Friday Favorite & Giveaway!!!

So I was pretty content on never having to really cook again and just relying on my freezer meals for the next...well forever I guess.  Then Tuttorosso sent me a box to give their product to try.  The box included a few delicious sounding recipes but I decided to go for the pasta sauce one.  I have tried making my own sauce but it has always come out pretty bland.  So I usually just stick to one of the premade, store bought sauces.  My mom and mother-in-law both have wonderful homemade sauce recipes and going home for spaghetti is the ultimate back-home-comfort-meal for me.  I want my children to feel the same way when they grow up and leave home!

I set out with skepticism in my mind because I have never had luck before. I threw the recipe together in about 20 minutes and let it simmer on the stove for about 2 hours.  The result:

Sooooooooo delish!!

Health facts about Tuttorosso Tomatoes:

-100% natural-no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives

-The antioxident Lycopene is found naturally in tomatoes

-A fat free food

-Good source of Vitamin A

-A gluten free food  
  

   
The critics:

~My six year old said, "Mommy this is the best sauce EVER!"

~My four year old (who never wants sauce on her noodles) asked for seconds and then thirds and wanted more but we were out of noodles.

~My husband (with a surprised tone to his voice) said, "This is really good!" And went back for seconds as well.

-Me:  Big smile (and some sauce) on my face! 

Verdict:

Goodbye store bought sauces...this is my new favorite! Easy, full of flavor, loved by my whole family!  And the recipe made enough to feed my family at least two meals! I can't wait to try the other two recipes, Savory Skillet Chicken and Versatile Italian Relish! 

Next meal we used the sauce for:

Italian Subs-get sub rolls, put sauce inside and top with mozzarella 

 These got devoured!

  

Visit Tuttorosso Tomatoes website to learn more, recipes and to enter their daily giveaways of products and kitchen tools! You can also find them on Facebook at Tuttorosso Tomatoes

 Tuttorosso is owned by Red Gold, a fourth generation family of tomato experts with a family tradition of “producing the freshest, best tasting, tomato products in the world!”

Now for the Giveaway..would you like to receive this in the mail???
you know you would :)

 All you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this post and I will let random.org pick a winner for me at the end of the day!   
 Remember to find me on Facebook at My little smarties 

The 4 Gifts Idea (Read)...

1. Something we want

2. Something we need

3. Something to wear

4.  Something to read

 Thank you to Sunny with a Chance of Sprinkles and Vintage Sunshine for hosting this series and making me rethink the way we do Christmas!

Back for the final week in the 4 Gifts Series with our "something to read" list:

Of all the lists, this one is the easiest...maybe too easy because my kids love books and I love buying books for them.  I definitely couldn't stick to the 1-3 limit on this category. 

 If you are looking to not spend a fortune on books, check out the Scholastic Book Orders your child(ren) bring home from school.  The books are great prices and every time your order online, you get a $5 off your next order coupon!  You might want to ask the teacher to get the order to you and not hand it to your child to bring home (that happened to me recently...oh well they got some early Christmas presents.)  Another place I have found some really cheap, cute books is Ollie's Discount Store.  Not sure if you have one in your area but you can get hardback books for as cheap as $1.99!

For Harper and Palmer (daughters ages 6 & 4):

 These are the books that they picked out but they will be getting books I have ordered from Scholastic too.

Archer (son age 13 months): 

 Archer will also be getting some books from the Scholastic book order.

 

Me:

 I know I'm so behind on the Hunger Games books but I want to read them before I see the movie.

What is something you have been wanting to read that you could ask for, for Christmas?  I would love some more suggestions on books for me. I love to read, it's finding time to do it that's the hard part!

Find me on Facebook at My little smarties

Thursday's Tip of the Day

Linking up my tip of the day with Lindsey at Apple of Mama's Eye for:

Today my tip is how to organize headband craziness! Both of my girls wear a headband just about every day. So as you can imagine we have quite the collection.  I originally just decided a plastic shoe size box would be fine to keep them in. 

This is what it has ended up looking like: 

Pretty much a big ol mess!  When they would go to pull one headband out, it would be tangled up with another headband.  And searching for one certain headband would result in the whole box being dumped out.  I decided we needed an easier, quicker and more organized way to grab the one headband they wanted to wear.  So I took a couple of Archer's empty formula cans, some fabric (97cents/pack at Walmart), and some glue and got to work. 

This is what I came up with:

 

 Here are the results:

I put all their big pony tail holders inside the cans

This was a fun & easy project.  The girls enjoyed picking out the fabric and love their new handband organizers.  If you don't have any formula cans, you can use empty oatmeal canisters or something similar.

Find me on Facebook at My little smarties 

So What Wednesday...

Linking up with Shannon at Life After I "Dew" for:

 

This week I am saying "So What" if...

-I'm still not in that holiday spirit and haven't bought more than a couple of gifts.

-In two months, I have gone from never having a cup of coffee in my life to a morning cup and sometimes even a lunch time cup. 

-I have to have Natural Bliss coffee creamer in my coffee or I can't drink it (vanilla and caramel are delish and don't have all the junk in them like other creamers do!)

-I already opened my Christmas gift.  The hubs went out on Black Friday and brought me back an awesome tablet with attachable keyboard.  He said he didn't want to wait a month to give it to me.  I didn't even know I wanted one until I messed around with it...it's pretty awesome!

-My son is getting a shelf for his room for Christmas.  I know, not very exciting but he doesn't need anymore toys, he needs a place to put the ones he has.  Plus, he's only a year old so I'm going to get away with it while I still can :)

-I have decided to let my girls start paying for little trinkets, etc. they are always asking for when we go to the store.  They earn stickers for doing good deeds, being sweet to each other, listening, etc. and they can turn 10 stickers in for $1.  They have loved being able to go to the Dollar Tree and pick out something and pay for it themselves. It has also been easier than telling them, "No" all the time.  Now when they ask for something, I say, "Do you have your money to pay for it?"

-Even though I sell Shaklee, I decided to try Shakeology.  Had my first shake yesterday (chocolate with pb & banana) and it was pretty darn good.


-I said I would never homeschool my children but with the disappointment in the school system here and the cost of private school, that option has made it onto my list for next year.

What are you saying "So What" to this week? 

Find me on Facebook at My little smarties

Mess-eating Monster

I was recently reading posts from one of the blogs I love to follow and was smacked in the face with a brilliant idea!  She actually got her idea from another bloggin mama. I love how we moms can share and learn from each other!!! Here is the blog I am borderline obsessed with (seriously want to join her family) and here is the original idea blog post (this is a new favorite blog). 

As moms we pick things up off the floor about a million times a day and this awesome idea is going to change that around my house.  I will ask once for it to be picked up and if it's not then the item will go in my box.  No, I will not keep it forever but to get it back the perpetrator must do a chore.  

Now for my favorite part, not all the slips of paper have serious chores on them....some are just plain silly or even just a warning slip.  It's such a great way to not get caught up in the, "I told you 6 times to pick that toy up...blah blah blah!" argument with your child.  I know I need to laugh a little more and not take things so seriously with my children. I want them to remember me as a fun mom who was silly, would play and laugh with them, not a mom who constantly got onto them, punished them, and was so serious!

So I printed off my chores and cut them into slips, stuck them in an envelope and put the envelope on a plastic storage bin that I have named Mommy's Mess-eating Monster.

 Here are the chores I put in my envelope.  Feel free to copy and paste and then change some around to suit your household!

Clean out van
Clean out pantry
Pull weeds in back yard for 10 minutes
Pull weeds in front yard for 10 minutes
Rub dad’s feet for 10 minutes and do, ‘this little piggy’ to him.
Clean Archer's room
Wipe down kitchen counters

Wipe down kids' potty
Clean a bathroom mirror while singing any song.
Clean out silverware drawer
Wipe down outside of fridge and have a treat afterwards.
You are free but this is a WARNING!
Vacuum living room rug
Scrub kids' bathtub
Give mom and dad a hug and say, “I will never leave my stuff out again.”
Clean/wipe down front door
Wipe down door going to garage (both sides)
Empty all garbage cans
Write a letter to someone who has done a service for you and tell them thank you.
Dust the tv stand and all items on it
Fold 10 pairs of socks
Rub dad’s head for 10 minutes while telling him how thankful you are for him working so hard.
Rub mom’s head for 10 minutes while telling her how thankful you are she sweeps 200 times a day.
Sweep front porch and run around the house 1 time
Watch Archer for 10 minutes
Clean out/organize desk drawer
Dust living room
Clean kitchen table
You are free but this is a WARNING!
You are free but this is a WARNING!
Tell your siblings and parents 3 things you love about them.
Write 2 times “I will not leave my things out.”
Do 25 jumping jacks while singing, “I am a cleaning machine.”
Run around the house for 1 minute and see how many things you can pick up and put away.
Tidy up the art room.
Draw a picture of you picking up things and your mom and dad smiling BIG!
Make up a song about a clean house and perform it in front of your family.
Make your bed blindfolded.
Clean Archer's high chair (in and around)
While hopping on one foot, wipe the kitchen counters off.
Choose 2 items of yours to donate to Goodwill.
Vacuum the playroom.
Scrub an air vent with a toothbrush.
Hand wash 3 dishes
Scrub your toilet while singing, ‘whistle while you work’.
Pick up backyard, do a flip on the trampoline and beg your mother for forgiveness.
Sweep back patio
Design a machine on paper that cleans the whole house and gets you ready for the day.
Water the plant in the living room.
Tell us the story, ‘The Little Red Hen.”
Organize mom and dad’s shoes.
Vacuum Mommy and Daddy's room

Give all family members a kiss and a hug

Tell us three things you are thankful for

Clean/organize Archer's train table

Lead prayers at bedtime tonight

Call grandparents to tell them you love them

Find me on Facebook at My little smarties!

Friday Favorite...

I love putting a little love in my daughter's lunch box to let her know I'm thinking about her during the day. I came across a website called Say Please that has the most adorable little notes.  On the front there is a short note and on the back there is a fun little fact for you child to learn and share with their buddies over lunch. Even though my daughter is only in kindergarten and learning how to read, I put them in there and challenge her to sound out the words she doesn't know.  And even if your child doesn't pack a lunch, you can stick the note in a backpack or binder. 

I ordered a set, which came with 8 volumes and 12 cards in each volume.

 Here is an example of one I recently put in my daughter's lunchbox:

Do your Black Friday shopping online and check out Say Please today and you can get 60% your order. You can also find them on Facebook at Lunchbox Love.
**If you go to the site and click Lunchbox Love Printables and fill out the name and email form, they will send you a 10% off coupon just for checking out the site :)

 They even have Lunch Box Love for Birthday Girls & Boys, Camp, Everyone in Your Life, Those you Appreciate, your Girlfriends, Those you Work With, Loved Ones, Holiday Love, ...literally something for everyone!

How do you show your kids a little love?

Remember to find me on Facebook at My little smarties

 

Black Friday Shopping

Shop Black Friday with Shaklee to give the gift of health this holiday season! This Friday-Sunday, I am offering free shipping on ANY order if you purchase a membership for $19.99.  The membership is lifetime, no monthly required orders, no signing up for anything you don't want...just receive 10-15% off all our products forever!  Click here to start shopping.

 Here are a few great gift ideas:

1. Vivix Cellular Anti-Aging* Tonic Dietary Supplement in the middle of a wreath, or inside a beautiful ribboned wine glass or wine decanter.   

2. Cinch Snack Bars or Meal-in-a-Bars to stuff stockings. Or give a box of Snack or Meal-in-a- Bars along with brochures for hiking trails and bike routes.

3. Cinch Energy Tea sticks tied in a pretty bow, inside a beautiful mug or lovely teacup. Or try with a cute teapot and tea cozy.

4. Basic-H2 with a sponge in a bucket filled with car magazines.

5. Shaklee Energizing Soy Protein in Cocoa or Cinch Shake Mix in Chocolate for healthy hot chocolate along with a warm hat, scarf, and gloves.
6. Enfuselle Nutrition Therapy Skin Care System collection with a fancy makeup mirror.

7. Enfuselle Lip Treatment SPF 15 wrapped up with ribbons at both ends to slip into cards you’re mailing...or into a Christmas stocking...or given away as a small memento for co-workers, teachers,
mail carrier, etc.

8. Enfuselle Moisturizing Shower Gel, Ultra Moisturizing Shea Butter Cream, and a Bath Sponge in a pretty shower caddy or with a set of monogrammed towels.

9. Enfuselle SPF30, LipTreatment SPF15, and ShakleePerformance SportsDrink with golf balls and gloves.

10. Shakleekids Incredivites and Mighty Smart along with books, games, and a world globe.

11. Herbal Blend Multi-Purpose Cream with some nice slippers or designer socks and a note about how Multi-Purpose Cream soothes tired feet all year around.   

12. Joint & Muscle Pain Cream with a microwaveable comfort pillow.

13. Get Clean Fresh Laundry Concentrate & Soft Fabric Concentrate with a set of bath towels.

14. Meadow Blend Soap-Free Cleansing Bar and Ultra Moisturizing Shea Butter Cream with a pretty ceramic soap dish.

15. Cinch Snack Bars wrapped in see-through colorful net and tied with ribbon.

16. Shaklee Performance Sports Drink, Cinch Snack Bars and Joint & Muscle Pain Cream along with a sports bottle, football, soccer ball, or a signed ball or signed sports personality photograph. For a nice variation, use the same products and package with gardening accessories like a hat, cotton gloves, and/or kneeling pad.

17. Shaklee Physique with a jump rope or exercise video for someone making a New Year’s resolution.
18. ProSanté Hair Care System with a really nice brush and other hair accessories.

19. Shaklee SPF 30 for Body with sun hat, ball cap, sunglasses, or picnic basket.

20. Shakleebaby Personal Care Products with some fun tub toys, or a set of baby clothes, blanket, etc.

21. Cinch Starter Kit to start the New Year right, along with a nice calendar.

22. Cinch Pedometer and Shaklee Performance with a great music CD for walking.

 Remember to find me on Facebook at My little smarties and shop here

Happy Shopping!!!