Curious Chef Giveaway

I'm fortunate to have two children who love to help me cook in the kitchen. And I'm even more fortunate to find out about companies that now make high-quality cooking utensils and accessories just for kids. Curious Chef is one of those companies.

We have been using the elaborate Foundation Set from Curious Chef and I can't recommend the brand highly enough. The products may be kid-sized, but they are made to meet adult cooking standards. My daughter and her friends actually help me cook with the Curious Chef line. My son? Well, he just likes to play with it, which is fine by me. I mean, think of the pictures!

Bruiser likes to get out the set and pretend to cook at his toy kitchen while I make dinner beside him. I think this is a great way for a two-year-old to get started in the process of feeling involved in creating meals for the family.

I have to admit that one of my favorite things Curious Chef carries is the chef's apron and hat. I own several kids aprons and chef's hats, but for some reason, most companies make them only for girls. Not so with Curious Chef! This apron and hat mean that Bruiser can help me in the kitchen without feeling like a girlie-girl. And that is pretty awesome.

You can buy Curious Chef products separately or in special sets, and to get one of you started, I'm giving away a 6-Piece Cookie Gift Set to one lucky Suburban Turmoil reader!

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment in this post with your best suggestion for teaching a child to love to cook. I'll take entries until Saturday, November 7th at 11:59pm, CST, and will choose a winner at random. Be sure and leave your e-mail address in the comment so that I can contact you if you've won.

Good luck!

Let's Talk About Money!

The JuiceBox on my sidebar is full of money this week. Mint.com (an awesome and free way to manage your money online) is the sponsor. They've asked - and sponsored - me to talk about one of my favorite topics: MONEY. Here goes:

I grew up being taught that once I married, it was absolutely critical that my husband and I combine our finances. Couples who maintained separate bank accounts, my parents drilled into me, weren't honoring the idea that two become one. And I got that. And I agreed with it. So when I got married, I joyfully combined my money with my husband's and we opened one joint banking account.

But once we gained custody of his daughters and had two children of our own and in particular, once I began staying home with them, our finances always seemed stretched to their limit. I felt guilty buying a lipstick from M.A.C. or getting a haircut. I felt bad about using money from our account to get a new dress from Macys. It was "our" money, but technically, I wasn't making any of it myself, so who was I to take money from the family pot to buy something that was a want rather than a need?

Over time, this began to wear on me. Because while I truly don't mind sacrificing many of my desires for the greater good of the family, the truth of the matter is that...

I'm a girl.

I'm a girl and I need my lipstick. I need a good haircut. I need to go to Macy's every once in a while and enjoy a (reasonably priced) shopping spree without feeling guilty about it.

And so I did the unthinkable, and I opened my own bank account. And Hubs and I agreed that I'd put a small amount of ad revenue from my blog into that account each month. I also take minor freelance writing jobs here and there, with the sole incentive of putting a little extra money into my personal account.

To be honest, I don't have the time or energy to go shopping very often, so that money tends to sit unused and grow over time. Now, I've got a good bit of mad money stashed, enough to buy the camera lens I've been wanting. I've also got enough to buy iTunes songs when the mood strikes, or the latest Lorrie Moore book off Amazon or a gorgeous pair of leather boots from Hanna Andersson that I've been craving for two years. Sometimes, I take Hubs out to dinner with my mad money, or buy him a special present. Sometimes, I go shopping.

I can get whatever I want, within reason.

And I never have to feel guilty about it again.

I've encouraged Hubs to have his own mad money account, but he hasn't done it yet. I hope he will, though. I think now that every couple needs to have a little bit of money that they're free to spend however they choose, without answering to anyone for it. Having this small bit of independence makes me happy and reminds me of my own likes and desires, things that tend to get lost when we marry and have children.

And that's my money story.

The Great Yoplait Yoplus Giveaway!

I will freely admit that I prefer Yoplait Yogurt over all the other brands out there that I've tried. I also love it because every single member of my family will eat it, so we buy a lot of Yoplait around here! That's why I was happy to try out YoPlus Light for Yoplait and My Blog Spark, and host this awesome giveaway!

First, a word about YoPlus Light. Each cup of YoPlus Light is just 70 CALORIES (immediately, I'm sold), and it also contains a special blend of probiotic cultures and 3 grams of natural dietary fiber. Add to that the fact that it tastes great and comes in Honey Vanilla, Strawberry Banana and my favorite, Key Lime Pie, and you've got a delicious, healthy snack/lunch option for anyone in your family.

And now for the giveaway! To help you maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle, Yoplait and My Blog Spark will provide one lucky Suburban Turmoil reader with a "Get Healthy" gift pack that includes a stylish sports bag, sports towel, ear buds and two free coupons* for any flavor of the new YoPlus Light yogurt! I have received the prize as well, and I can tell you, it is NICE.


To enter, just leave a comment on this post by Sunday, October 18th at 11:59pm, CST, and tell me how you maintain a healthy lifestyle, or at least try to! Be sure and leave your e-mail address in in your comment so that I can contact you if you've won.

Good luck!

Merrell Makes Kids' Shoes, Too!

One thing we always invest in here at the Ferrier house is a good pair of athletic shoes for each member of the family. We try to find the best deals we can, but we never skimp on brand names known for durability, comfort and style- after all, our workouts and soccer games and hikes depend on good shoes!

You've probably heard of Merrell- the brand is popular with hikers, runners, and outdoorsy types for their shoes that wick moisture away from the skin and use the latest technology to help improve performance. What you might not have known is that Merrell makes kids shoes with the same kind of attention to detail as its adult shoe line.

Bruiser has been trying out Merrell's Intercept Kids shoes and I am now a fan. I've seen a lot of boys athletic shoes and this is the first pair that really looks like a high-quality shoe that any adult would be proud to wear. They feature all the Merrell bells and whistles like EVA mid-cushion airsoles and mesh-lined, "highly buttressed" uppers. What's really important to me though, is that Bruiser is comfortable in his shoes. He runs easily in them and they've held up very well. Also? The soles are made specifically so that they won't scuff up your house. AWESOME.

Check out the Merrell kids line here for durable athletic shoes that'll help your kids perform at their best.

Pottery Barn Kids' Barbie Bedroom

When Pottery Barn Kids offered to send me samples of its new Barbie line, I was beside myself.

Now that my 18-year-old is off at college, all the remaining kids in the house were doing room switches- Punky and Bruiser moved upstairs into my 16-year-old's room, my 16-year-old moved into my 18-year-old's room, and my 18-year-old's part time room became the former P&B room downstairs.

ANYWAY.

After repeated washings, Punky's first "big girl" bedding was looking a little worn. I wanted something new for her new room without breaking the bank. Obviously, I lucked out by getting to review some of Pottery Barn Kids' samples for free- However, I ended up with a great way to show you how you can update your child's room with a key piece or two- without spending a whole lot of money in the process.

Punky received a Barbie duvet cover, one sham, and one decorative pillow. I don't know about you, but when I look at the Pottery Barn website, I mentally order the entire line of bedding in my mind, which can be cost prohibitive for many of us.

Now that I've put Punky's new bedding set together, I'm going to think outside the box a little more when ordering bedding in the future.

Pottery Barn Kids' Barbie line in particular features lots of different shades of pink in its pattern- from soft, baby pink to sassy, hot pink. One side of the duvet cover has lovely watercolory drawings of classic Barbies in their evening finery, the other side has pink and white polka dots. The duvet ended up tying in beautifully with my existing pink-patterned dust ruffle, comforter (which I turned into a throw at the foot of the bed) and decorative pillow. Since it's a daybed, the sheets are covered- but if you must know, they are generally a set of Disney princess sheets that Punky loves, which I found at Kroger for $4.50!

ANYWAY.

My point is that you can create a beautiful bed for your daughter by investing in a key piece like a Pottery Barn Kids duvet cover, and supplement with what you have, like I did. If you look at Pottery Barn Kids' own photos, they mix and match with a bunch of their own styles. There's absolutely no need to buy the entire set of a line unless you have the funds and just want to.

As for the quality of the Pottery Barn Kids Barbie line, let me just say that every bed in my house has at least some Pottery Barn bedding on it, generally the duvet cover and shams. It's high-end affordable, it's durable, it does well through repeated washings, and is extraordinarily comfortable. You can't go wrong with Pottery Barn bedding (or curtains, for that matter), particularly if you have an active family and need bedding that will last through many machine washings.

Equally important, Punky LOVES her new bedding. Absolutely loves it. So we're all very happy (Although I must admit, I'm hardcore coveting Pottery Barn Kids' AMAZING Tulle Bedskirt. Alas, it's out of my price range...)!

Right now, the Barbie line is on sale, so it's a great time to buy. Check it out for yourself right here.

Monsters vs. Aliens Ginormous Double Pack!

Out now on DVD is one of the most enjoyable family films I've seen in AGES: Monsters vs. Aliens. Better yet, I got to review the Ginormous Double Pack, which also features Bob's Big Break in 3-D.

Our whole family watched Monsters vs. Aliens together and what I loved about it was that the teenagers loved it as much as the little ones. My 18-year-old remarked that she couldn't wait to watch it again simply because every single line was a gem and it would be fun to catch the dialogue she might have missed. My 2 and 5-year-olds watched it two or three times in a row afterward as they played. It is truly a film the entire family can heartily enjoy.

My only complaint is that the film is not in 3D, although it looks AMAZING on our flat screen TV and was a thrill to watch. The 13-minute short, "Bob's Big Break" is in 3-D and it's fantastic.

All in all, I TOTALLY recommend this movie. It's definitely one of the best DVD releases of the year and it's out now on DVD.