Meghan's Mindless Mutterings: Reviews & Giveaways

The time of year where we all groan & go "How are my pants not fitting any longer?" Yep. New Years will be here in a matter of 4 days & So will our resolutions. As mine is every year, I want to lose weight. This book is going to help me! Here's a little over view (courtesy of One2One Network): Cynthia Sass , the creator and co-author of the New York Times Bestselling Flat Belly Diet presents her new break-through, 30-day weight loss program Cinch! targeted to end overeating, leaving dieters feeling full and satisfied while enjoying the best food combinations to burn fat and boost metabolism. The program starts with the 5-day Fast Forward plan that ends erratic eating by focusing on five simple foods—spinach, almonds, raspberries, eggs, and yogurt (or vegan-friendly alternatives)—eaten in a variety of combinations. These first 5 days promise up to 8 pounds of weight loss. Each of the five foods is low in calories yet loaded with nutrients and natur...

The winner of the Dunkin donuts gift prize, per random.org is comment #10: ~Cyndi~ Donut me COOKIES!!! All of them, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodles...bring on an extra 5 pounds of body fat with that too! So, Cyndi, come on down! You are the winner. Email me your address so you can get your prize!!!! Congrats chica!

Dunkin Donuts that is. The holiday season is upon us. So is the cold weather. Soo....... What better way to kick off the season than with a warm, fuzzy giveaway? Sent to you by Dunkin Donuts! Yes! What do you get? Take a gander (yes I know it's on its side, I can not, for the life of me, turn it the right way) You will get 2 "10 for $10" coupon books (10 med hot coffees), 1 one pound of DD coffee & 2 of the new "in demand" fleece hats. O yes! Holla! Of course, I am going to make you work for this! That's right. For the mandatory entry I want you to leave a comment with "Donut me" & your fav food this time of year. Extra entries are: One entry for following the bloggeroo! Leave me a comment letting me know.  If you already follow, leave me a comment telling me. Tweet this contest & leave me the link in a comment . Follow Meghan's Mindless Mutterings on Facebook. So get to get. The giveaway will e...

Norah Jones - "...Featuring" - Available Now

is not able to complete her reign which means She didn't contact me in the time given. So.....the new first runner up is: Renee Send me your addy Renee & I'll get the coupons in the mail to ya!

The winner of the Marie Callender's Bakes Free Coupons is:  Cheryl F. {The Lucky Ladybug} said... Tweeted the giveaway And the first runner up is: furygirl3132 said... I tweeted: http://twitter.com/furygirl3132/status/6066577686396928 Eloise So, my dear, winners please email me your details (full name/address) & I will get your prizes out to you. The winners have 48 hours to contact me. If I do not hear from them, I will draw 2 more winners. Caio!

Marie Callender's Bakes...sounds tasty, no? Recently I was able to try 2 of them. They are tauted as being more homestyle flavor and easy to make. I chose two different ones, the Vermont White Cheddar Mac & Cheese & Creamy chicken Alfredo w/ Sun Dried Tomatos. Easy peasy to make. You can pop them in the microwave and in under 15 minutes (including wait time) you will have a piping hot meal for 2 (or 1 if you are so inclined) or you can "bake" them in your oven in just under an hour. The beginning of the week I had a little car trouble and did not make it home in time to make what I was going to for dinner, so I heated up the Vermont White Cheddar Mac & Cheese in the microwave. I got out two bowls and put some in each for me & the Cheekers. Cheeks ate it but didn't seem thrilled with it. He is 4 and it definitely doesn't look like the boxed yellow mac & cheese so he was a bit apprehensive. I chowed down. It was good, creamy albe...

Trust me when I say you wanna get Tangled ! Cheeks, the Aunt Erin & I were fortunate enough to see a preview of this movie. Can you say "My new fav!" Even Cheeks was sitting on the edge of his seat. And it was in 3D.   Holla! Seriously, this is a great movie. I see a Broadway show being made out of it. The score is fantastic. There is a little bit of everything in this movie. Fun, romance, action, drama. It's definitely geared towards children of both sexes. Not to mention it's appeal for adults. Here's a little synopsis: Walt Disney Pictures presents “Tangled,” one of the most hilarious, hair-raising tales ever told. When the kingdom’s most wanted—and most charming—bandit Flynn Rider (voice of Zachary Levi) hides out in a mysterious tower, he’s taken hostage by Rapunzel (voice of Mandy Moore), a beautiful and feisty tower-bound teen with 70 feet of magical, golden hair. Flynn’s curious captor, who’s looking for her ticket out of the tower wher...

This is a must for under your tree, in your stocking or around the menorah. Break out a little Norah Jones and you have set the mood for relaxation, good music and great moods. The woman can sing and is a classic jazz artist! Love her! Love this cd. This cd spans most of Norah's career and features her with artists ranging from the Foo Fighters (love them!) to Willie Neslon (um, nice braids?).  She stands out on all of the songs. Check out the tracks: 1. Love Me – The Little Willies 2. Virginia Moon – The Foo Fighters featuring Norah Jones 3. Turn Them – Sean Bones featuring Norah Jones 4. Baby It's Cold Outside – Willie Nelson featuring Norah Jones 5. Bull Rider – Norah Jones and Sasha Dobson 6. Ruler Of My Heart – Dirty Dozen Brass Band featuring Norah Jones 7. The Best Part – El Madmo 8. Take Off Your Cool – OutKast featuring Norah Jones 9. Life Is Better – Q-Tip featuring Norah Jones 10. Soon The New Day – Talib Kweli featuring Norah Jones 11. Little Lo...

I'm going, are you?

Believe it or not, today Nov 1st, is the unofficial start of the holiday season. At least according the retail world. Well what better way to kick it off than a review of some fun Christmas music. I am a sucker for all of it. I count down the days til our local radio station goes all Christmas. It's true. I am a geek. One of my fav Christmas cd's is "Hey Santa" by the Wilson Sisters. Well imagine my surprise when I found out that the Wilson Sisters got back with Chynna Phillips to give us a new Christmas album this by Wilson Phillips: Christmas in Harmony Talk about melodic voices. This cd is a fun, holiday romp for everyone. Check out the play list: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day Little Drummer Boy Warm Lovin’ Christmastime When A Child Is Born Christmastime Silent Night Santa Clause Is Coming to Town Silver Bells Sleigh Ride Joy Winter Wonderland The Christmas Song Our Prayer My favorite is Santa C...

I don't mean to shock you BUT holidays are a comin! Yep in less than two months Hannukah & Christmas will be here. Are you prepared? Me, not really but Im not sweatin it. What is on my mind, is Christmas cards! Since I have had Cheeks I tend to send photo cards. I always enjoyed getting photo cards from people & seeing how their children have grown. When I look for Christmas cards I always look for ones that I can put 3 individual photos on of each of the boys. I leave Bobster & I off because I want my family & friends to enjoy the card, not burn it in a voodoo ritual. Just sayin. I tend to go to Shutterfly every year for my cards. Why? Check out some of the cute cards they have. Go on: This one is the one I sent last year. Well it had my boys on it because to leave those kids on it would just be weird. How fun is this card? It's a foldable card. Love it! This year I am throwing around the idea of either sending Thanksgiving cards , ...

Zinner is a word. I just made it up. So are you all waiting with baited breath to see who won this: Well thanks to Random.org the winner has been picked! It is: True Random Number Generator Result: 27 Who is it you ask: Rita from MegRyansMom who said: Megryansmom and of course I already follow this blog megryansmom@sbcglobal.net October 20, 2010 9:40 AM Well sister, following paid off. Send me you address & last name...LOL The winner has 48 hours to send me the info or I will pick a new winner. Thanks!

Who doesn't love giveaways? Not me...love them. 'Specially when I win! Who doesn't love donuts? Not me...I could eat a dozen in one sitting. Yes, yes, I'm bragging. Who doesn't love Halloween? Not me...love the holiday. Where else do total strangers give you candy just for dressing up? Who doesn't love coffee? Me, I actually can't stand it BUT I hear Dunkin Donuts coffee is the bomb-diggity yo! Now that brings me to my giveaway. In honor of the Halloween holiday, the powers that be at Dunkin Donuts have generously supplied me with this: What's that you ask? I'm so glad you did. This giveaway will be for: 2 Trick or Treat bags. 1 bag of Dunkin Donuts coffee & a $31 DD gift card to get your fill of donuts, coffee, munchkins, whatev strikes your fancy. What do we have to do to win Meghan? Again, so glad you asked. Mandatory entry : Leave me a comment telling me your favorite item @ Dunkin Donuts. That's it. EZ...

Check back here. Monday. For a giveaway. Let's just say it consists of something for the kids, something for you & something for everyone, if you choose to share.  All thanks from our favorite DD place. Just sayin!

As you know I belong to an online book club. From Left to Write is the name of the club. Catchy eh? I like it. Anyway our lastest book is The Kids Are All Right by the Welch children. It's a memoir. What an awesome book. As a background these children lost their father, mysteriously in a car accident, then the mother is diagnosed with cancer that eventually takes her from her children.  The book chronicles the individual memories of these children. Thankfully my sister and I have not lost either of our parents.  I am curious to know her memories vs mine of our parents.  Especially because she is 13 years & 6 days younger than me. Not to mention, our parents divorced when I was 15 and she was 2.  She doesn't remember all of us living in one room together nor does she remember all of us living together at all. I remember my dad bringing home the police car so my friends and I could see inside.  I remember taking a day every holiday season to go sh...

VTech has done it again! They have created a page with 6, count em 6, downloadable stories for the VTech V.Reader. The best part.....you can download them for FREE. Go here:  Click me! Oh that's right. FREE! And the saying goes: If it's free, it's for me. LOL I have downloaded them & Cheeks is loving it. He totally loves his V.Reader. Thank God! It keeps his interest and he loves to share the "new" thing he finds everytime he plays with it. I am so glad I got to be a part of VTech Voices. This is a dynomite company & one that if you have little ones you definetly wanna check em out! Do you have a reader? Do your children love it? LMK.

This month my book club decided to read Room by Emma Donoghue. Let me preface this post with: OMG! This book is fantastic! Beautifully written by Donoghue, it is heartbreaking, gut wrenching, joyful, suspensful and thrilling all at the same time. Basically this is a story told by a newly five year old's perspective. He lives in an 11x11 room with his mother. They are prisoners of their capture. This book captures what many must have thought about the Jaycee Duggard story. I know that I would have done everything the mom does in this story. I may have lost my mind a time or two. Just being indoors in my own home with my energetic four year old is trying at times. There were times when I was reading this book that my heart raced and ached. I always had in the back of my mind what I would have done had this been me and my Cheeks. Not an easy thing to imagine. Something I hope is forever the unimaginable. As we all know there are some pretty sick tickets in this w...

Hey all you parents of school aged children (including preschool) this is the last week to nominate your school to win a $50K grant. Um, hello?! $50K can go a long way. Clorox is sponsoring the contest so get to gettin & nominate your school!!!! It takes just a few minutes & is so worth it. Click here: Click me!

Raise your hand if you have picky eaters? Seriously. I'll wait. Ok, I see you & you & Mary & Sally....why am I having flashbacks to Romper Room? Anyway I have 3 boys, the youngest by far is the pickiest. I can not, for the life of me, get vegetables into this child. He will occasionally eat green beans but most times it's accompanied by gagging sounds. What I can get into him is pasta. Lots of it. And now, thanks to Ragu  I can get veggies into him as well. Ragu Old World Style Traditional Sauce now has 2 full servings of vegetables in every half a cup. Hello! 2 veggies = half a cup. Score! Ragu Old World Style Traditional Sauce now is thickier, tastier and the perfect component to pulling together a quick easy dinner.  I love to do quick easier dinners after a long work day.  So much easier.  They also know have a facebook page: Ragu Facebook Go "like" them to get great recipes & possibly great offers...you never kn...

School of Rock . A kids dream really. I know it's my 11 yo guitar players dream. Do you know that School of Rock is the national leader in music education? Music education if falling victim to budget cuts in our public schools. School of Rock is perfect for keeping music in your children's lives. They offer lessons in guitar, bass, vocals, drums and keyboards for kids ages 7 – 18. The school's mission is to inspire kids to rock on stage and in life! School of Rock's performance-based curriculum teaches kids to play rock music in a unique and interactive way. Professional musicians teach students of all levels, developing both their music skills and confidence. School of Rock operates 58 schools in 23 states. They are currently offering one week free. Oh, that's right. FREE! It includes on private lesson (30-45mins) & one Rock 101 class (90 mins). Sign up here: School of Rock Free Week & make sure to input the code: SORBLOG/MeghansMindlessMutterings to ...

And the winner of the Clorox Power to a Bright Future Backpack giveaway is: sahmadventures who said: I nominated my son's school, Ritchie Elementary School. They have an indoor swimming pool where every spring the school has swimming lessons. I want this to be able to continue for many years to come! So send me your full name & address so we can get your prize going. Congratulations!

What a great time of year for Clorox to be doing this!!!! Back to school is upon us & Clorox wants to celebrate. I remember always wanting to go back to school. I was happy to get out but the draw of new school supplies & the great smell that comes with that always lured me back to wanting to go. Now I am passing that on to my children. My youngest, Cheekers, attends the best preschool EVER! He goes to Just Children in South Jersey. I can not tell you the education he is getting & he is only in preschool. Every teacher there is knowledgable & goes out of their way to make sure my son gets the individual attention he deserves. He learns & has fun! Not to mention that school is uber-clean! It sort of shines when you walk in from the gleam of the floors. This I like! Cheekers loves his teachers. Especially Miss Trish. Miss Trish is currently in school to become an art teacher. Not only does she look like Snow White, she has her disposition too! Miss Trish is patien...