Coke Rewards - Friend or Foe??

It started out like any other Coke Rewards Monday: I got on the computer after dinner, logged onto Coke Rewards to enter my weekly 120 points and then log off...

...However, one summer Monday, I logged on and found a Surprise! The 1,000,000 Points Giveaway - Summer of Points rewards game was back! Excitement poured over me from all bubbly directions, as I knew that I would get to bobb my head to the beats of the bubbles, and have an opportunity to win points, just for entering my weekly points. :-)

[The requirements to play the game were to enter an "Eligible" 12-pack code (worth 10 pts) and received a "free reward" to play the game. Each member was allowed 3 Eligible 12-pack codes a week. Since I enter between 7 and 10 12-pack codes, I played all three of my games, all right in a row, each week during the game].

After the first go-around, I thought to myself: How fun would it be to video Me playing the game and to see my reactions at wins or losses?!?

So what did I do?? The next Monday, I set up my web cam. Only, something went wrong with the video and quality/ size of file, so that documentation was a bust.

However.....

... The following Monday, my noggin was workin'... On a better way to document the experience.
 A couple years ago, AlphaJ and I acquired a camera "spider" to fit and adjust and "claw" around objects to hold the camera in place. So, I set the camera up right where the webcam sits; only the contraption made the camera sit higher, therefore making a better shot anyway :-)

Along with the suit of the Game, the "earliness" of the summer, and the number of points left from ending my last points session a week prior, I was eager to get the "bubbles poppin'"...



Humph.

The Next Monday, I was game and ready to play... and AlphaJ (and Romeo) was there with me, ready to share the sparkly pop... or flat bubbles...



[this game doesn't like me].

Okay.... So let's try again, shall we?? There's still just under 80,000 points left to win...
(and yes; Romeo is here to dance!)



SILLY COKE REWARDS!
When will you be my friend?????????

[the very next week]...



YAY!!! Coke Rewards! Even though you may not give me "free" stuff ['cause technically, I only partially pay for the rewards that I redeem by buying Coke products], like even 5 points for a 1,000,000 point giveaway... I still love you].

You let me down [during the Summer of Points giveaway]; but yet, I am still loyal to you... and my loyalty finally proved to be Rewarding...

My Gourmet Stoneware Mixing Bowl set, that I have been ogling from day one of its appearance as a reward, came back with a vengeance... to catch my eye and make me "purchase" with my available points.... [damn you, tempting cookware stuff!!].

Even though you let me down [and made me ill with you]:
Coke Rewards: You ARE my friend.

Now, I get to make tasty treats [Yum! brownies and homemade Banana Bread! (and more!)] in a Fan-tastically sturdy set of bowls. And, they match my microwave AND the retro toaster that I used Coke points to buy [bc IT matched my microwave], so my kitchen is coordinated and ready to cook and bake!!



Even though I didn't "win" any free points from the giveaway, Coke Rewards has been reliable in there point redemption promptness and their options for reward products. I am also impressed with the sweepstakes offerings; as many times as I've entered, no result there, yet... But until I get my dream vacation, or top-of-the-line digital camera, or Kitchen-Aid Mixer, whatever.... I will keep entering my codes on Coke Rewards Monday.

Coke Rewards: You are My Friend.

 - Omegan :-D

Summer Sunsets

Seasons change and people grow with age… But the souls and the skies always dazzle with color…

After our Adventures in Driving trip to Georgia two weeks ago, our Monday started off the way Mondays should: With the near full Harvest Moon on the horizon; rising for a daytime appearance.

Tuesday, was a fairly normal day of the week, which can be good for the mind to not have to worry about or plan for anything “special” going on with schedules, people, or events.

Wednesday the 14^th, my friend Ashley in Texas needed some motivation to start her day, so I helped her make a cup of coffee at 6:30 in the morning. [I had already been awake for an hour, or more, so I was feelin’ my caffeine buzz!] We had coffee together via Facebook [before FB “changed face,” that is].

HA! We could call it the FaceBook Bistro! “Can’t meet at your local Starbucks?? Have coffee together via FaceBook Bistro! – Just create the event through the bistro, and invite your friends… Discuss the days’ events at our virtual tables!” [I’m such a dork].

After sharing coffee and discussing the woes of having early morning risers for children, I stepped outside to catch the sun and the moon in my morning sky.

Thursday the 15^th was slightly disastrous due to [a combination of] miscommunication from the school and bad reading on my part… I TOTALLY thought that Grandparent’s Day at Kaia’s school was on the 15^th, in the afternoon. So I planned with Mom for her and my bro to drive up that morning, go to the party, and have a stay-over; returning to Marietta the next day.

Go Me… Grandparent’s Day was scheduled for Friday, not Thursday. Dag Nabbit!! Apparently, I wasn’t the only parent/grandparent that thought it was Thursday; for when Mom and Doug showed up at the school, the ladies in the front office said they had received several phone calls that day with people verifying the correct date [the 15^th or 16^th].

Luckily, there were no major events [other than the now “re-scheduled” Grandparent’s Day] that required my mom and brother’s attendance, so they were able to re-adjust their schedule to accommodate the party’s “new time and date.” And we still had some good chats and eats during their stay-over, so the visit was well spent.

Mom and I went and played in “Garden Greenthumb;” I showed off all my peppers and we harvested some tomatoes for eats that night and to package up for Mom to take home.

And we closed our evening with a gorgeous sunset.

 

Friday Morning, Mom followed me down to Holly’s school so she could see the Headstart diggs in Woodbury, before she journeyed to Kaia’s school for Grandparent’s [and Uncle] Day.

That night, AlphaJ and I indulged and had grilled salmon and corn on the cob, with asparagus and baked potato:

…Sort of. AlphaJ was feeling under the weather upon completing the grilling session, so I enjoyed it fresh and hot and he chowed down on his portion a few days later [and it was still tasty, he says]. Either way it was consumed, it was a Very scrumptious dinner! I love AlphaJ’s grilled fishes; they’re so yummy :-P

Saturday, AlphaJ went to work, so the girls got to “Play” …

And I worked on a whole lot of basically nothing. It was my first day off from the work week and I needed some Me time to do what I wanted and needed to do. Ahhh….. Girl Time…. Some things you just can’t do as openly with the men in your life around… And I will leave the rest of Saturday’s events up to your imagination with that statement being said ;-)

On Sunday Morning, Willow decided that she had some pressing business that needed to be addressed while she was having her morning “chatter” with the humming birds.

It was also Omegan Pizza Night! Yum!! [My mouth is drooling as I look at the picture trying to type and write about its tastiness….]

As if the ingredients are tantalizing enough:

[*drool starts to drip down chin*]

(notice the Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon wine in the background!!)

Then you get to “feast” your eyes upon the finished Pizza Pies, hot and ready to eat!

[*slurping drool*]

And to top that off, I made experimental homemade Banana Chocolate Chip muffins that proved to be ultimately delectable:

Wow! That was a week, wasn’t it?! [at least we ended with Chocolate endorphins…] And we still have another whole week to travel through… Only, this was a “lighter” week, with not as much excitement. [It was dark, gray, and rainy the majority of the week].

Monday, I played Coke Rewards; although there was no “game” going on, my efforts proved to be fruitful. [But you won’t find out about the results of Monday the 19^th’s Coke experience until I receive the benefits… and then of course, turn the entire sequence of events into a blog on its own :-) ]. [Ha! Ha! That will keep you reading!! ]

Tuesday displayed gray skies most of the day; but the light drizzle rain made for a nice hummer fanfare at the feeders.

Miraculously, near the end of the evening, as the sun was setting, the clouds let the rays shine through to create a spectacular surprise in the sky:

Wednesday and Thursday were fairly normal weekdays; although Kaia had “Pajama Day” at school on Thursday, so she got to wear her jammies instead of normal play clothes.

Thursday night, our Summer Sky set for the last time this year, as today, Friday, was the first official day of Fall. The girls were off from school today and it’s also another GA day! So, while I’ve been typing and planning this blog post, we’ve been in the car, making our 3 hour trek to Marietta.

As with being a new season in the year, the air has different feelings… Some days are golden yellow, some are gray; but no matter the color of the sky, our hearts glow at the rise [and set] of all our emotions and life happenings.

Goodnight, Summer; Good day, Fall... Your colors of seasonal change are welcome; for with time, we learn experience; therefore, changing our souls' colors... 

 - Omegan :-)

Adventures in Driving part 2

After a long work day for AlphaJ and a “play day” for me in Marietta [I made it to Menchie’s!!], it was time to make the journey home…

[Documentary in reverse!]

Traditional car pics!

[Our pics are placed how we sit in AlphaJ's truck].

And the trek begins! On Shallowford Road headed to Canton Road.

And entering onto the interstate:

We have amusement for our drive right away, as this old man’s truck was ALL AMERICAN!

We soon approach on my Dalton exit again: Exit

333 – Walnut Avenue

We pass by Ringgold into the backwards split in Chattanooga – either I-24 W towards Nashville, or I-24 E towards Knoxville; which way do we go to get home??

As we came near the Alabama split, people started to forget how to read road signs and flip their levers [and it sounds better if you say “levers” the British way].

Leaving behind the Alabama-Slamma’s, we curve around my favorite part of the road, which has a beautiful horizon around its bend…

Continuing on to my bridge, today’s under-passing displays a special surprise!!

Fairly quickly after my bridge’s excitement, we come upon a gorgeous display on Nickajack Lake.

As with all good things, they come to an end, as we approach the Jasper Junk.

We play roller coaster on Sewanee Mountain one more time…

going up:

And

coming down:

We stopped in Manchester to grab a bite for dinner when we arrived home.

The drive home was relaxing, despite the few crazy people on the road… We made it home with plenty of time to comfortably settle in and prepare our Subway dinner for consumption :-) The Pack was definitely hungry!

Drive safe and we’ll see you next time!

 - Omegan :-D

Adventures in Driving - Part One

Video Documentation of our adventure :-)

We were able to leave on Friday evening this week, since our work and school schedules allowed us to,  while it was still light outside.

Our journey started as we headed down the highway toward Manchester… As it’s coming to the end of the garden harvesting season, I have a feeling that these gorgeous rows of corn crops and fields won’t be around much longer; so, I took advantage of the sunrays creating “fields of gold.”

As the drive got started on the interstate, headed southeast, we encountered two truckers that thought they would try and regulate a patch of cars’ speeds’ by playing “trucker-road-block” …

Once we got through that mess, we came upon one of my favorite parts of the drive-one of the more scenic views-as we traveled up and down Sewanee Mountain.

--going up Sewanee Mountain-- [I just saw a chick cock her head side-ways in a funny way as we drove by, as if to be checking her driver-side mirror… Is that what I look like when I do that?? …random thought for the day.]

As you make the decent down the other side of the mountain, Nickajack Lake sits pleasantly at the bottom of the hills.

And just beyond the lake, we approach on my favorite bridge [that monumentally gets the “roof raised” for every under-passage… ]

Soon after the bridge, we begin to lose nearly half of the “pain-to-deal-with on the road drivers,” as they take Hwy 59 towards Alabama – and oddly the split is a hotspot for fireworks stores…

Not long after the TN-AL split, we approach on Ruby Falls, Lookout Mountain, and the big city in the hills, Chattanooga [do the Choo-Choo, baby].

After the All-Mighty dangerous curve around the hill in Chattanooga, we make our entry into Georgia.

North GA on I-75 is really rather boring… unless there is a good sunset to watch as your driving, the scenery is just lines of trees. After we stopped in Ringgold and satiated our traveling, hungry bellies with some tastiness at Cracker Barrel, the drive was darker and definitely more boring.

I was able to get my family’s Historic Site exit on video, though!

As we were curving around the trees, AlphaJ noticed the moon, yet again, on our horizon.

We made it safely to my parents house in Marietta, shortly after 9pm. AlphaJ went to bed fairly early; after a long day of working and then driving, he was worn for the wear. While he was trying to get comfy, Mom and I had some good chats, hanging out at the table chilling.

Part 2 coming soon!! [we have to go home sometime...]

 - Omegan :-D