If you are a mom (or dad) you understand the importance of safe driving. Or at least you should! Some days when I am driving I wonder if I am the only one on the road that is being careful. So I want to share my tips for safe driving.
1) Be considerate of other drivers & don't think that you are the only person on the road. I don't know how many times I have been close to being hit because someone in the lane next to me decides they want to drive in my lane - WITH me. Only one vehicle per lane is the rule so please make sure if you are changing lanes that there is no one already there.
2) Keep a safe speed. If you get in a wreck or get pulled over by a law enforcement officer, then you will be later than if you just went the speed limit. Now, I would not suggest being a little "granny" driver and going extremely slow because that can be just as bad as going over the speed limit. So it is very important to keep a "safe" speed...not over and not under.
3) Wear your seat belt! It is hard to teach children to do something if we as the parents are not doing it. It is important to lead our children by example. Children will naturally hate being "tied" into a seat belt, but they are more likely to wear one of they see their parents wearing one as well.
4) Make sure your car is safe. Keep a check on your tires to make sure they are safe. If you have a tire blow out, it can be very dangerous for those in the car as well as those all around on the road. Also, make sure your headlights are working properly. Not only is it important for you to see where you are going, but it is also very important for others to be able to see you coming as well.
5) Don't drive sleepy!! Unfortunately there are many drivers that will keep driving even though they are very sleepy and tired. According to http://drowsydriving.org/about/facts-and-stats/ there are approximately 100,000 police-reported crashes as the direct result of driver fatigue each year. That is a scary number! So please, if you get tired...pull over, take a nap, or let someone else drive for a little while!
There are many other safety driving tips that we could share, but these are my 5 that I wanted to share with you. Please comment with a tip of your own. And be sure to check out Esurance and the tips that they can offer. Be sure to like them on facebook .
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Esurance blogging program for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here .”
Showing posts with label social moms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social moms. Show all posts
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Memories from Coca-Cola
Coke® is a classic, all-American beverage that always stirs up memories of good times with family and friends no matter where you’re from. These kinds of memories are the glue that bring families and communities together.About Coca-Cola®
Created in Atlanta, Georgia, by Dr. John S. Pemberton, Coca-Cola was first offered as a fountain beverage by mixing Coca-Cola syrup with carbonated water. Coca-Cola was introduced in 1886, patented in 1887, registered as a trademark in 1893 and by 1895 it was being sold in every state and territory in the United States. In 1899, The Coca-Cola Company began franchised bottling operations in the United States.
I have great memories of Coke from my childhood. I had an uncle that was a manager at the local Coca-Cola plant. Anytime that one of us kids would get sick, he would bring over cases of Coke. I grew up thinking Coke was some sort of miracle medicine or something. Recently I met one of my mom's cousins at a funeral and they were reminiscing about their youth days, and he said something about going to another family members house and seeing a garage full of Coke cases and he knew our uncle had been there. He also knew that someone was, or had been, sick. Now when one of my children get sick, I automatically want to get some Coke. I don't know that it makes you feel any better from the sickness, but Coke always makes you feel better when you drink it.
Several years ago after I had both of my children, I was on a weight loss journey. I had a friend that had lost a huge amount of weight by going to Weight Watchers, so I joined up and went to the meetings with her. I did really great, but had to quit near Thanksgiving. Weight Watchers is a great program and I recommend it to anyone that needs to lose weight but can't do it alone. I just wish I could afford to go back myself! But one of my favorite part of WW was the support and the recipes that are shared. I found a recipe on a website one day that my family has fallen in love with. This website, http://www.dwlz.com/ is from a lady that lost an enormous amount of weight using the WW program, and she shares her success with others. She also has a recipes section that has the points and everything layed out for you. It is a wonderful tool. The recipe I got from her site is called Cola Chicken. Here is the recipe:
Cola Chicken
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 cup ketchup
12 oz can diet Coke
Put chicken in non-stick skillet. Pour catsup and diet cola over the top. Bring to boil.
Cover, reduce heat and cook for 45 minutes. Uncover, turn up the heat and continue to
cook until the sauce becomes thick and adheres to the chicken. It turns into the most
incredible BBQ sauce and it's only 4 points per serving. Yummm!
I have told others about this recipe and they turn their nose up at the thought of Diet Coke making a BBQ sauce but I tell you it is awesome! The first time I made this recipe, I made the chicken and a big pot of macaroni & cheese. I figured the kids would eat the mac-n-cheese and leave my chicken alone...but I was wrong!! They loved it!! I didn't have enough. It is a recipe that is good whether you are dieting or not, but it is great to know you can eat something that tastes so great and still lose weight!
So, do you have any memories of Coke or any great family recipes? If so, please share in the comments. I always enjoy reading the comments of my readers.
More info: http://www.cookingwithcoke.com/
Join Coca-Cola® on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cocacola
Join Coca-Cola® on Twitter: http://twitter.com/cocacola
"I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Coca-Cola® blogging program. If I am one of the first 100 blogs received by SocialsMoms, I will receive a $25 gift card. For more information on the program, click here"
Created in Atlanta, Georgia, by Dr. John S. Pemberton, Coca-Cola was first offered as a fountain beverage by mixing Coca-Cola syrup with carbonated water. Coca-Cola was introduced in 1886, patented in 1887, registered as a trademark in 1893 and by 1895 it was being sold in every state and territory in the United States. In 1899, The Coca-Cola Company began franchised bottling operations in the United States.
I have great memories of Coke from my childhood. I had an uncle that was a manager at the local Coca-Cola plant. Anytime that one of us kids would get sick, he would bring over cases of Coke. I grew up thinking Coke was some sort of miracle medicine or something. Recently I met one of my mom's cousins at a funeral and they were reminiscing about their youth days, and he said something about going to another family members house and seeing a garage full of Coke cases and he knew our uncle had been there. He also knew that someone was, or had been, sick. Now when one of my children get sick, I automatically want to get some Coke. I don't know that it makes you feel any better from the sickness, but Coke always makes you feel better when you drink it.
Several years ago after I had both of my children, I was on a weight loss journey. I had a friend that had lost a huge amount of weight by going to Weight Watchers, so I joined up and went to the meetings with her. I did really great, but had to quit near Thanksgiving. Weight Watchers is a great program and I recommend it to anyone that needs to lose weight but can't do it alone. I just wish I could afford to go back myself! But one of my favorite part of WW was the support and the recipes that are shared. I found a recipe on a website one day that my family has fallen in love with. This website, http://www.dwlz.com/ is from a lady that lost an enormous amount of weight using the WW program, and she shares her success with others. She also has a recipes section that has the points and everything layed out for you. It is a wonderful tool. The recipe I got from her site is called Cola Chicken. Here is the recipe:
Cola Chicken
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 cup ketchup
12 oz can diet Coke
Put chicken in non-stick skillet. Pour catsup and diet cola over the top. Bring to boil.
Cover, reduce heat and cook for 45 minutes. Uncover, turn up the heat and continue to
cook until the sauce becomes thick and adheres to the chicken. It turns into the most
incredible BBQ sauce and it's only 4 points per serving. Yummm!
I have told others about this recipe and they turn their nose up at the thought of Diet Coke making a BBQ sauce but I tell you it is awesome! The first time I made this recipe, I made the chicken and a big pot of macaroni & cheese. I figured the kids would eat the mac-n-cheese and leave my chicken alone...but I was wrong!! They loved it!! I didn't have enough. It is a recipe that is good whether you are dieting or not, but it is great to know you can eat something that tastes so great and still lose weight!
So, do you have any memories of Coke or any great family recipes? If so, please share in the comments. I always enjoy reading the comments of my readers.
More info: http://www.cookingwithcoke.com/
Join Coca-Cola® on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cocacola
Join Coca-Cola® on Twitter: http://twitter.com/cocacola
"I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Coca-Cola® blogging program. If I am one of the first 100 blogs received by SocialsMoms, I will receive a $25 gift card. For more information on the program, click here"
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Little Switches That Make a Big Difference
Have you noticed how so many times our lives will become so routine that we get bored and want a change? In 2008, when Barack Obama was running for president he used the slogan a lot about time for a change. So many things have changed over the years with technology and other things that we can't even keep up; yet, our lives still seem to be so routine and we become bored.
Well, I am a firm believer that sometimes you can make little switches that can make a big difference. I am not much of a cook, my husband is a great cook so I do not usually break that routine of him cooking dinner. Recently I was given the opportunity to review some Country Bob's all purpose sauce (see my review here). I cooked dinner one night while my husband was working and had dinner on the table for him. And it was wonderful!! I made cheeseburgers and they turned out so juicy and tender all because of a little change I made in an ingredient. But that little thing really made a big difference that night in our home....I now have more confidence in my cooking and am eager to try more new things, and my husband was glad to be able to come home like I do so many nights and just be able to sit and relax.
Another example of little switches with big differences is drinking water. We all have heard of the health benefits that water has on our bodies and we know we need to drink more water, and a lot of people did start drinking a lot more water over the last few years. But unfortunately, we are using way too many plastic bottles. If each person would use reusable water bottles, we could make a huge difference in the amount of waste we have. I have started using the recycle containers they now have at Rite Aid, and I am really surprised at the amount of recycling I have each week that was normally going in with the regular trash. Unfortunately, so many people have the mind-set that they cannot make a difference; but we all need to realize that it is the small things that each of us can do that in the end will result in a big difference.
There are so many areas in our lives that we can make little switches in as well. I would almost make a bet that most of the time when someone in a relationship has an affair, or even thinks about it, it is because their own relationship has become boring. Not that I am saying that makes it alright, but I do feel that we have to do the small things to keep our relationships alive! My husband and I have been married for 13 years, and this year we have gone out on 2 date nights.Those date nights have not been anything extravagant, but yet they have made a big difference in our relationship. All couples need to have time set aside that they can spend together without the kids. If everyone did this, I believe we would have fewer divorces.
I want to hear from my readers...What are some ways that you can make little switches that make a big difference? If you really think about it, I bet we can all come up with some great tips. And if we get these tips out to others, then maybe we can all really make a BIG difference!
Cottonell also is making little switches. The Cottonelle brand provides innovative comfort solutions for perineal personal care. Cottonelle toilet paper is available in three forms: Cottonelle Ultra toilet paper, Cottonelle Aloe & E toilet paper, and Cottonelle Premium toilet paper. To help people feel cleaner and fresher than with toilet paper alone, Cottonelle offers Cottonelle Fresh Flushable Moist Wipes and Cottonelle SoothingClean Flushable Moist Wipes enriched with Aloe & E.
More info about the Cottonelle Ultra Switch: http://www.cottonelleultraswitch.com/
Cottonell on Facebook
http://twitter.com/#!/cottonellebrand
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Cottonelle blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”
Well, I am a firm believer that sometimes you can make little switches that can make a big difference. I am not much of a cook, my husband is a great cook so I do not usually break that routine of him cooking dinner. Recently I was given the opportunity to review some Country Bob's all purpose sauce (see my review here). I cooked dinner one night while my husband was working and had dinner on the table for him. And it was wonderful!! I made cheeseburgers and they turned out so juicy and tender all because of a little change I made in an ingredient. But that little thing really made a big difference that night in our home....I now have more confidence in my cooking and am eager to try more new things, and my husband was glad to be able to come home like I do so many nights and just be able to sit and relax.
Another example of little switches with big differences is drinking water. We all have heard of the health benefits that water has on our bodies and we know we need to drink more water, and a lot of people did start drinking a lot more water over the last few years. But unfortunately, we are using way too many plastic bottles. If each person would use reusable water bottles, we could make a huge difference in the amount of waste we have. I have started using the recycle containers they now have at Rite Aid, and I am really surprised at the amount of recycling I have each week that was normally going in with the regular trash. Unfortunately, so many people have the mind-set that they cannot make a difference; but we all need to realize that it is the small things that each of us can do that in the end will result in a big difference.
There are so many areas in our lives that we can make little switches in as well. I would almost make a bet that most of the time when someone in a relationship has an affair, or even thinks about it, it is because their own relationship has become boring. Not that I am saying that makes it alright, but I do feel that we have to do the small things to keep our relationships alive! My husband and I have been married for 13 years, and this year we have gone out on 2 date nights.Those date nights have not been anything extravagant, but yet they have made a big difference in our relationship. All couples need to have time set aside that they can spend together without the kids. If everyone did this, I believe we would have fewer divorces.
I want to hear from my readers...What are some ways that you can make little switches that make a big difference? If you really think about it, I bet we can all come up with some great tips. And if we get these tips out to others, then maybe we can all really make a BIG difference!
Cottonell also is making little switches. The Cottonelle brand provides innovative comfort solutions for perineal personal care. Cottonelle toilet paper is available in three forms: Cottonelle Ultra toilet paper, Cottonelle Aloe & E toilet paper, and Cottonelle Premium toilet paper. To help people feel cleaner and fresher than with toilet paper alone, Cottonelle offers Cottonelle Fresh Flushable Moist Wipes and Cottonelle SoothingClean Flushable Moist Wipes enriched with Aloe & E.
More info about the Cottonelle Ultra Switch: http://www.cottonelleultraswitch.com/
Cottonell on Facebook
http://twitter.com/#!/cottonellebrand
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Cottonelle blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”
Thursday, March 31, 2011
How I Keep My Family Happy
In 2011 there are so many games, gadgets, and our phones are "smart". We no longer have to read a real book because now we can read it on a device. Our phones can do about as much as a computer. And the gaming systems are so high-tech these days that you can actually play online, download movies and other fun things.
So why is it so hard to make our families happy?
I am a firm believer that "stuff" does not make you happy. And all the things that I described above is proof of that. It starts out with small babies and toddlers. Have you ever noticed that when a small child gets a gift, they would rather play with the box? So it starts when they are small, but we still continue to get them "stuff", which only makes them happy for a short while. They really would love to just have that big box to make a space ship out of it.
Now I am not judging anyone by no means because my family has a lot of these games and gadgets as well. But it is not those items that keeps my family happy. My son is happiest when he can go outside and play with the "scrap pile" and find something to build. Him and my nephew have built a clubhouse, and now they are adding more things to it. They have swing and a slide and each day they look through the scraps to see what else they can come up with. Those are the moments he will treasure the most when he is grown.
My daughter loves to sing. She is happiest when we get together and put in a CD, or plug in the MP3 player in the car, and we sing together. She walks around the house with the MP3 and sings all the songs over and over. She is going to be the next American Idol cause this girl loves to sing!
Farm Rich wants to help you “Keep ‘em Happy” with a selection of tasty and easy-to-prepare snacks! They have great snacks such as cheese sticks, quesidillas, and meatballs. Around my house we love to get together for family movie nights. We love making these kinds of snacks, put them on a big platter, and sit around the t.v. eating and watching. When I was growing up I can always remeber my dad being at work. We did not do many family activities other than family vacations. I appreciate all of the time that my dad spent working for our family, but I do love the fact that my children will have the memories of us having family time together.
So what is it that makes your family happy? Is it food that makes them happy, or something else? Please share your thoughts about your family in the comments, I would love to read some of your stories!!
Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Farm Rich blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
So why is it so hard to make our families happy?
I am a firm believer that "stuff" does not make you happy. And all the things that I described above is proof of that. It starts out with small babies and toddlers. Have you ever noticed that when a small child gets a gift, they would rather play with the box? So it starts when they are small, but we still continue to get them "stuff", which only makes them happy for a short while. They really would love to just have that big box to make a space ship out of it.
Now I am not judging anyone by no means because my family has a lot of these games and gadgets as well. But it is not those items that keeps my family happy. My son is happiest when he can go outside and play with the "scrap pile" and find something to build. Him and my nephew have built a clubhouse, and now they are adding more things to it. They have swing and a slide and each day they look through the scraps to see what else they can come up with. Those are the moments he will treasure the most when he is grown.
My daughter loves to sing. She is happiest when we get together and put in a CD, or plug in the MP3 player in the car, and we sing together. She walks around the house with the MP3 and sings all the songs over and over. She is going to be the next American Idol cause this girl loves to sing!
Farm Rich wants to help you “Keep ‘em Happy” with a selection of tasty and easy-to-prepare snacks! They have great snacks such as cheese sticks, quesidillas, and meatballs. Around my house we love to get together for family movie nights. We love making these kinds of snacks, put them on a big platter, and sit around the t.v. eating and watching. When I was growing up I can always remeber my dad being at work. We did not do many family activities other than family vacations. I appreciate all of the time that my dad spent working for our family, but I do love the fact that my children will have the memories of us having family time together.
So what is it that makes your family happy? Is it food that makes them happy, or something else? Please share your thoughts about your family in the comments, I would love to read some of your stories!!
Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Farm Rich blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
Monday, March 28, 2011
What is your favorite part of Easter?
Easter is right around the corner and the group from Social Moms wants to know, what is your favorite part of Easter. When I was younger I really enjoyed the Easter egg hunts. We would go to church and the adults would hide the eggs and then the kids would go out and run as hard as we could to find the most eggs. And someone would find a special egg! It was so much fun. And of course on Easter morning, the thrill of getting up to an Easter basket full of goodies. But all that aside, I think my absolute favorite part of Easter was getting a new dress to show off at church.
As I got older, my ideas and favorites changed but stayed the same. I know that statement did not seem to make sense so I will explain. Now that I am a mother, I don't hunt eggs or get an Easter basket, but I love the excitement that they have with these experiences. The fun and excitement they get when it is their turn to hunt eggs is priceless. And although my kids stopped believing in the Easter bunny a long time ago, they still enjoy the surprise of the basket that the bunny leaves for them. It is a wonderful feeling transitioning from the one with all the excitement about Easter traditions, and then making those traditions fun for the next generation.
But Easter would not be worth celebrating at all if we did not mention, or celebrate the true meaning of Easter which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. My family enjoys the Easter egg hunts, and getting the Easter baskets, but our top priority is going to church and participating in the Easter program. If it were not for the resurrection, there would be no reason to celebrate so we make sure that is the most important part of our celebrating. And I love that our church has a different program each year. We have a program for the kids and one with the adults. They become very thought provoking and inspirational.
So, I ask you...what is your favorite part of Easter? Do you have some traditions or favorite activities? Share your favorite Easter activities in the comments. I would love to read some of your ideas. To make new memories, make sure to take your family out to see the movie Hop. It looks like it is going to be hilarious!
Disclaimer:“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hop blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”
As I got older, my ideas and favorites changed but stayed the same. I know that statement did not seem to make sense so I will explain. Now that I am a mother, I don't hunt eggs or get an Easter basket, but I love the excitement that they have with these experiences. The fun and excitement they get when it is their turn to hunt eggs is priceless. And although my kids stopped believing in the Easter bunny a long time ago, they still enjoy the surprise of the basket that the bunny leaves for them. It is a wonderful feeling transitioning from the one with all the excitement about Easter traditions, and then making those traditions fun for the next generation.
But Easter would not be worth celebrating at all if we did not mention, or celebrate the true meaning of Easter which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. My family enjoys the Easter egg hunts, and getting the Easter baskets, but our top priority is going to church and participating in the Easter program. If it were not for the resurrection, there would be no reason to celebrate so we make sure that is the most important part of our celebrating. And I love that our church has a different program each year. We have a program for the kids and one with the adults. They become very thought provoking and inspirational.
So, I ask you...what is your favorite part of Easter? Do you have some traditions or favorite activities? Share your favorite Easter activities in the comments. I would love to read some of your ideas. To make new memories, make sure to take your family out to see the movie Hop. It looks like it is going to be hilarious!
Disclaimer:“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hop blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”
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