The Oprah Magazine only $10 for 12 issues!

How would you like to get a full year of The Oprah Magazine for only $10? Well Purex has teamed up with The Oprah Magazine and is offering this great deal for a limited time. You can order your 12 issues here. Hurry before time runs out!

Note: I will receive a tiny fee if you sign up through my exclusive link. 

Sisters in print | High School memories

It is that time of year again... end of the school year and yearbooks! Both girls got their high school yearbook yesterday and I asked them if they were in it besides the class photo. They told me there was a shot of the two of them together and casually showed it to me.

I screamed out loud like whaaaat??!!! Those are my babies!! I was so thrilled to see that they were a part of a feature they did on students that share the same house and school. They thought I was crazy with how excited I was seeing them together in the yearbook. I think it is neat that they can look back at this many years from now and remember those times. I still glance through my high school yearbooks from time to time.

Just seeing how happy and vibrant they are when they are hanging out warms my mommy heart. It is such a wonderful thing when siblings, especially teenagers get along so well. I tell them all the time that they have a best friend for life! I love my girls so much! I just had to share this with you all.

Have a great weekend! :)

It's always the little things

Time flies when you have children. They truly do grow up fast. As a mom, I try to do my best to make sure they feel special every day. With my daughters being teenagers it seems like quite a challenge sometimes. The good thing is they appreciate the littlest things. I love doing something unexpected for them when they get home from a long day at school. Many times I have purchased their favorite candy and left it on their bed so it is the first thing they see when they walk into their room. I stand at the top of the staircase to listen to their reaction. It's amazing how excited a teenage girl can get over some candy that cost me 2 bucks! Then having them run up the stairs to grab a big hug and thank me is the best feeling in the world. It makes my heart full to know that they are so grateful for the small gestures done out of love.

The other day I made this Creamy Oreo Pie for the girls. It was intended to be the dessert for a mom party I hosted in our home. I realized that all the moms might not want this sort of dessert and I asked the girls for other suggestions. You should have seen the look of sadness in their faces. Well obviously I still made the pie and I also made an additional dessert as well. I only had a few Oreos left to garnish the finished pie with and I plopped a few dollops of COOL WHIP on as well. I looked at it and thought that it looked a bit sloppy. You see, dolloping is not my talent. I just get it on there the best way I can! Of course the girls thought it was absolute perfection. My guests felt the same way too. It just goes to show that it does not take a whole lot to make your loved ones feel special. 

Be sure to visit the COOL WHIP Facebook page to share your own ways on the little things you do to make your family feel extra special. While you are there, be sure to check out all the great recipes and download a coupon (while supplies last). 

I am working in partnership with the COOL WHIP brand and I am receiving compensation for my participation in this campaign. All thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.  

My favorite girls | Friends for life

I was looking at an old photo of my daughters along with their friend, Haley.  Chardie and Haley met in kindergarten and became best friends from day one. Although Haley and Chardie are in the same grade, Brie took a liking to Haley and joined in on the friendship. After all these years they still get together for sleepovers, outings and parties. Haley is referred to as being my third daughter. I love her as if she was my own! When Haley comes to the house, I enjoy making them my "world famous" grilled cheese sandwiches and baking cookies. It has been a tradition for many years and all three girls look forward to it.

Chardie and Haley were in kindergarten and Brie was still at home with me! This was taken at their end of kindergarten school trip to a local park. How adorable are those sweet faces?! 

Here are the girls are all grown up. Chardie and Haley are finishing off Junior year and will become Seniors next school year. Brie will be a Sophomore next school year. *sniff*

All three girls have made us so proud. They are all very high academic achievers and have such outstanding manners and a love for the community. We couldn't ask for better daughters! It has been a joy watching the three of them grow up together. It is wonderful to have lifelong friends that become a part of your family. 

Do you or your children have any of the same friends since early childhood? 

My thoughts on Instagram

I remember when everyone was getting the iPhone and started using Instagram. I wanted to upgrade just to have the fun photo filters as well as my own page to share them. The thing is that I love my DROID 3 and would be too nervous to go all touchscreen. My phone has the best of both worlds with a huge touchscreen and a 5 row pull-out keyboard. I'm old school and as my friend Tanyetta would say, I love buttons! When Instagram became available on Android phones I was so excited! Finally, I could use the cool features and not have to change phones. I honestly did not understand how to use it at first and I think it was causing my phone to malfunction. I believe I have it under control now and have figured out how to use to for the most part. Knowing me, I am still doing something wrong :)

Fun at the playground. 

I don't have thousands of photos like some people do but I expect my Instagram photo account will grow. If you care to follow me you can find me under the name momfiles. I would love to follow you back! I am really enjoying looking at my friends both in real life and online share fun parts of their day through photos.

A typical Guyanese breakfast

I often times get a lot of questions about my Guyanese heritage. So many want to know what language is spoken in Guyana, what types of food is eaten and what some customs might be. Although I was born in Guyana, I left when I was 3. My parents did bring me and my siblings up with a lot of Guyanese culture. I wanted to show you what a typical breakfast in a Guyanese household might looks like.

This dish is what we would call "Channa and boiled egg". It is very simple and is nothing more than heavily seasoned chick peas/garbanzo beans and a boiled egg. I make it by starting off with some sliced onion, scallion and tomato. I saute my veggies in a splash of oil for a few and add one can of chick peas with the liquid. I season with Spanish style seasonings, Creole seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, cumin and hot pepper sauce. I cook it until it gets tender. I serve it with fresh, sliced scallion on top and a boiled egg cut in half. Simple, filling and flavorful. I made this dish today because I had a taste for it. 

I will periodically share recipes and interesting facts from my culture. If there is anything you are curious about please leave me a comment or you can always email me. Have a great weekend! :)

Old school JELL-O treat

I wanted to share one of my most favorite desserts that is so easy to make and only requires 3 ingredients. Some of you might remember this classic JELL-O treat from back in the day...

What you need:
3 cups of boiling water
1 6 ounce box of JELL-O (any flavor)
1 small container of COOL WHIP

How to make it:
Add boiling water to JELL-O and stir until dissolved. Stir in COOL WHIP until completely mixed in. Pour into glasses or cups (I like using little "crystal cut" plastic cups) I recommend using a measuring cup with a spout to pour even amounts in your glasses/cups. Chill until firm at least 4 hours.

Enjoy!

Have you ever tried this recipe before? My favorites are the raspberry and pineapple flavors. These are so good during the warm weather months! Let me know if you try it.

Looking back

I came across this photo today and it made me smile. This was taken before Will turned 2.

I See Me! Contest

I wanted to share this with you guys...

I See Me! is having a contest. They will choose TWO (2) GRAND PRIZE Winners! (open to US residents only) Winner 1 will receive a girls wooden bookcase and 10 I See Me! personalized storybooks and Winner 2 a boys wooden bookcase and 10 I See Me! personalized storybooks. Each grand prize is valued at approximately $500 retail value. 10 runners up will receive an I See Me! gift certificate valued at $32.95 plus standard shipping (good for 1 storybook). The Promotion begins on April 17, 2012 at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) and ends on May 17, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. ET

Go enter here

Can you lose weight without trying?

Last year around this time, I was going through something I never imagined I would have to deal with... my weight. For most of my life I have been very underweight. As a child I was so underweight that I was teased and ridiculed about it. It was very hard and I spent many nights crying myself to sleep feeling a lot of shame and pain.  Nobody knows how much I longed to gain weight. Fast forward to after having William... I weighed what would be called a healthy weight. I was the average for my height and weight for the first time in my life (without being pregnant). Then it came to a point that I was at the top of that average weight. It started to freak me out because my wedding rings no longer fit and all of my clothes were too small. I figured that maybe it was my time. I finally gained the weight I desired my entire life.

I think I came to a point when I started to break down after trying on swimwear and finding that I was no longer in Junior's sizes. Last year at this time, I became very interested in reading about health and nutrition. Although I have heard it before, I read an article about drinking diet sodas and my favorite Crystal Light. I found out how they trick your body and make you crave bad foods. I have always been a sweets freak and junk food addict since childhood.  Could this be true? I used to drink about 2-3 packets of Crystal Light everyday especially during the Summer months and exclusively purchased diet soft drinks. I figured zero calories made sense. I couldn't have been more WRONG! I stopped all of the diet beverages and replaced them with water and indulged in the occasional soda. As a matter of fact, I switched from using margarine and butter spreads to real butter. I noticed almost right away that I slowed down tremendously on eating sweets and junk food. I wasn't having as many cravings to eat bad stuff.  It's as if I was changing my naughty ways. I started to find that my pants were fitting less snug. I had to start wearing a belt with my jeans and even had to tighten it on occasion. So one year later I am finally able to put on my wedding rings and I can wear things that were too small very easily. As a matter of fact, I can't wear most of the clothing I have since they are too big. I need to buy all new stuff. I stepped on the scale at the gym last week and could not believe it. I don't weigh much more than my teenagers!  My advice to you if you are trying to lose weight is to kick the diet drinks!

8th Continent Soymilk Review & Giveaway

**Contest Closed** Winners are kimmiesb, Krystel S, Kimberly, Maryann D and Dealsfan32. Congratulations to you all!

Hey guys! I wanted to share my review of 8th Continent Soymilk. I have always heard about the great health benefits of soy and thought I would check it out for myself. The girl in me just loves the fun prints on the cartons. Who wouldn't want to drink something that came in such a happy container? I was really amazed by the very long shelf-life, refrigerated of course. I picked up the Original variety to try out. I confess, I am not a big milk drinker so I have to drink mine out of a wine glass :) You know what? It was very delicious! I prefer the taste over traditional cow's milk. 8th Continent Soymilk comes in 8 varieties ~Original, Light and Fat-free versions including Chocolate and Vanilla. My husband wants me to buy the Light Vanilla so he can use them for his protein shakes.

I was checking out the website and I did not realize you can substitute 8th Continent Soymilk in almost all your recipes. They have some really nice recipes from all different categories. It's a great choice for those that are lactose-intolerant or live a gluten-free lifestyle. You can learn more about the health benefits of 8th Continent Soymilk here. Be sure to stay connected with 8th Continent Soymilk on Facebook and Twitter.

The great folks from 8th Continent have provided me with coupons for FREE product to give away to you guys! 5 winners will get 2 coupons each. Enter in the Rafflecopter widget below. Make sure to do the mandatory entry first in order for your extra entries to count.

Spring cleaning with Stanley Steemer {$100 Gift Certificate Giveaway}

**Contest over** Winner is Pascha. Congratulations!

It is Springtime and there is an abundance of dust and allergens floating around in the air as well as lodged in our carpets, ducts, floors and fabrics. This is a great time to do some deep cleaning and Stanley Steemer is a phone call away. Did you know they do more than just clean carpet? Stanley Steemer’s expertise extends to hardwood, tile, air ducts, water damage restoration, and more! I have made a service appointment for next month to have our air ducts cleaned out. It has not been done in a few years, so it is really time! I have used Stanley Steemer in the past and the difference is always astonishing after having your carpet cleaned.

Check out the video below from fellow blogger Corine of Complicated Mama



We will be replacing the carpeting in our home soon and plan to make sure we have Stanley Steemer in twice a year to get the 'ick' out! Stanley Steemer’s proprietary equipment and cleaning processes remove more than 98% of dry soil from floors With over 70 branches and 220 franchise locations in 48 states, Stanley Steemer services 95% of the country. You can find Stanley Steemer on the web, Facebook and Twitter.

I am really excited that Stanley Steemer (through MyBlogSpark) is providing a $100 gift certificate for one lucky Momfiles reader to win. How fantastic is that!?

Enter below in the Rafflecopter widget. Be sure to complete the mandatory entry in order for your extra entries to count!

How to jazz up store-bought desserts with COOL WHIP

I love to bake as often as possible since my family really enjoys home-baked goodies. There are some weeks that get a bit too hectic with carpool, activities, doctor appointments and errands. I sometimes have to rely on store-bought desserts for my family. I wanted to share some very easy ways that you can add a little something to ordinary store-bought items to make them extra special with COOL WHIP.

I started off with some chocolate brownie cookies and a sour cream angel food cake that I purchased on sale.

I took the angel food cake and sliced it up. I added some sliced strawberries that were tossed with a little bit of powdered sugar to enhance the sweetness and topped it off with a dollop of COOL WHIP. Pretty easy huh? It took me no time at all and I am reconsidering the amount of time I spend baking! This is a great idea for entertaining. Less time in the kitchen means more time with your guests.

Next up I took the chocolate brownie cookies and made a cool and minty treat. I put a small scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream on top of the cookie. I then added a dollop of COOL WHIP and sprinkled some brownie cookie crumbs on top. How cute it that?! My kids loved it and felt like they were eating a fancy dessert. The have already asked to have this dessert again but instead with vanilla ice cream, COOL WHIP and colored sprinkles.

You don't have to stress out about a dessert when you can take something so simple like a store-bought cake or pie and add a dollop of COOL WHIP along with your own special touches. I would love for you to share any ideas you have on how you can make store-bought desserts extra special. 

Be sure to stay connected on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for great recipe ideas using COOL WHIP. If you haven't already seen the behind-the-scenes footage from the COOL WHIP ad photo shoot, you can check them out here. 

I am working in partnership with the COOL WHIP brand and I am receiving compensation for my participation in this campaign. All thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.

Happiness

Isn't William the cutest fisherman? He is so content when he is out back with his daddy fishing. Look at the concentration face! They did catch some small fish. Of course I make them throw them back in the water. Mean momma! :)

Meyer Lemon tree update one year later

I just had to share the latest update on my dwarf Meyer lemon tree that I planted last year. Thankfully it is thriving!! I was so afraid since over the winter months most of the leaves fell off and it looked kind of pathetic. I waited until the temperatures stayed above 55 degrees before taking it back outside. I added some more premium potting soil on top and fertilized it. After a few weeks and several rain showers later, I have a full bush that stands about 2 feet tall and it has actual blooms on it!

Do you see the little pink blooms? The tree is loaded with them! I will keep my fingers crossed that we will get some actual lemons this year. I am so excited and will be sure to post another update in a couple months. Hmm, I might have a little green hidden under my purple thumb after all!

I have been thinking about possibly planting a dwarf key lime tree. I guess I better see what happens with this one first and them go from there :)

My latest Pinterest find

I love Pinterest. I can sit on the computer all day and Pin all sorts of things. A lot of times I Pin "wish list" items. On occasion I find things that I actually make or try. My favorite one recently was this recycled watering can. I was just nagging... informing my husband last week that I really needed a watering can for all of my plants I have on my deck and inside the house. I was thrilled to find this DIY idea that took no thought and cost nothing!

There are my office houseplants. Now watering them is so much easier.

I took a milk jug and rinsed it out thoroughly. I pierced holes in the cap with a corn holder. Since they have 2 sharp points, it made the process fast and easy. The result is a FREE watering can that may not be pretty but is environmentally friendly and does the trick. I have one in a half gallon size for my indoor plants and one in a gallon size for the outdoor plants.

What things have you found on Pinterest lately that you have tried or plan to try?

Is my what nasty?

The other day my son was doing something that really annoys me to no end that I think every member of the male species does... touching his 'man parts'. I told him I thought it was nasty what he was doing and he responds "Is your penis nasty too?". I told him that girls don't have a penis and that our private parts were different. I realized that we have not had the conversation yet about the differences between boys and girls. Being the active, typical boy William is he just sort of moved on to the next thing. My husband heard our brief conversation and starts to laugh at me. He says that maybe it was better I explain that to him since I might handle it better. MEN!

Children's Claritin® Mom Crew

Hey guys! I wanted to let you all know that I am a Children's Claritin® Mom Crew Member. All of my kids are seasonal allergy sufferers and we depend on Claritin®to get us through the super high pollen days. I love that it does not make you sleepy and lasts all day with just one pill. Although our middle child gets allergy shots, she still has those sniffly and sneezy days especially at this time of year. She has to take Claritin® daily to get her through. I remember growing up as a child sneezing the entire way to the bus stop. Back in that time the only allergy medication my mom gave me made me want to sleep for days! Thank goodness for non-drowsy Claritin® today, raising my own kids. It is so convenient to have the option of liquid or chewables.

Here are some great Spring Allergy Tips:

It's not surprising that in the season notorious for allergies, we have the most tips to share! Beginning as early as February, invisible pollens from hardwood deciduous trees are big troublemakers for many allergy sufferers. But there's no reason to be miserable. These tips can help you minimize your exposure to allergens, and be prepared as possible for the pollen storm that's on the horizon.

~Start taking Claritin® allergy products as soon as symptoms start. Having medication on hand will help you prepare for allergy symptoms. 

~Know your nemesis- When you understand what triggers your allergy symptoms, you can make an extra effort to avoid them. For example, grass pollen levels rise when grass is disturbed, so if that's one of your triggers, wear a mask when mowing or avoid mowing altogether. 

~Beat the clock- Peak pollen production can occur in early morning, so try to plan outside activities at other times of the day. 

~Check the forecast- Avoid going outdoors when pollen counts are high. Also, heavy rains wash pollen from the air, making post-shower outings more comfortable. Beware of dry, windy days when pollen can be particularly intense. (Get the pollen counts and weather forecast for your area and sign up for the Claritin® Allergy Forecast.)

Stay connected with Claritin on Facebook and I will also post information from time to time about helping to manage your children's allergies with Claritin®. You can also print out a coupon here. 

Disclosure: As a member of the Children’s Claritin® Mom Crew, I receive product samples and promotional items to share and use as I see fit. No monetary compensation has taken place and any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience.

Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Prize Pack Giveaway

Who loves home-baked cookies? *raises hand* I do! My family appreciates the scent of freshly baked cookies and of course eating them! Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shape Cookies are ready to enjoy in 8-10 minutes and can be found at your local grocer. It is a convenient way to give your family the home-baked taste they love in the easiest way possible! Right now in time for Easter, you can find your family’s favorite Disney characters including Lightning McQueen from Cars and Minnie Mouse. We bought the Cars version and they came out so cute! The fact that 2 dozen cookies were all eaten within about 36 hours might be a good indication that they were yummy. 

I have one Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Prize pack to give away to one lucky Momfiles reader. The prize pack includes:

~A VIP coupon to purchase a package of Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shape Cookies 

~Cookie Jar 

~Cookie Spatula 

~Oven Mitt  

Enter in the Rafflecopter widget:

New fish, Happy kid and the Pet Store Mafia

For William's 4th birthday we purchased him an aquarium. He has a slight obsession with fish so we figured it would be a great thing for him to have. We kept it simple and went with a 10 gallon tank but opted to get the better filtration and lighting system. When we purchased everything to set the tank up, the customer service people at the pet store were very knowledgeable and willing to answer questions and give advice. We always had an aquarium for the girls when they were younger and had great success with it. As a matter of fact, the fish would sometimes get so big that we would have to donate them to the classrooms at the school. We went ahead and started off with all of what we needed to set the tank up and get the water ready to add fish. Back in the day we added fish within 24 hours. Nowadays they recommend 3 weeks! 3 weeks?? Try telling that to a 4 year old!

How happy does he look? 

We went yesterday to purchase some fish and boy was William excited. He made up his own song about going to the pet store to buy some fish. Too funny! We decided on a few glofish in cool, neon colors, a couple "Mickey Mouse"platys and a couple fancy tetras. When I asked the person in that area for help in purchasing the fish he immediately had that "look" on his face. This is how the interrogation... um conversation went...

Fish guy: Do you have your tank set up?
Me: Yes.
FG: Are you sure it is done properly?
Me: Yes
FG: How many fish do you want?
Me: 6
FG: What size is your tank? (At this point he is in my face looking at me like he is a prosecutor or something)
Me: 10 gallons
FG: Hmm, okay. But remember the rules... 1 inch of fish per gallon. Then he stares at me all scary.
Me: Uh, okay

If you could have seen his body language and heard his tone you would have been afraid of even breathing the wrong way. Like the husband says, they are like undercover PETA representatives or something! DANG! I mean come on, they are just fish. If I choose to buy 50 of them then I should be allowed to do so.

In the end, our boy is completely happy and enjoying his new pets. He is so curious and asks a lot questions about his fish. We look forward to adding some more fun friends as time goes on. We might have to rethink where to buy them from so we don't feel like we might catch a beat-down from the pet store mafia! :)

COOL WHIP "What you add makes it" campaign update

Some of you might remember reading a post last month about my trip to New York City for a photo shoot for a campaign with COOL WHIP. This campaign is based on the notion that “what you add makes it.” As a mom, the little things you do, like adding a dollop of COOL WHIP to an otherwise simple cake or pie, turns ordinary into extra special. I am so happy that I was chosen for this campaign just for that reason! Everyone that knows me personally or through my online social networks know that this is all me. I really love the fact that COOL WHIP is doing a campaign using real moms. I'd say that is extra special!

I wanted to share the latest updates with you. If you go to the COOL WHIP Facebook page and click on the "Real Moms" tab you might see a familiar face or two.

I can't even describe what I felt like when I saw this. My family is thrilled and are looking forward to the ad launch in magazines due to hit newsstands in May for June issues. I will be featured in Every Day with Rachael Ray, Food Network, Cooking Light and Parenting Magazine School Years. To say I am excited is truly an understatement! Here is what my actual ad looks like:

You all have to check out one of the featured recipes for Strawberry Pie. It is so simple and does not require a whole lot of ingredients. This is a very impressive dessert and you will have your family and friends raving about it!

Strawberry Pie

Prep Time: 25 min. plus refrigerating | Total Time: 3 hours 25 min. (incl. refrigerating) | Makes: 8 servings.

What You Need:
1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust (6 oz.)
3/4 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
1/2 cup ice cubes
1-1/2 cups strawberries, halved
1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup milk
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

Make It:
POUR milk into medium bowl. Add 1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Instant Pudding. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick.) Spread onto bottom of crust. Add boiling water to gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add ice; stir until melted. Let stand 5 min. or until slightly thickened. Meanwhile, arrange strawberries in single layer in center of pie. Cover with gelatin. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Serve topped with COOL WHIP.

If you try this recipe (or other featured recipes from the Facebook page) please let me know! I would really appreciate your feedback.

Be sure to stay connected on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for great recipe ideas using COOL WHIP.

I am working in partnership with the COOL WHIP brand and I am receiving compensation for my participation in this campaign. All thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.