… but I am back. It’s been a hectic month — two 26′ UHauls full of stuff, packing and unpacking, a 30 year High School reunion in Florida, and a series of snafus at my new job that prevented me getting access to a computer for almost two weeks. Throw in some record [...]

A holiday package of simple activities and family rituals that will make your season bright.

This sweet kid-art display is also a functional spot to hang all the stuff you need to grab as you go -- everything from backpacks to dog leashes to reusable totes for the supermarket.

As a fitness expert, you know I’ll never promise you a pill is going to be the answer to that “jiggle in your wiggle.” If you want six pack abs you’re going to have to work for them. BUT… There is some very promising research out there in regards to a dietary supplement you’ve probably been hearing a lot about. Yes, I’m talking about Essential Fatty Acids. You probably have heard them called something like Fish Oil pills. How’s this for good news?! *University of Georgia researchers have found something pretty amazing about Essential Fatty Acid supplements containing DHA. Get this: The actually help STOP the conversion of pre-fat cells into fat cells by causing them to die out before they can mature. Once a pre-fat cell becomes a fat cell, well, there’s no turning back. You’ve got that fat cell for life. Imagine, actually decreasing the accumulation of fat by taking an Essential Fatty Acid supplement containing DHA! Now let me do my best infomercial voice for you… But wait, there’s more! Seriously, that’s not the only benefit of Essential Fatty Acid supplements containing DHA. According to studies** done at the University of South Australia people that combined exercise with Essential Fatty Acid supplements containing DHA saw greater fat loss than the test group that only exercised and did not take the supplement. How can you not be excited by these research studies?? Now, personally, I don’t like Fish Oil pills because they cause you to burp like crazy. If you’ve ever taken them you know exactly what I mean. And they aren’t always the highest quality. I prefer EFA Icon from Prograde Nutrition because they use Krill Oil. It’s been found to be a superior source of Essential Fatty Acids containing DHA. Plus, with EFA Icon there are NO fish burps. And I haven’t even mentioned all the amazing health benefits from this dietary supplement. If you’re looking to accelerate your fat loss results than I really recommend you go with Prograde Nutrition’s EFA Icon. You can get it here: http:/inspirationfitness.getprograde.com/icon Remember, EFA Icon is NOT a miracle solution. You will need sound nutrition and exercise. BUT the research is there. It’s definitely a supplement with powerful fat loss properties. http:/inspirationfitness.getprograde.com/icon * Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 136:2965-2969** American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 85:1267-1274 Post from: Homeschool Fitness Coach

So what’s the deal with high fructose corn syrup.  It must be safe since the FDA has approved its use in so many of America’s processed food items.  Just look at almost any food item found with a label and you will see high fructose corn syrup listed as one of the first 3 ingredients.  The corn industry has even tried to convince us that, in moderation, HFCS is perfectly fine.  The fact that most American meals are composed of pre-packaged, processed foods, I doubt moderation is being practiced.  High Fructose Corn Syrup transforms you into an eating machine.  Once consumed, it sets into motion a chemical cascade that begins with spiked insulin and ends with feel-good molecules known as “endorphins”.  This leaves you feeling intoxicated by artificial feel-good endorphins.  Your brain is unable to sense overeating and demands more.  All the excess calories are then stored as fat.  This has been a huge factor in the rise of obesity, Type II Diabetes and heart disease in our nation. Now, after reading this article, I learned that in a recent study, mercury was found in high fructose corn syrup.  “Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply,” the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement. This is just one more reason we should avoid anything processed or manmade in our diets.  By eating whole, unprocessed, organic foods, we are reducing the risk of disease and obesity in ourselves and our families.  Post from: Homeschool Fitness Coach

So by now you’ve probably heard that Olympic champion Michael Phelps has gotten himself into a little bit of hot (bong) water. I felt I couldn’t let this opportunity slip by without sharing some lessons from his mishap. First, we all have to remember that we’re role models. Somebody somewhere is looking up to us for guidance. It’s a shame Michael Phelps screwed up, but he did. What’s done is done. I know it reminded me that as a fitness pro, I MUST lead by example. Second, again, he screwed up. He’s young and there will be many more mistakes and misjudgments in his future.  And while I’m not one to give people a million chances, I do believe in second chances. And forgiveness. Which, when it comes to melting fat and getting fit, is VERY important. I can tell you from experience working with hundreds of people with similar goals to yours, you WILL screw up somewhere along the way. The key to success is to forgive yourself and move forward. The people who truly fail are the ones that just give up the first time they make a mistake. Third, this has nothing to do with what Michael Phelps has recently done, but it’s another great reminder. If you want a lean, hard body and 6 pack abs, or just to be fitter and healthier, you’re going to need to WORK. Regardless of his recent actions Michael Phelps is an Olympic Champ because he worked his rear end off. Don’t fool yourself into thinking achieving your fitness goals is going to be a piece of cake. Fourth, much was made during the Olympics of Michael Phelps and the massive amounts of calories he was consuming. If YOU want to get into peak condition you need the proper nutrition. Period. Look, if you’re not eating enough fruits and vegetables you need a Whole Foods based multi like Prograde Nutrition’s VGF 25+ http://InspirationFitness.getprograde.com/vgf If you aren’t optimizing your workouts by refueling with the correct blend of carbs to protein (based on the research) then you need to start using Prograde Workout   http://InspirationFitness.getprograde.com/workout) like I do. Anyway, when you see a news story like this one involving Michael Phelps, always remember to look for the positive lessons you can learn. PS - If you’re serious about your training and want the best nutritional products, then use what I use - Prograde Nutrition http://InspirationFitness.getprograde.com) Post from: Homeschool Fitness Coach

Most women believe that in order to lose weight the first thing they need to do is eat less and move more. In a way this is true, but there really is more science behind that. What typically happens is women eat maybe 1 or 2 meals a day, drastically reducing their caloric intake and then adding a walk in for exercise. They may see the scale move but what are they really losing? I bet you’ll be surprised. Read on… Your body’s metabolism is the key to losing unwanted body fat. When working with women, I am not concerned about their weight as much as the level of body fat they are carrying around. A healthy bodyfat level to be at is between 19-25%. Most women who have dieted for years will find themselves at 30% or more. Those are dangerous levels that invite disease into their bodies. Although they may have lost 50 lbs. of body weight, they may still be at 30% body fat and at risk for heart disease, Type II diabetes and other ailments. How can they be at risk when they wear a size 8 dress pant? Because they never lost bodyfat while dieting. They lost body water and precious lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass is the main manipulator of your metabolism. The more lean muscle mass you have the more calories you burn at rest. When your metabolism is humming along at a strong rate, it does not need to use bodyfat for energy. It’s alive and functioning at optimum levels. Fat that is stored on your body for energy is not needed and your body lets it go. You continue to build strong, lean muscles and your metabolism gets stronger and faster, you indeed get leaner, stronger, toned and full of energy. This is the picture of health and vitality. Now take the woman who is dieting. She is eating 3 meals a day and not focused on the right type of exercises. She’ll go for a walk around the block. It works for about 1 month. She’s dropped 5 pounds. She’s excited! Month 2 rolls around and the scale has stopped moving, she cuts her 3 meals into smaller portions and adds another block to her walk. The scale finally drops again. She’s excited! Month 3 rolls around and the scale has not moved or has gone up. Yikes! She drops to 2 meals a day, adds another block to her walk and an exercise video. Month 4 comes too quickly. She sees the scale move again so she cuts calories even more and increases her walk for a full 2 hours every day. She’s tired, frustrated and wondering why this is not working? I could go on, but I think you get the picture. The only way for her to keep the scale moving is to continue to decrease calories and increase the amount of time spent on low, steady state exercise. Is she really losing fat? No, she is losing water and precious metabolic boosting muscle that is why she has to continue decreasing calories to see change. If she continues on this path, she will lower her metabolic rate to such a level that her body will go into panic mode and begin conserving every morsel of food that enters as bodyfat so it will have the energy just to function. The result is a cranky, tired, moody, flabby, and frustrated woman. I know, I’ve been there. Ladies, I want you to know the truth. The scale is not your friend. You have been lied to for years. There’s even a tv show dedicated to keeping these lies alive (Biggest Loser Challenge) where your worth is determined by a number on the scale! How have we as a society allowed this to happen? Satan has been at work! God made you in His image. You are a beautiful, strong, and vibrant woman. Don’t allow Satan to get a foothold in your mind. Oh how I wish I could give you all hugs right now! Here is the picture of a woman on the right path: She determines why she wants to accomplish this goal of being healthy and full of energy. She enlists the help of her husband and children. She puts together a plan of action including how to deal with obstacles that will be thrown her way. Her plan does include strength and interval training as the core of the program. She also determines her caloric intake and creates meal plans for the week. She cleans out her cupboard of all manmade, adulterated foods and buys food in their original God created package. She gets connected with other women who are doing the same steps (this site of course!) and stays accountable no matter what happens to try and bump her off course. All her workouts are scheduled in for each week just like math and english class. She sticks to her workouts because she is full of determination. Each week she discovers how much better she feels. Her clothes are getting loser, she is getting more flexible and full of energy. She finds herself hungry more often because her metabolism is on fire. She has more lean mass so she can eat more food, quite the opposite of the dieting woman. She does not suffer from mood swings, turbulent hormone levels or bloating due to eating whole foods. Does she know how much she weighs? Does it really matter if she is feeling this strong and vibrant? This is what I want for you. I will elaborate more on how to stop dieting for life in another post. This one ended up way longer than I intended. Hugs~~ Post from: Homeschool Fitness Coach

This contest has ended.I came across the most adorable shop on Etsy.... It's called The Woobie Shop, and the owner makes the coolest crafts!!! As a matter of fact, she was so booked up, we had to schedule this giveaway in advance! :)She was so generous to send me a sampling of her items- my girls have LOVED them! As you know, we are in the car ALOT, and these items have not only helped with our car organization, but have helped to keep the kids entertained! You will love the variety of items she has in her shop!The package included the following: A crayon holder/wrap, a reusable, lined snack bag with velcro closure, a Kleenex cover, and an adorable button hair bow to match!!!! Check it out-Here is the crayon roll, all tied up and ready to go!The reusable snack bag was a big hit- my 4YO had to run off immediately and fill it with snacks! The velcro enclosure ensures that nothing will sneek out of it!How cute is the Kleenex holder??? And this just took the cake- a matching button hairbow!! I love it!!And THIS is the gift I bought for my neice's birthday! How adorable is it??? The Woobie Shop hand-stamps these necklaces with the initial of your choice, adds a Swarovsky Crystal, and ships it off in an adorable tin!! I love them!The Woobie Shop is offering a $10 shopping spree to one lucky winner! her prices are so affordable, you will be able to choose most any item!To enter, please do any or all of the following:1. Comment below, with your email address2. Visit "The Woobie Shop" store by clicking HERE, and leave a comment telling me what you love in their shop!For optional additional entries, please…3. Subscribe to this blog (enter your email address in upper right corner), and comment that you do.4. Follow this blog (in right hand column), and comment that you do.5. Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.6. Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net7. Follow me on Twitter (vaagen) and ReTweet this contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/2837082564. Comment below that you did.8. Favorite this blog on Technorati by clicking HEREThe winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Monday, August 3rd at 6pm. Good luck!Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

This contest has ended. This is SOOOOOO cool. I LOVE my Roberta Flack "Killing Me Softly" bowl, made from a recycled record!!Check out The Golly Pop Boutique's items!The hole is still in the center of these records, so you could screw them into the wall, or fill them with items (like below), or even place cheese spreaders and toothpicks in them for a party! They are ABSOLUTELY adorable!!!Mine will be in my basement room, just between my Audrey Hepburn "Breakfast at Tiffany's" picture, and my "Rat Pack" picture! Here is a side view of the record bowl.The Golly Pop Boutique is offering to a lucky winner a $10 gift certificate to the winner (not valid on shipping/handling fees and non-transferable). To enter, please do any or all of the following:1. Comment below, with your email address2. Visit The Golly Pop Boutique by clicking HERE, and leave a comment telling me which product you love the most, and where you will put it if you win!3. Just for fun, comment again, telling me if you are also singing, "Lollypop, lollypop, oh lolly, lolly lolly..." just like I am each time I read this company's name!!For optional additional entries, please…3. Subscribe to this blog (enter your email address in upper right corner), and comment that you do.4. Follow this blog (in right hand column), and comment that you do.5. Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.6. Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net7. Follow me on Twitter (vaagen) and ReTweet this contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/2837552516. Comment below that you did.8. Favorite this blog on Technorati by clicking HEREThe winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Monday, August 3rd at 6pm.Good luck!Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

Ladies and Gentlemen,Drop what you're doing. Take 5 minutes to enter this giveaway. You will be THRILLED when you win! The WheelyCow and WheelyBugs are premiering TODAY on Tori and Dean (http://tori-and-dean.oxygen.com/), and this giveaway was scheduled to coincide with the premier! WheelyCows and WheelyBugs retail for $79.99 plus tax on the Prince Lionheart website, but thanks to Prince Lionheart, you can WIN one from the Vaagen Family!Prince Lionheart was so generous to share their WheelyCow with my family! I believe my two year old has been on it ever since it came in the mail 2 months ago! She asks if she can sit on it to eat!This amazing ride-on toy is unlike any other I've seen!! And with 4 kids, I have seen my share of ride-on toys! I'd love to share some of my favorite things about the WheelyCow:1. The wheels GLIDE. They don't leave marks on my hardwood floors! 2. The WheelyCow is QUIET! Even when my little 4 year old rides on it... and that happens very often! No more wondering if it is thundering outside, or if the house is falling down, or if the world is ending when my girls ride through the house!!3. Easy to clean! The WheelyCow is so wonderfully easy to clean- I simply wipe it with a damp towel, and because it has a super-smooth surface, no spilled drinks get stuck in impossible-to-reach cracks... there are none!4. Happiness factor. My girls absolutely LOVE this toy. Of all their toys, this is at the top of the list. I can't help but smile when they keep it by the bottom of the stairs. They wake up in the morning, come downstairs, hop aboard the WheelyCow, and ride it straight to the breakfast table! :)Now you know MY favorite things about the WheelyCow, but let me share my daughters' favorite things about it:1. "The top is made of 'comfy squishy stuff.'" Remember, I'm passing along THEIR words, here! :) (The top is made of leather, with a soft padding underneath! It is VERY comfy!2. "It can go really fast in circles!" This toy allows them to "spin out" in one place! The wheels swivel. allowing for MUCH more fun!3. "The horns." I guess they felt like this part was self-explanatory. The horns on the front of the WheelyCow are on springs, and they wiggle like little bobble-heads! :)4. "The handle is not like normal ones." The handle bar is a semi-circle, which I love for two reasons. First, safety. My girls like to fly around on their riding toys, and they have landed across a square handle bar before, and that hurts! The WheelyCow has a soft, semi-circle handle, which would be much more comfy in that situation!Thank you SO MUCH to Prince Lionheart for allowing me to review this AND the Stroller Accessory package! I truly LOVE your products!Readers, do yourself a favor, and enter this giveaway today!To enter:1. Comment below, with your email address2. Visit the "Prince Lionheart" site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment telling me which WheelyBug or WheelyCow you like the most!3. Subscribe to this blog (enter your email address in upper right corner), and comment that you do. **SUBSCRIBERS may leave 2 comments (2 entries) stating that they subscribe! I love my subscribers! Thank you!!**4. Follow this blog (in right hand column), and comment that you do. **FOLLOWERS may leave 2 comments (2 entries) stating that they subscribe! I love my subscribers! Thank you!!**5. Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.6. Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net7. Follow me on Twitter (vaagen) and ReTweet this contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/3070106224. Comment below that you did. You can do this once per day, and leave a comment each time you tweet the contest for an extra entry!!8. Favorite this blog on Technorati by clicking HERE The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Saturday, August 15th at 6pm. Good luck!Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

I had the pleasure of reviewing Skinny Dip Candles recently, and I was really amazed by them! They are truly unlike anything I've seen. You actually burn the candle, let the candle melt slightly, and then POUR the melted oils on your skin!! I know this sounds painful, but it is simply warm, nurturing lotion! My little girls even love it! They constantly ask me to rub it on them! You see, because of the ingredients in Skinny Dip Candles, they have a very low melt point. When fully melted they're just 102 degrees - and that's not even as warm as a hot tub!This is from the Skinny Dip website:Ingredients include: cosmetic-grade soy, avocado oil, coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax, sunflower oil, cocoa butter, vitamin E, and scented oils for aroma. The ingredients are not only natural, but they are extremely rich and moisturizing. A little bit will go a very long way, so please use sparingly. When you use the right amount, the melted oils will soak into your skin completely within just a few minutes.How can you use the Skinny Dip Candle?Cuticle treatments - it's like a paraffin dip, only better! You don't have to remove the "wax."Dry elbows - the Skinny Dip Candle can be used melted, or unmelted and massaged directly into the skin.Heels and feet - for dry feet in winter, or bare sandal feet in summer, the Skinny DipCandle will help get your feet softer and smoother in no time!Massage - use a more generous portion for a therapeutic, pampering, or sensual body massage.Anywhere you skin is dry or flakey. That can be arms and legs, especially if you live in dryer climates.Would you LOVE to go Skinny Dipping?? :)The wonderful people at Skinny Dip are offering to one lucky reader of The Vaagen Family Blog a Pamper Pack! Each Pamper Pack comes with a full size Skinny Dip Candle, a single bath sized Dead Sea bath salts in same scent as candle, and a natural lip balm. You can pick your own lip balm flavor and candle scent!To enter:1. Visit the Skinny Dip site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment telling me what you love the most!2. Subscribe to this blog (enter your email address in upper right corner), and comment that you do.3. Follow this blog (in right hand column), and comment that you do.4. Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.5. Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net6. Follow me on Twitter (vaagen) and ReTweet this contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/3176927070. Comment below that you did.7. Favorite this blog on Technorati by clicking HEREThe winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Friday, August 14 at 6pm. Good luck!Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

If you’ve been a follower of my blog for very long, you know I am a BIG fan of games!!! Be sure to check all my current giveaways! There are 3 different games up for GIVEAWAY right now!! One for children (seen below in the Gamewright Review) and two for adults- Ratuki and Zip, both created by GaZima Games!!This is a review about one of my newest favorites- RATUKI! Ratuki is “The fast flippin', quick grabbin' card game!”My family is a busy family. Just to give you a glimpse into our lives, I’ll throw out these words that describe our weekly schedules-Husband that works constantly, homeschooling 4 kids, karate 3-4 days a week, real estate business, blog review business, music lessons for 3 children, field trips, homeschool group obligations, and… when I can… cleaning my house.So… When we finally all sit down together to play a game, it certainly can’t be a long one. This is one of the MANY reasons we love Ratuki! Ratuki is a super-fast, and super-fun card game, which is for 2-5 players, ages 7 and up!The object of Ratuki:In Ratuki™(ra-TOO-kee), everyone races to get rid of their cards and collect the most points by completing runs of five and shouting "Ratuki!" First player to 100 wins. The cards are eye-catching in their many colors and designs! It makes you think fast, and move even faster! Even when I am watching others play it, it is so much fun!It is well-packaged in a small square box, so it is very easy to store, or pack for travelling!Would you love to win your own copy of Ratuki?Here’s how to enter to win!Visit the Barnes and Noble site by clicking HERE and tell me why you would love to own a copy of Ratuki! Be sure to check out the ratings while you’re there- it is one of the few games on the site that has the highest customer rating possible!Gain an extra entry by joining the GaZima Games mailing list by clicking HEREGain additional entries for each of the following:retweeting this contest: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/3492136898 following this blogsubscribing to this blog in emailgrabbing my blog button and placing it on your sitefollowing this blog on Facebookrating this blog on TechnoratiThis contest will end on Sunday, August 30, 2009 at 6pm! Good luck!!Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

SIRJJ Organics!…. Review #5 As I mentioned in my previous AcaiBerry Reviews, I have been on a bit of a health kick lately, and this week, I will be posting some of the items that have helped me feel healthier, more refreshed, rejuvenated, and more energized this week! Be sure to check back daily, as you can enter each contest multiple times! In my quest for better health, I came across SIRJJ Organics. SIRJJ is pronounced like the word "Surge." The company was named for the founder's children - Samuel, Isaac, Rachel and James Johnson. How cute is that??? Today, I am reviewing the Fifth and last of FIVE SIRJJ Organics Products! If you would love to take a first step into healthier living, or if you always have used all natural cleansing products, SIRJJ is for you! You will find daily reviews on the following products this week (from the AcaiBerry by Wisdom series!): AcaiBerry Cleansing Cream (My review: Click HERE) AcaiBerry Facial Scrub (My review:  Click HERE)  AcaiBerry Antioxidant Cooling Toner (My review:  Click HERE) AcaiBerry Rehydration Cream (My review:  Click HERE) AcaiBerry by Wisdom SPF 10 Day Cream (current review) Recap of SIRJJ product review in general: Let me first say this- I am allergic to EVERYTHING. I always have to test skin care products on my arm to see if I will break out, before buying new items. I was slightly worried that I would swell up like a pufferfish after trying these organic products. But I was very pleasantly surprised when the AcaiBerry products went on smooth, without irritation. I literally woke up the next morning with smoother skin! Please see my AcaiBerry Cleansing Cream review HERE. The SPF 10 Day Cream is amazing!  It is PERFECT for going on light and airy, so it works well under my make-up, and never makes my face look oily!  But I have noticed a real difference in the softness of my skin, since I have used it.  I have had absolutely no breakouts, either.  I am not break-out prone, but some hydration creams push me over the edge and can cause them.  I have used this daily since my sample came, and I am extremely happy with the results. This is the ingredient list for the AcaiBerry SPF 10 Day Cream (notice, you can pronounce it all!): Aloe Leaf Juice - Certified Organic Apricot Kernel Oil - Certified Organic Expeller Pressed/Unrefined Plum Kernel Oil - Expeller Pressed/Unrefined Meadowfoam Seed Oil - Expeller Pressed/Refined Rosehip Seed Oil - Certified Organic Cold Pressed/Unrefined Pumpkin Seed Oil - Certified Organic Cold Pressed/Unrefined Zinc Oxide Mango Butter - Expeller Pressed/Unrefined Neem Seed Oil - Cold Pressed/Unrefined AcaiBerry - Certified Organic Freeze Dried Emulsifying Wax NF Gentle Preservative Blend: Potassium Sorbate USP Food Grade, Citric Acid (Fruit Sugars) The packaging for the all natural cleansers is not flashy, just like the product. It is earth-friendly, and functional. I believe SIRJJ has done an amazing job of finding high-quality ingredients and materials that perform well. There is no bulk, no waste, and no over-kill in their products or their packaging.I am officially the latest fan of SIRJJ Organics! Would you love to own a similar SIRJJ product of your own? Read the rules below and leave your comment, then come back daily to leave more comments on the reviews I will be posting for SIRJJ all the way through Saturday! The contests will all end on Friday, October 2nd at 6pm. To enter, please do any or all of the following: 1. Comment below, with your email address 2. Visit the SIRJJ Organics site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment telling me what you love the most! 3. Subscribe to this blog (enter your email address in upper right corner), and comment that you do. 4. Follow this blog (in right hand column), and comment that you do. 5. Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do. 6. Follow me on Twitter (vaagen) and ReTweet this contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/4170559338 Comment below that you did. 7. Favorite this blog on Technorati by clicking HERE The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Monday, October 5th at 6pm. Good luck! Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

This contest has ended.Family Time Fun is one of my new favorite companies!Anyone who knows me well knows that my family is always at the top of my priority list. Our schedules are insane between me and all my ventures, my amazingly hard-working husband, and my 4 kiddos and their activities! But I have always made it a point to make dinners a family affair. We may eat at 10:00pm, but we ALWAYS eat together! :)All too often however, while we are all gathered around the table the TV is on, or everyone is talking at the same time! So although we are physically "spending time together," it is not actually quality time!Family Time Fun has created some incredible solutions to this problem!They are the creators of The Restaurant Game... And The Dinner Game!I wish I could say I have a favorite, but I just love them both! We played The Dinner Game the moment it arrived (because my kids couldn't WAIT until dinner!), and we loved it. We played it again that night at dinner, and now it is a staple on my table- it has a home just beside the napkins!And although we haven't been out to eat since The Restaurant Game arrived, you can rest assured it is already in my car awaiting a trip out with the family!Both games have questions such as, "Everyone at the table should guess your favorite song" and "Hum the tune to a song while everyone else tries to guess it." The Restaurant Game also has cards that say, "Guess how many sugar packets are in the caddy at the table" and "Guess your server's favorite color." The Restaurant Game makes no noise, so it will not disrupt any surrounding tables.These games are sure to bring new life to your family dinners, no matter what the ages of your kids are. My 2 year old got a kick out of hitting the "start" button on The Dinner Game.Family Time Fun is offering The Restaurant Game to YOUR family, as well!To enter to win this competition...To enter, please do any or all of the following:1. Comment below, with your email address, telling me how this game could change your "family time" at dinner.2. Visit the "Family Time Fun Games" site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment telling me what you think you will love about their games!3. Subscribe to this blog (enter your email address in upper right corner), and comment that you do.4. Follow this blog (in right hand column), and comment that you do.5. Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.6. Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net7. Follow me on Twitter (vaagen) and ReTweet this contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vaagen/status/2765236593. Comment below that you did.8. Favorite this blog on Technorati by clicking HEREThe winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Friday, July 31th at 6pm. Good luck!Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

This contest has ended. Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm in love.Oh, with my husband and children, of course! But there is a new love in my life- by the name of Scentsy.Now, I am a candle kind of girl. I have them in every corner of my house, and I have many of them on display! I love all shapes, colors and scents of candles! But there are some things about Scentsy that are very, very different!First, you don't need to light anything to burn this candle! You are simply burning scented wax over a light bulb! Therefore, there is no smoke, no harmful chemicals, no worries over fires from spills... they are simply low maintenance! They are leadless, wickless, flameless and smokeless!Another thing I really love about Scentsy is the fact that their products quickly fill my entire home with fragrance, yet they are not at all overpowering! They emit a subtle, yet definite scent. The bulb that is included in their warmers can be replaced at an everyday hardware store!Take a look at Kara Egan's (Scentsy Founder and Superstar Director) website! You will fall in love with their burners! The scents are absolutely heavenly. I wish you could smell them through the website!Trust me, readers. You really want to win this giveaway!Kara is offering to one lucky winner an August warmer of the month, entitled "Surfs Up," along with a 3 pack of bars including the new scent of the month, "Tangerine Tango" and two others!To enter this giveaway...To enter, please do any or all of the following (please leave separate comments for each, so you can enter multiple times!):1. Comment below, with your email address, and tell me if you've tried Scentsy before!2. Visit Kara Egan's Scentsy site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment telling me which burner is your fave!3. Subscribe to this blog (enter your email address in upper right corner), and comment that you do.4. Follow this blog (in right hand column), and comment that you do.5. Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.6. Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net7. Follow me on Twitter (vaagen) and ReTweet this contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/2765898678. Comment below that you did.8. Favorite this blog on Technorati by clicking HEREThe winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Saturday, August 1st at 6pm. Good luck! Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

Welcome to the wonderfully delicious world of Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies! One2One Network is working with Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies to help promote Milano Moments--those special moments that you steal for yourself or share with a close friend and truly enjoy. (Just like when you savor a Milano cookie!)This month, Milano is turning their packaging pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month and has launched a Facebook initiative to raise money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure! ? Click here to participate:? http://www.facebook.com/pepperidgefarmmilano?v=app_161066607238836 ? ? ? Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

Beautiful Soaps!I am a sucker for natural and handmade soaps.? When I came across Beautiful Soaps on Etsy, I knew I wanted to try some of the soaps!? Heather at Beautiful Soaps ahs some fo the most original and creative combinations I have ever seen!? For example, how about Lavendar Chamomile Cocoa Butter Bars?? Or Lemongrass Poppyseed with French Yellow Clay?? Or Cinnamon Ice Lip Cooler Balm?I received an instant response from Heather, who was so kind to ship me three different soaps to sample!She sent me these soaps:Oatmeal Stout Beer with Oatmeal Honey and Vanilla SoapGuinness Stout Handmade Beer SoapCorona Beer Soap with LimeHer soaps come beautifully packaged, and wrapped in paper with custom labels.? They would make fabulous house warming gifts, pick-me-up presents, spouse gifts, or mother's/father's day presents!? One thing that I am always curious about when sampling natural or handmade soaps is to find out whether or not they lather.? A lot of the soaps I have tried in the past feel almost slimy, but don't actually lather.? I am one of those people that needs to feel a lather in order to feel clean!Great news... Beautiful Soaps LATHER!!? And they lather really well!? The oatmeal soap she sent is amazing- it not only lathers, but the oatmeal acts as a great exfoliator!Her soaps ALL smell incredible.? She has really mastered combining the scents to create the perfect blend!Heather also has some other wonderful products in her store.? Check out her STORE to see what else she offers!Heather at Beautiful Soaps is also willing to offer a $10 gift certificate to my site, and a 10% off savings to all? Mingle Over Mocha? subscribers who mention M.O.M. in their message or order!If you would like to enter to win the $10 gift certificate (which would be wonderful to win, because her items are SO reasonably priced, you could pick two items for this amount!!), please read below!To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.Mandatory:• Visit the CEIVA site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment (BE SURE to include? your email address in case you win!!? Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!) telling me what you love the most! Optional for Extra Credit:• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.• Subscribe to Heather's blog feed by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net ? • Follow me on Twitter? HERE and ReTweet THIS.? ? Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on July 24th at 6pm.? Thank you to? Beautiful Soaps? for donating the free soap samples for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

Dweebies Card Game from Gamewright!Meet the Dweebies™ in the card game with character. These lovably colorful characters are out to capture your heart, but you must capture them first! Round up Dweebies by matching cards on both ends of any row. Seems simple at first... but Dweebies can be tricky, and some will disappear before they've met their match. Collect the most cards and consider yourself the Dweebie-in-Chief. Includes 54 cards!All 4 of my kids loved this game!? My oldest two loved it because of the strategy and luck involved in it!? My youngest two love it because the characters on the cards are ADORABLE!!!? When my older children were finished playing, my younger two flipped the card over for a game of memory!? As a parent, I recommend this game, because the Dweebie characters will keep you smiling, and keep the mood light, even if one of your kids isn't the winner of the game!? It comes packed in a great looking tin, that is easy to travel with.? We're going to the beach soon, and you can bet the Dweebies will be coming along!To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section. Mandatory:• Visit the Gamewright Games site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment (BE SURE to include? your email address in case you win!!? Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!) telling me what you love the most! Optional for Extra Credit:• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!• Digg this post by clicking HERE!• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net ? • Follow me on Twitter? HERE and ReTweet "I hope to WIN the new Dweebies Game from @vaagen on her site http://www.mingleovermocha.com/!."? ? Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Saturday, May 31st at 6pm!!? GOOD LUCK!!Thank you to? Gamewright Games? for donating the free Dweebies game for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

Bella Sara Cards!Have you seen the lastest from the world of Bella Sara?Just in time for Easter, Bella Sara had? introduced its new Sunflowers series of collectible cards! This new series from Bella Sara invites fans to join Emma and friends in a captivating search for Herd Sunflower. Using secret codes found in the set of 55 collectible cards, featuring horses, characters and stories, girls will be able to unlock the exciting Sunflowers adventures and experience the new features of the mesmerizing online world, including the ability to customize their own avatar on BellaSara.com. To coincide with this event, Bella Sara also introduced the Miniatures Series 3 set. Featuring 20 new velvety figurine horses, the Miniatures set includes a secret code in each pack to expand online play through Bella Sara Adventures.Bella Sara has sent me multiple packs in the past, and each time, my daughters jump with joy!? Bella Sara is one of their favorite computer games, and their absolute FAVORITE collectible.? We have bought at least 20 packs of Bella Sara cards in the past.? They are the perfect treat, because they add to your daughter's collection, yet they are VERY affordable.? Most packs are less than $5!? My daughters trade them, share them, and display them in baseball card protectors in a 3-ring binder.? If you're not familiar with Bella Sara yet, you can buy these cards at Target stores, online, at card collector stores, and more.? The cards have gorgeous horses on them, and coincide with an online game.? The game has constant positive messages on the screen such as,? "Beauty comes from within" or "Be the hero in your own story."? Each card contains a secret code to unlock a new horse for online play!? The online game is lots of fun!? It is a very secure place for your child to play online.Here is a screen shot of the Bella Sara game:One lucky reader of Mingle Over Mocha will win a Sunflowers pack of their own, along with a Bella Sara Mini!To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.Mandatory:• Visit the Bella Sara site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment below telling me what you love the most!? (BE SURE to include? your email address in case you win!!? Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!)Optional for Extra Credit:• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!• Digg this post by clicking HERE!• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net ? • Follow me on Twitter? HERE and ReTweet this, "I am hoping to WIN a Bella Sara pack on @vaagen's review site? at www.MingleOverMocha.com!".? ? Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Saturday, May 31st at 6pm... Good luck!Thank you to Bella Sara for donating the free cards for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

Wine Country Gift Baskets is taking precautionary measures of voluntarily recalling all gift baskets produced with Acorn Baking Company raspberry crème filled cookies. During production, it was discovered that some packages of the raspberry crème filled cookies contained hazelnut crème filled cookie

New India Bazar, Milpitas, CA is recalling 2,400 packets of Maggi 2 Minute Noodles 280g and 1,200 packets Maggi 2 Minute Noodles 560g, because it may contain undeclared Peanut allergen. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic r

HY Success Inc. of Brooklyn, NY is recalling its 5 ounce packages of Fat Choy Kee Dried Longan because they contained undeclared sulfites. Consumers who have severe sensitivity to sulfites run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume this product.

Zingerman's Bakehouse of Ann Arbor, MI is recalling Zingerman's Bakehouse Black Magic Brownie Individually Packaged & Zingerman's Bakehouse Black Magic Brownie 4 Pack because they may contain undeclared WALNUTS. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to WALNUTS run the risk of serious o

KALO Foods, LLC is recalling Single Slice Carrot Cake UPC 8 53407 00418 4 due to a undeclared soy. Although the package is labeled Carrot Cake, the ingredient panel and UPC Code is for their Chocolate Cake. The Carrot Cake contains soy which is not listed in the ingredient statement. People who hav

Tropicale Foods of Modesto, CA is voluntarily recalling 5,224 units of Helados Mexico Mini Cream Variety Pack with best by date of “MO Best By 10/11/2025”, because the mango bars in the variety pack have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and someti