Keep on Keeping on

This post contains some sponsored content (or links).

Did you have a good weekend? Were you able to 'break it up' from the everyday?

With the kids back to doing school work, the weekend was a nice break for them from spending their day doing school work. We learned yesterday that the schools will remain closed through April at this time, with a reevaluation towards the end of April. Next week is spring break, so the kids won't have work that week but then will have three more weeks of online learning. They seem to be doing good with keeping up with it and still finding down time.

The weather was pretty good at the end of last week and into the weekend. If we have to be at home, warm and sunny weather is definitely a welcome break. Somehow it makes me feel less 'locked in'. We were able to leave our doors and windows open and get some fresh air in the house. We were able to get out and get some fresh air, on walks and runs. My son got a chance to get out and do a some throwing and a bit of hitting at a nearby field and batting cage. My daughter spent some time playing on the swing set and then did some chalk art on the driveway. Look at the intensity of the colors in that art, I am pleased with the crayola chalk we picked up. (you can see that even following a rain, the color is still pretty intense) On my walks, I took in the sights and sounds of spring. There were daffodils blooming and birds singing, there were people grilling out and and having bonfires. It was also fun to see the different chalk drawings, pictures and encouraging messages. There were several notes written to friends and teachers on the sidewalks. Some made me smile, some made me a little sad - it is not in our nature to be isolated and not interacting, especially the kids.

Being home all day, every day has also caused us to think more creatively with eating and trying to find some old favorites to mix in to avoid feeling like we are always eating the same thing. I also have been saving some new recipes to try that friends are sharing...I am hoping that they leave a review so I know whether to try the recipe or not. I am still trying to cook once and eat multiple times and providing 'flex' options for the protein each night. I am also trying to make sure that we use up everything and don't allow any leftovers or food go bad or be wasted. Last week when I made a chipotle sauce for a restaurant knock off that is a family favorite, I threw in the remaining fresh tomatoes that were starting to get soft and a little bit of enchilada sauce that we had from dinner earlier in the week. Last night, I made homemade drop biscuits (usually use a mix) for having chicken in gravy over biscuits. I made a whole chicken in the pressure cooker and when I cleaned the chicken I set some aside to be used for Chipotle-style bowls and put the rest in the gravy. We are trying to mix up the sweets too. On Sunday, since we couldn't get donuts, we made beignets and this morning we used up some milk to make mini-muffins. When I go shopping (or do grocery pick up), I always include a good amount of fresh fruit, knowing that if it isn't all eaten that we will freeze it. Then, when the fresh stuff is out, the kids can still get fruit by making smoothies. I really appreciate the Ninja blender we got in the fall because each kid can make their own fruit combo and I don't have to hear about she used that or he didn't use that.

The cats are content. They don't seem to mind that we are hanging out more. We continue to tackle our puzzle and to play games. The other night, I even made my kids both answer one of those 'ask your kids' that is out on Facebook. I didn't share their answers on Facebook but I did keep them for my own memories.

This morning, I set an alarm to go to the store. I didn't need it, I was tossing and turning all night worrying about making the trip to the store. Unfortunately, pick up times are all booked so it was the only option that I had. I am trying to stretch time between shopping trips and got a little more than normal today to help facilitate that. They were in stock on most things on my list, except yeast, soap and toilet paper. On other items, I had to use a different brand than normal but things that were out last time I went were back in stock. I'm hoping that I might be able to do a small pick up order sometime early next week to get the couple things that were out of stock and a few things to extend the time to my next visit to the store. Thankfully, I was able to use Scan, Pay and Go and keep my time in the store to a minimum and only handle the groceries once. There were several people at the store wearing masks or scarves to cover their mouth and nose and I saw some wearing gloves as well.

Out of an abundance of caution, I let most of the pantry type items sit outside in my garage for several hours before bringing them in the house. For the refrigerated and frozen, I did what the one doctor suggested and saturated a paper towel with cleaner and gave them a quick wipe down before putting them away. For the fruit, I cleaned it and put it in a bowl, throwing out the original package. I don't know how much is too much or too little. The articles I have read seem to be contradictory (who do you trust - NIH or CDC - normally, I see them both as authorities but the data they have is not consistent) but many have talked about the fact that although the virus can be detected on the different package types that the risk may not be as high because the virus begins to decay right away, so even though it can be detected there is likely a diminishing risk over time; someone would have had to cough or sneeze right on the package or into their hands and touch the package to put virus on the package to be transferred to you; and even then you would have to touch that 'right' spot and then touch your face. So, I feel like giving them a few extra hours for any potential virus to decay before handling the packages again to put them in the pantry and knowing that we aren't going to 'touch' them until we use them which may be a few days or more, I feel I took ample precaution.

How are things in your area? Have you tried any new dishes?

This post contains some sponsored content (or links). All opinions and content are my own.

100 Things to Do in Cleveland Before You Die 2nd Edition by Deb Thompson and Tonya Prater

A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

I'm not sure why, but we generally are terrible at being tourists where we live. When we head out of town, we do research and plan for the places that we might go and the things that we might do; but when it comes to staycations and finding things on the weekend, we seem be creatures of habit and return to the tried and true, rather than explore the local area. This summer, we decided to finally visit the Mansfield Reformatory, where Shawshank Redpemption and other films were filmed. It was a neat attraction full of information about the history of the facility and information about the films that were made there. It even had 'haunted' stories to share about paranormal experiences that others have had. This gem is right off the main road and only 45 minutes from home, but it took us 16 years after we moved here to finally check it out. It's examples like this that found me jumping at the opportunity check out 100 Things to Do in Cleveland Before you Die; a guide that could help me as a local explore many activities and places that are close to home.

The book is well organized, divided into 5 themed sections: Food and Drink; Music and Entertainment; Sports and Recreation; Culture and History; and Shopping and Fashion. Within each section there are several local places or events to check out, including a brief description or story about each. Also sprinkled in are tips with some other nearby things to check out. This format is easy to thumb through and check out some great options in (and around) Cleveland. Several of the listings actually include more than one place to check out, giving you even more than 100 things to check out. The locations and activities included are both everyday and special occasion activities, like the Summer Solstice Festival and the Woollybear Festival. At the back of the book there are suggested itineraries to explore, including one for date night or a family outing; a guide to the activities by season; and an index which makes it easy to look up something specific.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a mix of some places/events that I have visited and some hidden gems that I have yet to experience. The guide would work well for both locals and out of town visitors, offering a mix of places that local residents may not have tried and places that visitors will want to check out. There are several new places that I look forward to checking out. The book is the perfect size to stash in the car so that we will be ready for the next time we are out and about in Cleveland.

About the Book:
100 Things to Do in Cleveland Before You Die, 2nd Edition by Deb Thompson, Tonya Prater

Located on the shore of Lake Erie, Cleveland is as diverse as the people that call it home and is finally being recognized as the gem that it’s always been. From family fun to romantic getaways there is something for everyone in the city that Rock and Roll built. 100 Things To Do In Cleveland Before You Die is the ultimate guide to finding the best things in the city and, for life-long residents, new ways to explore old favorites. This is THE guide for finding the best food, festivals, museums, outdoor activities, music and more. 100 Things guides you through the city like a local and shares what residents have known for years; Cleveland is the place to live or visit for a memorable experience. A melting pot of people and cultures, Cleveland is a place where you can find great food from a truck or from an award winning chef, home to some of the biggest sports fans in existence, world class museums and venues, an amazing amount of green space, and features public art around every corner. Browse the pages of 100 Things before you set out on your next trip to the city to experience something new.


About the Authors:

Deb Thompson is a freelance travel writer whose work takes her across the country to find the most unique attractions that destinations have to offer. An avid fan of the strange and bizarre, she enjoys nothing more than exploring the hallways of haunted locales, searching for Bigfoot in the great outdoors, finding aliens in Roswell and mixing it up with a great cocktail. You can follow her endeavors at JustShortOfCrazy.com. Tonya Prater is a travel writer with the heart of a nomad. Once a full-time RVer who dreams of reliving the experience, she is on a mission to find the fun, quirky stops scattered across the U.S. that most people drive past. Tonya shares her experiences at TravelInspiredLiving.com, which offers travel inspiration for the budget-minded.

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

Wewalka Baking Party and Review #Tryazon #wewalkaparty

As a participant in the Tryazon Wewalka Party, I received an Wewalka party pack which included a coupons to try the product at the party and to share with my guests. All opinions expressed are my own.

Pizza is a staple at our house. We have it on a variety of crusts. We do open face quesadilla pizzas on tortillas, we use leftover buns and bagels to make pizzas, we use bread dough, dough mixes and homemade dough. We top them with all sorts of toppings - simple to complex, sweet and savory. We enjoy it at any meal and as a snack too. So, when I got the opportunity to try Wewalka European Bakery Style Dough, I was excited.

The party pack included an apron and an oven mitt for me and some insulated bags, magnetic shopping lists, Wewalka pens and measuring spoons and coupons for product to share with guests. (not all pictured)

I spent a couple of evenings studying the website and finding inspiration and recipes to try at our party. I wound printing out a recipe for shrimp flatbread, a buffalo chicken calzone, a chocolate cherry cheesecake pizza, jalapeno popper puffs, bread sticks and a prosciutto pizza. I made up my grocery list and headed off to find my ingredients and the dough. My store carried four varieties of their dough - Puff Pastry, Flatbread, Classic Pizza and Bistro Pizza. I decided to grab a couple of each to try at the party, using the recipes I found or improvising with other pizzas we enjoy.

Before the guests arrived, I started with prep work and even got a couple of the things in the oven. I wanted the guests to see and work with the product, but with basketball on in the background and plans to play poker, I knew attention would be divided and I would have to prepare to ensure we got to also try more product than we prepped during the party. Plus, you can only have so much in the oven at a time and I only have three baking stones.

I love that the dough comes on parchment paper and is refrigerated, so when you are ready to bake you can simply unroll, top and bake. The packaging is great too, as it is a flat sleeve and can easily stack on the side of my refrigerator, making them easy to access. As I opened the packaging to make the first recipe, I noticed this small valve on the inside. I assumed it had something to do with minimizing moisture build-up on the dough, but to be sure I looked it up on the website and learned that the valve is part of their packaging because they "use real, live baker’s yeast which needs to slowly release carbon dioxide, so we’ve added specialized valves to the packaging. Our yeast ensures your pastries and pizzas always rise up and bake to perfection." (I like it, great way to ensure the freshness and deliver performance of the product). Baking on the parchment paper sure made clean-up easy, which was especially good for the party, since we only had three stones and one pan that we were using.

Buffalo Pizza:
Started with a traditional pizza crust, used ranch dressing to cover the dough, added chicken that had been mixed with buffalo sauce, then added onions and shredded colby jack cheese and baked according to the package.

 Margherita Pizza:

Shrimp Flatbread:

Buffalo Chicken Calzone:

Jalepeno Popper Puffs:

Margherita and Cheese Flatbread:
Started by unrolling a flatbread and scoring it to create two halves. Added pizza sauce as a base to each side. Added fresh mozzarella slices on one side and shredded Italian cheese on the other. Baked it according to the package directions. Then, added fresh sliced tomatoes and fresh basil. Returned it to the oven for 5 minutes, then drizzled with balsamic.

The traditional margherita pizza and the half margherita/half cheese flatbread were delicious. I think that margherita pizza is one of my favorites, there is just something about the fresh tomatoes and the drizzle of balsamic that is so tasty. We wound up making a buffalo chicken pizza in addition to the calzone. The jalapeño poppers, which we left the bacon out of, were delicious, but I would make them smaller next time - everyone was cutting them in half to enjoy anyway. The shrimp flatbread was tasty, but compared to the other offerings, just wasn't as popular. Everyone loved the chocolate cheesecake pizza, it was super rich though and so we had a good amount left over (not a bad thing at all - meant we got to enjoy some the next day).

Chocolate Cheesecake Pizza:

I liked the flavor of the product, but found that based on the timing on the directions and/or on the packaging for those that we improvised, that the pizza and flat breads did not bake up as much as I prefer. I don't mind a soft crust and it works fine for a lightly topped flatbread, but it made it difficult to plate up the chocolate cheesecake pizza and the calzone was also difficult to cut and plate for sharing. I found that extending the cooking time helped it cook up a little more. Also, those items that I tucked in the oven to reheat also crisped up nice directly on the stone.

The ease of use of the Wewalka pizza and flatbread products is tremendous. As a busy mom, I could feasibly make and bake a (nearly) homemade pizza for my family in about 20 minutes including prep, which is important on those nights with games and practices that leave little time for dinner. The dough being rolled up with the parchment paper not only makes it easy to use, but makes clean-up a breeze - another time saver on a busy night.

The puff pastry feels like a very versatile product to me, one that can be used for both sweet and savory dishes and the fact that it is fresh and not frozen makes it an easy go to for dinners or dessert. I look forward to trying more of the puff pastry recipes, since we wound up only trying the jalepeno poppers at the party.

There are so many more recipes that I look forward to trying, you can peruse them yourself here. You can find a local store that carries the Wewalka line, using their store locator here.

The guests and my family all enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the Wewalka Baking Party through Tryazon.

As a participant in the Tryazon Wewalka Party, I received an Wewalka party pack which included a coupons to try the product at the party and to share with my guests. All opinions expressed are my own.

Little Green Pouch - review

No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary sample was provided for the purposes of this review. All images courtesy of Little Green Pouch.

It seems to me that lately, there are more and more items available at the store in pouches. I think I first tried a pouch product in the baby food aisle. I thought the concept was interesting, a squeeze pouch that could allow your young child to feed themselves fruits or vegetables without the need for a spoon. Then, I tried a product that was designed for adults - I can't remember the brand now, but it was a during exercise type of snack that would give you energy on the go. I liked the idea of a snack that I could put in the bag on my bike and enjoy on the way.

A while back, I was contacted by someone from a company that is offering a new product - Little Green Pouch. The product is a reusable pouch, that is dishwasher and freezer safe. It opens at the top with a interlocking zipper bag closure (like on your sandwich bags), to allow for easy filling of the pouch.

I told them that I would love to try this product and share it with my readers.

The pouches are very easy to clean. I cleaned them by hand the first time and then used my dishwasher. The zipper opening allows you to easily fit a bottle brush inside to clean. Trying to reach your hand in with a washcloth is a little bit harder. The dishwasher - simple. Open up your pouch, invert it and place over one of the tines in your upper rack.

The opening created with the zipper, allows for the pouches to easily be filled. They even have a little picture on the back of the pouch to suggest that you use a spoon, a funnel or a pitcher to fill. We tended to fill most with a spoon, or a pitcher (blender). Once filled, seal the zipper and remove the cap on the spout to enjoy the contents.

Each pouch can be filled with up to 7 oz of product, but I found that closer to 4 oz was the level to which I could fill and have the contents consumed. Coincidentally, this is also close to what are found on many of the other pouch items. The pouch does have a graduation on the back that shows you 2 oz increments, as well as the 7 oz max fill, which takes the guess work out of filling the pouch.

Each pouch also has a label spot on the back, so that you could mark whose pouch it was. I don't know about your house, but at my house it seems to be very important to my kids that they don't share a straw, a spoon, or cup...so this makes it an easy way to keep each person's pouch as their own.

We filled our pouches with an assortment of items. I liked that not only could I choose what to put in them, but also that I had more control over the ingredients and texture (some of the pouch items that I have bought and tried were too smooth, I like a little texture to my nourishment). I used them for yogurt - easy to consume and a great way to eat it on the go. We mostly enjoy blended yogurts at my house, so there weren't to many pieces of fruit...if you used fruited yogurt, might have to check and make sure it won't clog the spout. I also used them for pudding when I made some homemade pudding for the kids. We used them for smoothies, which we are a big fan of at my house. It is not only a great way to use up the assorted fruit in the house, but you can even sneak in some veggies for more nutrition.

Looking for more ideas? On their website, they offer several recipe ideas for things to make and fill in the pouches. They have recipes for sweet and savory - one savory option that I noticed is Chicken, Sweet Potatoes and Kale puree. They even have a separate search to find Paleo friendly recipes. I really think that the options are endless...anything you can puree, can go in the pouch.

What would you put in your Little Green Pouch?

No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary sample was provided for the purposes of this review. All images courtesy of Little Green Pouch.

New Year's Resolutions

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, I received suggestions and information from Hormel for this post

The first couple of weeks of the new year have not been very typical. I started the year with a cold, that turned into an infection and left me with a pain in my side. Needless to say, it hasn't helped me in support of any of my goals for the year.

One nice thing is that my goals for this year are primarily a continuation of the activities started last year. I want to continue to prepare nutritious and flavorful meals for the family, maintain a regular workout routine, and hopefully, as a result be healthier and with any luck, lose some weight along the way.

Hormel has provided some suggestions on you can set a resolution to challenge yourself in the kitchen this year:

New Year’s Resolution: Challenge Yourself in the Kitchen

Did you know that 45% of Americans make resolutions each year – but only 8% actually achieve them? This year, instead of making resolutions, try setting realistic goals. Joan Hanson, Hormel Foods Test Kitchen Director has provided the top five tips to help you get started with reaching your mealtime goals this year:

1. Try at least one new, quick and easy, family-friendly recipe each week (check out Hormel Foods’ recipe ideas on Pinterest and Facebook for ideas!)

2. Put ‘family dinner’ on the schedule at least three times a week and commit to those days as a way to connect with your spouse and children.

3. Incorporate at least three food groups into each meal, such as meat, dairy, and a vegetable

4. Get the whole family involved – whether it’s cooking or cleaning, making it a team effort will ease stress and make it fun!

5. Try to meal plan at least one week each month – it means fewer trips to the grocery store (and less impulse spending) and no uncertainty about what’s for dinner.

As I check out these challenges, I am happy to report that they are all part of my routine.

This week, my menu plan included five new recipes actually. That is a little heavy on new, but sometimes you just need something new. (so far they have all been keepers). So, I guess I am over-achieving on #1.

We eat dinner as a family close to 7 nights a week. It has alwasy been a priority and a goal of mine. As we get busier with sports, it gets more challenging and sometimes it is only 3 out of 4 of us sitting down together...but we still sit down. Having dinner together most days can be a challenge, but with creative menu planning and some prep work, it can be done. Sure, it means that sometimes we at 5 pm and sometimes we eat at 7 pm, but we are flexible that way.

I suppose that three food groups might be the one that I sometimes miss. I'm usually good at dinnertime and for packed/purchased lunches. but it is more of a challenge at breakfast or a weekend lunch.

Generally, I handle meal preparation. Even on the nights that my husband starts dinner, I generally do the prep work and he just has to start it. The kids are in charge of helping to get things set up for dinner. Then after dinner, they take their plates to the sink and clean up the crumbs on the floor at their seat.

Meal planning is part of my routine for several reasons, which I discussed here.

Did you make New Year’s resolutions this year? If so, did any of them involve your cooking goals? What is your number one cooking goal for this year?

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, I received suggestions and information from Hormel for this post.

Holiday Preparations #BJsHoliday2013

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. I was offered the opportunity to take a tour of the club and received a gift card from BJs.
It is so hard to believe that we are just days away from Christmas and that New Year's Eve is next week. Are you ready?

Whether you are planning and hosting a gathering for family and/or friends, or looking for that last minute gift or a hostess gift to take with you, you can find several options to fit your needs at BJs. From Buffet Servers, to cocktail mixers, to Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate or Peppermint Truffles, to Gift Sets, they have a variety of options that can help make your holiday prep less stressful. Looking for more holiday decor? They have that to - from LED Christmas Tree to a Wreath and Garland Set to a 12 Ft. Snowman Lightshow. They also carry wrapping paper and gift tags.

We have been members at BJs since the kids were born. It was hard to dismiss their value advantage, not only can you buy in bulk typically for a better value than you can find at the grocery as with most club/warehouse stores, but you can also use manufacturer's coupons to help further reduce those prices. This was a huge opportunity when the kids were in diapers. At the time (can't speak to current packages) there were three inner packs in the diaper boxes, which meant that we could use three manufacturer's coupons on each that we purchased - allowing us to typically save an additional $3 per box. The same held true for baby food and other things that we were buying. To us, it made the switch an easy one.

BJs carries more than just bulk pack items and the things that we purchase at BJs has evolved, now that we don't need to pick up diapers anymore. They have a wide assortment of books, DVDs, CDs and toys for the kids. They offer sheets, towels and clothing, as well. In fact, the trench coat that I wear to work in the spring and fall, is one that I picked up at BJs a few years back. When my daughter was younger, we also were able to find a lot of dolly and me type pajama sets for her at BJs. They carry electronics - from telephones to TVs. They have kitchen accessories and party needs, paper goods and plastic ware. They have a nice selection of branded offerings, but also offer some products under their own label - in fact, we almost always purchase their brand of paper towels - we find it performs similar to the branded, but is a better value.

About BJ’s Wholesale Club
BJ’s Wholesale Club is a one-stop shopping destination for name brand, high-quality food and merchandise at
prices that are significantly lower than supermarkets, supercenters, department stores, drug stores and
specialty retail stores.
Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, BJ's is a leading operator of warehouse clubs in the eastern
U.S., currently with 200 clubs and 113 gas stations in 15 states. Learn more and shop online at BJs.com, and
for exclusive content visit Facebook or Twitter.
BJ’s is one of the lowest cost operators in the retail industry. BJ’s values are compelling, especially when
people are looking to save money. BJ’s is able to pass the savings onto its members in the form of lower prices
for the following reasons:
* BJ’s is extremely efficient in shipping and handling goods
* BJ’s does not have expensive displays, fancy buildings, or high advertising costs
* BJ’s annual membership fee also helps eliminate factoring operating costs into pricing
* With such a large committed base of loyal Members, BJ’s merchandising team is able to negotiate with
vendors to bring Members the consistent value

BJ's carries the most product variety of any other wholesale club with more than 7,000 items, including
supermarket-sized staples.

BJ's is the only wholesale club to accept all manufacturers' coupons in addition to in-club coupons and for
greater convenience, offers the most payment options including EBT.

If you’re not a club member, you can still shop and save. The wholesale club is offering a Free 60-Day Trial Membership, which can be activated until December 31. The risk-free, trial membership consists of full-member benefits and no surcharge.

So, as you prepare for your holidays, consider a stop to BJs to help you wrap things up.

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. I was offered the opportunity to take a tour of the club and received a gift card from BJs.

Love With Food - 2 exciting offers! #BlackFriday

No compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary Love with Food box and information about the offer from Love with Food. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

A while back, I shared with you about a company called Love with Food - "the easiest way to discover and sample the best gourmet food delivered to your door for only $10/month". As an added benefit, for every box ordered, a meal is donated to feed hungry children in America. To date, they have donated over 100,000 meals. You can read more about this program on their website.

I really like this idea - what a great way to be introduced to new foods. I like to try new things and I like to encourage my family to try new things. Whether it is a new food product or a new recipe, you don't know if you will like it until you try it.

We recently received one of their boxes and it was filled with some items that we have not tried. When we opened the box, everyone quickly called dibs on the items that they most wanted to try. I was excited to try the Chocolate Pizzelle Crisps from Silk City Snacks. I am a fan of pizzelles and love that this pack of crisps only has 100 calories and there are 20 pieces! My husband was ready to try the Kind Bars in Almond & Coconut. My son was excited to try the Toasted Coconut Chips from Dang. My daughter wanted to try the Happy Squeeze Fruit and Veggie Twist - she is a big fan of squeezable fruit and the blueberry, apple and purple carrot sure sounds like a unique variety. Some of the other things we are looking forward to trying are New World Caveman Cookies - made with pumpkin seeds and maple syrup, amongst other ingredients - sounds interesting. There is a product called Pixo Pearls - apple cider vinegar pearls (only I think that my pearls have all broken based on how it looks and the picture on their website). We also received some Organic Hard Candies and some Glee Gum in a Triple Berry.

The boxes from Love with Food change each month and are based around a seasonal or other theme. The boxes feature 8+ gourmet food samples based on the theme. Once you've sampled the product, you can go back to their website and purchase the items from the box at a discount on their shop tab.

You can learn more about Love with Food by visiting their website, Like Love with Food on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Pinterest.

Discount!
You will need to act fast to take advantage of these two special offers.

First, for every 6- and 12- month subscription purchased (including both personal and gift subscriptions), Love with Food will be adding on a bonus 2-year subscription to the Rachel Ray magazines. I have always enjoyed her magazine...I just wish I had more time to read it and make all the yummy recipes.

Right now, as part of their Black Friday deal, you can get 20% OFF all Subscription Plans + all 6, 12 month plans purchase will include the bonus I mentioned above - 2 Year subscription to Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine!

Sale ends 12/1/13 at midnight!

To get the discount, you MUST sign up at this specific link: Black Friday 20% discount

No compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary Love with Food box and information about the offer from Love with Food. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Hormel Foods Hunger Initiatives

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, I received information from Hormel for this post, as well as product samples.
Over the past couple of days, as we have been out doing shopping, we have noticed many opportunities to give back to the community through adopt a child, angel trees, share a meal and other giving programs that encourage those that can, to help those that are in need. I am always willing to help out where I can, but what worries me is that whereas there is a lot of attention given to helping this time of year, the reality is that those that are in need can use help year round. Fortunately, there are programs that help to provide food to families year round and companies, like Hormel that have a commitment to helping to fight hunger.

"

Hormel Foods is a company with expertise in food manufacturing, distribution and protein, which are all important components in helping to feed the hungry around the world! Hormel Foods’ ‘On Our Way to Ending Hunger’ program includes hunger relief efforts in the United States and abroad and comprises three pillars:

1. Collaborate: Collaborate with retailers, nonprofits and government agencies on hunger relief efforts.

- Hormel Foods partners with Hunger-Free Minnesota, a statewide coalition of community and corporate organizations aimed at closing the “missing meals” gap in Minnesota. Its goal is to provide 100 million additional meals, annually and sustainably, by 2014 for Minnesotans in need. Jeffrey M. Ettinger, Hormel Foods chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer, serves on the steering committee of Hunger-Free Minnesota.
- Hormel Foods has supported Feeding America (formerly called America’s Second Harvest), the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the nation, through cash and donations of millions of pounds of product since the organization was founded in the 1970s.

2. Nourish: Nourish the hungry domestically and internationally.

- Hormel Foods has donated millions of individual meals throughout the years through our On Our Way to Ending Hunger program.
- As part of the On Our Way to Ending Hunger program at Hormel Foods, the company has developed Spammy™ shelf-stable poultry product fortified with vitamins and minerals to help prevent malnutrition in children in Guatemala through a partnership with Food for the Poor and Caritas Arquidiocesana.

3. Motivate: Motivate individuals and corporate partners to take action to fight hunger.

- In 2012, more than 20 Hormel Foods plant locations donated to local non-profits committed to ending hunger in their communities.

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How do you help support those in need?

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, I received information from Hormel for this post, as well as product samples.

Bruegger's Bagels fall menu*

* no compensation was received for this post. I was provided information about the new fall menu and some coupons to check out the featured items. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

I think I can comfortably say that fall is one of my favorite seasons. Not only does my birthday occur in the fall, but there are so many things that I love about the fall. I love the crispness of the air, the crackle of the leaves beneath your feet, the fun of bonfires and hayrides, and especially, the tastes of fall. For me the tastes of fall include apple, pumpkin, candy corn and of course, all of the fixings for Thanksgiving. The fall also brings the coolness necessary to really start cooking again - chilis, roasts, desserts...as much as I love grilling and the fresh fruits and vegetables of summer, there is something really comforting about the foods of fall.

Bruegger’s Bagels introduced their new fall menu last month "and it full of all our fall favorites along with some great new flavors.

Bruegger’s Bagels summer Sriracha Egg sandwich received such rave reviews that it is now available on the permanent menu. In keeping with on trend flavors, Bruegger’s Bagels introduces the Chimi-Cheddar Egg Sandwich, featuring chimichurri sauce. The Chimi-Cheddar Egg Sandwich uses the traditional Argentinian sauce to spice up Bruegger’s Bagels’ classic egg, bacon and cheddar sandwich and is served on a plain bagel.

You will also be delighted to see the return of cool weather favorites, the Pumpkin Bagel, Pumpkin Cream Cheese and Pumpkin Spiced Coffee. Last year everyone so enjoyed the Cranberry Apple Bagel that it too makes a return to the fall menu.

[You] can order their pumpkin favorites until Nov. 27. The Cranberry Apple Bagel and other featured menu items will be available until January 2014."

On Sunday, we headed to lunch at Bruegger's. I decided to check out the new Chimi-Cheddar Egg Sandwich, which I had on an whole wheat bagel. I am a big fan of breakfast sandwiches and must say that I really liked the addition of the green pepper and the chimichurri sauce (although, I had to look up chimichurri sauce to learn that it was a mixture of parsley, oregano, garlic, olive oil and vinegar, but can also be seasoned with other spices and/or hot sauce). The green pepper gave it a nice crunch and the chimichurri added some additional flavor. My husband enjoyed one of their flat bread paninis, my son a breakfast sandwich and my daughter a toasted blueberry bagel with strawberry cream cheese and strawberry jam (clearly a berry fan!)

I enjoyed my sandwich with a cup of Pumpkin Spiced coffee. I was never a big coffee drinker until a few years ago - I had survived college, my first job, and two children without developing an interest or taste in coffee - but when I changed departments at work, meeting my old group for coffee breaks became a social activity and I slowly started to actually have coffee on the coffee breaks. Now that I enjoy coffee, one of my favorites is Pumpkin Spiced coffee, and their brew did not disappoint.

We also grabbed some bagels to go - Blueberry for the kids and Pumpkin for my husband and I. I enjoyed mine with a little bit of honey butter and it was delish, I had considered toasting it, but I love the chewiness of their bagels and decided to not warm it up.

We have some soccer games next week near a Bruegger's Bagels and I think I might just have to swing by for a bagel and coffee snack for the game.

What are your favorite fall flavors?

No compensation was received for this post. I was provided information about the new fall menu and some coupons to check out the featured items. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Thanksgiving Tips from the Hormel Test Kitchen

Preparing a feast to share with family on Thanksgiving can be a daunting task. I know that the first time that we hosted Thanksgiving at our house, the planning and preparation was shared with my cousin, who came to town to celebrate with us. From making a turkey to timing the food to all be ready at the same time, there is a lot that goes into the holiday meal.

Recently, Hormel invited their Hormel Extended Family Bloggers to submit their questions about holiday food preparation to their test kitchen director. Then, they compiled the responses into a short video.

HORMEL Thanksgiving Tips from Hormel Test Kitchen Director, Joan Hanson:


For me, Thanksgiving is actually a small event with just my family. I make my "Thanksgiving" meal each year for my daughter's birthday weekend at the beginning of November and we celebrated Thanksgiving with extended family this past weekend. We will still roast up a turkey breast and make a few traditional sides - it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it!

What are your Thanksgiving plans? Do you host or just bring a dish to share?

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are mine or those of my family. I am completing this post as a participant in the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger program. Hormel Foods provided a thought starter and some of the information for this post.

Kids Eat Free At Olive Garden this week

Here is a great deal, that I think we may try to take advantage of this weekend. We were planning to eat out and I happen to have an Olive Garden gift card, adding this coupon will make it an inexpensive dinner out.

"Take a break from homework and cooking. Get one kid's meal FREE with the purchase of one adult entrée."
Offer valid 9/10/12 - 9/16/12. Limit 2 kids meals per coupon. For children 12 and under.

You can print your coupon here.

Love with Food

I recently heard about a company called Love with Food - "the easiest way to discover and sample the best gourmet food delivered to your door for only $10/month". As an added benefit, for every box ordered, a meal is donated to feed hungry children in America. To date, they have donated over 8500 meals. You can read more about this program on their website.

I really like this idea - what a great way to be introduced to new foods. I like to try new things and I like to encourage my family to try new things. Whether it is a new food product or a new recipe, you don't know if you will like it until you try it. The other day, as we drove past a Thai restaurant, my son said that he would like to try it. I told him that we could go there for lunch whenever he wanted - so that he could try Thai food. I also told him that I would take him for Greek/Mediterranean sometime too. I love that he is willing to be adventurous and try the food and not just assume that because it is different that he might not like it.

The boxes from Love with Food change each month and are based around a seasonal or other theme. The boxes feature 8+ gourmet food samples based on the theme. Once you've sampled the product, you can go back to their website and purchase the items from the box at a discount on their shop tab.

August's box was full of Travelin' Treats. I haven't tried everything yet (that would be a lot of snacking!) but have enjoyed the Vegan Lemony Lemon Cookie and the Gin Gins Super Strength Ginger Caramel Candy. I wasn't sure what to expect with the ginger caramel candy, but found that I really enjoyed the combination of flavor and texture. I am a fan of ginger - I keep a box of ginger tea on hand at all times (did you know that ginger is supposed to help calm your stomach? - that is what I heard at least) Next, I plan to try the Dried Montmorency Cherries and the Key Lime with Ginger Mustard. I can only imagine that they will both be awesome.

Next month's box is going to feature pre/post workout snacks - I am intrigued.

You can learn more about Love with Food by visiting their website, Like Love with Food on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Pinterest.

Discount!
As a special offer, A Busy Mom of Two readers can enter BUSYVIP at checkout on Love with Food and receive a $2 discount on their first month's order. This code is only good for the September box (pre/post workout snacks, which can be ordered through 8/31.

Giveaway!
In addition, one A Busy Mom of Two reader will win a free Love with Food box.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through August 22nd. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary Love with Food August box to facilitate my review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family. Post contains referral link.

Weekend Fun - Fancy Nancy & Fribbles

There aren't any Kids Workshops or Build and Grow Clinics this weekend, but if you have a daughter (or niece or granddaughter) that is a fan of Fancy Nancy, you can head to Michaels for Fancy Nancy: Design a Tiara & Storytime. (Imaginative fun for crafty little ladies. Free Make-It Take-It While Supplies Last Ages 3 and up)

Then, since that event runs until noon, while you are out, you can stop at Friendly's for a free Fribble. They are celebrating 76 years of patronage and the future. Limit one per person at participating locations. No purchase required. 12 oz Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry only. I'd call ahead, just in case your location is not a participating location.

Fall Foods

I love the fall. It is a wonderful time of year. I have many wonderful memories of fall - bonfires and hayrides, trick or treating, hot apple cider and candy corn, pumpkins, apples, collecting fallen leaves and so much more.

One particular memory that has stuck with me from many years ago was one fall day when my best friend and I headed out to a Church youth group event. We were supposed to be going on a hayride and having a bonfire. We had brought along apple cider and candy corn to share with the group. When we got there, we wound up being the only two that came. So, the event was cancelled. We weren't ready to call it a day, so we decided to go for a walk at a park called Charleston Falls and enjoy the colors of fall. We didn't have cups (someone else was supposed to bring those), so we decided to go through the drive through at Lee's Famous Recipe (a chicken place, not sure if they are still around today) and ordered two small ice waters. When we got to the park, we dumped the water (saving some of the ice) and refilled the cup with cider. We carried our cups of cider and the bag of candy corn as we walked around the trails and enjoyed the fall scenery. It was fun and just one of many memories we share.

Now that I am older, I think that my teeth would hurt if I enjoyed that combo! Each is still a taste of fall that I love, I just enjoy them separately. In addition to apple cider and candy corn, I most associate apples and pumpkins with fall. I love to eat both.

When it comes to apples, I love to just eat them as they are. We also will chop them up and serve them with caramel and/or peanut butter. Another way that I enjoy apples is sliced with sliced sharp white cheddar. Apples are tasty, satisfying and a great snack. I also enjoy making apple desserts - apple pie, apple crisp, and apple dumplings. Last summer, I attended a Iron Chef Dinner party and apples were one of the ingredients that we used. I made an apple chicken quesadilla and a fruit salsa with apples. They were both very delicious dishes and another great way to incorporate apples into a meal.

Apple Chicken Quesadilla
1 Apple, sliced thin
1 small Plum tomato, finely diced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 can Hormel Chunk Breast of Chicken
1 cup shredded Sharp White Cheddar
4 tortilla shells

Place tortilla in skillet, sprinkle cheese over the tortilla, layer with some apple slices, diced tomato, diced onion and chicken. Fold in half. Use spatula to press down on quesadilla to seal. Flip and brown on the other side. Serve with salsa and sour cream.


When we get pumpkins, we love to scoop out the seeds and roast them and then use the pumpkin to make pumpkin pudding, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin cake, pumpkin cheese cake, pumpkin pie. This year, we tried for the first time, Harvest Pumpkin pasta sauce - it was delicious paired with simple cheese ravioli. The kids have so much fun cooking with the pumpkin (of course, we get some for carving too!) that they probably don't even realize that it's good for them too! (You can find links to some our favorite pumpkin recipes here.)

In addition to the tastes of the fall harvest, fall also represents to me a return to so many comfort foods and of course, football and associated snacks too! The first time we make chili or a roast, it makes the house seem so cozy. The warmth of the smell of the foods cooking in the kitchen seems to warm the house. Sometimes, you can even combine the two - the flavors of fall harvest with comfort foods. One recipe that I like that does that is Apple Dijon Pork Roast.

Even though it signals that winter is soon approaching, I always welcome the arrival of fall - a return to so many flavors that I associate with fall.

What are some of your favorite tastes of fall?

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are mine or those of my family. I am completing this post as a participant in the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger program.

On the Run Again...

Does it ever feel like life just is running past you? Or, is it that you are running past life? I never realized just how busy life could get or just how much a relaxing weekend at home is needed.

As the two kids are getting older and are becoming more involved in things, our schedule is getting increasingly busy. About a month ago, my son's baseball season started in full swing. Initially, we had just practices and now we are starting into the games. There is still some practice, but not as much. Next comes soccer. For my son, the practices have started, but the games are still a couple of weeks out. For my daughter, thankfully she is still young enough where the practice is immediately before the game, and those don't start for a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, for a few weeks - we have OVERLAP. It means that for a few weeks, I need a number of creative quick to table meals for easy dining as a family before or after practice/games - which can occur two to three times on evenings during the overlap windows. For the most part, the games don't actually occur at the same time, but when it comes to Saturday, the games are scheduled back to back to back. We have games at 10, 11 and 12. This year, there is about 3 weeks of overlap in the fall (it was more like 4 in the spring this year, because of all the rain and delays that occurred in the seasons). It's not ideal, but we make it work! (to think, I once had hoped to have only one activity per child at a time.)

When we are on the go for most of the day on Saturday for those weeks of overlap, we have to have meal-time solutions to go. Having to eat lunch on the run can be a challenge. Not only do I want to offer something healthy (and want it for myself), I need to make sure that the kids are getting the nourishment needed to sustain them through the different games. There is a concession stand usually available, but as much as I love to support the sports boosters, the options don't make for the most healthy, well-balanced meal choices. By packing lunches to take along, we can pack food that is easy to eat and healthy too. My son usually eats his lunch while watching my daughter's game and my daughter eats at the baseball game.

Lunch on the run frequently consists of a sandwich, a fruit and a drinking yogurt (to go with the water that is packed for all of the games), with an occasional treat like pretzels or cookies. Many times for the sandwich, we go with the old stand-by of PB&J, but sometimes you need to mix it up. One option that works well especially for the grown ups is to make a salad in a wrap. Take some Romaine lettuce and dress it in some Caesar dressing, add some chicken and roll it up inside a tortilla shell. An easy Chicken Caesar Salad wrap. You can use leftover cooked chicken or, use Hormel Premium Chunk Breast of Chicken. I find that if you wrap that in some foil and peel down from the top as you eat, you can eat the wrap with less mess. I also like to make a wrap with luncheon meat, cheese and some lettuce. Simple, but tasty. I personally prefer to layer in a variety of meats, but my husband would certainly be fine with just turkey.

Looking for other wrap ideas, you can find recipes for things like Cranberry and Orange Chicken Wraps, Florentine Spirals and Turkey and Fruit Wraps on the Hormel Foods Recipe Site.

With a little creativity, eating healthy (and finding some variety) can be easy, even on the go.


No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are mine or that of my family. I am currently a member of the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger Program. Each post written for this role, serves as an entry into a grand prize giveaway. Hormel provides materials and resources to assist me with my posts.

Annual Lasagne Day

My how times have changed...when I shared about Annual Lasagne Day in 2009, Spaghetti Warehouse was offering free Lasagne. This year, their offer is still sweet at just $5 for their 15-layer Lasagne entree, complete with bread and soup or salad. Their bread is good and their butter makes the bread even more addictive.

To join in on the fun, like them on Facebook and you will be able to print their coupon.

The $5 Lasagne Entree offer is only good today, July 28th.

Weekend Barbeque Challenge

I mentioned a few weeks back about how I love grilling out in the summer. Well, this month's Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger Program event was to host a Weekend Barbeque with friends. The challenge - come up with a meal plan that uses three different Hormel Food products as ingredients.

I love a challenge...especially when it involves food!

We had some friends coming over for game night, so we invited them all to come over early for dinner. I started my quest by checking out HormelFoods.com to see all of the brands that they offer. I did some exploration on their site looking for recipes that I could include, but then I also stopped by AllRecipes.com for some inspiration. I love that I can enter ingredients and categories to search. I quickly came up with ideas for the first few courses and struggled with dessert. I had made the cinnamon tortillas with fruit salsa before, but wanted something more substantial for dessert. After gaining ideas, I took creative license on a few ideas and made them my own.

We started our meal with a bit of an appetizer - Chips and Dip. I started with the Chile Ole Dip recipe on Hormel and tweaked it a bit. You can see my version of the Chili Cheese Dip recipe here. I sprinkled it with a little bit of shredded cheese at one point too. It was a huge hit - I really enjoyed it, ate way too much dip but it was very tasty.

Then, for our main meal, I made a salad and offered crumbled Hormel Microwave Ready Bacon on the side as a topping for the salad. I served it with the Poppy Seed Dressing that I normally have on Spinach Salad and Feta Cheese (so pretty much my Spinach Salad with a substitution of Romaine for Spinach).

We had Turkey Burgers on the grill, using Jennie-O Ground Turkey as our base. We are very used to making the frozen pre-made patties. We had issues with the burgers starting to fall apart when we were first cooking them. They turned out fine, but we decided next time we would grill them on a cedar plank instead of directly on the grill, in hopes that we don't have as many challenges. No real recipe here, I added an egg, some bread crumbs, some barbecue sauce and some seasoning. They seemed to form nicely in patties. They may not have been pretty, but they were tasty! (After reading some posts online about burgers falling apart, many people noted that you shouldn't turn them too frequently or pushing down with a spatula, I know my grill master was pushing down on them, so maybe that is the solution!) We also had some macaroni salad as a side dish.

Then, came dessert. I wasn't sure how to take a line up of mostly savory foods and create a desert. It felt a little like being on Chopped. I decided that using ChiChi's Tortillas would be the best route to making a dessert. In searching on AllRecipes.com I came across an assortment of "enchiladas" and "chimichangas" filled with fruit. That was all the inspiration I needed. I had some apples in my refrigerator that I needed to use up and had been wanting to try making some spiced apples, so I went the route of Apple Enchiladas. I prepared spiced apples, rolled them in tortillas, topped with the remaining sauce and baked. They were very yummy. You can see my recipe here.

After dinner, even more friends showed up and after getting the kids settled in for the night, we went downstairs and played a few games. It was a wonderful evening - good food, good friends, good times.

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are mine or that of my family. I am currently a member of the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger Program. Each post written for this role, serves as an entry into a grand prize giveaway. Hormel provides materials and resources to assist me with my posts.

Summer Time Barbecue Fun

One of my favorite things about summer time is grilling out. There is just something about the taste of food fresh from the grill. Whether we are grilling burgers, dogs, chicken, fish, vegetables or fruit , they just taste better coming off the grill. You can even be creative and make dessert on the grill too - have you tried s'mores on the grill - yumm!

Of course, grilling out is even more fun when we have friends and family over to join us for dinner. Everyone brings a dish to share and you can experience so many different types of dishes. Some of my favorite recipes have been first experienced at a cook out.

We are fortunate that our deck is on the east side of our house, so if we plan a late afternoon barbecue we can sit on our deck in the shade of the house - which makes it more comfortable to sit outside when we grill out.

When it's hot out, we like to set up the Slip'n Slide or the sprinkler for the kids. They have a blast playing in the water.

After a cook out, we often find ourselves lingering and visiting into the night. At our last cookout, we broke out the Scrabble board and played on the deck (better than cards or games with money that can be messed up by the wind!). It was so nice to spend the day hanging out with friends and relaxing.

As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, they have shared some recipes with me that you just might want to try at your next cook out. Why not start your meal with an Applewood Bacon Spinach Salad. Spinach is one of those foods I avoided as a kid but it is my favorite salad base now. Then, serve BBQ Blue Sandwiches with a side of Grilled Fruits. I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of Blue Cheese, but I tried it in a recipe one time where it melted and it really gave a nice flavor to the recipe and didn't have that strong, pungent flavor that I associate with Blue Cheese. Of course, you can always set it on the side and allow guests to use it as they please.

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are mine or that of my family. I am currently a member of the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger Program. Each post written for this role, serves as an entry into a grand prize giveaway. Hormel provides materials and resources to assist me with my posts. For June, I received a welcome package to allow me and my family to experience many of the Hormel Foods products.
The welcome package:

Cow Appreciation Day = FREE Chick-fil-A

This Friday, July 8th is Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A Restaurants.

"Come dressed like a cow from head to hoof and we’ll reward you with a FREE meal. (If you’re a little chicken, don’t worry, a partial costume still receives a free entrée.) And calves in costumes get free meals too; so bring in the whole herd for some family fun."

Need some help with your costume or additional information on this promotion, you can find it on the official Cow Appreciation Day website.

We were just at our Chick-fil-A on Tuesday and they had all sorts of signage promoting this offer, but it is always best to call ahead before heading out to make sure that your location is participating.

Mamavation Monday

It was a good week. I essentially ate my way through Boston last week, but by staying active and making time for a nearly 4 mile walk each day, I was able to minimize the impact of this culinary adventure. That being said, I was up slightly for the week, but increased consumption of food and wine on my part, will cause that.

First, let me start by saying that Boston is a great city to be active in. I took a walk each morning along the Charles River. Not only did they have nice walking/biking/blading paths, complete with center lines, but there were a number of pedestrian bridges to cross over roadways. In addition, there were kayaks and crew teams on the water every morning. I was actually amazed the first morning when I went out at 5 am, to see so many people. Normally, when I walk in my neighborhood, I see no one. There was a great route that I could take that was just about four miles round trip. I had decent weather, although the last day it did start to rain around mile marker 3.

Second, let me say that there is some good food in Boston. On Monday night, we ate in the Italian district at a place called Dolce Vita Ristorante - I had the scallops, which were so tender and flavorful. Of course, I accompanied it with some pasta, bread and wine! Then, we made stop at Mike's for cannoli. I think it might have been my first cannoli, but it was yummy! I didn't actually eat it all that first night - finishing it the following night. The next day we enjoyed the Cheesecake Factory - we wound up sharing a lot of different appetizers and of course, cheesecake. I didn't eat a "regular" dinner, having consumed more than my fair share of appetizers. The next day, we snacked our way through the day. I tried a Lobster Roll (not as good as it sounded), some Tuna Tartar, some New England Clam Chowder (I was in New England after all!) at Finz in Salem. Then, we tried the pizza and wings at Prince Pizza. Dinner that night was sushi at Douzo. I really felt full after my adventures. I also tried Pinot Noir on this trip, I think I could add it to my list of wines I enjoy.

Now that I am back, I need to buckle down. Continue with my daily walk. Resume portion control and tracking - I did it informally in Boston, but the reality is that after a few glasses of wine, I had more than consumed my weekly PointsPlus values.

This post shared at Mamavation Monday. The sponsor this week is EatSmart Products. They ask: How have you recently stepped up to support someone in your life? I would have to say that as some of my friends have dealt with life issues and challenges, I have been there for them when they needed me, but also respected them and gave them space.

No compensation was received for this post. By participating in the blogging carnival, I am entering to win a Kitchen Scale from EatSmart Products.