8/2/13

Share A Pair

Solar Shield has teamed up with Feed The Children to provide relief to Oklahoma tornado victims. For every “like” the Solar Shield Facebook page receives until August 31st, the company will donate one pair of sun or reading glasses to the cause! Make sure you also enter my giveaway HERE to be one of three readers who will win a pair of Solar Shield sunglasses!

Win a $1500 Gift Card for Groceries

Share your opinion now and get entered to win a $1,500 grocery gift card. Just take a CoolSurveys survey for your chance to win.
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Playing Poker Versus Slot Machines

My husband and I have had a few opportunities to travel to Las Vegas and Shreveport over the past ten years. He prefers to play poker and I prefer the slot machines. I guess I like the easy, relaxing, mindless activity whereas he prefers to challenge his brain and compete with others. I've always joked that a slot machine is a reverse ATM machine, since you put money in and seldom get any out. The odds of winning big money are pretty steep, but when we go to a casino to gamble, I set aside a certain amount of "entertainment money" that we can spend, and when it's gone, we're done gambling. Neither one of us has ever hit a big jackpot win, but casinos are businesses, designed to make money. My husband is more focused on playing poker well, understanding how to psychologically bluff the other players, and beating poker hand odds. He believes knowing his odds in advance is very beneficial to his game. Sometimes he does really well and other times he loses quickly. It's the same for me on slot machines. I remember once when we met his parents in Las Vegas, we didn't spend much because money was tight, but I played a couple slot machines at the airport on our way out and to my delight, I actually won enough money to cover the cost of our trip! Do you like to gamble? What's your favorite game?

8/1/13

Thor: The Dark World

Make sure you get over to see the website! 
There's some totally cool lightening going on!
on Facebook ~~~ on Twitter
Coming November 8, 2013

PB Crave Peanut Butter - Review and Giveaway


Disclosure: I received peanut butter at no charge in exchange for my honest review.
Peanut butter is one of my favorite foods. PB Crave has just exploded onto the gourmet peanut butter market with these fabulous flavors that are not just incredibly delicious, but also super nutritious! Their natural peanut butter blends are artisan crafted in small batches to create four amazing flavors - Choco Choco, Cookie Nookie, Razzle Dazzle and Coco Bananas.
PB Crave peanut butters are gluten-free and cholesterol-free, plus they are kosher certified. They have all the taste you want and none of the stuff you don't want...No hydrogenated oil, no artificial flavors, no syrups, and no high-fructose corn syrup.
Choco Choco is a double dose of semi-sweet and rich dark chocolate direct from Belgium with premium peanut butter and wild honey. It's my favorite flavor of the four from PB Crave, but it's really hard to choose a favorite. It's much more velvety than any other peanut butter I've ever tasted.
Coco Bananas is a tropical delight of peanut butter, bananas, cocoa, and wild honey. If you love peanut butter banana sandwiches, you're going to love this flavor. I've never tried peanut butter and bananas together before (yes, really) so this was a totally new flavor to me and it's so amazing. Plus, PB Crave donates a minimum of 2% of profits from every jar sold to Project Peanut Butter, a non-profit organization focused on treating malnourished children.
Razzle Dazzle is an unexpected party in my mouth. PB Crave blends this one with raspberries, white chocolate, dark chocolate, and wild honey. I'm beginning to think of peanut butter sandwiches as a dessert item now that I've got all these wonderful flavors to taste. I can hardly wait to try some recipes with them!
Cookie Nookie is simply delectable with chocolate chips, natural cookie flavoring, and a touch of honey. I saved this one for last thinking it would be most like a dessert, but they are all really amazing gourmet peanut butters. Imagine spreading some on pancakes or crepes. Try mixing it with ice cream or yogurt. Dip into PB Crave with apples or pretzels. Any way you eat it, you'll be eating natural goodness!

You can find PB Crave at Walmart Supercenters and Cost Plus World Market stores across the US. Find a store near you with our store locator at the bottom of the homepage on www.pbcrave.com or just order from their site. Be sure to check out Celebrity Chef Andrew Zimmern's OpenSky Page and video review on PB Crave too at https://www.opensky.com/pb-crave.
Enter to win the PB Crave Choco Choco Variety Pack ($22.97 value), just by filling in the easy Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway ends at midnight on 8/6/2013 and  is open to US residents ages 18 and up. Good luck!
on Facebook ~~~ on Twitter ~~~ on Pinterest

Making Positive Changes - Review and Giveaway

Each day when we wake up, we have a choice to meet life head on with positive thinking. If you're ready to find some wonderful ways to do this, then I encourage you to read "How to Go from BooHoo to WooHoo in 90 Days" by Cassandra O. James. In less than 100 pages, this author gives readers a huge array of ideas that can transform your thinking from self-pity, sadness, and helplessness to self-love, happiness and hope. I read it front to back in one afternoon and it's full of great quotes and insights that will challenge you to become more empowered, more compassionate, and more content in life. The book reads much like a daily devotional, with each page devoted to a different subject, such as Character, Energy, Dreams, Risk, Victory, Fear, Passion, Karma and many more. I really enjoyed reading it and know I will reach for it repeatedly to use as a guide, especially on days when I'm feeling down and defeated. 

Win a copy of  "How to Go from BooHoo to WooHoo in 90 Days" by Cassandra O. James by using the easy Rafflecopter form below. Open to US residents, ages 18+. Giveaway ends at midnight ET on 8/15/2013. Good luck!

Little People - Throwback Thursday

Includes affiliate link.

Welcome to Throwback Thursday Link Up!
Sponsored By:

Join Us Each Weekly as We Add a New Stroll Down Memory Lane to
Our Weekly Throwback Thursday Link Up.
Each week we will have a quick post about a "walk down memory lane" or "what if" type of post for Throwback Thursday.

Lisa and Bonnie would love it if you would:
Please link back to our blogs or posts. You will find the buttons below.
The "Throwback Thursday Link Up" will benefit those who participate!
Each post should be along the lines of a fond memory our what ever happened...? or even do you remember...? Please do not link to a site other than your own.
Please make sure you use your own photos in your posts, OR make sure to give credit to your photo source.
Also please take the time to visit at least three of the blogs when you add your link, and share upon your visit.
Please do not link to the same post more than once.
All posts must be family friendly!

As an added feature you may add ONE text link (word; not some obvious shout out) to an affiliate link for a product discussed/mentioned in your post. Example: I remember having a favorite pillow that made the rounds to each and every sleepover throughout my youth. Make sure you make you note in your post about the affiliate link for the FCC!

Let's enjoy a stroll down memory lane; maybe a family vacation or a wonderful food from your childhood. Truly the options are endless!
Some 40+ years ago, Fisher Price Little People toys were some of my favorite toys. My sisters and I had the school, the town, the A-frame house, the cottage house, the school bus, the airplane, the school house, and many more. Whenever we "played people" we would spread them all out across the carpet in an entire room and play for hours. The earliest people toys were made of wood and later plastic. Today's rendition of these toys are larger because some children apparently choked on them. I wonder why the government never made minted coins larger since children are still swallowing pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters. What was one of your favorite childhood toys?

Enter to Win $10,000

Tell us about your dream for your chance to win $10,000! Click the banner now and check out the Life Reimagined What's Next Contest. One lucky winner will receive the grand prize of $10,000 and three finalists will win $1,000 each to help make their next moments a reality.
US only, Adults 18+

DIY Wine Bottle Crafts

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Free Arthritis Guide

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7/31/13

Win A Sonicare Prize Pack - Find Your Paradise Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the 
Find Your Paradise
Giveaway Hop
hosted by
Enter below to win a Sonicare Prize Package
from Planet Weidknecht
that includes a 
ARV $300+

Enter below using the Rafflecopter form.
Open to US, ages 18+.

Wednesday Wealth Giveaway Link Up

Thank you for stopping by today!
Last night, I instantly won a $100 Circle K Gift Card!
What will YOU win today?

7/30/13

Tie Dye Cake #Recipe - Nature's Flavors Natural Colors


Disclosure: I received Nature's Flavors Natural Colors in exchange for my honest review.
Research suggests that artificial dyes in many of today's processed foods are the reason for a wide array of behavioral, physiological, and biological problems that exist in our bodies. Nature's Flavors Natural Colors are natural, vegan, kosher, gluten free and chemical free colors... the way nature intended.
The Rainbow Pack includes Yellow, Orange, Red, Green and Blue. I thought it would be fun to create a multicolored cake to show all the Natural Colors. This Tie Dye Cake Recipe is a Lisa Weidknecht original recipe.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9"x9" metal pan with cooking spray then dust a bit of flour over the cooking spray in the pan.
In a large bowl, stir together one stick of room temperature butter with one cup of white granulated sugar. I used a large wooden spoon for stirring. I added two eggs and two tsp of pure vanilla extract, then stirred some more.
  
Then I added 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 cup milk to the bowl and stirred until everything was well blended. One of these days I'm going to get a stand mixer!
  
I split the batter into five smaller containers and put four drops of Natural Colors into each bowl, to create all five different colors of batter. Aren't they pretty? Plus, the bottles are made from 100% recycled materials.
Then I spooned each color into the baking pan, making sure to get the colors into different parts of the pan in small amounts. The batter was uneven in the pan, so I took a fork and very lightly spread just the top of the batter smooth.
I baked it for 40 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees F, then cooled it completely on a wire rack. Once it was cooled, I frosted it with white vanilla frosting. It's absolutely beautiful and delicious, probably one of the most creative things I've ever made. I'm completely impressed with Nature's Flavors Natural Colors and will never buy artificial food dyes again! Get yours now at www.naturesflavors.com.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Marvelous Meat Casserole #Recipe - Tasty Tuesday

Welcome to Tasty Tuesday Recipe Link Up
Sponsored By:

Join Us Each Week as We Add New Recipes to Our Weekly Tasty Tuesday Recipe Link Up.
Recipes shared need not be 5 star rated restaurant quality to impress. Link up your family’s favorites and maybe find a new family favorite among the recipes listed below. I’m always on the lookout for something new to try and share with my family.
Lisa and Bonnie would love it if you would:
Please link back to our blogs or posts. You will find the button below.
The “Tasty Tuesday Link Up” will benefit those who participate!
The recipe needs to be a recipe YOU made. Please do not link to a site other than your own.
Please make sure you use your own photos in your recipes, make sure to give credit to your source.
Also please take the time to visit at least three of the blogs when you add your link, and share upon your visit (having share button on each post is beneficial).
Please do not link to the same recipe more than once.
As an added feature you may add ONE text link (word; not some obvious shout out) to an affiliate link for a product used in your recipe. Example: Add 1 tsp Vanilla. Make sure you make you note in your post about the affiliate link for the FCC!
So, dust off those family treasured recipes and let the sharing begin!

MARVELOUS MEAT CASSEROLE
a Lisa Weidknecht original recipe
 In a skillet, brown one pound of ground beef with 1/4 cup diced onion, drain and rinse.
In a saucepan, cook 2 cups instant rice in 2 cups boiling water, cover and set five minutes.
Puree five large tomatoes in a blender, add 2 tbsp Italian Seasoning,
1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp Oregano, mix well.
In a 9"x13" baking dish, layer cooked rice, then cooked ground beef.
Pour tomato sauce from blender over beef.
Rinse and drain a small can of sliced olives, layer over tomato sauce.
Sprinkle one cup shredded Four Cheese over top.
Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes.


CrispRoot Ridged Cassava Root Chips - Review

Disclosure: I received these products at no charge in exchange for my honest review.
I love snacking. It's probably one of the biggest reasons I find it difficult to lose weight. Finding healthier snacking options makes me feel less guilty about reaching for that afternoon snack or late night snack. CrispRoot Ridged Cassava Root Chips are a whole new experience in healthy snacks.
CrispRoot Chips are made from the exotic cassava root, a root vegetable that has twice the fiber and thirty percent less fat than the average potato chip. They are gluten-free and dairy-free so if you have ingredient issues, this might be the alternative for you!
Currently available in four flavors - Original, Sea Salt, BBQ Bliss, and Thai Ginger - these all-natural cassava root chips also have no cholesterol and no trans fat. My family and I had a tasting party one evening to try them all out.
They are crispier and crunchier than most potato chips. This makes them perfect for dipping because they don't break in half under the weight of the dip. I liked all four CrispRoot flavors, but my favorites were the BBQ Bliss and the Thai Ginger. I've never tasted a Thai Ginger flavored chip before and it's an amazing combination of sweet, sour, spicy, and salty.
CrispRoot’s mission is to cultivate a healthier world through producing nourishing, healthier-for-you foods, as well as honest words and business practices that are kind to the planet. CrispRoot Chips are made from the root of Cassava, a shrub indigenous to South America and also cultivated throughout Asia and Africa. CrispRoot grows its own Cassava root on the island of Java and has become the first official Rainforest Alliance-certified Cassava farm in the world. Look for them in your local stores!

Fresh Made Meals From Diet-to-Go - Review


Disclosure: I received five days of meals from Diet-to-Go in exchange for my honest review.
Diet-to-Go offers freshly-made weight loss meals, dietician-designed and chef-crafted. I received five days of meals delivered right to my front door, so I could sample the foods. They arrived in a big styrofoam cooler, packed with dry ice, ready to pop into my fridge. With the food was a list of all the meals and a suggested menu for the week, but they can be eaten in any order and combination. There are three distinct menus (low-fat, vegetarian or low-carb) that contain everything you need including side items, condiments, and sometimes beverages.
The quality of each meal was fantastic and delicious. My favorite foods included the Breakfast Pizza, the Chicken Philly Sub, the Baked Spaghetti Pie, and the Thai Turkey Tenderloin. It also comes with yummy treats like yogurt, muffins, and brownies. The foods that need heating can be warmed in the oven or microwave right in the packaging, making it so easy to diet. There was only one thing I didn't like and that was the can of tomato juice.
It's really hard to believe that this is diet food because many of the meals were so filling that I couldn't finish everything on my plate. At the end of the five days I ate the meals from Diet-to-Go, I was very surprised to discover that I had lost four pounds. Diet-to-Go is delicious, very affordable, and fits easily into a busy lifestyle. There are no contracts and no gimmicks! Give them a try!
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.