MOMS Club Supporting a Local Family With Cancer

Stuff 002

My MOMS Club did a photo shoot fundraiser and I was the photographer. How that works, we choose a place that is free to use with a Christmas background and then we have sign ups within our group. We charge 20.00 for all the digital copies of the photo shoot, 10 goes to our fund and 10 goes to the photographer. My husband and I discussed the fact that I am not a professional photographer and we didn’t want anyone to be upset over the photos so we decided the best thing to do was to give my portion as the photographer back to the fund as well. So we, MOMS Club used these funds to support a local family in our community.

On of the moms in our club did all the work hooking us up with a family. She said, “I found out about this organization through my guild for Children’s Hospital (www.sammiscircle.wordpress.com). The president of our guild lost her 18 year-old to cancer a little over a year ago and used their services for her own family during that time and wanted to give back by adopting a family through our guild. I thought we could do it too, so I did the paperwork and there you go! Here is their website: http://www.childhoodcancercare.org/

But, it wasn’t me that did anything at all. It was MOMS Club. They organized everything, the photo shoot, picking the family, making all the arrangements, purchasing all the gift cards, delivering to the family, and whatever other details that I’m forgetting, I just showed up to take pictures, they also among themselves were able to raise 375.00 total. I’m so very proud to call these women my friends.

You can support your own family too.

http://www.childhoodcancercare.org/

Celebrate the New Year Entertaining with Jimmy Dean Sausage Recipes #giveaway

Jimmy Dean is our family favorite brand of sausage. I always buy Jimmy Dean maple sausage for our family. It’s my husband’s favorite and I enjoy it too. It’s always the same quality. Delicious. Yesterday my husband made Sausage Corn Chowder and I’m really looking forward to having the left overs tonight for dinner. I’m so proud to have a husband that can cook when he is needed in the kitchen.

Jimmy Dean sent me some recipes to share with you. I’ve shared two of them, well I have two more to share with you as well. I can’t wait to try them when I’m better and back in my rightful position as the head chef in the family. Jimmy Dean has been working with Sissy Biggers, Lifestyle and Food Expert. Sissy Biggers’ tips can be found at Jimmydean.com.

 

Jimmy Dean Sausage Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Jimmy Dean Sausage Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

 

Ingredients:

  1. 1 pkg. Regular Flavor Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage, cooked, crumbled, and drained
  2. 1 pkg. (16 oz.) large fresh mushrooms
  3. 1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  4. 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  5. 1 teaspoon olive oil
  6. 1 tablespoon Italian-style bread crumbs
  7. 1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove stems from mushrooms; reserve for another use. Place mushrooms rounded side down in two greased 9" X 13" baking dishes. Drain and press spinach to remove excess liquid. In a large bowl, combine cooked sausage, spinach, Parmesan cheese and olive oil; mix well. Stuff sausage mixture into mushroom caps. Sprinkle with bread crumbs; drizzle with melted butter. Bake 30 minutes or until topping is brown and bubbly.

Serving size:

about 30 appetizers

Jimmy Dean Inside Out Sausage Poppers

Jimmy Dean Inside Out Sausage Poppers

Ingredients:

  1. 1 pkg. Regular Flavor Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage
  2. 4 whole pickled jalapeno peppers, drained
  3. 4 oz. (1 cup) pepper jack cheese, cut into 1/2" cubes
  4. 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  5. 3 tablespoons milk
  6. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  7. 1-1/2 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Divide and roll uncooked sausage into 1 oz. meatballs. Press thumb into each ball, creating a small bowl shape. Use a knife to remove stems from jalapeno peppers. Slice in quarters lengthwise; remove seeds. Wrap one jalapeno strip around a cube of cheese; press into meatball. Work sausage back into a meatball shape, enclosing cheese and jalapeno. Repeat with remaining meatballs. In a small bowl, combine eggs, milk and salt; stir well. Measure breadcrumbs into a separate bowl. Dip each meatball in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs to completely coat. Bake on a large non-stick baking sheet 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on pan 5 minutes before serving. Discard any remaining egg and breadcrumbs.

Serving size:

12-16 poppers

 

Jimmy Dean is offering 5 coupons for a giveaway, each coupon is valued at 6.99 for any Jimmy Dean Sausage product. I received the same set of coupons for posting about Jimmy Dean, but I’m still going to be buying them after I run out of coupons. We buy them all the time, the sausage and the breakfast sandwiches. Jimmy Dean is a great way to add protein to your morning meal.

 

To Enter:

Tell me your favorite way to eat sausage.

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 or facebook 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: (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 January 4th 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

50.00 American Express Giveaway sponsored by Flit.com

http://flit.com/docs/flit_logo.jpg

To Flit is to move quickly and lightly from one store to another.

Flit.com was built by a team that loves shopping online but wanted to make it easier and more fun. They were a team of people that found themselves spending a lot of time and effort trying to recall the good stores, get to their sites, then enter the same searches over and over again. I find myself doing the same thing. Going to the same site to do the same search over and over again.

Some stores, like RestorationHardware.com, have urls that are longer than your arm or longer.

Flit.com was designed and built to give online shopping a makeover by delivering an easier and better experience. Features from the site:

  • Shop inside™ – enter what you’re looking for just once then a single click initiates a search inside all the stores you want
  • Favorites – a personalized tab to keep your favorite stores easily accessible and share them with friends. If your friends then send you theirs, your favorite lists will all grow in synch.
  • Search history – allows you to reuse earlier searches without retyping
  • Search trail™ – a visual record of the stores you have visited and an easy way to search them again. The Store Tagger option lets you mark stores that have things of interest.
  • Save my session – a simple way to save your entire shopping session so you can come back to it at anytime.
  • Category index – lets you jump quickly to new categories and discover new stores

My Views:

I decided to give flit a twirl. So I went to the flit home page and took it for a test drive. In the search box I entered “Tinkerbell”. Then came up a window full of store options, 10 to be exact.

flitThen the super cool thing for me was that you can click on each button and it takes you to that website and pulls up your search. Then there are tabs that separate the stores into different categories, like electronics, Women’s clothing, sports and Men’s clothing. Each button that comes up under each tag still takes you to your search phrase. So it’s quite an efficient way to do a specific shopping search.

Flit.com is the easiest way to find this season’s hottest toys such as the Zhu Zhu Pets, Twilight Dolls, DJ Hero and Elmo Tickle Hands. Unlike other shopping sites that return a disorganized jumble of products, Flit.com creates a virtual shopping mall that lets you visit each store with one click and puts the item you’re looking for upfront and center on each site. Plus, the site will save your search – so you can resume your lunchtime hunt after the kids go to bed. Flit.com provides a one-click search platform across more than 275 leading retail brands spanning 30-plus popular categories including toys, fashion, home goods, jewelry, electronics, sports and gourmet foods

 

Flit is offering a 50.00 American Express Gift Card to use for shopping while searching their site.

To Enter:

Visit Flit and tell me if they have the store you like to shop at listed and if not what you think they should add.

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 January 4th 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Today’s Bluelight Specials at Kmart #KmartBLS

imageHere are the teasers for this weekend December 19th and 20th:

· Boys/Girls Licensed Hoodies $8 (reg. $18.99)

 

· Essential Home 10 pc Sets $29.99 (reg. $49.99)

 

· Rollercade $49.99 (reg. $79.99)

 

Don’t forget to follow @KmartDealsnNews and use the #KmartBLS hashtag for a chance to win every day!  For more info & rules: http://tr.im/KmartBLS.  Good luck!

It’s hard to write when you’re depressed

I’ve let myself get a little depressed over the last couple of days and now I’m struggling to write any posts on my blog. I have quite a few outstanding reviews and I’ve been trying to write them with a positive spin and it’s exhausting. Last night, my Christmas Movie’s post was pathetic and ten days late. I should have been able to write more about each one individually.

I’m not much for answering the phone or for responding to e-mail, all I want to do is go back to bed. My husband can tell that I’m falling into depression and asked me to get up today. I’m up but it’s not helping. I feel like I could just sleep it off but I know that’s not the right thing to do.

I miss my huge family that is in Texas. I love going from house to house and party to party during the holidays and up here in Washington we don’t go anywhere. It’s not like I’m exactly in a partying position anyways since I’m still in recover and have to be extremely careful. But I still miss all of my family.

When I’m in Texas Christmas is usually a party at my aunts for my stepmoms side of the family. Christmas at my dads house where it’s just the immediate family. We eat a meal at my grandmother’s house and she told me this year she’s not going to cook (means she’s getting old and that makes me sad). Then I visit my mom’s moms house the Saturday after Christmas. My mom lives in Florida so I hardly ever spend Christmas with her. Traveling with kids from Washington to Florida is just a nightmare to me.

I really wanted to spend Christmas in Texas this year but it just didn’t work out. It hardly ever seems to.

My biggest problem right now though if I was honest with myself is that I can’t hold my kids. I want to pick them up. I want to cuddle with them and I want to play with them. We have had family come in and help out with the kids during my recovery and it’s killing me. I’m the mommy, they are my kids. I want to be the center of their world and I’m not anymore. They don’t even want me anymore. It’s been two weeks and I have four more to go before I can really pick them up because they weigh so much. They don’t come to me.

I think my son is mad at me, he’s 21 months and seems to be taking it personally. I know they’ll get over it when I’m better but my “now” factor is totally succumbed to depression and feeling of abandonment. I always do this after large things that happen in my life. I just don’t want to go back on the anti-depression medications.

So I guess my countdown begins, four more weeks and I’ll be happy.

Of course, I know I should just concentrate on the positives in my life. I have plenty of them.

Christmas Movies I like to Watch

The Grinch

I purchased this this year just so I could watch it. I love it, It’s one of the first movies I saw on a date with my husband. We saw it while we were dating. I also enjoy Jim Carrey.

 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas:

 

 

My kids don’t like the Grinch, they just don’t. But it’s my sister’s favorite holiday movie. My uncle’s too.

 

Four Christmases – You can’t spell families without lies. It’s so true. I loved this movie because it’s just like growing up. As a kid I had four Christmases, except I had more like 8. My family and divorced family and it’s a crazy collection of people. But I do love family. 

 

I want a dog for Christmas Charlie Brown

Charlie Brown Christmas

Not really a Christmas Movie but a good kids film:

 

 

 

 

This post was provided by Warner Brothers, then sent us copies of The Grinch who Stole Christmas Blu-Ray, I want a dog for Christmas, Four Christmases Blu-Ray, Horton hears a Who Blu-Ray.

Comforting myself with Campbell’s Soup Company #giveaway

SPONGEBOBSoup is one of the most comforting foods I can think of. Campbell’s sent me some of their soups and V-8 Fusions to review just in time for my recovery. I’ve been loving it, the wholesome warmth and gentleness of soup has been great for me and my recovery.

Campbell Soup Company has reduced the sodium in all their kids soups to meet the government criteria for “healthy” foods – controlled for fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and containing a positive nutrient source such as good source of vitamin A.  Plus, the soup’s great taste and fun shapes are sure to help perk up your kids when they’re feeling under the weather this winter.

My kids have finally decided that they like soup too, and even Miles is learning how to eat it.

 

The V8 Fusions juice is actually one of the only brands of juice that I’ll let my kids eat. Because it has more than just fruit and not all sugar. It has vegetables in it. Some of the moms I know will give their kids a v8 just to get some vegetables down them. I used to do that too, but we’re doing pretty well with veggies for now.

What vegetable and fruit juices are included in V8 V-Fusion?

Strawberry Banana contains the juice of 10 vegetables and fruits: sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, beets, white grapes, oranges, apples, strawberries, bananas, banana puree.

Tropical Orange contains the juice of 6 vegetables and fruits: sweet potatoes, carrots, yellow tomatoes, white grapes, oranges, pineapple.

Peach Mango contains the juice of 8 vegetables and fruits: sweet potatoes, yellow tomatoes, yellow carrots, carrots, white grapes, oranges, peaches, mango puree.

Pomegranate Blueberry contains the juice of 8 vegetables and fruits: sweet potatoes, purple carrots, tomatoes, carrots, apples, white grapes, pomegranates, blueberries.

Acai Mixed Berry contains the juice of 8 vegetables and fruits: sweet potatoes, purple carrots, carrots, apples, white grapes, açai, blueberries, limes.

 

Enter to win:

  • A lunch tote
  • A kid-friendly juice bottle
  • Samples of Campbell’s Kids soup and V8 V-Fusion (Strawberry Banana and Pomegranate Blueberry)

To Enter:

Tell me what your favorite Campbell’s soup flavor is.

Tell me what your favorite V8 V-Fusion juice flavor is.

Tweet the giveaway for another entry.

This giveaway ends December 31st.

Giveaway Winners

I actually sent out e-mails to the winners but I could be in your spam, so if you don’t get an e-mail please reply to this post or send me an e-mail and I’ll get the prize out to you ASAP or info to the sponsor ASAP.

 

Dragonology mini book and DS video game donation and #giveaway

December 2, 2009 · Filed Under charity, giveaway · 378 Comments (Edit)

  • Heather on December 7th, 2009 9:28 am (Edit)

    http://twitter.com/GiveAwayChick/statuses/6436465391

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  • Use Nancy’s Appetizers, petite Quiche for holiday gatherings #giveaway

    December 2, 2009 · Filed Under giveaway · 220 Comments (Edit)

    Danielle E. on December 13th, 2009 1:22 pm (Edit)

    tweet http://twitter.com/drellis500/status/6639919469

     

     

    White Christmas Happy Feet and Polar Express Holiday Pack #giveaway

    December 1, 2009 · Filed Under giveaway · 525 Comments (Edit)

  • Dawana on December 6th, 2009 3:52 pm (Edit)

    Tweet: http://twitter.com/JustTrynaWin/statuses/6414158642

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  • Winter’s Tail DS Donation and #giveaway

    December 1, 2009 · Filed Under giveaway · 246 Comments (Edit)

    Patti Bright on December 9th, 2009 5:18 am (Edit)

    tweeted :)
    http://twitter.com/plb8156/status/6495795913
    plb8156@aol.com

    One Lil Snap Hair Clip and Accessories #giveaway

    November 30, 2009 · Filed Under giveaway · 81 Comments (Edit)

    Gerrie S on December 1st, 2009 12:10 pm (Edit)

    I follow on twitter @shaeffermom

     

    Save Money with My Parent Rewards Cyber Monday Deals and #giveaway

    November 29, 2009 · Filed Under Mom Start Saving, giveaway · 43 Comments (Edit)

    Clarissa Neiding on November 30th, 2009 9:52 pm (Edit)

    http://clarissaneiding.blogspot.com/2009/12/win-at-momstart.html blogged 4

     

    Saving With Walmart on Thanksgiving and Christmas can be affordable

    November 26, 2009 · Filed Under giveaway · 634 Comments (Edit)

  • Jodi on November 26th, 2009 11:50 pm (Edit)

    The value for today is their Personalized Merry Christmas Canvas in various languages.

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    Darcy B on December 13th, 2009 11:59 pm (Edit)

    deal of the day is the Salton Santa Fe Quesadilla Maker–Happy Holidays! Thanks for thhe chance to win!
    kakihararocks@gmail.com

    Organic Baby Fresh Organics Shampoo & Wash and Bubble bath

    November 26, 2009 · Filed Under giveaway · 138 Comments (Edit)

  • Ki Ki on November 29th, 2009 12:30 pm (Edit)

    I like that it’s all natural.

    kikisb2002@yahoo.com

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    Hannah Montana’s BFF Emily Osment Christmas Gift Set

    November 24, 2009 · Filed Under giveaway · 68 Comments (Edit)

  • Laura DeLuca on November 30th, 2009 7:25 am (Edit)

    got your button #3

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    Blurt Board Game Review/Donation and Giveaway

    November 24, 2009 · Filed Under christmasguide, giveaway · 144 Comments (Edit)

  • Bridgette Groschen on November 27th, 2009 6:08 pm (Edit)

    Posted on Facebook:
    http://www.facebook.com/share.php?src=bm&u=http%3A%2F%2Fmomstart.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fblurt-board-game-reviewdonation-and-giveaway%2F&t=Blurt%20Board%20Game%20Review%2FDonation%20and%20Giveaway&v=3#/posted.php?id=100000184415722&share_id=181193343314&comments=1#s181193343314

  • Glade Candles Holiday Collection Review and Giveaway

    November 24, 2009 · Filed Under giveaway · 338 Comments (Edit)

    Natalie A. on December 8th, 2009 8:18 am (Edit)

    Tweet!
    http://twitter.com/natdey/status/6467429671

     

    Toothpaste Stages and when is it time to change

    November 22, 2009 · Filed Under christmasguide, donation, giveaway · 48 Comments (Edit)

    Kristy on December 1st, 2009 8:06 am (Edit)

    My daughter thinks it’s great to lay back on my lap while I brush her teeth, which I think is good because it gets her ready for the dentist!

    Scholastic Publishing presents Christmas to kids in two sure to be Holiday Favorites

    November 22, 2009 · Filed Under christmasguide, giveaway · 52 Comments (Edit)

    Shana on December 3rd, 2009 10:37 am (Edit)

    I’d love to get Merry Christmas: A keepsake storybook collection

     

    Brighten up your house with Partylite Decorations and win Christmas Around the World #giveaway

    November 21, 2009 · Filed Under giveaway · 367 Comments (Edit)

  • rachel dapelo on November 22nd, 2009 9:41 pm (Edit)

    OMG! i LOVE LOVE LOVE partylite candles! clean linen is my favorite, but i also love strawberry rhubarb, pear, and blueberry.

  • Food Network Cook or Be Cooked Video Game Review and #giveaway for the Wii

    November 17, 2009 · Filed Under giveaway · 592 Comments (Edit)

  • shelly aka allysmama on November 18th, 2009 9:54 am (Edit)

    blogged about the giveaway
    http://sweepnsave.blogspot.com/2009/11/mom-start-giveaway-food-network-cook-or.html
    bleatham(at)gmail.com
    entry 5

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

    November 15, 2009 · Filed Under giveaway · 389 Comments (Edit)

  • Heather McD on November 16th, 2009 8:08 am (Edit)

    I follow you on twitter- heathermcdougle

  • Do you send out Christmas Cards or e-mail them?

    The first year I was married I sent out Christmas Cards to everyone we knew. We already had the family list in our database so it was really easy to mail out cards. We made homemade cards out of a water color drawing that I did. So we just printed everything including the mailing addresses. The next year we had a computer crash and our database was never backed up so I used that as an excuse to not send out cards. So I haven’t sent out cards since.

    When my daughter was born I didn’t send out birth announcements. I can’t imagine how people get that done after the birth of a child.We never sent out Birth Announcements  for my son either. But last year we did send out some magnets to everyone.

    This year I’ve been receiving cards from companies that I’ve been working with and I’ve been wondering if I should be sending them cards as well. I mean it would be the nice thing to do but what do I send.  I also want to teach my children a better example. If they see me doing Christmas cards or birthday cards then they will learn to do it too. Do you think e-mail cards are good enough, or what about Birthday Cards? My daughter’s birthday is so close to Christmas that her Birthday presents and cards all come at the same time.

    How do you send your birthday cards or does it depend on the person? Do you send some people real cards or is that old fashioned? I’m just wondering what is becoming the norm. with everyone turning to on-line. I think e-cards seem to be acceptable now. What do I teach my kids and am I just being crazy?

    Someone asked in a comment if I like receiving real cards.

    Yes I do, I agree that cards mean so much more when they are delivered in the mail and you open them and you can place them on the mantel. I love receiving cards, it’s just so hard to mail them. Don’t know why making that trip to the mail box is so difficult though.

    American Express 50.00 Gift Cards Holiday #giveaway

    vertical gift card When it comes to blogging I’m a huge procrastinator. I can always find an excuse to not write that review. When it comes to shopping, I’m just into “whatever is the simplest let’s do that”. I wouldn’t call myself a shopping procrastinator but more of a hater of shopping. Never would have guessed that about a mommy blogger would you? But if you asked me if I still have Christmas Shopping to do? The truth would be yes.

    I need to get a gift for my parents, all four of them. Ooops, I was going to make photo books again but I never got it done. I’m so embarrassed.

    Did you know that this is the last Saturday before Christmas, it’s the Super Bowl for shopping, I mean, this day can be bigger than the day after Thanksgiving. Super Saturday is coming up fast and American Express wants to be there for you.

    Just Purchase an American Express Gift Card.

     

    American Express Gift Cards come in denominations of $25, $50, $100, and $200, and are available for purchase online at www.americanexpress.com/gift, and at over 70,000 retailers nationwide

     

    American Express Gift Cards are 100% gift, and 0% fees for:

    • activation
    • checking a balance
    • monthly servicing or card replacement
    • AND the funds on the card never expire  

    This year you can pick up a special gift card with unique styles.  The styles for Holiday 2009 include:

    • Limited edition designs by pop-artist Peter Max, best known for his recent Presidential portraits and “Cosmic” art of the 1960s
    • New customizable gift card designs so buyers can write personal messages to the recipients

     

    Gift cards are expected to top wish lists everywhere this holiday

     

    Peter Max card

    There is no way I can get these cards in your hands before Christmas so I’m going to offer them as after Christmas treats you can use yourself. Hey, don’t even tell your spouse if you want. keep it to yourself, or share it if you want. Donate it to your local charity. I have 10 50.00 Gift Cards to giveaway.

     

    To Enter:

    American Express wants to know what you will buy yourself with it.

    Extra Entries:

    Advertise this giveaway on any giveaway site and tell me where you advertised it. 2 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 5 extra entries
    Tweet the giveaway (every time you tweet you get an entry) Link to the giveaway please!!!

    Leave a comment for every entry

    The contest will run until December 31st 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.