Thoughts and ideas on celebrating life with children, by Momscape founder Susie Cortright.
Easy Crock Pot Roast
Ingredients:
3 to 4 pound beef pot roast
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 cup beef broth
Directions:
Place pot roast in crock pot and top with mushrooms. In a small bowl, mix soup mix and beef broth, then pour into crockpot. Cover and cook 10-12 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high.
Crock Pot Meat Loaf
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs or crushed crackers
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion (diced)
1/4 cup water
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into a meatloaf shape that will fit into your crock pot. Cut a strip of foil and place under the meatloaf in crock pot. Cut it long enough to cover the bottom and sides of meatloaf. Place meat loaf in crock pot and top with an additional 2 tablespoons ketchup. Cover and cook on low for approximately 8 hours.
Creamy Crock Pot Roast
Ingredients:
2 pound beef roast
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 onion (diced)
6 carrots (sliced)
6 potatoes (cubed into small pieces)
Water
Directions:
Place onion, carrots and potatoes at bottom of crock pot. Dredge roast in flour and placed in lightly greased pan. Brown on both sides in hot oil over high heat. Place roast in crock pot over vegetables. Pour soup and 1/2 can water over roast. Cover and cook on low for approximately 10 hours, or 5 to 6 hours on high.
Crock Pot Rice & Chops
Ingredients:
4 - 6 lean pork chops
1 cup rice (uncooked)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can chicken broth
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1 small onion (diced)
1 clove fresh garlic (minced)
Directions:
Rinse and drain rice. In a large bowl combine rice, soups, mushrooms, onion and garlic. Mix well. Place rice mixture at bottom of crock pot. Lay pork chops over rice mixture. Cover and cook on low for approximately 8 hours.
Product Name: Sunbeam Bread Machine
Submitted By: Adriana Copaceanu; New Market, VA
Rating: 8
Where to buy: Amazon.com currently has these bread machines at between 30 and 40% off retail.
Description: This breadmaker, includes:
-2 lb non-stick, removable baking pan, great for family sized loafs -programmable delay bake: pwerfect for when you come home from work and want fresh bread, or when you want to wake up to the smeall of freshly baked bread -express bake for those times when you need a quick loaf -several cooking functions -instruction book with bread recipes
Review: I don’t know about you, but for me, nothing beats home-made bread: it doesn’t even compare with store-bought ones.
Home-made bread is fresh, nutritional, great tasting, and your family will love you for making it. The Sunbeam bread machine is inexpensive, and easy to use.
It only takes 2 minutes to add the ingredients, and press the start button, and in less than 4 hours, you’ll have fresh bread.
Pros:
-easy to use
-inexpensive
-easy to clean
-saves you a LOT of money on bread
-sturdy (I’ve had mine for 2 years now, and we bake one loaf a day)
Cons:
-you may need to experiment with your recipes until you get the right one for you family (sometimes your bread will raise too much, or the top will collapse, because of too much or too little of certain ingredients)
-there are not too many recipes in the booklet that comes with the machine
While you’re at amazon.com, you may want to pick up a recipe book for bread machines, such as The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook.
Product Name: Sunsilk
Submitted by: LeaAnn Massey; Covington, IN
Rating: 8
Where to buy: www.walmart.com (The latest WalMart special offers are here: http://www.momscape.com/coupon-codes/wal-mart.htm )
Description: Sunsilk is a new product for woman with unruly hair and not able to take the time to do all those things that fix the problem. Sunsilk comes in many different types.
Review: If your hair is frizzy, poofy, needs curl control, needs to be straight and smooth, or is just plain unruly - you will like this product. Just put a little dollop in your hand and run through your hair. Brush or comb like normal. No need for curling irons, straightening irons or blow dryers.
It dries quickly and doesn’t leave your hair feeling stiff or greasy. You can also add more during the day if needed to refresh that just-shampooed look.
I love it because I don’t have the time in the morning to take an hour fixing my hair. It isn’t expensive like most hair products, and it lasts for a long time because you only use it once (maybe twice) a day. This is a great product for the woman on the go. There is also a shampoo and conditioner for each type of hair problem.
Cons: Be careful not to use too much. Sunsilk can make it take longer to blow dry your hair.
Product Name: Bodylastics Exercise Bands
Price: Systems starting at $39.95 (Bodylastics.com)
If you’ve been exercising for a while, you may have seen either the Richard Simmons tapes or TV shows devoted to exercise bands. You’ll be happy to know that Bodylastics has created a surprisingly effective home gym system using inexpensive elastic bands. I’ve seen it referred to as the $50 alternative to Bowflex.
Bodylastic features include: Maximum resistance for very strong individuals; 31 levels of resistance from 5 to over 65 lbs per side; Top quality and unprecedented lifetime warranty; 30 minute circuit training video or DVDs for body toning and weight loss.
Bodylastics uses one of the smoothest sources of resistance in their ultra smooth exercise bands. For toning, firming, building power, strength and stamina; these elastic bands can be attached and detached on or off the handles and ankle straps, creating 31 levels of resistance. These bands come with a door anchor which increases the versatility so that the most effective and popular gym exercises can be recreated almost anywhere. You really can work your body - arms, legs, back, chest, shoulders and stomach - quickly and easily.
The complete system includes 1 yellow band (light resistance), 1 green band (medium resistance), 1 red band (light heavy resistance), 1 blue band (heavy resistance), 1 black band (extra heavy resistance), 2 extra wide foam covered handles, 2 ankle straps, 1 door anchor, 1 user manual (Complete instructions), 1 bag, 1 Circuit Training Video OR DVD.
Customers who have used these elastic bands are raving about their quality and effectiveness. Their comments reveal that the maximum tension can go up to about 70 pounds of resistance and the basic tension can go up to about 43 pounds of resistance. They also claim the lightest resistances are easy enough for a complete beginner or someone in very bad shape.
Inexpensive (right around $50), lightweight, and small; the elastic bands are cheaper to buy than anything else that will give you this kind of workout. The bands come in a very small bag that is easy to store and can be packed in a suitcase or carry-on for travel. In addition, these bands have been touted as being much better, more durable, and more challenging than the cheap exercise bands you normally find in stores.
With all this said, these elastic bands seem to be of high quality and durability; in addition to providing a great exercise workout.
The Smooth Treadmill
Where to Get it: Amazon.com has great discounts on Smooth treadmills, ranging in price from $999 to $2399, each with different features.
The treadmill pictured at right is the Smooth 7.1 HR Treadmill with Wireless Heart Rate Monitor
The latest Amazon.com promo codes are here: http://www.momscape.com/coupon-codes/amazon.htm
Product Review:
Weighing in at 295 pounds, the Smooth treadmill has been characterized as one of the best treadmills available today. Priced from $999.00 to $2999.00, consumers have collectively stated this is one treadmill worth its price.
With a 20×53 tread belt, the Smooth is ideal for both walking and running. It also has folding capability, which will save valuable space. The all important warrant for this treadmill is lifetime for the frame and motor, three years on all parts and electronics, and one year labor warranty.
Known for its stability and ease of use, this is definitely one comfortable treadmill. While its customers exclaim how smooth the ride is, hence the name Smooth, very few problems have been reported. The Smooth treadmill consists of the soft-drop, shock-assisted manual folding ability. Its quiet and comfortable workout has been touted for its double frame design.
With a 2.5 horsepower continuous-duty motor, and the pick quick start on the user-friendly, easy to read backlit console, this treadmill affords you the ability to take your workout seriously. Due to its heavy weight, the tread belt is ideal for walking and running, and has a very solid feel to it. The console displays speed, distance, calories, and time and pulse simultaneously. It offers six challenging programs as well.
One of the major problems in purchasing any exercise equipment of this type is the service. Fortunately, if any parts need to be replaced, you can be assured as a Smooth customer, you will only pay for shipping the parts to and from the service technicians. Knowledgeable and friendly, they will guide you through the repair process, providing honest and helpful advice along the way.
With so many treadmills on the market today, it’s a wonder how anyone can should the appropriate one for them. With all of the gizmos and gadgets, it can be a challenge. However, when you think of investing in a piece of exercise equipment, you certainly want to be assured it is not only top quality, but is easy to use as well. The Smooth treadmill is one you can count on to give you years of cardio workouts and enjoyable exercise in the comfort of your own home.
Treadmill: The Bowflex Series
Where to Get It: Amazon.com consistently has great discounts on Bowflex treadmills. ( Current amazon promo codes are here: http://www.momscape.com/coupon-codes/amazon.htm )
According to consumer reports, the Bowflex Treadmill is highly recommended. Priced from $999.00 to $1300.00, it offers ease of use and has a large walking and running surface area.
If you are in the market for a really good treadmill, perhaps this is the one for you. Weighing in at 298 pounds, the Bowflex is characterized as an intense cardio workout system with a powerful horsepower, including more than 15 workout programs (depending upon the series you purchase), the Bowflex Treadmill offers a wide range of options, including: manual, cardio, fat burn, speed interval jogger, hill intervals, heart strength/recovery test, calorie goal, distance goal, cardio heart rate calculation, body mass index, and programs to personalize your total body workout.
For those of you who have little space area in your home, the Bowflex folds up for easy storage. Among the other peripherals offered are a built-in 3-speed fan, two bottle holders, and quick-speed keys for your comfort and ease of use. There is a 15 year warranty for the frame, and a 10 year motor warranty, as well as two years parts and one year labor.
The only drawback to the Bowflex is that it requires home assembly. In addition, it is advisable to place it in one room and not move it around, as you may have a problem getting it through the doorframe. While some may find all of the extras a bit confusing, it is recommended to thoroughly read the manual and become familiarize with the Bowflex before using. You can be certain, however, that it is built to last and is quite sturdy, and should only take up to an hour to assemble. Another feature is that all the tools required to assemble the Bowflex are included.
If you have been watching TV or checking online, it may be a good idea to research the Bowflex Treadmills to determine which one would be appropriate for you and your home. The series available are #3, #5 and #7, with #7 being the most expensive. With the winter weather upon us, you may not want to go to your gym to workout. Having this treadmill in your home will save you time and money, in the long run; not to mention its efficacy to your health.
Product Name: Baby Trend Latch Loc Infant Car Seat
Submitted by: Carrie Lauth; Dallas, GA
Rating: 10
Where to buy: Babies R Us ( We’ve compiled the latest Babies R Us Promo Codes here )
Description: The Baby Trend Latch LOC Car Seat is a latch compatible, 5 point harness infant safety seat. It features a base that stays in the car and attaches either with the LATCH (latches and tethers for children) system or with a seat belt, and a separate infant seat that can be used as a carrier. Also comes with a sun shade.
Review: I put a lot of emphasis on safety when it comes to my kids and their car seats. Before I purchase a safety seat I do research in Consumer Reports magazine.
The Baby Trend Latch-LOC was found to be one of the safest choices when run through their crash tests. The 5 point harness is also a great selling point, as these have been proven to be superior to the 3 point harness systems.
Also, I have found this car seat to be easy to use. It’s very simple to get a good, tight installation which is so important for baby’s safety.
For convenience the base can be attached to the car semi permanently and you can remove the infant seat to use on your shopping cart or if baby falls asleep in the seat and you don’t want to disturb him. You can purchase additional bases and install them in your other vehicle, so that you can easily move the seat from one car to another.
The sunshade is nice for preventing sunlight from getting hurting baby’s eyes.
Another thing I like about this seat is the easy to adjust headrest. It makes for a snug fit even for a newborn. And to raise or lower it, all you have to do is twist a knob in the back. It’s not necessary to rethread the straps through the back of the seat, which can be a real inconvenience.
The only drawback is that this seat is no longer being manufactured so it’s sometimes hard to find one.