YoPlait Lite Review & Gift Pack Giveaway

No matter how you slice it, the two newest dessert-inspired flavors from Yoplait Light can help curb those sweet cravings that can hit after lunch and dinner.


If you're looking to side-step familiar decadent treats while keeping calorie counts in check, Yoplait Light and Yoplait Light Thick & Creamy can help. Now there are two new ways to outsmart temptations with Red Velvet Cake and Blueberry Pie, two new taste bud-tantalizing Yoplait yogurt flavors debuting in the dairy aisle this month (Yoplait Light offers 32 total delicious flavors).

With a smooth and creamy texture and 100 fat-free calories in each 6 oz. cup, Yoplait Light and Light Thick & Creamy can help keep you on track with your goals. In addition, each serving contains 20 percent of the recommended daily value of calcium and vitamin D. The classic sweet-inspired flavors, Yoplait Light Red Velvet Cake and Yoplait Light Thick & Creamy Blueberry Pie can help to help satisfy your cravings for dessert without the excessive calories.

Tempted to try this?

I tried a blueberry pie and it was thick and delicious!
The perfect afternoon snack when I NEED something sweet.





Red Velvet Cake 400 calories, 24 grams of fat per slice Yoplait Light Red Velvet Cake 100 calories, 0 gram of fat per serving Indulgent and rich red chocolate cake with a hint of cream cheese frosting

Blueberry Pie 360 calories, 17 grams of fat per slice. Yoplait Light Thick & Creamy Blueberry Pie 100 calories, 0 gram of fat per serving A smooth, comforting mix of sweet blueberries and buttery pie crust


Win a Yoplait Light "Outsmarting Temptation" gift pack which includes an insulated gourmet lunch tote, a food journal and a travel utensil set. This is a Super cute set!

Mandatory Entry - Comment on which new flavor of Yoplait Light yogurt they would like to try

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Giveaway will end on April 25th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only.

Disclosure - Yoplait provided me with the free product, information and gift pack through MyBlogSparkTM for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given.

Ten Tips For the Modern Woman

Guest Post
By Dr. Vivian Diller and Dr. Jill Muir-Sukenick
Authors of Face It: What Women Really Feel as Their Looks Change

We are often asked how the psychological six steps we describe in our book, Face It: What Women Really Feel as Their Looks Change, translate into practical ways to feel and look more attractive. So, we put together some tips that once were useful to us in our former careers as models. They are even more useful more so now as our own looks are changing! They were designed in conjunction with the internal changes suggested in Face It and work best if you have learned what it really means to be attractive at any age. The 'beauty' of these tips is that unlike quick-fix ones that instruct women how 'not to look old,' these can be applied throughout life and are for all women.

1. Show Confidence Inside and Out
We learned first hand that models who walked in with an air of confidence tended to get the jobs. It wasn't about being the prettiest -- everyone was. Or about being perfect -- no one was. It was about how you carried yourself. Some models were known for their great legs or long necks and used these assets to feel beautiful. Sometimes only one's hands or feet were considered marketable material. Instead of focusing on features you don't like about yourself, take the ones you do and embellish them. Delicate wrists? Wear an eye-catching watch. Thick hair? An elegant headband or jeweled clip can make your statement. Posture is a feature all women can enjoy if they keep their bones healthy. Hold your head up with poise and self- assurance and people will see what you feel.

2. A Radiant Smile Can Work for You
There are models who are not perfectly shaped who have successful careers because of their great smiles. Think of a baby's smile. Does anything bring more pleasure to the eyes of others than that spontaneous toothless grin? Sure, we can whiten and straighten our teeth, but regardless of how they look at any particular moment, smiling with a sparkle in our eyes goes a long way to convey beauty.

3. Reinvent Your Look
As models we had to constantly change our 'look.' It taught us to be capable of adjusting our appearance to the circumstances. Instead of feeling anxious about change, have fun as you reinvent a look with each stage. Those short skirts might not work, but other styles may. Letting go of your former self-image doesn't mean neglecting yourself. Try walking instead of jogging; take yoga, in place of spin class. Adjust your attitude as you adjust your look.

4. Sexy at Sixty
We may have left behind unlined faces and bright teeth, but we never have to leave behind our ability to connect to others sensually. As models, we were sometimes told to 'make love to the camera.' With safety pins pulling at our clothes, fans blowing in our faces, that was a challenge. But the more we let ourselves get into it, the more alluring we felt. A model can be absolutely exquisite, but her photos can look cold, sexless, and dull. It's not about the perfect body or the skimpy clothes she's wearing or not wearing. It's about the connection to the viewer. So it can be for you.

5. Accessories Can Say A Lot
A woman who has interests that go beyond age-defying remedies is one who conveys a vital approach to life. Sport the cap of your local baseball or football team, or a T-shirt with a meaningful saying, “Save the Whales” or “Free Tibet.” Use these ageless accessories and you may end up having fun rooting for your team or supporting a new cause.

6. Work Out and Work With Your Friends
Models are dressed, undressed and styled with other people coming and going all around them. (Nothing like outfit changes with stage hands in full view!) At best, we learned to laugh to make the work fun. Instead of sneaking off alone to color your hair, make it fun by passing the time chatting with a friend in the next salon chair. Go to a spa with friends. Take a power walk with a buddy. Tell one another how attractive you each are. We're in this together.

7. Get up close and personal.
An essential tool for models to inspect imperfections is a magnified mirror. It's like wearing glasses while you attend to your face. You can pluck the white hairs if you don't want them, rub creams on brown spots if you want them to fade, and apply makeup where it belongs. How many of us have left smudges of mascara above and below our eyes thinking they made it on to our lashes?? By seeing yourself up close and personal, you can choose among the plethora of products available to adorn your beautiful self.

8. Leave Competition Out of Beauty
As models, competition was a necessary part of the work. At our age, we don't need to be the best, but rather look our best for our age, which is about looking as healthy, robust, and vital as we possibly can. There is no race for the smoothest skin, the thinnest or the youngest looking body, nor is looking good about a race with time. Let's get out of the competition we've imposed on ourselves. We'll all feel like winners.

9. Take the Plastic out of Plastic Surgery
We are not anti taking steps to feel better about how you look. We are not anti- anything, except recklessness. Cosmetic surgery aimed at altering physical features so they appear more in sync with your self image -- like removing dark circles under your otherwise sparkling eyes -- can surely bring increased pleasure. However, surgery performed with the hope of changingyour self-image often leads to the opposite result. How you look is based on how you experience yourself, no matter what you do or don't do to your face and body.

10. See Yourself as an Example for the Next Generation.
At social and professional gatherings, you have the opportunity and responsibility to show younger women what beauty at midlife can be. Demonstrate the kind of poise and grace you want your daughters and younger colleagues to emulate. Remember, those who admire and respect you are the people you influence most. Let's provide the next generation with the kind of role models we weren't lucky enough to have. We owe it to them to look forward to -- rather than dread -- the years that lie ahead. Live them with confidence that you can look and feel beautiful at any age. It will benefit both the body and the soul.

© 2010 Dr. Vivian Diller and Dr. Jill Muir-Sukenick, authors of Face It: What Women Really Feel as Their Looks Change

Author Bios
FACE IT: What Women Really Feel As Their Looks Change by Vivian Diller, Ph.D, with Jill Muir-Sukenick, Ph.D. and edited by Michele Willens is a psychological guide to help women deal with the emotions brought on by their changing appearances. As models turned psychotherapists, Diller and Sukenick have had the opportunity to examine the world of beauty from two very different vantage points. This unique perspective helped them develop a six-step program that begins with recognizing "uh-oh" moments that reveal the reality of changing looks, goes on to identify the masks used to cover deeper issues, defines the role beauty plays in a woman's life, and ends with bidding adieu to old definitions of beauty so women can enjoy their appearance -- at any age!

For more information on the book, authors, and events, please visit http://www.faceitthebook.com or visit their fan page on Facebook

Read Mandie's review of the Book HERE

When You're Ready to Lose Your Mummy Tummy...

Guest Post

If you're a new mother, you may be facing the following dilemma: You're a tad antsy to lose the mummy tummy that you're still sporting, but are too fatigued and busy with your baby to hit the track or the nautilus machines.

There's no reason to panic and jump into a strenuous exercise regimen right away, and to be on the side of caution, you probably wouldn't want to do this even if you can find the time.

Why?

Though there are differing opinions concerning the degree of danger involved, for you to get too concerned about your mummy tummy and go on a strict weight loss program right after giving birth can cause toxins (i.e, PCB's and pesticides) stored in your body fat to release into your bloodstream. Since your liver cannot necessarily be counted on to rid your body of them quickly enough, they have a good chance of ending up in your breast milk.

So, wait until your 6-week postpartum checkup to inquire with your doctor about starting a specific weight loss program in order to lose your mummy tummy.

Here's the enormous benefit of this fact for you: If you're disabled from doing the kind of exercise regimen that you may have been doing before, your recovery period is a great time for you to re-introduce yourself to the most primary benefit of exercise, which is to simply experience the joy of moving your body in non-habitual ways. Enjoying yourself in movement while you lose fat from your mummy tummy is a win-win situation for you.

Although strenuous exercise is not desirable, you can do yourself and your mummy tummy a favor on two counts by engaging in light exercise.

On TWO counts? Yes. Engaging in light exercise will:

1. Help you put a dent in your mummy tummy by burning off a couple of hundred more calories a day or so than you would being stationary, and;

2. Help you produce serotonin, which will aid in fighting postpartum depression.

Light exercise is loosely defined and can run the gamut from gardening to bowling to swimming. You have a baby to take care of, however, and will probably need to do something as local as possible, most likely indoors. Some home-based exercise suggestions to help you lose the mummy tummy include:

- tai chi

- Pilates

- sit-ups

- light housework

- yoga

- dancing

If you've never tried it before, one form of exercise for the mummy tummy I strongly recommend is Belly Dancing. It tones the mummy tummy and related areas of the body that you may be self-conscious about after pregnancy - and is great fun as well.

You may also want to check out 'mom and baby' yoga classes. Participating in yoga with your baby allows you to bond through touch while at the same time getting a light workout. These classes are generally for babies in the 4-week to 8-month age range, or up until the time they are able to scamper away from you. Check a local community center brochure or call a nearby yoga center to see if they offer classes in your area. If not, you can check out Amazon.com for 'Mom & Baby Yoga' dvd's.

Finally, walking is always recommended in this period, and you can lose extra pounds from your mummy tummy by taking walks with your baby in a sling (to give you an extra weight to bear) rather than a stroller. If you know other new moms in the neighborhood, you can make this a social time for yourself as well. Many of them will share your desire to lose their mummy tummy.

If you're used to eating high-calorie meals in large portions, you can do yourself a favor by taking the extra time that you have to learn more about healthy eating, and in moderation. An extra benefit of bringing a child into the world is that it often causes both parents to re-evaluate more harmful aspects of their lifestyles. If you currently over-indulge, you can think about setting a better example for your child by consuming more lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and unsaturated fats. This way, you are teaching yourself to shed your mummy tummy while instilling healthy habits in your child.

I learn from the very best - the most successful 'fat-burners' who win the battle over failure and self-hatred to lose all those unwanted pounds of body fat...

What methods do they use to completely change their lives and make themselves happy and healthy beyond their wildest dreams?

Find out their winning techniques when you sign up for a free e-course at http://www.fatlossletters.com

Source

Free Busch Garden Season passes for 5 & younger!

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Celebrates Kids

To commemorate the opening of Sesame Street Safari of Fun, Busch Gardens is offering kids ages 5 and younger a FREE Busch Gardens Preschool Pass, valid through December 31, 2010 for unlimited admission

I'm so excited about this deal! I have 2 children that qualify - Big Savings for Me!

Sign up HERE

Breyers YoCrunch Review & 10 4pk Giveaway!

Breyers YoCrunch® 100 Calorie Packs • YoCrunch® 100 Calorie Packs are the first yogurt products to be naturally sweetened with Truvia™ rebiana. o Truvia™ rebiana is the key ingredient in Truvia™ natural sweetener, the first great tasting, natural, zero calorie sweetener born from the leaves of the stevia plant. • YoCrunch® 100 Calorie Packs are the only calorie-controlled yogurt products that are naturally sweetened, providing all the taste of full-calorie low-fat yogurt but without all the calories and sugar.

• YoCrunch® 100 Calorie Packs offer a satisfying smooth and crunchy yogurt experience in convenient 100-calorie portions that kids and moms will love.

• Available in five great flavors, YoCrunch® 100 Calorie Packs are made with nonfat yogurt and are perfect as a healthy snack or dessert for those craving a nutritious yet decadent sweet treat.

o Cheesecake Yogurt with Graham Cookie Pieces

o Strawberry Yogurt with 100% Natural Low Fat Granola

o Vanilla Yogurt with Chocolate Chip Cookie Pieces o Vanilla Yogurt with Chocolate Crème Cookie Pieces

o Vanilla Yogurt with Nestle® Buncha Crunch™ Candy Pieces

• Made with no artificial sweeteners, YoCrunch® 100 Calorie Packs have added Vitamin A and D, and are a good source of calcium and protein for women and kids.

• YoCrunch® 100 Calorie Packs are available at leading grocery, health food and specialty stores nationwide at a suggested retail price of $2.99 - $3.19 for each four-pack container

My Review - We received the Vanilla with Chocolate cookie pieces.
I was extremely excited it was made with Truvia instead of sugar or artificial sweetners. If you aren't familiar with Truvia, it's an all natural sweetener made from the Stevia plant. We've been using it or honey for awhile instead of sugar. But you have to acquire a taste for it.
I'm not sure how Breyers did it but it doesn't have the usual Truvia after taste that you have to get use to. This was REALLY good and healthy too. The cookie pieces do have high fructose corn syrup, if you choose to skip that part the yogurt is still VERY delicious!!

I'm looking forward to trying the other types, cheese cake is right up my ally!!

Breyers is kind enough to allow me to give 10 coupons for 4-packs away to readers of Taking Time for Mommy.

Main Entry - Follow this blog via GFC OR newsletter and tell me what kind of yogurt you want.
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5 Extra Entries - Signing up for our weekly Newsletter (form to the right)
3 Extra Entries -Fan our writer Tawdra Kandle on Associated Content and comment on one of her articles Here
2 Extra Entries - Comment on any non-giveaway post on either Taking time for Mommy or Mommy Reads Too Much

Giveaway will end on April 25h at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only.

Disclosure - A product was given for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given.I learned about this opportunity from The Product Review Place.

Turn Here

By Kathy Kinney & Cindy Ratzlaff,
Authors of Queen of Your Own Life: The Grown-Up Woman's Guide to Claiming Happiness and Getting the Life You Deserve

Wouldn't it be interesting to look back at the experiences you've had in your life without judgment and without labeling them good or bad? From this lofty place at the midpoint in our lives we've noticed in looking back that ironically, good things often came from "bad" experiences and sometimes, bad things from "good." It really seemed to us that the road we're on in life can end very suddenly, and as we come smack up against a bright new yellow road sign there is often no other choice but to "turn here." We would be foolish to label these detours good or bad. In the end our experience has been that we are the women we are today because we'd been forced to make these turns onto new and better paths.

Cindy had a "turn here" moment when the economic downturn caused her industry to lay off nearly 1,000 people in a six-month period. There had been lots of hints that something like this might happen at her company, but she thought if she just kept her head down and continued to work hard she would somehow survive. Her fear over losing the job completely blocked out the fact that she hadn't been happy there for some time. Working hard and being good at her job didn't help and through no fault of her own, she found herself hurt, angry and unemployed.

After the initial shock of being let go wore off, she began to realize that there might never be another job for her in the profession she'd worked in for more than 20 years. Casting around for a way to replace the income she'd lost, she soon came to the conclusion that she'd need to retool. Walking through her fear that she might not be capable of learning something new, she signed up for a six-month course in social media marketing and merged her background in marketing and branding with these new tools and techniques.

In those six months she went from not even having a Facebook profile to teaching others how to brand themselves and their business. There were days when she thought her head would explode as she struggled to overcome the handicap of being a digital immigrant, but as the rusty parts of her brain became more accustomed to learning something new everyday, she soon came to love this fast-paced new industry. Cindy now blogs, tweets, posts and Vlogs multiple times everyday and trains others to do the same thing. She's energized by learning new things and now realizes that turning left at this roadblock opened up a new, different and equally beautiful path.

So when we find a road sign in our path and we know we have to "turn here," we take a deep breath and get ready to walk through our fear. We now understand that this is simply a new opportunity on our adventure to being the best women we can be.

We'd like to offer you these steps that helped us walk through the fear of taking that new path.

*

Stop and assess the current situation.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself on the top of a high mountain and the wind is blowing. Look back over the first half of your life and without over thinking it, choose a moment in your life that you've come to think of as particularly difficult or that most altered the course of your life. Now, letting go of the "could've, would've, should'ves" of that situation, try to image that moment as a large boulder blocking your path and a bright yellow road sign that says, "DETOUR. " With your eyes still closed, turn your gaze to the left and envision a new path that you hadn't noticed before. Allow yourself to feel curious and excited about where it might lead. As you leave the original path and follow the new path let yourself feel joyful about the adventure ahead.

*

Identify qualities that you admire.

Get out a piece of paper and a pen. Write down the names of the ten women you admire most. Again, don't ponder this. Write down your first thoughts. Then write down the qualities or traits you most admire in these women. Read the list aloud. It might help you to look into a mirror while reading this list. Put a check mark or star next to the qualities that resonate most with you as you read them.

*

What kind of woman do you want to be?

Now you knew this was coming. What qualities do you like best about yourself. Don't be shy. We've been told not to brag about ourselves since we were young girls. This isn't bragging. This is a conversation between you and you alone. So, go for it. Are there any words on the list of qualities you admire in other women that match the words you've used to describe yourself? If there are, chances are good that these words are core values for you. If none of them match, don't worry. This is a process and in the end, you get to choose the words that you want to represent your core values. We recommend that you pick the four to six words that mean the most to you right now. At different times in your life, these words might change. That's ok. Don't get hung up on creating the perfect list. Just pick four to six words that you think are important to have with you on the next part of your journey.

*

Create your Coat of Arms and Motto.

We like a good art project and think that the act of writing things down, creating a visual representation of our goals and speaking them out loud helps new ideas and new habits take root in our brains. We've created a blank template for a Coat of Arms and Motto that you can download for free at www.queenofyourownlife.com.

Add the four to six words you've chosen to identify your core values to the coat of arms template. Feel free to use markers, glitter pens, ribbon or whatever speaks to you. Have fun with this. When you've finished your project, sum it up with a Motto. Ours is "Because We Say So." To us that means the way we live our lives is a conscious choice we make everyday. Now pretending you're still atop that windy mountain, read your words aloud. At the bottom of the page, add "I admire this woman. I admire me." Then sign your name. We admire you too.

© 2010 Kathy Kinney & Cindy Ratzlaff, authors of Queen of Your Own Life: The Grown-Up Woman's Guide to Claiming Happiness and Getting the Life You Deserve
Author Bios
Kathy Kinney is best known for her iconic role as Mimi Bobeck on The Drew Carey Show. She has acted in over a dozen films, guest-starred on numerous television shows and has toured worldwide with Drew Carey and the Improv All-Stars. Kathy may also be seen in the title role of Mrs. P at www.mrsp.com, a Web site for children aimed at keeping alive the joy of books and reading.

A veteran publishing executive, Cindy Ratzlaff created marketing campaigns for more than 100 New York Times bestselling books, including The South Beach Diet. She is president of Brand New Brand You, which specializes in using new social media platforms to increase brand awareness, and is a cofounder of the online publishing company Supreme Social Media.

For more information please visit www.QueenOfYourOwnLife.com.
Become a fan of Queen of Your Own Life on Facebook or follow @QueenOfOwnLife on twitter!

Silence is Golden

Image - Getty Images

I got to church a little early last Sunday, and I noticed something. It was loud. The service hadn’t begun, but I was sitting in the sanctuary, seeking to prepare myself for worship. But there was so much talking going on around me—not the quiet tones I recall from my childhood, but loud, conversational chatting. This wasn’t the first time I’d seen this kind of thing; I’ve been to many, many churches, and I’ve noticed that the ‘holy silence’ I remember from my childhood has all but disappeared.

And it isn’t just in church, either. Silence has left our lives almost completely. Remember when libraries were so quiet that you could hear someone breathing two stacks over? We fill all of our waking hours with noise—music, talk, what we sometimes call background noise. It’s almost as though we’re afraid of the quiet.

As people, and especially, I think, as moms, we need some silent space. From the time we wake up in the morning until we go to bed at night, we’re constantly moving, interacting and resolving. If we don’t have that little bit of time when no one is talking, we just might lose it.

I think most mothers would agree with this, but the big question is, how do we find that quiet space?

For some people, getting up in the morning before the rest of the family is up and moving makes all the difference. It can give them the strength and humor to get through the day. For others of us, we’re not morning people. The idea of waking up early is kind of painful. There is of course the option of staying up late—getting everyone to bed and then finding that elusive peace and quiet. The downside there is that often by the time everyone falls asleep, we moms are ready for bed, too.

For homeschooling mothers, the options are fewer. We don’t have the school hours during which our children might be away from home, so we have to work just a little harder to carve out that time. Creativity is key! If you need a last minute item for dinner, why not run out yourself once your husband gets home? When you’re in the car, don’t turn on the radio or make phone calls; simple savor the peace. Or try to combine one-on-one time with a child who needs a ride to a lesson or play date, if someone else is at home to watch other kids, you can get in some uninterrupted chat time with the one who rides along, and then steal your own quiet on the way home or during the lesson.

If you can’t find your own silence on a regular basis, you need to take a few hours over the weekend. In the very worst case, you might savor the peace while you wash dishes or vacuum. Turn off the television, the radio and the MP3. Don’t make that phone call. Instead, take the opportunity to listen to your own thoughts. . .daydream just a little. . .and enjoy the moment.

Tawdra Kandle is stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of four children who range in age from 9 years to almost 21 years. She and her husband of over 22 years live in central Florida, where he is in seminary. Tawdra spends most of her precious free time writing and reading, and she loves to travel. She is also a resident writer for Taking Time for Mommy. View more of her Articles HERE