Thirsty Thursday: Sublime Skinny Sangria #MolsonCanadian67

Today's Thirsty Thursday is special and straight up Canadian, woot! This drink is dedicated for Canada Day and is delicious. I got the opportunity to try some of Molson Canadian 67 Sublime beer yesterday and was sent a few recipes to try. I thought this Sublime Skinny Sangria was not only a perfect drink to celebrate Canada Day, but for all of us trying to shed some pounds and with the holiday being around the corner, this drink is perfect. It's light and only 170 calories per serving (6 oz.)

What a great drink to have especially today, it's over 100 degrees outside. You wouldn't believe it, but the combination of the beer and the wine, juices and the fresh fruits is delicious and refreshing. I never thought of mixing these two drinks, but will be doing it again throughout the Summer.

I love wine and I can drink a beer every now and then, especially with this hot weather. The mixing of these two beverages came out perfect. I'm off to sit on the patio and maybe have a run in the sprinklers with the kiddos.

How are you keeping cool today?



SUBLIME SKINNY SANGRIA
Serves 4

Ingredients
3 oz Lemonade
3 oz. Blueberry juice
6 oz. Red Wine
1/4 cup of sliced grapes, lemons, limes and oranges
12 oz. Molson Canadian 67 Sublime

Directions:
Stir well to mix. Just before serving add 12 oz. Molson Canadian 67 Sublime. Pour into cups with ice, distributing the fruit.

Make sure to come back next week for more info about Molson Canadian 67 Sublime Beer and my review!

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received a six pack of Molson Canadian 67 Sublime to try this recipe. No other compensation was received. 


Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook Review


Title: Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook
By: Taste of Home
Publisher: Reader's Digest Canada
ISBN: 978-0898219456
Pages: 320

Home cooking comes to gorgeous full-color life with the Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook! It’s loaded with instructional photos, easy-to-follow recipes and insightful tips from our Cooking School experts. Contemporary topics are comprehensively explored with techniques ranging from simple basics to true wow-factor recipes! New cooks will build confidence and wow family and friends with their creations!

This book is absolutely amazing. with over 400 recipes, this has become one of my favorite cookbooks that I have in my house. I got a chance to review this cookbook and let me tell you, the recipes in here all look so yummy.  I've tried a couple of the recipes and if you remember our Thirsty Thursday drink last week was a recipe I got from in this book.

 One of my favorite parts about this cookbook was how they sectioned everything off. You have your drinks, appetizers, desserts, etc. But I love that they give you a section of the book that is called, "Better Than Takeout," which includes so many different wonderful homemade meals that you would see at a fast food place, which to me is awesome because who doesn't love fast food and it's even better and cheaper when you make it from home. 

Another thing I loved about this book was that they not only had recipes, but they also had tips and techniques that you could use every day in your kitchen that I wouldn't have thought of like how to measure correctly and they also let you know which knife is what in the kitchen as well as what each pots and pans look like.

This book is definitely good for anyone who wants to start learning the basics in cooking and for those of us that have been cooking for a bit, it gives us a refresher on everything, plus new ways to make our recipes even better. Definitely a cookbook worth getting! 


Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Taste of Home cooking School Cookbook at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.  


Real Mermaids Don't Hold Their Breath Book Review


Title: Real Mermaids Don't Hold Their Breath
By: Helene Boudreau
Publisher: Sourcebooks 
Publication Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 9781402264467
Pages: 231

Jade begins her summer confused. Yes, there's that whole "will this be a leg-day or a tail-day" kind of confusion, but Jade's got even bigger problems: It's been three weeks since Mom returned to the ocean with no news of her whereabouts. Plus, it's been twenty-one days since Jade first kissed her mer-boy Luke and now-nothing.Will Mom find the enchanted tidal pool that will allow her to become human? And why is Luke acting so weird? 


MY REVIEW
This book was super cute and any pre-teen and teenage girl would love it. This is the second book of the series and for someone reading this for the first time without reading the first book would certainly fall into it without getting lost. It's pretty simple, Jade is a teen mermaid with boy problems, what girl wouldn't relate to that. I found the storyline realistic other then the fact that she was a mermaid and definitely a page turner. The fact that there is more to this story then just her liking a boy and figuring him out was really good and the descriptions were great. I loved how real the town she lived in felt and how I could picture what the ice cream shop she worked in looked like, it's stories like this that get you drawn in and leave you wanting more. I found myself  giggling and remembering times when I was a teen.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Real Mermaids Don't Hold Their Breath at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.  



Book Tour: #HeyCanada! Book Review


Gran has decided that she is taking nine-year-old Alice and eight-year-old Cal on a road trip across Canada “before she’s old and creaky.” With a sparkling combination of poems, silly songs, tweets and blogs, the trio records the trip for readers everywhere to share. Starting in St. John’s Newfoundland, where they have a “find-it” list that includes a moose and an iceberg and going all the way to the Pacific Ocean, the gang in Hey Canada! offers a delightful way to learn about vast, varied, and surprising Canada.

I received this book a couple of months ago as being apart of the Book Tour for Hey Canada!  My kids and I read through it and we all absolutely loved it. My seven year old daughter more so then my four year old son. She's big on books and loved hearing me read the book about the characters traveling around Canada and also all the facts, history and different information provided in this book. I thought this book was pretty amazing and loved how much information this book actually covers about Canada.

Some of the wonderful things you'll find while reading Hey Canada are, comics, maps, beautiful illustrations throughout Canada, poems and so much more. This book is filled with information that not only will help my kids as they get older, but there were some facts about Canada that I didn't know and learned as well. 

A book that is definitely worth reading for not only Canadians of any age, but also people that visit this beautiful country as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am so happy I got to be apart of the book tour. Thank you Tundra Books!

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I Hey Canada at no cost for the purpose of this review and blog tour. No other compensation was received. 




Method Laundry Detergent Review #HappyCleaning @methodtweet

I'm a big Method fan. I've been using their all purpose spray, dish soap and wood cleaner for over a year now and have been very pleased with the outcome.

One of their products I hadn't tried yet was their Method Laundry Detergent in Fresh Air Scent, which I recently was given the opportunity to test out and I was pretty excited. I was sent two bottles of their 8 loads that is valued at $3.99 per bottle. Let me just say that my family and I usually use Purex. I think because it was a detergent that my mother had used and so when I moved out and was finally on my own that was just the brand that I stuck with, mainly because it was affordable. That's something you don't want to do, which is something I've learned. When making your decision on what brand to use, you want to consider which brand will work the hardest in getting your clothes clean.



 Since trying Method Laundry Detergent, let me just say that I have purchased the bigger bottles and am loving this detergent. Not only does this detergent smell wonderful, but it actually works and gets out stained clothes, which is something every mom would love with kids running around the house. When trying this detergent I made sure to use it on the kids clothes because their clothes are the ones with the most stains and dirt on them. Let me just say that this detergent and my son's clothes are now best friends, lol. It got out his dirt and grass stains that he comes home with daily from school and that's something that makes me happy. I also love that it makes my husband's work uniforms look and smell wonderful and that's also a plus. Another thing that I loved was that these bottles take up less room on my shelves in my laundry room and I had fun using their pump to squirt out the detergent in my washer.

Now, I'm not saying go run out and switch your laundry detergent, but why not give Method a try? It's awesome that they have their small bottles that are less than five bucks so that anyone can try them and if you love the outcome, buy more! Not to mention how nifty these smaller bottles are, which is perfect for traveling!

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned products to test out and share by the PR company. No post was required.  No compensation was received.



Kelloggs Special K Cracker Chips Review & Giveaway

I love Kelloggs, I've enjoyed most of their products since I was a kid. So when I came home one day to a box filled with Special K Cracker Chips I was excited and intrigued.  We received all three flavors, original, cheddar and sour cream and onion. These did not last long in my household. I wish I could say that I got to eat all three boxes to myself, but not at all. I got to try a handful of each box and then a few minutes later after opening each box they were all gone, lol.  My kids ate them up like crazy. What I did taste I did enjoy, so that's a plus and I found that out of all three that I had my favorite was definitely Sour Cream and Onion.



I do love that these cracker chips are trans fat free, low in saturated fat and have no artificial flavors or colours, which is a relief since my kiddos gobbled them all down. I also love that for 18 chips it's only 80 calories, which is awesome if you are looking for a nice snack while trying to eat healthy. Definitely not like regular chips, but they are very tasty and enjoyable and are a lot healthier, which makes me happy and not mind that they ate all three boxes within one day, lol. 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I am a Kellogger and receive products to test out and share. No post was required.  No compensation was received.






#Disney Pixar's MONSTERS UNIVERSITY Teaser


YES! I'm super excited for Monster's University, it has been way too long since Monster's Inc., which came out in 2001 people, 11 years ago. They've kept us waiting and by watching a bit of the trailer below it was for good reason. Now in this second installment you'll see before when the monsters were in university. I've watched this trailer and a couple other ones with my kids about a dozen times already, they find it hilarious and want to watch it over and over again, lol. Kids, got to love them. Now to wait until next Summer to enjoy the entire movie! Monster's University comes to big screen, June 21st, 2013! 




Thirsty Thursday: Bottoms Up Cherry Limeade

Yesterday was officially the first day of Summer and boy did it feel like it. It was almost 100 degrees out here. So for that special ocassion I whipped up a small and delicious treat for myself and the kiddies to drink from a book I'll be reviewing for you all next week called, Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook. Let me just say right now that the drinks I've found in this cookbook will be mentioned and shared throughout this Summer for our Thirsty Thursday segment. They all look so yummy and the last few I've made I've been 100% pleased with.

So without babbling on and on here is the recipe to this week's Thirsty Thursday. I hope you enjoy!




Bottoms Up Cherry Limeade
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
3/4 cup lime juice
1 cup sugar
2 liters of carbonated water, chilled
1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice
8 maraschino cherries with stems
8 lime slices

In a large bowl, combine lime juice and sugar. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving stir carbonated water into lime juice mixture.

For each serving, place 1 tablespoon cherry juice in a glass. Add crushed ice and about 1 cup of lime juice mixture. Garnish with a cherry and lime slice.


The Summer of No Regrets Book Review


Title: The Summer of No Regrets
By: Katherine Grace
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 9781402265044
Pages: 290

The day Brigitta accidentally flings herself into the lap of a guy she's never met, her friend Natalie is convinced he's Trent Yves, egotistical heartthrob-in-hiding. When the boy, who calls himself Luke, is nearly eaten by a cougar, Brigitta finds herself saving his life, being swept into his spectacular embrace and wondering if she wants Natalie's fantasy to be true.

As the two spend the summer together raising orphaned cougar cubs, Brigitta still can't be sure of his true identity. But then again, since her grandparents' death, her father's sudden urge to give away all their possessions and become a shaman, and her own awkward transition from girlhood into a young woman, she isn't sure of anything. What is the truth? More importantly, can she accept it?

MY REVIEW
This was nothing like I thought it would be. From the cover and the title it left me with the impression that this was going to be the average girl meets boy, they fall in love and determines what will happen with their relationship once the Summer was over. This was nothing like that at all and although I was expecting something else I did end up liking this story.

 Throughout the entire story the main character, Brigitta, is just really trying to figure out who she is. When she meets Luke and how they start their relationship and caring for two baby cougars you see her character start to grow, which was something I loved. 

Even though it was a short read, at times I found myself not really interested in going on to the next chapter which was disappointing. I guess the story could have had a bit more of a climax, other then that I did find myself loving the characters in the book, at times I laughed out loud because of some of the things Brigitta's family and friends would say. I'd give this a three out of five because though the storyline was just average, I did find myself loving the characters in the book. 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the Summer of No Regrets at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.  




Machine Gun Preacher Blu-Ray DVD Review


MACHINE GUN PREACHER is the inspirational true story of Childers (Butler), a former drug-dealing criminal who undergoes an astonishing transformation and finds an unexpected calling as the savior of hundreds of kidnapped and orphaned children in East Africa.  The explosive, real-life tale of a man who has rescued over a thousand orphans from starvation, disease, and enslavement, Machine Gun Preacher is written by Jason Keller (Relativity’s Mirror Mirror) and also stars Michelle Monaghan (Source Code), Golden Globe® winner Kathy Baker (Cold Mountain, Picket Fences), Madeline Carroll (Mr. Popper’s Penguins), Academy Award® nominated Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road), and Souleymane Sy Savane (Damages). Producing is Forster, along with Relativity’s Robbie Brenner, Safady Entertainment’s Gary Safady and Craig Chapman, and GG Filmz’s Deborah Giarratana.

MY REVIEW
I love Gerard Butler, he's a great actor and not too bad on the eyes either, lol. This movie had me in tears and inspired me in so many ways. I loved it. The fact that it's based off of a true story is even more amazing and makes you want to do more in so many ways to help others out there that are in need. His performance was one of the best I've seen him in yet and by far one of my favorite characters I've seen him play.

 To know that someone can turn their life around and do a complete 360 and for the good of others just filled my heart with joy. If you haven't seen this movie yet I highly recommend it, this is one you won't be disappointed in.




Thirsty Thursday: Whiskey and Ginger

This year for Father's Day my sister in laws and myself decided to take our hubby's and kiddos camping. I'm really looking forward to it. Hiking, fishing, enjoying the beach, not to mention there's something about camp food that always taste so yummy.

With that being said, I'll be offline after Friday until Tuesday. We leave right when the kids get off the bus and then it's straight there with no televisions, phones or social media. This is a good thing and much needed since my husband was out of town all last week. Time to just sit and relax and enjoy our family and the outdoors.

Speaking of Father's Day, this week's Thirsty Thursday is dedicated to all the dad's out there. This is one of my husband's favorite drinks that he likes to have every now and then. Nothing fancy, easy to make and so delicious, a Whiskey and Ginger. Have a great weekend and Happy Father's Day out there to all the dads in the world!



Whiskey and Ginger
Ingredients:
1 part Whiskey
3 parts Ginger ale
Lime (optional)


Directions:
Combine whiskey and ginger ale in a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wheel. Enjoy!


Dangerous Waters: An Adventure on the Titanic Book Review


Title: Dangerous Waters
By: Gregory Mone
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: March 13, 2012 
ISBN: 9781596436732
Pages: 240

A stowaway, a stolen book, a murderous villain: an adventure on the most famous shipwreck in history.
The great ocean liner Titanic is preparing to cross the Atlantic. On board is a sinister thief bent on stealing a rare book that may be the key to unlocking infinite treasure, a wealthy academic traveling home to America with his rare book collection, and Patrick Waters, a twelve-year-old Irish boy who is certain that his job as a steward on the unsinkable ship will be the adventure of a lifetime. Disguises, capers, and danger abound as the ship makes its way toward that fateful iceberg where Patrick will have to summon all his wits in order to survive.

MY REVIEW
This book took you on a different story on the Titanic. I actually enjoyed it. Though the first couple of chapters were pretty slow, the descriptions are amazing. Reading the descriptions you'll be able to imagine just exactly what is going on, what the characters look like, etc. It describes the Titanic perfectly. Though there could have been a bit more adventure in this book for my taste, a younger audience would actually find this very adventurous and would love it. It's a great read for kids in middle school.

When they got to the part when the Titanic hit the iceberg I did find myself tearing up, the fact that you're reading and getting connected to the characters was when I got that urge where I couldn't put the book down because I wanted to see what was going to happen and the ending of the book. This is definitely a story I think preteens should read.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Dangerous Waters at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.  


Project Jackalope Book Review


Title: Project Jackalope
By: Emily Ecton
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: March 21, 2012 
ISBN: 9781452101552
Pages: 256

Jeremy's troubles begin when his eccentric neighbor leaves him an "experiment" for safekeeping-a jackalope! This so-called mythological creature looks like a bunny rabbit, but comes with razor-sharp antlers and is purported to be a ruthless killer. When government agents show up at Jeremy's house seeking the jackalope for their own nefarious purposes, Jeremy must find a way to protect the jackalope, and himself. So he reluctantly joins forces with Agatha, his holier-than-thou genius neighbor. Together, with the jackalope (and his weapons-grade antlers) tucked away in a backpack, they have only one chance to save Jack and still get their science fair projects in on time. With her striking sense of humor, Emily Ecton has created a hilarious and suspenseful adventure.

MY REVIEW
I found this book to be pretty interesting. I've never read anything like it. I didn't hate it, but I don't think it was for me. There were a few funny parts that had me chuckling a bit out loud, but for the most part the book was just okay. It didn't have me wanting to turn to the next page or chapter to see what was going to happen next, which is something I look for when I'm reading anything.

I do think that this is definitely something a younger crowd would love and appreciate much more then me and if you love anything about science you'll be intrigued and want to know more about this Jackalope. 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Project Jackalope at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. 


PHINEAS & FERB: THE PERRY FILES DVD Review

We just ended our giveaway for this, so I thought it was time to put up my review of The Perry Files. First off, let me start by saying my kids absolutely love Phineas and Ferb. They are huge fans and every time this show is on our tv, they are glued and won't move until it's over. The Perry Files were no different. In fact we watched it all together.We laughed and were entertained and made a movie night out of this. I think my favorite character has to be Candace, she's hilarious, especially when it comes to Jeremy, her crush. 

A week later the kids are still watching this taking turns every night to watch The Perry Files in their rooms before bed!


While Phineas and Ferb do it all to make every day the best day ever, evil lurks just around the corner! But there is hope for the unsuspecting citizens of Danville. Now, for the very first time, we crack open the top-secret archives of O.W.C.A. (Organization Without a Cool Acronym) to expose... The Perry Files ! Join Perry the Platypus–a.k.a. Agent P.–on his most exciting adventures as he thwarts his nemesis, Dr. Doofenshmirtz, at every turn. With groovy gadgets, mad skills and his trademark brown fedora, this semi-aquatic, egg-layin’ mammal of action is unstoppable! Experience the hilarious havoc as he defends the Tristate Area against Doof’s “inators,” battles rogue agent “Dennis the Bunny,” and much more. When it comes to secret agents, Perry’s not only the real deal, he’s real teal! 

Didn't win a copy of this awesome DVD? Then be sure to check out your local stores where movies/dvds are sold because this is out on stands, tomorrow, June 13th! 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Phineas & Ferb: The Perry Files at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.




Big Fish Games: Avenue Flo Review & Giveaway

I've always been the type to play games on the computer. My favorite types are simulation games, like, the Sims (all time fav!) . I had the opportunity to try a game from Big Fish Games. They have almost every genre game possible that the entire family can enjoy. The best part about all of their games is that you can test out the game for an entire hour before you make the decision if you want to buy it or not. I think that's pretty neat. I've purchased a couple of games from them over the last few years. My most recent purchase was the game, Criminal Minds. It was awesome playing all my favorite detectives from one of my favorite shows and solving a couple of crimes. 


The game I chose was, Avenue Flo. Flo is most popular for the games Diner Dash, which I must admit I have that game too. I remember when it first came out, I rhink back when I was pregnant with my daughter, so roughly 04-05, I was addicted and played non stop until the very end. Avenue Flo wasn't any different. I loved it.

Due to a series of mysterious events, the biggest wedding in DinerTown history is on the brink of disaster! As Flo, you will have to explore the whole town, interacting with your neighbors and enlisting their help as you solve puzzles, collect missing items, and complete challenging activities that will put everything back in its place, in this exciting Adventure game. Deliver all of the items Quinn needs in time to save the wedding in Avenue Flo


With this you get the combination of the girls from Wedding and Diner Dash, which I think is awesome, but the person you are playing is Flo. It took me all of two days to play the entire game, it was that good. What I loved about this compared to most of the Dash games is that you're not on a time limit on this. I mean, yes, you want to hurry up and complete your goals, but as far as how and when you complete your goals is completely up to you. You're not really racing a clock to complete a goal within a certain amount of minutes. This game takes you all around Diner town and introduces you to all the people in the town and some you get to help out along the way. If you're into adventure games and love Flo from Diner Dash, you'll definitely love Avenue Flo. 




Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Avenue Flo at no cost for the purpose of this review and was compensated for this post. Big thanks to the people over at Big fish Games for the giveaway prize!



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Mike and Ike Broke Up...Help Find Them!


You heard right. The name behind the delicious fruit chewy candies have split. When I first heard about this I was shocked, how could this be. I posted on twitter and facebook and got a couple of comments and replies, mainly people were shocked. I remember growing up eating Mike and Ike. If you look at their new boxes you'll notice that Mike's name is scratched out. It's a big notice that even my kids had a reaction to when they saw it on the box of candies we were sent. My daughter asked why Mike's name was scratched out, I told her the entire story and she responded with, "Well I hope they get back together so that the box is pretty again," LOL! 



Anyways, there's a contest going on that I'd love to share with you guys. Enter the “Where Are Mike and Ike?” contest to win an Apple iPod Touch and other prizes, as well as help get the two candy icons back together! The contest runs until July 11th – contestants can enter HERE.

Participants will be given a link to one of the MIKE AND IKE social media pages to get a clue that will help them answer their question. Each Tuesday and Friday, a new question will appear on the contest page.

Participants can earn points by answering the questions correctly, sending tweets about the contest, liking the MIKE AND IKE Facebook page and emailing up to five (5) friends per day requesting that they enter the contest (points are awarded only after the friend participates).

During the contest, participants can view a leader board to see which three players have the highest number of points.

After July 11th, the one (1) participant with the highest number of points will receive an Apple iPod Touch. Four (4) second prize winners will each receive an Apple iPod Shuffle. Fifteen (15) third prize winners will each receive a box of twenty four (24) 1.8 oz bags of MIKE AND IKE Original Fruits and a MIKE AND IKE t-shirt.

In addition, each week there will be a random drawing that will award any of the participants a MIKE AND IKE t-shirt and a box of twenty four (24) 1.8 oz bags of MIKE AND IKE Original Fruits.

To Enter:
Participants can enter the contest by visiting HERE!

CONTEST IS OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY!

Peanut Butter Oreo Brownie Cupcake

I know, I haven't done a food recipe in a while. But I'll be getting back to sharing wonderful recipes that I try since we're all caught up with life as of now. With the nice weather we've been having I haven't really been cooking inside, we've been grilling like crazy.

Sometimes there are just days that you need chocolate. And brownies and oreos are a perfect combination to hit the spot. Not to mention the dab of peanut butter too. I've made these delicious goodness before and every time I do they don't last long whatsoever. So I made them while the kiddos were at school and put three away just for mommy, lol. Don't judge me! 



Sure enough once the kids came home and unpacked they saw these cupcakes on the table and devoured them. A couple hours later and a few of the neighborhood kids over, all but two were gone. Thank goodness I stashed a couple away for myself! 

The best part about this is that the peanut butter is optional, so if you or one of your kiddos are allergic you can still enjoy the goodness that is oreos and brownies. 

So simple, yet so delicious. I hope you all enjoy this recipe and try it out if you haven't done so already. Have a wonderful weekend!

Peanut Butter Oreo Brownie Cupcake
Makes 12

Ingredients:
1 Box Brownie Mix
24 Oreo cookies
1/2 Creamy Peanut Butter (optional)

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line up your cupcake tray with paper liners.
Prepare your brownie mix according to the directions on the box. And with each cupcake cup spread 1 teaspoon of peanut butter over 2 Oreo cookies and stack them on top of each other.  (Peanut butter is optional if you are allergic)

Place the oreo stakcs into the cupcake tray. Spoon 2 tablespoons of brownie batter over  the oreos and let it run down the sides of the cookies. Bake cookies and brownies between 18 to 20 minutes, until the brownies are cooked through. Let cool, then serve.

Thirsty Thursday: Sarasota Raspberry

It's hot over here. I'm not complaining, I'd rather have the heat then snow or rain any day. Last weekend was spent around the house, hanging out and relaxing since the hubby was leaving to go out of town for work all this week. We got yard work done, had good food and both of our kids (six and four) are finally riding their bikes without training wheels. We are so excited for them and proud.

Anyways, the hubby had beers and since Summer is literally around the corner, I wanted something refreshing to drink. So before I hit the LCBO, I went browsing through lovely pinterest and found a Sarasota Lemonade recipe from The Pampered Jess. Check out the blog, she has some really good recipes and some Thirsty Thursday drinks I'm going to have to try.

Her Sarasota Lemonade looked delicious, I wanted to try it then and there, so I went and got all the ingredients. The thing is, her recipe was for a group of people. I wasn't hosting any gathering this was just for me throughout the weekend, so my recipe is slight different then hers. Another thing, it doesn't have lemonade in it. I know. I went to Walmart and found no frozen concentrated lemonade and the recipe calls for it. So being me I picked up a frozen berry concentrated mix instead and went on my way.

I'll give you my version of the recipe. I think it came out fantastic and it hit the spot. It was delicious and the fresh raspberries went so well with it. I will definitely be making this again throughout the Summer. This would be perfect for a girls luncheon or BBQ. I'm also going to try Jess' recipe with frozen lemonade, so I'll keep you all posted on how that turns out for me.


Sarasota Raspberry
Source: Adapted from The Pampered Jess

Ingredients
1 Bottle of Moscato
1 1/2 Sprite
1/2 Can Frozen Berry Concentrate
Fresh Raspberries

Directions:
Empty all ingredients into a pitcher and stir. Mash up a handful of raspberries and then pour them in the pitcher. Place some of the other non mashed raspberries into glass and pour drink and enjoy!

If serving for a group of people, double the amount of ingredients. 





Chronicle Blu-ray & DVD Combo Review


Three high school students make an incredible discovery, leading to their developing uncanny telekinetic powers beyond their understanding.  As they learn to control their abilities and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control as their darker sides begin to take over.  What starts out as fun and games quickly becomes dangerous and they must face the inevitable question of whether they can handle the responsibility that comes with their remarkable powers. 

My Review
What a great opportunity to get a chance and watch this movie. I loved it. This film is jammed pack with tons of drama and action, which always has me glued to the screen and kept me on my toes for sure. The thing about this film was that you never knew what was going to happen next even if you tried to guess. The ending was shocking, I don’t want to give it away for those of you who haven’t had a chance to watch this movie, but this was certainly one of my top ten movies for me this year.
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Chronicle at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.




Burn Notice Season 5 DVD Review




The Season 5 DVD is loaded with exclusive content including an extended episode, deleted scenes, a gag reel and a thrilling featurette on the villains of “BURN NOTICE.” Fans will celebrate the best of the “worst,” by exploring the “BURN NOTICE” bad guys and get unique insights from the actors who play them along with a snarky rebuttal on their deeds from “BURN NOTICE” star, Bruce Campbell!

The suspense, betrayal and intense action make Season 5 of “BURN NOTICE” a must-see! Master-spy Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) has just rejoined the CIA as consultant but after being framed for the murder of a close friend, partners with Kim Pearce (Lauren Stamile) to clear his name. After increasingly dangerous and criminal missions, Michael comes face to face with the man who burned him and the one closest to him who knew about it all along.

MY REVIEW
I actually started watching Burn Notice during it's third season and then couldn't really follow it so then I had to watch it from the beginning. Totally worth the watch from the beginning. This show stars, Jeffrey Donovan, who for some reason always rubs me the wrong way when it comes to some of his films, I think because after seeing him play a jerk in the movie, Hitch, that's how I perceived him. But in Burn Notice he isn't too bad and in this series I can watch an episode and more and not get tired of it. Each episode gets better and better as do the characters and  their storylines. This series is filled with drama and tons of action, so all you action buffs would really enjoy this series. If you're one of our US readers you might have seen this show on USA, but if you're here in Canada you can tune into Burn Notice on Showcase.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Burn Notice Season Five at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.


White Collar Season 3 DVD Review




The Season 3 DVD features never-before-seen bonus footage including deleted scenes, a gag reel, commentary on “Judgment Day,” a “WHITE COLLAR” trivia challenge for fans and a hilarious intervention caught on tape by the cast and crew with showrunner Jeff Eastin who’s overzealous tweeting gets out of hand!

“WHITE COLLAR” focuses on the unlikely partnership between charming con artist Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) and straightman FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay).  Caffrey provides his expertise to help Burke catch other elusive criminals in exchange for his freedom, and together they prove that in order to solve the hardest crimes, you must hire the smartest criminal. 

MY REVIEW
I've been watching White Collar since season one. This took in place on on my DVR because another show I use to watch started getting ridiculous for me, lol. I absolutely love this series and it's so good to see Tiffani Thiessen back on the screen. She's one of favorites. And don't even get me started on Matt Bomer, ladies, him alone is a reason to watch this show. But if you don't think he is attractive still watch it, the chemistry between both Matt bomer and tim DeKay is awesome and each episode keeps you on your toes and waiting for the next show.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received White Collar Season Three at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.


Plus Size Lingerie Boutique: Peggie Chemise and Robe Set

I'm no size eight, not even a ten and so when I got offered to review items from Plus Size Lingerie Boutique I was more then thrilled. I've been searching for a while for affordable plus size lingerie. Usually I head to the states and if I'm near a plus size store I'll check them out, but it's always more convenient when I don't have to make that journey across the border. Even us bigger girls need to lingerie too.


Plus Size Lingerie Boutique offers plus size  teddies, corsets, panties, chemises and various other forms of sexy lingerie. They even have plus size costumes for women, which is pretty awesome. All of their items are at an affordable price and that was one of the things that sold me. 


I had a chance to review their Peggie Chemise and Robe Set. What attracted me to this set was not only the black and pink polka dot design, but that it came with both the chemise and the robe, which comes in handy when you have a house with children.





 One thing I hate when ordering clothing online is the size. Almost half of the time when I purchase something online the size is off. I was really happy with their size chart, which was very accurate and helpful. It's not often you pick out something online and it's true to size. I was very pleased on how well the set fit. It was also very comfortable and even after washing it didn't shrink, which is something I always worry about no matter if I'm buying clothes online or in the actual store. 


Did I mention the affordable prices? Usually for us bigger girls clothes, especially lingerie, is really expensive. While browsing on Plus Size Lingerie Boutique's website I really didn't find their prices to be too high and that's something that will definitely get me ordering from them in the future.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the Peggie Chemise and Robe Set at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.