Blogging MIA - But, so Excited!

So, I bet people are starting to wonder why I am not entering giveaways right now... not blogging as much and have been relatively quiet on twitter & facebook....

Well, we are knee deep in home repairs. Yesterday the kids' room was painted, a new faucet was installed, drawers were papered & the laundry room painting began. Today the carpets are being cleaned so I am home with the kiddos. I hope this means tomorrow we can begin moving in earnest!!! Yippee. I hate moving. The whole dance of packing, unpacking and organizing new spaces is daunting to me. I would be thrilled to never move again!

But with this new move comes a change of lifestyle. I will have a lovely garden, a big yard, more room for all of us and the option to have our chickens or a dog.

So, what is in it for you dear readers? Well, I have some fabulous giveaways & reviews lined up. I plan to start posting them on Monday if all goes well. I think I should have something for everyone! All products I have enjoyed and am glad to recommend to you. The sun is back in my part of Oregon, so I think we will start with the Baby Banz giveaway. Stay tuned!

Wordless Wednesday - Sticky Mess

We made special St. Patrick's Day Rice Krispie Treats. My son didn't want to put his down, even when he fell asleep. I had to pry it from his sleeping fingers!

For more fun check out :Wordless Wednesday List

Seven Clown Circus, too!

For even more Wordless Wednesday, visit:
5 Minutes for Mom ~ A Daily Dose of Toni ~ Go Graham Go! ~ Jolly Mom
Look What Mom Found… ~ Mom of 3 Girls ~ Momma Findings
Momspective ~ MomStart ~ Robyn’s Online World ~ Run DMT
Table for Five ~ The Divine Miss Mommy ~ Two of a Kind…

Blockbuster Express - My Hero!

How many times in your life has a DVD saved the day? From entertaining fidgety kids on long trips to curing the rainy day blues, I think we can all agree that renting a DVD can be a busy Mom's secret weapon. ...'Cause we need all the help we can get, right?

As a busy Mom, I know that there isn't always time to even rent a DVD. Taking the whole family down to your local movie rental store can end up being an hour long ordeal. By the time you get home you're too tired to even watch the movie and what seemed like a great idea ended up being quite a chore. Luckily, I've found the perfect solution!

Here is your newest secret weapon: BLOCKBUSTER Express™ kiosks. They make renting DVDs fast, easy, and affordable! You can rent DVDs online for only $1 per night at blockbusterexpress.com and you don't even need a membership to do it.

Through the rent online feature at blockbusterexpress.com, you can create a favorites list, browse available movies at your preferred kiosk, complete the rental of up to three movies at once online and then pick up the DVDs from the kiosk at your convenience. Now you can spend less time renting and more time enjoying your DVDs with your family.




Start planning your next movie night tonight! BLOCKBUSTER Express has offered a special Rent One Get One Free coupon code. The coupon code is 555G13B.

When you rent a movie at the regular price using the code in the banner above*, you'll receive the first night's rental on the second movie FREE. This offer expires on 3/31 so hurry and choose your movies!

*Code is valid thru 3/31/2010. When you rent a movie at the regular price, you'll receive the first night's rental on the second movie FREE. Extra night charges and taxes apply. Limit one per customer. May not be combined with any other offer. Rental terms and conditions apply. Not valid at Blockbuster store locations.

**Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a $250 Visa Gift Card in exchange for this post. No monetary exchange took place.

The Ultimate Brownies! - Review

I love chocolate! If I had my wish, I would swim in it and have it with every meal... well, maybe just once. But, you get the picture. So naturally I am a brownie fan. Not the cake style, more a fudgey brownie girl. I was very excited to win a Sampler of Ultimate Brownies from Unconditional Mom's blog. The worst part was waiting for it to arrive!

We were so excited to see the box this morning. Of course I couldn't wait. But, neither could my little helper. He was pretty sure there would be a toy in there... somewhere.

I was impressed with how nicely it was packed. The beautiful little box was well cushioned to protect it from shipping abuse. Inside the 6 brownies were settled in tissue and looked scrumptious!
I grabbed the mocha brownie first. Yum! It didn't stand a chance. I gobbled it up without even reaching for the milk. I highly suggest you prepare ahead of time if you want to pair it with milk. I was just in the chocolate zone. Nice and fudgey with a wonderful hint of coffee. The company also sent 2 original, 1 white chocolate, 1 peanut butter & 1 raspberry. Oh, heaven!


Ultimate Brownies use Swiss chocolate, hormone-free butter, organic eggs and unbleached flour. They also do not use preservatives in their products. Not too bad. If you don't have time to bake these make a yummy alternative. Besides the brownies they also offer fabulous looking truffles. I would love to try those next. I would highly recommend these for any occasion. From presentation to to the last crumb, they are a wonderful product.

*I was not compensated for this review. I won this sampler in a giveaway and wanted to share the news with you.

Weekly Cloth Dipe Giveaways!

So, there are a few weekly giveaways going on around the Blogisphere you should know about. If you like (or love!) to cloth diaper you should check these out.
Over at the Cloth Diaper Blog you can find:

There is something different every week with multiple, easy ways to enter. This week they are giving away:

I could sure use a wet bag! What about you? This runs for roughly a week 3-26 thru 4-1. ENTER HERE.

Aloha Friday - #8

Aloha Everyone! In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. Can you believe we made it to Friday? We survived the week, so to celebrate let's sit back and relax. No heavy mental lifting today... just one simple little question...

What is your favorite thing about Spring?

I love Spring! It is getting warmer, there are lambs frolicking in the green fields and there are chicks at the Farmer's Co-op. But, my favorite thing about Spring is all the beautiful tulips. I think they are the most perfect flowers! They are cheerful, come in a wide array of colors and combinations and they always make me smile. Mine are just starting to bloom and with the move looming I am a little worried about moving them. My DH thinks it is funny, but I don't want to leave any of my little flower friends behind! So, what is your favorite part of Spring?

If you want more Aloha Friday fun, go to An Island Life and check out the other posts on the Linky. Have a great weekend!

Friday Follow: March 26 with **CASH GIVEAWAY**

Welcome again to the weekly Friday Follow! This week is special because there is a sponsor! Grab a cup of something, get comfy and take a tour of some great blogs. Same instructions as every week... follow our fabulous hostesses, One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades, and then follow as many new blogs on the list as you want. It is amazing how many fabulous blogs there are out there. Leave a comment and invite them over to visit your neck of the woods.


We're very excited to announce this week's Friday Follow Sponsor and a GIVEAWAY exclusively for our Friday Followers! Please grab BOTH buttons after linking up. By grabbing our sponsor button you help us to promote this new venture and keep Friday Follow going strong for everyone.

Check out our Friday Follow Sponsor & Giveaway!

No need to fear the dentist anymore. You can reduce the visits and make your dentist happy too. Brush with Tooth Soap®. Non-toxic, sustainable, organic and no need for a warning label. Created by a mom who has kids with no cavities. Get more information at: http://www.toothsoap.com/special-offers.

Toothsoap.com " I LOVE TOOTH SOAP®" CASH Giveaway!

THREE one hundred dollar cash prizes up for grabs from Toothsoap.com as a thank you for your Friday Follow participation!

Contest Requirement: To be entered into the contest for three 100 dollar cash prizes please do the following:

-Please place the Toothsoap.com button on your blog post today for Friday Follow and also on your blog sidebar.
-During the week of March 26 - April 2, 2010 THREE winners will be chosen AT RANDOM to win a 100 dollar cash prize from TOOTHSOAP.COM
-Winners are selected by random.org using the Friday Follow Link System
-Winners selected MUST have the Toothsoap.com button on displayed prominently on both their Friday Follow post and blog sidebar to be eligible to win said prize.
-Winners will be notified by email and by blog comment by team@toothsoap.com.
-Winners have 24 hours from notification date to claim 100 dollar cash prize via email.
-Cash prize is payable by Paypal.com or check from Vitality Products to winners (winners choice).
-Contest ends Friday, April 2, 2010 at the stroke of midnight.
-Open to US & Canada Residents

Hellmann's® Real Food Project

I wanted to share this little gem I received from MomSelect. If you like cooking tips, (I do!) and chances to win goodies for the kitchen (um, I do again!), then read on.

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay (I just love watching him on Food Network!) and actress/mom Lori Loughlin have teamed up with Hellmann's® and Best Foods® Mayonnaise to unveil the Real Food Project on Hellmanns.com, a comprehensive online resource offering tips and ideas on how to create real meals made with Real Food. There are some really yummy looking dishes listed. I can't wait to try them out. On the top of my list are the Pea & Mint Pasta as well as the Italian Baked Chicken Breast.

Because videos are great for multi-tasking moms, The Real Food Project features a series of entertaining how-to tutorials, hosted by Bobby Flay, to give us tools and techniques to prepare great-tasting, at-home meals for our families. Just by visiting www.Hellmanns.com, you can access a wide range of recipes, including sandwiches, entrees and side dishes, all designed to please picky palates. There are even chances to win great prizes like a kitchen essentials bundle, Bobby Flay Grill It and Hellmann's® and Best Foods® products by playing the "Wheel of Real" instant win game and entering the Real Food Sweepstakes.

If you win anything, please come back and let me know! Good luck. I would love for one of my readers to be a big winner!

*I was entered for a chance to win a Hellmann's® prize package in exchange for this post. No monetary exchange took place." Thanks to Mom Select for the opportunity.

Around Every Corner... is Another Thing To Fix!

Well, we are still working on the house. It seems like every time something is fixed, something else is discovered broken or breaks! Here is the kitchen last Friday... the kitchen & cabinets had been painted and we were waiting for the appliances. It is amazing how quickly things have come together.

We first thought we would only be painting and cleaning... then we discovered there were no appliances. Okay, all doable. Then we discovered that an upstairs sliding door was broken (one of the panes was busted out with safety glass falling on the floor) This is the door (at right), but it does have a lovely view of the orchard! ... oh, and my DH found out the wiring needed some attention. It was a "shocking" discovery indeed! So, the "honey-do" list keeps getting longer and longer. Ugh. I just want to move.

The appliances (range & fridge) arrived last weekend and that took some time to hook up. did you notice we are doing it all ourselves? Given the dimensions, we bought a fridge we were told would fit. When it arrived, the delivery folks wouldn't push it back against the wall for fear of scratching it. It is a really close fit! Then we got the microwave/hood and now my kitchen looks complete! Yippee. The downside was as my DH was hooking up the fridge, a hose to the dishwasher broke. ...great...

Well, I will post some more pics soon. The kitchen already has transformed and clearing the dead growth has really perked up the front yard. Next up will be the kid's room. We are painting it a light blue and putting up some wall art. I am so excited!

"How to Train Your Dragon" Video Trailer

Get Tickets to How to Train Your Dragon Online!Visit the Official How to Train Your Dragon Site

From the studio that brought you “Shrek,” “Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda” comes “How to Train Your Dragon.” Set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, and based on the book by Cressida Cowell, the action comedy tells the story of Hiccup, a Viking teenager who doesn’t exactly fit in with his tribe’s longstanding tradition of heroic dragon slayers. Hiccup’s world is turned upside down when he encounters a dragon that challenges him and his fellow Vikings to see the world from an entirely different point of view.

DreamWorks Animation's “How to Train Your Dragon” was produced by Bonnie Arnold and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. Rated PG.

Thank you TwitterMom's & DreamWorks for letting us view this trailer & sending the movie synopsis. Looks good to me! I can't wait to see the full movie. *I was not compensated in any way for this post. Just wanted to share.

Bertie, Come Home!

There is a fabulous contest going on over at Mayhem & Moxie to give away a KitchenAid Professional Stand Mixer, valued at $400!!! No joke. I might keel over if I won this.

So, I would like to tell you about the new home I would love to provide for said Stand Mixer, affectionately named by the bloggers, Bertie. As many of you have read, we are working on fixing up a new place and hope to be moving shortly. So, to spice up my new kitchen and go with that amazing range we found I would give Bertie a nice cozy spot up front. All the new appliances are either black or stainless, so she would fit right in.

And don't think for a moment that Bertie would just sit back and watch from her new throne. Oh, no! She would be right in the thick of things! She would work well with those Wilton Cupcake Supplies to make my little girl's first birthday the best ever! She would also get daily use from our fresh bread and weekly baked goods. Oh, but not just once a day. No, with kids needing a special diet, everything is made at least twice! Once for my DH & I and then with PKU friendly recipes for the kiddos.

We also would have a special challenge for Bertie! My MIL has a fabulous honey oat loaf recipe that does 3 loaves at once and has overheated my little mixer from time to time. I bet it would be no match for the amazing Miss Bertie!

I am pretty sure that I would give Bertie the best home, but if you want to take a peak and see all the goodies for this giveaway ENTER HERE

Wordless Wednesday - We are Moving!

And little man is totally excited! He gets to live next to all the coolest "Mah-sheens". Farm life here we come.

For more fun check out :Wordless Wednesday List

Seven Clown Circus, too!

For even more Wordless Wednesday, visit:
5 Minutes for Mom ~ A Daily Dose of Toni ~ Go Graham Go! ~ Jolly Mom
Look What Mom Found… ~ Mom of 3 Girls ~ Momma Findings
Momspective ~ MomStart ~ Robyn’s Online World ~ Run DMT
Table for Five ~ The Divine Miss Mommy ~ Two of a Kind…

Free DVDs! Hurry.

My son absolutely loves planes, trains & trucks... so I wanted to share this little freebie gem with all of you.

Free Geotrax Train DVD!

Go here {then ‘Select a Country to Begin’ at the top}, and follow the instructions to order a Free GeoTrax Steamer & Samuel Save the Day DVD. Even shipping is Free!

My son adores trains and we haven't tried this cartoon before. I can't wait to see what he thinks of it.

Also check out the Free Bruder DVD ~ ‘How Toys are Made’ Just go through the order process, it will come up as $0.

My son adores machines and watching how things are made, so this will appeal to him and my DH! They also send out a catalog of their toys with it. bonus!

Hurry and order these before this offer expires! (I am sure when they run out.)

Cloth Diaper Giveaway List

I love cloth diapers! I wish I had more. To fuel my passion and not break my wallet I try to keep an eye out for diaper giveaways going on at other blogs. To get us ready for Earth Day, I will have more cd reviews coming up. Maybe even a giveaway! ... but, we will have to see.

So, here are a bunch of giveaways going on right now around the blogisphere! (I will add more throughout the day!) Good luck and please read all the rules and be sure to complete the mandatory entries.

1. First off head over to Moma Lovebug's blog





She has a pattern & precut diaper kit from Diaper Kit to give away to a lucky reader! Oh, I would love to win this. I want to learn to make my own cloth diapers!!! ENTER HERE. This giveaway will end 4/2.

2. Don't miss out on the Baby Blessing Giveaway on Happy Green Babies



Baby Blessings Natural Products is sponsoring a package containing 1 Bummis cover, 2 chinese pre-folds and 1 snappi. I would love to try this one out!! I have never used snappis before, but I do enjoy my pre-folds. They are really nice to have in my stash. ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 3/24

3. A new one to mention over on Dirty Diaper Laundry



Kim is hosting a giveaway for a Medium Gen-Y Diaper Cover & mint green wet bag. The diaper cover comes in an adorable tattoo print for the mod little ones in our lives. She also has some great nursing bra giveaways going on, so be sure to look around her site. ENTER HERE. This giveaway ends 4/5.

Curious Chef Giveaway!

I am a big fan of Curious Chef! My son recieved their cookie set for Christmas and even though he is pretty young he already know they are his own kitchen tools! The spatula, whisk and rolling pin we have are well constructed, but light weight enough for small hands to use with ease. I know they will be favorites of ours for years to come.

Well, lucky for you there is a great giveaway going on right now at Mommy's Memorandum for the Curious Chef Pizza Set pictured above.

Doesn't that look like fun? I would love to have this to make pizza with my kiddos. Even with their special diet, we can make a pizza equivalent that is pretty tasty. This set would be perfect for getting them excited about Friday Pizza Nights!

This giveaway is going on through 3/26. ENTER HERE

Aloha Friday - #7

Aloha Everyone! In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. Can you believe we made it to Friday? We survived the week, so to celebrate let's sit back and relax. No heavy mental lifting today... just one simple little question...

Cloth Diaper or Disposable? Which did/do you use?

Well, this is the big question... I cloth diaper about 75% of the time. I would really love to make a change to 100%. I hope with a few more diapers and some motivation I can make the switch. With two in diapers it can be really crazy to rinse, wash, stuff and repeat. I know why it is better and continue to do it, but I am not totally switched over yet.

Sorry, this is late getting posted! We were at the new house last night and it took me a while to get the kids to bed. After that I was exhausted and went to bed.

If you want more Aloha Friday fun, go to An Island Life and check out the other posts on the Linky. Have a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday - The Great Communicator

For more fun check out :Wordless Wednesday List

Seven Clown Circus, too!

For even more Wordless Wednesday, visit:
5 Minutes for Mom ~ A Daily Dose of Toni ~ Go Graham Go! ~ Jolly Mom
Look What Mom Found… ~ Mom of 3 Girls ~ Momma Findings
Momspective ~ MomStart ~ Our Ordinary Life ~ Robyn’s Online World ~ Run DMT
Table for Five ~ The Divine Miss Mommy ~ Two of a Kind…

Toddler Tuesdays - Basic Needs

It will never cease to amaze me that despite all the money, thought and effort my DH & I put into finding educational and appropriate toys for my son (2 1/2 years old), he has pretty basic needs and wants. We are still working on the new house and he loves it! In fact, he talks about the "new houuuuuse" all week long. Not because of the big fabulous kitchen (...swoon...), or because of all the added room or even the perfect "hidey hole" off his bedroom. No, he loves the new place because of the dirt.

Currently our apartment has a pad out back and the rest is gravel, so in my son's short lifetime he has not been regularly exposed to dirt. I guess this was the missing ingredient we needed. He has his faithful shovels & bucket and can now occupy himself for hours. He is oblivious of everything else in the world. He doesn't care if it is cold, wet or if he should be eating lunch. He just has a primal drive to play in that dirt.

So I wonder, why is my living room littered with molded plastic doo-dads and electronic gizmos? Even going to friends' homes they seem to have the equivalent of a small toy store to entertain their toddler. Is it really necessary? Should we spend more time fostering creativity through the simple (and free!) things like dirt?

I often joke that my son, the oldest, is our learning experience and the other children will benefit from it. What I have learned so far is that even with a room full of fabulous 5-star rated toys, my son can become bored easily. They just don't require as much imaginative play. Currently he enjoys cooking with me, playing outside, art projects and reading books the best. Amazingly, those are the easiest and least expensive activities we could do and they have the added benefit of being activities we can do together. Fabulous, isn't it?

So, what basic needs does your child have? I bet if you think about it, they are simpler to meet than you imagine. They might just require a little dirt.

For More Toddler Tuesday fun head over to Minnesota Mama's Must Haves. Read other posts around the blogisphere or link your own!

The Real Inside Poop - CD Twitter Party!

You are invited to join a special twitter party all about diapers! Sounds neat, doesn't it?
If you are new to twitter parties, they are pretty simple... Just chat with the other party goers and put the special hashtag on all of your tweets. For this particular one just spread the word ahead of time and RSVP HERE for the party on

Earth Day – Thursday, April 22nd, 2010
Time: 9:00-10:00 pm EST
Hashtag: #GetRealDiapers

There are some fabulous sponsors & great prizes being given out, so be sure to mark that date down on your calendar. I would love to win some more cloth diapers, so please mention that I sent you! (Andrea Kruse at Adventures in all things Food)

DIY Gone Bad...

So, we are still in the midst of working on the house. Today much was accomplished with the help of my in-laws! "Yay!" for help on such a big project.

The guys are still working on the kitchen cabinets. Doors were replaced and the last coat of paint was applied (I think?)... oh, well. I thought I would just start re-papering the shelves. We found a nice tan and I set to work. Um... the previous liners were foam and I quickly discovered they had been hot glued down! Yes, that is correct. Hot glued. A real mess of stringy and stretchy hot glue pieces were stuck to the wood when I pulled the liners up. And no, I can't just paper over the foam because the red check pattern would show through. So I picked at the glue by hand. Needless to say I didn't get very far. DH got me a razor blade so it should be faster better next time. Unfortunately the glue just seemed to stretch when I used the paint scraper. What a mess!

We do have a range ordered... so, we are that much closer to having a real kitchen! It is drool worthy... 5 burner gas range with a 17000 BTU burner to assist with my canning endeavors. I love the look of the center burner. Currently I end up running out of burner room too quickly. Between what I am cooking for the kiddos & my DH & I they all are used. I think this range might deserve a post all to itself. It is gorgeous... and it will be my newest baby. I can't wait to take it for a spin. It should be arriving Saturday and I can't wait. Now we still need to decide on a fridge. Sorry to say I don't get quite as excited about that one.

But, maybe best of all was the tuckered out two year old who discovered that he loves playing in the dirt! We don't currently have a yard so he hasn't had many opportunities to try his hand at excavation & mud pie production. Well, he will get his fill at the new house. He worked up quite a thirst as I trimmed the plants in the front. My Mother-in-Law was kind enough to mow the lawn so now we can really play out there.

Now it is back to the real world, the apartment and day dreaming about moving.

As a member of MyBlogSpark I enjoy sharing information with you guys. I just love being able to post the latest great thing. I recently received an email asking for my help to get the word out. Don't worry, I didn't receive any compensation for this post, and have been a member for a while now. I have found some great new foods through this.

I have been a member of the General Mills´ Pssst... network for a while now and have really enjoyed the fabulous opportunities that have come with being a member. If you haven't joined yet, hurry and join now. During the week of March 22nd, Pssst... is launching MyGetTogether, a fun way to try products and sometimes new recipes in the company of good friends, giving you a real inside look at the products, providing coupons, unique giveaways or other offers. Be sure to sign up now so that you can apply to host a get together!

As a member of the network you will get a chance to try new products, provide insight and feedback to the brands, take part in cool surveys and get exclusive, behind the scenes content. From time to time you will receive samples and coupons to give out to friends and family members you think would enjoy them. I promise you, your taste buds & friends will thank you!

Do I have your attention? Want to learn more? Go to http://pssst.generalmills.com. Just click the Join Now tab to become a member and get in the loop on new products. And, please keep the word of mouth going.

"Bubble & Brown" Giveaway Winner!

Are you ready to hear who won the fabulous Rachael Ray "Bubble & Brown" Bakeware set? Well, drumroll please. The winner chosen by random.org out of 312 entries is...

#275

Jessica said...

I publicly follow your blog in GFC

Congrats Jessica! I would love to stop by for a little of that Mac N Cheese. I will be emailing you shortly & you will have 48 hours to respond. Thanks everyone for entering and be sure to come back, I have more giveaways coming your way.

A big thanks to CSN stores for a great giveaway!

bumGenius Giveaway!

I love cloth diapers. Really, what is there not to like? Good for the environment, great for the little bottom and easier on the wallet. But, there are so many to choose from. My stash has a little bit of everything. My first overnight diaper - you know the diaper that you don't worry about leaking at night when all else has failed - was the bumGenius. Now, these are not the cheapest, but worth every penny. Both of my kiddos either use these or Fuzzi Bunz at bedtime.

These little beauties cost around $18 a diaper and come with a soaker & doubler. That is about a box of disposable diapers... so, a little expensive to get into. I was really excited when I stumbled acrossed this giveaway over at Give Me Neither for not one, but 2 bumGenius diapers!

Many ways to enter, this giveaway is open to US residents only. ENTER HERE. It will end 3/17

Aloha Friday - #6

Aloha Everyone! In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. Can you believe we made it to Friday? We survived the week, so to celebrate let's sit back and relax. No heavy mental lifting today... just one simple little question...

Milk or Dark Chocolate?

Yeah, it is late and I am in need of something sweet. So, which camp do you fall into? I am a milk chocolate sort of gal. I know that dark is healthier, but I still love the silky smoothness of milk chocolate. Milk chocolate doesn't send me straight for milk.

If you want more Aloha Friday fun, go to An Island Life and check out the other posts on the Linky. Have a great weekend!

Follow Friday - March 12th

Welcome again to the weekly Friday Follow! This week is special because there is a sponsor! Grab a cup of something, get comfy and take a tour of some great blogs. Same instructions as every week... follow our fabulous hostesses, One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades, and then follow as many new blogs on the list as you want. It is amazing how many fabulous blogs there are out there. Leave a comment and invite them over to visit your neck of the woods.

Check out our Friday Follow Sponsor!

We're so excited to announce our First Sponsor of Friday Follow. Please grab BOTH buttons after linking up. By grabbing our sponsor button you help us to promote this new venture and keep Friday Follow going strong for everyone.
No need to fear the dentist anymore. You can reduce the visits and make your dentist happy too. Brush with Tooth Soap®. Non-toxic, sustainable, organic and no need for a warning label. Created by a mom who has kids with no cavities. Get more information at: http://www.toothsoap.com/special-offers.

Something for Everyone at Chili's!

I love to cook for my family. It allows me to provide them with fresh, healthy meals, but for my sanity we do eat out occasionally. Because my kids have special dietary needs we are always on the look out for spots with a wide variety of foods on the menu, and a willingness to take special requests.

With a trip into the city already scheduled, I jumped at the chance to try out some of Chili's Grill & Bar's newly added, freshly prepared, menu items! The marketing team supplied my family with a gift card and asked me to write an honest review here for you.

First of all the selection is fabulous! So much to choose from. On the children's menu there were 11 entrees to choose from alone! My kids can't have most traditional protein, due to their PKU, so I had to make a special request for only sides. No problem! Our server was more than willing to tailor the meal as we needed. The Mandarin Oranges, French Fries and Cinnamon Apples all fit on their diet... and made my son so happy! If you have a picky eater, I am confident there will be something there to tempt their appetite.

I chose to try Chili's new sweet 'n tangy Shiner Bock® BBQ sauce on their ribs. Yum! I was in heaven. I am a rib fan, but the sauce has become a new favorite of mine. I had these with the loaded mashed potatoes and loved enjoying the meal without having to do dishes after. My husband and I were both very satisfied and look forward to going back again. I really want to try some of the other new menu items like the Santa Fe Chicken Wrap, or the Caribbean Salad.

So, if that wasn't enough to get your mouth to water... we ended the meal by splitting a Molten Chocolate Cake. Oh, it was so good! There is something about gooey chocolate fudge wrapped up in chocolate cake topped with ice cream. I am surprised that my husband even got a bite.

I bet I have your full attention, right? Well, before you run out that door there is a contest Chili's will soon be running called, "Shout Out to Eat Out". The site isn't up yet, but should be shortly. You will have the chance to tell Chili's why you don't want to cook tonight (don't get me started!) in a 10 second to 30 second video and you could be entered to win a gift card to Chili's. Pretty neat! So, start thinking of something and have fun with it. I would love to hear about some of my readers snagging a free dinner out. They will be randomly selecting a daily winner, so your odds are pretty good. Stay tuned! I will update you when the contest site is up. Good luck!
For more information about their menu, nutritional information or locations near you check out their website.

You can also check Chili's out on Twitter and Facebook.

I received a $50 GC from the Chili's Grill & Bar marketing team to try the new Chili's freshly prepared menu items. I was not compensated for writing this review and all opinions are my own.

Coming Up!

Hi! Don't tell Mom, but the Baby Banz arrived and I am ready to go out and play. When we are done we will have to tell you all about these fabulous Little Diva Retro Banz... AND a fabulous giveaway here to win your own pair. Sound like fun? You betcha.

To be continued...