Quick & Easy Hormel Compleats Kids Meals - Coupon Offer

We've been having such a busy Spring Break, but one thing I haven't yet done this week is get to the grocery store. I was thinking I'd have to go this morning because there was really nothing to give the kids for lunch. And then the mailman dropped off a package from SheSpeaks with Hormel Compleats Kids meals! Lunch time saved! This is what I got:

 There was one package each of four different varieties; Pasta & Chicken, Macaroni & Beef, Spaghetti & Meatballs, and Beef Ravioli. The four kids shared three meals (they haven't tried the chicken yet) and they liked all of them. Success! Here are a few things I like about the Hormel Compleats Kids meals:

• 3 grams of fiber per serving
• no added preservatives
• no artificial colors
• 0 grams trans fat per serving
• at least 8 grams of protein per serving
• calories ranging from 140 to 230 per serving, which is less than a serving of boxed macaroni and cheese
• ready in 45 seconds in the microwave

Thank you to SheSpeaks and Hormel for the opportunity to try something new. I received free products, but was not compensated monetarily for reviewing Hormel Compleats Kids meals. 

If you would like to try this product too, I have a buy-one-get-one FREE coupon up for grabs for Hormel Compleats Kids microwave meals. Leave a comment below with your favorite quick kids meal, along with your email address, and I'll pick a winner on April 16.

Feet Firmly Planted In The Here And Now

Sometimes I feel like I live for summertime. It's like the whole year is just divided into waiting for summer to get here, and summer itself. Maybe if you've read any of my other posts, you might have gotten the idea that I'm not such a big fan of the cold. Cold weather depresses me, fills me with lethargy, makes me want to never leave the house. But that is not the only reason I so look forward to summertime. I crave the freedom to do whatever I want with my kids day after day after wonderful day. Sleeping in late, meeting friends at the park, trips Up North, going swimming...I love every second of it. This is sort of a problem for me and I'm working on it. I mean, I need to spend more time embracing the "now" instead of anticipating summer. I'm improving, but just right now, at the moment, I'm really looking forward to the break. Probably just because we've been having such a great Spring Break, and I'm getting sad about the kids going back to school on Monday. Deep breath. Live in the moment. Carry on. 

Yesterday we met friends at McDonald's to play and have ice cream sundaes. The best part was (well other than seeing my friends...) watching my big kids playing with Mathilda and taking her into the play structure with them, and boy Mathilda was having a crazy good time. Then Connor and Bethany went off to sleepovers and I tried to convince Lucy to have movie time with me and watch Tangled but that little stinker was not interested.

This morning Lucy had a field trip at a local Chinese restaurant where the preschoolers got to learn how to count in Chinese, make wontons, and eat chicken tenders and fries (???) while the parents sat at separate tables, had adult conversation and actually ate Chinese food (at a Chinese restaurant? go figure!). Bethany and Connor went on the same field trip when they were in 4-year old preschool. I think the best part for the kids was running around the restaurant as much as they wanted because it was not yet opened for business for the day.  When it was over I picked Bethany & Connor up from their friends' houses and we went to my mother-in-law's (where Mathilda was during the field trip) and all of the kids got to see their grandpa who has been out of town working for the past couple months. It was a happy, tickly, giggle-ish reunion. Yes I'm making up words here, but please just go with it.

Then Connor got invited to another sleepover, and I had to say yes because he has been the best sport about spending pretty much every minute of his Spring Break surrounded by girls. And then Lucy and Bethany were invited to play at a friends' house, so Chris and I dropped them off and went to dinner with Mathilda at Achatz Burgers, where we ate greasy but yummy burgers and fries and laughed at Mathilda's silliness without any other kids around to distract us from paying her our full attention. We went for a drive and looked at beautiful old houses in Mt. Clemens, the kind of houses I dream of living in someday because I love big old houses full of unique little quirks and nooks and crannies. I dropped Chris off at home and went to pick the girls up, and ended up staying there forever chatting with my friend while the kids played for "just one more minute" and it was really a lovely evening. We got home and the girls and I decided to pile into Connor's room (I think because he has bunk beds...although all 4 of us ended up on the bottom bunk) and watch Tangled together. Bethany was asleep within 5 minutes, and Lucy followed suit about 5 minutes later. Mathilda, however, stayed awake and watched the entire thing with me. I love that movie! 

The best part of the whole day was a late night text from my friend with some really fabulous news that she had been hoping and praying to hear but didn't think she would for quite awhile. I am so happy for her and her family. Good things do happen to good people.  Perfect ending to a perfect day.

Book Review, Nutella Winner, And Odds & Ends

I have another book review posted at Luxury Reading for a kids book, Cows Can't Jump. It's a cute picture book and you should go over there and see what I have to say about it.

Tricia is the winner of the Nutella goody bag giveaway! Congratulations Tricia! Enjoy your Nutella swag! 

When Lucy got up this morning, she came in bed with me for a cuddle. She told me that I'm probably going to have another baby. I said no, I'm definitely not having another baby. She said, "are you forcing yourself not to?" and I said yes. So then she said, "probably you'll forget and then you will have another baby." Probably not a good idea to explain the science of vasectomies to a 4-year old? My kids all want another baby, and the truth is I feel ridiculously guilty for not giving Connor a brother. But that door is closed for good. Sorry Connor, just one more way we are scarring you for life.

Other cute things my kids do...Lucy gave me Eskimo kisses while she was laying in bed with me this morning. Then she pinched my nose and said it was an Eskimo hug. 

When we were in Toledo and using the GPS to find our way around, every time the voice told us which way to go, Mathilda said "thank you." She thanks everyone all the time. At least she has good manners while she is being a stink pot. 

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at The Henry Ford Museum with some friends. We had 7 kids with us, which sounds crazy but actually it was not terribly nuts. The place is huge and it wasn't very crowded, so they were able to run around pretty much to their hearts content. My friend and I discussed how places like that make us think that homeschooling would be fun and rewarding, but that the dedication required to successfully homeschool sounds insurmountably daunting. My poor son was once again stuck with all girls. Some day his friends will be jealous, right???

Sitting in the Rosa Parks bus

Rosa Parks bus...I think they are sitting in her actual seat

He managed to have fun with 6 little girls

Thrown in jail for supporting women's rights

Passionate about the cause

Practicing their duck and cover

Mathilda got a nap in

It was a long, super fun day, which also included some playing at our friends' house and a trip to TCBY for waffle cone Wednesday ($1 waffle cones - how did I not know about this before yesterday???). I am so grateful to my friend for including my family in the day's activities. Our Spring Break continues to be awesome...

Spring Is In The Air (Or Not): Toledo, Ohio

My big kids are on Spring Break and although we're not doing a big trip, we've been having loads of fun. Friday night they got their break started with a sleepover at Chris's mom's house with their cousins. Lucy had a birthday party to attend Saturday afternoon, and then we had three of Bethany's friends overnight (sleepover with 3 girls...deja-vu???). I took Bethany and the three other girls to an ice show at the local ice arena to see Wizard of Oz on ice. Another friend was performing with her synchronized skating team during the intermission, and it was a very entertaining show. Going out with all big kids was such a freeing experience. They want a snack? Send them to the snack stand. Without me. One of them needs to go to the bathroom? Send them to the restroom. Without me. I had a small glimpse of what life will be like in a few years, and it was nice. Not that I'm hurrying anything along...

Sunday morning our guests went home and the kids and I headed for Toledo with my mother-in-law. Toledo, Ohio probably doesn't sound like an exciting Spring Break destination, but we really had the best time. Our first stop was The Toledo Museum of Art, and it was fantastic! We stayed for hours and no one was bored for one second. Admission is free (donations appreciated), the cafe serves delicious and reasonably priced food (turkey and brie wrap with dried fruit and nuts and a fruit salad - SO GOOD!! - for like $6), the place is huge (we didn't see nearly everything), and there is a sweet family area with all kinds of fun (free!!!) things for the kids to do, like painting, arts and crafts,blocks, dress-up clothes, and lots more. We did pay to see the special Egyptian exhibit, which was well worth the money because who wouldn't sacrifice some cash to see the centuries old blackened corpse of an Egyptian priest (or priestess or prince or...something)? Here are a whole bunch of pictures commemorating our day at the museum...

Walk like an Egyptian

Matisse tile mosaic

Little Miss Attitude

Meema and her grandbabies

I whip my hair back and forth...dancing in the cafe

Meema and Lucy

Entrance of the Egyptian exhibit

Lucy & Bethany painting together

Lucy & Bethany modeling the hats they made

Mattie having fun in the family area

Connor doing a puppet show for Mattie

My kids are crazy and loud and fun and maybe people sometimes inwardly groan and run in the opposite direction when they see us coming. But I am so happy to be able to experience things like art museums with their joyfulness and excitement.


We left just before they kicked us out (it was closing time!), headed to our hotel and went for a swim before dinner. Dinner, where no one ate their dinners because they were falling asleep (literally) at the table.


After breakfast Monday morning, we went swimming again before heading to the Imagination Station for the afternoon. We have been going to this place since Connor was younger than Mathilda is now, and every time we have a blast. My one complaint this time - visitors are no longer permitted to bring in their own food and drinks. I don't know how vigilant they are about checking, but I did see a few signs. We didn't bring food this time, but often we do, so this is a bummer. Plus the food cost as much or more than it did at the art museum, and was not nearly as good (kind of yucky, in fact). We stayed for a few hours before heading off to our next adventure.

Uncooperative Mathilda? No Way!

Lucy getting ready to knock an egg into a glass of water

Bethany's turn

and Connor's turn

Mattie driving the mini-me ambulance

Television stars

They could have watched themselves on "TV" as pseudo sportscasters all day

Did I mention it rained the whole time we were in Toledo? We had planned on going to the zoo, but the weather did not agree with our plans. After we left Imagination Station (in the rain), we fumbled our way to a movie theater (GPS would not recognize the address...GRRR!) to see Hop. It was a cute movie. I liked the concept of an Easter movie, and it was entertaining, but with a pretty flimsy story line. Nonetheless, we all liked it and I didn't have to leave the theater with Mattie one time! Progress! We took a pizza and some salad back to our room for dinner, and then Meema took the 3 big kids down to the pool yet again. I stayed behind with Mathilda, trying to get her to sleep, which was totally fruitless. Tuesday morning we went swimming one last time after breakfast. Mathilda was loving the pool beaucoup. Every time we walked past it, she would gaze through the window and mutter "my pool" or "bye bye pool". At one point she got her swimsuit out, brought it to me and said "me pool." "Pool" sounds a lot like "poop", so it did get a little confusing.


When we checkout out, we went to Friendly's for lunch. I loved Friendly's when it was here in Michigan, and I thought they were all closed. I had no idea Ohio was keeping such a secret. The kids got Peeps sundaes for a treat. Yep, that's right. And not just regular old Peeps, but chocolate dipped Peeps. With marshmallow sauce as a topping. 

We have lots more plans for the week, and I am going to enjoy every moment of the break. We might as well leave out the "spring" part, because it is definitely (pretty much) still winter, despite what the calendar might say.

Excuse Me While I Pull The Plug On Your Power Trip

There is a pretty good chance that to someone, you are Larger Than Life. Your children, your students, your employees, your customers, your clients, your patients, your whomever. Someone looks up to you. Someone needs you, maybe even desperately needs you. Someone is depending upon your knowledge, your experience, your compassion, your ability to open doors that he or she can't open. Perhaps the outcome of someones life depends largely on how you rise (or fail to rise) to the challenge of your position. Perhaps you have just one or two chances to change someones life, or perhaps your position is such that many lives can be positively influenced by you daily. Perhaps a few words that come out of your mouth, and how they come out of your mouth, can either make someones day, give them hope and let them rest easy, or send them spiraling to the lowest depths of depression, fear, and despair.

So. Be honest. Do you abuse your power?

Perhaps sometimes you don't have a choice regarding what you say, but sometimes you do. And the delivery is always your choice. So even if you must deliver bad news, you can choose to do it kindly. And even if you have the capability to, at your whim and for no good reason, severely complicate someones life...doesn't mean you should go ahead and do it.


Because I (perhaps naively) believe in the basic goodness of humankind in general, I have to also believe that people simply fall into negative patterns, maybe gradually and unintentionally, and don't realize what complete and utter jerks they are being when they randomly mess with people's lives.  Because  how can someone consciously know that he or she is ignoring someone or belittling someone or demeaning someone or not taking someones (very real) concerns seriously, and still get up in the morning, look in the mirror, and happily go about the day? There can't be as many purely evil people in this world as there are people who regularly send wrecking balls into the lives of others, just because they can. These have to be just regular people, people like me and you; misguided and forgetful of their impact.


Slow down and examine yourself. Think before you speak. Remember that what comes out so easily may not be easily forgotten by your target. Remember that one moment of laziness or rudeness or meanness on your part could be the breaking point for someone else. Be vigilantly cognizant of your impact on others. Uncle Ben said it best when he told Peter Parker, "With great power comes great responsibility." Use your power wisely.