mommypalooza™ ~ a daily dose of mommy mayhem.

{review + giveaway}: Saving Money On New Huggies With SureFit + Dollar General

2013-05-24T19:43:52-05:00

{The following is part of a sponsored campaign with Latina Mom Bloggers and Huggies, Dollar General has provided me with a $25 gift card for review and will supply a $20 gift card to one reader for this giveaway. However all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines, 16 C.F.R Part 255.}

It's so funny how easily you forget how many diapers new babies really go through. My sweet Andrew, baby #4 for us, is just a little over 6 weeks old and has already gone through LOTS of diapers since birth! He started out in size 1 and is now rounding the corner to size 3 very quickly! Yes, he skipped the newborn size altogether -- just a given when you're born weighing 9 pounds I guess!

I was pleasantly surprised when we recently visited our local Dollar General store to check out the new Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers with SureFit design.

Their selection was pretty amazing and their prices are just right. What was even better is that I had a manufacturer coupon for $2.50 off a pack of Huggies that I was able to pair with Dollar General's already awesome prices -- score! Want a coupon for yourself? You can download one from here and redeem it on your next purchase of Huggies Snug & Dry with SureFit.

What I personally love about these diapers is that these Huggies now have a new SureFit Design, which really means their diaper has an exclusive waistband, is softer on the outside, and offers a less bulky absorbent pad to protect your baby from leaks for up to 12 hours. As a mom of 4 boys, I have lots on my mind and enough to worry about as it is. It's nice not to have to worry about how my newborn's diaper is going to hold up through all of our busy activities.

I also just have to share how much fun my kids had visiting our local Dollar General store! I had no idea all of the great merchandise they have at very affordable prices. My oldest son enjoyed browsing through all of their fun tees. And, let's just say he found a couple to take off the store's hands.

And of course my kids loved browsing through their toy aisle. What I realized during our visit is that Dollar General can help you save money on just about anything from baby necessities to paper towels, to milk, eggs, and even things like summer essentials. Not to mention, they have their own cute line of baby onesies and clothing.

After paying for our purchases as we made our way out of the store, my oldest son turned to me and said, "We definitely have to come back to this place!" I think they all had fun browsing around the store and hey, they were even able to talk me into buying a fun kid-friendly dart board for $3.50!

Win a Dollar General Store Gift Card!!

I would love for you to be able to experience saving money on new Huggies Snug & Dry with SureFit at your local Dollar General store with a $20 gift card! To be entered to win, just leave me a comment sharing what you think you'd like most about new Huggies Snug & Dry with SureFit design.

To learn more, visit Huggies online here: http://www.huggies.com/en-US or on their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/HuggiesLatino.

{recipe}: Spinach and Swiss Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

2013-05-24T07:00:00-05:00

I am a little over 6 weeks post-partum and have found myself in a dinner rut. Not only do I not feel like cooking, but I can't even come up with any ideas, it seems. It was amazing to have so many wonderful people bring my family yummy dinners right after we had Andrew and I am so grateful.

The other day I was browsing online recipes and found a few on pork tenderloin. Now, I am more of a beef gal, but I tell ya' after serving this up for dinner recently, I can say this will be on the dinner rotation list in our house. It truly tasted like something I might have at a local restaurant and it was quick and easy! I hope you enjoy it.

Spinach and Swiss Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

What you need:

1 pork tenderloin {I like to use Hormel}

2 tsp. garlic powder, divided

2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper, divided

1 tsp. celery seed spice, divided

1 cup fresh spinach leaves, chopped

4 ounces Swiss cheese, cut into small sliced strips

What to do:

Cut a lengthwise slit down the center of the tenderloin, being sure to not go any further than 1/2 inches from the bottom. Open tenderloin so it lies flat. On each half make another slit, being sure to not go any further than 1/2 inches from the bottom; cover tenderloin with plastic wrap and, using a kitchen mallet, flatten to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle pork with 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. pepper, and 1/2 tsp. celery seed. Layer with the cheese, spinach and another layer of cheese. Press this filling down gently into the tenderloin.

Carefully roll it up, starting with a long side. Using kitchen string, tie the tenderloin going down its length about every 1 to 2 inches. Sprinkle the tenderloin with remaining spices, then place it on a rack in a shallow baking pan. {I simply used a foil lined baking sheet and placed a cooling rack on top of that and it worked fine.}

Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160°. Let the tenderloin stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

A few notes about this recipe:

>> I did not really measure the spices I used. I simply eyeballed it and sprinkled on as much as I thought would enhance the flavor of the tenderloin.

>> You can use just about any type of cheese you want or have on hand. I just so happen to have picked up a block of swiss the other day and wanted to try that with the spinach.

>> You can also try any other types of spices you have on hand. The original recipe this was adapted from originally called for celery salt but I did not have any so I used celery seed. It came out totally fine!

Home Ownership Sometimes Bites

2013-05-22T21:30:51-05:00

Things have gotten a little bit hairy around these parts. And by "hairy" I don't mean the usual kinda "crazy" that you would think. Ok, well, scratch that --things have been kinda crazy. But what I actually mean is that a little hairy creature has wreaked havoc on our home recently. Just take a look for yourself:

THAT, my friends, is the drywall inside my first floor powder room {or half bath - depending on what you call it}. Let me explain. A couple of weeks ago our area was host to a few torrential storms that went on for a series of a few days. The hubs and I noticed that one afternoon during one of those rain storms, that this bathroom was leaking. Of course, having had our roof replaced due to a hail storm just 2 short years ago, we naturally assumed there was a leak in our roof and that the rain from the storm was coming through. There was also a bad leak in our garage. So, we immediately tried to contact the roofer that had installed our new roof since our warranty period was coming up.

Fast forward to the next day. The garage and powder room are both still leaking. Thankfully, we had put out buckets and were emptying them on the hour so that the hard wood floors wouldn't be affected. But still, it was an awful lot of water which left our ceiling looking like this:

Ew. Gross. I know. So, the next day I was in our master bathroom vanity area getting ready for the day and I noticed that there was a sound similar to a steady stream of water that was coming from behind our bathroom - near where our attic is. I went down to tell the hubs and he looked at me strangely but then shortly thereafter decided he'd turn off the main water line to the house and see what effect {if any} that would have on the leaking that was still going on in the powder room and garage. 30 minutes after doing this, the trickling of water had just about stopped and that stream of water noise was gone.

At that point we assumed it was a plumbing issue and were able to call our insurance and a water damage restoration company and plumber out right away. The finding? A squirrel had made its way into our attic and bit through a pipe. Suckage. Ugh.

This all put into motion the series of events coming next. There were huge fans in and around our entire house trying to dry everything out to prevent mold. There were two huge fans and a de-humidifier in both our master closet / attic area, our powder room, and in the garage. Our house felt like a huge money pit and was in complete disarray. Let me tell you -- having a main floor bathroom out of commission while you're trying to potty train a preschooler AND while trying to care for a newborn is NOT my idea fun AT. ALL. Those few days that the restoration company had left the drying fans in our home were the longest days ever!

But soon, everything was all dried out and we are now just waiting for contractors to come and repair all of the damage that this freakin' squirrel has caused. I am so annoyed. Part of me just wishes I could shoot every squirrel I see out in our yard and the other part just wishes I didn't have such violent thoughts toward a squirrely little animal. But this is our HOME and the last thing I want is some little furry creature taking up residence in it, rent-free!

Until the contractor begins repair on all the damage, I am forced to see this when I pull into my garage now:

So yes, things have been a little hairy and crazy here lately. I am just looking forward to getting this all fixed and moving on with our summer! I should also mention that the really sucky thing is that since we are not the original homeowners and had nothing to do with the wallpaper in the powder room, we will be forced to getting rid of it altogether. I have NO idea where it came from so we can't replace it! I am SO bummed because unlike most wallpapers, I truly LOVE the print in my powder room. Sigh.

Family room turned day care

2013-05-16T22:49:49-05:00

Do you ever just look around your house and wonder, "Where did all this crap-ola come from?"! That's what I've been doing a lot of lately. Don't get me wrong - I do love having all of the fun baby gear that help make my life as a busy mom easier, but DANG if the sight of my family room doesn't make me cringe and feel so cluttered!

Just shy of 6 short weeks of having our sweet Andrew in our lives and we've got nearly half a dozen baby "things" that take up valuable real estate in our family room - where we spend tons of time. By the time you add the bassinet, swing, activity mat, bounce chair, etc. into the mix, it starts to feel just a tad bit like a day care. I say this to my husband at least daily. Sigh.

I know the time will come where I will long for the days of all the cluttery things that my growing family has accumulated, but for now I just wish it didn't make me crazy! Ah, the joys of motherhood.

How do you cope with all the kid gear and toys that seem to accumulate in your home?

{review + giveaway} | Microsoft Store #GoMicrosoft

2013-05-13T21:15:00-05:00

{Disclosure: The following is a sponsored post in collaboration with The Motherhood & Microsoft Stores. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. No one is the boss of me!}

If you're a tech-junkie like I am, you have GOT to take a little field trip to one of the 30+ Microsoft retail stores featuring tons of fun gadgets that the whole family will enjoy taking a peek at!

Recently, I visited my local Microsoft store along with three of my little Minecraft-loving boys. Ok, well, I guess you can't really say the 5 week-old is a Minecraft lover -- yet! Although it was my first visit to the store, I have to say that it's definitely not the first time I'd noticed it. One of the things I love about it is how bright, clean, open, and inviting the store is. It's a place that always looks like it's got something fun going on and had I realized it was so family-friendly before, I would have definitely taken the kids sooner.

Of course my 9 year-old easily navigated his way around the Surface tablet in order to find the games.

Before our visit, I had never put my hands on a Surface tablet, but I gotta tell ya, I'd do it again in a heartbeat! They're sooooo friggin' cool! And, while talking with one of the friendly Microsoft associates, I learned that right now they are running a graduation discount special -- simply present a valid student ID and receive a 10% discount off Surface tablets. How awesome is that? I am telling you, this makes THE perfect gift for the graduate in your life.

Ok, and speaking of Microsoft store associates, I really appreciate the helpful and friendly attitudes that seem to be ingrained in the Microsoft culture.

I could have spent all day there perusing all of the different products in the store. And, being a Sony girl, this little toy definitely caught my eye:

I think someone knows what she already wants for Christmas! It's the Sony Duo II -- offering the power of a Sony Vaio in a HD laptop and tablet all in one. Yes, please!

Hands down, one of the coolest things about the Microsoft stores is actually not a product at all. Did you know that their 35 full-line retail stores feature a semi-private theater / community room in the back of the store in which they host a slew of workshops, classes, parties, and camps? And, all of these events are FREE! Yep, in fact I've already registered my kids to attend a week-long summer camp where they'll learn more about video game design. They are beyond excited about it and have asked me about the camp every. single. day. since I first told them about it. {Oops!}

You can visit your local store for events of all kinds – for kids, for business, for games, and for the community. Microsoft also loves to partner with community organizations to create events customized to fit your needs.

Here's a sneak peek of some of the kinds of events you'll find at your local Microsoft full-line retail store:

• Youth Spark Summer Camps
o Begin June 3
o For kids ages 8-13
o Monday-Friday, 2 hours a day
o Different topics every day: Digital Movie Madness, Digital Art Smart,
Gamemasters, Storyteller Studio and more!
o Some stores may offer a camp for kids ages 15-18: App Builder Class

• Tech Tots Camp
o Extremely interactive experience for kids ages 2-5
o Parent stays while the child learns things like keyboard skills, using Kinect
and embracing technology in other ways

• Gaming Events
o As the creators of Xbox 360 + Kinect, we host some pretty awesome
gaming events
o Launch parties for some of the year's biggest releases or
our ongoing Gamer Leagues

AAAAND, if that's not enough, your kiddo can even host their very own birthday party at the Microsoft Store -- all FREE!

You can learn about all of the current camp offerings and find out more about hosting events and birthday parites at your local Microsoft Store by visiting their store locator page.

I asked my two oldest boys about having a Microsoft store party and they were very intrigued. And, it's a no-brainer that my kids absolutely had the best time hanging there on the day we visited.

Someone, in fact, wishes they could "play all day":

Join Me for a #GoMicrosoft Twitter Party

And now for some fun! I'm excited to be co-hosting a #GoMicrosoft Twitter party on May 14, 2013 at 12 p.m. Central time. We'll be talking about the latest tech products and exciting kids events at the Microsoft store! We’ll be on Twitter – follow the #GoMicrosoft hashtag to track the conversation. You can see the details and RSVP via this Twtvite: http://twtvite.com/GoMicrosoft

Win a $100 Microsoft Store Gift Card

I just loved what I experienced at the Microsoft Store, and I'm thrilled to give one of you the opportunity to do the same! One lucky Mommypalooza reader will win (1) $100 Microsoft Store Gift Card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Disclosure: This is a sponsored post and I received free product to review for this post, however all opinions expressed are my own. No one is the boss of me!}

Monsters University | Mother's Day Video

2013-05-09T22:14:23-05:00

I hope you'll love this Mother's Day inspired video featuring Ms. Squibbles and the rest of the MONSTERS UNIVERSITY characters as much as we all do!

Monsters University comes out in theaters on June 21, 2013. To find out more, connect with them here:

“Like” MONSTERS UNIVERSITY on Facebook: http://facebook.com/PixarMonstersUniversity

"Follow" Disney/Pixar on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DisneyPixar

Thirst-Quenching Teacher Appreciation Gift

2013-05-07T23:21:48-05:00

It's Teacher Appreciation Week! One of the things I love about my kids' school is that the PTO puts together a list every year of each teacher's "favorites" list. Teachers are asked to indicate what their favorites are in several categories: soft drink, flowers, candy, team to root for, restaurant, etc. So, this week the kids and I have been using that list to come up with different treats for their teachers.

Today we surprised them with their favorite flower (picked up at a local grocery store) and their favorite soft drink. I also wanted to do something a little more than simply sending the kids in with a bottle of Diet Coke. I ended up coming up with a fun saying. I printed out {on cardstock paper} the phrase "thank you for quenching my thirst for knowledge!", then stapled that card onto a brown paper lunch sack with the drink inside.

It was super easy but fun for the kids to hand to their teachers!

Even though I'm currently sleep-deprived, it took me all of five minutes to whip up the printable in Microsoft Word. If you'd like to download the printable in PDF format and use it, you can grab it from this link. Please feel free to drop me a note if you decide to use it!

So how are you showing your kids' teachers you apprecaite them for all they do?

{recipe}: Ground Beef Gorditas with MASECA® Corn Flour

2013-05-03T20:18:00-05:00

As a native Austinite, one of my most FAVORITE things I remember about my childhood growing up there is that we'd always experience many of the awesome outdoor festivals that the city has become known for. And, at these festivals one of my most favorite things to munch on was always gorditas, also known as "little fat tortillas". My grandma used to make them from scratch and I always remember how they'd disappear just as fast as she would get them hot off her stovetop and onto the table. I loved them just fine hot and with a spread of butter.

Recently, I had the chance to experience MASECA® products and doing so brought back so many memories about not only growing up Mexican-American, but growing up in Texas. So many great recipes and nostalgic foods from my childhood have MASECA® corn products interwoven in them. And, just in time for Cinco de Mayo, I'm sharing a quick recipe for making yummy beef gorditas!

What You Need:

For the Gorditas:

2 Cups MASECA® Corn flour
½ Tsp Salt
2 Cups Water

For the Beef Filling:

1 package of ground beef (approx. 1 lb.)
1-2 small potatoes (cut up into small chunks)
Garlic
Cumin
1 small onion, chopped coarsely
1 bell (green) pepper, sliced
1-2 Roma tomatoes - chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

What to Do:

For the Gorditas:

Mix the MASECA® with the salt and water until you have a soft and uniform dough. Make small balls with your hand and flatten them a little. Form the gordita gently.

Heat some oil in a pan and fry the gorditas until they are golden brown. Put them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

To serve them, open the gorditas in the middle and fill with the beef filling.

For the Beef Filling:

Prepare the potatoes and then get a skillet and begin browning the meat. Once it is halfway browned, add the potatoes so that they cook together with the meat. Add onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic and cumin (fresh is best but powder will do).

Once you see that the meat is cooked, add 1 cup of water into the meat mixture and cover under medium to low heat until all the water evaporates. Remove from heat and spoon into gordita shell. Top with lettuce (optional), Roma tomatoes, cheese, and any other toppings you like.

To connect with MASECA® online and to find other yummy recipes, visit them here and follow hashtag #MasecaNosGusta for even more fun!

{This is a sponsored post in collaboration Latina Bloggers Connect and MASECA®, however all opinions shared are those of my own. No one is the boss of me!}

5 Ways To Save Big on Maternity Wear

2013-05-01T22:48:12-05:00

Me, at 38 weeks pregnant!

Man, oh man, the past three and a half weeks have been so crazy busy adjusting to a new schedule with a newborn in the house, but I am feeling so amazingly blessed to have had such a great pregnancy and birthing experience.

With this having been my 4th baby, I feel like I've come a long way with knowing what to expect from pregnancy and labor. With that wisdom, also comes the discovery of how to maximize my maternity wardrobe while saving money. When I think back to being a first-time mom I realize that I was sweetly naive in thinking that since I was pregnant that naturally, my entire wardrobe would need to be temporarily replaced by whatever the local maternity store was carrying. Over the past few years, here's what I've learned: you can build a great maternity wardrobe doing a little creative thinking and shopping. The following are my top 5 ways to save money on your maternity wardrobe.

Your Closet

The first place you should begin to look for free maternity clothes is right in your own closet. Think knit or jersey tops since they'll likely provide the nice stretchy fit and feel that you'll need soon enough to accomodate your expanding bump. Don't discount pieces in your wardrobe simply because they're not designated "maternity" wear. Things like regular size yoga pants work great from pregnancy to post-partum and they'll keep you comfy. Consider jackets {like a cute denim one} and blazers in your wardrobe as well. They may not button all the way through your pregnancy but will look just as cute left unbuttoned.

Consignment & Thrift Stores

These places are great places to start when thinking about doing maternity wear shopping. Some of my favorite maternity pieces have been found at my local women's consignment shop which also carries gently used maternity wear. You'll find some great values, especially if you're in the market for work-appropriate maternity fashions. Career wear like suit pants and blouses sold new are very pricey so your best bet is trying to find them used at a thrift or consignment store for huge savings. One thing though is that you may have to keep checking back with your local thrift or consignment store to find what you want since inventory can change daily.

Friends & Family

It's likely that you know of friends or family members who have kids and thus may be willing to either give or loan you pieces from their maternity wardrobes for your pregnancy. It is especially helpful to ask around when you are needing a special occasion maternity dress or formal attire. Don't be afraid to tap into your social networks too -- send and email or put out a Facebook status update to inquire if anyone is willing to loan you their maternity bins. Chances are, they'll be happy to be rid of it -- even if only for a few months!

Online

Many expectant moms are able to find great deals on Craigslist for maternity clothes, but think beyond that. Many sites like Bump to Bump, which offers used maternity clothes, are popping up on the internet more and more these days. Also consider online parenting forums and baby sites that have message boards with moms willing to sell, swap, or pass around maternity clothes.

Sales & Coupons

Check out the sale and clearance racks of some of the stores you already shop at that may offer a maternity selection {think places like Kohls or Target}. You can often times combine sale items with coupons which can offer significant savings on maternity wear. Also, consider subscribing to the email lists or rewards programs for stores that offer maternity wear. Many times they will email or snail mail you coupons that you can use on maternity apparel.

Have you used any of these ways to save on maternity clothing in the past? Or if you're currently a first-time expectant mom, what are some ways you are building your maternity wardrobe while not overspending?