2014 is through. It’s so hard to believe, isn’t it? I don’t think I’ve ever remembered a year going by quicker than this one.

This past January, I  learned from my friend Pam about the importance of giving yourself a performance review at the end of each month. This is a time of reflection and enrichment… a time to give extra thanks for all the blessings and reflect on things that made us stronger.  I’m going to be sharing my monthly “performance reviews” going forward here on the blog, but I thought it would be a great way to wrap up 2014 on Dine & Dish as well. Inspired by this post on the Victoria McGinley blog, I’ve decided to share my 2014 year in review in a similar format as Victoria. I hope you’ll reflect along with me!

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The post 2014 Year in Review – A Month by Month Look Back appeared first on Dine and Dish.

I know, I know… this is a food blog (with family stuff thrown in), so why are you seeing a vacuum being featured in this post? Because, my friends, this vacuum has become a sanity saver to me. As someone who has hardwood floors throughout most of her house, I have struggled and struggled with keeping them clean. My Hoover Twin Tank Steam Mop has become my all time favorite tool for mopping, but I have had the darndest time finding something for the everyday cleaning that sweeping with a broom just couldn’t seem to handle (yes – I have 4 very messy kids!). Now, the Panasonic Jetforce Vacuum has entered my arsenal of tools I am using to keep my hardwood floors, and carpets, clean.

I can’t tell you how long (years and years) I’ve been searching for something that worked for me, and now I finally found it. Let me tell you what I love about The Panasonic Jetforce Vacuum .

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This giveaway is now closed. The winner, chosen by Random.org, is Tammy Northrup. Congrats, Tammy, and thanks to all who entered!

Over the past few weeks you’ve read about my experiences with the Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone. Now, you get the opportunity to enter to win one as well!

You may be wondering what some of the top things I liked most about this phone now that I’ve been able to use it regularly for the past few weeks. Well, let me tell you!

• You can pin the most important apps or functions to you to the start screen. This makes it simple so that when you turn on your phone, what you need most is right there, easy to access and use. In addition, if you have something like the facebook app pinned to your start, updates from your friends will prominently show and change as more updates come in. These dynamic tiles make it easy to keep up with the most important friends and family in your life.
• I love that the Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone comes in a variety of fun colors! Blue, white, black and the newest color to join the family…pink.
• I love to listen to music, but I am horrible when it comes to knowing the names and artists. This Windows phone has Bing search built into it, which has a nifty music identification tool. If you are listening to a song on the radio and want to know who sings it or what it’s called, you can simply go to Bing and allow this smart phone to amaze you with it’s brains. Hold the phone up to the speakers and after a few chords, the phone will come back with details on the song. Very cool, right?
• The Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone is slim, yet still manages to have a nice sized surface area for the screen. The screen is big, the colors are vibrant, and the touch screen keyboard is large enough that even a typo Queen’s like me on similar screens doesn’t make constant errors. It’s very easy to type on.
• Apps, apps and more apps. I have discovered some really great apps thanks to this phone. My 2 current favorite that I keep pinned to my start screen right now are Map My Run and My Fitness Pal. With these two apps I am easily able to access info I want to keep track of for my progress with my Red Faced Runner 5K goals as well as monitor my calorie intake and exercise output. I love these two apps for keeping me on track!

You can head over to the Windows Phone Facebook page for a quick, personalized demo that will show you all the great features of this phone. Are you ready to win one for yourself?

Giveaway Details for a Pink Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone

I have a Pink Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone (pictured above) to give away to one lucky Dine & Dish reader! To enter the giveaway, simply visit the Windows Phone Facebook Page and take the short demo for yourself. Then, come back here and tell me in the comments section of this post “Which live tile from the demo is your favorite?”

For additional entries:

• Share the link to this post or details of this giveaway on your favorite social media outlets, such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. Return to this post and leave a separate comment for each individual time you shared.

This phone must be used with service from AT&T (not included). All entries must be received by midnight, CST on Friday, August 24th, 2012. Winner will be chosen via Random.org and will be notified via valid email address. Thanks and good luck!

Disclosure: Microsoft gave me the the new Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone to test drive as well as are providing a phone for the giveaway. I am being compensated for this review, however all opinions are my own!

The post 5 Things I Like About the Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone & A Giveaway! CLOSED appeared first on Dine and Dish.

This giveaway is now closed. The winner, chosen by Random.org was Lacey Hemphill (Twitter @Laceylouwho02). Thanks to all who participated and to Kelly Moore for offering such a great giveaway!

Since I began Project 365 (where I challenge myself to take a photo each day for 365 days) last year, you will most often find me with my Nikon DSLR close by. I love photography and enjoy having my camera along with me, as you never know what might pop up that you want to capture through a photo.

Although I have always enjoyed photography, I became more of an avid enthusiast with the purchase of my first DSLR in 2007. Since then, photography – of food, life moments, travel, people…basically everything – has become a definite passion. As much as I enjoy having my camera with me when I’m out and about, over time I found it very frustrating that there weren’t a lot of options aside from manly looking backpacks for camera bags. I wanted something beautiful and stylish with room to hold my big camera and a lens or two, accessories plus the things I need on an everyday basis – car keys, phone, wallet, lipstick, etc….

The post Kelly Moore Camera Bag Giveaway – CLOSED appeared first on Dine and Dish.

It’s been roughly 30 days since I started using the Meaningful Beauty Anti-Aging Skin Care System. As promised, I’m back to let you know what I thought of the system as a whole.

If you’ll remember, I haven’t been very diligent when it comes to taking care of my skin. I wash my face and use an SPF moisturizer, but have put off the routine of taking care of my skin with a specific system for too long. The signs of aging are slowly but surely creeping up on me.

After using Meaningful Beauty for 30 days have I seen a significant difference in the look and age of my skin? The changes have been subtle, but I have noticed that my skin looks healthier and more radiant than it did before. I liked the Meaningful Beauty Anti-Aging Skin Care System enough to order some more. I don’t think only trying it for 30 days would give me the longer term results I desire.

Below are the products I tried and my thoughts about each of them.

Skin Softening Cleanser: I used this product both morning and night. I’ll be honest and say it did a great job of cleaning off my makeup and cleansing my skin, but I felt like it’s lack of lather bothered me. I’m used to cleansers soaping up, at least, and this didn’t do that at all.

Glycolic Treatment Pads: This was my favorite product out of the entire system. I used these pads twice a week in the evening and really loved the fresh, tingling feeling they gave my skin. This is an optional element of the skin care system, but I definitely recommend them.

Antioxidant Day Creme SPF 20: I used this product once each day. I appreciate the lightness of this day creme.. a thin layer provides great SPF coverage and doesn’t make your skin feel greasy.

Creme de Serum: The Creme de Serum is something I used both day and night. It is key in helping to prevent the visible signs of premature aging (aka fine lines and wrinkles). The Creme de Serum is another very lightweight, moisturizer (with a very slight tint to it).

Lifting Eye Creme – Advanced Formula: The eye creme was part of both my morning and evening routine. A little bit of eye creme went a long way!

Skin Brightening Decollete and Neck Treatment: This product is used in the morning as a final touch before makeup. It helps to prevent that “Ally McBeal Waddle” (remember that episode?). I’m all for anything lightweight and quick to apply that will keep my neck and “waddle” firm!

It may seem like I’ve added a lot of products to my skin care routine, but it honestly only added about 5 minutes of additional time to do all of this each day.

If you have any specific questions for me about the Meaningful Beauty Anti-Aging Skin Care System, be sure to leave them in the comments or send me an email!

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a test drive campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Meaningful Beauty and received a 5-step treatment kit to facilitate my review, a second 5-step treatment kit to giveaway, and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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I had mentioned a couple of weeks ago that my blog was going to be shifting into some different categories. One of those such categories is sharing information about products I really love – and for the next two months I’ll be sharing (and giving away) favorite products as part of my holiday gift guide. This isn’t a giveaway, but it is a review of the VTech DS6421-3 Connect to Cell phone. Why am I sharing this with you? Because this particular phone is one of the most genius creations I have seen in awhile, solving the problem many people face when they decide to shut off their landlines and use their cell phone exclusively. It’s the perfect gift for others or to put on your own wish list!…

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This is why when the people at Tate’s Bake Shop contacted me about doing a giveaway on Dine & Dish for a collection of cookies and their cookbook by the same name, I was all over it. The owner of Tate’s Bake Shop, Kathleen King, started selling cookies at her family farm stand at the age of 11. That little farm stand has now turned into a full fledged bakery and is known for being one of the very best in The Hamptons. How about that for following your passion? Rachel Ray and Ina Garten, along with many others, have sung the praises of Tate’s Bake Shop so it seems as if Kathleen’s dedication has paid off indeed.

Lucky for you, Dine & Dish readers are going to get the chance to win a collection of cookies from Tate’s Bake Shop and their Tate’s Bake Shop cookbook. The prize package includes packages of each oatmeal raisin, white chocolate macadamia nut, and chocolate chip cookies. To enter the giveaway:

• Leave a comment on this post letting me know what you are doing right now in your life to live your dream? If you aren’t living your dream, what’s holding you back?
• For an additional entry, head over to the Tate’s Bake Shop Facebook Page and become a fan. Once you’ve done that, return to this post and leave a comment letting me know that you are a Tate’s Bake Shop fan.

The giveaway will end at midnight on Wednesday, December 15th. At that time, a winner will be chosen at random and notified.

Tate’s Bake Shop is also offering Dine & Dish readers a 10% discount on any purchase from now through December 31st. To redeem the discount, use the code “cookie” at checkout.

The post Tate’s Bake Shop Cookie and Cookbook Giveaway appeared first on Dine and Dish.