Each team is sent clues and challenges to complete on their cell phone using text message or the SCVNGR app. The couple who has the most points at the end of the two hour event will be presented with the ring at an Awards Ceremony held at the House of Blues at 2:00 PM.

To sign up couples are required to submit their love stories at BachendorfsDiamondDash.com. If you sign up using codeword LAURIE you will be guaranteed a spot to participate. You can see the grand prize diamond ring on display (it is GORGEOUS) at Bachendorf’s at 6019 Berkshire Lane in Dallas along with more details on how to play.

Dave and I have discussed renewing our vows for our 10th anniversary, so we signed up to compete. We have participated in one other SCVNGR event to win a car, and had a lot of fun even though we didn’t win. You learn a lot about the city, and the trivia and challenges require a lot of physical activity and teamwork. Who wants to come with us?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. While I was provided a press release and compensated monetarily, the opinions expressed are completely my own and were not influenced by the sponsors.

This post is sponsored by Serve from American Express. Sign up for Serve and receive $10 credit towards your first use. Comment below within the next 7 days for your chance to win an extra $100 credit to your account!

Today I had brunch with friends at Mimi’s Cafe before some holiday shopping. We had Hibiscus cocktails, warm muffins, quiche, french onion soup, and a wonderful strawberry and walnut salad. We were stuffed, and when the bill came there was no guess work thanks to Serve from American Express.

We all signed up for accounts from home ahead of time, and received $10 in our account. It was quick, easy and secure. In just a few days I received a debit card in the mail to use. It was also easy to link my bank account and transfer money back and forth. My friends paid for our brunch on their credit cards, and I easily transfered funds into their Serve accounts to pay them back. I was even able to do this while we were still at the table from my Serve iPhone app, but that’s not the only way to use the service. You can also transfer and send funds from your computer too. So far I have used the service to send money, receive money, and even used my new debit card to make a purchase at Target and Bath & Body Works.

Purchases can also be made online with the debit card, and you can withdrawal funds from your account via ATM or move money back and forth to and from your bank account. You can also sign up for “subaccounts” that allow you to move money to a separate account (with its own debit card) to pay your kid’s allowance or instead of giving them cash for an outing. I can see it as a fantastic way to teach them how to save and budget too. I am definitely already a big fan of Serve, and have been telling everyone I know.

Remember to sign up for Serve and receive $10 credit towards your first use. Comment below within the next 7 days for your chance to win an extra $100 credit to your account! Official sweepstakes rules and regulations may be found by clicking here. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

Thank you to TurboTax for sponsoring my writing about household finances. Learn more about how TurboTax can help you find every tax deduction you deserve. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

It’s February 1, and we’re snowed in. My company is closed, so I can’t even go to work if I wanted to. It’s the perfect opportunity to focus on the month’s finances. I really want to turn over a new leaf in 2011 in regard to managing money.

I used to be perfect on that account. I never carried a balance on a single credit card, and I always moved a big chunk of each paycheck to savings. Now? Not so much. Something happened when we decided to get married and buy a house. Lots of very expensive things. I also was laid off a few years ago, and that didn’t help matters either.

Miss Britt really inspired me with her Envelope System post, and my BFF told me this weekend she and her husband are going to try a similar method. My problem? I have gotten used to not planning, and not thinking about my purchases. I see a pair of shoes I want and I buy them. That would be all well and good if I stopped at the one pair, but the next time I see a pair of shoes I want? I buy those too. I blame my irresponsibility on the fact that we don’t have children, but even so I know I should be doing a better job of managing money. I shouldn’t have credit card debt at all. Suze Orman would be very disappointed.

I know I can’t spend money like I used to either. You know that layoff that I mentioned? The job I ended up getting after that didn’t pay as well starting out. Unfortunately nobody informed my evil shopping twin of that sad fact. We have big hopes of winning the Texas Lottery though. So far we haven’t gotten more than two numbers, but you can’t win if you don’t play.

Luckily Dave is pretty good with planning. He has a calendar and always knows how much is in the account. Of course I also move money into savings each pay period, but it certainly isn’t as much as it used to be. If only I could get this bag out of my head (black, please) then maybe I would be able to focus.

What do you do to manage your household finances that works? Please do share.

Temptation is Beautiful and I’m not just saying that because there is a trip to Vegas involved. Oh no. I just took my Temptress Temperature, an interactive quiz by KOA, and it says I’m Just Right. That may be the case in my every day life, but you know that old saying that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? There’s no doubt my temperature would be rising if I won a trip for myself and three friends, plus $1500 spending cash.

You can also win one of the daily indulgent gift baskets containing Curél®, Jergen’s®, Bioré®, Ban®, and John Frieda® products. You can even enter every day, and earn extra entries by sharing your quiz score with your friends on Twitter, Facebook or by e-mail! (This sweepstakes is for US Residents only.)

Have you taken the Temptress Temperature Quiz? What did you score? Share your results with me in the comments, and don’t forget to spread the word to your friends for more chances to get yourself to Vegas or to win one of the daily gift baskets. If you win the Grand Prize, I hope you’ll invite me to party with you!

The Kroger Family of Stores is offering five free Bonus Box Tops to participants that register at www.RewardYourSchool.com before March 18! In addition General Mills has provided me with a $25 Kroger gift card, and another for one of my readers! Read on to find out how to win.

I just logged on to the Reward Your School website and registered our Kroger shopping card. You’ll need to have yours with you too in order complete registration (it doesn’t recognize phone numbers). Your school of choice will automatically receive the bonus Box Tops, and then you can load your shopping card with other products to purchase during your next visit that will automatically give credit to the school– no clipping necessary. It’s easy, and all you have to do is use your card and purchase your favorite items. You can choose from products by Pillsbury, Yoplait, and General Mills cereals.

Now it’s YOUR turn! Want to win a $25 gift card to the Kroger Family of Stores? Go to the Reward Your School website, register your card and answer one of these two questions: 1) Name three of your favorite Box Tops for Education products or 2) Name three of the stores participating in the promotion.

If you would like to earn extra entries:
1) Follow me @laurie_pooh on Twitter and send the following message:
I entered to win a $25 Kroger grocery gift card from @laurie_pooh and General Mills: http://tinyurl.com/krogergiftcard
2) Follow my blog using the Google Connect in my sidebar to the right.
3) Subscribe to my blog in a reader.

U.S only, please. The winner will be selected randomly from all valid entries on or around February 27. You must leave a comment letting me know your answer to one of the two questions above, as well as additional comments letting me know what else you have done to earn extra entries. Please also use your real first name and leave a valid way for me to contact you should you be selected as the winner. You will have 48 hours to respond to my e-mail before another winner is selected. Good Luck!

This giveaway (gift card) and the information have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark, but the opinions contained within are my own.

It’s almost Christmas, and guess what? I have a special gift for you! If you know me, you know I love Old Navy. I love them so much in fact, that I got out of bed on Black Friday at 1:30 AM and stood in line at our local store. It was freezing and I had to go into work at 7:00 AM. See? That’s a lot of love!

Do you know what is almost as good as Black Friday? If you guessed the day after Christmas, you’d be right. Why? It is one of the best days of the year to get fabulous deals! I adore Old Navy’s jeans. I have about 20 pairs. If I were to take a picture, it’d look something like the one below (except twice as big!) It’s hard to find jeans that fit me because I am so short. I love that Old Navy has petite sizes that fit me like a glove. Not only that, but they are affordable and I don’t have to take them to a tailor for alterations.

This week’s One Day Wonder sale is on 12/26, and it features– you guessed it– JEANS!

Live the fantasy of fab jeans and great prices when you step into Old Navy’s One Day Wonder sale (12/26 only). Be enchanted with amazing denim deals – adult jeans just $15 (Reg. $29.50-$34.50) and kids and baby jeans are just $10 (Reg. $16.50-$19.50), select styles only.

Have you been to OldNavyWeekly.com? I log on every week to get the scoop on their Item of the Week in addition to looking for the hidden money saving coupons. I have never been fast enough to get one of the high dollar ones from the website, and if you haven’t either– this is your chance! They have generously offered ten of my readers one of their $50 off $100 coupons good on an in-store purchase made between December 25-31. That could help you get a lot of jeans for your whole family! Merry Christmas!

To win a $50 off $100 coupon from La Vie de Laurie, tell me what the SuperModelquins are wearing this week at OldNavyWeekly.com. What’s your favorite look?

If you would like to earn extra entries:
1) Follow me @laurie_pooh on Twitter and send the following message:
I entered to win a $50 off $100 coupon from @OldNavyOfficial and @laurie_pooh: http://tinyurl.com/50off100
2) Follow my blog using the Google Connect in my sidebar to the right.
3) Subscribe to my blog in a reader.

U.S only, please. The winner will be selected randomly from all valid entries on or around December 25. You must leave a comment letting me know your answer to the question above, as well as additional comments letting me know what else you have done to earn extra entries. Please also use your real first name and leave a valid way for me to contact you should you be selected as the winner. You will have 24 hours to respond to my e-mail before another winner is selected. Good Luck!

This giveaway is sponsored by Old Navy, but the opinions within are my own. I received no compensation, products, or coupons in exchange for writing this post.

I know that you all know that this is something that I am very passionate about, and that I would happily put myself WAY out of my comfort zone by asking strangers for money, wearing a bra and holding up a sign onthe side of the road, walking 60 miles, doing a 5K (twice) — all to find a cure for this awful disease. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t believe with my whole entire being that this is important and that maybe I am making a small difference. Of course, I couldn’t do it without the help of my friends. Thank you again to those of you that have donated, sent me messages of support, and told me your story, or the story of your friends and relatives who have or are dealing with breast cancer now. I am inspired and encouraged by the stories of survival, and moved by the tragic loses.

Can you believe that Dave will also be walking with me? He has not registered yet, but he has committed to participating in the 5K with me in memory of his mother who passed away in 1996 from breast cancer. I am very proud of him, and I know that she would be too. I wish that I had gotten the chance to meet her.

The walk is not until June 6, so we still have time to continue to raise funds for Komen North Texas. I have reached 45% of my goal as of today. You can make a donation today to support me too. I hope to raise $500 by the date of the walk this summer.

I also want to thank On The Border in West McKinney for generously offering a percentage of tonight’s proceeds to Komen North Texas and my walk. They are also donating coupons for my swag bags, and gift cards for me to raffle. Save the Ta-Tas also donated an awesome gift basket, in addition to stickers which will be included in the swag bags. I will also have some other cool breast cancer related stuff, IZEA goodies, in addition to Mary Kay samples provided by the very cool and entertaining Eddie.

If you are in the Plano/Frisco/McKinney area, I hope that you will drop by and say hello. We will be there from 5PM until close. On The Border is one of my favorite restaurants, and they have awesome meals. I can taste my Sizzling Fajita Salad right now! Hope to see you there!

If you can’t be in McKinney with us, you can support me virtually by following me on Twitter and Facebook to interact with us during the event. Go here and leave me a comment too, if you haven’t already.

Good news of long-awaited
event will arrive soon.
Lucky Numbers 5, 8, 17, 19, 22, 33

I certainly hope that the long-awaited event is a new job. That’s what I took it to mean. I even ate the cookie too, just in case that’s the only way your fortune comes true. Yes, seriously. I am also wondering if maybe I should play the Texas Lottery tomorrow? For some reason I feel extra lucky.

We also went to see Watchmen, which was one of D’s more anticipated movies of late. He read the graphic novel that it is based on. I didn’t know much about it going into it, other than that the main female character’s name is Laurie. I wonder if we’ll see a surge of little Laurie’s running around in the next few years. It was pretty violent as far as superhero/comic book movies go. The plot was semi-interesting, and I am sure most of the fan boys were pleased with the result. I am not sure it is going to do too well at the box office, though D told me that it is the widest released movie ever and that it showed in more theaters at midnight than any other movie to date. Eh. I guess it just wasn’t on my radar, and I am usually on the pulse of what is mainstream. I just don’t think this is.

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Have any fun plans you’d like the share?

Still, that doesn’t make me want them any less. Did you know that I have been sacrificing? I ran out of my usual Clinique powder compact that puts me back a good $25 a pop, and replaced it with a $5 CoverGirl compact from Target. Aren’t you proud? Want to hear other ways I am being economical? I am drinking Slim-Fast for lunch instead of going out and hitting the local drive-thru windows. Not only does my pocketbook thank me, so does my waistline. I also canceled a girl’s lunch out yesterday in leu of an emotional breakdown. That saved me a good $10-15 right there. Instead of the $60 gym membership D and I were wasting, I am taking the opportunity to enjoy nature and quality time with Brownie by walking around our neighborhood. We also nixed our lawn mowing service which means that I will be out there this spring/summer. I even deleted all of the items (including a way cute dress for Easter) from my Old Navy shopping cart. See? I am trying.

Surely all of these things make a measly mirror and concert tickets okay, right? I didn’t think so.