Crazy Cupid Love Valentines Giveaway!

Crazy-Cupid-Love-Feb-1--7

Crazy Cupid Love Giveaway Hop brought to you by Just Married with Coupons & Sweep Tight.

This Giveaway Hop is just a week long and is suppppppper easy to enter!

All blogs participating should have ONLY 2 entries!

Join in the fun (February 1 – 7).

Win from WithOurBest:

You can win $10 Gift Card to EdenFantasys

EdenFantasys-gift-card

:: Giveaway ::

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HUGE #VdayGiveaway +$450 Prizes! “From Our Hearts to Yours”

Welcome to From Our Hearts To Yours hosted by Life With Two Boys, With Our Best (ME!), and Mama-Nibbles!!  There are 100+ bloggers participating in this hop, and each blogger has their own prize package of at least $25 worth of Valentine-related items! So after you have entered my HUGE 3 winners (Over $450 total) giveaway, I encourage you to hop over and see what the other bloggers are giving away too!

Now on with the prizes at WithOurBest…

PRIZE #1

Affinitas-undies-3-pack

Sponsor: Affinitas Intimates ($28) My Review: 3 Packaged Panty Set

     Naught-Bucket-List-BookTalking-Dirty

Sponsor: Naughty Bucket List Book ($12.95) My Review: Book Review

Sponsor: The Nice Girls Guide to Talking Dirty ($13.95) My Review: Book Review

Smart-Sexy-Lingerie

Sponsor: Smart & Sexy Lingerie ($50) My Review: Affordable LingerieConcannon-Petite-Sirah

Sponsor: Concannon ($18) My Review: Concannon Vineyard Wines

 

PRIZE #2

Celebrating-Romance-YourNov   The-Handbook-of-Love

Sponsor: YourNovel ($74.95) My Review: YourNovel Celebrating Romance II

Sponsor: The Handbook of Love ($12.99) My Review: Book ReviewMy-Delight-Lip-Gloss

Sponsor: My Delight – 2 vegan lip glosses ($28) My Review: My Delight Cosmetics

Concannon-Petite-Sirah

Sponsor: Concannon ($18) My Review: Concannon Vineyard Wines

Affinitas-Intamates

Sponsor: Affinitas Intimates ($28) My Review: 3 Packaged Panty SetEdenFantasys-Gift-Card-$50

Sponsor: EdenFantasys $50 Gift Card (adult link)

 

PRIZE #3

Lolita-glasses-giveaway

Sponsor: 2 Valentine Lolita Designs Glassware ($48) My Review: Lolita Wine Glasses

Thong-Affinitas-Intamates

Sponsor: Affinitas Intimates ($28) My Review: 3 Packaged Panty SetConcannon-Petite-Sirah

Sponsor: Concannon ($18) My Review: Concannon Vineyard Wines

KY-date-night-package

Sponsor: KY Intimate ($27.99) My Review: KY Date Night Package

 

:: Giveaway ::

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** Please leave your entries using the above Rafflecopter form. It might take a bit to load. **

Disclosure: Please note that the From Our Hearts To Yours Giveaway Hop hosts and participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prize. We have represented each sponsor with the expectation that they will fulfill their prize in a timely manner. While we are not responsible, we will make every effort to assist the winner in obtaining their prize. For full disclosure click here.

Now visit the other participating bloggers for more chances to win!!

California Wine Favorite: Concannon Conservancy

Concannon-Wine-ReviewNothing says relaxing, comforting, & calming to me then a nice glass of red wine, a fire and cozying up with my hubby. When it is cold outside, we love to warm up by the fire with a deeply rich red wine.

And we do often! I can’t even tell you how many nights I don’t have dinner ready yet, but I do have the fire going and a glass of red wine for when my hubby comes through the door… we figure out dinner later! ;)

Sharing wine together has become an enjoyable bonding time for us and we have discovered many wines we love and drink regularly. We enjoy trying new brands and wine blends, and we also savor some of our favorite tried-and-true favorite wines. Like Concannon Vineyard wines.

A few months back, we had the opportunity to try out their Crimson and Clover Petite Sirah. We really enjoyed this new blend. We had never tried a Petite Sirah before, and got lucky enough to try it with the winery that first began the Petite Sirah in America! Concannon Vineyard!

Since then we have tried out a few more of their spectacular blends. And we have a few favorites:

Our Favorite Concannon Red: 2008 Petite Sirah

Concannon-Petite-SirahWinemaker Notes: Conservancy wines help protect precious California vineyard land from urban development, as all Conservancy winegrowers have placed their land into a legal trust that protects against development forever. The Conservancy wines preserve not only the land but a simpler way of life for future generations.

Tasting Notes: The 2008 Petite Sirah, Conservancy has fantastic depth and character. It exhibits a rich nose of fresh berry fruit, and the flavorful palate shows blackberries, chocolate, mocha and plums. Subtle notes of molasses, cedarwood, and ripe mulberries are complemented by soft, creamy oak tones and a smooth, silky finish.

Food Pairing: Barbecued chicken or your favorite lamb recipe.

The Petite Sirah first began in Livermore, California by the Concannon Vineyard in 1883. In my opinion it is a flavorful wine that you must try with your next favorite meal! This wine is a perfect wine for sharing! (Nobody will be disappointed in it’s hints of cherry and full bodied, smooth finish.)

Typically we prefer red wine to white wine. But we never deny a tasting of wine, so when we tested the Concannon Chardonnay we remained non-bias. But never mind that!! Because this wine was truly superb!

Our Favorite Concannon White: 2010 ChardonnayCONCANNON-Chardonnay-Review

Winemaker Notes: The Conservancy wines help protect precious California vineyard land from urban development, as all Conservancy winegrowers have placed their land into a legal trust that protects against development forever. The Conservancy wines preserve not only the land but a simpler way of life for future generations.

Tasting Notes: The 2010 Chardonnay, Conservancy is a wonderfully expressive wine that is rich and creamy, yet fresh. Ripe fruit flavors of apple and pear lead to a hint of butter and caramel on the palate. The finish is elegant with a touch of vanilla and oak.

Food Pairing: Herbed ahi tuna or pasta with your favorite cream sauce.

Concannon Vineyard is an innovative and inspiring northern Californian winery that keeps producing great wine, again and again. Their grape-growing location of fertile soil and mild climate, is what makes the grapes of these wines so remarkable.

Concannon has roughly 200 acres planted and about 109 of that is dedicated to the Petite Sirah (our favorite red!) We love the wine we’ve tried from Concannon, for both the taste and the budget friendliness ($15-$18). We hope that they continue to produce fabulous wine for many years to come!

Win Your Own!! Concannon shipped me MORE than enough wine to try out on our taste buds. And truthfully, we enjoyed these wines so much, that we absolutely must share!! Instead of keeping all of the bottles ourselves, I will personally be shipping out a few bottles for YOU (my readers!) to enjoy as well! Be on the lookout for a giveaway!

Buy Your Own!! All Conservancy wines are nationally distributed and are approximately affordable at $15. The collection of Conservancy wines include Petite Sirah, Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Join Them Socially!! Click HERE to like them on Facebook. Click HERE to follow them on Twitter

Disclosure: No compensation was given for this review. I did receive a sample product from the sponsor for the purpose of this honest review. This did not affect the outcome of this review. All opinions are 100% my own. For full disclosure click here.

Giveaway! 3 winners! Emerald Breakfast on the go! {Ends 2/12}

Emerald-Breakfast-on-the-goYum! As of this month, Emerald Nuts has 3 new flavors of Breakfast on the go!

These little breakfast packages are filled with dried fruit, crunchy oatmeal clusters and satisfying Emerald Nuts. They are a quick and easy snack for breakfast or a small snack! Since they are pre-portioned, and low calorie – they are a great way to help busy Americans stick to their healthy New Year’s resolutions!

I’ve tried their original flavors: Berry Nut Blend (180 calories/serving), Breakfast Nut Blend (180 calories/serving) and S’mores Nut Blend (200 calories/serving) and love them! Now, nearly 6 months later, I got the opportunity to review their 3 newest flavors! I must say they are delicious!

Breakfast-on-the-go-images

New flavors –

Maple & Brown Sugar, Apples & Cinnamon, Blueberries & Creme

  • 200 calories or less per pouch
  • 3 grams of dietary fiber
  • 3 to 4 grams of protein

Emerald® Breakfast on the go!™ is great for anyone on the go!

And who isn’t?

They are a small handy pouch of ultimate portability! I like to eat then as an in-between meal snack – either when I am out or at home. I’ve even put them in my plain and vanilla yogurt…. so good!

I really enjoy these quick snacks and think they are a good alternative to chips or cookies. Because they are still a little sweet, they are satisfying (for those of us who can’t just eat carrots all day as snacks!)

Win it!! Now for the fun part, Emerald Nuts is giving away these Emerald Breakfast on the go to three winners! Each winner win win one box of each flavor (three boxes per winner)! Awesome! Enter below!

 

:: Giveaway ::

a Rafflecopter giveaway

** Please leave your entries using the above Rafflecopter form. It might take a bit to load. **

Disclosure: No compensation was given for this review/giveaway. I did receive a sample product from the sponsor for the purpose of this honest review. This did not affect the outcome of this review. All opinions are 100% my own. For full disclosure click here.

FREE Laundry Detergent Purex Triple Action!

 

That’s right, I told you it was coming! Now it is here!Free-Purex-Triple-Action-Sa

Visit freesamplepurex.com for a free sample packet!

 

The Purex Triple Actions will be sent by mail in about 6-12 weeks after you fill out the form. Samples are only available in Mountain Breeze fragrance. U.S. households only. Limit one Purex sample per household per 12 months. While supplies last.

Also note: There will be a free sample of Ultra Packs coming soon too. But you can only choose one or the other! Tough choice!

Oh no no no no no no no!FF

Oh nonononononononono is all this Friday Funny needs as a description. I was laughing my little eyes out.

I hope you do too!

Happy Friday Funny!

16 year old girl sails the world alone!

16-year-old-sails-the-world

Laura Dekker is now the youngest person to sail around the world ALONE – 16 year old GIRL!

Did you read about this yet?

That is so awesome. So inspiring! So impressive!

“There were moments where I was like, ’What the hell am I doing out here?,’ but I never wanted to stop,” she told reporters. “It’s a dream, and I wanted to do it.”

Dekker said she was born to parents living on a boat near the coast of New Zealand and said she first sailed solo at 6 years old. At 10, she said, she began dreaming about crossing the globe. She celebrated her 16th birthday during the trip, eating doughnuts for breakfast after spending time at port with her father and friends the night before in Darwin, Australia.

The teenager covered more than 27,000 nautical miles on a trip with stops that sound like a skim through a travel magazine: the Canary Islands, Panama, the Galapagos Islands, Tonga, Fiji, Bora Bora, Australia, South Africa and now, St. Maarten, from which she set out on Jan. 20, 2011.

During her trip, she went surfing, scuba diving, cliff diving and discovered a new hobby: playing the flute, which she said in her weblog was easier to play than a guitar in bad weather.

Dekker also complained about custom clearings, boat inspections, ripped sails, heavy squalls, a wet and salty bed, a near-collision with two cargo ships and the presence of some persistent stowaways: cockroaches.

“I became good friends with my boat,” she said. “I learned a lot about myself.”

Read more at NY Daily News.

Wow, she’s been out at sea for over year! She did this alone! All I know is when I was 16 I didn’t even go to the bathroom without having friends with me! What an independent, brave young lady! Laura, you rock!

What do you think about this story? Was she brave? Were her parents insane? Tell me!

FREE sample of Calcet Calcium Citrate & Vitamin D Creamy Bites

calcet-creamy-bites-free

Hey fellow deal-lovers! It’s been a while since I told you about free samples, huh?! So today, I found this one, and thought I’d share! Looks easy enough, just fill out the form!

FREE sample of Calcet Calcium Citrate & Vitamin D Creamy Bites – Calcium Supplement

How To: 10 New Uses for Lemon

lemon-uses-101

10 New Uses for Lemon

“Lemon juice is the strongest food acid in our kitchens, strong enough to make life unbearable for most bacteria,” says Robert Wolke, professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh and the author ofWhat Einstein Told His Cook 2: The Sequel, Further Adventures in Kitchen Science (W. W. Norton, $26).

Use Lemon to:

1. Sanitize a chopping block. Run a slice of lemon over the surface to disinfect.
2. Eliminate the browning that occurs when food sits out too long. Sprinkle apple or pear slices with lemon juice before serving, or squeeze a bit into guacamole and give it a stir.
3. Remove tough food stains from plastic and light-colored wooden cutting boards.Slice a lemon in half, squeeze the juice onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with water.
4. Fade tea stains on cloth. Dilute lemon juice with an equal amount of water. Use an eyedropper or a Q-tip to make sure the juice targets the stain. Thoroughly flush with cool water.
5. Decorate on the cheap. Fill a glass bowl with lemons for a sunny centerpiece. Or display a row of them along a windowsill.
6. Relieve a sore throat. Cut a lemon in half. Skewer one half over a medium flame on a gas stove or an electric burner set on high and roast until the peel turns golden brown. Let cool slightly, then mix the juice with 1 teaspoon of honey. Swallow the mixture.
7. Whiten fingernails. Rub a wedge on the surface of your nails.
8. Shine the interior of copper cookware. Sprinkle a lemon wedge with salt, then scrub.
9. Brighten laundry whites. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the wash cycle of a normal-size load.
10. Remove soft cheese or other sticky foods from a grater. Rub both sides of the grater with the pulp side of a cut lemon.

* These helpful uses were found at RealSimple

I use lemon for a few of the above suggestions, but brightening laundry? That is new (and scary?) to me! I might try it on my hubby’s clothes first! Do you have any other uses for lemon?

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole #VelveetaRotel Recipe

Chicken-Spaghetti-Southern-Last week my husband and I visited some friends in Salt Lake City. We spent a lovely 4 days with them skiing in the mountains and relaxing with puzzles, games and a hot tub! While I was there I got to talking with the born and raised Texans… and somehow VELVEETA® and Ro*Tel® Recipes came up! I guess it’s a pretty Southern thing? ;)

They shared with me their home cookin’ recipes, including a recipe for Chicken Spaghetti.  I’d never heard of this so called delicious casserole! Although there are many ways to make it, and it is constantly changing, they said that it is always a huge hit!

So I took their general recipe and added a few touches of my own, and this is what I came up with: Chicken Spaghetti Casserole (Super EASY recipe too!)

Cook time: 30 minutes

Prep time: 30 minutes

Chicken-Spaghetti-Recipe-VeChicken Spaghetti Ingredients: 
2 cans chicken or 1 rotisserie chicken (watch for bones!)
1 can Ro*Tel® (drained)
1 lb. VELVEETA® (cubed)
1/2 package of spaghetti
1 can chicken broth
1 medium onion (chop and sauté)
1 green bell pepper (chop and sauté)
1 tablespoon butter
1 can of corn (drained)
1 can cream of chicken
1 can cream of mushroom
1 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)Velveeta-Rotel-Casserole-Re- Chop onion and green bell pepper; sauté in butter.

- Cook spaghetti in 1 can chicken broth and 1 can water. Drain & save 1 cup of broth/water.

- Combine ingredients in a large bowl: corn, black pepper, cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, chunks of chicken, cubed VELVEETA® (all but 6 cubes), sauté green bell pepper and onion mixture. Add 1 can drained Ro*Tel®. Add cooked spaghetti and 1/2 cup – 1 cup broth/water mix.

- Mix all ingredients well. Pour into large lightly greased casserole baking dish. (I used a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. dish). Top the mix with remaining VELVEETA® cheese chunks. Add bread crumbs and bacon if you prefer to the top.

- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serves: 6-8Velveeta-Rotel-Chicken-Cass

This recipe for Chicken Spaghetti makes a ton! I plan on freezing half of it – and eating it for lunch and dinner over the next few days! Also, I should add – it is delicious! ;)

VELVEETA® and RO*TEL® are hosting an amazing sweepstakes to encourage simple, easy weeknight family meals and entertainment ideas. Winners will be picked each week, and the more points you collect the more chances you have of winning! Grand prize winner will receive $15,000!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of VELVEETA/RO*TEL. The opinions and text are all mine.