Busy Mom Reviews

Are you tired of going to the store and wondering if you got the best deal?

On Februrary 1, 2012, jcpenney introduced a completely new pricing structure that will do away with coupons completely, sales, and create a fair and square pricing structure so you know that no matter what day you are shopping at jcpenney you are getting a fair price.

Imagine it. You don't have to wait for sales, scan websites, cut coupons or make a special trip to get a great deal.

Here's how it works:

There are 3 Fair and Square prices:

-Everyday, regular prices: which are always great;
-Month-Long Values: even better prices on the things you need now; and
-Best Prices: jcpenney's lowest prices, which always happen on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month.

Additionally, jcpenney unveiled a new logo and their stores will be updated, and reorganized featuring lots of brands you love.

Disclosure: jcpenney will be providing me with a gift card for me to check out the new way to shop in person.

This is the second week of the "Pork: Be Inspired" project from Publix and the National Pork Board.

For the next few weeks, Publix is featuring a different cut of pork on sale in their stores, and part of this project is to make a healthy meal from the featured cut.
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Last week, I made Sauteed Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Lemon-Garlic Sauce.

This week's challenge was to make something for game day with boneless pork loin chops, so I chose Game Day Pork and Chile Wraps:

Ingredients:

Calories 290, Total Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 60 mg, Sodium 310 mg, Carbohydrate 26 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 23 g

I made them tonight, and they turned out great (even if I did eat the leftover avocado). They were really easy to make, and it's something a little different you can feed the crowd:

For information and other great recipe ideas, be sure to check out Pork Be Inspired and the Pork Be Inspired Facebook page.

Also, don't forget to follow @AllAboutPork on Twitter and the hashtag, #Publix4Pork.

Check out the sales on pork at a Publix near you, and see what kind of healthy meal you can create!

Disclosure: This campaign is in conjunction with The Motherhood and Publix, I received gift cards to purchase my recipe ingredients and am being compensated for my time. All opinions are 100% mine. We like pork, and I thought you might, too.

For the second straight year, Toyota will award 100 vehicles over the course of 100 days to 100 U.S. nonprofits through it's its “100 Cars for Good” program.

Winners selected through public voting on the Toyota Facebook page.

Registered 501(c)(3) organizations are invited to apply online with details on how a new car would help them achieve even more for their local communities. Applications for the program will open on March 12, 2012 on the Toyota Facebook page, and winners will be selected through public voting there.

The 100 Cars for Good application process will last for two weeks, or until 5,000 applications are received. Of these, 500 finalists will be selected and then certified by an independent panel of judges who are experts in the fields of philanthropy and social responsibility.

Disclosure: No payment or compensation was received for this post.

Several months ago (I don't like to rush these things, apparently) I was invited to Hallmark's Moments Between the Milestones as part of their 4 city tour.

It was a way to celebrate the small things, not just "occasions", but the things that happen in everyday life that make memories.

Now that the hoopla of the holidays is over, it's tempting to look at this time of year as dreary with nothing to look forward to. However, it's this time of year, when it seems like nothing's going on that needs to be savored.

Soon, the busy-ness of spring will take over our lives here and we'll be running around to soccer and rugby, and before you know it it'll be May and Busy Girl will be graduating high school.

This is the time, and I want to thank Hallmark for helping me remember it.

Disclosure: We were provided a lovely breakfast, good company and some assorted memorabilia. No other payment or compensation, I just had a really nice time.

I have teenagers now, one drives and the other one is pretty close to it.

When they were little, there were all kinds of child safety products like monitors, etc. that helped us keep an eye on them, even though there wasn't that fancy video like ones you can get at The Home Security Store back then.

Now, it's harder to keep an eye on them short of GPS tracking devices, which, believe me, I've thought about. If you have teens, you "get" that, and if you don't I assure you that you will, someday.

But, GPS tracking has it's place besides keeping tabs on teens. It can be a a safety measure for elderly parents living alone and it can even be used for fun outdoor activities.

Now, to convince my teens to carry such a device so they can "have fun" outside and I can keep an eye on their whereabouts.

No, I'm not holding my breath about that...

This is the third week of the "Pork: Be Inspired" Good and Good for you challenge project from Publix and the National Pork Board.

For the past few weeks, Publix has been featuring a different cut of pork on sale in their stores, and part of this project is to make a healthy meal from the featured cut.

Last week, I made Game Day Pork and Chile wraps, and the first week I made Sauteed Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Lemon-Garlic Sauce.

This week, Bone-in Pork Loin Roast is on sale at Publix for $3.39/lb. and I made an Orange-Glazed Pork Roast for a Heart-y and Healthy Valentine's Day (did you know that pork has been distinguished as a heart-healthy protein in the meat aisle with the American Heart Association’s iconic Heart-Check mark?).

(Note: it turned out that our grill hasn't wintered very well. Trust me, you do NOT want to know the details, especially since we're talking about food, here, so I ended up doing this in the oven, and it was great!)

Orange-Glazed Pork Roast

Ingredients

Rub dry mustard into roast and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Make a drip pan of aluminum foil about 1 1/2 inches deep and extending about 3 inches on each side of roast; place under roast. Place on grill about 6 inches above low coals. Close hood of grill. Cook for 1 1/4 hours.
Combine orange juice concentrate, honey and steak sauce in a small saucepan. Heat until bubbly, and brush on roast. Grill an additional 20 minutes basting often with sauce. (About 15 minutes per pound total time grilling) When internal temperature on a thermometer reads 145 degrees F. remove roast from heat; let rest 10 minutes.
Garnish with orange slices, if desired.

For information and other great recipe ideas, be sure to check out Pork Be Inspired and the Pork Be Inspired Facebook page.

Also, don't forget to follow @AllAboutPork on Twitter and the hashtag, #Publix4Pork.

Check out the sales on pork at a Publix near you, and see what kind of healthy meal you can create!

Don't forget to check here next week for another recipe with the pork cut of the week on sale at Publix AND I'll be giving away a prize that includes $40 worth of pork coupons.

Disclosure: This campaign is in conjunction with The Motherhood and Publix, I received gift cards to purchase my recipe ingredients and am being compensated for my time. All opinions are 100% mine. We like pork, and I thought you might, too.

On Februrary 1, 2012, jcpenney introduced a completely new pricing structure that will do away with coupons completely, sales, and create a fair and square pricing structure so you know that no matter what day you are shopping at jcpenney you are getting a fair price.

The good folks at jcpenney have provided me with a gift card to check out everything that's going on there.

The first thing I noticed was that the signage was really as simple as they say. The price is marked quite plainly as "every day", "month long", or "best":

I looked all around, and there are lots of brand names and up-to-date merchandise to choose from. There are clothes, accessories, gifts, things for the home, and more.

We are in desperate need of linens, both towels and sheets, so I started in the home store, and my first jcpenney find was these sets of microfiber sheets for only $22:

Next, I really need work clothes for spring, so I'm going to wait a week or two longer, and see what they have to offer!

Disclosure: jcpenney provided me with a gift card for me to check out the new way to shop in person.

I love sports, and it's nearing the end of the NCAA regular season, and there's some great rivalry games in store. Then, before you know it, it'll be time for March Madness!

We haven't had people over for the Big Game in a while, but we used to do it a lot (Note to self: when the Commodores make it to the Final Four, throw a big party!).

Sports are a great reason to get everyone together. There doesn't have to be an elaborate spread, but preparation is key to a successful party.

It's important to plan ahead to make sure you have the proper supplies. Even if you're hosting a potluck, it's a good idea to have a few things on hand so you're prepared for the first guests.

Even if someone is bringing plates, cups, napkins, etc. it's a good idea to make sure you have your own back-up supply in the event guests arrive before the plates.

I also like to keep a variety of easy-to-prepare appetizers on hand (just in case) to make sure there's a good variety in case you end up with 5 bowls of Buffalo Chicken Dip, or something.

After preparation, the most important thing you can do to ensure a successful party is relax, it's time to have fun with family and friends.

How about you?

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!

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

For the past few weeks, I've been working on the "Pork: Be Inspired" project from Publix and the National Pork Board.

Each week, Publix has featured a different cut of pork on sale in their stores, and part of this project has been to make a healthy meal from the featured cut.

I've made:

Orange Glazed Pork Roast

Sauteed Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Lemon-Garlic Sauce.

Game Day Pork and Chile Wraps

This week's challenge was to make a healthy recipe using pork sirloin cutlets which are on sale this week at Publix until February 22, 2012.

This week, I made Beer Braised Pork Cutlets

Ingredients:
pork sirloin cutlets, tenderized, about 1/4-inch thick
4 Tbs flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp butter
8 oz beer
2 Tbs cider vinegar
2 Tbs prepared mustard
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp dill weed

Stir together flour, salt and pepper and coat cutlets well. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter to sizzling and add cutlets. Saute until golden brown on one side; turn cutlets and add remaining ingredients to skillet. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cover. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, until pork is cooked through. Remove cutlets to a warm platter, boil and stir pan juices until thickened; serve cutlets with pan sauce.

The whole family loved these. It's a great take on a classic comfort food, and I look forward to making them again!

For information and other great recipe ideas, be sure to check out Pork Be Inspired and the Pork Be Inspired Facebook page.

Also, don't forget to follow @AllAboutPork on Twitter and the hashtag, #Publix4Pork.

Check out the sales on pork at a Publix near you, and see what kind of healthy meal you can create!

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The Giveaway

Would you like some goodies to help you make some of these great recipes? Enter for a chance to win!

Prize: 1 winner will receive 1 one Pork Be Inspired prize pack:

-8 $5 pork coupons
-Water bottle
-Reusable grocery bag
-Meat thermometer
-Pedometer
-Recipe book

1. (Required): Tell us (leave a comment below) which recipe you'd like to try.

2. For an extra entry: Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter (I'm @busymom, and it's #Publix4Pork)

Be sure to leave a separate comment telling me you've done so.

3. One (1) winner will be picked randomly via Random.org from the comments.

4. Contest is open to all U.S. and Canada residents 18 years or older

5. Winner has 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise another winner will be drawn.

6. Hurry! Ends Monday, February 27, 2012 at 10 pm CST

Disclosure: This campaign is in conjunction with The Motherhood and Publix, I received gift cards to purchase my recipe ingredients and am being compensated for my time. All opinions are 100% mine. We like pork, and I thought you might, too.

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I have another giveaway, enter to win a $25 Publix gift card (ends 2/29/12)

Publix Italian Days is going on now!

Look for your favorite General Mills brands such as Progresso, Green Giant, Pillsbury, Muir Glen and Totino’s on sale from February 16th through February 29, 2012, head over to Publix to shop and save during Italian Days.

It's a great time to stock up and save!

Here's a quick and easy Italian recipe from General Mills to get your ideas started:

Meatballs and Twisters

3 cups uncooked rainbow rotelle (spiral) pasta (8 ounces)
1/2 pound ground beef
1/3 cup soft bread crumbs
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cans (16 ounces each) whole tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup tomato paste
2/3 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

2 While pasta is cooking, spray 10-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Mix beef, bread crumbs, onion, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper and garlic. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Cook meatballs in skillet over medium-high heat until brown on all sides.

3. Stir in remaining ingredients, breaking up tomatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook about 15 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink in center. Serve over pasta.

The giveaway:

Enter for a chance to win!

Prize: 1 winner will receive 1 $25 gift Publix card

1. (Required): Tell us (leave a comment below) your favorite Italian recipe.

2. For an extra entry: Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter (I'm @busymom)

Be sure to leave a separate comment telling me you've done so.

3. One (1) winner will be picked randomly via Random.org from the comments.

4. Contest is open to all U.S. and Canada residents 18 years or older

5. Winner has 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise another winner will be drawn.

6. Hurry! Ends February 29, 2012 at 10 pm CST

Also, be sure to enter the Publix Italian Days Sweepstakes, sponsored by General Mills, for a chance to be 1 of 500 shoppers that will win a $100 Publix® gift card, sponsored by General Mills.

To enter to win the Taste the Tradition Italian Days Sweepstakes and download great coupon savings and delicious recipes, look in-store or follow the instructions below:

Click - Stay up to date with the latest General Mills promotions happening at Publix, by visiting ClickCallMail.com. Once you´re registered and logged in, you can participate in any the current promotions.

Call - If you´d prefer to enter the sweepstakes and participate in other promotions via telephone, feel free to call the General Mills hotline, at 1.800.627.6059, and be sure to say that you want to enter the 2012 Italian Days Sweepstakes. Please be sure to provide your complete contact information (Full name/address/zip code/phone #).

Mail - If you prefer to participate via mail-in entry, print and mail your complete contact information (Full Name/address/zip code/phone #) to 2012 Italian Days Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 44257, Atlanta, Georgia 30336.

Disclosure: The Publix Club gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

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I have another giveaway, enter to win a Pork Be Inspired gift pack including 8 $5 off pork coupons from Publix. (ends 2/27/12)

As you know, Busy Boy is undergoing orthodontic treatment with Invisalign Teen.

He's in good company, did you know that several of today's young stars are doing it, too?

“Today patients have a variety of choices, including Invisalign which is a clear and removable option,” said orthodontist Dr. Gilbert Snow of Snow Orthodontics who treats a number of young celebrities as part of the Invisalign studio program at his offices in Southern California.

A confident smile is important for everyone, and these young singers and actors' images are their livelihoods.

From child actor Jimmy Bennett, who just celebrated his “Rockin’ 16th birthday” with an Invisalign Teen sponsored party at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood, to budding 12 year-old film star Bailee Madison, Zendaya Coleman from Disney’s hit television show “Shake It Up,” and Cameron Quisengfrom the band Allstar Weekend, Dr. Snow has treated these celebrities and many others with have been treated with Invisalign to help them achieve their great smiles.

Be sure to visit the Invisalign Teen Facebook page to check out more Hollywood smiles courtesy of Invisalign!

Disclosure: I am a member of the Invisalign Teen Mom Advisory Board. My son
has received complimentary treatment from Invisalign, but all opinions expressed are
my own.

It's no great secret that I could use a little more fitness in my life.

Eh, make that a lot more fitness.

Anyway, I do enjoy walking (even though it's much better when there's ice cream at the end), so I agreed to participate in the Omron Fitness Challenge along with several other bloggers.

We've been wearing the Omron HJ-112N Pocket Pedometer for a few weeks now with the goal of increasing our steps each day.

This pedometer was rated #2 by Consumer Reports recently, and it's been a great little companion, so far.

It's easy to use and it's Smart Sensor technology makes it work whether you wear it horizontally or vertically, and it measure important stuff like steps, aerobic steps, time, distance, calories and fat grams burned.

It also has a clock, and a 7 day memory that auto-resets at midnight, ready to count the next day's activity.

It's got a clip sturdy clip and a wrist band. Watch out for clipping on a belt or waistband that's too thick, though, it might break, but Omron will replace it if that ever happens.

I like to loop the wrist band around a side belt loop on my pants and keep it in my pocket if I know I'm going to be sitting/standing a lot during the day, just to be safe.

I wore it for a few days without changing my activity rate, and boy did that really drive home how little I walk!

If we're supposed to get in 10,000 steps a day, then I was vary rarely getting over half that in! I'm not beating myself up or anything because that's about 2.5 miles, but I knew I could do better.

Each day, I've tried to up that a little by walking the stairs a little more at work or taking the long route to a meeting. Some days are better than others, but every step counts!

Wearing the pedometer has really made me want to try to get the numbers up each day, I like the challenge to myself, and being able to see what I've done.

Stay tuned to find out more about my progress in a couple of weeks and there'll be a chance to win some goodies, including a pedometer of your very own!

Be sure to visit the the Omron Fitness Facebook page between 3/5/12 and 4/1/12 to enter the Omron "Make Every Step Count" Sweepstakes.

You can enter once a week for a chance to win gift cards, a variety of Omron products, Bob Greene autographed books, or the Grand Prize $7,000 toward a trip to the Canyon Ranch Spa in Tuscon, AZ.

Disclosure: “I’m being compensated to write this post by Bookieboo LLC in a blogger campaign with Omron Fitness.

A while back, I went to Las Vegas, courtesy of Ashley Sleep, and visited the World Furniture Market:

So much furniture in one place!!

I spent my time in the Ashley Sleep Showroom:

It was unbelievable what I learned about mattresses by visiting with Ashley Sleep. I loved meeting with everyone there, they love what they do, and they were so kind and welcoming. Seriously, it was one of the best and most informative visits I've ever had.

First of all, I had no idea just how much sleep technology has passed us by. We've all been sleeping on our mattresses quite awhile in blissful ignorance of the technology past innerspring mattresses.

I also learned a great deal about the importance of a good pillow.

Get a good pillow. Seriously.

Sleep deprivation can take it's toll on health and people who sleep on newer mattresses tend to sleep better, and for the recommended 8 hours, and boy do we need that!

I also learned that the good folks at Ashley Sleep are all about the latest innovations and quality in mattresses for a good value.

They use products like ActivFresh Charcoal, Torso Tec technology, Tencel, Evergreen Green Tea Extract to help reduce odors, absorb moisture to give you a fresh, cool and comfortable night's rest on a great mattress.

Additionally, Ashley Sleep prides themselves on being environmentally responsible by using renewable resources like Latex and natural oil foam in their mattresses as well as smart packaging.

I learned about Memory Foam and Latex, two popular types of mattresses and about how important proper alignment is for your neck and back and for getting a good night's sleep.

I tested lots of beds of both types and they were all very supportive and comfortable.

Ashley Sleep Memory Foam mattresses adapt to your body and absorbs motion, so there's not all that bouncing that might wake your partner.

They are fresh and clean, as they are made with ActivFresh Charcoal and Evergreen Green Tea Extract which reduce orders and absorb ambient moisture.

The Latex mattresses are hypo-allergenic and good for allergy-prone folks. They are durable and supportive and resistant to mildew, dust mites and things.

Ashley Sleep latex mattresses also make for a cooler sleep: Cool and temperature correct Ashley Sleep Technology utilizes ventilated latex and Tencel, a wood pulp-based product that
dissipates heat to get rid of that “hot bed” feeling.

I looked at and tested out all the mattresses, and made my selection to find that there's another type of mattress: the Ashley Sleep Gel mattress, the iAshley1000.

And? I'm the first person to own one.

It arrived a couple of days ago, so stay tuned to find out more about it, and how we like it!

Be sure to see if there's an Ashley Sleep retailer near you and check out the Ashley Sleep Facebook Page

Disclosure: Ashley Sleep paid for my trip to Las Vegas for me to learn about the products, and I received 2 mattresses to facilitate my review. However, my opinions and my absolute amazement at how awful our old mattresses were are my own.