It’s no secret we are a family who loves movies.  Since it’s more cost effective to rent a movie from Redbox we will do that quite often, I mean really can you argue $1.08 compared to $32.50 (not counting snacks)?  So, unless it’s just something we feel needs to be seen on the big screen we wait until it hits our local Redbox to watch it.  When we sit down to watch a movie at home we want the theater experience of having popcorn right there so we have always kept some handy at home.  This time though we were approached with a challenge…to change our our regular brand of popcorn with Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop!  So we did…

I’ll go ahead and admit I was a little apprehensive because I have have stuck with a certain brand and flavor of popcorn for quite some time, but I was up for the challenge.  Can Orville Redenbacher’s be a new favorite…a new, healthier favorite at that?  The non-named brand of popcorn I usually ate I had never really looked at the nutrition info and when I did I saw that when popped it made about 4 cups popped popcorn and had 180 calories.  I figured that’s not too bad right?  WRONG, a big fat wrong, when compared to Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop!  The SmartPop! bag was a serving size of about 7.5 cups.  Can you guess how many calories are in that 7.5 cups?  Remember that’s 3.5 cups more than my “not sharing the name here” brand of popcorn.  You’ll never guess…120 calories!!!  More popcorn and less calories, I’d say that’s a win!

Not only was I loving the more/less situation but I loved the fact that the popcorn bag was the bowl, which meant less dishes for this momma to wash later.  See…

Enjoy the popcorn in the bag/bowl and then throw away when you are done.  LOVE THAT!  Now for the taste test because fewer calories dont’ mean a thing if you don’t enjoy the taste because you won’t be eating it.  I tried the butter flavor and was pleasantly surprised.  While, it didn’t have quite as much butter as the other brand, it was enough that it added a nice flavor.  I have to say I really enjoyed the taste, it’s hint of butter added just enough flavor without going overboard.  I will say if you like very buttery taste this might not work for you but if a hint of butter is enough then this is awesome.

After trying the butter we headed out to pick up the SmartPop! Kettle Corn (at my sons request) and that has become his favorite after school snack.  Tasty and healthier than the normal after school snacks he tries to go for…SCORE!  Over all I am impressed with the taste and packaging of the SmartPop! pop up bowls and I will be keeping a pack of it handy for future movie night snacking needs. Don’t forget to head over to Orville Redenbacher’s facebook page to grab the $1 off coupon (while available) and see what other fun they have going on. Now before you go, there’s a giveaway!

WIN IT:
Ten (10) Winners will each win 1 box of Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop! to have a healthy snacking challenge of their own. Entering is simple using the rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Orville Redenbacher’s. I received an Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop! product as well as a promotional item as a thanks for my participation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoVsO2HVutM

This Florida girl is heading to the west coast next month for some exciting ventures and it goes a little something like this….

June 17:  I hop on a jet plane (preferably on a clear day so I don’t have turbulence, my last trip left my knees knocking) and leave sunny Florida for sunny California. Once there I will head to the Hilton Garden Inn to hopefully relax for a few minutes and freshen up before heading to the Walt Disney Studio lot to see a screening of the upcoming release of Disney/Pixar’s BRAVE. After those attending get a sneak peek of Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to get to see these two movies, my kids may or may not be a little envious if I tell them. This is definitely a secret mommy has to keep until after they have seen it themselves. Don’t worry though I will be sharing it with thousands of my close friends right here on my blog.

June 18:  Press Day in full force. Attendees will view a screening of DreamWorks Pictures’ PEOPLE LIKE US with a Q&A from Director Alex Kurtzman before heading over to the BRAVE press day where there will be roundtable interviews with Kelly Macdonald (voice of “Merida”), Kevin McKidd (voice of “Lord MacGuffin”), Director Mark Andrews and Producer Katherine Sarafian. Later than evening we will attend the World Premiere of BRAVE at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Random fact: That’s where the Academy Awards are held! I am totally walking where big time celebs have walked, this is my calling, who wants my first autograph LOL. I am thrilled beyond words to get to attend the red carpet premiere.

June 19:  I will head to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA and stay at the recently renovated Disneyland Hotel. While there I will visit the new Cars Land, get up close and personal with Radiator Springs (I can’t help but think of Mater), talk with an imagineer who helped create Cars Land, join a Mad T Party, join Ariel in her Undersea Adventure, take photos with the newest Disney character (it’s not a trip to Disney without a photo), and just have a blast. Yes, I will be turning back into a child for this day. Disneyland is a place I have always wanted to visit and I plan on experiencing it to the fullest!

June 20:  Attendees with get to enjoy additional free time at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks before I head home! *Wonder what the chances of me getting a late flight out is!*

As I said in the video above, it has been a wish of mine to get over to Disneyland in California. Being asked to see some movies I am already excited about and attending a red carpet premiere, is fairy dust on my already granted wish. I can’t wait to share all my adventures of this trip, with you,  as I experience them.  You can keep up with me on twitter (@ToniPatton) as well as follow the other attendees by searching for #BraveCarsLandEvent.  Not to mention I will be updating my Facebook Page throughout this event.

*This is a press trip and most expenses are covered.  Thoughts are, as always, my own and honest.  For more on my policies please see my disclosure under the PR Friendly tab.

I am excited to announce to you today that for the next few months I will be one of the Skype ambassadors.  Skype plays a big part in my online (and offline) life.  I have family and friends all over the country and what a fun way it is to stay connected in an instant.  When I am online, sure, I could use the phone but it’s so much easier to open Skype on my iMac and have an instant message chat with friends and family who are online.  Not only can I IM, but I can also make phone calls to any phone, send SMS messages to phones  who receive them, or video chat with anyone who uses Skype on an enabled device (desktop, laptop, iPad, mobile phones with app).  It’s such a great way to stay connected and I can do it while I am getting work done online.  For me, as someone in social media, it’s so much easier to be hands free while taking a call or chatting and Skype allows for that.

Being such a huge fan, you can imagine my excitement to find out I was chosen to be an ambassador.  So over the next few months watch for a few more posts on how I use Skype, different products and options they offer as well as tips on how to get the most out of it.  There are also some other little mini programs going on in the ambassadorship that I will share with you if I am chosen.  This is a great way to connect and such a out of the ordinary way to let someone know you are thinking of them.  While a card is great I am someone who loves to chat face to face and thanks to Skype that is possible.  I can’t say enough good things about it (obviously) but I will stop for now so I can save those for later.  I can’t be giving away all my goodies in the first post, it would make for a boring post later and we can’t have boring.

While you wait for the upcoming posts make sure to check out Skypes Mom You Rock campaign.  It’s a fun way to send a video message to the mom (or sister, dad, brother, grandparents, friend etc) in your life.  This is such a fun way to personalize a greeting to that special someone in your life.  Also, for every video card sent $1.00 will be donated to Save The Children.  So, not only are you getting to send an out of the ordinary greeting you are helping to give back as well….Double win!  Keep up with them on their facebook page and see what they have going on.  Don’t forget to keep a watch out for my future ambassador posts so you can get a more inside look into what they have to offer.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Skype. I received Skype credits to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

On April 29 – May 1 I had the chance to attend an event at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa. Myself, along with 7 other bloggers attended the #HiltonSandestinMoms event. We were treated to fun in the sun, great food, our kids got to experience the kids crew, and the rooms with the view they had were amazing. It was a great event and I will be sharing lots of details next week in several posts (it’s too much for just one or two). I did however want to share with you some of the photos I took until I get the posts up. So without further ado, here is a photo montage of my stay so you can get an idea of what a wonderful place this would be for your family.

Remember, come back next week to read my thoughts (and see more photos) of my experience at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa.  My family truly enjoyed it and I am thrilled to be one of the #HiltonSandestinMoms!  Living locally this is truly a place I am planning on returning to.

*I was provided a room, most meals and other perks for this event.  Thoughts are always my own and my honest opinion and not influenced in any way.  For more on my policies please see my disclosure under my PR Friendly tab.