Aug 01 2008
Apr 21 2008
Laptop Lunchbox Update
We received news from the ladies over at laptoplunches.com… and they have a new color combo!
Their Laptop lunchboxes are now available in black with red inserts, and they are GORGEOUS! We got one in, and it is much more “adult” looking. It comes with a fork & spoon with red handles, and all of the small containers are red. It looks like a real Japanese bento box!
This one is for my husband to take to work. Now when I am making dinner I can make enough for the three of them to take to lunch the next day, and just pack everything the night before - how much easier is that?
So, if you were considering a Laptop Lunchbox for yourself, but you weren’t sure about the colors they have one for you!
Head over there to take a look…
Mar 17 2008
Confections from Heaven
I received the most delicious box in the mail last week. Oh yes, delicious! It was from Maureen over at Simply Heaven Lollipop Shoppe, and it was filled to the brim with delectable treats!
First I have to talk about the packaging - no, it’s worth it! We opened the box to find a beautiful tissue-paper wrapped bundle of confections. Each individual lollipop was wrapped in plastic and tied with a pink ribbon. It just looked beautiful!
I know what you are thinking… lollipops? Aren’t those for kids? Well, yes. But what is to keep adults from enjoying them too? Is it the stick that hangs out of your mouth? Have no fear! She also offers Lolli Drops for those who are still a kid at heart!
The Lolli Drops come in a small tin that will stash away in your purse and can be slipped into your mouth for a sweet treat anytime - without the telltale lollipop stick hanging out!
We received a tin of peppermint drops (which my 6 year old loved - and tried to steal!) and an assortment of lollipops including peach, key lime, strawberry, banana, cheesecake and lavender. I can personally attest that they are all yummy!
However, the lollipops aren’t even the tip of the iceberg! The first thing I opened when the box arrived (after the box, of course) was the pretty pink box of Kona Mocha Roca. I smelled it as soon as the shipping box was opened, and it smells divine!
I have to give a little personal background… I grew up in a town that held the headquarters for Enstrom’s World Famous Almond Toffee (given widely at Christmas - you always get at least 1 box!) and my in-law’s live down near the headquarters for Almond Roca candies, so when I tell you that this roca was some of the best toffee I have ever had, you can understand where I am coming from.
The Kona Mocha Roca is creamy and smooth with a layer of rich, dark chocolate on the top. WOW! Personally, I loved the fact that it was NOT covered in a layer of chopped nuts - they would have distracted from the creamy smoothness of the toffee. If you like toffee, you MUST visit Maureen!
I have saved the best for last though. Tucked in the bottom of the box was a package of biscotti. This is not your typical skinny, almond filled stuff either, oh no! This was Maureen’s Chocolate Lover’s Biscotti enrobed in dark chocolate! Seriously, these cookies from heaven are over 6 inches long and 1.5 inches wide! They are HUGE! I split the first one with my hubby, and we both felt that we were getting a good share.
These chocolate biscotti cookies are covered in chocolate - not a half dunk in chocolate either! This biscotti is covered in chocolate.
Maureen offers you a choice of dark or milk chocolate (as most people either like one or the other) and I will tell you that if you or someone you know loves chocolate, the Chocolate Lover’s Biscotti was created for them!
If you are looking for a tasty treat to give as a gift, or you are looking for a treat to use as a incentive for your kids, you need to click over to Simply Heaven Lollipop Shoppe! You will want to get a little something for yourself too - trust me! Otherwise the gift you are purchasing just might not make it out of your house!
Mar 14 2008
Adorable Birthday Invitations
For my daughter’s birthday I ordered some invitations from Lisa over at Dragonfly Designs, and I have to gush just a little bit. They are GORGEOUS and absolutely perfect for my little fairy-loving daughter!
We were having a fairy tea party, and the little flower fairy fit the theme perfectly - and I the curly font that she used!
If you are planning a birthday party for kids - or adults - I urge you to head over to Dragonfly Designs. Actually, if you need invitations for ANY event, head over there! Lisa creates unique invitations for all of life’s events - birthdays, weddings, engagements, showers - you name it! Lisa will work with you to create a fabulous invitation that will have your guests asking where you got it!
Mar 08 2008
6-Quart Smart Pot with bonus Little Dipper
I recently purchased one of these at Costco, and it is so lovely that I have to share about it!
We are a family of 4, and the only crock pot that we had was a small one that was all one unit - the pot was NOT removable. This Smart Pot was a much needed upgrade for our family!
When I took it out of the box, I was again amazed at the size - and dreaming of all of the things that I would be able to make in it (as opposed to our little one). The first thing that I made was a Corned Beef brisket, and I have to say that I am totally impressed!
I can actually fit a whole roast or brisket, or 2 whole chickens(!) inside of this crock pot - which will be a lifesaver on days when I either have a ton of bags to get out the door or I have to spend the day at the girls school helping out! No more “Eek! It’s 5:00, and I haven’t even thought about dinner!” nights for me!
My favorite feature, though, is the removable pot. Can I just say how much easier it is to clean your crock pot when you don’t have the electrical issue to deal with? WOW! The pot, lid and spoon clean up very easily, and the stainless steel outside looks fabulous sitting on my kitchen counter!
If you are a busy mom who wants to have one less thing to worry about on those days, I highly recommend the SmartPot from Crock-Pot!
Now through March 31, you can get free shipping on a similar model, the Crock-Pot Portable Slow Cooker – Free Shipping!.
The next use will be Tortilla Soup - one of our families favorites! Only now I can make enough to have leftovers…
Nov 01 2007
Laptop Lunchboxes
When you combine the cost of school hot lunches with the sheer lack of nutrition parents are looking for a better way to feed their children. Enter the lunchbox! When you pack a healthy, nutritious lunch for your kids, you know that they are getting the good stuff that they need - and you can save some money! For our 2 girls it would cost $100 per month to pay for the school-provided lunch of pizza, hot dogs or chicken nuggets. Why pay for junk food when you can send them to school with something healthy for less?
To this end I have been looking for a good lunchbox that would cut down on the about of waste that a typical cold lunch can create - ziploc baggies to keep everything seperate, aluminum foil, wax paper or plastic wrappers for the foods inside, etc. Did you know that it has been estimated that on average a school-age child using a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year? That equates to 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for just one average-size elementary school!
In my searching for a solution I recently discovered a new kind of lunchbox for my girls - one that cuts down on the amount of waste each day.
They are called the Laptop Lunchbox, and they are available online, or in many health food & eco-concious stores around the country.
What is a laptop lunchbox you ask? A very nice way to pack a lunch for your child - or your self!
Each laptop lunchbox comes with 5 containers inside - 2 with lids. They all fit together perfectly into the case, and they make you think about the lunch that you are preparing for your kids.
There are 2 large containers - one with a lid. They fit a sandwich cut in half very nicely, and I usually put some applesauce & granola in the one with a lid. There are also 2 smaller containers that are perfect for trail mix, carrot sticks, mandarine orange wedges, etc, and a mini container with a lid that is perfect for your child’s favorite dip. And they come with a fork & spoon.
All of the pieces go into the dishwasher - yay! - and clean up very easily.
My girls use these every day - I just wash out the containers in the sink & dry them to be ready to use the next day.
Things I love about the Laptop Lunchbox:
- multiple containers make me think about how to fill them with healthy food
- a dip container that holds just enough, but not too much
- a specific place for everything
- fun color combinations
- the recipe/lunch ideas book that comes with it
Things I think can be improved:
- I wish one of the small containers had a lid - they are the perfect size for yogurt or applesauce
- it took the girls a bit to figure out how to open them, but once they figured out “their way” it hasn’t been a problem
- if the cutlery section was a tiny bit bigger you could fit a cloth napkin in too
I have gotten each of the girls a small tote bag that their laptop lunchbox fits down inside - along with their water bottle or juice and an ice pack to keep the contents cold. They slip these into their backpacks and they have an easy way to carry their lunch over to the lunchroom.
Because everything has a specific place inside, it is obvious if something is missing. They have been using their lunchboxes for almost a month now, and we haven’t lost a single piece - pretty good for a kindergardener and a first grader!
If you are looking for a lunch time solution, I urge you to take a look at the Laptop Lunchbox. They have 4 different color combinations to appeal to a variety of tastes, and your kids will have fun putting their lunchbox puzzle back together after they have eaten a healthy, nutirtious lunch!
To order your sets, please visit LaptopLunches.com
Oct 08 2007
Cookies For Breakfast?
ABSOLUTELY!!!!
If you live in the western US, you may have seen these at any of the more “health-concious” stores near you and wondered if they are all they claim to be. I can tell you that they are with a resounding YES!!!
These cookies are not your average cookie - they are healthy, and they don’t have any of *those* ingredients inside. Yes, I said they are a HEALTHY cookie.
To top that small feat, they are also delicious! I have not shared them with anyone who didn’t love them - from my 3 year old nephew to his grandma and everyone in between. Some of them are even safe for those choosing a vegan diet.
Thus far we have tried the following flavors:
Banana Flax (personal fav! - limited time though - boo hoo)
Lemon Berry
Double Chocolate Chunk
Oatmeal Raisin
Peanut Butter
Vegan Chocolate Chunk
Caramel Apple (yes, you want these!)
Banana Walnut
Fruit & Nut
My kids (5 & 7 - picky at times) love each & every one of them. If you are rushed in the mornings or are looking for a great “between-meals snack” I highly recommend these fabulous cookies. For those of you that don’t live out west, don’t dispair! Erin Baker’s Breakfast Cookies are also available online!
Visit BBCookies.com to get your family a baker’s sampler to try out! You won’t be sorry.
Did I mention that Erin also makes brownies with the same stringent anti-bad stuff ingredients list? Hmm, brownies, cookies & granola, Oh My!
What are you waiting for?!?!?!?!?
Oct 07 2007
Birthday Invitations by ScrapIts
My daughter’s birthday is coming up and it took her an amazing amount of time to choose a theme this year… not normal for her! When she finally settled on a theme I went hunting for a fun and unique party invitation. What I found amazed me.
Shannon from ScrapIts.com designed these adorable photo invitations and sent them to a local photo printing lab for me to pick up. They have all of the necessary information, and a cute picture of our little birthday girl - just in case anyone forgets who she is! We handed many of them out today and everyone was amazed at the ingenious idea of them.
The pricing is great for something that is so unique - I am definitely setting one aside for the scrapbook this year!
Shannon makes wedding invitations and engagement announcements as well, and they are all gorgeous. What better way to announce your engagement that with your engagement picture with a little extra boost to get everyone excited!
If you know anyone having a birthday or planning a wedding, you simply have to take a look at ScrapIts.com!
Happy Autumn,
Jennifer
Oct 02 2007
All Clad Fry Pan
This fry pan is a fabulous addition to any kitchen. I have the 14″ one of these that I have put through the ringer - everything from frying spring rolls & gyoza to pan searing steak to frittata’s and curry’s and it always cleans up like a dream.
This is the description from cooks.com:
All-Clad LTD cookware contrasts a matte black hard-anodized aluminum exterior and gleaming 18/10 stainless steel.
• Smooth exterior won’t scratch, chip, or peel.
• Cooking surface is nonreactive and stick-resistant.
• Pure aluminum core that extends across the bottom and up the sides for superior heat conductivity with no hot spots.
• Three metal layers are bonded together for exceptional performance and durability.
• Stainless steel handles are secured with matching rivets. Stick handles stay cool during normal stovetop use.
• Oven safe to 500 F.
• Hand-wash using chefs™ Anodized Cleaner.
• Made in the USA.
Why am I suddenly bringing up my favorite fry pan? Because it is currently on sale! You can get a great deal on one of these - and the rest of the All-Clad lineup at cooks.com!
Head over there to find your new favorite All-Clad pan!
Sep 20 2007
Do You Like To Read?
This is a great resource for those who enjoy reading, but don’t want to pay the high prices that the bookstores often want. Basically, you post books that you have and want to get rid of, and others browse through the available books and order the ones that they want.
For every book that you send out, you get a credit for a book to order. The only cost at this time is to ship the books - and they get the media mail discount. They provide you with the label, you just wrap it around the book & ship it out.
We have posted some books, and one of them was requested the next day. I shipped it out, she received it, and I got a credit applied to my account that I used to order a book for my husband. This is great! It saves money, as he can get books for free to read when he travels instead of buying them at epensive airport bookstores, and I am clearing out our over-filled library one book at a time - and I don’t feel bad for throwing books away.
If you have too many books laying around, or you want to get some new-to-you books, check out PaperBackSwap.com
