July, 2010 | The Angel Forever

Monthly Archives July 2010

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It’s time to Wear Pink for Cora

Posted on July 23, 2010 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

July 30th is only a week away and I have a question for you. Will you be wearing Pink for Cora? (Please note my Aloha Friday question is below) If you are unfamiliar with Cora, you can learn more about this precious angel and the work her courageous mother Kristine is doing in her memory.

Kristine, her husband Ben and Cora are helping to save lives. In June, I wore pink on the 30th for Cora.

As word is spreading, more and more people are wearing pink all over to help raise awareness about CHD. Simply put, Cora is helping to save lives.

Recently, Kristine set up another website called Wear Pink For Cora.

Here she focuses on the amazing things that people have done on the 30th while wearing pink for Cora. As Kritstine puts it, the 30th of the month is a day to do good, have compassion and spread Cora’s love and beauty.

So my question for you this week is inspired by Kristine, Ben and Cora:

What good deed will you try to do next week on July 30th in honor of Cora?

Please join me next week and wear pink, so something special and help to spread the word. Let’s show Kristine how much her little girl can help to change the world one good deed at a time.

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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.

Aloha #109

Categories:
Aloha Friday bloggy friends charity health awareness real world news

Breakfast fun with Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas

Posted on July 22, 2010 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

I will admit it, breakfast in our house can be a bit crazy, especially when my oldest is at school. TechyDad is busy getting ready for work, NHL is eating breakfast before school and JSL is usually refusing to anything/everything we ask him to eat. Some mornings, it is cereal, breakfast bars, waffles or even yogurt. It really depends on what we have and how much time is left before running out the door.

When I was asked by Mom Central to try the new Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas, I jumped at the opportunity. Both of my kids love pizza, they like Eggo products and it was a chance to get them to eat a little fruit.

More about Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas:

A new morning delivery from Kellogg is warming up the frozen food aisle. As breakfast products such as cereal, snack and energy cars, fruit and yogurt are gaining popularity, this unique and flavorful introduction is giving breakfast enthusiasts a tasty breakfast option. New Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas combine all your great-tasting favorite breakfast items into one delicious offering

Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas are an all-in-one combination of fruit and warm toasted granola on an oven-baked cinnamon and maple-flavored crust. Available in Strawberry Granola and Mixed Berry Granola varieties, Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas join other Eggo favorites like Homestyle, Buttermilk and Blueberry Eggo waffles – all part of a great-tasting family of products that consumers have loved for years

Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas after just one minute in the microwave. The Strawberry Granola has 400 calories and the Mixed Berry Granola 390 – both made with real fruit. They are now available in the freezer section of the grocery stores. One item I noted in particular, they also contain 4 grams of fiber in each pizza.

What we thought:

Both of the boys were very excited about having Eggo Pizza for dinner one night. We often do breakfast for dinner, so why not let them try this one night?! NHL kept watching us as we prepared the pizza. He wanted to see them before and after they went into the microwave. This is what he saw:

When we put them onto the table to split for the boys, NHL ran over and took his place. Then it was time to get the three year old who often refuses to each anything/everything we make. He looked at the table and saw this:

The large amounts of fruit that NHL, TechyDad and I saw as a fabulous perk sent him screaming from the table. He chanted "Me no eat pizza!" *sigh* That left us with NHL having it for dinner and the two adults snacking on some with him. Here are some photos of NHL as he was devouring the fruit pizzas. Please excuse the goofy shots, he was trying to make me laugh as I was taking the photos and it worked nicely.

NHL thoroughly enjoyed his Eggo Real Fruit Pizza halves. I was lucky I snapped pictures quickly because they disappeared before I blinked. When asked which was his favorite, he said strawberry since they are his favorite fruit. I asked if he would like them again and he immediately wanted to know if we had more in the freezer.

Since JSL was not eating his, TechyDad and I both were able to sample his part of the Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas. I really liked the taste of the fruit, granola and "sauce" (not sure if it was yogurt or a strawberry cream cheese). With the strawberry variety you really could taste all of the different flavors coming together to make this unique breakfast option. Although I liked the Mixed Berry Pizza, I thought that the tart raspberry presence was a bit overwhelming.

Verdict: We would definitely buy these again. I like that they are easy to make and have real fruit and four grams of fiber in them. Next time I am at the store and see them, I will grab a few for NHL with the hopes that JSL actually tries them next time.

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Eggo Real Fruit Pizza and received samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central will also be sending me a $20 Amazon gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Categories:
Blog Tour food glorious food nhl photos Product review yummy

30 years ago today

Posted on July 21, 2010 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

This is an almost Wordless Wednesday for a special reason. Thirty years ago today, I was getting ready to become a big sister. Thirty years ago tomorrow, my mother went into the hospital to have my little brother. I have to admit, I asked for a little sister, but got my amazing younger, but taller brother instead.

I am the luckiest sister in the world to have my brother. Sure, he used to be a pain in the rear (wait, he still can be – Hmmmm….), but we have both ~~matured~~ grown up a lot. He has always been there for me, spoiled my boys rotten, married an amazing woman and had two gorgeous children.

Wishing my brother an extra special 30th Birthday tomorrow. Love and miss you little brother.

Categories:
birthday family photos Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tales – The All-American Jump and Jive Jig

Posted on July 20, 2010 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Summer time reading is crucial in our house. NHL is about to enter second grade and adores to read books. I have to admit that I am quite lucky not to have a reluctant reader. If he sees a book that does not have chapters in it and has pictures, he immediately picks it up to read.

Recently, we received some books from Sterling Children’s Books. One of the books included was The All-American Jump and Jive Jig by M.P. Hueston.

The book immediately intrigued NHL and myself. The two of us decided to pick it up and plunk down on the couch to read it. We were transported to places across the United States where we learned things about the states via fun dances. As we read along with the easy flowing rhyming lines, NHL started to ask questions. He wanted to know where all of the places were located in relation to us in New York. This is where my teacher brain started to kick into high gear. This book would be fun to use in a read aloud with a map of the USA. Student volunteers could help to map all of the locations in the book to make sure that we had indeed gone from state to state. Another interesting option would be to map out the route traveled and see how many miles the adventure takes you on. When NHL heard me mention this, he was curious and we may try this on a rainy day once I dig out a better map of the United States to use.

We both enjoyed the book, especially with our timing. NHL and I read it on July 3 and I have to say it really made us think about the country that we live in. NHL adored the fun illustrations by Amanda Haley. He was fascinated with the page about the hula in Hawaii. I think this is thanks to It’s a Small World at Disney World. He kept asking me questions about the different states and facts mentioned within the book. It lead to a good discussion and some fun after reading. On another day, the book caught the eye of JSL. Here he is enjoying it:

More about the book:

Come along on a joyful journey across America, where children from east, west, north and south show off their coolest moves in The All-American Jump and Jive Jig (Sterling Children’s Books; On Sale June 2010; $14.95; Ages 4-7; ISBN: 978-1-4027-5143-1).

From the Juneau Jitterbug to the Hawaiian Hula, the Brooklyn Boogie to the Miami Mambo, these jubilant, creative and boisterous dances will entice children to gather their friends, get up, and groove. Which will be their favorite – Maine’s Rockland Sock Hop or Michigan’s Mackinac Milkshake? The Lubbock Line Dance or the Rockies’ Elevation Celebration? Every dance is irresistible fun, and will set happy feet in action!

A perfect way to celebrate the U.S.A. and the 4th of July holiday, M.P. Hueston’s witty, rhythmic verse and Amanda Haley’s colorful, vibrant pictures make following along easy….and encourage kids to come up with their own choreographic creations!

Here is NHL’s favorite part of the book as I read it to JSL. Sorry about the moving camera, it’s tough filming, reading and wrangling a wiggly three year old.

We truly enjoyed this book. Books that educate while putting a smile on a child’s face are crucial and this book hits that mark. We will definitely be looking for other stories by M.P. Hueston.

So what have you read recently? Please be sure to link up to your Tuesday Tales and/or leave a comment below. Include something you read on your own, with a child or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

Disclosure: I received this book complimentary of Sterling Publishing in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was given. The opinions expressed in the review are my own.

Categories:
books jsl nhl photos Product review Tuesday Tales

Beach or pool – that is the question

Posted on July 19, 2010 10:45 am by TheAngelForever

Yesterday, we spent the day at Saratoga Lake with family. Here are some of the people we saw at the lake:

The boys were in their swimsuits and we all had sun lotion on so we could go right to the boat when we arrived. We had a wonderful time on the boat. There is just nothing like roaming around the lake, getting sprayed with water and laughing with family.

These are just a few of the photos that I took on the fly with my cell phone. TechyDad and I took many more with his camera. I will be sharing some of those later.

After several hours on the boat, we went back to dock and decided to take the boys to the beach to play in the sand and go in the lake. Let me preface this with the fact that I am NOT a beach person. There are many reasons. Here are a few:

I am really pale (see photo below). Pale + red hair = easily burns in the sun even with mega sun screen. This happened over and over in Hawaii and throughout my life. TechyDad saw that I burned within 30 minutes of arriving at Blizzard Beach at Disney World on our honeymoon (I was crispy fried). Luckily, sun screen these days is a lot better, but I still do not like to tempt fate.
Not a huge fan of sand. Sure it can be fun to play with, but it gets into your toes, all over your body and into places within your swimsuit that it should not. Enough said!
Like swimming in clean water. You know without rocks, shells, fish, seaweed in my feet. I guess I was spoiled growing up with my Nana and Papa’s pool.

Those really are the two biggest reasons in my mind. I know they are silly. I am a good sport and will go hang out on the beach with the kids and TechyDad. We did this for a little while yesterday. While the little guy was busy doing this: