Jolly Mom: Recipes | Crafts | Atlanta Mom Blogger | Brand Ambassador | Product Reviews

Creamed spinach is one of our favorite side dishes. It's a staple on our weekly menu and family always requests that I make it for holidays. It's healthy and delicious and even the pickiest of eaters will love it. Best of all, it is super easy and quick to make!



Creamed Spinach Recipe

Ingredients
* 20 oz bag frozen spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1/2 medium onion, minced
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 1/3 of a block of cream cheese, cut into pieces
* 1/2 cup milk or half and half
* salt and pepper to taste


Directions
1. In a large pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until onion becomes translucent about 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add cream cheese and milk{or half and half} and stir until cream cheese is melted and smooth. Stir in spinach. Simmer over medium heat until mixture thickens and is heated through, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

COOKING TIP: For best results, make sure the spinach is thoroughly drained before using. I like to squeeze handfuls in between a clean kitchen towel.

Submitted to the following weekly memes: Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, Life as Mom, A Beautiful Mess, $5 Dinners, Blessed with Grace

Atlanta readers...The Greatest Show On Earth is coming to town--both to the Phillips Arena and to the Gwinnett Arena! Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Barnum’s FUNundrum!, which celebrates the 200TH anniversary of the birth of the legendary P.T. Barnum and features 130 performers from six continents, almost 100,000 pounds of performing pachyderms, cowboys, pirates, and mermaids, Barnum’s FUNundrum! is a super-sized spectacle so massive you just can’t miss it!

About FUNundrum!: Step right up and see the Flying Caceres attempt to complete the elusive quadruple somersault on the flying trapeze; a feat that hasn’t been mastered in over three decades. Watch the Puyang troupe from China dazzle with a stunning display of dexterity as they bounce, flip, and twirl to new heights on a two-tiered trampoline. Be amazed as you witness the impossible contortions of the body benders who fit three humans in a cube the size of a milk crate. Enjoy the wondrous ability of the Mighty Meetal, the strongest man in the world, as he lifts over 1,200 pounds. And savor the stupendous skills of the hand balancers featuring Duo Fusion, a married pair of performers with a twist; the wife does the heavy lifting.

Make sure to arrive an hour before show time for the All Access Pre-show – FREE to all ticket holders, and meet performers and animals, learn circus skills and enjoy a taste of the performance before the show even starts!

Tickets for Barnum’s FUNundrum! are on sale now and are available through www.Ringling.com, Ticketmaster, Philips Arena or the Gwinnett Arena box office. Tickets are $14, $22, $28, $35 ($35 tickets are only at Philips) and a limited number of Circus Celebrity, VIP and Front Row tickets.

Performance Schedule
Feb. 17 – 21, 2011 at the Philips Arena
Thurs. – 7:30 p.m.
Fri. – 10:30 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sat. – 11 a.m., 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Sun. – 11 a.m., 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Mon. – 11 a.m. & 3 p.m.

Feb. 24 – 27, 2011 at the Arena at Gwinnett
Thurs. – 7:30 p.m.
Fri. – 10:30 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sat. – 11 a.m., 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Sun. – 12 p.m. & 4 p.m.


This contest is closed. Congratulations to the winner, Carolina Girl Mommy!




I was provided with complimentary tickets to the  circus. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

If you haven’t seen Disney’s newest movie Secretariat, then you are missing out. This movie is absolutely outstanding. It’s a movie about courage and triumph that gives you chills and leaves you with a sense of joy. What makes this amazing story even better is that it really happened! This movie is the true story about the 1973 Triple Crown Winning horse, Secretariat.


Penny Chenery, played by Diane Lane, is a devoted wife and mother who inherits her parent’s horse farm. Against the wishes of her brother and husband, she decides to continue her father’s dream of horse breeding. With the help of her parent’s friend and assistant Miss Hamm, played by Margo Martindale, and the wildly eccentric French horse trainer Lucien Laurin, played wonderfully by John Malkovich, Penny decides to enter the male dominated world of horse racing. She is absolutely fearless. She uses her combination of knowledge (gained from her Dad when she was a girl), heart, guts, and spirit to bring to the racing world what people still consider to this day to be the greatest racing horse of all time, Secretariat. The acting in this movie is phenomenal. Malkovich is priceless and Lane is perfect in her role as the strong and classy Chenery. The movie really displays what Penny had to go through and the risks she had to take to save her family’s farm and to make Secretariat a winner.


My favorite part of the movie is the last race. In all the previous races Secretariat was allowed to start slow until mid way through the race, when she would kick into high gear to finish first. The worry in the past races was that over the long haul, Secretariat would not last. With the last race, The Belmont Stakes, being the longest race, Penny and Lucien decide to push the horse and just let him run. And run he does! Secretariat goes on to win the final race in the Triple Crown by 31 lengths over his rival Sham. The speed at which Secretariat ran and the distance by which he won at the Belmont, still stands today.



What made this movie even better was that it came loaded on a 2 disc blu-ray/DVD combo. The blu-ray came with tons of features, my favorite of which was A Director’s Inspiration: A Conversation with The real Penny Chenery. I love her hearing about this amazing story directly from the woman who lived it.
This movie just left me with chills and a happiness that can’t be explained. Hollywood has become so filled with true story movies that end sadly. I loved that Secretariat was true and had a happy ending. It was a great story about hard work and triumph that my whole family enjoyed. Definitely see this movie. Your family will enjoy it as well.

DISC BONUS FEATURES:
DVD:
• Heart Of A Champion - This feature takes a look at one of the most famous thoroughbred horses ever known. Secretariat was a horse with style as well as amazing speed and an unsurpassed racing record. We interview all the key players from the day as well as today’s filmmakers to learn more about the horse affectionately called “Red.”
• Deleted Scenes With Optional Audio Commentary By Director Randall Wallace
o Director Introduction
o Memories
o Seth Joins The Team
o Too Soon T o Celebrate
• Music Video – AJ Michalka “It’s Who You Are”


BLU-RAY:
The same as the DVD, plus...
• Choreographing The Races - This piece looks at how director Randall Wallace and the filmmakers used innovative tools and technology to accurately and excitingly recreate the Triple Crown races that make the viewer feel like they are standing on the backstretch themselves.
• A Director’s Inspiration: A Conversation With The Real Penny Chenery - Director Randall Wallace sits down with Secretariat owner Penny Chenery to review the movie and some of the key scenes. Penny reflects on what it was like to have been a woman in a male dominated sport and to have been part of horse racing’s most exciting moments in history.
• Audio Commentary By Director Randall Wallace - View the film with optional audio commentary from Director Randall Wallace.
• Deleted Scenes With Optional Audio Commentary By Director Randall Wallace - The same deleted scenes as the DVD, plus four more...
o Alternate Opening
o Introduction
o “Are You A Golfer?”
o No Time To Rest
• Secretariat Multi-Angle Simulation - Relive Secretariats triumphant 1973 Preakness race by viewing the race from a number of perspectives as well as listening to commentaries from fans, announcers and even the jockey who rode Secretariat to their record finish.

SPECIAL OFFER! For a limited time Disney Movie Rewards is offering $8.00 off the purchase of the Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack! Click image below to get your coupon.





The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

Thank you to Lori from Moms by Heart for compiling the best deals at CVS this week! For the full list, please make sure you stop by Moms By Heart!

Last week, I told you guys about the spectacular Renew Your Bath promotion going on at The Home Depot. Mike and I visited our local Home Depot this past weekend and we were blown away by the great deals. They have reduced prices on pretty much everything you need to give your bathroom a makeover--everything from vanities, faucets, lighting and more. What I really love is that there is something for every budget--how about a bathroom remodel for under $200?!


The Home Depot has some very helpful how to videos on YouTube if you are need of some inspiration. Here is one of my favorites...


To celebrate the Renew Your Bath event, The Home Depot wants to give one of YOU the opportunity to makeover your bath for less!




The Home Depot works with bloggers such as myself to conduct product reviews. They do not tell bloggers what to say about their products or how to say it. The Home Depot fundamentally believes that people should be free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. The Home Depot often provides product – free of charge – to bloggers for review as they did for this post. The Home Depot’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. The Home Depot provided me with a gift card to shop the Renew Your Bath event and post my experience. All opinions expressed in this article are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

Honk your horns, choo choo! Chuggington will be debuting a new train set next month that will amaze little chuggers everywhere! Check out the new Interactive All Around Chuggington Train Set by Learning Curve...


The set includes Wilson, Roundhouse with Vee, tunnel, crane, bridge and 39 pieces of track. This is not an ordinary train set though. The All Around Chuggington Train Set is interactive. The trains actually recognize, talk, and react to one another using SmartTalk technology. There are also three interactive train stops-- a loading yard, a tower platform, and a roadhouse with an interactive Vee! Vee also recognizes the engines and gives them each a specific job to do. With over 300+ sounds and phrases, the All Around Chuggington Train Set is the ultimate toy for the die-hard Chuggington fan!


The All Around Train Set is not available in the US until February, but it's a huge hit in the UK already. The Set we received to review actually has British accents, but Lucas does not mind one bit though LOL. We let him open the train set on Christmas morning and it was {and still is} one of his favorite gifts. He loves lining all the trains up and listening to them talk to one another.  Lots of fun!


Setting it up is not difficult, but it does take about 30-45 minutes figuring out all of the track pieces, etc. Once you figure it out, then setting up again is not as time consuming. If you have the space--leave the track set up though. Since this train set is highly interactive, there are a lot of required batteries. However, on the plus side--all eleven of the batteries are included, which is really nice and means you can begin playing right out of the box.

One thing I really like about the trains themselves is that they are quite larger than the die cast trains. Lucas seems to like these better and they are perfect for his little hands.




Be on the lookout for the new Interactive All Around Chuggington Train Set to hit US stores in February! For more information, visit LearningCurve.com or Chuggington.com.





The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

Link up your giveaways!

Please make sure to link directly to the giveaway and list the name of the giveaway along with the expiration date. Don't forget to stop by Go Graham Go to link up over there as well!

Thanks to Trop 50 for sponsoring my writing about fabulous bloggers. This year Trop50 is granting 50 fabulous wishes. Click here to enter for a chance to win $1,000 to help grant a friend's wish!

Choosing just five fabulous bloggers is an impossible feat. I have made friends blogging. Lots of them. Felicia, Dana, Sue, Jennifer, Stacie, "Lucy", Alesha, Alissa, Yoly, Audrey, Jennifer, Dee, Desiree, Alexis, Alicia and more. Many more. All of them beyond fabulous.

So, I thought I'd start at the beginning with a blogger who inspired me before I knew what blogging really even was. Amy from MomAdvice.com. Amy is a fellow foodie and regularly features FABULOUS recipes. One of my family's favorite Autumn meals are Amy's Deliciously Pumpkin Spiced Waffles. Seriously, every time I make these waffles for my family, everyone sings my praises. The phrase "Best Mom and Cook Ever" gets thrown around as well LOL. Amy also makes it a point to feature other fabulous bloggers in her weekly Notebook post. She's crafty, thrifty, and has a heart of gold!

Everyone knows Ree from ThePioneerWoman.com, right? If you don't, then you need to crawl out from under your rock and head over there right now. Ree's site is one of the most drool-worthy sites around. Amazing photography. Delicious recipes. Humor. Life. Love. ThePioneerWoman.com has it all. She inspires me every day and is also one of the first blogs I ever read.

Felicia from GoGrahamGo.com was one of the first people to ever comment on my blog over 2 years ago. Almost instantly, Felicia and I became fast friends. The best of friends. Felicia is a school counselor, mom of two boys, and also has a heart of gold. She features the best products on her site and always takes the time to include personal pictures and videos with her reviews. Felicia also dabbles in graphic design and creates free printables for her readers. Check out her adorable Valentine's Cards!

As someone who has struggled with fluctuating weight my entire life, Renee from CutieBootyCakes.com is truly an inspiration to me. Renee lost a lot of weight over the last couple of years and has kept it off. Her honesty and will to succeed motivate me to do the same. On her blog, Renee reviews fitness products, chronicles her weight loss journey, and she always makes time to work with charities. Renee actually lives right here in Atlanta and I am honored to call her a friend! Make sure to follow Renee's Fresh Start.

If you live in the South and want to save money, then you have to check out Jenny's blog, SouthernSavers.com. I am pretty sure we have saved thousands of dollars because of Southern Savers. Jenny does all of the coupon matching work for you. Kroger. Publix. Target. CVS. Walgreens. Pretty much every grocery type store in the South. Her printable shopping lists with coupon matchups are priceless!

Don't forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to support a friend's wish. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses
Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.

If you haven't already visited Crisco.com's Cookie Central, you definitely should stop by and take a look. They have wonderful recipes--one in particular that I am clamoring to try soon--the Homemade Cookie Mix. it's basically a mix that you keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.


Crisco has a dozen cookie recipes that can be made from that one mix. Just take a look at these...


all made from the Homemade Cookie Mix. Easy peasy!

You can also find helpful instructional videos and cookie baking tips--everything you need to whip up the perfect batch of cookies!

In addition, Crisco.com recently held a National Cookie Survey and the results are in! From gingerbread to oatmeal to sugar cookies with sprinkles, home bakers didn’t hold anything back on this year’s holiday cookie quota. According to the Crisco® National Cookie Survey**, 71 percent of adults bake, on average, roughly eight dozen cookies each. The survey also shed some light on who in each household is more-likely to take indulge themselves and sneak a cookie. Half of American adults fessed up to being the first to succumb to their sweet tooth. That is, unless they have children at home, in which case adults are more likely to say their child takes the first bite (40%) rather than themselves (33%) for being the first to reach into the cookie jar.

Crisco.com has a fun giveaway for you guys today!





Crisco provided me with a complimentary gift pack as a thank you for spreading the word about their microsite, Cookie Central. All opinions expressed in this article are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

We have made so many great memories at Great Wolf Lodge and Lucas always remembers our time spent there. It is absolutely one of our favorite family vacation spots! If you have always wanted to take your family, now is the time to do it. This Wednesday, Jan. 26 at 11 a.m., Great Wolf’s 48 Hour Sale – their biggest sale of the year – will go live. The sale is good on stays from January through April.

On January 26th, visit www.greatwolf.com/value and book your stay using the promo code 48HOUR to save up to 20 percent during the sale!

Years ago, I learned the easiest, most foolproof method of cooking bacon. In the oven. There's no mess, no splatters, no fuss, and you can cook up a huge batch of bacon all at one time without even breaking a sweat. Best of all, oven baked bacon always turns out perfectly crispy--just like bacon should be.


Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Arrange bacon slices on a baking sheet making sure that the pieces do not overlap.
  
  
  
  
  
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. How long really depends on whether or not the bacon is sliced thick or thin or even your particular oven model.
• Keep your eye on the bacon starting at 15 minutes into the baking time. The bacon can go from done to burned in no time at all. As soon as the bacon is golden brown, immediately remove it from the oven and transfer to a pan lined with paper towels.

SANITY SAVING TIP: For easy cleanup, line your baking sheet with aluminum foil before arranging the bacon slices on it. When the bacon is done, just remove the foil and toss. Easy peasy!

While the bacon is baking, you can get the rest of breakfast prepared. If you're looking for inspiration, try these delicious cinnamon pancakes or waffles.

Submitted to the following weekly memes: Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, Life as Mom, A Beautiful Mess, $5 Dinners, Blessed with Grace

Lucas really loves the Sprout channel and one of his favorite characters is Bob the Builder. The newest DVD out is Bob the Builder: The Golden Hammer. This is a 60 minute movie that has Bob and the crew traveling to Fixham Harbour where they go on many adventures filled with pirates and treasure. Lucas loves Bob the Builder and he loves pirates, so naturally this DVD is a favorite of his.


Shiver me timbers! Bob the Builder™ and his Top Team have moved to Fixham Harbor for a swashbuckling new adventure. Spud and Scrambler learn about the legend of Pirate Brickbeard's Golden Hammer, a treasure that he has hidden in their new town. The team must follow the clues to find its location. Can they find it? Yes, they can! All hands on deck for a treasure trove of mystery and fun!

Buy it at Amazon.com for $5.99.


Along with Bob the Builder, Lucas is also a huge fan of Fireman Sam. But for one reason or another he never seems to catch much of the show on Sprout. So he was really excited to get the new released DVD Fireman Sam: Ready for Action. I really like the old style show that used the clay figures, but Lucas prefers the new computer animated style show. The DVD has 5 great episodes including “Going out with a Bang”, “Sticky Situation”, “Best Foot Forward”, “Hot Air”, “Alarm on the Beach”. I really like the Fireman Sam episodes because they all teach a good lesson and they even teach some basic fire safety.


Fireman Sam is ready for action in five exciting episodes! The alarm has sounded and the Pontypandy crew is off to rescue their friends and others in need. From engine sparks and wild fireworks to water rescue and more, you don’t want to miss these adventures with your favorite hero!

Buy it at Amazon.com for $7.99.


Thomas is back again with another great DVD filled with four new episodes. Thomas is always a favorite of most kids and Lucas is one of them. It’s another show where I preferred the old model style, but I think Lucas enjoys the new CGI animated style. And Thomas & Friends is also noted for how well the show incorporates good lessons for kids. This DVD has four episodes including “Lion of Sodor”, “Thomas and the Pigs”, “Time for a Story”, “Hiro Helps Out”.


Join Thomas as he roars down the tracks with the most special delivery yet, the Lion of Sodor. Thomas’ special delivery is not what he thinks it is – a real lion. When the other trains try to tell him that it’s actually a statue, he is too excited to listen. Hop on board with Thomas as he learns the importance of listening to others in this lionhearted collection of tales from the tracks.

Buy it at Amazon.com for $10.99.


For fans of SpongeBob, the newest DVD release, SpongeBob SquarePants Season 6 Volume 2, is a must own. It contains 23 episodes and is the follow up to season 6 volume 1. SpongeBob is as funny as ever as he shares his many hilarious underwater adventures with you.


Prepare for waves of laughter with Season 6, Volume 2 of SpongeBob SquarePants! Hours of absorbing adventures find SpongeBob learning about Vikings - right from the source, getting locked inside a toy store, impersonating his favorite super hero, and helping Plankton with the perfect anniversary gift. Plus, you're invited to the party of the century when Neptune celebrates his big 5-0-0-0 at the Krusty Krab in the double-episode, "SpongeBob and the Clash of Triton," featuring special guests Victoria Beckham and Sebastian Bach! So dive in: the water's fine, and the laughs are finer!

Buy it at Amazon.com for $22.99.


I love Yogi the Bear! I used to watch Yogi and Boo-Boo when I was a kid all the time. They were always getting into things while trying to avoid the park ranger. Well a new DVD has just been released for the winter season, Yogi Bear’s All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper. Yogi leaves the park and finds himself in a department store where he impersonates Santa. And like all great holiday shows, the Christmas spirit is rediscovered. Lucas really enjoyed the DVD and he was thrilled by all the new characters he was introduced to. I may have even enjoyed the DVD more than him…brings back memories.


Yogi Bear and his pal Boo Boo live in Jellystone Park, where they constantly sneak behind the back of Ranger Smith to steal picnic baskets from unsuspecting vacationers. Yogi made his debut in 1958, as part of "The Huckleberry Hound Show." The character proved so popular, he was given his own show in 1960, also sponsored by Kellogg's Cereals. In addition to Yogi, the show featured separate cartoons with the new characters Snagglepuss and Yakky Doodle. Through 1962, 70 Yogi Bear cartoons were produced, all of them featuring Daws Butler as the voice of Yogi, and Don Messick as Boo Boo. In this Christmas Special, Yogi escapes from Jellystone and hides out in a department store - posing as the Store's Santa. Along the way, he helps a little girl to rediscover her faith in Christmas.

Buy it at Amazon.com for $12.99.



The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

Embrace the winner of the Heartland Truly Moving Picture Award, LIKE DANDELION DUST, which arrives on DVD on January 25th from Fox Searchlight Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.


Based on the novel by New York Times Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, LIKE DANDELION DUST features a strong ensemble cast including Academy Award® winner Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite), Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan, *61) and Cole Hauser (2 Fast 2 Furious).

LIKE DANDELION DUST is a compelling drama about the intertwined lives of two families and the struggles of parenthood. Joey has had a picture-perfect life with the privileged Campbell family until the day they receive a startling phone call telling them that Joey’s birth parents want him back. Now a judge's decision could tear him away from the only home he has ever known. Each character will be tested as one family fights to keep the son they love and the other to begin a new life.

This award winning film expresses the message of unconditional love and touches the hearts of audiences everywhere.






The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

Thank you to Lori from Moms by Heart for compiling the best deals at CVS this week! For the full list, please make sure you stop by Moms By Heart!