Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
New Digs
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
A Show of Gratitude
Over the past month or so, I've been on a lucky spree. I've won several amazing giveaways and I wanted to give credit where credit's due to both the hostesses and the sponsors! I am so thankful for each of the items I've won and truly amazed that I was selected to win all this great loot.
The first one wasn't so much a giveaway but I did win some amazing prizes that were donated from some awesome sponsors. When I placed second in the Iron Baker Challenge, I won a great prize package that included these great items:
1) This adorable oven mit from City Chic Country Mouse. It has now replaced my old stained and burnt one and I proudly display it on the stove. It's actually oven-proof too - something I never even considered until I was about to pull something out of a 400 degree oven!
2) A fun and inspirational print from Near & Dear. I can't decide if I want to put this great quote in the kitchen, where everyone can see it, or in one of the boys' rooms. Decisions, decisions!
3) Last but not least, these adorable hand-stamped recipe cards from Mother & Daughter Creations. I just got these this week and they are almost too cute to use! I want to make sure the recipes I write are really good ones that merit getting put on such a special card.
Aside from the baking winnings, Tara at Tara Being Tara hosted a great giveaway from One Artsy Mama. I got to select a necklace from her etsy shop and boy was it hard to decide! I wanted one that was stamped but then I couldn't pick between the Colin and Sawyer. Then I thought about one of the cute birds nest ones but in the end I chose the 2 peas in a pod necklace to represent my precious boys.
In my quest to go more towards a vegan diet, I was thrilled to find out I won a free product of my choice from SO Delicious from An Opera Singer in the Kitchen! I haven't made my selection yet because I want to make sure I save it for just the right thing (:
A big THANK YOU to everyone who donated to these great giveaways! Of course receiving these items is fun but I also love getting acquainted with new bloggers and etsy stores. I hope you'll take a minute and show them some love!
The first one wasn't so much a giveaway but I did win some amazing prizes that were donated from some awesome sponsors. When I placed second in the Iron Baker Challenge, I won a great prize package that included these great items:
1) This adorable oven mit from City Chic Country Mouse. It has now replaced my old stained and burnt one and I proudly display it on the stove. It's actually oven-proof too - something I never even considered until I was about to pull something out of a 400 degree oven!
Aside from the baking winnings, Tara at Tara Being Tara hosted a great giveaway from One Artsy Mama. I got to select a necklace from her etsy shop and boy was it hard to decide! I wanted one that was stamped but then I couldn't pick between the Colin and Sawyer. Then I thought about one of the cute birds nest ones but in the end I chose the 2 peas in a pod necklace to represent my precious boys.
The next one was possibly the greatest gift I could have ever given Colin! He was ecstatic to see that I had one an entire case of Greek yogurt! Not only that, I won 2 flavors that aren't yet available in stores. I felt like I was a taste tester. The good news is, the Orange Vanilla flavor is quite possibly the best Greek yogurt flavor I've ever tasted. Colin loves the Vanilla with Chocolate Chunks. Thanks, to Mother Thyme and Chobani for such an amazing giveaway!
Last, but certainly not least, you may have noticed my adorable new signature line. No? Look below and you'll see what Melissa of 20 Going on 80 created for me. She's recently launched a new blog design business, Cherry on Top Blog Shoppe and it is taking off! She is super talented and if you're in the market for a new design, she's your girl. She's so quick and very easy to work with, not to mention super creative!
A big THANK YOU to everyone who donated to these great giveaways! Of course receiving these items is fun but I also love getting acquainted with new bloggers and etsy stores. I hope you'll take a minute and show them some love!
Monday, March 19, 2012
Thank you!
Thanks to your incredible support and willingness to vote for me, I came in
2nd in the Iron Baker Challenge.
I can't thank you all enough for casting your vote. I couldn't have done it without you!
Friday, September 2, 2011
The winner!
I forgot to announce (or even select) the winner of the FiberOne 80 Calorie cereal giveaway earlier this week. Drum roll please. The winner is....
Congrats, Jill! I'm glad you love cereal because now you'll get to try a new flavor. Send me your mailing address and I'll have your prize pack sent to you!
Jill from Bluegrass Belle who said:
- Okay, I LOVE CEREAL! The one that is my fav to eat regularly is Special K Red Berries. However, if I could eat it and not pack on the pounds, my favs would be Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Apple Jacks, or Golden Crisp. At any given time we have multiple boxes of cereal in the house. Lord help us when we have kids someday...we'll keep General Mills in business :)
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Exercising, Cereal, and A Giveaway!
Isn't that title a real audience grabber? I thought so too. What can I say, it's rainy and gray outside and I'm trying to make sure I haven't left anything off my grocery list. Exciting times.
So the grocery list got me thinking about a recent cereal I was sent to try from Fiber One. I never, I repeat, NEVER ate cereal growing up. My mom got up every morning and cooked us a hot breakfast (I didn't learn until recently that was because my dad told her to!). So while my friends at school talked about their favorite flavor of Crunch Berries, I mulled over whether I preferred biscuits and gravy or pancakes and bacon - both equally lovely in their own right.
I'm not sure when I had my first encounter with the crunchy bags of goodness but I think it was probably in the sorority house where cereal was a common commodity. Thank goodness we had a cook who prepared 2 meals a day or I think we all may have sustained on cereal alone. I can't remember what my first taste was but I'm sure it was something loaded with sugar and void of all nutritional value. And I'm sure I ate it with gusto and probably even went back for more, wondering why my mom had deprived us of this for so long.
I've come to love cereal. I'm not one who likes to eat the same thing for breakfast everyday, much less the same cereal. I like to spice it up a bit and sometimes I'll have hot oatmeal, sometimes overnight oats, sometimes a smoothie, and then sometimes cereal (weekdays at least, weekends are when the cast-iron skillets and griddles come out!).
I've become more of the healthy type. Surprising, huh? I prefer the kind that tastes wholesome. I like to taste the grains, feel the crunch of the wholesome nuts in my teeth, and savor the lastingeffects tastes of fiber. So I was eager to try Fiber One's 80 Calorie cereal.
While it's quite good, it was a little sweet for my tastebuds. However, when mixed with a bland-tastic bran flake, it gives the bowl of cereal just the extra umph to sweeten it up a bit. With 40% of your daily fiber intake being met with 1 serving, I'll gladly pop these honey-laded puffs all day! It's actually kind of amazing that something that tastes so good could actually have some health benefits. And the best part is that the added fiber helps it to stick to your ribs and keep you satiated longer to help squelch the Dunkin' Donut voice that sounds each morning as I pass by their store.
For bonus points, to really get me enticed, MyBlogSpark and Fiber One sent me a lovely care package to make sure I wasn't just eating my fiber but also doing my part in the fight against obesity. Okay, so that last part was all me, they didn't make me do anything else. They just strongly encouraged it by providing me a pedometer and an arm strappy thing to hold a musical device. Doesn't that equal get-your-lazy-butt-off-the-couch-and-exercise to you? No? Maybe you're deaf.
So crank up the tunes, get your walk/run on and reward yourself with a sweet bowl of cereal, all courtesy of Fiber One 80 Calorie cereal (and MyBlogSpark). I'll even help ignite the flame under your tush and offer up one prize pack just like the one I received and described above. This could be yours, if the price is right.
Not really. I won't be awarding this to the highest bidder. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment answering the following question:
"What is your favorite cereal?"
All entries must be received by Tuesday, August 30th at 5pm EST. The winner will be announced (hopefully) on Wednesday. Happy crunching!
So the grocery list got me thinking about a recent cereal I was sent to try from Fiber One. I never, I repeat, NEVER ate cereal growing up. My mom got up every morning and cooked us a hot breakfast (I didn't learn until recently that was because my dad told her to!). So while my friends at school talked about their favorite flavor of Crunch Berries, I mulled over whether I preferred biscuits and gravy or pancakes and bacon - both equally lovely in their own right.
I'm not sure when I had my first encounter with the crunchy bags of goodness but I think it was probably in the sorority house where cereal was a common commodity. Thank goodness we had a cook who prepared 2 meals a day or I think we all may have sustained on cereal alone. I can't remember what my first taste was but I'm sure it was something loaded with sugar and void of all nutritional value. And I'm sure I ate it with gusto and probably even went back for more, wondering why my mom had deprived us of this for so long.
I've come to love cereal. I'm not one who likes to eat the same thing for breakfast everyday, much less the same cereal. I like to spice it up a bit and sometimes I'll have hot oatmeal, sometimes overnight oats, sometimes a smoothie, and then sometimes cereal (weekdays at least, weekends are when the cast-iron skillets and griddles come out!).
I've become more of the healthy type. Surprising, huh? I prefer the kind that tastes wholesome. I like to taste the grains, feel the crunch of the wholesome nuts in my teeth, and savor the lasting
While it's quite good, it was a little sweet for my tastebuds. However, when mixed with a bland-tastic bran flake, it gives the bowl of cereal just the extra umph to sweeten it up a bit. With 40% of your daily fiber intake being met with 1 serving, I'll gladly pop these honey-laded puffs all day! It's actually kind of amazing that something that tastes so good could actually have some health benefits. And the best part is that the added fiber helps it to stick to your ribs and keep you satiated longer to help squelch the Dunkin' Donut voice that sounds each morning as I pass by their store.
For bonus points, to really get me enticed, MyBlogSpark and Fiber One sent me a lovely care package to make sure I wasn't just eating my fiber but also doing my part in the fight against obesity. Okay, so that last part was all me, they didn't make me do anything else. They just strongly encouraged it by providing me a pedometer and an arm strappy thing to hold a musical device. Doesn't that equal get-your-lazy-butt-off-the-couch-and-exercise to you? No? Maybe you're deaf.
So crank up the tunes, get your walk/run on and reward yourself with a sweet bowl of cereal, all courtesy of Fiber One 80 Calorie cereal (and MyBlogSpark). I'll even help ignite the flame under your tush and offer up one prize pack just like the one I received and described above. This could be yours, if the price is right.
Not really. I won't be awarding this to the highest bidder. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment answering the following question:
"What is your favorite cereal?"
All entries must be received by Tuesday, August 30th at 5pm EST. The winner will be announced (hopefully) on Wednesday. Happy crunching!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
And the winner is...
The winner of the Fiber One Chocolate Brownie giveaway is...
Black Tag Diaries said...
nighttime... no doubt. i actually buy the fiber one granola-type bars sometimes and they are pretty good. haven't tried those though. yummy:)
Congratulations! If you haven't already done so, please send me your address (new or old!) so that I can have your prize package mailed to you.
Black Tag Diaries said...
nighttime... no doubt. i actually buy the fiber one granola-type bars sometimes and they are pretty good. haven't tried those though. yummy:)
Congratulations! If you haven't already done so, please send me your address (new or old!) so that I can have your prize package mailed to you.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Choco-late and a giveaway!
Believe it or not, there are actually a few days out of the year that we don't have a fresh baked dessert in our house. Admittedly it's rare but that doesn't mean our sweet tooth isn't still there waiting to be satisfied. Even though I'm not a huge fan of processed foods, they will do in a pinch. So when MyBlogSpark contacted me about reviewing the new Fiber One 90 calorie chocolate brownies, I wanted to try them out to see if they'd meet my standards.
While they weren't as good as homemade, both Wes and Colin thought they were pretty good. I'm not a good judge since I'm not the biggest chocolate fan, so I default to the 2 chocolate monsters in the house. If it gets their seal of approval, it's a winner in my book. Plus, I feel a little less guilty knowing that each brownie has a whopping 5 grams of fiber. Wes preferred the Chocolate Fudge variety, while Colin preferred the Chocolate Peanut Butter one. Both boxes were gone in no time - even with fresh baked goods in the house!
Now, thanks to General Mills and Fiber One through MyBlogSpark, you have the chance to win a brownie prize pack and taste the goodness for yourself. In addition to 2 boxes of brownies (1 of each flavor), you'll win a Fiber One 90-Calorie Brownie themed duffel bag, jump rope, water bottle, snack case, headband and bracelet.
To enter, simply answer this question:
"What time of day do you crave a little sweet treat; morning, afternoon, or nighttime?"
You have until Tuesday, July 26th to enter. Good luck and happy snacking!
While they weren't as good as homemade, both Wes and Colin thought they were pretty good. I'm not a good judge since I'm not the biggest chocolate fan, so I default to the 2 chocolate monsters in the house. If it gets their seal of approval, it's a winner in my book. Plus, I feel a little less guilty knowing that each brownie has a whopping 5 grams of fiber. Wes preferred the Chocolate Fudge variety, while Colin preferred the Chocolate Peanut Butter one. Both boxes were gone in no time - even with fresh baked goods in the house!
To enter, simply answer this question:
"What time of day do you crave a little sweet treat; morning, afternoon, or nighttime?"
You have until Tuesday, July 26th to enter. Good luck and happy snacking!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
'Cause I'm the winner, no I'm not the loser...
Just a little Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock to start your morning. Seriously, I'm not sure what's in the air but my lucky streak is running rampant lately. I'm generally not a lucky person, so this new trend is very unfamiliar to me. It started with a 'Big Brother' tee I won for Colin but I never received it. Oh well.
Then, you know all those CSN giveaways everyone has been having with varying values? Well I've entered more than I care to count. I was beginning to think they were a hoax, until I won one! And not one of the measly $25 ones either; I won $80! Hot diggity. I had always commented that I'd use the money for a Le Creuset pot but after I had the money in hand (er, email) and I saw how much those pots were, I second guessed my decision. I saw that some of the pots offered a free baking dish with purchase and that seemed to sweeten the deal. Well wouldn't you know it, they were out of stock of the freebies. So I had signed up for them to email me when they became available. I got an email saying they weren't going to become available and here's a 10% off consolation prize. I went back to the site and now they had another freebie. A better one. I decided to bite the bullet and bought this beauty.
What's better? I got 2 for the price of one. Okay, okay, the second isn't exactly the same quality but it's still a FREE Le Creuset stock pot!
Next up, and keeping with the food trend (you'll see a pattern when we're all finished), I won a cupcake giveaway. Unfortunately the company went out of business and now the cupcake in a jar is being replaced by cake balls. Um, no complaints here. Bring on the sugar! I don't discriminate.
Finally, my most recent winnings, a family cookbook. I think she must have hand selected me because I couldn't think of a better fit than my family! It's called the Whole Family Cookbook and I'm giddy in anticipation of getting my hot little hands on it. My plan is to let Colin pick something that he wants to make. That should be interesting. I'm guessing it will involve veggies since his big question lately is, "Is this healthy?" If not, he opts for the veggies on his plate first. One of my coworkers joked that I've brainwashed my child. I don't think that's the case but it were, I can think of far worse things to brainwash about!
Notice the pattern? With the exception of the t-shirt I never received, all of my loot involves food or cooking. Not surprising I guess since that's mainly the kind of giveaways I enter.
The moral of the story is to not give up, these contests really do result in real life winners. My streak is probably over for now but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop entering! There's still cameras and iPads to be won from Pioneer Woman. Now those giveaways, those might be a hoax (:
Then, you know all those CSN giveaways everyone has been having with varying values? Well I've entered more than I care to count. I was beginning to think they were a hoax, until I won one! And not one of the measly $25 ones either; I won $80! Hot diggity. I had always commented that I'd use the money for a Le Creuset pot but after I had the money in hand (er, email) and I saw how much those pots were, I second guessed my decision. I saw that some of the pots offered a free baking dish with purchase and that seemed to sweeten the deal. Well wouldn't you know it, they were out of stock of the freebies. So I had signed up for them to email me when they became available. I got an email saying they weren't going to become available and here's a 10% off consolation prize. I went back to the site and now they had another freebie. A better one. I decided to bite the bullet and bought this beauty.
What's better? I got 2 for the price of one. Okay, okay, the second isn't exactly the same quality but it's still a FREE Le Creuset stock pot!
Next up, and keeping with the food trend (you'll see a pattern when we're all finished), I won a cupcake giveaway. Unfortunately the company went out of business and now the cupcake in a jar is being replaced by cake balls. Um, no complaints here. Bring on the sugar! I don't discriminate.
Finally, my most recent winnings, a family cookbook. I think she must have hand selected me because I couldn't think of a better fit than my family! It's called the Whole Family Cookbook and I'm giddy in anticipation of getting my hot little hands on it. My plan is to let Colin pick something that he wants to make. That should be interesting. I'm guessing it will involve veggies since his big question lately is, "Is this healthy?" If not, he opts for the veggies on his plate first. One of my coworkers joked that I've brainwashed my child. I don't think that's the case but it were, I can think of far worse things to brainwash about!
The moral of the story is to not give up, these contests really do result in real life winners. My streak is probably over for now but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop entering! There's still cameras and iPads to be won from Pioneer Woman. Now those giveaways, those might be a hoax (:
Friday, November 26, 2010
And the winner is...
Lucky #3, Elizabeth from Kentucky Mama! Elizabeth is apparently on a roll this year with giveaways, so she can just add this one to her loot. Congratulations to Elizabeth and thanks to the rest of you for playing along. E, if you'll send me your address, I'll get you your prize pack.
I'll be back soon with Thanksgiving pictures and tales. I hope you had a great day filled with family, friends, and good food!
I'll be back soon with Thanksgiving pictures and tales. I hope you had a great day filled with family, friends, and good food!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Taco! Burrito! What's that in your Speedo?
Perhaps that title is a bit misleading but I bet it caught your attention! I always picture the Spartan cheerleaders from SNL whenever someone says taco or burrito. Am I alone? Anyone? Bueller? Ok, enough with the television references, I do have something worthwhile today. A GIVEAWAY!
Old El Paso, through my friends at MyBlogSpark, were kind enough to send me the Family Taco Night prize pack below:
Old El Paso, through my friends at MyBlogSpark, were kind enough to send me the Family Taco Night prize pack below:
We have Mexican at least once every other week in our house. We all love it and it's such a quick meal to get on the table. It gives us longer to be together and enjoy each others company - that is when Colin has had a decent nap and is generally pleasant to be around!
When the boys get a little older, I think it would be fun to play El TacodorTM, the world´s only Family Taco Night Game. With El Tacodor, your family can share a special night at home by challenging one another to quick fire trivia, wordplay and pantomime. Visit www.eltacodor.com today to download instructions, a score card, and a challenge sheet for even more fun on Family Taco Night!
I've tried just about every taco seasoning package out there but none really compare to Old El Paso. I've even tried to make my own, but truth be told, it's just not the same! I do try to buy the reduced sodium variety, as well as not using the entire packet, but it just tastes better with Old El Paso!
Now for the good part. You too can score one these Family Taco Night prize packs, including a packet of original Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, a Cactus Chip & Dip Serving dish, a set of 3 Fiesta Chili Pepper serving dishes and a $10 gift card to purchase your taco fixings! I know everyone loves tacos, so this would really come in handy. You can also print a coupon for $.60 off 2 Old El Paso products here.
Here are the details:
1. Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite Mexican dish. It could be an entree, a side dish, a dessert, a drink, or anything else you love.
2. I will select a winner at random on November 26th at 9am (EST).
That's it! Good luck!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Sharing the Wealth
Help me celebrate Lauren's 200th post by popping over to her site, Bluegrass Love, and wishing her a happy birthday of sorts. To celebrate, she's hosting a great giveaway to CSN stores. They literally have just about anything you can imagine. It's actually a little overwhelming to me but I have no doubt I'd be able to spend the money in no time flat! Good luck!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Blame it on the brain
Or lack thereof! I forgot to announce the winner of the birth day/weight/length guessing game for Sawyer. I clearly should have thought out the guidelines a little more because trying to find a way to tally the guesses proved a bit challenging. Ultimately, I decided to give the most weight to the date and then the weight and height. There was only one person who accurately guessed the date and was pretty darn close on the other 2 criteria as well and that person was Ahh Bear! Two of you guessed the weight within 4-5 ounces and several of you had the height within 1/2 inch. You guys are great guessers!
And for the winner, I will be sending you a one-way ticket to my house so that you can babysit my little dumpling nightly, between the hours of 10pm and 7am. You'll need to find a way to nurse him without waking me up and get him to sleep solely in his crib or bassinet. Ok? That's not so much to ask, right? Afterall, you're an old pro now that you have 2 of your own! No, in all seriousness, I know how much you heart Target, as do I and most of the rest of the world, so you win a Target gift card!
And for the winner, I will be sending you a one-way ticket to my house so that you can babysit my little dumpling nightly, between the hours of 10pm and 7am. You'll need to find a way to nurse him without waking me up and get him to sleep solely in his crib or bassinet. Ok? That's not so much to ask, right? Afterall, you're an old pro now that you have 2 of your own! No, in all seriousness, I know how much you heart Target, as do I and most of the rest of the world, so you win a Target gift card!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Preggo Update and the Winner!
After getting out the calendar to determine what week this is, I'm happy to report I'm in my 29th week of this journey. In some ways I'm glad that I'm not counting weeks this time but then it forces you to answer in months when someone asks how much longer you have. Somehow 2 1/2 months sounds a lot longer than 10 weeks. Either way, it is what it is and I'm feeling great so I can't complain.
I did have a rough spell several weeks ago and I've since determined it was the transition from butterfly kicks to hardcore soccer kicks. As you can imagine, that takes a toll on your body and requires a little adjustment. Somehow I had already forgotten this and many other details from the first go-round. So the big stomach moving kicks are here to stay for a while. I an tell you it's no less freaky to see your stomach jet in out uncontrollably the second time. He's a mover and a shaker, just like Colin was. I'm sure that means he will be just as active as his older brother! Someone told me today it's the non-active boys you have to worry about. Was that supposed to help?
Wes and I have both started referring to the baby as "Pete" since that's what Colin so fondly calls him. We're seriously going to have a hard habit to break once the baby is actually born. We have a name in mind but a) we're not 100% sure and b) that's the one little secret we like to keep to ourselves. It saves some looks, comments, and opinions that just aren't necessary. By waiting, it's a done deal and nothing anyone can say can change it.
I'm having serious shopping withdrawals. Just today I went in Target and looked through the "regular" women's section in hopes of finding an extra long shirt or one with a forgiving waistline. I left empty handed. Gasp! Leaving Target empty handed is unheard of, right?! I can't even find shoes I like. Oh bother.
For what it's worth, I have a feeling that Pete will be arriving before July 12th. I'm sure I'll be proven terribly wrong but a girl can hope. Somehow I don't picture this one to have red hair but who knows. I think he'll be the same whopper size that Colin was and hopefully no more! Our family loves us some big babies! I'll take him any way, any time I can get him!!
(Sorry no picture this time. I promise to do better next time.)
In other news, the winner of the Yoplait Nourish Your Inner Goddess winner is Sweet Southern Prep! Please respond to my email to claim your prize!!
I did have a rough spell several weeks ago and I've since determined it was the transition from butterfly kicks to hardcore soccer kicks. As you can imagine, that takes a toll on your body and requires a little adjustment. Somehow I had already forgotten this and many other details from the first go-round. So the big stomach moving kicks are here to stay for a while. I an tell you it's no less freaky to see your stomach jet in out uncontrollably the second time. He's a mover and a shaker, just like Colin was. I'm sure that means he will be just as active as his older brother! Someone told me today it's the non-active boys you have to worry about. Was that supposed to help?
Wes and I have both started referring to the baby as "Pete" since that's what Colin so fondly calls him. We're seriously going to have a hard habit to break once the baby is actually born. We have a name in mind but a) we're not 100% sure and b) that's the one little secret we like to keep to ourselves. It saves some looks, comments, and opinions that just aren't necessary. By waiting, it's a done deal and nothing anyone can say can change it.
I'm having serious shopping withdrawals. Just today I went in Target and looked through the "regular" women's section in hopes of finding an extra long shirt or one with a forgiving waistline. I left empty handed. Gasp! Leaving Target empty handed is unheard of, right?! I can't even find shoes I like. Oh bother.
For what it's worth, I have a feeling that Pete will be arriving before July 12th. I'm sure I'll be proven terribly wrong but a girl can hope. Somehow I don't picture this one to have red hair but who knows. I think he'll be the same whopper size that Colin was and hopefully no more! Our family loves us some big babies! I'll take him any way, any time I can get him!!
(Sorry no picture this time. I promise to do better next time.)
In other news, the winner of the Yoplait Nourish Your Inner Goddess winner is Sweet Southern Prep! Please respond to my email to claim your prize!!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Recipe Ideas and a Giveaway!
A year or so ago I read about an opportunity to join this up-and-coming group called MyBlogSpark. It was endorsed to be a group that would solicit members ideas and input in exchange for trying new products and hosting giveaways. What could be better than getting to review new (free) products, getting free loot, and then getting to give it away?! I couldn't think of any so I joined. Over the course of the year I've taken several short surveys and gotten to review several products. It's been a win-win for everyone involved. The great news is that you, too, can become a member if you so desire. Just go here if you're interested in signing up.
My latest Spark was a chance to try Yoplait's new Greek Yogurt. I have been a fan of greek yogurt for a while now but most of the brands I've been getting have been from Whole Foods or other specialty stores. My regular grocery store hasn't carried it until recently. Yoplait has jumped on board, offering 4 flavors - blueberry, strawberry, vanilla honey, and plain.
I tried the vanilla honey and was pleasantly surprised with the creaminess of it. If I had one complaint about greek yogurt in general it would be that it can be a little stiff, a little grainy, and sometimes a little bitter (depending on the brand and flavor). Yoplait's was one of the creamiest I've tasted. With no fat and 12 grams of protein (double that of traditional yogurt), it's a great snack. The vanilla honey flavor was very subtle but it was still quite tasty. I'm eager to try the other flavors as well.
So on behalf of Yoplait and MyBlogSpark, I'm giving away a "Nourish Your Inner Goddess" gift pack, complete with 2 VIP coupons for 2 free Yoplait Greek Yogurts. The gift pack has everything you need to relax, a bath towel wrap, slippers, loofah scrub, a wooden massager.
To enter, simply leave me a comment telling me which flavor you'd most like to try or a recipe you love that uses yogurt. For an additional 2 entries, blog about this giveaway and be sure to link back to my site. I will use the random generator to choose a winner on Tuesday, April 27th. Good luck!!
Additionally, here are a few recipes utilizing yogurt that you might like to try. Some of these I've already tried and some are on my "to try" list.
Classic Banana Bread - Cooking Light
Scones - "Tamasin's Kitchen Bible" by Tamasin Day-Lewis by way of my blog post from last week
Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting - The Pioneer Woman by way of my blog
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas - Cooking Light and me
Ina Garten's Lemon Yogurt Cake - Judial Peach
Fluffy Yogurt Pancakes - Big Girl's Small Kitchen
My latest Spark was a chance to try Yoplait's new Greek Yogurt. I have been a fan of greek yogurt for a while now but most of the brands I've been getting have been from Whole Foods or other specialty stores. My regular grocery store hasn't carried it until recently. Yoplait has jumped on board, offering 4 flavors - blueberry, strawberry, vanilla honey, and plain.
I tried the vanilla honey and was pleasantly surprised with the creaminess of it. If I had one complaint about greek yogurt in general it would be that it can be a little stiff, a little grainy, and sometimes a little bitter (depending on the brand and flavor). Yoplait's was one of the creamiest I've tasted. With no fat and 12 grams of protein (double that of traditional yogurt), it's a great snack. The vanilla honey flavor was very subtle but it was still quite tasty. I'm eager to try the other flavors as well.
So on behalf of Yoplait and MyBlogSpark, I'm giving away a "Nourish Your Inner Goddess" gift pack, complete with 2 VIP coupons for 2 free Yoplait Greek Yogurts. The gift pack has everything you need to relax, a bath towel wrap, slippers, loofah scrub, a wooden massager.
To enter, simply leave me a comment telling me which flavor you'd most like to try or a recipe you love that uses yogurt. For an additional 2 entries, blog about this giveaway and be sure to link back to my site. I will use the random generator to choose a winner on Tuesday, April 27th. Good luck!!
Additionally, here are a few recipes utilizing yogurt that you might like to try. Some of these I've already tried and some are on my "to try" list.
Classic Banana Bread - Cooking Light
Scones - "Tamasin's Kitchen Bible" by Tamasin Day-Lewis by way of my blog post from last week
Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting - The Pioneer Woman by way of my blog
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas - Cooking Light and me
Ina Garten's Lemon Yogurt Cake - Judial Peach
Fluffy Yogurt Pancakes - Big Girl's Small Kitchen
Thursday, November 5, 2009
A Treat for my Sweets
One blog phenomenon that I don't completely understand is giveaways. How do the companies find these bloggers and why do they choose the ones they do? I guess some things I'll never know and I should just leave well enough alone. I've entered my fair share, thinking incorrectly that I might win, but I think I've only actually won one (thank you Graham Crakas!). I don't usually opt for the extra entries that require you to post about the giveaway on your own blog but I just couldn't resist this one. You might know it involves sweets - mac daddy cupcakes to be exact. That's not really their trademarked name but when you see these bad boys, you'll appreciate my description.
All you have to do is go to Leslie Loves Veggies blog, drool first, then go to Cupcakes in Jars to pick your poison. Leslie is giving away 2 of these little gems so that means if you win, you can surely share the other one with me! I'm kidding...well not really but I realize it might be hard for you to ship me a cupcake. Just think of me as you devour each and every morsel of the super moist cake and creamy icing!
Monday, October 19, 2009
And the Winner is...
The winner of the Nature Valley Nut Clusters giveaway is entry #3, Jenny Lynn, aka Graham Crakas! I've sent you a message and once you reply, the prize pack is all yours!
Congratulations Jenny!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Review and Giveaway
I was recently contacted by Nature Valley by way of MyBlogSpark to review their new line of Granola Nut Clusters. I love granola, so this was such a treat for me. The clusters come in resealable pouches and there are 4 varieties: nut lovers, roasted almond, roasted cashew, and honey roasted peanut. The ingredients are 100% natural, which appealed to this health nut. No high-fructose corn syrup, low sodium, no artificial ingredients = a pretty healthy snack alternative.
I immediately cracked open the roasted almond and found these adorable little clusters. Each cluster is about the size of a quarter and each had at least 1 whole almond. They're very addictive and I finally had to ration them out. One person really shouldn't consume 4 bags in 2 days - I didn't but I easily could have. They satisfy both the sweet tooth and the savory, plus they provide the added crunch that I love.
One of my favorite pancakes are the Banana Crunch with Granola ones at First Watch. Lucky for my waistline, we don't have one very close to us. I'm always looking to recreate that extra crunch in my own pancakes and I thought these little clusters would be perfect crushed up. Instead of banana, I used my fall favorite, pumpkin! If you're not a pancake fan (you're weird), you could also use crumble them up to use on top of muffins or quick bread before baking, in scones, or maybe even as a crust for a cheesecake. This is all assuming you don't eat the whole bag as soon as you open it!
Here's the best part, I get to give away this prize package to one of you!
You'll get all you see here, so 1 pouch of each of the 4 flavors, a flashlight (that Colin immediately confiscated), binoculars, a stainless steel water bottle, and a sling backpack!
All you have to do is leave me a comment telling me: What's your favorite recipe that uses nuts or granola?
The deadline is Monday, October 19th. I'll announce the winner next Tuesday. Good luck and happy snacking!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
The Results Are In...
and the winners are:
Random Integer Generator
Timestamp: 2009-04-03 00:30:55 UTCHere are your random numbers:
9
silverhartgirl said...I am a follower
24
MaddyRu said...We go to the beach ALL the time and when we can't do that we like to go to the pool. Water activity family I guess!
1
Congratulations to the 3 winners! I'll be contacting each of you tonight. If you don't hear from me, please leave me a comment to claim your prize. If I'm unable to connect with you by Monday, April 6th, I will choose another winner. Thanks everyone for participating!!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Yoplait? No, I Play. (Giveaway)
That was seriously the corniest title I could have come up with and I apologize. It's time for another giveaway! This time it's sponsored by Yoplait, specifically their line of kids yogurt. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D is very important for our growing youngsters. However, fewer than half of our nations kids are getting the daily amounts they need. Yoplait has made it a little easier to get calcium and vitamin D into our children with their wide array of yogurts. I picked up the Yoplait Kids Yogurt for Colin and he loves it. Granted he's probably not the best test subject considering he'd probably eat dirt and like it, but I tasted it too and it's quite tasty. Other products include the portable Go-gurt, Trix, and I'm sure there's others that I'm not familiar with.
So to help combat the calcium deficiency, I'm giving 3 lucky readers a coupon for a free Yoplait Kids product and this fun activity set. The Yoplait Get Active Prize Pack includes a travel cooler (to take your yogurt on the road), a jump rope, a water bottle, and an outdoor game set that include a beach ball, paddle ball, Jai-Ali and a frisbee.
Colin tore into these toys quicker than I could get them out of the box, clearly showing there are no age restrictions on them. We had a fun night playing in the kitchen as if it were 70 degrees and sunny! I'm sure once it's warm we'll get even more use out of them outside.
To enter:
For one entry, leave me a comment telling me what you and your family like to do to stay active. What's your favorite game, sport, or activity? By the way, you don't have to be a blogger to leave a comment, you can leave it as anonymous and then leave your email so I can contact you.
For another entry, blog about the giveaway and be sure to link back to my site. If you do this, be sure you leave me a comment letting me know.
For yet another entry, if you're not already a follower, follow me and you can get another entry. Again, let me know you're doing this so I can account for you.
Contest ends April 2nd at 5pm. Winners will be announced on April 2nd - I couldn't do April Fools in fear people would think it was a joke!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner
Or Winner, Winner, Spa Package Winners! I used the random.org integer generator but couldn't figure out how to post my official results on this page, so you're just going to have to trust me. The winning numbers were 4, 7, and 9. That means Kari and Kijsa, Pearl, and Lorraine are the lucky winners! Please let me know in the comments the best way to contact you for mailing instructions. Congratulations to the winners and I promise there will be more where this came from!!
If you didn't win, don't forget you can still get a $1.35 off coupon for Fiber One bars here.
If you didn't win, don't forget you can still get a $1.35 off coupon for Fiber One bars here.
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I wanna win, I wanna win!! You know Sidney's a big Yoplait fan - both the "Dori" (aka, Dora) yogurt, and the Yo-Gos!! Hmm...what we like to do to stay active. Jason and I are all about the elliptical and then chasing Sidney around :)
Love,
Brooke