Comment number seven:
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We recently started playing family basketball in the kitchen. Mommy and son against daddy and daughter. It is a great time to spend with the family
Mother’s Day Giveaway Winners
May 10, 2010 By 2 Comments
Kohl’s Mother’s Day Diamond Earrings Giveaway
May 5, 2010 By Momstart 458 Comments (Edit)
252
My mom never buys anything nice for herself and I’d love to be able to spoil her
Mother’s Day Kate Hines Delicate Drops Necklace Giveaway
April 17, 2010 By Momstart 775 Comments (Edit)
194
Night Time Potty Training Tips
May 10, 2010 By 7 Comments
We’ve finally had success in potty training. I can’t tell you how long I fought with my daughter and even still we have a few issues but we are out of diapers and I feel like we have reached success. One of the most confusing parts of potty training to me was night time training. How do you help your child go all through the night? I asked friends, looked on-line, and in the end let Zoe decide.
Here are a few tips.
Turn on the light in the bathroom or get a night light: My daughter is terrified of the shadows at night so at night I turn the bathroom light on and tell her that she will be safe in the bathroom at night. The light comforts her and she’s been going in.
Use a toilet paper they prefer or something that excites them: Thanks to Mom Bloggers Club, we received the new Cottonelle Toilet paper and my daughter loves it. She was upset with me when the roll ended and I went back to Charmin, so I actually switched it back to Cottenelle until I’m sure she’s going to go at night as well as during the day. It is something small that means so much to her. Stickers in the morning, and a chocolate chip if she goes number 2 also inspire great things.
Use Pull Ups for going through the night: Pull ups will help them to feel cool and wake up to finish going potty in the bathroom while keeping the bed dry. My daughter looses it whenever she has an accident and I know that the Pull Ups are helping her self esteem. When she wakes up dry she is so proud of herself and tells both mommy and daddy her good news.
Still great tips, but didn’t work for us:
Limit the water at night: we never did this one. My kids are such big drinkers that I never wanted to discourage water. They even take their water to bed with them. But this was one of the tips given to me. I’m sure it helps some parents
Wake them up at night: when you get up at night to take a potty break you should wake them up and tell them it is time to go potty. This one never worked for us. I did try it, but every time she would say no, or throw a fit. It wasn’t worth it to us to have a fight in the middle of the night.
The Reality
She did it all on her own. I tried this and that, but Zoe made the choice to potty train. She decided she was ready and is very proud of her decision. As a mother who has fought the battle, my biggest piece of advice is to be patient.
Return the Love to Mom Western Union Giveaway
May 10, 2010 By 1,574 Comments
So Mother’s Day was yesterday and we spent the day honoring mom, right? Well, why does mom only get one day. Think about it. Mother’s are the glue to families. We run the house, we make sure everything gets taken care of. We are the teachers, we are the nurse maids, we are the painters, the household managers; there is not a job that we don’t do. Even in my house where I consider the trash to be my husband’s job, I do it often. We just keep everything moving forward, always ready for the unexpected. With kids, there is always something new around the corner.
Like Miles running after his friend and not looking where he was going. He had a wipe out. I was terrified that he broke his nose but it was just a bruise and he was fine.
I kissed the boo boo and many other boo boo’s all year round just like any other mom. It’s not until you have your own children that you can truly appreciate your own mother. I love you mom, and you too Teresa!
Western Union is still honoring moms with their Return the Love Campaign. By uploading a photo to the Return the love gallery on flickr you can show off how special your mother is. Each week new pictures will be featured on Western Union.
Two Weeks ago Western Union even had a concert at Camp Pendleton in San Diego for military families. The concert featured Wyclef Jean and Paulina Rubio and gave moms and families a nice way to celebrate love. There are plenty of ways to show love to those you care about. Western Union is always there for you if you need to send some money to someone you love in need.
Enter to win:
I have 5 50.00 Visa Gift Cards (provided by Western Union)
To Enter:
Tell me one way you can go out of your way to make mom feel special.
Extra Entries:
Upload a photo to Return the Love on Flickr (5 extra entries)
Become a fan of Western Union on Facebook (2 extra)
Tweet:
RT @MomStart: Return the Love 50.00 Visa GC #Giveaway 5 winners http://bit.ly/9YTmIU #contest
Follow me on twitter tell me your twitter ID
Comment on any other non-giveaway post
Advertise this giveaway on any giveaway site, your blog, or your facebook page and tell me where you advertised it (include link to giveaway).
Subscribe to my blog
Use any of the share options below, digg, stumble…2 entries each
The contest will run until May 24th 11:59 pm Pacific. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.
Western Union is sending me a 50.00 Visa for myself, and they sent me 5 other visa cards to giveaway.
Baby Looney Tunes Happily Healthy Nursery Room Makeover Giveaway
May 9, 2010 By 108 Comments
Remember when I introduced the 8 week program I am going to be part of two weeks ago. Well the fun part for everyone starts this week. On Tuesday I will post the first of the weekly giveaways. This is for the Grand Prize!
Warner Brothers and Dra. Aliza have been working together and we want to raise awareness of their efforts to teach mothers how to take care of their children. Happily Healthy offers fun, and engaging ways to nurture your baby over a series of videos and posts on Mom Logic. One of the most engaging tactics is that you can ask her questions directly though an e-mail contact form. Ensuring you are getting the answers directly from the expert herself. For Spanish speaking mother’s, all the information can be found at VidaySalud.com. Information can also be found by following Baby Looney Tunes on twitter and becoming a fan of Baby Looney Tunes on Facebook.
Quoted from my Baby Looney Tunes announcement
I’m giving away a complete crib makeover:
Makeover includes a comforter, 4-sided bumper, crib sheet, and dust ruffle. Simply visit Baby Looney Tunes on twitter or Baby Looney Tunes on Facebook page to find the key word of the week (there will be one each week, announced on each Tuesday). Then tell me what code is in this form: (If you have any questions please e-mail me: louise@looksblue.com
To Enter:
Tell me what the keyword is in the form and then leave a comment in the comments saying you left the keyword there. Do not leave the keyword in the comments please:
Extra Entries:
After you have left the keyword in the form…
Tweet:
@happily_healthy and @momstart are giving away a crib makeover http://bit.ly/954cIZ #giveaway #contest
Comment on any other Happily Healthy Post
Advertise this giveaway on any giveaway site, your blog, or your facebook page and tell me where you advertised it (include link to giveaway).
Subscribe to my blog
The contest will run until June 29th 11:59 pm Pacific. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.
This is part of a campaign with Warner Brothers, I may receive a few samples later down the road to facilitate a review.
Lattes and Cappuccinos at home Tassimo T20 Review
May 9, 2010 By 13 Comments
I have a Keurig machine that we have been using for a long time, and I thought it was be best thing since sliced bread, until I started using the Tassimo. Bosch has spoiled me to no end by sending me their new Tassimo T20 single serve coffee brewer. Both machines have the ability to make a cup of coffee but only the Tassimo can go the extra mile. I’m smitten with having the ability to make my own Lattes and Cappuccinos with the press of a button.
To make a cup of coffee:
With all of the single serve machines you first have to prime it by running water through it.
Then you have to put a T disc (the coffee flavor comes in a T Disc with a barcode on it) with the barcode down. It is this bar code that determines how much water that you need for the particular type of coffee you are going to make. Not only does the barcode determine how much water you make, but how long to brew it, the temperature and the size of the drink.
To make a specialty drink:
Add water to the machine
Grab the milk T DISC and steam your milk
Then take out the milk T DISC and replace it with a cappuccino T Disc.
Can you tell how frothy the milk is? It’s amazing. It’s like going to Starbucks but It’s not a big chore. You know, getting the kids in and out of a coffee shop without spilling something is considered a miracle.
Bosch partnered with Kraft Foods to offer more than 40 hot beverage T DISC flavors from some of the industry’s most popular brands. Because of having so many choices and brands to choose from, I find that the Tassimo wins over the Keurig.
The only negative:
If you want to make a cup of tea, and just create some hot water, you have to find the T-disc. It is located at the back of the machine, and it is bright yellow. It took us forever to find it, we were looking in the box, we were about to look in the trash for it, but then my husband finally understood the directions said it is on the back of the machine. We did look at the directions but still found them to be a little confusing.
Husband’s Thoughts:
My husband knew that I loved using it so he purchased me more coffee to use for Mother’s Day. We are now both enjoying Caramel Lattes. I consider him to be a coffee snob, and when he had my caramel latte today he said, “Wow, Wow, This is good, This is really really really good!”. So now, he’s drinking my Mother’s Day present, but I think they sell the disks at Wal-Mart so I’m going to have to get me some more.
Recommended Flavors:
Gevalia Caramel Latte Macchiato
Gevalia Cappuccino
Purchase:
The TASSIMO T20 by Bosch is at Target stores and Target.com for $129.99 with promotional pricing available.
I received the Tassimo and a few coffee samples free of charge to facilitate this review.
Happy Mother’s Day
May 9, 2010 By 6 Comments
Happy Mother’s Day everyone!. A mother’s job is never done and today is that one day that we are being recognized for all of the hard work we do. Are you doing anything special? We’re just hanging out today. My husband and daughter made me breakfast, we had strawberry cheesecake pancakes and they were delicious. My daughter was able to keep a secret form me about my present. Her daddy was smart enough to wait until the night before to tell her what I was getting. I heard her saying, “is it pink? Can I show it to her”. She was able to wait all night and the next morning. They made me a photo coffee mug and gave it to me a day early 
. You know how I have to have my coffee every day, making it the perfect gift for me. So I’m drinking my coffee and the rest of the day is going to be spent like this on the floor playing with the kids. I love my job!
I hope you have a nice relaxing day and that someone is doing something nice for you today.
What is your Favorite Memory In The Kitchen
May 8, 2010 By 1,658 Comments
Growing up, there weren’t a lot of opportunities for me to learn how to cook in the kitchen. My stepmom is an amazing cook but she was always busy and said it would take too long to cook with us, and when I lived with my mother, she was never home at dinner time because she was always working so I cooked dinner for the whole family by myself. I still found myself comfortable in the kitchen thanks to my grandmother. If you go over to my grandmother’s house, she always has cookies in a cookie tin above her china hutch. It’s tradition! One of the ways she kept it full over the years was that whenever I went over to visit we would make cookies. We made chocolate chip cookies all the time.
Now that I have my own children I’m starting to let them help me in the kitchen. It is very hard for me to do because I can’t stand not being in control of the mess. I clean the kitchen as I go and having the kids in there gets out of hand wickedly fast, so I completely understand why my stepmom never wanted to cook with us as kids. My kids and I always do all of our cooking in the kitchen around our KitchenAid Stand Mixer. My husband spoiled me for my birthday this year and upgraded our KitchenAid to the Professional series. I’m quite excited about the upgrade because of the bigger bowl and the new beautiful red color.
The first item for us to make in it was testing out the Ice Cream attachment. We made Double Chocolate ice cream.
Day One: Mixing
Ingredients:
2 Cups Whipping Cream Divided
2 squares semisweet baking chocolate
2 suares unsweetened baking chocolate
2 cups half and half
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
8 egg yolks
4 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
Make sure your ice cream attachment is in the freezer getting cold
In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate and 1/2 cup of the whipping cream over medium low heat stirring frequently
Remove from heat set aside
In a medium saucepan heat the half and half until very hot but not boiling, stirring often
Remove from heat set aside
In a small bowl combine sugar and cocoa powder. Set aside
Place egg yolks in mixer bowl. Use speed 2 and gradually add sugar mixture. Mix about 30 seconds. Continuing on Speed 2, very gradually add chocolate mixtures and half and half; mix until well blended.
Return all of the mixture to medium saucepan, stirring constantly cook over medium heat until small bubbles form around edge and mixture is steamy. Do not boil. 
Transfer half and half mixture into large bowl; stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, vanilla, and salt cover and chill thoroughly at least 8 hours.
Day Two: Ice Cream
Assemble and engage the ice cream attachment to the KitchenAid Stand 
Use stir setting 1
pour ice cream mixture into the ice cream attachment
Stir for 15 minutes
Eat or Place mixture in a freezer safe container and freeze
KitchenAid let me do a live giveaway of their 90th Anniversary KitchenAid Stand Mixer
To Enter:
Leave a comment and tell us what your favorite memory in the Kitchen is.
Extra Entries: only 3
You can only do these once a day!
Follow KitchenAid on twitter, Follow me on twitter and tweet (1 entry):
I just shared my Favorite Kitchen Memory to win a KitchenAid Stand Mixer http://bit.ly/dv78LL #giveaway #contest
Become a fan of KitchenAid on Facebook and leave a message on your status (1 entry)
I just shared my Favorite Kitchen Memory to win a KitchenAid Stand Mixer http://bit.ly/dv78LL
Subscribe to my blog (1 entry)
Giveaway Ends June 5th! All rules can be found under giveaway rules. Please leave a new comment for each entry!
Freschetta Pizza Kit Giveaway
May 8, 2010 By 428 Comments
Last week I wrote a Freschetta Flatbread Review, and Freschetta is so pleased with the review that they are sending out a prize package like the one I received to one of my readers. You will receive:
The Pizza Stone, the Pizza Cutter, An Oven Mitt, and coupons for free pizza. Five free pizza coupons. 
The new Freschetta FlatBread was inspired by legendary thin crust pizzas of Italy. They began with a light crust and added quite flavorful toppings. The kinds of toppings that even picky eaters loved. (moms will be buying it after today’s party I assure you) For more information on Freschetta, follow Freschetta on twitter and become a fan on facebook.
Quoted from my Freschetta Flatbread Review
Save when buying:
Use this 1.00 off Freschetta Flat Bread Coupon
I made a mistake in the entry process and the end date of the giveaway. See Changes below.
To Enter:
follow Freschetta on twitter
Tweet:
Freschetta FlatBread Pizza Kit #Giveaway http://bit.ly/d8MUtZ #contest #Freschetta
The contest will run until May 21st See Official Rules
