Yoplait Review and Recipe

Yogurt and I had a love hate relationship. I loved the flavors but could not stand the texture of fruit chunks in the cup. For this reason I used to pass up on yogurt. That is until I discovered Yoplaits dessert flavored yogurt. No need for me to worry about the fruit chunks here and I get to enjoy the flavors of my favorite desserts at a fraction of the calories. There are so many flavors to choose from like: Apple Turnover, Red Velvet Cake, Boston Cream Pie, Bannana Cream Pie, Black Forest Cake, Lemon Cream Pie,Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Raspberry Cheesecake, Strawberry Shortcake, White Chocolate Strawberry, and my favorite Key Lime Pie.

Since March is National Nutrition Month I encourage you to snack on your favorite Yoplait yogurt instead of cakes and cookies. Maybe you aren't as interested in the dessert flavors as I am. Well, with varieties like Yoplait Light, Yoplait Original, Yoplait Fiber One, Yoplait Kids and Yoplait Delight Parfaits. Each product offers different benefits, and loads of variety, to make eating well a no-brainer. Here are five great ways to ‘get your snack on’ with Yoplait this March!


Start spring off right with Yoplait Light’s Two Week Tune Up Plan – Replace breakfast and lunch with a cup of your favorite flavor of Yoplait Light, a whole grain and a piece of fruit and you could lose 5 pounds in two weeks. Go to Yoplait.com for full diet details.

Get more calcium with Yoplait Original style yogurt - Now with two times the calcium of the leading yogurt (50 percent of the Recommended Daily Value) in one convenient 6-ounce cup*, Yoplait Original style yogurt is committed to women’s health, offering a product that has even more of the calcium women need for strong, healthy bodies. Grab a free cup while supplies last during the Million Cup Giveaway on Yoplait on Facebook!

Try the newest flavor from Yoplait Fiber One – Yoplait Fiber One’s new Blueberry flavor yogurt is packed with filling fiber, calcium, vitamins A and D, real fruit and the great taste of blueberries. With only 50 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat, this deliciously creamy yogurt won’t break your calorie bank.

Stress less over snack time with Yoplait Kids yogurt – With a wholesome and fun snack like Yoplait Kids yogurt in the fridge, you can feel good about what your children are eating at snack time. Yoplait Kids provides an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D, and has 25% less sugar than the leading kids’ yogurt**. With yummy flavors, and favorite friends like Dora and Lightning McQueen on the packages, Yoplait Kids is a hit with moms and children alike.



End the day with a Delight Parfait from Yoplait – Even with two luscious layers providing a double shot of rich and creamy yogurt, these 100 calorie indulgences from Yoplait contain only 1.5 grams of fat per serving. Now available in two new flavors, Chocolate Éclair and Cherry Cheesecake, you can enjoy a dessert that’s 100 percent guilt-free.

*Leading yogurt has less than 25% Daily Value calcium per 6 oz.
**Yoplait kids has 9 grams of sugar per 3oz. the leading kids' yogurt has 13 grams of sugar per 3oz.

As is the case with most things these days, Yoplait is on Facebook. If you "Like" Yoplait on Facebook you can keep up with the latest news and great opportunities to save on your favorite Yoplait products.***Coupon offers for Yoplait yogurt are not valid in all states.

I am a fan of Yoplait both in life and on Facebook however, by posting the above information I have a chance to win a prize provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.

You don't just have to eat Yoplait yogurt from a cup. You can incorporate it into your recipes to make some delicious food for your family and friends. I was browsing through the recipes at Yoplait.com and came across this recipe for Layered Caribbean Chicken Salad. My mouth started watering when I saw it.

Layered Caribbean Chicken Salad

Ingredients

Dressing

1 (6-oz.) container Yoplait® Original 99% Fat Free Piña Colada Yogurt

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon Caribbean jerk seasoning

Salad

3 cups shredded romaine lettuce

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 (15-oz.) can Progresso® Black Beans, drained, rinsed

1 1/2 cups diced peeled ripe fresh mango

1/2 cup chopped seeded Italian plum tomatoes (1 to 2 medium)

4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (8 medium)

1/2 cup cashews

Fresh edible flowers, if desired

Directions
1. In small bowl, mix all dressing ingredients until well blended.

2. In 3- or 4-quart clear glass serving bowl, layer all salad ingredients in order listed, except cashews and flowers. Spoon dressing evenly over salad; sprinkle cashews over top. Garnish with flowers.

One World One Heart

Last year I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in One World One Heart: OWOH. It is and event where bloggers from around the world get a chance to meet each other by hopping around from blog to blog. To encourage people to travel the WWW participants do a giveaway or a door prize for those who leave a comment. I found so many wonderful blogs last year and am always impressed with the creativity and the writing styles of so many. I am very excited to participate again this year. This is the fifth and final year though so hopefully it will go out with an incredible amount of participants. Lisa over at a Whimsical Bohemian is the creator. If you are interested in participating please visit her blog and follow the instructions. The event only goes until February 17th so you better hurry along.

For those who have found my blog via OWOH, welcome. Let me introduce myself. I am a stay at home mom married to The Doctor. We have 4 beautiful children ages 3-9, Na, Bubs, LuLu, and Kmae. This blog is really my way of sharing my random thoughts on motherhood, housework, and everything else associated with my home and family. Some stuff is just my opinion and other stuff is fact based. If something I share helps at least one person then I am grateful. For last years event I had just learned to Knit so I gave away something knitted. This past year I learned to crochet so guess what? I will be giving away something Crocheted. How about this cute hat? Actually, not this hat but one just like it.

So, here is what you need to do if you would like to win a hat like this one.

Leave a comment by 10:00 PM CST February 16, 2011 and include and email address where you can be reached should you win. I will announce and contact the winners on February 17, 2011.

 If you would like, please specify the size you would like the hat to be.

Happy blog hopping!

Talented People

I have found I am surrounded by talented people. Some I know some I do not. It is a little overwhelming to visit other blogs and see what these amazing women are doing. I am not uber crafty but I can craft. I enjoy doing them. I paper craft, knit, crochet, rubber stamp, mod podge...you name it I have probably tried it. Sewing is a talent I need to increase. One day I will get a new sewing machine...or fix the one I already have. Here are some blogs I have recently visited and they leave me feeling a little inadequate in my crafting/baking projects but they also leave me inspired wanting to do more. If only I had the budget and time to do them in.

Life Frosting
The Dainty Daisy
WhipperBerry
Prepared Not Scared

Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives

You may have noticed various items in your grocery store are going pink. It is Breast Cancer awareness month and everywhere I look I see pink. I never really thought much about breast cancer. I know that since I am a woman I am at risk (yes I know men can get it too) but I know that some women are more at risk than others. I think my daughters are more at risk than I am because there are several people on my husbands maternal side that have suffered with breast cancer. It is because of this that I am trying to get more information and help out where I can. I can not give a large or even small donation at this time to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation but, I can change my shopping list a little here and there.

If you look in your yogurt section you can see that Yoplait yogurt has pink lids. Yoplait has agreed to donate $0.10 per lid that is turned in. They have guaranteed that they will donate at least $500,000 and up to $1.6 million the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. This is Yoplait's 12th year doing this and over the past years they have contributed $25 million as a result of Save Lids to Save lives. While I may not have the money now to make a donation I can help out one lid at a time.

I know there are some of you out there who do not like to eat yogurt straight up. Well, there are many recipes that include yogurt as an ingredient. Check out Yoplait's website for some great ones. Last week I hosted a My Get Together for Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives. I invited several of my friends and everyone brought a different dish made from yogurt. I made the Key Lime Yogurt Pie which was lite and fresh. Another guest brought this very rich and oh so yummy Creamy Vanilla-Caramel Cheesecake. We also had a pasta salad, muffins, and cookies all made using yogurt.

If you would like to participate in Yopait Save Lids to Save Lives here is what you can do. Purchase Yoplait products that have pink lids. I noticed the Yoplait frozen smoothie mixes have a "lid" you can cut out. Clean the lids and place them in an envelope addressed to:

Save Lids to Save Lives^©
P.O. Box 420704
El Paso, TX 88542-0704

These products are on the shelf for October only and all lids need to be mailed in by December 31, 2010.

Scentsy Retired Fragrances

Many of you may know but for those of you who don't, I'm a Independent Consultant with Scentsy Wickless Candles. I love these candles. I love that I can leave them on 24/7 and not have to worry. I love that with over 80 scents to choose from I can pick a scent to match my mood or the weather. I love not having to deal with an open flame around my children and cat since it runs off a light bulb. The month of July has even brought me more to love. Scentsy has brought back 20 of their most popular scents that have been discontinued. Some of which were discontinued before I became a consultant. I can hardly wait to try some of them.

Apples & Pears
Pears come first, then crisp fall apples. Fall/Winter.
SB-ANP
Banana Nut Bread
Right from the oven with ripe bananas, nuts, and
spices. Bakery. SB-BNB
Blackberry Bushel
Juicy, ripe, bursting blackberries. Fruits & Flowers.
SB-BKS
Cappuccino
A warm cup of espresso with frothy steamed milk
and creamy vanilla. Favorites. SB-CAP
Cashmere
This sheer floral bouquet combines Moroccan
jasmine, lily of the valley, and bergamot. Romance.
SB-CAS
Cheerful Day
Sunny lemon, white grapefruit, and mandarin with
French verbena and wildflowers. SB-CHE
Eggnog
With warm, spicy tones of nutmeg, rum, and cream,
this scent is a holiday favorite. Fall/Winter. SB-EGG
Eucalyptus
Soothing, medicinal, and fresh.Nature. SB-EUC
French Vanilla
Sweet, buttery vanilla. Bakery. SB-FVA
Fried Ice Cream
Vanilla with a nutty touch, along with
cinnamon and caramel. Bakery. SB-FIC
Key Lime Tortilla
Lime and kiwi combine for a south-of-theborder
sweet treat. Scent of the
Month. SB-KLT
Leather
Rich leather scent reminiscent of an old-fashioned
leather shop.
Spring/Summer. SB-LEA
Luscious Lemon
Light, creamy lemon. Fruits & Flowers.
SB-LUS
Mysterious
Spicy, fresh and woody, this masculine
fragrance evokes strength and vitality.
Romance. SB-MYS
Newborn Nursery
Dreamy scent that evokes memories
of cradling your little ones. Favorites.
SB-NEW
Pink Plumeria Passion
Hawaiian island blossoms with exotic
delicacy. SB-PKP
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, and
nutmeg. Fall/Winter. SB-PUM
Sizzlin’ Coconut
Tempting mix of cinnamon, coconut
milk, and rich vanilla. Bakery. SB-SIZ
Strawberry Sweetie
A fruity delight of juicy strawberries
sprinkled with sugar and vanilla. Fruits
& Flowers. SB-SBS
Watermelon Patch
Sweet, vine-ripened watermelon. Fruits
& Flowers. SB-WMP

If you are interested in any of these scents that are available for a limited time or any of the other 80+ fragrances please visit my Scentsy site and view an online catalog. If you email me your orders I'll pay your shipping and handling costs, a savings of 10%.

To All the Moms

This Mother's Day I will be thinking about my Mom. I'm so grateful to her and all the sacrifices she made that I didn't realize until I was a mother myself. I will also be thinking about all the other Mother's in the world who serve as an inspiration of motherhood to me.



Click here to read the Nie Nie Dialogues

Learning to Crochet

A couple of weeks ago I won an adorable crocheted hat from The Mommy Trials. It inspired me to learn to crochet... again. I learned to knit a year ago and I tried to teach myself to crochet in December but gave up because I couldn't get my fingering or tension right. After receiving this little masterpiece I knew I couldn't give up forever. So, I got lots of books from the library and set myself to task. The book that helped me the most was How to Crochet for Dummies.

I'm now feeling more confident in my crochet abilities and can't stop crocheting.

The first project I crocheted was this adorable cap. I couldn't stop at one though so I actually made 3. Here Kmae is modeling the hat I made for her.

Assured in my hat making abilities I switched gears and made this baby blanket for a nephew that will be joining the family this summer.

I'm excited to see what other patterns I can find and make.

My friend tells me I have crossed to the dark side now that I'm doing a lot of crochet. I still prefer knitting because I think it is easier to do the different designs and it looks prettier. However, I can finish a crocheted piece much faster and it is so much easier to fix my mistakes.

If you don't know how to crochet you can still get your hands on hats like the one I won above by visiting Mommy Trials Etsy shop Stylish Sweethearts. She also sells some beautiful car seat covers too.

Amazing Support

I've previously mentioned Penelope and how she is fighting for her life. There is an organization called St. Baldricks which helps raise funds for children's cancer research. This has inspired Penny's Mom's cousin, Rhea. She is going to shave her head if donations for Penny reach $5000. If you would like to see Rhea shave her head and help support Penny then visit Rhea's blog and donate. You can follow Penny's progress at her blog Pennies 4 Penny.

Pennies 4 Penny Auction

Last week I told you about my friends niece Penelope who is battling stage 4 Neuroblastoma. She has also gotten RSV and is in the ICU. She is losing her battle with RSV and had to be placed on life support yesterday due to a collapsed lung. The family has insurance but it only covers 60% of the cost. They need help raising the funds for the 40% of the coverage they are responsible for. So, Rhea at mom23monkeys (the cousin of Pennelope's mom) has organized an online auction to be held starting today and running until 10 PM PST. Visit Pennies4penny to view the items up for auction and all of the instructions on how to bid.

This family needs our support and prayers during this time. I'm also doing a Scentsational giveaway to help spread the news. So, go here to help spread the news and be entered into my drawing for a Scentsy warmer.

Friday Follow Follower

I've decided to become a follower and join in on the Friday Follow bandwagon.

Pssst...

Just thought I would pass on some info I received today via MyBlogSpark. General Mills has a community called Psst... where after you sign up you can have the opportunity to try recipes and products and share your opinions on them. Starting March 22nd, Pssst... is launching MyGetTogether which will allow you to host a get together, try new products and recipes with your friends. This looks like it will be fun. If this sounds like something you would be interested participating in go to Psst... and sign up now.

I'm a OWOH Winner

Today I was pleasantly surprised to see I received one of the prizes I won during the OWOH giveaway I participated in earlier this month. My magic carpet took me to B.B. Bellezza and I won this cute necklace with a charm of the Chinese symbol for love she made on a recycled scrabble piece.

Kimberlie Burkhart, the jewelry artist, takes ordinary things and gives them a second life. Take a moment to visit her website and see some of the beautiful pieces she has created. I personally love the revamped keys. If you want to get your hands on her jewelry but you don't live in PA you can always visit her Etsy shop.

Thanks Kimberlie!

One World One Heart-Giveaway

Added another giveaway since I received 100 comments. I will now be giving away 2 things. Scroll down to see what they are.

There is a world wide event among bloggers going on right now and I want to participate. One World One Heart is working to link bloggers from around the world no matter what race, religion, sex, etc. What a wonderful opportunity to meet people from around the world. Part of it is doing a giveaway. I've been wanting to do a giveaway for some time now and there is no better time than the present.

My giveaway will be

A knit baby cardigan and matching blanket. I was browsing through patterns at the Lionbrand website and came across this one and thought it was just adorable. Can't you imagine your little baby or the baby of someone you love wrapped up in this goodness? It is almost enough to make me want baby #5. I haven't decided yet what type of yarn it will be made from so that is something we can figure out together along with the color. The pattern says the Cardigan is for size 3-6 months but most of the reviews I read say it will fit a larger child, so don't be shy if your baby is a little older. The blanket will be appox. 18 x 24 inches. Perfect for snuggling baby up in the carseat. When you win just let me know the color you want it in.

You can choose pink, blue, or cream.

For those of you who might not want a knitted baby gift, I will also be giving away to another lucky winner a cookbook the ladies at my church put together. It is filled with family tested recipes including several of my own.

This book contains 138 pages of recipes and tips. These are just some of the wonderful recipes you can find in this book.

Here's how to enter to win.

Leave me a comment and make sure to leave some sort of way I can contact you should you win. Deadline for entry is Feb. 14th 11:59 PM CST. The drawing will be done on Feb 15th. That's it!

You can find link to other bloggers participating in the OWOH giveaway here.

Chocolate Addiction = Scar

Scars. Everyone has them. Some stand out more than others. Some you can hardly see unless you look for them. My oldest daughter has a scar on her head she got when she was in utero from the heart rate monitor they attached there. I doubt she knows it's there but I do and I can see it when I put her hair in pigtails. It is a reminder of her birthday for me.

I have a scar. I have a scar that reminds me I'm addicted to chocolate and it all started at an early age. I don't remember getting the scar I only remember my parents telling me about it when I was in middle school when I finally realized I had it. The doctor who stitched me up wasn't worried much about aesthetics since the scar is pretty jagged looking. It looks like one Frankenstein would have but not as big. This little beauty is located just above the knuckle on my right index finger. Now you are probably wondering how my chocolate addiction could create a scar in that location so, I'll tell you.

I don't know if chocolate syrup comes in cans anymore but it used to. My family would buy the cans of the syrup to pour over ice cream or make chocolate milk. One of the ways to get the syrup out is to cut a triangle out of the top using the pointy little attachment that is shaped like a triangle on the can opener shaped.

Well, I must have decided I couldn't wait for chocolate on my ice cream or milk, I was going to get it now, so I stuck my finger in the hole. Uh oh, my finger was much bigger around the knuckle coming out and it was stuck. I couldn't get the chocolate to my mouth with a can stuck to my finger. If I couldn't get my finger out I couldn't enjoy that sweet, dark elixir I love. I pulled, I pulled hard and got my finger out. Unfortunately, I left some skin and blood behind. I tainted that can of chocolate. I'm sure I cried cause what child wouldn't. The question I'm asking myself now is, did I cry because I cut my finger open? or did I cry because I ruined all that beautiful chocolate with some blood?

I tried taking a picture but I can't take pictures with my left hand very well. So, I decided to scan my hand. The scar has faded in color over the years so it didn't scan as well. It is however 3D so I can feel it. Too bad the computer screen won't display it in 3D. So, the pictures are the best I could do.

1st Knitted Afghan

Sometimes I don't get to write on this blog as often as I would like but that is usually because I'm knitting. I learned to knit a year ago and haven't been able to stop. I've made dozens of hats, several baby blankets, some scarves, and some washcloths. After working on things for others I've finally decided to work on something for myself. I'm making my first afghan. It actually a Mystery Afghan knit along sponsored by Bernat yarn. It is part of a contest you can find at their blog. I finally finished all my squares. I'm working on blocking them (fixing the shape and dimensions) but once that is finished I should be able to start piecing all of it together at the start of next week. Once they are all together I'm going to put a border around it.

I have learned so many new techniques, cabling, bobbles, lace patterns, SSK, and many more. It has been well worth my time and I feel I have grown as a knitter over the last 3 -4 months of knitting. I'll be grateful when I finish though. I have 10 friends that are all expecting little ones which means I've got to get going on some baby gifts. So, if you are new to knitting or looking to expand your skills, I highly recommend this afghan pattern. It starts out basic and works it's way up to experienced knitting levels.

Mystery Shopping

I have had many people ask me lately about mystery shopping since I am a mystery shopper.
Despite what the name sounds like, mystery shoppers do not where a trench coat and sunglasses to hide their appearance. A mystery shopper is someone who gets paid to go to a particular store, restaurant, or other location and be a customer. It's all about evaluating customer service as well as the cleanliness of the location. As with paid surveys you will find middlemen wanting to charge you a fee to have access to the companies who hire mystery shoppers. There is no need to pay this fee because you can find the companies on your own just by searching for them and in a lot of cases, the sites that charge a fee are scams.

If you are interested in becoming a mystery shopper I would start by going to the Mystery Shopping Providers Association website. There is a listing of legitimate companies as well as training. Some companies ask if you are MSPA certified. You do not have to be certified to be a mystery shopper but in some cases you will be chosen first or be paid more if you are certified. Volition is also a good place to see a free listing of mystery shopping companies.

So here are some basic facts you should know.

• You cannot make a living mystery shopping. You can however, make some extra cash and be reimbursed for purchases.
  


• Some shops require you to purchase something. If this is the case, you will either be reimbursed for the purchase or you will be required to return the item to evaluate the return process.
  


• When you purchase items, always use a credit card. This will ensure that you can get your money back in a timely manner when you have to make a return.
  


• Most of the companies will pay/reimburse you via a check or a PayPal account. Some require direct deposit only. I would avoid the direct deposit ones unless you have a completely separate account not tied in with your personal account.
  


• For most companies the payments/reimbursements are made at the end of the following month of your completed shop. For example, if you complete a shop on Sept 15 you won't get paid for it until the end of October. This is to give both companies involved time to verify your shop.
  


• Most require you to have a digital camera to take pictures of your receipts or specific things at the location.
  


• A scanner is definitely helpful for scanning in receipts but isn't always required.
  


• You are notified of shops that are available via email. Some you can self assign and others you apply for and they let you know if you have been assigned.
  


• Read all of the information about the company and how the shop is to be performed. Incomplete shops or shops that are incorrect you will not be paid for.
  


• If you live on a tight budget, mystery shopping could be an excellent way to get the "shopping bug" out of your system or to just go out and have a free dinner. Shops include, restaurants, entertainment, retail, banking, apartments, and hotels.

I've been shopping for over a year and love doing the entertainment and dining shops. They usually equate to a free date night for my husband and me. If you have any more questions please feel free to ask. I can't however divulge which locations I shop or which companies I am signed up with. If you want to know the legitimacy of a mystery shop company I highly recommend going to Volition and reading the Mystery Shoppers Forum. At the forum you can read about other shoppers experiences with different companies. I usually go here to read about a company before I sign up. I want to make sure they pay in a timely manner. Happy shopping.

Friday Funny

I think we should all start the weekend out with a good laugh. There is a blog that I follow called Mama's Losin' It. Mama Kat is a mom to 3 and runs a day care out of her home. Her blog almost always makes me laugh. Once a week she also gives prompts of things to blog about. I usually do the prompts on my other blog but I think I'm going to start doing them here as well. Anyway, her post today had tears streaming down my face and I knew I had to share it. You can read it here. Now I know another reason why I only have a cat and a fish.

Stretch your Food Budget

I don't know about you but I need all the help I can get some months to stretch our food budget. My cousin introduced me to an organization that has helped tremendously. It's called Angel Food Ministries. According to their website, this organization "is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing food relief and financial support to communities throughout the United States". I believe they do just that. My family has been purchasing from AFM for 6 months now and have been quite pleased.

They provide restaurant quality food at a very affordable price. Each month they offer several packages of food for you to choose from.

Signature Box is $30 and provides enough food to feed a family of 4 for a week. I don't think it would cover every meal but it does cover 7 meals. I have a family of 6 but since my kids are still young 1 signature box is enough. However, some months, especially the ones that have chicken tenders, I am very tempted to order 2.

Senior & Convenience Box is $28. It contains 10 fully cooked meals that are nutritionally balanced. All you have to do is heat and serve. These are perfect for home bound seniors or to take to work with you for lunch.

5 LB. Allergen-free Box is $23. This food does not contain the eight top serious allergens: peanuts, soybeans, milk, eggs, fish, crustacean, tree nuts and gluten.

6 LB. Premium Seafood variety box is $35. This is a brand new item and it contains the finest quality seafood assortment available.

Those are the main packages. Each month they also offer different specials like a fruit and vegetable box, assorted meat grill box, a chicken box, and others.

To order you need to find a local host site since they do not deliver you need to pick it up. You can find a host site by going to the Angel Food Ministries website. Once you find your host site you can order online using a Credit Card (small convenience fee charged) or go to the host site to order and pay using cash, check, or food stamps. Yes, they accept food stamps. If you do like to place orders online then I suggest you become a friend on Facebook because every month they offer a promo code for 5% off your online order.

To view this months menu visit their website and select This Month's Menu from the tab. I think you will like their food, I know we do.

Knit Yourself Thin

I read an article the other day I found online and it said you could burn 500 calories in an afternoon of knitting. I think they figured you burned 100 calories per hour. Who knew my new hobby would be so good for my weight. So, now I feel I can justify the days I don't go to the gym because I want to stay home and knit. I didn't gain any weight over Christmas Break and it must have been because I was feverishly knitting hats for all of my friends. Now I'm working like a crazy woman to finish the Mystery Afghan I'm doing with the Bernat blog and making baby blankets, hats, and booties for my pregnant friends. I'm not just a couch potato anymore, I'm a knitting, calorie burning machine.

This picture is of a square I'm making for my afghan. It is my first time doing such elaborate cables. It took me about 3 hours to get that far (still learning remember) so, I figure I burned 300 calories and by the time I finish it I will probably have worked for another 2 hours so, this is a 500 calorie square for me. And, I'm not snacking while my hands are busy so that is an added benefit too.

If you are interested in learning how to knit, I highly recommend You tube's Knit Witch and the book Kids Can do it Knitting.

Christmas Lights

I know what you are thinking, it’s still November, why are you talking about Christmas lights. Well, I'm talking about Christmas lights because most people put up their holiday lights the day after Thanksgiving and if you have your lights all boxed up I suggest getting them out now and making sure they all work. Untangle those wires and check every bulb. Should you come across any shorted lines, missing bulbs, broken bulbs, or just want more lights (I personally think you can never have too many) then save some gas and do your shopping at The Christmas Light Source. I recently got some of the multi colored ice cube shaped LED Christmas lights for my son’s room. I got tired of the white plug in night light and wanted something a little more fun.

The great things about these lights are:

• They don't get hot to the touch like the incandescent ones so I don't have to worry about my children burning their little fingers.
  
• They are also energy efficient so if I forget to unplug them (which happens often) they don't use up a ton of energy.
  
• I also love how they have a hard plastic covering that won't shatter when, not if, they get stepped on.
  

Now, what do you do with your broken and old Christmas lights? You recycle them of course and The Christmas Light Source can help you do this. Recycling through the Christmas Light Source doesn't only help out the environment; it helps put books in the hands of children in need and saves you 10% on your next purchase. You can read about their Christmas light recycling program here.

Don't be left in the dark with broken or missing lights. Visit The Christmas Light Source and light up your house this Holiday season.