A Torani holiday

I was privileged once again this year to try out the Torani Flavored Syrup. I am not a huge cocktail girl but I am a coffee drinker. This year Torani sent me Peppermint and Salted Caramel flavors.

I have tried the Salted Caramel in my Coffee and it adds such a nice touch, Hard to describe the flavor but so good. I made my kids some Peppermint Hot chocolate and that was a huge hit!

I am hosting Christmas dinner this year and these are sure going to be a hit. The cocktail drinkers and the milk drinkers will all have some extra flare in the drink of their choice.

About Torani:
Since 1925, 3rd generation family-owned Torani has been crafting great tasting flavored syrups that coffeehouses use to make their flavored drinks taste so delicious. With over 120 flavors in Regular and Sugar Free varieties, Torani flavored syrups are perfect for flavored lattes, mochas, coffees, cocoas, Italian sodas, teas, lemonades, cocktails and smoothies. Coffeehouse professionals choose Torani flavors because they are expertly crafted and made with the highest quality ingredients, like natural flavors and pure cane sugar. The Sugar Free flavors have no calories and are sweetened with Splenda. Now, Torani flavored syrups are widely available at retail so you can easily create authentic coffeehouse quality drinks at home.

Visit the Torani web sight to see how easy it is to add their Delicious syrup to your drinks!

Enjoy your Holiday Season!


Disclosure: This has been a sponsored post on behalf of Torani and SheSpeaks. All thoughts and plans are my own!

FREE card from TREAT, 2 Days ONLY!

 

 

 

With the holiday fast approaching, Treat wants to leverage the cheer/spirit that the holiday season brings for people and inspire you to let that special someone know that they’re thinking of them, with a totally unique, personalized greeting card from Treat.

 

Your holiday checklist just got shorter. Create and send a totally personalized greeting card from Treat for FREE. Whether saying thanks for Thanksgiving, wishing a best friend a holiday birthday, or simply sharing the holiday cheer with a just because card, Treat lets you create a one-of-a-kind card that is sure to impress.

 

About Treat

Treat is Shutterfly’s exciting new greeting card brand that makes it easy for people to create and send one-of-a-kind greeting cards. Treat cards are perfect for holidays, birthdays, congrats, thank yous and every occasion in between. It’s crazy fun. It’s super easy. And it’s totally personal.

 

Go To TREAT Monday 11/19 or Tuesday 11/20 and get your special someone ONE FREE CARD!

 

Use the code TREATBLOGR upon checkout for your free card!

Thank The Troops - Send a Card to Every Hero

It’s more than a card, it’s thank you for our freedom.

Once again, Shutterfly Cares for others.

Over 1.5 million troops serve our great nation. Many of them will be overseas, in harm’s way, and away from their families over this holiday season. Our mission is simple—to send a thank you card to every American hero. To succeed we need your support. Just select a card from our 4 different designs, add a personal message (or photo) and click send. Shutterfly will print and ship your card to the troops at no cost to you.
I encourage you to create a card for the troops, and if you can please share this with your Facebook family and friends (There is a share option when you complete your card).


https://www.facebook.com/shutterfly/app_525739750774135

I went missing....

But for a good reason! Baby #4 is due early April!!!!

Shutterfly For the Holiday

 

 

 

Happy holidays!!! Too soon?  Shutterfly we doesnt think so. In fact, did you know that some of their customers plan their holiday photo shoot around the card design they pick out? True story!

They have got a wonderful new collection this year from traditional colors and embellishments to merry and bright colors that take on a modern feel. They also feature religious/scripture based cards (including Hanukkah) and cards that you can showcase your fur babies photos on. Whatever your style is they are sure to have something you’ll love!

 

Shutterly is my go to place or my Holiday Cards. Not only is their quality the best, but their prices beat out any other card sight I have ever looked at.

 

This is one of my favorites

 

 

 If you head over to their Specials Page you might be surprised at what you will find!

 

Not only do I use Shutterfly for my Holiday Cards, but they have awsome gifts. From Necklaces to Photobooks their is something for everyone on your shopping list!

 

 

This post is sponsored by Shutterfly

Fiber one chew bars spark!

Thanks for your participation in this Spark! Looking to make the grade this school year? Get an A+ from your kids with new Fiber One® Chewy bars in Chocolate and Strawberry PB&J varieties, the perfect packable snack to accompany your child to the classroom, playground, and beyond. Complete with a peanut butter or chocolate-flavored bottom and yummy drizzle in every bite, parents can rest assured that their kids are getting more than great taste from Fiber One Chewy bars.




These 110 calories or less bars contain fiber* and calcium kids need , no high fructose corn syrup, and 8 grams or less of sugar
According to the results of a recent taste test**, kids prefer Fiber One Chewy Chocolate bars over Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
This fall, each box will feature the added bonus of Box Tops for Education coupons on-pack, making Fiber One Chewy bars an ideal snack for school-aged children
Combining the taste kids’ love with nutrients they need, Fiber One Chewy bars are a wholesome snack that the entire family will enjoy. To make it easier to stock up on Fiber One Chewy bars this back-to-school season, you and your readers can visit http://bit.ly/F1CLBTS to download a printable coupon for $.80 off the purchase of 1 box of Fiber One Chewy bars.

* Contain 3.5g or less of total fat.
**Based upon independent taste tests, with kids aged 8-12, of Fiber One Chewy Chocolate versus Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars. Quaker is a registered trademark of the Quaker Oats Company. All trademarks property of their respective owners.

Juicing is over....

So I survived 3 days of juicing with no food! Okay I took a couple bites when cooking for the family but I had to! I'm not sure I would do it again. All I thought about was food. It's was mentally exhausting! All said and done I lost 3 Pds and it was all water weight. I Can not believe how much belly bloat it got rid of. I have learned that I am not always hungry and if I drink some water an get busy, the food craving does go away....

Fiber One® Nutty Clusters & Almonds Review

Ready to go nuts over fiber? Introducing the newest flavor in the Fiber One® cereal line-up, Fiber One® Nutty Clusters & Almonds! With the perfect combination of crunch and sweetness, this new cereal is a great (and tasty!) way to help get fiber you need.

Contains 11 grams of fiber (43% of the Daily Value), 23 grams of whole grain (at least 48 recommended daily), and 180 calories per serving Chock full of delicious crunchy nut clusters, real sliced almonds and whole grain flakes In a nutshell, Fiber One Nutty Clusters & Almonds is a great-tasting and wholesome breakfast cereal that you can feel good about. Tasting is believing, so we want you to try this delicious cereal for yourself and let us know your thoughts: Has Nutty Clusters & Almonds cereal changed how you think about fiber? 9 out of 10 Americans don’t get enough fiber in their diet.* Do you have trouble meeting the Recommended Daily Value of 25 grams per day of fiber? How will Fiber One Nutty Clusters & Almonds help you reach this goal? Can’t wait to share some with your friends? You and your readers can visit http://bit.ly/Fiber1NCAcoupon to download a printable coupon for $1.25 off one box of Fiber One Nutty Clusters & Almonds cereal today! You’re just a click away from starting your day off the right way with a bowl of Fiber One Nutty Clusters & Almonds! *International Food Information Council This is my new favorite cereal. Even the Mr. Approved of the sweet yet not sugary taste of this cereal. I loved the shaved almonds that are in almost every bite.  Fiber One made a great choice when they came up with this cereal!

Wordless Wednesday

Toddler Basics - Month 16

I cant believe baby girl is now 16 months old. Talk about the time flying by! She is such an amazing little girl, so kind and sweet. That being said so much has changed as far as sleep. she has officially joined the family bed. After my trip to Florida, she got use to sleeping with me. Then our central air broke and she couldn't be upstairs in her crib and has landed in my bed. Yep all night every night. My goal is to get her into a mattress on the floor in September....that's my goal.
So at 16 months she understands so much. She knows when we walk in the front door her shoes come off and she actually tries to take them off herself. She will bring her shoes when its time to leave, and bring everyone else theirs too!
She signs still , mainly more and all done and has started to sign help as well. This is great since she isn't speaking works yet really. I mean she says "hot" and "hi" but that's it. Am I worried? A bit, but if need be I will have her evaluated at 18 months. For now I am going to just keep repeating everything and working on her with signing.
She is still a peanut, 30in and 20pds. That being said she is still Rear facing in the car. She has a Complete Air 65 and can not Forward face till 34 inches in that seat so I am happy to say that this is the longest I have ever had a child RF and I feel so much safer in doing so.
She still isn't a HUGE eater and would much rather breastfeed....which I have my days where I want to be done! Reclaim my boobs, let them be the SAME size some day. But then I have my moments where the sweet baby rubs my face while nursing, the moments where we look into each others eyes and its just us, in the moment. OH and she now breastfeeds her baby :)
She has an understanding for when someone is sad or in pain. When one of the other 2 are punished she totally understand why the cry and walks over to rub their head, back or chest. She places her head on them and lets them hug her till they feel better. She has such a kind soul. and she loves kisses when she gets hurt. SO cute, she will hurt her toe and stick her foot in my face.


All and all this child is growing into an amazing young girl who lights up my world everyday!

Homemade Egg Rolls

These homemade eggrolls are so worth the effort! And honestly they are not that hard to make. You could short cut it and buy the wraps in the store but there is nothing better than homeade wonton wrappers!

So what youll need is

2 Cups Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

1 Egg

1/2 Cup Cold Water

Cornstarch

Mix the salt and the flour together. Make a well in the center and add the beaten egg

Mix this together adding cold water only a TBS at a time to form a nice dough. knead and cover with plastic  wrap for 20 Min. While this is sitting you can work on your filling.

I took out my trusty antique food processor and put the shred plate in. I used 2 carrots, half a savoy cabbage and a zuchinni. Seasoned with salt and peper and some chili powder for a kick. Sauted for out 5 mins just to soften it all up and set it aside

Now the fun part. Rolling out your dough. I know, it should be perfect squares but really its fine if its not. I certainly do not make sure they are perfect. The key is to make sure it is super thin but no Holes!Just lay

your filling in and roll it up.

I have lighted coated a pan with some EVOO and have that nice and hot. Brown all the sides of your Egg roll and place it to cool.

Let the Juicing begin

I'm not sure how this is going to go. Don't know if will even be something that i can stick to. Anyways its summer, I have been eating HORRIBLE, and just don't feel healthy, energized. My body has begun to crave sugar and I know if I don't stop now its going to get worse. I have decided to do a 3 day juice cleanse. I will have nothing but juiced veggies for all my meals with water in between. Now, Silly me is starting on a Friday, Maybe I am setting myself up for failure, maybe I will stick through it. Not sure. If I do hit a bump, I will at least make health food choice and begin pure juicing on Monday. I am hoping this will really put me down the road to complete body health. Wish me luck!

Start weight `129 - I am not doing this to loose weight by all means but if anyone DOES need to loose weight I might as well keep track so maybe it will be what inspires you to get healthy. For me this is about a cleaning out the toxin and preparing mentally and physically for a healthier lifestyle

Wordless Wednesday

Fairy houses

Shutterfly Long Live Summer Photo Contest~

Summer is here and that means you’ll be taking more photos of your family soon. Between beach trips and BBQs, photographs are a great way to capture these summer memories. Shutterfly’s Long Live Summer Photo Contest on Facebook is launched on Monday July 9^th

Long Live Summer – Facebook Photo Contest - 7/9 – 8/12 Multi-week summer themed photo sweepstakes with instant win prizes.

Win a trip for four to The Bahamas and a professional photo shoot so you’ll remember your vacation forever. All you need to do is upload your favorite photo and caption based on the theme of the week. Get a gift from Shutterfly just for entering! You can enter at any point during the 5-week sweepstakes period.

PHOTO THEMES

• Week 1(7/9): Americana

• Week 2 (7/16): Great Outdoors

• Week 3 (7/23): Water Fun

• Week 4 (7/30): Sports & Activities

• Week 5 (8/6): Parties & Celebrations

PRIZES

• Instant win prizes just for submitting a photo!

• Weekly prizes (contestants can enter one time/week)

• Weekly featured photos: up to 5 weekly entries will be selected from the gallery and featured on the Facebook fan page and awarded a $500 gift card on Shutterfly and a copy of the new Lonely Planet travel photography book.

• Grand prize: trip for 4 to Bahamas, 4 nights, family photo shoot

• Shutterfly Sweepstakes - Official Rules

Summer week 1 in iPhone pics!

I decided since the kids Are out of school and it's summer every Friday I will post a bunch of pic from my phone!

So week 1 of summer down.... Enjoy!

Mott’s® Medleys Fruit Flavored Snacks Review

Summer is on its way and with that comes a schedule jam packed with play dates, summer camp, and road trips. With all these activities planned, there is one thing your kids are sure to need … great tasting snacks! Fortunately the Mott’s® taste that kids love is now available in yummy fruit flavored snacks! Available in Assorted Fruit and Berry varieties, Mott’s® Medleys Fruit Flavored Snacks are the ideal blend of great tasting and quality ingredients that will make both kids and moms happy.

Made with real fruit & vegetable juice* and natural colors and flavors Available with year round Double Box Tops Mott’s® Medleys Fruit Flavored Snacks are great on-the-go, so whether your family is lounging by the pool, playing in the park, or hanging on the beach this summer, Mott’s® has snack time covered! You and your readers can visit http://bit.ly/MottsCoupon to download a printable coupon for $0.60 off the purchase of (1) Mott’s® Medleys Fruit Flavored Snacks today! *Made with pear, apple and carrot juice concentrate. See package for complete details. Not intended to replace fruit or vegetables in the diet

Mint infused simple syrup - ice tea perfect

I make cold brewed unsweetened ice tea pretty much everyday. It refreshing and a nice alternative to juices. I usually add some mint and lemon and enjoy. My husband likes it slightly sweetened. So with that I decided I should just make a mint infused simple syrup to store in the fridge and add to the ice tea. This is so simple and if you have a mint plant, it's a perfect way to use some up!

Step one :get as much mint as you want. I want mine super minty so I added ALOT!

Step 2: add 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water

Step 3: bring to a boil, stir to make sure all the sugar is dissolved. Take off from the heat and let it sit for 45 mins or when u remember!
Step 4: strain and enjoy. I use about 2tbs for each big pitcher

Wordless Wednesday

Vitamin Packed Kale Pesto

My children have no problem eating their veggies a long as they ate blended up into a sauce. I'm sharing my vitamin packed kale pesto, which is just Amazing!
First you will need
Kale
Onion
Garlic
Basil
Green pepper
Spinach
Carrots(I used 2 baby food jars)
Milk for blending

Sauté onion and Garlic for about 5 mins. In a food processor or blender put everything in.
I tossed ours with Tortalinni and froze the rest!

Repurposing a yogurt container

I am known in my house for holding Onto and reusing many different containers for different things. Since spring is here that means chalk coveted sidewalks around here. We never seem to remember to put the chalk inside when it rains and then we have soggy chalk. So after I emptied out a big yogurt container I know it would be perfect for storing chalk outside and keeping it dry!
What do you repurpose containers for?

Wordless Wednesday

Loving the skin your in

I have always has trouble with body image . I was athletic and fit and HAd no body issues, yet in my twisted teenage head I thought there was.
Fast forward 11 years and 3 kids later, I find myself still with poor self esteem with 2 girls to raise I find myself wondering how I will ever be able to do this good.
So I am working on project me. I am going to exercise for health not to loose weight. I want the children to feel good in the skin they have, and instead of trying to look good on the outside, we should focus on our internal Heath. This will be a work in progress, wish me luck

I am mom enough

To admit that all 3 kids come to my bed at sometime in the night, or they Start there:) and when you look at this picture I'm sure many of you know why it's nothing to be ashamed of

Sleep baby-scream baby

If there is one area of parenting I fail at - its sleep situations. Baby girl WAS such an amazing sleeper, well compared to the older 2. Now, we have screaming baby. I really should night wean her, but honestly its harder than it seems. I TRY to get her to stay in her bed all night, and for a while she was. Now though, I am such a zombie I wind up bringing her to my bed, and I have no idea what time that is. I just go upstairs and get her. I use to go nurse her and lay her down and she would stay asleep. Now she just pops up and screa,s. I can handle it at bedtime, but in the middle of the night, and the wee hours of the morning its harder to stay strong. Does anyone have techniques that WORK? Even naps have become a struggle. I let her pass out on the couch the other day as seen in the picture. If you did use CIO, how long did it really take? She wakes about 4 times a night when in her bed, and the first one is just 2-3 hours after going down! Im so over it!!!!!!

Dr office Bordem

I hate going to the doctors office with the kids, and they put you in the room to wait another 20 minutes! Cecelia has had a fever and was digging in her right ear. She has her first ever ear infection! We played with my phone to kill time. Oh and at 14 1/2 months she is weighing in just over 20 pounds!

Toddler food ideas

I need some serious toddler food ideas here. I feel like i might not be doing such a great job at feeding this poor child. I know she is getting plenty of nutrition since i am still breastfeeding here but she still needs her food! Here is breakfast yesterday, oat waffles with blueberries. She ate the blueberry and didn't bother taking more than 4 bites of her waffle. I think at 14 months old she should be eating all of this with no problem. What do you feed your toddlers for meals? snack? I don't use too much processed food, never microwave meals, never boxed mac and cheese. So any ideas coming from scratch are right up my ally. She does enjoy oatmeal but i need food SHE can start feeding herself! Don't you just love the stuffing her face picture!

Wordless Wednesday

Google+ has messed me up!

So, I  joined  google+, after all thats what all of the blogger world is doing.  What a mistake that was. I dont know what I did, or what happened, but I can no longer accesss my blog the right way. Its making me crazy. I had a bunch of posy/post ideas ready to get sent live, and everything has been gone! talk about fustrating! I dont know if I can go back to it or not that way it use to be, but I can blog from my awsome iphone! Look for more post and review to come soon, I have a few I am VERY excited about!

Cupcakes in a cone

So my oldest just turned 7 and asked me this year asked me to make her class cupcakes in a cone. I thought what a fun idea but wanted to be sure to make it a post her because I was so uneasy on how to do it!

First for foremost go to your local pizza shop and ask for a clean pizza box. This will be use to transport your cupcakes to school. I have NO idea how else you could get these to a different location without them falling all over!

okay step 1Make your favorite box of cake mix. i kept it single but of course you can go from scratch. We used Funfetti

step 2
place your cones inside of the cupcake pan standing up

step 3
fill cones 1/2 way. I did it a little more as you can see, and they rose too much and started to drip over!

step 4
bake 350 for 18-20 mins

step 5
as the cupcakes cool, cut little circles in the top of your pizza box! the cones will sit right through

step6
the fun part, ICING! you could buy the cans with icing that you can swirl out of i think you would need about 3 and at 4.00 each i wasn't going to go there. So i bought a chocolate icing and a strawberry icing. spooned it into a zip lock bag, clipped the corner and made it look soft served. My strawberry icing was whipped and worked alot better.

step7
Decorate and ENJOY!