• Affiliates

    If you're gonna shop anyway, I'd really appreciate it if you'd click through my links to help support the growing needs of ballet slippers, art supplies, and soccer shorts. :)

  • Add to Technorati Favorites
  • Mom Blogs
  • Widget_logo
  • -------------------------------
  • You are visitor number

    • 158,592
  • free counters

Kelly’s Cake Off For a Cause

That’d be Kelly Ripa. Yep. We’re on a first name basis πŸ˜‰ This wonderful lady is involved in so many things. Her latest? Supporting ovarian cancer research. As you know, Mike does cancer research, so anything that supports that is okay in my book. (Even if it doesn’t directly support Mike – it’s still a great cause!) Plus, you could win a kick-butt Electrolux Induction Range.

Details

Kelly and accomplished master baker and cake decorator Buddy Valastro, from TLC’s “Cake Boss,” recently joined forces at a fun event to bake lavishly decorated cakes in support of The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF). To add to the excitement, five teams of baking enthusiasts were invited to take part in “Kelly’s Cake Off For a Cause”, where they used what they learned from Kelly and the Cake Boss, to decorate their own cakes.

Although you might not get to taste these virtual masterpieces, you can still weigh in on the results! By visiting Kelly-Confidential.com, you can cast a vote for your favorite cake from Kelly’s Cake Off.

For every vote cast, Electrolux will donate $1[1] to OCRF as part of its $500,000 commitment to help fight ovarian cancer! And since love is on everyone’s mind these days, you can even decorate and send a special virtual cake to a friend, family member or someone you love.Β  For every cake sent, Electrolux will donate another $1[1] to OCRF.Β  Plus, Buddy’s top cake decorating tips are available — sure to inspire baking enthusiasts and novices alike.

If that’s not enough to get you to click over, everyone who logs on to the site and sends a virtual cake will be automatically entered for a chance to win every baker’s dream: a stylish new Induction Range from Electrolux.

Sweepstakes period: 2/09/10 through 4/12/10 (Cake Off lasts 2/9/10 through 2/19/10)

[1] Electrolux will donate $1 for every day you log in or register and vote in Kelly’s Cake Off for a Cause and every day you log in or register and send a virtual cake to a friend with a minimum of $30,000 and a maximum of $40,000.

I heard of this through MomSelect. My incentive for sharing this with you (beside the whole “let’s kick cancer’s butt” thing) is an entry forΒ  a shot at an Induction Range from Electrolux.

In Honor of National Ballerina Day

Makes My Monday: Family Meals

We often don’t eat as a family since Mike doesn’t get home until after 7 on the days he works (I feed the kids early and then Mike and I get a quiet meal after the kids are in bed). We try to make weekends family meal times…However, if I’ve taken the time to make something, many times one or more of the kids won’t touch it. (heartbreaking!!)

I made a Pasta Bake for dinner last night…and everyone asked for seconds πŸ™‚

I wish I had thought to take a picture *before* we had eaten most of it…

A dish that the whole family will eat Makes My Monday!!

Cheryl over at Twinfatuation hosts this one. Head on over to see what else makes people’s Mondays (there are always some really good ones!)

Recipe

Prego used to have specially marked jars for Pasta Bake. I was so disappointed when they stopped making it – until I realized that if I could recall the actual recipe, I could just use a regular ol’ jar of pasta sauce! So…here you go. Enjoy!

Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of pasta – UNcooked (I use the curly, hollow pasta, Cellentani)
  • 1 Jar spaghetti sauce (I use Prego Traditional)
  • 1 spaghetti sauce jar filled with water
  • 2 – 3 cups of shredded cheese (I use a cheddar/mozzarella mix; sometimes I add Parmesan too)
  • Meatballs – cooked (Optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425.
  2. Put the pasta, sauce, and water into a 9X13 pan. Stir. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
  3. Stir. Add meatballs and cheese. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes.

(I usually just get the frozen meatballs and pop them into the oven beside the pasta during step 2.)

Saturday Snapshot: Budding Artist

Saturday Snapshot: Jump on In

Maggie was invited to a birthday party today (a friend from dance class). It took her a while to gather up the courage to go down this slide…she was so proud of herself for doing it!

Makes My Monday: Disney for the Whole Family

Waiting for Disney on Ice to start!

Saturday Snapshot: PJs!

Nana MADE jammies for the kids!!

A Christmas Story

T’was two nights before Christmas,
An email received.
Santa’s present for Maggie,
Was not shipped as believed.

“FUUUUUDGE!!” cried Nancy,
“What to do, I don’t know…”
Fighting last minute shoppers,
Off to Target I go.

For the last 3 or 4 months,
It’s been on all Maggie’s lists.
I had visions of crying,
And “This Christmas’s the pits!”

“Skates!” yelled Mommy,
“Of the roller kind,
“Please help me, oh worker,
“This gift I must find!”

I ran down the aisles,
And what to my wonder,
There they were!
With helmets, over and under!

I snatched up a box,
And ran ’round the bend.
Ah Target, I love you,
You’ve saved me again.

Way Back When-esday

Cheryl over at Twinfatuation hosts this one. Go on over to see who else is playing – and join in too!

This was the first picture Christmas Card we sent out. πŸ™‚

Balancing Act

Burke has been practicing VERY hard at balancing this home-made shaker (made with Nanny Jessica) on his head. He’s even gotten good enough to walk across the room πŸ™‚

…he told me he wanted to be in a parade πŸ™‚