Melissa Kaylene: advertise
Image Map
Showing posts with label advertise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advertise. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Annual Ladies Day Out - Holiday Edition



 Last spring my friend and I went on a girls night out in Portland to the Portland's Annual Ladies Day Out and we had so much fun. There were lots of great cocktails and samples and fun shopping! When I heard that Portland's Annual Ladies Day Out has decided to hold a Holiday Edition this year on December 14th at the Double Tree at Lloyd Center I got really excited...any excuse for an afternoon out!

 There will be over 50 local vendors, fashion shows, live music, and their Cart and Soul vendors will be on site filming for Portland's tastiest new reality show! There will also be signature cocktails to purchase so you can sip and shop, and there is also a huge silent auction to benefit Impact NW.

 Tickets are only $5.00 and if you show your ticket stub to a vendor, you'll get $5.00 off of your purchase. And if you are one of the first 200 attendees you will also receive a VIP swag bag!


For more information on the Ladies Day Out or to purchase tickets check out their website HERE.

~Melissa

Monday, December 2, 2013

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pie & a Giveaway!

Tracking Pixel
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of PAM Cooking Spray
#pamsmarttips #ad

I played around and created a new recipe for Thanksgiving this year, and it must have been good because it was devoured very quickly. It's actually really simple to make and has just enough chocolate with the peanut butter to be noticeable, but not overpowering with the already rich cheesecake.

I learned a long time ago to spray everything with PAM Cooking Spray before cooking, because it saves so much time with cleanup, plus everything comes out super easy and doesn't stick. I hadn't used the PAM Baking Spray before, but decided to give it a try with this recipe. It turned out beautiful. The PAM Baking Spray uses real flour, so you don't have to worry about anything sticking. Do you remember having to butter and then flour pans before baking? To be honest, I had only done that a couple times. Of course  I'd make sure that it was oiled, but there's something about the flouring that our grandmas did that worked really well, and seems to not happen as much anymore.

#pamsmarttips #ad

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients:

For crust:

1 1/4 cup of chocolate graham crackers crumbs (approx. one package)
1/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of butter; melted

For peanut butter filling:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar

For cheesecake filling:

2 8oz packages of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
2 large eggs

For topping:

1 cup chopped mini peanut butter and chocolate candies ( I used dark chocolate)

#pamsmarttips #ad
#pamsmarttips #ad
#pamsmarttips #ad
#pamsmarttips #ad

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. Place chocolate crackers in bag and using rolling pin roll into fine crumbs. Pour crumbs into mixing bowl with sugar and melted butter and combine. Spray pie pan with PAM Baking Spray and then pat crumb mixture into pan until even.

3. Bake in oven for 8 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, mix peanut butter, powdered sugar, and brown sugar until combined. It will turn into a thick dough. Roll out on cutting board until large enough to fit in the bottom of the pie pan.

5. In separate bowl mix cream cheese, sugar, heavy whipping cream and eggs with mixer until smooth.

6. Take crust out of the oven and let cool slightly. Turn the oven temperature up to 350 degrees. Once cooled, gently press peanut butter mixture into the bottom of the pie pan, then pour cheesecake mixture on top.

7. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes, until browned on top.

Let cheesecake cool for ten minutes, then add chopped up peanut butter candies to the top. You can also make some whipped cream to add on the top.

#pamsmarttips #ad
#pamsmartips #ad

 Cleanup was a breeze afterwards because with the PAM Baking Spray the pie came out perfectly and didn't stick at all. I read online that PAM Cooking Sprays leave up to 99 percent less residue buildup than margarine or bargain brand-cooking sprays - and they are super easy to use.

#pamsmarttips #ad

But Noah doesn't care what I use to make clean up easier. All he knew was that his mouth had been watering for an hour waiting for that delectable piece of pie. I think these pictures of his first bites are worth a thousand words.

#pamsmarttips #ad
#pamsmarttips #ad

Now for the fun part! I am also giving away the beautiful Le Creuset Pie Dish and a full size sample of PAM Cooking Spray to once lucky reader!

 All you have to do is comment below and tell us what your family's favorite baked dessert is!

 The winner will be chosen by December 8th, 2013. Good luck!

~Melissa

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of PAM Cooking Spray. For more information, visit http://www.pamcookingspray.com.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. INTERNET ACCESS AND VALID E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE REQUIRED TO ENTER.
Promotion Description:
By participating in a Sweepstakes on http://www.melissakaylene.com "Willamette Valley Wonder Woman" each entrant unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of Massive Sway (“Sponsor”), which shall be final and binding in all respects. Sponsor is responsible for the collection, submission or processing of Entries and the overall administration of the giveaway. Entrants should look solely to Sponsor with any questions, comments or problems related to the Sweepstakes.
Promotion begins at the time the blog post announcing the Sweepstakes is published on the Blog and ends midnight PST on  December 7th, 2013
Eligibility:
Open to legal residents of the U.S. who are physically located in the U.S. or the District of Columbia who are not a minor (as defined by state of primary residence) usually a minimum of 18 yrs. old. Sponsor and parents, affiliates, sales representatives, advertising and promotion agencies, clients and each of their respective members, officers, directors, employees and contractors (including participating bloggers) (collectively, the “Promotion Entities”), and members of their immediate families and/or persons living in the same household as such persons, are ineligible to enter the Sweepstakes or win a prize. Void in all jurisdictions other than the U.S.
Entry:
Leave a comment on the Blog post to enter for a chance to win. Facebook comments will not be counted as a valid entry.
Winner Selection:
The winners of the Sweepstakes will be selected in a random drawing by Blog from among all eligible Entries received throughout the Promotion Period using the selection tool indicated on http://www.melissakaylene.com. The random drawing will be conducted by Sponsor or its designated representatives, whose decisions are final. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible Entries received. Winner will be notified by email at the email address provided in the Entry Information after the random drawing. Potential winner must accept a prize by email as directed by Sponsor within 48 hours of notification. Any winner notification not responded to or returned as undeliverable may result in prize forfeiture. No substitution or transfer of a prize is permitted except by Sponsor.
Prizes:
The prize for this Sweepstakes is a kit with an approximate retail value (“ARV”) of $50, including:
Full sized varieties of PAM Cooking Spray
Le Creuset Pie Dish
Only one prize per person and per household will be awarded. Prizes cannot be transferred, redeemed for cash or substituted by winner. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole and absolute discretion to award a substitute prize of equal or greater value if a prize described in these Official Rules is unavailable or cannot be awarded, in whole or in part, for any reason. The ARV of the prize represents Sponsor’s good faith determination. That determination is final and binding and cannot be appealed. If the actual value of the prize turns out to be less than the stated ARV, the difference will not be awarded in cash. Sponsor makes no representation or warranty concerning the appearance, safety or performance of any prize awarded. Restrictions, conditions, and limitations may apply. Sponsor will not replace any lost or stolen prize items. Prize will only be awarded and/or delivered to addresses within the US Only. All federal, state and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prizewinner. Failure to comply with the Official Rules will result in forfeiture of the prize.
Privacy: 
All entrants acknowledge that if they are chosen as a winner, certain of their personally identifying information may be disclosed to third parties at least as required by law, including, without limitation, names and mailing addresses on a winner’s list. All personal information submitted as part of the Sweepstakes may be shared by and between the Promotion Entities, and each of the Promotion Entities will use such information in accordance with their respective independent online privacy policies.
Limitation of Liability:
Sponsor is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes or by any technical or human error, which may occur in the processing of submissions in the Sweepstakes. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any misdirected or lost mail, or any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay of operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, Entries. Sponsor is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of email or players on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website or combination thereof, including injury or damage to entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating in the Sweepstakes. If, for any reason, the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of Sponsor which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes, then Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. In such event, Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, perform the random drawing from among all eligible Entries received prior to or after such cancellation, suspension, or modification. 

Saturday, November 30, 2013

How I Keep My Kids Active in the Winter


 
It's that time of the year again.
 
Rainy season.
 
Here in Oregon we are used to the normal "drizzle" - but when the weather gets colder and rain gets heavier, we all tend to stay indoors more - including the kids.
 
My kids are pretty darn active, and seem to get along better together and just be altogether happier when they have physical activity.
 
Soccer kept up busy in September and October, but for right now only Anika is the one in sports doing basketball practice and games three times a week.
 
So I normally will break out what I think is the next best invention for winter days - our Wii.
 
 
All of them just love to dance and have been so excited for the Just Dance Kids 2014 game! It had a great variety of songs for all ages from preschool tunes to pre-teen favorites.
 
The kids have loved doing the dance competitions with each other and Emma danced so much she wore herself out! Even little Miss Anika was sore the next morning!
 
Just Dance Kids 2014 is a great Wii game to keep my kiddos active and healthy throughout the winter (and beyond!) - and the best part is that they don't even realize they are exercising!
 


What are some ways you keep your kids active in the winter?
 
We have lots of games that the kids like to play, but they love the ones where they can dance the most!


 
 
~Melissa
 
Thank you Ubisoft for sponsoring this post. To learn more about Just Dance Kids 2014, visit the Just Dance Facebook Page here.
 I was selected to review Just Dance Kids 2014 as a member of  Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Friday, November 29, 2013

Providence Festival of Trees

Photo c/o Dodge and Burn Studios
 
If you are in the Portland area this next weekend there is a fun festival to get you in the holiday spirit! The Portland Festival of Trees is a great holiday tradition that is in its 31st year and is presented by Fred Meyer. The festival is full of  a 100 beautifully decorated trees on display and showcases nearly 100,000 twinkling lights. There is also live music, a teddy bear hospital, Santa photos, and more!

The Portland Festival of Trees is made possible with the help of over 1,200 volunteers, and the event benefits many Providence Health & Services Programs, including the Providence Cancer Center, Providence Child Center, and the primary beneficiary this year is the Providence Heart & Vascular Institutes's new youth cardiac screening program Play Smart. (Read more about it HERE).

The Festival Hours:
 
Friday, December 6th from 10:30-5:00pm and
Saturday, December 7th from 9:00-5:00pm
 
Admission is $6.00 for adults, $5.00 for seniors, and $4.00 for children ages 3-12.

There is also a special gala evening on Thursday, December 5th from 5:30-10:00pm with a tree auction and dinner.
 

The festival is held at the Oregon Convention Center Exhibit Hall A, and tickets are available at Fred Meyer customer service centers, US Bank branches, or can be purchased HERE.


What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon with the ones you love while helping benefit those in need! Can't wait to show you pictures!
 
~Melissa
 
Photo c/o Dodge and Burns Studios

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

My Family and FruitsMax


“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and FruitsMax but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #fruitsmax  http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

 
 
Some people know me as the girl behind this blog, that Willamette Valley Wonder Woman. Other people know me as the President of our grade school's PTO in this little town. Some patients call me their nurse for eight hours.
 
The most important name I have though is 'Mom', and with the rise in health issues among youth that I've personally witnessed in my line of work, I'm always searching for ways to keep my children's nutrition in check.
 
 
 
My kids love fruit, but I have to face it - there's still no way that we consume enough servings everyday. Life gets busy, fresh fruit spoils quickly, and I've got the reputation of that 'mean mom' who won't buy those corn-syrup drenched canned fruits for my kids. I have to admit, there are some days I'm lucky if they eat a few slices of apple at lunch time.
 
And that's not right.
 
 
 
I'm not into most fads and pills that are out there, but recently my family had been using FruitsMax as an extra immune boost, and its just like the name sounds: fruits to the max. FruitsMax is a chewable fruit and probiotic supplement.
 
 
That's it. A combination of 21 fruits and L. Acidophilus probiotics.
 
What is L. Acidophilus probiotics? Well, nicknamed "Narine", they are organisms already in our digestive systems that help promote 'good' bacteria and kill the 'bad' bacteria.
 
It helps promote our digestive health.
 
 
My first question was, "How do they get all of those fruits into one chewable pill without loosing nutritional value?" So I checked into it. It's pretty cool. Its something called lyophilization technology and you can read more about it on their website.
 
 
It's great knowing that we can have something that has no preservatives, and 12 essential vitamins, 11 minerals, and all the great antioxidants that are in fruit when we just can't fit enough servings of fruits into our days.
 
The FruitsMax website can explain it way better than I can, so go check it out and see what you think. I researched it and found absolutely no negatives, so I tried it, and am loving the digestive health benefits that it offers!
 
 
 
 Right now FruitsMax is offering the first bottle to customers FREE and you just pay shipping and handling so you can try it and see for yourself, and if you sign up for their newsletters they will give you 15% off too!
 
~Melissa
 
 
Follow Along:  FACEBOOK      TWITTER     GOOGLE+       PINTEREST      INSTAGRAM


Monday, November 25, 2013

Cheddar & Chive Potato Latkes Hash Brown Recipe

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.
 
#shop #cbias #oreidahashbrn
 
 My family and I love potatoes. I mean, who doesn't? Baked, mashed, fried, sliced, diced, ... the list goes on. Sometimes I like to make Latkes. If you've never heard of them before, they are like a Potato Pancake made from hash browns that are traditionally served with sour cream or applesauce.
 
I've always made them from scratch, scrubbing the potatoes, peeling, and shredding them. It's pretty time consuming and on busy weeknights with basketball practices and homework it just doesn't happen. But when I was browsing through Walmart the other day these Ore Ida shredded hash browns caught my eye, and I thought now this could save me some time! So I bought them, made my special cheddar and chive latkes and they turned out just as good, maybe even better than they normally do, and it took me half the time to make them!
 
 
#shop
 
What You Need:
 
2 eggs
 
1/2 cup flour
 
1/4 cup fresh finely chopped chives
 
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
 
3 cups of Ore Ida Shredded hash browns
 
Oil for frying
 
Salt and Pepper to taste
 
 
 
#shop
#shop
 
Directions
 
1. Crack eggs and pour flour and whisk in a large bowl.
 
2. Mix in chives and cheese.
 
3. Take thawed Ore Ida hash browns and gently blot between two paper napkins, removing and excess moisture (will not be much). Mix with the rest of the ingredients.
 
4. Pour 2 Tablespoons of oil into frying pan and heat over medium heat. Spoon potato mixture into pan, forming 'pancakes'. I make mine approx. 3" in diameter. Fry until golden brown, flip and continue until brown on both sides.
 
Makes approximately 12-15 latkes depending on the size
 
*I have personally found that my cast iron frying pan works the best so they don't stick.*
 
#shop
 
Serve them with sour cream and applesauce, or go kid-friendly with ranch and ketchup!
 
#shop
#shop

The new Ore Ida Hash browns packaging is also advertising a Disney's Frozen sweepstakes too! I checked it out online and there are thousands of prizes from Frozen tickets to $500 Visa cards and the grand prize is a family vacation to Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas! You can enter the Disney Frozen sweepstakes here! 
 
Participating Walmart's are also doing some in-store demos of Ore Ida November 30th and December 1st so you can get more great cooking ideas!  (check your local Walmart to see if they are offering one of the demos!)

#shop

 What's your favorite potato recipe? I'd love to hear! I'm always looking for more ideas! Comment below and share.:)
 
~Melissa

Sunday, November 24, 2013

"Extra" Special Gift Wrap With Gum

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and it's advertiser. #GiveExtraGum #Shop
 
#shop
 
I love gifts that go a little above and beyond and have a little Extra personal touch to them. I wanted to do something like that this year for some of my loved ones, but I wasn't quite sure what to do. I've painted packages, added little ornaments, pretty bows and ribbons, but then one idea dawned on me when I was in the isle at Walmart one afternoon.
 
Gum.
 
Yup. Extra gum.
 
#shop
 
What about making little snow flowers out of them? It's affordable, really quick and easy, and creative.  My kids (who absolutely love chewing gum) thought the idea was fabulous and had so much fun helping me decorate some presents.
 
#shop
#shop
 
These really are so simple to make and make a great statement.
 
#shop
#shop
 
What You Need:
 
1 package of Extra sugar free gum (makes three snow flowers)
 
Glue Dots
 
Pom Poms
 
Washi Tape
 
Curling Ribbon
 
Assortment of scrapbook paper
 
Kraft Wrapping Paper
 
Anything else you'd like to decorate with!
 
#shop
 
 1. Carefully attach a glue dot on the back side of the gum, sealing the wrapper together.
 
2. Attach to second stick of gum
 
3. Continue to add glue dots and gum sticks until all five sticks are stuck together
 
4. Using glue dots attach pom poms to top of the snow flower and
 
Viola!

#shop
 
After the flowers are made, add them to your gifts by using glue dots. That way the gum can still be chewed as an added little bonus present ;)
 
Cute scrapbook paper for leaves and petals, add ribbons and tape... remember be creative!

#shop
#shop
#shop
#shop
#shop

 You can also follow along with Extra Gum on their Facebook for more great holiday ideas!
 
Remember, its not always what you buy, but the little things that are created from your heart that make the holiday season so magical!
 
~Melissa