The bite sized treats come in three flavors: Classic Almond, Caramel Milk and Almond Dark.  I received the classic almond and almond dark to taste and as mentioned they were just as tasty as the regular sized biscotti I have enjoyed for so long.  My favorite is definitely the Almond dark, hey it’s chocolate and I am a lover of all things chocolate.  It’s perfect when paired with my coffee and french vanilla creamer.  I dip the biscotti and enjoy a moment of heaven.  I love the little bags they come in because it makes storing them easy and you can simply dig in when you are ready to have a you moment. Can you guess where I tend to take my “me” moment:

That’s right, right at my desk.  Whether I am catching up on emails, writing a post, on a conference call I can enjoy my moment right here at my desk.  It sure makes working a bit more enjoyable.  Nonni’s has a contest going on right now where you can share your Biscotti moment and enter to win a trip for two to Hollywood.  Talk about the ultimate moment!  Head over to their facebook page and enter the contest, who knows your me moment might just have you packing your bags for an escape to Hollywood.  So what is your “me” moment??

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Nonni’s Biscotti and received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.  All opinions are my own, for more information please see my disclosure.

Last week I had the chance to preview the upcoming movie, Mighty Fine, on Constellation.  When I was approached about having the chance to watch this movie, which touches on an issue that I have experienced in a bit of a different way, I was thrilled to say yes.  This movie was such a powerful movie that touched not only on abuse, an issue I have had first hand experience with in a past relationship, but also mental health issues which have affected friends and family members.  Mighty Fine really touched me when I sat and watched it, thinking back how I was that woman (minus children, thank goodness) years ago as a teen.

Starring Chazz Palminteri (Joe Fine), Andie MacDowell (his wife Stella), Jodelle Ferland (teenage daughter Natalie), and Rainey Qualley (high school senior Maddie) Mighty Fine takes on tough issues in a way to bring awareness to them. Taking place in the 1970s, we get a look into the Fine family. Joe Fine is a Brooklyn garment manufacturer. With business not doing well, he stresses about the low and does not deal with his stress. He turns to taking his stress out on his wife and daughter. Stella, his wife, does her best to keep him calm and her children shielded from his anger. After his fit of anger and lashing out he hits a high moment and turns to extravagance. Taking them to concerts, out to dinner and many other extravagant ways, he thinks he is making up for his moment of anger by giving them the moon (in a manner of speaking). Not having the coping ability, he goes from one extreme to the next while his family constantly is adjusting to walk on the every laid eggshells of his issue. The movie site sums it up perfectly “When Joe is feeling rich there’s nothing he won’t do for his family, but when he’s feeling poor and trapped by the prospect of failure, he becomes a caged animal‹any slight against him is responded to reflexively and aggressively.“

I laughed, I cried and I thouroughly enjoyed Mighty Fine. The actors portraying each of the characters made them so relatable it’s hard not to feel as if you are experiencing what they are going through right along with them. After the movie we had a chance to talk with Debbie Goldstein (writer/director) and video chat Chazz (Joe Fine) and Jodelle Ferland (Natalie). It was such a great experience to really hear how they prepared to play the characters they were “becoming” and get to know a little bit more about them. I took this screenshot of the sweet Jodelle Ferland (you may know her as teen vampire, Bree, in Eclipse).

Being a victim of abuse (both physical and verbal) this movie really spoke to me and even if I didn’t connect with it I would still suggest you see if it is coming to a theater near you. Mighty Fine is one of those movies you will think about long after you have seen it and realize that the issue in it isn’t fiction but something people deal with. At least that is what it did for me. Don’t forget to check out Mighty Fine on Facebook and see what is going on.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mighty Fine and the distributor. I received access to an online showing of the film and a promotional item to thank me for participating.  All views expressed are honest and that of my own.  Please see my disclosure in my PR Friendly area for more information.

I will be the first to admit Angelina Jolie looks as if she is going to make a wonderful Maleficent. She definitely pulls it off well!!!

The Walt Disney Studios has announced a U.S. release date of March 14, 2014, for Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie in the title role as Disney’s ultimate villain. The live-action film explores the origins of the evil fairy Maleficent and what led her to curse Princess Aurora in Disney’s animated classic Sleeping Beauty. Leading a team of visionary filmmakers known for creating and transporting audiences to new and exciting worlds, Academy Award®-winning production designer Robert Stromberg (Avatar, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland and Oz The Great and Powerful) will direct with a script by Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Alice in Wonderland). Maleficent is produced by Joe Roth (Disney’s Alice in Wonderland and Oz The Great and Powerful).

I don’t know about you but I am thrilled to see this when it comes out. I always love when they bring an animated film “to life”. Keep watch for more information down the road. Are you intrigued enough to see Maleficent when it hits theaters in roughly 2 years?

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.

Yes, yes I am one of those moms who holds on to the innocence as long as I can. Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny still live for all of them for goodness sakes. As I sat here today, I realized I might be holding myself in my own little delusional bubble and I am going to have to pop it sooner rather than later. I don’t want my kids to end up in the same situations I did and if that means grossing them out for a bit with some non-graphic details of my first time so be it.

I was much too young, at 15, to lose my virginity but it happened in a backyard, in a tent no less…..romantic I know. It wasn’t the most horrible thing that happened to me in life, so please don’t think that. I just want my kids to desire more for themselves when it comes to giving such a priceless gift to another. I want them to want more than a romantic rendezvous in a tent, in a backyard.  If that means sharing my situation of giving of myself and whatever other examples, in a tactful way, so be it.  I would rather be the example used than them be the example for themselves and do something that they can’t take back.

I am not a prude at all and I think S E X is a very beautiful thing, when it’s with the right person.  I thought I was in love, of course, when it happened so that is why I can look back with little regrets (other than I didn’t save myself completely for my husband).  I, however, want them to not look back at all.  I want them to look forward and know that holding off is okay, that not listening to those screaming teen hormones is worth more than giving into them.  That if you find the one you are going to marry in high school that’s wonderful but wait, don’t short yourself, experience life with no strings.  Because with sex there are strings, even if they aren’t obvious.

The dreaded S talk is right around the corner and I will be using myself as an example because I want more for my kids than a tent.  I want love, a life with no regrets and wholeness for them because if they are anything like me and they give themselves away to someone other than the person they marry they will have some emotional repairs (big or small) to do.  It’s an emotional thing for me and considering they have my DNA I am assuming some of that got passed along.  I want them to focus on the important things in life and while they are growing up and becoming the person they are going to be that’s what they need to focus on, not high school love and hormones.

I lost my virginity in a tent and I’m going to tell my kids about it, because I love them enough to want more for them than I had for myself.  Have you had to had the S talk with your kids yet?  How did you not freak out, because it seriously creeps the bejeebers out of me!

And a few mothers day quotes:

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs… since the payment is pure love. ~Mildred B. Vermont

If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been. ~Robert Brault

Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever. ~Author Unknown

All mothers are working mothers. ~Author Unknown

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. ~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty

Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother. ~Oprah Winfrey

Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there. I hope your day is filled with special memories!

Growing up I always wanted a dog but it just never happened until later in life.  About 3 years ago, we welcomed Dexter into our life.  We found him at an adoption shelter and he was just the perfect fit for our family.  Then December 2010 Guido entered into the picture in all his tiny glory.   Our little fur babies are such a big part of our family we would not be complete without them.  I mean really who couldn’t help but fall in love with these sweet little faces:

Dexter took to Guido pretty quickly when he joined the family and even took on somewhat of a protector role of the pup.  A little over a year later, Guido makes it known he can hold his own and tries to act like a much bigger dog than he is.  While they get along great if another dog enters the picture (or our yard) Guido is ready to tell them who is boss.  I love watching my pooches play during the day  and they both like to show off a little bit to get some a treat.  Whether it’s Guido prancing around on his back legs like a ballerina or Dexter showing us he knows how to sit on command they make me giggle when they are trying to show off.  We try to teach them what’s good, like not going to the bathroom in the house but outside rather, and when they do a trick or follow a rule we like to reward them with a yummy treat.  In comes Cesar Cookie Crunchies.

Cesar, who is known for their soft foods and treats for small dogs has a yummy treat your dog will love, Cesar Cookie Crunchies.  Cesar Cookie Crunchies are something outside the normal dog biscuits.  They are little bites of heaven for my doggies.  The first time I brought them out my dogs eyed them suspiciously, they aren’t fans of the new things, I think they get this from my human babies.  They sniffed, pushed with their little noses, pawed at, and then finally picked up one of the Cesar Cookie Crunchies in their mouth.  Once the flavor hit their taste buds, they were running right back to me showing off their best trick for another.

The treats come in two flavors, filet mignon (Guidos favorite):

and rotisserie chicken (Dexter is all about the chicken)

With two flavors to choose from my dogs get a tasty little treat when they have done their deed outside rather than in, danced around, spoken to us or just for looking so stinking cute.  Our dogs are just like children to us, they crawl up in our laps to cuddle, like to play with us, and do the best they can to be the center of attention.  We make sure they feel loved and get something special (a toy, a treat, etc) every so often.  Thanks to Cesar Cookie Crunchies those treats got a little bit tastier.  I am sure they will be barking to the world just how much they love this yummy new product.  And if your dog has any doubts about them, send them over to talk to Guido, he’ll let them know they are definitely Guido approved!

Guido also wants you to check out Cesars on twitter and facebook so you can keep up with the latest they have going on!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Cesar and received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.  For more on my policies please see my disclosure under the PR Friendly tab.

Today I am here to share with you one of the apps I adore…SoundHound! SoundHound is in my music area and it’s a favorite for the simple reason it is a song namer (my personal term). Meaning I can find out the name of the song that is on the radio or even in my head.  As you scratch your head trying to figure out how in the world it can figure out what I am thinking let me be clear….it can’t.  However it can take the song in your head and tell you what it is simply by listening to you sing it or hum it after you press the big orange SoundHound button.  How cool is that!  Yours truly here can not carry a tune to save her life but this app can even tell what I am humming (if I know the tune but can’t think of the words) or singing (glad it doesn’t judge me like Simon Cowell).

Not only can it tell you all that by listening but it also has another button called Hound which is a spoken voice search.  You simply say the name of the artist or band and you will have info galore pulled up.  Everything from the artists albums to their bio, tour dates and so much more.  So no worries if you don’t know the song, simply say the name of the artist using the Hound button and let it work it’s magic.  It also had an iPod symbold so you can pull up what you are listening to currently from your playlist.  Obviously you will know the song name from your own playlist but the upcoming functions come in handy for it (as well as all the other ways to get songs/artists) listed above.

Now this is where I really get excited.  When you get a song pulled up through one of the above mentioned ways, you can share what you are listening to on your social networks, through messaging or email.  It’s a fun way to let others know what music is getting you through the day.  For instance, as of the writing of this post I am listening to “Into The Groove” so I had SoundHound listen and it auto shared to my networks.  It also (for all the songs so far for me) shows you the lyrics in real time.   As the song goes on the lyrics move up so you can sing along and see if you have been singing the lyrics right all this time.  If you are like me you might realize you have been singing “Dance Marigold Dance” for year when it is really “Raspberry Beret”.  I’m telling you SoundHound is going to help us all quit looking like dummies and actually sing the correct lyrics.

Check out this how to video:

Not only does it give you all the options I have listed to make your music listening experience just a little better it also has all these options as well:

• Buy on iTunes
• Bookmark
• Play on Spotify (requires premium spotify)
• Launch a Pandora station
• See videos (of the artist or song depending on which you are highlighting)
• Give you reccommended songs
• Take you to the artist page
• If you have the song you tagged in your iTunes you can play it again (which comes in handy if you are tagging from the radio)
• Hottest Songs area
• Your search history

SoundHound has definitely made my music listening experience much more interactive and schooled me in some lyrics.  I have the SoundHound ? version which is the paid version but you can also get the regular SoundHound which has several of the options listed here, but will have ads. Don’t forget to check out @SoundHound on twitter and like SoundHound on facebook. You know I already do! Do you have SoundHound?

*I was not asked to write this post, I simply shared this app because of my love for it.  I am telling you….IT’S AWESOME!

Welcome to Thursday’s giveaway link up. If you have a current giveaway going on please head over and share them each Thursday so my readers will know what else is going on out there. And you can even enter some while you are here (whether mine or others is up to you LOL). The giveaway linky can be added to until Tuesday so don’t miss out.

My current giveaways are:
~ Guylian Chocolate Prize Pack Giveaway ends 5/11
~ $50 Visa Gift Card and Aquaphor Prize Pack giveaway ends 5/20

Now it’s your turn to share, please use the following format when linking up your giveaways:

• Line 1: Giveaway, End Date (Please note adult in nature with a *)
• Line 2: Url to the giveaway post NOT main url

I recently had the chance to attend the “Mother Of All Fam” trips at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa.  Living locally, I was so excited to get to attend an event and feature another place you can look into if you will be heading to the gulf coast for vacation.  The Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa is set overlooking the crystal clear gulf.  The property is kept in pristine condition and if the beach isn’t your style, golfing and shopping are just a short distance away.  My daughter and I checked in and waited for our room to be ready.  While we waited we checked out the property and the first thing my daughter noticed were all the pools she was eager to jump in.  With an indoor pool, 2 outdoor pools, a kiddie pool, and 2 hot tubs along with the miles of beautiful beaches, there was plenty of of swimming and water fun to be had, see…

It took all the self control my daughter had not to jump in fully clothed.  I made sure to promise her we would have ample water time after we got our stuff to our room and changed.  I noticed around the resort they had several restaurants such as Barefoot’s, Seagars, Sandcastles, Hadashi, Picnix and a few more.  As luck would have it I was going to have the pleasure of tasting some of the yummy behind Barefoot’s, Seagars and Sandcastles throughout my visit, but more on that in a later post.  While we waited we headed into Picnix and grabbed up a scoop of ice cream, after all what is better on a hot sunny day than a yummy ice cream…Rocky Road for me please.

We were informed our room was ready and up we headed.  The first thing I noticed when walking in the room was the space it had.  We got to stay in one of the Jr. Deluxe Suites and right as you walked into the door (in this particular layout) there was a little “cove” that my daugher (and my sons when they joined the next day) loved.  Check out the fun little area just for the kiddos:

As my daughter was momentarily thwarted from her pool plan by sheer coolness of her nook in the room I took this moment to snap some photos of the view the rooms on this part of the resort had:

Finally I took in the part of the room I would be sleeping in, the Deluxe Jr. Suite. With a king sized bed and a couch that lets out (along with the bunk beds) this room can easily sleep six. They do also have rooms that are the same but trade out the king for two queens which would in turn sleep 8. Perfect for a family big or small. With a desk/table that is perfect if you are needing to get a little work done while on vacation. I loved that they had a bathroom and right out side another sink area, which was perfect for when I wanted to do my makeup, no fighting for the mirror! The bed was so comfy and I loved spending time on my balcony just taking in the breathtaking views.

Over the days we spent at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa my daughter made a new friend, my family got to spend some quality time together, swimming was done, the beach was enjoyed and good food was eaten. Check back over the coming weeks to learn more about the restaurants, the spa (oh yes there is a spa) as well as the Kids Krewe available for families when mom and dad may want a date day/night. Until then I leave you with a few more photos of our fun time. If you are looking to vacation in the area I highly suggest looking into the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa…

*I was provided a complimentary stay and most meals were covered. No other form of compensation was received. Opinions in this post are 100% my own and honest. For more on my policies please see my disclosure in the PR Friendly area.