Can anyone tell me if this is corn?

Under the birdfeeder (which is filled with wild bird seed), this curious-looking plant has been growing. My father thinks it’s corn. I have no clue what it is but we’re looking forward to seeing what comes of it.

This summer, I’m using Banana Boat Sun Wear (a daily sunblock lotion mist) – made with essential organic botanicals.

Packed with SPF 50 protection, I’ve received the best, most even tan ever without any burning.

The sunscreen rubs on smooth after a convenient misting of the product.

I love the fact that it offers protective botanicals and antioxidants, which claim on the bottle to make your skin appear more youthful and radiant.

I also have sensitive skin and this hypoallergenic sunscreen does not cause irritation on the body or face.

Are you a blogger that needs extra exposure for your blog giveaways and contests? Do you want to keep up with the latest giveaways offering gadgets, cosmetics, food, fashion and much more? I discovered Giveaway Scout by reading a post written by Feeding Four.

Bloggers get to take advantage of a giveaway search engine that shares your contests with a large network of users. The users receive updates on the latest opportunities, as Giveaway Scout automatically scans your blog and many others for new giveaways everyday. If you have the word “giveaway” in your post title, Giveaway Scout will pass along the information to their network – updating every hour.

Follow Giveaway Scout on Twitter and/or Facebook. They also have a newsletter.

If you are a fan of Dr. Pepper soda, then you will appreciate Dr. Pepper Frozen Soda Pops – an inexpensive treat to beat the heat that I found at the Dollar Store. Made with Dr. Pepper flavor, the frozen treats really do taste like the soda. One box contains 10 one-ounce pops, which are only 15 calories each. Simply freeze and eat.

After reading a review for Food Should Taste Good by Mommy Musings, I entered her giveaway to win a 5-pack of healthy chips (your choice) that includes a Chocolate flavor. Sounds interesting, huh? Food Should Taste Good makes a variety of snack options, including Jalapeno, Lime, Cheddar, and Olive, which Mommy Musings says tastes good with hummus.

The tortilla chips offer all-natural ingredients and are gluten free, cholesterol free, and trans fat free. They also do not use genetically modified ingredients (GMOs). Other highlights are their low sodium content, decent source of fiber, and certified Kosher-ness.

If you’d like a chance to try chocolate tortilla chips or any of the other Food Should Taste Good selections, enter the giveaway at Mommy Musings, which ends on August 1, 2010.

This is my first time participating in Tuesday Tag-Along, where you are introduced to a variety of blogs and get to connect with other bloggers, and of course, increase your number of friends across the Internet.  This blog hop is hosted by Twee Poppets Review and Giveaway!

How to Participate

(1) All you have to do is create a Tuesday Tag-Along blog post (and include the accompanying button).

(2) Add your blog name and URL to the McLinky list.

(3) Follow Twee Poppets – the hostess blog, who is in the first slot. She will follow you back, but you MUST leave her a comment saying that you are a new follower and leave a link to your blog!

(4) Follow the Blog Hopper of the Week in the second slot.

(5) Then, it would be nice to follow the three blogs before you, so that everyone has a chance to gain new friends. You are more than welcome to follow any other blog that catches your eye.

(6) When you get a new follower through Tuesday Tag-Along, take a bit of time out to stop by and say ‘hello’ on their blog. Have fun!

I found the master list of Tuesday Tag-Along blogs on Mommy2TwoGirls.

For bloggers with children in the Boy Scouts or if you're reminiscing about a childhood memory in a blog post, this free illustration from Templates.com would make a nice accompaniment. This Boy Scout is featured with mountain and lake backdrop and is gratis for only one week and then this free image is replaced with another.

I usually don’t like fudge-covered cookies, but only the back of this sweet treat is covered in chocolate and it suits the overall cookie just fine.

Keebler Fudge Shoppe Cheesecake Middles are small, but still deliver a very satisfying taste and texture – offering an effective combination of soft sweetness (cheesecake filling as a center) and crunchy nutty (graham) flavors.

If you love cheesecake (like I do), then you won’t be disappointed. Three Fudge Shoppe Cheesecake Middles equal 130 calories.

I confess, I’m an avid reader and a book hoard, but I’m finding it harder and harder to completely finish a book. that’s why I’ve decided to track the books that I’m reading and have read (as of July 2010) to encourage myself to finish the books that I start.

I’m Currently Reading…

• the other Boleyn girl –by Phillipa Gregory
• My Talisman: The Poetry & Life of Alexander Pushkin – translated by Julian Henry Lowenfeld
• Memoirs of a Geisha –by Arthur Golden
• Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia – by Marya Hornbacher
• 100 Discoveries: The Greatest Breakthroughs in History – by Peter Macinnis
• The Book of Lists: Horror

My Book Wish List

• Last Exit to Brooklyn – by Hubert Selby, Jr.
• Life is Hot in Cracktown – by Buddy Giovinazzo
• The Millennium Trilogy:

1. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
2. The Girl Who Played with Fire
3. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest – by Stieg Larsson

Just Finished

• 5 People Who Died During Sex (and 100 Other Terribly Tasteless Lists) – by Karl Shaw

I’d also love to hear your current reading list and recommendations.

I ordered the Minion Berry Pancakes at IHOP last week and they are delicious. Lemon pancakes with a berry compote served with your choice of breakfast combination, such as bacon, sausage, hash browns, and your choice of eggs for $7.99. The lemon pancakes are just right – not saturated with an overbearing artificial flavor. I ordered my berries on the side because I don’t like when fruit toppings make pancakes soggy. The waitress was nice enough to bring a side of whipped cream as well – so thoughtful. The berries deliver slightly tart to sweet sensations, which I absolutely love. The compote complemented the pancakes very well.

The Minion Berry Pancakes are part of a promotion involving the movie, “Despicable Me” – so hurry up and try them – you won’t be disappointed. The Minion Berry Pancakes and other specials (such as Loaded Minion Taters and Minionade) centered on the movie will disappear on August 29, 2010.