Uncle Ben's Rice - Delish!

Memorial Day holiday weekend is here - we're planning a family BBQ filled with sights, smells and tastes of summer. I pulled together some favorite recipes that are quick and easy since it's back to work as ususal for me tomorrow. I always include one or two dishes that feature rice since it's a family favorite.

Uncle Ben's has helped me out with an expanding line-up of rice varities and slections. I have always loved Uncle Ben's as a trusted brand - it's great that they are constantly considering today's busy families with their microwave packages as well as the Long Grain White Rice. It looks and tastes like white rice but has all the nutritional benefits of whole grain! We love it - it cooks up perfectly every time: nice and fluffy, without sticking or clumping. I use it for my traditional Miller Family Rice Pudding, rice and vegetable salad (perfect for the summer picnic!), and a new family request, Chicken and Rice in the pressure cooker!

Visit the Uncle Ben's site at: http://www.unclebens.com

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Uncle Ben’s and received samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

SmartMom Solutions Roadshow with Maria Bailey Update

I mentioned previously, that I attended the SmartMom Solutions Roadshow with Maria Bailey in Tampa earlier this month. It was a great 1/2-day event and I was impressed with the organization and great representation. Maria and her team are amazing! Some outstanding products and brands were in attendance.

I was particularly taken by Precious Moment's lovely line of books and accessories for young girls - perfect inspirational messages for my daughter! The Pandigital Photolink One-Touch Scanner is now on the very top of my special, "Mommy Wanna's List"!

I'm providing a list with their links for you to check them out at your convenience. I know I will be revisiting them in the coming weeks...

Designed to bring moms and companies together, the roadshow showcased an array of items, from shampoo to clothes to digital scanners. It was a great opportunity to discover these brands and products:
Zippity Doo's - children's daily-use hair care products that prevent lice (zippitydoos.com)
BioGaia probiotic straws and tablets - safe, effective probiotics that promote healthy tummies (childrensprobiotics.com)
B-Natal Therapops - sweet relief from morning sickness (bnatal.com)
Parigi - popular kid's clothing line (Puma, LRG for Boys, Akademiks, Apple Bottoms)
Pandigital Photolink One-Touch Scanner - scan all your photos in seconds without a computer (pandigital.net)
Milson Road - give the perfect gift of "The Daily Portrait" for special occasions (milsonroad.com)
LikeWear - fun, boutique children's clothes that children love. (likewear.com)
Huggies MomInspired Grant Program - helping inventive moms turn their business ideas into reality (huggiesmominspired.com)
Precious Moments - childrens coloring books (preciousmoments.com)


Thanks again to Maria Bailey and MomSelect for a wonderful time spend with like-minded bloggy moms!

Freshen Up with Unilever/Dove: Don't Fret the Sweat!

Summer is upon us, and OMG it's HOT!!! The kids are outside running around and working up a sweat - that's great for them physically, but not so fresh for everyone within range afterwards!

My daughter and I have shared our freshening philosophy together, and she's "takin' it to the streets" with her friends...it's time to invest in some deodorants...NOW!! She's at the perfect age to instill good grooming and hygiene habits, including the use of shower gel, powder, anti-perspirant deodorant and body mists. I'm not bashful to tell our kids (and occasionally my hubs...) that they're stinky, and better do something about it NOW! Dove Ultimate Go Fresh line is perfect for us - fresh, clean and light! She loves the new "Revive" scent duo of Anti-perspirant Deodorant and Body Mist with a hint of moisturizer. It's a pomegranate and lemon verbena scent, crisp and inspired by nature - it smells heavenly!!!! The Unilever Dove family of products is a brand I trust for my family.

Recently, Unilever released the Tween Confidence Index, which suggests that tween confidence is short-lived but can be safe-guarded by maintaining strong communication between tweens and parents. With this and more resources available at DontFretTheSweat.com, Unilever hopes to show parents that they can talk to their tweens about how the right deodorant can keep them free from odor, embarrassment and discomfort along the way.


Be sure to visit their site to learn more at:

DontFretTheSweat.com


I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Unilever and received the items necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Join Us On Yoursphere.com - see code provided

Great family friendly social networking site: www.Yoursphere.com Use our referral code for free registration: YSMC-0063

We're learning a lot and planning to create our own "spheres"~ we hope you'll join us to connect!

I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review.

Playtex Bra Contest Promotion-Fit The Girls!

I have the hardest time finding the "perfect bra"...Do slipping straps, riding up backs, or not enough support have you ready to write a Dear John letter to your old bras? Apply for a Bra Makeover from Playtex! Seven out of 10 women are wearing the wrong size bra, which can result in an ill fit for the rest of their outfit, back and shoulder pain, as well as bruising and digging.

We know that busy moms don't always have time to update their bras or even check to make sure they are wearing the correct size. That's why we wanted to let you know about this contest from Playtex! Playtex recently launched www.PlaytexBraMakeover.com, a site where women can go to apply for a bra makeover or nominate a friend. If chosen, the winner will be flown to New York to receive a Bra Makeover with style expert Alison Deyette. Deyette is a fashion and trend lifestyle expert who has been featured on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker and TLC's Ten Years Younger, as well as in print publications including Good Housekeeping, The Washington Post, and O Magazine. Apply for your chance to win a Playtex Bra Makeover today. The last day to apply is Friday, May 21st, 2010.

The 10 winners selected for a Bra Makeover will also star in their very own webisode wherein a makeover candidate will receive a fitting with Deyette and walk away with the perfect Playtex products. A new webisode will premier on www.PlaytexBraMakeover.com every two weeks.

By posting this information, I am entered into a contest to win a free bra from Playtex. I did not receive any compensation for this post and thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Real women have real bra problems, Playtex wants you to kiss those bra problems goodbye. Check out www.PlaytexBraMakeover.com for more information.

P&G Thank You Mom Reunion Contest

I haven't seen my mom in over 15 years....yes, that's FIFTEEN YEARS! She has never seen my 11 year old daughter or seen our son since he was a baby - such a tremendous bridge to cross...she's a good person with some heavy baggage. We've stayed in touch by phone and mail, but it's never as good as being together for a real visit.

We have overcome many obstacles in our lives, and I think the time is ripe for a wonderful reunion - soon. I recently learned about an amazing contest hosted by Proctor & Gamble "Thank You Mom Reunion". I submitted my entry last night, and I'm praying for a miracle to see Mom and tell her in person what a powerful force she has been in my life - even from a distance. Here's the details:

Thank You Mom Reunion Contest

http://bit.ly/PGtymO2O

You could win $1,000 and a video camera for a special reunion with your mom or mother-figure!!!

Proctor & Gamble is kicking off the "Thank You Mom Reunions" contest to reunite Moms and their children for milestone family moments they otherwise might have missed.

“Thank You Mom Reunions” will bring together 105 moms with their children, who are unable to do so on their own. (15 per month for a 10 month campaign.)

You are invited to log onto www.thankyoumom.com and enter to win a travel voucher to help cover the cost of a special reunion with their mom or mom figure in their life.

How Someone Can Win a Thank You Mom Reunion:

Entrants must submit a 100 word essay describing why they’d like to be united with their mom.

Consumers vote for their favorite entries.

15 winners will be chosen every month through November.

Winners will also receive a portable digital video camera to capture their reunion and are encouraged to share the video on www.ThankYouMom.com.

WISHING YOU THE BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR ENTRY - WE ALL LOVE OUR SPECIAL MOMS!

Yoursphere: Safe Social Networking for Our Tweens/Teens

Our family loves our on-line technology and vibing on the social networking scene. The kids want to explore, but we're hesitate to let them roam freely without supervision. We are now registered at Yoursphere.com a great social networking site for families. Registration is free - what r u waiting 4??? LOL

Visit their site and explore all the great "spheres" on topics that are totally relevant to our kids' interests including video, games, fashion, animals, music, and more!

www.Yoursphere.com

If you choose to register for your free account, be sure to use our refrral code: YSMC-0063

We look forward to connecting with you on Yoursphere.com

I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review.