Fleur de Light Candles are making a difference in the lives of those struggling with hunger. Through the sales of their See the Light, Feed the Hungry Candles, in cooperation with the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadania, they have been able to feed over 19,000 people since August 2011!

I first took notice of the See the Light, Feed the Hungry Candles while working on a blogging project for Second Harvest’s Hunger Action Month last September. I can honestly say that prior to that project, I was not aware how widespread and devastating the problem of hunger is across South Louisiana. The founder of Fleur de Light Candles, Sondra Berger, recalled her parent’s depression era stories of battling food shortages and knew that she wanted to make a difference. It was a quote by Mother Theresa that says, “If you can’t feed one hundred people, feed just one,” that inspired her.

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These cookies are a unique twist on king cakes and take the flavor of a king cake and put them into a cookie! I drizzled the frosting on and sprinkled them with traditional purple, green and gold sprinkles. This morning I had one with my cup of coffee and it was delicious!

A while back I shared a tie-dyed theme for LSU cupcakes. It involved dying the batter purple and gold and swirling to two together prior to baking. Here is another idea for really cute LSU themed cupcakes! I used a Wilton grass tip #233 to pipe the top of the cupcake with green icing. I used a standard butter cream recipe and added Wilton’s green gel food coloring. Before dying it green, I put a little white icing on the side to pipe the yard lines on the cupcakes. For the LSU on top I took white chocolate chips and melted them for 15 second intervals until they melted and placed the melted chocolate in a piping bag. Then I barely cut off a piece of the tip and piped the LSU out onto wax paper. Sprinkled them with purple and gold sprinkles before they dried. I free handed the LSU but if you wanted to you could write or print LSU on a sheet of paper and lay your wax paper on top. That way all you had to do was trace. Place them in fridge to cool and the pop right off the wax paper. For my game day cupcakes I am going to pipe some white chocolate LSU’s and some milk chocolate footballs with white chocolate laces. I’ll share some pics after the big game.

GEAUX TIGERS!

There are a few things that you need to know about Joovy. First, they are an American company with locations in Dallas, TX and Orange County, CA. Buying American and supporting our economy is important to me.  As a family run business, excellent customer service is a priority of  Joovy. They answer the phone when you call and don’t put you through the run-around of an automated system. Their signature features include an extra-large canopy on all of their strollers, sealed, ball bearing wheels, and bold fabrics. With Joovy you are getting high-end features without having to pay a high-end price!

When the Joovy Zoom 360 first arrived I thought the installation would be complicated but it was not. I made my husband step away and let me complete the set-up myself. The directions were easy to follow and the stroller was assembled quickly. The frame consists of 6061 aircraft grade aluminium and 600D fabric making it strong and tough! Most notably, the suspension smooths out bumps and provides a comfortable ride for your child. While on bumpy New Orleans sidewalks and various walking paths the Zoom 360 handled each of them with ease. I laugh at my husband because the first thing he shows people is the shock absorbing suspension (I couldn’t tell if he was referring to the stroller or my car), andI love the easy maneuverability and stylish design.

The Joovy Zoom 360 Jogging Stroller features an extra-large canopy for added sun protection. Even on the brightest, sunny days you will be able to protect your little one from the sun. If the weather turns from sunny and clear to rain then use the provided, custom rain and wind cover that comes with your stroller. By the handles of the stroller is a neoprene, parent organizer that has two cup holders and a zipper compartment in the middle. The zipper compartment is a nice size and easily fits my keys, cell phone, and wristlet wallet. This is a nice feature because I always look for somewhere secure to place my keys because it’s a terrible feeling when you can’t find your keys. There is lots of under carriage storage that is easy to access. It fits my diaper bag (which is rather large) with room to spare. Inside of the stroller, your child can reach two mesh compartments that are perfect for placing toys or their favorite snack.

For serious runners, (unlike myself, thanks to a bum knee), the swivel wheel in the front can be locked in the straight position in order to provide a long, stable wheelbase when you run or walk on long straight paths. This is not a feature that I have needed to use, but  I really love how easy the Zoom 360 is to turn and maneuver. It takes minimal, one handed effort to turn and control the stroller with the wheel in the swivel position.

My son is too young to interview about the comfort of the stroller so I’ll share my own thoughts. I like the width of the seat and the softness of the seat itself. It just feels comfy. Even at the age of 7 months, the mesh compartments have been used to hold my son’s favorite toys and he has the ability to get to them. It is very easy to adjust the straps to the needed shoulder height by putting them through the provided sewn in loops. The seat is a multi-position seat that does not require a great deal of effort to adjust. I’ve used other strollers that make changing the seat position a challenge. It can go from almost straight up to a full reclining position. So far on our journeys, my son has sat up to eat and laid down to sleep in the Joovy Zoom 360.

One of my favorite design elements, of the Joovy Zoom 360, is that the seat height is higher than most strollers and allows your child to have a view of the action and not look at the backs of people’s knees. My son is nosy and likes being able to see what is going on. When we were at a festival we pulled him up to the table we were all sitting at and he could look around and be a part of the action.

Another concern of mine is how easy can a stroller fold and how compact it folds. I was a little worried about the closing mechanism because you have to lift a cable and press a button to fold the Joovy Zoom 360 but once I had the stroller and was able to see it and try it I realized how simple it is. It does take two hands to fold but it isn’t an issue. The stroller does weigh about 26 pounds with the wheels attached.  I wouldn’t bring it along for a day filled with 20 errands that involve quick trips in and out of the car but for jogging, walking and going to places for an extended period of time it, is the stroller of choice.

For New Orleans’ Moms reading this, in addition to being a great walking/jogging companion on one of the many walking paths in and around the city, it is going to make a perfect Mardi Gras stroller. It maneuvers smoothly over bumpy sidewalks, can be quickly locked in place, provides excellent sun protection while waiting for the parade to start, reclines for a pre-parade nap, sits up high enough for your child to see the action, and has lots of storage so you can bring everything your child needs on the parade route.

Some comments made by other moms:

“That Joovy Stroller is really groovy!” (Comment made by a Dad)

“Do they make that in my size?” and

“That is the [insert luxury brand car] of strollers!”

Here is my video review of the Joovy Zoom 360:

You can learn more about and find out Where to Buy your own Joovy and the various products they offer here:

Disclosure: I received a Joovy Zoom 36o Jogging Stroller to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are 100% my own!

Ruched tube dress, Top, Striped top, Diane von Fürstenberg black pants, Bandolino kitten heel pumps, Flower clutch,  Betsey Johnson fleur de lis jewelry
Unique & Inspiring Jewelry from Waxing Poetic (fleur de lis ring)

My normal game-day fashion consists of a Drew Brees jersey with jeans.
(I have one in traditional black, the Super Bowl 44 version, and a pink one!) All #9′s!
My oldest son wears either #9 Brees, #12 Colston, or #51 Vilma.
My littlest son sports a mini #9 Brees and my husband wears a black polo with the Saints logo.

That is my family’s traditional game-day gear, but every once in a while we have the opportunity to watch the game from somewhere that requires a little more effort. In honor of the Saints crushing the Indianapolis Colts last night (62-7) here are my fashion choices for various Saints themed occasions.

From the office, in the Dome, or a night out be ready to
support your favorite team in style!

Last Friday, my oldest had a day off from school and we made one of his favorite breakfast treats, cinnamon rolls. Of course, when my 8 year old is in the kitchen he always tries to add a “kid inspired” twist to everything we cook. This cooking adventure was no different and we had cinnamon rolls with green icing & Halloween sprinkles served on monster plates.

Recipe Adapted from Diana’s Desserts

Follow @NolaTricia

Recently, I had the opportunity to review the Lifefactory22oz glass beverage bottle with silicone sleeve in orange. It’s been a while since I switched to drinking filtered water in refillable plastic water bottles supposedly free of chemicals. Then I learned that even those plastic bottles were found to have hazardous chemicals. It was at this point that switching to a refillable, glass bottle made total sense. The problem with a plain glass container is the threat of breakage. The Lifefactory silicone sleeve makes the risk of breakage much less by protecting the glass. It also makes the bottle easier to grip.  It has a screw cap top with adequate space to put in fresh fruit, citrus, or tea. The only time that the cap can be a challenge is while working out on the eliptical or such. My favorite feature of the Lifefactory glass beverage bottle is that it fits in my cup holder of my car and unlike plastic bottles who transfer the taste of plastic into the water after a short time in the sun, this bottle does not do that. Also, it is very stylish to carry.

In addition to their line of adult products, Lifefactory has a line of kids and baby products including baby bottles and teethers.

• Free of known harmful chemicals including bisphenol-A (BPA), phthalates, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
• All components are FDA approved and made with medical grade silicone
• Easy to clean and are dishwasher safe
• Silicone sleeve is free of plastics and 100% non-toxic
• With glass there is no chemical leaching and no metallic taste
• Wide mouth bottle make it easy to add ice, citrus slices, tea bags, etc.
• Patent pending silicone sleeve provides a great gripping surface and helps to prevent breakage

Click here to order your Lifefactory glass bottle to hydrate your family in a healthy way!

After watching my son play with toys from the Comforting Play Collection I have a few favorites:

Binky Buddy – Helps to keep baby’s pacifier at their fingertips. This sweet plush pal is easy to grasp and fun to snuggle.
When I first saw this item I was very skeptical if he would use it. It’s a soft bear that has a Velcro attachment to connect a pacifier. After using it, it’s number one on my list of favorites. I gave it to him when he was tired and cranky but refusing to take a nap. Almost instantly, he sucked on the pacifier and wrapped both hands around the bear and the small blanket attached. He fell asleep with the bear in his hands. Now it’s my go to companion when he’s in need of nap.

All Around 1-2-3 Teether - Grow-with-me teether set for three stages of teething relief!
My son is already at the age where everything he grabs goes straight to his mouth. He is able to grab the circular ring and use this teeting ring. The Infantino teether is BPA free and has 3 different textures for different stages of teething.

Sweet Serenade Crib Toy – Six adorable crib companions take baby on a soothing journey through sunny days and starry nights.
This crib toy is light-weight and easy to install. I use it as a distraction during diaper changes. He would rather watch the entertaining characters than kick, squirm, or cry while I change his diaper.

Hug &Tug Wooly - With all natural wool filling and easy-to-grasp soft knots it’s perfect for little hands.

This little guy fits right in his hands. He can grab and hold onto the knots and he really likes tossing him around.

Wrist and Foot Rattles - Encourage little ones to discover and explore with their hands and feet!
These make for a fun playtime. I like watching him trying to figure out where the rattling noise is coming from.

Sweet Bee Scented Pal – Soothe your little busy bee with this calming scented companion.
This cute, little bee smells like lavender and is very entertaining. The wings make a crinkling sound that is fun for baby to grab and crinkle. It can attach to your baby’s stroller or car seat for fun on the go.

These toys would make a perfect gift for a mom-to-be. They are the kind of items that a new mom needs but just doesn’t know it yet. As a new mom I remember focusing on the big items, but these toys make interacting and playing with a new baby fun. You can add one or two to a big gift for the perfect addition to your gift wrapping or make a basket with your favorites. One of my favorite baby shower gifts to give is a gift basket of items that I know the new baby will use. I add lotion, diaper cream, shampoo, and diapers. In the future I plan on incorporating Comforting Play toys. Another great feature of the Comforting Play Collection is that all of the toys have gender neutral colors. They are perfect for any baby.

For the latest information on products from Infantino you can:

Like them on Facebook
Watch them on YouTube
Follow them on Twitter

 Disclosure: “I am a participant in a Mom Central Consulting campaign for Infantino
and have received various Infantino products as part of my participation.”

 It’s getting close! There is now talk of training camps and power rankings! But as much as I love football, my favorite thing is getting together with friends and family to watch the games. For us, Saturday means LSU games and Sunday is reserved for Saints games. I’m already trying to come up with ideas for when it’s my turn to host. My son and I made cupcakes and dyed them LSU purple and gold and tinted the icing purple. They turned out really cute and would be a great addition to an upcoming LSU party. We are definitely going to make them again and play around a little more with the icing coloring. Maybe just leaving it white and putting purple and gold sprinkles. Try it with your team’s favorite colors. For the cake I used a standard white cake mix and separated it in two bowls adding food coloring to each. Then I filled the cupcake papers with a spoon adding a little of each color at a time. Finally I took a toothpick and swirled the two batter colors. (not mixing them, just swirling) For the icing, I used a standard vanilla buttercream recipe and added Wilton’s gel food coloring in violet.

Vanilla Buttercream

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Use softened butter and gradually mix in confectioner’s sugar using a hand/stand mixer. After mixing add vanilla extract and heavy cream. Start with 1 tbs heavy cream and add more if needed. If icing becomes too thin add additional powdered sugar.

What’s your favorite team’s colors?

Frieda’s Inc.,

In conjunction with Rouse’s Supermarkets, Frieda’s fruits and vegetables are now available in Southern Louisiana and Mississippi. This summer Rouse’s has featured various exotic fruits, including the cherimoyas, passion fruit, and rhubarb. This August, they are featuring Meyer Lemons, the culinary queen of the lemon world. Hurry and try them, because they are currently at the peak of their season!

Meyer Lemons were brought to the U.S from China over a 100 years ago by Mr. Meyer.  They are sweeter and less acidic than the standard lemon. There is a floral sweetness and even a slight herbal undertone to them. They are believed to be a hybrid of a lemon and an orange, but that has not been confirmed.

For a unique flavor, Meyer Lemons, can be substituted into any recipe calling for lemons or add them to your favorite hot or cold drink for added flavor. I used Meyer Lemons in a traditional lemon meringue pie and it turned out delightful. It tasted like a traditional lemon meringue pie but with a gentleness about it. It was the perfect summer dessert. Here is the recipe that I used and definitely plan to use again in the future with Meyer Lemons :

Ingredients:

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup Meyer lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon zest (the smell from the Meyer Lemon’s zest is sweet & filled the house)
3 egg yolks
1 8 inch prebaked pie shell or crumb crust (I used a pre-made graham cracker crust)

Meringue:

3 egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tarter
¼ cup sugar

Directions:

In medium bowl, combine milk, lemon juice, and zest; blend in egg yolks. Pour into cooled crust

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar until still. Spread over filling; seal to edge of crust. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.

Check out www.friedas.com for more information about lots of fun fruits for your family to try and delicious recipes.

If you are in South Louisiana or Mississippi go to www.shop.rouses.com for a store near you.

*Raw Egg Warning
Take caution when consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

Disclosure: I recieved Meyer Lemons to facilitate this review. All expressed opinions are 100% my own.
 Original lemon pie recipe is from Paula Deen.