Tide has developed their Coldwater detergent so that it will provide a deep clean in cold temperatures.  Not only will this cut your household costs, but there are energy-saving benefits of using cold water for your laundry.

Did you know that if everyone in the U.S. washed in cold water, the energy saved could power the streetlights of the “City that Never Sleeps” (New York) for 71 years! It’s also the equivalent to the energy produced at the Hoover Dam for 4 years!

Ok, you want something more meaningful to your family?  If your household switched to cold water washing for a year, they would save enough energy to watch TV for 1,363 hours!!!  That’s a lot of Mickey Mouse.

The absolutely adorable Vanessa Lachey and P&G have teamed up for the Future Friendly and #TakeALoadOff campaign.  “This campaign is our effort to work hand-in-hand with consumers to make continued progress toward our goal to convert 70% of all wash loads worldwide to cold by 2020.” Len Sauers, vice president of sustainability for P&G.

So how can you get involved?  You can take the pledge to switch to doing all of your laundry in Cold Water and enter to win a new washer and drier all at the same time!  Between now and May 13th P&G will be giving away Maytag® Bravos XL® HE Top Load Washer and Dryer and a one year supply of Tide Coldwater every week!!  You can take the pledge and enter here.

Want to get involved more? How about joining myself and Party Sponsors: @Tide, @FutureFriendly Party Host: @SheSpeaksUp and the other
Party Panelists: @LisaSamples, @Zipporahs, @StacieinAtlanta, @RobynsWorld tonight (April 12th) 6pm PST and 9pm EST on twitter. Simply follow along with the #TakeALoadOff hashtag and RSVP here.

Did I mention there will be prizes?  We’re giving out over $1,000 in prizes, including a year supply of Tide Coldwater, a Conair Massaging Foot Bath and a Cell Phone Solar Charger – and more! You could also win our grand prize, a $200 gift card to the spa of your choice.   Woo hoo!  I am so excited!

Now for my disclaimer. @Tide  invited myself and 7 other amazing bloggers to spend the day with them in Los Angeles, Hollywood and Highland to be exact.

Not only did we enjoy an amazing day in Hollywood, we were treated to lunch with Vanessa Lachey (did I mention how freaking adorable she is), but we were educated on the Future Friendly campaign. We did receive a few VIP perks, transportation being taken care was probably the best part!  I didn’t have to deal with the LA traffic!! Woo Hoo!!!

Now run go get a load of laundry done and I’ll see you tonight on twitter!

]]> http://rockonmommies.com/can-you-promise-to-take-a-load-off-takealoadoff/feed/ 2 http://rockonmommies.com/time-to-start-spring-cleaning-and-organizing-hello-space-savers-bags/ http://rockonmommies.com/time-to-start-spring-cleaning-and-organizing-hello-space-savers-bags/#comments Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:22:44 +0000 Theresa http://rockonmommies.com/?p=4511 With all this dedecorating and new baby coming my weekends have turned into one big purge and organize session.  This is where everyone needs to start feeling sorry for my husband.  Not only has he lost his free time on the weekends, but he’s also lost a TON of old T-Shirts.  Sorry honey, I know they held sentimental value, but you’ll get over it.

Winter is officially over here in San Diego, so it was time to pack away the sweaters anyway.  Problem it is, I have a TON of sweaters and jeans and shirts and I won’t be wearing for the next few months.  I also had to make room for the new maternity clothes as well!  This is where Space Savers Bags come to the rescue!

So how did it go?  Well after about 4 hours in my closet I managed to get all of my sweaters and jeans I won’t be wearing this year into this bag.

All of the sweaters in the top right photo. Which is basically everything you see and the jeans on the top shelf fit into that bag!  Can you believe that? Crazy!!!

My husband and I had a little fight over who got to suck out all the extra air with the vacuum cleaner. After all those T-Shirt I donated, I ended up giving him this one small pleasure.  I’m such a good wife.

If you have been following me for awhile you also know that I use Space Saver Bags when I’m packing for extended trips.  This is one of my favorite travel tips.  It helps keeps my clothes from wrinkling and I can fit more into one suitcase.  Love Love Love!

Disclaimer – Space Saver did send me a bag to review, but there was no other monetary compensation. I agreed to the review, because I already knew I would love them!!!

For other tips and tricks follow Space Bag on twitter and on Facebook.  Also, keep your eyes on Red Lotus Mama to hear what she thinks of Space Savers.  She’s going to be doing a review as well.

Ok, when I mean brilliance, what I really mean is that I didn’t want to put together another Easter Basket full of just candy.

A few new art supplies, Easter grass, a few Easter decorations, all in a little storage container and BAM you have a glutten free, sugar free Easter Basket!

Alright I’ll admit it, I can’t do Easter with out candy, but for those of you who are better parents that I am here ya go!

In case you missed my Bug Basket look over here.

]]> http://rockonmommies.com/how-about-an-artsy-easter-basket/feed/ 2 http://rockonmommies.com/the-bugs-have-taken-over-my-easter-basket/ http://rockonmommies.com/the-bugs-have-taken-over-my-easter-basket/#comments Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:30:14 +0000 Theresa http://rockonmommies.com/?p=4436 I love Spring! I love Easter! I love the colors, the candy, the colored eggs and pretty much everything that goes along with it.  I’m always looking for interesting ways to decorate an Easter Basket.  Especially with a boy coming into our family! I’m going to have to learn that Easter if more than pastels and flowers.

Tonight we experimented with Bugs!  That’s right bugs!

Think gummy worms, chocolates wrapped in bug themed wrappers and Eggs decorated to look bugs!  Put all of these buggies into a pail and you’re all set!

I have a secret that I’m going to share with you guy for the first time too.  My trick on how to get really vivid and dark colored eggs.

1. Boil a 6 cups of water (or one cup for every color you’re going work with)

2. Pour one cup of just boil water into a glass (do not use metal, make sure it’s glass)

3. Add 2 table spoons of vinegar to each glass

4. Add egg and let it soak for at least 10 minutes.  Don’t forget to rotate half way through.

5. Place egg on dry wrack and let it dry completely before adding any embellishments.

Tune in tomorrow for another one of my favorite Easter Treats.

Before we get started I want to mention that I have seen the grumbling around the internet about Leprechaun traps.  No, as a kid we did no do Leprechaun traps. This is a fairly new phenomenon for me.  It’s a fun evening of arts and crafts for Ellie and I.  It’s also a morning of magic for her as well. So I say why not.

What you’ll need

• A cardboard flower pot ( I get mine at Michael’s or Paper Source)
• Your favorite glue
• Green Tissue paper
• 1 sheet of green glitter construction paper
• Stickers or anything else you’d like to use to decorate your trap
• Candy gold coins (I use our left over Chanukah gelt)

The How To

1. Trace the top of the pot on to the tissue paper.

2. Cut out circle

3. Glue the green circle to the top of the flower pot.  This is basically your camouflage. It’s thin enough so it won’t hold those pesky little leprechauns.  They’ll fall right through!

4. Cut two 2 inch strips of glitter construction paper.  Cute small strips half way down the length of the strips.

5. Glue strips to the top of the pot.

6. Bend the strips back and forth to look like grass.

7. Wrap a sheet of green tissue paper around pot and secure with ribbon.

8. Add stickers and other embellishments.

9. Tape a couple gold coins to side of pot. This will lead that little thief up to the top.

10. Place near a window with a few coins leading to the pot.

11. Add a few coins to the top of the pot. This will entice him onto the tissue paper, where he will fall right through! *insert evil laugh*

The next morning you will hopefully have caught yourself a Leprechaun!  What you do with him is your business.

We haven’t been very successful in past year, but he left us candy.

But we had proof he was here!  He left his dirty little feet prints all over my wall and on our trap.

Luckily they wiped off just like Crayola washable green paint.  Whew!

We will have better luck this year.  I am certain!

As you probably already know by now, the amazing Tom for TWF Designs has been helping with the redesign of my house.  His given me the direction and the tools to do a large chunk of it on my own. Problem is, I have a commitment issue.  I find something I like and then I worry, will that work?  I’m always questioning myself! This is where Pinterest has come to my rescue.

I’ve set up boards for different parts of my home and pin items I think will work.  This gives me a chance to get feed back from others, including Tom and my husband.  If I’m out I snap a quick photo with my iPhone or if I’m online I pin it from the pin app.  Super easy, super quick and I’m not wasting time or money.

I’ve even started a new Nursery board to help design that perfect shabby surf theme room.

In between our weekly Abode post, you can always find me on Pinterest and don’t forget to follow my amazing designer TWF Designs on Pinterest as well.

Are you on Pinterest?  What do you Pin?  Leave us your Pinterest url in the comments so we can follow you too.

Now I’m back to search for those dang sofa pillows.

Have you ever wondered what the future holds for you? Where you will be in ten years? Starting today, you no longer have to wonder! State Farm has just launched their Future Book which will show you how great your life will be if you have State Farm. Check out State Farm’s new Future Book Facebook App http://st8.fm/FB to see what the future has in store for you!

It’s simple – Once you begin this experience, the Future Book takes all of the information on your Facebook profile to predict your future. At the end, you will find out which celebrity has been narrating your story and wants to become your Facebook friend!

“Like a good neighbor State Farm is there…”

This little jingle can be heard around the Rock On Mommy house daily.  It just so happens to be Ellie’s favorite commercial jingle.

When State Farm approached me about doing a give away to help promote their new Facebook App I knew I couldn’t say no.  It’s hysterical! Seriously!

So here’s the deal, I have 2 $50 Amazon gift cards to giveaway! I technically can ask you to try the app and Like the State Farm Facebook page, but I can’t make that a condition in order to enter or win the contest. So I’m going to ask you nicely, please try the new State Farm App.  It really is fun and you don’t have sign up for anything.

So in order to enter the contest tell me in the comments below “Who is the one celebrity you would like to be friends with on Facebook?”

Also Make sure you’re following State Farm on twitter.

Winner will be picked on Friday the 17th at 5pm PST.

Disclosure - State Farm did compensate me for this article, but that doesn’t change my opinion.  Both our cars and homes are insured by State Farm.

I’m slowly taking my wine/Italian style kitchen to beach simple.  What I’d really like to do is replace my tall black breakfast table with a round white one.  But until I can convince myself that I need this…

I’ll do my best of make my current table work.

I created a simple center piece by using what I already owned, a quick trip to Target and an order from SeaShells.com.

From Target I grabbed the Glass Jar for less than $15.00 and the Natural Table runner for $18.00.

I ordered the Seashells in the jar from www.seashells.com for about $15.00.

The Starfish and large Seashell I already owned.

To transition from my soon to be Nautical living room into my Beach Simple kitchen I added a small wall display using 3 pieces I already owned.

Beach Sign – $17.50

Now I’m venturing even further into my kitchen and I’ve cleaned off my kitchen island.

I used another one of the natural table runners I bought at Target.  I also used 2 vintage blue bowls my Mother In Law gave me and an old white shabby chic lantern I had packed away.

A few simple changes and my husband was loving every change.  It definitely brightens up my kitchen.  So excited to move on to my entry way and finish the top of my cabinets!

I’d like to send a big thank you to Design Source Gallery, TWF Designs, and Sunset Social Media Relations for a fabulous event last weekend.  I learned a ton! Thank you!

All you need is…

1. Rice Krispies

2. Lollipop sticks, 2 sizes

3. Pink Marshmallows (Jiffy Puff makes strawberry flavored heart shaped marshmallows)

4. Floral Foam

5. Flower Pot

6. Flower and Heart Shaped Cookie Cutters

7. Green Cellophane

8. Saran Wrap

9. Ribbon

Step 1

After you have prepared the Rice Krispie Treats run a wet cold spoon over the top of the Rice Krispies to smooth them out.

Step 2

After the Rice Krispies are set, remove the whole batch from the pan and use the cookie cutter shapes to cut out your flowers.

Step 3

Prepare your lollipop sticks with a marshmallow. This will help keep your rice krispie treats from sliding down the stick.  Be sure to alternate between the two lolly pop sticks.

Step 4

Place the treats on to the sticks

Step 5

Prepare the pot by placing the floral foam in the bottom

Step 6

Wrap pot in the Green Cellophane and tie ribbon around pot to hold the Cellophane in place.

Step 7

Arrange your flower treats in the pot by pressing firmly into the floral foam.

Final Step

Wrap each treat in Sarah Wrap to keep fresh.

Simple, Fun, and Good!!!  Happy Valentine’s Day!

When I received the challenge to make a weeknight meal special from Bertolli® I figured I had nothing to lose.  So with husband out of town I prepared for a fun night of pretend restaurant with Ellie.

After I picked up Ellie from school we stopped at the market where we decided on the Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken.  It was just the two of us I knew we wouldn’t need much more than the Bertolli® Meal Soup.  So I grabbed the Bertolli® Meal Soup, some pizza crust and cheese to make some cheese bread and headed home.

Instead of eating in the kitchen like we normally due, I dusted off the dining room table, laid out a few little decorations, lit a few candles, and broke out the fun Italian style soup bowls.  I even put on a little Tony Bennet to help set the mood.

Making dinner couldn’t have been easier! Honestly.  Mix water and the ingredients from the package, bring to a boil and let simmer. That’s it!  Filling, delicious, and the calories were totally responsible!  Of course I look at the calories, I turn 40 in 3 weeks and need to look good!

So give me some of your fun dinner tips.  What do you do to make dinner special and fun?

Now make sure you’re following Bertolli

Facebook: facebook.com/Bertolli

Twitter: twitter.com/Bertolli

Website: villabertolli.com

Bertolli® Frozen Meal Soups are available in four varieties: Chicken Minestrone, Roasted Chicken & Rotini Pasta, Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken, and Tuscan-Style Beef with Vegetables.  Make sure you look for Bertolli® Frozen Meal Soups in the frozen aisle.  I’ll admit it, I took me awhile to figure that part out. Each package has 2 servings, but they’re very filling servings.

P.S.  I was compensated by Bertolli to participate in the Weeknight Meal Special Challenge.