A Day in Motherhood

HOUSTON: See the Preview of “What to Expect When Your Expecting” on May 15, 2012

May 2, 2012 By Lori 2 Comments

I am really looking forward to the new movie, What to Expect When Your Expecting, a new film with a great ensemble cast that features Jennifer Lopez, Brooklyn Decker, and Elizabeth Banks, among others. The months leading up to childbirth can be challenging, but with this new film, expecting parents get a dose of what they can expect by seeing it on the big screen with some of today’s biggest actors! (More information below.)

**Our promo screening will be Tuesday, May 15^th, at 7pm at Edwards Greenway Grand Palace.**

Use CODE DIMHMMT7 at GoFoBo.com.

The first 100 that enter the pro code and get a confirming email are in!

A kaleidoscopic comedy as universal as it is unpredictable, WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING finds humor and uplift in all the unexpected trials and triumphs of welcoming a child into the world. The film stars Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Chace Crawford, Brooklyn Decker, Ben Falcone, Anna Kendrick, Matthew Morrison, Dennis Quaid, Chris Rock, Rodrigo Santoro, Joe Manganiello, Rob Huebel, Tom Lennon and Amir Talai. The film is directed by Kirk Jones, written by Shauna Cross and Heather Hach and inspired by the book “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” by Heidi Murkoff. Lionsgate presents in association with Alcon Entertainment, a Phoenix Pictures production / a Lionsgate production of a Kirk Jones film.

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Filed Under: Deals, Freebies, Houston, My Motherhood Blog, Promo Writings, Promo Writings Tagged With: Houston movie screenings, Movie Preview, What to expect When Your Expecting

Jog the Journey: A Challenge for Charity Fun Run March 31, 2012 {Houston/Crosby}

March 26, 2012 By Lori Leave a Comment

“The Children’s Assessment Center (CAC), Houston’s center for child victims of sexual abuse, is kicking off the awareness month on Saturday, March 31 at the Crosby fairgrounds with the Inaugural Jog the Journey, A Challenge for Charity, Fun Run and Walk. The first year event will benefit the CAC as they continue to raise awareness for child abuse prevention and continue to aid the families who have fallen victim to child abuse in Harris County.

Unlike other fun runs, this 5k and 10k event for everyone comes with a twist, it is all 1980s themed! Not only is 1980s attire recommended for all ages, but also a DJ will be at the race start and finish line playing 1980s music throughout the event. After the race, participants can continue to enjoy the festivities as race trophies and raffle prizes are awarded all while accompanied by their choice of various St. Arnold’s, Red Stripe, Miller Light, and Bud Light beverages.”

The Children’s Assessment Center (CAC) provides a safe place for children who are sexually abused and their families. Their goal is to promote the complete healing of the victims as well as those around them. With 1 in 6 children reporting sexual abuse before the age of 18 and the median age of abuse reported being 9, this organization is needed more than ever! Participating in fund raising events like this that are also great for your family is an easy way to help out!

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month! So Houston and surrounding areas, lace on your sneakers and head out to the Crosby Fairgrounds to help the CAC kick it off!

Here are some more details to get you started!

Who: All ages of Houstonians. Participants must be of age to enjoy the post-race beverages provided by St. Arnold’s, Red Stripe, Miller Light and Bud Light. Everyone is encouraged to participate in dressing in his or her best 1980s attire and enjoy the decade’s greatest music throughout the race.
What: Jog the Journey, A Challenge for Charity, Fun Run and Walk, benefitting the Children’sAssessment Center of Houston.
Where: Crosby Fairgrounds, 14920 FM 2100, Crosby, TX 77532
When: Saturday, March 31, 2012, 8 a.m.

Have fun and let me know how you did!

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Images borrowed from the CAC with permission.

Filed Under: Houston, My Motherhood Blog, Promo Writings, Promo Writings

Kids Eat FREE at Chili’s March 5 – 7

March 4, 2012 By Lori 1 Comment

Head into Chili’s March 5 – 7 and get two free kids meals for every one adult entree! I love kids eat free days at Chili’s and save so much as a result!

Like A Day in Motherhood on Facebook and Subscribe to A Day in Motherhood. Images borrowed from Chili’s

Filed Under: Deals, Freebies, Houston

Come Out to Houston Aeros on March 11 & Help Support the Fight Against Breast Cancer

February 23, 2012 By Lori Leave a Comment

My family and I are headed to the Houston Aeros Hockey game Sunday, March 11, 2012! We can’t wait to see our hometown team kick some ice and show our girls what a hockey game is like!

It is a special night because it is also the Breast Cancer Awareness game! Check out the attached flyer, print it out and remember to purchase tickets! USE CODE PINK12 to purchase discount tickets through me!

In addition, there will be a silent auction held in the concourse of the stadium starting at 5:05pm CST. Plus, everyone who comes to the game will get a pair of pink gloves, courtesy of Loco Concepts, in order to try and set the record for the world’s largest indoor pink glove dance!

I’ll see you there – I can not wait!

Like A Day in Motherhood on Facebook and Subscribe to A Day in Motherhood. Images borrowed from the Houston Aeros.

Filed Under: Houston

Texans: Win a $50 Visa Gift Card Just for Taking a Simple Survey About Your Use of ‘Rewards’

February 9, 2012 By Lori 9 Comments

*Leave your email address spelled out – lomargie at gmail dot com – or Tweet to hashtag #TXUMom so that we may track your entry for the drawing for the winner!*

Hi fellow Texans! TXU Energy approached me to see if you would take a simple survey about your use of ‘rewards’ you get from companies! In exchange, one of the survey participants would get a $50 Prepaid Visa Gift Card! Well, you know I love to give you stuff so here we go!

Click here to take survey

And then keep reading for a shot at $10,000!

A little background!

TXU Energy is celebrating five years of giving our customers cash back through the TXU Energy Cash Back Loyalty Reward program.
· Basically, participating customers earn up to 3% or more cash back on their annual electricity purchases, and they receive it via a Visa prepaid card!
· As of this year’s distribution, we have given more than $100 million back to our customers in cash back.
· This year, alone, we have sent hundreds of thousands of customers a total of more than $36 million.

Our research shows that people here in Texas really do put those reward dollars to good use! Click here for the infographic that shows you how/where they spent most of it last year!

So, the question came to us: How much do families today use rewards (cash back, airline points, “dollars” earned at drug stores, etc.), coupons, or both to support their household budgets?

And why not give you a shot at a reward for your valuable time to take this survey?

Do you want a shot at $10,000 too? Help TXU celebrate their 5 year, 100,000 Cash Back Loyalty Reward program. It’s open to anyone 18 or older who’s living in a competitive electricity market and runs through March 31.

All you have to do to enter is:

· Go to our Facebook Page
· Click on the “Cash Rewards” link (see below)
· Once you’re on the contest page, click “Like” and share how you would spend/use $10K in extra cash

That’s it! Two great ways to win some cash!

**I was not compensated for bringing this sweepstakes to you.**

Filed Under: Deals, Houston, Sweeps, Sweeps

HOUSTON: Get ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’ Passes FREE

February 1, 2012 By Lori Leave a Comment

If you live in Houston and surrounding areas and you want to go see Journey 2: The Mysterious Island FREE before anyone else then keep reading!!

See the movie in Preview, 4 days before your friends!

February 6, 2012 at 7pm at the Edwards Grande Palace 24!

Tickets are limited so get your passes NOW!

TO ATTEND, PLEASE LOG ON TO GOFOBO.COM , CLICK ‘SCREENINGS’ AND ENTER THE FOLLOWING CODE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR TICKETS:

MOMSBWQC

Rated PG for “some adventure action and brief, mild language”

Arrive early! Seating is first come, first serve, except for members of the reviewing press. This ticket does not guarantee you a seat. Theatre is overbooked to ensure a full house. Theatre is not responsible for overbooking. Very young children/infants are strongly discouraged. No admittance once screening has begun. This pass is the property of Warner Bros. Pictures who reserves the right to admit or refuse access to the theatre at the discretion of an authorized studio and/or theatre representative. This ticket is not for resale. This screening will be monitored for unauthorized recording. By attending, you agree not to bring any audio or video recording device, including cell phones into the theater (audio recording devices for credentialed press excepted) and consent to a physical search of your belongings and person. Any attempted use of recording devices will result in your immediate removal from the theater, forfeiture of the device, and may subject you to criminal and civil liability. Please allow additional time for heightened security. You can assist us by leaving all non essential bags at home or in your vehicle. Warner Bros. thanks you for your cooperation.

Opens in theaters Friday, February 10, 2012

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Filed Under: Deals, Freebies, Houston

We Went to the Fuel Up To Play 60 Event & Learned How to Get $4,000 for Our School {Houston}

December 14, 2011 By Lori Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago I was deeply honored to have been invited to the FuelUptoPlay60.com event with the Houston Texans football players and Cheerleaders sponsored by Borden, Kroger and dairy MAX! The program partners the National Dairy Council, local Dairy Councils and the NFL and is aimed at showing how eating well and exercise can help kids learn even more in school! It was such an awesome opportunity to meet and greet the team and learn all about nutrition and get educated about the program that my husband took off work and we took the girls out of school early!

The event marked the kick off of the $200,000 grant that Borden Dairy, Houston Area Kroger Stores, Dairy MAX and the Houston Texans are rewarding Houston Area Schools in an effort to make breakfasts at school more nutritious! Schools can apply to get a $4,000 Grant to aid in a healthier breakfast for their students!

Check us out at the event below:

As we toured Reliant Stadium, took photos with Toro – the Houston Texans Mascot – worked out with some of the team members, had healthy snacks in the Houston Texans cafeteria, and watched the kids from the Boys and Girls Clubs of America enjoying it all, I was excited that programs like FuelUptoPlay60.com are available because they are so desperately needed in today’s schools!

I know that the few times I have been to my daughters elementary school to have lunch with her, I have been surprised that there are not more options like veggie plates and such! Usually its a burger or chicken sandwich with some chips. Fine but we can do better!

But even with all of the information about healthy food choices and how easy it is to incorporate them into our kids diets, schools still need funding and help in getting them on their menu options every day! Hence the need for the very generous $200,000 in grants available to our schools here in Houston and the surrounding areas!

The first step is to SIGN UP with FuelUptoPlay60.com!

As a student or school participant, FuelUptoPlay60.com helps kids participate in Fuel Up to Play 60 Challenges and Plays, earn great rewards and prizes for their school and make a HUGE difference in their school!

Here are some of the basics I picked up from my conversations with Lana Frantzen with Dairy MAX:

- You can check out the Quick Start Guides to see how to get your school involved in making school meals healthier;

- Being a parent advocate to help your school get its paperwork in for the $4,000 grant and making sure that your school is utilizing the grant to the max is key to a success story;

- the Grant allows your school to host “Taste Test Days”, have a Nutritionist and Dietitian come in and talk to the students and so much MORE – request it and they will help you try to get it done,

- the program gets the kids and the staff and the parents involved in fun challenges that teach the student body to get active and get healthy

Check out this great video on how to apply to get funding, follow the Six Steps to Get Started and then spend some time looking at all of the great information on nutrition, exercise, community involvement and more on the Fuel Up to Play 60 website!!

Once you are registered in the program, check out The YOU COOK UP A STORM Contest where, among other great prizes, you can WIN a visit to your school from an NFL Player! And you get a cap just for entering (ends January 2, 2012).

There is so much more about the program and how to best utilize it for students, staff, parents, administrators and even the community! But the bottom line is that you can make a difference in your child’s school just by signing up and getting started! I did it as a member of the PTO at my school and can not wait to tell everyone all about it!

**I was an invited guest at this event. No compensation has been received for attending or sharing my views of this event.**

Filed Under: Houston, My Motherhood Blog, Promo Writings, Promo Writings

WIN ‘The Smurfs’ 3-Disc Holiday Gift Pack (5 WINNERS) & The Smurfs Invade Houston

December 2, 2011 By Lori 192 Comments

This is a Continental US Giveaway BUT first things first!

If you live in Houston and the surrounding areas, you can MEET THE SMURFS up close and personal in three visits to Houston next weekend, December 10th and 11th, 2011!

You can read my review of The Smurfs and see why every house should have this movie!

The locations and times are:

Saturday, December 10, 2011 from 11am - 2pm at the Walmart on Post Oak Blvd (store 2718)!

9555 Post Oak Blvd
Houston, TX 77096
(713) 551-9148

Saturday, December 10, 2011 from 4pm – 7pm at the Walmart on 1960W(store 3297)!

12353 FM 1960 W
Houston, TX 77065
(832)912-7320

Sunday, December 11, 2011 from 12pm – 3pm at the Walmart on the Sam Houston Tollway (store 3500)!

5655 E Sam Houston Pkwy N
Houston, TX 77015
(713) 450-2222

Let your kids get up close and personal and shake hands with their (really your) favorite character from the smash movie, The Smurfs! And while there, pick up a Holiday Gift Pack of The Smurfs on DVD!

The Smurfs™ , one of the hottest movies of the season, now comes in a 3-Disc Holiday Blue Ray and DVD Gift Set that includes an ALL-NEW Mini-movie, The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol! The Smurfs Blue Ray is also loaded with bonus features as well as “Smurf-o -Vision”, which allows you to interact and play games on your iPad while watching the movie on your TV! And it has ULTRAVIOLET™ which lets you instantly stream or download the film!

Want one?

Pick one up at your Local Walmart or Walmart Online!

You can also get The Smurfs with the Christmas Carol Short for ONLY $19.99 with FREE Prime Shipping (save $21.00)!

AND, thanks to the fantastic people in ‘Smurfville’, you can enter to WIN 1 of 5 The Smurfs Movie Holiday Gift Packs!

Just Click [continue reading] for easy Rafflecopter Entry - [Read more...]

Filed Under: Giveaway, Houston, Movie Review

Donate to Help Feed the Animals at the Houston Zoo

November 20, 2011 By Lori Leave a Comment

Did you know that the California Sea Lions, bears and pelicans at the Houston Zoo dine happily on 26,000 pounds of fish per year, if not more? And the 6,000 animals at the zoo would like to continue to eat happily on fish, insects, meats and fruits and vegetables?

So between now and December 31, 2011, any donation you make to the Houston Zoo will be matched dollar for dollar by TXU Energy, up to $25,000. If we can all rally together and think of how much joy and pride the Houston Zoo bring to our city and to our families, I bet we can gather together $25,000, watch TXU Energy match that and donate $50,000 total to a place that teaches, thrills and entertains us day in and day out.

Not to mention all of the animals that the people at the zoo work tirelessly to take care of that would not have survived without their dedication.

And this year, especially, with the drought making it harder to get foods and the growth of the Houston Zoo population, they need us more than ever! Especially since farmers just reported the smallest hay crops in over a century.

Make your Gift of Grub donation online at www.houstonzoo.org/grub before December 31 and double the grub for a total campaign impact of $50,000. That’s a lot of grub for this amazing organization, thanks to you and TXU Energy.

More fun facts about Zoo Animals eating habits:

Food for Thought

The Houston Zoo’s animal family is large and diverse; 600 mammals, 800 birds, 500 reptiles, 400 amphibians, 4,000 fish and 4,700 invertebrates. Each day, the Zoo Commissary staff goes to work at 5 a.m. preparing and delivering animal diets that have been developed in consultation with a specialist in exotic animal nutrition. The staff works with one common goal – ensuring that every animal’s nutritional needs are met each and every day.

Gift of Grub – The Numbers

18 million – The number of crickets consumed by toads, frogs, chameleons, geckos and other Houston Zoo animals. It’s their ‘fast food’ year round.

80,000 – Heads of lettuce needed annually to stock the endless salad bar at the Houston Zoo. Giraffes are the number one customer.

10,660 – Bales of hay Houston Zoo animals munch each year. The Big Muncher Award goes annually to our Asian elephants who consume 15 bales of hay each day.

Two – The number of times your donation will count this year when you give your Gift of Grub to help feed the Zoo’s 6,000 animals. Every dollar given, now through December 31,will be doubled by TXU Energy, which will match up to $25,000 in giving to the Zoo this holiday season.

Learn more about the Houston Zoo, its animals and its dedication to our city on its website!

**Images borrowed from the Houston Zoo**

Filed Under: Deals, Donate/ Charity, Houston

HOUSTON: The Disney Store in the Galleria’s Grand Reopening – Saturday. November 5, 2011, 10am

November 4, 2011 By Lori Leave a Comment

I had the great honor of heading to the Galleria in Houston, TX and seeing the newly renovated, brand spanking new Disney store last week! And it is FANTASTIC!!

Disney has done it again. They have created the perfect wonderland for parents and children alike! The old store was great, but the new one is redone with no detail overseen. A true interactive experience, the new store boasts a Disney Princess Castle with a magic mirror where a little princess can wave the wand of her favorite princess and see her come to life in the mirror! My Megan thought this was great fun and we waved and waved every wand we could find! Surrounding the castle are dresses, shoes, accessories and more that will turn your little girl into the perfect princess she already is!

I dragged Megan away from the castle and around the amazing translucent trees and we made our way to the Disney-Pixar Cars neighborhood. Stocked full of cars plush’s, clothing and more, any Cars fan will get lost in the wonderland of items to choose from! Megan pointed and laughed and, even though she is not terribly familiar with the Cars movies, she had fun just enjoying being a child!

I picked her up and delivered her to the amazing Disney Store Theater. Tucked next to the 3 tiered Mickey and Friends Plush display, a child can color, watch clips from movies and play in this safe area in the back of the store. I left Megan with the staff and went off to shop and mingle with other blogger and Disney employees.

While talking I learned that the skyline of the store features replicas of historical and well know area in Houston and that they cleverly placed Disney characters outside them to tie them in. Like a princess and her prince in the gardens outside Houston’s famous Haunted Mansion! It is truly amazing the detail that is in this store. From the glistening trees to the creative displays, this is truly a shopping experience for you and your children!

And the staff in this store? Top knotch! Their kindness and evident love for kids made this a fun and exciting trip for all of us! See my whole trip here:

Help Disney celebrate the GRAND ReOpening of their fabulous Galleria store in Houston and come to the Grand Opening Saturday, November 5 starting at 10am! It will be well worth the visit!

Join Disney by shopping at the new stores on opening day and they will donate 10% of the proceeds that day to the Make a Wish Foundation!

**I was an guest at the media tour of the new store. I received a swag bag but no compensation for this post. All writings and opinions are my own!**

Filed Under: Disney, Houston

HOUSTON: The Merry Little Photo Shoot with Hannah Andersson, Monday, November 7 at the Galleria Houston

November 3, 2011 By Lori Leave a Comment

Houstonites, grab your kids and head over to the Galleria Mall and have your little one dress up in Hanna Andersson clothing and have their photo taken on a Windows Phone! The event takes place on Monday, November 7 and the times available for your shoot are on the Facebook page when you register!

RSVP Here

Basically, you show up with your child(ren), dress them up, choose a backdrop and they have their photo taken with a new Windows phone. You can take the photo that will be on the new HTC phone and surprise pals on Facebook with your shots of your “model” child!

You will get a framed shot of the cover shot and a discount on the clothing used in the shoot! You might even get a gift bag (supplies are limited).

Times are filling up fast so hurry to the Hanna Andersson Facebook page and RSVP now!

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**This is a public interest post.**

Filed Under: Houston

Parkway Chevrolet’s Texas Two Step Charity Event 2011

October 29, 2011 By Lori Leave a Comment

I was honored to have been invited to a wonderful charity event a few weeks ago hosted and run by Parkway Chevrolet in Tomball, TX. The event included music, food, the loudest Corvette contest, a public auction and a silent auction. It was held at the dealership and very elegantly and tastefully done!

Parkway Chevrolet, a family owned company of 32 years, has presented this event for 9 years. Every year they choose a different charity to be part of this fantastic event and to raise funds for. I really like that idea, to spread the “wealth” in a community, so to speak, so that a broader spectrum of people needing help can be reached.

This year, the charities represented were The Children’s Refuge and Urban Outreach.

The Children’s Refuge - I spoke with one of the members of The Refuge while at the event and was impressed with their cause. Among other things, they take youngsters – boys generally – who do not have fathers and grandfathers and let them explore the outdoors with the lessons of Christ behind them. They are a “non-profit organization engaged in providing deserving children with a quality outdoor adventure experience.”

Urban Outreach – They provide “life changing programs to at risk youth and vulnerable families in apartment complexes, schools and camps in the Greater Houston area.” Their vision is to provide faith based programs to help with lifestyle changes for these communities.

I, personally, was impressed with the charities Parkway Chevrolet chose to raise money for this year. And I was impressed with the event itself! It was well organized and a great “date night” activity for me and my husband!

My favorite part of the evening was the food, I won’t lie – catered in from some of Houston’s top restaurants, like PF Chang’s – but the highlight, I would say, was the Corvette Loudest Car contest! We did not have earplugs and probably should have but to see all of these custom Corvettes, proudly displayed and in mint condition, was fabulous! I think I still hear a few of them in my sleep!

If you or someone you know is a car nut, this event is right up their alley!

I heard through the grapevine that The Texas Two Step (next year it will include the name Parkway in the title) raised around $100,000 this year. That is up from $40,000 last year. You know that they must be doing something right to have that kind of turnout of generous people!

Though done for this year, Parkway Chevrolet is always looking for sponsors and ideas to make next year’s even better! It is year 10, after all! Like their Facebook page so that you have front seat access to information for this event for 2012! With affordable tickets, amazing auction items – anyone want to take an African Safari? – and a relaxed atmosphere, it is the charity event you’ll want to go to next year!

We’ll be there!

**This post is not sponsored or compensated in any way. I wrote it because I truly loved the event!**

Filed Under: Deals, Donate/ Charity, Houston, My Motherhood Blog, My Recent Writings

HOUSTON: Energizer Run for A Brighter World 11/11/11

October 24, 2011 By Lori Leave a Comment

HOUSTONIANS and Family:

Lace up your shoes, stretch those calf muscles and head down to the Energizer Night Race for a Brighter World, a supporter of 1 Million Lights!

The race will take place in Downtown Houston on 11/11/11 at 6:30pm CST and there is an after race BBQ at 10pm CST. You can get $11 off entry fees with discount code HOUSTON11 when you register!

Read More About the Race

Only once every hundred years will there be an opportunity to participate in a running event on 11/11/11. The Energizer Night Race for a Brighter World is hosting the U.S. leg of the global night race series in Houston at the Sam Houston Race Park on Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. Runners are invited to participate in the 11K run or the 1.1 mile family fun run. Registration is open at www.energizer.com/nightrace.

The races will begin at 6:30 p.m. and runners, volunteers and supporters are encouraged to stick around for a post-race BBQ, music and awards ceremony.

All participants will receive a commemorative 11-11-11 athletic t-shirt and an Energizer_® LED headlight to be worn during the race. All finishers will receive a special prize and awards will be given in each age category for men and women and for overall top finishers. Total goody bag items are valued at approximately $45.

What: Energizer Night Race for a Brighter World - www.energizer.com/nightrace

When: Nov. 11, 2011 (11/11/11) - Races begin at 6:30pm – Post-race BBQ until 10pm

Where: Sam Houston Race Park - Houston, Texas

Distances: Choice of 11k or 1.1 mile fun run

Cost: Rolling fee schedule, see www.energizer.com/nightrace for details

WHY You Want to Run?

More than 1.6 billion people worldwide lack access to electricity and depend on costly and health-hazardous kerosene lamps.¹ Many spend up to half of their income on the kerosene, even though it provides inadequate illumination.² Kerosene is also responsible for 1.5 million deaths from burns and respiratory illnesses annually³ – 62 percent of which are children.⁴ Further, each kerosene lamp emits more than 100kg of carbon every year, adding up to 190 million tons of global carbon emissions annually.⁵

As part of its new global platform—now that’s positivenergy_™—Energizer is pledging to donate 11 million hours of light in 2011 to rural communities in need around the world.

Eleven countries will be hosting races in 2011, with Houston serving as the U.S. kick off.

WHO Will You Be Racing For?

The goal of the race series is to raise awareness of the need for safe, clean, affordable lighting for people around the world living without electricity. The Energizer Night Race for a Brighter World is more than a race; it’s an opportunity to make a positive impact around the world. In honor of all the runners around the globe participating in the night race series, Energizer will donate 11 million hours of solar light to its charity partner, One Million Lights, an organization dedicated to ending the world’s dependence on kerosene and replacing it with safe lighting.

As participants race through the darkness with only the light of a headlight to guide them, they’ll get to experience what families around the world without electricity face every evening as they try to complete their daily tasks in the dark.

The Energizer Night Race for a Brighter World is the first global initiative of the new Energizer platform, now that’s positivenergy_™, which combines performance plus responsibility and demonstrates Energizer’s long-standing commitment to responsible power and serving the community.

To Register & For More Information

To register for the Houston night race, visit www.energizer.com/nightrace. For more information on the global initiative, go to www.energizerglobalnightrace.com. To learn more about One Million Lights, visit www.onemillionlights.org.

Filed Under: Deals, Donate/ Charity, Houston, Pay It Forward, Take Action

Appetite for Inspiration: I Cooked, I Ate, I Laughed, I Learned

October 10, 2011 By Lori 1 Comment

A week or so ago, I was honored to have been invited, along with many other Houston Bloggers (and some Dallas favorites too) to Appetite for Inspiration, an event hosted by the Texas Beef Council to help educate about the nutritional benefits of beef!

Now, I am a Texas girl. We eat a lot of beef. But I usually buy the same thing time after time because I look at the long rows in the grocery store and never know what is what. So we eat a lot of Pot Roasts and steaks that I buy that are the cheapest cuts. So, joining the Texas Beef Council and Celebrity Chef Richard Chamberlain to learn something new about beef was very exciting for me!

My first lesson… the people at the Texas Beef Council, from Erin Johnston to Stacey Bates and so many more who were on hand are amazing! Probably some of the nicest people I have met. And Chef Richard Chamberlain is as amazing as are his wonderful creations!

We started out with a very informative lesson on why lean cuts of beef, the leanest coming from the shoulder and loin, are just as nutritious and beneficial for you as any other lean meat. In fact, there are 29 beef cuts that are leaner than skinless, dark meat chicken. Yes, I was shocked too! In addition, a portion about the size of an iPhone (3 ounces) per meal can provide more than 10% of your daily required nutrients. And each serving is around 180 calories!

Chef Richard Chamberlain and Me

Dietician Stacey Bates went on to give some very useful tips on how to get your family to eat healthier as well. Great ideas from making food fun by having a ‘theme’ dinner to playing games while you eat to making sure you truly praise kids for eating the ‘good’ stuff. Keeping a plate colorful, getting everyone involved and enjoying family meals were all discussed as well!

We were then treated to some amazing meals and cooking tips from Celebrity Chef Richard Chamberlain, owner of Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House and Chamberlain’s Fish Market Grill, both in Dallas, TX. Watching him cook and listening to him explain the hows, whys and whats to cook was a highlight for sure. Eating the food he created was somewhat sinful! SOO delicious!

They then let us bloggers loose to prepare recipes with the ~~threat~~ promise that we would all be sharing what we made with each other for lunch. I was on the team that prepared the Chipotle Sloppy Joes and Crunchy Cole Slaw. Everyone’s meals turned out to be some of the best recipes I have ever eaten! The Sweet Hawaiian Mini Burgers were probably my favorite! Check out Chef Chamberlain’s The Healthy Beef Cookbook: Steaks, Salads, Stir-fry, and More – Over 130 Luscious Lean Beef Recipes for Every Occasion for these and more healthy beef recipes.

And if you want even more fantastically easy to make, healthy beef recipes, they are updated almost daily on the Texas Beef Council’s website! Just click the Recipes tab!

This was a great event and I thank the Texas Beef Council, Chef Chamberlain and the other fantastic people whose hard work went into this very well organized and educational event! A special thanks to fellow Houston Blogger, Lisa at MileHiMama.com for inviting me to participate!

Other FANTASTIC Bloggers who attended the event:

(Not in order of photo)

Amy, Mom’sToolbox.com – Brenda, MealPlanningMagic.com – Cammie, MomsMaterial.com – Christina, RantRaveRoll.com – Heather, FrugalReality.com – Heather, Freebies4Mom.com – Holly, JuneCleaverNirvana.com – Kelly, TexasTableTop.org – Kristi, FrugallyThrifty.com – Kristin, CouponKristin.com, LeeAnn, MommysWishlist.Blogspot.com – Lisa, MileHimama.com – Missy, ItsAlmostNaptime.Blogspot.com – Paul, IHeartTheMart.com – Sarah, WaterWaterEverywhere.net – Stacey, treerootandtwig.com – Tiffany, MyLitter.com

**I was invited to this event as a guest and received gifts as a result of my attendance. No compensation was received for the sharing og this information.**

Filed Under: Houston, My Motherhood Blog, My Recent Writings

Help HEB Donate 1 Million Books (Texas)

September 13, 2011 By Lori Leave a Comment

Now through September 20, 2011, HEB is collecting books at all of its Texas locations in an attempt to donate 1 Million books to kids in need.

The Read 3 program challenges all of us to read to our kids at least 3 times a week. But in a needy household, there may be no books to read. So please, gather together your gently used or new books and take a moment to drive them to your local HEB. And during Read 3, you will have a shot at free books with HEB’s Meal Deals and Combo Loco’s as well!

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Filed Under: Deals, Donate/ Charity, Houston

Gotta Love Chevy’s $250 Target Gift Card GIVEAWAY

September 7, 2011 By Lori Leave a Comment

LEGAL TEXAS RESIDENTS ONLY!

Gotta Love Chevy and we Chevy Girls are SUPER excited to give our favorite Texas fans a change to WIN 4 $250 Gift Cards during the month of September!

Summer has ended and the ‘Season of Doing‘ has started! Time to stock up, get things done and make some progress before the start of the busy holiday season begins!

This week – September 7 – September 11, Gotta Love Chevy Houston and other Texas Chevy Dealers are giving you a shot at a $250 Target Gift Card to help you get stocked up on your fall Back-To-School Shopping DONE and off your “To Do” list!

And there will be 3 MORE $250 Gift Cards given away this month!

Now that you are feeling really lucky that you are a Texan, go enter NOW by Liking Gotta Love Chevy Houston and Clicking on the WIN Tab! And then come back Sunday at Noon CST and find out if you WON!

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Filed Under: Chevy, Giveaway, Houston