Wisconsin Mommy

Trying Out Ruby Tuesday's Seafood Fest #CBias

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:48:00 +0000

Having grown up (mostly) on the East Coast, I absolutely love seafood. Unfortunately, good seafood can be hard to come by and pretty pricey out here in Wisconsin. When I heard that one of our favorite restaurants, Ruby Tuesday, was having a Seafood Festival, I jumped at the chance to try it out.

We frequent Ruby Tuesday fairly often. While it is always popular and busy, we never have to wait for a table, the service is friendly and prompt, and the food is really good. Typically, we get the salad bar and soup or one of their signature burgers. While they do have seafood on their regular menu, I have never ordered it.

We came on a Thursday night and Ruby Tuesday was already hopping by 5:00 pm. We were seated promptly and placed an appetizer order of hot spinach dip while we looked at all the meal choices.

After a LOT of deliberation, I decided on the shellfish trio, LJ ordered the crabcake meal, and Jay (not as big a fan of seafood as I am) ordered quesadillas. We snacked on the appetizer and cheddar biscuits (yum!!) while our meals were prepared. As always, the meals came out just as we were finishing the dip. I wish I could co-ordinate my timing like that when I'm cooking at home!

The Shellfish Trio

The Crabcake Dinner

The seafood meals were really good! The crabcakes were full of huge chunks of crabmeat and hardly any filler, the lobster was tender and fresh tasting, and the shrimp was grilled perfectly. (Jay liked his quesadillas too.) I would say the quality of the seafood was equal to what I would have expected to be served at a restaurant back East.

One of the things I love about Ruby Tuesday is that you can choose your own sides and they have a huge list of items to choose from. LJ decided he wanted baked mac and cheese and onion rings. I decided on grilled green beans and zucchini. I love their grilled vegetables - they are perfectly done so that they are crisp and tender.

We were pretty full after the appetizer and generous portions in the meals. Not only did we pass on dessert (darn - they have really good desserts too), but we would up bringing food home to have for lunch the following day.

Check out our full experience at Ruby Tuesday in pictures here!

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions expressed are my own.

Bosch ICON Wiper Blades Contest and Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:01:00 +0000

I have always been fascinated with violent weather. When I was teaching 5th grade in New Hampshire, one of our science units was on weather and I absolutely loved learning about how lighting works and what causes wind. The highlight of the unit was watching some storm chasers go after tornadoes and get (too close for my taste) footage of the storms.

Then I moved to Wisconsin. I had never really thought of Wisconsin as having tornadoes. The snow I was prepared for, the violent summer weather - um, not so much. The first time the tornado siren went off in the school where I was teaching fourth grade, I looked at the students blankly and wondered aloud what that noise was and what we were supposed to do! Five minutes later we were all huddled under a table in the school's basement. Good thing it was just a drill!

(Note to school administrators - when you hire a teacher from out of state, do NOT assume s/he knows what a tornado siren sounds like or will know what to do when it goes off!)

While having several tornado scares has tempered my fascination a little bit, I do still love watching Storm Chasers on the Discovery Channel. Reed Timmer and his gang actually drive inside tornadoes (shudder) but they do it with the right equipment to protect them. They have the "Dominator," a technologically-designed vehicle that is built to collect the data that they need while also keep them from getting injured or killed.

Learn more about the "Dominator" in this fascinating video:

One of the features that helps to keep the "Dominator" safe is a set of Bosch ICON wiper blades. How can wiper blades help keep you safe in a storm, you ask? Just ask anyone who has ever tried to drive in less than perfect weather with worn out or cruddy wiper blades! One of the most important things when driving is the ability to see where you are going. Good wiper blades help with that.

The design of the Bosch ICON distributes more uniform pressure along the entire length of the blade for ultimate all-season performance that lasts up to 40% longer than other premium wiper blades.

In celebration of the release of this amazing wiper blade, Bosch is holding a special contest right now on their Facebook page. You can enter to win a prize package that includes: an iPad 2 with a weatherproof case (to keep it dry while you are storm chasing!), a signed copy of Reed Timmer's new book, a copy of Season 4 of Storm Chasers, and a set of Bosch wipers (of course!).

But wait!!! One grand prize winner will win a 5 night all expense paid VIP storm chasing trip for them and a friend with Reed Timmer. How cool would that be?

Now, I can't offer you a storm chasing trip (I wish!!) but I am giving away a Bosch prize pack to one lucky Wisconsin Mommy reader. The prize pack valued at $195 includes:

• A set of Bosch ICON wiper blades
• “Storm Chasers - Season 4” DVD
• A signed copy of Reed Timmer’s book “Into The Storm”
• A Bosch C3 6V/12V Fully Automatic 4-Mode Battery Charger

It'll keep you safe in all kinds of weather, right?

So here's how to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bosch provided me with a pair of fabulous wiper blades as well as the prize pack to give away. Thank you Bosch!! My opinions (as always) are my own.

One purchase can save you thousands...really!

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:58:00 +0000

Do you see those Entertainment Books for sale everywhere? I've seen them sold as fundraisers, at Walgreens, even on TV. For the longest time I just walked on by, not even peeking to see what they were all about.

Was I ever a fool! (And you know what they say about a fool and his money...) Jay and I like to enjoy a night out every now and again, so we decided to check out the Entertainment Book and see if it was worth spending the $30 on it.

Holy coupons Batman!! We found soooo many ways we can save money - not on things we might buy now that we have a coupon - but on things we were already buying anyways!! Everything from our favorite local restaurants (Edwardo's pizza - yum!), to local golf courses, entertainment complexes, vacation spots, travel accommodations, retail stores (the Gap!!) and tons of other local businesses.

I need to get into the habit of checking the Entertainment book before I buy anything. Today I went to Sherman Williams and bought paint for my home office re-do. I didn't think to check the Entertainment Book (kicking myself!). Yep - there was a coupon!! Maybe I will just keep it in my car.... Luckily, with a 2012 membership, a companion app is available for no extra cost. It allows you to search and redeem coupons using your smartphone.

So how much do we love it? We have already decided that when we travel this summer, we will be picking one up for all of the destination cities we visit!

I was provided an Entertainment Book to review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Hunger in my Own Backyard #AbbottCFK

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Around the holidays, I happened to catch a piece on the local news about food banks. I wasn't surprised to hear that donations were down from last year while need was up. We all know that everyone is feeling the pinch of the down economy.

What did surprise me was when I heard my specific town mentioned. Not only was reference made to a huge increase in demand at my town's food bank (I honestly wasn't even aware my town had a food bank before this story), but specific mention was made about kids in my town not having enough to eat.

I had always thought about homelessness and hunger being more of an urban issue. For our last service project, we traveled to downtown Milwaukee to drop off goods at a homeless shelter. I live in the suburbs and most parking lots in my town are at least half filled with Lexus and Cadillacs. I just never really thought about kids going hungry right under my nose.

I am thrilled to be teaming up with Abbott to help spread the word about their Champions for Kids Campaign. The Abbott Champions for Kids Campaign is all about getting nutritious food into the hands of kids who really need it. By participating in the Simple Service Project I will be putting together Abbott Nutrition Snack Packs to be dropped off at my town's food pantry.

I challenge you to do some research about hunger in your community. Does your town have a food bank? Where is it and is it in need of specific items? How can you help, even in just a small way, to fight hunger in your own backyard? (You can research your local food bank by going here and clicking on your state.)

Be sure to stop back next week when I will be sharing what we put into our Snack Pack and what it was like dropping it off!

This post has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias

The cold that won't quit...

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:58:00 +0000

Those of you who are my Facebook friends are probably sick of me whining about how I am sick. Lord knows, I'm sick of being sick!! I started coming down with this cold two weeks ago and still feel like I am in the middle of it. Every time I think that I'm starting to feel better, I get out and do a few things and then wake up the next morning with no voice, a nasty cough, or a stuffed up nose.

I'd go to the doctor, but I don't even know what I'd tell him. I'm pretty sure it's not an infection since it seems to move around from day to day - one day it's a cough, the next day the cough is better but my nose is running. The nose clears up and I lose my voice to a sore throat.

I went to veg out on the couch for the day and rent a PPV movie, but after reading the summary description for Contagion I figured maybe I'd just play on Pinterest instead - that always makes me feel better!

So do you think this is just a really nasty cold? Anyone else having this problem??? Tell me I'm going to feel better soon, please!!

Ten Fun Creative Ways to Practice Spelling Words

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:06:00 +0000

If you have an elementary school student, you probably have the dreaded weekly spelling list as part of the homework routine. LJ is pretty good about doing his homework with no complaints (it helps that he loves reading and math) but practicing spelling words always elicits a groan out of him.

If your student also dislikes practicing spelling words, finding a new and creative way to practice them can minimize the "groan factor" a bit. Here are some creative ideas on how to get that practice in:

* Write the words in shaving cream. This is best done on a surface that can be easily cleaned such as a jelly roll pan. If your child likes taking a bath, the shower wall works well too.

* Text the words to another phone/device. This is only advisable if you have unlimited texting or iMessage. I'd hate to see you receive an unexpected cell phone bill because of all the texts!

* Write a story using as many of the words as possible. Give extra "points" if two or more words are in one sentence.

* Write the words in the snow. Take an empty ketchup, mustard, or any squeeze-type bottle and add water and food coloring. Squirt the liquid onto the snow to form the letters. (If you live in a warm climate, you can use sidewalk chalk.)

* Write with your non-dominate hand. If your child is right handed, try writing the list with the left hand. The result may not be legible, but it is the act of writing the letters that will help the memory stick.

* Make a ransom note. Cut letters out of old newspapers and/or magazines. Glue the letters on a piece of paper to form the words "ransom" style.

* Use Scrabble tiles. Use Scrabble tiles and the board to see how many of the words can intersect and how many points can be earned.

* Play a guessing game. Have your student guess which word you are looking at on the list by using clues such as "it has a silent e on the end" or "this word uses the short a sound near the beginning".

* Use magic! Have your student write their words on white construction paper with a white crayon. Then paint over the paper with watercolor paint (like in those paint trays) and the words will appear - like magic!

* Use iPad or tablet apps. Playing with my iPad is always a treat for LJ. I downloaded SpellBoard Buddy which allows me to create weekly spelling lists (I record the word and an example sentence). LJ types the words in and writes them using a stylus which he loves.

Hopefully one or two of these ideas will sound like fun to your student and make learning those weekly words a little easier!

Free Organizing Book from Amazon.com (Kindle Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:25:00 +0000

If you have a Kindle or Kindle app on your iPad, grab this great organizing book quickly before it goes back to it's $16.99 regular price!

In 2012 I Resolve....

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:14:00 +0000

If I've noticed anything about 2012 so far, it's that it seems to be the year of the anti-resolution. I don't think I've ever seen so many people resolve to not make resolutions as I have the last few weeks. Personally, I think resolutions are getting a bad rap. I welcome the chance to make a fresh start and re-prioritize what I need to work on in my life.

I tend to do this twice a year. Like many who work in education, September is my first "New Year" and gives me a chance to make some resolutions around my job and my role as an elementary student's parent (and about my lunch-packing or lack thereof for LJ).

Then the calendar New Year roles around and I get to examine and either toss aside or reaffirm my September resolutions - plus add a few personal ones on for good measure. Most years they look pretty much like everyone else's: be more organized, eat less/move more, etc.

This year, my resolution is a simple one, yet a hard one to practice. In 2012, I resolve to keep perspective. Five little words, but a big challenge. In 2011, I found myself getting stressed and frustrated about things that really didn't matter in the big picture: LJ throwing his coat onto the floor instead of putting it on his hook, someone flipping me off in traffic when they cut me off, spilling coffee all over myself as I walk out the door already late for a meeting...you know, those kinds of things.

And then every once in a while, we get a wake up call that puts things into perspective for us: the story of someone else losing - or almost losing - their precious child,

watching someone battle a horrible disease but do it with such grace and strength,

watching a friend take drastic measures to try and avoid that fight.

These are all moments that shake us and force us to look at the things that were ruining our day and thank God we are still here to experience them. I want to keep my perspective in 2012 without having to be reminded by someone else's tragedy. I resolve to remind myself that little things really do not matter in the big picture and that each day is indeed a gift. I resolve to treasure that present.

This is a sponsored post. It is sponsored as part of the Trop50 True Resolutions Campaign. Trop50 True Resolutions celebrates the real reasons behind New Year’s resolutions. Share your secret motivation behind your resolutions and you’ll earn a coupon for $1 off Trop50 for yourself and 50¢ off coupons for up to 50 of your friends. You can even submit incognito with a fierce disguise. Bonus: Whether you submit a resolution or not, you can also enter a sweepstakes to win a $1000 gift card. What is Trop50? TropicanaTrop50offers fruit juice goodness with 50 percent less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners.

Giveaway: Enter to Win a Kindle Fire and a $75 Amazon Gift Card!

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:29:00 +0000

I’ve teamed up with 12 wonderful bloggers to bring you this awesome giveaway! We've all pitched in to give one Grand Prize winner a Kindle Fire and a Runner up winner a $75 Amazon Gift Card.

It's super easy to enter! Simply “like” each Facebook page on the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win. Each “like” is an entry for a maximum of 13 entries!

Prize Information
Grand Prize Winner will win a Kindle Fire ($199 ARV)
Runner Up Winner will win a $75 Amazon Gift

Please Note: You may need to wait a minute for the Rafflecopter entry form to load.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Becky's Blissful Bakery Milwaukee Wave Deal

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:05:00 +0000

If you have not yet discovered Becky's Blissful Bakery caramels, you have been missing out on a little piece of buttery heaven! Becky, a local area mom, has been hand making her caramels since 2007 using only local organic ingredients. The quality of the products she chooses shines through in the unsurpassed flavor and texture of the caramel.

Just in case you needed an added push to give them a try, Becky's has partnered with the Milwaukee Wave to offer free tickets to Wave games with the purchase of her caramels. Buy 12 boxes and receive 2 free Wave tickets, buy 24 boxes and receive 4 free tickets. Boxes make wonderful hostess gifts, party favors, and come in a wide variety of scrumptious flavors.

Groupon users, keeps your eyes peeled for an upcoming Groupon deal at Becky's as well!! Not a Groupon subscriber? Be sure to sign up for a free account now so you don't miss this deal!

Getting My Omega-3's Without the Fishy Aftertaste

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:40:00 +0000

I know all about the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids: they help your heart, your brain, your joints. They usually come in capsules containing fish oil and have been shown to provide immense benefits to your health. So why isn't everyone taking them? What could possibly be the downside?

Two words: fishy burps!

I was really good about researching my fish oil, buying my fish oil, and actually TAKING my fish oil...for the first few days. Then I noticed a rather unpleasant side effect - a nasty fishy taste and smell that appeared each time I burped (which was happening much more often than usual). I was not very happy and quickly found reasons to skip taking them that day - either I had a meeting or a lunch date or whatever. there are very few occasions where you think "Today would be a good day to be burping up yucky fish smells."

I tried all kinds of different fish oils that promised not to have this effect on me or my breath. None of them worked. Then I got an offer to try krill oil. I looked it up and began learning all about the benefits of it and how it may even be better than fish oil.

But, being the skeptic that I am, I insisted that I get a chance to actually try the Krill Oil before recommending it (you guys know that I only recommend products I have actually tried and liked!) and set off on a little experiment.

Well, sure enough, the claims were right this time. Now, I can't comment on my personal experience with the health benefits as I've only been trying it for about two weeks. I can point you toward research on the benefits, so I hope that's enough to convince you to look into taking Krill Oil.

But I can assure you that finally there is a product that delivers on its promise to not make your breath smell like low tide. I experienced exactly zero fishy burps even after drinking a carbonated beverage. Yay!! This is important for several reasons - the obvious one being the extreme unpleasantness of the fishy burps. The second is that I will actually take the product daily. Fish oil may be great for you, but it doesn't do any good if it is sitting in a cabinet in its container, which is what was happening to mine.

So now that you are aware of the benefits of the Omega Fatty Acids in Krill Oil and that there are no nasty side effects, will you consider giving Krill Oil a try??

I received a sample of the product and was compensated for my time and effort. All opinions expressed are my own and not influenced by anything other than my own experience.

Listerine Oral Care Challenge - Wrap Up

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:11:00 +0000

For the past month, my family has been participating in the Listerine Oral Care Challenge. We were attempting to establish better oral care habits that would result in healthier, stronger teeth and gums. We were provided with an assortment of Listerine products to help us with our quest - toothbrushes, floss and flossers, and rinse.

We were pretty good about brushing before we started the challenge (although LJ had room for improvement with brushing in the morning). The area we really needed to work on was the flossing and rinsing with regularity. We found that the Listerine Zero really helped in this area since we liked that it did not burn the way our previous rinse did. Because we liked it, we were more likely to use it.

The flossing got much better as well. Having it as part of the Listerine challenge made us much more likely to think of it and make sure that it got done. We aren't perfect in that department, but definitely better. LJ's brushing in the morning became a regular thing - until winter break hit. We had managed to make it a part of the before-school-schedule, and as soon as that schedule was disrupted, the brushing suffered. We will make it a point to get right back on track with it when school resumes and hopefully it will again become a regular part of his morning routine.

They say it takes 21 days for something to become a habit. We have found this to be true, but also learned that any disruption in a regular schedule can easily derail the progress that has been made. No worries - we will just stay vigilant for at least another 21 days and re-establish the good habits we had formed!

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

Verizon #MidwestMoms Wrap-Up sniff

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:51:00 +0000

It's hard to believe how fast 2011 went by. The second half really flew by for me personally. It started to get that snowball feeling - you know, where you are moving along and picking up speed until everything is flying by in a blur?

While I'm excited to start 2012 and experience all the great things it has in store for me, one thing in particular makes me sad to see 2011 end - the conclusion to the Verizon Wireless #MidwestMoms program.

I've loved being a part of this great campaign and not just because of the fun tech toys that got sent my way (although I certainly would never complain about cool tech toys!!). I'm sad that the program is ending because I absolutely loved the group of women that came along with the cool tech toys! I got to meet some great new ladies: one who won me over with a simple tweet saying she would share a ride from the airport and save me from public transportation, one who is a kick a** cook and will serve as my inspiration to put down the takeout menu once in a while, some that I had met before and was so happy to get to connect with again, and some who I had talked to online many times but never met face to face!

Getting to meet and work with all of the bloggers in the program was a treat and I will miss you ladies very much! I once joked on our FB group page that all new phones and tablets should come with a group of tech savvy ladies to help you figure out how to use them and it still rings true. I have yet to actually read the owner's manual for my Motorola Xoom since I had all of you teaching me about the best apps and shortcuts. Forget tech support - you guys rock!!

And I can't possible sign off from the program without giving a huge shout out to Verizon Wireless. Getting to use your 4G LTE service was a treat - something that really has to be experienced in person to fully understand. It's been a pleasure working with all of you and I hope we get to connect again in the near future!!

Disclosure: I received products and service from Verizon Wireless as part of the #MidwestMoms program. All thoughts, opinions, and experiences are my own.

Wisconsin Mommy's Turkey and Vegetable Chili Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:40:00 +0000

I've never been a huge chili fan. I don't really care for super spicy foods and regular chili tends to be a bit too spicy and heavy for me. Once I branched out and started trying lighter versions, like poultry and vegetable based chili, I found that I really enjoyed it. It's easy to prepare and makes a great meal on a cold winter day (or for a special occasion like New Years or a Superbowl party).

After trying a good number of different chili recipes, I wound up combining the elements of the ones I liked best and came up with my own version. It's light on the spices (but you can adjust that to your particular taste) and heavy on vegetables.

Wisconsin Mommy's Turkey and Vegetable Chili

You will need:
1 to 1 1/2 lbs. ground Turkey breast
1 - 1 1/2 C. Chicken Broth
cooking spray
1 large sweet onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 carrots
1 can Red Gold tomato sauce
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cans kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 large (or 2 small) cans Red Gold diced tomatoes
1 pkg sliced mushrooms
8 - 10 mini zucchini (or 1 - 2 regular zucchini)
1 red bell pepper
2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or crushed red pepper
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

for garnish:
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
chopped scallions

Directions:

Start by coating a large pan with cooking spray.

Add the chopped onion and minced garlic cloves and saute until transparent and soft.

Slice the carrots into medallions and add to the onion/garlic mix in the pan. Cook until carrots are softened, but not mushy.

Remove the carrot/onion mix from the pan and set aside. Add more spray if needed. Brown ground turkey until fully cooked.

Return carrot/onion mix to the pan with browned turkey. Add the can of tomato sauce.

Besides the obvious spices, much of the flavor comes from the tomatoes in this recipe. Be sure to use high quality tomato products such as Red Gold to maximize flavor.

Add Red Gold diced tomatoes.

Add the chicken broth and stir into the mix. (Homemade chicken broth is the best, but use whatever you have on hand.)

Add the spices - I prefer a smoked paprika, but again, use whatever you have on hand. Adjust the amounts to suit your personal taste.

Add the kidney beans.

Allow the chili to simmer on low heat while you prepare the veggies.

Slice up the mushrooms, zucchini, and red pepper and add to the pot.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow the chili to cook over a low/medium heat for about 35 - 45 minutes. I do not like my veggies mushy, so I tend to go for the shorter amount of time.

Garnish the finished chili with cheddar cheese. sour cream, chopped scallions or whatever you like!! Enjoy (and go Packers!!).
Pin It

I Caught Santa Review and Giveaway (Rafflecopter)

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:29:00 +0000

LJ is only in first grade but is already becoming quite the little skeptic about some things. Part of it is my fault - in an attempt to combat all of the marketing and commercials he is exposed to, I have encouraged him to not accept everything he hears at face value. But when he started questioning Santa and Elden (our Elf on the Shelf), my heart broke a little.

I instantly pulled out our evidence from last year - pictures of Santa in OUR LIVING ROOM leaving presents and eating the goodies we left for him. "See?" I pointed out. "How could we have this picture then?"

The process of adding Santa (or any of the other characters you might want - loved doing this with the toothfairy as well) is super easy - no Photoshop skills needed.

I have two icaughtsanta.com codes to give away to readers. This will be a super quick giveaway since Christmas eve is just around the corner! I will email a code to two winners on December 23rd (Friday).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bloggers Attend #CadillacRock in Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:37:00 +0000

I started working with General Motors a little over a year ago when I wrote a review of the Chevy Traverse. Since then, I have really enjoyed the interactions I have had with GM and grown to love the brand and folks associated with it. Of course I love the amazing vehicles they have allowed me to test out (my review of the Yukon Denali will be coming soon) but more than that, I have loved working with Connie Burke, the Social Media and Communications Manager at GM.

Connie is one of those people who really understand the social part of social media! Not only is she immediately engaging (whether you are meeting her on Twitter or in real life) but she understands that the relationship goes past just arranging for a test drive and checking to see if a post was written. I can probably count on one hand the number of PR or Social Media folks who have actually commented on a review I did for them. Connie did. And she let me know what it was about the review that she liked - I can't tell you how helpful that is when you are doing your very first car review...and are wondering if you did it right.

When I was approached about co-hosting a Cadillac event with Social RevUp and two other bloggers and learned that Connie would be the featured guest, I didn't even have to think about it. It was an automatic YES!

The event was held last night at Reza's Restaurant in Chicago and hosted 75 local bloggers who got the chance to kick the tires on several Cadillac models, enjoy fabulous food, and even go home with some great prizes. The highlight of the night for many was the chance to meet Connie and get to know the person behind GM's social media presence online. Connie took some time and explained what it is she looks for when choosing who she will entrust the keys to. (She pointed out that turning over an expensive vehicle to someone is much like agreeing to a date - you kind of want to know the person a little bit and feel that you can trust them.)

Connie also reiterated what we bloggers tell each other (and ourselves) all the time - it's NOT all about numbers. It's about what unique perspective you can bring to the table and how you cal allow your voice to shine through in your piece. I loved hearing that from a brand representative and was so glad that so many bloggers got to hear it as well.

Personally, I had a blast at the #CadillacRock event, and I think the other attendees did too. It was exciting to see the official Wisconsin Mom Squad logo printed on all of the materials and I couldn't have asked for a better way to kick off this new venture of mine! (If you are a Wisconsin blogger, we'd love to have you join the Wisconsin Mom Squad too!)

There were great door prizes and a Cadillac cake!

@TheDomesticExec checks out the Escalade.

Crystal Holiday Campaign #CrystalRollOn #Cbias

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:57:00 +0000

We love to use the holidays as a chance to give back to the community. We feel that it is an important lesson for LJ to learn and that we should be teaching it by example. We love attending the Kapco Kids to Kids Christmas party (a local business that collects toys to be distributed to local families via the Salvation Army) and that has become one of our favorite holiday traditions. We also save a portion of LJ's allowance in the "give" portion of his piggy bank and he has donated it to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission the last few years.

One of the reasons we originally chose the MRM was because of the way their literature was worded. Across the front of the envelope it said "Provide a Thanksgiving meal for just $1.81." That was perfect for a (then) four year old to understand. We counted out his money and then figured out just how many meals it would provide.

The more I learned about the Milwaukee Rescue Mission (MRM), the more I felt that this was an organization that I wanted to continue to support. They do so much more than just provide a roof over people's heads. They have programs that truly help folks get back on their feet no matter what challenges they are facing. They support women who are leaving abusive home situations, men who are fighting to get off of drugs, and children who need a little stability in their lives.

This year, we had the opportunity to contribute to the MRM in an additional way. We were tasked with putting together a bag of personal care items that we could then donate to the shelter.

I set off to Walmart and went to shopping. I found on MRM's website that they were in need of cold medication, oral care items, and other personal care items. I grabbed my coupons and tried to make my money go as far as it could to buy as many items as possible.

Additionally, we had some new clothes, towels, and blankets that had come home with me after the Lands' End Tent Sale and we decided these would get put to good use there as well. Before we knew it, we had a box of clothes and such to add to our donation.

The company that made all of this possible is Crystal Roll On Deodorant. I had been hearing a buzz about natural deodorants the past few years but was afraid to try them. I (mistakenly) assumed that they would be less effective. This was just the push I needed to finally give it a try.

Okay, I will admit when I am wrong. I was wrong. I found the Crystal to be as effective as the brand I had been using. In addition to being all natural (a huge plus in my book), I also like that it isn't perfume-y (that is TO a word!), doesn't leave white streaks on my clothes, and is VERY reasonably priced at $3.48.

We enjoyed being able to give to our community and want to give a huge "thank you!!" to Crystal Deodorant for giving us this opportunity!! For additional pictures of my shopping trip, check out my Google+ story.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias

How to Make Frosted Candles #GlueNGlitter

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 04:04:00 +0000

I love winter decorations. I especially love the ones that are frosted to look like they are icy or snowy. This is one of my favorite centerpieces for just that reason.

Recently, I came across these cool frosted-looking candles at some store or another (I honestly don't remember where) but they were a whopping $19.99 a piece. Since I had visions of lining my mantle with a bunch of them, that was a bit more than I wanted to pay.

Then I started plotting on how to make my own frosted candles. I figured I'd start with a Christmas centerpiece first, to kind of figure out how it's done. I imagined a frosted cranberry theme would look nice.

I headed to my local Walmart to grab what I needed. I snagged some Elmer's spray glue, some Epsom salts, and some candles. The only problem was that the candle selection was pretty wiped out - being the week before Christmas, I guess red and white candles are in big demand!

I set my supplies out and began. First, I covered the table with newspaper. I've worked with this Elmer's spray stuff before and I know that it is sticky!!! Not something you want all over your kitchen.

Next, I sprayed the surface of one candle evenly with the adhesive.

Quickly, I rolled the candle in a pile of the Epsom salts.

The result is this frosted looking candle...

I repeated the steps with a taller candle.

I had really wanted to try a white candle, but couldn't find one. I decided to try a blue and see what that looked like.

Now, to assemble the centerpiece. I took a charger (or a serving plate will work too) and spread some Epsom salts on it.

I added the candles and some cranberries which I rolled in the salts and came up with this...

In decorating, you usually follow the rule of three, so ideally you'd want three candles on the plate. I worked with what I had and was pretty pleased with the result! What do you think??

This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Elmer's #gluenglitter #collectivebias #CBias

Send a Lego Star Wars Greeting and Help Toys For Tots

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:35:00 +0000

Have you got a Lego Star Wars fan in your house? LJ is simply crazy about anything Star Wars and anything Lego, so put them together and you have one very happy kid!! One of his favorite parts of Christmas has been the annual Lego Advent calendar that Elden (our Elf on the Shelf) brings him each year. This year, the theme was Lego Star Wars so he was even more excited!

To add to the Star Wars Lego Christmas joy, the folks at Lego have set up this fun website where you can send Lego Star Wars themed messages to your friends and family. Jay sent me the link a few days ago, but I didn't check it out until last night. I then spent waaaay too much time sending greetings to everyone I know.

The best part is that for each greeting sent, LEGO will donate one new LEGO toy to Toys For Tots (up to 1 million toys). Yay LEGO!!!!

Save Time and Money while Planning Your Holiday Entertaining

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:38:00 +0000

One of the best parts of the holidays is the entertaining. I love having the house decorated and hosting everything from playdates to coffee with friends to dinner parties. But with all of the stresses put on busy moms during the holidays, menu planning and preparation can be daunting. Here are a few products to help make the process a little easier:

Calypso Bay Spritz:
A sparkling adult beverage that is light, crisp, refreshing and only 99 calories. Lower in calories than most wines and less sweet than other bottled drinks, Calypso Bay is a tropically-inspired line made from natural fruit flavors and includes two flavors: Ruby Red citrus and Pineapple Mandarin Orange.Perfect for those (like me) who aren't really hard alcohol drinkers, this grown up alternative to wine cooler are delicious and allow you to save calories so you can splurge in other areas.

No Name Steaks (and Seafood and Chicken!!):
You can be the best cook in the world, but if you are not working with quality ingredients, your dish is not going to turn out like you want it to. While No-Name products give the impression of being "generic", they are some of the best steaks and seafood I have cooked for my family. A family company located in neighboring Minnesota, No Name is known not just for their high quality products, but also for their high quality service! Find No Name products at your local grocery store or order from their online store!

Nonni's Gingerbread Almond Biscotti:
I love biscotti - they are perfect for dessert or just a snack with coffee. In fact, my mom makes some of the best biscotti I have ever had, but they do take a long time to make requiring multiple steps and even have to be baked twice. Don't have the time? Nonni's is a close second to my mom's homemade biscotti and their newest addition, Gingerbread Almond, is perfect for the holidays! Find Nonni's biscotti in all of their fabulous flavors in your local grocery store.

Disclosure: I was provided samples of the above mentioned products to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Shoppers In Panic Gift Guide JCPenney

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:04:00 +0000

There are only 10 days left until Christmas - TEN DAYS! How did this happen??? Yes, Christmas falls on the same date every year, youdd would think that we would plan ahead. Yet, I saw a report this morning that only about 30% of people are done with their shopping.

The rest of us, the other 70%??? We're panicking!!

Well, stop panicking my fellow procrastinators...JCPenney is here to help. They not only have a bunch of fabulous gifts ready to be brought home from a store near you, they also put together this handy-dandy gift guide!

And just in case any of those last minute shoppers are ~~shopping for me~~ looking for ideas for their wives, let me share a few of my own favorites...

It gets cold here in WI - I mean REALLY cold. These snazzy gloves allow you to check in on FourSquare, Tweet, and update your Facebook status without getting frostbite!

If you have a coffee lover on your list, give them the gift of freshly brewed coffee in the flavor of their choice. I actually have a Keurig already and LOVE it, but I'm always happy to receive K-Cups as a gift as well!! (See? Get them this Keurig machine and then you will know what to get them in the future - K-Cups!!)

This very cool remote controlled helicopter may or may not be arriving under our tree this year...for LJ (really! I'll only play with it a little!)

So be sure to check out the JCPenney Shopper's In A Panic Gift Guide and pick out some great gifts for your friends and family!!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of jcpenney and received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Microsoft Office Giveaway plus 10 Tips and Tricks to a More Organized Holiday

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:21:00 +0000

No matter how well I try to plan ahead, the holidays always seem to throw me for a loop. I think I'm right on track, then suddenly there are only days left until Christmas and my to do list is still long and daunting. I'm always on the lookout for tools and tips to help me be more organized and efficient, so when the folks at Microsoft offered to send over a copy of Office complete with suggestions on how to use it to make my life easier, I said YES!!

Straight from the Microsoft Office blog, here are their ten tips and tricks to a more organized holiday season (I've been doing #7 for years and it saves me SO MUCH time!!):

Top 10 Holiday Tips & Tricks

Save kitchen counter space. Download this free OneNote 2010 recipe notebook and digitally catalog all your favorite recipes in one place.
Never lose another family recipe. Share your OneNote 2010 recipe notebook with family and friends, and collect other favorites using the Office Web Apps on SkyDrive.
Keep track and stay in the black. Download this free Excel 2010 spreadsheet and see wish lists alongside your gift spending budget.
Avoid impulse purchases. Stay focused by accessing your budget spreadsheet on the go with Excel Mobile on your Windows Phone.
Dress up dinner. Download and customize this free Word 2010 menu . This simple, yet classy detail will add personal touch to any holiday meal with family and friends.
Image is everything. Use photo editing tools in Word 2010 to customize your own holiday newsletters, greeting cards or party invites using templates from Office.com.
Don't sweat your penmanship. Use Office 2010 to convert addresses into unique holiday mailing labels and mail newsletters, greeting cards or party invites in a snap.
Show off the holidays. Put all your holiday photos in PowerPoint 2010 to create a collage of memories, and share with loved ones via the Broadcast Slide Show feature.
Don't let your gift get lost in the shuffle. Download and customize your very own gift tags from Office.com.
Blog a gift guide. Create and embed your very own PowerPoint 2010 gift guide slide show into a blog to give your readers a taste of what's hot this season.

And to help you have a stress-free, organized holiday season too, Microsoft has two copies of Microsoft Office 2010 Home and Student that they are providing to two Wisconsin Mommy readers. One version is for PC, the other for Mac so there is something for everyone!

Here's how to enter:

1) (Mandatory) Leave a comment on this post telling me what your least favorite holiday "chore" is. Hate the cooking, cleaning shopping? Fess up! Please also let me know if you would be wanting the PC or Mac version of Office.

Additional optional entries. Leave a separate comment for each as each comment will count as an entry.

2) Like Wisconsin Mommy on Facebook.

3) Follow Wisconsin Mommy on Twitter.

4) Tweet about the giveaway by clicking here.

5) Like Microsoft Office on Facebook.

6) Share this post by clicking the +1 button at the bottom.

The details and legal stuff:

This giveaway will end at 11:59 pm CST on December 28th. At that time, two winners will be chosen using random.org. One winner will receive the PC copy and one the Mac - preferences will be taken into account when determining the winners. The winners will be notified by email and will have 72 hours to respond or another winner will be notified. The prizes were supplied by Microsoft as well as a digital review copy for me to review. (Thanks Microsoft!!) You must be 18 years old to enter - contest is void where prohibited by law. No purchase is necessary and the odds of winning depend on the number of entries.

Wordless Wednesday - Pie In the Face

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:16:00 +0000

LJ was one of the top popcorn sellers during his Cub Scout pack fundraiser. The reward for his hard work and perseverance? The opportunity to throw a pie in the face of the Scout leader of his choice. (Did I mention that Jay is a cub scout leader this year????) POW!!!!

Photo Credit: Lyn Moran Photography. If you are in the Milwaukee area and in need of a photographer, please check out the Lyn Moran Photography website. She is an amazingly talented photographer and a a great person to work with!

Verizon Gives One Reader a Very Merry Xmas! #MidwestMoms

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 03:15:00 +0000

I came home tonight and found the following e-mail in my box. I'm so glad that Verizon and I could help to make this young lady's Christmas and her gushing thank you certainly made my day. (And I love that Verizon threw in a gift card no one was expecting - they are just cool like that!)

Hey Maureen!

Just wanted to let you know I received my phone like sometime last week. Sorry I didn't let you know sooner. I wanted to get it activated and make sure all went well (not like it wouldn't) and gush about how much I loved it in action first. Of course when I went to go activate it Verizon was on a nation wide 4g down issue and activating it wouldn't work so I have to go back hopefully Sunday to get it turned on. Normally I am just that unlucky. ;) It was one of those days. 5 different targets to try and get a specific Christmas tree, and then a store being out of something I was going to buy as a Christmas gift. I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed that morning haha. All is good now!

I can't believe how thin and awesome it is though. The graphics are awesome even without the sim card, and it is so much nicer than my current phone! I just know it will be the perfect phone for me. I even ordered a case ( purple argyle pattern ) for it. So cute, even though it is tough enough not to need it! Im in love with it and havent even got to experience it yet.

When I opened the box though I my jaw dropped. Verizon included a $100 gift card with the phone! o.O That gift card managed to cover a whole month's service. That in itself is awesome, but now I have $100 in my budget for Christmas gifts that I didn't think I would have. I thought everyone was getting cookies this year. Verizon totally made my Christmas season! <3<3<3 them!

Thanks again for everything! You rock!

As a member of the #MidwestMoms program, Verizon Wireless has provided me with technology goodies and services to play with and also provided me with cool giveaways to bestow upon my readers!!

Phix Energy Drink (review and giveaway)

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:18:00 +0000

It seems that there are never enough hours in the day to get everything done. I'm not looking for sympathy here, I know that everyone is busy! And just like everyone else, it seems that when things need to get done, sleep sometimes takes a back seat. I wind up dragging the next day and then drinking too much coffee which makes me jittery and less productive. People have suggested that I try energy drinks, but they either taste like mud or give me jitters worse than coffee (which I actually enjoy drinking).

When I was sent Phix Energy drink, I was a bit dubious of their claims - more energy, no jitters, and good taste. Turns out, they were telling the truth! The description from their site:

Phix Energy is a sophisticated, natural energy drink mix blending green tea antioxidants, energy-restoring NADH, and yerba maté for enhanced vigor, plus we add vitamins and minerals to keep you feeling healthy.

Our natural energy drinks give you an immediate lift, but unlike other energy drink mix products, there are no spikes, jitters, or crashes. Phix Energy is smooth and sustained energy designed to give you a natural boost day in and day out.

Additionally, Phix is not high in calories, clocking in with only 36 per serving but has a nice refreshing taste like any other powdered drink mix. Be sure to follow Phix on Facebook and Twitter for more information!

But I'm betting you'd like to give Phix a try for yourself, right? You got it!! Phix Energy has been nice enough to offer one lucky Wisconsin Mommy reader 3 boxes of Phix energy in the flavor of your choice as well as a coupon for 25% off future purchases. Thanks Phix!!