Weekend Mornings & A Giveaway

This is sponsored content by BlogHer and Kelloggs.

Looking back 10 years, weekend mornings meant waking up whenever my body was ready, nursing a cup of tea while lying in bed and reading the morning paper, and wandering up the street to our favorite bagel spot. Fast forward to present day...these mornings have changed radically. Each Saturday morning, I wake up before 6 am to meet my friend for our long run of the week. While stumbling out of bed, shoving half a banana into my mouth, and chugging down a glass of water is not what I would call relaxing, I always feel fantastic once the run is over. It makes me feel good physically and curbs the need to do something for myself.



The rest of Saturday is spent getting the kids ready for their soccer games. My husband and I make sure that they eat a healthy breakfast, such as cereal or a whole wheat bagel and fresh fruit. Off we go to the soccer fields to spend 3 to 4 hours cheering, running, kicking, and enjoying the time together. Really, it just does not get any better than watching our two boys run up and down the field, with huge smiles plastered to their faces. Pure joy.



Sunday is a little different. This is the day that my husband wakes up early for his long run. Since he is a marathoner, a long run means 20 to 23 miles. I'll stick with my 6 to 8 miles, thank you very much. While he is out knocking out the miles, the boys and I snuggle on the couch, watching cartoons and cruising my favorite food blogs. As you might imagine, my husband is famished when he returns from his run, so Sunday mornings are a day when we sit down to enjoy a hearty breakfast. Some of our favorites are Caprese Frittatas, Baked German Apple Pancakes, and Potato-Crusted Quiche.

For a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, please answer the following question in the comments section:

"What do you and your family like to eat for breakfast on weekend mornings?"

Please, no duplicate comments.
You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
This giveaway is open to US Residents aged 18 and older
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail, so please be sure that you leave an email address.
You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Please head to the BlogHer.com Kellogg exclusive offers page for 24 additional chances to win a $100 Visa gift card.

This giveaway will run from 9/28 - 10/4/2010.

For more information on Kellogg's, head to www.loveyourcereal.com.

Please see the official rules for this giveaway.

Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit www.loveyourcereal.com.
Read more!

Laundry Tips

This is sponsored content by BlogHer and Samsung.

I have been tempted many times to add up the number of hours that I spend doing laundry each week, but have decided that ignorance is bliss in this situation. With two very active boys, who like to jump in muddy puddles and play hard, and a husband who runs 70 miles per week, we never seem to be able to get ahead of the laundry pile. Along with the inordinate amount of time spent washing and folding soccer socks and running shorts, we are aware of the environmental impact washing and drying can have. Oh yeah, our bank account is not terribly appreciate either.

I will assume that all of you reading this know not to wash red socks with white pants, so I will stick to less known tips that either my mum taught me or I picked up through trial and error.

Turning and zipping
While it takes a little bit of extra time, turning clothes (not underwear and socks) inside out before washing helps to prevent fading and wear and tear on the fabric. Do up any zippers or hooks to prevent them from catching on other clothes in the washer.

Turn down the temperature
Use the coolest water possible to wash your clothes. Not only will this prevent clothes from fading and quickly (not to mention unwanted shrinking), but it will do wonders for your electric bill. Turning the dryer to low heat will give you the same benefits.

Dryer balls
We used to throw a dryer sheet in with every load. That is, until we discovered dryer balls. These little miracles are allergy-free, will help to reduce drying time, and are far better for the environment than dryer sheets. Each pair lasts for a couple of years.


Baby your delicates
Delicates, such as lingerie, can be protected by placing them in a mesh wash bag before being thrown in with the rest of the laundry. These bags will help to protect your bras and underwear from wearing out too quickly (saggy elastic is never a good thing) and being damaged in the wash.


Clean your washer
It is never good news when your son is yelling, "Mum, come quick. There's a flood!" That is what happened to us a couple of months ago when our washing machine overflowed, spilling gallons of water over our laundry room floor. When the repairman came, he discovered that the tube that clears the dirty water out of the washer was blocked. He was able to just blow the blockage out, but also gave me an invaluable tip. One time per month, use a washing machine cleaner, such as the ones made by Tide or Affresh. They can be found beside the detergents in your local supermarket. Of course, you could use vinegar to do the same job, but be prepared for a laundry room that smells like a pickling factory.
After using the washing machine cleaner, we noticed that our clothes smelled significantly fresher.

What are your tried and true laundry tips?

For laundry tips from 6 other bloggers, head to the BlogHer round-up page.

Check out some of Samsung household products:

Samsung Washers & Dryers
Samsung Refrigerators
Read more!

Quality Mornings & A Giveaway

This is sponsored content by BlogHer and Kelloggs.

If Mary Poppins had paid a visit to our home during the last school year, she would have declared us "an abomination". Each morning, we tore around the house at full speed, throwing supplies into our kids' backpacks, and urging them to eat faster. What a way to start the day! We would all walk...okay, run...out of the door in foul moods and try to mend the parent-child bond on the way to school.

This school year, I was determined to make a change. The key is simple, something I always knew, but did not put into practice. Organization. Every night before school, the boys and I make their lunches and set them neatly in the fridge so that can easily be placed into the waiting lunch boxes in the morning. The boys are also responsible for organizing their desks and insuring that all of their homework makes its way into the appropriate folders and backpacks.

When we wake up in the morning, leaving ourselves plenty of time, the boys get dressed, make their beds, and brush their teeth before heading downstairs for breakfast. By the time they appear, my husband and I have started making breakfast, which typically consists of cereal, bagels or waffles, and fresh fruit. Whole grain, high-fiber foods are a focus at our breakfast table since research shows that diets high in fiber help to address issues such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. For this reason, we choose cereals such as Raisin Bran and Smart Start.


With a hearty breakfast giving us the proper nutrients and energy for the day ahead, we spend our last few minutes together playing on the swings, shooting hoops, or kicking the soccer ball back and forth. The result? Happy, healthy kids and relaxed, stress-free (well, almost) parents. I think Mary Poppins would approve.

For a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, please answer the following question in the comments section:

"How do you start the day on a positive note?"

Please, no duplicate comments.
You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
This giveaway is open to US Residents aged 18 and older
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail, so please be sure that you leave an email address.
You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Please head to the BlogHer.com Kellogg exclusive offers page for 24 additional chances to win a $100 Visa gift card.

This giveaway will run from 9/21 - 9/27/2010.

For more information on Kellogg's, head to www.loveyourcereal.com.

Please see the official rules for this giveaway.

Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit www.loveyourcereal.com.
Read more!

Back-to-School & A Giveaway

This is sponsored content by BlogHer and Kelloggs.

One of the hardest things about bidding farewell to summer is the necessity of fitting life into a succinct schedule. Gone are the mornings of eating breakfast in pajamas, showering late in the day, and lingering at the breakfast table to chat. Rather, the morning routine is compressed into one short hour before leaping into the car, Dukes of Hazards-style (well, almost), and rolling off out of the garage on time. Last year, we always seemed to be in a rush and tempers flared as the minutes ticked by. I am determined to change that this year.

The last thing my kids need is a mum and dad yelling at them to "Hurry up!" as they prepare for a day at school. To avoid the inevitable rush, I now attempt to have as many of the morning to-do items checked off the night before. Here are some tips that make our morning routine go smoothly (relatively-speaking):

1) Each night, I make sandwiches for the boys, wrap up some carrot sticks and a snack, and place them in the fridge - one pile for each boy. Lunch bags are placed on the counter so that we just have to place the lunches inside in the morning before the bags are tucked away in backpacks.

2) The boys are responsible for placing completed homework in their backpacks, along with anything else they would like to take (e.g., soccer or football).

3) The breakfast table is set with place mats, napkins, bowls, and utensils.

4) On the kitchen counter, we lay out the breakfast choices which are usually a whole wheat bagel, whole wheat muffins, or cereal. My husband and I typically eat Kellogg's Raisin Bran or Smart Start, while our eldest son chooses Rice Krispies. All that is left to do in the morning is pour the cereal, chop some fresh fruit, and pour the milk. We are adamant about eating a good breakfast each morning to insure a healthy start to the day. From research, we know that children that skip breakfast miss out on more than one-third of the day's recommended vitamins and minerals.

5) Each morning, the boys hope for a few minutes of playtime before heading off to school. They know, however, that there are certain things that they must complete in time for that happen - get dressed, brush hair and teeth, and put on shoes. The promise of playtime is a very effective motivator for completing these tasks.

For a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, please answer the following question in the comments section:

"What are your tips for making your mornings go smoothly?"

Please, no duplicate comments.
You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
This giveaway is open to US Residents aged 18 and older
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail, so please be sure that you leave an email address.
You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Please head to the BlogHer.com Kellogg exclusive offers page for 24 additional chances to win a $100 Visa gift card.

This giveaway will run from 9/14 - 9/20/2010.

For more information on Kellogg's, head to www.loveyourcereal.com.

Please see the official rules for this giveaway.

Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit www.loveyourcereal.com.
Read more!

Tips on Organizing Your Kitchen

This is sponsored content by BlogHer and Samsung.

Asking me for organization tips is a bit like asking Bernie Madoff to lecture on the ethics of business. There is some basic understanding of how things work, but the principles are rarely put into practice. That being said, I spend a great deal of time in the kitchen, developing recipes for my blog and cooking meals for my family. Even though I am not the tidiest person - just ask my husband about the little piles of paper on various countertops - I am rather picky about the set-up of my kitchen.

For me, the ability to reach necessary kitchen utensils and pans quickly is essential. The time it takes to walk to the other side of the kitchen to reach the tongs, for example, can make the difference between a perfectly seared shrimp and a rubbery, inedible specimen.

The tools that are used the most - tongs, wooden spoons, spatulas, knives - stand proudly in ceramic containers immediately to the right of my stove. I am right-handed, so this makes reaching as convenient as possible. Likewise, my saucepans and skillets are in a drawer on the other side of the stove.


Yes, I still cook on electric. How I yearn for a proper gas stove! Someday.

A couple of years ago, when my mum was here for a visit, she decided to tackle the job of organizing my pantry. Believe me, she deserved a gold star for this! Using a mixture of wicker baskets and plastic containers, she divided my (very large) collection of condiments into manageable sections - oils, vinegars, mustards and so on. Baking ingredients were nestled together in two boxes with pull-out drawers, and dried pasta was neatly arranged in one small section. When she was done with it, I almost felt like I was living a scene out of Sleeping with the Enemy. Now that guy knew how to organize a pantry. Too bad he was completely off his rocker.


One of my friends owns a label maker and puts that little machine to very good use. I tease her that her kids are going to have labels on them if they don't run from her quickly enough. I borrowed the handy little tool one day and had a ball labeling all of my dried grains containers. Alongside the name of the grain are the cooking instructions. If I am running late, my husband can get dinner started without calling to ask me how much water gets added to the brown rice.


While I am on my way to better kitchen organization, I would really like to hear your tips.

How do you keep your pantry organized? Do you have any tips on making your kitchen function more efficiently?

For tips from 6 other bloggers on organizing your kitchen, head to the BlogHer round-up page.

Check out some of Samsung household products:

Samsung Washers & Dryers
Samsung Refrigerators
Read more!

Summertime Wrap-Up & A Giveaway

This is sponsored content by BlogHer and Kelloggs.

The thunderstorm that blew through this morning, leaving 60 degree temperatures in its wake, let us know, in no uncertain terms, that summer is coming to a close. While I welcome the crisp air of fall and the comfort of falling back into a regular routine, I already miss the carefree days of summer and hearing the kids' voices around the house during the day. While we did not go on any big trips this year, we enjoyed several camping trips, hours at the pool, fabulous fireworks displays, and plenty of time on our backyard swings.



One of the greatest joys my husband and I experienced this summer was watching our two boys become more independent and self-assured. They spent hours at the side of the lake, fishing rods in hand, practicing their casts until their lines fell just right.



Our eldest son decided to set a personal goal of increasing his cycling mileage each week. He now straps my husband's GPS running watch on his wrist and rides a loop around our neighborhood, clocking anywhere from 5 to 13 miles each time.



There were several days that we headed to the park, picnic in hand, and spent several hours lying on the blanket, climbing trees, and rolling down grassy hills.



That's right, there is not a lot of sitting around when two active boys are around. With all of the energy they burn, we are sure to feed them a hearty breakfast each morning. We have read many times that important nutrients are consumed during breakfast and are essential to maintaining a healthy body. While we do enjoy breakfasts of waffles, eggs and bacon, or breakfast burritos about once per week, our day typically starts with cereal, fresh fruit, and low-fat milk.

While camping, we usually indulge in one breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla. On the other mornings, however, cereal is our go-to meal. It is easy, quick, and allows the boys to get down to the lake as quickly as possible. Those are the mornings my husband and I love. We get to sit at the campsite, coffee and tea in hand, and watch the boys work diligently to catch our dinner.

For a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, please answer the following question in the comment section:

"What is your favorite memory from this summer?"

Please, no duplicate comments.
You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
This giveaway is open to US Residents aged 18 and older
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail, so please be sure that you leave an email address.
You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

For 24 additional chances to win a $100 Visa gift card, please visit the BlogHer.com Kellogg exclusive offers page.

This giveaway will be running from 9/7 to 9/13/2010.

Please see the official rules for this giveaway.

For more information on Kellogg's, please visit www.loveyourcereal.com.

Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit www.loveyourcereal.com.

Read more!