What Mommy Wants is now KID-FREE. This blog is focusing on Mommy who is more than a mom. She is a wife and a woman, there will topics of a more mature nature. If you are not comfortable with these topics please take a moment to unsubscribe. I appreciate your loyalty this far!
Also note that there are occasional affiliate links that help support my blogging efforts.
Thank you!
Melissa

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Totseat Travel Highchair Review

     How many of us go to restaurants and gasp at the sight of the highchairs? I know I try my best to keep Charlotte from trying to put her mouth on the front bar! I didn't see it get cleaned, I don't know what cleaner they used if they did clean it! YUCK!
     I was browsing Hello Baby Direct and saw the Totseat Travel Highchair and just had to see if they were interested in letting me tell you guys all bout it! They loved the idea and sent me one in the Chocolate Chip print.
     The highchair uses any normal dining chair and straps to it. It has a 3 point buckle system to keep your tot in place. Not only do you not have to worry about them chewing on the cross bar but they also get to feel like they are part of the group by sitting in a grown up chair! The Totseat Travel Highchair comes in a convenient carrying bag!

My Experience:
It took a few tries for me be able to attach it to the chair but I liked being able to have Charlotte in a regular chair. The straps are durable and kept her safe. I would still not leave her unattended of course! The print is cute (there are others available) and the fabric is also durable! 

What I might Change:
The only issue I had was that while in the chair she couldn't sit at the table without a booster seat. I'm sure adding a booster seat at a restaurant would be easy. Just adjust the height of the highchair back so that it sets above the booster, I would imagine. I didn't have the opportunity to test out that theory.

Where you can buy a Totseat:
The Totseat Travel Highchair is approximately $36 USD. They are based in the UK so the price in GBP was 22. (I used google to convert the dollar amounts) It is available at their online nursery shop.
Hello Baby also sells a fantastic variety of of other baby and nursery items including baby toys, nursery furniture, travel and safety products.


I received a sample in exchange for this review. All opinions are 100% my honest opinions!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Marvel's "The Avengers" In Theaters May 4th! The Trailer and photos!


In MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS the world’s greatest Super Heroes assemble when Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Hawkeye and Black Widow join S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Nick Fury to protect the world from the dangerous and powerful villain, Loki. Watch the trailer below the photos!
In theaters May 4th!
“Like” MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MarvelsTheAvengers
 Follow MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS on Twitter: twitter.com/avengers


Monday, March 26, 2012

Pin from A to Z


I have teamed up with several other fantastic bloggers for a blog hop called "Pin from A to Z". Each blogger has been assigned a letter feature. The letter given to What Mommy Wants is "G"! Most of my "Pins" are from Pinterest and others are photos of mine! I took the liberty of getting slightly creative with my interpretation of the letter "G"...
Please check out the list below of all the other letters of the alphabet and of course I highly suggest pinning some of your favorites! If you are not already on pinterest please email me and I will send an invitation! 0WhatMommyWants0 AT gmail DOT com


Giraffe








Garden

Glowing

Glamorous

Grasp
Girls

Thanks for hopping by! Please pin and Check out the rest of the list:


Sunday, March 25, 2012

{Recipe} Easter Culinary Creation With Mrs. Cubbison's ~ Cauliflower Mac & Cheese Casserole!


     Mrs. Cubbison's is the best dressing mix I have found. I love the flavors already included in the mix and its very easy to make a delicious and simple stuffing but of course I like to get creative sometimes...
     I was very lucky to be selected as a blogger for Mrs. Cubbison's Easter Culinary Creations Blogger program! For this program I was sent a box of Mrs. Cubbison's Seasoned Stuffing/Dressing mix and Seasoned Croutons! Mrs. Cubbison's has been trusted by families for over 60 years for the most important meals of the year. Not only have I used Mrs. Cubbison's to enhance and flavorize my favorite sides, I also have some great ideas and tips from Mrs. Cubbison's to share with you as well. So, after you read through the recipe, keep going! There are some great tips below my recipe. And of course you can always find more tips and holiday ideas on Mrs. Cubbison's Facebook Page!


Cauliflower Mac & Cheese 
(Your kids won't even know its in there!)

Ingredients:
1 Head of Cauliflower chopped
One 16 oz box of any curly pasta
3 T Butter or Margarine
1 small onion
3 Tablespoons + 3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour (separated)
Salt 
Pepper
1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
 2 Cups Milk (whole milk works best but use what you have)
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese (or any other favorite cheese)
Mrs. Cubbison's Stuffing/Dressing Mix 
1/4 Cup Chicken Broth

*Preheat oven to 350. Spray 13X9" baking dish and set aside.

Cook pasta according to package instructions, adding Cauliflower to the boiling pasta for the last 3 minutes of cooking. 
While the pasta is boiling start melting 3 Tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan with the chopped onion over medium/high heat until the onions are soft and shiny:
Once your onions are cooked reduce heat to low/medium and add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and garlic powder to them. Mix thoroughly then sprinkle the flour on top. Whisk the flour into the mix and cook just a minute. It should look like this:
Whisk in milk and stir frequently until it starts to thicken! {Don't forget about that pasta :) This is about the time I have to strain the pasta/cauliflower then return it to the pan I cooked it in}
When your milk mixture is a little thinner than glue, remove from heat and add the shredded cheese:
Pour your "from scratch" cheese sauce over the pasta mixture:
 Mix in and then pour into your baking pan:
Mix one package of Mrs. Cubbison's Stuffing/Dressing Mix with 3 tablespoons melted butter and 1/4 cup of chicken broth and spread on top of your pasta/cauliflower:
 Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until topping is golden brown! Then serve with all of your Easter creations!
Here are some more tips from Mrs. Cubbison's:

EDIBLE EASTER STUFFING CENTERPIECE
Combine 1 box (2 bags) stuffing mix with ¾ cup chopped celery, ¾ cup chopped onion, 1 cup broth, juice or water, ½ cup canola or vegetable oil and 2 large eggs, lightly beaten. Press moistened stuffing firmly into a greased Bundt cake pan and bake in a preheated 375° oven for 30 minutes. Allow pan to cool before turning out onto a serving plate. Fill the center with shredded cabbage and add colored Easter eggs.
STUFFING EASTER EGGS! 
Using the same recipe above, shape the moistened stuffing into egg shapes and arrange on a cookie sheet with a light coating of cooking oil spray; bake stuffing “eggs” in a preheated 375° oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve stuffing eggs with shredded cabbage “grass” beneath them or in a colorful linen-lined Easter basket.
ADD SPRINGTIME COLOR AND FLAVOR!
LOVELY LAMB – Transfer prepared stuffing mix to the center of a large white or ivory platter; stack roasted rack of lamb on top and arrange fresh steamed Brussels sprouts, and cooked baby carrots around the meat adding fresh mint for garnish.   For another healthful twist, cook lima beans in chicken broth and toss with sautéed onions, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.  Arrange around the lamb with lemon wedges as garnish.
HAM’S PERFECT PARTNER -- Stir in ½ cup bacon bits, 1 cup dried cherries, and one small can (drained) of pineapple chunks to the basic stuffing recipe; bake as usual and top with sliced, hard boiled eggs.  Serve along side glazed pineapple ham.


What's you favorite Easter side dish?


I received a sample from Mrs. Cubbison's to create this recipe. I was compensated in no other way and all opinions are 100% mine! I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Friday, March 23, 2012

New Giveaway with 8 prizes from ZuuzStyle!

A fantastic new giveaway for you! I have already entered! And guess whats even better... If you refer someone wins you get the same prize!!!!

That means if I refer you and you win, I get a prize and if you refer someone and they win, you get the same prize! It is a real win/win!


These are the prizes:

  • The prizes for Week 1 (winners selected on April 2, 2012) are 2 $25 Free People Gift Cards
  • The prizes for Week 2 (winners selected on April 9, 2012) are 2 $50 ModCloth Gift Cards
  • The prizes for Week 3 (winners selected on April 16, 2012) are 2 $50 Sephora Gift Cards
  • The prizes for Week 4 (winners selected on April 23, 2012) are 2 $100 Macy’s Gift Cards







There are 2 requirements for entry:
Sign up for the zuuzStyle “Daily Dose of Style” emails (You can do that HERE remember What Mommy Wants referred you!)
Be a member of zuuzs (you can do that HERE)

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Sew Is Your Baby! Video Review & Giveaway!


Eco-friendly, fashionable & fun…sew is your baby!

The diaper I was sent is the Tiger Minky Pocket diaper with reddish-brown stripes on a cream background. I said I wanted gender neutral and this is perfect!
We had fun taking pictures for this review. The weather is so nice that we decided to go in the front yard and visit the gnomes! I did a video review of this diaper so that you can see it in action! The video will show the stretch of the elastic, the snaps and more! Check it out here then scroll down the page for more info and a giveaway!
My Experience:
We really love this diaper! There is great stretch in the waist, pocket opening and leg gussets. I prepped my diapers by washing 3 times in Rockin Green detergent before using them. I had no leaking at all! This diaper fit Charlotte very comfortably with much room to grow! This diaper seems to be quite durable!
No plumber butt!
What I like about Sew Is Your Baby:
  • Even though there is a single leg gusset it still held up very well against a full diaper! 
  • The pocket has elastic on both sides of the opening which keeps the insert from working its way out!
  • The variety of prints on the website is fantastic. I also like that some are minky and some are silky!
  • Shipping is free with no minimum purchase (US only, $2 in CAN under 3 lbs)
  • Snaps work very well, not too hard and not too easy!


What I might change:
Nothing! This diaper had NO issues here! 

Find Sew Is Your Baby:

Win a Sew Is Your Baby Diaper!
One of my lucky blog followers will win a diaper of their own from Sew Is Your Baby! Please use the rafflecopter form below to enter! Good Luck!

Spring Buzz Giveaway Hop~Win Your Photo on Aluminum ($44.95) and hop to many more!

Spring Buzz GRAND PRIZE: ENTER TO WIN a Kindle Fire!
Make sure you put What Mommy Wants as the blog that referred you!

Spring Buzz Hop is hosted by Sweep Tight and Just Married with Coupons and the Grand Prize is sponsored by BeeSavy.  Save Time, Save Money, Make Money. See what the buzz is about at BeeSavy.


Here on What Mommy Wants you could win a fantastic 11"X14" photo printed on Aluminum with  a waterproof seal and a floating wall mount! A value of $44.95! I made a video on how to create your Aluminyze photo and how mine turned out in my Sponsor Spotlight! After you have entered here don't forget to go to the bottom of the post for the list of other amazing GIVEAWAYS!


Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Sponsor Spotlight Review ~ Aluminyze (Spring Buzz)

Sponsoring What Mommy Wants in the Spring Buzz Giveaway Hop is Aluminyze!

Aluminyze your photos not only to display them in amazing quality, but to also preserve them! Aluminyze puts your photos on aluminum and adds a high quality, waterproof sealant on top. I had a lot of fun putting one of my photos on aluminum!

Sizes available: 
8"X10" ($24.95)
11"X14" ($44.95) 
16"X20" ($79.95) 

Heart Shaped sizes:
11" diameter $49.95
16" diameter $79.95

     I got to review the 8"X10" rectangle for you guys! I even made a video showing the process of ordering it online and how long it took to ship! I ordered on Feb 22 and received my aluminyzed photo on March 5th. Very good turn around!
    My photo also came with the standard easel style backer, which allows me to hang it or place it on a table top! There are other options as well, including a mount which allows it to float away from the wall or a pedestal.
     Here is my video of the whole process:


My Experience:
It was easier than I thought to order my photo! The shipping time was amazing and I love the way it turned out! I did think the color on my giraffe was a bit too orange in some spots but after seeing it in the light it looks fantastic! I would definitely order from Aluminyze again!

Find Aluminyze:

Win a 11"X14" Aluminyzed photo!!!
They are giving to one of my lucky fans a 11"X14" photo with an upgraded backer! March 21 I will post the giveaway page for Spring Buzz! Make sure you are signed up for my emails so you can get a reminder when it is posted! Sign Up Here! I will also link to the giveaway page HERE when it is live so you could bookmark too. Good luck!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Jamberry Nails Review, Giveaway and Video Tutorial!

OK, I'm pretty rough on my nails. I bite them and I don't take care of them like I used to. Before Charlotte I did my nails at least once a week! These days I find it isn't worth the time since I am just going to smudge or chip them right away!

When I had the opportunity to review Jamberry Nail Shields I was very excited. The thought of having my nails last for a couple weeks without chipping was very appealing! I decided to do Amber's toes to practice and I video taped the process. Check it out:


Buy Jamberry Nail Shields
You can buy them from Chanin at her website: http://chanin.jamberrynails.net

Win Jamberry Nail Shields!
Chanin has also agreed to giveaway a set of nail shields to one very lucky What Mommy Wants reader. Just use the Rafflecopter form below to get your entries in!

Friday, March 16, 2012

What's in my VoxBox from Influenster?


Look at all that fantastic goodness! Go ahead, marvel at its glory! I got all of these fantastic items in my free Love VoxBox from Influenster! If you aren't familiar with Influenster, it is a community of trendsetting individuals who are given the opportunity to use their influence to qualify for free products, rewards and exclusive deals from amazing companies! When I signed up for Influenster I unlocked "badges" which told them more about me. For example I have the mom badge, green badge, youtuber badge, blogger badge, outdoorsy badge and a bunch more! You get qualified for a themed VoxBox, when you receive it you use the products, review them, share via facebook, blog, video, etc. Then you do brand challenges which give you access to even more prizes from the companies. 

Here is more about the goodies in my Love VoxBox! Some of them are not even available yet...

Venus & Olay Razor ($8.99-$10.99)
The Gillette Venus has teamed up with Olay to bring women to gold standard in shaving with the new Venus & Olay Razor! This razor has a moisturizing bar from Olay to help lock moisture is as you shave while the five blades on the Venus shave you close!

The ultimate in nail fashion for finger tips and toes! Super easy peel and stick, then just trim and file for a spectacular nail that lasts longer than polish! Watch for my tutorial video using them!

This sampler pack has 9 amazing flavors to try out! With 2 of each flavor I might be inclined to share, maybe not... They are all naturally caffeine free and made from 100% natural ingredients. Just a steep for 3-5 minutes and ready to sip! I can't wait to try the Lemon Ginger and Licorice Spice!

With 32% Cacao this decadent milk chocolate bar is just begging to be savored! This Creamy Devotion Bar is an experience! Of course Ghirardelli only uses the finest natural ingredient!

Truvia Natural Sweetener ($3.99 for a 40 count box)
I got a sample box with about 8 packets, LOVE this stuff! Truvia is made from the sweetest part of the Stevia plant. This no calorie sweetener did the job with less packets than I normally use in my coffee!

If you are interested in checking out any of these companies I have linked their names to their Facebook page! 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

My FB Flash giveaway!

Win this package:
If I get 20 New email subscribers AND 20 New GFC followers I will give away... a random package containing a Hugo Naturals handcrafted soaps, 5 coupons for the new flavors of Hamburger Helper, a full size Crest Pro Health For Me toothpaste, 2 Oral-B toothbrushes & samples of Cars Gummies vitamins! ALL to 1 winner! Ends tonight at 12 PM EST!

This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook! I am supplying the prizes from my own stash! GOOD LUCK!
As of this posting there are 362 email subscribers and 560 GFC followers!

Giveaway: $100 Amazon Code! Win right here!

Who wants to win a $100 Amazon.com Gift Card?


Spring Break started yesterday in our house and we are having fun all week. Today we are headed to the zoo! Guess what? Fun costs money! So, to help out with some spring break activities, you could head over to Amazon with your new $100 gift code!
What Mommy Wants teamed up with realmomsrealdeals.com and a bunch of other awesome sites to bring you this $100 amazon gift card giveaway.


It's easy to enter. Simply use our Rafflecopter to submit your entries. Good-Luck from What Mommy Wants!
About Real Moms Real Deals:
We are, 100% committed to bringing fantastic REAL deals, to REAL mom’s, like you!
What does this mean, exactly?
It means squeal-inducing savings, up to 90% off…nope, not a typo!…on products you actually use and love! We also proudly support hand crafted items right along with brand name items, so for those of you who have an affinity for beautiful craftsmanship that comes only from hand crafted items, we’ve got you covered!
Not only are we super diverse in the brands we offer our deals on, we also have a wide range of products available to you! Everything from baby clothes to home décor (and more!). Come see what fun daily deals you can snag today!!!
Right now on Real Moms Real Deals you can get some of these great deals:
160 yards per spool: Twine in fun colors! $5.37 (limit 20 spools)
Fun project to use twine!

Set of 4 chrysanthemum bobby pin $3. You choose color scheme!
And More....



Monday, March 12, 2012

Is there and Easter Bunny in your house?

Last year's matching dresses
     I have been thinking more about Easter coming up. As spring approaches we start seeing the yummy goodies for baskets being stocked. Just before we found out we were pregnant with Charlotte we told Amber the truth about the Easter Bunny (Santa, Tooth Fairy, etc.) She pretty much already knew! She has always been very smart so I had wondered why she hadn't said something sooner. Anyway, I thought at almost 10 she was overdue! Now that we have Charlotte, we are starting up the basket tradition again. This year will be Charlotte's second Easter. Last year I made both girls Easter dresses! This year I am thinking of buying a bunny costume for Charlotte! She would look so cute! I found one for $20.
     I'm not sure if I will do it though. While it is very cute, I think she should be in a beautiful dress and leave the Easter Bunny for the "Easter Bunny". I'm still torn. Do you think its too much like kids Halloween costumes? Should I wait for Halloween?
     Back to the subject. My sister never did the "Santa/Easter Bunny/Tooth Fairy thing" with her kids. She didn't want to lie to them, which I understand, kinda. There was a time when her son told Amber that there was no Santa. My sister flipped! This was just after she told me that he knows not to say anything to other kids, haha.
     When did your kids find out about the Easter Bunny? Who told them? I'm very curious!


This is a sponsored post. While I will receive some compensation for this post, the story herein is 100% mine and is also true! 

Spring Break Starts Today {Manic Mommy Monday}

Manic Mommy Monday!
After my post you can hop around to other fantastic MMM posts. Links are below!

     And Amber is already bored! Our plans for the week include going to the zoo, cleaning and recording some review videos. I have some fun girly reviews for you! Today I was going to set up some blog posts for the week so I could spend some quality time with my girls. Instead I will write this post then get cleaning... I worked this weekend, which means it was hubby and girls alone in the house pretty much all weekend. Tornado "momsatwork" must have hit while I was gone!
     Saturday Amber cleaned up the kitchen so that we could do waffle Sunday. It looked very nice when I got home Saturday at 4:00. Hubby and Amber made homemade pizza while I kicked back then after we ate he surprised us with a trip to the carnival! We had a blast for a couple hours until all the teenagers showed up. It just kinda happened that way, we didn't leave because of them. However, if we weren't already out of ride tickets we might have considered it. We got home watched some TV and went to bed.
     Sunday we woke up and made waffles before I got ready to leave for work. They were delicious as usual! I went to work thinking that someone might clean up "waffle mayhem". Sadly, when I returned home not only was waffle-tastrophy still present in our kitchen, leftover-geddon joined the party... and that was just the kitchen. In the living room Charlotte's toy bin must have been exploded all over the floor.
     Monday... Here I sit...Writing this post... Just after my mother-in-law called to say she would be here in a couple of hours... I love my mother-in-law, but I don't enjoy company in the wake of Tornado "momsatwork"! So, yeah feeling a manicy!



Friday, March 9, 2012

Why my kids are 10 years apart, I beat PCOS!

Warning: This post may contain subject matter which may be considered TMI! You have been warned. Also this post is a little long. I am packing in 10 years of information after all.

Whenever someone asks how old my kids are and I tell them almost 12 and 15 months I suddenly grow a second head! OK, well, form the look that shows on their face you might think I did! So I proceed with my "story"...
     I met my husband when we were 14. When we were 17 we were surprised with a beautiful redhead that we named Amber! She is awesome, smart, loving and generous! When she was about 3 I started wanting another baby. Hubby and I were not yet married, we were living in our own apartment but Hubby wasn't ready to have another baby (smart guy). I still decided to stop taking birth control.
     After Amber's birth, at my 6 week postnatal check up I got my first Depo shot. I hadn't started a cycle yet and little did I know, I would for a long time. I continued on Depo for a year and a half with out missing a shot and only having a light spotting at about the time I was due for another one. I decided that I needed to switch to birth control pill. The doctor I was seeing thought since I wasn't having a period that I could just go straight to the pill without starting a new cycle. I followed as instructed for about 6 months and had a regular cycle on the 4th week of the pill packet.
     When I stopped taking the pills my period stopped too. I went an entire year with no period. Every doctor I saw thought that since I wasn't trying to conceive, and was still quite young it wasn't a big deal.
     Fast forward to when we did decide to actually TRY to conceive. I was tracking everything. Temperatures in the morning, cervical mucous, cervical opening, ovulation predictor kits... you name it I peed on it or checked it! I researched everything that had to do with reproducing. I had accounts on Fertility Friend, WebMD and several other sites that had any information! At times I considered my options including adoption, finding an egg bank, in-vitro, I just wanted another baby!
Amber and her baby sister!
     I finally convinced a doctor to do some testing. The way my insurance worked at the time required me to enroll in a "fertility program" so getting any testing would not happen because they wanted $1500 up front. My doctor was able to do a full hormone workup without this program. This test showed everything was normal! Then why didn't have a period? She suggested losing weight. Her claim about excess weight was proven by my research so I lost 60 lbs! NOTHING! My research had also shown that FSH (folicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) levels should only be tested on the 3rd day of the cycle. Because there was no cycle it was done on a random day. That was why my levels were normal!
     We moved to Arizona in December 2007 and stopped trying to conceive. In 2009 I went in for a well woman exam and was asked the date of my last period. I told the RN taking my info that it had been about a year. She was shocked that any doctor would allow that. When my new doctor came in the room she told me that going for a long time without a cycle could cause all kinds of problems including cancer. She immediately took a pregnancy test, prescribed Provera to induce a period so that she could run a full blood panel including hormones (the way it should have been done 5 years prior in CA) and ordered an ultrasound of my ovaries. In 2 weeks I had a diagnosis for PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). There were no cysts on my ovaries (my right ovary was slightly enlarged but not an issue) but, the LH and FSH levels were backward from what they should be. The LH and FSH flip-flop is a perfect indicator of PCOS! The solution: Metformin! Metformin is the generic form of Glucofage, a very common drug used to treat diabetes. It is not yet approved by the FDA for fertility usage but I (and Charlotte) are proof that it works.
Charlotte's Birthday! Before she was named...
     After 3 cycles on Metformin, I found out that I was pregnant with Charlotte! We weren't really trying anymore, I had given up and started coming to terms with the fact that I would never be pregnant again. I was blessed again and I have a solution if we decide to try for one more! If you are not satisfied with your caregiver find a new one or speak up! It could change your life!








This is a sponsored by post provided to me by blogsvertise. I may receive compensation for this post, however, all experiences and opinions stated are 100% mine.

My baby food making process

I am moving this off of my recipes tab and going to link to it from there so it can be easily found. Please feel free to check out the new (still adding) Recipes page!

My Baby food process is a little more work at first. I usually prep everything in one day and it lasts a few weeks to a month. I know we all want things to be easier but in the long run it is! I will explain that in a minute. 

Step one: cook food
Step two: puree in food processor, blender, or hand held blender. Whatever you have will work!
Step three: put puree into piping bag (or large storage baggy and snip off a corner).
Step four: pipe into ice cube trays and freeze!
Step five: put baby food cubes into a large freezer bag and label.

     Why its easier: Each cube is 1-2 oz of food depending on your cube tray. No measuring, no waste, and its all natural. I know exactly what is in Charlotte's food!! I just pop a couple cubes in a glass ramekin or small bowl and either nuke it or place it in a bowl of hot water to melt. If I microwave it, I make sure to put it in a glass container. When I have the time I defrost it in a bowl of hot water I might use plastic.

My favorite babyfood and everybody recipes are on the new Recipes page! There isn't much there yet but I am working on it :)

Recipe: Lazy no-roll Enchiladas (Enchiladasagne)

Amber and I call this one Enchilada-sagne (combining Enchilada with Lasagne) because of the layered enchilada ingredients. It's super easy. Usually this is what I make on the days I go grocery shopping. By the time I shop, load the car, unload the car & put everything away I do not feel like cooking! So I grab a rotisserie chicken from the deli but it gets even better:


Ingredients:
Shredded Chicken (let the rotisserie chicken cool before going at it, sounds obvious but I forget, lol)
1 large can of your favorite enchilada sauce (I use green but red is also delicious)
2 C. shredded pepper jack or Monterrey jack cheese
10-12 corn tortillas (varies)
Non-stick cooking spray

Optional:
sliced black olives
sliced green onion
sour cream

1.Start by spraying a 13X9-ish (mine is a bit smaller from Princess House) baking dish. If using a metal pan, I like to line with foil then spray for easy clean up!
2. Start Layering! I always start with a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan to keep the tortilla from getting hard.
My usual order: sauce>tortilla>chicken>cheese>sauce>tortilla>chicken> cheese!

TIPS:

  • When you put the tortillas on I sometimes tear a couple into smaller pieces to fill in gaps
  • When you have placed your tortilla layer give it a little press down to squeeze out some of the air and spread the sauce below.
3. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and sauce is bubbly.
4. Remove from oven and let sit about 5 minutes.
5. Top with sour cream, olives, green onion and serve with beans and rice! ENJOY! 

Lady Soma Natural Skin Care Review

     Lady Soma is a fabulous company that is created for women's bodies. Their products include women's health and nutritional supplements as well as fabulous skin care to support a woman's body from the inside out!


Lady Soma never uses theses ingredients:
Sulfates
Parabens
Propylene Glycol
Mineral oils 
Silicone
Synthetic fragrance 
Dyes


    Lady Soma specializes in using these healthy and natural ingredients, please click on them for more information provided by Lady Soma:


     I have been able to share with you, my fabulous readers, their skincare line! I received the Lady Soma Full Body Kit to test out and I will share my thought with you! The full body kit includes all 3 of their skincare products. I will go over each one separately.



Antioxidant Berry Masque


     The Antioxidant Berry Masque is made with berries known for their antioxidant properties. From the ingredient list, here are some of them; Cranberry Fibers, Organic Blueberry, Pomegranate and Organic Rhubarb! YUM! Of course there are also added vitamins A and E as well as some natural oils like grape seed oil and tangerine essential oil! There are some other ingredients which are clearly stated on the products page and packaging. 

     Directions for use were very simple! Apply over face and neck, leave on for 8 minutes, rinse and follow with moisturizer or serum. Easy enough, right. I thought so. 

Benefits:
     The berries in this masque use their antioxidant properties to detox your skin. This also helps with collagen production and cellular renewal. The glycolic and alpha lipoic acids have an effect similar to microdermabrasion clearing out dead skin cells to show off the new layer beneath!

My experience:
     I did not time the 8 minutes as suggested. My face routine is, well, almost non-existent. I don't have time for a separate face washing session so I do it in the shower. Before getting in the shower I opened the masque and immediately got lost in the delicious aroma! It smelled like a fruit smoothie and I was tempted to taste it! I resisted and covered my face with it instead. I left it on in the shower during my shampoo and conditioner routine. While shampooing I noticed it starting to tingle! After conditioner I rinsed my face. My skin felt refreshed. After the treatment my skin stayed fairly pink for about 45 minutes. Overall: I think the masque worked very well! There was a noticeable difference in my skin and I would recommend it to my friends who are worried about the nasty chemicals in their skincare products! I would also recommend timing the treatment better than I did...



Renewal Serum



      The Renewal Serum contains Hyaluronic Acid which occurs naturally in your skin. You can read more about that in the link above. The hyaluronic acid and vitamin A penetrate deep into the dermal layer to repair damaged skin by stimulating new cell development. 
     The directions for the Renewal Serum are just as simple as the masque! Smooth several drops on face and neck  after cleansing. May be used day or night.

Benefits:
Deminishes fine lines, minor scars, age spots and sun damage
Skin brightener
restores complexion and evens skin tone

My experience:
     After my shower/facewash. I applied 3-4 drops of the Renewal Serum to my face and neck. It absorbed very quickly! I love the way it feels. It's very silky, making face smoother as well. I have used the serum several times over the past 2 weeks or so and have noticed a difference in my skin! I have very freckled skin (to the point of teasing as a kid!) which makes it difficult for my complexion to be even toned. It actually seems to have slightly lightened my freckles! I searched for years as a kid for something to get rid of my freckles. I'm not saying that this serum got rid of them! I'm saying that my skin tone is more even and that I sometimes don't even wear foundation now! When I do wear foundation, the foundation seems to provide more coverage. I even was asked by a coworker if I had lost weight because my faced looked better. Her words were "Your face looks thinner and younger! Have you lost weight?" I have not lost weight, the only thing that changed was my new Lady Soma facial routine! 

Skin & Nail Treatment


     The Skin & Nail Treatment is exactly what it says. It's a cream that has Cocoa, Shea and Kokum Butters in it to moisturize and heal dry skin and nails. This deep moisturizer smells amazing!
    Directions couldn't be easier. Rub it in! LOL! Specifically it says to also massage in circular motions over nails and cuticles. You may also apply several times a day as needed. I have to say that after the first use I didn't need it again all day!

Benefits:
Heals dry hands
Soft, supple healthy looking cuticles
Stronger, shinier nails

My Experience:
     Amber and I have both tried this out because we have been doing a lot of Mommy-Daughter activities involving our nails. (be on the look out for a nail product review/giveaway) Before school Amber applied the Skin & Nail Treatment to her hands. We both noticed how lovely it smelled! It was a sweet, natural (not over powering and artificial) smell with some floral-ish notes. When I picked her up from school the first thing she said was "Mom, I couldn't stop smelling my hand today! Here. Smell! They still smell like that new stuff we put on!" 
     I an in love with this Skin & Nail Treatment! I work in retail dealing with money constantly so I go through a lot of hand sanitizer. The alcohol in the hand sanitizer I have to use at work wreaks havoc on my hands. Everyone at work carries lotion in their apron because of this! I can put this miracle cream on my hands and cuticles before I go to work and maybe reapply once (because the sanitizer takes it off). Even after washing with soap and water, you can still feel and smell the cream on your skin! The condition of my hands has change significantly since starting to use this product. My cuticles are definitely more pliable, my nails have stopped peeling (yes, peeling. they are almost flaky!) The only thing I would suggest for the Skin & Nail Treatment is a portable tube size so I can take it with me to work!!!!

I have to say thank you to Lady Soma for these awesome products! This is proof that all of the "technology" we think we need to be healthy and beautiful is really not necessary! We can be healthy and beautiful NATURALLY!


Buy it!
You can get beautiful naturally at www.ladysoma.com
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I received a sample in exchange for this review. I received no other compensation and all opinions stated are 100% mine (and my daughters).