Happy Easter! To believe, or not to believe?

This morning, I was told by my daughter that my eldest no longer believes in The Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. Alright, he is 13, but still... I don't ever recall telling anyone I stopped believing.  Plus, I was pretty certain that if those words ever left my lips, I would never see another white chocolate bunny or caramel egg again in my life! 

It's hard having a 13 year old, a 10 year old, and an almost 4 year old. We don't make big deals out of The Easter Bunny or Santa Claus, because we go to church and have strong faith, but at the same time, I want to make sure our kids have a fun tradition to hold onto. Yes, they get easter baskets with chocolate and marshmallow peeps, and a Christmas tree that looks like Santa's sleigh exploded, but it doesn't compare in any way to the elaborate baskets, or abundance of Santa gifts my friends on social media share! Some of the pictures I see make me cringe.. it's like a mini Christmas.

As a mom, I often wonder if they are satisfied with their baskets.. Some years it's bigger than others, for no reason except I had more time to shop, or they were really good, or, well, I got an amazing deal. This year, I've been really emotional, and really missing my mom. I kinda forgot about Easter a little. I thought I had more time- ! Between going through whatever emotional crap I am going through, and fighting off an ear infection from hell, Easter snuck up on me like nobody's business. All three of them got new outfits to use for pics & the day, but that was all I had really planned.

Last night, the hubster and I went out to a comedy club, and had a well overdue date night. On our way home, we realized all we had were three surprise eggs that I bought while I was away last month. Oops. All in all, I think the E.B. delivered a good little basket for them all.

I'll probably take my big guy out a little later this week and talk to him about not ruining the holiday for his siblings... I hope, as they get older, that they realize that we always did everything in our power to make it fun, memorable, and didn't take away from the miracle both holidays are by believing in traditional childhood beliefs.

So.. what do you think? Do your kids get simple baskets, or over the top baskets? Either way, I hope that you and yours had a very Happy Easter!

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Skelf on a Shelf

This is the post I shared on my IG tonight.

My daughter asked me, begged me, for a girl #ElfOnTheShelf. Everyone in her class has one, she says. "Please mommy?"

Like a good mom, I told her that I do a great job reporting to Santa how they behave, besides, when they misbehave, Santa probably hears me yell. We giggled.

Tonight, I had some errands to run, and when I came home, she greeted me with, "Mommy, we have an Elf on The Shelf now!"

"We do?" I look around trying to figure out who or what she was talking about.

"Yes, right here, I made its hat, and we can't touch him or he'll lose his magic powers. What do you think?"

"I love him", I said with giggles, "you are the most creative little girl I've ever met!"

"I wonder where he's going to move to tomorrow. I hope he moves!" She beamed with pride.

So, world, meet our "Skelf", or Skeleton-on-the-shelf!

#nightmarebeforechristmas #wenttoherhead #skeleton #ontheshelf #skelf #skelfontheshelf #wehaveaskelfontheshelf #rrwl #lifeinlivingchaos

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Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday Tradition

Birthdays are the number two (after Christmas, of course!) most requested time for The Elf on the Shelf to visit. In Santa’s Christmas village, the elves have their own special way of celebrating birthdays—a tradition that goes back thousands of years.  Now, at the request of children around the world, Santa has given special permission for his scout elves to share that tradition with the families who love them.  But an elf cannot come to a birthday party unless it is invited.  You can invite your elf online here.

On October 22, The Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday Tradition will be available! The Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday tradition tells the little-known story of the North Pole tradition and includes special instructions for families to invite their scout elf for a birthday visit. Written in the same signature rhyming style as the original title, the book set features the beautifully illustrated book and a Claus Couture Collection birthday outfit for the elf to wear to the celebration.

Grab your Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday Tradition, this Tuesday!  Look at how adorable their party outfits are!! Start a new tradition with your Elf this year.

 Special thanks to Elf on the Shelf for allowing us to review the new Birthday Tradition set. We decided to spread some holiday cheer, and gave our sample to a single mom and her two beautiful children this holiday season.  

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Crisco Campaign Asks What's For Dinner?? Contest + Promotion Ends 12/31

I love the holidays! Aside from the fact that I get to spend time with family that I love, it's a time where we make a ton of ethnic food that we don't typically eat through the year. I remember going to my grandmothers for a whole spread of Spanish food, from arroz con pollo, to pasteles, to pastelillos, to pernil, my grandmother, mom and aunts would always put out a smorgasbord of stuff. As a child, I remember staring up at all of the yummy goodness, wishing and hoping I could make "that" one day.

Over the years, I've adopted and learned many of my grandmother's recipes, and I love sharing it with my family- especially my kids. When most people think of holiday food, the first thing that comes to mind is COOKIES! It's no surprise that when the cooler weather rolls in, moms all over the world start baking and using the oven. It's this time of the year that I can really stock up on all of my baking goods, including Crisco products.

I love checking out the recipes on Crisco and CriscoEnEspanol.com for great tasting appetizers, entrees and desserts.

I just wanted to share the recipe for Bocaditos de Tocineta y Queso, (Bacon and Cheese Bites), and yes, I know they're not a typical latino dish, but I had everything in the house to make these, and they were SO good!! They were really quick to make, and the ladies loved them!

INGREDIENTS:

• Oil stick Crisco ® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 / 2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon water
• Mix 1 cup Hungry Jack ® Buttermilk Complete Pancake & Waffle Mix (Just Add Water)
• 1 / 2 cup (2 oz) Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 / 4 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Paprika

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

HEAT oven to 400 ° F. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

COMBINE sour cream and water in medium bowl. Add pancake mix, cheese and bacon bits. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. With a spoon, form the snacks on the prepared cookie sheet.

BAKE 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with paprika. Serve warm

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This season, Crisco teams up with chef Michelle Bernstein to offer Latino home cooks delicious recipes and the chance to win prizes every day!

From Crisco:

ORRVILLE, Ohio (DATE, 2010) – Crisco®, one of America's leading producers of cooking oils, shortening and cooking sprays, has joined forces with popular Latina Chef and James Beard Award winner, Michelle Bernstein, to help Latino home cooks learn new recipes and answer the age-old question: What’s for Dinner? Home cooks can log onto www.criscoenespanol.com for Chef Bernstein’s latest Latin-inspired creations and the chance to win prizes – every day though December 31, 2010. Throughout the promotion, Crisco will award more than 1,000 entrants with prizes including $20 gift cards and one grand prize including a set of gourmet cookware.

“The kitchen is the heart of the Latino home, and meals make memories and bring people together,” said Chef Bernstein, who grew up surrounded by the aromas of her mother's Argentinean kitchen. “Home cooks can rely on the full line of Crisco cooking oils, shortening and cooking sprays to help them create dishes they can proudly serve their families.”

Home cooks eager for dinner ideas can log onto criscoenespanol.com to find a wealth of recipes with Latino flair. Chef Michele Bernstein is the owner of Michy’s and Sra. Martinez restaurants in Miami and author of “Cuisine a Latina.” Chef Bernstein frequently showcases her delectable creations on shows like The Today Show and The Martha Stewart Show and has appeared as a guest judge on Top Chef. Chef Bernstein is sharing some of her own unique recipes on criscoenespanol.com, including Empanadas with Sweet Corn Filling and Papa a la Huancaina, that will inspire home cooks.

“The question of ‘what’s for dinner?’ pops up in almost every household on a daily basis,” said Maribeth Badertscher, Vice President, Corporate Communications, The J.M. Smucker Company. “But Crisco is here to help home cooks – especially busy moms – with easy, creative and tasty recipes that are sure to wow the family.”

The promotion ends on December 31, 2010 and is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., 18 years of age or older. Void where prohibited. Visit http://www.criscoenespanol.com/ for complete details and Official Rules. First time entrants who register for the contest will receive a link to an online coupon.

Go visit criscoenespanol.com for more details on the What's For Dinner giveaway and contest, to learn new, exciting recipes, and develop deep-rooted holiday traditions. Celebrate the season, and celebrate your family. The contest makes it even better! Don't forget to enter every day, and share it with your friends.
 



Special thanks to the PR company that represents Crisco for presenting me with this opportunity. We received a basket of Crisco products in exchange for facilitating this article.

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Bob Evans and Publix team up to bring the classics home to your table!

Just in time for Thanksgiving, local Publix locations (and some other retailers, too!) have started carrying Bob Evans Side Dishes like Original Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Mac & Cheese in the refrigerated foods section.

My husband is a beef and potato kind of guy, and an absolute "Homemade Mashed Potato Junkie". Seriously, he could eat mashed potatoes from scratch all day long. I love mashed potatoes too, but rarely did we have homemade mashed potatoes growing up, the instant kind was just quicker. When I first started cooking for my husband, Brian would call my 'fake' potatoes out every time I cooked them. I couldn't believe he could tell the difference. Shortly there-after, I was invited to his mothers house and enjoyed homemade mashed potatoes the way they're supposed to taste.

Years have passed since then, and I have converted to homemade potatoes all the way. The kids love it, and let's face it- it's healthier.

Recently, I was presented the opportunity to review the new line of Bob Evans refrigerated potatoes and Mac & Cheese. (We literally live 4 blocks from a Bob Evans, and many Mothers or Fathers Days meals have been there.) Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to try them. I knew that the original sides that are served in their restaurants are delicious, and my kids devour them, but would the packaged kind work? Would they be a healthier alternative than say the boxed competitors versions?? Would it be enough to feed my hungry family? I was excited to try them out, especially since now with kids of my own, I can relate to why my mom used boxed potatoes.

The new Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes come in 'Original' and 'Garlic'. We decided to play it safe, and try the Original potatoes first. The package is microwavable, and almost instantly you have the creamiest, fluffiest homemade mashed potatoes- (with only a few little lumps of real potatoes)- ready for your dining room table.

The ingredients on the label were all normal ingredients, words that I could pronounce, and the nutritional values were very impressive for a pre-packaged product. I was expecting the sodium to be sky high, and honestly- it wasn't. The amount of food in the container was great for the size of the container. It was really packed into it, not half empty like most store bought sides. My scavengers were satisfied with the quantity.

The Bob Evans Mac & Cheese was thicker, closer to real homemade Mac & Cheese. The kids are used to the store boxed brand, so at first they were a little hesitant, but as soon as we told them it was like the kind from Bob Evans, they went to town on it! They cleared their plates, and even asked for more!

Brian & I cook with a ton of garlic, so I must say that our personal favorites were the Bob Evans Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Seasoned perfectly, it wasn't overly "Ghhhhhhhharlicy" but very well flavored. I generally need my potatoes to be lump free, but the tiny bits that were left in it really made it feel, and taste like genuine homemade potatoes.

I am excited that more varieties of classic Bob Evans products are being added to our local Publix shelves, and cannot wait to give the other products (like the Cheddar Potatoes!) a try. I've noticed on the actual Bob Evans Website, they have family sized containers as well, which would be perfect for the holidays, or for a really hungry group.

If the thought of homemade potatoes are that intimidating, Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes are the next best thing to homemade. Look for Bob Evans Sides at your local grocery store, and ask for them by name if they do not carry them yet. Bob Evans quality foods are sure to complete any meal or tradition, and with more selections being added, all of this year's Thanksgiving sides could be complete- from Sweet Potatoes to Glazed Apples!

WANT IT??
Click here to SAVE $0.50 on any Bob Evans Refrigerated Side Dish! Use this link if you're interested in saving on other Bob Evans Products. Find a super market or store near you that carries Bob Evans, here.

Congratulations to our WINNERS!!

Please read the WINNERS POST for more information on how to claim your prize!

This giveaway is open to residents of the US and will end on November 21st, at 11:59pm EST. Two winners will be chosen at random using Random.org. Special thanks to Bob Evans for sponsoring this review and giveaway, and allowing our family and readers to try these yummy sides on them!

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