31 March 2010
30 March 2010
Random Thoughts Tuesday - The Penguins Are Psychotic!
I hate the rain. I know y'all already knew it, but this rain is driving me crazy.
Speaking of going crazy, I know I've not been great at posting anything else but reviews the last week. My brain cells are overstressed - I keep having nighttime panic attacks the last week or so. It's usually always the same reason - money. I don't get it, I've been worse off in my life but here we are. Plus, I'm afraid everything will be negative on here. I don't want it to be!
We are watching V for Vendetta - I love this movie. Ignorance is not bliss.
The difference with the TV is just AMAZING. We have missed out on so much! Even a movie like Madagascar on regular DVD that we have seen 2.7 million times here, just watching it again has opened our eyes to so many details we've missed! I was afraid that maybe we had gone too big (I know, guys reading this are going to say there is no such thing as a too big TV LOL) and things would be distorted, but nope.
Our zombie loving family is totally stoked to see AMC will have a new zombie series, Walking Dead. Granted, we'll have to wait another year afterwards for it to come out on DVD so we can see it, but hey! It's a zombie show!
We seriously need to start out Netflix back up and just fill that que full of zombie movie after zombie movie. ;)
We were visiting with friends yesterday, and by the time we left, oh my gosh, my rear end was sore from sitting down too long! I don't think we were there more than an hour but it felt like half a day! I guess I'm just not used to sitting still like that anymore.
I crave ice cream... chocolate chip cookie dough!
Because the penguins are psychotic!
29 March 2010
DVD Review: iCarly: iFight Shelby Marx
My family and I recently received a copy of the latest DVD from the iCarly series - iCarly: iFight Shelby Marx.
iCarly: iFight Shelby Marx features two TV specials - the "iFight Shelby Marx" and "iDate A Bad Boy", as well as two bonus episodes, some extra bonus behind the scenes footage that iCarly fans will enjoy, and the pilot episode of Big Time Rush, a new Nickelodeon series.
In the "iFight Shelby Marx" episode, Carly takes on 15 year old fighting sensation Shelby Marx (Victoria Justice) in a promo match to bring attention to both girls. Thanks to Sam and her less than stellar ideas (*coughs*), it escalates out of control when Carly tackles Shelby's grandmother who is just out of the hospital - now Shelby REALLY wants a piece of Carly.
As with all the iCarly episodes, I always wish that Sam would be held accountable more for some of her actions, because I'm really not sure she sets the best example for young girls. (I really hope our daughter doesn't have friends like that down the road!) The episodes are funny as usual though, and Carly's brother Spencer's issues with his allergies on the title episode are down right hysterical at moments.
iCarly: iFight Shelby Marx hits the shelves Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 with a suggested retail price of $16.99. (Amazon has it right now for $15.99 as of this posting) The total running time is 139 minutes, including bonus features, and it's full screen edition. It is also rated PG, and more appropriate for the ages 8-9 and up crowd. (there is some suggesting humor in the title episode)
iCarly: iFight Shelby Marx features two TV specials - the "iFight Shelby Marx" and "iDate A Bad Boy", as well as two bonus episodes, some extra bonus behind the scenes footage that iCarly fans will enjoy, and the pilot episode of Big Time Rush, a new Nickelodeon series.
In the "iFight Shelby Marx" episode, Carly takes on 15 year old fighting sensation Shelby Marx (Victoria Justice) in a promo match to bring attention to both girls. Thanks to Sam and her less than stellar ideas (*coughs*), it escalates out of control when Carly tackles Shelby's grandmother who is just out of the hospital - now Shelby REALLY wants a piece of Carly.
As with all the iCarly episodes, I always wish that Sam would be held accountable more for some of her actions, because I'm really not sure she sets the best example for young girls. (I really hope our daughter doesn't have friends like that down the road!) The episodes are funny as usual though, and Carly's brother Spencer's issues with his allergies on the title episode are down right hysterical at moments.
iCarly: iFight Shelby Marx hits the shelves Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 with a suggested retail price of $16.99. (Amazon has it right now for $15.99 as of this posting) The total running time is 139 minutes, including bonus features, and it's full screen edition. It is also rated PG, and more appropriate for the ages 8-9 and up crowd. (there is some suggesting humor in the title episode)
Gaming Review & Giveaway: Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia (PC)
I recently had the chance to try out Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia, a Windows PC game.
Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia is a hidden object search and find game. You are a wedding planner, and you are hired by Andrew, who wants you to help him plan the perfect proposal in Italy for his girlfriend Isabella. After you help with the proposal, they ask you to help plan the perfect wedding!
There are two ways to play the game, in Classic (timed) and Carefree mode, where you can take all the time you need. (Great for us Moms getting distracted every 2.2 seconds!)
In the timed play, clicking too often will deduct time from your total amount, so be careful on clicking mindlessly - you'll have to pay attention to your list. It can be hard to stop yourself from wanting to click on things, especially in some places where you have 50+ things to find, and the whole list isn't showing yet. There are also hidden bluebirds throughout each scene - finding five of them will give you an extra hint. You can still find these bluebirds in Carefree mode too.
Rolling over certain active areas and objects will bring up messages to help you solve each puzzle. In some areas, you can move items around with your mouse to find other objects, which is pretty neat. You'll also find a choose your own adventure feel to the game - in some scenes, a person will pop up. How you solve the situation will gain you more objects to find, or cross items off your list.
In some scenes, you will find your entire search list in Italian. You'll need to find dictionaries hidden throughout the scene first in order to translate your list back into English. You also may end up "trapped" in a scene, where you must hunt for objects to get you out of your situation, all without a list.
Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia is full of mini games and puzzles, which are skipable except when playing Seasoned Traveler mode. The little games include matching engagement rings, and plenty of Find The Difference scenarios (some of which I really struggled on - if you skip, they don't know you which differences were remaining which drove me NUTS the one time I skipped in desperation - I wanted to know what it was! lol)
Some of the scenes do repeat - you go back and forth through areas of the bride's family villa, your hotel room, etc, but you are always searching for different areas. There is supposed to be 77 locations total, but I didn't keep track. (sorry) The graphics are clear and vibrant, though some of the objects you are looking for are very small, and it can be a struggle to find the objects on a computer screen. (I would LOVE to play this one on our big screen tv). The small screen also meant that sometimes I swear I clicked on an item, and it wouldn't register. I'd use the hint in frustration, and there it was where I swear I just clicked!
If you are struggling to find items and are out of hints, you can sometimes go back to the scene after you've done a different scene on the page. It does help if you are a Fashionista to play this game, so you understand certain shoe and purses style in some of the puzzle scenes. (but of course, not necessary) Also, as the game progresses and some of the lists get longer and longer, the entire list won't show on your screen. Even if you're pretty sure an item you see in the picture is on the list, you'll have to wait until others items showing on the list so far have been found before you can click on the item and have it removed from your list - otherwise, you'll get the time penalty for clicking too much.
During several of the mini games, you'll have the option of choosing from several options to really help plan the wedding, and towards the end, you'll see what you've chosen in their little wedding album.
All in all, if you like hidden object puzzle games, and love the mini games, you'll enjoy playing Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia. It does have a romantic theme going on with the wedding and love, so if that's not your usual thing, you may gag at the sappiness, but it's still a fun one regardless. (by the end of the game I was wishing I had gotten married in Italy! lol) There's certainly a good 8 hours worth of playing time, plus the bonus of replaying the game in Seasoned Traveler mode after you beat it - this mode is more difficult, with even more objects to find, and no way to skip through any of the mini games!
Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia is rated E for everyone, with some alcohol and tobacco references... though I can't say I ever saw anything that had to do with smoking, unless they are counting the matches for the candles. The alcohol is just bottles and wine glasses, as well as when you make your own wine by finding grapes in one scene. It's not a big deal, and it IS after Italy. I personally wouldn't have a problem with a pre-teen playing the game, but that is just my opinion. (No one is ever seen drinking)
Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia requires Windows XP/Vista/Win 7, Pentium III, 1000 MHz, RAM: 512MB/XP and 1024MB/Vista/Win7, Video Memory: 64MB, Hard drive space (uncompressed): 192 MB free hard disk space, DirectX 8.0, DirectX 9.0 recommended. There is a free trial where you can try out the game before buying, and for iPlay Gamesaver Platinum members, it retails for just $6.95 - and definitely worth the price for hidden object fans.
Win it! Would you like to play Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia? One reader will win a copy too! To enter, tell me your favorite computer/video game.
As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 10th, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
I received an unlock code to play this game online. One reader will win the prize above.
Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia is a hidden object search and find game. You are a wedding planner, and you are hired by Andrew, who wants you to help him plan the perfect proposal in Italy for his girlfriend Isabella. After you help with the proposal, they ask you to help plan the perfect wedding!
There are two ways to play the game, in Classic (timed) and Carefree mode, where you can take all the time you need. (Great for us Moms getting distracted every 2.2 seconds!)
In the timed play, clicking too often will deduct time from your total amount, so be careful on clicking mindlessly - you'll have to pay attention to your list. It can be hard to stop yourself from wanting to click on things, especially in some places where you have 50+ things to find, and the whole list isn't showing yet. There are also hidden bluebirds throughout each scene - finding five of them will give you an extra hint. You can still find these bluebirds in Carefree mode too.
Rolling over certain active areas and objects will bring up messages to help you solve each puzzle. In some areas, you can move items around with your mouse to find other objects, which is pretty neat. You'll also find a choose your own adventure feel to the game - in some scenes, a person will pop up. How you solve the situation will gain you more objects to find, or cross items off your list.
In some scenes, you will find your entire search list in Italian. You'll need to find dictionaries hidden throughout the scene first in order to translate your list back into English. You also may end up "trapped" in a scene, where you must hunt for objects to get you out of your situation, all without a list.
Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia is full of mini games and puzzles, which are skipable except when playing Seasoned Traveler mode. The little games include matching engagement rings, and plenty of Find The Difference scenarios (some of which I really struggled on - if you skip, they don't know you which differences were remaining which drove me NUTS the one time I skipped in desperation - I wanted to know what it was! lol)
Some of the scenes do repeat - you go back and forth through areas of the bride's family villa, your hotel room, etc, but you are always searching for different areas. There is supposed to be 77 locations total, but I didn't keep track. (sorry) The graphics are clear and vibrant, though some of the objects you are looking for are very small, and it can be a struggle to find the objects on a computer screen. (I would LOVE to play this one on our big screen tv). The small screen also meant that sometimes I swear I clicked on an item, and it wouldn't register. I'd use the hint in frustration, and there it was where I swear I just clicked!
If you are struggling to find items and are out of hints, you can sometimes go back to the scene after you've done a different scene on the page. It does help if you are a Fashionista to play this game, so you understand certain shoe and purses style in some of the puzzle scenes. (but of course, not necessary) Also, as the game progresses and some of the lists get longer and longer, the entire list won't show on your screen. Even if you're pretty sure an item you see in the picture is on the list, you'll have to wait until others items showing on the list so far have been found before you can click on the item and have it removed from your list - otherwise, you'll get the time penalty for clicking too much.
During several of the mini games, you'll have the option of choosing from several options to really help plan the wedding, and towards the end, you'll see what you've chosen in their little wedding album.
All in all, if you like hidden object puzzle games, and love the mini games, you'll enjoy playing Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia. It does have a romantic theme going on with the wedding and love, so if that's not your usual thing, you may gag at the sappiness, but it's still a fun one regardless. (by the end of the game I was wishing I had gotten married in Italy! lol) There's certainly a good 8 hours worth of playing time, plus the bonus of replaying the game in Seasoned Traveler mode after you beat it - this mode is more difficult, with even more objects to find, and no way to skip through any of the mini games!
Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia is rated E for everyone, with some alcohol and tobacco references... though I can't say I ever saw anything that had to do with smoking, unless they are counting the matches for the candles. The alcohol is just bottles and wine glasses, as well as when you make your own wine by finding grapes in one scene. It's not a big deal, and it IS after Italy. I personally wouldn't have a problem with a pre-teen playing the game, but that is just my opinion. (No one is ever seen drinking)
Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia requires Windows XP/Vista/Win 7, Pentium III, 1000 MHz, RAM: 512MB/XP and 1024MB/Vista/Win7, Video Memory: 64MB, Hard drive space (uncompressed): 192 MB free hard disk space, DirectX 8.0, DirectX 9.0 recommended. There is a free trial where you can try out the game before buying, and for iPlay Gamesaver Platinum members, it retails for just $6.95 - and definitely worth the price for hidden object fans.
Win it! Would you like to play Dream Day Wedding: Bella Italia? One reader will win a copy too! To enter, tell me your favorite computer/video game.
As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 10th, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
I received an unlock code to play this game online. One reader will win the prize above.
Menu Planning Monday - Do Not Menu Plan When Starving!
As I typing this, I am totally looking forward to dinner tonight! LOL We scored a great deal on cheese at Grocery Outlet, but it was near the date so we need to finish it TONIGHT, (it's use it or loose it) so I am making a giant pizza with fresh mushrooms, bacon, and chicken on a BBQ sauce, topped with that mound of mozzarella cheese. Yes, you can come over. ;) It's not exactly cheap I guess, but still a lot cheaper than delivery!
See, my stomach just growled! LOL
Monday: homemade pizza
Tuesday: recipe of the week
Wednesday: Hamburger Helper Stew, salad
Thursday: Creamy Cheese Chicken
Friday: Spinach and Cheese Roll Ups, feta cheese salad, garlic bread
Saturday: Mexican Lasagna
Sunday: roast, veggies, rolls
Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!
28 March 2010
DVD Review: Backyardigans Escape From The Tower
My family and I recently received a copy of Backyardigans: Escape From The Tower on DVD to review.
Backyardigans: Escape From The Tower features the five favorite animated neighbors who meet in their backyards, transforming via imagination for fun adventures. This DVD has three episodes, including "Break Out" (the tower episode), "For The Love Of Socks", "Los Galacticos" and (which features the Backyardigans as a Mariachi band who end up in outer space - LOL!!!). I actually didn't know that the Backyardigans are an Emmy Award winner! The episodes on the DVD are fun, and lively, with lots of music and dancing. I know there's a whole anti-princess thing with some folks, but we love Princesses here. It was funny to watch a magical compact mirror help get them out of the tower in the "Break Out" episode - can I get ME one of those, please? ;)
The DVD also contains a bonus episode from the new series The Fresh Beat Band "Rock the Luau", which as you probably guessed, has a Hawaiian theme going. Break out the grass skirts for this one! :) It's never been seen before, so you'll get a first look with this DVD.
Backyardigans: Escape From The Towerruns 95 minutes long, including the bonus episode. It's not rated (great for pre-schoolers, older kids will scream Baby!), contains no bad language or violence (this being Nick Jr, I'm sure you knew that), and is full screen edition. It will be available on DVD this Tuesday, March 30th 2010, with a suggested retail price of $16.99. (Amazon has it on pre-order for just $13.49 as of this posting)
I received a copy of this DVD to write a review. Any link(s) included are for your convenience, they are not referral links.
Backyardigans: Escape From The Tower features the five favorite animated neighbors who meet in their backyards, transforming via imagination for fun adventures. This DVD has three episodes, including "Break Out" (the tower episode), "For The Love Of Socks", "Los Galacticos" and (which features the Backyardigans as a Mariachi band who end up in outer space - LOL!!!). I actually didn't know that the Backyardigans are an Emmy Award winner! The episodes on the DVD are fun, and lively, with lots of music and dancing. I know there's a whole anti-princess thing with some folks, but we love Princesses here. It was funny to watch a magical compact mirror help get them out of the tower in the "Break Out" episode - can I get ME one of those, please? ;)
The DVD also contains a bonus episode from the new series The Fresh Beat Band "Rock the Luau", which as you probably guessed, has a Hawaiian theme going. Break out the grass skirts for this one! :) It's never been seen before, so you'll get a first look with this DVD.
Backyardigans: Escape From The Towerruns 95 minutes long, including the bonus episode. It's not rated (great for pre-schoolers, older kids will scream Baby!), contains no bad language or violence (this being Nick Jr, I'm sure you knew that), and is full screen edition. It will be available on DVD this Tuesday, March 30th 2010, with a suggested retail price of $16.99. (Amazon has it on pre-order for just $13.49 as of this posting)
I received a copy of this DVD to write a review. Any link(s) included are for your convenience, they are not referral links.
DVD Review: Nick Jr. Favorites: Go Green!
My family and I received a copy of the latest Nickelodeon release, Nick Jr. Favorites: Go Green! on DVD to review.
Nick Jr. Favorites: Go Green! is an Earth Day inspired DVD. It features most of the favorite Nick Jr characters like Dora (Owa!), Diego, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Blues Clues and more... yes, it sounds much like our favorites in our world, doesn't it? ;) It also happens to be released with Eco Friendly Packaging - I'm assuming it's the friendlier ink and 30% recycled plastic, because it looks just like all our other DVDs . Here's the run down of the episodes included on this DVD so you can see if your child's favorite character is included too:
Dora The Explorer - "Bugga Bugga"
Go, Diego, Go! - "Manatee's Mermaid Rescue"
The Wonder Pets! - "Save The Tree/Save The Elephant"
Yo Gabba Gabba! - "Green"
Blue's Clues - "What Does Blue Want To Make Out Of Recycled Things?"
Ni Hao, Kai-lan - "The Place Where We All Live"
As you can pretty much tell, all the episodes do have a great theme going on - which to me is very important. I am not the greenest person in the world, I admit it, but I want my daughter to grow up respecting the Earth. Even if it didn't have her beloved Owa!, we'd be watching this one again. It was actually our first foray into Ni Hao, Kai-lan, and that was a cute episode. *I* actually want to see more myself, lol.
Nick Jr. Favorites: Go Green! runs 144 minutes, and is full screen. It is not rated, and good for toddlers on up to about age 5ish, at which point they will probably get super bored. It will be released this Tuesday, March 30th 2010, and retails for $16.99 - Amazon has it on pre-order as of this posting.
I received a copy of this DVD to write a review.
Nick Jr. Favorites: Go Green! is an Earth Day inspired DVD. It features most of the favorite Nick Jr characters like Dora (Owa!), Diego, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Blues Clues and more... yes, it sounds much like our favorites in our world, doesn't it? ;) It also happens to be released with Eco Friendly Packaging - I'm assuming it's the friendlier ink and 30% recycled plastic, because it looks just like all our other DVDs . Here's the run down of the episodes included on this DVD so you can see if your child's favorite character is included too:
Dora The Explorer - "Bugga Bugga"
Go, Diego, Go! - "Manatee's Mermaid Rescue"
The Wonder Pets! - "Save The Tree/Save The Elephant"
Yo Gabba Gabba! - "Green"
Blue's Clues - "What Does Blue Want To Make Out Of Recycled Things?"
Ni Hao, Kai-lan - "The Place Where We All Live"
As you can pretty much tell, all the episodes do have a great theme going on - which to me is very important. I am not the greenest person in the world, I admit it, but I want my daughter to grow up respecting the Earth. Even if it didn't have her beloved Owa!, we'd be watching this one again. It was actually our first foray into Ni Hao, Kai-lan, and that was a cute episode. *I* actually want to see more myself, lol.
Nick Jr. Favorites: Go Green! runs 144 minutes, and is full screen. It is not rated, and good for toddlers on up to about age 5ish, at which point they will probably get super bored. It will be released this Tuesday, March 30th 2010, and retails for $16.99 - Amazon has it on pre-order as of this posting.
I received a copy of this DVD to write a review.
Grand Opening Giveaway: My Lil' Monkey
Having a girl means I love getting to shop for girly things! I was recently contacted and let know that My Lil' Monkey is having their Grand Opening Celebration this week!
My Lil' Monkey caters to Mommas of princesses as well as Mommas themselves! Everything in the boutique is hand made, and there is so much to choose from - boutique dresses, hair bows, shoes, jewelry, and more! Hurry and take a peek this weekend, because I noticed some sale prices thanks to the Grand Opening Celebration!
I totally love these Scandeez Leather Skull Moks for the munchkin, that's for sure! :)
You can receive an additional 10% off using promo code: csh10
Win it! One lucky reader will win this FABULOUS gift basket My Lil' Monkey is putting together for a You And Your Princess Giveaway! Get ready for Memorial Day and Fourth of July celebrations, because your little princess is going to look adorable in her outfit! (note sizes on the website for the tutu!)
One Little Miss Firecracker Tutu from Tutu Cute:
And Little Miss Firecracker pigtail Set from Sweetness Bows:
And the winning Momma doesn't get left out either, because you get a Simply Tempted Pedicure Bath Bomb!
Seriously, this is my kind of a prize! Whenever I win something, it's seems like it's always for the munchkin, never for me. LOL I love tutu's too - I am jealous of the winner! :) To enter, visit My Lil' Monkey, and tell us what you love most for your Princess! (or you!)
As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 10th, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
I didn't receive anything for writing this post, but one reader will win a prize as stated above and fulfilled by the company above.
My Lil' Monkey caters to Mommas of princesses as well as Mommas themselves! Everything in the boutique is hand made, and there is so much to choose from - boutique dresses, hair bows, shoes, jewelry, and more! Hurry and take a peek this weekend, because I noticed some sale prices thanks to the Grand Opening Celebration!
I totally love these Scandeez Leather Skull Moks for the munchkin, that's for sure! :)
You can receive an additional 10% off using promo code: csh10
Win it! One lucky reader will win this FABULOUS gift basket My Lil' Monkey is putting together for a You And Your Princess Giveaway! Get ready for Memorial Day and Fourth of July celebrations, because your little princess is going to look adorable in her outfit! (note sizes on the website for the tutu!)
One Little Miss Firecracker Tutu from Tutu Cute:
And Little Miss Firecracker pigtail Set from Sweetness Bows:
And the winning Momma doesn't get left out either, because you get a Simply Tempted Pedicure Bath Bomb!
Seriously, this is my kind of a prize! Whenever I win something, it's seems like it's always for the munchkin, never for me. LOL I love tutu's too - I am jealous of the winner! :) To enter, visit My Lil' Monkey, and tell us what you love most for your Princess! (or you!)
As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 10th, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
I didn't receive anything for writing this post, but one reader will win a prize as stated above and fulfilled by the company above.
27 March 2010
Review: Berlin Natural Bakery
Over the last few years, I've tried to cut as much as possible mass baked breads and stuff from the store. I still pick up bags of bagels on the mark down rack if there's some when I shop, and during the summery hot months, I'll pick up some rolls, etc marked down as well - but I no longer really purchase the sliced breads unless I have a hankering for grilled cheese in our one stuffed sandwich maker (my home baked bread never fits no matter how hard I try, lol)
I was actually really excited to try the spelt bread from Berlin Natural Bakery, though. The hot months are on the horizon, and I don't really want to have the oven going if I don't have to. And they totally had me at the word Spelt.
What is Spelt? Spelt is a grain, like wheat and categorized as it, but higher in vitamins than your basic every day wheat. If you have difficulties with wheat allergies, you can try Spelt - usually you won't have a reaction to it. (For more on Spelt, check out Berlin's page here) It has a slightly different taste to it, but most folks won't even notice it.
I told my mom about everything that was sent over when it arrived, and I didn't realize that when I was a little girl, I actually had visited the Berlin Bakery! How cool is that? We used to accompany my Dad on his business trips, and apparently we had the chance to stop by. No wonder I was so excited to try this out - I guess somewhere deep down, the little girl inside remembered the name! ;)
Berlin Natural Bakery is located in Amish county over in Berlin, Ohio. Established in 1986, they only bake 100 loaves per batch of each product. Everything is naturally and organically grown - they are all chemical free, with no additives or preservatives.
I have to tell you, I felt incredibly spoiled by all the goodies the wonderful folks over at Berlin Natural Bakery sent on over to us. I didn't have to bake for over a week - we just finished off the last goodie with dinner last night! Here's what I thought of each item I tried:
Whole Grain Spelt Bread: The website says it has a slightly nutty taste, but I didn't taste it - it tasted just a little different than wheat bread, in a very good way. (It doesn't taste over processed like wheat breads in the grocery store!) I tried it as toast with a little bit of butter, and on sandwiches, and it delivered on both. I'm totally sad that it's all gone, because I'd love a veggie and tuna sandwich with it right now - mmmm! DH had no clue it was healthy for him, either. ;) Calorie wise if you care, it runs about 80 calories a slice - worth every calorie for the nutrients it has. On the website, it retails for about $5.79 a loaf, which I realize is high to most folks used to the regular brands on their grocery store shelves.
Biblical Sprouted Bread Sticks: These were gone in one meal. LOL They are stone ground, and a mix of sprouted grains and sprouted beans. I brushed them with a little bit of butter like suggested on the bag, and they were soooo good! Hands down better than anything I've tried from the store bakeries out here.
Righteous Raisin Spelt Bread: I love me some raisin bread. The problem is most brands are so filled with cinnamon or icing on it, I want to gag. Berlin's was PERFECT. Cinnamon is the last ingredient on the list, and I can tell - it's not overwhelming. If you love your raisin bread to be cinnamon-y, you probably won't like it, but I loved it. I toasted it with a little bit of cream cheese for breakfast. I can't compare it to homemade, because I've never made Raisin bread before. I also liked that it was made with Sea Salt. I know, salt is salt to most folks, but it's still nice to see someone else other than me using it!
White Spelt Bread Sticks: These are made with unbleached flour, and like the Biblical ones up above, I toasted them, then brushed with a bit of butter. They were great with our soups for lunch!
Pumpkin Streusel Spelt Bread: Drool worthy. I actually hid this from DH so it was ALL MINE. LOL! It had just the right amount of moistness, the pumpkin taste was just right. It actually tasted homemade! I could have popped it in one of my bread bakers, and served it to guests, and no one would have had any idea it wasn't baked by me! lol It's perfect as an afternoon snack or served with a cup of tea.
I was very pleased with item we tried! You can purchase their products online, or at small natural food stores or Whole Foods Market. Right now, if you order $34 or more from their website, you'll receive free shipping, which is a great deal. And Berlin Natural Bakery isn't just breads - they even have pasta and pasta sauce, as well as cookies and flour!
All their breads are easily freezeable so if you want to place an order online, you can order a little extra to hit the free shipping mark. I did this with the White Spelt Breadsticks. They did stick together a little bit after they defrosted, but they tasted just fine!
Now I totally want a road trip to go visit Berlin Natural Bakery in person as an adult!
I received samples of the products listed above to try out and write a review of. All opinions are my own.
I was actually really excited to try the spelt bread from Berlin Natural Bakery, though. The hot months are on the horizon, and I don't really want to have the oven going if I don't have to. And they totally had me at the word Spelt.
What is Spelt? Spelt is a grain, like wheat and categorized as it, but higher in vitamins than your basic every day wheat. If you have difficulties with wheat allergies, you can try Spelt - usually you won't have a reaction to it. (For more on Spelt, check out Berlin's page here) It has a slightly different taste to it, but most folks won't even notice it.
I told my mom about everything that was sent over when it arrived, and I didn't realize that when I was a little girl, I actually had visited the Berlin Bakery! How cool is that? We used to accompany my Dad on his business trips, and apparently we had the chance to stop by. No wonder I was so excited to try this out - I guess somewhere deep down, the little girl inside remembered the name! ;)
Berlin Natural Bakery is located in Amish county over in Berlin, Ohio. Established in 1986, they only bake 100 loaves per batch of each product. Everything is naturally and organically grown - they are all chemical free, with no additives or preservatives.
I have to tell you, I felt incredibly spoiled by all the goodies the wonderful folks over at Berlin Natural Bakery sent on over to us. I didn't have to bake for over a week - we just finished off the last goodie with dinner last night! Here's what I thought of each item I tried:
Whole Grain Spelt Bread: The website says it has a slightly nutty taste, but I didn't taste it - it tasted just a little different than wheat bread, in a very good way. (It doesn't taste over processed like wheat breads in the grocery store!) I tried it as toast with a little bit of butter, and on sandwiches, and it delivered on both. I'm totally sad that it's all gone, because I'd love a veggie and tuna sandwich with it right now - mmmm! DH had no clue it was healthy for him, either. ;) Calorie wise if you care, it runs about 80 calories a slice - worth every calorie for the nutrients it has. On the website, it retails for about $5.79 a loaf, which I realize is high to most folks used to the regular brands on their grocery store shelves.
Biblical Sprouted Bread Sticks: These were gone in one meal. LOL They are stone ground, and a mix of sprouted grains and sprouted beans. I brushed them with a little bit of butter like suggested on the bag, and they were soooo good! Hands down better than anything I've tried from the store bakeries out here.
Righteous Raisin Spelt Bread: I love me some raisin bread. The problem is most brands are so filled with cinnamon or icing on it, I want to gag. Berlin's was PERFECT. Cinnamon is the last ingredient on the list, and I can tell - it's not overwhelming. If you love your raisin bread to be cinnamon-y, you probably won't like it, but I loved it. I toasted it with a little bit of cream cheese for breakfast. I can't compare it to homemade, because I've never made Raisin bread before. I also liked that it was made with Sea Salt. I know, salt is salt to most folks, but it's still nice to see someone else other than me using it!
White Spelt Bread Sticks: These are made with unbleached flour, and like the Biblical ones up above, I toasted them, then brushed with a bit of butter. They were great with our soups for lunch!
Pumpkin Streusel Spelt Bread: Drool worthy. I actually hid this from DH so it was ALL MINE. LOL! It had just the right amount of moistness, the pumpkin taste was just right. It actually tasted homemade! I could have popped it in one of my bread bakers, and served it to guests, and no one would have had any idea it wasn't baked by me! lol It's perfect as an afternoon snack or served with a cup of tea.
I was very pleased with item we tried! You can purchase their products online, or at small natural food stores or Whole Foods Market. Right now, if you order $34 or more from their website, you'll receive free shipping, which is a great deal. And Berlin Natural Bakery isn't just breads - they even have pasta and pasta sauce, as well as cookies and flour!
All their breads are easily freezeable so if you want to place an order online, you can order a little extra to hit the free shipping mark. I did this with the White Spelt Breadsticks. They did stick together a little bit after they defrosted, but they tasted just fine!
Now I totally want a road trip to go visit Berlin Natural Bakery in person as an adult!
I received samples of the products listed above to try out and write a review of. All opinions are my own.
Book Review: Rick & Bubba's Big Honkin' Book of Grub
I recently received a copy of the book Rick & Bubba's Big Honkin' Book of Grub by Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey with Martha Bolton to review.
When I first saw this book, I thought it was just another cookbook. It's not, really, although there are recipes at the end of the book and peppered throughout. What it actually is, is a hilarious smorgasbord of just about everything. It even includes The Top 10 Reason to Attend The Annual Spam Festival, and Rick And Bubba's Weight Loss Tips.
You have to love two guys who don't care one bit about calories and admit it. Never trust a skinny cook! ;) I get so tired of the whole healthy this, this has this many calories don't eat that epidemic we have going on in kitchens these days. Pffft. I stand by my usual comment of There were no fat housewives in 1900. I burn my calories cooking! (Folks, I don't even use a mixer - I do everything by hand in my kitchen meal prep outside of my slow cooker and rice maker.)
But above all, the best part of Rick & Bubba's Big Honkin' Book of Grub is The Tribute To The Casserole. Be still my heart - I think I am in love with these guys! LOL Or How about the Top 10 Reasons There Will Be Potlucks in Heaven.
The recipes that are included are just up my kind of alley. Why, you ask? Well, some of them don't include measurements, just ingredients and how to make it! (I confess... unless I am making a recipe for the blog, I never really measure anything. I'm one of those A pinch of this, a bunch of that, just throw it all in the cauldron, bubble, bubble toil and trouble kind of cooks. LOL) Fear not, there are still plenty that do include measurements, such as Rick's Momma's Famous Fudge, and Rick and Sherri's "No One Gave Me a Bailout" Rice-a-Beanie (LOL). All of the recipes are simple to make and don't use 5 million ingredients you need Google to look up and figure out what exactly they are, and if your family will even eat it.
So if you are on the hunt for a fun gift book for the foodie in your life, or just in search of a laugh, Rick & Bubba's Big Honkin' Book of Grub delivers. I'd pick this book up on my own dime - because I'm on the Rick and Bubba's "Hey You Gotta Live!" Diet. ;) If you're just looking for recipes, you will probably want to stay away from this book though, as it really is more humor than an addition to your cookbook library. (Though it will be lovingly included on mine - I plan to make their Hushpuppy recipe!)
As a heads up, this book features large type making it an easy read, as well as fast.
Rick & Bubba's Big Honkin' Book of Grub by Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey with Martha Bolton retails for $16.99 ($11.55 at Amazon as of this posting), is paperback, and 214 pages including the index.
I received a copy of this book to write a review. The link(s) included are for your convenience, they are not referral link(s).
When I first saw this book, I thought it was just another cookbook. It's not, really, although there are recipes at the end of the book and peppered throughout. What it actually is, is a hilarious smorgasbord of just about everything. It even includes The Top 10 Reason to Attend The Annual Spam Festival, and Rick And Bubba's Weight Loss Tips.
You have to love two guys who don't care one bit about calories and admit it. Never trust a skinny cook! ;) I get so tired of the whole healthy this, this has this many calories don't eat that epidemic we have going on in kitchens these days. Pffft. I stand by my usual comment of There were no fat housewives in 1900. I burn my calories cooking! (Folks, I don't even use a mixer - I do everything by hand in my kitchen meal prep outside of my slow cooker and rice maker.)
But above all, the best part of Rick & Bubba's Big Honkin' Book of Grub is The Tribute To The Casserole. Be still my heart - I think I am in love with these guys! LOL Or How about the Top 10 Reasons There Will Be Potlucks in Heaven.
The recipes that are included are just up my kind of alley. Why, you ask? Well, some of them don't include measurements, just ingredients and how to make it! (I confess... unless I am making a recipe for the blog, I never really measure anything. I'm one of those A pinch of this, a bunch of that, just throw it all in the cauldron, bubble, bubble toil and trouble kind of cooks. LOL) Fear not, there are still plenty that do include measurements, such as Rick's Momma's Famous Fudge, and Rick and Sherri's "No One Gave Me a Bailout" Rice-a-Beanie (LOL). All of the recipes are simple to make and don't use 5 million ingredients you need Google to look up and figure out what exactly they are, and if your family will even eat it.
So if you are on the hunt for a fun gift book for the foodie in your life, or just in search of a laugh, Rick & Bubba's Big Honkin' Book of Grub delivers. I'd pick this book up on my own dime - because I'm on the Rick and Bubba's "Hey You Gotta Live!" Diet. ;) If you're just looking for recipes, you will probably want to stay away from this book though, as it really is more humor than an addition to your cookbook library. (Though it will be lovingly included on mine - I plan to make their Hushpuppy recipe!)
As a heads up, this book features large type making it an easy read, as well as fast.
Rick & Bubba's Big Honkin' Book of Grub by Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey with Martha Bolton retails for $16.99 ($11.55 at Amazon as of this posting), is paperback, and 214 pages including the index.
I received a copy of this book to write a review. The link(s) included are for your convenience, they are not referral link(s).
25 March 2010
Review & Giveaway: Taste of the Wild Dog Food
Recently I was contacted and asked if I would be interested in reviewing Taste of the Wild brand dog food.
As long term readers may remember, back in October Captain had a pretty wicked bacteria infection where we almost lost him. The poor little guy on top of that the following week had surgery to remove half of his teeth. :( We immediately went on a homemade diet. It works for us since I am usually in the kitchen anyways. (It's not any harder than making baby food, in fact it's even easier since it doesn't have to be pureed) Not being very happy after all those pet food recalls a few years ago, and since they couldn't quite figure out why he had that infection, homemade was the path of least resistance - especially because he was considered anorexic. I had been fighting a battle to get him to eat since we brought the little guy home. Steak? Chicken? Veggies? Gobbled. The food argument was solved, and he's gained several pounds since then.
So at this point you're probably going "Storm? What's your point? Why are you telling us this?"
I know, I know. I ramble on.
A lot. ;)
Anyways, when I read the email, DH was still home so I told him about it. We had actually been discussing food in an emergency situation for the dogs a few days earlier. I'm sure after Hurricane Katrina, the whole world learned that 99.9% of emergency shelters will not allow pets of any kind in. (Hence why a lot of folks stayed behind) Now there are some shelters just for your pets in an emergency situation after what happened, but you have to have your pet secured in a crate, up to date with vaccinations and proof (this is why I suggest a copy of your last vet visit paperwork taped to all pet crates in a waterproof folder/envelope!), and most importantly, food for the pet(s) while they are at the shelter.
You can't exactly stop by the shelter with a crock pot full of beef stew in a situation like that, can you? And in an emergency situation, you can't really stop at Petsmart to come up something you think your pet might eat. We really need to have on hand a 3 day supply of food Captain would eat. (The Grumpy Princess will eat just about anything nailed down. She's no problem, lol)
So to get back to Taste of the Wild, I was happy to see that their products are completely grain free. A lot of allergies can be caused by grains and I knew this was an ingredient I wanted to avoid. I also wanted a good quality pet food. I don't really want to be knocking grocery store pet foods, but it goes back to the whole allergen situation. I wanted any food that we would try to have the first ingredients to be meat, more meat, and even more meat. (Hey, dogs are carnivores!) Some brands, I look at the ingredient list and just cringe. I know money plays a factor in food choices by owners sometimes, but still. Taste of the Wild also has fruits and vegetables in their ingredient list. (It's a lot more digestible than "fillers" like corn is.) You can purchase it at small pet boutiques and feed stores (local folks - you can purchase it at once of the corgi's FAVORITE stores - The Posh Paw over in Gig Harbor (I can't recommend those folks enough!!!), as well as over at Del's Feed Store over here in Port Orchard) You can also order online from lots of great stores.
Also, Taste of the Wild also is good for dogs in all life stages - you don't have to buy a different kind once they outgrow the puppy stage, or if they are starting to get a little older. It comes in dry kibble, or if you're in a situation like me, canned with an easy pop top. (Perfect for emergency situations!)
We were sent several cans of each variety, as well as some sample bags of the dry kibble. We decided to try out the Pacific Stream Canine Formula With Smoked Salmon. This is a 13.2 ounce can, so depending on your feeding schedule and your dogs weight, you may need less than one can or more than one. My two eat twice a day, so I split this between the two of them for breakfast:
I was a little hesitant to feed it to them. It looked alright, and I could clearly see even potatoes. I was just worried Captain would snub it. I actually didn't have anything to worry about, because he inhaled it faster than a speeding bullet:
Whew.
I waited another 24 hours to make sure neither of them were having any ill effects (*coughs* rear end issues), and went on to try the Wetlands Canine Formula in Gravy. They gobbled it up just as quickly, and no problems. They also tried the High Prairie Canine Formula in Gravy (made with bison, venison and lamb, as well as peas and potatoes) and they enjoyed it as well - no arguments about eating it!
So we'll be adding a 3 day supply of Taste of the Wild to our emergency supplies for the corgis. (They have their own backpack with everything they need for 3 days away from home, so we can just grab it and go.) The cans run around $2 each for a 13.2 ounce can, a 15 pound bag of dry kibble runs about $25 - average for pet food store prices.
BTW, just in case someone thinks I'm selling out for a free product: I still recommend homemade food. However, Taste of the Wild is a good choice if you're not ready to make that step, and definitely great for emergency situations like what I was talking about above if you already do. While I do homemade, I'm not 100% strict - my dogs still get commercial dog treats from time to time and their beloved "boneys" (those rawhide and busy bones) - well, Captain just drools on them, but they still get them. LOL
Win it! One lucky reader will a great prize pack that includes: three cans of Taste of the Wild, three samples of Taste of the Wild dry food, a $30 gift card to PetFoodDirect.com, a sample of Bright Bites, a Bright Bite collar and the book, "101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog” (I'm jealous! That's a great prize pack!) To enter, just tell me all about your dog. :) Are you familiar with this brand?
As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 10th, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
I received samples of this product. All opinions are my own, yours may differ. If you are considering switching brands of dog food from your usual, please be careful, and do the switch slowly. If your dog doesn't want to eat it, don't force them. Many good pet food stores will take back an open pet food for in store credit if your pet doesn't like it!
As long term readers may remember, back in October Captain had a pretty wicked bacteria infection where we almost lost him. The poor little guy on top of that the following week had surgery to remove half of his teeth. :( We immediately went on a homemade diet. It works for us since I am usually in the kitchen anyways. (It's not any harder than making baby food, in fact it's even easier since it doesn't have to be pureed) Not being very happy after all those pet food recalls a few years ago, and since they couldn't quite figure out why he had that infection, homemade was the path of least resistance - especially because he was considered anorexic. I had been fighting a battle to get him to eat since we brought the little guy home. Steak? Chicken? Veggies? Gobbled. The food argument was solved, and he's gained several pounds since then.
So at this point you're probably going "Storm? What's your point? Why are you telling us this?"
I know, I know. I ramble on.
A lot. ;)
Anyways, when I read the email, DH was still home so I told him about it. We had actually been discussing food in an emergency situation for the dogs a few days earlier. I'm sure after Hurricane Katrina, the whole world learned that 99.9% of emergency shelters will not allow pets of any kind in. (Hence why a lot of folks stayed behind) Now there are some shelters just for your pets in an emergency situation after what happened, but you have to have your pet secured in a crate, up to date with vaccinations and proof (this is why I suggest a copy of your last vet visit paperwork taped to all pet crates in a waterproof folder/envelope!), and most importantly, food for the pet(s) while they are at the shelter.
You can't exactly stop by the shelter with a crock pot full of beef stew in a situation like that, can you? And in an emergency situation, you can't really stop at Petsmart to come up something you think your pet might eat. We really need to have on hand a 3 day supply of food Captain would eat. (The Grumpy Princess will eat just about anything nailed down. She's no problem, lol)
So to get back to Taste of the Wild, I was happy to see that their products are completely grain free. A lot of allergies can be caused by grains and I knew this was an ingredient I wanted to avoid. I also wanted a good quality pet food. I don't really want to be knocking grocery store pet foods, but it goes back to the whole allergen situation. I wanted any food that we would try to have the first ingredients to be meat, more meat, and even more meat. (Hey, dogs are carnivores!) Some brands, I look at the ingredient list and just cringe. I know money plays a factor in food choices by owners sometimes, but still. Taste of the Wild also has fruits and vegetables in their ingredient list. (It's a lot more digestible than "fillers" like corn is.) You can purchase it at small pet boutiques and feed stores (local folks - you can purchase it at once of the corgi's FAVORITE stores - The Posh Paw over in Gig Harbor (I can't recommend those folks enough!!!), as well as over at Del's Feed Store over here in Port Orchard) You can also order online from lots of great stores.
Also, Taste of the Wild also is good for dogs in all life stages - you don't have to buy a different kind once they outgrow the puppy stage, or if they are starting to get a little older. It comes in dry kibble, or if you're in a situation like me, canned with an easy pop top. (Perfect for emergency situations!)
We were sent several cans of each variety, as well as some sample bags of the dry kibble. We decided to try out the Pacific Stream Canine Formula With Smoked Salmon. This is a 13.2 ounce can, so depending on your feeding schedule and your dogs weight, you may need less than one can or more than one. My two eat twice a day, so I split this between the two of them for breakfast:
I was a little hesitant to feed it to them. It looked alright, and I could clearly see even potatoes. I was just worried Captain would snub it. I actually didn't have anything to worry about, because he inhaled it faster than a speeding bullet:
Whew.
I waited another 24 hours to make sure neither of them were having any ill effects (*coughs* rear end issues), and went on to try the Wetlands Canine Formula in Gravy. They gobbled it up just as quickly, and no problems. They also tried the High Prairie Canine Formula in Gravy (made with bison, venison and lamb, as well as peas and potatoes) and they enjoyed it as well - no arguments about eating it!
So we'll be adding a 3 day supply of Taste of the Wild to our emergency supplies for the corgis. (They have their own backpack with everything they need for 3 days away from home, so we can just grab it and go.) The cans run around $2 each for a 13.2 ounce can, a 15 pound bag of dry kibble runs about $25 - average for pet food store prices.
BTW, just in case someone thinks I'm selling out for a free product: I still recommend homemade food. However, Taste of the Wild is a good choice if you're not ready to make that step, and definitely great for emergency situations like what I was talking about above if you already do. While I do homemade, I'm not 100% strict - my dogs still get commercial dog treats from time to time and their beloved "boneys" (those rawhide and busy bones) - well, Captain just drools on them, but they still get them. LOL
Win it! One lucky reader will a great prize pack that includes: three cans of Taste of the Wild, three samples of Taste of the Wild dry food, a $30 gift card to PetFoodDirect.com, a sample of Bright Bites, a Bright Bite collar and the book, "101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog” (I'm jealous! That's a great prize pack!) To enter, just tell me all about your dog. :) Are you familiar with this brand?
As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 10th, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
I received samples of this product. All opinions are my own, yours may differ. If you are considering switching brands of dog food from your usual, please be careful, and do the switch slowly. If your dog doesn't want to eat it, don't force them. Many good pet food stores will take back an open pet food for in store credit if your pet doesn't like it!
Gaming Review: The Dream Voyagers (PC)
As a member of the Game Review Network, I was excited to learn I would get to review The Dream Voyagers, a Windows PC game.
In The Dream Voyagers, the residents of Slumberton are having nightmares where their worst fears come true. Each resident has a different nightmare, and no one can help ease their suffering but you. You must clean up their dreams, connect them together, and find out why the residents are having these horrible nightmares.
The Dream Voyagers is a point and click hidden object game, and you are searching through scenes looking for a list of items you are given for each dream. In each scene, you will be timed. As you move along, a bar will up as you complete each scene. You'll unlock the next character to play as you finish the dream sequence.
The first part of most of the dream realms you are looking for different variations of the same items. For instance, the gardener's dreams are plagued with squirrels. (Squirrels!!) In this scene, you are looking for ten different hidden squirrels - no two are alike. You then move onto different dreams that are entwined with other residents of Slumberton.
While point and click sounds easy enough to the uninitiated of these kinds of games, The Dream Voyagers has tons of extra things not on the list included in plain view. You absolutely must pay attention to the list at the bottom of the screen for what you are looking for, or you will be clicking around aimlessly. Some items are easier to find than others. Beware the aimless click though, because if you click on random things too fast, your "clicker" will freeze for a few seconds and you will be unable to click something else - not so bad, except remember you are timed on each section! If you run out of time, you must begin the scene completely over.
On each scene, you will have the option of using three hints:
The first hint shows an image of what you are looking for. (Something needed, because the average person doesn't know what a sextant is, and that is one of the objects you are searching for in one of the scenes. It's also not exactly clear on some of the things what they look like - coleslaw, for instance. Is it a bowl? A can? Younger kids may be more easily confused.)
The second hint shows the location of 3 random objects you are still in need of, almost like a constellation. Be quick to look where they are when using this hint, as it is easy to get overwhelmed with all the stuff in some of the scenes.
The third hint is for those *coughs* dense moments where you are drawing a blank - it dims the scene completely and shows you where all the items you are still in search of are hidden.
As you jump from dream to dream, and character to character, some of the scenes may seem a repeat to you, but you are generally searching for different items than you were before. (now you know why there are extra things in the scenes!)
There are several bonus features, including deja vu mode, which is basically a fast way to complete levels you've already been through.
You are able to turn the music off, as well as easily adjust the sound, which is always great in puzzle games. (If you're playing a game like this for several hours in a row, you probably know that the music can start to be annoying! This one isn't so bad though.)
Point and click games can be good for the whole family, however there are several disturbing dreams (such as a skeleton underwater) that makes this better for the ages 8 and up set. The graphics are nice and clear, but it's not overly fancy. If you're used to the Wii and all those mini games these days, there really isn't anything like that in this game. If you're like me and into this kind of hidden object games, you'll probably enjoy this game. It's a good way to waste some free time, and I really enjoyed it. If you're more like my DH and you enjoy killing things (LOL) this probably isn't up your alley. You need a bit of patience and a sharp eye to play it.
As far as replay goes, it depends on you. By the time you get to the end of most hidden object games, you pretty much forget all the beginning scenes. I usually replay my games a few months later, and will definitely give this game another run in the future.
The Dream Voyagers system requirements include: Windows XP/7/ or Vista, 2.0 GHz Pentium 4 or equivalent, 1024 MB Ram, and DirectX 9.0c. It is also available for Macs. There is a free download available, where you can play the game for 60 minutes - not enough time to get through it of course, but more than enough time to give you a general idea of how the game works. The game retails for $19.99, or $6.99 with membership. You can also order a back up disc for $7.99 when you buy the game.
I received an unlock code in order to play this game. All opinions are my own!
In The Dream Voyagers, the residents of Slumberton are having nightmares where their worst fears come true. Each resident has a different nightmare, and no one can help ease their suffering but you. You must clean up their dreams, connect them together, and find out why the residents are having these horrible nightmares.
The Dream Voyagers is a point and click hidden object game, and you are searching through scenes looking for a list of items you are given for each dream. In each scene, you will be timed. As you move along, a bar will up as you complete each scene. You'll unlock the next character to play as you finish the dream sequence.
The first part of most of the dream realms you are looking for different variations of the same items. For instance, the gardener's dreams are plagued with squirrels. (Squirrels!!) In this scene, you are looking for ten different hidden squirrels - no two are alike. You then move onto different dreams that are entwined with other residents of Slumberton.
While point and click sounds easy enough to the uninitiated of these kinds of games, The Dream Voyagers has tons of extra things not on the list included in plain view. You absolutely must pay attention to the list at the bottom of the screen for what you are looking for, or you will be clicking around aimlessly. Some items are easier to find than others. Beware the aimless click though, because if you click on random things too fast, your "clicker" will freeze for a few seconds and you will be unable to click something else - not so bad, except remember you are timed on each section! If you run out of time, you must begin the scene completely over.
On each scene, you will have the option of using three hints:
The first hint shows an image of what you are looking for. (Something needed, because the average person doesn't know what a sextant is, and that is one of the objects you are searching for in one of the scenes. It's also not exactly clear on some of the things what they look like - coleslaw, for instance. Is it a bowl? A can? Younger kids may be more easily confused.)
The second hint shows the location of 3 random objects you are still in need of, almost like a constellation. Be quick to look where they are when using this hint, as it is easy to get overwhelmed with all the stuff in some of the scenes.
The third hint is for those *coughs* dense moments where you are drawing a blank - it dims the scene completely and shows you where all the items you are still in search of are hidden.
As you jump from dream to dream, and character to character, some of the scenes may seem a repeat to you, but you are generally searching for different items than you were before. (now you know why there are extra things in the scenes!)
There are several bonus features, including deja vu mode, which is basically a fast way to complete levels you've already been through.
You are able to turn the music off, as well as easily adjust the sound, which is always great in puzzle games. (If you're playing a game like this for several hours in a row, you probably know that the music can start to be annoying! This one isn't so bad though.)
Point and click games can be good for the whole family, however there are several disturbing dreams (such as a skeleton underwater) that makes this better for the ages 8 and up set. The graphics are nice and clear, but it's not overly fancy. If you're used to the Wii and all those mini games these days, there really isn't anything like that in this game. If you're like me and into this kind of hidden object games, you'll probably enjoy this game. It's a good way to waste some free time, and I really enjoyed it. If you're more like my DH and you enjoy killing things (LOL) this probably isn't up your alley. You need a bit of patience and a sharp eye to play it.
As far as replay goes, it depends on you. By the time you get to the end of most hidden object games, you pretty much forget all the beginning scenes. I usually replay my games a few months later, and will definitely give this game another run in the future.
The Dream Voyagers system requirements include: Windows XP/7/ or Vista, 2.0 GHz Pentium 4 or equivalent, 1024 MB Ram, and DirectX 9.0c. It is also available for Macs. There is a free download available, where you can play the game for 60 minutes - not enough time to get through it of course, but more than enough time to give you a general idea of how the game works. The game retails for $19.99, or $6.99 with membership. You can also order a back up disc for $7.99 when you buy the game.
I received an unlock code in order to play this game. All opinions are my own!
23 March 2010
I Covet... (You Have NO Idea!)
I am foaming at the mouth over these right now:
Mama needs some new shoes! These Women's Shoes With Bat Buckle can be spotted over at Vampire Wear. They have another awesome pair with skulls too! (Twilight fans - they have a section just for you too)
Mama needs some new shoes! These Women's Shoes With Bat Buckle can be spotted over at Vampire Wear. They have another awesome pair with skulls too! (Twilight fans - they have a section just for you too)
Thrift Store Tuesday - Books
Welcome to another week of resale and thrift store shopping!
My question this week...
Definitely! I am trying to curb our buying of books because we just put together yet another new bookshelf! It feels like we're outdoing the library!
We actually had some good luck today thrifting. We hit a different Goodwill (over in Bremerton) and I totally had to behave myself because not only were their kiddo clothing prices cheaper, but they had a bunch of new stuff! I originally had like 6 pairs of brand new shoes in my hands! I ended up with this cute little pair for the park for $2.99:
I know, they look boy. But they have these great treads on them! We also hit up Value Village DH also scored a brand new copy of Napoleon Dynamite for $4.99, and there was a new little pair of cute slippers I picked up for the munchkin too with her initial (S) on them. Like they will ever be worn, but they were 99 cents. And at the pawn shop, we scored two movies for 99 cents each - Red Dawn and A Night At The Roxbury (LOL).
So have you found anything good recently?
My question this week...
Are books a weakness for you at thrifts?
Definitely! I am trying to curb our buying of books because we just put together yet another new bookshelf! It feels like we're outdoing the library!
We actually had some good luck today thrifting. We hit a different Goodwill (over in Bremerton) and I totally had to behave myself because not only were their kiddo clothing prices cheaper, but they had a bunch of new stuff! I originally had like 6 pairs of brand new shoes in my hands! I ended up with this cute little pair for the park for $2.99:
I know, they look boy. But they have these great treads on them! We also hit up Value Village DH also scored a brand new copy of Napoleon Dynamite for $4.99, and there was a new little pair of cute slippers I picked up for the munchkin too with her initial (S) on them. Like they will ever be worn, but they were 99 cents. And at the pawn shop, we scored two movies for 99 cents each - Red Dawn and A Night At The Roxbury (LOL).
So have you found anything good recently?
Random Thoughts Tuesday - Urban Legends
So I totally thought the whole exploding biscuits can and gunshot thing was an Urban legend.
Until it happened to me! LOL It went off in the fridge and I totally thought one of the shelves came down in there! I can see how someone would think it was a gunshot.
Maybe I should be on the lookout for guys with sharp hooks for hands. ;)
I'm exhausted. We went out shopping and hit up the mall. I scored some good make up clearance at Hot Topic again. Well, mostly nail polish today. And some cute little skull hairbows for the munchkin. And DH got himself a God of War III T (rolls eyes) The word obsessive comes to mind. (Yes, he beat it in 3 days and is currently on Chaos mode.)
And DH had fun with a gift card at Bath & Body again. LOL It was just a $10 one, so it's not like he could buy a bunch. But I tell you, it's the funniest thing to see this metal-head man sniffing all these bottles of body wash and trying out lotions! LOL!!!!
Apparently I am going through sweet withdrawals, because an Oreo Cream Cake made it in my shopping cart of Grocery Outlet tonight. I'll be the one hiding in the bathroom eating a slice later on - LOL ;)
And to continue in on the sweet deals, there was a bunch of clearance at Petco today for just 25 cents! I got Captain an adorable Cupid bandanna, and then I picked up a bunch of collars to donate and keep on hand for future rescues. (We'd totally love for our duo to become a trio!)
Speaking of the corgis, they are out cold from everything today. I guess we actually managed to tire them both out! Laugh, but Captain is like the Energizer Bunny. It takes a LOT to tire that little dog out. He can go for miles and not blink, while the Grumpy Princess is ready for a nap by the first mile marker.
Apparently, we are having a Resident Evil marathon tonight. I bet the movies will way better on the bigger screen!!
22 March 2010
CD Review: Sing-A-Lingo En Mi Casa
My family recently received a copy of the Sing-A-Lingo En Mi Casa CD to review and listen to.
The Sing-A-Lingo series are to help with teaching children Spanish - and in my quest to ensure our daughter is bi-lingual, I've seen lots of studies that mention that using music to teach Spanish (and other languages) is one of the best ways to do it, so I was excited for us to listen to it!
The songs on the CD are infectious and easy to sing along with and dance to. Some CDs can totally grate on your nerves after the second or third time, but this definitely isn't one of them! I even had fun dancing around with the munchkin singing. All the lyrics inside the case are in both English and Spanish, so if you are learning too, you'll know the translation. It actually contains 17 tracks to listen to. The words and phrases being taught in the songs pertain to day-to-day activities, such "Wash Your Hands" and "Open The Refrigerator", as well as fun ones like "Itsy, Bitsy Spider" and "Start Dancing".
There's some great tips on the site for helping your child(ren) learn Spanish (or any other language really). My favorite is so simple - count in Spanish each step you are taking up the stairs and backwards back down.
Sing A Lingo En Mi Casa has received plenty of praise, including the iParenting Media Award for Outstanding Product, and the Seal of Approval from both Parent’s Choice Foundation and The National Parenting Center! They also have some fun additions to help learn Spanish, including some Cards To Go and Say'N Stick notes that are really neat - you just put them on the items such as the stove etc, so when your kids are walking by or using the item, they can keep learning!
If you are homeschooling the younger set and teaching Spanish, this is definitely a fun addition to your curriculum. If you are like our family and working on being bilingual, Sing A Lingo En Mi Casa definitely gets two thumbs up! We've been listening to it almost every day since it arrived. It retails for $14.99 (plus shipping), and you can purchase your copy from their website. It's appropriate for ages 2-ish through 6, but I think the songs are just fine to start even earlier! (that might be just me though, but they are fun)
Win it! Would you like to win a copy of Sing A Lingo En Mi Casa for your family? To enter, visit their website and tell me which of the songs listed you think sound fun (there's some clips to listen to on the right hand side, too). Are you raising your kids to be bilingual too?
As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 3rd, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
I received a copy of this CD to listen to in our home. One reader will also win a copy of this CD from the company.
The Sing-A-Lingo series are to help with teaching children Spanish - and in my quest to ensure our daughter is bi-lingual, I've seen lots of studies that mention that using music to teach Spanish (and other languages) is one of the best ways to do it, so I was excited for us to listen to it!
The songs on the CD are infectious and easy to sing along with and dance to. Some CDs can totally grate on your nerves after the second or third time, but this definitely isn't one of them! I even had fun dancing around with the munchkin singing. All the lyrics inside the case are in both English and Spanish, so if you are learning too, you'll know the translation. It actually contains 17 tracks to listen to. The words and phrases being taught in the songs pertain to day-to-day activities, such "Wash Your Hands" and "Open The Refrigerator", as well as fun ones like "Itsy, Bitsy Spider" and "Start Dancing".
There's some great tips on the site for helping your child(ren) learn Spanish (or any other language really). My favorite is so simple - count in Spanish each step you are taking up the stairs and backwards back down.
Sing A Lingo En Mi Casa has received plenty of praise, including the iParenting Media Award for Outstanding Product, and the Seal of Approval from both Parent’s Choice Foundation and The National Parenting Center! They also have some fun additions to help learn Spanish, including some Cards To Go and Say'N Stick notes that are really neat - you just put them on the items such as the stove etc, so when your kids are walking by or using the item, they can keep learning!
If you are homeschooling the younger set and teaching Spanish, this is definitely a fun addition to your curriculum. If you are like our family and working on being bilingual, Sing A Lingo En Mi Casa definitely gets two thumbs up! We've been listening to it almost every day since it arrived. It retails for $14.99 (plus shipping), and you can purchase your copy from their website. It's appropriate for ages 2-ish through 6, but I think the songs are just fine to start even earlier! (that might be just me though, but they are fun)
Win it! Would you like to win a copy of Sing A Lingo En Mi Casa for your family? To enter, visit their website and tell me which of the songs listed you think sound fun (there's some clips to listen to on the right hand side, too). Are you raising your kids to be bilingual too?
As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 3rd, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
I received a copy of this CD to listen to in our home. One reader will also win a copy of this CD from the company.
21 March 2010
Menu Planning Monday - Adding Extra Veggies To Everything!
I ended up skipping the Cream Cheese Chicken last week, and switched in some steak and steamed veggies instead (DH did the grilling!) so it's back on this week.
I'm also adding as many extra vegetables as I can to everything - I'm preparing them as I bring them home from the store, and keeping them sliced and ready to go. It's been great especially with our sandwiches at lunch!
Monday: French Fry Casserole
Tuesday: recipe of the week
Wednesday: Cheesy burgers, salad
Thursday: Creamy Cheese Chicken
Friday: homemade pizza night with lots of veggies
Saturday: breakfast for dinner - pancakes, eggs & bacon
Sunday: slow cooker roasted chicken, salad, rolls
Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!
Printable Cat's Pride Litter Coupon
Join the Pride Club and you can print a coupon to save $1.00 off your next purchase of Cat's Pride Cat Litter. (It's a Smart Source coupon)
While you are here, don't forget to check out my other printable coupons to see if there are other coupons available to help you save on your grocery bill!
Please note: I take the time out of my busy schedule to share coupons that have landed in my email, I am not affiliated with the companies. Some coupons may be only available for a limited amount of time or for a limited amount of prints. If you come across a coupon that is now dead, please let me know, either by leaving a comment or sending me an email so I can fix the post. Thanks!
While you are here, don't forget to check out my other printable coupons to see if there are other coupons available to help you save on your grocery bill!
Please note: I take the time out of my busy schedule to share coupons that have landed in my email, I am not affiliated with the companies. Some coupons may be only available for a limited amount of time or for a limited amount of prints. If you come across a coupon that is now dead, please let me know, either by leaving a comment or sending me an email so I can fix the post. Thanks!
Review And Giveaway: Mahatma Rice
As a member of BzzAgent, I was able to participate in the Mahatma Rice campaign.
I remembered Mahatma rice from living in other parts of the country, but didn't realize it wasn't available here in the Pacific NW until recently. (I buy my rice in bulk at Costco mostly these days) Mahatma is actually the new name of S&W Rice. I was sent two packages to try out: the Brown Rice, and the Extra Long Grain Rice.
I enjoyed both, and have bought several other packages of the Brown since I first received my kit. Most Mahatma rice is grown in the US and is Kosher approved - nearly 85% of the rice consumed in the US is grown by farmers in the states of Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas (whoo hoo!). I like having food products that are from here. The Mahatma Thai Jasmine Rice and the Mahatma Aged Authentic Basmati rice are imported though.
A lot of people think that rice is difficult to cook, but if you get yourself a decent rice cooker (mine was under $15 at Target), it opens up SO MANY possibilities! It's so easy! I don't even buy rice mix side dishes any more unless they are free, because I've learned how to make my own using the rice cooker. It's also easy to make a large batch, then add the extras into dishes the next night. (I make homemade fried rice all the time this way, and it's done in minutes without all the extra sodium you find at restaurants) You don't have to buy a big, bulky rice maker either - I have this small 6 cup one that also allows me to steam veggies while the rice is cooking!
If you visit the Mahatma site, they have a ton of great recipes that are easily made. If you're looking for one of my tested recipes, try using their rice in my Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole.
The Mahatma brown rice is a little more expensive than the Extra Long Grain Rice, and a little harder to find. I finally tracked it down for my local folks at Safeway, where it is on sale this week for $2.64 (regular retail looks to be $2.89) for a 28 oz bag. The Extra Long Grain rice can be found at both Safeway and Albertsons for $2.89 for a 2 lb bag. (As of this posting, I haven't been able to find it at any of the local Fred Meyer stores) Watch for it to go on sale, and buy several bags - but do be aware, that brown rice goes rancid much faster than white. Only purchase for your food storage and pantry a supply that you will use in about 2 months of recipes at the most. The white and extra long grain, if stored properly can be good easily for a year or more. (To get around brown rice goes rancid quickly, you can store it in the freezer, but only for a few months longer)
Tip: If you are having a hard time getting your family to enjoy brown rice without a bunch of sauces, try replacing 1/3rd of your recipes using brown rice, and the rest with white or extra long grain, then mixing it well before cooking.
It's also easy to stretch a lot of meat recipes with a cup of rice. Consider making tacos with 1/2 ground meat, and 1/2 cooked rice!
Don't forget to join The Riceipe Club for online coupons, special offers and other Mahatma updates!
Win it! BzzAgent sent me several coupons for free Mahatma rice products to hand out as part of my participating in this campaign, and I've set one aside to share with my readers! You'll be receiving two coupons actually - one to try the Mahatma brown variety, and one to try the extra long grain variety. To enter, tell me if you have tried their rice before, and what dishes you like to make using rice! Easy peasy! :)
As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 3rd, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
Disclaimer: I am a BzzAgent and was sent the product mentioned above so I could share my opinions with folks I talk to. BzzAgent is not fulfilling this prize, I will be, and one reader will win the prize stated above.
I remembered Mahatma rice from living in other parts of the country, but didn't realize it wasn't available here in the Pacific NW until recently. (I buy my rice in bulk at Costco mostly these days) Mahatma is actually the new name of S&W Rice. I was sent two packages to try out: the Brown Rice, and the Extra Long Grain Rice.
I enjoyed both, and have bought several other packages of the Brown since I first received my kit. Most Mahatma rice is grown in the US and is Kosher approved - nearly 85% of the rice consumed in the US is grown by farmers in the states of Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas (whoo hoo!). I like having food products that are from here. The Mahatma Thai Jasmine Rice and the Mahatma Aged Authentic Basmati rice are imported though.
A lot of people think that rice is difficult to cook, but if you get yourself a decent rice cooker (mine was under $15 at Target), it opens up SO MANY possibilities! It's so easy! I don't even buy rice mix side dishes any more unless they are free, because I've learned how to make my own using the rice cooker. It's also easy to make a large batch, then add the extras into dishes the next night. (I make homemade fried rice all the time this way, and it's done in minutes without all the extra sodium you find at restaurants) You don't have to buy a big, bulky rice maker either - I have this small 6 cup one that also allows me to steam veggies while the rice is cooking!
If you visit the Mahatma site, they have a ton of great recipes that are easily made. If you're looking for one of my tested recipes, try using their rice in my Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole.
The Mahatma brown rice is a little more expensive than the Extra Long Grain Rice, and a little harder to find. I finally tracked it down for my local folks at Safeway, where it is on sale this week for $2.64 (regular retail looks to be $2.89) for a 28 oz bag. The Extra Long Grain rice can be found at both Safeway and Albertsons for $2.89 for a 2 lb bag. (As of this posting, I haven't been able to find it at any of the local Fred Meyer stores) Watch for it to go on sale, and buy several bags - but do be aware, that brown rice goes rancid much faster than white. Only purchase for your food storage and pantry a supply that you will use in about 2 months of recipes at the most. The white and extra long grain, if stored properly can be good easily for a year or more. (To get around brown rice goes rancid quickly, you can store it in the freezer, but only for a few months longer)
Tip: If you are having a hard time getting your family to enjoy brown rice without a bunch of sauces, try replacing 1/3rd of your recipes using brown rice, and the rest with white or extra long grain, then mixing it well before cooking.
It's also easy to stretch a lot of meat recipes with a cup of rice. Consider making tacos with 1/2 ground meat, and 1/2 cooked rice!
Don't forget to join The Riceipe Club for online coupons, special offers and other Mahatma updates!
Win it! BzzAgent sent me several coupons for free Mahatma rice products to hand out as part of my participating in this campaign, and I've set one aside to share with my readers! You'll be receiving two coupons actually - one to try the Mahatma brown variety, and one to try the extra long grain variety. To enter, tell me if you have tried their rice before, and what dishes you like to make using rice! Easy peasy! :)
As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 3rd, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
Disclaimer: I am a BzzAgent and was sent the product mentioned above so I could share my opinions with folks I talk to. BzzAgent is not fulfilling this prize, I will be, and one reader will win the prize stated above.
Lots O' Winners Today
I never in a million years thought I'd be holding this many giveaways over on my lil' old blog - we've surpassed the 115 mark! Can you believe it?
The winner of the $50 American Greetings PhotoWorks giveaway is:
Noelle said...
A photo album would be great!
And the winner of the Kroger Cart Buster $25 gift certificate is:
karen said...
I would use it to stock up on water and non-perishable food for the upcoming hurricane season. Thanks.
And the winner of the Journal Buddies for Boys giveaway is:
Julie D said...
Following on Twitter (Mom2Ways). I have a 12 year old who could use this
Congratulations! If you didn't win, be sure to check out the giveaway tab to see what else I've got running now! (Psst - I have a $40 WalMart gift card on the way soon!)
Fred Meyer Deals 3/21 - 3/27 2010
The ad is a little empty this week - they are mostly promoting Easter toys.
See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:
Beef Bottom Round Roast
$1.99 lb
Rotisserie Chicken
$5.99
Large Avocados
5 for $5
DiGiorno or California Pizza Kitchen Pizza
$4.47
Simply Orange Juice
$2.99
Ronzoni Healthy Harvest or Smart Taste Pasta
10 for $10 ($1.00 off 2 HH printable here, $0.75 off ST here, $1.00 off 2 HH here, $1.00 off 2 ST here)
Kellogg's Special K Bars
$1.88
Tostitos Chips
2 for $5
A&W, 7-UP, RC, Sunkist, or Pepsi 12 pk Products
2 for $8
Purina One Dry Dog or Cat Food
$16.99 ($3.00 off 1 MC)
All Liquid Laundry Detergent
$9.99
L'Oreal Healthy Look Hair Color
$6.99 after in store MC
Dove or Degree Ultimate Antiperspirant, Deodorant, or Body Mist
2 for $5 after in store MC
Herbal Essences Hair Care
$2.69 (BOGOF MC, $1.00 off 1 MC)
Mach3, Venus, Good News, Daisy, Or Custom Plus Disposable Razors
$5.99
L'Oreal Dermo Expertise Skin Care
$14.99 after in store MC
Kellogg's Special K Protein Shakes or Meal bars
2 for $9 ($1.00 off 2 shakes MC)
Hershey's King Size Candy Bars
10 for $10
Just Born Theater Box Candy
4 for $5
Colgate Total or Max Effects Toothpaste
$1.49 after in store MC
Act Fluoride Rinse
$2.99 after in store MC
FM Preserves or Peanut Butter
$1.99
FM Yogurt
10 for $4
FM Syrup or Pancake Mix
$1.99
FM Sour Cream or Cottage Cheese
4 for $5
FM Canned Fruit
10 for $10
FM Pickles
2 for $4
Popchips
2 for $3
Wolfgang Puck Organic Soup
2 for $4
Glaceau Vitamin Water
10 for $10
Naturally Preferred Organic Milk
$2.99
Schiff Supplements
Save 50% ($2.00 off 1 MC, $2.00 off printable here)
Nature's Gate Products
Save 35%
Nutrition Now
Save 25%
Fuji, Braeburn, or Cameo Apples
$0.78 lb
Organic Strawberries
$3.88 lb
Organic Mini Peeled Carrots
2 for $3 (1 lb)
Minneloa Tangelos or Anjou Pears
$0.88 lb
Tomatoes on the Vine
$1.99 lb
Cauliflower
$0.88 lb
Potatoes 10 lb
2 for $3
Bulk Walnuts
$2.99 lb
Bulk Almonds
$3.99 lb
Bulk Pecans
$4.99 lb
Bulk Nature's Path Granola
$2.99 lb
Bulk Dried Fruit
Save 25%
Bulk Pasta, Rice or Beans
Save 30%
Bulk Spices
Save 25%
Foster Farms Fresh Fryer Breasts
$1.49 lb
Pork Loin Assorted Chops
$1.99 lb
Fresh Lean Ground Beef
$2.57 lb (3 lb flavor seal pack)
USDA Choice Beef Flat Iron Steak
$4.99 lb
Beef Loin Petite Sirloin Steaks
$2.99 lb (family pack)
Jumbo E-Z Peel White or Medium Cooked Shrimp
$4.99 lb
Fresh Northwest Steelhead Fillet
$4.99 lb
Wild Alaska True Cod Fillet
$4.99 lb
Gorton's Fish Sticks, Fillets, or Tenders
$2.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4) ($0.50 off 1 printable here)
Arm & Hammer Scoop Cat Litter
$7.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2) (some boxes have $1.00 off peelies on them!)
Suave Shampoo or Conditioner
$0.88 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
Tillamook Ice Cream or Private Selection Frozen Berries
2 for $6 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
FM Cranberry or Grapefruit Cocktails or Chip Mates Cookies
3 for $5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 6)
Tillamook Cheese
2 for $5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
Kivu Bulk Coffee
$4.99 lb w/ in ad coupon (limit 2)
Hillshire Farm Rope Style Smoked Sausage or Links
2 for $5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
Oscar Meyer Bacon
2 for $5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
Nestle Easter Nest Eggs
2 for $5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4) ($1 off 2 printable at coupons.com)
Quilted Northern Bath Tissue
$5.49 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2) ($0.50 off 1 MC)
Your Rewards should have arrived by now - if you haven't gotten them, be sure to contact Freddy's and let them know!
Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.
This post is part of BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering.
If you're interested in other grocery stores, please check out BeCentsable’s Grocery Gathering for an extensive list of grocery stores and blogs that cover the best deals!
20 March 2010
Review: Shelf Reliance Cansolidator
This post was supposed to be part of my Food Storage Friday series yesterday, but I need multiplied. LOL Pretend I didn't miss it. ;)
You may recall last June, I did a review of Shelf Reliance's food storage products. I was able to review the Raspberry Cake Bars Gift Basket, and in it was several of their freeze dried goods. I really recommend their food products for emergency preparedness and food storage. (It's so EASY to reconstitute dried eggs and have them when you run out of fresh!)
I've been coveting their Harvest for ages - I've posted about it on here before. We've been see-sawing back and forth on it since last June! It's really not the cost, it's really a space issue right now - it's a matter of playing if we move this here, will that fit there? lol Eventually I'll figure out a safe place to put it! The other day at Costco, I was so excited to see their Cansolidator Pantry, I snatched it right up.
The Cansolidator Pantry holds 40 cans. The nifty part is that you can place it on the shelf vertical or horizontal. If you have a super long shelf, you can also attach several side by side. It's fairly simple to put together - I did it myself while DH was at work last week, and it took me around 5 minutes, if that. You create the slots the size YOU want them - so if you have bigger soup cans, you can make it fit those, and even thinner for tuna fish or canned chicken cans.
Here's the pieces, there's the tracks that are those long thin pieces:
and then the "sides" which fit into the tracks:
Here it is put together:
It does seem to take up a lot of room on the shelf:
I'm not going to say I can really put more on the shelf using it - but it is WAY easier to rotate the cans than with just using the flats from the store like I do on my lower shelves. I don't have to lift flats to get to another kind of food underneath it. (which is really annoying!) I'm actually thinking of moving the Cansolidator onto the kitchen counter, so it's super easy to grab my most used cans every day. I thought this might be easier, especially when we do figure out where to stash the Harvest. It is a pretty sturdy plastic, but make sure you fill it after you've placed it on the shelf where you want it. Don't try moving it full.
So if you are looking for an easier way to store your canned goods and be positive you are doing the First In, First Out (FIFO) system of rotating, you might want to give the Cansolidator a try. At my local Costco, it was just $22.99 plus tax. Now if you have a lot more cans, you may want to check out some of their other systems - the Harvest holds up 600 cans, depending on the size (it's their largest one), but they have plenty of different options in between, such as the Reserve.
By the way, this is an awesome way to rotate pet food cans, especially if you have more than one pet. If I did more canned pet food, I'd totally get another one just for that! (I wish I had this years ago, I used to use a baby food jar stand to hold all the cans of Fancy Feast we'd go through, lol)
I purchased this out of my own money, and this is just my opinion.
You may recall last June, I did a review of Shelf Reliance's food storage products. I was able to review the Raspberry Cake Bars Gift Basket, and in it was several of their freeze dried goods. I really recommend their food products for emergency preparedness and food storage. (It's so EASY to reconstitute dried eggs and have them when you run out of fresh!)
I've been coveting their Harvest for ages - I've posted about it on here before. We've been see-sawing back and forth on it since last June! It's really not the cost, it's really a space issue right now - it's a matter of playing if we move this here, will that fit there? lol Eventually I'll figure out a safe place to put it! The other day at Costco, I was so excited to see their Cansolidator Pantry, I snatched it right up.
The Cansolidator Pantry holds 40 cans. The nifty part is that you can place it on the shelf vertical or horizontal. If you have a super long shelf, you can also attach several side by side. It's fairly simple to put together - I did it myself while DH was at work last week, and it took me around 5 minutes, if that. You create the slots the size YOU want them - so if you have bigger soup cans, you can make it fit those, and even thinner for tuna fish or canned chicken cans.
Here's the pieces, there's the tracks that are those long thin pieces:
and then the "sides" which fit into the tracks:
Here it is put together:
It does seem to take up a lot of room on the shelf:
I'm not going to say I can really put more on the shelf using it - but it is WAY easier to rotate the cans than with just using the flats from the store like I do on my lower shelves. I don't have to lift flats to get to another kind of food underneath it. (which is really annoying!) I'm actually thinking of moving the Cansolidator onto the kitchen counter, so it's super easy to grab my most used cans every day. I thought this might be easier, especially when we do figure out where to stash the Harvest. It is a pretty sturdy plastic, but make sure you fill it after you've placed it on the shelf where you want it. Don't try moving it full.
So if you are looking for an easier way to store your canned goods and be positive you are doing the First In, First Out (FIFO) system of rotating, you might want to give the Cansolidator a try. At my local Costco, it was just $22.99 plus tax. Now if you have a lot more cans, you may want to check out some of their other systems - the Harvest holds up 600 cans, depending on the size (it's their largest one), but they have plenty of different options in between, such as the Reserve.
By the way, this is an awesome way to rotate pet food cans, especially if you have more than one pet. If I did more canned pet food, I'd totally get another one just for that! (I wish I had this years ago, I used to use a baby food jar stand to hold all the cans of Fancy Feast we'd go through, lol)
I purchased this out of my own money, and this is just my opinion.
Random Round Up - Contests, Charity, & More
Rather than swamp your feed readers or fill up your inbox, I'm condensing a bunch of great things into one post that arrived in my inbox from different companies over the last few days!
Fresh Air Fund is in need of families to act as hosts over the Summer months. Basically, families who live in the country or outer suburbs would open their homes to kids ages 6 to 18 from New York City. Even if you can't participate, perhaps you can help spread the word to those who might!
There's a new movie coming out called BABIES, and for my contest loving readers, if you have a little one and you're on Facebook, here's one you might want to enter! To participate in the sweeps, just submit a photo or video of your baby that fits the theme and you will be entered for a chance to win! The first theme is... Babies Sleeping - I'm sure we all have photos that fit that theme! :) Stop on over by their page over on Facebook for more information and to enter! (Good luck if you do!)
And another contest if you are on Gather, don't forget to enter to win an iPod Shuffle! (Wouldn't that make a great Easter basket gift for a teen if you won?)
Swaptree is another option to trade off things as you start your Spring cleaning. It's free to list, you just pay for shipping. Here's the FAQ if you're like me and overwhelmed with extra books and stuff right now, or you're in the hunt for adding new things to your library (which I always am, even if it means we need more bookshelves, lol) or to pick up some video games to keep the kids busy on Spring Break or this coming Summer
...now that I think of it, that's totally an organization post I need to do so I will organize our shelves better!
I've told you about this in the past, but I'd love to remind you of this iPhone app called Kids Eat For that allows you to see kid menus at restaurants, Yelp reviews, and where kids can eat free. It's great if you are traveling for Spring break to visit somewhere, or especially as those Summer road trips start up! You can also access it online, so don't worry if you don't have an iPhone. They also have a fun app called Triple D that is an unofficial companion to the Food Network show Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives. Take a look and see if there are any near you!
...sniff - how I miss thee, Food Network!
Fresh Air Fund is in need of families to act as hosts over the Summer months. Basically, families who live in the country or outer suburbs would open their homes to kids ages 6 to 18 from New York City. Even if you can't participate, perhaps you can help spread the word to those who might!
There's a new movie coming out called BABIES, and for my contest loving readers, if you have a little one and you're on Facebook, here's one you might want to enter! To participate in the sweeps, just submit a photo or video of your baby that fits the theme and you will be entered for a chance to win! The first theme is... Babies Sleeping - I'm sure we all have photos that fit that theme! :) Stop on over by their page over on Facebook for more information and to enter! (Good luck if you do!)
And another contest if you are on Gather, don't forget to enter to win an iPod Shuffle! (Wouldn't that make a great Easter basket gift for a teen if you won?)
Swaptree is another option to trade off things as you start your Spring cleaning. It's free to list, you just pay for shipping. Here's the FAQ if you're like me and overwhelmed with extra books and stuff right now, or you're in the hunt for adding new things to your library (which I always am, even if it means we need more bookshelves, lol) or to pick up some video games to keep the kids busy on Spring Break or this coming Summer
...now that I think of it, that's totally an organization post I need to do so I will organize our shelves better!
I've told you about this in the past, but I'd love to remind you of this iPhone app called Kids Eat For that allows you to see kid menus at restaurants, Yelp reviews, and where kids can eat free. It's great if you are traveling for Spring break to visit somewhere, or especially as those Summer road trips start up! You can also access it online, so don't worry if you don't have an iPhone. They also have a fun app called Triple D that is an unofficial companion to the Food Network show Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives. Take a look and see if there are any near you!
...sniff - how I miss thee, Food Network!
Review: Beverage CADDi
Every so often, I stumble onto one those products that make me go EUREKA! Thank you for coming up with it!
The Beverage CADDi is definitely one of those products. I can't tell you how many times I have spilled my drink coming out of a fast food place by trying to stick it on the roof of the car while trying to wranglea baby octopus kiddo into her carseat while DH tries to keep the corgis from getting out of the car. (Captain is able to jump seats in a single bound faster than Mighty Mutt, LOL) Seriously, I am like 1 for 2 out of every drink that ends up on the ground - grrr!
So it was love at first site with the CADDi. It is a vinyl cover that simply slips onto the beverage cup (well, if you are one of those that drink the giant bathtubs of soda, you're probably out of luck, but with your average cup of coffee or soda it works great) and it has two strings that you can hold onto. You can actually slip it onto your pinky finger! Or in my case a couple of times, I hung it from the little hook inside the door (the one for the hangers or coats, I guess? I don't know, we never use them LOL)
See how it fits onto even the soda cup?
GENIUS! Really! I'm keeping one in my purse so I always have it - it's so small it fits into any purse or laptop bag. If you have a coat you wear often, you could even keep it in that! As you can see, the design on mine is pretty simple with coffee beans, but there are other designs to choose from, including plain white. You could even get them made up with a logo or custom if you have a business you want to show off.
The Beverage CADDi retails for $5.50 for a single one, or you can buy in bulk and save - a 12 pack, perfect for gifting to all you know, is just $32.40.
I received a sample to try out, but all thoughts are my own.
The Beverage CADDi is definitely one of those products. I can't tell you how many times I have spilled my drink coming out of a fast food place by trying to stick it on the roof of the car while trying to wrangle
So it was love at first site with the CADDi. It is a vinyl cover that simply slips onto the beverage cup (well, if you are one of those that drink the giant bathtubs of soda, you're probably out of luck, but with your average cup of coffee or soda it works great) and it has two strings that you can hold onto. You can actually slip it onto your pinky finger! Or in my case a couple of times, I hung it from the little hook inside the door (the one for the hangers or coats, I guess? I don't know, we never use them LOL)
See how it fits onto even the soda cup?
GENIUS! Really! I'm keeping one in my purse so I always have it - it's so small it fits into any purse or laptop bag. If you have a coat you wear often, you could even keep it in that! As you can see, the design on mine is pretty simple with coffee beans, but there are other designs to choose from, including plain white. You could even get them made up with a logo or custom if you have a business you want to show off.
The Beverage CADDi retails for $5.50 for a single one, or you can buy in bulk and save - a 12 pack, perfect for gifting to all you know, is just $32.40.
I received a sample to try out, but all thoughts are my own.
19 March 2010
Printable Barber Foods Coupon
This printable coupon will save you $1.00 off any Barber Foods item. (Look at the bottom left hand side of the page and click on Coupons) It is a Smart Source coupon.
I've had their Chicken Cordon Bleu before, and it's a quick, yummy dinner!
While you are here, don't forget to check out my other printable coupons to see if there are other coupons available to help you save on your grocery bill!
Please note: I take the time out of my busy schedule to share coupons that have landed in my email, I am not affiliated with the companies. Some coupons may be only available for a limited amount of time or for a limited amount of prints. If you come across a coupon that is now dead, please let me know, either by leaving a comment or sending me an email so I can fix the post. Thanks!
Printable Dove Coupons & Samples
If you're a member of Dove Dimensions, not only is there a free sample you can sign up for right now, you can also print several coupons - there is $2.00 off any Dove Shampoo, Conditioner, or Daily Treatment Conditioner, and $1.25 off the Dove Body Wash!
Plus, if you aren't the shy type, shoot a video of yourself talking about what you think of Dove Body Wash with NutriumMoisture to get a free Dove product!
While you are here, don't forget to check out my other printable coupons to see if there are other coupons available to help you save on your grocery bill!
Please note: I take the time out of my busy schedule to share coupons that have landed in my email, I am not affiliated with the companies. Some coupons may be only available for a limited amount of time or for a limited amount of prints. If you come across a coupon that is now dead, please let me know, either by leaving a comment or sending me an email so I can fix the post. Thanks!
Plus, if you aren't the shy type, shoot a video of yourself talking about what you think of Dove Body Wash with NutriumMoisture to get a free Dove product!
While you are here, don't forget to check out my other printable coupons to see if there are other coupons available to help you save on your grocery bill!
Please note: I take the time out of my busy schedule to share coupons that have landed in my email, I am not affiliated with the companies. Some coupons may be only available for a limited amount of time or for a limited amount of prints. If you come across a coupon that is now dead, please let me know, either by leaving a comment or sending me an email so I can fix the post. Thanks!
CD Review & Giveaway: Putumayo's Rhythm And Blues
I recently had the chance to listen to the newest Putumayo World Music release, Rhythm and Blues.
Rhythm and Blues features not only generation legends such as Lavelle White but also new stars of today's retro R&B movement such as Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. (For you who might not know her she was called the "Queen of Funk" by British enthusiasts during a tour in 1999) Now when you hear R & B, you might be thinking of recent years, but rewind the clock back to the the 50's and 60s for this one. It's the real deal, not the newfangledcr stuff. ;) This is a good CD to hang out and listen to in the evening after dinner and relax.
Here's the track listing:
Lavelle White "I've Never Found a Man to Love"
James Hunter "Til Your Fool Comes Home"
Cracked Ice "Sweet Feeling"
The Quantic Soul Orchestra featuring Kabir Who Knows
The Emotions "My Honey and Me"
Sam Moore, Keb' Mo' and Angie Stone "Wang Dang Doodle"
Catherine Russell "Put Me Down Easy"
Ruthie Foster "'Cuz I'm Here"
Snooks Eaglin "A Mother's Love"
Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings "100 Days, 100 Nights"
Rockie Charles "Before I Find the Right Girl for Me"
Irma Thomas with Henry Butler "River Is Waiting"
The suggested retail price is $14.98, but Amazon has it for $13.99 as of this posting.
Win it! One lucky reader will win a copy of Rhythm and Blues. To enter, visit Putumayo's site and tell us another CD you'd be interested in. (If you're like me and love Celtic music, I recommend Celtic Tides - it features Clannad, my absolute favorite in Celtic music)
As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 3rd, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
I received a copy of this CD to listen to, and one reader will win a copy as well. Link(s) are for your convenience, they are not referral links.
Rhythm and Blues features not only generation legends such as Lavelle White but also new stars of today's retro R&B movement such as Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. (For you who might not know her she was called the "Queen of Funk" by British enthusiasts during a tour in 1999) Now when you hear R & B, you might be thinking of recent years, but rewind the clock back to the the 50's and 60s for this one. It's the real deal, not the newfangled
Here's the track listing:
Lavelle White "I've Never Found a Man to Love"
James Hunter "Til Your Fool Comes Home"
Cracked Ice "Sweet Feeling"
The Quantic Soul Orchestra featuring Kabir Who Knows
The Emotions "My Honey and Me"
Sam Moore, Keb' Mo' and Angie Stone "Wang Dang Doodle"
Catherine Russell "Put Me Down Easy"
Ruthie Foster "'Cuz I'm Here"
Snooks Eaglin "A Mother's Love"
Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings "100 Days, 100 Nights"
Rockie Charles "Before I Find the Right Girl for Me"
Irma Thomas with Henry Butler "River Is Waiting"
The suggested retail price is $14.98, but Amazon has it for $13.99 as of this posting.
Win it! One lucky reader will win a copy of Rhythm and Blues. To enter, visit Putumayo's site and tell us another CD you'd be interested in. (If you're like me and love Celtic music, I recommend Celtic Tides - it features Clannad, my absolute favorite in Celtic music)
As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 3rd, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
I received a copy of this CD to listen to, and one reader will win a copy as well. Link(s) are for your convenience, they are not referral links.
Free Music Download March Is Metal
Here's another compilation download over on Amazon! Fill up those iPods! (or your media player, remember, you can still play these just on your computer!) This one features Five Finger Death Punch, a live Queensryche track, Fear Factory, and an acoustic Lacuna Coil song, among others.
Free Download Nuclear Blast Sinister Spring Slaughter
Hit up Amazon to download for free the latest music compilation from Nuclear Blast records, including bands such as Exodus, Nile, Mnemic, and more!
17 March 2010
Review & Giveaway: Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino Light Vanilla And Mocha
I drink a lot. No, not alcohol, very funny! lol But I almost always have a drink in my hand or within a few inches. So when I was invited to try out Starbucks Coffee 100 calorie Frappuccino Light Vanilla and Mocha flavors, I happily jumped on the chance. You see, even though I am always drinking something, I watch the calorie content. I am hesitant to drink full calorie drinks. It's not the sugar, sugar's my DH's problem, not mine, lol - but with all I drink each day, if I drank full calorie drink after drink, I'd be in serious trouble weight wise.
Both the Mocha Lite and the Vanilla are 100 calories per bottle, so I don't worry about indulging in one. (You know what I also appreciate? It's 100 calories per bottle, not per serving. I hate when a product says 100 calories, but there's 2.5 servings or whatever in the bottle. Who just drinks a small part of the supposed single serving bottle and puts it back in the fridge??) On top of the lower calories, it also has 60% sugar, and is sweetened with Splenda. You can score them by singles in the convenience section at gas stations, etc, or you can pick up a 4 pack at your local grocery stores for around $4.99-ish.
Taste wise, both flavors were pretty good. A single bottle is just right for cravings with just enough sweetness (they're 9.5 oz each) I think I prefer the Mocha the most, but the Vanilla was just as good (I've always had a thing for Mocha!) Do make sure these are ice cold though if you can, they taste soooo much better! (If you are home, try serving them with crushed ice! Yummy!)
If you'd like to try Starbucks Coffee new 100 calorie Frappuccino Light for yourself, they've got a $1.00 off coupon you can print up for your purchase!
Win it! Would you like to receive a 4 pack of Starbucks Coffee 100 calorie Frappuccino Light Vanilla and Mocha like I did? One lucky reader will get some landing on their doorstep! To enter, tell me which flavor you'd love the most (they also have Coffee, and regular calorie Vanilla and Mocha)
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends March 27th, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
I received a sample of the product above to write a review about it. One reader will win a prize as stated above.
Both the Mocha Lite and the Vanilla are 100 calories per bottle, so I don't worry about indulging in one. (You know what I also appreciate? It's 100 calories per bottle, not per serving. I hate when a product says 100 calories, but there's 2.5 servings or whatever in the bottle. Who just drinks a small part of the supposed single serving bottle and puts it back in the fridge??) On top of the lower calories, it also has 60% sugar, and is sweetened with Splenda. You can score them by singles in the convenience section at gas stations, etc, or you can pick up a 4 pack at your local grocery stores for around $4.99-ish.
Taste wise, both flavors were pretty good. A single bottle is just right for cravings with just enough sweetness (they're 9.5 oz each) I think I prefer the Mocha the most, but the Vanilla was just as good (I've always had a thing for Mocha!) Do make sure these are ice cold though if you can, they taste soooo much better! (If you are home, try serving them with crushed ice! Yummy!)
If you'd like to try Starbucks Coffee new 100 calorie Frappuccino Light for yourself, they've got a $1.00 off coupon you can print up for your purchase!
Win it! Would you like to receive a 4 pack of Starbucks Coffee 100 calorie Frappuccino Light Vanilla and Mocha like I did? One lucky reader will get some landing on their doorstep! To enter, tell me which flavor you'd love the most (they also have Coffee, and regular calorie Vanilla and Mocha)
-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or include @psychotichouse)
That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends March 27th, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.
I received a sample of the product above to write a review about it. One reader will win a prize as stated above.
16 March 2010
I Think I Figured It Out...
I know, I'm not that great at things like this. Hey, at least I admit my shortcomings! ;) I finally figured out how to create the Fan page for here, and it looks so lonely having no fans - will you fan me? I need to feel loved! ;)
Confessions of a Psychotic Housewife on Facebook
Printable Purina Dog Chow Coupon
Register on LongLiveYourDog.com in the next 10 days, and you will receive a printable coupon for $2.00 off one (1) bag of Purina® Dog Chow® brand Dog Food, any size, any variety. (It's a Bricks coupon)
While you are here, don't forget to check out my other printable coupons to see if there are other coupons available to help you save on your grocery bill!
Please note: I take the time out of my busy schedule to share coupons that have landed in my email, I am not affiliated with the companies. Some coupons may be only available for a limited amount of time or for a limited amount of prints. If you come across a coupon that is now dead, please let me know, either by leaving a comment or sending me an email so I can fix the post. Thanks!
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