KiddiesCorner Deals

Saturday Randomness

2010-07-31T00:01:00.000-04:00

I realized I have posts I've never updated all of you on so today I'm going to do a random post of some things going on. If you missed my post about the medical issues I had going on you can read about it here. The doctors did switch my birth control and everything has been fine since, which was amazing. I was having bleeding for 3 months. There has been no issues since the switch, so that is good. I'm well, and healthy:)

I'm now a stay at home mom again, caring for kids for my income. I've always had some kind of a job since I was 14, so I feel like I have to do something for income. When I went back to work I was really excited, but it just got so hard, having to get Zoe to a sitters, and getting Gav from school. When my husband works overtime it's hard to tell when he will get out, and if our son wasn't picked up from school by 6PM, they would have sent him to the police department to wait. The afterschool program ends at 6, so parents are required to be there by then. On top of that they switched the pricing from $15 a week to $15 a day. Not in our budget, on top of daycare. So I'm now home again, and almost pulling my hair out once again....haha.

The remodeling is going well. We are almost finished with Gavyn's room, and I'm so excited to show the before and after photos to all of you. My husband has been home for the last two weeks and worked his butt off getting in finished. The color Gav picked(Iguana) wasn't something I would have chose, but then again it's not my room, it's his. It's now more grown up. We have a few things we want to get when we have the extra money, like a new TV stand, and a new dresser, but they aren't a necessity right now. Our room is next....Yay! We also decided to do something with out fridge.

Our stove, dishwasher and all our small appliances are black, but our fridge was white.

We've been looking at purchasing a new one, but ours isn't that old so we always so oh well, a white fridge will do, I however want all my appliances to match. Stainless steel in the future! We were doing our weekly stroll at Home Depot and saw Rust-Oleum black appliance paint. We both looked at each other and said lets spray paint the fridge. So we purchased 5 cans($4.98 each) and hubby went to work. I highly recommend if you ever do this, do it outside. He decided to do it on the sun porch and now it's got black paint everywhere. We did this there because of a review I read on Amazon, the girl said she did it in her living room(no way did she.) Take a look at the mess this made, around the cardboard my husband lied down.
Luckily, this hasn't been remodeled yet. Also, make sure you clean the appliance your spray painting extremely well. We did this but my husband touched the handles when he was painting them, and it did bubble a bit.

We are very pleased with the overall look, and now everything matches, and now we have a black fridge for $20! Now, the pink and flooring has to go!

The kids are great. Zoe is not too good right now. She cries and throws fits all the time. She is completely opposite from Gavyn at this age. He never cried, and always listened. She doesn't. She tells us no all the time, and will sit and scream. Any tips on how to handle these situations would be greatly appreciated!

I'm enjoying reading all your feedback from my $50 thank you giveaway for the Visa gift card. It's so nice to read what you think about it here at KiddiesCorner Deals, and what you would like to see or more of. Giveaways is a big one for most of you and I will do my best to get what you all want.

I think that is all for this week, and I may make this my normal Saturday post from now on, as it's hard to update with the sales/deals and reviews/giveaways I post. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. You doing anything fun?

Kidorable Umbrellas Review & Giveaway!

2010-07-30T00:01:00.001-04:00

We do not have school buses in our school district. Everyone must walk or get rides to school. I really enjoy walking Gavyn the 1/2 mile up the road to school. Many times, we have been stuck due to the torrential rains that happen in late afternoons. I have my umbrella which doesn't work to well for myself as I'm 5 foot 9 and 2 children under it. I'm way to tall for them to stay dry. It's time they had their own umbrellas to stay dry just in case it does rain. Kidorable has come to our rescue with the most adorable umbrellas for kids.

"In 1997, Kidorable sprung from the minds, hearts and efficiency apartment of Liping and Jonathan Domsky. They proclaimed, "The world needs someone to create children's apparel and accessories that are both functional and fun. We can do that."
And so Kidorable was conceived. Starting with lions and cats and bears, oh my, manifested as umbrellas and hangers, Kidorable generated enough sales during its first year to break even and plant fruitful Kidorable seeds throughout the land. The following year sales grew ten fold. Every year since, give or take, a new style and/or product line debuted. And every year, the world joyfully embraced more Kidorable delights, give or take, than the year before."

I searched for the perfect umbrellas for Gavyn and Zoe. Designs from frogs, butterflies, ladybugs, pirates and more, kids will surely be proud to carry an umbrella from Kidorable. For Zoe we chose the butterfly and Gavyn the space hero. Once I received them, which was speedy, I had to see what Kidorable was all about. The umbrellas were inside a plastic case for storage.

We unfastened the button to open up the purple butterfly, that is surely going to be attached to Zoe at all times. Made of 100% nylon, the brightly colored butterfly is perfect for little girls. The antennas even stick out from it, giving it a super cool look.

What little girl wouldn't want to walk around with a butterfly, that is protecting her little head? Perfect for her little hands and drapes over her head, so I know she will stay dry. It hasn't rained here since receiving the umbrella but we cannot wait to try them out. We have gone on several trips to the store and today to grandmas house and her butterfly had to travel with. Gavyn's space hero umbrella is a perfect umbrella for boys. An astronaut, a moon, stars and a rocket with the nose peeking off the top of the umbrella, super cool.

He is really into space right now, and doesn't like walking with moms pink umbrella, so now he can have his own, and not get wet. All boy colors as well. Here is what Kidorable says about their umbrellas.

"Kidorable has taken the idea of the humble umbrella and transformed it into an imagination tent. We are proud to offer the most popular assortment of whimsical umbrellas ever created. Made of 100% nylon, Kidorable umbrellas are child-sized for those little hands."

Kidorable has a large line of adorable products for boys and girls and I'm looking forward to purchasing the matching rain boots for both kids. We actually wear these quite a bit going to papas house, as it's in the country and gets extremely muddy after rain. But all the kids love it. If you have a younger(preschool) age child going to school this year, check out their super cute backpack line. They also have a birthday club, which you'll want to check out. Your child will get a free gift plus you'll receive a special offer. Gotta love birthday clubs:) Check out their outlet store for amazing savings. You will really have a hard time getting rid of the smile on your face, once you see your child with any of the darling products they carry. Super cute, bold, and totally fun! Don't you agree?

BUY IT: You can head on over to www.kidorable.com and purchase any of their super cute products.

WIN IT: Kidorable is offering one of my readers an umbrella of choice.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Head on over to Kidorable and tell me which style is your favorite. Please don't use the two styles I reviewed(if it's your favorite tell me another)

EXTRA ENTRIES: Leave a comment for each(Mandatory entry must be done first)

~Like Kidorable on facebook(2 entries)
~Follow Kidorable on twitter
~Sign up for their email updates
~Become a friend of mine on facebook
~Follow my blog
~Grab my blog button and add it to your blog
~Subscribe to my blog
~Enter this into any linky and leave me the link(2 entries)
~Enter any of my current giveaways, tell me which one in your comment(1 entry for each giveaway your entered in.)
~Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and www.kidorable.com Leave me the blog link in the comment(3 entries Must have at least 50 blog followers)
~Follow me on twitter and tweet the following: You may tweet daily

#Win an adorable @Kidorable umbrella @KiddiesCorner Deals! http://is.gd/dS7TG #giveaway

RULES: Open to readers in the US and Canda only. Giveaway ends August 13, 2010 at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be chose using random.org and will have 48 hours to confirm by email. If no confirmation in that time frame a new winner will be chose. Non bloggers welcome. Just follow the instructions but leave your email address in the comment section as well. If your profile does not have an email, please leave in the comments. Good luck to all entrants.

DISCLAIMER: This is a review based on my opinion only, yours may differ. Kidorable sent us the above mentioned items to help facilitate our review. No other form of compensation was received.

Is a mommy makeover in your future?

2010-07-29T14:15:00.003-04:00

Before kids I had a flat belly that I never wanted to get rid of. I actually had abs! I walked around in bikinis and cute clothes. Now, here I am at 30 years old, and 2 kids later, with the flab going nowhere. I am back down to my pre-pregnancy size, but just cannot seem to get rid of the tummy flab. I'm skinny right now, but once you look at my stomach, you would think I'm in the early stages of pregnancy. Don't get me wrong, I have two beautiful children that put this there, but I still dream of that flat stomach I once had. Oh to wear a bikini again. I eat a well balanced diet, and exercise regularly. It's frustrating all the hard work I've done this past year, just to look down and see a belly. I'm so jealous of girls who have kids, yet they have a nice flat stomach again. Nope, not this mama. Belly fat seems to be an issue with many women after having kids.

I've done quite a bit of research in the past couple of years, especially now since losing all my weight, about removing unwanted belly fat. A tummy tuck was the main research but I wanted something easier and with less scaring. I continued to research and found information about stomach liposuction. I'm thinking this is my route to go. It's safer for one, and seems to have fewer complications, as well as a much faster recovery. My stomach could be shapely again, and defined. I'm happy where I am right now in my life, but a few changes would be wonderful. I love my form fitting tops, but they just do not go well with flab.

Have you ever thought about having anything done, to make yourself look better? Is a mommy makeover in your future? Let me know, I'm interested to know your thoughts.

DISCLAIMER:This is a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% mine

Back-to-School and Fall Preview Sale at Premium Outlets!

2010-07-29T10:00:00.001-04:00

Start the school year in style, from Thurs, July 29 - Mon, August 2, by enjoying extra discounts on top of the center’s everyday savings of 25 - 65%!

Back-to-School and Fall Preview Sale:
Thurs, July 29 - Mon, August 2

Back-to-School and Fall Preview Sale Hours:
Vary by location

Premium Outlets: http://www.premiumoutlets.com/

Shoppers can save even more by signing up for the VIP Shopper Club for free online access to the VIP Lounge. Members will enjoy exclusive online coupons, a voucher for a free VIP Coupon Book, insider info from your favorite brands and e-mail updates on upcoming sales and events. Membership is free and easy at www.premiumoutlets.com/vip.

Culturelle Probiotic Review!

2010-07-29T00:01:00.000-04:00

You may remember my brief introduction to Culturelle Probiotics last month. Well, I actually had the chance to try the product out, so today I'm going to refresh your memories about Culturelle, as long as my experience with it.

"Culturelle is a pharmacist-recommended probiotic. Our success is in our science: Culturelle's Lactobacillus GG is one of the most effective strains of good bacteria (or probiotic) at balancing out the causes of gas, bloating and stomach upset. And with better digestion, your immune system is stronger and ready to fend off bad bacteria."

I was sent a 30 day supply of Culturelle Probiotic to review. Before I started to take it though, I had to get all the information about the product. I'm very familar with probiotics, and why we should take them, but I actually never thought about taking a capsule daily. I would eat plain yogurt twice a day sometimes. I learned that our bodies are filled with bacteria - billions, maybe trillions of them. Some are good. Others are bad. Under normal circumstances, your body maintains a healthy balance of good and bad. Trouble can arise when the bad bacteria take over, compromising digestion and your immune system. You know the feeling: bloating, poor digestion, irregularity, occasional diarrhea. That's when the power of probiotics can help. Alright, onto the review:)

The packaging states taking these once daily capsules boost your immune system, improves digestive health and restores the natural balance of good bacteria in your digestive tract. So with these statements I was extremely excited to try them out. I do eat a pretty well balanced diet, and not a lot of junk, so in general I feel my health is pretty good. This well balanced diet started less than a year ago though so to feel 100% again would be wonderful. I also had gall bladder surgery in 2007, so eating certain foods will still cause extreme discomfort, bloating, pain and give me the "rushing" effect. This is never fun and is quite embarrassing. Going out to restaurants to eat rarely happens. I truly believe that Culturelle has helped with the gas pains I do get with certain foods and I haven't had any pain due to bloating either. I've only had a few occasions of having to rush away after eating, this is much better than daily. I can now eat some of the foods I was not able to eat before, like a cheeseburger. Greasy, fried foods since surgery were a no, no and are the main cause of my pain, so to eat my homemade cheeseburgers again is joy:) I also feel more energized. Chasing after 8 kids a day, would normally make me feel extremely tired, and want to crash at 3pm. Now, I'm up and cleaning my home in the evenings, this didn't happen much before. I was drained. I feel great again.

I was also sent a 30 day supply of the Culturelle for Kids. We all know that kids have stomach issues and their immune systems aren't the greatest. My Zoe is one that has issues with both. She is only 3 and has complained of more stomach aches then any child I know. With her bowel movements being irregular, and hard stools, the doctors recommend a few weeks ago to give her more fiber and to try probiotics. Culturelle for kids came at the perfect time for us. Culturelle for kids contains no sucrose or corn syrup, so by her taking these, no harmful sugars are being taken. It is very easy to take. A packet containing 1 billion cells of Lactobacillus GG, the most clinically studied probiotic, or “good bacteria”, in the world. The good bacteria safely and naturally displaces the bad bacteria, strengthening kids’ natural defense systems, improving digestion, reducing digestive upset and leaving your child happier and feeling healthier. You empty this packet into a glass of water or juice or mix with food. It has no flavor. I tried it just to see! Zoe asks for her glass of water almost every morning and she has no clue what's inside it. It's done wonders for her, her irregularity, and her hard stools. She is now regular and does not complain of stomach aches. This is also safe for infants and it states on the box it could help the symptoms of colic. So if you have a colicy infant and have tried everything, give this a try. The Culturelle for kids is also dairy and gluten free!

I would highly recommend Culturelle to anyone who has stomach issues. It's helped myself and my 3 year old daughter. I haven't heard Zoe cry from a tummy ache in almost 2 weeks. Don't get discouraged if you do not feel anything at first. It took around 2.5 weeks for me to feel great and more energized. The only real issue I could see with many families is the price, which retails at about $19.99 for Culturelle and over $20.00 for Culturelle for kids. For what it has done for my family though, it's well worth, especially since school is starting, and kids get sick constantly. It is recommended to keep product in the refrigerator as well.

Interested in trying Culturelle? You can save $1.00 by clicking here or $2.00 here. Have a family member or a friend who would benefit from Culturelle? Tell them and get a $3.00 off coupon You can also connect with Culturelle on facebook as well as twitter. Check out all their videos on Youtube as well. Here is one of them.

DISCLAIMER:This is a review based on my opinions only, yours may differ. Culturelle sent me the above mentioned products and information to help facilitate my review. No other form of compensation was received.

Thank you to Culturelle for this review opportunity!

Back To School with T.J.Maxx and Marshalls & $25 Gift Card Giveaway!

2010-07-28T08:00:00.002-04:00

I remember growing up, I never had the stylish clothes. Everyone in school had all the cool gear, that I only dreamed of. My parents just couldn't afford it and they always had a strict school budget. When I was about 13 we went school shopping to a larger city near us, and on our way we saw T.J. Maxx. We had no clue what it was, so we stopped. It was like heaven. Designer gear, name brands, high quality in season clothing, accessories, home and more. I could actually be stylish and be in the "in" crowd for once, and not get picked on. My teen years were going to rock!
I then moved to Florida, and discovered Marshalls, another off site shopping store, offering incredible savings on men's, women's and children's apparel, footwear, accessories and home merchandise. T.J. Maxx and Marshalls would be the only stores to shop at. Used to shopping at department stores and spending more money then we ever wanted, we had to find a way to save money. These two stores would do that for us. We could purchase more, save more, and still be fashionable. Both stores are your one stop shop for back to school shopping this school season. Now that I have children, it's a must stop for us. We do make the trip often but it's quite a ride for us, as our closest T.J. Maxx is about a 50 minute drive and Marshalls isn't around here. I heard a T.J. Maxx may be opening here though, which would be amazing! Ready to get some fun ideas for your back to school shopping?

Have a teen who needs to be trendy for high school? For the teen girl go for mix and match styles at Marshalls with plaids or stripes, bleached denim, and a bright shoe, like this fun outfit:

Maybe your handsome son is off to college, and wants the best gear for his first day back to class. Choose a military inspired jacket layered over plaid with deconstructed denim and rugged footwear.

Don't forget our little ones....fashion is a must for them as well, and they want to look their best on the first day of school. Gavyn would look great in this striped polo

Zoe isn't heading off to school yet, but if she was, this outfit would surely be a back to school outfit. Loving the plaids!

Don't forget to pick up fun essentials for kids while your shopping.

T.J. Maxx and Marshalls has everything covered this back to school season, including back-to-campus items like bedding, towels, laptop cases for only $9.99, cross-body messenger bags, and so much more. Shop with ease, and save money. You'll be happy you're saving loads of money and the kids will most definitely be happy that they are wearing the style they love all at affordable prices!

WIN IT: One of my readers will win a $25 gift card to use at either T.J. Maxx or Marshalls.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Tell me who you will shop for with your gift card if you win.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Leave a comment for each(Mandatory entry must be done first)

~Like T.J. Maxx on facebook, and/or like Marshalls on facebook(1 entry each)
~Follow T.J. Maxx on twitter and/or Marshalls on twitter(1 entry each)
~Become a friend of mine on facebook
~Follow my blog
~Grab my blog button and add it to your blog(if it's already there just tell me where I can find it)
~Subscribe to my blog
~Enter this into any linky and leave me the link(2 entries)
~Enter any of my current giveaways, tell me which one in your comment(1 entry for each giveaway your entered in.)
~Blog about this giveaway with a link to this blog post. Leave me the blog link in the comment(3 entries Must have at least 25 blog followers)
~Follow me on twitter and tweet the following: You may tweet daily

#Win a $25.00 gift card to use @tjmaxx or @marshalls @KiddiesCorner Deals! Back to school savings! http://is.gd/dOuQm #giveaway

RULES: Open to readers in the US only. Giveaway ends August 13, 2010 at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be chose using random.org and will have 48 hours to confirm by email. If no confirmation in that time frame a new winner will be chose. Non bloggers welcome. Just follow the instructions but leave your email address in the comment section as well. If your profile does not have an email, please leave in the comments. Good luck to all entrants.

DISCLAIMER: This is a review based on my opinion only, yours may differ. I was sent a gift card to write about the back to school savings at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. No other form of compensation was received.

Blackberry Breakfast Bars!

2010-07-27T14:43:00.010-04:00

We had this ugly looking tree thing in our backyard that my husband was going to cut down. I told him not to as I wanted to see what it was. Turns out to be a blackberry bush. It needs some TLC, so we will be looking up ways to get this looking good again. I love any kind of berries and to have my own blackberries growing in the backyard....wonderful. So we've been picking them off, washing them and eating them. They are actually very good. I decided to go out and pick a bowl full the other day and make something with them. Why go to waste? I searched online and knew I wanted something my kids would at least try. I found a recipe here for blackberry breakfast bars.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries or raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup margarine or butter melted

DIRECTIONS

For filling, in a medium saucepan combine berries, sugar, water, lemon juice and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for about 8 minutes or till slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

In a mixing bowl stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and baking soda.

Stir in melted margarine or butter till thoroughly combined.

Set aside 1 cup of the oat mixture for topping. Press remaining oat mixture into an ungreased 9x9x2-inch pan.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Carefully spread filling on top of baked crust.

Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture.

Lightly press oat mixture into filling. Bake in the 350-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes more or till topping is set.

Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 18 Enjoy!

I will definitely be making these again and highly recommend. I had to make a few changes though. I only had Irish Style Oatmeal so used that, and only have a 9x9 pan. They are still very thick bars.

I will cook a little longer next time to make more crispy but these are excellent. A tart, sweet snack! Yummy!

$2.00 Cami's at Old Navy!

2010-07-27T13:00:00.000-04:00

I love cami's and wear them underneath everything. I will be one of the shoppers at Old Navy starting 7/29 to pick me up some cami's! Only $2.00 YAY. Old Navy have I told you how much I love you? How do you get them? Go into your Old Navy and say the secret words: “Cami 4 me,” or bring your coupon Sale ends 7/31.

Frecklebox Personalized Lunch Box Review & Giveaway!

2010-07-27T08:25:00.002-04:00

Lunch boxes are a must have school item for my son. He refuses to eat school lunch, and I'd rather make him a healthier lunch and something I know he'll eat. I'm also the mom who always adds a little note, have a nice day, be good, see you when you got home.....love mom! Do you think he is getting to old to pull out little pieces of paper from his mom? Nah! Frecklebox has personalized lunch boxes that are the perfect back to school lunch box for kids. Not familiar with Frecklebox? Let me introduce you:

"Frecklebox is on a mission to educate and entertain. So we conceived this here web-based business to offer truly unique, personalized gifts for children at affordable prices. The site makes it quick and easy to customize each item so it prominently features the name of the child who will receive the gift. Our entertaining selection of personalized books, posters, growth charts, journal books, coloring books, stickers, placemats, puzzles, and other personalized items, are designed to delight your children and friends."

I was browsing around for personalized lunch boxes when I came across Frecklebox and loved the site so much. I began the simple process to get our very own. Just browse the 70+ styles of lunch boxes they have for girls and boys, choose the style you like, select order now, and then personalize it. Once you enter the name you would like on the lunch box, click update and you're able to view how it will look, with the name you choose. A very cool feature.

I didn't have to browse long at all, but thought I would have a look at the different designs. There is everything from animals, to fun prints, automobiles, and other designs for every child's liking.

As soon as I saw the camo box, I knew I had to have that. The lunch box arrived quickly and I couldn't be happier. The lunch boxes are made of .30 millimeter tin (lead free) and covered with printed, laminated high-tack adhesive on all sides. His name is personalized on all sides, front, back and both sides. No more labels this year, as his name is all over it.

They are quite deep, so you're able to fit quite a bit of food inside. We were a little worried with his sandwich getting warm, as they are tin and not insulated, so I put this to a 5 hour test as his lunch gets made around 7:30 AM and he goes to lunch at 12:00 at school. With his entire meal packed with an ice pack, his sandwich stayed cool. I do have to say that the lunch box was in our home, with the windows open the day I did this. Our home was 73 degrees inside. I do get worried about his sandwiches getting warm, so to be on the safe side I will pack his sandwich the night before and keep it in the fridge wrapped in aluminum, which should keep it completely cold until his lunch at school or I will buy a larger ice pack, as his current one is very small.

I love the old style lunch boxes and Gavyn has actually been asking for one, so this is perfect. Another feature I'm loving is the small chalkboard, for all my letters to him, so if he wants to be discreet about his mama writing letters he just has to close the lid. I love the chalkboard and I think it will brighten many children's days to have a letter from mom or dad. Good thinking Frecklebox.
Gavyn is going to be strolling down the hallway on his way to the cafeteria in style, and will be one of the kids not carrying a Star Trek, Batman, or Superman lunch box. He's loves it already and cannot wait until school starts.

Frecklebox has many more items for all your back to school shopping. How about personalized notebooks or personalized school folders with your child's name? They would be the talk in their class. Check Frecklebox for all your back to school needs!

BUY IT: You can purchase an assortment of personalized gifts at www.frecklebox.com and use code BTSLUNCH for 15% off your total order.(expires 8/6)

WIN IT: Thanks to the generosity of Frecklebox, one of my readers will win a personalized lunch box of winners choice.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Head on over to Frecklebox, and tell me which lunch box you will choose if you win.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Leave a comment for each(Mandatory entry must be done first)

~Like Frecklebox on facebook
~Follow Frecklebox on twitter
~Become a friend of mine on facebook
~Follow my blog
~Grab my blog button and add it to your blog(if it's already there just tell me where I can find it)
~Subscribe to my blog
~Enter this into any linky and leave me the link(2 entries)
~Enter any of my current giveaways, tell me which one in your comment(1 entry for each giveaway your entered in.)
~Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and www.frecklebox.com Leave me the blog link in the comment(3 entries Must have at least 25 blog followers)
~Follow me on twitter and tweet the following: You may tweet daily

Back to school with @Frecklebox. #Win a personalized lunch box @KiddiesCorner Deals! http://is.gd/dM7Eb #giveaway

RULES: Open to readers in the US only. Giveaway ends August 13, 2010 at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be chose using random.org and will have 48 hours to confirm by email. If no confirmation in that time frame a new winner will be chose. If chose as the winner you may not have won a previous giveaway for Frecklebox. Non bloggers welcome. Just follow the instructions but leave your email address in the comment section as well. If your profile does not have an email, please leave in the comments. Good luck to all entrants.

DISCLAIMER: This is a review based on my opinion only, yours may differ. Frecklebox sent us the above mentioned item to help facilitate our review. No other form of compensation was received.

Eggo Real Fruit Pizza Review!

2010-07-27T00:30:00.000-04:00

I love breakfast and so do my children. It may be a large hot breakfast, hot or cold cereal, toast, pancakes or waffles. Our freezer is always stocked with Eggo Waffles. I have the healthier version, while Zoe has to have chocolate chip and Gavyn just the homestyle.

With breakfast you can count on some type of fruit and a glass of orange juice and coffee for mom. So when I learned of the NEW Eggo Real Fruit Pizza I was thrilled. Kids love pizza and most like fruit, so this is about to be the new breakfast in our home.
I was sent the two varieties to try out in our home, Strawberry Granola, and Mixed Berry Granola. Both varieties have a thin crust with a layer of fruit sauce. This sauce is topped with real fruit and yummy granola.

We tried out the Mixed Berry first. We cooked this one in the oven for around 7 minutes, which was a bit to long but that's OK. The pizza was nice and crispy and tasted great. The blueberries and raspberries were definitely real and did not get too mushy, like frozen fruit does once thawed. (For photo purposes I moved the blueberries over so you could see the sauce better.)Scrumptious is all I can say. The kids refused to try as they do not like either fruit so much, so mom had this entire pizza to herself! Thanks kids.

With the Strawberry Granola, we decided to try cooking in the microwave. The box reads, microwave 1 minute. So we did. In the microwave the crust does not get as crispy, but still tastes great. The kids really enjoyed this one as it's strawberries, a fruit they both like. The fruit does come off easily so if you want, just take off the fruit your children dislike and eat without. Most kids should really enjoy this with the fruit though. Unfortunately, both of our pizzas did crack once I took them out of the box. I highly recommend the oven cooking method. It only takes about 5 minutes depending on your oven.

Here is what I like about the new Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas. The ingredients! The main ingredients are wheat flour, strawberries or blueberries and raspberries, water and neufchatel cheese. There is also 10 grams of protein in the one single serve pizzas! Along with that protein is 4 grams of fiber. Each pizza is 400 calories or less, which seems kinda high but breakfast should be around 400 calories so it's not. You're getting a lot of protein as well, which is good. They are however, high in carbohydrates.

I think the Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas are a great morning breakfast for kids, moms in a rush(you can cook in one minute), or if you're trying to get your children to eat more fruit. It is going to be a convenient, fast and yummy breakfast before school. It's a pizza with fruit and I think that is pretty cool for kids.
Next time your out shopping, look for the Eggo Real Fruit Pizza in your grocer's freezer aisle and you can also head on over to www.leggomyeggo for more information on the product.

DISCLAIMER: "I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Eggo Real Fruit Pizza and received a sample of the product and a $20 Amazon gift certificate to facilitate my review.”

Back to school with Sanuk Sandals Review & Giveaway!

2010-07-26T07:20:00.002-04:00

School will be back in session soon and that means back to school shopping has started. With the many items we must buy for our children, backpacks, lunchboxes, folders, scissors, binders, jeans, tops, and other accessories, shoes always seem to be the first item we shop for. And it's never for one pair. We must have an extremely comfortable pair of sneakers for all the running around in the gym and playground, a dress pair for when Gavyn wears dressier clothes instead of boring everyday jeans, and then Spring time comes and it's sandal weather. Well, this Fall Gavyn will be able to wear a fun new pair of sandals to school and his feet won't freeze. He's going to be wearing his new Sanuk sandals. Zoe as well, but she will be home with mom learning and cruising around the house in hers. Here is more about this fun company:

"We’ve been around since July, 1997 when Jeff Kelley started making sandals out of inner tubes and indoor-outdoor carpet. 1998 marked our first full year of operations. While we’ve progressed into semi-proper footwear company (uh-oh), Jeff’s spirit of innovation still serves as the backbone of our little brand. Today, we strive to make products that are as much about funk as they are about function. We’ve found our sandals are happiest when they tread the road less traveled – so we design ‘em accordingly. Because “Sanük” is the Thai word for FUN, our name is also our mantra."

Sanuk sent Zoe and Gavyn a pair of sandals for our review. It didn't take me long at all to find the perfect pair for Gavyn, because we all know what he is into right now, Army. They had a pair that I knew Gavyn would love and wear until they fell apart. The Army Brat sidewalk surfers and the perfect shoe for any boy who loves anything camouflage. Gavyn is thrilled to walk in comfort and of course style. I will admit they seemed to fit a little small on him, but once he got them on they seemed to stretch and fit great now. He is a size 1, so we ordered a 2. I think they just need to be worn for a bit, and once your child wears them around they will see how comfortable they are but I do recommend ordering a full size bigger then your childs normal size. He will not go anywhere without them on. He tells me mom these shoes feel nice walking around and are lightweight kinda like my slippers. I say Gavyn remember these are not shoes, they are sandals. He is excited to have a pair of sandals to wear into the colder months and to school. I have a feeling this will be what he is wearing the first day of school, with let me guess, some type of army shirt.

Zoe was a little more difficult to shop for, but after much browsing and reading I decided on the Lil Ibiza. I chose these because Zoe loves to be like mom and wear her flip flops, however she does not do well walking in them. They always fall off of her, she complains of her toes hurting and mom or dad ends up carrying her. So I saw these sandals and figured maybe she could walk better since there is an oval strap that goes over her foot as well. She does walk much better in these sandals then the traditional flip flop, and they look extremely comfortable. I wish my foot would fit in them just so I could try them out. They are also lightweight and the rubber bottom is soft. This is the perfect sandal for little ones who want to wear flip flops but have the difficulty walking in them like Zoe does. They will get them used to walking without the straps in the future I believe. A great sandal!

See two happy kids because their feet our happy and not hurting!

Both sandals arrived in a Biodegradable corn bag. No bulky boxes and no foam or paper stuffing shoved inside them. Sanuk believes that this bag is the best way to protect their fun, cool sandals and it lowers the environmental impact. So when your sandals arrive in this reusable bag, you can use it for carrying kids toys around, disposing of kitchen waste and when you're finally finished with it, dispose of it. Very cool.

I think Sanuk is a great company and their sandals are going to be the talk everywhere. With fun names for all their sandals, and affordable products for the entire family, everyone will surely find something they want to wear on their feet. Who wouldn't want to wear comfortable, and fashionable footwear, with cute little smiley faces? Now it's moms turn to shop because I'm dreaming of the French Kiss sandals or the Junos(which look like boots but are sandals!)

BUY IT: You can purchase your very own pair of Sanuk sandals at www.sanuk.com

WIN IT: Sanuk has generously offered a pair of children sandals or sidewalk surfers to one of my readers.(Based on availability)

MANDATORY ENTRY: Head on over to Sanuk and tell me what kids product you will choose if you win.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Leave a comment for each(Mandatory entry must be done first)

~Like Sanuk on facebook
~Follow Sanuk on twitter
~Become a friend of mine on facebook
~Follow my blog
~Grab my blog button and add it to your blog
~Subscribe to my blog
~Enter this into any linky and leave me the link
~Enter any of my current giveaways, tell me which one in your comment(1 entry for each giveaway your entered in.)
~Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and www.sanuk.com Leave me the blog link in the comment(3 entries Must have at least 50 blog followers)
~Follow me on twitter and tweet the following: You may tweet daily

Back to school with @SanukFootwear! #Win a pair of Sanuk children's footwear @KiddiesCorner Deals http://is.gd/dJBAS #giveaway

RULES: Open to readers in the US only. Giveaway ends August 13, 2010 at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be chose using random.org and will have 48 hours to confirm by email. If no confirmation in that time frame a new winner will be chose. Non bloggers welcome. Just follow the instructions but leave your email address in the comment section as well. If your profile does not have an email, please leave in the comments. Good luck to all entrants.

DISCLAIMER: This is a review based on my opinion only, yours may differ. Sanuk sent us the above mentioned items to help facilitate our review. No other form of compensation was received.

F2 Tornado Hits Our County

2010-07-25T16:40:00.006-04:00

Yesterday, was a very scary day here where I live. The TV was going crazy with severe thunder storm warnings, and then tornado warnings. The storms were very strong, causing power outages all over the place. We than saw a tornado had touched down about 7 miles east of us, and it was heading our way. We kept an eye out, and nothing happened. The day was very eventful. Today, we woke up and went to see the damage after seeing videos and images in the newspaper Luckily, there have been no reports of any injuries or fatalities. One of the towns, had around 3 or 4 blocks of severe damage. We are a small community here. My heart goes out to the families who lost their homes, cars, and all the damage to the many amazing businesses around here. It's been a very long time since our county has seen anything like this. Here are some photos I took. They wouldn't allow us to get close to some of the damage as there were some lines down and it was very crowded with many people checking out the damage.

The pool in this video was where we were today. The condos that were severely damaged in the photo I took is where this video was taken. This is just one area the tornado touched down at.

I know communities go through this daily, but it's never been in ours. It's heartbreaking, and now I know what other's go through. I will be thinking of everyone who ever has to go through such tragedy in their communities.

Weekly Winners!

2010-07-25T00:01:00.000-04:00

Thank you to my sponsors this week for the wonderful review and giveaway opportunities. It's really a pleasure working with such fantastic sponsors! And of course, thank you to all my readers for entering. Those who are new to my blog this week, welcome. I love feedback so let me know of anything you would like to see here at KiddiesCorner Deals! This weeks winners are....

~DownEast Basics Clothing of Choice-Comment #389 Egle Enjoy your new article of clothing. You're going to love it! If you didn't win you can still stop on over to www.downeastbasics.com and purchase your favorite item!

~Tropical Traditions Powdered laundry Detergent-Comment #176 cdziuba! This stuff is amazing, you're going to see the cleaning action this detergent does, and best of all it's safe for the entire family to use. Tropical Traditions has amazing items.

~Essential Swimwear Swimsuit of Choice-Comment #248 Susan Susan you are going to love the style and fit of these swimsuits. They are wonderful. Make sure you sign up to the Essential Swimwear blog if you didn't for great discounts.

Charter On Demand....My lifesaver!

2010-07-24T20:56:00.003-04:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Charter. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'm not a TV watcher never have been. I just do not have the time to sit down and watch television shows, except for American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, and The Biggest Loser. Plus my children have taken over the TV. When we aren't learning, playing, or doing fun activities, they do get to have TV time. Zoe, however, only has a few shows that she must watch. Caillou, and Ni Hao Kai-Lan. When she is ready to sit down and watch TV if one of those are not on, she will throw her temper tantrum. She is only 3 and instead of arguing with her, and having her constantly pester me to watch one of these we turn her favorite show on, On Demand! What a lifesaver Charter On Demand is. On Demand is one of the most popular features of Charter TV in Digital - for good reason. It's not just a movie service; but a home for thousands of shows and programs just waiting for you to discover. Her favorite shows available anytime of the day. I really like that On Demand has children's shows as well, not just for adults.

Zoe, will go a little crazy when you tell her it's not on. She says yes it is mommy. I'll say no Zoe it's not. She will say to me, mommy turn it on that channel. That channel is Kids on Demand, which has all her favorite Nickelodeon or PBS shows. She may only be 3, but she is one smart cookie. I'm not sure what I would do without being able to tune into Kids on Demand. It's been a life saver for myself when it's quiet time, and when those tantrums start to kick in. There are thousands of shows to watch, so when the kids have gone to bed, my husband and I can put our feet up, relax and tune into one of our favorite shows we missed previously. How about you? What shows are you watching On Demand?

Be sure to check out the On Demand home page and You will ‘Like’ their Facebook page as well.

20% Off Today at The Children's Place!

2010-07-24T15:06:00.004-04:00

When you use coupon code SATURDAY20. They also have shorts, skorts, and denim for only $10.00! Stock up now...school is starting soon. Shop The Children's Place today only for your discount!

Nickelodeon Your Stay at Marriott!

2010-07-24T09:25:00.006-04:00

My son is a huge Spongebob fan. He will go outside and play with his sister making crabby patties, sing the song at the top of his lungs, and watches it every morning. My daughter is a huge Dora fan. So when I found out about Marriott teaming up with Nickelodeon to keep kids entertained and busy at their stays at the Marriott I was thrilled. Most hotels that I have been to do not have many children activities, it's all geared for adults. Wouldn't kids be more thrilled to see fun games and gear for them? I think they would and Marriott does too.

At nearly 2,000 hotels with the Marriott brand across the continental US and Canada you can book a Nickelodeon Your Stay! All kid friendly! How fun for children to have a getaway with Nickelodeon. When you book a Nickelodeon Your Stay, kids get free activities including a Nickelodeon bracelet with a code to access free online games at Nick.com, and an activity book with challenging puzzles and mazes. They will also receive a placemat if eating at the hotels' featuring favorite Nickelodeon characters, SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. At select Marriott Hotels, including Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites parents are able to upgrade their stays for $10 that includes all the free items plus a SpongeBob activity bag and splash ball, Nickelodeon sunglasses, and a 3-D build-your-own SpongeBob craft. The package costs $20 at Marriott and JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts and kids get all the above items and a special SpongeBob SquarePants or Dora the Explorer pillowcase and storybook. So lots of fun activities and goodies for our children to enjoy their stay, while enjoying family vacations. Kids get bored easily, especially once it's time to go back to the hotel room. Now they can enjoy themselves with the fun Nickelodeon packs.

My children were sent the packs and I must say they really like everything. The craft is difficult for smaller children, so parents will most likely help out, giving you some one on one time. The pillowcase is very cool, and kids will really enjoy this on the bed instead of hotel pillowcases. Who wouldn't want to have their favorite pal? The sunglasses are a must to keep their little eyes safe from the sun and they will have fun tossing the splash ball in the pool or ocean. Fun stuff so make sure you book your stay with a participating Marriott hotel for your family vacation!
You can read more about the Nickelodeon Your Stay by visiting www.nickelodeonyourstay.com, checking out all the packages being offered, downloading free games like Bingo, a fun travel journal, and coloring pages.

DISCLAIMER: “I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Marriott and received a Nickelodeon gift pack to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

$60 CSN Stores Giveaway!

2010-07-23T06:00:00.002-04:00

You know when you find a site online that you just love and always go back to look for items you need? Well, the site I just adore is CSN Stores. Going site after site to find certain items is time consuming, and can get quite frustrating searching for different products. At CSN you shop all in one place. Luckily, for me I've had the wonderful opportunity to work with them in the past. You can read my review of the Butterfly rug here, which was a wonderful addition to Zoe's newly remodeled bedroom. Her room is pink and it needed a rug as our floors are all hardwood.

You can also check out my Chandelier review here. This chandelier is gorgeous, so much better than the photos on the site. It's stylish and looks amazing in our kitchen. The problem I had with both of the reviews was finding one thing. With over 200+ stores to shop at, and carrying everything from furniture, housewares, home decor, school items and so much more at wonderful prices, it can be difficult. But I found the two items that I knew I needed and these were perfect. CSN is definitely a great place for a person who has a shopping addiction like myself. If I had to shop right now for items for my home for $60 or less here is what I would purchase from CSN.

The IMAX Gentine Tall Ceramic Candle Holder for only $33.00, to put on the floor in our living room. It would look fantastic over by our gas fireplace. Sleek, stylish and totally affordable.

For my kitchen I'm in desperate need of new frying pans so I would most definitely pick up the Rachael Ray Porcelain Enamel Skillet Triple Pack in Orange for $59.95. Love her items and a 3 pack, I'm sold!

Or I could get this fun Nexxt 7 Piece Zoe Round Mirror Set for the hallway upstairs for under $43.00. I have quite a mirror addiction, not sure why, so having these scattered on the wall up the stairs or in the hall would look great. Don't you think?

There are so many wonderful items to choose from, but I really love that I can do everything at CSN, no matter what room I'm shopping for. Even for the outdoors. Their prices are great, the customer service team is amazing and they have a HUGE selection of high quality products, selling merchandise from the top manufacturers. They also have a rewards program, where you can earn CSN Dollars. You'll earn 3% when you purchase from them, which can be used towards your next purchase. So you're getting paid to shop with them...you can't beat that. Oh and one last thing. They give back. CSN has participated in walks, food and toy drives, runs, fundraisers and many more do good activities to help with organizations and people who are in need or to just donate. That is amazing CSN, keep up the amazing work. Next time your looking for something, check CSN Stores first and don't forget to check the clearance!

WIN IT: CSN Stores has offered one of my readers a $60.00 gift certificate for anything in their 200+ stores! (Shipping is not included)

MANDATORY ENTRY: Head on over to www.csnstores.com and tell me an item you love or what you would purchase with your $60.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Leave a comment for each(Mandatory entry must be done first)

~Like CSN Stores on facebook and let them know your entering the $60 giveaway at KiddiesCorner Deals
~Follow CSN Stores on twitter
~Become a friend of mine on facebook
~Follow my blog
~Grab my blog button and add it to your blog(2 entries leave me the link)
~Subscribe to my blog(email subscribers get 2 entries must be verified)
~Enter this into any linky and leave me the link(2 entries)
~Enter any of my current giveaways, tell me which one in your comment(1 entry for each giveaway your entered in.)
~Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and www.csnstores.com Leave me the blog link in the comment(3entries)
~Follow me on twitter and tweet the following: You may tweet daily

#Win a $60 Gift Certificate to @CSNStores @KiddiesCorner Deals #giveaway US and Canada http://is.gd/dDh9H

RULES: Open to readers in the US and Canada only. Giveaway ends August 6, 2010 at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be chose using random.org and will have 48 hours to confirm by email. If no confirmation in that time frame a new winner will be chose. Non bloggers welcome. Just leave your email address in the comment section. If your profile does not have an email, please leave in the comments. Good luck to all entrants.

DISCLAIMER: Thank you to CSN Stores for offering this giveaway to my readers, no form of compensation was received.

Friendly Friday!

2010-07-22T23:38:00.003-04:00

Welcome new followers! I'm so happy to have you here. If you are new, my name is Nichol, a SAHM of 2 amazing kids, and a wonderful hubby(we are about to celeebrate 9 years!). I love posting about online sales(mainly kids) and reviews and giveaways. I hope you stay a while and keep coming back! I just hit a huge milestone of 1,000 followers when I woke up this morning, so I would love to have more. Blogging is so great and I've met some amazing people. Make sure you enter my thank you giveaway for a $50 prepaid Visa gift card while you're here and check the sidebar where I have some other great giveaways going on as well. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Old Navy’s Back-to-School Discount!

2010-07-22T19:36:00.002-04:00

Old Navy seems to always have the best deals and they are at it again with their teachers and students 25% discount! Starting tomorrow 7/23 until Sunday 7/25, teachers and students can receive this. Students must show their high school or college ID and teachers their school ID. You can read more about this at their facebook page.

1,000 Followers!!!! Thank you Giveaway!

2010-07-22T08:13:00.008-04:00

I never realized when I started blogging I would have any followers, as I wasn't quite sure how everything worked. Then my followers started coming, and I was so excited. I started to follow blogs and I got the hang of this blogging thing. Here I am a little more than a year of blogging and I've hit 1,000!!! You are all amazing. So here is what I want from you. What would you like to see here at KiddiesCorner Deals? After all, you're the ones who are here and keep coming back, so I want to know what you want! What types of giveaways? Do you enjoy the sales I post? Let me know, and I thank each and everyone of you for taking the time to comment on my posts, and for coming back. You all rock and I appreciate it so much.

As a thank you I'd like to give one of you a $50 Visa Gift card to be used any where of your liking!

MANDATORY ENTRY: You must follow my blog publicly.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Leave a comment for each

~Tell me what you would like to see here at KiddiesCorner Deals
~Become a friend of mine on facebook
~Subscribe to my blog(email subscribers get 2 entries must be verified)
~Enter this into any linky and leave me the link(2 entries)
~Enter any of my current giveaways, tell me which one in your comment(1 entry for each giveaway your entered in.)
~Blog about this giveaway with a link to this blog post. Leave me the blog link in the comment(3entries)
~Follow me on twitter and tweet the following: You may tweet daily

@KiddiesCorner Deals is thanking her followers with a $50 prepaid Visa gift card http://is.gd/dC5GH #giveaway!

RULES: Open to readers in the US and Canada only. Giveaway ends August 9, 2010 at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be chose using random.org and will have 48 hours to confirm by email. If no confirmation in that time frame a new winner will be chose. Non bloggers welcome. Just leave your email address in the comment section. If your profile does not have an email, please leave in the comments. Good luck to all entrants.

A big thank you to all of you for making my blog possible!

DISCLAIMER: This is not sponsored by anyone but yours truly!

Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent with Oxy Giveaway Ends Tonight!

2010-07-22T08:05:00.002-04:00

Make sure you get your entries in to win this amazing and safe laundry detergent. The giveaway ends tonight 7/22 at 11:59pm EST. Enter here.

Back in Black Friday at Target.com - Shop on 7/23 Only!

2010-07-21T21:42:00.003-04:00

Make sure you head on over to Target.com this Friday, 7/23 as they are having a huge Back in Black sale, similar to Black Friday!

Here are some of the deals they will be having.

~Philips 47" 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV $699.00($300 Off)
~600-Thread ct. Sheets 50% off
~Wii Accessory Pack $25.00 50% off

And many more. Click here to see a sale preview!

Wordless Wednesday: Gavyn's 8th Birthday

2010-07-21T08:40:00.004-04:00

Gavyn really enjoyed his 8th birthday. We did the Army theme. Cake, decorations, yummy food, lots of swimming and fun games. We purchased the army themed items at Birthday in a Box. Here is a collage of some of the fun we had.

While we are talking about birthdays,go over and wish Amy over at Keeping up with the Schultz family a Happy Birthday today! Hope your day is wonderful!

Skip the salt...add flavor with Mrs. Dash! Review & Giveaway!

2010-07-21T00:01:00.002-04:00

Salt is a huge no-no in our home. With all the health risks associated with too much salt intake, I do my best to limit it in our home. I purchase a good percentage of canned foods with no added salt, and try to read labels to see how much salt is in the foods our family eats. Some foods are very frightening! Although, I couldn't tell you how much I eat on a daily basis. I can tell you the recommended daily salt intake should be 2,300 milligrams, which is about 1 teaspoon of salt. When I cook I never add it. Instead, I use different seasonings to spice up our meals. One of our favorite seasonings is Mrs. Dash. Mrs. Dash has been in our family for quite sometime now, as we love the different varieties of the salt free spice.

According to a recent study by Mrs. Dash 71% of Americans don’t know the recommended daily amount of salt intake and nearly double the amount we should be taking in. This is a huge percentage, and is seen by many as the "new trans fat". Thankfully I myself am not part of that, as I've done my homework, and have researched this, trying to better my health and what goes into my body. Like I said I choose low sodium, no salt added, and never add salt. I feel many others should do this as well.
Check out some other statistics:

~58% of Americans are consuming the same if not MORE salt than two years ago, despite persistent health warnings.
~70% of people surveyed usually add salt while cooking or preparing a meal, and 55% usually add salt without consulting a recipe, or add salt to prepared foods at the table, and half add salt to their food even before tasting.

However, some people have taken heed to the warnings to lower sodium intake:

~68% of Americans say they usually eat low sodium foods when cooking at home.
~As many Americans change their diets for health reasons, 61% of those people have cut back on their salt intake.

There are many ways you can cut back on your salt intake at home, and Food Network’s Robin Miller (“Quick Fix Meals”) is here to help. She is working with Mrs. Dash and has provided practical tips for lowering sodium intake without sacrificing flavor:

Sauce Swap: Instead of prepared sauces, make your own. In a blender, combine roasted red peppers (home-made!), balsamic vinegar, fresh garlic, fresh parsley or basil, olive oil, and ground black pepper. Puree until smooth. Add water until you reach the desired consistency. The same sauce can be made with rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes. Thick sauces can be used over chicken, fish, pork, steak, and vegetables. Thinner sauces can be used in pasta and rice dishes.

Better Broth: Make home-made broths with the liquid from rehydrated wild mushrooms such as porcini and shiitake. Soak 1 ounce of dried mushrooms in 1 cup of very hot water for at least 20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve to remove any debris and use the broth and mushrooms in your favorite dishes that call for chicken or beef stock (soups, stews, sauces).

Pantry Raid: Keep a hearty stash of salt-free seasoning blends such as Mrs. Dash. Grab these instead of salt to truly enhance the flavor of sweet and savory dishes. For example, nutmeg brings out the cheese flavor in dishes made with cheese (casseroles, egg dishes, etc.). Cardamom, cumin, curry, and cinnamon add warmth and depth. Oregano, marjoram, bay leaves, and garlic add robust flavor to Italian, Spanish and Greek dishes. Sage and tarragon add a wonderful floral quality to meat, fish and vegetable recipes. Start experimenting (when first starting, read the labels – they often highlight the ideal food “partners” for the particular herb or spice).

Amazing tips, that I've already printed and am keeping in my recipe book. Make sure you check out Mrs. Dash for more recipes from Robin Miller. I was sent 5 varieties of Mrs. Dash, Lemon Pepper, Tomato Basil Garlic, Fiesta Lime, Table Blend and Caribbean Citrus for our family to try. One meal we always enjoy with Mrs. Dash is pork chops grilled out on the grill, baked potatoes and a side salad.

My husband added some of the table blend to the pork chops. It gives foods an amazing flavor and the best part, no salt taste. Just a delicious blend of pepper, garlic, oregano and many other spices every family loves. Let me say you can come to our home at any given time and find Mrs. Dash Table Blend in our spice cupboard. We use it on everything from meats, potatoes, veggies and salads. I now have a new favorite for my salad, the Caribbean Citrus which I have never purchased. I added this to my salad and it was amazing. Giving my salad a flavor I've never had before. It is a sweeter blend which is perfect for salads, veggies and fruits. Yum! All varieties are just so good, and bring out the flavor of any food you add them to. If you've never tried Mrs. Dash you really should. She makes your meals delicious, better for you, and gives you many options.

WIN IT: One of my readers will win a variety of 5 different flavors of Mrs. Dash!

MANDATORY ENTRY: Head on over to Mrs. Dash and tell me a product you would like to try.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Mandatory entry must be done before any extras. Leave a comment for each

~Like Mrs. Dash on facebook and tell her your trying to win 5 Mrs Dash flavors @KiddiesCorner Deals
~Follow Mrs. Dash on twitter
~Tell me a recipe that sounds delicious
~Become a friend of mine on facebook
~Follow my blog
~Add my button to your blog(Tell me where I can find it)
~Subscribe to my blog(email subscribers get 2 entries must be verified)
~Enter this into any linky and leave me the link(2 entries)
~Enter any of my current giveaways, tell me which one in your comment(1 entry for each giveaway your entered in.)
~Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and www.mrsdash.com Leave me the blog link in the comment(3entries)
~Follow me on twitter and tweet the following: You may tweet daily

#Win 5 flavors of Mrs. Dash @KiddiesCorner Deals! Skip the salt, add flavor with Mrs. Dash http://is.gd/dAfiD #giveaway

RULES: Open to readers in the US only. Giveaway ends August 4, 2010 at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be chose using random.org and will have 48 hours to confirm by email. If no confirmation in that time frame a new winner will be chose. Non bloggers welcome. Just leave your email address in the comment section. If your profile does not have an email, please leave in the comments. Good luck to all entrants.

DISCLAIMER: This is a review based on my opinions only, yours may differ. I was sent the above mentioned items to help facilitate my review, no other form of compensation was given.

Essential Swimwear Giveaway Ending!

2010-07-20T08:36:00.003-04:00

Make sure you get your entries in to win a swimsuit of choice from Essential Swimwear. The giveaway ends tonight 7/20 at 11:59pm EST. Enter Here.