tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908683089193295672024-01-17T04:55:48.684-08:00The Squeaky Grocery CartUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1098125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-19330411576060999632017-11-02T09:04:00.001-07:002017-11-02T09:04:42.848-07:00Hosting a Kikkoman "Brine a better Turkey" Houseparty #kikkomanparty #sponsoredOn Monday, I received a treat from UPS. My <a href="https://www.kikkomanusa.com/">Kikkoman</a> Houseparty box arrived. I was selected to host a Kikkoman "Brine a juicier bird" at home party. Soy sauce is a staple ingredient in my homecooking. I use for stir fries, salad dressing, I even use it when making hamburgers at home. <br />
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I applied through HouseParty and was selected to be a hostess. If you aren't familiar with House Party, check out there <a href="https://www.houseparty.fun/">website</a>. House Party posts available parties and you decide which products you like and which parties you want to apply for. It is free to sign up. If you are selected to be a host, then you invite friends to your home, in return you get exclusive access to try and share products with them, courtesy of your party pack. <br />
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Inside my party pack was: a $25 AMEX gift card, a case of Hello Kitty Kikkoman soy sauce dispensers, Kikkoman t-shirts, free product coupons and recipe cards. This is actually my second time hosting a Kikkoman house party and they always send great party packs. If I see a Kikkoman party opportunity I always apply. <br />
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The Hello Kitty soy sauce dispensers, I am totally in love with! I don't really want to share but I don't really need 12 of them. So I will be sharing those with friends and family. <br />
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Looking through the recipe cards, there are several that I can't wait to try. The<a href="https://www.kikkomanusa.com/homecooks/seasonal_favorites/"> roasted brined brussel sprouts</a> and <a href="https://www.kikkomanusa.com/homecooks/seasonal_favorites/recipedetail.php?rd=13243&sf=2017_brine#.Wfs_9GhSzIU">sweet potato casserole</a> sound delicious. I can't wait to make these dishes for Thanksgiving!<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">** I received these products for free in exchange for hosting an at home party. I received no other compensation and all opinions expressed are my own.**</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-47683846093887164142017-10-26T09:19:00.000-07:002017-10-26T09:19:22.356-07:00Star Wars Trooping Events for September and October, picture postI am sharing some of my favorite pictures from the past 2 months trooping. It has been awhile since my husband and I have been out in costume. The last two months have certainly made up for it and kept us very busy. We made a children's hospital visit (1 inside the hospital and 1 for an event outside of the hospital), PRAI Walk, a local Make A Wish fundraiser, a trunk or treat event last weekend that hosted 4,000 people, and this weekend, we will be at Boo in the Zoo, which annually hosts around 10,000 people. <div>
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Our children have even been wanting to dress up. We got a rare appearance from Utinni, the littlest Jawa briefly. Utinni is kind of like Big Foot, so it was a big deal. Even though brief,<br />
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I will take it. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-82297263862366504762017-10-26T08:46:00.001-07:002017-10-26T08:56:15.939-07:00Glee Gum Pop Review <br />
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I have reviewed <a href="http://www.gleegum.com/">Glee Gum </a>in the past and I love their products. This time, I am excited to share <a href="http://www.gleegum.com/product-category/gum-pops/">Glee Gum Pops</a>. Just in time for Halloween! Who doesn't love a lollipop in their Trick or Treat bucket? <br />
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As a mom, I am always reading labels. It is nice to find a candy that is using all natural ingredients. These pops are made without artificial colors, sweeteners, and preservatives. They are also allergy friendly and gluten free, as well as vegan and certified kosher by the International Kosher Council. <br />
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Each bag of Gum Pops has 3 delicious flavors- Sweet Strawberry, Juicy Orange, and Crisp Green Apple. The flavors were amazing! It is hard to pick a favorite, but for me, Juicy Orange was the winner. I loved the citrus flavor. Among my kiddos, strawberry was the definite winner. <br />
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My only complaint was that our bag only had 1 Green Apple pop. With 15 in the bag, I would have liked a more even distribution of flavors. With 4 children, we ran into a little conflict, but to make it fair, Mom won the green apple pop. <br />
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We included some Glee Gum Pops in treat bags we made over the weekend. We can't wait for Halloween to get here, so we can share some gum pops with our friends. <br />
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Be sure to check out Glee Gum's other products, which include <a href="http://www.gleegum.com/product-category/candy-kits/">Make Your Own Candy kits.</a> If you want to try some of these delicious, natural candies you can order directly from Glee Gum or use their store locator to find them in your area.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">*I received the product featured free of charge in order to give an honest review. No other compensation was received. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and others may have a different opinion.**</span></i></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-44025695097097184562017-10-26T08:09:00.004-07:002017-10-26T08:09:36.360-07:00Sticky Stir Fried Mushrooms<br />
I found a wonderful vegan recipe that is quick and easy thanks to the Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bosh.tv/">Bosh</a>. The recipe uses just a few simple ingredients and makes a family pleasing meal! Bosh has a lot of create recipe videos too. <br />
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Recipe:<br />
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2 cups Shitaki mushrooms, But you can use any mushrooms you have on hand. I have made this with portobellos and white mushrooms. <br />
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1/4 c. cornstarch<br />
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Coat mushrooms with cornstarch. Heat oil and then stir fry the mushrooms. They will be a golden brown. Remove from pan.<br />
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Sauce:<br />
heat 1 tbsp Sesame oil and saute minced garlic and minced ginger. I do this to personal taste. The recipe calls for 2 cloves of garlic and 1 inch of fresh minced ginger. Saute for a few minutes. <br />
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Add 2 tbsp. brown sugar<br />
1 tsp. rice vinegar<br />
1 tsp cornstarch<br />
1/4 c. soy sauce or tamari<br />
1 tsp. sirracha, add a little more if you want more spice<br />
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Bring to a boil and add mushrooms, stirring to coat with the sauce. Top with green onions and sesame seed. <br />
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I like to serve this brown rice or stir fried noodles and edamame, <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-18623115081010699352017-06-20T10:28:00.000-07:002017-06-21T04:57:59.192-07:00Quick and Easy Vegetarian "Fried Chicken" Summer Tacos<br />
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Our family stays busy year round and in the summer, I think we are even more busy. So I take the semi homemade approach to make this quick and easy meal. <br />
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Becoming vegetarian was a little scary. I was afraid that I would end up eating the small old things, beans and rice, salad, and that meals would become boring. Well thankfully that has not been the case. My family has found that we really enjoy the <a href="http://gardein.com/products/">Gardein </a>products. We have found that they help make meal time easier on those nights when cooking from scratch is just not an option for us. <br />
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I made these vegetarian fried chicken tacos last night for dinner along with a fresh pineapple relish. This is a recipe that can also be adapted for those who want chicken. <br />
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Summer Fried Chicken Tacos,<br />
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1 bag of Gardein chicken tenders ( this can be made with real chicken tenders, store bought or homemade as well.)<br />
mixed greens<br />
multicolored shredded carrots<br />
avocado, diced<br />
green onions, chopped<br />
pineapple relish ( see recipe below)<br />
sweet and spicy bbq sauce - (use your favorite brand)<br />
flour tortillas<br />
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Bake the Gardein chicken tenders according to the bag directions. While they are baking prepare your pineapple relish. <br />
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<b><u>Pineapple Relish</u></b><br />
fresh pineapple diced<br />
1 small onion diced <br />
1 jalapeno, diced and seeded<br />
lime juice<br />
salt and pepper to taste.<br />
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Once everything is ready assemble your tacos. I like to add the shredded carrots, it just gives the tacos a little extra color and crunch. The pineapple relish and bbq sauce give the tacos a nice sweet, spicy, and smoke flavor. <br />
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This is a quick 30 minute meal that the whole family will enjoy. <br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">( The opinions expressed in this post are my own. I did not recieve any payment, goods or services for this post.)</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-35250228745032018062017-06-19T09:44:00.004-07:002017-06-19T09:44:36.909-07:00Sleeplessness, Anxiety, and the weird things that keep me up at night (deadly spiders and celebrity Christmas trees).<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I like many people who have anxiety know the joys that come with it. I will be fine for a while and then WHAM! I am hit with periods of insomnia, panic attacks, and irrational thoughts. This last week was nothing new.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">So what was it that woke me up at 4 am? Deadly nocturnal spiders and Carrie Fisher's Christmas tree. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The swirling vortex of my mind usually reaches full swirl by 4 am. Sometimes, I can calm myself and go back to sleep, other nights, forget it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">What started this whole episode was a spider lurking in the corner near my bookcase in the bedroom. I called my husband to come and look at it because I thought it looked like a black widow without the red. I was convinced it was a deadly spider and it needed to be destroyed! Well, we missed and the damn thing retreated back to the safety the crack between the wall and shelf provided. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The damn spider was then living rent free in my head at this point. After a quick Google search, I became even more convinced that it was a male black widow spider because they do have different coloring from the females. So we went to bed, well my husband went to bed. I did eventually fall asleep up but at 4 am had to go to the restroom. Using my phone as a flashlight, there it was back in the same corner as before. </span><br />
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Blurry eyed, I tried to kill the damn thing and missed again! I woke up my husband with an explosive round of cussing the spider and more lights, every light in the bedroom to be exact. They don't like bright lights and well, I was prepared to sleep with every light in the house on if I had to. <br />
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My husband had this idea to use a flat wooden lid that he wedged forcefully into the crevice and kill the spider that way. After a few whacks that way, my husband declared the spider good and truly dead. I think the spider is just laying in wait. I am still not convinced the spider is dead ( I have seen Arachnophobia, I know what happens!) UPDATE: Admittedly my husband may have succeeded in killing the spider as it has not been seen in 2 days. Still, I am cautious.<br />
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After all that excitement, who can sleep? Not this chick. <br />
I laid in bed staring at the ceiling which is just plain and boring. I have lobbied for glow in the dark stars or something more visually pleasing then nothing. But, my husband is like" just close your eyes". I have explained that if it was that easy to just "close my eyes" and go back to sleep I wouldn't have this problem.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">SOOO this brings me to Carrie Fisher's Christmas tree.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Carrie Fisher's passing was devastating to me. She was my first real childhood hero as Princess Leia. I wanted to be Princess Leia! I named one of my daughters Leia. I loved this woman, I loved her character, I would loved her books, I loved her other work. I love/loved Carrie Fisher for everything else she did. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Earlier in the week, I watched a video segment from <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/exclusive-live-inside-carrie-fishers-memorabilia-filled-home/story?id=47994936">GMA</a> with her brother Todd Fisher. The segment tours her home and talks about the upcoming estate auction of Carrie and her mother, Debbie Reynolds. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Believe me, when I heard about the auction I downloaded the auction catalog. I joked to my husband I needed to sell a kidney so I could afford just 1 item that belonged to her. I really would love one of her ugly children portraits. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">She was one celebrity I wanted to meet but it just never worked out. Carrie Fisher would perform her "celebrity lap dances" nowhere near where I lived and if she got close it was still hours of travel, planning, and large amounts of cash. And t</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">he few times she got close, life got in the way. So I waited and now she is gone. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Back to the GMA segment, As they toured her home the reporter asked Todd about her year around Christmas tree. He explained how his mother took them to visit actor Harold Lloyd, who had a year round tree and believed in Christmas everyday. This had an effect on Carrie and she adopted the same. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">How does this effect me? Aside from wanting something from her home, I began to ponder my own feelings about Christmas. ( Here is where my mind likes to snowball everything. As the snowball gets bigger, it begins sucking up anything and everything. )</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> I have this love/ hate relationship with Christmas in general and this includes my tree. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"> In July, I will march into my local Hallmark store to buy my yearly supply of pop culture mini statuettes to adorn our tree. One of them this year being ironically a Princess Leia . She is on my tree in multiple variations of her character. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">In July, I will love the idea of my tree. Come the day after Thanksgiving, I will sigh and begin the decorating process. Somewhere between then and December 25th, the magic will have faded and by January 1st, I am DONE! I am ready to get the thing out of the living room and not look or think about it for another 11 months. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">But that's a lie! because by May, I am stalking Hallmark for an ornament wish book to buy my yearly supply of ornaments again. Rinse, Lather, Repeat. Its a vicious cycle!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">So then I started asking myself when and why did Christmas lose its magic? Have I ever had a magical Christmas? How do I get that same feeling and pure joy. </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">As a child, I never liked Santa Claus. I didn't like the idea of him sneaking into our home and for several years starting at age 3, asked that he just leave presents in our carport and I could open them there.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Everybody has a memory of their favorite Christmases. I don't.</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">At age 9 my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery 2 days after Christmas. I can't tell you what i got for Christmas that year. There aren't any pictures, there aren't any memories other than that. </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">After that year Christmas just seemed to be a motion you go through. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">When Black Friday rolls around the stress and anxiety begins waiting for something bad to happen. </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I have a list of holiday terrible (included on the list Carrie Fisher's passing).</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> I will spare you the details because I am sharing this not for sympathy, but mainly to vent, ask myself hard questions, sort them out, and tire my mind for a little while so I can nap for an hour or two.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Christmas isn't supposed to be about money, but it is. I don't enjoy Christmas shopping because I have a budget. Then I go between feeling cheap and disappointing my kids because I can't be extravagant and then I stress about going over budget. It is horrible but a modern reality. </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">My husband grew up not celebrating Christmas and he is better at it then I am. Am I burned out? </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">My snowball is still rolling. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I really don't like modern holiday traditions.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I hate elf on the shelf. We have one of the damn little things. It was gifted to our children with good intent. To you over achieving elf moms, I hate your elf and your pintrest pictures too. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I hate gift cards. I get a gift card and never use it for myself. I end up buying things for everyone else. If you want to give me a gift, give me a gift not a damn gift card. </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Am I too cynical? Possibly. But something keeps me coming back year after year repeating the same cycle. Attitud</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">e vs. Gratitude. Yes, i have a bad attitude about Christmas but I am grateful for my husband and children. I try to make it happy for them. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Everybody tells me I can't hate Christmas for my children'</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">s sake. I keep my feelings hidden, which might be why I feel such overwhelming dread even now just thinking about this year's Christmas. I do everything I can to create Christmas for them. We bake, we make hot chocolate, we snuggle, we watch movies, we play games, I plan parties for them, we drive around to look at lights, we shop, we wrap. I enjoy that time together.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I am envious of those with eternal optimism. I feel defective because I don't have this in me.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"> What am I missing? </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Help me Carrie Fisher, you're my only hope. </span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-91792410217374617092017-06-16T09:28:00.004-07:002017-06-16T09:28:47.750-07:00Lidl US store Grand Opening<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CscoJw_UhIQKkUwJFiXB8zaiF4udL4shnP9Th8twbUeDLlesy_8AEBwC-vO-jTfb-1iiDj9I6ZQeDoLAatY-WQ6Q5er1pGMScSffdlT-XhDn2teH_odF7QCn6PjXMilDkXR6dTHsqqM/s1600/20170615_203726_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="1330" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CscoJw_UhIQKkUwJFiXB8zaiF4udL4shnP9Th8twbUeDLlesy_8AEBwC-vO-jTfb-1iiDj9I6ZQeDoLAatY-WQ6Q5er1pGMScSffdlT-XhDn2teH_odF7QCn6PjXMilDkXR6dTHsqqM/s320/20170615_203726_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The new Lidl store opened yesterday and it was pretty great! There are a lot of fantastic opening specials. You can check out their <a href="http://www.circularhub.com/flyers/lidlus-weeklyad?flyer_run_id=249806&type=1#!/flyers/lidlus-weeklyad?flyer_run_id=249806">opening ad</a> .<div>
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For those of you not familiar with Lidl, it is a German grocery chain. Think Aldi but, I have to say, better! The company operates 10,000 stores in 27 countries and is making its way to America. The local store was one of six that opened yesterday along the East Coast. The stores are mainly located in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina with plans for 90 opening this year according to the company. </div>
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Lidl offers lower prices and its own store brands in comparison very similar to Aldi. They also offers "in and out specials" that are released every Monday and Thursday. It can be items like shoes, inflatable kayaks, leather wallets, and charcoal grills. These items change, so if you see something buy it quickly. </div>
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So a few important things to know about the store:</div>
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Store Hours- Monday- Sunday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m</div>
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They do not accept manufacturer's coupons but do have store coupons available on the their store app. </div>
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They accept cash, credit, and debit. NO checks. </div>
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You don't need a quarter for the grocery carts, but you will need to bring your own bags. Lidl does not offer free bags. But, during this opening weekend, they are giving away free bags while supplies last. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Q6YAVV43yA4AnN8dPIvdDM-XVSCt1mOrc_jnWXeONzo7lI59IHvxriNhZtaQEM7JpvdLy_IIwjkIuzyOC0-ot-FJiKJ_lVKRBxSHfpFmvINZPn6iePlSZgtMo0FYxcRKqE5rK6TubHw/s1600/20170615_093312_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Q6YAVV43yA4AnN8dPIvdDM-XVSCt1mOrc_jnWXeONzo7lI59IHvxriNhZtaQEM7JpvdLy_IIwjkIuzyOC0-ot-FJiKJ_lVKRBxSHfpFmvINZPn6iePlSZgtMo0FYxcRKqE5rK6TubHw/s320/20170615_093312_resized.jpg" width="180" /></a>The stores are very attractive. Large windows line the entrance and checkout, making use of natural lighting. Immediately when you walk in you are greeted by fresh produce and the most amazing smell of fresh baked bread and pastries. </div>
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Fresh doughnuts were 3 for .99</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRrf2_d7MQDagVJ7PVTbIEQXXEOazdSsJ_FjRZfI3IKhpAuN0M0S1bPSM4W1ZrAgeQTWbnPpA5kLrYDT3xy9cgpZKYDfDUGoMrVwsRcEsXD1rIATLOiP_WOO0drh8iiAGSN8nsA80QBI/s1600/20170615_102401_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRrf2_d7MQDagVJ7PVTbIEQXXEOazdSsJ_FjRZfI3IKhpAuN0M0S1bPSM4W1ZrAgeQTWbnPpA5kLrYDT3xy9cgpZKYDfDUGoMrVwsRcEsXD1rIATLOiP_WOO0drh8iiAGSN8nsA80QBI/s200/20170615_102401_resized.jpg" width="112" /></a><div>
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Fresh baked croissants were .39 each. I did purchase several croissants and they were amazing! The croissants had a rich buttery taste and if you just touched them crumbs would flake off. We made sandwiches last night for dinner with the croissants. </div>
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The fresh baguettes still had steam coming off of them.</div>
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If you purchase fresh loaves of bread, you can get them sliced ready for sandwiches. The bakery has a lot offer. And of course, the lovely ladies who worked in the bakery were offering samples yesterday and nobody could refuse them! </div>
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The produce is stacked in its original shipping boxes. Don't look for elaborate produce displays. I was impressed with the overall look of the produce. There was a nice selection of organic fruits and vegetables. <br />
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I picked up some produce items yesterday.<br />
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Fresh whole pineapple .89<br />
Organic Bananas .59 per pound<br />
Lemons .49 each<br />
Limes .29 each<br />
Mango .39<br />
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I did not really look at Lidl's meat selection. Since my family is mostly vegetarian it isn't something that I shop for anymore. But according to the sales ad, Chicken breast were 1.29<br />
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I did however sample some of the cheeses and the store brand plain Greek yogurt with store brand granola and fresh blueberries. The cheeses and yogurt were nice quality and I would probably purchase in the future. <br />
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Another drawing point is their wine selection. Lidl offers inexpensive award winning wine. I noticed that bottles ranged from about $3- $25 a bottle. I did purchase a bottle of Moscato and but I have not tried it yet.<br />
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I also learned that Lidl does theme food weeks. This week is Italian foods. You will find in their ad that there is a lot of Italian food items specially priced. One of the featured items is extra long 19 inch spaghetti noodles imported from Italy. Those packages are .99 this week. I did pick up some of those noodles which I thought my children would have fun with. You can see them in my Lidl haul picture posted below. <br />
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So my total Lidl haul from yesterday was small. I wasn't in need of many groceries so I just picked up a few items. </div>
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1 bottle of Moscato wine</div>
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2 fair trade chocolate bars (1 milk chocolate, 1 milk chocolate with hazelnuts)</div>
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1.5 pounds of organic bananas</div>
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1 pineapple</div>
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4 fresh baked croissants</div>
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2 limes</div>
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1 lemon</div>
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1 fresh baked baguette</div>
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2 packages of imported extra long spaghetti</div>
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3 non gmo fruit leathers (not pictured)</div>
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Total: $13.83</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNKNc20Vle7s5EvdUtB9vcQQQjgRzYHt0QiLm0Ahe-N__F7ZqSnPjUJpPt6ieCLNx1Fs8EbsQ_DhT4Z1nXg4tja1o1ItaQkjY4cua38tD_caKpBnpP586SVcL1Sy0-lpxujhLs2YfLKU/s1600/20170615_104330_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNKNc20Vle7s5EvdUtB9vcQQQjgRzYHt0QiLm0Ahe-N__F7ZqSnPjUJpPt6ieCLNx1Fs8EbsQ_DhT4Z1nXg4tja1o1ItaQkjY4cua38tD_caKpBnpP586SVcL1Sy0-lpxujhLs2YfLKU/s320/20170615_104330_resized.jpg" width="180" /></a>My overall impression of Lidl is that I really loved it. I really liked it more then Aldi. Granted I am not a full Aldi shopper either (I go to Aldi for 2 items on a regular basis and that is it.) I still won't do all of my shopping here but I definitely will watch their sales ad for produce, bakery items, some miscellaneous grocery items and certainly any of their "in and out specials" are worth watching. </div>
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If you have a Lidl that just opened in your community, let me know what you think.</div>
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(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">My review of Lidl Stores is my own opinion. I did not receive any payment, products, or services for this review.)</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-2397005352441782752017-06-14T21:00:00.002-07:002017-06-14T21:00:49.774-07:00Yellow Squash and Zuchinni TartSince the beginning of this year, my husband and I have decided to become vegetarian. We had watched several food related documentaries, but the one that brought about the greatest change for us, was the documentary Forks Over Knives. If you are interested in watching it for yourself, it is available on Netflix.<br />
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We have spent the last 6 months experimenting with various vegetarian recipes. My husband is not the easiest person to feed. In our family of 6, he ranks right behind our 2 year old as the pickiest eater. It has been a challenge at times but we have also been pleasantly surprised. <br />
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This recipe is a lacto-ovo vegetarian recipe because it does contain both eggs and dairy. The Yellow Squash and Zuchinni Tart is modified from the<a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/rainbow-rose-veggie-tart-530224"> Rainbow Rose Veggie Tart </a>from the Food Network. <br />
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1 roll of Puff Pastry ( I substituted with a ready made pie crust. I have found that both equally well.)<br />
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15 oz of ricotta cheese <br />
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2 eggs ( I use fresh eggs)<br />
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3 oz of parmesan cheese<br />
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1 pinch of nutmeg<br />
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1 pinch of salt<br />
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2 tbsps olive oil<br />
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1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese<br />
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1 tbsp oregano (I varied from the original recipe by added more spices. see below)<br />
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1/2 tsp. granulated garlic<br />
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fresh cracked pepper.<br />
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Zuchinni and yellow squash sliced thinly with a potato peeler or mandolin. <br />
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For me, it is difficult to find the rainbow carrots at my local supermarkets. To get them, I have to go to Whole Foods or another specialty market. Right now, with squash and zuchinni being plentiful they are easy to get from local growers.<br />
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<b><u>DIRECTIONS: </u></b></div>
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Unfold a puff pastry sheet over a tart pan. Place parchment paper or tin foil over the middle and weight with beans or pie weight. </div>
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Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove parchment paper and weights and let cool.</div>
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In a bowl, combine eggs, ricotta, grated parmesan cheese, grated nutmeg, and salt. Add grated mozzarella and spices. Mix until smooth. </div>
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<ol class="expanded" style="border-bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNg_bWVSybAKZM6s611cYuRauCvdzahMh8P4OCqqZpm1ht99LZoElIJLCML8v02tfT77RHsDHjaIjiyAcfwoqW7_RstPk99XU1Ws_9jlI6YxIb0vPvx19BoMW5XuKGTi8s7GRf6VWv-D4/s1600/19059284_10211552292075726_2467531748465192543_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNg_bWVSybAKZM6s611cYuRauCvdzahMh8P4OCqqZpm1ht99LZoElIJLCML8v02tfT77RHsDHjaIjiyAcfwoqW7_RstPk99XU1Ws_9jlI6YxIb0vPvx19BoMW5XuKGTi8s7GRf6VWv-D4/s320/19059284_10211552292075726_2467531748465192543_n.jpg" width="256" /></a>
<li style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(229, 226, 219); box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0.555556em; padding-top: 0.555556em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Slice strips of zucchini and carrots length-wise using a potato peeler or a mandolin. Place the slices in a bowl and cook in the microwave for 1 minute. This step will soften the slices and make them much easier to roll.</span></li>
<li style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(229, 226, 219); box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0.555556em; padding-top: 0.555556em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spread the cheese mixture on top of the tart base.</span></li>
<li style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(229, 226, 219); box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0.555556em; padding-top: 0.555556em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Take one slice of a vegetable and roll it up very tightly—this will form the core of the rose. Take another slice and keep rolling. With around 2-3 slices you should obtain a decent-size rose bud. Place the bud in the center of the tart, pushing it down into the cheese. Keep rolling roses of different colors and place them one next to the other in a spiral formation. This process is kind of time consuming and you can make smaller spiral </span></li>
<li style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(229, 226, 219); box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0.555556em; padding-top: 0.555556em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Brush olive oil on top of the vegetables and bake the tart at 375 degrees F for 50 minutes.</span></li>
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The finished product bakes up beautifully and highlights these seasonal vegetables. I serve this with a mixed greens salad and some fresh fruit. It makes for a simple and filling meal on a summer's evening. <br />
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If you try this recipe, please leave a comment. I would love to know what you think of it. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-8308653859077816332017-06-14T10:29:00.002-07:002017-06-14T10:29:59.137-07:00Gravtopia Trooping (picture post)It has been a while since I have worn my Admiral Ackbar costume, like 2 years but who is counting. I love to wear it to events but with 4 kiddos sometimes I just don't get the opportunity. But about 2 weeks ago, I had the opportunity to pull it and I had a blast. Unfortunately, I did not get to wear it very long due to the sweat inducing properties of latex. But I did have fun afterward operating our R2 unit and jumping on the trampolines.<br />
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Here are a few pictures from the fun we had at Gravitopia, a local indoor trampoline and extreme sports center. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmU04w5KUnNSmVP21Yt70Haz84yKTSLIsguHDLcl48AtcFQ8dWwih0009eGgiEkfzgBJLxFdc-iYU3qr1ADpzAEcR5aU6hoiFLAvEQ-m7yMEejctsZykLlg1aRz9RXzybSxnBG4y_0FE/s1600/18740503_10211407138406975_9220116109008249551_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmU04w5KUnNSmVP21Yt70Haz84yKTSLIsguHDLcl48AtcFQ8dWwih0009eGgiEkfzgBJLxFdc-iYU3qr1ADpzAEcR5aU6hoiFLAvEQ-m7yMEejctsZykLlg1aRz9RXzybSxnBG4y_0FE/s400/18740503_10211407138406975_9220116109008249551_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The foam pit... It's a trap!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSx3aCBKm4R1sgAEywywiUv1XLK6oYRneySWAgyVB5c4atYQqAU6E9LHzrXE4PMxhMOcjmJJsPrp4K0ScH5DL5cDwNAHjwKGBtZetyM0d3xPNdAmKDPPDd96Yrb3-KKPyI53sd_VIRggM/s1600/18671179_10211407143487102_5533098738434359916_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSx3aCBKm4R1sgAEywywiUv1XLK6oYRneySWAgyVB5c4atYQqAU6E9LHzrXE4PMxhMOcjmJJsPrp4K0ScH5DL5cDwNAHjwKGBtZetyM0d3xPNdAmKDPPDd96Yrb3-KKPyI53sd_VIRggM/s400/18671179_10211407143487102_5533098738434359916_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a snack!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIG3na7Ss3V2yWBQiXHFKwR8Sk2FYea0awGKhirjSNJQtjbmDr4JItiSHtFPDQVFJ9Yxkx6Hqw1tmDCpCMTfQl1XoUhgCF5tc4gpe9pSB_uak7Flxd9HZ_iuj59o1tONLD9_S5hXxWYqQ/s1600/18740362_10211407141167044_7238575215947660954_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIG3na7Ss3V2yWBQiXHFKwR8Sk2FYea0awGKhirjSNJQtjbmDr4JItiSHtFPDQVFJ9Yxkx6Hqw1tmDCpCMTfQl1XoUhgCF5tc4gpe9pSB_uak7Flxd9HZ_iuj59o1tONLD9_S5hXxWYqQ/s400/18740362_10211407141167044_7238575215947660954_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a TRAMP-oline!</td></tr>
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And yes, cheesy puns come with the costume.<br />
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#admiralackbar, #starwars, #cosplay,#itsatrap,#starwarscostumes.<br />
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All pictures shown in the post are my original photos. If you use one of my photos please give proper credit for the photo or link back to this blog post. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-45292636813646337892016-11-07T06:38:00.001-08:002016-11-07T06:38:21.704-08:00Chic fil A Mom's Panel MemberI am happy to announce that I am a memeber of the Chic Fil A mom's panel again for another year. <br />
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I recieved a nice welcome package; fncluding an insultated bag, food coupons, sunglasses, and my children loved the little cow. rom them on Friday. I recieved this gift box Friday.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-80929440496474118052016-11-04T13:41:00.001-07:002016-11-04T13:41:35.240-07:00Victoria the white cat from CATS<br />
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My youngest daughter, who I call Peazie, has started to really enjoy musicals. A few weeks ago, I introduced her to the musical CATS. Together we watched the dvd of the play and I also read her some of the T.S. Eliot poems it was based on.<br />
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Being the little dancer and gymnast that she is, she immediately became interested in the white cat. For those not familiar with the musical; the white cat is named Victoria.<br />
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I had taken her to the Halloween store to look at costumes. She just didn't see anything she wanted to be. After looking at some pictures of CATS cosplayers, she decided that was her costume.<br />
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We used a white long sleeve leotard and white leggings. I had looked into ordering her a white unitard but this was more practical. For her tail, I used white marabou. The rest of her fur came from a white scarf that i found at a local dollar store. I cut pieces for her legs, arms, and neck. We recycled a wig that my son had used for a school play. Costwise, I spent around $25. The most expensive part was the leotard. <br />
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I think we captured the over all like of the character.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-87417996231472415552016-11-04T06:25:00.002-07:002016-11-04T13:32:40.991-07:00Our Halloween inspired lunchesI love making bento box lunches for my children. Since I have such picky eaters, lunch can be a day to day challenge. I never know who will eat what.<br />
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I have an album on my Facebook page that is called. " Our Lunchbox Project". I have a weekly lunch meeting with the kids to plan our lunches. During our lunch meetings, we look for lunch ideas, recipes, and plan our grocery list. They are still picky eaters but it has helped. <br />
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II take pictures of the lunches I make to help me kind of keep of track of what they like and did not like. It has also been a nice way to share lunch inspiration with friends. I was adding pictures this morning of some of our Halloween lunches and I thought I would share them here as well. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Op1vlnMzK0bZ8l2J-oZYcM8aOKDWtPN3If8X_FJEGqgJ43qxxscQUYj2HvW1Fs3M_zhZXK-ZoiuXq2r4NRRbvkaWX2F4hlYnkuXly3EVBPIB5BY7OUyLyR6fOU3fA1E1ELgP807o_8A/s1600/20161104_082508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Op1vlnMzK0bZ8l2J-oZYcM8aOKDWtPN3If8X_FJEGqgJ43qxxscQUYj2HvW1Fs3M_zhZXK-ZoiuXq2r4NRRbvkaWX2F4hlYnkuXly3EVBPIB5BY7OUyLyR6fOU3fA1E1ELgP807o_8A/s320/20161104_082508.jpg" width="320" /></a>With this first lunch, we made simple hot dog mummies. Our version is made with veggie dogs, but you can use any hot dog. Pretzel and cheese broomsticks, apple slices, carrot sticks, and for dessert; Harry Potter inspired Sorting Hat caramels. The caramels are hard to see in the picture. <br />
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The Sorting Hats are made with 2 caramel cube and I use a toothpick to create the eyes and mouth,<br />
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The Ghostbuster inspired lunch consists of a round turkey sandwich with a cheese and olive ghost on top. I used red food coloring to help create the look of the logo. A green carved apple face, I wanted it to look like Slimer, The Ghost Crisps I found at World Market, The little ghost picks i found at the local dollar store.<br />
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This lunch was inspired by Monster High for my oldest daughter. A skull shaped PBJ. I hand cut the shape of the skull and fashioned a bow out of fruit roll up. Since she likes simple lunches, apple slices, carrot coins, and crisps finish her lunch, I did add some pop rocks as a little treat. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysE0ZzsiEqmi78SJddejzkXtbPf0mCZbmWnQ4kuqJj9qML9DqrDDGFZZLUWivDrhDJ3OlQFav1v41f37i3XlNCJzN4OCsMWoiJTpzMrtcxhdFzmU_hJ5nXJnbJOVljyMK5jvs6YRcFBI/s1600/20161104_082421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysE0ZzsiEqmi78SJddejzkXtbPf0mCZbmWnQ4kuqJj9qML9DqrDDGFZZLUWivDrhDJ3OlQFav1v41f37i3XlNCJzN4OCsMWoiJTpzMrtcxhdFzmU_hJ5nXJnbJOVljyMK5jvs6YRcFBI/s320/20161104_082421.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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I created a Ninja Turtle inspired lunch with a homemade un-crustable sandwich. I made cuts on the top to look like a turtle shell. I made "ants on a log" minus the ants nunchucks, pretzel sticks and a Ninja Turtle apple. The apple is sliced in half, a grape was cut in half to create the eyes and wrapped with a fruit roll up. <br />
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I hope you enjoy our lunchbox ideas. Please leave a comment if you are a bento fan too. I am always looking for ideas</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-42559088632335856382016-10-30T08:25:00.002-07:002016-10-30T08:25:39.719-07:00Trying out Bobby Flay's Banana Bread Waffles with Banana Fosters sauceYesterday, while through my Facebook feed, I came across the video for this recipe. I shared to my Facebook page, thinking "I'll save it for later but in all reality never make this recipe" kind of moments. We all have them right?<br />
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As luck would have it, last night a loaf of banana bread landed in my hands thanks to a good friend and the church Fall Festival cake walk.<br />
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Here is the link to the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/brunch-bobbys/600-series/breaking-bread-for-brunch.html">recipe</a>.<br />
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Of course, I skipped the step of making my own banana bread. The sauce is easy to make with its 5 ingredients.<br />
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I did not use dark rum, instead I used Pyrat Rum which is a little lighter in color then a dark rum. This particular brand of rum is also infused with a hint of vanilla and orange. I felt those flavors went nicely with this recipe.<br />
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Here's my finished dish. This is decadent brunch dish that would be amazing for the upcoming holidays. I served this with turkey sausage links.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-5952913133735510242016-10-25T07:03:00.002-07:002016-10-25T07:07:52.575-07:00Costume Building- Sans from UndertaleThis past week, our home has been in full Halloween mode. I have been busy working with my children to get everyone's Halloween costume finished and ready for the big night. With 4 children, I try to keep all costumes on a budget between $20-$25 each.<br />
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My oldest son decided that he wanted to be Sans from Undertale. I admittedly don't really know a lot about the game. All I can really tell you about Undertale. is that it is an 8 bit style video game.<br />
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So this is Sans.<br />
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The clothing was simple enough. My son already had a white t-shirt, black basketball shorts and a dark blue hoodie. The problem was how to make the head. We discussed face painting, which would have worked and been simple enough... but it's Halloween, go big.</div>
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I had an idea on how to make the head; so the challenge then was to find a beach ball. You would think that we would have had one around the house somewhere but no luck. We asked several friends if they had one we could have, no luck. </div>
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If you ever find yourself looking for a beach ball out of season, forget the $ stores. I tried every dollar store in town, So my advice here is: Try Target first! </div>
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My local Target still had pool items and beach balls were .99. I picked up 2, just in case we are ever need another one for costume building. </div>
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The beach ball got covered with 3 thin layers of papier mache. I allowed a little bit of dry time between each layer, so it took about a day to get the ball covered. It sat for another 24 hours to make sure it was completely dry.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBWSfCNHozA_gDS0zDkvYoRxwHueFakqWoVTxhw52fIiC89tXGlns8NPdT9YInqE7OuswsevlvTs6fcGrJ4WATDbcwkIM9Tw9ZXf7NvOS2ar76O5pMoTl4_JqlA9MeGDI9KeTrTlt1Ms/s1600/20161017_200344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBWSfCNHozA_gDS0zDkvYoRxwHueFakqWoVTxhw52fIiC89tXGlns8NPdT9YInqE7OuswsevlvTs6fcGrJ4WATDbcwkIM9Tw9ZXf7NvOS2ar76O5pMoTl4_JqlA9MeGDI9KeTrTlt1Ms/s200/20161017_200344.jpg" width="112" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"></span><br />
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After the ball was completely dry, I cut the holes for the nose and eyes. I made them larger because I wanted to make sure that he had enough visibility, Then I did a layer of masking tape on the inside and outside of the head. I did this because I wanted to re-enforce the head piece,<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">I then used newspaper and tape to shape the cheeks. Once I was happy with the cheeks, I covered the entire head with another of paper. When that layer was dry, I cut the mouth and re-enforced the edges with masking tape. </span><br />
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The whole head was then painted with 2 layers of gesso and then white acrylic paint. I used window screen mesh and black tulle for the eyes, nose, and mouth backing. <br />
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What you won"t see in the pictures that I am posting are the teeth and eyes. I used a large hole punch on white adhesive vinyl to make the eyes and then cut the vinyl to make teeth pieces. <br />
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I did pick up a few other items at a local dollar store. Luckily, I went at the right time because most of their Halloween items were 2 for $1. I found a pair of skeleton gloves and pink slippers which the character wears sometimes. I also got a pair of white knee socks that we will use to cover his legs. <br />
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Overall, this costume was fairly inexpensive cost wise to make. The head took about 3 days to complete. As I said, we used clothing my son already owned.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jZ5YaJsh5yW2C7WnLbqgQDEKt1HVYwlhiKNtRqai-O38PFeEWILs0Z9ejqNWTvcnOnTfedMn6ZoKBmer9dkzMHhQUOtiakSI6vO7sbrgAi72_x9CyFzhLmrIZBSO0SaNMt31nv517Zs/s1600/20161019_173145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jZ5YaJsh5yW2C7WnLbqgQDEKt1HVYwlhiKNtRqai-O38PFeEWILs0Z9ejqNWTvcnOnTfedMn6ZoKBmer9dkzMHhQUOtiakSI6vO7sbrgAi72_x9CyFzhLmrIZBSO0SaNMt31nv517Zs/s320/20161019_173145.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />
Here is the materials cost:<br />
Beach Ball- $1<br />
2 rolls of masking tape $6<br />
Gesso- regular price 8.99/ with coupon 6.99<br />
black tulle 1.50<br />
window screening- free, had scrap pieces<br />
skeleton gloves - .50<br />
pink slippers - 1.00<br />
socks- 1.00<br />
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My son is thrilled with his costume this year! That is the main thing for me, I want them to have fun and enjoy Halloween. He was really involved in the building of the head and did help with a lot of the painting. <br />
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Be sure to look for my other costume posts. My youngest daughter decided she wanted to dress like a cat from the Broadway musical CATS, my oldest daughter is going to be a unicorn, and my littlest guy is going as a Ghostbuster, complete with a vintage proton pack that we have been working on restoring.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-77722217305707137272016-10-19T07:24:00.002-07:002016-10-19T07:24:56.504-07:00Trying to come back to bloggingIn 2010, I started my blog because I thought it would fun. It was fun! I got excited when I got new followers or someone would comment on a post. It was a great feeling! <br />
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For 2 years, my blog grew and then I kind of abandoned it. I had a lot happening in my life. The short version is this; We had our 3rd child, I struggled with depression, I had a miscarriage, then I got pregnant again and had our 4th child .<br />
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My last pregnancy was extremely difficult. Weekly trips to the maternal/fetal specialists took their toll. I was not emotionally ready to be pregnant again.<br />
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I cried every week before my appointment because of fear something was wrong. I cried every week after my appointment in shear relief that every thing was ok. And, I cried a lot inbetween appointments. <br />
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Finally, I had a beautiful, healthy baby boy and afterwards, I struggled with depression again. <br />
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With all of that going on, I just didn't feel like writing anything. I have made some attempts at posting little things, they were half hearted and really weren't anything worth typing. <br />
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But, I have decided to try again. Will I post everyday? Probably not. My goal is few times a week. I think that is a reasonable goal. I will post the things that I enjoy and things that make me happy. Hopefully, some of you will enjoy them too.<br />
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Thank you to those who have stayed with me. To those who left, that's ok. I will gain new followers. I will rebuild my blog.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-45980643258063421252016-09-07T00:00:00.000-07:002016-09-07T00:00:06.556-07:00Wordless Wednesday- stuff on the ground. (#wordlesswednesday)8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-4224130497129981552016-09-06T07:25:00.001-07:002016-09-06T07:26:34.899-07:00Chick-fil-A National Breakfast Giveaway. #cfaone,#chickfilamoms<br />
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Chick-fil-A is launching a National Breakfast Giveaway during the month of September. Customers who create a Chick-fil-A One account between Sept. 1 and Sept. 10, as well as all existing Chick-fil-A One Members, will receive an offer for a free Egg White Grill, Chicken Biscuit, or Chick-n-Minisâ„¢ (3-count).<br />
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The offer will be available for Chick-fil-A One Members beginning Sept. 1, and will remain available until September 30th.<br />
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#CFAOne #ChickfilAMomsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-28759362987531606842016-06-16T07:18:00.001-07:002016-06-16T07:18:05.687-07:00Nature's Harvest "Make A Splash with Whole Grains Sweepstakes"<br />
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Get ready to swim into some fun with everyone's favorite, forgetful, blue fish, Dory and her friends! </div>
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Now through July, select packages of specially marked Nature's Harvest® breads, made with at least 8g of whole grains per serving, will feature the loveable "Finding Dory" characters, along with a chance to bring home a free, limited-edition Dory TY® Sparkle Eye Beanie Boo™ plush toy!</div>
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Swim by <a alt="https://www.naturesharvestbread.com/" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00114QIOD040e8tYcUzGKoq2JCbnc0Mv4ry5gv2SM6yJ7w25j40UfT-ybHHIV7a_uVuyG6AJCmmVuE6UbeuOmZc99Liq9l-NRvrl3DFgqnFEZoiNM_FpSAZsbtldSSiokUO1MgD_fjrS6eQaorv_JnGIi9__f_yHx8o22f_2ZOTrPgtDVjOCNurEUHEkMY3ka9k&c=Nu6uG3Oiqu7GNSttAXZXlYhiaNuoFDAy7pwSf7JyRDYG0_jFoK3OVg==&ch=VLiVTSiLViTiZjx4VwxBevanPGpJC-sH6Of26Il7g9PJf4jxZ0_-nQ==" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" track="on">www.naturesharvestbread.com</a> for more info for instructions and official rules on how to complete and submit the offer form.</div>
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Can't get enough of "Finding Dory?" Nature's Harvest® bread invites you to "just keep swimming" and enter the Make A Splash with Whole Grains Sweepstakes!</div>
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From April 28 to July 7, Nature's Harvest® bread is hosting the Make A Splash with Whole Grains Sweepstakes on its <a alt="https://www.facebook.com/NaturesHarvestBreads/app/143103275748075/?ref=page_internal" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00114QIOD040e8tYcUzGKoq2JCbnc0Mv4ry5gv2SM6yJ7w25j40UfT-yUhPqmchFjuNaCzQJmyuNh8iIuZpfibq90_OwBRlEKvJ71su0oHrG91_gC48ZymDRZzwkajVhfyS8LeEWWNkomJ0saDk8v3koUjXOZemqcRsjmgLPrIyx9fUvm9FiaqO7Hl9JMtDMjjSAt0eOCJgOihP9CrhESCwOa62fpB2dWXLxOX1tLUAiTiji9XdjAYm6pJHf_loVS8ziGy2AD8vAIM=&c=Nu6uG3Oiqu7GNSttAXZXlYhiaNuoFDAy7pwSf7JyRDYG0_jFoK3OVg==&ch=VLiVTSiLViTiZjx4VwxBevanPGpJC-sH6Of26Il7g9PJf4jxZ0_-nQ==" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" track="on">Facebook page</a>, and you can enter for a chance to win! Weekly prizes include movie tickets, autographed posters and more. See official rules <a alt="https://woobox.com/offers/rules/dven6v" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00114QIOD040e8tYcUzGKoq2JCbnc0Mv4ry5gv2SM6yJ7w25j40UfT-yUhPqmchFjuNzNMol-zRVNPkpV_HtAMYZ1J6iFmiyeZgoBAZ43Zsxvr3oXsx2A0gGIKtF9E6hEgKyvjPZN_c6t5-XMaay86FLzvd459IhNisNNr-7UtvWF1gLFmudpAzOm5slKhyVqNMp82-7uqm7Ro=&c=Nu6uG3Oiqu7GNSttAXZXlYhiaNuoFDAy7pwSf7JyRDYG0_jFoK3OVg==&ch=VLiVTSiLViTiZjx4VwxBevanPGpJC-sH6Of26Il7g9PJf4jxZ0_-nQ==" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" track="on">here</a>.</div>
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For more information about the sweepstakes and how to enter, please visit the <a alt="https://www.facebook.com/NaturesHarvestBreads/app/143103275748075/?ref=page_internal" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00114QIOD040e8tYcUzGKoq2JCbnc0Mv4ry5gv2SM6yJ7w25j40UfT-yUhPqmchFjuNaCzQJmyuNh8iIuZpfibq90_OwBRlEKvJ71su0oHrG91_gC48ZymDRZzwkajVhfyS8LeEWWNkomJ0saDk8v3koUjXOZemqcRsjmgLPrIyx9fUvm9FiaqO7Hl9JMtDMjjSAt0eOCJgOihP9CrhESCwOa62fpB2dWXLxOX1tLUAiTiji9XdjAYm6pJHf_loVS8ziGy2AD8vAIM=&c=Nu6uG3Oiqu7GNSttAXZXlYhiaNuoFDAy7pwSf7JyRDYG0_jFoK3OVg==&ch=VLiVTSiLViTiZjx4VwxBevanPGpJC-sH6Of26Il7g9PJf4jxZ0_-nQ==" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" track="on">Nature's Harvest® bread Facebook page</a>. No purchase necessary.</div>
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<strong>The Nature's Harvest® Bread Make A Splash with Whole Grains Sweepstakes information has been provided by Nature's Harvest® Bread."</strong> </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-45863972299243438662016-06-01T08:19:00.000-07:002016-06-01T12:05:51.967-07:00The new Chic-Fil-A app is available #CFAone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMPKYmYh6fZETYW617NX05_4A9eW1Z3-IXxlcklF4HLXPbDd_2M4DnySspFGz9aOdkNfWBKB9hK86hPlXvCy6WiN6W8agMtgmAEcGqJyQZx7-c6ECq4PghwTXBFh4ssepu3YXwINr-kE/s1600/13308601_10153670288083297_1174439523653767084_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMPKYmYh6fZETYW617NX05_4A9eW1Z3-IXxlcklF4HLXPbDd_2M4DnySspFGz9aOdkNfWBKB9hK86hPlXvCy6WiN6W8agMtgmAEcGqJyQZx7-c6ECq4PghwTXBFh4ssepu3YXwINr-kE/s320/13308601_10153670288083297_1174439523653767084_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://one.chick-fil-a.com/">Chic-fil-A</a> has introduced a new app that includes features like mobile ordering and paying. The app will also remember your favorite menu items. Best of all, you can also earn rewards. <br />
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Download today and recieve a free sandwich of your choice (regular, spicy, or grilled). <br />
#chicfilamom,#cfaoneUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-33479362091399069992013-04-19T05:54:00.001-07:002013-04-19T05:54:33.831-07:00It's that time of year, the Hallmark Ornament Wish Book is available!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLsns-2obxSgf9qfVNdu397VLUDCSIlUJrgmS24h4odN3ssLDDM24a8_3ffFZ1vcqmRJHmeppr8Tgl68XhIg-FBXZr-FZRJZUzvFwU2J_0-SXc4QVnb1WZtbeQbXVH2bFoTiVs9JNdHlz/s1600/20130419_072544_zps0d062e14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLsns-2obxSgf9qfVNdu397VLUDCSIlUJrgmS24h4odN3ssLDDM24a8_3ffFZ1vcqmRJHmeppr8Tgl68XhIg-FBXZr-FZRJZUzvFwU2J_0-SXc4QVnb1WZtbeQbXVH2bFoTiVs9JNdHlz/s320/20130419_072544_zps0d062e14.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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At our home, when the Hallmark ornament book comes out, the whole family gets excited. What started out as me buying 1 or 2 ornaments when I worked there briefly during high school, has steadily progressed to 10-15 ornaments a year.<br />
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So, what is on our wishlist for this year? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2wVXU5m9l8J9mv-Z0Fi6Kx9zhG_cgo9O5A2KvHbHj7VaAElqjozD_EYd-e2dtNNN-djRrOrkEwgLUfYDhKEl1Z9az5fou7um63azQTiBv9d75Y5J2Bifxs0stAEzpUbKQlHlv6f7tpq1I/s1600/21244699-f692-4703-95fe-f73e1940dd74_zpsc64fe0b7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2wVXU5m9l8J9mv-Z0Fi6Kx9zhG_cgo9O5A2KvHbHj7VaAElqjozD_EYd-e2dtNNN-djRrOrkEwgLUfYDhKEl1Z9az5fou7um63azQTiBv9d75Y5J2Bifxs0stAEzpUbKQlHlv6f7tpq1I/s320/21244699-f692-4703-95fe-f73e1940dd74_zpsc64fe0b7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I always buy the Star Wars ornaments. This year's are all Return of the Jedi, with the exception of the Jango. <br />
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The Ewoks are 17th in the Star Wars series. I am happy to see these are regular sized ornaments. I have the mini set, but I am not a fan of them. I wish they would redo Max Rebo, Sny Snootles, and Droopy in the regular size. <br />
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Both, Jabba and the AT-ST are magic ornaments, featuring dialogue and battle sounds. Yoda is the 3rd Lego figure ornament.<br />
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During the July ornament premiere, there is usually a limited release ornament that is available. This year the ornament will be Boushh. Last years, limited release was Hammerhead. I got so tickled at an older lady who was in the store picking out ornaments. She said, "I don't know what this ugly thing is, but I guess I need to get him for my grandson." So this year, I was really hoping they would make Admiral Ackbar. <br />
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Other notables making our list:<br />
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Hogwarts Castle: It is a magic ornament playing "Hedwig's theme" and has lighting effects when plugged into the lights. The only downside to this one is that you have to plug it into the lights. The ornaments like that don't work very well on our pre-lit tree. <br />
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Buzz is on a mission: It is a magic ornament, that when the button is pushed Buzz speaks. In the wish book, it mentions that there is also a Spanish speaking version of Buzz available in select stores. I want a Spanish speaking Buzz! So I am going to have to track down a store with this version.<br />
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The Joker: My daughter informed me that she needed the Joker to go with her Harley Quinn ornament. And, well, who can argue with that logic? It is a magic ornament that features some of the Joker's most memorable lines from "The Dark Knight".<br />
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This post is also posted on my other blog, <a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/">Retro Toy Safari. </a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-62530036393615874312013-04-06T06:35:00.000-07:002013-04-06T06:35:12.837-07:00Ultimate Blog Hop Party postWelcome everyone from the Ultimate Blog Hop! <a href="http://www.5minutesformom.com/ubp/"><img alt="Ultimate Blog Party 2013" src="http://www.5minutesformom.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/UBP-2013_125x1251.jpg" title="Ultimate Blog Party 2013" /></a><br />
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The Squeaky Grocery Cart was the first blog that I started in 2010. A little bit of everything goes into my cart. I enjoy blogging about recipes, crafts, favorite products, finding deals, etc. But, I also have been dividing my blogging time between my newest blog, <a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/">Retro Toy Safari</a>. <br />
I enjoy collecting dolls and toys from the 70's and 80's, and even some newer toy lines. On Retro Toy Safari, I try to recapture those warm memories we all have about our favorite toys growing up. I share items from my personal collection and retro finds from thrift stores and flea markets. <br />
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As for me personally, I am a mother, who has been blessed with 3 beautiful children. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to stay at home with them. And just like every mom, I crave 5 minutes to myself. When I get those rare minutes, I enjoy painting, baking and decorating cakes, and reading. <br />
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Thank you for stopping my blog. I hope that you find some articles of interest and come back, because you never know what you will find in a squeaky grocery cart. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-65918407491698703522013-03-27T05:16:00.000-07:002013-03-27T08:07:51.067-07:00My Monster High Collection I decided that I would re-post some of my toy collection posts from my toy blog, <a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/">Retro Toy Safari</a>. I have posted about hunting for Monster High dolls on this blog several times and how difficult it can be to find them at times in stores. So I thought that I would share more about my collection and how mine and my daughters' doll collection has grown over the last couple of years.<br />
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My toy collection goes in all directions. If it was something that I was into as a kid, chances are I have some sort of collection. lol No, I don't need a Hoarders intervention. I regularly decide to sell whole collections or duplicate items. But, there are some items that I will never willingly part with.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Right now, as far as doll collecting goes, I am really into <a href="http://www.monsterhigh.com/">Monster High</a>. I really fell in love with the dolls when they first came out. I love the whole concept of them being teenage children of famous movie monsters. It was a breath of fresh air in the fashion doll market. Don't get me wrong, I love Barbie, but sometimes the line gets tired. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">If you aren't familiar with Monster High, I hope this post will give you some more information about the dolls. If you are a fan of Monster High, I am hope you enjoy looking at my collection. This is not a complete collection post. I am only focusing on the dolls, however some are not pictured. I also have not included any pictures of play sets, play sets with exclusive dolls or fashion packs. I may do those in later posts. </span><br />
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The first wave of MH dolls are Lagoona, Frankie, Clawdeen, and Draculaura. When I first started collecting, Lagoona was the one that really sparked my interest. I think over all, she is just a beautifully designed doll.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGARmr3edDpR46PbOMSYcHlt0gqxcaUBPOG7C35pafZ7fykHp6BsuyqLH3ij5RxQOM77ysFKDydyoQ3z1YbXhhVZJifUMAUt40qsqM5pdyGZk0ho_ryfD2wZDGWbZdXTEAEBw_KmcRnKbm/s1600/image_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGARmr3edDpR46PbOMSYcHlt0gqxcaUBPOG7C35pafZ7fykHp6BsuyqLH3ij5RxQOM77ysFKDydyoQ3z1YbXhhVZJifUMAUt40qsqM5pdyGZk0ho_ryfD2wZDGWbZdXTEAEBw_KmcRnKbm/s320/image_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The original 4 girls were followed by Ghoulia, Holt, and the Cleo & Deuce 2pk. Ghoulia is another one of my favorite dolls. It is sad that in some of the other MH lines, she has become a shelf warmer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2ZJElywm1DwB2Aq_fdDL96HAZ3viLWV5vloSmi6sOQxRH4Bkj5tl6Zg0turRsVdhA_PgQAMeesstlSbIGWCTYLdtWXJ-FfgdsnfnzSmKnCuUhqNut838MXJUL7rQwa6Otv4_lXg1lSpi/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2ZJElywm1DwB2Aq_fdDL96HAZ3viLWV5vloSmi6sOQxRH4Bkj5tl6Zg0turRsVdhA_PgQAMeesstlSbIGWCTYLdtWXJ-FfgdsnfnzSmKnCuUhqNut838MXJUL7rQwa6Otv4_lXg1lSpi/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pictured with the Deuce and Cleo 2pk is the "Forbitten Love" 2 pk which is Clawd Wolf and Draculaura. It actually was released later on in the toy line.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgag0d3YvYaLswJSpNa-4y33rxkmZnsByyokyUTNDIq80SBYpad0YWtNwlhX7ALIs2LMlYThyz1RuzrWrYTGvzV62lcX1ybmC9RhLnW0HntsGmXRcnA136FP_H0ai4pTSuZWpMakdabHReb/s1600/image_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgag0d3YvYaLswJSpNa-4y33rxkmZnsByyokyUTNDIq80SBYpad0YWtNwlhX7ALIs2LMlYThyz1RuzrWrYTGvzV62lcX1ybmC9RhLnW0HntsGmXRcnA136FP_H0ai4pTSuZWpMakdabHReb/s320/image_3.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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The Dawn of the Dance doll line, features the main dolls in a party attire. The Draculaura doll was featured in a Walmart 3 pk along with Frankie and Clawdeen. I don't have a 3 pk in box. I picked up the Draculaura loose complete from a Craigslist listing. She was a steal at $10.<br />
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The second set of DOTD dolls features Ghoulia, Deuce, and Lagoona. Mattel likes to short pack the guys. So Deuce is very sought after. The DOTD Lagoona is another of my favorite MH dolls. I love her dress and hair combination. She reminds me of a seahorse, which is completely fitting for her.<br />
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The Wave 2 basic dolls, also called "School's Out" Dolls. This set features Frankie, Clawdeen, Cleo and Lagoona. My Lagoona is de-boxed. I can't help myself. She really is one of the prettiest dolls.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQ3AutArT_9oM5cZt841WJhJQRL7RvC5MRNWALio9nNeGfpc4maHztOOb6WF6FG9oSqfZx4D6qo9ruKGO7E4oFgJxbvhVHBHxvEjak9osF7ynyrl8IFmLjuLaxYyZtqHWLe1DLpB8xkpi/s1600/image_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQ3AutArT_9oM5cZt841WJhJQRL7RvC5MRNWALio9nNeGfpc4maHztOOb6WF6FG9oSqfZx4D6qo9ruKGO7E4oFgJxbvhVHBHxvEjak9osF7ynyrl8IFmLjuLaxYyZtqHWLe1DLpB8xkpi/s320/image_3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
"Day at the Maul" Draculaura and Frankie are budget line dolls. Which are dressed in their signature colors, but do not have all of the accessories that the deluxe dolls have. The clothes these dolls are wearing were also packaged in the Day at the Maul Fashion pack.<br />
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The "Gloom Beach" doll line features the girls of Monster High in bathing suits. Frankie, Cleo, Draculaura, Clawdeen, and Jackson make up this budget line of dolls. This also marked the first release of the character Jackson. I opted not to purchase the dolls individually. Target offered a "Gloom Beach" 5 pk, that included an exclusive Ghoulia doll. I felt it was more cost effective to purchase this line of dolls this way.<br />
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These 3 dolls are the "Classroom" Dolls. The line features Physical Deaducation Ghoulia, Home Ick Frankie, and Mad Science Lagoona. Each doll comes with an extra outfit, locker, hair brush, stand, and accessories that go with each class.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxDNCFJKq940sjOhtr_MvAqPm1GoK150oh0YovVW4D3KWGwb1CU-lLEinArumIrYEQeIlkgfAXkqPgu_7Boi_sDeHi3O6YCS0WhnvwQanp6NM-KK72xnLk1xY6xkd98_IapySE4i9JrCL/s1600/class.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxDNCFJKq940sjOhtr_MvAqPm1GoK150oh0YovVW4D3KWGwb1CU-lLEinArumIrYEQeIlkgfAXkqPgu_7Boi_sDeHi3O6YCS0WhnvwQanp6NM-KK72xnLk1xY6xkd98_IapySE4i9JrCL/s320/class.jpg" width="320" /></a>These dolls were re-released at Christmas (2012) without their lockers. Those dolls I believe were available only at Walmart and retailed for around $10. I think they were an item included in the Black Friday sales. However, I am not sure if that information is completely accurate. They may have been available at other stores.<br />
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The "Sweet 1600" doll line, celebrates Draculaura's Sweet 1,600th birthday. This line features Draculaura, Frankie, Clawdeen, and Clawd Wolf (Clawdeen's brother and Draculaura's boyfriend) Each doll comes with a gift for Draculaura.<br />
Pictured below with the Feerleading 3 pack is C.A Cupid. Cupid was originally a Walmart "Sweet 1600" exclusive doll. The box was later changed and the character had a wider re-release to other stores. The re-released doll also included a diary.<br />
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The Feerleading 3 pk is a Toys R Us exclusive set. It features Cleo and Draculaura is scream team uniforms and Ghoulia as the Monster High #1 fan. Ghoulia comes with a foam figure which is hilarious. For me, that totally makes this set worth it.<br />
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Ghouls just want to have fund and nothing is more fun then having a sleepover with your ghoul friends. The first wave of Dead Tired dolls features Frankie, Ghoulia, Cleo, and Draculaura. These are budget dolls retailing for around $12.99.<br />
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Dead Tired Lagoon comes with a Hydration Station. This is another favorite item. The Hydration Station can be filled with water. Lagoona is placed in the "sleep" chamber. When you push a button, the station lights up and bubbles.<br />
Dead Tired Clawdeen (V1) comes with the "Room to Howl" bed.<br />
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The second wave of "Dead Tired" includes another Draculaura, Clawdeen, and the addition of Abbey. Not pictured is Abbey. I was kind of disappointed with the rehash of the same characters. Although, the Abbey is rather cute. I would have loved to see Spectra or another of the new characters.<br />
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As the Monster High doll line has grown in popularity, new basic edition characters have been added. Spectra and Abbey were two of the hardest dolls for me to find. It took me several long and very frustrating months to find Abbey, not only for myself but also for me little girl. Abbey is her favorite because of those fuzzy boots.<br />
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Pictured in this grouping is the basic character dolls of Operetta. She is the daughter of the Phantom of the Opera. This one has quickly become one of my favorites, simple because of her being related to the Phantom. Although, I wish her doll had been styled differently. Torali, is the daughter of a werecat. And lastly, is Nefra. She is Cleo's older sister and unfortunately not very popular. For awhile, I would refer to her as "the Egyptian plague" For the longest time, she was the only doll that could be found on the shelves. What makes Nefera unique is that she is the tallest of the girls, because she is older then them.<br />
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Rochelle is the daughter of the Gargoyles. This doll is really strikingly beautiful. Her skin looks like stone. The other doll pictured is the basic edition Jackson. He is the alter ego of Holt Hyde who was introduced early in the doll line.<br />
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I love the way the next two dolls are styled. They really are stunning in person. Robecca Steam is the daughter of a Mad Scientist. The detailing on her body is really spectacular. The second doll is Venus McFlytrap. I love the color of this doll. She is a plant on a mission to save the Earth. The pets with these two are some of the cutest by far.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEB2NJQf8TjQFzGBJ5WDGFr5gNrYZ7KFzG6uT3xFtjQPF1sGprDAaZA4MfAWvKpXPjGsJLCJcuZ6uDbVJ7wCljklc_dN5bQb9cUA9kuMrwdjwW3fQ0gCpSU8l17I61nhHkifSmsXmXdr8/s1600/shores.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEB2NJQf8TjQFzGBJ5WDGFr5gNrYZ7KFzG6uT3xFtjQPF1sGprDAaZA4MfAWvKpXPjGsJLCJcuZ6uDbVJ7wCljklc_dN5bQb9cUA9kuMrwdjwW3fQ0gCpSU8l17I61nhHkifSmsXmXdr8/s320/shores.jpg" width="320" /></a>The "Skull Shores" doll line is another beach line. This set has Ghoulia (which sadly was a shelf warmer), Draculaura, Lagoona, Abbey, and Gil. Gil is one of the impossible dolls to get. I saw him several times and passed on him. I finally got an open doll at a reasonable price.<br />
This set also has the special edition Black and White Frankie doll. She was released for sell on a Friday the 13th for the sale price of $4.13.<br />
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I ended up buying each of these dolls individually. Then Target released a new exclusive 5 pack of this set. The 5 pack includes an exclusive color version of Frankie, Cleo, and Clawdeen. I love the Cleo and Clawdeen dolls from this pack.<br />
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The "Skull Shores" special also inspired me to make my first Monster High inspired custom doll. You can read about my Tiki doll in another<a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/2013/02/custom-monster-high-tiki-dolls.html"> post.</a><br />
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With the dolls becoming more and more popular, more store exclusive dolls have been produced. The Werecat 2 pack is a Toys R Us exclusive set. <br />
The Wolf sister set is an exclusive set unique to Target. It is also the first Howleen doll. Howleen is smaller then the other dolls because she is younger then the other girls.<br />
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The "Scary Tales" line of dolls is another Target exclusive. This set features Frankie as "Thearderella", Draculaura as "Snow Bite, and Clawdeen as "Little Dead Riding Hood". I love this set because of their beautiful costumes.<br />
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The "Dot Dead Georgous" line is very similar to the DOTD series. Again, the girls are dressed in party dresses. The basic dolls are Lagoona, Operetta, and Spectra. I was really surprised when I found a loose DDG Operetta at the Goodwill. You can read more about that find in another<a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/2013/02/thrift-find-monster-high-ddg-operetta.html"> post.</a><br />
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Again, Walmart offered an exclusive 3 pk. This set includes "Dot Dead Gorgeous" Draculaura, Abbey, and Ghoulia.<br />
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The "Roller Maze" doll line comes from the "Friday Night Frights" special which was supposed to air on television but never did. It later was released on DVD as a double feature with "Why do Ghouls Fall in Love?". There is also a video game inspired by the Roller Maze dolls. <br />
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The budget line of dolls features the ghouls dressed as roller derby girls. There is Frankie, Lagoona, Operetta, and Ghoulia.<br />
K-Mart had an exclusive 2 pack with Ghoulia and Abbey. And just recently, Mattel released a Roller Maze Clawdeen and single Abbey.<br />
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<b><a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/2013/03/monster-high-collection-update-roller.html">UPDATE (3/10/13)</a>:</b> I picked up a Roller Maze Clawdeen today at my local Target. I think I am<br />
going to pass on the single boxed Abbey doll. She is just like the doll that was previously released in the K-Mart 2 pk.<br />
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I (heart) Fashion dolls are exclusives from Toys R Us. The Abbey and Frankie come with extra outfits and shoes. I have them as part of my collection but they aren't necessarily in my favorites.<br />
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"Ghouls Rule" dolls were released in connection with the" Ghouls Rule" feature dvd. The ghouls are dressed for a spectacular Halloween. The doll line includes Draculaura, Clawdeen, Cleo, and Frankie. The Ghouls Rule Clawdeen is one of my least favorite. I do not care for her costume at all. I dare say that she is just ugly.<br />
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The "Ghouls Rule" Abbey doll is a Walmart exclusive doll.<br />
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The "Scaris: City of Fright" doll line features two new characters. Skelita and Jinafire are new additions. I absolutely love both of these dolls. Skelita is inspired by the sugar skulls associated with Dia de Los Muertos. Jinafire is inspired by Chinese dragons. Both are beautifully designed and there costumes include a lot of detailing. Along with Skelita and Jinafire, there is another Frankie, Clawdeen, and Rochelle.<br />
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<b><a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/2013/02/found-monster-high-doll-scaris-catrine.html">UPDATE: </a> </b>I added Scaris Catrine Demew to my collection on 2/3/2013. Catrine DeMew is a Walmart exclusive doll for the Scaris line.<br />
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There is also a budget line of Scaris dolls. Those include a new Deuce, Ghoulia, Draculaura, and Abbey.<br />
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<b><a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/2013/02/slow-week-for-retro-safari-except-i-got.html">UPDATE: (2/22/13)</a>:</b> I purchased Scaris Deuce from a friend in a MH dolls group and it arrived today. I am still hoping that I can find one locally. Just have not seen him in any stores.<br />
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<a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/2013/03/found-scaris-deuce-in-wilds-of-walmart.html"><b>(3/8/13)</b></a> Picked up another Scaris Deuce. I got him out of the case at Walmart. <br />
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(3/13/13) Picked up another Scaris Deuce today at the TRU. I have learned my lesson about the boys. I have a feeling that the extras will become trade fodder later on. <br />
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<a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/2013/03/found-monster-high-scaris-2-pk-today.html"><b>UPDATE (3-13-13)</b></a> I picked up the Scaris 2 pk featuring Lagoona and Cleo. This pack is a Toys R Us exclusive. I am really excited about these dolls. I think they are 2 of the prettiest to come out in a while.<br />
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The "Picture Day" line of dolls is kind of like the wave 2 line. This time the ghouls are dressed their best for school picture day. THe line includes Draculaura, Abbey, Cleo and Spectra. I think the stand out doll in this line is Cleo. I love the vivid blue of her outfit. The only doll not pictured is Spectra.<br />
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UPDATE (2/22/13) Picked up a Picture Day Spectra today. I had passed on getting her when I got the others because the box was beat up.<br />
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<b><a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/2013/02/monster-high-doll-find-venus-mcflytrap.html">UPDATE: (2/9/13) </a></b> I added the newest Venus McFlytrap in bathing suit to my collection. There is also a new beach Draculaura and Lagoona.<br />
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<b><a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/2013/02/found-monster-high-dolls-power-ghouls.html">UPDATE: (2/15/13</a>) </b>I just picked up the Draculaura and the Lagoon that go with the beach Venus. I absolutely love these dolls. Happy to see they new accessories.<br />
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<a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/2013/02/found-monster-high-dolls-power-ghouls.html">UPDATE (2/15/13)</a>The Power Ghouls Polterghoul and Wonder Wolf are Target exclusives. These dolls make my top 5 favorite Monster High dolls. I can not wait to get the Frankie and Toralei dolls that are part of this line. I have these displayed with my SDCC Ghoulia.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha64znzpA1kxX-hZd9i7E54gF3-XhoVC9TmigUPjm2bjrJu1-46yGx2PVvsxYAOg-kt5deXBBqbBtUrwBcl4Qi_Rrqd4Q7zrhQHUMA9eB_qohNTWncGxTf7y5HJwLrqVWFE2Z29HpgQ-20/s1600/dance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha64znzpA1kxX-hZd9i7E54gF3-XhoVC9TmigUPjm2bjrJu1-46yGx2PVvsxYAOg-kt5deXBBqbBtUrwBcl4Qi_Rrqd4Q7zrhQHUMA9eB_qohNTWncGxTf7y5HJwLrqVWFE2Z29HpgQ-20/s320/dance.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/2013/02/monster-high-dolls-216-217-on-sale-at.html">UPDATE (2/16/13)</a>- Picked up 3 of the Dance class dolls from Justice. Thanks to a nice sale, the dolls were less then the price at Walmart and Target. Each doll represents a different style of dance. Lagoona is ballet, Operetta is swing, Rebecca is tap, and Howleen is hip hop.<br />
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Not pictured yet is Howleen.<br />
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Some of the rarest and hardest to get Monster High dolls are those that come from San Diego Comic Con. The first Comic Con exclusive doll was released in 2010, which was a Black and White Frankie doll. I have not added her to my collection yet. It is my hope that I will be able to add her this year.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YwJzKb_FUrD6e00TmdiAQpNREwHy9T9G400yid2YfQ8o4Ez1-bcg1srOZbqmo7bFzml3XNlSzc3R8Dw-uIqC5GhAMuBQ1ik_LPfdID9kAm2To_pQGxBMqvCGuTSasTiTBk7vg5iYQ8tx/s1600/deadfast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YwJzKb_FUrD6e00TmdiAQpNREwHy9T9G400yid2YfQ8o4Ez1-bcg1srOZbqmo7bFzml3XNlSzc3R8Dw-uIqC5GhAMuBQ1ik_LPfdID9kAm2To_pQGxBMqvCGuTSasTiTBk7vg5iYQ8tx/s320/deadfast.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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However, I do have the 2011 and 2012 SDCC exclusive dolls. The 2011 doll is Dead Fast Ghoulia. She is dressed as her favorite comic book character Dead Fast. I really relate to this doll, as I also love to cosplay and attend conventions. This Ghoulia was a gift from my husband.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKC9uYdrkQbzCJf40Pid68KDGZUIala_ZMKGvjyRK-CcVfQk4fNdT-BTnfK5Jswx-hKsRBgX2qvX45F8iQ5yXoqZkqXzLxspzgzhCVbHHIyiUBwdp3IPufPrXokCvslbGLGQt9ZgVWHPeZ/s1600/scarah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKC9uYdrkQbzCJf40Pid68KDGZUIala_ZMKGvjyRK-CcVfQk4fNdT-BTnfK5Jswx-hKsRBgX2qvX45F8iQ5yXoqZkqXzLxspzgzhCVbHHIyiUBwdp3IPufPrXokCvslbGLGQt9ZgVWHPeZ/s320/scarah.jpg" width="240" /></a>The 2012 SDCC doll is actually a 2 pack. Scarah Screams and Hoodude. Both of these characters appear in the webisodes. Admittedly, I was not overly excited when it was announced that Scarah was the Comic Con doll. But, after seeing her in person, she has grown on me. I can't wait to see what this year's doll will be.<br />
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Please come back and check out my update posts as I add more dolls to my Monster High collection. There are a lot of new dolls scheduled for release this year. I can't wait to find them. <br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">** This post is in no way sponsored by Mattel or Monster High. I have received no compensation for this post. I have purchased all of the dolls pictured in this post for my personal collection. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. **</span>er.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-15102631335906992682013-03-26T20:03:00.003-07:002013-03-27T04:56:54.261-07:00PF Chang's Mongolian Beef recipe I think that my husband would probably say that PF Chang's is one of his top 5 favorite restaurants. Whenever we eat there, I always know what he will order. Mongolain Beef. I think it is the first thing he ever ordered and the only thing he has ordered. I honestly don't think he has tried anything else. <br />
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I had seen the recipe for their <a href="http://www.pfchangs.com/chefscorner/recipes/gluten_free_mongolian_beef_recipe.pdf">Mongolian Beef </a>online before. But, for some reason, we never tried making it. I guess we were afraid that we would be disappointed and it just wouldn't live up to the deliciousness in the restaurant. Well, thanks to<a href="http://pinterest.com/admiralackbarsc/it-s-the-best-i-ever-made/"> Pinterest</a>, I have been collecting recipes for my family to test out. I happened across the Mongolian Beef recipe again and we gave it a try. I did modify the recipe slightly and I did have to make some substitutions, which I noted in the recipe. <br />
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<b><u>Mongolian Beef</u></b><br />
12 oz. sliced beef tenderloin<br />
1 tbsp. soy bean oil ( I used canola oil)<br />
1/2 tsp. minced garlic ( I used 1 teaspoon )<br />
2 fl oz. gluten free soy sauce ( I use the low sodium soy sauce)<br />
2 tbsp. sugar <br />
1 fl oz. rice wine (since I did not have rice wine on hand, I substituted with Sake)<br />
2 oz. green onion sticks 3" long, greens only<br />
1/2 tsp. sesame oil<br />
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Heat oil in a saute pan. Add beef and cook for 30-60 seconds. or until cooked. Beef should be lightly browned around the edges and grey through out the rest of the surface. <br />
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Add garlic and toss.<br />
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Add rice wine, sugar , and soy sauce. Bring to a boil.<br />
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Cook and reduce the sauce around the beef, until all of the sauce has caramelized onto the beef. The saute pan should be dry (no flowing sauce) before the next step.<br />
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Add the green onion sticks and incorporate with the beef. A few tosses are all that is needed. You don't want to wilt the onions. <br />
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Finish with sesame oil. <br />
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Ok, so we weren't disappointed! I have to say, yep! I nailed it!! truly... The finished product turned out great and the whole family loved it. It is a quick recipe to make, which to me is always a plus. Pair it with either, white or brown rice. We also served it with some sliced mangoes and strawberries. <br />
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My apologies for the lack of pictures. I hadn't really planned to blog about testing this recipe but at the last minute, I changed my mind. <br />
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I am sharing this recipe success with <a href="http://www.turningclockback.com/2013/03/whats-cooking-wednesday-recipe-linky-10.html">What's Cooking Wednesday </a>at Turning Back the Clock. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-47400932456071407372013-03-22T07:56:00.002-07:002013-03-22T07:57:30.271-07:00Get a free child's ticket to see Oz the Great and Powerful from Disney Movie Rewards<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAq4Dxbg_o23WyLLFfVqdqvKLc4j_qs3j3CddN4qLjDVj9djYDZxa6-Tw3VIxu0AdKY5WR4f201Z4dsmpXJ-LZYW4rSUbysCf7nDySCHGKrlSyifJUudnJe-a7RnG3PIgmSWRsTSU4T1A/s1600/oz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAq4Dxbg_o23WyLLFfVqdqvKLc4j_qs3j3CddN4qLjDVj9djYDZxa6-Tw3VIxu0AdKY5WR4f201Z4dsmpXJ-LZYW4rSUbysCf7nDySCHGKrlSyifJUudnJe-a7RnG3PIgmSWRsTSU4T1A/s1600/oz.jpg" /></a>If you are a <a href="http://www.disneymovierewards.go.com/">Disney Movie Rewards </a>member and a Regal Crown Club member you can take part in this special offer. You can get a free child's ticket to see Oz the Great and Powerful with the purchase of 2 adult tickets. <br />
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Present your voucher and your <a href="http://www.regmovies.com/Crown-Club">Regal Crown Club</a> card at the box office of your local Regal Cinema. If you aren't a Regal Crown Club member, sign up at your local box office. It's free! and you can earn reward points for free drinks, popcorn, and even free movie tickets.<br />
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OFFER EXPIRES: MARCH 28th, 2013Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1190868308919329567.post-41973705572407083732013-03-21T07:37:00.001-07:002013-03-21T07:37:21.126-07:00To Blog or Not to Blog....Earlier this year, I decided that I would start a new <a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/">blog</a> focusing on thrift shopping for vintage/retro toys and mine and my daughters' growing <a href="http://myvintagetoybox.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-collection-picture-post-monster-high.html">Monster High doll collection</a>, among other things. I chose to start the new blog, because I felt that I had lost interest, inspiration, and was lacking a direction with this blog. I don't have the time to post everyday, like I used too. That kind of makes me a sad deal finder. And also that the readers of this blog wouldn't be interested in my obsession with toy collecting. Now I am wondering should I somehow try to merge the two together? <br />
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My other blog is small at the moment and because of that, I am finding that it is getting spammed more and more. This is kind of a new problem for me. I know it happens, I just never really had it happen when I was starting out with this blog. It is frustrating and I feel more confused then ever. Why should I waste my time blogging for spammers. I just don't know what direction to proceed in. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1