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Disclosure: This entertainment roundup post may contain affiliate links. Check out the latest in this entertainment roundup and decide what you’re planning on watching this weekend! Get a sitter for the kids and head out for a little bit of fun. Make sure to mark your calendar for upcoming releases! Entertainment Roundup The new trailer for THE LONE RANGER is now available on iTunes.  THE LONE RANGER rides into theaters on July 3rd! Image provided by sponsor Lionsgate celebrates THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Image provided by sponsor Taking futuristic dystopian fashion and fun to whole new levels, Lionsgate’s THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE Capitol Party at Baoli Beach on Saturday evening sponsored by COVERGIRL was this year’s hottest event at the Cannes Film Festival. Screenvision has teamed up with Hasbro Studios and Shout! Factory to bring the full-length feature, My Little Pony Equestria Girls to cinemas across the U.S. and Canada beginning June 16. In celebration of the release of The Aquabats Super Show Season One on DVD, check out this fun clip! VeggieTales just announced July 27th as the Christian market launch date for their newest title: MacLarry and the Stinky Cheese Battle.  From now until July, kids and parents can visit the interactive MacLarry page to access a variety of fun extras leading up to the launch, including downloadable activity pages, games, video clips, and more. A sneak peek for DreamWorks’ DELIVERY MAN is now available on Fandango.  Enter for a chance to deliver the perfect Father’s Day gift to your dad. Share your funniest photos  of your father via Twitter and Instagram for a chance to win a 50′ TV and other great prizes!  DELIVERY MAN releases in theaters on November 22nd! Image provided by sponsor On June 11th journey to a wondrous land of enchantment and surprises when a classic tale gets a brand- new twist in a full-length adventure that follows Minnie Mouse and the rest of the Clubhouse pals as they visit the strange and wonderful world of “Dizz” in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Minnie’s The Wizard Of Dizz! Image provided by sponsor Based on a Ready to Learn grant from the Dept. of Education, PBS KIDS has developed free educational resources, packaged in fun games, apps and printable activity sheets, just in time for summer learning and all free at PBSKIDS.org/read.  And, for free math games and activities, parents and kids can visit The PBS KIDS Lab. In fact math is one of the areas parents say they struggle most to help kids with nearly 30 percent of parents reporting anxiety about teaching their child math. Anxiety is even greater for moms (33%) and parents with an education level of high school or less (32%). Related articles Help Plant Trees & Odwalla Goodness Package Giveaway Recipe Rehab From The Hit TV Show Internet Explorer ‘Catching Fire’ with The Hunger Games Explorer #WindowsChampions The post Entertainment Roundup appeared first on Confessions of an Overworked Mom.

So, a few of my blogging friends have been urging me to write more about my personal life. I’ve been resisting for a while for two reasons. One: I’m a very private person.  Two: I’m a fairly boring person.  Honestly, I really like being a boring person but probably not for the reasons you think. I’m one of those people who likes to do the same thing each day. My spices are alphabetized. I always drive the same way to get where I’m going.  I like order and safety in my life. But, I haven’t always been that way. Why I’m Really Boring I grew up in the suburbs in Connecticut in a very well off neighborhood. I was just another teenager in a white house on a cul de sac rebelling against how unfair her parents were.  Like most teenagers, I turned against everything I thought they stood for including my safe suburban neighborhood and middle class upbringing.  Instead of hanging out with friends in my neighborhood, a friend and I hung out in a public housing development in Bridgeport called Father Panik Village. Father Panik was everything my safe neighborhood wasn’t. Filled with drugs, crime, vandalism and “excitement”, it was interesting and different and fun. My friend and I did lots of stupid things, like driving through the worst part of the housing development at midnight with the top to her T-top convertible off, blaring Wendy O William’s music as loud as the radio would go.  Given the time we spent there, it was only a matter of time before we started dating the guys there.  How much more exciting to date a guy in a gang than it was to date the boy next door. I’m sure you can picture how thrilled my parents were especially in a time when interracial dating was frowned upon. I’m sure I would have ended up just another statistic in the newspapers if it wasn’t for two things. I met a guy I really liked.  He was cute, had a great car and had a lot of money and he paid attention to me.  My self esteem wasn’t the best back then. Yes, I know it’s still not great today but it’s better than it used to be. He had lots of girl friends and he wanted me to be one of them. Of course, I had to “prove myself” to be part of his group and I was supposed to meet him the next night.  He never showed up and a few weeks later, I found out he got picked up for pandering. That could have been me. A little while later, I got caught selling drugs at my high school. I had been using them for several years so it was only a matter of time.  The other girl I got caught with got expelled. My parents had money and were given the option of sending me to counselling instead of me being expelled.  It helped eventually. It didn’t turn me into some huge self confident woman able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. It did give me the self confidence to stop doing things that were dangerous so people would like me.  Did I mention that I was thirteen and fourteen when this happened? I stopped going to counselling at 16, graduated high school at 17, got married at 18 and moved several states away. I won’t tell you life was an easy journey from that point on. I never did drugs or drank past that point but I did manage to marry a man who was an alcoholic. It took me a long time to get to the point where I left him and started standing on my own two feet. A bunch of years later, I am where I am today. Mom of two teenagers who prays daily that they do not make the same stupid choices I made. Wife to a man who is not perfect but who encourages me daily to do what I’m inspired to do.  A woman who finally feels safe and happy.  Maybe I’ve come too far around the circle.  I’m a very private person by nature – too many people judge you based on what they think they know about you. I have made way too many dangerous decisions in the past to ever go back to wanting that again. I like the safety and security I’ve found

I’m always trying to make some of my favorite recipes just a little bit more healthy. While I’d love to eat a huge plate of scrambled eggs, loaded with cheese and piled high with hash browns, my hips get bigger just thinking about it.  That doesn’t mean that I have to totally give up my favorite recipes, I just need to make a few tweaks to turn what was a high fat, high calorie meal into something that is a little bit healthier.  I don’t want to give up all my favorite foods, I just want to eat smarter. I found this Cheesy Broccoli And Potato Scramble recipe in the cookbook, Recipe Rehab based on the hit TV show, which slashes the fat from family classic recipes.  The original recipe called for egg substitute but with ducks and chickens just sitting out there in the back yard producing more eggs than I can use, I used real eggs in my recipe instead of an egg substitute. Cheesy Broccoli And Potato Scramble Cheesy Broccoli And Potato Scramble Save Print Author: Ellen Christian from Recipe Rehab Recipe type: Breakfast Ingredients 2 small red potatoes, washed and cut into small cubes ¾ cup water 1 cup chopped broccoli florets, fresh or frozen and thawed 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 garlic cloves, minced ¼ tsp red pepper flakes 2 cups liquid egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters ½ cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese 2 tsp chopped fresh dill 4 slices multigrain bread, toasted for serving Instructions Put a deep skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the potatoes and water. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil. Steam until the potatoes begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the broccoli, stirring to combine with the potatoes, and cover. Cook for 4 more minutes until both vegetables are just fork tender. Drain the vegetables in a colander, wipe out the pan with a paper towel, and return to medium high heat. Coat the skillet with oil. When the oil is hot, add the cooked broccoli, potato, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until the vegetables begin to brown on the edges, about 2 minutes. Pour the egg substitute. Using a rubber spatula, drag the eggs from the outside of the pan to the center to create fluffy curds. When the eggs are just about set, sprinkle in the cheese, and dill. Remove the pan from the heat. Divide the scramble onto four plates with 1 piece of toast on each. Nutrition Information Calories: 266 Fat: 8 Saturated fat: 2 Carbohydrates: 29 Sodium: 496 Fiber: 4 Protein: 21 Cholesterol: 10 3.2.1753 As a note, I did not serve with toast since I had the carbohydrates from the potato already. document.write(''); The post Cheesy Broccoli And Potato Scramble appeared first on Confessions of an Overworked Mom.

This Recipe Rehab post was made possible by an item provided for review. This post may contain affiliate links.  All opinions are mine and mine alone. You know those family classic favorite recipes you always get asked to make? My family loves things like homemade macaroni and cheese and loaded nachos.  Unfortunately, those recipes are not really friendly when it comes to my waistline.  I certainly don’t want to have to give up all of my favorite family classic recipes. I would just like to change them around a bit to be a little bit lower in fat and calories.  However, I don’t want that to affect the taste.  Some diet recipes, you can tell they are diet the second you put a bit in your mouth.  That’s no fun at all. Image provided by sponsor Recipe Rehab Recipe Rehab is a weekly television program that features two celebrity chefs.  They face off in a competition to transform family favorite recipes into a healthier dish. They slash fat and calories without leaving the recipe tasting like a diet recipe. If you enjoy the program, or just want to enjoy your family favorite recipes in a healthier way, the chefs from Recipe Rehab have come together to create a cookbook that will show you how to make those delicious recipes in your own home. Recipe Rehab (see it on Amazon) contains 80 recipes and helpful cooking tips for some of your favorite recipes. Recipes are broken down into Power Breakfasts, Simple Starters, Lightened Up Carbs, Dinner Tonight, Quick Chicken, Family Favorites and Classic Desserts.  Most recipes include a full color photograph.  Each recipe includes an introduction to the recipe, detailed ingredients, and easy to follow instructions.  Also included are nutritional statistics including calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, protein, fiber and carbohydrates. This makes it extremely useful for anyone being careful about what they eat whether for health or weight control reasons. Also included with many recipes is a section called Chef Tip.  These tips include things like how to make the recipe easier or ways to improve the flavor without changing the calories. Some Chef Tips also include add ins or substitutions that can be made to the recipe.  Recipe Rehab contains a great variety of recipes.  I love that there are some that are vegetarian and many that are gluten free.  There are many kid favorite recipes included like the Nachos Supreme and the Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Many of my family’s favorite recipes are included like the Country Style Meatloaf and the Scalloped Potatoes.  I made the Cheesy Broccoli And Potato Scramble and it was amazing. The post Recipe Rehab From The Hit TV Show appeared first on Confessions of an Overworked Mom.

Our writer, Connie, attended the Bridgetsone “Your Time to Perform Ride and Drive Event” awhile back. Her travel expenses were covered for this event. All opinions still remain her own. As parents, there are a lot of ways we can work to keep our kids safe, but have you ever considered that the tires you choose can be one of those ways? No? Me either, until I participated in a Bridgestone Your Time to Perform Drive & Learn Event. After a day of driving in identical cars with comparable tires, I learned that what you drive on is as important, if not more, than what you drive in.  That’s because your car’s safety features, like the anti-lock braking and traction systems work better with the right tires. Stopping, starting, braking, corning, and more are affected by the tires you choose. But sadly, most of us don’t give a second thought to the tires on our cars or worse, like me, shop just by price with little knowledge about the potential for better handling, safety, and even gas mileage!  Yes, your tires affect how your car performs even when it comes to gas mileage and all it requires to make sure they’re performing optimally is for us to check our tire pressure monthly. But how do you know what the right pressure is for your tire? That’s the easy part! Most cars have the recommended tire PSI posted right inside the driver’s side door on a metal placard. If it’s not there, check your owner’s manual. But remember, that’s the MAXIMUM PSI recommended for your tires so don’t overfill them. Also, if you’re relying on that fancy dash indicator light to tell you when your tires are low, you’ll actually be giving up performance and gas mileage for some time before it gets low enough to activate the warning light, so manually checking monthly is a much better option. So how do you know which tire is right for your car and driving conditions? Thankfully Bridgestone has an online Tire Advisor that helps you choose the tire that fits your lifestyle. Whether it’s a touring tire that’s meant for passenger comfort, or a performance tire  that has a rougher ride but which really sticks to the road, you can easily find out what’s perfect for you. My personal favorite tire after driving on all of them? The Bridgestone Potenza RE97AS tires – they have performance and ride in mind. Test driving Bridgestone Tires at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway – the smoke is from the Thunderbirds who were flying overhead. Want to learn more about the event? Check out my 4-post Bridgestone series. Connect with Bridgestone §  Store Locator §  Bridgestone Tire Catalog §  Bridgestone Tire Performance Technologies §  Teens Drive Smart Program – car care, driving experience, video contest §  Tire Safety – driving tips, maintenance help, and more.

I don't often talk about my work on my blog, but today I thought I would share one of the many letters we get every week. I have THE best job in the world. I am so very, very fortunate to do the work I do.  (Posted with permission) " Hi Tertia, On the 20th October 2010, I emailed you at the Nurture web site in regards to organising a egg donor. Today I am looking at the hard work that our struggles we have overcome, our daughter now 17 months of age time has flown by and we have never been happier, our little family now is complete. 16 cycles and 1 miscarriage, and losing my daughters twin during the first trimester was worth every jab of a needle, every discomfort of bloatedness , every negative thought towards myself, every negative word from that absent minded friend, every envious look towards your pregnant friends and strangers at work parties and the shops, every tear that was shed. I am so lucky to have a beautiful daughter who adores her daddy and me.  It the one and only thing that my husband and I wanted was to be parents, to hear my name not called by your first name but the word that melts your heart  mummy. I want to thank you for all the emails and encouragement that you have given not only to me but to all women that are struggling with infertility, I have been so busy with being a mum work and life, I am sending this email to you to let you know you are a inspiration and a wonderful person. I know it’s a little late. Thank you for your blog and in time we intend to return to South Africa with our daughter to let her know what a wonderful country she started from and that she was very very wanted,, and always will be unconditionally loved. Thank you Tertia We are sending you big hugs to you and your colleagues at Nurture S&G, Australia" _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I am going to use this opportunity to ask for help!     * If you are under 33 and healthy, please consider becoming an egg donor - you could be giving the gift of life to a couple like S & G above. Visit this page to find out more:  http://www.nurture.co.za/donor-application/ * If you between the age of 21 and 42, healthy and you already have a child of your own, consider becoming a surrogate mother.  We have such a looong waiting list of people who need a surrogate.  Visit www.surrogacy.co.za for more information. For more information about the egg donor program in South Africa visit the Nurture page www.nurture.co.za.

When my sister and I were kids, an oft-repeated breakfast was a bowl of milk with sliced bananas and sugar. It brings back fond memories, and if I recall, my Mom also ate it herself when she was a kid. So far, my kids are going to be a break in that tradition, but there is still time. Lots of it. So when the folks at Fiber One wanted another mix-in idea for their cereal, I wanted to do a riff on our memorable bananas with milk and sugar. And with that, Maple Granola Cereal Bowl with Bananas was born. Healthier and filling, but still just as tasty. Crunchy, slightly creamy, and the perfect way to start your morning off right. For another Fiber One mix-in idea, this trail mix is super simple to make and will take care of your sweet and savory cravings. One more mix-in idea coming next week! Happy weekend! xo Maple Granola Cereal Bowl with Bananas Recipe courtesy of Cate O’Malley Ingredients: 3-1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 4 teaspoons vegetable oil 5 tablespoons maple syrup 1 banana, sliced Fiber One Honey Nut Clusters cereal milk Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Mix the first four ingredients together and lay the mixture flat on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let it cool. In a bowl, pour your milk, add your cereal, sliced banana, and yogurt. *Extra granola will keep in a sealed container. Note: The maple granola is a great topping for yogurt or ice cream too! *I was compensated by Fiber One to create this recipe, which is three-part series.

Today is my dad’s birthday. As I think of him today and the many odd and unexpected blessings that were gathered to me in this last year of his life, the blessings that I am trying to capture here for Sean and for me so that we might recall them on some distant day, what [...]

Susan here… I’m in Disneyland and I just saw the premiere of “Mickey and the Magical Map” and visited the recently opened Fantasy Faire. For disclosure I’d like to let you know that I’m at a media event and my travel, hotel and park pass expenses are being covered by Disney. As always, my opinions and love for Disney are my own. Disneyland is sparkly extra brightly this weekend after the fabulous premiere of “Mickey and the Magical Map” last night and today the ‘Monstrous’ 24 Hour party is in full swing. It was clear that the first audience to see the new live musical performance Mickey and the Magical Map at the renovated Fantasyland Theatre loved the show as they wildly tweeted and shared instagram photos with the world. I was honored to be amongst the lucky group to see the premiere and have a chance to interview a Disney spokesperson after the show. Watch my interview with Eddy Collins below to see why you and your children will love watching “Mickey and the Magical Map” at the updated Fantasyland Theatre… Join me and hundreds of others enjoying Disneyland this weekend on Twitter with the hashtag #JustGotHappier. Written by Susan Carraretto, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom Pin with me at http://pinterest.com/5minutesformom/ Photo Credit: Disneyland Resort

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