Wordless Wednesday Heart Valentine's Pancakes for Breakfast

Zari made everyone Heart Valentine's Pancakes for Breakfast.

Zari with the Heart Valentine's Pancake for me.

Trudeau Valentine's Day Review and Tips For a Perfect Breakfast In Bed

Heart shaped chocolates made with Trudeau chocolate molds. Heart shaped egg and pancake made with Trudeau Egg Ring.

I received the Trudeau products free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

The best way to make Valentine's Day super special this year is making your loved one breakfast in bed. Your loved one will appreciate being catered to while being able to sleep in. Nothing is better than waking up to the smell of something yummy cooking in the kitchen! Go ahead, spoil your significant other rotten and don't overlook this treat!

Sometimes it is hard to get up early and keep it a surprise, though. I have some tips below that will help with making the breakfast in bed perfect. Making the breakfast with Trudeau's kitchen gadgets makes it more fun and even more extra special too because it is all in the little details that counts!

Tips to Make Breakfast in Bed Perfect:

• Timing is Important: Make sure your loved one doesn't have to eat and run. It is better to pick a time and day that they have plenty of time to leisurely enjoy breakfast in bed and savor the experience.
• Get a Bed Tray: Buy a tray with sides so that the food will stay contained and not spill onto the bed or floor. One that has folding legs is nice as well so that the food will be raised up off of the person's lap. It is easier to eat this way. You can also use a small laptop desk if you can't find a tray.
• Presentation is Everything: It is the little things that make it extra special for someone else. Get out the fine china and pretty silverware. Use flowers as decoration: a single flower on the tray, flower petals sprinkled around the plate, edible flowers (you could even get crystallized candied edible flowers or make your own) placed on the plate. Use cloth napkins: You can fold these into all kinds of fun romantic shapes and some come in pretty floral or heart patterns. Make a card with a nice note on it or menu of the food to go with the meal. Decorate with a pretty placemat, paper doilies and/or confetti. Use heart shaped containers like bowls, reusable cupcake liners, etc. Sometimes the food can be formed or cut out into romantic shapes too!
• Know What You Are Making For Breakfast: There are a lot of great choices out there and it does help to know your partner's favorites. Plan ahead and make sure you have all the ingredients, etc. before the big surprise. Don't forget the salt and pepper or cream and sugar, if needed.
• Prepare the Breakfast Like a Ninja: If you sleep in the same bed as your partner get up early and sneak away stealthily. If they wake have a good excuse to make sure they go back to sleep. Make the breakfast as quietly as possible so you don't wake your partner prematurely. Sometimes you can also chop or mix the ingredients the night before. If you don't want them spoiling the surprise you can also put a towel in the crack under the bedroom door so they won't smell the evidence. Also try to clean up any messes before they are served so you can spend time with them and not kill the mood by having a messy kitchen.
• Serve Drinks Only ¾ Full: Pouring beverages, especially the hot ones, ¾ of the way full will make sure they are not easily spilled when the tray is in transit.
• Make Them Comfortable: When bringing the tray of food to your love, set it aside so you can prepare their area. Puff up the pillows and add extra pillows so they can sit up comfortably in bed. Straighten out the covers so that the tray can be on a flat surface. Add a towel, folded table cloth, or small blanket under the tray when you place it to catch any crumbs.
• Get Them In The Mood: Play some nice music, give them a good book or the morning paper to read, watch a favorite show on TV, or just have a nice conversation while they eat.
• Clean Up After: After they are done with their breakfast pamper them by taking the tray and cleaning up. While doing the dishes run a luxurious bath for them to relax in. While they are enjoying that don't forget to make the bed too.

4-Inch Silicone Egg Ring, Red Heart:
This Heart Shaped Egg Ring is made of non-stick, heat resistant (up to 428°F-220°C), and and BPA free silicone and is top rack dishwasher safe. This also doesn't scratch your pans like the metal egg rings. It is wonderful for making 4-inch diameter heart shaped eggs (use large or extra large eggs) and pancakes! These work better to if you make sure the Trudeau logo is right side up because the lip on one side is thicker than the other and it is easily flipped around. The thicker edge on the bottom helps with keeping the egg and pancake inside the ring. Also, since it is 4-inches it is slightly too big for a piece of bread or English muffin. The adjustable, metal bar grip handle is great so that you can lift the ring up without burnt fingers after one side is done to be able to flip the egg or pancake over. It also swings around so that you can place it flat in a drawer. 5 year warranty. - MSRP $5.99

Set of 3 Chocolate Silicone Molds, Heart Shaped:
These chocolate heart molds have 15 cavities each and come in a set of 3 in different colors. They are made from flexible, heat resistant  (up to 428°F-220°C), and BPA free European grade silicone that is easy to clean and are top rack dishwasher safe. These effortlessly release the chocolate from each heart shaped cavity. Great for making chocolates, ice hearts, gelatin/homemade fruit snacks/gummies, candies, small candle/wax crayon melts, soap samples, etc. I used my double broiler pot to melt the dark chocolate melts and butterscotch chips. I had fun experimenting and swirled the two in some, layered them in others, and put red hots in some of them too. My kids had fun helping as well. These are super easy to use. Approx mold size; 2.5cm/1" diameter each x 1.5cm/0.5" deep. – MSRP $11.99

Be Social:
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/trudeaucuisine
Twitter - http://twitter.com/trudeaukitchen
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/trudeaucorp

BUY IT
You can purchase all items from Trudeau.  Or you can help me out by purchasing on Amazon with my affiliate links. Thanks...


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received these products for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Dark Chocolate Multigrain #Cheerios Cereal Review #PlatefullCoOp #spon

The information and product have been provided free by General Mills through Platefull Co-Op. to facilitate this review.

Introducing new Dark Chocolate Multigrain Cheerios®! With a touch of rich dark chocolate taste in every bite, new Dark Chocolate Multigrain Cheerios® cereal offers a perfect balance of multigrain goodness and a delicious touch of chocolate taste in every bite.

These are naturally flavored with real cocoa. It is packed with 5 whole grains (whole grain corn, whole wheat, whole grain oats, whole grain barley, whole grain rice). It has 110 Calories, 1.5g Fat, 9g Sugar, and 15g Whole Grain per Serving (All Cheerios cereal varieties have at least 14 grams of whole grain per serving. At least 48 grams recommended daily.)

My kids and I loved this new Multigrain Cheerios! It is perfect for the chocolate lover and Cheerio lover in all of us. I loved the combination of the Cheerios with chocolate clusters that crunch with every bite.

I am not sure if these, like regular Cheerios, are becoming GMO free, but I would love it if General Mills products all became healthier for all of us. I applause General Mills for making regular Cheerios GMO free and I hope that they do not stop there.

Cheerios.com | Like Cheerios on Facebook

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: The information and prize pack have been provided free by General Mills through Platefull Co-Op. I received products and information for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review and promo.

Target Breakfast Twist #PlatefullCoOp #spon

The information and prize pack have been provided free by General Mills through Platefull Co-Op. to facilitate this post.

Breakfast is an important start to your family's day, but all too often, it's rushed, hectic, and…monotonous. Target has brought some family favorites together and made some interesting yummy combinations for quick and easy throw together breakfasts. These are simple twists on traditional breakfasts and there isn't anything complex about these recipes. These are great to help fuel your day.

Platefull Co-Op has sent me a selection of favorite items so that I could create my own unique spins on breakfast and share them with you:

• 1 pouch Nature Valley® Protein Granola (Crunchy Oats 'n Honey)
• 1 box Nature Valley® Granola Bars (Crunchy Oats 'n Honey)
• 1 box Honey Nut Cheerios® Medley Crunch™ cereal (Honey Nut Cheerios, crispy flakes, and clusters made with real almond slices)
• 1 box Trix® (Wildberry Red Swirls) cereal
• 1 package Quaker® Oats (old fashioned)
• 1 jar Jif® peanut butter (creamy)
• 1 package Nutella® (Hazelnut spread) mini cups
• 1 pouch Grandma Hoerner’s® Big Slice™ apples snack (kettle cooked apples: slices, chunks, and sauce)

I decided to only combine the ingredients in the kit together and see what I could come up with. In my first recipe I emptied the pouch of Grandma Hoerner’s® Big Slice™ apples snack in a small glass ramekin and sprinkled some Nature Valley® Protein Granola and some Quaker® Oats over the top. The second recipe I took one Nature Valley® Granola Bar out of the box and since it was already divided into two bars inside the packaging I spread Jif® peanut butter on one and one Nutella® mini cup on the other. The one with peanut butter I also sprinkled Honey Nut Cheerios® Medley Crunch™ cereal on top and the one with Nutella® I placed some Trix® cereal on top. The kids and I enjoyed our easy breakfast twists.

Big Slice Apples, Granola & Oats

I especially loved the Grandma Hoerner’s® Big Slice™ apples snack. This particular one that I received was Cherry Vanilla flavored and had luscious cherries, chunky apples, and real Madagascar vanilla. It was so delicious, especially with the little bit of crunch that the granola and oats gave!

Granola Bar Cereal Treats

These granola bar treats that I made were good, but too sweet for me. My kids loved them though. I love the Honey Nut Cheerios® Medley Crunch™ cereal by itself and with milk in a bowl just fine for breakfast. I am not too much of a peanut butter fan, but the Nutella® I love!

Target Breakfast Twist Event
You also find special savings on these products at Target – and even more inspiration by visiting Target.com/BreakfastTwist



DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: The information and prize pack have been provided free by General Mills through Platefull Co-Op. I received products and information for free to facilitate this post. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this post and promo.

Nabisco belVita Soft Baked Breakfast Biscuit Review and Guest Post: Easing Stress During the Busy Back to School Season

I received these products for free to facilitate this review.

Nabisco belVita Soft Baked Breakfast Biscuits are a new tasty treat that is wonderful for a grab and go breakfast! They are also wonderful for an after school snack. These come in two flavors: Oats & Chocolate and Mixed Berry. They have 20% daily fiber, 11g whole grain per 50g serving, good source of B-vitamins which help convert food into energy, and only 7g of fat. These contain NO: high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, or artificial flavors or sweeteners.

These soft baked biscuits are so yummy! I loved the Oats & Chocolate one the best myself, but the Mixed Berry one was very good too. These are extra crumbly so make sure to eat over a plate or napkin so you don't lose any morsel of goodness. I recommend these to anyone needing a quick easy breakfast!

Below I have included some great tips to help parents get ready for the Back to School Season from the Lifestyle Mom, Dana Hilmer...

Easing Stress during the Busy Back to School Season Soon families everywhere will be getting back in the school year routine.:

1. It’s important to schedule down time for you and your family. Before signing your kids up for this year’s after-school activities, think about your family’s priorities and the impact each activity will have on your schedules.
2. It’s just as important for you to have a tasty, healthy breakfast as it is for your kids. Perfect for eating on the go, belVita Soft Baked Breakfast Biscuits come in two varieties, Mixed Berry and Oats & Chocolate, grab a banana and a latte and you’re good to go with nutritious morning energy. 
3. Take a little time each night to get organized for the following morning. By making lunches and selecting outfits before bed each night, you’ll free time each morning for other things. 
4. Be sure to keep healthy snacks in the kitchen for after-school snacking. Nuts, crackers and fruit are great to give kids right when they walk in the door to keep them from grazing on unhealthy snacks, or spoiling their appetites for dinner. 
5. Moms often complain about not having enough time for themselves, but when life gets busy, it’s even more important to carve out that time. Treat “me time” as a priority. 
6. Start a to-do list with three sections: the priority of the day for yourself, the priority of the day for your family and the priority of the day for your work. Start with these items, and only move on to other less important items once they’re done. 
7. Use Sunday nights to plan your dinners each week. If you take a few minutes to think about how you can creatively use the leftovers from one night to the next, you can create a full week’s worth of healthy, tasty dinners that your family will enjoy. 
8. Give yourself the freedom to say no without guilt. Activities or commitments that may not be right for your family are okay to decline. Saying NO gives you the permission to say YES to things that are important to you. 
9. Back-to-school season is also cold and flu season. You can keep your entire family healthy with these simple habits: eating well, getting enough rest and washing hands regularly. 
10. Create a network of support for yourself. This network looks different for everyone. Consider asking your partner and kids for support. They can be a great help with tasks you feel comfortable handing over. 

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. The Guest Post was provided to me free to share by belVita. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review or posting this guest post.

Tropical Trio Sweepstakes - Purex, Honey Bunches of Oats, and Outrigger Hotels and Resorts

Tropical Trio Sweepstakes: Purex, Honey Bunches of Oats, and Outrigger Hotels and Resorts are joining forces to send one lucky winner on a tropical paradise vacation to Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach!

Five (5) 1st place winners will receive one-year's supply of Purex Tropical Splash Detergent & Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends Cereal. One hundred (100) 2nd place winners will receive coupons for FREE Purex Tropical Splash Detergent & Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends Cereal.

Enter to win here: http://insiders.purex.com/tropical-trio?id=1254

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Purex for providing me this promotion information. By posting about this sweepstakes I will be entered to win a Purex Insiders-only grand prize of $1000 and 100 first place winners will receive a $25 Amazon gift card! My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for posting this promo.

Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends Cereal Review and Giveaway

Post has a new cereal in the Honey Bunches of Oats lineup. Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends has crispy mango flavored flakes, real coconut shavings and crunchy coconut flavored granola clusters with just a touch of honey.

Good Points:

• 10g Whole Grain (per 3/4 cup serving)
• 120 Calories (per 3/4 cup serving)
• 6g Sugar (No high fructose corn syrup) (per 3/4 cup serving)
• 9 Essential Vitamins & Minerals including 60% Daily Value of Iron (per 3/4 cup serving)
• 4 Wholesome Grains
• Heart Healthy: 0g Trans Fat, 0.5g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol (per 3/4 cup serving)
• No Artificial Food Dyes (contains Annatto extract for color)
• No Unpronounceable Ingredients: All of the Ingredients in the Cereal were things I had heard of.
• WIC Eligible
• Labels For Education

Bad Points:

• Corn (first ingredient) and other Corn products are present. Most likely this cereal contains GMOs. It doesn't say otherwise.
• Contains: Natural Flavor. Who really knows what this term actually means??
• BHT  (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) added to packaging material to preserve product freshness (I had to look this one up and I also ended up calling Post about it. This chemical has a MSDS, Material Safety Data Sheet, that states: ingestion causes abdominal pain, confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting. BHT may have effects on the liver and be linked to cancer. The lady on the phone for Post informed me that the BHT, a chemical added to many foods to prevent fats from going rancid, is in the bag with which the cereal touches, but it is only trace amounts so I am told that there is no need to worry.)
• Contains: Wheat and Milk. This is only a bad point if you are allergic to these items. (I'll award good points also since this is clearly labeled in bold on the box).

My Thoughts:

I am one of those people that always looks at the ingredients labels, especially on food products. This label was pretty mild from some of the ones I've seen. Honestly, I eat so many things with corn products I guess I shouldn't complain, but I do wish (like most) that GMOs were labeled right on the packaging so it wouldn't be such a mystery to try and figure out. The BHT scared me at first, but I was a little reassured that it is only trace amounts and I guess it shouldn't matter, or so I am told. No one in my immediate family is allergic to wheat or milk, but I know many others that are.

So, what does the cereal taste like? It has a very unique flavor. My favorite part of all Honey Bunches of Oats cereals are the granola clusters (and dried fruit when there is any)! The clusters have just enough crunch and sweetness to make the cereal so tasty. I love coconut too so making the clusters coconut flavored in this cereal was brilliant IMO. The mango taste is OK. It doesn't taste weird, but I wish it had real dried mango instead of just "mango flavor"...at least it has real coconut flakes. My kids loved the cereal and ate it up.

My semi-related rant: Honey Bunches of Oats doesn't have their yummy Honey Bunches of Oats with Real Peaches anymore...it has been discontinued and it was one of my favorites of the flavors.

You can find out all you want to know about Honey Bunches of Oats on their Facebook page. www.facebook.com/honeybunchesofoats

WIN IT
Prize: 1 winner will win 2 coupons for a FREE box of Honey Bunches of Oats.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Post for sending me product for free and promotion information to facilitate my review and free coupons for this giveaway. This opportunity was provided to me because I am a Purex Insider. By posting I will be entered to win prizes. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

My Birthday and Teela's Visit at her Babu's

My birthday was May 10th. I didn't get to do a lot because my husband was working, but here is a recap of my day.

Here is what my kids did: Jaedan made me breakfast in the morning. He made me a breakfast burrito with sauteed green peppers, potatoes, and cheese. It was very yummy! Delbin gave me a necklace he made and some pieces of really neat pottery he found to make a mosaic with. Teela came home from visiting her grandparents, Babu and Papa, and she got me a small pretty fabric gift bag and made me a card that she put in it. She also colored a picture of Pinky Pie (a My Little Pony) and while she was away made me the following special program called Teela's Visit to Babu's 2012...



My parents (aka Babu and Papa to my kids) took me shopping at Ross Dress For Less and I purchased 3 awesome shirts, a beautiful long missoni skirt and a Wilton Mini Rectangle Pie Press with money allotted for me from my husband for my birthday. I also received a very nice dress also from Ross Dress for Less from my parents.

After shopping for my birthday we then had a late picnic dinner with BBQ chicken and potato salad. My mom brought her yummy homemade cinnamon rolls that I ate this morning for breakfast :) I also received a $10 Amazon GC (just another great perk for being a Purex Insider) that came on my birthday from Purex in the mail (actually for Mother's Day, but a very nice treat anyway). My other gifts were a pretty Shamballa bracelet and a bronze floral deer necklace.

Free Sample Box and my Review of Quaker Oatmeal Squares

I love Quaker Oatmeal Squares! They are some of my favorite cereal. I love that they are good for you and packed with wholesome whole grain, fiber, and calcium. I love the crunch with the milk. They are available in 4 delicious flavors: Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Golden Maple, and now Honey Nut.

I was sent the new Honey Nut to try for free from BzzAgent. It was fantastic! I loved the sweet taste in every bite. My kids devoured it too. They love it just as much as I do. When I gave my diabetic son a small sample box to have for his breakfast he was so excited he hugged me and said thank you! I rarely ever get hugs from him any more as he is 11 and says he has grown out of them, so this was quite a surprise.

Right now you can get a free box of Quaker Oatmeal Squares from Facebook. Just go to Quaker Oatmeal Squares fan page and like them. Then click on the Free Sample Box picture or tab and fill out your information.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am a member of BzzAgent I received word of a BzzCampaign for the Quaker Oatmeal Sqaures products. All information about the products I received from the media kit, the products and the Quaker Oats website. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Foodie Friday Valentine's Breakfast in Bed

I love Pinterest and have been pinning my favorite things there lately. I wanted to share some awesome ideas for Valentine's Day breakfasts that I found on there that you can surprise your sweatheart in bed with :) Here they are numbered on the collage photo. I have given credit to everyone that I know that the pictures and information came from. I hope you enjoy this post and comment. Click on the collage and you can see it bigger.

1. If you like morning coffee, have a fancy heart latte instead. On WikiHow they show you just how this art is done. Credit for the picture goes to Lattes and Wanderlust blog.

2. Make some heart shaped scones. There are a bunch of heart shaped scone recipes online. One of my favorites comes from the Such Pretty Things blog and is a Cherry Chocolate Chip Heart Scone. Yum!

3. This delicious recipe comes from Our Best Bites and are Mini Puffed Oven Pancakes with Berry Sauce.

4. Craving doughnuts? These yummy Heart-Shaped Doughnuts from Miss Elena Eous will be the sweetest treat.

5. Here is what my family calls Heart Egg in a Hole Toast. The Petite Kitchenesse calls her version the Valentine’s Day Egg in the Basket.

6. Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls are so wonderful right out of the oven! Credit goes to the Poppies at Play blog.

7. You need a special heart shaped waffle iron for these waffles. Credit goes to NilsenLife.

8. If you love bacon in the morning, try this easy tip for Bacon Hearts from The Paper Mama.

9. These Sweetie Pies are filled with jam and are a special treat from The Farm Chicks.

10. I love french toast! This Heart Shaped French Toast recipe comes from Land O Lakes and comes with a recipe for Strawberry Butter to spread on top.

11. These Heart Fruit Kabobs are healthy and sweet. They come from Parents.com.

12. These Heart Shaped Hard Boiled Eggs look difficult, but are actually easy to do. Head on over to Anna The Red to see her technique.

13. Korean born these interesting omelets called GyeRan Mali are really tasty and Aeri's Kitchen has a neat technique to make them heart shaped.

14. You can make Heart Shaped Pancakes a number of ways, but Martha Stewart has a recipe that you don't need a heart shaped pancake mold for.

15. Last, but not least another Martha Stewart gem...Hot Chocolate with Marshmallow Hearts.

Something to consider, there are kitchen tools that might make your Valentine's breakfast easier and these are also great Valentine's gift ideas for someone who loves to cook!

Here is a list:


I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day and a superb Valentine's breakfast!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this blog post. I have credited all of the photos and ideas. I have affiliate links for products off of Amazon listed in this post. I have not tried any of these products myself, so please read other reviews about them before you purchase. Thanks for supporting my blog. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post.

Foodie Friday Banana Bread

Banana Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups (3-4) mashed overripe bananas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9X5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Mix banana mixture and flour mixture together until all flour mixture is mixed in. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60-65 minutes. Check center of loaf with a toothpick to see if done. If toothpick comes out clean it is done. Let bread cool in its pan for 10 minutes and then place on wire rack out of pan to cool more.

Makes one loaf.

Penguins of Madagascar Review and Giveaway

General Mills has teamed up with Nickelodeon's The Penguins of Madagascar to bring the action-packed adventures to your very own breakfast table. Inside specially marked boxes of General Mills cereals, you'll initiate operations with one of five characters from The Penguins of Madagascar; Skipper, Rico, Kowalski, Private or King Julien. Each participating cereal contains one character launcher with mission details outlined on the back of the box including:

* Dive In, Soldier - Set an empty plastic cereal bowl on the table and try to send your launcher into it.
* Longest Propulsion Launcher - Challenge your troops to see who can propel their character the farthest.
* Target Practice - Create a landing zone with a spoon and try to strategically drop your character into the target.
* Clear the Wall - Can you catapult your launcher over the top of the box? Earn those wings!

The characters are all unique and have their own specific functions and when they are brought together they're a team with lots of character. You can collect all 5 character launchers and try to successfully complete all of their missions.

The Penguins of Madagascar Operation: DVD Premier is really fun. My family enjoyed watching it. This DVD is an episode compilation of a Nick television series. Each episode is about 20 minutes long. They focus on the Penguins, their spy missions, and some of their interesting...and sometimes annoying neighbors/nemesis.

Episode List:
1) Dr. Blowhole's Revenge
2) Truth Ache
3) Command Crisis
4) Go Fish
5) Roomies
6) Needle Point
7) Lunchtime
8) All Chocked Up
9) The Hidden
10 Tangled In The Web

WIN IT:
Chris from MyBlogSpark has generously offered another one of The Penguins of Madagascar Prize Packs (includes one box of Trix cereal, a Penguins of Madagascar launcher and the new Penguins of Madagascar movie, The Penguins of Madagascar Operation: DVD Premier) to one of my readers to win.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the The Penguins of Madagascar webpage and tell me by commenting on this post which character from Penguins of Madagascar is your or, if you haven't seen this, would be your, child's favorite?

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by feedburner or by email and let me know which way. (2 extra entries each)

2. Fan/Like me on facebook and write something on my wall. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Penguins of Madagascar in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

7. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog giveaway linky and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra entries)

8. Post this on your Facebook wall, Kirtsy, and/or StumbleUpon. (2 extra entries for each)

9. Comment on one of my regular (not giveaway) posts. (1 extra entry per post you comment on)

10. Follow me on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

11. Tweet this: @finamoon WIN Penguins of Madagascar Prize Pack #giveaway http://bit.ly/9ptxZR (Daily Extras are Available)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Wednesday September 29, 2010 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to all 18 years and over in the U.S. Only!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Penguins of Madagascar prize pack, information and the prize package for giveaway were all provided free by General Mills and Nickelodeon through MyBlogSpark. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wordless Wednesday French Toast for Breakfast

If you are participating in Wordless Wednesdays, click on the Mister Linky image, enter your name and URL in the form, and press Enter.

Foodie Friday Baked Apple Pancake

 
Baked Apple Pancake
Recipe via Robbie's Recipes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 Tbs. butter - melted
2 med. apples - peeled, cored, sliced
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
Combine flour, milk, and eggs. Stir well. Pour melted margarine in 9" pie plate. Pour mixture into pan. Combine remaining ingredients and pour evenly into pie pan. Bake in 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Foodie Friday Homemade Cinnamon Pancakes

These delicious pancakes are loaded with cinnamon and are good enough that they don't need any maple syrup. Just slap a little bit of butter on these and eat or if you want to embellish them a little add some apple sauce or apple butter, whipped cream, fresh fruit, yogurt or a combination of these.

HOMEMADE CINNAMON PANCAKES

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 8 tbsp. melted butter or vegetable oil
• 4 tbsp. sugar
• 12 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• 4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Beat egg until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and beat in until there are only a few to no lumps. Pour about a half cup of batter onto hot griddle. Turn pancake over as soon as bubbles form. Repeat from "Pour". Makes 12 to 20 good size pancakes.

General Mills Cereals‏ Review

It is so important to start the day with a wholesome healthy breakfast. I feel lousy when I don't. A good breakfast can help you feel good and gives you the boost of energy needed to start your day well.

Cereal is a quick and easy breakfast and I have great news for cereal lovers... General Mills announced a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain.

Did you know that ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters? Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children´s diets.

Other cereal benefits:

* Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children´s diets.

* Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child´s diet today.

* More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.

Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office.

For more information about kids and cereals, please visit Cereal Health and Wellness.

MY THOUGHTS:
My favorite General Mills Cereals are: Fiber One Honey Clusters (6 grams of sugar), Fiber One Raisin Bran Clusters (13 grams), Basic 4 (14 grams), Honey Nut Clusters (16 grams), Oatmeal Crisp Crunchy Almond (16 grams), Oatmeal Crisp Hearty Raisin (20 grams), Total Cranberry Crunch (16 grams), Total Honey Clusters (13 grams), Raisin Nut Bran (14 grams), Cheerios (1 gram), Apple Cinnamon Cheerios (12 grams), Honey Nut Cheerios (9 grams), Multi Grain Cheerios (6 grams), Golden Grahams (11 grams), Kix (3 grams) and Reese's Puffs (11 grams).

Wow! I didn't think that my Oatmeal Crisp Hearty Raisin had 20 grams of sugar! I guess you can't tell a box of cereal by its looks. I guess I will be buying more Cheerios and Kix...although I figure you do have to factor in other things besides the sugar. So, make sure you look at the nutrition labels on the box before you buy.

Right now if you visit here you will find a $1 off coupon for a box of Trix cereal and if you visit here you will find a $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals listed on the coupon.

DISCLAIMER: By participating in this Spark, I received 4 free cereal coupons for 4 free General Mills boxes of cereal. All information about the campaign I received from MyBlogSpark, Pssst General Mills Network and the General Mills: Cereal and Health website. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.