This Southern Girl's Nest

Johnson & Johnson Healthy Essentials

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:38:00 +0000

Johnson & Johnson is a company/brand that makes so many items that it would be difficult for me to name them all without doing a little Google search first. However, I can tell you that I received a Johnson & Johnson Healthy Essentials box that was filled with several of their items and we love/use them all.

We received:

AVEENO Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15
BAND-AID Brand by Cynthia Rowley Adhesive Bandages
Johnson’s Baby Lotion
LISTERINE ANTISEPTIC
NEUTROGENA HAND CREAM Norwegian Formula
SPLENDA ESSENTAILS

We have been using all of these things for years now. To this day we still buy what we call “the pink baby lotion” {Johnson’s Baby Lotion}. They have come out with so many scents throughout the years but the original is one we always come back too. It’s soft scent is perfect for even us grown-ups! And what baby doesn’t smell and feel super soft when using this lotion?!

I started buying AVEENO lotions a couple of summers ago. I was looking for a lotion that didn’t feel greasy and that contained an SPF without the suntan lotion smell. I picked up AVEENO on a whim and it’s the only non-scented lotion I use during the Summer. Of course, it works wonders in the winter as well. I am just not a lotion person unless I have to use it.

Of course we only purchase BAND-AID Brand band aids. The others have always fallen short of my expectations. And the new Cynthia Rowley designs are cutesy enough for Kelsie but also sophisticated enough for Kayla to not complain about.

My husband actually introduced me to LISTERINE mouthwash. I was an ACT gal myself. But, I have to say that besides the burn from the alcohol, my mouth feels very clean. And I was very excited when they put out the no alcohol choices.

We discovered this very NEUTROGENA HAND CREAM that we received in our box last winter. Zack is a little obsessive about hand washing and while in Target he was looking for a lotion/cream made exclusively for hands. I knew that NEUTROGENA was a great brand and when I saw the Norwegian Formula and read about the fisherman, I decided that we should give it a go. It was perfect and we have bought it ever since. It’s hard to believe that the smallest drop is sufficient enough for your hands, but it is. I also know that for the price the package is kinda on the small side, but I want to encourage you to try it out because you will not regret it! Plus, like I said, it only takes a small amount so the bottle will last a lot longer than you think.

I am not a big artificial sweetener fan. I have tried them all and don’t care for any of them. But I will say that with the new SPLENDA ESSENTIALS that I am more apt to purchase SPLENDA over other artificial sweeteners. The one we received supports a faster metabolism and I started using it the day it came. I’ve been using it in my coffee for about two weeks now and I have to say I’m used to the flavor and I like knowing that I’m helping my metabolism. What woman doesn’t want a quick metabolism?!

Be sure to try out one or all of these Johnson & Johnson Healthy Essential items. I know that our family uses them all!

Right now you can save over $190 when purchasing any of these items by going to the Healthy Essentials website and printing off the coupons.

Plus you can help Johnson & Johnson’s Family of Consumer Companies partnership with FEEDING AMERICA. For every Healthy Essentials coupon used between January 8th and January 15th, one meal will be donated by Johnson & Johnson of Consumer Companies to FEEDING AMERICA. {up to 1 million meals}

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies and received products to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Chex Party Mix and a giveaway from Sam’s Club

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:19:00 +0000

Wow we were so busy over the holidays that this giveaway will only be open for 24 hours! I have got to have the winner’s information in by Wednesday, January 11th. Soooo….

We are huge fans of Chex Mixes. In fact we make a batch of some sort of Chex Mix every couple of months. Sometimes we do sweet, sometimes savory, it really just depends on our mood.

Chex Mix is so easy to make, and there are so many different varieties that there is sure to be a recipe that you, your family and your friends will love! In fact it’s really the perfect item to bring to weeknight/weekend get togethers. After all it takes little time to mix up and it’s something that will help tide you or your guests over until the meal is prepared. And there are so many holiday snack options using Chex Mix. I use Chex cereal in my Halloween and Christmas mix and friends and family love it! I am working on using it in a Valentine’s Day mix as well. It’s really so versatile. Chex cereal isn’t just for breakfast anymore! And if you plan on making snack mixes, Sam’s Club is the best place to purchase Chex cereal from!

I have a box of Chex cereal and a $25 gift card to Sam’s Club to giveaway.

To Enter:

1. {Mandatory entry} Tell me what your favorite Chex Party Mix is.

2. {5 Extra entries} Follow this blog, via Google Friend Connect, located on the sidebar.

3. {5 Extra entries} Follow SouthernNest on Twitter, leave your Twitter ID in your comment.

4. {5 Extra entries} Tweet about this giveaway by using the Tweet button located at the bottom of this post.

5. {5 Extra entries} Follow This Southern Girls Nest on Facebook.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. The giveaway will end on Tuesday January 10th. I will contact the winner via email, so please leave your email address in the comments or I won’t be able to contact you!

The Sam’s Club gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Sam’s Club, Chex Party Mix and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

This is Rather Random…But it’s All I Got

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:44:00 +0000

I want to say that we’ve been busy doing such and such and whatever, but that’s not necessarily the case.

The weather has been too warm for this to be January and I’m kind of wondering if we are going to have a real winter at all this year. I can see Spring coming within the next few weeks as opposed to more long sleeves, scarves, and boots.

I know that Kelsie has worn her new fuzzy coat a total of 2 times to school this year. I have only worn my peacoat about 4. This really makes me sad. I love cold weather and I want to see all 4 seasons. Yes, I do realize that in Florida that won’t happen. Oh well, I can dream right?!

My little bug is growing up. Kelsie’s boyfriend came and hung out Friday afternoon/night. Kayla had a friend spending the night and I know that Kelsie loves to bother her and her friends so I ask Kelsie if she wanted to have a friend over to play Friday after school…she chose Xander. He of course said yes to coming over. They played outside for a bit, looked around her room and then they ended up playing the Wii. They danced, they raced, and then she proceeded to just sorta hang out with him while he played Mario Galaxy. When I was looking at this picture, I saw a flash forward of about 10 years.

They are really too cute together. I ask her the other day who her best friend was and she said Xander. It used to be a little girl named Felicia, but apparently that has changed. I see no problem with having a best friend as a boy. I can say that guys aren’t the gossipy, chattery, nosey, your friend today and not tomorrow type. And I would rather her not have to go through all that yet.

We are sitting here on January 8th and our Christmas tree in the living room is still up. All of the other trees are down and all the decorations throughout the house are sitting on the dining table waiting to be put away in the boxes that are in the shed. Our lights are still up outside as well as our inflatable. I told Zack we were probably the only ones with outside lights still up and on. I was wrong. I saw one other house on Friday night. Ours is all coming down and being put away today.

Blogging. Well, truth is I am kinda in a burnt out don’t want to post anything here because too many people read it but should I really care rut.?! There are so many things I could post. Heck, I’ve even sat down a time or two and thought about posting them. Such as how Z’s grandmother has been in town since before Christmas and we haven’t seen her and he’s only talked to her once. We both agree that his mom is probably keeping her busy on the weekends. We have more thought into that as well, but again, don’t really want to write about it because too many people are reading it.

Hmm..what else…I probably won’t right anything personal for a while unless the mood really strikes me. I do have a couple of reviews/giveaways to post this week. Other than that this is the last personal post for a while.

I have been reading all my favorite blogs but I can’t seem to log in to comment. It’s not the same email that I always use and for some reason every time I have tried to log in before commenting, it times out on me and the internet bubbles {I call them} start bouncing back and forth on the tool bar across the bottom and I lose internet connection. We are looking into getting a new modem/router since Kayla has a laptop now too. I think between all the wireless components we use in our home that the network is getting bogged down at times.

Anywho..I am off to enjoy my coffee and the quiet before Zack and Kelsie wake up. {Kayla spent the night last night at her friends house}

Favorites of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:30:00 +0000

Another year is almost gone and I thought that I would go through my pictures and post my favorites from this year!

In February Kelsie went on date with daddy. The school hosted their annual daddy/daughter date night.

In March we went to Disney World. This is our favorite place on Earth. We are debating on if and when to go again this coming year. We have discussed the option of not going and saving the money we would have used and put it towards our New York trip fund. Since Kayla and I went to NY last year we have wanted to go back with the whole family.

In April we had Easter at my cousins house and had a great time!

In May Kelsie graduated from Kindergarten. She’s below with her b/f, yep, still the same one she has now. ;-)

In June we celebrated Kayla’s 12th birthday, the girls went to stay with my brother and sister n law for a week and I went to Minnesota.

In July we went to Bama and stayed several days with our family. The girls played chicken for the very first time.

In August we celebrated Kelsie’s 6th birthday and the girls started back to school.

In September we sat at the table on most weeknights doing homework.

In October Z’s dad came for a visit, we went to the circus and we trick or treated on Halloween.

In November we celebrated Thanksgiving in Bama and Kayla showed me how she learned to drive the golf cart while the girls were there in June. Oh my girl is growing up!

In December we celebrated Christmas all month long. We hosted a cookie decorating thing with Kelsie’s bf and his little sister. We enjoyed school parties and gift exchanges. We went ice skating {on plexi glass stuff} with Kelsie’s bf and his family and we spent the rest of the year with family in Bama.

It’s been a great year! Here’s to a fabulous 2012!!

Happy New Years!

It’s too Late to Apologize…Is it?

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:45:00 +0000

I love that song by One Republic and Timbaland! We have been listening to it a lot over the past couple of days because Kayla got a karaoke Wii game for Christmas from Aunt Kay and Uncle Mike. She loves to sing, and this game, Sing 4 has some awesome songs on it. {Lady Gaga, Hinder, K$sha, Usher, etc.}

Anyways, back to my reason for this post…According to One Republic there is a time frame where apparently your apology won’t matter if you wait too long. I find a little true meaning to this, but then again I also believe that a sincere apology can come at anytime after some one has been wronged. But the later you wait to offer your apology the less it actually holds any sincerity to it.

To me there are two types of apologies. Those that people let slide off their tongues all the time, not necessarily meaning them but more for the benefit of the person you have wronged to get on with life. And a sincere apology is where you recognize what you have done to make the other person feel the way they do/did. These are the hardest ones to say sometimes. But when they come the person is truly sincere in their apology, they admit their wrong doing and instead of repeating the actions that caused the need for an apology they try their hardest to keep from repeating the past. They may slip up but when they do they realize it immediately and correct their wrong doing and apologize as soon as it happens.

When your wanting to own up to your mistakes and offer that sincere apology you should never say…”I’m sorry but…”, this is not a real apology and your pushing blame away from yourself. The person you say this to may accept your apology BUT the relationship has no hope for ever being the same, because you didn’t accept full responsibility.

The other apology that isn’t really acceptable is “I’m sorry you feel…”. This apology is for the benefit only for the person that says it. It’s also one where the person that said it can go on to others and say “well I apologized but they didn’t accept it”. This apology is really saying-I’m sorry that you feel that way but I’m right. I will probably not take steps to keep it from happening again because I didn’t see anything wrong with what I did. Only you see any wrong.-This is the apology that usually doesn’t get forgiven because your not admitting anything. Your just sorry that the person/people involved didn’t see it your way.

When you think of an apology think of it sorta like when you pray to ask the Lord for forgiveness. It’s not exactly the same, but you would never say to God, I’m sorry about but blah blah blah…nor would you say I’m sorry you feel this way Lord. You only apologize to God because you are truly sorry that you sinned and you are asking him for your forgiveness. When you think of apologizing to a person this way then it’s going to be sincere. Because you would then only say I’m sorry when you are owning up to your mistakes and wrong actions.

Apology is hard. Apology doesn’t come easy but sometimes it’s one of those things that if it doesn’t happen, your just holding up the situation. Most people are just waiting for that apology.

The longer life goes on without that apology relationships seem to fall further and further apart.

So maybe One Republic was right, perhaps there is a time frame for an apology.

Christmas Wrap-up….Bring on the New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:42:00 +0000

Well, not quite yet. We still have to have Christmas with our Bama family. ;-) The kids are excited and are counting down when we leave. Kelsie asks every night how many more days. Kayla keeps asking why can’t we stay longer. Zack goes back to work before school starts back. Oh well. We are enjoying having him off this whole week!

Christmas was different this year. We didn’t celebrate with a ham or turkey, we went with an Italian spin. I started searching for ideas on an Italian Christmas dinner, etc. and found that they do a feast of the seven fish on Christmas Eve. Well, we weren’t about to cook that many dishes since it was just the four of us, so we went smaller and probably didn’t cook anything remotely authentically Italian, but we enjoyed what we did have. The dessert was authentic though. I had made sure to hit up World Market last week and bought Panettone and Spongata. Kayla is now a fan of Panettone and Kelsie loves the Spongata. I feel like I introduced them to a new culture. Now maybe we should learn some Italian?! Or…maybe not. Wouldn’t that have been different singing Happy Birthday to Jesus in Italian?!

The kids got almost everything on their lists. We do things a little different around here. We do Santa big! As in, Santa brings everything but just a few things that we have gotten them that’s already under the tree. And they never get anything “fun” from us. That’s just the way I was done when I was little and I’ve carried it on with our girls.

Kayla got her netbook that’s she’s been wanting all year, a cooling pad, a furry purple case, lava lamp, Tommy Girl perfume, books, Wii games, cd’s, makeup, Uno Attack and lots of other stuff.

Kelsie got a Barbie house, a Fitjit, Leap Pad, Cookie the dog, an American Girl doll, Monster High dolls, a Barbie movie, Barbie training skates, and a few other things.

Kelsie has really been enjoying the Leap Pad, as in playing it about a dozen times a day. She said it’s way better than her DS! Score for Santa!! An electronic device that is educational and being enjoyed! I know that she has ask for the Leapster a couple of years ago and she got the chance to play with somebody’s and said it wasn’t as fun as other things she’s played. So I was actually worried about this one. The Fijit is the coolest thing on the block, I assure you. Yes, they are sold out everywhere, but they are totally worth looking for one to have. It’s adorable!

Oh and a note for a just in case….I know that my girls got a lot for Christmas…but what you see from Santa and the few gifts we got them, they will only have one other gift to open from my brother and sister n law. I have always felt like I had to make up for gifts that they don’t receive from other family members. Most kids have family that gives them gifts, my girls do not.

I also had a great Christmas this year. Zack got me so many things that I wanted/needed. I got candles {from Slatkin and Co., they sell them on QVC and Bath and Body Works}, hand sanitizers from B&BW, new measuring cups and spoons, a new nightgown from Nick and Nora {super soft and comfy!}, a new scent set from B&BW {Vanilla Bean}, and a few other things. We didn’t go big with each other last year because we went big on each other last year and it wasn’t any better Christmas than before. We discovered that the moment opening presents is all about the kids. It’s the look on their face that morning that makes it great.

We got the girls BearPaw boots and I know that Kelsie has no idea what that means, but Kayla was so excited when she read the tags! She said “Momma, I have real boots now!”. Haha…yea well I think shoes are one of those things that just don’t last as long for Kayla and never have purchased any big names for her. I told her if she treats these well that I’ll consider getting her some different styles. She said she would def take care of them. We’ll see! I went to wear her knee high boots the other day that she’s had for a little over a month or so and dang it if those suckers are already scuffed up at the toes and flaking. :-/

Anyways….I am going to enjoy my coffee and close my eyes and pretend I am sitting by a fireside, with my newly lit fireside candle. ;-)

I hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas and I hope you all have a Happy New Year!

It’s My Favorite Time of Year…

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:56:00 +0000

I started typing up this long post about where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing and then pressed the backspace key and deleted it all.

I have been busy with Christmas related activities, lot’s of them. You know all that extra stuff that goes along with this month. And when we weren’t busy, I sorta still was. See….watching Christmas movies.

Kelsie’s class had a banana split party and called it their “Christmas party” last Friday. It was a lot of fun and a sticky mess. :-) Then this past Monday their class invited the parents to come for breakfast. When I finally got to my class that morning I had to wrap 19 gifts, all from the kids to their parents. They worked so hard on their ornaments that they made for them. I hope that some of them didn’t let their parents open the boxes yet. {crossing fingers}

Yesterday was our class Christmas party and Kayla stayed out of school and came with me. She loved coming last year the couple of times she did to hang out. I told her about the little girl that would probably be hanging out with her all the time…and I was right. :-) Kayla loved her! She kept saying “she’s so cute with her little dimples”. She sat next to Kayla for half of the Christmas sing along in the multi-purpose room.

Our party was a blast! The kids decorated sugar cone Christmas trees and had pizza. Me and Xander’s {Kelsie’s bf} dad went and took them out of class and brought them over so they could have pizza too. {his little sister is in my class} Then his mom, dad, sister and him came over to decorate cookies and play while Kelsie and Xander exchanged their gifts.

They are too cute together. I’m probably gonna be sad when/if they ever break up. Maybe they’ll be one of the few that stick together…you know Kindergarten sweethearts that end up getting married. ;-) They have been bf/gf since the first day of Kindergarten. Kelsie’s had to put him on the spot a time or two..saying it’s me or her and he always says Kelsie.

She picked him out a Transformers wallet with a chain and he got her a Tinkerbell necklace.

After opening gifts and decorating cookies, they all played Twister, hide-n-go seek, and went outside and rode Kelsie’s Barbie 4-wheeler. Xander and Kelsie rode together and then he drove his sister, Clover around. Kelsie said that she should have been the one driving…that he almost ran them into a palm tree and off into the ditch. I told her that women drive better. Ha!

Since I’ve also neglected to post my Christmas trees, I guess I should make it this post too. ;-)

Kelsie’s tree

Kayla’s tree

Our bedroom tree

Our main tree

My garland

And that’s pretty much it. We plan on going Thursday night out to the beach where they have transformed the waterpark and parking lot of where the old Miracle Strip used to be into an ice skating rink and tree/candy cane forest. The kids can’t wait! It’s been a whirlwind of a month and I’m sad to see it all coming to an end.

The Help

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 01:34:00 +0000

The Help has been out on Blu-Ray and DVD for almost a week now. {December 6th} It was one movie that I wanted to watch from the very first trailer I saw before it was in theaters.

With loads of my Facebook friends raving about the book and then the movie I just couldn’t wait until it came out on Blu-Ray and DVD. The wait was definitely well worth it.

The Help is funny and touching. It teaches us all a valuable lesson and it’s a movie that besides a few bad words, the whole family should watch. We all sat down as a family to watch it and I’m glad we did. I think that both of my girls learned that we are all people with feelings. We are all people with hearts and souls and that we should all be thankful for one another.

Kelsie cried at the end of the movie when Abilieen was fired and had to leave a little girl crying, not wanting her to leave. Kelsie didn’t understand why she didn’t take the little girl with her. She could see the love that little girl had for a lady that wasn’t her biological mother but a mother in the sense that she took care of her from the day she was born.

The best part of the whole movie was about the chocolate pie. We all laughed until we couldn’t laugh anymore. She deserved what she got and the fact that her mother laughed too, that was the icing on the cake! Ha!

The Help is a wonderful movie that everybody can connect with on one level or another. It’s a movie that belongs in everybody’s collection and if you haven’t seen it yet, I encourage you all to add it to your Christmas lists this year!

3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) = $44.99 U.S./$51.99 Canada
Exclusive Blu-ray Bonus Features:
 The Making of “The Help:” From Friendship To Film
 In Their Own Words: A Tribute To The Maids Of Mississippi
 Three deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor, including „Humiliated,‟ „A
Book About Jackson‟ and „Johnny‟s Home‟ (which is a Blu-ray exclusive)
DVD Bonus Features:
 Two deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor including „A Senator‟s Son‟
and „Keep On Walkin‟
 “The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige

2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) = $39.99 U.S./$46.99 Canada

Exclusive Blu-ray Bonus Features:
 The Making of “The Help:” From Friendship To Film
 In Their Own Words: A Tribute To The Maids Of Mississippi
 Three deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor including „Humiliated,‟ „A
Book About Jackson‟ and „Johnny‟s Home‟ (which is a Blu-ray exclusive)
DVD Bonus Features:
 Two deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor, including „A Senator‟s Son‟
and „Keep On Walkin‟
 “The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige
1-Disc DVD = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada
Bonus Features:
 Two deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor, including „A Senator‟s Son‟
and „Keep On Walkin‟
 “The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige
High Definition Digital Download = $39.99 U.S./$46.99 Canada
Bonus Feature:
 Three deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor, including „Humiliated,‟ „A
Book About Jackson‟ and „Johnny‟s Home‟ (which is a Blu-ray exclusive)
 “The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige
Standard Definition Digital Download = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada
Bonus Feature:
 Three deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor, including „Humiliated,‟ „A
Book About Jackson‟ and „Johnny‟s Home‟ (which is a Blu-ray exclusive)
 “The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige

On-Demand
For additional information and pricing, please contact your television provider or favorite digital
retailer. Bonus features are not offered with On-Demand.

**we received the above mentioned movie for review purposes only. all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

Christmas…Only Half the Magic it Used to Be

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:56:00 +0000

I knew it would happen sooner or later. We’ve been VERY lucky to have it even last this long. After all, 12 years of belief is longer than a lot of kids these days. We’ve had a couple of mishaps in the past two years where it was questioned. I admit that I wasn’t able to give it up then. I knew that by telling the truth I was also taking a part of her childhood away. So last year a sleigh bell showed up in both stockings on Christmas morning with a note attached. That bought me another year.

Then it happened…the dreaded situation.

Friday after school Kayla came home as usual. We were sitting on the couch watching Christmas movies and then out of nowhere she said “tell me momma, the truth, is Santa real?”. I just looked at her with no words, no expressions, motionless. She then replied, “our substitute teacher today said that he wasn’t, so I want to know”. My blood was boiling! Sure, when your in a classroom full of 12 and 13 year olds your not asking them what they want Santa to bring them for Christmas, but you don’t reject the idea of existence. Just for some unforeseen reason that there may in fact be one child in that room that might still hold on to that realization. But no, this teacher didn’t do that. He blew the whistle. He spoiled my child’s imagination. I finally said to her, we will talk later. And we did.

I brought out the book that I did a review on a few months ago, The Santa Club. We laid on my bed and she read it, while I looked along. We were both heart broken. Not because Zack and I were really Santa, but because the magic for her was gone. I cried because that part of her is grown up. She cried because she wished that she didn’t know yet.

She understands the importance of keeping it a secret until I am ready for Kelsie to really know.

She understands why I didn’t want her to know and she said she didn’t want her kids to find out either.

So this year on Christmas morning, even though we’ll go on like that conversation between her and I didn’t happen, the look on her face won’t be the same to me. She will know that Zack and I tucked her presents neatly under the tree the night before and that we ate the cookies and drank the milk.

I dread the year that Kelsie finds out. I’m sure I’ll have to up my meds that year. ;-)

Girls’ Night In

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:01:00 +0000

Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There's no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com.

Our girls’ night in isn’t your typical girly get together. The 3 of us girls always have the best of time together, always. I am referring to myself and my girls, Kayla and Kelsie. Every once in a while, the 3 of us have the chance to give each other mani’s and pedi’s while watching movies and giggling, all the while eating goodies and sharing secrets.

It’s important to have a close relationship with your kids and I use our special girls’ nights for that. I find out all the dirt on the latest classroom gossip. I find out who’s friends with who and why. I find out who’s been picking on my girls, if at all. And I also find out their hopes and dreams.

We talk about anything you can think of. These are the times when they spill their secrets. Their fears. Their hurt feelings. Their truth.

These girls’ nights are far and few between but when they happen they are so very special!

I usually don’t have girl nights unless it is during the holidays {with the exception of the ones with my girls}. This is when I get to hang out with my niece and sister-n-law. We always have a lot of yummy food to munch on and talk about what all has been going on in our lives.

Last year we baked cookies on a whim. My niece and I ran to the store and she got the stuff to make apple cider and I got the stuff to make cookies. We paired the two up and they were the perfect after dinner, sitting around catching up snack. Of course afterwards us girls decided that we were ready to dance off some of those holiday calories we had consumed. ;-)

My niece and I recently had a girl’s night {kind of} over Thanksgiving. Zack was asleep in the corner of the couch while we gossiped away about what’s been going on with her life and mine.

We plan on getting together after Christmas and I’m sure we’ll make holiday goodies and share our most recent happenings!

Girls’ nights are important for our sanity. Good food, good family, good friends, good times…they are all important to us girls!

Remember to check out Duncan Hines' website www.duncanhines.com to find some great recipes for your holiday get-together! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.

Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip review

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:50:00 +0000

We eat lot’s of quick vegetable snacks in our house. I buy pre-washed and cut broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes for the kids and Zack and I to eat. We normally dip them into dressing or a sour cream vegetable dip mix and we switch up between the two every now and then to give at least a little variety.

When I found out that there was a new veggie dip out in the grocery store that I didn’t know about I decided that I really wanted to try it out. After all, you can imagine how boring the same old dips can be.

We got the chance to try out the Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip and I’m glad we did. Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip comes in a variety of flavors. We tried out the Cucumber Dill Feta but you can also pick from Chipotle Cheese, Herb Ranch, Cilantro Greek, and Artichoke Greek.

The Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip in Cucumber Dill Feta was delicious! The girls liked the combination of the cherry tomatoes and the Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip the best. The texture is creamy and thick like any other Greek yogurt that I’ve tried but the flavors of cucumber and dill were definitely there as well. And I think I loved the Feta cheese crumbles the most! I am a huge cheese lover and this little bit of texture amongst the creamy dip was exactly what I think it needed for me.

So far the kids have ask for this in their lunch every day since we got it. And I did get kind of inventive with it. Kayla loves Ranch dressing on her turkey or chicken wraps in her lunch box. I decided one day to replace that with the Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt dip instead and she loved it. I added roasted turkey breasts, lettuce, and tomato and she told me that instead of the normal dressing she would prefer this dip. Great!!

Of course the Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Dips are more versatile than just for dipping your veggies in or replacing dressing on your sandwich wraps.

After searching over the recipes that I found on the Marzetti site, I found tons of recipes featuring their different dips. I quickly hunted down the dip that we had to see if I could whip something up quick and found a few things that sounded very delicious but I just didn’t have all the ingredients for the two recipes that I wanted to make.

I started looking over all the recipes for the Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dips and found lot’s of tasty sounding dishes. There are recipes from appetizers and snacks to main dishes.

We can’t wait to try out the other flavors as well as some of the recipes!

I was one of the bloggers selected by T. Marzetti Company and Clever Girls Collective to host a Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip review. They provided me with product to test and compensation for my time. However, my opinions are entirely my own.

And So We Did

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:34:00 +0000

One thing we try to do in the month of December is bake. We try to bake something at least once a week.

The other day after I picked up Kelsie from school, we had some time to kill before getting Kayla from tutoring and I ask her…”do you want to bake some cookies?”. She said “Of course!”.

And so we did.

We had a pumpkin spice cookie mix and I let her to it all, except drop them on the cookie sheets and put them in the oven.

Crayola Pop Art Pixies Fab Snaps Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:33:00 +0000

Kayla and I were talking about just a couple of weeks ago how we were in New York the week before Thanksgiving with Crayola and the Pop Art Pixies celebrating the launch of their new line specifically designed for tweens.

We definitely had a blast on our VIP weekend and both girls have thoroughly enjoyed using the Crayola Pop Art Pixies products. We were in Target a few weeks ago and saw that they had launched a whole new line of stuff. Kayla said…I want…I want….I want. I said, of course, but not that day. Well, then a huge thanks to Crayola and My Blog Spark, because we received all their new stuff, Crayola Pop Art Pixies Fab Snaps…and we love it! Kayla loves the fact that there is a lot of design changes. She can go with one design/color/element one day and switch up to something different the next.

And guess what….One lucky winner will receive everything we did!

(1) Crayola Pop Art Pixies Fab Snaps Wristlet

(1) Crayola Pop Art Pixies Fab Snaps Jewelry

(1) Crayola Pop Art Pixies Fab Snaps Water Bottle

(1) Crayola Pop Art Pixies Ice Chandelier

(1) Crayola Pop Art Pixies Ice Jewelry

(1) of each of the Crayola Pop Art Pixies Fab Snaps Refill Kits

Skye
Mya
Tatum
Naomi

To enter:

1. {Mandatory entry} Tell me who your daughters Pop Art Pixie is {or maybe}.

2. {5 Extra entries} Follow this blog, via Google Friend Connect, located on the sidebar.

3. {5 Extra entries} Follow SouthernNest on Twitter, leave your Twitter ID in your comment.

4. {5 Extra entries} Tweet about this giveaway by using the Tweet button located at the bottom of this post.

5. {5 Extra entries} Follow This Southern Girls Nest on Facebook.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. The giveaway will end on Saturday December 10th . I will contact the winner via email, so please leave your email address in the comments or I won’t be able to contact you!

*this review and giveaway was provided by myblogspark and crayola. all opinions are 100% my own.*

Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers with Pasta Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:49:00 +0000

How many of you love buying fresh veggies and cleaning, prepping and cooking them?? Yea, I don’t either.

I also refuse to buy canned vegetables because I don’t think that my family cares for the “canned” flavor that follows.

I started buying frozen veggies years ago and then when I saw Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers, I was so happy. No longer would I have to open the bags and pour the vegetables into a microwave safe dish to prepare. Now I just pop the bag in the microwave and when they are done, I just pour them into a pretty serving bowl and they are ready to go. Easy, peasy.

Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers with Pasta is my new favorite though. This is simply because it’s your vegetable and your starch all in one bag. Plus the sauces that are on them are creamy and delicious and Kelsie will eat them! When Kelsie eats a vegetable that’s a huge plus!

We received an awesome pack to try out the Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers with Pasta and some other goodies. I have one identical to giveaway!

One winner will receive:

2 Green Giant placemats

Broccoli stress reliever

32 oz. serving bowl

Surprise face serving spoon

A VIP coupon for the new Valley Fresh Steamers with Pasta

To Enter:

1. {Mandatory entry} Tell me what your family’s favorite vegetable is.

2. {5 Extra entries} Follow this blog, via Google Friend Connect, located on the sidebar.

3. {5 Extra entries} Follow SouthernNest on Twitter, leave your Twitter ID in your comment.

4. {5 Extra entries} Tweet about this giveaway by using the Tweet button located at the bottom of this post.

5. {5 Extra entries} Follow This Southern Girls Nest on Facebook.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. The giveaway will end on Friday December 9th . I will contact the winner via email, so please leave your email address in the comments or I won’t be able to contact you!

*this review and giveaway was provided by my blog spark and green giant. all opinions are 100% my own.*

Hickory Farms…That Means…Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:34:00 +0000

We await the arrival of the Hickory Farms kiosk in the mall every year around the holidays. It’s actually become quite the little tradition that we go and choose our favorite beef sticks, cheeses and desserts and come home and snack on them while watching our Christmas movies and sipping hot cocoa for the weeks leading up to Christmas. We are always sad to see them go.

Nothing says holidays and Christmas like Hickory Farms does to us! It’s just part of our traditions.

We have given several Hickory Farms gifts throughout the years as well. There is something about opening up a gift set from Hickory Farms on Christmas morning from a long distance family member that says “I was thinking about you”.

We received the yummy Summer Sausage & Cheese Gift Box and I have to say that this is one of our favorites. It’s exactly what we buy every year from the Hickory Farms kiosk.

The kids love the smoked cheddar and gouda and I love the farmhouse cheddar and we all love the beef sticks! There is not another beef stick that we have found that compares to Hickory Farms. {believe me, we have tried many brands of beef sticks}

As your shopping this holiday season why not pick up some Hickory Farms for those hard to shop for friends and relatives. They will be thrilled! And don’t worry, I know that a lot of people think that Hickory Farms gift sets can be expensive but I will let you know after checking out their site you can find gifts for under $30!

Also if your like me, I tend to about when things will arrive after I purchased them online. With Hickory Farms they have a 3 day, $3 shipping.

I hope you all have a happy Hickory Farms holidays!

“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a product sample to facilitate my review.”

miscellany monday

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:44:00 +0000

~ We are so sad…we lost our ferret yesterday. Nestle was 8 years and 2 months old. She was a big part of our family and her loss has really hurt us all. You would never think that an animal like a ferret could be anything more than just a pet, but she was. She played with the kids and loved giving kisses. Zack knew on Saturday night that it was close and then yesterday morning we checked on her and knew that it was going to be soon. We let her be and stayed by her side the whole time…then she started squeaking and we knew she was finally in pain. I called around to find a vet to take her to and luckily Banfield at Pet Smart was open. We took her in and then euthanized her. We brought her home and buried her next to the kids swing set in the back yard. I think Kelsie is taking it the hardest now because she doesn’t quite understand.

~ Tip from me to y’all…don’t go house hunting in your dream state/town online unless you are able to move very soon. Otherwise, you’ll find your dream home at an unbelievable price and get in a funk thinking about it. :-/ This is what I did. Of course I think it may have gotten Zack in the same funk. He was telling me where he searches for government contracted jobs at so I could look for him and he told me to let me know when I found anything to email it to him.

The house? It’s in the subdivision we want because we looked at the houses here years ago. And we love everything about it. It’s 4 bedrooms and on a cul de sac with a great yard.

~ We had to have a plumber come over Saturday morning. Friday night Zack and I tried everything we could possibly think of to get our kitchen sink unclogged and nothing worked. From plunging to the vinegar/baking soda to even Drano like stuff….we finally gave up and made an appt for the plumber to come over bright and early Saturday morning. He fixed it and was so reasonable priced too. We will be using Plumb Better for all our plumbing needs from now on!

~ All Christmas stuff is up inside. I am really enjoying the lights that glow at night from everything.

~ I have ordered the two main gifts for the kids and one is already here. The other should be here this week. Then it’s only the little stuff and I will be finished.

~ Pinterest, why must you be so addictive?! I really must learn to sign out when I leave that page because I get sucked back in so easily. I am no longer all over Facebook, because it’s boring and drab. Pinterest is where it’s at! If you aren’t following me…you should..or not…no pressure. :-)

~ I still haven’t ordered Christmas cards…so I’m thinking that I’ll have to pay the extra and have the place I go with send them out. I think Tiny Prints does this. I’ll have to check on that.

miscellany monday

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:44:00 +0000

The house? It’s in the subdivision we want because we looked at the houses here years ago. And we love everything about it. It’s 4 bedrooms and on a cul de sac with a great yard.

~ All Christmas stuff is up inside. I am really enjoying the lights that glow at night from everything.

~ I have ordered the two main gifts for the kids and one is already here. The other should be here this week. Then it’s only the little stuff and I will be finished.

AVG–Antivirus and Internet Security Review

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:19:00 +0000

I remember years ago when our antivirus software on our computer expired and my best friend told me about the one they were using and it was free. I headed over to AVG and downloaded it right away. I have trusted our desktop computer and my laptop to AVG ever since. We have yet to have anything major happen since using AVG and I couldn’t be anymore pleased.

When I saw a while back that AVG was going to have a paid version I had decided that I was going to get it sometime this year. However, I never got around to purchasing and downloading it. When I got a chance to do a review for the 2012 edition, I was really happy about it! I’ve had it downloaded on my laptop for a little over a month now and it has been scanning emails and attachments and working behind the scenes to keep my laptop virus free.

It was easy to download and install and I had it running in less than 30 minutes. I set everything up that I wanted it to do {which it’s already set, but I change things around sometimes}. As soon as I started my internet browser for the first time after installing it I discovered that I had some tracking cookies going on. I didn’t even know it! I deleted them immediately.

I don’t have it set up to scan automatically but I do have the updates turned on. I always want the latest updates and about once every 3 days or so I’ll scan the whole computer. So far I have been lucky and haven’t had any viruses!

Every once in a while when I have a few things open at once, usually Pinterest, email, Facebook, and a website, AVG will do a little “boost” to help keep things moving quickly. Not sure how in the world it does this, but I’m not complaining. Also when it does get a little overloaded it will pop up and say that I should close such and such and reopen it to get it to move faster. Love this feature!

I also love the fact that since I do a lot of Facebook {social networking} that I am protected. There are so many viruses on social network platforms and you never know it. Links are everywhere to click and sometimes if you click the wrong one, oops, you’ve downloaded a virus and didn’t even know it. With AVG you can feel confident and click into a link if you want to read it and AVG will automatically detect bad links! Wahlah…protection!

If your online at all with your computer I highly recommend AVG Internet Security. You won’t be disappointed!

**I received the above mentioned product for review purposes only. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% honest and my own.

American Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:21:00 +0000

American Girl is the perfect brand to choose this holiday season for the little girls in your life and for this reason it’s at the top of my Christmas Gift guide for 2011.

I have known about American Girl since I was a little girl. They are celebrating 25 years this year! American Girl is one of those brands that to me means quality. Unlike other brands for girls, American Girl has stuck to the wholesomeness that all girls need in their lives.

What started with the stories from their books with most girls ended up with a love and passion for the characters {dolls}. I know from experience that my girls have been around American Girl books since the day they were born. They both have their favorite characters.

We received two American Girl dolls for our Christmas Gift guide to review and the girls were thrilled to get the boxes open. Kayla had both books read in one day and luckily she read them to Kelsie too. Which has now requested that I reread them to her.

We received the Marie-Grace and Cecile Doll. Both girls are pulled right from New Orleans in the 1850’s from the story to their hair and clothing. You can always expect the highest quality from American Girl. From the feel and touch of the hair and skin to the softness of the clothes. Although these dolls aren’t cuddly, they won’t be left untouched. Kelsie loves playing with her new Marie-Grace and Cecile dolls with the ones she already has.

What’s also great about the American Girl dolls is that you can add to your collection of your favorite characters by purchasing additional accessories. Kelsie now would like to get Marie-Grace’s dog Argos and other outfits for her and Cecile. I highly recommend purchasing the accessories with the dolls because they really help make the whole experience well worth it.

If your not lucky enough to go to an American Girl store, you can easily shop for them online. Don’t be discouraged though about ordering online. The dolls are much more beautiful in person. The photo online just can’t compare to the beauty that the doll holds in person. You won’t be disappointed when you purchase from American Girl.

American Girl has a lot to offer from their books, dolls and magazines to clothing and accessories. I remember growing up my favorite thing for Christmas every year was getting one of those gown sets that came with a matching baby doll gown. American Girl has gone even further. Now your daughter and her favorite AG doll can dress alike, not only for bed but on the go as well.

American Girl will be great for girls any age this holiday season from kids to the collectors. Make sure to check out their gift guide. If your unsure which doll the girl in your life would like, this will be very helpful. But I’m sure which ever American Girl doll you choose, their faces will light up when they unwrap and see that big red box!

**the above mentioned products were received for review purposes only. I did not receive any other form of compensation. All opinions are 100% honest and my own.

Spicy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Dippers

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:43:00 +0000

This is a Sandra Lee recipe that I love. The only thing we do differently is the grilled cheese dippers. Those I use a recipe from Rachel Ray.

What do you need? {spicy tomato soup}

1 can condensed tomato soup

1 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup

3 cups spicy tomato juice

1 teaspoon dried basil

What do you do?

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat until heated thoroughly, stirring occasionally. {You can make this not spicy and just use regular tomato juice}

What do you need? {grilled cheese dippers}

8oz shredded monetary jack cheese

1 baguette French bread, sliced 1/2 thick

butter

ranch dressing

What do you do?

Mix together cheese and enough ranch dressing to moisten it.

Butter your slices of baguette on one side and stuff with the cheese mixture. Grill as you normally would do grill cheese.

Then enjoy! We love this recipe in the Winter time. The spice is sometimes a bit much but you could really do just tomato juice in place of the spicy and then if somebody wanted some spice they could add hot sauce to their individual bowls or mugs.

Family Photos on the Farm

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:48:00 +0000

Amanda really did a great job with our pictures! I love how they turned out and I can’t wait to get them printed and framed. Plus I am working on getting our Christmas cards made so we can get them in the mail sometime next week.

I really loved how this shot turned out…we were getting set up and she happened to snap it and Zack is just kinda off to the back of us, watching us girls. :-)

“Look at that tree”…”Which tree?”

“Look at one another”

Our Christmas card photo…only I don’t know which edit to use. I really like them all. Although I’m thinking maybe the black and white, I just don’t know. Hmmm.

I love this shot…the kids up front and then us in the back.

Kiss!

Our girls.

I wanted Kayla to do some shots alone since we hardly have any pictures of her. Most taken are of Kelsie because the older your kids get the less they want to be photographed. The less than busy road with the tree leaves hovering over made for the perfect back drop.

And that’s it! I have a bit more but they aren’t edited, these were definitely the best shots from the afternoon.

miscellany monday

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:07:00 +0000

Sad that Thanksgiving has come and gone.

Finally feeling the holiday spirit. Guess it was my self medicating medicine adjustment. Lesson learned, follow dr’s orders.

Kelsie went from Bronchitis last week to still having Bronchitis on top of an ear infection this week. Hoping that she gets to feeling better after all that.

Had a blast in Alabama with my family. Miss them like crazy!

{that’s Kayla driving the Gator around on the farm…she’s growing up}

Taught Kayla a lesson about the economy when she ask why we couldn’t move right now to Alabama.

Enough food to have lasted an entire week but we managed to eat it all in about 3 days time.

Took family photos on the farm, which turned out amazing. Amanda {my niece} did a wonderful job! Here’s a little sneak peek…

Now it’s back to reality of work and school.

Now Available on DVD Disney’s Prep & Landing

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 21:30:00 +0000

We were huge fans of Disney’s Prep & Landing last year when it aired on tv. We DVR’d it and I think the kids have watched it a couple of dozen times since last December. It’s such a cute movie.

Now it’s available to own! Disney’s Prep & Landing released yesterday {November 22nd} on DVD and we were thrilled to get a copy.

If you missed it last year, I highly recommend you picking up the DVD this year. It’s a great way to show kids how Christmas Eve actually goes down with the Elves. It’s funny and entertaining and something the whole family will enjoy.

Check out one of my favorite clips below…

There are bonus features and a preview to the new Prep & Landing Naughty and Nice, coming this holiday season.

Your not gonna wanna miss this one! It would also make an excellent stocking stuffer.

the above mentioned dvd was received for review purposes only. no other form of compensation was received. all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

Spinach Chicken Pasta Bake

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:34:00 +0000

What do you need?

1 box Penne pasta, cooked according to directions and drained
1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese
3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1 10oz pack of frozen spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly
1 container of Italian Cheese and Herb cream cheese

What do you do?

Mix together your pasta, chicken, spinach, and cream cheese in a large bowl. The ingredients need to be warm so that the cheese will blend and mix in evenly.
Top with shredded cheese and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes until the cheese on top is bubbly.

Beauty and The Beast, Just in Time for the Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:49:00 +0000

My favorite princess {besides Ariel} is Belle. I have loved her from day one.

Lucky for me my girls have that same love. We have bought almost everything Belle from Disney, movies and dolls, and accessories wise and this is one we picked up as well.

Yesterday, for a very limited time, Disney released Beauty & The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas Special Edition on Blu-ray and DVD and Beauty & The Beast: Belle's Magical World Special Edition on DVD. Both are wonderful movies that would make your little Beauty and the Beast fan happy.

What perfect stocking stuffers for this upcoming holiday season!

For $5 off Belle’s Enchanted Christmas click below to be taken to the coupon. However, it expires November 27th, so you don’t have much time!

A clip from Belle's Enchanted Christmas:

And a clip from Beauty & The Beast: Belle's Magical World:

Make sure you pick up your copies before it’s too late!

the above mentioned information was sent to me via email from the representing pr company. I am a disney fanatic and wanted to share this info with y’all. no compensation was received.