Musings from Me on Kids, Preteens, and Teens » food http://www.musingsfromme.com Seizing family time one dinner at a time. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:29:02 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 You Know Those Food Samples at Costco? #trop50 http://www.musingsfromme.com/you-know-those-food-samples-at-costco-trop50/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/you-know-those-food-samples-at-costco-trop50/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:29:02 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5535 Every so often I try a new product. I might be strolling the aisles at Costco. I’ll see a sample kiosk. If I have my children with me, we ALWAYS stop. No questions asked. I’ll stand while my children take a sample. If there are enough samples left, I take a sample myself. I’m rarely disappointed. I’ve found samples that were so tasty. Without the sample stand in a discount warehouse or grocery store, I would never have known. Last summer, the Musings from Me family journeyed to Southern California. While the kids and dad explored San Diego, I walked the Expo Halls at BlogHer. I met people, played in-booth games at the Expo Hall, learned about products I had never heard of, and most importantly, sampled some awesome treats. Walking the Expo Hall is thirsty work. As I hauled my bags out of the Expo Hall one day, I spotted a white booth with comfy white couches. As I cast my eye to the side and back of the booth I spotted several displays of Trop50. Trop50? I was intrigued as I looked at the familiar shaped bottles with a name I had never heard of. What was this [...]]]>


Every so often I try a new product. I might be strolling the aisles at Costco. I’ll see a sample kiosk. If I have my children with me, we ALWAYS stop. No questions asked. I’ll stand while my children take a sample. If there are enough samples left, I take a sample myself. I’m rarely disappointed. I’ve found samples that were so tasty. Without the sample stand in a discount warehouse or grocery store, I would never have known.

Last summer, the Musings from Me family journeyed to Southern California. While the kids and dad explored San Diego, I walked the Expo Halls at BlogHer. I met people, played in-booth games at the Expo Hall, learned about products I had never heard of, and most importantly, sampled some awesome treats. Walking the Expo Hall is thirsty work.

As I hauled my bags out of the Expo Hall one day, I spotted a white booth with comfy white couches. As I cast my eye to the side and back of the booth I spotted several displays of Trop50. Trop50? I was intrigued as I looked at the familiar shaped bottles with a name I had never heard of. What was this Trop50? Looked like the Tropicana I buy for my family, but what was it exactly?

I sampled the Trop50 Lemonade. Let me tell you how it tasted…it was delicious. Tart, but not too tart. Sweet, but not overly so. Kind of like a lemonade stand lemonade, but with 50% less sugar and 50% less calories. Plus, no artificial sweeteners. I knew my family would love it and that I would be happy to buy it for them. In fact, I brought a few bottles back to my family in our hotel room, which we enjoyed on our drive to Legoland. Delish!

Which brings me to New Year Resolutions and the thorny subject of sticking to ‘em. I think of resolutions each, but do I stick to them? Sometimes. I find that the smaller, more focused, and more doable the resolution, the more likely I am to do it. For instance, resolving to exercise is not nearly as effective as resolving to exercise every other day. I need a resolution spelled out for me. Another resolution is to cook more dinners that are healthy, with mostly fresh ingredients. My resolutions need to be short on vagueness, and long on specifics.

More about Trop50…

  • Trop50 by Tropicana offers fruit juice goodness with 50 percent less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners.
  • Trop50 juice beverage comes in the following flavors: No Pulp, No Pulp with Calcium + Vitamin D, Some Pulp, Farmstand Apple, Pomegranate Blueberry, Lemonade, Pineapple Mango, and Raspberry Lemonade.
  • New! Trop50 introduced the following new flavors: Red Orange, Raspberry with Green Tea, Peach with White Tea, and Pear Lychee with White Tea. Can’t wait to try these!
  • Do you like those funny Jane Krakowski spots? Here are a few funny ones.

Connect with Tropicana and Trop50:

I was given samples of Trop50 juice beverage to facilitate my review. The views expressed in this post are my own. I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/you-know-those-food-samples-at-costco-trop50/feed/ 0 Let Go Somewhere…Anywhere! #datenight http://www.musingsfromme.com/let-just-go-somewhere-anywhere-datenight/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/let-just-go-somewhere-anywhere-datenight/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:08:15 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5437 Way, way back when my oldest was born, going out was a snap. Dinner? Movie? Dinner and a movie? No worries. I’d pack her and her diaper bag. I wouldn’t pack my daughter in the diaper bag, of course(!), but I’d pack practically every other baby gadget, gizmo, you name it. With everything packed, I’d hustle my husband to the car. And, that was it. Grandma and Grandad were always willing and able to babysit. We would drop our daughter off with food and diapers, leave a list of instructions about what her routine was, and hightail it off to dinner with friends, to watch a movie, or even a date night. At the end of the evening, we’d return to my parent’s house. My husband would carry our sleeping (and happy) daughter out to the car. And that was it. Many years later with a Teen, a Preteen-now-Teen, and a Kid, going out is exponentially more complicated. We have to sync my work calendar to my husband’s work schedule cross referenced to the sports/school/activity schedule of the three kids and then if the stars are aligned and no one gets sick we can go out. Are you exhausted? Do [...]]]>


Way, way back when my oldest was born, going out was a snap. Dinner? Movie? Dinner and a movie? No worries. I’d pack her and her diaper bag. I wouldn’t pack my daughter in the diaper bag, of course(!), but I’d pack practically every other baby gadget, gizmo, you name it. With everything packed, I’d hustle my husband to the car. And, that was it.

Grandma and Grandad were always willing and able to babysit. We would drop our daughter off with food and diapers, leave a list of instructions about what her routine was, and hightail it off to dinner with friends, to watch a movie, or even a date night. At the end of the evening, we’d return to my parent’s house. My husband would carry our sleeping (and happy) daughter out to the car. And that was it.

Many years later with a Teen, a Preteen-now-Teen, and a Kid, going out is exponentially more complicated. We have to sync my work calendar to my husband’s work schedule cross referenced to the sports/school/activity schedule of the three kids and then if the stars are aligned and no one gets sick we can go out. Are you exhausted? Do you think we go out a lot? If you answered “No,” you are correct!

Two Saturdays ago, the stars as they say aligned for us. One kid went to bed early. One kid stayed home to babysit the sleeping kid. One kid was at a friend’s house. And so my husband and I ventured out on a sleety, icy Saturday night around 9ish. We eat late, but never that late. Actually, and I know this sounds a little pathetic, but I was actually quite excited to go on an impromptu date night even though it was late and we would have to be home by 11 p.m. at the latest. But, excited I was!

I was last at Red Lobster in the late 80/early 90s. Today’s Red Lobster is very, very different from what I recall. The restaurant we visited on Saturday night was in Frederick, Maryland. My first impression was wood. The wood paneling is dark…reminded me of a the galley of an old sailing ship. I loved all the wood paneling and decorative accents. The nautical theme was subtle but not overpowering. We were shown promptly to a booth in a quiet part of the dining room. There was a small bar area as we walked in that was also nautically themed.

The service was impeccable. Our waitperson seated us. A few moments later a second person stopped by to let us know that our waitperson would be with us momentarily. She appeared a few minutes later. Good service!

While we both wanted to try Red lobster’s new Four Course Seafood Feast, with the lateness of the hour and the fact that both of us had had snacks earlier in the evening, we chose to share two appetizers instead. We will definitely return with the kids. In fact, the next day the “sleeping” kid asked if he could try the Seafood Feast the next time we go. I said “Yes!” This kid has a bigger appetite at 8 than his sisters combined when they were 8.

We shared two appetizers: Shrimp Nachos and Lobster-Crab-and-Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms. I washed my meal down with a yummy Sangria drink. By the way, there are variations between the menus at each Red Lobster restaurant. Each restaurant offers a fresh catch of the day. Our server announced that Atlantic salmon, tilapia, rainbow trout, and North Atlantic haddock were available that night. To find out what is available go to the Red Lobster Restaurant Locator page, find the location nearest you, and take a peek at the offerings at that location. I know your mouth will start watering as you read the dishes.

As our meal wound down, our waitperson returned to see how we were doing. We told her we were definitely coming back with our children.

For more information about Red Lobster…

I was given a gift card to Red Lobster to facilitate my review. The views expressed in this post are my own. I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/let-just-go-somewhere-anywhere-datenight/feed/ 0 Binging and Purging, But in a Good Way [Giveaway] http://www.musingsfromme.com/sams-club-giveaway/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/sams-club-giveaway/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:04:13 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5209 Over the past few months, I have purged, recycled, consigned, and moved a ton of stuff from our family room. I’m about to declutter the dining room office. Early last year I tackled the playroom. The year before last, the master bedroom was on my hit list of rooms to declutter. Some days I can actually see the top of the family room coffee table. Some days…not so much. Baby steps. Likewise, some days my floor is clear and other days…not so much. What works for me is storage units. No, not the storage unit complexes in industrial parks. No, I mean storage units, shelves, and tubs. Give me a Rubbermaid or other tub and I have the tools to tackle the clutter. Over Christmas break, I set up a couple of storage shelves and a small table for my son’s Lego. With our new found family space, game playing is back on the table — literally — as a fun activity for our family to do. It’s hard to play a board game amid the clutter of papers, glasses, books, magazines, and who knows what else is stored on top of the coffee table! The start of the new [...]]]>


Over the past few months, I have purged, recycled, consigned, and moved a ton of stuff from our family room. I’m about to declutter the dining room office. Early last year I tackled the playroom. The year before last, the master bedroom was on my hit list of rooms to declutter.

Some days I can actually see the top of the family room coffee table. Some days…not so much. Baby steps. Likewise, some days my floor is clear and other days…not so much. What works for me is storage units. No, not the storage unit complexes in industrial parks. No, I mean storage units, shelves, and tubs. Give me a Rubbermaid or other tub and I have the tools to tackle the clutter.

Over Christmas break, I set up a couple of storage shelves and a small table for my son’s Lego. With our new found family space, game playing is back on the table — literally — as a fun activity for our family to do. It’s hard to play a board game amid the clutter of papers, glasses, books, magazines, and who knows what else is stored on top of the coffee table!

The start of the new year also heralds kids going back to preschool, school, or even college. Sam´s Club wants to help you keep yourself and your children organized. You can also find Box Tops for Education products at Sam’s. Collect Box Tops for Education to help your school of choice.

Check out these sweet deals and promotions from Sam´s Club and Box Tops for Education to make your life as easy! While purchasing some of your favorite General Mills brands you can also earn more cash for your local school with the Sam´s Club “6 Box Tops on a Pack” promotion.

I have a Sam’s Club $25 Gift Card for one lucky reader! Winning is easy. First, leave a mandatory comment. Second, leave one or more of the optional comments. Remember, you must leave the mandatory comment for the other comments to count. Oh and don’t forget to leave your email address in the comment. so I can contact you if you win!

Mandatory Comment — Leave a comment.

Subscribe to Musings from Me by reader.

Optional Comment — Leave a comment.

Keep your eye on this blog for more giveaways. Coming soon: Another fun toy from Best Pals and a Giveaway! And a week of DVD Giveaways!

I was given a Sam’s Club Gift Card to facilitate my review. The review samples, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. The views expressed in this post are my own. I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity. Giveaway ends January 30, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/sams-club-giveaway/feed/ 51 I Want to Work in Film, But Not Like This [Giveaway] http://www.musingsfromme.com/ocean-spray-snacks-giveaway/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/ocean-spray-snacks-giveaway/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:17:29 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5255 I have nightmares that one day I will see myself in a news story about overweight people. Only the story isn’t about me or my weight gain or loss. No. I am just one of the people filmed from the waist down as I walk down a city street as part of the background film for the story on overweight people. Yikes, I’d hate to see myself in this type of news story…wouldn’t you?! As the new year progresses, I am making goals for myself. I don’t want to blog about my New Year’s resolutions because (1) I’m not ready to commit them to “paper,” and (2) I see resolutions as for my eyes only. But, I will admit to wanting to change a few things about my way of life. As with previous years, a huge goal of mine is weight loss. I’m one of those people still trying to lose baby weight from a decade ago. Yikes! It’s hard reading that sentence, but the reality is that I need to make changes. One of my downfalls is snacking. I either eat foods that are not that healthy OR I eat a too large portion of healthy and nonhealthy [...]]]>


I have nightmares that one day I will see myself in a news story about overweight people. Only the story isn’t about me or my weight gain or loss. No. I am just one of the people filmed from the waist down as I walk down a city street as part of the background film for the story on overweight people. Yikes, I’d hate to see myself in this type of news story…wouldn’t you?!

As the new year progresses, I am making goals for myself. I don’t want to blog about my New Year’s resolutions because (1) I’m not ready to commit them to “paper,” and (2) I see resolutions as for my eyes only. But, I will admit to wanting to change a few things about my way of life. As with previous years, a huge goal of mine is weight loss. I’m one of those people still trying to lose baby weight from a decade ago. Yikes! It’s hard reading that sentence, but the reality is that I need to make changes.

One of my downfalls is snacking. I either eat foods that are not that healthy OR I eat a too large portion of healthy and nonhealthy foods. One key factor for me is portion control. If I bag up popcorn or baked chips, I eat less. Recently, I was given a few boxes of fruit snacks.

Now if you are picturing those super-sugary, character-themed snacks your child begs you to buy in the grocery store…think again. Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks are in a different league. The fruit flavored snacks are full of taste. You can taste juice spilling out of the fruit snack.

Now for the details on Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks…

  • Great snack for kids and adults. Pop a pack in the lunchbag or stash a pack in your purse. Tasty anytime.
  • Available in two delicious varieties, Ocean Spray® Fruit Flavored Snacks: Assorted Fruit and Berries and Cherries.
  • Made with real fruit juice, natural colors (colors from natural sources), and flavors.
  • Made with apple, pear, and cranberry juice concentrate, but are not intended to replace fruit in the diet.
  • 80 calories, gluten free, and contain 100% of the Daily Value of Vitamin C.
  • Like Ocean Spray on Facebook.
  • Follow @OceanSprayInc on Twitter.

BONUS for MOMS of SCHOOL-AGED KIDS! Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks are available year round Double Box Tops! Is your school a member of the Box Tops for Education Program? If not, why not? For more information on Box Tops for Education, click here.

The kind folks at Ocean Spray have asked me to host a giveaway. Did you know that 80 years ago Ocean Spray was started as a cooperative with three families? Today, the values of community are integral to Ocean Spray’s 600 grower families? But, back to the giveaway…

Four lucky readers of Musings from Me will each receive 6 boxes (3 of each variety) of Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks!

Winning is easy. First, leave a mandatory comment. Second, leave one or more of the optional comments. Remember, you must leave the mandatory comment for the other comments to count. Oh and don’t forget to leave your email address in the comment. so I can contact you if you win!

Mandatory Comment — Leave a comment.

Subscribe to Musings from Me via reader.

Optional Comment — Leave a comment.

Keep your eye on this blog for more giveaways. Posting reviews and giveaways through the end of January and beyond. Coming soon: Another fun toy from Best Pals and a Giveaway! And a week of DVD Giveaways!

I was given six boxes of Ocean Spray® Fruit Flavored Snacks to facilitate my review. The review samples, information, and giveaway have been provided by Ocean Spray® through MyBlogSpark. The views expressed in this post are my own. I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity. Giveaway ends January 23, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/ocean-spray-snacks-giveaway/feed/ 17 Making the Best of It http://www.musingsfromme.com/making-the-best-of-it/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/making-the-best-of-it/#comments Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:03:50 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5204 You never know what the day will bring. You know what they say about the best laid plans. You can plan, plot, map out your day, but invariably a spanner will get in the works. Yesterday was a case in point. I woke relatively early for me…considering it was Thanksgiving Break and a Saturday. My husband made breakfast for all of us. I trailed down after a few moments…minutes…hours…uh not hours but I didn’t exactly bound out of bed. My husband had prepared a delicious breakfast of waffles, eggs, and fruit. We all ate breakfast together. The Teen surfaced shortly after I did. She appeared for breakfast after much prodding. I read a magazine. In the back of my mind, I knew I needed to get down to my office to finish a blog post and prepare a package for shipping. The two assignments were intrinsically connected. I put the magazine aside and marched myself to the office. After some time the blogpost was done. I did a bunch of other projects. Packaged the item I needed to send. Checked on pickup schedules. Calculated what time I needed to leave the house in order to mail the package. Once I [...]]]>


You never know what the day will bring. You know what they say about the best laid plans. You can plan, plot, map out your day, but invariably a spanner will get in the works. Yesterday was a case in point.

I woke relatively early for me…considering it was Thanksgiving Break and a Saturday. My husband made breakfast for all of us. I trailed down after a few moments…minutes…hours…uh not hours but I didn’t exactly bound out of bed. My husband had prepared a delicious breakfast of waffles, eggs, and fruit. We all ate breakfast together. The Teen surfaced shortly after I did. She appeared for breakfast after much prodding. I read a magazine. In the back of my mind, I knew I needed to get down to my office to finish a blog post and prepare a package for shipping. The two assignments were intrinsically connected.

I put the magazine aside and marched myself to the office. After some time the blogpost was done. I did a bunch of other projects. Packaged the item I needed to send. Checked on pickup schedules. Calculated what time I needed to leave the house in order to mail the package. Once I knew the time needed I mobilized the troops. Easier said than done.

We’re not early risers. Except for the kid. We’re a group of people who dilly dally. A shower for me. A change out of pajamas for everyone else. I gathered the package and my purse. Instructed the kids to find a book for the journey. We’ve all played way too many games for the kids and too much TV for me. With the kids all set for the journey, I waited for my oldest to be ready. Did I mention dilly dallying? Yep, that’s us.

Once on the road, we headed to drop off the package. After the dropoff, it was off to Target. While at Target, I would have to say that we didn’t have the best time. Not to get in to details, but it wasn’t the most fun I have ever had. The item we were looking for wasn’t there, but that wasn’t the issue for our Target trip of discontent. Suffice it to say that we left Target and headed to our next stop in virtual silence, Once at our next stop…the mall…it was all about regrouping. Getting those ducks back in a row.

My method for getting back on track was a request that everyone make a commitment to not do or to do something during our restaurant meal. I won’t go in to details, but I was proud of everyone for making a commitment to get back on track. The “almost derailed day” was close to being back on track. Now all we had to do was successfully enjoy our meal out.

And enjoy it we did. Call it a reset. A reboot. Once settled in to our booth at the restaurant I breathed a sigh of relief. Our meal was back on track after a little conversation.

We had wanted to take the family to P.F. Chang’s for dinner. Tonight turned out to be the perfect night. We eat Chinese food all the time, but I knew that I wanted to kids to branch out of their comfort zones. One kid only eats kids’ meals. Another kid only likes Wonton Soup when we are at a Chinese restaurant. Another kid is a very adventurous eater. As we perused the menu, suggestions popped up from everyone at the table. Dumplings. Crab wonton. Honey shrimp. Kung Pao. Lo mein. And green beans.

Our meal was a success. I splurged and ordered a final dish. I have always wanted to try lettuce wraps. The vegetarian wraps were super tasty. My son liked the lettuce without the filling. My daughters tried the filling. My husband was a little too full. I’m proud of my kids for showing me that they could get back on track. I needed a bit of a reboot too!

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/making-the-best-of-it/feed/ 0 Musings from Me on Thanksgiving http://www.musingsfromme.com/musings-from-me-on-thanksgiving/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/musings-from-me-on-thanksgiving/#comments Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:23:58 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5144 I’m not a born and bred American. I grew up in a country where Americans were always called — affectionately — Yanks no matter if they lives in Texas or Alaska or New York City. America was the land of opportunity…the land of plenty…a place where everything seemed possible. England in the 70s must have been all sorts of grim. Rain. Bone chilling cold with little hope of a snowfall to get you through the long, dark winter. A recession. No central heating in homes, only a wall radiator/heater or two in every house. One car or no car families. Heavy reliance on public transportation. My grandmother was known to take the bus in to Manchester every Saturday to shop…without fail. She began her shopping trip each Saturday with a stop to pick up a large glass bottle of Lucozade (like Gatorade) and a pound of potatoes in a mesh bag. She carried the glass bottle and the bag of potatoes for the rest of the day as she shopped for clothes, household items, and other food items. Can you imagine how miserable it must have for my grandmother?? I know why my parents emigrated to the U.S. in the [...]]]>


I’m not a born and bred American. I grew up in a country where Americans were always called — affectionately — Yanks no matter if they lives in Texas or Alaska or New York City. America was the land of opportunity…the land of plenty…a place where everything seemed possible.

England in the 70s must have been all sorts of grim. Rain. Bone chilling cold with little hope of a snowfall to get you through the long, dark winter. A recession. No central heating in homes, only a wall radiator/heater or two in every house. One car or no car families. Heavy reliance on public transportation. My grandmother was known to take the bus in to Manchester every Saturday to shop…without fail. She began her shopping trip each Saturday with a stop to pick up a large glass bottle of Lucozade (like Gatorade) and a pound of potatoes in a mesh bag. She carried the glass bottle and the bag of potatoes for the rest of the day as she shopped for clothes, household items, and other food items. Can you imagine how miserable it must have for my grandmother??

I know why my parents emigrated to the U.S. in the 70s…to get away from British weather! Once in the states, our lives changed. As a kid I remember lots about my childhood except for Thanksgiving. Did we ever celebrate Thanksgiving? I have no recollection of eating a turkey dinner or watching the Macy’s Parade. I have strong memories about Christmas, but not Thanksgiving. Perhaps, my parents decided not to celebrate this very American holiday? But, my mother always dressed my sister and I up for Halloween — a holiday not celebrated in the U.K. — so I don’t know why we didn’t “do” Thanksgiving.

As a freshman in college in the early 80s, I experienced my first Thanksgiving Dinner and the associated celebrations at the home of English friends of my parents who lived in our old town in New Jersey. My family moved back to England when I was in 6th grade.

"Freedom from Want" by Norman Rockwell, one of a four-part set of painting in the Ours...To Fight for Freedom from Want series that encouraged Americans to buy war bonds during WWII.

That Thanksgiving weekend I spent in NJ is a blur. No, not due to too much alcohol. I was freshman in college…not teetotal by any means, but I was careful about not overdoing the alcohol. I have hazy memories due to extreme exhaustion. I had spent the first few months of that first semester in college struggling with three classes with heavy reading loads and one class that was highly technical. Not much sleep was had in Schnader dorm that fall!

I barely made my train to Newark due to sleeping through my alarm. I snoozed on the journey from PA to NJ. I slept a solid 12 hours upon arriving at our friend’s house. I recall going to my host’s school (she was an administrator of a private school) for a special school-wide Thanksgiving lunch. The stuffing looked like a hockey puck! I remember my host’s son taking me to a deli for the most enormous sandwich I had ever eaten. The turkey and ham were piled about 6 plus inches high and the other toppings only added to the magnitude of the sandwich! In between naps and sleeping in and dozing on the couch, I have fond memories of sharing Thanksgiving Day dinner with my host family. This family like mine hailed from another country. This family had fully embraced all that is American about Thanksgiving.

Fast forward to the mid 80s… My parents emigrated a second time to the U.S. this time settling in Maryland. I graduated from college and joined them. Unlike the early move, this time our family adopted the Thanksgiving dinner tradition.
Thanksgiving became a part of my life once I started dating my husband. His family — while small in number — goes all out on the big day. A turkey that could feed an army. Stuffing biscuits galore. The big game on TV. Pumpkin pie. And, of course, the still mystifying to me sweet potato casserole with the marshmallows and sprinkles on top. I didn’t know whether it was a dessert or a side dish. Years later I learned that neither my FIL or MIL liked the casserole. My in laws made it for the kids. I found it very sweet. Sickly sweet.

What is your first memory of Thanksgiving?
]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/musings-from-me-on-thanksgiving/feed/ 0 Still Paging the Dinnertime Fairy http://www.musingsfromme.com/still-paging-the-dinnertime-fairy/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/still-paging-the-dinnertime-fairy/#comments Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:42:36 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5123 Yesterday I was lamenting the nonappearance of the dinnertime fairy. Wouldn’t it be lovely to have a little fairy swoop in. Come up with a dinner menu for the week. Buy the food. Cook the food. Set the table. Clean up after the meal. In short do everything. Aaahhhh, a mom can dream can’t she? So, tonight was one of those nights. The night where I played catchup almost all day. First — I caught up on sleep by dozing and watching Dr. Phil and dozing after putting all three on school buses. Second — I caught up on work after an enjoyable lunchtime spent having lunch with my son at school for American Education Week and watching him perform in his class’ puppet show. Third and finally — I caught up on the early evening homework, “How was your day?,” “Don’t forget to do your chores?, and “Hey, I haven’t heard you practice your cello in a while?”after a late afternoon of work. The result? Dinner was still undecided. No fairy godmother popped out of my pantry with a fully made dinner in one hand and a ladle in the other hand, waving me off. No dinnertime fairy said, [...]]]>


Yesterday I was lamenting the nonappearance of the dinnertime fairy. Wouldn’t it be lovely to have a little fairy swoop in. Come up with a dinner menu for the week. Buy the food. Cook the food. Set the table. Clean up after the meal. In short do everything. Aaahhhh, a mom can dream can’t she?

So, tonight was one of those nights. The night where I played catchup almost all day. First — I caught up on sleep by dozing and watching Dr. Phil and dozing after putting all three on school buses. Second — I caught up on work after an enjoyable lunchtime spent having lunch with my son at school for American Education Week and watching him perform in his class’ puppet show. Third and finally — I caught up on the early evening homework, “How was your day?,” “Don’t forget to do your chores?, and “Hey, I haven’t heard you practice your cello in a while?”after a late afternoon of work.

Some of think ice cream is dinner. What?!

The result? Dinner was still undecided. No fairy godmother popped out of my pantry with a fully made dinner in one hand and a ladle in the other hand, waving me off. No dinnertime fairy said, “Don’t worry about dinner…I have it all worked out…” Nope. it was just me staring at the inside of the freezer willing dinner to appear and cook itself. No such thing happened until I dragged a bag of breaded chicken, a bag of seasoned french fries, and a can of peas in the kitchen. 30 minutes later. DINNER!

So, what did you have for dinner tonight?

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/still-paging-the-dinnertime-fairy/feed/ 0 Wanted: Dinner Fairy GodMother #SmartOnesReview http://www.musingsfromme.com/wanted-dinner-fairy-godmother-smartonesreview/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/wanted-dinner-fairy-godmother-smartonesreview/#comments Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:02:01 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5116 Where oh where are you? When are you coming to cook? My family would love to see your wand, sparkly dress, and most of all your wings. I can just see you floating in to the kitchen. Maybe via back door when a kid comes home from school. Perhaps you’ll live in our home and cook all our meals. Whatever the living arrangements…I desperately need a dinnertime fairy. Anyone know where I can find one?!? All kidding aside. Dinnertime is a zoo in my home. With a parent who works crazy, unpredictable hours at home. A parent who works long hours outside the home. Three children in three different schools and doing three different activities. You can understand why my home is a zoo. It’s wild around here when all of us are eating at different times and want different meals for dinner. I never thought I would be a short order cook back when I had a preschooler and two elementary school student. Back then, we ate dinner at the same time each night. Not so these days. Dinner is two of eating at 4:30 and one eating at 6 and another two eating somewhere in between. We DO [...]]]>


Where oh where are you? When are you coming to cook? My family would love to see your wand, sparkly dress, and most of all your wings. I can just see you floating in to the kitchen. Maybe via back door when a kid comes home from school. Perhaps you’ll live in our home and cook all our meals. Whatever the living arrangements…I desperately need a dinnertime fairy. Anyone know where I can find one?!?
All kidding aside. Dinnertime is a zoo in my home. With a parent who works crazy, unpredictable hours at home. A parent who works long hours outside the home. Three children in three different schools and doing three different activities. You can understand why my home is a zoo. It’s wild around here when all of us are eating at different times and want different meals for dinner. I never thought I would be a short order cook back when I had a preschooler and two elementary school student. Back then, we ate dinner at the same time each night.
Not so these days. Dinner is two of eating at 4:30 and one eating at 6 and another two eating somewhere in between. We DO eat dinner together as a family a couple of nights a week. Cos you know I’m all about seizing family time!
So dinnertime is a moveable feast for us. The SmartOnes meals were perfect for my sports mad tween and teen. Even my husband tried one. We were able to sample a few meals. The SmartOnes meals were just right for the dinner-but-I-need-to-eat-quickly-but-don’t-want-to-snack. You know those times when you want to prepare a meal very quickly, but you want the meal to be nutritious and tasty.
Each Satisfying Selections SmartOnes now comes in a 30% larger serving that an 9 oz. SmartOnes tray meal. Find out more…click here. Each SmartOnes Satisfying Selections is less than 400 calories and has 8-10 Weight Watchers PointsPlus and 25 grams of protein or more. Good stuff! You can even calculate your points via the Weight Watchers Points Values and PointsPlus Values chart.
Wondering where you can find SmartOnes? Click here.
Perfect for the family with kids and parents who want to try something different for dinner! Prepare in the microwave or on the stovetop. Each SmartOnes Satisfying Solutions meal did not take long to prepare. Love quick dinners! Go ahead and try one of 5 yummy flavors of SmartOnes:
  • Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo
  • Chicken with Broccoli & Cheese
  • Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry
  • Sesame Chicken
  • Zit with Meatballs & Cheese
Save $1 on any 5 SmartOnes meal…click here.
Like SmartOnes/Eat Your Best on Facebook.
This post is part of a SocialMoms product evaluation, for which I’ve been selected. I’ve been compensated for my time with 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of SocialMoms or Heinz.
]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/wanted-dinner-fairy-godmother-smartonesreview/feed/ 1 Who Doesn’t Love a Cinnabon…Not Me! http://www.musingsfromme.com/who-doesnt-love-a-cinnabon-not-me/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/who-doesnt-love-a-cinnabon-not-me/#comments Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:59:26 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5087 From the folks at Cinnabon and MyBlogSpark… Cinnabon is looking for ways to warm the hearts of others this holiday season and needs your help to Spread the Warmth through its Random `Packs´ of Kindness contest. Cinnabon wants me to share its ooey-gooey awesomeness with my friends, family, co-workers, and even strangers, and then share our stories online! From November 6th through January 7th, share any act of kindness to qualify for a chance to win prizes! Simply photograph or video the reaction to a random act of kindness and submit it to the Cinnabon Facebook page for a chance to win free weekly Cinnapacks or a cash prize of $2,500 and a $2,500 donation to the charity of your choice. For more contest rules and information on how you can help Spread the Warmth visit the Cinnabon Facebook page. I am sharing information with you that was provided by Cinnabon and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.]]>


From the folks at Cinnabon and MyBlogSpark…

Cinnabon is looking for ways to warm the hearts of others this holiday season and needs your help to Spread the Warmth through its Random `Packs´ of Kindness contest.

Cinnabon wants me to share its ooey-gooey awesomeness with my friends, family, co-workers, and even strangers, and then share our stories online!

From November 6th through January 7th, share any act of kindness to qualify for a chance to win prizes! Simply photograph or video the reaction to a random act of kindness and submit it to the Cinnabon Facebook page for a chance to win free weekly Cinnapacks or a cash prize of $2,500 and a $2,500 donation to the charity of your choice.

For more contest rules and information on how you can help Spread the Warmth visit the Cinnabon Facebook page.

I am sharing information with you that was provided by Cinnabon and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/who-doesnt-love-a-cinnabon-not-me/feed/ 0 Holiday Gift Guide: Moms, Get Real About Food http://www.musingsfromme.com/moms-get-real-about-food-with-new-book/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/moms-get-real-about-food-with-new-book/#comments Wed, 02 Nov 2011 22:59:40 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5068 I have come to terms with my love affair with food. For as long as I can remember I have loved food. It is both a joy to me and a curse. Over the years, I have learned to eat in moderation. I’m not happy, but eating in moderation is a step in the right direction on the road to good health. I slip up from time to time, but I would rather eat a little of many things than a whole lot of one single food item. As moms we love resources on pretty much any aspect of parenting, educating, and raising our children. I devour resources and tips on anything parenting or family oriented. But, what about eating a healthy diet? I know I am not as likely to find resources. I will tell myself… “Uh, the food pyramid has changed and I don’t have time to find out what the new categories are” or “I used to know what to eat when I was cooking for one, but now that I am cooking for my family it is so hard to find a meal that everyone likes.” There I go again with the excuses. Just piling on [...]]]>


I have come to terms with my love affair with food. For as long as I can remember I have loved food. It is both a joy to me and a curse. Over the years, I have learned to eat in moderation. I’m not happy, but eating in moderation is a step in the right direction on the road to good health. I slip up from time to time, but I would rather eat a little of many things than a whole lot of one single food item.

As moms we love resources on pretty much any aspect of parenting, educating, and raising our children. I devour resources and tips on anything parenting or family oriented. But, what about eating a healthy diet? I know I am not as likely to find resources. I will tell myself… “Uh, the food pyramid has changed and I don’t have time to find out what the new categories are” or “I used to know what to eat when I was cooking for one, but now that I am cooking for my family it is so hard to find a meal that everyone likes.” There I go again with the excuses. Just piling on one excuse after another. Sigh.

I recently heard about a book that I believe many of my readers will enjoy. I haven’t read the book yet, but I plan to once it is released. For now, I will share with you what I know about Real Moms Love to Eat: How to Conduct a Love Affair with Food, Lose Weight and Feel Fabulous by Beth Aldrich and Eve Adamson. I love the title of this book, don’t you?!

Here’s what I know about Real Moms Love to Eat

  • The book is broken down in three sections.
  • One of the sections is a fun and easy-to-follow 10-part plan for moms to implement to make gradual, life-long changes in their approach to food.
  • Another section is a 21-day list of meal suggestions,tips, recipes, and lifestyle changes—all to help you continue your love affair with food to look fabulous.
  • Moms will learn a lot about the food they eat and how it impacts their bodies and still have fun experiencing new foods and enjoying your life.
  • The book has been described as a “love affair like no other–with huge rewards of looking fabulous.”
  • Real Moms Love to Eat is THE source for “tasty, fresh, whole food meals, creative recipes, and food facts that will keep you looking fabulous and feeling energized and fulfilled.”

It seems that the author’s approach to healthy eating is realistic for busy moms. I know I don’t have time for a complicated recipe with 18 different ingredients requiring 42 kitchen gadgets and listing 23 steps to create the dish. Keep it simple and I will cook the meal.

Want to know more about Real Moms Love to Eat: How to Conduct a Love Affair with Food, Lose Weight and Feel Fabulous.

And before I forget, you must check out the author’s unique Food Affairiate program for bloggers and those who love to eat!  Anyone who registers to be a Real Moms Love to Eat Food who writes a review will receive a digital copy of Real Moms Love to Eat. You must click here to participate in the Real Moms Love to Eat Food Affairiate Program.
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Beth Aldrich — Real Moms Love to Eat blogging program, for a chance to get 3,000 My SocialMoms Rewards points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

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