National Child Abuse Month 2013

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March 27, 2013

Newman’s Own Organics has added Hermits, an old-fashioned soft cookie, to its popular cookie line. The cookies are available in three flavors: Original, Cinnamon, and Ginger. The 9 oz. package with the familiar Nell and “Pa” Newman logo contain twelve cookies. The girls loved the raisin cinnamon taste to these. They were also soft. These were gone the first day out of box, if that tells you anything. Definately good for the younger crowd for snack time. Family Recipe Cookies, with their attractive, eye-catching new look include the familiar favorites Chocolate Chip, Orange Chocolate Chip and Double Chocolate Chip cookies, along with Oatmeal Chocolate Chip (7 oz.), Ginger Snap (6.5 oz.) and now Spelt Ginger Snap (6.5oz). Like all of Newman’s Own Organics’ products the Family Recipe Cookies have been certified organic by Oregon Tilth. Even the baby loved the cookies. Yes we are bad…but with them being organic I didn’t think was too bad. She loved sucking on them. Her faves were the oatmeal chocolate chip. They were great as she is teething.

A New SOUR Twist To Our Licorice Line! Newman’s Own Organics introduces the first sour licorice twist made with organic ingredients. Licorice twists are the most popular kind of licorice candy and the organic sugar and sour crystals, derived from natural citrus sources, on the surface of the twists provides the special taste for our four tantalizing new flavors: Sour Strawberry, Sour Cherry, Sour Mango and Sour Apple. With the popularity of our regular twists in Black, Strawberry, and Pomegranate, we felt our customers would also enjoy the chance to try these sour ones that offer a different taste experience. Sour Strawberry was my favorite!! I could not stop eating these. I finally had to get up and walk away. Very yummy! My oldest son loved the sour mango and ate the whole package!

Pop’s Corn comes in three organic varieties: Butter Light Butter Unsalted Each box contains three packets and is easily identifiable with the eye-catching design used on all the company’s products, an American Gothic “Pa” Newman and daughter Nell with accompanying tongue-in-cheek legend. Pop’s Corn features organic corn and organic palm oil. Consumers concerned about fat consumption will appreciate that no partially hydrogenated oils or trans fatty acids are used. “We feel our popcorn is terrific on its own, but it is also perfect for adding favorite ingredients” states Nell Newman. “Try adding a little sour cream and onion or Cajun spice. You can make a tasty treat by adding a little of Dad’s Ranch Dressing or even nacho cheese with chilies. For a real healthy addition try garlic salt and Brewer’s yeast. It’s fun for family members to make and enjoy together. I certainly have good memories of doing this.” Like all of Newman’s Own Organics products, Pop’s Corn has been certified organic by Oregon Tilth. So, the popcorn I got to test out on our jr high youth from church. We had a get together and I used this. Teens are sooo picky so I thought with this being organic that I might get some complaints. The only thing I heard from 1 teen out of 15 was she wanted more butter. 1 teen!! So in my humble opinion these are teen certified yummy! Nell Newman, a confirmed chocoholic, can’t go too long without dreaming up uses for the company’s luscious, new organic chocolate. With three cups per 1.2 ounce package, there are five flavors to choose from: Peanut Butter in Dark Chocolate or Milk Chocolate, a delicious Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cup and a rich Caramel cup rounding out the selection in either Dark Chocolate or Milk Chocolate. All five carry Rainforest Alliance Certification. Both Caramel cups carry the USDA Seal. “I couldn’t resist recreating a favorite childhood treat. Our cups have a wonderfully creamy, melt-in-your mouth texture,” says Nell. We focus on the kinds of products we loved as kids. We take them one step further by using the highest quality of available organic ingredients. Newman’s Own Organics has made a commitment with the launch of our new chocolate bars and cups to pay a premium above and beyond the current market price for Certified Organic Cocoa Beans that is tied to the Fair Trade market price of Organic Cocoa Beans. So as much as I didn’t want to share these cups, I did….I hid the mint ones though. Mint candies are a weakness of mine. The caramel was dripping with tasty goodness. Plenty of caramel, they were not stingy. The peanut butter ones were great too! We don’t keep a lot of snacks and candies around the house so these were met with true excitement! Loved every bite!

“I can’t resist chocolate and we’re always looking for the best source of organic cocoa beans,” says Nell Newman, co-founder and president of the company. “The chocolate used in these bars is some of the best we’ve ever come across. Carefully selected organic cocoa beans and other fine ingredients were used to produce a line of chocolate with richer flavors and a creamy, smooth texture. In recognition of this exceptional product, we are paying a premium above and beyond the market price for organic cocoa beans.” The chocolate bars will be available in two sizes: 3.25-ounce and 2.25-ounce, in the following flavors: Dark Chocolate Super Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa – NEW! Ok so I have to be honest that I do not like dark chocolate at all. But, my husband encouraged me to try this anyway for my review. So I have to say, it did not taste like most dark chocolates. Most dark chocolate, in my opinion, is bitter. This still had a bit of bitter but for some reason tasted better. Possibly from the organic side. I would be ok with eating this again. My daughter who loves dark chocolate loved it and wanted more…had to tell her it was gone. Mocha Milk Chocolate – NEW! Milk Chocolate The Chocolate in this one was creamy and very smooth. Some chocolate bars are hard bricks. This was not. It was broken down into 6 pieces. Each piece has an N in a cirle on it. I loved the bars and savored every bite. Definately a great treat for you moms who hoard your treats. (yes I do that)

Espresso Dark Chocolate Orange Dark Chocolate I wanted to say since the the only thing in the box I do not like is the apricots. Since I do not like apricots, but wanted to make sure I posted a review properly, I gave these to my co-blogger Nicole Bass. Here is her review: Newman’s Own Organic Apricots

Newman’s Own Organics® introduces 3 new items to our line of organic dried fruits! In addition to our current stars Raisins, Cranberries, and Pitted Prunes, we now have Apples, Apricots and a Berry Blend. The dried fruit line is 100% organic and contains no sulfites. “We are proud to partner with U.S. Certified Organic Farmers and Processors whose commitment to organic practices makes these wonderful dried fruits available to you. Purchasing our organic products supports their efforts,” states Nell Newman, Co-founder and President of Newman’s Own Organics. Dried fruits have gone beyond their traditional roles and are now replacing high-fat, high-sugar snacks and drinks. Prunes, once thought of only for the older set, are being touted for their high antioxidant qualities; second only to blueberries. Raisins, always a treat, have made the leap from the lunch box and oven to trail mix, granola, and other mixed snacks. Cranberries are not just for holiday sauce anymore. They add zip to fruit salads and stuffings, are tossed into mixed snacks, are baked into muffins, breads, and cookies, or, like the others, are perfect for eating alone. Apricots are a healthy, delicious treat right out of the package. Or, try adding them to yogurt, cereal, salad, or desserts. All can be used to add a special flavor to today’s ethnic recipes and family favorites, as well as continuing to be a staple for bakers. DRIED FRUITS Varieties: Raisins, Prunes, Dried Cranberries, Apples, Apricots, Berry Blend Ingredients: Raisins: Organic Raisins Prunes: Organic Prunes Dried Cranberries: Organic Cranberries, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Sunflower Oil Apples: Dried Organic Apple Rings Apricots: Dried Organic Apricots Berry Blend: Organic Raisins, Dried Organic Cranberries(Organic Cranberries, Organic Sugar, Organic Sunflower Oil), Dried Organic Blueberries, (Organic Blueberries, Organic Sugar, Organic Sunflower Oil), Dried Organic Red Tart Cherries (Organic Red Tart Cherries, Organic Sugar, Organic Sunflower Oil) Nutritional Facts: Serving Size � 1/4c. (40g) Raisins: Calories 130 (calories from fat 0), Total Fat 0g (saturated fat g, trans fat 0g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 10mg, Potassium 310mg, Total Carbohydrates 31g (dietary fiber 2g, sugars 29g), Protein 1g Prunes: Calories 110 (calories from fat 0), Total Fat 0g (saturated fat 0g, trans fat 0g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 5mg, Total Carbohydrates 26g (dietary fiber 2g, sugars 13g), Protein 1g Dried Cranberries: Calories 130 (calories from fat 0), Total Fat 0g (saturated fat 0g, trans fat 0g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 0mg, Total Carbohydrates 34g (dietary fiber 2g, sugars 31g), Protein 0g Apples: Calories 120 (calories from fat 0), Total Fat 0g (saturated fat 0g, trans fat 0g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 0mg, Potassium 240mg, Total Carbohydrates 29g (dietary fiber 2g, sugars 22g), Protein 0g Apricots: Calories 110 (calories from fat 0), Total Fat 0g (saturated fat 0g, trans fat 0g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 0mg, Total Carbohydrates 25g (dietary fiber 2g, sugars 15g), Protein 1g Berry Blend: Calories 120 (calories from fat 0), Total Fat 0g (saturated fat 0g, trans fat 0g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 5mg, Total Carbohydrates 31g (dietary fiber 2g, sugars 25g), Protein 1g Review:

We had the opportunity to try and review Paul Newman’s Organic Apricots. I have to say I was very impressed with the quality of these fruits. They were fresh and moist and package is bright and eye catching and now that I am familiar with the product I have seen it on the shelf at my local Hy-Vee. I enjoyed the taste and the freshness of the Paul Newman’s Organic Apricots. I would be interested in trying the other fruits by this company as well.

You can find Paul Newman’s Own Organic Apricots at: (Local) or look up your area on their website at ‘s Pantry 19019 E. 48th St. South Independence, MO 64055 301 NE Rice Rd. Lees Summit, MO 64063 Market 1015 N.E. Rice Road. Lee’s Summit, MO 64086 (816) 525-5700

Five Lil Bass In Tow was not monetarily compensated for this review and was sent a box of goodies to try and then post my honest review. Utah County Moms is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Knot Genie Giveaway

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March 27, 2013

So I have 3 girls with long, thick hair. That is not including my thick head. So I thought ok, we would like to give this a try and see if it really does work! So we received this brush in the mail. The top is smooth plastic. The bottom has special bristle on it designed to eliminate those nasty knots. My middle daughter loves this brush. She said she loved how it went right through the knots. No need for the scrunched shoulders and the eyes squeezed shut gritting her teeth. She also loved how smooth it makes her hair. My youngest daughter also loves this brush. It easily fits in the palm of your hand. I have found them both repeatedly brushing their hair throughout the day. I think your daughter or even son will love this. My 5 year old son loves that this brush is even easy for him to use also. Glad to find a product like this.

Magically gets rid of knots. Not to mention complaining.The Knot Genie™ and Teeny Genie™ Detangling Brushes were created for every mom that has endured the foot stomping and screaming matches that come with brushing their child’s hair. With the Knot Genie, even the curliest, most knotted up hair practically slips through the unique bristle configuration – gently and painlessly. Try the Knot Genie on your kids (or on yourself) – you’ll be amazed by the ease of brushing, as well as how it virtually stops breakage and split ends. You’ve wished for hair brushing standoffs to end. Wish granted. Each brush is between $14.99 and $19.99.

Five Lil Bass In Tow was not monetarily compensated for this review and was sent a Knot Genie to test and post my honest review. Utah Valley Moms is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Utah Woodturning Symposium 2013

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March 22, 2013

Utah Woodturning Symposium to be held at UVU

International, national, and local woodturning masters and guests come together in Utah Valley.

Provo, Utah – March 5, 2013 – The 34 th annual Utah Woodturning Symposium is proud to announce its 2013 event for May 16-18, 2013, at the UCCU Events Center in Orem. The event will feature 80 live demonstrations, special events, and a free public exhibition featuring the extensive Dale Nish Collection, among others. The highly acclaimed event, that boasts the title of the oldest symposium in the United States, will host dozens of highly-celebrated woodturning demonstrators including 8 international, 12 out-of-state, and several local artists.

“The Utah Woodturning Symposium is well known worldwide because of the caliber of presenters that we fly in every year,” said Susan Hendrix, coordinator of the Utah Woodturning Symposium. “The symposium is loaded with woodturning artists and masterpiece work that will leave you feeling inspired to try your hand at woodworking techniques as you walk out of the doors.”

Two of the favorite international demonstrators at the event will include Mark Baker, a popular presenter and celebrated author from the United Kingdom, and John Wessels, an inspiring South African pilot turned woodturning master, who pairs his experience with pewter work with woodturning. A local favorite demonstrating in the event is Dr. Dale Nish, founder of the Utah Woodturning Symposium over 30 years ago, a well-known international demonstrator, author of the first woodturning book (and many other books) in the United States and BYU professor. Dr. Kip Christensen, also a local favorite, is a BYU professor that has published dozens of books and is well-known for his work assisting students in the designing of award-winning furniture pieces that have received national recognition.

“One of the highlights of this year’s event to look for is the special exhibition of the Dale Nish Collection,” said Hendrix, coordinator of the Utah Woodturning Symposium. “It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to view this collection of spectacular woodturnings from around the world and hear the stories behind each piece, all under one roof.”

The Dale Nish Collection display and open gallery of work done by demonstrators and symposium participants is free to attend for the general public. The gallery will open on Thursday, May 16, 2013, at 11 am and run until Saturday afternoon. The gallery hours are from 11am to 4pm each day. A ticket is not required to enter the gallery.

A kick-off event for this year’s Utah Woodturning Symposium events, which are expected to bring in more than 500 attendees, will be held at Craft Supply USA on Wednesday, May 15, 2013. The event will include a full day of free demonstrations, new product demonstrations, sales, and a barbeque lunch.

“We are excited to welcome the leaders in woodturning to Utah Valley,” said Joel Racker, President and CEO of the Utah Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We hope attendees enjoy the breathtaking views of the Wasatch Mountains, taste of authentic Utah Valley restaurants, and unique area attractions, during their stay.”

Tickets to attend the Utah Woodturning Symposiums events at UVU can be purchased online at utahwoodturning.com or on site on May 16 at the event.

For more information on the event, visit utahwoodturning.com. To find more information on area attractions and places to stay or eat in Utah Valley, visit utahvalley.com. The sponsoring hotels for this event are Provo Courtyard by Marriott, Springhill Suites, and Orem Towne Place Suites.

Easter Events 2013

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March 18, 2013

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Here are some of the events that we know about that will be happening in Utah Valley. Let us know of anymore if we’ve missed any1

Easter Egg Hunt
Macey’s Grocery Store Locations (all)
Saturday, March 23 at 9 am

Easter Egg Hunt (thank you UCM reader!)
Orem Elementary
Saturday, March 23 at 10 am

Easter Eggstravaganza
The Shops at the Riverwoods, 4801 University Avenue, Provo
Saturday, March 30 from 10 am – 12 pm
***The fun begins at Kneader’s with an Easter Breakfast!! All You Can Eat- unlimited french toast or pancakes, just $4.99**
After breakfast, head to Provo Beach Resort for the following fun activities:
-The Easter Bunny
-Egg Drop
-Wild Wonders Petting Zoo
-Balloon artists
-Face Painting
-Giveaways
-Promotions
The Easter bunny will be at the Resort from 10 am until noon with a candy egg drop at 11. Throughout the event, Wild Wonders Petting Zoo, balloon artists and face painters will all be providing entertainment. Blickenstaff’s will have giveaways and be sure to check out all the stores for special promotions.

Orem’s Easter Egg Hunt
Mountain View High School Football Field
665 West Center Street, Orem
March 30, 9 am
Join the Orem Recreation Department for our annual Easter Egg Hunt! This event is open to children ages 0-11. There will be separate field locations for each age group:
Ages 0-3: Meet at the West lawn of the Orem Fitness Center
Ages 4-6: Meet at the South half of the football field
Ages 7-11: Meet at the North half of the football field

Easter Eggstreme
Thanksgiving Point
March 30, 10 am – 2 pm
Gather the kids for this year’s Easter Eggstreme, which hosts a variety of holiday-themed activities including photos with the Easter Bunny, cow train and grain train rides, Easter egg hunts, inflatables, bean bag toss, ring toss, and more.

Provo
March 30, 2013
Robin Track (Helaman Fields)
1600 N Canyon Road, Provo
Activities from 9:30am-10:30am will include: the Easter bunny, giant inflatables, a bunny ear craft, a candy necklace craft, Cosmo, and more! Easter Egg Hunt starts at 10:30am for ages under 10 years old. Anyone is welcome to attend the event of course.

Springville
March 30 – 10 am
Springville High School
1205 East 900 South Street, Springville

Lindon
March 30 – 9 am
Lindon City Center Park
200 North Main Street, Lindon

Spanish Fork
March 30 – 9 am
Spanish Fork Sports Complex
295 West Volunteer Dr, Spanish Fork

Payson
March 30 – 9 am
Hillman Recreation Complex
825 South Main, Payson

Pleasant Grove
March 30 – 10 am
Pleasant Grove Community Center
547 South Locust Ave, Pleasant Grove
We will be making lemon bar cookies, rainbow cup cakes, decorating eggs and the day will finish with an Easter Egg Hunt (Each child must bring 12 hard boiled eggs to class).
Class is for children 5 and up
Resident Early registration: $15.00
Non Resident Early registration: $20.00

Highland
March 30 – 9:30 am
Heritage Park
10400 North Alpine, Highway
Gather a plastic Easter Egg and return it to a member of the Highland City Youth Council to exchange it for a bag of candy at the pavilion. The Highland City Arts Council will also have sugar cookies at the pavilion for kids to decorate as a special treat.

Hee Haw Farms
March 30 – 9 am
Hee Haw Farms
150 South 2000 West , Pleasant Grove
Price: $5 per person 2 years and older
Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 10 a.m. Ticket window opens at 9 a.m. Special Easter Egg Hunt with 3,000 candy and prize eggs to be found, we have a special hunt for 12 gold eggs! Activities to follow the hunt!
Activities included with Admission: Petting Farm with Baby Farm Animals • Hayrides • Animal Train Rides • Giant Slide • Hay Jump • Bean Bag Toss • Ring Toss • Corn Box • Swings • and Plant Your Own Sunflower to Take Home!
In addition with the special event, each child 2 years and older will receive 2 tickets for any of the following activities. Each activity requires 1 ticket:
Pony Ride • Face Painting • 1 craft activity • Cup of Animal Feed

*Thank you Visit Utah Valley!

iPad Mini Giveaway

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March 13, 2013

Welcome to the iPad Mini Giveaway Event!
Hosted by Rude Mom & Rude Mom Media and Designs

Special thanks to our lovely co-hosts Must Love Freebies, Mommy Lesson Plans, Swank Savings, Mom to Bed by 8, Homeschooling Mom 4 Two, Plum Crazy About Coupons, Capri’s Coupons, Confessions of a Messy Mama, Coupon Queen of Texas, Bay Area Mommy, Budget Earth, Simply Southern Couponers and Simply Sherryl, for their help bringing this giveaway to life!

Have you used an iPad Mini yet? Here’s your chance to win an iPad Mini!

Apple iPad Mini Wi-Fi 32 GB +Cellular

Pick up the iPad Mini and suddenly, it’s clear. You’re actually touching your photos, reading a book, playing the piano. Nothing comes between you and what you love. To make that hands-on experience even better, they made the fundamental elements of iPad compact – the display, the camera, the wireless connection. All of which makes the iPad Mini capable of so much more than you ever imagined. Everything you do with iPad, you can do through its smaller, yet beautiful display. And when the display is better, the entire iPad experience is better.

The Retina display on the iPad Mini features a 2048-by-1536 resolution, 44-percent greater color saturation, and an astounding 3.1-million pixels – in a smaller 7.8-inch space. That’s four times the number of pixels in iPad Mini and a million more than an HDTV. Those pixels are so close together, your eyes can’t discern individual ones at a normal viewing distance. When you can’t see the pixels, you see the whole picture. Or article. Or game. In ways you never could before.

Product Features:

7.8 Retina Display; 2048 x 1536 Resolution
Apple iOS 5; Dual-Core A5X Chip with Quad-Core Graphics
5 Megapixel iSight Camera; 1080p Video Recording
Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n); 32 GB Capacityes: 1 x Headphones – Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 1 x Docking / port replicator – 30-pin dock connector
Up to 10 Hours of Battery Life; 1.44 lbs
7.9?inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi?Touch
display with IPS technology
1024-by-768 resolution at 163 pixels per inch (ppi)
Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
iPad mini supports fast cellular networks around the world — including LTE networks.* So you can download content, stream video, and browse the web at amazing speeds. And if you’re in a location without an LTE network, you’ll still get access to fast GSM/UMTS networks including HSPA, HSPA+, and DC-HSDPA.

One lucky reader will receive an iPad Mini 32GB with Cellular!

Giveaway ends April 8th at 11:59pm, open worldwide, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

Entry -Form

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Utah Valley Moms is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Contact Rude Mom at [email protected] with any questions you may have about this giveaway.

Support Family Support and Treatment Center, Buffalo Wild Wings

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March 12, 2013

On Monday, March 25 and Wednesday, March 27, by eating at Buffalo Wild Wings you will help support the Family Support and Treatment Center.

I have volunteered for this organization in the past and I absolutely love what they’re doing.

“Here at the Family Support & Treatment Center, we believe that children are our most precious resource and secure, happy, well-adjusted children are our highest priority. Our prevention programs are designed to teach children how to recognize and prevent their own abuse, while our therapeutic programs work to heal those that have been abused or neglected. While the agency devotes a considerable amount of time for therapeutic treatment of children, teens, and adults, the Center’s primary focus is on child abuse prevention, and is the only agency in Utah County that specializes in both treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. We believe that when prevention programs and therapy are offered hand-in-hand, the cycle of abuse is much more easily broken.

Established in 1984, we serve families and individuals in Utah County, Summit County, Wasatch County, Juab County, and Millard County. Our agency is committed to improving our community by providing therapeutic treatment for children, adults, and families whose lives have been affected by abuse or neglect, prevention programs which teach children how to prevent their own abuse, and parenting classes that provide overwhelmed parents new techniques in successfully raising strong, healthy, happy children. We also offer a 24-hour Crisis Respite Nursery available for free to parents in need of a time-out to regroup and take care of other pressing issues that affect the family. Our Adoption Respite program assists parents who have adopted children that struggle with attachment and bonding issues.”

Things they offer include:
Crisis Respite Nursery
Parenting Program
Therapy
Prevention Education
Adoption Respite

Great organization, right? So please join them for some March Madness and a silent auction (Monday night). Also, please make sure you print off the ticket/paper for when you go so that 10% of the money will go directly to the Family Support and Treatment Center.

$100 Cash Giveaway

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March 11, 2013

Welcome to the $100 Cash Giveaway!

Hosted by Giveaway Promote.

Are you a blogger that’s looking for a very effective, traffic packed, easy to use paid Featured Giveaway Plan? Giveaway Promote, Giveaway Scoop and Blog Giveaway Directory have teamed up to create just that with the Gold Giveaway Plan.

All together, the Gold Giveaway Plan allows you to potentially reach over 78,000+ giveaway and contest fans, plus your giveaway will appear on 11 different popular contest sites!

It’s super easy to use the Gold Giveaway Plan. Just let us know the link to your giveaway, pay and we’ll take care of the rest. Getting the word out about your giveaway or contest has never been easier!

Enter to win $100 Cash.

We have teamed up with a great group of bloggers to bring you this fabulous giveaway. One lucky winner will receive $100 Cash via PayPal.

Complete the tasks below to earn entries into this giveaway.

Refer your friends using your unique link at the top of the Rafflecopter for even more chances to win.

One winner will be chosen at random from all valid entries.

Open Worldwide.

Ends at 11:59pm EST on March 24th, 2013.

Bloggers, we’d love for you to join an awesome group giveaway event like this one! Sign up to be emailed about future events hosted by Giveaway Promote.

Roaming Peddlers’ Giveaway

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March 10, 2013

Visionary Bri has paired with our sponsor,
The Roaming Peddlers has graciously offered our reader
a whopping $50 credit
toward any purchase in their Etsy store.
And every entrant is a winner!

Offering such items as custom fantasy stuffed animals,
play swords and practice spinning poi,
The Roaming Peddlers are a shop of colorful, fanciful toys and fun.

This is the custom purple dragon they sent me, Visionary Bri.

It’s a little over a foot tall and my daughter absolutely loves it!

Pookie says, “You know you want one!”

Maybe unicorns are more your kids’ style. Check this candy colored friend out!

When I was little, I would have flipped over this one.

Each animal can be customized with your choice of colors.

Maybe your children are more the “hero” than creature type.
That’s okay! The Roaming Peddlers have them covered, too,
with custom boffer swords.

Do your kids (or you) like to dance? Hone your poi spinning skills with these colorful creations!

And, with the prize, you don’t have to choose just one item!

The Roaming Peddlers have offered our winner
a $50 credit towards their Etsy store!
That’s enough to get 2 items!

Plus, in Visionary Bri tradition, every entrant gets
a 20% off code to use on their next The Roaming Peddlers purchase.

All entries for the giveaway are voluntary.
Must be 18 or older and US resident to participate.

By entering a giveaway, I understand this is a marketing promotion.
I also understand that my email address may be used for marketing promotions in the futureand I am aware that I can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time.
Giveaway ends 3/26/13 at 11:59pm Central Indiana time
For any further questions, please feel free to email me at [email protected]

Feeding Four on $200 a Month

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March 9, 2013

It has taken me a lot of trial and error but I have finally successfully been able to feed my family of four on only $200 each month which is roughly $50 a week without couponing. At first it was a struggle to get that bill below $300, however, now it is just second nature to us. There are times when I wish we just had $10 more in our budget so I could get those yummy cheese puffs or some Oreo cookies, but it’s not worth it. I love knowing that we are saving money by cutting down our grocery bill each month.

There’s my husband, myself, my three-and-a-half year old daughter, and my 18-month old son. My husband can eat quite a bit of food but I can hold my own quite well. In fact, I know I get my money’s worth at any all-you-can-eat buffet, especially when it comes to sushi. My daughter eats a lot sometimes and is fine with a piece of bread at other times. However, she’s been known to eat just as much as I eat at some meals. And then there’s my son. You might think that since he’s only 18 months old, he doesn’t eat much. But that’s where you’d be thinking wrong. He can easily eat more than my three-and-a-half year old daughter. He’s a growing boy, for sure. If he can eat this much now, I’m a little worried about what’s going to happen over the next 17 years before we send him off to live on his own.

To feed the family who can eat a lot of food takes some planning, some sacrifice, and a lot of self control.

The Envelope: Have you heard of the envelope way of budgeting? You put the allotted amount for the week or month into an envelope and you can only spend that much for the week or month. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. My husband and I loved that idea but we were hesitant to pull money out of our account each month to exchange it for cash because of the rewards we get through using our credit card.

Luckily, EEBA has made an envelope app that allows us to fill our “envelopes” each month and shows us easily and quickly on our phones how much money we have left in each “envelope” for food, gas, etc. You can connect a bank account to the app, however, we just input the receipt amount by hand and it works great for us.

Planning Meals: Each Saturday or Sunday (sometimes Monday when I’m really behind), I sit down with our dry erase board where I put the weekly menu, the internet, and Pinterest, and decide what our upcoming meals for the week will be. Our family doesn’t really have any go-to meals which makes meal planning a bit more fun. I try to make sure we have at least one unique meal (one we rarely eat or have never tried) each week and will work the other meals around that one. I like to make sure that for the most part, all of the meals will somehow have at least one ingredient in common with others throughout the week so that when I go to the grocery store, I will buy fewer items that will definitely get used.

For example, here is this week’s menu:
Monday – Chicken Tacos
Tuesday – Cheese Spinach Strata
Wednesday – Chile Rellenos
Thursday – Homemade Mac & Cheese
Friday – Mushroom Risotto
Saturday – Pizza
Sunday – Stuffed Chicken Marsala

When I went to the store, I made sure I had a few certain ingredients like lettuce that could be used for the tacos and as a side for the rellenos, cheese for almost all the meals, mushrooms that would be used Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and eggs that would be used Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Chicken was the big purchase for the week but despite all of that, our grocery bill still easily came under $50 for the week.

Homemade Foods: I think this is the one reason why we can afford to eat for so little. Homemaking as much food as we can has saved us so much money. Looking back at this week’s menu, the things that were/will be homemade include taco shells, Italian bread, cream of chicken soup, and pizza dough. This week I also was able to bust out homemade pasta noodles, homemade pasta sauce, and two loaves of homemade bread to help with snacks and much-needed cheese sandwiches.

Nearly everything that we can make at home, we do. I buy flour, sugar, and salt by the bulk at Costco which really helps save money because of all of the things we can make with these three ingredients being the base of the food. I mix our own seasonings and try to cut down on buying canned food as much as possible (other than for food storage). For recipes and ideas of what you can actually make instead of buy, I like to look at Pinterest (you can also just do a Google search to see what others have come up for recipes for whatever you’re looking into making). I’m always amazed at what else I can make, and not just food related either. Recently I made our own homemade liquid hand soap and homemade laundry detergent.

Know the Sale Items: Before I plan the menu for the week, I like to know what is on sale at the grocery stores that I have near me. Sometimes it doesn’t change my decision as to what to make for the week, however, sometimes it does so it is always good to check. I like to check online for the current sales. You can check the store’s actual website or you may find bloggers in your area who already put together a list of what’s on sale and what coupons you can use to buy things at a cheaper price, if you like to use coupons. Here in Utah, my favorite website to use is Savvy Shopper Deals.

Shop Around: I’m lucky enough to have eight different stores that carry food all within about 10 minutes of my house, including one almost across the street from me. However, just because that one is closest, does not mean I do all of my shopping there. For example, Harmon’s is expensive but if I want quality produce, meat, and/or cheese, I go there. The truth is, the produce I purchase there tastes better and lasts longer. But if I want anything else on my list, I end up at Smith’s because of their rewards card and because of their off-brand food. It’s cheaper than name-brand food and I like the taste of almost all of their products.

At the same time, however, there is a Winco, Walmart, Target, Ridley’s, Costco, and Macey’s all close to me as well. Each have their pros and cons to shopping there and many of my friends and neighbors prefer shopping at those over the two that I have chosen. It all depends on what you are looking to buy and what kind of quality you want, so make sure you do some research about the stores around where you live.

Limit Buying Snacks/Sweets: If we buy fun snacks or treats, it usually means they were on sale and/or we had extra money in our budget. Buying fun snacks is rare for us. However, that does not mean that you have to eliminate snacks altogether. I don’t mind spending a little extra time in the kitchen to make a fun snack like granola bars that will cost less and make a lot more than I would get at the store.

I’ve also taught my daughter that if she wants a snack, fruit or vegetables are her options and she is more than happy to choose from the selection that we have. Once again, people online have come up with some amazing homemade “fun” snacks that taste delicious. This summer when fruit is in season, I am excited to try making homemade fruit snacks, homemade pop tarts, and homemade fruit leather. Although it has been hard for my family to give up on some family fun snack favorites, like fruit snacks, I have heard very little complaining about the other snack options that are available.

These are the various factors that have helped my family save money each month. Some may be useful to you while others may not apply to you at all. So now I’m curious, what sort of things do you do to help save money each month? Leave us a comment and let us know!

GIVEAWAY ENDED – And while we’re on the topic of saving money, we have a huge envelope full of coupons ready to be given away to help you save on your grocery bill this month. This giveaway is open to Utah residents only who are 18 years and older. Giveaway ends March 18, 2013.

Whitey Board Giveaway

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March 9, 2013

Check them out on facebook

Go from UNorganized to FUNorganized. What better way to visualize the week ahead than to have it in plain sight. Our 1.5 x 1 ft. Weekly Calendar allows you to schedule the upcoming week’s plans, activities, goals, and much more! At the end of that week just wipe away and start anew. This stick-on sheet is both easily erasable and moveable, making it the ideal choice to graphically display your upcoming plans anytime, anyplace!

Border prevents unwanted markings Easy on, easy off Reposition whenever, no residue A place to think, plan & dream . $13.99

We are a home school family so these were perfect products for us! Between 6 kids schedules and 2 adults the weekly calendar was a great tool! All you do is make sure you have a clean surface to put this on, peel back the covering, smooth out any wrinkles that occur as you go, and BAM it’s ready to go! There are so many colors of erase board markers to choose from. You can do what we do, every person in our house gets a different color on the calendar. Helps keep everyone in order. This would be great for any bloggers, parents, teachers and even church groups! You can move these from place to place also. I love that about these. You are not stuck to use in only 1 place. These are very inexpensive for what you can do with them! They have other products also. Definitely a company to keep in mind for all your white board needs!

Five Lil Bass In Tow was not monetarily compensated for this review. I was sent a couple types of whitey boards to try and the post my honest review. Utah Valley Moms is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Disney On Ice Presents Dare to Dream Review

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March 7, 2013

We made the trek up to Salt Lake last night. My daughter was so excited that you could catch her running down the street to EnergySolutions yelling, “Disney Ice! Disney Ice!”

And Disney On Ice Presents Dare to Dream did not disappoint! It had all the favorite songs, characters, and some great dancing to go along with The Princess and the Frog, Cinderella, and Tangled.

Everything about the show was spectacular and if you have not bought tickets yet, I suggest you do so quickly! The show runs through Sunday, March 10, and you can receive a discount by using the promo code “MOM.”

For more information, check out our Disney On Ice post. And enjoy the show!

Thank you to Feld Entertainment for the wonderful show and tickets!
*All photographs are property of Corrigan Photography. I received tickets to view the show for this post. All opinions are my own.

Tulip Festival – Utah Valley

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March 6, 2013

The Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point is soon approaching and Utah Valley Together is hosting a great giveaway! Head over to their website to find out more about the Tulip Festival and enter to win a digital camera!

History Channel’s The Bible Mini-Series and Walmart Giveaway

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March 2, 2013

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We’re proud to announce The Bible Series premiering on History Channel March 3rd 2013 Sundays at 8PM!

From Executive Producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett comes The Bible — an epic 10-part miniseries retelling stories from the Scriptures for a whole new generation. Breathtaking in scope and scale, The Bible features powerful performances, exotic locales and dazzling visual effects that breathe spectacular life into the dramatic tales of faith and courage from Genesis through Revelation. This historic television event is sure to entertain and inspire the whole family! Where will YOU be 3.3.13?

Below you will see this awesome “app.” Here are some of its features:
• Bible-Scene Quiz! The Bible Series brings stories from scripture to life for a whole new generation! The Questions is…will you recognize your favorite characters when you see them for the first time in the series?
• Clip Countdown! Countdown to 3.3.13 with a new clip from from The Bible unlocked everyday until the premiere!
• Tell 10 Challenge! Where will YOU be 3.3.13? The Bible proves that when talent and passion collide, the outcome is spectacular! Connect with Mark & Roma by sharing their message! And help spread the word about the premiere of The Bible on The History Channel 3.3.13 to 10 of your friends!

Use the entry form below to enter this giveaway for a $15 Walmart Gift Card! This giveaway will end on Monday, March 11, 2013. US Residents only; must be at least 18 years to enter.

Utah Valley Moms is not responsible for prize fulfillment. UCM received no compensation for this post; all opinions are from a UCM writer. This prize is presented by the History Channel in promotion of the release of The Bible Series Blog App. Facebook and Twitter are not responsible for this giveaway.

Premama Prenatal Vitamin Drink Mix Giveaway

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March 1, 2013

Simply at Home Mom, A Momless Mom, Utah Valley Moms & Miss Frugal Mommy

Premama Prenatal Vitamin Drink Mix Giveaway!

Hosted by: New English Mum in America

Sponsored by: Premama & Mom Select

Co Hosted by:

Premama is a great supplement for those who are pregnant or nursing. I take a prenatal supplement often while I am not pregnant or nursing so this is really for everyone! Prenatals are great for providing the nutrients your body needs.

Read the review HERE!

Please enter on the giveaway widget below. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only, 18+. The winner will be chosen on March 8th and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

Entry -Form

Disclosure: Tasha from New English Mum in America received the above product for free in order to provide her honest opinions. Utah Valley Moms and New English Mum are not responsible for sponsor prize fulfillment.

54th Annual Spring Parade of Gems

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March 1, 2013