Prepping for a healthy 2013 with Crowdtap and Old Navy

2012 was an awesome year. Last year, I decided to get healthier and toned. I'm very lucky because my good friend, Dustin, gave me some great tips on getting toned and just being healthy. He's not only a Certified Personal Trainer, he's also the owner of Bratton Fitness. http://www.brattonfitness.com/ He's always offering the best advice, and sticking to it has really paid off!

It wasn't always easy, but it was worth it. I found my "belly groove" (that V line on either side of the abs), I also tightened up my arms and legs. I love how shirt sleeves are a little snug due to the size of my biceps! I really didn't lose weight, but I did "shrink"! That's what makes me feel good, I did it the right way and I feel healthier. I have more energy and I've had a lot of compliments this year that I look prettier than ever. At the age of 35, that's a huge compliment.

I really haven't "killed" myself working out. I'm just not that hard-core! I jog 1-3 miles 2 or 3 days a week and I try to do at least 15 - 30 mins of yoga every morning. SO many of my old "aches & pains" have really dissipated. I also do some resistance on the days I don't jog. I plank, do push-ups and use resistance bands. Most of all, I just try to avoid over-processed foods, "heat & eat" frozen foods (even if they claim to be healthy!), and foods high in fat & sugar. I do get tired of hearing, "You're so lucky to be thin!" NO...I'm not lucky! I'm disciplined!! I will eat junk when I want...but 95% of my diet is vegetables and lean proteins. With the right spices and a little common sense you don't have to sacrifice flavor for health!

SO, with my new 2012 lifestyle I was super excited to get invited from Old Navy & Crowdtap to get a new, free set of ActiveWear from Old Navy! There were 2 coupons, one for me and one for a friend. A lot of my work out clothes have seen better days, so this was a welcome treat!

I started the day with my friend Nicole & her 2 yr old son. We dropped our kids off at school and headed for Old Navy. Upon arrival, we found a huge selection of awesome Active Wear. There was compression gear, sweats, fleece jackets, tanks, tees, etc. There was also a nice variety of colors to choose from. Nic finally opted for the Heather Gray capri-style compression pants and the matching gray jacket. (That is complete with awesome little thumb-holes for keeping your hands toasty!)


I went with the same pair of Heather Gray pants, however I paired mine up with a black zip-up hoodless jacket. I actually already own the matching Heather Gray hoodie, so it only made sense to choose something different! I absolutely love how cozy the black jacket is. It's excellent at shielding me from the wind, but it's neither too hot nor bulky. Even our little shopping buddy had to get in on the action of trying on clothes. He went with the red Lightning McQueen Long Sleeve Tee. I'm sure he will stay quite active in it!

After choosing our new Compression Pants & Jackets we realized there was an epic sale going on. Both of us probably bought way too much, but with all the craziness of the holidays, it was fun to just cut loose and do a little splurging on ourselves. I found an adorable dress in the perfect size, some PJs, a gorgeous ivory colored pea-coat and several other items for my family. I think Nic was as lucky as I was! We both walked away with several bags of new clothes! The best part of all was the awesome savings!

I personally saved $118.82 AND earned $60 in SUPERCASH!! 

I've already sported my new compression capri's for my morning yoga sessions. They don't bunch or ride up, nor do they slide down. Everything stays comfortably in place! I also like how they look, in general. I recommend everyone have at least one awesome outfit for their work-outs. If you look fat & frumpy while working out, you will feel fat & frumpy and then your work-out won't feel as positive. It's important to keep your attitude and outlook positive, if you want to see results. Good luck and have a healthy, beautiful 2013!!

Thanks Crowdtap and Old Navy for the awesome new gear...and thanks Bratton Fitness for inspiring me to wear it!

If you want to join Crowdtap and reap all the benefits I enjoy, it's easy. Click the "Join Crowdtap!" link and sign up! All you need is a Facebook account to get started. Join Crowdtap!

Giving and Thanking - Old Navy Style

As a member of the Old Navy Style Council via Crowdtap I get the opportunity to try a lot of awesome clothes for free. In return, I give my honest opinions about style, selection, fit, durability, sales team, etc. However, it's not like they just ship me a package with something in it. I get to actually enjoy the shopping experience. The best part? I don't have to do it alone!

Recently Old Navy sent a coupon for me and a friend to each enjoy a brand new dress. I was super pumped, as it was so close to Thanksgiving. My sister/best friend is my typical partner when it comes to shopping, therefore she always receives my extra coupons from the Old Navy Style Council.

We met at IHOP for brunch where we harassed the staff. (But everyone was laughing so I don't think our food was tampered with.) Just being near her makes my stomach hurt, we laugh so hard!

After brunch we ran across the street to Old Navy. As soon as we walked in, the dress display was right there. Thankfully there was quite a large selection of dresses. Seester was able to find quite a few in her size. Unfortunately, I was only able to find 3 in my size.

I kept having to pull her back in, because she kept getting distracted by boots (and everything else). The funniest twist, is that she found this black dress and really didn't care for it. It didn't have much hanger appeal. However, once she tried it on we knew she had to take it home. It was beautiful...the cut was perfect on her. She tried on my black boots with it and it was an awesome combination. I wound up with this little black & white striped number. I really loved the white & blue dress, but had no clue what shoes I could possibly wear with it. (and let's face it, the white ankle socks just don't work!)

In the end, we both wound up having a really fun day with new FREE dresses...and a ton of other stuff we "needed". She kept going back to the Old Navy boots like a moth to a flame, and dang they looked cute on her! She had tried on the ivory tunic sweater but thought it was too short to wear with leggings. We kept telling her to try the Rockstar Skinny cords but she swore she hated skinny jeans and would never own them. Once we finally convinced her to try them on, well...you can see the result for yourself. She's stunningly adorable! But most importantly, she knew that I was right. Needless to say, she's a skinny jean convert now!

If you want to check out Crowdtap and be a part of helping brands like Old Navy connect with their consumers check out this link http://bit.ly/jfj6nJ

Fair Trade Coffee...Good Vibes for Everyone

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am rarely seen without a cup of coffee in my hand. I drink a minimum of a pot a day. So, that being said I KNOW my coffee! 

I received Green Mountain Coffee for free from BzzAgent.com. What sets Green Mountain apart is that it's "Fair Trade" which basically means that it wasn't grown, or harvested using unfair labor practices. We work our 8 –12 hr day shifts, take breaks and bring home a fair paycheck each month As an American it’s difficult to imagine people working for basically slave labor in horrible working conditions… But this is why so many jobs are outsourced. Lower production costs mean cheaper prices for us…but what is the true cost? How many children are forced to work under these conditions while our kids sit in comfortable classrooms receiving an education? THIS is why Fair Trade is important. Green Mountain Coffee beans were grown, harvested and processed by workers who received a fair wage to support their families. So, with each cup I know that I'm helping to support the employees and their families…hopefully helping to keep small children at home or in school where they belong. http://fairtradeusa.org/

OK…so we know Green Mountain Coffee supports Fair Trade practices. But how does it taste? Because let’s face it, if it tastes like dirty dish water brewed through a filter full of cigarette butts we’re not going to drink it no matter how great the cause. Rest assured friends, it’s a good cup of brew.  It had a nice, strong, robust flavor. The coffee I received was already ground and it didn’t have that “oily” taste to it that I often associate with pre-ground coffee. It was a little bitter, but not bad. When I make lattes I actually prefer my coffee to be slightly bitter. It compliments the mocha and caramel quite well!

SO in honor of Green Mountain coffee and my love of caramel mocha lattes I’m going to give you a very simple latte recipe that requires no special equipment or talent...if you can make a glass of chocolate milk you can make this latte!

“Fake” Caramel Mocha Latte

• Pour the contents of two instant, powdered hot cocoa packets into your favorite coffee cup

• Fill your cup 2/3 full with Green Mountain Coffee
• Give a healthy squeeze of caramel syrup into the coffee and stir well. (Found next to the Hershey’s syrup in every grocery store!)
• Put a huge dollop of whipped cream on top
• Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar

 ENJOY!

Love Thy Denim

Thanks to Crowdtap and Woolite I was invited to a special event to sample and share Woolite that is specially formulated to protect denim. I love my dark denim and I'm willing to spend good money on just the right fit & cut. Luckily for me, I don't have to spend a fortune when I shop at Vanity. (Their sizes are measured waist x inseam) Check them out at evanity.com! However, even if I'm not spending a small fortune I love the jeans I do own and I want to make them last. Maybe that is why I was chosen for this cool opportunity.




The day I received my sample share kit in the mail, my dearest seester was at the house so she received the first sample! She was fairly excited, because she has a lot of dark clothes and swim suits that she wants to protect.

To prepare for my actual sample share party I chose a day when the majority of the females I'm closest to (aka family) are in one place at one time. We typically get together at Mom's house every Sunday for lunch so it seemed like the perfect opportunity! The sample share kit contained enough Woolite for one load of laundry per sample. (10 total) I wanted to really stress that it was to help preserve denim so I cut out the pockets of a bunch of destroyed jeans and used them as "gift bags". I also included a sealed bag of Purex scent boosting crystals and 2 Bounce dryer sheets. (Everything needed for one perfect load of laundry!) Then I made cute Woolite tags and attached them to the pockets with a clothes pin.

The day of the party we all met at Mom's house as usual. My sisters, sister-in-law, nieces, Mom, Aunt and brother were all present. YES I did make my brother get in on the action. As you can see, he wasn't exactly thrilled to be involved but I didn't exactly give him a choice.

After engorging ourselves on tacos we sat around Mom's living room & I explained to everyone how I had received the samples from Crowdtap. I then went on about how the Woolite was designed to not only clean darker colors but to protect them from fading and early-wear as much as possible. We joked about how we love this commercial and how the clothing torture is depicted in this awesome video made for Woolite and directed by Rob Zombie! Rob Zombie Woolite Commercial Much like me, my sisters wear primarily dark jeans and darker clothes. So this is a huge benefit. My niece asked if it had to be for jeans and I told her no, it's for anything you want to keep from fading so it continues to look like new. She glanced down and motioned at the new, gorgeous bright blue dress she was wearing and said "like this, right?!?" EXACTLY!! Why spend a ton of money on clothes just to ruin them in the wash? I find that it's cheaper in the long run to protect the clothes I DO have. I brought up the fact that I have jeans that are a year old that look as new as the jeans I bought within the past month. I only wash them every other time I wear them. I flip them inside out, use cold water and Woolite. I finish by line-drying them. The results speak for themselves.

We talked about Woolite for awhile and the conversation transcended into the clothes we most want to protect, eventually fading into general conversation. All in all, I had a great day with my family and I felt good knowing I was able to share a cool product that I love with everyone.



Do you want to experience cool opportunities like this? Join me on Crowdtap by following this link. http://bit.ly/jfj6nJ

Giving Dad What He Really Wants

It's Father's Day Weekend! The ever-present question on everyone's mind is WHAT do we get Dad? My husband is extremely difficult to buy for, mostly because he isn't a very needful person and what he does want or need he just buys. So this year, I really tried to think outside of the box. I thought about my husband's current position in life: He's very busy with a high-stress job. He's wound tight and doesn't typically allow himself to cut loose. When he is at home, he's bombarded with the need for attention from our son. So, with that in mind what does he need? How about a "Guys Only Night"? I know how much I enjoy the nights I disappear with a few hours with my girlfriends, and he always does something special with our little boy on the nights I'm away. So, I thought he may enjoy this as well.

To make things even easier, I was accepted into the "McCormick's Grill Mates, Grill Ambassador Hosted Party" campaign through Crowdtap. They sent me an awesome kit full of everything I would need for a perfect cookout: Montreal Steak Seasoning, Molasses Bacon Seasoning, Brown Sugar & Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Spiced Brandy Marinade and Memphis BBQ Pit Dry Rub.

I got a hold of my husband's closest friends and told them I was hosting a "Guys Only" cookout at my house the weekend of June 9th. No wives, no kids, no need to bring anything...just the guys & their appetites.

To get prepared I spent all week cleaning up the garage and carport so the guys would have a place to hang out. I made sure the dart board had fresh batteries, that there was plenty of relaxed seating, ash trays available (even though we're non-smokers) and I stocked the garage fridge with beer, rum and Southern Comfort. I also bought stuff for mixers and put my blender next to the fridge. I also bought my son a TON of sparklers, snap-pops, snakes and other "kid friendly" fireworks to keep him busy while my husband was enjoying his friends.

The day before the party I started prepping the food. I premade all the hamburger patties. Half of them were seasoned with McCormick's Montreal Steak and the other half were seasoned with the Molasses Bacon seasoning. I added cooked, crumbled bacon to the Molasses Bacon burgers!

Aiden helped out by prepping the Spiced Brandy marinade and pouring it over the chicken breasts. We reserved some of the marinade to brush onto the chicken breasts to help caramelize the goodness!

We covered the pork chops with the Molasses Bacon seasoning. These were the bomb, the flavor really saturated the entire chop. I believe these chops have become a new family favorite!

I liberally coated pork ribs with the Memphis BBQ Pit dry rub. These were the first thing to fix the day of the party. We let them smoke for approximately 6 hrs over charcoal and Hickory Chips. They were the first thing to come off the grill so we could start grilling the rest of the food. While the rest of the food cooked, the ribs disappeared! Along with the Beer Cheese Dip* they made a wonderful appetizer!

The day of the party, I explained to my son that he could be a part of the gathering until after we ate, and then he & I would be going inside for the duration of the evening because the party really was just for "Dads Only". He did a fantastic job of keeping himself occupied with the little fireworks and we really didn't hear much of a peep from him.

I explained to the guys as they showed up that I was hosting a McCormick's sponsored party, and if they wanted to eat they had to be willing to have their photos taken. With the smell of all the food cooking, no one refused my request!!

Right after eating, the guys broke out their guitars and held a mini jam-session there in our carport. It was nice to listen to the music and see everyone relaxed and having a good time. The little guy & I quietly slipped into the background and went inside for a bath & a movie. I'm not sure what all else went on in my garage that night. I don't even know what time the party wound down. I do know there was no more beer of food left the next morning!

The best part of all though, was my husband giving me genuine thanks for all the hard work I put in to providing him with a fun night. He told me that he feels lucky to have a wife who truly understands him and that no other wife he knows would have thrown this type of party "just for the guys". What he doesn't realize, is how thankful *I* am for all the hard work he does to provide for us every day. He's an amazing husband and father who truly deserved to cut loose for once!

Happy Fathers Day to all you other amazing Dads out there! May there be beer & grilled food in your future!


*Beer Cheese Dip Recipe, originally shared from www.tipjunkie.com
2 - 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 pkg dry ranch mix
1/3 C Beer
2 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese

With an electric mixer, combine first 3 ingredients. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese and let set up in the fridge for at least an hour. Serve with pretzels, crackers or bread!

New Swim Suits from Old Navy & Crowdtap

Once again, I received a great opportunity to get out with Seester and gear up for the summer thanks to Old Navy and Crowdtap! I was so excited when I was accepted into the Old Navy Bathing Suit Sample Share through Crowdtap. If you're not a member of Crowdtap, you're missing out on a lot of cool opportunities! As a stay-at-home Mom I have to keep close tabs on my budget and the opportunities to try out free gear and earn points to cash in on awesome gift cards are always present on Crowdtap!

As soon as I received my gift card for TWO free swim suits I posted a photo on to Seester's Facebook page and asked her if she needed a new suit!

With my 6 year old son in tow, we met at our favorite little restaurant, The Sunshine Cafe, for a nice breakfast and then headed to Old Navy.

We headed to the swimsuit section to make our picks. We were momentarily mesmerized by the walls of flip-flops. (Amanda more so than me! lol)

 Unfortunately, I think we waited too long to make our trip. The suits had been picked through so our options were limited. I wear a size XS - S and there were VERY limited options. I had originally had my heart set on this adorable red polka dotted one-piece. Unfortunately it was out of stock. The only one-piece in my size was a cute little yellow polka-dotted suit with a little keyhole on the chest. The keyhole is what ruined it for me. I have a very tiny surgery scar, but the keyhole framed the scar drawing attention to it. So, it was a no-go. My second choice was the pink sweetheart bottoms paired with the pink halter top. However, the bottoms were completely sold out and the top was only available in larger sizes. My 3rd choice was a very hot orange 2-pc with cute little O-Ring details, however once again it was only available in the larger sizes. I found a lot of cute tops & bottoms in my size, but not matching sets! (I would find a top in my size, but no bottoms that matched and vice versa) I did eventually settle for a very cute black halter top and black string bikini bottom. It was very flattering and very cute!

Amanda is a size M, and therefore had a lot more options! She tried on a cute turquoise 1-pc bandeau suit, the 2-pc pink suit and the white & black crocheted 2-pc. Of course, she looked amazing in all 3 suits! She wound up choosing the white & black crocheted 2-pc.

As we were trying them on, my 6 year old son was a real trooper, playing photographer with my new Sony Cybershot. THEN disaster struck, he laid the camera down while we were trying on suits. It hadn't been out of his hand for more than 2 minutes, unfortunately a dishonest person saw the opportunity and picked up the camera. A sales associate for Old Navy who was near us, realized what happened. There was only one other person anywhere near us and the sales associate asked the woman if she had seen the camera. The woman said "No" and quickly fled the store. So, my camera was gone along with all of our photos. Talk about disheartening and putting a major damper on the entire trip. However, I talked it over with my sister and we agreed to try on the suits all over again to try & "recreate" the experience, taking photos with our phones. We were able to get some shots, but they're obviously not of the same quality as with my real camera.

All in all, the day had it's ups and downs. There's nothing I can do to retrieve the camera, however we both did get new suits out of it! Best of all, we had a good day together. SO, now I am saving up my Crowdtap points until I get enough to cash in for Amazon gift cards to replace the stolen Cybershot camera.

Celebrating a milestone with Madagascar 3!

Like a smack up side the head I realize that my sweet little “baby” has just finished his first year of school. In seemingly no time at all he has went from a shy, nervous toddler who was clinging to my leg & crying…. to this outgoing man of the world who doesn’t even allow me to walk him into the building! Look out first grade, because Aiden’s coming and he means business! But seriously, from start to finish Kindergarten has meant big changes for both of us. I was left floundering, trying to find something to do with all my spare time. (Thus Retro Mama was born!) We were both very sad to be separated but it was growth that we both needed.

Obviously I’m very proud of how well he’s done and so we decided to have an “End of School Party” with his best friend, Quinton. Luckily for me, Q’s Mom is one of my dearest friends. Around the same time as I was starting to plan his party I received an opportunity from Crowdtap* to host a Madagascar 3 party! What perfect timing!!

Last week I received my “Digital Party Kit”. Included was a movie poster, a recipe to make Marty’s Zebra Cake, printable masks, face paint instructions, a printable “Pin the Tail on Gloria”, print & cut decorations and a lot of fun Madagascar 3 activity pages. I used the kit & my imagination to make a great party!

To get the party started I called up Q’s Mom and said, “HEY! I’m going to throw a party…at your house…AND you’re invited!” She started laughing and said, “Sure whatever!” She has a very large yard with an awesome play set so the kids have more room outside to play. She & I decided on Sunday, May 21, 2012 at 1:00pm for our party.

SETTING THE STAGE:
We went with more of a Circus theme so most of our decorations were in bright red & yellow.
~For a snack I filled a large red & white bowl with popcorn. I also made a zebra stripe cake** (which turned out SO awesome) and decorated it with an icing “Circus Afro” that Marty the Zebra wears in the movie.

~I created “Madagascar Swag Bags” full of Madagascar & Circus themed items:

~I cut out small pictures of the circus animals from the movie, attached them to bright orange cardstock and made themed labels for the water bottles.

~Using the animal patterns from the digital party decoration kit, I made a garland from bright yellow card stock and cut out the word “Party” and attached it between the animal silhouettes. I then attached them to a bright red tablecloth.
~We used the “Pin the tail on Gloria” as a decoration and then later used it to play the game.
~We have the original Madagascar on DVD, so we had it playing as we started our party.



THE PARTY:
I’m not sure who liked the cake better, the kids or “Ahmi” (Q’s grandmother). Regardless, we were all excited! Despite our best efforts to maintain control, the boys sort of went their own direction. We got in a short game of “Pin the tail on Gloria” but it took a great deal of coaxing to get them to do it. (Apparently they had other plans…. for the party I planned?!?)
*Retro Mama Fact: There is one thing certain about little boys: they are kinetic…. always in motion and not always with direction or purpose. This fact is greatly accentuated after they’ve eaten cake and ginormous pixie sticks!

So, as I was saying despite our best efforts the boys just took the party over and did their own thing, running blindly on their sugar-high. Q has an awesome inflatable ball that is large enough to play in. (Think child-sized hamster ball.) They rolled around the yard in this ball for most of the afternoon. At one point they were both in the ball and had it jetting across the back yard. It’s amazing what a couple little boys can do when they cooperate with each other!

WRAP UP
Four hours later we finally convinced the boys that we had as much fun as we could possibly handle. Despite their resistance and with promises to take them to see Madagascar 3 in the theater, we shut down the party. My son prattled on about the party to his Dad all evening, detailing out every fun thing he did. That night after a long bath, my “Big 1^st Grader” was sound asleep within moments of being tucked in.

In my opinion? I would call this an epic success!

*Do you want to join Crowdtap, where brands collaborate with consumers? You get to influence top brands while receiving great opportunities such as hosting parties and sample shares. You can follow this link to get started! Happy Tapping! http://bit.ly/jfj6nJ

** Do you want to know how to make a zebra striped cake? It’s super easy! Grab your favorite white cake mix. Split the batter equally in two bowls. Add 3 TBS of cocoa powder to one of the bowls and mix well. Using a greased & floured round cake pan, add 3 heaping TBS of white batter to the center of the pan. Add 3 TBS of chocolate batter to the very center of the white batter. Keep repeating this pattern until you’ve used all your batter. The result will look like concentric circles. Carefully move your pan to the oven & bake! When you cut your cake the zebra layers will appear!

Just for Mom....

Last week's post was about how I reduce stress in my home by taking care of my family. Being a Stay-At-Home-Mom (aka SAHM) is a full-time job. It never ends, there are no Union-Mandated breaks or vacation days. This places a lot of pressure on me. Sometimes, I feel like I'm losing my identity. However, at my core I am STILL Ande! The fun-loving girl with an attitude who tries to be pretty and loves clothes and shoes.

It's important to feed your inner-self and maintain who you are. Thanks to Old Navy and Crowdtap I was able to take a day just "for me" and receive some free pampering! Through Crowdtap.com I joined the Old Navy Style Council where I get to try new styles at no charge for myself. Recently I received two free coupons for a free dress: one for me and one for a friend! There really weren't any restrictions on which dresses we could choose.

SO, I called up Amanda (my usual partner in crime) and we set off for the Terre Haute, IN Old Navy! We picked the right day for dress shopping. We arrived shortly after the store opened and they were just unboxing their entire new shipment of dresses! We literally had tons of styles, colors and patterns to choose from. We hooked up with a store associate named Tori and told her about what we were doing. She took my camera & started snapping shots & trading out dresses for us. We had a blast!! There was run-way modeling, dancing and just having fun in general! The best part was having the freedom to not bother looking at the price tags because we KNEW the dresses were free!



We tried on some that were great, and some that were not. I really liked this blue polka-dot number until I remembered my sister's scary Mrs. Beasley doll and I realized that I looked JUST LIKE Mrs. Beasley!! So, that one had to go away immediately!

Amanda had a tendency to gravitate towards the sundresses and maxi's. She has a great curvy shape so the maxi's were very flattering for her. However, the sundresses weren't really flattering on either of us. The blue maxi looked fabulous on her. She has a great tan and bright blue eyes. The dress really complimented all of her best features. I'm small and almost shapeless so I needed something to ADD curves. I wound up opting for the Wrap Dress in "Black Jack". When I put this dress on, I literally felt like it was made for me. The bias-cut gives the look of a tapered waist and accentuates the bust line.

Not only did we have a great day together that involved two new (FREE) dresses, but we both left with several bags of new clothes! The day of shopping was just what we both needed!

Don't worry...I got it!

Stress: n - mental, emotional, or physical strain or tension.

Life has a lot of stresses and a lot of different types of stress. My husband has a very stressful job. As for my son, while very intelligent, he deals with a lot of social anxiety and becomes very stressed at school. What does this have to do with me? Well, as a Stay-At-Home Mom one of my responsibilities is to maintain a happy household. Sure, I get stressed too! However, I feel like it's my duty to keep the stress levels in the house as low as possible. Think about it…the word “Home” should invoke a warm fuzzy feeling of security. It should never cause your blood pressure to rise!

First and foremost: We have a strict rule of no raised voices in the house. (Exceptions are only made for peals of laughter!) Yelling and screaming in anger results in nothing but hurt feelings and wounded pride, followed by bouts of guilt. There is a zero-tolerance policy for aggressive and erratic behavior. The interior of our home is a sacred, safe place and will always be treated as such. There is great security in knowing that once you cross our threshold there is no judgment, condescension or anger. Only love, acceptance and respect.

Moving on!! One of the primary ways to keep my family relaxed and happy is to keep the house clean and organized. A dark, cluttered and dirty living space creates a heavy atmosphere where no one is truly comfortable. Digging through piles stacked around the house to find an item adds unnecessary frustration. If the dining table is covered as a “catch-all” family meals cannot be enjoyed there. (And I believe family meals are a great way to connect with your family, which will reduce stress!)

The art of Feng Shui is a good tool to use in creating a comfortable living space. Here is a great site to help you declutter and open up living spaces.  http://www.ehow.com/how_4471856_feng-shui-house.html

Another way I help lower my family’s level of stress is to take care of their basic needs. For me, part of the responsibility of staying home is to make sure my family’s needs are met and to make sure my husband has minimal responsibility and stress at home. His long hours are enough to keep him on edge. I’m not going to dump more on him as soon as he walks through the door. When he’s at home I want him to relax and unwind. The same goes for the little guy when he gets home from school. Instead of instantly doing chores, swinging in the back yard for 30 minutes can do a lot to clear a little boy’s head and improve his spirit. Allowing the boys to unwind creates a more harmonious atmosphere for everyone.

I have my designated “jobs” and I make sure they are done completely so the responsibility doesn’t fall on someone else.  Sure, my son has the responsibility of picking up after himself and doing chores. However, he doesn’t have to worry about whether or not he has clean clothes to wear. He doesn’t have to worry about whether or not there will be a hot meal on the table. My husband doesn’t have to worry about whether or not the bills need paid or creating time in his hectic morning to pack his own lunch...My Motto? "Don't worry...I got it!"

Sometimes I like to do a little extra to perk up my household. Celebrations always create a light-hearted atmosphere. A celebration shouldn’t be reserved for a birthday or holiday. I try to create 1 or 2 “mini-celebrations” a month. The mini-celebrations not only create a light environment, but they make the recipient feel special. Sometimes that extra bit of recognition gives them the boost they need. When my son graduated from preschool I made him a Sponge Bob cake and his grandmas stopped by and we had a “Graduation Party”. I spent less than $5 on party supplies: A bright green disposable tablecloth, napkins & dinnerware along with a Sponge Bob Mylar Balloon.

Aiden's Preschool Graduation Cake!

If my husband is having a rough week I will make one of his favorite meals along with a “special dessert”. If it’s a really bad day I’ll make him an Oatmeal Pie, which is very time-consuming. He knows it is not an easy dish to prepare and seeing the big deep-dish pie on the kitchen table always lifts his mood.

Celebrating Aiden losing his first tooth!

I’ve also jumped on the bandwagon of “cake pops”. They are ridiculously easy to make and SO much fun! Not to mention they are a delicious bite-sized treat. They can be crafted into virtually any shape to fit the occasion. My son lost his first tooth this week. So, to celebrate I made him a batch of tooth-shaped cake pops. Based on the hugs, kisses and “thank-you Mommy!” I received… I think they were a hit! From the moment he saw them his mood was instantly lifted. You see? We really do celebrate virtually everything in this house!

Yes, there are and will always be external factors to stress out my family. I cannot make my husband’s job any easier and I cannot make school a fun place for my son. However, I can make their home-life happy enough that at least they have something to look forward to at the end of the day.




Do you want to make fun & festive cake pops? Here’s the easy recipe!

Cake Pops
Yields approximately 30 pops, more or less depending on how big they are.

·        Bake 1 cake according to package directions.

·        Allow the cake to cool & crumble it into a large mixing bowl.

·        Add approximately half a can of store-bought frosting and mix together until your concoction becomes a large ball of dough. (it should be a semi-stiff dough, too much frosting and the “pop” won’t stick together)

o       Flavor ideas: Strawberry cake mixed with Strawberry frosting…Chocolate Cake mixed with Chocolate Frosting….yellow cake mixed with vanilla frosting…there are a ton of possibilities, be creative!

·        Form the dough into small balls and insert a pretzel, lollipop or popsicle stick.

o       OR sculpt them into simple shapes...again be creative! Easter is coming up; an Egg shaped cake pop would be easy and adorable!

·        Put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes to chill and dip them in melted white chocolate or colored candy melts. Add sprinkles, decorate or just leave them plain!

Just For Fun...oh yea & I'm Smarterer than You!!

Being a stay-at-home wife and mother has it's challenges. There are the drudgery's of day to day house work. The incessant  need for attention from your family, who by the way, is ALWAYS hungry!! Sometimes we want to leave and escape for an hour but we cannot. SO, the best we can do is to find ways to escape indoors.

I like to go out on our sun-porch, shut the main door and curl up with the dog, a cup of coffee and a book. However, that is only for relaxation.

 I also have a fierce competitive side that needs to be fed. At one time this "monster" was fed in school, college and then at my high-demand job, through sports or among my social circles. Now I am my own co-worker and my social circle is a 6 year old boy and a dog! SO, I turn to the Internet to feed my competitive nature and have a lot of fun in the process. As it turns out, there are a lot of rewards for feeding this beast.

I am involved with three rewards-based sites. They offer incentives such as gift cards and samples for your contribution to their sites. However, you get out of it what you put into it. That's why I will never join more than 3 at a time. The most recent site I joined is BzzAgent.com. So far I have received two campaign opportunities through BzzAgent.com. One of them is PERFECT for feeding my inner "Competition Monster". It was an introduction to a fun trivia site called "Smarterer". There are no rewards for being a member of Smarterer other than seeing your name on the Leader-board and smashing your competition by showing them you are "smarterer" than they are in a huge range of topics. Did you know I am an expert in both chocolate AND basic math??? True story my friends! At least according to http://smarterer.com/ !! After taking the tests and getting your score you can then post your trivia results to Facebook or Twitter to brag about your awesomeness! Have fun & stay sane!!!!

Retro Mama Vs The Jalapenos....

DISCLAIMER: I live in central Indiana. What I do may not be appropriate for your particular region or climate. For best results, check your hardiness zone for planting dates on the back of the seed packets.

Grandpa Hill with 3 of the little ones.

So, the warm temps we’ve been experiencing have us all dreaming of the impending Spring. This time of year always has me thinking about my garden. I love the time I spend tending and harvesting the fresh vegetables with my family. It reminds me of summers spent with my Dad in his garden and putting up the produce with my Mom. You’ve never had a pickle until you’ve eaten one of Mama Hills freshly canned spears!! The old man still maintains a large garden and keeps all of his grand-kids involved with the tending of it. From running the tiller to picking vegetables, the kids are learning a valuable skill and bonding with their grandpa. My little one helped pick and then can a batch of green beans last summer. You’ve never seen someone so proud at the dinner table as when we share a jar of  “his” beans!

Stock photo of a bucket garden.

For me, stepping out the back door on a summer evening to grab a fat, warm, ripe tomato is truly one of life’s simple joys!  I love knowing that the vegetables my family eats are guaranteed completely organic. Not to mention the money saved on side dishes, condiments and sauces that are made after harvest. If you don’t have enough yard space for even a small garden you can easily have a bucket-garden. Due to construction last summer we couldn’t have our full garden. Instead we planted tomatoes and peppers in large 5 gallon buckets and left them to grow on our back patio. (For Cayuga locals, Palucci’s Pizza Express sells buckets of the perfect size for $2 each!) http://www.facebook.com/PaluccisPizza

So, the first question I always have is: What do I want from my garden? My first response is always: for the jalapenos to grow this year. Just ONCE I would like a successful jalapeno season! My three realistic choices are always zucchini, green beans and tomatoes. They are versatile in a variety of recipes, or stand alone as sides. They’re also easy to “put up” for future use. There is nothing quite as satisfying as green beans that taste garden-fresh in January!  We also make and freeze our own pizza and spaghetti sauce. Don’t be intimidated by “canning” or “putting up” your garden’s bounty. We will cover all of that this summer. I will also be available for any questions! Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a lot of specialty items such as a pressure cooker for everything. The only thing I use my pressure cooker for is canning green beans and jams. All the rest: pickles, sauces, corn, zucchini (sliced & shredded), pie fruit, peppers (if they would ever grow) etc I freeze or use the Water Bath Method. BUT I am getting ahead of myself. We’ll return to this topic in a few months!

Late February to early March is when I start planning and planting. (YES…planting) When we first started our garden journey I would go to the greenhouse in the Spring and purchase my plants and drop them in the ground. Voila..easy…but kind of expensive if you think about it. I can buy an entire packet of seeds for under $1. Also, greenhouses tend to use a lot of pesticides and fertilizer, which makes me uneasy. Plants like corn, melons, zucchini, eggplant and green beans do perfectly fine and have a long growing season if they are planted directly in the ground from seed. I usually put them in the ground in early to mid May. I just wait until we are beyond any chance of frost and the soil is starting to warm up. They grow quickly in rich, moist soil. However, jalapenos, tomatoes and broccoli I start indoors to make sure they have a good, solid season. For these I like to start at least 6 weeks before they will go into the garden. The broccoli can be started 7 – 8 weeks prior to planting. It can also survive and thrive in cooler temps. If maintained you will be eating fresh broccoli from late spring to mid-fall. (and will have plenty to put up for winter) Just make sure to cut the florets before they bloom.

To get your crops started indoors is quite simple. You can buy the indoor starter kits OR make your own! FYI, the starter kits can be reused. The first year we did this, my son and I used Dixie cups, a cookie sheet and saran wrap and it worked just fine. However, we now have grown and expanded to plastic planting cells that have their own tray and a clear plastic hood. I reuse the same ones annually.

Items needed:

• Growing vessel such as cell packs or Dixie cups. Also, a flat tray to put them in. Make sure your cell is at least 2” wide and a minimum of 2” deep. If you use a Dixie cup, poke a few tiny holes in the bottom for drainage.
• Clear plastic cover to act as a “greenhouse” for the seeds. You can use plastic wrap or plastic bags.
• Potting Soil
• Seed packets
• Colored toothpicks to mark what you’re growing. (E.g. red toothpicks in the tomatoes, green in the broccoli, etc) Otherwise, expect to be confused.
• A light source. I have a bay window in my kitchen, any sunny window will do (although not TOO bright to burn the seedlings) I suppose you    could use an artificial light source, but I won’t guarantee the results!

What to do?

• Fill your cells or Dixie cups almost to the top with fresh soil.
• Place them in the large tray. (To catch excess water)
• Plant your seeds at the depth determined by the back of your seed packet. MARK YOUR CELL!!!!! Otherwise you will end up with Cherry Tomatoes growing in your flowerbed. (YES…. this happened last summer!)
• Water but do not drown your little seeds
• Cover with the clear plastic hood and place in a warm location that has indirect minimal sunlight. I keep my seeds covered until after they germinate. Once they are a decent size I remove the clear plastic hood. (It works like a little green house.) Check the seed packet for info on each plant’s germination rules.
• Once the seedlings sprout, remove the hood/clear plastic and place them in a sunny location. (Not too bright…you don’t want to burn them!) Be sure to keep the soil moist and to rotate the tray once a day so both sides of the tray grow evenly.
• Once we are past danger of frost and the soil is starting to warm, till your garden and acclimate your plants to the outdoors by taking them outside during the day for a week. Then, plant them! Review the seed packets to see how far apart they should be planted.

My Father-in-law and son tilling our garden in 2010.

What’s going on at Retro Mama’s place this year?

• Corn: Well, we won’t be planting corn. Corn requires a lot of growing space. You have to plant a ton of it to get enough to even mess with. My parents have a huge garden so I usually pilfer all my fresh corn from them. (shhh….) Sometimes I will even hit the farmers market and buy a bunch of it to put up for winter. But grow it myself? Nah…. my minimal space is too valuable.
• Tomatoes: I intend to plant 10 - 15 Romas, 2 Cherry and 2 Beef Steak tomato plants. I use the Romas for making pizza and spaghetti sauce. They are very “meaty” with less wasted pulp and they have a deep rich flavor that makes them the perfect candidate. The Beef Steak and Cherry tomatoes are great to eat fresh, but I really don’t do anything with them once summer is over. Sometimes I will use leftover Beef Steaks in my sauces, just so they don’t go to waste but that’s not their primary purpose in life.
• Zucchini: I always put in two plants. One plant produces enough zucchini to be more than sufficient for my family to eat fresh all summer long and have plenty to put up for recipes and bread later. HOWEVER, zucchini gets lonely. A single plant doesn’t produce well and sometimes dies early. Trust me…just plant two…
• Broccoli: I’m putting in about 5 plants. As long as we keep cutting the florets we always have more than enough to eat fresh and put up enough to last us all winter long. In my experience, the more we cut the broccoli the better it grows. We tend to have produce well into the fall after everything else is brown and dead.
• Green Beans: I’ll plant 4 or 5 long rows. They take up the majority of my garden space. I “can” the majority of them. FYI, they’re not a great candidate for bucket gardens. Like the broccoli, if I continue to pick them I have fresh beans for most of the summer and into the early fall. A lot of other gardeners have told me they typically get one or two harvests and then they die off. (Maybe the beans just feel sorry for me because of the wretched jalapenos???)
• Jalapenos: Oh the bane of my existence, the flippin’ jalapenos!!! EVERY year I plant them, every year they yield minimal results. While the rest of the garden flourishes in its glorious bounty the jalapenos stubbornly refuse to yield anything more than a pepper or two. The hateful little peppers are never more than a couple inches long. Sometimes I feel like they are mocking me and the efforts I put forth. Yet, my husband and I love them…. both fresh and canned so I try and try again! I’m just not ready to admit to defeat. This year I’m going to put in 5 plants and see how they do.  If it is another epic fail, I may have to raise the white flag to those wretched peppers….

Bring Summer to Your Winter

For me, raising my family like my grandmother raised hers isn't just about saving money; it’s about an overall balanced, healthy home. For many of us, this time of year can be dreary, even sending many into depression. If you’re feeling down, rest assured you’re not alone. Many of us are affected. If you are one of the heads of the household there are things you can do for yourself and your family to combat these dark moods. Most of these things are simple things you can do around the home. Small changes can make a big difference. Think of what you love best about the Spring and Summer months and try to add them to your Winter lifestyle.

ADD LIGHT!!! Open your curtains, pull up the blinds & let your home fill with natural light where possible. Otherwise, add bright artificial lights. Studies conducted by Alfred Lewy, MD, a psychiatrist in Portland, Oregon show that a lack of natural light during the winter months is a major factor of depression. SO… It seems simple enough, turn on more lights! But it’s actually a little more complicated. The lack of light in the early morning messes up your circadian rhythm. (When your body thinks it should be awake or asleep) Adding bright lights early in the morning resets your internal clock and lets your body know its time to be up and active. Studies using dim lights had no effect on countering depression. So…Add Light During Morning Hours!!
You can see Dr. Lewy’s full article here: http://www.sadlight.com/em-articles-lewy.htm

However, with some people, not even the most well-lit waking conditions can put them in a good mood...

DECLUTTER Don’t wait for May to do your Spring cleaning! A stuffy, cluttered home makes us feel down. It’s almost as if the weight of the dirt and junk is suffocating us. You may not even see the stuff anymore because you’re used to it. Pick a room and go through EVERYTHING in it. If you haven’t used it in the last 2 years, get rid of it. With each decorative item in your hand, ask yourself if you’re willing to dust that item once a week. If the answer is no, then pitch it. I know it sounds unreasonable, and it may not be something you can do. But if you can do it, your home will become bigger and brighter. Walls that are sparingly decorated, floors that are open and clean, tables and counter-tops that are empty and shelves that are organized create an open, airy feeling to a room. Decorative items, lights and ceiling fans that are covered in dust & cobwebs feel dreary. Why do you think haunted houses in every great horror film are covered in dust and cobwebs!?! Make the cleaner in my article “Is it Safe?” and wash down the walls and fixtures. You’ll be amazed at how shiny everything is and how much “lighter” the room feels when it has been decluttered and cleaned. I recently did this to the large back room in our house that had become a “catch all”. I removed 5 garbage bags of junk, organized everything and scrubbed it from top to bottom. The room everyone typically avoided is now where I find Aiden playing almost daily. So, it does work!

AIR IT OUT During the winter, our homes are closed up and the air can become stale quickly. Of course, you cannot open all the windows to air it out without freezing out the family. But there are a few little things you can do. Grab all of your curtains, throw rugs and bedspreads and have them cleaned. Most of these items can be washed in your washing machine. Air-dry the rugs by hanging them over the backs of your kitchen chairs. For these items, I like to add a cup of vinegar to the washing cycle and use a double-shot of fabric softener on the rinse cycle.

Shampoo the carpets. Wash the walls and windows. You may not realize how much dust and grime can accumulate here. Giving them a quick wash instantly brightens the room…especially the windows, you may not realize how much light is being blocked out just from dust.

I know it’s cold, but crack open a couple windows an inch or two for about 15 minutes once a week. The amount of fresh air coming into your home will have an impact. Kick on your freshly cleaned ceiling fans to help circulate the air. (Don’t forget to wear a sweater while doing this!)  Also, don’t forget to clean or change your furnace’s air filter once a month to help keep your air quality as clean as possible.

TURN IT UP!! A quiet home can be sedative. Plug in your Ipod, put on your favorite album or radio station and crank it up. Feel energized by the music. Don't be afraid to dance, either. ESPECIALLY when your kids are home. Kitchen dancing is a favorite past-time in this house. There are evenings Aiden & I are both out of breath from rockin' out in the kitchen. The best part isn't the exercise either, it's that he WANTS to be with me and we're having a lot of fun together.




STAY ACTIVE Laying on the couch all day under a warm blanket can be so cozy, but it can have long-term negative effects. Get out of your computer chair, your recliner, wherever it is you’re relaxing and move. (Not right now though…finish my article first!) Yes…I know it’s cold and none of us really “like” being in the cold, but do it anyway. If you’re not overly ambitious with exercise, at least take a walk around the block; let the chilly wind hit your face. Play with your kids! Wrestle around on the floor. It's good for both of you. You get a little exercise combined with bonding! Not to mention there WILL BE laughing, which we all know promotes good feelings. Spend an afternoon at a roller skating rink, bowling alley, children's museum or even just a McDonald's Play Land. I can enjoy a good book & a cup of coffee while he burns pent-up energy!

Another indoor exercise that’s really easy is “Commercial Jacks”. They’re not life changing but they are great for getting your heart pumping without much effort. Sit down to watch your favorite 1 hour-long program. Instead of skipping the commercials, let them play.  Just do jumping jacks during the commercial break. This is a win-win. You get exercise AND you get to watch your favorite show guilt-free!!




BRIGHTEN YOUR PALETTE Think of your favorite summer time meals and bring them to your winter table. Bring out the red-checked picnic tablecloth and set the stage. I don’t recommend a meal of chilidogs and fries all the time, but they are a quick and easy summer meal. Chef Salads or Taco Salads are nice, bright meal options. Have chicken salad sandwiches on buns with raw veggies and dip. Try a supper of deviled eggs, hamburgers and popper-tots…instant summer fare! Add a pitcher of lemonade or sweet-tea to compliment your summer-supper. Finish the meal with a bright, summer dessert such as a Lemon Fruit Freeze. Hit your local super-market and pick up a cheap bouquet of daisies or other summer flowers to brighten the dinner table even more!

Not familiar with Popper-Tots or a Lemon Fruit Freeze? You can find the recipes below! FYI: The Lemon Fruit Freeze is a vintage recipe that I found in a Better Homes & Gardens magazine from the late 1960's. It is so light & refreshing. It compliments virtually any meal flawlessly. The unique crust is an awesome alternative to any dessert that is traditionally made with a graham-cracker crust. ENJOY!

Popper Tots 

Ingredients:

• Bacon (raw)
• Tator Tots
• Jar of sliced jalapenos
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Cut a package of bacon in half. (You want each bacon slice cut in half). Place a jalapeno slice on a tator tot and wrap it loosely in half a slice of bacon. Place on a cookie sheet. (Make sure the cookie sheet has a lip on it so the bacon grease doesn’t run onto your oven) Bake the bacon-wrapped tots at 400 until the bacon is done. Immediately place them on a large plate or serving platter and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.

Lemon Fruit Freeze

Ingredients:

• 2/3 C butter or margarine
• 1/3 C sugar
• 7 C of Rice or Corn Chex cereal, crushed to 3 Cups
• 1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 (21 oz) can of lemon pie filling
• 1 (17 oz) can of fruit cocktail, well drained
• 2 cups of cool-whip

Melt the butter, stir in the sugar and crumbs. (reserve 1/3 c of crumbs) Press this mix into the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 300 for 12 minutes. Cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl, mix condensed milk and lemon juice. Stir in pie filling and fruit cocktail; pour over the crust. Top with cool-whip and reserved crumbs. Freeze at least 4 hours. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving.

Spread a Little Love (on a budget of course!)

Valentines Day is quickly approaching and it’s not just for lovers! You don’t have to be in a relationship to get the most out of this holiday. Whether you have a significant other, children or just a few friends and family, there is much reason to celebrate. You will find that showing those who are dearest to your heart know how much they mean is abundantly rewarding for everyone.... and what better time to do it than on Valentines Day!?!

So now, we think HOW to make this day as special as possible. If you are going out with a special someone, you don’t need to visit an expensive restaurant. The $80 bouquet of roses is unnecessary. If you NEED to get her flowers, hit up your local supermarket for the flowers and buy a unique vase to put them in. Skip the large heart-shaped box of mixed chocolates; it’s most likely they won’t be eaten anyway. Instead, splurge on a decent quantity of their favorite candy or make a homemade treat. Put it in a little decorative box and hand-write a little note on the outside. The idea is to make the other person feel special, not empty your bank account. I’m going to cover ideas below to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a “special someone” as well as a few fun and easy things to do with the little ones.

DINNER ~ If you have the extra cash and a reservation already made, then by all means skip this section. If you want something a little more from the heart and less from the wallet, then read on. A dinner at home can be made as intimate and special as an evening out. You just need to set the mood. Step one: find a grandma to take the kids for the evening! Next, make sure the house is clean and tidy, especially the dining area. Clutter is distracting and unappealing. It will ruin a mood as quickly as hearing “MOMMY” being yelled from the next room. Make sure the house smells nice. The idea is to have a relaxed, inviting atmosphere. Make sure you are looking your best as well. Even if you're not going to an expensive restaurant, dress like you are. Going the extra mile on your appearance will make your partner feel special. Next, set the stage. Lay out a nice dark table-cloth, place a few candles in the dining room (just don't put any on the table that are so tall or big that they are distracting) lay out the nice dishes (NO PAPER PLATES!!!) and a couple of wine glasses. If you don’t have a set of wine glasses, invest in a set. They’re relatively inexpensive and add elegance. Have a bottle of wine chilling in the refrigerator. If you’re not very familiar with wine, try a White Zinfandel or Prosecco. Both are crisp and clean on the pallet. They also pair well with most rich, heavy or sweet foods. If you don't drink alcohol, buy a nice sparkling white grape juice.

Main Course ~ when I think of a romantic dinner I always think of pasta. The beauty is, Pasta is cheap & easy to prepare. Even with the most basic of kitchen skills you can create an amazing dish. Partner it with a salad, a loaf of crusty garlic bread and a decadent dessert and you have an unforgettable meal. I am going to give you my two favorite easy pasta recipes as a main dish; Carbonara and Chicken Parmesan.

Carbonara: This is a favorite dish in our home. The rich, creamy sauce is deceptive. It seems so complex but is actually quite simple…and has no cream! It takes around 20 minutes to prepare from start to finish. However, it looks and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. Traditionally, this dish is made with pancetta, but I prefer to just use standard bacon. Also, if you like seafood, don't be afraid to toss in a little sauteed or grilled shrimp to the finished dish.

Ingredients:

·        ½ lb spaghetti noodles

·        1 pkg of bacon

·        4 eggs

·        ½ C grated Parmesan (buy real parm, don’t use the stuff in a canister)

·        ¼ C grated Romano

·        Garlic, salt & pepper to taste

Slice up the uncooked bacon into small sections (around 2”) put the bacon pieces in a large pot (NOT a skillet – think soup pot) and allow it to start frying. Allow it to cook until slightly crisp then remove from heat. While the bacon is frying, start boiling your spaghetti noodles. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl whisk together your eggs, cheeses and seasonings.

When your noodles are done, remove about half of the bacon grease from the pot and return it to a low heat. Toss the drained noodles into the pot of bacon (& bacon fat) and mix until all the noodles are well coated. Then pour the egg/cheese mixture on top of your bacon-noodles. Stir continuously over low heat until the egg/cheese mix starts to melt and become creamy. FYI…don’t be lazy. If you have it on high heat & don’t keep stirring it you will end up with scrambled eggs instead of a creamy sauce.

Chicken Parmesan: This is another dish that seems elegant and complicated, but is truly SO EASY! Use your favorite spaghetti sauce (homemade or store-bought) but do not add any ground meat to it.

Ingredients:

·        2-4 chicken breasts

·        1 pkg of original shake n bake

·        ¼ cup grated Parmesan (use the stuff in the canister)

·        Mozzarella cheese

·        Olive Oil

Start by getting your spaghetti noodles boiling and your sauce cooking. While that is on the stove, begin flattening the chicken breasts to about ¼” thick. You can beat them with a meat mallet and make a huge mess OR place a large sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Place a chicken breast on the plastic wrap fold the plastic over the breast. Gently use a (glass) drinking glass to pound the chicken. It will flatten out easily. Sprinkle the flattened breasts with a little garlic, salt & pepper and set them aside. In the Shake N Bake bag, mix 1 pkg of the SnB with the Parmesan cheese. Shake each chicken breast in the bag until it is evenly coated. Put a little olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the coated chicken breasts over medium heat until they are golden and crispy on the outside. Try not to flip them more than once (so you don’t lose your coating. It shouldn’t take them more than a total of 15 minutes to fry. Once they are finished lay them out on a nice platter (or big plate). Immediately pour a little sauce over the top of each breast and sprinkle with mozzarella. By the time the platter reaches the table the cheese will be slightly melted and beautiful! Serve alongside the prepared spaghetti & sauce.

Dessert ~ Finish your meal with a dessert that is lovely and rich. Here is an easy dessert that is best if made ahead of time. I have a niece, who was born around Valentines Day and this is one of her favorite desserts. I think of her every time I make it!

Individual Chocolate Cheesecakes (8 servings)

Recipe & photo courtesy of kraftfoods.com

Ingredients:

·        1 (8 oz) pkg of cream cheese, softened

·        4 TBS of sugar

·        4 squares of semi sweet chocolate (melted)

·        2 C of Cool-whip

·        8 Oreos

·        Chocolate chips for garnish

·        Muffin Tin with 8 paper cups

Put an oreo in the bottom of each of the paper baking cups in the muffin tin.
Beat the cream cheese, sugar, & chocolate in a medium bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Add in the cool whip & mix well. Pour the mixture on top of the oreos in the muffin tin. Sprinkle with chocolate chips & refrigerate at least 2 hours. To make the filling easier & prettier I put the filling in a large plastic bag, snip off one of the corners and “pipe” it into the muffin cups.


KIDS PLAY!! Creating hand-made personalized Valentines Day cards is the perfect way to spend quality time with your little one and create a one of a kind item for them to share. There are so many fun and creative ways to do this. Sure, we could buy our kids the valentine box-kit that comes with a lollipop, but what fun is that? If you make your own, you get to spend real time with your kid and they’re left with a real sense of self-accomplishment when they’re done. WIN-WIN! I’m going to show you a couple ideas that we’ve used. However, don’t be limited to what we have here. There is a fantastic website, http://familyfun.go.com/valentines-day/valentines-day-cards/ that has a ton of amazing ideas. From Hershey's Kiss Roses to really cool optical illusion photos. (Check out the ginormous lollipop idea!)

But I digress, last year we bought several 6 packs of the Kool-Aid Bursts for my son’s classmates, Diet Coke for one teacher and Red Bulls for the other two teachers. (It helps to know the teacher’s favorite beverage!) We then made little cards out of card-stock. (You could even use the store-bought ones). We used a hole-punch and put a hole in the top of the card, threaded ribbon through it and tied it around the neck of the bottle/can. It was a fun, unique idea and was quick and simple to do. For the Red Bull cans, a little piece of tape was used to help secure the ribbon to the top of the can. This can be a fun, surprising way to show anyone that you love them. (not just on Valentine's Day) I got the idea from my good friend, Katie. I was having a bad day at work and she left me a surprise; sitting on the desk was a bottle of coke that had a bunch of ribbons and a funny hand-made card tied around the neck. I couldn’t help but laugh & it really made my day.

This is the Valentine Aiden made this year to share with his classmates. We got the idea from the family fun website. They are heart-shaped multicolor crayons. We spent last Saturday sitting on the living room floor watching cartoons and peeling paper off of old broken crayons. We then put the crayons in a heart-shaped silicone mold I picked up for $2. The mold has 6 hearts in it so we made 3 batches. (FYI, the mold was discolored afterward and I wouldn’t be comfortable using it for future food-use) We put the silicone mold on a cookie sheet for stabilization and “baked” the crayons at 200º until they were melted. Then we carefully placed them in the freezer to harden. The result was these awesome little creations. The best crayons were the ones that had contrasting colors next to each other on the bottom of the mold. i.e: yellow next to blue, orange next to green, etc. We made a card from 2 contrasting colors of card-stock and put the heart-crayons and cards in small plastic bags. We then folded over a piece of the card-stock and stapled it to the top of the bag. We used matching letter-stickers to create the “Love, Aiden” sentiment, but only because we have several packages of them lying around. Otherwise, I would have used my printer! The great thing about this project is, that we finally figured out what to do with that big tub of broken crayons!!

Another way to show your family how you love them is to bake a little something special. This is a cupcake recipe that my Mom always made for us on Valentines Day. The recipe was handed down to her from her Mother. My Grandmother will probably haunt me for this, but I'm going to give you all her recipe. Don't be surprised or turned-off by the ingredient list...the uniqueness is probably why no one has ever been able to duplicate the rich moist cake. FYI, it is so moist it doesn't do well being baked as an actual cake...bake it as cupcakes.

Grandma Norman's Chocolate Cupcakes
Sift together:
2C flour
1/2 C Unsweetened Baking Cocoa
1 C Sugar
2tsp Baking Soda

Mix in separate bowl:
1 C Water
1 C Miracle Whip (yes...the mayo alternative, but do NOT use real Mayo!)
1 tsp Vanilla
Combine both mixtures, bake at 350 until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes about 20 cupcakes

Icing
Mix:
2 TBS melted butter
1/2 bag of powdered sugar
approximately 2 TBS milk (If icing is too thick, add milk 1 tsp at a time. If it is too thin add more powdered sugar)

My Mom always topped them with the little heart-shaped “red hot” candies. However, I like to dip them in coconut. Either way (or plain) they are amazing.

Cupcakes can be stored at room temperature, but do not seal them in a container. Leave the lid "popped" a bit to allow for air circulation.

No matter what you do for Valentines Day this year, don’t lose sight of why (or who) you’re celebrating. The point isn’t all about seeing how much money you can spend and it’s not just for lovers. It’s about showing those around you how special they are.