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May
14

Multiple Sclerosis Walk 2012

michael in his stroller with his motrb

This is about as happy as this post will get and with that, you have been warned.  (There is an awesome thing that you MUST read about at the end plus a giveaway so feel free to skip over my walk story if you aren’t interested in MS.)  My Michael’s were all decked out in the color orange to show their support for Multiple Sclerosis and I love them for that!  I go all out: bra, panties, socks, shoes, scarf and shirt!  Mother Nature was a little hormonal the day of our walk because she decided to spit out this massive storm on our way to Frankenmuth.

Despite the storm my friends still showed up and they happen to be some of the best friends that a girl could ask for.  I love them with all of my heart and a support system is exactly what you need when you are dealing with a disease like Multiple Sclerosis.  I told them they better not ruin my street cred and tell people what it is like for me because there are few people who I will allow to see me in the state I was in during my walk.  It is beyond depressing and I would rather people know me as a raging WITCH than a helpless person.

Baby Michael was seriously the hit of the party!  Until the rain passed through we were all stuck in the pavilion like a can of sardines and some people were even walking in circles inside of it for a faux walk.  Michael was a beast and was just walking everywhere despite the crowds!  He even almost got a kiss from a little 13 month girl because he walked right up to her and she put her arms out for him!  It was beyond precious!  I am raising a P-I-M-P! :)

Baby Michael is a trooper but even troopers get hungry!  I get the bad Mom award because he walked right over to the Tim Horton’s table and tempted me with a doughnut, that I let him try.  The rain finally subsided so we fed Michael his bottle and decided to hit the pavement!  Insert a downwards spiral of suckiness.  Is that even a word?  Probably not but that is how the walk ended up.

We started out and I was pretty happy because I was walking OK for just getting over my relapse a few months ago.  Sure, I couldn’t turn around and talk to the people behind me without walking all cockeyed but I was walking pain free and that is a big deal since I am not on the neuro blocking medicines anymore.  Somewhere around .5 miles in, this is a guesstimate, I was needing to focus more on my walking.  My legs started to buckle at times and were becoming incredibly weak.

“You have got to be kidding me!”

One of my friends kept doing the reach to save motion because she thought I was going to fall so I knew that it was noticeable.  I am a 24 year old woman who can not freaking walk!  I look normal and you can not tell and I like to keep it that way.  I do not want to be treated different and I frankly do not want people to witness me at times like these.  I have a reputation to protect. :)

I started stopping along the walking path in hopes that when I started again my legs would cooperate.  I was pleading with them in my mind to just work long enough to get back to the pavilion!  Please, for the love of all things holy, just get me back to where we started.

If you want an idea of what it is like for me, or anyone else with a walking problem, do this exercise.  Take a step with your right foot and bend your knee a little more than normal so it causes a slight imbalance.  Then bring your left foot up to your right foot but the top of it drags on the ground instead of the bottom.  Think of it like the hinge holding your foot and ankle together has broke so it is floppy.  Doesn’t work very well does it?

I feel bad for Daddy Michael because there isn’t anything he can do to help even though he really wants to.  Sometimes I don’t think he understands that things he tries to do are the opposite of helpful because I am concentrating so hard on the task at hand and he ends up breaking my concentration.  The brain is a tricky organ!  According to Leann’s watch we had burned 400 calories but I can guarantee you that I burned way more because of the extra effort I was exerting to stay standing up right.

Michael knew that it was to be a quiet ride home.

I did not talk the whole way home.  I wanted to ball my eyes out from sheer frustration because I was now alone and able to get it out.  I thought I had been doing so good!  If there is one thing that you should take away from reading any story like this, it is to truly appreciate everything you ARE able to do.  Your life might suck at times  but I can promise you that there is someone out there who would love to trade lives with you.  I know there are people who would wish to have the problems I have because they have bigger fish to fry so I get it off of my chest and use my energy for awareness.  Awareness is the most powerful tool we have to deal with things that aren’t in our control.

I promised you something rad and I didn’t forget about it!  Rain + stroller + blankets = wet blankets.  Totally not the case for my walk because I was using a MotrB!  I probably don’t even have to say it but it was invented by a Mom.  Who else would come up with something as genius as this stroller blanket?!  The pictures I saw online do not do this product justice… not even slightly!  I was the coolest stroller Mom at the walk and people thought it was awesome, because it is.

There is a little ‘pouch’ that you slide your child’s legs into and pull it up to their waist.  The inside is a fleece and the outside is a waterproof material so it is very warm.  You then roll the top of the blanket down and use the Velcro ‘snaps’ to attach it to the belt of the stroller.  It was simple!

The MotrB isn’t bulky and stayed in place perfectly!  I was so thankful to have it during my walk so there was one less thing that I needed to worry about.

Seriously, this thing is amazing.  You need one… like yesterday.  Make sure you check out The MotrB Facebook page and their website!

This giveaway is sponsored by Mompact.com.  This is a product “invented by moms, for moms” and I received this product in order to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/05/14/multiple-sclerosis-walk-2012/

May
14

Did You Grill for Mother’s Day? #GrillingIsHappiness #CBias

bacon wrapped corn on the cob

I hope every single Mom out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day!  Mother’s Day is the most important day of the year and I challenge anyone to argue with me on that one!  I got to spend my Mother’s Day recreating some delicious recipes from my cooking idol, Sandra Lee.  Seriously, my dirty little secret is how much I adore her.  Michael says that I have fallen into the ‘housewife‘ stereotype because I DVR all of her shows and watch them when I get a free moment.  You can just assume that all I do all day is watch cooking shows, eat bon bons and drink wine.  :)

Michael and I simply live for yard work so we tidied up our patio by weeding the beds surrounding it.  He was such a doll because he knew I was preparing a killer spread and wanted it to look nice for our very first outside dinner and grill event.  Really… we have never grilled before so this is a big deal!

We love Sears and buy our large appliances from them so naturally we checked out their Simply Outdoors catalog when we decided to buy a grill.  In one year we have purchased our refrigerator, water softener and now a grill from Sears!  I love that you can buy online and pick it up for free at the store.  I love that you can shop through Ebates to earn cash back.  I love that there are always coupon codes and I love their Shop Your Way Rewards program!  Every $1 you spend you get 10 points… talk about a no brainer.

The catalog was pretty amazing because it broke everything down into layman’s terms.  It is so simple that you can click on the name and it will open that item up in a new window.  I like simple!

After looking through the catalog we checked out the local ad and that is what got us to stumble upon this steal of a deal grill!  It was $229 in the catalog, $170 online and $149.93 at our store!  We were able to use a $15/100 coupon code since we bought it online and picked it up in store.  SCORE!  All of their patio furniture, decor and grills are on sale so I would recommend setting your preferred store to see what rockin’ finds are at your store!  I do know that you can get $80 off Kenmore 4 burner gas grills and 20% off cushions and lawn furniture right now.

We did not take advantage of the free in store assembly, all throughout May, because we were on a time table when we picked up our grill.  I had no idea that Sears offers a layaway, free in-store assembly and free delivery on orders of $499.99+!

Isn’t she beautiful?!  I literally could not sleep because I was so excited to have our first grilling experience!  Grilling always seemed like it was so easy compared to cooking in the house and I wanted to be inducted into the cool kid club!

Part of the fun of buying your first house is getting to make it your own.  I fell in love with the green themed outdoor dishes that were at Sears so I decided to use that for my tablescape.  I picked up some table decorating tips from Sandra and she says to create depth by using one color and multiple shades of that color.  I think her mission in life is to make me a classy lady!  HA! :)

Michael had so much fun grilling!  He was secretly uber excited just like me because we love being outside!  He was the Grillmaster and did a marvelous job, with the help of some pretty awesome grill accessories!  Grilling is so stinkin’ easy!  I did not have to clean nearly as much as I would have making this meal in the house and if you know me, I do not clean for the life of me!!

I decided to make a menu full of Sandra’s recipes so I started with her BBQ Roasted Potatoes with Sour Cream Sauce.  SO GOOD!

I am not a sauce person but O-M-G was this like heaven on earth.  Michael and I just kept Mmmhmm-ing the whole meal in conjunction with the approving head bobs.

For my vegetable I went with her Bacon-Wrapped Cheesey Corn.  Bacon + cheese = LOVE!  I didn’t know what she meant by a cheese sauce mix so I just melted some shredded cheese and mixed it with the mayonnaise.  On a side note, the Kenmore grill accessory kit we bought came with corn cob holders!

For the main course I made her Garlic, Lemon and Herb Chicken.  She uses legs but I only buy chicken breasts and it still turned out fabulous.  This was just amazing and Michael went to town on it!  He tried some of the potato sauce on it and approved!

I made a variation of her Jazz Fest drink recipe because the recipe she uses was going to knock me on my rump and then some!  I tripled the juice and I still got buzzed off of half a glass!  Holy cow was it a sneak attack!  For fear of getting blitzed I made a Kool-Aid and sure enough, I made it green!  I had no idea that they made a clear Kool-Aid that is watermelon flavored.  I boiled 1 tablespoon of lime Jell-O to give it the green color.

Sandra even has a dessert recipe that you can make on the grill!  I made her Grilled S’mores Cakes and they were good enough where I ate 2!  What a simple concept that is low mess, easy and scrumptious!  This meal looks like a million bucks but I promise you that I prepped it in no time.  Low stress is the name of the game!

Just for all of you visual people here is a breakdown of everything I bought!  I am not joking that there was a killer sale because I got a 4 pack of plates for $1.99!  Please disregard my tongs and applecorer because those were I have to have these now items.  I will fill you in on those amazingly helpful gadgets in another post.  Things like this are another reason I love the Shop Your Way Rewards program!  Everything is emailed to you and everything is electronic so it is easy to find.  We are taking out points and buying a grill cover since that is one thing we forgot to pick up this shopping trip.

I know this was a total photo bomb post but this was a big deal in our household and you can see EVEN MORE photos in my Google+ album.  We are grillers now.  We have been shown the light of low maintenance cooking and clean up so there is no turning back.  You have been warned…

 Follow Sears:

“I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric”

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/05/14/did-you-grill-for-mothers-day-grillingishappiness-cbias/

May
12

Ocean Spray Cranberry Muffins #CBias #SocialFabric

ocean spray basket

Today was my Multiple Sclerosis walk and I totally felt like a schmuck for not getting shirts made 2 years in a row but I just did not have the time make the time to do it!  The next best thing to matching team shirts happens to be baked goods and I am pretty darn good at that!  I like to call myself the not so perfect Betty Crocker but since these goodies were for more than just my Husband I figured I should follow an actual recipe.  He is a garbage disposal so experimenting in my house is A-OK. ;)

I went to Ocean Spray’s site and found a couple of recipes since I wanted to use some of the jellied cranberry sauce I had in my cupboard.  I decided on the Red Ribbon Cranberry Coffeecake and Hearty Oatmeal Cranberry Muffins.  Yum!

The ingredients for the oatmeal muffins are simple but the recipe threw me off because it said baking mix.  What in the world is baking mix???  Thank goodness I have a family member who is a fabulous cook because she led me to the Bisquick and it worked!

I made a double batch because their recipe said it would only make 6 muffins.  Actually, a double batch made 18 muffins so a single batch would have made 9 muffins.  The part I was the most unsure of would have been the cranberry filling.  I had no idea how much to put in because I wasn’t sure how strong the muffin would be.  I played it safe and put a small layer in and I think it was perfect now that I have eaten them!  I am not a big fruit filling type of person but I can tell you that these are great and such a nice little surprise!

These muffins are heavy and my girlfriend, Leann, said they were dense and filling from the oatmeal.  That makes them a perfect breakfast muffin!  Oh so good!

The coffee cake ingredients were just as easy.  In fact, I was able to use 1 can of cranberry sauce for both of my recipes!  Talk about fancy on the cheap!  For some reason I associate fruit fillings with hard work but that is not the case at all.

This was a first time for me making a topping like this.  You take butter, sugar and flour and press it together with a fork.  Intimidating for a first timer!  I promise that it is easier than it sounds!  I took the topping and sprinkled it on top of my muffins before baking them.

If you read their recipe you will see that it is supposed to be a coffee cake and not muffins but I wanted muffins to take to my walk.  If you want muffins then you can cook them for 20 minutes instead of what they say in their instructions for the coffee cake.  These are delish!

Stay tuned for a recipe using these Craisins!  I am going to be making some cookies but I figured 3 desserts in 1 day was a little overkill, since it would ruin my girlish figure. ;)

Everyone that participated in my walk today ROCKED my socks off and really liked my Ocean Spray spread.  I really believe in team spirit to give people a reason to participate outside of just the cause.  Make it fun, make it yummy and make it memorable.  I picked out Ocean Spray singles in all different flavors so my whole team, Carpe Diem, was hydrated and full.  Mama Bear has to take care of her cubs!

If you want to see all of the products I found while shopping, you should check out my Google+ album!  Make sure to check out the Ocean Spray Facebook page because there are usually coupons for their juices on the web.  If you are a Twitter person check them out on their Twitter page!

“I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric”

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/05/12/ocean-spray-cranberry-muffins-cbias-socialfabric/

May
09

Star Wars Baby Shower Decoration #ExpressYourself

star wars centerpieces

My Sister is pregnant… YAY!  She wants a Star Wars theme for her shower and nursery… WAH?!!  The theme of a lot of my posts lately has been ‘challenge‘ so I am adding the #ExpressYourself challenge to my portfolio of wins.  Not only do I know zero-zilch-nadda about Star Wars but I live by a budget so I couldn’t just go out and buy Star Wars things.  Talk about breaking the bank if you do!  This is also a great time to whip out some of the hundreds of glass baby food jars I have in the closet.

Anyone out there an Elmer’s Painters Paint Marker fan?  I sure am because they are EASY!  I ran to Walmart and picked some up because they are now $1.97 for the singles.  I personally prefer the singles because I don’t get stuck with colors that I don’t need for the current project.  I do predict that I am going to own way too many buying them this way though!

I sure had a hard time finding anything at the store that would work for the Star Wars theme.  I got lucky and found these at the very end of my toy browsing expedition.  PERFECT!!!  I wanted to create something like a topiary so these were exactly what I was looking for.  How did I get that lucky?!

Then I was presented with the problem of which one to buy???  Umm… I know nothing about Star Wars so I will just stick with Darth Vader?  Then I saw the price and my heart sank.  Are Legos really that expensive?  Rethink having kids if you get sticker shocked at all.  It turns out this kit came with the little fighter ship and a Death Star so I felt a little better since I would get 6 instead of 3 for $30.  I also decided I am not getting her a gift because she is going to use these decorations for the nursery too.  Double whammy!

I picked up some wooden dowels in the craft section for .97 and painted them with my red paint marker.  I did 2 the full 12 inches, 2 at 9 inches and 2 at 6 inches.  I wanted them to be staggered when I put them all together.  I used a table saw to cut them at the different lengths.  I was really lucky because these are 3/16 dowels and the hole on Legos fit perfectly!

I painted my lids before drilling my hole and I would recommend that you do it the other way.  Drill first and then paint so you don’t have to do any touch ups like I did.  I thought about doing the whole lid red but I wanted the lids to be more interesting to look at so I went with a black trim.

I just used a 3/16 drill bit to get my hole in the middle of my baby food jar lid.  I just put the lid on the baby food jar and used that to hold the lid while I drilled.

I used Goo Gone to get the remaining stickiness off of my jars, I love this stuff.  My tip to you would be to wash your jars after using the Goo Gone or the paint will end up streaky on your jars.

I picked up some rocks from the craft section and used them to fill my jars.  I wanted them weighted and still to match my colors.  I think they were $3.28 for a 24 ounce bags of rocks.

Rubber cement is easy to use so I picked some up while I was at Walmart and used that to glue my little Darth Vaders to the lids!  It worked perfect!

Then I measured out 12 inches of red and black ribbon and tied it around my jar.  I had to trim the ribbon because 12 inches is too long but I didn’t want to end up with not enough ribbon.  I think the ribbon is a nice touch because it makes the whole evil Darth Vader thing a little softer and perhaps… more girly?

I really didn’t know how these were going to turn out to be completely honest with you.  When they were all done and I was looking at the picture, I was shocked.  My Sister was pleased and that is really all that matters but seriously… how cool are those?!

Follow Elmer’s:

“I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric”

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/05/09/star-wars-baby-shower-decoration-expressyourself/

May
08

8 Tips for Your Baby’s Cold

exergen mothers day giveaway

One of the most maddening things is having a sick child if they can’t talk yet.  You are then stuck with the process of elimination while your little one cries and/or is having trouble breathing. It is heart breaking to feel as helpless as you do the first time your baby gets sick.  I held Michael a lot when he got sick for the first time and I have absolutely no idea if that helped but it made me feel a little better.  Well that is, until he gave me his cold and then I gave it to Daddy Michael!

Sick Mommy  + Sick Baby = Not One Wink of Sleep

I am very lucky and Michael made it to 8 months old before getting a cold.  When he did finally get sick I felt TERRIBLE!  Let me just tell you how exhausting it is to have a sick baby.  Michael was up every single hour for multiple days, it was intense.  Here are some of the tips I picked up for a simple cold just in case you are a first time Mommy too.

  1. Make sure he isn’t running a fever, I love my Exergen TemporalScanner!  I just press it to his forehead and it is done in a matter of seconds!  If you are worried about accuracy I will let you know it reads the same as a thermometer you stick in their ear.  I promise, I have tested both types.
  2. Keep a lot of Boogie Wipes on hand!  These suckers are ah-mazing, promise!
  3. Use a humidifier in his room.  I always keep our Graco humidifier running and the setting is about 50% in his room.
  4. You can try raising/lowering one side of the crib mattress so it is on an angle.  I noticed Michael had a harder time sleeping while laying down flat.
  5. Ask your pediatrician if you can give your baby any medicine to help.  Most likely the answer is no.
  6. You can try some of the baby vapor bath products.
  7. You can try Baby Vicks on your baby’s feet.  I have read about a ton of success stories on the internet from other Moms
  8. Moms that I know have used saline drops successfully but I personally haven’t.  The saline breaks up the snot in their nose and you suck it out with a bulb.

 

Exergen TemporalScanner is running a great giveaway just in time for Mother’s Day!  Head over to their giveaway page and fill in your information and be sure to select what ‘Mom’ you are entering for.  There is zero shame in picking yourself!  Being a Mom is a tough job.

You can play their instant win game daily and that is as simple as pushing the button and hoping you land on 98.6 degrees!  I got 98.5 degrees. :(

If you are in the market for your own Exergen TermporalScanner I would download their $5 mail in rebate!  If you received yours as a gift you can download this $5 rebate form!

I received my own Exergen TemporalScanner in order to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/05/08/8-tips-for-your-babys-cold/

May
06

Make The Switch From Ice Cream to Healthy Cream #JennieOCFK #CBias

strawberry banana ice cream

It is time for another challenge and this time it is the #JennieOCFK challenge!  My mission is to ‘Make The Switch‘ and show you how much money you can save just by thinking a little outside the box.  I promise you are in for a treat and the pun was totally on purpose!  I am going to show you how I traded ice cream for something way cheaper and so healthy it will make your head spin! (You can find the full recipe to print at the bottom of the post.)

If you have followed my recipes lately you know that this Silk Fruit&Protein made a delicious strawberry cake, some adorable mini fruit pizzas and some creative Rice Krispies treats!  This time I am using it to add some additional flavor to my banana ice cream.  I used 2 ingredients and they were things I already had on hand so it cost NOTHING!  I want you to think about this for a minute.  You are actually saving money because you are going to use those bananas that you would end up tossing because no one likes eating a mushy banana.

I have a huge tip for you and your frozen bananas that I wish I would have known before this project.  The bananas are going to be freezing, freezer DUH, and they will be hard.  Freezing them with the peel on is going to make life a little harder when it comes time to make your ice cream.  Next time I will try freezing them without the peel and in an air tight container.  I ended up having to cut them with a knife while holding them with a towel.  Brr!

When they got to about this point I pushed the walls down and added 1/2 cup of the Silk Fruit&Protein.  I added another 1/2 after I blended some more to get the creamy consistency.  I just want to say that I love my food processor!

Look at that beautiful consistency!  Doesn’t it just look yummy?!  I used my spatula to scoop it all out, put it into a container and popped it back into the freezer to chill again. I wanted it to get colder but I also put it back in the freezer because I had to go change a poopy diaper. :)

Think about this: A container of ice cream usually retails for $3.99-$5.99 and you get 7 cups of ice cream.  Don’t forget about all of the sugar and the fact that you just blew your diet!  My recipe created 2 cups of ice cream out of 2 bananas and 1 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein!

That isn’t all guys!  With the money we are saving by making healthy switches we are donating food to Motherly Intercession for this month’s SIMPLE Service Project with Champions for Kids!  This is the fourth project I have worked with them on and I must say that they are a great group of people.  Champions for Kids‘ mission is to mobilize MILLIONS of people to improve the lives of children in their communities.  Flint has a lot of children who could use the help and I invite you to take a minute and think about how you are able to help, however big or small it might be.  The size of your donation does not matter to a child in need.

Motherly Intercession has many programs for children of incarcerated parents to hopefully break the cycle of inter generational incarceration.

  • 325 provides children, ages 3-5, with academic support to get them ready for the classroom.
  • B-FAD is a twice a month jail visitation program for children and their Mothers.
  • N-Touch teaches children about the laws and how their choices will impact their lives.
  • RACS is a bi-weekly program for children, ages 6-18, that offers tutoring services along with a healthy meal.

You can see my full shopping trip in my Google+ album!

Follow Everyone:

Make the Switch From Ice Cream to Healthy Cream #JennieOCFK #CBias

2 Cups

Make the Switch From Ice Cream to Healthy Cream #JennieOCFK #CBias

Ingredients

  • 2 Bananas
  • 1 Cup of Strawberry & Banana Silk Fruit&Protein

Instructions

  1. Peel your bananas and put in an air tight container. (optional)
  2. Freeze your bananas over night or longer.
  3. Remove the peel on the bananas if you haven’t already.
  4. Cut up your bananas and put them in your food processor.
  5. Blend you bananas until mixing starts to slow a little.
  6. Add 1/2 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein, push down the walls in your processor and continue to blend.
  7. When the bananas start to break up more add another 1/2 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein.
  8. Put your ice cream in a bowl and put in the freezer.
  9. Enjoy!

http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/05/06/make-the-switch-from-ice-cream-to-healthy-cream-jennieocfk-cbias/

“I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #JennieOCFK #CBias #SocialFabric”


Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/05/06/make-the-switch-from-ice-cream-to-healthy-cream-jennieocfk-cbias/

May
04

Don’t Let Postpartum Breasts Control You

post partum breasts

Ladies, I am hear to spill the beans on something you might find depressing.  After you have that beautiful bouncing bundle of joy you are going to be left with these deflated sacs of skin that you used to call breasts.  Think about that one before you go and get pregnant!  (I love my Son and wouldn’t trade him for the world but after all of my babies I am getting a new pair!)

I will be 25 in a few months so I was in my prime before my munchkin came around.  I was a huge anti-bra person if I had a shirt that wasn’t bra friendly.  You might have said I resembled a hippy at times.  I am going to stop you before you suggest a strapless bra because you and I both know that those are not comfortable.  You spend half of your night adjusting yourself and dancing… totally out of the picture.  You might as well just sit in the corner and look pretty.  Don’t even get me started on those girdles!  I couldn’t wait to get that thing off on my wedding day and that was completely unrelated to a ‘honeymoon night’.

When you are nursing your breasts look fabulous because they are firm and full of milk.  While nursing you smell like maple syrup because you never think you are producing enough milk. If you are producing enough milk and get engorged keep your fingers crossed you don’t end up with a plugged duct or an infection… OW!  Then there is the whole drying up portion of breastfeeding and your dirty little secret happens to be the cabbage leaves in your bra.  Don’t forget the pain of drying up!  Yes fellas, it isn’t just our vagina that goes through a traumatic experience… our whole body takes a beating.

There is a product that will help keep you from looking like your 90 year old Grandma in shirts that aren’t bra friendly.  It isn’t a pill, cream or even clear tape holding up your pitiful breasts.  The product is called Strap Tamers and they are used to conceal your bra straps!  So friends, I invite you to pull those super cute shirts out of the closet and brave the beast that is known as postpartum breasts with me!

You will go from drab to fab with this Mom invented product!  Thank heavens for Victoria’s Secret and all she does for women everywhere!  Make sure you check out the giveaway below because this week it includes: Accessory ConnectzStrap TamersBody Bark and On the Cuff.

This giveaway is sponsored by Mompact.com.  This is a product “invented by moms, for moms” and I received this product in order to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/05/04/dont-let-postpartum-breasts-control-you/

May
03

Backyard Oasis? #spacap

dead dandelion

Do you have that overwhelming feeling to fix your yard like right now, yesterday, how did it get this bad?  I do and so does Michael.  We are dying over here because our yard currently resembles an old man’s spotty back hair.  It is bald in some patches and the weeds are trying to take over what little good grass we have.  It is depressing but that is what you get when you buy a foreclosed home.

Our neighbors keep telling us it will take 3-4 years to get a nice looking lawn.  You have got to be kidding me?!  Michael is out there with his weed killer spraying his heart out every week.  What little work we did last Summer is now sprinkled with those wretched dandelions and that ground cover that just won’t die!  The vegetables I started in pots are dead and that taught me a very valuable lesson, Michigan is one of the most hormonal states to live in.  Mother Nature plays with my emotions because it goes from 80 to 50 degrees in a blink of an eye.

We have so many plans for our yard and we might even put in a hot tub because one of the coolest things is to sit in a hot tub in the middle of Winter!  If you haven’t tried it, I totally recommend it.  That brings a whole new group of items we would have to purchase, like custom spa covers.  That’s OK because I am creating a giant oasis in my backyard.  I am putting up a privacy fence to keep out pesky neighbors and to keep in that child that will not slow down for a minute.  We plan on pulling out 3-5 pine trees this Summer because they are dreadful looking… and half dead!

My Top 10 Yard Plans

  1. Transform the roadside flower bed to a raised bed.
  2. Transplant the tulips to the roadside flower bed.
  3. Decrease the size of the front flower bed.
  4. Split the daylilies and move them to the roadside flower bed.
  5. Put my vegetable garden on the side of the house.
  6. Pull out 3-5 trees from the backyard.
  7. Buy a bunch of plants to make the front of the house look pretty.
  8. Fix the grass in the front yard.
  9. Weed our patio garden beds.
  10. Enjoy our new front lawn????  :)

What yard tips do you have for me?

This is a sponsored post.  All opinions are 100% my own.

 

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/05/03/backyard-oasis-spacap/

May
02

Multiple Sclerosis Walk Shirts #homebusiness

2010 multiple sclerosis walk

When I used to work in an office my Multiple Sclerosis walk would pull in 30+ people each year for our team, Carpe Diem, and $3,000 or higher in fundraising.  I have always said I would prefer people to come out and walk with me than to just write me a check.  Don’t get me wrong, a check is nice but I like the support of actual people walking with me so both is ideal.  I like how putting everyone in matching shirts can really pull together a team and make everyone feel involved.

The above picture is from 2010 and one of the best walks we’ve ever had!  I made everyone a little goodie bag chock full of snacks, a drink, a lei and orange beads.  How fun right?  I also bought paint to put awareness ribbons on our faces!  We go all out in the color orange, even down to my orange shoes and socks.

I have a shirt from every walk to remember each walk I have done.  They are sort of like souvenirs and it just so happens that my main wardrobe is a t-shirt and yoga pants while I am at home.  Perks of working at home I guess!  I have been a huge procrastinator with getting our shirts made since the walk is coming up quickly for 5/12/12!!  Oh my, I am running out of time!  I am such a slacker!

Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to go through a company to get them made because it means I have to fit within their time frames.  I hate time frames and deadlines, unless they are work related.  Can’t one of my friends just have their own screen printing equipment in their garage or basement so I can get things last minute?

Would it really be too hard for one of my awesome friends to have the hook up for making shirts?  Everyone is looking to make promotional items so I am sure you could make a buck if you had your own equipment.  You know you want to!  :)

Do you have any tips for designing a team shirt?

This is a sponsored post.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/05/02/multiple-sclerosis-walk-shirts-homebusiness/

Apr
27

Make Popcorn Healthier for You #unjunkyourjunkfood

popcorn comparison

We all look at the nutritional labels while grocery shopping because that is how we have been trained.  Think about how often you look at the ingredients?  I am sure if you have your ankle biter pulling on your arms and putting everything in your cart it is easy to get distracted and want to leave quickly!  Grocery shopping solo… priceless!

Unjunk Your Junk Food was a huge eye opener for me because I typically shop by price and not by labels.  I conducted a challenge after reading this book on popcorn.  I like my popcorn to go easy on any butter and my Husband cakes it on like he is giving himself an IV full of buttery goodness.  Going to the movies with him makes me nauseous from the amount of butter that he likes.

We are a big Orville Redenbacher’s household so I had his and hers popcorn in the cupboard for my taste test!

I popped my Natural popcorn according to the box and melted down 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in the microwave.  It only took 30 seconds for the oil to melt down.  This was my first time using coconut oil so I had no idea how this experiment would work!  I love the Orville Redenbacher’s Natural line!  I tried it once and pretty much said OK I will pay for this popcorn, but I digress.

I drizzled my oil on the kernels and gave it a taste!  Hmmm.. I think this is going to be an acquired taste because you can tell it isn’t the artery clogging, death by butter flavor.  I gave it a couple more snacks and decided I could see myself eating this.  I still prefer the just plain old Simply Salted flavor but it wasn’t me who was judging this test, it was Michael.

Michael got home from the gym and ate his dinner like a good Husband.  We had tacos and taco seasoning has MSG in it, ACK! One step at a time guys!  There are homemade versions out there in the blogosphere that I will whip up next time.  He eats his dinner and puts the baby to bed and finally notices the bowl of popcorn on the counter.

Husband: What’s this?
Wife: Popcorn.
Husband: I can see that but what did you do to it?
Wife: I made it healthier than butter popcorn while trying to make you like it.

 

Crunch, crunch, crunch as the wheels are turning in his head.  I always find myself holding my breath waiting for the verdict.  Then he speaks and starts to nod his head.

 

Husband: Not bad.
Wife: Really?!
Husband: Really.  It wouldn’t be my first choice when I am craving buttery popcorn but it isn’t bad.
Wife: I am really surpised you didn’t hate it.

 

Crunch, crunch, crunch.

I HIGHLY recommend buying Unjunk Your Junk Food because it has so many tips in it.  I have multiple pages folded down and so many ideas that I want to try from this book.  It goes through every junk food you might want to eat and shows you the bad one and why it is bad.  Then it shows you the good one and why it is good.  It is full of useful information, I promise!

I received this book in order to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/27/make-popcorn-healthier-for-you-unjunkyourjunkfood/

Apr
25

Motherhood: 9 Month Update

ava the elephant

Another month has come and gone and I can’t believe I am within 3 months of surviving ONE WHOLE YEAR!  Yes, I said survived.  I might have some killer dark circles to match that Velcro bib stuck to the back of my shirt but I am still breathing.  Motherhood is hard but the things in life that are worth it are hard.  Motherhood is this really cool club where we walk around like zombies with puffs in our hair and don’t care.  What’s that?  You don’t want to join that club?  HA!

One of the hardest things for me from month 8 to month 9 was nap time.  Once Michael learned to walk with aids he became this unstoppable force of energy that would just keep generating energy until he collapsed and turned into a black hole.  Yes, I just related him to something that huge because nap time got THAT intense for a minute.

Tip: When your baby gets tired but is fighting the good fight bore him to sleep.  As you can see from the picture above being in his jumper is just boring enough to knock him out.  Once your baby calms down transfer him to his crib for a beautifully long nap!

Here is another example of nap time just to reinforce what you are in for if you are a first time Mom!  I was visiting Grandpa and Michael was a giant crabby patty but would not go to sleep!

Grandpa: Just put him in the crib and let him cry for 10 minutes.
Me: It won’t work.
Grandpa: Just try.
Me: Fine.

Guess what happened?  Guess who was right?  Not even 2 minutes later he was in Grandpa’s arms because he didn’t expect him to cry like that.  This gave me such a precious moment though! Grandpa and Michael snoozed and Grandpa managed to rock the chair the whole time they slept.  Grandpa has skills and it was priceless.

You know what I get a kick out of?  Watching Michael crawl towards the back of the tub to try and get the shampoo bottle but instead he slides back down to the other side of the tub.  You don’t have to tell me that I am a mean Mommy because I know I have my moments but I wanted to see how determined he was.  I think of it as baby Wipeout and I get to see it live! :)

Tip: Don’t wait until they grow out of their infant tub.  Move them into the big bath tub when they are able to sit up and move around.  Come back and tell me how much you love me once complete.

Yay! Solid foods! He was tearing up these little pieces of ham!  My parenting style is more Oh What the Heck when it comes to trying new things.  How in the world are you going to know something works if you don’t try it?  Ladies… RELAX!  Grandma is supposed to be the crazy worry wort because Lord knows she worries enough for 4 of you.  I was eating some ham one day so Michael got to try the ham.  I was eating meat sauce a different day so Michael got to try meat sauce.  He is a rock solid EATING MACHINE!

Tip: You are the best judge of what is right for your baby.  You are around him the most so don’t let people tell you not to do something, like waiting to start this or that.  Use recommendations as a GUIDELINE not the final verdict!

Most appointments for babies mean shots –>  Most of the time shots mean whiny babies –>  Whiny babies means Mom gets crabby

Michael gets a dose of medicine after his appointments that include shots.  This month he only got 1 and that was his final Hepatitis B shot so I thought he would be fine.  Nope, he was still a bit of a crab apple so I got out this cool Mom Invented product called Ava the Elephant and dosed him with some medicine.

Are there any Shark Tank junkies like me out there?  If so, you probably already know or own an Ava but Ava the Elephant was on Shark Tank for anyone not privy to this information.  Michael loves his Ava the Elephant and she keeps him focused while he gets his full dose of medicine. He needs something to play with or he gets bored and Ava’s ears are perfect!

Find Ava the Elephant on Facebook and make sure you check out their 2012 Model Search on their Facebook page.  If you want your own you should check it out on Amazon because it is under $10 with free s/h!

I am wrapping up our latest month with this funny video!  Have you guys seen the video of the girl getting mad are herself because she can’t sing the song right?  The above video is Michael’s response to her singing.  I was dying laughing inside and felt terrible because he has such a strong opinion about it.  I couldn’t resist getting this video though.  Future Baby Michael your Mother is sorry.  I love you but you crack me up.

Stats:

  • 26 pounds 5 ounces
  • 29 inches long
  • 19 inch head
  • Took 5 steps 3 days before his 9 month birthday

I received this product in order to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/25/motherhood-9-month-update/

Apr
23

Simple Steps to a Mini Bathroom Makeover

on the cuff

What happens when you find a house that is almost everything you have dreamed of AND the right price but is a ‘project house‘?  Of course there are different degrees of a project house but projects are projects.  You can have your honey-do-list house, your money-pit-house and your give-up-your-first-born-to-pay-for-all-of-the-repairs-house.  Ours just happened to be the latter and I want to show you something the made an enormous difference on the cheap, a mini bathroom makeover.

For reference we have a blue bathroom and pink bathroom and a yellow bathroom.  I know, totally retro.  This mini bathroom makeover took place in our yellow bathroom because it is the main bathroom that we use.

Please say Hi to our grody floor.  Let me tell you that this is AFTER I was on my hands and knees with all of my free toothbrushes scrubbing and scrubbing until I could have passed for ‘high as a kite‘ from the fumes.  What else is a crazy coupon person going to do with all of her free toothbrushes?!  Don’t flame me, I donate a ton of them too.  You can see that there are clearly gaps in the grout making the floor look dirty still.

It was driving me bonkers because I would sit on the toilet and just give the floor the stink eye to pass the time.  It was time to remedy this situation with a mini makeover until we can afford to knock it out and rip it all down to start fresh and pretty.  Money, why are you so hard to come by?

My amazingly awesome Husband humored me and jumped on board with my project.  AKA he did all of the work while I entertained the baby.  He ripped out this God awful shower door because I have been nagging him for a year.  In the process he broke 5 tiles and had to replace them.  Off to Lowe’s to see his lover he went!  I have gotten used to their love affair and I just deal with it.

Let me tell you who invented these glass sliding shower doors, A MAN!  How in the world can you bathe a baby when you get 2 feet to wiggle in?  Worst invention ever.

After the whole grout and tile process it was time to wipe down the excess and just clean the shower in general.  Everyone who has cleaned a shower has experienced the little sneak of the water drop that starts at your hand and ends up in your armpit! It tickles, it is cold and there isn’t a good way to stop it.  So this Mom invented something called On the Cuff and I made Michael try them out.

You know, he could be a hand model if he had better cuticles.  On the Cuff prevented any water drips down his arms and I left him to continue cleaning the bathroom after I made sure they worked.  They look bizarre and people might just look at you funny if you wear them but who will be laughing when you are still dry?

Did you know On the Cuff…

  • Is made of a unique stretch material that will not tear
  • Is comfortable to wear and easy to use
  • Can be used over and over
  • Is a “one size fits all” design, perfect for women, men and teens
  • Is MADE in AMERICA

Make sure you read the whole post because you can win a wonderful prize pack  at the end!  This week it includes: Accessory Connectz, Strap Tamers, Body Bark and On the Cuff.

In the end I am 110% pleased with our mini makeover.  I think the important part with a successful makeover is to pick one thing that would make you happy with the room and in my case it was the shower door.  We spent $44 total on some supplies and tiles.  We had to buy all of the tools for doing tile so those are just a one time cost.  I found an old shower curtain and matching picture in my basement to give this room some new life and Michael did the labor.  So find your focal point in your room and make it magnificent!

It isn’t perfect but it’s like the saying, ‘putting lipstick on a pig‘.  I am happy there aren’t anymore holes in the grout even if there are still cracks in the tiles.

This giveaway is sponsored by Mompact.com.  This is a product “invented by moms, for moms” and I received this product in order to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/23/simple-steps-to-a-mini-bathroom-makeover/

Apr
19

Mango & Peach Rice Krispies Treats #SilkFruit #CBias

final rice krispies treat

Let me just tell you that this recipe took 3 tries, 2 trips to the store from my Husband and plenty of grief because this was the last recipe I was making in my marathon day of recipe creations!  I love Rice Krispies and I swear I am on a mission to create every treat combination known to man.  They are just so stinkin’ easy and everyone like these buggers.

So my thought process was to add flavoring to the treat using my #SilkFruit challenge ingredient.  I picked the mango and peach flavor of Silk Fruit&Protein this time because it was the only flavor I hadn’t cooked with yet.  Since this was just a stage 1 experiment I stuck with the basic ingredients.  Next time I will chop up some mangoes and peaches to make the treats pretty and to add even more flavor.  I have mentioned I am cookie vain but I am also dessert vain unless it is just for my Husband.  He eats whatever I put in front of him. :)

Mango & Peach Rice Krispies Treats #SilkFruit #CBias

Mango & Peach Rice Krispies Treats #SilkFruit #CBias

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Silk Fruit&Protein mango peach
  • 10 oz of Marshmallows
  • 6 cups of Rice Krispies
  • 3 tbls Butter
  • Vanilla frosting

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter and mallows in a pan.
  2. Once melted mix in the cereal.
  3. After the cereal is all mixed in add 1/4 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein and mix.
  4. Spread into a pan and cool without covering it.
  5. Mix your vanilla frosting in with about 1/4 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein. Keep it about 25% Silk unless you want a stronger fruity flavor. This is going to be a personal preference.
  6. Cut your treats and frost.
  7. Enjoy!

http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/19/mango-peach-rice-krispies-treats-silkfruit-cbias/

I already mentioned that this took 3 tries to figure this recipe out so I had to take a comparison picture to show you what I am talking about.  The top treat is the first batch where I used 1 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein… epic fail.  The bottom left is round 2 where I used 1/2 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein… not epic but still a fail.  The bottom right corner is only using 1/4 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein.  My tip for mixing everything together is add the Silk Fruit&Protein AFTER you have mixed in your cereal!

So this version of the recipe is not going to make you die hard Rice Krispies fans happy so I feel I must put a disclaimer here.  They are going to have more of a gooey texture.  If you are a texture person, like me, I would not try these out.  If you are just looking for some delicious sugar treats, like my Husband, please proceed.

Per the request of Michael I put some frosting on these treats.  To him frosting is like the go to dessert item and he actually used to get up in the middle of the night to eat it!  So I mixed some of the Silk Fruit&Protein into the frosting.  It is much easier to do this with room temperature frosting so keep that in mind.  It doesn’t take a lot of the mango peach flavor to mix with the frosting.  I probably did a 75% frosting mixture.

Michael just kept eating and eating theses treats until he finally got mad at me and said no more.  He got mad at me for him eating all of the treats!?  Silly man.

(For all of you photographers please disregard the terrible picture above.  I was exhausted and got lazy because my kitchen was wrecked!)

Now for all of you people like me I do have something for you.  I made the treats like you would normally without anything added into the pot.  I mixed 2/3 cup of frosting with 1/3 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein in a bowl.  This is going to make a very runny consistency that is perfect for a yummy drizzle!  This is such a good way to add flavor because it is way easy!

I just put some in a spoon and drizzled about a teaspoon on the treats and I am very pleased.  This way it gives me the texture I am looking for when I eat Rice Krispie treats and the flavor I was going for with the Silk Fruit&Protein.  I would have to say this is a win for all of you treat scientists out there!  PS: This was batch number 4, in case anyone is keeping track. :)

If you want another delicious #SilkFruit recipe I would check out my strawberry cake post or my mini fruit pizzas post! Make sure you check out my full shopping trip and even more pictures of the cooking process in my Google+ album.

Follow Silk:

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric All opinions are 100% my own.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/19/mango-peach-rice-krispies-treats-silkfruit-cbias/

Apr
18

Donating to Weiss Advocacy Center #OdwallaCFK #CBias

odwalla basketball

This picture pretty much sums up my thoughts on my current #OdwallaCFK donation project.  When you are a kid you live for playing outside in the Summer.  I remember spending hours upon hours outside and the only rule was that we had to be home when the street lights came on.  Some of my favorites included kick the can, bike rides, soccer in the empty side yard and even some 2 on 2 basketball in the driveway.  It wasn’t until I got in high school that I felt the need to lay on the couch all day and talk on the phone. (Warning: This is a bit of a photo bomb post and I even scaled it back.)

Michael kept helping me with the donation by taking everything out of bags and spreading it all over the room.  I guess he was just proud to be donating everything to the kids.  He is just full of all sorts of help. :)

I scheduled an appointment with Jamie to drop off my donation to the Weiss Advocacy Center.  Everything is by appointments for the safety of the children during their interviews.

Our visit was very close to Michael’s nap time so he took the opportunity to snooze a little bit.  I was surprised that he woke up and was still happy when we got there because I typically I stand by the saying ‘don’t wake a sleeping baby‘.  I am glad I brought him because the staff got their baby fix!  He played with them and was about to walk for everyone except the excitement gave him stage fright.  It was so cute.

Isn’t their building just beautiful?!  It is so refreshing to find a gem of a house in the middle of Flint, Michigan!  I instantly fell in love and I can see how comforting it would be to the children who have to come here for their interviews.  Jamie walked me through the whole building and explained in more detail what they do.  I was so impressed with everything that they do and it made me feel like I was at home while I was there.  Just a lot cleaner than my house.

There is a room for the kids to get comfortable once they arrive and it is filled with books, toys and a TV.  This room has a door on it so that the kids can’t see all of the adults coming and going, like police officers.  Michael went to town in here because it was all new to him.  TOYS!  They make drinks and snacks available to the children to help them feel more at home as well.  I was so impressed with all of the things they have to make the process easier.

There is an interview room where the children can color while they are going through the questions.  These rooms are wired and video taped so in another room the law enforcement and doctors can observe the interview without intimidating the children.  This step is beneficial because it prevents the children from having to repeat themselves over and over again.  Jamie mentioned that if they didn’t do the video a child could have to go through multiple times and this allows them to say it here and on the stand, if necessary.

One of the goals of Weiss Advocacy Center is to have an in house medical room.  Sometimes medical exams are needed, think gynecological exams, on the children and it would be easier to do it in a place that feels like home.  I made a comment that I thought Law & Order SVU was just a TV show!  No, I am not naive but being somewhere and knowing what has to go on for the children to end up here is disgusting.  Just heart wrenching.

Here are the ladies, minus 1, that were there to play with Michael and talk to me about  their organization.  They have a staff of 4.5, as Jamie put it, and everyone else is a volunteer.  I am so happy to have discovered this group and I hope all of you here in Flint take a moment and consider them for any donations you have.  They really could use personal hygiene items because those often get left behind when they are moving from foster home to foster home.  I know you coupon users out there get those things for free so get up off of your stockpile and give it to someone who really needs it.

I know I have been raving about how nice their facility is but they have every child’s dream room!  It is a room that is Christmas ALL YEAR ROUND!  I just had to take a picture in this room because you walk into it and you are instantly taken back to childhood.

There is a good reason that it is set up in a Christmas theme all year.  I am sure you are familiar with Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore (1779 – 1863)?  Well that is his fireplace.  They even have a big Christmas event with Santa that is open to the public each year.  That is exciting because they are only 10 minutes from my house compared to the 40 minutes to Bass Pro Shop. :)

Make sure to check out my Google+ album to see all there is to pick from if you are doing a SIMPLE Service Project of your own!

Follow Champions for Kids:

 I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric All opinions are 100% my own.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/18/donating-to-weiss-advocacy-center-odwallacfk-cbias/

Apr
18

Mini Fruit Pizzas #SilkFruit #CBias

frost your pizzas

I had another inspiration during my #SilkFruit recipe challenge and this time I wanted to make fruit pizza.  During my research I read that a lot of people recommended to use cookies or cut your crust prior to topping the crust for a better presentation.  Some people used a pre-made cookie dough and some people made their own sugar cookies.  To save time on my big experiment baking day I used store bought cookie dough.

The ingredients are simple and there are great store bought ways to speed the process up, like the dough and frozen fruit.

Mini Fruit Pizzas #SilkFruit #CBias

Mini Fruit Pizzas #SilkFruit #CBias

Ingredients

  • 1 c of Silk Fruit&Protein Mixed Berry
  • Tub of Cool Whip
  • 8oz Cream Cheese
  • Sugar Cookies
  • Mixed berries

Instructions

  1. Bake your sugar cookies according to the recipe/package.
  2. Mix 1 cup of Silk with the cream cheese and Cool Whip.
  3. Chill the frosting mixture.
  4. Frost the cookies.
  5. Top with berries.
  6. Enjoy!

http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/18/mini-fruit-pizzas-silkfruit-cbias/

I baked my first batch just in the little squares that the pre-made dough comes in and they came out a little ugly.  To make a prettier cookie I pressed them out a little bit with a glass.  (I am cookie vain) You can wet the bottom of the glass to help with sticking.  Just skip this step if you don’t care because you are frosting them anyways.

While my cookies baked I mixed 1 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein with my cream cheese and Cool Whip.  After I mixed it I transferred it to a bowl and put it in the fridge so it would chill before frosting the cookies.  I think the Silk added a great extra flavor to the pizzas.  Think of it like a ‘secret ingredient’!

I highly recommend straining your fruit to get the juice out as much as possible.  You can see in my picture I just placed it on top of the bowl while I frosted my pizzas.

Another recommendation would be to use a small amount of frosting instead of using a glop.  It is easier to work with and you won’t end up with a messy cookie.  It is all about presentation right?! :)

If you want another delicious #SilkFruit recipe I would check out my strawberry cake post! Make sure you check out my full shopping trip and even more pictures of the cooking process in my Google+ album.

Follow Silk:

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric All opinions are 100% my own.

 

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/18/mini-fruit-pizzas-silkfruit-cbias/

Apr
16

Healthier Strawberry Cake #SilkFruit #CBias

silk cake ingredients

Healthier strawberry cake sounds like an oxymoron right?  There are ways to bump up the health value of a cake and still enjoy your cake. (Have your cake and eat it too?)  Sorry, it is still early and my Husband is full of things like that. :)

We have a lot of diabetics in our family so when I was presented with a #SilkFruit recipe challenge.  I immediately thought about the cake recipe we use for them because it removes some of the sugar so everyone can enjoy.  The ingredient this time was Silk Fruit&Protein, challenge acceptedPlease note that this is not a recipe for people like Michael.  He likes the heavy frosting and full of sugar cakes.  This is a light cake and is great if you want to indulge without feeling too terrible guilty.  I promise it tastes great though!

Here are my ingredients for the cake recipe.  I am sure there are homemade recipes for a cake batter that you could modify even more for less sugar but for time’s sake I just used some handy dandy Duncan Hines.  I might be getting more ambitious in the kitchen but I am not to homemade cake batter just yet.

Healthier Strawberry Cake #SilkFruit #CBias

Healthier Strawberry Cake #SilkFruit #CBias

Ingredients

  • 1c Silk Fruit&Protein Strawberry Banana
  • Duncan Hines white cake mix
  • 3 Eggs
  • Water
  • Oil
  • Tub of Cool Whip
  • 1 lb Strawberries

Instructions

  1. Mix your cake mix according to the box.
  2. Pour even amounts of batter into your round pans.
  3. Bake according to box.
  4. Mix 1/2 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein with Cool Whip and put in the fridge to chill.
  5. Cut up your strawberries so they have flat sides.
  6. Cool your cakes in the fridge for 1 hour.
  7. Cut the domes off of the cakes with a serrated knife.
  8. Poke the cakes with a fork and pour 1/4 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein on each layer.
  9. Frost the bottom layer and stack the second layer on top.
  10. Continue to frost the cake and put it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
  11. Place the strawberries around the edge of the cake.
  12. Enjoy!

http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/16/healthier-strawberry-cake-silkfruit-cbias/

While the cakes were baking I mixed in 1/2 cup of Silk Fruit&Protein in Strawberry Banana with 1 tub of light Cool Whip.  I transferred it to a bowl and put it in the refrigerator to chill until it was time to frost the cakes. The Silk Fruit&Protein is an easy way add flavor to pretty much any recipe and  I know because I spent Sunday cooking all day with it!

I baked the cakes per the instructions right on the box.  When they came out I put them in the refrigerator to cool for about an hour while I cut up the strawberries.  I had read that it is easier to cut off the dome of a cake if you start with a chilled cake.

My cakes didn’t have too much of a dome but I wanted to even things out just a little.  If you are worried about crumbs make sure you flip the cake over after you shave the top off.

After I flipped my cake I took a fork and poked a bunch of holes in it.  I took 1/2 cup of Silk and poured it over each of the 2 layers of cake (1/4 cup each layer).  It makes the cake really moist and enhances the flavor.  You could get away with adding more and it would be even moister but that is a personal preference for you.

If I had to go back and do it again I would try and put a thicker layer of frosting in between the layers.  I was worried about running out and that is just silly because I had leftovers.  So  don’t make the same mistake as me!

You can see that I didn’t do the best job making the cakes even but when all is said and done no one can tell.  I guess it just depends on how much of a perfectionist you are.  Keep in mind if you are using frosting you should flip that top layer crumbly side down so you don’t get crumbs in your frosting!  For me it worked because Cool Whip is really light and easy to spread.

I used a spatula to frost the cake and once that was done I grabbed my strawberries from the fridge to place on the cake. You might want to put the cake in the fridge once you are done frosting to get it cold again but that would depend on the temperature of your house.  Unless you have the most perfect strawberries you are going to have to play around with the sizes around the edge of your cake.

Make sure you check out my full shopping trip and even more pictures of the cooking process in my Google+ album.

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I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric All opinions are 100% my own.

 

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/16/healthier-strawberry-cake-silkfruit-cbias/

Apr
12

The Lazy Gardener’s Secret… Bulbs

bulb tip

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Which of the women do you relate the most with: The Fashionista, The Empty Nester or Super Mom?  For me it would have to be Marcy, The Super Mom, because I am no where near a Fashionista or an Empty Nester. How many Super Moms that you know of have the time to create the garden beds that could be classified as works of art?  Moms who include bulbs of course.

I might try and be a Super Mom but I am mega lazy and every one pretty much knows it.  Michael and I were talking about our yard plans and I mentioned I want perennials… duh.  I also want bulbs, but not the bulbs you have to pull out each year.  I want put them in the ground and forget about them.

I would also like to point out that we DID NOT rake our leaves last year and we have a yard full of trees.  Can I use the excuse that we are first time homeowners?  So I am digging the tip above from Marcy.  That is music to my ears!

We bought a pretty run down fixer upper last April and the yard is less than stellar.  Think weeds, bald grass, giant dirt square in the back, ground cover taking over and half dead pine trees.  UGH!  I could totally stand to win the Curbside Chaos contest!  The contest ends 4/15 so you really need to get your photo entries in now because it is $5,000 and a visit from Taniya Nayak.

Talk about the contest on Twitter and use the hashtag #CurbsideChaos and $1 will be donated to Rebuilding Together!  This group helps homeowners in need with some much needed repairs and improvements.

    

There is a handy dandy tool on the site that lets you plug in your information for your area and it will help you figure out which bulbs will work and how to plant them.  Bulbs make for pretty flowers which make for pretty decorations and/or gifts.

Make sure you visit www.digdropdone.com to learn more because there are some great tips about companion planting, bulb tips, planting charts, etc.  I am in love with lilies and we have a ton of tulips so I am already a bulb type of gal since they are easy and beautiful.

Visit Sponsor's Site

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/12/the-lazy-gardeners-secret-bulbs/

Apr
11

Motherhood: 8 Month Update

baby goes outside first time

I know I just did the 7 month update but that sort of gave me the kick in the butt I needed to realize that I need to get back on track!  From 7-8 months Michael has been developing a TON! I swear everyday he learns something new and there is never a dull moment in our house.  On 2/29/12 he learned how to do was climb up the step from the Family Room to the Dinette! As you can see from the picture above he got a little frustrated with himself but he was successful at getting over it.  This is what started it all.  No longer was he trapped in one room.  No longer was Mommy able to turn her back on him.  Nothing was safe unless he was sleeping.  Let the madness begin!

We had a gorgeous weekend here in Michigan, in MARCH, and we all went outside as a family so Mommy could start her vegetables in pots and Daddy could rebuild the lawn mower.  We started him on the porch in his jumper because it was shaded but let me tell all of you that is a terrible idea.  I look up to see how he was doing and him bouncing had wiggled him over to the edge of the porch! (Son of a …) That was a little scary so anyone out there in cyberspace, keep it on one level!  Other than his near cement introduction he loved it.

I had been wanting to see how he would do with a sippy cup since they are advertised starting at 6 months.  So one day I went to get him a bottle and realized they were all dirty.  I guess now is a good time as any to test it out!  He did OK but I think he ate half of it and wore half of it because he did play with the cup while he was trying to figure things out.  It was a great experience but if you want to try it I would stick with the soft top cups because they are the most like bottles, I used a Munchkin sippy cup.  I can only imagine the mess if he had tried a hard top sippy!  I hate old formula smell! Barf!

After Michael mastered the art of climbing over the ledge he decided he wanted to pull himself up on EVERYTHING! He is not happy sitting down at all and had a bunch of falls in the beginning but he is pretty much a pro now.  He used to do the whole stand up, fall back on his butt and whine out of frustration.  Sorry Son but you need to toughen up and figure out how not to fall back on your butt on your own.

This was an awesome time to put the legs on his Fisher Price Music Table because it keeps him entertained at a standing level!  I think that was a great toy for Christmas because he was able to play with it on the ground without the legs and now he can stand up and play with it.  Having a baby in July makes Christmas a little difficult to decide what gifts to buy.

I don’t know what is was about learning to stand but it kicked him into gear and when I would strip him down to a diaper he would crawl the real way instead of the army crawl.  The moment he was back in clothes he got lazy.  It was pretty bizarre.

With his new discovery of standing he now stands in his crib.  The first time we found him doing this was a game night that he woke up in the middle of the night for.  My Sister went upstairs to get him and she came running back downstairs asking me if I knew that he could stand in his bed now!  Her reaction was priceless!  Sure enough we had to lower the mattress so he couldn’t pull himself over the crib but he is still able to reach and stand up.  I need to invest in a crib teething rail ASAP because I can see little bite marks in the railing from his 2 bottom teeth!

I also want to mention that about 3/13/12 he started fighting naps hardcore because he just wants to play now.  Some days you can see the exhaustion in his face but it is go go go still and cry cry cry if you try and put him down.  This is absolutely maddening but I have been lucky with him being a good sleeper up to this point.  He has even fallen asleep in his crib sitting up with his head leaning against the crib rail!

With him learning to get out of the Family Room came a new fascination of PULLING EVERYTHING OFF of anything he could reach!  I used to keep my beautiful stockpile of baby food, formula and cereals on my baker’s rack but it has now been relocated to a closet.  It used to be fun and games and I would let him pull things down and play with them because it was a new experience.  I had to eventually move them because he was getting too strong and daring.  Silly boys.  Daddy would get all sorts of cranky when he would come home and find Michael playing with jars of baby food… blah blah blah.

Do you know why I am forever thankful that my Step-Dad gave me his DSLR?  Well they are expensive to start but also because I get some awesome pictures that I can share with the family.  I can’t tell you how often I get pictures printed out for people because they love photo gifts!  One of Daddy Michael’s favorite gifts was a coffee mug that I got for him from Shutterfly when the baby was first born.  I personally love their photo books because I don’t have a whole lot of time right now to scrapbook with a mobile child!

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 This is a sponsored post.  All opinions are 100% my own.

 

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/11/motherhood-8-month-update/

Apr
10

Springtime & Fertility

let solution sit

Do you know the origin of the Easter Bunny?  Michael and I were interested so we went on a Google search to add more random knowledge to his brain.   He retains just about everything he reads. Pre-Christian it was a holiday worshiping the Goddess Eastre who was the Goddess of fertility with the symbol of a bunny.  Interesting right?

If any of you have been following along with my stories you know that I am not supposed to get pregnant until Michael is potty trained.  How is this for ironic though.  It was Easter weekend, I was ovulating and we tested Michael’s sperm?  Wouldn’t that have just fit perfectly if we would have conceived on Easter?  It all makes sense why it is called humping like rabbits.

Michael was a little nervous to test his sperm with the SpermCheck Fertility test but I told him that it would be better to find out that he doesn’t have a high sperm count now, rather than when we were in the clear to get pregnant.  It is a male ego thing.  We got so lucky with Baby Michael because we conceived my very first ovulation.   Not everyone is that lucky though.

What are some tips you can try at home to help yourself get pregnant?

  • Track your ovulation either the old fashion way with pen and paper or with a free application like Period Tracker. I totally use an app!
  • Track your Basal Body Temperature.
  • Keep ovulation tests on hand just to double check with the above 2 methods.
  • Start taking pre-natal vitamins.
  • Eat healthy foods and maintain a healthy life/weight.
  • Keep your Husband from masturbating so his sperm count isn’t less concentrated.  (Easier said than done right!?)
  • Test your Husband’s sperm with the SpermCheck Fertility test

I would try all of these things before taking the plunge to the doctor’s office.  Fertility checks and medicines can get expensive and uncomfortable.  I now know 2 women in this position and it is hard on them.  I also know one women who has successfully conceived after years of failure.

The test is really easy to do even though the instructions are a little overwhelming.  There are a lot of timings to follow to make sure you do the test right and you don’t want to bruise your Husband’s ego my doing the test wrong!  I liked that the box was equipped with a hole to keep things from spilling, as you can see in the picture above where I am putting the sperm into the test solution.

After you give it a mix and let it sit some more you put exactly 6 drops onto the test, see picture above.  You guessed it.  Then you let it sit some more.  This is the point where Michael was getting anxious because we were almost done.

The verdict is in and I have a relieved Husband! This means he has a normal sperm count of at least 20 million per milliliter. So what are you to do if it comes back negative?

Sperm Tips:

  • Make sure you Husband is eating right and taking the proper vitamins.
  • STOP SMOKING!
  • Just like a women, men need to have a healthy weight.
  • Try boxers instead of briefs to keep the genitals cooler.
  • QUIT MASTURBATING so much! Save your sperm for the mission at hand.

There are many factors that come into play with a man’s sperm and how effective they are such as: count, motility and shape.  We could be here all day if I went into each of these so I will advise you to talk to your doctor if the simple at home tips don’t work for you.

You have a chance to win your own SpermCheck Fertility test right here in the Rafflecopter below!  As an added bonus you should check out their Bring Sexy Back giveaway that is mentioned below. Victoria’s Secret… yes please!

Bring Sexy Back” Giveaway from SpermCheck Fertility

According to fertility advocate, educator and SpermCheck Fertility expert, Pamela Madsen, so many times couples get lost in the “baby making” process and forget to actually have fun!  SpermCheck Fertility wants to “Bring Sexy Back” to the baby making process with a special giveaway offer. Starting March 16th through April 13th enter the “Bring Sexy Back” SpermCheck Fertility Giveaway for a chance to win one of four prize packages which includes: a $50 gift certificate to Victoria’s Secret, a copy of Pamela Madsen’s Shameless: How to Make Making a Baby Fun CD, a sexy cinnamon scented candle and room spray, $50 iTunes gift card and a $50 gift card to Walgreens. Connect with SpermCheck Fertility on Facebook – www.facebook.com/spermcheck-  to enter the giveaway and learn more about the product!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received my own product in order to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/10/springtime-fertility/

Apr
09

Motherhood: 7 Month Update

8 month shot

I know I am terribly behind since Michael is almost 9 months old but there was no way I was going to cram 2 months worth of updates into one little post.  If I would have then you would be sitting here reading for hours!  Not to mention you know the monthly updates are a photo bomb so a month at a time is plenty. :)

Once he got past 6 months he became so independent.  He would not have anything to do with me rocking him! Occasionally he would give in and fall asleep on me but good grief, it was like pulling teeth!  That is such a bittersweet thing because we get more time to do what we want and need to do but we miss out on those precious moments where they are just completely trusting you. We complain in the beginning but once it is gone we want it back.

We had to take out first traveling trip for my Step Dad’s surgery and we stayed a couple of nights down there with him.  Michael did so good sleeping and staying on schedule!  I was so proud of him!  It really just reinforces the whole concept of watching your baby’s cues.  If you miss one you could be in for a difficult child!  Thank goodness at the time of our trip he was still on a sleep every 2 hours and eat every 2.5 hours schedule.  He threw that all out of the window in recent times but I will touch on that in another monthly update.

Michael got his first tooth 2/1/12 and his second tooth 2/7/12.  (The picture above was taken on St Patrick’s Day but it shows you his cute little teeth.)  I was surprised that it was as easy as it was.  He was only really fussy the day the tooth cut through so I consider myself lucky. By the time I realized what was going on the tooth was through and he was all better.  I have yet to really need teething gels and tablets… YET.

Right now the way I keep track of what pictures to include in my posts is to look through the baby folder on my desktop and go through Facebook to match mobile uploads.  What would I do without Facebook?  I know a lot of people are all up in arms about the Timeline feature but I love it.  I am one of those chronic updaters so I know exactly when something happened so I can put it all together in a post.  The picture above is his outfit for our photo shoot today.  I want to show you this cool product that I just got to keep better track of Michael’s monthly milestones.

Sticky Bellies are simply a sticker that you can put on any piece of clothing to document how old your baby is or how far along in your pregnancy you are.  This is a way cheaper alternative to buying 12 outfits.  Check them out on Amazon to see the different patterns for neutral, boy and girl!

Sticky Bellies Milestone Stickers are really easy to put on the clothing.  I ran into one problem while using them.  He is very mobile right now and I filled up a whole SD card, 300 pictures, trying to get these TWO pictures.  So I was shooting him for a good couple of hours.  During this time he was eating, crawling, walking, climbing and drooling like a champ.  You can see some wear and tear on the sticker.  The drool part was a little harder to peel off but not bad.

There are very few company Facebook pages that I like to follow and for the one reason of engagement.  I love when a brand is personable and Sticky Bellies Facebook Page does a great job of that!  You can also find them on Twitter and Pinterest.

Don’t forget to check out the Mompact giveaway below!  This week you can win a prize pack that includes: LaborLooks Gown, StickyBellies Milestone Stickers, Push Pack and a Double Set Pump-a-Pair (over $155 value!).

This giveaway is sponsored by Mompact.com.  This is a product “invented by moms, for moms”.  I received this product in order to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.


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Permanent link to this article: http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/04/09/motherhood-7-month-update/

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