I need your advice....dancing tutu's!

My little girl is in dancing this year and we LOVE finding dancing outfits. What we are looking for are tutu's!You know those really cute ones? We searched on ebay and the prices were through the roof on some of them. Do any of you happen to have great ideas on where to find tutu making instructions or patterns. I'm pretty decent with a sewing machine but I need something to go by.

Giveaway! Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method

Here's a good giveaway! I'll be reviewing this one as soon as I get to try it out. I know I need to lose some weight and get in shape so I thought this would be a good opportunity to try out something new.

Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method

Did you know muscles get bored, just like people do? And did you also know that there's a 9 out of 10 chance that you're working the wrong muscles when you exercise? With TRACY ANDERSON'S 30-DAY METHOD you don't have to worry--her unique workout will help you drop the weight and shrink your body in just 30 days. Based on ten years of scientific research and experience getting not just herself, but A-list stars and everyday people, red carpet ready, Anderson has developed a unique 30-day diet and workout routine that reshapes the body and defies genetics to tone the muscles and drop the pounds. While most people incorrectly target their major muscle groups, like the bicep or hamstring, the focus should be on the smaller accessory muscles that can create a long, lean, balanced look--instead of bulked up look. Anderson's program is composed of a groundbreaking three-tiered approach, including a mat workout and cardio routine targeting the all-important accessory muscles, and an exclusive 30-day meal plan, complete with dozens of delicious recipes.This comprehensive kick-start program is unlike any other workout on the market and it leaves no chance for anything but terrific, fast results!

Thanks to Anna @ Hachette I can give away 2 copies of this one!

-no PO Boxes

-open to US and canadian residents

-Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if they win the same title in two or more contests, they will receive only one copy of the title (or one set in the case of grouped giveaways) in the mail.

Anybody know what this bug is?

Anybody know what these are? We found them in the yard and I was curious.

(no harm were done to these bugs...they were released after picture taking)

The Kitties! (All 3) Share your name ideas!

This is Pumpkin who we had found dumped at the park and covered in paint...

And since I said I would give you all an updated photo...Pumpkin today!

This is the little girl we actually went for...and of course came home with! (She is a total sweetheart!)

Here is the sister who we could not leave behind! Any name suggestions for her?

That's the whole gang! Do you all have cats or kittens? Pictures to share?

New kitten in the family! (well tommorrow...)

After a TON of thought we decided that we would like to have a second cat. You haven't seen me posting in the last few days because I've been scouring the web looking for just the right one to add to our family. This is it!

We're going to get her tommorrow! I am just so excited! You know when you just KNOW that it's the one? Well that's what happened here...we just knew.

So *happy dance* and now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

Review and Giveaway: Piggy Paints!

Thanks to Piggy Paint me and my daughter were able to check out this all natural nail polish and nail polish remover! This stuff was great! The nail polish has basically zero smell and the nail polish, while it does have a scent, is not nearly as bad as the nose-burning remover you get from the store. It lasts just as long as regular nail polish and the pink that we got to check out was really pretty!

Here are a few other things I liked about Piggy Paint:

It's hypo-allergenic and eco-friendly!

If you want to know a bit more about Piggy Paint you can visit their site here.

Here's a little more info for you:

Piggy Paint is a natural, eco-friendly nail polish designed for fancy girls. Its non-toxic, hypoallergenic formula makes it safe to use on all piggies. Piggy Paint dries to a hard, durable finish that can easily be removed with our eco-friendly, low odor Piggy Paint nail polish remover. Both are made in the USA!Available in an assortment of gift sets that are perfect for Holidays and other special occasions. Say good-bye to harsh, smelly chemicals and hello to Piggy Paint...it's as Natural as Mud!

Here's where you can find them online:

Follow us on twitter.com/piggypaint & Facebook for secret sales and special offers!

And since Piggy Paint is awesome they've offered up a dicount code to the readers here!

coupon code is CAJUN10L expiration:August 31, 2010

10% off exclusive for TCBL & CMHF readers on anything on our Website including sale items.

Also, Piggy Paint ships worldwide!

Giveaway Time!

Piggy Paint is offering one lucky winner a $15.00 Gift Certificate to their store!

-To enter please leave a comment along with your email so I can contact you if you win!

-For an Extra Entry Follow them on twitter: twitter.com/piggypaint

-For another extra entry you can become a follower

-and for one more extra entry you can spread the word through a tweet, a link, anything!

Since they ship worldwide my international followers are welcome to enter!

**Samples provided by Piggy Paint. All opinions are my own.

Upcoming CSN Review!

Hello Everyone! CSN contacted me to do a review and giveaway. *throws confetti* I adore everything CSN makes so of course I agreed! Before I tell you about what I'm reviewing let me tell you about their dining room tables! I checked them out and they have something for everyone...from classic styles to modern styles, you can find something that you want!

While I do love EVERYTHING I can only pick one thing to review...and I was greedy this time! LOL! Do you remember this little gal? If not you can read up how she came to be with us here. Of course she no longer looks ragged and is growing by leaps and bounds! This is the picture I took on the day that we got her.

Well, it's month later and she is fantastic and we LOVE her! We've been talking about buying a Cat Tree for her so this came at a GREAT time! I knew you would all understand if I reviewed a kitty tree for Pumpkin!Here is what she'll be getting! I can't wait to see what she does with it!


Giveaway Time:
Even though she's getting this giant 64" Cat Tree I'm still able to offer you a $20.00 Gift Certificate! YAY!

If you want to enter you'll have to go to my other blog here.

Chicken Enchilada Recipe! (easy and yummy!)

This recipe comes from AllRecipes.com. I made this for supper the other night and it was quick, easy, and delicious so I wanted to share!

(picture from allrecipes.com)



Prep Time:30 Min
Cook Time:30 Min
Ready In:1 Hr 30 Min

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pint sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 (12 ounce) jar taco sauce
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium, non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Drain excess fat. Cube the chicken and return it to the skillet. Add the onion, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano and ground black pepper. Heat until cheese melts. Stir in salt, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, green pepper and garlic.

Roll even amounts of the mixture in the tortillas. Arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with taco sauce and 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 498 Total Fat: 15.9g Cholesterol: 72mg

Time Saver tip:
Instead of using boneless chicken breasts I used the precut chicken fajita meat you can buy in (normally) the freezer section of your grocery srore!

We Love Zhu-Zhu Pets!

At my house we are huge Zhu-Zhu fans....really, like you wouldn't BELIEVE what I went through for Christmas to try and get these for my kids! It was madness! Anyway, I got a cute email from the Zhu-Zhu people about a tour their doing which you can find out about here. Unfortunately none of the tour stops are in my area but that's alright...there was a really cute recipe in the email that I wanted to share!

Since one of Nugget’s favorite things is butterflies, try Nugget’s Butterfly Cupcake recipe!

Ingredients

Frosted cupcakes

Miniature pretzels

M&M’s or candy coated chocolates

Black or red licorice

1. Prepare your favorite cupcake recipe or box mix according to the directions provided. Once cupcakes have cooled, ice them with your favorite icing recipe or your favorite canned icing. (For extra fun, you can tint the frosting a different color using food coloring!)

2. To create the butterfly: Place four M&Ms down the center of the cupcake. This creates the butterfly’s body.

3. Next, place one pretzel on each side of the body to create the wings.

4. Finally cut the licorice into small pieces, and place on the head of the butterfly to create the antennas.

5. Eat and enjoy!

Glee Gum Review and Giveaway!

What We Thought:

We received the Make Your Own Gum Kit which you see above and boy did we have fun with it! It was certainly a fun AND educational activity for the family.This would be a great rainy day project or just when you want to beat the heat and stay inside. I also think this is a good project for homeschoolers too!

I really like that this product is actually good for you! There's No Aspartame in Glee!
Like I said we had a blast! But be warned this is a super sticky activity. :)

Here's some info on the kits:
Our activity kits for children are fun and educational. They are great for science classes, birthday parties, scout troops, and home schools. Kids can make chocolate, chewing gum, or gummy candy and learn a lot in the process!

Here's a little info on Glee Gum which you can of course, buy premade:
Glee Gum is all natural chewing gum made with sustainably harvested rainforest chicle. It comes in SIX great flavors: cinnamon, peppermint, tangerine, bubblegum, spearmint, and triple berry. Glee Gum is the #1 healthy alternative to synthetic chewing gum and bubble gum! With no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners (no aspartame), or preservatives, it's easy to chew Glee-fully!

Visit Glee's Website here.

GIVEAWAY!
Thanks to the folks @ Glee Gum I'm able to offer one lucky reader a kit of their choice! How awesome is that!?

-Open to US residents only
-Ends July 15th
-Please leave a comment telling me which kit you would like to try along with your email addy so I can contact you if you win!

Extra entries:

-Want a few extra entries? Well you can "like" Glee Gum on Facebook or you can follow them on Twitter!
-extra entry if you become a follower of this blog

**review sample provided by Glee Gum

PR and Giveaway: Balloonatiks DVD!

What We Thought:

My kids loved this DVD! They loved the characters and were really entertained by the story. Seriously, they watched it about 10 times between the time we received it and now. I liked the fact that it featured "teenagers" trying to do the right thing.

It was cute, it was fun, and it got the stamp of approval from my kids!
Want to know more about the Balloonatiks?

Visit http://www.balloonatiks.com/ where you can find Balloonatiks characters, check out Balloonatiks gear, play games and have fun!

A Giveaway!

Thanks to the Balloonatiks people I can offer one lucky reader a chance to win a "Balloonatiks: The Collector's Set" DVD!

-open to US residents only
-ends July 1st
-please leave a comment along with your email so I can contact you if you win
-for 1 extra entry spread the word and leave a link :)

-for 1 extra entry become a follower or let me know if you already are :)

More Info on The Ballonatiks:

They're five ordinary teens mysteriously transformed into rubbery, shape-stretching super heroes who take on any of the evil-doers that dare to threaten Hot Air City. Meet The Balloonatiks -- Flator, Squeeker, Airbrain, Sparky, Bouncer and Leaky -- as they star in their very first animated comedy-adventures!

Produced in state-of-the-art CGI animation and a unique style of presentation, Balloonatiks: The Collector's Set is a long-awaited addition to The Balloonatiks' growing catalog of popular kids' entertainment, which already includes two paperbacks, a series of comics and games, and an interactive website.

PR: Bling Strands! (and a giveaway!)

What I Thought:

These are really neat! I received the purples ones in the mail and my daughter promptly made me put them in her hair. I have a few bits of advice on that but I'll get to that in a bit.
They are thin plastic "strips" that you basically tie on to one or two pieces of hair. At first I thought to myself..."this cannot possibly work or hold up!" Much to my surprise they are actually very tough. The ones I put in my daughters hair actually stayed in for about a week before we pulled them out. She loved them and everyone thought they were really cute. I brought her to the hairdresser (and we actually forgot one in her hair) who asked about them when she saw it.

Now on to my advice...read the instructions and if you don't understand them you should watch the video. It's not hard but if you don't do it right they will slip out. Tighten them from the end of the strip; if you don't they tend to curl. (but you can apparently treat them like hair once they're in. I'm not sure because my daughter doesn't use a flat iron or anything)
I think these would be good for prom, dance recitals, etc. They would work for any fun occasion!
Here is a picture (taken from the Bling Strands website) that you can see them in use. Here you can see they are being used as a dressy accessory.

For More Info Visit:

www.blingstrands.com
Giveaway!
Thanks to Lisa @ It's A Glam Thing I'm able to offer one package of Bling Strands to one lucky reader!

To enter:
-please leave a comment telling me what YOU think these would be good for.
-leave your email addy so I can contact you if you win
-open to US residents only
-ends July 1st

Extra entry if you become a follower just let me know in your comment!

Review and Giveaway! : Flowerz In Her Hair (hair accessories)

Thanks to Amy I was able to review these awesome hair accessories!

Here you can see my daughter in the crocheted beanie and an interchangeable flower clip.
We recently went to a boutique where they were charching $20.00-$25.00 a piece for the flower clips! Luckily, you can purchase them for MUCH cheaper through Amy's website...
Flowerz In Her Hair really has great prices and a great selection of items

We LOVED these pieces because not only are they interchangeable but because you can wear any of them by themselves!

I received a beanie, a black flower clip, and a white one. With just those 3 pieces we were able to create several different looks. I liked the vesatility very much! I should also mention that all of the sample products we tries out were very well made!

Here she is with the white and black flower attached to the hat.

A Giveaway!

Amy is offering a $20.00 E-Gift Certificate to her store!

In case anyone would like to go shopping, she's also offering a discount to TCBL readers!Use code: booklady and receive 15% off an order of $10 or more, also all orders over $10 ship for free.

If you'd like to enter this awesome giveaway here's what you need to do:

Visit Flowerz In Her Hair and tell me at least one item that you liked.

That's it!

-open to US residents only

-ends June 30th

-please leave an email so I can contact you if you win

Extra Entry if you become a follower or are already one...just let me know in your comment :)

A Yummy Treat!

I made something yummy and easy today so I thought I would pass it along!

Now I know that if you take your time and use a cupcake pan to hold your liners they would come out looking much nicer, but it's just for us so I wasn't to worried. :)

All you need are some:

Vanilla Wafers

No Bake Cheescake

Some type of fruit topping (mine is strawberry)

How I made them:

I put some vanilla wafers in a ziploc bag and smashed em up...

I then took the smashed wafers and put them in the bottom of the liners. Follow the directions on the no bake cheescake mix. (leaving out the graham cracker crust...you won't need it) Plop the mix on top of the wafers...top with fruit "spread" and decorate with a cookie! (you could also put a fruit or whatever else you want) Put in the refrigerator for about an hour and they're ready to go.

VERY simple and certaily something your kids could help you with!

I'm Back!

Well at least on this blog! I had taken a break to catch up with my book blog but I've decided that it's time to dedicate some work and posting to this one.

I'll start adding recipes again, but I'll also be adding product reviews, giveaways, and anything else that may relate to home and family. :)

So expect to see more from here soon!

Happy Easter Everyone!

I'll be back to regular posting on here come Monday. We've been so busy with Easter stuff that I've been running around non-stop! When did Easter become so much work anyways? I hope you all have a wonderful day tommorrow!

Dessert Alert! Ooey Gooey Bars

This one is super easy and super delicious! It only takes a few ingredients and the taste can't be beat. When I make these at home they are eaten as quickly as I put 'em out.


What you will need:

3 eggs
1 stick of butter
1 box of cake mix (butter or golden)
1 small box of powdered sugar
1 box 8 oz. cream cheese


Directions:

First: mix together 1 egg, 1 stick butter, and your box of cake mix, then spread it in your square pan. (make sure you use a non-stick spray first)

Next: mix together 2 eggs, 1 box powdered sugar, and your cream cheese, then spread this mix over your first layer.

Last: Put in your oven @ 350 and let bake for 20-30 minutes. You want the top to start turning a golden color and looking "cracked." Once done, take it out to cool and then slice into squares.


Note from the Chef:

These are really hard to mess up unless you let them burn. When I first started making them I just had to eyeball the color I liked on top and go from there.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask!

Easy Taco Soup!

Today's recipe is an easy taco soup. I LOVE to make this because it's so easy! (just like the title says) We never have any leftovers and on the rare occasion that we do, you CAN freeze this one for those days when you don't feel like cooking.

Ingredients:

1 LB. Ground beef, turkey, or pork

1 large chopped onion

1 can pinto or red beans

1 can corn

1 can stewed tomatoes (Ro-Tel works good here)

1 small can tomato paste

1 pkg of dry Taco Seasoning

1 pkg of Ranch Dressing mix

1-2 cups water

Salt and Pepper to taste

Garlic Powder to taste

To Serve:

(all optional)

Grated Cheddar Cheese

Sour Cream

Corn Chips

Chopped Green Onions

Cooking Directions:

This one's really simple! Just brown your ground meat and drain. Then add all your ingredients into one pot (don't drain your corn or beans!) Heat everything till it comes to a boil. You can let it simmer for a while depending on how thick you want it.

Easy Peasy right? I like to stir my cheese, sour cream, and green onions directly in my bowl. The hubby likes to add the corn chips to the mix. It's a cheap meal too!

Hope you give it a try! If you do I'd love for you to let me know if you liked it.

Yummy Jambalaya Recipe

Ingredients you will need:

• 4 cans stewed tomatoes


• 1 (12 oz) can tomato sauce


• 1 large can of tomato paste


• 3 medium onions (chopped)


• 2 finely chopped bell peppers


• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions

• 1/4 cup minced garlic

• 8 cups cooked rice

• 2 1/2 packages of sausage (chopped)

• 1 pack of boneless chicken (chopped)

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 or 2 inch think ham (chopped)

Cooking Directions:

Combine tomato sauce, paste, and stewed tomatoes in a slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours. While the sauce is cooking you can brown your onions and green peppers in a separate pan. After the sauce is cooked you can add your sugar, green onions, and garlic.


In your pan with the browned onions you can go ahead and add your sausage, ham, and a bit of water just to help with the cooking of the meat.


In another pot (yes, I know we're dirtying lots of dishes here LOL) you can brown (you want this cooked) your chicken. After your done with your chicken, add it into your previous pan with the onions.


Now *whoosh* yes we are almost done! Your sauce in the slow cooker should be finished. Once it is you'll add your meat and onions mixture. You want to let that simmer for a while...after that, you can just add 8 cups of cooled cooked rice, right into your slow cooker and stir.


*Voila*



Note from the Chef:

I realize that this seems like a jumble of a recipe, BUT that's how most recipes are in my particular part of the world. Most are handed down from your granny to you while you're helping her cook.


My granny used to tell me to "add a pinch" of that...what's a pinch? Well her advice was to just add till it seemed right. So that's what I've always done. This recipe is actually a pretty simple way to make your jambalaya and I hope you'll try it!


If you have ANY questions, please feel free to ask!

Welcome to Cajun Taste Buds!

Thanks for stopping by my brand new blog "Cajun Taste Buds."

Some of you may know me from my other blog, "The Cajun Book Lady," If you're stopping in from there then thank you so much! If your new here and don't know me...then thank you so much also! I hope everyone will stay and follow.

Here on "Cajun Taste Buds" I have quite a few things planned out...those include daily recipes, product reviews, cook book reviews, and a follower feature!

So sit back and relax, grab a cup of coffee, and start this fun food journey with me!