How To Get Hubby To Help With The To-Do List

Top 10 ways to get hubby to help you cross off items on the To-Do List:

#10 - "Honey, I'm really confused by all these pieces. Could you help me?"

#9 - "Honey, I'm not strong enough to push this. Would you help me?"

#8 - "Honey, your forearms are so sexy when you flex them like that."

#7 - "Honey, could you please explain how to use this, what did you call it, an Allen wrench?"

#6 - "Honey, watching you do all this hard work is really making me feel frisky."

#5 - "Honey, do you mind if I photo-journal this so my friends can drool over my husband's talents?"

#6 - "Honey, I'm amazed at how fast you can assemble things!"

#5 - "Honey, I've just thought of a great way to pay you back for doing this for me!"

#4 - "Honey, I love the way you screw those in!"

#3 - "Honey, can you turn around while you do that? I'm loving the view!"

#2 - "Honey, I just knew you were the person to ask when I needed help!"

#1 - "Honey, thank you. I couldn't have done it better! I love you!"

PS - We LOVE the new office chairs!

My 2012 in Pictures - Day 50

Today I'm celebrating what isn't in this photo.

I finally talked the boys into putting the drums 

into storage since no one has played them in a year.

Sweep of the Day

Win a trip for two to Los Angeles

and take a private dance lesson from

Lacy Schiwmmer from Dancing with the Stars!

CLICK HERE to enter.

Prize includes trip for two Feb 27-29, 2012.

Roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations.

$250 Visa Gift Card and

$100 Lady Foot Locker Gift Card.

Official rules here.

Two Winners To Congratulate

Two Happy New Winners Tonight!

Didn't win this time?

Enter more awesome giveaways HERE!

My 2012 in Pictures - Day 49

Kyle Busch takes the Bud Shootout!!!

I'm so glad NASCAR racing is back in season!

Review and Giveaway - Simply7 Snacks

Six new snacks have been added to my "favorite things to eat" category. Simply7 has found a way to make health food into a delicious snacking chip! I've never really liked the taste of hummus, but I LOVE Simply7 Hummus chips. There are three flavors of Hummus Chips - Tomato Basil, Sea Salt, and Spicy Chili Pepper.

The chips are light and airy tasting, with a kick of flavor and a dash of salt. Hummus is made from the chickpea and is loaded with protein and fiber. All three guys in my family were willing to try out the flavors (because they will try anything I tell them to try, that's a Mom's privilege). Everyone liked them all. The favorite Hummus chip during our taste party is Tomato Basil.

Ever tried lentils? They are also called legumes. Lentil chips are the tasty creation of Simply7 and after trying the Hummus Chips, we could hardly wait to try the Lentil chips. There are three flavors of the Lentil chips...Sea Salt, Bruschetta, and Creamy Dill.

I'm actually sitting here munching on the Bruschetta while I'm blogging! I really like them. My serving size is 31 chips, with 130 calories, 50 calories from fat, 6g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 18g total carbs, 19% daily sodium or 460mg, 3g protein, 1g sugars, 1g dietary fibers. I even get 4% Vitamin A and 4% Iron. Everyone thought the Creamy Dill was amazing and I found the half-eaten bag in my bedroom this morning, which means my husband was happily snacking after I fell asleep last night.

The boys thought there should be 7 flavors, since the company is Simply7, so I explained to them that the Simply7 stands for the 7 Core Standards that the chips must live up to:

1. simple ingredients
2. no trans fat or cholesterol
3. no artificial flavors or colors
4. no additives or preservatives
5. gluten free ingredients
6. all natural recipes
7. simply delicious

These crunchy delicious snacks are a great addition to my new healthy lifestyle and since the family likes them too, they are winning choices. After all, if they don't taste great, who would eat them? Healthy snack foods are the way to go!

Find them online, on Amazon, on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure: I received these products at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

A Deliciously Crunchy Giveaway
One lucky winner will receive a case of 12 bags of Simply7 Chips, in a mixture of flavors! You must be at least 18 years old, have a US address, and follow Planet Weidknecht in at least one way. Only the first entry is mandatory; all others are bonus entries to increase your chances to win. Enter until midnight est on 2/29. Good luck!

Mr. and Mrs. Gift Set Review and $50 Dayspring Gift Code Giveaway

There are so many tributes to love in February and it's just a teaser to all the spring weddings that are being planned. I love this new Mr. and Mrs. Collection from Dayspring! It's a perfect gift to celebrate the joining of two hearts into one.

The collection comes with two mugs, one for Mr. and one for Mrs. plus a coupon book printed on high quality glossy cardstock. There is also a journaling book for the Mrs. What a beautiful idea for an anniversary gift!

The coupon book is filled with little random acts of love that lovers can present to each other for a kiss, a special date, or some time together. I love the Bible verses that are peppered throughout the coupon book and printed on the inner rim of the mug, reminding us to keep God the center of our marriage.

This gift collection even comes with a matching gift bag that all the items fit into. Be sure to notice the little hearts printed on the inside bottom of the mug too. What a sweet surprise at the end of your coffee. All the pieces in this gift collection are high quality and well designed. It's a great little gift from husband to wife, or wife to husband as well. When was the last time you surprised your spouse with a gift for no reason at all?
Disclosure: I received these products at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Dayspring is giving one lucky winner a $50.00 Gift Code to spend at http://www.dayspring.com/. To enter to win, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. You must be at least 18 years old, have a US address, and follow Planet Weidknecht in at least one way. Only the first entry is mandatory; all others are bonus entries to increase your chances to win. Giveaway ends on 2/29 at midnight EST. Good luck!

February Freebies Giveaway Hop - SodaStream Prize

Welcome to the

February Freebies Giveaway Hop

HOSTED BY PLANET WEIDKNECHT AND GOING CRAZY!! WANNA GO??!!

February 18-21

Each participating blogger is hosting their own giveaway, with prizes worth at least $20. Be sure to hop through the blog list below and visit them all to enter to win!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm giving away a SodaStream Prize Package
sponsored by SodaStreamUSA
so you can make your own soda at home
quickly, easily, and eco-consciously!

This Fountain Jet - Soda Starter Kit (ARV $99.95)
includes everything you need to
make great tasting soda in your own home.
One lucky winner will receive
a Fountain Jet Home Soda Maker
(choice of black/silver, red/silver, or white)
1 60-liter Carbonator,
1 Carbonating Bottle
(reusable for up to 3 years),
A Variety 6-pack of Soda Flavors,
And 3 Fullsize Soda Flavors (winner's choice).

READ MY REVIEW HERE!

My teenagers totally loved setting up
our SodaStream and making their own sodas!

SodaStream Review and Giveaway

My two teenagers were very excited when I asked, "So, wanna make some soda tonight?" They had no idea I had a SodaStream in one of the shipping boxes in the corner of the living room. Who would have thought you could make soda at home? We opened up the box and pulled out the parts.

The directions were in the box and with just a few pieces to assemble, the boys put it together easily. I was excited to see all the different soda flavors SodaStream offers over 30 different tastes including regular and diet. It also comes concentrated so it's a great value.

They carefully dropped the top onto the base and sorted through all the flavor samples. Ever tried a cranberry raspberry? Or are you a cola person? They also have apple mango and lemon lime. There are even caffeine free varieties. How about a lemon iced tea or a mint water essence? Ryan decided on root beer and John chose Dr. Pete (guess what that tastes mirrors!).

They filled the included soda bottles with tap water. The bottles are reusable for up to three years, which means we won't be throwing away 3 cases of aluminum cans every week anymore! I LOVE finding eco-conscious ways to live. Plus, the black/silver design fits perfectly into my kitchen with my black/stainless steel appliances. There are several color choices available.

The bottle screws directly onto the SodaStream machine with just the water in it. The flavoring is added after the carbonation step, which means I won't be cleaning sticky stuff off the machine every time my kids make their sodas. Hooray! No electricity or batteries are required to operate the SodaStream and it fits on my counter top under the cabinets attractively.

The next step was to push the button on the top of the SodaStream a couple of times. Each push releases carbonation from the canister into the water, making it carbonated water. How simple! The canister will fill 60 liters of water with carbonation, then I can refill the canister at several local places, saving the earth from even more trash.

When the water was carbonated, they unscrewed the bottle and added their flavorings to the bottles. Then they put the lids on the bottles and lightly shook the bottles to mix the flavor in. They were excited thinking they can each just lay claim to one of the bottles and use the same one over and over. I guess I'm going to have to pick up two more bottles for me and Johnny!

I tasted both of the boys' sodas and they are delicious! I expected the sodas to taste like the cheap store brands but they don't. They are really high quality flavorings and taste really good. I can't wait to try some of the others too.

In the last 24 hours since they put it together, the boys have already made two more flavors each. Each bottle is a liter so they are probably overdoing the whole soda thing, but they're almost 18 years old and I know the novelty of making their own soda is a big part of it. I will definitely continue to use this awesome SodaStream in my home. I think it's a fabulous idea!

SodaStream is my sponsor for the February Freebies Giveaway Hop and that means one lucky Planet Weidknecht winner is going to win their own SodaStream. The giveaway starts at 12:01 am on 2/16 and runs until 11:59pm on 2/21. Click HERE to enter to win your own soda maker! Good luck!
Disclosure: I received these products at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

SodaStream is also on Facebook and Twitter.

House Beautiful Goes Green

Don't miss the House Beautiful March 2012 issue, available now!

Green highlights:

Color: Favorite Greens (page 22): Twelve major players in design, including Bunny Williams, Michael S. Smith, and Barbara Barry share the shade they love the most.

A Mix of Greens Is Lush and Natural (page 60): A verdant abundance that takes its cues from nature. Interior design by Meg Braff.

Minty Green Is Fresh (page 72): Interior design by Fawn Galli.

The Green Album (page 80): Ten rooms that make us green with envy, with interiors by Steven Gambrel, Jeffrey Bilhuber, Katie Ridder, Amelia Handegan and more.

50 Ways to Bring Green Home (page 98): From rugs and benches to tea cups, toasters, and trays, House Beautiful offers myriad ways to go green.

The Last Words: Other Ways to Go Green (page 132): Even though the color green is our theme, we embrace the green movement, too. Here, designers and tastemakers spotlight their favorite eco-friendly products, from detergent and dishes to wood finishes and throw pillows.