Disclosure: I am a Hamilton Beach blogger. The blender was provided for me to create tasty recipes. All opinions and recipes are my own.

It's gonna be HOT this weekend here in Michigan. Woohoo! During the summer months, I am all about watermelon.  I freeze cubes for my water! My favorite use, though? In cocktails, of course! Watermelon + Coconut is my favorite summer combo right now.

Just in Time for Back-to-School: $50 PayPal Giveaway!

Entry-Form

Everyone could use a little cash this time of year, right? Well lucky for us Shawn Ann at Living Life to the Fullest has put together a $50 PayPal giveaway for you!

Enter above and GOOD LUCK! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

New Book: DIY T-Shirt Crafts #Giveaway!

Hey crafty friends! I've got a great giveaway to share with anyone out there who is a craft lover (or if you're looking for gift ideas for a crafter you love). My friend Adrianne Surian of Happy Hour Projects just published her first craft book, DIY T-Shirt Crafts! I met her in Chicago at SoFabU OTR a few weeks ago and we instantly clicked. Adrianne is also from Grand Rapids!

Mmmm Mondays: Spicy Nacho Burger

Can you say "nacho" without replying "naCHO cheese!!"? I thought I might outgrow that phrase, but it never ceases to make me smile.

Door to Door Organics: Box TWO {#Giveaway!}

Disclaimer: I have partnered with Door to Door organics for a review.  All opinions are my own and I promise to give my honest opinion.

So we are almost a month into this experiment with Door to Door Organics and we are quite pleased.

Quick refresher: we are pretty busy this time of year with the end of the school year, ballet, etc, so I chose to get shipments every other week, instead of weekly.  Also, despite being a family of 5, I chose the small mixed box (fruits and veggies) for our shipments, plus I add a few items from the grocery section.  I am using Door to Door Organics as a supplement to our groceries, not for ALL of our groceries.

Absopure Home Delivery System #Giveaway!

Disclaimer: I have a partnership with Absopure. All opinions are my own.

If you haven't noticed, I'm all about the delivery services.  For starters, I love getting mail...isn't it the best? I see my FedEx, UPS and mail carrier people more than most of my family! They leave treats for Rambo and ask how my day is going.  Basically, we're besties.

Another reason I love deliveries is for convenience.  We have quite a busy schedule lately and I truly don't have as much time to search for deals and coupons.

I've been using the Absopure home delivery system for a few months now and it's amazing.  Each month, we get water bottles, K-Cups and big water jugs for our water tank.  Our family is pretty well hydrated!

Grand Opening: Granite City Food & Brewery in Northville, MI #GCNorthville {Plus a Giveaway!}

Last week, I had a wonderful opportunity to head over to the East side of the state to check out the new Granite City location in Northville, MI.  Normally, I wouldn't travel so far for food but I wanted to see my friend Lauren (her blog: Mrs. Weber's Neighborhood shares tons of Michigan activities and family fun!) and meet some other fellow bloggers.

Bestowed Box Review + Giveaway!

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review, but it does include affiliate links.  All opinions are my own.

I am a bit slow to jump on the monthly subscription box bandwagon.  I think it would be fun to try one a few times a year, but every month would get quite expensive on our budget!

There was something about Bestowed that seemed different to me, so I had to try it!  They send full sized healthy snacks, as well as samples and health items.

Here's what they had to say on their website:

Join Bestowed and each month we'll send 7-10 of the best healthy snacks, beverages, and lifestyle items straight to your door. Every product we feature is carefully selected by our team of experts led by nutritionist Heather Bauer.

In the February box, there were quite a few tasty treats!  I loved the Nature's Bakery Blueberry Fig bar and the Numi Chocolate Rooibos Tea (sounds crazy, but it was ah-mazing!). Most of the items were full sized, which is nice for a subscription box--sometimes you just get little samples. I shared some items with the family and the coupons were a nice bonus, especially for the tea which I loved! I really enjoyed the healthy treats, but I still think it's going to be a once-in-a-while treat, instead of monthly.

Interested? Join today and get 10% off Bestowed subscription with coupon code LOVEHEALTHY.

You can enter to win the March box by entering the QUICK giveaway below!

Bestowed Box Giveaway!

My Girls Are Growing Up! (YoBaby Giveaway!) #StonyfieldBlogger

Disclosure: I am a #StonyfieldBlogger and was compensated for this post.  All opinions are my own!

This year Stonyfield's YoBaby turns 16! All of my girls started with YoBaby when they were little. It's crazy to look at them now and remember them being that small!  Everyone seems to be growing up so fast and I'm trying to cherish every moment, especially with Gabby since she is my last little one.

When Gabby was younger, we entered a Stonyfield contest and she was the YoBaby of the week! We got this super cute (empty) YoBaby package with her cute little face on it.  I'm trying to keep it in great condition, but as you can see--the corner is already missing.  It's such a great memory for us to have!  She used to gobble up the YoBaby blueberry.  Now she loves the YoKids pouches--it's her special treat for being so patient with me at the grocery store.  Shopping with just her while the twins are at school is SO much easier!

The twins have done ballet and soccer throughout the last few years and it was time for Gabby to take a class at the YMCA.  She chose ballet and couldn't be any cuter in her little outfit.  Being that she is quite a bit larger than the twins were when they started, she got ALL NEW ballet gear, which is huge for Gabby--she gets mostly hand-me-downs.  I swear she will be bigger than the twins by the time she starts kindergarten!

Monday morning, she was up bright and early to prepare for her ballet class--it was too cute! I gave her a little backpack to put her leg warmers and shoes in, plus she insisted on a banana and Absopure Packables water. She was all set to go!  I tried to sneak some photos without her seeing me.

Last weekend the twins had a big milestone: their first dance! At our school the Daddy Daughter Dance is called the Sweetheart Dance.  I found some super cute spring dresses that we can also use for Easter and any summer weddings at Kmart and I turned the bathroom into a little salon to do their hair.  Since I have super curly hair, it was a learning experience using a curling iron! I'm so clueless when it comes to straight-ish hair!  I think I did a good job though, they were SO happy!  Olivia looked at InStyle while I was doing her hair and Maddie snapped selfies.  When did they grow up!

Ricky took them out to eat beforehand and they were so excited.  Maybe a bit TOO excited, since Olivia threw up during the first half of the dance from running around. YIKES!  Gabby was devastated that she didn't get to go, so we had a Mommy date to Noodles and a movie.

I love how we can enjoy Stonyfield at all stages of our lives- from YoBaby to YoKids to their Greek yogurt.  As we incorporate more organic foods into our food budget, Stonyfield dairy is always at the top of our list.  They are an affordable way for us to take care of our little ones--I can trust there is only the good stuff inside!

Are YOU ready to win a YoBaby prize pack for your little ones?  I'll keep it simple: just comment below on what your favorite Stonyfield product is!

I will draw a winner on March 5th, 2015.

Smoky n' Sweet Turkey Chili {Plus a Hamilton Beach #Giveaway!}

We are in day EIGHT of an awful flu bug going around the house.  Needless to say: I'm going CRAZY!  It started with coughs with runny noses and now we have a round of "let's throw up on everything".  I feel so bad for my little ladies!  Fingers crossed it doesn't come my way...

During the winter months (aka flu season around here...) I tend to make tons of soups and chili.  This version on my turkey chili came about one day when I realized I didn't have any chili powder left.  Ricky gets tons of spices from work and I decided to try a new McCormick packet: Smoky BBQ Chili.  I wasn't sure about the BBQ combination, but it turned out SO tasty.  All winter I've switched up my recipe to this one!  

The Smoky BBQ packet gives it a little sweetness and the heat level is mild, so perfect for kiddos.  I made one batch with poblanos and green chilies, instead of bell peppers and it had MUCH more heat. It's nice you can adjust the chili to your preferences.  The smoky flavor isn't overwhelming--just enough in the background.

This recipe uses Jennie-O lean ground turkey, since we don't eat much beef--but feel free to substitute whatever you have on hand! Even add lentils or extra beans instead of the meat for a veggie version! We serve our chili with plenty of toppings and coconut oil cornbread.

While I don't mind chopping, when you're trying to get a meal on the table, it's nice to use some help! I was sent this Hamilton Beach Stack + Snap food processor last fall and it's been a game changer.  It literally takes 5 seconds to chop up veggies for a meal. There is a huge opening on the top, so all you have to do is cut items in half or seed the peppers.  I also have been buying blocks of cheese and shred them with the attachment.  Saves some money! You'll have a chance to win one of your own, too! 

Smoky n' Sweet Turkey Chili
Here's what you need:

• 1 package of lean Jennie-O Turkey
• 2 medium onions, or 1 large, chopped 
• 1 cup peppers, chopped: green, poblano or banana (perfect use for markdown peppers!)
• 2 cans chili beans
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• If you like super thick chili, use 1 can of tomato paste, too
• 1- 4oz can diced green chiles (optional)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (my secret go-to ingredient!)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 packet McCormick Chili spices in Smoky BBQ
• Favorite Toppings! Ideas: avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips/Fritos, cheese, green onions, oyster crackers.

1. Heat large pot over medium heat.  Add tablespoon oil and chopped veggies.  Stir and cook 2-3 minutes.  Add ground turkey.  
2. Stir and break up turkey while it's cooking.  Once no longer pink, add Worcestershire sauce, cumin and chili seasoning packet.  Stir until mixed through.  If you want thicker chili, add can of tomato paste now.
3. Slowly add each can of chili beans and diced tomatoes.  Allow to bubble for at least 15 minutes on low heat.  Stir frequently to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.  
4. Serve over macaroni noodles, on a chili dog or in a big ol' bowl with toppings!  I love to make baked chips and scoop them in. 

This freezes well, just put in cup sized portions for future lunches!

Now here's the fun part!  Enter to WIN a Stack + Snap food processor of your own below!  

Note: I do monitor and regulate all entries.  If an action is not performed, it will be deleted.  Any questions using the Gleam.io site, please ask!  

Hamilton Beach Stack and Snap Food Processor (10 cup)

Disney on Ice is coming to Grand Rapids! #Giveaway #DisneyOnIceInsider

I received something of value from Feld Entertainment as part of their Insider Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.#DisneyOnIceInsider

Ah, the magic of Disney!  My girls have totally been hit by the bug and they have been asking non-stop about Disney World.  Time to start planning! (It's going to take a few years to save up!)  I keep wondering when the Frozen phase will end....it's time to let it go! (pun intended)

A few years ago, we took the girls to see Disney On Ice and they absolutely loved it.  They still  remember how much fun they had and details of the show.  This year, this will be the twins' major birthday present. I am thinking we will get dressed up, go out for dinner and make it truly memorable.  The best part of seeing Disney shows is that they are fun for the whole family.  The girls love that I know all of the songs and can have fun with them! 

If you've never been, Disney on Ice is truly a fun experience! You can hear all of your favorite songs, see characters and experience a completely unique show each time. Some parts of the country have Frozen on Ice, others have Princesses & Heroes. Click here to purchase tickets to a Disney On Ice show near you!

In February, Disney on Ice Passport to Adventure  is headed to Grand Rapids!  Here's more info about the show:

Embark on the ultimate sightseeing holiday with all your favorite Disney characters inDisney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure.  Join Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Daisy on a journey to the magical worlds of Disney’s The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Peter Panand Lilo & Stitch.  You’ll explore the Pride Lands with Simba, Timon and Pumbaa; voyage under the sea with Ariel and all her aquatic friends; tour London with Peter Pan and Wendy, before flying to Never Land; and travel to Hawaii to visit Lilo and Stitch.  Upbeat music, loveable characters and exciting destinations make Disney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure a holiday you’ll never forget.

Ready to take an adventure here in Grand Rapids? I'm giving away FOUR tickets to the opening night of the show at Van Andel Arena!  (Febrary 26, 2015 at 7:00pm!)

Enter below:

Disney On Ice: Passport to Adventure Tickets!

Treat Yourself Giveaway: $150 DYLN Inspired Gift Card!

I was doing laundry this weekend and realized I have eight pairs of black yoga pants.  Then I have capris and yoga leggings....it's an addiction! Yes, they are somewhat different, but I probably look like I'm wearing the same pants every morning when I walk the girls to school. Oh well!

This time of year gets super hectic and I know most ladies out there are thinking about others.  Which is great...but I wanted a giveaway for YOU!  Or you can re-gift the gift card to someone you love for Christmas--shh! I won't tell.  Whatever floats your boat!

DYLN Inspired is giving one of my readers a $150 gift card to spend on their site.  Also, ALL readers get 40% off all yoga pants until November 15 using code SAVINGS!  These aren't just your run of the mill work out pants, DYLN uses quality materials (including pearls for softness) to help wick sweat and keep you comfortable!  I have my eye on the compression pants! Also, note that super cute orange zip up above!

How do you enter? See below!

Treat Yo Self $150 DYLN Giveaway

#SlowCookerMeals: Turkey Swedish Meatballs {Plus a Giveaway!}

Woohoo! It's October! You know what that means? We can start decorating for Halloween! Also, it means fall weather better start showing up. This is my favorite time of year.

To celebrate fall, I'm going to do some easy, budget friendly slow cooker meals throughout the month of October!  We all tend to turn to our slow cookers in cooler weather for our favorite comfort food.  I'm sure you all have a bunch of recipes you normally use, so I'm going to try to step out of the box for different ideas! Also: I'm giving away one of these AMAZING Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Slow Cookers. 

Why is this slow cooker amazing? It has 3 different settings: automatic, manual and probe setting.  The probe is a meat thermometer which keeps track of the temperature of the meat while cooking.  Once it reaches it's ideal temperature, it will turn the slow cooker to warm to prevent overcooking! How cool is that?  This is great for pot roast or slow cooked chicken. If you frequently travel with your slow cooker for pot lucks, this lid locks in place!

Now time for my first recipe: Turkey Swedish Meatballs.  These came in at $8.25 for the ENTIRE MEAL and couldn't be easier!  I used frozen meatballs to keep it simple, but you can totally make your own if you want!

This week (through 10/4), Meijer has every single one of these items on sale, which makes this meal even cheaper!

Here's What You Need:

• 1 bag of turkey meatballs (1.5 lbs) ~25 large meatballs
• I used Cooked Perfect Turkey Meatballs (NOT Italian style)

• 1 can Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 Packet Brown Gravy Mix
• 1 cup of onions, chopped
• 1 package sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 bag whole wheat egg noodles
• Garnish: parsley 

1.  Set your slow cooker to LOW for 6-7 hours (HIGH 4). Spray cooker with PAM.
2. Add onions and mushrooms in cooker. Pour brown gravy mix over and water.  Mix.
3. Open can of soup and add on top of veggies.  Fill the can halfway full with milk and pour into slow cooker.
4. Finally, add meatballs.  Stir and cover.  LOW 6-7 hours, HIGH 3-4
5. Before serving, boil water and prepare noodles.  Cook al dente (about 4 minutes). Toss with butter and parsley.  While water is boiling, stir in sour cream to meatballs.  Season with salt & pepper, to taste.
6. Serve meatballs over noodles!

Super simple and healthy(ish) comfort food dish!  The girls gobbled this up--one bag of meatballs almost wasn't enough for our family of 5.  For a party, you can make these and serve with toothpicks instead of noodles!  The sauce has a gravy consistency, so if you like it thicker, add some corn starch.  Once mixed with noodles, it's perfect though!

Want to win the amazing slow cooker? Enter below!  Stay tuned for more tasty #SlowCookerMeals throughout October!!

Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Slow Cooker

Let's Talk Lunch + #RockTheLunchBox Giveaway!

This post was created in partnership with Stonyfield. All opinions are my own.

We've almost made it through our first week of kindergarten for the twins!  Woohoo!  The biggest challenge so far for the girls has been listening.  Go figure!  Also, I need to learn how to pack the perfect amount of food in their lunches so they have time to eat it all.  Since they're there from 8:55-3:55, I want to make sure their bellies are full!

I asked the girls to draw their ideal lunch on Monday before school started and it was interesting what they came up with.  I thought for sure there would be a cookie added to their list.

Maddie had an emphasis on fruit, since she is going through a "I don't like chicken" phase.  I wouldn't be shocked at all if she became an vegetarian when she gets older.  They are loving the Honest Kids juice boxes we found at Target. I just freeze them overnight and they are like a little ice pack in their lunchboxes!  Another item that is great to freeze: YoKids yogurt pouches.  One major plus is they are easy for the kids to open by themselves in the lunchroom.

Olivia had basically the same ideas with fruit, but she also wanted a BIG turkey sandwich.  She even said that she can eat Maddie's sandwich at lunch if she doesn't want it.  One request: Annie's Bunnies--any flavor. 

Every year, Stonyfield and other companies we love join together for #RockTheLunchbox.  They offer amazing lunchbox ideas and great coupons!  I don't know if I have time to be creative everyday, but I love the inspiration to think outside of the box while providing the twins with healthy lunch options!

I have a fun giveaway so YOU can also join in on the fun!  You can win a prize pack from Stonyfield, which includes FREE product coupons, a Bento box and other goodies to make your lunchboxes ROCK!  Just enter below!


Rock the Lunchbox

Spinach Artichoke Dip REMIX + Mitten Love Giveaway!

We're coming up on our 4 year anniversary of being back in Michigan.  I grew up in the Lansing area, but went away to Wisconsin for college.  After having the twins, I kind of wanted to be closer to my family again.  I really, really miss Madison sometimes, but it's also great to start our own traditions here in Grand Rapids!

If you didn't know, Michigan is called "The Mitten" because of it's shape.  If you ask a Michigander where they live, they can show you on their hand!  What other state can you do that with?  I have an awesome giveaway lined up for anyone who loves the great state of Michigan.  Stay tuned for more details!

Last spring, I won a fun giveaway on Instagram which I got a Michigan Pactz box.  Inside was all Michigan made products and we fell in love with everything!  Our favorite new find was Little Diablo Salsa.  You all know I love to make my own salsa, but this is AMAZING.  The garlic is a perfect topper for tacos and the smoky chipolte is our new go-to for fajitas!

I was fortunate enough to have Little Diablo send me 3 different salsas to try and I made a tasty new summertime dip for you using their new Artichoke salsa.  While I love regular spinach + artichoke dip, it's nice to do a REMIX sometimes.  By adding the salsa, this dip gets a little kick to it!

This dip is inspired by two different things.  When I was growing up in Grand Ledge, our local grocery store Felpausch had a dip we loved which was salsa and cream cheese mixed together with some cheese.  It was a poolside favorite.  The second inspiration is the AMAZING artichoke dip from The Great Dane in Madison.  A combo of both of my worlds!  You can serve it hot OR cold, I just throw an oven safe dish on the grill (I love this Rachael Ray one) while cooking up the rest of my meal--no need to heat up the house!

Here's what you need:

• 1.5 bricks of Fat Free or 1/3 Fat Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup Little Diablo Artichoke Salsa
• 1/2 cup jarred artichoke hearts, drained (LOVE the Aldi ones!)
• 1- 6 oz package of spinach 
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (if baking)
• Like it spicy? Add 1 jalapeno!

Dip, baby Dip!

This is all done in a chopper or blender, only one mess to make!

1. In a large chopper, throw in the entire bag of spinach and pulse for about 1 minute. If you want it spicy, add jalapeno at this point.
2. Next, add cream cheese.  Pulse for 1 minute.
3. Add salsa and 1/4 cup of the artichokes.  Mix for about 5-10 seconds.
4. Add final 1/4 cup of artichokes and pulse quickly (I like some big chunks of artichoke left, so I barely mix it).
5. Done!
• If you want it cold, it's all done!  Serve with tortilla chips, veggies or crackers.  If you want it thicker, add last 1/2 of block of cream cheese.
• If you want it hot, place in an oven safe dish and top with Parmesan cheese.  Add to the hot grill and cook until bubbly.  In oven, bake about 10 minutes at 375.  Serve with pita chips, bread, veggies or chips! 

Next time you're heading to a party, make this your go-to dish to pass!

Now here's the fun part!  I have a Mitten Love giveaway for you!  Enter below to win a Summer Michigan Pactz box AND 3 full sized jars from Little Diablo Salsa!


Mitten Love Prize Pack!

Disclosure: I received products to create the recipe, but all opinions and recipe are my own.  If you would like to use this recipe, please link to the original post and use your own photography. 

Fudgy Healthified S'Mores Brownies + Hamilton Beach Giveaways!

Disclosure: I am a Hamilton Beach brand ambassador and I received free products for review.  All opinions and tasty recipes are my own!

In my house growing up, my Mom was the best cook.  We were a family who sat down every night for dinner together to catch up on what happened that day.   My favorites were her spaghetti sauce, fried chicken and chicken enchiladas. I definitely got my cooking bug from her.  (Thanks Mom!)

When it came to baking, that was my Dad's niche.  Especially chocolate chip cookies!  Also, for Christmas baking, my Dad typically takes over.  To this day, I use the same cookie recipe and my girls love to have cookies at Grandma & Grandpa's.

You all know I love to healthify recipes and last week I came up with one by accident.  It seems that happens quite often!  I was craving brownies while Ricky was at work and I realized I only had egg whites and I remembered reading that you could sub black beans instead of eggs + oil (thank you Pinterest!).  I went through the pantry and voila! This recipe came about.  Yes, they are still a "sometimes food" as we call it...but at least they are a tad bit healthier!

My Dad is supposed to watch his sugar intake and I think I could make these without him noticing the difference!

These brownies came out fudgy, gooey and perfect for any special occasion.  Or if you get home from work before a party and realize "crap, I need to bring something!".  You can whip these up in less than an hour and be the star of a party.  Or if you want to binge watch Orange is the New Black and not feel guilty... (Season 2 is SO good!).

I also have a new giveaway for you! Hamilton Beach send us two awesome mixers to try.  The first one is a stand mixer which we've made our favorite pizza dough  with and it turned out perfectly!  We also got a hand mixer with soft scrape blades which I can make whipped potatoes in my pot without worrying about scrapes!

So are you brave enough to try these black bean brownies?  Olivia said "Black bean brownies? Mama you're CRAZY!"...but she gobbled them up!

Here's what you need:

• 1 box of your favorite brownie mix (We used the Fudgy brownies from Aldi!)
• 1 can of reduced sodium black beans, pureed (NOT drained!)
• 2 cups of Vanilla Wafers OR 1 sleeve of graham crackers
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1.5 cups mini marshmallows

1. Pour entire can of black beans in a chopper/blender. DO NOT drain! Puree until smooth.  Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375. Crush up crackers by hand or in a chopper.  Add coconut oil and mix together.  Press on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Bake for 5-7 minutes, until slightly golden. 
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl (or stand mixer), mix up brownie mix with black bean puree.  Pour over cracker crust in 9x13 pan.
4. Bake for 20 minutes.  Top with marshmallows and bake an additional 8-10 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Let cool for at least 15 minutes.  

I found that these got better the next day!

Now here's for the fun part! Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win one of TWO Hamilton Beach mixers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Stonyfield Yogurt Pouches! {Giveaway!!} #StonyfieldYoGetter

This post was created in partnership with Stonyfield. All opinions are my own.

Liv spent a few days at Grandmas...she missed the boat on this photo op (and yogurt!)!

My kids fly through yogurt.  We basically have a whole shelf in the fridge dedicated to yogurt of all types: tubes, quarts, cups and now pouches!  When Gabby was a baby, they just started coming out with the cool pouches of baby food and I LOVED them! So convenient and mess free.  I was always bummed they never made yogurt for older kids that way.  UNTIL NOW!  Stonyfield has yogurt pouches in all of their kids varieties: YoBaby, YoToddler and YoKids.  All of them are organic and made with whole milk, perfect for your growing kiddos!

I find the pouches at Meijer, Family Fare and Target has 4 packs!  With coupons, they are the same price as any other variety.  We like to pack them for the car after school or the Y.  When it gets warmer, I will love to freeze these for a tasty treat at the beach or pool.  Even when we are home we hand them out for lunch because our kids make a MESS with their yogurt, this keeps the tables clean!

Would you like to try the pouches?  I have a giveaway for you!  One lucky winner will get 10 coupons for FREE yogurt!  Horray! 

Enter on the Rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


NOTE: I do monitor all entries...if you have failed to complete a certain step, I will remove that entry.  Once the winner is drawn, they have 48 hours to respond to the email so keep your eyes peeled!  If there is no response, another winner will be drawn.

Can't wait to try the new Stonyfield pouches?  Here's a printable coupon for you!

Easter is Coming! Try a Honeybaked Ham! {Giveaway} #HoneyBakedEaster

DISCLOSURE: I received a gift certificate for some tasty HoneyBaked Ham to create this post.  All opinions are my own!

Easter is almost here!  As much as I love to cook, sometimes it's nice to have an amazing meal made for you.  HoneyBaked Ham is a go-to for holidays in our family.   I love leftover ham sandwiches!

When I was little, I had a large golden retriever named Barney (NOT named after the purple dino...thankyouverymuch).  He loved to eat, especially things that weren't food.  One year he got into my birthday card and ate $20!  It seems I had to make an annual trip to the bank with pieces of money, just hoping that they would let me trade them in for a fresh $10 or $20.  (There is a certain amount of the bill that can be destroyed that makes it still valid)  Barney even ate a package of AA batteries and a good portion of my soccer ball.  Obviously, he wasn't the brightest dog on the block.

Every Christmas, my parents would host a holiday party for my Dad's work and it always included a nice, big HoneyBaked Ham. One year, while we were getting ready for the party, Barney somehow got into the back porch and ate the WHOLE $50 ham, leaving only the bone! I have no clue how he did it so quickly.  You can imagine what happened next...he wasn't feeling very well at all!

Needless to say, my Mom was NOT happy...especially after he threw up ALL OVER the carpet in the dining room.  He spent some quality time in the basement.  My Dad had to rush back to the HoneyBaked Ham store to buy the last ham just before they closed.

You would think that we would learn our lesson when it came to Barney eating everything in sight, but I guess not!  Barney is no longer with us, but Ricky got to meet him during his first trip home to Michigan with me for Thanksgiving.   Our family has quite a few funny Barney stories!

 

Last week, we headed over to the HoneyBaked Ham off of 28th Street to pick out our dinner.  They had quite a few specials, so I decided to get both ham and smoked turkey.  It was so nice to not even have to think about cooking dinner.  The smoked turkey is amazing for wraps!  I asked about reheating the ham and they suggested to keep it cold, as it dries out while heating it. 

While you are making your Easter plans, consider HoneyBaked Ham.  They have quite a few specials going on.  Also be sure to sign up for the VIP program for extra coupons!

• In-Store Specials:
• $54.99 Easter Ham & Turkey Combo – Pair a Turkey Breast (approx. 3 lbs.) with your choice of a Boneless Ham (approx. 3.5 lbs.) or Quarter Ham (approx. 4.5 lbs.)
• $22.99 Turkey Breast (with any Half or Whole Ham purchase)
• $24.99 Easter Brunch Bundle – Cinnamon Walnut Coffee Cake and Honey-Spice Bacon
• Heat & Share Sides: Two for $13.99, three for $19.99
• With Coupon: http://honeybakedfoods.com/pdfs/2014_HBH_BloggerOutreach_coupons.pdf

Want to win a $50 gift card? Enter through my Facebook page or on the Rafflecopter below!
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Recent Budget Mom posts + A giveaway!!

In October, I started my weekly Budget Mom post on the site Work It Mom.  I've been sharing recipes for a bake sale, tips on how to handle Black Friday and other random thoughts that go through my head.  If you happen to check out any of my posts, leave me a shout out!  (Please & thank you!)

Last week, I shared another #Smoovember recipe for a Pumpkin Spice Protein Smoothie and there is a giveaway on there for another Hamilton Beach blender, this time it's the single serve to-go version.  Perfect for a busy morning!

Also, I have TWO other giveaways ending soon to check out!  I want to spread some holiday cheer!

• $20 Bonefish Grill gift card
• Hamilton Beach Smoothie Start blender

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  We painted our basement (okay, Ricky & friends did while I was at work) and I'm exhausted!  Cannot wait for some turkey! 

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Bonefish Grill: Tales of Lobster Tuesday! {Giveaway!}

Our date nights are few and far between.  Even while we are on our dates, we tend to talk about the girls.  Parents, you know how it goes!

When we had the opportunity to check out Bonefish Grill's new Tuesday lobster menu, of course I jumped at the chance!  Back in the day, before the kids, we used to go to Bonefish when we were at my parent's condo in Hilton Head Island, SC. I love their bang bang shrimp and tasty seafood menu!

We happened to get there during Happy Hour (my favorite!) so we started off with $3 glasses of wine.  Can't beat that!  For our starter, I had to get my bang bang shrimp fix.  If you've never been there, it's a shrimp appetizer with this amazing spicy sauce. 

Once I started looking at the menu, I knew I wanted steak and lobster.  Why not, right?!  I ended up choosing the Steak topped with lobster thermidor.  Basically a 6 ounce steak topped with this amazing cream sauce with crab, sherry and lobster.  Worth EVERY calorie.  Instead of potatoes, I chose steamed veggies and spaghetti squash.  It was amazing, guys!

Ricky has been wanting to try a lobster roll for a while now, so he picked the lobster roll sliders.  The buttery buns were topped with the lobster filled chilled salad.  The picture doesn't do the sliders justice, they were SO tasty.

We ended with a dessert, which we NEVER do.  When we got the bill, it was UNDER $50.  Not bad for 2 glasses of wine, an app, 2 entrees and a dessert!  Better yet, a SEAFOOD meal!  We were so happy with our experience. 

Would you like to check out Bonefish's new menu?  Enter to win a $20 gift card towards a date night!  (Please make sure you have one in your area, by checking the locator).


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