Go Dwayne!!

I just had to share that Dwayne won some trophies in a recent Toastmasters speaking contest that was held locally. He took home 2nd place for Humorous Speaking Contest & 2nd place in Evaluation Contest Division D. He also won 2 first place trophies in the same categories last week! He has made it to the finals that will be held in Charleston, South Carolina next month. My hubby certainly has the gift of gab! We are all so proud of him!! :-)

Raising teen girls

I was having a phone conversation with a good friend the other day and the main topic of discussion was raising teenagers. Having 2 teenage girls at one time has been quite interesting to say the least. Lucky for them I remember very well what it was like to be a teenage girl. I would never want to go back to those years! So far so good with my girls though. They do go through all the emotional stuff and you watch their eating habits flip flop regularly. It is funny how when you are a teenager you think even the littlest thing is the BIGGEST thing in the world. It's as if life is going to end as you know it. I have to constantly remind them that obviously life goes on (I'm still alive and kicking!) They will look back at their teenage years many years from now and wonder why they were so worried over the most insignificant things. History truly repeats itself doesn't it? Some days I feel like choking them but most days I am beyond grateful to have such extraordinary girls! I often wonder what it will be like when William is a teenager. Then again, I can wait! Just let me get through the next few years...

When confusion strikes...

Move your furniture around! It is amazing how well changing things up can improve your focus. I have been having a hard time staying asleep in recent weeks. I know that my mind races but normally it shuts off enough for me to get a solid 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. We took time over the weekend to do some small house projects as well as replace air conditioning filters, floor vent filters and light bulbs. I even dusted and vacuumed the nooks and crannies that you don't get to all the time. I think it helped because my sleep was ah-maaaayzing! I feel so rested and refreshed. Let's see if it carries on for the rest of the week!

Hey mom, what's for dinner?

This has become a question that I cringe when I hear it. I am going through a loss of creativity when it comes to cooking dinner in recent weeks. The teenagers go through phases of where they eat like models and then other times that they eat like football players. This can mean that either I cook and the food wastes or they want to eat everything other than what I cooked. I ask my husband every time I go to the store~ "Do you want anything?" The answer is almost always the same... "No".  When I ask the family for suggestions on what I should cook it seems like no one can come up with anything realistic. We all get tired of chicken, fish, shrimp.... One wants pasta and the rest feel ill at the thought of pasta. I myself love vegetables...all kinds. The rest of the family doesn't always care for what I like. What to do?? *DEEP SIGH* I need some new ideas of what to make because I am fresh out. I see why so many people eat out. I know I can't be the only one that feels this way...

Moon Dough Review

 

We received the Moon Dough Breakfast Kit for ages 3 and up to check out. I have heard of Moon Dough before but this was my first time getting to play around with it hands on. The kit came with 2 colors of Moon Dough (pink and yellow). Moon Dough is a "magical modeling dough" that never dries out, is hypo-allergenic and wheat-free. It has such a cool texture and is really quite addicting to play with! The kit included some push & pop tools that you can use to mold your Moon Dough in breakfast shaped items like waffles, pancakes and bread. Seriously, I am thinking about keeping the pink Moon Dough next to my computer to play with when I need some stress relief!

William really had fun with this! He enjoyed pressing the Moon Dough out as well as breaking it up in smaller pieces.

We thought the play mat that was attached to the packaging was a neat thing. William made a cute little breakfast!

Moon Dough has improved their modeling dough making it less crumbly... meaning less mess! That is a big plus for me! I will however suggest that you keep a close eye on younger children while playing with it. Don't ask :)  Learn more about  Moon Dough products on the web and stay connected on Facebook & Twitter.

I received a product sample for review purposes and received no compensation. All opinions are 100% mine as always.

Big Boys pee standing up. Yep.

If you are a regular reader you would know that I have been trying hard with my boy to get him potty trained. It has been hell quite a journey to say the least. We are not fully there but we are making progress. It seems like out of the blue William has figured out when he has to go to the potty. Dwayne has been working with him standing up to pee like a "big boy".

Apparently this has worked in helping him to want to go voluntarily. He is very fascinated by seeing and hearing what is going on when he goes to the big toilet. Now he says that he wants to go to the white potty and not the frog potty. Hearing the words "I need to pee pee" makes me a very happy mom! Now if only we can get him to do the rest of his business in the potty we will be straight!

Boys like fast cars!

We received this very cool Ferrari 458 Italia remote control car in red (Will's favorite color) from a great toy store called TrendTimes.com. The minute I put the batteries in and handed it over to my husband and son they were completely sucked in. It was amazing how fast that tiny car (7 inches) could go! Although William is a bit young for a remote control car, it did not stop him from enjoying himself. Even our dog got in on the action!

I was happy that the car came with the batteries in the box. This makes it a great gift idea since it would be ready to go! I also discovered that this car is very durable to be so small. Let's just say that it can withstand a 3 year old and I will leave it at that!! It also comes in a bigger size.

The bad part? I get nagged all day by the kiddo to "play race car"! I know William will get many hours of fun from his new car. I won't even get started on how much fun the husband had ;-)

Natural IS Better!

I have been slowly incorporating a lot more natural and organic products in my household including everything from food items to cleaning supplies. I was sent a bottle of Sea Buckthorn Balancing Facial Cleanser from Sibu Beauty to test out. Check out what Sea Buckthorn is here.  I have been using it for about 5 days/nights now. All I can say is WOW! I can't believe how noticeably radiant and smooth my skin is.

The texture of the cleanser reminds me of a gel-like honey with a little sugar scrub in it. It does not lather up like traditional facial cleansers but it sure does remove every bit of my make-up! I keep touching my face all day long and even my husband has noticed how beautiful my skin looks and feels. He wants to start using the facial cleanser as well. I told him he better get his OWN bottle! I need to order the moisturizer to go with it since my skin is normally a bit on the dry side. To learn more about this product check out the site as well as the Facebook and Twitter pages.

Do you use any natural beauty products?

Denim Done Right

 I wanted to pass along some great information:

Shopping for jeans that fit perfectly can be frustrating. Before you head to the dressing room yet again, follow these guidelines from Senior Designer for Jockey Person to Person, Sunil Ramchandani to help you find your perfect denim (without all the bells and whistles.)

1. Fabric: A poly cotton blend will help retain the shape and color much longer. Hand washing will allow the material to last much longer as well. A mid weight, 8 to 11 ounces per yard, will be perfect for year round wear.

2. Fit: The waist should have enough room to fit one finger in between the pants and yourself and the denim must be fitted through the thigh and knee. The rise should be 1” below your belly button but no more than 3”.

3. Length: If you are wearing flats, your jeans should touch the floor. With heels, the pant leg should be ¼” above the floor on your back heel. Make sure to have separate pairs to wear with heels and flats.

4. Leg Shapes and Body Types: Bootlegs work best on Pear and Hourglass body shapes. Straight legs work best on Apple and Pencil body shapes. Wide legs work best on Strawberry shapes.

5. Camouflage Your Flaws: If you have a slight belly, you should go for a stretch fit and wear it with longer length, un-tucked boots. If you have a large bottom, go for a slightly lower rise with simple back pockets. Big Hips, the boot cut is your friend as it will help rebalance your figure.

Be sure to check out the Jockey Person to Person denim collection and remember you have to feel good in your own skin in order to look great in a good pair of jeans! Jockey Person to Person® is one of North America’s premier direct sales companies offering extraordinary women’s apparel and accessories, created for today’s on-the-go woman. To find out more, visit JockeyPersontoPerson.com 

Wordless Wednesday

Homemade Cheddar & Potato Soup

Interesting...

This morning I had an appointment for my annual pap... fun times for women all over the world I tell ya!  Well my doctor informed me of a change that was made in regards to getting one done each year. She said that as long as you have never had abnormal results over the years that you only have to get it done once every 3 years. I was like Whaaaattt??? I dared not argue about that one. She also mentioned that it is no longer recommended for any females under 21 years old to have one even if they are sexually active. I don't know how long this has been in effect for but I will take it! Not having to get scraped and brushed for 2 years in between works for me. My doctor did mention that you can still get one done annually if you want to.

Have you heard about this? What are your thoughts?

Living, Laughing, Enjoying

I realized that I have barely been posting anything personal here on Momfiles. I have been busy taking care of my family and taking time for the little things. The girls have birthdays coming up this month and we have been very focused on them. Teenagers require so much! I always used to hear when the girls were just born that I should enjoy them while they are young. I did not really get the full understanding of what that meant until they got around 10 and 12. Having little William has given me another opportunity to take even more time to enjoy every single moment.

Every time that William makes me want to yank my hair out I stop and smile. I realize that he won't be 3 for too much longer and I have learned to find something good out of what might have been a bit naughty. He is thriving with his language and still lagging behind with the potty training thing. I have chosen to not stress out over it. I just know that one day he will be his sister's age and I will enjoy all the littlest things NOW. Having babies when you are older really makes you look at things from a much different perspective!

So what has everyone been up to lately?

#EBPlateDate "Brinner" Party

On Saturday evening, our family had a group of friends and family members over for an Eggland’s Best Plate Date “Brinner” Party. Our guests were all curious as to what kind of party this would be. Would you guess that there were tons of Eggland’s Best Eggs involved? I was thrilled to get to work with Eggland’s Best on the Plate Date campaign highlighting great ways to prepare eggs for busy families. You would not believe the vast ways you can cook an egg! I decided to stick with some kid-friendly recipes that are simple and tasty.

Our menu included: Deviled eggs (can't be a party without them!), Southwestern Egg Scramble (recipe below), French toast on honey wheat and Chicago Italian bread and blueberry crumb cake (after all, you have to eat your fruit)

I proudly wore my Eggland's Best apron :-) I would of posted photos of my guests but they preferred not to be in them. That, and my husband takes lousy photos!

I went through dozens of eggs to prepare all of my dishes. I really love the cage-free brown eggs. They have become my new favorite! I made this Southwestern Egg Scramble from a recipe off of the EB site but I tweaked it a bit. Here is what you need:
10 Eggland's Best Eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
10 ounces cottage cheese, drained
1/2 lb shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 lb shredded pepper jack cheese
2 scallions thinly sliced


Preheat oven to 400F
Spray a 13 X 9 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside (I used pure butter).
In a medium bowl, blend flour, salt and baking powder together. Set aside.
Beat eggs thoroughly. Slowly add in flour mixture, beating well until all ingredients are incorporated.
Stir in melted butter, scallions, cottage cheese and jack & pepper jack cheeses and blend well.

Pour into baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes, or until browned. (I had to adjust my oven about 10 degrees lower than suggested)
Remove from oven and cool slightly. Cut into squares and serve.

I think that this dish was a big hit! Everyone loved it and they said it tasted like quiche. The kids all said it made them think of mac 'n cheese without the macaroni! This will be made at my next breakfast/brunch gathering for sure!

Our next favorite dish was the deviled eggs. I used the used the EB Hard-cooked, peeled eggs for the very first time. They came 6 to a bag. I opened the bag and was surprised that there was no eggyness... you know that lovely aroma you get when you boil eggs? Yep, none of that!

Even when I sliced them in half there was no eggy smell. I tell you what, this is a great convenience for when time is not on your side. No boiling, timing, peeling, cooling or heating up your kitchen. You can't beat that! I made my deviled eggs pretty much traditional with a little twist~ I used mayo, freshly cracked pepper, hot pepper sauce, sweet pickle relish, a little honey mustard sauce and a little bit of milk for a smoother consistency. I topped some off with freshly sliced scallion and left some without. I lightly sprinkled some smoky Paprika as a finishing touch. Simple and delicious!
Everyone had such a great time chatting and catching up as well as talking about Eggland's Best Eggs. Thanks to the generosity of Eggland's Best, each guest received a coupon for a FREE dozen eggs. I have a feeling I might have converted all my guests into EB fans. I loved hosting this fun party and I want to say THANK YOU so much to Eggland's Best for making it possible by providing product coupons, cooking utensils and a gift card to help with the extras.

Be sure to check out Eggland's Best on Facebook & Twitter!

Eggland's Best Giveaway {Closed}

Winner is #181 Donald~ Congratulations!

It's no secret that my family loves Eggland's Best eggs. We are self-proclaimed egg snobs and will only buy the Eggland's Best brand. I know it sounds crazy but I have never seen such clean eggs. I am not talking about the shell, but the actual egg. They even taste clean! Knowing that they are high in Vitamin D, B12 and E as well as a good source of Omega 3 and Lutein make then even better. Oh and they have 25% less saturated fat than regular eggs! I was offered some eggs from a family member recently for free and the first question I asked was "Are they Eggland's Best?" I found out they were not, so I politely passed on them.

We are going to be hosting an Eggland's Best "Plate Date Brinner Party" tomorrow evening. We will prepare some dishes to share with our guests that incorporate eggs of course! I will be posting details of the party next week along with recipes and photos. Be sure to check back! *Edited* Post is up!

Our friends at Eggland's Best have provided an awesome EB gift pack filled with goodies for one lucky Momfiles reader to win. The gift pack will include: an Apron, Spatula, Whisk, Ramekins, 60 minute timer, Plush egg, Eco bag and 3 coupons for FREE Eggland's Best Eggs!

To enter: Tell us your favorite way to eat eggs.

For extra entries:
~Share a kid-friendly egg recipe (3 entries)
~"like" Eggland's Best and Momfiles on Facebook
~Mention this giveaway on Facebook and leave a link
~Follow Eggland's Best and Momfiles on Twitter
~Tweet this giveaway (once daily) and leave a link to your Tweet:

Enter to win an @EgglandsBest gift pack from @momfiles http://tinyurl.com/3vf28cs #giveaway #food

~Follow Momfiles via Google Friend Connect

~ Leave a comment on my #EBPlateDate Brinner Party post (2 entries)

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 7, 2011 at 9:00 pm EST. One winner will will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Please leave your email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger Profile. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Items might differ from image. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received products as well as a gift card for working on the "Plate Date" campaign. All opinions are 100% mine as always.

Nerds make my day!

I was driving Chardie and Brie to school this morning like I always do. Wednesdays are my favorite because they have late start. This means a little extra sleep and a more relaxed morning. Even before the girls get in the car they start up with all sorts of chatter, jokes and foolishness. Of course being the awesome mom I am, I fully participate in the shenanigans! I laugh myself almost to tears most mornings. This morning the topic was science classes. Chardie had to double up on sciences since she could not fit Biology in her schedule freshman year. So this means both Chardie and Brie take Biology, same teacher but different periods. Brie told Chardie she wishes they could have been in the same class so that they could work on projects together. This is where I intervened. I told them that I know their projects would be the best of the best because of how much they put into every part of it... research, proper grammar, neatness... They both agreed and then made a confession. They said that when they do projects with other students they redo a lot of it. Brie says she saves all the work in her thumb drive and offers to print the project out for the group. What she really does is fix everything that was wrong or correct typos. Both girls admitted that if it was up to them that they would do the whole project themselves so they can get an excellent grade. I tell you what, those girls amaze and inspire me. They care so much about their school work and strive to be the best. Makes me proud. Makes me want to do even better. Most people think I am nuts for driving the kids to school and picking them up since the bus stop is right in front of our house. It costs me a small fortune in gas each week. I don't care. What I get out of our morning conversations in the car is priceless!

The Random Question Meme

I was catching up to reading blogs and came across this post of 20 random things from my girl Kristin so I figured why not... I'm lazy anyway ;) She got the post idea from here. (Like Kristin did, a couple question were edited to make sense)

1. When showering, do you start the water and then get in, or get in then start the water? I start the water and then get in.

2. Have you ever showered with someone of the opposite sex? Um yeah!! Isn't it the green thing to do?

3. Were you ever been forced to shower with one of your siblings? Yes *evil glare*

4. Have you ever dropped your soap on your foot? Yes, I'm clumsy like that.

5. How old do people say you look? I get anywhere from 18-20 something. I don't argue with that!

6. How old do you act? My daughters tell me I act like a child most of the time. I agree. I think I act like I am in my 20's since I don't feel as old as I am. I do however know when to act my age ;)

7. What’s the last song you sang? Party Rock. I blame it on the teenagers.

8. Have you recently become a member of anything? Yes, a couple Facebook Groups.

9. What are your plans for next weekend? I am hosting a dinner party and we will see what else happens.

10. Do you kiss with your eyes open or closed? Both!

11. Whats the sexiest thing about Sarah Palin? She is pretty and that is about it. I think once she opens her mouth all sexiness goes out the door.

12. Who’s the sexiest famous woman alive? Halle Berry.

13. Who’s the sexiest famous man alive? George Clooney

14. Does your family have a crazy uncle? Of course! Don't we all?

15. Have you ever smuggled something into another country? No.

16. Do you live in a city with a good sports team? According to the local people, Yes. I personally don't care.

17. What is the most unusual thing you are obsessed with? I can't stand dirty car windows or any dirty glass surfaces. I have cleaned other people's car windows because it bothered me that much.

18. How do feel about the Goth people? They are people and are entitled to being who they are!

19. Can you fix or your significant other your own car? Hell no.

20. Would you want to kill Casey Anthony yourself if you were guaranteed to get away with it? No way. Not my style...I'm way too pretty to be violent. Now you mess with my kids....

Feel free to participate and let me know if you do :)

Eco Nuts™ Review & Giveaway

**Contest Closed** Winner is #40 T42vek20- Congratulations! I received a bottle of Eco Nuts™ Natural Laundry Soap to try out. I was pretty amazed that 4 ounce bottle I received can wash 24 loads of laundry or 48 in HE machines. I thought to myself that it could not be true. How can anything that looks like watery maple syrup and smells like the earth clean your clothing? I had to learn more... Eco Nuts™ is made from Soap Nuts. What on earth are Soap Nuts you ask? Eco Nuts™ are completely sustainable dried fruit shells that come from the Sapindus mukorossi tree (also called the Soap Berry or Soap Nut Tree) in Nepal, India and Indonesia. The ones they harvest come from high up in the Himalayas and are the highest quality "soap nut" on the market. These fruit shells have been used in India and China for centuries, and are now gaining popularity in America and Europe as a renewable, biodegradable and organic alternative to chemical detergents and expensive “Green” laundry soaps.

Eco Nuts™ contain saponin, a natural cleaner that works as a surfactant, breaking the surface tension of the water to penetrate the fibers of your clothing, lifting stains from the fabric and leaving dirt suspended in the water that is rinsed away.

Eco Nuts™ are gentle on both clothes and skin, making them ideal for those with sensitive skin, eczema, allergies and psoriasis. Because they are so mild, they are perfect for baby clothes and cloth diapers. All-Natural Eco Nuts™ are also great for septic and grey water systems. But don’t expect these shells to foam up like commercial soaps, which have artificial foaming agents. Foam simply does not represent cleaning power.

As you can see, there is no suds or foam when using Eco Nuts™

After testing this product on a few loads I found that it really worked. One capful washes a regular load. I sniffed the first load I did of towels and they smelled like.... well, like nothing. Just like clean laundry with no fragrance. Everything came out soft and free of stains. I am so amazed how well this products worked and love the fact that you can get so many loads out of such a small bottle.

Eco Nuts™ Are:
• Biodegradable
• Hypoallergenic
• Perfect for Sensitive Skin, Allergies, Eczema, Psoriasis
• Nut Allergy Safe!
• 100% Natural and Free From Manmade Chemicals
• Beneficial For Septic and Gray Water Systems
• Sustainable
• Fragrance Free
• Reusable
• Vegan Friendly, Vegan Approved
• Certified Organic By EcoCert and USDA at the Source

How would you like to win a bottle to try out for yourself? One Momfiles winner will receive one 4 ounce bottle of Eco Nuts™ Natural Laundry Soap.

Just leave a comment telling us why you want to win this product.
For extra entries:
~ Follow Eco Nuts™ and Momfiles on Twitter
~ Tweet this giveaway once daily and leave a link:

Win a bottle of @EcoNuts Natural Laundry Soap @momfiles http://tinyurl.com/3enygoc #green #laundry #giveaway

~ "Like" Eco Nuts™ and Momfiles on Facebook
~ Mention this giveaway on Facebook and leave a link

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on August 31, 2011 at 9:00 pm EST. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Please leave your email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger Profile. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a product sample to review and all opinions are 100% mine as always.

School is back in session!

I was up bright and early this morning to take the girls to school. Chardie was the first one off since she has an early bird class. She was ready and very excited to start her junior year.

I came back home and did a few things for about 30 minutes and then I was back in the car going back to the same school to take Brie. I am giving her up to 2 weeks to get acclimated with her new school scene and then she will get dropped off with Chardie. I am not doing all that extra driving if I don't need to!

I leave you with this classic video that parents all over the place are thinking in their heads ;)


Happy Back-to-school!

Freshie!

Here is our high school freshman dressed and ready to start her first day at her new school!
You can't see it but her bands on her braces are in her school colors...orange and blue.

We attended the freshman parent breakfast and it looks like Brie is going to have an amazing year.

Lately...

It has been so hectic around here. I have been all over the place making sure that everyone gets to where they need to be and doing the last minute appointments before school starts back on Monday. Brie starts tomorrow for "Fresh Start" day. It's the day where only the freshman class will be there so that they can get all the basics of their new school. I have been so caught up in getting things done that it hit me... my baby girl is in high school. My. Baby. Girl. :*(

She is so excited and is not nervous at all. I still pass by the middle school every day and get so emotional! We will attend the freshman parent breakfast tomorrow morning. Of course we have been there and done that but you still do it all over again for each of the kids. The girls have been picking out outfits and accessories and of course changing their mind a thousand times! They are both ready for the next chapter in their lives and we can't wait to see what amazing things they do this year. Funny thing, Chardie has been a bit emotional lately. She said that she came to the realization that she is going to be turning 18 next year and she will no longer be a kid. It made her a little sad because she is in no rush to be an adult. I am in no rush for that either! I will post photos of their first day :-)