Cuisinart 8 Cup Food Processor Times Two - One For Me, and One for You!!

Something kind of awesome happened here yesterday.

While my eyeballs were multi-sensing between third declension noun endings (Latin nerds we are) and cyber Monday deals, I had one hand on the phone and the other swinging between a cold cup of coffee and a hurricane toddler.  Check-marking my way through a list of phone calls that had to be made, I finally arrived at the very last one: "Call Sur-la-Table customer service."

Ugh.  Customer service.  You never know exactly what you're gonna get served, right?

But, people, this is where the awesomeness begins.

Cuisinart Elemental 8 Cup Food Processor

Just before Thanksgiving, I decided that in order to keep feeding this small army of men, who are hungry 24/7, I was going to have to rethink my battle plan in the kitchen.  While there's no room for a double oven or a six burner cook top, there is room (well, I can always make room) for a few smaller appliances that can help me zip through the prep work.

With coupon in hand and a free shipping code, I ordered a new food processor...only somewhere in the whole order-pack-ship process, they thought I needed not one, but TWO food processors.  So, yesterday I rang 'em up and requested that they send me a shipping slip so that I could return the second item.

Apparently that was just too much hassle for them.

So, they told me I could KEEP IT!!!!!!!!!!

I felt like I had just won the culinary lottery.

{All Photos compliments of Sur-la-Table.}

What is one to do with two food processors, exactly?

The third born suggested that he be allowed to disassemble it and use the parts to reconstruct a robot. That seems complicated.  And, dangerous. Blades + electricity = a trip to the ER.  Let's stick with Lego's and play dough.

While the boys discussed whey they thought I should do with my bonus machine, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it, and that's to GIVE IT AWAY TO ONE OF YOU!!!

We are all so busy at this time of year, so I don't want you to waste one moment trying to figure out what you have to do to win this thing.  You don't have to "like" or follow anything! Just follow the prompts below, and be sure that I have your name and e-mail so that I can contact you if you're the lucky winner!

*If the Rafflecopter is being uncooperative, you can send me an e-mail with your info, and I'll happily add you to the entry, or message me on Facebook.

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The Lovely New Additions to Our Family Christmas Book Basket

One of my favorite childhood memories is of when I was quite small, maybe six or seven. I was invited to my friend Kim's house for a sleepover just days before Christmas.  I'll never forget the cozy warmth of their farmhouse, which was decorated in the most charming and magical way. The top of the upright piano glistened with the delight of a perfect little Christmas village, the tall, robust tree strung with what seemed like a million lights, set the entire house a glow.

Kim and I wiggled our little selves underneath the tree and, wedged between the soft carpet and broad canopy of branches, we stared up into the sparkling lights while her mom read to us story after story, until we couldn't hold our eyes open any longer.

I'm quite certain that that experience sparked the beginning of my love affair with books.  And the treasure of that memory is what inspires me to read to my own children beneath the tree lights or snuggled up by the fire during the Advent and Christmas seasons.

{Who am I kidding.  We have boys.  If they laid under the tree, it would be a horizontal nightmare in approximately 7 seconds.  We read on the couch and stare at the tree from afar, and that's as magical as it gets.} 

{Link to last years list}

A couple of years ago I decided to share a few of the books I had collected for our Christmas book basket.  Then, last year, I added a few more.  Your response to those posts was tremendous, so I've decided to continue sharing that list plus the new additions we make each year.

Choosing just one or two books for our basket is no easy task, because my wish list is a mile long. I like to keep all of our treasures together in one big basket for the boys during the holidays, and I actually pack the basket away when the Christmas season ends.  Doing so helps me keep track of our beloved stories and also builds an anticipation for reading them that otherwise might not be quite as strong if the books were left out on the shelves of our library year round.

And, also, hiding the books is just me protecting our financial investment in the children's inheritance.  Aren't they going to be thrilled to see 10,000 books written into the will? Concealing the goods keeps tragic shredding and "accidental" destruction to a minimum, since books have also been known to be used as frisbees, snack platters and door stops in our house.

Here are the two new additions to our collection 

that I am excited to share with you:

24 Stories to Welcome Jesus

 

This book was chosen for the little guys in our family! Although it's intended to be read from the beginning of Advent (December 1) to Christmas day, we will be reading it throughout the Christmas season. Here is a more detailed description from Ignatius Press:

The joy and hope of Christmas are at the heart of this book intended for the whole family. Starting with the 1st of December (like an Advent calendar) each day has a new story, leading up to Christmas. Richly illustrated, this collection includes stories based on the Gospel accounts of the birth of Christ, as well as stories about Advent and Christmas customs. Also presented are original tales about living the Christmas message. 

The Gift of the Christmas Cookie: Sharing the True Meaning of Jesus' Birth 

by Dandi Daley Mackall

If you enjoy the tradition of baking cookies at Christmas time, you and your kiddos will LOVE this book! Set during the depression era, The Gift of the Christmas Cookie is an inspiring story that beautifully intertwines the legend of the Christmas cookie with a tale of great generosity. The illustrations are as lovely as the story.  You will never think of Christmas cookies the same way after reading it!

You guys know I cannot keep all of this literary goodness to myself....so I'm happy be GIVING AWAY a $25 gift card to Amazon.com!! Both the new titles, and most (if not all) of the books from my list of twenty-five favorites can be purchased there.

The giveaway begins today, Monday, December 1 and ends Friday, December 5.  The winner will be announced on Friday on my Facebook page and contacted via e-mail.  
Good luck and happy reading!!

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The Great Gatorade Alternative - PLUS: Nuun Hydration GIVEAWAY!

Since this week is dedicated to the Health & Fitness portion of my blog, I thought it would be fun to giveaway one of my favorite products, Nuun hydration tablets.

(Just FYI, I'm this is NOT a paid advertisement.  I'm not fast enough or cool enough for that.  I just love this stuff and thought you might like it, too!)

Last year, when I was training for the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, I asked several of my super runner friends to give me their best advice when it came to training.  They all emphasized the importance of hydration and electrolyte replacement.  Thankfully, my awesome friend, Katie, suggested that I try Nuun hydration tablets.  I can't tell you how much I loved using Nuun throughout my training and even on race day!

Football season is up and running! Andrew practices for 2 hours each night in hot summer temps, so he loves to take a water bottle filled with his favorite Nuun flavors to every practice!

But, Nuun isn't just for runners! It's for everyone! My boys love it, too. They are all very active and participate in a wide variety of sports, so having a great electrolyte replacement is important.
Most young athletes don't need an electrolyte replacement unless they are doing a moderate to intense exercise for 60 minutes or longer. If this isn't the case, good old fashioned water is all they need to stay hydrated.  

Unfortunately, there's a lot of hype surrounding drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade, especially amongst young people.  These drinks are really high in sugar (21 grams in a 16 oz. bottle!) and sodium, two ingredients that kids (and adults) just don't need.

I can see why Gatorade and Powerade are hard to resist.  Their product advertisements are undeniably amazing and they are everywhere. Watching their "Is it in You" commercials, sort of makes you want to throw down a six pack of Blue Frost just to see if your burpee endurance or 40 speed improves. It took a little bit of convincing to get my kids to understand that bigger isn't always better, and once they tried Nuun, they were hooked.

Nuun just makes sense to us.  We like to drink things that don't contain creepy stuff like artificial food coloring, stabilizers derived from wood, preservatives, excessive sugar, and other ingredients that I'm too phonetically challenged to pronounce.

Why do we LOVE Nuun?:

• It's portable. The little tube goes where you go - pop a tab in your water bottle and you're good to go.
• It's delicious.  No funky aftertaste or sticky lips here. With 12 Yum-Yum flavors, I promise you'll find one you love.
• It's sugar free. Yep. Sugar Free. (And no wacky artificial sweeteners. Bam!)
• It contains no artificial colors or flavors, and no high fructose corn syrup.
• It's less expensive than the leading electrolyte replacement drinks. Gotta love that!
• It rehydrates your body faster than Gatorade or Powerade. Sweet!

One of the most important characteristics of what you drink while you're active is the speed at which your body can absorb it. The concentration of dissolved salts and sugars (osmolarity, for those more technically inclined) determines how fast the drink can cross from your digestive track into your bloodstream, where it can re-hydrate and replenish you. Nuun branded products produce a hypotonic solution, so your body absorbs Nuun faster than the leading “sports drinks” or even water alone. This gives your body the ability to restore optimal water and electrolyte balance quickly and efficiently.

Now for the giveaway! After browsing all of the yummy Nuun flavors, I couldn't pick just one, so the only solution was to give the lucky winner a variety pack! The box includes one tube each of Grape, Fruit Punch, Strawberry Lemonade (my favorite!) and Tropical.

The winner will be announced on the 

Sole Searching Mama Facebook page on Monday! 

Good Luck! 

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Send Me Your Requests! Plus a Fantastic Father's Day Giveaway!!

Happy Monday, Friends! As the days creep along closer to Friday - the 40 week mark - you can only imagine how much excitement there is in this house for the new little one's arrival!  Every day Charlie demands to know, "When's that baby gonna come outta dare?" Oh, how I wish I knew the answer to that!

Now that the bags are packed, the freezer is stocked full of meals, and the house is relatively clean, I feel ready to go.  There's just one last detail to take care of, and it's perhaps the most important. My sweet friend, Kathryn, who blogs at Team Whitaker just gave birth to her sixth(!) beautiful blessing, Gianna.  One of the things that helped her focus through the pain of labor/delivery was to meditate on list of prayer requests she took with her, requests from friends, family and from her readers.

I feel so inspired by the generosity of her heart, the offering of her pain for others, that I, too, would like to share in her idea.  I would be honored to take your prayer intentions with me to the hospital!  If you'd like to share your intention(s) in the comments below, please feel free to, if you would like to send me a private message, please write to: solesearchingmamma@gmail.com.  Be as specific or as general as you like, just don't hesitate to share! I truly believe in the power of prayer, especially when it is united to a particular sacrifice or suffering!

Now, for the GIVEAWAY!! Father's day is right around the corner, and my inspiration for this giveaway came from a blog that my husband and I have really been inspired by over the past couple of months called The Catholic Gentleman. I frequently check out their Facebook page for inspiring quotes to share with our sons.  Here are just a couple of our favorites (there's many more!):

My husband wants to have a bunch of these quotes made into black and white prints to hang in his dream basement (probably somewhere between the bar and the poker table).  Sweet idea, eh?

On The C.G. blog, I discovered a link to a company called Cord Bands that creates truly rugged and masculine rosaries. The traditional sparkly jeweled rosaries are definitely beautiful, but not so practical, especially in a house full of boys. Does anyone else have a jar full of broken beads that need to be fixed, or is it just me??

These rosaries are perfect for guys.  The military inspiration gives them a cool, rugged look that is truly masculine. Besides offering specific rosaries for firefighters, law enforcement officers and soldiers, they also take requests for custom orders!  I love the rosary ring lanyards pictured above that can clip to a back-pack or belt loop - perfect for travel, for students or to keep in the car!

Any one of the beautiful medals pictured above can be added to any rosary as well.

1.2.

3.

In honor of Father's Day, I'm giving away one of the three rosaries pictured above to one lucky reader! (1. Rattlesnake, 2. Multicam or 3. St. Benedict)  The giveaway begins today and ends on Friday.  Happy Father's Day to all you awesome dads out there!!

THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING!!

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Full of Grace Divine Designs Giveaway ~ Just In Time For Mother's Day!

Happy Monday, everyone! I am so excited that you are here!!

Mother's day is less than a week away, and as I was shopping for my own mom this past weekend, searching for that perfect gift that spoke of my heart's affection for her, I couldn't help but think of all of the wonderful moms that I have met in my lifetime.  To all of you who have shared your stories with me, your ups and downs, your humor and your encouragement, your wise advice and sincere support - your humble spirits and honest perspective have truly inspired me, and I am so very grateful for YOU!!

In honor of the gift of motherhood, I am blessed to have the opportunity to giveaway a beautiful custom designed bracelet or necklace from Full of Grace Divine Designs jewelry to one of my special readers!

Melissa and her beautiful daughters!

Two years ago, I was delighted to discover Melissa's website and instantly fell in love with her amazing story, her inspiring creativity and her truly beautiful jewelry!

Saints and angels have inspired classic works of western art from the birth of Christianity. The divine grace represented in their stories of faith and suffering console and comfort believers. My designs are offered as an extension of this art and beauty with the hope to empower others to share their faith and its beauty.

Not only is Melissa gifting one of my lucky readers with either the Delilah bracelet or Addy necklace (you get to choose!), she is also very generously offering a 15% discount to any of my readers who wish to make a purchase on her website this week! In addition to an array of exquisite necklaces and bracelets, Full of Grace Divine Designs also offers earrings, rosaries, and other special gifts. Please use this code at checkout to receive the discount:  SSM15off

Remember, you can come back each day of the giveaway 

and increase your number of entries!

{The winner will be contacted at the closing of the giveaway on Monday, May 12th, 2014.}

Thank you for supporting Full of Grace Divine Designs!

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In Honor of Spring - Chase Infinite GIVEAWAY!!

Doesn't it feel good to say that spring is finally here?? The earth is just waking up, giving us glimpses of green - budding trees, baby bulbs soon to bloom and carpets of grass ready to be kept.

The change of seasons not only gets me revved up to run, it also gets me excited about gear! I've been writing a lot lately about the spiritual, emotional, physical and mental benefits of exercise (check out my favorite busy mama workout!), so I hope you feel encouraged to get moving this spring. But if you need a little boost beyond reading my posts, how about the chance to...

WIN SOME FREE APPAREL??
(Yippee!!)

Isn't half the fun of working out getting to slip on your favorite shoes, top or shorts? Last spring while running the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, I saw a gentleman running in cut off jean shorts.  I may have said ouch out loud. He must have missed the memo on chaffing, poor guy! Don't do that. Don't wear denim.  Denim hurts.  Choosing the right workout clothes isn't just about looking good, it's also about feeling comfortable throughout your workout.

I love it when I find apparel that runs double duty - function + style = comfortable performance. Discovering a fitness apparel company that believes in giving back makes my purchase even sweeter! In honor of spring, of and in honor of you, my awesome readers, I'm giving away your choice of tank from Chase Infinite!

1.  She Will Endure All Things Tank

$1 of EVERY tank purchased is donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation!

2.  Stronger Than Every Fear Tank (in pink or purple)

$1 of EVERY tank purchased is donated to the Wounded Warrior Project!

Signing up for a chance to win is on of these awesome tanks is super-easy, just follow the prompts below.  

Are you training for a race, or have you set some new fitness goals? 

I'd love to hear about it! Feel free to leave a comment!!

- Best of luck!! -

Have a beautiful week, everyone!!

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25 Festive Stories For Advent & Christmas GIVEAWAY!!

Curling up beside the fire with a basket filled to the brim with our favorite holiday books is one of the most treasured traditions that our family enjoys together during Advent and Christmas.  Every year, I love adding one or two new titles to our library, even though the children never tire of hearing the "old" ones over and over again.  All of the stories on our list are picture books geared toward younger children, however, don't be surprised if your older children take an interest in them too! 

This list does not include traditional tales such as The Nutcracker, the St. Nicholas Story or the biblical stories that accompany the Jesse tree.  You may find that these, and several other "obvious" selections, are missing from the list (I didn't include every book in our basket), but I hope that you find a new title that sparks your interest!

* All of the titles listed below are linked up to Amazon for ease of reference.  However, I highly encourage you to patronize your local bookshop or Catholic/Christian online retailer first, if you can! One of my favorites is Adoremus Books and Gifts.

Please be sure to sign up for our GIVEAWAY that begins today, Monday, November 25th and ends Monday, December 2nd.  

Three lucky winners will be randomly selected to win a book of their choice from the list!  I will announce the winner on Monday, so be sure to check back here to see if you are a winner!  

- 1. -

Christmas Day in the Morning  tells the story of a  young boy who is motivated by a deep love for his father to find him the very best Christmas present.

- 2. - 

The Carpenter's Gift  is a lovely story of generosity, hope and paying it forward.

- 3. -

Mr. Willoughby's Christmas Tree  is delightfully humorous, a classic book that encourages good stewardship and sharing.

- 4. -

Wild Christmas Reindeer.  Brett's beautifully illustrated story has a lot to say about the importance of treating others with respect.

- 5. -

Song of the Stars is a wonderful telling of the truth that everything on heaven and earth is created to praise the Lord.

- 6. -

Room for a Little One A perfectly sweet story of the nativity that your youngest children will especially enjoy.

- 7. -

A Certain Small Shepherd is a Christmas story set in the Appalachian mountains. It shines with themes of kindness, generosity, the treasure of family and hope in miracles.

- 8. -

A Very Merry Christmas, from the Classic Pooh series, is just what you would expect, a story of friendship, sharing and of course the traditional illustrations of characters we've all grown to love.

- 9. -

A Christmas Carol is a story many of us are familiar with, perhaps through the television events shown during the holiday season.  The story becomes even richer when read aloud to the accompaniment of the beautiful illustrations in this edition.

- 10. -

Christmas Mouse in the House Every Christmas book basket should have at least one lift-the-flap story in it! This one's text is charming and illustrations adorable.  

- 11. -

Christmas in the Big Woods The beauty of the Christmas season shines bright and pure through Laura's expressive stories which are focused on family unity and the immaterial blessings of the holidays. 

- 12. - 

This is the Stable Gentle rhyming and sweet illustrations make this depiction of the nativity a favorite that our little ones ask for over and over each year.

- 13. -

Christmas From Heaven  If you or anyone in your house enjoys history, this is the perfect Christmas story for you! 

- 14. -

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.  Last year's new addition to our basket, and easily are favorite story of the season.  Get your tissues ready, it's quite a tenderhearted tale!

- 15. -

The Twelve Days of Christmas by Laurel Long. After seeing the breathtaking illustrations, I wondered why I waited so long to purchase this little treasure based upon the traditional song of the same title.

- 16. - 

Good King Wenceslas is one of my all time favorite stories to read during Advent.  The illustrations are magnificent (boys will especially appreciate the grandeur of the king and his knights).

- 17. -

I don't think I'd be exaggerating if I said that I've read The Christmas Cookie Sprinkle Snitcher at least 100 times since we've added it to our collection.  The boys just love it! The illustrations are hilarious, and even I cannot hold back the giggles!

- 18. -

Bear Stays Up for Christmas is an adorable story about the joy of serving others. Kids will easily pick up on the themes of friendship, thoughtfulness, sharing, joy, sacrifice and encouragement.  

- 19. -

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree A beautiful story is made even more poignant when it's words are matched with equally beautiful illustrations. This is one of those stories, which also ranks high on our list of favorites!

- 20. -

Tonight You Are My Baby is a gentle story of the birth of Christ from Mary's perspective.  It is beautifully written with a tenderness and warmth.

- 21. -

Father and Son A Nativity Story is a tender story of St. Joseph and his overwhelming feelings toward raising the son of God.  I love hearing my husband read it to the boys every year.

- 22. -

The Gift of the Magi is a thoughtful demonstration of the exemplary virtues of generosity, sacrifice, and self-gift lovingly enacted through two individuals during the Christmas season.  Though the text will be too advanced for little ones, if they are patient listeners, the language can be simplified and explained as the story is read aloud.

- 23. - 

Who is Coming to Our House? is a perfect story for Advent.  I added it to our basket a few years ago (read about it here!) and has been read dozens of times since then.

- 24. -

Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo is a precious of a little girl whose heart is awakened to the needs of the less fortunate, and the measures she takes to extend kindness to them.  

- 25. - 

Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect  was one of the first books I bought for our library many years ago. It encourages discussion on why Christ came into the world and how we can model His self-donating love to others.

*Two more additions to our basket can be found in this post.*