Contest Corner Giveaway

Contest Corner is currently hosting a giveaway through Walt Disney Records.  She is giving away one copy of Disney Villains: Simply Sinister Songs.  We have an older Disney Cd of villain songs and just love them.  I would love to win this one and am doing this post to obtain an extra entry into her giveaway.  Giveaway ends Sept 12 @ 11:59 PM PST.  You may enter here : Contest Corner.  Please add to your entry that you heard about her giveaway through StuffSmart.  Thank you and Good Luck!

Disney Villains: Simply Sinister Songs track list:

1. Pink Elephants on Parade: Dumbo
2. Siamese Cat: Song Lady and the Tramp
3. Cruella De Vil: 101 Dalmatians
4. I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song): The Jungle Book
5. Every Little Piece: Pete’s Dragon

6. Poor Unfortunate Souls: The Little Mermaid

7. Gaston: Beauty and the Beast

8. Oogie Boogie’s Song: The Nightmare Before Christmas

9. You’re Only Second Rate (The Return of Jafar): Aladdin and the King of Thieves

10. Be Prepared: The Lion King

11. Snuff Out the Light (Yzma’s Song): The Emperor’s New Groove

12. Yodel-Adle-Eedle-Idle-Oo : Home on the Range

13. Friends on the Other Side: The Princess and the Frog

Elmer’s Virtual Bag It Forward

I received a virtual bag from Contest Corner and am very thankful to one of my favorite bloggers and tweeter's for letting me know about this exciting opportunity.

Elmer’s will donate up to $10,000 to Adopt-A-Classroom with your participation. Join now!

The Elmer’s Virtual Bag It Forward is charity blog meme, bloggers are able to raise $10 per blog post for Adopt-A-Classroom by writing a blog post or Facebook note and donating a virtual bag of school supplies . Elmer’s will donate $10 per each post written for Adopt-A-Classroom, up to $10,000. *From the official site where you can read more.

ELMER’S VIRTUAL BAG IT FORWARD RULES

 

• Copy and paste these rules into your blog post or Facebook note.
• Create a post giving a “virtual bag of school supplies” to other bloggers or write about your Back to School shopping trip at Walmart.
• Link back to the person who gave you a bag of school supplies.
• Let each person you are giving a virtual bag of school supplies know you have given them a bag.
• Leave your link in the Elmer’s Virtual Bag It Forward comment section. You can also find the official rules of this virtual #bagitforward program there.
• Elmer’s is donating $10 for each blog participating in the Virtual Bag It Forward Donation to Adopt-A-Classroom (up to total of $10,000 for blog posts written by September 10,2010).
• Please note that only one blog post per blog url will count towards the donation.

 Here is the photo you can use for your virtual bag or create your own!

 

The program ends 9/10/2010 at 11:59 pm EST.

I am sending my virtual bag of school supplies to Ann at Ann-Crabs.

10 Ways of Making Your Favorite Foods Healthier

When I saw the newest Twittermoms challenge I was a  little overwhelmed being a self proclaimed junk food junkie then read a little more to it and was glad I did.  I have more healthy tips than I thought making me wonder if I am going to tarnish my image by doing this post.  I guess I am a foodie in general!  I've been paying particular attention to making healthy food available since I became a mom and since several close family members have faced issues such as obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and even cancer.

1. Love macaroni and cheese?  We often add frozen peas to them to get a green veggie in and to make a favorite not so healthy food a bit healthier.  It also adds a little crunch!
2. Lasagna is a favorite food at our house.  We make it just a bit healthier by making it all veggie by using a vegetarian meat substitute and we usually sneak in a little spinach.
3. Chili is another favorite at our house and I always make it with a veggie product instead of meat.  You would be surprised once you get used to it how much your digestive system will thank you for it.
4. Remember I told you about my sweet tooth.  You may add spinach to brownies to sneak in a little extra veggies and to decrease your guilt.
5. Watch your beverages.  Many of us consume many calories via beverages.  Like lemonade?  You may add fresh lemon to ice water for a sugar free alternative.
6. I love smoothies!  There are several recipes all over the net to add spinach and other veggies to your fruit smoothies without changing the taste.  This is a great way to start your hurried day.
7. Making a casserole?  Veggies such as carrots may be shredded and added without affecting the taste.  Doing this can help you get enough veggies into your family's day.
8. Portion control.  Does this make food healthier?  Yes, we don't need super sized portions.  If you can go from 3portions of lasagna to 1 serving size then compliment with fruit and veggies, your body will thank you in the long run.
9. I like yogurt but sometimes the runny texture just isn't what I'm in the mood for.  I like to keep a box of grape nuts cereal on hand to mix in my yogurt.  This adds crunch and fiber making it a healthier sweet snack.
10. Consider the way you cook your food.  Baking or grilling fish and chicken is much healthier than frying and can be just as good by adding the right seasonings.  Just make sure you aren't adding seasonings filled with salt.  Many salt free alternatives are available.

I hope I've got you thinking about making your favorite foods healthier.  Little changes can make more of a difference over time than no changes at all so don't be afraid to try a little at a time.  You may find your family doesn't notice the differences or that they like the changes.

Eating on the run.  Try Heinz Weight Watchers SmartOnes.  They are located in the freezer section at your grocer and are delicious.  When I worked outside of the home this was often my quick go to item for lunch.  Coupon Offer and Savings: http://www.eatyourbest.com/coupon

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and WeightWatchers SmartOnes blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Ten Tips for a Cleaner, Greener Home

One priority in our home has been to make our home cleaner and greener and we are always looking for new ways to do so.  A Greener Home is one that uses practices that do not harm the environment but help sustain it.  Part of our motivation for making our home greener is that I have asthma and allergies so I try to avoid strong cleaners.  We also utilize a septic system so we only use products that we can use without disturbing the balance of a septic system.  Here are just a few ways that we keep our home cleaner and greener.

1. Use re-useable cloths for cleaning.  I have microfiber cloths for cleaning and dusting and they work well for dusting without any chemicals at all.  They also work beautifully on our wood floors.  When they are dirty I just throw them in the wash and can re-use them.
2. With two girls in our house with long hair we have the challenge of keeping our drains clear.   Baking soda sprinkled down the drain followed by vinegar does a good job of clearing drains without harming the environment.
3. Use natural lighting.  We open the windows and let the sun come in to help heat the house in the winter and to light the house naturally.  We have a skylight in one of our bathrooms that also works wonders keeping the toilet and tub clean.  Sunlight is a wonderful cleaner!
4. When Spring rolls around and the ants come marching in, I use vinegar to wipe down the point of entry.  After a couple of applications the problem is solved without harsh or poisonous chemicals.
5. When doing laundry I turn to detergents that are environmentally safe.  I also use 1cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle as a fabric softener.  Don't worry about the vinegar smell, just dry as usual and your clothes will smell clean and fresh.
6. Re-use!  We re-use several items in our household.  The item we re-use the most is coffee grounds.  They are great for our flower beds.  I just sprinkle them throughout our flowers and they love it!  This is a safe chemical free boost for your flowers.
7. Lavender is our friend around our house.  My dd especially likes the scent to help her sleep.  I love it since reading that lavender helps repel head lice!  That is a great function for homes with school aged children.
8. I recently purchased a handheld steam cleaner and absolutely love it for cleaning and sanitizing hard to clean surfaces.  It eliminates the need for chemicals to clean those grime monsters like your oven.
9. Hydrogen Peroxide isn't just for the medicine cabinet.  It has many uses including removing tough stains like blood from laundry.  You do have to be careful since it acts like bleach so make sure you do your research and dilute it properly.  You may use it to whiten whites in lieu of chlorine bleach and Hydrogen Peroxide breaks down without harming the helpful bacteria in septic systems.
10. I am not a cook nor do I claim to be so I have had more than my share of pots and pans with burnt or caked on food left on them.  Use Baking soda or a little borax and you can safely remove these little mistakes and leave your cookware looking as good as new without harsh chemicals.

I am always looking for new ways to make our home greener and would love to hear your suggestions so please feel free to comment.  I also make sure to follow blogs that post green options so that I can improve our Greener living practices.
Our family is also AVID recyclers.  If it can't be recycled do we really need it?  We try to limit household garbage to less than 3lbs a week.  Believe it or not, this is easier than you think.  Once you get in the swing of it recycling will become second nature and should leave you feeling good about yourself.  Don't forget to pass along green tips to your neighbors!  We need more Greener homes!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Mrs. Meyer’s blogging program, making me eligible to get a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here .

For more information on Mrs Meyer's visit: http://www.mrsmeyers.com.
Join Mrs. Meyer’s on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mrsmeyerscleanday