June 28, 2013

Sunsella Mighty Pops review



I had a chance to review Mighty Pops made by Sunsella. They gave me a code for a box to get free to review for Amazon. I did pay for shipping, which was a minimal cost to me. Shipping was pretty fast. I ordered on Friday and I got the product the next Thursday.

When I ordered them it was in the high 80's here in Maine. When I got them it was a high in the upper 60's. No matter tho. My kids love Popsicles no matter what the weather is!

A few tidbits:

These are BPA free!
FDA Approved
Dishwasher safe
Reusable
No Mess
Quick freeze design

The box has 3 recipes on the back but I chose to use a Pink Lemonade Kool Aid. The tubes have pull off top that you pull off to fill and put back on, carefully. I did have an oops. Then you put them in the freezer upright to freeze for a few hours. I did them at nigh before bed so I honestly don't know how long it took. They were ready to go in the morning tho.

They didn't slide out too easy but then I found that if you do a snap by bending the bottom of the tube, they slid easily. Because they are silicone, you do have to be careful they don't tip to the side and accidentally slip out. 

Overall, I really liked them. As only 6 come in a box, I may be purchasing more soon! As you can see, my daughter likes them!







Easy fried chicken

My own recipe for fried chicken is very simple. I tinkered with it for a long time before I finally figured out the perfect "other" ingredient. Its definitely not an extremely healthy recipe. So if you were thinking low grease or calorie, this isn't it! Please remember that this is my own recipe and you can change it how ever you choose to. My kids love my fried chicken. If it was a bit healthier for them, I would probably make it more often!




1 1/2 c. plain breadcrumbs
1 c. flour
3 tblsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1tsp pepper
3 tblsp poultry seasoning
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
boneless chicken (your own preferred cut) should be boneless
Canola oil

I use chicken thighs cut into 4 pieces each. 

Cut chicken into manageable pieces. Coat in a egg and milk mixture.


Put enough canola in a frying pan to almost cover the chicken pieces. 
Heat oil on medium-high.
Combine all the dry ingredients and mix well.
Dip the chicken in the mixture making sure its well coated.
Carefully put coated chicken into the hot oil cooking until brown on all sides.


Carefully remove from pan and put on a paper plate or bag to help drain off excess oil.
Then chow!!! 





June 27, 2013

A Ladybug on the Go

Prize:
ARV $279
Hosted by:

Sign-ups close 7/1
**The blogger with the most referrals will receive the additional links at no cost
Click HERE to sign up and for more html info.

M.O.O.N. has now added several perks/discounts for frequent participation in our events but you must be a member of our Facebook group to be eligible.  Please visit the M.O.O.N. group if you are a blogger and would like more information regarding these perks and other group events.
**If you are a company and would like to see your brand advertised in a M.O.O.N. event similar to this please contact ldybug1682@gmail.com
Tell them Debra Daigle sent you!

June 24, 2013

Dog days of Summer



Doggie Days of Summer are here. Nothing really irks me more than when Im out and see a dog stuck sitting in a car in the parking lot of Wal Mart or the grocery store. Especially on a hot day. If you want to take a pet somewhere whatever. But Im sure they would be happy to go to places like Pet Smart, where they can go in! You wouldnt leave your kid in the car so why would you leave your pet, whom Im sure you think of as your child, in the car, truck or van????

IF YOUR GOING OUT, UNLESS YOU CAN TAKE YOUR PET WITH YOU WHEN YOU GET OUT AND GO INTO THE STORE, LEAVE THEM HOME! With lots of water. And, if you have one, the air conditioner.






The above pictures are from the Weather Channel slide show. 



June 23, 2013

Bloggers: opportunity alert!


Sign-ups are open for the fabulous Kinderfeets Giveaway
This event is free to join with an announcement post. 
For participation, you will receive 2 free links (Facebook and Twitter)
Sign-ups for the event closes on June 28th
Sign up for the event Here
Tell them Debra from Debras random rambles sent you!

June 21, 2013

Mid Nite sleep product review





I was sent a full sized product and 5 samples to try and to review as Im a BZZZ agent. My opinions are my own and I got no other compensation for my post. 

I'm not a pill person. I don't like to take anything to help  me sleep because most of the stuff leaves me too groggy the next day. With 6 kids, I cant be groggy. I have taken melatonin before and I apparently don't sleep well cause in the am I'm still tired and groggy and worst of all grumpy. I'm not a perky person. I'm a grouch and melatonin makes it worse. In my opinion, and my families opinion. I still gave this a try tho. 

I only took one. These are designed to melt under your tongue. No chewing or water needed. Kinda left a weird after tasted that I washed away with a drink of water. I was sleepy about 15-20 min later and off to bed I went. I fell asleep pretty fast but in the am, I was so groggy. It took me all day to wake up. I figured it may just be a one time thing. So I tried it again the next night. I took one tablet and went to bed. Unfortunately I had the same thing happen the next morning. I'm just assuming melatonin and I don't agree with each other. My kids take it before bed and wake up in an ok mood. I guess I'm just weird!

MidNite's four natural sleep ingredients include melatonin (1.5 mg. of melatonin) and a  blend of lavender, lemon balm and chamomile (22 mcg.). The blend was developed to provide optimal sleep results.

Numerous clinical and safety tests have proven the safety, non-toxicity and effectiveness of the ingredients in MidNite.


  • MidNite contains no drug ingredients whatsoever.
  • MidNite is gluten and lactose free.
  • MidNite's pleasant tasting tablets are not cavity causing.
  • Unlike over the counter sleep drugs, there are no specific reasons why you shouldn't be able to take MidNite if you suffer from Bronchitis, Glaucoma, or Prostate problems.



June 20, 2013

Chili..Yumm Yumm


My daddy's  Chili... YUMM YUMM



I love my daddy. He passed away Dec 2012 2 weeks before Christmas. He was the first man I ever loved, my best role model and teacher. He was my hero. I loved to hang out with him at the Fire Department, he was the Captain. He was the reason I went into the medical field and hes the main reason my oldest son is now a firefighter/EMT.

 I loved everything about him and that includes his ability to cook like no man I have ever known. He made this strawberry cake like pie when I was 12ish and I can still taste it today. I wish I could remember how to make that!  

I was lucky enough to still have his chili recipe tho. I've been promising my husband that I would make it for about 5 months and I finally caved an made it. The seconds I lifted the lid off the crock-a-baby I had a flood of memories flood through my head. Every bite I took of it, made me think of him.

I'm sharing this in his memory, as I don't want to keep him or his memory to myself. I want to share a bit of him with you. 

Ray's Chili

2/3 C dry kidney or pinto beans*
1 (14 oz) can of tomatoes
1/2 lb. ground beef (browned and drained)
1 small onion chopped
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
'salt to taste

Soak or par boil beans until thoroughly softened, drain.
Place beans in crock-a-baby or crock pot. Add remaining ingredients. Stir well cover and cook 10 hours on low. Served topped with your favorite chili toppings.
(* one 16 oz can of kidney beans may be used in place of dry beans.)

My tweaks: I used kidney beans from a can. I also used diced tomatoes with green chilies for an extra kick. I also added a pinch more chili powder. I topped it with shredded taco cheese and a tsp of fat free sour cream.

(pic does not have sour cream shown)


Dr. Scholl's® For Her High Heel Insoles review and coupon giveaway


Dr. Scholl's® For Her High Heel Insoles



As a member of the BZZ community I was sent a pair of the Dr Scholl's inserts to try. I don't normally wear heels of any sort cause I'm not a heel girl, but I did to try these out. Even tho I wear a 10-11 shoe they did make my feet feel better in the heels but it didn't change my mind about not wearing heels.  The insoles were a bit of a tight fit in my shoes but after awhile they felt ok. I would recommend these for people who wear heels to work on a daily basis or even just around town.

Dr. Scholl's® For Her High Heel Insoles are proven to improve the way you feel in heels. The unique design helps prevent foot aches and pains caused by high heels two inches and up. The gel arch shifts pressure off the ball of your foot while providing comfort. They are available in Women's sizes 6-10.

These inserts are supposed to:

  • Help prevent foot pain caused by high heels
  • Improve the way you feel in heels
  • Ultra-soft FabuSTEP® gel arch shifts pressure off your ball of foot
  • Immediate and all day comfort
  • Stays firmly in place
  • Removable without damage to shoes
  • Slim design won't make shoes feel tight
  • Practically invisible, even in strappy heels

Dr Scholls High Heel Inserts page

I was sent a full sized product to try and to review by BZZ, as I'm a Bzz agent. I was also sent coupons to share with my readers. The coupons are high value at 4.00 of the purchase of a package of inserts. I priced these at my local Wal Mart and after coupon they would be $4.99. I'm offering 3 readers a chance of getting one of the coupons. All you have to do to enter for a chance to win is answer one question. Do you wear heels and do you love them or hate them? 3 winners will be chosen at random on July 4. 2013.






June 18, 2013

Recycled tin cans

Recycled tin cans


I'm a Pintrest junkie! Ill admit it. I love looking at all the crafty things people make. I'm craft challenged. I like to try things but they usually don't turn out like they should. I have a ton of empty cans and thought how hard can it be to recycle these? So off to Pintrest I went and got a few ideas but decided to go with the simplest idea I could find.

So I started with 4 cans.


Then, because I cant paint worth anything, I dipped the cans into the paint I had chosen and put them on a plastic bag to dry.


After about 10 hrs, they were completely dry. I used a screwdriver an hammer to put holes in the center of the can tops. I strung line through, knotting each can into position and making a loop at the top to hang.


And here is my completed tin can wind chime. If I decide to do this again I would definitely use a thinner line or twine as the cord doesn't allow the cans to swing freely enough to make good sounds. But at least it looks cute on my front porch.



June 14, 2013

Flag Day....What does it really mean?



FLAG DAY, What does it REALLY mean or stand for?


Yesterday my daughter came home from school with a paper requesting that kids wear red, white and blue, stripes and stars or any combo of them to school on Friday. She asked me what Flag Day ment and so I spent about 1/2 hour explaining it to her. Shes only 8 and I'm not sure she fully understood what I was trying to say.

As I was browsing Facebook this morning, I came to realize alot of adults don't understand today either. As an American, you should understand what today stands for. Just as you know what the 4th of July stands for.

Today commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on this day in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. The colors red, white, and blue did not have meaning when it was adopted in 1777.  In 1916, President W. Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day. On  August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress. Flag Day is not an official federal holiday tho. 

Here is a link to more information about the Flag of the United States. US Flag info



June 13, 2013

Maine Traditional Karate




Maine Traditional Karate



This dojo is located in Orrington, Maine but there are many dojo's located across the United States.

The instructor's are very professional and from what I have seen, very good with kids.

Reasonable prices and sometimes they run sign up specials.










June 11, 2013

Couponing




     I coupon. Most of my friends coupon. We don't have alot of stores to choose from in our area but the ones we can shop at are usually pretty good about the couponing. We are by no means extreme couponers. That show is a joke. Some of the episodes clearly show people breaking the law. You see people clearing stock and pre-ordering god awful amounts of crap. Unless you are a health fanatic, and some of these women clearly are not, do you really need 300 bottles of Gatorade?? And honestly are they ever going to need 100 bottles of pain killers, before they expire? The home goods like toilet paper, paper towels and women's care products, shampoo and the such I can understand tho. You see people running to foreclosed homes an grabbing the paper on Saturday am. Last time I checked that was still stealing. It even promotes dumpster diving. What part of these signs mean, "ok you can dive for coupons"????






CLEARLY STATED, DON'T YA THINK????????????????????






There are alot of places you can get these money saving little pieces of paper. The newspaper, except on holiday weekends, and the Internet are the most popular. Go to the manufactures website. Some product sites require you to make an account to log in and they have printable coupons. Most sites only allow you to print 1 or sometimes 2 per IP address. That's why some couponers have 2 or more computers. Here are a few sites that I use.

https://www.recyclebank.com/  You can earn point to redeem for coupons.

http://www.coupons.com/

http://www.save.com/coupons/

https://savingstar.com/ This is not a print site. You sign up and list your store cards to save. Then the money is deposited to your Pay Pal when you save $5.00 or more.

No matter how you get your coupons, you have to be aware of fraud. If a coupon seems too good to be true, look it up. There is a website,  The coupon information center, that is full of information and has a listing of most of the current fraud coupons.

And the one thing that gets me most of all, LOOK UP THE STORES COUPON POLICY BEFORE YOU SHOP THERE!! These can change without notice so it doesn't hurt to check them. Nothing worse than someone who is ignorant on the policy arguing with the cashier and/or manager at checkout. Gives the rest of us a bad name. That, along with clearing off a shelf because you have 90 coupons for 1 type of noodle that's on sale! Leave some for the rest of us!




June 10, 2013

Lemon Sugar Cookies



Lemon Sugar Cookies......YUMMMMMMM!!!!!


I love to bake. My kids love it when I bake. I have not bought a store mix in about 2 years unless it was to alter to bake something totally different that what the box was for. These cookies are my kids favorites! They are almost impossible to mess up.  My secret to such yummy cookies???

 JIFFY All Purpose Baking Mix!


 Here is the recipe with my tweaks:

SUGAR COOKIES

2 C. JIFFY BAKING MIX
2/3 C SUGAR
1/3 CUP MILK
5 TBSP SHORTENING
1 EGG
1 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT
1 1/2 TSP LEMON EXTRACT

PRE HEAT OVEN TO 350 F
GREASE BAKING SHEET
DROP BY TABLESPOON (I USE A SMALL COOKIE SCOOP)
BAKE 8-10 MIN
REMOVE FROM PAN AND COOL ON WIRE RACK
SPRINKLE SUGAR ON COOKIES WHILE STILL WARM

Jiffy in no way had anything to do with this post. The cookies were my idea to post about as the kids love them. 





June 6, 2013

Do You Bake? Beer Bread Review and Giveaway


One of the first posts I ever did was to announce that I had started my Do You Bake? business. I love to bake. I love to cook. But I REALLY LOVE to bake! I've tried most of the items in the catalog but here is a rundown of my favorites.

THE CHOCOLATE BOMB

This is Holy Moly goodness made in the, get this, crockpot! This will cure any chocolate craving you may have, even the pms ones! 


VERY ONION DIP

Best dip ever! Add the mix to 8 oz of sour cream and wait about an hour for it to co-mingle and become yummy! I haven't bought onion store dip since I got these!


CHEESY CHEDDAR POPCORN SEASONING

Honestly, neither my husband or I liked it but the kids seemed to. The teenagers are always asking to put it on theirs so I'm guessing they like it.



CLASSIC BEER BREAD

We are not beer drinkers. I made this for an event and the smell was almost too much for me. So I made this using a soda when I was making it for our own use. I used Root Beer and it was really yummy! The kids were not too sold on it but they did eat it and said it wasn't too bad. My oldest, who was 20 at the time and his girlfriend liked it.

There are alot more very yummy products on the Do You Bake? website. 

All of their products are prepared without additives, preservatives, fake coloring or extenders. 

They even have monthly customer and hostess specials!

Shopping for the doggie of the family? They have treats for them too!!!


I'm hosting a giveaway for one box of
Do You Bake Beer Bread. Do You bake is not, and has not, compensated me for this giveaway and all opinions are my own. I will ship product directly to winner within 2 weeks of contest ending.





a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sample Freebie!


I just requested mine!




June 4, 2013

Melted Crayon Crayons

Melted Crayon Crayons


As a mom of 7, the abundance of broken crayons never goes down! Usually crayons are broken within the first 10 minutes of being opened. So I finally caved and did the traditional melting of the broken crayons. But since I'm very attached to my muffin tins, I didn't want to use them. So instead I used my silicon teddy bear mold. 

HOW TO:

Pre heat oven to 250 F

Take all your broken crayons and separate them into piles of colors. They don't all have to match perfectly. Peel the wrappers off.


Place them, broken into smaller pieces, into the mold that you have chosen. I choose to put like colors in together so the new crayons would be multi-colored.


If you use a silicone mold, I suggest you put it on a cookie or baking sheet. When these are taken out of the oven, the melted wax could spill.

Put mold or your pan into the oven at 250 and melt. To be honest  I didn't pay much attention to the time. I just kept peeking in on it until I saw they were all melted. Take out of oven when they are melted an put on a cooler surface to harden. It doesn't take long. 

After they are hard pop out of the mold an voila! New crayons!!


We did find that we had to press down a bit harder than we had to with normal crayons but all said the kids loved the shapes.