Those words still haunt me. I was 17 years old and a senior in high school.  I put on skis for the first time in my life. It was not pretty.

But I was not prepared for how clumsy I’d instantly become. As soon as I pushed off the ski lift, I regretted my decision. I breathed a heavy sigh of determination and headed down the hill. Food, fire and warmth awaited me and I was going to get there.

Push. Stop. Goooooooooo. Stop. Woooahh!! Stop. Push. Stop.

I was going so slow, then too fast, then I fell. I dreamed of pretending my leg was broken so a patrol could drive me down the hill in their snowmobile.

I cursed a little under my breath as I strained to pull myself up. I had a friend coaching me this entire time. “Annie, you are doing great! I was the same way my first time!” I wanted to hurl snow in her face.

Then, those words.

A dad flew by with his 5 year old daughter. As she zoomed past me on her own set of skis, he said that phrase. That awful phrase. To his baby girl. “Look honey! You are doing better than she is!”

I didn’t know whether to be embarrassed, mad, or hate myself for my clumsiness. I forgot everything I learned in our little ski school that morning and just tried to get down the dang hill.

I am so glad I gave it a chance. That father might have been trying to help give his baby girl confidence, but it shook me. It also told me the importance of getting my children to try new things when they are young. At places like Mammoth Mountain in California you can enroll your kids in classes and they even have intertubes for going down the hills! I’d choose the tubing.  Totally.

Mammoth Mountain is where I want to take my kids really soon. This resort has every kind of amenity and class you can think of.  They have childcare for babies, classes for young children (and adults like me that don’t know a thing about skiing).  Or – what I really want – is to leave the kids with grandma and enjoy one of their romance packages! No matter what, my experience at Mammoth Mountain simply has to be better than my flop in Colorado.

Do you take your children to experience new things young? Have you had a similar experience to mine?

Time for the 2nd round of Vlog Moms! Vlog Moms is a group of bloggers that is practicing our vlogging and having fun with it. Each week someone picks a topic and we all create a vlog about it.  There is a linky under this post where you can visit the other Vlog Moms!

This week I picked the topic – jobs in high school and college! So, what were YOUR jobs?

While in college I was:

*Ticket taker at football games          *Sears Portrait Studio Photographer

*Sunglass Hut Associate                     *Newspaper reporter

*Insurance secretary                           *Real Estate office secretary

*Radio DJ                                           *Babysitter!

Phew! And I know I am forgetting at least one of them.

This post is written by my good friend Audrey! She blogs at Motherly Misadventures – check out her blog! Well, she gave her kids a blind taste test with the new KRAFT Milk Bites and shares her story below.

When I walked in the door with several boxes of cereal bars, I had more then enough volunteer taste testers. I brought 2 varieties of chocolate, one Milk Bite and the other a Kashi. I also had 2 varieties of strawberry, one Milk Bite and the other a very similar looking yogurt dipped Quaker granola bar.

Now don’t be mistaken my test subjects took their job VERY seriously!

The one thing that stood out the most was how “smooth and creamy” the Milk Bite bars were. They really melted in our mouths. I was even more surprised that this, chocolate in particular, was the absolute favorite of ALL of us! I think it tasted like a chocolate chip cookie with a small swig of milk. Which is about as good as it gets around our house.

Another thing I really like about the Kraft Milk Bite granola bars is that they have as much Calcium and Vitamin D as a full serving of milk! This may excite you if you have a picky eater like mine, that will only drink milk when it’s loaded with chocolate. They are also a good source of fiber and not over loaded with sugar. These granola bars are something I can feel good about giving my family, and a real time saver when we are running late in the mornings.

So give them a try. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Audrey received Milk Bites to review and a gift card to purchase additional bars to taste in her taste test. All opinions are 100% her own. 

My challenge: To make a weeknight meal special. The rules: I only have one hour to prepare. I accepted this challenge because honestly, that is longer than I usually spend in the kitchen anyways!

Most weeknights Josh works late, getting home around 8 or 9pm.  So it is just me and my 4yo, 2.5 year old and 13 month old. I always try to make dinner special, but they don’t eat very much and I tend to lose my inspiration on really hectic days.

Not this time.

We purchased the Tuscan Beef and Vegetable soup from Bertolli in the freezer section. Only takes 10 minutes to make a full and healthy meal! Now, how will I make this special?

Be still my heart!

My favorite little man bought me a dozen yellow roses!  Nothing makes a meal more special than flower picked out just for you as the centerpiece!  I took David to the florist section of the store and let him pick out anything he wanted for me.  After I nixed the Spiderman balloon request, (I am so cruel) his eyes lit up when he saw the “ye-woh” flowers.  I will cherish this photo forever!

Then I just opened the bag and cooked the soup on the stove. It was amazingly delicious! Just look at the chunks of veggies!  I read the back of the bag and was impressed with the ingredients. Real food! No crazy preservatives or food colorings. Just tender beef, mushrooms, yellow squash, zucchini, carrots and celery with bowtie pasta in a savory broth. It was scrumptious and filling.

Then afterwards we celebrated with ice cream! I never buy ice cream anymore, so this treat really made the dinner special for us.

I should really do this more often.  One bag is about $7.  Two bags fed my entire family – including Josh and I – with a few leftovers. $14 is not a bad price to pay for a healthy dinner.

There is a wonderful discussion going on over on the Bertolli Facebook page and some funny ideas are popping up on the Bertolli Twitter stream.  Check out the Bertolli site for store locators and delicious meal ideas!

How do you make dinner special? Do you let someone help you cook? Do you buy yourself flowers?

I participated in a compensated campaign with Bertolli and Gigcoin. All opinions are 100% my own.

]]> http://mamadweeb.com/2012/02/healthy-soup-for-dinner-ready-in-minutes-bertollimealsoup/feed/ 4 http://mamadweeb.com/2012/01/ww-pictures-that-make-me-smile/ http://mamadweeb.com/2012/01/ww-pictures-that-make-me-smile/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:08:16 +0000 Annie @ Mama Dweeb http://mamadweeb.com/?p=8679 Pin it]]>

I have a super quick, one week-long giveaway to share with you! Enter here! Just like a few new Facebook or twitter pages and you are entered to win $150 cash!

So easy!

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Not another social media channel! That is what I hear whenever I bring up Google +.  Most people ask me, “why do we need another one? Isn’t Facebook and Twitter enough?” (add onto that Pinterest, StumbleUpon, and LinkedIn and you have one full plate!)

Google + is very easy to learn how to use. Once you understand how circles work, you can begin using it with ease. It is really just about sharing information with the exact group of people you want.

Why you need to learn how to use Google +

Because Google rules the stinking world.  Ok, seriously – because Google tied G+ into searches. So now when you promote your stuff on Google + it will come up higher in search results. Plus, Google owns it and they are promoting it fiercely on new Android based phones.  You need to learn Google + because it will grow and learning now puts you ahead of the social media game and even more marketable to brands and companies.

I created a video tutorial that walks you through a bunch of aspects of Google +. For those of you that cannot watch the video, I am typing all the info here too.  But if you have never explored G+ before and are overwhelmed by it, find time to watch my video. It is 8 minutes long and takes you through almost all of the ins and outs of it.

To create a custom URL:
Go to Gplus.To and follow the directions.
Every Google + account has a custom string of 12 numbers. G+ itself does not allow for personalizing the URL, so you have to use a URL shortener like Gplus.to or bit.ly.  This is actually a smart move for Google.  For example, if you create a G+ page for MamaDweeb and someday change the name to DweebBloggers you can easily change the name of that page in Google + and go to Gplus.to to change the URL – all without losing a single follower.

Is there a way to get your posts automatically posted to Google+?

No. This is the biggest downfall of Google +. Everything must happen manually.

I joined and now I keep getting notified of foreign men following me. What do I do?

Don’t freak out, this is a good thing.  Whenever someone adds you to their circles, whatever you post to “the public” goes into every single person’s stream if they put you in a circle.  Bloggers, if you are promoting a blog post or product, then being in more circles is a very good thing.

How can I turn off posts from hyper posters?

Create a circle called, “hyper posters.” Then, on the right hand side, view only all your other circles and exclude the hyper posters. Or, even easier, don’t circle them at all. It is totally ok for you not to circle someone. Just because you are in someone’s circle does not mean you have to put them in yours.

Google Hangouts

These are so much fun! You can video chat with a bunch of your friends at the same time. This is also wonderful for holding virtual meetings if you cannot meet in person.  There are options in the top of the screen – you can mute your mic and/or disable your webcam and use the chat feature only if you need.  This can work as a free online conference call, it can bring families and friends together face-to-face and so much more. Get some friends together and try it out. 

Tip: When you begin the hangout, choose which circle you are allowing to see you hanging out. If you choose “public,” then anyone, anywhere, can see your video.

How do I keep up with people that add me to their circles?

As people add you to their circles, you will receive email notifications. I simply delete them without opening them. Check this out:

In your Google + nav bar, click the red number. Then, click “Added you to their circles.” That is when the screenshot above appears. You can view every single person that added you to their circles, click/view their profiles and hover over their name to add them to your circles. Easy!

Do people actually gain followers and active users via G+, or is it another place that people ignore you?

Every social network has a different audience. I will tackle more of this question in a future post where I compare/contrast the benefits of each social network. Suffice it to say that if your goal is to increase your reach and influence and become more marketable to brands, then learning how to use Google + is a valuable asset. You can most certainly reach an entirely new audience with G+, introduce them to your blog and increase readership. Totally possible. But with every network, it takes time. If you don’t spend time on the site, your return will be lower. And we only have so much time in a day.

How do I engage with others so I promote my posts?

Start to chat about your involvement on G+ with your current Facebook and/or twitter followers. Write a post about it. Spread the word that you are on G+ so people add you to their circles. Then, use it! Go on G+ and peruse your stream. Circle people so your stream is more diverse.

Remember: A branded page cannot circle people unless they circle your brand first. So create a personal G+ account and use that to encourage people to circle your brand’s page.

Then interact. Comment on people’s posts. Post funny photos that people share. Then, begin to promote your posts. Maybe post one of your funniest posts or one that is attracting a lot of discussion in the comments. Talk about that feature in your G+ post.

It is a very fun social network that is going to attract a lot more followers very quickly. While it is not 100% necessary to use it today, eventually, like twitter, it will be a valuable tool used widely around the world.

Happy Friday everyone! It is Low Entries Linky Time!

The last Friday in January! Time is ffllyyyingg right by! Zoom!!

Do you have a giveaway with low entries? Link it up here! I am bringing you a linky full of giveaways with less than 200 entries!

And for my loyal readers, I hope giveaways in this list bring you tons of wins! Don’t forget to enter my current giveaways too – I have 2 up right now!

Featured Low Entries Giveaways:

Mandi Minding Money ~ $25 Snapfish Gift Certificate ~ Ends Feb 1st

Angela England ~ Mom Incorporated ~ Expires Jan 30th

Link up and ReTweet to spread the word! The more you RT the more the news will spread about your giveaway, I’ll be tweeting out specific giveaways today and through the weekend, so good luck!

What Qualifies as “Low Entries”?

The only requirement is less than 200 entries at the time of your posting here. That’s it!

FORMAT:

Blog Name – Giveaway item – Expiration Date – USA/Canada

Mama Dweeb -Merry Maids GC – 12/31 – USA Only
Please put CAN if it is open to Canada. I have loyal readers that live in Canada and if the giveaway qualifies them to enter they sure will!

LINK UP!

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How are you doing with your New Year’s resolutions? This is a super fun and easy vlog hop a bunch of bloggers are doing. Please join us! Just record a quick vlog sharing how you are doing with your resolutions, put it on your blog then put your post on our linky.

For those of you who cannot watch the video, here is basically what I shared.

I vowed to stop myself from comparing my life, my family and myself to other people. I won’t compare my blog to anyone’s except my own. I refuse to compare my house or my life to anyone else because they are not me. Comparing to others always leads to despair and unhappiness. I do not need that! So how am I doing with that? So far really good! I had a few times where I really wanted to compare and I stopped myself. It has led to less anxiety and overall more contentment.

My other goal, as every year, is eat healthier and get fit. I want to say loose weight because over the winter Josh worked a ton and I gained 10 lbs.  How am I doing? Fantastic! I joined a gym and started to eat more whole foods and less crap. I am eating less dairy, less red meats and a ton more fresh veggies and fruits and whole grains. I feel 100% better, have a ton more energy and I believe this is a lifestyle I can live!

So how are you doing?

Here is Desiree’s video. She is from the blog Mommy Reporter – you should definitely check out her blog!

And here is my video. Enjoy!

Autism United is teaming up with Sensory Edge and several other Autism supporting bloggers to bring you a giveaway you’ve all been waiting for! From Wednesday January 25th at 12:01am EST to February 1st at 12:01am EST we will be hosting a giveaway offering you some awesome prizes!

What could you win?

Anatex Original Rollercoaster Bead Maze

Puzzle Bookshelf by KidKraft

$50 PayPal Cash (paypal account mandatory)

Autism Awareness Keychain

Sensory Edge has provided us with the Anatex Original Rollercoaster Bead Maze to incorporate into this giveaway. The Anatex Original Rollercoaster is a favorite toy in doctors offices across the country. Little ones get nervous while waiting for the doctor and rollercoaster toys keep them busy in waiting area. The original rollercoaster is constructed of a series of painted wires attached to a strong wood base with painted wooden beads of various colors and shapes.

The original rollercoaster is a long lasting and durable toy that’s great for captivating and stimulating a child’s imagination, developing hand-eye coordination and counting skill.

Another popular item that Sensory Edge offers to the public is the Puzzle Bookshelf by KidKraft. Autism United has provided this item to be apart of the giveaway! The Puzzle Bookshelf by KidKraft is a unique piece of child’s furniture in primary colors. This imaginative puzzle shaped bookcase is a great place to store children’s books, toys, and collectibles. With this bookshelf a child’s room can be functional and fun. The pieces are interchangeable and can sit side by side if you’d rather set them up horizontal.

A few of our blog friends put together $50 PayPal cash so we can open the opportunity for our Canadian friends to win a prize!

The final prize we are offering is the Autism Awareness Keychain, which has been offered by Hollywood on Olive. We are very excited for this offering and the awareness these keychains bring.

A total of 4 prizes, for 4 lucky winners. The PayPal cash giveaway portion of this giveaway is open to both US & Canadian residents, but the remaining portion of the giveaway is only open to the US. We will be requesting that you inform us of whether you are located in the US or in Canada within our Rafflecopter form. Anyone who does not enter this information will be disqualified from the giveaway entirely.

Ready to enter? Complete the following Rafflecopter form now for your chance to win one of the four prizes up for grabs in our aMazement Giveaway Extravaganza!

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