Since starting my daughter and me on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet three months ago, I have been doing something I really dislike… spending time in the kitchen!

I have a long list of things I would rather be doing with my limited free time, and cooking and clean-up are not on it. But since I want to see if my daughter’s health improve through diet, I have resolved myself to adjusting the best that I can. So when I heard about The I Hate to Cook Book, I was eager to review it.

Peg Bracken first released this book in 1960. Her daughter, Jo, re-released an updated version 50 years later with a tribute to her mother, who passed away a few years ago.

The book is a compilation of easy recipes and kitchen secrets of Peg Bracken and several of her friends who also hated to cook. They were tired of making the same meals over and over, and joined forces to come up with an easy-to-read and enjoyable book to help others who felt the same way about the kitchen as they did. It is not your typical cookbook.

If you are eager to get in and out of the kitchen as quickly as possible, or if there are days when you feel this way, this is a book for you. It includes 30 everyday entrees to get you started. They’re all easy-to-make and are supposed to taste good (I haven’t tried any yet, but will be), but best of all, the preparation time is quick. There are even sections for planning a potluck meal, menus for when company is coming to your house and suggestions for kids’ birthday parties. Check out the inside of the book.

Update: Since posting this, my mother read my blog and informed me that this book was “revolutionary” back in the day and she received it as a wedding present. And a friend emailed me that her favorite recipe is the one with chicken with avocado and mushrooms. Her father gave her a copy of the original book years ago. I had no idea just how popular this book has been over the years!

Does this sound like a book you’d like to add to your bookshelf? Two people will win a copy of this book!

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment letting me know why you’d like to win.

Bonus Entries

- Follow my blog on Google Friend Connect (right column) – 1 entry
- Follow me on Twitter – 1 entry
- Like the I Hate to Cook Book on Facebook – 1 entry
- Like Craving the Savings on Facebook – 1 entry
- Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS (right column) – 1 entry

Rules

- Be sure to complete the mandatory entry first! If you want to complete bonus entries, please leave a separate comment for each item. If you are already doing one or more of the bonus entries, be sure to leave a comment stating so!
- This giveaway will be open until August 25 at 11:59 PM Central. I will select two winners using Random.org.
- I will email the winners, who will have 48 hours to respond, otherwise I will select a new winner.
- Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win
- No P.O. Boxes, please.

Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a copy of The I Hate to Cook Book for review and two for a giveaway. All opinions are my own.

A few months ago, I entered a blog giveaway to try to win an EasyLunchbox system.

I was looking for an eco-friendly lunch box that would work for both my daughter and for me, and the EasyLunchbox system appeared to be a great solution. I was thrilled when I found out I won!

I contacted Kelly Lester, the creator and owner of EasyLunchBoxes.com, to see if I could buy a second system and ship both together. That started an email exchange that led to this review and giveaway!

We’ve been using the EasyLunchbox system since early June and love it! My daughter has the purple one, and I have the green one.

Prior to the EasyLunchbox system, we used individual plastic storage containers and threw them into a lunch bag. I have started discarding the plastic storage due to concerns about what is in the plastics and replacing them with non-toxic options.

When I saw that the EasyLunchbox system contains no BPA, phthalates, lead, vinyl, or PVC, and it is safe for the dishwasher, freezer, and microwave, I was sold. Gone are the days of trying to pull together multiple containers and lids….I now have just one bento lunch box-style system to contain a main meal and two sides.

Since we’re following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, I especially love that I can fit up to three of the containers inside the lunch bag. Since I have to cook everything we eat, the EasyLunchbox system made it very convenient to pack multiple items in one bag (no need to carry 2-3 lunch bags!) when we were traveling to conferences and camps in June and July.

If you only need one container, there’s still plenty of room for a thermos or water bottle! We fit two containers and a water bottle in the lunch bag while we were traveling last week.

What I love most:
- no BPA, phthalates, lead, vinyl, or PVC

- safe for the dishwasher, freezer, and microwave

- the lunch cooler bags are made of the highest quality 300D Polyester for premium durability and toughness. They are vinyl free (PVC-free) & lead free, with an FDA compliant PEVA lining

- the plastic hasn’t warped yet. No scratches either. The containers have held up very well!

- different colored container tops to make it easy to recognize lunches

- I have reduced the number of storage containers we have to clean after school by using only one EasyLunchbox three compartment container to pack my daughter’s lunch

- easy-to-clean lunch bags

- I looked at bento boxes and other lunchbox solutions, but EasyLunchbox was the most affordable for what you get in the system.

- They were created by a mom who understands what it’s like to pack lunches and provides lots of tips on her site and blog!

One thing that can be a little frustrating is that the containers are not leak-proof. I knew this when I bought mine because I saw a solution on Kelly’s site. I have tried it, and it works.

Want to win a back to school lunchbox (or maybe keep it for yourself!)?

Mandatory Entry:

Visit EasyLunchboxes.com and let me know which color lunch bag you like most.

Bonus Entries:

- Follow my blog on Google Friend Connect (right column) – 1 entry
- Follow EasyLunchboxes on Twitter – 1 entry
- Follow me on Twitter – 1 entry
- Like EasyLunchboxes on Facebook – 1 entry
- Like Craving the Savings on Facebook – 1 entry
- Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS reader (right column) – 1 entry

Rules:
- Be sure to complete the mandatory entry first! If you want to complete bonus entries, please leave a separate comment for each item. If you are already doing one or more of the bonus entries, be sure to leave a comment stating so!
- This giveaway will be open until August 25 at 11:59 PM Central. I will select the winner using Random.org.
- I will email the winner who will have 48 hours to respond, otherwise I will select a new winner.
- Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only.
- You must not have won anything from EasyLunchboxes.com in the past three months.

Good luck!

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this review. I won an EasyLunchbox system a few months ago through another blog and I also purchased a second EasyLunchbox system. I was given one system to use as a giveaway. I recently became an EasyLunchboxes.com Affiliate, so any purchases made through this post will earn me a commission. All earnings from July 2010 through July 2011 will be donated to Children and Arthritis at next summer’s Jambalaya Jubilee conference. All opinions in this blog post are my own.

My daughter is starting first grade in a few weeks where she will be taught in French 60% of the time. She’s been at the same school for the past three years and has been learning in English, French and Spanish, but this year, the French instruction will increase by 10%. Even though she gets English at home 95% of the time, I am not a teacher and I do not know what she should be learning at this age.

I want to make sure she does not fall behind on the basics of English for her grade level, so I have been looking for ways to make sure she is getting those basics while at home. When I saw that Rock ‘N Learn was looking for people to review their educational DVD for children ages six years old and older, I jumped on the opportunity!

My daughter and I have spent the past few weeks watching the Rock ‘N Learn Phonics Volume 1 DVD. My daughter thought it was rather “babyish” (her words) when she started watching it the first time, and she refused to watch the entire DVD. She said she already knew the lessons, but a few days later, she agreed to sit through the entire DVD with me. As the DVD progressed, the lessons became more difficult, and she had a much more positive reaction to the DVD. She started singing the songs and repeating the instruction.

While we were on vacation last week, I caught my daughter singing some of the songs without having watched the DVD, especially the “A E I O U and sometimes Y” song. This goes along with Rock ‘N Learn’s philosophy that a “steady beat helps encourage memorization.” Not only had she memorized the songs, but she also understood what they meant when I asked her questions about them.

The Rock ‘N Learn Phonics DVD program covers topics such as oral segmenting, word families, oral blending, rhyming phrases, short stories and sentence practice. And parents can print free worksheets that go along with the phonics program.

In addition to the phonics program, Rock ‘N Learn offers other products that cover a variety of subjects, including reading and writing, science, test preparation, math, foreign languages and social studies.

What I like most…
In addition to liking how the lessons are catchy and my daughter was able to remember some of the phonics rules after the DVD was turned off, I also really like that the animations on the Phonics Volume 1 DVD are not too fast-paced. So many television shows for children use flashing animations that move rapidly on the screen. I have tried to limit my daughter’s exposure to those kinds of shows as I don’t think they can be that great for her or her attention span. I felt very comfortable with the transition speed of the animations on this DVD.

Want to learn more?
Read about their awards and about the company.

Want to buy it?
The Rock ‘N Learn Phonics Volume 1 DVD is $19.99 or you can buy volumes 1 and 2 for $34.99. Learn more here.

Want to win it?
One lucky reader will win the Rock ‘N Learn Phonics Volume 1 DVD!

Mandatory Entry:

Please visit RockNLearn.com and let me know one other product they sell that you think looks interesting.

Bonus Entries:

- Follow my blog on Google Friend Connect (right column) – 1 entry
- Follow on Twitter – 1 entry
- Like Craving the Savings on Facebook – 1 entry
- Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS (right column) – 1 entry

Rules:
- Be sure to complete the mandatory entry first! If you want to complete bonus entries, please leave a separate comment for each item. If you are already doing one or more of the bonus entries, be sure to leave a comment stating so!
- This giveaway will be open until August 30 at 11:59 PM Central. I will select the winner using Random.org.
- I will email the winner who will have 48 hours to respond, otherwise I will select a new winner.
- The contest is open to the U.S. and Canada.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the Rock ‘N Learn Phonics Volume 1 DVD for review purposes, as well as one copy to use in a giveaway. I received no other form of compensation and all opinions are my own.

Good luck!

A month or so ago, I signed up to receive a sample of Glue Dots Adhesives through TwitterMoms so I could participate in the Summer Bonding Project. My daughter and I enjoy doing crafts together so I thought this would be something fun for us to do together.

When I received the samples, I was excited to see the variety of Glue Dots…. re-usable, permanent, mini, craft – some in applicators and some on sheets of paper. Since Glue Dots are supposed to adhere to a variety of surfaces, including paper/photos, metal, wood, plastic, textiles/fibers, plastic, and foam, my daughter and I decided to use them to make a decorative mirror for her bedroom.

We used a bunch of 40% Michael’s coupons to buy a mirror, wooden frame, colored paper, see-through mosaic squares and square beads.

First we measured the frame to figure out what size to cut the colored paper squares.

Then we used the Glue Dots applicator to spread the adhesive evenly on the wooden frame. It took us a few attempts to get the adhesives started, but once we figured out how to apply them, it was easy!

Once the Glue Dots covered the frame, we placed the colored paper squares. It was my daughter’s idea to place the blue on the corners and red and yellow in between the blue squares.

Then we used the Glue Dots applicator to apply the adhesive to the back of the mirror.

And once the mirror was set, we used the individual pages of Glue Dots stick the beads and mosaic squares to the colored paper.

Unfortunately we ran out of clear mosaic squares so we have not finished the frame. I set the frame upright on our fireplace mantle with plans to finish it and was disappointed that some of the beads and mosaic squares fell off. I also noticed the mosaic squares were not as straight as they were when we placed them on the colored paper. As a result, I’m not sure that Glue Dots were the best option for this type of project, but I would definitely use them for scrapbooking or making greeting cards. And I love how easy they were for my young daughter to use – non-toxic, acid-free, no mess and no need to wait for the adhesive to dry – so I would not hesitate to give them to her to do craft projects on her own or with friends.

Check out the Glue Dots Facebook Fan Page for ideas on how you can use their products.

Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Glue Dots blogging contest to be eligible to receive a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

I am finishing up my blog re-design and hope to launch on Monday, if all goes well. Once the new design is up, I will start blogging on a more regular schedule again!

A few things I wanted to share:

1. Free Nutrition Workshop (Dallas readers)

In the most recent In the Loop Kids newsletter, Christine shared this free nutrition workshop at Brookhaven Country Club on June 24:

Wellness By Design! Nutrition 911 – America’s Crisis!

A wellness presentation by Physician Assistant, Kristie Voglesberg hosted by Creative Nutrition. This presentation will focus on discussing foods that reduce our risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, allergies, as well as answering questions such as “How can I get my family to eat more fruits and veggies?” Information on eating to BEAT the Flu! What foods strengthen my immunity? And learning to read food labels.

FEE/COST: Free!
FULL DATE: Thursday, June 24, 2010
TIME: 7 – 8 PM
LOCATION: Brookhaven Country Club (3333 Golfing Green Drive, Dallas 75234)
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Joanna Chabot 214.505.8450

If you decide to go, let me know so we can meet!

2. $60 CSN Store Gift Code Giveaway

CSN Stores carry a variety of products. With more than 200 online stores, the winner of the $60 gift code will have many choices on how to spend it! You can put it toward a vanity or kitchen gadgets, for example. Take a look at all the CSN Stores and start thinking about how you would use the $60 if you win!

3. $20 Visa Giftcard Giveaway from Triscuit

Triscuit sent me some of their product in new packaging along with a $20 Visa Giftcard. I will share what the new packaging is about and will give you a chance to win the giftcard!

I look forward to getting your feedback on the new blog design once it goes live – the good and the bad!

I recently had the opportunity to review One eskimO’s self-titled debut album thanks to the One2One Network.

When I work past 3AM, I turn on VH1′s Nocturnal State for background noise to keep me awake. The show has introduced me to a few bands that catch and keep my attention. One eskimO is one of them.

One eskimO is a critically-acclaimed English band fronted by singer-songwriter Kristian Leontiou and includes musicians Pete Rinaldi (guitar), Jamie Sefton (bass, horns) and Adam Falkner (drums).

Their #1 hit “Kandi” has regularly played on VH1′s Nocturnal State as well as on adult alternative rock radio stations. I find myself singing along whenever I hear it! Watch the video on YouTube.

Since receiving the album, I have been listening to it while working. It’s very relaxing music – something I can listen to over and over without getting tired of it. I agree with Billboard Magazine, which calls the album “…catchy, ambient pop.”

At times (very brief moments), One eskimO reminds me of the 80′s and 90′s style music of Paul Simon, Michael Penn, Bryan Ferry and Jean-Jacques Goldman (French singer).

You can download their song “Astronauts” for free. Just click on the button that reads “& Download Astronauts”. Unfortunately the special offer appears to have been from the 2009 holidays since it is no longer $5.99 on iTunes.

One eskimO is on tour supporting Michael Franti, in addition to playing at festivals and headlining shows. Here are the upcoming dates:

May 26 – Smith’s Olde Bar (solo date) – Atlanta GA
May 28 – Outland on Liberty – Columbus OH
Jun 01 – The Guvernment – Toronto ON (Canada)
Jun 03 – The Beach at Governors Island – New York NY
Jun 04 – House of Blues – Boston MA
Jun 05 – Champlain Valley Exposition – Essex Junction VT
Jun 06 – Mountain Jam Festival – Hunter NY
Jun 08 – Royal Oak Music Theatre – Royal Oak MI
Jun 09 – Orbit Room – Grand Rapids MI
Jun 10 – Radio Radio – Indianapolis IN
Jun 12 – Minglewood Hall – Memphis TN
Jun 13 – Crossroads – Kansas City MO
Jun 15 – Blueberry Hill (solo date) – St. Louis MO
Jun 17 – 3rd & Lindsley (solo date) – Nashville TN
Jun 18 – Southgate House (solo date) – Newport KY
Jun 19 – Taste of Randolph Street (solo date) – Chicago IL
Jun 20 – People’s Court (solo date) – Des Moines IA
Jun 21 – Waiting Room (solo date) – Omaha NE
Jun 28 – Largo (solo date) – Los Angeles CA
Jul 01 – Anthology – San Diego CA
Aug 14 – The Fields at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Mile High Festival – Denver, CO
Nov 13 – Fox Theater – Boulder CO

Why do the musicians that I would like to see skip Dallas?

If you want to try to win a copy of the album and a t-shirt, check out these blogs.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the One eskimO album from the One2One Network in exchange for posting this review. All opinions (unless otherwise stated) are my own.

Tropicana started a new program in January called Tropicana Juicy Rewards.

When you purchase specially-marked Tropicana juice products, you will get a code that you can enter on the rewards Web site. The codes generate points that you can redeem for discounts at participating:

- Retail/Online stores
- Salons
- Performing Arts Venues
- Classes & Lessons
- Amusement Parks
- Home Improvement stores
- Travel
- and more.

I’m excited about this program because we purchase a lot of Tropicana juice and it’s always nice to have an extra bonus when purchasing something you consume regularly!

Do you plan to travel before the end of the year?

Save your rewards points and get discounts for your destination city! Be sure to read the offer terms & conditions before redeeming, but I didn’t see anything that would prohibit me from redeeming points to get discounts in Philadelphia this summer when we attend a conference there.

For Dallas readers, here’s a fabulous offer that I’m going to take advantage of this week…

As soon as I replace my printer’s ink, I will redeem 3 points for a Dallas Children’s Theater voucher to buy one adult ticket and get one child ticket free. This will be a savings of $16-21, depending on whether we sit in section A or section B. I usually try to get to their Target Saturday performance since the tickets are $10 each, but we missed it last month, so I was thrilled to see this opportunity.

- Check out what rewards are available near you.
I just looked through the Dallas-area ones again and noticed several new ones, so keep checking back if you don’t see something that appeals to you.

- Check out the program’s FAQs

- Register here and enter the code MOMCE-NTRAL to get a free point.
This one-time use code is valid for new accounts ONLY. Must be entered within 6 hours of creating your account.

- Get free codes by following Tropicana on Facebook and Twitter.

All points must be entered by November 15, 2010, but you can redeem your points until December 15, 2010.

Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in the Tropicana Juicy Insiders Ambassador program by Mom Central on behalf of Tropicana. I received 12 free Juicy Rewards points and a $50 Visa gift card to use in redemption of the points and to facilitate my review.

Congratulations to Robyn (Comment #1). You have 48 hours to respond to my email!

General Mills announced in late 2009 that they have reduced the sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 years old to single digit grams of sugar per serving. They have also been increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain. We try to avoid having sugary kids’ cereals in our house, but we had some while on vacation, which doubled as snacks in the car.

I tried some of these kids’ cereals (not General Mills) and my teeth became coated in a sugary residue. It was gross and I wanted to brush as soon as possible. I don’t remember this being an issue when I was a kid (I probably didn’t notice), and it didn’t seem to bother my daughter. I’m glad General Mills is making an effort to reduce sugar in kids’ cereals.

Here are some facts from General Mills/MyBlogSpark about ready-to-eat cereals:

* Ready-to-eat cereals, including pre-sweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children’s diets.

* Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child’s diet today.

* More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.

General Mills (through MyBlogSpark) has sent me a some free coupons to try out the new cereals. I am looking forward to trying a box to see if I can notice a difference.

Would you like to win a coupon for a free box of General Mills cereal?

I am giving away one of my coupons for a free box of General Mills cereal. Just leave a comment below before Friday, January 15 at 9:00 PM Central stating the General Mills cereal you would like to try with the coupon. I will use Random.org to select the winner after the deadline and will send an email to the winner. The winner will need to reply within 48 hours or I will select a new winner. I will be mailing the coupon directly to the winner.

You can also print $1.00/1 coupons for General Mills cereals.

Disclaimer: MyBlogSpark sent me free General Mills cereal coupons. I am giving one of my coupons away to a lucky reader. No other compensation was provided in exchange for this blog post.