Children and Infant Tylenol changes

Nobody likes having to give their babies and children medication but sometimes you have no choice.

Over the years, there has been much discrepancy about the proper dosage to give your child. Bottle labels can be confusing and misleading at times. Medication errors can be a scary thing so the makers of TYLENOL® have made some changes and enhancements to help minimize these types of errors. You can read all about their new features here and here

Ed Kuffner, MD, father of three, and Vice President, Medical Affairs at McNeil has written out guidelines for parents to follow. You can read them Here and he's outlined a very useful tool for parents to follow regarding medicating their children:

So be sure to check out the new and helpful tips and product enhancements courtesy of TYLENOL® a name that I have trusted for years for my families pain/fever relief needs.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Tylenol and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Healthy Choice for a healthier you!

I've made a lot of lifestyle changes in the past year, all gearing towards being healthier both for me and my family. We're exercising more, watching what we eat and how much we eat. I recently planted a garden with my daughter so we could enjoy fresh veggies and we make a point of going to the farmer's market and utilizing Bountiful Baskets co-op for fresh produce. I've also got Sierra dancing with me and the Wii :)

Lunches are always hard for me though; everyone at the office eats out most days and trying to stay healthy and within a budget is difficult at best doing that! I bring a lunch a lot but that gets old as well trying to figure out what to bring. Frozen meals have never held much appeal for me, most taste like cardboard at best or have very little variety and frankly most aren't very healthy to begin with.

Healthy Choice® recently conducted a 30-day research study where participants replaced 10 meals per week with a Healthy Choice meal for either lunch or dinner. The findings showed that, as part of a reduced calorie diet, eating Healthy Choice can lead to having more energy and a better diet than before. Here are some of their findings:

• According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, which puts them at increased risk for heart disease, diabetes and the metabolic syndrome.

• Recent research shows that replacing 10 meals per week with a portion-controlled Healthy Choice meal, as part of a reduced calorie diet, can lead to improved quality of life and dietary quality.

• The study, conducted during 2009 and 2010, followed more than 60 participants for 30 days with one group primarily eating Healthy Choice meals for lunch and the other group mainly for dinner every day.
o Participants were also instructed to add 2-3 food items to their diet, such as fruits and vegetables, according to their caloric/gender needs.

• The lunch and dinner substitution worked equally well with participants losing an average of six pounds and trimming their waistlines by about one inch. Additionally participants significantly improved the quality of their overall diets by increasing dietary fiber, reducing saturated fat intake by 50 percent and consuming 30 percent less cholesterol and sodium.

• As Americans look for ways to make simple, positive changes to their diets, incorporating a ready-to-eat, pre-portioned healthy option, such as Healthy Choice, is a simple way to be more health conscious, lose weight and improve quality of life.

• “This study reinforces the fact that portion control is fundamental to successful weight loss,” said Mark Andon, Ph.D., vice president, Nutrition, ConAgra Foods. “What’s new and exciting is that study participants enjoying portion-controlled Healthy Choice frozen meals for lunch or dinner not only improved the quality of their diets, they also reported an increased sense of well being, having more energy and feeling healthier after just 30 days.”

• The research was presented by the Rippe Lifestyle Institute at the Experimental Biology Conference in April 2011 and funded by ConAgra Foods.

Healthy Choice Brand Key Messages
• Healthy Choice regularly brings consumers delicious and nutrient-rich foods that conveniently help maintain a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle no matter what you’re craving.

• Healthy Choice makes fresh-tasting meals with contemporary flavors, high-quality ingredients and innovative preparation methods like steaming.

• Healthy Choice has nearly 70 varieties for fewer than 400 calories that provide positive nutrients such as whole grains, fiber, protein and antioxidants.

• Brands with “healthy” in their name are held to a higher nutrition standard set by the FDA. Healthy Choice is the only major brand in its category that can call 100% of its products “healthy” as defined by the FDA. This means that each meal must be:
o Low in fat
o Low in saturated fat
o Controlled in sodium and cholesterol
o Supply at least 10% of the daily value for three beneficial nutrients (calcium, protein, fiber, iron, vitamin A or vitamin C)

• Healthy Choice meals are available nationwide in a variety of frozen and shelf stable options. For more information visit www.healthychoice.com or “Like” the brand on Facebook at www.facebook.com/healthychoice



Additional Information
Following is a chart detailing the exact numerical changes for the percentages listed above.

Results Baseline Post testing Change
Weight (lbs) 190.2 184.4 -6.0 lbs
Waist Circumference (inches) 35.7 34.7 -1.0 inch
Dietary Cholesterol (mg) 275 160 -115 mg (-42%)
Dietary Fiber (g) 20.0 22.0 +2.0 g (+10%)
Saturated Fat (% of calories) 11.0 5.5 -5.5% of calories (-50%)
Sodium (mg) 3162 2151 1011 mg (-32%)
Well Being scale 76.4 83.6 +7.2 (+9.0%)
Energy scale 56.4 71.2 +14.8 (+26%)
Feeling Healthier scale 52.2 69.4 +17.2 (+33%)



I was offered a chance to try a couple Healthy Choice meals and I was pleasantly surprised by the variety, freshness and flavor of the Healthy Choice® Café Steamers™. I tried the Chicken Red Pepper Alfredo and General Tso's Spicy Chicken and found both to be fairly fresh tasting and full of flavor. The portions were generous but not overly huge so I didn't feel like I'd just eaten a huge meal. I was able to go back to work and not have that afternoon drag because I'd eaten too heavy!

So the next time you're looking for a meal that's quick and easy, won't drain the budget and definitely won't leave you feeling bogged down, check out Healthy Choice in your local supermarket!

This post was written for Healthy Choice and The Motherhood. My review is my own opinion and I was sent coupons for two free entrees and was compensated for my time.

Getting rid of allergens in the home

No I'm not talking about becoming the germ police and sanitizing the dog lol. I'm talking about maintaining a balance in your home to keep the allergens at bay, especially around children.

Dr. Alanna Levine, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP), shares the ABC's to help maintain a healthier home environment for children:

* A is for Avoid: Whenever possible, avoid irritants that often trigger allergies, such as products made of feathers or down. Use hypoallergenic pillows on your child's bed, and limit exposure to perfume, talcum powder, hair spray, air fresheners, fabric softeners or other strong odors or sprays. Strong fragrances and odors may aggravate allergy symptoms.

* B is for Balance: Maintain a consistent balance in the home to help minimize allergens. Keep the windows shut and use central air conditioning during high pollen seasons to help protect children from pollen particles that trees, grasses and weeds release into the air. These particles can harbor in the eyes, nose, and airways, causing allergy symptoms to flair for those allergic to pollen. Also, give children washable, non-allergenic stuffed toys when possible, and be sure to wash the ones played with the most on a weekly basis, in hot water at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

* C is for Change: Change items that are easy to neglect but are important for maintaining a healthier home, such as leaky faucets, pipes and other high moisture areas that are common places for mold growth. Don't neglect their air in the home either. Change your filter every three months, and use a high performance filter, such as a Filtrete™ Elite Allergen Reduction Filter from 3M.

Living in Arizona, we deal with allergens from dust and pollen year round and having a bout of Valley Fever last summer has made me super aware of the importance of reducing allergens in the home. While Filtrete™ recommends changing filters at least once every three months, we generally change them on the first of the month both at home and my office.

Other things I do to help reduce allergens in our home is to keep the pets groomed. We brush the cats daily and dry shampoo them at least once a month and the dog is brushed every other day and bathed weekly in the summer. We use allergen blocking mattress pads and pillows/pillow covers on all of our beds and run a humidifier to help keep it not so dry in the house. We are currently looking for a room air purifier and Filtrete™ is looking very promising to us!

One of the great things that Filtrete™ offers is their Clear Advantages program. You can register to get reminders to change your filters, money saving offers and tips on helping to clear your home of Allergens!

So check out Filtrete™ for all of your home and office air and water filter needs!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Filtrete™ and received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate

Marie Callender's Bakes Winner!

Sorry I forgot to put this up the other day!!

The winner is #27

Sue E said...

I follow your blog via GFC-suebabe0704

sueellison@hcecwildblue.com

Congratulations! I'm emailing you right now for your address! Thanks to all who entered

Second Time Around Art

Are you still looking for the perfect gift for someone special on your list? Looking for inexpensive, eco-friendly gifts? Well look no further!! Second Time Around Art is the place for you!

Upcycling is quickly becoming the best way to reuse waste materials or products that are no longer useful and Second Time Around Art has found a way to do just that with their one of a kind bracelets, rings and earrings fashioned out of vintage silver flatware.

I'm pushing Patrick HARD towards this vintage Silverplate Spoon Bracelet, and if he knows what's good for him I'll find it under the tree this year ;)



Cut, drilled, hand polished and put together with a lobster claw clasp, I know that this is an item that I would enjoy wearing for years!

Right now Second Time Around Art is offering Free Shipping to the entire US AND Canada!!!

So do yourself a favor and check these awesome items - the hardest part will be deciding which item to purchase!!

Fab Friday Giveaways!!

Happy Friday everyone!! Today is the day to link up all your awesome giveaways!! Be sure to leave me some linky love

Marie Callender's Bakes

I work long hours and a lot of times am not able to cook a full, nutritious meal for my family. So it's nice to have something to fall back on for those late nights and Marie Callender's is that perfect fall back on meal!! With their new Multi-Serve Bakes you can have a hot, yummy, nutritious meal for your family in minutes!!



With six different meals available you can certainly find something to satisfy your family! We were sent coupons for two free Bakes - I chose the Vermont White Cheddar Mac and Cheese and served it with some smoke Kielbasa and it was comfort food at its best! Creamy and rich with perfectly cooked pasta, even picky Sierra gobbled it up!!

The other dish I tried was the Three Meat and Four Cheese Lasagna. Patrick would have eaten it all if I had let him. I'm normally not a fan of ricotta in my lasagna, but this was not overpowering and was blended with the other cheeses well and I even enjoyed it (and I'm pickier than Sierra!!)

At under $6, you cannot beat this for a last minute meal or side dish for your family!

Win!!

I have two free coupons for Multi-Serve Bakes to give to one lucky reader. To enter simply go to Marie Callender's and tell me what meal options you would love to try.

If you want additional entries you can:

* Blog about this contest and post the link
* Follow my blog or subscribe to my feed
* Add my NEW button to your blogroll or sidebar
* Follow ME on Twitter
* TWEET!!! You will get an entry for every tweet per day - include a link to the giveaway
* Fave me on Technorati
* Advertise on my Entrecard


Be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do to get credit. Your email address must be public on your blog or in your comment or it will be deleted. Contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers and will end November 26th. Winners will be chosen randomly and will have 48 hours to respond or prize forfeited and new winners chosen.




I have been engaged by The Motherhood and Marie Callender's for this promotion and am being compensated for my participation but my opinions are my own.

Listerine/Reach October Oral Care Challenge

Ok, so October's over but Oral Care should never be limited to a single month! We have always stressed good oral hygiene in our house and for the most part Sierra's always been a trooper about it but there are days that it's frustrating.

The makers of Listerine and Reach have teamed up with the National Children's Oral Health Foundation to sponsor Trick or Treat for America's Toothfairy®, a campaign to raise awareness of pediatric dental disease and help provide life changing care to underserved children.

Pediatric dental disease causes millions of children pain so severe that they have trouble eating, sleeping, and learning like their peers. This Halloween, you can help eliminate America’s #1 chronic childhood illness and bring hope to underserved children across the country!

Sierra took the Challenge, which was to brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash twice a day for three weeks. To encourage her, both Patrick and I took the challenge as well. With all the wonderful products that Listerine and Reach sent to us, it was easy to do and a lot of fun for the family. With a chart and colorful stickers to mark the days and times brushed, Sierra looked forward to taking care of her teeth! She even told her dentist all about it this week and showed her the chart and the dentist was so impressed with her that she said she was going to make charts and give stickers to all of her patients so they can be "challenged" as well!

Even though Halloween is over, you can still make donations to America's Toothfairy. For less than the price of toothpaste and a toothbrush, you can help a child receive a critical dental screening and preventive education for a pain-free future! We're proud to have participated in this challenge and I was even prouder of Sierra for donating to America's Toothfairy.


“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of LISTERINE and REACH and received products to take the Oral Care Challenge. Mom Central Consulting also sent me a Global Giving gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Filtrete Water Pitcher from 3M

One of the not so great things about living in Arizona, Phoenix specifically is the water. It’s like drinking a salty rock. We’ve always had to purchase bottled water or fill jugs at water stations. It’s time consuming, bad for the environment, expensive and basically a pain in the butt! Even my dogs turn their noses up at our water! The city says it’s perfectly safe and potable but not for this mama!

We’ve tried water filtration pitchers and products and never been thrilled with the results we get, so I was excited to try the New Filtrete Water Pitcher from 3M. With Fast Flow filtration, the Filtrete water pitcher fills five times faster than other filtration pitchers, reducing chlorine taste and odor. The filter has a 100 gallon life, designed to save you a lot of money!

The sleek design and comfortable handle of the 12 cup pitcher make it easy for even Sierra to lift and pour from it. It fits in the door of the fridge. There’s an automatic filter change reminder built into the top of the pitcher so you don’t have to play guessing games about when to change your filter. Just push the button in the center of the filter to activate it and when the small area is completely filled, you know it’s time to change the filter.

You can register to receive seasonal e-newsletters featuring money-saving offers, filter change reminders, better home living tips and more by signing up and follow on Twitter (@FiltreteWater) or like the brand on Facebook for healthier living tips.

My thoughts on this product:

Yes I could tell a difference between our tap water and the water filtered thru the Filtrete pitcher, however, I could still taste the chemicals in the water, and I still prefer the bottled water, but this filtered water is perfect for the dog and for cooking. This is probably due more to the fact that Phoenix water is horrible and anyone who has ever drunk the water here knows this first hand. I will say that the Filtrete water pitcher’s water tasted better than any other water filtration pitcher that I have tried. The filter reminder button did not activate no matter how hard I pressed on it, but to me that wasn’t a huge deal, as I marked on the calendar when I started using it so I could change it in three months as per their recommendations. Maybe just a defective button, maybe a little design flaw but I did purchase another filter to try as well. Patrick suggested that I run the water thru the filter a 2nd time and it did make a marked difference, so I just have to remember to do that every time.

The suggested retail price of this filter pitcher is around $30, and the filters retail for about $12, which compared to buying three month’s worth of bottled water, is a great savings and the biggest plus for me is the keeping plastic bottles out of landfills so I would give the Filtrete Water Pitcher from 3M a rating of 7 out of 10.

HAPPY DRINKING!!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Filtrete and received the water pitcher to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Lift the Kidscare enrollment freeze!

Arizona has a program called Kidscare which provides low cost health insurance for children who do not qualify for medicaid. We have been very blessed to qualify for this program and I've never had an issue paying the monthly premiums.

They used to have a similar program for parents of children that qualified for Kidscare and Patrick and I were covered for awhile on that as well but the premiums were pretty high. Still I was grateful for coverage and didn't begrudge having to pay for it.

Last fall, I received a letter stating that the legislature decided to end Kidscare for parents effective in 2 days - TWO DAYS! Nothing like being blindsided. Because of pre-existing conditions and the cost, we were unable to get private insurance for ourselves. Again I was grateful that Si was still covered and although her premium went up I gladly paid it.

I paid cash for all of my ER allergy/whatever they were visits from November to June (still paying on them) and the hospital would force me to apply for assistance because I had no insurance - I told them at one point I don't want to apply because I KNOW I don't qualify and was told that the hospital requires it - whatever - oh they gave Patrick insurance because he doesn't work but denied me - ugh like he'd ever go to the dr unless I dragged his ass

Fast forward to June when I was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia - again was told I needed to apply and the case worker came to talk to me and said because I was hospitalized and diagnosed with diabetes, I should qualify this time. I told her that Sierra was on Kidscare and Patrick was already covered so I just wanted to apply for myself. She said no problem and helped me with the paperwork since I was so dopey from all the morphine lol

I got a letter the day I was released from the hospital - July 7th - stating that Sierra and I had been accepted for AHCCCS. I called them immediately and told them that Sierra was on Kidscare and that I had just paid the July premium and I'd like her to stay on please. I was told that I "have to do what they tell me" and because she qualified for free she has to take it. Ok so I'm offering to give you money and you don't want it and you WONDER why your program is in trouble???? *serious head shaking here*

Fast forward again to September 2nd. I had scheduled a dental appointment for Si back in June and 9/2 was the first opening. We spent 2 weeks preparing her for this as she is terrified of the dentist. I get a call just as I'm getting ready to leave to pick her up from school that her Mercy Care is inactive. WTF???? Sometimes at the end of the month there's a small window when there's no coverage so I called them to see what was going on. Come to find out that MINE is inactive as well!

So I call my case worker and leave her a voice mail (she has YET to return my call) and then call the hospital and speak to the des office there and the guy tells me that it looks like I was approved for a "medspenddown" and that it only lasts 90-120 days and that I should have gotten a letter stating my benefits would expire on August 31st.. First of all, it's only been 72 days sunshine and second the letter I got doesn't say ANYTHING about that and third I never got a letter saying my benefits would expire. He pulled up the letter of acceptance and agreed that it said nothing about it only being for 90 days and that I need to call DES and ask that it be sent to policy and that will automatically give me three more months so that I can get all my medical taken care of.

So the next morning (the Friday before Labor Day mind you) I start calling my case worker and left her another vm, called back and asked for a supervisor and left him a vm, called about 15 other people before I was finally given the number for the supervising manager. I left HER a vm. SHE returned my call in about 10 minutes and said that my case worker dropped the ball and that she can reactivate us for 30 more days and that will give me time to renew my eligibility. I asked her about sending it to policy and she said she could do that instead of reactivating it but it could take 2 weeks and they could deny it.

She also told me that Sierra should automatically revert to Kidscare which was my biggest concern.

So, 8 days later we're still not activated so I said screw this and emailed the DES Client Advocate. She called and told me that the current Legislature made these decisions and put the caps on everything and that Sierra will go on the waiting list for Kidscare which is currently 1-2 years! Yup I said YEARS!!!

So I emailed the Governor's office, expressing my concern at being forced to take Si off kidscare and I got a response from her that while she cares about Arizona it's really not her problem and that they are forwarding my email to DES. Nice....

DES calls me back and tells me that the law enacted by Governor Brewer puts a cap on the number of kids who can be on kidscare and that it's not fair to the other kids that qualify if they put Sierra back on and that she will have to go to the back of the waiting list.

Okay so I'm mad, I'm hurt and disgusted. So I email EVERY member of the Arizona House and Senate along with our US Senators and Congressmen. Basically told them my story and how sad it is that the children of our state are being denied basic healthcare which parents are willing to pay for! Got one reply from some right wing nut that told me if people like me would stop freeloading off the system then maybe there'd be more to go around.....nice.

Most of the email replies say that if I'm not in their district they won't help blah blah blah - in other words if I can't vote for you, then you don't give a shit about my issue. My response to each and every one of them is that this is a growing problem in Arizona and is affecting children in EVERY district and being an election year, I'd think they'd want to try to help out their constituents! I also told them I'm prepared to go to the media if necessary!

I got a CALL from one Senator's assistant asking what they can do to help! I told her that they can call for the laws to be changed and not deny children health care. She said she was going to call her contact at DES and try to make them put Si back on Kidscare - thanks that's all good and shit but doesn't solve the problem that every other parent is going through.

At my doctor's office yesterday I was telling her all about this and she became LIVID - she said it's crap that they'll pay for unnecessary stuff but don't pay for the important things (law was just passed stating that medicaid in AZ will no longer pay for certain transplants or a number of other major surgeries) and that she would be willing to write a letter on my behalf to the Governor and that she knows her 5 partners would sign it as well and that her husband who is a surgeon would do the same and probably his 11 partners in their office! She told me when I come back in two weeks she'll have something for me - wow I felt so empowered by this and she told me that she's so proud of my tenacity lol

This morning I got an email from Senator Rebecca Rios and I quote

This is wrong, wrong, wrong. I am so upset to read your story and knowing that this is being repeated hundreds of times over makes it even more upsetting. The Republican legislature and the Governor implemented this situation by creating a cap and 'waiting list". They need to immediately reverse this decision. All Democrats opposed this move but because Republicans control the House, the Senate and the Governor's office, we were not able to stop it.

Sincerely,
Rebecca Rios
State Senator, District 23

I emailed her back and asked if I may use her name when I contact the media - she said absolutely.

So I've started a letters to the editors of the a number of Arizona newspapers and will be contacting the Networks as well

The people of Arizona need to know that their governor (she was not elected but was given office when Janet Napolitano left to go to Washington for homeland security) wants to totally eradicate affordable healthcare for their children!

I feel like I've bitten off more than I can chew but I think I'm up to the challenge

For more information please visit my facebook group!

Eggo™ Real Fruit Pizza Winners!

Here are the winners of the Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas!

#40

janetfaye said...

4. I joined The Motherhood Eggo Mornings circle - janetfaye

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

#26

Rachel said...

I follow your blog with twitter.

mrs.manley@gmail.com

#4

Kristen said...

I make sure clothes are set out, toothpaste is on the toothbrushes, and lunches are packed.

kristen_yeh (at) yahoo (dot) com

#61

rubynreba said...

I usually get up before everyone else just to get a head start and hope things will run smoother that way and they usually do!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

#116

Udelle Verite said...

4. I subscribe to your feed
gislewis at gmail dot com

Congratulations! I will be emailing you shortly and you have 48 hours to respond to my email or prize will be forfeited and new winner(s) chosen.

Fab Friday Giveaways!!

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE - TODAY IS THE DAY FOR YOU ALL TO LINK UP YOUR FABULOUS GIVEAWAYS!! BE SURE TO LEAVE ME SOME LINKY LOVE :)

Eggo™ Real Fruit Pizza - I'm an EggoAM mom!

I always thought I'd be one of those "June Cleaver" type moms. You know, up at the crack of dawn cooking a hearty nutritious breakfast for my family and getting them off to school/work with no hassles.

YEAH RIGHT! Thanks reality for bursting my bubble! Mornings are kind of crazy at our house, mostly because I have to be at work by 7am daily so that means breakfast is something quick. Unfortunately, that didn't always mean the healthiest choices for me in the past. However, I've always tried to make sure that Sierra has a healthy breakfast and Eggo® has played a big part in that for many years. Nothing easier than popping a waffle in the toaster!

And now Eggo® has come up with a great idea to get our kids to eat even healthier! Eggo™ Real Fruit Pizzas are topped with granola and real fruit on top of a cinnamon whole wheat crust for a delightful start to your morning!





Eggo™ Real Fruit Pizzas come with a microwavable tray but I'm not one for nuking anything "bread" so we heated these up in the toaster oven. The aroma brought Sierra from her room wondering what I was baking for breakfast :) She oo'd and ah'd when I took the Strawberry pizza out and put it on the cutting board to slice! She could barely wait for it to cool enough before gobbling it down!! She ate the entire pizza with the exception of the small bite I took (being diabetic I cannot eat this but needed to take a bite to give my honest opinion). I was impressed by the fresh flavor of the fruit and the crust was delicious!

How would YOU like a chance to try Eggo™ Real Fruit Pizzas?

FIVE (5) of my readers will receive a product sample set and ONE (1) reader from the blogs listed here who are participating in this promotion will be chosen to win a Product Sample Set along with Kellogg merchandise!

To enter simply give me a tip on something you do to make your mornings run smoother! You can enter as many times as you like - be sure each tip is a separate comment!

If you want additional entries you can:

* Blog about this contest and post the link - this will get you TEN additional entries!

* Follow my blog or subscribe to my feed - this will get you FIVE additional entries

* Add my NEW button to your blogroll or sidebar - this will get you TWO additional entries - be sure to leave the link where it is placed

* Join The Motherhood Eggo Mornings circle - this will get you EIGHT additional entries - make sure to post your username so it can be verified

* Follow ME on Twitter - This will get you SIX additional entries

* TWEET!!! You will get an entry for every tweet per day - include a link to the giveaway and the hashtag #EggoAm

* Fave me on Technorati - this will get you FIVE additional entries

* Advertise on my Entrecard - this will get you SIX additional entries!


Be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do to get credit. Your email address must be public on your blog or in your comment or it will be deleted. Contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers and will end July 28th. Winners will be chosen randomly and will have 48 hours to respond or prize forfeited and new winners chosen.




I have been engaged by The Motherhood and Kellog's for this promotion and am being compensated for my participation but my opinions are my own.

An Apple a Day......

Everyone knows the old adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples are one of natures "perfect foods" in my opinion. Full of vitamins and fiber, these little gems are one of my favorite foods. I only have 2 requirements when eating apples; they must be COLD and they must be CRISP!

I use apples, applesauce and apple juice in a lot of my cooking so when I was contacted by Mom Central to participate in the Tree Top blog tour I was thrilled!!

We received three products, Tree Top's new 3 apple blend juice, applesauce and Trim Mango Peach juice drink. I've always been a fan of of using more than one type of apples and do it often when baking anything with apples so was happy to see a 100% juice blend with 3 different types of apples in it. Sierra, of course, was in HEAVEN!! She loved it so much she made me go to the store and buy some more :)

Tree Top is celebrating 50 years and is having an "America's Secret Ingredient" contest. Check it out and enter to win and download other recipes!

One of my favorite apple/apple juice recipes is my Harvest Rice and I'm going to share the recipe with you!

1/2 cup finely chopped apple - I use Granny Smith or any other firm apple
1/2 cup finely chopped onion - I use red onions
1 cup brown rice
1 cup apple juice
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of fresh grated nutmeg

Saute the apple and onion in the butter until tender and onion is transparent. Add rice and saute for 1 additional minute. Salt and pepper. Add juice and stock and bring to boil then reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer until done - my rule of thumb with brown rice is 20-25 minutes, then remove from heat and leave covered for an additional 10 minutes to ensure all the liquid is absorbed. A pinch of fresh grated nutmeg adds a "wow" factor to this highly flavorful side dish which is a great compliment to chicken or pork!

So I hope you'll all check out Tree Top and maybe find some wonderful new recipes and enter for a chance to win a great prize!!


“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Tree Top and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

I hate being sick!

Nothing like 4 days in the hospital to make you realize how much you love your home and family!! Last Saturday morning I woke up with the worst pain in my chest. It felt like a horse had kicked me in the chest and I couldn't take a deep breath. I told Patrick to take Sierra to riding lessons and we'd see how I was doing after that. I laid down and tried to get some rest. By the time Patrick and Sierra got home I was literally gasping for breath so off to the ER we went!

Morphine is my friend I have to tell you! It took 40mg to get the edge off the pain and then the testing started. I have Factor V Leiden, a clotting deficiency so of course their first worry was pulmonary embolism. Unfortunately I also have a shellfish allergy so the doctors said I couldn't have a scan with contrast dye until I'd had a 12 hour prednisone prep. So they started me on that and I told Patrick to take Sierra home and I'd call when we knew something.

Chest xray revealed something on the lung so they diagnosed pneumonia and started drugging me up. Living in the Desert they were also concerned about
Valley Fever which takes a longer time to diagnose but can present like pneumonia. So more bloodwork which is a nightmare for me because I have NO veins in my arms whatsoever and most techs get mad when I tell them this and think they know better.

So three scans, a barium breakfast, lots of drugs and two leg ultrasounds and 4 days later it was time for me to go home. I'm on partial bedrest but have to go back to the office tomorrow for 1/2 day. Sierra is the best nurse for the most part but man she gets bossy if you don't listen to her!!



So I'm kind of back - gonna take it slow for now but in case anyone wondered where I was that's it.

Fab Friday Giveaways!

Happy Friday!!! Today is the day to link up all of your awesome giveaways!!

Sarah McLachlan - Laws of Illusion

Grammy® award winning, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan has just released her first studio album of brand new material in 7 years and she doesn't disappoint!

Laws of Illusion proves that this extremely talented artist still has it! I don't think there is a track on this CD that I didn't thoroughly enjoy!

I've always been a fan of Sarah McLachlan; her voice has such an ethereal quality to it and she's someone I love to listen to when I need to relax or calm down. I have actually put a number of her songs on Sierra's iPod that she has her therapeutic music on because it really helps with her anxiety!

So be sure to check out Sarah McLachan's newest release Laws of Illusion and you can check Sarah out as well at these other sites:

* Sara’s website
* Facebook Page
* Facebook Listening Party
* Twitter
* Performing on Jay Leno
* Performing on Dancing With The Stars
* Amazon
* Lilith Fair

This review was facilitated by One2One Network who provided me with a complimentary copy of the CD. My opinions are completely my own.

Above Size 6 Need Not Shop?

I'm a big woman - have been for most of my life. I have struggled with weight and finally have realized that it's more important to be healthy than thin. America is one of the most overweight countries in the world yet we're inundated with propaganda telling us that we MUST be thin - that FAT is a dirty word and that FAT people aren't as good as thin people.

I've never much worried about what people think about my size. My daughter tells me that she loves that I'm soft and fluffy and that when she hugs me it's like hugging a big warm pillow :) Have I mentioned lately that I love my daughter? :)

Then comes American Apparel - already under fire for their sexist advertising, perverted CEO and sexual harassment suits, now we can add size discrimination!

American Apparel has now refused to make certain items larger than a size 6! SIX????? Are you freaking kidding me????

According to an article at Care2.com, when a group of children interviewed on 20/20 were asked if they'd rather be fat or lose an arm, they unanimously answered that they'd rather lose an arm.

That speaks VOLUMES to me about how our children are being "programmed" to think that being Fat is a fate worse than losing a limb!!

We need to stop this insanity!!! Parents please instill in your children the need to be HEALTHY rather than skinny. You don't have to be a size 6, the majority of adult women wear a size 12-16 and those of use who are larger are loving mommies, productive members of society, caretakers of their families, educated, intelligent and SICK AND TIRED of being treated like 2nd class citizens just because of their size!!

And to American Apparel all I can say is SHAME ON YOU!!!

CSN Stores - your one stop shopping site!

I love shopping online. To me it's the greatest invention since sliced bread :) And now I've found a way to find just about everything I need/want on one site!!

CSN Stores offers the convenience of over 200 stores on one website! So if you're looking for anything from Wall Sconces to Eco-Friendly Dog Houses you will find it here!

I'll be reviewing a product from CSN Stores in the next month or so. I just have to decide what I want to pick from their vast selection!! Maybe a new Clay Cooker or something fun for the Kittens. Decisions, decisions......

Well, while I'm deciding why don't you head on over to CSN Stores and see what catches YOUR eye!

Fab Friday Giveaways!

Happy Friday!! Be sure to link up all of your giveaways here and leave me some linky love :)