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Ultimate Party Meatballs
Last year, as I prepared our annual Christmas cocktail party, I decided to make these very simple, but yummy sounding meatballs. I bought the ingredients. There are only three. The day after the party, I realized I had forgotten to make them. I was very disappointed!
This year, I had already decided to include them in our party, when MomCentral contacted me about reviewing the Ultimate Party Meatballs recipes. This is the easiest review ever!
First, go to Ultimate Party Meatballswebsite and check out all the easy and delicious recipes they have. There's more than just the meatballs! Then, head to the grocery store-you only need three ingredients-Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce, Heinz Chili Sauce, and a 2 lb bag of pre-cooked, appetizer-sized meatballs. Don't go generic on these ingredients…First off, Ocean Spray is a fabulous company who prides themselves on quality. Second, I'm a Pittsburgh girl-when it comes to any condiments, it's got to be Heinz! Stir it together, heat it up and serve.
We ate them during our Thanksgiving Happy Hour and they were gone in minutes! Everyone raved about them and we all agreed they easily could be eaten over rice to make it a meal. You could also use turkey meatballs if you wanted to make it more healthful.
To make it even more worth your while, when you check out Ultimate Party Meatballs website and enter to win a $3,000 Ultimate Party. How cool would you be to host this party? Pretty darn cool! So check it out and make some recipes and find out how easy and delicious Heinz and Ocean Spray have made holiday entertaining!
For the simplicity and awesome flavor, this gets a
Seat Snug
I love receiving the products that I review. It's good mail, for a change. No bill, no credit card offer-just anticipation. I won't lie that when I opened up the SeatSnug, I was intimidated…this was one review that I would need help with! It required installation, so the husband was called in.
What is SeatSnug, you ask? It's a piece of mind for parents with children in booster seats. SeatSnug does just what its name suggests-it keeps your kiddos snug in their seats. You have probably noticed that after awhile, booster seats start to rock or bounce a little because the seat belt slackens. I have never felt safe with our booster because of this. It's not the booster itself, but the seat belt. SeatSnug ensures that this doesn't happen. Once you put the SeatSnug onto your car's existing factory installed seat belt, you buckle in your child and then lightly tighten the belt by pulling up on the shoulder strap. The child will still have easy and free movement of the upper body, but the lap belt with fit snugly, both around the child and the seat to the car. It uses the patented CG-LOCK Technology which received the National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval!
Hubby did the installation and assures me it was relatively easy. I did make him carefully read the instructions (he's not good with that sort of thing…) and between the instructions and his own penchant for all things technical, the install went smoothly. He's a mechanical engineer and I heard him mutter as he was doing the install, "why couldn't I think of this?????" This should be the biggest seal of approval for the SeatSnug.
My son found it comfortable and liked being the center of attention as we played around with this. I like how snug it truly does fit and I love knowing that my son will be much safer in his seat. We will definitely be buying one for our other car!
For providing us with a safer way to drive our children around and for more piece of mind, I give this product a
The Secret Mountain books
Books make great holiday presents. I'm always searching for something a little different for my girls. It's overwhelming when you're in a book store and want to find something and go. But if you're looking for books for some special little ones in your life this holiday season, you won't want to miss The Secret Mountain's collection of books.
What makes these books so special is that each one comes with an accompanying CD which features music and compliments the books. If you were thinking that the music might be some kind of annoying kid tune that gets stuck in your head for all eternity, you would be wrong. If you've ever had a massage, then you know the type of music I'm talking about. The music is very Enya-ish, is soothing and pleasant. The CD's have been a big hit in this house, and there's finally some kid music that I don't mind!
The books don't disappoint either. We were given three books to review: "Dream Songs Night Songs: From Belgium to Brazil," "A Duck in New York City," and "Down at the Sea Hotel." After the delightful stories, the books have pages of songs and music. The stories themselves are very sweet and the illustrations are vibrant and inviting. Our personal favorite is "A Duck in New York City" which is just plain adorable and fun.
If I had to point out a negative, I might say that the stories are a little on the short side. Then again, these are perfect bedtime story books that won't have you falling asleep in your child's bed like I sometimes do. There really isn't anything not to like about this collection of books, so if you're looking for some unique holiday gifts for the children in your lives, you should definitely check them out.
For their bright illustrations, interesting stories, and great accompanying music, BBM gives The Secret Mountain books. . .
Bella Sara
It took me a good year to jump on the Webkinz bandwagon. I thought that stuffed animals were fine as is. Why did they need to have codes and online persona's? I begrudgingly logged my daughter in one day and then found myself logging in for her while she was at school to "get her some extra Kinz Cash. Yeah right. I liked playing the games.
Bella Sara takes the online persona thing to a different level. With music that sounds like something you would hear while getting a massage and beautiful imagery throughout the site, Bella Sara is a little girls' dream.
We were given a couple packs of trading cards and each card has a different horse or horse-like character on it. Once logged into the Bella Sara site, you plug in the code numbers from each trading card and you're off.
Like Webkinz, Bella Sara allows you to customize your own cottages. You also have to take care of your horses by filling up their water, feeding them apples, oats, and bottles if they're babies. You also have to brush your horse and clean out their stables with the handy Bella Sara tools that are provided.
There is something about feeding an internet horse an apple because my daughter and I spent a good hour taking care of her horses tonight. There are also inspiration messages throughout, encouraging you to be kind to friends, etc. There are plenty of messages on there that are worthwhile and important for young girls.
For the new Bella Sara participant, there are helpful tips on each page that help you figure out what to do and where to go. There's a boutique to buy things for your cottage and there are also plenty of fun and addicting games to play.
If you have a young daughter who happens to love horses or unicorns, you'll want to pick up a pack of these trading cards and get her started. Bella Sara trading cards are available at Walmart, Kmart, Target, Toys R Us, etc. One pack of cards sells for about $3.99. There are also other products available, including games for Nintendo. Who knew? We've come a long way from the Garbage Pail kids of my day, huh?
My only criticism is that certain areas of the website could be more clear, the cottage for example. It took us several tries to make it into one of our actual cottage rooms. If Bella Sara could make the general areas of the site as user-friendly as the horse stable area, I'd be even happier.
For being a pleasant place to visit online with a daughter and for putting out there a product that actually addresses kindness and consideration between people, BBM gives Bella Sara. . .
“Inside the Wire” by Erik Saar and Viveca Novak
There's lots of talk in the news these days about Gitmo. A seemingly black hole in the war on terror, the prison at Guantanomo Bay has always been controversial. While the general public hears the basics from the media, we don't really know what it's like inside. "Inside the Wire" takes you there.
Erik Saar, co-author of the book, shares his 6.5 month experience as an Arabic translator and army Seargeant, in vivid detail. It is a book that sends chills up your spine. It is a book that will have you debating well into the night as to whether or not Gitmo is serving its purpose and whether or not its purpose is just.
First working in the detainee cells as a translator and then working as a translator in interrogations, Saar presents a graphic and disturbing visual of what has been happening in Gitmo for years. While at Gitmo, Saar is able to speak with many of the detainees. His conversations with them are eye-opening and important for every American to read:
"Mustapha was confounded when I explained to him that Christians' motivation to do right comes from their gratitude for God's love and forgiveness, rather than fear of judgment alone. This was incomprehensible to him. He didn't believe in a loving God, nor did he know if he was assured paradise. He genuinely hoped the Americans would kill him so he could be certain of becoming a true martyr."
The detainees' views of women are also startling as Saar relays some of his conversations with the detainees. When referring to the women soldiers at Gitmo, one detainee says:
"I'm not a fool; there is no way these women in uniforms are really here as solidiers? Do you think we are stupid? All of the detainees know the truth-that they are here to service the real soldiers."
As disturbing as the conversations with the detainees are, there's something even more bothersome. Gitmo has not been easy on our soldiers. While the detainees are held without charge, some of our military get stuck there, in a psychologically trying place with a mix of people that is ripe for conflict.
"Inside the Wire" is a book that every American should read. It opens your eyes to the thinking of those we are up against in the war on terror. It shows you how hard our military works to keep us safe; and it brings to light what's been happening in Gitmo since the first detainees started to arrive.
BBM gives "Inside the Wire". . .
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