Two More Contests from Cheerios. Do What You Love!!! :)

What do you love to do???  For me it's stay home for a whole day, read, write, sleep, and of course, hang out with my family.  OK, so I'm not the most active person in the world, but I still need to take care of my heart, right?  (Which reminds me, I NEED to schedule that stress test tomorrow!) 

As part of a heart healthy diet, eating Cheerios cereal, which is made with 100 percent whole grain oats, is an easy way to help maintain a healthy heart. And now cheerios is giving you the chance of a lifetime!

Cheerios is partnering with country music superstar Martina McBride and professional athlete Cal Ripken, Jr. for the "Do What You Love" Contest. McBride and Ripken will recognize two lucky people with prizes that will make their hearts race.

One music lover (and a guest) will tour the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum with McBride, hang out with her in her recording studio - the world famous Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Tenn. - and even get VIP tickets to one of her upcoming concerts.

Another lucky baseball enthusiast (and a guest) will have the chance to hang out and play catch with Ripken and to tour the Ripken Youth Baseball Academy in Aberdeen, Md., with the "Iron Man" of baseball himself. In addition, the winner will throw out the first pitch at the Cal Ripken World Series and sit in Ripken´s reserved seats at a Baltimore baseball game.

Now through July 23, 2010, you and can submit your 150-250 word original story and photo, showcasing what you love to do. For a chance to win the experience of a lifetime with McBride and Ripken, visit http://www.cheerios.com/love today.

I must confess, I'm gonna pass on this one because I'm neither a huge baseball fan, nor a country music fan.  I would hate to win and take that away from someone who would really appreciate this contest.  Maybe that's you?  If so, I hope you'll enter.  And WIN!!!  :)

Oh, and even if you don't win, you might just win MY contest!  I am giving away a Cheerios "Do What You Love" prize pack.  This includes a box of Cheerios, AND a $25 American Express® Gift Card.  Just a little cash to spend doing something you love to do!!!

Here's how to enter: 

Leave me a comment telling me what you love to do.  It's that easy.  Oh, and make sure you include a way for me to contact you if you win!  I'll also let you earn extra entries for doing the following, though you will have to leave an additional comment for each entry.

• Become a Facebook Fan
• Become a Twitter Follower
• Become a Google Connect Friend
• Subscribe to my blog via Feedburner
• Post about this contest on your blog and/or Facebook, and/or Twitter

If you are at least 18 and not related to me, you can enter my contest.  Just make sure to enter by 11:59 PM Eastern Time  on Friday, July 23, 2010

I'm sure winning prizes is on your list of things you love to do, so have fun and I hope you win!!!  :)

Also, check out Cheerios on Facebook today! Visit Cheerios on Facebook to "Like" the brand and keep up with the latest news from Cheerios.

NOTE:  The product, information, and prize packs were all given to me from Cheerios through MyBlogSpark

How About Chocolate Cheerios, Some Recipes, and a SPEED Contest? :)

Mmmmm....  Did you Know that Cheerios now come in CHOCOLATE ???  Well, I didn't until I was sent some from General Mills through MyBlogSpark!  Now, I admit, I'm not the cereal eater in my house.  My kids are.  They love chocolate flavored cereal, so they were really excited to try it.  It got thumbs up all around!!!

Here's some info I got about the Chocolate Cheerios from MyBlogSpark:

Chocolate Cheerios is low in fat, heart healthy, has 100 calories per serving, contains at least 8 grams of whole grain per serving (at least 48 grams recommended daily), and is a good source of calcium and vitamin D. Made with real cocoa, Chocolate Cheerios can help your family start the day off right with a delicious and nutritious breakfast that is sure to make you smile!

In addition, check out these great recipes using Chocolate Cheerios!

Chocolate Cheerios® Marshmallow Hearts

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Start to Finish: 1 Hour 45 Minutes

Crust
1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 cup Chocolate Cheerios® cereal, crushed
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups miniature marshmallows
Topping
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 bag (11.5 ounces) milk chocolate chips
4 cups Chocolate Cheerios® cereal
Candy sprinkles, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F. Line bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with foil. In large bowl, mix all crust ingredients except marshmallows with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Press firmly into bottom of pan.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle with marshmallows. Return to oven; bake an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until marshmallows just begin to puff. Cool while preparing topping.

In large saucepan, place all topping ingredients except cereal and sprinkles. Heat over medium-low heat just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 4 cups cereal. Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallows; spread to cover. Sprinkle with candy sprinkles. Cool completely, at least 1 hour.

Using foil to lift, remove mixture from pan; remove foil. With deep 2 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 18 hearts. Store loosely covered.


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Chocolate Hazelnut Marshmallow Balls

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Start to Finish: 15 Minutes
1/2 cup hazelnut spread with cocoa
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
14 large marshmallows
Toothpicks
3 cups Chocolate Cheerios® cereal
Round wooden sticks with one pointed end or craft sticks
(flat wooden sticks with round ends)

In medium microwavable bowl, microwave hazelnut spread and chocolate chips on high 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Place cereal in shallow dish.
Insert toothpick into marshmallow; dip in chocolate mixture. Roll in cereal to coat completely. Place on large plate; remove toothpick. Repeat with remaining marshmallows. If desired, insert round wooden sticks into each for pops.

Refrigerate 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.
14 servings

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Strawberry-Chocolate Cheerios® Parfaits

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Start to Finish: 15 Minutes
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
4 containers (6 oz each) Yoplait® Light Fat Free strawberry yogurt
2 cups Chocolate Cheerios® cereal
In 4 parfait glasses or clear drinking glasses, layer half of the strawberries, half of the yogurt and half of the cereal. Repeat layers.

Serve immediately

Now for the contest!!!  If you win this contest, you will receive a gift pack that includes a box of Chocolate Cheerios for you to try as well as a chocolate scented spa kit, and a ceramic cereal bowl.  It's easy to enter.  Just leave a comment telling me your favorite cereal.  Also, I'll give you extra entries for:

~Suscribling to Feedburner (THIS IS A DOUBLE BONUS ENTRY, LEAVE TWO COMMENTS!)
~Following me publically
~Becoming a Facebook Fan
~Following me on Twitter
~Taking my poll
~Following me in any other way (other than stalking, of course!)

If you have already done the above, don't fret, just let me know in the comments.  PLEASE COMMENT ONCE FOR EACH THING YOU'VE DONE.  FOR EXAMPLE,  IF YOU'RE A FACEBOOK FAN AND A TWITTER FAN, LEAVE TWO COMMENTS. 

The reason I am calling this a speed contest is that you only have a few days to enter, so do it quickly!!!  All entries must be received by Monday, March 15, 2010 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.  You must leave your e-mail address or some other way for me to contact you , or your entry or entries will be VOID.  You must be at least 18 years old and unrelated to me to enter!

The information and Chocolate Cheerios gift packs were all provided by Cheerios through MyBlogSpark.

Wow! Earn Bonus Box Tops for Education and enter to win a $25 Kroger Gift Card!!!

STOP!!!  Please take a minute to take the poll in my sidebar.  (You'll need to scroll down.)  Also, if you don't want to miss any of my posts or contests, why not become a Facebook Fan?  (You can do that from the sidebar too.)  You'll be alerted every time I post!  Thanks!!!

Do you clip and save the Box Tops for Education coupons?  I do.  I collect them for our co-op.  Yes, even homeschool co-ops can take advantage of this excellent program.  We recently got a rather nice check from this program, and it was as simple as clipping those little labels and turning them in.  What could be simpler?

Actually, if you shop at Kroger, there is an even simpler way to earn Bonus Box Tops!  I just registered  at

http://www.rewardyourschool.com/, 

chose my co-op, and 5 Bonus Boxtops were added to our account.  Easy peasy! Then I was given a chance to select three personalized offers I would like to receive.*  The really cool part is that when I chose the offers, I just entered my Kroger card number, and they were automatically uploaded to my card.  How cool is that?  Now, when I go to the store and make my purchases, the Bonus Box Tops will be automatically added to my co-op's account!  Of course, I can still cut out the Box Tops from the products and turn them in the way I always do.  General Mills even gave me a $25 gift card to help me out a bit with my grocery bill. 

So, are you jealous?  LOL  Don't be.  You can get your school or co-op 5 Bonus Box Tops just for signing up too.  

http://www.rewardyourschool.com/  

Then you can choose the offers you want and have them uploaded to your card, just like I did.  But, I know what you'd really like is a $25 Kroger gift card.  Okay, I'll make a deal with you.  If you'll just leave a comment below telling me whether or not you clip and save Box Tops, and if so, what for, I'll enter you to win your very own $25 gift card.  Isn't that cool?  General Mills, through MyBlogSpark, is letting me give away one gift card to one of my readers.  Just make sure you leave a way for me to contact you.  I'll need either a blog address or an e-mail address.  This contest will end at 11:59 Eastern time on February 5, 2010.  You must be 18 or older to enter. 

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 * Here are the offers I chose from:

Get 3, 4, or 5 Bonus Box Tops when you buy the corresponding amount of participating General Mills Cereals

Participating cereals include Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp Sprinkles, Trix, Reese´s Puffs, Cookie Crisp, Golden Grahams, Kix, Fruity Cheerios, Dora the Explorer, Honey Kix, and all varieties of Cascadian Farm

Get 3, 4, or 5 Bonus Box Tops when you buy the corresponding amount of participating Yoplait Kid products

Participating products include Yoplait Kids Yogurt Drink, Yoplait Go-GURT, Yoplait Kids Lowfat Yogurt, and Yoplait Trix Lowfat Yogurt

Get 3, 4, or 5 Bonus Box Tops when you buy the corresponding amount of participating Pillsbury products

Participating products include 8 ct. packages of all varieties of Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits, Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls, Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, Pillsbury Flaky Twists, and Pillsbury Sweet Rolls

Note: General Mills provided me with the gift card, information, and giveaway through MyBlogSpark.

True Confessions: We're Cereal People. :)

I admit it, I'm not the kind of mom who rises early and cooks a big breakfast every morning for the family. Truth be told, I rarely do. With eight kids, it just takes way too long. Occasionally the kids will get up and make pancakes, or eggs and sausage, but many times we eat cereal.

Of course, my kids love the sweet stuff, and I admit sometimes feeling a tad guilty.  That's why I was glad to learn that General Mills has made a "commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving."  With breakfast being so important, I'm just glad to have something quick and easy to give them. 

Here are just a few facts I learned from the information I received from General Mills:

Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children´s diets.

Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child´s diet today.

More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.

As a participant in the MyBlogSpark program, I was sent coupons to try four boxes of cereal for free.  Of course that was a huge blessing to me!  I wish I could send you free cereal too, but I can't.  I can, however,  help you out at least a bit.  Right now if you visit here you will find a $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals.  

For more information about kids and cereals, please visit Cereal Health and Wellness.

Just to be clear, as part of the MyBlogSpark program, I was sent coupons to try four boxes of cereal by General Mills.  I was also provided by MyBlogSpark and General Mills with information about cereal and a link for $1 off coupons to pass on to you.  I was not obligated to blog about the cereal because I got the coupons, and I also do not get compensated for blogging about General Mills.  I will be participating in the BlogSpark program where I will be trying new products.  If I like the products I might blog about them.  Often, I will also be provided with the opportunity to host giveaways on my blog of the products I try.

Sounds like fun, and maybe you'll even win something!  :)