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Security Changes and the NFL All Clear Bag Policy

Posted on August 26, 2013 7:30 pm by TheAngelForever

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I have been asked to share information about the new All Clear policy at NFL Stadiums. As a long time sports fan, I have seen changes and wanted to share the NFL’s concern and how they are addressing it with new clear bag options. All opinions are my own.

Sports were a big part of my life growing up. Traveling to different parts of the country would typically include going to a major sporting event. Then, when I was in college, I bought season tickets of my own for several years to our minor league hockey team. I still have the backpack that I used to tote everything that I needed to these games. Inside my bag, I had my purse, camera, autographed game-worn jersey, cow bell, and depending on the weather some gloves. This was back in the day when security was never a thought in the world, you just entered places. The world changed drastically on September 11, 2001. From that day on, bags would be searched, TSA would require clear bags with liquids in them, and many venues would alter their rules. Did I have a problem letting them search my bags? NO! In fact, I would often laugh in my head when a poor gentleman at security would look inside and hit feminine hygiene products and squirm. Hey, it’s a fact of life….move on.

It was after this time that my brother and his friends bought season tickets to the Buffalo Bills. Insert your jokes here, they have probably heard all of them in the Buffalo area. Yes, they were diehards and would tailgate before the games and sit there cheering on the team that never seems to catch a break. Watching my brother prepare for a game in Buffalo was fascinating. He had to layer clothing just right, often prepare for snow, and make sure everything was set for the pre-game festivities. These men cooked amazing items to share with each other. There were rules they followed about items that could and could not be brought into the stadium. The NFL had already banned coolers and backpacks into stadiums in 2001 for all fans.

Then, in an instant, more changes happened on April 15, 2012. The horrific events at the Boston Marathon meant that people questioned permitting bags/purses and how to safely allow people to carry items into events. The NFL decided that they were not going to take any chances after the tragic events that happened in Boston. They got to work on the #NFLAllClear policy. Like other pro leagues and college stadiums had already done, they would not be allowing purses, diaper bags, and other large totes into their facilities. Season ticket holders were notified before the pre-season, and to assist fans, they have a video explaining the changes along with more details on their NFL All Clear page. Here, you will be able to locate the sizes of bags allowed. In addition to this, the NFL released the video below over a month ago to explain more about the new security policy.

While the NFL hopes that fans will leave their bags at home, they have outlined what is permissible to carry if they need to head into a game. Also note that medically necessary items are permitted they explain in the FAQs more about that. In addition to this, the Buffalo Bills have their own website with information about their stadium at the bottom of their website. This also includes a page on permitted/prohibited items and lists more information about the bag policy.

While I admit that, when I first heard this on the news, I wondered how it would work for families and women that need to bring more than the items into their pockets to a game. After reading the information on the website, I realized it was less that you can not bring things just a change in how it will be done. As you can see from three of the example NFL bags above, the sizes are not bad and would work for fans to tote in any necessities that would go inside a purse, diaper bag, or beyond. So try not to worry about the changes, it is for your safety. It will take time to adjust, but go with the flow and focus on the important part…cheering on your team. Let’s Go Buffalo!

What do you think about the new NFL security measures? How will this alter the way you pack items to head to cheer on your favorite team?

Please join @TheOnlineMom and other #NFLAllClear ambassadors to share your thoughts on the new policy this Wednesday evening on Twitter. Join in on the conversation from 9-10 PM ET.

It's Me

Disclosure: As stated above I am working with the NFL to spread the word about the new policy. This relationship and compensation does not influence my thoughts and opinions as a long time sports fan.

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Tiny Prints Back to School Giveaway

Posted on August 1, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

August is here and for many across the country that means Back to School month. We actually do not go back until the week after Labor Day, so I have a little more time to get the kids ready for school. Of course, that does not mean that I have been waiting to get supplies. I posted about our list recently and we have slowly been working on it. The other night we went hunting for some composition notebooks. I handed TechyDad the list to begin shopping with the boys while I went to the craft store. When I met back up with them, our school supply list had vanished. Since I did not have the complete list and forgot to look at my own website (ooops), we grabbed the notebooks and called it a night. To finish up with getting our supplies, I am going to add the list onto an app on my phone so I will not forget the paper or misplace it. Then, this week, I am going to have the boys help me to organize each of their items into their cleaned backpacks for storage. If everything is ready right before school, labeling them will be quick and easy.

When I was recently asked to participate in a Tiny Prints Back to School giveaway campaign with Global Influence, I jumped at the opportunity. I am a big fan of their products and customer service. Personalized items, unrelated to this post, that I ordered a short time ago arrived in less than a week. Thanks to this, I have confidence when sharing their latest Back to School selections.

Organizing for Back to School routines is not an easy process. Tiny Prints can assist you with their stylish items that are ready for you to personalize so you have them when the time comes. Parents can look at their planners, calendar notebooks, play date/emergency cards, and personal stationary. In addition to this, you can buy your children fun stickers to use on their school supplies so their know what is theirs. Lunch box notes to brighten their day and allergy cards are also available. If you have older children, do not fear because Tiny Prints has items for teens or college kids heading off to school including lined notebooks, contact cards, dorm art, and moving announcements. As a teacher, I love their selection of items that would make great welcome back to school presents. Say thank you in advance to the person that will be spending a large amount of time with your children. Tiny Prints has teacher stationary, classroom wall art, thank you cards, mugs, as well as iPhone and iPad cases.

Giveaway Time:

Thanks to this Back to School campaign with Tiny Prints, one reader (US or Canada) will receive 5 sets of 24 gift tag stickers, 1 – 5×8 lined notebook, and 100 – mommy/play date/contact cards. Shipping is included for winners in the US, but should the winner be in Canada, they will need to add international shipping costs. This prize pack is the same item that I will be receiving for sharing this information.

Rules for Giveaway:

MAIN RULE – Head over to the Tiny Prints Back to School Page and comment below on your favorite product

The following Bonus Entry may also be done. Please be sure to leave separate comment each time you complete this item.

1 Bonus Entry – Visit Tiny Prints Back to School Page and pin your favorite product to Pinterest. Tag “Back to School” and leave a link to your pin in the comments below.

Please follow the rules above within the comment section. Giveaway begins August 1, 2013 ends August 20, 2013 at 10:59 EST. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 24 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected.

Open to US and Canadian residents only (please see the note above about shipping to Canada).

For additional ways to win Tiny Prints items, be sure to check out the #TinyPrintsSchool Pinning Party™ taking place on August 5 at 2:00 PM EST. Be sure to RSVP at Resourceful Mommy’s page where there are additional details. In addition to this, reader can win even more prizes with the Back to School Pin It to Win It Pinterest sweepstakes, taking place from August 5 – 28.

Additional Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a Global Influence campaign where I will be receiving a prize package like the giveaway winner. As noted, we have already purchased several Tiny Prints products before, and the opinions expressed are 100% my own.

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Shutterfly Best Gift Ever and Giveaway

Posted on April 22, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Disclosure: I wrote this post for Shutterfly as part of a Global Influence campaign. I will be receiving a 16oz Stainless Steel Travel Mug and shipping as compensation for participating. Shutterfly is also supplying the same item for the winner of the giveaway below.

How do you tell someone all that they mean to you? This is something that many of us often take for granted. I have to admit that I am probably one of those people, especially with TechyDad.

TechyDad and I have been married for almost 12 year and all but two of them have included our boys. Not only does my husband go to work each and every day to provide for our family, he does so much more. He is a supportive husband who did not question my desire to leave the classroom to stay home with our boys. TechyDad is a fantastic father. He loves to play with the boys and expand their horizons in all of the items that he enjoys. Watching the boys all geek out together is priceless. In addition to this, my husband is also my webmaster and 99% of the time he is our cook (he enjoys it – go figure).

TechyDad loves to take photos. When we go out and about, he almost always has his camera in hand. Macro photos and now experimenting on his SLR camera mean we have lots of pictures. The funny thing, he does not have many updated photos of our family at work on his desk.

Over the years, we have purchased items from Shutterfly, including personalized gifts for our kids and other members of the extended family. I loved that they are meaningful and show a but more TLC when selecting the item. Right now, I would love to get TechyDad a mug for tea or a desk top plaque with new photos that he will cherish. Of course, I could also sit down with the boys and make him a new personalized photobook filled with memories (we have made Shutterfly books for the boys before).

With Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Graduation season among us, we can look at the fun personalized gift options available via the Shutterfly Best Gift Ever page.

Giveaway Time:

Thanks to this Best Gift Ever campaign with Shutterfly, one reader (US or Canada) will be able to make their own personalized 16oz Stainless Steel Travel Mug plus shipping.

Rules for Giveaway:

MAIN RULE – Head over to the Shutterfly Photo Gifts page and let me know in the comments what your favorite item is that you would like to give or receive.

The following Bonus Entry may also be done. Please be sure to leave separate comment each time you complete this item.

1 Bonus Entry – Tweet the following about the giveaway (may be done twice a day): #Giveaway for a personalized 16oz Stainless Steel Travel Mug from @Shutterfly http://bit.ly/11Bj3hU #win #ShutterflyGifts

Please follow the rules above within the comment section. Giveaway begins April 22, 2013 ends April 28, 2013 at 10:59 EST. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 24 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected.

Open to US and Canadian residents only.

If you are on Twitter and would like more chances to win prizes from Shutterfly, join @ResourcefulMom on Monday, April 2^ndfor the Shutterfly Twitter Party. More information on Resourceful Mommy including the RSVP and prize information.

Additional Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a Global Influence campaign. As noted, we have already purchased several Shutterfly products before, and the opinion expressed is 100% my own.

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gift ideas giveaway sponsored post TechyDad

Time to UNJUNK with UNREAL Candy

Posted on October 18, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Halloween is just around the corner and candy will be flying by by our faces and those of the youngest members in our family. Moderation is the key, but now that is not the only factor. These days we have choices with candy. Thanks to Unreal, we are able to UNJUNK candy eating to a new level.

Over the weekend, we were able to have an Unreal party to let others taste the new candy. We would be putting this to the test:

Would kids and others be happy with candy that is:

made with real cane sugar,contains no corn syrup, and is free of hydrogenated oils/fats?

packed with twice as much cacao than other brands?

free of artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors (there is no Red #5 here)?

filled with more protein and fiber?

If you are not familiar with Unreal, here is a video to get you caught up on their story and the product:

UNREAL sent me candy to share with family and friends. My mission was to see what they thought of the Unreal candy that is UNJUNKED and reinvented. Since it was a beautiful day, we took everything outside. Before going out, I put one of each of the Unreal varieties and fact sheets (comparing Unreal and other similar candy) for everyone to enjoy and read.

Thanks to the amazing weather, the kids were too focused on playing and not eating. A lot of people took their bags home to try items and got back to me with their thoughts. Of course, a group of us did try the Unreal candy together. Here is a view of the five varieties that are currently available and the feedback that we heard from everyone below.

UNREAL 41 (Candy Coated Chocolates) – A crowd favorite with the kids. They were intrigued with the different colors and enjoyed popping them into their mouths. One adult taste tester noted that he thought the chocolate was the best within these. He said he would definitely purchase these for that reason. I know I like these because I can get them for future birthday parties where a nephew with a food dye allergy will be able to eat the candy.

UNREAL 5 (Chocolate Caramel Nougat Bar) – The kids that were not fans of nuts liked this bar because it was easy to bite into with smaller teeth. One adult noted that it reminded her of the taste in her protein bar that she has every day. She said that wasn’t a bad thing, just something she thought of. Another tester is diabetic and typically avoids regular candy. She gets some of the sugar free variety from time to time, but they have a lot of additives in them. She really liked the taste of this bar and the nutritional information. As a fan of the leading brand variety of this kind, I imagine freezing these for an even more interesting treat.

UNREAL 77 (Peanut Butter Cups) – There were a lot of peanut butter cup fans in the group. People mentioned that the peanut butter was not creamy, but that the flavor was more “peanuty” than traditional brands. Lots of interest in using these for baking projects because they have significantly less sugar and more fiber.

UNREAL 54 (Candy Coated Chocolates with Peanuts) – While the kids enjoyed the nut free variety, the adults also enjoyed the peanut crunch inside of the chocolate candies. They had a nice amount of chocolate surrounding the peanuts. While people noted the muted colors, nobody cared once they were munching away.

UNREAL 8 (Chocolate Peanut Caramel Nougat Bar) – This bar seemed to be the least popular. It wasn’t that there were negative comments, most people did not like mixing these flavors. People noticed that the bar had a lot of fiber, protein, and not many more calories than the nut free version.

General feedback was a lot of interest. We were the only people that had seen them prior to the party and taste testing. Locally, Unreal has been slower to arrive on the store shelves and often is sold out. People really liked the idea of candy being UNJUNKED and the price point not being absurd. The lower sugar amounts, as well as the addition of fiber was a big point of interest amount the women.

I know in our family each member seemed to like something different. We will no doubt be on the look out for Unreal as they start to show up in more retail locations. For those times when we want to splurge on something, I like that they taste good and have none of the questionable artificial additives in them. My boys are also hoping that more varieties will be coming soon.

Have you tried Unreal candy yet? I would love to know what your thoughts are and which candy was your favorite.

It's Me

Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a compensated Global Influence campaign. Unreal sent us plenty of candy to share, along with additional compensation for party expenses and my time. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine and not influenced by this factor.

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Together Counts for Fall Activities

Posted on October 11, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

We live in a part of the country that is lucky enough to experience all four of the seasons. My favorite really is the fall. The weather is not too cold, hot, or humid like other times of the year. Typically, there is not a lot of snow, we do not need to wear heavy jackets, and usually we can do a lot outside. This year, the weather has not allowed us to get to our favorite family activity for the fall. We love to go apple picking. We are able to explore the orchards together. It is fun to watch the kids running around and picking apples that they proudly snack on. Then, when we get home TechyDad, the kids, and I think about items the make. One of our favorites is to get the apples ready for our own fresh applesauce. Eating it warm out of the crock makes it seem like a special treat.

Since the weather is not cooperating, we probably will skip the apple picking and possibly go to get a pumpkin at a local farm. Then we can bake up the pumpkin seeds to have a tasty snack. Until that time, the kids love to explore the blocks around the house on their scooters. They enjoy collecting colorful leaves, pine cones, and other items that nature has left on the ground. Just the other day, my youngest hopped off of his scooter to save a caterpillar that was in the middle of the sidewalk.

Together Counts is a program for all of us. Their goal is to inspire families to lead healthy and active lives. Energy Balance is key and the main principle with their pledge. This means that the calories that we eat are the ones that we burn. Together Counts brings together more than 200 retailers, food/beverage manufacturers, restaurants, sporting goods stores, insurance companies, non-governmental organizations, and professional sports organizations to get the message across. For additional information, head to the Together Counts website learn more and take their pledge on finding balance and moderation. Families need to get eating and active together while practicing moderation.

For more information and ideas, you can head to the Together Counts Facebook page, look for them on Twitter, and also on Pinterest.

Please be sure to join Together Counts for their Twitter party on 10/17 from 8-9 PM EST using hashtag #TogetherCounts. More information on Resourceful Mommy with details about the prizes.

So have you made the Together Counts pledge yet? If not, what are you waiting for?

It's Me

Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a compensated Global Influence campaign. As someone who strives to find balance, I love the principles behind Together Counts and am happy to share this with my readers.

Global Influence Network