Giveaway: What makes you smile?

Please enter the Under The Sheets-shhh 'What Makes You Smile?' giveaway. When I was child, I use to have the snoopy toothbrush and toothpaste holder. It always made me smile. So I thought a toothpaste giveaway would be perfect to do. Start thinking about what makes you smile so you can enter and win.

Since summer has finally arrived, I try to keep my teeth really white, but never thought of how sensitive products were making my teeth. This is why I like the new Crest Pro-Health enamel shield toothpaste and rinse. Have you tried it? Its great for my sensitive teeth. Well if not then here's your chance to try. All you have to do, is tell me what your two favorite things are that make you smile.

Here are ten things that make me smile:

1) Hearing a wonderful song.
2) Putting my face up in the sun.
3) The smell throughout the house of cookies baking.
4) I smile when I get a pedicure. (My feet are so ticklish!)
5) When someone smiles at me, I can’t help but smile back.
6) Walking by the bay and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge.
7) Reading new comments on my blog.
8) Taking pictures and documenting my memories.
9) Snuggling with a puppy.
10) And, the smell of clean sheets always make me smile.

Giveaway: What makes you smile?

Here are the details:

*Three winners will receive Crest Pro-Health Enamel Shield toothpaste, Pro-Health rinse and a Oral-B CrossAction Pro-Health toothbrush
Winners announced on Sunday, July 12th at 12pm.
* Sorry only U.S. winners can win

Here's how to enter:

1. Become a follower of Under the Sheets-shhh! Already one? Thank you so much sweetie! If not, just be sure to click 'follow' in the followers box at the top right before entering.

2. Leave a comment below telling me your two favorite ways that makes you smile!

Good luck...

Cable Car Confessions: The new cable car and its presidential guests

“Ding ding. All aboard. Next stop Powell Street Chinatown. Tickets please, show me your tickets please." I heard about the unveiling of the new #15 San Francisco cable car from a blogger friend, who lives in Arizona. After hearing about this great cable car confession, I immediately talked to some of the conductors to hear their thoughts on the new car and the special guests riders.

Max, a cable car conductor, told me, “Even though so much has happened and changed in San Francisco, our cable cars are still the center of the inner workings of our city. To us San Franciscans, the sounds of the cable car bells chiming day and night are the natural sounds to the city. “

In fact, I must confess to you that when I travel and can’t hear the cable car bells at night, it feels too quiet. I can’t get to sleep! And if you told me this when I first got to San Francisco, I would have never believed you. I now can’t live without hearing passing cars, car alarms, foghorns and the ringing of bells.

So, how does San Francisco celebrate its 25th anniversary of full cable car service returning to the city? Well, this past June, the city unveiled a shiny new cable car. Juan, another cable car conductor announced, “We’re all excited about welcoming the new #15 car to the San Francisco Municipal family, as I think it will breathe new life into what we do every day.” He also shared that it took more than five years and nearly thirty people to build, create and mold the new cable car by working off century old blueprints.

A couple of hour’s after it started operating, cable car #15 was ridden by some very special riders: the first daughters Malia and Sasha Obama along with their grandmother. Juan observed, “The first daughters were well behaved, quiet and excited to see the sights of our city. They got onto the cable car at Nob Hill and rode it to Lombard Street. They really made a great day, even brighter.”

Did you know that it’s a cable car tradition for the workers, who helped to build the cable car, to sign their names in places that riders will never see? Did you hear about the first family riding the cable car in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago? Have any celebrities or dignitaries visited your city?

JuiceBoxJungle: Daddy doesn't do it right

More parenting videos on JuiceBoxJungle

Do you know about the JuiceBoxJungle site? I love their real parenting stories and videos. If you're a parent, hoping to be a parent one day or enjoy learning about child development, this site is for you. For example, how awesome is this video about Dad's trying to deal with Mom's thinking they do everything right when it comes to raising the children? (This argument probably started at the beginning of time, but still goes on today). My favorite quote from the video is, "The more you nag, the less Dad's will do." What's yours?

Well, you've got my vote Dad's...put on your Daddy t-shirt and dress your kids in non matching clothes. I promise to *try* not to say anything.

Miss Independents Day

I started thinking a lot about what Independence means, over the weekend as I watched the fireworks from my rooftop in San Francisco. Our country has been and has been going through so much. Which led me to appreciating when I too got my own independence. If you’ve been reading my blog, then you know that I left a very serious relationship and moved to San Francisco from L.A. My independence began as soon as I broke away from my old life and started again in a new city. It was one of the hardest and most worthwhile decisions I ever made.

Some of the things were:

I changed careers to what I was interested in; advertising and marketing.

When I became comfortable in my own skin, I started writing and realized I had a lot to share with others.
I rediscovered my love for ballet and began dancing again at the age of twenty-eight.

I dyed my hair different colors. (So far my favorite is red!)

Music became the soundtrack to my life when I discovered all different kinds of artists like: Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Imogen Heap, Marvin Gaye, Bill Evans and Gary Go.

How did you declare your independence and what decisions did you make?

Link Back Contest: Fourth of July memories

Since I have the holiday spirit, let's find out more about each other? Post these four questions, about your favorite Fourth of July memory and your answers on your blog, link back to Under the Sheets-shhh and comment back to me when you’re done. I promise to link back to your post.

So I get to have fireworks and a link back contest? Finally all of my dreams are coming true...

The Four Questions are:

1) Do you have a favorite firework that you wait to see every Fourth of July?

2) Tell me the one Fourth of July memory, that makes you smile.

3) What food do you crave at a Fourth of July picnic?

4) And for my fashionistas, what is the perfect outfit to watch the fireworks in.

And the answers to my own questions are:

1) Do you have a favorite firework that you wait to see every Fourth of July?

My favorite firework that I look forward to seeing, is the sparkler. As a little girl, I use to love writing in the sky with sparklers and would try to complete the alphabet before my sparkler would burn out.

2) Tell me the one Fourth of July memory, that makes you smile.

When I was in High School, I use to love watching the fireworks with my friends on Balboa Island in Orange County, CA. There was something magical about that slow and friendly island.

3) What food do you crave at a Fourth of July picnic?

For me, its always been and will always be, hot dogs and lemonade.

4) And for my fashionistas, what is the perfect outfit to watch the fireworks in.

As I'll be watching the fireworks in San Francisco, layers, layers and more layers. Sandals are great to wear, if it doesn't get too cold at night. My fireworks outfit will probably be; a summer dress with leggings, large oversized belt, long heart necklace and I'll try to remember to bring my camera.

Now its your turn to enter the Under the Sheets-shhh link back contest. Have a wonderful Fourth of July sweeties!

Movie: The Proposal

I am all about a great proposal story. Last weekend, I saw 'The Proposal' starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Sandra plays a successful New York book editor. Ryan is her right hand man (assistant), forced into marrying his boss so she isn't deported back to Canada.

This was a cute movie and I enjoyed watching the female lead, written from a man's point of view. It was fun and I laughed out loud several times. The only thing missing was Sandra Bullock's Canadian accent. I was waiting for her to say, "Let's get married next week, eh!" Is this a movie you might go to see?

Wishful Wednesday: AFSP.org

On this wishful Wednesday, I am reminded that a year ago, I walked for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP.org) to bring awareness about the stigma surrounding suicide and mental illness.

A couple of years ago I learned about the AFSP organization after I lost someone close to me. AFSP holds a 20 mile overnight walk where each participant commits to raising money for AFSP to support research, education and funding towards suicide and mental illness-related programs.

Last June, the overnight walk was held in Seattle. Our journey began at the Space Needle and we walked with thousands of other strangers who had been touched by loss (This photo was of a woman holding a balloon for her loved one. She let it go when we were near the Space Needle).

The above and below pictures were taken at Pike Place Fish Market of their farmer's market and flower marts.



And so the walk began and we held hands for support.

And we walked and walked and walked...

A couple of hours into our walk, the sun started to set over the water. I felt a sense of calm and peace over me.

It was around midnight when we came to the 10 mile mark. After having three knee surgeries only two years before, I was amazed at how far I had walked.

At the end of the 20 miles, candles were lit at the side of the road symbolizing people that had been lost. Messages were written on each bag. The AFSP walk helped me in my healing and so I wish for others to heal as well. What do you wish for on this wishful Wednesday?