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!
You know I love sharing giveaways on Fridays, and this week I've got a great Back to school Mom on the go Prize pack courtesy of Orkin, today's post and giveaway sponsor. I will receive the same cool prize pack as listed in the giveaway below, however all opinions are my own.


Class is back in session!


Orkin is back with Household Pests 101 – featuring lots Orkin’s scientific knowledge of pests. Orkin is here to help you #LearnWithOrkin so you don’t get schooled by pest problems in your own home during this busy time of year. This fun, interactive quiz will help you learn how to keep pests out of your home. Just click on the Pest Prevention Pop Quiz below to get started. 




While I will admit I did pretty well on the quiz, there was preventative measures I'm going to work on in the late summer so my home will be as unwelcoming as possible when the cold weather gets here. It will be here before we know it, so Orkin says now is the time to take action to protect our homes! 


I love how Orkin knows that we moms are on the go more than ever and wants to make sure you’re all set when driving the kids to soccer practice, racing to make it to school on time and just maybe getting a minute for yourself! I invite you to learn more about Orkin by visiting their website or following them on Twitter and if you are still bugged by pesky mosquito's, you might want to check out Orkin's Bite Back at Mosquito's on their YouTube channel. 


Win It!

Back to school Mom on the go prize pack on My WAHM Plan

The Orkin Back-To-School Prize Pack includes:
One (1) Silver USB Portable Charger – We know you’re on the go from sun up to sun down and you can’t afford not to be accessible. This emergency charger is small, sleek and can help your phone keep up with your busy lifestyle!
One (1) Double Wall Stainless Steel Travel Mug w/ lid - Your car isn’t the only thing that needs fueling up in the morning … this stainless steel travel mug is a great way to ensure your morning coffee is always within arm’s reach.
One (1) Orkin “Protect Your Home” PDF Checklist - This handy checklist from the experts at Orkin will help you think like a pest in order to help protect your home from pests.

Terms:
No purchase is necessary to enter using the Rafflecopter form.  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
School has been in session here for two and half weeks and the long, hot August days feel never ending. I was sharing with my daughters how I wished I could pull together some more "back to school" outfits for myself quickly.  That's when my stylish teen daughter Melissa, set to work on Polyvore curating some lovely sets for me. She did such a great job, I asked her to make her collection available for my readers.  

By Melissa Kinsman:

When the kids go back to school, it can be stressful for everyone. This year, moms should shop for their back-to-school wardrobes, too! We have put together some super-cute and functional outfits we think you will love!

Back to school outfits for Moms


Outfit one:

Where we live, school starts in August, and it’s very hot.  So, shorts are a great way to keep cool. These Bermuda shorts are the perfect length for moms. Yellow is a great summer color and the lace adds a very sophisticated and grown up feel to the shirt. These Wedged sandals are super cute and grown up. Every mom needs a big purse, and this black, leather one will hold everything you need.

Outfit two:

Jeans rolled up as Capri's are a great way to use jeans in every season. Keds are a preppy tennis shoe alternative. The Solid tank gives you lots of opportunity to dress up with a fun jacket, or (like we did) add some bling! A nude tote adds elegance to a casual-chic outfit. If these colors are too dark for you, jeans go great with any color, you could wear a bright color and go light on accessories or you can add a patterned scarf to the dark tank top.


Outfit 3:

A soft denim, drawstring skirt gives you the comfy feel of sweats, rising just above knee length it’s very appropriate for a school event. The baby doll top is a great cut for any body type. While being a bit shapeless it doesn’t appear boxy on anyone and it can hide a muffin top. We loved this one because it’s supper affordable and comes with your super cute bling! The flats add a really cute touch, but a nice nude wedge or strappy sandal would look really good too! We loved this tote it added a nice beachy feel to the outfit!


If you'd like to learn more about the items in my sets, please visit me on Polyvore and follow my Mom, Linda there too!


Please share in Comments: 

Which outfit would you like to wear "Back to School" and why? Can you guess my favorite?

I can still remember it like it was yesterday- the diaper bag and my purse never left home without a fresh supply of Original Cheerios when my girls were little ones. Fast forward a decade and I’m still serving up Cheerios for snack time.  I don’t put them in my purse as often as I used too, but Cheerios are still a favorite part of snacking here. My kids cheer and thank me when greeted with this yummy after school Cheerios Trail Mix snack.  







My WAHM Plan: Cheerios for after school snacking #giveaway


Cheerios have always been more than just breakfast food here at our house. From mid- morning snacks, to night time noshing, Cheerios add just the right amount of crunch without being overly sweet or salty. We prefer Original and lightly Frosted Cheerios for our snacking, but Cheerios comes in more yummy flavors like:
  • Honey Nut
  • Banana Nut
  • Multi-Grain
  • Multi-Grain Peanut Butter
  • Apple Cinnamon 

My daughters almost picked Banana nut flavor on out last trip to Publix because Cheerios are on sale right now as BOGO’s. Who doesn’t love a good sale on a household staple like Cheerios? The sale runs August 13 through September 2, so you have lots of time to stock up like we did. Once I told them I’d make my Cheerios Trail Mix, in the Frosted and Original boxes went in the cart. 



Cheerios Trail Mix Recipe:
Makes 3 cups.


Cheerios Trail Mix recipe on MyWAHMPlan.com


Ingredients:
  • 1 cup Original Cheerios
  • 1 cup Frosted Cheerios
  • 1 cup Mountain trail mix. (Mine has raisins, peanuts, almonds, cashews and chocolate). Feel free to raid your pantry for trail mix items and add your kid’s favorites.
  • 1 gallon zipper close baggie


Directions:

In zipper baggie, pour in Cheerios then Mountain Trail mix, or one cup of your own ingredients like raisins and nuts. Close bag and gently mix all ingredients. Pour into a medium sized serving bowl and set on the table for after school munching!
The great thing about this trail mix snack as it can double as a breakfast cereal or to go breakfast in a bag if you are running late! 

Cheerios Trail Mix recipe on MyWAHMPlan.com

Looks good doesn’t it? It really is so quick and easy to whip this up and have it waiting for your kids after school.

Does your family love Cheerios too? I invite you to head on over to Cheerios.com for more tasty recipes and to learn more about the Cheerios products. Be sure to download or print out your BOGO coupons so you can stock up while shopping at Publix too.

If you’ve been reading my blog for long, you must know how much I love working with Publix on their campaigns, especially food ones because they want to help us save on brands we know and trust, like Cheerios. I appreciate both companies as my sponsor of today’s post and this giveaway!


Win It!

One lucky reader will receive a $10.00 PayPal transfer! I hope that you’ll shop and save on Cheerios at Publix with your winnings, but if you don’t have a local Publix store, perhaps you’ll buy a box of Cheerios anyway.

Terms:

No purchase is necessary to enter using the Rafflecopter form.  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
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