Wordless Wednesday ~ "Movember 30th" ~

A HUGE thank you to all the men (and women) who did their part to raise awareness of prostate cancer!

Monica

Loose Button Promo

Sneak Peek, Part 1 (0:42 sec)

Sneak Peak, Part 2 (0:47 sec) 

If I'm lucky enough to receive a Special Edition Lancome Luxe Box by Loose Button, you may also receive one!
The top 25 bloggers will receive 2 boxes, one to keep and one to offer as a giveaway to their readers!
Vote daily for Older Mommy Still Yummy and maybe you'll win this, packed full of goodies,  Special Edition Lancome Luxe Box.


Monica

Healthy Living - Ideas?? Questions??

As with last week, for this weeks healthy living post,  I thought I would ask for some input from you. 

Are there any health related topics that you would like to see discussed?

• Any women's health questions? 
• Any general health topics that you would like to see discussed?
• Is there a particular disease or syndrome you would like to see information on?
• Aging related topics such as...why do people wrinkle as they age or why do they lose their hair...etc?
• Nutrition related topics?
• Breast health?
• STD's
• A specific surgery you want information on?

If you would like to know about it, chances are you're not alone, and there are others who would also like the same information. 


Over the next couple weeks I will have a look at your suggestions, do some research and begin to address your questions and ideas. 

Let me know what you would like to see and I'll do my best to make it happen!


Monica

Yummy Christmas Recipes ~ Christmas Morning "Husband" Saver ~

PHOTO FROM  FREECHRISTMASWALLPAPERS.NET

We make this every Christmas Eve and pop it in the fridge.  In the morning you just add the crumb mixture and bake.  Serve with fresh cut up fruit and hot cinnamon rolls, the perfect Christmas morning breakfast! 

PHOTO FROM GOOGLE FILES

This recipe was originally called Christmas Morning "Wife" Saver.   Well, in our house my husband always made the big Christmas breakfast so I felt it was only fitting to rename it!!

Christmas Morning "Husband" Saver

18-20 slices bread, crusts removed

Cooked ham slices or cooked sausage meat

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

6 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3/4 Tbsp

1/4 cup finely minced onion

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

3 cups milk

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 cups corn flakes, crushed

Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch buttered glass baking dish with half the bread, covering bottom completely.  Cover bread with meat, sprinkle cheese over meat and then cover cheese with remaining bread to form a big "sandwich".

In a large bowl whisk eggs, salt, pepper, mustard, onion, Worcestershire sauce and milk.  pour over 'sandwich".  Cover baking dish with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight.  In the morning mix crushed corn flakes and melted butter together.  Sprinkle over top of the "sandwich".  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour.

Hope you enjoy!

Monica

~ Dinosaur Train - T-Rex Tales DVD ~ Review

     In our home, PBS has been a family favourite for many years.  I trust their children's shows to be not only educational but high quality and family friendly television programming.
     Dinosaur Train embraces and celebrates the fascination that preschoolers have with both dinosaurs and trains while sparking an interest in life science, natural history and palaeontology.  The show encourages children to compare the characteristics of ancient animals with those that are alive today.  As they explore a variety of interesting animals past and present, they develop the natural inquiry skills and core knowledge needed to help them think, talk and act like scientists!

SUMMARY - 

     Get on board the Dinosaur Train with Buddy, an adorable dinosaur, and his adoptive Pteranodon family as they embark on nine whimsical voyages:

1.     I'm a T.rex

2.     Armoured Like Ankylosaurus

3.     T.rex Teeth

4.     Buddy Explores the Tyrannosaurs

5.     T.rex Migration

6.     Playdate with Annie

7.     Spiky Tail Tale

8.     Big Stomping Feet

9.     Don's Winter Wish

     In these special adventures, Buddy travels to Rexville, home of the Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaurs, and learns that he too is a Tyrannosaurus!   There are also opportunities to learn fun and fascinating new facts about the dinosaurs while traveling through prehistoric jungles, swamps, volcanoes and oceans.
     The running time of this video is 115 minutes which can be viewed in one sitting or you can watch each of the nine whimsical voyages separately.

     This charming and educational dvd is perfectly timed to the holiday gift-giving season.  The DINOSAUR TRAIN: T-REX TALES DVD includes a bonus holiday episode, interactive games, coloring pages, Dr. Scott’s Segments and a reference guide for parents.

BUY IT - 

Available from the PBS Kids Shop 

{I received the above mentioned product for reviewing purposes; all opinions expressed are my own.}

~ WINNERS ~

Congratulations to the confirmed winners and thank you to everyone who took the time to enter!


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 – on DVD

Ended 12:01 AM (EST) on November 27, 2011

AND THE WINNER IS...

Entry #71 stacey dempsey

Results powered by Random.org

One very lucky reader is going to win the same products I received.  One Nalgene, On the Fly and one Grip n’ Gulp.

Ended 12:01 AM (EST) on November 26, 2011

AND THE WINNER IS...

Entry # 184 Sarah Walker

Results powered by Random.org

One lucky reader is going to win a one-month supply of assorted Popchips all natural chips.

Ended 12:01 AM (EST) on November 26, 2011

AND THE WINNER IS...

Entry # 293 Denise Glazier

Results powered by Random.org


Monica

~ Current Giveaways ~

ALL OF THESE GIVEAWAYS HAVE THE EASY RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM

ENTER TODAY FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN -

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 on DVD Can/US Ends 11/27 (LAST CHANCE - Ends at 12:01 AM)
• Konsyl Fibre - Review & Giveaway Can/US Ends 11/30
• Win a trio of stunning prints by Oak Lawn Images Can/US Ends 12/7
• Win December's Luxe Box by Loose Button - Review & Giveaway Canada Only Ends 12/7
• Free Smartphone Long Distance Calling with High Liner Canada only Ends 12/10
• Confessions of a Suicidal Policewoman by Thomas Fitzsimmons - Review & Giveaway Can/US Ends 12/10
• Full Plate no fork by Darla Arni - Review & Giveaway Can/US Ends 12/10
• 3 Winners of ZoneFast Weight Lose Program valued at $179.00 each Can/US Ends 12/10
• Curamin Natural Pain Reliever, 60 ct. Can/US Ends 12/10
• Scampi The Scallop - Children's book open WW Ends 12/10
• 5 Winners of a Farmer's Almanac bundle Canada only Ends 12/10
• The Ice Dream Cookbook - Review & Giveaway Can/US Ends 12/17

Monica

Living Green, One Tip at a Time - (a weekly feature)

Tip # 35
Lower your thermostat by 4-5 degrees Celsius

With the colder winter months now upon us, our energy consumption starts to rise dramatically.  You can save energy if you:

• Lower your thermostat by 4-5 degrees Celsius (7-9 degrees Fahrenheit) while you're sleeping at night and when no one is at home.
• Install a programmable thermostat.  You can save 2% on your heating bill for every degree Celsius you turn down your thermostat.

Monica

"noreply-comment@blogger.com"

When I receive an e-mail comment on a non-giveaway post I always try to respond, even if it's just to say "thanks".  However, of late I have been noticing something I rarely encountered previously.  When I click reply, many e-mails now have the "noreply-comment@blogger.com", which makes it difficult to correspond and interact with many fellow bloggers.


I believe this is just an issue with "Blogger" blogs and if you want fellow bloggers to be able to respond to your e-mails you should probably check your settings. 


I am by no stretch of the imagination computer savvy, I learn from the school of try this, try that and try again!  To make it easier for any other computer novices, like myself, these are the steps I took:  

• Go to your blog and click on "design" in the upper right corner. 
• Now go to "dashboard" in the upper right corner and click on it. (Note - if you are using the "updated Blogger interface", you'll have to go back to the old interface to find the "dashboard" in this spot.)
• Now, to the right of your photo, second from the top you will see "Edit Profile", click on that.
• Under "Privacy", second item down, you will see "Show my email address", if the box is unchecked your comments will have the "noreply-comment@blogger.com" attached to them.  If you want to receive return comments, check that box and make sure you have an email address entered into your information.
• Scroll to the bottom and click "save"

Hope this helps and saves you some time and frustration!

Monica

~ CLOSED ~ 12 Days of Gifts Galore

Welcome to the 12 Days of Gifts Galore Giveaway Hop!   

There's over $5,000 in prizes offered to help you get the gifts you need this holiday season.  After you are done entering my giveaway you'll want to check out everyone else's AND you don't want to miss entering (on the Rafflecopter form below) for a chance to win one of three GRAND prizes sponsored by KUDZOOM.   

Don't forget to follow our hosts -

 Tales From the Nursery, Formula Mom, Mama on a Green Mission and Matter of Cents 

Enter to win -

A trio of stunning 5x7 prints, courtesy of
 Oak Lawn Images

Kathy, and her husband Bob, operate a home based business called Oak Lawn Images.  They sell individually crafted greeting cards and prints.  The stunning works of art in her portfolio are all images, taken by Kathy, of the scenic New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island areas.
Oak Lawn Images has very generously donated this trio of 5x7 photographs.  This enchanting collection will be won by a very lucky reader of Older Mommy, Still Yummy!!

Winter Fence Line

Roger's Road in Winter

Winter Meadow-Kingston

BUY IT -

To view the complete Oak Lawn Images collection or to order your own photos or greeting cards, visit Kathy at her Oak Lawn Images  Blog or Facebook site.

WIN IT -
Using the Rafflecopter form below, simply follow the instructions, complete the mandatory entry,  plus any or all of the optional entries for your chance to win this amazing prize!  Good luck!

(If you are new to Rafflecopter, click here for a 45 sec. tutorial on how to enter.)

Read more »

~ CLOSED ~ The Ice Dream Cookbook: Dairy-Free Ice Cream Alternatives with Gluten-Free Cookies, Compotes & Sauces by Chef Rachel Albert-Matesz ~ Review & Giveaway ~

If you are one of the tens of thousands of individuals living with a dietary restriction, or if you just want to avoid eating a lot of refined and overly processed foods, then you will want to keep this cookbook on a handy shelf in the kitchen.

This book is a veritable library of information with the first three chapters packed full of information on ingredients, shopping tips, equipment and techniques.  Even the “Introduction” is chock full of facts, stories, and trivia.

There are four complete chapters of Ice-Dream recipes, featuring not only the “Basic Flavors”, but also “Beyond the Basic Flavors”, “Coffee, Tea and Nut Flavors” and” Fruity Favorites”.   You’ll also find chapters on “Sauces”, “a la Mode” and “Additional Indulgences”.

When I review a cookbook, not only do I read it from cover to cover, I also like to try several of the recipes.  Given that it’s freezing outside and our yard is presently covered in over 30cm of snow, I decided to try something non Ice-Dream.

I made several of chef Rachel Albert-Matesz recipes including:

"My Favorite Macaroons" 

These were delicious!  I opted to make the "Mini Macaroon Cups" version, they were so simple and easy for such a spectacular treat.

This is a bowl of "Cashew Pralines".

Again: simple, easy and delicious.  The recipe says that stored in a covered jar, these will last 3 months.  Well, I'm not sure if that would ever happen, because at my home, the entire bowl was emptied in less than 3 hours!!

"Pumpkin Pudding Pie"

Before - 

After -

This pie was outstanding!!  My daughter, "hates" coconut and even though this recipe has 3/4 cup coconut milk, she didn't even know (well, she'll know now when she reads this!!)  She even asked if we could have this at Christmas instead of the pumpkin pie I usually make.   Once again, super easy, I just whirled it all together in the blender and poured it into the prepared pie shell.  The only change I would make is to add an extra teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice, I guess we're an extra spicy family!!

  

Don’t be misled into thinking this is a cookbook to pull out once or twice a summer when you want to make the ice cream alternative, “Ice Dream”.  This is most definitely a year round cookbook and one I’m sure you’ll find yourself reaching for time and time again! 

BUY IT:

To purchase one or more of Chef Rachel Albert-Matesz two cookbooks or her cooking DVD set, just visit here.

WIN IT:
One very lucky reader of Older Mommy Still Yummy will win there very own copy of The Ice Dream Cookbook: Dairy-Free Ice Cream Alternatives with Gluten-Free Cookies, Compotes & Sauces by Chef Rachel Albert-Matesz.  ARV - $30.00 (USD)   

Read more »

~ CLOSED ~ Promo & Giveaway - Free Smartphone Long Distance Calling with High Liner

Like many Canadians I have family and friends scattered all over the country, including a son who lives in Ontario.  We all want to stay in touch with our friends and family by speaking with them as often as possible, especially over the holiday season.  Let's face it though, those long distance charges can add up pretty quickly!
 High Liner understands our need to stay in touch and with the holidays quickly approaching, they have come up with an innovative way for us to save on connecting with our family and friends.
By buying specially marked packages of High Liner products, you will be able to enjoy forty free GL2GO long distance minutes on your smartphone.

GL2GO is an innovative smartphone app that works with any service provider and lets users make long distance calls at a fraction of the cost of normal long distance rates.  The long distance rate in Canada is less than two cents a minute, and by visiting 40 free minutes you’ll be able to redeem the code in your High Liner product for free GL2GO anytime minutes!

Package codes can even be combined, so users can enjoy up to 200 free minutes in total, which can then be used to call to call anywhere, anytime, from a smart phone on any network and calls don’t have to be limited to Canada either!

High Liner knows busy families are always looking for ways to save money and to connect more often with loved ones without the worry of "what is this costing me?!"  If you want to take advantage of this great promotion and enjoy some one on one time with family and friends, be sure to pick up some specially marked package of High Liner fish or seafood today and start dialing!! 

Visit here to learn more about the High Liner GL2GO promotion.

BUY IT -

High Liner products are available at most major grocery retailers.

WIN IT -

Three lucky readers of Older Mommy Still Yummy are going to receive a free product coupon from High Liner.

Read more »

Healthy Living - What would you like to see??

For this weeks healthy living post,  I thought I would ask for some input from you. 

Are there any health related topics that you would like to see discussed?

• Any women's health questions? 
• Any general health topics that you would like to see discussed?
• Is there a particular disease or syndrome you would like to see information on?
• Aging related topics such as...why do people wrinkle as they age or why do they lose their hair...etc?
• Nutrition related topics?
• Breast health?
• STD's
• A specific surgery you want information on?

If you would like to know about it, chances are you're not alone, and there are others who would also like the same information. 

Let me know what you would like to see and I'll do my best to make it happen!


Monica

~ CLOSED ~ Luxe Box by Loose Button ~ Review & Giveaway ~

The great people at Loose Button have sent me their November Luxe Box to review.
If you are unfamiliar with Luxe Box, it is a monthly subscription service from Loose Button that delivers 4-5 deluxe-sized (and sometimes full sized) beauty samples, all in a chic box, directly to your door.

The samples range from skincare and makeup to fragrance, body, and hair care and are from such brands as - Dermalogica,  Elizabeth Grant, Purminerals, Lancome, Principessa, Benefit, Stila, Consonant, Clinique, RMK, Calvin Cline, Cheeky Monkey and Mereadesso to name just a few. 
Each box is customized to you and also contains a card with usage tips, as well as product descriptions explaining each of the samples in your box.  

By now you are probably wandering, what was included in this month's box? Let's have a look.

Here is the outside of the November box.

Very classy packaging!!

Now,  I'm going to open the box!

I'm not sure if you can make it out, but the sticker says "Made for Monica"

Now I'll pull back the tissue to reveal the surprises inside!

Wow, it looks like a very exciting array of products.


I've set the contents out on a the table so you could have a closer look.

This is what I received in the November Luxe Box:


LISE WATIER
  Eye Glitter Liner:  Nothing adds glamour & sparkle to your eyes like a touch of Eye Glitter Liner.  Perfect for the holidays!  
I received: 2.5 mls
Full-size: 6mls [$18]

BENEFIT COSMETICS 
[A] Refined Finish Facial Polish:  Dull skin from daily stress?  This product beautifully brightens your complextion, gently exfoliating to purify your skin & help minimize the appearance of pores to reveal your natural radiance.
I received:  8.9g
Full-size:  127.5g [$22]
[B] Right Moisture Prep Toning Lotion: The special step for extra radiant skin that smooths & revitalizes, allowing skin to fully optimize benefits of your moisturizer.
I received:  8.9mls
Full-size:  177.4mls [$29]

ESSIE
Nail Polish: the colour I received is called Fifth Avenue, it's exactly right for the holidays!
I received:  15mls [Full size]
Full size:  15mls [$8]


TEAOPIA [BONUS]
Cactus Fig Tea Kit:  Naturally flavoured blend of Organic Sencha Green Tea, fig pieces, aloe vera, sandalwood and orange flowers.  I haven't tried it yet, but, it smells delicious. They also sent along 3 little paper tea filters that fit your tea mug and a little card with a code for 20% off your entire in store or on line purchase.
I received:  50g [Full size]
Full size:   50g [$7]


OLAY [Another bonus]
Olay Regenerist:  I also received a 7ml tube of Wrinkle Revolution Complex.  It wasn't mentioned in the write-up, so I'm thinking they must have noticed my photo somewhere and thought they should slip that in!!

These boxes are well worth the monthly cost.  As you can see, the products I received were worth way more than the $12.00/month [maximum] that you would spend. 

Sign up for Luxe Box, visit them on Facebook or read their blog for great tips on beauty.

This is a great way to try high end beauty products without spending a fortune only to find out you don't really care for the product. 
The cost is very reasonable at 12.00 monthly, 36.00 quarterly or 120.00 yearly (that's two months free!!)

Luxe Box is currently only available in Canada but Loose Button is working hard to make this available in other countries around the world.

I love Luxe Box so much that I am now signed up with Loose Button to receive these monthly surprises! 


SIGN UP -  If you want to receive your own chic box of surprise each month, simply sign up here.
WIN DECEMBERS LUXE BOX -  Using the Rafflecopter form below, simply follow the instructions, complete the mandatory entry,  plus any or all of the optional entries for your chance to win this amazing prize!  Good luck!

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