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You’ve got a giveaway, I want to know about it! Oh, and if you list your giveaway on Mom Start Facebook page then I will tweet it out to all of my twitter followers. If you could link directly to the giveaway you want me to tweet that would be very helpful. At 16,563 followers and growing all the time! Cool? I hope so!
I’ve got a few giveaways you might want to check out too!
Guess what guys, I’m doing a fantastic giveaway event with three other bloggers next week. It’s the largest value giveaway I’ve ever done, it’s called the Stocking Stuffer Savings Giveaway sponsored by PromotionalCodes.com.
In our house we love to fill up stockings and finding things can be tricky at times. Kids I think are easy but adults that’s where the challenge comes in. So if you’re stuck on stocking stuffer ideas we’ve got you covered!
From December 1-12, you’ll have a chance to win some of this year’s best gifts during the PromotionalCodes.com Stocking Stuffer Savings event, hosted me MomStart, Aubut Family and Mommies with Cents. All prizes are provided by PromotionalCodes.com, a go-to hub for online coupons, offers and printable coupons during the holiday season and beyond.
From health and beauty products to gourmet chocolates and tech-savvy products, we’ll be featuring and giving away a unique collection of gifts on each blog. This means that entering each blogger’s giveaway will give you the best chances for winning! The full list of giveaway items will be revealed at the kick-off on December 1, but here’s a sneak peek at some of the prizes and I find them to be outstanding. What do you think?
- HTC Rhyme, a $550 value
- Ghiradelli Chocolate Gift Basket, $130 value
- Tazer Gun, a $400 value
- Skin Care by Alana beauty products, $100 value
And many more! Remember, starting December 1, come here to enter for your chance to win gifts for yourself or loved ones that are sure to impress this holiday season.
With all these great prizes, this is an event not to be missed. Stay tuned for more details, everyone!
It’s Thanksgiving day and we celebrated with some friends this year. We were asked to bring something that our family loves to eat and that was EASY. We all love olives. I like green ones and the rest of them like black olives. 
The holidays pose the perfect opportunity to hold a small gathering with close friends, but oftentimes we avoid hosting even a small party with the fear of having to spend hours planning. I never spend hours planning and still love hosting events. So, this year, try holding a low-key cocktail and appetizer party with a few family members or friends! Make it as simple or as complicated as you like.
I like to just have appetizers then I can make all kinds of dishes. I love to cook. When doing that it’s important to look for appetizers that won’t overstuff your guests. Try creating a variety of simple, delicious and health-focused appetizer trays.
Here are a few ideas!
For the first idea, select a variety of sliced meats; you have several options with Hormel® Natural Choice® meats, like cracked black pepper deli turkey, hard salami, and honey deli ham. Pick out unique cheeses to include; some favorites include brie, Camembert, and Gouda. Add in fancy Peloponnese® olives that will go well with the cheeses you choose, as well as include crackers and apples and you’ve got a well-rounded tray.
Veggies are always a great snack tray idea. Create a veggie assortment with broccoli, squash, carrots, cauliflower, celery, and others that you can serve with dip or hummus. This is a good, health-conscious, middle mini course to serve.
Finally, there are several different things you can do. Preparing bruschetta ahead of time is quick and easy and won’t take you away from the action of the party! Try a bruschetta with tomato and basil recipe that has a prep time of 15 minutes or less.
This is part of the Hormel Family Blogger program, this post enters me into a contest to win a prize.
Summer has done an amazing job in bringing us ways to give this holiday season and as or Hormel ambassador I was asked to bring you an extra one.
Giving back to those less fortunate is important throughout the year, but the holidays present the perfect opportunity to get you in the giving spirit. How do you embrace your charitable side during the holiday season? Do you donate to a specific organization or write a thoughtful note to someone special in your life? Do you send a care package to troops overseas or volunteer at a local soup kitchen? We want to hear about what you’re already doing to lend a helping hand during the holiday season, Please share with us what you’ve been inspired to do in the comments on this post.
Hormel Foods’ “On Our Way to Ending Hunger” program collaborates with retailers, nonprofits and the government on hunger relief efforts. Motivating individuals and corporate partners to take action to fight hunger. You can find out more on their corporate website. Over the next couple weeks, we challenge you to get in touch with your giving side on a local level. Look up a local charity in your area or tap into one you already work with- it could be anything from a food bank or soup kitchen, a toy donation center or local shelter. Pick something that has personal meaning to you or your family. While you are packing up canned goods or old coats, helping someone in need with a home improvement project or serving food, document your good deeds using photo or video and share the most meaningful moments with us.
During November and December, upload the photos to your blog and be sure to share on Facebook and Twitter (mention @HormelFoods and #HFExtendedFamily). Need ideas for donations? Below are some items that food banks can always use:
Hormel® chili
Dinty Moore® stew
Hormel® Compleats® Microwave Meals
Hormel® Chunk Meats
Valley Fresh® chunk meats
SPAM® family of products
Hormel® bacon bits
Hormel® Mary Kitchen® hash
CHI-CHI’S® SNACKERS® salsa
Bottled water
Toilet paper
Toothpaste
Toothbrushes
Laundry detergent
Deodorant
As a Hormel blog ambassador sharing this post with you enters me into a contest for a special prize.
The Sears Black Friday Sale is a 2 Day After Thanksgiving Doorbuster extravaganza with over 500 deals from 4 AM to 1 PM alone. Even more deals begin after 1PM be sure to check them all out. Here is just a sampling of doorbuster deals to be found.
Zenith 50 inch Plasma Screen 1080p – $499.99 (Reg: $699.99)
Sony wifi ready Blu-Ray Disc Player – $79.99 (Reg. $99.99)
Kenmore 3.5 C.U. Washer/Dryer – $469.99 each (Reg. $940.99)
Air Powered Hockey Table – $89.99 (Reg. $179.99)
Save 50% off Craftsman 309-pc. mechanic’s tool set with plenty of other tools under $30.00
60-70% off all fine jewelry
50-60% off all mattresses
50% off all watches
During Friday and Saturday you’ll be able to find all your Christmas décor needs because their entire Christmas Shop is 50% off. And you can find all gifts broken down by price, person or category in the Sears Gifting Vertical.
If you’re a Twitter Buff like me you have to enter the Sears #BlackFriday Twitter Sweeps. Plus by following @Sears and @SearsDeals you find hourly deals and giveaways being tweeted out. The Black Friday Twitter Sweeps prizes are amazing check these out:
Cannon Egyptian Bath Towels:
Platinum Collection 800 thread count sheet set:
Express Jewelry Mirror:
Walnut Jewelry Amoire:
Pillow pets (Ladybug and Bumble Blee):
Presto Cool Touch Griddle:
Forever Lazy (L/XL only):
Proctor Silex deep fryer
Cozy Nights 3pc Comforter Set:
Hamilton Beach Panini Press
$100 Sears gift cards
$25 Sears gift cards provided by Consumer Electronics
The Black Friday twitter sweeps runs from 11/22 – 11/28 featuring Black Friday specials from Sears. There is no registration process, they will do a random draw after each entry period. You must tweet each day to be eligible for that day’s prize. See Sweepstakes page for more details.
Example Tweet:
“Hey @Sears I can’t wait to shop on #BlackFriday I want a Pillow Pet! http://bit.ly/svibg3”
For the rest of you I know Facebook is your game. On the Sear’s Facebook Page You’ll find the Shopping Challenge. This sweepstakes is designed to promote the Real Joy Guarantee and all the promises that go along with that. It’s an amazing guarantee including price matching and awesome satisfaction. Sear’s will have a new drawing each day for a $200 gift card, now through 12/24. You must enter each day to be eligible for that day’s prize
Also be sure to maximize your savings this holiday season with the Sears Coupon Book. Use them before they expire. The deals in the coupon book expire every week but each Sunday or Monday there will be new offers online.
Week 1 – Nov 27
Week 2- Dec 4th offers
Week 3 – Dec 11th offers
Week 4 – Dec 18 offers
Please read all the disclaimers on the coupons for full details
I will receive compensation for this post as part of the Sears Holiday Blog Ambassador program.
It’s Tasty Treat Thursday and today Summer is bringing us a very special treat.
Not everything I make is a success. In our organic fruit bag this week we got Johnny gold apples, which I have been told are the best for making pies with. My goal, however, was more individual; I was going to make fritters. After the first one failed I no longer felt like frying (we don’t own a deep fryer, I just fry in a pan on my range), I changed my view to apple pie.
For an apple pie I wanted something a little different. So I made a cinnamon graham cracker crust with a caramel apple filling. My husband’s thoughts (he’s the apple lover), “Apples, good; caramel, good; pie, good.” He stole that from Joey in the Thanksgiving friends show where Rachel makes the dessert trifle … haven’t seen that episode? YOU MUST! I digress. Enjoy:
Ingredients:
1½ cups cinnamon graham crackers, ground
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 stick of butter, melted or softened
2 Johnny gold apples, peeled, cored and sliced as desired
1 – 14 ounces of caramel cubes
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350oF.
2. Combine graham, flour, eggs, baking soda, and butter. Mix with hands or fork and press as a crust into a 10” pie pan.
3. In a small soup pot melt caramels into cream over medium heat. Stir constantly when cream begins to bubble until all contents are liquefied. Add apples and coat thoroughly.
4. Dump the caramelized apples into the pie crust. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until crust start to brown. Allow pie to cool for 30 minutes before serving.
Don’t forget a large glass of milk and/or a full cup of straight black coffee with this confection!
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
Yesterday our family had quite the treat. I was able to interview Denise Hinton, manager of event operations while my kids got to try on parade costumes. We had a fabulous time and the kids can’t stop talking about the parade. They really want to go watch it, rain or shine the parade will start at 9 AM.
The Holiday Parade route will begin at 7th and Pine, then travel west down Pine St. to 5th Avenue, south on 5th Avenue to University Street, west on University to 4th, and then north on 4th to Macy’s doorstep. There are 57 colorful and sparkly entries in this year’s parade. Denise said she LOVES sparkles and puts sparkles on as many floats and people as she can. So expect lots of both.
Fun Props:
I was surprised when Denise said that the parade is geared to ages 6 to 12 because little ones always love the parade. My kids are super excited and every kids under the age of six always seem to be excited about parades. But maybe that’s why they focus on age 6 to 12 because they’re harder to keep interested. Check out these kid costumes and the crayon amazed Miles.
The Macy’s Stars!
And of course my Christmas Presents:
Also enticing to children will be the Dalmatian club. Children and adults will be dressed up as Dalmatians. Parents will be pulling the kids in radio flyer wagons.
And the clowns will be handing out candy in addition to making as many people laugh as they can.
The float I’m most excited to see is the Cinderella Float sponsored by Fifth Avenue Theater. It’s going to be a snowglobe with Cinderalla inside and then her ladies are going to be walking along with some princes. Then ushers are going to be walking before and after the float. Check out these fantastic costumes.
The Parade this year has a few floats and lots of costumes from last year’s New York Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade and will include two new train cars for the candy cane express inflatable float and a new rocking horse inflatable float. The parade will feature 23 inflatable floats, four trailer floats, local high school marching bands, over 500 costumed characters, professional sports teams and community drill teams. I think it would be fun to have the whole family in the parade myself.
I can tell that Denise loves her job and that’s what makes it such a spectacular event. Plus, she was SUPER professional, while I and another blogger was interviewing her, she was told that KOMO was going to be ready for her in 15 minutes. She said they can wait, I’m not done with these guys yet. WOW! She stayed with us until we were done and then went to them. She’s a rock star in my book. Denise also runs the Portland Holiday Parade running the same day as the Seattle Holiday Parade. Be sure to also check out the Holiday Star Lighting Ceremony in conjunction with the annual Seattle Westlake Center tree lighting. The famous 161-foot high, 3,600-bulb Holiday Star is a Seattle favorite. This event begins at 5 p.m. and will include an incredible fireworks display (weather permitting).
On Saturday I got the kids out of bed and said hurry, get dressed and downstairs for breakfast, we’re going to do something fun today. So they got dressed and then I had to make a short stop at the doctors office and then we raced to the movie theater. We missed our check in time by five minutes but we still made it in time to get a seat. As we were going into the theater, the kids figured out that we were watching a movie, and since they were handing out Muppet stickers they could only hope we were watching The Muppets.
Once we were seated I told them we’re going to watch the Muppets, and Zoe said, I GET TO SEE MISS PIGGY? uh yep, I told her and she couldn’t wait for the movie to start. The Muppets was aimed at my age the 30 to 40’s audience, you know the children of the 80’s. But it was also intended to entertain a newer audience introducing them to the craziness we all know as The Muppets. The Muppets was hilarious. We had slap stick humor, musical dance numbers, old jokes, new jokes, fart shoes, rap music, actor cameos and The Muppet Show. After the movie I asked my whole family what their favorite part was, hands down, it was when they did the Muppet Show.
The Movie Synopsis in my words:
The Muppets begins in Smalltown USA, a cute white picket fence kind of town where everyone knows everyone. As we begin to meet the characters, Walter, Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) they break out into music. It was like watching a full blown musical with the dancing in the streets number. It was over the top just as you expect the Muppets to be. Gary and Mary were on their way to LA to spend their ten year anniversary when Gary decides to invite his brother Walter along. Mary was not happy!
First stop for the third wheel trio was The Muppet studio where we get the plot line filled with lots of maniacal laughter. Big Oil man (Chris Cooper) is going to tear down the studio and dig for oil unless The Muppets can raise 10,000,000. Walter, Mary and Gary set off to find Kermit and then they all have to bring The Muppets back together to save the studio. Zoe is intently sitting there through all of this and suddenly I hear her anxiety as she says, “mommy, daddy, where is MIss Piggy?” That was the same question that was on the mind of all the Muppets too. We had to tell Zoe she’s coming so that she would sit there and watch the rest of the movie. As the Muppets asked Kermit where she was, he said, no. We’re not going to get her. Finally they convinced him. And it didn’t go well, Miss Piggy and Kermit had a small falling out and the only way for Kermit to fix it was to admit feelings for MIss Piggy and he wasn’t ready to do it. But my daughter was just happy to see Miss Piggy. I loved Emily Blunt.
So without Miss Piggy, everyone goes back to the studio to continue without Miss Piggy. But she comes back on her own and comes up with the craziest idea to help save the studio. In fact my favorite part in the movie was what they did and Kermit’s reaction. That’s all I’m going to say, you have to go see The Muppets and come back and tell me what your favorite part of the movie is. Our family loved it.
By Summer:
Happy Thanksgiving! Today’s giving tip is easy … go out tomorrow during the Black Friday sales and buy an extra toy or two or more. Give the new toy to a collection program to make someone else’s Christmas a little brighter. Here are some of the charities I’ve come across:
Shaq-A-Claus at Toys R Us – This program give to Toys for Tots, so see below, though this program is promoted more with the name and picture of Shaq you’ll see in any information that the Toys For Tots train logo appears.
Toys For Tots – This is a toy drive set up by the Marines. They have multiple drop off locations somewhere close to you. There are no specifications on toys besides having them unwrapped. Wrapping paper, gift bags and tissue paper are happily accepted in addition to gifts for all ages.
Local Food Banks (check your local food bank or find one near you at Feeding America) – Contact your local food bank about their needs including specific ages of clients. The food bank may also have wish lists for clients.
The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree at JC Penny – An Angel Tree has tags on it with specific toys or items desired by a specific person. Go to an Angel Tree location and shop for a tag of an item you wish to purchase to help a family.
Tweet Fest 2011 – There are parties nationally in 36 citiies. Search Bing “TweetFest2011 [city name]” to see if there is a TweetFest in your area. Here in Seattle the party will be at the Hard Rock Café in conjunction with MySeattleNightOut.com. You can follow the Seattle TweetFest on Twitter @SEAtweetdrive. Follow national talk @TweetDriveHQ or use #TweetDrive.
If you know of one, leave a comment and let us all know. I think picking up an extra toy, especially during Black Friday deals, is so easy. Happy shopping!!!
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
By Summer,
I know the Disney cartoon Prep & Landing came out last year as a TV Christmas special. My family missed it all together, including recording it on our DVR! Last year I was hoping it’d be on TV again this year so we could enjoy the show with our sons – now 2YO and 4YO. Christmas is my favorite holiday for so many reasons, and one is snuggling up with the family under a cozy blanket to watch heartwarming story. Prep & Landing did that for my family, and now your family can get this Christmas story for your own home collection!
Prep & Landing is the movie you have to own NOW! Get it today or maybe you can find a great Black Friday deal – either way this is a must-have movie to add to your currently holiday collection as one elf gets a reminder of what his job and the Christmas spirit is really all about.
SPIOLER: Wayne is one of Santa’s elves most elite, he’s on the Prep and Landing team and has been for 212 years. Wayne is the most senior Prep & Landing team elf and expects a promotion he doesn’t end up getting … his partner does. Since his partner is promoted, Wayne gets a new recruit who is excited to be in his new position and thrilled to be working with the Prep & Landing legend, Wayne. However, Wayne is ready to dismiss Santa and Christmas altogether, but the new recruit helps Wayne remember what the spirit of Christmas is all about just in time to save Christmas for one child. Wayne returns from the experience content and Santa gives him a gift to help him remember this Christmas that was almost “Figgie Pudding”.
My Mom Start Review Grade of Prep & Landing show on DVD: A
There’s not just the Prep & Landing movie on this Disney DVD. Your collection will also gain two new shorts, Operation Secret Santa and Tiny’s Big Adventure, and bonus features including three “Elf Training Videos” – Welcome To Kringle Academy, Equipment Training, Dos And Don’ts; “North Pole News”, and “North Pole Commercials”. Here is what my family thought:
· Operation Secret Santa – My mom and I thought this was a sweet short. Of the extras this was my mom and my favorite.
My Mom Start Review Grade of Operation Secret Santa short: A
· Tiny’s Big Adventure – My 4YO though this was SOOO funny; we had to watch it over and over again! See a preview below.
My Mom Start Review Grade of Tiny’s Big Adventure short: A
· Elf Training Videos – These were made to look like old reel film. The cartoons were bouncy and hard for me to watch. I could care less for these.
My Mom Start Review Grade of Elf Training Videos bonus: D
· North Pole News – Out of everything we watched I can’t remember what this is about; that must say something.
My Mom Start Review Grade of North Pole News bonus: C
· North Pole Commercials – These were very grown-up in my opinion and debated turning them off as my 4YO was still watching ever piece of the DVD with me to watch Tiny’s Big Adventure again. Though as an adult I thought these commercials were LOL funny!
My Mom Start Review Grade of North Pole Commercials bonus: B
You can get your Prep & Landing DVD on store shelves now, or you can order it on-line. The suggested retail price is $19.99, but I’ve seen it for about $14 during this premier week.
Don’t forget to watch Disney’s Prep & Landing Naughty vs. Nice on ABC Monday, December 5 at 8:30 (7:30 Central).
