Monte Carlo - The Must See Summer Movie

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Monte Carlo for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

 Grab your daughter(s) and/or friends and race to the theaters this Friday to check out Monte Carlo!

Movie synopsis: Grace (Selena Gomez) is an ordinary girl who becomes an accidental heiress when a summer trip to Paris turns into the fantasy of a lifetime. On a dream vacation, Grace, along with her best friend and step-sister, discover that the greatest adventure is finding out who they really are. 

Check out the trailer .  You can get tickets ahead of time beginning Wednesday, 6/29, by going to Fandango, then you will be ready for the family date night Friday night when the movie hits theaters!

Be sure to "like" the official Monte Carlo Facebook page. This will be a fun movie for my daughter and I to watch together.  She is a fan of Selena Gomez and I am a fan of Paris! And we are both fans of dreams coming true - or in this case she had a fun time pretending!

It really looks like a great family- friendly movie, and sure to be a hit for moms and daughters everywhere!! Check out Monte Carlo for yourself, and make that date night with your special someone! My family enjoys spending time together and watching good movies. This movie will be one that the guys might not like as much as the girl do so we may have to make a mother/daughter date night and watch this without them. Most girls, like my daughter, likes Selena Gomez and they like the "fairy tale" story. That is what this movie seems to be, a modern-day Cinderella; except the girl in this movie is not stuck home cleaning and being a slave, but happens to look like someone famous and she gets to live the life of that other person for a short time. Wouldn't we all like to go to a place where our "twin" is famous and we accidentally get mistaken for them? I know I would, if nothing but a short time just to see what they other side lives like. Maybe if we all were given that opportunity, we could be grateful for the life we have.

Will you and your daughter have a date night?? Let me know your plans.

Important help from Cryo-Cell for new moms

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of CryoCell International for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

When a woman becomes pregnant she is either excited or scared or a little of both. No mother wants to think about their child not being healthy. In fact, a lot of times you will ask a new parent-to-be what they want, boy or girl, and they will say "It don't matter as long as it is healthy". It would be nice if that could be possible but sometimes the unfortunate happens. That is why it is important to check into cord banking with Cryo-Cell.

Since 1992, Cryo-Cell has helped more than 230,000 clients worldwide preserve their newborn's umbilical cord blood for potential use against many diseases. Along with cord banking, Cryo-Cell Cord Bank is pioneering the way in research, to find more solutions to preserve stem cells in a noncontroversial way. Cord blood is just the first step in new medical advancements.

Cryo-Cell knows that as a new mom, it's hard to find time to exercise. We believe that Cryo-Cell moms really understand the importance of safeguarding the future health and well-being for both their newborns and for themselves. With the award-winning Baby Jogger City Mini stroller, new moms can work out as they enjoy time in the beautiful outdoors with their new baby.

What better way to celebrate the birth of your newborn and get back in shape all at once? enroll today in Cryo-Cell's signature U-Cord service and for a limited-time receive a free Baby Jogger City Mini .

10 Tips for Keeping Your Family Safe on the Road

It is vacation time..YAY!! But with that, comes a little concern about safety and traveling. Safelite auto and SocialMoms has asked for some tips to stay safe...and here is my list to share with you.

1. The very first thing you should do before you ever leave the yard, is make sure everything on your vehicle is like it should be. Check the oil, tire pressure, make sure the wipers work, etc. The last thing you want to do is break down because of something that you could have prevented. It is not safe to stop on the side of the road anyway, but you also never know who may show up to offer "help".
2. Don't carry a lot of cash, but make sure you have some in an emergency. Just say you do break down and a truly nice patron comes along to offer assistance. It would be nice to offer him/her a little money for their help. Also, you never know where you may end up that doesn't take debit / credit cards
3. Beware of pickpocketing. They are unfortunately everywhere so you have to be prepared. Some suggestions for that is...don't have loose money in your pockets. Use a fanny pack or something else that zips so that it is harder to get into. Men~~ don't leave your wallet in your back pocket if it is loose and you cannot feel if someone touches you. Women~~ use a purse that zips and keep it zipped at all times!!
4. This may seem a little elementary, but use the buddy system!! Especially when going into public restrooms. This is safe for adults as well as children. Women get raped inside of public restrooms just like children.
5. Make sure that everyone that has a cell phone, has the ICE phone number listed. This is In Case of  Emergency. That way if you are in a wreck and someone needs to get help, they can easily find a phone number in someones phone. If your kids have cell phones, they may have the parents numbers listed, so in the case of everyone being together on vacation, it may be smart to change them all to the same person/number.
6. Don't look too obvious that you are a tourist or on vacation. Get your maps out at the hotel room to see where you want to sight see and don't pull it out in the street. You don't want to draw attention to the fact that you are a tourist or visitor because this makes you vulnerable to trouble.
7. Carry as little as possible. Don't carry your camera around everywhere you go, or pad your pockets so they look like you have a wad of cash in them. Be smart about what you carry out with you.
8. You also have to be careful in the hotel rooms. Make sure that the hotel you are staying at has a safe inside the room. That way you can lock up any extra cash you have as well as other valuables, while you are out enjoying yourself.
9. Make sure your family has a plan for the "what if's". I am sure everyone remembers the Home Alone movies where the little boy gets left by his family. Make sure your family is prepared and everyone is on the same page in any kind of scenario of getting lost or other scenarios. If you are planning a shopping trip to the mall, where is the meeting place if someone gets missing. Those things are not thought out before hand, but rather parents end up in a panic.
10. And last, but surely not least on my list, always be aware of your surroundings!! If you are going to the ATM, look around to see who is in the area. We all have natural instincts and in some cases you have to rely on them. If something feels weird, then go another route.

Most of all, have fun on your vacation!!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Safelite blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Freschetta by the slice - review & giveaway

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FRESCHETTA® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you tried the new FRESCHETTA® By the Slice? If not, what are you waiting for?? They have a great variety of flavors and they are good!!

I recently received a coupon for a free FRESCHETTA® By the Slice and also a 6-pc Freschetta storage set. I also have one to give away so keep reading. We LOVE pizza in our house!! So we have tried all kinds of frozen pizzas as well as the pizza chains. I have to say that I did not even know about the FRESCHETTA® By the Slice until I was given the chance to do this review. With my coupon, I went to WalMart and looked and was wowed at the different varieties of such good looking pizza!!  They have a BBQ recipe chicken, Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom, Six Cheese Medley, and Vegetable Medley.

I got the BBQ recipe chicken and I was impressed! I usually want to make sure I can cook my frozen pizza in the oven, but I took this for lunch one day and all I had was the microwave. They have it where you can cook it in the microwave and it comes out crisp like in the oven. My only problem is I only had one slice and was left wanting more. I cannot wait to try out the other flavors as well, and I want you to try them out too if you haven't.

Giveaway:

Mandatory Entry: If you would like to win a coupon for a slice of pizza and a 6pc storage set like I received, visit FRESCHETTA® By the Slice and in a comment, tell me which flavor you would like to try. Make sure your email address is in your comment.

After the mandatory entry you can come back daily and just leave a comment just to say hello, tell me about your day, or anything else! Show me the love in a comment.

This giveaway will end on May 20th and I will draw a winner using random.org. Giveaway is for US only ages 13 and over.

Just in time for Easter - Magdalena: Through Her Eyes from Campus Crusade for Christ. Review & Giveaway

With Easter fast approaching, we alwasy reflect back to the sacrifice that Jesus made for each of us when he came to Earth and then died on the cross. The meaning of Easter has been lost behind Easter bunnies, Easter eggs and other "things". But we must remember that Easter is all about Jesus going to the cross but then rising again in 3 days!! If he had not come back to life, then we would not have anything to truly believe in.

As we read the Bible, we find many accounts of God and Jesus through the eyes of the writers. But how about seeing the story of Jesus through someone else's eyes, Mary Magdalene. The story Magdalena: Through Her Eyes, is the life of Jesus through the eyes of the woman that was once full of demons. When Jesus came by and released her from the bondage of the demons, she began to follow Him.  She is telling the story as the scenes go back to the time she is telling about.

I like the fact that this DVD shows the story of Jesus from someone else's eyes. Each time we read the Bible, it is the same. The word of God never changes. And in this DVD it still does not change, but we can see how the life, and death, of Jesus affected others. This is a great DVD for small study groups or just for families.

I was so grateful to be given the opportunity to review this DVD and also to offer a giveaway.  If you would be interested in receiving this DVD package, please leave a comment below. The first person that says they want this will receive the DVD along with some group study materials.

For more information on this DVD, visit the website http://www.magdalenatoday.com/

And you can also watch a preview

Preview: http://magdalenatoday.com/video/trailer.html?iframe=true&width=640&height=480
 
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this DVD and promotional materials in hopes that I would post a review and/or giveaway on my blog. I was not compensated in any other way and all opinions expressed are 100% mine.

NMEDA - Finding independence again

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of NMEDA for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you have a loved one that has a disability that keeps them from being able to get out and about like they would like to? NMEDA is here to help.  This is a non-profit company that helps to educate consumers about buying products from dealers. NMEDA DOES NOT SELL ANYTHING: NMEDA is the only association that promotes safe driving and equipment for disabled people. They are non-profit and their members are required to adhere to the safety standards of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NMEDA dealers (members) are the ones who sell handicap vans and vehicle modifications for disabled people.

No two people have the same needs, so it does not do a whole lot of good to buy  "generic"  products to take care of someone with a disability. That is why NMEDA offers a personalized "in person" evaluation to make sure are getting just what you need.

NMEDA has Dealers AND Quality Assurance Program (QAP) dealers.  The Quality Assurance Program (QAP) is the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. It is based on the principle that in order to satisfy customers consistently, companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality.

Even if you do not know someone that is disabled, how about an aging parent? The people at NMEDA can help you now to decide what kind of assistance you may need to help them out, even if they don't need the help right away. We all enjoy our independence, so why take it away from those we care about?

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"

Don't forget to enter these giveaways

I have two giveaways right now that end next week and both have only a few entries:

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce (ends 4/15)

Rebecca St James Worship CD (ends 4/16)

Favorite PEEPS Moments

It is already April...wow where has the time gone?? That means it is also almost Easter and you know what that means>>>>Candy!! Do you ever notice how candy has become such a big part of so many holidays?? And the fun part is that there are different candies for each holiday so we can always have a variety! My kids get so much candy that we end up throwing away about half of it.  I cannot remember as a child ever getting so much candy. In fact, I had a friend at school that would bring me some of her candy to share. But I can say that the times that I did get candy and other treats, I enjoyed it more than my kids probably do today because of the fact that I did not get it as often.

One of my favorite candy as a child was the Peeps candies. They are so fun to eat and play with. I am the type that when I get any candy, I eat it layer by layer and as slow as I can so that I can enjoy it longer. With the peeps, they are fun to stretch and distort.  Then you have to eat off one ear at the time and pretend it is crying, so you eat the face. Am I the only one that plays with my food this way?? I am not completely crazy, I just enjoy to have fun with my food and everything else too!

Here are some fun facts I bet you didn't know about Peeps:

• In 1953, it took 27 hours to create one PEEPS® Marshmallow Chick. Today, thanks to advances in technology, it takes six minutes.
• Just Born produces enough PEEPS® Brand Marshmallow Candies in one year to circle the earth twice.
• In the late 1950's PEEPS® wings were "clipped" to give them a sleek, modern look.
• PEEPS® Brand Candies have been the #1 non-chocolate brand at Easter for over 20 years*. *Source: IRI Total U.S. FDMx.
• Yellow is America's best selling color of PEEPS® chicks and bunnies.
• Yellow and white PEEPS® chicks and bunnies came first, followed by pink, lavender, blue, green and orange.
• PEEPS® branded products have made celebrity appearances on many programs including: Good Morning America, The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, The Early Show, Saturday Night Live, Martha Stewart, Ellen, South Park, and The Daily Show.
• If you had 8,000 PEEPS® bunnies, and you stood them in a straight vertical line, you could reach the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago.
• PEEPS® have become gourmet favorites as fondues, Crème Brulee ingredients and cappuccino toppings!

Wow, did you notice the one about makeing enough Peeps to go around the Earth two times?? That is a lot of Peeps!!  Check the Peeps mobile tour and see if they are coming near you.

Do you need some Peeps for your Easter baskets?? Shop online and use this promo code at checkout - SMSPRING11 for 20% off all of your purchases until 5/4/11!

About PEEPS & COMPANY®

In 2009, Just Born, Inc., maker of PEEPS®, MIKE AND IKE®, HOT TAMALES® and PEANUT CHEWS® opened its first retail store named PEEPS & COMPANY®.

PEEPS & COMPANY® is located at the banks of the Potomac, minutes from Washington D.C. at the very center of National Harbor’s dynamic main plaza. Directly in front of the PEEPS & COMPANY® store is the Seward Johnson’s famous statue, The Awakening, along with sweeping views of the beautiful Potomac River. The store’s location is at a converging point for residents and thousands of visitors arriving by bus, car, and ferries, which dock at the piers in front of the store.

 Keep up to date with our friends at PEEPS and Company:
 http://www.peepsandcompany.com/

PEEPSandCOMPANY.com online store

http://www.facebook.com/PEEPSANDCOMPANY

http://twitter.com/#!/peepsandcompany

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and PEEPS blogging contest, for a chance to get a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

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.”

Rebecca St. James CD review and giveaway

Rebecca St. James charts yet another new course with I Will Praise You, a new collection of worship songs she terms “ her most personal recording to date.” From the opening notes of track one, listeners are offered a welcoming connection with Rebecca’s recognizably authentic vocal warmth and delivery. More than anything, I Will Praise You represents the latest steps in Rebecca’s life long journey towards the presence of God.

I absolutely love to listen to good music, so when I was given the opportunity to do a review of Rebecca St. James' new CD I Will Praise You, I was ecstatic. I was looking forward to the mail arriving each day and when it finally came, I was not disappointed!

I work in an office at an assisted living facility. I am one of only a few Christians that work in this facility so I enjoy having my gospel music going on my radio at all times. I enjoy hearing preaching too, but when I am busy in my office I can't concentrate on what they are saying so it is hard to get into the preaching, so I really enjoy it when I can get a good CD to listen to so I don't have the interruptions. Sometimes I will have clients, staff or even visitors come in and catch me singing along too.

The new CD, I Will Praise You, by Rebecca St. James is great for listening to and singing along with. In only a few days, my daughter and I can sing along with a few of the songs! The songs on this CD are great easy listening, yet wonderful worship songs. And I absolutely love that each song has a Bible scripture that is coincides with. In the insert page, the words to the songs are written out, and at the title there is a Bible scripture.

This CD hits stores TODAY, April 5th!! If you would like to have a great worship CD to listen to at work like I do, or in the car or even at home, you can buy it starting today or you could win one!!

Be sure to check out Rebecca St. James on the web:
Website: http://www.rsjames.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rsjames
YouTube: http://rsjames.com/updates/2011/3/22/video-rebecca-explains-her-song-shine-your-glory-down.html
Amazon: http://amzn.to/gqOroA

On top of getting a CD to review, I have also been given the opportunity to give away a CD to a North Carolina Momma reader!!  If you would like to win a copy just follow the entries below!!

Mandatory Entry:
Go to http://rsjames.com/listeningparty and hear a preview of the songs on this CD, then come back here and tell me what your favorite one is.
That is the only required entry.

Extra Entries:
The extra entries are not required but will give you extra entries and a bigger chance of winning. Please leave a seperate comment for each entry.

• Subscribe to this blog through email or RSS feed (1 entry)
• Follow this blog through GFC (1 entry)
• Follow Southern Mom of 4 blog with GFC (1 entry)
• Follow me on twitter - be sure to leave your twitter name in your comment (1 entry)
• Tweet about this giveaway - be sure to include @shaffermom and a link to this giveaway in your tweet. Leave a link to your post in your comment (1 entry per tweet per day)
• Email a friend about this giveaway - CC me at gerrie.shaeffer(at)yahoo(dot)com (1 entry per person emailed)

Make sure your email address is in your comment. To protect you from SPAM, you may leave the email like this gerrie.shaeffer(at)yahoo(dot)com. This giveaway will end on April 16th and the winner will be chosen on April 17th.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

SMB Super Miracle Bubbles