Menu Plan Monday

Keeping up on all my domestic goddess duties is slipping behind. I've yet to make any recent cookie batches or snacks, my house is trashed and all I feel like doing is reading and sleeping. I'm so tired of this cold, cold, crappy winter. I'm ready for some motivation to come with some warmer weather!! And can you believe that January is just about over already?? 2010 is moving by too damn quick!!


Recipes are below!!

Sunday: Hot Dogs & Veggies

Monday: Reuben Sandwich Casserole (carryover)

Tuesday: Orange Chicken (carryover)

Wednesday: Company Chicken Casserole

Thursday: Spaghetti Frittata

Friday: Italian Smothered Steak (carryover)

Saturday: Bacon & Veggie Skillet

Once again, breakfasts are usually cold cereal, oatmeal and sometimes Boug just wants toast and a banana! Lunches usually are leftovers or sandwiches paired with yogurt or fruit generally. My meals are usually a bit heavier in meats and chickens as hub is a butcher and brings so much home for free or next to nothing!! Check out more Menu Plan Monday entries at orgjunkie!!

Recipes::

Orange Chicken (from Tasty Kitchen/TPW)

Reuben Sandwich Casserole (from Feels Like Home)


Company Chicken Casserole (from Hillbilly Housewife)

Italian Smothered Steak
2 lbs. steak, boneless, your choice of cut
1 sliced onion
1 jar pasta sauce
1 package tortellini
1 zuchinni, cut into half moons
salt, pepper, garlic to taste

Place seasoned beef into a crockpot, top with pasta sauce and cook on low for 6-8 hours. About a half hour before serving, add in zuchinni and tortellini. Increase heat to high until heated through and tender.

Spaghetti Frittata:
2 c. cooked spaghetti
1 c. frozen peas
1/4 c. italian dressing
6 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. chopped green onions
4 slices, cooked, drained, chopped bacon
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tomato cut into slices

Toss spaghetti, dressing and peas and put into a 9" pie plate. Beat eggs and milk and pour over top of the spaghetti mixture. Sprinkle with onion, bacon and cheese, top with tomatoes. Bake 40-45 minutes or until center is set. Wait 10 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

Bacon and Veggie Skillet
4 slices cooked chopped bacon
1 med. onion
1 can chicken broth
2 c. elbow macaroni
4 c. mixed veggies
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp. parm cheese

Cook bacon, then cook the onion in the bacon grease. Add 1 c. water, chicken broth and macaroni to skillet. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Add in veggies and cream cheese. Cook til melted and heated through. Top with bacon and parm cheese.

Read more...

Make healthier choices with Fiber One

As always, eating better is a New Years resolution of mine, and I am trying to keep it, but its one of the hardest resolutions out there. Working in a restaurant, with tons of high calorie, yummy food around makes it difficult, along with my screaming sweet tooth, I'm feeling quite doomed. I love that there are options out there that make my choices easier for me. Fiber One products are definitely one of my go-to brands for making healthier choices for myself.

I love their new 90 Calorie Chewy bars because with all the 'limited-calorie' packs out there, these are 90, where as most others are 100. I love that its an easy way to cut an extra ten calories out of my snacking. Not only that, their fat content is only 2.5 grams. 2.5 grams of fat along with chocolates and peanut butter makes me one happy camper!! Fiber is important to get in your system, not only for its other benefits, but because it helps you feel full longer, which is an awesome way to help yourself stick to your eating healthy plan.

I'm loving having the Fiber One 90 Calorie Chewy bars as member of my pantry. Eating better is hard, but making smarter choices in the grocery store helps to make it so much easier!!

Want to win a Fiber One 90 Calorie Chewy bars prize pack? Head to the Fiber One website and leave a comment here with another Fiber One product you like.

Extra Entries??

• Follow or Subscribe to A Couch With A View
• Follow CaseyDeuce on twitter and tweet this giveaway.
• Become a fan of A Couch With A View on Facebook.
• Become a Facebook fan of Fiber One, leave them a comment saying you came from A Couch With A View
  
• Post my button on your blog.
• Add my text link to your blogroll: http://acouchwithaview.blogspot.com/
• Post about this giveaway on your blog!
• If you don't have a blog, you can gain extra entries by emailing a friend about this giveaway! Just CC me in your email! caseyscouch@yahoo.com

This giveaway will accept entries until 11:59 pm on Saturday, February 13th. Winner will be drawn with random.org and emailed. Winner must reply within 48 hours to winning email or a new winner will be drawn. Please make sure that your email is accessible, whether in the comment or a blogger profile, cause if I cant contact you, how can you win?

Opinions are my own, I was provided items free of charge to review (by Fiber One via MyBlogSpark), which in no way changed the way I feel about the product!

Read more...

Blast Off! to a better you!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Allison Maslan, author of "Blast Off!". All opinions are 100% mine.

Sometimes we have to be real honest with ourselves and realize we don't have all the answers. We can't do it all on our own and sometimes we just need some pushes, or shoves- in the right direction. Sometimes we need someone objective to give us a game plan that can work.

I believe that there's no reason that we shouldn't be successful, in all aspects of life, but guidance is sometimes needed. Blast Off!, by Allison Maslan, is such a resource in focusing on how to fulfill your needs, wants, wishes and goals. Blast Off! was just released on January 19th, and something that works, that helps and that is a tool, needs to be out there. With sections in Blast Off! like "career of your dreams," "soulful living," "plan for life" and much more, there are so many ways that you can use Blast Off! as a tool to regain control of your life, what you want it to be and to be the person you invision yourself to be.

I've thought about this same topic over and over, there's no reason for not living the life that you want to live, although its so hard sometimes to get that ball rolling. Resources are out there, there's stuff to point you in the right direction and we all know, not everything works for everyone but there's never a harm in trying to improve yourself. Use Blast Off! to attempt the improvements you'd so love to see in your life!!

Blast Off! is definitely reasonably priced for what you'll get out of it, at only $24.00. And of course, if you're a bargain shopper, you can find it for even less where it's available on Amazon

Read more...

Thursday Roundup

THIS IS A CROSS POST FROM EXTRAORDINARY MOTHERS.
If you link up there, it will be auto-posted here, and vice versa.

Let's get linkin'!! CaseyDeuce here from A Couch With A View! I wanted to get the Thursday Roundup running again so that you could check out some great giveaways that are going on at some of the Extraordinary Mothers blogs!!


Of course these aren't ALL the giveaways on the Extraordinary Mothers forum members blogs, but just a sampler to check out- make sure you hit up the individual sites to see the full selections!

• Mrs. Cox's Slice o' Heaven: UPrinting Business Cards: ends 2/18
• Our Ordinary Life: QTips Baby Prize Pack: ends 2/4
• A Couch With A View: $30 FreshPair.com Giveaway: ends 1/31
• The Five Fish: NutraSalt Giveaway: ends 1/30
• The Five Fish: PlasmaCar Giveaway: ends 2/2

Link up your giveaways here! Be sure to include the ending date!!

Read more...

Go on an adventure romantica!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dr Oetker. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'm such a big fan of contests and giveaways, even though I don't enter them as often as I like, but I'm stoked to let you know about this one. Dr Oetker Adventure Romantica Contest is open to my Canadian readers, and yes, I'm super jealous!!

Between now and February 15th, you can enter to win some of the most romantic, and indulgent, prizes that they have up for grabs! The grand prize is an eleven day wine tour for two in Italy, that includes amazing opportunities for sightseeing, romantic meals, and so much more. Even if you're not the lucky grand prize winner, there are a ton of other prizes to be won! There will be 100,000 free Dr. Oetker Ristorante Pizza coupons up for grabs, three lucky winners will receive local winery tours and five winners will get the "Ristorante for a Year" prize pack, which I think is just too damn cool- 52 free Ristorante prize packs, but the coolest part, you'll also get 24 bottles of custom labeled wine! I adore custom items!!

To take part in this sweepstakes, you'll have to become a Savoury Moments member, so head to the site and enroll! You'll even get a bonus pin to enter into the contest to start playing right away. Additional pins for entry into the sweepstakes are available on Dr. Oetker Ristorante Pizza and each pin is good for one entry.

So to my neighbors to the north, my fabulous Canadian readers, I thank you for reading A Couch With A View and go enter into this sweepstakes so that when you win I can live vicariously through you!!

Read more...

Wordless Wednesday

Flashback to Prom, June 2000... I'm quite classy if I do say so myself.

As always, you can find more WW at EM, 5M4M and of course, the hub.

Read more...

Insure Your Love!!

We're always doing things to prove our love to others, and what a great way to show it is by protecting you, and your loved ones, with life insurance. You can most definitely "insure your love" by making sure that there isn't a ton left behind when you go, for other people to take care of. Another way of showing love, financial protection... love it!!

Right now the LIFE Foundation has the Crazy For Love photo contest going on and you can enter through February 19th! With this photo contest, share a picture of how you've expressed your love and be in the running to win an awesome prize- a $1,000 gift certificate towards a romantic getaway weekend!!

Follow through to www.insureyourlove.org to enter!! Good luck!!

Read more...

Spin & Win with Frigidaire

From now through April 26th, you can make time for change with Frigidaire, while entering to win some super cool prizes. If you head to the Make Time For Change site, when you participate in Frigidaire's Spin & Win promotion, you'll be entered to win either their Child Time Prize package or their Frigidaire Affinity washer and dryer. This site is wonderful because each and every time that you participate in the promotion, Frigidaire donates $1 to Save The Children, up to a whopping $250,000!! These donations go to Save The Children's CHANGE program, whose focus is providing children healthy snacks and just promoting healthier lifestyles for kids in general. Its too important and its nice to see Frigidaire standing behind it!

So here's the win-win situation... Enter to win the prize packages, Support Save The Children at the same time, and if you happen to win that new washer and dryer, its going to save you even more time in your routine! How can you beat all that??

Read more...

Free Yo-Plus Yogurt!!

Click through here : Yo-Plus : to grab your FREE coupon for Yo-Plus Pro+Active Nutrition Yogurt

Some restrictions apply, this isn't my offer, so don't get mad at me if it changes as things like this are subject to do so...

Read more...

Menu Plan Monday

Its been a long week and just when I thought I had gotten ahead on my site, I've fallen behind once again... go figure...


Recipes are below!!

Sunday: Crockpot BBQ Ribs

Monday: Avocado Chicken (carryover)

Tuesday: Orange Chicken

Wednesday: Beef Stroganoff Stew

Thursday: Quebecois Chicken

Friday: Italian Smothered Steak

Saturday: Reuben Sandwich Casserole

Once again, breakfasts are usually cold cereal, oatmeal and sometimes Boug just wants toast and a banana! Lunches usually are leftovers or sandwiches paired with yogurt or fruit generally. My meals are usually a bit heavier in meats and chickens as hub is a butcher and brings so much home for free or next to nothing!! Check out more Menu Plan Monday entries at orgjunkie!!

Recipes::

Orange Chicken (from Tasty Kitchen/TPW)

Beef Stroganoff Stew
.5 cup chopped onion
1 lb stew beef
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
.5 cup water
2.5 cups egg noodles
1 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, fine chop

Layer all except noodles into crockpot, topping with soup and water. Cook on low 5-7 hours. Add uncooked noodles and increase heat to high for approximately half hour or until noodles are tender. Stir in sour cream.

Italian Smothered Steak
2 lbs. steak, boneless, your choice of cut
1 sliced onion
1 jar pasta sauce
1 package tortellini
1 zuchinni, cut into half moons
salt, pepper, garlic to taste

Place seasoned beef into a crockpot, top with pasta sauce and cook on low for 6-8 hours. About a half hour before serving, add in zuchinni and tortellini. Increase heat to high until heated through and tender.

Quebecois Chicken (from Hospitality Haven)

Reuben Sandwich Casserole (from Feels Like Home)

Read more...

Wordless Wednesday

Honestly, they really do love each other....


As always, you can find more WW at EM, 5M4M and of course, the hub.

Read more...

Monday Mingle

Big thanks to Speedy from Eighty MPH Mom for, as always, being our wonderful Monday Mingle host! Do you want to participate?? Head over to Eighty MPH Mom for this weeks questions and link it on up!!

Untitled from CaseyDeuce on Vimeo.

Once again, Buddy makes his appearance in this weeks Monday Mingle.
And yes. I know its Tuesday. Shhh...

Read more...

Menu Plan Monday

I'm so stoked. I actually had my menu plan done 4 days ago!! Can you believe that one?!?!


Recipes are below!!

Sunday: Crockpot Chicken Parm & Noodles (carryover)

Monday: Grilled Steaks with Garlic Potatoes

Tuesday: Rouladen with homemade Spaetzle

Wednesday: Cranberry Turkey

Thursday: Biscuits & Gravy, Eggs

Friday: Crockpot Brisket

Saturday: Avocado Chicken

Once again, breakfasts are usually cold cereal, oatmeal and sometimes Boug just wants toast and a banana! Lunches usually are leftovers or sandwiches paired with yogurt or fruit generally. My meals are usually a bit heavier in meats and chickens as hub is a butcher and brings so much home for free or next to nothing!! Check out more Menu Plan Monday entries at orgjunkie!!

Recipes::

Chicken Parm with noodles:
2 lbs. chicken breast
1 can tomato paste
1 can italian style tomato sauce
shredded italian cheese blend

Place chicken, tomato paste and tomato sauce in crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Top with shredded cheese for the last hour, serve over egg noodles.

Rouladen with Spaetzle:
Rouladen:
1 lb. Sliced Rouladen Beef (thin slice from top or bottom round)
Dijon Mustard
Chopped Dill Pickles
Chopped Onion
Slices of Bacon
Butter

Season each side of the meat and then spread with dijon mustard, top with bacon slices, chopped pickles and onion. Roll in a jelly roll style and then skewer to keep tight, or tie with cooking string. Brown all sides in a pan with butter. Place into a pot and cover with water, let simmer for 1 hour. Thicken the broth to make a gravy.

Spaetzle:
This recipe is in the fabulous Taste of Home magazine that I won from orgjunkie.com, but I can't seem to find it. As soon as I find it, I'll update with the recipe.

Cranberry Turkey:
3 lbs. turkey breast
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 packet onion soup mix
Salt, pepper, garlic salt blend

Coat the turkey breast with seasonings and place into the crockpot. Mix together the cranberry sauce and onion soup mix, pour over the turkey and cook on low for 8 hours.

Biscuits and Gravy:
Courtesy of Household 6 Diva, her awesome step-by-step is droolworthy!

Crockpot Brisket:
As referenced from The Pioneer Woman/Tasty Kitchen

Avocado Chicken:
2 lbs. chicken breast
Avocado
Cheese of choice

I brown the chicken breast, once cooked through, I top with sliced avocado and grated or sliced cheese of choice- I like pepperjack!, and broil for a few minutes just to warm the avocado and melt the cheese!

Read more...

Las Fotos::: Where's Waldo?

Participate in Las Fotos! The new weekly photography meme as hosted by Kristin at Our Ordinary Life!!

Bubbah, Bubbah... oh my Lil' Buddy...
As I stood in the kitchen the other day, cooking something for dinner, thinking that you just might possibly eat it. You were far too quiet for anything good to be going on, so when I ask Boug what you were doing, all she said was you were playing in your toy cabinet. I took that for what it was worth... thinking you were sitting on the floor, pulling stuff out. Boy oh boy was I ever wrong...You're my dare devil. My no fear man. My super hero impersonator. My cuddlebug... but please... lets not break the house. We rent.

Read more...

Do your baby formula research, save your money!!

When I was pregnant, I, like many mothers, wanted to be sure that I was doing the best for my child. You don't have to say anything, but I didn't breastfeed. My choice was formula, and I felt like I was making a good decision to choose the pricier brand names of formula for Boug, and then again years later for Lil' Buddy. I would get frustrated that the price differences were sometimes so vast between brands, and no, I never thought it was fair. I didn't think that there should be any discrepincies between brands. I feel like there should be no one who says that their brand is better for babies versus another brand of the same product. There are certain things that can give guilt to parents if they just accept that something is better for their child, and that is something that they can't afford to provide.

So when it comes to light that store brand formulas are equivelent to brand name, and that I could have saved myself hundreds of dollars, its a little frustrating, but nice to know that more people will realize they're still giving their babies what they need when using store brand formulas.

Enfamil's parent company, Mead Johnson, just lost a multi-million dollar court case, because their products are just as good as store brands. It was proven and they lost. In my eyes, its quite heartless to use a parents nature, of wanting to do as much as they can for their kids nutritionally, as a money making ploy. Advertising that store brands aren't as good as their brand is sad, and in a way, I'm happy that they lost and I'm sad that I fed both of my kids their formula. Que Sera Sera... I can't go back now and change it, but I'm happy to be able to pass the info, and my thoughts on it, to more people so that the word gets out about it!!

With all that said, do your homework. Formula is so regulated and regimented that its hard to believe that there is going to be something out there that's inferior. Save yourself money... you'll need it for their college education.

You can read more on the verdict here: PBM News, Mead Johnson Court Case Loss

This post was written in conjunction with MomSelect, I received a gift card in appreciation of sharing my opinion and spreading the word about the outcome of this case.

Read more...

Keep your nice things looking nice with Soak!

Being the mom of two little ones, I don't have very many nice things for myself. I'm quite careful of what I wear around my kids at certain times of the day, for example, I definitely won't wear one of the very few nice sweaters I have near them at mealtimes. But of course, life happens, things happen and there are times where you need to take extra special care of the nice things that you have. Here's where I've found Soak Wash to be super handy!

Soak Hand Wash Solution is one of the easiest ways to keep your fine fibers perfect. You can use Soak Wash on everything from silks, to cashmere, handmade items and so much more. Its even safe to use on babies items, because its phosphate free, biodegradable, eco-friendly, has no dyes or perfumes. LOVE THAT!! I also love that Soak is no-rinse, which extends the life of your items, and I love making things last longer!!

Soak is available in some gorgeous scents as well as scentless and you can pick yours up at fine retailers all over the world. You can check their site for a location near you!

This review was written to participate in a Mega Review campaign with Extraordinary Mothers, I did receive samples of Soak Wash solution for my unbiased opinion.

Read more...

Never be caught without a Freshpair!!

Mama always said, don't get caught not wearing clean underwear.

Freshpair.com is a super convenient way to buy underwear, from home, even if you're in your underwear!! The selections are huge and they carry some of the best brand names out there. Of course, the selections aren't limited to just bras, underwear and mens undies. They carry everything from sleepwear, to maternity items, socks, shapewear, undershirts and much more. Freshpair made me so happy when they hooked me up with new Wacoal bra and underwear, and they were even sweet enough to send along some Nautica boxer briefs for the hub. Freshpair even carries items "As Seen On Oprah" and we all know how trusted Oprah is, to be able to grab some of her favorites, while shopping for your trusted brands, in the same place is awesome!!

When you sign up for the Freshpair email, you're even entered to win a $400 underwear wardrobe... can you imagine how lovely it would be to win that?? You can even checkout the Freshpair blog, The Underwear Observer, for current trends, deals and much more!

There are certain things that just make you feel good about yourself. I was just talking with a girl from work last night and I asked why she was in such a good mood, she had said that she was wearing a new bra and underwear set, and even though no one could see it, just having on something nice made her feel good about herself.

Want to a $30 e-gift card to Freshpair?? Simply head over to their site and browse around, what catches your eye? Leave a comment here letting me know!! Would you treat yourself to some new undies? Or socks? Maybe a little something for someone else??

Extra Entries??

• Follow or Subscribe to A Couch With A View
• Follow CaseyDeuce on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Here's a sample tweet if you'd like to use it, just copy & paste!!:::

  Enter to win a $30 @freshpair gift certificate at A Couch With A View, treat yourself to new undies!! http://bit.ly/8EuDBa

• Follow Freshpair on twitter.
• Become a facebook fan of Freshpair.
• Become a facebook fan of A Couch With A View.
  
• Post my button on your blog.
• Add my text link to your blogroll: http://acouchwithaview.blogspot.com/
• Post about this giveaway on your blog!
• If you don't have a blog, you can gain extra entries by emailing a friend about this giveaway! Just CC me in your email! caseyscouch@yahoo.com

This giveaway will accept entries until 11:59 pm on January 31st. US residents only please. Winner will be drawn with random.org and emailed. Winner must reply within 48 hours to winning email or a new winner will be drawn. Please make sure that your email is accessible, whether in the comment or a blogger profile, cause if I cant contact you, how can you win?

Opinions are my own, I was provided items free of charge to review and giveaway (by FreshPair.com), which in no way changed the way I feel about the product!

Read more...

Starting the day off right with General Mills

Each and every year, I tell myself that I'm going to get into better shape. Each and every year, I fail miserably because I try and take on too much too quickly, it becomes overwhelming and frustrating and I've realized that the smaller steps in life take you much further, at least in my scenario. General Mills is one of those companies that I feel like I can put "on my side" when it comes to making the small changes to get my ball rolling. Of course the little changes that I make for myself, aren't only a benefit to me, they help my husband, and of course, most importantly- the kids.

I hate to jam myself full of sugary cereals, but they're definitely one of my weaknesses. Cereal is my midnight, occasionally 1 am, snack, and Boug asks for it specifically for breakfast at least 5 of the 7 days a week. Of course, I definitely don't want to send her to school all hopped up on a sugary cereal, but I do want to give her foods that I know she enjoys, and thankfully General Mills cereals are some of our favorites. Cereals in general are a great source of vitamins, minerals and other great nutrients. With the whole grain varieties that are available, the less sugar that's getting into most cereals, I feel good about serving them to the family, and naturally- scarfing down my own cereal while I try to get on the right track with my own diet.

Regardless of what it is you eat for breakfast, its important to eat breakfast, isn't that a "golden rule" or something? Kids who eat breakfast preform better at school studes show, score higher on tests, have less tardyness, and less discipline problems among other benefits. Gotta love how eating something as easy as cereal can help with all that!!

Click through here to get a $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals!!

Opinions are my own, I was provided items free of charge to review (through coupons from General Mills, via MyBlogSpark), though in no way changed the way I feel about the product and company!

Read more...

Wordless Wednesday

Finally, a semi decent picture of the two of us... No funny faces, no fat rolls hangin' free, just a normal, everyday "us" picture...

As always, you can find more WW at EM, 5M4M and of course, the hub.

Read more...

Monday Mingle

Big thanks once again to Speedy for being our gracious host of Monday Mingle! Want to participate? Head over to Eighty MPH Mom and link up!!

MM 1/11/10 from CaseyDeuce on Vimeo.

Could I look any skankier?? Ewh..
You must pardon Lil' Buddy's appearances in this video. He's a camera hog.

Read more...

Menu Plan Monday

I'm vowing this year to be more organized, and one of the very few things that I take some sort of "pride" in is my organization of my MPM... it takes time, and I need to get back into clipping my coupons, but I'm proud that I've stuck with it for as long as I have!!

Recipes are below!!

Sunday: Pesto pasta

Monday: Baked Potato Soup

Tuesday: Cheesey Chicken Bake

Wednesday: Meatball Tortellini Soup

Thursday: Crockpot Philly Cheesesteaks

Friday: White Cheddar Mac & Cheese

Saturday: Pizza Stuffed Pretzels

Once again, breakfasts are usually cold cereal, oatmeal and sometimes Boug just wants toast and a banana! Lunches usually are leftovers or sandwiches paired with yogurt or fruit generally. My meals are usually a bit heavier in meats and chickens as hub is a butcher and brings so much home for free or next to nothing!! Check out more Menu Plan Monday entries at orgjunkie!!

Recipes:: I know I usually type them all out for you, but I'm so exhausted tonight, you can click through to the recipe on the site name where I got it from.

Baked Potato Soup (from The Floyds)

Cheesey Chicken Bake (from Mom's Plans)

Meatball Tortellini Soup (from Finding Joy in My Kitchen) also White Cheddar Mac & Cheese (here) and Stuffed Pretzels (here)
I'm going to try the meatball tortellini one in the crockpot, but leave out the meatball probably.

Crockpot Philly Cheese Steaks (from Finding Joy in My Kitchen)
1 lb. beef
1/2 sliced onion
1 green pepper, sliced
1/2 red pepper, sliced
1 C beef broth
1/8 C soy sauce
garlic, salt and pepper if desired

Place beef in the bottom of the crockpot. Pour broth and soy sauce over the beef. Layer the onion and peppers over the beef and sprinkle with seasonings, if desired. Cook on low for 8-9 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours. Top with choice of cheese (we'll be using provolone!)

Read more...

Free Sample of Purex 3-in-1 Complete Laundry Sheets!!

Click through here: Purex 3-in-1 Sample :to snag a free sample of Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets!!

I love these things, they've made doing laundry that much simpler, since its probably NOT my favorite task!

Read more...

Thursday Roundup

This is a cross-post from Extraordinary Mothers, if you link up here, it will automatically post there and vice versa!

Let's get linkin'!!


Of course these aren't ALL the giveaways on the Extraordinary Mothers forum members blogs, but just a sampler to check out- make sure you hit up the individual sites to see the full selections!

• A Couch With A View: Chenille Socks from PatientStyle: ends 1/8
• Our Ordinary Life: Pizza Hut Gift Card: ends 1/12
• Mrs. Cox's Slice o' Heaven: Pillsbury Prize Pack: ends 1/17
• Lizzy Dears Life: Enstrom's Toffee giveaway: ends 1/19
• The Five Fish: Monave Cosmetics giveaway: ends 1/20
• Eighty MPH Mom: Purina Petcentric/Rachel Ray Tote: ends 1/10
• Leslie Loves Veggies: Handbag Heaven giveaway: ends 1/11
• Outnumbered 3 to 1: Wilton Ultragold Bakewear: ends 1/23
• Faithfully Frugal: Sweet Neck Sugar Jewelry Bracelet: ends 1/8

Link up your giveaways here! Be sure you include the ending date!!

Read more...

An open letter to Scripps & Cablevision:

Can't we all just get along?

The "deal" that you two just can't seem to reach is sad. And I'm out HGTV, and Food Network... literally 2 days before the super-duper-presidential-all-star-Iron-Chef-America-showdown. How could you?

Honestly, I don't want to pay any more each month for my Cablevision digital cable, and I don't feel like I should have to. Scripps, are they seriously low-ballin' ya that badly or are you just getting greedy? Has inflation changed things so much that the last agreement you had just wasn't sufficient anymore?

I don't know the whole situation. I don't know who I'm supposed to be mad at, all I do know, is I DIDN'T get to see the one and only, fabulously delicious Mr. Bobby Flay in kitchen stadium Sunday night. And I. Am. Pissed.

Sincerely,

Read more...

Wordless Wednesday

*Ain't nuttin' like a boy n' his dumptruck...*

As always, you can find more WW at EM, 5M4M and of course, the hub.

Read more...

Healthy (Tuna) Start!!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of HealthyTuna.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

There's enough that's confusing when you're pregnant and deciding what to eat isn't supposed to be one of those things. Its almost like, when you're pregnant, you should really be able to treat yourself to whatever you feel like, but some things have been known to be off limits. And even with things that have been said to be off limits, that isn't always the case, and definitely shouldn't be the case with most seafood. Lets get it straight. Stay away from seafood that is high in mercury, like swordfish, mackerel, shark etc, but by all means, eat eat eat! other seafood!! Don't cut it out!!

When I was pregnant with Buddy is when I actually embraced seafood, it was wonderful, glorious and always answered the cravings that I had with him. Boug was another story- she was strictly an ice pop and pb & j craving maker. Finding out that taking seafood out of your diet while pregnant can actually make women depressed shocked me! Hell hath no fury like a depressed or angry pregnant woman!!

An extremely easy way for pregnant women to get in their seafood is as simple as tuna fish. Also, being able to carry on your tuna recipes once your kids are big enough to enjoy them is awesome too. There's so much out there that you can do with tuna to get your healthy tuna in, pregnant or not. Something as easy as making tuna patty burgers, kind of like a crab cake, is a yummalicious way to sneak some extra tuna into your diet! The omega-3's, (and not to mention the protein, vitamin D, selenium and more) in healthy tuna keep the heart and brain healthy, and where better to start off healthy then in the womb?

Read more...