ANOTHER New BzzCampaign! Filippo Berio Olive Oil!

I am SO EXCITED!  I received yet ANOTHER BzzKit in the mail today!  It is for Filippo Berio Olive Oil!  I am so excited as I am always looking for great ingredients to cook with.

First of all - what a GREAT Bzzkit!  It had tons of fun goodies in it (some which I can share with YOU!).  In this kit I received:

• The product of course!  A SUPER CUTE 8.4oz bottle of Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  I even "squeed" a little as the bottle is so adorable!  I love "mini" sized things, even if this wasn't so mini!
• A GREAT brochure detailing the Mediterranean Diet
• Recipe Booklets to SHARE with coupons!!
• A magnetic Olive Oil Substitution chart that will come in handy with cooking!  (Sticking that on the fridge RIGHT NOW)
• A Filippo Berio Olive Oil Magic Grip Jar Opener!  LOVE these things and come in handy so much!

I have so many plans already for this BzzCampaign!  I cannot WAIT to start cooking with the Olive Oil and seeing what my friends/family think about it.

I am going to make one of my favorite snacks/appetizers ever with it!  "Italian Butter" with crusty Italian bread.  LOVE dipping fresh bread into olive oil with different seasonings, cheeses and even balsamic vinegar. OOh and I think I will make some bruschetta with it!  YUM!

I'll be giving away the coupons in the near future so stick around and I'll give you the heads up soon!

Can't wait to blog more about all the yummy food I can make with this!!

New Bzz Campaign - Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition!

I was so excited to receive my latest BzzKit in the mail the other day!  This campaign is for Garnier Fructis' new line of hair care.  Triple Nutrition Fortifying Shampoo and Conditioner. 

I was able to use it for the first time yesterday.  Here are a few of my initial reactions:

#1 - I LOVE the smell.  It isn't too overpowering to me and smells fresh and natural.  It is almost like a mango/apricot/passion fruit smell.  I actually cannot really pin point what the exact smell is but I like it! 

#2 - The shampoo is clear, and not too thick.  It is a bit runny so you need to pay attention.  A small amount lathered up quite nicely in my hair.

#3 - The conditioner is THICK.  I was actually kind of nervous about that.  Sometimes if it is so thick, it is hard to wash out.  BUT, that was not the case!  It rinsed out quite well and made my hair feel SO smooth.

#4 - The scent sticks with you!  I loved having just a faint smell of the shampoo in my hair for quite a few hours after washing.  To me, it wasn't too much that it annoyed me or bothered my senses.  I know some may not like that it lingers so long.  Not sure my husband would appreciate it!

I will report back after using it repeatedly to see how my hair reacts to it!

~Maren~

Smarterer

I am a BzzAgent and I received an invitation to a project for Smarterer


It is a quiz program that is designed to see how "smart" you are in various tech areas. The first quiz was designed for BzzAgents and I did so-so. There is a LOT of information to know about being a BzzAgent! There are also quizzes for Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress and EVEN Blogger!

I did the BzzAgent quiz and now I want to try the other quizzes just for fun. I love that their are even Achievements to earn!!

Here is my Smarterer link

I play lots of games....

And sometimes, I get lots of flack for it. It used to bother me. But you know what? It doesn't bother me anymore!!

You see, it takes all kinds of people to make our world what it is. Some people are very crafty (I wish...), some like to dig in the dirt and grow things (maybe someday, but no land for it now). Then there are people like my husband and I. Gamers.

It seems more socially appropriate for men to be gamers. Often times someone will ridicule a man for being a gamer. It seems like when people see a grown man who plays lots of games, they instantly label him as an "immature man who still lives in his parent's basement with no job and no girlfriend/wife."

I am very happy to say that my husband is none of the above! He is a gamer but he is also a full time employee (and a very successful one at that). He most certainly does NOT live in his parent's basement (actually they don't even have one anymore, but I digress). Gaming is his hobby. He enjoys gaming and I am happy to let him enjoy it. Now, if gaming were an issue between us then certainly we would have to place some boundaries. My husband will nearly always (99% of the time) set aside his games if I need him to do something. We don't plan our lives around games... most of the time. Sometimes he will plan on playing a game with a group of friends online and then we do schedule it, but it is not #1 priority in any means.

My husband is very lucky, however. He married a "gamer chick." That is what I am called in our geek circle. I not only let him play his games but I often times join him! For us, it is our form of entertainment. We don't go out a lot (maybe once a week to dinner), don't frequent bars or clubs, our families are pretty spread out so we only see them a few times a year (if that). We still do activities with our friends (Twins baseball games, Renaissance Festival, State Fair, etc) but often times we just like to relax at home, in our comfy clothes and play games.

In another post, I will talk about what games we play. All styles and types!

So people, before you place a negative label on us because we are "gamers" please understand, you can be a gamer and a responsible adult at the same time :D

TOY STORY 3!!!!!

YAY! I am finally going to go see Toy Story 3 today with one of my best girlfriends, Sarah! We have declared this evening Girls Night. After the movie we are going to grab a bite to eat and chat, chat, chat! That is what best girlfriends do, right?!

I am so excited to see this movie. I have been warned to have some tissues available so I will definitely be prepared.

I cannot wait to see all my favorite toys again!

It has been over a year....

Wow... a year (and some) has passed since my last post here. Well, I decided to give another go at it. I may not have the most interesting things to post, and I may not post daily. BUT, it is what it is. Hope you enjoy it!

Maren

Happenings on Recipe Blog

Just wanted to give a little heads up that I have been typing up some more of my favorite recipes that have been tried and those that I intend to try in the future.

You can check it out by following the link for "From Our Table to Yours" on the right side of the page.

A new recipe each day!