I admit to not having "tough" laundry loads. Meaning that except for food stains (I do have sloppy eaters in my home), I don't have a lot of outdoors or grease type stains to deal with when I do laundry. Maybe that's why laundry is my favorite household chore! It's always a good thing when I can find a detergent and stain removal products that don't just work and smell good, but are also friendly on the environment.

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Even before I received the invitation to be a part of the Mom Central Ultimate Party Meatball Recipe Blog Tour, I was looking for an abundance of meatball recipes. 

You see a few weeks ago, I was wanting to make a recipe that required meatballs.  That was the week we were doing our once a month warehouse club run.  I had thought of just running to the grocery store to pick up a package of meatballs, but that would require an extra trip, so I got a warehouse sized bag.  Um...that's a lot of meatballs for three people to eat, LOL!!  Hence the looking for recipes to use meatballs with.

So here is the recipe:
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Hickory Farms has great gift basket ideas. I have often had to buy a gift, not having a clue as to what the person wants or needs. Have you ever had that experience? Yeah, I thought so. During the holiday season we often have to buy gifts for teachers, co-workers, business colleagues, and really know nothing about what they would like or their hobbies. But what better way to show your appreciation for what they have done through the year, than by giving them a consumable gift from Hickory Farms.
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It is not always easy to have a healthy meal on the table during these weeks, but I was recently introduced, through Mom Central, to an easy healthy way to get a yummy dinner on the table that your whole family will enjoy.

Ronzoni Smart Taste comes in a variety of different noodles (spaghetti, thin spaghetti, rotini, elbow macaroni & penne), all of which are fortified with calcium and fiber.  I was a bit skeptical before we tried it, because we have tried whole wheat pasta before and weren't thrilled with the texture or the taste of it.
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And with the holidays generally comes; sweets, chocolates and sugar laden treats, which are yummy for the tummy, but not so great for the teeth.

Kids like it when everyday activities don't feel like chores.  That's why Listerine and Reach help make dental care habits fun.

Together they have created the "October Oral Care Challenge" for children 6 and older.  To complete the challenge, you and your child have to brush, floss and rinse 2x every day, for 2 weeks.

Here's some products from Listerine and Reach that help make oral care fun for the kids.
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When we moved to our home 10 years ago, I got to purchase a new washer and dryer. I was so excited that I could have a front loading set, and at the time money was a little tight with a brand new home and all, so I got the entry level Frigidaire stacking system, and it performed great for me for 7 years.

Then we sold that house, and the appliances with it. When we moved into our new home 3 years ago, it was not even a option to get any other brand. I moved up a bit in the world of washer/dryers and purchased their Affinity set.

Like Frigidaire's new line of appliances that their celebrity ambassador
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Statecation (definition): A period of time in which an individual or family stays within the borders of their state, and relaxes at a lodging and visits area attractions.

Are you needing to get away, but are wondering whether you can afford it? Consider a Statecation, because even though it costs more to fill up your vehicle than it did a few years ago, it's still cheaper than plane tickets! (Well at least in our neck of the woods it is.)

For busy moms staying in a hotel is usually a treat. No beds to make, no nagging the kids to pick up the towels from the floor, if the mirrors get squirted with toothpaste (by accident of course!) no stress. Grab a pop, and a book and head to the pool while the kids get their energy out. Or maybe you prefer the hot tub like me...

Driving a few hours, or the better part of the day, while staying in your state offers you different opportunities, without necessarily breaking your budget. Take in some parks, or museums, maybe there is a specific event held that you want to be a part of.

When you take your Statecation consider lodging at a Holiday Inn, there is almost sure to be one near your destination since they boast to having more than 2500 locations in the U.S. (to prove my point, South Dakota ranks 46th in population (2008) out of the 50 states and we have more than a dozen locations here.)

Add to that their signature bedding which includes both soft and firm pillows, along with the power showers in the bathroom, and you might not want to return home.

Holiday Inn also has a Lowest Internet Rate Guarantee. Every hotel reservation booked through their website is guaranteed to have the lowest rate publicly available on the internet. And the ones that I looked at in our state on a travel review site, all received a "Good Buy" approval.

We have booked a room at the Holiday Inn when we have traveled to Florida, and had a pleasant stay, but perhaps before we head there again, we'll take a Statecation.

We may just drive a bit outside the city and stay at the newer Holiday Inn Express, and enjoy a night or two enjoying the mini waterpark there. Or perhaps we'll take the better part of a week to drive out west and view the fabulous art and legacy of Mount Rushmore and the history of Deadwood. But wherever we decide to go on our Statecation I know that we'll be able to find a Holiday Inn to lay our heads.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Holiday Inn. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.” Read the full story

Ovarian Cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women. This disease often attacks without warning.

The symptoms are vague and so it can be difficult to diagnose. Only 19% of cases are caught prior to the cancer spreading to the pelvic region. 1 in 67 women have the risk of being diagnosed.

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and the familiar names of Electrolux and Kelly Ripa are teaming with the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) to help raise money to expedite a cure.

As innovative as Electrolux Appliances, a campaign launching today "Text-a-Thon For A Cause" will raise awareness for the support of research and promote early detection in the field of Ovarian Cancer.


You can donate $5.00 to the cause by texting "KELLY" to 85944 from your cell phone (your standard text messaging rates apply) - or by logging on to www.kelly-confidential.com.

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Lesson 1 - How To Keep Your Kid Full and Focused

• Give them one of many varieties of Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats for breakfast

Lesson 2 - How Moms Can Stay Encouraged During the School Year

• Visit Mom's Homeroom on msn.com (brought to you by Frosted Mini-Wheats)

I learned about Mom's Homeroom.com from Mom Central, and was so glad because I found tips and tools to help Amber succeed at school.

There are unscripted videos, articles, printable resources and a message board to share ideas and concerns with other moms.

7 different topic areas are highlighted in their articles and tools.

There are also quizzes for moms and kids powered by Encarta.  These are quite fun.  I took the "Do You Speak Better Than a 10-Year-Old?"  and found that I'm Grammar Royalty!  (I have now been flaunting that title to my daughter all day, much to her chagrin!) 
You can also find resources from Scholastic on the site.

I think one of the things I appreciated the most about this community is that one of the mom's on the panel is a homeschool mom.  That's unusual on a mainstream site where education is discussed, and very nice to see.

So if you are interested in getting tips and articles about Back To School, Attentiveness (the 8 layers of whole grain fiber in Frosted Mini-Wheats helps with that by the way ☺), Reading Writing and more head over to Mom's Homeroom @ msn.com.


Oh yeah, and by the way, the Frosted Mini-Wheats Little Bites™ Cereal in Chocolate makes an excellent snack in addition to breakfast.  I should know since I ate almost half the box in one sitting.....


“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.” Read the full story

While the idea of being able to shed pounds quickly and easily appeals to just about everyone, reality suggests that one needs to use a weight loss program that will be possible to follow for the long haul in order to keep the weight off.

Recently as part of this Mom Central blog tour, I was sent some new Atkins products to try in my home, and they weren't at all what I expected.  I had always felt that I could never follow the Atkins program because of the low carb issue, but with these products I would not feel that I am missing out on anything.

Of course I couldn't make a judgment without actually trying the products so for a couple of nights at dinner we tried them out.

The first product I used was the All Purpose Baking Mix.

The nutritional stats compared to a generic brand of low fat all purpose baking mix I currently have in my cupboard are pretty much the same.  The Atkins one has 1.5 more grams of fat but it has 6 grams of fiber per serving (with the generic one have a big 0 grams of fiber!).  There is a recipe for pancakes on the package, but I chose to make some Garlic Cheese Biscuits with it.


The biscuits had a bit of different texture to them, but everyone in the family ate them without complaining, and I personally had seconds.   I have not used the mix for anything else yet, so I'm not sure if the texture issue was just with this recipe (which is not an Atkins one), or not.

I think I could really keep the motivation to follow the Atkins program though with this next product.  The Penne Pasta.


We are big Penne noodle eaters.  It is my husband's favorite pasta.  I made it for dinner last week, and I was expecting a big ole harrumph out of him when he tasted it.  He did however proclaim it to be excellent.  I too agreed with his opinion, and the 13 year old had a second helping!  The texture was perfect, a lot of times I find certain brands of pasta get too starchy when they're cooked or have a mushy texture even if you follow the cooking directions.  Not these ones.


The 18 grams of fiber per serving plus the great taste would convince me to purchase these even without following the Atkins program.

To celebrate the launch of these new products, Atkins has announced an online recipe contest where you can share your own recipes that you serve in your dining room, featuring the All Purpose Baking Mix or Penne Pasta and win great prizes.   Recipes can be submitted to atkins.com by September 30, 2009.

I guess I should get busy thinking of some new dinner ideas!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Atkins and received samples to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.” Read the full story

The Clorox College Survival Guide 2009 is a .pdf featuring advice compiled from current college students and of course their moms ♥. The up and coming freshmen can check this out to find out what to pack for the dorm room, the latest fashions they'll see on campus, and of course what mom has to say. (Somehow if it comes from "someone" else's mom it's worth listening to right?)

It includes useful advice like: The School Part of going to "School", How To Do a 5 Minute Dorm Room Clean-Up, and the Correct Way to Cover Your Cough (so you don't get your room mate sick!) This guide is worth printing off and tacking to the cork board, both while getting ready for and at college.

A National Version of the guide is available at Mom Central, and Regional Versions can be found on the Clorox Survival Guide's Facebook Fan Page, on the left hand side. I've become a fan of the page, because the information is useful even if you don't have a child going off to college.

To give you a better idea of what the College Survival Guide 2009 is about, here's a video introduction from one of the contributors.

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Just the fact that you're reading my blog is proof that social networking is where it's at these days. There are so many social network sites out there, that it is tough to choose which ones to join, know how they're different, and figure out what they have to offer you. If you need to check just one more let me introduce you to Gather.com if you haven't already heard about it.

Even prior to this Mom Central blog tour, I was a member of Gather.com, and I knew I wanted to share with those of you who have never checked Gather.com out. Much like other networking sites after signing up, you build a profile, find your friends and join groups with people who share your interests.

There's a twist to Gather.com though that makes it stand apart from other social sites, you get points. The more you participate within the network, the more points you'll rack up.

Once you find the groups to join that you're passionate about, you'll watch your points grow just for chatting about stuff you love. How easy is that?

With your points you could give a donation to charity or you could get gift cards to: grab a coffee at your favorite place, get stuff for your latest home renovation or get that book you've been wanting to read (and then you could chat about it with other book lovers on Gather.com and start all over again!)

So what are you waiting for? You have nothing to lose and gift cards to gain, so head over to Gather.com, get an account and don't forget to take the laundry out of the washer, because you may get caught up in all the gatherings!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog and giveaway campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Gather. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.” Read the full story

At the beginning of the year my mom had some spotting and when it didn't go away she scheduled an appointment with her doctor. After tests were complete, the doctor thought it a good idea she have a hysterectomy. At almost 64, having her reproductive system taken apart was not nearly as troubling as the fact that indeed there was a cancerous tumor present within her system. She is currently having radiation treatment to hopefully keep those nasty cells at bay.

When Mom Central alerted me to the Look Good....Feel Better website, I knew instantly that this was something I wanted to write about on my blog. Since one in three American women will receive a cancer diagnosis in her lifetime, chances are almost every one of the people who visit Three Different Directions has encountered cancer in a close family member, friend or has been diagnosed themselves. I have one really good blog buddy who is a 3x cancer survivor, and is a personal inspiration! (Waves at Nikowa!) There is information for everyone here, it is not just for women diagnosed with cancer, men & teens battling cancer and family and friends of loved ones diagnosed will find information too.

Look Good…Feel Better is a free, non-medical, brand-neutral, national public service program created to help individuals with cancer look good, improve their self-esteem, and manage their treatment and recovery with greater confidence.

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Look Good...Feel Better program. Lots of great things are happening this year, go and take a look. There is a Women of Hope is Beautiful contest. Women cancer survivors can submit their stories of how the program helped them cope with cancer as a way to inspire others who may currently be undergoing cancer treatment. Entries will be featured on the Women of Hope is Beautiful blog to help educate others. Anyone can visit the site to view entries, make comments and show their support. In August, Look Good…Feel Better will choose five women with the most-compelling stories to receive a trip to New York City for a makeover and a trip to the DreamBall, a black-tie gala and the program's largest annual fundraiser, held each year in New York City.

And if you're reading my blog....I know you read others! Take some time and go to the Women of Hope blog! With the stories of the contest entrants and before and after photos, this site is truly what it claims to be...a site filled with women of hope.

I encourage you to check Look Good....Feel Better out. And then spread the word about it to people you know. Cancer is life changing and this program can be too! Read the full story