Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Help a Child be Ready for an Emergency #EnergizerCFK #CBias #ChampionsForKids

2012-02-13T12:04:00.001-06:00

The Holiday season has long since passed, and with it our spirit of giving. The winter months are long and cold (depending on where you live of course) and many people, especially children, are in need of the necessities that we sometimes take for granted. Did you know that over 9 million kids suffer from non-fatal injuries every year, and that accidents are the leading cause of death for children. Dangerous weather can cause hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries every year. The Center of Disease Control recommends having a kit ready in the event of an emergency. This kit should include things such as food and water, a flash light with extra batteries, medicine, a first aid kit, sanitation and personal hygiene items. The kits don't have to be super fancy and most of these items can be purchased for a very small price.

There are some ways you can help provide such necessary items to children in need in your community. Get together with your friends, family or co-workers to do a simple service project. Put together some care kits that can be donated to schools, religious organizations or shelters in your community. The care kits can include things like wipes, band aids, tissues, flash lights and batteries and some bottled water. Get creative! If you are not sure what to include, talk to some teachers or social workers to get ideas about what the kids in your area really need.

When you complete your project, report back to www.championsforkids.org/simple. I will be participating in this project and will be donating my kit to Hand in Hand, a local organization that helps people in need.

Remember that the Holiday Season is not the only very important time to step up and help out, necessities and emergency items are needed year round. This is also a project that would be great to do with a Girl or Boy Scout troop!

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias all opinions are my own

Tassimo Recall on Brewers and T-Discs

2012-02-11T09:59:00.000-06:00

A While back I did a review of a Tassimo single cup brewer, well there is a safety recall on some of the brewer and T-discs.

In some of the brewers the T-discs can explode during brewing which can spray hot water and coffee grounds out. I can tell you from experience that this is true, our first brewer did exactly that. Fortunately Tassimo's great customer service did replace our brewer. Right now what they are doing is sending out a replacement part for the recalled brewers. For more information or to check if your brewer or t-discs are being recalled you can visit http://tassimosafetyrecall.com/

Flash Giveaway! Free Tickets to Today's Motorcycle Show in Chicago

2012-02-11T08:04:00.000-06:00

The Progressive International Motorcycle Show is your #1 place to see get the latest Motorcycle news, products, and custom bikes. Already the largest motorcycle show around, this year is going to be bigger than 2011. More bikes, more products, and more learning opportunities.
The best thing about all the Motorcycle Shows is that they’re open to everyone - and a perfect opportunity to families together for a great weekend. Kids are more than welcome to the event, and children under 6 get in free anytime while kids under 11 are free on Sunday. Dads are sure to love the show, and Moms will enjoy all of the cool looking bikes.

There are several show features for you to enjoy, such as the Dream Pavilion, Smage Bros Stunt Show, Ultimate Builder Custom Bike show with a $90k prize, and Kawasaki Design-a-Bike (perfect for kids). The Marketplace is a showcase where you’ll find the latest aftermarket parts and accessories for bikes, and the main exhibit floor features what’s new with your favorite motorcycle manufacturers.

One of the biggest shows is in Chicago this weekend. I am offering a discout of $3 off with the discount code “MOTOINF”. I am also doing a super Flash Giveaway for a Family Pack of tickets to todays show. All you have to do is leave me a comment below with your email address and I will choose a winner at 9 AM. Your name will be on a free entry list! Please ONLY ENTER IF YOU KNOW YOU CAN ATTEND TODAY....if you are not sure then please let someone else have a chance.

The show is at

Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
5555 North River Road
Rosemont, IL 60018

Saturday, February 11 9:00am - 9:00pm

Sunday, February 12 9:00am - 5:00pm

For more details and to purchase tickets click HERE

Hurry, you have one hour to enter!

So Many Winners!!

2012-02-10T10:29:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday everyone! I have a whole list of winners to announce today. I do have more giveaways coming up so if you did not win this time, don't get all down in the dumps, just try again!

Ok, so the first winner is for the Keurig prize pack which was a group giveaway sponsored by a group of us bloggers. The winner has claimed her prize but just in case anyone wanted to know who it was, her name was Marjery Gail Jones, so a big congrats to her.

Next I have the winner of the Little Caesars Hot and Ready gift card, the winner is #49 Denise. An email has been sent and Denise has 48 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

The winners of the Purex giveaway are #78 Vicki and #47 Allison, ladies check your email, I have sent you notifications.

And finally I have the winner of the $50 American Express gift card and Slim Fast coupons, but before I announce the winner I just wanted to let you know that I will have another giveaway just like this one in the near future.....Ok the winner is #108 Michael. An email has been sent!

Thank you everyone for entering and congrats to the winners.

More than a Show its an Experience, #Quidam

2012-02-09T14:03:00.004-06:00

If you checked in a few days ago, I posted that I was going to see Cirque du Soleils Quidam, right here in Chicagoland. They are currently at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates and will be there through Sunday the 12th. We have seen the show on DVD but were so excited to finally see this, one of Cirque's classic shows, live and in person. I was really thrilled that I was also offered a chance to check out rehearsal and the backstage area prior to the show. Jessica, the publicist for Quidam, gave me a behind the scenes tour and some really interesting facts about the show and it's performers.

I apologise that some of my pictures are a little blurry, for the safety of the performers I could not use my flash in some areas. The above pictures are of a rehearsal on the actual stage. What I noticed is that most of the actors and performers are quite young. Jessica later told me that there are over 22 different languages spoken within the group and the performers come from different backgrounds. Some are former athletes, some come from generations of circus performers and some went to circus school. The show is always touring with 10 weeks on and 2 weeks off. I'm not sure I could handle all that, but I guess that is why the cast is so young, they probably don't mind all of the traveling.

Here is another picture of a backstage rehearsal, they were just finishing up. The atmosphere was very friendly, its seemed like they were all good friends and were really having a good time.

There are 20 wigs used in Quidam. These are made from natural and synthetic hair. Each wig needs to be styled before every show

Everything was so well organized and labeled for each performer. If you are basically living out of trunks, you have to be well organized or you won't find anything. I know how hard it is to locate things after a move or a vacation, I give these guys props for being so well organized!

Here is one of the wigs being styled before the show

Sorry this picture is dark, but each performer has their own station like this, with a lighted mirror. They are each responsible for applying their own make-up, and this they are taught to do at the headquarters in Montreal.

And boy did they have make-up. Drawers and drawers full of it, every color you can think of....

This drawer was full of false eyelashes

I got to check out the wardrobe area too. There are approximately 250 costumes, 500 costume accessories and 200 to 300 pairs of shoes in Quidam. Eighty percent of the fabrics are custom-dyed. These fabrics are usually white and are hand-dyed and printed in custom colors in the Montreal costume workshop. These are ready for the show.

Each artist has between 2 and 7 costumes and each costume is specifically designed for the artist. There are two spares of every costume. These are some of the extras. There were costumes around every corner.

Here are some more wardrobe trunks. And if you are curious who does the laundry around here.....

They do their own of course. They travel with their own washers and dryers so that they can wash and take care of their own costumes. Anything that touches their skin has to be washed daily, and anything that is a robe or is worn over a costume has to be dry cleaned once a week. I was really surprised to see these, but I guess it makes sense with how busy they are, who has time to sit at the laundromat.

This lady is painting shoes. The shoes are hand painted and touched up before each show to make sure that they blend in with the costumes.

I was amazed with the amount of stuff that they had with them. Jessica told me that they have 15 trucks and loading them is like a Tetris game, getting everything to fit in all the spaces. I asked Jessica how long it takes them to set everything up, she said that to unload and set up takes them 12 hours but to tear down only 3....wow! I'm sure the organization really helps in this process. Seeing all of this really showed me how hard all of these people work to put on this amazing show that we get to enjoy.

The show itself is amazing. It really is a total experience. The stage is very intimate but there is so much detail in everything that goes on. Everything from the mechanics of the stage (which rotates!) to the live musicians, and the lighting, is breathtaking.

This show has many characters that you can really relate to, combined with the music, it really evokes many emotions as you watch. There is a nice blend of high energy acts such as the Diabolos (Chinese yo-yo) and the clowns, and the more serious but beautiful acts such as the Aerial Contortion in Silk or the Statue act.

This is a family friendly show, and my 8 year old really enjoyed it. I'm not sure if my 4 year old would fully appreciate it though, plus he probably would have been disrupting to the other viewers. Quidam has more of a dark undertone than some of the other Cirque shows, but it really relates to our everyday lives.

Unlike any other Cirque du Soleil show, Quidam does not take spectators to an imaginary realm of fanciful, larger-thanlife characters. Rather, it is an examination of our own world – inhabited by real people with real-life concerns. Young Zoé is bored; her parents, distant and apathetic, ignore her. Her life has lost all meaning. Seeking to fill the void of her existence, she slides into an imaginary world- the world of Quidam – where she meets characters who encourage her to free her soul.

If you think this is like every other circus show that you have seen, you are in for a spectacular surprise. I really loved every second of the show, including all of the transition acts that took us from one main act to another...there is always something to look at, and absolutley no dead air.

If you are in the Chicagoland area and would like tickets to Quidam, you can visit the SearsCentre.com or click HERE, or call 1-888-SEARSTIX (1-888-732-7784). You can also buy tickets (and check to see if the show is coming to a city near you) by visiting www.cirquedusoleil.com/quidam

Sears Centre Show Schedule (February 8 – 12, 2012)

~~Wednesday, February 8~~

Thursday, February 9 at 7:30pm

Friday, February 10 at 7:30pm

Saturday, February 11 at 3:30pm and 7:30pm

Sunday, February 12 at 1pm and 5pm

**A big thank you to the Silverman Group and Cirque du Soleil for complimentary tickets and a wonderful backstage tour, all opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review**

Diversity on Demand and $25 Visa Gift Card Giveaway

2012-02-07T21:46:00.003-06:00

Throughout the month of February, Black History Month, digital cable customers are just one click away from experiencing programming that portays the beauty and struggles that are such an important part of the African-American history and culture. This experience is part of cable's Diversity on Demand. Diversity on Demand kicked off on February first, focusing on Black History Month and will wrap up following Hispanic Heritage Month which is September 15 through Ocober 15th. This special programming is part of cable's ongoing commitment and support of multiculturalism. I think this would be great programming for families to watch together, with their children.

“The cable industry recognizes its responsibility and privilege to use the reach, power and influence of television, Internet and mobile apps to spotlight important issues,” said Char Beales, president and CEO, Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM). “In this case, cable companies and cable nets are bringing together rich resources over multiple platforms to provide customers with the opportunity to experience multiculturalism through history, drama, and fine story-telling. This February, Black History Month comes alive in the home with a click and cable looks forward to sharing the Hispanic experience with customers later this fall.”

Customers can head on over to the Diversity on Demand Facebook page, and by clicking "like" will receive programming updates. You can visit the page at www.facebook.com/DiversityOnDemand.

Black History Month programming for Diversity On Demand includes:

Milestones in Black History:

A look at the history of the struggles and strife, the tragedies and the triumphs of African-Americans in the U.S., including programming on the Civil Rights era. Everyone in the family can get in on the learning with documentaries like “The Black List” examining some of the reasons for Black History Month. And kids young and old can take a trip back in time understanding the importance of historical events with “Seizing Justice: The Greensboro 4,” “On the Shoulders of Giants” and “Birds of a

Feather: Tuskegee Airmen.”

Profiles in Courage:

The biographies of influential African-Americans come to life with dramatic profiles and stories of acclaimed leaders and others who are not so well known—but perhaps should be, such as that of Lena Baker in “Hope & Redemption: The Lena Baker Story.”

Dramas:

Programs and movies like “Independence Day” showcasing award-worthy performances from notable African-American actors such as Will Smith. You can also explore and share real-life family relationship dramas like “Braxton Family Values.”

Hearth & Home:

Savor shows like “Down Home with the Neelys” that provide a look at food and other aspects of modern African-American society.

Of the People:

Program content that exemplifies the contributions made by multicultural talent, shows written by, starring, directed or produced by African-Americans, like Morgan Freeman in “Million Dollar Baby.”

Powerful Portrayals:

Storytelling has always been an important part of African-American culture. Drama fans can enjoy Black cinema offerings, which chronicle the challenges of African-American protagonists in a variety of ways.

That’s Entertainment:

Laugh along with comedy specials such as “Chris Rock: Bigger and Blacker,” while romantic comedies warm the heart. If music is your thing, there are shows and movies such as “Ray,” the remarkable story of one of America's true musical geniuses, Ray Charles, that look into the past, present music-making of African-American artists

One of my readers will win a $25 Visa Gift Card, all you have to do is follow the directions in the Rafflecopter widget below:

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Disclosure:
This promotional sponsored post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. I was compensated for my time investment and work on this campaign. All prizing for MSM giveaways is handled by a third party unless otherwise noted. For this reason prize fulfillment can take up to 90 days after the winners information is received.

BabyGanics, Kills Germs Without Alcohol

2012-02-07T14:13:00.001-06:00

Well, my daughter is home sick again. I'm not surprised, there is so much nasty stuff going around right now that it was inevitable that one of the kids would be sick again. The only thing I can do right now is try to de-germ the house and our hands, to keep the rest of us from getting sick. I like to keep hand sanitizer out and handy for everyone to use, but I hate how dry it makes our skin. I also don't like the alcohol in the stuff for other reasons....anyone else hear about young kids swallowing this stuff and getting admitted into the hospital with super high blood alcohol levels? Yea, well they make it smell good, so duh, babies will try to eat it. I was really excited to try BabyGanics Germinator, the foaming, alcohol free, hand sanitizer.

I love this stuff. It is fragrance free (also available in tangerine scent), alcohol free, and still kills 99.9% of germs. And its foam....which means its fun. This also makes it last twice as long as the gel stuff. If you are still not sure why you should choose natural anti-bacterial products, here is a little fact, there are 275 active ingredients in antibacterial products classified as pesticides....yup p.e.s.t.i.c.i.d.e.s.

I was really impressed with the bottle itself. It has a wide base and larger pump which makes it easier for little hands to grip and use. The Germinator can be purchased on http://www.babyganics.com/ for $6.99. They also carry TONS of other natural baby/kid products such as hand soap, diaper creams and wipes, surface cleaners, laundry products and so much more.

Right now they are also offering free shipping on orders over $28. If you are not into shopping online, their products are available at most Walgreens locations and there is also a store locator tool right on their website.

I was sent free product for review purposes, all opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review

Hey Moms, Why so Frumpy?

2012-02-07T10:26:00.000-06:00

Ladies, what is going on with us? I can't take it anymore, everywhere I go I see the same thing....moms...in pajama pants, hair undone, no makeup, just bumming it, EVERYWHERE. Why? I guess I do understand, I have been there and done that. You get up, throw your hair up, then ready, set, go! Make breakfast, start the laundry, take kids to school, get the groceries...etc. I get it, there is only so much time during the day to get everything done, and there is no time for us....right? Wrong. I lived that way too long and all it brought on was me feeling bad about myself, being in a bad mood, feeling sad and ugly. I realized that no matter what I have to get done during the day, I have to take some time for myself. Now I'm not talking about taking two hours and getting all done up, but enough time to get a quick shower, do my hair (girls, please, at least brush it) and maybe a little makeup. It makes me look better which in turn makes me feel better. I feel more confident. As far as clothes, I do wear sweatpants sometimes but never pajama pants, plus I make sure they're clean....sorry ladies, too many of you that I see at the stores wearing things that need to be in the laundry. I'm not trying to be rude or condescending, I just think we need to take some pride in ourselves, for our mental health. Plus, what message are we sending to our kids when we roll out of bed then go run errands in our Hello Kitty pajama pants? Geez, at this point even good 'ole mom jeans look better than dirty, ripped at the bottom velour pants, at least you took the time to put on some jeans. Yes, I know beauty is not the most important thing, that our kids and our lives make us super busy, but really its not that time consuming to take a 10 minute shower and get dressed. Am I wrong? I know its not the 50's and we don't wear skirts and heels to clean our homes but at least back then women took care of their appearance, now its like no one cares anymore....Does anyone agree with me, or am I off my rocker?

Cash Cow Giveaway Event! Win $235....Cash!

2012-02-06T00:01:00.004-06:00

Woot Woot! Who needs a little moo-la? Well, welcome to the Cash Cow PayPal Giveaway! I have teamed up with some fellow bloggers to bring you a giveaway where you can win $235 PayPal cash! The contest is open worldwide, and anyone with a PayPal account can win.

Enter on the Rafflecopter form below, and good luck!

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Cirque du Soleil Presents Quidam, at Sears Centre

2012-02-05T16:41:00.004-06:00

A few years ago, I caught a special presentation of Cirque du Soleil on PBS. I had never heard of them before (I swear I don't live under a rock) but I knew that I really wanted to see them live. Well I finally have an opportunity because Quidam, one of their spectacular shows, is coming to the Sears Centre. Sears Centre is located in Hoffman Estates, IL, so its not that far away from me. I have seen this show on DVD, but nothing compares to seeing it live and in person!

Quidam had its world premiere in Montreal under the Big Top in April 1996. Since that time, the production has toured on five continents and been experienced by millions of people. The international cast features 52 world-class acrobats, musicians, singers and characters. I'm so excited to be going, the show opens on Wednesday the 8th and runs through the 12th of February, so there are plenty of nights to go see it. The story plot is about a young girl named Zoe who is bored and her parents are distant and ignore her. Her life has lost all meaning. Seeking to fill the void of her existence, she slides into an imaginary world – the world of Quidam – where she meets characters who encourage her to free her soul.

Some of the acts in Quidam include Aerial silks, diabolo (Chinese yo-yo), German wheel, Aerial hoops, juggling and statues.

If you would like to see this spectacular performance, you can get tickets by visiting http://www.searscentre.com/ or by calling 1-888-SEARSTIX (1-888-732-7784).

Losing Weight and Giving Away $50 #VowtoWow

2012-02-03T19:35:00.002-06:00

I think its time for a little Slim-Fast Vow to Wow check in...isn't it? Is has been about three weeks since my trip to NYC, and my vow to drop these last 10 pounds, before swimsuit weather. I am so excited to report, I am down 4 pounds! If that does not seem like a lot to you, you have to understand that I have been stuck at the same weight for forever....even after I joined the gym in October, the weight was still not coming off. The only reason I am shedding the weight is because of the Slim-Fast 3 2 1 plan. If you are not familiar with how it works, you get 3 Slim-Fast 100 calorie snacks (or a healthy substitute with the same amount of calories), 2 shakes or Slim-Fast meal replacement bars (or one of each) and 1 healthy 500 calorie dinner. It was hard for me at the beginning because I am a BIG eater, and a snacker, but I'm doing it. Now my body feels full on the 1200 calories and if I have a day where I am really feeling hungry, I add in another snack bar. The meal and snack bars are delicious and totally satisfy my sweet tooth. I also substitute some of my snacks for fresh fruit, like raspberries or strawberries, or I blend them in a blender with one of the vanilla shakes...Yum-O!

I want to give you guys a chance to try these delicious shakes for free, so I will giveaway to one of my winners an $50 American Express gift card as well as some coupons for free Slim-Fast shakes. Here is the catch, the coupons I have expire at the end of this month so this giveaway will be a super quick one. All you have to do to enter is follow the directions on the Rafflecopter widget below.

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This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Ambassador in the Slim-Fast Women of Wow Program. Visit www.facebook.com/slimfast to join the conversation.

Is This Bullying?

2012-02-02T13:40:00.001-06:00

I'm having a little dilemma with my eight year old daughter lately. I'm not sure what the appropriate thing to do in this situation is, so I thought I would share and see if anyone can relate. My daughter has a friend, let's call her friend #1. She has been friends with her since kindergarden, not exclusively best friends or anything, but good friends. She really likes this friend, we like her too, she is a great kid. So friend #1 has another friend, friend #2, they are also close friends. Recently my daughter has been telling me that anytime she sits by, or tries to play with friend #1, friend #2 pushes her away....she said physically pushes her. Now I have not seen it happen so I do not know if its a hard shove or a nudge, but none the less she said there is physical contact. She has come to me crying, saying she can't play with her friend because the other girl won't let her. She said that girl #2 has also told the teacher that she wants to sit by friend #1 alone, so that the teacher would move my daughter. This is breaking my heart right now, that my kid can't play with her friend because of another girl telling her she can't. I have told her to make sure that she is standing up for herself, that she should tell the other girl that she does not own friend #1 and that they can all be friends, she said that she tried that and it didn't work. Now I'm not one of those moms that immidiately takes action into her own hands, I do want my daughter to learn how to handle hard situations, but last night was the last straw. There was a cheer clinic and a bunch of the girls were attending, including both of the other girls. My dughter was really excited about the clinic and getting to hang out with her friends. When we came home she was in tears again. She said that when she tried to stand by friend #1, the other girl pusher her away again. I was there part of the time, but there was literally a sea of girls learning a routine, and my daughter was in the back, so again I did not witness anything. I don't see any reason to involve parents of girl #1 since she is sort of in the middle and is probably having a hard time herself, watching this happen with her friends, but should I contact the parents of girl #2? Should I talk to the teacher first? I think it is past the point of letting them figure it out on their own....right? If any of you have been in this situation before, please let me know your thoughts. I don't want to make my daughter seem like she ran to mommy and that she is a tattle tale, but when my child is upset every day what am I supposed to do?

Woot Woot! Winners!

2012-02-01T11:58:00.001-06:00

Happy Wednesday everyone, I have a few updates on winners. Soooo....the winner of the Kindle Fire has been chosen and emailed. She has already confirmed.....Congratulations to Shelly P. We are still waiting on the confirmation for the Pay Pay prize.

The winner of the Chicken Soup book is Wendy Rozema (I will be emailing you soon).

If you didn't win, don't fret, there are some awesome giveaways coming up soon, like a CASH cow giveaway as well as a $50 AMEX gift card!

Oh Valentine!

2012-01-27T22:33:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Day is creeeeping up on us, I swear it was just Christmas. This year I have two kiddos in school, which means twice the Valentine cards. I have already been looking around, and the selection of cards at the stores is sort of crummy. I know I could probably have them make cards but my oldest is "too old" to make Valentines (apparently it is no longer cool at her age) and my youngest would lose interest after making two. I have found some really cute ones on Tiny Prints.

I love this one for my son, totally manly, yet heart-felt. Totally beats those ones they sell at the store.

I dig this one for my daughter, you can add a piece of chocolate to it too to complete it. It actually looks pretty yummy....but I digress. I do have one that is my super, ultimate favorite....

Heavy Metal of course! I love this one, I think that this will be the one I order for my son....I'll let the picky 3rd grader pick her own. These are sure to stand out from the pile.

What a start to the year!

2012-01-26T13:37:00.001-06:00

If you follow my facebook page you may have read that some big things have been happening in my life, and its only January. You may have already read about my blogger ambassadorship with Slim-Fast and my trip to NYC. Another great thing is my blog has had some serious growth since Christmas. For some of you that may not mean a whole lot, but to me that is amazing, so thank you for all your support, and a big WELCOME to my newest subscribers. Another big thing is I got braces.

Again, to some of you that may not be a big deal, but I think it is. I have wanted them for a while but finally we made the decision to go ahead with it. It's not as common for 30 year olds to have braces, so I do feel a little self conscious, but I know the end result will be well worth it. Ok, lets add another great thing to my list of January awesomeness....my 4 year old son has become quite the reader! I have known for a while that he knew some words, he has a great memory for sight words, but he knocked me out of my chair the other day when we were reading a story and he read 75% of the words in the book. I'm so proud of him :) I'm still hitting the gym, although I have been busy this month and haven't been there as much as I would like. So far, this year is off to an amazing start and I could not ask for more. How are you guys doing so far in the New Year? Any exciting news?

Keurig Elite, K-Cup Carousel and K-Cups of Your Choice Giveaway!!

2012-01-24T21:43:00.002-06:00

Are you a coffee lover? Want to win an awesome Keurig Elite Brewer? I have teamed up with some fellow bloggers to bring you this amazing giveaway, where one happy camper will walk away with a brand new Keurig, a K-Cup Carousel and a box of K-Cups in whatever flavor your little heart desires. Can't beat that!

This giveaway will be open until February 1st so hurry and get yourself entered in. To enter just follow the directions on the Raflecopter widget. Good Luck!!!

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We Hosted an Oral-B and Crest Cars 2 Viewing Party

2012-01-24T12:01:00.001-06:00

Getting your children to floss and brush their teeth is usually a chore. Oral-B and Crest have made it more fun by making products that are appealing to children, encouraging them to take better care of their teeth. My son loves the Toy Story flossers from Oral-B, the handle is bigger and easy for little hands to hold, and they're colorful and have the characters from the movie on them. My daughter on the other hand, likes the For Me line from Crest, with toothpaste, brushes and flouride rinse made just for kids her age. The toothbrushes are the right size or her mouth and the toothpaste has a flavor she likes. Having products that are made for kids makes brushing and oral care fun for them and they actually enjoy doing it.

At our party we played a game of yucky mouth, healthy mouth. The kids placed cards with junk food, or healthy food in the appropriate category.

They did pretty well figuring out which stuff was good and which was bad. We then got to watch Cars 2! They were so excited since they loved the first Cars movie. We popped some popcorn, got comfy on the couch and enjoyed the movie.

After the movie each kid got a great goodie bag filled with toothbrush, toothpaste, and flossers. They really love those flossers! Since the party, my four year old has flossed every night before bed!

Pizza Pizza (and Giveaway)

2012-01-23T21:38:00.003-06:00

I just got home from a Girl Scout meeting. We just completed our cookie sales, so my co-leader had a great idea to reward the girls with a pizza party. It was sort of a surprise for the girls, and they were so excited to see the pizza boxes being brought in. Thankfully we have a Little Caesars in town, and with their awesome deal of $5 HOT-N- READY pizzas, we had a nice little party. We also got some yummy, buttery crazy bread, and sauce, and I think they ate every last bit.

We usually have a pizza night at home on the busiest day of the week. After running around all day, its nice to be able to stop in there, grab a pizza for $5 and be on your way home, no waiting. Everyone likes it and really, and where else can I feed all four of us for $5. Yep, sometimes just one pizza is enough for all of us.

If you are not sure if there is a Little Caesars near you, you can check out the store locator by clicking HERE.

You can win a gift certificate for a free Little Caesars pizza just by entering below:

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**Disclosure: I was contacted by Little Caesars to share the promotion above. I received coupons for free pizza. All opinions are my own.**

Great Op for Bloggers!

2012-01-23T12:38:00.001-06:00

If you are a blogger and would like a chance to review/giveaway Diamond Candles, head on over HERE and fill out the form.

**FYI I am not the one organizing this, I got this form form another blogger...its worth a shot**

Hunter's Stew (Polish Style)

2012-01-20T16:12:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite Polish dishes is Hunter's Stew, or Bigos. I'm sure there are many variations of this recipe all over the internet, as well as different ones from family to family, but I wanted to share with you how I make it, because my way is the best hehe. If you don't like cabbage, this recipe is not for you. But you really need to give cabbage another shot because it has tons of health benefits such as treatment of constipation, stomach ulcers, headache, excess weight, skin disorders, eczema, jaundice, scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), rheumatism, arthritis, gout, eye disorders, heart diseases and ageing. Cabbage is also rich in iodine, which helps in proper functioning of the brain and the nervous system, this makes it good in treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Oh and if you measure things really precisely when you cook, this recipe is not for you, I usually taste as I go, but luckily there is not too much to measure in this one. One of these days I will write down measurements but for now you will just have to deal with it.

You need 1 head of cabbage
1 jar, or bag or 2 cans of saurkraut
mushrooms (I use portabella)
for the meat you can use pork and polish sausage chopped up and browned. I use venison that is cooked in a crockpot for a few hours, and it works great
bay leaves (larger green dried leaves sold in the spice and seasoning section, come in the same kind of container as other spices)
pepper
tomato sauce...the canned kind, just one small can

Ok so first take the saurkraut and put it in a colander and rinse it for a while, to get all the sour taste out of it.
Put it in a LARGE sauce pan and cover with water, just enough water to cover it, not too much. Bring to boil, let it simmer a while stirring occasionally to let out the "gasses" lol. You can add some pepper and the bay leaves, I use about 4, you can take these out at the very end or leave them in, just don't eat them they taste gross.....

While that continues to simmer (uncovered) start cutting up the cabbage into small pieces and add it in a little at a time...so chop a little, add, stir....chop, add, stir....until you have the whole head of cabbage chopped up and added in....do not use the very center of the cabbage its too hard. Cut up the meaat into small pieces and brown lightly, chop up the mushrooms. Add the meat and chopped up mushrooms and more pepper (I use it generously) to the cooking cabbage, cover and let simmer stirring occasionally. You should not have to add any more water, unless it looks like there is none on the bottom, you don't want it to be watery.

This will need to cook a while, until the cabbage is tender, so check it often. When its close to being done, add the can of tomato sauce and let simmer a little longer, and voila, there you have it. This will make your house smell awful while you are cooking is, just a warning, but it tastes great, especially reheated the next day.

You really need to try it....really its delish!

Tales From the Coop: The Crazy Chicken Lady

2012-01-19T20:00:00.000-06:00

So I am already known around these parts as the chicken lady, at least someone told me that the other day. I don't mind it really, but I think I may have just crossed the line to CRAZY chicken lady. Why? I'll tell you why. The temps here have been like minus arctic winter (thats really cold), well like -10 with the wind chill, and my poor chickens are cold out there in their little coop. So yesterday, as I was cleaning out the fridge a little, I had a great idea. I had all these veggies that were not quite fresh enough for us to eat, but not bad enough to throw away.....do you see where I'm going with this....

I made some chicken soup. Not from chicken, but for the chickens. Well I guess it wasn't really soup, more like a veggie stew, I guess. I figured they needed a nice hearty warm meal, right? I mean, they deserve it, with all that hard work they do laying eggs for us to eat. Well I think they enjoyed it because there were no leftovers....Don't judge.

The Long Awaited Official Announcement

2012-01-19T16:58:00.002-06:00

I know I had been hinting for a while about something big happening to me, that I could not talk about just yet. I did finally let you guys know what it was but only on my facebook page, so I think it is time for the formal announcement....

I was contacted a little while before Christmas by the lovely people of Slim-Fast, and asked to be one of their Blogger Brand Ambassadors, or as we are formally called the Women of Wow. I accepted their offer and was flattered that they picked me. I have never been a brand ambassador before, I was so excited, but was told I could not talk about it just yet. Boy was it hard to keep this quiet. Well, I do not have to keep anything quiet any longer. If you are following my facebook page, I made an announcement about this awesome opportunity, and you may have gotten a little sneak peak at what I was doing yesterday....wanna know?

Oh, I was in New York City, hanging out with four of my fellow Women of Wow, the behind the scenes team and Team Wow. Do you want to know who team Wow is?

Registered Dietitian Ali Auerbach, Chef Robin Miller, beauty expert Joey Maalouf, photographer Nigel Barker, and stylist Jacqui Stafford

See some familiar faces? Let me tell you, they were all great and I got a one on one with each one of them! Ok I'm getting ahead of myself, lets back track. When I agreed to be one of the Women of Wow, I was told I would be going to New York City. My country butt had never been there before, so this was a big deal. I was picked up (yes, I didn't even have to drive to the airport, total bonus) at 5:30 in the morning and dropped off at the airport. I flew into NYC and again was picked up by a car (sorry, the car service thing, totally made me feel important) and taken to Studio Wow. Now I know some of you out there know my obsession with restoring furniture, and that I love that old rustic, distressed style, so I have to tell you....Studio Wow could have easily been my new home. Let me show you around, and check out all the neat Slim Fast stuff everywhere.

This was part of the downstairs, look at that amazing floor. There was tons of rustic accents, like that rocking chair in the corner that I wish I got a closer shot of. But really, if I had a suitcase big enough, I wanted to take home ONE thing, really, really badly....

Isn't it divine? So before we continue on our tour, I just wanted to tell you about the great restaurant we went to for lunch, its called the Bryant Park Grill and the food was super yummy. Here is a little peak into the restaurant

looks like we got a little bit of Tiffany in the picture too, a fellow Woman of Wow

Here are five of us (some ladies could not make the trip) after our lunch

Ok, back to showing you around the place. We then headed upstairs via elevator, and when the doors opened it looked like this...

To the right was a nice sitting area, behind which was Nigel's photo studio, which I did not get a picture of, but I do have a picture of the nice sitting area

To the left was even more to see....

There was this great setup for Joey where we got made over like celebrities. Really, the whole day we got treated like celebrities, everyone was so nice. Continuing on there was a "styling" area where Jacqui talked to us about ways to dress to flatter our figure. I got some great tips from her, and apparently I have been doing swimwear completely wrong. Thank you Jacqui for the great advice, I have already been browsing swimwear on the internet for this summer, but I am going to wait until I reach my weight loss goal to purchase anything.

This is Jacqui and I, notice my before hair....wait til you see the after!

Next was a fabulous kitchen area where we got to talk with chef Robin, as well as taste test some of her yummy recipes. She talked to us about ways to prepare a well balanced 500 calorie meal, so we could stay on our weight loss track.

Ok, so you saw my before hair in the photo above right? And I mentioned we got a little make over right? Well, to our surprise (and total delight) we were told that we would each have a photo shoot with Nigel Barker!!! Oh Em Gee is right. Talk about being nervous. The whole thing was very surreal but SO AWESOME! I can't wait to see my pictures, hopefully I wasn't too cheesy. I got to take a picture with Nigel as well, you know, so I have proof.... :)

So there he is. And there is my after hair, what do you think, didn't Joey do an amazing job? My hair is straight and honestly I would have never thought to do it like this myself, but I love it and feel like I have more styling options now.

So there you have it, out in the open. For the next four months I will be updating you all on my progress with Slim-Fast, but if you want to follow my journey even more, you can check out the Women of Wow tab on the Slim-Fast facebook page, or by clicking HERE. Feel free to post comments or questions there too, I will be checking in frequently!

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Ambassador in the Slim-Fast Women of Wow program. Visit www.facebook.com/slimfast to join the conversation

Its Here! Kindle Fire Giveaway, Yes! Kindle Fire Giveaway!

2012-01-17T10:00:00.001-06:00

If you are reading this, I am currently (hopefully, weather permitting) in New York City right now. But I couldn't just leave you guys all alone, so I have teamed up with some awesome bloggers to bring you this amazing giveaway for a Kindle Fire. (woo hoo right?)

Haven't heard of the Kindle Fire and all of its capabilities? Well....it is WiFi enabled, offers access to thousands of apps and games (yes...even angry birds), 19 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and all of your favorite books., oh yeah and its touch screen. The web browsing is powered by Amazon Silk, trust me, its fast. It also comes with cloud storage to back up all of your Amazon content. I have one and I love it, my kids love it too since they can play games on it.

Now if you do not win the Kindle, there is a second place prize, how about $20 cash via Pay Pal sound? Not too shabby! So enter below for a shot at one of two awesome prizes:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck! And keep your fingers crossed that I come home safely (please).

Lysol No-Touch Kitchen System

2012-01-13T12:33:00.000-06:00

No sure if you guys remember, a little while back I reviewed the Lysol No-Touch hand soap system. I mentioned that I set it up in my kitchen because that is our high trafic, hand washing area. Well Lysol just took things up a notch, and although I wish I could say it was because of me (but its not lol), they just came out with the Lysol No-Touch Kitchen System...Woo-Hoo!

This is what I have been looking for, a no-touch system that is great for dishes, surfaces AND hands, all wrapped up in one modern looking little package. The liquid is powerful enough to cut through greasy messes, kill 99.9% of bacteria but also be gentle on your hands.

There are two starter kits, one in tangerine and one in berry scent. We tried the tangerine, which smells wonderful. My son is obsessed with it, he keeps washing his hands and telling me it smells -sooo good. The start-up kit includes everything you need, including the batteries. The refills come in three scents, the two that come in the start-up kits as well as lemon.

This product is a time saver for me, all I need is one sponge and I can wash my dishes, clean my counters, wipe off the stove, and my hands will smell great and won't get dried out. Best of all, I don't have to get my dirty hands all over a soap pump, just place my palm below the dispenser and voila! just the right amount comes out.

Tried Purex Triple Action Yet? Want to Win a Coupon for a Free Bottle?

2012-01-12T20:19:00.000-06:00

Doing laundry is already a big chore, shopping for detergent should not be. I swear, the prices of detergents just keep going up and up. I have been using Purex for years now, not only because its more reasonably priced, but because it works. They just came out with a new and improved Purex formula, the Purex Triple Action, so if you were a fan before, you are really going to love it now!

I just tried it out and I love it. My clothes came out clean and smelled great. I really don't know why anyone would want to spend more money on a higher priced detergent when this one works so well. And don't worry, Purex works with both regular and high efficiency washers.

Those of you that prefer the Purex Natural Elements and Free and Clear will be excited that they too are available in the triple action formula.

If you want a chance to win a coupon good for a free bottle of Purex Triple Action, just enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Find Your Happiness, Plus Giveaway

2012-01-11T10:09:00.000-06:00

Chicken Soup for the Soul books have been inspiring and and warming our hearts for years. These stories are written by real people about real life events. With the New Year in full swing, Chicken Soup for the Soul has a brand new book out called Find Your Happiness.

Find Your Happiness is 101 stories about finding your purpose, passion, and joy in life. The writers share personal and exciting stories that are sure to encourage readers to find their own happiness. This book continues Chicken Soup for the Soul's focus on inspiration and hope and is the follow up to the best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive.

The stories in this book will teach you how to use positive thinking to change your attitude, find the good in every day, listen to your heart and persue your true passions. Not only that but also to find your purpose at work, play, and through volunteering, experience the joy of giving and most importantly....stop and smell the roses!

You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com by clicking HERE.

I am giving away a copy of this brand new book, all you have to do to enter is follow the directions on the Rafflecopter widget below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want a chance to win an iPad2 or Kindle Fire?

2012-01-10T12:35:00.002-06:00

Rafflecopter is celebrating the new year, their new version, and new and improved widgets by giving away an iPad2 and several Kindle Fires! Entering is super easy, just follow the simple directions on the widget below, and don't forget, when it asks who referred you, put in Agnes Rhodes. The giveaway started Monday 1/9 at 12:01 a.m. and lasts for a month.

I will leave a link to the giveaway in my left sidebar so you can check to see who won when it is over....Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What in the Heck is Going On?

2012-01-07T15:27:00.000-06:00

Well isn't it ironic, they were predicting this to be the worst winter the midwest has ever seen, that Chicagolanders were going to want to move after this winter with its 52 inches of snow and so on and so forth..... Well mother nature is having a laugh right now at all of us that ran out and got all our snow gear early in preperation for this horrible winter. Trust me, I am not compaining, its January and my kids are riding their bikes in sweatshirts. I want to know who it is that was making these predictions because last year was supposed to be mild and we got hit with tons of snow and this year its the complete opposite. Whoever this almighty weather predictor is, I'm hoping he has been fired. The kids are compaining, they got new sleds and snowboards for Christmas and have not had any snow to test them out on. Wanna know what I think.....it seems to me like the seasons are shifting. Summer doesn't get scorching hot until its almost fall and now winter isn't starting on time either. I looked at the 10 day forecast and there is still no snow predicted, besides a 10% chance on Thursday. Seriously, my daffodils have sprouted and I'm not really sure what to think at this point. The chickens that stopped laying in the early cold weather have now started to lay like crazy. What do you guys think, will we see some snow this year, will we get hit hard come February, or will this be the mildest winter we have ever seen?

Hey Bloggers, you don't want to miss this!

2012-01-06T18:05:00.000-06:00

Are you looking to gain followers on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, email subscriptions and more? Want to host a big giveaway on your blog? Giveaway events are an awesome way to boost your followers, as well as offer a stellar prize to your readers! Don’t have a ton to spend? This event is affordable at only $5 for two links! You can even purchase two additional links for $3 each.

Giveaway Details

Dates: January 17-31

Cost: $5. This gets you two links. You can purchase up to two more links at $3/each.

Grand Prize: One lucky entrant will win a Kindle Fire ($199 value!), complete with Wi-Fi, apps, and more! Sweet!

Sign Up!

To join this event, fill out this form (http://svy.mk/wit4Ae). Once you do, you will receive an email with a link to the Facebook group where you can receive updates about the event, along with other important information.

Payment Details

Make payment via PayPal to ashley@freckleberryfinds.com as a GIFT. In the notes section,include your blog name in order to see who has paid :).

Want to get in to the event for free? The blogger who refers the most blogs will have their entry fee refunded! True story!

Here’s how you can promote this event:

Tweet and Facebook: "Playing With Fire Kindle giveaway event sign ups are open! $5 buy in! Make sure you say **YOUR BLOG** sent you! http://bit.ly/xKtOwi"

Sign ups will close January 15. Once you fill out the form and submit payment, you'll receive an email with important information. I hope you'll join me! Don't forget to say ***Diary of a Stay at Home Mom*** referred you!

What are Your Kids Watching on TV?

2012-01-04T12:56:00.001-06:00

For any parent, the task of making sure that your children have access to appropriate entertainment is a difficult, but vital one. This has always been the case. However, with the spread of the Internet, and increased options from cable and satellite tv providers, video streaming services, and all kinds of other technologies, it is becoming harder and harder to keep children from seeing programming that you may prefer them not to see. Of course, to some extent, children will always manage to venture outside of their parents guidelines, whether intentionally or by accident. However, by providing them with the right programming, you can go a long way toward assuring that there is no need or desire to stray. Fortunately, this is possible through the same technology and programming options alluded to above. For example, consider the following kids movies that came out this past summer and are already available through TV programs.

- Kung Fu Panda 2 was exactly the hit that it was expected to be this summer, following the sweeping success of the original installment. The animated film follows a goofy, accident-prone panda voiced entertainingly by Jack Black, as he performs his duties as a world-renowned Kung Fu master, protecting China from various dangers. It's a perfect film for kids, and, actually, for entire families, as it possesses plenty of animated fun, with both childish and sophisticated humor.

- Mr. Popper's Penguins is another film that came out this summer and is already available for home viewing. The film, adapted from the extremely popular kids book, features Jim Carrey as the iconic Mr.Popper, who has to deal with a house full of lovable, shenanigan-conducting penguins. What child wouldn't love such a story?

- For younger children, Winnie The Pooh the movie is also well worth your attention. The film came out this past summer and was hailed as an extremely effective homage to the famed kids books that have captivated children for generations, and will no doubt continue to do so. Particularly if your children are fans of Winnie the Pooh already, this movie is absolutely fantastic.

These are just a few examples of the type of brand new, appropriate programming that is available to kids through tv providers. You can learn more about satellite TV options at www.satellitetvfamily.com. If you provide your children with access to these sorts of movies, or to kid-geared TV channels, etc., you can keep them interested in the things they are supposed to be enjoying, and keep them from straying toward more mature shows. This is great compromise, as it can gain you peace of mind, and keep your children happy and watching appropriate entertainment.

**Guest Editorial**

Breakfast is Served! #TysonGoodness #CBias

2012-01-04T12:28:00.000-06:00

I have to admit, I am so excited that Christmas break is over and school is back in session. When we don't have a routine, I really fall into a slump. I literally could wear my pajamas and robe all day and do nothing but read. This morning was a little rough for both me and the kids, ok, mostly me. I got so used to staying up late and sleeping in that the last thing I wanted to do this morning was get up super early and cook breakfast. My usual solution to this would be to just let them eat cereal but the past couple of days have been so cold that I feel guilty not giving them something warm in their tummies to start the day.

The other day while shopping at Wal Mart, I picked up some Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches. I had heard about them and wanted to try some, but my local Wal Mart did not have them so I picked them up in the neighboring town.

We had to do a little bit of a scavenger hunt to find them because Tyson has so many products in so many locations in the freezer section, that we kept missing them. I finally found them in the section with the appetizers, they were not in the bright red packaging that Tyson products usually come in so they were a bit tricky to find.

I thought that these little guys would be perfect for breakfast on a day like today. These mini sandwiches are so easy to make. You just put the package on a plate, you don't even take the plastic off, and microwave 35 seconds, then flip and microwave another 35 seconds. Let it sit a minute and you are done. My 8 year old can make these on her own, heck, even my 4 year old can make these if I tell him how long to set the time for (yes, he does use the microwave and toaster on his own, but only when supervised)

My daughter gobbled these up, I liked them a lot too, kind of wished we had some lettuce and tomato, but they were great plain. The patties were juicy and the bread was soft but not too mushy. I really recommend these for a quick, warm breakfast. Ooh, just had a brilliant idea, you know how sometimes your kids try to make you breakfast in bed, well they can make you these! It sure beats soggy cereal spilling on the bed, or whatever other concoction they come up with.

Just to let you know, these are not available in every Wal Mart, but if you do locate them near you and buy two boxes, you can get a $5 Wal Mart gift card. Click here for details.

You can see all the photos from my shop by visiting my Google+ album Here

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias but all opinions and photos are my own #CBias

Don't Worry!

2011-12-31T09:51:00.000-06:00

I know I have been absent for a week now, and don't worry everything is fine. Christmas was great but I was very busy and very sick so I decided to take a much needed break. I'm still a little congested but doing much better and will be back to blogging tomorrow, starting the New Year off right! In the meantime I wanted to wish you all a Happy, Healthy, SAFE and Super Fantastic New Year. We are staying in this year and celebrating at home.

Until tomorrow my peeps! Happy Happy Happy New Year!

Need a last minute gift idea?

2011-12-24T14:51:00.000-06:00

If you are still looking for a last minute gift idea for your mini-gamer, how about the DaGeDar game for Nintendo DS. This game is based on the hot new children's game DaGeDar where you roll and race balls in almost a pinball like way. This gamet has three modes that will take you through the game's thirty three courses. This game has 100 unlockable DaGeDars, each one has its own stats like speed or accelaration.

The fist mode is the Championship mode, where you choose a character and race against an opponent. There are three championships to start with, followed by another three when you beat those, and then the final championship is a best of three. There is a practice more where you can learn and try to get better and better.

The racetracks are fast and action packed but you do have to be careful and watch out for different blocks and gaps. There is a Time Attack mode where you race set a new best time but there is also a target time for you to beat. Beating the target time will unlock a new racers, which you can also do by winning a championship.

My son is 4, he loves fast paced racing games, so this game was right up his alley. He loves DaGeDar so he was super excited to see that there was a gmae like this for his DS. This is one of those games that doesn't get boring because there are laways new DaGeDars to unlock. You can play is as one or two players and it retails for only $19.99.

If you need a great last minute stocking stuffer or gift for a kid that loves speed and racing, this is the perfect game

Need a Stocking Stufer Idea?

2011-12-21T22:10:00.000-06:00

I have posted about Gogos Crazybones in the past, and I have told you all how nutty my kids were over them and how much they played with them. Let me tell you, all this time, they still play with them. My son especially, still gets excited over opening a new pack and plays with them constantly. I bought him a plastic storage container for his collection, and it is full.
Gogo’s Crazy Bones are the perfect gift, gift topper, goodies for classmates and school Holiday Parties, or stocking stuffer for boys and girls ages 3-11. They are available in Limited Edition Collector Tins, individual packs, Gogo's Play Mat, and many more variations. The ones that I have seen the most in stores are the individual packs (come with 3 Gogos and 3 stickers) and the collectible tins, and prices range from $0.79 - $19.99. Series 1-3 are currently all available across North America.

Each Gogo's character has unique skills that work to improve kids math and social skills. With all of the diverse members in the Gogo’s family, kids can use their imagination to play a variety of games, or get creative and make up their own! Our favorite game is Battle, and you play by lining up your Gogos across from your opponents, then you flick or toss your Gogo across to try and knock down your opponent's Gogos. Little man is pretty good at this game, but he always has to use his favorite Gogos.

If you are looking for a place near you to purchase Gogos (I have bought them at Wal Mart, Target, Toys R Us and Walgreens), you can visit their website www.gogoscrazybones.com be sure to follow @GogosMosh on twitter and like them at http://Facebook.com/gogoscrazybonesfans.

He Just Wasn't Havin' It!

2011-12-21T06:37:00.000-06:00

Two nights ago was little man's Holiday Program at pre-school. We had been preparing for it for quite sometime and he was very excited, as were we. I had long conversations with him about making sure he sings the right words to the songs and not Jingle Bells, Batman Smells (thank you older sister) and We Wish You a Merry Cheesecake (thank you Pandora). He got to wear a shirt he picked out, a green button down, also known in our house as handsome guy shirt, and his new shoes. My husband got off work early and both my mother and mother in law came to watch. What you have to understand about my son is that you really don't know what you are gonna get at any given time. His last school performance (only I attended, it was during the school day) he was singing and dancing, and encouraging his friend who was not singing, to sing. I was expecting similar enthusiasm this time around. I had to leave him in his classroom with his teacher and classmates so that they could line up, and then I went to the gym to find my seat. Now I'm not exactly sure what happened in the 10 minutes that I did not see him, but when the kids walked out, he was not happy. In fact, he was in full pout mode. So this is what we got from him during the program.....

And so on, and so on....then he just sat down and pouted some more. My guess is that he didn't get to stand by someone that he wanted to stand by and that just started it all. After they sang, Santa made a surprise visit and that just freaked him out even more. He has always been fine with Santa until this year, this year he is scared. Well no use getting mad over what I can't control, this will definately be a Holiday Program I will never forget.

W-W-W-Winners!

2011-12-20T21:38:00.000-06:00

Yes ladies and gentlemen, only 5 days 'til Christmas and the insanity here at my house has reached a new level. I'm telling ya, all I want to do is sit around by the fire with my family sipping hot cocoa, but right now, this mom is on Mission Make Christmas Happen. Ok, so I exaggerate a little but I could use a couple of extra hours in the day. So on to winners. The first winner is for the flash giveaway (that was longer than a flash)

The winner of the Rock N Learn Dance With the Animals is #5 Beth Elderton
The winner of the Pokemon Prize Pack is #6 Singlewith3
The winner of the Chick-fil-A Prize Pack is #1 Janet W.

Congrats, emails have been sent so check (check your spam if you didn't get it)

Helping Our Furry Friends #CBias #ILoveMyK9

2011-12-19T12:29:00.000-06:00

About a week or two ago I told you all about my shopping trip to get items for a gift basket which we were going to donate to Tails Humane Society, and if you missed it, you can read about it here. Well, we got it all put together and the kids were super excited about going to deliver it. So here it is...

Little man didn't want to part with the squeaky toys, he kept sneaking in a squeak here and there.

They were so proud of it and couldn't wait to take it there. I didn't check their hours so the first time we drove out there it was closed. So the second time I made sure to get online and see if they were open before we went all the way out there.

Here they are in front of Tails, ready to deliver the goodies!

The place was packed, I think they were doing some special adoption event for cats and kittens, the vlounteers were really busy and all we really got was a quick thank you. For me its not a big deal, I guess I just wanted the kids to feel like the donation was appreciated. They were quickly distracted by all the little furrballs so it was ok. We also went in the back to visit the doggies. There were no puppies but lots of adult dogs who were waiting to be adopted. One sweet yellow lab was in a large room and laying on his bed with the saddest eyes. It broke my heart seeing him there, he looked like he missed his owner, or didn't understand why he had been abandoned. I hope that sweet guy finds a family to love him. The kids wanted to take him home but we just can't right now. Hopefully all the pups there are enjoying their treats and toys as well.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias all opinions, ideas and photos are my own.

Got Our Groove On with ABBA You Can Dance!

2011-12-16T23:01:00.000-06:00

We wanted to take some time out from the Holiday craziness to just have some fun. Originally, I had wanted some of our friends to join us for this laid back, fun night, but with every one we know trying to get ready for Christmas, shopping 'til they drop and visiting with family....it ended up just us. What I came up with was the Pizza, Pajama, and ABBA You Can Dance party! Why ABBA? Because the music is great, I have loved it since I was a kid, and now my kids like it too.

MMMMmmmmm....Greasy pizza! Think I ate about four slices!

Boo Boo made some decorations (it says Dance Time!)

First up was Alexis and Maddox, oh yeah, check out the disco ball by the fire place. Their favorite songs are Mama Mia and Marionette, I think they're hillrious to watch. Little man didn't even mind too much that in some of the some of the songs he had to be a girl.

I was next. Yep I got a solo role, and check out those jammies. This game had us in stitches, trying to figure out the moves. We actually started naming some of them ourselves, there's the snake and the choo choo and oh yeah, the tip toe!

Yes! We even got Dad to dance, this never happens. And he is smiling! This game is so much fun, the moves are simple enough for kids to do but still so much fun. There are 26 timeless songs to choose from, even the popular "Dancing Queen" I love the fact that the words of the songs are on the screen, apparently I have been singing the wrong words to some of the songs.

This game is perfect for family game night, or a friend game night and you can buy it for $29.96 on Amazon.

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the http://www.clevergirlscollective.com/">Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

In the Spirit of Giving Back #CBias #DisneyCFK

2011-12-16T13:17:00.000-06:00

A week ago I finally found a giving tree, you know the kind that you take a tag from that has a childs age and interests or clothing size and you shop for them and bring it back. I was looking for one for the simple service project I was working on for Disney Champions for Kids, so I finally got to go and shop for it. I went to my local Wal Mart to stock up on Disney themed items to fill a stocking for a child in need.

The tag I took off of the tree was for a girl but when I started shopping I saw all the great deals on Disney merchandise (Cars2 stuff yeah!) that I started buying both boy and girl items. I only bought one stocking but I knew all the things I got would not fit in there.

There was also a group of High Schoolers in the store at the same time as me that were shopping with their teachers, for needy children. They were shopping with money rasied by a local organization. The mood was awesome and very Christmasy. It makes you feel so good that you are able to really make a child's day by doing something so easy, like shopping.

I wanted a Disney themed stocking but unfortunately this is all I had to choose from at my Wal-Mart.

Lots and Lots of Pretty Princesses! I got two of these, Ariel and Tiana and they were priced so reasonably!

I also bought some soft, warm, Minnie Mouse Pajamas

Here is my cart prior to checking out, I put back that pink sweatshirt after I discovered it was damaged, it was the only one left too.

After I came home I went through all he stuff that I bought. I had stuff for a boy and girl so I decided to make two "stockings" for the giving tree. The other one was primarly Cars 2 stuff. Since these items were going to the giving tree, they had to be unwrapped. I sort of stacked them then tied them with a ribbon. I had some other items I had collected for donating so we put everything in a big green tote bag, ready to deliver.

At first, Little man wanted to keep some of the toys but I explained to him a little the purpose for donating them, that some kids needed them more and that they did not have everything he had here at home. After our talk he was ready to play Santa!

Sissy was all ready to go!

Here is the giving tree!

I'm hoping my kids learn something from this, that giving is more important than receiving, and that it is so important to help those around us. To see all the photos from my shopping trip, you can check out my Google+ album by clicking HERE.

**This shop was compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions, ideas and photos are my own**

Flash Giveaway! Rock N Learn DVD!

2011-12-15T14:07:00.000-06:00

Oh-Em-Gee, 10 days 'til Christmas! I'm going to be doing some awesome Flash Giveaways, starting with one right now. First, let me tell you all the boring stuff:

This giveaway (as well as all future Flash Giveaways) is open to U.S. residents only, you must be 18 or older to enter. Any prize not claimed within 48 hours will be given away to someone else, so check your email, including the spam folder.

Ok, now for the giveaway:

Ok, leave me a comment with your email address to be entered, that's all I need from you. Giveaway will be over tonight at MIDNIGHT!! Good Luck!

Win a Chick-fil-A Prize Pack!

2011-12-15T12:45:00.001-06:00

Guess what, Chick-fil-A Cow Watches are now available in Kid’s Meals! But wait, want to win one from me? I'm giving away a Chick-fil-A prize pack consisting of

Five Cow Watches!
Two Chick-fil-A Plush Cows!

All you have to do is take the super short quiz below and then in a comment leave me your results and email address. This is open for US residents ONLY. When you are done, check out the other portion of the widget that gives you 10 Family Holiday Activities to make your Holidays super fun!

This giveaway will end on 12/18 (at midnight) so hurry up and enter! I will be choosing a winner at random and emailing, winner will have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.

Kidorable is not just great rain gear...

2011-12-14T21:59:00.001-06:00

Anyone who has ever seen my kids rain gear always asks me where I got it, well its from Kidorable, of course. They really have the cutest, well made and durable kids rain gear around. But I don't know how many of you know that raingear is not the only products that they carry. They have plenty of items to keep your little one warm this winter with super cute hats, gloves and scarves.

They have many styles for both boys and girls, and you really can't beat their prices. I ordered my daughter some of the character gloves with the little people on the fingers, I remember having a similar pair when I was little and they were my favorite. I'm putting them in her stocking and can't wait to see her face when she sees them. Kidorable creates clothing items that children love because they're colorful and playful and stimulate their imaginations.

You can head over to their site and take a Holiday Gift Buying quiz, its fun. quick, easy and educational, because it is disappointing to give a gift that a child is mesmerized with for 10 minutes, then never plays with again. But its even worse to give a gift that is never loved at all. It doesn't matter if you are giving toys or socks - the key is to find gifts with lasting play value.

So go check out their great selection and take a shot at the quiz, see how well you score!

Winners!

2011-12-14T11:42:00.000-06:00

Can someone please slow down time??? 10 days til Christmas Eve, can it be? I'm so not ready, I haven't even mailed cards yet, oh boy. Ok I finally have winners to announce so ya-hoo!

Winner of the Kimochis giveaway is #4 Jennifer Brown

Winner of the Pet Cakes is #8 Dree Getz

Winner of the Silk Prize Pack is #4 JC

Winner of the Kidorable Umbrella is #25 Stephanie Phelps

Congrats, emails will be out shortly!

Nex Deals on Crocs!

2011-12-13T06:48:00.000-06:00

Celebrate Green Monday With Buy One, Get One FREE On All Sale Items at Crocs.com! Stock up now for spring.

Extra 10% off all Fuzz styles with code FUZZ10 (non-stackable & excludes croc chameleons) until 12/25 at Crocs.com!

Free Economy Shipping on All Orders until 12/31 at Crocs.com!

Build-a-Bear 50% off all Sale Den Items today only!

2011-12-12T06:42:00.000-06:00

Don't miss out on this hot deal because it is one day only. Buildabear.com Daily Deal on 12/12 only! 50% off ALL Sale Den Items. Use code 97232 at checkout. Hurry and check out what's in the sale den because once its gone its gone.

How do you give back? #CBias #DisneyCFK

2011-12-08T22:36:00.001-06:00

Each year, when my kids start their mile long Christmas lists, filled with wishes for XBoxes and American Girl Dolls, I try to talk to them about helping or doing something for those not as fortunate. I'm not sure how much they understand, that there are people who have no food of homes and that it is important for us to do what we can to help. My Girl Scout troop is again doing their food drive but this year we are also collecting coats. The donations are going to an organization called Hand in Hand that is part food pantry and part a place where someone can turn for help when they really need it. Last year our food drive was a little earlier in the year and it turned out that we were delivering what we collected on the day before Thanksgiving. The woman who runs the place was in tears, their shelves were empty and she was so thankful for what we brought in.

This year, since the kids are a little older, I really want them to start doing more so we have also taken a tag from the Giving Tree at a local store and will be buying art supplies (as requested) for the young lady who's tag we took. The kids sometimes ask me why Santa doesn't bring those kids anything. I have struggled with this question because I'm not ready for them to stop believing but at the same time want them to realize just how lucky they are and be thankful for what they have. Sometimes I say something like "because some people don't even have a tree for Santa to leave the presents under, or a stocking to fill." If anyone has a better answer PLEASE let me know because I don't think they are buying it anymore.

We are also taking a donation to an animal shelter. The kids are really excited about this, but my son does not want to part with all the squeaky toys. I tried to explain to him on the way to school that the animal shelter is run by volunteers (try explaining what that means to a 4 year old) and that they don't get paid for what they so so they sometimes don't have enough money to buy all the supplies that they need so they need our help. I really think that its starting to make more sense to them, at least I hope it is.

This year we are also going to be participating in a service project for Champions for Kids. We will be shopping for Disney goodies at our local Wal-Mart and filling a stocking to donate to Hand in Hand. Champions for Kids is working hard to mobilize millions of people to improve the lives of children in communities across America. They do this by providing training and resources and they are motivated by one purpose, which is to support people and organizations working to make our communities a better place for children.
For more information about Champions for Kids or for ways you can get involved and help out, please visit they website at www.ChampionsForKids.org. You can also follow them on twitter at www.twitter.com/Champions4Kids or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/championsforkids.

The kids are really excited about going shopping to fill the stocking. I know there will probably be some bickering weather we should buy for a boy or a girl so maybe we will do two of them.

Please join us for a Champions for Kids Twitter party December 9^th at 9:00 EST, using the hashtags #DisneyCFK. and #CBias.

**This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias, all opinions are my own

PetCakes Series Two Forest Animals Giveaway

2011-12-08T13:57:00.000-06:00

Last Holiday Season I got to review series one of these adorable, loveable little PetCakes so I was super excited to see that there is now a series two! These cute little forest animals are nestled in cute little cupcake wrappers and topped off with cupcake top!

These little guys are collectable and super sweet. Perfect to give as a gift, party favor or stocking stuffer, your kids will love. At first glance they will just see a cupcake, but will be surprised to find the little animal inside. This series has four animals to choose from, Roco Coco the Racoon, Honey Cakes the bear, Bamboo Berry the Panda, and Nutty Nicky the squirrels.

Boys love these little guys too, my son plays with them just as much as my daughter. I love the bright bold colors and their sweet little faces!

One of my readers will win one (randomly selected) PetCake! Open to US Only, hurry this giveaway is two days only. Here is how to enter:

Good Luck!

**I received PetCakes for review purposes only, all opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review**

Don't Forget Our Furry Friends this Holiday #iLoveMyK9

2011-12-07T22:15:00.001-06:00

The Holiday Season usually gets me thinking about how much I have done to give back to my community, and each year I feel like I really could have done more. Our lives are so busy that before I know it, the year is over and I feel a little guilty. For a couple of years now, I have been wanting to volunteer at a local Humane Society. I think it would be something I could do with my daughter and know that we would both really enjoy it, but for some reason it has been put off and put off. Well since the month of December is pretty much booked up for us, we thought that donating a puppy prep kit to the shelter would be a nice way to help out, until we have more free time to actually go in there and volunteer. I think this is a good way to teach my kids that the Holidays are more about giving than getting. My shopping trip though, I determined, would go more smoothly kid-free, so I decided to go after they were dropped off at school.

I went to our local Wal Mart to get my shopping done. This Wal Mart just recently opened and it is like a mini-Supercenter. It's open 24 hours but it's quite a bit smaller than your average Super Wal-Mart.

I was a little concerned that they might not have a few items on my list, they have been known to run out of items and not restock in a timely fashion. I was worried that I would have to drive to the Super Wal-Mart in the neighboring town.

To my surprise, the pet section was actually pretty large and well stocked. It has been a while since we have a had a puppy (our fur-baby is all grown up) so I wanted to look around and get an idea of what is really out there and available. There were only three things on my list that I wanted to get for sure, I figured the rest of the stuff would be things that caught my eye while shopping. First on my list was Pup-Peroni®.

The dog treat isle was a little overwhelming, there are so many to choose from.

I found the Pup-Peroni® fairly easily. The package that was at eye-level for me was the large package, priced at $10.52. That seems a little pricey to me, so I was glad they offered a smaller size package for $2.48. This one, though, was a little higher up on the shelves.

I chose the Combo Bites because they're small so I thought that they would be great as training treats, plus they look like the Combos that we eat! Next, what puppy prep kit would be complete without some Milk-bones!

I love the variety pack and this was an even bigger box which also included a coupon for $2.00 if I also bought Pup-Peroni® or Milos Kitchen® treats, which was a nice bonus. I have been buying Milk-bone® for years, these treats were my go-to treats for training. I love the price and also that you can break them into smaller prtions....plus my dogs have always loved them. Next on the list was Milos Kitchen® treats. There were quite a few varieties to choose from, I really had a hard time choosing since these look like real food. I ended up with the Beef Jerky flavored ones.

I browsed the pet section and thought about all the things that a new puppy needs, trying to come up with some more items for my kit. Obviously, since puppies chew a lot, I would need some chew toys. I found some squeaky toys that look like balloon animals, they're super cute, and some rope bones which are my dogs favorite. There were not so many care items available, such as nail trimmers and brushes, but there was a nice selection of doggie shampoos.

I didn't end up getting this, but I wonder if it works, anti-shedding shampoo. Lucy needs some of that. I also added a couple of bowls to my kit, nice Holiday green ones. The dog bowls were sort of hidden amongst the bags of dog food in the next isle. I think maybe if they were next to the treats or with the care items, they would get noticed more.

I also did not purchase a collar. I think that is more of a personal item, I know I'm kind of picky about my dog's collar, plus you dont really know what size to get since breeds come in so many sizes.

I did purchase some puppy training pads and some pet stain and odor remover. I have never tried the training pads but it is really cold outside now and it could snow any day, so a little puppy might not be so willing to let you know he has to go out. This Purina pet stain remover, however, does work like a charm. My dog got sick while I was out one time and I had to use this. She never goes in the house, so I knew she must have not felt good at all, and of course she didn't go on the hardwood, only the rug. This stuff got the stain and smell out and didn't leave an overpowering scent behind. This stuff also gets marker and various other child stains out of carpet :)

Here is my cart prior to checkout, I added a big red bow and a stocking to use when putting my kit together to make it festive looking. There are also a few other grocery items in there. Over all I think my shopping trip was a success, I have enough things to put together a nice puppy starter kit to donate to the shelter. Can't wait to put it all together and have my kids deliver it! If you want to see all the photos from my shopping trip you can check out my Google+ album HERE.

**This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias, all opinions are 100% my own. #CBias**

Start Renting Textbooks

2011-12-07T16:55:00.000-06:00

If you have not started renting your textbooks instead of buying them, then you are missing out. There are so many perks to renting books from CampusBookRentals.com. And now there is an even greater reason to rent. For every book you rent from Campus Book Rentals a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Operation Smile, which is a charity that helps children all over the world born with facial deformities.

So, why else should you rent, besides helping a less fortunate child be that much closer to smiling? For starters, you don’t have to leave your dorm room. You can get all the books you need for next semester with just a few clicks of the mouse. Additionally, you will not have to search the bookstore aimlessly trying to find what you need, since Campus Book Rentals has the largest selection of textbooks in the country. Once you have ordered your books they will be shipped to your doorstep for free. You can then use the books the same as you would use books that you would have purchased, including being able to highlight and write in the margins. Finally, when you are finished, you simply pack the books back up and ship them back to CampusBookRentals.com for free.This website has been helping students since 2007, and also offers a 30 day trial period and flexible rental dates.

So join the many college students that have already started renting their textbooks, and also help a charitable organization.

**This is a sponsored post**

Holiday Gift Guide: IKEA Soft toys, and Help Educate Kids

2011-12-05T22:17:00.000-06:00

I have always been a huge fan of IKEA, I love their modern and functional designs. I know that everytime I shop there I will find exactly what I am looking for at exactly the right price. Its one of those places I can spend all day in, finding new things around every corner, and even enjoying their yummy (super cheap) food in the cafe. If you have ever checked out the children's section, you know that IKEA has a large selection of soft toys of all shapes and sizes, but I bet you didn't know that for every soft toy you buy there, a $1 goes to educate children.

Since 2003 The IKEA Soft Toy Campaign has donated $47.5 million to UNICEF and Save the Children. This generous contribution has helped about 8 million in about 40 countries get access to qualtiy education. This year the goal is set at $16 million

The soft toys that IKEA offers are cute and have loveable faces. They're very soft and most of all, very affordable.

This sweet little bear is only $1.99! What a perfect stocking stuffer, and just think, a dollar of this purchase is going to help a child lead a better life.

I love this guy and his silly blue socks, and he is only $4.99

Soft toys often become our kids' best friends or things of comfort. They sleep with them, talk to them and bring them everywhere they go. If your child has put some sort of stuffed toy on their wish list this Holiday season, choose to purchase that soft toy from a company that cares and gives back to children around the world. And if your child has not put a soft toy on their list, why not surprise them with a cute and loveable character that will surely be loved.

Keep in mind when shopping that the larger soft toys do cost more (I think the highest price I saw was $14.99 for the larger softies) and not all soft toys can be shipped. You can check the IKEA website for soft toys that can be shipped to your home, but for the full selection, visit your local IKEA store. While you are there, don't forget to grab some lunch, it is so yummy!

**I received soft toys for review purposes, all opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review**

Need some funny gift ideas?

2011-12-03T22:51:00.001-06:00

I guess I should be shutting the lap top and hitting the sack right about now, but I needed to share this with you guys....some totally awesome and hillarious (at least to my strange sense of humor) gift ideas from around the web. In no particular order, here we go:

Canned Unicorn Meat, only $12.99!

Found this awesomeness on ThinkGeek.com. It really contains a small, plush, dismembered unicorn, not real meat, but either way I think it would totally scar my daughter.

Ok, forget pillow pets, I want a chumbuddy. Not sure what one is? Check this out...

No words to describe this awesome idea!

Unfortunately this guy is out of stock, so I'm not even sure how much he is, rumor has it about $119. If anyone runs across a site that has these available PLEASE send me an email.

This next one is for no one in particular on my shopping list.....

The OCD cutting board, simply awesome. I'm pretty sure this one would never make it out of my house, I would start cutting things up and trying to fit them perfectly into the squares, and trimming, and lining them up, well you get the idea.

And if any of you are looking for that perfect gift for me, I will make it really easy, I need a $100 gift card to F.A.O. Schwarz, here is why

I grew up on the muppets and the muppet show so when I found out last year that you can create your own Whatnot at F.A.O. I flipped. Why I do not have one yet, I do not know...maybe its just a commitment issue, I can't seem to decide on the features I like the best.

Here is one I just made, and I really like this one...

Yep, he's a keeper!

This post was NOT sponsored by any of the above, but if they would like to send me one of these products I won't say no :)

Pokemon The Movie: White Victini and Zekrom in Theaters This Weekend! (Plus Giveaway)

2011-12-02T06:46:00.000-06:00

Ok all you Pokemon fanatics, the new movie is in theaters December 3rd and 4th, that is this weekend ONLY!

"During their travels through the Unova region, Ash and his friends Iris and Cilan arrive in Eindoak Town, built around a castle called the Sword of the Vale. The three Trainers have come to compete in the town's annual battle competition, and Ash manages to win with some unexpected help from the Mythical Pokémon Victini! It turns out Victini has a special bond with this place...

Long ago, the castle watched over the Kingdom of the Vale, and the partnership between Victini and the king protected its people who lived there. But that kingdom has since vanished into memory, leaving behind powerful relics and ancient Pokémon. Damon, a descendant of the People of the Vale, is trying to restore the lost kingdom with the help of his Reuniclus. His quest has taken him to the far reaches of the barren desert, and he has convinced the Legendary Pokémon Reshiram to join him in the search for truth!

Damon plans to trap Victini and harness its power, and as that plan gets under way, the entire town of Eindoak faces disaster! Can Ash awaken the Legendary Pokémon Zekrom to help him stop Damon and save Victini? The greatest adventure in Pokémon history approaches!"

This movie is for your older kids (ages 7 and up) and "big kids" (those of us who grew up with Pokemon) who trade Pokemon and are familiar with the characters and story

The movie will be shown only in theaters December 3rd & 4th, 2011

Website: http://pokemon.cinedigm.com/

Theatre and Ticket info: http://pokemon.cinedigm.com/get-tickets
(more locations will be added)

As an added event bonus, everyone attending the screening will receive a special, limited edition FREE* Pokemon gift pack at the movie theatre. This Limited Edition Pokemon gift bag is only available at theatres, to people who have bought tickets to see Pokemon The Movie - White Victini and Zekrom, *while supplies last.

I am also doing an awesome giveaway to go along with this new movie. Included in the giveaway is the following:

1 Pokemon™ Zoroark: Master of Illusions

1 Pokemon™ Black and White Manga vol 1

1 Pokemon™ Black and White Limited Edition Drawstring Bag

1 Pokemon™ Black and White Emerging Powers Trading Card Game Booster Pack

1 Pokemon™ The Movie Black and White Victini and Zekrom poster

To enter (US Only) leave me a comment below telling me who you would take to this movie. Don't forget to also leave me your email address so I can get a hold of you if you win. This giveaway will end at midnight Dec 16th. Winner will be chosen at random and notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be chosen. Good Luck!

Christmas Traditions...What are yours?

2011-12-01T16:18:00.000-06:00

Well December is here so 24 days til Christmas! Yep, 24, because in my family we celebrate Christmas eve as well. In Poland (where I'm from) Christmas Eve is the beginning of the Christmas celebration. There are many traditions that go along with it, many of which we still do year after year with my side of the family. In Polish, this eve is called Wigilia (Vee-geel-yah). Prior to dinner we "break bread" I guess you could call it. Each person takes a wafer-like "bread" called oplatek (oh-plah-tek) and goes around to the others breaking off a piece of theirs, as they break a piece of yours, and wishing them the best for the next year. We do not eat meat on Wigilia, but there is quite a large selection of fish prepared in many ways. The most common fish is Herring. This tradition stems from a long-time Church mandate that a strict fast be observed on this day before Christmas. We have changed this up a bit and added one meat dish to our dinner since my husband (who is not Polish) does not care for fish....and my little brothers don't either. There is also a special soup my mother makes only on Christmas Eve and its everyone's favorite, even the picky eaters. This soup is called borszcz and is a red soup made out of beets. The soup is served with little tortellini-like things filled with mushrooms....don't knock it 'til you try it, its the best soup EVER.

Traditionally, on Wigilia, you should put a little hay under the tablecloth in honor of Christ being born in the manger. After dinner my dad tries to get us all to sing Polish Christmas carols, none of which we remember all the words to, while the kids get antsy to open presents, which are opened that night. When we were kids we went to Midnight Mass at the Catholic church. My parents still go, but we try to get home to get the kids to bed so Santa can come.

Christmas morning is always fun, last year the kids woke us up at 4 a.m. After presents are opened we head to my in-laws for breakfast cassarole, mimosas, and more gift exchanging. We relax and enjoy each other's company until the afternoon, then head out again to my husbands aunts house for Christmas dinner.

Its always a busy time of year for us, but always a special time. I am anxiously waiting for our new Elf on the Shelf to get here so I can start that tradition with the kids as well. What are some ways you celebrate the Holidays? What are your favorite traditions?

New Dragon Knight Collection From Kidorable and Umbrella Giveaway!

2011-11-30T21:29:00.001-06:00

Looking for a Holiday gift for your little Knight in Shining Armor? Kidorable is excited to introduce their new Dragon Knight collection! Its super cute, and very boyish!

The Dragon Knight collection is steel grey with dark green as accent color, perfect for strong and brave boys. Some pieces accentuate the Knight, others the Dragon, but there is a nice interplay between both characters throughout the set. The umbrella has protruding dragon horns and wings, with a knight, fire, and a castle motif along the bottom. The helmet on the matching raincoat is Kidorable’s coolest hood so far.

The child who wears it can imagine himself as a valiant knight fighting the dragon. The backpack is shaped like a shield for extra play value. It comes with a little stuffed toy sword. The coat is a new material, PU (polyurethane). It’s softer and lighter than PVC.

The week of December 5-11 only use coupon code DRAGON7 to receive a free Dragon Knight umbrella with your order over $20 (make sure to add the Dragon Knight umbrella to your cart first). You can check out the who collection by clicking HERE.

One of my readers will win the adorable Dragon Knight umbrella! Open to US only. Here is how to enter:

Kimochis Review and Giveaway

2011-11-29T22:01:00.000-06:00

Anyone who has young children knows that sometimes they have a hard time telling us how they feel, that is because sometimes they really don't understand their feelings, or why they are feeling a certain way. Kimochis is a company that focuses on helping kids deal with feelings. They provide communication tools for kids, parents and teachers to enable them to become better communicators and express their feelings. Kimochis (meaning feelings in Japanese) are small soft pillows that come inside the cutest cuddliest characters, Cloud, Huggtopus, Cat and Bug. These characters have feelings just like kids do. Each character has a special pouch in front into which "feelings" are placed. Each Kimochi pillow has a facial expression that represents an emotion on one side, and on the other, the name of that emotion. These emotions range from angry, jealous, hurt, left out, frustrated, sad, to happy, friendly, kind, brave, silly, loved and many more. There are 24 emotions available.

My favorite character is Cloud, he is the blue one, second from the left in the picture above. Each Kimochis character comes in its own box with three feelings (which vary per character) and a detailed Feel Guide, which is an instructional booklet. The booklet is full of fun, easy lessons and activities for moms and dads.

Parents can use the characters and their Kimochis to help their kids get in touch with their emotions in a fun way using puppetry, play, and role play. This way kids learn to identify feelings and learn positive ways to deal with them.

One of my readers will win 1(one) 6" inch Kimochis plush with small keychain and comic book. Open to US Only, here is how to enter

I received a Kimochis for review purposes, all opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review

Thanksgiving Family Football

2011-11-28T07:13:00.000-06:00

We usually do Thanksgiving with my in-laws (we do Easter with my parents) and this year they planned a little family football game. I wanted to share some of the pictures...

Sis helping little brother with his flags

Dad and son action shot...

So intimidating

Missing a few in this shot, but it looks like they all had a good time!

Playing Catch-Up and some Winners

2011-11-27T09:30:00.000-06:00

Hopefully all of you had a wonderful Holiday filled with family and yummy food. I got to spend a much needed weekend with my husband and kids, we needed some family time. Now I'm going to have to really hit the gym to work off all the food I ate! Now that Thanksgiving is over I have to play catch-up with my posts, so check back often over the next week.

I have two winners to announce today, the winner of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part II is....
#14 The Brown Bunch

and the winner of the Moxie Girls Prize Pack is ...
#74 Stan

By the way, I watched the Harry Potter movie last night and it was AWESOME!!!

Congrats to my winners, emails are going out.

Black Friday Deals....Get Them While They Last (Extended through Cyber Monday!)

2011-11-25T13:24:00.001-06:00

Hopefully all of you Black Friday shoppers had some luck and got all the goodies you were headed out to get. If you are not shopped out yet, I have some super deals you do not want to miss.

UPDATE: Due to popular demand, these deals have been extended through Cyber Monday 11/28

Bronze color, retro style, round case

12 Arabic number hour markers

Precise quartz movement for accurate time keeping, one button for time setting

Normal water resistant, NOT for showering or swimming

Case back is engraved with flowers carvings

Watch cover is engraved with Eiffel Tower pattern

Battery is loaded

Material: Alloy

Get this deal by clicking HERE

Unique Pandora's box pendant with delicate and exquisite features

Ring buckle chain for easy wear

Material: Alloy

Pendant Size (L x W x T): 10 x 10 x 2mm/ 0.3 x 0.3 x 0.08"

Chain Girth: 40cm/ 15.6"

Color: Silver

weight: 0.1kg

To get this deal click HERE

Product Details:

Genuine Fresh Water Pearl Earrings

White Gold Plated Stems

Size: 1.875" W x 1.875" H x 0.875" D

Get this deal by clicking HERE

Game Boy pattern design silicone case for iPhone 4G

This case for Apple iPhone 4 keeps your Apple iPhone 4 safe and protected in style

Extremely tough, durable case molds perfectly fit for your iPhone's shape

Meticulously crafted, durable and comfortable grip

Snap-on case is designed to offer all-around external surface protection to your phone without compromising usability
Provides easy access to all functions without having to remove the case

Shock absorbent and shatterproof

Material: Silicone

Size: Perfect fit

Accessory ONLY, iPhone not included

Get this deal by clicking HERE

Mini universal car charger adapter for iPhone 3G 3GS 4G

Made of durable hard materials

Compact and mini size, convenient to carry with you anywhere

Allows you to power and recharge your iPhone by any standard 12 Volt car lighter socket

Keep your iPhone charged on the go

No need to carry around multiple model-specific 12V car chargers

Easy operation, simply plug the adapter into cigarette lighter port

Then connect it to your mobile devices via a standard USB charging cable (not included)

Charge quickly and efficiently

Internal circuit to manage charging status & prevent from over or under-charging

With LED charging indicator

Input: 12-24V

Output: 5V 1000mA
Size: 60mm x 20mm (H x Dia)

Get this deal by clicking HERE

White dial with 12 Arabic number hour makers

White silicone watch band, soft and comfortable to wear

One crown for adjusting time

Quartz movement, battery preinstalled

Simple clasp fastened

Normal Water Resistant, Not suitable for showering or swimming

Great gift for your kids

Movement: Quartz

Clasp Type: Strap buckle

Case Size(Dia x T): 43 x 14mm (Approx.)

Band Size (L x W): 215 x 22mm (Approx.)

Color: White

Get this deal by clicking HERE

Ever Try Silk in Your Cereal?

2011-11-23T15:55:00.000-06:00

I have to admit I have never been a big cereal-eater, not because I do not like cereal, I love cereal, I just have never really liked milk. Sure I loved it as a kid, but somewhere along the way I just grew not to like it. I knew I was missing out nutritionally but I just couldn't force myself to drink it. So the logical thing to do was to look for an alternative to milk, and the first thing that came to mind was Silk, the soy milk. It only made sense since Silk has 50% more calcium then regular milk, plus it comes in a variety of flavors so it never gets boring.

The first one I tried was the vanilla. The color of Silk is not as pure white as dairy milk, but to me that was great. I just think dairy milk is so thick tasting and the bright white color just adds to it. The Silk was much lighter in flavor, it also brought out the flavor of my cereal more. The other thing I loved....no milk breath afterward. I got the chocolate flavored Silk for my husband and kids to try out. He loved it with his chocolate flavored cereals and the kids really enjoyed it as well.

Silk is a great alternative for those who are sensitive to dairy or just dairy milk. It is sweetened with Stevia which has no calories either. Silk is also 100% cholesterol free, low is saturated fat, and each glass contains 6.25 grams of soy protein which has been recognized by the FDA for its role in heart health. In fact, the FDA states that 25 grams of soy protein per day, as part of a healthy diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce your risk of heart disease. Silk comes in a variety of flavors as well as an organic version, there really is a flavor for everyone in your family.

Now that I have an option other than dairy milk, I can enjoy cereal in the mornings again. Silk is offering one of my readers a fantastic prize pack to try Silk in their cereal. One of my readers will will two coupons for free Silk products, an awesome Silk cereal bowl, and a really cool tote bag.

This nifty little cereal bowl keeps the cereal and silk separate until its time to eat. The liquid compartment keeps the silk cold too andd there is a cute little folding spoon inside as well. To enter the giveaway follow the instructions below.

MANDATORY ENTRY:

Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, then leave me a comment letting me know you follow and don't forget to add your email address so I have a way to get a hold of you if you win.

Additional entries:

Follow Silk on Twitter +1
Follow me on Twitter +1
Like my Facebook Page +1

Giveaway is open to US ONLY will end at midnight on December 7th. Winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.

Tales From the Coop: Honey Its Cold Outside!

2011-11-22T18:10:00.002-06:00

You know winter is near when your chickens stop laying. Bummer. My auracanas stopped laying last week, the reds and others are still laying but not as often. I read, when I first started raising chickens, that they need 14 hours of light in order to lay, and that you can turn on the light in their coop to make up for lost daylight. Apparently my chicks are not buying it because the light in the coop is not helping them lay. The ducks still lay daily and the light has had no effect on them. I am running into a dilemma though, this whole time I have been using a plastic baby pool outside the coop for their drinking (and duck splashing) water. Now that the nights get so cold, the hose is freezing, as well as the top of the pool until I crack the ice in the morning. Putting a water container inside the coop is out of the question due to how much splashing goes on when the ducks drink, there would be ice all over the coop. I saw some heaters at the store that go inside water containers but they are about $30. Does anyone have any experience with these heaters? Do they last? Do they do the job? Last winter my spoiled ladies didn't even go out into the snow, but I did not have ducks so the water dish was on the inside. I am pretty sure this year I will be shoveling the penned in area behind the coop so the girls can go drink from the pool. Spoiled birds.

Lots of Winners!

2011-11-22T06:55:00.000-06:00

Good Morning! Only two days 'til we stuff ourselves with turkey, YAY! Ok I have about six winners to announce today so here we go. The first winner is for the Carmex prize pack:

#14 Jl Johnson!

Ok now for my five Sephora winners:
#71 Jamie Brigham
#224 Angie B.
#95 Mami2jcn
#164 Jennifer Brown
#23 Dee

Congrats to all my winners, I will be sending emails later on in the day!

Smart Ones Satisfying Selections Review

2011-11-17T16:58:00.000-06:00

Holiday time is crazy time here at our house. It seems like we are always running around...and trying to get a good meal when you are busy with the Holiday crazies is almost impossible. I joined a gym about a month ago and have been trying to make these Holidays better by taking care of myself. Its so easy to just run to the drive thru and get a big fat greasy burger but that always makes me feel so guilty later, not to mention feel totally bloated. This is the time of year when I crave warm hearty food and its also the time of year I pack on some extra pounds. I had never considered frozen dinners in the past simply due to the small portion sizes but Weight Watchers Smart Ones Satisfying Selections put an end to that. I got to sample these generously sized dinners recently, and I must say I was impressed. The portions are 30% larger than traditional tray meals and they come packaged as a bagged meal. Inside there are much heartier pieces of meat and veggies than what is typically found in a frozen nutritional tray meals. I tried the Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo and the Sesame Chicken. They were both good, the Alfredo a little better (I'm a pastaholic). The pieces of meat were noticeably bigger, which was nice for the extra protein, 25 grams or more! The sause is what really got me, nice and creamy, perfect on a cold night! The pre-portioned nutritional meals help you to stay on track especially at dinnertime. This helps me a lot since I pretty much can put down twice as much as my husband at any given meal. There is no guessing how much you should eat, its all on the label. All the meals are portion controlled and have less than 400 calories, and if you are on the Weight Watchers point system, 8-10 points.

There are two ways to prepare these meals, in the microwave and on the stove top. I prefer the stove top method, just makes it more of a home cooked meal to me. This size of frozen dinner will fill you up for sure, it will fill up your husband as well and if you prepare it on the stovetop, you don't even have to tell him it was a frozen dinner ;) There are five varieties of Satisfying Selections to choose from,

Sesame Chicken, Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo, Ziti with Meatballs and Cheese, Chicken with Broccoli and Cheese, and Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry. I loved both the Alfredo (did I mention that already?) and the Sesame Chicken, now I'm going to have to try the other ones.

The Smart Ones Satisfying Selections are really what I have been looking for to help me stay on track and reach my goals. With the larger portion size, the great taste and the convenience, its my go to dinner these days.

Disclosure: This post is part of a SocialMoms product evaluation, for which I’ve been selected. I’ve been compensated for my time with 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of SocialMoms or Heinz.

Holiday Gift Guide: Kre-O Transformers Construction Sets

2011-11-17T06:38:00.000-06:00

Before I've even had a chance to catch my breath from everyday life, November is half over and the Holiday season is HERE! Many of us, including me for once, have started their shopping by now....if not, you have at least thought about it. Every year I have the same dilemma....what to buy for my son. My daughter is easy, she has so many interests and hobbies that you really have tons to choose from. My son is harder, he too has lots of interests, but he is a boy who loves video games and if I allowed it, that would be all he did. I try to come up with some gifts that will pull him away from the TV and games. When I think back to my childhood and what kinds of activities I enjoyed doing with my brother, the only thing that pops into my head is building with construction sets. We could sit for hours and build together. While shopping around for construction sets, I stumbled on Hasbro's new Kre-O Transformers sets. These totally screamed at me as the perfect gift for my son, he loves Transformers.

These building sets are sooo cool and each one is a 2 in 1. The one above, bumblebee is my favorite and he loves bumblebee. You can build him as a robot or a sports car. The set contains 335 KRE-O construction pieces which include 3 figures. If you build him into a robot, you can convert his wings into a glider for the KREON figures to ride on, and if you make him into the sports car, 2 figures can ride inside.

The suggested age for this construction set is slightly older than my son's age but that is perfect because it will give us more reason to build with him. What a wonderful bonding time activity! I can't wait for him to unwrap this Christmas morning, sit in front of the fire place with either my husband or myself and use his creativity to build this awesome Transformer.

Building with Construction sets is also good for improving fine motor skills and problem solving skills. I also think it teaches patience, it takes a little bit of time to put it together and see the final product....I love that. I think these sets are very resonably priced and start at $7.99 (and up), the bumblebee one is $24.99 which is a great price. If you visit the Kre-O website HERE, you can see all 12 sets that you can choose from.
So when you are doing all your holiday shopping this year, consider the joy you will bring to a child with one of these construction sets.

To celebrate the release of this new toy, Hasbro and SocialMoms asked me to write a post about spreading holiday cheer, and what better way than with an affordable gift that will be played with over and over. You really have to check out the Kre-O Transformers construction sets for yourself!

New Deal on Crocs (these are so cute) and Free Shipping!

2011-11-15T12:20:00.000-06:00

You all know Maddox is a little Croc-Crazy! I love them for kids and there are some super cute ones on sale right now. Click the link to get Crocband Kids Dino Camo and Crocband Tropic Flower now only $19.99 until 11/16 at Crocs.com! Use the code FREESHIP at checkout for free shipping. Sometimes their codes are case-sensitive so try all caps. This deal is only for this week, free shipping code expires Dec. 31.

If for some reason the shipping code does not work, please let me know so I can take it off of this post. Thanks!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II Giveaway!

2011-11-12T16:39:00.000-06:00

The final face-off between good and evil is finally upon us as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released on DVD yesterday, just in time for the holidays! Join Harry, Ron and Hermione as they do battle against Voldemort in the epic conclusion to the film series everyone is talking about! Take The Harry Potter Trivia Quiz and post your results in a comment below (with your email address) and you could be the lucky winner of your very own copy of the DVD! Test your knowledge in the trivia quiz and discover if you are an expert or a novice by challenging your skills.

GIVEAWAY:
Mandatory Entry
Take the quiz and post your results along with your email address in a comment below. Giveaway ends at midnight on November 25th, winner will be chosen at random. Open to US Residents only.

What is it With Doctors These Days?

2011-11-11T06:39:00.000-06:00

I have seen my share of Doctors over the last few years, when my children are sick and they all seem to have one thing in common....a bad attitude. What is going on? Fist of all, when my kids get sick and I take them to Urgent care (because for some reason my kids like to get sick in the evening), the Urgent care doctors always tell me I should be taking them to their primary doctor. When I try to get into my primary doctor, there are no openings. Ok, thats not my main issue, I guess if I wanted to become a doctor I would do it because I wanted to help sick people get better, right? Isn't that why people go into the medical profession? Then why is it all these doctors are always so grumpy, or even straight up mean, and half the time they won't even look you in the eye. I understand that they see tons of people everyday, I also understand that sometimes what my kids have may not require anything but rest....but....I'm not a Dr. to determine that, especially since my little guy always seems to get ear infections, we just don't sit and wait to see what happens. This time when he got sick, I waited until morning and took him into my primary Doctor, as a walk in....so of course we had to wait. Normally I really like her, but for some reason this time she was rolling her eyes and just being kind of roughn with him. She was trying to check his ears and he wouldn't sit perfectly still (duh, you're shoving something into a 4 year olds ear) She looked at me and with the biggest attitude said "can you hold his head". Ok.... He's 4 have some patience. Last year I went to urgent care with my kids, was told they have bronchitis and was given a perscription for antibiotics. I know, antibiotics for bronchitis. They always cover their butt by saying, well I guess it could be something else so lets just give them that to be sure. Ok, so I give them the antibiotics THAT THEY DON"T NEED. When I went back for myself, because I didn't feel well, I got chewed out for telling that Dr. that my kids were on antibiotics. REALLY? I guess I must have perscribed them to myself then, huh? The same situation just happened to my friend, the Dr. chewed her out. She was smart and filed a complaint, I just tucked my dang tail between my legs and went home. Are these Doctors bitter about something? I mean isn't this their job? We didn't go to med school, all symtoms seem to be the same for these sicknesses...sore throat, coughing, fever, runny nose.....its your job to determine what is going on and its your job to tell me how to fix it. Apparently they don't teach people skills or bedside manner in med school. Have any of you had issues like this with your doctor lately, maybe I missed the memo but I believe we are the ones paying them, right?

Holiday Givaway Blog Hop #1

2011-11-09T09:22:00.000-06:00

Yikes! There are only 45 days 'til Christmas....45.... I'm going to give all of us a nice little head start by posting the first Holiday Giveaway Blog Hop, at least its the first one for my blog. Please only add family friendly products or you will be deleted, then hop around and enter a few yourself. Sound good? Ok here we go...

Wordless Wednesday, with a few words...

2011-11-09T06:47:00.000-06:00

My son and his friend Emma. He says he is going to marry her, I guess she likes him a little too according to her mom. He is really sick and hasn't been to school in two days now, her mom said that she told her she is not going to school if he is not there :) Cuteness overload!

Take Me Fishing PLUS $100 Bass Pro Shop Gift Card Giveaway

2011-11-08T06:59:00.000-06:00

If you think back to your childhood, I bet some of your favorite memories were not the expensive vacations or shopping trips, it was most likely times you spent as a family doing something together, maybe outdoors.... One of my favorite things to do with my family is go fishing.

We are really lucky to have a beautiful Conservation Club down the road from our house where we are members, and we go fishing there as often as we can. Fishing is one of those things that does not require a ton of expensive equipment and its so easy to learn. All you really need is a fishing pole, bait and some patience.

At that Conservation Club we go to, they have a kids fishing derby every summer. Last year my daughter took third place, catching 10 fish in 3 hours. She got a trophy that she is super proud of. She was still young enough to fish in the younger category, which meant she got to fish in the kids pond. This year she was on the big pond but my son fished the kids pond. He caught 7 fish, and he had just turned 4 years old! Unfortunately, this year, neither kid placed but we still had a blast. Anyone that knows my son know that he can't stand still for two seconds, and has no attention span, but he fished from 8 until 11 that morning, determined to do it all on his own. It was a great day, every time we fish its a great day. I love seeing the excitement on the kids faces every time they catch something. They always make us take a picture to document what they caught, and they usually know what kind of fish it is too.

Fishing is fun, laid back, and relaxing. It builds bonds with family members and creates time to share stories and listen to each other. It helps teach patience and it is full of excitement at the same time. If you ever wanted to get started, now is as good a time as any, the days are still nice enough to enjoy the outdoors. My fishing pole cost me a whopping $12 and you can buy kids ones for even less than that. Yup, I fish with a $12 bright pink pole, and guess what, everyone wants to use it! Why not give your family poles and tackle boxes for the Holidays. You won't just be giving them fishing equipment, you will be giving them family time.

We all live busy lives and now and then we need to just stop running around and just sit back and enjoy nature and life because before we know it, the kids will be grown and leaving home to start their own lives with their own families. You can make fishing a family tradition that gets passed down to your kid's kids.

If you are planning to go fishing, please make sure you purchase a fishing license. The fees go towards protecting and preserving our nation's waterways as well as enhance the sport of fishing for generations to come. For tons of information about fishing and boating and to take the Angler's Legacy Pledge, you can visit TakeMeFishing.org.

Angler's Legacy Pledge

As an Anglers' Legacy Ambassador,

I pledge to share my love of fishing

with at least one new person each year;

to pass on traditional skills and earned knowledge;

to pay forward the thrill of fishing

with friends and family,

my love of the great outdoors and my

commitment to a healthy environment;

and to give back what someone once gave me -

the special gift of fishing.

If you would like a chance to win a $100 Gift Card to Bass Pro Shop to get some awesome new fishing gear, all you have to do is enter below. Open to US Residents 18 and over please.

Here is how to enter (Mandatory):

Please visit TakeMeFishing.org and take the Angler's Legacy Pledge, then come back here and leave me a comment with your email address, so I have a way to get a hold of you if you win. Be honest, take the pledge first. This entry is MANDATORY and must be done before any other entry will count.

Additional Entries:

Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect +2
Like my facebook page +2
Like TakeMeFishing facebook page +2
Follow me on Twitter +2
Follow TakeMeFishing on Twitter +2

This giveaway will end on November 30th, at midnight. Winner will be chosen at random and emailed, winner will have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen. Open to US only.

"I took the pledge and spread the word while participating in a campaign for Take Me Fishing and Blog Friendly PR. I was thanked with a promotional gift pack, all opinions are my own."

Healthy Holidays: Pumpkin-Ricotta Stuffed Shells

2011-11-06T07:56:00.000-06:00

I found this recipe in my Country Living magazine, made it that day, and totally loooooved it. My husband took some left overs to work and gave some to his co-worker who also totally loved it and asked for the recipe. Wish I could take credit for this one but I pretty much just followed the recipe without changing anything like I usually do. I know you are wondering why this recipe is in the Healthy Holiday feature, well

"By incorporating pumpkin, this stuffed pasta recipe requires less cheese than is typically used. Opt for fat-free ricotta and you’ll save a total of 168 calories, 18 grams of fat, and 67 milligrams of cholesterol per serving."

Ingredients

24 jumbo pasta shells1 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
22 ounces (2 1/2 cups) fat-free ricotta
1 cans (15-ounce) pumpkin puree
2 1/2 ounces pecorino Romano, grated (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
1 large egg white
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cups fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1 jars (26-ounce) store-bought tomato sauce

Ok, I did omit the sage just because I did not have any on hand, but it still tasted great!
Directions

1.Cook pasta shells according to package instructions; drain. Transfer to a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Set aside and let cool.

2.Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, pumpkin, 3/4 cup pecorino Romano, and remaining ingredients, except tomato sauce.

3.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread sauce in bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with about 3 tablespoons ricotta-pumpkin mixture and arrange in pan. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

4.Remove foil, sprinkle shells with remaining pecorino, and bake for 15 minutes more. (If desired, stuff shells the night before and refrigerate overnight in an airtight container, in between layers of plastic wrap; arrange shells on sauce right before baking.)

Holiday Gift Guide: Moxie Girlz for Nintend DS, with Game and Product Giveaway!

2011-11-05T13:17:00.000-05:00

Well I am officially kicking off my Holiday Gift Guide for the 2011 season, and what better way than with a great new Nintendo DS Game. Moxie Girlz always stay true to themselves and never give up on their dreams! What is Moxie? Moxie is 1. Positive attitude and Confidence 2. The Courage to Go For it 3. Energy in Everything you do. The Nintendo DS game focuses on social and self expression play for girls, as they explore who they are and can become. You can play games, make awesome art, take personality quizzes and see which of the Moxie Girlz you and your friends are most like, Lexa, Avery, Sophina, or Bria!

I have always thought Nintendo DS games were the perfect stocking stuffer, and my kids are always delighted to get them. This game provides hours of fun, with literally thousands of art options and creations. These kinds of games are my daughter's favorite, she goes back to them over and over and never gets bored. You can customize your Moxie Girlz character, and really get creative with dozens of hair styles, accessories and more. There is a Journal and Diary mode where you can write whatever is on your mind. This game can be played alone or with friends and has a positive messege, Be true! Be you!

Features

• Customization: Pick which Moxie Girlz character you want to be or upload pictures of yourself.
• Variety of Modes: Art Play, Fashion Play, Games and more!
• Personality Quizzes: Discover the Moxie Girlz character that resembles you!
• Picture Fun: Use DSi functionality for picture taking and puzzle games - mix and match!
• Positive Message: All modes and gameplay focus on the positive Moxie Girlz message- Be true! Be you!

This game is rated "E" for everyone and retails for $19.99. Put a smile on any little girl's face by giving her this game for the Holidays! As an added bonus, one of my readers will win a copy of this game PLUS a surprise Moxie Girlz product! Here is how to enter:

I received a copy of this game for review purposes, all opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

Saturday Social

2011-11-05T06:46:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Saturday Social! Last Saturday was our most successul hop yet, hope you guys are getting some new followers.
I don't like blog hops that have tons rules that you have to follow so I will make this super easy. The only rule I have is that you follow this blog in order to participate.....that is it. The rest is up to you, link up your blog and follow whoever you want to follow. Ok I lied here is another rule: NO ADULT CONTENT....FAMILY FRIENDLY SITES ONLY.

I will be in the first spot and will follow you back (it might take me a little while to get to everyone so bear with me), so please leave me a comment after linking up so I can make sure I follow you back.

If you would like to grab a button please feel free to do so, this will only make the blog hop a bigger success because it will let others know to come here and link up. The button will stay on my left sidebar or you can get the code below:

Kashi TLC Peanutty Dark Chocolate Layered Granola Bars

2011-11-04T22:57:00.002-05:00

As part of the Moms Meet program, we recently got to try Kashi's TLC Peanutty Dark Chocolate Layered granola bars. If you know me, anything with the word Chocolate in it is definitely worth trying. Each Granola Bar has 7 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein, making it a smart AND delicious indulgence.

When we sampled the Granola bars, we loved the overall appearance of them, that layer of chocolate was so enticing. We were not disappointed with the flavor either. These granola bars are made with Kashi’s signature blend of Seven Whole Grains and feature the smooth taste of peanuts with rich, dark chocolate for a sweet and savory flavor. We thought that these were rich, delicious, and a snack that every one in the family would enjoy. I really like that they have just the right amount of sweetness, some granola bars are a sweet overload, but these are a much better flavor. You can purchase these yummy snacks for only $3.89 a box at most grocery stores nation wide.

We also got to try two other Kashi products, the Cinnamon Harvest Cereal and the Soft-Baked Ripe Strawberry Cereal Bars. I am not a big cereal person, the only time I will eat cereal is dry, as a snack and the Cinnamon Harvest cereal is perfect for that. It is bite-sized organic whole-wheat biscuits, lightly sweetened and baked with real organic cinnamon. I'm pretty sure I could have eaten the whole box. This cereal also contains over 20 percent of your daily fiber requirements and over 2/3 of your daily recommended whole grain intake in each serving.

The Kashi Soft-Baked Ripe Strawberry Cereal Bars are baked with real fruit and wildflower honey for natural goodness you can see and taste. These were my son's favorite, he loves cereal bars and you can microwave them for a few seconds to create the warm taste of homemade pie. The Ripe Strawberry Cereal Bars have 3 grams of fiber and 11g of whole grains in each serving which makes them an ideal morning or midday snack. I thought that the fruit tasted much better in these than in other brands of cereal bars too.

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

Awesome Deal on Kids Lined Crocs with FREE Shipping

2011-11-04T12:58:00.000-05:00

Gabe Lined clog now only $19.99 with code GABEL until 11/15 at Crocs.com! This code is case sensitive. If you stack with coupon code fallship (not case sensitive) you will also get free shipping. They also come in brown and pink.

Healthy Holidays: Land O'Frost Wrap Kits

2011-11-04T08:31:00.000-05:00

With Holiday Season pretty much here, many of us will be starting our annual hustle and bustle of shopping and running around getting ready. When you are on the go it is so easy to just pull up to a fast food restaurant and order something greasy and fast. This is one of those big mistakes I always make. This year, as part o the Healthy Holidays challange, I am planning ahead. We pack lunches for our kids, we pack lunches to bring to work, what is so wrong with packing a healthy lunch to take with us while running errands? Not only will this cut down on calories but also extra spending, and we could all use some money saving this time of year. Land O'Frost has come up with a perfect solution to the grab and go lunch, wrap kits. Each kit contains everything you need to make 5 delicious wrap sandwiches, it comes with meat, cheese and tortillas all in one package. And to make things even easier, the meat is already divided up for you so that you know just how much to use on your wrap. The kits come in four delicious flavors such as:

Black Forest Ham and Swiss
Oven Roasted Turkey and Pepper Jack
Chipotle Turkey and Cheddar
Roast Beef and Cheddar

Each kit is re-closable and contains 25 slices of meat, 5 slices of cheese and 5 tortillas. I like to add some lettuce or spinach, roll it up, pack it up and go. If you like you can put it in the microwave for a few seconds so the cheese gets all melty and gooey, yum. Each one of the wraps is 230 calories or less (depending on which flavor) and they wont make you feel tired and bloated like a fast food meal. Even my kids thought it was fun to "roll up" their sandwich.

You can add whatever you like to the wrap, which I like to do, I added some slices mushrooms and sweet peppers then warmed it up in the microwave, mmmmm.

Land O'Frost really did a great job coming up with a fast, easy, hearty and delicious way to feed our family. Perfect for lunch, a snack, or even a light dinner, these wraps are good to go!

Holiday Card Survival Kit

2011-11-03T09:14:00.000-05:00

Check out the Vistaprint Holiday Card Survival Kit. You get 20 Customized Holiday Cards, 140 Labels and 1 Engraved Pen for $4.99 + shipping. Shipping starts at $6.84. This offer is good through 11/10.

Here are the steps to follow to get this fabulous kit:

1) Select holiday card type on first page
2) Choose holiday card design from gallery
3) Go through all customizations
4) A page for free labels will show up in the order flow
5) In the cart, click the link to order the free engraved pen!

Click HERE to get yours

The Power of Play

2011-11-02T13:57:00.000-05:00

Thinking back to my childhood days, family game nights were always a highlight. There was something so good about all of us just spending time together, laughing and playing a board game or building with blocks, or just trying to put together a puzzle. Family game nights like that are great for bonding and a great way to unwind after all the crazy busy days. We continue this tradition with our kids and it is something all of us look forward to. Some of our favorite games are Old Maid (Old Maidy as my 4 year old calls it) and Sorry, but we're always on the look out for some new and exciting family activities. If you don't already have a family game night in your home, this time of year is a really good time to start, with the weather getting colder and the daylight hours shorter, playing games together as a family is a great way to unwind and have some fun. If you need some games or ideas to get you started, a great place to go is the Chicago Toy and Game Fair (ChiTAG).

ChiTAG is all about building community through play and by providing opportunities for people of all ages to connect with one another and experience the joy and educational value of traditional play. Games, puzzles and building toys pull our kids away from the TVs and video games and make them use their brains, teach them that there is more to having fun than vegging out in front of a screen. Board games teach kids strategies and problem solving skills, while building toys expand their imaginations. Take a family trip to Navy Pier in Chicago to experience everything that ChiTAG has to offer, and while there you can preview, play and purchase (just in time for the Holidays) hot new toys and games as well as favorite classics, and meet their inventors. I love the excitement in the faces of the inventors while they explain the rules and how they came up with the concepts. This is America's largest toy and game fair that is open to the public, you really need to see it for yourself. My favorite part is all the hands on activities, you can try just about anything, play the games with the creators, where else can you do that!

ChiTAG is two unforgettable days of fun for all ages. While there you can experience a Star Wars Breakfast, stage events, life-sized toys & games, tons of contests, costumed characters, tournaments and even a Young Inventor Challenge. Even if you don't have kids, grab your friends and bring them out to the fair, stock up on hot new games and start a new tradition of a "friend game night".

Need another reason to come out to Chicago November 19th and 20th, other than the largest Toy and Game Fair in the U.S.? Why not plan an awesome holiday weekend around ChiTAG, and you can enjoy the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Parade on November 19, and maybe even get some of your Holiday shopping done too!

This blog post is compensated and arranged by SocialRevUp.com - "SocialRevUp.com"

Healthy Holidays Kickoff: Slim Fast Review and Sephora Giveaway

2011-11-01T18:22:00.000-05:00

Every year about this time, I start baking and getting excited for the Holidays, and most of all, over eating. This only leads to two things, packing on pounds then feeling guilty about it. This year I am doing something about it. I joined a gym a little over three weeks ago, and I signed a year contract with them. That might seem like a huge commitment to some people but I figured if I'm being charged each month, I will have to come in there plus when I try to work out at home there are way too many distractions. So far, I love it. I have been trying to go at least 5 days a week when my son is in Pre-school, and the days I don't go I actually miss it. My friend signed up with me so that we could motivate each other. Results? Well we are starting week 4 and I have energy all day, I am down 2 pounds, I feel all the jiggly things tightening up, and my endurance on cardio is better and better.

The Healthy Holidays feature is something I will be posting throughout the Holiday season with reviews, giveaways, recipes and information about how to stay healthy during this time of year. What better way to kick things off than with Slim Fast.

Slim Fast is introducing their richest, creamiest, best tasting shakes ever. Each variety of the new Slim·Fast shakes comes in a convenient, 10 oz. re-closable bottle that’s designed to go anywhere, whether it’s a purse, car or gym bag.

Over the past 30 years, Slim·Fast has helped millions of woman lose weight and look great for the special moments in their lives. Its balanced and proven approach to weight loss is supported by more than 45 published, clinical studies. The all-new Slim·Fast shakes taste delicious and leave you satisfied, with up to four hours of hunger control, as well as 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and 24 essential vitamins and minerals.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 180
Vitamins & Minerals

Vitamin A 35%
Calcium 50%
Vitamin D 35%
Vitamin K 25%
Riboflavin 35%
Vitamin B6 35%
Vitamin B12 35%
Pantothenic Acid 35%
Iodine 35%
Zinc 15%
Manganese 35%
Molybdenum 30%
Vitamin C 100%
Iron 15%
Vitamin E 100%
Thiamin 35%
Niacin 35%
Folate 30%
Biotin 35%
Phosphorus 50%
Magnesium 35%
Selenium 25%
Chromium 35%

The all-new Slim·Fast shakes are part of the Slim·Fast 3·2·1 Plan, a proven method to meet weight-loss goals quickly and conveniently.
3 Snacks: Portion-controlled snacks such as Slim·Fast Snack Bars, fruit, or vegetables

· The 100 Calorie Snack Bars

o Each Slim·Fast 100 Calorie Snack Bar provides a calorie-controlled snack to help curb sweet cravings between meals and help keep energy up

2 Slim·Fast Meal Replacements: Delicious Meal Bars or Shakes

· The 200 Calorie Meal Bars

o Each Slim·Fast 200 Calorie Meal Bar is delicious and satisfying, providing the balanced nutrition of a meal with fewer calories and simplified portion control

· The Ready-To-Drink Shakes and Shake Mixes

o Each Slim·Fast ready-to-drink shake or Shake Mixes is designed to help control hunger for up to four hours and contains 24 essential vitamins and minerals

1 Balanced Meal: A sensible, 500-calorie meal of your choice

These shakes come in great flavors like chocolate, vanilla, strawberries and creme, and cappuccino. My favorite is the Vanilla. I usually start my day with one of these and a banana and I'm good to go. If I'm in a real hurry I can drink one on the way to the gym or just throw it in my bag for later.

Now for the giveaway: I am giving away 5, count them 5, $25 gift cards to Sephora. So five lucky winners will get a gift card! Open to US ONLY Please, you can enter below.

Again, Rafflecopter acting up and sometimes this widget says its for another giveaway. I am trying to find a way to fix this, in the meantime keep entering, the entries are going to the right place when I log in and check on Rafflecopter. Sorry.

**Disclosure: I received free Slim Fast Shakes and Sephora Gift cards. All Opinions are my own**

Saturday Social Blog Hop....its Baaaaaack!

2011-10-28T20:33:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Saturday Social, hoping to get more blogs linked up this week, so let's spread the word! Lets make this the best week ever.

I don't like blog hops that have tons rules that you have to follow so I will make this super easy. The only rule I have is that you follow this blog in order to participate.....that is it. The rest is up to you, link up your blog and follow whoever you want to follow. Ok I lied here is another rule: NO ADULT CONTENT....FAMILY FRIENDLY SITES ONLY.

I will be in the first spot and will follow you back (it might take me a little while to get to everyone so bear with me), so please leave me a comment after linking up so I can make sure I follow you back.

If you would like to grab a button please feel free to do so, this will only make the blog hop a bigger success because it will let others know to come here and link up. The button will stay on my left sidebar or you can get the code below:

Hottest Toy of the Year!

2011-10-27T22:32:00.000-05:00

So my official Holiday Gift Guide has not begun yet BUT....I did not want anyone to miss this deal if you are shopping already. I recently reviewed the LeapPad by LeapFrog which is popping up on many Hottest Toy of the Year lists, and I totally agree. If you missed my post you can read it HERE. So now through November 22nd, LeapFrog is offering Gift Pack bundles which will save you up to 20% , plus free shipping on bundles and orders over $60.

Save up to 20% on over 25 NEW Gift Packs! Offer vaild 10.21 through 11.22!

Free Shipping on exclusive LeapPad bundles! Valid now through 10.31!

Save $5 on the SpongeBob SquarePants Clam Prix cartridge game for LeapPad and Leapster Explorer. Use promo code SPONGEBOB. Offer valid 10.25 through 10.31.

Free Shipping on Cars2 books & games. Use promo code LFCARS2. Offer valid 10.28 through 11.2.

Free Shipping on all Accessories! Use promo code MOREFROGFUN by 10.31. Offer valid 10.27 through 10.31.

$20 for $40 Worth of Organic Baby Clothes

2011-10-27T06:25:00.000-05:00

$40 worth of organic baby wear for only $20 is one very fabulous deal!

Your baby deserves nothing but the finest clothes. So why not take advantage of a deal that makes it easy to get high end organic clothing for your little one? Funkoos organic clothing is free from any toxic chemicals found in normal cotton, so it is safe for your children. Spend just $20 and get a coupon code for $40 to spend at Funkoos. (Coupon codes will be sent out to buyers via email no later than Wednesday, November 2nd.) Organic baby apparel from Funkoos makes an excellent choice for baby showers, birthdays, and the upcoming holiday season. Get this deal before it's gone! You can only get this deal HERE.

*Only one coupon code can be redeemed per order

*Coupon codes will be email to buyers 72 hours (working business days) after the deal ends

*Deal only open to US mailing addresses only

*Shipping is not included in this deal

*Deal ends on Sunday, October 30th at 11:59pm MST

Click here to purchase.

Something New From Carmex, PLUS Giveaway!

2011-10-26T21:58:00.000-05:00

As part of the Carmex Blog Squad, I get the opportunity to try out all the latest products from Carmex. And what's new, you ask? Carmex now has added Healing Lotion and Healing Cream to their collection of products! Just in time, if you ask me, since the cold weather leaves our skin dry and itchy.

For nearly 75 years people have come to love the healing power of Carmex lip balms, and now with the creation of Carmex Skin Care, we can enjoy the same great quality and results when we heal, soothe and moisturize our dry skin.

I love the non-greasy formula of these lotions and creams. They have a pleasant smell that is not over-powering but light and clean. After working out at the gym I sometimes use the tanning bed which helps me fight the winter blues. Yesterday after tanning I used the healing lotion to keep my skin from feeling dried out. Hours later, I had not had a chance to shower yet since I had been running around all day, my husband was hugging me and I warned him that I might smell funky because I had not showered yet. He said I didn't, that I smelled a little bit like Vanilla.

The healing cream is perfect for all those super dry areas like elbows and feet. It has 9 healing ingredients that repair and protect dry, cracked skin. This one is great for my husbands hands too. I like to apply it to my feet before bed so that when I wake up, my skin feels softer. This cream is also concentrated so that you only need a little bit, and it is also non-greasy.

The full size tubes retail for about $5.99 and there are also smaller sized tubes perfect for your purse or bag, that retail for $.99. You can purchase the new Carmex Healing Lotion and Healing Creme at Walgreens, CVS and Wal-Mart.

One of my readers will receive an awesome Carmex Prize Pack which consists of the following:

One 5.5 oz Carmex Healing Lotion
One 4 oz Healing Creme
One 1 oz Carmex Healing Lotion
One .75 oz Carmex Healing Lotion

This giveaway is open to US Only please, you can enter below.

UPDATE:
For some reason Rafflecopter is being goofy and changing the widget for this giveaway to the one for the Freschetta giveaway, not sure how to fix this issue, all I know is the entries ARE being sent to the right giveaway when I log into my Rafflecopter dashboard, so keep on entering!

*I received free products from Carmex for review purposes only, all opinions are my own and I was not compesated for this review*

Winners!

2011-10-25T06:55:00.000-05:00

Its Tuesday, so let's get some winners posted this morning. First and foremost, the winner of my local giveaway for Sesame Street Live is

#2 Mike D

Congrats Mike, email has been sent and prize has been claimed

Next we have some winners of the Teacher Monday Del Monte coupons

Regina
Cristy Rogers
Lara Rouillard

Congrats Ladies, I will be emailing today so check your inbox! More giveaways coming soon plus starting in Noveber I will be doing my Holiday Gift Guide!

Our LeapFrog Experience

2011-10-22T22:33:00.000-05:00

Growing up with two, much younger than me, brothers and two kids of my own (more recently obviously), I have been familiarized with many LeapFrog products. I have always thought them to be innovative, educational and most importantly, fun. When I found out we would have a chance to review the LeapPad and Tag Reading System, I was extatic.

When we received the package in the mail, my son was so excited. He had to try out the LeapPad right away.

I have to tell you, I was very impressed with the LeapPad. It is very child-user friendly, the screen is a nice size and the touch screen works great weather you are using the stylus or your finger, in some games you have to turn it, shake it and even blow into the microphone. Not only that, but this tablet also has a built-in camera and video recorder. The camera feature was so much fun for the kids, they made silly videos and took lots of silly pictures. The LeapPad offers limitless learning and endless play through a library of over 100 cartridge games and activities, and tons or downloadable apps and games. All you have to do is plug it into your computer and download right to the tablet.

This "toy" is very high tech and durable at the same time, my son has dropped it twice on the hardwood floors and it has not been damaged. I love the games available for the LeapPad because they teach school basics like reading, math, science, geography, art, music, language, culture, health and more. The skill levels adjust automatically too, so every kid can learn at his or her own pace. The tablet remembers their progress from game to game and book to book. The LeapPad also works with ALL Leapster Explorer cartridge games and apps. My kids favorite program is the Story Studio where they can use all their photos and videos and art to make a fun story about themselves.

OK, so here is the rundown: This thing is awesome, it fits in my purse so we can take it anywhere, the waiting room at the doctor's office, in the car, where ever. It's durable and kid friendly but super techy at the same time. The only downfall I found was the battery life. This thing runs on AA batteries which, at least in my house, don't last too long. I highly recommend purchasing the AC adapter or rechargable batteries.

The Tag Reading System is the #1 selling reading system and 99% of teachers reccomend Tag. It helps your little one learn to read stories, it has easy audio download and there are no cartridges to lose. There is a huge library of books, games and maps available for the Tag and the comprehensive reading system offers an array of experiences to guide children from early exploration to independent reading.

I don't know how it works, I guess I will just call it LeapFrog magic lol. It reads words, souds, or a whole story. Each book has games and learning activites to help reinforce new skills, and you can explore up to 10 books on the go. For me, its important to have things like this that I can take with me. We are on the go alot and sometimes little people get bored or need something to occupy them and LeapFrog products do a great job of that, plus make it educational.

You can buy the LeapPad or Tag Reading System at Target, Kmart, Toys R Us, Walmart, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Best Buy or LeapFrog.com

I received a LeapPad, Tag Reading System, map and books for review purposes, all opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review

Huge Savings at Barnes and Noble (Even on Halloween Costumes)

2011-10-22T08:05:00.000-05:00

Here is a list of all the current savings at Barnes and Noble. And Yes, they have Halloween cosutmes as well, which are marked down online.

40% Off ALL 20 National Book Award Nominees at barnesandnoble.com!

40% off ALL Bargain Activity Kits at barnesandnoble.com

$5 off any Vtech Product of $19.95 or more at barnesandnoble.com

40% Off Classical Music at barnesandnoble.com

Save $10 on Leapster Explorer and Leapster 2 Hardware plus Save $5 on Dozens of Leapster Educational Games at barnesandnoble.com