cool lamps in her room that created designs on the ceiling.  She often used these peaceful designs to help her drift off into sleep.

(5) Most important is keeping a childs schedule consistent.  When they have long breaks from school, try not to let them sleep in to late ( this is the one that I am usually the most guilty of doing).  It will be that much harder when the break is over.

Thanks Twittermoms and St. Eve Kids for bringing up this topic!

It's Time to Talk: A Series of Discussions with People Who are Making a Difference Regarding Domestic Violence and Teen Dating Abuse:  Discussion 5 of 7 - Senator Beatrice A. Lanzi, District 26, Cranston - Rhode Island Senate

Senator Lanzi is the primary Senate sponsor of the Lindsay Burke Act, the first in the nation that requires schools to provide dating violence education for students in middle school and high school. Senator Lanzi also has a long history of supporting anti-violence initiatives in a variety of sectors. 

She was clear in making the point that teen dating and domestic violence ,"...is not a family issue, it is a crime".  I thought that was an important point to make since many people object to government regulation within the household.  If one recognizes that it is a crime, it becomes much easier to prosecute.

Senator Lanzi quoted statistics that " 1 in 3" teenagers were exposed to domestic violence either in their own homes or through their own peer and community relationships.

Her commitment to this issue came through loud and clear.  With all the things our political representatives have to think about, it is nice to know that at least one Senator is still thinking about our children.

Just a Note:  Take a look at the Lindsey Burke Memorial Page if you have any doubts in your mind what an important issue this really is!

“I received a $50 Juicy Couture gift card in conjunction with participating in Liz Claiborne’s “It’s Time To Talk” day.”

"My Entry For the Kia Sorento Ultimate Road Trip Sweepstakes"

Seems like the folks at Momlogic are having a contest where I could win some really cool things for the holidays if I write a blog post and answer this question:

If you could take your family on a road trip anywhere, where would you go and why?"

My answer would be that I would take my family on a road trip from Maine to California, with the goal to hit everyone of the lower 48 states.  This would be a great way to show my daughter all the different choices she has when she becomes an adult and starts to think about where she wants to live her life.  It would open her up to vastly different communities and she could see for herself the flavor of each corner of America and the diversity that makes this country such a great place to live in.

Cross your fingers and toes and hope that I win!!

BTW....One random commenter on the winning blog post will win a $100 gift card.  Comment on THIS post to be in the running!

It's Time To Talk: A Series of Discussions with People Who are Making A Difference Regarding Domestic Violence and Teen Dating Abuse: Discussion 4 of 7 - Melanie Mannarino, Deputy Executive Director, REDBOOK

I must admit I was quite suprised when I was told that I would be talking to the Deputy Executive Editor of Redbook.  Redbook?  What did they have to do with teen dating and domestic violence?  Well, I'll tell you dear readers....plenty!

REDBOOK helped to launch MADE last December and Melanie has been instrumental in both REDBOOK and Marie Claire magazines domestic viokence awareness campaigns through feature stories, rallies, and national tours in partnership with Liz Claiborne.

One of the wonderful things I leanred from talking to her was that REDBOOK has a long history of being at the forefront of womens issues and continues to be a driving force for change.  Don't get me wrong...you can still find great features about fashion, the home, and sex. And as a magazine devoted to that which drives us as women, what better vehicle then to champion the cause of teenagers and parents.

Thank you REDBOOK for being such an American icon!

“I received a $50 Juicy Couture gift card in conjunction with participating in Liz Claiborne’s “It’s Time To Talk” day.”

It's Time To Talk: A Series of Discussions with People Who are Making A Difference Regarding Domestic Violence and Teen Dating Abuse: Discussion 3 of 7 - Cindy Southworth, Founder/Director Safety Net Project


I sat down with Cindy Southworth, MSW, who is the Founder and Director of " The Safety Net Project" a division of the National Network to End Domestic Violence.  She was very vocal about the fact that technology has not increased the incidence of domestic violence in this country and in fact aids in prosecution .It often leaves an electronic evidence trail in the case of texts, emails, and social media postings ie: Facebook, MySpace, etc.

She was also insistent about the need to create a space for discussions when talking to your child about teen dating violence and that it was important " not to have a knee-jerk" reaction in the presence of your child when something disturbing comes to the surface.

She did point out that victims of dating abuse can access lots of valuable information online, but that one should always be aware of the use of Spyware for tracking purposes on phones and computers.  She told me about a program that places safe computers in domestic violence centers that is accessible to those still living with their abusers that can be used to safely communicate, plan, and learn.

Thank you Cindy for allowing me to see technology in a whole new context!


“I received a $50 Juicy Couture gift card in conjunction with participating in Liz Claiborne’s “It’s Time To Talk” day.”

We have a winner in the Protect-A-Bed Premium Mattress Protector Giveaway!

Thanks to Random.org, comment #63 was chosen as the winner!

Missybeez said...


follow your blog on Google friend connect.
I would like the Plush pillow protectors!
honeybeez80@yahoo.com

Missybeez has been contacted, confirmed as the winner, and her information has been forwarded to the sponsor for fufillment!

Thank you to everyone who left a comment and remember..I have lots more to give-a-way!

It's Time To Talk: A Series of Discussions with People Who are Making A Difference Regarding Domestic Violence and Teen Dating Abuse: Discussion 2 of 7 - Kim Davidson and Amanda Gorman, Founders of "Kari's Candle of Hope"

This is a picture of Kari Gorman, murdered by her boyfriend on July 26, 2008.  She was 18 years old.

I had the privelege of meeting with her mom, Kim Davidson as well as her sister, Amanda Gorman at the " It's Time To Talk" Day sponsored by Liz Clairborne.  I was struck with the beauty of both these women and the strength that they both have shown in turning their tragedy into a rallying point to help other teenagers in a similar situation as their daughter.

They both stressed to me how important it is to let our children know that we want them to talk to us if they have issues with their peers, and that we, as parents, need to stress that " Caring is NOT control" when it comes to dating. 

They promote the " Love is Not Abuse" curriculum and are pro-active in voicing how important education is to stopping the type of violence her daughter fell victim to.

" Kari's Candle of Hope" is a great website chock full of links if you are in need of more information.  Take a look at Kari's picture and imagine it was your daughter.  Share the site with your children and friends and help Kim and Amanda in their efforts.

To Amanda I leave this personal note: You are a powerful woman and have the ability to change the world and hekp others.  Pursue your dreams and I wish you all the happiness and success in this world.  I hope if my own daughter ever in in a similar situation she has something like you to turn to.

“I received a $50 Juicy Couture gift card in conjunction with participating in Liz Claiborne’s “It’s Time To Talk” day.”

It's Time To Talk: A Series of Discussions with People Who are Making A Difference Regarding Domestic Violence and Teen Dating Abuse:  Discussion 1 of 7 - Dr. Jill Murray

My first discussion at the It's Time to Talk Day, sponsored by Liz Clairborne was with Dr. Jill Murray, LMFT, who is a Licensed Psychotherapist and author of a number of books about relationships and violence.  Her most recent publication is entitled, " But He Never Hit Me: The Devastating Cost of Non-Physical Abuse to Girls and Women".

Dr. Murray made some great points in the course of our discussion and one specific phrase really seemed to me to be the key from her point of view:

- " Love is a Behavior" - Dr. Murray stressed over and over that we need to learn to love in much the same way that we need to learn other behaviors as we grow into adulthood.  She states:

"Talk to your children about love as a behavior, rather than a feeling and encourage them to judge their friends and potential boy or girlfriends solely on the behavior they see.


As the mother of a 16 year old daughter who potentially can be a victim of teen dating violence and abuse, it was this concept that resonated the most with my own personal experiences.  It allows me not to assume that healthy love is a given and that I am responsible for modeling and reinforcing the concept of "positive love" as it relates to my child's upbringing.

Listen to her on Oprah:


Dr. Jill Murray's website is chock full of resources and information in a variety of formats; I encourage you to utilize it and contact her if you have any questions.

I thank Dr. Jill Murray for taking the time to sit down and talk to me and applaud her work in such an important field.

“I received a $50 Juicy Couture gift card in conjunction with participating in Liz Claiborne’s “It’s Time To Talk” day.”


-

In the next few days I will be posting about some amazing conversations I had with eight extraordinary women:

- Dr Jill Murray, LMFT author of " But He Never Hit Me: The Devastating Cost of Non-Physical Abuse to Girls and Women"

- Kim Davidson and her equally amazing daughter Amanda Gorman, President/Founding members of Kari's Candle of Hope, dedicated to the awareness and prevention of teen relationship violence.

- Cindy Southworth, MSW Founder/Director of The Safety Net Project ( The National Network to End Domestic Violence)

- Melanie Mannarino, Deputy Executive Editor, REDBOOK

- Beatrice A. Lanzi, Senator, District 26, Cranston, Rhode Island Senate - Primary Senate sponsor of the Lindsay Ann Burke Act, Rhode Island's first -in-the -nation statue requiring schools to provide dating violence education for students in middle school and high school

- Stephanie Orr, Executive Director, CASA Center for Prevention of Abuse and Violence, located in Arizona.

- Judith Kahan, Chief Executive Officer, Center Against Domestic Violence

Watch this blog and learn about what is being done in your own community and across this nation to educate our children about stopping the violence BEFORE it happens!

In the meantime, check out and join the voices of MADE and find out what you can do to take action in your own communties.  It costs nothing and it might save the life of someone that you love!

Thank you to Liz Claiborne and Mom-Central for the honor of being a participant!

“I received a $50 Juicy Couture gift card in conjunction with participating in Liz Claiborne’s “It’s Time To Talk” day.”

It's Really Only a Purple World is participating in Liz Claiborne Inc’s sixth annual "It’s Time to Talk Day" -  a day dedicated to ensuring that Americans speak-up about a subject that most people simply prefer not to discuss — domestic violence.

It’s Time to Talk Day events will be held nationwide, including at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC with Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan. I will be participating in a "Talk Radio Row” on domestic violence at Liz Claiborne headquarters in New York.

Major partners for this year’s event include The Department of Justice, CBS Evening News, REDBOOK, Seventeen, DoSomething.org, one, MTV, the Joyful Heart Foundation, Talkers Magazine and Talk Radio News Service.

For more information visit http://www.loveisnotabuse.com/

Look here this weekend for a report of who I talked to and what message they have for all of us with teenagers!

“I received a $50 Juicy Couture gift card in conjunction with participating in Liz Claiborne’s “It’s Time To Talk” day.”

Rebelle Friendship Bags: Two Bags in One - What a Great Idea For a Holiday Gift!

I recently received the Rebelle Butterfly Friendship Bag in order to play around with it and see what I thought.

The top one in the above picture is called the "Fuschia Rebelle" and is one of those accessories that you just know your pre-teen recipient is going to "ooh" and "ahhh" over, especially when she finds out it's unique property.

You see this  bag actually unzips and forms two seperate bags of the same design so that she can trade with her friends ( who will be so jealous when they see it that will will beg and cry and drive their Mom's nuts in order to get them to buy them a Rebelle Friendship bag too!



All Friendship bags zip and unzip together in perfect symmetry so that she can wear it and share it, both at the same time!  And get this: each bag has a secret code, obtained only by cutting open a special tag hidden inside the bag that can be used at the website to unlock a whole bunch of features!

So much more then just a bag; such an original gift for the holidays!

These bags retail for about $40 and can be purchased at Amazon and QVC!

Thank you to Dasiy Cook for providing me with this bag for this review!

We Have a Winner in the Simply Soles $50 GC Winner!

Random.org chose comment #51:

"Sky said...
Following on Twitter and tweet!

http://twitter.com/SeeryusMama/status/6068684320

seeryusfam@msn.com"

She has confirmed her win so stop over at her blog ,  say " Congrats"

and keep on entering...Next time it could be YOU!



November 25, 2009 9:04 PM

My Black Saturday: The Night He Kept On Walking

Throughout the history of this blog I have been dating a man named Daryl; he is referenced in a number of my posts over the past few months and was a tremendous help in the editing and correction of my numerous grammatical and spelling errors.

This past holiday weekend Daryl walked away from me and never looked back.

I know this has nothing to do with product reviews or give-a-ways or life with my teenage daughter; it does have to do with the real life issues that we as adults face everyday.

I am okay and am trying to look ahead at new opportunities and adventures instead of trying to figure out what went wrong;...It's my way of trying to obtain the closure that often eludes me in these types of life events.

For now, I will continue to offer my twist on what I am writing about, albeit with possible spelling and grammatical errors intact.

Feel free to jump in to the position Daryl held and let me know of any errors you find.

And to Daryl...thanks for helping this blog and this woman over the past year.