GIVEAWAY!! Vermont Village Applesauce 'Pack the Pantry' Giveaway!

So having grown up in a family that owned (for 30 years!) a business here in Vermont, I have always been a very "buy-local" gal and still am! It's also no secret that I frequent the local natural food store and that we are really trying to instill in our daughter a love for organic foods at an early age.

I found a great combination of local, organic and *delicious* packed into Vermont Village Applesauce and am completely enamored with their product! Vermont Village is not only all natural and manufactured here in Vermont, but they work in collaboration with many local farmers, so not only do I feel great eating it, but I feel good buying it.

You may be wondering what the big whoop about applesauce here is, but let me tell you, this is not your everyday, run-of-the-mill, brown-bag-lunch applesauce. It has a rich texture- full of real, juicy apple and with a lively, full-mouthed flavor, it's almost like getting to eat dessert anytime, guilt-free! It tastes homemade because, well.. it is! They still make this the old fashioned way in small kettles, ensuring it's incredible taste.

The company sent us an assortment of flavors to try- all unsweetened and with fresh fruit varieties including Peach, Strawberry Banana, Mixed Berry, Raspberry and Tropical Mango, and the whole family has gone fruity (haha, get it?) over them! Vivi is enjoying the change from icky processed apples to this yummy variety (her fave is the mango!) and Mike (our resident chef) has been trying out some of their recipes, and is loving the applesauce salad dressing. And me? Well, I discovered they make Maple Applesauce and have been in 7th heaven ever since!

WIN IT!

We’re giving away a Vermont Villages Organic Pack the Pantry giveaway!! Our prize package will consist of 4 packs of each flavor pack in the following flavors:

♥Unsweetened♥
♥Cinnamon♥
♥Peach♥
♥Strawberry Banana♥
♥Mixed Berry♥
♥Tropical Mango♥

HOW TO ENTER:

To enter the Pack The Pantry Giveaway, leave me a comment (go to the bottom of this post and you will see a "click here to leave comment" button) and leave one of the following:

1. Your favorite recipe involving apples (it can be your own recipe or just one you've made)
or
2. Your favorite Fall photo

One comment entry per person, please read below for instructions on how to submit additional entries. Please include what state you are from with your entry! The winner will be chosen by random raffle after all entries have been completed. Contest will close on Friday, June 18th at 12:00 PM.

Additional Entries:

You can submit additional contest entries by doing to following:

1. “Follow” my blog and leave me a comment telling me why you think it is important to buy local.
2. Fellow bloggers can link my blog to yours and also gain an additional entry.

This product was provided free of charge by Vermont Village Applesauce. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind

" Every object, every being, is a jar full of delight."- Rumi

This morning my boss asked me how I managed to be so happy everyday, let alone so happy on a Monday morning. I would like to say that being happy comes as naturally as breathing, but that is both untrue and borderline obnoxious. It took me a long time to realize that happiness isn't something that falls in our laps, nor can we expect to find it in places we go looking for it. Happiness, for me, has meant rejoicing in the small things. The sun on my face; laughing with my husband until my stomach aches; the sound of my daughter singing from her crib in the morning; iced coffee and flip-flop days.... little things to celebrate each day.

Things that are making me happy today:

1. We moved into our house this fall, so I had no idea that come springtime we would have both lilies of the valley and lilacs blossoming in the side yard. Not to go all Anne Shirley on you all, but could there be a more perfect posies? The unexpected appearance of both of my favorite flowers deepens the love I have for living in the middle of nowhere.

2. My two shmoos :) Oh, and Vivi's new wagon!)

3. Creemees! Mmmm... vanilla-chocolatey goodness in a cone! Some of you may know this as a 'soft serve' ice cream, and to you folks, please let me refer you to this Facebook Group: It's called a creemee. If you don't like it, get the F$%# out.

4. Sitting in the sun reading a deliciously good book! Come to think of it... sitting anywhere reading a good book.

5. Having fun with food (especially when making food for someone else)

I could write some long [read: pretentious] testimonial here about how introducing my child to art at an early age will open her mind and awaken her senses... but no one needs (or has any desire) to hear about any of that, and I have no earthly longing to write about it. Sure, exposure to art can help develop the brain and provide and outlet for emotional expression, yadda yadda yadda and all that.

It's also (*most importantly*), what us common folk refer to as, ya know... fun.

Fingerpainting on a rainy afternoon? WIN! My little 'arteeest' was thrilled with her first go-'round with painting, and now that I know she will not try to *eat* the art supplies, I am equally as enthused.

Two mom thumbs up for Crayola Kid's Paint too! In addition to Viv being covered in paint, the floor and the tub were *shmeared* with color as well. Color me impressed (color, get it? ahhhh... I slay me) because this is one "washable" product that did not mean "scrub for hours and it should eventually come off."

(click to enlarge)

“Getting bored is not allowed"

This evening I introduced my daughter to what is, quite possibly, the best children's book ever written- Eloise, by Kay Thompson.

Who is Eloise? She is, undoubtedly what everyone with style wishes to become. She is a fearless female who speaks her mind, does what she wants and looks fabulous the entire time! I assure you, there is not a fashionista in the world that can come close to darling Eloise. She is witty, brazen and has the intelligence and vision of a Nobel Laureate.

Oh, and did I mention that she is six?

I adore this book for so many reasons! And while I never poured a pitcher of water down a hotel mail chute, it is certainly reminiscent of the whimsy and hilarity that is childhood. This is a story for every little girl (and boy... and grownup) to remind them just how deliciously fun life can be, no matter what age you are. And *that* is a feeling which I hope my daughter, (who giggled her way through the book) can keep with her forever ;-)

It's the simple things...

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
ee cummings