Archive for Holidays

Father’s Day Frosty Weekend!

It’s Father’s Day, and what better way to celebrate then to treat your dad to a yummy frosty from Wendy’s! And guess what? You can buy dad a treat AND give back! How? Well, 50 cents from each Frosty purchase will be donated to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, on Father’s Day weekend (June 18 and 19). These donations will be used to benefit the cause of Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, which is a program that helps foster children in need find great homes.

Ways to give:

1. Twitter – Use the Treat it Forward application on www.facebook.com/frosty (Treat it Fwd tab), or use the hashtag: #TreatItFwd (please note, this is modified from the hashtag I sent last week). A donation will be made, by Wendy’s, for each designated tweet or re-tweet made from Treat it Forward.

2. Facebook – Send a Facebook friend a “virtual” Frosty, or tell friends about Father’s Day Frosty Weekend through the Facebook application found on www.facebook.com/frosty (Treat it Fwd tab); as a result, Wendy’s will make a donation.

3. Also, from Facebook, on Father’s Day Weekend only (June 18 & 19), offer a “Here’s to You, Dad!” Frosty “virtual toast” by snapping a photo of you raising your Frosty cup to Dad, tagging it with the words “Wendy’s Father’s Day Frosty Weekend” and posting it to Wendy’s Facebook wall or tweeting it; this, too, will result in a donation from Wendy’s.

4. Foursquare – Every person who ‘checks in’ to a Wendy’s during Father’s Day weekend only (June 18 & 19) will result in a donation from Wendy’s.

Tweet Ideas:

– Buy a @Wendys Frosty to #TreatitFwd and donate 50 cents to @DTFA this Father’s Day! RT to donate!
– Want to help foster kids find homes? RT this to donate 50 cents to the @DTFA!!! #TreatitFwd!
– I’m donating to @DTFA by enjoying this YUMMY Frosty from @Wendys. 50 cents from a purchase are donated! #TreatitFwd
– Go to @Wendys on June 18 & 19 and buy a Frosty! 50 cents will be donated to @DTFA! Help #TreatitFwd by RT!
– Share a @Wendys Frosty with your FB friends! http://on.fb.me/mjFgBL Each frosty is a 50 cent donation to @DTFA! #TreatitFwd

What are you waiting for? Go give dad a yummy frosty!

Faith and Family Reviews received Wendy’s gift cards in exchange for writing about this program and is being compensated by Wendy’s and TheMotherhood. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review and compensation, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.


signature

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

Red Envelope – Hidden Message Money Clip Review

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

Father’s Day is coming!  What are you getting for your Dad or Husband?  Not sure yet?  Well, head over to Red Envelope (www.redenvelope.com) they have lots of great items.  Make it even more special and add personalization!

Red Envelope has everything for the garden & grilling dad to the office dad!  They not only carry items for Dads, but graduations & weddings too. Don’t forget Father’s Day is fast approaching!

I received the “Hidden Message Money Clip Wallet” (Item #30006492) – shhhh… Don’t tell my husband! ;-)

Surprise him with a secret note tucked into his wallet – a secret shared only by you and your loved one. Our hidden message money clip wallet allows you to engrave a special inscription of love, hope or encouragement on a brushed nickel plated insert. He’ll think of you every day with this handsome bonded leather wallet. Exclusively from RedEnvelope.

  • optional hidden message may be engraved on a brushed nickel plated insert that measures 2 ¼” x 3 ¼”. Accomodates 5 lines, 25 characters each line
  • size of engraving changes based on number of characters. more characters will result in smaller engraving
  • black bonded leather wallet with 3 card slots
  • brushed nickel-plated money clip (zinc alloy)
  • money clip may be monogrammed with up to three engraved characters
  • wallet measures 2 ¾” x 4” “

My Review:

If your husband, father, or whoever is not into a big bulky wallet, this is great for him.   This is great for my husband,  as it has room to hold cards and the clip is great for any cash that he carries.  The money clip on the outside has his initials and the pull out insert (the hidden message) is perfect for just you and him to know about. My husband and I have shopped at Red Envelope in the past and have gotten wonderful items.  Many of which have a special message for just us to share. I would recommend this product and most of the Red Envelope products.


signature

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

Happy Mother’s Day to Mothers Everywhere!

Happiness keeps You Sweet,

Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keeps You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going!

Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

And something for your funny bone…

Comic used with permission from Steve Nease.


signature

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

What is Cinco De Mayo?

Gimme a holiday and I’ll eat for it!  We started celebrating a few years back with a couple of tacos and churros.  Today, I wondered why?  Here’s the history of Cinco De Mayo from the source.  http://www.mexonline.com/cinco-de-mayo.htm

“The history of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862.  It is the primary regional holiday in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico, and especially in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population.  It is not, as many people think, Mexico’s Independence Day which is actually September 16.”

So, a little history to go along with your Mexician Fest!  Oh, try this recipe.  It’s wonderful!  Adios!

Ultimate 7-Layer Dip

total time 3 hr 10 min
prep 10 min
servings 6 cups or 48 servings, 2 Tbsp. each

 
What You Need

1 can (16 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Refried Beans
1 Tbsp.  TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix
1 cup BREAKSTONE’S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1 cup  TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick ‘N Chunky Salsa
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup  KRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese
4 green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp.  sliced black olives
RITZ Toasted Chips Original
Make It

 MIX beans and seasoning mix; spread onto bottom of pie plate.

TOP with layers of all remaining ingredients except chips. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

SERVE with chips.

TACO BELL® and HOME ORIGINALS® are trademarks owned and licensed by Taco Bell Corp.

signature

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

*CLOSED* ProFlowers Review & Giveaway

Winner of Week 2 Scott Naturals 4-Week Test Drive Giveaway is……….

Ashley!!!!!!!!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!!

 

Congratulations to Ashley! #45 as chosen by Random.org.

Thanks to all who entered and ProFlowers.com for providing this great prize package!


Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

After a gloomy, snowy and cold winter there’s nothing better than beautiful fragrant flowers on the table.  The “Garden Bouquet” welcomed me when I got home other day.

The “Garden Bouquet” consisted of the following flowers.

“Item Description: 

  • 6 Orange Roses
  • 3 Purple Roses
  • 6 Orange Alstroemeria
  • 1 Purple Hydrangea
  • 3 Purple Alstroemeria
  • 6 Coculus (greens)
  • Item #30050061
Who doesn’t dream of a garden like this? Blooming with roses, alstroemeria and hydrangea, this is the most gorgeous way to welcome spring into your home.”

When ordering from ProFlowers you can choose a vase of your choice (for an additional cost.  But check out the coupon page there’s a link below)

The care instructions read – “Your flowers have been cut and shipped fresh from the fields.  Follow these simple care instructions and enjoy the long-lasting beauty of the world’s finest flowers as they bloom before your eyes.”

My Review:

These flowers are beautiful (I’m staring at them right now)!  I love purple & orange so this arrangement was perfect for me!

The flowers arrived in a well packed box on my front porch. 

Just remember, when they come out of the box and packaging.  They will seem squished, however give them some time and they will perk up.  ProFlowers also put oasis (the green floral foam) and a baggie on the end of the flowers to keep them watered while they are in transit.   They have been in the house for almost 5 days and they are still beautiful as the day they arrived!  You need to make sure you read the care instructions to make them last.
Mother’s Day is Coming!!!
You can order ProFlowers today and have them delivered for Mother’s Day.  Then, it’s all done and you won’t forget!  http://www.proflowers.com/mothers-day-flowers-mdf
ProFlowers Coupons!
ProFlowers also has a coupon page!!  I love coupons & promo codes.  You can find your coupon on this link.  http://www.proflowerscoupons.com,  A few of the coupons are 20% off, free vase, free weekday delivery and other.  Of course, provisions apply.
ProFlowers are on Facebook
You can also find ProFlowers on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ProFlowers).   As a thank you, you will receive20% off your order if you friend them on Facebook!
Not only cut flowers!
How about chocolate cover strawberries? a potted plant?  Maybe a wreath?
ProFlowers has my vote for Mother’s Day!
Giveaway!!
Enter to win a $50 Gift Card to ProFlowers!

Mandatory Entry: Tell me what product you would get from ProFlowers.

Extra Entries (Please be sure and leave a comment and link for extra entries):

1 Entry:Follow Faith and Family Reviews On Twitter

1 Entry: Follow ProFlowers on Twitter.

1 Entry:Like/Friend Faith and Family Reviews on Facebook.

1 Entry: Like ProFlowers and leave a comment on their wall saying what flowers you would like to get.

2 Entries: Follow Faith and Family Reviews on Google Friend Connect (on the our right side bar).

2 Entries: Tweet about this giveaway. Up to three tweets per day. Include a separate comment for each and your tweet url with your comment. You may write your own tweet or use this one:

Enter to win a $50 gift card to ProFlowers!! http://bit.ly/kjaZmZ @faithfamilyrevw! Please share!

5 Entries: Blog about this giveaway and link back this post.

1 Entry: For every comment you leave anywhere else on this blog, but please leave a link with your comment!

Details:

This giveaway will run from April 29th, 2011 to May 8th, 2011 at midnight CST. The winner will be chosen through Random.org. ProFlowers will send one winner their prize. Winner will be contacted via email on or before May 8th, 2011 and will be asked for their contact and other pertinent info. Winners will have 48 hours to send me their e-mail at [ffr] [giveaways] [at] [gmail] [dot] [com] (without spaces and parenthesis). Please note: This giveaway is offered to USA only.

Thanks and have fun!




signature

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

Happy Belated Easter!

For those of you who observe religious holidays, happy belated Easter! In recent years we have been keeping our celebrations simple because it is easier – church, maybe grandma’s and relaxing at home. I pretty much stayed off the computer over the weekend and forgot to do up an Easter post other than the one I wrote up earlier and the chick one, which I could have included a Happy Easter message within, but didn’t. So I hope you had a very blessed Easter weekend.

 


signature

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

Our Favorite Easter Traditions

Easter is a wonderful holiday for our family because it represents when Jesus Christ died and rose again for our sins. It is a wonderful reminder of how much God loves us. This is the foremost thing in our minds during this holiday. We have resurrection eggs that have a little piece that represent something about this resurrection season. The resurrection eggs are 12 eggs inside a egg carton. The 12 eggs have 12 little pieces inside that represent something about the resurrection season.

Resurrection Eggs

Please note- our Easter eggs are a much older version then the picture shown!

Pieces include:

* A cross
* A spear
* A thorn
* A white cloth
* A whip
* A nail
* A rock
* A donkey
* A crown
* A dice
* A coin
* and the last egg is empty.

The Easter egg set also includes a little booklet that tells the story of the resurrection. We read one of the 12 stories each day leading up until Easter morning.

Our children love looking at these eggs. And they also love hearing the story of the resurrection leading up to the 12 days till Easter. These easter eggs are a wonderful way to teach your children about the resurrection while having fun!

The only negative thing we found about these eggs is that they can break easily.

Special Easter Breakfast

Another Easter tradition that we have is that we usually do a special breakfast. Our special breakfast is usually our favorite oven French toast or homemade cinnamon rolls that are quite comparable to the mall version. Really. Both are very yummy!

Recipe for Oven French Toast:

We got this recipe from Family Life Today’s website a few years ago. It is so easy, but oh so yummy!

10 eggs
1 loaf of sliced bread
cinnamon
1 stick of butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk (or less we found it too runny, so less is better for us)

First, melt the stick of butter in the oven in a 9×13 pan. Then add 1 cups brown sugar and press into bottom of pan with a fork. Next layer the bread. Beat the eggs in a bowl and shake in cinnamon with the eggs and add milk. Mix well. Then pour over the bread. Cover with foil and cook for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

The Empty Tomb

One year we even made “tomb” cookies. They are little cookies that you make then you put them in the oven overnight and when you wake up in the morning they are hollow on the inside – representing the empty tomb where Jesus was! They were a big hit! You can find the recipe here. They are very easy to make and quite fun to do with your children!

Every year we also read to our children several books Easter. Some of these includes Benjamin’s Box, Legend of The Easter Egg, The Resurrection Story, among others.

Easter Church Service

Another Easter tradition that we have is to go to church on Easter Sunday. Most years our church has had a special Easter brunch that we attend before the worship service.

What are your Easter traditions?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hop blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.


signature

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

Dye Job – Easter’s Coming!

I was looking at my Food Network Magazine(April 2011) and found on page 115 a great way to dye Easter eggs with stuff you may have at home.  The article goes onto say…

“This year’s egg-dyeing kit might already be in your pantry: We tried dyeing eggs with ingredients we had on hand – candy, spices, fruit – and ended up with this amazingly colorful half dozen.  To make your own, boil 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of vinegar, add your “dye” (12 Now and Later candies, one 7-ounce box of Red Hots, 1 tablespoon Jell-O or Kool-Aid, 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries or 2 tablespoons turmeric) and simmer 15 minutes; strain into a mug for dyeing.  Experiment with ingredients in your own kitchen:  If it’s something that stains your clothes, chances are it’ll work wonders on an egg!”

I made 2 different dyes on Saturday.  One blueberry (on the left) and the other to the right is mixed berries (strawberry, raspberry, & blueberries).  Here’s the proof….

It works!  I left them in the dye for about 20 minutes.  They are lighter than the packaged dyes you will get at the store, but at least you know the ingredients in these dyes!  I was thinking about maybe trying beets.  What are your ideas?


signature

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

Healthy Easter Treats for Kids

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post. While we appreciate our guest writer’s submissions, this does not constitute endorsement or agreement to the opinions expressed in the articles featured.

by Kelly Wilson

Easter baskets are a favorite tradition among kids of all ages. Although fun and festive for this time of year, our children can easily be overwhelmed with the amount of sugary treats inside those baskets.

Healthy Easter treats provide wholesome alternatives to traditional chocolate bunnies, and will help keep your holiday fun and delicious while keeping your kids healthy.

Go Organic

Organic treats provide healthy and delicious Easter products to use to fill a child’s basket. Many of these products use raw sugar, an alternative to high-fructose corn syrup, as well as avoiding harmful chemicals found in processed food.

There are many kinds of organic products, but I have a few personal favorites that I use as healthy Easter treats for my kids. Annie’s Homegrown items, like crackers and fruit snacks, are already bunny-shaped and perfect for Easter baskets. Peter Rabbit Organics also fits nicely into an Easter theme. Yummy Earth and Heavenly Organics provide all-natural, candy-specific alternatives as well.

Small Servings

If you choose to buy candy for your children’s Easter Baskets, smaller is better. Provide one miniature chocolate bunny instead of a large one, or a single-serve package of jelly beans instead of a huge bag of them. This will keep the temptation at bay to eat more and more sugar throughout the Easter holiday.

To cut down on refined sugar, consider providing homemade goodies instead of buying them at the grocery store. Many store-bought treats – like marshmallows, granola bars, cookies, and Rice Krispy treats – can also be made at home. When you make them yourself, you control the kinds of amounts of ingredients.

Although you may limit sugar, remember to help your kids monitor their intake as well as their activity after. “Even if your children eat a limited amount of candy, make sure they brush well immediately after eating them,” says Dr. Brett L. Johnson, DMD, a <a href=”http://www.oregoncitydentistry.com”>dentist in Oregon City</a>, Oregon. “This will keep plaque from forming on the surfaces of teeth and causing tooth decay.”

The Reason for the Season

The items that fill an Easter basket don’t need to be entirely food-related. Although the focus of Easter commercially centers around bunnies, chicks and candy, the reason for celebrating this holiday has an important spiritual element for many of us. When it comes to celebrating Easter with children, balance the bunnies and chicks with Easter-themed items like books, bookmarks, stickers, erasers, and pencils that remind them of what this holiday is all about.

As a more meaningful exercise, fill eggs with symbols of the Easter season that are meaningful to you and your family. Once your children open the eggs, discuss their significance in your lives, creating memories that will last.

Kelly Wilson is a busy mom and freelance writer. For more information about how to take care of your child’s teeth, visit Dr. Brett L. Johnson, DMD, a <a href=”http://www.oregoncitydentistry.com”>dentist in Oregon City</a>, Oregon.


signature

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

St. Patrick’s Day!

I’m far from Irish, but like many other people I will be Irish for a day!  I’ve got my corned beef & cabbage in the slow cooker.  So, join in on the fun!  

Who is St. Patrick?

http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-history-971546/
People all over the world celebrate on the 17th day of March in honor of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Some cities have parades, most revelers wear green, and a few families commemorate the day with traditional Irish fare for their meal. However, everyone may not know who St. Patrick is.

Born in Britain during the 4th century, St. Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved by Irish raiders when he was a teenager. Although he was able to escape after six years and become a priest in Britain, he later chose to return to Ireland as a missionary, in order to help spread the teachings of Christianity to pagans. According to Irish folklore, he also used a shamrock to explain the Christian concept of Trinity to the Irish. In spite of continuous opposition from pagan leaders, he continued to evangelize for thirty years while baptizing newly converted Christians and establishing monasteries, churches, and schools. He died on March 17th and was canonized by the local church.

St. Patrick’s Day was first publicly celebrated in Boston in 1737 where a large population of Irish immigrants resided. Nearly 200 years later, the first St. Patrick’s Dayparade in the Irish Free State was held in Dublin in 1931. During the mid 90’s, the Irish government also began a campaign to promote tourism in Ireland on March 17th.

While many Catholics still quietly celebrate this day of religious observance by going to mass, St. Patrick’s Day slowly evolved to become a celebration of Irish heritage. Through the years, along with legendary shamrocks, many symbols were included in festivities that are reflective of Ireland’s folklore, culture, and national identity (think leprechauns, ethnic cuisine, and wearing green).Other places that join in on this celebration include Japan, New Zealand, Argentina, and Canada, along with many cities across the United States.

Here’s a fun family dessert for everyone to help out with also from Family Fun Magazine!  I’ve made them, and they are really cute!   http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-recipes/st-patricks-day-desserts/clover-cupcakes-687369/

Clover Cupcakes

 From FamilyFun Magazine

Clover Cupcakes

It doesn’t take the luck of the Irish to make these St. Patty’s Day treats look so sweet — just a clever baking technique.

Ingredients
  • Cupcake batter
  • Cupcake tins and liners
  • Aluminum foil
  • White frosting
  • Green food coloring
  • Toothpick
  • Green licorice (we used Twizzlers Rainbow Twists sold in a pack with other colors)

Instructions
  1. Place paper liners in 32 standard muffin cups, then fill each halfway with the batter.
  2. Clover Cupcakes - Step 2 For each cupcake, roll three balls of foil (ours were 2/3 inch in diameter) and insert them evenly around the perimeter between the liner and the tin, as shown.
  3. Bake the cupcakes for a few minutes less than the package suggests (because there’s less batter per cup than usual), or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  4. Allow the cupcakes to cool, then remove them from the tin.
  5. Cover each with green frosting (our ratio was 1 teaspoon of green food coloring to one 16-ounce can of white frosting).
  6. Use a toothpick to draw leaf veins, and insert a 2-inch-long piece of green licorice for a stem.

signature

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS