Date Night with Wanchai Ferry® and Macaroni Grill® Dry Dinner Kits Giveaway

Hubby and I don't get many date nights. His crazy schedule, plus having Baby D and limited finances makes going out impossible at times. And well trying to plan stuff at home hasn't always been easy. But we do love cooking at home, I love cooking things with chicken and we use the Macaroni Grill Dinner Kits a lot. Our favorite is the Chicken Marsala.


Do you remember your first date? Maybe it was dinner at a quiet little Italian restaurant, or dining on some takeout at home. Wherever you were when love first filled the air, Wanchai Ferry® and Macaroni Grill® Dry Dinner Kits can help you recreate that special evening in the comfort of your own home.


Enjoy an Asian escape with Wanchai Ferry restaurant-inspired dishes by simply adding your own protein to delicious entrees like Cashew Chicken, Spicy Garlic Chicken, Orange Chicken, and Kung Pao Chicken. Or bring the romance of Italian cuisine to your kitchen with Macaroni Grill favorites such as Chicken Piccata and Angel Hair Pasta, Creamy Basil Parmesan Chicken & Pasta, Chicken Alfredo with Linguine, Garlic & Herb Chicken Penne, and Chicken Marsala with Linguine.

So stay in and go all out!® Make your meal an experience by perhaps adding some ambiance with candles and flowers.

For more information and dinner tips, visit WanchaiFerryAtHome.com and MacaroniGrillAtHome.com. And be sure to follow Macaroni Grill on Twitter and “Like” the Facebook page to keep up with all of the latest news on your Macaroni Grill favorites!

Here is even an online coupon http://www.myblogspark.com/uc/main/198d/ for $1.50 off two packages of Wanchai Ferry and/or Macaroni Grill Dinner Kits.

(The products, prize pack, information and additional prize pack to give away were all given to me from Wanchai Ferry and Macaroni Grill through MyBlogSpark.)


Here's the giveaway info: One winner will receive Date Night prize pack that includes one Wanchai Ferry dry dinner kit, one Macaroni Grill dry dinner kit, and a $25 Visa gift card that you can use to create a magical date night at home.

Leave a comment for any/all of the way to enter. This giveaway will end Nov 20, 2010.



1. Leave a comment about your first date with your spouse/significant other?

2. Have you ever tried any of the Wanchai Ferry or Macaroni Grill kits? What's your favorite?

3. Follow me on Twitter
4. Become a fan of my blog on Facebook
5. Follow me on Google Friend Connect
6. Follow me by Network Blogs.
 

5 Ingredient Fix by Claire Robinson

I love to cook. I may not be the greatest at it (yet) but I do enjoy cooking and trying to find new, fun, great ideas. And since we are going to have to keep our spending under control once we move and eat at home more often than we do now (we still eat out a couple of times a week=bad for wallet). We are big fans of chicken and ground turkey.

With all that said, I received a copy of 5 Ingredient Fix by Claire Robinson to review. If you are a fan of Food Network (like I am) you will have seen her show of the same title. I love watching the Food Network because so many of the shows give me great ideas, (not that I'd be able to do some of the stuff lol).

In her book, Claire has outlined different types of foods and drinks to make by the type of meals. There are beautiful pictures of what the finished product should be (mine never turn out like that lol). And with so many different and wonderful foods that she has came up with, there should be something for every. I have not tried any yet, as we are in the process of moving, but I have my list for our house warming party, which include: Ginger and Lemon Roasted Chicken with Braised Fennel, (Whole chicken, ginger, butter, lemon and fennel are the only listed ingredients.); Santino's Creme Brulee ( I LOVE Creme Brulee and wonder if I can make some replacements with it to make it healthier but I will prolly stick to her's); Cheesy Penne (Penne, Milk, Dijon Mustard, heavy Cream, and White Cheddar Cheese yum). Also I can't wait to try the Cucumber-Watermelon margarita drink recipe. The recipes are simple and to the point and will help us when we are tight on time, and if you have young children you are always searching for ways to add more time.

So if you are looking for good food to make/try, have a limited budget like we do, and not a lot of time, Claire's book will be a good addition to your collection of cookbooks.

mamavation monday 10/18

Wow, so we had my son's 1st bday party this weekend. I can't believe it's been a year already. But it was a good party. We had a fairly decent menu (with what we could afford) of hot dogs, chicken and pizza (yea I know not the best) and we of course had cake. I was very proud of myself with only having one piece, before I would have had many many more pieces. And there is still half a cake left in my fridge, and it's just hanging out in there. It will prolly be thrown out in the next day.

I have lost 5 lbs, but that's after gaining about 10 lbs over the last few months. UGH, that was a big let down for me ( I finally got on a scale). With the move in 2 weeks, stress is getting higher and not fun. But I'll be working my arms out to lift all those boxes. I'm so looking forward to being out of here and getting to a much safer area.

This Monday is the Mamavation Twitter Party, where we get to meet the finalists and get our new moms, how exciting. Make sure to head over to Mamavation's page and check out the info on the party and everything else Mamavation. I'm looking forward to the Twitter party.

Also a big shout out to our Sista of the week is Angela aka ninemoremonths.  Congrats!!!!

GOD Strong~ Are you God Strong?

I am very fortunate to be participating in Wives of Faith Survival Sister Semester. We are reading our way through GOD Strong by the wonderful Sara Horn. (Which Sara has also graciously allowed me to give away a copy of her book as well to one of my readers~more to come on that later in another post). I figure that I will review the book and discuss it as I read through my chapters (which I will prolly read ahead since I'm really enjoying the book) so that maybe some other Mil spouses will be encouraged to read GOD Strong as well.

I know that for me, to admit that I'm not a strong person is a hard thing to do. I hate to say that I can't handle something and moreover hate to ask for help. I've always been independent and felt that I can handle anything, and if I can't do it then it doesn't need done. This is not the way it should be. More so in the lives that we, as Mil Spouses, lead. We are often enough left alone, without our spouse and family close by, to tend to our house, our kids, and anything else that happens to come into our life. It's not an easy task, and not for the faint of heart. But that doesn't mean that if you can't hack it, quit. What Sara has pointed out is that we need to rely on God and his strength to get through. We need to not be about ME Strength, but GOD Strength. We shouldn't buy into the lines that: God wont give me more than I can handle (I'm a serious offender of that one) and that God helps those that help themselves (which I have been like also). We need to share our problems with God and let him take over some of the burden. Sara also has mentioned in Chpt 2 that we need to learn how to PACE: Pursue, Act, Concentrate, and Encourage. I like her topic on Encouragement, that is an area that I need to work on. I do a lot of negative talk when things are rough or when I feel discouraged, and that doesn't help me or anyone else.

I'm only two chapters in to GOD Strong, but I'm loving every word of it. It's giving me so many of those "Ah Ha" moments, you know the ones where you realize that, "Oh man I just said that I'm fat and not going to lose this weight" yesterday to myself, which is part of that negative self talk that we need to dispose of. I'm looking forward to reading more of this book and sharing it with you.

A year

I can't believe how fast a year goes by. This time last year I was stressing about Homecoming and about having Baby D. I was busying getting the last few thing ready for both the boys to come home. I was anxious about how Hubs would look at me. Seeing as I myself felt like a beached whale.

But he didn't care. He thought I was beautiful. We didn't get any homecoming pics from that day. Things were crazy and there was confusion, but I didn't care, I just was glad he was home.

Well our time together just us was cut short because I ended up in the hospital because of the swine flu. I went in on Saturday, I was due to be induced on the following Wednesday, so they kept me until either I went into labor or was induced, and then stayed till Saturday. So hubby first week was spent mainly in the hospital, and he got to spend 1 day at home before having to go back from leave.

But I would not change any of that crazy time we had together for anything in the world. I was glad to have my hubby home in time for the birth of our first child, and i know that a lot of us mil spouses aren't as lucky. I know that I am lucky for the people in my life and I'm grateful for them every day. Boy what can happen in a year.

Mamavation Monday 10/4

A new month has come. Which will also be a very busy month for us. We've got 2 big birthdays to celebrate, and we are moving. Well we are closing on our house on the 29th and hoping to move the first week of Nov. It's very exciting since we are buying our OWN house. And I'm happy with the area, it's nice and safe and I can take the baby for strolls, and there are parks nearby so that will help.

My last week has had its ups and downs. It rained all but one day last week, which wasn't fun and I didn't get out to walk at the Park like I enjoy, but I did get some workouts in. Plus packing and lifting is helping to build my muscles LOL. I'm hoping that the weather will be fair for the 5k Pink Ribbon Walk on Wednesday. If not, that will be a big dissapointment, but I have another 5k walk at the end of the month to do. I'm very excited and I think it will be great. I've been tracking my meals, but its not been great. Being cooped up inside has made me want to eat, and I've been fighting with bad choices, but thankfully I have some fruit and I love fruit.

I hope that everyone had a great week last week and that this week is good for all the Mamavation Sistas.

Schedule a personal tune-up

Schedule a personal tune-up

Proper nutrition is part of the foundation of a healthy life. Your car needs the right amount of gas and periodic tune-ups to make it run smoothly and prevent future problems. Your body needs healthy food and periodic check-ups too. Make a goal to start treating your body the right way. Take care of yourself. Eat the right foods and make sure to visit your doctor regularly. If you start maintaining and tracking your progress, you will probably see dramatic positive results in the way your body runs.


He who does not mind his belly will hardly mind anything else.

- Samuel Johnson



From SparkPeople.com Healthy Reflections email. Check out SparkPeople.com for great diet/fitness tips.

What you really learn from hardships

From SparkPeople Healthy Reflections daily email. Check out SparkPeople.com

What you really learn from hardships

"Perhaps you think this isn't very �positive' sounding, but I find it helps people (patients and friends) put hardship, which is inevitable, to good use," says Richard. "People can use their suffering either to gain character or become bitter. The ones who choose bitterness live a long, slow death. The ones who choose character truly live." Richard is right on the money. Happiness and sadness don't happen to us--they come from within. The story of your life will be written with or without your help. The next chapter is happening while you read this. Will you wait to see what it says later, or will you help write it?

Suffering is the tuition one pays for a character degree. - Richard M. Rayner, M.D., SparkPeople member

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Gotta love rain

Well not really. This week it has pretty much rained here in the area, and it sucks. I'm not thrilled with it because that means I can't get out to walk at the park, and everything floods around here, no fun. And now hubs is trying to see if the house we are buying is flooded. Oh yea, did I mention that we are buying a house? We found the perfect little house in VA Beach. And we should close on the 29th of this month OMG. While I'm typing this hubs called and said the house wasn't flooded, but the streets are. Oh well that happens. But yay. I'm off to get ready to go to commissary soon to get pay day food. LOL.