HGTV Unwraps 'Santa HQ' at 10 Macerich Malls Across The Country



**Disclosure: This is a compensated post.  Information has been provided by HGTV

This is my absolute favorite time of year!! We try to soak it in as much as possible and hit up as many events as we can.  I love spending the season with my family, making memories! Each event is so different and it's own experience!  HGTV celebrates the holidays with Santa HQ, an immersive experience that transforms the traditional visit with Santa Claus into a jingle-filled, interactive journey for all ages at 10 Macerich malls across the country.  For more than six weeks, from now through Christmas Eve, December 24th, HGTV and Macerich will present a completely re-imagined visit with Santa for the 21st century by pairing cutting-edge technology with an authentic holiday experience.  Visitors can take an ELFIE Selfie and star in their own holiday video, explore Santa's Observatory using Elf-Ray Vision, test out the Naughty O' Nice Meter and enjoy a memorable photo with Santa himself.


By using your handheld device as a "portal," you can see and interact with stunning digital scenes surrounding them inside Santa's Obsevatory.  Visitors can continue the adventure with a custom photo opportunity, followed by the ultimate moment with Santa inside his modemized sleigh.  You can reserve your experience time in advance via the Santa HQ Website.











MommyMedsApp is Live (Free for a limited time!)



In celebration of the launch of the new MommyMeds brand for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, the iOS mobile app MommyMeds is now free for a limited-time. Available for free until December 1st, the app and new, complementary website help mothers look up symptoms and saftey information on thousands of medications.

MommyMeds, an extension of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center’s (TTUHSC) InfantRisk Center, now offers a WebMD-like hub for mothers, lactation specialists and natal care professionals with the newly launched MommyMeds.com website.  For a continued experience, the MommyMeds app will now feature information from the new website. MommyMeds and MommyMeds.com were created with extensive evidence-based research by one of the world’s leading experts in perinatal pharmacology, Thomas Hale, R.Ph.,Ph.D.

“A healthy mom makes a healthy baby,” InfantRisk Center Executive Director, Dr. Hale said. “There’s almost always something a pregnant mother can use safely, and we want to promote that with a variety of useful tools and information.”

Resources in the MommyMeds app include:

● Reliable safety ratings and other information for more than 20,000 drugs, vitamins and herbals
● Enter a product name or sort by category to find product safety information and determine if it is safe for use during each trimester and while breastfeeding
● Convenient barcode scanner for over-the-counter medications
● Lists appropriate drugs for various conditions while pregnant or breastfeeding, including headache, nausea, allergies and more
● Hot topics related to pregnancy and breastfeeding

“MommyMeds is vital for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers,” said TTUHSC President Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D. “The app could become as synonymous with prenatal care as folic acid and ultrasounds. We commend Dr. Hale and the InfantRisk Center for their significant contribution to the health and safety of women and infants.”

MommyMeds is compatible with both the Android phone and Apple iPhone. The app is available in the App Store for free until December 1st. The app will continue to be available for $1.99 in the App Store and Google Play Store thereafter.

LG OLED now at Best Buy!



**Disclosure:  The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free

Every year we, as a family splurge on one "family" gift. While there is usually some debate, we all pretty much always agree on some kind of technology. We have not purchased a new TV in a few years and I have to say that it's definitely about that time.  I remember as a child, I was a wiz on the computer, knew all the latest gadgets and gizmos - I had it down packed! Now, it is every so much more confusing with so many choices and so many unknown technology words. Let's take a look and  discover LG OLED TV – The Ultimate Display and the perfect family gift from Best Buy.

What is OLED TV?
The stunning design of LG OLED TV is only 0.21" thick at its thinnest point. Picture quality is spectacular, with Infinite Contrast that ranges from the most blazing whites to the deepest blacks. And, LG's exclusive 4 Color Pixel technology delivers bright, vibrant colors. 

Your first kiss. A baby's first steps. The majesty of a desert sunset. Some things in life defy all explanation and must be experienced to be believed. As a Mother you want that clarity.  Such is the case with LG's latest display technology. With deeper and richer colors, stunning contrast and ingeniously curved screens, it is unlike any technology you've ever seen, and it delivers a picture that exceeds your wildest imagination.

LG  55EC9300 SKU# 7846019 – OLED TV
 Best Buy’s everyday price of $3499.99
·   Infinite contrast ratio & stunning color - delivers more natural, lifelike viewing
·   4 Color Pixel technology enhances color range & accuracy
·   Super thin design (consider how to show visually)
·   Find content faster with webOS 

 Learn more here: LGOLEDatBestbuy.com

Panda Express is Sharing the Joy



Panda Express is getting in the holiday spirit today and will be spending the day "joy-spotting" on Twitter -- identifying people who have shared moments of joy and thanks, and randomly surprising 888 of them in 8 hours with a $20 gift card!

Panda Express will be monitoring Twitter for tweets where people are celebrating what (or who) they are thankful for. In a season where life can a little hectic they have seem to wanted to take a pause and bring a little joy to the twittersphere. Panda Express is giving users an opportunity to stop and share a meal with someone they care about, courtesy of Panda.

Win with Hyundai


Hyundai is doing it again with another fantastic $100.00 giveaway bonus - they want to know what you think about their Hyundai Smarter campaign by commenting on their Smarter living videos.  It's a win win for everyone! Enter now for your chance to win! Good Luck! 
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e3840ef138/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Olives from Spain



With Thanksgiving quickly approaching next week, we've started planning our menu.  Looking for a quick, simple appetizer, olives seems to always work this time of year.  During harvest in September and October, olives are picked one by one to avoid damaging the fruit. We had the pleasure to interview Chef Annie Sibonney, Cooking Network star and Spanish cuisine expert on all things entertaining and olives. Watch below!



Olive lovers are passionate for the dynamic taste and aroma of the ancient fruit. Did you know?...
  • Spain is the world leader in production and export of table olives – supplying more than 155 million lbs. into the U.S
  • Olives from Spain are naturally sugar-free and contain monounsaturated fats, which can improve cholesterol levels and reduce heart attack/stroke risk
  • 95% of stuffed pimiento olives consumed by Americans come from Spain
  • Spain’s sunny weather, temperate winters and rich, fertile soil are idyllic for growing the perfect olive.

ABOUT ANNIE:
About Annie Sibonney:
A self-taught chef, expert on world gastronomy, Annie Sibonney has traveled the globe in pursuit of culinary treasures and extraordinary experiences. Annie is the Co –Creator and Host of From Spain with Love, an award winning, critically acclaimed, food adventure TV series, which immerses viewers in the rich and diverse culinary culture of Spain, produced for Cooking Channel US and Food Network Canada. Annie is also the Co-Creator, Co-Executive Producer and Host of One Night Stand with Annie Sibonney, a culturally compelling and adventurous travel series where for just ONE NIGHT, she explores the food, culture, produced for Discovery World.
Born to French-Moroccan parents and based out of Toronto, Annie's love and appreciation for the traditions of world cuisine draws on her heritage. Her cooking adventures began at the age of four when she would sidle up to her mother as she prepared lavish Moroccan meals for the extended family. The love of food in the Sibonney household taught Annie the art of cooking and how to use simple, yet pristine ingredients and loving techniques to create extraordinary dishes. This culinary legacy sparked a lifelong fascination and curiosity for food on a global scale, and taught Annie that food has a unique ability to bring people together.

Annie has eaten her way through cities both close to home and around the world in search of the most memorable meals and ethereal culinary pleasures, forging relationships and friendships along the way with world-renowned chefs, food critics, historians, wine makers and artisans, all strongly rooted in a shared love and passion for living indulgently through memorable food, wine, travel, great friends and rich experiences. These relationships enable her to provide unprecedented, behind-closed-doors access to the most sought after culinary venues around the world.

Annie launched Relish Culinary Tours in 2007, which designs exclusive gastronomic excursions around the world for private groups and individuals with the focus being on remarkable social and cultural venues and unique experiences, bringing together her incredible love for food and wine, indulgent travel and cultural riches for those as hungry for adventure as she is.

Taking Action Against Alzheimer’s



**Disclosure: This is a paid post in connection with Banner Alzheimer's Institute. All opinions are of my own. My Grandmother had Alzheimer's and I am happy to post on behalf of the Alzheimer's Prevention Registry. 

Most of us personally know someone who has been affected by Alzheimer's or know someone who has.  My Grandmother had developed Alzheimer's and I remember how difficult it was to live with for her and those around her.  When we think of Alzheimer's we think of the elderly and the loss of memory that comes with along with it.  But did you know that Alzheimer's is the only top 10 cause of death that cannot be prevented, treated or cured! Wow, that just made me sink in my chair - no treatment, no cure and no prevention - amazing! Especially in our day and age and nothing. This is why continued research is so necessary!

One of the biggest barriers to research is recruitment in trials.  Researchers may speak to as many as 30,000 people just to get the 2,000 needed to launch a study.  The Alzheimer's Prevention Registry is a growing online community of members that are passionate about combating the disease.  More than 44,000 strong, the registry provides members with regular updates on the latest scientific advances and news.  It also provides opportunities to participate in prevention studies.

I joined on behalf of my Grandma and all those affected - the process was fast and simple.  I hope you will join me, it just takes a second of your time and for such a worthy cause!




Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)