iCaughtSanta – How Fun!
I love this idea! Imagine how surprised your child would be to find a picture of Santa filling their stockings in their own house! iCaughtSanta.com is a unique website that helps visitors create those memorable keepsake photos.
In three simple steps anyone can upload a holiday photo, add Santa Claus and print it as proof… or share it via Facebook and Twitter. Last-minute shoppers can purchase Gift Cards and eGift Certificates for loved ones with children, making iCaughtSanta.com a great gift idea even if you don’t have kids yourself.
I have a coupon for you to get 50% off your order! Enter SANTA50 and get your entire order for 1/2 price!
TV Dinner – Healthy Choice Top Chef Inspired
No, I’m not talking about the TV dinners in the aluminum pan that were such a treat when you were little. I’m talking about the new Healthy Choice Top Chef Inspired Cafe Steamers. Have you seen these in your grocery store? I was super excited when I saw them – Top Chef is one of my favorite reality shows! Now I can have fancy Top Chef meals while eating lunch at work. They use bold, modern and exciting flavors to give you exactly what you want – food that is both healthy and delicious. They use a unique steaming technology that separates the sauce from the rest of the entrée to steam the meal in the microwave, allowing for crisp vegetables, tender meats and al dente pastas. It really doesn’t taste like a frozen meal at all!
They come in many different flavor options:
- Barbeque Seasoned Steak with Red Potatoes
- Chicken Fresca with Chardonnay
- Chicken Linguini with Red Pepper Alfredo
- Chicken Margherita with Balsamic (my favorite!)
- Grilled Chicken Marinara with Parmesan
- Grilled Chicken Pesto with Vegetables
- Grilled Vegetables Mediterranean with Rice
- Roasted Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms
You can get a coupon here for $1 off and try them for yourself. You can read all about the partnership between Bravo TV and Healthy Choice on the Bravo TV website.
If you want to feel like Padma Lakshmi or Tom Colicchio and eat like a Top Chef Judge…visit your grocery store and judge away!
Also, don’t forget to follow Healthy Choice on Twitter and like Healthy Choice on Facebook to be one of the first to know about new meals, products and coupons!
I wrote this review while participating in a campaign from The Motherhood and received product, a product coupon and compensation to thank me for taking the time to participate. This opinion is 100% my own.
Jeans. dENiZEN. Perfect.
I love jeans. My husband loves jeans. My girls love jeans. Really, who doesn’t love jeans? I don’t like shopping for jeans – especially for my husband. I usually end up taking back any pair I buy him because they never seem to fit right. When my friends at Team Mom offered to send a pair of Levi’s dENiZEN Jeans to review I didn’t know if I should try them myself, get my husband a pair, or get a pair for one of the girls. Mike really needed jeans so I took a leap of faith and ordered him a pair. I doubted they would fit the way he wanted them to.
DeNiZEN jeans are made by Levi’s and are sold at Target. You know what that means, right? They are super affordable! They range in price from $19.99 to $29.99. Sweet! They come in a range of sizes and varieties that will make men, women, and even kids happy. You can visit them on Facebook to get a chance to save some money on a pair.
So what did Mike think of his new jeans? He loved them! They fit just like his Levi’s that he loves so much. They looked pretty great too…happy husband & happy wife – thanks dENiZen! I think I’m going to head over to Target and get myself a pair!
**I received a pair of dENiZEN jeans, thanks to the folks at Team Mom and Levi Strauss & Co, to review at no charge in order to provide a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way. No form of monetary compensation was exchanged**
Sword of Darrow
Riley was chosen to review a new book called The Sword of Darrow. This was the perfect project for her – she loves to read & write. She received and advanced reviewers copy of the book and along with many other children from around the Country provided her feedback before the final printing.
The awesome thing about this book is that it was written by a Father and his son. They began writing the book together when Alex Malchow was only eight years old. His dad, Hal Malchow spent two years helping his son make his story come to life. At the time his son was battling dyslexia and struggling to read. He is now a thriving High School Junior that is excelling in school. It looks like they will be writing a sequel together soon!
They have a great program for teachers - especially for teacher’s of special needs or for children with learning difficulties. Here are the details of the program from the site:
If you assign The Sword of Darrow to your class, you can reserve a time for the author, Hal Malchow, to appear via Skype in your classroom. All teachers who participate will receive free books for all their students. These books use larger type and more spacing to make it easier for students with learning differences to read.
Isn’t that great? He will provide your students their own copy of the book & chat with your class via Skype!
Yesterday we had a chance to meet with the author, Hal Malchow. What a great guy and an amazing Father. We were very impressed. You can tell that he was doing what he loved – talking to people about reading.
My Otter Box
I am still loving my new smartphone. I have been super nervous about dropping it (because that is how I roll) and breaking it into a bazillion little pieces. I went to Best Buy to find a cover for it…they had everything from $5.99 to $50. There were pink ones, rhinestone cases, and skull & crossbones. I was confused. How do I pick the best cover for my phone? Is the $5.99 case as good as the $29.99 case? I left the store and headed right to my computer…some heavy KatyShops research was to be done.
My search was short…it lead me right to OtterBox. All of my research told me that they would protect my prized phone. I was drawn in my this statement on their website: ” Our cases are dedicated to all the klutzy, spontaneous, chaotic, graceless individuals who have broken a device or valuable due to their active lifestyle and like our customers, we’ve been there too! “ They were talking about me!! I contacted them to see if I could try one out – I wanted to see for myself if it was worth spending a little more dime for extra protection. They gladly sent me the Commuter Series to try.
The verdict? OtterBox rocks! The first major difference is that it comes with 3 layers of protection. A screen protector to keep it from scratching, a silicone under layer (kind of like underwear), and a hard polycarbonate outer shell. The film for my screen was easy to put on and will keep it from scratching. The two covers work together to keep my little Optimus safe if when I drop it on it’s head. It really seems to absorb all of the shock if you drop it. All of the buttons & the camera work just like before I covered them up…and it didn’t change the look of my phone at all.
They make them for all phones, iPads, Kindles, you name it. The piece of mind you get far exceeds the $35 that this cover costs. Face it…rhinestones are shiny & pretty…but they won’t protect your phone like an OtterBox. You can find them online or head to Best Buy to see them in person.
OtterBox sent me a cover to review free of charge. They did not pay me. My opinions are my own.
I’m Listening to Bobby Long
Have your heard of Bobby Long? I’m sure you have heard his music and didn’t even realize it. This British singer-songwriter is the man behind the song Let Me Sign. For Twilight fans, this is the song that Robert Patterson sings in the movie. Now you know who I am talking about, right?
Bobby Long has released his new CD A Winter Tale. This CD will take you on a relaxing journey through Bobby’s world. With the hauntingly poetic lyrics, the songs from A Winter Tale are memorable. I happen to love the raspyness of his voice and the mellowness of his acoustic guitar. My kind of music…something that just soothes the soul. His style is a mixture of Blues & and Folk, with that Indie edge that I love so much. My favorite song on the CD is A Stranger Song – you should check it out. I guarantee you will love it.
The most amazing thing about Bobby is that he has only been playing the guitar since the age of 17…and he is just 24 right now. What a musical genius! He was clearly put on this earth to create music.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this CD from ATO Records to facilitate my candid review. No financial compensation was provided.
Give Away!
***The winner is Kristi Summers (#16) Congrats!!***
Trying to be healthier in 2011? Let Progresso Soup help you out. Available in 40 delicious flavors with 100 calories or less, Progresso® Soup can help curb your hunger, making it easier for you to stick to your weight management plan all year long. With hearty ingredients like pasta, beans, corn and rice, and flavor-packed vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and peppers, Progresso Soup varieties with 100 calories or less offer a good source of fiber and a full serving of vegetables. What a nutritious and great lunch – not to mention quick & easy!
To help kick off a new outlook on the New Year, Progresso is excited to announce the return of the “Souper You™ Debut” contest! From January 3rd through March 16th, you can visit Progresso on Facebook to enter for the chance to win a full makeover in New York City. Visit the Facebook page to download a coupon for $1.00 off four (4) cans of Progresso Soup and to check out makeover videos provided by MyStyle.com and the Style Network. Be sure to also “Follow” Progresso on Twitter to keep up with the latest news from Progresso.
I have started incorporating Progresso Soup into my diet this year…I love how easy it is to make and the variety of flavors. The hardest part is trying to decide which flavor to eat each day 
Do you want to give it a try? I am giving away a a VIP coupon for a free can of Progresso soup, as well as a yoga mat, water bottle, set of aerobic bands, sport headband and two sport wristbands!
- To enter leave me a comment….let me know what steps you have taken this year to be “healthier” or just let me know your favorite variety of Progresso soup.
- Want a few more entries? Post this give away on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog. Just come back & comment to let me know.
The review and giveaway prize packs and all information provided here were given to me by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.com
New Year, New You. Cinch! Book Review
2010 was good to me. I discovered clean eating and weight training. That combination surprised me by allowing my body to drop 20lbs in just 4 months! I learned so much about working out & eating right. In fact, I was just telling my friend Kristen that I was going to strictly eat clean for a month to get back on track after the holidays. Lucky me, the new book Cinch! by Cynthia Sass was released on Tuesday. This is an amazing book that doesn’t have you counting calories…it just has you eating the right foods. Perfect for me. It gives you every tool you need to lose weight in a 30 day plan.
The first 5 days are pretty extreme, Cynthia tells you to decide if you want to give the 5 day Fast Forward plan a try. It has you eating 5 basic foods for the five days – Eggs, spinach, yogurt, almonds, and raspberries. By following the Fast Forward plan for 5 days you should drop significant weight – up to 8lbs. Wow! What a way to jump start your new year!
The remaining 25 days of the program are packed with foods that offer maximum fat-burning, improving metabolism while unlocking the secret to the body’s satiety center with foods that the latest research shows turn on the body’s “I’m full” signal. As in Flat Belly Diet, all of the meals for the full 30-day program are created for you and are fully interchangeable. As an added feature, vegan and vegetarian options are covered so the plan can be adapted to fit any lifestyle.
Here is my list of good things about this book/program
- It provides a plan – I love having someone tell me what to do when I am either dieting or working out. It just makes it easy.
- No calorie counting – I have never counted calories…can’t stand the idea of it.
- Easy & yummy recipes – there are some fabulous recipes in this book that you can make super quick.
- A wealth of knowledge – I learned so much reading this book. So many tools that I will use forever.
- Mandatory chocolate – Yes, you read that right. You must eat chocolate
I think I am going to follow this program to get back to my clean eating regime. I am even going to try the 5 day Fast Forward. I will keep you posted on how it goes.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, for the purpose of review, as part of my partnership with One2One Network. All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner.
Holiday Showcase
I love getting the chance to invite my friends over and share some great product ideas with them. Thanks to Mom Select, I was able to bring on the Holiday cheer while oohing & ahing over some really great things. MomSelect sent me Play-Doh Shape and Spin Elmo, Play-Doh Mega Fun Factory, Sneaky 3D Puzzle from Patch Products, The NEW Smallfrys from BuildaBear, Playmobils Child’s First Day at School Kit to play with! I happen to be a HUGE Play-Doh & Playmobile fan so I was thrilled.
The 3D Puzzle was a huge hit with the kids that joined us. A regular puzzle is great…but add in 3D glasses and it gets even better! The only problem was making them share the glasses – lol! I also love the fact that it is a floor puzzle. A great gift idea for only $14.99. Everyone at the party gave it a “thumbs up”
One of the most popular guests at my party was the Small Fry from Build-a-Bear. How cute would this little guy be sticking out of a stocking on Christmas morning? The adults were actually fighting the kids for this cutie.
Listening to Norah Jones…Featuring
Today I am listening to the new Norah Jones album called …Featuring. It is a collection of her musical collaborations and duets from the past decades. She works with amazing legends such as Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton as well as with new musical icons such as OutKast and Foo Fighters. I always love listening to great musical talents team up together! This collaboration does not disappoint. Listening to this CD puts you in such a relaxed frame of mind. It is a very soulful/sexy collection of songs that you are sure to recognize. My favorite? The updated Blue Bayou featuring M.Ward. It reminds me of driving in the car with my Dad when I was young. This CD will be released tomorrow…I am sure it would make a great Christmas gift for so many on your list this year. My teenager is even a huge Norah Jones fan!
