Young children can be very picky and none of my children have been exempt. I know if I have yogurt on hand my two boys will always have a healthy snack. When Stonyfield asked us to try their new YoKids Greek Yogurt it was a no brainer.

I have always been a fan of Stonyfield’s YoBaby Yogurt. Karolyn and Kyle both were big fans of the YoBaby with the Blueberry variety  being their favorite. As Karolyn got older she decided yogurt was gross but my boys still love it and eat it many days a week.

We are graduated out of the YoBaby now that Wyatt is 2.  We have moved onto the YoKids with the strawberry/vanilla and blueberry combo being our favorite combo pack. My kids love the rich taste and wonderful texture.  I love that it has 25% less sugar than the leading kid’s yogurt. Yo Kids is also  USDA organic so I know I am giving my children something nutritious without any of those nasty chemicals lurking in the background.

The YoKids Greek was totally new for us so we were excited to try it.  If your child eats yogurt as much as mine do, you will know it is a totally new product. YoKids Greek is the very first organic Greek yogurt made especially for children. Each container contains 100 calories and just 1 gram of fat. It contains 6g of Protein and 20% of your child’s daily needs of both Vitamin D and Calcium.  This makes YoKids Greek a wonderful snack choice for your child. It also contains their exclusive blend of 6 live cultures: S. Thermophilus, L.Bulgaricus, L.Acidophilus Bifidus, L.Casei And L.Rhamnosus.  These cultures aide in digestive health as well as overall health and well being.

I did have a bit of a problem finding YoKids Greek Yogurt as it was not sold in the grocery store at which I shop. I did eventually find out that it is currently sold in Target stores. It comes as a 4-pack of either Raspberry or Strawberry flavored yogurt. Wyatt absolutely loved it. The rich texture and tanginess you would expect from Greek Yogurt were definitely present. I actually liked it too because it wasn’t too sweet like most of the other brands marketed towards children.

Right now Stonyfield is offering you an opportunity to try out YoKids Greek Yogurt by winning some great coupons.

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*I received media sample. All opinions are my own.

I’ve walked the red carpet more than once, I’ve interviewed celebrities on my web show and even live at The People’s Choice Awards. Famous people are simply the coolest company I know. At events like these they are always thrilled to chat with you about how awesome they are. I mean honestly, who wouldn’t want to talk about themselves while dressed to the nines? Now you have the chance to win a trip to the Emmy Awards to experience this for yourself!

CBS’s Entertainment Tonight is hosting the Hanging With The Stars Sweepstakes. They want you and a guest to come to LA and walk the red carpet at an Emmy Awards event! To enter this contest CLICK HERE. Be sure to share with as many friends as possible, because that will help your chances in winning.

I love celebrities so much I’ve made it a job to interview them. I’d have to say that of all my celebrity encounters my three favorites are Hugh Jackman, Shemar Moore and Alan Tudyk. All three of these gentleman went out of their way to make me comfortable and engaged during our chat.

If you had the chance to bump into any celebrity, whether it be a singer, actor, artist…whatever your heart desires, who would it be? Why would you choose this person? Do you have any particular questions you’d want to ask them? Please feel free to share with me below!

Welcome to the Coach Handbag Giveaway Event!

Sponsored by:

My Boys and Their Toys

Double Duty Mommy

My Sentiment Exactlee

Babes and Kids Reviews

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Mommy Enterprises

Crazy & Cool With A Side Of Crafty

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My Springfield Mommy

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Enter for the chance to win this Coach Heritage Star Tote valued at $298!

Signature C’s in pvc leather, Metallic gold leather lining,

polished silver tone hardware, Dual straps w/ 9″ drop,

1 Coach leather hangtag, 1 silver star deco hangtag,
Chocolate brown sateen interior fabric,
2 pockets, 1 slip and 1 zipper, Coach creed

Measures: 13″ W x 9″ H x 5″ D

This giveaway is in no way affiliated or sponsored by Facebook, Twitter or Coach.

You must be 18 or older to enter, US only.

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By now everyone knows how much my Buddy means to me. Lately, I’ve been getting even more obsessed with my dog (if that’s even possible). Last week we were playing and I noticed that he was starting to turn grey around his nose. This sent me into a panic attack! Buddy is 5 years old, but my son is 18 and leaving home soon. I can’t lose Buddy; he’s the only thing that is going to keep me going once Jake leaves. So now I’m being extra careful about what I give him to eat. SmartBones is a healthy vegan alternative to the old rawhide.

Buddy’s nutrition is no less important than mine. He has to eat well if he’s going to stay fit and have a long life. Did you know that rawhides are thought by some people to be dangerous for your dog? Rawhide does not break down, so there is a high risk of choking and they are extremely hard for a dog to digest, which could cause stomach and intestine problems. SmartBones have no rawhide; they are made by combining multiple vegetables and processing them with chicken jerky, so they are all natural and 99% digestible. SmartBones have a delicious center strip that is also made of only the best healthy ingredients like real chicken, corn and peanut butter.

I gave Buddy a SmartBone in chicken flavor. Buddy is a bit of a Diva, go figure. He won’t eat anything I throw at him. He loved his SmartBone. He took it outside to chomp on in the front yard where all the neighbor dogs could see him, like I said Diva. It lasted about 10 minutes, which is about as long as anything Buddy really likes lasts. He seemed pretty happy and I felt better giving him something other than rawhide. After all, he’s the best dog ever, how could I take any chances with his health?

SmartBones can be found at your local pet supply stores. Don’t take any chances with your dog’s health. To learn more go to www.smartbones.com

Right now 2 lucky readers can win a bag of SmartBones for their best four legged friends.

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This contest is open to US Residents ages 18+ Only. Contest will run until June 5th at Midnight EST. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.

*I received media sample. All opinions are my own.

Like a lot of women I have never had nice nails. I used to pay a lot of money for “fake” nails, but after a couple fills they didn’t look real and they hurt like hell if they jammed or broke. This was too high maintenance for me, so I gave up. Then along came The Red Carpet Professional Nail Kit, now I have fabulous looking nails.

My problem was I could never find a way to keep my natural nails from cracking, breaking and peeling. Also, I wanted a pretty polish that would dry quickly. I don’t have time to paint my nails and then wait for them to dry. I typically find the time to do these things about 2 hours before bed, which is great if you don’t mind the imprints from your blankets in your polish. Red Carpet Manicure solved all these issues. It is a gel application that requires a LED light to set. In four simple steps you have perfectly painted nails that are protected from breaking and the paint won’t chip.

First step is nail preparation which includes the use of an orange stick for your cuticles and a nail file for structure.

Second you apply a base coat which you cure under the provided LED light for 30 seconds.

Third you then apply the color application and set that layer under the light for 30 seconds.

Fourth there is a top coat that also sets under the light for 30 seconds.

All in all it takes about 20 minutes to complete both hands. The Red Carpet Manicure Professional Kit comes with the LED light, One Gel Color, Antiseptic, and both the Prime Coat and the Top Coat. Also included are bottles of the Nail Prep Solution & Nail Remover Solution. Retail cost: $79.99 at Ulta Stores. Additional colors retail for $9.99.

What I love about this product is how fast and easy it is to use. Applying the product is just like painting your nails with regular polish, the LED light is quick and easy to use and includes a built in timer. I was able to do the entire thing in one episode of Big Bang Theory and the best part; my nails were completely dry when I was done! They also stayed perfectly painted for 10 days. The only reason they have to be re-painted is because of the outgrowth along the cuticle. I had no issues with peeling, cracking or broken nails. The applications are thin enough that you don’t feel like you are wearing “fake” nails.

Quite honestly, The Red Carpet Manicure is now one of my favorite products. The only negative thing I could find was that they do take a little effort to remove and you go through a little more of the removal solution than you expect. However for $3.99 you can purchase a new bottle so it’s not a big deal. Also, the professional kit does not come with the prep tools i.e. orange stick, file and buffers. Those are also sold separately for $3.99.

I love the Red Carpet Manicure Kit so much that I went to Ulta and purchased a couple of the new spring colors. Red Carpet Manicure has given me beautiful hands, which is something I never thought I would have without paying for a professional manicure. Run out and get the Red Carpet Manicure Professional Kit for your mom for Mother’s Day!

Right now one lucky reader can win a Red Carpet Manicure Professional Kit.

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*I received media sample. All opinions are my own.
Contest open to US Residents ages 18+ only. Contest will end June 1st at Midnight EST. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.

I don’t buy a lot of premade freezer type foods but when I do need a little help in the kitchen. Especially when I am having parties, I choose products that I know deliver wholesome ingredients with a consistently great taste. Farm Rich is one of those companies I know I can trust to deliver every time. Their products never disappoint and are sure to be loved not just by my children but the entire crowd.

For over 25 years Farm Rich has been producing top quality products for moms like me to serve to their children and guests in a snap. They currently offer 16 different items that can be found in your grocer’s freezer department. The varieties range from these fabulous Mozzarella Sticks that are made with 100% mozzarella cheese to Cinnamon Sprinkle French Toast Sticks that are fortified with 8 vitamins and minerals. I do adore the Mozzarella Sticks but my favorite item is probably their Meatballs because of their versatility. You can throw them in a crockpot with about a thousand different varieties of sauces. You can bake them off and put them on toothpicks on a platter, even bake them off and put them in some tomato sauce and make some fun mini meatball subs for your kids or guests to enjoy. They are the perfect party sized and kids sized treat. Better yet they are hands down the best tasting meatball you can buy outside of homemade.

If you are a Farm Rich fan like me you can join their Keep ‘em Happy Club where you can get coupons, recipes, birthday deals and much more. Farm Rich also has a really fabulous organization they created called Kids Who Give. Kids Who Give is a national program that celebrates the best in today’s youth. They honor teens ages 7-17 that make it their job to help others. The 2012 contest runs from April 1-December 31 with prizes given every 3 months. There is also a $10,000 Grand Prize when it is all said and done.

I love food and I have really enjoyed reviewing Farm Rich. My children have loved the Mozzarella sticks and the Meatballs we tried out. I really want to check out their new Queso Cheese Bites as well as the Jalapeno Poppers. They also have Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara inside that Karolyn and Kyle are begging me to buy.

Right now one lucky person will win 2 coupons for free Farm Rich product.

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This contest is open to US residents ages 18+ only. Contest will run until May 22nd, 2012 at Midnight EST. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.

*I received media sample. All opinions are my own.

Candles have been used for centuries for healing, protection and good fortune. From the Ancient Egyptians (thought to have invented the first wick candle) all the way to modern times, there is positive energy behind burning candles that cannot be denied. Whether you burn candles for religious purposes, to set a mood or just to make your house smell good, Lumnique Candles can help you achieve the perfect balance of all three of these components.

With Lumnique you get to choose exactly what you want from your candles. You begin your online order by choosing what spiritually you would like to burn it for. For instance I chose “Abundance; to increase the flow of all good things in my life, including physical, emotional and spiritual wealth, goodwill and blessings.” No one can get too much of this in their everyday lives. There are many to chose from, be it wealth, health or love you are sure to find the perfect fit for your needs.

Next you choose a color. It’s so hard at the store to find the perfect color for your home décor in a scent that you actually want to burn. My living room is brown with blue accents. I chose “Sky; representative of tranquility” among other things, all of which are spiritually enlightening. Lastly, you chose from over 50 fragrances in three categories; citrus, floral and cuisine. They have the standby favorites like vanilla bean and some unique scents like fresh baked bread, so you’re sure to find something you’ll love. I chose Pineapple, because I love the sweet scent of pineapples in the summer time.

My Deluxe Packaged Candle was delivered to me in a beautiful box (which I kept because it is perfect for a craft project in the future). Inside the box was my hand poured 8oz soy based candle in a beautiful glass jar. A personalized card which told me exactly what each of my choices meant and that the candle was hand crafted with me in mind. Under the card was a nice set of matches so I would always have a way to light my candle.

The Lumnique Candle ordering experience was great. It made me feel special to be able to pick a candle that envelopes my inspirational spirit. I liked getting my favorite color in my chosen fragrance, which is not easy to do when shopping for candles elsewhere. The price is a little high; $30.00 for the Deluxe Package, but the Lumnique Candle is packaged beautifully and would make a very nice gift for the mom who has everything on Mother’s Day or someone who just moved into a new home. The candle burns beautifully and smells amazing. This is a candle that is truly made for you and that brightens your day, no pun intended. To place your special Lumnique Candle order today, visit www.lumnique.com.

Right now Lumnique is giving away a hand crafted candle to one of my lucky readers.

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*I received media sample. All opinions are my own.

This contest is open to US Residents ages 18+ Only. Contest will run until May 17th at Midnight EST. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.

Having a hard time finding out whose backpack is whose at your house? Or are you like me and buy your kids really nice but boring backpacks? You certainly don’t want them to draw on the backpack but you would like to allow the kids to jazz them up. Well look no further than Gutzy Gear, the fun new product line created by two entrepreneurial moms, Lauren Bass and Wendy Koolik.

So what is Gutzy Gear? It is a strap set that fits on most styles of backpacks, messenger bags or rolling bag straps with a simple Velcro type closure that then your child can decorate with a ton of choices of Gutzy Gear patches called Gutzies. The Gutzie patches are strong enough to hold onto your child’s backpack but at the same time with a simple tug they can come off. There are 28 choices of Gutzies geared toward girls, boys and coming soon there will be licensed Gutzies. The patches actually come as a set of 2 so in actuality there are 58 total patches for your child to trade, collect and wear to express who they are.

The folks over at Gutzy Gear sent me 2 sets of straps (one for Karolyn and one for Kyle) plus some awesome Gutzies geared toward girls and boys. The straps come as a set of 2 and came with a cool logo patch. The embroidery work of the patch is of great quality and the colors are very vibrant. I was a bit skeptical at first if the patches would stay on but seriously, it has been weeks and weeks since I received the Gutzy Gear product in the mail to review and all the patches are still in their place and look just as good as the day we got them. That is saying a lot because they ride the bus as well as go to golf lessons after school where their backpacks sit in the dirt.

Karolyn and Kyle really love their Gutzy Gear and so did all the kids in their class. They had a ton of compliments from the kids who all asked “where did you get those, we want them too.” So you better get on the Gutzy wagon fast because I can see these become HUGE. Currently each set of straps comes with 2 surprise Gutzies and retails for only $9.99. Any additional packs of Gutzies is just $4.99 and remember that is for 2 patches. You can but Gutzy Gear on-line or you can choose to find them in a boutique near you a their locator page. I do have to say that I am pretty shocked that no big retailers have picked them up yet so don’t be surprised if you read this review and think to yourself, they sell those at Target stupid because right now they don’t!

But now it is time for the big giveaway! Right now one lucky reader will win a set of Gutzy Gear straps plus patch of their choice. (I wish I could win some more straps. ) Follow instructions below to enter<!–more–>


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*I received media sample. All opinions are my own.
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Last October I took a bucket list vacation to the beautiful city of New Orleans. There is nothing on earth like visiting a city where you get great food, plenty of culture and have a great time. Down South the people have truly made cooking an art form. One of the things I noticed was their use of spices and seasonings in what is referred to as a “dry rub”. When I came home, I wanted to experiment with this, but had no idea where to start. Then Char Crust Dry-Rub Seasonings contacted me about reviewing their line of dry rub seasonings and it was as if the universe had brought us together.

Char Crust sent me a four pack of their very best dry rub seasonings, Roasted Garlic and Peppercorn, Ginger Teriyaki, Amazing Cajun and All American Barbecue. Because I was cooking for both Jake and I, and he is so picky, I decided to try the Roasted Garlic and Peppercorn Rub first. The idea behind Char Crust dry-rub is not only great taste, but also to seal in the natural juices of meat. You can use it on all meat and veggies and the packets give you plenty to work with. The roasted garlic and peppercorn was not too spicy, or overpowering, which surprised me. Actually, it turned my otherwise dull chicken dish into a really nice meal for my family. I used the entire packet on 7 large chicken thighs, 3 potatoes and 1 large yellow onion, and it was more than enough.

Put 2/3 of the packet in a large zip lock bag; add the clean, dry chicken and shake being sure to really coat the chicken well.

While you are preparing your chicken, brown the diced potato and onion in about a tablespoon of olive oil (I used garlic infused, but you can use whatever you have in the house). Once they are good and brown, transfer them to a large 9×13 casserole dish and sprinkle the rest of the Char Crust Seasoning and mix it all up, leaving it in a nice layer in the dish.

Using the same pan, add roughly 2 tablespoons of olive oil and on high heat sear the chicken on each side for about 4 minutes. You’re not cooking the chicken, your just searing in the juices.

Transfer the chicken on top of the potato and onions and bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.

This was my own method of using Char Crust and probably took a couple extra minutes. The directions on the box are pretty simple and can be fast if you are grilling or broiling your meat. You can also add Char Crust to vegetables to add a kick to your side dishes. We loved this chicken, it was perfect and even Jake approved, which is always a good sign.

Right now Char Crust is giving away a four pack of Char Crust Dry-Rub Seasoning to one of my lucky readers.

To Enter (worth one mandatory entry):

Visit www.charcrust.com and come back and tell me what your favorite flavor would be.

Extra Credit (worth one separate entry each you do):

1. Comment on any non giveaway post on this blog. Each comment is worth one entry and you can comment as many times as you’d like. Come back and tell me where you commented each time.

2. Follow both @theexactlee and @Charcrust on Twitter. Tweet “Win a @CharCrust Dry Rub Four Pack http://tinyurl.com/cwpm5us” You can do this once a day. Come back and show me the link each time.

3. Like both MySentimentExactLee and Char Crust on Facebook. Come back and tell me who you are.

4. Follow me via RSS Feed or Email Subscription by clicking on the heart social icons on the upper right of this blog.

This contest is open to US Residents ages 18+ Only. Contest will run until Thursday May 3rd at Midnight EST. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.

*I received media sample. All opinions are my own.

Here are your random numbers:

1

Timestamp: 2012-05-16 02:58:15 UTC

Congrats Linda!

I adore pizza. It is probably one of my favorite foods even though I don’t eat it that often. In the past you had to go out for pizza to find anything decent. But these days many brands are in the grocers freezer and are pretty good. One such brand is Annie’s Organic Rising Crust Pizza.

I checked out the Annie’s Pepperoni pizza that they offer. It comes in an 11.5 inch size that was okay for a small family. If you are feeding 4 or more I would suggest a salad or something on the side. The pizza tasted very similar to your typical grocers pizza. What sets Annie’s apart is that their pizza is made with organic Ingredients. It offers 8g of whole grains per serving, has no artificial colors or flavors and uses 100% real cheese made with milk from cows not treated with growth hormone rbst*. The pepperoni also contains no nitrates or nitrites except for those naturally occurring in sea salt and celery juice powder.

I thought that the cheese and pepperoni both tasted very good and there was definitely adequate amounts of both toppings. There is nothing worse than getting a pizza with subpar topping amounts so this was a huge benefit. The crust was very good too. I cooked it directly on the rack for a crispier crust which is definitely the preference of my entire family. The outside crust became very puffy which Wyatt loved.

Annie’s Organic Rising Crust Pizza retails for $10.99. It can be purchased at Whole Foods Market. I did try to find it at some of the bigger chain stores as well but I did not see it there.

Overall the taste for a grocers freezer pizza was pretty good. Try it yourself with this great $2 off coupon you can find here http://www.annies.com/pizza/. At that website link you can also enter to win a year of pizza as well as a $500 Whole Foods gift certificate.

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This contest is open to US residents ages 18+ only. Contest will run until May 3rd at Midnight EST. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.

• Disclaimer: I received this product for free from the sponsor of
the Moms Meet SM program, May Media Group LLC, who received
it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet SM blogger, I
agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My
opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media
Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.