The Happy Wife

Free Redbox Rental Code: Good for today only

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:05:00 +0000

For those familiar with Redbox's free rental of the month, here is your code for November: TEGJ6FD (Apparently there has been trouble with some of the codes that were sent, including the first two I listed earlier, but this one appears to be working)

Remember, it is only good today, November 2, 2009 and will expire at midnight. It can be used once per "account" (debit/credit card).

If you are unfamiliar with Redbox or their free movie program here are the details. On the first Monday of every month, Redbox offers a free rental to everyone. When you get to the Redbox machine, touch the "button" that says "Rent with a code". Enter the code above and then you will be able to choose your movie. You will still need to swipe your debit/credit card at the end of the transaction, but you will not be charged unless you keep the movie more than one night. If that does happen, you will only be charged for the additional night(s) and the charge is $1 per night. The movies are due back the next night by 9PM. One of my favorite features of Redbox is that you can return them to ANY Redbox. So, if you check out your movie at a Wegmans in Rochester, NY and then head out on a road trip, you can return your movie at a Walgreens in Chicago, IL. This actually came in quite handy on our recent cross-country road trip. Anyway, you can get another free rental code if you sign up on Redbox for weekly e-mails or text alerts.

Halloween Freebies

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:57:00 +0000

Here is a list of places to bring the kiddies (or not) throughout the day tomorrow.

Bring your children in costume to the Sears Toy Shop (I am assuming this is the toy department in the store, usually near the hardware department) and they will receive a free Mattel toy. There is also a coupon for $5 off a $20 toy purchase.

Michael's will be hosting a Halloween Event from 10AM-2PM. Kids will receive a free Trick or Treat pail, balloon, and candy. There will also be a free coloring activity, a Crayola Model Magic pencil topper demo and a Make and Take frame.

Toys R' Us will have a parade and "trick R' treating" through the store from 12PM-3PM. Kids 3 and older will receive a re-usable bag that they can use to collect goodies and giveaways as they parade through the store with Geoffrey.

Looking for a costume for yourself? Dress up as your favorite burrito, bowl, taco or salad and stop by your local Chipotle. If you do this from 6PM-close, you will be rewarded with a free Boo-rito burrito.

If you don't feel like dressing up like Mexican food, or even if you do Taco Bell is offering a free Black Jack Taco to everyone from 6PM-midnight.

I am sure there are plenty of other free activities going on out there, but these are the "national" ones that I am aware of. I know one of our local Wal-Marts (the Brockport one, for local readers), is also having a Halloween activity tomorrow. I do not have all the details for that right now, and I do not know if all Wal-Marts are doing this (I don't think they are). We are also participating in a local church's trunk-or-treat tomorrow night. They are supposed to have a mile of cars, about 300 of them, for the kids to "trunk or treat" at. They will also have a huge outdoor movie screen and a huge inflatable fun park. This should be a fun day, all day, for the little ones. Please feel free to share any "free" plans you may have come across.

French's Cook-Off

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:28:00 +0000

Be sure to enter the French's Cook-Off for a chance to win a weekly prize and the grand prize of $25,000. Recipes must include at least 1 French's product, contain no more than 8 ingredients (not including salt, pepper, or water), and be ready to serve in under 1 hour. Of course, in my slacking, you only have until tomorrow to enter your recipe. Here is the recipe I entered:

Cranberry Mustard Pork Chops

2 ½ pound boneless pork chops
Flour
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
6 tablespoons French’s Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons flour
3 tablespoons water
1 can whole cranberry sauce
French’s crisp onions

DIRECTIONS:

Lightly toss pork pieces with flour; shake off excess. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet. Add half of the pork; cook about 10 minutes, turning once until chicken is golden brown on each side and cooked through. Remove to a platter; keep warm. Repeat with the rest of the pork. Add more butter if needed.

Whisk together wine, chicken broth, cranberry sauce, and mustard; add to skillet, scraping up browned bits. Combine flour and water in a small bowl. Stir into skillet. Boil 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer 5 minutes. Pour sauce over pork. Sprinkle with French’s crisp onions. Serve immediately.

Try It Tuesday: Harry Connick Jr- Your Songs

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:56:00 +0000

When I was approached by One2One network, to do a review of Harry Connick Jr's new album, I was thrilled. I have been a fan of his for as long as I can remember, both as a singer and an actor. I love his voice and cannot deny that he is very easy on the eyes. His new album, Your Songs, is a collection of love songs sung by him. How can I complain about hearing Harry Connick Jr. sing me love songs? Well, you will see how I fell later in the review.

So what songs are on this CD you ask? Here is the album track list. The names in parentheses are the original performers:

All The Way (Frank Sinatra)
Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)
Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (Elvis Presley)
And I Love Her (The Beatles)
(They Long To Be) Close To You (The Carpenters)
Besame Mucho
The Way You Look Tonight
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack)
Your Song (Elton John)
Some Enchanted Evening
And I Love You So (Don McLean)
Who Can I Turn To? (Tony Bennett)
Smile (Charlie Chaplin)
Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole)

You can see a behind-the-scenes video of the making of this album on Amazon.com It is neat to see how many musicians were involved in this project. You can also follow Harry Connick Jr through his website and on facebook.

I absolutely love this CD with one exception. I felt the emotion was missing from the first song, All The Way. Since it was the first song, I almost turned it off, but since it was Harry Connick Jr...I kept listening. I am so glad I did. Every other song sounds as though he is singing directly to you. The songs are beautiful and he brings his own style to these well known songs. If you are a Harry Connick Jr fan, you will love this album. If you are looking for love songs, this CD is great. If you just like good music, you will also enjoy this. If you are heartless, have no respect for good music and you do not like Harry Connick Jr (what?!?!), then you will not like this album. As I said, I loved Your Songs and I am pretty sure you all will as well.

***Disclaimer*** I received a free copy of Harry Connick Jr's Your Songs CD in exchange for this review. Although the CD was free, the opinion is my own and was in no way influenced by anyone or anything.

Making dinner in a flash

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:44:00 +0000

TwitterMoms is again hosting a fun contest for bloggers. This time the prize is a random drawing from participating bloggers for a Samsung Refrigerator. Wouldn't you know, that is the only appliance we have not yet replaced and needs replacing? The "theme" for the contest blog is also very fitting for me, "Making dinner in a flash". So here are my tips for getting dinner on the table quickly.

- Prepare your ingredients ahead of time. I chop vegetables, shred cheese, and brown meat within a day or two of buying it. I then throw everything in the freezer so that when I need it, I can just pull it out and add to the recipe. If you cannot do this, do not be afraid to buy your veggies already chopped, either in the produce department or the salad bar at the grocery store.

- Plan ahead. I plan my meals one week ahead of time. This means that I already know exactly what we are eating and have all the ingredients on hand and ready. I can even pre-measure out the recipe ingredients at my convenience so that I can just throw everything together as needed.

- Love your crock-pot. You can throw everything together the night before and throw it in the fridge. In the morning, throw it in the crock pot and let it cook. At dinner time, grab some salad and dish up from the crock-pot.

- In a real pinch? Buy an already-cooked rotisserie chicken at the store, a bag of salad, and some potato or macaroni salad from the deli. You end up with the taste of a homemade meal in very little time.

- Double your recipes and freeze the second portion for another day. If you are already making one lasagna, making the second one only takes a few minutes longer. When you are ready to eat it, take it out to defrost and then cook as normal.

- Extend your recipes. When you buying a roast, buy one a few pounds larger than you normally use. Cook the roast for dinner one night. Add the leftover meat to the leftover gravy and serve over egg noodles or rice another night and as hot roast beef sandwiches a third night.

So what ways do you make dinner in flash? Feel free to leave your ideas in the comments or do your own blog post and enter the giveaway at Twittermoms (please let me know if you do this so I can check out your post).

Wellness Wednesday: Avocados

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:49:00 +0000

I decided to write about the health benefits of avocados because they are one of my favorite foods, but they tend to get a bad rap because they are higher in fat than other fruits. While that is true, there are many good things about avocados, including the fat they contain. Here is why avocados should not be avoided:

- They can help defend against certain cancers (namely oral cancer and breast cancer) and inhibit the growth of prostate cancer.

- Avocados are good for your eyes. They are high in carotenoid lutein, which protects against cataracts and macular degeneration. In fact, avocados have the highest levels of carotenoid lutein than any other commonly consumed fruit.

- Avocados have high amounts of vitamin E, folate, and potassium. Potassium helps keep your blood pressure in check. Folate is good for your heart and helps prevent strokes. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps prevent cancer.

- Avocados can help lower cholesterol levels. Beta-sitosterol is another compound found in high levels in avocados. Beta-sitosterol helps to lower cholesterol levels. Avocados, like most plant-based foods, do not have any cholesterol either. This is also where the fat levels come into play. Avocados are high in mono-unsaturated fats. These are the "good" fats that we sometimes hear about and they help to remove cholesterol from the body.

- Avocados are also very high in protein and fiber, more so than most other fruits.

So now you know what a nutritional powerhouse avocados are, you are ready to go out and buy some right? If you have never bought avocados before, here is some brief information on choosing and preparing an avocado.

- There are two main types of avocados: California/Haas and Florida avocados. The Hass avocado is smaller with a pebbly skin and range in color from green to purplish-black. The Florida avocado is much larger with smooth, shiny green skin. I prefer the Haas, as I find them to be much more flavorful.

- The best way to tell the ripeness of an avocado is to check the stem. If it comes off easily, the avocado is ripe. Do not choose bruised or soft fruit and do not squeeze the fruit as avocados do bruise easily.

- It is often best to buy avocados before they have ripened and then bring them home and place them in a paper bag. Within a day or two, they will have ripened.

- Do not place avocados in the refrigerator, as they get mushy.

- To cut open an avocado, slice in half, around the center pit. Then gently twist the two halves apart. You will be able to remove the pit easily with the tip of a spoon if the avocado is ripe. Another way is to whack the pit with a knife and then gently turn the knife and lift the pit out. If you are only using half of the avocado, leave the pit in the other half and wrap in cellophane to prevent the fruit from discoloration.

- Avocados are very versatile and can be eaten many ways. You can use them in recipes like guacamole, smoothies, or salad dressing. You can dice them up and use them on salad. Slice them up and use them on burgers or sandwiches. I also like to mash mine and spread on sandwiches in place of mayo. They are also yummy eaten as is. I sprinkle mine with a little garlic salt for a yummy treat.

How do you eat avocados? Do you have any great avocado tips to share?

Great deal on Snow White DVD/Blu-Ray

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:56:00 +0000

There is a great deal on the new Snow White DVD/Blu-Ray 2 pack. On Amazon.com, the sale price is $19.99, but if you enter the coupon code "Snowhite", they will take an additional $10 off, making the total cost $9.99. Shipping is $2.98, but the DVD does qualify for Super Saver shipping so it could be free if you add another $5 to your purchase (the total needs to be $25 before applying the $10 coupon for free shipping). This includes both the regular DVD and the Blu-Ray version so whether you have a Blu-Ray player or not, this is a great deal.

Halloween Shopping Guide

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:34:00 +0000

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because of all the fun decorations. I have decided to post a shopping guide for those of you who may be looking for some ideas of new things to add to your home decor, family wardrobes or to use for trick or treating. You will see that all of the items are from Etsy and there is good reason for that. I love unique items, especially when it comes to holiday items. I cannot stand seeing the same decorations 30 times on the same street or 30 people all wearing the same holiday tie/shirt/earrings. So with all that said...here are my choices for Halloween shopping this year:

Decorations
I love this sign by The Homespun Raven. This sign is sure to last many years and you could even hang it year-round if you wanted. At $18, it is definitely well priced.

I also thought this vinyl cat from Vinyl Cutz would be fun to stick in a window. You can use it to decorate your house or your car. You can even order it in any color she carries, from fuchsia to lime. The list price is $8, but this can be ordered in other sizes as well.

Family Wardrobe

This set of ghost earrings and matching pendant, by REMLanmpwork, are just so cute and would look great on a child or an adult. At $16 for the set, the price is right as well.

How cute is this tie, by Ivy and Mae, for the little guy in your life? It costs $13.00 and comes in sizes 1T-2T and 3T-4T. She also carries a matching jumper dress for baby girls.

I can just see these non-slip clips by Lexi Lou Design in my little girls hair. I also love that they can be used any time of year. The clips are $3.50 and until October 15th, you can get a free Pumpkin 2-D Ribbon Art Clip ($2.50 value) with any $15 purchase.

For Fun

Call me unAmerican, but I have never been a fan of sock monkeys. That was until I met Macabre- The Skeleton Sock Monkey by zparkleys. Zparkleys carries a whole line of unique sock monkeys. Macabre sells for $45 for the regular size or $35 for the baby size.

I grew up carrying a plastic pumpkin when I went out trick-or-treating and later graduated to pillowcases. I wish I had one of these cute bags by Baffin Bags, to carry instead. This bag sells for $18 and Baffin Bags is currently running a Buy 3 Get 1 Free sale.

That concludes my Halloween guide for 2009. However, I also wanted to share this months Piggy Paint special, Ghouls Wanna Have Fun Gift Pack, is on sale for $22.50. It includes 3 polishes in Sleepover (black), Glass Slippers (clear sparkles), and Mac-N-Cheese (orange). Don't forget you can save an additional 15% by using coupon code HAPPYWIFE15L. The discount is good on everything on the site, including sale items.

***Disclaimer*** With the exception of the items I reviewed for Piggy Paint, I have received no product or payment in exchange for these listings. All pictures are owned by their respective artist and are used with permission. Please do not copy any of the pictures without permission of the artist.

Another way to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Research

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:46:00 +0000

Back in June, I posted about Kelly Ripa teaming up with Electrolux to help raise money for Ovarian Cancer Research, through online lemonade stands. Now that the lemonade stand promotion has ended, they are working on a new promotion to raise more money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund is for exactly what it says, to fund research to find a way to detect ovarian cancer early and ultimately to cure ovarian cancer. This is obviously a great cause as any of us with ovaries, or who love and care for someone with ovaries, could easily find ourselves personally affected by this someday. Since most of us fit into those categories, I hope you will join me in this great new promotion.

So what is this new promotion, you ask? It is the Kelly Ripa Text-a-Thon for a Cause. Throughout September, which is also Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, you can donate $5 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund by texting "KELLY" to 85944 from your mobile phone (it shows up as a one-time charge on your monthly bill) or by logging on to the Kelly Confidential website. Also, every time you log onto Kelly's website, you will be entered to win an Electrolux front load washer and dryer in the color teal, which is the color of the ovarian cancer awareness ribbons. If you cannot wait to win the washer and dryer, Electrolux is also donating $200 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund for every set of teal-colored washer and dryers sold. While on Kelly's website, you can also design and send a virtual t-shirt to help raise awareness of ovarian cancer. There is no cost to you for sending a virtual t-shirt and Electrolux will donate $1 for each t-shirt sent. There are also real t-shirts, designed by Kelly, available for purchase on the site with 100% of the proceeds going to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

As I said earlier, ovarian cancer is something that all women are at risk of. 1 in 67 woman will get ovarian cancer in their lifetime. There is a good chance that if you don't get it, someone you know will. Let's help find a way to detect this earlier and help all women live longer, healthier lives.

Getting the Little Ones to Eat More Veggies

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:42:00 +0000

Do you have trouble getting your little ones to eat more veggies? Of my 4 kids, I really only have 1 that we struggled with to eat her veggies and as the others were always so willing, eventually she came around as well. I can not promise these tips will work, but here are some of the things we have always done.

- Involve the child in selecting what veggies to serve. Do not just ask them what veggie they want, give them 2 or 3 choices and try to incorporate a "new" vegetable in the mix every once in a while. Continue to involve the child in selecting how to prepare the the veggie or in finding the recipe. I have always picked 1 or 2 ways that I may want to serve it and then given the child the final choice.

- Allow the child to help in growing their own veggies. If space is tight, find a veggie that grows well in a pot and let them help plant and care for the veggie. Also, when the time comes, let them help prepare the veggies for eating. Even toddlers can help in the washing process.

- Teach them to like veggies in their most natural states from an early age. Veggie recipes are nice to change things up, but teaching them to like veggies that are raw or lightly steamed and then served plain or with a dab of butter, helps to train their taste buds.

- Serve veggies as often as possible. I not only serve veggies plain as a side dish, I use several of the techniques that other moms use to "sneak" veggies to their kids. I add a few mashed turnips to our mashed potatoes, add shredded carrots to our meatloaf, and finely chop up broccoli to resemble herbs and add it to, well, just about anything. There are also some food companies that are beginning to blend veggies in with their foods as well. One is Horizon and their Little Blends line. They are combining yogurt with both fruit and veggies in one cup, a triple food pyramid whammy. With flavors such as Banana and Sweet Potato or Strawberry and Carrot, the kids are sure to enjoy them.

So how do you incorporate veggies into your kid's diets? If you blog about it, you can win a prize package from Twittermoms and Horizon. Check the details here.

Wellness Wednesday: Creating a Good Sleep Environment

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:54:00 +0000

We all know that getting a good night's sleep is good for us (I'll post why another time) and we all know how good we feel after getting a night of great sleep, yet many of us are unable to get the sleep we desire. Often, it is due to us trying to cram too much into the day, but sometimes we just are unable to get the quality of sleep we desire. Here are some tips to help ensure a better quality of sleep.

- Keep the bedroom as a place of rest. This means no tv, no phones, and no computers in the bedroom. It also means no fighting, arguing, or serious discussions in the bedroom. In fact the only activities that should happen in the bedroom are sleep and, um, well you know, the "other" thing you do in bed. Our brains and bodies can become conditioned to expect these other activities will occur, preventing us from falling into a deep sleep. When we re-condition ourselves to expect just sleep in the bedroom, it is much easier for us to get the sleep we need.

- Find the temperature that works for you. If you are often kicking the covers off during the night, try lowering the temperature or using a fan on your side of the bed. If you find yourself often waking up cold during the night, turn up the temperature or add a blanket to your side of the bed.

- Make sure your mattress is comfortable. If necessary, and possible, replace it. If you and your spouse have different mattress "styles", consider investing in a split-style mattress. If you are not comfortable, you will have trouble sleeping well.

- Limit the amount of light in the room. Use room darkening shades/curtains to limit outside lights from shining in. Turn you alarm clock away from the bed or cover the time. This actually has a double purpose, as looking at the time can cause anxiety which can cause problems falling asleep. You can also consider using a sleep mask, though I tend to find they come off during the night. Also, avoid bright lights before bed. The body is conditioned to sleep when it is dark, so the less exposure to light, the easier it is to fall asleep.

- Maintain a regular sleep schedule. Again, this relates to conditioning the body to expect sleep at certain times.

- Reduce the noise level in the bedroom. If you live in an area with a lot of outside noise, consider a fan or white noise machine to drown them out. If you have a spouse who snores or talks in their sleep, consider ear plugs. While I personally dislike using them, they do work wonders.

- Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and will keep you awake. Smokers also experience withdrawal symptoms once they do fall asleep. These withdrawal symptoms will keep them from getting a deep sleep. Yet another reason to quit. Alcohol also disrupts sleep.

- Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Avoid anything that makes loud noises or has bright lights. Also, avoid anything that stimulates the brain, such as word puzzles or games. Avoid exercising too late in the evening as well. Warm showers/baths, journal writing, and reading can all help relax you.

I know I am guilty of taking my laptop to bed with me and after researching this topic, I am able to pinpoint several other areas where I can improve my sleep. Obviously, there are seasons in our lives where we cannot get a full night's sleep regardless of what we do. However, we owe it to ourselves to do what we can to make the most of the sleep we do get. What are some things you do to help you sleep?

Try It Tuesday: Quaker True Delights

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:45:00 +0000

I enjoy a good granola bar and I really like raspberries and dark chocolate, so I was very excited when I came across a free sample for Quaker's new True Delights Dark Chocolate Raspberry Almond granola bars. I received my bar in the mail yesterday, right about snack time so I tried it right away. Upon opening it, I immediately noticed that it looked nothing like the pictures I had seen. The large pieces of raspberries were more like flecks of raspberries and although the photo on the website shows no less than 9 chunks of dark chocolate on the bar, I only found 1 on mine. I also only had 1 whole almond in the bar. Okay, so it failed in appearance, but what about taste? Remember the days when all granola bars tasted like cardboard? Apparently, so does Quaker. I was sooooo disappointed in the overwhelming grainy taste of this bar. I had been hoping to enjoy a granola bar with a "sophisticated" flavor and ended up feeling like I had just eaten a slightly sweetened piece of cardboard. Maybe the bar was stale, maybe it was a fluke that it contained so little of the yummy ingredients, whatever it was, I am glad it was a free sample and not something I had spent money on. If it was stale or a fluke bar, Quaker may want to consider better quality control, especially when sending out free samples that are supposed to convince me to buy the product. I have always liked Quaker products and rarely have had any problems so I was very surprised that I not only did not love this product, but that I really disliked it completely. The True Delights also come in two other flavors: Toasted Coconut Banana Macadamia Nut and Honey Roasted Cashew Mixed Berry. I can speak for those flavors, but if they are anything like the Dark Chocolate Raspberry Almond, they look and sound much better than they will taste. If any of you have had a better experience with this line from Quaker, please share in a comment. I was really hoping for a better experience and hope this was just a bad sample, but I will not spend my money on a whole box until I know if that was the case.

Just wanted to share

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:34:00 +0000

As some of you know, I have another blog, Things I Love, where I post about those things that, well, I really love. I typically do not cross-post, but did want to share a wonderful story with all of you about an experience we had with the police while on our recent vacation. Be sure to swing on over and check it out. In my husband's words, "It is the best experience I have ever had with the police."

The Biggest Loser: What is the deal with Jillian?

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:32:00 +0000

Several years ago, I found that watching The Biggest Loser helped keep me motivated on my weight loss quest. After I lost 80 pounds, I slowly stopped watching the show. A few years later, I was dealing with some medical issues and then had 2 babies almost back-to-back, and I had gained back my 80 pounds. A few weeks ago, I sat down and decided that I was seriously going to take back my body and re-lose that weight and hopefully more. I was thrilled to learn that The Biggest Loser was starting another season and eagerly turned in this week to watch. While I am sure I will find motivation in the contestants, I was absolutely disgusted and turned off by Jillian's repeated use of the *F*-word. If I was on the show, I would ask to leave simply due to her language. Forget about the fact she shows no respect, she lacks decency as well. As a former US soldier, I get the break 'em down, build 'em up philosophy, but even in the military, the drill sergeants do not speak to soldiers in such a way as I watched Jillian do. Bob, I like and up until this season, I liked Jillian. I like her tough-as-nails attitude and it would be great, if she didn't also find the need to repeatedly use foul language. Personally, I find it very offensive, but we are also talking about a show that started at 8PM, an hour when many kids are still awake and winding down for bed. My almost 9 year old was repeatedly subjected to hearing the beeps as the censors had to cover Jillian's choice of words. She knows she is on a tv show and she should be disciplined enough to control her tongue much more than she did. The sad thing is, she has been working at building up herself as a "brand" and this one episode turned me off to all that she offers. I had been planning to buy her Wii "game", but after this week's show, will look for another one instead. Is this something that I forgot about her from the earlier seasons? Has she gotten progressively worse as seasons have gone on or is this something completely new this season? Whatever it is, I will not be watching again unless she cleans up her mouth.

Wellness Wednesday: Cutting Food Safely

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:28:00 +0000

I love cooking and I love the feeling of chopping food up by hand. However, there are a few guidelines to keep in mind when doing any chopping or cutting in the kitchen. Here are some tips to remember:

- Always use a clean cutting board. This is especially important when cutting raw meats and foods that will not be cooked after, such as veggies for a salad. It is ideal to have 3 separate cutting boards, preferably color coded, that you always use for their intended food. For example, a red board that is always used for meat, a green board that is always used for fruits and veggies, and a blue board that is always used for other foods like cheese and breads. The reason for the separate cutting boards is to prevent cross contamination of your foods. Also, do not cut cooked foods on a cutting board that you had cut raw foods on earlier. Be sure to properly wash and sterilize the boards between uses.

- Keep your knife sharp. This allows you to not only work faster and more efficiently, but it is actually a safety reason as well. A dull knife does not cut as well and is more likely to slip while cutting, putting your fingers at risk.

- If you drop your knife, DO NOT try to catch it. It is safest to jump back away from the falling knife.

- Never put a knife into a sink full of soapy water or dishes. It is can cause nicks in the blade, cause the blade to rust, and puts you at risk for cuts when you reach in to grab something else out of the sink.

- Wear non-slip shoes in the kitchen when cooking. This not only keeps you from slipping, it helps to protect your piggies if you do happen to drop a knife on them.

- Keep knives well away from the edge of your counters and cutting boards. This makes them less likely to fall and more difficult for wandering children to grab.

Using food choppers and food processors are another way to limit the dangers of knives, though they are not always practical. Even so, they also need to be handled with care when using. Always be sure the cover is on the food processor before starting it (many will not start anyway if the cover is not locked in place) and take special care when removing and washing the blades.

A great meal can turn bad quickly when the cook gets hurt or the guests get sick. Take these extra steps to ensure that your efforts are not undermined by something preventable.

Piggy Paint Coupon Code extended

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:14:00 +0000

I just wanted to let you know that the coupon code I posted earlier today for Piggy Paint has been extended through October 31st, 2009. Originally, it was set to expire today. The coupon is for 15% off anything on the Piggy Paint website, including sales items. The coupon code is HAPPYWIFE15L. This is a great way to get a jump start on holiday shopping.

Try It Tuesday: Piggy Paint

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:42:00 +0000

Over the past year or so, I have seen several blogs hosting giveaways for Piggy Paint. As the mother of three young girly-girls, I was intrigued from the first time I saw this wonderful company. I never did win any of the Piggy Paint giveaways, so when I was contacted a few months ago about doing a review for the company, I was thrilled.

We received a bottle of Girls Rule Piggy Paint and a bottle of Piggy Paint Nail Polish Remover. I had always hesitated to apply nail polish to my girls because they tended to pick at their nails when I did polish them and I was concerned about them, or their baby brother, eating the flakes. The nail polishes I found that were designed for children still were laden with chemicals. The biggest difference was that the polish dried "soft" and peeled off instead of flaking off. Wonderful, now I have to worry about the baby choking on the polish AND ingesting all those yummy chemicals. Piggy Paint came to my rescue with their non-toxic, water-based polishes. The Polish Remover is also non-toxic and made from natural ingredients. Neither the polish nor the polish remover have that awful smell that similar products have either and they are both hypoallergenic.

When we received our package, my 2-year old immediately asked to have her nails painted and I happily obliged. The polish dried quicker than any other polish I have ever used and it dried "hard", not soft and tacky. The purplish-pink color was so pretty that I decided to use it on my toes as well. The polish lasted as long as any other polish I have ever used. It tended to wear off rather than flake or chip off. The polish remover worked wonderfully on the Piggy Paint. Although it does say it works on any polish, it took quite a bit of scrubbing to get the Opi polish off my finger nails that had been applied during a professional manicure the week before. However, for the benefit of not having to smell the remover or worry about the toxicity of it, it was worth the effort.

Piggy Paint nail polish sells for $9.99 a bottle and comes in a variety of classic and fun colors, including pinks, purples, oranges, greens, blues, and black. The names are fun too (Mac-N-Cheese Please and Twinkle Toes are 2 examples). The Piggy Paint Polish Remover is $10.50 for a 4oz bottle. There are tons of gift sets available such as Ghouls Wanna Have Fun, Little Miss Firecracker and Mistle Toes, which includes 3 bottles of polish for $26.50 and a few other gift packs which include 2 bottles of polish and a bottle of remover for $27.50. For the month of September, you can order the Girls Rule! gift pack (a bottle each of Girls Rule! and Forever Fancy nail polishes and a bottle of polish remover) for $23.50. Also, through October 31st, I have a coupon for The Happy Wife readers to use. If you enter the coupon code, HAPPYWIFE15L, you will save 15% on anything you purchase, including sale items. That makes the Girls Rule! gift pack an even better deal. At just about $20, it is like getting the polish remover for free! Also, all orders over $25 come with free shipping.

Would I recommend buying these products? Absolutely! I have many years left before my girls will be of an age where I would be comfortable with them using "regular" nail polish and I do not want to withhold the fun of mani/pedis from them until then. I am so grateful for Piggy Paint and will continue to use them not just for my little ones, but for myself as well.

***Disclaimer***
I did receive free product in exchange for this review. I did not receive any other payment. While the product was free, my opinion is my own.

Wellness Wednesday: Stop and Smell the Flowers

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:25:00 +0000

I recently read an editorial in our local newspaper where a woman was thanking a stranger for giving her flowers. She had seen him (a stranger to her) holding a bouquet of sunflowers and commented on their beauty and teasingly asked if they were for her. As she was cashing out, the gentleman approached her and handed her the bouquet and wished her a good day. This story also reminded me of an episode of The Big Give when one of the contestants used some of the money she had to buy all the flowers a street vendor had and then she proceeded to just hand them out to random people. Both stories left me with a happy feeling, yet when it comes to others buying me flowers, I have mixed feelings. I hate that they die so quickly, but they are so uplifting to look at. So what is it about flowers, that make us feel so good.

The State University of New Jersey recently published a study (led by Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers) that found connections between flowers and our satisfaction with life. Flowers help trigger happy thoughts and emotions, they increase of feelings of satisfaction and affect our social behavior in positive ways. I imagine that many of those people who received flowers from a stranger went on to do something nice for someone else later that day or the next. It becomes a pay-it-forward type thing. Here are some of the points learned by the study:

-Flowers provide immediate happiness. People receiving the flowers had "true" smiles on their faces and felt genuinely happy and grateful.

-Flowers help extend feelings of satisfaction and happiness. The recipients of flowers felt less agitated and lonely.

-Flowers allow us to make intimate connections. When someone has given us or sent us flowers, it tells us they were thinking about us.

-Flowers are a healthy and natural way to help us manage our day-to-day moods.

I know I have always enjoyed the flowers I have received, even when I know money was spent to buy them. When we recently bought our home, I was thrilled to have a garden. As I think back to the first few weeks in the house, I always felt best after taking a walk through the garden. The next time you are feeling down, or just because you want to, I encourage you to take a walk through a garden or even the floral department of your local store. Take in the scents and visual beauty and let them linger in your mind. Send flowers to someone you love and let them know you are thinking of them or just give some to a stranger. Cut some from your garden and leave them on a neighbor's doorstep. Just remember to take the time to enjoy the flowers around you. It has now been proven to be good for you.

Stop & Shop Back to School Event and Giveaway

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:52:00 +0000

I am very excited to share with you the Stop & Shop Back To School Event. It began on September 4th and runs through this Thursday, September 10th. You will find great sale prices on participating General Mills brands, including: Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Reeses Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cookie Crisp Sprinkles, Cookie Crisp, Fruit Snacks, Old El Paso Dinner Kits, Pillsbury Strudel, Pillsbury Scrambles, Green Giant Boxed Vegetables, Yoplait Yo-Plus Multi-Pack, Fiber One Yogurt Multi-Pack, Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookies, Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, Pillsbury Sweet Rolls and Yoplait Delights. In addition, depending on which Stop & Shop you visit, there are even more savings for you or your school. If your location also sells gas: you will receive 100 points on your Stop & Shop card when you buy 4 participating General Mills products. These points can then be redeemed at the gas pump. For every 100 points you earn, you will save 10¢ per gallon of gas (Please note: Total discount cannot exceed price per gallon). Just swipe your Stop & Shop card at the pump and it will take care of the rest. If your location does not sell gas: For every 5 participating General Mills products you purchase, you will receive 20 Bonus Box Tops for your school.

To top it all off, Stop & Shop and MyBlogSpark are giving one of you a free $10 gift card. I wish I had gotten this posted in time for you to use during the Back To School event, but I am sure it will come in handy in the near future anyway. To enter, leave a comment and tell me what you love about shopping at Stop & Shop. I will randomly draw name tomorrow, September 9th at midnight, using random.org. The winner will be contacted by e-mail and have 48 hours to get back to me or a new winner will be chosen. Good luck.

(Don't) Try It Tuesday: Chemistry Shampoo

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:20:00 +0000

I hate wasting my money on products that do not work and I hate to throw things away, but this product is absolutely awful. I am fortunate to have gotten this bottle of Chemistry Cleanse Daily Shampoo for free a while back, I think through a Rite-Aid rebate. Since it was free, I am not so upset that I am throwing the remainder of it out! Let me tell you more about it.

Chemistry salon labs creates hair care products that are supposed to work to improve your hairs look, composition and fiber. It does this by infusing each strand of hair with their Pro-KeraGen Complex which infuses the hair and protects it. The products also contain vitamins and extract blends that include UV filters to further protect the hair. Chemistry hair care products are all sulfate- and paraben-free as well so it is not as harsh on the hair either. (all from the Chemistry salon labs website). The bottle also states that the Beautology Brands Company does not test on animals.

The bottle is real cute too. It looks like a chemistry beaker with a pump on the top. I do have a complaint there too, in that it was a bit difficult to figure out how to initially open the pump, especially when in the shower, but that alone is not enough to elicit such strong feelings from me about the product. The scent of the product is nice and clean, not too fruity or floral. The shampoo itself is a bit on the thick side, but does lather. I even thought it cleaned my hair and it seemed to rinse out ok too. Then, as my hair started to dry, I noticed it felt funky. You know the way it feels when you didn't quite get all the shampoo out? It felt greasy and was clumping together in small bunches at the roots. The first day, I let it go figuring I must not have rinsed well enough. The next day, I made extra sure to rinse ALL of the shampoo out, but the same thing happened. I even got back in the shower 2 hours later to rinse again, but that feeling was still there. The more I used the shampoo, the worse it got each day. It was like it was building up in my hair. After 3 days of accumulating this garbage in my hair, I decided to just use another brand of shampoo. Lo and behold, all the gunk was gone and my hair felt clean again.

So, let's recap. I like the concept of this shampoo. I like the bottle, for the most part and it smells great, but would I recommend it? Only if you like to walk around feeling like, and looking like you have not washed your hair. Personally, when I take a shower, I want to look and feel clean. Not only do I not recommend buying it, I am throwing mine away. If I ever see it offered for free or even as a money-maker, I will leave it right there on the shelf. This is not even a product that I would give away to someone else, unless I really disliked them;0)

Fiber One Winners

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:21:00 +0000

I have my winners from the Fiber One Meal Set giveaway. All have responded to the e-mail and should be receiving their prizes soon. Congratulations to: Jessica, Tzel, and Emily W! Enjoy!

Wellness Wednesday: Keeping our brain healthy

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:43:00 +0000

Our brain. We use it every day, some of us more than others, but none-the-less. So how do we care for it? Just like the rest of our body, our brain needs the proper nutrition and exercise, but exactly how do we provide that? Read on.

A good diet for brain health is one that contains a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish, especially fatty ones like salmon; also found in some eggs and is being added to "everyday" foods now too); whole grains; antioxidants; lots of fruits and veggies; and is low in trans-fat. Sounds a lot like the diet our body needs too, huh?

Exercising the brain is a little more interesting. In order for the brain to maintain its cognitive ability, it needs to constantly be processing stimuli. Stimuli can be provided by taking classes, learning new languages, and working on puzzles, both jigsaw puzzles and word/number puzzles. Experiencing new places and using our senses to experience new things also help keep our brain fit. If only it was so easy (and fun) to keep our bodies fit.

Speaking of keeping our body fit, that is also important for brain health. Getting your heart pumping increases blood flow, and therefore oxygen as well, to our brain. Avoiding unhealthy habits, getting plenty of rest (ever notice how hard it is to concentrate when your tired), and keeping our head (wear helmets when appropriate) and body safe all help keep our brain safe as well. Having a healthy body also decreases your risk of stroke, diabetes and heart disease, all of which increase your risk of dementia.

Dementia is usually an irreversible condition and one most of us would like to avoid. Let's do what we can to protect our brains now, so that we may enjoy all the days of lives.

PS- Don't forget to enter my Fiber One yogurt giveaway (it ends today!) and my YoBaby giveaway.

Another Yogurt Giveaway!

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:45:00 +0000

Last week, I extolled the virtues of yogurt and had a Fiber One yogurt giveaway (you can still enter until tomorrow, 9/3 at midnight). Today, I want to review the Stonyfield Farms YoBaby yogurt that I received from them a few weeks ago and I have yet another giveaway at the end.

YoBaby yogurt is made with organic, whole milk to ensure you are giving your baby the best product you can. For babies, whole milk is perfect for a yogurt because their developing brains need the extra fat that whole milk provides. However, we all know that babies shouldn't have cow's milk until after the age of 1 year. As I said last week, yogurt is different because it contains enzymes that produce lactase which helps digest the lactose, which is what causes the digestive problems in the first place. Yogurt is actually a wonderful first food for babies 6 months of age and YoBaby is the only yogurt especially designed for babies. It is even recommended by well-known baby expert, Dr. Sears.

So now you know why YoBaby is so great, but how does it taste. It is available in several flavors, some even include cereal and some are in drinkable form. For the review, we chose the regular yogurt in banana and vanilla flavors. My little two, ages 1 and 2 years old, absolutely LOVED this yogurt and ate it right up. I decided to sneak a little taste of the banana and it was sooooo yummy. It tasted just like pudding. I wish *I* needed extra fat in my diet, I would eat this every day. I can take comfort that my babies are eating something that I know tastes good and is good for them. I also like that they recently changed the tops of their yogurt packages to be more environmentally friendly. The only thing I would like to see changed is for them to also produce a multi-serve container for households like mine where a 6-pack might make it until noon.

YoBaby is being so generous as to provide one of my readers with the prize package pictured above. It includes a bib, a covered bowl, and 5 coupons redeemable for a free YoBaby product. Here is how you can win:

Mandatory Entry:
- 1 entry for visiting YoBaby and leaving a comment telling me what flavor/variety you would like to try.

Optional Entries:

- 1 entry if you become a public follower of this blog. If you are already a follower, you get 2 extra entries. Just leave 2 comments letting me know.

- 1 entry if you subcribe to this blog. If you are already a subscriber, you get 2 extra entries. Just leave 2 comments letting me know.

- 5 entries if you blog about this giveaway and post the link here. If you are not a blogger, feel free to post this on your Facebook page (if I am not already your friend, you will also have to ask me to be, so I can see it posted. I am on there as Danielle Parent Garcia)

The contest will remain open until Wednesday, September 8th at 11:59PM. I will use random.org to draw the winning comment. Winner will be contacted via e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond. If they do not respond, a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!!

30 Free Swagbucks

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:37:00 +0000

Many of you have noticed the Swagbucks box I have on the right side of my blog or you may remember me mentioning on a past This Week Thursday post. I joined Swagbucks a few months ago and have already accumulated 185 swagbucks, mainly from just using their search engine. I am not sure what I am saving my swagbucks for, but it is possible to get a $5 Amazon.com gift card for 45 swagbucks, so I am already at $20+ in Amazon credit if I choose. If Amazon gift cards are not your thing, do not despair. They have a wide range of prizes from gift cards to electronics and even cash (via PayPal). Anyway, the reason I am writing about them today is that they just released their new toolbar. I have to say this is much more convenient than typing in their web address and then searching. The other great thing about it is that for every day in September, they are giving away a free Swag code to everyone who has the tool bar. Each Swag code is good for that day only and is worth 1 swagbuck. It will appear in the messages section right on your toolbar. If you are already a Swagbucks member, be sure to go download your toolbar and get those free swagbucks. If you are not already a Swagbucks member, what are you waiting for? It is free and easy to earn swagbucks. They even give you 3 for signing up.

Giveaways on the web

ldsmom2201@yahoo.com (Danielle) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:57:00 +0000

I have decided to participate in a new (at least to me) program called the MckLinky Giveaway Blog Hop. On weeks like this one, where I am running a giveaway, I will post the Mcklinky at the bottom of the giveaway, and also will put a new post every Friday with the new list. If it is possible, on weeks I do not have a giveaway, I will just post the list on Fridays. The list changes every Friday at 4AM CST, but new contests are added through the week so be sure to come back and check it often. Have fun and please let me know if any of you win any fun prizes.