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ER The Final Season, Season 15 on DVD July 12th

July 7, 2011 By 1 Comment

ER was my favorite TV show for years. YEARS. I think ER started when I started high school. In 1994, I could google it to make sure I have the year right, but I’m pretty sure it was the same year I started high school. Anyways, I started watching it because my mom watched it all the time. I was quickly addicted and fell in love with Dr. John Carter (Noah Wylie). So I watched him grow, and develop over the years. I watched him get stabbed in the back and was shocked to my core. I saw him recover from a drug addiction and lose a baby with his wife. When he left the show, I debated even continuing on with my ER addiction, because yes by then it was a full fledged addiction. I wasn’t blogging then, so I needed something to do and TV was my THING. So I kept on watching it. I was quite pleased that they brought him back for a few episodes that last season. It just wouldn’t have been right to end the show without him. ER Season 15 the final chapter for the ER family comes to DVD on July 12th.

1000181950DVDLEFSynopsis: With sirens wailing, an ambulance pulls into the bay. Doctors coping with too little sleep and too many patients rush to help, making split-second judgments that can mean the difference between life and death. Gurneys roll. Tensions rise. Medical miracles — or heartbreaks — unfold. And the final season of ER goes out as it came in 15 seasons before — with an electrifying mix of complex characters, rich storylines, brisk pacing and kinetic style. Favorite characters from the past (some you expect, some may surprise you) return in this 22-episode valedictory season of the series that shattered the mold for medical dramas. You’ve come to the right place. Check in one last, momentous time at County General.

Available on DVD:      July 12th

Feel free to check out the “Dead Son” Clip

 

Who was your favorite character in ER?

 

We received a sample from Warner Brothers to facilitate this review.

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Tasty Treat Thursday: I Want Marshmallow Cookies Mom

July 7, 2011 By 9 Comments

My son loves sweets; he gets it honest enough. We always seem to have marshmallows on hand – s’mores in the summer and hot cocoa in the winter. My sons love marshmallows. My children also know what I love to bake and cookies are easy enough to throw together and slap into the oven, and they cook so quickly … it’s immediate gratification! My 4YO has been asking for weeks now for marshmallow cookies. I thought he’d drop it but he hasn’t. So today I decided to make some. I thought long and hard about what type of cookie to make and in the end (this time) I decided to settle on making a honey cookie with marshmallows and chocolate mixed in.

marshmallow cookie

This ended up making 3 dozen for me and I did roll each cookie into a ball for placement and cooking. This recipe makes a sticky dough and a fluffy cookie. ENJOY!

Marshmallow Cookie Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup honey
½ cup Agave
½ cup CalNaturale svelte spiced chai
2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick oats
½ cup wheat germ
½ cup ground flaxseed
2 cups mini-marshmallows, frozen
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

clip_image004DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350oF. Grease cookie sheet.

2. Mix all ingredients except marshmallows and chocolate. When well combined add marshmallows and chocolate chips; dough is very sticky, use the “stir” speed on your Kitchen Aid stand mixer to help mix-in the final two ingredients.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE. Remove promptly from cookie sheet and allow to cool on wax paper for 20 minutes before moving to serving dish.

About Summer:

Summer is the President of our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm.

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Lime Steak Stir Fry Recipe

July 6, 2011 By 16 Comments

I created this recipe a few months ago. I love eating steak and my husband only likes it if it’s cooked perfectly. So I was quite nervous coming up with my own recipe for CSS (Certified Steak and Seafood Company). They sent me some of the best steak I’ve ever had, that or my recipe is just that good. I’m going to say it’s a combination of both.

Lime Steak Stir Fry

Here’s my Lime Steak Stir Fry Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Steak For each person
1 ½ cups of Lime Ponzu Sauce
¼ cup of honey
Carrots
Baby Corn
Red Peppers
Brown Rice

Marinade recipe:

Mix together 1 ½ cups of Lime Ponzu Sauce and ¼ cup of honey.

Cut the meat into strips and marinate the meat 4 hours to overnight.

Stir Fry Recipe:

You can use a little bit of oil to stir fry the vegetables or just use the marinade. Cook the veggies until they are almost tender and then add the steak. I usually add the entire amount of marinade to the veggies. You might want to add ½ a cup more Ponzu sauce or Soy Sauce if you like more of a sauce over your rice than dry rice. Cook the steak for 3-5 minutes making sure it’s done to your satisfaction.

Cook the brown rice

Serve over rice.

 

CSS sent me the steak and featured my Lime Steak Recipe on their Facebook page.

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New Summertime Ice Cream Treats Giveaway

July 6, 2011 By 634 Comments

It’s National Ice Cream month and I’m ready for ice cream. Honestly, I’ve had some form of ice cream every night since this month began. I love ice cream, so does my husband, so do my children. We’re just an ice cream family. I love chocolate ice cream, peanut butter ice cream, and cookie ice cream. Ok, so I like just about any ice cream I’ve met.

In honor of Ice Cream Month, Unilever is introducing new ice cream flavors across the board. Three of their brands, Popsicle, Breyers, and Klondike are releasing new summertime ice cream treat flavors.

For Breyers, the Breyers Blast line is growing. Moms will love the new Breyers Blasts! line, which features delicious mix-ins from America’s best-loved candy and cookie brands blasted into every bite. We let the kids pick out the flavor they wanted and they chose, Oreo Cookies & Cream Chocolate.

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Other Breyers Blast flavors to choose from:

Mrs Fields Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough
Whoppers The Original Malted Milk Balls
Chips Ahoy! Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oreo Cookies & Cream Mint (my husband wanted to get this flavor)
Mrs Fields Chocolate Fudge Brownie
Mrs Fields Mint Fudge Brownie
Waffle Cone Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Oreo Cookies & Cream
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
Snickers Caramel Swirl Chunk
Heath English Toffee

And I loved the Breyer’s Blast Chocolate Oreo flavor. I loved the quantity and size of all the Oreo cookies pieces within the chocolate ice cream.

For Klondike moms and dads will rejoice at the sheer awesomeness of the new Klondike varieties such as the new Mint Chocolate Chip bar and What the Fudge? Brownie sandwich.

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Personally I can’t wait to try the What the Fudge. MMM, currently I have the Klondike Heath bars in my freezer. I love the Heath, and I was very tempted to get the Klondike Caramel Pretzel flavor, that sweet and salty variation is always a favorite. Other new varieties for Klondike:

Klondike Mint Chocolate Chip Bar
Klondike Rocky Road Bar
Klondike Choco Taco

My Kids are crazy about the Popsicles right now. Your kids will go bonkers for the new Popsicle offerings (I know mine will)! The new Jolly Rancher Awesome Twosome and AirHeads ice pops are colorful and bursting with the same bold fruity flavors that kids know and love from Jolly Rancher and AirHeads candy.

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What family doesn’t have a REESE’S peanut butter lover? And now there’s REESE’S Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cups! These bars feature peanut butter ice cream with a REESE’S peanut butter swirl dipped in a milk chocolate flavored coating. Yum! Yum! Yum!

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, ellen.

We received samples to facilitate this review.

Unilever is committed to transparent communication. They provided me with coupons from Unilever/Breyers/Popsicle/Klondike to keep and to use for the giveaway portion of this post.

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Reduced Environmental Footprint with iQ Cleaning Solution

July 6, 2011 By 10 Comments

I’d call myself a brand loyalist. I have select brands I love to use in my life, and I use them religiously. For my cleaning I use a store bought concentration. I fill the bottles myself and am sometimes too lazy to use a funnel so I lose valuable product and it really is money down the drain depending on that day’s aim. I have recently been converted to a REFill® (Reduced Environmental Footprint) cartridge technology by the iQ cleaning line which involves reusable bottles and no mess, perfectly measured concentrated cleaning solution for my entire house.

iq cleaner

EASY! In the first picture, is the reusable bottle and cartridge (so you know what you’re looking for). The middle picture is the reusable bottle filled with water to the premeasured line. The cartridge has been placed and rests on top of the bottle; a hole in the middle of the cartridge is just the perfect size for the straw of the spray nozzle. The last picture is me attaching the spray nozzle to the bottle at which time the cartridge released the cleaning concentrate. Brilliant, no? Any the best part … wait for it … no, don’t … YOUR CHILDREN can do it! Get your children to help you clean and making it fun as they can watch the mixture form. “The mix” is made from plant based and ecologically sustainable ingredients.

The iQ cleaning line, brought to us by Planet People, reduces plastic waste by 80% by having purchasers switch to 3½-inch REFIlls eliminating the need to product millions of fill-sized plastic containers. iQ also helps save the environment by not shipping “water” across the continent. Erin Green, president of Plant People, “It takes an astonishing gallon of crude oil to make just 29 bottles of household cleaner and even more to transport it across the country or continent. For a product that is 95% water, the costs to the environment – and to the consumer – just don’t add up.”

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The iQ Starter Kit, which includes your refillable bottler and one REFill cartridge, will run you about $5. Then a REFill replacement cartridge will only dig into your pocket for approximately $2 each.

I love iQ. It cleans perfectly, smells great (you know the clean smell – they have it nailed with hints of green tea, bamboo berry, nectarine and plum), and is easy to use! Highly, highly, highly recommended from me; as I stated, I’ve converted to iQ.

You can purchase Plant People products, including iQ and REFill cartridges on Drugstore.com, Alice.com, or a local retailer near you. Locate the Planet People on their website, and also find iQ cleaning products on their site. Find out more about iQ cleaner by Liking iQ Cleaner on Facebook. Track the Planet People and their products on Twitter @PlanetPeopleCo.

Disclosure – A product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

About Summer:

Summer is very active in our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm.

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How to Throw a Cars 2 Party With Mattel Discount Code

July 5, 2011 By 9 Comments

My son is all about Cars, the last party we had for him was just us but we still decorated in Cars. Now that’s it’s all about Cars 2 I imagine that next year we’ll be using Cars 2 as our theme. When throwing any kind of party first you have to start with decorations and when it comes to kids, it’s best to go over the top. We checked out our local Target and found a great selection of Cars 2 decorations, cars 2 invitations, cars 2 party favors and cars 2 thank you cards.

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Now what kind of goodies will you serve?

I have two really great Cars 2 themed ideas for snack time at your Cars 2 party. You have to check out these Cars 2 Whitewall Tire Cookies and these Tow Mater Cupcakes. Both are sure to be a hit.

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After you get all the decorations and snacks taken care of, you’ll have to think of some games. Since Cars 2 is about traveling the world it’s a great learning opportunity with your friends and play mates. Get out a world map and discuss different cities and what you would like to see and visit. Example:

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· Lightning McQueen and Mater visit the streets of Japan and Europe throughout film. Develop a wish list of places to visit and chart out a dream road trip using stickers and a world map.

Another Cars 2 party game idea is to make license plates. With cardstock paper and glitter glue, kids can create their own license plate design. And one finally idea I had was for you to let each kid pick a double digit number and they can decorate it pin it to them. Then you can take them outside for a race around your front or back yard.

And you can’t have a Cars 2 Party without Cars 2 Toys right?

Mattel has provided us with this discount code to use for the rest of the summer.

· CARS2BL
Offer: 20% off all Cars 2 items until 8/1
Limitations: One user per customer, limit 5 units per order

Here are some Cars 2 Toys and activities you can do at your party with them.

Race for “World’s Fastest Car” Title

· Perform Lightning McQueen’s stunts from the movie by loading two Cars into the Cars 2 Tokyo Spinout Track Set set’s dual launchers to watch the vehicles zip, whirl and race to victory.

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Secret Agent Man

· Invent spy missions and take Cars 2 Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile with you to crack the case. Loaded with top secret spy weapons, firing missiles, sound effects and thrilling transformations, kids will become super sleuths.

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Ka Chow!  Cars 2 Grand Prix

· Recreate scenes from the Cars 2 movie, like the final World Grand Prix Championship race scene. Create a race course from point A to point B. Line up the Lights and Sounds Die-Cast Assortment Cars and designate someone to start the race with the checkered racing flag.  Kids push their cars to the finish line.  The real working headlights, revving sounds and signature phrases of the Die-Cast will make it feel like Lightning McQueen and friends are really speeding around the course to take home the win.

If you’re anything like us you already have a house full of Cars die cast cars. So I thought it would be fun to have a quick conversation about die cast cars with Miles.

We received samples from Mattel to facilitate this review.

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Wordless Wednesday: Pampers Miracle Mission Special Delivery

July 5, 2011 By 34 Comments

Sorry, this week isn’t so wordless, but you can still ink up at the bottom!

As part of my Pampers Miracle Project, I went to visit the charity that I’m going to be working with in September. I chose Special Delivery, a local charity that helps pregnant mothers that have no other support. Six mothers can live on site as they prepare to have their babies and if they decide to give up their child for adoption Special Delivery helps them find adoptive parents. Special Delivery also helps single moms with a weekly support group.

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They provide clothing for mom

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clothing for baby and kids

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Where the weekly single mom support group meets:

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Children play during the support group:

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Community Living Room:

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Living Space:

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Other meeting room:

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Now this is where I’m going to be helping them. Each week to help support the single moms, they allow moms to take a package of diapers and wipes home with them. But they are out of size four, five and six. They are also very very low on lotions, pacifiers and things they use to give to the new moms after giving birth.

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I’m going to be buying diapers with the money that Pampers gave me and asking friends in the community to donate wipes and other small items that Special Delivery can use to fill up the empty shelves.

 

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Understanding Helmet Safety & Raskullz Helmet Review

July 5, 2011 By 5 Comments

There is a lot to think about as the summer gets underway. As you think about your child’s protection don’t forget the sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, proper clothing … and their HELMET! Be sure your children are wearing helmets properly and that they’re wearing it every time they ride a scooter, board, bike, etc. “Fo Yo Melon!”

helmet safety

Now you need to choose a helmet, or rather your children need to choose a helmet. I promise you they’ll be thrilled if you purchase them a Raskullz helmet. These are 3D helmets that offer the same protection as other company’s boarding pictures-on helmets. Raskullz come in Brain Bunny (pink, purple plaid, or blue), Buggins (pink, red lady bug, or yellow bee), Cutie Cat (leopard print purple, solid teal, or solid pink), Giddi Yup (black, pink, or purple), Go-Rilla (black, blue, or magenta), McChewsy (blue, pink, or yellow), Mohawk (black, blue, or red), Radgon (green, red, and yellow) and Shark Attax (black & blue, neon yellow, or gray). You can find every style in the Raskullz store and you can find selected assortments in local stores near you.

raskullz helmet assortment

Children are hitting the trails, sidewalks, streets and learning on backyard sports courts and in park lots around the nation … so do it all in STYLE! My son LOVES his Raskullz helmet! He first saw his friend Ian in a black and blue Shark Attax helmet at the park, so it wasn’t surprising to me he wanted one. Raskullz gave us a neon yellow Shark Attax to inspect and review. Both my son and I love the look of the helmet. The 3D construction is sturdy so I feel confident and recommending a purchase like this to parents. As far as the helmet, it has a shock absorbing EPS inner shell, offers aerodynamic cooling vents, and adjustable straps. Raskullz is high quality style and safety.

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If you like the look, peruse the Raskullz store and discover more than their helmets. Raskullz currently offers bike accessories and protective gear as well. Soon the Raskullz store will also offer bikes, scooters, skateboards, backpacks, school supplies, stationary, and other gear. You can Like Raskullz on Facebook [] and tracked them on Twitter @Raskullz to be the first to know about what’s new.

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Disclosure – A product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

About Summer:

Summer is very active in our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm.

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Fantastic Savings Every Day Totsy

July 4, 2011 By 158 Comments

I’ve been watching my friends on Facebook save money with Totsy for months now. Wondering if I should join in on the huge savings available there and I’ve finally decided to jump on the bandwagon and get me some really great deals on things I need. Totsy is an online private-sale site dedicated to offering apparel, gear, accessories and more for moms, kids and families. Part of the savings fun is sharing with friends, you can gain Totsy credits for free when you invite your friends to join! When your friend receives their first purchase, you will receive $15 in Totsy credits.

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Secretly Designed Wall Art 11.00 originally 24.00

Every day you can save up to 90% off merchandise on top-name brands. Yes you read that right, top name brands and up to 90% off. I’m really not sure why I waited so long.

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Modern Me clothing 8.25 originally 14.00

Another aspect about Totsy that is near and dear to my heart is that they are a very green oriented company. They recycle at the office, use less packaging materials when shipping products, and they support eco-friendly partners whenever possible. They have partnered with TerraPass, and reduced their carbon footprint by reducing their carbon emissions and sponsoring clean energy and carbon reduction projects. They’re also the first company in private sales to adopt socially responsible business practices. Check out Totsy’s One Baby One Tree program. For every new member who makes a purchase, Totsy plants a tree in their child’s name in a reforestation site in Peru so far, they have planted over 25,000 trees in Peru!

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Colour Works Clothing 12.75 originally 30.00

imageA Tat r’ Tots Plush Blanket (retail $64, super soft and cuddly)

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Shari Klyn.

We received samples to facilitate this review.

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Food Ideas from Appetizer to Main Course: What to Take to a Barbeque

July 4, 2011 By 17 Comments

It’s full on summer now and Barbeques are taking place in backyards everywhere. Now you may find yourself invited to one and wonder what you should take. I’ve got a few fun ideas that I came up with when I was challenged by Hormel to come up with a full Barbeque meal plan using Hormel products. When I’m looking for new recipe ideas, of course the first place I look is in magazines, cook books and the internet. So here are some ideas I found for the next barbeque at allrecipes.com, Hormel recipes, and food network.

Appetizer ideas:

You could go all out and make something like Cheesy Barbeque Nachos

Cheesy Barbeque nachos

picture from Hormel

Or grind up some Hormel Pork Tenderloin and make Pork Meatballs and serve on tooth picks.

pork meatballs

picture from all recipes

or just put together some cheese pepperoni and crackers. I used ingredients I had on hand to make the kids a quick fun appetizer that smiles at them.

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my picture

Main Course Ideas:

When it comes to going to a barbeque verses hosting the barbeque you want something that’s really portable. One thing my family loves to eat is barbeque pork and I cook that in the slow cooker all day long in barbeque sauce. Then I pull it apart or use the food processor to shred it. I usually add even more barbeque sauce and then use it to make something else. Last time I cooked pork this way I made barbeque quesadillas. Easy to stack and take with you to a party.

barbeque quesadilla

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This Bacon Quiche recipe I found on all recipes.com looks like a great portable dish to try too.

bacon quiche

picture from all recipes

Side Dish ideas:

Make a salad with baked Pepperoni toppings. Last night I had a salad from Red Robin and my favorite part was the baked pepperoni. So think about topping your next salad with Hormel’s pepperoni after baking it in the oven making it a crispy salad topping.

peperoni salad

picture from Hormel

Baked Beans are always a hit at my family gatherings.

baked beans

picture from Hormel

Make some changes to this Bacon Wrapped asparagus recipe using the microwavable Hormel bacon.

 

We didn’t do anything really big this year for the Fourth of July. Last year we had a block party and the whole neighborhood got together. With many of our friends on vacation, we had a quiet meal at home. I cooked out of a magazine trying some of the new recipes I listed above and we played some family games inside staying cool.

 

 

I’ve been compensated as a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger. Thoughts and opinions are my own as this is exactly how I would go about planning what I would take to a barbeque.

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