Category Archives: Family Traditions

Souplantation Sweet Tomatoes Potato Fest Month and Giveaway

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February is Potato Fest Month at Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes. How many ways can you think of to cook potatoes? I bet Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes has got you beat! Besides their potato bar with baked white and sweet potatoes and all the fixings, there’s these delicious menu items:

  • Roasted Potato Foccacia
  • Cream of Rosemary Potato Soup
  • Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Bacon
  • Sweet Potato Corn Chowder
  • Bistro Potato Salad
  • And, the restaurant is even giving out the recipe for a guest favorite, Golden Yam Bisque, from February 15 – 28!

Great news about potatoes and your health -

  • Low in calories
  • Fat Free
  • Cholesterol free
  • Packed with potassium
  • High in Vitamin C if eaten with the skin

The Sweet Tomatoes near me is one of my all time favorite places to eat with my family. I love their salads, bakery items, soups and desserts. There’s something for everyone including my picky daughter. We’ve made eating there a family tradition that we cherish. I love the new menu choices each month and February’s Potato Fest sounds like it will be top of the line for me.

Did you know that you can follow Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes on Twitter? Play games and win guest passes. Same for their Facebook page and there you can learn about new store openings and promos too.

Giveaway: 3 Winners! 2 Meal Passes to Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes

The Rules:

  1. Contest starts now and ends Feb. 28th at midnight EST.
  2. Open to adults 18 and over in the US.
  3. Winners will be chosen by Random.org.
  4. Winners have 2 days to claim prize.
  5. Have fun and tell your friends.

How To Enter:
For One Entry For Each Below: (please leave a separate comment for each entry)

  1. Leave a comment about your favorite way to eat potatoes.
  2. Follow my blog on Facebook. (Please leave your Facebook ID)
  3. Follow me, ConnieFoggles, on Twitter. (Please leave your Twitter ID)
  4. Sign up for my FriendFeed (Please leave your FriendFeed ID)
  5. Use the Bookmark widget/button under this post and share this post on any of the sites listed. (Please comment with which site you shared this post on.)
  6. Follow Souplantation on Twitter. (Please leave your Twitter ID)
  7. Tweet this exactly (You can tweet daily) Please leave a link to your tweet:

Win 2 Meal Passes Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes @ConnieFoggles  3 Winners! http://bit.ly/aask6h PL RT

This is not an compensated post. All opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Top Ten Family Vacation Tips

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Going on a family vacation should be a fun and stress free time, not one where we’re upset and as parents trying to keep the peace.  Although we have flown a number of times, most of our trips are done in the car. We have a DVD player, comfy seats and lots of space to relax.

When our daughter was just an infant, we began traveling and it was so easy. She slept, we drove. She was in her stroller, was nursed, and/or ate anything we gave her and slept wherever, whenever. As a toddler, she was a happy traveler too. She loved seeing new things, having her photos taken and even sleeping in her car seat. As she grew, little issues came up, she would begin asking the age old question, “when will we get there?” and saying, or whining, “I’m bored!”.

That’s when my husband and I used some of the old tricks our parents used. Here’s our top ten family vacation tips:

  1. Talk, actually discuss things during the drive. You’ll be surprised how much fun and laughter you’ll end up having. Sometimes, some serious issues may come up that your child wouldn’t likely open up about otherwise.
  2. Sing together. You may need the radio to get you going with this, but there’s nothing easier to bring a smile to everyone’s face when you’re singing, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”.  You may end up singing Old MacDonald after that!
  3. Plan your trip together. Even though we’ve probably gone over what we’ve going to do in advance, it’s still a lot of fun to discuss last minute plans or just go over our plans.
  4. Play some games. Remember car bingo? Yes, we still play that. We also read billboards and find odd color cars, like orange. Prizes? A desert when we stop for food or a souvenir for $1.
  5. Choose a place to eat. We try to save money on our trips so we do a lot of eating in our hotel room, but we do plan on eating out a few times each trip. Each family member gets their choice of a place to eat (within some limits of course). If you don’t need reservations, you can do this during the drive.
  6. Bring a camera or two. This sounds logical, but we also have our daughter bring her own camera. It’s an inexpensive digital made for children. She can take the photos she wants and keep them for her memories. She even uses it in the car.
  7. Take time to soak it in. Don’t schedule every minute of your vacation. Plan some down time so you can just hang out, go swimming, stop to see something unusual or interesting. This can make the most memorable moments of your trip.
  8. Don’t spend too much money. Some people think that going on luxurious vacations is the only way to have a good time. This is the farthest from the truth. Some of our favorite memories are stopping at a quiet rest area and eating a picnic of sandwiches that we packed.
  9. Find unusual souvenirs. Sure there’s tons of coffee mugs, key chains, stuffed animals and t-shirts, but look for things that may not even have the name of where you’re visiting. Find something in the woods, or by the lake, or in an old country store. Let your children choose an item that reminds them of something you did together, like a photo that you can make a frame for at home.
  10. Go with the flow. The weather may be awful, your hotel room may turn out to be a mess, but being together is what matters most. Go to a museum, find an out of the way motel, talk to some locals and learn what they do for fun. Enjoy!

This post is being written as part of a contest at Twitter Moms.  I along with other bloggers were asked to write about our top ten ideas for a fun, distraction free family vacation. Alamo is providing $30 gas cards to the first 50 bloggers who enter. I am also entered into a contest for a $100 gas card.

(Alamo Rent A Car is a value-oriented, internationally recognized brand serving the daily rental needs of airport leisure travelers. Alamo offers low rental rates and a fun, hassle-free customer experience at the most popular travel destinations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific Rim.)

Travel Tips for Moms & FamiliesReserve Now | Quicksilver | Online Check-in | Pre-pay & Save | Self-Service Kiosk

Old El Paso Green Chiles Review Tackle The Taste Giveaway

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Tonight I made my famous chili but added Old El Paso Green Chiles for the first time. As  much as I hate to admit it, my chili tasted better than ever. I thought the Green Chiles were going to be uncooked and spicy, but they are cooked, soft and not in the least spicy. They add a distinctive flavor and were easy to mix into the chili.

After this good result, I’ll be using Old El Paso Green Chiles in more dishes, especially those that my husband likes. There’s a lot of snacks that are made for special times like the Super Bowl. We like Nachos and Seven Layer Bean Dip but now I’ll be adding Green Chiles. My husband will want to give these Taco Nachos a try on the grill.

Old El Paso Green Chiles come in 4.5 and 7 oz cans. I was provided with a Tackle The Taste pack which included two free cans of Green Chiles, as well as a football-shaped ceramic serving platter, two sets of football-themed plates, cocktail napkins, and a themed table runner. This will make our Super Bowl party even more special. We always have a party, or attend a party, for any type of special event. Any excuse for family bonding is great!

Savings Alert! Save 55 cents on one can of Old El Paso Green Chiles with this printable coupon.

Football Prize Pack

Giveaway: Win the Tackle The Taste Prize Pack

The Rules:

  1. Contest starts now and ends January 15th at midnight EST.
  2. Open to adults 18 and over in the US.
  3. Winner will be chosen by Random.org.
  4. Winner has 2 days to claim prize.
  5. Have fun and tell your friends.

How To Enter:
For One Entry For Each Below: (please leave a separate comment for each entry)

  1. Leave a comment about what type of foods you serve or eat on Super Bowl Sunday
  2. Follow my blog on Facebook. (Please leave your Facebook ID)
  3. Follow me, ConnieFoggles, on Twitter. (Please leave your Twitter ID)
  4. Sign up for my FriendFeed (Please leave your FriendFeed ID)
  5. Use the Bookmark widget/button under this post and share this post on any of the sites listed. (Please comment with which site you shared this post on.)

Disclosure: Product, information, prize pack, and giveaway have all been provided by Old El Paso and My BlogSpark. All opinions are my own.

Giveaway ended. Winner selected.

Progresso High Fiber Soup Prize Pack Giveaway

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Progresso introduced High Fiber soups including Chicken Tuscany, Creamy Tomato Basil, Hearty Vegetable and Noodles and Homestyle Minestrone. They all have 28% of the recommended Daily Value of fiber per serving (7 grams) and have no added MSG (except what occurs naturally in yeast extract) or artificial flavors.

I had the opportunity to taste Chicken Tuscany. Growing up eating real Italian food which included Chicken soup, I admit that was hesitant to give this a try. I really enjoyed it though and ate the whole can for dinner last night. It was delicious. The addition of Great Northern Beans was almost as good as Cannellini beans and I thought the spinach was escarole. Though not perfect, it is a very good substitute, especially when you can just open a can instead of having to prepare and cook it.

I usually don’t eat the celery from any canned soup, but this had the real taste of the vegetable I enjoy. Each spoonful was full of chicken, beans, carrots, tomatoes, etc. It wasn’t overly salty either and was hearty enough for a meal for me. (I did eat a late lunch, so maybe adding a salad will be better.)

Soup

Adding fiber to your diet is something we all need to do. Eating something delicious and easy to prepare like Progresso High Fiber Soup makes it something I don’t have to think about. Having soup as a meal is a fun family tradition to start. You can work together with your children on preparing fresh fruit for dessert and talk about good foods.

Purchase: Available in grocery stores and anywhere you can find soup. Coupons can be found at the Progresso soup site.

Giveaway: Win  2 branded soup mugs and 2 branded spoons seen below:Progresso_High_Fiber

The Rules:

1. Contest starts now and ends Wed. Nov. 11th at midnight EST.
2. Open to US Residents only.
3. Winner will be chosen by Random.org.
4. Winner has 2 days to claim prize.
5. Have fun and tell your friends.

How To Enter:
Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment about one way you add fiber to your diet. If this is not done, all other entries will not count.

For One Entry For Each Below: (please leave a separate comment for each entry)

  1. Leave a comment about one of  your favorite soups.
  2. Write a blog post about this contest with a link to this post. (let me know the link to your post)
  3. Join this blogs Facebook Networked Blogs page – found on the sidebar. (leave your Facebook name please).
  4. Follow me, ConnieFoggles on Twitter. (leave your Twitter ID please)
  5. Friend me ConnieFoggles on Facebook (leave your Facebook name please).
  6. Tweet this exactly (leave your Twitter status please). You can tweet this daily:

Win Progresso High Fiber Soup Prize Pack @ConnieFoggles http://bit.ly/1AWpfh PL RT

I was provided with the Prize Pack, soup and information about the soup from MyBlogSpark. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

*CONTEST ENDED. WINNER ANNOUNCED.*

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Discount Cooking Gadgets

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Cooking at home saves money and helps families bond. Finding discounts on cooking gadgets makes the experience even more affordable and makes you want to do it more often. If you keep a budget of how much money you spend either eating out or bring food home vs. cooking dinner at home, you’ll notice that you save a great deal of money when cooking for yourself.

Rachel Ray Kids Cooking set

Having your children in the kitchen with you as you cook is a great way to bond and have fun. Plus, you’re teaching your children life-long skills that they need. Don’t forget about baking too – total fun can ensue! When I found cooking gadget coupons I was thrilled to see that they included children’s cooking items too. Rachel Ray has a set of knives and other items just for kids. There’s a lot more that will help entice your children to join you in the kitchen where you can be frugal and start some family traditions too.

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McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Month Giveaway

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McCormick & Schmick’s is at it again with another fantastic promotion to celebrate National Seafood Month. The Create Your Own Perfect Combination allows you to decide between five seafood classic dishes -

  1. Jumbo Gulf Shrimp
  2. Fresh Water Tilapia
  3. Atlantic Salmon
  4. Alaskan Halibut
  5. Crab Cake

Here’s where it gets even better – Choose Two for $19.95 or Choose Three for $24.95! Can you handle even more savings? Celebrating their partnership with the Rachel Ray Show guests can receive a 20% Off Coupon for any entree.

Want a real frugal find? Choose three for $24.95 and add on the North Atlantic Lobster Tail upgrade for $3.00. Apply the 20% Off Coupon, and you’re feasting on three types of fresh seafood for $22.95! Not available at all locations, please contact your local restaurant to confirm participation.

What a wonderful way to go out to dinner as a family! Teach your children about manners while dining out with these savings and start a tradition of family meals out for special occasions.

choose-3-image.sflb.ashx

Giveaway: One $25 Gift Certificate to McCormick & Schmick’s Restaurant.

The Rules:

1. Contest starts now and ends Monday Octt. 19th at midnight EST.
2. Open to US Residents only.
3. Winner will be chosen by Random.org.
4. Winner has 2 days to claim prize.
5. Have fun and tell your friends.

How To Enter:
Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment about one item from the Menu that you like or would like to try. Please don’t copy the comment above you. If this is not done, all other entries will not count.

For One Entry For Each Below: (please leave a separate comment for each entry)

  1. Leave a comment about who you would bring with you and why to  McCormick & Schmick’s.
  2. Write a blog post about this contest with a link to this post. (let me know the link to your post
  3. Join this blogs Facebook Networked Blogs page – found on the sidebar. (leave your Facebook name please).
  4. Follow me, ConnieFoggles on Twitter. (leave your Twitter ID please)
  5. Friend me ConnieFoggles on Facebook (leave your Facebook name please).
  6. Tweet this exactly (leave your Twitter status please). You can tweet this daily:

Win $25 GC to McCormick & Schmick’s Restaurant @ConnieFoggles http://bit.ly/1fpuf  PL RT

This was a compensated and sponsored post by McCormick & Schmick’s. I received a gift certificate for my post. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

*GIVEAWAY ENDED. WINNER ANNOUNCED SOON.*

Disney Movie Nights

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Disney movies are a staple at my house. We watch them all the time. My daughter watches and re-watches them. We watch them as a family. I admit that I watch them on my own too. We have everything from the classics like Snow White to the newbies like Tinkerbell.

Disney

We’ve been members of the Disney Movie Club for about 3 years now. We like getting the new releases without having to wait, collecting the 3D cards they send with some of the movies and the collectible pins they sell too. When you join, you get 4 Disney Movies for only $1.99. Your next order includes free shipping too.

It’s an awesome deal that lasts a life time.

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Code Of Ethics

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Mother Of The Bride Responsibilites

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Being a mother of the bride comes with responsibilities. As happy as I am that my daughter is getting married this Sunday, I am aware that I have many things to take care of too. First and most importantly, I am there to help my daughter cope with the stress of planning for her wedding, her nerves as the wedding date gets closer and to let her vent when she needs to let go of some steam.

Actual Mother of the Bride Resposibilities:

  • Along with the Bride’s father, if this is the case, decide on the budget of the wedding. (If parents are paying for wedding.)
  • Assist Bride choose her gown. (I did give opinions when asked, but otherwise allowed my daughter to choose her gown on her own while I was there.)
  • Help Bride to decide on location of wedding and reception. (I did not do this because the wedding is being held where my daughter and her fiance live.)
  • Help with decisions about the wedding. If you are paying, you have more say than if you are not. Still, remember this is your daughter’s wedding! Because we planned this wedding long distance, we did most of the planning online. (I gave input where asked, but I did not push my ideas on to her. This is one of the most challenging things to do.)
  • Chose your gown and share what you’ve bought with the groom’s mother so you can coordinate your clothing.
  • Provide list of family and friends’ names and addresses for invitation list.
  • Be the hostess during the wedding. Make introductions, be sure that people are comfortable, etc. Do not let Bride worry about anything that day. (We are fortunate to have a reception site that provides a wedding planner, who will assist during that day. If there are things that I can’t handle, I have her as my “go-to person”.)

That seems like a lot of work, but remember this is the one of the most important days in your daughter’s life. Also, if there is a great deal of time for planning, getting a calendar or planner to help you keep track of what needs to be done, your organization skills will come into good use and make these tasks easier.

Don’t forget to enjoy this process with your daughter. It can be stressful at times, but more often, it is fun and can bring you closer together. This has been the case with us.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas

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Father’s Day is this Sunday in the US. I wrote a post about activities you can help your children do for his day, but here’s some ideas about what to buy for him:

gift-box

Family Fun When Things Go Wrong

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We are at Disney World and things went wrong, but we found a way to have fun together as a family any way. I ended up not feeling well so we didn’t go to a park. It’s our first day here, so it would have been just a few hours there, but it’s something we’re used to doing.

We were all disappointed, especially our 10 year old daughter. She didn’t get angry or cry, but was sad that our tradition was broken. We did our best to make do and keep things as fun as possible. We treated her to a special dessert after lunch while we chatted and laughed about how our “normal” is not usually everyone else’s “not normal”.

While I napped, my husband took her out to see the pools, the lake, the nature trail and some of the animals around our resort. She got to choose where we would eat dinner too. After dinner I felt well enough to go out to see the Electrical Parade so we made sure to do that. We stood in the sand like she wanted and let her take her shoes off.

During the time we spent together, we tried to be positive and talk about what the rest of our vacation would be like. We assured her that even if I didn’t feel well enough to go to the parks that she and her Dad would. We also promised her that she could choose one activity to do with her Dad outdoors.

It helps to be positive but it’s important to be realistic when things go wrong. No need to set up your child to be upset when you promise the impossible.