Pillsbury Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting Challenge Win $10,000

The holidays are in full swing, and with that comes holiday baking of all sorts!  Everyone loves a sweet treat and with new Pillsbury Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting, creating delicious works of edible art has never been so easy!  Starting today, the makers of Pillsbury baking products announce the “Pillsbury Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting Challenge,” and call on all dessert lovers to unlock frosting fun, think creatively and transform their favorite homemade baked good into a chance to win $10,000 and a year’s worth of Pillsbury Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting.  Pillsbury Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting is available in a convenient aerosol can with a built-in five-star applicator tip and can transform a cake, plate of cookies, or batch of brownies into bakery-style desserts.

Consumers are asked to use Pillsbury Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting to decorate a homemade baked good of their choice and submit an original photo of the wholly edible creation online.  Submissions can be entered online starting November 23, 2009, through February 19, 2010, at www.pillsburybaking.com.  The winning photo will be posted in March 2010.

Pillsbury Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting makes decorating baked goods a piece of cake!  The new product features the same creamy, delicious frosting in a tub that families love, in a 13.5 oz aerosol can with a five-star decorating tip.  Pillsbury Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting is available in three delicious varieties: Decadent Chocolate Fudge, Vanilla Dream, and Velvety Cream Cheese.

“We are always thrilled to offer new ways to add fun and convenience to baking,” said Maribeth Badertscher, Vice President, Corporate Communications, The J.M. Smucker Company. “The Pillsbury Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting Challenge is meant to inspire amateur bakers to share their creativity.”

To help consumers get started, Pillsbury offers a variety of delicious baking products for fun and convenience in the kitchen.  New products include Pillsbury Brownie Minis Brownie Mix, delicious bite-size treats that need only water and bake in half the time of traditional brownie mix; and premium Pillsbury Cookie Mixes in three mouth-watering, family favorite flavors: Funfetti Cookie Mix; Reduced Sugar – Sugar Cookie Mix; and Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix.

The “Pillsbury Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting Challenge” is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C.,18 years of age and older.  Void in Arizona, Maryland, New Jersey, Tennessee, Vermont and where prohibited.  For Official Rules and complete entry details visit www.pillsburybaking.com.

Christmas Tree Adventure Weekend

So this is the weekend that it decided to get cold and the weekend in which we headed to the tree farm to pick out our Christmas tree.  At first I wasn’t sure how this was going to go since I am sick and the boys seemed a little cranky.

It all started out ok but then one of the boys saw a tractor and well, that seemed to be the primary focus.  He wanted to sit in that tractor and that was all she wrote.  The guy sent us over the the hill way over yonder for the taller trees.  We wanted at least a 9 ft tree since we have vaulted ceilings.  We went to where he pointed and the tallest one was 7 ft.  I am now frozen, and the boys aren’t cooperating.  The one who wanted the tractor decided to stop moving, throw his hat on the ground and proceeded to scream.

Meanwhile, my husband has the other on the little tree cart, and they are bouncing through the hills.  I wave back and say i’ll be right back to see if we are in the right place.  I find an old guy and he says, “ok see the opening there, make a left….head to the second douglas fir sign, you’ll see small tiny white pines, head back to the neighbors fence line and there’s about 40 trees there.”  By now I can’t feel my face so what’s a little more cold?  So we head off into the hills one more time, and find the patch of 40 trees.  They were basically tall sticks with a few sprigs.  So I had resigned ourselves to a much smaller tree.  We head over to the 7 ft trees and I look at the price and its $50.  They had some premium frasier firs already cut, smelled phenomenal and they were 10 ft or taller up front.  For the extra $30, my husband says, lets just get the one you really want and be done.  I think we had all had it by now.  The years previous we were able to find a tree with no problem, but I guess they all had been cut.

They packed up the tree, shook it out, and put a hole in the bottom and we creatively tied it to the roof.  We began our hour drive back and I prayed the tree wouldn’t fly off the roof.  Even though I knew it wouldn’t go anywhere, my dear husband pulled back the cover to the sunroof so I could babysit the tree.  I could see it, but if it did come undone, it’s not like I could catch it.

I spent the day Sunday decorating and getting ready for Santa.  The tree turned out beautiful and now Santa can come to our house.  I love the magic of Christmas!

Taylor Gifts Holiday Shopping From The Comfort Of Your Home

Ever wonder what you are going to buy for all those people on your Christmas list?  For me, each year I lament over what gifts to get the people in my family who appear to have everything, the people at work, as well as, for my kids.  For me, it is difficult to get out to the stores, because when I am able to shop I have the boys.  I tend to avoid the crowds for the most part during the holiday season and do a large part of my shopping online.

When it comes to shopping online, I usually like to visit places that sort of have something for everyone on my buying list.  This way, I can get everything in one place and I am not paying separate shipping fees for everything that I order. I was recently introduced to Taylor Gifts and I love their unique selection of gifts! They have a wonderful assortment of things for everyone, like Classic Tin Toys Tiddly Winks. Do you remember those? It makes me feel old, but I loved them as a child.

Among other things, they have Gag gifts and novelty items that had me and my husband laughing out loud. There are some really good ones for the joker in your family. They also have a lot of the “As Seen On TV” items, and I will admit, I have found myself buying a few of these as well. Some of them are very practical, like the Bottle Tops, that turn your soda can into a bottle (I am so going to get that)!

Taylor Gifts is a perfect place to find that perfect gift for family, friends and even coworkers. It even offers a gift finder for you to help break things down. It is a great go to shopping resource when you are in the market for finding a unique gift. There are some really neat things on there, and definitely worth checking if you are at a loss for what to buy and need ideas!

**I was compensated for my time to review Taylor gift, the opinions I Have expressed are that of my own**

Evenflo Triumph Advanced LX *Review and Giveaway*

I have two three year olds and they will probably be in their car seats for at least a few more years. Choosing something that is there to protect your child in the event of an accident can sometimes be a daunting task.  The law would prefer that you have them in a seat of some sort up until the age of 8 I believe, or children that are below the height of four foot nine inches.  My boys have a lot of growing to do before they will be even close enough to be out of their car seats.

As a parent, this has been one of the bigger investments we have had to make. Being a first time parent I was overwhelmed at the choices and all the information when choosing a car seat.  We started out with two carriers, which grew to a bigger seat which only accommodated them till they were 40lbs in weight.  At three years of age they haven’t reached their weight limit for those particular seats but they outgrew them well before they would have even gotten close to 40 lbs. So after that, I had to take a closer look at our choices for car seats for them.

As you know, car seats can be a rather pricey venture for parents, and especially if you have multiples.  Even though I felt like I was taking out a small car loan just to get them good seats, I wanted them to last this time.  We had two car seats situated in my vehicle since, I have the boys the most.  I have an SUV which is a gas guzzler but it was big enough to fit the boys in the back comfortably.  After awhile we decided that my husband should have at least one seat in his car for trips to the doctor, or when we wanted to divide and conquer.  His vehicle was more economical in terms of gas but much smaller.  We could have moved the seats when we needed them, but if you  know anything about car seats, once they are in a car, it is a pain in the butt to move them again.

We currently own, two Britax Regents, A Safety First Complete Air, our Previous Car Seats were Graco Comfort Sports.  We have have a few different brands to kind of compare.  Recently, I was offered the chance to review an Evenflo Triumph Advanced LX so I was interested to see how it compared to all these seats that we currently have.  If I am in the market for a car seat, I look for a few different things.

I look at the overall cost, the size of the seat, the weight limit, the buckles and straps (can I reach back and undo them with one hand etc), if the seat cover is able to be cleaned (because we all know that kids are messy), and if it looks comfortable and if I can find safety ratings on them.

When the seat arrived, we got it out of the box, and my initial reaction was that I was going to like this seat.  The seat itself was well padded and appeared to be comfortable to the boys when they sat in it.  Before we even got it in the car, I wanted to see how to adjust the shoulder straps.  The Evenflo Triumph Advanced LX, already has one exciting feature that I loved right away and that is the way you turn the dial on the side to adjust the straps.  It makes it ten times easier to work on the side of the car seat with a dial rather than fumbling in between the child’s legs to find the well hidden button to release the straps and or tighten them.  The shoulder harness using Evenflo’s Infinite Slide which is amazing in that, you can adjust them just by sliding the red tabs up or down.  There is know threading and re-threading the harness belts to readjust.

My husband has a relatively small car and I was worried about how far the seat may or may not overhang in the back.  Since my husband has relatively long legs, he tends to move the drivers side seat to the farthest position in his car which in turn leaves little leg room for the boys in the back.  The Evenflo Triumph Advanced passed this test with flying colors and sits far enough back on the rear seat that they still have ample leg room.  In comparison to our Britax Regents, this compact seat has a lot to offer in functionality and works well if you are limited on space.

When setting up the seat in the car, I almost always struggle to get a car seat in the car because you have to do a lot of maneuvering.   The Evenflo Triumph Advanced was fairly easy  on installation.  The seat had ample room to reach through the space when threading the seat belt through which is nice when you are trying to fit your adult hand through.   I struggled with installing the metal locking clip which is always the case, I wish they would make something that was a bit easier to deal with.  One thing in particular that I didn’t care for, and I have the same problem with a lot of the seats we have had, is that, the harness belt gets twisted very easily on the Triumph Advanced as well as most other seats, and if you aren’t used to getting it back, you will find yourself fussing with untwisting it very often. The padding itself is machine washable which is a must for a car seat in my opinion.

In general, this is an excellent seat for the price ($120-$150), and the boys both seem comfortable riding in it.  The Evenflo Triumph Advanced will also be with your child probably until they are able to ride in a booster which is nice.  You can use this seat with infants rear facing from 5lbs to 35lbs and forward facing from 20lbs to 50lbs.  For safety, it is recommended that you keep your child rear facing for as along as possible.  We love the Evenflo Triumph Advanced and it is really nice for compact cars.  It comes in about seven different color combinations so you can easily find something that looks nice in your vehicle.

Evenflo Convertible Car Seats

Holiday Hustle and Bustle Mary Poppins Where Are You?

So now that we are staring December right in the face, I am finding myself in a typical yet slight panic to get everything ready.  Today we put lights on the house so Santa knows where to find us.  I explained to my three year olds that this is how Santa finds our house to bring presents. What was I thinking when I signed this binding agreement which now means I have to put lights on my house every year?

Next week we will head to the tree farm and usher in Christmas full force.  I ventured into the local mall this weekend and I had expected much bigger lines, but surprisingly I could actually look at stuff without being butt to butt and shoulder to shoulder with some complete stranger.  I was mainly there to find some more clothing for the boys so I am not running out of pants before the end of the week.

We are also heading down the potty training path.  We waited to potty train and we weren’t in a particular hurry to get it done.  We figured that the boys would sort of let us know.  Today, they did great and only had 3 accidents between them.  I treat jar stuffed with dollar toys and gummy candies, does wonders.  They have wised up and will go to the potty even if they just went 15 min ago  lol.  So we have restricted potty treats to once and hour.

Do you ever just feel worn out before you even get started?  I love the holidays but wish I could wiggle my nose to get it all done.  Where is Mary Poppins when you need her?

Hickory Farms and Holiday Traditions

I have almost always love the holidays, not for the hustle and bustle, but for the memories they create.  We have a huge family on  my Mom’s side and I can remember the huge gatherings at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I also cannot forget the food that occupied the tables in every corner of my Grandmother’s home.  We are all well fed by the time we left her house.

She always had a spot set up with cheese and crackers and sausage from Hickory Farms and in a tiny dish off to the side those strawberry hard candies that often come in a gift basket from them.  I loved the selection of  summer sausage, and cheeses, and I would always set up a plate as a kid, and stuff a few of the strawberry candies in my pockets.  That wasn’t the last I saw of my favorites because my mom would almost always bring home a Hickory Farms gift basket from the bank where she worked.

Fast forward to today, I still love to stop by the Hickory Farms displays in my local stores and occasionally pick up some of their summer sausage and cheese and set them out for the boys and the family to snack on. Recently, we were sent a wonderful gift basket for our family to try from Hickory Farms in this totally awesome tool bag that will come in handy for my husband to use around the house.  It is a great way to sort of give two gifts at once.  This gift basket came loaded with gouda cheese, mini sausages, crackers, mustard and many other wonderful signature items that Hickory Farms has to offer.  I loved the gouda cheese with the sausage and the boys gobbled it up.  The best way to serve the sausage is cold in my opinion, even though you don’t have too.  Once the packages is open in this house, you won’t have any leftovers.  I cannot think of a better way to add to holiday entertainment or making a classic statement in gift giving.

We loved all of the wonderful things Hickory Farms sent us, and the only thing missing this time around was the strawberry hard candy.  Hickory Farms has been around for as long as I can remember and have always offered a wonderful selection for gifts. It is a perfect gift to give for someone special or when you cannot think of something specific,  Hickory Farms makes gift giving easy.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a Hickory Farms gift basket to facilitate my review.”

Happy Thanksgiving

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.  ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Although we didn’t get to spend Thanksgiving with our bigger families, we still gathered around the table and had a wonderful meal.  I began the dinner by telling the boys that I was thankful for having them and their daddy, for the roof over our heads, the food on our table, for our dog and cat.

I asked them what they were thankful for and I got the cutest responses, and although I wasn’t sure that they totally knew what it meant to be thankful, I wanted to start this tradition.  One of them was thankful for his fork and for the television  lol.  The other was thankful for marshmallows, his turkey, and his fire truck.

I hope that you and your families had a safe, happy and healthy Thanksgiving.   There is always something to be thankful for, no matter how big or small.

Wordless Wednesday

Hi Mom!

(This is one of my fur babies!)

Ultimate Party Meatballs A Crowd Pleaser For Any Occasion

It is that time of the year when holiday festivities are about to be in full swing.  Every year my husband and I are invited to at lease several events that involve bringing a favorite appetizer or dish.  If you are a busy mommy like me, my ambitions are usually greater than my energy level in creating some new found masterpiece to bring to a gathering.

Over the weekend we were invited to a football party and it was a “bring a favorite dish” type party, so I found myself thinking about what I should bring. I quickly remembered that I had a new recipe to try, and I had all the ingredients to give it a test.  Heinz and Ocean Spray have teamed up to create a really easy yet great tasting addition to any holiday gathering.  Their Ultimate Party Meatballs recipe takes three ingredients and they taste unbelievable.  If I had known how easy this was all along, I would have been coined the meatball lady at all these parties!

I chose to do the crockpot method of preparation.  All you do is throw in a bottle of Heinz Chili Sauce and Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce, and two sof frozen meatballs and put your crockpot on high for four hours and you are good go.   They smell totally awesome and they taste even better.  I couldn’t stop stealing meatballs from the crockpot,  at least I made a double recipe. They have the perfect combination of salty and sweet tangy zip that make you want to keep coming back.  I came home with just a few lone meatballs left.

Here is the official recipe

If you like a little bit of a kick to your meatballs you can add a dash of tobasco to them to give them a little kick. I refrained from adding it this time because some people might not like the spicy. They were so yummy that I took the last of the meatballs and made a sub out them for my late night snack.

Whether you are heading out to a party this holiday season or if you are looking for something easy to make for an appetizer. Ultimate Party Meatballs by Heinz and Ocean Spray are a perfect addition!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Heinz and Ocean Spray and received the ingredients necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

New Moon Movie Weekend

For the first time in well over four years I found myself sitting in a theater this weekend for New Moon.  I was determined to go see the newest movie in the Twilight series of books and I didn’t care that I was going alone.  I wasn’t overly impressed with the first movie Twilight, but compared to the books, the movies just cannot possibly do them justice.

I normally have a hard time sitting down and reading much of anything and if I am going to read, it better capture my interest immediately.  I blew through the entire Twilight series in just 7 short days.  I had stayed away from the first movie for the sake of preserving my dreamy images of all the characters.  In Twilight, it took some getting used to staring at characters that didn’t fit into my active imagination.  The movie should have been four hours long though and I wouldn’t have cared because they would have been able to include a little more detail.  The movie is never as good as the book, with the exception of Gone With The Wind, and you saw how long that was!

Did New Moon change my outlook on the movie?  Well, it was definitely better than Twilight, and they left you hanging so you know they will come out with the next movie.  I thought it was good for movie representation standards, I still feel like they left too much out.  The movie’s portrayal of the Volturi was spot on and I love Alice.  There was a good amount of humor presented in this one, and it made the movie a little more likeable.  Overall, I would say it was good as the time limit would allow, but tack on another hour and it probably would have made A-list.

I still have the books to read again so I can slip into the awesome world of vampires and the Cullens.  My only hope is that Stephenie Meyer writes more! Ok, I admit Edward is growing on me.

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