NRG Energy & Lincoln Financial Field

December 8, 2014 by Melissa

For my 40th birthday I experienced a first; I attended my first NFL football game. Rob and I were able to attend the Philadelphia Eagles vs Tennessee Titans at Lincoln Financial Field on November 23rd. Philadelphia fans are notorious for being aggressive and rowdy especially to opposing teams so we were a tad nervous walking up to the stadium. As you can see Rob is a Titans fan.

We supported our hometeam too by wearing Connor Barwin jerseys. He’s my football crush this year and somehow I’ve wrangled Rob into watching his plays too. Barwin plays with so much heart and passion, he’s becoming a leader on the field. That’s the kind of player I look up to.
Being at the stadium to watch the game was so much fun and we never felt like we were going to be bothered by being Titans fans. In fact in our section there were about 6 other Titans fans proudly displaying their hats, jersey’s and blankets.

The Lincoln Financial Field is a fairly new addition to the area, just opening in 2003. It’s one of the most state of the art sports complexes out there. It’s part of the largest solar array in the area and the biggest of any other stadium housing 11,000 solar panels and 14 wind turbines; generating more than 3MW of power. That’s 4times more than they can use in a season so the renewable energy is sold back to the area.

Not only are the solar panels functional they are visually stunning making the “Linc” a gorgeous landmark for Philadelphia. All of the visually-stunning panels and turbines NRG Energy brought to life at Lincoln Financial Field are important to the future of energy, with each panel and turbine serving as a tangible representation of the clean energy solutions NRG champions in our communities.

The partnership between the Philadelphia Eagles and NRG Energy is one that is beneficial to everyone involved. They’ve introduced sustainability in a new and attractive way that demonstrates the ability to incorporate a green future that positively affects many.

Learn more about NRG Energy and how you can incorporate sustainable energy in your own home with NRG Home

Bean Bag Chair from One Step Ahead

December 5, 2014 by Melissa

What’s on your child’s wishlist this holiday season? There are so many choices this year ranging from technology and gaming to creative play and fashion. Having three children with a wide ranges of age makes shopping enjoyable. Shae is still at the stage where she asks for fun items that are just for her.

Last Christmas we gave her a gaming chair to go along with her new video games but it just was never right. She recently said she wanted something more comfy. One Step Ahead came through with a tear drop bean bag in pink and white chevron. This is exactly what she wanted.

As you can see the pink color is perfect. It matches her doll bed, pajamas, comforter and so much more in her room. A beanbag is every kids just right spot. It’s a place of their very own. A custom seat for whatever their doing. A beanbag transforms any place into a reading nook, study spot, gaming chair, lounge or just a place to watch tv. Shae pulls her into her bunk bed fort along with books and the dogs for super comfy quiet time.

The One Step Ahead Tear Drop Bean Bag Chair is available in pink chevron or blue twill. They are light enough to be moved room to room to accommodate specific activities. The clever tear drop design offers some back support with squishy foam beans in its own enclosure. The zip-off cover is washable making is a must for kids.

This holiday season One Step Ahead is sharing oodles of fun crafty ideas and activities to get you and your kids in the holiday spirit. Check out their Pinterest page for printable, kid friendly crafts and even fun food inspiration.
Follow One Step Ahead’s board Holiday Crafts & Activities for Kids on Pinterest.

Stop by their Facebook page to see if they have any fun giveaways going on.

Decorating for the Holidays with ProPlants #HolidayDecor

December 4, 2014 by Melissa

Holiday Decorating can be done in many different ways. Each year we pull out 5 big totes of things we’ve collected over the years and each year we change up where things go and how they are paired up with existing decor. This usually means lots of things tucked away until after the holidays but it always means we get to enjoy hidden gems for a short period of time.

Decorating is a very personal thing. I cover our tree in ornaments collected over the years that are significant to our family. Experiences, events, vacation and even hobbies are represented each year. It gives visitors a glimpse of us. When going into someone else’s home you can learn a lot about them just by looking around. Lots of family photos means that they cherish their loved ones, bookshelves loaded with a wide array of titles could mean they enjoy reading and escaping into words.

ProFlowers and ProPlants Holiday Collection wants to help you set the scene for the holidays. With a wide variety of blooms, plants and gifts there is something for everyone for every decor need. Christmas doesn’t have to just be about poinsettias and holly. ProPlants has gorgeous roses, tulips, and mums to coordinate with your home. This is Snowflakes and Embers and an amazing Tulip (my new favorite) and Evergreen arrangement that went into my bedroom. It was refreshing to wake up each and see fresh flowers on my dresser.

Don’t forget about the hostess. Are you headed to a holiday party or gathering? Bring an arrangement to go with their decor or bring the centerpiece or a sweet treat for everyone to enjoy.

This is the Mantle and Centerpiece I put together for my neighbor. She’s lucky enough to have a fireplace in her home so I knew as I opened the box and found a long length of evergreen roping it would be perfect for her home. The Home for the Holidays centerpiece ended up with a home on her dining table but it looked amazing on her mantle also. It’s so simple to switch out pieces to go to different spots around the home.

This holiday season I was able to decorate my home, my table and the mantle of my dear friend with elegant arrangements that were sent to me from ProPlants. As each delivery arrived I was amazed by the bright colors and fragrant scent, especially the evergreens. It smelled like Christmas over Thanksgiving dinner. The kids can’t wait to start arranging the ornaments for the 12 Days of Christmas tree. It’s a mini Cypress tree that can grow in your home for years and eventually be planted outside. The wooden ornaments are stored in an Advent style wrap till the tree is ready for decorating.

Our kitchen art has been the same for 2 years. Now the paper wreath is gone and in it’s place is this fragrant and lush evergreen wreath. A few sprays of water each day is all the maintenance this needs. I’ll be sad to see it go at the end of the holiday season.

ProFlowers says holiday home décor is the easiest way to give a gift that complements a person’s unique style. Send an arrangement today so that your friends and family and enjoy all season long. Save 20% now just by clicking www.ProPlants.com/savebig. The recipient will NOT be disappointing.

Made the Switch to Droid Turbo #VZWBuzz

December 3, 2014 by Melissa

As a self declared Samsung smart phone lover I’m shyly saying I’ve made the switch to the Droid Turbo. I said it. I even said it out loud. Six years ago I went from a dumb phone to a Blackberry. It was great for email and text but as my blog grew I needed more so I went to the original Samsung Galaxy. It was great and I upgraded with each new release, that is until now.

Just as the S5 was released I was invited to be part of the #VZWBuzz team. This is a group of specially selected bloggers, social media authorities and tech enthusiasts. How did I get chosen? Anyway. As part of this group I was invited to NYC to learn more about Verizon Wireless and their newest gadgets and services. The timing was right on with the holidays RIGHT NOW.

As I said I never thought I’d sway from the Samsung Galaxy family. In fact I was getting ready to upgrade to the Note 4 when I was handed a brand new shiny ruby red Droid Turbo. We were told all about the improved battery capacity, 21MG camera , crystal clear screen resolution and the advanced operating system. That’s all great information to hear but I wanted to see it in action. The first thing I did was take a picture. I was in NYC after all so I looked up and snapped away.

This is the Empire State Building on a dreary night, just at dusk. No filters or editing at all except for size to fit on the blog.

The Droid Turbo features a super quick and easy launch. Just pick up your phone, twist your wrist 2 times and the camera comes on. It takes a little practice. I was shaking the phone in the wrong direction the first few times and it was taking a little while to turn on but once I figured the “twist” action I was snapping pics of my dogs so much faster. My dogs are notorious for moving before I was able to get a pic of their absurd behavior but now they are none the wiser.

This is one dog snuggling up to another’s dog’s butt. It’s not the clearest photo but I was able to take the shot before they noticed and got up to run over to me. Mission accomplished.

The Active Display is a real time saver for me. With just a wave of my hand I can check the time and see if I have missed calls, text messages or emails waiting for me without turning on my phone. This easily saves on battery plus it doesn’t light up a room during the night. Doesn’t everyone check their phone in the middle of the night?

The Droid Turbo claims to have a battery that lasts 48 hours. I haven’t seen it yet. I tend to get 28-36 hours on a full charge. This is definitely better than my previous phones but with what I consider normal use I haven’t been able to get anywhere close to 48 hours. I’ve also not seen the 8hour boost from a 15 minute charge but then again I never need anything that quick. Between a charger in my car and a portable battery in my purse I never worry about being without a charge. This is something I’m going to monitor a little more closely.

Something I did notice that is totally phone related is the volume while on an actual phone call isn’t very loud. I actually talk to my husband, best friend and father on a regular basis each day so I hope for good sound quality. I don’t use a bluetooth ( i keep running them through the washing machine) so it’s the old fashioned phone to my ear for me. I’ve used speaker phone and have played videos and music with other people listening with zero issues.

It’s been 2 weeks since I’ve been using the phone. I’m over the learning curve. I have all my needed apps installed. I’m loving my new phone. Droid is back.

For you more techy folk here are the specs to give you a more indepth idea of the changes that come with the Droid Turbo.

STANDBY TIME – UP TO: 675 hrs.
USAGE TIME – UP TO: 48 hrs.
CAMERA 21MP
WIDTH 2.89 in.
WEIGHT 5.96 oz.
HEIGHT 5.56 in.
SCREEN 5.2″ Quad HD Super AMOLED™ Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 Display with 2560 x 1440, 565 ppi
BATTERY 3900 mAh
OPERATING SYSTEM Android 4.4 Kitkat®
NETWORK LTE Band 13/4 (700/1700 MHz), CDMA/1xEVDO Rev. A (800/1900 MHz); Global Network: EDGE/GSM (850/900/1800/1900), HSPA/UMTS(850/900/1900/2100)
SAR 1.39 W/kg Body: .50 W/kg
HEARING AID COMPATIBILITY M4/T3
BOX – RECYCLED CONTENT, FSC/SFI PAPER 50%, 0%
DEVICE PLASTICS – RECYCLED CONTENT 0%
ENERGY EFFICIENT Yes
TOXINS FREE – DEVICE PLASTICS, BATTERY Yes, Yes
RECYCLABLE DEVICE Yes

Fun with Outdoor Toys

November 25, 2014 by Melissa

Our weekends are our time to spend not just as a family but as part of a close knit community that actually gets together to do things as a group. Friday and Saturday nights are our bonfire night. We share the duties with our neighbors, we all pitch in with s’more’s supplies, pie iron ingredients and even toys and games for the kids.

For months we’ve been hijacking one little boy’s light up bow and arrow set. The kids get a kick out of playing it at night so they have an excuse to play in the dark. They’ve made up rules and a point system with prizes of extra marshmallows or who gets to pick the movie when it’s time to go in.

There’s no more having to borrow anymore. Sabreena, Shae and Shaun are now enjoying their own ZING Air Storm Firetek Bow. This high performance but low tech toy is exactly what the kids love to so outdoors.

Maybe it was the introduction of the movie Brave but bows of all kinds are hot. In our community alone about 6 families have some version of a bow & arrow set that they bring out to play with.

This particular one has a light up feature that allows the kids to play at night. It’s bright enough that they can shoot it across the field so everyone goes scrambling. The materials are very kid friendly too. Made of lightweight plastics and foam no one is getting hurt at least not seriously.

Besides the night time light up feature the kids also get a kick out of the whistle as the arrow goes flying through the air. It’s the indicator that it has gone fast and far.

for about $30 (affiliate link) this is a great toy for boy or girl, at least the age of 6 even though packaging says 8. I’d even say a dexterous 5 year old could have lots of fun once they managed the right hand eye coordination.

The fun doesn’t stop there for great outdoor toys. The kids love playing all kinds of hunting, shooting, capture, war games. The Dart Zone Scorpion Gatling Blaster is a fully automatic motorized foam dart gun that has a rapid fire action for high intensity games. I’m a witness to say these sting a bit when you’re hit but that doesn’t deter the rougher boys of the group. The girls weren’t a fan.

Unfortunately like most of our dart gun toys we’ve lost most of the foam darts. The kids have a couple acres to run around and play but they aren’t good about retracing steps to find the casualties. Finding replacements online is proving to be a touch difficult. Hopefully by spring we can replenish our supply for a season of fun.

The Dart Zone Gatling Blaster is available exclusively at Walmart and Walmart.com for just under $20.

Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening System

November 21, 2014 by Melissa

A few weeks ago I started the Smile Brilliant teeth whitening system and I’m so excited to see the results. I’ve tried whitening my teeth in the past but the results were never what I expected. I’ve done the strips and the gel that you add to the toothpaste but I’ve always been disappointed. They took weeks to show any change and never lasted very long after I stopped the process. Since I don’t smoke or drink coffee or soda, I expected my teeth to stay white for a good amount of time after using these products.

Smile Brilliant is a much more professional kind of whitening treatment. Instead of the one size fits all trays that you get at the drug store, Smile Brilliant will send you custom made trays that fit perfectly to your teeth. This guarantees that the whitening gel will coat the full exterior of your teeth to provide an even whitening. Their process is incredible; everything that you will need is sent to you in a kit. This includes the two different kinds of paste that you need to take the molds of your teeth as well as several syringes full of the whitening and desensitizing gels. The box is also full of instructions for each step of the process from taking the impressions to applying the whitener to cleaning and caring for your trays. The instruction sheets also include tips for the best ways to achieve the best results.

Smile Brilliant is a lab quality process with custom fitted trays and professional quality whitening ingredients to ensure the best results without the high cost of visiting your dentist. My kit cost about $140 and should last months if not a year or so I can do maintenance whitening every couple months as needed.

Teeth Whitening Trays – 2 Custom-fitted whitening trays (upper and lower teeth)
Carrying Case – Compact case holds both your whitening trays
Impression material to make your own dental impressions (plus extra material included)
3-Way, pre-paid postage – all postage between you and the lab is covered (2-way for international orders)
1 set of custom dental models – created by our lab technicians from your impressions
Professional teeth whitening gel – Dentist-strength 22% Carbamide Peroxide in 3ml syringes.
2 year teeth whitening tray replacement warranty
Detailed instructional brochure – Simple guide to creating your custom-fitted teeth whitening trays
30 day satisfaction guarantee!

Here’s my update with about 8 days of use. It’s really quite simple to use. So simple that I wear them to work so I don’t have to skip a day due to a weird schedule or lots of things to do. I’m pleased with the progress. I purposely didn’t watch the changes each day because I didn’t think I’d be happy without a dramatic difference. In just a week’s time I do notice the brightening. I can’t wait to see the results after 3 weeks.

excuse the lighting, an overcast day versus sunny day in the shade makes for a big difference in great lighting.

Toyota Venza the Ultimate Family Car

October 28, 2014 by Melissa

As a mom of three I needed lots of room in my car. I’ve had a minivan for alot of years and it’s been awesome. Now that Sabreena is older and the kids aren’t in carseats or strollers my needs have changed. I now need comfort and convenience over size. Driving the Toyota Venza was exactly what had in mind.

The Venza is considered a Crossover. Smaller than a minivan or SUV but bigger than taller than a sedan. I like to call these modern day station wagons. Enough room for a big family but not monstrous like some other vehicles on the streets. The Venza is the epitome of a family car without losing the stylings and designs that families love.

I hopped into the Venza right away and noticed the comfortable set up of the controls entertainment system. As a mom I immediately look for features such as safety, storage, door openers, seat adjustments and of course the entertainment system.

I may be of a certain age but I love to turn up my music as far as my kids allow and sing along. The Toyota Venza’s Entune Multimedia System with Premium JBL^® Audio and Navigation is everything I needed to stay on track with errands, appointments, joyrides and sports with the kids. We were able to listen to all kinds of music with the sunroof open and passing cars staring.

When the kids weren’t with me I was able to stow my groceries in the roomy 3rd row and trunk. Whether I was shopping for a big weekend dinner or for the whole family or a week the room the Venza provided was more than what I needed.

The in-car wireless Bluetooth kept me connected to Rob while I was out and about. The auxiliary jacks kept me charged up. The telescoping steering wheel kept me comfortable since I’m only 5’3″.

The Toyota Venza is the next step in the true family car. Safety, Comfort and Style all wrapped up in pretty package.

It’s easy with Five Star Home Foods

September 16, 2014 by Melissa

With 2 months of successful meal plans and delicious dinners using Five Star Home Foods I wanted to share more information about the plan itself.

Five Star Home Foods is a home delivery service for frozen foods. This includes meats & poultry, fish, vegetables, side dishes and prepared entrees. These are the same high quality foods you’ll find while dining out instead they are prepped to give you the ease and flexibility to “dine out” at home. Pricing is determined by the products you choose, the size of your family and your budget. You are in control.

About every 3 months a Five Star Delivery Specialist arrives with YOUR menu of food items to stock your freezer. Your new order is rotated with your existing items so there are never any surprises lurking in the back. Food items such as chicken breasts, crab cakes or twice stuffed potatoes are individually packaged and sealed to provided ultimate freshness and convenience. After proper temperature controlled processing of your food items are flash frozen at -50°.

At dinner time you’re meats are tender, juicy and full of flavor due to all the measures already taken. It’s foolproof. The next step is to find that just right recipe.

Citrus Salsa Steak

Ingredients

1 1/2 Lbs. London Broil
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Chopped Green Onions
3 Tablespoons Lime Juice
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1/8 Teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce
1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic

SALSA:
2 Navel Oranges (sectioned, peeled and chopped)
2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
1/4 Cup Chopped Green Onions
2 Tablespoons Cider and Red Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Chopped Lemon
1 Tablespoon Chopped Lime
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
1/8 Teaspoon Salt

Preparation

In a large resealable bag, mix all six ingredients and add the london broil. Seal and refrigerate at least two hours. (overnight is preferable) Drain and discard the marinade. Grill or broil the london broil for 4-6 minutes on each side.

To prepare the salsa, simply combine the salsa ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Cut steak in thin slices and serve with the salsa. Enjoy!

There is no advertising of Five Star Home Foods. Their business is built on word of mouth from happy customers sharing their experience to their friends and family. The referral method has worked well for 25 years and they aren’t changing much to that.

Are you interested in learning more? Check out the Five Star Home Foods menu of foods and schedule a consultation with a specialist. Mine is Jay, a customer turned employee who was patient and knowledgeable about the whole process and the food.

Five Star in headquartered in King of Prussia, PA and services the entire Delaware Valley. In Pennsylvania, Five Star delivers as far west as the York and Harrisburg areas and as far north as the Poconos. Five Star also delivers to all of South Jersey, the entire state of Delaware, and the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Five Star also has the ability to ship orders all across the USA.

Please feel free to call 1-800-246-5405 to inquire about home delivery to your area.

College Student Care Package from @DollarGeneral

September 15, 2014 by Melissa

It’s been a few weeks since the kids left the nest. Are they homesick yet? Have they made new friends? Are they regretting that early am class? However they’re adjusting be sure to let them know you’re thinking of them with a College Student Care Package like this one I put together from Dollar General.

College kids need things, lots of things. Leaving home for the first time is often a shock. Not just of the changes in the environment but when they realize how good they had it at home most wanna come home right away. No more home cooked meals or fresh clean sheets magically appearing on the bed. We can still spoil our kids from far away by sending them quality care packages with comforts from home.

Each package should fit not only your child’s needs but also their situation. Are they in-state and home often enough to do laundry then skip the detergent aisle. Are they across the country and not used to snow and the increased rainfall? Ship extra umbrellas and gloves.

Dollar General is a different kind of discount store. You’ll find lots of brand name products in food, cleaners, beauty products and apparel. Stepping into each store guarantees you to find great deals on the things we all need each day. Putting together a care package is simple and hassle free. You’ll get big box pricing (sometimes better) with small neighborhood size.

Putting together a care package is easy. Find a few “needs” plus some fun items to bring a smile to their face. I gathered facial tissues, peanut butter, pitaschios, candy & gum, ear buds, gift cards to iTunes and Dunkin Donuts and a reusable coffee mug for those late study sessions. All of this cost approximately $50.

Don’t forget comforting items right from home. Include treats like a favorite Chex Mix recipe or homemade peanut butter granola or a long loved stuffed animal.

Who would you send a care package to? What would you put in it?

Jamberry Nails Manicure

September 8, 2014 by Melissa

I don’t do much for myself in terms of beauty and glamour these days. This summer has been busy and we’ve been spending alot of time at the pool, on vacation, at the beach and enjoying other activities. This leaves little time for plucking, waxing, steaming, scrubbing and moisturizing. BUT I did finally get a chance to try out Jamberry Nails.

My nails are my nemesis. They grow unevenly and wide and then I pick at my cuticles and skin and used to bit my nails. I’m happy to say I’ve stopped biting my nails for about 3 months. I rewarded myself with a mini home manicure and Jamberry wraps for my nails.

My Jamberry Consultant is Jenna Urban and she rocks. I told her my preferences and dislikes when it comes to nail art and she sent me a sheet of Kiss Me Ombre for me and a sheet of Stars and Peace Signs for Shae. I also got a sheet of a variety of designs which I like for accent nails.

There is definitely a learning curve when it comes to application. It took me almost 10 minutes to get my first nail on, in place and filed down. The rest of my nails took about an hour.

For the next few days I had to keep using a blow-dryer and flat iron to re-adhere the ends of the nail wrap. I take some blame because I don’t think i filed them all correctly.

I did love the look of the Jamberry Nail Wraps. I didn’t have to worry about nicks and chipping and could have a pretty shiny design without multiple layers of polish.

I did Shae’s nails a few days later and had much better success. Her manicure lasted 2 weeks and through our cruise.

I love the idea of Jamberry nail Wraps and the low maintenance idea of a 2-3 week manicure. Watching tutorials and getting advice from my Jamberry rep I see there are many tips and tricks to getting a perfect application.

I have enough wraps to do another application or two or even mix it up with some regular nail color. I will be playing some more with Jamberry Nail Wraps.

If you’re interested in trying them out for yourself visit Jenna Urban online for the entire Jamberry collection and to find out about the new Jamberry StyleBox.

Citrus Salsa Steak

Ingredients

Preparation

Who would you send a care package to? What would you put in it?

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