A Taste of Top Chef at Home

I am a Top Chef fanatic.

Not only do I have to watch every episode, but I'll rewatch them, knowing who wins and who loses, so that I can dissect the show and see what led to the results.

Fabio Viviani is my all-time favorite Top Chef contestant. He follows me on twitter. Squeeeee!!!

The newest Top Chef is just getting started this season. As I watch, I always think I wish I could be a judge.  To get to try all that yummy food!

I'm pretty adventurous and will try anything.

But, I'll admit that my food at home tends not to have the variety in it that I would like. Especially lunch. My oldest two are at school for lunch, the youngest gone for two days of the week, and Hubs always at work. So, I'm either making lunch just for me or for me and a 3 year-old.

I tend to reach for whatever is easy and quick.

Yogurt and fruit some days, soup another, and I'll try different frozen meals.

Thanks to The Motherhood, I was able to try the new Healthy Choice Top Chef Inspired Café Steamers. Top Chef? Oh yes, I'll try!

I tasted the Grilled Vegetables Mediterranean with Rice and Grilled Chicken Marinara with Parmesan.  Both were tasty. They do seem to have more flavor than your average frozen meal.

Nothing like what you'd eat if you had one of the Top Chefs cooking for you in your kitchen(Fabio, want to come test that theory?), but if you are looking for a quick meal, try these new Healthy Choice meals. At just $2.75 - $3.50 each, they beat eating out!

For more info, you can check out www.healthychoice.com or www.bravotv.com/showdown.

This is a sponsored post from The Motherhood and Healthy Choice, though the opinions and Fabio-love are my own.

What Would You Wish For?

If you could be visited by a wish-granting fairy, what would you wish for?

Enough with the peace on earth stuff, nice as that would be. This fairy wants to give you something tangible. Or at least, something that can be bought.

I made a wish in the comments over on a friend's blog and then the Fairy Hobmother came over to my blog and decided to grant my wish.

Well, sort of. I was a little greedy and wished for something huge(if you have heard me whining about my broken dishwasher, you can probably guess what my wish was).

And while this is a generous fairy, the wishes have to be spread around to others. But, the Fairy did give me a $100 gift card to Amazon. Which I will try really hard not to spend all on Kindle books.

But now the Fairy Hobmother is going to visit one of you and grant one of your wishes!

You can wish for something big, you can wish for a gift card like mine, you can wish for something you need like new laundry baskets(hey, whatever floats your boat), or you can even wish for a donation to a special charity.

All you have to do is leave a comment with your wish and the Fairy Hobmother will come visit one of you and grant your wish! If you aren't sure if your profile links back to your blog, be sure to select comment as Name/url for easy finding by the fairy.

The Fairy Hobmother is spreading some cheer and granting wishes this holiday season and also showing us where to find large capacity fridge freezers. She's a multi-tasking fairy.


After you make your wish in your comment below, be sure to head over to my facebook page and find the post from this morning about how you can be included in next week's Things They Can't Say! Going to try something a little different during the holiday weekend and I hope you will join in!

Please note: The Fairy Hobmother visited Jayme from The Random Blogette, so I'm going to close comments on this post. Here's hoping y'all find a little fairy magic this holiday season!

Recess: A Child's Favorite Time of the School Day

Recess was the highpoint of the school day back when I was a child.

It was the time of day when the kids ruled. Or at least, we thought we did. The teachers weren't telling us what to do. The kids decided what games to play. We didn't have to be still and quiet: we could run and scream!

Games of tag, foursquare(not the kind on your phone!), hopscotch, kickball, and jump rope. Chinese jump rope was big when I was in second grade.

Balancing on the seesaw with my best friend, since we weighed the exact same amount and could sit with our feet resting up on the seesaw and not move, giggling away.

Climbing on top of the monkey bars, despite disapproving glances from the teacher.

Swinging so high that the chains jerk at the top before sending you back down to the ground. And jumping from that peak, feeling like I was flying.

Don't get me wrong: I LOVED school. I was a total bookworm and math geek all rolled up into one. But, recess was still the best time of the school day.

Now that my boys are in school, I want them to love recess, too. To have fun playing. But, recess has changed.

In the past twenty years, children have lost an average of 8 hours of recess a week. Danimals Rally for Recessis a national initiative designed to create healthy competition, pitting school against school. Go to Danimals Rally for Recess for a chance to win $20,000 for your Elementary school playground. Plus each day Danimals is giving recess-related prizes to keep kids healthy and active. Share your Recess memories below and go to Rally for Recess for more information on how your school can win!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Danimals. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest Rules.

Project #BraHappy Giveaway from 123underwear

Over the past few weeks, I've shared some tips with you on how your bra should fit and then what happened when I finally was wearing the right size bra.

Enough about me and my underwear, right? Now, it's time to talk about yours.

Okay, maybe not yours specifically, but about what undergarments every woman should have in her underwear drawer. The suggestions for the ten items come from Beverly Russina, the founder of 123underwear.com. Though the commentary is mine.

1. Push-Up Bra: Because we can all use a cleavage-boosting bra. This might be especially for those of us who have a smaller chest, but all of us can use a little lift.

2. Strapless Bra: Bra straps hanging out is not a good look! I live in strapless bras this summer with my sundresses. Go for black or nude colored strapless bras.

3. Underwire Bra: Lift and support the ladies, ladies! All of my bras are underwire. I don't think I've ever owned one without it!

4. All-Lace Bra: It's the date night bra! Yes, even for those of us who have been married forever and whose husbands' idea of romance is turning the tv down a little bit.

5. Boyshorts: When we want a little extra comfort and coverage.

6. Thong: Avoid those panty lines! And they're sexy, too.

7. Nude Panties: If you are wearing light-colored clothing, go with these. No one wants to see your hot pink thong under your white capris. That's a case where a thong does not equal sexy.

8. Slip: Uh-oh. I so do not own any of these. But, they keep your skirts and dresses from clinging to your legs. And they stop you from putting on a show in the sunlight in a thin dress. Try the Calvin Klein Perfectly Fit Solutions V-Neck Slip ($48).

9. Shapewear: If you are wearing fitted clothing, this will help get rid of any underwear lines, muffin tops, and bra bulge. I heart shapewear. Because my boys destroyed my once perfectly toned belly. SIGH.

10. Fashion Tape: No wardrobe malfunctions! Help hide bra straps, or secure a revealing neckline, or hold up that strapless top. Showing a little skin is sexy. Showing too much= wardrobe malfunction. Try Hollywood Fashion Tape ($7) from the Keep Your Clothes On collection.

Looking at that list, I see I need a slip, more nude panties, and well... I don't know if a girl can ever have too much shapewear.

What is lacking from your underwear drawer?

GIVEAWAY: One of you will win a $35 gift certificate to 123underwear. Giveaway will close at 6pm ET 10/7. Winner will be selected randomly and notified via email. If your email is not visible in your profile, you must leave it with your comment. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.  US only.

To enter: Leave a comment telling me what essential undergarment you need!

Additional entries: Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
*Visit 123underwear.com and then leave a comment telling me which specific item you would use your gift certificate for.
*Tweet this giveaway: Win $35 to @123Underwear in Project #BraHappy with @shellthings http://bit.ly/nxR8Ka

This is a sponsored post on behalf of 123Underwear. 


This giveaway is now closed and the winner is #155 Breanne. 

A New Fit: Project #BraHappy

Last week, I shared with you tips for getting the right bra size and fit. Tips that I have learned from 123underwear. I was one of the majority of women who was wearing the wrong size bra. Be sure to check out Does Your Bra Fit? if you missed it.

After making sure that I had the right size, I also spoke to a 123underwear consultant about what I want in a bra. I wanted padding, lift, and comfort.

They decided that the Calvin Klein Seductive Comfort Customized Lift Bra would be one that would meet my needs. It's a pretty lilac blush color and retails for $48.

Now, here's where I get honest with you. When I was measuring myself according to the 123underwear guidelines, and kept getting 32C, I was tempted to still tell them 34B. Because that was what I was used to wearing. And my bras seem to fit okay.... I was nervous.

But, then I figured that this would be a total missed opportunity if I was working on Project #BraHappy and didn't give their advice an honest shot. And the worst that could happen would be that the bra didn't fit and they'd have to send me another size.

Surprisingly, the bra fit really well. It met all of the fit guidelines that I talked about last week and was super comfortable. If only I could replace all of my other bras now! After wearing the right size, I realized just how wrong the others ones are.

I was also sent the matching panty: Calvin Klein Seductive Comfort Hipster, $28. What I really like about this set, aside from actually fitting right, is that it's very comfortable and can be worn underneath my usual mom-uniform of jeans/yoga pants and a t-shirt AND that it's sexy. Sexy comfort is a total win. If only they made me look just like this underwear model....

Next week, I'll be back with the final week of Project #BraHappy with some tips on what every woman should have in their underwear drawer and with a giveaway for a bra consultation and a gift certificate to 123underwear.

This is a sponsored campaign on behalf of 123underwear. While I was provided with tips about bra fit and the garments mentioned in this post, all other thoughts and opinions are my own.

Does Your Bra Fit? Project #BraHappy

You've probably heard the statistics before: how the majority of women are wearing the wrong size bra.

Now, at some point in my younger years, I was small and perky enough that I didn't have to wear a bra when it came to things like halter tops or sundresses.

And then I got a little older and wanted to be sure I was wearing the right size bra. So I went to a lingerie store and was measured by some bored 19 year-old who couldn't possibly care less if she measured me correctly as long as I gave her name at the register so that she got credit for the sale.

But, she agreed with the size that I had always worn(34B- oh yeah, I'll share that with you). So, that is what I bought and continued to buy. Until pregnancy.

All of a sudden, I was a lot bigger. Hubs wondered if I could keep that size after the baby was born. I went through a few different sizes during my pregnancy- trying on different bras until I would find one that wouldn't drive me crazy... at least for that week.

Then I was dealing with finding nursing bras and fluctuating breast size then, too.

Finally, I was done with having babies and nursing them. I thought I'd celebrate by tossing all my ugly nursing bras in the trash and replacing the bras that had been sitting idle in my underwear draw from my pre-kids days.

So once again, I headed off to be measured, explaining to the girl with the tape measure that I've been through three pregnancies and nursing and my breasts felt different. That I used to be a 34B but wanted to be sure I was getting the right size. She quickly measured me and agreed with my assessment.

But, I recently measured myself with the help of 123underwear. They sent me a soft tape measure and a sizing guide. I also had a chance to speak to someone about fit.

And I found out that I was one of those women wearing the wrong size bra. I was NOT a size 34B, but a 32C.

Check out this how-to guide for finding your bra size from 123underwear. It is not what I had heard before.

As I was talking to the consultant, she was asking me how my bras usually fit. I told her that I thought they fit, but that I was always wearing them on the tightest setting. She explained that a bra should fit on the loosest setting. And then as time goes on, and your bra stretches a little, you can then tighten it to the next setting. If you start out on the tightest setting and your bra stretches at all, you are pretty much out of luck. Makes a lot of sense to me.

Here are some more tips about bra fit from Beverly Russina from 123underwear:

Front of your bra:

• Underwire must lie flat against your rib cage. Breast tissue should not be billowing out from below the underwire. Basically, underwire should not be resting on breast tissue but on bone.
• Your breast tissue should sit comfortably within your bra cups – with no excess material. Breast tissue should not be billowing out the top or sides of your cups.
• The bridge of the bra must be flat between your breasts

Back of your bra:

• Your bra band lies straight across your back. It should not squeeze, dig or leave marks. It should stay in place and not ride up or down.
• Bra straps must stay in place. No rolling down or digging into your shoulders.

And this great tip: Ladies – always remember that your breasts should be perched upright in your cups. For truly proper support your breasts should be sitting – halfway - between shoulder and elbow.

Do you think your bra fits or do you need some help being happy with your bra? I'll be blogging again about Project #BraHappy over the next two weeks to share more tips with you- and of course, have a giveaway for you coming up, too.

This is a sponsored campaign on behalf of 123underwear. While I was provided with tips about bra fit, all other thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ready for Preschool

This fall marked a big milestone in my house: my youngest headed off to preschool for the first time.

My baby was going to school!

I wanted to make sure he was ready, but without putting so much stress on my son that he would go in worried.

The basics: could he handle the basics without his mom? Simple things like getting his snack out of his backpack or knowing which backpack was his. And of course, being able to handle all the restroom stuff alone.

Academic: While I don't believe that kids need to enter preschool already knowing everything they need to for kindergarten, it does help to read to them. A love of reading goes a very long way and is something to start young.

Social: My boys were all a part of playgroups before they headed off to preschool. That helped them to be able to get along with their new friends at school.

That was how I prepared my boys for preschool.

As a mom, I might have needed some kleenx to get through sending them all off.

I’m curious to know: What advice do you have for moms prepping for preschool? KinderCare will choose one lucky participant and make donation in their name to the Reach Out And Read chapter of their choice!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of KinderCare. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Contest Rules.

Safe and Fun Internet Exploring for Kids (Free One Year Subscription)

Thank you to Fooz Kids for providing me with an All-In-One pack to review. The opinions I’ve expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint.

So, I know I'm supposed to let my kids play on the computer. Kids these days yes, I sound old saying that are surrounded by technology and are expected to know how to use it. Even my kindergartener has a computer class at school.

But, aside from the fact that I do not like to relinquish my laptop to anyone, I have other issues with turning my computer over to my kids.

First of all, if there is something inappropriate to be found, my kids will find it. Like the Barney video that I wasn't paying attention to because hey, it's Barney... until some stick figure comes out of the side of the screen, guns down Barney and says "Shut the f--- up!" And no, that f--- was not bleeped out. And there lay Barney, bleeding. I'm not a fan of Barney, but I'm even less of a fan of my kids watching him be murdered and hearing the f-bomb.

Second, even when I find my kids an appropriate web site, they tend to click around and find their way out of it. To a website that doesn't interest them or they close out of what they were working on. Either way, they need my help in getting them back on the site they were just on. While I don't mind helping them, there are times when I'm only letting them on the computer so that I can get something done elsewhere in the house.

My final reason why I didn't like to share my computer is that it's MY computer. And I would freak out if they did something to it. I keep lots of files that I need on here. The thought of them accidentally deleting something makes me break out into a sweat. And they also like to hit buttons. They have sent emails to random people. While that might be cute when the email gets sent to their uncle, it's not so cute when a string of nonsensical letters gets sent to someone that I'm working for.

But despite all my whining valid reasons for being wary about my kids going online, it's an experience that I want them to have. But I wanted a way for them to only be able to see appropriate content, need minimal assistance from me while playing, and for them not to be able to get into other areas of my computer. That's not asking for too much, is it?

Actually, it isn't too much to ask! Fooz Kids is an application that provides kids with a secure and entertaining internet environment- that you can control. You download Fooz Kids(don't worry, it's spyware-free and adware-free!) and then choose what websites, games and videos that you want your child to have access to.






This is the view of the parental dashboard for one of my boys. This one is for my youngest, so I selected "boy" then age "2-4." I could go down the list and check or uncheck different sites, games, videos, and crafts, depending on what I want him to have access to.  All of the choices are age-appropriate. But, I unchecked Calliou because I can't stand to hear that whiney voice. I also unchecked some others, just to give him a little less to scroll through.

Like I did, you can narrow the choices by gender, age (2-4, 5-7, or 8-11) and/or by personal preference. You can also add your own approved sites on "My Channel." And yes, if you have multiple kids, you can set up an account for each of them.





All navigation is within the application. The graphics and arrows make it easy for kids to find what they want and explore. Even my three year old has an easy time with it.

If my boys do try to exit out of Fooz Kids, they get this message:

PERFECT! Since we downloaded Fooz Kids, I've let my boys have a lot more computer time because I feel completely at ease knowing they are only seeing appropriate content. And I know that they can't get onto a site where they shouldn't be or even get into another area of the computer where they shouldn't be.

Aside from the websites, videos, games, and crafts on Fooz Kids, your child can also send and receive mail(even videos- though of course only to and from people you approve), make an avatar that looks like them, and even practice math skills appropriate for their grade level. More features are coming soon, too!

I highly recommend FoozKids to any parent!

Normally, it costs $11.99 for an annual subscription, but if you use my referral link, you can get a free Fooz Kids account! Woohoo! And yes, feel free to share this link with friends, too: http://bit.ly/pmorYJ

Please click here to learn more about Fooz Kids. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own. #cleverfooz

My Magic Moment

Do you see my boys? They are not fighting, wrestling or arguing. They are holding hands, united in their mission: to get mama to buy them an ice cream after an afternoon of playing at the park. THAT is a magic moment around here. 

Taken with my iPhone on instagram, this is one of my favorite pics of the summer. 

I don't want to lose it.

Y'all? I am so unorganized. My photos are all over the place: on my computer, picasa, facebook, shutterfly, and instagram.  I needed some help!   Then I was invited to try ThisLife, which helps organize all your photos.  And once I started playing around with ThisLife and seeing what it could do, I was hooked. If it can help me, it can help anyone. 

ThisLife is a Magic Box that will gather, improve, and organize your photos/videos for you in a chronological timeline. It even fixes your photos and has cool features like facial recognition, to help you search for the photo you are looking for.  Trying to find a picture of me usually takes me a while, since I'm rarely in front of the camera. But, I can do a search for any pic that I'm actually in and easily find those when I need a pic to use for something like my twitter or facebook profile. 

Those photos I had stored all over the place? ThisLife took all of them and organized them for me.  Oh, and any new pic that I take using instagram? I have my account set up that it automatically gets safely stored in the cloud. Don't worry, you choose what programs will sync to your ThisLife account. 

If only ThisLife could organize the rest of my life as easily as it did my photos. 

Want to check it out for yourself? ThisLife is offering my readers a 6-month trial of their Adventure Box package, which will house and organize up to 20,000 photos. Go check out the ThisLife free trial today. 

Like ThisLife on facebook and follow them on twitter, too. 

ThisLife sponsored my post today. I received compensation and a free trial service in exchange for telling my story.  And btw, if you like them on facebook, please talk to them- I am part of the team posting over there!

Snacking with the Family on Movie Night

To celebrate summer fun, Redbox is asking moms, "What's your family’s go-to movie night snack?" Plus, they are rewarding 2 lucky people with a chance to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes.

We often have movie night or movie afternoon since my kids are still young enough to be sent to bed shortly after dinner.

And y'all? We like to eat! You know those old cheesy promos during the drive-in movies with a dancing Coke and popcorn box, telling you that movies are better with snacks? Well, I believe that. Yes, I'm old enough that we saw movies at the drive-in. If you aren't, just imagine a dancing drink and popcorn box, tempting you.

Even at home, we go pretty traditional with our snacks: we like popcorn with salt and butter. Plus something sweet like gummy bears for "dessert." Both easy treats to keep stored high up enough in the pantry that my boys can't find them and I can produce them like magic for a movie night.

If it's a special movie night, we'd go for roasted red pepper dip with pita chips and then an ice cream treat.

Below the contest rules, I'd love for you to share your go-to movie night snack!

Redbox is celebrating summer family time with a great line up of family-friendly titles, awesome savings and two chances to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes.*

4 Easy Ways to Enter:
1. Enter your email address at http://bit.ly/redboxsummer
2. Rent a movie or game at a redbox kiosk (and provide a valid email address at checkout)
3. Reserve a rental online at redbox.com
4. Text 'SUMMER' to 727272
Enter to win today!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Redbox. The opinions and text are all mine.

*Each item rented earns one entry, regardless of how long it is rented, up to three entries per day. Limit 3 entries per day, regardless of entry method. The sweepstakes begins May 27, 2011 at 12:00 a.m. CT and ends on August 1, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CT. No purchase necessary. See official rules at http://bit.ly/redboxsummer.
.

What's Your Personality? Fun New App

Thank you to Karizmac Luminous for sponsoring this review. For more information about Karizmac Luminous please visit http://www.karizmac.com/luminous.html.

I love taking personality tests. Because I feel like I know myself pretty well at this point in my life(34 next week, baby!) and I like to see if personality tests get it right.

The Karizmac Luminous app for the iPhone and iPad is geared towards women and has you respond to a variety of statements: either agree or disagree. It then tells you what each statement says about you.

For example, I replied "Agree" to "You must stand by your man even when you don't agree with him," which implies "support" and then it tells me that Laura Bush thinks like me.

To "When there's a disagreement, you've got to choose a side," I said "Disagree" which implies "Open-mindedness."

After answering  10 questions in a category, you can then either answer 10 in a different category or you can view your results to see what your answers say about you. You get a star map like the one below, which you can share on facebook, send in an email, or save to photos.

Here is one of mine:

On your screen, you pinch and pull the stars to be able to see your personality traits up close.  For example, if you zoom in on one of my stars in "Social Intelligence," it says "Cleverness."  Other words used to describe my personality are flexibility, tenacity, assertive, relaxed, dedication, and defiant wait, I don't want to admit to that one. 


I like having an app that is actually for me instead of something to keep the kids entertained. Especially because I get bored with the games that entertain my kids.

One thing that I was not a fan of was the music that went along with the app. It's kind of New Age-y and I assume supposed to be relaxing. I turned off the music.  But, that could just be my own preference- my boys make enough noise that I tend to like silence.

Due to the size of the app, you have to download it via computer and then upload it to your phone.  But, Karizmac is aware of this and is working on polishing the app so it’s perfectly down-loadable by phone soon.  Not a big deal, but just something to be aware of.

Karizmac Luminous is a fun app for only $1.99.  Check it out! And then tell me I'm not the only one who has a little bit of defiance in her personality.

While Karizmac Luminous provided me with the app to review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Karizmac Luminous, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

Favorite Family Video Games Plus Giveaway

My boys spend a lot of time outside during the summer. Running around and playing. But, on rainy days or times when this mama needs to be inside to get some work done, video games are a fun option.
To celebrate summer fun, Redbox is asking moms, "What's your family's favorite video game to play together?" Plus, they are rewarding 2 lucky people with a chance to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes. AND 3 of you will win 5 video game rentals from Redbox right here!

Video games can get expensive so I love being able to rent them from Redbox before we buy, to be sure that my boys will actually like the games! Redbox, America’s favorite destination for movie rentals, is now renting video games in 21,000 kiosks nationwide for $2 a day.  Redbox is truly a one-stop shop for affordable, family home entertainment with both games and movies. 

We rented Just Dance from Redbox a few times before we decided to buy it.  That is one of our favorite games to play together as a family, though my boys prefer the kids' version.

My boys are also fans of Dora Saves the Snow Princess because there is help for them in the bottom corner of the screen, showing them what to do with their Wii remotes.

Check out the rules for the big $10,000 giveaway below. Plus, if you leave a comment telling me what your favorite video game to play as a family is, you'll be entered to win 5 video game rental codes from Redbox.  Three winners will be selected via random.org at 9pm ET on Tuesday, June 28.

Redbox is celebrating summer family time with a great line up of family-friendly titles, awesome savings and two chances to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes.*


4 Easy Ways to Enter:
1.  Enter your email address at www.redbox.com/summer
2.  Rent a movie or game at a redbox kiosk (and provide a valid email address at checkout)
3.  Reserve a rental online at redbox.com
4.  Text 'SUMMER' to 727272

Enter to win today!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Redbox. The opinions and text are all mine.
*Each item rented earns one entry, regardless of how long it is rented, up to three entries per day. Limit 3 entries per day, regardless of entry method. The sweepstakes begins May 27, 2011 at 12:00 a.m. CT and ends on August 1, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CT. No purchase necessary. See official rules at www.redbox.com/summer.

Who Couldn't Use Help with Organizing Household Accounts?

Organized? Who, me? No, it's more like a whirlwind around here! But, being that mom means that I HAVE to take care of things like our bills. Trying to keep track of it all gets a little overwhelming. Most of us have over 20 different household accounts. Even though we can manage a lot of these online, that's 20 different places we need to visit to do this. That's not much help!

Last month I got a sneak peek into Manilla, a new household account organization site, and I wanted to share this site with you because it can organize all of those accounts into ONE place for you to manage them all. Plus, in June they are doing an amazing Giveaway: one lucky new user will win $1,000 cash to pay their bills!

But, back to Manilla: it's a free service that helps you manage your household accounts. Everything from banking, credit cards and utilities, to travel rewards and loyalty points.

Manilla automatically retrieves and organizes bills, statements, and other account information, delivers offers, facilitates payments, and sets and delivers reminders.

Oh and all that clutter from paperwork? Manilla helps with that, too.  Manilla also provides unlimited storage of account documents.

Everything all in one place, with just one password to remember: anything to make a mama's life easier!

Get organized and be entered to win $1,000 cash to pay your bills!

How to Enter:
1.  Sign up with Manilla
2.  Link one or more household, financial, subscription or rewards account within Manilla
3.  Come back and leave a comment telling me you signed up and how Manilla can save you time!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Manilla. The opinions and text are all mine.  Contest runs June 7-30, 2011.  Winner must be signed up with Manilla with at least one account linked to win. A random winner will be selected by July 1, 2011.  Official Contest Rules

Hunt's Healthy Living and A Delicious Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

As much as I sometimes like to resort to "convenience meals," I worry about my family's health and like to do some cooking from scratch.

After checking the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and reading about the benefits of tomatoes, I learned a few things. Did you know that there is a relationship between consuming tomatoes and tomato products with reduced risk of certain cancers, heart disease, ultraviolet light-induced skin damage, osteoporosis, and other conditions?

Tomatoes are good for your heart, too. They are low in calories, but rich in nutrients like potassium, fiber and the antioxidant lycopene.  The lycopene in canned tomatoes, like Hunt’s, is easier for your body to use than from raw tomatoes, and you get seven times more lycopene from canned tomatoes than from the raw version. I thought this was really interesting, since I usually think of fresh being the best.


Because there is a history of heart disease in my husband's family, when I was asked by Hunt's and The Motherhood to create a recipe using Hunt's products, I thought I would dedicate the meal to my husband.

One thing I've never tried to make is a homemade spaghetti sauce.  I've always just grabbed whatever jar of sauce looked the best or what was on sale.  But, I thought I would try to make a sauce using Hunt's tomato products.


Because I've never made a sauce before, my friend Ashley from Just Another Mom of 2 shared her recipe with me.  I followed her recipe with her notes, except that I used about 1 cup of fresh portabella mushrooms instead of canned.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) Hunts diced tomatoes with juice
2-4 cans Hunts tomato paste (I used one large & one small to get my desired consistency) & equal amount water
1 cup red wine
1-2 chopped green bell peppers
1 small can sliced mushrooms
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper (all seasonings can be adjusted to taste)
1/4-1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

First, saute some chopped onion and a clove of minced garlic in some butter or olive oil, about 2 minutes or until you see the onions start to turn translucent. I like to season the ground beef with an Italian seasonings grinder or some similar combination, and then brown the meat. Combine the remaining ingredients in the crockpot; add browned meat and mix well. Cover and cook on low about 7-8 hours.


The result? Delicious! This made enough for a meal for my family of 5, with leftovers for another meal. I'd have a hard time going back to using a jarred sauce after this.

What is your favorite recipe using tomatoes?

I am working with Hunt's and The Motherhood  on this sponsored post. Tomato facts were provided to me and I am receiving a stipend for this post.

Heart of Haiti

It's been almost a year since a devastating earthquake hit Haiti. The aftereffects of the earthquake has made it almost impossible for Haitians to make a living.

This is where the Heart of Haiti project comes in.  Through a partnership with Macy's, Heart of Haiti offers artisan crafted decorative arts and jewelry for sale. All income from the sales goes enhances an artisan's family’s nutrition, educates children, and brings access to healthcare and dignity.


Take a look at some of the products that Haitians continue to make, in spite of the earthquake: they use raw materials like recycled oil drums, wrought iron, and stone to create art.

You can check out all the products HERE and support the project by making a purchase.


I was selected for this very special “CleverHaiti” opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity. All opinions are my own.

Gimme a Break...Or a Massage...Or Something!

Is it just me or is winter break really long? I feel like I need a break.

Or a bubble bath.

Or a massage.

Throw in a glass of wine, too.

If you happen to be here because my misguided husband FORGOT the name and therefore point of my blog, you really want to step away for this post. Buh-bye.


Because I'm talking EdenFantasys here. And yes, it's what the word fantasys would imply. But, it's online. You'd never catch me walking into one of those shops in town. But, hey, you nosey person who hasn't left yet who should have: I've seen YOU walking into that shop. Take that. See, online is better!

Anyway, when looking for a good massage oil, since I am too uptight would rather shop at home for that sort of thing, EdenFantasys is a great site to find them.

Santa should have put some of this in my stocking: can be used in a warm bath or massage or to enhance intimacy. Yes, please.

Love this discreet way to shop. Though yes, they have lots of other products if you are interested in something a little more exciting than massage oils.


This is a sponsored post, though all content and blushing opinions are my own.