Wisconsin Mommy

Chicago Auto Show #CAS

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:50:00 +0000

I was thrilled to be a guest of General Motors at Media Day of the Chicago Auto Show. Spending the day in what a Facebook friend described as "a whole room of new car smell" was both entertaining and educational.

Before I go on about the Chicago Auto Show (CAS) itself, I need to give a great shout out to both the Peninsula Hotel and Gibson's Steakhouse who made the night before the show so much fun for all of us "out of town" guests. Be sure to take a peak at my slideshow farther down in this post to see the Peninsula's luxurious rooms and Gibson's gargantuan desserts! GM's social media guru, Connie Burke, planned an evening of fun and food for all of us and we certainly appreciated it.

The auto show itself was amazing. I was immediately impressed with the fact that the organizers of the CAS understood the power of social media and chose to utilize it to help get the word out about the event.

Our day started with a breakfast attended by both social media influencers and Chevy Volt owners. Hearing the personal accounts of how the Volt is working so well for folks who live in the city was really interesting for a suburban chick like myself.

We then moved onto the floor of the show where we learned about some of the new features of the different GM vehicles. I personally fell in love with the tweaks that have been made to the 2013 Acadia that makes it just about perfect for families. The Acadia's front middle airbag is an industry first and exemplifies GM's commitment to making the safest vehicles for your family.

I loved that our tour included not just GM vehicles but other manufacturers as well. The GMC tour guides spoke honestly and candidly about their competition, pointing out what other vehicles offered and what their strong points were. I felt it spoke volumes that the GMC folks had such positive things to say about their competitors and did not feel the need to "bash" or talk badly about them.

Overall, the CAS was really a lot of fun. Jeep had a test track-type experience that felt more like a roller coaster ride than a test drive and Chevy offered the opportunity to test drive the Volt (which has all kinds of cool features to teach you to use your fuel most efficiently).

The 2012 Chicago Auto Show runs through Sunday, so be sure to pop over to www.ChicagoAutoShow.com and check out the upcoming events.

Procrastination

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:07:00 +0000

No words of wisdom from me this morning. I'm finally tackling painting my home office, which I have been putting off for weeks.

I love picking out colors and accessorizing once it's done, but hate the actual painting. The last time I painted anything more than a small bathroom was just after we moved in to our house in 2002. I just went from one room to another and was on a roll after the first one. I had my technique down pretty well and all of the rooms (after that first one) came out looking really good.

Now, it's taking me some time to get back into it and I've been dreading tackling this office project. I've had the paint sitting in cans in the corner for a few weeks and finally decided it was now or never.

What project or chore do you put off? Why?

Great Tasting Whole Wheat Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:09:00 +0000

We've been on a quest to find a healthier pasta that really tastes good. We understand the benefits of adding whole grains into our diet and have been trying out different whole grain pastas to replace what we had been using for years. Some are pretty bad, tasting more like the cardboard box they came in than like pasta. Others are pretty good, but we still wouldn't say we love them. We've found that the best tasting ones taste better because they're only partially made with whole wheat.

I had just about given up on finding a 100% whole wheat pasta that my family (and myself) would really enjoy.

Then I was offered some samples of Einkorn Pasta by Jovial Foods. *cue angels singing*

We absolutely fell in love with Einkorn. Once I learned some more about it, I got even more excited. Not only is Einkorn made with 100% organic whole wheat, it is made from the purest, most ancient species of wheat. Unlike most other stains that have been hybrid or genetically altered, Einkorn is the very first species of wheat that dates back over 12,000 years ago.

Jovial says that this status also give Einkorn higher nutritional value. Einkorn has thiamin, protein, fiber, B vitamins, and twice the antioxidants of regular pasta. But what really sold my family was the taste. You'll have to try it yourself to see exactly what I mean.

So once I was completely sold on Einkorn, I set out to stock up on it and couldn't find it in any of my local stores. Even Woodman's, which has the largest natural food's section around, didn't have it. Luckily, it is really easy to get online. You can order it directly from Jovial Foods (with free shipping) or from Amazon.com.

I encourage you to Einkorn a try - I think you will be very pleasantly surprised!

I was provided with product samples to facilitate my review. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Why You Shouldn't Get an In-Store Credit Card

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:09:00 +0000

We've all had it happen. On our daily shopping adventures, we've walked in to our favorite big box or retail store only to be approached by an employee who asks us whether or not we would like a store card. If they don't catch you at the door, there is a good chance that the employee checking you out will ask you if you would like to open a store card, usually offering perks such as 15 percent off your total today and 5 percent off every in-store purchase there after.
While these cards may seem like a good idea, especially if you are in a particular store often, they aren't as beneficial as other credit cards. A few reasons why you should avoid opening a store credit card include:

They Can't Be Used Elsewhere
The point of owning a credit card is to build up your credit, and this is done by occasionally using your card on various purchases – usually necessities such as gas or groceries. In-store cards can only be used in-store, and the stores that offer them generally aren't filled with necessity items. So why have a card that can only be used in one location? You don't ever want to be stuck needing gas with a card that can't be used anywhere other than a department store so don't even open a line of credit that can only be used in one location.

The Benefits are Limited
While in-store cards are typically no annual fee credit cards, which is a must have for any credit card, they don't offer any other true benefit. While you may believe that you are getting cash back on credit cards that are single store bound in the form of 5 percent discounts or the occasional $5 off your next purchase, you really aren't getting great rewards.
A good credit card will offer a variety of cash back rewards on multiple purchases including restaurant, gas, and retail purchases – not only will you get more for every dollar spent, but you will be able to use those rewards as you see fit.

They Will Make You Spend More
Similar to the psychology of couponing, getting a store card with the promise of 5 percent off every in-store purchase will actually be more likely to cause you to spend more than you normally would. That's because when we believe that we can get a discount, we tend to spend more because we feel that it will save us more money. This is absolutely wrong – spending more is still spending more. So to avoid breaking your monthly budget, avoid the in-store card.
A good credit card should not only give you excellent perks for using it, but will give you the perks that will actually maximize your spending. Aside from airline miles and actual cash back, some credit cards even allow a percentage of your purchases to go towards a child's college fund or your favorite charities. Don't settle with an in-store card with only one type of benefit that will actually force you to spend more. Unless the card comes with a Visa or Mastercard logo, skip the offer and stick to cards that can be used anywhere.

My, How Things Have Changed!

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:56:00 +0000

I remember getting my first camera as if it were yesterday. I was probably about seven or eight and I was living in Connecticut. We were heading up to New Hampshire for a vacation and I had picked out a snazzy Kodak Instamatic. It took real rolls of film and had little four-use flash cubes that clipped on the top that made a quick pop and a strange smell when they went off.

This was the exact camera I had, right down to the blue label.

I loved that camera and went through multiple rolls of film on that trip alone. I distinctly remember mailing the rolls of film off to some distant company and then checking the mail every day anxiously waiting for the thick envelope of snapshots to arrive. I picked the four or five decent shots off of the roll of twenty-four and put them in my photo album to admire and show off.

While I no longer have the camera, I do still have the photos I took. They are yellowed and faded and have some scars as a result of being stuck in a glue-filled album with plastic sheets over them.

I have to marvel at how much photography has changed in the years between my first Instamatic and my digital Canon Rebel. No more rolls of film to load, no more wondering if you got the shot - you have instant feedback via the LCD panel showing your picture, no waiting to get the film developed, and no more sticky backed photo albums. Many times, I don't even print out my pictures, I share them digitally via email or our digital picture frame. They are backed up safely in several locations and if I want to show them off, I create fabulous photo books on acid free paper that won't fade over time.

I sound like one of those old ladies talking about the "good old days", but in this case it's really not all that long ago. I try to imagine telling my seven year old self that one day we'd be able to take pictures on phones we carry in our pockets (no - it doesn't have to be wired to the wall!) and send them through the air on this magic thing called the internet. Then I try to imagine what wild thing my now 7 year old will be able to do when he is my age!

Cooking With Kids and the Ben's Beginner Cooking Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:26:00 +0000

I have never really loved cooking. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy making something special when I have lots of extra time and nothing else that I should be doing - but that's pretty much never. I've found that the daily chore of making dinner is one of my less favorite ones on the list.

Now that LJ is a little older, he is not only able, but actually eager to help out in the kitchen. That time together makes the chore of fixing dinner into a bonding time when I find out what's really going in his little head. When he walks through the door after school and I ask how his day was, I get the standard first grade answer: "fine". I ask what he did and get the "nothing" or "stuff" reply. But when he is distracted by the challenge of cracking an egg into a bowl without getting any shell in it, the filter comes off and I hear all about who said what to whom and how things went down on the playground.

There are other added benefits to having LJ help me in the kitchen. He is much more likely to eat something he helped cook and he is learning about what actually goes into his food. His class has been learning about the food groups, so we can see how some foods have several food groups baked right in and others need a side to make them healthier.

One of my personal favorite sides is rice. Jay got me a super fancy rice cooker for Christmas and it really does make the most incredible batch of rice you could imagine. It was one of those appliances I just couldn't justify buying and storing in the already cramped cabinet, but now wish I had gotten one years ago!

Speaking of rice (and kids cooking in the kitchen), Uncle Ben's is holding the Ben's Beginners Contest to encourage kids aged 5 to 11 to get into the kitchen, create a rice based dish, and share it via an uploaded 2 - 3 minute video. The winner will get $20,000 cash, an appearance on the Rachel Ray Show, and a $50,000 makeover for their school's cafeteria. I can only imagine what $50,000 could do for LJ's cafeteria!

The contest will run until February 26th, so you have lots of time to get in the kitchen, whip up something fantastic, and get it all on video! Need some inspiration? Visit Uncle Ben's on Facebook, at www.UncleBens.com or go here for some recipe ideas.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Uncle Ben’s blogging program.. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

$300 Cupid's Cash Giveaway!! Rafflecopter

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Welcome to the Cupid's Cash Giveaway Event!

Kidsumers and Sober Julie Doing Life have partnered up with lots of different and wonderful bloggers to bring you a fabulous prize, just in time for the Valentines Day!

The prize is $300 USD in Paypal Cash!!!

Giveaway starts February 1st at 12:01 AM EST to February 14th at 12:01 AM EST. Giveaway winners will be announced through the Rafflecopter widget and notified by email by the end of the day on February 17th, 2011. Winners must reply to email notification within 48 hours of delivery, or a new winner will be chosen.

Participating Blogs:

Sober Julie Doing Life

Kidsumers

Nugglemama's Handful
Funny Things Are Everywhere
Between The Kids
Elegantly Said
Shopping in Your Pjs
My Little Review Corner
The Jolly Blogger
A Hen's Nest
Nolie's Place
Wisconsin Mommy
Raising My Boys
Humble Pie
Tara's View of the World
My Secret Home
Shasher's Life
Maple Leaf Mommy
Mommy Moment
Smookie Style
Thriftymommastips
Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar
Rants Reviews
Pixie Deals
Noteworthy
Country Mouse, City Mouse
Mommies Point of View
Bewildered Bug
Canadian Coupon Mom

My Big Blue World
The Momma Stuff Blog
Number Crunching Momma
Family Tales Not Ties

*This giveaway is open to Worldwide entries

*There will be 1 winner chosen to win this giveaway

GIVEAWAY ENDS TUESDAY FEBRUARY 14TH AT 12:01 AM EST

GOOD LUCK!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shopping for my Local Food Pantry with Abbott Champions for Kids #CBias #AbbottCFK

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:35:00 +0000

I posted last week about learning more about the need in my own community. This week, I had the chance to go shopping and make a contribution to our local food pantry. Since this opportunity was sponsored by Abbott, we wanted to show our appreciation by making sure that there were plenty of Abbott nutritional products in our snack pack.

I grabbed my coupons (gotta stretch every dollar as far as it can go, right?) and headed to Walmart. I headed over to the baby section and grabbed some PediaSure and Sidekicks. I got a variety of flavors since the vanilla, chocolate and strawberry all sounding like they would be appealing to kids. Over in the pharmacy, I grabbed some Zone Perfect bars (they even had a coupon on the outside of the box - score!). I think this one looks particularly yummy.

I thought about what other healthy foods I could include in the pack. My little guy loves cereal and I thought Cheerios would be a good choice. Healthy and yummy. Since it was a cold icy day outside, soup also sounded particularly appealing so I tossed some in the cart as well.

To see the rest of my shopping trip (and where I was a bit distracted by the clearance section...), check out my Google+ story.

By the time we were all done, we had put together a nice box of food to donate. Our local food pantry is at a local church. It serves five of the surrounding towns and is only open the first and third Tuesday of the month, but a parish employee was more than happy to accept my donation and put it in the pantry.

Does your community have a food pantry? How might you be able to help them out? Every little bit helps - if we all set aside even one item a week to donate to our local pantry, they would be searching for storage space! So I challenge you - get out there and see how you can make a difference!

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

GoalForIt.com Chore Chart Helps Motivate

noreply@blogger.com (Wisconsin Mommy) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:37:00 +0000

One of the things we have been struggling with a bit is getting LJ to do all of his chores before leaving for school. Actually, habits might be a better description since brushing teeth isn't really a chore, right? It's not that he is unwilling to do them, it's more that we tend to forget in the morning rush.

We created a GoalForIt.com chore chart and it has worked wonders to help keep us organized and add a little motivation for LJ. We created a personalized chart that includes all of the things that LJ needs to get done throughout the day: putting clothes away, making his bed, feeding his fish, etc. At first, we printed out a copy of the chore chart and kept it on the fridge, but he decided that using it on the iPad was an added bonus. It has virtual stickers he can apply when the task is done.

What sets GoalForIt apart from other reward-type charts is how easy it is to customize. You can choose from a variety of styles and formats to work from everyone no matter what their age. You can create charts that focus on responsibility, understanding right from wrong, healthy habits, and money matters. To sign up for your own free account, visit GoalForIt.com.

This post was written as part of a compensated campaign with MomSelect. As always, all opinions are my own.

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!!).
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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.

Wisconsin Mommy

Chicago Auto Show #CAS

Procrastination

Great Tasting Whole Wheat Pasta

Why You Shouldn't Get an In-Store Credit Card

My, How Things Have Changed!

Cooking With Kids and the Ben's Beginner Cooking Contest

$300 Cupid's Cash Giveaway!! *Rafflecopter*

Shopping for my Local Food Pantry with Abbott Champions for Kids #CBias #AbbottCFK

GoalForIt.com Chore Chart Helps Motivate

Trying Out Ruby Tuesday's Seafood Fest #CBias

Bosch ICON Wiper Blades *Contest and Giveaway*

One purchase can save you thousands...really!

Hunger in my Own Backyard #AbbottCFK

The cold that won't quit...

Ten Fun Creative Ways to Practice Spelling Words

Free Organizing Book from Amazon.com (Kindle Edition)

In 2012 I Resolve....

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

Becky's Blissful Bakery Milwaukee Wave Deal

Getting My Omega-3's Without the Fishy Aftertaste

Listerine Oral Care Challenge - Wrap Up

Verizon #MidwestMoms Wrap-Up *sniff*

Wisconsin Mommy's Turkey and Vegetable Chili Recipe

Wisconsin Mommy's Turkey and Vegetable Chili

I Caught Santa Review and Giveaway (Rafflecopter)

Bloggers Attend #CadillacRock in Chicago

$300 Cupid's Cash Giveaway!! Rafflecopter

Bosch ICON Wiper Blades Contest and Giveaway

Verizon #MidwestMoms Wrap-Up sniff