What's New: EA Sports Active: More Workouts!

OK, so this isn't a "deal" posting but one of those, "Hey, did you know this existed?" ones. I just found out this weekend that there's a new addition to the EA Sports Activeand it's called EA Sports Active: More Workouts.

If you've been following my blog for any time, you know how much I love the EA Sports Active. It's seriously like your own personal trainer right in your own living room. So you better believe that this new one's on my Christmas list! :)

I just wanted to share the news with you, in case you were like me and hadn't heard it was coming out on November 17th. You can pre-order it on Amazon for $36.99 right now.

If you have a Wii and are looking for an exercise "game" that's a little less expensive, my favorite one is My Fitness Coach. And another good one is Gold's Gym Cardio Workout.

I was just wondering if any of you have tried Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 or The Biggest Loser Wii Games?

The best way for me to try to stay fit is to always keep my fitness routines fresh by switching up what I use or do. With the weather getting a little bit chillier now, I may add a little running back in until the snow/ice starts.

And if there's anyone from Wii out there---I'd love to product test any of these--and I'm sure my readers would love a good Wii giveaway (wouldn't you?!) So keep us in mind!

Favorite Findings & Coupons: Yoplait Delights

It's not Friday but I wanted to share a "favorite finding" with you while the coupons are still available.

So I posted about these coupons about two weeks ago but since then, I tried them....and they are delicious! So I wanted to let you know that if you haven't tried them and want to, these coupons might still be available HERE. (I know the IE one is. I just printed one and mine doesn't expire until 10/13/09. Enough time to wait for a sale!)

So far, we've tried the Creme Caramel and Triple Berry Creme. Loved them both. I saved the caramel ones for more like a dessert and the berry for a lunchtime side dish. Nathan gobbled down two at supper. I guess he thinks they are pudding. :) These have definitely become my all-time favorite 100 calorie snack!

Hope you like them, as well!

Friday's Favorite Findings - Zyliss Pizza Cutter

While I don't have 5 favorite findings to list this time, posting the pizza recipe made me remember that I've been wanting to share this finding...

When we were visiting our friends in Wisconsin, they had this hand-held pizza cutter that I loved. I teased them I'd steal it when they weren't looking! :) Well, I was so happy when I found one similar on Amazon. It's a Zyliss Palm-Held Pizza Slicer and so far, I love it! I've only been able to get in a few uses so I can't tell you it's long-term durability, but I thought I'd mention this one in case you were looking for a new one to try. It has really great reviews so I'm thinking it will hold up! It's $9.43 and is also part of the 4-for-3 promotion. (Buy 3, Get 4th FREE. See the Special Offers link for details on that.)

I took a chance when I ordered mine and used some SwagBucks and bought 4 and plan on using the other 3 for gifts. For some reason, I like to get our Mothers a new kitchen gadget for their birthdays. :)

Friday's Top Five Favorite Findings - The Clothing Edition

It has been For-ev-er since I've done one of these, so I thought it was time to share some cool things I've found. Now, these aren't affiliate links (as in I do not get commission on any sales!) :) but just some things I've bought and loved.

1) Wal-Mart: Seed Supply Co. Organic Cotton Tees HERE. They are only $5! They are super comfortable and the best feature...they almost have a slimming effect. I actually have one on HERE. Very comfortable. And longer than most of the tees out there!

2) Old Navy: Women's Low-Rise Cargo Capris HERE. I am 5'2" and most capris fit terrible on me. These fit like a glove and are so soft and comfortable. $15 (from $26.50) but worth every penny. I love capris because you can wear them spring-fall. I basically skip over shorts all-together.

3) Old Navy: Ankle Socks for Baby HERE. On Clearance for $2.75 for two pair. I found these when Nathan was a baby and was so excited to see they still sold them! They are the only socks I can keep on their feet! They even have little grippers on the bottoms, making them nice when they run around on wooden floors.

4) Target: C9 by Champion Knee Pants HERE. They have a lot more colors in the store! These might just turn into your favorite pants. You can basically work-out in them, sleep in them and even shop in them! Comfortable as can be! I wish I had money to get more! :) (I used a gift card to get a pair!)

5) Target: C9 by Champion Duo Dry Socks - I didn't see these online. They are just in the regular sock department. They keep the sweat off your feet. I bought a pair when I started running. I loved them so much that I've been eyeballing them, waiting for a sale. Found 3 on clearance a few weeks back! Very soft and cushiony, even for everyday use.

Well, those are my latest faves that I could think of. Do you have any clothing faves that you want to share? Oh, and I just have to say, if you are looking for running or workout clothes, I totally give the C9 by Champion at Target 5 stars! I love their line of clothing! Comfortable, yet reasonably priced, compared to other "top name" brands. Look for great clearance sales on them about 1-2 months before the next season changes.

Friday's Favorite Finding

So I didn't have time to get a "Top 5" written but I had to share with you my new favorite finding! There was a sample display at my local store...so I had to try them...Pretzel Crisps! I got an aisle away, said to Nathan, "Those were really good" and had to go back to buy some. (Good Marketing, right?) I'm not sure what flavor the sample was, but I ended up buying the Buffalo Wings version.

TWO THUMBS UP! There are so many buffalo wings flavors out there but none compare to the chicken wings. These are real close. I really wanted to eat the whole bag.

I thought I had a posting for something on them and found this link again here where you can sign-up to get coupons and such. There's also a $1/2 printable here. (Thanks, The Freebie Blogger!)

So if you are looking for a new chip taste to try, I recommend these. And no--no paid advertisement just my personal finding/opinion. But if they read this and want to send me lots for free, I will totally accept. :)

Has anyone else tried these or a different flavor of them? If you are looking for them, they are in the deli area.

Friday's Top 5 Favorite Findings

It's been awhile since I posted one of these! I thought it was time again! These are just things that I've come across that are great items. Some of them I own, having bought them or received as gifts, while others are on my "wish list."

1) Farberware Nonstick Bakeware 12-Cup Muffin Pan - I never realized how much a pan can make a difference when it comes to cupcakes! I made a batch with this pan and then my old pan (using the same batter.) It was amazing how more evenly cooked and browned the new pan of cupcakes were! Now I know why it's got a 5-star rating! Thumbs up!

2) Rascals & Routines Book/Puppet/Case - Kaydi got this for Christmas from a good friend of mine. Nathan and I have been using it nightly. It comes with 5 finger puppets, a book and a blanket that has a pocket for the puppets to fit into. And the best part is, it comes in a case that you can take with you! What a great way to make reading time fun for kids!

3) Imagination Movers: Calling All Movers CD- Kids CDs are cute for the first couple times through. Then you think you'll die if you have to hear "Wheels on the Bus" one more time! This is a great cd that kids will love and you won't mind listening to! It has a great upbeat sound to it.

4) Fisher-Price Travel Doodle Pro
I think that every parent with little ones should have one of these! We take it everywhere, Dr's office, traveling, even church! It's small enough to fit into a diaper bag. They can quietly draw on it and then pull the button across to clear the screen and start over again. Beats having crayons spilt all over your vehicle! We've used it to teach Nathan shapes, numbers, words, etc.

5) Play-Doh Creativity Center - Nathan LOVES Play-Doh! He got this as a b-day present from his Aunt. We used to have a PlayDoh table but we couldn't find a sturdy kid's chair to use with it. And there wasn't any storage with it. What I love about this creativity center is that it sits right on the floor (or table when they are older) and it holds all your PlayDoh tools and dough. It's a great way to stay organized and clean-up is simple!

There's my favorites for this week!

Friday's Top 5 Favorite Findings

This week, I'm going to highlight a few blogs that I've found. If you get some spare time over holiday vacation, you may want to check them out:

1) Mummy Deals - Claire does a great job with her blog. She has a posting for a cookie swap here. She's hoping for 50 of them. Maybe you guys can help her out? (I'll post one soon, Claire!) She also has a previous posting on how you can get make-up at a really great price! Click here for the details.

2)5MinutesforMom - Check out her beautiful snow angel picture here. (Doesn't that make you want to make one yourself?) And take a minute to read how they helped out 41 children this year here!

3)SavingMoneyIdeas - Check out a few good deals here! For those of you that didn't know, Baby Center Store is going out of business. Read her posting here on some details.

4)That's Just Nifty Thrifty - AlanaJo has some great recipes, crafts and deals on her blog. I like her cute button wreath ornament here.

5)Budget Help$ - Tena has some coupons, samples and deals on her site. Click here for a printable coupon for $5 off a Kodak Picture movie DVD.

Want to leave your blog link for us to check out? Feel free! You can leave a comment (link is under each posting) or a direct link in Mr. Linky!

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Friday's Top 5 Favorite Findings

Here are the Top 5 for this week:

1) Melissa and Doug 3-piece puzzles - I am actually a fan of most of the line from Melissa and Doug. But I particularly like these large knob wooden puzzles for preschoolers. It's a great way to get them to learn how puzzles work. Nathan started out with these and can already put together a 9-piece puzzle. I have to buy one that has more pieces to see if he can do more!

2)Jon and Kate plus 8- I started watching this show right after Nathan was born. I'd put a few episodes on the DVR and when I got overwhelmed by being a new mommy, I'd watch an episode. Just watching how these people have to handle 6 2-year olds and 2 6-year olds always made me feel much better! :) Amazon has season 1-2 for $14.99 right now. But they have lots of re-runs on the Discovery channel!

3)Nintendo Wii Active Life Outdoor Challenge- We were really lucky to get this for a great price during a lightning deal. We've only been able to play it the one night but there are so many fun games on it! So far we've jumped hurdles, kayaked and played the whack-a-mole game. It comes with the game and the gamepad that you jump on to play the games. It's one of those great games that secretly gives you exercise while you play! :)

4)Rubbermaid 3oz. containers- So I couldn't find a link online for these but they sell them at Target in the container aisle. They are GREAT! I started using them for baby food leftovers. They fit perfectly in the Gerber Feeding Center. I'd pre-make Nathan's baby cereals for the morning. And now, we use them for making up single servings of pudding, Jello, etc. Check them out next time you are in the store!

5)Hydraulic Stretch Jeans- These are my all-time favorite jeans! I've only been able to find them for sale at Maurices stores, though. But you can find quite a few on eBay!

Friday's Top Five Favorite Findings

I forgot to post this yesterday!

1) The Courage to Start - I've always wanted to be a runner. I'm hoping that things work out this year so I can enter my first 5K. This book is written for the average person whom wants to be a runner. Let me tell you...it's incredibly motivating and before you are through reading, you'll want to be a "penguin," too! (Amazon currently has this for $4.49!)

2) Boppy Cuddle Pillow - I picked up mine when I was pregnant with Nathan. I was having leg cramps at night and my friend, Kristen, recommended this pillow. It REALLY helped! And I've used it a lot since. It's great as an extra neck pillow on the couch or for propping up baby when you feed them. Mine has held it's shape well, even after a few washings.

3) Denise Austin DVDs - I am a HUGE Denise Austin fan. She is one of those amazing exercise people that seems to know just when you are ready to quit the dvd and she says something inspiring to keep you pushing through. My favorite is Power Yoga Plus.

4)Neves for Nintendo DS- You'll notice that the title is actually the word seven spelled backwards. You get seven shapes and you have to twist and turn them into the figure illustrated. Sounds simple? It's not! I don't know how many hours of sleep I've lost getting addicted to this game...and running into one that stumps me! Rich has had to bail me out a few times and vice versa! This game is great for keeping your brain from turning to mush! :)

5) Oxi Clean Baby - I found this stuff right around the time Nathan started eating solid foods. It worked like a dream in getting out stains, even the carrots and sweet potatoes! You can find it over in the laundry detergent area. Just make sure you get the Baby version that's gentle enough for babies.

Friday's Top Five Favorite Findings

Here are my Top 5 Favs for the week:

1) Foldable Kitchen Safety Tower-This is by far my favorite finding! I have been wanting one of these but haven't seen them under $170 and they didn't fold. I did some "surfing" over the weekend and found this version for $125 with free shipping and it folds! It also has a cute chalkboard on the side. I put it on my Christmas list for my MIL. I know Nathan and I would get so much use out of it, as we bake together a lot now.

2) Personal Trainer: Cooking for DS-This looks like such a great tool! It talks you through how to do recipes. My sister was lucky enough to get two for $5 each on Cyber Monday! Guess who gets her extra copy! :) I can't wait!!

3) Wii Fit Mommiis Group- I did a posting a few days ago but this is such a great group, that it's worthy of the Top 5, too! Definitely check it out if you have a WiiFit!

4) Fruit Basket/Banana Hanger- I had been looking for a fruit basket and this was one of the cheapest prices I found. I've found that since I have my fruit displayed on the counter now, I tend to eat more of it and not indulge in unhealthy snacks as much.

5) Earth's Aloe Socks- I found these at Kohl's before Kaydi was born. I thought they'd be nice to use in the hospital. I wish I had bought more pairs! They are so soft and comfortable. I usually can't wear "fuzzy" socks because they pick up every dog hair in our house...but these don't! Perfect!!

Friday's Top Five Favorite Findings - Baby Edition

Since I have everything baby on the brain lately, I thought I'd do two editions to my Top 5 this week.

1) Papasan Cradle Swing- My friend, Debbie, bought this for us for our baby shower with Nathan. Let me tell you, I couldn't have survived this last week alone without it! Kaydi is soothed to sleep while Nathan and I get some playtime in. Highly recommended!

2) J.J. Cole Bundle Me Car Seat Cover- This is so nice to have so that you don't have to worry about a blanket falling off the car seat when you are carrying your baby. When we use this, we don't put a thick coat on Kaydi. We just put her in normal clothes and use the little "tuckie" that Dani sent us to keep her a little extra warm. We zip up the car seat cover and she's protected from all the weather elements. It's definitely worth the money!

3) Tiny Love Gymini-This was one of Nathan's favorite toys as an infant. And I think it will be one of Kaydi's, too. She loves the mirror and hitting the giraffe toy, so far. A good thing to have for Tummy Time, too!

4) Mother of all Pregnancy/Baby Book- When I was pregnant with Nathan, I think I bought almost every pregnancy book they sold! By far, this was my favorite! She also has a Baby and Toddler version.

5) Diaper Genie II Elite- We originally bought the Diaper Champ, but the smell afterwhile was too much! We then bought a Diaper Genie for Nathan's room. It's nice but you have to push the diaper in. When I saw they came out with a new one, I put it on my/Kaydi's Christmas list! Rich's Mom was kind enough to get it for us early. It's a DREAM! No smells and you don't have to push the diaper in! You just step on the pedal and it pops open to drop the diaper in. I've even taught Nathan how to work it. (Diapers only! No Toys, Nathan!!) Two Thumbs Up!!!

Friday's Top Five Favorite Findings

Here are my top 5 for this week:

1)Confessions of a Shopaholic - There are 5 books in this series (so far) and they have all made me laugh to the point of tears. I remember reading the first book and Rich finally said to me, "Is that book REALLY that funny?" YES! It was! Sophie Kinsella is at the top of my list for favorite authors.

2)Parents Busy Cube - This toy has been a favorite at our house to all ages that have visited. The price is really reasonable compared to other toys similar to it. I love all the different aspects that it teaches the kids, too. Nathan learned dexterity from moving the shapes, how to open and close doors and is now starting to learn shapes, colors, alphabet and words from it.

3)First Impressions 10-DVD Set - We bought this for Nathan not quite a year ago. He has been fascinated with these DVDs ever since. Amazon has the collection for $37.78, which figures out to $3.78 a DVD. You might want to see if your library has any of the set of 10 to make sure your kids will like them before ordering. Nathan's favorites are Sounds, Seasons and Animals.

4)Overstock.com - Whenever I am in need of bedding, this is the first place that I look. They have some really nice sheets, comforters and bedspreads for very good prices! We have a king size bed and I've been able to get sheets for $10 or less and bedding for under $30.

5)Fisher-Price Little People Build 'n Fun Farm & Playground - These are really great building toys for kids whom aren't quite ready for the smaller Lego series. They come in a nice container and the lid is actually a building area for the blocks.

Most of my items this week are for products but I figured with everyone starting to look for Christmas presents, you might like to see some products we've been enjoying for awhile here.

Do you have any good recommendations this week of your favorites? Please leave a comment so we can enjoy them, too!

Friday's Top Five Favorite Findings

It's Friday once again! And here are my weekly top 5 that I found worth sharing.

1)Graco Travel Lite Table Chair - This is one of the best investments I've made as far as baby gear. Our kitchen is rather small and our high chair was taking up a lot of room. With Nathan being big enough to eat on his own, I thought we needed something new. This chair hooks onto almost any table. You can fold it in half and take it with you to any house you visit! The best part is, your child is right there at the table with you and can enjoy eating along with you. Nathan's been a MUCH better eater since we've bought this.

2)Betty Crocker Hi-Energy Mini-Blender - I stumbled onto this in the CVS clearance area. I got it for $2.49! I originally bought it for making small batches of homemade baby food, but since my large blender broke, it's become our smoothie maker. It's the perfect size for whipping up a quick smoothie! It rinses very easily and doesn't take up a lot of storage space. I couldn't find one online but I did find one at an eBay store to show you a picture. Check your CVS to see if they have them! Great kick for a small blender!

3)Shannon, over at Rocks in My Dryer, wrote up a really great article on mammograms. She's honest and explains what happens during one. You really need to read her article here. After reading it, it took a little bit of the scare out of it for me. It won't be tooo long until I'm needing one!

4)Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson - I am totally a "judge a book by its cover" person. :) I have found great novels by the cover catching my attention when walking by it. The texture of the pages of this book caught my eye in the store and it intrigued me to buy it. LOVED IT! It's been awhile since I've read it but I have passed it on to four people since. They all said the same thing...made me cry, loved it! What's funny is, I had no idea James Patterson was a thriller writer. He definitely switched gears with this one!

5)Jane4Girls800dollarAnnualBudget - Yes, that's the name of the blog! I just found this blog a day or two ago and have been intrigued by it. It's made me want to start a 2nd blog of just my grocery trips to see what I buy throughout the year and what my total spending is. I haven't been able to dig deep into the blog yet to see what her $671 spent so far has gotten her but the few pages I looked at looked great! I'm also going to put her twice baked potatoes, buttermilk waffles and stuffed cabbage rolls on my "recipes to try" list!

Friday's Top Five Favorite Findings

It sure has been a long week, fighting illness and having a busy weekend at parties. But here are my favorites for this week that I want to share:

1) Product - Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 Slowcooker set. This is a set of "nesting" crockpots of 2,4 and 6qt. sizes. What I love about it is, you only dirty up the size that you need! Using the right size seems to cook my meals better, too. And it doesn't take up any more space than my old crockpot. Thumbs up! I got lucky and found mine in Kmart's clearance area for $27! Wow!

2) Children's Books - Karen Katz. What a wonderful author! The link I provided is for a 3-book box set for $10.87 on Amazon. If you are looking for a child's gift, it's the perfect price! Nathan loves all the lift-a-flaps on the books and has been learning body parts from them.

3) Website - Talking Child. This link gives a chart of toy/book/etc. recommendations based on your child's speech development level. What I also love are their Baby Babble and Baby Babble 2 DVDs. They have helped Nathan immensely with talking. And their Parent Tutorials after the videos are fabulous for helping you teach your child to speak. (See if you library has these!)

4) Article - Quick & Easy Pancakes. Every time I see her picture of pancakes on the posting, I crave one sooo bad! They look light and perfect. I can't wait to try out this recipe! I like the concept of her blog "Cooking during Stolen Moments."

5) Blog - "Whatever." I love the READ concept in her playroom with the large letters and pictures of book covers. Also, click to the main page and scroll down to see her fabulous pictures. I need a camera like that! :) Don't you feel you are right there with her shots?

Until next week...

Friday's Top Five Favorite Findings

Every time I type up this weekly posting, I think...geez, another week closer to the baby being here! Wow! Here are my favorites for the week.

1)Blogs - 6yr Med.. This blog is written by a pediatrician and she has some great stories. Some will make you smile. Some laugh. Some will gross you out and others...you wish you never read! Like this week, I wish I didn't read about When Heaven Doesn't Hear You. No pregnant woman should read that! But if you are looking for some interesting stories, definitely check out her blog.

2)Article - Lori, from MomsbyHeart, has a great article called Make-Ahead Food that Tastes Great. The article is her as a guest poster on another blog, but I want to link you directly to her blog first, so you can check it out. Click here for her posting to the other link.

3)Product - So I did a call-out on these earlier in the week, but they are so cute, that they deserve to be included in my favorites! BooJiBoo Aprons! Love them! Check them out here and sign-up for the giveaway while you're there!

4)Book - Counting Colors by Roger Priddy. I ordered this after Christmas during Barnes & Noble's huge clearance sale. When it arrived, I thought, "This book is stupid." (Sorry, Roger!) I just bought it when Nathan was too young to appreciate the book's real intentions. But now, it's one of my favorites to "read" with Nathan. Each page is designated to a specific color. And they have objects from 1 to 10. One tractor. Two frogs. Three limes. Whatever. So the kids not only learn colors, they learn to count. And they learn new words. AND they learn to "seek and find." I'll say, "Nathan, where are all the green frogs?" and he'll look through both pages and find each one of them. It's actually kind of fun! If you are looking for a written book to read...this isn't for you! But if you are looking for a fun, educational book, then definitely check it out! The link above is to Amazon and they have a "Look Inside" link so you can check out some of the pages.

5)TV Show - Imagination Movers. I just stumbled onto this kid's show about a month ago. And just typing the title, gets their theme song stuck in my head again! It's on the Disney channel and airs around 9AM(CST). Not only is their music catchy, but the show itself has a great theme. Have a problem? Work together and brainstorm to find a solution! Nathan isn't much of a TV watcher but he loves this show. You may have to check it out for yourself!

Friday's Top 5 Favorite Findings

It's hard to believe it's Friday again already! Here are my Top 5 Favorite things that I've found that I'd love to share with you.

1) Books - Rufus Butler Seder's scanimation books! His first one Gallop, was a big hit and he's just released a second one this week called Swing. I have bought 6 copies of Gallop for birthday party gifts and they've been a huge hit each time. If you haven't seen them, definitely check them out next time you are at a book store. You'll love them, too!

2) Blogs - This week, I just came across the blog Sisterly Savings. I have been checking them out daily ever since. They have quite a big variety of things on the blog.

3) Product - Babies R Us has a line of products called, "Especially for Baby." Their toddler plates are wonderful. They can go in the dishwasher or microwave (and they don't come out hot!) The bottoms of them are designed to prevent the plate from slipping. But what I also love is their fork/spoon sets. I have tried several sets of other brands and they just don't seem to work well with Nathan's little hands. Thumbs up on these.

4) Article - The timing of this article was perfect for me. I loved MoneySavingMom's Guest Posting on Homemade Household Cleaners. I've been wanting to do the switch myself and I loved the tips of this article. I am also planning on checking out the book she recommended. Check it out here.

5)Product - I love the lettuce crisper that is exclusive to The Container Store. It sells for $8.99 but you will get every penny back because it will save you from having to buy lettuce all the time! I've had a head of lettuce last for weeks, sometimes even cut up! Definitely worth the money!

Have you had any great finds? Feel free to leave a blog link or a comment sharing them with us! It can be anything from a product, to an article to a blog. (even your own blog!)

Friday's Top 5 Favorite Findings

Throughout the week, I find various blogs, articles or products and I wondered how I could share them with everyone. Last night, I thought I'll do a "Top 5" Series on Fridays! And so begins the series! This is also a place for you to leave your favorite article/blog/product that you've found, too!

Here are my Top 5:

1) I am loving the Coupon Coup's 12 Weeks of Christmas series. This week's guest poster had a marvelous idea for how to do inexpensive Christmas Stockings. Check both out here.

2) Here is the inspiration for my "Top 5." Amy's Notebook Experiment! It's a listing of great findings. Click here to read.

3) I am ALWAYS looking for new recipes to keep dinnertime from becoming boring and monotonous. A great blog is A Year of Crockpotting. One of her latest postings: Brownies in a Mug! Guess what this pregnant lady has been craving since! :) And I have it on my "weekend to-dos" to try her crockpot applesauce recipe! (Update: I made this today (Saturday) and it is delicious and easy to make!!)

4) I am liking the blog Today's Housewife. A little bit of everything here. Some recipe-sharing, some holiday ideas etc.

5) My final favorite is justJENN recipes. Do NOT look at her blog if you don't want your taste buds tickled! I am amazed at her skill with fondant, as well! I can't wait to give it a try, myself. I am not very crafty with my hands so it could be a total disaster but I will never know until I try! :)

So these are my Top 5s for the week. Did you find any cool articles/blogs/products this week?