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Thursday

Piggy Paint Sweet Giveaway of the Day

I just found a really cute blog today: A latte in the morning is the blog! She has great content and fun giveaways!  The Sweet giveaway of the day goes to her Piggy Paint Giveaway! I"ve heard of Piggy paint, I knew they sold polish for little girls but today was the first day I checked out their site!!  Can you say adorable? Can you say safe polish for kids?  I want to use this, too! 
Here is some of her review.  Head on over to her blog and check out rest of the review and enter the giveaway!  
Piggy Paint Project Earth review/giveaway!

If you have girls in the family then this post is for you. Keep on reading, you're going to love this one!
I'm sure you've heard of Piggy Paint before, but in case you haven't here we go.
About Piggy Paint:
One day when Melanie Hurley (founder of Piggy Paint) was painting her daughter's nails over a foam plate, her daughter dropped a glob of her solvent-based polish onto the plate and shortly after the paint began to bubble and "ate" a whole through the plate.
She decided to test all of her other "kids" polishes on the foam and ALL of the solvent-based polishes began to bubble and eventually left big holes in the plate. (see image on the right)
From that day onwards Melanie decided that any flammable substance that could eat through foam was unacceptable for her children's fingernails, which would inevitably end up in their mouts. This is how Piggy Paint was born.
Piggy Paint is not flammable and is specially formulated of natural ingredients. It is free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, biphenyl A, ethyl acetate and acetone...and made in the USA!

The Buzz on High Fructose Corn Syrup

About a year a go I heard a buzz around the internet that high fructose corn syrup is hidden in many of our every day food products.  I really started looking on the packages coming in my home and the buzz was correct!  From everyday foods like bread and "fruit" juice to occasional treats like, candy "corn" and "fruit" snacks.   I think it is funny that a product like candy "corn" actually has corn in it, namely corn sugar, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS),etc  


As this buzz was circulating I saw that companies were taking notice and started removing "HFCS" from their products and slapping it on their labels and getting their PR firms to push their "HFCS" free products.  By this time, quite a few parents had already started limiting these type of products from their home.  So the no HFCS products came into stores, we were buying them but in reality sugar is sugar. Did you fall into the market trap of "no HFCS?" 


I just recently attended a "webinar", internet seminar, presented by the Corn Refiners Association and hosted by Resourceful Mommy Media.  All the attendees got to ask questions to the panel and they answered.   The bottom lined I learned from them about HFCS is that it is just another way to sweeten your food.  If corn syrup or corn sugar isn't used you can bet that another sugar is in its place.  They said that HFCS isn't any more addicting than any other sugar and has the same effect on obesity, diabetes and heart disease. 

What are your thoughts on this?? Someone said "fresh food is better" yet someone else pointed out "fruit and veggies have sugar, too!"

“The information shared from the webinar was provided by the Corn Refiners Association.  I have been compensated for writing this blog post.  All opinions are my own tasty words. Check out their link for more information.” Thanks to Resourceful Mommy Media for hosting the event.
Resourceful Mommy

Wednesday

Adorable Giveaway of the day!

This has to be the most ADORABLE giveaway that I have seen in awhile! I'm in love with these lil' tutu's.  I only wish that I could get my twin 16 year old girls or my 11 year old girl to wear one! LOL  I know that they won't but I have some cute lil' girls that I know of that would wear these!   What do you think? These are from The Lady of Society Tutu's!

Go check out the giveaway over at Life with the Lebedas! She has an adorable family and always great giveaways on her blog!

Game Link up and Giveaway

 Another Wednesday is here so that means another Game Link up!  Our game group, CrazyGamers, is participating in the Million Minute Family Game Challenge sponsored by Patch Products.  This is their 10th year!  Our group is up to 5962 minutes played.  Our group is in the Top 10 so far! Are you in the challenge?  IF not, click here and join in and register!  It isn't too late to play! The contest ends January 4th, 2011!


Some of the games that we have played this past week:
What have you played????  Click here to enter the You've Been Sentenced Giveaway! 

What to win free games on Friday? Click here to learn more!

*IF YOU LINK UP, I ask that you follow my blog with Google Friend Connect!* Please and thank you!


Link up if you have game giveaways, game blog, game website, game reviews,etc on your blog! 

CandylandDungeonQuest What's Yours Like? The Game That Tells It Like It Is.
 
I'm an Amazon Affiliate.


A Memory Between Us Book Tour Giveaway

Memory Between Us, A: A Novel (Wings of Glory)ABOUT THE BOOK:
Can they overcome the past to find a brighter future together?

Major Jack Novak has never failed to meet a challenge--until he meets army nurse Lieutenant Ruth Doherty. When Jack lands in the army hospital after a plane crash, he makes winning Ruth's heart a top-priority mission. But he has his work cut out for him. Not only is Ruth focused on her work in order to support her orphaned siblings back home, she also is determined not to give her heart to any man.

As the danger and tension of World War II rise to a fever pitch, Jack and Ruth will need each other more than ever. Can Jack break down her defenses? Or are they destined to go their separate ways?

From the English countryside to the perilous skies over France, A Memory Between Us takes you on a journey through love, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

A Memory Between Us is the second book in the WINGS OF GLORY series, which follows the three Novak brothers, B-17 bomber pilots with the US Eighth Air Force stationed in England during World War II.

My Take On the Book:  I love a good story! You know the type, the one that fills your heart with joy and also makes you cry?! That is what I found while reading, A Memory Between Us by Sara Sundin.  This is book 2 in the Wings of Glory Series.  The first book, A Distant Melody, was a book that I had not read before this one.  I plan on going back and reading it now that I've finished this one.  
I was impressed by the richness of the characters, especially Major Jack Novak and Army Nurse Lieutenant Ruth Doherty.  I'm a huge fan of historical fiction/historical romance!  This one is set in the 1940s of World War 2 and the details are beautiful and full of rich character.  The main characters struggles are evident and I loved reading the strong struggle of pride deep within both.  I love reading books where the characters are struggling with real problems and God guides them and gets them through their difficult times.   
This book was enjoyable and I look forward in reading more from this author.  I hope that this series continues. I'd love to know more about some of the other characters, too! 



Sarah Sundin presents The Movies and Memories Giveaway in honor of book 2 in the Wings of Glory series. A Memory Between Us is available for purchase wherever fine books are sold. From the English countryside to the perilous skies over France, A Memory Between Us takes you on a journey through love, forgiveness, and sacrifice.
AMBU_button
To celebrate Sarah is giving one lucky winner A Movie and Memory Prize Package! One grand prize winner will receive:
* Make-your-own-photo book from Mypublisher.com (Capture your own Memories)
* Netflix Subscription (New or Nostalgic Movies delivered right to your house)
* Starbucks gift card (To keep your engine revvin’)
*Gourmet chocolate (A favorite in the 1940’s and now)
* British specialty teas in carved wooden box (Timeless tradition)
* Miniature model of a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber & C-47 cargo plane(Everyone needs a few toy planes)
*Big Band music CD (Break out your dancing shoes)
* WWII authentic poster playing cards (Cards – a perfect game for two)
* Keep Calm and Carry On (Uplifting sayings WWII, a boost for troubled times)
To enter simple click on the icon below (contest runs 9/27 – 10/17)
Enter via E-mail
http://wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/55908

 





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sarah Sundin is an on-call hospital pharmacist and holds a BS in chemistry from UCLA and a doctorate in pharmacy from UC San Francisco. Her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England during WWII. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children. This is her second novel.  For more info please visit her website at www.sarahsundin.com
Thanks to LitFuse Blog Tour for getting me the copy of the book to read and review.  The words on My Take of the Book are my own tasty words and opinions. I"m also an Amazon Affiliate.  




Sunday

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Mini Chocolate Chips Recipe

Fall and pumpkins go hand in hand at our house. These pumpkin cookies have been in our family since hubby and I met in college. The original recipe belongs to Mrs. Y. She use to make these cookies for her sons and they would share them with us. Since then I've been making them ever fall. Do you have any long standing family fall recipes? If so please share!


Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Mini Chocolate Chips 

Ingredients


1 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 can cooked pumpkin (2 sizes in store buy the small can)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice

1 c. semi sweet MINI chocolate chips

Directions


1-Cream butter and sugar. Add and mix well with pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Then add in rest of ingredients. 
2-Drop cookie dough by lg teaspoon onto well greased cookie sheet or have parchment paper on baking sheet. 
3-Bake 375 for 12-15 min. Mini chips work best.  Large chips are too big.  You can omit these...put more or less in. 
4-You can substitute with raisins if you want a healthier cookie. You can also substitute the butter with applesauce. Another option is to add in 1 c. Ovaltine powder for extra minerals and vitamins and extra added chocolate taste.

Kitchen Notes

-These cookies do not spread out. They are moist. 
-After baking and when cool I put them in a container and layer between parchment or foil because they will stick together.
-Thanks to Mrs. Young for making this cookies for her sons while they were in College. I met them in college and that was when I first tasted these cookies over 20 years ago. She graciously shared the recipe and I have been making them ever since!  My family loves them.





Ready for some Zombie Themed Food ideas? Here are tasty recipes including tasty halloween recipes for you to check out, too. 

More Halloween Ideas

Brain Food 
BROKEN GLASS Cupcakes
FINGER FOOD
Jello Brain Dessert
{Kid Zombie} Iced Coffee Frappes
{Momma Zombie} White Russians
MUMMY FACE Pizza
Pumpkin Cookies
Pumpkin Guts 
Toxic Waste Punch
Zombie Party Ideas, Recipes & Photos




Friday

Follow Friday Link up and Blog Hops

Welcome! You are all WINNERS today!
Thanks for stopping in! 

I CAN"T believe that it is ALREADY Friday! This week totally zoomed by!  Link up, below, on my Follow Friday Link up, follow me on Google Friend Connect, RSS Feed, Twitter, Facebook, Networked blogs, etc. Let me know how you are following me so that I can follow u back!!! 

ENTER ANY OF MY GIVEAWAYS 9/24-9/26 and claim the WEEKEND BONUS 10 entries
Below are some of the places I will hop to today and sign up for their blog hop!
Friday Photo Flashback
My Flashback photo this week is from 1994- that is just 16 years ago! This photo is special to me because my twin daughters just turned 16 yesterday! Here is my Flashback photo:




http://www.twomonkeysawashtub.com/



Let's Just Give It Away



Society of Socialpreneurs
My Wee View














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Get Healthy CheapFacebook Friend Friday 































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You've Been Sentenced Game Giveaway

CLICK TO SEE WHAT GAMES WE PLAYED THIS WEEK and tell us what you've been playing! 
    YOU'VE BEEN SENTENCED GAME REVIEW
     AND GIVEAWAY

    You've Been Sentenced!You've Been Sentenced Game
    One of the newest games in our collection is YOU'VE BEEN SENTENCED! by McNeill Designs
    From their site: 

    For 3 to 10 Players / Ages 8 and up

    Play Time: 30-45 minutes
    CONTENTS:
    540-card word deck
    Score sheet pad
    Sand timer
    Pencil
    Rules sheet

    Overview/Object of Game

    You’ve been Sentenced!TM by McNeill Designs for Brighter MindsTM is a completely original game system which utilizes pentagon-shaped cards containing conjugations of funny words, famous names, and familiar places. With a hand of 10 cards, players build sentences, challenging their ingenuity while trying to score the most points per round by constructing a grammatically correct and sensible sentence. Most words are worth 5 points, but some of the more unusual conjugations are often worth more, based on usage difficulty in a sentence.

    During play, any player can object to another player’s sentence. For example, is the sentence’s grammar correct? Is its meaning understandable? The defending player and the objecting player must argue their points to the rest of the players, who form a “Jury.” The Jury votes on whether or not the sentence is acceptable. Hilarity ensues when a player tries to defend, explain, and justify a completely ridiculous sentence to the Jury. Only accepted sentences score points. The first player to reach 200 or more points wins! 

      

    Our Take On the Game:  This is a crazy game.  The box and cards are shaped like pentagon.  I love weird shaped games and cards.  It can be difficult to "shuffle" the cards like a normal set of cards. If you try and do this, you will drive yourself batty!  Just put them all on the table and spread them around to get them mixed.  Then put them back into formed piles!  I say crazy because it is unlike any game that we already own.  You have to somehow form a sentence using 10 random cards that is also grammatically correct (yeah right).  

    The first two times that I played this game with my 11 year old, my old 40 something head was hurting me!  She was whipping out sentences and I was going "huh?" The game is all about fun and being crazy! On the third hand (ok so I'm a slow learner?) I was into it 110% and determined to make my sentence before she did and use more cards to get more points.  My daughter will tell you that I'm very competitive and will strive to win whatever game I'm playing.  
    The funny thing with this game is that it puts every player on the same level.  No one really has an advantage over anyone else because the cards that you get are all you have to form your sentence.  If you love making long, meaningful sentences you'll learn to love short quirky sentences with high points! 


    This is a 3-8 player game but my 11 year old and I play this all the time.  It is more crazy-fun when you have more players but two can play it just as well.  I love games where you have to make words with your letter tiles.  I'm thinking that this sentence making game ranks up there with my word games and even passes up my love of Monopoly (which is my most favorite classical childhood game).  
    There is so much more that I want to tell you about this game!  Check back I'll post more during our weekly Game Link ups!




    ENTER TO WIN 1 copy of You've Been Sentenced

    To enter: Tell me about a favorite game! Leave a comment and an email address!

     (leave separate entires for each one)
    BONUS FUN:  
    1) Follow my blog (right side bar) any way you want! Each way gets you 5 entries.  Just leave a comment with each way you follow for 5 separate entries!

    2) Join the Game Link up below for 10 entries into the Giveaway! (The link up has to be to a game post of some sort on your blog or a game giveaway/review that is yours or of another blog.  If you have games for sale or are a company with games that counts, too)

    3) Go check out the sponsor, McNeill Designs.  Tell me something that you learned from their site.  For each comment that you leave you get 5 entries.  

    4) Tweet the giveaway 2 entries per tweet, unlimited (follow @Susieqtpies for 2 entries)

    "What some crazy family fun? Enter to win You've Been Sentenced Giveaway http://goo.gl/amd3 "


    5) JOIN the Million Minute Game Challenge- leave your Team Name here.  20 bonus entries


    6) Stop in and let us know what games you are playing. 10 bonus entries

    Giveaway ends 10/20 USA

    Thanks to McNeill Designs for sending me a copy of the game to review.  It was my pleasure to write a review based on my experience with the game.  All words expressed on OurTake on the Game are our own tasty words and opinions.