November 14, 2010
I generally cook all of my family's meals from scratch. I enjoy cooking and my husband prefers a home cooked meal. For the most part, he is pretty much against pre-packaged and frozen meals. There has, however, always been one exception. Any time I don't feel like cooking dinner, I know that I can grab a Michael Angelo's frozen lasagna and we'll all be happy. We've been eating Michael Angelo's frozen meals for years but, quite honestly, I had never paid incredibly close attention to how much better they are than others in the store. I mean, I knew they were the better choice and that they are so tasty but, I hadn't really ever looked into the company and how they value the food they make. Michael Angelo's food is free of artificial colors, flavors, fillers, chemical preservatives or additives. Michael says, "If you can't find it in Mom's kitchen, we won't use it in our food." I love that. Michael Angelo's mother, Sara Agnello, still oversees selection of ingredients, as well as development of products and recipes. Now that's a family business! We eat a lot of Italian food in our house and it's usually made by me from scratch. I love that we can eat a Michael Angelo's meal and still have that homecooked Italian dinner. 
From tomatoes to cheese, garlic and beyond, the ingredients in Michael Angelo's dinners are only the best. Cheese are imported and authentically crafted and come from the Italian regions where they originated. Mozzarella and Ricotta cheeses are prepared Old Italian style using real milk and all-natural ingredients. Premium meat and seafood are used and prepared in-house with no chemical additives. I absolutely love knowing that there are actually real ingredients in this real food. It's also important to note that Michael Angelo's meals are made-to-order, cooked from scratch every day and packaged and shipped within 36 hours. 
Though we've been eating Michael Angelo's Lasagna, Chicken Parmesan and Manicotti for years, there were several that we hadn't ever tried. Recently, we tried what is now my favorite meal from Michael Angelo's, Eggplant Parmesan. Absolutely scrumptious! The Baked Ziti & Meatballs is also fantastic and I'm now on a mission to find a grocery store near me that carries the Chicken Cacciatore and the Vegetable Lasagna. The Stuffed Tilapia is a new meal offered and sounds so yummy. There are so many different meals you can choose from. 
We're a health conscious family. My husband really tries to keep us all on track and I try my hardest to cook healthy dinners from scratch out of real ingredients every night. Let's face it though, some nights are just crazy. Sometimes mom doesn't feel like putting on the chef hat. Some nights it's just nice to let someone else take care of dinner. For a fraction of the price of us going out to dinner, I know that I can grab a Michael Angelo's frozen meal and feel good about feeding my family real food with great ingredients from a company that cares about what it makes. Buy it!You can get Michael Angelo's meals in grocery stores, warehouse clubs and natural food stores nationwide. Click HERE to find one near you.Win it!One reader is going to get hooked up with several coupons for free Michael Angelo's meals! US onlyends 11/24Mandatory to Enter: If you've eaten Michael Angelo's before, tell me your fave. If you haven't ever tried them, let me know which one you'd most like to try.Extra Entries: All extra entries are on the upper left sidebar. You may do any or all of them. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
Posted by Robin .. Posted In : Food
November 13, 2010
Posted by Robin .. Posted In : Clothing
November 13, 2010
Posted by Robin .. Posted In : Purses and Handbags
November 11, 2010
With a super active husband and two small children, my laundry pile seems to be never ending. Not only is the stack of laundry sky high, some of it can be pretty stinky. Let's face it, sweaty gym clothes, kids that play with dogs and roll around on the ground, potty training and all the messes add up to some definitely smelly laundry. I've tried a lot of different brands of laundry detergent. Some work better than others but, generally, my stinkiest clothes and bedding need extra washing. Clothes that have been through child potty "accidents" always need extra washing and, even then, extra isn't always enough.Recently, my laundry detergent got a little help with all the stinky clothes and I couldn't be happier.The new Febreeze Laundry Odor Eliminator works with your laundry detergent to eliminate odors in your laundry. It's easy to use; just add it to your laundry with your detergent. All of your laundry wil come out smelling fantastically fresh. 
I've been a Febreeze user for a long time. I love the stuff. I seriously go through a big spray bottle every couple of weeks. For me, being that I use Febreeze constantly around my home, it seems logical to use it to eliminate odors that my detergent doesn't get out of my clothes. There are so many times that my laundry carries extra odor from being around a lot of animals, my husband's hardcore workouts in the gym, Mexican food night at home or being around something being fried in grease and, of course, those accidents that sometimes happen when the kids don't quite make it to the bathroom. The stinkiest laundry that I've thrown at Febreeze Laundry Odor Eliminator since I got it has been:- A stack of jackets from last winter that got thrown in a pile in the garage and left all summer long. They were musty and one had been used as a cat bed for several months. - A sheet that had a run in with a child who had a slightly upset stomach.- The bathing suit that got left in a wet pile and thrown in a crumple on the porch- The clothes I wore while gardening last weekend- My children's play clothesFebreeze Laundry Odor Eliminator has thrown all of those things and more back at me smelling so fresh and wonderful that you'd think they'd never been used. I absolutely love this stuff and it's now a staple in my home alongside my other Febreeze products. Buy it!You can get Febreeze Laundry Odor Eliminator at places like Walmart and other grocery stores. Click HERE for coupons!Win it!Two readers are going to get hooked up with coupons for a free bottle of Febreeze Laundry Odor Eliminator!US onlyends 11/23Mandatory to Enter: Tell me the stinkiest laundry you have to put Febreeze to the test.Extra Entries: All extra entry possibilities are on the upper left sidebar. You may do any or all of them. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
Posted by Robin .. Posted In : Household
November 10, 2010
My cell phone and I live in the dark ages but, so many of my friends have the new cell phones with all the fun and fantastic applications on them. I also have quite a few friends who are adding apps to their phones specifically designed to keep their children entertained while running errands, sitting in waiting rooms or just waiting for dinner to be ready. My neighbor's sons play their apps on one of her old phones. As happy as I am stuck in the past with my old phone, I would love to have all the fun ways to distract my kids and keep them from being bored while we are out and about. Game apps for phones and other handheld electronics seem to be a sweeping trend right now and I can definitely see why.But, with so many game applications out there, how is a parent supposed to know which ones are good? How are we supposed to know which ones are truly age appropriate and which ones are super fun?
Luckily, a mom has thought of those questions and decided to answer them for everyone. A new site just launched by the owner of Oompa Toys is dedicated to providing parents with reviews of the growing number of Kids Apps. Lunch Box Reviews gives parents reviews for iPhone Apps, iPad Apps, iPod Touch Apps and Universal Apps for Kids. The reviews of the apps on Lunch Box Reviews are for parents, by parents. Do you have an opinion about an application? Tell Lunch Box that you want to review an app! Help other parents with your experiences. The reviews you find on the site come from the owner, reputable sources through the internet and parents just like you.
I love, and know that other parents will love, how easily you can navigate this site. Apps are categorized and easily sifted through with the handy search box. You can browse apps by age, category and platform. Don't see an app that you've been wondering about? Just suggest the app to Lunch Box Reviews so they can add it to their list. As much as I may resist, it seems that these kinds of applications and using them to entertain and educate children is really a wave of the future and a sign of our times. More and more parents are opting for iPad, iPod and iPhone apps that will keep their kids happy and quiet. The apps are inexpensive but, when you are buying applications that you don't know anything about, the wasted money on less than ideal apps will still add up. Let Lunch Box Reviews help you out and provide the info you need on the apps the kids want. 
Lunch Box Reviews wants to get the word out about the brand new site and make sure that parents know the resources are there. To celebrate the launch and spread the word, we're having a giveaway for a $25 gift card to Oompa Toys! Oompa is an amazing site with adorable items for kids. My son's backpack is from Oompa and it is absolutely awesome. You will find so many fantastic Christmas gifts for kids within Oompa Toys!Check it out!Head over to Lunch Box Reviews to browse the apps and see which ones you should be downloading!Don't forget to check out Oompa Toys and start your holiday shopping early!Win it!One reader will win a $25 gift card to Oompa Toys!US onlyends 11/22Mandatory to Enter: Let me know what you think of Lunch Box Reviews!Extra Entries: Please leave a separate comment for each entry.- Visit Oompa Toys and tell me something you love.- Follow Lunch Box Reviews on Twitter- Like Lunch Box Reviews on Facebook- Tweet this:For reviews of the best and worst kids apps, check out @lunchboxreviews! http://www.lunchboxreviews.com(You may tweet that twice per day and get one entry for each tweet)- Tweet this:Win a $25 gift card to Oompa Toys from @lolidots and @lunchboxreviews! http://lolidots.com/giveaways(You may tweet that twice per day and get one entry for each tweet)All other extra entries are on the upper left sidebar. You may do any or all of them.
Posted by Robin .. Posted In : Technology
November 9, 2010
My daughter wants a pony for Christmas. That's pretty normal for a little girl. This year, thanks to HearthSong, she'll come closer to that wish than I ever did as a child.For almost thirty years, HearthSong has been bringing parents and kids the best toys that nurture creativity, promote imagination and create lifelong fun memories while always maintaining the highest standards of quality for their products. HearthSong is nationally known and parents know they can count on the company to always provide toys that are designed specifically with children's development and enjoyment in mind. I'm always as wide eyed as a child when I browse the HearthSong site. There are just so many different and amazing toys there that I know will give my kids so much joy. This summer there were so many squeals of laughter floating from our backyard as my kids played with their Great Big Outdoor Playball from HearthSong. When we got the Rocking Seesaw there was no doubt in my mind on how wonderful the quality would be because it was from HearthSong. HearthSong certainly has way more than just outdoor toys but, for me, the affordable selection of amazing outdoor toys is what blows me away. Outdoor toys are not necessarily the most affordable things. The outdoor toys from HearthSong are not only affordable, they are incredibly unique. My kids would flip over toys like the Spiro Bouncer and Spinning Seesaw. 
This year, Santa may not be bringing a real live pony but, HearthSong will be bringing a Recycled Horse Tire Swing. I love the concept of this toy. First of all, it's made from a recycled tire. Totally eco-friendly! I like that this is something that will grow with my kids and be something they'll be able to use and play with for a great many years. Because it's from HearthSong, I know that the high quality will mean tons of play time from the swing. If you're looking for a Christmas gift for your kids this year and want to totally blow them away, I definitely recommend the Recycled Horse Tire Swing or any of the other awe-inspiring toys from HearthSong.
Aside from outdoor active toys, HearthSong offers a fantastic selection of Imaginative Play toys, games, puzzles, wooden toys, creative toys, magic sets, educational toys, dress up, dolls, puppets and so very much more. For me, HearthSong should be bookmarked as the number one choice in your online shopping for children. With a range of toys that covers kids of so many ages and with so many interests, plus the awesome prices and outlet center, HearthSong can really be one stop shopping when it comes to holiday shopping for kids. HearthSong absolutely makes my 2010 Holiday Gift Guide.Buy it!You can get the Tire Swing, the Rocking Seesaw and so many other amazing toys from the HearthSong online shopping site. You can also request a catalog there!Win it!One reader will win a $50 gift certificate to HearthSong to help with their holiday toy shopping!US onlyends 11/22Mandatory to Enter: Visit HearthSong and tell me something you love that was NOT already mentioned here.Extra Entries: Please leave a separate comment for each entry.- Like HearthSong on FacebookAll other extra entries are on the upper left sidebar. You may do any or all of them.
Posted by Robin .. Posted In : Toys
