Somebody’s Mothers Chocolate Sauce

I am definitely a chocolate lover, but who isn’t?   Id probably have chocolate with every meal if you let me, but that isn’t very good for the waistline, but great for releasing the happy joy endorphins.   I am always on a quest to find some of the most divine chocolate creations on the market, when someone suggested I try Somebody’s Mother’s Chocolate sauce and they were nice enough to send over their Chocolate Sauce, White Chocolate Sauce, and Caramel Sauce which I have now strategically hidden in the refrigerator

About Somebody’s Mother’s

When Somebody’s Mother’s three children were little, Somebody’s Mother hoped that their summer lemonade stands, which focused on advertising, cash flow and customer service, in addition to flipping quarters, would awaken in them an interest in business so that one day they might actually support themselves. Two of the three are now in college studying…acting.

In April 2005, Somebody’s Mother and her children launched a company in order to produce and sell a really great chocolate sauce (made often over the years at home by Somebody’s Mother’s Mother) which can be eaten warm over ice cream, at room temperature fastened to fruit, or cold straight out of the jar. What began as a grown up lemonade stand has become a nearly booming business.

We had planned this past weekend to have a bit of an ice cream social in our house, and the boys were very excited to get ice cream.   My husband said since I twisted his arm, that he would love a sampling as well.   So I scooped up the ice cream, drizzled it with Somebody’s Mothers Chocolate and Caramel Sauces and added a few colorful sprinkles, and I didn’t hear a peep out of anyone.  Meanwhile I am hanging over the jar with a spoon of the chocolate sauce in my mouth.

The sauce has no preservatives and is just plain chocolate, which I love.   There isn’t anything that you cannot pronounce in the ingredient list.  You can eat the chocolate cold or hot, and I’m pretty content with a spoonful of it either way.   The boys bowls were cleaned, and faces were messy which is a pretty good indicator that this is some of the best stuff around!  In the afternoon after a particularly stressful day a bowl of Haagen Dazs vanilla ice cream with Somebody’s Mother’s Chocolate sauce is an instant stress reliever.

For Stress Relief

You can serve this chocolate sauce over just about anything, dip your strawberries, dip your spoons, over ice cream, over brownies.  The white chocolate sauce is divine over baked pears with cinnamon.  The possibilities are endless.

You can also check out their new gift boxes, a perfect anytime gift or even better, Mother’s Day is coming up and Somebody’s Mother’s would make a perfect gift!

Daylight Savings Are You Ready?

As an adult Daylight Savings has just always been just a minor nuisance and I would always get caught up with my sleep at some point.  But since having children it has taken on a whole new meaning.    Not only so you lose more sleep but it seems like kids have an even harder time adjusting to the time change.   Everyone is in a cranky mood, including mommy and it just isn’t much fun.

There is one good thing about the up coming time change and that is that daylight sticks around longer so the kids can be outside playing.   I can hardly wait for the warmer weather that comes along with it so we can be outside taking evening walks as a family.   The boys have always  slept a million times better when they can get out and have a huge energy release.   I have had enough of the freezing cold, dreary skies, and brown grass.

This weekend we Spring forward, so now what?   I have found one very good method to helping the boys adjust to the time change.  It seems like the week leading up to it their sleep gets out of whack.   Just last night they were up at 4 am, so it is pretty obvious that their sleep rhythms are already sort of shifting.  Its weird, but I swear that the upcoming time change is to blame for this.  My two are on a very regular schedule so a big change can just have drastic effects.  My husband and I in the light of losing and hour have developed a 10 min a day move back.  Every night the week leading up to the time change we move them forward or back 10 minutes each day (in this case back 10 min).  Not only has this worked great, it is such a gradual change that the boys don’t even notice the difference.  Then by the time Sunday evening rolls around we are already adjusted.

You may experience some mild crankiness the first day or two in the week of the time change, but it is nothing compared to just moving them an hour all at once.

So, get ready to move your clocks forward!  I have my favorites about moving back (the obvious extra hour of sleep!) and my favorites about moving forward (warmer weather is coming!).  Cmon Spring!

Did You Know?

Analyzing 20 years of data, scientists in Sweden found that the number of heart attacks typically rises 6 to 10 percent for the three days after clocks jump forward; the day after the clocks are set back each fall, heart attacks fall by 5 percent. A lack of sleep may be to blame for the danger. Other studies have shown that chronic sleep deprivation is hard on the heart. This year, hit the sack early after resetting your clock. But you may not have to fret about your bedtime forever. The Swedish statistics suggest that people over 65 are less apt to be harmed by the time change — perhaps because retired folks are less tied to the clock.

This is a convincing reason to sleep in!

The Bachelor Ending

Well I wasn’t expecting how the Bachelor has ended.  I am sort of disappointed but I guess it’s better than getting married and then realizing that you aren’t in love with someone.  I have decided that I hate these sort of shows, but I feel compelled to watch it because, I want to know what happens  lol.   I hate to see someone’s heart get broken.   I am not sure if I will watch the next Bachelor, it all depends if he his pleasing on the eyes!  Well I am off to bed, I stayed up way too late for this one. 

The Bachelor Finale

Well tomorrow is the Bachelor finale, and I am wondering what is going to happen.  Usually I am not a huge fan of these shows but for some reason I just got hooked.   It will be interesting to see what all the fuss is about with the whole Deanna thing and if Jason will stick to his guns and go with the two woman that he chose.  If I were him, I would say bye bye to Deanna, and he may just do that but the previews made it seem like she came back to him in New Zealand to say she made a mistake and wanted him back.  I think the girl is a player and since things didn’t work out with her other bo, that she is desperate to keep her fame running.   Either that or the Bachelor is trying to make things more dramatic on purpose.

I personally think that neither of the two is right for him, but what do I know?  I would have like to see him pick Jillian, but he poo pooed that idea so I was pretty disappointed after that.   Stephanie, the lady who lost her husband in a tragic plane crash, is one who I would like to see find a prince charming.  She handles herself with such class, and she deserves someone to treat her well.  I cried when she left the show.  Maybe they will bring her back as the next bachelorette. Melissa or Molly? I will be glued to the television tomorrow!

Small Talk Six What Makes Me Smile

This weeks Small talk Six are the Six things that make me smile.

1) When my youngest of the twins sings and dances.

2.) When they laugh with that out right belly laugh. Usually when they are tickled.

3.) When they are playing and make each other laugh.

4) When the boys are learning new things and their little tongues stick out in concentration

5) When I watch my boys sleep.

6) When we do things as a family

Gossip On The Playground

I have always been the sort of person that has been a little on the reserved side and have always been a little picky on who I make friends with.   I guess it all goes back to the horrid childhood I had when I was the center of everyone’s ridicule.  I was affectionately named big birtha in my tender teen coming into puberty years, simply because I developed a little faster than everyone else.  It is one of those things you sort of never forget.

If you do make friends with me then I am one of those true blue types, and if you screw up once, maybe ill forgive you but do it again and you’re history.   I guess you could say it is a form of protection that sort of dates back to all those playground moments where everyone thought they were better than everyone else.

So this brings me to Wednesday where my husband and I took the boys to the firehouse to the playground.  It was a relatively warm day and when you have boys, they need all the energy release they can get.   My husband and I decided to divide and conquer, he kept tabs on one, while I the other.   There were these two women who seemed glued to each other and their mouths were non stop.  I had passed by several times chasing monkey, and helping him cross the jungle gym when I overheard them ranting and raving on about someone elses child.   They were hot and heavy into it and I was just really bothered by it.   What gives them the right to make someone’s kid the topic of their discussion where everyone can hear?  I mean seriously, are their children that perfect?

Then I am thinking to myself, these are going to be the people I may need to converse with. when my two finally do go to school?   And to make matters worse the discussion revolved around a kids learning disability!   Meanwhile, one of the women’s two year old was running around in a poopy diaper that you could smell for miles for the entire hour I was there.   Maybe she needs to spend a little more time focusing on her own!  I told my husband that I fear the day the boys go to school because I dont want to meet these people in the hallway.

Why on earth would you want to make matters worse by talking about a child who probably already has to deal with this sort of thing from their peers without a label from people who are supposedly adults?  And these people are mothers?

Carpet Fresh Just Say No To Odors

Since having children and pets there seems to always be something amiss in the air at any given time.  I am a bit particular about things smelling in my house.  If I walk in from grocery shopping and things don’t smell right then I will find its source.   Since having the boys, I have acquired the mommy nose for everything!

One of my big things is any odors related to our dog.  She is one big fur ball and even though I love her, we all know that dogs can stink.  When they lay on your carpet, the oils from their fur and skin just sort of stick like a magnet to your carpet and anything else, so  I thought I would give Carpet Fresh Carpet and Room Odor Eliminator a try.

Carpet Fresh Carpet and Room Odor Eliminator permanently neutralizes carpet odors and helps keep entire rooms smelling fresh by delivering odor-fighting agents deep into carpet fibers and reaching places air fresheners can’t and leaving a long lasting fragrance. Additionally, the Carpet Fresh Quick-Dry Foam format allows you to simply spray your carpets and walk away without scrubbing or vacuuming.  It dries in minutes, leaves no residue, and is safe for use around your family when used as directed.  Not only that, it can be used in your car and on the drapes.

I love the stuff because all you do is spray and walk away, there isnt anything you need to do other than that.  This is nice and it works!  I had the room smelling fresh and airy in a matter of minutes and it dries very quickly with no weird residue or sticky films.  This is perfect when you get those unexpected calls from guests that say they are stopping by in 30 min! And, the best part is that is comes in some really great scents like Country Potpourri, Morning Rain, Apple Cinnamon, Fresh Scent and Super Pet Neutralizer.

Thank you to Mom Central and Carpet Fresh for a wonderful opportunity to try new Carpet Fresh Carpet and Room Odor Eliminator!

Wordless Wednesday

Looks like one is floating away!

Big G Kid Cereals and Giveaway

Being a first time parent, I am almost always concerned about my two little guys and their health.  From a very early age, I have tried to influence healthy food choices and make sure that they are getting a fairly balanced diet.   If I buy something at the grocery store, I am always reading the labels, to see what they are getting in their food.  We are a cereal loving family here, because it is something that is simple to make and the kids just love it.   It is a perfect snack too in the afternoon after naps, and it doesn’t have to be served with milk.  My two love to have their own bowl, their cup of juice, and watch one of their favorite shows.

Recently the importance of Vitamin D in the diet has been in the news, and the importance of calcium is so important in bone growth and development.  Vitamin D is also important in bone growth and is now suggested to be a key factor in healthy lung function.   Approximately 75% of kids today don’t even get the required amount of Calcium and Vitamin D in their diets, and that is an astounding figure!   The American Academy of Pediatrics has even upped the amount of Vitamin D your child should be getting to 400IU.

The good news is, that it isn’t that hard to incorporate these nutrients in your child’s diet.  Parents can easily get both vitamin D and Calcium in milk and many juices and now in fortified cereals.  All General Mills Big G kid cereals including Kix, Lucky Charms, Cocoa Puffs, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and more.

This is great news for our family because we are huge Lucky Charms, and Cocoa Puffs fans.  The boys think they have gone to heaven when I give them these cereals in their snack bowls!  Additionally, a recent report in a leading consumer magazine ranked kid cereals by nutritional content, and all nine General Mills Big G kid cereals included in the report were ranked in the top half. All Big G kid cereals have at least eight grams of whole grain per serving (at least 48 grams are recommended daily), and all have 12 grams or less of sugar per serving.  This is awesome, and you can feel good about giving them something they love and not worry about them getting a ton of sugar.

Cereal is one of the most nutritious breakfast options a kid can eat. Most cereals have about 100 – 130 calories per serving and provide at least 10 key nutrients. And, ready-to-eat cereal is the number one source of whole grain in American diets.  If there is one food that your child would eat than at least you know that it has nutritional value.

This Giveaway Is Now Closed

As part of a healthy diet and the love of  Big G cereal (especially Cocoa Puffs), DoubleBugs  is giving away these totally adorable and way cool Cocoa Puffs vintage ringer Ts (child’s sz large) to 9 lucky winners.

Here’s all you gotta do!

• Leave me a comment on what your child’s favorite Big G cereal is, and yours too.
• Please leave me an email so I can contact you if you win

• Winners are chosen at random via Random.org.
• If Winner Does Not Respond Within 2 Days the prize is forfeited and donated!

For Additional Entries (please leave as an additional comment):

• Tweet about this post
• Follow me on Twitter
• Blog about my contest and give me the link!
• Put my badge on your sidebar

That’s all you gotta do!

Contest Starts February 25, 2009 and Ends March 11, 2009

Good Luck!

Ringling Brothers Family Night At The Circus

We love the circus and the boys first real show was actually to go see the Ringling Brothers Circus.   They were in awe of all the stuff going on and they loved it.  They were just 18 months, when we took them and it held their interest the entire time. I can remember the trips to the circus when I was a child and have fond memories of cotton candy and watching all the amazing acrobatics.

The newest production from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey  ZING ZANG ZOOM is sure to have children of all ages engrossed and delighted, and is a perfect night out for the family.  With the economy posing a challenge for many families, the value of a night out at Ringling Bros. is worth many years of fond memories and worth its weight in gold.  The experience includes the All Access Pre-show, a fun opportunity to meet circus performers and dress up in clown costumes, which happens one hour before each performance.

Thanks to Mom Central And Ringling Brothers you can have the chance to take your family to the circus without breaking the bank.

·    Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code “MOM” at select ticketing channels**. Offer good on all performances, minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each. Offer not valid on Circus Celebrity Seating, Front Row and VIP seating and cannot be combined with other offers.  Other Restrictions May Apply.
·    Offer #2: A select amount of Front Row and VIP seats have been reserved for you to buy before they go on sale to the public – just enter the code “MOM” when purchasing those seats. Dates and cities where families can use the national MOM discount code this spring are as follows:

Newark/East Rutherford/Uniondale/NYC
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
March 5 – April 13
Offer not valid on performances from April 10 – 13 at Madison Square Garden

Washington D.C./ Fairfax, VA/ Baltimore, MD
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
March 18-April 19

Philadelphia
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
May 13-May 25

Phoenix
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
June 24-June 28

Houston
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
July 15-July 26

Anaheim/LA/Ontario
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
July 8-August 2

San Francisco
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
August 12-August 23

Dallas/Ft Worth
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
July 29-August 16

Sacramento
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
August 27-August 30

Kansas City
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
September 16-September 20

To find out more about ZING ZANG ZOOM or to see which Ringling Bros. tour is coming to a town near you, visit www.Ringling.com. And visit www.ticketmaster.com to use the 4 tickets for $44 code, MOM.  This is such a wonderful offer and is hard to pass up.  I can hardly wait to take the boys to the circus again and create magical memories and a lifelong tradition that they can someday pass on to their own children. Have fun at the circus!

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