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MADAME PICASSO

by Anne Girard
In stores August 26th

In the bestselling tradition of The Paris Wife, Z, and The Aviator’s Wife, Madame Picasso illuminates the untold story of the powerful woman behind one of the most famous men in history.

Six Flags Over Texas recently updated and expanded BUGS BUNNY Boomtown, their children’s section of the theme park, with five new rides, plenty of seating and shade, plus expanded walkways.

This summer we spent a lot of time entertaining family and friends on our back deck.  The grill got a good work out which I loved because it allowed me to spend more time with our company than in the kitchen.  From Kool-Aid and Cool Whip to KRAFT Singles, KRAFT Foods helps me create meals with less hassle but still full of flavor.

Since we moved to Texas, I’ve been feeling as if I need to up my ante when it comes to sauce recipes.  We’ve been busy familiarizing ourselves with our community and the local businesses, many of which happen to be taco restaurants.  I think in a 5-mile radius of our home there is one on every other corner (okay, I may be exaggerating a bit..but not much!).  The pickiest taste-buds this side of Jupiter live in my home though so I need to do a bit of improvising.  I’d love to make dishes that incorporate a sauce that has a ‘Tex-Mex’ flavor, but my family hears ‘Tex-Mex’ and runs for cover.

Lisa Cain’s book Snack Girl to the Rescue! is part biography, part nutrition guide and part recipe book – making it a good resource to make healthy and delicious food for your family.  You may recognize her name or the “Snack Girl” persona – yes she’s that “Snack Girl” from Snack-Girl.com.

The book includes 100 recipes under 400 calories that Cain uses herself.  

Through Aug. 26 Taco Cabana is celebrating “23 Days of TC” with its Taco Cabana and Dr. Pepper Summer Sweepstakes. Followers can enter to win prizes by responding to daily posts using the hashtag #23daysofTC.  Daily and weekly prizes include Taco Cabana and Dr. Pepper prize packs, Taco Cabana for a year and a Taco Cabana patio party.

Jay at Play International is set to send young imaginations soaring with HideAway Pets.  These ultra-soft plush pals “snap” into a pint-sized pillow.

The softest materials and adorable expressions bring the HideAway Pets to life.  A menagerie of collective animals are available in the collection and they are available at major national retailers, including Target, Walmart and Toys”R”Us.

As many of you know we just celebrated our daughter’s high school graduation this past spring.  Her junior & senior years of high school were some what stressful for our family because of our circumstances of selling our home in South Dakota and moving our family to Texas. that decision was partially because of our daughter’s choice of the university she wanted to attend.  Neither my husband or I did our higher education in the United States and since Amber has been homeschooled since seventh grade, the whole college application and admissions process was slightly overwhelming for our family.

Beef is a source of protein that we eat a lot of in our home.  While costs of beef have risen over the years, I stock up on sales or skimp on other things so that it fits into our budget.  I get a lot of ideas for dinner from  BeefitsWhatsForDinner.com, which is a Beef Checkoff program that their contractor The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association manages. 

Have you heard of Republic Wireless before?  They are on a mission to make smartphones more affordable and accessible for everyone. 

They are a wireless company that behaves and operates differently from all the others.  How?  Through hybrid calling.  Their phones use WiFi as default and then they back it up with a traditional cell network so you’ll always have great coverage wherever you go.  With no app to open or 2nd number to manage.  Instead, their phones connect and route calls over WiFi automatically (or is that automagically?!)