Sunsweet Prunes Are Perfect for Kids’ Snacks

Sunsweet Prunes now come in a single serving and they are popping in kids mouths.

My kids love them. I actually served them at a play date and they were eaten. I’m not big on prunes so I’m not a good example but these are great to give to kids. They are individually wrapped so a single serving is easy to stick to. One mom had to take them away from her kids because there is a small fear of the “after diaper”.

What causes the “after diaper”

  1. Antioxidant rich. Prunes have a high antioxidant (ORAC) score. Antioxidants help to slow the oxidative damage to our bodies, and many researchers believe that antioxidants slow the aging process.
  2. Potassium punch. Move over bananas! Ounce for ounce, prunes have more potassium than bananas. Studies have shown potassium helps prevent hypertension and stroke.
  3. Bone health. A handful of nutrient-rich prunes a day may help bone metabolism and the reversal of bone loss for people with osteoporosis. They may also lead to improved bone formation.
  4. Low Glycemic Index (GI). Prunes are a low GI food, and therefore help to contribute to a low Glycemic Load diet and can aid in preventing and managing conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and obesity.
  5. Heart health. Prunes can help play a role in preventing heart disease and chronic diseases because they’re rich in antioxidants, which slow the chemical process of oxidation and protect key cell components from damage.
  6. Prebiotic power. Prunes naturally contain prebiotics, which stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine. This helps dietary fiber perform well and promotes immune system and digestive health.
  7. Weight loss. Prunes are a good source of fiber, and this can help keep hunger pangs at bay. As a food component, fiber isn’t absorbed, so it doesn’t contribute calories that’s why high-fiber foods are included in weight loss diets. Plus, four prunes have just 100 calories!

Now you realize these are all good things. So this is nutritious and delicious, I just don’t like the chewing. I’d rather drink prunes.

 Pop a prune encourages healthy eating and even I need to do more of that. I should be popping prunes instead of chocolate chips then maybe I’d be losing weight.

Enter To Win:

five (5) winners to receive a Sunsweet reusable shopping bag and a Sunsweet VIP Coupon, which is good for ANY Sunsweet product up to $5.50 in value. The giveaway should be open to US addresses only and the sponsor will send prizes directly to your winners.

To Enter:

Tell me how your kids are eating healthy?

Extra Entries:

Advertise this giveaway on any giveaway site and tell me where you advertised it. 10 Extra Entries
Subscribe to my blog
Follow me on twitter tell me your twitter ID
Blog about the giveaway include a link to me and to the sponsor for 10 extra entries
Tweet the giveaway (every time you tweet you get an entry) Link to the giveaway please!!!
Comment on any other non giveaway post and come back and tell me you did
Use any of the Share options at the bottom of this post: Dig, Stumble, or fav me on Technorati (two entries for each one)

Leave a comment for every entry

The contest will run until November 30th 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

This post was written as part of a program for Family Review Network and Sunsweet Ones, who provided the product for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

Gotta Catch Santa Claus DVD Movie Review and #giveaway

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On October 13 Lionsgate released Gotta Catch Santa Claus, a new animated movie that will start airing on ABC Family’s 25 days of Christmas. I love Christmas and I can’t get enough of it. If you follow me on twitter then you will know that I’ve already turned on the Christmas music. I’m also aware that all the stores have their Christmas decorations out for sale. Thank goodness for people like me ‘cause I’m ready to deck the halls.

Gotta Catch Santa Claus stars William Shatner as the voice of Santa. I had to watch this and was lucky enough to receive a review copy from Lionsgate. I liked it more than my kids but they watched it with me, even when I wanted to watch it a second and third time. The humor was clean and defiantly family friendly. Not everything that is on the ABC Family’s 25 days of Christmas is always family friendly in my book but this one is.

Do you believe in Santa, boy I sure do. The spirit of giving and helping others in need. This is my favorite time of year. Well, that’s what this movie is about, at least the uncovering the truth behind Santa. Santa also runs into other unexpected trouble along the way but he knows how to handle it and gets back on schedule. Cute little animated move in my humble opinion.

 

 

You can purchase it at Amazon.

Gotta Catch Santa Claus

 

You can enter to win:

To Enter:

Tell me why you believe in Santa Clause

Extra Entries:

Advertise this giveaway on any giveaway site and tell me where you advertised it. 10 Extra Entries
Subscribe to my blog
Follow me on twitter tell me your twitter ID
Blog about the giveaway include a link to me and to the sponsor for 10 extra entries
Tweet the giveaway (every time you tweet you get an entry) Link to the giveaway please!!!
Comment on any other non giveaway post and come back and tell me you did
Use any of the Share options at the bottom of this post: Dig, Stumble, or fav me on Technorati (two entries for each one)
Add my button/blog to your blogroll/friend list 3 extra entries

Leave a comment for every entry

The contest will run until November 30th 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

A Century of Flavor with Nielsen-Massey Vanilla #giveaway

How much do you like vanilla?

I love Vanilla. I love making my own vanilla soda’s and purchasing them at places like Sonic. I wish we had a Sonic here in my town but we don’t. It’s probably better for my waste line though that I’m not getting a vanilla coke every day. Must help my budget too. However, here is a way to experience the wonderful flavor of vanilla in every meal.

The recipes in here looks so good to me. I haven’t had time to try any  of them out yet. I think tomorrow for dinner I’m going to make the Savory Pork Tenderloin. I already have it out defrosting in the fridge. I only need some rice vinegar. I have all the other ingredients.

The photos in the book just make the food look irresistible. I want to try almost everything in the book. I say almost because I’m not sure I can cook seafood. Crab cakes are one of my favorite things to eat; I’m just not sure I can handle seafood. Might be worth the adventure though.

I was sent a copy of A Century of Flavor from Nielsen-Massey Vanillas.

The delightful aroma of the kitchen during the holidays – with smells of cinnamon, peppermint, chocolate and vanilla – is a scent that many associate with long lived memories. The holiday season is a perfect time to create flavorful memories with your family and loved ones. Nielsen-Massey Vanillas A Century of Flavor cookbook provides moms with a variety of holiday recipes. Vanilla Carmel Corn Crunch can be made with your young chef, while Creamy Vanilla Sweet Potatoes is a perfect side to your family’s main course.

 

About Nielsen-Massey Vanillas

Throughout its more than 100 year history, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas has earned its reputation as a manufacturer of the finest extracts in the world. The full line of Nielsen-Massey’s Pure Vanilla products include: Vanilla Beans and Extracts from Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico; sugar and alcohol-free Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar and Certified Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Beans and Powder.

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas recently introduced a new line of Pure Flavors: Pure Chocolate Extract, Pure Almond Extract, Pure Orange Extract, Pure Lemon Extract, Pure Coffee Extract, Pure Peppermint Extract, Orange Blossom Water and Rose Water.  All Nielsen-Massey products are certified Kosher and Gluten-free. The company is headquartered in Waukegan, Illinois, with production facilities in Waukegan and Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.

Enter to win your own recipe book.

To Enter:

Visit Nielsen-Massey and tell me a fact about the company.

Extra Entries:

Advertise this giveaway on any giveaway site and tell me where you advertised it. 10 Extra Entries
Subscribe to my blog
Follow me on twitter tell me your twitter ID
Blog about the giveaway include a link to me and to the sponsor for 10 extra entries
Tweet the giveaway (every time you tweet you get an entry) Link to the giveaway please!!!
Comment on any other non giveaway post and come back and tell me you did
Use any of the Share options at the bottom of this post: Dig, Stumble, or fav me on Technorati (two entries for each one)
Add my button/blog to your blogroll/friend list 3 extra entries
You can vote for me too for five entries: Parenting

Leave a comment for every entry

The contest will run until November 30th 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Blue Light Specials at K-Mart and chances to win 50.00 every day.

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I’m following @KmartDealsnNews and so should you.

Bluelight Specials are back, and to celebrate in style Kmart will be giving shoppers on Twitter a chance to win a $50 gift card everyday!  In addition to the chance to win daily, everyone following @KmartDealsnNews on Twitter will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $500 Kmart shopping spree. At Kmart you are going to find a lot of stuff for 500.00.

The sweepstakes runs from November 12th until December 23rd

To Enter:

all you have to do is follow @KmartDealsnNews on Twitter from your personal Twitter account and issue a Tweet everyday using our hashtag: #KmartBLS.  Each day is a new opportunity to win, so the more often you tweet – the better your chances are to win a Daily prize! 

 

Of course, this is all in celebration of the return of Bluelight Specials at Kmart!  There are over 40 great Bluelight Specials throughout the weekend in-store, and other great offers online at Kmart.com, too, only on Saturdays and Sundays.  A little preview for this weekend’s (11/15 – 11/16) Specials:

· Essential Home Complete Bed set $29.99 (reg. $49.99)

· All Trim-A-Home lights 50% off (reg $8.99-$29.99)

· 9 Piece Luggage Set $49.99 (reg $99.99)

· Juniors Leggings 50% off

 

No Entries are accepted on this post.

Curious George A Very Monkey Christmas Live, and DVD and Book and Soundtrack #giveaway

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Do you kids just love Curious George? Mine do.

We love Curious George. We have watched him on PBS and he is still as cute as I remember. Curious George is always getting into trouble but it is so fun to watch him. He has such a redeeming smile and sounds that he makes. I really liked the episode where we went to work in the chocolate factory. I loved it.

We also spent time examine his exhibit at the Children’s Museum in Seattle. The Children’s museum is excellent at bringing story book characters to life for children to enjoy.

 

 

Universal Studios Presents: Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas:

SYNOPSIS: George and the Man with the Yellow Hat are having a great time getting ready for Christmas. There’s only one problem: neither of them can figure out what to give the other for a present. The Man finds George’s wish list indecipherable. And George doesn’t have a clue about what to get for The Man who has everything. Can they resolve their dilemma in time?

 

 

In conjunction with the DVD release, Universal is running an “All I Want This Holiday” $100,000 instant win game, where one lucky grand prize winner will get $100,000 to create their own "Family Fund." This can mean investing in a college tuition fund, paying for a new home or even taking a year off to spend more time with the kids. Also, more than 200 additional prizes will be awarded, including HDTVs, Netbooks, Blu-ray™ players. Enter and see official rules here: www.universalstudios.com/curiousgeorgeinstantwin

This giveaway is on behalf of Universal Home Entertainment and the film is now available on DVD.

Enter to Win

The prize pack contains the DVD , “Curious George Christmas Countdown” book, CD soundtrack, and a “Curious George Live” ticket voucher. I did not receive anything for this post.

To Enter:

Visit Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas and tell me something else from the site that you like.

And or

Follow Curious George on Facebook

Extra Entries:

Advertise this giveaway on any giveaway site and tell me where you advertised it. 10 Extra Entries
Subscribe to my blog
Follow me on twitter tell me your twitter ID
Blog about the giveaway include a link to me and to the sponsor for 10 extra entries
Tweet the giveaway (every time you tweet you get an entry) Link to the giveaway please!!!
Comment on any other non giveaway post and come back and tell me you did
Use any of the Share options at the bottom of this post: Dig, Stumble, or fav me on Technorati (two entries for each one)
Add my button/blog to your blogroll/friend list 3 extra entries
You can vote for me too for five entries: Parenting

Leave a comment for every entry

The contest will run until November 30th 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Why is it so good to be bad?

katI used to be a blond, well most people would say that I still am blond. I just don’t feel blond anymore. Well, I truly do believe that blonds have all the fun. I think Blonds can be bad and still have that innocent appeal and we sort of get what we want. When I was in high school I was really good at flirting. I was a pro and it came so naturally. With a smile or just a single touch from my finger I had what I wanted in no time at all.

I would have to say there is just a little exaggeration in that statement but it is good to be bad. It’s fun to kick back sometimes and just be ornery.

Take for instance the women of Eastwick?

Zoebirth They seem to have a ton of fun being bad. Even though they haven’t been bad yet and don’t even believe that they are witches yet. Joanna can just use her eyes and she gets whatever she wants. I was once told I had a smile that no one could say no to. I see that in my children. I think I passed on all my “gifts” good or bad directly onto my children. They had the ability to smile from birth. The first picture we have of Zoe being weighed on the scale she is smiling. I know they are going to go far in life too. Hopefully though, they don’t have to be “bad” because I was never that bad myself; but I hear that all that stress I caused my parents will come back on me when they are in high school.

 

Watch Eastwick Wednesdays 10/9c on ABC
I have been hired by Warner Bros WB Word division to help raise awareness for Eastwick

Too Tired To Post, I might Take the Weekend Off

sleeping bear I am so tired from running around and not sleeping well. Last night was the first night that I have slept in months. I took a zanax and I was out.

I want to repeat the process because I was busy all day today and on my feet and with my current condition, I feel like I’m falling apart literally. It was a good time though, I’m always happy when I’m serving others. It just makes me feel good. It was a play date. I had a large attendance for once.

 

So Good night all! See you Sunday!

Bloggers Give 45 Days of Giving Contest

Starting November 11th Bloggers Give is collecting donations for a toy drive with the MOMS Club of Woodinville, WA for the Maltby Food Bank. MOMS Club of Woodinville will be collecting new unwrapped toys and baking cookies. Instead of a cookie exchange they will be filling tins to donate to the food bank. The cookies will be given to the elderly in our community.  The toys will be give to families in our community who will not be able to afford toys this year for Christmas. Children of these MOMS members will hand out the tins at the food bank and give the toys to the food bank. Teaching children to give instead of receive is a huge lesson at the Holiday Season. Giving to a food bank in your community is a great way to give toys to children without worrying about overhead and you know without a doubt that it will be used in your community.

Bloggers Give is inviting others to participate in the 45 days of Christmas and to help entice you to participate there will be a giveaway. $100.00 will be given away in the form on one $50.00 gas card and one $50.00 pre-paid visa.

To Participate:

Visit Bloggers Give http://bloggersgive and either send a new unwrapped toy to the address found on that site

 

OR

Give the item to a charity near you.

Then go to http://bloggersgive.com/default-form and fill out the form. Choose from sponsor, blogger or both and you can upload your button. If you choose both you need to upload a logo for the sponsor. It would be very kind of you to upload a logo for the sponsor if you are a participating blogger. Please provide an image of the item you are donating and tell us your story of donating the item. You have to create a blog post for your entry to count in the giveaway.

Remember, every review and contest you run on your site is a chance for you to give. Always ask the companies you work with for one item for you and let them proudly know that you participate in Bloggers Give and want a second item sent to us.

We will be working with two to three different charities next year so stay tuned.

About Bloggers Give

Bloggers Give is a charity blog encouraging review/giveaway bloggers to give back to their communities. For every item you receive just ask for one more item to be donated to charity. You can have it sent to Bloggers Give and we will pass it on to a deserving charity.

Grateful Platefuls, Join Marcia Cross Desperate Housewives and Chinet in Feeding America

 

There are people in our country that are wondering where there next meal will be coming from.
To help address the nation’s hunger problem, the Chinet brand and Feeding America—the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity—are partnering with actress Marcia Cross to launch the Grateful Platefuls program.

You are invited to join this online initiative at facebook.com/mychinet by simply sharing what your’re grateful for. When you do you will be adding to the amount that Chinet will be donating up to 100.000.

“There is so much to be grateful for during the holidays and we need to recognize the opportunities we have to give to others,” said Cross. “I encourage people to visit the Grateful Platefuls page on Facebook and share their gratitude, because it only takes a few clicks of a mouse to make a real difference in the lives of people in need.”

Feel free to add a photo or customize your gratefulness with your choice of plate design

SS – Young Songbird Nikki Yanofsky Preparing Debut Album Music Videos

Introducing Nikki Yanofsky, the 15-year-old singing sensation set to take the world by storm.  Raised on jazz, Nikki has been singing all her life and has been compared to greats Billie Holliday, Judy Garland, and Ella Fitzgerald.  Her hometown newspaper, the Montreal Gazette, says of her voice, "there is a richness and a maturity and a heart and an effortlessness that divas twice or three times her age would kill for."

 

 

Now, this energetic and gifted teenager – with a smile as big as her voice – is preparing a new album full of re-imagined jazz standards, folk classics and original material.  Set for an early 2010 release, Nikki’s album was produced by Phil Ramone and Jesse Harris (Norah Jones), and will showcase her songwriting collaborations with Harris and lengendary singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith.  Another highlight includes a song written for her by the indie darling Feist.  For a taste of what is to come, check out videos from Nikki’s RawSessions, where she performs her original song "For Another Day" and covers the Beatles, Norah Jones and more.