Reviews

A Daily Treat featuring Hostess Ho-Ho’s & Devils Food Donettes

When I was a little girl, my dad bought HoHos® all the time. There was always a box of HoHos sitting on top of our refrigerator, enticing my sister and me to creative problem-solving methods of snack cake theft. My dad pretended he wouldn’t share his HoHos, but he always did. I learned early on [...]

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Chicken Parmesan featuring Barilla® Whole Grain Pasta

Several times over the last few years, Joe and I have tried to switch to whole grain pasta. There are so many reasons to switch. Whole grains are healthier in general. The USDA’s MyPlate guidelines recommend making at least half of your grains whole grains. Whole grains contain more fiber than processed grains, and there [...]

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Your Backyard: The Life & Journey of the Amazing Monarch Butterfly DVD Review

This past summer, I bought one of those Grow Your Own Butterflies kits. I knew that Grace would love to watch the caterpillars grow, form their chrysalises, and erupt as butterflies. I was right. She was completely enchanted by our painted lady butterflies. There was nothing that she didn’t enjoy. She watched the tiny caterpillars [...]

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Drinking More Water – Featuring Omega Water

One of the foundations of my new healthier lifestyle is to drink more water. I’ve always been a heavy drinker. ha! I don’t drink alcohol at all. But I do consume a lot of liquid. Sometimes, I’m too dorky even for myself. Back to the point. I drink a lot, and I have been working [...]

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Build-A-Bear Workshop Review

Last year in October, Grace and I went to Build-A-Bear Workshop to make a new friend for Grace and one for the new baby who’d be arriving soon. We both remember how good we felt as we made that pink bear. Build-A-Bear Workshop, for me, is less about a stuffed animal and more about the [...]

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Barbie A Perfect Christmas DVD Review

Grace loves Barbie. She saw the Barbie A Perfect Christmas DVD at Walmart a few weeks ago, and the begging began. I knew that we were getting a copy to review, so I explained that she’d have to be patient and wait for it. When you’re 4, there is no waiting patiently. On the other [...]

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myAgenda Mini Review & Giveaway

As part of my work with the momAgenda Council of Media Moms, I get free products from time to time. I love the momAgenda products, but a girl can only use so many planners. When I was asked to do a review and giveaway for the Christmas season, I decided to try a product for [...]

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My Must Have Baby Gear

Rain forest Jumperoo - must have baby products

As Allie’s first birthday approaches, my baby days are over. Totally, totally over. I’m only a wee bit bittersweet. I’m sad about the events of the past year, but no so much about my baby growing up. Starting over with a brand new baby was much harder on me than I could ever have imagined. [...]

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Holiday Entertaining is Expensive – Let Holland House Help!

Because our budget is tight, I watched our Thanksgiving expenses pretty carefully. I was shocked how much it cost to make a simple dinner for our family. If we’d had extra money to spend, I would have gotten some fancy cheese dips from Wegman’s and chestnuts for Joe’s favorite chestnut stuffing. And lots of sparkling [...]

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The Original Dish Drying Mat featuring a giveaway

My dishwasher is lousy. Actually, I’m not sure if it’s the dishwasher or the soap we use or our extremely hard municipal water. One of those things makes our dishes come out with a thick, white film that grosses me out. The only way to get rid of the film is to soak the dishes [...]