MelaniePenelope

My Latest Addiction And Other Time-Sucks

I'm terribly embarrassed to be showing you that picture, but accountability may help. That's what my bed looks like right now. My friend C and I had a laundry challenge going on Sunday to see who could tackle our mountainous piles of clothes to fold and put away first. She totally won. I think she got all hers finished AND the rest of her house clean, while I... did not. At all. It's now, what?, three days later, and my bed still looks like that. But by this Sunday, by gummit, I plan on having a bed again. Totally. Promise. Pinky promise, as Sophia would say.

You see all that candy? (And that's not even all of it, but we gave a bunch away when we "BOO-ed" a couple of our neighbors last week, remember?) Anyway, you probably know that I'm an avid couponer and reader of the blog Hip2Save (Collin Morgan is totes my virtual BFF, you guys) (only she doesn't know it) (anyway!), so as usual, I've been getting tons of deals at the drugstores on candy for Halloween lately. I probably spent a total of three bucks on all of that at candy up there - if that!! 

We live in a neighborhood chock-full of kids now, so I have no earthly idea how much candy we'll need or how many kids we'll get on Thursday night. I've been stocking up big-time. But... I may have overplanned. That's a shit-ton of diabetic coma up there, y'all. What to do, what to do?

Welp, instead of laundry, I wasted spent Sunday making up 125 (Sophie counted) packets of candy to give out to all the little ghosts and goblins who'll come our way soon. I had tons and tons of scrapbooking paper, ribbons, and other doo-dads from years of crafting stocked up, wasting space, not being used, so it felt good to finally put it to good (?) use. Hopefully someone (besides me) will appreciate the time and effort I put into it, but... I kinda doubt it Whatever. Let's move on.

I received a free jar of JIF Hazelnut Chocolate Spread in the mail the other day. On its own, it doesn't beat Nutella - not by a long shot - but the jar came with some recipes for treats. I made these delicious cookies with it, and OH, MY WORD, they are OUT of this WORLD. Caps necessary, because they were that good. I'll definitely have to make them again. Or not. I don't want to chub up again, after all!

Rob brought me home a few pie pumpkins, at my behest, and the kids helped me scoop them out and carve them. I had planned on doing something like I saw in the October issue of Family Fun magazine, stacking the three of them on top and decorating them like my kiddos, but it didn't work out like that. Change of plans!

They looked pretty cool that first night. But... this being Miami and all, where it's still 80º+ during the day, they rotted by the next day. Dammit! The kids picked out big ol' pumpkins for their Jack-o-lanterns, too, and even though we kept them in the house and not carved, they still rotted, too! Rats.

On Sunday morning, the kids walked with me to the local drugstores to do my wheelin' and dealin'. They always stop and look out over the water on our walks there, and I thought it was a cool moment. So me being me, I snapped a shot of it.

I'm grateful for the IKEA shopping tote cart thingy that my friend Jenny From the Block gave me a while back. It's really coming in handy now while we're without a vehicle and still have shopping to do! At least, it was until a cat peed on it. I'm going to murderize those felines, by George. I will!

Not this cat. Tinkerbell's a good girl. I woke her up from a nap, here. She was startled. Hee.

And speaking of napping cats, does Muffin look comfortable to you? HA! Sophia and I died laughing at her over this pose... but you probably had to be there.

But maybe one of these two rascals. Lucky and Hunter are always canoodling in the bathroom sink together. Too funny. But naughty, they are!

Anyhoo. A fellow Hip2Saver turned me onto my latest latest addiction, Listia. CHECK IT OUT!

It's kind of like eBay, but more like freeBay, because you just give stuff away and in return, you get credits for things to get from other Listians. I'm SO loving it!! I still have a shit-ton of craft stuff I will probably never use, like all these buttons and brads here, so I'm giving them away to get credits for things we will use. I'm hoping to save them up for cool stuff like a new computer for Rob, or maybe a replacement DSLR for my camera that was stolen from our piece of shit house in Portsmouth last year. (I'm still bitter!)

If you're a yarny (or a thready), maybe you can snag some of my stuff on Listia. I'm giving away some pretty cool stuff and have lots more to list... but I'm at my limit for the mo'. So we'll see. If you sign up with my link, you'll get a bunch of free credits to use, too. Cool, right? So let me know if you do!

I'm even giving away this brandy-new pair of Gymboree shoes on Listia if you need size 12s for your little girl... ;) They don't fit Chloë already - so whatcha gonna do?

Anyway, enough about Listia. I love it. LOVE. IT.

(Sign up. Join me. You can't resistttttt....) Heh.

Well, that's about all for now. If I come up with something else of interest before this weekend's Sat9 and SunSteal memes, I'll be back. 

Oh wait, it's Hallowe'en tomorrow night. Of course I'll have more to show you. So come back, won'tcha?!

Fin.

Wordless Wednesday: Show Me The Money!

Foreign money from all of Rob's travels in the United States Navy

Link up here if you're Wordless today!

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: They Say It's Your Birthday Meme

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Link up here if you want to be just like me! ;)

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(I know you don't, who would?) Onward...

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1. As you get older, are you jazzed about your birthday?  
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Generally, I am excited to get older because I didn't think I'd live past 33, which is the age at which my mom suddenly died. I thought it would happen to me, too. So every birthday since then (I've had four, so far) is a gift. I love getting older!

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2. Do people usually remember your birthday? 

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Nope. You'd think with a date like 9.8.76, it would be simple to remember, but if it weren't for Facebook thrusting that information into peoples' faces annually, my father and sister would probably be the only ones to mention it. Okay, and Hubs. Plus it always fell at the first of the school year, so everyone was always more focused on that.

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3. An ex-co-worker used to begin 3 months before her birthday flat-out reminding us that it was coming up. It's amazing what no self-esteem does for you. Anyway, do you know anyone who pre-announces their birthday? 
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Yes, I do, and it's super-annoying and juvenile IMO. Unless you're, like, eight years old, you shouldn't consider your birthday the best "holiday" of the year.

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4. What was your best birthday? Why? 
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The year I turned 34, because I lived to see it.

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5. what was your worst birthday? why?  
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The year I turned eight, because it was the first one without my mom, and also because I was suffering from the burns all over my legs that I'd recently endured. It sucked. Did I ever tell that story here?

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6. Name your best birthday gift.  
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Easy: When I turned 25, my baby girl Chloë Raine was born (okay, one day prior). I love sharing my birthday with my first-born child!

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7. Name the best birthday gift you've gotten for someone else.  
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Every year, it's tradition for us to drive around and collect all the freebies from various stores and restaurants, and my kids just LOVE that. Especially Chloë; she doubles up because she usually gets all of mine, too. She gets a huge kick out of that!

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8. As I age, I value SLEEP as a priceless commodity. I didn't get any for my birthday, however. What do you want this year for your birthday?

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All I ever want is a clean %^&* house. I almost never get it... sigh. I figure I'd probably have to live alone again to have a clean house, though, so I'd rather have the mess and the wonderful family I do have.

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Fin.

Saturday 9: If It Makes You Happy

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Link up here if you're a 9'er like I am!

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Sheryl Crow is a breast cancer survivor and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please spread the word about early detection.

1) What's something that always makes you happy?
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Hearing my kiddos laugh heartily

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2) In the lyrics, Sheryl refers to a poncho. How do you usually protect yourself from the rain? Poncho? Umbrella? Raincoat? Hat?

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I usually use an umbrella. Or nothing. I love walking in the rain... but at Disney and other such places, we'll use ponchos.

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3) Early in her career, Sheryl made ends meet by singing commercial jingles, including one for McDonald's. When was the last time you visited The Golden Arches?

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I try not to eat there ever, because ew, but I'll admit I have gone there in the past six weeks or so for an egg white McMuffin. They're okay.

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4) Sheryl rode a horse into the ring of a Wyoming rodeo and then sang. Have you ever been to a rodeo?

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No, and I never will. Because ew.

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5) Sheryl lives outside of Nashville, which is known as Music City. What type of music do you listen to most often?

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I listen to Top 40 pop music most of the time. Because ew. (Okay okay, I'll stop that now!)

6) Crazy Sam is a massive Sheryl Crow fan and is sure that the only reason why she and Sheryl aren't best friends is that they haven't met. What famous person do you think could be your BFF?

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Probably someone goofy like Drew Barrymore

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7) Sheryl and cyclist Lance Armstrong were once engaged. Had they tied the knot, she would have become stepmother to his three children. Are you a step-parent, stepsibling or stepchild?

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I was a stepdaughter. I may have mentioned my Cinderella story once or twice here on the blahg. ;) I had an evil, horrid, wicked stepmother after Mom died, from when I was seven until I was 17 and graduated high school. Technically, I've had three of them, but only one as a youth.

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8) Sheryl has performed carols at the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington DC. Have you ever visited your nation's capital?

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Yes, when we lived in Virginia we went to D.C. at least once or twice a year. Ever American should go, IMNSHO.

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9) Do you consider yourself easy going or do you have a fiery temperament?

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I have red hair for a reason! ;) "Easy going" are the absolute last words anyone would use to describe me. I wish it weren't so, but alas...

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Fin.

Friday Fragments, Version 10.25.13

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Mrs. 4444, keeper of the fragments, would love for you to link up here with the rest of us!

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We finally got around to doing our Banana greenhouse project from DuneCraft, which we redeemed for in August or September from our Labels For Education account. (We homeschool, so our school can benefit from this wonderful program. Not so Boxtops For Education, boo...)

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It was a really cool project, because not only did it involve the science aspect of planting our li'l terrarium, but the instructions included lots of information about the history of bananas. We needed to do math to set things up properly, and everyone read a bit aloud from the paper, too, to make for a Language Arts inclusion. We learned a lot from just the planting, and there are still many more lessons to learn before we're finished. We enjoyed it so well, I would love to get more DuneCraft projects for us to do!

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My friend Saritah posted a recipe for a pumpkin roll on Facebook yesterday, and it looked really good, but I didn't keep the link. (Besides, sharing recipes on social media sites is usually wrong, so I did that on purpose.) I couldn't get it out of my head, though, so I finally did an Internet search for a similar recipe and found one that required ingredients I already had in the house.

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Oh, my gosh, y'all. This cake was so delicious, I woke up early this morning and ate the second half that we didn't finish last night all by myself. Which was quite piggy, I know, but damn! Everyone else lamented it so much that I have second one chilling in the icebox right this second. You've gotta try it!

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* * * * * * * *

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And finally, I am a big lover of my Crockpot when there's no time for dinner. Now, I can't claim not to have time lately, but I can promise you I often forget to stop doing school long enough to make dinner! I had Rob pull out a package of pork chops the other day, and last night, I threw it into the Crock after looking up yet another recipe.

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Since I don't eat most meat, and definitely not any four-legged creatures, I can't test many of my own dishes. Apparently, though, this recipe was a huge hit. In fact, Rob kept sneaking pork chops out of the fridge all day today - and Sophia asked for a second helping at dinner! (She's not a meat lover.) Thankfully, it was a ten-pack, and I'd doubled the recipe. 

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Around six or seven Thursday evening, tummies started rumbling, so I was grateful to have that part of dinner already done. I just warmed it back up in the oven and quickly fixed up a box of cornbread stuffing and some Green Giant green beans with almonds. Dinner was ready in seconds! This isn't an advertisement for anything; I'm just so glad it only took five minutes to pull together our dinner.

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Tomorrow, I'll have a chicken breast recipe in the Crockpot. I haven't chosen it yet; any suggestions?

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* * * * * * * *

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Welp, that's all I've got for today. Time to go serve up that second pumpkin roll! Okay, okay, it'll be good tomorrow, though. ;)

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Fin.

Aloha Friday: Boys Will Be Boys

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So last night, we were sitting around as a family when Sophia mentioned that she had always wanted to have a mud mask. (Apropos of what, I don't know; it was pretty random.)

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Since I'm a Jafra Consultant, and we have an incredible spa line, I told her that we could make it happen right then and there! She lit up - and so did her sister, Chloë. I had just gotten some nail goodies on super-dee-duper clearance at Aeropostale, so I asked them if they wanted pedicures, too. (Sophia still sucks her thumb, so I don't like to paint her fingernails.)

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Anyway, they hopped into the tub to soak for a while - and I decided to join them - before I applied the mud mask. Then, while that set, I had them sit on the couch so I could do their pedis.

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I was just finishing up Sophia's piggy-toes (ignore the blurps; I'm the kinda girl who makes a big nail polish mess and then cleans it up in the next shower or bath, so sue me!) when Jack decided we were having way too much girly fun.

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"Can I have a mud mask?" he sheepishly asked.

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"Sure! Do you want your toenails painted, too?" I responded.

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He did:

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Doesn't he look adorbs?

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Here are Chloë's day-glo green piggies, pre-clean-up. And as for Jack,

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He chose magnetic brown paint. (It really is magnetic!)

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So my question for you this week is:

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If you have - or had - a son, would you do this with him, too?

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Or do you find it "wrong?"

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As for me, I have no problems with gender role-bending. This mama has no problem letting her girls play with dirt and trucks and giving her son dolls to play with!

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Now, your turn!

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Fin.

Wordless Wednesday: BOO! #Halloween #Wordless

I'd heard about "BOO-ing" your neighbors in the past, but this year I was inspired to actually do it.

We've got tons of candy for Halloween from all the great deals I've been getting, and extra pumpkin baskets, too, so we decided to go for it.

We went over here to get the poem and "You've been BOO-ed" print-out, and the kids and I set up the baskets full of treats.

Of course, I had to take a picture of them going "BOO!" before we did the actual, you know, booing.

We picked a nearby neighbor to surprise and did a ding-dong-dash before sneaking away to the shadows for them to open the door and find their surprise.

They exclaimed about the pumpkin filled with treats, yelled, "THANK YOU!" and off we ran, giggling at the fun.

My kids were SO excited, we did it again right away to another neighbor.

Have you ever been "booed" this way? Have you ever "booed" someone else? Share the deets!

Link up here if you're (any degree of) Wordless today!

FIn.

Product Review: Calorease #MomsMeet

Recently, I was asked by Moms Meet to review Calorease, a weight management aid.

I'll be honest. I was both leery and skeptical at first. I didn't think it would work, and/or I might be living in the bathroom for the 10 days I was supposed to try it, so I put it in an out-of-the-way cabinet and left it there for a while.

Then I found myself unable to zip up my favorite jeans. Uh-oh!

I pulled out the Calorease and read it over, then decided to go ahead and take it. I lost four pounds in the first day and a half and was able to zip up my jeans the next day. I'm still taking it, and my weight loss is ongoing! Woot! (Although, I will say, I did live in the bathroom that first 24 hours. Be warned.)

From the manufacturer:

Calorease is one of the easiest ways to make your weight management program more effective. Unlike many other diet aids, it is completely stimulant-free and therefore heart-healthy. It has been shown to bind and eliminate up to 9 times its weight in dietary fat, reducing up to 500 calories a day from the fat in foods. It is naturally sourced, and has been researched in studies and clinical trials. As part of a reduced calorie diet—and with a regular exercise program—Calorease is the edge you need to help you meet your goals.

JUST THE FACTS:

• It’s easy to use Calorease. Simply take two tablets with a fat-containing meal three times a day. But stay consistent for the best results.

• If taken as recommended, results can be seen in about 2-3 weeks. Keep in mind that Calorease is not a license to overeat, nor is it a magic bullet for quick weight loss.

• There is no program or special diet involved with taking Calorease. A reasonable, balanced and nutritious fat-containing diet is recommended. Click here for sample meal plans.

• Calorease does not contain gluten, lactose, yeast, wheat, sugar, salt, egg, soy, dairy, artificial colors, sweeteners or preservatives. It is naturally sourced from grain and is suitable for vegans.

• A convenient blister pouch provides 1 serving (2 tablets) so it’s easy to take on the go. A 90-tablet pack of Calorease retails for $29.99.

DID YOU KNOW?

It’s understood that fiber can bind with dietary fat and prevent fat from being digested. But since most fibers bind fat at a 1:1 ratio, you would have to consume unrealistic amounts of ordinary fiber to gain any benefit—until now. The unique, patented fiber in Calorease (FBCx) binds up to 9 times its weight in dietary fat, reducing up to 15,000 calories per month from a normal diet.

LEARN MORE:

Click here to watch a video to see how Calorease works. Visit Calorease.com to learn more, and also connect with Calorease online at:

 www.facebook.com/calorease "Like" them!

 www.twitter.com/calorease "Follow" them!

 www.pinterest.com/calorease "Follow them!

 gplus.to/calorease You know what to do!

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Would you like to get 50% off your order? Click here and enter the code 4MOMS - you'll pay just $14.99 for a 90-tablet pack!

Let me know if you try it out, m'kay?

Full Disclosure: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC. or the manufacturer of the product.

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: Random Meme, Part The Third

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Link up here if ye be thievin' today!

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1) What room are you in?

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I maybe oughtta be in a padded cell... but I'm in the office-y section of our living room. Not as exciting but preferable.

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2) Can you solve a rubix cube?

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No way, man. I suck at those things. I used to peel off the stickers to make it work.

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3) Are you psychic in any way?

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Yes, I have ESPN. Actually, I often dream things - ordinary conversations and mundane situations - that later happen. So you tell me.

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4) What star sign are you?

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I'm a Virgo.

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5) What's your favorite color?

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Clear is my favorite color.

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6) What's your lucky number?

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I can remember being extremely young - like 3 or 4 - and deciding that 64 was "my" number. I love that, because it's a perfect square made up of more perfect squares. Yes, I minored in math while at college... 

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7) Do you have any chores that should be done now?

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Well, I was halfway through digging my way out of the laundry pile that has overtaken my bedroom, when I came across a vast quantity of it that some cat or another peed all over. I was SO pissed. I nearly neutered the three male kittens myself when I found that. Now everything needs to be re-washed. (And those cats no longer have unrestricted access to anything but my bathroom until they are fixed. Gah!)

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8) Did you have a cherished childhood teddy bear or other toy?

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Not from childhood, but when I was dating Hubs for that millisecond (we eloped two months after we met), I told him I needed a giant bear to sleep with when he wasn't with me. He gave me one when he proposed. That bear is looking haggard now, but I still sleep with it!

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9) What was the last thing you bought from a vending machine?

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Sadly, I've fallen off that wagon... shit's gonna kill me one day.

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10) What shoe size are you?

You'd think I'd been subjected to Chinese foot binding as a kid, like this poor woman, because my feet are a miniature size 5 US, though I take a 4 in bowling shoes! (and get that chick some lotion, eesh!)

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11) How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Hubs is SO lucky I'm not a regular woman: I don't collect shoes or purses at all. I probably have fewer than 10 pairs, although I mainly wear the same two over and over again.

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12) If you were prime minister/ruler of the world what laws would you make?

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Y'all know I would outlaw smoking and make recycling mandatory. I can't believe it's almost 2014 and neither has happened yet.

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13) If you were a super hero what powers would you have?

All I want to do is fly. Okay, and maybe be invisible. And be fearless. And... okay. That's good.

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14) and what would your hero name be?

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According to this, I'd be the Yellow Light. Hm. We'll have to work on that a bit.

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15) and what outfit would you wear?

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LOL! Except I can fly, so I'd have to have a cape.

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16) What was your last dream about?

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I had just read a review of the movie Gravity before my last nap, and the children were watching the Disney DVD Mars Rover during that nap... so I totes dreamed I flew to Mars and floated off into outer space.

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17) What would you do if you won the lottery?

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First, I wouldn't tell a soul except Hubs, because duh. Then I'd pay off all the bills and go travel the world for the rest of my life.

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18) Would you like to build/design your own house?

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Looks like it's already been done!

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19) Which form of public transport do you prefer?

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I don't. But if I had to pick, i'm pretty fond of the train and airplanes. Not the bus. Ick.

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21) Can you juggle?

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Boyfriends, tasks, stuff like that - sure. Actual juggling? I can barely throw one ball up in the air and catch it!

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Have a great week, you guys!

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Fin.

CLOSED: #Giveaway: Old El Paso Frozen Entrees For Two #MyBlogSpark

This giveaway is now CLOSED!

The winner, selected by the Random Number Generator, is #6:

Thomas M., who wrote, "I want to try the Chicken Quesadillas and I would get rice with the gift card."

Email me your address, Thomas! Congrats - and thanks to everyone who entered!

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I received this fun surprise in the mail today from MyBlogSpark: A cool chips-and-dip melamine plate, a coupon for a FREE package of Old El Paso Frozen Entrées For Two, and a $10 Visa gift card to round out our meal.

 

Stay tuned for deets on how you can win this SAME package for yourself! (USA entrants only, please.)

 

There are lots of fresh new flavors of Old El Paso Frozen Entrées For Two, including Chicken Quesadillas & Enchiladas, Steak Fajitas, Shredded Beef Burritos, and more! You can check them out here.

 

Hubs and I have been talking about letting our newly 12-year-old daughter, Chloë, "babysit" her younger brother and sister for short periods of time to see how things go, so this package provided the perfect opportunity to start: We hopped on the motorcycle and zipped around the corner to Publix to get our Old El Paso dinner fixin's, leaving her in charge. (We were gone all of 20 minutes, tops, and everything was fine. Relax, Grandma!) ;)

Since I don't eat beef, we settled on these Chicken Enchiladas, and also:

 

...these Chicken Quesadillas. All of the entrées at my Publix were priced at $7.99, which is what my coupon allowed, so that was serendipitous, huh?

Since we were having a Mexican night and were provided with the gift card, we picked up some yummy Tostitos chips and dips to go in our new platter, too. 

While the enchiladas and quesadillas were cooking, I served the chips in the platter with the salsa, queso, and some guacamole and sour cream. Jack could not wait to dive in! Can you believe my non-cheese lover ate the entire jar of queso?!

The Chicken Enchiladas were ready first. They looked okay, but I confess, they did not smell particularly wonderful to me. Rob went ahead and helped himself, while I held back temporarily.

Rob LOVES Mexican food, so he was the first to taste-test the new Old El Paso Frozen Entrées For Two Chicken Enchiladas. And? Well? Well....?!!

He liked it, he really liked it! I decided to go in for a bite, and... well, I didn't care for the Enchiladas so much. I think it was the smell of them that was off-putting, honestly, but I just had the one bite.

The quesadillas were ready next. Chloë, who also did not like the enchiladas, decided to go for this one.

She went in for the bite and... gave me thumbs-down on the quesadilla. Hmm. I let it cool a while longer (and let my tummy settle from all the chips on which we'd pigged out earlier) before trying it myself. And guess what? I LOVED IT! The Chicken Quesadillas were much better than I expected after eating the Chicken Enchiladas and being disappointed.

I'm interested in trying the Chicken Burritos and seeing what else Old El Paso comes out with for this line of frozen entrées, but at a $7.99 price point, I'll wait until a coupon comes out. (If you're a Publix shopper, make sure to download the $1.50 digital coupon for Old El Paso, too!)

Be sure and check out Old El Paso on Facebook here, too!

*~*~*~*~*~* GIVEAWAY TIME!!! *~*~*~*~*~*

If you're interested in winning your own Mexican Tile Chip & Dip platter, FREE Old El Paso Frozen Entrées For Two (up to $7.99) product coupon, and $10 Visa card, please leave a comment on this post telling me what entrée(s) you are most interested in trying and what you'd get with the gift card to round out your meal. (Remember, packages are not able to be sent outside the USA, sorry.)

That's it!

I'll pick a winner at random at midnight EST on Friday, October 25th, so get your comment in. One entry per person, please.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Information and the prize pack were provided to me by General Mills, through MyBlogSpark. All opinions expressed herein are, as always, my own.

Fin.

Be sure and enter this giveaway sponsored by Green Giant, too!

Saturday 9: Come To My Window

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Link up here if you're playing along this weekend!

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1) This song is about a woman passionate about love and willing to pursue it, no matter what "they" say. Are you fearless when it comes to public opinion? Or do you worry about what "they" think of you? 
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Lame, but I worry, and I hate that I do.
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2) Melissa's father was a high school teacher. Tell us about a teacher who had an impact on you.
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I've had lots of teachers who have made an impact on me, but I'll just tell about one. Mrs. Soprano was my 3rd grade math teacher. She found out I was a Christian Scientist, which is an odd thing to be when you're eight years old, and she told me that she was one, too. She let me confide in her whenever I needed to about religion-based issues I was having. I liked that a lot.
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3) Melissa won a Grammy for this song. If you won a major award, where would you display it?

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I don't know. It's such an odd thing for me to consider. All the awards of which I've been the recipient have been paper-based, and I keep them in a file folder in a drawer. So if I won, like, an actual statuette? That would be... epic. I'd probably carry it around with me wherever I went. You know, go to pay for my groceries and just casually put up on the counter while I did so... Hee.

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4) Which TV game show do you think you'd do better on -- The Price Is Right or Wheel of Fortune?

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Jeopardy! :P

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5) Are you neat and organized?

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Speaking of influential teachers, my 7th grade English teacher described people as fitting into these categories: You could be a box, or you could be a squiggle. Some people are squiggly boxes, and some can be boxy squiggles. I think of myself as the latter. You feel me?

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6) When was the last time you went more than a day without washing your hair?
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I got a new dry shampoo a week or three ago, and I tried it out. It's okay, but I would only use it in a pinch. I have to be clean.

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7) When you eat Chinese food, do you use chopsticks or a fork?

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We had Chinese food a couple of nights ago, and Hubs and I were both upset with me for forgetting to pick up some chopsticks...

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8) Are you a good cook?
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I mean, I'm no Martha Stewart, but I do okay.

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9) We're having a party in your honor! Would you prefer a costume party, a bowling party or a pool party?

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Normally, I'd pick the pool party, but I've never been to a costume party. It's on my sort-of Bucket List. Let's do that.

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Fun one this week!

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Fin.

CLOSED: Green Giant: Make A Giant Difference #MyBlogSpark #Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed.

The winner, chosen by Random Number Generator, is #2:

Jessie C., who said, "I like Valley Fresh Steamers cut green beans."

Congratulations, Jessie! Please send me your address for your prize pack. Thanks to all of you who entered!

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What does 100 calories get you?

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Less than you think. Unless you're talking about delicious Green Giant vegetables.

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MyBlogSpark recently provided me with a set of coupons to purchase some Green Giant boxed frozen vegetables. I actually bought three packages, but since one was broccoli with cheese and my girls are fiends for that stuff, I no longer have it to show you!

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We actually really like Brussels sprouts, and I adore green beans with almonds, so I'm looking forward to incorporating these into a meal soon.

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It'll be great, because I'm actively trying to take off a few pounds that seem to have found their way onto my scale and don't want to budge. If you're in the same boat, you can head over to Green Giant's Giant Difference page and find out how Green giant vegetables can fit into your diet and weight loss plans. There's even app to download from the App Store if you're app-crazy like I am.

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You don't have to cheat on your diet to enjoy a hot, delicious, heaping bowl of vegetables.

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Live the Giant Difference!

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Fin.

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Full Disclosure: The information and prize pack have been provided by Green Giant® through MyBlogSpark.

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P.S. Oops! I forgot to say MyBlogSpark & Green Giant also provided me with a cool water bottle, a nifty Health & Fitness Journal, and a rockin' gym bag, too. I think they're hinting I need to get off my lazy duff and do some exercise once in a while!?!

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Would you like to WIN this same pack for yourself? Leave me a comment below with your favorite variety of Green Giant frozen veggies, and I'll pick a comment at random to win on October 25th. Friday at midnight EST, so get those entries in, 'kay?

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☻

Be sure and enter this Old El Paso giveaway, too!

Friday Fragments, Version 10.17.13

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Link up with Mrs. 4444 if you're fragmented today!

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I haven't played along in aaaaages, maybe once since the beginning of Summer, so I hope this isn't too terribly long for y'all. I'll try to be concise (even though that's not really in my nature).

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I bought the kids' Christmas outfits on super-duper clearance from Gymboree, and they came yesterday. Too cute! I took them outside to get pictures today, and some neighbors oohed and ahhed and said they looked so pretty/cute. I won't share all of them here, or just yet anyway, but here's one funny outtake that was enjoyed on Facebook:

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A rare, genuine reaction from Jack! haha!

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Sophia's been having a bunch of breathing trouble lately, so we called 911 tonight to see if there was anything they could do for her. There wasn't, but it was suggested she might be allergic to her cats. If you have allergies, would you answer my Aloha Friday question here?

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I've had SO many blog-related freebies lately, I thought I'd give a rundown of a few of them real quick-like, for posterity's sake. There are some awesome perks to this blahgging gig!

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I just posted about my Werthers Baking Caramels Bash for MommyParties here, yesterday I think. Check it out!

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This International Delight Bzz Campaign from BzzAgent started this week, and I was chosen. I went out to Publix today and picked up these four varieties. I am just excited to find Sugar Free kinds (for me) as I was to get the Pumpkin Pie Spice and White Chocolate Raspberry choices for Rob! What's your favorite creamer flavor, if you're a coffee nut?

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Soon, in the mail, I'll be getting the Lancôme DreamTone for Fair Skin, to review for SheSpeaks. I can't wait, because I've got some uneven skin tone since living in the land of the sun...!

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This will be coming up on Ye Olde Fashioned Blahg soon, too! Are you interested in some amazing books for the kiddos in your life? Let me know!

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Smiley360 chose me to review Orajel Single Dose Cold Sore Treatment, which I'm super glad to be getting in the mail soon. My girls are forever complaining of "mouth booboos" and asking for something to take away the pain. This will help!

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House Party picked me as a Chatterbox to review new Gevalia Kaffe espresso drinks:

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I made this Mocha Latte with a heart for Rob, but I haven't tried that myself yet. He liked it, and I loved the Caramel Macchiato variety. So easy to make in the Keurig, and so delicious and authentic! Have you tried it yet?

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I'm supposed to be using Calorease for Moms Meet, too, but I just haven't been able to bring myself to try it yet. I'm hesitant because it's supposed to make you have to, um, GO, and I don't want to be stuck to my bathroom all day for ten days, you know? What would you do?

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I'm waiting on my kit from MyBlogSpark for Old El Paso Frozen Entrées, because hello, YUM! Rob especially loves Mexican foods, so I know he'll be happy to see this package in the mail. We loved our last MyBlogSpark kit from Old El Paso, so I'm sure this will be another delicious foray into blahg reviewing for me!

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I'm also doing a Green Giant frozen foods and a Raise-a-Giant campaign for MyBlogSpark, which reminds me, I better get on that!

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Smiley360 also chose me to review GoGo-Squeez Applesauce on the Go with the kids, which is fantastic because they're nutritious and the kids love them. The Apple Apple variety didn't last long, and I don't even remember anyone but My Little Pony-crazy Sophie eating the Apple Mango kind:

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And lastly, MomSelect opted to let me be a Chick-fil-A Mom, which is cool because hey, free food. My kids adore CFA, but I know some of you have issues with the company. Do you??

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I like to post Instagram photos when we make a yummy dinner - do you do that? I know I'm not the only one! Tonight's was homemade pizza, which I made with Bob's Red Mill gluten-free pizza dough mix, fresh mozzarella (the kinds that come in the gooey balls are better than the kind you get in the block to shred, if you ask me!), and sundried tomatoes. For Rob, I added green olives and pepperoni. I'm afraid the gluten-free did nothing for the kids' appetites; the two younger ones ended up eating oatmeal instead, and even Rob didn't finish his. Hey, I liked it, but maybe we won't try that again.

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I eat a ton of hummus and wasn't happy with the last store-bought batch I got, so I decided to go back to making my own. I used to make it all the time, but I burned up our hand mixer and don't have the strength to mash my chickpeas by hand. Now I have a Ninja food processor that I got from a friend, and that did the job in seconds, with minimal effort on my part. I mixed everything (tahini, garlic, olive oil and fresh-squeezed lemons) up with the chickpeas in my KitchenAid, and voilà! Deliciousness! I always let the flavors mingle for a day or two before I adjust the quantities too much, because it really changes after the first day.

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Well, that's it for me. You're probably relieved. I'll pop over and visit you now. Have a great weekend!

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Fin.

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Full Disclosure: Everything I mentioned I'm reviewing was provided to me for free by the companies listed, but as always, the opinions expressed herein are my own.

Aloha Friday: Pin Pricks, Anyone?

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Link up here if you've got questions for us this week!

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My question for you this week is:

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Are you allergic to anything? What?

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I'm asking because my youngest, Sophia, is having breathing issues again after we thought they'd been resolved after moving here to Miami. We called 911 tonight, since it was so bad. They couldn't do anything tl help her, but they did say it smelled like cats in here (ugh, how embarrassing) and suggested we get an air purifier for her. And they suggested she get an allergy test to rule that out, so we'll be doing that soon, too.

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As for me, I'm allergic to Percocet and Anceph, an antibiotic. My son Jack is allergic to morphine. I don't think Chloë has any allergies. Rob has no allergies, either, except poison ivy.

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So, your turn. What's your deal? ;)

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Fin.

Werther’s Original® Baking Bash MommyParty! #WerthersCaramel

I was SO excited to be chosen by MommyParties and Werther's Original for a Baking Bash featuring their new Baking Caramels recently. Imagine how thrilling it was to get this box in the mail, full of Werther's Original Baking Caramels to use at the bash, with plenty more to share with my guests. Woot!

My party was supposed to be this past Sunday, only... no one could make it. Big, huge bummer. I had planned baking, fun and games (and even cleaned up my house in preparation, which is momentous in iteself), but my invitees were unable to join me.

So yesterday (Tuesday), Team Odette had the Werther's Original Baking Bash all on our own. I have some Freecycle ladies coming today, and they have been forewarned that they WILL be taking home some caramels and caramel-baked goodness, so I'm still sharing, right?!

Come along, now, and see what this is all about. Here we go!

Of course, all of the recipes I baked up at our Bash started with the Werther's Original Baking Caramels. These rich and creamy Caramels are great for baking and making delicious caramel apples (hello, first thing you think of in Autumn, right?). Made with real butter and fresh cream, they are perfect for melting and incorporating into your favorite recipes. Did I mention they taste great all on their own, if you can't help but pop one - or, um, three - into your mouth during your unwrapping frenzy?

Of course, the first recipe I had to try was Caramel Apples. You know, Caramel (and Candy) apples are an October staple in this country, but I don't think I've ever made homemade ones for my family. So I was excited to make these for our continuing Halloween/Autumn parade of treats, and you know the kids were chomping at the bit to try them, too! The recipe, here, calls for scrubbing your apples with some dish soap and drying before starting to melt the caramel, so I did exactly that. Rob always teases me for not following recipes and going off on my own tangential trail - sometimes with great results, sometimes disastrously - but this time, I followed it to a 't.'

The recipe even called for melting the caramels in a 2-cup glass measuring cup and, voilà, I did that, too! The bag of Caramels itself brags about how easy to unwrap they are, and it's no lie. I had a 20-second timed unwrapping contest with my kids and video-taped the whole thing, but my iPhone ate the videos before I could save them to my camera.

(Okay, I deleted them by accident. iPhone is not at fault here. I lied.)

In the 20 seconds, Sophia managed to unwrap 4½ Caramels! Chloë came in second with three, and Jack did 2½. I coached, cajoled and coaxed them along in that time, and the videos were pretty funny, so I'm bummed not to have them to share with you! Just imagine me being hilarious and the kids being their usual amusing selves, and you're In Like Flynn.

By the way, the recipe, printed on the bag, also calls for adding a tbsp (or two, if ya want) of milk or heavy cream (your preference) to the caramels during the melting phase. Don't be a dummy like me and neglect to read that part. I made the recipe twice, and guess what? It works so much better when you follow the dang directions.

Because of my milk omission, and I think because of the shape and size of the 2-cup glass measuring cup, it was a little hard for me to coat my apples completely and thoroughly. I did use a spoon, as suggested, but when I later repeated the recipe in a regular FiestaWare cereal bowl, it worked much better. So, my vote is for shallow and wide, rather than tall and narrow, m'kay?

Sophia was the first taker on a Caramel Apple. She bit into it and deemed it delicious, BUT, full disclosure here, it was too hard to bite into the caramel. We had put them in the fridge to harden the caramel and, well, that worked at little too well. We're having issues with our refrigerator being too cold (or not cold enough, when we attempt to turn it down), so maybe that's the problem. When I put the formerly-chilled apples in the built-in microwave over the constantly-on oven after that, the caramel softened for later eaters to be able to eat it. For Sophie, though, we had to cut up the apple in order for it to be eaten. Still quite tasty, but not quite the same.

End Result: Delicious, Semi-Easy, and Repeatable!

Next up was Caramel Mocha Hot Chocolate. You can find the recipe here.

Now, this recipe should have been simple, but the recipe forgot to tell me when to add the majority of the chocolate to the saucepot (before adding caramels, by the way), and also, I completely messed it up. It was a comedy of errors:

First of all, there was that omission, and I called my MommyParties contact, Amy, for clarification. Second, it calls for instant coffee, and I had no instant. So like a dummy (and not for the first time in my life), I subbed coffee grounds. Ha! DUH! I forgot that it wouldn't dissolve. Rob solved that problem by running the milk/coffee/sugar combo through his French press after it boiled. Mah Hero! And finally, for whatever reason I can't quite explain, I made a cup of coffee with a K-cup in my Keurig and dumped the whole cup into my post-boiled mixture for more coffee flavor. Even though the recipe only called for 2 tsp of instant... so yeah. It was more Mocha, Less Chocolate, you know?

But that's okay, because Rob liked it so well, he drank two cups! Jack had a cup, too.The girls tried it, as did I, but we weren't big fans of the bitter chocolate I used for garnish. And it was too coffee-ish for the ladies. (Jack loves coffee; go figure.)

End Result: Pretty Good, Kind of Hard for ME, Possibly Repeatable.

Third on the list was this Caramel Apple Tart. The recipe is here. Oh, my word, y'all. THIS was delicious. Absolutely, completely, totally delicious. It was easy to make, rich and flavorful, and I just can't say enough about it. You have to make this one, you guys!

Chloë was first to try the Caramel Apple Tart. Sorta. I tasted the mixture after scooping it out of the skillet and just knew it would be a winner. What did Chlo think?

She loved it. She asked me to make it again. Soon. And I will. Because yum. Every one of us agreed with her, too.

End Result: Insanely Delicious, Easy, MUST Repeat!

I saw this recipe for Almond Drizzle Apples and knew I had to try it. My apples didn't turn out anywhere near as pretty as the ones in the recipe, and I had a dickens of a time splotting chocolate drizzle all over them, but the end result was superb. If I could have the sugar, I would absolutely have eaten an entire apple, but I had to refrain. More for the rest of Team Odette!

End Result: Delicious, Hard for ME, Probably Repeatable

Next on my agenda was this Candy Apple Cheesecake. I probably would sub a regular, 8" pie crust instead of a 9" one next time, but I wouldn't change any other thing. It was simple to make, and I followed the directions and chilled it thoroughly before serving much later in the evening.

By the time I served this at night, Chloë and I were the only ones left with any kind of appetite, so we dug in. Another "OMG" moment, like the tart. Y'all totes need to stock up on Werther's Baking Caramels and a bunch of apples, because you need to make these recipes. No joke!

End Result: Super Delicious, Very Easy, Must Repeat!

I love a good popcorn cluster, so I knew these Caramel Popcorn Clusters would be on my list. I can't eat much of it anymore, but the bottom line is, if you like this sort of snack, it's a must. So good; I wish I could eat more!

End Result: Delicious, Easy, Repeatable

Eating peanut brittle was on Chloë's Bucket List, so I had to make some of this Caramel Peanut Brittle when I saw the recipe online. It came together quickly and simply. My only suggestion to you would be that when you're spreading it out on a cookie sheet for hardening, spray a metal spoon with cooking spray and flatten it with that. Oh, and stick it in the freezer for five minutes for fast hardening before breaking. I did both of those things, and it worked well.

End Result: Crazy Delicious, Very Easy, Repeatable!

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The bottom line is, we had a fabulous time discovering all that can be done with these versatile Baking Caramels, and I still plan to make more recipes later this week, like this Caramel Apple Silk Pie, and this Caramel Spiced Bread, and these Caramel Sticky Buns (probably without the cherries, but we'll see). 

For MORE mouthwatering caramel recipes, baking tutorials, special offers, and even giveaways and sweepstakes, you'll want to join me and sign up here for an awesome Werther's Caramel Community. Let me know if you do - I'm there, too! The community is full of ideas, including amazing recipes submitted by readers and users like you and me, so check it out.

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I hope you've had a good time reading this post. You can go snag a coupon by joining here, so let me know if you try out any of these delicious Baking Caramels treats. I'd love to know how you fared compared to us!

Full Disclosure: I received free Werther's Original products in order to host the Werther's Original sponsored MommyParty. The opinions expressed here are, as always, completely my own.

Fin.

Sundays In My City - Autumn In Miami

 

Link up with Unknown Mami here if you want to show us around your town today!

It's been a fortnight since I showed any real pictures around here, so I'll take this opportunity to do just that. We're making the most of October in the Tropics by having fun Halloween-themed snacks and/or crafts every day or so. When last I mentioned it, I had made spidery devilled eggs for the first day of the month. Let's see what else I've been treating the kids with, shall we?

Another time, I made these mummy dogs for the kids' lunch. And please, don't be impressed; there are no original ideas here. I stole this off the Pillsbury site. (Mine were blind, because my kids had zero interest in mustard eyes. Blech!)

A few days into the month, we drove up to Dadeland Station in Kendall to go to Target. Wish we had one closer; ours is a half-hour away! I had two mobile coupons from Target for free watches, and I let the Littles pick one each. They were worth about $25 apiece, so it was a sweet deal. Y'all know how I love my coupons! Chloë didn't miss out, either - the coupons required a minimal purchase, so I let her pick out a couple pairs of earrings on clearance. She was happy, and I had several free Target gift cards from the Shopkick App, so the whole deal cost me nothing! Sweet!

After our shopping trip, we headed down the road to Dadeland Mall to get lunch. I've been chosen as a Chick-fil-A mom, so we indulged in some more goodies courtesy of that restaurant. The kids each got a nugget meal, and Rob and I shared some sandwiches. Well, I lie. We circled the Food Court first, where I filled up on teriyaki chicken samples from the various Asian-themed restaurants, and Oscar (my gastric bypass pouch) was done after that. So Rob had the sammies, while I sat back and rubbed my full belly!

Another time, we were at the Wal-mart down the road (figures we'd have that and not a Target, right?!), and Sophia spotted these fruits hanging on a tree near Penelope (formerly, our Honda Odyssey). I still haven't quite figured out what they are... my powers of species identification are limited when it comes to plants. Thankfully when I chose biology as a profession in my past life, Botany wasn't one of my preferences!

 

Can't remember where I saw these ghost bananas, but aren't they adorbs? The kids got a kick out of them, and I have to admit, I made myself a couple, too! Hey, chocolate and bananas were good enough for Elvis... Oh, wait. That was peanut butter. Whatevs.

These "Cuties" orange-pumpkins were super simple to make, but I thought they were terribly, well, cute! (I had one of those, too.)

Another idea, which I did not make up, were these ghost-in-the-graveyard pudding cups. So fun! So junky! Hey, they can't all be nutritious, but they have to be delicious, so they passed muster. I let the kids pig out and eat two apiece, too!

Now that we're having to walk everywhere [bye-bye, Penelope :'( ], Sophia and I decided to take a trolley trip to downtown Homestead to run a few important errands. I told her we'd wait 20 minutes before giving up, so she hung out on the railings (mostly right-side-up, like here) while we did. Nineteen minutes later, guess what finally showed up?

We've gotten a bunch of free Redbox rental codes lately, so I let the kids take a break from clearing out toys from their rooms (Christmas is coming, gotta make space!) to have a movie night. And yes, there are still way more toys to go... I don't know if we'll ever dig ourselves out of the girls' room. Sheesh!

Wrapping up, here's my view of Sophia from this morning, when we walked to Publix and Walgreens to do a little shopping. She loves to mix and match patterns! Does it drive you crazy? I think it's fun, and I don't care about the looks we get!

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go figure out what Halloween-themed treat I'm going to make for today!

See you around...

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: Randomness Meme

Link up here if you're playing along this weekend!

 

1. What was your first alcoholic drink? 

A shot of Goldschlager, when I was 17. I had many of them, with my older friends. I continued in college, up to a point, but I will probably never touch the stuff again! And now I can't stand the smell of cinnamon.

1. What was your first job? 
2. 
   
3. 
   

I was a cashier at Big M Market outside of Syracuse, NY, when I was in high school. I loved that job, and I loved my customers, and I loved cashiering. I still do. That's where I met the Goldschlager friends, incidentally.

1. What was your first car? 

 

A 1991 Ford Escort wagon. It looked a lot like that, only shinier and newer. It did not meet with a happy ending. (Thanks, Dad.)

1. What was your first mobile phone? 

I'm pretty sure it was a Nokia candy bar, but I'm not certain. When we moved back to the States from Guam in 2003, we decided to go cell-only, using no landline. We signed up with nTelos, which was okay, but T-Mobile was much better until we couldn't get service in our house. AT&T service is okay, but what a rip!

1. What is your first proper memory? 

 

 

I was three. My mom and sister were in the kitchen and living room, respectively, and I was running, shrieking with laughter, from them toward my bedroom, with my arms raised up over my head. I don't remember why I was so happy, but I was. I remember it as if I was watching myself from above, for some reason.

1. Who was your first teacher? 

 

Mrs. Rabinow was my first teacher. I always thought it looked like "rainbow," though. I loved her.

1. Which fictional character do you wish was real? 

 

I'm a chocolate fiend, so maybe Willy Wonka? That would be fun... I'd love to be Charlie!

 

1. Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane? 

 

I'm not entirely sure, since I've been flying forever, but it may have been to my grandparents' in New Jersey. I used to fly back and forth from Syracuse to Newark all. the. time.

1. Who is your first best friend? 

Her name is Lisa, and I love her to pieces and bits!

1. What was your first detention for? 
2. 
   
3. 
   

I don't think I ever got detention, but I was in ISS once, for a couple of days! So unlike me. Our chorus class, in junior high, was split into two sections, and the first section left 10 minutes earlier. I used to leave early, even though I was in the second section, so I could get to lunch sooner. I rarely ate breakfast by then, so I was starving. I even passed out in choir once! Anyway, I got caught, and they punished me with ISS.

1. What's your strongest sense? 
2. 
   
3. 
   

Probably my sense of touch. I get very sensitive when things (literally) rub me the wrong way. I don't know. Maybe smell...? Definitely not sight (I just found out I have glaucoma) or hearing (I'm so deaf)!

1. 
   
2. Who was your first kiss? 

 

Again, I was in junior high, and his name was Ken. My first real boyfriend. Those kisses... unforgettable! ;)

1. What was the first film you remember seeing at the cinema? 
2. 
   
3. 
   

The first movie I can remember seeing was E.T., at the drive-in theater. We went there a lot. I loved it - loved it!!

1. What's the largest amount of money you've ever won? 
2. 
   
3. 
   
4. 
   
5. I just won a $10 gift card to Dollar General, does that count? I never play the lottery...
6. What's the largest amount of money you've spent in one spree? 

Five grand, recently, but it was all on bills and debts. I'm not sure I've gone on a real shopping spree, ever, but maybe a couple hundred bucks in that case.

1. If you had a warning label, what would yours say? 
2. 
   
3. 
   

Maybe, "CAUTION: Not for the faint of heart"

1. 
   
2. Have you ever gotten sweet revenge on anyone?
3. 
   
4. 
   
5. What's that they say? "The best revenge is living well"? Well, I may not be living high on the horse, but I've got a happy family now, and so that's my version.
6.  
7.  Have you ever been to a live concert? 

Sure, I have. A bunch. Blue Man Group was awesome, so they came to mind first.

 

1. Have you ever been to see stand up comedy? 

Hubs and I share a love of Steven Wright, and we got to see him "in concert" way back when Jack was a babe, so maybe in 2004 or so, in Norfolk, VA. Hee-larious, even though not much of the material was new to us. 

1. Have you ever needed stitches?

 

 

With three C-sections, a hysterectomy, and gastric bypass under my belt (ha! pun not intended), I've needed more staples than stitches. I can't even remember a smaller cut where I've needed stitches. Some close calls, but not quite.

 

Welp, that's all folks! Have a great weekend. 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Hopelessly Devoted To You

Link up here if you're playing along this weekend!

Saturday 9: Hopelessly Devoted to You

Olivia Newton-John is a breast cancer survivor and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please spread the word about early detection.

1) This is a sad song about unrequited love. What's your favorite love song, and is it happy or sad?

This is actually one of my favorites! I sing it on occasion, just because I love it. Another favorite is Bonnie Raitt's rendition of "I Can't Make You Love Me," which is obviously not a happy song.

2) This song is from the Grease soundtrack. When that movie came out in 1978, the price of a postage stamp was just 15¢. When's the last time you visited the post office?

I have that soundtrack, actually. Grease is one of my favorite movies, I hafta say. Anyway... I was just at the PO a few days ago. I do a lot of selling on eBay, and I needed to drop off some packages.

3) Not many people know that Olivia's maternal grandfather, Max Born, won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1954. Share something about yourself that we might not have known before this morning.

When I was much younger (like, 20 years ago), I fancied the idea that I, too, would get a Nobel Prize in science before I turned 30. Ha! That will never happen, now... Do they have one in Mothering? Well, I probably wouldn't win that, either. But I try.

4) Olivia's father was an officer in MI5, the UK's secret service. Sam's most recent run-in with the authorities had less intrigue or glamor, as it included a policeman pointing out the stop sign she'd somehow missed. Tell us about your most recent encounter with law enforcement.

A kid was panhandling at the local 7-Eleven, and I turned him down, since I didn't have any change. He then proceeded to spit on my car. I asked an officer at the Wal-Mart down the road, right afterward, about it. I was livid! (He told me that if he had spit on ME, that would be one thing, but on my van? No big deal.) I wouldn't have actually done something about it, but I just wanted him to know this kid was out there doing this... heh.

5) Olivia is part owner of an exclusive, luxury retreat called Gaia. If you had a day of free access to a heated pool, golf course, tennis court, gym, and day spa, but could only use one, which one would you choose?

I would probably choose the day spa. I'm not big on them, but I've been saying a lot lately that I could use a massage. My shoulders are really tense.

6) Are you flirtatious?

I am, and it has gotten me into trouble more than once.

7) Do you more often wear silver, gold, or platinum?

I wear gold since I've been married, but I was more of a silver person before that. I wore tons of silver rings, including the odd thumb ring, and I miss those. I'm actually more of a copper person, though.

8) When you're on the phone, do you usually make the first move toward ending the call? Or do you find it hard to say goodbye?

I used to find it harder, but now I hate talking on the phone and avoid it as much as possible. When I'm finished, I'm finished!

9) Would you rather be smarter, richer, or more attractive than you are right now?

Right now, I would rather be richer. I almost never go for that option, but being dirt po' right now, it hurts. I'm cute and smart enough, anyway. Ha!

Fin.

Aloha Friday: You're Full Of Crap

So, I'm going to level with you folks: I crapped my pants today. Maybe twice, I'm not sure.

You see, ever since I had gastric bypass surgery over 5 years ago, I get an awful lot of "upset tummy" issues. And, sometimes... well... like they say in bypass orientation, "Never trust a fart."

{I've had a total of five abdominal surgeries, and musculature isn't what it used to be, so I often pee my pants, too. Hey, as long as we're getting into personal issues today, you know...? But I'll be seeing a urologist next month for that issue! ANYway...}

I was in Walgreens with Sophia, my 8-year-old, this morning, and it happened. I totally sharted. I didn't know what to do - I was wearing a skirt, and rushing to the bathroom would have accomplished nothing much - so I quickly finished my shopping trip and headed for home. Unfortunately, our car was removed from our possession the other night, so that required walking home.

It was not my most stellar moment.

This brings me to my question for you fine folks this week:

What would you have done, in this situation?

What did you think, I was going to ask if I'm the queen of TMI? We already knew that!!

Have a great week, y'all.

Fin.

Wordless Wednesday: Halloween Season

I've linked up over on 5 Minutes for Mom - Join in the fun if you're wordless today!

I promised the kids a little bit of Halloween fun all October long, so these devilled spider eggs are my first entry for the season. Fun!

(and yes, I know the leg count is wrong)

And, apropos of nothing, I made my first-ever pineapple upside-down cake. It was okay; I'm not a huge fan of cake anyway, so I'm not the best judge!

Fin.