Barnes & Noble Maker Faire Partner- and WIN a $50 Gift Card #BNMakerFaire

We all know Barnes & Noble is a national bookseller, but did you know they’re committed to building all forms of literacy for our children – reading, art and technology? As part of that commitment, they’ve partnered with Make: Magazine to present a Mini Maker Faire at every single Barnes & Noble store across the nation Friday, November 6-8.

pic8

Maker Faires are community-based learning events that inspire everyone to become a Maker and connect with people and projects in their local community. Guests ages five and up can experience hands-on learning and making opportunities in creative thinking, art, design, construction, programming, coding, and 3D printing. The Mini Maker Faires will consist of three main areas:

  1. The Make Workspace: Attendees will experience the latest technologies in 3D printing, robotics, coding and programming, including: da Vinci Jr. 1.0 3D Printer from XYZprinting, Ozobot, The Slipstream Drone from Protocol, and Meccano Meccanoid from Spin Master.
  2. Meet the Makers: Leaders and top brands will discuss the latest trends in designing, building, creating and making.
  3. Make & Collaborate: Guests can immerse themselves in the process of ideation, rapid prototyping, circuitry and more. Among the featured products for children are: Electronic Snap Circuits from ELENCO, littleBits, Maker Studio™ from ThinkFun, and LEGO® Bionicle Bricks

You can contact your local store to find out what special guests are participating during the Mini Maker Faire, or visit www.bn.com/storelocator.

pic9

We know its important to keep our children engaged and to expand their minds in new and wonderful ways, and the first-ever Barnes & Noble Mini Maker Faires provide an incredible opportunity for both children and adults to experience creativity and learning in an authentic, hands-on event.

In addition, I have a $50 Barnes & Noble gift certificate. For a chance to win, use the RC form below to enter.  Good Luck! Ends Nov. 21, 2015.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Easy Dinners with Bertolli® Pasta Sauces #BertolliTuscanTour #sp

Disclosure- I received the below in order to facilitate this post.  All opinions are my own and honest.  Please see “I disclose” for more information.

20151020_082902

My son and I took a recent trip to BJ’s recently.  The stock was getting a little low, you know how that goes.  Time to replenish. We grabbed the staples, of course, and some maybe not-so-staples (maybe I consider salsa an important purchase) and wanted to grab some items for fast and easy dinners.  As a working mom, there are plenty of nights that get away from me.  Between work, my son’s homework, his after school clubs and groups, and my own (what???? Moms DO stuff?) life happens, and I can’t pretend every night is a 3 course meal.  Sorry, June Cleaver I’m not.

pic5

 

One of our purchases was pasta and Bertolli® Pasta Sauces.  They came in three-packs, which made it easy to stock up for future dinners.  Pasta dinners are pretty fast and easy, and Bertolli® products have a premium taste and quality that are almost as good as home made.  Not to mention they are Tuscan Inspired, so you can bring a touch of Italy to your table.  Shopping at BJ’s has the additional perk of being able to buy good bread or even garlic knots right in the store (fresh or frozen- I chose fresh) to help complete the meal.  Just head to the produce department and grab the desired items to make a salad, and viola. Done!

20151020_092712

It’s also the 150th anniversary of Bertolli® Pasta Sauces bringing authentic Tuscan taste to your dinner table.  If you haven’t tried any of the sauces yet, now is the perfect time.  They come in a variety of options and flavors, including white sauces that are available in some stores. You can follow them on Pinterest for recipes, ideas, and more.  Follow them with the hashtag #BertolliTuscanTour on social media.

20151020_183126

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bertolli®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Game Day with Dr Pepper® at Kroger

Disclosure- This is a sponsored Post. All opinions are my own. For more information, Please see “I Disclose”.

It is Saturday, and your turn to ‘cater’ to the boys during the big game. What is the easiest and most fun way to make this game day memorable and raise that bar ever so slightly for the next person? Easy, a shopping trip to Kroger for Dr Pepper® and snacks. Kroger makes it easy and fun to stock up on your favorite soft drink, Dr Pepper® and your favorite snacks. You can even grab some ingredients for some awesome finger food or appetizers. Decorate, grab team colors and other “flair”, and make things that are your personal specialty for the big game day. On our trip we spotted lots of fun stuff like Dr Pepper®, Diet Dr Pepper® and Cherry Dr Pepper®. We also saw a ton of snacks that caught our eye in the snack sections, such as Cheez-It®, Keebler® Town House® and Club® Crackers. These cover all my bases, as we have people who like sweet, salty, savory and everything in between.

pic1

Kroger is the perfect spot to stock up on any of your college football game day needs and makes shopping a breeze instead of the headache of going to multiple stores to find all your favorite items. Another way to make game day special is with themed napkins and plates. Whether it is team colors or just footballs and grass pattern. Either way it’s a great way to liven up your living room in a fun simple way. Whatever you end up doing during the next big game be sure to include Dr Pepper® in your plans, your guests will not be disappointed. So be sure to grab them at a Kroger near you.

pic9

After you do your shopping, you need to make sure that everyone gets enough good food to eat while they are watching the game. Who would have thought that you could use Dr Pepper® as more than just a choice of beverage at your Game Day Event? I have the perfect solution to everyone’s hunger that is sure to make your get together memorable and of course tasty.

pic3

Everyone knows that the typical game feast includes pizza and wings, but these are not just any wings. They are Dr Pepper® Wings that have just that little push of flavor that you won’t find any other way. This recipe is enough for 2 servings so if you want to make even more than 12 wings adjust accordingly. These wings are so easy to make! Just toss into the crockpot and set it to Low for about 6 hours in the morning, just in time for the game that afternoon.

pic5

Ingredients

12 chicken wings

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sea salt

1⁄2 tablespoon sugar

1 pinch garlic powder

1 pinch black pepper

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

12 ounces Dr Pepper®

DIRECTIONS

Mix up all the ingredients for the sauce minus the chicken wings, of course.

Put as many chicken wings as you want into the crock pot and pour your sauce over the top evenly.

Let your creation cook on low for about 4-6 hours.

Enjoy!

Now you have a game day favorite that is sure to please everyone and become a new favorite of theirs too! This recipe is so simple that you can even take it to go if you decided to do tailgating at the game instead of at home. You should be enjoying the time with family and friends before and during the game, not worrying about what’s going on in the kitchen! So relax and let the crockpot do the work for these fantastic wings and pair it with a party platter. Tailgating and Game Day done simple, right and tasty!

Don’t forget- there are in-store sweepstakes with Miller Coors®/Kellogg’s®/Dr Pepper® for fly away trips to Rivalry Games. Visit Krogers for more details and to enter!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Dr Pepper®. Game Day Greats brought to you by Kroger. The opinions and text are all mine.

NETGEAR Around Town Mobile Internet

Disclosure- I have received the below in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own and honest.

pic8

Today we are looking at the new Netgear Around Town Mobile Internet device.  This device works as a mobile hot spot, connecting to the Sprint mobile data network at up to 4G LTE speeds when available.  That last part of the sentence is most important- when available.  Do not expect this to work in the middle of the desert where there is no cell service.  This does work via cell phone wireless data connections, so it uses those connections.

When a connection is present, the connection is strong and useful. NO matter if you are pushing through one last email, crunching some numbers while at the airport, or just those last few hits of your favorite game before going away.  Whatever the reason, your connection can be as close as your pocket, and if it is a proverbial dead zone, chances are next time you try it you’ll have a strong connection for all your uses.

pic7

Some of the most common uses for the mobile hot spot is schooling- this opens up everywhere as a mobile study location.  Work is always a few steps away as well, so that small business that always requires your attention is even easier to tend to.  Vacations are also more fun as internet connectivity is only a button push away, giving you a connection even where most will not have it.  It’s always nice to be able to post your photos to Instagram and Facebook.

Some key specs:

4G LTE networks speeds on the Sprint network

No Contract Required, no roaming

Removable Li-on battery

Up to 10 hours of continuous use

Up to 210 hours of standby

Connect up to 10 WiFi enabled devices

Data never expires

Easy device management with LCD screen

The Netgear Around Town Mobile Internet with 1 GB Free is available now at fine retailers everywhere for $199.99.

 

Families of the World: Families of Puerto Rico DVD

pic 10

“Families of Puerto Rico,” from the multi-award-winning live-action Families of the World series, gives an intimate look into the lives of people in countries around the globe. It’s now one of the 28 additional Families of the World titles available for the first time on digital September 1,2015 with unlimited steaming for $8.00 each, and the entire series available for unlimited streaming for $225.

Families of the World DVDs are also available for the value price of $9.99 each, plus shipping, and the total set for $275, which includes shipping within the continental USA.

Families of the World has six other titles besides “Families of Puerto Rico” appropriate for the celebration: “Families of Costa Rica,” “Families of Guatemala,” Familias de Mexico,” “Families of Mexico 1,” “Families of Mexico 2” and “Families of Panama.”

About

Families of Puerto Rico” introduces nine-year-old Jose, who lives with his mother, father and sister Tanya, in the capital city of San Juan. A hurricane is on its way, so Jose and his family are making preparations while still going about their day, which includes school for

Jose and his sister, and work for their parents. Jose shares the history of his homeland’s name (the island of Borinquen, renamed Puerto Rico by the Spanish after a visit and claiming by Columbus), what “good manners” mean in his country and his desire to be a veterinarian when he grows up.

Eight-year-old Laura, lives on a farm with her mother and father. She attends private school more than an hour away, learning both English and Spanish while her parents work. She talks about her weekly piano lesson and introduces her pet Coquis frog. Later she visits the world’s largest radio telescope to listen to radio waves from outer space, and reads before turning in for the day.

About the Series

Families of the World offers a documentary-style “day in the life” glimpse into how people in different countries live from a child’s point of view. Focusing on two children from differing homes, one urban, one rural, Families of the World invites viewers along through their daily routines, introducing both the similarities and differences that exist.

School Library Journal applauds the Families of the World series as “excellent,” providing “an intriguing taste of another culture.” The series has garnered more than 100 awards, including Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Parents’ Choice and NAPPA (National Parenting Publications of America) as well as endorsements from KIDS FIRST! and recommendations from Dr. Toy’s Children’s Products. The series is used in classrooms around the country as a valuable tool for multi-cultural education and language learning.

Families of the World programs include: Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, England, Familias de Mexico, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico 1, Mexico 2, Panama, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Russia, Sweden, Thailand, United States and Vietnam.

Watch a trailer at: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/familiesoftheworld. For more information or to order call Arden Media at 303-239-9140 or visit www.familiesoftheworld.com.

Wordless Wednesday – Vermont Visit

20150627_145817

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS New Trailer

Tickets to the highly anticipated cinematic event are now on sale everywhere tickets are sold. For more information, visit http://StarWars.com.

Like STAR WARS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarWars

Follow STAR WARS on Twitter: https://twitter.com/starwars

Follow STAR WARS on Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwars/

Follow STAR WARS on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/starwars

Visit the official STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS website: http://www.starwars.com/the-force-awakens/

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS arrives in theaters everywhere on December 18th!

The Smile From A Flower

Flowers can make any occasion special. You can send flowers to someone for a birthday, anniversary or holiday. There are events in life where you can send a flower to show that you are thinking of someone when you don’t know of the right words to say, such as a funeral. A florist is someone who can create a special arrangement for the event that you have in mind. You can tell the florist of the flowers that you want used or let the florist come up with an idea. There are some arrangements that are already made if you only want something simple.

Most florists will let you add something to the arrangement to make it special, such as a stuffed animal or a small box of candy. You can also include the arrangement with a larger item that completes a present. One benefit of ordering flowers from a florist is that you can have the arrangement sent to someone without the person knowing of the sender. Florists can make bouquets for weddings and corsages for proms. Items can be delivered to the location so that you don’t have to pick up several different flower arrangements at one time.  If you are interested and would like to learn more just look up florists on the web to find the best florist for any occasion.