Funky Monkey Twitter Chat & Giveaway

**Closed** Winner- Maryann D. Congratulations!

Please join Funky Monkey Snacks on Tuesday September 18th at 2 pm EST for a Twitter chat (@FunkyMonkeySnck) . The chat is going to be about National Childhood Obesity Month and Awareness. The hashtag for the twitter chat is #funkychat. There is no RSVP

Funky Monkey Snacks are a fun way to incorporate fruit into your kids' diet. With 3 servings of fruit in every 1oz bag, Funky Monkey Snacks are: 100% Natural, Real Fruit, Nothing Added, Gluten Free, GMO Free, Vegan, Raw Food, and Kosher. Discover the Fruit That Crunches! Be sure to check Funky Monkey Snacks out on Facebook.

Giveaway: One lucky Momfiles reader will win a Funky Monkey Snacks gift pack including all 7 flavors. Enter below:
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Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 21, 2012. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I will receive products samples for spreading the word about the Twitter chat. All opinions are completely my own.

My spice cabinet must-haves

Today I wanted to share my go-to seasonings and spices that I use all the time. I have so many people ask me what I season my dishes with so I figured I would post about it. My number one item is my Badia Complete Seasoning. I use it in all of my savory dishes including meat, poultry, fish, beans, rice and pasta.  It has a lot of Caribbean and Spanish flavor. I must have garlic powder (as well as my fresh garlic) and Badia makes a great one. Badia products can be found at Kroger, Publix, Food Lion and some Walmart stores (in the event you wanted to check them out for yourself). I also love my fine sea salt and black pepper grinder. I love the multi-colored peppercorns too. They have a very unique taste and is a little less peppery.

For additional flavor and color, I love my Tony Chachere's and Goya Sazon. I do have a number of other items in my spice cabinet but I tend to have my favorites that I use most often. I can't forget my other staples- fresh onion, garlic, scallions and cilantro. So there you have it! What are your favorite spices and seasonings?

Wordless Wednesday

Half-price Tuesday's are back at Monkey Joe's! We are taking advantage of it :)

Soft Scrub Total Household Cleaners | Review & Giveaway

If you have been following Momfiles through the blog, Twitter or Facebook, you would know just how much I love household cleaners! I received two bottles of the latest Soft Scrub Total household cleaners to test out in All purpose cleaner with bleach and Total Bath & Bowl. One of the stand-out things I noticed about these products is the unique design of the bottle. You can spray the cleaner even when the bottle is held upside down! I love the fact that each household cleaner is for more than one purpose and you can use it in spray or foam form. I like using a good bleach cleaner for in-between cleaning to get rid of pesky stains. I really love that I can clean my bathroom without having to use multiple products. I wasn't sold at the idea of using the Total Bath & Bowl for the toilet but it worked out very well.

Right now, Soft Scrub is holding a sweepstakes with $3,000 in prizes. One lucky winner wins $1,000 and 50 other winners win $40 each! You can enter here. I entered and it took about 45 seconds.

So how would you like to try out one of the new Soft Scrub Total household cleaning supplies for yourself? I have 3 coupons to give away (1 coupon each for 3 winners) Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 22, 2012. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received products samples for review purposes and was supplied with FREE product coupons to give away. All thoughts/opinions are always my own.

Pert Plus & Infusium 23 for back-to-school {Giveaway}

Closed- Winner is Heather! Congratulations!

Back-to-school is in full swing and we are super busy around here! Both girls have their regular school schedules, volleyball and their extra curricular activities. Thinking about their hair seems to be an added stress these days. It is essential that they girls have the right products to keep them looking their best. Infusium 23’s Repair & Renew collection offers just a little more luxury to their usual haircare routine. This three-step system provides protection from daily elements and styling, leaving hair healthy, shiny and damage-free all year long. Repair & Renew Shampoo thoroughly cleanses to remove residue and buildup while nourishing from root to tip. Repair & Renew Conditioner seriously hydrates stressed locks, providing softness, manageability and shine. Repair & Renew Leave-In Treatment restores healthy texture and strengthens hair against future damage.These products work so well on both of my daughters' biracial hair. They have both been happy with how soft their hair has been since using the 3-step collection. I even tried a little of the leave-in treatment my 4 year old son's hair and it made a huge difference. His hair is less poofy and looks a lot smoother.

Now back-to-school is not only for the kids, but parents too! I am always ripping and running all over the place and have to do my best to manage my time. This is why I love Pert Plus 2-in-1. I am a wash-n-go kind of lady so this 2-in-1 works well for me. It gives me just the right amount of moisture and does not leave any residue. It's great for daily use and is safe for color-treated hair. I love the way it leaves my hair smelling. Pert Plus comes in 5 varieties so you can find one to suit your hair care needs. You just can't beat getting the job done in one easy step! 

How would you like to win some of the products featured here? One lucky Momfiles will win a Pert Plus and Infusium 23 gift pack. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 20, 2012. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received product samples for review and all thoughts/opinions are completely my own.

Honey Soy Plum Chicken

I recently purchased a Kindle version of The Pioneer Woman's cookbook. I have tried a couple of her dessert recipes before and loved them. I found a recipe for Honey Soy Plum Chicken and it sounded amazing. I admit that when I read the quantity of some of the ingredients I was a bit stunned. I did choose to modify some things and wanted to share my version as well as the original, of The Pioneer Woman's recipe.

Ingredients:

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3 cups red wine
3 bay leaves
1 13 oz. jar plum preserves (I used a apricot instead)
1 cup honey (I used 3/4 cup)
1 20 oz. bottle low sodium soy sauce (I used 10 oz and still think it was too much)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 plums, pitted and chopped, plus 1 plum, pitted and thinly sliced (Will use half the plums next time)
12 ounces egg noodles
3 green onions, sliced

Instructions:

~Put the chicken thighs in a large bowl. Pour in 2 cups of the red wine. Add the bay leaves, toss to coat, and marinate for 1 hour in the fridge. (Next time I plan to add some slices of fresh ginger for more Asian flair)
~In a separate bowl, add the plum preserves, honey and soy sauce, whisk to combine and set aside.
~Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the wine, then brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. (I recommend draining excess oil from pan after browning) 
~Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the garlic. Stir it around in the bottom of the pan for a couple of minutes to release the flavor.
~Add the remaining cup of wine (I will use a half cup next time), chopped plums and honey plum soy mixture. (I added a few shakes of red pepper flakes for some heat)
~Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the chicken is falling off the bone. (I skimmed some of the excess fat off the top)
~Serve chicken and sauce over cooked noodles and sprinkle with green onions. (I plan to try it with Jasmine rice next time)

The dish was delicious and I do plan to make it again with the modifications that I noted. My husband also recommended that this meal should be cooked when nobody is home. He said he and the kids were circling around the kitchen like vultures because of the tantalizing aroma! It took a long time to get it all done. I will say that this was a very impressive, rich and fancy dish. If you like sweet and salty with an Asian twist, this is for you! Let me know if you try it out.

IHOP Simple & Fit Menu #breakfastlove {$50 GC Giveaway} CLOSED

**Contest closed** The winner is kionna. Congratulations!

My family recently visited our local IHOP restaurant to check out the newest offerings on the SIMPLE & FIT menu. They have expanded their under-600-calorie SIMPLE & FIT menu to include some wholesome items like whole wheat pancakes, waffles and crepes. Mmm, my family loves all things pancakes, waffles and crepes! 

The new offerings will include: 

Super Fruit Oatmeal – A bowl of freshly-made toasted Quaker Oats, lightly sweetened with cinnamon sugar, and topped with a blend of five dried super fruits, including blueberries, dark cherries, cranberries, raisins and golden raisins. (290 Calories) 
 Super Fruit Oatmeal with Almonds and Walnuts – A bowl of freshly-made toasted Quaker Oats, lightly sweetened with cinnamon sugar, and topped with almonds, walnuts and a blend of five dried super fruits, including blueberries, dark cherries, cranberries, raisins and golden raisins. (330 calories) 
 Banana and Brown Sugar Oatmeal– A bowl of freshly made toasted Quaker Oats topped with fresh banana slices and served with brown sugar and milk. (260 calories) 
 Whole Wheat Pancakes Combo – Two Whole Wheat Pancakes topped with lightly sweetened blueberries and powdered sugar served with egg substitute and two strips of turkey bacon (460 calories) 
 Kid’s Whole Wheat Pancake Combo – One Whole Wheat Pancake topped with lightly sweetened blueberries and powdered sugar served with egg substitute and one strip of turkey bacon (230 calories) 
 Whole Wheat Waffle Combo – A Whole Wheat Waffle topped with lightly sweetened blueberries and powdered sugar served with egg substitute and two strips of turkey bacon (510 calories) 
 Whole Wheat Crepes – Two Whole Wheat Crepes filled with sweet cream cheese and topped with lightly sweetened blueberries and powdered sugar (380 calories) Whole Wheat Crepes with Blueberries are also offered as a combination (800 calories).

We tried out the Whole Wheat Pancake combo, Whole Wheat French Toast combo, Banana and Brown Sugar Oatmeal and the Spinach & Mushroom omelet.  Everything was delicious and very satisfying! The whole wheat pancakes were so fluffy and hearty and were just as amazing as the original variety. My son really enjoyed the banana and brown sugar oatmeal. His bowl was left spotless! We were very please with the lower calorie options and did not feel robbed of quality, taste or portion size. We will be making another trip soon to try some of the other items. I have crepes on the brain!

Wouldn't you just love to try out some of the new SIMPLE & FIT menu items? One lucky Momfiles reader will win a $50 IHOP gift card. It is so easy to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Contest is open to US Residents only and will end on Sept, 18, 2012. One winner will be selected at random and will be contacted via email to claim prize. Be sure to follow contest rules accordingly. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received IHOP gift cards to facilitate my review. All thoughts/opinions are 100% my own as always.

Dollar General/Procter & Gamble "Every Day Heroes"

Giveaway Closed. Winner is eclairre, congratulations!

Throughout the month of September, Dollar General® is teaming up with Procter & Gamble® to celebrate schools and honor teachers during its year-long “Every Day Heroes” campaign. Now, you can honor schools in your community. Dollar General is offering the opportunity to win money for your school through its “Write to Win” sweepstakes. Customers ages 21 and over may visit the Dollar General site to submit a brief essay about why their school deserves to win. Three essays will be selected and the winning schools mentioned in those essays will win $10,000 each. I have many friends in the education field who would love a chance to win $10,000! I urge you to participate or pass along the word to anyone you know who would like a chance to win for a great cause.

Procter & Gamble is providing a prize pack for one lucky Momfiles reader to win. This prize includes a sample of Tide PODS, Prilosec OTC, Cascade Action Pacs, Ultra Downy Scope Outlast mouthwash, a Dollar General cosmetic bag and a Dollar General reusable sandwich container. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 18, 2012. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

 Procter & Gamble is providing me with a prize pack as well as one for the winner. No other compensation was received. All thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.

Wordless Wednesday

When the boy is with his dad, all is well in the world... until they both get hungry at least!

Mommy Mixology to the rescue! {Giveaway}

Moms, how often do you feel like you want to throw in the towel and run away from home? Sound familiar to you?  I think moms can get really overwhelmed with the duties of the day... from piles of laundry to walking through a sea of toys that you have should have been picked up hours ago. Of course, it's just not realistic to run away so we have to find alternative ways to relax. I received a fun book called Mommy Mixolgy by Janet Frongillo, that is designed just for moms to help you get through those crazy moments in motherhood. The thing that stuck out to me most is the blocks on the front cover of the book that reads "BAR" and also the part that says "A Cocktail for Every Calamity".

This book takes you through the stages of conception all the way to kindergarten. There are some cocktails called "Sleeptastic Sangria", "Cosmopotty" and "STFU Slushie". I couldn't help but chuckle and think, "Yeah, I sure could have used one of these when we were going through that stage!" There are so many great drink recipes for every occasion, even sickness and dealing with the PTA. There's a lot of great full-color photos of the fun cocktails decorated to suit the occasion. You have to check it out!

The book is filled with humorous content that is so easy to relate to. I think this would make the perfect baby shower gift. I guarantee that the mother-to-be would love it! It's a great conversation piece and I really believe any mom with kids of any age would appreciate it. You can purchase a copy of Mommy Mixology at Amazon for $14.95 or $9.99 for the Kindle edition.

How would you like to win a copy for yourself? (One winner) Enter below in the Raffecopter widget.
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This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on Sept 10, 2012. Please follow giveaway rules. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Winner will be chosen at random and contacted by email.

I received a copy of the book for review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Our Great Wolf Lodge Experience

We had the great pleasure of experiencing Great Wolf Lodge (Concord, NC) to end our summer off with a splash! Unfortunately, the weather was not the best but it did not stop our adventure. Lucky for us, Great Wolf Lodge has an amazing indoor water park that is kept at a comfortable 84 degrees. Before I go into that, I will start by telling you our first impression when we drove up to the resort.

The entire family fell in love with the beautiful grounds and the enormity of the resort. The gorgeous wolf statues were huge! We were promptly greeted by a gentleman at the front entrance and directed to our parking spot. Then we entered through the front doors and immediately started oohing and ahhing. It was so beautiful inside, almost overwhelming at that! Our experience at the check-in desk was fast and the clerk was extremely professional and helpful. We felt as if we were the only guests on the property with the type of customer service we received. Truly first class!

Once we got our wristbands and room information, we headed up to our Family Suite. What a lovely suite it was! I can't begin to tell you all how clean and pretty the room was. There were so many wonderful details including the signature wolf towel on one of the beds, rustic decor, an in-suite safe, microwave/fridge/iron & ironing board, balcony with table and chairs and one of my favorites... the signature paw print embossed toilet paper. You can absolutely tell how much the resort management and staff care about their guests by how immaculate the property is inside and out. We had an abundance of towels, blankets and extra pillows. The beds were so comfortable and we slept soundly. We were amazed at how quiet it was in our suite since the resort was super busy and packed with so many families. Another great plus is how environmentally friendly the whole facility is by having recycling bins in each suite as well as all over the resort. Even the hair dryer in the room had green standards!

The hubby loved the balcony and enjoyed catching up on some reading and of course, sipping on his Dunkin Donuts coffee. The resort had so many food options to satisfy every family member. Believe me, we tried almost every spot! We had everything from pizza, ice cream, doughnuts, salads and so much more. I think our favorite place was the sweets and bake shop. Hey, we were on vacation!

Although this is not my photograph, I wanted to show you what the indoor water park was like. Truly amazing and everyone had a blast! There was something for every age. The water slides were incredible and the outdoor pool area was very nice and lots of fun! It was almost impossible to get the kids out of the water. Something I noticed was that EVERY lifeguard on duty was very focused and constantly looking around to make sure all the guests were safe. That truly made us feel at ease, especially with a 4 year old that can't swim yet.

The other big highlight of our visit was the Northern Lights Arcade. We ALL had so much fun and I can't remember the last time I laughed that much, non-stop! There were so many other activities but we did not have the time to do everything. We are planning to visit again when it is during the off-season.

Little William loved the story-time at night at the big Clocktower. He was completely mesmerized. He still continues to howl "Great Wolf style", as he likes to put it.

It was hard to get really clear photos with all the crowds and chaos going on but overall, we had the most wonderful experience at Great Wolf Lodge. I truly could go on for hours telling you even more but you need to go check it out for yourself. You and your family would NOT be disappointed! This was the most fun family getaway we have ever been on and we can't wait to do it again!

We want to give a big thank you to the entire Great Wolf Lodge staff for making us feel so welcome and comfortable. There was never a moment that we did not hear "We hope you enjoy your stay". That we did!

Stay connected with Great Wolf Lodge via the web, Facebook and Twitter for discounts and deals. 

I received a discounted rate from Great Wolf Lodge and all thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.

Why hydration is important

I made the most ridiculous mistake this weekend when my family went away on a getaway. I knowingly did not drink any water (besides maybe a few ounces) for about 3 days. As a matter of fact, I pretty much didn't drink a lot in general on those days. I normally drink a minimum of 60+ ounces of water daily. My body totally showed me how bad I had been. I suffered from several muscle spasms in my feet and a lot of aches and pains throughout my body. I got so consumed in all the activity that was going on and the weather was unusually cool, so I completely neglected to hydrate like I should have. I think being at an indoor water park made me not think about being thirsty. Needless to say, I had to get back into the practice of proper water consumption and have incorporated a banana and 2 servings of orange juice into my daily diet. I have learned my lesson, the hard way. I will do my best to never make that mistake again!

Does your body do crazy things when your diet is off?

Married to Jonas on E! and my tips for the newlyweds {Giveaway}

Contest ended- Winner is Cheryl Free

Have you guys heard about the new show on E! called Married to Jonas? I can't believe Kevin Jonas is all grown up and married! Kevin and his young wife Dani make the most adorable couple. Their show will chronicle their new life together as a married couple and also give a peek into their new families... with the in-laws! Oh, they have some very interestingly fun times ahead! Married to Jonas airs on Sunday's 10/9c.

It got me to thinking, being so young and married is not easy. You think things will be as perfect as the day you met, but man oh man do things change! It is important to get some good advice from seasoned couples to make sure you do all you can to make things work. Since I have been married for over 18 years, I feel like I know a thing or two. Here is my top ten list of marriage tips to Kevin and Dani and to all the newlyweds out there. 

1. Always try to impress each other. If the woman wore make-up and heels while dating, still do it. If the man dressed well and wore nice cologne, keep it up. Don't fall into the trap that your significant other loves you and there is no need to impress them anymore. Don't let yourselves go!  
2. Ladies, if you and your man are lost in the woods somewhere and he tells you to wait in a specific spot, stay your butt right there. I confess that as a woman, I tend to want to show my man that I can hang and end up getting both of us in more trouble! 
3. Gentleman, always tell your woman how beautiful she is. Don't tell her that because the world is always saying how beautiful she is that she knows you feel the same. She wants to hear it from YOU! 
4. Always appreciate each other. Never forget to thank your mate for all the little things. 
5. Ladies, let your man be a man. They need time to blow off steam and do "boy things". Perhaps not the same things they did when they were single, but you get the idea. 
6. Be honest each and every day. If you don't like something about your mate, tell them! Holding back never helps things. 
7. Give each other space. There will be times that you both drive each other crazy. Take some time away from each other. You don't have to be joined at the hip 24/7.
8. Have a sense of humor. You can't take every single thing so seriously. Laughter is so important to balance out all the serious stuff. 
9. Ladies, this is important. Be a lady in the street and a freak in the sheets. Seriously, just keeping it real! 
10. My last tip is very important and it is for the men. Gentleman, just know that the woman is always right. It will make for a lasting and happy marriage. It's as easy as that! 

Giveaway: 

One lucky Momfiles reader will win a fantastic In-Law Survival Kit ($112 value) 

The kit will include:

· Stress Relief - Eucalyptus Spearmint Sugar Scrub 

· Bliss Fabulous Skin-Reviving Rubberizing masks 

· Soothing Herbal Tea

· Aromatherapy Spa Stress Relief - Shea Butter & Cedarwood Reed Diffuser 

· $15 iTunes Gift Card 

· EarPollution Plugz Headphones

Enter below in the Rafflecopter widget.

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This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on Sept 7. Be sure to leave your email address in case you are selected as the winner. Please be sure to follow entry rules. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost of stolen prizes. Good luck!

I will receive the same prize package as the giveaway winner for posting. No other compensation was received and all thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.

First day of school 2012

Brie (sophomore) & Chardie (Senior) 

I can't believe how fast time has gone by. My girls are so grown up and today they start their new school year for 2012-13. They were up early full of excitement for their first day back. It was a whirlwind of emotion for me. My oldest is a high school senior and my younger daughter has outgrown us all! We had such fun in the car on the way to school. We shared a lot of laughs and reminisced about them being in elementary school. I am looking forward to the stories we will share this year.

Wishing everyone a fantastic school year ahead!

Scotch-Brite Botanical Disinfecting Wipes for back-to-school

It's back-to-school time and this means new clothes, school supplies, books and of course, all those pesky germs. I think almost every school year from kindergarten all the way to middle school, one of my girls got sick during the first week back.

This year, I will be sending the teachers things like Kleenex and Scotch-Brite Botanical Disinfecting Wipes. These wipes kill 99.9% of household germs and can be used around kids, pets and food. They leave no residue, don't require rinsing and are made from botanically pure plant extracts. It's nice to be able to breathe easily while you clean.

You can find these wipes at most Walmart stores and other retailers as well. They are priced at around $2.99 for 35 wipes and $4.99 for 75 wipes. I did see them last week at Walmart for $1.97 for the 35 count. I bought one for my husband to keep in his desk in the event someone uses his phone or computer. You can't beat one step sanitizing. These are so convenient and I am sure your child's teachers would appreciate them in the classroom!

Stay connected with Scotch-Brite via the web, Facebook and Twitter to learn about new products and special offers. Also be sure to grab a coupon here to help you stock up.

I hope your kids have a great new school year with fewer illnesses!

I received a product sample for review and all thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.