Wow. I'm a bucket of tears after reading my 2008 and 2009 prayers for my three children. This is my third year to reflect on these precious children on New Year's Eve and write out my prayers and hopes for them.

It started as a Sunday School class challenge. Read Genesis 49:1-28. Here you'll see Jacob blessing his sons, telling them what to expect, and how it will be in their lives.

I cried reading my last two years of prayers because I didn't know whether or not these prayers would come to pass, whether or not God would see my hopes as a blessing he'd like to give my children. I cry, because my prayers are answered EVERY year.

This year, I'm merging my old blog "My Sippy Cup Runneth Over" into this blog "Momma Findings". You'll still find my written prayers, Sara Say What?!, Music Monday, Marriage Matters, and writings of my every day life, but you'll also see lots of parenting and consumer articles. It'll be a fun ride and every time you visit you might see something different.

Well guys, I'm anxious to get my fingers working, writing these hopes and prayers for 2010, because God delivers, folks! He hears my cries, my prayers, my laughter and I'm anxious to see his miracle work this year.

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The ultimate Radio Flyer Big Wheel for the ultimate energized toddler



For more Wordless Wednesday's head over to A Daily Dose of Toni, 5 Minutes for Mom, Keeper of the Cheerios, and 7 Clown Circus.

Link up YOUR Wordless Wednesday:



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The Holidays have come and gone at my house. I have the Christmas decorations put up, the house clean, and now officially looking forward to the New Year. With it, comes a New Start. We all commit to resolutions that usually revolve around being more healthy. This year, part of my resolution is to relax more, laugh more, and enjoy this wonderful life stage I'm treading through with small children.

How am I going to do that? Well, simplify, simplify, simplify. I'm on a mission to simplify dinners, schedules, and responsibilities here at home, making more time for my husband, children, family, and friends.

Can you think of any ways to simplify? Committing to a diet and exercise plan this year? Healthy Choice can help with both and wants to help take something off your plate and mine.

About the Brand and How They Can Help:

Healthy Choice understands people are making the connection between eating right and looking and feeling their best, but they are not willing to give up the foods they love. The new Healthy Choice features contemporary, great-tasting flavors, a new look and innovative ways to provide fresh-tasting meals — in new and delicious varieties that Americans love. Look for new and reinvented frozen meals, Fresh Mixers and Soups nationwide.

Healthy Choice meals are lower in calories, saturated fat and sodium compared to a typical American meal, potentially avoiding Americans’ consumption of billions of calories, and tons of salt and saturated fat during the past 20 years. Healthy Choice products are made from premium ingredients and prepared with an emphasis on high-impact nutrition and flavor

Healthy Choice Options:



All Natural Entrees

Healthy Choice All Natural Entrées start with premium all natural ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, whole grains and pumpkin to create delicious, nutritious
meals made with no preservatives, artificial flavors or colors. These entrées are
filled with protein, fiber, antioxidants and whole grains, all key elements to
promote heart and digestive health.

- Asian Potstickers
- Mediterranean Pasta
- Portabella Marsala Pasta
- Portabella Spinach Parmesan
- Pumpkin Squash Ravioli
- Tomato Basil Penne

Vegetarian Soups

To appeal to consumers looking to decrease the amount of meat they eat regularly, Healthy Choice has introduced three satisfying vegetarian Soups.

- Tomato Basil
- Traditional Lentil
- Hearty Vegetable Barley

In addition to all the above, easy-to-make options, you will also find Reinvented Healthy Choice Select Entrées, Fresh Mixers, and Café Steamers.

How to Simplify with Healthy Choice:



Save Time: Pop in a bowl of Healthy Choice Tomato and Basil soup in the microwave when you're stretched for time. Within 3 minutes, you're warm and cozy with the little ones at the table. Who wants to spend the afternoon preparing lunch when you have finger painting, baking, and movie watching to?! I want to "Breath In" all the family time I can before they head back to school after the Winter Holiday.

Stay Healthy: On the tail end of the Holidays, comes lots of cleaning up. I had 3 days of putting up Christmas decorations, organizing and putting away Christmas presents, and visiting friends and family who drove in from out of town. There is little time to head to gym. It's even harder to stay on my "Healthy Eating" track with baked goodies everywhere. Try having a Café Steamer for lunch or a Healthy Choice Soup and a salad for dinner. Healthy Choice is the only brand FDA approved to call their products healthy, so eat up with confidence!

Out of Town Visitors: Family and Friends are still hanging around waiting to celebrate the New Year so why not keep your pantry and freezer stocked with Healthy Choice All Natural Entrées Asian Potstickers or Pumpkin Squash Ravioli? They make a great quick appetizer or snack that’s not only delicious but healthy too!

Buy It

Healthy Choice products can be purchased at most grocery stores nationwide, along with super stores such as Target and Walmart for the suggested retail prices between $2.00-$3.50. For more information about Healthy Choice products and ingredients visit www.healthychoice.com. I suggest you at LEAST head over there to see the guy in the Healthy Choice hot air balloon!

Win It

One lucky Momma Findings reader will win 3 Healthy Choice Frozen Food Entrees (via coupons).

How to Enter:

Required Entry:

Tell me one way Healthy Choice can help take something off YOUR plate during the New Year.

Extra Entry Options:

- 3 Extra Entries for blogging about your New Years Resolution and how Healthy Choice can be a part of it. Link to this post AND www.healthychoice.com

- Sign up to be an email subscriber right there on the right side

- Add the Momma Findings button to your blog sidebar

- Follow Momma Findings on Facebook Networked Blogs.

- Follow Momma Findings on Google Friends.

- Follow me on Twitter (@Sarann) and send out a Tweet linking to both this contest and replying to @Sarann. Leave a comment with the URL link to your Tweet.

Contest starts today December 30th - January 10th Midnight Central Time and open to US residents only. Leave each entry in separate comments. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but please leave a valid email address for contact purposes.

This post made possible by Healthy Choice and their representing PR agency who sent us coupons and samples of Healthy Choice products. Opinions here are solely my own and have not been wavered by the products I received or compensated in any other way.

**CONTEST HAS NOW ENDED** Congrats to Jackie Villano! Please check your inbox on how to claim your prize.

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We're a family who loves playing video games together. If you've been to any of the Family Friendly Gaming Twitter Parties I've hosted, then you know that. as a Mom, I love games that connect my children with real life events.

One Nintendo DS game that combines fun gaming and an ultimate REAL LIFE event is:

Winter's Tail for Nintendo DS


About Winter's Tail:

Take an exciting journey on your Nintendo DS and learn about the real-life story of Winter, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin who overcame incredible odds. Including fun mini-games and a fully interactive storybook based on the Scholastic Book Winter's Tail, read by the authors Juliana, Isabella and Craig Hatkoff. The release date is set for November 24th. Rated E for Everyone!

Features:

• Immersive Interactive Story - Based on Real Life Events
• Play Fun Mini-Games that reinforce the meaning of each chapter
• Discover Fun Fish Facts
• Interact with Whale Words - pronunciation and definitions
• Customize with the Storybook Editor, Paint and Color Mode and More

Learn More:



What We Liked:

• Real Event: Winter's Tail is a true story about one brave dolphin. Playing the game and interacting through the story places your child right in the middle of it all, helping the envision the whole story that unfolded.

• Mini Games: I'm a big fan of mini games. My children are still really young and their attention span is limited. Having short, but fun mini games gives them small objectives giving them confidence in completing longer games in the future.

• Activities: We happened to love the simple activities such as Painting and the Storybook editor making it more personalized and adding my child's personality to the game.



• Educational Facts: Winter's Tail gives us fun fish facts we didn't know, providing an education experience as well.

• Interactive Learning: Whale words and Vocabulary is present with additional definitions and pronunciations. I know very little about Dolphins and marine life, so this provides a learning experience above and beyond.

• Matching Book: Scholastic has a matching book telling you all about Winter's Tail making it a great addition to the game.

Momma Improvements & Suggestions:

• Reading: My daughter is in Kindergarten and barely brushing up her reading skills, so there was a lot of aggravation as she tried playing because there is a lot of reading and learning. All great features in a video game, however, she needed a little extra help until her reading progresses.

What an excellent source for both fun gaming and learning! We like it so much we couldn't help, but include it in our 2009 Holiday Gift Guide this year.

Buy It

Buy Winter's Tail wherever games are sold or on Amazon.com for $29.99 or visit www.winterstail.com for more information on Winter or the coordinating Scholastic Book.

Win It

One lucky Momma Findings reader will win a copy of the Winter's Tail Nintendo DS game to add to your video game library!

How to Enter:

Required Entry:

Visit, the official Winter's Tail website, and come back here to tell me a fun Dolphin fact you've learned or an activity on the site you liked.

Extra Entry Options:

- 3 Extra Entries for blogging about Winter's Tail and this giveaway linking to this post and www.winterstail.com. Leave 3 separate comments with the url to your blog post.

- Sign up to be an email subscriber right there on the right side

- Add the Momma Findings button to your blog sidebar

- Follow Momma Findings on Facebook Networked Blogs.

- Follow Momma Findings and My Sippy Cup Runneth Over (my personal blog) on Google Friends.

- Follow me on Twitter (@Sarann) and send out a Tweet linking to both this contest and replying to @Sarann. Leave a comment with the URL link to your Tweet.

Contest starts today December 29th - January 9th Midnight Central Time and open to US residents only. Leave each entry in separate comments. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but please leave a valid email address for contact purposes.

This post made possible by Crave Entertainment, Scholastic, and the representing PR agency who sent us the Winter's Tail Nintendo DS game and coordinating Winter's Tail book. Opinions here are solely my own and have not been wavered by the products I received or compensated in any other way.

**CONTEST HAS NOW ENDED** Congrats to Jessie C. Please check your inbox on how to claim your prize.

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I'm a Momma.

This IS Momma FINDINGS.

So, I'm happy to let you guys in on some exciting "findings" we've learned from one of our favorite brands, Kraft Foods. They have currently developed more ways to communicate with Moms just like me (and YOU) through Social Media.

Utilizing sites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, Kraft is making it easier to learn about new products, find recipes, and seek out others for meal ideas and cooking tips through their forums. In fact, a new Kraft Recipe helped me simplify my Holiday and I couldn't help but share it with all my readers at My Sippy Cup Runneth Over. You should check it out! I mean, who doesn't love Crescents, Cream Cheese, and Bacon?!

When trying new recipes, I like to see "Hands On" instructions. Pictures are wonderful, however, video is even BETTER and Kraft thinks so too. Their, recently launched, YouTube Channel is jam packed with How-To Instructional Videos and virtual classes on things like seasonal produce. When Brands make it this easy, how can you NOT feel inspired in the kitchen?!

Connect with Kraft Foods:

- Check out yummy recipes with Kraft on Facebook
- Tweet with Kraft on Twitter
- Find great tips on the Kraft YouTube Channel.

Win It!

Momma Findings is celebrating Kraft Foods and all the awesome ways our favorite brand communicates with Moms like me! Kraft Foods has generously provided a gift basket to one lucky Momma Findings reader filled with the following:



- Four delicious holiday recipes from the Kraft Foods Kitchens
- Zak Designs garlic peeler
- HA Mack olivewood mixing spoon
- NEW Velveeta Rotini and Cheese Whole Grain
- Planters cocktail peanuts
- Planters pecans
- Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate
- Stove Top
- Honey Maid cinnamon crackers
- Jet Puffed marshmallows
- Oreos
- Kraft salad dressing
- NEW Maxwell House Blend coffee
- NEW Ritz Brown Sugar Cinnamon crackers
- NEW Wheat Thins Flatbread crackers.

How to Enter:

Required Entry:

Tell me, in the comment section, what you are most interested and eager to see in these Social Media Channels with Kraft Foods. Do you like all the yummy recipes? Are you a "How-To Video" junkie like me? Interested in updates on new products and promotions? There is no wrong answer, just YOUR feedback, YOUR ideas, and what makes channels like this interesting to you as a consumer.

Extra Entry Options:

- 3 Extra Entries if you head over to check out the Kraft Cream Cheese and Bacon Recipe I posted on my personal blog. Leave a comment on that post and leave 3 separate comments on this post stating you did so.

- Sign up to be an email subscriber right there on the right side

- Add the Momma Findings button to your blog sidebar

- Follow Momma Findings on Facebook Networked Blogs.

- Follow Momma Findings and My Sippy Cup Runneth Over (my personal blog) on Google Friends.

- Follow me on Twitter (@Sarann) and send out a Tweet linking to both this contest and replying to @Sarann and @KraftFoods. Leave a comment with the URL link to your Tweet.

Contest starts today December 27th - January 8th Midnight Central Time and open to US residents only. Leave each entry in separate comments. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but please leave a valid email address for contact purposes.


This post made possible by Kraft Foods who provided a Gift Basket for both the contest and myself. Opinions here are solely my own and have not been wavered by the products I received or compensated in any other way.


**CONTEST HAS NOW ENDED** Congrats to Karen Shofner! Please check your inbox on how to claim your prize.

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What a year we've had here at Momma Findings! I've been reflecting on everything God has blessed me with in 2009. This blog, this business, has brought amazing opportunities with trips, events, adventures, but most of all... friendships.

May you find the gladness of Christmas which is Hope,
the heart of Christmas which is Love,
and the spirit of Christmas which is Peace.

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Pajamas. Polar Express. Friends. The kids had a blast going to school in their pj's for Polar Express Day.



For more Wordless Wednesday's head over to A Daily Dose of Toni, 5 Minutes for Mom, Keeper of the Cheerios, and 7 Clown Circus.

Link it up my Wordless Wednesday Peeps:



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Being back home for the Holidays we have a really busy schedule. Last weekend we crammed in multiple Holiday parties, shopped, wrapped, baked, planned, and my Momma Head is exhausted.

I want to enjoy my family this year, so we're simplifying.......... everything. I found a really easy recipe that will have you laughing with your guests, instead of slaving in the kitchen. Check it out:

Bacon & Cream Cheese Crescent



Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 30 min
Makes: 16 servings, 2 crescents each

Ingredients

* 3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled .
* 2 (8 oz) cans crescent dinner rolls .
* 1 (8 oz) container chive & onion cream cheese

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix cream cheese spread and bacon in small bowl until well blended.

SEPARATE each can of dough into 8 triangles each. Cut each triangle in half lengthwise. Spread each dough triangle with 1 generous tsp. cream cheese mixture. Roll up, starting at shortest side of triangle and rolling to opposite point. Place, point sides down, on ungreased baking sheet.

BAKE 12 to 15 min. or until golden brown. Serve warm.

This post made possible by Kraft Foods who provided the recipe. Opinions here are solely my own and not wavered by products received or compensated in any way.

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You've got the perfect Wii games all wrapped up and ready to go, underneath the glistening lights of the Christmas Tree. If you're like me, you can't wait to see the look on your child's face when he/she unwraps the Wii Games you have in store for them this year!

How about putting extra icing on that cake?

Wii accessories are the perfect gift for Family Friendly gaming. If you are going to play Mario Kart, why not have a wheel? Got the itch to hit a few home runs? Grab the Wii Baseball bat attachment. Thanks to PDP, Momma Findings has the "skinny" on some really cool Wii accessories the whole family will enjoy:



About the NERF Wii Sports Pack:

Hit one out of the park with official NERF attachments for your favorite Wii Sports games. The Wii Sports Pack includes fun add-ons for Baseball, Golf, and Tennis.



About the NERF Wii Wheel:

This is your ultimate racing wheel for all your Wii racing games! With a thick layer of authentic Nerf foam, it offers unmatched comfort for hours of play. Available in assorted colors, this is a must-have for Wii drivers.

What We Liked:

• Quality Name: NERF is a trusted name we turn to for Family Fun, so I was at all surprised that their Wii Accessories would be a brilliant addition to your game console.

• Safety: I can't tell you how horrible I felt the first time I saw my daughter get whacked in the head with a remote. She was merely walking passed and a neighbor, who we had over, was swinging his Wii remote playing Tennis. NERF really brings safety to a halt with the soft ends of each accessory such as the tennis racket, baseball bat, and golf club.

• Easy Attachment: It's really a snap to attach the remote to your attachment. My 2-year-old likes to drive and he has no problem slipping his remote into the NERF Wheel.

• Comfort: When driving with the NERF Wii Wheel, it makes gaming so comfortable! That "squishly" feeling fo the wheel gives your hands a break from gripping that hard wheel or remote you might be used to.

• Price: Investing in a Wii console take a lot out of anyone's budget. Add in the expensive games and it might even give you an anxiety attack. PDP & NERF thought of this and priced their accessories at a very reasonable price. For under $20 bucks you've added realistic gaming to the fun of sports on the Nintendo Wii.

All in all, NERF Wii accessories are a great addition to your Wii Console providing your family with a realistic feel when playing games. It's our pick for Holiday Gifts perfect for Family Friendly Gaming!

Buy It

NERF Wii Wheel retails for the suggested retail price of $9.99 and the NERF Wii Sports Pack can be purchased for $19.99 where ever games are sold or with the click of the mouse at the PDP Game Store.

WIN IT

Thanks to our friends at Performance Designed Goods (PDP), one lucky Momma Findings reader will win a NERF Wii Accessory Prize Pack with the following:

-NERF Wii Driving Wheel
-NERF Wii Sports Pack

How to Enter:

Required Entry:

Tell me, in the comment section, what games your family owns or will be receiving for Christmas that you'll use with these accessories.

Extra Entry Options:

- Sign up to be an email subscriber right there on the right side

- Add the Momma Findings button to your blog sidebar

- Follow Momma Findings on Facebook Networked Blogs.

- Follow Momma Findings and My Sippy Cup Runneth Over (my personal blog) on Google Friends.

- Follow me on Twitter (@Sarann) and send out a Tweet linking to both this contest and replying to @Sarann. Leave a comment with the URL link to your Tweet.

- Tell me your thoughts about my 2009 Holiday Gift Guide by leaving a comment on that post. Once you do, come back here post a separate comment stating you did.


Contest starts today December 21st - December 29th Midnight Central Time and open to US residents only. Leave each entry in separate comments. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but please leave a valid email address for contact purposes.

This post made possible by PDP who sent us the NERF Wii Sports Pack and NERF Wii Driving Wheel. Opinions here are solely my own and have not been wavered by the products I received or compensated in any other way.



**CONTEST HAS NOW ENDED** Congrats to Buck Rogers! Please check your inbox on how to claim your prize. Read the full story

A 2-year-old boy is found on the bottom of a pool. Minutes later, he's dead.

Would you tweet about this?
Would you send out prayers publicly?
Would YOU, as a Mom, cry at the news and hug your children tightly that night?

That was me, when hearing news of Shellie Ross, @Military_Mom on Twitter, and her recent tragedy. I don't even KNOW Shellie, but I follow her on Twitter. I've been to her blog. I've heard her name spoken.

I also know that she is a Blogger and Mother, two select titles I, myself, own. She has been criticized by many for it being "her fault for not keeping an eye on her son while he was next to the pool. she was to busy with twitter i guess".

My heart drops to hear such things being Tweeted, being said, being publicly talked about. A precious little boy has been taken away all too soon and the ONLY thing going through my mind is praying out loud, on my knees, for this sweet family.

"Lord, hold this family tight, rock them gently, and catch every tear."

A community of Moms, where Shellie serves as ADMIN, quickly took action setting up a post with contribution information. Maybe that's why red flags went up, Twitter users thinking it could be a hoax. How can this be set up only half an hour after the fact? Because bloggers are supportive and awesome, that's why!

I don't serve in a Mom Community forum, nor do I participate in lots of forums such as these (anymore), but I AM part of a bigger "species" The Blogging Community. You learn those around you who blog for love, blog for brands, blog for freebies, blog for parenting, blog for green living, blog for fashion, blog for sanity and anything they have a passion for and you can never fathom the support such bloggers have for one another.

Social Media is a big part in MY personal life. I've met big brands, awesome writers, and wonderful friends. Some of these friends are closer to me than any friend here in town. I've cried with them, laughed with them, and hugged them good-bye (in tears I might add) after conferences. They ARE my personal blogging sisterhood.

We support each other.

Another example of support is when the news of Annisa Mayhew broke. My heart ached as I prayed for this person I didn't even KNOW. I've never tweeted with her, never commented on her blog, however, she is a blogger. She serves in this amazing community of writers that I'm grateful to be a part of. So, it doesn't matter if I know her. I knew OF her and I'd send out as many tweets and prayers as I wanted!

What do regular Twitter users say when someone asks, "What is Twitter?"

Me personally? I say something like "it's a Social Media platform to exchange information quickly." Of course I usually need to elaborate, but if we use Twitter to spread news and articles quickly to others, why would it be different when serious news breaks in your OWN personal life? Why should that be any different?

When I learned of Annisa, I asked my husband how he would let my blogging and social media network know if something happened to me. What if I couldn't because I was in a hospital bed? It's important for me to let the people who support me, on a day to day basis, KNOW if a tragedy has hit.

My husband chuckled his "Non-Social-Media-Brain" and says, "Umm... I'd go through your contacts on your Blackberry and call Toni. She'd know what to do and how to get the news out."

Social media is here for both business and personal lives through happiness and tragedy.

Shellie, I'm sorry you've had to endure such a thing and I'm even MORE sorry that people in the blogging and Twitter community felt the need to tear down the situation. I don't know you personally, but as a supportive blogger, I'm praying for healing and peace for you through the Holiday Season and beyond.

**Note** I purposely did NOT add links to articles written about @Military_Mom, websites she is linked to, or Tweets sent out regarding this tragedy. I don't believe that providing searchable links is helping this family heal.
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I love baking. In fact, I could spend all day creating all kinds of goodies in my kitchen, but with three little ones... it's almost impossible. I have an hour TOPS before my kids decide they want to help or, better yet, decide to create complete and utter chaos in the living room.

So, what do I do?

How do you create fun, family memories during the Holidays? I'll say it, with no shame at all, I bake these easy, and "Oh So Time Saving" cookies:



Simply place them on a cookie sheet, bake, and you're ready to go. For a Momma with three young children, it's a time and sanity saver. And believe me, I WANT to keep it during the busy Holiday months!

Holiday Craft Tip:

Kids want to help or you just HAPPEN to find yourself with a few extra minutes?

•Create a cookie-on-a-stick by frosting the back of one cookie; place a craft stick (flat wooden sticks with round ends) on the frosted side and place another cookie, back side down on the frosting.

•Make an ice cream sandwich with a spoonful of softened ice cream between cookies.

•Pack up a treat bag of Shapes Cookies in a cellophane bag and tie with a pretty ribbon.

Go ahead simplify the Holidays!

Do you have any easy cookie recipes or product you like to use when you're strapped for time (or sanity)?

Am I the only one who takes this super easy shortcut?

This post made possible by Pillsbury Cookies that I purchased myself. Posts and opinions here are solely my own and not wavered by products I receive or compensated in any way.

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We have the scoop on the hottest and most creative toys for your kids this year. As showcased in our 2009 Holiday Gift Guide, MegaBrands has you covered with their new Mega Bloks Play'n Go Table:



About the Mega Bloks Play’n Go Table:

The perfect for pint-sized preschool builders who love to build everywhere they go! The Play’n Go Table features building fun, great storage and portability, and comes with 20 Maxi Mega Bloks pieces for endless hours of fun and building excitement! With easy-to-fold legs that allow for quick clean up and storage, and an integrated handle, the Play’n Go Table is wonderful for on-the-go building. The building plates allow for multiple building configurations so preschoolers can build even bigger and higher, and the integrated tracks work with all Mega Bloks vehicles. The table also promotes discovery and imagination with four fun scenes, stickers, a figure and vehicle.

As a Momma to a 2-year-old, I look for toys that will keep his attention and help him practice hand-eye coordination skills with building.

What We Liked:

• Travel Friendly: The table easily folds closed, keeping all your blocks stored inside, making it easy to take to Grandma's house down the street or across the country!



• Colors: The table is just so engaging representing various bright colors in each block, sticker, and on the table itself.

• Lightweight Blocks: I noticed, comparing to other preschool themed blocks, these are very lightweight making it easier to build HIGHER! My toddler was using another brand while we waited for our oil to be changed and he got so frustrated that he couldn't build high like "His Blocks" (MegaBloks). I had to explain they just aren't the same.

• Discovery & Creativity: You child can really embrace his/her creativity while he builds different objects or pretends to be "playing in the neighborhood". MegaBloks table comes with four fun scenes for the bloks by way of stickers, play figure, and play car.

• Carrying Handle: The table has an actual handle you can use to carry it while it's folded.



• Block Size: Blocks are big and chunky in size for small hands. Makes it easier when building and at clean up.

• Integration: Mega Bloks Play 'N Go Table works with other Mega Blok sets and vehicles. An awesome way to build that collection!

Momma Improvements & Suggestions:

• Table Legs: It's really easy to stand the table up on it's legs, but many times I thought I locked the legs into place, when in fact, I hadn't. The table will then collapse to the floor. Make sure you locks those legs.

• Limited Blocks: The set comes with 20 blocks, however, my son wants more to build BIG AND HIGH. Would be great to include more blocks in the set, however, if it DID have more, they wouldn't fit inside the middle of the table.

• Sticking the Stickers: My toddler is all about "I do it myself" these days. As we opened the table he wanted to place the stickers on the blocks "himself" without the help of Momma. The end result? Stickers that ended up torn, stuck upside down, sideways, and lopsided. To him it looks AWESOME, however, my OCD mind thinks maybe the stickers should be attached to the table and blocks while packaged.

All in all the Mega Bloks Play 'N Go Table was a big hit with my little guy! With an expression like this, how can you NOT tell others about it?! It's our pick for favorite Christmas gifts for preschoolers! Go ahead! Have a Mega Holiday!



Buy It

The Mega Bloks Play 'N Go Table can be purchased wherever toys are sold (Target, Walmart, Toys R Us) at the suggested retail price of $39.99.

This post made possible by MegaBrands who sent us a Mega Bloks Play 'N Go Table. Opinions here are solely my own and have not been wavered by the products I received or compensated in any other way.

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Tell me sweet folks of blogland, does your husband give you this look EVERY time you try to take a picture of him? Well at least Papa and Sweet Zachary were smiling.



For more Wordless Wednesday's head over to A Daily Dose of Toni, 5 Minutes for Mom, Keeper of the Cheerios, and 7 Clown Circus.

Link it up my Wordless Wednesday Peeps:



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My favorite toys, as a Mom, are the toys that are fun to play with, yet engaging and educational for my children. We're a family who loves to read and what better toy to serve as a teaching aid, than the VTech Bugsby Reading System:



About Bugsby:

Join Bugsby the Book Worm on a magical reading adventure! Your children will love reading along and interacting with their favorite characters as they build early reading skills. Kids will fall in love with reading as they have fun listening to stories read aloud by their new reading pal, Bugsby. Children build reading skills through play as Bugbsy takes them through reading comprehension, phonics, sentence structure, word recognition and more. Kid friendly in design, the Bugsby Reading System includes software cartridge with every story book title – no additional downloads required!

Features:

* Interactive reading system with pen touch technology
* Curriculum focuses on reading and language arts
* Story reading and interactive activities
* Cute bookworm character shaped pen
* Comes with bundled title featuring a story about Bugsby

Thanks to VTech, Momma Findings has the scoop on an educational toy for preschoolers.

What We Liked:

• Fun Character: In comparison, to other Reading Systems, this pen is inviting and just plain fun. Bugsby the Bookworm gives my kids a "Pal" or "Friend" to read with!

• Cartridge: Each book comes with a cartridge instead of having to download, upload, erase, plug in, turn around, do the Hokey Pokey. Just kidding. It's refreshing to see parents and children alike can simply put the coordinating cartridge in and start reading. No more trips to the laptop, wondering if you have enough memory, or better yet, being on a trip with no computer to plug into.

• Educational: I've said this already, but kids will WANT to read when they see how fun it can be. Letters, numbers, and reading will come easy with Bugsby Reading System.

• Age Suggestion: This isn't just for preschoolers or Kindergartners. My 2-year-old took a liking to Bugsby and is reading and repeating with the older children.

• Easy to Use: As I said above, my 2-year-old actually thought it was easy to use. Simply place the pen on the words to improve word and sentence building skills or simply have Bugsby read the entire story aloud to your child with the press of a button.

• Page Turning: My 6 and 7-year-old know when to turn the page due to already know how to read, however, my toddler doesn't. There is a chime that lets your child know when it's time to turn the page.

• Favorite Reading Characters: The system come with one starter book, however, other books can be purchased separately with Characters such as Dora the Explorer, Scooby Doo, Olivia, Wow Wow Wubbzy, and of course.. our new favorite pal, Bugsby.

• Volume: Bugsby's volume can be easily turn up louder or down softer by using the button on the pen, however, you can also plug in headphones. Umm... *raises hand* my children are SOOOO getting new kids headphones for Christmas so this is awesome. It makes it easy to travel with in the car, eat at restaurants, or in the silence of the Pediatricians office. Sweet!

Momma Improvements & Suggestions:

• Small Book Library: While out shopping the last few weeks, I have seen very few VTech Bugsby Books, while other brands have a whole section filled of new titles. VTech is a leading brand in toys and a trusted name in our house, so I'm thinking there are more titles in the works.

• Small Cartridge: While I appreciate the fact that each Bugsby Book comes with a coordinating cartridge, they are really easy to lose. Is there a Bugsby carrying case where each book, cartridge, and pen can be stored?

All in all, this is a winner for our children. It's fun, educational, and, as a Mom, I feel secure in knowing my kids are steadily learning and practicing their comprehension skills. I mean, before I know it, tomorrow they'll be taking their SATS!

Buy & Connect:

Connect with VTech on Facebook, Twitter, and don't forget to enroll in Club VTech to learn more about NEW products, receive updates, and gauge your child's milestones.

VTech Bugsby Reading system can be purchased on Amazon.com for the suggested retail price of $24.99. Books sold separately from $9.99-$14.99.

WIN IT!

Thanks to our friends at VTech, one lucky Momma Findings reader will win a Bugsby Reading System!

How to Enter:

Required Entry:

Head over to VTech Kids and let me know what book you think your child would love the most with Bugsby? Why did you choose that title?

Extra Entry Options:

- 3 Extra Entries if you blog about how you mix education with fun time and toys, link back to this post and VTech Bugsby. Leave 3 separate comments with the url to your post.

- 2 Extra Entries Add the Momma Findings 2009 Holiday Gift Guide button (on your left, complete with html copy/paste code) to your blog sidebar. Leave two separate comments stating you have, along with your blog url.

- Sign up to be an email subscriber right there on the right side

- Follow Momma Findings on Facebook Networked Blogs.

- Follow Momma Findings and My Sippy Cup Runneth Over (my personal blog) on Google Friends.

- Follow me on Twitter (@Sarann) and send out a Tweet linking to both this contest and replying to @Sarann. Leave a comment with the URL link to your Tweet.

- Tell me your thoughts about my 2009 Holiday Gift Guide by leaving a comment on that post. Once you do, come back here post a separate comment stating you did.


Contest starts today December 15th - December 23rd Midnight Central Time and open to US residents only. Leave each entry in separate comments. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but please leave a valid email address for contact purposes.

This post made possible by VTech who sent us a Bugsby Reading System. Opinions here are solely my own and have not been wavered by the products I received or compensated in any other way.

***Contest Has Now Ended*** Winner is Missybeez! Check your inbox on how to claim your prize.

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As I go over the, infamous "Christmas Budget" my anxiety creeps into my throat. With our recent move from TN, securing a new house to live, enrolling kids in a new school, saving for a new car, the day to day life of a young family of five is exhausting and really stressful.

My husband mumbled something yesterday, "We should run away together. Never come back, start a new family." Wait. Why would we start a NEW family, we're running AWAY from the kids!

It's all in good fun, we really don't mean it, but there have been many a day with tears just trying to balance it all.

I cried because the dishwasher broke.

I cried because we finally got a sitter, but no money to go out.

I cried because I passed out at 7:30pm with the kids and never woke up to finish work, I desperately needed to do.

I cried because my sweet friend in Charlotte says she'll never get to see me again.

I cried because my bank account laughed at me when I said I wanted to go Christmas shopping.

I cried because my feet are in desperate need of a pedicure.

I cried because the sun won't come out after a week of clouds and rain here in Texas.

I cried because my toddler seeped through his pull-up on my bed AGAIN.

I cried because I remembered that, although I'm going through what EVERY Mother in history has gone through and struggling, I'm a alive and well.

I have a hard-working husband who loves me, respects me, and protects me every day. There are three precious children that hug and kiss me every day. There is food in my pantry, a roof over my head, utility bills are paid, and my extended family just 10 minutes away. Life is good.

I remember someone telling me The Holidays can be a time of great Happiness, but for a lot of people, it's a time of great sadness and loneliness. It shouldn't be that way. Christmas is a time of Hope and Miracles as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The One who knows exactly what we need in our lives.

Matthew 6:31-32 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

No need for stress.
No need for worry.
I'm alive and well.
It's good enough for me.

Kenny Chesney & Dave Matthews - I'm Alive
Album: Lucky Old Sun

So damn easy to say that life’s so hard
Everybody’s got their share of battle scars
As for me I’d like to thank my lucky stars that
I’m alive, and well

It’d be easy to add up all the pain
And all the dreams you sat and watched go up in flames
Dwell on the wreckage as it smolders in the rain
But not me, I’m alive

And today you know that’s good enough for me
Breathin' in and out's a blessin' can’t you see
Today's the first day of the rest of my life
And I’m alive, and well
I’m alive, and well

Stars are dancin’ on the water here tonight
It’s good for the soul, when there’s not a soul in sight
But this boat has caught its wind and brought me back to life
Now I’m alive, and well

And today you know that’s good enough for me
Breathin' in and out's a blessing can’t you see
Today is the first day of the rest of my life
Now I’m alive, and well
Yeah I’m alive, and well

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One of the hottest movies hitting store shelves before Christmas, is Disney's G-Force, set to release this Tuesday December 15th. Going over and beyond, Disney is offering a special 3-Disc Combo pack!


About the Disney G-Force:

Join Darwin, Juarez, Blaster and the rest of the G-Force team in this spy-tingling adventure. Brought to the screen by legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer, G-Force tells the story of an elite group of guinea pigs trained by the government to work in espionage. Armed with the latest high-tech spy equipment, they soon discover that the fate of the world is in their paws. Tapped for the G-Force are guinea pigs Darwin, the squad leader determined to succeed at all costs; Blaster, an outrageous weapons expert with tons of attitude and a love for all things extreme; and Juarez, a sexy martial arts pro; plus the literal fly-on-the-wall reconnaissance expert, Mooch, and a star-nosed mole, Speckles, the computer and information specialist. Along the way, the G-Force encounters myriad other members of the animal kingdom, including pet shop layabout Hurley and the rabidly territorial hamster Bucky. Made in U.S.A. Rated PG.

What is included in the 3-Disc Combo Pack?

G-Force includes a DVD, Blu-Ray disc, and Digital Copy in one package! You can enjoy the incredible high definition experience of Blu-ray at home, watch the movie in the kids' room, in the car, on your computer, or mobile device. Disney Blu-ray Combo Packs are the perfect way to start your Blu-ray collection!

What is Disney Blu-Ray?

G-Force on Blu-Ray provides the highest-level viewing experience, unprecedented value, quality, and versatility with the exceptional picture and sound of Blu-ray and the extended utility of DVD. Upgrading to Blu-ray offers you technology on more scratch resistant and kid-proof discs and Blu-ray players play both Blu-ray discs and your favorite DVDs.

Bonus Features:

• G-Farce - Bloopers and Flubs
• Deleted Scenes
• Exciting Music Videos:
- Jump performed by Flo Rida featuring Nelly Furtardo
- Ready to Rock performed by Steve Rushton
- Go G-Force
• Blasters Boot Camp - High Tech G-Force Training
• G-Force Mastermind - Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and CG wiz/director Hoyt Yeatman reveal the inspiration behind the movie
• G-Force Cine Explore - Darwin, Blaster and Director Hoyt Yeatman reveal the secrets behind G-Force Covery Operations
• Bruckheimer Animated: A retrospective of Bruckheimer's groundbreaking CG work and a top secret peek at the magic behind G-Force
• Access Granted: Inside the animated lab

G-Force Fun Activities:

Stuff your stocking with G-Force Blu-Ray combo pack and keep the kids busy with these fun printable activities:





Momma Findings Family Thoughts:

We love watching movies together, as a family, especially Disney Movies!

While we watched, I could tell, right away, how pristine the picture was. It really POPS out. Not only that, but you receive the DVD, Blu-Ray Disc, and Digital Copy. With the Holidays coming, traveling is easier with the Digital Copy. We can also keep the Blu-Ray Disc at home and use the DVD in the kids room or Grandmas house.

We had a blast at all the fun extras! The kids were laughing it up with the flubs and bloopers, dancing to the music videos, and checking out the High Tech G-Force training in Blaster's Boot Camp. Who knew you could have so much fun on Movie night?!

Buy It

On December 15th, purchase Disney G-Force Blu-Ray combo wherever movies are sold, for a suggested retail price of $34.99, however, Momma Findings has the scoop on how to get the best deal. You can buy G-Force Blu-Ray Combo at Wal-Mart for $19.96. Print this $10.00 off G-Force DVD coupon and you pay only $9.96! What a deal my friends!

This post made possible by Disney who provided us with the 3-Disc G-Force Combo. The opinion written is solely my own and has not been wavered or compensated by the products I received.

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Holidays are in full swing and I've got gift giving ideas spinning through my head. What do I bring to Hubby's Office Christmas Party? What will my children's teachers like? Do I buy for the bus driver? How about my neighbors? It gets so mind boggling and then I retreat to either the couch (with a book of course) or my laptop to ask all of you guys!

The consensus is that gifts for home entertaining are the perfect option for the holidays. They can be put to immediate use, and everyone loves digging into the goodies. I don't know about you, but I've always want a years worth of Fruit of the Month. Is that cheesy?! Really? NO!

I'll tell you something that is literally "cheesy" and the perfect option for gift giving:



What to Expect from Hickory Farms this Year:

Hickory Farms' gifts, a holiday tradition for nearly 60 years, provide a wide selection of the famous sausages and cheeses in environmentally friendly boxes. For a limited time this holiday season, for each Party Planner Gift Box sold, Hickory Farms will donate $5 to Share Our Strength, a leading national non-profit organization working to end childhood hunger in America. Additionally, for 40 of these gift items, Hickory Farms provides free military shipping, allowing our troops across the globe to share in holiday traditions. Visit hickoryfarms.com to learn more about these two opportunities as well as the variety of gift boxes available!

Thanks to Mom Central, my family got to try a Hickory Farms Gift Basket:

Note: I usually center my pictures, however, if you read below, my husband didn't give me much time for picture taking.

Yes, it arrived one early morning and when my husband woke up, he walked to the counter, saw the Hickory Farms Box, and said, "Sweet! I'm opening it!"

What We Liked:

• Trusted Name: For nearly 60 years, Hickory Farms has been the leader in gift baskets with sausages and cheese. How can you NOT jump, as my husband did, when you see the famous Hickory Farms logo?

• Instant Gift: Gifts like this can be put to use right away. I mean, we didn't have a chance to show it to others, because Hubby gobbled it up, however, it proves my point that recipients can use it RIGHT away.

• Variety of food: Hickory farms provides a variety of gift options on HickoryFarms.com. My particular basket provided us with two yummy Summer Sausages and a variety of gourmet cheese. Our favorite is the Apple Pie Cheddar. You can also personalize it with a card or add additional items like Flat Bread Crackers.

• Packaging: The gift box, itself, is environmentally friendly AND very sturdy I might add. Everything came neatly packaged together, not jumbled like most packages do after shipment.

• Freshness: All the items do not have to be refrigerated, making it that much easier to give as gifts, but also providing a very fresh and convenient treat. All the cheese were smooth and sausage was perfectly tender.

• Extras: I've gotta say this, I've always been a sucker for those little strawberry candies. Hickory Farms is famous for throwing in a few extras of these sweet treats. LOVE IT!

Momma Improvements & Suggestions:

• Price: Holidays bring family togetherness and the opportunity to shower others with gifts of appreciation, however, it also brings financial stress for most American families. The particular basket we sampled costs $35.00+ shipping and handling if you don't have a store near you. It's possible that one might be able to shop for similar items and create multiple baskets for a lower price. I will, however, vouch for the freshness and trusted name of Hickory Farms, so if you DO go the route of making your OWN gift baskets you're losing that, "SWEET! I'm opening it!" effect.

We're all about simplifying our Holidays this year and Hickory Farms will help you do that. There is something for everyone and it's a gift that recipients can use immediately! Looking for more ways to simplify your Holidays? Head over to My Sippy Cup Runneth Over where I'm letting you guys in on recipes and ideas to keep your head on straight this Holiday Season.

Buy It

To purchase Hickory Farms gift baskets and products head over to HickoryFarms.com. The Summer Sausage and Cheese Basket we reviewed retails for $35.00.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a Hickory Farms gift basket to facilitate my review."


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As we browsed the aisle at our favorite grocery store, HEB Grocery, my husband and I were kind of just walking aimlessly. With the Holidays in full swing my Momma Brain seems to be shut-off unless it has to do with Presents, School Events, Christmas Decorating, or Blogging (not necessarily in that order). I couldn't figure out what to buy, much less what to cook! Been there?

Holidays can be stressful and downright busy, so I'm on a mission to find easy and budget friendly recipes and Simplify the Holidays. Will you join me?

-Do you have any low-cost recipes you'd like to share?

-What's the ONE thing you cook when YOUR Momma Brain has turned off (your throwback recipe)?

Sweet & Spicy Picante Chicken

Prep: 5 min.
Bake: 20 min.
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 cups Pace® Picante sauce
3 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
3 cups hot cooked regular long-grain white rice

Directions:

1. Place chicken into 2-qt. shallow baking dish. Stir picante sauce, brown sugar and mustard in small bowl. Pour picante sauce mixture over chicken.

2. Bake at 400°F. 20 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with rice.

This post made possible by Campbells. For more delicious, low-cost meal ideas, visit CampbellsKitchen.com.

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Toddler takes no mercy on his sister. The things that happen when I'm not looking.



For more Wordless Wednesday's head over to A Daily Dose of Toni, 5 Minutes for Mom, Keeper of the Cheerios, and 7 Clown Circus.

Link up YOUR Wordless Wednesday!



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