DOUBLE YOUR DONATION IMPACT!

We all have an incredible opportunity to impact Special Olympics by donating before December 31st. Donations made with the link above before the end of the year will be matched 100% by Special Olympics Board Members, so your donation of $100 becomes $200, $500 becomes $1000 and so forth. With a minimum as low as $5, everyone can afford to help. Challenge yourself, your family, your co-workers, and your friends to make a donation now! This is a great holiday gift to give a very worthwhile cause. When you go online to donate, you even have an opportunity to direct the use of funds to your state program! Please don't wait.

Healthy Indulgence

It's easy to overindulge in treats during the holidays, but making healthy choices doesn't mean turning to lifeless dull snacks. Take time to stock up on health conscious indulgences that will keep you on track in making life long positive changes to your food choices.

1. Lovin' Scoopful is a "good for your soul" gourmet light ice cream exploding with flavor. It has half the fat and a third fewer calories when compared to regular gourmet ice cream and it packs an added punch. With every container of ice cream you buy, 25% of profits go to Special Olympics. Several flavors have about the same number of calories as a Red Delicious Apple and will satisfy your sweet tooth.

2. Speaking of Red Delicious, stock up on fruit! Starting the day off with a piece of fruit will jump start your digestive system and give you an instant burst of energy. Having a basket of "ready to go" fruit handy (preferably organic) gives you quick options for a healthy snack you can grab on your way out the door.

3. Go nuts! Seriously. Nuts can have a bad rap because of fat content, but a handful of nuts each day can help lower cholesterol and because it takes longer to digest nuts, the energy from them sticks with you and can help curb cravings.

How to pull it all together for delicious food all day long:

Start your day off with an apple (or fruit of your choice) early in the morning. Two hours later eat a high fiber hot breakfast cereal (I like a 7 grain). To make it extra tasty top it with a tablespoon of chopped pecans, a few dried cranberries, and a smidgen of honey (or stevia) for taste. For lunch start with fresh baby spinach. Spinach is rich in vitamins and nutrients with few calories. Instead of using a salad dressing, top it with sliced strawberries, blueberries, and a tablespoon of sliced almonds. Limit the almonds, but for the rest of the salad ingredients you can eat your heart's desire. Fill up on it! Wrap up your day with a wrap, but eat early. The later you eat, the harder it is to burn those calories before you go to bed. A good way to store fat is to eat and go right to bed. Avoid it! Starting with a low fat flour tortilla pile it high with fresh (uncooked) spinach from lunch. Rather than topping with fruit and nuts, top it with 3-4 ounces of grilled meat (trim any fat) and a thin slice of avocado. In all cases, eat slowly and savor your food. Chewing improves digestion and helps you get the most of the nutrients in your food. After dinner, serve yourself a 1/2 cup serving of your favorite Lovin' Scoopful Ice Cream. With the dinner wrap above, try Rockin' Raspberry Cheesecake. The tangy raspberry works great with the wrap.

Start making healthy choices now and reap the rewards in 2011. Happy Holidays!

Helping Others

With Christmas upon us, I wanted to share something with you that changed my view of life this holiday season. I hope it helps you put things in perspective as well. This is the story of two anonymous families that came together to enrich each others lives this holiday season.

I get caught up in the trappings of Christmas. I admit it. I buy into the whole thing hook line and sinker (or should I say tree, garland, and trinkets)! This year I was busy figuring out how to afford to get the toys the kids wanted and cover bills at the same time. It was 5am and I was curled up with a cup of coffee, a wish list from the kids, a budget, and a pencil. Finally I had it all figured out. I was going to be able to just make it work. About that time it was almost as if someone whispered in my ear, "What will the the Smith Family do?". The Smith family came into our lives this year and they've had one hardship after another. Bills were hard for them to pay and I figured gifts for the kids was out of the question. I picked up my cell phone and sent a quick text. "Would you please allow us to take care of Christmas for the boys this year?" I asked. Little did I know that my new friend was also up and she was in tears not knowing how she would explain to her 5 and 13 year old sons that their baby niece (newborn) was the family's "gift" this year.

It was easy to rearrange my priorities. By making some adjustments, both of our families are about to enjoy a wonderful cluster of gifts that covers all needs and many wants. Not only has helping the Smiths brought me so much joy, but my heart melted when my own 13 year old son brought me $100 he received early for Christmas. He wanted to add it to what we were spending on the Smiths. I never asked him to contribute. His willingness to give away what he had just received meant so much to me. He has been saving for his own laptop for months and he had no concern for the setback this might cause.

It's so easy to overlook the opportunities to help others that arise on a daily basis. Please take a moment and open your eyes to the chances that present themselves. Purchase products that support a good cause, send in that donation check you've procrastinated, buy a bag of groceries for the family down the street that is dealing with a job loss. I truly believe that the good we do is returned to us many times over. Happy Holidays!

Lovin's here for you Dalton!

As most of you know, Lovin' Scoopful isn't just a delicious gourmet light ice cream; we're ice cream with real heart. We are in business to serve as an ongoing source of revenue for Special Olympics and to support athletes like Dalton at Special Olympics Oregon.

Dalton (pictured right) has been a part of Special Olympics Oregon for 6 years. He loves to play softball and basketball. The pure joy he's sharing in celebration of his gold medal win is a testament to his courage, determination, and hard work. For Dalton and 8,000 other participants, the life-changing programs at Special Olympics Oregon represents a critical basic need.

With athletes like Dalton around the world, Special Olympics fills a unique critical need. This holiday we are asking that you consider donating to the state Special Olympics office where you live and buy products like Lovin' Scoopful that donates 25% of profits to Special Olympics. Ask for us at Fred Meyer or your favorite local grocer. For a list of grocery locations that currently stock Lovin' Scoopful, go to www.LovinScoopful.com/findastore.aspx.

Lovin' the Holidays!

Make this a Lovin' Holiday by making mindful Lovin' choices every day. Our holiday season began with the celebration of Thanksgiving. Now, we mark the eight days of Hanukkah which begins tomorrow. Soon Christmas will be upon us. As we gather and celebrate life's miracles, let's celebrate the wonders in our daily lives. Think about all the things you can do to bring joy to others with small gestures of kindness.

Over the next 8 days I challenge you to an unexpected act of kindness each day. Hold a door for someone. Stop and listen to a friend that you can tell has something on his/her mind. Spend time with someone you know is lonely. These daily acts of kindness can change your life. We would love to hear about these kind acts, so let us know about them in the comment section below!

In addition to that, think about the products you purchase every week at the grocery store. There are dozens of products that donate to special causes every time you purchase. For a list of some of these products, go to www.lovinscoopful.com/documents/LovinScoopful-ShoppinWithLovin.pdf. Lovin' Scoopful donates 25% of post tax profits to Special Olympics. We believe that it's important to highlight other socio-friendly products so that you can easily find products that help you bring more love and light to the world. Show some love by sharin' some Lovin' this holiday season.

Happy Hanukkah, Season's Greetings, and Merry Christmas!

Livin' a Lovin' Lifestyle

Lovin' Scoopful Ice Cream is a delicious gourmet light ice cream and we very much want you to give it a try. Today, however, this blog is about a Lovin' Lifestyle. Our product was created to help empower the human spirit and I hope for this blog to do the same.

From some aspects it's been a tough year and now the holidays are upon us. Money's tight, tensions are high, guests are in, the house is a mess, and we just don't know WHERE to pull the money from to budget for Christmas gifts. If this has been your year, take a deep breath, close your eyes for a moment, and know that you're not alone. First, I've found that it takes effort to change your mindset so that you think of positive things before negative. Here are some things I've found that have helped raise my spirits over the long run. These have changed my life.

1) Live in the moment. When you're feeling horribly stressed and the world is crashing in, I ask myself "Am I OK right now?". Forget about what happened yesterday, last week, last month. At this moment am I OK? Forget about tomorrow, next week, next month. Right at this very moment I know that I'm OK. Love the moment that you're in. If you can love the moment that you're in, you'll find you can be happy most of the time.

2) Do what you can. We often spread ourselves too thin financially and let guilt drive us to buy more than we intended. Buying gifts on a tight budget is so difficult. Here are some things I've found to help ease the burden.
* Draw names rather than buying everyone a gift.
* Re-gift or give gifts you spend little or no money on. Now before you throw this one out completely, this has worked wonderfully in our family. If everyone agrees to do it, it's works like a charm. Rather than going and buying more stuff when we all have so much more than we need already, walk thru your own home and shop for others from what you have. This can be even more of a sacrifice than pulling out a credit card and spending money you don't really have. Do you have something of your Grandmother's that your sister always wanted? Do you have a talent you can share? If you're a great cook, gift catering a dinner for someone who likes to entertain. Can you babysit? Give 12 certificates for babysitting to allow a friend or family member some time out on their own. You get the idea. Shop from your own possessions and talents. You'd be amazed at what wonderful gifts you can come up with.
* Agree to exchange ornaments.
* Give each other time and attention. This can even work with the kids. It can be taking them to the park or skate park even and watching them play. Maybe you can even join them!
*Give lessons. Can you teach someone one of your talents?
* Barter! Trade some of your free gifts with others to expand what you have to give! Want to give your niece piano lessons but you can't teach? Is there a piano teacher in your life that you can barter with in order to take care of those lessons?
* Do a "Toy Exchange" with the kids. Within the family pair up the kids with similar interests and have them exchange a box full of toys that are in good working order. It's not about having something brand new. It's just fun to have different toys to play with.
* Do a "Movie and Game" exchange between the families. You can label them if you want to exchange back in a few months.
* If you can't afford to donate to the charity or non-profit that you support every year, consider volunteering your time instead. This is especially beneficial if you've lost your job. It's amazing how many potential job leads you can find, too, when you're out in a crowd and you're open to the possibility that you may meet someone who can change your life situation. Another good way to help non-profits is to buy products that support those organizations, especially if they give a percentage of sales or profits. At Lovin' Scoopful, we donate 25% of our post tax profits (a minimum of $50K annually) to Special Olympics.

3) Appreciate what you have. Look around you and see the good. Acknowledge it verbally. A positive attitude is contagious and most people enjoy being around others with a positive attitude. Do you usually call your friends when something bad happens to vent? Call them today. Wish them Happy Thanksgiving and tell them how grateful you are to have them as a friend. Be happy for your job, your home, your family, and each breath that you take. We are all very fortunate.

I hope you've found an idea or two that is helpful. Please comment if you have other ideas for Livin' a Lovin' Lifestyle and I'll include those in future posts. Now step away from the computer, go hug a family member (or pet) and have a very happy Thanksgiving.

Have a Lovin' Thanksgivin' !

We're dashing thru the house
Thanksgiving's just a day away
We've got so much to do
Both families come to stay

The beds are all full up
So will our bellies be
Black Friday afternoon
The kids are sitting on Santa's knee

Thanksgivin' Time, It's Lovin' Time
Stock up the freezer now
Ralphs has Lovin' two for $7
Bi-Lo has BOGO, WOW!

Thanksgivin' Time, It's Lovin' Time
Stock up the freezer now
Ice Cream pies light up their eyes
Lovin' 'll always please the crowd!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Tip: For a simple ice cream pie, spoon your favorite flavor of Lovin' into a graham cracker (regular or chocolate) pie crust and top with whipped cream or your favorite whipped topping.

There are now about 1500 stores across the US that sell Lovin' Scoopful. You can find the one closest to you by going to www.lovinscoopful.com/findastore.aspx. Watch on Twitter and Facebook for more money saving offers.

25% of Lovin' Scoopful's post tax profits go to Special Olympics, so buying and serving up some Lovin' this holiday is one great way to show thanks to the people who donate so much of their time and effort to support that wonderful cause. You can also make direct contributions to Special Olympics by going to http://www.specialolympics.org/ and click on "Make a Difference"(on the right side of the screen).

Thanksgiving just 2 days away!

As we get older, time just seems to go faster and faster. Time is so precious and too often we waste time, effort, and money on the wrong things. Economize in all 3 areas this week in preparing for your holiday feast.

Save time on the day of your event! Prepare a dessert you can put together ahead of time like an ice cream pie made with Lovin' Scoopful Gourmet Light Ice Cream. Put your favorite flavor in either a regular or graham cracker or chocolate crust and top with whipped topping.

Save effort by creating a delicious dessert that only takes a few minutes to prepare. Whether you create an ice cream pie or simply have a few flavors of Lovin' Scoopful and serve by the scoopful, you'll find it's a crowd pleaser. Try Lovin' Scoopful Rockin' Raspberry Cheesecake or Oh My Blueberry Pie if you want your ice cream to contain the pie within!

Save Money on the west coast by picking up Lovin' Scoopful 2/$7 at Ralphs in Southern California and Nevada. On the east coast Bi-Lo has Lovin' on BOGO, so take the opportunity to try new flavors at both chains!

3 Days until Thanksgiving!

With only 3 days remaining until Thanksgiving it's time to get the early prep items out of the way to allow for an easy holiday. See our "Early Planning Makes Thanksgiving a Breeze" blog entry from November 15th for ideas.

With the heavy feast upcoming, plan a delicious dessert made with Lovin' Scoopful gourmet light ice cream. It has 1/2 the fat and 1/3 fewer calories compared to other premium ice creams. Not many ice creams allow you to stay on track with your weight goals while still enjoying all the taste you're looking for.

If you're on the east coast, Bi-Lo has Lovin' on BOGO. Buy one at regular price and get a second 56oz container for FREE. For our friends in California and Nevada, Ralphs has Lovin' on sale 2/$7. Don't forget, 25% of our post tax profits go to Special Olympics!

Early planning makes Thanksgiving a breeze!

Every year we crash on the couch or our favorite chair after the last guest has left from the Thanksgiving feast and we recognize how exhausted we are. Your time with family and loved ones is so precious. Find even more joy in the season by reducing your stress and your work load the day of your Thanksgiving dinner.

1. Plan a simple menu- As much as you may like to have a dozen dishes laid out, consider limiting the food YOU prepare to the basics. A turkey OR ham, dressing of choice, 3 veggies (each a different color), a simple salad (gives people an option to top the salad with a small portion of meat and stay on course with their diet) with two salad dressings (one light, one rich), and a dessert (or two if you keep it really simple).

2. Consider purchasing a smoked ham or turkey fully prepared from a reputable restaurant.

3. Prepare the dressing NOW! When it's cooked outside of the bird it's dressing rather than stuffing. Now, freeze it. Move from freezer to refrigerator one day in advance. Move from fridge to oven the day of. Easy! Take it a step further and bake it in a disposable metal container. Either buy a cheap aluminum one at the grocery store or pick up a cheap find at a flea market.

4. Use simple frozen veggies for 2 of your 3 vegetables. Add water, a pat of butter, salt and pepper (or your seasoning of taste) to the frozen ones and cook those the day of your dinner. For the third veggie, consider something like green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, or some other favorite that requires a little more work. Prepare it the night before, though!

5. For your salad use a ready mix. Buy one that has everything in it that you like or select a couple of extra "ready to use" items (like shredded carrots) to add to the mix with no effort.

6. Dessert- We always over-do it with dessert. Keep it simple. Make a Mud Pie simply by adding "Lovin' Scoopful's Mad About Mud Pie" to a chocolate pie crust and top with whipped topping. You can garnish it with chocolate sprinkles to remind you which flavor in case you decide to have more than one. Another delicious option is to take a graham cracker crust and fill it with "Lovin' Scoopful's Rockin' Raspberry Cheesecake". Again top it with whipped topping and this time garnish with raspberries if you have some available.

7. Here's the fun part... If your guest asks if they can bring something, let them know you have it covered but they're welcome to bring along a favorite dish if they'd like. If no one brings anything, you're already covered. If everyone brings something you've got a huge feast, but those dishes with the leftovers will go home with the loved one that brought them.

With this plan, on Thanksgiving Day all you have to do is:

1. Warm up the turkey or ham that was prepared for you.

2. Put the dressing into the oven.

3. Heat up the veggies (two that you just add water to and a third that goes in the oven but was prepared the night before).

4. Empty the salad into the bowl and set out the dressings.

5. After dinner take the pie or pies out of the freezer.

You can take care of those 5 steps Thanksgiving Day stress free. Your kitchen will be clean when guests arrive because there was no last minute heavy cooking. No mixing bowls or messy prep areas to clean up. Relax and enjoy your family, your friends, and your easy Thanksgiving Dinner!

Buy 1 Get 1 Free at Bi-Lo NOW!!

Buy 1 container of Lovin' Scoopful and get 1 FREE right NOW at Bi-Lo. Go to http://www.lovinscoopful.com/. This is the perfect time to try new flavors! Stock your freezer today and enjoy!

S. California and Nevada Ralphs Promo- 2 for $7!!

If you live in Southern California or Nevada, there's a great promotional deal going on that you don't want to miss! Buy 2 containers of Lovin' Scoopful Ice Cream for just $7 at Ralphs. Take one home and share the Lovin' with a friend by giving your sweetheart or best friend the other one! It's always fun to share some Lovin'. Visit our website to find the store nearest you.

Is Lovin' missing in your life (and your grocer's freezer). We can help there, too. Watch for updates on easy ways to get Lovin' Scoopful (and other products that benefit special causes) into the store nearest you.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Lovin' Scoopful Ice Cream

Halloween is upon us. Spooky, creepy sounds fill the air. Sticky sweet treats fill the bowls and baskets. Enjoy a sweet treat any time with Lovin' Scoopful. Lovin' Scoopful Ice Cream has 1/2 the fat and 1/3 fewer calories than most premium ice creams, so you don't have to cover your eyes when it's time to weigh. Be brave. Be smart. Make good choices. Eat Lovin' Scoopful. Visit our website to find a store near you. None near? March right into your favorite store and ask them to add us to their freezer. Did we mention that 25% of post tax profits go straight to Special Olympics!?

Nevada & S. California Ralphs PROMO- 2/$7!!!

Hurry!!!! Until December 14th, 2010 you can buy Lovin' Scoopful at participating Ralph's stores in Nevada and Southern California at TWO for $7!!! Click on the title to take you to our store finder. This is a great time to try new flavors! Yummmmmm

Discover New Flavors

Life is so full of choices, but often we get in a routine and miss out on things that are new. When was the last time you ventured off the beaten path? Take a break from your old ice cream flavor and try one of Lovin' Scoopful's new flavors this fall. Enjoy the creamy cheesecake ice cream base with a tangy tasty swirl of raspberry along with little surprises of graham cracker crust in our Rockin' Raspberry Cheesecake. Your taste buds will thank you and so will Special Olympics. 25% of post tax profits go to benefit Special Olympics.

Don't be afraid to ask for it at your favorite grocery store!

Buy 1 Get 1 FREE right now at Bi-Lo!!!

Buy one container of Lovin' Scoopful and get one FREE now at Bi-Lo stores! Visit Lovin' Scoopful at http://www.lovinscoopful.com/ for product information and for a store list. This is a great time to try new flavors or stock up your freezer! Go to Bi-Lo for some extra Lovin' today!

Summer is wrapping up. Wrap up your ice cream in a delicious "Ice Cream Taco"!

School is back in full swing and kids come home hungry. Prepare this quick and delicious snack as an after school treat and the kids may actually look forward to school days! Jot down this fun recipe and check back for other tips, recipes, and news.

1 scoop Lovin' Scoopful Ice Cream of choice (I like Cozy Vanilla)
1 small low fat flour tortilla
butter flavored non-stick cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup chopped fruit (I like fresh ripe mango)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray front and back of tortilla with butter flavored non-stick cooking spray. Place tortilla on cookie sheet and sprinkle top of tortilla with cinnamon and sugar. Bake until sugar begins to melt and caramelize and tortilla begins to turn golden brown. Remove from oven, put one small scoop of ice cream inside tortilla, and fold in half like a taco. Top with chopped fruit and enjoy immediately!

This tasty treat is under 250 calories and will be a huge hit! Go to www.lovinscoopful.com/findastore.aspx to find a store near you.

Buy 1 get 1 FREE at Bi-Lo now!!!

Buy 1 container of Lovin' Scoopful and get one FREE right NOW at Bi-Lo. For locations go to http://www.lovinscoopful.com/.

This is the perfect time to try new flavors. Stock your freezer today!

Livin' in the sunlight, Lovin' in the summer time

Lovin' Scoopful co-founder Tim Shriver enjoyed ice cream with his daughters Kathleen, Rosie, and Caroline. 25% of post tax profits benefit Special Olympics, so this is a great treat with a great cause in mind. As hot as it is outside it's a great time to share the Lovin' today!

Poem by Anthony Marabella

Poem written to Mrs. Shriver by Anthony Marabella, Special Olympics Massachusetts Athlete

There are not enough words that truly say how much you have touched my life and heart in a special way
For your helpfulness and commitment to people with disabilities throughout various communities nation and worldwide
You were the designer, the leader and the guide
Throughout everything that was done success and smiles came, along with so many friendships and the flame
We stand together here and we are proud
Our voices are heard and they are loud
With love and gratitude in all we do now do
For this we shall do for you
The one who made a dream come true
Mrs. Eunice Kennedy Shriver that person is you
Thank you for letting all dreams be achieved
Inside of everone when they believed

(Anthony, you are also an inspiration.)

Donate to Special Olympics online at http://www.specialolympics.org/ by clickling on "Donate Now"

To donate specifically to Special Olympics Massachusets go to https://secure.specialolympics.org/site/apps/ka/sd/donorcustom.asp?c=mlIYIjNZJuE&b=5190615&BeneficiaryID=MA119
Lovin' Scoopful Ice Cream donates 25% of post tax profits to Special Olympics

Companies doing good: Lovin' Scoopful

On July 5th, 2010 The Washington Times posted a wonderful write up about the good works being done by Lovin' Scoopful. Here are some excerpts and we are happy to provide you with a link to the whole article.

"Silver Spring, MD (7/5/10) - Sometimes it seems that we live in a world of corporate greed- a society full of companies that are looking out for the bottom line and its executives and not much more. Sometimes you will find corporations that give back a little. Occasionally you find companies who give back a lot... Lovin' Scoopful is one company that marries a for-profit business model with a generous philanthropic strategy. I am particularly drawn to this ice cream company because, well, ice cream, and also because they give 25% of their post-tax profits directly to Special Olympics, which is an incredible organization doing a tremendous amount of good for people with disabilities.

...I recently had a chance to ask CEO [Dan] Samson some questions about the company and how it came about. I was delighted to hear that when [Dan] Samson and Tim Shriver were trying to find a business to start together, the idea of a cause came first.

...It is a wonderful surprise to find a company that doesn't just donate to a charity, but was founded for that specific purpose. I would love to see more companies follow Lovin' Scoopful's lead and partner with worthwhile charities to improve lives. "

Click on the title above to link to the article.

Sign Up to Win a Schwinn Bicycle from Lovin' Scoopful!

At Lovin' Scoopful we believe healthy choices can be fun. We encourage you to go for a bike joy ride and take part in our summer health challenge. We're giving away bicycles to help jump start the initiative. Sign up for the bicycle drawings at www.WomansDay.com/giveaways/Lovin-Scoopful-s-Schwinn-Bike-Giveaway for a chance to win a Schwinn 700c Gateway bike. Add a little fun excercise to each day and make healthy food choices this summer and enjoy the benefits by this fall. Lovin' Scoopful tastes great and serves as a healthy alternative to higher fat premium ice creams. Drawings end soon, so sign up today!

Fight Childhood Obesity

According to the CDC, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the last 30 years. Convenience foods have certainly had a negative impact and has contributed to a health crisis with our children. Lovin' Scoopful created an incredible premium light ice cream to help support Special Olympics, but it's not just any ice cream. Lovin' created a delicious treat that can be enjoyed in moderation without guilt. Lovin' Scoopful Ice Cream has half the fat of premium brands and 1/3 fewer calories. Spend more time outside being active with your kids and give them the Lovin' they deserve.

New Flavors of Lovin'!

Lovin' Scoopful is proud to announce three great new flavors for Spring 2010! Visit Walmart Supercenters and other great retailers to try Rockin' Raspberry Cheesecake, Baba's Butter Pecan Brittle, or Mad About Mud Pie. If the flavors aren't available in your area, just download our product request form or ask the store or freezer manager to stock the new flavors. It's often that simple!