Guess what I found between the fruit today?
I guess Abby just wanted to taste the apple and didn't like that one! Pretty good to bite a smily face out of an apple!
Cook at home with your family (giveaway)
If the cold weather has been keeping you inside the house, here's an activity to do with your kids!
P&G's Bounty paper towels recently teamed up with Lifestyle expert, B. Smith at Cincinnati's Allstate Gospel Superfest to choose the winning recipe for the first ever Soul Food Cook-off!
See below for the winning recipe.
This recipe is easy enough to have your kids help you and with Bounty at hand, the clean-up will be super easy!
PINEAPPLE DELIGHT
Professor Wilbur Belton & LADWEC Choir
Ingredients:
• 1 Large 20oz can of crushed pineapple
• 1 (10oz) pkg of mini marshmallows
• 1 pint of whipping cream
• 1/8 cup of sugar
Optional:
• Cinnamon-Honey graham crackers
• Cake & cookie sugar crystals (any color)
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl:
1. Mix 1/8 cup of sugar & whipping cream.
2. Whip the whipping cream until peaks start to form.
3. Drain the pineapple & mix or fold into the whipping cream.
4. Mix in the marshmallows into the mixture until fluffy.
Optional:
Once in your favorite cup, garnish with cake/cookie sugar crystals any color and stick a corner cinnamon graham cracker in your mix. Enjoy!
Professor Wilbur Belton & LADWEC Choir
Ingredients:
• 1 Large 20oz can of crushed pineapple
• 1 (10oz) pkg of mini marshmallows
• 1 pint of whipping cream
• 1/8 cup of sugar
Optional:
• Cinnamon-Honey graham crackers
• Cake & cookie sugar crystals (any color)
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl:
1. Mix 1/8 cup of sugar & whipping cream.
2. Whip the whipping cream until peaks start to form.
3. Drain the pineapple & mix or fold into the whipping cream.
4. Mix in the marshmallows into the mixture until fluffy.
Optional:
Once in your favorite cup, garnish with cake/cookie sugar crystals any color and stick a corner cinnamon graham cracker in your mix. Enjoy!
Thanks to Bounty, I have a Bounty Soul Food Cook-Off recipe booklet and Bounty sample for 4 of my readers.
To enter:
* let me know why you'd like to win this
* let me know what your favorite food/recipe is to cook with your kids
* follow me on twitter (leave username in comment)
* tweet about this giveaway (once per day, leave tweet link)
* blog about this giveaway (5 entries, leave URL in comment)
* add my button to your blog (leave URL)
* subscribe to my blog (leave email used)
The deadline for this giveaway is 3/14/10 midnight PST. The winners will be picked with Random Integer, emailed and announced at this post on the 15th.
This giveaway is open to US and Canada.
"Disclaimer: this review was written for Bounty who provided a Bounty sample for this review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any other way to write this review and as usual, this review is based on my opinions and they might be different from other people's opinions"
You have to see this!
An elderly couple walked into the lobby of the Mayo Clinic for a checkup and spotted a piano. They've been married for 62 years and he'll be 90 this year.
Check out this impromptu performance. We are only as old as we feel, it's all attitude. Enjoy!
Check out this impromptu performance. We are only as old as we feel, it's all attitude. Enjoy!
Little Diva Tutus review and giveaway
Abby absolutely loves the Shrek movie and her favorite character is princess Fiona. So when she wants to be dressed up as a princess she always wants to be princess Fiona.
I was contacted by Little Diva Tutus to review one of their tutus and Abby couldn't have been happier. It's only recently that she really gets the whole dress-up as a princess idea and now she insists on being called princess Fiona when she's all dressed up.
About Little Diva Tutus:
Located in the beautiful mountains of Southern California, Little Diva Tutus caters to little divas and princesses everywhere. At Little Diva Tutus, we have an innovative range of trendy designs that suit all ages, from an adorable new baby girl to a trendsetting teen or adult!
All our tutus are created from high quality US made fabric, giving a soft and delicate fullness to your tutu.
Our accessories are not only charming, but affordable! Our hairclips are made to be worn alone, with a crochet headband, or even attached to your tutu. Moreover, our attractive range of tutus start at $24.99 each.
Our USA made tutus are created using USA manufactured, lead free tulle. Each tutu is created using multiple layers and topped off with coordinating ribbons. To prevent as much wrinkling as we can, we ship via priority Mail at a flat rate of $6.95. Free shipping on orders over $100.
We received the Princess Bells dress tutu to review (from the character/costume tutus) and I was already amazed with the packaging it came in when it arrived! It's very obvious the care that goes in packaging these tutus.
When we opened the package I couldn't wait to try the tutu on but Abby had another idea as she wasn't into the whole princess thing until about 2 months ago.
Abby now loves to dress up and she always wants to be princess Fiona!
I love the soft yellow color with the bright red flower in front and to top it off we were also sent a red flower for in Abby's hair.
It really is a gorgeous tutu!
Little Diva Tutus has a lot of different tutus to choose from, here are a few of my favorites (and I tell you, it's hard to pick a few):
If you have a pet and like to dress her up, they even have pet tutus! Pet tutus are created in any color or color combination you want!
Little Diva Tutus also sells the Hannah's Ladybug Tutu. in memory of Hannah (10/30/02-10/4/2007).
In memory of Hannah, Little Diva Tutus donates 25% of each ladybug tutu sold to St. Jude Children's Hospital.
Hannah loved ladybugs so Little Diva Tutus honored her with a red and black tutu and called it Hannah's Ladybug Tutu.
Please read Hannah's story here.
Little diva Tutus also sells accessories at affordable prices: crochet headbands, hairclips, hair bows, fairy wings, leg warmers, burp cloth sets...
Little Diva Tutus has very generously offered a $25 gift certificate for one of my readers!
If you have a girl in the family this really is the store to check out!
For a chance to win this gift certificate, please head on over to Little Diva Tutus and let me know what you want to spend the GC on. This is a mandatory entry before any of the entries count.
Additional entries (one comment per entry):
* sign up for the Little Diva Tutus newsletter (main page, bottom left) to be kept up to date on sales and new products.
* let us know your favorite tutu
* let us know who you want to win this for
* follow me on twitter (leave username in comment)
* tweet about this giveaway (once per day, leave tweet link in comment))
* blog about this giveaway (5 entries, leave URl link in the comment)
* subscribe to my blog (leave email address used in comment)
* add my button to your blog (leave URL)
The deadline for this giveaway is 3/11/10 midnight PST. The winner will be picked by Random Integer, announced at this post and emailed on the 12th (Lisa's 12th birthday!).
This giveaway is open to US & Canada!
The winner has 48 hours after the confirmation email has been send to get back to me or another winner will be chosen.
Thank you so much Little Diva Tutus for this opportunity!
"Disclaimer: I was send a tutu and hair-clip to base my review on. I was not compensated in any other way and as usual the opinions in this review are mine alone and they might differ from other people's opinions"
Sensa update week 23
What a week it's been! We had gorgeous weather and I actually walked a lot last week with the kids. I know it's not a super work-out but hey, it's better than nothing! I think my body wants to move or something cause I think about doing something active every day, while before, that was the last thing on my mind. I started doing sit-ups this week and they are hard but I'll get better at them. It started raining again today so the nice walks in the sun are over for a bit but I'll start using the Wii more this week.
I'm drinking lots and lots of water and since last week have started to put some lemon juice in it to give it a different taste and I'm loving it more.
I also bought some different flavors of tea so I can drink this instead of the cold water. I did buy the caffeine free tea to limit my caffeine intake.
Ian's doing well too, it's amazing how we are so much more conscious of what we eat and the choices we will make if we go to a restaurant. We still eat what we want but the portions are way smaller and we choose the more healthy options more than we used to in the past.
Doesn't mean we don't still eat some chocolate, the difference? We're not finishing off a whole box anymore.
9/30: -3.8
10/7: -1.7
10/14: - 3
10/21: -1
10/28: -0.6
11/4: +0.1
11/11: -2.2
11/18: -0.6
11/25: -2
12/2: -1.3
12/9: -1
12/16: +0.6
12/23: -1.5
12/30: -1
1/6: -1
1/13: -0.8
1/20: -2
1/27: -1.7
2/3: -1.5
2/10: -1
2/17: +1
2/24:-2
total Sensa weight loss: 30.5
total weight loss: 42.5
9/23: -4.2
9/30: -1
10/7: -1.2
10/14: -2
10/21: - 1.4
10/18: -1.8
total Sensa weight loss: 30.5
total weight loss: 42.5
9/30: -1
10/7: -1.2
10/14: -2
10/21: - 1.4
10/18: -1.8
11/4: -0.4
11/11: -0.6
11/18: -1.4
11/25: +0.4
12/2: -0.2
12/9: -0.4
12/16: +0.4
12/23: -1.4
12/30: -0.2
1/6: +0.8
1/13: didn't weigh
1/20: -0.4
1/27: -2.2
2/3: -0.4
2/10: +0.2
2/17: -1.2
2/24: -0.8
total Sensa weight loss: 18.2
total weight loss: 25.2
total Sensa weight loss: 18.2
total weight loss: 25.2
Cuisinart Rice-Plus Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Technology review
Both my husband and myself love to cook and do so almost every night. I was super happy when we had the chance to test out the Cuisinart Rice-Plus Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Logic Technology.
I couldn't wait to try out Chef Hubert Keller's (one of the top three finalists in Bravos recent Top Chef Masters) recipe for Brazilian Chicken and Shrimp Soup.
A little more info on the Cuisinart Rice-Plus Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Technology:
I couldn't wait to try out Chef Hubert Keller's (one of the top three finalists in Bravos recent Top Chef Masters) recipe for Brazilian Chicken and Shrimp Soup.
We have a rice-cooker at home but compared to the Cuisinart Rice-Plus Multi-Cooker, ours was like an antique model!
A little more info on the Cuisinart Rice-Plus Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Technology:Cuisinart introduces a smarter way to cook rice…and a lot of other dishes, as well. Introducing the Rice Plus™ Multi-Cooker, the first product from Cuisinart with advanced fuzzy logic technology.
This built-in “brain” senses fluctuations in cooking and automatically adjusts operation to ensure perfect results. With pre-programmed settings for six types of rice, plus oatmeal, soup, steam, slow cooking, and more – and easy dishwasher cleanup – this is destined to become a favorite.
Product Features:
Equipped with fuzzy logic technology for perfect results every time
Pre-programmed menu options including White Rice, Sushi Rice, Brown Rice, Risotto, Oatmeal, Slow Cooking, Steaming, and Soup, as well as Quick Cooking and a Reheat function
Automatically switches to Keep Warm after cooking is complete, for up to 24 hours
Programmable Finish Time allows user to set when dish will be ready
Makes up to 15 cups of cooked rice
Non-stick aluminum cooking pot
Easy-to-use/easy-to-read control panel and backlit blue LCD display for easy use
Removable steam release and inner lid for easy cleaning
All removable parts are dishwasher safe
Includes steaming rack, measuring cup, rice paddle and spoon
Basic to gourmet recipes included
Limited 3-year warranty
Pre-programmed menu options including White Rice, Sushi Rice, Brown Rice, Risotto, Oatmeal, Slow Cooking, Steaming, and Soup, as well as Quick Cooking and a Reheat function
Automatically switches to Keep Warm after cooking is complete, for up to 24 hours
Programmable Finish Time allows user to set when dish will be ready
Makes up to 15 cups of cooked rice
Non-stick aluminum cooking pot
Easy-to-use/easy-to-read control panel and backlit blue LCD display for easy use
Removable steam release and inner lid for easy cleaning
All removable parts are dishwasher safe
Includes steaming rack, measuring cup, rice paddle and spoon
Basic to gourmet recipes included
Limited 3-year warranty
We tried cooking several things in the Multi-cooker: brown rice, white rice, soup, stew and we steamed vegetables.
This Multi-Cooker really is multi-functional and so easy to use. The control panel is super easy.
Hubert Keller provides home cooks with tips to make fresh and hearty soups as a one-pot meal that incorporates delectable and authentic flavors. This is an excellent option for busy moms and dads to attend to family activities without giving up great taste.
The recipe below for Brazilian Chicken and Shrimp Soup was developed specifically By Chef Keller using the Rice Plus Multi-Cooker.
The inspiration for this soup came from the 2 years in which Chef Keller worked in Brazil with Master Chef Roger Verge at Cuisine du Soleil. There, he began to integrate some of the bright, bold flavors of Brazilian cooking that make this soup so unique and flavorful: combining chicken and jumbo shrimp, while using coconut milk and lime juice to deepen the stock base, and ultimately, adding a final flourish of cilantro.
Additional Soup Pointers from Chef Keller:
- Soup is a great dish to serve at a cocktail party or get-together; pass it around in espresso cups or small Asian bowls, and for more informal gatherings, serve it in a coffee mug
- When serving soup, think about adding a few decorative garnishes that add color and texture to the finished product. Since garnishes should always reflect or enhance the flavors in the main dish, look at the ingredient list to see if there is something already in the soup that can be chopped and sprinkled on top, such as:
- Peppers
- Peanuts
- Scallions
- Diced tomatoes
- Herbs
- Croutons
My kids LOVED this soup and ask me regularly to make this again. It is a very tasty soup with amazing aromas and as I'm writing this review I'm thinking of making it again. It is an easy and delicious recipe!
So without further delay here's the recipe:
Serves 8
5 chicken thighs, skinned3 tablespoons fresh lime juice2 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 small)1 cup diced green bell pepper (about 1 medium)1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes1/3 cup finely chopped toasted peanuts1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped2 bay leaves1-1/4 teaspoons salt3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper3 cups chicken broth1-1/2 cups coconut milk8 ounces raw shrimp (medium size), peeled and de-veined10 ounces frozen peas2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro4 cups cooked jasmine or basmati rice for serving
- Prepare rice using the long-grain directions on the cooking chart for Cuisinart’s Rice Plus™ Multi-Cooker. Rice can also be prepared the day before.
- Place the chicken in a medium mixing bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the lime juice and rub chicken with minced garlic. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- In the cooking pot of the Cuisinart Rice Plus™ Multi-Cooker, add the olive oil. Set to Quick Cook and press start. Once the olive oil is hot, after about 3 minutes, add the onions and peppers and sauté for about 4 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Stir in the canned tomatoes including juice, peanuts, jalapeno, bay leaves, salt, pepper, broth, and coconut milk. (Note: be sure to stir the coconut milk prior to pouring from can). Add the chicken and marinade and stir until well combined. Turn the unit off. Close the lid and select the Soup function and set the timer for 5 hours.
- 15 minutes before the timer is done, rinse the shrimp well and pat dry. Place in a mixing bowl with the remaining lime juice and a pinch each of the salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 5 to 8 minutes; no longer or the acid of the juice will begin to cook the shrimp.
- Once there are 5 minutes remaining on the timer, open the lid and add the frozen peas and the shrimp, with the juices, and close again to finish cooking.
- Once the timer tone sounds, open the lid. Discard the bay leaves. Take out the whole chicken pieces and place on a cutting board. Remove the meat from the bone, cut into bite size pieces, and return to the pot. Stir in the cilantro to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- To serve, place some warm cooked rice (approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup depending on portion size) in the bottom of each soup bowl and ladle the soup on top. If desired, sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro and/or chopped peanuts.
The Cuisinart Rice-Plus Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Logic Technology is for sale at an everyday retail price of $149 at Amazon.com, Bed Bath & Beyond, Bloomingdales, Cooking.com, Cuisinartwebstore.com and Kohls.com.
"Disclosure: I was sent a Cuisinart Rice-Plus Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Technology to test it out and write an honest review about it. I didn't receive compensation in any other way and this review is based on my family's opinions and they might differ from others"
update on potty training
Oh I can't wait to let you all know, this potty training has been SUPER easy.
We're in underwear now, no more pull-ups during the day, we only had 2 little accidents where Abby was 2 seconds too late to get to the potty (so not even full accidents) and I think tonight we're going to try to sleep without a pull-up too as he pull-ups have been dry in the morning anyway.
The secret to our success, gummy bears and lollipops! I wanted to buy charts and stickers and we actually got a timer but we only used the timer 2 days as she will tell me now when it's time. So no need to get the stickers and chart.
At 2,5 years old Abby's potty training has been as easy as my oldest Lisa when she was 2,5.
Let's see if it lasts!
Sensa update week 22
What a busy week it's been. My leg is getting better with all the physio-therapy I've had so that's good news. I've been very hungry (not let's re-phrase that, I've had HUGE cravings) this week, not sure if it's hormones or what but it's been hard. I didn't give in though like I used to do, I just drank more water or grabbed a piece of fruit. To no avail this week though, I gained a pound but I think I'll be fine next week.
Not sure about Ian's weight yet as he's in an all-day meeting and I can't reach him, so I need to update his numbers later today.
9/30: -3.8
10/7: -1.7
10/14: - 3
10/21: -1
10/28: -0.6
11/4: +0.1
11/11: -2.2
11/18: -0.6
11/25: -2
12/2: -1.3
12/9: -1
12/16: +0.6
12/23: -1.5
12/30: -1
1/6: -1
1/13: -0.8
1/20: -2
1/27: -1.7
2/3: -1.5
2/10: -1
2/17: +1
total Sensa weight loss: 28.5
total weight loss: 40.5
9/23: -4.2
9/30: -1
10/7: -1.2
10/14: -2
10/21: - 1.4
10/18: -1.8
total Sensa weight loss: 28.5
total weight loss: 40.5
9/30: -1
10/7: -1.2
10/14: -2
10/21: - 1.4
10/18: -1.8
11/4: -0.4
11/11: -0.6
11/18: -1.4
11/25: +0.4
12/2: -0.2
12/9: -0.4
12/16: +0.4
12/23: -1.4
12/30: -0.2
1/6: +0.8
1/13: didn't weigh
1/20: -0.4
1/27: -2.2
2/3: -0.4
2/10: +0.2
2/17: -1.2
total Sensa weight loss: 17.4
total weight loss: 24.4
total Sensa weight loss: 17.4
total weight loss: 24.4
potty training
Hi everybody,
I'm still here but Abby started potty training and oh man, I forgot how much work it is.
On Monday, Lisa, Jamie, Abby and myself went to Target to get some big girl underwear and I have to say, they are really cute! We also got a little toilet seat to put on the big toilet seat so we have the potty upstairs and the toilet seat downstairs. We got a timer (although there weren't a lot of fun timers in the store) and were looking for a chart and stickers but couldn't find any geared towards potty training so we're sticking with the gummy bear reward afterwards.
So far so good, we had a couple of accidents, no major ones though. The kids are so excited and Abby is over the moon!
Abby enjoys going to the potty and her little gummy bear!
See, this is another step. My little girl is not so little anymore and I'm not sure what to think. Where did the time go when she was this tiny little girl?
Johnson's Baby Shower blog tour
When I was in the hospital after having had Abby via a c-section I received a gift-basket full of Johnson's baby products! I love the smell of little babies and part of it is due to the wonderful baby products that are out there!
I was so happy when I got the confirmation email saying I was selected to be part of the Johnson's baby shower blog tour!
I received Johnson's Pink lotion (one of my absolute favorites!), Head to Toe Baby wash, Desitin, Johnson's Gold shampoo, Oil, Powder and the bedtime Bubble Bath in my package. I LOVE opening presents!
We go through lots of bubble bath in our household as all 3 kids love to take baths and of course every bath has to have bubbles. The bedtime bubble bath I use with Abby only, this is her bubble bath, it relaxes her and she knows she can help me with putting the bubbles in when it's bath time.
Do you also love the smell of little babies? Well, the Johnson's pink lotion is just what you need! It smells absolutely fantastic and it's not just for babies. Abby is 2,5 and I still use this on her.
I also love the fact that the Johnson's products are tear free.
Abby used to be really good with washing her hair but lately Abby thinks all shampoos will
sting her eyes, so we're working on that again. Luckily for Johnson's shampoo!
For all the moms out there that are expecting, please check out the Johnson's website, it's full of really good tips and coupons for their products!
Two of my friends are expecting in August and I know that part of my baby shower gift will be Johnson's products, you can't go wrong with a selection of these!
"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Johnson's and received samples of Johnson's baby products to facilitate my review."
more CPSC recalls
| Picture | Name | Item Number |
|---|---|---|
 | Baby Wind Chime | # 493 |
 | Baby Wind Chime - Ocean | # 593 |
 | Tiny Smarts – Baby Bunny | # 512 |
 | Wind Chime - Duck *The Wind Chime - Duck is sold with the Gymini Kick and Play Activity Gym. Only the Wind Chime is affected by this Recall. | # 811 |
 | Wind Chime - Louie | # 516 |
 | Wind Chime - Ella | # 517 |
 | Tiny Smarts Gift Set *Bunny Wind Chime is the only product affected by this Recall. | # 539 |
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