Our Amazing Spider-man @VuduFans Halloween Party #SpiderManWMT #CBias

In celebration of Halloween we decided to throw a Spider-man party. I invited family and friends over to eat some pizza and watch movies while enjoying trick-or-treaters and the festivities of Halloween. While the kids trick-or-treated the adults could enjoy watching The Amazing Spider-man movie.

Earlier this month I had pre-purchased The Amazing Spider-man at Walmart. By pre-purchasing the movie I had received early access to the digital copy through Vudu.com. The process was so simple and easy that I cannot wait to continue to make movie purchases like this in the future. And any day now I'll be receiving my hard copy of The Amazing Spider-man on Blu-ray in the mail.

Shopping for Food
We headed out to Wal-mart again to pick up some Marketside pizza. For $35 I was able to grab 3 pizzas, salad, and sodas for our party. Talk about a party on a budget! Plus, the pizzas were so huge we had to put them on the bottom of our shopping cart.

Closer to the official release of The Amazing Spider-man, Walmart will be releasing Amazing Spider-Man themed Augmented Reality triggers that will be included on the pizza box & display pallet, triggering special Amazing Spider-Man experiences on shoppers’ iPhone, iPad or Android in-store!

Movie parties don't have to be elaborate and what better to watch a movie with than pizza? Add a salad for some nutritional value and something simple for dessert and you're set. Plus pizza is pretty universal and liked by most. From the grandkids to the grandparents, everyone was happy!

Decorating for the Party
As soon as we got home we set up for the party. Earlier in the month we made a spider web pumpkin to greet our guests as they arrived.  We also had already pre-purchased our movie on Vudu.com so I simply logged in and got it set up to watch before our guests arrived. Since we were eating at my mother-in-law's house I was able to set up her Roku to play the movie.

I set out some snacks and goodies including some yummy pumpkin cupcakes in these adorable spider cupcake holders I picked up at Walmart. We also put up a few other creepy crawly decorations like the spider egg sack shown below.

It was rather easy to make! I took a pair of white tights and cut the feet out. Then I stuffed the foot with webbing and then covered it on the outside with webbing tying the top off. I added a few spider rings to the webbing to create the effect we were going for.

Preparing the Marketside Pizza

As we were waiting for our family to arrive we put the pizzas in the oven to cook. These pizzas were not only super easy to bake, they came out looking like we ordered them from the local pizzeria. Yum!

I was able to find a wide variety of flavors and sizes in the Marketside Deli inside Walmart and was so happy to find my family's favorite flavors. WE went with a delicious italian-style pepperoni with yummy chunks of mozzarella, a sausage and pepperoni combo, and a 5-cheese pizza for the kids. Although my kids usually end up eating all of the pepperonis off of my pizza!

Once the kids were done eating it was time to go trick-or-treating! Since The Amazing Spider-Man isn't really for young children, we thought it'd be easier to enjoy the movie while they went door-to-door.

My son and daughter chose their costumes, a duck and a ladybug, and my nephew decided he was going to turn his costume from last year (a tarantula) into a black widow for this year. How great are these costumes?

Enjoying the Movie with Vudu.com
Once the kids had headed off to trick-or-treat we settled in, grabbed a slice of pizza, and started the movie. I loved how easy it was to log in to my Vudu account and access the movies I've already purchased. We not only had access to the full movie but also additional bonus scenes not seen anywhere else.

How does Vudu work? 

It's simple! Just follow the three simple steps:

1. Pre-purchase your DVD or Blu-Ray
2. Log on to Vudu.com and enter in the redemption code
3. Have early access to your movie on Vudu.com before you receive your copy in the mail

You can even purchase digital copies of movies straight from Vudu! The selection of titles is vast.

And if you sign up now for an account on Vudu.com you'll receive a free movie!

In order to play the movie on our TV through Vudu we used my mother-in-law's Roku media player but there are plenty of other options to streaming movies through Vudu. We purchased a D-Link MovieNite Streaming Player from Walmart to access Netflix, Vudu, Pandora and more through our TV instead of hooking up our computer to the TV. 

If you don't wish to purchase a Media Streaming Player you can access Vudu.com via your Google TV, Apple TV, or your computer. You can also attach your computer to your TV to stream the movie on the big screen. 

Once the kids got back home we were able to enjoy some yummy cookies my sister-in-law made and the pumpkin cupcakes while we finished our movie as the kids sorted through their candy.

All in all it was a great Halloween and a perfect way to celebrate with family. Movie nights are pretty common in our home and we love being able to enjoy simple, easy meals while watching movies so the combination of Marketside pizza and The Amazing Spider-Man streamed through Vudu.com made the night even more enjoyable.

Pre-purchase your copy of The Amazing Spider-Man today at Wal-Mart and take advantage of all of the perks. Your movie delivered right to your door, bonus features on Vudu.com, and access to the movie before your movie arrives at your door!

For more about The Amazing Spiderman head on over to the Spider-Man Facebook page and follow them on twitter at @SpiderManMovie.

Disclaimer: 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 Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. All opinions are my own #CBias #SocialFabric 

Wordless Wednesday {Happy Halloween!)

My little ladybug and duck wish you a very Happy Halloween!

Wordless Wednesday: Painting Pumpkins

Smarties Are The Perfect Halloween Sweet Treat #IAmASmartie

One of my favorite parts of my childhood Halloween experience was racing home from trick or treating to sort out all of the Halloween candy I received. I was obsessed with finding my favorites (Smarties were at the top of the list along with chocolate). And one of my favorite parts of Halloween now are the decorations we put up each year. I absolutely love how festive and creative we get each year.

My husband is quite the Halloween decor enthusiast. Each year he purchases foam pumpkins from the store and creates a new face. And in an effort to keep up with him, I try to get creative as well in the decor inside our home.

Gluten-Free and Allergen Free
This year I headed to Target to pick up some decorating supplies and candy to pass out. Since there are so many allergies and special diets these days, we went simple. Smarties all around! And I planned on decorating with Smarties as well.

Smarties are not only gluten-free, but they also contain no peanuts and are fat free! They're the worry-free, one-size-fits-all candy this holiday and are the perfect choice for passing out. I was able to pick up a large bag of Smarties and another bag of Smarties and Dum-Dums mixed together. My daugther was absolutely elated to put these bags into the cart to take home.

Smarties Sugar Cookies {Halloween Recipe} #IAmASmartie

Pin It

I love when I can take something that I love and create something equally as great. Smarties are one of my favorite Halloween sweet treats and I love passing them out to trick-or-treaters. Not only are they gluten-free, they're free of most allergens and are low in fat as well. But in this recipe they are most definitely not gluten free. Nor are they low in fat...

By pulsing the Smarties in a food processor I created a flour and used the Smarties in a family sugar cookie recipe. I simply reduced the amount of sugar called for in the recipe and subbed the Smarties flour. The end result was fantastic! A not-too-sweet sugar cookie that was definitely flavored by the Smarties. Yum!

And perfect for any Halloween party coming up. We baked them up for our parish festival's bake sale and they were quite a hit. Three to a bag with a few Smarties thrown in. Who could resist? Here's how to make them:

Smarties Sugar Cookies

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Smarties, about 20 rolls
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 3 1/2 cups flour, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Unwrap the Smarties and place them in the food processor (I first tried to crush them with a rolling pin with no luck).

2. Pulse the Smarties in the food processor until ground to a fine dust. 

3. Measure out 1/2 cup of Smarties flour.

4. Cream the softened butter, sugar, and Smarties flour in a stand mixer.

5. Add in the egg, vanilla, and corn syrup. Mix well until combined.

6. Sift together the flour and salt.

7. Add the flour mixture into the bowl one cup at a time until combined.

8. Turn the dough out onto some plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

9. When the dough is done in the fridge, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the dough into strips and then into squares. Roll each square into a ball. I created 1" balls so that the cookies would be small. Feel free to increase or decrease the size of the cookie dough balls.

10. Place the cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet and smash down into a flat circle with a glass cup.

11. Sprinkle with some nonpareils (optional) and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes.

12. Let the cookies cool completely on a rack before indulging, about 5-10 minutes.

13. Plate (or bag up) and enjoy!

This recipe makes about 70 1" diameter cookies. It can easily be doubled. You can also cut out shapes with cookie cutters by rolling the dough into a flat sheet after taking the dough out of the fridge.

Want to see what else I've done with Smarties? Check out this awesome DIY Smarties Wreath on my blog post here. 

What's your favorite sweet treat this Halloween season?

Disclaimer: 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 Smarties. All opinions are my own. #CBias #SocialFabric

How to DIY a Smarties Wreath this Halloween #IAmASmartie

Pin It

When we get ready for Halloween, decorations in our home are up there with Christmas. We decorate the whole house inside and out to celebrate for the whole month of October. Many of the decorations we use can be carried into November as well with a festive Fall theme but a few we make just for Halloween!

This Smarties Wreath is just that. The perfect celebration of Halloween and the excitement that each child feels as they go from door to door saying, "Trick or Treat!" This wreath is not only festive, it's easy to make as well! You only need a few simple items to put it together and it takes less than 30 minutes to make!

As an added bonus, it only cost me $5 to make. The $1 Spot at Target has these foam wreaths and the Smarties candies are only $7.99 for a huge bag and I only needed 1/2 the bag to make the wreath. I had the ribbon on hand from the end of season sale last year. And the left over Smarties will be passed out to trick or treaters on Halloween!   

Here's how to make a Smarties Wreath

What you Need:

• 1 bag Smarties candies, in their wrapper
• 1 wreath (I found mine in the $1 Spot at Target)
• a glue gun with glue sticks
• wire ribbon

What you do:

1. Lay out your wreath and candies as your glue gun warms up (I recommend not having the younger kids help with this part of the craft due to the hot glue gun).
 

2. Start with a single row of Smarties first by making a line of hot glue on the wreath.

3. Stick the Smarties candy seam side down so that the candies are sealed shut.

4. Continue to add Smarties candies all around the wreath. Make sure to leave room in between the candies on top so that the candies form a uniform circle around the wreath template. Make sure to leave a 1" gap for the ribbon at the top of the wreath.

5. Once the first layer is done, it's time to start the second layer to fill the gaps.

 6. Add a dab of glue to the center of the gap. Then add a dab of glue to the other end of the Smarties candy on the seam side. Firmly press down so that the glue adheres to each side of the Smarties candies next to it.

7. Once the Smarties candies are adhered to the wreath, measure out some wire ribbon in a coordinating Fall color.

8. Cut the ribbon to length.

9. Take both ends of the ribbon together in your hand and fold in half lengthwise.

10. Using the scissors, cut the ribbon ends at an angle to create a v-cut.

11. Once the ends are cut it's time to tie the ribbon onto the wreath!

12. Wrap one end of the ribbon around the gap at the top of the wreath once.

13. Making sure that the ends are even in length, tie a simple knot to secure the ribbon to the wreath.

14. Hang on your door and enjoy all season long!

And remember, Smarties isn't just the perfect candy to make a cute wreath, they're also the perfect candy to hand out this Halloween! They're low fat and gluten free! Not to mention that kids love them.

Stay tuned for more Smarties fun soon!

Disclaimer: 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 Smarties. All opinions are my own. #CBias #SocialFabric

Wordless Wednesday: Halloweentime at @Disneyland

Getting Unreal is The Perfect Alternative for Trick or Treating this Halloween #NGFoodie

Since having kids I've been a lot more cautious about what I pass out at Halloween-time to trick-or-treaters. I realize how much junk my kids receive in their baskets and I knew I needed to change up what I passed out to the kids who came to our home.

I had the pleasure of trying out some very tasty goodies while at the Social Luxe Lounge in New York and was pleased to find out how they compared to the candy on store shelves today.

UNREAL™ has unjunked America's favorite candy and has created a product without the corn syrup, the artificial ingredients, and the partially hydrogenated oils. Not to mention less sugar. They've even added more cacao, real caramel (not corn syrup dyed to look like caramel), more peanuts, protein, and fiber.

All this is the product of the UNREAL™ culture. UNREAL™ is building an eclectic mix of people from different walks and experiences. A Kashi guy. One from Google. An interior decorator. A P&G’er. A guitarist from Glaceau. A guy from Mars. An actual Oompa Loompa. A dog named Lola.

 You’d never find these people together in any other company in the world. But it works. Why? Because They’re drawn together by a common mission. To challenge what we’ve come to accept in our food and its effect on our health. To change the way junk food is made here in America and around the world. To unjunk the world™.

To see exactly what I'm talking about, check out the comparison above. M&M's compared to the UNREAL™ UN54. How amazing is this? A superior product with less calories AND only 4 more grams of sugar than an orange. Plus these chocolate candy shell peanuts are amazingly tasty!! My kids couldn't get enough.

By passing out UNREAL™ on Halloween you're not only helping your kids recognize the difference in the candy on the shelves and the ingredients in the candy they're consuming, you're also passing on the awesomeness that is UNREAL™ to parents who might not realize that there's a great alternative to the junk they're used to.

For more information check out the UNREAL™ website and see how you can get UNREAL™ this Halloween! Don't forget to keep up with UNREAL™ on Facebook and follow them on twitter at @GetUnreal


The Noise Girls have yet again put together an amazing giveaway event to tantalize your tastebuds! The Fall Foodie Festival giveaway event starts on October 1st so please remember to hurry back and enter for your chance to win.

And Ozeri has joined in on the fun to offer one lucky reader an assortment of UNREAL™ candies of their own in this giveaway.



Disclaimer: I received a set of UNREAL™ candies for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.