I can hardly believe it is the last day of September! I just had to share a Wordless Wednesday post to end the month on a pretty note.

One of the reasons we fell in love with this property years ago was because we came to view it on a later September afternoon much like this one.


My WAHM Plan: Nature walk on our land

Look at all the lush grass and greens calling you to come explore! Taking nature walks with my family is one of the best perks of living in the country.



On this recent, beautiful afternoon, my girls and I were captivated by the September sunlight, mild on our faces and beautiful when seen through the leaves of the trees.


My WAHM Plan: September Sunlight through the trees #WW


We admired how it turned our pond into a beautiful mirror of light and reflection. 


My WAHM Plan: sunlight reflections on our pond #WW


We stayed in this spot the longest. Transfixed by the sights and sounds of nature, lost in companionable silence. Breathing in the moment. Adding another memory to our book of life.


Happy Wordless Wednesday dear readers! 


Please share in comments: When was the last time you went on a nature walk and where were you walking? 


By Tera Kinsman

Hey, everybody! It’s time for another YA book review! So far, I’ve reviewed the first three books in The Selection series by Kiera Cass. (If you want to read these reviews, click here for The Selection, here for The Elite, and here for The One.)

The Heir by Kiera Cass
Image courtesy of HarperCollins


Book Summary from Publisher:

“Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon – and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she’d put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess’s life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can’t escape her very own Selection – no matter how fervently she protests.
Eadlyn doesn’t expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn’s heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her … and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she’s always thought.”

My Summary and Thoughts:

Eadlyn Schreave is not an average eighteen-year old girl. As the daughter of King Maxon and Queen America, she has been trained her whole life to become the next ruler of Illéa. This means, among her many other duties, she is expected to marry and produce an heir. And she isn’t happy about it.

Twenty years ago, her father’s first act as king was to dissolve the caste system that had been the backbone of Illéa’s society from the beginning. At first, people rejoiced in the new era of equality. Without the old, unfair labels, people were free to be whoever they wanted to be. But now, people are rioting, and the country’s leaders don’t know why. They’d phased the castes out gradually to give people time to adjust, and it had seemed that the country had done so happily. But, prejudice can still be found, and old caste labels still limit people.

Eadlyn’s parents finally come up with a solution – one that they see as ingenious and she sees as insane – for Eadlyn to have her own Selection. They see it as an opportunity to give the people something to celebrate and give them time to think of a way to defuse the tensions, as well as a way to do something wonderful for Eadlyn, to give her the chance to fall in love. Eadlyn sees it as little better than marrying her off for an alliance (something her parents promised they would never do) and rather pointless in the end. She’s not the type of girl to fall in love, and her parents can’t force people to be fair and let prejudices fade.
So, she negotiates. She agrees to go through with the Selection on one condition: If she hasn’t found a suitable prince in three months, she doesn’t have to get married. This leaves her a perfect loophole, or so she thinks. She’ll just scare her suitors off, intimidate them into leaving, and then get on with her life. But some of the suitors begin to find their way past the walls she’s put up and into her heart. Will she fall in love after all?

I’m so glad that Kiera Cass chose to continue the Selection series, because I love this series more with every book. This time, we get to see the Selection not from the viewpoint of the Selected, but from the Selector herself. Eadlyn is a strong and sassy girl, and quite often a hilarious narrator. She can be frustrating at times, but you care for her anyway. And the romance is this book is perfect and exasperating all at once. In the first three books, I knew exactly who I wanted to end up together. But The Heir leaves no clues as to who Eadlyn will choose, and I can’t decide any more than she can. There are so many new characters to love, and the suitors are part of that. And the stakes are just as high for Eadlyn as they were for America. Eadlyn’s world is changing more everyday. Some changes are good, and she may gain the love of her life. Some changes are terrifying, and she may lose the people she’s always loved.

Happily Ever After, a collection of all four Selection novellas and bonus materials, is coming out in October of this year, so hopefully, we’ll have a review of that soon!

Comments! If you were the prince or princess of Illéa, would you want a Selection to be hosted, or would you want to try to fall in love on your own? Let me know in the comments!

I’d love to connect with you guys.  Join me on Instagram, Tumblr, Goodreads, and Pinterest!


It has been a long week here at my house. Full of busy work days and after school activities 
that could have easily pushed me to the fast food line on a number of occasions, but thankfully since I’m a Balance Bar Insider; I had a secret weapon in my purse and could say yes to their new Chocolate mint cookie crunch bars without any guilt! My thanks to Balance Bar for sending me complimentary products for today’s post and giveaway. All love of chocolate and healthy snacks are my own.  

My WAHM Plan tries new Chocolate mint cookie crunch #BalanceBars

I’m going to be honest with you; I do not always practice healthy eating habits. I make sure my family eats all meals in a timely fashion, but for some reason- I don’t always sit down to a proper lunch during the week.  My kids are at school; my husband is at work, so it’s easy for me to nibble on fruit or cheese while I work in my home offices, or around the house. By the time the kids get home and we have to get to a rehearsal or club, I’m famished!  Balance Bars help keep me going.
Balance Bars offer healthy portions of  protein, carbs and fat
The great thing about the new Mint Cookie Crunch Balance Bars, besides the fantastic flavor, is that they truly are a balanced snack or light meal alternative.  Check out their nutrition facts:
  • 200 Calories
  • 14g Protein
  • 2g Fiber
  • Balanced 40-30-30 Nutrition
  • Low Glycemic Index (33)
  • 23 Vitamins & Minerals
  • Excellent Source of Antioxidants


See all that protein? That means a quick boost of energy, but Balance Bars are so much more than just a protein bar. Their precise 40-30-30 nutrition plan promotes slow glycemic response, which helps keep your blood sugar levels in a normal range.  

My WAHM Plan: Take a bite out of hunger with Balance Bars

I’m thankful to have these bars on hand while running yet another errand after school with my girls. Who, by the way, LOVE these tasty bars more than I do! While I do like these minty good cookies, they get a bit too sweet for me by the end of the bar, so I prefer their natural Bare bars which you can learn more about on my post here 

I invite you to learn more about all the Balance Bars available and where you can purchase 

them by visiting their website and by following them on Twitter.  While at their site, be 

sure to read their 40-30-30 nutrition facts. 


Win It: 
Win Balance Bar Chocolate Mint Cookie Crunch bars on MyWAHMPlan.com

One lucky reader will receive a box of 6 or more Chocolate Mint Cookie Crunch Balance Bars! 

Terms:
No purchase is necessary to enter using the Rafflecopter from below.  My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners will be notified by email used on entry form and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  This giveaway is not associated with nor endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or any other social channel. 

Good Luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Even though we officially kicked off fall this week, the temperatures here in the south remain summer like. My teen daughters and I have started taking afternoon walks again and we usually wind up on the front porch to cool off. That’s when we enjoy big flavorful glasses of home brewed iced tea. I love connecting with my teens as we sit and sip together. Sometimes we talk, sometimes we just rock and listen to the busy birds- either way it’s the time spent together that matters. 

My WAHM Plan: Connecting with my teen daughter

Recently I received a box full of Tulsi flavored teas from Organic India as part of the Moms Meet program. While I did receive these items free of charge, I only share products I believe in and feel will be of value to you, my readers.  

Some of you may remember the first time I wrote about this wonderful company and their story and mission remain relevant and important enough for me to share them again today. 

One of Organic India’s main missions is to create a sustainable global environment by working with thousands of family farmers in India on tens of thousands of acres of organic farmland. These are causes I very much believe in and want to champion. 

My WAHM Plan: Organic India flavored teas

Tulsi is considered India’s Queen of herbs for more than 5,000 years and has been revered as one of the most sacred herbs in India, infused with healing power because of its abundance in antioxidants. I can’t speak to this teas healing power, but I can speak to its flavor.

My WAHM Plan: Raspberry Peach Iced Tea

This week we are enjoying a special blend of home brewed iced tea using a mix of Tulsi Original tea and Tulsi Raspberry Peach tea. It is a delightful, flavorful blend my whole family loves. You can also purchase Tulsi in: Sweet Rose, Lemon Ginger, Honey Chamomile, Peppermint, Jasmine and many more by visiting their website.

Each box of Tulsi tea retails for $5.99 and is certified USDA organic.  You can save 20% on your Organic India products by using code kiwi20 for your online purchases. Also, be sure to visit Organic India on Facebook and Twitter where you can learn more about their humanitarian causes.

I invite you to enjoy the beautiful fall weather and get outside! Go for a walk; enjoy the view as the seasons slowly blend and change; or just sit and sip some iced tea together. It’s a perfect way to connect with your teens, your husband, your dog, even yourself.

From our home to yours- we wish you a Happy Fall!


Please share in comments: Which tea flavor listed above you would you like to try?

Now that my elementary school Mom days are behind me, I don’t get called upon to bake for class parties much anymore. While I do miss seeing the joy on the kids’ faces when I shared a sweet treat; I still get pressed into baking service for the hospitality committees at both the middle and high school level- which often means donating to bake sales.  Sometimes I don’t have time or the supplies needed to bake from scratch, but I don’t fear bake sales because I keep Krusteaz bakery style cookie mixes on hand. My thanks to Krusteaz for sending me complimentary products for today’s post and giveaway. 


My WAHM Plan: a pan of fresh baked cookies

My family and I love a warm, fresh from the oven cookie, so it was difficult for us to decide which cookie mix to try first; there were so many good options in my box of Krusteaz Bakery Style mixes like:
  • Butter Vanilla Sugar
  • Oatmeal Scotchie
  • Brown Sugar Oatmeal
  • Double Peanut Butter
  • Triple Chocolate Chunk

We tried the Oatmeal Scotchie’s first. What a delightful cookie! Sweet and salty and just about perfect with a glass of milk. These were gobbled up so quickly by my family; I knew I’d have to tackle bake sale cookies while my cookie monsters were at school and work! I chose to make Triple Chocolate Chunk cookie bars.



My WAHM Plan: Don't fear  back to school bake sales with Krusteaz!


The mix comes together quickly and there is almost no clean up with the Krusteaz mixes. Just add an egg and some butter and stir. The batter has a beautiful brown color- and look at all these chunks of chocolate

My WAHM Plan: Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookie Batter


Hello, cookie bar perfection! They are moist yet fluffy, not thick and dense like some bars. Because there is three types of chocolate, they are sweet and very satisfying, so I suggest cutting 18 cookie bars if you use an 8x8x2 inch baking pan like I did. 



My WAHM Plan: Cookie bar perfection!


The hardest part was getting them cooled and wrapped for the bake sale without my family eating them! I’m thrilled at how easy these mixes are to work with and how good they taste! Nobody will ever know you didn’t bake these cookies from scratch unless you tell them.

I invite you to learn more about the Krusteaz brand, find yummy recipes and coupons by visiting their website and by following them on Twitter.


 Win It!


My WAHM Plan: Krusteaz prize pack


Krusteaz wants to help ease the stress of back to school baking for one lucky reader, who will receive a Krusteaz Back to School prize pack which includes a variety of Krusteaz bakery style cookie mixes and apron, oven mitt and lunchbox!

Good luck!


Terms:
No purchase necessary to enter. Open to U.S. residents who are 18+ years or older. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners will be notified by email used on entry form and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  This giveaway is not associated with nor endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or any other social channel.



Disclosure:

My thanks to Krusteaz for sending me free products to facilitate today's post and for hosting this giveaway. I didn't received monetary compensation for my thoughts, however, I only share content I feel will benefit my readers. I’m disclosing this in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

My family and I are ready to embrace fall and all the fun activities we enjoy doing this time of year, so when our girls asked what we were doing this weekend- they were surprised when my husband and I both said in unison- Chores! Our girls know they should be helping more, and they really do try. 



Lately though, I’ve been feeling like a broken record “reminding” them to do their chores in a timely fashion. And I blame myself for this frustrating turn of events. I knew it was time to update my kids’ chore charts and get us back on track. My weekly chore prompt takes a few minutes to print out and a few minutes more deciding what chores to assign.


My WAHM Plan:  kids chore charts



We are eight weeks into the new school year and so far I’ve been able to offer up some pretty tasty lunchbox options for my teen daughters. I like to add something special to each lunch;  so I was pleased to try Nonni’s THINaddictives snacks free of charge for today’s post and giveaway. I loved these snacks as did my daughters! They were the perfect lunchbox treat!

My WAHM Plan: Nonni's THINaddictives #snacks, #giveaway

Nonni’sTHINaddictives come in three flavors- Cranberry Almond Thins, Pistachio Almond Thins and Cinnamon Raisin Thins.  Each has their own unique flavor, reminding my daughters and me of certain holidays throughout the year. For instance, the Cranberry Almond Thins make us all think of Christmas baking while the Pistachio Almond Thins bring to mind their delightful biscotti when I pair it with my mid- morning coffee.  These crunchy almond thin cookies are so tasty- even the pickiest eater is going to love them!



My WAHM Plan: Enjoy Nonni'sTHINaddictives in 3 flavors


Each box of Nonni’s THINaddictives has 6 servings of 3 almond cookies sealed in their own freshness packs which make them the perfect lunchbox add-on or after school snack. With these freshness packs, I find myself grabbing my daughter’s favorite flavors and just tossing them in my purse as I head out the door to pick them up from after school activities. 


My WAHM Plan: Nonni's THINaddictives snacks come in freshness packs

I can feel good about bringing them THINaddictives and water to eat as we drive home because these treats are healthy, averaging around 100 calories or less per pack, they are low-fat, low carb and contain 3 grams of protein per serving to help keep hunger away until dinner.

I invite you to learn more about the Nonni brand and all their products and special offers by visiting their website here and following along on Twitter and Facebook


Win it!

Would you like to try Nonni’s THINaddictives for free? Thanks to the generosity of Nonni’s 2 lucky readers will win the 3 boxes each. You’ll receive 1 box of Cranberry Almond Thins, Pistachio Almond Thins and Cinnamon Raisin Thins. Entering is easy using the Rafflecopter form below.  


Terms:
No purchase necessary to enter. Open to U.S. residents who are 18+ years or older. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners will be notified by email used on entry form and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  This giveaway is not associated with nor endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or any other social channel.


Good Luck!




Disclosure:

My thanks to  Nonni for sending me free products to facilitate today's post and for hosting this giveaway. I didn't received monetary compensation for my thoughts, however, I only share content I feel will benefit my readers. I’m disclosing this in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Color of the Month- September -Cocoa Brown

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, September 11, 2015
I can't wait for the seasons to finally change and I can get my true fall on at home and here on the blog. I was looking through some past fall photos and found this beautiful metal Sunflower and just loved the perfect cocoa brown center, so it became my inspiration for this months color!


Metal Sunflower #garden #art #fall #September

Here is my Pinterest board for some Cocoa brown inspiration to help you "Fall" in love with this color too. I hope you enjoy it. 


Follow Linda A.'s board Color of the Month- September -Cocoa Brown on Pinterest.
Please share in comments: Which pin from my collection would you re-pin first? Which of your boards would you pin it to? Leave a comment with the link to your re-pin and I'll check out it and follow you!

By the Labor Day weekend, my family and I are ready to switch up our dinner fare and start adding some of our fall favorites to the menu. My family loves my classic Turkey Tetrazzini that I make with leftover Thanksgiving turkey, so when my husband smoked a turkey breast for our holiday, I decided to make turned up Turkey Tetrazzini as part of the #PublixFlavorExcursion, which showcases several brands my family loves. 



 My WAHM Plan: Turned up Turkey Tetrazzini recipe




The great thing about making this Tetrazzini dinner is you may already have several of the key ingredients on hand. I was fortunate enough to have ample left-over turkey for my dinner, but you can purchase deli turkey for this recipe and shred it too. Here’s what you’ll need to make this tasty and quick dinner.

Ingredients:

My WAHM Plan: Ingredients for Turned up Turkey Tetrazzini


Makes 6 servings



Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Add olive or canola oil to large skillet on medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for about 3 minutes, or until softened. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly brown and fork tender.


Next add Turkey, undrained tomatoes, soup, water, milk to skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste, stir to combine all ingredients. Heat until mixture is hot, and then simmer until pasta is done. Add half the cheese to skillet to melt. Drain cooked pasta and add to skillet. Gently mix all ingredients until pasta is covered. Top with remaining cheese. 

I served my Turned up Turkey Tetrazzini with French-style green beans and sourdough cheesy-garlic bread. This dinner was ready and on the table in just 40 minutes and my family loved it saying it was different in a good way. They really enjoyed the slight heat from the Ro*tel green chilies. If you love heat like I do, you can take it up a notch by adding pepper flakes to your serving.


My WAHM Plan: Ro*tel green chilles gives this dish its kick


Win It:

 This giveaway is sponsored by #PublixFlavorExcursion and participating brands because they want to help you take a culinary trip from your everyday menu! Entering is easy using the Rafflecopter form below.

Terms:
No purchase necessary to enter. Open to U.S. residents who are 18+ years or older. My WAHM Plan is responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners will be notified by email used on entry form and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  This giveaway is not associated with nor endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or any other social channel.


Good Luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure:

My thanks to Publix and participating brands for sponsoring today's recipe.I received  monetary compensation for my thoughts, however, I only share content I feel will benefit my readers. I’m disclosing this in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”


Welcome to September readers! I know for most us in the United States it still feels like the dog days of summer; but I’m ready to jump back into my regular blog schedule now that the kids are back in school. With September comes a lot of prepping for fall fun and holidays, so it’s the perfect time for me to welcome back my weekly chore prompt.


This week’s chore is a pretty easy one in both time and effort, but be warned- you may get grossed out by what I’m about to show you. 

Are Your Spatulas really Clean?



You may think your spatulas are clean once you run them through the dishwasher, or hand- wash them, I know I did until recently when I was washing a spatula by hand and noticed I was able to pull the top from the handle.



Clean spatulas: My WAHM Plan




When I got it off, this is what I saw.





Dirty Spatulas: My WAHM Plan

Gross right?




Can you imagine cooking with that? No, of course you can’t and neither could I! I grabbed up all the spatulas I’d been using and started pulling the tops off. Some weren’t as bad as others, but none of them were spotless. Time to clean them!



How to deep Clean Spatulas:




Soaking spatulas in vinegar water to clean My WAHM Plan


  • Gather Spatulas
  • In large bowl or dishpan, mix one cup water and a half cup white vinegar
  • Pull tops off spatulas and place both dirty sections in water/vinegar solution
  • Soak for 30 minutes

  • Once they're done soaking, make sure the hole in the spatula top is clean as well. If running under warm water doesn’t dislodge remaining grime, take a bamboo skewer or butter knife, wrap a paper towel around the end and gently wipe around the hole until clean. Be careful not to stretch the hole or the handle may not stay secure.
  • Rinse both parts of spatulas again
  • Allow to air dry



Deep Clean Spatulas ready to use My WAHM Plan


Once your spatula parts are completely dry, reassemble and store as usual. Now you have deep clean spatulas just in time for fall baking and cooking. 



To keep your spatulas clean in the future, be sure to hand wash them after each use and take the top off to clean. If you don’t hand wash your spatulas, simply use my soaking method at least once a week and you’ll never have gross spatulas again.



Please share in comments: Is there an organizing/homemaking topic you’d like to see me cover here on the blog? Please let me know!
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