For me, keeping it yummy and simple is always the biggest factor in any game-day menu. Here’s a few tips to make preparation even simpler.

Use a Crockpot.

This is absolutely mandatory around here. In fact, crock pots are so useful for holidays and game day we went out and bought a great unit that has three crock pots in it. They are attractive, convenient and one pot does it all from cooking, to keeping warm and serving. 

Plan Ahead

Don’t get too very extravagant, you’d be surprised just how amazing things can turn out with just a little prep and a few ingredients. By planning ahead you don’t have to worry about missing ingredients or last minute trips to the store. Keep in mind there’s almost always a simple way to improvise if you do end up forgetting something.

Keep it Simple

When you’re entertaining a crowd all too often as the hostess we get way too caught up in wanting it to be fancy and impressive. On game-day this is absolutely not necessary! Break out the everyday dishes, the simpler the better actually as game-day tends to be casual and messy. Keep it as simple as possible for not only serving and eating, but for clean up as well!

Now it’s your turn! Join the conversation and tell me what tips you have for hosting a successful party for friends and family for the Big Game and be entered to win a 42” LG flat Screen TV!

Looking for some snack ideas? Tyson Any’tizers are a great snack that satisfies your kids on game day or any day! 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Tyson Any’Tizers.  The opinions expressed by me do not necessarily reflect the view of the Tyson Any’Tizers Brand. Official Sweepstakes Rules

There are many mornings where making a full breakfast just doesn’t work well so it’s great to have something quick to grab. Also, the hungries hit the boys frequently throughout the day and I love knowing I have something healthy to give them that will fill them up and really feed their bodies well.

So, as I was looking around online I stumbled upon eatbetteramerica.com and their wonderful Healthified Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies (quite a mouthful in so many ways lol). Everything about this recipe I love! It uses natural peanut butter (you should always use the unsalted unsweetened type anyway, it doesn’t take long for the family to get used to it I promise) and honey. There’s NO white sugar in this recipe, what an amazing healthful treat for your family!

Healthified Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

from eatbetteramerica.com

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup mashed banana (about 1 large)
1/2 cup chunky natural peanut butter (unsalted and unsweetened)
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup Gold Medal® whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in dried cranberries.
2. Using a ¼-cup measure, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough to a 2¾-inch round, about ½ inch thick.
3. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14 to 16 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months; thaw before serving.

Nutritional Information
1 Serving: Calories 220 (Calories from Fat 60); Total Fat 7g (Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 35mg; Total Carbohydrate 38g (Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 22g); Protein 6g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 2%; Calcium 4%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 2 Starch; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Image ©JJAVA – fotolia.com

Of course, in my home there’s always a lot of clutter, but finding clever and convenient storage solutions can be the perfect answer for keeping things running smoothly when seasons change. This doesn’t have to be expensive, sure it can be, but there are ways to keep it down to a minimum.

Buy them all the same!

Try to buy the same containers for storing seasonal items. These containers can be different for each season but making sure you’re buying the same ones makes them simple to stack, find and label.

Shop Sales

Right after Christmas is usually the perfect time to shop for storage as most stores have big sales on it. Sure, some of them may be red and green big plastic containers but those are perfect for storing all your winter and Christmas stuff and you’ll always know what boxes to look in for that time of year! Even snow suits, winter clothing, boots, etc are perfect for storing in these containers.

Label Well

Label all your containers with not only the season, but the basic contents. For Christmas/winter stuff I’d typically have one box for lights, another for ornaments/stockings and another for winter clothes. You get the idea.

Plan Ahead

Make an area in your home or garage or basement that’s just for storage. Take time to find that one spot that’s not damp or wet, but isn’t used much. Keep in mind that it does NOT have to be a large area. I would venture to say that for seasonal storage you really don’t need more than a 6ft x 6ft area to fit all four seasons.

This is a great time to get rid of any lights that don’t work or clothes that are worn out, too small or won’t be used again! Fill your boxes and stack them all together by season. The great thing about doing it this way is that it doesn’t take long at all and everything is going to be so very easy to find next year when you need it.

Now I’m off to find that pesky Valentine’s Day table runner I didn’t put away last year !

This post was brought to you by Uncle Bob’s storage company! All opinions and content is entirely mine you can see my full disclosure policy here. 

Keeping my boys looking decent, preferably with no holes in their shoes (sadly I discovered one of them needs a new pair just this morning), and allowing myself the occasional “indulgence” of fun clothes or shoes requires a little patience and a lot of perseverance.

Here’s some great tips for huge discounts when shopping on a budget for your family!

This post is brought to you by Macy’s, my favorite shoes for girls.

Know Your Store

Most of us have a few select stores we shop at a lot. Then there are the ones we visit a little less frequently for specific items. The biggest tip I have is to get familiar with the patterns of the store you frequent most.

The one I shop at almost always has a percentage off of their clearance items. I know that they will have about two weeks each year where there is no extra discount on the clearance products, every other part of the year they will be anywhere from 40% to 60% off the clearance price. Point is, there’s a pattern to their discounts and there are many stores that do the same so plan ahead for those biggest savings weeks and try to do most of your bulk shopping then.

Shop the Clearance Rack

Yes, usually you will find mostly “off-season” items, but if your store has a clearance section (mine always does though they do move it occasionally) frequent it and think ahead to what your family may need soon. My store usually has deeper discounts off the clearance items, so as mentioned before I tend to try and do even more shopping then.

Always Be Prepared

Always know your children’s clothing and shoe sizes and what they are currently in need of (or will be soon) when visiting the store. You want to be prepared to shop for any of them at any given time based on what is actually available for a great deal in the store (I love getting $50 shoes for under $20).

Be Flexible

Here’s a tip that can be a little challenging for some people. Know what you or your children need, but if you go to the store with a particular brand or exact style in mind you will usually be disappointed and pay far more than you need to. I have the benefit of shopping at a store that carries some great brand name clothing, that said though, they are not always going to have one brand on sale. If you do have a specific brand in mind, just wait to see if they go on sale another month.

Look for a Return Policy

Did you know that there are some stores that have a return policy for children’s clothing that covers them if they get holes in the knees or if they outgrow them too soon? For some people this is a great way to shop!

Look for Coupons

Another great tip is to shop with a coupon. A lot of stores will have their own “bucks” to earn and use which is a great way to get a discount. Other stores will have sales and sometimes they will even have those sales in conjunction with a coupon in their weekly ad or in the mail…. look for these, they are so great!

Online vs. Offline

Honestly this is a matter of personal preference. There are tons of amazing deals to be found both ways! I talked primarily today about physically going to a store to shop, but that doesn’t mean that even better deals can’t be found online, it’s simply a little different technique to find the best deals and we will cover that another time!

Have a tip of your own? We’d love to hear it! Just leave a comment and tell us your best frugal shopping tip!

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by and written by me on behalf of Macy’s, my favorite shoes for girls. 

It’s no secret that things are often chaotic in our teeny tiny house filled with 6 growing busy boys. There are few that don’t immediately question my state of sanity the moment they find out how many children I have. It amuses me when I can just see them trying to imagine what would transpire if they were to spend several hours cooped up in a little room with said number of boys. But I digress…

The age difference from my 16 year old down to the 5 year old twins seems monumental right now. The idea that I have to be able to smoothly transition in the course of a millisecond from “don’t break that” and “what on earth are you doing up there?” to worrying about the cost of adding the 16 year old to our insurance (can you hear me scream?), and talk to him about his future is all likely to happen in the course of a normal moment for me.

I have children in three different schools. For the first time ever all 6 of my sons are attending school, though the Twinks only have morning Kindergarten. The few hours that they are at school should feel like a time to breathe and rebuild, but I end up spending so much of that time tackling Mount Laundry, picking up, running errands and generally recovering from the whirlwind that is 6 boys, the time is gone before I have even taken a single breath.

I could go on and on… but I think you get the idea here. This may not be everyday life for the next mom, but the point is that I have spent the last several years simply surviving, and lately I’ve been trying to take a step back and evaluate whatever I can to help move past mere survival. As a mother, as a woman, as a wife, as a human being I want to be happy and healthy, even in my present circumstances!

I can’t tell you how many times I have not only thought that I am alone in feeling overwhelmed, but that I am a horribly incompetent parent because I can’t always just roll with every single spontaneous and unexpected thing that is thrown my way. Admittedly, I do have a few more than the average number of children, but I have discovered that so many other moms feel exactly the same way I do. We share the same or similar struggles, frustrations, feeling overwhelmed and so much more.

This year, the theme at A Frog In My Soup is Healthy Family, but that means taking a look at each individual part of that family to make sure that they are healthy in more than the physical sense.  Over the next few weeks I’ll be taking a deeper look at motherhood and I have a few thoughts on the demystification of certain aspects of motherhood. There are no perfect parents, but we can all be capable and equipped parents that still make mistakes.

Today, I want any mom who feels overwhelmed to know that you are not alone. We all experience it at one point or another, it’s how we face it that makes the difference.

Deal Alert! For an amazing deal on this software, just visit MyMemories.com and enter the code: STMMMS65638 to get $10 off the My Memories Suite Software or $10 off in the store! Also check out the end of this post for a great giveaway!

If you have been looking for a digital scrapbooking software whether you’re a beginner or have been doing it for awhile you’ll definitely want to check out the features My Memories Suite has to offer! A software that is completely created just for scrapbooking and that allows you to create beautiful pages with just a few clicks of a button.

The pre-installed albums are great for those who really just want a pretty page without having to build it from scratch. The photo templates are amazing for those who want to build the elements portions but want a great layout. Or, if you just want to build a page from the ground up, you can totally do that too.

Purchasing the kits, templates and other items offered in their store is definitely the easiest way to go! From calendar templates and quickpages, to albums and digital scrapbooking kits you are totally covered and they are extremely affordable. There’s even a lot of freebies and great sales and dollar items.

If you have digi-scrap kits already on hand that you’d like to use with the program, you can totally do that too. Although the process takes a few more steps to have the kits at your fingertips, if you love working with this program it will totally be worth it.

Who should buy it? I recommend this software for beginner to intermediate digi-scrappers! I recommend advanced users to check out the software before buying as you may find your collection of kits bogs the program down a little too much and the inability to switch out elements on the fly may be frustrating.

Win it!

That’s right, My Memories is offering you the chance to win My Memories Suite software right here at A Frog In My Soup (value $39.97)! 

How to Enter: There are many ways to enter (and we couldn’t have made it more simple, just check out the bar at the bottom of your screen to do most of the entry options without even leaving the site)! Just make sure you leave a NEW comment for each new entry!

• Tell me why you would like to win My Memories Suite for yourself!
• Visit MyMemories.com and tell me what kit is your favorite.
• Fan Us: Become a Facebook Fan of A Frog In My Soup!!!
• Follow A Frog In My Soup on Twitter
• Tweet It: Just tweet this giveaway with a link to this post and make sure your comment has your twitter handle in it.
• Blog It: Write a post about this giveaway (with a link to this post of course) on your own blog, make sure your comment has a link to your post.
• Share it: Stumble It, Kirtsy It, Digg It, Submit to Mommy Blips: Submit this giveaway to any of these sites and earn an extra entry for each one…and make sure your comment has your Username.
• Follow My Memories Blog
• Follow My Memories on Twitter
• Follow My Memories on Facebook

It is void where prohibited, be sure to read my giveaway policies here. Giveaway ends at noon on Thursday January 26, 2012. This giveaway is open to US addresses only.
Disclosure: I always give honest and forthright reviews and will not present something that poses a conflict of interest &/or that I do not like. My Memories provided me with a copy of My Memories Suite Scrapbooking software to try out and present this review to you. You can read our full disclosure policy here.

We had the most amazing beautiful chilly, clear day on Friday with a sunset that lit up the world all pink (I was in Heaven)! That quickly turned to snow and ice on Saturday. The contrast was incredible so I had to share it with all of you! Just click each picture to see it larger and I hope all is well and beautiful in your part of the world!

Around here breakfast has the most loved foods and waffles are at the very top of that list. So as we all start trying to get a little healthier, here’s a great recipe from EatingWell. Top these amazing waffles with fresh (or warmed) berries or fruit and a dollop of yogurt for a truly delicious treat.

EatingWell Waffles

From EatingWell:  July/August 1992, EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook (2008)

6 servings | Active Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)
• 1 large egg, separated
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, (optional)
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation

1. Stir whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, the egg yolk, oil and vanilla (if using) in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until moistened.
2. Beat the 3 egg whites in a grease-free mixing bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy. Whisk one-quarter of the beaten egg whites into the batter. Fold in the remaining beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula.
3. Preheat a waffle iron. Brush the surface lightly with oil. Fill the waffle iron two-thirds full of batter. Cook until the waffles are crisp and golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the surface with oil before cooking each batch.

Nutrition
Per serving : 241 Calories; 4 g Fat; 0 g Sat; 2 g Mono; 37 mg Cholesterol; 41 g Carbohydrates; 11 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 450 mg Sodium; 285 mg Potassium

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1/2 fat

Tips & Notes

• Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: the ratio is 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

The timing is undeniably significant.

As you welcome in the New Year, are you doing so with open arms or trepidation and fear? I know for myself I’m somewhere in the middle right now. Sadly, I’m afraid to hope for too much, but too much of an optimist to let go of hope altogether. As you can see, my outlook is definitely in need of some “adjusting”!

I have a lot of ideas swimming around in my brain as we enter 2012. Most of them to do with health and how we eat and live and take care of ourselves.

So, the theme for this year at A Frog In My Soup will be Healthy Family!

Throughout the year we will visit a lot of different ideas offering tips, ideas and information to help you create a healthier home and family!  But there’s more….

See that picture at the beginning of this post?  That is Nancy Caron and her beautiful family. I haven’t known Nancy long, but felt like we’d been friends forever the moment I visited her fun blog.

Nancy has recently joined the A Frog In My Soup family as our Product Review Coordinator. With that part of the site beautifully under control you will see so many more amazing family friendly products you will love. We will also be offering giveaways again on a consistent basis.

We even have a few select openings for Reviewers in 2012. If you’re interested, please simply email us your name, link to your blog/writing and tell us why you’d like to be part of our team {info @ afroginmysoup.com}.

If you haven’t already, please be sure to subscribe to A Frog In My Soup or even share us (tools are in the bottom bar or floaty box to the left) with family and friends so that you know as soon as new features go up!

All in all though, we all wish you a very happy and blessed 2012!

Laundry is no worse (thank goodness), but it’s no better either, even after a full two holiday weeks of no break from it. Mount Laundry is still a formidable giant.

It’s always challenging to try and keep on top of the needs of 6 boys, but at the end of the holidays when sleep deprivation has set in (either due to insomnia or children waking at 5am… or both), suddenly everything seems foggy and a little more difficult to grasp than usual.

Today, although a nap is sounding lovely to me even at 8:30 am, I have a busy day so I am going to make the best of it. For me this means having a few moments of quiet, a nice hot cup of coffee and just get moving.

If you’re fighting post-holiday fatigue, here’s a few tips…

Get up and move.

Getting outside, even if it’s cold or a little dismal, can do wonders for your attitude, brain fog, etc. It’s a great way to clear your mind and although it tends to make me sleepy at first it definitely puts me in a better mood and makes me feel far more able to tackle whatever I need to do that day.

Make a plan.

Have a purpose, especially this week. Make a to-do list and just whack away at it this week to see how much you can accomplish. Keep it realistic, it’s a great motivator if you know you can actually accomplish it.

Take time to rejuvenate.

Make a few moments each day to just be alone and unwind. This might not be everyone’s thing, but I love silence and it’s definitely more than a rarity around here. I like to cozy up for a few minutes and either read or just sit and relish the moment with a cup of coffee or tea.  For some of you it might be taking a bath or even just a long hot shower. Whatever it is, try to find that 10 minutes where you can just breathe!

Take your vitamins.

Make sure you’re taking a good quality vitamin. This is the time when a lot of us are run down physically (not eating the same, stress, less sleep or not sleeping well, you get the idea) among other things and making sure we have plenty of B and C vitamins in particular is essential to keeping our bodies healthy.