Busy Working Mama

Curried Turkey Salad #Recipe

2012-02-12T15:36:00.001-05:00

This is an easy and tasty turkey salad. Perfect for leftover turkey to eat as a side or as a turkey salad sandwich.

Red grapes, cut in half
leftover turkey, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
3 talks celery, chopped finely
light mayo
almond slivers
curry powder
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Chill, then enjoy!

Chili Recipe & Prize Pack #Giveaway

2012-02-12T13:21:00.001-05:00

Chili is a winning choice for wintertime meals, and perfect for a wide variety of gatherings this time of year. Th eChili Appreciation Society International and Bruce Foods are looking for your “Championship” recipe ideas and tips to help us celebrate “Chili Season.”

Mexene® Chili Powder and Chili Seasoning Mix: Created in 1906, Mexene features only the highest quality sun-ripened pre-frost chili peppers blended with cumin, oregano, and garlic. Just take a pinch between your finger and thumb, rub, and smell the delicious aroma. Mexene® Chili Powder is called "The Chili Champions' Choice" and is endorsed by CASI, The Chili Appreciation Society International. Mexene is the secret ingredient used in the past eight winning recipes from the World Championship Chili Cookoff in Terlingua, Texas.

Original Louisiana Hot Sauce: The original cayenne pepper sauce of Louisiana, with an 80-year reputation for quality and perfection. This versatile condiment can pep up almost any meal, especially chili, soups and stews. There's only one ORIGINAL Louisiana Hot Sauce, and this is it!

Check out ChiliCookOffWinner.com for this year’s Championship Chili Recipe from the granddaddy of all cook-offs plus chili history, tips, recipes and more!

Chili is a staple meal around our house. I have two go-to chili recipes that I love to make - a standard beef chili and a green turkey chili. Personally, I think the key to chili is to spice it up and vary your beans. For my beef chili, I usually include black beans, pinto beans and garbanzo beans. Hominy is a favorite addition, too, and has a great bean-like texture. I made a tasty chili using Mexene's chili powder and Louisiana hot sauce with ground beef, onion, garlic, pinto beans, hominy, garbanzo beans and tomatoes. The whole family enjoyed it, especially topped with cheese. Adam and I really enjoyed it with a splash of hot sauce!

WIN IT

One of my US readers will win a “Chili Champ” Gourmet Gift Pack to create your own delicious chili. Lucky you! To enter, please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form. If you can't see the form, please refresh your page, make sure Javascript is enabled, or try another browser.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received complimentary products to make my own chili. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this post. Thank you to the sponsor for providing the gift pack for giveaway!

List and Promote Giveaways - 2/11

2012-02-10T19:34:00.000-05:00

Hosting a giveaway? You can link it here to promote it! I try to visit everyone who links up since I LOVE giveaways! Please include blog name - prize - end date and link directly to your giveaway. My current giveaways are listed in the right sidebar. Please keep it family friendly or identify it as adult content.

Looking for more giveaways to enter? Check out my friends Dina at Just Another New Blog and Kristi at Moms Own Words! Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

Publix Running Out? Run In! Promotion #Giveaway

2012-02-10T09:27:00.001-05:00

Do you hate reaching for something you need only to realize that you’ve run out? If you’re running low on your favorite Yoplait yogurt flavor, Big G breakfast cereal or tube of Crest toothpaste, then head to Publix® during the Running Out? Run In. in-store event so you can purchase the everyday products that you love and need more of! Receive rewards for stocking up on some of your favorite General Mills and P&G products at Publix during the Running Out? Run In. event this February.

From Feb. 9th through Feb. 14th, look for the “Running Out? Run In.”event at your local Publix store and “run in,” to take advantage of the great savings available on some of your favorite brands from General Mills and Procter & Gamble, including Yoplait yogurt, Cheerios, Charmin, and Crest
Also, don’t forget to look in-stores for over $14 in coupon savings – coupons are valid Feb. 6 through Feb. 25
Receive a $5 Publix® gift card to use on your next shopping trip when you purchase $30 or more in participating items during the event (2/8 – 2/25); simply mail in the rebate form found in-store or online at runningoutrunin.com along with your original receipt(s).

For more details on this great rebate, visit RunningOutRunIn.com.

a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclosure: The Publix gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. All opinions are my own. I received a complimentary Publix gift card - thank you to Publix!

Slide Out Spice Rack DIY Project #WW

2012-02-07T20:06:00.001-05:00

While browsing some home decor ideas online on houzz.com (awesome site!) I saw the kitchen below online. Slide out spice rack?! (drool)

traditional kitchen design by boston kitchen and bath Rob Kane - Kitchen Interiors Inc.

I wanted it as soon as I saw it. And thanks to my fabulous, hard-working Handy Hubby, I am going to have a slide out spice rack of my own. I can't wait to show you the final result! Here's the start of the project this past weekend.

Discover Your Winter Cocktail #Giveaway

2012-02-07T08:30:00.001-05:00

In celebration of the winter season, Robb Report presents the Discover Your Winter Cocktail Blog App. Everyone has their favorite cocktail, but have you wondered what winter cocktail fits you best? Take the Discover Your Winter Cocktailquiz and you can find out by answering a few simple questions! My quiz resulted in a Toasted Almond beverage - yum!

Here are some fun recipes for winter drinks you can try.

Chocolate Snowball
2 oz coconut rum
2 oz Irish cream
1 oz hazelnut liqueur
3 1/2 oz melted chocolate
3 1/2 oz cream
1 dash chocolate syrup

Preparation: Place the chocolate syrup around the glass then place the other ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into glass.

Spring Fever
3/4 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz mango syrup
1 1/2 oz pineapple juice
2 oz blood orange juice

Preparation: Shake well over ice cubes in a shaker, and strain into a collins glass half-filled with crushed ice.

Winter Breeze
1 oz creme de cacao
1 oz vanilla schnapps
1 oz Irish cream
milk

Preparation: Pour liquors into a beer mug, and fill with milk. Stir, and serve.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a Hendrick’s Gin Golf Umbrella and $20.00 Crate & Barrel Gift Card. Lucky you!
a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclosure: This is not a compensated post and the prize is being provided by the sponsor directly to the winner. All opinions are my own - please drink responsibly!

FedEx Office Canvas Print #Giveaway

2012-02-05T20:00:00.002-05:00

With Valentine's Day around the corner, FedEx Office can offer you a special treat for your loved one - a canvas treat. Starting at 16x20, the canvas prints are a great addition to your home. I printed a recent photo and absolutely love seeing it blown up in my kitchen.

I had a hard time choosing the perfect photo. Finally, I realized there was no "perfect" shot and picked one that just made me smile. It included our family, with Marlow the cat, appearing to look lovingly at Adam. In truth, the cat probably spotted a bird :) We hung it in the kitchen.

BUY IT

You can purchase your own canvas directly from FedEx Office.

WIN IT

One lucky US winner will win a I Heart FedEx Office Gift Pack.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product in order to facilitate my honest review. All opinions are my own. Thanks to FedEx Office for sponsoring this post! FedEx Office provided me with a gift card to use for the project and I alone will be choosing the winner for the giveaway using random.org.

Farm Rich Snacks Appetizers #Giveaway

2012-02-05T14:04:00.004-05:00

For over 25 years, we've been making Farm Rich products with one goal in mind: keep 'em happy. Whether it's the wholesome ingredients in our products you can feel good about serving your family, or the wide variety of our offerings that appeals to everyone, Farm Rich knows how to keep your family smiling.
Farm Rich makes a variety of tasty appetizers and snacks, some of which include: Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, Mozzarella Bites, Philly Cheese Steaks, and Pizza Slices. View the full list of Farm Rich products.

MICHELLE'S THOUGHTS
I love mozzarella sticks; they are by far my favorite appetizer! I was pretty excited to write this review because on several grocery shopping occasions, Farm Rich products (especially their cheese sticks) have caught my eye. Then I noticed that Farm Rich makes Marinara Stuffed Mozzarella Sticks, YUM! Even better! My husband and I thought they were delicious and with the marinara sauce already stuffed inside, these mozzarella sticks are convenient too.

BUY IT
You can use the product locator to find out where Farm Rich products are available near you.

WIN IT
Two of my US readers will win a coupon good for a free Farm Rich product (snacks and appetizers). Lucky you!
a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclosure: Michelle received a free product coupon to facilitate her honest review. All opinions are her own. This is not a compensated post. Thank you to Farm Rich for providing the giveaway items!

List and Promote Giveaways - 2/4

2012-02-03T20:50:00.002-05:00

Little Caesars HOT-N-READY Pizza

2012-02-03T19:17:00.000-05:00

Little Caesars HOT-N-READY large pepperoni pizza is just $5 right in time for the Super Bowl! Have you planned your menu?

Little Caesars offers a HOT-N-READY pizza for a quick pick up with no need to call ahead. What is HOT-N-READY®? A large 14” pepperoni pizza, hot out of the oven and ready when you are! No need to call ahead! No need to wait! No limit!

Little Caesars also features specialty HOT-N-READY® pizzas from time to time based on regional taste preferences.

BUY IT
Check out the Little Caesars Store Locator for a location near you! This is a limited time offer! You can also follow Little Caesars Facebook and twitter to keep in touch.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a $5 Little Caesars gift card,and 1 Little Caesars Bean Doll. To enter, please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form. If you can't see the form, please refresh your page, make sure Javascript is enabled, or try another browser. If you have any issues entering, please leave me a comment!

a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclosure: This review and giveaway is sponsored by Little Caesars who provided me with the information and the giveaway prize. I received a similar prize pack to thank me for my time. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this post.

Fun Family Visit #WW

2012-01-31T20:11:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, the grandparents descended and Adam and I had a date night. Alone. Dressed up. It was nice :)

I remembered to dig out the tripod. That's Adam's mom and stepfather with us and Lily the ham-face!

Lily loves playing Go Fish with Grandma Debbi! The art kit divider is so we don't "cheat" since she can't hold her cards well.

I think it is time to upgrade this seating area a bit. We have our eye on some comfortable arm chairs to replace the wood bench and will relocate the kids table.

Last but not least, who doesn't love making Play Dough cakes?

Do you have a Wordless Wednesday? Feel free to link up below so that I can come visit!

Baby Bullet System for Homemade Food

2012-01-31T19:03:00.001-05:00

The Original Baby Bullet™ is safe, non-toxic and BPA-free countertop system was specifically designed for new moms, on-the-go moms and even Dads too. The Original Baby Bullet™ is more than a blender – it’s a 22-piece comprehensive baby food making system designed to make mom’s life easier while ensuring baby begins life eating the healthiest, most nutrient-rich all-natural foods. Jarred baby food is much more expensive than homemade food and typically contains unhealthy sugars, preservatives and fillers (even when it’s labeled organic). With the Original Baby Bullet™, moms are in full control of every ingredient that goes into their baby’s food.

The Original Baby Bullet™ Baby Care System includes:
The Power Base: The heart of The Original Baby Bullet™ Baby Care System. Simply place either the Batchbowl or one of the Short Cups on to the High-Torque Power Base, press down and twist for preservative-free, all-natural baby food in seconds.

The Baby Blend Blade and Milling Blade. The Baby Blend Blade is for puréeing and blending foods. The Milling Blade is for milling grains to make cereals. Note: The Milling Blade is only used on the Short Cup.
Both blades are BPA-free and dishwasher-safe.

Two Short Cups: Both cups areused to mix and store ingredients and are BPA-free and dishwasher safe.
The Batchbowl: This larger vessel is used for creating large amounts of baby food for storage. It’s BPA-free and dishwasher safe.

The Batch Tray: This one-of-a-kind tray is used to store large batches of baby’s favorite food after preparation. The Batch Tray freezes over 24 ounces of baby food and the silicone “easy pop” cups make it a breeze to pop out one serving, several servings, or all 12 Baby Bullet servings with ease. It is BPA-free and dishwasher safe.

The Soft-Tip Spatula: Helps scoop the prepared baby food into the storage vessels with ease.

The Baby Bullet Recipe Book and Nutrition Guide: This handy book takes the guess work out of preparing the tastiest, healthiest, age-appropriate foods that are perfect for baby at every stage of development. It includes recipes for Sweet Potato Puree, Green Pea Puree, Oatmeal Cereal, Strawberry and Pear Totsicles, and many other baby favorites. The Baking for Baby and Healthy Dessert sections give you wonderful ways to indulge your baby – without all the sugar and preservatives found in store bought goodies. And you’ll learn how to add “puréed goodness” to all kinds of kid favorites like macaroni and cheese or tiny tacos. Your little one will have no idea they’re gobbling down cauliflower and carrots inside their mini cheese pizza! It’s delicious!

Pocket Nutritionist: This pocket-sized companion guides moms on exactly how much food to buy, how to choose the freshest produce, and provides nutritional information so that baby is getting all the vitamins and minerals needed for optimal health.

Six Storage Cups with Date-Dial lids: Simply spoon your baby food in to the storage cup, twist on the lid and turn the Date-Dial to show the date you created the food. All six cups and lids are BPA-free and dishwasher safe.

WIN IT

One of my US readers will win 1 Baby Bullet Unit, 1 Turbosteamer, and 1 Cookbook. To enter, please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form. If you can't see the form, please refresh your page, make sure Javascript is enabled, or try another browser. If you have any issues entering, please leave me a comment!

a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclosure: I was not compensated for this post. Thank you to Baby Bullet for providing the giveaway prize.

DIY Backyard Deck by #HandyHubby

2012-01-29T21:12:00.001-05:00

I spent most of my life living in "flat" areas - first on my grandmother's farm in Poland as a child, then in Chicago through my early 20s. An unexpected move to Atlanta changed all that, and we managed to find our perfect home in the city of Mountain Park. Our house is literally built into a hill, with two sides of our main living area left windowless.

As new home owners, we did not fully understand or appreciate the issues involved with living on a hilly, wooded lot. We quickly learned about erosion and dug a lot of ditches to bury drainage tubes. We also quickly realized that we did not have the typical backyard. Our outdoor living space was a concrete patio the builder had put in. The patio was not large. Growing grass on the few flat areas we had was not a possibility due to the towering shade trees and uneven terrain.

Determined to make it work we contacted local landscapers. We received an absurd quote of over 20K from a landscaper to terrace and level out the yard. Needless to say, we did not have an extra $20,000 sitting around. So we took matters into our own hands (OK, OK, into my husband's hands, he gets the full credit!!). Our solution? A custom deck, built into the hill.

This beauty took Adam a good several years to finally complete on the weekends and weeknights. I believe we started in 2004 and finally finished in 2008. The end result? It nearly doubled our usable backyard space. We eat there. We relax there. We bird watch there. The deck flows downward in stages to accommodate the land and I love that this is a structure that adds both value and function to our property. I dug up these old in-progress photos to show you the transformation of the sloped backyard.

This is an entry for PartSelect's G.E. Appliances contest.

Leo Wall Stickers #Giveaway

2012-01-29T20:23:00.001-05:00

Leo Stickers are colorful and creative wall decals that designed by Italian artists, illustrators and designers to decorate kids’ rooms. Leo Stickers decals are created with young children in mind. By applying these stickers on the walls, a simple bedroom can be transformed into a fantastic world, allowing your child to grow in a fun, stimulating and creative environment! They have everything from cuddly characters to jungle kits to pirate ships, and more! There are so many different choices to personalize your child's room and if you need a little help, you can even search the room ideas!

What's more, LEO stickers are created using only the best materials. The printed section is protected by a pvc film, making them safe and resilient against even the most lively children! They are non-reflective and free of white borders, avoiding the appearance of a "picture card" and appearing instead to be painted directly onto the wall. Leo Stickers decals are available in kits or can be purchased separately, and you can even customize the size of each decal!

MICHELLE'S THOUGHTS
For the purpose of this review, I had the opportunity to review the Sea Minikit, which included nine sea creature decals. I decided to hang them in our kids’ bathroom to make the room a little more colorful and fun. Applying the decals was incredibly easy and none of them ripped or got air bubbles. Additionally, I was very impressed with how vivid the color is on the decals.

Leo Stickers are also easy to remove (I checked just in case). Although we own our home, we are a military family and may have to move at any time, so we do our best to keep our home looking as new as possible. Wall decals from Leo Stickers are a great way for us to personalize without making permanent changes! Jacob loves pointing out the stickers every time he uses the bathroom, and his excitement has helped a little for potty training motivation.

BUY IT
You can buy wall decals from Leo Stickers online at www.leowallstickers.com!

WIN IT
One of my US or Canadian readers will win their choice of the Sea Minikit or Spring Minikit. Lucky you! To enter, please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form. If you can't see the form, please refresh your page, make sure Javascript is enabled, or try another browser. If you have any issues entering, please leave me a comment!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Michelle received a complimentary product to facilitate her honest review. All opinions are her own, and this is not a compensated post. Thank you to Leo Wall Stickers for providing the product for review and giveaway.

List and Promote Your Giveaway 1/28

2012-01-27T21:24:00.000-05:00

Hosting a giveaway? You can link it here to promote it! I try to visit everyone who links up since I LOVE giveaways! Please include blog name - prize - end date and link directly to your giveaway. My current giveaways are listed in the right sidebar. Please keep it family friendly or identify it as adult content.

Looking for more giveaways to enter? Check out my friends Dina at Just Another New Blogand Kristi at Moms Own Words! Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

Dulce de Leche Cheerios Recipe & #Giveaway

2012-01-27T19:30:00.000-05:00

Now, moms everywhere can bring a beloved traditional Latin flavor to their family’s breakfast table with new Dulce de Leche Cheerios. With a hint of caramel flavor, Dulce de Leche Cheerios, provides a delicious and tasty start to your family’s day while delivering key health benefits expected from a cereal made with whole grain and 6 grams of sugar per serving. Be among the first to taste this new twist on a familiar classic.

Dulce de Leche is traditionally incorporated in Latin American inspired desserts, and you can now get a hint in the newest variety of Cheerios. With the same goodness you’ve come to know and love about Cheerios, the new Dulce de Leche flavor provides 39 percent of the recommended daily amount of whole grain*

* According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the daily recommended amount of whole grain for most people is at least 3 ounce equivalents, which is equal to 48 grams. Dulce de Leche Cheerios has 19 grams of whole grain per serving.

Don’t just eat Dulce de Leche Cheerios with milk at breakfast. Enjoy the sweet flavor and crunchy texture of Dulce de Leche Cheerios in one of these recipes for fun new snacking options:

Dulce de Leche Cheerios Snack Mix- combine pretzels, nuts, and other sweet treats with Dulce de Leche Cheerios for a sweet and salty munching mix with a crunch

Dulce de Leche Popcorn Balls- Gooey popcorn balls that melt in your mouth as you bite into the caramel flavors

Dulce de Leche No Bake Snack Bars- Hearty bars with bits of fruit and nut for on-the-go snacking

Dulce de Leche Apple Bread- A hint of caramel paired with refreshing apple flavors that is perfect for any time of day

Dulce de Leche Cheerios Parfait- Jazz up your yogurt with Dulce de Leche Cheerios and fresh fruit

Dulce de Leche No Bake Cheesecake- Make your own crust for this rich cheese cake using Dulce de Leche Cheerios

BUY IT

In addition, visit http://www.myblogspark.com/uc/main/434f/ to download a printable coupon for $1.00 off the purchase of ONE BOX of Dulce de Leche Cheerios® cereal today, and feel free to share with your blog readers so they can take advantage of the savings as well.

WIN IT

One of my US readers will win a Dulce de Leche Cheerios prize pack pictured above that which will include:

Box of Dulce de Leche Cheerios
Orange polka dot cereal bowl
Cereal spoon
Dulce de leche scented candle

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: The new Dulce de Leche Cheerios information, product, and prize pack have been provided free of charge by Cheerios and General Mills, through MyBlogSpark. All opinions are my own.

Bertolli Soup Meals Easy Weeknight Dinner

2012-01-27T19:12:00.000-05:00

While I spend significant time on the weekends cooking and preparing ahead for the week of meals, sometimes I take a shortcut. Tonight was one of those nights. I picked up a Bertolli Meal Soup to throw together for dinner. Bertolli offers a yummy and easy-to-prepare restaurant-quality Bertolli Meal Soup. Prepared on your stove in a very short time, you have a meal to go for two that is satisfying and hearty. For us, this meal served well to feed two adults and one young child.

Lily and I hit the store after work/school and picked up a Tomato Florentine and Tortellini with Chicken soup. I thought it would go well with some crusty french baguettes (I keep a stash in my freezer from Costco - they rock!) and fresh blueberries and strawberries with whipped cream.

Bertolli's meal soup was super easy to prepare - pour contents into a pot and add one cup of water. Bring to boiling. Could it get any easier? There was an option to prepare in the microwave, too.

Meanwhile, while the soup simmered and heated, I toasted my french bread and whipped up some cream. I think every meal needs some fresh herbs, so I topped our soup with fresh chopped parsley. Fresh herbs add a great touch to pre-prepared foods!

We enjoyed the meal and were very satisfied with the portions. Personally, I thought the soup was a bit salty for my taste and would love it if Bertolli would offer a lower-sodium option. Adam, however, thought it tasted just fine. The dinner and dessert disappeared within minutes and we went about our evening chores. I enjoyed creating a quick, easy and delicious meal "from scratch" for our busy weeknight.

BUY IT

Check out the product locator on Bertolli's website to find a store near you. I found mine in the freezer section of Publix for less than $6. Varieties include Chicken Minestrone, Roasted Chicken and Rotini Pasta, Tomato Florentine and Tortellini with Chicken, and Tuscan Style Beef and Vegetables.

Keep in touch with Bertolli on Facebook or twitter.

Disclosure: I was compensated by Bertolli to participate in the Weeknight Meal Special Challenge. All opinions are my own.

Five Happy Things

2012-01-26T21:12:00.001-05:00

My work is quite busy right now. This means my blog gets neglected and even my own mother said she had noticed a lack of fun posts about Lily and the family. So, I grabbed my camera and snapped these photos tonight of things that made me happy. I could have gone on and on, but I'm limiting it to five for now.

Happiness is: starting some seeds with Lily this past weekend. Hope we get some good herbs! Thanks to my best friend Lisa for sending Lily a fun herb gardening kit for Christmas!

My new salad spinner. How have I waited 33 years to purchase this must-own kitchen goody? I love it!

Packages in the mail that lead to hours of kid entertainment. These boxes are new condos for the Cinderella-Barbie doll and her other Barbie friend, who wears an entirely too short and too low-cut mini dress and crazy platform heels. I didn't buy it. Lily loves it. Let me leave it at that.

Home decorating tips from a 4 year old. And her dad. Apparently they made these light-fixture decorations this morning. Interesting...although I banished them quickly to the recycling box. They still made me smile :)

And last but not least? The Disney Social Media Moms Conference invite I found in my spam folder. I bought my conference ticket this morning and am excited to attend and bring the family. I think we'll wait to surprise Lily with the news if I can manage to keep it a secret. It will be my first ever blog conference! I'm just a teeny, tiny bit excited!!

If I wanted to, I could probably go on to list quite a few more but now it is time to go chill out with my #1 happiness - the hubby! Did something make you happy today? I hope so!

Publix Best Meals Happen at Home $25 #Giveaway

2012-01-26T19:50:00.000-05:00

A busy weeknight doesn’t have to mean fast food for dinner! Publix knows that the best meals happen at home, so they are excited to help you enjoy family mealtime without having to stress about what to prepare or spending hours in the kitchen. Stop by Publix during their “Best Meals Happen at Home” event to find great savings on some of your favorite products. Be sure to visit BestMealsatHome.com to find fantastic recipes, which can be cooked in 30 minutes or less, and your family is sure to love.

Take advantage of great savings on some of your favorite participating brands during the “Best Meals Happen at Home” event at Publix from January 26th through February 1st. As of Jan 26th look for in-store for coupons that will be valid through February 15th. Visit BestMealsatHome.com to sign up and receive emails with weekly recipes and coupon offers that will help you save up to $200 this year - I did! We are big fans of Publix and enjoy their large produce section and variety of products. The friendly service is a plus, too!

To kick-off the great savings and enjoy valuable time around the dinner table with your family, Publix invites you to try one of the delicious recipes that you can find at BestMealsatHome.com, which uses Cheerios® to make Crunchy Chicken Nuggets:

Prep time: 15 Min
Cook time: 25 Min
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups Cheerios® cereal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon mustard
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Directions:
Heat oven to 400°F. Spray with cooking spray or lightly grease 13x9-inch pan. Finely crush cereal. Stir together cereal, salt and pepper; set aside. In medium bowl, stir together milk, honey and mustard until blended. Dip chicken into milk mixture; coat with cereal mixture. Place chicken in pan; drizzle with melted butter. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden and chicken is no longer pink in center.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a $25 Publix gift card. Lucky you! To enter, please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form. If you can't see the form, please refresh your page, make sure Javascript is enabled, or try another browser. If you have any issues entering, please leave me a comment!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: The Publix gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. All opinions are my own. I received a complimentary gift card to do my own shopping - thanks, Publix!

Thirty One Thermal Totes Discount & $100 #Giveaway

2012-01-25T18:22:00.000-05:00

Thirty-One’s mission is to celebrate, encourage and reward women for who they are! We feel women deserve to treat themselves and their loved ones to something special. We do this by bringing the party – and incredible fun and functional products to the home! By offering quality products and an outstanding business opportunity that helps women achieve their personal “Why,” we are providing women with a fulfilling, enjoyable and rewarding experience.

The name Thirty-One comes from the verses of Proverbs 31 in the Bible that celebrates the busy, hardworking wife, mother, friend, daughter and sister in all of us. Thirty-One recognizes women for who they are and all they do for their families and their communities! The new catalog is filled with stylish, affordable products exclusive to Thirty-One. From signature purses and totes to storage solutions that help organize your life, there’s something to fit every personality and situation.

THERMAL TOTE - $10 Special (regularly $20) until January 31st!
· A classic thermal tote that is perfect for school lunches and eating on the on-the-go
· Features an exterior pocket for napkins, cutlery or dry snacks, as well as a zipper closure.
· Simply slip in a freezer pack and food stays cool for hours.
· Silver thermal lining keeps food cool or warm
· Measure approx. 9.5” H X 14” W X 4.5” D – a nice ample size for lunch containers!
· Available in 11 styles and designs and you can customize for $7 or more!

CINCH-IT-UP THERMAL TOTES - $15 Special (regularly $20) until January 31st!
· New style just introduced for Spring 2012 and 30 percent bigger than the classic Thermal Totes
· Great for keeping your plastic containers of leftovers cool ‘til lunch.
· Longer handles means you can toss it over your shoulder and keep yourself hands free!
· Features a drawstring closure for maximum space.
· Silver thermal lining keeps food cool or warm.
· Simply slip in a freezer pack and food stays cool for hours.
· Comes in 5 bright spring patterns – aqua circle, black paisley parade, circle spirals, leopard floral and lotsa dots and measures approximately 10.5”H x 9.5”W x 5.25”D

BUY IT
Product is sold through Thirty One Gifts consultants. Locate yours by visiting www.thirtyonegifts.com or find out how you can become a consultant with only a $99 investment in a business kit worth more than $300.

WIN IT

One of my US readers will win a $100 shopping spree to Thirty One! To enter, please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form. If you can't see the form, please refresh your page, make sure Javascript is enabled, or try another browser.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Little Gardening Helper #WW

2012-01-24T20:19:00.000-05:00

We are preparing for spring with a fresh layer of pine straw. For you Northerners, that's the Southern equivalent of mulch.

Adam puts out about 50 bales in the spring and fall. Luckily for me, I break out in a rash if it touches me so I am saved from this process. The rash is my story and I'm sticking to it.

Lily has stepped up and taken my place in the process. Such a good helper!

Do you have a Wordless Wednesday? Feel free to link up below!

VeggieTales Latest DVDs #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2012-01-23T20:12:00.000-05:00

The newest releases from Big Idea Entertainment are out - VeggieTales: God Loves You Very Much and VeggieTales: If I Sang A Silly Song!

VeggieTales: God Loves You Very Much
The fun and family friendly film features stories that demonstrate how God cares for us in all kinds of situations!VeggieTales: God Loves You Very Much is the follow-up title to the smash-hit VeggieTales DVD, God Made You Special. This release includes nearly 90 minutes of family-friendly content and features three fan-favorite VeggieTales stories that teach other valuable lessons about love, Gideon: Tuba Warrior, The Ballad of Little Joeand Rack, Shack & Benny. The title also includes an all-new “story-song” called Does He Love Me?, as well as other bonus features and activities.

Available for $12.93 wherever DVDs are sold.

"Does He Love Me?” is the question the Veggie Kids ask Larry and the answer is found through a fun trip of song and rhyme that gives the answer -- God loves you very much! Join Larry, Bob, Junior, Laura and their pals as they recount all the ways that God shows kids he loves them even when "they forget to blow their nose, or dirty up their clothes!" This new compilation features stories that show uniquely how God cares for us in all kinds of situations! With the classic VeggieTales episodes, kids also learn valuable lessons around love, including Gideon: Tuba Warrior (Trust), The Ballad of Little Joe (Facing Hardship) and Rack, Shack & Benny (Peer Pressure).

VeggieTales: If I Sang A Silly Song

Available beginning February 7th , 2012 for $12.99 wherever DVDs are sold.

VeggieTales Silly Songs! Larry the Cucumber hosts “The Silly Song Telethon” and counts down the top favorite silly songs of all-time... voted for by the fans!! The fun continues with a surprise introduction of a never-before-seen, new Silly Song chosen by Larry the Cucumber from thousands of fan submissions!

Perfectly appropriate for Valentine's Day and all year long, VeggieTales: God Loves You Very Much and If I Sang a Silly Song will be a staple VeggieTales title for years to come! Please let me know if you are interested in reviewing either DVD or hosting a reader giveaway because I would love to help coordinate!

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win both DVDs. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me why you would like to win or tell me another Veggie Tales DVD that interests you. Easy!

This giveaway is over. The winner was comment #6 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on February 7th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by Veggie Tales. Thank you for providing the item for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with P.F. Chang's

2012-01-23T19:17:00.002-05:00

Prosperity, peace, happiness and longevity all symbolize the Chinese New Year, one of the most important and festive Chinese holidays. In this “Year of the Dragon” beginning January 23, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and P.F. Chang’s Home Menu want to ignite your good fortune and share the spirit of this holiday with you.

The eve of Chinese New Year, January 22nd, is marked by the reunion of loved ones for a feast.
Along with the reunion dinner, the Red Envelope itself represents another significant tradition in Chinese culture. Red Envelopes, filled with gifts, are presented to family and friends during the Chinese New Year since the color red symbolizes good luck. Our celebration feast will take place this upcoming weekend since I have been putting in some longer hours at the office during the work week.

I have tried the P.F. Chang's Home Menu Meals for 2 in the past and enjoyed the quick preparation and flavorful combinations. As much as I enjoy home cooking, it is great to skip slaving over the stove and have a quick meal at the ready to pull out of the freezer.

There are a wide variety of P.F. Chang’s Home Menu noodles for you to enjoy! The flavors of Home Menu noodle entrees include Pepper Steak with Chow Fun Noodles, Grilled Chicken Teriyaki with Lo Mein Noodles, Garlic Chicken with Dan Dan Noodles, and Firecracker Shrimp with Yakisoba Noodles. Join us in celebrating the Chinese New Year the P.F. Chang’s way – either savoring your meal at home or at the Bistro with your friends!

Be on the lookout for a fun Facebook application on PF Chang’s Facebook Page, that will provide you good fortune for the New Year!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary Red Envelope Celebration Kit to facilitate my honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this post.

List & Promote Giveaways - 1/21

2012-01-20T20:16:00.001-05:00

Hosting a giveaway? You can link it here to promote it! I try to visit everyone who links up since I LOVE giveaways! Please include blog name - prize - end date and link directly to your giveaway. My current giveaways are listed in the right sidebar. Please keep it family friendly or identify it as adult content.

Looking for more giveaways to enter? Check out my friends Dina at Just Another New Blogand Kristi at Moms Own Words! Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

True Resolutions #Trop50 $50 Spa #Giveaway (CLOSED)

2012-01-20T19:00:00.000-05:00

Did you set any resolutions in 2012? My two main resolutions are to get fit and to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into my diet. I am doing pretty well on the latter mainly due to some strategic weekend food planning. I cook ahead for the week, chop celery, bag carrots and stock pile the produce drawer with all sorts of fresh produce. It is working out well!

The "get fit" part...not so much, mainly because this is my busiest time at work. I still try to get some free weights in during the evenings but the lunch time gym sessions have been put on hold until March. Luckily, healthy eating is keeping me feeling good!

Resolved to cut calories or lose weight? Tropicana Trop50 is a breakthrough innovation from Tropicana that offers 50 percent less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners. Trop50 is the first juice beverage to be naturally sweetened with an all-natural stevia-based sweetener. Trop50 is designed to help manage weight goals by offering reduced sugar and calories, without sacrificing great taste.

At 50 calories per eight-ounce glass, Trop50 not only tastes great, but helps you feel good. Each 8-ounce glass of Trop50 squeezes in a full day’s supply of vitamin C and is also a good source of antioxidant vitamin E. Trop50 is available in Orange (No Pulp, Some Pulp and Calcium + Vitamin D), Farmstand Apple, Pomegranate Blueberry, Pineapple Mango, Lemonade and Raspberry Lemonade.

Share your New Year's Resolutions with Tropicana and enter to win a sweepstakes on their Facebook page through January 31, 2012.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a $50 Spa Week gift card. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me if you are still following any resolution you made. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #619 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on February 3rd. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by Trop50. Thank you for providing the item for giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

Favorite Pizza Toppings #WW

2012-01-17T21:20:00.002-05:00

What do you put on your pizza? I recently started experimenting with a homemade version that is wonderful.

Our favorite includes bell peppers, artichoke hearts, black olives, pepperoni or sausage, tofu, spinach leaves, red onion, yellow pepper rings and broccoli. Mmm, can't wait to make another one soon!

Progresso Souper You Contest #Giveaway (CLOSED)

2012-01-17T20:51:00.005-05:00

Are you ready for a new look this New Year? Progresso® is excited to announce the return of their Souper You® Contest giving you the chance to win an incredible makeover! By telling Progresso why you deserve a makeover and what you love about their soup, you could have the chance to win an ultimate makeover experience in Hollywood this Spring!

Now that the ball has dropped and the confetti has settled, it’s time to consider how you will stick to your resolution for the New Year and maintain your weight management plan, without sacrificing on variety or the taste of foods you love. Thanks to Progresso®, you can have your soup and eat it too!

With 40 delicious soups with 100 calories or less per serving, Progresso Soup has a variety of offerings that help you beat diet boredom and satisfy your taste cravings, while helping you stick to your weight management calorie goals. Progresso soups are packed with hearty ingredients like pasta, beans, rice, meat and vegetables that suit your taste buds and make you feel good about including it in your meal choices.

This year, the Souper You® Contest will provide three lucky winners with an ultimate makeover experience in Hollywood; this includes a trip for 2 to Los Angeles, California where the winner will receive a head-to-toe makeover including hair and makeup, guided shopping spree with a $1,000 fashion retailer gift card, $1,000 spending money and 2 tickets to this season’s live finale of NBC’s The Biggest Loser
Progresso is asking fans to visit www.SouperYou.com and submit their photo with a brief essay about why they love Progresso soups and why they deserve a makeover, by no later than February 22nd. Fans can check back on March 12th for the announcement of the top ten finalists, and to vote for their favorite finalist until March 25th

You can also download a printable coupon for $1.25 off the purchase of four cans of Progresso Soup!

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win 2 Coupons for Progresso Soup and a copy of “The Biggest Loser” Workout DVD. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me Which of the Progresso Soup flavors are you most excited to incorporate into your weight management plan this New Year? Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #274 Barbara - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on February 2nd. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by Progresso and MyBlogSpark.com. Thank you for providing the item for giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.Please refer to my Disclosure if you have further questions.

ShaToBu High Waist Tight Shapeware

2012-01-17T19:53:00.000-05:00

Have you used shapewear in your wardrobe? Sometimes I consider it a must to maintain a nice, clean line. Most recently I had the opportunity to test out the ShaToBu GET FIT Tight. How can your tights get you fit? Read on to learn about the company and my own experience in trying on the product.

The history of ShāToBu: Board-certified chiropractor Dr. Denise Perron developed ShāToBu as an “effortless exercise” solution to the fact that many of patients would not consistently perform the exercises she prescribed. Since many of them were already wearing shapewear, it was a natural progression to add resistance bands directly within those garments. The seamless resistance bands force muscles to work harder during natural movement and consequently burn extra calories to help fit a light workout into the day. She conducted research studies in Canada and the U.S.A. that showed that women burned more calories during treadmill exercises that simulated everyday movement when they wore the shapewear. ShāToBu was first officially launched to the marketplace in February 2010. The brand debuted in department stores and on its own e-commerce site.

All original and new styles offer matchless shaping with every movement and support for the tummy, hips, thighs and derriere; new features include a softer, more luxurious fabric for optimal comfort; and shorter leg bands that now reach to mid-thigh for more flexibility with dresses and skirts of different lengths. The collection's new, more reasonable price point makes it accessible to a wider audience of women. .

BUY IT
Most ShāToBu GET FIT™ items are available in sizes S through 2X (Everyday Slimming Posture Supporting Tops and Everyday Leggings and Top in S through XL), at prices ranging from $28 to $88, at the newly launched ShāToBu.com and in department and .com stores across the country including Dillards, Dillards.com, Bloomingdales, Macys.com, Lord & Taylor, LordandTaylor.com, and BareNecessities.com. Lord & Taylor's Manhattan Fifth Avenue flagship store will host an editor and consumer debut event with models and stylists in October.

MY THOUGHTS

I received the high-waist GET FIT tight to review. My fist impression when I opened the package was to wonder how I would ever squeeze myself into the tights. At first attempt I couldn't get them up all the way but quickly learned a technique to slide and shimmy them up my thighs. I had a size Medium which ranges from 115-140 pounds (I'm 130) and 4'10 to 5'10 (I'm 5'7). The tights when on were very snug but then I was on the high end of the weight recommendation (dang holidays caught up with me!!).

However, they definitely maintained a clean line. They reached all the way up to my bra - individuals on the shorter side may have to fold them over. I do have to say I was highly impressed with how well the tights stayed in place. I was also impressed with the smooth texture of the product - both the slimming, squeezing part hidden from the public eye and the visible leg. I experienced no snags or creeping down of the tight at all.

My only complaint - hand-washing, really? I want to pop these into a lingerie bag and launder them. However, I like them enough not to risk harm coming their way so I will make the hand wash sacrifice. Others might cringe at the $38 price tag, but I've spend $20 bucks on high-end nylons that tore and ran after one use. The ShaToBu tights are as good as new after some serious wear - like a 4 year old hopping into my lap multiple times!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and yours may differ. Refer to my official Disclosure policy if you have further questions.

C3* for Stress & Spa Gift Card #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2012-01-15T16:30:00.001-05:00

Despite all the joy that the holidays brings, it also brings something that is NOT on Santa’s Wish List – STRESS! In fact, the American Psychological Association states that more than eight out of 10 Americans anticipate stress during the holiday season. There is now a new product that hopes to provide a little relief.

C3* for Stress (www.C3forStress.com) is an all-natural, lemon-lime flavored drink mix of healthful botanicals and replenishing vitamins and minerals that helps relieve the symptoms of stress by keeping you calm, cool and connected to your natural energy. C3*’s proprietary formula combines thousands of years of healing traditions with the rigor of modern science. It keeps you focused, allowing you to be more productive when you need it most and when you can’t afford to slow down (like most of us moms!).

It was developed by the same entrepreneurs behind Elixir Teas & Tonics. This was an herbal products and functional beverage brand whose Los Angeles flagship store on Melrose was frequented by celebrities and praised by the press (InStyle, People, New York Times). It was THE destination for LA’s “who’s who” to get a little relief from the stresses of the everyday world.

MY THOUGHTS
January and February are absolutely the busiest and stressful for me at work. I go into it knowing I will be working overtime and weekends if necessary. I know I can't take a day off of work until March. I keep my fingers crossed that we stay healthy and avoid winter colds and the flu. C3* is perfect to take to work and mix up for a quick drink. Only 15 calories, and it includes 100 percent of the RDA of Vitamins B6, B12, Zinc and Niacin. I also appreciate the fact that it is all natural, preservative free and free of any artificial sweeteners. The beverage mixes up quickly and is a bit fizzy, with a mild lemon-lime taste.

BUY IT
You can get a free 5 pack sample if you pay for shipping and handling directly from www.c3forstress.com.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a one month’s supply of C3* for Stress (two 15-packs) and a $50 gift card to SpaFinder.com. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me how you relieve stress or tell me about the most stressful thing in your life right now. Easy!

This giveaway is over. The winner was #439 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on January 29th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by C3* For Stress and the Family Review Network. Thank you for providing the item for giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I did receive a free product sample to facilitate my honest review. Please refer to my Disclosure if you have further questions.

Shrimp Thai Noodle Bowl #Recipe

2012-01-15T11:15:00.000-05:00

This is an easy, quick one-pot recipe that cooks up in about 15 minutes. Count me in! I found this in Rachel Ray magazine and have made it multiple times.

4-6 ounces rice noodles, cooked and drained
1 13.5 ounce can of light coconut milk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 cups snow peas
salt and pepper to taste
fresh lime juice from 1 lime

Cook your noodles and drain in a colander. In the same pot, add 1 cup water, coconut milk, curry paste and soy sauce to a simmer.

Add shrimp and cook until cooked through and pink. Add the snow peas and cook until tender crisp, about 3-5 minutes. I generally squeeze the lime juice in at this point, or you can serve with lime wedges for so individuals can season to taste. Enjoy! This works well as leftovers, too!

List & Promote Giveaways - 1/14

2012-01-13T20:33:00.002-05:00

Vitalicious 50-Calorie Mini VitaCakes

2012-01-13T19:12:00.001-05:00

Vitalicious has launched new 50-calorie Fudgy Chocolate Mini VitaCakes, the first 50-calorie product of its kind and Vitalicious’ lowest-calorie product ever. Launching just in time to jump-start healthy New Year’s resolutions, Fudgy Chocolate Mini VitaCakessatisfy your passion for chocolate and still leave you feeling full and satisfied.

With 2g of protein, 6g of fiber, 14g of carbs, only 1g of fat plus 15 vitamins and minerals, the all-natural Fudgy Chocolate Mini VitaCakes are loaded with as much nutrition as they are with gooey chocolate goodness.

VitaCakes are made from all-natural ingredients and whole grains without any artificial coloring or preservatives of any kind. Plus, it only takes 7 minutes to “walk off” the 50 calories contained in each Mini VitaCake*. (And, they are only one measly point on Weight Watchers PointsPlus program!)

* Data obtained from the National Institutes of Health and is calculated for a person weighing 150 lbs walking 4.5 mph.

MY THOUGHTS
I usually tell people that I do not have a sweet tooth, but I mainly avoid sweets and desserts to avoid the sugar and fat that usually goes along with them. These tasty Mini VitaCakes are a a great alternative to have on hand. Stored in your freezer, the cakes defrost in your lunch bag or on your counter within a few hours. I personally did not attempt to microwave them to defrost them but did see that as an option on the instructions. Personally, I love the fact that a sweet treat can be high in fiber and vitamins and minerals. What I love even more is that there are no artificial additives or preservatives. Plus, they are chocolate-y and yummy!

BUY IT
Fudgy Chocolate Mini VitaCakes are now available exclusively for purchase online at www.vitalicious.com. A case of 24 retails for $21 and the case of 48 for $42 is currently on sale for $34.99.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a case of these yummy Chocolate Mini VitaCakes to gobble up. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me what your sweet craving is or let me know what other Vitalicious product interests you. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #488 Holly - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on January 28th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by Vitalicious. Thank you for providing the item for giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I did receive a free product sample to facilitate my honest review. Please refer to my Disclosure if you have further questions.

Redecorating Our Main Floor #WW

2012-01-10T21:19:00.000-05:00

I'm constantly on the lookout for a project. The recent undertaking after installing our own hardwood flooring? Redecorating the main level. Our main living/dining level is one giant C shape, with a kitchen on one end and TV area on the other. In between is a giant open space.

We have spent the last few night moving furniture, trying different arrangements and layouts. We think we found another option that will be more usable. Open spaces are hard!

What's harder? De-cluttering the garage. This is the third garage, filled with...stuff. Plants, kids toys, pots, more kids toys, and more plants. Yikes!!

And on the other side of the garage, the endless Handy Hubby workbench area. Eeek! You really don't want to see a close-up!

One of my New Year's resolutions is to de-clutter and organize. Wish me luck! I need it, badly!!

Do My Own Pest Control to the Rescue!

2012-01-10T20:53:00.000-05:00

DoMyOwnPestControl.com was started by two brothers in 2004 and is now one of the largest and fastest-
growing do-it-yourself pest control retailers in the United States. The company was recently honored on the prestigious 2010 Inc. 5000 list of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies ranking No. 700 with three year growth of 438%. The company also ranks as the 17th fastest growing company in Atlanta (yay, my hometown!). BizRate.com recently awarded DoMyOwnPestControl.com with the Circle of Excellence Platinum Award for exceptional customer service, an honor given to only the top 1% of over 5000 online retailers.

Our success at DoMyOwnPestControl.com is measured by how closely we keep to our company's mission:

Make happy and satisfied customers by providing the absolute best customer experience.

We accomplish this through competitive pricing, a website that is customer-centered and easy to use, a friendly and knowledgeable staff, and fast free shipping.

At Do My Own Pest Control you'll find a friendly staff of pest control professionals that are ready to answer your pest control questions. Concerned about bed bugs? Ask away! We only carry professional-grade pest control products (no fakes or knock-offs), the same products that professional pest control companies use. Let our site and experts guide you to the right products, and we can save you up to 70% over the cost of hiring an exterminator.

WIN IT
Two of my US readers will win a $25 gift code. Lucky you! You must spend $25 for the code to activate.

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me what is bugging you. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winners were #93 and #116 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on January 26th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by DoMyOwnPestControl.com. Thank you for providing the item for giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I was not compensated for this post. Please refer to my Disclosure if you have further questions.

Weekend Cooking Meal Planning

2012-01-08T19:32:00.000-05:00

One of the things I am very proud of as a full-time, stressful-job working mother and wife is the fact that we eat very, very well. I don't regularly fly through the drive-thru. Frozen pizzas and dinners are not welcome here. We eat a lot of fresh fruit and veggies at work and at home. The fruits and vegetables below are a spill-over from the full crisper bins in the fridge.

Adam and I both work hectic days and I enjoy making sure we have healthy options to take to work for lunch and to eat at home. The weekends are my time to shop, plan and organize. I spend a LOT of time cooking and making meals ahead of time.

It isn't a chore because I enjoy it and I enjoy having homemade food to consume during the week. Today I made some of my favorites.

Stuffed Cabbage
Andoullie Sausage and Spaghetti Squash
Sauted Creamy Garlic Spinach
Acorn Squash Soup
Basil Stir Fry over rice

I also chopped celery, cooked some soybeans, peeled a pomegranate and boiled some eggs to take to work as snacks. Next I organized everything into portable containers. This is my counter and fridge on Sunday night, ready to face another week!

#Trop50 True Resolutions $50 Spa #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2012-01-08T08:33:00.000-05:00

Have you set any New Year's Resolutions? I am determined to get more fit in 2012. With work, family, activities and running a household, exercise doesn't always fall as the number one priority on my list. We are changing that at home with some evening workouts that involve the whole family. It is funny to see my daughter make an attempt at planking! I've gone through several issues of fitness magazines and torn out exercise moves we can easily do at home. Lily actually motivates us by asking if it is exercise time yet some nights!

My other resolution is to incorporate even more fruits and vegetables in our diet. Currently my kitchen counter is covered with kiwis, apples, oranges, apricots, squash, bananas, sweet potatoes and more. Part of our healthy eating plan involves healthier juice options! Did you know that Tropicana® Trop50® delivers the goodness of fruit juice with 50 percent less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners?

Trop50 got its name as a result of the marriage of Tropicana and “50 percent” less sugar and calories. Tropicana Trop50 is a breakthrough innovation from Tropicana that offers 50 percent less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners. Trop50 is the first juice beverage to be naturally sweetened with an all-natural stevia-based sweetener. Trop50 is designed to help manage weight goals by offering reduced sugar and calories, without sacrificing great taste.

At 50 calories per eight-ounce glass, Trop50 not only tastes great, but helps you feel good. Each 8-ounce glass of Trop50 squeezes in a full day’s supply of vitamin C and is also a good source of antioxidant vitamin E. Trop50 is available in Orange (No Pulp, Some Pulp and Calcium + Vitamin D), Farmstand Apple, Pomegranate Blueberry, Pineapple Mango, Lemonade and Raspberry Lemonade.

Share your New Year's Resolutions with Tropicana and enter to win a sweepstakes on their Facebook page through January 31, 2012.

WIN IT

One of my US readers will win a $50 Spa Week gift card. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me if you made any New Year's Resolutions. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was comment #83 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on January 23rd. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by Trop50. Thank you for providing the item for giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

List & Promote Your Giveaways - 1/7

2012-01-06T20:22:00.002-05:00

Squash, Artichoke & Olive Spaghetti Recipe

2012-01-06T19:34:00.001-05:00

Tonight my leftovers from last weekend's cooking spree were depleted, and I wanted a home-cooked meal. My easiest go-to recipe is some type of pasta sauce over spaghetti or rice. But I cannot eat spaghetti without some major veggie addition, and sadly, the items below were all I had on hand. I threw together the recipe below and it turned out pretty tasty. If I had some at the time, I would have added mushrooms and bell peppers. I contemplated parsnips, but that combination might be a little too risque! Happy Meatless Friday!

1 small onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped finely
olive oil
2 yellow squashes
1/2 to 1 cup artichoke hearts
handful of black olives, sliced
pasta sauce
salt and pepper to taste
grated parmesan cheese to taste
pasta of choice, cooked and drained

Saute onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes, toss in garlic and squash. My photography skills leave much to be desired here, but at least my cooking skills didn't fail me! That's the yellow squash, onions and garlic cooking.

Add in artichoke hearts, olives and saute 5 more minutes. Then pour in your sauce. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Pour over pasta and serve. Top with cheese if desired. Enjoy!

Lifetime Gym Membership for 20 Bucks?

2012-01-05T20:46:00.002-05:00

My husband enjoys staying fit and exercising. His problem (and mine!) - time. He came home with this contraption a few weeks ago and has been enjoying it ever since. I keep encouraging him to join a gYm but he reminds me that he has his in-home gym.

You mount it in a doorway for pull-ups or use it on the floor for push-ups, sit-ups and other exercises...

The downfall? This is mounted in our bathroom door. The first time I had to use the facilities at 3am and shut the door out of common courtesy to prevent the light from entering the bedroom, the contraption fell with a giant bang.

I swear sparks flew where it hit the tile. Yikes!

Still, I vow that one day I will be able to do at least one pull up on it. Maybe :)

Foaming Disposal Cleaner #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2012-01-05T20:15:00.002-05:00

If there is one cleaning pet peeve I have, it is a clean kitchen sink. You only have to ask my husband how many times I've whined and complained about dried food bits left in the sink to know it is true. But in my defense...how hard is it to just rinse the sink clean when you are done?

Attached to that sink is a disposal that my very own ~~sink filthifying~~ husband installed. Occasionally, it gets that not so fresh scent. We put in lime or lemon rinds to freshen it up but I've never know what to use to clean the disposal well.

Foaming DisposalClean is designed to help rid your disposal unit and sinks of any unsightly buildup and odor with minimal effort. Natural grease cutters break down hard-to-clean crust, leaving a pleasant scent and sheen. Easy to use, and effective, Foaming DisposalClean is just another part of Fuller’s great home care system. The foam worked really well and had a nice scent.

WIN IT

One of my US readers will win the same Disposal Cleaner as I reviewed. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me if your disposal needs cleaning. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #156 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on January 20th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by Fuller Brush. Thank you for providing the item for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

Finally Got Out the Tripod #WW

2012-01-03T21:17:00.000-05:00

I keep saying we will do this monthly but somehow the months fly by. This past weekend I remembered to dig out the tripod for some family photos...even the cats were included, much to their dismay! I think they kitties were hoping to be released to chew on some tasty plants :)

Have a Wordless Wednesday? Feel free to link up below! Have a wonderful rest of the week!

Thai Pork Slow Cooker Stew #Recipe

2012-01-02T09:18:00.001-05:00

I am always on the hunt for a meal that can cook itself while we are at work. This was delicious, and you can tailor the spice level to your liking with the amount of red pepper flakes. This serves around 8.

Prepare the following items and cook in the slow cooker on low for about 8 hours.

2 pounds pork, trimmed and cut into chunks
2-3 red bell pepper cut into strips
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons rice or white wine vinegar
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

Once your pork is fully cooked, add in:

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Serve over hot cooked basmati rice and top with chopped green onions and chopped dry roasted peanuts. You will need about 1/2 cup chopped green onions and 2-3 tablespoons chopped peanuts.

Enjoy!

Drano Snake Plus #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-12-31T13:53:00.003-05:00

Drano® Snake Plus is a new drain cleaning kit from the trusted drain experts that’s guaranteed to clear clogs the first time or it’s free*. Drano® Snake Plus combines an easy-to-use 18-inch flexible tool with a powerful pro concentrate gel, the most powerful gel from Drano®, which clings directly to the clog and helps dissolve it away.

Drano® Snake Plus is designed to be used on sink and shower drains and is not designed to be used on a toilet. With Drano® Snake Plus, unclogging the drain is as easy as one, two, free.

Follow these easy steps to clear clogs the first time:

1) Insert the 18-inch flexible tool into the drain opening and move the tool up and down to better loosen the clog, then remove and discard the tool.

2) Pour the entire bottle of Drano® Pro Concentrate Gel down the drain and let the powerful formula help dissolve the solution for 30 minutes.

3) Flush the drain with hot water to free the drain of any remaining clogged materials.

We have been using Drano for several years now. Often I will clog a drain with too much hair and need a drain cleaner to loosen it up. I like the Snake Plus because you have a whole tool to insert to loosen any blockage. At the retail price, the tool is affordable and effective.

BUY IT
Drano® Snake Plus is available for purchase in the home cleaning sections of food, drug, do-it-yourself and mass-merchandise stores such as Target, Walmart and CVS. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is: $6.99.

WIN IT

One of my US readers will win a Drano Snake Plus. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Just tell me you would like to win or if you use Drano already. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #190 itsme - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on January 14th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by Drano and the Family Review Network. Thank you for providing the prize for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

List & Promote Your Giveaways 12/31

2011-12-30T22:56:00.001-05:00

Looking for more giveaways to enter? Check out my friends Dina at Just Another New Blog and Kristi at Moms Own Words! Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

Oscillo & Children’s Chestal for Cough & Flu Relief #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-12-28T17:57:00.000-05:00

The dreaded cold and flu season is here – again (!) – so this year, why not take a vow to use solutions that work naturally with your body. Make sure your medicine cabinet is equipped with medicines such as Oscillococcinum® (Oscillo®) and Children’s Chestal®, both from Boiron, world leader in homeopathic medicines.

Nip Flu-like Symptoms at the First Sign
Flu is highly contagious and can put you out of commission for more than a week. There is no “cure” for the flu, but the key is to relieve symptoms that make us so miserable at the first sign. Oscillococcinum, or Oscillo for short, may be difficult to pronounce, but it’s a must-have during flu season. The moment you start to feel achy or run down is when Oscillo can start working naturally with your body to relieve flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, body aches, chills and fever. Oscillo has been shown in clinical studies to help reduce both the severity and the duration of flu-like symptoms, helping you feel like yourself again. In one recent study published in a British scientific journal, nearly 63 percent of patients who took Oscillo within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms showed a “clear improvement” or “complete resolution” in as fast as 48 hours. Oscillo has no side effects and is packaged in individual doses, so it’s easy to carry with you and take as you need it. It’s sweet-tasting, melt-away pellets dissolve quickly under the tongue and require no water, chewing, or swallowing, and it’s safe for ages two and up.

Relieve Your Child’s Cough Naturally and Safely, Without Drowsiness or Sleeplessness
If the common cough is an inevitable part of your child’s winter repertoire, then Children’s Chestal cough syrup should have a permanent position in your home. With no artificial flavors or colors, this honey-based cough syrup is one of the safest and tastiest options for relieving all types of common coughs. Safe for children ages two and up, this non-drowsy medicine works by coating the throat with the sweet, natural goodness of honey, temporarily soothing throat irritation, while its blend of safe homeopathic medicines loosens chest congestion, thereby making coughs more productive for a speedier recovery. Children’s Chestal can be your little one’s day and night cough solution—calming those dry, fitful coughs that can prevent sleep at bedtime, but without the drowsy side effects that can hamper an active child’s day. In addition to being safe and non-drowsy, Children’s Chestal is also dye-free with no drug interactions.

BUY IT

Oscillo and Children’s Chestal are available at Walgreens, CVS, Whole Foods and local health food stores. Learn more about Oscillo at www.oscillo.com and Children’s Chestal at www.childrenschestal.com. “Like” the Oscillo Facebook page for great tips about staying healthy during cold and flu season, as well as fun giveaways at www.facebook.com/oscillo.

MICHELLE'S THOUGHTS
Whenever I'm sick I prefer to try natural products and remedies first before other medications. I learned about Boiron products a few years ago and was pleased with how they are both natural and effective. While pregnant, I relied on Children's Chestal for myself, because of how few medications are actually safe for use during pregnancy. Plus I honestly have to say that it is the best tasting cough syrup I've tried. Currently, we have a bit of a cough and other flu symptoms going around our home, and I was able to get my now two year old to take Children's Chestal without fussing. I also noticed an improvement in his cough after just one dose. I recommend Children's Chestal to anyone with children!

For the purposes writing this review, it was convenient that I was experiencing flu symptoms, especially headaches and fatigue. Since the symptoms provided me with an opportunity to try Oscillococcinum for the first time. One of the things I like is that the tiny pellets dissolve quickly in my mouth. With a sore throat, swallowing a giant horse pill is one of the last things I want to do. Fortunately, Oscillococcinum pellets are easy to take and simple to dose properly, as each dose is divided into its own small tube. Oscillococcinum quickly offered me relief from several of my flu symptoms, including the headaches and body aches.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win their choice of Children's Chestal or Oscillococcinum.

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Just tell me you would like to win or what product interests you more. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #69 itsme - congratulations!!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on January 12th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by Boiron and written by Michelle. Thank you for providing the prize for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure. Please check with your medical provider before using during pregnancy.

Cats Love Christmas, Too!

2011-12-27T19:56:00.001-05:00

The cats were thrilled that the presents were moved out and they could take over sleeping on the tree skirt.

Keep Track of Your Little (and Big!) Kids With the Garmin GTU Tracker

2011-12-24T09:35:00.004-05:00

Are you planning on tackling some last-minute holiday shopping this weekend? Or are you one of those after-holiday deal seekers? During this time of year, shopping malls can become unexpectedly chaotic places for families with little ones. Crowds can quickly become overwhelming, leaving you to worry about where your children may wander off to.

We’ve all been there. That moment of sheer panic when you realize that your wee one has scampered off in a different direction, even though you only turned around for five seconds. But imagine this: instead of running off in to the crowd to try and spot your youngster, you just calmly pull out your smartphone to see where he or she is. Garmin’s GTU™ Tracker on AT&T’s wireless network can help you remain calm, even in the most unsettling situations.

We know how enticing shimmering store displays and shiny new toys can be, so why not give yourself a little gadget-aided peace of mind this holiday? The Garmin GTU 10 is sleek enough to slip on to even the most evasive child, and it’s simple to operate. Just use the provided clip or case to attach it securely, and discretely, to your child and then use your smartphone, tablet or computer to track their location.

Even if your children have passed the age where they might wander off, the Garmin GTU 10 can continue to come to your aid. The Garmin GTU 10 has an option for setting up “geofences,” which will let you set boundaries for your more independent teens and preteens. Now, you can give them the freedom to shop alone, but set up the Garmin GTU 10 to alert you as soon as they step foot outside the designated area. Who said you can’t have an extra set of eyes?

Interested in providing yourself, or a loved one, with the gift of peace of mind this holiday? AT&T’s Garmin GTU 10 is the perfect device for doing just that. Read more about the Garmin GTU™ Tracker here.

Happy holidays!

This is a guest post by Emily J. Edmonds, Director, AT&T Strategic Communications. I was not compensated for this post.

"My Krazy Life" Contest & $50 Walmart #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-12-24T09:15:00.000-05:00

With the holidays upon us, we can all relate to the the craziness that comes with the holiday season. Krazy Glue, the leading innovator of instant adhesives, knows a thing or two about krazy. Krazy Glue is promoting the “My Krazy Life” contest through the end of this month, where fans can enter their Krazy Life story for a chance to win one of several fun weekly prizes.

Do you have a Krazy story to share? You can enter the contest through the Krazy Glue Facebook page.

With a busy household, we always seem to have some Krazy glue on hand. This past fall while in Disney World, Lily's relatively new and quite nice shoes ripped at the seam on the snap that held them together. Luckily for us, we were able to Krazy glue the strap and the shoes are as good as new. Over the years we have used Krazy glue for Adam's handyman projects, on electronics and even in the car and garden. The single-use Krazy glue is a favorite of mine to have around the house.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a $50 Walmart gift card and some Krazy Glue samples and goodies. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me about your "Krazy" life. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #2092 Nicole. Congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on January 10th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by Krazy Glue. Thank you for providing the item for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure. review.

List & Promote Your Giveaways - 12/24

2011-12-24T07:36:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas to all!

My Baby Clothes $25 #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-12-21T18:18:00.000-05:00

Founded in Cartersville, GA by Greg and Michelle Sanders, mybabyclothes.com is a leading online provider of baby clothes and accessories. At mybabyclothes.com we strive to bring you the most fashion forward and unique baby clothes, tutus and more on the web, all at an affordable price! Our team searches to find the cutest, most comfortable, and highest quality clothes and accessories available. Our goal is to offer these unique and trendy boutique style clothes at affordable prices.

Since it's inception, mybabyclothes.com has continued to grow exponentially, thanks to moms and dads like yourself. Our customers are quickly spreading the word that mybabyclothes.com is "the best place to find unique and affordable baby clothes". mybabyclothes.com offers everything from the most popular name brand clothes to unique designer lines that are hard to find. Our mission is to offer the lowest prices you can find, combined with free shipping and excellent customer service. Feel free to email, call, or instant chat our customer service team to ask questions or place your first of many orders!

Lily clearly enjoyed the adorable outfit we had to review. I had a hard time capturing these photos since she was too busy dancing and dancing all around. I like the detail on the jumper and shirt. The outfit is a great deal for the price!

BUY IT

All orders come with free shipping. I don't know about you, but that's an option that always makes me happy!

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a $25 gift code to MyBabyClothes.com. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me what cute item you would pick. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #357 Michelle - congratulations and happy shopping!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on January 5th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by My Baby Clothes. Thank you for providing the item giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure. I received a complimentary product to facilitate my honest review.

Feed it Forward with Restaurant.com

2011-12-21T17:10:00.001-05:00

We all have people in our lives that are deserving of holiday cheer this season. A friend, family member, child’s teacher, or even mailman – you want that special someone to feel appreciated. In the spirit of giving, Restaurant.com is providing you the opportunity to give to that person – PLUS 39 others per day, for free through FeedIt Forward. The return of this holiday giving initiative enables participants to give up to 40 FREE $10 Restaurant.com Gift Certificates each day, now through December 31st.

With the success of previous years’ programs, Restaurant.com has once again set aside a pool of $40 million worth of Gift Certificates, allowing every participant in the program to gift up to $16,000 each! You choose whom to give to and your gift recipients then decide where to dine from a list of more than 9,500 participating Restaurant.com restaurants nationwide. Giving is easy – visit our Feed It Forward site and use your Facebook, Gmail or Yahoo accounts to log in and give to your contacts. You can also type in email addresses manually, or give directly through Facebook to your friends!

Disclosure: This is not a compensated post. All opinions are my own. Happy sharing!

Family Visit to Chicago #WW

2011-12-20T20:46:00.001-05:00

We had a great time in Chicago hanging out with family and friends. The long weekend flew by quickly! Here are some random photos.

It was surprisingly warm up there but Lily still got to build some snow men/women :)

Working hard on "big girl" Lego blocks...I love that they come in pink!

Lily crazy jumping with her friends! Cuties :)

Art project time at the children's museum outside of Chicago,

Have a Wordless Wednesday? Feel free to link up below!

List & Promote Your Giveaways - 12/17

2011-12-17T05:38:00.000-05:00

How to Make Bath Fizzies #Recipe

2011-12-16T16:38:00.002-05:00

Since I've become a Pinterest addict, I noticed someone pinned a bath bomb recipe and just had to try it. After some google searches, I found various recipes. This one worked best for me, but it took some trial and error. Definitely make sure you do not add too much water. Mix in two batches.

Dry mix:
1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup citric acid
1/4 cup corn starch

I had to order the citric acid online. Pain, but after searching 4 stores, it seemed like the best course of action.

Wet mix:
1 teaspoon water
2 teaspoons essential oil
2 teaspoons veggie oi (like canola oil if you're desperate or grape seed oil)
1 to 2 drops of food coloring

I bought these fancy molds to use...they didn't work well for me. I ended up using a coffee scooper, of all things! Instructions below.

Mix all dry ingredients well in a bowl. slowly add fragrance, water and food coloring, mixing (smushing) well with your hands. If the liquid makes the baking soda fizz at all quickly mash it into the dry mixture. Blend well, then push into your mold firmly. I pushed mine out of the coffee scooper and put on a cookie sheet to dry for a few hours. Store in air-tight container.

Here is my finished product. I made about 50 for Lily - what 4 year old doesn't love a relaxing citrus-scented bath?

We Bought a Zoo Movie Prize Pack #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-12-16T09:46:00.002-05:00

We Bought A Zoo (Rated PG, in theaters December 23rd) - This holiday season, acclaimed filmmaker Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous) directs an amazing and true story about a single dad who decides his family needs a fresh start, so he and his two children move to the most unlikely of places: a zoo. With the help of an eclectic staff, and with many misadventures along the way, the family works to return the dilapidated zoo to its former wonder and glory.

The film stars Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Patrick Fugit, Elle Fanning, and John Michael Higgins and is based off of Benjamin Mee’s novel of the same name.

WIN IT
One of my US or Canadian readers will win a We Bought a Zoo CD, books and posters (ARV $35).

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me your favorite zoo animal. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #158 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 26th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US and Canadian addresses . Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by We Bought a Zoo. Thank you for providing the prize for giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure. I was not compensated for this post.

Chick-Fil-A Prize Pack #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-12-14T10:07:00.002-05:00

The Cow Watches are coming to Chick-fil-A Kid’s Meals! During the holidays Chick-fil-A Kid’s Meals are featuring the never before seen Cow Watches to reach families with a simple and fun message: In your busy holiday season make sure to stop and take a few moments together as a family to spend quality “time” with one another.

The Chick-fil-A Cow Watch widget is available now with fun and enriching activities, worksheets and quizzes so that your family (and readers!) can share in the holiday fun! Below is another chance to win a prize pack of watches and cow plush toys for your family and friends.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win five Cow watches and two Chick-fil-A Plush Cows. Lucky you! (no PO Box addresses)

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me how you did on the holiday quiz - you can click on the quiz in my right sidebar. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #217 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 29th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses (no PO Boxes!). Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by Chick-Fil-A. Thank you for providing the gift card for giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure. I was not compensated for this post.

More Art Lessons, Please! #WW

2011-12-13T20:35:00.000-05:00

We attended a birthday party this past weekend where the kids created their own art. Lily would get bored waiting for the next instruction and improvised on her own. Her unicorn had some...extra embellishments, let's say. She is in the bottom right of the last photo.

Have a Wordless Wednesday? Feel free to link up below!

Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Chili #Recipe

2011-12-13T15:31:00.001-05:00

There is nothing better than coming home to a fully cooked meal. This spicy twist on a buffalo chicken chili makes a delicious and relatively healthy meal. Since you add the buffalo sauce at the end, we opted to keep it kid-friendly and add it to individual bowls rather than to the entire batch. I think the kick of buffalo sauce is a must or if you are skipping the sauce, you would need to add some more seasonings.

2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 stalks celery, chopped
3-4 carrots, chopped
28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
can of black beans, rinsed
can of kidney beans, rinsed
can of hominy
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
crumbles blue cheese if desired

Spray 5-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients except wing sauce and cheese. Cover, cook on low heat for 8-10 hours. Stir in buffalo wing sauce and sprinkle with blue cheese. Enjoy!

Just Jen Custom Shirt #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-12-12T21:15:00.003-05:00

Find your perfect Rhinestone T-shirt or make your own Custom T-shirt design online. Just Jen has a complete line of clothing for women, girls and toddlers. Shop our exquisite styles of Birthday T-shirt, Bride Shirts, Cheerleading T-shirts, Christmas T-shirts, Bridal Clothing and Big Sister T-shirts. Shirts are shipped within 1 business day, not weeks!

I have to say I absolutely love my long sleeved tee shirt from Just Jen. I have always had trouble finding long sleeved tee shirts that actually fit. I'm only 5'7 but my arms are always seemingly too long for most of the long-sleeved shirts I wear. My Just Jen long-sleeved tee? Perfect! I usually wear a medium and ordered a large which gave me plenty of breathing room.

And my arms? They fit!! Additionally, the fabric was super soft and the colored rhinestones I picked were adorable. Lily was jealous. Sorry, Lily, it's mommy's time to shine! You can pick a wide variety of jewel colors on Just Jen. Last time I counted there were 22 colors.

You can customize the fabric color of your shirt, too, along with the font and layout.

BUY IT

You can purchase a wide variety of shirts directly from JustJen.com - pick a current creation or design your own. All group orders more than $150 receive 15% off. Enter code "GROUP15" at checkout.

WIN IT
One of my US or Canadian readers will win a custom Just Jen tee! The winner's choice can include any one Just Jen shirt (no hoodies) in a custom design (excluding custom logos) or a pre-existing design. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me what custom shirt you would choose from Just Jen. Easy!

This giveaway is over. The winner was #149 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 28th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US and Canadian addresses. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by Just Jen. Thank you for providing the item giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure. I received a complimentary product to facilitate my honest review.

Hickory Farms Gift Baskets for the Holidays

2011-12-10T15:08:00.001-05:00

Are you done with your holiday shopping? If you are, please don't rub it in! I have about 50% more to complete and most of the remaining recipients are out of state. They have also not provided me with tips or hints for present ideas. How do I finalize that last bit of shopping? I think it is gift basket time! Personally, I always like to receive a basket of tasty treats in the mail, so I assume everyone else is the same and pay it forward.

Hickory Farms offers a wide variety of gift baskets for every gift giving occasion for just about everyone on your list. You can shop by category, by price or by occasion. We received a delicious and colorful gift basket from Hickory Farms recently. We really enjoyed munching on the fresh and flavorful fruit as part of our breakfast routine. We also enjoyed the smoked summer sausage and olive oil and rosemary crackers as a nice snack during the day. The snack trail mix made a delicious snack as well. Everything arrived beautifully and securely packaged in a gift basket. The basket itself I am keeping to use as a centerpiece filled with goodies for the holiday table.

When Hickory Farms was founded in 1951 in the pastoral farm country of Ohio, the products quickly became a hallmark gift for those who appreciate rich and savory foods. For the past 60 years, Hickory Farms’ commitment to personalized service and the legendary quality of its products have kept the company popular on gift lists everywhere.

Hickory Farms brings the best of Midwest values and unwavering quality to consumers in North America and the U.S. Armed Forces all over the world. Customers can find Hickory Farms’ award winning sausage, cheese and other specialty items at 750+ Hickory Farms holiday stores, online at hickoryfarms.com, in catalogs, and at leading retailers throughout the holiday season.

Hickory Farms offers free shipping for purchases over $35 and has a wide variety of gift types and ideas. You can request a free catalog directly from their website or just shop online. Prefer to shop in person? Check out their store locator for a location near you. I was able to find four shops near the Atlanta area that carried Hickory Farms items.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a product sample to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

Beauty Product Prize Pack $500 #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-12-10T08:28:00.002-05:00

Just in time for the holidays, a beauty product prize pack of 5 wonderful products worth almost $500!

Trinity of Youth Introduces Lactic Acid-Based BrilliantFx Body Serum to Combat Dry, Cracked Skin
www.trinityofyouth.com – Retail price $39.99

BrilliantFx contains a high percentage of lactic acid at an effective pH and incorporates this key ingredient in a formula that is unlike any anti-aging body product on the market today. “After noticing a void in the market for an effective anti-aging body treatmentand potent moisturizer for dry, cracked or aging skin, we embarked on our mission to create this revolutionary body serum,” explainsDiane Zokle, co-founder of Trinity of Youth. “By using naturally occurring medicinal agents that have been used for thousands of years, we can now offer our unique mixture that both alleviates dry, cracked skin and improves the appearance of aging skin on the body.”

In addition to lactic acid, BrilliantFx Body Serum is specially formulated with the powerful herbal ingredient arnica montana commonly known as wolf’s bane or leopard’s bane, a European flowering plant containing an active secondary plant metabolite sesquiterpene lactones, which acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Flavanoids and essential oils theoretically act with the sesquiterpene lactones in Arnica montana to induce its therapeutic effects.

The third distinctive key ingredient in the BrilliantFx Body Serum is vitamin E. In terms of skin health and skin care, vitamin E benefits are numerous. In fact, skin care products that contain vitamin e have become an essential part of healthy skin care. Because of its antioxidant activity, vitamin e is vital in protecting skin cells from ultra violet light, pollution, drugs, and other elements that produce cell damaging free radicals. The vitamin e benefits for healthy skin care also include its ability to regulate vitamin a in the body, which itself is important for healthy skin. It helps skin look younger by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Also, free radicals are believed to play an important role in skin aging and therefore the antioxidant activity is quite valuable for this skin problem.

ANTI AGING KIT www.Minus417.com -- Retail Cost: $228.97

TIME CONTROL RECOVERY A CREAM
A special intensive treatment cream fights wrinkles and signs of aging. High concentration of retinol (vitamin A) that plays essential roles in appearance of skin, growth, development, and maintenance of healthy skin. Collagen and essential oils with the Vitamin Mineral Complex that prevents moisture loss. Improves firmness and elasticity of the skin and prevent signs of aging. Effective for all skin types.

TIME CONTROL FACIAL ACTIVE SERUM
Highly concentrated serum for firming and smoothing skin. Because the serum is solely water-based, a higher concentration of active ingredients can be combined with it than other creams. Energizing vitamins that aid in cell rejuvenation and minerals improving the balance of moisture in the skin. Effective for all skin types.

Say Hello To Beautiful Hair
The Experts: Piero and Luigi Pirri www.PirriHairGroup.com -Retail Cost: $68.00

With over twenty years of experience, the Italian born Pirri brothers have mastered their craft in cuts, color and texture for women and men. Piero and Luigi combine their expertise in international hair care and styles with contemporary finesse. Infusing European flair and talent, Piero and Luigi offer their unique hair styling philosophy and natural hair care products at their salons in Greenwich, Connecticut and New York.

The Products: Pirri Elements & Elemental Tools:

The Pirri Elements line was inspired by the beauty of the Mediterranean “crystal blue” Sea, pure air, rich soil and fiery volcanoes. Each product consists of Bergamot, an essential oil that comes from a fruit native Calabria, Italy, the hometown of the Pirri brothers. The oil along with other essential and natural ingredients is used to nourish the hair and lock in moisture.

Daily Shampoo: Mediterraneo: Contains essential ingredients to cleanse the hair while maintaining balance and moisture in all hair types. The product normalizes the hair, scalp and PH balance while keeping the hair looking healthy and shiny. Cost: $20/12oz.

Daily Conditioner: Earth’s Balance: Restores moisture and smoothes the shaft of the hair while helping to combat humidity and static electricity. The product works to coat the hair and protect it from the damaging effect of heat styling. Cost: $22/12oz

Smooth & Relaxing Serum: Lava Glaze: Relaxes the hair for a straight style or reduces frizz for a great natural air-dried look. The combination of Aloe Vera along with other essential products, work to eliminate dead ends and protects hair from the damaging effect of blow drying and UV rays. Cost: $24/8oz

Detangler & Leave-In Conditioner: Nature’s Breeze: Smoothes tangles and mends dry ends while protecting the hair and reducing fly-aways. The product is a must-have before heat styling. Cost: $22/8oz

FRINGE BENEFITS
Introducing EnvyDerm, Effective Eyelash Growth & Conditioning Serum for Fuller, Longer and Stronger Lashes www.envyderm.com – Retail Cost: $99.95

The EnvyDerm applicator is very similar to a liquid eyeliner applicator. One should apply the stimulating serum once a day before bedtime along the upper and lower lash lines. EnvyDerm does not disrupt the daily application of make-up or other skincare routines. Can be used on brows as well.

EnvyDerm is formulated with active natural ingredients such as bioavailable lipo-oligopeptides that stimulate keratin genes. Powerful SymPeptide technology lengthens and strengthens natural lashes. EnvyDerm uses vitamins, minerals and amino acids to moisturize and nourish lashes and brows.

One should begin to see the lash line becoming thicker, fuller and healthier looking in as little as 2 weeks! In a clinical study, users saw a 25 percent increase in eyelash length during this period. EnvyDerm will continue to prove results over time if used on a consistent basis.

Introducing Dermatologist Dr. Paul Friedman’s New Book
“Beautiful Skin Revealed: The Ultimate Guide to Better Skin” An Insider’s Guide to Healthy Skin
www.dermlasersurgery.com – Retail Cost $59.95

The marketing and sale of cleansers, moisturizers, cosmeceuticals, and cosmetics is a multibillion-dollar industry. How do you navigate through the maze of products and promises? Which combination of treatment options, potions and lotions is the real deal?

In an effort to separate fact from fiction, Board-Certified Dermatologist Dr. Paul Friedman, has co-authored the book “Beautiful Skin Revealed: The Ultimate Guide to Better Skin.” This comprehensive book offers an expert’s insider view on common skin conditions and treatments that really work, in addition to offering tips on how to maximize the time with your dermatologist. According to Dr. Friedman, “The book is grounded in science and explains why conditions occur. Using before and after photos and real patient testimonials, “Beautiful Skin Revealed” shows readers the incredible results made possible through the latest treatment options.” Below, Dr. Friedman offers a sneak-peek from his book, available for purchase at www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com

The book contains 12 chapters including sections on: Complexion, Acne, Wrinkles, Flusing, Birthmarks, Eyes, Leg Veins, Skin Cancer, Scars and Stretch Marks, General Dermatology, Products, and finally Choosing a doctor.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win this entire set of products worth nearly $500. Lucky you! The prize includes:

* BrilliantFX Body Serum from Trinity of Youth

* Minus 417 Anti-Aging Kit
* Pirri Elements Hair Products
* EnvyDerm Eyelash Serum
* “Beautiful Skin Revealed: The Ultimate Guide to Better Skin” book by Dr. Paul Friedman

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Just tell me you want to win. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #142 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 27th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post and the products for the giveaway are being provided by a third party. All opinions are my own.

List & Promote Your Giveaways - 12/10

2011-12-09T20:24:00.000-05:00

Stock up on Health Products at GNC $50 #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-12-07T12:53:00.002-05:00

Do you take your vitamins daily? Our entire family takes at least a multiple vitamin along with other supplements probably every day despite eating very good diets. I can definitely feel a difference in my personal well being if I skip my vitamins. And my nails? They chip at just the thought of missing out on my calcium supplements!

With cold weather already upon us and a child in daycare, we take extra precautions to make sure we remain healthy during flue season. For us, that means more than just washing hands and eating healthy foods. We make sure to take our vitamins and supplements as well.

About GNC:

GNC sets the standard in the nutritional supplement industry by demanding truth in labeling, ingredient safety and product potency, all while remaining on the cutting-edge of nutritional science. As our company has grown over the years, so has our commitment to Living Well. In fact, GNC is the world's largest company of its kind devoted exclusively to helping its customers improve the quality of their lives.

From scientific research and new product discovery to the manufacturing and packaging processes, GNC takes pride in our rigorous approach to ensuring quality. Our commitment to quality extends to our interactions with you in our stores and after you buy our products.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a $50 GNC gift card. Lucky you! GNC sells a wide variety of products for men, women, children and specific needs like age or health concern.

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me what you would purchase from GNC with your winnings.

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #531 Fawn - congratulations and happy shopping!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 23rd. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by GNC. Thank you for providing the gift card for giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure. I received a complimentary gift card to GNC to compensate me for my time to write and promote this post.

Kiwi Crate Activity Kit for Kids

2011-12-07T11:17:00.001-05:00

Recently we received an adorable Kiwi Crate in the mail to review. We are always looking for new creative art projects and had a lot of fun with the Kiwi Crate.

About Kiwi Crate:
* Each “crate” is themed (i.e. Space, Gardening, Dinosaurs), gender neutral, and designed to encourage active learning through play.

* Convenient for parents b/c it takes the work out of planning engaging and educational projects for kids – a new crate arrives on your doorstep each month!

* Crates contain at least 2 projects ranging from arts and crafts to science experiments to imaginative play and more; all activities are gender neutral and developed in conjunction with a team of early childhood education experts

* Crates can be purchased by month ($19.95 each) or a one year-subscription (with one free month included). Shipping is included.

* Below is the “Color” themed Kiwi Crate delivery; for more information, please visit kiwicrate.com

The color crate comes with scissors and a variety of projects that Lily dove right into.

Lily really enjoyed coloring her own versions of the spinning tops and seeing the beautiful colors as she spun them. We experimented with different patterns and designs. The project kept her attention for quite a while.

Overall, I think this is a great gift idea for a child in your life. The garden kit and the dinosaur kits look adorable, too!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary kit in order to facilitate my honest review. I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

Family Evening Exercises #WW

2011-12-06T20:08:00.001-05:00

Adam and I have both been fitness fans for a while but sometimes it is hard to fit it in. You know, working full time, cooking, blogging, entertaining, installing hardwood floors on the weekends, gardening. It all adds up.

Over Thanksgiving weekend we spent 12+ hours in the car so I finally went through 6 back issues of Shape magazine. Ripped out workout ideas. Implemented them in the evenings for the whole family. Sounds like a chore but we're having a blast with it. Below are some photos.

Don't mind the outfits, we were in our PJs already! We do squats, pull-ups, push-ups, planks (those are hard!), lunges and weight-lifting.

Lily told me before bed "can we do some more tomorrow, I bet I can teach you some great kids exercises!"

Even Kicia the cat seemed to get into it. Frankly, at 7 pounds, she could use to bulk up a bit.

Have a Wordless Wednesday? Feel free to link up so that I can come visit! Have a great rest of the week!

Veggie "Beef" Tacos with Harmony Valley #Recipe

2011-12-06T17:26:00.000-05:00

Recently I tried something new - a veggie beef substitute from Harmony Valley. The mix comes dry and all you do is add water. I have to say I was intrigued, and decided to try it with our favorite tacos recipe. Harmony Valley also has a lot of recipes you can try out.

The mix makes about 1 pound and all you need is water.

What it looks like dry:

What it looks like wet - it thickens up nicely.

I was able to cook it like a regular ground beef. We love our tacos with cheese, sauted veggies, tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream. Our entire family enjoyed this. In fact, I've added the mix to my amazon wish list!

Disclosure: I received a free product sample. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this post.

UPS My Choice Delivery & $25 Amazon #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-12-05T20:14:00.003-05:00

UPS My Choice helps avoid the disappointment and hassle of missing a home delivery by empowering consumers to take control of their UPS deliveries. This ground-breaking service increases the likelihood of a successful delivery on the first attempt by providing delivery alerts, specific delivery time frames, reroute options, a visibility dashboard and electronic signature release – all by accessing ups.com through a computer or mobile phone.

UPS My Choice provides a new level of convenience for people who lead a busy lifestyle, receive signature-required packages or shipments of high-value or temperature-sensitive nature. It frees consumers from worrying about when packages will arrive, where they will be left or what to do if they are not home to receive them.

Delivery Alerts help consumers avoid the disappointment over missing a package they were eagerly awaiting. Consumers can now schedule package delivery around THEIR lives.

UPS My Choice provides convenient options that align with the way people work and live. There are two levels of membership:

o UPS My Choice members receive phone, e-mail or text alerts notifying them a day in advance of when packages will arrive and providing a four-hour approximate delivery time frame. They also have the option to electronically authorize release of packages that require a signature and, for a $5 transaction fee, to reroute a package to another delivery address or have it delivered to the nearest The UPS Store® location.

o UPS My Choice Premium Membership, available for a $40 annual subscription, provides all the benefits of a regular UPS My Choice membership at no additional cost and in addition, members gain access to an online delivery calendar that shows the status of UPS home deliveries. Premium members also are offered a two-hour delivery window. A $5 transaction fee is charged only upon successful delivery of the package within the two-hour commitment.

As a Premium member, consumers can even provide their UPS driver with detailed instructions on where to leave a package. They just select from a drop-down list of location options like -- leave it at the Side Door…the Garage…on the Porch…in the Management Office of my apartment complex or the Shed out back!

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a $25 Amazon gift card. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me why you would like to win or tell me if you are going to register for the UPS My Choice service. Easy! I already registered my own account yesterday and have had two notifications come through already about packages that are slated to arrive this week. How cool!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #1312 - congratulations and good luck with the new business :)

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 22nd. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by UPS. Thank you for providing the gift card for giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I paid for this review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

Lovable Labels Gift Pack #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-12-03T15:03:00.003-05:00

It all started with a mom that found herself in the middle of a problem! When she took her son to childcare she was asked to label all of his belongings. This meant labeling everything from his outdoor clothing, to his indoor shoes, lunches, sippy cups and backpacks. She recognized that there was a need in the market for personalized labels that were tough and durable and could stand the test of time and the everyday use that children put them through. Currently Lovable Labels makes a wide variety of labels - regular sticker labels, slimline sticker labels, shoe labels, fun stickies, press n' stick clothing dots, iron-ons, allergy alert labels, bag tags and more.

Since Lily is in daycare full time, and soon to be attending school, we go through a lot of labels. We label her clothes, shoes, books and show and tell items. It is great to keep everything labeled!

WIN IT
One of my US or Canadian readers will win a Holly Jolly gift pack of labels with your choice of image and name. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me why you would like to win. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #47 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 18th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US or Canadian addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by Lovable Labels. Thank you for providing the products for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I paid for this review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

Good Nights Books for Parents & Kids #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-12-03T09:12:00.002-05:00

Before I became a parent, my biggest concern was whether I would have the stomach to change stinky diapers. Little did I know that diaper changes would be the least of my concerns. If there is one subject matter I wish I had spent more time reading up on, it was sleep. Little did I know how important a good sleep routine was! Two fun books I recently reviewed are great to help parents and children tackle the sleeping situation.

Good Night and Matilda and Maxwell Good night are co-authored by pediatric psychologist, Dr. Robert Pressman, a clinical social worker,Stephanie Donaldson-Pressman, and a working mother of two, Rebecca Jackson and available from Good Parent Good Child.

Good Nights Now

Parents Learn:
A simple, kind method to assist children to sleep in their own beds without a fuss!
How to stop bedtime temper-tantrums and stall tactics!
How to end to bedtime fears, bargaining, and last minute requests that drag out the process
A way to have more time for themselves at night!

Matilda & Maxwell Good Night

In this truly funny book, beautifully illustrated by Lisa Petty, kids read about two best friends, Matilda and Maxwell. Matilda has a secret she has been keeping from Maxwell. She’s afraid to sleep in her own bed at night! The book is a truly funny way to introduce and reinforce the method’s learned in Good Night. Beautifully illustrated by RISD graduate Lisa Petty, the book is geared for children ages 2-8.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win both books pictured above. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me why you would like to win. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #54 Dina - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 17th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by Good Parent Good Child. Thank you for providing the products for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I paid for this review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

List & Promote Your Giveaways - 12/3

2011-12-02T21:08:00.000-05:00

Roasted Chicken & Veggie Burritos #Recipe

2011-12-01T15:15:00.000-05:00

This is a recipe from one of twenty meals made from my How to Start Freezer Cooking 5 Bulk Recipes to Create 20 Meals post. This meal utilizes frozen Item 3 Roasted Peppers, Item 4 Pulled Chicken and Item 5 Rice Pilaf. I popped mine into the fridge the night before and all of the items were defrosted when I got home to cook dinner. I actually forgot to add the rice pilaf but the burritos turned out great. The original recipe called for the pulled pork but I felt like chicken.

1 cup pulled chicken or pork, defrosted overnight

1 cup rife pilaf, defrosted overnight

1 cup roasted bell peppers and onions, defrosted overnight

large burrito tortillas

1 can of black beans, rinsed

sour cream
guacamole
cheese of choice
fresh cilantro, if desired
black olives, if desired

Preheat your peppers, rice and chicken on a large plate (or three). Top your burrito with cheese, black beans and all your favorite fixings. Wrap and enjoy. Usually I zap the burrito for 20-30 seconds in the microwave prior to adding sour cream and guacamole to make sure to get the cheese to melt nicely. I was able to throw this meal together after work in about 10 minutes flat!

Shabby Apple Dress #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-11-30T20:59:00.002-05:00

Shabby Apple welcomes you to great women's dresses that make dressing simple.

After years of not being able to find stylish dresses that covered enough skin to make you really feel comfortable (without wearing a tank top, cardigan or long slip), owners Emily and CK decided to do something about it. They visited trade shows, marketplaces and designer studios only to discover the problem was not that department stores weren't buying the right dresses, but that designers weren't designing them.

Shabby Apple is proud to offer you fantastic dresses that allow you to look fabulous, without having to compromise anything else. A return to what dresses were always meant to be — a one-piece outfit. No need to add anything...no tank tops, no cardigans, nothing (except accessories, of course!).

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win the Nothin’ Like a Dame dress pictured above. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Like Shabby Apple on Facebook. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #183 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 16th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

Thisgiveaway was made possible by Shabby Apple. Thank you for providing the products for giveaway! I was not paid for this post in any way.

Family Thanksgiving Photos #WW

2011-11-29T18:03:00.001-05:00

We drove from Atlanta to Hartwell, Georgia for our annual big Thanksgiving celebration. Then we meandered through the winding mountain roads through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee to spend time with family in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. It was a lot of driving but a lot of fun to see everyone. Here are a couple of photos - I took over 300 in total!

Cousins gift exchange craziness!

We went for some golf cart rides. Here's Lily and Aunt Cheri, who hosted Thanksgiving this year. We also went for a boat ride on Lake Hartwell - it was chilly!

My dinner and family pictures leave much to be desired. Hopefully someone else took a better photo!

Driving through the mountains was beautiful...and long. Average speed 41mph. Ouch.

In Oak Ridge we hit the children's museum. It was very different than the one here in Atlanta and the kids enjoyed it.

Grandma Debbi got the kids matching PJs. Cuties!

Do you have a Wordless Wednesday post? Feel free to link up below so that I can come visit.

Chex Party Mix Holiday Prize Pack #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-11-29T11:57:00.003-05:00

Would you like to make you favorite Chex Party Mix recipe to exchange with party guests? Taste, mix, swap, and share the recipes, putting the treats in easy DIY packages for everyone to take home.

From decadent to savory your guests are sure to love with these delicious favorites that can be made in the microwave in 15 minutes or less. These five Chex Party Mix recipes are just some of the fabulous 15 minute recipes that can be found at ChexPartyMix.com.

Original Chex Party Mix – A tried and true classic of many holiday gatherings.

Chex PB & Chocolate Blast – Is there really a better combination than peanut butter and chocolate? Yes, when Chex cereal is added!

Chex Pumpkin Pie Crunch – Mix things up and try this mouthwatering alternative to the beloved holiday pie.

Hot Buttered Yum Chex Mix – A combination of cinnamon, brown sugar, honey and marshmallows blend effortlessly together in a crazy-delicious, gluten free crunchy mix.

Chex Caramel Chocolate Drizzles – Melted chocolate, chewy caramel and a delightful crunch carry this gluten-free party mix recipe from microwave to table in 15 minutes.

We made the original recipe Chex mix and enjoyed snacking on it this past week. Next we will experiment with a version that incorporates red and green peanut butter M&Ms to share with family, friends and neighbors.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win the prize pack shown above which includes:

2 boxes of Chex cereal to create Chex Party Mix recipes
5 featured Chex Party Mix recipes
10 takeout containers so your guests can take their Chex Party Mix to-go
$20 gift card to purchase recipe ingredients and decorating supplies

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) How would you plan to put a fresh spin on the traditional cookie swap at their Chex Party Mix-Change?

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #445 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 14th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by Chex and MyBlogSpark.com. Thank you for providing the products for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I paid for this review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

List & Promote Your Giveaways - 11/26

2011-11-25T19:57:00.000-05:00

Ace Hardware Holiday Coupons & #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-11-23T09:34:00.003-05:00

This weekend when you are out holiday shopping, check out Ace Hardware and their after Thanksgiving Coupon for that Saturday 11/26, and Sunday 11/27.

Ace Hardware is offering two after Thanksgiving coupons for Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday (11/26) coupon is for 50% off one regular priced item under $30. The Sunday (11/27) coupon is for $10 off your purchase of $50 or more of regularly priced merchandise.

BUY IT
You can download your Ace Hardware After Thanksgiving Coupon and check out their store locator for locations.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win an Ace Measuring Tape and a set of Ace Garden Gloves just in time for prepping your home and yard for winter. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me what items you would be shopping for at Ace Hardware. I know my Handy Hubby could find some thing for the various household projects he has going on!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #35 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 8th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by Ace Hardware. Thank you for providing the products for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I paid for this review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

Crayola Innovative Holiday Gift Packs $85 #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-11-23T08:22:00.002-05:00

Inspire hours of wonder, adventure and dreams by giving a child more than presents for the holidays. Crayola brings colorful ideas to life and allows kids to express everything imaginable by making it super easy for parents to find something that will unleash all kids’ original ideas with their Holiday Gift Guide at www.crayola.com/gifts.

From fun coloring and drawing products to activity toys -- every product inspires kids to explore, discover, play, pretend and dream. This holiday season, the Crayola Jewelry Boutique, Crayola Glow Book, Telescoping Crayon Tower and Ultimate Art Supply Kit will free your child’s originality, as they colorfully bring their ideas to life. Here’s a bit of info about each!

Crayola Jewelry Boutique

With the new Crayola Jewelry Boutique, kids can become their own jewelry designers! Crayola put a unique “spin” on jewelry making with a special “jewelry spinner” that creates multi-colored beads using Crayola Model Magic. As kids spin their beads into shapes, they can string them together to create original bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and pendants that reflect their own personal style. Let the designing begin!

By combining eye-popping colors to create unique beads with the Jewelry Boutique “spinner,” the amount of fun and creativity is endless because no two beads turn out exactly the same!

For a dazzling finish, coat designs with bead glaze. For even more sparkle and pizzazz, add gems, and interchangeable pendant and bracelet charms!Recommended for children ages 6+, each Jewelry Boutique kit includes 8 packs of Crayola Model Magic to mold 160 beads, 5 bracelet charms, 3 pendant charms, 2 shape cutters, a bead dryer rack, 5 toggle sets, 4 earring posts and ear wires, a bead punch, 18 gems, 2 necklace cords, 1 elastic cord, bead glaze, and the Jewelry Boutique Spinner with storage areas and retails for $24.99.

Crayola Glow Book

Let your kids’ imaginations run free this holiday season while creating glowing, moving art with the Crayola Glow Book. Turn the lights out and watch their artwork come alive on each page and appear as if it is actually moving!

Using special glowing-ink markers to draw on each of the four clear pages, kids can choose one of the four tracing guides to create original scenes, signs and messages, and arrange them in their desired order. Then, just hit the lights and allow your kids to wow you with wildly colorful, glowing animated scenes. Variable light settings create colorful, multi-layered effects. The Crayola Glow Book wipes off easily so kids can use their imaginations to create endless glowing artwork! A simple wet cloth will do.

Recommended for children ages 6+, the kit includes one Glow Book with 4 clear pages, 4 animation tracing guides and 6 glow markers and retails for $24.99.

Crayola’s Telescoping Crayon Tower and Ultimate Art Supply Case

For everyday inspiration and creativity, be sure to keep Crayola’s Telescoping Crayon Tower and all-inclusive Ultimate Art Supplies case handy, so they’re can always be prepared to create! Filled with crayons and all of the classic art tools for drawing and painting, kids can share their creativity through colorful works of art! The Telescoping Crayon Tower and Ultimate Art Supplies case make great gifts every child can use to jumpstart their creativity.

The Telescoping Crayon Tower puts limitless color at kids' fingertips and compacts neatly for storage with 150 Crayola Crayons and a built-in sharpener for extra convenience.

There are no limits to a child's imagination with the all-in-one, portable Ultimate Art Supply Kit.Recommended for children 4+, the Ultimate Art Supply Kit contains 24 crayons, 8 washable broad line markers, 12 colored pencils, 8 washable watercolors, 1 paint brush, school glue, scissors, and colored paper and retails for $16.99. The Crayon Tower retails for $17.99.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a set of ALL of the awesome kits featured above (ARV $85). Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Which of these products from Crayola would you most like to give as a gift to a special child in your life to inspire creativity?

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #279 Kerry - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 9th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by Crayola and MyBlogSpark.com. Thank you for providing the products for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I paid for this review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

Time to Send Out Holiday Greetings #WW

2011-11-22T20:30:00.001-05:00

We don't have a Christmas tree or any other decorations, but I am getting my cards ready. Hope the post office has some pretty stamps I can add to them! Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who are celebrating it this week!

Have a Wordless Wednesday? Please link up below so that I can come visit. Have a great day!

Easy Brunswich Stew #Recipe

2011-11-21T18:03:00.001-05:00

This is a recipe from one of twenty meals made from my How to Start Freezer Cooking 5 Bulk Recipes to Create 20 Meals post. This meal utilizes frozen Item 1 and Item 2 - pulled lemon pork and pasta sauce. I popped mine into the fridge the night before and both items were defrosted when I got home to cook dinner. You will also use 4 more bags of frozen vegetables, which I left in my fridge overnight to defrost.

I really enjoyed this recipe! It is full of a wide variety of vegetables and makes a colorful spread. We served it with buttered bread and had plenty for leftovers to take to lunch the next day. One thing I will say is that I had a hard time finding 10 ounce bags - most were 14 or 16 ounces, so I mixed a portion back into a freezer bag and popped them in the freezer to use the next time I make this recipe. It is a keeper!

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups pasta sauce, defrosted
2 cups lemon pulled pork, defrosted

10 ounces frozen lima beans

10 ounces frozen carrots and peas

10 ounces frozen cut okra
10 ounces frozen corn
1 cup beef broth
salt and pepper
splash of olive oil

Saute onion in a large pot until tender, about 5 minutes. Add pork, cook one more minute. Add thawed vegetables tomato sauce and broth. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with bread.

Squaredy Cats Fun Stuffed Animals Review

2011-11-21T15:05:00.001-05:00

We love cats. We love plush toys. What fits the bill? Squaredy Cats plushes!

Each fun and whimsical Squaredy Cats character makes a personal statement of self-expression through assertive declarations of pride.

The second series was released in October, 2011, and Monkey Doodle Dandy is already hard at work developing a third line for spring. The plush are now available nationally at Toys R Us, toysrus.com and several independent toy retailers — also available in Canada Toys R Us stores this December!

With 12 collectible plush characters already out, and hundreds more illustrated Squaredy Cats already in the works, Monkey Doodle Dandy is excited to design new cats by popular demand. The new series is Pearl, (not squared to smile), Scarlett, (not squared to bug you), Star (not squared to shine), Sandy (not squared to make Waves), Midnight (not squared of the dark), Candie (not squared to be sweet), Giggles (not squared to act silly) and Tiger Lily (not squared to go wild)

You can also connect these little cuties on Facebook and on Twitter @squaredycats.

Lily, of course, enjoyed her Not Squared to act silly cat - as evidenced by its place of honor at her snack table!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product to facilitate this honest review. All opinions are my own and you can refer to my official Disclosure if you have further questions. Thanks to Squaredy Cat for providing the sample product.

Ovaltine Recipe & Prize Pack #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-11-21T11:29:00.004-05:00

I love the holiday season! To me, the holidays mean time with family, good food, decorations and celebrating special times. We are really looking forward to Thanksgiving next week with our family, and since we are traveling, we cooked a mini-feast at home this past weekend. Lily helped me with some of the preparations and I cherish the time I spend with her in the kitchen. It warms my heart to see her run over, grab her stool and bring it to the counter to see what I am up to and to see how she can help. This is some of my favorite holiday time - spending time cooking and baking with my daughter.

Growing up, the holidays always meant good food because my mother was a wonderful cook. Since I am originally from Poland, our holiday traditions often varied from the standard American fair. Pickled herring, beets, borscht and mushroom soup were typically on the menu. I've kept the beets going as I transitioned into my own family life, but somehow I can't convince Adam to enjoy pickled herring.

What I do like to add to our current traditions are some of the dessert items my husband has grown up with like pumpkin pie, spice cookies and brownies. Recently we made our own brownies from scratch (my first attempt!) using a recipe from Nestle USA and Ovaltine. Lily really enjoyed helping me mix everything together.

The brownies turned out wonderful. We made some fresh whipped cream which we dropped on warm brownies. Delicious holiday memories in the making!

Ovaltine Brownies (Source)
Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 35 mins
Cooling Time: 30 mins cooling
Makes 16 servings

1 cup granulated sugar (we only used 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons water
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups OVALTINE Rich Chocolate Mix
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels,divided

Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease 9-inch-square baking pan. Combine sugar, butter and water in large bowl; stir well. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour, Ovaltine, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; stir into sugar mixture. Fold in 1/4 cup morsels. Spread into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup morsels over top of brownie; let stand for 5 minutes. Spread morsels over brownie with small spatula. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

I think a little dusting of Ovaltine on top would add a nice touch.

WIN IT
Are you ready to create your own holiday memories? One of my US readers will win a $50 Visa gift card, all three flavors of Ovaltine and a glass counter top straw dispenser. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me your favorite holiday memory.

(Note - the giveaway end date has been moved from the 15th to the 21st).

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #1640 - congratulations, Jennifer! Enjoy!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 21st. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by Ovaltine USA. Thank you to Ovaltine for sponsoring this post and providing the giveaway prize. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my full Disclosure if you have further questions.

Mrs. Cubbison's Thanksgiving Tips, Recipe & #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-11-20T20:16:00.014-05:00

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Personally, it is one of my favorite holidays. As someone who immigrated to the United States, we brought our own traditions into the Thanksgiving dinner. A usual staple was sauted beets and stuffing was an after-thought, usually made plain out of the box. As my cooking expertise and appetite has grown, I was looking forward to trying some of Mrs. Cubbison's recipes from her Best Stuffing Cookbook. Flipping through it, I was excited to see seafood dishes featured and many other healthy options.

What most caught my eye? The Barbecued Beef Stuffing recipe below. Adam agreed that it sounded wonderful and off to the kitchen I went.

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 30 to 50 min

1 pound; ground beef
1/2 cup; butter or margarine
1 cup; chopped onion
1 cup; minced celery (I used 1.5 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 6-ounce packages of Mrs. Cubbison's Classic Seasoned Dressing
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/4 cup; chopped fresh parsley (I used 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup; barbecue sauce
1/2 cup; beef broth
1/2 cup; dry red wine
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Liberally grease a 2 1/2- to 3-quart casserole dish and set aside. Place a large-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the beef, and cook, breaking the meat up with a fork, for about 10 minutes, or until no pink remains. Remove the beef from the skillet and set aside.

Melt the butter or margarine in the skillet. Add the onion, celery, and garlic, and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the stuffing mix, apple, parsley, and cooked beef to the skillet, stirring to mix. Gradually add the barbecue sauce, beef broth, wine, and egg, stirring until lightly moistened.

Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish and cover. Bake on middle rack of preheated 325°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F. If a crisp top is desired, uncover the dish and bake for 10 additional minutes.

Are you ready to try some new Thanksgiving recipes? Check out Mrs. Cubbison's website for some ideas and great Thanksgiving tips or other holiday meal ideas!

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a prize pack of products including Mrs. Cubbison's stuffing, onion crumbles and more similar to the one I received pictured below. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me what tasty menu item you like from Mrs. Cubbison's Thanksgiving Tips website. I think the Butternut squash soup with fontina cheese crostini sounds wonderful!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #47 Helen - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 6th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by Mrs. Cubbison's. Thank you for providing the products for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I paid for this review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

Mexican Chicken Rice Soup #Recipe

2011-11-19T15:34:00.002-05:00

This is a recipe from one of twenty meals made from my How to Start Freezer Cooking 5 Bulk Recipes to Create 20 Meals post. This meal utilizes frozen Item 4 and Item 5 - pulled chicken and rice pilaf. I popped mine into the fridge the night before and both items were defrosted when I got home to cook dinner.

1 quart chicken broth
1 cup tomato salsa
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup of shredded chicken
2 cups rice pilaf
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
sour cream
1 avocado, thinly sliced

Bring chicken broth , salsa and lime juice to a boil in a medium pot. You can heat your chicken and rice int he microwave and spoon into bowls, then top with your broth mixuture, avocados and cheese. Personally I found it easier to toss the rice and chicken into the pot to warm up, then serve. It was very quick and easy to throw this meal together!

Chick-Fil-A Cow Toy #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-11-19T10:39:00.002-05:00

The Cow Watches are coming to Chick-fil-A Kid’s Meals! During the holidays Chick-fil-A Kid’s Meals are featuring the never before seen Cow Watches to reach families with a simple and fun message: In your busy holiday season make sure to stop and take a few moments together as a family to spend quality “time” with one another.

The Chick-fil-A Cow Watch widget is available now with fun and enriching activities, worksheets and quizzes so that your family (and readers!) can share in the holiday fun!

What are your special family activities? We enjoy catching up with family and friends and having a few extra days together. Putting out Christmas decorations is always a hit as Lily has grown and helped participate in the festivities. I am excited for the holiday season!

WIN IT
Two of my US readers will win a Chick-Fil-A Cow Plush. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Take the quiz and tell me your results, or tell my why you love Chick-Fil-A. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winners were #60 and #137 - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on November 30th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses, no PO Boxes. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by Chick-Fil-A. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Facebook was not affiliated with this giveaway in any way. Please refer to my Disclosure.

Energizer Batteries #Giveaway for the Holidays! {CLOSED}

2011-11-19T07:45:00.003-05:00

The holidays are around the corner and if there is one thing that we are always searching for after opening up gifts, it is batteries. Energizer has just the solution to help you get a jump start on the holidays — batteries for the gifts and a free online movie on demand rental to help with the relaxation. Simply purchase a package of specially-marked Energizer® Ultimate Lithium, Energizer® Advanced Lithium or Energizer® Recharge AA batteries and you will receive a free online movie on demand rental reward that can be redeemed at Blockbuster.com, Amazon.com, iTunes.com, or the YouTube store.

To redeem the codes all you have to do is…

1. Visit Energizer Movies.

2. Follow the instructions to input your battery pack codes. ***Please note: this promotion is limited to one (1) REWARD CERTIFICATE PER PERSON/HOUSEHOLD/E-MAIL ADDRESS.

3. The last day to redeem codes is 4/30/12 at 11:59 p.m. ET

So, you can purchase batteries for those holiday gifts as well as get to view a free movie. That’s like a two in one gift. Or, if you keep the batteries, it’s a nice treat for yourself in addition to buying a necessity.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win two packs of either Energizer Lithium or Energizer Recharge batteries or a combination of both with special codes for a free movie. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me what requires the most batteries at your house. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #400 Jim - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 4th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by Energizer. Thank you for providing the products for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I paid for this review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

List and Promote Your Giveaways - 11/19

2011-11-18T20:05:00.000-05:00

MyPublisher.com Holiday Cards $50 #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-11-16T14:22:00.010-05:00

MyPublisher.com, known for its high quality photo books, now offers an impressive collection of customizable holiday cards for the 2011 season. Whether you are featuring a photo of your entire family, just your kids, or even your pet, MyPublisher’s collection of cards allows everyone to find the perfect card to fit his or her style and stand out from the rest this holiday season. In addition to the unique, captivating designs created by top industry artists, MyPublisher uses a high quality card stock and includes a number of extras such as envelope liners, return address printing, and standard shipping – all for free.
year as well!

MY THOUGHTS
I recently ordered my own holiday cards and found MyPublisher to be very user friendly. I have ordered photo cards for years now with varying experiences. I truly believe that if you are going to go through the trouble or creating your own card, you should make it classy and quality.

I was pleased to see 21+ pages of options for holiday cards on MyPublisher. I was even more pleased that I could customize the colors on most of the cards! You can find a perfect layout or design and then choose a blue or red or brown. Sometimes I have passed on a particular design when I did not like the colors so the ability to customize is very helpful. You can also narrow the search down by color or designer while searching.

My other card pet peeve is getting one in the mail with one photo, worse yet if the photo only includes children. I usually stick the photo cards we receive in an album and it is nice to see the whole family. MyPublisher offers a wide variety of cards with multiple photos. Better yet, just as I was about to note how disappointed I was that you couldn't search by the number of photos, I realized that each card design can be completely customized for your perfect layout that fits the photos you have chosen. I'm SOLD!

When you are designing your card, you can choose satin, matte or textured matte paper as well. The flat cards I picked allowed for a longer message on the back so I was able to write a mini-letter to our family. You can stop your card creation progress and save your work, too, like I had to when I needed to go draft my mini letter. Below is a screen shot of my design in progress. I like that you can store cards or books on your bookshelf whether they were in progress or purchased. You can even customize the font and size in your card and the address on your envelope!

BUY IT
Purchase directly from MyPublisher.com - you get free US shipping! Cards are very reasonably priced and include an envelope with your address pre-printed on it.

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a $50 gift code to purchase your own holiday cards. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Tell me what style card you would pick or tell me what else you like at MyPublisher.com. Easy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #202 Deb - congratulations!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 2nd. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This review and giveaway was made possible by MyPublisher. Thank you for providing the products for review and giveaway! I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I paid for this review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

Mediterranean Chicken & Roasted Vegetables #Recipe

2011-11-15T21:01:00.014-05:00

This is a recipe from one of twenty meals made from my How to Start Freezer Cooking 5 Bulk Recipes to Create 20 Meals post. This meal utilizes frozen Item 3 and Item 4 - your frozen roasted vegetables and pulled chicken. I popped mine into the fridge the night before and both items were defrosted when I got home to cook dinner.

Most, if not all, of these 20 recipes do include fresh ingredients which I personally appreciate. The recipe straight out of Rachel Ray's article left us feeling like something creamy was missing. We added hummus and alternatively I think a ranch or your favorite creamy dressing would work well. I also warmed my chicken and veggies a bit instead of serving them cold.

pocketless pitas
2 cups pulled chicken
1 cup roasted peppers, chopped
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1 large cucumber, diced
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil and red wine vinegar, whisked into a dressing
salt and pepper to taste
creamy sauce like hummus or dressing

Prepare your ingredients. Chop fresh vegetables.

Mix roasted peppers and chicken in a bowl. Mix onion, cucumber and tomatoes along with your fresh oil & vinegar dressing in another.

Preheat your pitas in the oven or zap in the microwave for 30 seconds. Spread with hummus, top with mixture from each bowl above. Enjoy! This resulted in a good amount of leftovers for us. The day after we combined the cucumber and tomato mixture with black beans for a nice salad which Lily and I gobbled up.

Cat Question: Is My Bottom Too Big for This Box? #WW

2011-11-15T18:07:00.001-05:00

Oh Marlow, you're a 14 pounder. The obvious answer is yes, yes indeed your girth is too big for this box. But it is cute to see you try :) Lily attempted to assist but Marlow just walked away in disgust.

Have a Wordless Wednesday post? Feel free to link up below so that I can come visit!

Stella & Dot $75 Jewelry & Accessories #Giveaway {CLOSED}

2011-11-15T15:27:00.002-05:00

Stella and Dot, an Inc. 500 Fastest-Growing Company, is a San Francisco based social selling company that creates flexible entrepreneurial opportunities for women. Our boutique-style jewelry and accessories line is available exclusively through in-home Trunk Shows by Independent Stylists and online. Our one of a kind collections are designed by celebrated New York designers and featured in Gossip Girl, In Style andLucky Magazine as well as on the wrists and necklines of today's hottest celebrities. The Today Show, Wall Street Journal and The New York Times have praised Stella & Dot for our innovative social shopping concept which brings together the best of ecommerce, social media, personal service and passionate earning to create the ultimate home based business for today's modern woman. Stella & Dot is a modern home-based career that your mother never had. We've put the power of ecommerce, social networking and personal service behind an irresistible jewelry line. It's like having your own personal shopper - whether at a private trunk show or online.

Erin Rudsenske is one of Stella & Dot's Independent Stylists and works with women to help create their perfect look from Stella & Dot's amazing and unique line of jewelry. You can visit her personal Stella & Dot website to browse the selection of great holiday looks and other pieces. Stella & Dot's jewelry is unique and includes necklaces, charms, bracelets, earrings and even a line for youger girls. I love the delicate look of the pieces below!

WIN IT
One of my US readers will win a $75 gift certificate for Stella & Dot. Lucky you!

MANDATORY ENTRY
1) Take a look at Erin's Stella & Dot website and tell me what you would buy!

This giveaway is closed. The winner was #113 - congratulations!!

Please ensure your profile is public or leave me your email address in your comment. Please be honest in your entries as I do check entries and will delete any non-qualified comments! This giveaway will end at midnight on December 1st. I will use Random.org to choose the winner, email the winner and post the winner on my website. Giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck to all!

This giveaway was made possible by Erin, an independent Stella & Dot representative. Thank you for sponsoring the giveaway! The opinions I have expressed are my own. Please refer to my Disclosure.

Recent Attic Projects by #HandyHubby

2011-11-15T15:10:00.001-05:00

We recently had dormers installed in our finished attic. I thought since we were paying professionals to do so, there would be little effort on Adam's part. Boy was I wrong! For about a two weeks he was constantly up there doing something. Finally, I stormed up there to assess the damage. It turns out my husband was a very handy and very busy working daddy!

He brought home supplies to re-route an air conditioning tube (or some tube).

He added proper insulation on top of the cheap crap stuff the builder had put in there.

He wired two new outlets. (I really need to insure this man)

He installed two recessed lights in the newly built dormers. (again... electrical work = needs insurance)

He installed two light switches for the two new lights.

And I'm sure there's more. I think this man needs a special present.

And you know what? So does the Fairy Hobmother! I recently received a gift from the Fairy Hobmother when I stopped by at Tammy's Two Cents that I intend to use on my oh so wonderful handy hubby. I can't decide between more tools, clothes, books or video games.

Would you like a visit from the Fairy Hobmother? Comment on your wish and the Fairy Hobmother may visit you! Regardless, I have to say I am so proud of my husband and his handy work. Hopefully he will read this and see how much I really appreciate it! He rocks!

Disclosure: Appliance Depot sent me an amazon gift card to thank me for mentioning their samsung g series appliances. If you comment on this post, the Fairy Hobmother just may visit you and grant your wish!