WEEK ONE: Day One..... A HEART FOR BLESSING IN PRAYER

" God desires for us to have a heart for prayer."

Our Scripture passages for today are:   PSALM 5: 3 ,  MATTHEW 6:5-15 , and HEBREWS 11:6    You may click on each passage and go directly to the passages via an online Bible and I'm using the NIV but you can use any translation you prefer.    There's a tool there on the page of each passage to select the version of the Bible that you wish to read OR you can click on the icon for speaker below the passage and have it read to you! 

KEY TRUTHS:

• Jesus devoted the early morning to prayer.
• God regards those who earnestly and wholeheartedly seek Him.
• Our relationship with God and with others influences the effectiveness of our prayers.

DAY ONE:  The Journey Begins!

Hearing from God

1.  Think about your typical day.. your usual routine of waking up, preparing for the day, and fulfilling your responsibilities.  What things make it difficult for you to spend time in prayer?

2.  God's Word challenges and inspires us to make prayer a part of everyday life.   Read the following scriptures, and write down what you learn about prayer.

• Psalm 5:3, Psalm 88:13
• Matthew 6:5-15
• Mark 1:35-38
• James 5:16

(At this point, you may want to take a break and come back for more!)

3.  God provides great encouragement and instruction for us whenever we desire to seek Him.  His Word sets a clear path for us to follow.  Ready the following scriptures, and identify the hope and instruction that God provides us when we seek to know Him.

•  Deuteronomy 4:29
•  I Chronicles 28:9
•  2 Chronicles 16:9
•  Psalm 119:2
•  Hebrews 11:6

  

Responding to God:  "Yes, but how?"

4.  Getting started is often the hardest part of any challenge.  God's Word provides inspiration to help us move beyond the starting line.  Read the following scriptures, and jot down phrases that can help you start on your quest to develop a heart for prayer.

• Jeremiah 33:3
• Matthew 7:7-8
• James 4:3
• I Peter 5:8-9

5. Here are three simple steps you can take to begin your journey toward a daily devotional time with God.  Commit to do these three simple things this week.  When you have completed a task, put a check next to the task below.

• Obtain a notebook or booklet that will become your daily prayer journal.   Use this journal to list your prayer concerns and the many ways the Lord answers your prayers.   (or if you want to do this online then here are some suggestions for where to keep your online journal) 1.  Penzu (online journal, may have costs)   2.Yahoo Calendar (free!)
•  Dedicate a specific time of day for your time with the Lord.  Consider it an appointment that you must keep.
•  Dedicate a specific place for your devotional time.  Choose a place that minimizes interruptions and distractions.

"May I be careful to maintain a constant, habitual sense of Thee in my mind; to live and act as in Thy presence; to think often of Thee.  May I ever remember that I am in the presence of the great and Holy God."  ~ Susanna Wesley

 

"Linda has been a Christian for twenty years.  She actively serves the Lord in her church and works hard to be a good parent to her three children, ages three, five and nine.  Her husband,  Dave, seldom goes to church and resents the time she is away with the kids at church.  Linda has tried several times to establish a daily devotional habit but with limited success.  Her part-time job and her roles as mother, wife, and Sunday School teacher demand more time than she has to give.  She often wakes up more tired than when she went to bed.  Linda lives with a nagging sense of guilt about not spending time in prayer."  (Written by Elizabeth George, that author of this book!)    

If Linda came to you and expressed her frustration about finding a daily time for prayer, how would you respond?  Jot down your thoughts in your journal (online or written).

SUMMARY

For many believers, early morning is ideal for spending time with God in prayer and Bible study.  God's Word tells us that anyone who earnestly seeks God will find Him and hear from Him.  May the Lord bless you as you begin this journey.

Today, Lord, the prayer of my heart is:

The entire blog entry here was written by Elizabeth George, the author of our book...  WOMAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART (I'm using the old workbook that came with my book and you can click on those words, workbook and book to have what I'm using).  There's also a KINDLE edition of the book that came with my workbook.  Click on the word KINDLE for that option. 

Click on the following links if you would like to get a copy of her devotional book or read about her ministry, play her daily inspirations, or just browse the pages for other topics and her ministries.

 

If you have any prayer requests or comments...  please feel free to comment.   Thank you for your time here today and I hope to see you again tomorrow!

If you'd like to listen to a worship song about prayer, here is one for today:

"Hear our Prayer" with lyrics by Hillsong

Introduction: A Heart for God's Word

Elizabeth George starts out the Bible Study Workbook (which they seem to have combined now in the Devotional book) with this Introduction (I've abbreviated it to make it shorter and just bring the key ideas!)

"Dear beloved sister, what an honor and privilege to walk hand in hand with you down the path of our dreams-- that of becoming women after God's own heart!  This is truly a noble and righteous goal, isn't it?  And God wants to come alongside us to strengthen and empower us as we take this walk--a walk toward becoming His kind of woman."

"I know how tight your schedule is.  I know you are a busy woman.  The daily lessons are written so you can get the most benefit from a short, concentrated period of study.  If you will devote about 30 minutes every day, five days a week, you can gain the biblical insight and truth you need for your busy week.  Set aside this brief period of time and protect it as your personal appointment with the Lord.  I promise that you will receive a great blessing from your time in God's Word."

Luke 10:38-42 

New International Version (NIV)

At the Home of Martha and Mary

 ³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”    ⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God^[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.


KEY TRUTHS:

• Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
• Those who abide in Christ will bear much fruit.
• We can do everything through Christ, who gives us strength

 
From Carolyn:   Thanks ladies for reading this today and my prayer for US is that we will be able together to find those 30 mins. or so a day for five days a week (and the 6th day I will be writing out OUR  prayer requests for us to spend that time praying for one another!) to study His Word together.  I thank the Lord for His servant, Elizabeth George, who wrote this Bible Study so that we women could grow in His Word and in the fellowship with our husbands, children, family members and friends!  But especially with the Lord!   Have a wonderful day and see you tomorrow!   You can always add your comments to this note and your prayer requests.  This way we can be praying each day for one another!

Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George devotional book!

Hi friends! Recently the Lord has laid it on my heart to start a Women's Group Book study via my blog, Conversations with Carolyn. I have nearly finished Bible Study for Elizabeth George's book "Woman After God's Own Heart" and it's terrific! If any of you would like to join with me then please consider buying the Daily Devotional which will be available on my blog this weekend. I want to start the 9-week study on Monday , October 24th. If you can't afford the daily devotional, that's fine too because I will be supplying the full study right there on the blog and you can just follow along.

A Woman After God’s Own Heart—A Daily Devotional

Elizabeth draws on wisdom from her bestselling books (more than 4.3 million sold) and popular “Woman After God’s Own Heart” radio spots and podcasts to provide 365 dynamic devotions in a beautiful, pocket–size, padded cover format. With insight and “I’ve been there too” openness, Elizabeth shares practical ideas to help busy women get the most out of life. They’re encouraged to...

• jumpstart their day through God’s Word and prayer
• trust the Lord in every circumstance
• enjoy a daily harvest of the fruit of the Spirit
• experience the joy of serving God and others
• make every day count by setting and meeting goals
• love their families and model Christlikeness
• use their influence to motivate others

As readers focus on God’s truth and power, they’ll be uplifted and energized. Every woman needs to know God loves them, provides for them, and is always available to them!
ISBN #: 0-7369-2081-1
Page Count: 386
Published By: Harvest House Publishers in 2007

List Price: $14.00
Your Price: $14.00

Purchase Here Please 

Hall-O-WIN a Kindle and More Giveaway! Now thru Halloween at midnight!

I have teamed up with Jennifers Savings and Angela Newsom, author of the Coupon Quick Start Guide, to provide you with this wonderful giveaway of many prizes! The Grand Prize will be a Kindle, a free eBook of the Coupon Quick Start Guide, and a $20 Amazon.com Gift Card!!! The blogs participating in this have provided $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card, L'Oreal Youth Code Serum Intense, $25 Paypal Cash, $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card, Fully-Stocked Coupon Binder, Conair Purple 1" Curling Iron (new in box), Starbucks reusable tumbler and gift card, $25 Amazon.com gift card, Avon watch-Mother of Pearl face and "diamond" accents, $15 Target Gift Card, Cozy Comfort from Tastefully Simple, and 4 more of Angela Newsom's eBook: Coupon Quick Start Guide!!!!


As you can see, we have got some great prizes! This giveaway will run from October 19th through 12:01am on October 31st. Good Luck to everyone! Make sure to do the mandatory entries first, then do all of the optional entries too for your chance to win one of these great prizes!

Tuesday Twitter Party!

Hope that my fans will participate and have fun doing it!   Just another way to get involved and win fun prizes!

Join us every Tuesday for the chance to win some GREAT prizes!

This weeks prizes will be:

The More The Merrier: Falling into Fall Fashion with Avon (Sponsor Spotlight)

The More The Merrier: Falling into Fall Fashion with Avon (Sponsor Spotlight)

We got the Treats Pete! AVON EXCLUSIVE!

 

I've been showing Pete on my Avon Products by Carolyn site now for weeks!  So what's keeping you from ordering one?   I have him and he's great.   Plays his own style of "We've got the Beat!"   You're kids and the adults will love it.     I've even trained my dog to take two carrots treats from Pete's trick o' treat bag every morning before her 2 mile walk along our beach!   She knows when the music plays that there are carrots in his little bag.  How cute is that!  Here are some pictures to see it.   

Sandie hears the music and sees the carrots!

Sandie reaches into the bag and takes her two carrots from Pete!  We love it!

Pete is now $24.99 and is available from Campaign 21 here on this link:  CLICK HERE and he'll be available from now for another two weeks!   Don't miss your opportunity to buy him at this great price!

Watch this video to hear Pete and see him sway and sing!  He's 10" tall and uses 3 AA Batteries (not included) for ages 3 and up!  You can let the kids put some Halloween candy in his little bag and snack on them  :o)    Here's the video:  CLICK HERE and then CLICK on "Watch The Video" right under his picture!

Special Fan Giveaway! USA ONLY...

Hey fans!
Here's a special fan giveaway! Thanks for being so patient with me while I've been gone with my horrible fibromyalgia flare-up for two weeks! I've missed you and wanted to give you a special giveaway from me to you! You have to live in the USA to enter this giveaway. Or have a USA mailing address :o) Here are the two prizes and descriptions of them.

In Bloom by Reese Witherspoon Body Lotion   Value $15.00
Sensual and elegant, it entices the senses with gardenia blossoms and lush florals, enveloped in amber wood and peach tea leaves. Body Lotion. 6.7 fl. oz.

Award-winning actress, Hollywood producer and working mother, Reese embodies the perfect balance of inner and outer beauty. Her celebrity style and sensual elegance are captured in the heart of In Bloom.

”In developing In Bloom, I found myself drawn to the scents of my childhood in Tennesse. We had a great big magnolia tree in the backyard and it’s that beautiful white blossom that inspired the perfume. In Bloom is indicative of where I am in my life today. I’m feeling very strong and independent, and so happy, so full of life. The fragrance truly captures that feeling – it’s very sensual, very romantic and alluring.” – Reese Witherspoon for Avon

AVON SILICONE GLOVE PROTECTIVE HAND CREAM  Value $5.00
A family favorite!  This product has been with Avon for years and years now!  Continual and lasting gel protection against skin irritants. 3.4 fl. oz.

Now here's your RAFFLECOPTER and the required steps to do in order to win these products!  Thanks!

NEW GIVEAWAY!

Carolyn's Zucchini Oatmeal Carrot Walnut Bread

  I like making my own recipes and sharing them with others!  This is my latest creation during zucchini season!  It's good for people who are looking to cut calories and eat healthy.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup whole wheat flour           1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt                              1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 tsp. baking soda                 1/4 cup applesauce
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon          1/2 cup grated zucchini
1 egg from egg beaters              1/4 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup chopped walnuts           1/2 cup oatmeal (I use the flavored ones... maple brown sugar!)

DIRECTIONS

1,  Olive Oil Spray and whole wheat flour one 8 x 4 loaf pan.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2.  Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3.  Beat egg, oil, vanilla and brown sugar and nectar together in a large bowl.  Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well.  Stir in applesauce, zucchini, oatmeal, carrot and nuts until well combined.  Pour batter into prepared pan.
4.  Bake for 40 to 60 minutes or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on rack
for 20 minutes.  Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.   Enjoy eating!

Stop School Bullying!

I've watched Friday, Sept. 17th 48 Hours Mystery about School Bullying.  I'm sure that many of us remember being bullied or our friends being bullied in school or maybe our children being bullied.  It's a horrible thing and this show first showed a boy (with long hair) who preferred to sit with the girls and do "girl things" and had to transfer to his third school until something could be done about it.  The boy's mother got proactive about the situation and found out that once she brought it to the school's attention they would actually do something about it.   She met with other mother's whose child(ren) were being bullied.  She spoke at the school and asked the children who had been bullied or knew of someone being bullied and she found out that what started at 30% of the school rose to 70% of the school.   The teachers were placing placards like this one in their classroom and talking with the kids about talking to the teacher if anyone of them are being bullied.

 The first boy I'm speaking about actually said that he felt like killing himself.  He already causing self injury to himself by cutting himself and hurting himself.  Thankfully his mom stepped forward and did something about it! 

If you have any doubt that bullying kills then get a ticket to this play, The Bullycide Project and it tells the story of 150 children who took their lives since 1973 because they didn't think anyone could do anything about it.  Often the parents of these children are in the audience.  So many parents didn't know this was going on so they couldn't do anything.  But now they know and can do something. 

One gal, Jessie was tormented horribly.  And no one did anything about it, her friends failed her.  Then she did one thing that couldn't be undone.  She took a picture of herself naked and put it in a text.  And then she was attacked unmercifully.  A policeman told her that it would be a good idea to go public.  So she went on TV.  After this the attacking got worse.   People were spitting on her and hitting her.  One night she attended the funeral of a fellow student who had taken his life because of bullying.  That night she went and hung herself.  An awful tragedy.

Determined that something positive happen, Cynthia Logan went before the Ohio State Senate calling for a passing of the Jessica Logan Act...  an act to protect the children.   A mother there shared about her daughter being bullied in school and online.  The bullying started when she was 6.  It was in her daughter's 4th grade of school when she realized what was happening at the Catholic School she was attending and they did little to help her.  Tara was transferred in 5th grade and the friends from Dara's old school told her new friends how she was hated and then the new friends became haters too.  On FaceBook a group of kids started a Dara Hating group.  Horrible things were written about her.  The mother spoke to Dara about not hurting herself or killing herself and Dara shared that she would never do that.

Jacob, another boy interviewed shared where all the bullying "hotspots" were in his school.  He shared how in dodge ball people gang on some and just hit them like crazy.  He also shared that when kids share about it they get it worse.

Middle school tends to be the worse.  This is when hormones are raging, cliques are formed, friendships seem more important than anything else.   Is this ringing some familiarity to you?  

Dara's mom turned to Dara's principal and she turned in pages of documents and said it was bad but he said that he needed proof at school to do something.  He talked to the girls at school who were doing the bullying.  But nothing was done to punish them.  The mom became obsessed with finding out anything she could to help her daughter... online and offline.   She found out that one of the horrible things she found out is that children under the age of 13 are joining facebook.  Facebook says that they are aware of the problem but that they currently can't do anything about it.  Dara's mom took her off of FaceBook.

What's the law in your state about bullying?  Go to http://cbs.com/bullying

I was happy to find a number of good resources online to help with school and online bullying and here are some of them:

• SECRET on FACEBOOK has an anti bullying campaign... MEAN STINKS.  Please join there and help to support their program. 
• EYEGUARDIAN Keeping an eye on your children on FACEBOOK.
• Bullying and Violence:  What You Need to Know
• and many more resources can be found here:  I searched on SWAGBUCKS for it and found this information.

3000 FAN AVON PRODUCTS BY CAROLYN GIVEAWAY!

Congrats to all 3000+ fans at Avon Products by Carolyn!   Three other sponsors have joined in this giveaway and I thank them very much for doing this.  The prizes and sponsors are as follows:

AVON CANVAS COSMETIC BAG!

AVON MOISTURE THERAPY HAND CREAM

$5.00 WALMART GIFT CARD

TUPPERWARE OPEN HOUSE BUTTER DISH

Topaz and diamond created ring 10 carat white goldplated...truly stunning size 7

We hope that you all are excited about the chance to win any of these giveaway gifts and I've given you MORE CHANCES to win with this giveaway!  GOOD LUCK!

Beauty Brite's Giveaway Round Up!

   Come and join the giveaway!  She's offering great items!
Click Here

Back to School Recipes!

It's that time again and I know the moms and dads want to make excting back to school recipes for their kids!
So here is some help for you!

Ingredients:

2 large strawberries, halved 1/8 cantaloupe, cut into balls or cubes 3/4 bananas, peeled and cut into chunks

3/8 apple, cut into chunks 8 skewers

Directions:

You have scaled this recipe's ingredients to yield a new amount (2). The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield (5).

1.	Thread the strawberries, cantaloupe, banana and apple pieces alternately onto skewers, placing at least 2 pieces of fruit on each skewer. Arrange the fruit skewers decoratively on a serving platter.

Ingredients:

1 all-beef hot dog 1 hot dog bun 1 packet ketchup

1 packet prepared yellow mustard 2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.	Prepare your child's lunch box by packing the hot dog bun, ketchup, mustard and Cheddar cheese.
2.	Preheat your child's insulated beverage container by filling with boiling water. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes. I put the kettle on when I get up and let it heat while the kids get ready for school. Right before they leave, dump out that water and replace with more boiling water. The preheating keeps it hot for a longer time. Place a hot dog into the water and close the lid.
3.	When your child is ready for lunch, they can take the hot hot dog out of the container and place it on the bun. Top with ketchup, mustard and cheese to make a hot lunch from home.

Ingredients: 1 pita bread round 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 tablespoons pizza sauce 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup sliced crimini mushrooms 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt Directions: 1. Preheat grill for medium-high heat. 2. Spread one side of the pita with olive oil and pizza sauce. Top with cheese and mushrooms, and season with garlic salt. 3. Lightly oil grill grate. Place pita pizza on grill, cover, and cook until cheese completely melts, about 5 minutes. Ingredients: 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup quick cooking oats 3 tablespoons butter, softened 1 cup confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 2 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream Directions: 1. In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 1/2 cup peanut butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and beat well. 2. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir. Add oatmeal and stir. 3. Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet, and press each mound down with a fork to form 1/4 inch thick cookies. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or until cookies are a light brown. 4. To Make Filling: Cream 3 tablespoons butter or margarine with the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, and the cream. Spread filling onto half of the cooled cookies, then top with the other half to form sandwiches.

$100.00 VISA CARD GIVEAWAY!

Welcome to the $100 VISA Gift Card Giveaway! This giveaway is sponsored by 20 different blogs. To enter, simply follow each of us on Twitter using the Rafflecopter form below! Giveaway starts 9/7 at 12:00 am EST and ends 9/20 at 11:59 pm EST.

You only need to enter the giveaway on one of our blogs, but you can come back once a day to claim your daily entries too!

Libman Freedom Spray Mop Giveaway and Product Review

I recently had the opportunity to do a PRODUCT REVIEW on the Libman Freedom Spray Mop!   It's incredible!  I had been a loyal Swiffer Wet Jet user.   I did a test with coffee spilled on the floor in two places and cleaned the one spot with the Swiffer and the other with the Libman Freedom Spray Mop and the Libman won by far!

Some of the features of the Libman Freedom Spray Mop that won me over was the ability to be able to use a cloth mop that could quickly clean up the floor and rinse it out and place it back on the mop to continue to clean the rest of the floor.  No more earth-unfriendly features from the Swiffer.   The Swiffer uses harsh chemicals to clean the floor and the plastic cloth that goes into the landfills.  With the Libman Freedom mop all I have to do is throw the cloth into washer and dryer and it  comes out totally clean.   With the Libman Freedom mop I received an extra cloth and an extra refill bottle.   I'm able to make up my own floor cleaning solution!

With the Libman Freedom Spray Mop you get the following features:


-Freedom to choose any cleaning solution you want to put in: Your favorite cleaner, plain water, environmentally friendly solution etc. Removable bottle for easy filling.
-Freedom from costly and wasteful disposable pads- reusable microfiber pad can be machine washed up to 50 times. Safe on all flooring surfaces.
-Freedom from batteries- trigger sprayer allows you to control how much liquid is coming out.  Just grab and go, no heavy messy buckets to lug around
-Quality manufactured in the USA (Arcola, IL) by a 4th generation family owned company.
-Sold fully assembled in the mop and broom section of your favorite store.

I will never go back to the Swiffer Mop again.  The Libman Freedom Spray Mop is the mop for me!  Libman also gave me the opportunity to give away a free mop coming directly from them to you.   All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form and the random selection winner will receive the all the same things that I received!  Good luck!

AVON Stainless Steel and Silicone Tong Set REVIEW

046-027

Reg. $14.99

Expert grilling accessories.

Heat resistant up to 450º. Hanging loop. Large, 12" L . Small, 9" L. 2-piece set. Stainless steel, silicone. Imported

I bought these and absolutely love them!  They are great for the grill and great for indoor use too!  I've used a pair for use with teflon already and what a welcome surprise.  No scratches.   And I've used the other pair outside on the grill and they are excellent for that.   The pin at the end of the tongs pulls out and they close and lock when you need to put them away in a drawer.   I would suggest buying these soon as these items are going quickly.  Here is the link for you to be able to buy them.  CLICK HERE

Packing Healthy School Lunches

Packing a sack lunch is one way to ensure that your child will have a nutritious mid-day meal, and maybe even a healthy snack or two. The right lunch bag and accessories will allow you to pack a variety of healthy foods.

Lunch Bag Tech

Brown paper bags may be convenient and inexpensive, but they rip easily and don't help keep cold foods cold or hot foods hot. They're fine for a peanut butter sandwich and an apple, but not for much else. Metal or plastic lunch boxes with insulated beverage containers are one step up from the brown bag because they are sturdier. Your child can take a hot or cold beverage with his lunch, but it is still difficult to control the temperature of the foods -- so food choices are still limited.
Insulated lunch bags are the best choice for school lunches. Some insulated lunch bags are equipped with freezer packs; you can also buy freezer packs separately. There are bags with two or more compartments, so foods and beverages can be kept separate. Insulated lunch bags can be very fashionable as well. Some look more like a trendy purse or tote bag, and there are plenty of novelty bags to please any boy or girl.
The insulated bag and freezer packs will keep your child's lunch cold and, therefore, safe and fresh. Of course, your child may get tired of cold foods every day, so you also need insulated food jars for hot foods. Pick up a few plastic containers in smaller sizes and sandwich bags, too, and you'll be prepared to offer your child a variety of hot and cold healthy foods.

Healthy Lunch Bag Ideas

Sandwiches are a popular choice for a school lunch. Remember that meats, dairy products, and eggs are perishable, so be sure to use a freezer pack to keep them cold. Choose whole grain bread, wraps, or pitas. If your child resists whole grain breads, use bread that is made with some whole grain but still has the flavor and texture of white bread. Each sandwich should have a healthy protein source and healthy toppings. Some suggestions:

• Tuna sandwich wrap with light mayonnaise, lettuce and tomatoes
• Egg salad sandwich on whole grain bread
• Peanut butter, cashew, or almond butter with a 100 percent fruit spread on whole grain bread (a healthier PB&J)
• Sliced turkey, lean roast beef, or chicken from the deli--or left over from last night's dinner--with light mayonnaise, mustard, and a slice of cheese

What should you send along with the sandwich? A piece of fresh fruit is healthy but can get a bit boring after a while. Skip the greasy chips and choose from these healthier ideas, just remember to keep perishables cold:

• Send a salad in a small plastic container. Keep the dressing on the side in a separate smaller container.
• Cheese sticks go well with sandwiches and are a good source of calcium.
• Whole grain snack crackers add a nice crunch and lots of healthy fiber.
• Make a fruit salad with grapes, melons chunks, and blueberries.
• Dried fruit, like raisins, dried cranberries or banana chips
• Nuts like almonds, cashews, or walnuts
• Pack a cold pasta salad, cole slaw, or potato salad.
• Baby carrots with a small container of vegetable dip
• Crunchy raw green beans with a small container of ranch or french onion dip
• Prepackaged, flavored low-fat yogurt

Think Beyond the Sandwich

With insulated food jars, you can send hot foods to school, too, like leftovers from that delicious meal you made last night. Make sure the foods are heated up to at least 140 degrees before you load them into the insulated jars. Here are some hot food ideas:

• Beef and vegetable stew with a hard roll
• Chicken noodle soup and whole grain crackers
• Lasagna with a salad and bread
• Chicken casserole with carrots and vegetable dip.
• Chili with whole grain crackers or bread
• Left over stir-fry or sautéed vegetables

With the right lunch gear, your child can enjoy a delicious and healthy lunch every day. Add a small cookie or tiny piece of candy for dessert along with juice, milk, or water for a complete healthy and fun meal.

Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits Cinnamon Harvest PRODUCT REVIEW

Just received this free trial of Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits Cinnamon Harvest cereal in the mail along with a $1.50 off coupon for their products!  Excellent!   Snacked on the cereal without milk and it's delicious!  Here's the information about this cereal that you will most likely be interested in knowing:


Woven into the center of our organic wheat biscuits is a fusion of warm, spicy organic cinnamon and organic evaporated cane juice crystals. Baked together, these crunchy bite-sized biscuits will kindle your senses and satisfy your healthy side. With the goodness of over 20% of your daily fiber and over 2/3 of your daily recommended whole grain intake*, what’s not to love?

• 47g whole grains
• High fiber
• Low fat
• Sodium free
• USDA Organic—Certified Organic by Quality Assurance International 

Hoodiezz.com PEACE IN A PANDA Shirt Review

I received this lovely PEACE IN A PANDA tshirt from Chris, the owner of HOODIEZZ.COM and just love it!  It's a Women's Slim Fit T-shirt by American Apparel in white.  The shirt arrived promptly and in great condition!   It fits so nicely.

I would recommend that if you are buying this shirt that you buy a size larger than you regularly wear as these are snug.  Also the washing instructions recommend that the product should be washed inside out on a gentle cycle in cold water.  It is recommended that apparel be washed prior to wearing.  To avoid possible shrinkage:  Lay flat to dry.

The panda is just adorable and the quality of the shirt is the best!

PayPal $185.00 Cash Giveaway!

Think of all the things you could do with $185.00 and have fun doing it!   Just enter now to win!

Zucchini Recipes!

It's that time of year when everyone is looking for zucchini recipes!  Enjoy the fruits of your labor!  Zucchini origins stem from the Americas, although it was cultivated in Italy for many years after it’s initial discovery. It is picked immature from its flower, as it will be most flavorful and easiest to digest when small or medium sized. The flower is edible too (if you dare), and in Italy and other cultures, the flower is even breaded and fried before eating!

So why is Zucchini good for you? A serving of Zucchini only has 25 calories, and provides essential nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, and vitamin C (lets not forget fiber).  According to World’s Healthiest Foods, zucchini can help prevent cancer and disease. Not only that, it has more potassium than bananas!

MOM'S ZUCCHINI BREAD

makes 2 loaves

Prep Time: 20 Min   Cook Time: 1 Hr   Ready In: 1 Hr 40 Min

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 223 | Total Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 26mg

 ZUCCHINI ALFREDO

Prep Time:  15 Min  Cook Time:15 Min  Ready In:  30 Min

Original Recipe Yield 6 servings

  Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package uncooked egg noodles
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook 2 minutes. Mix in zucchini, and cook 10 minutes, until some of the moisture has evaporated.
3. Pour the milk into the skillet, and stir in cream cheese until melted. Mix in basil. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve over the cooked pasta.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 379 | Total Fat: 17.4g | Cholesterol: 72mg

 CALIFORNIA GRILLED VEGGIE SANDWICH

 Prep Time:30 Min    Cook Time: 20 Min   Ready In: 50 Min

Original Recipe Yield 4 servings

   

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 cup sliced red bell peppers
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 small yellow squash, sliced
• 2 (4-x6-inch) focaccia bread pieces, split horizontally
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Brush vegetables with olive oil on each side. Brush grate with oil. Place bell peppers and zucchini closest to the middle of the grill, and set onion and squash pieces around them. Cook for about 3 minutes, turn, and cook for another 3 minutes. The peppers may take a bit longer. Remove from grill, and set aside.
4. Spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on the cut sides of the bread, and sprinkle each one with feta cheese. Place on the grill cheese side up, and cover with lid for 2 to 3 minutes. This will warm the bread, and slightly melt the cheese. Watch carefully so the bottoms don't burn. Remove from grill, and layer with the vegetables. Enjoy as open faced grilled sandwiches.

Nutritional Information  

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 393 | Total Fat: 23.8g | Cholesterol: 22mg

 

 

 

$150.00 TARGET "Back to School" Spree Giveaway!

Did SUMMER just fly by for you and now it's time to get ready to buy some new clothes or school supplies or a combination of both for your child (children)?   Well this is the GIVEAWAY to help you!   A $150.00 TARGET "Back To School" Spree Giveaway can be yours if you enter this contest!  Be sure to go through all the pages on the Rafflecopter and LIKE each one, thanks!   Here is the list of participants:


Please include these in your blog post:

Sponsored by:
Oh My Gosh Beck!
Dollars2Dimes
Always Searching for Savings
Makobi Scribe
Keenly Kristin
Racing and Saving Mama
A Dime At A Time
Random Thoughts
Randomosity
Thrifty Ninja
The Centsational Saver
Conversations With Carolyn
Libby's Library
Beautiful mark. Girl
Baby Coupons & Stuff
Avon by Debby
Freebies and Deals
About A Mom
Let's Start Saving Now

AND HERE'S WHERE TO ENTER THE CONTEST:

Tonight's free game of DICE is sponsored by HOODIEZZ.COM for a free laptop sleeve

We are pleased to announce that Chris "Digits" Lamar is going to be giving away this FREE netbook or laptop Sleeve for tonight's FREE GAME OF DICE! Chris' store is HOODIEZZ.COM  Today I'm requiring that the players come to this blog entry and post that they are playing.   This is a huge gift!  Please do this....   go to http://www.facebook.com/My​Hoodiezz and LIKE his page and think about shopping the back-to-school event that he is having there!  You will see the link to the event on his FaceBook Fan Page.     


Dice is like rolling two dice only I do it from the RANDOM.ORG website.   It's like rolling a pair of regular dice and you will pick two numbers from 1-6 and I will roll the dice and tell you the numbers that come up on my roll from random.org .  In order to win, you have to get the same numbers in that exact order and then you type "DICE" and I will verify your numbers and see if you are indeed the winner.   Sound like fun?

I'll check Chris' website to see that the person who "won" has LIKED his website AND wrote a commnet on his page...  possibly something like thanking him for being the sponsor of DICE tonight on Avon Products by Carolyn.  This will all be explained again BEFORE the game begins so everyone knows the rules of the game.

Thank you Chris for sponsoring today's game!  We really appreciate you!

Necklace and free samples from Avon giveaway (F21 necklace!)

FAN APPRECIATION GIVEAWAY! LIVE NOW! Goes for one week! This is a Forever 21 necklace (description is given on the link below the picture) and you will also receive AVON samples! Please join soon! You only have a week! Thank you all for being fans and supporting Avon Products by Carolyn!

You can access this giveaway which runs from now and for one week at Avon Products by Carolyn Giveaway.