P&G GIVE Education event with John Legend

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P&G GIVE Education event with John Legen

“They wait to plead their case…”

Those are the opening lyrics of “Shine”, a song that John Legend performed with the Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation choir from M.S. 390 in University Heights (Bronx) at a P&G GIVE Education press event that I attended earlier this week. The song gave me chills, because that is what I want for not only my kids but also for all kids – for them to be thoroughly equipped to be able to shine in life.

That is why I was so happy to learn more about the relationship between P&G’s GIVE Education and Communities In Schools.  At a blogger roundtable with Jim Leish  (Marketing Director, P&G’s GIVE Education), Dan Cardinali (President, Communities In Schools) and John Legend, I learned about P&G’s new philanthropic campaign GIVE Education that is trying to help keep more than 1 million kids in school.  Did you know that “every nine seconds of each school day, a young person drops out of high school in the U.S.”? Obviously, this partnership with Communities In Schools, a leading school dropout prevention organization simply makes sense. Also, don’t think that John Legend is just a celebrity showpiece for this campaign.  He was actually very passionate and eloquent regarding the importance of communities rallying around young people in order to give them the best future possible.

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Healthy Recipes for Picnic Food: Coleslaw and Pesto Pasta

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One of the best parts of the summer is the opportunity to spend more time outdoors and to get a group of friends together for a picnic in the park. This relatively inexpensive option is a great way to share some of your favorite recipes as well as sample some of your friend’s culinary masterpieces. Although BBQ fare and sandwiches are usually the go-to food items at picnics I really love trying sides like coleslaw, hummus, fruit salads¸ pasta and potato salad, which are usually unique recipes to the person that made them. This week, I made a healthy coleslaw that included a blend of broccoli, cabbage, carrots with apples and raisins for sweetness, a small amount of Nayonaise and some walnuts for a nice crunch. I also made a homemade pesto with whole-wheat pasta, kale, and tomatoes. This easy pesto can also be used in a variety of pasta dishes and makes for great dishes – hot or cold. Enjoy the park and delicious picnic food this summer!

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Chuck E. Cheese’s new pizza recipe (and a giveaway)

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When I was asked to review Chuck E. Cheese’s new upgraded pizza recipe, I asked my kids if they wanted to go to a local Chuck E. Cheese and check it out. Of course, they said, “yes”…they love the place. After getting some input from friends on Facebook, we decided to go to the newish location in Flushing, NY.  We went on Friday and the kids, Reggie and I all had a blast.

I must say that timing and location make such a difference when it comes to the Chuck E. Cheese experience. In the past, I have gone with my kids to crowded locations at peak occupancy times.  The kids still had fun, but I tend to get pseudo-claustrophobic with a bunch of kids running and screaming in tight places. The Flushing Chuck E. Cheese was so bright, clean and spacious that we all had an equally good time.  I’m sure that it also helped that we went at an off-peak time (Friday afternoon) so it wasn’t too crowded at all.

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Harry Potter licorice wands and butterbeer cupcakes recipes

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I am a bit of a Harry Potter fanatic. I have read all of the books and watched all of the movies many times over. I can barely wait to see the final installment of this epic series. In celebration of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 where ‘IT ALL ENDS’, I have decided to bake a few treats representing some of the popular items in the series. I start off with butterbeer cupcakes. Typically a drink in the film made with butterscotch and cream soda, I am turning it into a cupcake.  I am also including an easy recipe for Harry Potter licorice wands. Enjoy!

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Summer Salad With Mint Peach Dressing

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I love salads in the summer. They serve as a refreshing meal that won’t weigh you down. I also love that you can really mix up the flavors and feature your favorite ingredients in order to create a healthy and … Read More

Bob the Builder Water Park: Splash Works at SplashDown

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Bob the Builder Water Park - Splash Works at SplashDown
My family was invited to the opening celebration of Bob the Builder Water Park – Splash Works as part of a blogger event.  Friday, the day of the opening, started off on a questionable note.  A peek into the Coleman home that A.M…

I was up early so that I could finish a few things before we left for the day.  When Reggie woke up, he asked, “Did you check the weather?” I knew that was code for “You should check the weather,” because I rarely do.  When I checked, it said “showers and thunderstorms”.  “Oh no!” I thought, because Sean was really looking forward to going to Splash works and I had convinced Michael to be a “good big brother” and come along.

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Summer 2011: The Colemans’ “Summer of Fun”

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The summer of 2010 was crazy.  I definitely worked too much and played too little.  Instead of being refreshed, I was exhausted by the end of August.  It actually took me the rest of the year to fully recuperate.  That will not be happening again this year in regards to things that I have some degree of control over.  Of course that does not mean that life will be all play and no work.  Rather, I have noted where thing went wrong last year and I am adjusting accordingly.  In fact, my family has dubbed Summer 2011 as “The Summer of Fun (with the people that we love).

When school ended last week, our family gathered in our planning spot (the bed in Reggie and my room) and we wrote down all of the things that we wanted to do over the summer.  We’re not going on any major trips, since our travel budget was used up earlier this year with the cruise and the trip to Walt Disney World.  That’s totally fine though, because there are so many fun (and free!) summer activities for kids in NYC.

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