Sadly, my family has all but entirely stopped ordering in because it just doesn’t seem to be the same as it used to be when I was a kid. I used to be the biggest fan of pizza, but now, I don’t know, I just don’t feel like what I’m getting is what I expect. This isn’t to say it’s worse or better or the same but different – it’s just every time I put take-out into my mouth there is a disconnect between what I want to have happen and what actually happens.

So what’s a mom to do?

That’s right – make my own darn pizza!

Originally, I started making mini pizzas with biscuit dough. I’d roll the biscuits flat and put toppings on and pop them in the oven. It wasn’t what I wanted, but it was a lot closer than I had been getting before. There were also more topping options and I could make my pizza with exactly the amount and proportion of cheese, meat, and veggies that I wanted. It was a step in the right direction.

Then I had the chance to try out the Pillsbury pizza crust through MyBlogSpark and WOW. It tastes like pizza crust to me! So now I could just roll this dough out onto a baking sheet, parbake it while i got my stuff ready, then pull it out and put my toppings on and pop it back in the oven for the few minutes. At the end of the oven timer I had what tasted the closest to childhood pizza I’d been able to achieve.

I was happy.

It was basically just an amazing bonus to get the game Pictureka! to play with my kids during a Family Game Night where my kids and my husband and I shared pizza and a game and a whole lot of laughs.

Here is a forty cent off coupon for a couple of cans of Pillsbury Pizza Crust. If you would like to know more about Hasbro’s Family Game Night you can visit the website.

Disclaimer: VIP coupons, information and prize packs were all given to me from Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark in order to provide this review. The Pillsbury Pizza Crust I’ve bought since then has been purchased with my own money.

Congratulations to Lena!

Lena says:

November 23, 2009 at 12:52 am

I hope I win! I never win anything but I have a great feeling about this. My fingers are crossed.

Once you receive your Wii Fit Plus board & Fitness Ultimatum game, let me know how you liked it. I’m sure you’re going to feel the burn!

——————————————————————————————————————————–

I’m not a Biggest Loser Fan. Never have been. I always felt like if I had unlimited time and money I, too, could afford to get an amazing trainer and spend three hours or more a day in a gym being yelled at for my own good. Yet, I find myself tuning in week after week, season after season for one reason…Jillian. (a.k.a. Best Trainer EVER!)

Wouldn’t it be great to have Jillian Michaels as my very own personal trainer! Especially having all the Jillian without having to deal with the show just to catch the tips here and there.

Sure she’d yell, but then when you were totally awesome or had a breakthrough she’d cry for you out of happiness…and you’d cry too…and you’d have a TOTAL moment with one another. How great would that be?

Now you can have that moment- virtually!

Sports Authority is giving away to one lucky reader a a copy of Jillian Michaels’ new fitness game for the Wii. That’s not all…they are also giving you a Wii Fit Plus board so you can have the ultimate Wii fitness experience.

I’m sure that finding it is sending your heart all a pitter-patter too. Now if only you and I could get our pulses racing with exercise instead of giveaway madness we’d be set, right?

The only thing cooler than this monster giveaway is that if you live anywhere near Torrance, CA you can MEET Jillian this Thursday and try out her new game “Fitness Ultimatum 2010.” Plus they’re going to have the biggest demonstration of Wii Fit Plus ever – 102 people all at once Wii-ing their butts off – literally!

Event Information:
Thursday, Nov. 19
Sports Authority store in Torrance (located at 3610 Torrance Blvd.), CA (just outside of Los Angeles, CA)
Event starts at 9:30 a.m. and runs until mid-day

Event Highlights:

• Jillian Michaels, from “The Biggest Loser,” will be in attendance.
• There will be the “world’s largest Wii Fit Plus” demonstration featuring 102 people. Jillian will be part of the demonstration, doing what she does best – showing folks how to get in shape!
• Lots of items to be given away, including copies of Jillian Michaels’ new Wii game “Fitness Ultimatum 2010″ and Wii Fit Plus boards, as well as other prizes from Sports Authority, Nintendo and Nike.

Why:
Sports Authority is teaming up with Nintendo to create a new way to experience fitness gaming. The collaboration will allow Sports Authority to sell Wii gaming consoles, Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus, as well as various accessories and games for the Wii, in its stores. To launch the product and to help customers get to know the Wii better, Sports Authority will create a “We know fit. We know fun.” experience at 102 of their stores. Stores will feature a dedicated area with a demo unit and knowledgeable trainers to help customers try the Wii Fit Plus before they buy. This will help moms trade static workouts for ones that involve fun and fitness for the whole family.

For more information visit http://www.thewiiauthority.com/

I’m in the midwest, so I’m not going to be able to attend the in-store demonstration and meet the amazing Jillian. Heck, I have to wait in line and buy the game like the rest of the normal folk.

But you’re special.

Very special.

Because you have found the bestest giveaway ever for a fan of Jillian! We’re giving away a Wii Fit Plus Board AND a copy of Fitness Ultimatum 2010 to one lucky winner! Get in shape with the help of one of the best personal trainers ever and Nintendo!

The best part is, using The Wii Authority site, I was able to find a bunch of stores that are having the Wii Experience near me! I’m going to go in and try out one of those Wii Fit Boards. I’m a very “try before you buy” kind of woman – even though I’ve wanted a Wii Fit forever I haven’t gotten one because I don’t know anyone that has one I can try. Now’s my chance!

Giveaway Rules:

• You get one entry for commenting on this post.
• You get one entry for anyone else that comments on this post telling me you referred them.
• Two entries for blogging about it and putting a link in the comments.
• Tweet it for another entry! (so easy if your blog is hooked up with Twitter Tools or another Twitter plugin!)

The contest will run until Monday, November 23 at 10:00AM CST. Any entries put in after that time won’t be counted. The winner will be picked at random and the Wii Fit Plus and a copy of Fitness Ultimatum 2010 will be shipped to the winner directly from the company.

I spent money on tickets and everything…and ended up not going. I was kind of sad about the whole thing.

So, when I ran into Meghan Daly from Mom Central at BlogHer and she told me Disney on Ice was coming back to the Chicagoland area and would I like some free tickets to take my family, I was ALL about it. It was something I already wanted to see, and missed the chance, and it’s not like Ticketmaster gives refunds, so I felt like the universe was saying, “Hey there, you didn’t waste your money, you can still go – and for FREE this time!”

Plus there’s some VIP event where my kids will be able to (I think) hump Mickey’s leg – which will make for great video or pictures. It might even be time to finally use my iPhone Whrrl app and actually tell a story while I’m there.

I’m a little nervous about attending an event just about a week before my due date, but my kids will love it and I think they deserve to do something special before they have to deal with the newborn baby for months!

We’ll be going on September 8th – if you are in the Chicagoland area and would like to see some Disney characters busting a groove on ice, you can get a discount on tickets. (If you check my original, non-sponsored post about Disney on Ice you’ll see I spent $24 a ticket so this is a good deal!)

THE SPECIAL OFFER
Purchase a 4-pack of tickets for only $44 by logging onto www.ticketmaster.com and entering the coupon code: MOM.**

CHICAGO SHOW DATES:

Disney On Ice Presents
100 Years of Magic
Playing at the United Center

Tuesday, September 8th @ 7:00pm <– this is the show we’re attending! Let me know if you’re coming so I can say, “Hi!”
Wednesday, September 9th @ 7:00pm
Thursday, September 10th @ 7:00pm
Friday, September 11th @ 7:00pm
Saturday, September 12th @ 11:30am, 3:30pm, 7:00pm
Sunday, September 13th @ 1:00pm, 5:00pm (Spanish-speaking show)

**Get 4 tickets for $44 by entering the code “MOM” at select ticketing channels. Minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each. Offer not valid on Front Row or VIP seating. Cannot be combined with other offers. Service Charges and handling fees will apply.

As a review for Team Mom I had the chance to review the most adorable miniatures. Of course I had to find someone old enough to play with them, since my daughters are 3 and 4 and they are definitely a choking hazard for kids that young.

So I had to play with them myself (I don’t know any 7-10 year olds!)

The miniatures are adorable and coated with a layer of fuzzy stuff, so they have this kind of soft focus look to them. They come with special codes that can be used on the Bella Sara website.

Bella Sara is all the rage right now and the treasure cards just make the site more fun to interact and play with. From special powers to items, the treasure cards will keep your little one excited. Of course, the base concept being horses is genius, I mean, who doesn’t love horses?

I outfitted my horses with the treasures and have to admit, I wished my daughter were old enough to truly enjoy the experience with me. Dont’ get me wrong, my 4yo was on my lap oooohing and aaaahing and loving the horses as much as any other little girl…but she’s probably a year away from being able to enjoy this site for any length of time.

It’s okay, because when she’s ready, she’ll have some seriously cool horses and treasures I’ll happily pass on to her, and then we can collect for her!

Review on behalf of Team Mom!

There are a few things I worry about when it comes to buying Sadie her first bike.

• Getting caught on the chain.
• Falling.
• Stopping the bike.
• Getting caught on the pedals.

I’m sure every parent has these same worries, so when I was contacted by Hasbro to check out the new Playskool Glide 2 Ride bike, I thought, “Is this really going to be safer for my daughter?”

Come inside and let’s find out…

What it Comes With

The Playskool Glide 2 Ride is a bike that’s about 90% put together out of the box. You put in the handlebars and tighten, adjust the seat, pump up the tires, and if you’re not putting the pedals on right away…you’re ready to ride. A great way to avoid having to put together a bike for your kid the night before and trying to figure out how to put the hundred piece monster together at three in the morning. Simple and easy (just the way we like it around here!)

My Expectations

I had really high expectations of this bike. Hey, I’m an honest woman. When I see a pink bike that has all these safety features and is touted as being THE hot holiday toy for 2009 – I expect it to deliver in a big way.

The Results

Here is a video of Sadie, my 3 year old daughter, trying out the bike for the first time. She loves it, and I don’t have to worry about her getting tangled in anything.

Make sure the volume on the video isn’t turned all the way up. It’s like negative one million out and I’m huffing and puffing and cold. But don’t mute it – Sadie says some cute stuff.

Glide 2 Ride – MommyBlog Reviews from Jennifer Gniadecki on Vimeo.

After she turned around and went back toward the house, I caught her riding with a more confidant swagger. She almost falls, but rights herself, and then really starts cruising toward our front door!

Glide 2 Ride – End of the Ride from Jennifer Gniadecki on Vimeo.

Conclusion

It’s a huge hit, and I have no idea how I’m going to top this for Christmas. Or if I can top this for Christmas. Luckily she’s three so I can probably play it off and remind her as she’s unwrapping her gifts on Christmas morning that the bike was a Christmas present too. Because I don’t know that there is a toy available that could even come close to beating her first bike.

I love the fact that the Glide 2 Ride has both a hand brake and pedal brakes. I don’t have to dump it and buy a new bike once she learns the balancing act. The seat and handlebars both adjust about four inches up from where they are now – that’s at least a year if not a couple of years of good use. Yea!

I also think it’s nifty it comes in blue.

The Giveaway

You can win your choice of a pink or blue Glide 2 Ride for your little one (or the little one of someone you know). When a child gets a bike for the holidays, it is something they remember forever. Now you can give them that memory without having to worry about tottering, unstable training wheels making it more difficult than it needs to be.

• Rules for gaining extra entries (and there are bunches of ways) can be found on the main Giving Thanks for Giveaways post.
• Comments posted through Nov 21st @ midnight central time will be eligible to win.
• A winner will be announced on the blog Nov 24th.

Good luck!

Helen Hunt marries Matthew Broderick (who still looks 12 years old) in the first scene of this beautiful movie.

Unfortunately, that’s the last good thing you see for a while. This movie is heart-wrenching to say the least. At one point I found myself wondering if the movie was ever going to cut Helen Hunt a break.

Then I thought, oh there it is, there’s the sun through the clouds.

Yeah, that was a fake out.

But I laughed, I cried, and really found the performances to be real. No overly made up stars in this film, no fake moments. Maybe a little overdramatic, but only when it was necessary to get the point across.

This is a fantastic movie and I look forward to recommending it to my friends, because if you like the Lifetime Movie Network, well, let me just say this movie blows anything showing on Lifetime out of the water.

Good plot, great characters, subplots weave together beautifully.

I highly recommend it.

When we opened it there were two very cool products inside. The Bath Blizzard and Aquadoodle Floor Mat from SpinMaster.

We’ve been fans of Aquadoodle products for over a year now (the girls had the travel pads and wall sized Aquadoodles) but hadn’t gotten the kids a floor mat yet. They were thrilled.

One of the things I think is such a nice extra touch on the Aquadoodle is the pictures on the side of the mat. The wall ‘doodles have the pictures too. They are 1-2-3 step pictures on how to draw simple things like a sun, a house, a stick person…my daughter follows the directions. So she’s learning while she’s having fun.

The other package in the box was also a SpinMaster product called the Bath Blizzard. It made the amazing claim that it created bubbles and dumped them into the tub so it was like a never-ending bubble bath for the kids! (never-ending = about fifteen minutes = a lot of bubbles)

While it took us a while to get it going, we followed the directions and did not give up…see what happens…

Even though my fantasies saw those bubbles coming out much chunkier, what matters is what the kids thought. They loved it…and have asked for it every time they’ve taken a bath since the first time.

So I think it was a success!

This giveaway over at Parenting Squad is for a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ3 (5MP, 6X Optical Zoom, 2-Inch Diagonal LCD) digital camera! You can get some great shots of your kids, yourself, your family, and your friends without having to spend a penny.

Drawing closes on 10/30/08 and is only open to U.S. Residents.

Print Those Awesome Shots!

An Epson printer with (I kid you not) waterproof ink is yours for the winning. Kristen at Biz Chicks Rule is giving away not one but two of these amazing printers. Make sure to comment with the type of printer you currently use in order to qualify for the contest!

The deadline is Monday, October 20, at 11:59:59 p.m. ET.

Keep Those Awesome Shots Safe

Over at My Organized Biz, Becky is hosting a giveaway for a year of free online computer backup. If a fire happened in your home, your backup drive is just as much at risk as your regular computer. Back up your files in a safe place – away from your computer!

The deadline is Friday, October 17, at 5:00 p.m. PT.

Parent type number one wants to see their child look grotesque and monstrous for Halloween.

The other type wants to see princes and ballerinas and fairies while Trick-or-Treating is in full swing.

No matter what kind of parent you are, the Halloween Party Store is the place to find what you need for your little one (or you) to look fabulous for Halloween!

Costumes look great in scrapbooks and photo albums, so make sure to pick one that your child loves so you get the best shots of that big smile with the huge pail of candy after you have gone around the block or gone to the local Halloween party in your city, town, or village.

What it Came With

• One Toddler Size Snow White Princess Ballerina Costume

My Expectations

It’s a dress, you really can’t go wrong with that. It doesn’t come with tights or shoes, but we have tights and shoes…well…she’ll be wearing sneakers most likely so even if it had come with shoes they wouldn’t be wearable out of the house.

The Results

My three-year-old loves princess.

My three-year old loves ballet.

So, this outfit was pretty much the be-all-end-all of amazingness. She oohed and aahed and went a little nutty over the whole thing.

Conclusion

What I like best about this costume is that it is put together really well. It’s going to last beyond Halloween night and become something she can wear and have fun in when she plays dress-up at home. When I can get multiple uses out of a specialty item it makes me feel better about spending that much on a costume in the first place.

If you have a little girl that loves princesses or ballerinas, this costume will make her really happy. The construction of the costume makes me feel secure in getting a costume for myself from the store, because if they pay that much attention to the children’s costumes, there is no reason to believe they’d pay less attention to an adult costume.

Now I just have to decide if I want to be adorable…or horrible… *grin*