Sacramento Kennel Club Dog Show 2013

Sunday morning we attended the Sacramento Kennel Club Dog Show. I was so glad we were able to make it on the last day. My son had so much fun last year I knew this year he would be delighted to go. We were watching Good Day Sacramento on tv with a morning cup of coffee and saw the preview of the Dog Show. My son was so happy and asked to go so we jumped in the car and drove down to Sacramento.

I am happy we went! My son adores dogs, he always asks people at parks if he can pet their dog. He gets the biggest smile on his face. Since we moved and had to find a new home for our dog ( you can red the story about that here) my son has asked about our dog a lot, he still calls her his dog and when he sees a black lab he yells her name. It breaks my heart! I knew he would love to see all the dogs at the show.

He was so excited for all the different dog breeds. He asked what kind they were and what their names were. He got many dog kisses lol which for him was awesome! He got to shake some paws, give a few high fives and petted so many dogs he could not stop smiling.

Last year his favorite dog was a Great Dane named Patrick. This year we met the sweetest, mellow dog I have ever met, Anya. She is an Anatolian dog that originates from Turkey. Anya's owners were just as sweet as she is! They let my son pet her, shake her hand, look in her mouth at all her teeth, mess with her paws, touch her tail and the dog even laid down to get belly rubs! My son did not want to leave the dog. The owners live and breed the dogs on Rare Breed Ranch in Northern CA. It was nice to meet breeders that were from Cali.

Anya the Anatolian dog. She is so mellow!! 

Another Dog from the Rare Breed Ranch, Boris 

He did a few crying fits since after all he is 3 1/2, he wanted to get in the ring with the dogs. He put his little hands on the gate to watch as close as he could without getting in there and a volunteer came over and told him dont touch the fencing and gave me a look. He loves dogs he cant help it! :)

My son took this picture. He wanted to pet them then take a pic lol

He cried again when he could not pet EVERY dog he saw. The poor kid would have stayed all day petting dogs if I let him. We were there a few hours and when we left he asked me pretty please can we go back. I am glad he had so much fun. I am hoping by next year he will have his own dog to go home to.

Taking more pictures of the dogs in the ring that he could not pet

* We were guests of the Sacramento Dog Show and received tickets to enter. This is a non paid post.

Coupons to start your week!

Personal Care

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Right Guard

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NeoCell Beauty Bursts Review and Giveaway

 

Looking for a little burst of  collagen, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C ? NeoCell's Beauty Bursts can give you just that! Beauty Bursts are yummy all natural chews that come in two flavors, Fresh Mint Chocolate and Super Fruit Punch,  to keep your hair, skin and nails healthy.

I am always looking for ways to keep my face and skin looking young and healthy. Beauty Bursts are sweet but not too sweet little treat with only 40 calories per serving (2 in a serving). I have been keeping a stash of these "beauties" in my desk drawer, they say to eat 2-4 daily.

A serving of two Beauty Bursts contains: 

• 2,000 mg of NeoCell's famous Super Collagen™ types 1 & 3 to strengthen skin, hair and nails
• 20 mg of hyaluronic acid to help skin stay hydrated and retain moisture
• 20 mg of vitamin C to help boost collagen in the skin

GIVEAWAY

Win a pack of Beauty Bursts by NeoCell

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts April 14 2013 and ends on May 5 , 2013 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe

Photo: Martha Stewart Living

I love Cheesecake! We love to order it a restaurants and make them at home. I have been trying to somewhat watch the intake of sweet treats I eat  and discovered I can try different types of sweet treats that are not as heavy calories. I was browsing the Martha Stewart recipe section and found a great cheesecake recipe. It was for Ricotta Cheesecake! I had not considered cheesecake with other types of cheese. I was very intrigued at how this would taste so we headed to the store to buy the interesting.


Recipe from Martha Stewart Living Website:

Ingredients: 

Unsalted butter, room temperature, for pan

• 3/4 cup sugar, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese, pureed in a food processor until smooth
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange or 2 lemons
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 
  

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter and sugar a 9-inch springform pan (3 inches deep). Whisk together ricotta, egg yolks, flour, 6 tablespoons sugar, the zest, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Whisk egg whites with a mixer on low speed until foamy. Raise speed to high, and gradually add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, whisking until stiff, glossy peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently fold a third of the whites into ricotta mixture using a rubber spatula until just combined. Gently fold in remaining whites until just combined.
3. Pour batter into pan, and bake until center is firm and top is deep golden brown, about 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; release sides to remove from pan, and let cool completely. 

I made mine into two smaller pans since I do not have a springform pan.

I had the most beautiful picture of my finished Cheesecake but it was on my iPhone that I have just recently messed up and lost my pictures! I wanted to cry at losing the pictures of my son I had on my phone but I do have the memories so I will be ok!

The Ricotta Cheesecake is sooooooo delicious. Its light and moist. It is a unique flavor and my son loved it. He had a huge piece and told me he needed more. I felt the same way after my first piece. I highly recommend making this recipe its so good.

Mikarose Clothing Review and $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway - Spring Event

As a full time working Mom I need so many clothing options. I did not realize how little I had in the way of nice outfits that fit well. I was in Mommy mode of comfy pants and a tshirt for so long I forgot how great it feels to dress nice. I even try to add a little touch of nice to my day off outfits too. Finding clothing that I can wear at my job and be comfy enough to move around is my goal.

I have had items from Mikarose in the past and knew they would have some pretty and modest items I could wear to work. I like to wear skirts that are long enough that I am comfortable that aren't too short. I love the trend of the lace look that so many styles have.  The Printed Pencil Skirt  is comfy, stylish and since its a printed look I do not have to worry about delicate lace but still enjoy the look. The Double Cascade Top is a pretty color. I love the ruffles going down the middle. It gives the top a feminine soft look to it. The way the top came to a point with the fabric in the chest area was a bit uncomfortable for me but it may be that the top was too tight for me.

Mikarose has many other nice outfits as well. I like the Makenna Maxi Dress and the Ariana Dress.

For our Mother's Day Spring Fling Fashion and Fun Event we will be hosting a giveaway for a $50 Gift Certificate to Mikarose.


a Rafflecopter giveaway  


*Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts April 10 2013 and ends on May 3 , 2013 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

Mother's Day Spring Fling Fashion and Fun Gift Guide Event Starts Today!

Today starts our Mother's Day Spring Fling Fashion and Fun Gift Guide Event on Frugal Family Tree and Popcorn and Pearls. We are excited to also be introducing a new site Lovely Little You that our very own writer Samantha has started. Its new and she has many great ideas for the site.

This year for Mother's Day celebrations we are spicing things up with a "Spring Fling Fashion and Fun" Gift Guide Event! We are seeking great gift ideas for not only ourselves for Mother's Day but our families, after all we wouldn't be celebrating Motherhood with out them! We are hosting the Spring Fling Gift Guide Event on our websites April 10th- May 10th and we will be hosting giveaways for you to win some great prizes as well as sharing some great gift ideas.

We are all happy to be Moms and family. We all support each other and keep one another grounded through the wild ride of Motherhood. We love that you our readers have embraced our family and join us sharing our stories as Moms and women. We love your comments and to hear your own journey through life.

What do you have planned for your family to celebrate the Spring and Mother's Day?

Pineapple Banana Grapefruit Smoothie Recipe

I a smoothie lover! Before my son was born I would buy Jambas all the time. Now that I am a little more budget aware I have been making them at home. I love fruit and making new flavors for smoothies is always fun. I have started to use frozen bananas in my smoothies and this has made a huge difference in the thickness and texture. SO close to a Jamba I love it! Plus I have a new blender that I won online that has been making it easier to blend ice and frozen fruit. Grapefruits are so good for you but for me are a little tart. Serving them in a smoothie helps you get the health benefit from them. My recipe is Dairy Free :)

Pineapple Banana Grapefruit Smoothie

3 Frozen Bananas (take off peels and place in a baggie in the freezer for a few hours)
1 Grapefruit
2 cups Pineapple juice
1 cup ice cubes

Blend until Smooth and Enjoy!

Family Fun: College Basketball Championship Games #KettleMadness

We have become huge sports fans in the last few years since we have had our son. We did not realize the fun we were missing out on! Each season there is a new sport to follow and my son loves them all.  We watch the professional level and college sports. It is exciting to watch college level since you can root for the schools you love and see up and coming players.

Since basketball season started this year we have been watching games on tv and watching Basketball themed movies with our son in preparation of the Spring College Basketball Tournament. We have been watching Air Bud over and over! I love to see how excited he gets when a team makes a basket and cheers when the game is over.  This year we have decided to throw a family party to watch my son's favorite team play in the yearly College Basketball Championship games.

My son has picked his favorite team to be the Louisville Cardinals since they look like the Angry Birds. When he told me he likes the Red Angry Bird team it made me giggle, I told him its a Cardinal but of course he insisted it was Angry Birds. We decided that Louisville would be our team this year and we followed along as they have been playing the Championship Basketball Tournament. So far they have been doing great!

For any good party its all about the food. We wanted easy to eat food so we could watch the game while we ate. My first thought was chips and dip, who doesn't love to dunk a chip while watching basketball. Kettle Chips are perfect for a game snack, they have so many flavors and aren't messy like some brittle chips. Plus not only do they taste great the Kettle Brand chips are made with natural ingredients for flavor and color. We headed to Walmart to get Kettle Chips, drinks, dips, hamburger items and party supplies.

My son loves burgers. He would eat them daily if I let him. For our College Basketball party I decided to make a special hamburger for us all to enjoy. I crushed up the Jalapeno Kettle Chips into tiny pieces to add into the hamburger while it cooked. When the burgers were done cooking I topped them with more Jalapeno chips and cheese. They turned out delicious! Everyone loved them and my son ate two whole hamburgers and asked for more. (He went into the fridge while we were watching the game and took a burger that was intended for my mother in law!)

We wanted my son to be able to practice shooting baskets anytime he wanted so we purchased a basketball set that has two hoops and a scoreboard. Before getting him the hoop he would have me hold my arms like a basket and many of times I was hit in the face with the ball as the backboard. My son loved being able to play basketball as we watched the College Basketball Championship Games. When his team Cardinals "Angry Birds" would score a big play he would cheer then run over to his hoop and shoot a basket. He has become really good at his ability to score a basket throwing it the correct way.

We set up the chips like a tasting bar with the flavors in separate containers to enjoy all the flavors. We all tried different ones and each had a favorite. My son loves the Backyard BBQ one, I love the Salt & Vinegar, my husband and his friend the Jalapeno and my mother in law the Krinkle Cut. I like the crispy crunch of Kettle Brand chips and when you open a bag of Kettle Brand Potato Chips, you know you’re getting real chips made with real ingredients by real people.

In the fourth quarter I brought out the Red & Yellow Sugar Cookies I made during the game to celebrate that our team was winning. We all had a wonderful time cheering for our team and watching them win. They will be moving onto the next round of the College Basketball Tournament and we will be watching the game on April 6th to see them win again!

Next time you have a College Basketball party be sure to include Kettle Brand Chips for great flavor and natural ingredients. I have a coupon for you to use as well for Kettle Brand chips. Its located on my side bar on the blog for you to save $1 on one bag. Happy College Basketball Tournament season to you and GO Cardinals "Angry Birds"!

To connect more with Kettle Brand chips on Facebook and Twitter. You can read my Google+ story  to see our fun shopping trip to Walmart for our College Basketball party to get ideas for your own party.



*I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and Kettle Chips #cbias #SocialFabric

Wordless Wednesday

The day before Easter we were lucky enough to see a real live bunny!! 

He lives at a local store and his name is Bun Bun.

We love Bun Bun!

Coupons to start your week!

Cereal

• $1.00 off TWO BOXES General Mills adult cereals
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Food

• $1.00 off ONE (1) BOCA Meatless Product
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Pet Products

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Easter Egg Rice Krispies Treats!!

Easter Egg Rice Krispie Treats!!

The ingredients: All of the standard rice krispies treat ingredients (on the back of the marshmallow package) plus food coloring and plastic Easter eggs.

 Four bowls with the different food coloring added. We chose all the colors red, yellow, blue and green for ours.

Divided the krispie mix between the bowls, stirred them to get the food coloring mixed in really well.

Once they cooled off I let the boys help me fill the eggs. Not pictured was the olive oil spray I used to coat the inside of the Easter eggs so the gooey cereal wouldn't stick to the insides. It worked really well!

My boys hard at work :)

So simple, so fun and a great way to get the boys involved in making this special Easter treat!!

WONKA Easter Candy Review

When I think of Easter candy I think of Jellybeans and Chocolate. Growing up the we knew we could count on getting some sort of chocolate and tons of jellybeans in our baskets! I want my kids to associate the Easter Bunny with the same, memories and traditions are what make us a family.

We make a lot of cupcakes at our house so I whipped up thesee sweet little "nest" cupcake and I topped the "nest" with WONKA Nerds Bumpy Jelly Beans. Nerd Jellybeans sounded weird to me but they really do taste great, I am a huge fan of Nerds so this was a great way to in-cooperate the two! Crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. Yum.

Are you still looking or needing to get your Easter candy for Sunday? If so I recommend anything the WONKA brand makes! There are so many choices out there but with their Butterfinger or Crunchy Bunny you can't go wrong. What about the NEW WONKA Laffy Taffy Jelly Beans...they are awesome and taste just like Laffy Taffy we expect.

And lastly do you have those "big kids" who are always finding the eggs first and feel like you can never hide them good enough? WONKA makes a Hard2Find Egg Hunt assortment. They are camouflage to look like concrete, grass or bark. What a great idea!! So if you like me and you have not finished your Easter shopping check out all of these great candy ideas.

Warm Tradition Review and Giveaway

 

When my little ones are not feeling well or complaining of a tummy ache I want to soothe them as quick as possible. I know that a Hot Water Bottle is a great relief and a helpful tool so they can rest their little bodies. We all know about the hot water bottles our parents used to have, the plain old plastic looking thing that always felt cold even when filled with hot water. There are so many more cute and fun hot water bottle holders out there and Warm Tradition has some really great ones! Check out this little Lamb Hot Water Bottle Holder, so sweet and soothing when they need a little extra TLC.

{Ashley fighting off a yummy ache with her little Lamb}

There are lots of categories and options to choose from like their Classic, Plush, Knit, Fun Design, Kids and more. As well as microwavable Heat Packs and this cute Mouse Heated Neck Wrap. The possibles are endless!

Enter to Win a Warm Traditions Lamb


a Rafflecopter giveaway


 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts March 27, 2013 and ends on April 10,  2013 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

Doodle Dome Glow Crazy Review and Giveaway

To keep my boys busy as we wait for Spring to finally get here I introduced them to the Doodle Dome Glow Crazy. They are having a blast together!

 

Here is information from their site to explain what a Doodle Dome is-

Glow Crazy™ Doodle Dome™ Product Description

Now, kids can play in the dark anywhere, anytime of the day with this portable glow art studio from Techno Source. With the Glow Crazy light pen they can draw, write and play games on the dome’s special inner glow wall. Kids can also put on light shows for their friends and family, use stencils to create cool glow scenes, and make fun silhouettes using their hands, toys, or even their friends. Kids can let their glow creations fade or “glow over” them to clear their canvas and start again. Includes light pen, 4 stencil sheets and everything needed to assemble the glow dome in a handy carrying case.

The boys have been spending hours playing in their Doodle Dome. They love that it is dark like a cave and they have their own "secret" hide out. The possibilities of what they can create is huge, they love the stencils but using their imaginations is priceless.

Enter to Win a Glow Crazy Doodle Dome

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts March 26, 2013 and ends on April 9,  2013 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

Shari's Berries Gift Basket Review

Easter is almost here! We are getting so excited around our house. We are getting treats ready for next weekend and making sure all the gifts are being sent out. I like to buy gifts online so the items are sent directly to the recipient, no shipping for me. Have you purchased all your items yet? You can buy Easter Candy and Chocolate at Shari's Berries. Not only do they have delicious chocolate covered strawberries but they also have everything you need for Easter Candy and other gift baskets.

My husband is not a huge chocolate fan and my mother in law cannot eat chocolate so I always make sure to have other items like fruit and salty snacks to go around. I love the idea of a gift basket with fresh fruit in it. So many times during holidays that involve lots of candy I want to have healthy treats for my son as well.

We ordered the Special Treasures Gift Basket for Easter. I was happy to see the variety of items in the basket. I know my husband will enjoy the nuts and my son and mother in law the fruit.

• Cinnamon Almonds (3 oz.)
• Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds (3 oz.)
• Honey Roasted Peanuts (3 oz.)
• Butter Toffee Pecans (3 oz.)
• Demitasse Petit Fours
• Olive Oil/Sea Salt Crackers (2 oz.)
• Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Round (4 oz.)
• 2 Comice or D'Anjou Pears
• 2 Red Sensation Pears
• 4 Fuji Apples

He declared all the fruit and the peanuts were his! 

The Demitasse Petit Fours were delicious. Tiny little cakes packed full of flavor and sweetness. I would definitely order another gift basket for a birthday or holiday from Shari's Berries. We LOVE their berries and I am glad to know they have the same quality to their other items. 

They have many cute Easter options and oh the chocolate options! They all look delicious. 

There are online coupons you can use for Shari's Berries HERE.

*I was sent the products mentioned above for my review. This is not a paid post.