National Snack Food Month - #Giveaway

No compensation was received for this post. As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, product samples, coupons and information were provided. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.
February was National Snack Food Month! At our house, snacking is a way of life. It has to be. With school, after school activities and sports in the evenings, there is not a consistent time that dinner is at our house. To help us through, we have the kids (and ourselves) take a snack break between activities. If dinner will be a more typical time, they will have just a small snack to tide them over, but if dinner will be after evening sports, then we typically rely on a more filling snack - something with protein.

"According to a Hormel Study (conducted by Penn Schoen Berland), 90% of teens eat at least one snack a day - and no wonder, since snacking is a great way to increase energy and help curb hunger until the next meal."

Looking for some ideas for a snacker in your life? Here are some ideas from Hormel

"Hormel REV Wraps - These pre-made wraps make the perfect after school snack to fuel an active lifestyle. Each wrap contains 15 grams of protein, and with eight varieties of varying assortments of meats and cheeses, they're the perfect way to satisfy afternoon cravings!

Hormel Pepperoni Stix - Packed with protein, pop one of these individually wrapped stix in your bag for an on-the-go snack to tide you over until the next meal. Available in original and turkey pepperoni.

Chi-Chi's Snackers - These portable salsa snack cups paired with veggies or chips for dipping make for a great snack option - enough to satisfy, but not so substantial that it will ruin your appetite."

I haven't tried the Pepperoni Stix, but I imagine that we would like them - slices of pepperoni are sometimes part of our snacks. I can also tell you that my the kids love the Hormel REV Wraps. We actually use them for lunches, as well as snacking at our house. They prefer them microwaved, but will eat them direct from the package too.

Would you like to try Hormel REV Wraps for yourself?

Giveaway!
Thanks to Hormel, two lucky readers will each win 2 (two) coupons each good for one FREE Hormel REV Wrap.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through March 10th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. Winners will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winners will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, product samples, coupons and information were provided. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Menu Plan Monday

It was a good weekend. We did a lot of baking - lemon white chocolate biscotti, butterfinger cupcakes, rice krispie treats and cherry rice krispie treats. The cats destroyed the biscotti, which was a bummer because the piece that I did eat was delicious.

On Sunday, my husband told me as I was leaving for a friend's baby shower, that he would make dinner. He made chicken piccata and it turned out wonderful (even more so, because I didn't cook!). It was supposed to be part of the plan last week, as was the tilapia we are having Thursday, but we had some schedule changes and didn't get to those meals last week. I will have to post his recipe and link it up.

Sunday
cereal
sandwiches
Chicken Piccata

Monday
English Muffin Pizzas

Tuesday
Turkey Roast with mashed potatoes

Wednesday
Tacos

Thursday
Parmesean Crusted Tilapia

Friday
TBD

Saturday
TBD


As we are now back in school, the kids either pack or buy the hot lunch at school. My husband and I rely on leftovers, frozen meals and lunch meetings for lunch.

This post shared at Menu Plan Monday.

SCOOBY-DOO LIVE! MUSICAL MYSTERIES giveaway winner!

Congratulations to the winner of the family 4-pk of tickets to see SCOOBY-DOO LIVE! MUSICAL MYSTERIES at Akron Civic Theatre on April 5th ....

Heather S!

An e-mail has been sent to the winner.

Thanks everyone for entering and be sure to watch for more giveaways coming soon.

And, you can still buy tickets to catch Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries with your family:

Click here to buy tickets to the 2PM show

Click here to buy tickets to the 5PM show

Menu Plan Monday

Can we be done with this snow already? We are supposed to be getting 3-5" tonight. There was no school today, because of the holiday, and depending on how the timing works out for the snowfall tonight, it seems likely that there could be a delay or closure tomorrow. Despite the weather, we seem to have a rather busy schedule the first half of the week with swim lessons, baseball practice (indoor, obviously), work out classes, church youth groups and meetings filling our evenings. As such, there are a lot of quick to table meals on the menu the first half of the week, with the longer prep meals coming at the end of the week.

My son has taken a lot of interest in cooking, he is a big fan of the cooking competition shows. So, a few weeks back, when I was traveling, he made English Muffin Pizzas (not sure where he saw this, but it was his idea). They are included on this week's menu, as was a Chopped Kids Edition where they decided to get creative with the prosciutto and cheese that we had left from dinner earlier in the week. My son went with what he called hash - chopped prosciutto warmed and topped with cheese and crushed crackers and an over medium egg on top. My daughter (who I did most of the cooking for - she stirred the prosciutto while it was cooking) went with prosciutto and cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla with scrambled eggs on the side.

Sunday
cereal
Chopped Kids Edition
Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Monday
Leftovers

Tuesday
Buffalo Chicken Soup and Salad

Wednesday
English Muffin Pizzas

Thursday
Pork Chops

Friday
Chicken Piccata

Saturday
cereal
sandwiches
Parmesean Crusted Tilapia


As we are now back in school, the kids either pack or buy the hot lunch at school. My husband and I rely on leftovers, frozen meals and lunch meetings for lunch.

This post shared at Menu Plan Monday.

PRINCESS EVER AFTER $200 “Princess” Giveaway and Facebook Party with @RachelHauck!

No compensation was provided for this post.

Rachel Hauck is celebrating the release of her latest "swoon"-worthy romance,  Princess Ever After, with a fun $200 "Princess" prize package giveaway and a Facebook "Princess" party on March 6th. Grab your tiaras and RSVP today!

One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa cash card (buy your very own "princess ever after" gown or tanks of gas for your "royal" ride)
• Princess Ever After, Once Upon a Prince, and The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 6th. Winner will be announced at Rachel's "Princess" Facebook Party on March 6th. Connect with Rachel for an evening of "royal" book chat, princess-themed trivia, laughter, prizes, and an exclusive look at the next book in the Royal Wedding series!

So grab your copy of Princess Ever After and join Rachel and friends on the evening of March 6th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 6th!

Watch for my review, coming soon!

No compensation was provided for this post. The information was all provided to me, as was a complimentary review copy of the book.

Hopeful by Shelley Shepard Gray

A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

I love a nice straight-forward, easy to read story, filled with characters that you can't help but root for. That is exactly what I found when I read Helpful by Shelley Shepard Gray. It is fun to get to know the characters that Shelley Shepard Gray develops in Helpful. As you learn more about them and their lives, it is hard not to feel connected to them. The story moves easily between characters and their stories and progresses nicely. (As a busy mom, I love a book that I can sit down and read easily over the course of a couple of days, and that if need be, can put down and pick up several times over the course of that time.)

Hopeful is set in Sugarcreek, Ohio - which I think is fun, because it is an actual community and one that I have visited. I have been there a few times - not enough to recognize any landmarks from the storyline, but I still felt connected knowing I had been there.

The story could have been set almost anywhere, with it's universal theme. A classic love triangle/girl next door tale where girl loves boy and that boy loves another girl and relies on the first girl as a friend for advice and support in his pursuit. It is something that I am sure many of us have seen or experienced in our lives.

It was nice to read a book about the Amish that was about the story's characters and what was going on in their lives. It wasn't about them being Amish and it wasn't full of Englisher influence or support. Sure there was an occasional non-Amish that appeared in the story, but they weren't really part of the storyline but rather mostly were there because of the reality of where the Amish live and work.

This was the first book that I read by Gray, but since it is the first book in the series, and I love to find familiar characters in the story or background of future books, I look forward to reading the future books in the series.

About the book:
Return to Sugarcreek, Book One

In the Amish town of Sugarcreek, love comes in many forms. But will it come at all for Miriam?

Miriam Zehr has worked at the Sugarcreek Inn longer than she cares to admit. The restaurant is a favorite of town residents as well as the many tourists who come to taste the famous Amish fare. Though she always tries to have a smile for every customer, deep down Miriam knows something's missing: a family of her own.

Miriam has never felt particularly beautiful, especially because she's always been a bit heavier than other girls her age. When Junior, the man she's pined for all her life, suddenly seeks her out, she's thrilled to be noticed . . . until she realizes he's only asking her to help get the attention of Mary Kathryn Hershberger, her pretty friend.

If Miriam helps Junior court Mary Kathryn, she'll get to spend a lot of time with him, but she might lose him in the process. Are these few stolen moments worth a lifetime of sacrifice? Is Miriam right to even hope for the life she dreams of?

Purchase a copy here.

About the Author: Shelley Shepard Gray is a two-time New York Times bestseller, a two-time USA Today bestseller, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time Holt Medallion winner. She lives in Southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.

Learn more about Shelley on her website.

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you.

May your heart find joy in the company of others.

One in a Minion

This year for Valentine's day, we decided to go a different route and not just buy cards at the store for my daughter's class. I also wanted to avoid giving candy - I don't remember passing out or receiving candy as part of Valentine's Day card exchanges when I was a kid, but now it seems that everyone attaches some type of candy or lollipop to their cards. Now that my kids aren't in preschool, we no longer get to make things for class parties, so making a treat sounded like a fun way to go.

I have some seen some really cute ideas around and decided it would be fun to make something. We decided on making an edible treat and attaching a card to the baggie...so, I guess I didn't totally get away from sweets, but at least I went cookie instead of candy. What did we make, you ask...as if the title of this post didn't give it away...Minions!..and we attached a card that said "You're one in a Minion. Happy Valentine's Day"

This is not an original idea, you can see my inspiration here. I did go a cheaper route though and used a tub of frosting and used frosting colors to make the blue and the black frosting that I needed and used a decorating tip on a zipper baggie to decorate the cookies, rather than buying the more expensive pre-colored cake/cookie frosting. It worked well for me. I was able to find the candy eyes at Target in their baking aisle.

I started by giving all of them overalls. Then we did the glasses, smile and hair...placing one or two eyes on each as we went. For the glasses, I pretty much drew a straight line across and then either put one or two dots on it so that when the eye was placed, it would give a black rim under it.

We did our best to make several different looking Minions. Some had hair, others did not...we even varied up the hairstyle.

We used the snack size zipper bags for holding the cookies and used the Avery business card stock for printing the cards - they were the perfect size.

The Secrets of Happy Families, by Bruce Feiler

A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

I recently had the chance to read The Secrets of Happy Families, by Bruce Feiler. I wasn't sure what to expect as I began the book, but I must say that Bruce put my fears to rest when in the introduction he stated "A collection like this is liberating, I believe, because it is obvious no one can attend to them all." It took the pressure off...it wasn't a one size fits all set of advice. It was meant to be something where you could pick and choose what worked for you.

As I continued to read, I was surprised to see that one of the experts that he consulted with as he searched for the secrets to happy families, was Jim Collins, author of Good to Great. This is a book that I have read and found very insightful. Certainly, Good to Great was written about companies, but a large part of is about creating a great company culture and I totally could see how he would have good perspective on creating a good culture at home as well.

It gave me a boost as I read to see that several of his suggestions are things that we already have in place in our household. With everything that pulls you in a hundred directions, it was reassuring to know that we are doing some things right (not that not doing things is wrong - again not one size fits all). My book is all dog-eared with corners flipped down at sections that I want to be able to quickly reference and consider how to implement. Some of the things that he talked about are not things that I expected...things like talking to your kids about sexuality, some of the thoughts being different than I had going in, but after consideration, points that I think are very valid. He also talked about teaching your kids money management; how to keep the family engaged on family vacations, which seem like great ideas when you consider that everyone has varied interests; and organized sports.

An interesting statistic that he shared was around the subject of divorce. "Divorce is now at a thirty-year low in America...A primary reason is that people have been getting hitched later. The biggest single risk factor for divorce is getting married before you turn twenty-four; the biggest predictor of marital success is graduating from college." This struck me because a few weeks back, I had gone to dinner with several friends...as we talked, something struck me...most of them had been divorced (many were remarried). As we talked about it, many of them had gotten married young to someone that they knew from high school or college. It struck me at that time how interesting it was that they had all been young. So, when I read this paragraph in the book, it really jumped out at me.

I really liked the format and approach of the book. I liked that not only did the author research the topics, but he implemented many of the ideas in his own family to test things out. He shared anecdotal evidence from his experience, as well as from those that he met with to seek guidance and research the topics.

If you are looking for an easy to read, low pressure book on happy families, I would check out The Secrets of Happy Families. The book even includes a toolkit to help you implement the ideas that you like.

Enter Today | 1/28 - 2/15!

The Secrets of Happy Families
by Bruce Feiler
William Morrow Paperbacks
Non-Fiction

What if all the advice you've been hearing from the "experts" on marriage and family is wrong? What makes them experts anyway?

Determined to find the smartest solutions and the most cutting-edge research about families, bestselling author and New York Times family columnist Bruce Feiler gathered team-building exercises and problem-solving techniques from the most creative minds---from Silicon Valley to the Green Berets---and tested these ideas with his wife and kids. The result is a lively, funny, thought-provoking and original look at how we can create stronger parent/child relationships, manage the chaos of our lives, teach our kids values and grit, and have more fun together.

The Secrets of Happy Families includes more than two hundred unique practices that will help your family draw closer and make everyone in your home happier. It has already changed the lives of millions of families, and it can do the same for yours.

About the book: The book that revolutionized our view of what makes families happy . . .

Determined to find the smartest solutions and the most cutting-edge research about families, bestselling author and New York Times family columnist Bruce Feiler gathered team-building exercises and problem-solving techniques from the most creative minds---from Silicon Valley to the Green Berets---and tested these ideas with his wife and kids. The result is a lively, original look at how we can create stronger parent/child relationships, manage the chaos of our lives, teach our kids values and grit, and have more fun together.

The Secrets of Happy Families includes more than two hundred unique practices that will help your family draw closer and make everyone in your home happier. It has already changed the lives of millions of families, and it can do the same for yours.

Purchase a copy and download the Happy Families Toolkit here.

Meet the Author: Bruce Feiler writes a column in contemporary families for the New York Times and is the author of six consecutive New York Times bestsellers, including The Council of Dads. He is the host of several series on PBS, a popular lecturer, and a frequent commentator on radio and television. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and twin daughters.

Learn more about Bruce at: http://brucefeiler.com

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

HOPEFUL by Shelley Shepard Gray | Win a copy!

Welcome to the blog tour for Hopeful, the first book in Shelley Shepard Gray's new series, Return to Sugarcreek. Critics have already given their thumbs up for Hopeful: “Lovable characters and a good story, full of romance and suspense . . . a must read." (Library Journal)



Enter to win one of FIVE copies of the book. 

Five winners will receive:

• Hopeful by Shelley Shepard Gray

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 23rd. All winners will be announced February 24th at Shelley's blog.

Enter today and be sure to visit Shelley's blog on the 24th to see if YOU won one of the books!

Watch for my review of this book coming soon!

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. Content for this post was provided to me. A complimentary review copy of the book was provided to me.

Monster Jam giveaway winner!

Congratulations, Chad! Your entry was selected as the winner of the family 4-pk of tickets to see Monster Jam at Quicken Loans Arena.

You can still take advantage of the special offer and get 25% off your tickets when you enter Promo Code MOM25 at check-out. Offer not valid on Opening Night. Not valid on Gold Circle or VIP seating. No double discounts.

Monster Jam
Quicken Loans Arena
Feb 14 - 16 , 2014

Friday, Feb 14 - 7:30 PM
Saturday, Feb 15 - 2:00 PM
Saturday, Feb 15 - 7:30 PM
Sunday, Feb 16 - 2:00 PM

No compensation was received for this post. As a Feld Family Blogger, I was provided the opportunity to host this giveaway.

The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen

A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

I just got home from a week long trip to the west coast, which gave me plenty of time to read. I think that in total I was on a plane for about 12 hours and in airports for about 10 hours. The time in the airport was mostly spent visiting or enjoying a meal before the next flight, but the time on the plan was dedicated to reading. It was so wonderful to catch up on some books that I have been wanting to read and not being interrupted with "mom!" every ten minutes.

One of the books that I enjoyed on my flights was The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen. This is the first book I have read by Julie Klassen. In her about author, it says that she enjoys all things Jane - Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. After reading her book, and seeing the character development and attention to details for this book set in the early 1800s in England, I am not surprised to learn that.

I must start by saying, on one hand, there is something that just seems to be so romantic about that time in history to me and at the same time, knowing that if you weren't born to the right class, it probably was a rather tough time in history. With that in mind, this book was of course about those that were born to privilege, yet even within those born to privilege there were certainly degrees of privilege none the less and those that were in one group were not necessarily recognized as the right type of person for marriage for the other group. Of course, as everyone knows, sometimes that which is not allowed is appealing simply because it is not allowed.

The Dancing Master opens sharing some of the traditions, and reflection upon some former traditions, in the community of Beaworthy, Devonshire, England. Julia Midwinter is the daughter of the village matriarch. Alec Valcourt has just moved to the community with his mother and sister and is living at his uncle's home. Julia and Alec first meet at church on Sunday morning.

From the back cover:

Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.

Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter. Though he's initially wary of Julia Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul--and hidden sorrows of her own.

Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master--a man her mother would never approve of--but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village...and to her mother's tattered heart?

Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a "good match" in Regency England.

There is so much of the story that you could spoil by sharing details, so I will suffice to say that the story had me laughing and crying and really connecting with the characters.

I found that The Dancing Master was well written, has a nice pace, has strong, developed characters that you can't help but enjoy and really pulls you in. Early on, you start to discover that some of the characters have interesting, unexpected back stories as you begin to uncover hints about their mysterious pasts. These nuggets keep you wanting to read so that you can learn more about what their history really is and how it has impacted not only them, but those around them. As you continue to read, you find that you are able to start to piece the puzzle together, but just as you think you have figured out the picture, a small piece will lead you to discover that the picture you were envisioning was not complete. The story is filled with drama and insights of character, love, pride, relationships, forgiveness, faith and more.

This is a book that I would certainly recommend that you read, especially if you are a fan of period literature and the works of Jane Austen and her era.

The Dancing Master is a stand alone work, as are the other books by Julia Klassen. I definitely would seek out and read more of her books based on my reading experience of The Dancing Master.

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries coming to Akron Civic #giveaway

No compensation was received for this post.

I grew up watching Scooby-Doo and have shared Scooby-Doo with my kids. When I heard that Scooby-Doo Live! was coming to Akron, I was very excited, because I knew it was a show that the whole family would enjoy.

Tickets for this show would make a great Christmas present. I love to take the kids to live theater and when they are already familiar with the characters, it makes it that much more enjoyable for everyone. Plus, we have a history of giving each other tickets to live shows and sporting events for Christmas. We have frequently made 'vouchers' for those events where the tickets haven't yet gone on sale or we didn't receive paper tickets.

Scooby Doo: Musical Mysteries
Akron Civic Theatre
April 5, 2014
2 Thrilling shows at 2pm and 5pm.

Jeepers! SCOOBY-DOO and the Mystery Inc. Gang have been called in to help
solve an epic mystery in Akron. A trouble-making ghost is haunting a
local theater and SHAGGY, FRED, DAPHNE, VELMA and SCOOBY-DOO are
on their way in the MYSTERY MACHINE to help solve it! This hilarious live
theater show brings everyone's favorite animated series to life. Filled with wacky
new characters, fantastic songs and outrageous antics, SCOOBY-DOO LIVE!
MUSICAL MYSTERIES, presented by Warner Bros. and Life Like Touring, will
have audiences on the edge of their seats in traditional Scooby-Doo fashion.
See if this time the gang is in over its head!

Click here to buy tickets to the 2PM show

Click here to buy tickets to the 5PM show

Giveaway!
I am excited to be able to share with my readers an opportunity to win a family 4-pk of tickets to see Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries at Akron Civic to the 5 pm show on Saturday, April 5th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Giveaway will remain open through February 20th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. Winners will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winners will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary set of tickets to attend the show from the Akron Civic and they provided information and the tickets for the giveaway. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.