Getting all my Ducks in a Row: 2010-03-28

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Wordful/Wordless Wednesday - Big Changes

There are some big changes happening around our house. See this little Princess?

She's potty trained - for the most part. She is still having trouble when we go to someone's house - but she is saying all the time - I gotta go - and she is!

Let that sink in for a minute.

My last child is through with diapers. I never really thought this day would come. Seriously - at one point in time I had 1 in pull-ups, 1 in diapers and a newborn.

To celebrate our big girlness - and because Miss Maddy was getting a little to big for her toddler bed - She now has a big girl bed. I wish that I had had the time to get some tulle for her canopy this week - but since Walmart's fabric dept went kaput...I will have to wait until I can get out of town to get some - there's no where else here.

She LOVES her bed. She takes everyone to see it all the time. She is also sleeping like a champ in it.

I made another cake this week. I couldn't believe the difference in this purse cake and the ones that I've made before. I honestly think it turned out better since I got a smaller spatula. One the size of my hand. I almost think that I feel comfortable enough to say that I am going to make all 4 kids cakes this year. They are all excited but it might just be the sugar overload. I did throw half of this one out after sharing it with in-laws and cousins.

Look at this colorful and yummy looking snack I sent for E's preschool...I used to send things like fruit gummies or rice krispies - while this was a bit more work - I loved seeing the bowls come home empty. When asked E said everyone except one kid loved it! YAHH!

Oh yeah - and since getting my glasses for review. I can see again - try to ignore the hair - I got a hair cut this week so that I don't have to wear it like this anymore. It's hard to see - but the front is actually hot pink.

Want to Buy glasses online?

What do you have going on this week?

For more Wordful and Wordless Wednesday's:

5 Minutes for Mom ~ Go Graham Go! ~ Jolly Mom ~ Look What Mom Found… ~ Mom of 3 Girls
~ Momspective ~ Momma Findings ~ Run DMT ~ A Daily Dose of Toni ~
Keeper of the Cheerios ~

Monday, April 5, 2010

It's My Turn to Cook and Show Me the Giveaway's!!

Tuesday's are my day to cook over at

Make sure to stop by and check out this mean burger my family enjoyed very much last night - I would like to add while simple - this one is my very own creation. :)

Oh and List your Giveaway's - I love love love to enter Giveaway's - what better way to get free stuff than to win it!

What's in Your Lunch Bag?

After watching this video - I have decided to make some big changes as far as food goes in my home.

Well it's been a great week as far as lunch packing goes. The kids and I are off to the grocery store after school today - we are just about out of everything and need to restock on a few items that we a big hit -

Laughing Cow cheese - my whole family loves it! I am thinking about more ways to incorporate it into the kid's lunches - maybe use if for the ranch that I put in their wraps. It's soft enough to dip pretzels in - and it just tastes great!

Triscuit Triangles - Hubby picked these up so I am not sure if that is even the name - but they were really good.

Grapes and Cherry tomatoes - Man my kids love them.

I am also going to try my hand at homemade granola to add to yogurt and roasted chick peas for snacking.

I would also like to try one pasta dish this week - although I am going to have to look for one that is good served cold since my 2 oldest do not have access to a microwave.

Are you guys following along with Jamie Oliver and his Food Revolution?
Last week's episode was eye opening - I love Alice - I keep telling Hubby that they have to show the most negative of the negative - because the truth is if you are making changes like these - you are going to meet some Alice's along the way.

I have met mine in a lot of different forms...here's an example of just one.

While in the produce section - I was encouraging my 2nd oldest to get some raw mushrooms for his lunch - he was afraid that the other kids at school would make fun of him.

My Version of a Lunchable:
Tuna, carrots, grapes, crackers, Laughing Cow cheese triangle
cottage cheese and peaches
a little ranch for dipping

Ham, cheese and spinach roll up
cherry tomatoes, grapes, pretzels w/ Laughing Cow Cheese
Vanilla Yogurt with peaches

Peanut Butter and Jelly Roll up - I use all fruit jelly and natural peanut butter
Carrots with ranch
strawberries
Funky Monkey fruit
and Jelly beans - the kids thought this was a wonderful surprise.

Ham, cheese and Spinach sandwich
Orange wedges
trail mix - Funky Monkey fruit, nut mix, and raisins
Strawberries

Hubby wanted to give me a break on Friday morning - so he packed the lunches - I gotta give him props for boiling eggs.

Ham and Cheese sandwich
hard boiled egg
carrots
yogurt

If you have any healthy lunch ideas or recipes - make sure to leave me a comment. :)

Mommy & Me Monday # 4

Mommy and Me Monday at Really, Are You Serious?

Hosted by Krystyn

Check out this great new meme -- who doesn't have a ton of pictures with their kids and themselves?
Mommy's that who!!
We are always the ones taking the pictures!!

So grab a camera and snap a picture yourself or have someone do it for you!!

Then click the button and link up!!

I love when my daughter gets that look in her eyes - that looks that says - let's hug it out!

She might be squeezing your for dear life - but at least she still wants hugs - you know as the mother of 4 - I have watched as my 3 boys have slowly started to get embarrassed by affection - I won't give up though - I mean hey - they have embarrassed me for years in the grocery store, doctor's office and anywhere else they could get an audience. I think of each hug as just a little payback!

Maybe Miss Maddy will get that way too - but for right now - if she hugs one - she's gotta hug us all!

It Pays to Follow Blogs!!

I am participating in MailBox Monday @ A Frugal Friend. If you would like to join...click on the image below...and make sure to visit the other blogs and see what they got too!!

If you are nosy like me -- then you will probably enjoy this!!

It's been a crazy week around here - Is anyone else having a hard time with how fast this year is speeding by? Great week for freebies!! My personal favorite: Just Eyewear is allowing me to do a review - this couldn't have come at a better time - I love to read before going to bed and had broken the eye piece on my glasses from falling asleep wearing them. While I sent them back to the optical shop - my warranty has expired. I am still waiting to hear how much they are going to cost. But check out this cute pair I picked out! Just Eyewear has a great selection and the ordering process was easy peasy! The best part though - almost every pair is under $50 - which for glasses is quite a bargain!

Reading Material

Kiwi
Lucky
Horse Illustrated
Golf Digest
watch!
Business Week

Samples, Coupon and Freebies

WearEver recipe box
3 clay hearts (ornaments)
2 sample size Lever 2000
Earthbound Farm flyer w/coupons
Farmland Coupons
Home Depot Gardening Club Coupons
3 Pampers samples - proud to say that we don't need them - Miss Maddy is quite the big girl these days. I am going to throw these in her backpack for Mother's Day out - They can always use stuff like this.

Giveaway Wins

Birthday Shirt that I won in September. Sadly it way to big for Miss Maddy. It also came with a cone hat sadly it won't stay closed. Sothys Paris Bath Salts - Oh la la they smell good. Sweet Treats Cupcake cookbook

Promotional Items for My Blog's

OMGosh - I am so excited to announce that I am going to be doing very first Carolina Pad Giveaway!! I got this cute set of Sasquatch binder, notebook and small notebook - and I will be giving them away soon in honor or Earth day - Also in honor of Earth day - this set will be on sale for $10.00!! Yahh!

If you would like to have a mailbox so full that it feels like Christmas every day...I suggest that you follow

It's Hip to Save

and

Free Sample Freak

and now -- my new blog for Giveaway's

Win My Year!!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Tainting's, Running for Office and Wedding Memories!

hosts Monday Mingle...3 to 4 questions that you answer in the form of a vlog and then link back to her site.

I think it's a fun way to get to know some fellow blogger's and also a great way for you guys to get to know me a little better.

This week's questions (submitted by Karie from The Five Fish - thanks Karie!): 1. So you must be a little on the wild side somewhere...how about any tattoos? Piercings? Show us your wild side. If you are free of any taintings do you want any? Piercings or tattoos?
2. Considering the state of our world today what is one thing you might change, suggest, or push for or against if you were to be elected to office?
3. Reminiscing about my impending 10 yr anniversary, can any of you recall your wedding day? Vows? Any funny or memorable moments from your special day?

Products mentioned in my Monday Mingle:

My blogging buddy Brandy at:

Chasing Butterflies

Green Envy Green, Clear, and Black Interchangeable Watch Band

PrinceDesignUK

Funky Monkey Snacks

NEXT WEEK'S QUESTIONS (submitted by DEE @ REDHEADED STEPCHILD SAY ANYTHING:

1. Do you remember the first blog you started following? If so, who & why did you keep going back for more?
2. Pretend you are 16. Being able to look ahead at your life now, what would you, at 16, have found most shocking or unexpected about the life you ended up having?
3. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? What would you be now if you could do it all over again?

Curious Chef Cookie Cutter Winner!!

Thanks so much to Curious Chef - my kids are so excited with the products that we got to review. They love having their own kitchen tools!! I am very happy to announce the winner of the 2 cookie cutter's:

Sarah Lynne said... 23: I am an email subscriber

sarahcoulsey03 at gmail dot com

Winner was drawn using Random.org and will be contacted through e-mail. She will have 48 hours to get back to me or a new winner will be drawn.

Happy Easter

I hope that you all have a wonderful Easter. We celebrated with my side of the family yesterday with an old fashioned egg hunt and it was a lot of fun!

Miss Maddy was in egg hunting heaven...

My kids being as patient as they could be - I love how the wake up so excited on holiday's - to bad their mother takes forever getting ready.

We had beautiful weather yesterday - SOOO thankful for that - it's rained the last 5 years in a row. We did have rain the day before - hence the boots.

Today we are off visiting again! Have a great Easter!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Six Word Saturday - Betty's got my Number

If you would like to JOIN IN -- Click on the image above and link up your post with 6 words describing your life!!

My Six Words: I trusted Betty more than myself.

Today I am doing a joint recipe post on From Blah to Ta-daa with Sara from Sarandipity Sweets. Yes THE maker of cake pops. We were hashing out what recipe we wanted to make and she suggested we do the same recipe...her Gramma Sugarcane’s Raw Apple Cake.

All was fine and dandy until I had a look at the recipe. I couldn't believe that she wanted me to make a from scratch cake.

My chest got a little tight and my head started throbbing thinking about all the extra work and time that this was going to take. I mean I have 4 kids - and Betty Crocker (or Duncan Hines -just insert the one that you like here) cake mixes have been my go to since - well since I had a go to.

I grew up one of 4 kids in a home where both parents had to work. My mom didn't have the time or energy to take us into the kitchen and teach us how to cook. Basically I am a self taught - food network watching - follow the directions and hope for the best kind of cook.

Hubby and I were trying to come up with the basic ingredients for a cake. Seriously - at 31 shouldn't I know what is in a cake? What would I have to go out and buy to make this recipe? OHHH man this is gonna cost us a ton of money - was what I was thinking.

I didn't - I did know that Hubby was wrong about what he thought was in it -- he said yeast - I know enough to know he was wrong. Don't we always know when they are wrong though.

While e-mailing back and forth about this recipe post -

I had an AHA Moment

Oprah and Jamie Oliver would be so proud.

Here is an excerpt from the e-mail that I sent Sara:

Although I am pretty excited too - Don't you think it's pretty funny though that I don't trust the recipe to turn out right but if it were in a box with (I deleted a word here to be polite) Betty Crocker on it - I wouldn't have a second thought about the fact that it would turn out fabulous. It's not just our children that we have ruined with boxed, canned, salt ridden, fat infused foods. I mean I was learned to make a cake from the back of a box - instead of in my Mother's kitchen. I don't want my daughter to grow up the same way. It's just a mind set - that's what I have to tell myself.

I have been trained over the years to think that ITS JUST TO MUCH WORK -- That I don't have the time - that it's just sooo much easier to use the box mix. You see growing up in the 80's - our Mom's were joining the work force - think 9 to 5. I mean why take the time to do it from scratch - when it's right there on the shelf for $1.50?

Reality: it took me a total of 15 minutes to put 2 cake mixes together - and most of that time was spent cutting up the apples! Hubby did go out and get me a new bag of flour - I had some in the kitchen - but was afraid that it had been sitting there for way to long - I didn't want my very first from scratch cake to turn out a dud from old flour. I also plan to put the remaining flour to good use!!

The Best Part though - I KNOW WHAT'S IN MY CAKE!

You see the thing that I love about Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution - He's got me thinking about food in ways that I never even questioned before. Just because something has always been done a certain way - doesn't make it right, healthy or the only way. The status quo that we have all become accustomed to-that we are comfortable with - maybe it's not the right status quo.

I made this cake 2 ways - halved in 8 x 8 - so that Hubby and I could have a taste right then!! It was so fabulous!! I mean it was sooo yummy.

and then I made it in a 9 x 13 so that I could share it with my family at the Easter Egg Hunt.

I said before I have plans for that extra flour - I have been so inspired -- I want to try to make bread.

I mean if Sara Lee can do it - why can't I?

Do you bake or cook from scratch?

Have a recipe that you would like to share with me?

Send me an e-mail @ mellisa at yahoo dot com

Friday, April 2, 2010

Funky Monkey Snacks Review and Giveaway

I am in the midst of making some very big changes in my home - starting with tiny little seeds of change. One of the things that I have been in search of -- were snacks for the kiddo's - I keep a fresh supply of fruits around the house. They eat them - a lot of them. It was been that way since they were little. But the thing is - they have also eaten gummies since they were little too...you know those tiny little packages of character based sugar? Well I'm not buying them anymore - but the kids are still asking for them.

So I went in search of something that would satisfy their little gummie frenzied minds - and my sugar shocked heart...

May I introduce you to one of my new alternative's:

Funky Monkey Snacks are a line of freeze-dried fruit that are 100% natural, 100% real fruit, and 100% delicious – with three servings of fruit in each 1oz bag! Our “fruit that crunches” provides the ultimate snack, fusing the great taste, smell, and nutritional goodness of fresh fruit with the crunch and convenience of conventional snacks.

Here are some additional Funky Monkey highlights:

Funky Monkey Snacks have no added colors, flavors, sugars, or preservatives
Our special, proprietary manufacturing process provides for a crunchier texture vs. conventional freeze-drying techniques
We use full slices and pieces (not dices) of delicious, fresh fruit
Funky Monkey is made in Brazil using tropical fruits at the peak of freshness
Our products are gluten-free and are certified Kosher
One of our 7 flavors, Purple Funk, also includes açai, a berry from the Amazon that is viewed as the newest superfood
Bananamon, JiveALime, and Purple Funk are 100% organic! Pink Pineapple is 95% organic, Carnaval Mix is 70% organic.

My Take:

I love that the pieces of fruit actually look and taste like fruit - sometimes products like these are so overload with preservatives, color and sugar that you can't even taste what they are!!
NOT SO with Funky Monkey -- Look at that pineapple!! And it tastes like pineapple too! Yahh!!

This week - I include Funky Monkey in our Lunch Bag's!!

I mixed the Applemon with mixed nuts and raisins! My kids loved it! I was afraid that they would be wishing for them soft & sugary gummies - but I haven't heard a word about them all week! :) Happy Mom!

You know what else I like -- can you see the apple peel? -- I love that it's included instead of being cut off. I try to encourage my kids to eat the roughage as much as possible - there are no apples peeled in our house for snack time - wash em and eat em as I say! :)

Now we all know as Mom's - that something can be good for our kids. We can encourage them to eat it...but the true test?

Seeing if they will eat it!

I was so excited that my family and I got to try out Funky Monkey Snacks -- but I am even more excited to be able to offer my readers a chance to win too!

Want to win?

One lucky reader will receive the same 7 (1oz) bags of Funky Monkey snacks that I did!!

Just leave a comment telling me:

Visit http://www.funkymonkeysnacks.com/ and leave a comment with the flavor that you would like to try - or something that you learned.

This entry is Mandatory and Must be done first. Make sure to leave your e-mail address in comment so that I will have a way to contact you if you win.

Bonus Entries:

Leave a separate comment for each one. 2 separate for blogging.
Make sure to leave your e-mail address like this to avoid the spam bots:

mellisarock at yahoo dot com

1. Subscribe to my e-mail updates:

Just type in your e-mail address-- then check your e-mail to confirm!! (or let me know that you already do!)

2. Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect
(or let me know if you already do)

3. Blog about this giveaway with links to Getting all my Ducks in a Row and Funky Monkey Snacks (5 entries) This must be a separate post from other giveaway's and have a personal note about why you want to win and try out these products. You must have at least 10 followers.Leave me a link in your comment in your post.

4. Take my Button and Post it on your blog. If you already have my button -- please change it out -- I have this shiny new one that I would love to share with you!!

Make sure to leave me a link so that I can confirm and also so that I can see my lovely blog button!!

5. Follow me on Twitter & @FunkyMonkeySnck on Twitter

and Tweet About this Giveaway.

Please Include:
@mellisarock
@FunkyMonkeySnck
#giveaway
and link to this post in your tweets

This can be done daily--please leave a separate comment for each tweet. Make sure to leave me a link to your tweet for it to count!!

6. Follow my blog through networked blogs...you can find the widget in my right sidebar!

7. Become a fan of Funky Monkey on Face book - write on their wall - that you want to win some yummy snacks with Mellisa @ Getting all my Ducks in a Row!!

This giveaway is open to residents of the United States and will end on April 30th, 2010. I will use Random.Org to determine the winner. Winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to get back to me with shipping info or I will draw a new winner.

I was sent the product mentioned above for the purposes of this review thanks to Funky Monkey Snacks. I was not compensated for this post in any other way. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone. :)

Seventh Generation Review and Giveaway

Thanks so much to My Blog Spark and Seventh Generation I was able to try out some great products. This was the first time that I had used Seventh Generation products and I was so impressed with not only their effectiveness but also their smell. What a great time to test the products too! Spring has sprung here in Oklahoma and I have thrown the windows open and am attacking the house with zest.

About an year ago I stopped buying paper towels and paper napkins and am instead using kitchen towels and cloth napkins. So it was a little hard to get back into the paper towel using mode for me. They worked great - Now I remember why it was so easy to clean the windows...lol.

I am not a big fan of SMELLY products - I hate the after odors. I didn't notice that with the Thyme and Lemon grass cleaners that I got to try. I could smell the scent of thyme very well while cleaning - but then nothing! Just clean!

Not only was there not an after odor - bonus - no residue either!! This is a major source of frustration for me - I hate to clean and then have to wipe off what I have cleaned with!

I love that the products are safe to use in my home and also safe for the environment!! YAHH! Using these kinds of products fits right in with the eco-friendly life style that I want to lead and teach my children to lead.

Here is some more information from My Blog Spark:

Replacing what’s currently under your sink with products that are non-toxic and safe for the environment is easier than ever with Seventh Generation’s environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Leading the “responsible cleaning” charge for the past twenty years, Seventh Generation has tapped into the disinfecting power of the herb thyme, to introduce an EPA registered line of disinfecting sprays and wipes that kill germs* naturally! The new line of botanical disinfectant cleaners includes a multi-surface cleaning spray, bathroom cleaning spray and wipes.

The disinfectants contain thymol, a component of the herb thyme, and can be used on hard surfaces including counter tops, plastic cutting boards, highchair trays as well as children’s toys. Best of all, they kill over 99.99 percent of germs* naturally and are effective against the Influenza A Virus, including H1N1.

Seventh Generation has partnered with eco-lifestyle consultant and author, Alexandra Zissu, whose new book, The Conscious Kitchen, discusses what’s good for your health, what’s good for the planet and what tastes great. Her book also includes great tips on maintaining a green and healthy kitchen, including:

Change is Good
Choosing cleaning products without indoor air pollutants like volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, is a simple and effective way to reduce your indoor air pollution. If you’re not prepared to switch everything overnight, start by swapping out the one product you use the most, and moving forward from there.

Think before you spray
Residues from cleaning products can last on a surface for longer than we we’d like to know and travel to areas that we sometimes don’t intend them to. Don’t contaminate your food by prepping it on a surface that may contain harsh chemical residues - rinse cleaning products from food preparation surfaces carefully or use botanical disinfecting cleaners that do not require a rinse step.

Home is Where the Clean Is
Your standard cleaners are good for removing soils and dirt from kitchen surfaces, but to tackle germs you need a cleaner that is effective against microbes like bacteria and viruses. Many cleaners contain ingredients that have antimicrobial properties such as vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, but the germ killing power of these is not necessarily guaranteed. To be sure you are killing germs, use an EPA registered disinfectant. Seventh Generation tapped into the disinfecting power of the common garden herb thyme, to provide a disinfecting cleaner that kills germs* naturally.

Make the Old New Again
Think twice about the items that you’re using to clean and dry your kitchen equipment and dishes. Use rags (like old t-shirts and washcloths) instead of paper towels. If you aren’t prepared to kick your paper towel addiction just yet, use only recycled versions that are unbleached or haven’t been whitened with chemicals containing chlorine and see how long you can make a roll last.

The Writing is on the … Sponge
Be sure to read the fine print on sponges and only purchase those that do not contain antimicrobial pesticides. Remember to store sponges in a dry place and frequently clean them by popping plastic sponges wet in a microwave for two minutes or boiling sponges for three minutes in water.

Mom Was Right, Wash Your Hands
Wash your hands with soap and water before and after prepping food, and always before eating. So much of what can be potentially harmful in a kitchen can be reduced by this simple act that doesn’t require any harsh chemicals whatsoever.

I received a Seventh Generation “Disinfecting Cleaning Kit” that includes a disinfecting multi-surface cleaner, bathroom cleaner, wipes , a copy of The Conscious Kitchen, a cleaning caddy made from recycled plastic, and two rolls of 100% recycled, unbleached paper towels.

Want to win?

One lucky reader will receive the same "Disinfecting Cleaning Kit" that I did!!

Just leave a comment telling me:

What is the best thing you’ve done for the environment this year?

1. Subscribe to my e-mail updates:

Just type in your e-mail address-- then check your e-mail to confirm!! (or let me know that you already do!)

2. Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect
(or let me know if you already do)

3. Blog about this giveaway with links to Getting all my Ducks in a Row (5 entries) This must be a separate post from other giveaway's and have a personal note about why you want to win and try out these products. You must have at least 10 followers.Leave me a link in your comment in your post.

4. Take my Button and Post it on your blog. If you already have my button -- please change it out -- I have this shiny new one that I would love to share with you!!

Make sure to leave me a link so that I can confirm and also so that I can see my lovely blog button!!

5. Follow me on Twitter & @SeventhGen on Twitter

and Tweet About this Giveaway.

Please Include:
@mellisarock
@SeventhGen
#giveaway
and link to this post in your tweets

This can be done daily--please leave a separate comment for each tweet. Make sure to leave me a link to your tweet for it to count!!

6. Follow my blog through networked blogs...you can find the widget in my right sidebar!

This giveaway is open to residents of the United States and will end on April 30th, 2010. I will use Random.Org to determine the winner. Winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to get back to me with shipping info or I will draw a new winner.

I was sent the product mentioned above for the purposes of this review thanks to My Blog Spark & Seventh Generation. I was not compensated for this post in any other way. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone. :)

Aloha Friday # 26

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link Here.

My Question:

How connected are you to the blog's that you read?

I am just now starting to understand the power of twitter and facebook. I am just now beginning to understand that people coming to my blog to read my post's from different outlets.

I know - I know- DUH!!

I am also starting to develop friendship's and nurture connections through twitter and facebook. It's a great resource when you are looking for a great tip about what book to read, movie to watch or like one girl found out - how to get the smell of garlic off your hands. (rub them on stainless steel.)

Twitter and facebook can be a great way to promote posts and giveaway's too - since your updates are posted to other's home pages...but they are knocked down and off by other's updates. Take the time each day to update and tweet about your blog - you never know who will see them and check out your blog.

Now that I understand how to promote through twitter - I am realizing how un-connected I am to the blog's that I love to read.

So slowly but surely - as I am visiting them - I am following them in all the ways that are available.

Check out my right side bar for all the ways to connect with me!