Saturday, January 21, 2012

Saturday Funnies/Fails

I wish this wasn't real.  What was this man thinking???

epic fail photos-Parenting Fail
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I hope this one is fake too.  Why...just why??

epic fail photos-Police Report Fail
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Watch the whole video.  This boy is trying to be tough, but it doesn't work out well.  The chicken won!

epic fail photos - Being Tough FAIL
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And don't miss our Spotlight Saturday Blog hop!  Link up on the post below!!!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Vitalicious Review and Giveaway


Last week, I was sent a big box of Vitalicious's new mini VitaCakes to review. The new 50-calorie Fudgy Chocolate Vitacakes are "loaded with gooey chocolate goodness".  Vitalicious® Inc. is the market leader of innovative "vital and delicious" baked goods that promote a healthy lifestyle, without sacrificing taste. First to market with 100-calorie servings, Vitalicious® is leading the way to a holistic approach to maximize satisfaction with minimum calories, with products that are low fat and high in fiber and nutrients.They sell muffin tops, brownies, muffins, cakes, buns, and mixes.

Since Vitalicious does not use any preservatives, I immediately stuck all my yummy new snacks into the freezer.  Whenever I was ready to try a new one, I simply microwave it for about 15 seconds or just let it thaw out for about 30 minutes.  The VitaTops are also good toasted after you have already thawed it out.  Besides the high fiber, low calorie VitaCakes, my favorites treats from Vitalicious are the Banana Nut VitaTops and the Fudgy Peanut Butter Chip VitaTops.  And at only 100 calories per Top, I could easily stick to my diet.  They are also an excellent source of Fiber and protein, so they were also beneficial to helping me stick to my diet.   My younger daughter's favorite was the Golden Corn VitaTop.  She is in love with corn bread and this was no exception.  My oldest daughter enjoyed the Deep & Velvety  VitaBrownies.  Her two favorite things, nuts and chocolate.   Of course they weren't as sweet as typical muffin tops, but they are perfect for those trying to watch what they eat and who are craving a little sweetness.

You can your own Vitalicious products including their new mini VitaCakes on their website, amazon, or your local grocery store.  Thanks to the generous folks at Vitalicious, one lucky reader of Between the Lines will also win their own box of  VitaCakes.  Just follow the instructions below.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Dining With Royalty

So many of us have dreamed of dining with Her Royal Highness, Cinderella, but were hesitant because of the price of the meal.  I mean, who would ever dream of paying $45 for breakfast?!?  However, after breaking down and using a few Dining Credits on it, I now know that you are paying for the experience, not the food.  And I must say...It is one very Magical experience. 

Cinderella's Royal Table, despite the menu price, is one Disney World's most popular character meals.  It is one of those meals that need to be booked months in advance.  From trying to book a reservation in the past, I have the feeling that most people are interested in dinner dining, but our family chose breakfast.  Our Magical day began by being allowed to enter the Magic Kingdom before it had even opened.  I can't even tell you how breathtaking the park is without all the extra people there.  We were able to take amazing pictures and we were even able to watch Cinderella arrive in her carriage!

The Magic continued as we entered the Castle!!! When I was little, I always dreamed of seeing the inside of the Castle and it didn't disappoint.  As with everything Disney, the details were extraordinary.  It was hard to take in the beauty of the tapestries, stained glass windows, and various other artwork.  Then when we turned the corner and saw Cinderella herself, waiting to greet us, my girls just shrieked in delight.  She was very personable and spent a lot of time talking to the girls, taking a few pictures, and giving them a quick twirl.   

After leaving Cinderella to greet her other guests, we walked up the Royal staircase to the dining room, where we were seated.  The girls were each given a magical wand and a wishing star, while we were given a menu full of tasty breakfast foods. The French Toast was my absolute favorite. After placing our order, the other princesses were introduced and began mingling with the guests.  We were able to meet Aurora, Snow White, Ariel, and Jasmine.  The girls were in absolute heaven.  Each princess talked to them individually and asked them questions about themselves.  Aurora even complimented my oldest on her fingernail polish.

Towards the end of the meal, the lights began to twinkle and flicker and the guests were ask to make a wish on their wishing star.  The girls absolutely loved it and still play with their stars at home.  I loved that they had a great time and we left the castle with full bellies, great "complimentary" photographs, and priceless memories.  

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Recipe Corner: Pasta Fagioli

One of my favorite reasons to go to the Olive Garden is to eat their delicious Pasta Fagioli. The major problem I run into is that my husband doesn’t like the Olive Garden. So I searched until I found this amazing soup (on allrecipes.com) I could make at home. It may not be quite as good as the Olive Garden, but it is definitely worth eating!


Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 carrot, diced (I use shredded carrots)
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 thin slice onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 4 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/2 tablespoon dried basil leaves
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups ditalini pasta

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute carrot, celery and onion until soft. Add garlic and saute briefly. Stir in tomato sauce, chicken broth, pepper, parsley and basil; simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ditalini pasta and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. Add beans to the sauce mixture and simmer for a few minutes. When pasta is done, stir into sauce and bean mixture.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

JANUARY GIVEAWAYS AND PROMO NEWS from ROBIN LEEDY & ASSOCIATES

The Natural Dentist 1,000 Fan Celebration Giveaway!
 
Don't want to have to choose between natural and effective when it comes to oral care? Then you'll love our new client, The Natural Dentist!  Help spread the word about its Facebook page, because when their page reaches 1,000 fans, we'll celebrate with a giveaway that will offer a chance to be one of 10 winners to receive a prize pack containing a bottle of TND Healthy Gums Rinse, PLUS your choice of a $25 retailer gift card from either Walgreens, Rite Aid or Whole Foods!
  
Powered by nature, proven by science, The Natural Dentist line of products was formulated with a scientific blend of natural ingredients by a dentist to provide effective, natural oral care for his patients' teeth and gums.
 
PediaCare® Helps Parents Understand the New Changes to Infants Acetaminophen Products; Offers "Get Back to Happy" Sweeps!
PediaCare is one of the first brands to adopt a new dosing system for infant acetaminophen products. And, to help explain and illustrate the changes to infants and children's acetaminophen products, Dr. Jim Sears, pediatrician and co-host of The Doctors, teamed up with PediaCare® and Little Remedies® to create a video explaining the new, smart product changes along with a demonstration of the new special dosing mechanisms.
And, to help you get your little one back to feeling happy, now through January 31, 2012, you can enter thePediaCare "Get Back to Happy" Sweepstakes for a chance to win one of four fun prizes! One grand prize includes a two night stay for four (4) at one of The Great Wolf Lodge® resorts and all winners will receive a PediaCare "Get Back to Happy" Family Pack each valued at $350.
For additional information about PediaCare® products and the dosing changes, visit the PediaCare web site, www.pediacare.com .
Nip Flu Season in the Bud with a New Oscillo® Sweeps!
Oscillococcinum® is tough to pronounce….but even tougher on flu-like symptoms! 
Enter the “How Do You Say Oscillococcinum” Sweepstakes for your chance to win Oscillo, Children’s Chestal and a $50 Walgreens retail gift card. Prizing starts Monday, January 9; one random winner will be selected each weekday until January 20!  Plus, watch our fun video of fans trying to say Oscillococcinum. If you are one of our 10 random prize winners and also guess which of the three fans says it correctly, you’ll be eligible for a bonus $100 Walgreens retail gift card. That’s triple the prize!
Enter now through 12 p.m. ET on January 20, 2012, for your chance to win, here. “LIKE” the Oscillo Facebook page:  www.Facebook.com/Oscillo for great flu season tips.
New Product Available for Review & Giveaway:
Trying to Conceive or Interested in Topics Related To Fertility?
Each year roughly seven million couples will have fertility issues and the most commonly accepted myth is that the woman is mostly to blame. The fact is that about half of all infertility problems are directly attributed to the male, and most of them are mainly due to low sperm count. With new SpermCheck® Fertility, men can test their sperm count in the privacy of their home. SpermCheck Fertility is the only FDA approved, 98% accurate home test for men – it’s as accurate as a lab test but more affordable and convenient. In just 10 minutes, the easy-to-read results indicate a normal or below normal sperm count. 
The SpermCheck® Fertility test costs substantially less than a visit to the doctor without the embarrassment and indignities of providing a semen sample to a doctor or nurse. More important the test can help inform a man whether or not a more comprehensive clinical fertility evaluation is needed.
If you’d like to learn more about SpermCheck, review the product and offer a giveaway to your readers, please contact Laura Giardina at lgiardina@rlapr.com.
 
We encourage you to "LIKE" the RL&A Facebook page (www.facebook.com/rlachatter) and to follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/rlachatter) to stay up to date on all client giveaways and product review opportunities…we have some great opportunities coming up soon!

Monday, January 16, 2012

MrChewy.com Review and Giveaway


Who is MrChewy.com you ask? MrChewy.com is a company that delivers pet happiness by conveniently shipping popular and premium brands of pet food and stuff while celebrating and honoring the bond, love, and connection they share with pets.



When you have a pet, they become part of your family. We are no exception. We have a Maltese named Maddy. We have had him for three years now and he is one special pup! So, I was very excited for the chance to check out MrChewy.com. Maddy eats a particular brand of dog food, which isn't easy to find locally. MrChewy.com carries it!



MrChewy.com carries over 70+ brands of popular brands of dog food, cat food, treats and supplies. They have everyday low prices on top brands. They also offer 1-2 day free shipping on orders over $49.00. Let's talk about awesome customer service. I placed my order on a Friday afternoon and it was on my doorstep Saturday morning. I had a very happy pup with all his treats!



If you have a dog or a cat, go check out MrChewy.com. You will be glad you did! The website is extremely easy to use! I know where we will be ordering Maddy's food and treats from in future!

Unlike the big, corporate, profit-driven pet retailers, MrChewy.com is driven by pet happiness not the bottom line. You can check out MrChewy.com on Facebook and Twitter.

MrChewy.com is giving one lucky reader a $25 gift code to use towards treats for your pet. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below.