Believe in Heroes – Support Wounded Warrior Project & Save on Groceries! #BelieveinHeroes #sponsored

I’m participating in the 2014 Believe in Heroes blogger campaign and received compensation as part of the program.

I’m thrilled to share with you an amazing organization called Believe in Heroes. This organization has helped raise more than $16 million for the Wounded Warrior Project which in turn has helped serve more than 40,000 wounded service members.

What Is Believe In Heroes?

Believe in Heroes was created in 2010 in collaboration with Acosta Sales & Marketing to make a positive impact on the new generation of injured service members who have made significant sacrifices to preserve our freedoms and protect our country. Most veterans face challenges as they transition back into civilian life, and today's wounded veterans are meeting extraordinary obstacles including, the physical injuries as well as invisible ones, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It’s time for EVERYONE to take part in ensuring our injured service members are well taken care of.

Beginning September 7, 2014 and running through Veterans Day, November 11, 2014, Believe in Heroes calls on Americans to show their support and appreciation for our service members and newest generation of veterans in a simple everyday way — grocery shopping. Each participating brand and retailer will help raise funds and awareness for WWP through the Believe in Heroes campaign.

What is The Wounded Warrior Project?

Wounded Warrior Project (founded in 2003) is a veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, services and events for wounded veterans of the military actions (Iraq and Afghanistan) following the events of September 11, 2001.

The vision of Wounded Warrior Project is to “foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation’s history” by raising awareness of the needs of severely injured service members. Honoring and empowering Wounded Warriors is their mission.

Get Involved

Show your support and appreciation for wounded service members and their families in a very simple way – grocery shopping. Each participating brand and retailer in the Believe in Heroes campaign is helping further the Wounded Warrior Project mission – to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. Join in the support and download your favorite coupons today!

{1} Shop and save over $25 in coupon saving by visiting HERE.

Just simply purchase items from participating brands and retailers. By supporting these brands will ensure continuation of this important project. Coupons are available through 11.30.14, or while supplies last.

{2} Show your support by ordering merchandise directly from the Believe In Heroes in stores or online HERE.

{3} Donate to the Wounded Warrior Project directly HERE.

Learn More

Connect: You can connect with Wounded Warrior Project on Facebook and follow them on Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube.

Need More: You can learn more, purchase WWP merchandise, print money-saving coupons and donate by clicking HERE.

[Sponsored product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free from the manufacturer of a PR Agency. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." See ace and friends Disclosure Policy HERE.]

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Great Deal! Save $4 off day pass or $20 off stay at Big Splash Adventure Indoor Water Park and Resort

Are you trying to keep it interesting this summer... make sure to check out this Great Deal from US Family Guide!

Save $4 off day pass or $20 off stay at Big Splash Adventure  in French Link, Indiana!

My Readers receive $4 off day pass admission OR $20 off overnight stay at Big Splash Adventure Indoor Water Park and Resort with this EXCLUSIVE COUPON from US Family Guide.

Enjoy 40,000 Square Feet of Water Park Fun! 

Big Splash Adventure Indoor Water Park & Resort offers an exciting water park adventure for the entire family! Experience tropical luxury in a family friendly environment! 154, smoke free and pet free, Family Friendly Rooms & Suites are waiting - many feature bunk beds! 

No weather worries! This water park is enclosed in a beautiful glass structure - one of the few retractable roof water parks in the world!

Now, who doesn't LOVE  a GREAT water slide! Make sure to check it out... I know we will!

[Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free from the manufacturer of a PR Agency. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." See ace and friends Disclosure Policy HERE.] Pin It

Great Deal! Save $50 off Overnight Stays OR $12 off Day Passes at Fort Rapids Indoor Water Park!

Are you trying to keep it interesting this summer... make sure to check out this Great Deal from US Family Guide!


Save $50 off Overnight Stays OR $12 off Day Passes at Fort Rapids Indoor Water Park in Columbus, Ohio!

Ford Rapids is central Ohio's largest indoor water park resort. It is the perfect family fun travel destination where 60,000 square feet of wet and wild fun is waiting for the whole family. Come relax and unwind in one of their guest rooms or family style villa suites, then zip down 12 unique water rides, float in the lazy river, get drenched by the 1,000 gallon tipping bucket and win big at the 5,000 square foot Gold Rush Arcade.


Now, who doesn't LOVE  a GREAT water slide! Make sure to check it out... I know we will!


[Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free from the manufacturer of a PR Agency. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." See ace and friends Disclosure Policy HERE.] Pin It

Playdate Viewing Party - *An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars*

Did you and your favorite little gymnast get a chance to watch An American Girl - McKenna Shoots for the Stars from Universal Home Entertainment yesterday on NBC.

In celebration, we decided to have a little playdate fun that involved lots of friends, viewing the McKenna - Shoot For The Stars movie and outdoor fun!

First let me tell you a little more about the movie!

An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars Debuts on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download

AVAILABLE NOW!

Summary:  A talented young gymnast turns trials into triumphs in the inspiring new feature-length movie, An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars™, coming to Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital Download on July 3, 2012, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.  Inspired by the beloved American Girl® line of dolls and featuring the celebrated 2012 Girl of the Year®, the film stars Oscar® nominee Nia Vardalos (My Life In Ruins, My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Jade Pettyjohn (“The United States of Tara”) as McKenna™, Ian Ziering (“Beverly Hills 90210”), Kerris Dorsey (Moneyball, “Brothers & Sisters”) and former Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby (Broadway’s “Peter Pan”).  

A modern and heartwarming original story about a young girl whose dream to compete as a world class gymnast is jeopardized when she begins to have trouble in school, An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars™ helps girls learn to believe not only in their family and friends but also themselves.

Get a sneak peak of movie below:

A little more about best friends, McKenna Brooks and Toulane Thomas:

MCKENNA BROOKS

McKenna is an energetic, determined girl who lives for gymnastics—at least she thinks she does, until an injury and a wise tutor help her see that there are other things that she cares about, too. She’s goal-driven and wants to make her family proud, which is why she’s so embarrassed when her grades start to slip. At the gym, McKenna is super competitive, but she puts that competitiveness aside to support her teammates. She makes mistakes sometimes, but she always strives to be a good student, gymnast, and friend.

TOULANE THOMAS

Toulane Thomas has been McKenna’s gymnastics teammate since the girls were three years old. A strong, competitive gymnast, Toulane pushes McKenna to stay on her game and do her best. Toulane is sometimes too competitive, though, and puts a lot of pressure on herself to succeed and to live up to her mother’s expectations. Like McKenna, Toulane needs to learn about life “balance” and remember how to just have fun.

ace and friends playdate fun!

First the kids were introduced to the McKenna swag. They enjoyed filling out their activity sheets together as a TEAM.

The girls loved the specially designed American Girl bracelets. They said they felt like American Girl superheroes with their matching bracelets.

Next we (well, most of the viewing crew... anyway.... the little ones were hard to corral) sat down to our exclusive viewing party to enjoy An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars.

The kids absolutely LOVED this movie (as did the adults). What I really appreciate about all American Girl movies is that they always include positive messages regarding family and friends. This particular movie stressed the importance of asking for help when you need it and to know that you're not alone. The movie is adorable and includes many important inspiring lessons for young girls. Overall, it was a well-made movie with lots of positive messages for kids (girls AND boys too!). It is a wonderful family friendly film that any American Girl or gymnastic fan will completely adore. 

Finally, all the kids celebrated with a tasty treat to conclude our fun-filled movie viewing playdate!

Don't forget to look for

*An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars*

is Available - NOW!

[Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free from the manufacturer of a PR Agency. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." See ace and friends Disclosure Policy HERE.]

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Fun, Delicious and Tasty Veggie Recipes With Country Crock

This post is sponsored by Country Crock. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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I don't know about your household, but in ours... vegetables are a hard sell to the kids. No matter how I try and serve them... it's takes a lot of convincing to even get them to try it.


The smart folks at Country Crock just recently introduced something I think my kids are going to LOVE. The Crock Country Chronicles offers easy vegetable recipes ideas that are delicious and more importantly, kid-friendly.


If you head on over to the Crock Country Chronicles, you can download a cookbook for FREE - A Very Veggie World by Clare Crespo.

This particular cookbook offers colorful pictures and inspirational recipes to make serving those veggies a little more fun for the family. From veggie pets to lighting bolts, veggie volcanos to rocket ships, your kids will certainly get a kick out of at least giving those veggies a shot.

For my family, I opted to give the Pasta Full of Posies a try. The recipe was simple to follow and called for the following ingredients:


2 yellow and/or orange bell peppers

1 package (16 oz.) whole wheat penne (or pasta of your choice)

3 Tbsp. Country Crock® Spread
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 5 cherry tomatoes, halved

7 basil or baby spinach leaves 


Chop off top and bottom of peppers. Slice down the side, remove the seeds and lay pepper flat. Cut into petal shapes.

Boil pasta according to package directions; drain.


Melt Country Crock® Spread and heat olive oil on the stove over medium heat in a pan big enough to hold pasta. Cook garlic and peppers together for about 5 minutes. With tongs, remove pepper petals and set aside.

Add pasta and cheese to garlic and toss together. Put pasta in shallow serving dish. Arrange tomato halves on top and surround them with pepper petals to make “flowers.” Add a basil or baby spinach leaf to each flower.
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Thankfully, I had the majority of ingredients on hand and the directions were easy enough to follow.

First, I wanted to get the pasta started.

Then, gathered my veggies - yellow pepper and cherry tomatoes.

Began to cut my flower petal shapes from the yellow peppers.

Added my Country Crock, along with olive oil to the pan.

Saute the yellow pepper flower petals along with the garlic in the pan.

Removed the flower petals from the pan and added the cooked pasta to the pan, along with the parmesan cheese. Stirred for a minute or so.

Once combined, added to a serving dish and created my posie flowers with the yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes and baby spinach leaves.

I loved how it turned out and so did the kids... they said, "How did you do that?" I thought, YES, they LOVE it. The overall flavor of the pasta was actually more delicious than we expected it to taste. The peppers that were sautéed with Country Crock (with  70% less saturated fat, 30% fewer calories than butter and 0 trans fat) had a nice crisp, roasted flavor. The kids added a little extra parmesan to their pasta mixture and were super pleased! Ahhhh... a veggie success!

Want to learn more about Country Crock, please visit:

• Country Crock on Facebook
• Country Crock on Twitter

Are you looking for quick and simple tips and recipes to make serving veggies more fun? Download the free Clare Crespo Cookbook here for fun and whimsical recipes your family is sure to love!



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*We Bought A Zoo* on Blu-ray and DVD - April 3rd!

We Bought A Zoo Debuts on Blu-ray and DVD

April 3rd!

Summary: Benjamin Mee (Damon) is a Los Angeles newspaper columnist and adventure writer who, as a single father, faces the challenges of raising his two young children.  Hoping that a fresh start and a new life will restore their family spirit, Mee quits his job and buys an old rural house outside the city with a unique bonus feature: a zoo named the Rosemoor Animal Park, where dozens of animals reside under the care of head zookeeper Kelly Foster (Johansson) and her dedicated team.  With no experience, limited time and a shoestring budget, Mee sets out with the support of his family and the local community to reopen the zoo.  Now, Benjamin is no longer reporting an adventure story; he’s living it in his own backyard. 

Get a sneak peak of movie below:

We Bought a Zoo offers a wonderful faith-based family inspirational message. If you and your family are looking for a little inspiration too, make sure to print out We Bought a Zoo's Faith Study Guide. We could all use a little inspiration every now and again, right!?!

Just for families and moms... feel free to print the these pages from the We Bought a Zoo's Faith Study Guide!

 Upcoming Giveaway: Make sure to check back often for your chance to win your very own copy of We Bought a Zoo!

[Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free from the manufacturer of a PR Agency. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." See ace and friends Disclosure Policy HERE.]

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Go On A Wild Ride With *The Adventures of Tintin* - on DVD NOW!

The Adventures of Tintin on DVD - NOW!

Winner of the 2012 Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN has been called “a grand thrill ride of a treasure hunt” (New York Post) and the “most delightful dose of pure entertainment since Raiders of the Lost Ark” (Minneapolis Star Tribune).  Featuring groundbreaking and visually-stunning motion capture animation, an outstanding cast of voice talent headed by Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis and Daniel Craig, and a thrilling story filled with non-stop action, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN is a must-own film that the entire family will enjoy watching again and again.

Summary: From Academy Award®-winning filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson comes the epic adventures of Tintin.  Racing to uncover the secrets of a sunken ship that may hold a vast fortune — but also an ancient curse — Tintin and his loyal dog Snowy embark on an action-packed journey around the world that critics are calling “fun for the whole family.” (ABC-TV Chicago)

Get a sneak peak of movie below:

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN three-disc Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack include over 90 minutes of special features that take viewers behind-the-scenes with Spielberg and Jackson to discover how the filmmakers brought the characters to life, learn about Tintin’s origins, delve into the design and animation processes, explore the creation of Tintin’s faithful dog, Snowy, and much more.  The film will also be available as a single-disc DVD.  All Blu-ray and DVD releases available for purchase will be enabled with UltraViolet, a new way to collect, access and enjoy movies.  With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them – reliably and securely – to a variety of devices.

As a nice little surprise, we received this fun viewing kit. Little {e} loves her new pal Snowy... who she's taken on her own little adventures. {a} was intrigued by the mini globe and immediately had to locate the US along with other countries around the world. {c} began inspecting things with the magnifying glass and enjoyed seeing how the compass changed direction and he moved about the house and outside. 

As with other Steven Spielberg films, The Adventures of Tintin certainly doesn't disappoint. The graphic animation is amazing and quite realistic. This was a wonderful family movie that kept all of us entertained. Well done Steven, well done!

[Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free from the manufacturer of a PR Agency. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." See ace and friends Disclosure Policy HERE.]

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