Be aware: Don’t hide chocolate bunnies in your car
Don’t melt your bunnies.
I had been dating my then-boyfriend, now husband, for a few months when we were visiting his mother Easter weekend.
Wanting to surprise him with a chocolate rabbit, I hid one under the seat in the car. We arrived on a Friday night, and Easter morning I went to the car to retrieve the chocolate bunny.
Only, the bunny was indistinguishable and had been reduced to a melted mess within the box. Thus, my advice: Don’t melt your bunnies.
Momma bunnies and Daddy bunnies, and even the Easter bunny, need to realize the temperature in the car is still warm enough to melt those delicious chocolate treats.
More advice? Yes, lip balm melts. 
(My apologies to Mishelleen for spilling a glob on her car seat when she was taking me to the doctor.)
And, of course, there are those pesky crayons. It was on a month-long family vacation to the west coast that taught my sister and I about how laying a box of Crayola crayons on the dashboard would only send colored streams of melted wax into our dad’s pickup vents. 
Dad wasn’t mad, and the hollowed out paper cylinders where crayons used to be was pretty cool.
–Linda Lynn
LLynn@opubco.com
Follow me on Twitter @OKNewsResearch
Eat your veggies in March: It’s National Nutrition Month
Don’t let the headline sway you. You need to “eat your veggies” every month.
However, March is designated as National Nutrition Month, a time to draw attention to the importance of healthy eating and healthy lifestyles.
Search on the Internet for “National Nutrition Month” and you will be given a variety of websites offering you advice. Among those sites is the International Food Information Council Foundation with the campaign of “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day” – see, not just in March.
“We want people to know that good nutrition does not always have to mean saying ‘no’ to your food preferences and traditions,” said Marianne Smith Edge, senior vice president, Nutrition & Food Safety, International Food Information Council Foundation.
This is the 40th year for National Nutrition Month to be recognized. Click here for more information about making healthy eating choices.
And here is a link about eating right on a budget. This site has some good advice I should heed: Don’t shop hungry! You’re more likely to buy items you really don’t need or that aren’t as healthy. Try eating a healthy snack before you shop, and the impulse to buy just anything won’t be as strong.
Some healthy eating habits I’ve heard through the years:
- Eat slowly to allow your stomach to realize when it’s full.
- Shop the outside perimeter of the store where more healthy and fresh products (like produce) are placed.
- Eat a colorful plate – green (broccoli), blue (blueberries), red (raspberries or strawberries), yellow (bananas), etc. – to get a variety of nutrients.
- Cook meals ahead on the weekend and freeze them, so you’re not as easily tempted to stop by a drive-through to pick up dinner on the way home from work.
- Pack your lunch, so you have more control over what you eat. It’s more economical, too!
Do I follow all this advice all the time? No. But I do try to be aware and make changes when I can.
So, challenge yourself this month – and, I’ll do the same — to think about nutritious choices, a benefit for you and your family.
–Linda Lynn
LLynn@opubco.com
Follow me on Twitter @OKNewsResearch
Hi-YAH! Smoothies to the nutritional rescue!
When I bought my niece a Ninja blender as a wedding present, I bought one for myself, too.
I had wanted one for a long time, since none of my previous blenders had actually really worked well. They’re supposed to blend, right?
For whatever reason, though, the Ninja still sat in its box for some time, waiting patiently, stealthily in a corner, for me to get up the nerve to use it. (I guess I was afraid it wouldn’t work as well as I had thought.)
The day finally came when I broke the tape, pulled off the plastic wrapping, dumped out the instructions, washed the blender parts and placed it on my kitchen countertop.
Now, it’s smooth sailing … or should I say smoothie sailing.
So far, the most popular drinks have been banana-strawberry smoothies, banana smoothies, banana-peach smoothies, chocolate-banana smoothies, strawberry-blueberry smoothies … I feel a little like Forrest Gump with my descriptions.
Needless to say, I haven’t branched out much, although I did make hummus once.
I do feel good about the kids eating more fruit, though.
No, this is not a product review or sponsored by Ninja. I just wanted this blender, because I thought it would be a good tool for the kitchen. And, I was right.
Other appliances have been useful, but beyond the toaster, KitchenAid mixer and the Keurig coffee maker (yes, another splurge), most of my small appliances are lined up along the top of my tall cabinets. Every once in a while, I’ll retrieve one to use, but these three (plus the Ninja!) are my go-to tools.
Here is how I generally make a strawberry-banana smoothie:
3 or 4 large strawberries
1 large banana
1/4 cup white grape juice
1/2 container of strawberry/banana Yoplait yogurt
4 ice cubes
Blend on high, and voila! Smoothie time!
Here are a few random links to other, perhaps even more legitimate smoothie recipes if you want to get on the smoothie kick:
Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie
–Linda Lynn
LLynn@opubco.com
Follow me on Twitter @OKNewsResearch
The quest for gluten-free / dairy-free bread
If you love the taste and texture of bread, switching to a gluten-free / dairy-free diet can be disheartening … until you find the bread you like.
My daughter and I have been on a quest to find the best-tasting gluten-free / dairy-free foods. These adventures in food would sometimes be followed with disappointment, and the pantry and refrigerator would be filled with uneaten packages of cookies, loaves of bread, canned soups and prepackaged meals.
My daughter was discouraged by the taste. I was discouraged by the amount of money I was spending.
Other complaints were the breads were either not soft or that they would crumble when they came in contact with food.
Enter Canyon Bakehouse.
I was skeptical when I was contacted about trying Canyon Bakehouse bread products.
But what a surprise!
The breads were soft and had a very similar texture of normal breads. When I brought home the samples for my daughter to try, it was somewhat of a celebration.
I gave her slices of the 7-Grain, Cinnamon Raisin, and Rosemary & Thyme breads.
Her favorite quickly became the 7-Grain bread since it was versatile for sandwiches and toast.
If you’re a Cinnamon Raisin bread fan, you should try this bread, too. The only note I would make is that it is not as sweet as some raisin breads.
And, I would compare the Rosemary & Thyme bread to the popular bread served at Bravo! Cucina Italiana restaurant.
But the most exciting discovery of all was when my daughter later tried Canyon Bakehouse Hamburger Buns.
Eureka! They did it!
If you have been searching for a perfect gluten-free/dairy-free bun, this is it. She tried a hamburger patty as well as barbecued pork … and the bun held up … and tasted good.
The only downside to this quest? The bread is gone, and I need to find it in my local stores.
So, if you would like to join me on my next adventure, go here to find where you can try these breads.
–Linda Lynn
Follow me on Twitter @OKNewsResearch
Time for a booster seat: BubbleBum brand to be reviewed
The inflatable BubbleBum booster seat
I’ve had a child safety seat in my vehicle for 18 straight years.
My children’s births were spaced out so that when one child was old enough or heavy enough to graduate out of the child safety seat, another child was already in another car seat.
I hadn’t thought about that until today.
However, what I have been thinking about is my youngest son and how he needs to move to a booster seat.
I bought a Britax car seat when he was big enough to sit in an upright position. I considered it the top of the line at the time. Now, at more than 50 pounds, the lanky, long-torsoed little guy has outgrown the safety seat. He prefers to take the straps down from his shoulders, so having him in the seat defeats the purpose of trying to keep him snug and safe.
I’ve been trying to decide what booster seat might be best for him. So, when BubbleBum contacted me about doing a review of their seat, I was ready to put their product to the test.
BubbleBum is sold through select Target stores.
I’ve opened the box, so read more in an upcoming blog about my and my son’s experiences with this new booster seat.
–Linda Lynn
Follow me on Twitter @OKNewsResearch
“National Pancake Day” provides yummy pancakes for a good cause
IHOP offers free shortstack of pancakes and encourages guests to donate to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Fluffy, steaming hot, melted butter, warm syrup … ahhhhh, Pancakes!
Whether you enjoy them in the morning, at noon or at night, this delicious “breakfast” meal can satisfy any time of day. And, you soon will have a chance to fill your stomach and warm your heart at the same time.
Participating IHOP restaurants will be offering a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Feb. 5.
Instead of charging customers for the flapjacks, IHOP is asking patrons to leave a donation for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals programs at Children’s Hospital Foundation.
To learn more about “National Pancake Day,” find a participating IHOP or to donate online, visit http://www.ihoppancakeday.com/.
– Linda Lynn
LLynn@opubco.com
Follow me on Twitter @OKNewsResearch
GIVEAWAY! Free money-saving Chick-fil-a calendars
GIVEAWAY! Win a KIDZ BOP Halloween Hits CD
Just in time for Halloween, you can win a KIDZ BOP Halloween Hits CD!
The “Truly Terrifying Tracklist” includes “Thriller,” “Ghostbusters,” “Monster Mash” and more.
“Witch Doctor” will help your kids get their silly on, and “I Want Candy” is so appropriate for when they dump out their candy on the living room floor.
If you would like a chance at winning a free copy of this CD, just email me at LLynn@opubco.com, and I will draw a name at random on Oct. 24.
Please include your name and mailing address, as well as a contact phone number.
–Linda Lynn
Follow me on Twitter @OKNewsResearch
GIVEAWAY: Old-fashioned doll will inspire creativity
I am honored to partner with Once Upon A Treehouse to give away a doll to one of my lucky blog readers.
The little ballerina doll arrived in a sheer pink drawstring bag. So cute!
With a hand-painted face and standing at about 4 inches tall, “Buttercup” was adorable. A tiny bow attached to a rick-a-rack headband nestled in her blond hair, pink Mary Jane shoes, white leggings, a pink dance dress secured with a pink ribbon … ready for little hands to begin playing and imagining a world of tutus.
Once Upon A Treehouse includes handmade traditional wooden dolls and accessories. Sisters, “Mommies” and business owners Lori Schoeneman and Tara Schoeneman-Brown use natural materials – wool, cotton and wood – to create these charming character dolls as well as dollhouses, furniture, clothing and accessories.
When the sisters were young, they played with a wooden dollhouse built by their grandfather. As they had their own families, they wanted to start a company that would provide the same inspiration for imagination they had been given as children.
So, Once Upon A Treehouse was born in 2011 with a variety of doll-related products.
But, it’s not just the gift you give your child that can make you feel good about buying a doll from Once Upon A Treehouse.
Through their “Fairy DollMother Program,” for every doll bought, another doll is given to a child in need. Go here to read more about this program.
If you would like to win “Buttercup” for your child, grandchild or another child in your life, simply email me at LLynn@opubco.com with the name of your favorite doll or toy from your childhood. Please provide your name, contact information and your mailing address. The winner will be selected randomly, so it doesn’t matter which toy was your favorite. Deadline for entry is Oct. 22, 2012.
I had many dolls I liked – Thumbelina, Skipper, Barbie — but one of my most favorite was my Raggedy Ann doll handmade by my older sister, Betty. Raggedy Ann and I enjoyed many adventures through the years.
Your child might be able to enjoy the Once Upon A Treehouse doll soon and start their own adventures in make-believe.
– Linda Lynn
Follow me on Twitter @OKNewsResearch
Lights up! Sound down. Action! – Sensory Friendly Films help enhance family movie experience
Cade was 2 months old when he, my two girls and I went to his first movie.
My plan after Cade’s birth was to be able to spend some quality family time with all my children during maternity leave. However, after Cade was born with Down Syndrome, severe jaundice and erratic blood counts, he and I spent a lot of time going to and from the hospital and doctor’s visits the first two months.
That first movie was the most calm experience, with Cade sleeping most of the time and not making a sound. Thankfully, my daughters and I were able to enjoy going to the movies and reclaim a little normalcy.
But that was the last time we were able to do that type of activity with Cade.
As he got a little older, he would cry continuously if a room became unexpectedly dark or sounds were loud. Car rides at night were not pleasant, and movies were completely out of the question.
When Cade was 6, my youngest daughter and I took him to see a children’s movie. Everything seemed fine … until the lights dimmed and the previews started. Why oh why did they have a loud and scary preview?
I stepped to the hallway, calmed him, and he fell asleep, probably from the stress of the moment. We were able to watch the rest of the movie peacefully, at least until he woke up in the last 5 minutes of the movie.
Out of respect for other moviegoers and for Cade’s (and our) sake, we haven’t tried this again.
But is there hope, perhaps? While Googling for area attractions and shopping in Arlington, TX, I discovered one of the movie theaters has “Sensory Friendly Films” where the lights are on, the sound is turned down and the audience can move about. The website states this environment was created in partnership with the Autism Society, but this also can be beneficial to other special needs children.
Imagine my excitement that these types of needs are being recognized and a business is providing families with access to entertainment that otherwise would be clearly difficult to enjoy together as a family.
Continuing my search, I discovered “Sensory Friendly Films” are also available at these Oklahoma locations:
- Quail Springs 24
- Crossroads 16
Click here for the website that tells more about locations nationwide participating in this program. However, be sure and contact individual theaters to confirm time and dates, since they are subject to change.
My only wish now is that this program will be expanded beyond once a month.
It’s definitely something my son and I will plan to attend.
– Linda Lynn
Follow me on Twitter @OKNewsResearch
