Super Stands to the Rescue from CSN Stores

A few months ago our beast of a tv finally died. It was a slow, painful death and I, for one, was not sorry to see it go. We were finally able to buy one of the new flat panel tv sets that doesn't have a huge back on it that looks like a Jersey mule. Since we were in a hurry, we just picked up a cheapie tv stand for our new 42" LG TV at the local discount store. No storage and it wobbles like my daughter did the first time she tried on a pair of high heels. What I should have done instead was hit CSN stores and take a look at their flat panel tv stands because the problem wouldn't be finding one I like, the problem would be narrowing it down to just one!

Moving my living room around would really let me save space and I'm crushing on this corner tv stand with the gorgeous glass doors:



Sliding doors and frosted glass...I've always loved anything in a warm espresso color too:


I love the variety CSN offers as well as how affordable their products are. Many items ship free and that's one criteria I look for in an online shopping site. Take a minute and check out all CSN has to offer.

**CLOSED**Tassimo T20 Single-Serve Brewer by Bosch: Review and Giveaway

I love the smell of coffee brewing. There's something about a good cup of coffee that just makes me inhale deeply and sigh. As far as drinking it goes, I need foo-foo. I love anything frothy and foaming and full of flavors like chocolate, caramel, and vanilla. My husband, on the other hand, has to have his full pot of coffee in the morning..plain, boring "Original Roast" with milk and sugar. Since he gets up at 1 am, he usually drinks about 3 cups while getting ready for work and takes the remainder of the pot in his thermos for the rest of the morning. Our coffee maker then sits, unused, until the next morning when he gets up.

If I crave a cup, I just want one and I want it yummy. I have instants with flavor that I make when I'm really desperate. I warm up the old tea kettle and mix a few teaspoons with hot water and add my own milk. I have a one-cup maker but the flavor is watery. And there's no foam, there's no froth, there's very little foo in my home-brewed foo-foo coffee. I've been known to make a trip out during the day just so I can pull through the Starbucks drive-thru and grab Grande of Mocha to go.

But as I sit here and type this in my sweatpants with my hair standing straight up on my head, I can tell you I'm sipping foam, lots of froth, a whole lot of foo-foo and best of all, great flavor. I'm having a cup of Cappuccino Primo that I just made in my Tassimo T20 from Bosch and it is pure heaven.


I even gave my husband a taste and he pronounced it "kick-a-poo go-go juice". It's definitely full of delicious flavor; not weak and watery. The Cappuccino Primo is actually a two-step process. For this coffee, T Discs come paired; one milk creamer disc and one coffee disc. I made the creamer disc first and then the coffee. The Tassimo reads the bar codes on each T Disc and knows the exact temperature, pressure and time it takes to brew a perfect drink every time. Yes, those tiny T Discs each come bar-coded; the Tassimo is one smart cookie.



For my review, I received the black Tassimo T20 but it also comes in white with optional Tassimo color kits to match your decor: Strawberry Red, Lime Green, Hazelnut Brown and even Mint Blue which looks like that popular turquoise color that's made a come-back in home decorating.


The Tassimo T20 makes coffee, tea, cappuccino, latte, crema, espresso and hot cocoa with popular brands like Starbucks, Gevalia, Maxwell House (hubby's favorite),and Twinings. I can't wait to try the Tassimo Milka Hot Chocolate. There's also no lag with the Tassimo; it starts brewing almost immediately and takes about 1 minute to make a cup. There's a soft hum when you push the start button and then you've got contact. It's hot enough that steam rose from my cup as it was brewing.

One of the features I like the best is the removable tank reservoir for the water. No more attempting to pour water into the machine as it sits on the counter; just remove the reservoir and fill it up. Plenty of times my eyes were just not open enough in the morning to fill my previous 1-cup coffee maker and I ended up with water all over the coffee maker and the counter. There is no easy way to take a coffee cup full of water and pour it into a coffee maker on a counter. There are markings right on the reservoir for "minimum" and "maximum". So if you're in the mood for more than one cup, fill up the reservoir and make yourself another. Just one cup...use the minimum line.

The Tassimo is also smart enough to tell you when it needs cleaning. There's a Service T Disc that comes with your Tassimo (and it even has it's own spot on the back of the machine for storing the Service T Disc and instructions. Before your first use, you need to use your Service T-Disc and a full reservoir of water and cycle the brewer 5 times. There's a light on the front of the brewer that will light up when it's time to descale the Tassimo. My prior coffee maker just let me guess by not working at all when the brewer was dirty. I need the visual reminder that it's time to clean. Tassimo also recommends cycling the brewer after making a hot milk T Disc so that a subsequent cup of coffee is full coffee and not milk-flavored.

You can even adjust the strength of your coffee. Say you like a brew but it's a bit strong for your liking. You always have the option of using the manual icon and extending the brewing process to get your desired drink strength. That's not the only thing adjustable either. Your cup size is fully customizable. Small espresso cups...just adjust the cup stand a bit higher. Latte mug...pull the cup stand all the way out; a great feature for those travel mugs.

Where can you buy the Tassimo: Walmart; Bed, Bath, and Beyond; Target, Kohl's and Macy's and from Tassimo Direct online. It retails for $129.99 (and Bed, Bath, and Beyond has a $30 rebate going on right now on the T20 until 12/31/10). But one of you reading is going to win one, just like the one I reviewed.


Mandatory EntryMust be completed before any "Extra Credit" entries count!


Visit Tassimo and take a look at all the T Discs Tassimo offers and let me know which one you want to try first.


Extra Credit Make sure you leave a comment for each extra entry you're entitled to

1) Follow my blog with blogger or take credit if you already do. (2 extra entries, leave 2 comments)

2) Follow me on Twitter (1 entry, leave 1 comment with your Twitter name)

3) Follow Tassimo on Twitter (1 extra entry, leave 1 comment with your Twitter name)

4) Like Tassimo on Facebook (1 extra entry, leave 1 comment with your Facebook name).

5) Write on Tassimo's Facebook wall and tell them you're entering the giveaway at AuntieThesis. (1 entry, leave 1 comment).

6) Snag my uber-cool button for your blog (3 entries, leave 3 comments with your blog url)

7) Add me to your blogroll (3 entries, leave 3 comments with your blog url)

8) **Daily entry** Tweet the giveaway. An easy tweet you can use:

Enter the giveaway @auntiethesis to win a Tassimo T20 Brewer & T Discs (arv $129) from @TassimoTaster. Ends 1/17. http://bit.ly/dSC47k

You can tweet once a day until the end of the giveaway. Each tweet is one entry and make sure you leave your tweet url for your extra credit.

US residents only. The giveaway ends on Monday, January 17, 2011 at 11:59PM EST. Leave me a way to contact you if your email address is not listed in your email profile. The winner will be drawn via Random.org and notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond before there's a do-over. Product will be shipped directly to winner by the sponsor; I'm just the middleman.

Disclosure: I was shipped a free Tassimo T20 and two packages of T Discs to facilitate my review.

**CLOSED**GIVEAWAY: Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop

Mopping floors is one of the chores I avoid. It used to mean grabbing the bucket, my cleaning solution and the old squeeze mop from the basement and dragging it all upstairs. The other day, my 14 year old daughter dropped an entire carton of eggs on the floor when she was making brownies. To clean it up, she grabbed the old mop and mopped the area where the damage was. The next day I was downstairs and kept thinking that someone left a bag of old garbage in the basement; it stunk! I finally located the source; the old mop's sponge head was rank. It was time to retire it anyway since I now own a Rubbermaid Reveal Mop sent to me courtesy of the great people at Rubbermaid. Adios stinky mop; there's a new mop in town!

Rubbermaid has reinvented the mop and designed it with you in mind. This new mop is designed to save you money and end your frustrations. There's no batteries or expensive refills to buy. The Reveal comes with a durable microfiber cleaning pad that's designed to be washed up to 100 times before you'll need to buy a new one. The refillable bottle uses your own cleaning solution. Just mix two tablespoons of your favorite cleaning solution with water in the refillable bottle, close the cap, and click it into the Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop. Concentrated cleaner, vinegar, borax, dishwashing liquid..just pick your poison!


You can use your Reveal on wood, laminate, tile, or vinyl. Our house is mostly hardwood floors and vinyl in the kitchen. The Reveal did a fantastic job on both and it dried faster too! You're not slopping a bunch of water on the floor as you clean and the microfiber pad actually seemed to clean my floor better than my old sponge mop ever did. You control the amount of spray you need; squeeze lightly for small jobs and lay on that trigger for power-mopping major messes. The pad attaches with super-strong velcro-like surface and it was simple to just pull it off and toss it in the washing machine after I was done. If you don't use all the cleaning solution, you can just remove the refillable bottle, squeeze the trigger to get any remaining solution out of the mop, and store the rest for another time. Simple!



You can purchase the Rubbermaid Reveal online, at Home Depot, Walmart and Target but Rubbermaid is going to give one of you reading this a Reveal free of charge.

Mandatory Entry:

1) Just tell me what you're currently using to clean your floors now; sponge mop? hand and knees? or something else? (1 entry, mandatory before any extra credit)


Extra Credit:

2) Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect (left sidebar) or take credit if you already do. (worth 1 entry)

3) Follow Rubbermaid on Twitter and tell me your twitter name. (worth 1 entry)

4) Like Rubbermaid on Facebook and tell me your Facebook name. (worth 1 entry)

5) Tweet the giveaway and leave me the link. (worth 2 entries-leave 2 comments each time. You can tweet daily).

Easy tweet you can use:

Win a Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop & discover easy, affordable floor cleaning http://bit.ly/b7Qmct #giveaway Ends 9/12


Rules:
US and Canadian residents only-Please note that Canadian winners might get charged C.O.D. Giveaway ends on September 12, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. Please leave me a way to contact you if your email address is not visible in your blogger profile. Winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond with shipping information before there's a do-over.

I was provided with a Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop free from Rubbermaid to facilitate this review and given the opportunity to offer one free to my readers. Thanks Rubbermaid!

**CLOSED**GIVEAWAY: Yoplait Splitz Prize Package

Growing up my mother never purchased snacks for my sister and I. Rarely did cookies find their way into our cupboards and forget candy; one time my sister ate an entire package of chocolate Ex-Lax she found in the bathroom cupboard because she thought it was candy and my mother was hiding it. The only splurge my mother would buy was yogurt; she was a huge yogurt fan. I think if yogurt had a street team, my mother would have been Ambassador of Yogurt. Of course, when I was younger, yogurt didn't come in all those great flavors. We were lucky if vanilla made it into our Amana after my mother went shopping.

So my love of all things yogurt followed me to adulthood and I've passed that yogurt-yearning on to my children. My 14 year old daughter isn't happy unless she has a yogurt in her lunchbox. Thank to the folks at MyBlogSpark, we had the opportunity to sample the new Yoplait Splitz yogurt for free. Yoplait Splitz comes in three flavors: Rainbow Sherbet, Strawberry Banana Split, and Strawberry Sundae.

I picked up the 4-pack of Rainbow Sherbet. Yoplait Splitz claims it is the "yogurt that tastes like a sundae" and you know what? It does! Both my daughter and I loved the creamy taste and the Rainbow Sherbet reminded me of real sherbet. My daughter said tasted like pudding. According to Yoplait you can even freeze it, but we didn't make it that far..my daughter and I consumed all 4 in two days. I was glad that it was only 90 calories per cup since I've been trying to watch my weight. For my daughter, I was glad it's a good source of Calcium and Vitamin D since she rarely drinks milk from a glass.


Yoplait wants one of you to try it free too! I have a Yoplait Splitz prize package to giveaway to one of you. You'll get a coupon good for a free 4-pack of Yoplait Splitz in your choice of flavor, a roll-up fleece picnic blanket, and a awesome insulated tote bag. I really love that tote bag...it's large enough to pack my Pyrex bowl when I'm transporting my famous pasta salad to parties and keep it cool and help protect it from breaking.

Mandatory Entry:

1) Just tell me which of the three flavors of Yoplait Splitz you and your family would like to try. (1 entry, mandatory before any extra credit)

Extra Credit:

2) Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect (left sidebar) or take credit if you already do. (worth 1 entry)

3) Follow Yoplait on Twitter and tell me your twitter name. (worth 1 entry)

4) Like Yoplait on Facebook and tell me your Facebook name. (worth 1 entry)

5) Tweet the giveaway and leave me the link. (worth 2 entries-leave 2 comments each time. You can tweet daily).

Easy tweet you can use:

Get your yogurt on; win a Yoplait Splitz Picnic Prize Package http://bit.ly/bOYBB7 #myblogspark #giveaway Ends 9/12.

Rules:
US residents only. Giveaway ends on September 12, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. Please leave me a way to contact you if your email address is not visible in your blogger profile. Winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond with shipping information before there's a do-over.

Many thanks to MyBlogSpark for providing me with a free coupon and picnic prize pack for my review and one to give away to my readers.

Looking forward

Last weekend my oldest son got married. What an exciting day and I'm so glad I have a new "daughter" added to our family. The day after the wedding she had already tagged my husband and I as "Mom & Dad" on Facebook; what an honor. Now my husband and I are looking forward to grandchildren; my son and newest daughter were just discussing potential names.

Of course, that started me thinking about the excitement of pregnancy; planning the nursery, having a baby shower, all those great new gadgets available for babies. There are so many new products on the market today that weren't available 27 years ago when I had my oldest son. The crib I had barely made it through all four children and wasn't worth saving to potentially pass down to future grandchildren. Cribs today aren't limited to dark/white/brown square-shaped; they're coming in all colors and styles.



Almost makes me wish I was having another baby...almost! For now, the only baby I'm working on is remodeling my house in order to put it on the market next year. We've far outgrown our "starter" house and I'm anxious to buy a house closer to my parents; one with more living space, a larger kitchen, and a big backyard so we can host some cookouts in the summer!

So with all those great things to look forward to, I have another! CSN Stores is going to let me review one of their great products from their over 200 stores. The hardest part is going to be picking just one! I'm torn between a new mailbox from More Mailboxes or maybe this great wall mirror from Accent Furniture Direct:



Soon, very soon, I'm going to be looking forward to a visit from the UPS man with my CSN Stores package. You'll be looking forward to a review from me soon!

**CLOSED**Giveaway: Rubbermaid Modular Canisters

Is your pantry a problem? Most people share the same frustrations: wasted space from various boxes, bags and canisters from the grocery store; bags that don't close properly resulting in stale food; not being able to find what you need because items weren't put away in their proper spot; wire shelving that causes bags or boxes to topple over.

But those clever folks at Rubbermaid have come up with a solution. Take a look at Rubbermaid's newest product: Modular Canisters.



Organizing your pantry has never been easier. Rubbermaid sent me a box of these new canisters and I have to say, I am impressed. The 8-piece set contains four clear canister bases: 5 cup, 10 cup, 16 cup, and 21 cup; as well as four interchangeable red lids. That's what I love most about Rubbermaid products, they always try to make it easier for you; each of those red lids fits on any of the canisters so there's no need to launch a search and destroy mission to find the exact lid for a canister. Each lid will fit on any of the canisters. Rubbermaid lids are easy to snap on the canisters; they fit securely providing an airtight seal on the canisters. I've had other container products that I always seem to have a problem with the lids fitting on the container..it's almost like they shrink or warp and it takes an act of Congress to put that lid on the container. Not Rubbermaid, even after dishwashing, their lids always manage to hold their shape and snap right back on the canisters.

I know it's difficult to imagine the size by just looking at the photos, but the 21 cup canister is really large and the perfect size for flour, cereal or dried pasta. I decided to use mine to store saltine crackers, which is my husband's favorite snack. We normally have at least 3 boxes of Saltines in the cupboard, each box containing a package here or a package there, most of them my husband has started on a sleeve and didn't finish. He twists the package and then puts them back in the box and they normally go stale before he goes back for another round. I consolidated our cracker supply into the 21 cup canister...no more stale crackers!

I'm using the 16 cup canister to store sugar and it could also be used to store cookies..another item that the kids never seem to be able to close properly resulting in stale cookies. The 10 cup container is great for rice, dried fruit or granola and I'm using mine for oatmeal. The 6 cup canister is good for baking soda, baking powder or coffee. I've turned mine into chocolate chip storage, which is an item I sometimes add to plain oatmeal so the bag is normally closed with a twist tie that doesn't always work. Countless times I've had a chocolate chip mess to clean up in my pantry because the bag opened up and the chips spilled out. Not a good idea since I also seem to have a problem with ants in the spring and summer. I do whatever I can to make sure I don't attract them into the cupboards.

The canisters were designed to maximize space in your pantry. They stack evenly and each canister also has a durable base and graduation marks on the side of the container for measuring:



After organizing my canisters, I made sure to label each canister with what's inside. While they're clear, it's easy to mistake baking powder for powdered sugar. In addition, you can add expiration dates to your labels or even cut the preparation directions from the original container and tape them to your modular canisters. After using my current set, I realized I really want another set to store my instant mashed potatoes, rice, noodles and brown sugar. Especially with the instant potatoes, I never know how much of the box I have left until I start pouring. With these clear canisters, I can easily see if I have enough product left or if I need to purchase more. I can just cut the package directions off the box and tape it to the side of the container. So simple!

If you're looking for some great organizing tips and tricks, you can check out the Rubbermaid blog; Adventures in Organization. The organizing experts are Rubbermaid want to help you use their products to their maximum efficiency and show you just what Rubbermaid can do to add affordable organization your life.

Rubbermaid Modular Canisters are currently sold at Fred Meyer, Publix, Ahold, and Albertson's. They should be available at Walmart and Meijer in August. But one of you is going to win your own set, delivered to your front door, from the great people at Rubbermaid!

***Mandatory Entry***

Just tell me what items you think you'd like to store in your new Rubbermaid Modular Canisters or you can vent about your biggest pantry frustration.

Extra Credit:

1) Follow my blog or take credit if you already do (left sidebar: 1 entry, leave 1 comment).

2) Follow Rubbermaid, RubbermaidTwo and/or Erin from Rubbermaid on Twitter (1 entry for each, leave each following in a separate comment with your Twitter I.D.)

3) Tweet about the giveaway, you can do this daily. Leave a comment with your tweet url.

Easy tweet you can use:

Pantry organization made simple with Rubbermaid! Win a set of Modular Canisters & put your pantry in order. Ends 4/25. http://tiny.cc/a76dn

4) Follow Rubbermaid on Facebook. (Two entries, leave two comments with your Facebook name).

5) Blog about the Rubbermaid giveaway. It doesn't have to be long or wordy, just a blurb on your blog with a link to the giveaway is just fine. You can have 5 entries for your blog post and my eternal thanks, leave me 5 comments with the url.

6) Post about the giveaway anywhere you like; Facebook, forums, Mr. Linky's or email 3 friends...take 3 entries for each place you post and make sure to leave me 3 comments for your credit.

US & Canada only (woot woot for Canada!). The giveaway will end on Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be drawn using the almighty Randomizer and notified via email. Please leave me a way to contact you if your email address is not listed in your blogger profile. Winner has 48 hours to respond with shipping information before there's a do-over and I redraw a new winner. Prize will be shipped to the winner directly from Rubbermaid.

Disclosure: I was provided with a free set of Rubbermaid Modular Canisters for my review, photos and information and given the opportunity to offer my readers a set of canisters as well. The opinions expressed are solely my own and not influenced by the sponsor.

Review: Purex 3-in-1

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Purex. All opinions are 100% mine.

I seem to spend a bulk majority of my time doing laundry. With two children still living at home, my husband and I, there always seems to be at least a load a day that needs to be done. It doesn't help that my 13 year old daughter feels the need to change outfits hourly. Most of the laundry-responsibility falls on my shoulders so naturally I'm also responsible for buying the laundry accouterments: laundry soap, liquid fabric softener and dryer sheets were my normal routine.

I'm not brand loyal to many products; I tend to buy based on what works well and what doesn't damage my wallet. There are certain laundry products I avoid based on that criteria. I've found some cheaper products that just couldn't hold their own and some more expensive products that worked well but just weren't cost effective in our house with the amount of laundry we do. So every week it's a crap-shoot when I hit the grocery store as to what I'm bringing home.

I recently had the opportunity to try the new Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets in the Tropical scent. I have to say, I'm smitten, for many reasons.

First is convenience. Purex 3-in-1 sheets combine laundry soap, fabric softener and an anti-static agent all in one convenient sheet. I have an HE washing machine and Purex 3-in-1 is completely safe to use in HE machines; just toss the sheet into the washer, load the clothes and start the machine. Was your wash is done, just transfer the wet sheet with your clothes to your dryer so the little sheet can works it's magic and make sure your socks aren't getting too friendly with your nightgown. Especially in winter, we have a real static problem in our house which sometimes causes me to use liquid fabric softener combined with a dryer sheet. It's like arming yourself with a bazooka and a machete to conquer the static-monster. The Purex 3-in-1 sheets are their own little army against static; I had no static problems while using them.

I also liked the mess-less factor. There's nothing like trying to scrub dried fabric softener gunk off the top of your washing machine. I tend to make a mess when I wash; soap sloshes over the cap of the bottle, fabric softener dribbles all over. There's no slop with Purex 3-in-1 sheets. They go in dry, they come out of the dryer the same way. Doing a half load? Just cut the Purex sheet in half.

And my favorite part, the cost savings. Buying separate laundry soap, liquid fabric softener and dryer sheets add up. Couple that with the fact that I have to buy HE laundry soap, something not as common in grocery stores, and my wallet takes a hit every week when I lay in my supplies. Purex 3-in-1 sheets in my local grocery store were far cheaper than buying the three products I normally buy. While math has never been my strong suit, I calculated at least a $3.00 savings by buying the Purex 3-in-1 over my normal purchases. Your mileage may vary here, but I was impressed with my savings. Plus it takes up less room on the top of my washing machine.

All these things are a moot point, however, if the product doesn't work. But Purex 3-in-1 triumphs again. My clothes were just as clean as they are when I'm using my usual 3-product combo and I really liked the light tropical scent the sheets left on my clothes. The smell wasn't overpowering but you can definitely catch a whiff of it when transferring from washer to dryer. My clothes were soft and static-free when they came out of the dryer.



Purex 3-in-1 comes in two sizes: the Starter Kit (1 dispenser + 20 sheets) or the Refill Pouch (24 sheets). You can also choose from three scents: Tropical, Spring Oasis, and Pure & Clean.

You can request a free sample and try new Purex 3-in-1 for yourself. Head over to Try Purex and they'll send you a free 2-pack sample of the product.

Review: General Mills Cereal

My husband and I will be married for 15 years this April 29. When we first got together, he's frequently stop at my house on his way home from work. Every day, he'd have a bowl of cereal for a "snack". We joke now that my husband fell in love with me for my cereal because I always had at least three different boxes...cereal is something I always have on hand and a lot of.

When my oldest sons were in school, cereal was a mandatory breakfast item before they left the house. I never felt good unless they left the house with something in their stomach before school and cereal was filling, quick and simple. Studies also say that children who eat breakfast before school perform better on tests, are less likely to be tardy or miss class, make less trips to the school office, and have fewer discipline problems than children who skip breakfast. Now I only have to police my 13 year-old daughter in the morning but it's an easy job. She loves her cereal and usually has a bowl before she even gets herself dressed for school. Sometimes she's so sleepy when she pours a bowl, I've found the cereal box in the refrigerator after she's left for school!

Cereal also provides important vitamins, minerals and fiber. Cereal is the #1 source of whole grains in a child's diet. Cereal eaters also tend to consume less fat than their counterparts. Studies have shown that people who eat cereal in the morning for breakfast tend to weigh far less than those who don't eat cereal or even skip breakfast entirely.

And heck, it just tastes good! It's one of my favorite after-work snacks before I go to bed. I work second shift and if I tend to eat dinner earlier or eat a light dinner, I need something to eat before I go to bed and cereal always fits the bill. It's filling without causing tummy-trouble when I lay down; the last thing I need when I go to bed is heartburn.

General Mills and MyBlogSpark sent me coupons to buy try four General Mills Cereals for free. There are four of us in the house now: me, my husband, my 22 year-old son and my 13 year-old daughter. I let each of use pick our favorite cereal using our free coupons. My daughter chose Lucky Charms which is one of her favorite cereals. My son loves Cinnamon Toast Crunch, one of the cereals I almost always have in my cart when I grocery shop. My son is a large boy: 6'1" and 280 pounds. He doesn't just eat a bowl of cereal, my son has a trough. I've actually seen my son walked by a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, grab a fistful and eat it straight without any milk.

My husband wanted to try something different so he picked Strawberry Chex and declared it a keeper. Strawberry Chex isn't a frosted cereal and it had a nice, light strawberry flavor to it. I picked the Banana Nut Cheerios since I'd never had them before. Another winner from General Mills; while I always add a teaspoon of sugar to my cereal, I could have easily gone without and still enjoyed the Banana Nut Cheerios. It reminded me of my Nana's banana nut bread. My daughter also gave the Banana Nut Cheerios a try and said she'd like me to buy it again. Two thumbs up for Banana Nut Cheerios.

General Mills is committed to further reducing sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain. Less sugar and more nutrients means far healthier kids..and adults.

You can print a coupon good for $1.00 of one box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms or Trix General Mills Cereals by clicking here. The coupon is good until 02/23/2010. Take advantage of the countless benefits cereal has to offer courtesy of General Mills.

My thanks to MyBlogSpark and General Mills for providing me with the free coupons to try their cereal and the information on their commitment to better health for children.

AT&T Family Map-aka "Track-a-Teen"

Have you heard about the latest feature offered by AT&T? It's called "FamilyMap" and it's a service that will allow you to track any cell phone you own via your own wireless phone or computer. You can also schedule alerts so that they could be notified where your child was at specific times each day - like when they were expected home from school. BlogHer and AT&T had 10 bloggers review the service and post their opinions. After checking out the review, you'll find a giveaway on each for a $100 Visa gift card. No need to search, you'll find them here:

1) Slackermama.

2) I Try Things.

3) My Own Circle of Confusion.

4) Because Your Momma Said So.

5) Surviving Assorted Home Mayhem.

6) Bridgett's Reviews.

7) Mama's Picks and Pans.

8) The Swim Mom Review.

9) Caloden.

10) Unexpected Bliss Reviews.

Each giveaway ends on September 20, 2009.

Review: Nature Valley Nut Clusters

I was recently given the opportunity by My Blog Spark to sample the new line of snacks by Nature Valley: Nature Valley Nut Clusters.

Let me start by staying my husband is one of those guys that doesn't appreciate change. In any restaurant we visit, I can tell you what my husband will order, with no variations. It will either be a patty melt or a cheeseburger, no onions or mayo. Every so often he throws me a curve and will order ribs.

But he loves nuts and snacks. His routine is to come home from work and grab a bag of chips and a pop and unwind on the couch. He usually keeps a canister of nuts on his end table for snacking. Imagine my surprise to see an empty bag of Nature Valley Nut Clusters laying on the end table last week.

I assumed the kids and I would be sampling all four varieties: Roasted Cashew, Nut Lovers, Roasted Almond, and Honey Roasted Peanut. We got to try all except the Roasted Cashew...we got to sniff the empty bag, though. My husband said they were great and to buy them again. All of us agree: they're a great, crunchy snack that will satisfy your sweet & salty side all at once. My daughter asked me to pack her a sandwich bag of them for her lunch last week instead of cookies & chips.

I'm not a huge nut fan. I like nuts in brownies or cookies but, except cashews, I rarely eat nuts plain. I really enjoyed the Nature Valley Nut Lovers Nut Clusters, though. They had just the right amount of sweetness without making your teeth ache and just enough crunch that eating them wasn't a workout for your mouth.

I have to thank My Blog Spark for making them available to my family and introducing us to a great new snack we all enjoy.

Ready..Set...Go...CollegeReady with Sears

It’s nearly time again; time to begin those back-to-school shopping trips. I have three older sons; two have graduated from college and the last one is in his final year. In May I watched my second oldest walk across stage and accept his diploma. Four years of hard work and sacrifice paid off; he’s now a college graduate and is currently setting up house in New Orleans to begin a teaching job with Teach for America.

For all my sons, there was no college slush-fund. Each one of them enrolled with scholarships and student loans. Each of them also held a part-time job while in college to help with expenses. The two oldest left Cleveland to attend different colleges in Chicago where they learned valuable life skills like how to travel on the “L” without getting hopelessly lost, the underwear fairy doesn’t magically put fresh boxers in your drawers while you sleep, and Ramen Noodles can be their own food group. I can’t tell you how many times I received the dreaded “Hey Mom, can you put money into my account?” phone calls these past eight years. Don’t get me wrong, the two oldest boys learned the art of frugality; buying products on sale, learning how to trim their own hair with a pair of scissors, and packing two wash loads into one dryer to save the extra $3.00 to dry two loads. But money is tight when you’re a college student paying for college on your own.

But Sears is making the college experience a little easier on families. Sears CampusReady has reloadable gift cards that you purchase for both you and your college scholar. Parents can load funds onto the gift card online or in the student shop at their local Sears or Kmart stores. Your little Phi Beta Kappa can then spend to their card’s content online, in stores, or by phone. You can only purchase these reloadable cards in stores, but they’re capable of being funded online at any time, a great convenience for busy parents.

Sears also has a Facebook application for parents and students; CampusReady on Facebook. Design your dorm room with the Sears 3D Dorm Designer application and see your room in all it’s glory before you even step foot on campus. Create a wish list with the Sears Gift Getter application and share it with your friends and family; drop the hint and let them know what essentials you’re still lacking for your dream dorm room. Have some fun with the Roommate Match-Up; take the quiz and see what you and your new cohabiter have in common…or don’t. And then be sure to check out http://www.sears.com/campus and see how Sears can make the college transition a whole lot easier on students and parents.

The Hair of the Dog

I own three dogs. I certainly never set out to form my own dog pack, which we refer to at our house as “the doggage”. Each one sort of fell into our family. Once we got through those puppy stages when each of them were learning not to make “bad..OUTSIDE!!” and that my brand new coffee table is not a chew toy (thanks Bailey, you tiny termite), they’ve all turned out to be great dogs. The biggest drawback to owning dogs is shedding. At our house, no matter how many times I vacuum, you’re going to find dog hair on my floor. And while our couch is a “no-Bo-zone”, the oldest dog still feels he’s earned the right to nap on my furniture when I‘m not looking. So if you come over, I’ll hand you a lint roller before you leave because your pants are bound to collect stray dog hair. This is the worst time of year for my dogs because they’re all shedding…the oldest two are losing fur in clumps because one is a Chow-mix and the other a Black Lab-mix. We have hair tumbleweeds hiding behind all our furniture. Stop by and you’ll hear “tink, tink, tink” as dog tags smack together when the dogs start scratching. The oldest is also a licker. He’s been known to lick himself a bald patch at least once a summer. Once we have a bald patch, we’ve got stink. No matter how many baths, that hotspot is going to emit a foul smell



I had no idea that excessive shedding, itching and smell are all caused by nutritional deficiencies in dogs. Commercial dog food is cooked at extremely high temperatures which destroys many of the delicate nutrients dogs need to be healthy. Even an overweight dog can be malnourished; take away the essential nutrients and you have a malnourished dog. If I ate nothing but chocolate-marshmallow ice cream every day (living the dream), I’d probably end up being overweight and malnourished since I’d be lacking the vitamins and minerals my body requires. Just because it tastes good, doesn’t mean it is good for you.

So while I can buy all the expensive vacuum cleaners and lint brushes in the world, I’m still going to have dogs that shed, stink and scratch. A much better solution would be to supplement the doggage’s diet. Dinovite has the answers. If you stop by their solutions center and answer their step-by-step questions, they’ll tell you which of their products best suit’s the needs of your dog. My recommendation for Bo is the Dinovite 2 Gallon and the Lickochops. The best part is that if you follow their recommendation and use the product for 90 days and you’re not satisfied, Dinovite will refund your purchase price, guaranteed. That’s a company that believes in its products.

What is Dinovite? It's not a pill, it's a powder for your dog's regular dog food. Dinovite contains all natural ingredients: amino acids, fatty acids, zinc, vitamins, direct-fed microbials and other nutrients that can help support and maintain your dog's good health. Dinovite will make up for what your regular dog food lacks improving your dog's overall health and giving him a year-round soft and shiny coat of hair, on your dog and not your floor!

**CLOSED**Giveaway- Rubbermaid All-in-One is Number One

I hate folding socks. Laundry as a whole is not my favorite chore, but socks suck, seriously. I usually toss them into a clothes basket in the corner. Consequently, we have a game we play at our house. I’ve dubbed it “Sock Quest”. It consists of running into the basement, grabbing a sock that belongs to you in your left hand and then frantically searching through the mound of socks in the basket with your right hand in the attempt to make a match before the clock runs out and you’re late for work, school, etc. or you just give up and go sockless.

A variation of this game is played in the kitchen. I have limited cupboard space in my house and most food storage containers get tossed in the pits of my cupboard. Should a container be needed, you usually grab a lid and go in search of a mate. Many times a flashlight is needed. I’m also a container hoarder, a trait passed on to me by my grandmother. Containers used for sour cream, margarine, and Won Ton soup get recycled into food storage containers. This particular habit cost me a late-night trip to the grocery store last Christmas Eve. While making my family’s favorite 7-Layer Jell-O, I pulled out what I thought was a container of sour cream only to find I’d opened up a stash of last week’s chili.

That was then, this is now. I’ve finally managed to purge all my old, stained, recycled food storage containers and replaced them with the Rubbermaid All-in-One 20 Piece Set. You get 10 containers with lids. They have the Premier containers with Easy Find Lid System; the lids are simple to seal and remove. I hate trying to snap a lid on a warped storage container which usually happens after multiple dishwashings. These Rubbermaid containers are made of durable clear plastic, so you can always see what’s inside. The Produce Saver pieces include Fresh Vents to allow needed airflow for fruits and veggies. There’s an included Crisp Tray to separate your produce from moisture. My favorite pieces in the collection are the Lock-its; they have a secure seal and features locking tabs on all four sides making it a breeze to seal your container and open it again.

The best part? Everything is stackable for those of us with limited storage and patience. The lids all stack together and you can nest all the containers easily, saving precious cupboard space. Even the Produce Saver Tray snaps to the lid. One lid also fits multiple bases. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you get less lids. It means that the 3 cup lid will fit the 3 cup container, the 5 cup container and also the 7 cup container. So grabbing a lid means you don’t have to find its exact match, that lid will fit multiple bases.



I’ve been using the containers for a few weeks now and I’m impressed. No stains, even from spaghetti sauce. They come out of the dishwasher looking just as good as the day I opened the box and clutched them to my chest. The Produce Saver kept my sliced strawberries looking fresh and tasting great for a whole week. I’ve been carting salad & dressing to work with the Lock-its container without any leaks in my lunch bag.

The best part, one of you will get to try them too. I have a complete Rubbermaid All-In-One 20 Piece Set to send to one winner.



Mandatory Initial Entry:

Check out the new Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids site. Tell me which of the four containers is your favorite and one food you’d store inside. (1 entry, leave 1 comment).

Extra Credit:

1) Follow my blog on blogger, or take credit if you already do (1 entry, leave 1 comment).

2) Follow Rubbermaid on Twitter (1 entry, leave 1 comment with your twitter id)

3) Snag my button for your blog (2 entries, leave 2 comments with your blog url).

4) Tweet the giveaway. (1 entry, leave 1 comment with your tweet url- can be done daily).

Feel free to copy/paste the following tweet:

Win a Rubbermaid All-in-One Storage Set, purge those old margarine containers. Save space, store in style giveaway http://454.me/r54bs/



US residents only. Giveaway will end Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 11:59pm. I'll draw and notify the winner on July 1, 2009. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email before there's a do-over. Please leave a way for me to contact you if your email address is not visible in your blogger profile.

Here's the Skinny- Skinny Cow Review

Back in my teen years, I didn't worry about things like "calories", "fiber", "fat". Looking back now, I, like most teenage girls, thought I was fat. I wasn't. I wore a size 1 in jeans. Thinking I was fat didn't alter my eating habits back then. I consumed what I wanted, when I wanted..calories be damned and pass the nachos. Exercise was a foreign concept. What? Me run? Sweat? My least favorite class in high school was gym. I faked my period more times than was humanly possible in order to avoid having to suit up, get sweaty, shower in public and ruin my hair; I'm sure my gym teacher thought my condition needed medical attention.

Then I had children and got older and evil things happened to my body. No longer could I consume half a Pepperidge Farm Chocolate Cake for breakfast and be able to button my jeans without great personal discomfort later. The pounds crept on and the clothes got bigger and bigger until I was finally forced to start doing my clothes shopping at the dreaded Lane Bryant, AKA Lame Giant. Yes Virginia, I bought jeans with an elastic waistband because if I didn't I'd be sporting a red ring around my waist that always reminded me of Saturn except with a lot more pain and discomfort. I avoided shopping and especially disrobing in front of mirrors. There were times when I'd catch a glimpse of myself in a store window and think "Who the f&*k is that fat woman wearing my clothes?".

Last year I joined Weight Watchers and within 8 months I lost 30 pounds. That's not my goal weight and I'm not actively going to meetings anymore. I do, however, watch what I eat because I don't want to go back to where I was..207 pounds when I stepped on the scale at my first meeting. Tears fell from my eyes because I couldn't believe I'd gotten that heavy. Now I avoid things that were always my pitfalls over the years: white bread and cheese for one, known to me as "Satan and his demon". But I can't give up the sweets, not totally. Ice cream has always been one of my favorite snacks, especially when I was in search of some "comfort" food. Bad day? Come to Papa Ice Cream, he'll make it all better..and how about a hug from Mama Hot Fudge? During those eight months, I avoided ice cream because diet ice cream tasted like cardboard to me. I'd rather go without than have something that doesn't taste like real ice cream.

Imagine my surprise when I bought a box of Skinny Cow French Vanilla Truffle Ice Cream Bars the other day. I was given a coupon to purchase any Skinny Cow product I wished and those caught my eye. I'd like to give you a blow-by-blow of all six bars in the box, but I only managed to scavenge one for myself. By the time I dug into the box my children, whom my husband and I refer to as "the locusts", had managed to scarf down five bars. I consider myself lucky that they left me one.

I have to say it was good bordering on excellent. I would have never guessed it was diet ice cream if I didn't know any better. The French vanilla was creamy and full of flavor and the chocolate covering the bar tasted just like regular milk chocolate. The only nasty taste was when I was sucking on the wooden stick trying to get every last bit of the ice cream off it. The only thing small about these Skinny Cow bars are the calories, this is a full size bar of ice cream..more than enough when you're looking to quiet your sweet tooth.

Serving Size: 1 Bar
Calories 100
Calories from Fat 25
Total Fat 2g
Dietary Fiber 3g

Take a look at those stats. Pretty Weight Watchers friendly, no? I didn't realize until I was looking at the Skinny Cow website that they also sell Chocolate Truffle Bars, be still my heart. Obviously my local grocer didn't have them when I was there or they'd have been in my freezer for this review. I'm planning on confronting the store manager on my next visit if those babies aren't in the store cooler; it could get ugly.