Barilla Share The Table

Many families today are extremely busy, with having kids in sports, working. and schedules that are hard to line up.  Dinner isn’t the same these days, and is often eaten by everyone in the family at different times.  I know that we have a hard time sitting down to one meal together as a family through the week, with my husband working varying hours through the week.  We have made it a point to make dinner a meal that we could eat together, and catch up on how everyone’s day was.

Barilla has started a “Share the Table”  program to help families make the most out of their dinnertime together. Barilla has a Share the Table website,  that offers  recipes from chefs like Mario Batali and tips on how families can make meal times more meaningful in bringing families together.

To help families get started sharing the table, Barilla now offers “Pasta Friday Sweepstakes” with weekly winners of pasta and pasta sauce giveaways and has created the “Mealtime Moments Contest,” which gives families who commit to making a better mealtime experience,  the opportunity to share  stories and win select prizes throughout the summer. For everyone that becomes a fan of meaningful meals at ShareTheTable.com, Barilla will donate $1 to Meals on Wheels Association of America, helping seniors get the nutritious meals, that they often don’t get.

To help our family “Share The Table,”  we were sent a wonderful package full of all the things we needed to create a meal for the family.  We all love pasta in this house so it was easy to create something that we all loved.    Our favorite Barilla pasta is the Penne, and I mix it up with Barilla’s Garden Vegetable Sauce, hamburger, mushrooms, and sweet italian sausage.  It is rare that we have leftovers, and the whole family enjoys it.  There are so many great meals that you can create with pasta and Barilla makes it easy.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Barilla and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review..”

Pool And Summer Safety Tips From UL

Summer, is the perfect time to head outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather with your family.  This means time spent swimming in the family pool, and running, jumping and climbing on the backyard swing set.  As a parent, you want to do what you can to keep your children and family safe. Just like you would child proof your home, there are safety measures for outdoor play that, sometimes, we tend to overlook.

Pool safety, is one of the things that I am so vigilant about.  Having had first hand experience with the loss of a family member’s young son many years ago, makes it something that is burned into my memory.  To this day I still remember and watch my boys like a hawk when they are playing in just 2 feet of water.  After, they are done, the pool gets emptied, because you just never know when they may think to go back to it when you are sidetracked.   I know that you obviously cannot empty a much larger pool, but you can put safety measures in place, to avoid injury or tragedy.

This summer, Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a leading product safety testing organization, has taken some time and provided some useful tips to help keep you and your children safe around play sets and the pool.  There is also a really great Disney video about pool safety you can watch with the whole family.

When you go out for a swim:

POOL SAFETY AT HOME

• If you have a pool at home, install a fence. The fence should be at least four feet high and have a self-closing, self-latching gate that has a locking mechanism beyond a child’s reach.
• Cut overhanging tree limbs and remove chairs or ladders from the pool area to prevent children from climbing over the fence that surrounds the pool.
• Keep grates and drain covers in good repair and secured in place. Alert your family and guests to stay away from these devices, as the suction from drain outlets can be strong enough to cause entrapment of hair or body parts, which can potentially cause a person to drown.
• Make sure you know infant and child CPR if you own a pool.

BE SAFETY SMART WHILE SWIMMING

• Supervision is a must. Follow the 10/20 rule when you’re at the pool. The 10/20 rule states the supervising adult needs to position themselves to be able to scan the pool every 10 seconds, and reach the water within 20 seconds.

• Always have rescue devices, such as UL-LISTED life preservers, nearby.
• Flotation devices, toys and inflatable swimming aids are not safety devices. They are toys and can easily puncture and deflate.
• Always drain wading pools after children are done playing. Infants can drown in just a few inches of water.
• Have a telephone nearby and appropriate emergency numbers posted.
• Remove all toys when you leave the pool. Toys may attract children to the unattended pool.

When at play on the backyard play set:

BEFORE INSTALLING A BACKYARD PLAY SET…

• Make sure your backyard is large enough for playground equipment. The site must also provide good visibility and security. Before setting up equipment, look out for obstacles, such as the garage, tree branches, utility poles and wires.
• Read and follow the manufacturer’s directions when setting up play set equipment. Be sure your child’s weight and age fall within the manufacturer’s recommended limits for the equipment.
• Install protective surfacing, such as rubber tiles or mulch under the play set, at least six feed in all directions, to prevent serious injuries should a child fall.

 

BEFORE HEADING OUT TO PLAY…

• Carefully inspect backyard playground equipment. Make sure equipment is anchored safely in the ground, all equipment pieces are in good working order, S-hooks are entirely closed and bolts are not protruding.
• Check for spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or between ladder rungs. These spaces should measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches.
• Always supervise children on play set equipment to make sure they are playing safely.  
• Never attach ropes, jump ropes, clotheslines, pet leashes or cords of any kind to play set equipment. If used improperly, they can be potential strangulation hazards.
• Watch for potential trip hazards, such as rocks, tree stumps and concrete footings. Make sure you’re children are aware of them as well.
• Do a sandbox check. Before letting your child dig in, rake through the sand to check for debris or sharp objects. Also, inspect for any animal contamination or insect problems.

Doing a safety check list doesn’t have to be a chore.  In fact, you can head out as a family and go over the check list together!  This way you can help teach your children the importance of safety and what is unsafe, and do something together as a family.  It is pretty scary to think of something happening to your children, and an ounce of prevention goes a long way.  Sometimes, I think we put off the little things, and that can sometimes cause big consequences.  So take the time out to be safe, so you can enjoy a fun and relaxing Summer!  Thank you to UL for some really great safety tips.  This will be something we do every year.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Underwriters Laboratories. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

John Morrell Allergen Free Meats

Allergies are big deal here in my house.  I have always suffered the occasional sniffles and sneezes that come along with allergy seasons, and as a child had a milk allergy.  Since having the boys, I have always been concerned that they might acquire some of my husband’s allergy problems.  As babies, I was always a little on edge when trying new foods, because you just never know when a food allergy would pop up.

There are a whole host of food allergies that run in my family.  I actually have an Aunt that is severely allergic to beef.  They aren’t certain if it is an allergy to the hormones that are used to treat the cattle or not, or if it is something else.  Often times when you read a food label, there are a myriad of food preservatives or other ingredients that could potentially trigger a food allergy  in them, so having foods available that offer an allergen free alternative is always nice and choices may not be as limited.  Plus, when you read that some foods my not actually have nuts in them, but have been processed in places that do use nuts, it makes you even more concerned and more limited on the foods you can buy if your child or family has food allergies.

We recently were given the opportunity to try John Morrell Allergen Free Meat.  John Morrell makes their brand hotdogs, smoked sausages, and bologna now 100% “worry-free”.  This means that they are free from allergens of milk, nuts, egg, soy, wheat, gluten, and MSG!   They even went a step further by making their hot dogs, smoked sausages and bologna in a completely allergen-free facility.   We tried their hotdogs on a weekend trip to the lake and grilled out.  They were a big hit and I didn’t notice any taste difference, and I could be happy knowing that I was avoiding some of the potential things that could possibly trigger a  food allergy.  It is also nice when you have people that have allergies to foods, that you can have them over and not feel like you have to exclude them from your meal, or make separate a separate food choice. 

If you or your family has food allergies, John Morrell Allergen Free Meats may be a great choice for you and your family to enjoy without the worry.  If you or your family would like to give John Morrell Allergen Free Meats a try you can visit their facebook page and get a $1 off coupon towards your purchase! 

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Centralon behalf of John Morrell and received a free coupon for John Morrell products to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

General Mills And Costco Team Up With Sunny Day Snacks

Now that we are in the Summer months, our family tends to spend a lot of time playing and doing activities outside.  It seems like my two are always wanting something to snack on and I usually like to offer them a healthier selection of foods.  It also seems like it is harder to keep the pantry stocked with healthy snacks with two growing little boys in the house.

One of our favorite places to go to stock up, happens to be Costco.  I can get a lot of foods that are perfect for snacking an in larger quantities that stretch a little further on a tight budget.  Now available at Club Stores, are Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Barsand Simply Fruit Roll-Ups!  Both of my boys love granola bars (nola bars as they call them) and Fruit Roll-Ups are almost always a favorite.  They are perfect to shove in the beach bag, in your purse, or just to sit in the shade and dangle your feet from the porch swing and enjoy a little snack.

*Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars are a delightful, 100% natural, combination of tastes and textures you’ll love. Now, you can get 25% more of the whole almonds, peanuts, raisins and cranberries in every bar! With no artificial flavors or colors and only 140 calories, Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Granola Bars also contain 8g of whole grain per serving.

* Simply Fruit Roll-Ups are a better-for-you treat that kids love! Simply Fruit Roll-Ups are an excellent source of Vitamin C and are available in a convenient variety pack of Strawberry and Wildberry flavors. Every delicious roll is made with 90% real fruit and fruit juice and packs a full serving of fruit. Even more exciting? They’ re gluten-free and contain only 50 calories per roll.

I love that we are able to buy foods that the kids love in bigger sized packages, because not only do I save money buying in bulk, it limits the numerous trips to the grocery stores. If there is anything that I hate is having to run out more often than I need to! We love Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars and Simply Fruit Roll-Ups and will definitely be keeping our pantry stocked with these great treats on our trips to our local Costco.

**To help facilitate my review, Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars, Simply Fruit Roll-Ups and a $25 Costco card  were all provided from General Mills through MyBlogSpark.  The opinions I have expressed are strictly that of my  own**

To celebrate Summer and just because we love you. General Mills and My Blog Spark would like to offer one lucky reader the chance to win your own stock of Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars and Simply Fruit Roll-Ups and a $25 Costco card to keep plenty of treats on hand for your little whipper snappers this Summer!

Here’s What You Gotta Do!

Leave me a little ole comment telling me why you want to win. And anything else you want to tell me.

Additional Entriest

Tweet about this fab giveaway *tweet tweet*

Follow Me On Twitter (only because I am adorable and lovable of course)

Bloggity Blog about this giveaway and leave the link (pretty please)

Thats All Ya Gotta Do!

Contest Starts June 24, 2010 and Ends  July 8, 2010

Good Luck!!

**Winner Must respond within 48 hours otherwise the prize is forfeited**

Uncle Ben’s Brown Rice Healthier Choice Without Compromising Taste

As a Mom, it is always a challenge to come up with things to feed your family.  It is even harder to come up with creative ways to slip healthy dinner choices into your family’s diet, especially if you have picky eaters.  One of my boys will eat just about anything, but my other, you have to convince him that the food you put in front of him is good.  Making subtle changes with healthier variations is what I found to be easiest when attempting to put something good for us on our plates.

I will be the first to admit that I tend to skip over the healthier version of a favorite food because it has been burned into my mind that it just won’t taste as good or taste the same, but I am usually willing to try it, if you put it in front of me..  My husband is a very anti-healthy anything, and if the label even mentions whole grain foods or whole wheat anything, he won’t touch the stuff.

I was recently given the opportunity to try Uncle Ben’s Brown Rice and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised.  We use a lot of white rice with various dishes in the house, so I figured that making a switch would be a good idea in the long run.  We were able to try a few different varieties Natural Whole Grain Brown, with the traditional cook time (40 minutes), plus Fast & Natural Instant Brown Rice and Boil-In-Bag Whole Grain Brown Rice (both ready in 10 minutes).  I am a big fan of the boil in bag rice but we tried the Fast & Natural Instant Brown Rice.  I was serving a pork dish with a sauce that I dumped over the rice, but because rice is so versatile you can incorporate it into many dishes.

The rice definitely has a distinct taste, and you can taste the whole grain, but everyone seemed to really like it, and I can see switching to use it in place of just using white rice, although I don’t think I will give it up completely.  Uncle Ben’s also has some really  great recipes to try using their Whole Grain Brown Rice, such as: Chicken & Brown Rice Sloppy Joes (this is next on our list to try); Tex Mex Rice with Shrimp, Corn and Lime; Chicken, Apple and Walnut Brown Rice Salad; and Mediterranean Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms. This makes it really easy to incorporate healthier choices and please even the pickiest palate.

All in all, we really liked Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain Brown Rice and will be keeping it as a staple in our pantry.  I can’t wait to try their Sloppy Joe Recipe!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Uncle Ben’s and received samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Halls Allergy Relief

This has to be one of the worst allergy seasons for me and my family this year. Our entire family seems to suffer from seasonal allergies. But my husband seems to get them the worst. My poor husband has been sleeping upstairs because with allergies, his snoring has become almost unbearable.
All of us are armed with allergy medications this year and take them on a regular basis. But even with medication, it seems like it is hard to get any sort of relief. My husband and I have the biggest problem with our noses being so stuffed up we can hardly breathe, and my worst problem is always having one side of my nose plugged up in the morning.
I get up and take my allergy medicine and wait at least and hour or two for it to take effect. In the meantime me and my husband spend a good half of the time sniffling away with stuffed up noses.
Finding methods for quick relief are always a plus. We were sent some Halls cough drops to help with just this sort of problem and provide some much needed short term relief while you are waiting for allergy medicine to kick in. Halls can complement your medicine and help relieve allergy related sore throat and cough symptoms and even help cool nasal passages. I have always taken Halls when I have a cold, and the feeling of being able to breathe easier with a stuffed up nose, is just something you can appreciate, when you are already feeling miserable.
Halls is a great addition to your allergy regimen for fast-acting allergy relief, so you can get on with the more important things, like playing outside with the kids and breathing a little easier!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Halls and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Frigidaire My Final Take

So after three months of using our new Frigidaire Professional Refrigerator, I have had a chance to discover all the features that it has and some of the things I think can be improved.   My overall impression is that this a refrigerator that I would probably give some consideration to buying.

Some of my favorite features include:

The performance lighting which keeps all my fridge’s contents clearly visible and just adds that extra special flair that you would want in a professional series refrigerator.

Ice and Water Filtration We use the water dispenser daily up to about 1 gallon or more a day and the water tastes great and doesn’t come out at a snail’s pace.  I love the crushed ice and it comes out fast and never once got clogged like out other fridge.  This is a definite plus!

No Slip Bin Liners I love this very small yet extremely useful feature.  Everything in my door typically bottles and such never slide around when the door swings open.  I love the fact that there isn’t a bunch of clanging together.

Wine /Can Rack I just love this feature, and the fact that you can store your cans in the door.  One thing that I would love to see is a place for your eggs in the door too!

The freezer has ample space in it, and I especially love the space on the shelf at the top.  You can slide a frozen pizza right in there and a few pints of your favorite Ben and Jerrys, or frozen juices and the door still closes!  I love the deep basket drawers and I seem to be able to fit a lot more in them.

Stainless Steel this is just one of those things that gives an appliance a classy look.  I love how easy it is to clean without any special cleaners and added extra fuss.

Spill Safe Shelves cleanup is very easy and spills stay contained which makes it easier to keep a handle on keeping messes cleaned up and no drips down to the shelves below.

Adjustable Space Wise Shelf this feature is nice in concept, but I felt like the handle or crank to raise and lower the shelf was a little on the flimsy side and somewhat hard to turn when there were things on the top shelf.  I do love the feature overall but the mechanics are a little rough around the edges.

Automatic Alerts At first,when I heard the beeping sound the fridge was making when the door was left open, I found it a bit annoying.  But after a few days with toddlers, I found this a useful feature.  Also,  if there is something in the way of the door, this is great for pointing that out.

Humidity Controlled Crisper Drawers I love that the fruit and vegetable drawer has a separation in it,  the drawers to me seem a little flimsy, and the humidity controls take some adjusting in order not to freeze things.  It was mildly frustrating when  my meats and cheeses in the other drawer kept freezing, even with the control moved all the way over.  We had to raise the fridge a degree, which was no big deal as it kept everything cold enough.  But this may take some tweaking on Frigidaire’s part.

Overall this is a wonderful fridge with some really cool and useful  features, which is what you look for in an appliance that you use daily.  The space is great for it’s smaller size and definitely saves you some considerable time when putting way your groceries.  I love that there seem to be designated places for things.  It makes putting groceries away a much more efficient endeavor when you have a shelf for taller items, places to put cans, a fruit and vegetable drawer that’s divided.  It makes keeping things organized a snap.  The fridge itself is beautiful to look at and it adds that extra touch of class to your kitchen.  Not only is it a classy fridge but its a great energy saver which can cut your electric bill by a few extra bucks so you can fill your freezer with extra Ben and Jerry’s (ok ok so I like ice cream!)  Thank you to Frigidaire and Mom Central for giving me such a cool opportunity to be a test drive mom and to have this really wonderful appliance in our home for years to come!

“I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive Campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Frigidaire and received a Frigidaire Refrigerator to facilitate my review.”

Pringles Multigrain Chips

When it comes to snacking, we are a family that loves to break open a bag of chips to watch a good movie or just to have a little something with our sandwiches for lunch.  Snacking on chips isn’t exactly a way to promote healthy eating and I almost always skip the ones that say multigrain.

I will be the first to admit that I usually pass over the multigrain selections in the chip aisle because I feel like they are lacking in the flavor department or taste a bit like cardboard.  Recently, Pringles and Mom central gave us the opportunity to give Pringles’ new Multigrain chips a try.  I was eager to see if these chips would be something that my chip loving husband and kiddos could tolerate.    We were sent Truly Original, Cheesy Cheddar, and Creamy Ranch flavored Multigrain Pringles and let me tell you that, all three containers were gone within the week!  Not only that, they have a ranch flavor that I love, and for some odd reason ranch flavored chips are hard to find.  So now I have one that I love again, and its healthier too.   The one thing that I found which doesn’t effect the taste at all, was that the chips seem a little thin which seems to make them break more easily.  But they are definitely yummy and everyone here loved them.

Pringles is also part of a really wonderful initiative called U Taste. We Donate.  Supported by celebrity chef, Tyler Florence, the campaign seeks to aid Share Our Strength with its mission to end childhood hunger in America.  For the 17 million children facing hunger in America, every dollar counts, and I believe that no child should go hungry!

Here’s how it works. Enter the UPC code from any Pringles Multigrain product at PringlesMultigrain.com, and Pringles will donate $1 to Share Our Strength through June 30, 2010.  You can choose from any of the three New Pringles Multigrain flavors including, Truly Original, Cheesy Cheddar, and Creamy Ranch.  And to support this new campaign,  Tyler Florence created three unique and incredible recipes to go along with each flavor of Pringles Multigrain – a perfect snacking inspiration.

I cannot think of a better way to have your chips and eat them too.  You will be helping a great cause, eating great food and snacking on yummy multigrain chips from Pringles.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Pringles Multigrain and received a tote bag with samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Frigidaire A Word About Energy Savings

Energy savings has been on my mind since it seems like the economy is in trouble.  My husband and I have managed to get all of the light bulbs replaced with the energy bulb, which annoy me, but that is a different story.  But, in the interest of saving money, I thought I would include this little tidbit of information about our new Frigidaire Professional Refrigerator.

When I think of big appliance, it like I can almost envision a cloud of money floating out the door.  We have a lot of power outages here in our new house for some reason and we had considered a generator.  When you look at some of the more expensive generators they only run a few of your appliances.  That gives you an idea of the amount electricity these things take to run and along with that comes the lovely bill to pay for running them!

Our new Frigidaire Refrigerator has a really awesome feature  called Energy Saver Plus Technology.  This is how it works:  if the refrigerator door is not opened for 24 hours and the refrigerator system is set to a 12-hour defrost cycle, then the system automatically goes to a 96-hour compressor run time defrost cycle to conserve electricity.  This comes in handy when you are away on vacation or just away for a couple of days.  It is just like the vacation setting on your hot water heater, and turning your ac down.  Now you can save a little more vacation cash with your refrigerator!  I think this is a wonderful feature and very energy conscious.  It makes perfect sense!

FYI:   Frigidaire just received  the 2010 Energy Star Award for Excellence in ENERGY STAR Promotion. The award recognizes our commitment to smart energy management, a cause that helps our customers save money and help the environment.

“I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive Campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Frigidaire and received a Frigidaire Refrigerator to facilitate my review.”

Contact Lenses Online Beautify Your Eyes For Less at Buy More Contacts

I come from an entire family of eyeglass and contact wearers.  Eyeglasses can give you that distinguished look but sometimes it is nice to show off those beautiful eyes.  As a parent, I also know that sometimes there can be a stigma attached to kids wearing eyeglasses around their  peers.  At a very young age, it is expected that your child would wear glasses, but as they get older and more responsible, offering them and option of wearing contacts is a great way to boost their self esteem. 

I have always wanted to just try out some of the colored non prescription contacts just to give my eyes a little pizazz.  I always thought that maybe I might have a little trouble trying to put something deliberately in my eye, but after watching a few of my friends and family, it looks like no big deal.

I started to look around for a more affordable way to get contact lenses online so I could try out some colored contacts just for fun.  Buy More Contacts.com has a really great selection of contacts to choose from and if you are a regular contact wearer you are sure to find the brand or type that you like to wear, probably at a cheaper price.  I have found that shopping online will usually save you money.

At Buy More Contacts they have more than 150 different types of contacts available for next day delivery, up to %70 of of retail prices, a lot of the leading and newest brands on the market and live agents available to help you.  In this economy shopping online is the way to go.  Not only can you save money but your eyes will look beautiful.  Check out Buy More Contacts!

**I was compensated for my time to write this review, the opinions expressed in this review are that of my own**

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