$100 iTunes Card Giveaway with Zac and Zoey Review

What are some of your kids favorite shows on TV? Do they watch on TV or on the iPad? I love how easy it is to take shows, games on trips,  doctor visits, etc. More and more interactive cartoons are coming out with free apps. I do wish these were available when my teens were little. Right now you can download the Zac & Zoey app which is such a cute series.

Read the below review of the adorable twins, Zac & Zoey and then enter to win a $100 iTunes card. Pretty good deal if you ask me!

Zac & Zoey is a sensible interactive cartoon series for children. Zac and Zoey are twins that love mysteries! Zac and Zoey also have a little dog named Tracker. They are the children next door which makes this cartoon more relatable to everyday life! The twins, Zac & Zoey have NO powers,and NO talking pets! These neighborhood twins figure out how to solve solve the mysteries by simply using their own head!

They have to find clues, solve mysteries, find solutions & overcome obstacles. This very special cartoon actually lets you "follow" along with Zac, Zoey and Tracker, the dog! The colors are so vibrant. The voices of Zac and Zoey are very pleasant to hear as well. They make you want to watch this cartoon series right along with your little one even more! The graphics are realistic and not to mention extremely CUTE! Download the Zac & Zoey app free for ipad, iphone and ipod touch!

One winner will receive a $100 iTunes Gift Card.

Giveaway ends September 12th at 11:59pm, open to US, ages 18+. Only one entrant per household, per address. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Enter using the giveaway form below. Good luck!

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per address. Void where prohibited by law. Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this sweepstakes. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com if you have any additional questions or comments.

Amping Up Your Hairstyle for Weddings and VMA

I love weddings! Weddings are great for family reunions, good food, good drinks, new clothes, wedding cake and amped up hair! My daughter is getting married and this mother-of-the-bride is amping up her hair! 

How do you amp of your hair for weddings and other special occasions? TRESemmé invites you to amp up your VMA style with 5 red carpet worthy looks such as the pumped up pony, super sleek look, rock ‘n roll waves, or full blown volume will have you shining like a star. Thanks to Global Influence for sponsoring this post. My own thoughts and opinions are shared here, as always.

Here are some of my amp up tips for wedding hair or to rock VMA style!

Wedding hairstyle tips

1. Use your best shampoo and conditioner to wash your hair the day before you need it to be amped up. Fresh hair is more difficult to work with.
2. Get a good can of dry shampoo. The day of the wedding, spray, scrunch and give the hair texture with dry shampoo. It also helps absorbs oils from the day before and helps give texture for the day of.
3. Get a strong comb to give your hair an all over tease.
4. After you tease your hair, give it a spray with a light hair spray or scrunch in some texture spray.
5. Now hit the hair with a curling wand, hair straightener, or whatever products you use to give your hair the poof or sleekness you desire.
6. Use plenty of bobby pins to get your hair twisted and set. Check youtube for how to styles, too. 
7. Spray final hair with a bit of styling spray.
8. Add your hair embellishments, hats, etc and you are ready to rock and roll!

Share your amped up wedding or VMA rock style tips in the below comments. I'd love to know what you do! Walmart and TRESemme have teamed up to help us get salon gorgeous hair this VMA season. Find styling videos and more on TRESemme products at Walmart and online, here. 

Get Healthy with the $50 Vitamin World Gift Card Giveaway!

Let's get healthy! As you know I'm on a healthier lifestyle journey which includes exercise, healthy eating and taking vitamins. If you are not sure where to go to get vitamins then check out the below review on Vitamin World. Oh and Vitamin World is way more than just vitamins! 

Read up and then enter to win a gift card to get started on your healthier lifestyle journey. 

Welcome to the Vitamin World $50 Gift Card Giveaway

Hosted by Conservamom

At Vitamin World, you will be treated to products that offer nutrition from the source. Vitamin World scours the world for the most unique health ingredients to bring the finest nutritional supplements straight from the source to its customers. Vitamin World is a one stop-source for all of your vitamin and nutritional needs At each Vitamin World location you will find a team of nutritional advisers who can help you identify the right crafted options to help meet your individual health and wellness goals.  
One Lucky winner will have the chance to win a $50 Vitamin World Gift card to get some fantastic products from this great store! So head below for your chance to enter and win! 
Giveaway open to US only and ends on 9/11 at 11:59pm.

Entry-Form

Disclosure: This giveaway is in no way associated with, sponsored, administered, or endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest or any other social media network.All opinions and experiences are Conservamoms. Open to US & must be 18+. Confirmed Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be drawn. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The sponsor will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of the giveaway. Conservamom will not be responsible for prize fulfillment. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. For questions or to see your product featured in an Event you can contact Elia At Conservamom

Back To School $1000 Cash Sweepstakes to Shop Your Heart Out #imyne

Today we all have apps for EVERYTHING! If we don't have an app for something we need then we search for one. If we can't find it we say, "There needs to be an app for that!" No sooner than it is said it seems someone develops the app! Are you with me? Who wants to have an app that allows you to  shop, earn and donate all at once? Read more about this below with the iMyne website and how you can use your smartphone to shop, earn and donate.

Once you check it out, enter the $1000 Cash sweepstakes! Now this is an awesome BTS sweepstakes to allow you to shop your heart out this fall! Good luck!

 
Did you know you can shop, earn, and donate all at once? You are already shopping online or on your mobile devices, so why not donate to a good cause while doing so. iMyne allows you to do just that. Many of the retailers you already know and love actually offer money back as an incentive to shop their sites, but these incentives are rarely cashed in on. iMyne works with these sites to send those savings back to you as well as your favorite charitable cause.
iMyne is also very easy to use. Most cash back websites are hard to navigate and are complicated, iMyne is different. Once you are signed up with iMyne you simply click on the iMyne activation button that will be in your toolbar, as a plugin. If the button is green then you are ready to shop and earn! If you're on the go and using your mobile device such as your smart phone or tablet, you simply just use the SHOP tab located on iMyne's site.  
Another great incentive that iMyne offers is referral cash. You can invite all of your friends through Facebook, Twitter or email to join iMyne and you will get up to $1 referral cash back for every $10 they earn. Your friends will then sign up their friends and you can earn even more. The more friends you have in your iMyne network, the more money you will earn for yourself and your charity!
Any cash back that you earn will automatically be added to your account, log in to view your funds and keep track, or you can cash out. You can always send your funds to the charity of your choice as well. There are no forms to mail, no points to redeem and no fees. You earn rewards for you and your cause in real cash, automatically. 

Sign-up for iMyne and start earning your rewards now.

One winner will receive a $1,000 Back To School Cash from iMyne.

Organized by: Social Swayy ♥ with special guest: Mom to Bed by 8. Giveaway ends September 10th at 11:59pm, open to US, ages 18+. Only one entrant per household, per address. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Enter using the giveaway form below. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per address. Void where prohibited by law. Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this sweepstakes. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com if you have any additional questions or comments.

Disney Snapfish Photo Book Giveaway

I'm a huge fan of photo books. I use to make ever memory book by hand but time doesn't always allow it. So for gift giving or to put together a quick collection of photos from a vacation I turn to digital photo books.  Have you ever made one? They are super easy to put together with the photos on your computer. Check out the awesome giveaway below because two of you will get to create a photo book from Snapfish. They now have special Disney photo pages which is a great way to get those Disney trip photo off of your computer and on a book for everyone to see.


 

Get a chance to win one of 2 Snapfish Photo Book credits so you can easily preserve happy memories!

With convenient photo uploading, hundreds of ways to personalize, and quality you can count on, Snapfish photo books make great keepsakes! And with Snapfish's new Disney premium photo books, your Disney vacation photos can now have awesome Disney-themed backgrounds!

Two lucky readers will receive a photo book credit so they can make their very own Snapfish Photo Book! Giveaway is open to US residents who are at least 18 years old. Void where prohibited.

*HURRY* Ends August 29, 2014 at 11:59pm EST. No Purchase Necessary. To enter, use the GiveawayTools form below. Good luck!

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post and I am not responsible for prize fulfillment. For questions regarding this giveaway, please contact Bay Area Mommy.

Sticky Fingers Craft Book for Teens #SummerBloggin

I'm a mom of 3 creative teen girls. They have done a lot of projects over the years which led to one of my blogs most popular post, 50 Summer Activities for Teens and Tweens. Part of that post is serious which includes links to fun projects whereas the post is also a little snarky I do admit. I believe several times in that top 50 I included eating and sleeping. I can do that because I have teens and I know that they sometimes eat and sleep like it is a summer hobby. I haven't blog a lot of their projects but I do know that besides eating and sleeping that they love to be creative. How about your teens?

Sunglass Case ... Case for Glasses

Sometimes teens need direction and one way is with the Sticky Fingers: DIY Duct Tape Projects book which I'm sharing with you today. This book is part of the Zest Books Summer Bloggin Tour along with The Green Teen Cookbook.  These books are perfect for teens and tweens because they give clear guidance on how to cook and to create. I'm thrilled to participate in the tour and was given the books to share whatever I wish. My own opinions are shared here on my blog as always.

Book: Sticky Fingers DIY Duct Tape Projects by Sophie Maletsky is a perfect craft book for any age and any craft level but geared toward teens. As a mom, I love the clear and easy to follow step-by-step approach for each project which gives the crafter total independence with their craft project. Everything is given to get that project created included clear photos. The book is well written for those who need clear, written out instructions. On the flip side, the photos are perfect for visual learners and crafters. They are the ones that need to see it done before doing it! 

Fun Duct Tape Fact: Duct tape is a $150 million a year industry in the United States, and has grown 18-20% per year since 2007. 

Provided Book Description

Any crafter from novice to expert (of all ages), will enjoy these 70+ fresh duct tape project ideas from the fully illustrated guide, Sticky Fingers DIY Duct Tape Projects (Zest Books; ISBN 978-1-936976-54-6; $16.99 PB), by Sophie Maletsky. Making everything from cell phone holders to room dividers, backpacks, jewelry, bags, wallets and more! 

Author Sophie Maletsky is a Nickelodeon Parents’ Pick award winner, a certified teacher on curious.com, and a duct tape expert. An award-winning children’s event planner, craft and kid expert, her website, Sophie's World (sophie-world.com), features thousands of ideas, how-to's and videos for crafts, games, and activities. Known as the “premier authority on duct tape crafting in the United States,” she lives and creates in San Francisco, California. 

Sticky Fingers is essentially a step-by-step by step guide for realizing one’s potential as a duct tape crafter.  Beginning with the basics of brands and types of tapes, through essential techniques, and on to detailed projects for home, for school and to wear, this book gives the reader everything they need to know to create fantastic-looking duct tape projects. Having worked with duct tape crafters for many years, Sophie has developed a teaching method—applied in this book—that makes even the most complicated projects doable. Sticky Fingers provides the reader with the building blocks – all that’s needed is imagination! 

 This really is the perfect craft book for teens. Here are the chapters and some of the creative and fashion forward projects. This book will allow the teen to craft for themselves and give them a chance to make gifts for others. My teens have made my husband and I several duct tape gifts over the years. It is amazing how those simple created gifts are some of the most practical and well used items here in our home. 

Breakdown of Chapters and a few favorite projects in that chapter

Chapter 1: Tools of the trade - Awesome chapter that even taught me a few things about all the different tapes available! It also explains other things which are needed and which ones not to use! This is proof that the author did all of her research on duct tape crafting.

Chapter 2: Your Workstation- I'm in love with this chapter because it lays out how to keep your workstation organized and um....supplies all together in one area. This chapter is worth the price of the book alone! I hope it inspires teens to do the same with their makeup, clothes, school supplies, etc!

Chapter 3: The Basics- Best ever chapter on the basic building blocks of crafting with duct tape. Easily explained steps and used as a reference throughout the entire book. These skills will allow them to easily recreate the projects and give them a chance to create others not even in the book.

Chapter 4: Quick Crafts- Bow, Rosette, Layered Flower and Ruffles

Chapter 5: Wallets- Simple Clutch Wallet, Checkbook Keeper and Trifold Wallet with ID Holder

Chapter 6: Purses, Bags, and Cases- Cupcake purse, Makeup Case, Sunglasses Case, Smartphone Case, Messenger Bag and Tablet Case - I might add this is my favorite chapter as it is full of practical projects for every day items which teens need! These are all perfect projects to make as gifts! 

Chapter 7: Wearable Duct Tape- Lanyard, Headband, Simple Ring, Spike Rose Ring, Choker, Tie, Belt

Chapter 8: At School-Luggage Tag, Locker Organizer, Altoid Tin First Aid Kit, Lunch Band and yes, Backpack

Chapter 9: In Your Room- Desk Organizer, Dry Erase Board, Jewelry Stand, Earring Tree, Woven Basket

Chapter 10: Every Last Bit of the Roll- Love this on Using the End Tape and Using the Center of the Roll. 

Stay tune for future duct tape project here on my blog from my teens!

ABOUT ZEST BOOKS: Zest Books is an award-winning publisher of smart and edgy titles for young and new adults that cover timely topics in creative ways by incorporating solid life advice, practical how-to instruction, and humorous commentary. Distributed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, you can learn more about Zest Books.

Sunglasses Case

The case is made from felt backed duct tape fabric to keep your sunglasses or glasses from getting scratched. The colorful case can "help" you know where your sunglasses are at all times! ha! 

Instructions:

1- Place the sunglasses down on the piece of felt and mark a rectangle around them that is 3 times longer and 1 inch wider than the sunglasses. Cut out the rectangle.

2-Cover one side of the felt with duct tape. The tape should overhang each side of the felt by about 1 inch. Fold the overhanging tape on the short ends back onto the felt.

3- Measure the length of the sunglasses plus 1/2 inch from one of the ends of the felt and mark it. Cover the opposite end with a 2 inch strip of duct tape to make the flap. 

4-Fold the case in half at the point you just marked The top edge should meet the bottom edge of the flap. If not, add another strip of tape so that the 2 edges meet. The sticky pieces of tape along the sides will stick together, forming a pouch. Trim away the excess tape, being careful not to cut into the felt. Trim the flap into the desired shape. 

5-Reinforce the side seams of the case with 1 inch strips of duct tape.

6-Attach a small square of the sticky backed Velcro to the closure flap and press it onto the case to secure it in place. 

This book is a definite winner for teens and young adults and would make a great gift for any occasion. 

GIVEAWAY: You can enter to win The Green Teen Cookbook and/or Sticky Fingers in the Rafflecopter form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Green Teen Cookbook with Recipes by Teens for Teens #SummerBloggin

I'm the mom of 3 teen girls. They have alway been active and creative in everything that they do or try. It has been fun over the years to see them develop and fine tune their God given gifts. One thing that I have tried to teach them is that they need to learn to take care of themselves and some day others being that a husband and children, friends, aging parents (yes I'm counting on them to care for me) or others who will come in their path. Here is one of our favorite post, Cooking with Teens. 

Vegetable Toast

I love sharing recipes on my blog and that desire came out of wanting a place to have my recipes for them to go to when they need them. I also share cookbook reviews which is why I'm featuring The Green Teen Cookbook on my blog today (check back later today for another book review for teens and kids).

Book: The Green Teen Cookbook from Zest Books has been written by teens, for teen with recipes for all seasons and edited by Laurane Marchive and Pam McElroy. Ms. McElroy, co-editor of The Green Teen Cookbook, an editor and caterer living in San Francisco, California. She edits books of all genres and caters under the name Meatball Maven. She has also been involved in the food industry since she was a teen--in restaurant kitchens, as a caterer, and as an editor for dining magazines. Her hobbies include reading cookbooks cover-to-cover, shopping at farmers markets, and cooking epic and seasonal meals for friends and family. 

Provided BOOK DESCRIPTION

The Kitchen can be one of the trickiest places for young adults to navigate—add trying to be healthy, eco-minded, and budget-conscious, and things get even more complicated! Now there is The Green Teen Cookbook (Zest Books; ISBN 978-1-936976-58-4; $14.99 PB) to help guide teens through the mysteries of the kitchen and create some amazing meals. With inspiring tips on how to cut through the chaos of going green as well as master over 70 recipes, including a seasonal key that ensures optimal freshness (and a minimal carbon footprint), any teen can become a green culinary expert and learn how to: shop on a budget; get the most out of your pantry; cook more consciously; eat healthier, and more! Featuring full color photos throughout, The Green Teen Cookbook is an all-in-one guide for eating green and eating well—by teens and for teens! 

This book is for people who enjoy cooking great, seasonal food for themselves as well as for other people—on a budget. It’s a guide for customizing recipes for each season, and for learning how to appreciate the different foods available each month. And readers looking to educate themselves on the food industry will enjoy the essays about globalization, vegetarianism, imports/exports, farming in the US and abroad, and much more.

This cookbook is very impressive. It would be perfect for any tween -boy or girl- all the way through college age and even beyond. I was most impressed by the wide variety of foods and 70+ recipes which I will include some of our favorites below in the chapter descriptions. 

The book is a perfect guide to help teens navigate through the kitchen, teaches how to shop on a budget, healthy eating ideas, shopping for local, fresh ingredients and buying and using those unfamiliar seasonal ingredients. I love how each recipe has a photo of the teen with a quote. 

Breakdown of Chapters and a few favorite recipes to try

Chapter 1: A Rough Guide to Healthy, Environmentally Conscious Cooking- Eating healthy tips, seasonally foods, eating organic, vegetarianism, eating locally and discusses fairtrade. 

Chapter 2: DIY Kitchen Staples-Love this chapter on basic homemade recipes which are healthier and more budget friendly- Bechamel Sauce, Mayonnaise, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Spread and Salsa. 

Chapter 3: Breakfast and Brunch- Yogurt Muesil, Energy Bar, Vegetable Smoothie Huevos Rancheros and Seasonal Mini Frittatas.

Chapter 4: Soups, Salads & Sandwiches- Squash Salad, Chicken Noodle Soup with Cheese Muffins, Healthy Burgers with a Kick, Sarah's Ramen

Chapter 5: Snacks & Sides: Hummus, Fava Beans, Begetable Toast, Scallion Pancakes, Mini Piza, Fried Tofu with Peanut Dipping Sauce.

Chapter 6: Main Courses- Green Pesto Tagliatelle, Sushi, Grilled Fish with Chimichurri Sauce, Lemon Tarragon Chicken, Chicken Chorizo Casserole.

Chapter 7: Desserts- Creme Brûlée, Rose Petal Sweets, Apple Chips, Oreo Cupcakes, Seasonal Pies, Crepes with Orange Sauce, Carrot Cake.

Do these sound like recipes a teen would think of making or ask for? Most of them are not which is what totally impressed me with this book. People think that teens only eat junk food but the times are changing and they are reaching out to eat healthier, more aware of the environment and the impact on the food they eat as well as getting the best and healthiest deals for their money.

Vegetable Toast by Jeremy Lickery

Ingredients

4 plain English muffins
1 zucchini, julienned (cut into matchsticks)
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato puree
4 tablespoons soft goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

Cut each muffin in half and lightly toast. (Two halves per person is good for a snack or appetizer.)

Spread out the zucchini on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, and place under the broiler until tender. (Leave the broiler turned on.)

Heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in medium saucepan over medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato puree, stir and simmer until everything is incorporated.

Once the sauce has thickened, spread it on the muffins. Top with the goat cheese and zucchini. Transfer to a clean baking sheet and place under the broiler until the goat cheese just starts to brown and melt. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

This book is a definite winner for teens and young adults and would make a great gift for any occasion. 

This post is sponsored by Zest Books. My own opinions are expressed here. It is part of their Summer Bloggin Summer Bloggin Blog Tour where you can go see what the other blogs have shared. 

ABOUT ZEST BOOKS: Zest Books is an award-winning publisher of smart and edgy titles for young and new adults that cover timely topics in creative ways by incorporating solid life advice, practical how-to instruction, and humorous commentary. Distributed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, you can learn more about Zest Books. 

GIVEAWAY: You can enter to win The Green Teen Cookbook and/or Sticky Fingers in the Rafflecopter form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pong Back to School Sweepstakes and Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

It is back to school all over the United States! Did your kids take a phone with them this year? My kids are all teens so yes they have phones with them. No one asked for a new phone case but if the did it would need to be durable, chic and fashionable. I'm super excited to participate in this Pong Rugged Case giveaway. Get the scoop below on why your teens will love this case and enter the giveaway! Good luck! 

Welcome to the Pong Back to School Sweepstakes

Organized by Budget Earth

Sponsored by Pong

 Looking for the perfect case for your brand new smartphone? How about something a bit more chic and fashionable? Back to school just became a lot safer for your phone and you with the Pong Rugged Case. Unlike silicone cases that just protect your phone from drops and shock, these cases also redirect potentially harmful wireless energy away from your head and body, while also increasing your phone outbound signal and prolonging your battery life. Their patented intelligent antenna technology has been tested in FCC certified labs and is the only case on the market proven to reduce exposure to wireless energy while helping increase your phone's signal. On top of that, it reduces wireless energy being absorbed by your by body by up to 82% below the industry standard.

With the conflicting studies about wireless energy, why not be proactive and protect yourself and your phone! To learn more, make sure to read Budget Earth's Pong Rugged Case Review. Would you love to try out one these case for yourself? Budget Earth and some of their favorite bloggers are excited to be working with Pong on this awesome giveaway!

One very lucky winner will win a Pong Rugged Case of their choice {phone model & color} and a $25 Amazon gift code!

To learn more, make sure to read the rules below and then enter through the Rafflecopter!

  Pong Back to School Sweepstakes

• One lucky reader will win a Pong Rugged Case of Choice + $25 Amazon Gift Code.
• Open to US ONLY.
• Winners will be chosen at random Random.org.
• Sweepstakes ends September 9th at 11:59pm ET.
• Winner will be notified via email.
• Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.
• Budget Earth is not responsible for prize fulfillment.
• Must be 18 years or older to enter.
• Only one entrant per household.
• Void where prohibited.
• Entering the giveaway form means you agree to terms above.
• Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This blog did not receive compensation for this giveaway. Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest are in no way associated with this sweepstakes. Prize fulfillment will not be handled by Budget Earth. Would you like to have your products featured in a giveaway event? Want to increase your social media exposure? Contact susan.l.bewley@gmail.com to see how I can help YOUR company today!  

Quick Family Meals with Lemon Grass Kitchen and a Coupon #mc #sponsored

I love planning out my weekly menu. It has proven time and time again to save me time and money. No matter how well I have planned I have learned over the past few years to be really flexible with a busy household. Do you plan weekly meals? What tips do you have on dealing with feeding the family when meals don't go as planned? I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Mom Central for InnovAsian Cuisine. I received coupons for Lemon Grass Kitchen frozen meals to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Sometimes a scheduled meal doesn't turn out as planned. Other times I find that I can't cook a planned meal because of schedule changes and no one will be home to eat. Do you ever have these problems? There are also times when I don't want to plan a meal and hope to have easy meals in the freezer ready to go. Do you ever use prepared freezer meals?

I have recently learned about InnovAsian Cuisine Lemon Grass Kitchen and that they are one of the first Thai frozen food lines created by Chef Mai Pham. They offer a variety of easy cooking entrees such as Chicken Pad Thai, Beef & Broccoli Noodles and Red Curry Chicken. These are high quality frozen meals which the ingredients are individually packaged for superior freshness. The meals work both on the stove top and in the microwave.

Red Curry Sauce with Chicken - Family added in extras such as sticky white rice, thai basil, basil or cilantro

Have you heard or tried these meals? Does your family love Thai food? My family does and it is always a special treat when we travel to a larger neighboring town to enjoy fresh Thai food. We don't do it very often because it is too expensive and it is too far away to just hop over for a quick bite. 

With the Lemon Grass Kitchen meals we can now have Thai food on those super busy nights when plans change. One box would be find for up to two people. Sometimes a 6-12 minute meal from start to finish is the best choice for the family. These meals are free of MSG and trans fat which is an extra bonus. 

Thai-Style Chicken Fried Rice- Family added in chilies, fish sauce, lime or Sriracha sauce

As part of this sponsored post I picked up Lemon Grass Kitchen's Red Curry Sauce with Chicken, Thai-Style Chicken Fried Rice, Beef & Broccoli Noodles, and Shrimp Pad Thai for my family to try. I loved how quick the meals were to prepare. Everything was separated into packets for ease of preparation and to keep the meal as fresh as possible. So for example, the Red Curry Sauce with Chicken had 3 packets: chicken, vegetables and sauce. The Beef & Broccoli Noodles had 4 packets: beef, noodles, vegetables and sauce. The directions were easy to follow and yes, it was super easy to prepare. 

Beef & Broccoli Noodles - Family added in chilies, basil, Siriacha sauce

We are Thai food fans so we know that certain Thai dishes get peanuts, bean sprouts, basil, cilantro, chilies, sticky white rice, and limes. I purchased all the extras for the family to pick and choose what they wanted to add to their meal. One box is 3 servings so for my family I would have to make 2 boxes for one meal. 

Overall the meals were as stated, quick to make. I wasn't so thrilled at the salt content but most companies can't make processed meals without the extra sodium. My family thought that the meals were ok over all and agreed that they would be handy to have in the freezer. Sometimes a quick meal is needed and since we love Thai food this would be a good alternative to going out to a restaurant. This can also be a quick meal for the teens to make when we are out of town. The meal is complete as is and can be made in the microwave or stove top. 

Here are the steps to make the Shrimp Pad Thai which was our favorite pick overall. 

Frozen Noodles

Thaw noodles

Thaw sauce

Add all ingredients to skillet

Cook 2-3 minutes until hot

Family added in extras such as lemon, lime, basil, peanuts or bean sprouts. This really makes it more fresh!

Do you think this is something you would try with your family? Do you ever buy or prepare frozen meals? 

The Lemon Grass Kitchen line can be found at Walmart and Safeway stores. Right now you can get a $1.50 off a Lemon Grass Kitchen product to give them a try. The Lemon Grass Kitchen coupon can be found here http://bit.ly/1p7CA9p. It is a digital coupon on coupons.com and once you click the link it will go into your print queue. 

Find out even more about InnovAsian Cuisine on their social media channels: 

• InnovAsian Cuisine Facebook page
  
• InnovAsian Cuisine Twitter page

So which quick meal will you try first? 

Downey Wrinkle Releaser Back To School Giveaway

Wrinkles, wrinkles and more wrinkles! Do you wish that they would all just disappear! Oh and I'm talking about the wrinkles on our clothes, not our faces! haha I saw this because I asked my husband if he thought that the Downy Wrinkle Releaser would work on my face. He said, "for what!" 

All kidding aside, this post is about the wrinkles in our clothes. I personally LOVE to iron when I have time to iron. During the daily back to school rush or when traveling I do not love to iron. Check out this fab product and enter to win the giveaway by doing all the entries! So easy to be wrinkle free! Oh and as a bonus, this product states having 101 uses!

Wrinkles always seem to materialize at the most inconvenient times. Smoothing them around the eyes, out of life plans and from clothes used to require intensive labor. The new and improved Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus makes releasing wrinkles from fabric as easy as delivering a renewing spritz of the fabric-relaxing spray.

Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus is much more than a replacement for the hassle of everyday ironing. “The WonderBottle,” as it’s known in its new campaign, has over 101 uses for the home, family and traveler. In addition to its ability to reduce wrinkles in clothes, Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus can be used as a quick-fix solution to remove creases from pillowcases, bed sheets, drapery, tablecloths, cloth napkins, ribbons on holiday decorations and many other household items. A quick spritz from the WonderBottle can also remove odors and freshen up furniture, pet beds and infant car seats just to name a few. For those who still want to iron, it serves as a better ironing aid than water without the residue of starch. And in a fashion emergency, Downy Wrinkle Release Plus can even save the day by eliminating static cling. Truly a WonderBottle.

Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus is sold at Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Kroger, Publix and many other grocery, drug, and mass retailers. Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus is sold in a 1-liter bottle for $6.99 and a 500 mL bottle for $4.19. It is also available in a travel-friendly 3-ounce size for $1.99. You can grab a coupon for $1 off your purchase by visiting their website.

The Giveaway

Sending the kids back to school can be expensive and stressful so Downy wants to help families get back into the school year groove with a Back to School Survival Kit. 

The kit will include two bottles of Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus so mom will never have to iron school uniforms or clothes on picture day again. 

A $10 Target gift card to help with buying school supplies, a notebook for class, Boogie Wipes to soothe runny noses when back to school germs strike and a robe to help mom relax when the kids are out of the house. 

To enter, just fill in the Giveaway Tools form below.  This giveaway will end on  9/11/14. Open to the US only. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply. Thanks again to Downy for offering this fantastic prize.

Entry-Form