This Full House Reviews

Guest Post: Football Party Recipes - Big Game Giveaway

CONGRATULATIONS: GREEN BAY PACKERS (sort of) the PITTSBURGH STEELERS gave good game, too!  So happy to be able to share these awesome prizes with wcc (comment #135) please see your email for further instructions!!!

5-Layer Mexican Dip (courtesy of KraftFoods.com)

Guest post from Kraft Foods (I am a member of their Delicious Bytes blogger community)

With Game Day right around the corner, many football fans around the country are trying to get creative with their party planning to host a fun kickoff event. How about a football-inspired recipe for the Big Game?

5-Layer Mexican Dip Recipe

WHAT YOU NEED

• 1 can (15-1/2 oz.) refried black beans
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
• 1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/3 cup sliced black olives
• 1 tomato, chopped

MAKE IT

• MIX beans, chili powder and cumin; spread onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate.
• TOP with layers of remaining ingredients.
• REFRIGERATE several hours or until chilled. Serve with tortilla chips.

KRAFT KITCHEN TIPS:

Size-Wise: Savor every bite of this tasty dip, but watch your portion size.

 

For even more ideas, here are some great Football Party Recipes from Kraft Kitchen!

TIME TO SHARE:

 

New Year, New Space Blogger Challenge - Recreating Mom's Workspace $100 American Express Giveaway

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED:So excited to be sharing with Kelly (comment #69) please check your email for further instructions !!

Thanks to Apartment Guide for sponsoring my writing about finding inspiration in the smallest of spaces. Add your comment below to be entered for a chance to win a $100.00 gift card to help with your reorganization needs, too.

I am a full-time mom, but I also write part-time from home, which -- taking into consideration, there's 6 people, living in our 7 room house --  is no easy feat, trust me!

I’ve claimed a small corner in our living room and recently shared how finding inspiration in the smallest of places is relatively easy, on Mom Blog Magazine.

Living up to those words, not so much.

I was thrilled to be contacted by the good folks representing Apartment Guide, an online moving center featuring tips for decorating, cleaning, organizing and making the most of your space, in other words, offering helpful information no matter where you live.

I accepted their challenge to create a new space in my home and, hopefully, inspire other families (like mine) who have very little extra and literally, no room, or time to spare.

Biggest challenge for me?  Choosing just one project.

Our house has been under renovation for the last, um, 17 years -- it WAS supposed to be our "starter home!" -- however, short of moving, recreating my workspace into an area conducive to inspiration and perhaps tapping into some latent organizational gene, seemed like a perfect fit!

Aaaand, I managed to get it ALL done in just one week -- wanna see?

Suave Professionals Sneak Peek Giveaway: Dry Shampoo, Really?

I have a love/hate relationship with my hair.  Okay, no NOT really.  I don't know of a single woman (or, married for that matter) who would admit that she, you know, loves her hair...out loud, anyway.

<---- That's not me, btw, but she does have really nice hair, no?

I'm always on the look out for new hair styling products and, although I have yet to find that miracle cure for accute bed head, I was excited to learn that my favorite folks at Suave have a NEW Suave Professionals styling line of products coming out in February...including, dry shampoo?!?

Good Causes: Buy One, Give One Campaign

It's cold here in Jersey.  What?  You, too?  I know, right?  Even my kids have taken to wearing their winter coats...for real...I mean, it was 7 degrees last night, which, by Chicago standards, sounds downright balmy, I guess.

"Thank goodness, we have a warm house to come home to, right Momma?"

1 in every 50 kids in the U.S. is homeless and even my 9 year-old is aware that homelessness is a brutal fact...especially, in the wintertime.

I recently learned about a campaign launched by The Company Store and CompanyKids to help make these children’s lives a little bit warmer:

Fabulous Five Bloggers: They Got My Back - How About Yours?

Thanks to Trop 50 for sponsoring my writing about fabulous bloggers. This year Trop50 is granting 50 fabulous wishes. Click here to enter for a chance to win $1,000 to help grant a friend's wish!

Blogging is weird.  There are days when the words come easy.  Thoughts and images flash before my eyes in rapid succession, gaining speed as inspiration begins to flow down to my fingertips.

Then, there are times when I find myself holding back, for fear of sharing too much (as a parent) or, too little (as a professional) overstepping some imaginary boundary, created by an industry, in its infancy.

Still, I keep blogging; putting a face to my thoughts, searching for peace of mind, a quiet escape, or seeking comfort in the slightest hints of validation and (in some cases) sharing the best part of me that very few people get a chance to see, IRL.

Then again, when these two worlds collide, fabulous things begin to happen and I can name at least five, right now.

Me and Busy Mom

What makes Busy Mom fabulous?   I started reading Busy Mom in 2003 and can't help but feel like, you know, we sort of grew up together.  I admire her honesty and feel an affinity to her good common sense and strength, hoping it will continue to, you know, rub off on me.

Jenn (a.k.a. Mommy Needs Coffee) and Me

What makes Jenn fabulous?  Jenn and I also grew up together, online (2003 was, indeed, a very good year) and, quite frankly, her ability to make me laugh...at myself...is, in my opinion, something every woman needs to learn how to do, once or twice, in her life.

  Dawn (a.k.a. Because, I Said So) and Me

What make Dawn fabulous?  Her ability to find humor in, well, most anything (and everything) and, as a single mother of six (yes, 6!) her capacity for hope, during even the most difficult times imaginable, is a gift that makes my heart feel light and fluffy.

Me, Shannon (a.k.a. The Dicipline Project ) and Kendra (a.k.a. Headless Mom)

What makes Shannon and Kendra fabulous -- besides, agreeing to be my roommates and still liking me, afterwards, kind of, sort of, anyway?

I think. 

All kidding aside, like Busy Mom, Jenn and Dawn, I know that, regardless of how different we are, online and/or IRL, when push comes to shove, Shannon and Kendra...yep...they got my back.

Because, in some weird-ish way, to me, these Fabulous Five women are more than just bloggers -- we HAVE become friends.

Don't forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to support a friend's wish. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.

Give Me a Little Kindle Skin!

In 2009, I wrote Love Means Never Having to Pay Full Price for the Parent Bloggers Network and was lucky enough to win an Amazon Kindle. 

BONUS!

Although, the PBN Network is no longer publishing (gosh, but I enjoyed writing for them) and there are many more electronic readers on the market, today (some, even prettier) my love for the Kindle is as strong as ever.

So, I've decided to gift myself for Valentine's Day and give my Kindle a makeover!    

Valentine’s Day-themed accessories include cool Kindle skins (pictured above) such as My Heart and The Kiss.

Don't have a Kindle?  No problem.

All you need is your email address and you can gift yourself your favorite novel to be read via one of the free Kindle apps for PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Android or Windows 7 Phone.

What?  There's no shame in gifting yourself.  Besides, my husband Garth (not his real name) is tired of taking stuff back and likes it better this way, too.

You can find this and other Valentine's Day themed Kindle Accesories on Amazon.com.

[P.S.:  Seems the skins available on Amazon.com fit 2nd generation Kindles, only, DAMMIT!  Still, they are pretty aren't they?]

[P.P.S.:  Just found a whole bunch of Kindle 1 Skins @DecalGirl and they now accept PayPal -- also, each skin includes a special code to download the file from GetMyWallpaper.com -- YAY!!!]

© 2003 - 2011 ThisFullHouse.com

Disclosure:  Affiliated links used.  No payment was received for this blog post. Just sharing stuff that I think other families (like mine) might like, too.

Welcome to Our 75th Open House Blog Tour!

My husband, Garth [not his real name] and I love attending open houses - especially, if it's a home that we've admired from the sidewalk, or wondered...you know...WTH is going on in there?

Same thing with blogs, right?

So please, clean off a chair, sit down and feel free to share your links (PG-13, please) letting me and my online friends know about any blogging events, fundraisers, giveaways, book tours and contests, or if you have a burning blog post and just need to a little shout out (HEY!) go for it!

Okay, I'll start [peeks into windows]:

Busymom is giving away a $100 Visa Gift Card (sure could use you some, right?)

Win a Gift Pack from California Raisins over at Mom's Favorite Stuff (YUM!)

Savvy Housewife is giving away a ONE MONTH SUPPLY of oatmeal (DITTO!)

Speaking of breakfast, Melisa over at The Suburban Scrawl has a review of McDonald's Fruit and Maple Oatmeal (okay, now I'm really hungry!)

Now, it's your turn, link 'em if you got 'em:

Thanks SO MUCH for sharing and feel free to come back, to see what our blogging friends are up to, next week (there's an open house held every Thursday) we'll leave the porch light on for ya'!

© 2003 - 2011 ThisFullHouse.com

Making Time For Change Campaign: Kids' Cooking Academy

My oldest girls love to bake; like my husband, Garth (not his real name) they're really good at it, too.

My youngest daughter (she's 9) however, has shown real interest in learning how to cook -- especially, the Hungarian food my mother still enjoys cooking for her grandchildren, every Sunday -- she says it makes her happy...me, too!

My son (he's 12) well, the boy likes to eat.

Last year, I had the extreme privilege of partnering with the Frigidaire Test Drive program and, let me tell you, we gave their appliances a real work out!

On January 18th the brand launched Frigidaire Kids' Cooking Academy, an online school that features daily tips, fun recipes and how-to-videos hosted by Chef Mary Sue Milliken, co-owner of the Border Grill.

Here's the really good part.

Parents can join Kids' Cooking Academy and, when you do (between 1/18/11 and 4/25/11) Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children with a minimum of $35,000 and a maximum of $40,000 to help make sure that more children have access to healthy foods.

Plus, everyone who participates will be entered for a chance to win the daily prize, a kids' apron set and the grand prize: a new Frigidaire Double Oven Range!

Good luck and happy cooking!

© 2003 - 2011 ThisFullHouse.com

Disclosure:  I am working in partnership with the Frigidaire Test Drive Program and received a $50 gift card from Frigidaire for my participation in helping to spread the word on their Make Time for Change Campaign.  However, the words and opinions in this post are ALL mine!

10 Low Calorie or Low Fat Fast Recipes in 15 Minutes or Less!

  

Guest post from Kraft Foods (I am a member of their Delicious Bytes blogger community)

“I want to cut calories and fat, but I just don’t have the time!”

If you’ve ever said that, or know someone who has, here’s help: 10 fast recipes (all with 15 minutes prep time or less) that are low in calories or low in fat per serving.

LOW CALORIE (clicking the link will take you to the full recipe featured on Kraft.com):

1.  Spicy Southwest Bean & Corn Salad*

 

 

Foodie Hottie Alert: Cooking at Home with Chef Tyler Florence

Next month, one of my favorite star chefs will begin sharing his recipes, kitchen advice, and cooking tips with HouseBeautiful.com, as their kitchen columnist, each month -- online and in their very prettiful magazine, as well!

There's a nice slide show of Tyler Florence's home kitchen (major covert-worthy alert!) which, of course, includes adorable pics of his beautiful 2 year-old daughter, Dorothy (major cute baby alert!) and interesting personal facts, too.

Like, Chef Tyler Florence is a dad of 3, owns 3 restaurants; 3 kitchen shops; has a new wine label; an organic baby food company [inhales deeply] yeah, the man is just a little busy.

Here's a really quick interview about what he'll be sharing with his readers with his monthly column on  House Beautiful:

Personally, as a mom and wannabe foodie (i.e. professional food eater) I can appreciate Chef Tyler Florence laid-back and super-friendly style of presentation that hasn't changed much, in my opinion, since his early days as a television chef, thank goodness.

FYI:  You can find more recipes on his blog via TylerFlorence.com!

I'm just itching to try Chef Tyler's Osso Bucco recipe featured here in House Beautiful (the magazine, not my house, I mean!) 

Although, I've seen variations using pork shanks and, thanks to a fabulous dinner, celebrating my 20th Wedding Anniversary at one of our local favorite restaurants, last summer (Trinity in Keyport, NJ -- thanks mom and dad!) I prefer Pork Osso Bucco, mah-own-self!

Great...now I'm coveting AND hungry.

© 2003 - 2011 TFH Gone Shopping / This Full House Blog

Disclosure: No payment or product was received for this blog post.  I just like sharing cool stuff I find on the interwebs that perhaps other families (like mine) would like, too!  As always, the words and opinions expressed here are ALL mine, but you can't have them.

Welcome to Our 74th Weekly Open House Blog Tour!

My husband, Garth [not his real name] and I love attending open houses - especially, if it's a home that we've admired from the sidewalk, or wondered...you know...WTH is going on in there?

Same thing with blogs, right?

So please, clean off a chair, sit down and feel free to share your links (PG-13, please) letting me and my online friends know about any blogging events, fundraisers, giveaways, book tours and contests, or if you have a burning blog post and just need to a little shout out (HEY!) go for it!

Okay, I'll start:

Thanks SO MUCH for sharing and feel free to come back, to see what our blogging friends are up to, next week (there's an open house held every Thursday) we'll leave the porch light on for ya'!

© 2003 - 2011 TFH Reviews / This Full House Blog

Guest Post: How to Create Fun and Afordable Home-made Gift Baskets

Guest post exclusively for online friends @thisfullhouse courtesty of Kate Klemens of Gift Baskets Plus

A Fun and Creative Gift Giving Activity for Parents and Kids Alike

Are you looking to get your kids involved in the giving process? They may be too young to shop, but they can certainly get involved in creating home-made gifts that are appreciated by the recipients.

Gift baskets are extremely affordable and easy to create using the items available at home.  It can be a fun activity for parents and children to create together. It also lets children be a part of the gift giving process. They can add their creative touches, select items to go inside of the basket, tie ribbons, etc.

One does not have to spend too much on the gift items for each occasion. The gift baskets are a blend of personalization and presentation. The best thing about the gift basket is you don’t get just one present but tons of little cute presents in one basket. Often times you can create basic gift baskets using common items found around the house. Kids can help brainstorm ideas.  You’d be surprised what young minds can come up with.

It is not necessary that you actually need to have a basket in place to create a gift basket. There are alternatives that are available at your home. Based on the theme you select, you may try:

Favorite House Recipes: Simply Simple & Totally Dunk-worthy Crusty Bread

Garth (not his real name) baked this Simply Simple & Totally Dunk-worthy Crusty Bread

My husband is the resident baker @thisfullhouse and with good reason.

He's REALLY good at it.

Especially, on wintry weekends, when our house could use an extra dose of warmth, not to mention, the delicious smells that permeate our senses, lowering the cabin fever barometer an extra couple of degrees, or fifty.

"Can you make some more of your bread, daddy?"

Yes, he most certainly can, and here's his favorite recipe for Simple Crusty Bread, shared by our niece's SigOth [waves to Amy & Jim] that, paired with a hot bowl of soup, stew or a dish of your favorite olive oil, is totally dunk-worthy!

 

Good Causes: Crickett's Answer for Cancer - Giving Cancer ANOTHER Good Old-Fashioned Bitchslap!

Crickett's Answer for Cancer, a Breast Cancer Nonprofit, is supporting women w/breast cancer by providing wigs, mastectomy products, & pampering services. Learn more via Facebook

Today, I called cancer out on my home blog and gave it another good old-fashioned bitchslap, it deserves, for my friend @WhyMommy.

It felt good.  In fact, a TERRIFIC way to start the week, actually.

So, beginning today, I'm making a commitment to blog about good stuff folks online (like me) are doing to give back to their blogging community, every week.

Like, Kristen (a.k.a. Motherhood Uncensored) and her awesome post about how she is personally donating $1 for every comment up to 500 comments to Crickett's Answer for Cancer.

Which inspired me to write my post, then, this post, and so it goes.

This charity provides women with free Lymphedema sleeves, which Susan says is something that helps ease the pain of those undergoing chemo treatment, but is not covered by insurance.

Today, I hope you consider learning more about Crickett's Answer to Cancer and encourage others to take action in the fight against the BITCH! that is cancer, too.

Why?

Because, really does matter, cancer sucks big, fat, hairy donkey balls and women, like my friend Susan, should NOT have to answer, "But, why mommy?" ever again, DAMMIT!!!

© 2003 - 2011 This Full House Blog / This Full House Gone Shopping

The Small Gray-ish Print:  No payment, product, or any other consideration, other than a chance to give cancer the bitch-slap it deserves, was received for this blog post.

Decorating Idea Book: Eclectic Living Room

eclectic living room design

As a child of the 70's, one of my earliest memories is piling into my parents' station wagon on Saturday mornings, watching the sunrise along the Garden State Parkway and then walking through the Englishtown Auction, amazed at all the stuff other people collected, too.

For years, my father practiced the, "One man's junk is another man's treasure," rule, as he excitedly pined over a box of rusty old keys which, eventually, my mother would buy, moving as far away from the "junk aisle" as possible.

Nothing matched in our house, but every stick of furniture, marbled old clock and brighly-painted piece of Hungarian folk art, lovingly packed and carefully carried home from visits with family overseas, had a story behind it.

Not very stylish, perhaps, but it made for REAL good conversation!

I was scouring the pages of Houzz.com (another guilty pleasure, dangit) where I found this awesome room and it's cool to see some of the traditions that I grew up with turned into fun interior design ideas.

I'm so glad and sort of hoping that Retro never goes out of style -- seeing as my house is decorated in early garage sale -- what do you think?

© 2003 - 2011 TFH Gone Shopping / This Full House Blog

Disclosure:  No payment was received for this blog post.  Just sharing cool stuff we like and flexing my Weekend Warrior muscles.