Carolina Club Sandwich Recipe

The Carolina Club Sandwich submitted by Shelly Leatham from Timberlake, NC was picked as the winner of our Kraft Sandwich Recipe Contest.  Thanks for submitting this one, Shelly! The standout element of this sandwich to all of us who sampled it was how well the Kraft garlic and herb mayo went with all the fresh ingredients your suggested.  Yum!

Visit OutStandwich.com in July to see some other outstanding sandwiches including  my Chicago Style Chicken Sandwich recipe.

Below find the ingredients I gathered to make this winning sandwich as well as Shelly's instructions on how to create one for yourself:

Let Manilla help you get organized

Last month I got a sneak peek into Manilla, a new household account organization site, and I wanted to share the scoop with you! Plus, in June they are doing an amazing Giveaway: one lucky new user will win $1,000 cash to pay their bills!

Children's Book - The Twins' Blanket

I recently had a chance to check out a provided advanced reader's copy of a sweet twin themed book due to be released August 16th.

The book entitled The Twins' Blanket is written and beautifully illustrated by Hyewon Yum a twin herself.  The story centers around that familiar milestone moment for twins when it's first time to sleep in separate beds.  I won't spoil the plot and outcome any further, but I will say this mommy of twin boys found this tale a prominent spot in our bedtime story rotation.

Pineapple SoyJoy

On the hunt for a low cal tropical treat?  Last week I had a chance to taste a couple provided samples of the new Pineapple SOYJOY bars and I think they definitely would qualify.  They are baked with real pineapple and whole.  Nutritional stats put them at 140 calories with 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein, not bad at all.

Giveaway Winner

Congrats to reader #42, Mel4Him, who is the winner of our Field of Vision P&G Family Movie Night Prize Pack Giveaway which includes a digital video camera! 

Didn't win?  Checkout these giveaways still open:

• Learning Resources Ice Cream Shop
• $300 Baby Shower from Pampers
• Peaceable Kingdom Game
• Kraft StackerMallows

Sports Illustrated KIDS In Your Face 3D: 3D Sports Blast Book

If you are trying to ease the kids back into books this summer perhaps start with one with mostly pictures and a fun set of 3D glasses?  The editors of Sports Illustrated Kids just released Sports Illustrated Kids: 3D SPORTS BLAST Book and it features some of the world’s best sports photography—in eye-popping 3D!

Backyard Safari Outfitters

What backyard adventuring child or for that matter a child who likes to pretend they are out in the backyard even on an icky day, wouldn't love to own their own Base Camp Shelter, Camouflage net, Bird Watcher’s Field Kit, and Hiking Stick!  Needless to say, I didn't have to sleep on the offer from Team Mom to try out these new items from Backyard Safari Outfitters.

How fun!  If you are looking to spice up summer for your own kids or looking to dazzle someone else's with some fun gifts, you should definitely consider this line of adventure toys.  We were already hooked after a previous review of Backyard Safari's vest, bug vacuum, and other gadgets last June; and this newest collection was even cooler.

The First Years Lightweight Ignite Stroller

Why would a twin mommy need single strollers?  The plan that sometimes works best is one involving divide and conquer.  I've found that twins often feed off of one another in certain situations.  While that is sometimes a good thing, other times it is a disaster.  If one twin sees the other twin upset at the dentist or doctors office, mayhem can result.  So, a couple lightweight inexpensive strollers can be handy.

I recently was offered the chance to check out one by The First Years called the Ignite.  The Ignite provided for review features today's popular Euro-styled frame combined with a contemporary print that could work for boys or girls.

Tattooed by Inky

With a household that includes extremely active 16 and 12 year old boys, stink is a frequently used word.  Let's face it, 10 year old girls can be brutally honest when it comes to their brothers.  

Our oldest son has spent the vast part of his summer traveling from his H.S. football teams' lifting sessions to practices to 7 on 7s to cardio sessions with his trainer.  On a down moment, he'll try to pop over to his girlfriends house or hang with friends. Showers in between all these requirements aren't always possible so he relies heavily on a fresh t-shirt, a new dose of deodorant, and a douse of body spray.

Let the Potty Training Begin!

My how time really has a way of flying by some times!  I can hardly believe my twins turned 3 last week.  Even harder to believe is the fact that pre-school is looming around the corner for them both.  I guess this Mommy needs to get serious about Potty Training these two little boys or she'll be homeschooling them for the first few months.

Learning Resources: Pretend & Play Ice Cream Shop Review (Giveaway)

Ice Cream and Summer Time go together like peanut butter and jelly.  However, one can't simply hang out in the Ice Cream Shop all day unless it's a pretend one like the set we were sent for review from Learning Resources.

ThinkFun Game News & Review

We have a summer vacation road trip planned again this summer.  No driving straight to our destination either, this year we will be veering off the path along the way to see a few college campuses our High School son wants to see too.  A longer ride means Mommy needs to be sure to gather all those much needed in car distractions.  I like to start this process a few weeks before we leave by adding items to a large basket I've set aside.  I slowly add things I spot around the home like crayons, small toys, games, books, devices and etc.  

Pampers wants to give you a $300 Baby Shower (Giveaway)

I'm a lucky girl!  Hubby and I just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary on June 21st a day after our youngest two (twins) of five children turned 3.  It's been an amazing 20 years that started with a beautiful wedding and went on to include all sorts of celebrations from birthday parties to two baby showers.

I'm also a member of the Pampers Baby Board which essentially means I've had a chance to really get to know the folks behind that brand a bit.  And while I am bummed I wasn't able to make the latest celebration with the board (daughter's dance recital), I 've been staying involved in all the Pampers happenings!

Pirate, Mermaid, & Nautical themed Items @CompanyKids

On the heels of our fun Pirate Themed 3rd Birthday Party for the twins, I'm still spotting pirate items, mermaid stuff, and other nautical themed gear nearly every where I turn.  In fact check out this round-up of just some of the fun sea related items found online at Company Kids.

Children's Book - Mr. Biggs in the City

Author and Illustrator Kevin Bloomfield recently contacted us about checking out his latest work, Mr. Biggs in the City.  The book arrived just in time for an extended bedtime reading session on the twins 3rd birthday.  

Both boys were immediately excited upon just looking at the new books glossy illustrated cover.  Mr. Biggs clearly is one of the cutest Sasquatch ever imagined.  His adventurous and loving personality is not to be missed either.  My twins favorite page is Mr. Biggs attempt to drive a little red car, though Mr. Biggs haircut was a close second in terms of the giggles.

It's a Pirate Birthday Party! Argh!

Pin It

The twins (our youngest 2 of 5 children) are officially 3 today, but we celebrated their 3rd birthday with our family this weekend.  Thank goodness we did too, because it's just pouring down rain here in Chicago at the moment.  Long time readers may recall the twins' 1st birthday was an Eebee theme and their 2nd birthday went to the dogs with a Puppy themed Birthday celebration.  This year, it was all about Pirates!

No nonsense Socks for America

Socks, I don't know how I'd sleep without them.  I'm one of those girls who gets chilly toes at night and there is nothing like a fresh pair of white cozy socks to warm my tootsies and put me in sleep mode.

No nonsense is donating one million pairs of socks to K.I.D.S. (Kids in Distressed Situations), who will help distribute them to families in need here in America. 

You may be asking, why Socks?

Giveaway Updates

The winner of the Company Kids Zoo Backpack is #25 Ellie W.

The 2 Finalists in the Kraft Sandwich Recipe contest are #72 Barbara and #19 allysmama.  I'll be making both of these sandwiches for dinner this week and we will vote on a winner.  The winner will receive the $100 American Express Gift Card and have their sandwich featured on Kraft's OutStandwich.com.  Good Luck to both of the finalists and their sandwiches!

The winner of the Kraft Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese Dinner Prize Pack is #132 Carol F.

The winner of the Kung Fu Panda General Mills Prize Pack is #7 Angooo.

And the winners of the Cascade Complete ActionPacs are #21, #1, #46, #34, & #37.  These 5 winners will be send samples and can post their reviews of this product in a comment below for a chance to win a $15 Walmart gift card.  Winner will be selected from winner's review comments posted by August 1st, 2011.

The winner of the Hershey's Family Game Night Prize Pack is #58, Janet W.

Father's Day Gift Idea: Roku Streaming Player

The Father's Day Gift.  Oh how hard it is buy for something for hubby that he'll truly love.  Sure there are some pricey items he's been craving, but how hard is it to find something in the moderate price range that will actually get Daddy excited?  This year, I've got this in the bag though.  That is unless he reads my blog while he is out of town, but even still he's going to love it.

Great iPhone & iPad Apps for Kids & Tweens (June 2011 Edition)

Our first list of kid friendly iPhone apps was a big hit with readers, so we wanted to share a few more we recently found or that found us.  I'm sure a lot of you have plans for at least a small road trip over the summer break, so this seemed like the perfect time to introduce you to a few more.

*Note a few of these apps were provided to us at no cost so we could fully check and others were ones we've purchased.

Ultimate Dinopedia App by National Geographic Kids:  

Classic American Desserts: Blueberry Buckle Cakes and Tart Cherry Pie

As the 4th of July approaches, so does the need for iconic American desserts like Buckles and Pies.  Both treats provide the perfect excuse to put seasonal summer fruits to deliciously good use. These Blueberry Buckle Cakes from Kraft Foods make lovely single-serving portions.  And Kraft Foods’ Midwest Tart Cherry Pie brings a unique twist to a classic with cream cheese in the crust.

Summer

A bit on My Pampers Little Miracle Mission Project

As a member of the Pampers Baby Board, I was recently tasked with helping celebrate some of the world's little miracle babies and their families.  My method of doing so was left up to me and I was provided very generously with $1,000.00 by Pampers to execute my own inspiration.

Another Winner Chosen

The winner of the Kraft Twisted Summer Fun w/ Six Flags Giveaways is #15, Scott M.

OTHER CURRENT GIVEAWAYS:

• Company Kids Zoo Backpack
• P&G Movie Night Prize Pack w/ Video Cam
• Kraft OutStandwich Recipe Contest - $100 GC
• Kraft StackerMallows
• Kraft Mac & Cheese Prize w/ Jonathan Adler Linens
• Kung Fu Panda Prize Pack
• Cascade Action Pacs
• Family Game Night w/ Hershey's Kisses

The Company Store Comforter Designs to Benefit Homeless Children

The Company Store Finds the Next Great American Artists Kids’ Comforter Designs to Benefit Homeless Children Across the U.S. 

Field of Vision P&G Family Movie Night (Video Camera Giveaway)

P&G Family Movie Night is coming again this weekend.  This time it deals with the powerful subject of bullying.  I had a chance to preview this film and I'd highly suggest you set your DVR to watch it with the kids if you can't all catch it together this Saturday.  The latest movie is entitled Field of Vision and it airs June 11th on NBC at 8/7c

Starring:  Faith Ford, Tony Oller, Joseph Adler, Alyssa Shafer, Philip Casnoff

The Premise:  Mysterious footage captured on an old video camera shows star quarterback Tyler McFarland that some of his teammates have been bullying the new transfer student, Cory Walker. Aware that standing up for Cory might get his friends kicked off the team and cost the school the state championship, Tyler must choose between winning and doing what’s right.

We'd love your help spreading the word out about this movie, and we are conducting a movie night giveaway for our readers as thanks. This special Field of Vision giveaway kit has candy and popcorn in a decorative tin and a digital video camera!

Enter to Win:

FREE downloadable Father's Day Cards (+ Company Kids Giveaway)

Company Kids has just released some fun and FREE downloadable Father's Day Cards for kids on their website. There are two styles to choose from, and all kids need to do is download, print, and color to create fun cards for Dad.

Here's hoping hubby doesn't read this post, because I see the number #1 Dad design in his near future.

Here is the URL for the cute cards: http://www.facebook.com/companykids?sk=app_4949752878

Enter to Win:

2 Giveaway Winners Announced

The winner of the Learning Resources Crocodile Hop Floor Map Game is #97 fancygrlnancy.
The winner of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD + Mickey Mote is #51 April B.

My Chicago Style Chicken Sandwich Recipe (+ Contest)

I was recently invited to be part of a virtual Sandwich Road Trip with Kraft Foods that will be launching as a yummy interactive microsite of outstanding sandwiches on Outstandwich.com in mid-July, July 18th to be exact.

The catch was that I had to share my own favorite Chicago sandwich recipe.  (See below for a chance to enter your own favorite local sandwich recipe to be featured as well as win a $100 AmEx Gift card), but first here is my analysis of Chicago sandwiches along with my original sandwich recipe.

Craigslist Find Reworked

It's been a while since I posted on our kitchen renovation project, mainly because my brother's wedding combined with a billion end of school details, and some other blog related projects made finishing the project 100% a lower priority.  Still on hold were final coats of paint, the hanging of decorative items, and pulling out display pieces.

However, I'm happy to report we are almost done minus a delay caused by a need to reorder our door.  We are very happy with how things came out.  Readers may recall that part of our project included removing a closet area to make space for extra counter space in the form of a freestanding buffet.

Madeline And Her Friends DVD available today

Madeline, the smallest of 12 little girls in Miss Clavel’s class, and her best friend — her loyal dog Genevieve —take the fun to town in her latest DVD Madeline And Her Friends with six outrageous adventures inspired by Ludwig Bemelmans’ best-selling children’s books.

The six episodes include: Madeline and the Soccer Star, Madeline’s Singing Dog, Madeline and the Missing Clown, Madeline and the Talking Parrott, Madeline and the Big Cheese, and Madeline’s Rescue.

We received a review copy of this DVD available in stores today and enjoyed watching the various episodes.  Our favorites were the soccer one and the singing dog.  

Kraft StackerMallows - Perfect S'mores Marshmallows (Giveaway)

S'More making just got easier with the help of Kraft's new Jet-Puffed StackerMallows.  If you've ever tried to make s'mores in the on the grill, in the oven, in the toaster oven, or in the microwave; you likely realize it is a bit tricky to get those rounded marshmallows to lay flat until cooking is done.  Not so with the flatter but still yummy and puffy StackerMallow design.

Summer Fun with Monster High Walkie Talkies

We added a little trendy tech to our daughter's outdoor play this summer via a pair of Monster High Walkie Talkies.  I think these are the first pair of girlie walk talkies I've ever seen.

The set provided for our review feature light up antennas for those fun summer nights, a built in mirror (to see who is behind you or to freshen up), and morse code functions.  Anyone know morse code?  My daughter being a true girlie girl was most impressed with the mirror for staying cute while spying on her brothers.

Retro-packaged Tide, Bounce and Downy available at Target (Giveaway)

To celebrate its 65th Anniversary, Tide is issuing special-edition packages with the 1947 label. Procter & Gamble (P&G) invites consumers to enjoy a blast from the past with retro-packaged Tide, Bounce and Downy available at Target while supplies last.

The vintage packaging harkens back to Tide’s early print advertising, which featured copy such as:

Answer Our Quick Reader Survey?

We have a couple really special projects in the works and could really use your help.  Would you please answer this 2 minute survey regarding gifts, products, and our blog?

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GS298XH

Thanks!

Stephanie

Ice Cream Sandwich Recipe (Chips Ahoy! and Breyers Ice Cream)

My kids are attending their last moments of school today, which means that summer break will officially have arrived for us by around noon.  Soon days will be filled with warm outside fun and most evening meals will be cooked on the BBQ.  Dessert?  Well it is certain to include a variety of cold treat options.  What summer celebration is complete without a touch of ice cream?

This past weekend, Kraft inspired us to make some Ice Cream Sandwiches:

Company Kids: Nine Days of Giveaways!

Company Kids is giving away a product each day to 10 Facebook friends!

Become friends with Company Kids on Facebook page via their page, Facebook.com/CompanyKids and follow each day's giveaway instructions on Company Kids' Facebook Wall.