30.9.13

Take Medications Correctly & On Time With The Care4Today Mobile Health Manager App

When I was younger, my medicine cabinet was pretty sparse with maybe some ibuprofen and allergy medicine. These days, our cabinet overflows with medicine. My oldest is in first grade and brings home little viruses every month it seems, which means we always have cold and allergy medicines around. I have 3 medications for arthritis and my husband takes medicine for his high blood pressure. Plus, I haven't even mentioned all of Liam's medications that are ever-changing.  Nearly 70% of Americans take at least 1 prescription drug. Keeping up with all of the medications is sometimes a bit overwhelming and I have to admit it is definitely hard to remember who took what and at what time they should take medicine again. I think this is something all parents stress out about! Thanks to The Motherhood, I had the opportunity to learn more about a new innovative app available the Apple App Store and Google Play called Care4Today that can take all the stress out of keeping up with medicines. Don't have a mobile device? You can also register an account on the Care4Today website.

What is Care4Today?
Care4Today is a messaging platform that offers users a free way to schedule medication reminders for their prescriptions. This two-way secure messaging platform works with almost any mobile device. If you don't have a mobile device, you can sign up via computer! Once signed up, you can input each of your medications (which can be prescription or over the counter) into the app along with the directions for usage and more. I think this is such an amazing app and has made life so much easier for our family. Why? Because I can not only keep up with my own medications, but my family's, too! You can easily add family members and their medication information, including the quantity of medication, which helps the app alert you when you are about to run out and need to refill. You can even enter the amount of refills you currently have and set a reminder a few days ahead of time so you can call the pharmacy, something you can actually do from within the app!
Reminder to take my fiber pill at night!
 You can add up to 15 people to your account, but luckily I only have to worry about 3 others, thank goodness. Can you imagine keeping up with medicine for that many people? I would really be a stressed out mess without this app. Did you know 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. are caring for another who has significant health issues and over 25% of children in the U.S. take medications for health conditions ? We fall into these categories since Liam has Neurofibromatosis and takes several medications along with his chemotherapy. Along with his weekly chemo appointments, we also have other doctor's appointments and medications to keep up with. Now I have all of his information in one place, so when we have to update his information or fill out forms at a new doctor, I can easily access all of the current info via my phone. I can never remember all the medications and this app could literally be a lifesaver.
Care4Today is a great way for family members to help and support each other stay on schedule with their medications! This is something we especially need because my husband often forgets to take his medicines for high blood pressure and heartburn. He also skips doses some days because he feels okay when he really should take them every day. I have also skipped medications in the past because I've been too busy or just plain forget. Now both he and I receive text message reminders about taking medications. That way we can encourage each other to take medications and to continue being healthy! This has worked so well and I don't think either of us have missed any doses lately.
You can see what medicines you have taken each day!

Take Medications & Support Charities
Care4Charity is a new feature for the app, which gives each Care4Today member a chance to not only stay healthy, but to really make a difference and give back to those in need. By taking your medication each day on time and logging it in, you are able to earn money to donate to one of three charities thanks to Janssen Healthcare Innovation. These three charities are the American Diabetes Association, AIDS United and Save the Children! JHI has committed a minimum donation of $20,000 to each charity and a maximum of $90,000 to all of them, meaning the possibility for $150,000 in donations just by being responsible and taking your medications safely and on time. That alone is motivation enough for me to keep up with my medications. Plus, as time goes on, Care4Today plans on adding other charities to the list, so members will have more choices. I am hoping they will add Give Kids The World since they have done so much for our family and other families like ours.

So what are you waiting for?? Go and download the Care4Today App right now. Get healthy and give back to a charity!

This post is sponsored by The Motherhood on behalf of Care4Today- and all opinions are my own. 

26.9.13

New Brown Rice Triscuit Crackers Are A Hit & Mediterranean Topper Recipe #BrownRiceTriscuit #Sponsored

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for TriscuitI received products to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
I always love going to baby showers, birthday parties, weddings and other special events that have tappas and little finger foods before or during the event. These special occasions have given me the opportunity to not only try new foods, but to discover some delicious treats that can easily be found at our local grocery store. Many, many years ago I went to a shower with my mom and as we were rounding the food table I noticed some crackers with different cheeses I'd never seen before. This was the first time I'd tried a Triscuit. I'd heard of Triscuit from the movie BIG, but I had no idea what they were.

Since that day, I have been a Triscuit fan. My mom often had them stocked in our pantry because they made for great after-school snacks. This is why I was excited to hear about the newest additions to the Triscuit family, which are made with brown rice:

  • Brown Rice Triscuit seasoned with Tomato & Sweet Basil
  • Brown Rice Triscuit seasoned with Sea Salt & Black Pepper
  • Brown Rice Triscuit baked with Red Bean seasoned with Roasted Red Pepper
  • Brown Rice Triscuit baked with Red Bean seasoned with Savory Red Bean
  • Brown Rice Triscuit baked with Sweet Potato seasoned with Roasted Sweet Onion

Don't they all sound delicious? We received the Sweet Potato, Sea Salt & Black Pepper, and Red Bean versions of the Brown Rice Triscuit. Not only are these made with brown rice, but made with real food ingredients like sweet potatoes, a veggie my children love. The ingredients are shredded just like in the Original Triscuit, woven together and backed into each delicious cracker.

What did we think about the new Brown Rice Triscuit versions we received? It's a tough decision, but I think the Brown Rice Triscuit baked with Sea Salt & Black Pepper are my favorites because they are similar to the original, but the added salt and pepper give it an extra kick and flavor boost. I am pretty sure I tasted a hint of garlic as well.

My kids love the Brown Rice Triscuit baked with Sweet Potato seasoned with Roasted Sweet Onion the best. The sweet potato adds a sweet flavor to the saltiness, which satisfies the need for salty and sweet. I love that! It still has that crunchy goodness Triscuit is known to have, but the sweetness adds the ability to pair well with different ingredients, such as the fig and gouda topper recipe I found on the Triscuit Pinterest page. Gouda would be a perfect topper for these and is something I am definitely going to try out. The Red Bean Triscuit crackers are also good and I think these would be great with a cheese and salsa pairing or maybe even guacamole or avocado slices with tomato.

So, a few months ago I found a delicious Mediterranean Chicken recipe and decided to edit that to make the sauce into a perfect Triscuit topper, which turned out perfectly. Here is my recipe:

Mediterranean Triscuit Topper
Ingredients Needed:

  • 2/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1 can reduced-fat, reduced-sodium condensed
  • cream of celery soup
  • 1/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing
  • 4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat milk

First cook the bacon on medium until brown and crisp. Then, set the bacon pieces on paper towels to drain. When cooled, cut into smaller pieces. Use one Tablespoon on the back drippings and combine with the cheese, soup, milk and mustard until well blended. Bring it to a boil and cook for about 5-10 minutes and turn of the burner for sauce to thicken. Once the sauce is thickened, it can be spooned onto your Triscuit crackers to make a delicious topping. Then, top the sauce with the bacon pieces! (If you like olives, these can be added to the recipe as well.)

This is such an easy recipe and will definitely be a hit at your next party! I really think it paired well with all of the Triscuits we received, but went especially well with the Salt & Pepper Triscuit crackers. I love that the Brown Rice Triscuit crackers are 100% whole grain brown rice and wheat. Plus, they contain no high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, cholesterol or artificial flavors often found in other products, so I can feel good about serving these to my family, friends and guests as a healthy snack or appetizer.

As I mentioned above, there are some great recipes on the Triscuit Pinterest page. They teamed up with Rocco DiSpirito to create some unique and delicious topper ideas. Be sure to check these out along with their Facebook and Twitter pages to keep up with the latest promotions, coupons and more!


I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Triscuit. I received products to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

8.9.13

The Kia #Hamsters Are Back & Cooler Than Ever + ITunes $25 Gift Card Giveaway #Kia

Remember the Hamster commercial for Kia? My kids absolutely loved watching those hamsters driving and being all cool in their Kia. Well, they are back for more fun and hilarity! I just watched the video with my son, Liam, and he laughed the entire time. Take a look and see for yourself:

Isn't that awesome? My favorite part is where the hamsters are getting their hair done. Liam likes the part where the hamster falls off the treadmill. So, that proves the hamsters are back and better than ever. Who knows what they will get into next. I'm not sure how they could possibly top this one.

To help celebrate the new commercial, we are so excited that Kia is hosting a giveaway for our readers!

Ready For A Giveaway?
One Lucky CTM Reader Will Receive A $25 iTunes Gift Card!

7.9.13

Baby On The Way Giveaway Event $200 Prize Package


Babies, babies and more babies are on their way all around us!!! 
The Andersons Angels household is expecting a new Bundle of Joy in December!! And you are invited to share in the joy....! Baby On the Way... Hosted by Andersons Angels and Co-Hosted by Joy of Momma Joyner & The More the Merrier

This giveaway wouldn't be possible with out these AWESOME Sponsors and their awesome prizes:

(value $20-$32)



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Giveaway Time:
Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter! Winner will receive all the prizes above. Good Luck!
  • One Lucky Reader will receive all the items shown above ($200.00 Value)
  • Giveaway starts September 7, 2013 at 12:00am est.
  • Giveaway will end at 11:50pm est on September 28, 2013
  • Giveaway is open to US only
  • You must be 18 or over to enter
  • Winner will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter
  • Winner will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen!
  • The lucky reader will be notified by email at the end of the Giveaway
  • Andersons Angels and the other participating blogs are not responsible for prize shipment or fulfillment!

Shutterfly Photo Story App Makes Photo Books Review & 8x8 Photo Book Giveaway

Every holiday season I struggle to find great unique gifts for the grandparents that they will love. What do you give the grandparent that has everything? Then I discovered photo books. Each year I make a book to give the grandparents and they absolutely love them, but I have to admit, it takes some time to create. However, now Shutterfly has a new Photo Book iPad App that makes easier than every to create and put together quality photo books in no time. I couldn't wait to give it a try.
The cover of my photo book!
From the iTunes store, I downloaded the app for free onto my iPad, which took less than a minute, and just signed in with my Shutterfly username and password, just like on the website. The app gives you the option of going through a tutorial so you know exactly how to use it, which was very helpful before giving it a try. Then, I could either upload more pictures to my Shutterfly account via my computer to access through the app OR I could retrieve photos from my Facebook and Instagram accounts or my own photo stream. There are so many different options and, since I have many pictures in all those places, I took them from them all! All I had to do was click on "Photos" at the bottom of the page and then click the + symbol to add more pictures. I decided my book would have all the great photos from spring and summer since we've had such a busy few months. We easily filled 20 pages from all the pictures we'd taken!
Photos show up at the bottom of the page & can be added into the book!
What I love the most about the app is that I can create photo books anytime I would like. I don't even need an internet connection. So, when we are in the car or even waiting for a doctor's appointment, I can work on a book to help the time go by. The books can be completely personalized with captions and you can even select your choice of backgrounds and layouts. When you click "Layouts" at the bottom of the app, you can choose exactly how many photos you would like added to each pages. Plus, on the app, you can even add in sound, so you can get your kids to include a message. You can add up to 30 seconds of messages per page! The kids loved helping with this part and had so much fun with it.
More book pages I created!
Another thing I love about this app is that it is made for sharing. Yes, you can order your book, but you can also share on Facebook and email. When you share digitally, others can hear the sound messages and see your creative book you made. Here's a video that shows exactly what the Shutterfly Photo Story App is all about:

Click below to download the Shutterfly Photo Story App:

We had a great time creating our 8x8 photo book on the new Shutterfly app are so excited because our readers have a chance to create one, too!

Giveaway Time
One Lucky Children Teaching Mama Reader Will Win A Code To Create Their Own 8x8 Shutterfly Hardcover 20 Page Photo Book! 

2.9.13

Trending Authors of Summer iPad Mini Giveaway Event

When it comes to summer reading indie authors offer a refreshing alternative to predictable plots from big name writers. Here’s a list of ten titles from trending indie authors, pick your favorite and vote on Facebook.

In a time of uncertainty, Nova Rose created a fantasy epic of high adventure spanning 1500 years with its unique mythology and characters--of which Galdin is the final book--where the lowliest of people overcome impossible odds to save the land they love. 

Reviewer Comments
This book had me hooked right from the beginning and kept me going through to the end. You find yourself quickly immersed in an intense new world and the characters are both compelling, identifiable, fresh, interesting, and mysterious enough to keep your attention. The plot is exciting and does a good job of creating an intricate believable world while keeping up the action. Very well crafted story.

Be sure to follow the author on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the latest publications.

Special Price Cut Book was $5.49 and is now available for $0.99


A top-ranked Amazon thriller sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. 

More About The Book 
A fast-paced thriller centered on a brutal, time-obsessed serial killer. The expression "killing time" rarely means murder, but here, the victims of a serial killer must pay for time they've wasted, often with both their money and their lives. In a brutal scene from the opening chapter, an entire family is murdered after a stranger invades the family's home and accuses the patriarch of wasting his time. Veteran cop Max Larkin is on the case. Unfortunately, he's also been assigned a new partner; though she's green in the field--she has "very sad eyes" and prays upon arriving at the first crime scene--she gives the hardened old detective a new perspective he never knew he needed. But as the serial killer claims more victims, a pattern emerges that neither Max nor his new partner can ignore. With brisk pacing, Thiede's debut brims with action, violence and, occasionally, emotion. Though the book takes a while to find its heart, procedural fans will feel right at home. Larkin feels like a guy worth rooting for, despite filling the shoes of the beaten-down, grizzled, old loner cop trope a little too well. His interactions with his new partner, plus the twists and revelations regarding his past, give him enough of a pass to get readers invested in the story and looking forward to his next outing. Larkin's story doesn't break any boundaries, but it'll keep crime and thriller fans wrapped up in its twisting plot, fast pace and memorable detective. Plenty of shock value and a charismatic, if formulaic, male lead. - Kirkus Reviews

Read more about the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble


Lee Fishman has written an action-packed thriller that's a story for our times, a story of America the hard way! 
More About The Book
What’s it like to be on your own in a new country? While Rija, a young wife and mother, confronts the challenges of her new life in America with gritty determination, her husband, the charming Josef, takes off. Falling into a life of crime, he hooks up with the Russian mafia and turns up with piles of cash and trouble at just the wrong time. The action starts early and keeps building. This is a great beach read!


If you don't like just plain old vanilla and want something different, read, Reluctant Gods III - Reset from the series that transcends fiction fantasy by crossing genres into romance, humor, science fiction, and mystery and is sure to entertain while you enjoy the best of summer.

Reviewer Comments
I loved Reluctant Gods III-Reset! As a science fiction fan, I couldn't have asked for more. It covers so much of what I enjoy reading about, with a story that keeps you interested through the end. My husband didn't want to read it by the description at first, but I urged him to just try it. It's now one of his favorites! He's even gone back and read the first two in the series, although you can keep up even if you haven't. I did read them first and am glad I did. Personally, I like to know the in's and out's of the stories that I read, so I just had to read the others first. - 5 Star Amazon Review


Slum is a page-turner that's been called an intoxicating love story and a tale of hope for a dying child, played out by a wealthy New Yorker and a poor ex-stripper from a Caribbean slum. 

Reviewer Comments
From Clarion Reviews: "Enticingly entertaining... Julianna and Robert are well-drawn, credible characters... descriptions of the slum are evocative, realistic, and insightful... safe to assume that the realism in the novel emanates from Dan Carroll's firsthand knowledge and experiences in the slums."

Special Price Cut .99 cents on Kindle, iBookstore, Nook 


“Powerful novel … extraordinary magic in making his readers as eager as his protagonist in uncovering the truth and thus effectively creating pervasive fear and suspense … sure to keep you up late against your better judgment - don't say I didn't warn you.” Norm Goldman, Bookpleasures/The Examiner 

More About the Book
“Author Avraham Azrieli wades into controversial waters with his fifth novel, "The Mormon Candidate." His main character, Ben Teller, is a photojournalist who, with his motorcycle has joined the Marine Corps Veterans' Annual Ride in Washington, D.C. when a terrible accident results in the death of one of the bikers. Suspicious by nature, he senses that Hinckley's death was not an accident. His investigation leads directly into the political nest of the man running for president of the United States, Joe Morgan, a successful businessman and active LDS member. Throughout the novel, details are revealed about the daily practices and social beliefs of members of the Mormon Church. A well-written page-turner, this is an entertaining novel.” Kel Kanady,Mercury News

You can also find Avraham Azrieli on Good Reads and Library Thing.
Special Price Cut E-book is now $2.99. Paperback is $13.49.


For the first mystery from Ritch Gaiti he has attained some excellent reviews on a socially significant mystery that is far more than a casual read. (Amazon 4.7 –23 reviews) 

Reviewer Comments
 “…masterfully conceived, dramatically atmospheric…Highly recommended.” Literary Aficionado “…a home run with fiction lovers… keeps the reader guessing until the very end.” Pacific Book Review


The book provides much needed insight into how to manage a long and successful career in the Information Technology field from an author who has spent twenty-four years working as an IT tech in many environments. 

Reviewer Comments
Being a go to Tech by Warren C. Zabloudil is a great how-to and self improvement that should be read by not only anyone going into the IT (information technology) field but any service-based career. Mr. Zabloudil uses a common sense approach pointing out the ins and outs that will make you the individual (or team leader) that everyone looks to when their computer systems are down. The book brings up several good points that we may have heard before but not in as clear and precise as Mr. Zabloudil puts it in this book. He points out how different types of attitudes can affect performance and steps that should be taken to change your outlook when going into a job or dealing with management. You will be shown the importance of listening, documenting, understanding, communication and time management. - J. Wallace 5 Star Amazon Review



In his debut novel for adults, bestselling MG/YA author Jeff Gunhus (known for his Jack Templar Monster Hunter books) has won outstanding reviews for his supernatural thriller which has drawn comparisons to Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Come see why this novel is consistently on the Amazon horror bestseller lists. 

More About The Book
Gunhus deliver a taut supernatural thriller...the powerful Nate Huckley terrifies, and the assorted cast of human antagonists add to the white-knuckle tension. All the chops of an action-packed horror tale. - Kirkus Reviews
Special Price Cut The book is now on sale for 99 cents. 


When Richard Corbett bought a modest flight school at the Modesto, California airport in 2007, he thought his dreams had come true. This from a man who’d made a career out of fulfilling his life’s admittedly lofty ambitions. 

More About The Book
Up, Up, and Away is an interesting story about a man who wanted to participate in free enterprise, and worked hard to make his business dreams a reality, but what he got instead was simply un-American. Running up against blatant corruption holding hands with Modesto government (no surprises there), Richard Corbett did all that he could to play by the rules. Unfortunately for him, the rules only apply to those who don't already have city officials in their pockets.

 Special Price Cut $9.99

Now that you've ready about these wonderful authors, make sure to place your vote today for a chance to win an iPad Mini from Reader Spoils!

Ready For Your Chance To Win?
Children Teaching Mama is excited to offer you a chance to win this amazing prize thanks to Reader Spoils
Enter To Win An iPad Mini
One winner will be chosen at random from all valid entries to receive a 16GB white iPad Mini valued at $339.99! To enter, complete the tasks on the Rafflecopter form below. Don't forget to vote for your favorite book AND come back for daily entries! Good Luck!
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Ends on Sunday, September 15th at 11:59pm