Merry Christmas Everyone!

Excitement is full swing here even though we awoke to pouring rain instead of snow.

LJ is playing with his first batch of gifts and was super excited to see that Santa left pictures of himself filling stockings and also left his glasses and footprints behind.

We hope that you all are enjoying family and friends today and having a very Merry Christmas!

Big J Buys a Christmas CD

Big J came home from his yearly "week before Christmas shopping excursion" all excited yesterday. (Now, I should preface this with the fact that we own about a million Christmas CDs - mostly bought by me. I have a soft spot for Christmas CDs, especially the ones Kohls puts out each year. They're only $5 and it goes to charity. I need a Christmas music intervention - seriously.)

So, back to the story. Big J was all excited about this Christmas CD he found. "It's got some great songs on it," he told me. "Not your typical Christmas covers."


"Really?" I asked somewhat doubtful. "We have A LOT of Christmas music already."

"No, this is a really good one," he insisted.


Once I stopped what I was doing and took a look at the CD he brought home I had a better idea why he was so enthralled with it.







Need I explain further?

Is There a Healthy Recipe for Puppy Chow / Chex Muddy Buddies?

When I was teaching in the classroom, one of my students introduced me to Puppy Chow (sometimes called Muddy Buddies Chex Mix). I had never had it before and fell in love with it.

I hadn't made it in a few years when LJ came home from school asking for it a few days ago. We trotted out to the supermarket to buy Chex and got the last box. (I'm guessing there are a lot of people serving Chex Mix this holiday season!)

Once we got back home I began wondering - is there a healthy recipe for Puppy Chow?

In a word - no.

There really isn't any way to make this low calorie and still have it taste good.

However, you can make it a little less bad for you with a few easy substitutions. Here's the original recipe:

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

9 cups Chex cereal (rice or corn)

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

I made a few substitutions:

• I used 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips and 1/2 dark chocolate chips. It doesn't cut any calories but dark chocolate has antioxidants and by mixing them the taste does not really change


• I used 1/2 cup Smart Balance peanut butter. It has less sugar and healthy omega-3 oils.


• I substituted Earth Balance Spread for the butter. It cuts the saturated fat quite a bit and adds in more healthy oils.


• I used Wheat Chex instead of corn or rice. They are slightly higher in calories but have much more dietary fiber in each serving.

Based on the way it is disappearing, I would say that there are no complaints from the other members of the household!

Again, there is no real way to make this a truly healthy snack, but this recipe makes it a little less naughty. If you try it, please stop back and let me know what you think.

Little J's Thought For the Day

"Mommy, when the grass dies in the winter do you think it goes to Heaven?"

Wii Squeeballs Party Giveaway

Squeeballs are 12 toys that are manufactured on a secret island somewhere in the Pacific. Before they can be sold to children around the world, the Squeeballs must be fully put to the test...to the point of destruction! You can blow up, cook, slice, bat, bowl, shoot and bounce the Squeeballs.

The game features a unique collection of 11 party games, each taking place in a different environment from lava-filled canyons, bowling alleys and kitchens to science labs and snow-capped mountains.


As the game progresses and more challenges are met - each one more difficult than the last - the game showcases more than 150 unique challenges.


The game is available for the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS/DS Lite/DSi, Apple iPhone and iPod Touch. The Wii version features 11 party games; other versions vary in content. "Squeeballs Party" is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) with the descriptors "Cartoon Violence" by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).
Find more information at http://www.squeeballs.com/.
Retail price $29.99 NEW PRICE $19.99.

My opinion: Squeeballs Party is a lot of fun! It gets you up and moving (which most Wii games do!) and mimics many of the skills from the Sports games like bowling and tennis. The Squeeball "monsters" add a fun twist to the games.

The game is rated E10+ for violence. I did not find the "violence" (which mainly consists of hurling or hitting the little monsters) a concern, so I let LJ try the games. He quickly grew frustrated at the skill level needed to play and the need to be able to read some of the directions. Therefore, I would say that ages 8 and up might be an appropriate range.

Want to win a copy of the game for yourself?? Here's how to enter!

Leave a comment telling me your favorite Wii game to play with the family. Please be sure to leave an email address if your Blogger profile is private or if you do not have a Blogger account.

For bonus entries, you can do one or more of the following - be sure to leave a separate comment for each extra entry:
Follow me on Blogger (click "follow"in that little box to the right)
Follow me on twitter www.twitter.com/Wisconsin_Mommy
Subscribe to the RSS feed for wisconsinmommy.com (click subscribe at the top left column)
Post an entry on your own blog about this giveaway

Contest details:
The contest will last two weeks, closing at 11:59 p.m., CST, Jan. 2nd. One winner will be chosen using random.org. After e-mailing the winner, they will have 48 hours to respond before I draw another name. I will publish the winner's first name on my site after they have confirmed. Continental U.S. entries only.

Disclosure: I was provided with one copy of the game for my use to review and one to use in the giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by any compensation.

Could I Ask a Little Favor????

Okay my wonderful readers....I am reaching out to you for a little help here. A good friend of mine is in a singing competition for ESPN. This is the same INCREDIBLY talented friend who played the cowardly lion so well in The Wizard of Oz. He is a teacher at a local high school, a father to three beautiful girls, and just a wonderful singer (and person).

Could you take just a little second and pop over to ESPN's site and vote for Mike Hennes??? You couldn't find a more deserving person to win this competition!

Thanks guys!!

Is your child's excitement about the holidays affecting their behavior?

The holidays are a magical time for children. The promise of presents, frequent interruptions to the usual schedule, and a few extra sugary treats can add up to behavior issues you thought you had already conquered.

Several years ago, I happened upon the perfect solution to these issues in our house. Each holiday season (usually the weekend after Thanksgiving when the decorations go up) we have a visitor to our house. Our visitor's name is Elden the Elf and he is one of Santa's scout elves. He sits in our house and keeps an eye on what is going on. Each night, he flies to the North Pole and reports to Santa about what he has seen.


No, I didn't come up with this creative idea myself. I had stumbled upon The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition Elf on the Shelf Gift Set by mother/daughter team Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell. The gift set includes the book explaining the concept in a great rhyming story and an elf to position in your home.

Not only does the elf help to provide a behavior reminder for LJ (without me having to be the "bad guy"), LJ has a great time each morning trying to find the new spot where Elden the Elf has chosen to perch for the day. Over the last couple of years, this has become one of our favorite holiday traditions.

Spread a Little Cheer This Year!!

I have mentioned before that we love to support Kapco's Kids 2 Kids Christmas. Kapco Stamping in conjunction with 620WTMJ and the Salvation Army does a wonderful job of collecting unwrapped gifts for children in the area. Last year, the spread of presents at Kapco's headquarters was truly breathtaking.

This year's goal is to collect 10,000 gifts. If you can help them reach that goal and would like to create a memorable experience for the kids as well, come out to Kapco tomorrow (Sat. Dec. 12) between 9 am and 1. There will be hayrides, reindeer (live ones!), carolers, crafts for the kiddos, and lots of treats for your tummy. We have made this a yearly tradition in our house and always have a great time in addition to teaching LJ the joy of giving to others.

Can't join us at the Kapco festivities but still want to contribute? Here is a list of places to donate unwrapped toys.

Hope to see you tomorrow at Kapco in Grafton. The address is 1000 Badger Circle, Grafton 53024 (behind "Just 4 Kids").

Learning Math CAN be FUN!

Today was a snow day here in the greater Milwaukee area. We wound up with 9+ inches of really heavy snow and a mess on the driveway. After spending the morning clearing the snow that weighed about a million pounds, Little J and I heated up some hot chocolate, curled up on the couch and learned how to tell time.

Okay, I already knew how to tell time, but he learned it. In less than an hour. Seriously.

Mom Central had been nice enough to include me in the review tour of the Munchkin Math DVD's. The "Telling Time!" DVD arrived today. I must admit, I was a bit skeptical when it first came on. It was cute - almost overly cute - but LJ took to it right away. It is full of catchy rhymes and songs that help children remember the key points and also encourages them to get up and move during the lesson. As a teacher, I love that the video addresses several different learning styles.

The true test came just before dinner when LJ asked me what time it was. I reminded hm that he could now tell me and waited to see what would happen. Sure enough, he looked at the clock, sang one of the songs from the DVD to himself softly and announced that it was 5:10.

Nicely done Munchkin Math. I will be picking up your "Counting Money!" DVD next!

Win a set of all three Munchkin Math DVD's for yourself! Post on Twitter using the hashtag #MunchkinMath between December 9th and 16th to be entered one of three sets being given away.



I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Munchkin Math and received a sample DVD to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Grown-ups

Welcome WTMJ Live at Daybreak viewers! Thanks for watching my segment this morning and stopping by to learn more about the products featured. If you'd like, you can learn more about me on my profile page.

Below you'll find more information about the products featured as well as links to where they can be purchased.

Featured Items:

Roasted Garlic Express

Roasted Garlic Express is a miniature roasting device that makes preparing garlic and other small vegetables quicker and easier than ever. Taking only a third of the time to roast garlic and other vegetables than a conventional oven and having a non-stick coating, the Roasted Garlic Express is quick and easy for the home. Attractive, kitschy garlic-shaped design makes it a nice visual addition to a kitchen and a nice kitchen conversation piece. Small and lightweight, it is very portable as well. $34.95 roastedgarlicexpress.com

Tao Digital Picture Keychain

Tao Digital Picture Keychain is a miniature digital picture frame shaped like a keychain that can store and display digital images. Just plug into a computer or cell phone, download the images onto the keychain, and choose which one to display. Over 50 images can be stored on the Keychain at once, allowing for images of family, friends, inspirational pics and so forth. Designed to be taken anywhere and used frequently, the Tao Digital Picture Keychain has a long-lasting rechargeable battery and durable build. $14.99 taoelectronics.com

Phone Headset Buddy

The Phone Headset Buddy is a device that allows a standard phone headset (w/ 2.5mm plug) to be plugged into a PC (w/ 3.5mm plug outlet), allowing use of a phone headset on a PC. No more needing to buy 2 separate headsets, one for phone, one for PC. Simply plug your headset into the Headset Buddy and then the Headset Buddy into the PC. $9.95, theheadsetbuddy.com

Allergy Free Passport

Allergy Free Passport - 1 in 3 people suffer from at least one food sensitivity or allergy. Allergy Free Passport is a how-to guide that instructs people with food sensitivities or allergies how to eat what they want, where they want and when they want, whether in their own localities or traveling abroad. It is a visa to the world of eating out for people who normally have to worry constantly about having a bad reaction to a meal, giving them a full range of info about cuisines, ingredients, preparations, what questions to ask and how to ask and helping them communicate their food requirements, order allergy-free menu items and enjoy allergy-free meals anywhere in the world. $24.95, allergyfreepassport.com

Ceramic Bottle Hanging Tag

Ceramic Bottle Hanging Tags are stylish, hand-painted, erasable ceramic tags for wine bottles. The perfect accessory for displaying and accessing a wine collection. Makes it easy for guests to see the collection and easy for owners to find the bottle they are looking for quickly.Retail for $5 each and up, they can be purchased online at placetile.com, via phone at 678-467-4776 or at retailers throughout North America, http://www.placetile.com/

PlaceTile Bottle Stoppers

PlaceTile Erasable Ceramic Bottle Stoppers are stylish and versatile stoppers to cork olive oils, wines, vinegars, and so forth with writable/erasable ceramic tops. Great for identifying dates for when wines were opened, flavors of wines or olive oils, describing unlabeled or foreign language labeled bottles and other wine tasting and dinner party applications. Retail for $13 per 3, they can be purchased online at placetile.com, via phone at 678-467-4776 or at retailers throughout North America.

CheeseTile

CheeseTiles are stylish erasable ceramic accent labels for cheese or desert trays, great for dinner parties or any other gathering with food. Replacing cheap paper or plastic tags, CheeseTiles are the best way of highlighting the name or flavor of each cheese or dessert served. Comes in a variety of styles such as Fleur-di-Lis, Shell, Vine and more. Retails for $29.95 for a set of 4, they can be purchased online at placetile.com, via phone at 678-467-4776 or at retailers throughout North America.

PlaceTiles

PlaceTiles are stylish erasable ceramic accent labels, perfect as table place cards for guests or as a descriptive accessory for each dish being served. No more cheap paper or plastic tags, PlaceTiles are a nice, personalized finishing touch for a dinner party, reception or any gathering, giving the VIP treatment to guests and highlighting each dish. Comes in a variety of styles such as Medallion, Fleur-di-Lis, Vine, Shell and more. $35 for a set of 6, placetile.com, 678-467-4776

I'd like to give a special thank you to Melissa McCrady, Michael Fish, and all the crew at the TMJ4 studio. They made me feel right at home and helped to calm my nerves before we went on air. What a great group of people to work with - no wonder it always looks like they are having fun!

Disclosure: I was given these products for my personal use in order to learn about them prior to showing them on TV.

Devon's Offers a New Tasting Menu

Last night, Big J and I were invited to preview Devon Seafood Grill's newest offering - Low Tides, a four course dinner of seasonal flavors. This menu will be available to the public starting tomorrow for $29. Wine pairings are also available starting at $15.

The menu consists of a seared scallops appetizer, grilled asparagus salad, potato wrapped grouper, and a chocolate butterscotch tart for dessert. Each course was presented beautifully and the service was impeccable. The food surpassed all of my expectations and was absolutely delicious. The courses are billed as being smaller portions, but are more than enough to satisfy even the heartiest appetite.

Having grown up on the east coast, I am a huge seafood fan and am not sure why I had not tried out Devon's before their invitation but will definitely be adding them to my favorite restaurants list!

Devon Seafood Grill is located at Bayshore Towncenter and is open 7 days a week starting at 11am.

Wisconsin Mommy would like to thank Devon's for inviting us to try the new menu and providing such excellent food and service.

Pizzeria Uno's Yummy New Healthy Choice

I am always looking for ways to make my favorite foods a little healthier. This becomes a bit of a challenge when eating out and even more of a challenge when ordering pizza. Several chains have offered whole wheat crust pizza, and each time I have tried it hoping that I would like it enough to be willing to make the switch. And each time I have been disappointed.

Until now.

Pizzeria Uno has introduced a five grain crust that boasts 11 grams of fiber and is made with whole wheat, toasted wheat germ, oat bran, sesame seeds, and ground flax seeds. And it's YUMMY!!!

We ducked into Uno's on Sunday night after taking part in a local Christmas parade. We were frozen, hungry, and tired. I took a chance and ordered the spinach, mushroom, and Gorgonzola flatbread on the new five grain crust. I was not disappointed this time.

I found the pizza more filling that usual (probably because of the bulked up crust) and only finished half of it. Which let me administer the ultimate test: how would it taste the next day.

It passed with flying colors. The crust was still tender and tasty after spending the night in my fridge. I'm hooked.

Thank you Uno's for finally coming up with a healthy pizza that does not resemble cardboard!

I was in no way compensated by Uno's for this review - the pizza is just that good!