Kelly's Lucky You

Giveaway: Bertolli Meal Soup! Ends 2/18

Kelly — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:01:57 +0000

Bertolli Meal Soup is one of our new favorite winter go-to dinners! Pull a bag out of the freezer and ten minutes later, delicious restaurant quality soup is on the table. And this soup has all the ingredients of a full meal. Just add some delicious crusty bread and a quick salad, for a cozy treat!

Read how Rosie and I turned our home into an “Italian Ristorante” in this post. Leave a comment there about how you make family meals special, complete the Rafflecopter form below and you’ll be entered to win a coupon for a free Bertolli Meal or Meal Soup! The coupon expires 12/31/12, but I don’t think you’ll be able to wait that long :)

There are four varieties to choose from for your next meal!

Chicken Minestrone
Roasted Chicken and Rotini Pasta
Tomato Florentine and Tortellini with Chicken
Tuscan-Style Beef & Vegetables

Which do you think will be your favorite?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To find a store near you that sells the Bertolli Meal Soups, please go to http://www.villabertolli.com/where-to-buy.aspx

More about the Bertolli Meal Soups
·      Bertolli® Frozen Meal Soups are hearty and fresh-tasting with vegetables, meats, pasta and herbs individually flash frozen at the peak of freshness.
·      Bertolli® Frozen Meal Soups are available in the frozen aisle, and can be prepared on your stovetop in minutes.
·      With robust flavors and rich textures, new Bertolli® Frozen Meal Soups are available in four varieties: Chicken Minestrone, Roasted Chicken & Rotini Pasta, Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken, and Tuscan-Style Beef with Vegetables.

Learn more about Bertolli Meal Soups
Facebook: facebook.com/Bertolli
Twitter: twitter.com/Bertolli
Website: villabertolli.com

Disclosure of Material Connection: All opinions are my own, unless otherwise stated. I was compensated by Bertolli to participate in the Weeknight Meal Special Challenge.

Book Giveaway and Review: “What’s Wrong With Me?” by Daree Allen Ends 2/18

Kelly — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:01:25 +0000

“What’s Wrong With Me?” is a collection of memories, lessons, advice, experiences and quotations written by speaker and author, Daree Allen. It’s directed to teenage girls with the intent of helping them through the difficult time of questions and discovering who they are and what they want to make of their lives. This YA nonfiction book will be released on Valentine’s Day. The author describes it as, “an empowering Christian self-help book for older teen girls”.

The topics Daree discusses can be pretty much summed up as “Life”. They include:

Identity
Family
Friendship
Positive Thinking
Physical Appearance
Eating
Men
Sex
Marriage
Motherhood
Money
God

About the Author

Daree Allen, MS is an award-winning speaker and author. This entrepreneur is an experienced workshop presenter/facilitator for youth and adults spiritual discipleship classes. Daree has presented business and professional development topics at organizational chapter meetings, workshops, conferences, schools, and universities across the country for such organizations as The Society for Technical Communication (STC), the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) at Strayer University, and the University of Houston’s BLACKE Student Summit. She has also been a mentor and facilitator, conducting divorce recovery workshops, and a Toastmasters Youth Leadership program at a local middle school.

My Take

Yes, whew! There is a lot packed into this book. Despite the quantity of information, Daree’s style makes it an easy read. Because she combines her personal journal entries from the past, quotations from famous people, and straightforward advice, the book is also entertaining and interesting. It’s also structured in an easy-to-read style with highlighted passages, paragraph headings, lists and charts.

Favorite things I read in the book:

Confrontations are best done one on one. Don’t be defensive, just be honest. Your reaction to drama and mean girls is fuel for their actions. Comparing yourself to others is normal but have a healthy evaluation of your own appearance.
You have no control over how you’re raised or who your family is. The influence of parents is undeniably strong and shapes us, but you are not your parents. You should respect but not necessarily agree.
The average person has about 60,000 thoughts per day. According to scientists, roughly 45,000 of those thoughts tend to be negative. Fight those odds by surrounding yourself with positive people, books, media and eliminated toxic influences.

What Others Say

“Daree Allen is a shining example of what happens when a woman learns to love herself and steps into her own power and confidence. Daree’s book shares her personal journey with humor and inspiration. Girls can find their own path to personal growth by applying Daree’s lessons to their lives.” ~ Diane L. Paxson, author

Where to Win

Here, of course! Enter in the Rafflecopter form below to win my gently read copy.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: All opinions included in this post are my own, unless otherwise stated. In accordance with FTC guidelines, I am disclosing a material connection because I received the book mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. All books are either given away or donated after review.

Book Review and Giveaway: American Sniper by Chris Kyle – Two Winners! (Ends 2/25, US)

Kelly — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:01:10 +0000

About the Story

Chris Kyle is the deadliest American sniper ever, called “The Devil” by the enemies he hunted and “The Legend” by his Navy SEAL brothers.

During the ten years of his active military career, Chris Kyle reported the most sniper kills in US Military history. This book is his autobiography, primarily focusing on the time he served in Iraq. It gives an interesting account of his training and what goes into being a military sniper.

Without releasing confidential information, Chris still goes into significant detail about many of his missions and battles. It’s an eyewitness account of war and the military life. Kyle talks honestly about his experiences, both good and bad. What it takes to be a Navy SEAL and effective soldier.

About the Author

Kyle grew up in Texas and learned to shoot on hunting trips with his father. He spent time in college and cattle ranching before joining the military where he found his true calling in the roll of military sniper. Serving four combat tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom and elsewhere, he was awarded two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars with Valor, two Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medals, and one Navy and Marine Corp Commendation.

Following his combat deployments, Kyle became chief instructor for training Naval Special Warfare Sniper and Counter-Sniper teams.

Today Chris Kyle is back in Texas and president of the training and security firm, Craft International.

My Take

As you can imagine, this book is more than a bit “outside the box” of my usual reading. I’m mostly a fan of fiction and the non-fiction I read is usually spiritual or self-help. I’m not sure why I picked up this one to read, but I’m glad I did.

War is a topic that brings out deep issues and feelings for all of us. The military, and especially Navy Seals, is unfamiliar territory for most of us. Chris Kyle gave me a glimpse, an honest glimpse, into his world. When I was reading the book, I felt as if I’d been stranded at a snowed-in airport somewhere with this man and he’d felt comfortable enough to share the story of his life with me. Although not about marriage, family, or military wives, the sections written by Chris’s wife add fascinating perspectives and gave me an honest glimpse into her life as well.

If you or someone you know is interested in the Iraq war, the military or snipers, I recommend this book. It’s written in an easy-to-read style and holds your attention throughout the book. Although not about marriage, family, or military wives, the sections written by Chris’s wife add fascinating perspectives and gave me an honest glimpse into her life as well.

Surprising things I read in the book:

the snipers always had a witness to their kills and could be tried for murder, if there was not justification for every action
Taya Kyle wrote that she woke up one morning to find Chris had her in a dangerous hold and she had to wake him up slowly so he would realize he was at home and she was his wife
the armed forces work together and each group ie Rangers, SEALS have special expertise
Although the SEALS are in the Navy, they often work on land-based operations
In general, SEALS are physically fit and in extremely top condition, but it is truly “heart” and mental stamina that set a SEAL apart from other soldiers

For More Information

Browse the book

American Sniper Facebook page

Where to Buy

Amazon.com

Indie Bound

Where to Win

Here, of course! Two lucky KLY readers are going to win their own copy. Enter in the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tips to Serve Your Children Healthy Meals May Win You $20,000! #BensBeginners

Kelly — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:28:24 +0000

Uncle Ben’s brings us delicious rice and now they are bringing us a national contest with a $20,000 prize! To encourage parents to connect with their kids and cook healthy meals, Uncle Ben’s created Ben’s Beginner’s. Just to get you excited, let’s start with the prizes:

$20,000 in cash
an appearance on the Rachel Ray Show
a school cafeteria makeover (valued at $50,000)

Wow! That is going to be one lucky Uncle Ben’s fan! Okay, okay, so what do you need to do to enter?

Uncle Ben’s is calling for parents with children ages 5-12 to submit a 2-3 minute video of you cooking a rice-based dish with your children. It’s easy – Step one: cook a rice-based healthy meal with your child (ren). Step two: video them, sharing their enthusiasm for cooking and talking about what they learned. Step three: upload the video at the Enter Contest page of the Uncle Ben’s Facebook site.

For more info on the contest, please check out Ben’s Beginners on Facebook!

Here are my favorite tips for serving healthy, family meals:

Cook together. Children learn so much while cooking. Not only nutritional things about food, but also measuring math skills, vocabulary, geography, and more. Cooking is a great opportunity to play, work, and bond with your kids. And if you have trouble getting your kids to eat healthy foods? If they made it themselves, they are much more likely to eat it! Rosie made fresh salsa with me yesterday. She loves pushing the pulse on the food processor! The tomatoes, lime, and cilantro were a fresh and delicious treat that I know she ate more of because she made it.
Start on a white canvas. I just learned that studies show when you begin preparing your meal with rice, you end up with a meal that’s better for you. Who knew? After I read this I realized that I love rice mixed with veggies. It does encourage ethnic, rich choices and pairs perfectly with an assortment of vegetables.
Paint a rainbow. Not only will your meal appeal to your eye as well as your taste buds, you achieve a balance and variety of vitamins and minerals when you have a variety of colors on your plate. Don’t stay with green and brown (meat and a veggie). Go for orange carrots, red peppers, yellow squash, even blueberries. Half of your plate should be fruits and veggies – bring on the color!

What do your kids love to cook?

According to government dietary guidelines, more than one-third of children and more than two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese. Yikes! Children age 2-6 should have about 1 1/2 cups of vegetables and 1 cup of fruit everyday. Adding rice to those veggies adds some variety and fun to the meal!

About Uncle Ben’s
Uncle Ben’s®, the number one rice brand in America, is proud to offer a wide range of rice dishes with flavors and textures that will help bring more to your meals, both for convenient side dishes and savory main courses. Uncle Ben’s® offers a wide variety of white, whole grain brown, and flavored rices in cook times ranging from 30 minutes to 90 seconds, as well as rice for food service operations such as restaurants, schools and hospitals. The first mass-produced parboiled rice, Uncle Ben’s® is the top-selling branded rice in the United States and products can be found in more than 100 countries worldwide. Uncle Ben’s® Brand products are manufactured by Mars Food NA, part of Mars, Incorporated.

For more information, visit www.UncleBens.com.More info on Uncle Ben’s: http://www.unclebens.com/

Uncle Ben’s on Facebook

Check out recipe ideas from Uncle Ben’s.

Disclosure of Material Connection: “I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Uncle Ben’s blogging program, for My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here http://BensBeginners.socialmoms.com/about.

Twitter Party Alert! 1/31/12 3PM EST #ILoveAvocados Win $50 GC!

Kelly — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:46:27 +0000

I fell in love with avocados and guacamole last Halloween when Avocados from Mexico ran the Spookamole challenge. Remember the fun Halloween treat? Now it’s time for SuperBowl parties – what can you make? Hmmm, that same cream cheese could make a pretty great looking football field in a rectangular bowl…

Spookamole Webby Snack Dip, Hmmm, cream cheese could make a football field instead of the web for a SuperBowl Party!

Join us for a Twitter Party to talk all about your love for avocados!

What: Avocados from Mexico #iloveavocados Twitter Party

When: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 from 3:00-4:00PM EST
Hashtag: #iloveavocados
Moderator: @MomCentral
Special Guest: @guacgrl
Assistant Moderators: @DadCentral, @MomCentralChat @KellysLuckyYou & @StacyDeBroff
Prizes: Six people will win a $50 Amazon gift code & an Avocados from Mexico prize pack during the hour-long party. We’ll also be giving away two $50 Amazon gift codes & a prize pack for tweeting before the party.
Questions: Contact Matt Moretti at mmoretti@momcentral.com
TweetGrid: http://bit.ly/xRDJSq

Pre-tweet to Win!
Anyone who tweets this from now until the Avocados from Mexico #iloveavocados Twitter Party will be eligible to win one of two $50 Amazon gift codes and an Avocados from Mexico prize pack before the party starts.

About the party:
Come slice, dip, spread, eat and tweet with us at the #iloveavocados Twitter Party! Playful, fun and all about your love for avocados, hearts will be aflutter during the celebration of this delicious fruit. Join us to talk avocados, football, food, parties & more! Plus, learn about Avocados from Mexico’s unique Facebook page featuring special widgets to share the avocado love with all your friends and family: http://tinyurl.com/iloveavocados.

For more information about the party, please click here.

Golden Globes Red Carpet Fashion Hits and Fashion Misses!

Kelly — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:09:49 +0000

Natalie Portman and Angelina Jolie both used an accent color at the neckline but A rocked it!

Clair Danes and Kate Winslett went with a black and white, menswear kind of look. Danes looked amazing, but the style didn’t suit Winslett’s curvy physique.

When you are “of a certain age”, it’s clearly more difficult to score a “hit” on the red carpet. Glen Close beat the odds and looked great. Meryl Streep? Not so much.

The color “Nude” was popular on the carpet this year. Kate Beckinsale looked stunning in a dress by Roberto Cavalli but the Julie Bowen was washed out and blah in the same color dress by Reem Acra.

Make the most of those curves! Sofia Vergara showed off her curvy-girl lines, but Julianna Margulies just looked squashed.

What do you think?

Make a Weeknight Meal Special with Meal Soup from #BertolliMealSoup

Kelly — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:05:48 +0000

Setting the scene… It’s a cold day, you’ve had a busy schedule, not a minute to spare and no time to plan for dinner. You only have one hour but want to make it a warm, cozy, delicious meal for your family! And fun!

Here’s how we used one hour and turned our home into a special, warm, cozy Italian Ristorante and made a delicious meal for four.

Step One: Shopping (30 minutes)

Step Two: Start the kids making a menu for your family’s Italian “ristorante”. Giggling allowed and encouraged! (5 minutes)

Step Three: Cook the Bertolli’s Frozen Chicken Minestrone Meal Soup and make salad (15 minutes). Meal Soups have the meat and vegetable servings of a complete meal in each bowl!

Pour frozen soup into pot, add 1 cup water per bag, bring to boil (about 10 min).

10 minutes later... finished!

Step Four: Set the table (5 minutes)

Step Five: ??? Hmmm, 5 minutes to spare :)

Buon Appetito!!

To find a store near you that sells the Bertolli Meal Soups, please go to http://www.villabertolli.com/where-to-buy.aspx

Learn more about Bertolli Meal Soups
Facebook: facebook.com/Bertolli
Twitter: twitter.com/Bertolli
Website: villabertolli.com

Disclosure of Material Connection: All opinions are my own, unless otherwise stated. I was compensated by Bertolli to participate in the Weeknight Meal Special Challenge.

Dreaming of Summer? Fun Watermelon Carvings! Shark!

Kelly — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:23:31 +0000

These are from the National Watermelon Promotion Board – aren’t they fun? I’m longing for a pool party…

Here’s one for Valentine’s Day!

2012 Oscar Nominations! War Horse – 6 Total Nominations Including Best Picture!

Kelly — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:36:52 +0000

The Oscar nominations were just announced. Here are the picks for Best Picture.

“The Artist” Thomas Langmann, Producer
“The Descendants” Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” Scott Rudin, Producer
“The Help” Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
“Hugo” Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
“Midnight in Paris” Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
“Moneyball” Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
“The Tree of Life” Nominees to be determined
“War Horse“ Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Jennifer Lawrence made the announcement. She is one of my favorite young actresses. Ever since I saw her in Winter’s Bone, I’ve been in awe of her talent. She’s going to star in “The Hunger Games” coming out in March. Can’t wait!

One of the surprises was no nomination for Leonardo DiCaprio for J.Edgar. The Actor in a Leading Role nominatees are:

Damian Bichir in “A Better Life”
George Clooney in “The Descendants”
Jean Dujardin in “The Artist”
Gary Oldman in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”
Brad Pitt in “Moneyball”

Actress in a Leading Role nominees include:

Glenn Close in “Albert Nobbs”
Viola Davis in “The Help”
Rooney Mara in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady”
Michelle Williams in “My Week with Marilyn”

“Hugo” received 11 total nominations. ”The Artist” – 10. ”War Horse” – 6 (Yay!)

For the rest of the nominees, go to Oscars.org!

And a fashion note: Jennifer Lawrence wore a dress by Prada. I’m not a fan of the dress – I don’t think it flattered her and I love you, Jennifer!

I’m off to the movies!

Coming This Fall to Theaters – The Disney Favorite, “Finding Nemo in 3D”! Watch the Trailer

Kelly — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:05:02 +0000

When my Mom, Rosie and I went to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D, we were treated to a trailer for Finding Nemo in 3D! I can’t wait! Finding Nemo is one of our favorite Disney comedies. I love Dora – she made me laugh the first time I saw the movie, and the gazillionth time. If you haven’t seen the movie in a bit, Nemo is separated from his Dad (Marlin) and captured by fisherman. Nemo ends up in a dentist’s office where he tries his best to escape and be reunited with Marlin. Meanwhile, Marlin has befriended a forgetful fish named Dora who sort-of helps him find Nemo. Both Marlin and Nemo end up finding a lot more than just each other when they find courage, the value of friendship, and the bond of family. The voices in Finding Nemo include, Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney, and Geoffrey Rush.

If you read my review you know that we were thrilled by Beauty and Beast and so glad we went. There is something about the theater experience, especially in 3D that makes the movies even more magical!

The Academy Award nominations are coming out tomorrow – I’m so excited!! I started watching some movies that I suspect will be on the list for best movie. I’d love to be able to review all of them for you in the next month before the awards on Feb. 26th. Did you know that Finding Nemo won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature? AND the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy!

Watch this trailer and more news will be coming in the time between now and the opening – Sept. 14, 2012!

“Like” FINDING NEMO 3D on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PixarFindingNemo

Disclosure: All opinions in this post are my own. Some of the information was provided by Disney. I was not compensated for this post.