andreamcmann on Jul 03 2009 | Filed under: Aloha Friday
It’s Aloha Friday again! Find out all about Aloha Friday and how you can participate here.
Here’s my kind of strange question:
Let’s say you have a pet who enjoys “violating” your kids’ stuffed animals. (You know what I mean!) What would you do about it? If your kids saw it, what would you say to them?
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andreamcmann on Jul 03 2009 | Filed under: Frito Lays, Smartfood Popcorn Clusters, healtier eating, product reviews, snacks
Thanks so much to Frito Lay for this product review opportunity!
Lately, I’ve been trying my hardest to eat better. The problem is that I really miss certain things. The list of foods I crave could go on and on, but one of the biggies on my list is caramel corn! Really, it’s sweet, snacky food in general. I tend to shy away from those 100 calorie prepackaged foods, because for the most part, I’ve found that they’re just teeny portions of the real thing; not satisfying at all. Not so with new Smartfood Popcorn Clusters, from snack food powerhouse Frito Lay. These delicious snack packs are totally satisfying, and since one package contains only 120 calories, 2 grams of fat, and a whopping 5 grams of fiber, this is a snack that I can enjoy without feeling guilty about it later!
Smartfood Popcorn Clusters come in three flavors: Chocolate Cookie Caramel Pecan, Cherry Almond, and Honey Multigrain. They’re all supremely delicious, and oh so satisfying. My favorite is Honey Multigrain, which tastes like high quality caramel corn. The other two flavors were great, too, and the nuts are actual chunks, not tiny pieces. The chocolate (in Chocolate Cookie Caramel Pecan) isn’t hard to find, either! When I’m in the grip of a craving for a sweet treat, I know that Smartfood Popcorn Clusters will have my back!
Look for Smartfood Popcorn Clusters at your local grocery store. (Price: between $3.50 and $4.50 for 5 single-serving packs)
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andreamcmann on Jul 01 2009 | Filed under: CSNRugs.con, Family, area rugs, decor, giveaways, homes, houses, kids
I have some exciting news! We’re buying our first house! We found an adorable house that’s actually in our price range, and the owners accepted our very first low-ball offer! I’m so excited to start moving in and making the house really feel like mine!
If you’ve ever bought a house, you’ll know that during the process of house hunting, a person can sometimes get obsessed with houses. Lately, I’ve been watching a lot of HGTV and almost constantly scouring the ‘Net for houses in our price range. But now that we’ve found our perfect house, I can move on to the (slightly less obsessive) fun stuff, like decorating!
Since I’m an HGTV junkie lately, I know some ways to spruce up a room without breaking the bank. One of my favorite ways to personalize and add style to a room is with a great area rug. Thankfully, I just discovered CSNRugs.com, where there’s an excellent selection of all kinds of high-quality rugs, ranging from contemporary to traditional, and even kids’ rugs and stair tread rugs, and more. They’re offered at a great price, and they even have a 100% satisfaction guarantee!
I know that when we finally move into our new house, I’m going to do everything I can to make my kids feel at home. They’re so excited to get moved into their new rooms! I think I might buy each of my kids their own special area rug from CSNRugs.com. That would sure be a fun way to get them introduced to living in a new house!
WIN IT! Think your child might like his or her own special rug? You’re in luck! CSNRugs.com has offered to give away one kids’ rug to one of my readers! You’ll be allowed to one of the four following rugs. To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment below, telling me which rug you’d pick if you won.
You could win this Fun Times Travel Rug (size: 3′3″ x 4′10″):
Or this adorable Flower and Butterfly Rug (Size: 3′3″ X 5′):
And this Under Construction (size: 3′ x 6′ 8″) rug would be tons of fun:
I also like this adorable Hop Scotch rug (size: 3′2″ x 6′8″):
If you’d like to win your choice of the above rugs, don’t forget to leave me a comment, stating which rug you’d like to win!
If you’d like to earn extra entries, do one or more of the following, then leave me a separate comment for each additional entry method:
*This giveaway ends on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. CST. Open to US and Canadia addresses only, sorry!
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andreamcmann on Jul 01 2009 | Filed under: Family, Wordless Wednesday, dogs, kids, pets, stuffed animals
Our dog, Sammie is a chewer. I don’t know why she does it, but she does. And, as you’ve guessed, when you have a dog that chews, and also a child who loves stuffed animals, but doesn’t always put them away correctly, you’re going to have some stuffed animal dismemberment problems. These happened in the last few days. I do my best to try and keep everything off the floor, but Sammie is sneaky! Sometimes she grabs toys and sneaks them under the bed for later.
I was able to save Coconut Bear (above) with only one arm amputated, but Strawberries the bunny didn’t make it:
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andreamcmann on Jun 29 2009 | Filed under: Barefoot & Pregnant, Familly Review Network, Parenting, online communities, website reviews
I remember being pregnant for the first time. How could I not? I was 19 years old and terrified! I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, either. I read and reread What to Expect When You’re Expecting, and had lots of advice from family members, but it would have been nice to have a go-to website, one where the answer to every question and concern I had could be at my fingertips immediately. And what if the site was also an online community, filled with new parents like me and also more experienced moms and dads? Well, I never found a site like that while I was pregnant, but I’m happy to say that there is a site like that now. It’s called Barefoot & Pregnant, and it’s everything I described above and more!
There’s a compendium of information for expectant and new and expectant moms, as well as dads, adoptive parents, and couples who are trying to conceive. There are groups and forums where you can connect with other parents or post questions in the unlikely event that you don’t find the aswers just by browsing the site. If you’re a writer or blogger, you can even contribute articles to the site!
I’ve found Barefoot & Pregnant a very informative site with videos and articles that cover a gigantic range of parenting concerns. Like I said, I wish this site had been around when I was pregnant with my first, but I’m grateful Barefoot & Pregnant is here now!
Be sure to visit the Barefoot & Pregnant blog, too!
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andreamcmann on Jun 27 2009 | Filed under: Children, Family, emergencies, prayers
Thanks to everyone who sent their prayers and good thoughts for my family the other day. I have good news on all fronts!
My nephew came through his operation, and his donor (an aunt) did as well. They’re both doing quite well, although anyone recovering from major surgery has ups and downs.
My mom met with the neurosurgeon and was assured that the “lesion” on her pituitary is very likely not harmful, because her body is still functioning normally. They’re going to watch it carefully, though.
My brother-in-law is going to live! They aren’t sure about his leg, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I saw some very graphic photos and info. on my niece’s Facebook page. I feel so bad for my sister and her family, having to go through this! I love them and wish they didn’t live halfway across the country!
My grandma has had two very good days since my last post, and shows encouraging signs of recovery. Everyone’s just trying to take it one day at a time, which I guess is all you can do.
More Bad News
I did find out the other day that my son’s classmate- a seven-year-old boy- was in a horrible car accident and is in critical condition. The accident happened on June 13th, and he’s still unconscious. He was riding in the front seat when the car was hit, and the airbag deployed. He suffered a broken neck, 6 pelvic bone breaks, and swelling on the brain. I feel so awful about this! He was always such a sweet boy, and played with my son at school pretty often. Please send your prayers and good thoughts for this little boy!
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andreamcmann on Jun 26 2009 | Filed under: Uncategorized
Happy Aloha Friday! If you haven’t heard of Aloha Friday, check out An Island Life to learn all about it.
My Question:
Would you rather:
a: NOT be pregnant and have someone come up to you and mistake you for pregnant
b: BE pregnant and have people not realize and think you’re just overweight
These are the kinds of things I think about when getting dressed. Call me neurotic…
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andreamcmann on Jun 25 2009 | Filed under: Family, PC game reviews, Plants vs. Zombies, Pop Cap Games, action-strategy games, fun, kids, zombies
Many thanks to PopCap Games for this extremely awesome review opportunity!
If I was stranded on a desert island with only my laptop and one computer game, Plants vs. Zombies by PopCap Games is definitely the one I’d pick! My kids and I have spent way too much time playing this fast-paced strategy game lately, and I’m still totally addicted to it. I just can’t get enough botanical zombie-slaying action!
In Plants vs. Zombies, you’ll spend hours defending your yard from hordes of invading zombies, intent on eating your brains. How? By strategicallly planting a wide range of friendly plants that don’t pull any punches, from pea shooters that launch actual peas at the zombies, to cherry bombs (you can guess what these plants do) to sunflowers which allow you to purchase more plants. Each level becomes progressively harder as more types of zombies are introduced. My favorite is Gargantuar, who is slow and stupid but incredibly powerful, yielding a telephone pole like a club and carrying a tiny Imp zombie on his back.
The adventure mode is great, but I think the game gets even better several after several hours of play have been logged, when you unlock the Mini-Games and Puzzle Mode features. That’s when it takes more than brute force to achieve a victory over the fiendish zombies. Strategy is definitely required! There are even several levels of Puzzle Mode where you get to be the zombies and practice invading homes!
My kids love Plants vs. Zombies. As strange as it may seem, this zombie-slaying adventure seems to be very kid-friendly, at least in my house. There’s just enough silliness to make it entertaining and not scary, and it’s not really gory in my opinion. Neither one of my kids have had any problems with nightmares or being scared of the dark due to this game. In fact, they’ve spent many hours playing pretend Plants Vs. Zombies-inspired games!
If you’re very strict about what your kids are exposed to, this game might not be for you, but I’d recommend it to any of my friends, regardless of whether they have kids or not. I can’t imagine a better way to spend $20!
Try the trial version of Plants vs. Zombies for free here.
Or buy the full version here.
Stay tuned! I’ll be reviewing more excellent PopCap games next week!
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andreamcmann on Jun 25 2009 | Filed under: Baking, Food, MomSelect, Roberts Dairy, cooking, dairy products, product reviews, recipes
I literally grew up with Roberts Dairy. I love their products. In fact, many of my childhood memories, such as school lunches and family meals, center around Roberts Dairy products. The company even began in Lincoln, Nebraska, where I grew up! So, when MomSelect offered me the chance to review Roberts Dairy products and recipes, of course I jumped at the chance!
I can’t say enough about the superior quality of Roberts Dairy products! I know that when I buy something with the Roberts Dairy name on it, it will be supremely fresh and delicious. You just can’t go wrong with Roberts Dairy! If you live in Nebraska , Iowa, Missouri, or Kansas, look for Roberts Dairy products on your next trip to the supermarket. Roberts Dairy products are also available in parts of Colorado, Illinois, and South Dakota.
Save! Do you love Roberts Dairy as much as I do? Maybe you’re interested in trying their products for the first time. Either way, you can sign up for money-saving printable coupons from Roberts right here. You have to fill out some info, but Roberts promises to keep it to themselves!
Recipes! I received several recipes from Roberts Dairy as part of this review campaign. They’re all delicious, but my fave by far is the Spinach and Meat Manicotti! You’ll find the recipe below. You have to try it! And be sure to visit all of Roberts Dairy’s recipes! There’s a very extensive and delicious selection!
2 packages (8 ounce each) manicotti shells
1/4 cup Roberts Butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2-1/2 cups Roberts 2% Milk
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
4 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cans (26-1/2 ounces each) spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Cook manicotti according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted; set aside. Drain manicotti; set aside. In a skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the chicken, spinach, eggs, mozzarella cheese and 3/4 cup white sauce. Stuff into the manicotti shells. Spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce each into two greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dishes. Top with manicotti. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over the top. Reheat the remaining white sauce, stirring constantly. Pour over spaghetti sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.
Yield: 14-16 servings.
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andreamcmann on Jun 24 2009 | Filed under: Uncategorized
I know that families go through their rough patches, but these last few months have been rougher than usual for my extended family. First, in March my husband’s paternal grandfather tried to kill himself. He’s recovering nicely, but my husband is still dealing with some anxiety over the whole thing. (It didn’t help that a co-worker killed himself a few weeks after the incident with his grandpa!)
And a couple of weeks ago, my grandma had a stroke. She’s recovering, but no where near out of the woods yet.
Today is a very stressful and important day for my family, for three reasons:
That’s why I’d love it if you could take a few moments out of your day to pray for my family. If praying isn’t your thing, how about sending some good thoughts/vibes my way? I promise to return the favor if you ever need me to!
Life is so fragile, which makes it all the more precious…
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Thanks