Win a Brand New Laptop! #UpgradeWithIntel

Disclosure: This post is for my participation in the "Upgrade with Intel" Program. All opinions are my own. 

Do you need a laptop upgrade? There's a deal on the Dell Inspiron Black 15.6 Laptop at Walmart - and it's more affordable than you might think.

The Dell Inspiron Black 15.6 Laptop features:
-15.6" LED-backlit touchscreen with HD resolution
-720p webcam
-3-in-1 memory card reader
-Bluetooth 4.0
-1 x USB 3.0 ports, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x HDMI port, 1 x headphone/microphone jack, 1 x RJ-45 -Ethernet port
-4-cell battery for up to 6 h 33 min battery life

Head to #UpgradewithIntel to enter a contest to win a laptop of your own. Click the photo above and you'll head to the contest entry (note that comments on this post don't count). Once you're there, select the contest tab, then (in 400 characters or less), share how this laptop would make your life more amazing. One entry per email, per person, complete Terms & Conditions are found on the site.

What would you do with a new laptop?

$100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway from DC Kids & Batman Unlimited

Disclosure: Thanks to DCKids and Warner Bros' for sponsoring this post. Keep reading for a $100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!

Everyone loves Batman, right? He's a classic character and has always been a favorite around our house. If you have a fan of the caped crusader in your house, you may want to bookmark the DC Kids YouTube channel to keep in the loop of all the latest Batman Unlimited episodes!

The series features Batman and his crime fighting squad battling it out against the cyber robotic animals to keep Gotham City safe. The YouTube channel makes it easy for our kids to watch their favorite DC characters, on-demand, and from any device.

For even more fun, there is an extended online experience on the website where kids can play games, download free printable activities, read comic books, and more.

Giveaway

One person will win a $100 Amazon Gift Card from DC Kids and Batman Unlimited. This giveaway is open to US readers only. Winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or prize will be forfeited.

To enter the giveaway, follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form below (you may need Javascript enabled to see the form and it may take a moment to load)! Once you complete the first entry, the other options will open up so that you can complete them as well. All of the "extra entries" are optional - you can do just one, or as many as you want! Winners will be contacted by email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure: Thanks to Warner Bros' and DCKids for sponsoring this post. All opinions expressed are my own. For more information, you can read my Giveaway Policy and my Disclosure Policy.

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Glaze

With fall well underway, there has been no lack of pumpkin recipes floating around the blog world! There's always room for one more, though, right? Especially when they're completely delicious? These Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Glaze might just deserve to be right up there with all the classics like pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread. Maybe.

PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH CREAM CHEESE GLAZE RECIPE

Pumpkin Cookie Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cookie Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugar and add in pumpkin, vanilla, and egg and blend until smooth. Gradually combine the dry mix to the liquid mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto sheet and bake for 18 minutes.

Glaze Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp cream cheese (Neufchatel cheese), softened
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Glaze Instructions

Combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, lemon juice, vanilla extract and salt until creamy. Sip a spoon into the glaze and lightly drizzle over cooled cookies.

I'm not going to lie.... I want to have these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese glaze hot and ready from my oven continually. What's your favorite pumpkin recipe?

All the Lost Things & No Yeti Yet {Children's Book Review}

Disclosure: I received a review copy of each book. No other compensation was received and all views expressed are my own. 

I used to work in a library, and I was always mesmerized by new children's books when they came in. It was a joy to find new stories to read and recommend to families with kids. I found a few of my favorite children's authors that way, and I was reluctant to give up that insider's access to new books when I quit my job to stay home full time. Thankfully, I have found many opportunities to review new books to hit the children's publishing market and that has been so much fun!

The latest titles I want to share with you are new from Peter Pauper Press for the fall.

All the Lost Things by Kelly Canby (this is her picture book debut) was released in August and is aimed at ages 4-8. This very unique tale has a fresh illustrative style, with the text working often as part of the image. It's about a little girl named Olive who is the only spark of color left in a drab city where the rest of the inhabitants have lost their sense of meaning and most importantly: their hope. Olive hears a mysterious noise and finds herself in an underground world, where she sifts through all the lost things and takes them out with her to make her world a better place. When I saw the title, I envisioned a book about actual things that people lost and never returned to retrieve (like shoes, toys, or umbrellas), but the twist of having the things be more meaningful - memory, eyesight, hope and more - made this story one that I am anxious to read over again with my kids. My kids are 4 and 2 and they thought this was a very fun read.

No Yeti Yet by Mary Ann Fraser (author of over 60 critically acclaimed children's books) is also aimed at ages 4-8 and was released in September.

This book is stinking adorable. My kids are obsessed with snow creatures (thanks to a certain classic Christmas film) and they giggled their way through multiple readings of this story about two brothers who set out on a mission to find a Yeti. Their adventures cover a lot of ground, plenty of sledding and skating, and even a spooky cave exploration. The two boys aren't aware that the very Yeti they seek helps them along their way. The relationship between the brothers is definitely the sweetest part of this story - it reminds me of listening to my son try to explain things that he doesn't completely understand to his little sister. Whether or not this big brother knows everything there is to know about a Yeti is irrelevant - he knows he wants to find one and that's good enough for the little brother, too. There's no way I will be able to put this story away with holiday books - the kids ask to read it all the time.

Both titles have been big hits around here and I can't wait to see what comes up next from Peter Pauper Press!

Thanks to Peter Pauper Press for my review copies. I received no other compensation and all views expressed are my own. For more information, you can read my Disclosure Policy.

Dairy Free Salted Caramel Shake

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DairyFree4All #CollectiveBias

When I found out that my son had food allergies, I felt disappointed because I feared that he might never get to experience "normal" things like frozen treats, cheese-covered meals, and buttery, gooey rolls. Granted - these things may not be the healthiest, but in moderation I still love them. So whenever I have the chance, I try to find an allergen-free alternative to special treats for my kids to enjoy. We needed a treat last weekend, so I whipped up this Dairy Free Salted Caramel Shake for us, and it was a huge success!

So Delicious Dairy Free® is my go-to brand for dairy-free frozen treats. My kids love them, I love them... you just can't go wrong. I feel safe choosing So Delicious Dairy Free® because of their world-class allergen-testing program and the many products they offer that are made with organic incredients, plant-based, and Non-GMO Project Verified. For a family that avoids artificial colors, flavors, trans-fats, and hydrogenated oils, they fit the bill just right! I found the Coconut Milk Vanilla Bean and Cashew Milk Salted Caramel Cluster varieties needed for this yummy Dairy Free Salted Caramel Shake in the freezer section at my Walmart store.

Dairy-Free Salted Caramel Shake 
Ingredients

1 1/2 cups So Delicious Dairy Free® Cashew Salted Caramel Cluster
1/2 cup So Delicious Dairy Free® Coconut Vanilla Bean
1/3 cup So Delicious Dairy Free® CocoWhip
1/4 cup So Delicious Dairy Free® Coconut Milk
Dairy-Free Mini Chocolate Chips
Blender

Instructions

-Mix together the Cashew Salted Caramel Cluster and Coconut Vanilla Bean in the blender, with the 1/4 cup Coconut Milk. Note that if you prefer a thicker shake, you can use less coconut milk! 

-Blend for about a minute, or until smooth and bubbly.

-Pour into glass. Garnish with CocoWhip and chocolate chips. Pop in a spoon or a straw and enjoy!

It turns out that creating a delicious dairy-free shake is no more difficult than a "normal" shake! My kiddos were thrilled with this treat and keep asking for more.

I'm seriously drooling just remembering how delightful this shake tasted! Another trip to the store for more So Delicious Dairy Free® frozen treats may be in order! What's your favorite dairy-free snack?

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DairyFree4All #CollectiveBias