BIC Velocity Max

Have I told you how much I love being a part of the Smiley360 family!  Well, I do, and it's not just because they send me awesome stuff to test.  It's also because they clue me in to some really great products in the process.  The latest thing that I've had the privilege of testing was BIC Velocity Max pencils.  I say that I've tested them... more like my kids have tested them.  They came in the mail and before I could open the package, they were gone!  My children have written with nothing else since we received these pencils!!  My son said that they are the smoothest writing pencils that he's ever used!  The grips are great and help the kids keep a good hold on the pencils during their work.  The lead seems to hold up pretty well and doesn't break super easily.  The erasers are big enough for big mistakes.  The best part is that they don't have to sharpen their pencils every 15-20 minutes!!!  I homeschool my children and I swear it seems like as soon as I mention the word test, they have to sharpen their pencils.  Funny how that works, right?

Here's what BIC has to say about these great pencils...

BIC® Velocity® Max Mechanical Pencil - Large eraser for more erasing power!

• 75% wider eraser* 
• Soft gel grip molds to your hand for a comfortable writing experience
• Smoothest, darkest writing vs. other BIC® mechanical pencils
• Strong lead erases cleanly
• Barrel colors may vary

I must admit that I've found everything they mention to be true.  If you are looking for a great option to start your children's (or your) school year, give BIC a try.  You won't be disappointed.  

I received a free 2 pack of BIC Velocity Max pencils from Smiley360 in exchange for my written review.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.

I love ripples...in both the ocean and my toilet paper :)

I absolutely LOVE Cottonelle toilet paper.  I know it's a crazy subject to talk about... I mean who wants to talk about what they use in the bathroom but I seriously love Cottonelle toilet paper!  It's just the right thickness, just the right amount of sheets and who doesn't love the ripples!!!  Thanks to Crowdtap, I got 4 free rolls of Cottonelle with CleanRipple Texture to try out.  Now that I'm down to my last roll :( I can give a fair review.  The worst thing that can happen when you are using the restroom is to have your toilet paper let you down.  It's a science to the amount of sheets vs. thickness that you need to use the restroom (or at least they make you think it is).  Cottonelle has figured it out and they offer it with ripples for that extra clean feeling when you need it the most!  Thanks to Cottonelle, my toilet paper no longer lets me down :)

I received a free 4 pack of Cottonelle toilet paper from Crowdtap in exchange for my written review.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.

Seventh Generation upped the bar!

I have been a fan of Seventh Generation products for a while simply because of their work to take care of the environment.  It doesn't hurt that the products are easy on my children's sensitive skin.  I've always had to use sensitive or fragrance free products on my children's skin to keep them from having allergic reactions.  When Smiley360 offered to send me Energy Smart® laundry detergent from Seventh Generation for free, I was still skeptical in regards to the skin sensitivity so I used it on my laundry first.  I was so excited that the detergent had such a clean and refreshing scent!  I know you've noticed how environmentally friendly products sometimes have no smell or are not to pleasant smelling.  Now the true test.... my children's laundry...  Guess what?!  No allergic reaction!!!  I can FINALLY use a detergent with a scent on their laundry and it doesn't cause issues!!!  I am so excited!  Now, not only does this detergent say that it saves me money, but I can finally use one detergent for everyone in the house!!!  No more buying 2 different detergents for the family!!  I'm sold, what about you???  Here's some more information on this new detergent that has won me over...

With Seventh Generation™ Energy Smart®, you’re able to use more efficient settings with your washing machine that will save you both money and energy. You can save $17 per year using low energy settings†. And, it cleans just as well! Let’s start washing the right way!

I received a coupon for a free bottle of laundry detergent in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.  No other compensation has been received.

COFFEE! Yes, please :)

Is it just me, or is it that when you have kids there are times when you need a coffee IV?  Honestly, I have days when my morning coffee seems to do nothing.  I will drive by Starbucks just a few hours later and have to fight myself to not stop for more coffee!  Do you know what happens later that afternoon, I get more coffee!  I don't know if I am not getting enough sleep or if it's just that I love me some coffee :)  Here's the kicker.  I can't just drink coffee.  The taste of coffee is disgusting to me, just like beer.  I can't stand the taste of either.  So I need a ton of sugar, creamer, milk, etc. to make my coffee not taste like coffee.

Usually I use 2 TBSP of creamer, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of almond milk and hot chocolate in my coffee.  At that point, it's sweet enough and I can't taste the coffee flavor.  When Smiley360 offered me the chance to try Nescafe with Coffee-mate, I was super excited but I was also skeptical because of the extreme sweetness that I need in my coffee.

The next morning after received my free sample from Smiley360, I decided to give it a try.  I used 2 TBSP of Nescafe mixed with 6oz of hot water.  The first taste was okay but the coffee was really weak.  I added more of the Nescafe and it tasted somewhat better.  I was able to finish my coffee and it actually tasted okay.  I must admit though that I haven't used it since.  Here's my breakdown as far as the Nescafe with Coffee-mate...

Pros:

1. The coffee and creamer is already mixed together.  Super quick and super easy!
2. There are only 80 calories in a serving!  2 TBSP = 80 calories (SWEET!)
3. You have the awesome taste of coffee-mate mixed with the Nescafe coffee that you've grown to trust!

Cons:

1. You can't change the strength of the coffee without adding more creamer.
2. If you like a super creamy coffee, this may not be your favorite.

Overall, I think it's a great idea for people who don't need either super sweet or super strong coffee.  I will probably keep mine for those times when I am out of creamer or when I have company.  If you aren't super picky about your coffee and you need something quick and easy, try it!  I definitely think it's worth a shot :)

Click here for a coupon to try this new Nescafe with Coffee-mate for yourself!  I can't wait to hear what you think!!

Thank you Smiley360 and Nescafe for the chance to try this new product.  I was sent a FREE canister of Nescafe with Coffee-mate for myself and FREE coupons for friends and family.  #freesamp #NescafeCoffeemate All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.

Skintimate Happy Legs!

Thanks to Crowdtap, I was able to sample a new Skintimate shaving gel.  I have always loved Skintimate gels because I feel like they keep my legs moisturized and prevents the unwanted nicks.  So, I was super excited when Crowdtap wanted to send me a full size product to try!  The scent is Mandarin Burst and I absolutely love it!!  It's a nice summer scent that isn't too overwhelming but adds that nice whiff of smell whenever I walk by :)  Today when I was shaving, I thought I had cut my legs but nope, no cuts on these pretty legs!  Thanks to Skintimate, my legs are happy!!  #SamplingSkintimate #SkintimateHappyLegs

Thank you to Crowdtap and Skintimate for sending me a free can of shaving cream to try.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.

Do you color your hair?? If so, you need this! **Giveaway!!**

Let me begin by saying that I have NEVER colored my hair....

Yep, you read that right.  I have never colored my hair.  The closest I have come to it was highlights and I have blonde hair so you can only imagine how well that worked!  Honestly, I have always wanted to try lowlights or a different color but I am too afraid that I will not like it so I never follow through with it.  

Anyway, I have been a member with Vocalpoint for a few years now and I have had the opportunity to try different products as well as give them my reviews.  So, when they asked me to review Root Touch-Up by Nice 'n Easy I wanted to help them but, as you read earlier, I have absolutely no experience with hair color.  When I received the blogger kit in the mail, I was a little shocked but I will do my best to do what they ask of me (minus trying the product myself).  

First, let me tell you what I have read... (this information is from the Vocalpoint website)

Root Touch-Up by Nice n' Easy is a permanent formula designed to extend the life of your color for up to 3 weeks.  It can match salon and at-home shades, so your roots never get a chance to peek through.

I have been around enough people who color their hair to know how much of a pain it is for their roots to start showing.  Just imagine if you had this product at home and could keep that embarrassment at bay!  Well, I have the awesome opportunity to give away 4 coupons for FREE boxes of Root Touch-Up thanks to Vocalpoint!  Now you can try this product out for me and let me know how much you like it!  I am sure Vocalpoint would love to know what my readers think of this product!!

On to the giveaway...  GOOD LUCK!!

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Leave a comment telling me what color of Root Touch-Up you need for your hair.  
2. For an extra entry, follow me on GFC (leave a comment letting me know that you've done it).

Giveaway ends November 30, 2013 at 11:59pm.

You will receive a coupon for a FREE box of Root Touch-Up (valued up to $5.99).  Coupon expires 12-31-13.  

I received 4 coupons for FREE Root Touch-Up from Vocalpoint to share with my readers as well as a gift card for my time and review.  However, all opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.

Lunchables Jr. Snack Packs

I know I am not the only mom that is always scrounging around trying to find decent snack options for her children.  I am pretty good at planning breakfast, lunch and dinner, but to be honest, by the time I am finished spending money for those, I am DONE!  I usually try to piece together some crackers and fruit or something that seems somewhat healthy and that will fill the munchkins up for a short period.  However, I have had my days when I just handed them whatever they asked for because, quite frankly, I didn't have anything else here for them to snack on.  I just didn't plan correctly and we had NO snacks!  

Well, the makers of Lunchables are trying to fix this problem that many of us moms find ourselves in.  They have created Lunchables Jr. snack packs.  These awesome little packs are great for little ones because the pieces are fun, flavor packed and bite size.  They are also great for moms because they are nutritious as well as quick and easy!  

There are 4 different kinds to choose from:

Ants on a Log

Very Beary Crunch

Teddy Bear Picnic

Blueberry Bonanza

Thanks to Crowdtap and Lunchables, my daughter was given the opportunity to try these new snacks for you and give her honest opinion :)  We received two packs of snacks (Ant on a Log and Very Beary Crunch), one for us to try and one for us to share.  Calleigh chose to try the Very Beary Crunch, simply because she doesn't like raisins and we gave the other one to her friend.  The Very Beary Crunch contains mini Ritz Bitz sandwiches, Teddy Grahams and strawberry flavored dried apple pieces.  The Ant on a Log contains honey graham sticks, peanut butter and Sun-Maid raisins.  

During snack time, Calleigh immediately went for the Ritz Bitz sandwiches (which I had anticipated). My daughter has a love for cheese that is just ridiculous ;)  After about 10-15 minutes, she was done and the snack was almost demolished.  In the end, the only thing that was left were the strawberry flavored apple pieces.  I was really surprised that she didn't eat those but after asking her about it, she said she just didn't like them.
  

I am super excited about these though because I often find myself searching for a snack option, especially when we are in the store, and it will be nice to be able to pick these up for those hurry up moments.  I feel good about serving these because the kids love them and they aren't completely sugar-filled.  

Thanks Crowdtap and Lunchables for offering us the opportunity to try these new snacks.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.

How do you like your clean care routine??

Yeah, you know what I am talking about....  your, (clearing throat) bathroom routine...

Yeah, you are probably wondering where I am going with this but the reason that I am referring to such a sensitive subject is because I was given the opportunity to try Cottonelle's Clean Care Routine through Crowdtap.  Honestly, at first I was thinking, how in the world am I going to talk to my friends about their bathroom habits.  I mean, yes, I love my friends and we talk quite a bit but I never talk to them about how they handle themselves in the bathroom.  Well, Crowdtap gave me the opportunity to try out Cottonelle's Clean Care Routine and to share the routine with my friends.  So, I did...

When I received the FREE products in the mail, I immediately came up with the two friends that I wanted to share the Cottonelle products with and waited for the next time that I saw them.  I changed out our toilet paper and added the wipes to the bathroom.  I am not going to give a detailed review for obvious reasons ;) but I will say that my husband has said that he wants me to continue buying the wipes.

I will admit that Cottonelle toilet paper is much thicker than my normal toilet paper and the wipes are a nice touch.  Thanks Crowdtap and the Cottonelle Clean Crew for allowing me to test your Clean Care Routine!  I think it's changed my bathroom habits... now how about yours??

I received the items above for FREE from Crowdtap and Cottonelle Clean Crew to test and share.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.

Sick baby = tired momma :(

We had a wonderful weekend celebrating my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary!  It was such an inspiring and sweet day filled with family, laughs, and tears.  We had to travel about 4 hours to celebrate with them.  My husband and I both said that one of us would return home sick...it always happens and we knew it would happen this time as well.

On the way home, my daughter started complaining of a sore throat.  I immediately remembered that we forgot her allergy medicine and knew that was probably the problem.  Unfortunately, there isn't much that allergy medicine will do after the fact.  We figured we would give it a try, so we stopped and purchased some more allergy medicine for her.  We decided to grab dinner and stopped at a nearby Applebees.  My daughter ended up sleeping in the restaurant while the rest of us ate dinner.

We finally get home and put her to bed, but that didn't last long.  Before I knew it she was in the bed with us.  The next day Calleigh woke up stuffy and so much worse off than the day before.  My husband found a sample of Children's Mucinex that I had received for free from Smiley360 and decided to give it to her before her nap.  When she woke up, she said she felt better but there were no signs to back this up.  We decided to give it to her again that night.  Well, this morning she woke up and the stuffiness is gone!  She is still sneezing but at least we know the yuckiness is coming out!!  She is eating again and saying that she feels much better!  She said the red medicine helps her feel better!!

Thanks Smiley360 for including me in this mission!!  It was great to have that medicine readily available for my daughter when she needed it!

I received a FREE sample of Children's Mucinex from Smiley360 for me to try and share my opinion with others.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.

Another shopping trip??? Yes, please!!!

I must admit, I have become quite fond of shopping!!  Believe it or not, I didn't like to shop a few years ago.  As a matter of fact, I hated it!  I hated shopping for myself because I have such an odd shape and there is only so much shopping that you can do for your house.  That has all changed!!

If you don't know anything about Crowdtap, let me fill you in.  Crowdtap is an amazing company that often lets followers try products for free!  Yes, I said FREE!  They want your honest opinion about products and they often have lots of question for you when you login to their website.  The series of questions are referred to as Quickhits.  Then you can apply for different testing opportunities, party opportunities and other tasks.  You earn points for everything that you do with Crowdtap and you can redeem those points for giftcards and other rewards.  You are pretty much getting rewarded for them giving you things.  It's a win-win situation for you!  All it takes is a little of your time and an honest opinion.

So, Crowdtap and the Old Navy Style Council offered me another shopping opportunity.  This time they sent me out with a friend to shop for their Women's Best Tees.  I scheduled a trip out with my friend Becca and met her at Starbucks for coffee prior to our shopping trip.  When we entered Old Navy, the tees were right there.  My first thought was oh my goodness, they are so soft!!  The colors were amazing and they had different styles for different body types which I absolutely love because I have to get v-neck shirts.  Becca and I had such a hard time deciding which shirts to get.  We both were immediately drawn to the dark gray shirts but that's as far as our similarities went.  Becca ended up getting the dark gray v-neck and a green v-neck.  I picked up the dark gray v-neck and the orange v-neck.

Becca was amazed at how nice the shirts were and also by the other deals we found while shopping at Old Navy!  I am a huge Old Navy fan and love that their clothes are such good quality.  Just to let you know how well their clothes hold up...I have been married for over 8 years.  I have 2 pairs of Old Navy jeans that I have had since before I got married!!  They still fit and are still in good shape!

I want to thank Crowdtap and Old Navy Style Council for giving Becca and I the opportunity to try the women's best tees for free!  It was a great experience and we absolutely love the clothes!!

I received 2 coupons for 2 free Women's Best Tees for myself and a friend.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.

Thanks Old Navy and Crowdtap for giving me a new excuse to go shopping :)

First, let me just say that my posting is a little delayed because I have had a ton of things going on besides the holidays!  Two of my friends had babies within a week of each other!  Both were by c-section and one was 3 hours away so I have been a busy bee trying to be there for my friends.  Also, the holidays brought about travel so I haven't had a free moment to myself in weeks!

Anywho, once again Crowdtap gave me a wonderful opportunity to take one of my friends out shopping for new clothes!  This time Old Navy and Crowdtap gave me 2 coupons for FREE Old Navy dresses!!!  Yes, you read that right...FREE dresses.  Have I mentioned lately how much I love the Old Navy Style Council with Crowdtap???  They have been so generous and this is the 4th item that I have received since I joined on to the style council!

SO, I planned a day with a friend (without the kids of course) for some much needed girl time!  My friend and I will be going on a cruise in January so getting new dresses came at the perfect time!  First we went out to lunch and then went off on our shopping adventure.  After entering Old Navy, we immediately started looking for the newest dresses, which weren't hard to find because the mannequins were dressed to impress at the front door.  Chelsea and I browsed through the dresses at the front, grabbing two or three, then headed to the women's department to find more options.  By the time we made it to the dressing room, I had 3-4 dresses, some t-shirts, shorts and a scarf!

The first dress that I tried on was the cap sleeved wrap dress in red.  I will admit that I didn't have good luck with this dress.  I am a little more top heavy and I had a hard time getting this one on just right.  On to the next one :)  This time I tried on the v-neck sweater dress in lime green and gray.  I immediately fell in love with this dress!  I really was trying to talk myself out of this dress because I just recently bought a black and gray sweater dress.  The size that I had gotten for the sweater dress was a little big so I used that as an excuse to pass and try on the last dress.  The final one that I attempted (the first dressing room trip that is) was the belted cap-sleeve knit dress in purple.  Chelsea really liked the way this color looked on me but once again the fact that I am a top heavy made this one difficult to pull off.  Usually I have to wear something with a v-neck or a slinky type neck, otherwise it doesn't look right.

I then decided to try on a few more versions of these dresses and a different size in the sweater dress.  My second trip to the dressing room ended in me making my decision!  I purchased the v-neck sweater dress in lime green and gray!!!  I love this dress!  It's so comfortable and form fitting!  It looks good with leggings or by itself.  I can't wait to wear it on a night out with the hubby!!!

Chelsea tried on the same dresses that I did except for the wrap dress (they didn't have it in her size).  She eventually decided on the v-neck sweater dress in black and white.  It looked great on her!!  She says she will wear hers with leggings and flats while I think I will wear mine alone with knee high boots :)

Chelsea and I both had such a great time shopping at Old Navy for these new dresses!!  Even though the store was extremely busy (waiting line at the dressing room), everyone was super friendly and tried to accommodate everyone.  The only complaint that I had during this specific trip was that I wished they would have had more dresses available.  There are quite a few online that I would have loved to try on!!  Either way, I think I ended up with a great dress and can't wait to wear it!!  Don't worry, when I do, I will post pictures!!!

I received 2 free dress coupons from Crowdtap and Old Navy.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.

Finally received my first Cravebox!

I recently signed up with Cravebox, a company that sends out the best new products to members to try out for themselves.  I have a few friends that had received boxes from Cravebox and they posted pictures of the items that they received which peaked my interest.  SO, I signed up to be a member.  The first box that I was offered was the Back to School box.  My son recently started kindergarten so I was super excited to see what was included.  

When I received my box, I couldn't wait to open it!  Here's what I found...

BIC® ATLANTIS BALL PEN  

• Try BIC® ATLANTIS Ball Pen for super smooth writing with a contoured grip. Try all 4 bright ink colors: light blue, pink, purple and lime green that retract in one click!

BIC® ATLANTIS MECHANICAL PENCIL  

• Try BIC® ATLANTIS Mechanical Pencil in fashionable bright colors with cushioned tips for less breakage.

FRUIT OF THE EARTH ALOE GEL  

• Made with the most concentrated amount of fresh Aloe Vera leaves on the market, this cooling gel forms a protective barrier that helps retain moisture and promote healing.

HALO ORAL ANTISEPTIC  

• Halo is the first-ever, FDA-monographed oral antiseptic that has been clinically proven to provide up to 6 hours of protection and scientifically proven to kill 99.9% of infectious germs. And, just in time for back-to-school, Halo is the hottest new product that every mom will want to help protect themselves and their families from airborne germs.

YUMMI BEARS® 

• From Hero Nutritionals®, the original, #1 nutritionist-recommended Gummy vitamin. Supports your child's healthy brain and eye development. Allergen-, gluten- and dairy free.

KLEENEX SLIM PACK 

• Thin and sleek, so you can always keep a tissue on hand. Their trendy design makes it the perfect accessory for hip kids, while their convenient size makes it easy to slide them into pockets, back packs and bags.

LUNCHABLES™ with SMOOTHIE from OSCAR MAYER (a coupon for a free one)

• Introducing 3 Lunchables™ combinations that include a delicious Chiquita® Strawberry Banana Fruit Smoothie. Real fruit. Real fun.

LITTLE PIM® EARLY LEARNING LANGUAGE PROGRAM  

• The #1 early language learning system, featuring the award-winning Entertainment Immersion Method™ - Give your child the gift of language at the age they learn best!

These descriptions and list was pulled from the Cravebox website.

At this point I have tried the pens, pencils, aloe gel, gummy bears and the lunchables (well my kids tried them!).  The pens write so smoothly!  I love them and I love the fact that it's not your "normal" colors.  Ever since high school I would much rather write with bright colors than blue or black...I guess that's the girl in me :).  

The pencils were great!  I always choose mechanical pencils instead of regular pencils (when pencils are needed) so I was happy to see those included in the box.  I have a house full of regular pencils since my son is in Kindergarten so these pencils will be just for me. 

The Aloe I have only used once.  My daughter woke up a week or so ago with these weird bumps on her arm.  I tried using lotion, assuming it was just dry skin and it didn't do anything.  So, when this Cravebox came in I decided to try the Aloe.  Unfortunately it didn't work but I loved how smoothly it went on her skin and that it is all natural!

The Yummi bears have been my children's favorite.  They love anything that's a gummy and since it's a "vitamin" they think the more the better :).  The only thing that I am a little hesitant about is that I am unsure about how great DHA/Omega-3 is for children.  Are the claims really true???

Lastly, the Lunchables coupon was gone before I knew it.  We had some grocery shopping to do and they kids are always begging for the quick meals.  When we passed the Lunchables, that was all she wrote.  Luckily I had the free coupon!  Since my family doesn't eat meat, the choices were slim to none but my daughter decided on the cheese pizza one.  My daughter is only 3 so I was thinking that the meal would be a little much for her.  Boy was I wrong.  She ate the entire thing...Oreos and all!!!  There were no complaints coming from her!

I am so excited that I found the Cravebox program and can't wait for my next box!!!  I have also been joining their Twitter parties (as you probably noticed in a previous post) and they are so much fun!  If you love trying new products you should check out Cravebox!  There is a small fee when you sign up for a box, it's anywhere between $10-$15 per box but the membership is completely free.  You do not have to request/pay for a box to be a member, but you do have to pay for the box to get to try the awesome goodies!!  

All opinions are my own and no compensation has been received.

Can you smell the sweet smelling air freshener???

I am not one that typically buys air freshener.  I have always felt like there are other ways to maintain a decent smelling living area.  That doesn't mean that I do not use air fresheners.  I will use them but I have to practically get them for free before I use them.  When we moved into our current home, the landlord had left a can of air freshener by Febreze that smelled so good.  I think it was cotton or fresh laundry or something to that extent.  I always told myself that when I went to the store that I would buy more of that air freshener but I never have.

I received an email from BzzAgent offering me a chance to try the new Glade Expressions air fresheners and I was super excited.  Not only was I able to try the air fresheners for FREE, I was also given the opportunity to find one that smelled similar to the one that we had.  When I received my coupon for the free air freshener from BzzAgent, I went to Walmart on the hunt for the perfect smelling one.  After smelling so many different scents that I felt sick, I decided on the Cotton and Italian Mandarin.  I felt like it had a nice clean and soft scent and that it would flow well with our decor.

I have now been using the air freshener for over 2 weeks and I love it.  I always use it after I have cleaned a room to kind of "top it off."  The only thing that may be difficult to deal with is that the mist is a little strong immediately after you spray it.  I usually have to leave the room after spraying the mist or I will end up coughing.

Overall, I highly recommend this air freshener.  I will have to try the other scents that are available but I will admit that it's going to be difficult to buy something other than the Cotton and Italian Mandarin!!

I received two coupons for FREE products from BzzAgent.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.

Just won a prize from a Twitter party!!!

I can't believe that I actually won something!  I've been to a few Twitter parties but never seem to be one of the "lucky ones" so I wasn't expecting anything this time either.  Well, I won!  I am supposed to be receiving a Soleil Bella from BIC Basket!!  The Twitter party was for a company called Cravebox.  They ship new products to your door for a low subscription rate of anywhere from $10-$15 a box.  I haven't received my first box yet but should be getting one soon and I am super excited!  I have read that the products included in the boxes are pretty nice.  I will definitely post updates when I received my box so that everyone can see what Cravebox is all about :)

Homemade Sugar Cookies = YUM!!

After church today, my kids and I took off to the park for a picnic.  The initial plan was to eat our lunch and then play at the park for a while.  Well, after we finished lunch, my daughter started complaining of her knee hurting.  It was so bad that she didn't want to walk.  So, we packed up and headed home so she could rest.  To coax my son into the truck, I promised that we could make a treat when we got home.  I was thinking that I had all the ingredients to made these peanut butter cookie type things with cornflakes but when I got home, I realized that I had no cornflakes :(

As any mom knows, when you promise something, it HAS to be done!  I begin scrambling for some kind of treat that my son and I could make together when I found a recipe for lemon cookies and a recipe for sugar cookies.  I was honestly hoping that he would choose the lemon cookies but he chose the sugar cookies (as probably any child would).  So, we get to work.  Not really paying attention to the recipe, which called for 2 3/4 cups of flour, I realized that we ended up with a TON of cookie dough!  I now have sugar cookies baked and ready to eat as well as sugar cookie dough in the freezer for a rainy day :)

The cookies turned out really well though and I am not really a huge sugar cookie fan.  I feel like they aren't as sweet as the typical sugar cookie which is good and bad because I've already had 3!  For those who would like to try it, here's the recipe....

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix everything together (I used my hand to get the dough just right) and bake at 375 for 8-11 minutes or until golden brown.

I am not sure where this recipe came from.  My friend gave it to me a few months ago and it's the first time that I've tried it.  If you find out where this recipe originated, let me know so I can give them credit :)  Hope you enjoy as much as we did!  I wish I could post a picture of mine but my camera is broken.  Hopefully we will have our camera back soon!

Would you like to unjunk your candy???

Yes, please!!!

Over the past couple of years my family and I have been cutting out a lot of the foods that are overly processed and that contain "harmful" additives.  We've started buying organic things when we can and we read labels ALL the time.  So, I was so excited when BzzAgent sent me a coupon for a FREE package of Unreal candy.  I really didn't know what to expect at first but I was hoping for the best.

Just a little information about Unreal...here's their mantra:

“Unjunk™!”  Corn syrup?  Out.  Partially hydrogenated oils?  Out.  GMOs?  Out.  Artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives?  Out. Reduced sugar by over 40% per serving on average?  Check.

Sounds perfect to me!  I decided to purchase the Unreal version of M&M's since I knew I would be sharing with my children and they absolutely love M&M's.  Before I gave my son a chance to try them, I snuck a few for myself.  Initially I expected them to taste just like M&M's which I think caught me off guard.  After the first couple of pieces, I was hooked.  The candy tastes so natural, the peanuts were great and best of all, they are not horrible for you like almost every other candy out there.  The chocolate was smooth and you can really taste the cocoa.  I truly could have finished the entire package by myself.

Next came the true taste test.  My 5 year old son was the lucky one to try them since my 3 year old was napping (she totally missed out).  My 5 year old is very inquisitive and immediately started asking, "What is this?"  I told him to just try it and see what he thought.  Next thing I know, he says, "Mom, they're all gone!"  He ate the rest of the pack in just a few minutes.  I guess that means that he liked it???  Of course he did and that made me so happy!  I no longer have to feel bad about giving them candy.  Anytime they get candy, I immediately put it up until they forget about it and then I toss it.  I purchased some organic suckers for them and they get those periodically but sometimes I do feel bad about not allowing them any other candy.  Now they actually have options and I can say, you know what, sure you can have that chocolate.  Now don't get me wrong, it's not going to be a staple in the house or anything but when I get the questions at the checkout counter, I can now give it a second thought!


Thanks to BzzAgent for allowing me the opportunity to try Unreal candy and sending me a coupon for a free package.  All opinions about the product are my own and no other compensation has been received.

Dailybreak

I have found my new escape!!  Thanks to Smiley360, I was given the opportunity to try out Dailybreak and now I am hooked!  I love getting on the website and answering some trivia questions just to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.  AND best of all, you get chances to win prizes through some of the games!  I know, it's crazy!  They reward you for playing games.  It doesn't get much better than that!  I must warn you though, it is addicting.  So, if you have no free time in your day already, then you should stay away :)

Dailybreak: I tried Dailybreak.com through Smiley360! You can join the fun and win rewards at http://bit.ly/O3cxhb #Dailybreakmission

Iced Coffee Anyone???

I am a HUGE fan of iced coffee!!  Iced Mocha, Frappe, Frappicino, Iced Coffee...whatever, I will drink it!  Even in the winter you will see me ordering iced coffee something from somewhere!  I have a  Keurig and I love it but I still would stop at Starbucks or McDonalds for my iced coffees.  I just felt like I could never get mine to taste "just right."  That was until BzzAgent offered to send me a FREE sample to test and review of the new Brew Over Ice K-cups!  I am totally sold!  I brewed the second to the smallest size over ice in my handy tumbler and added a little creamer and sugar and viola!  The coffee was so close to what I would buy at McDonalds that I am sold.

After I decided that I wouldn't have to buy iced coffee anymore, it was time to convert my husband.  He tends to get "stuck" on a certain kind of coffee and that was how he has been about a regular vanilla k-cup.  Every morning he would come into the kitchen and expect his vanilla coffee to be in his insulated cup ready to go.  A few mornings ago, I decided to convert him!  I made a Brew Over Ice K-cup for him sweetened with Irish Sweet Cream creamer.  He sits down for breakfast and immediately says, "What is this???"  I just replied, "Taste it."  He took one sip and said, "This tastes just like the iced coffee that I get at McDonalds!"  SWEET!!  He's sold too!

Needless to say, we will definitely be buying more Brew Over Ice K-cups!  I love them and will truly love them even more when I don't have to spend $4 a cup for an iced specialty drink at Starbucks or McDonalds!

I received sample packs of Brew Over Ice K-Cups from BzzAgent in exchange for my review.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received. 

My clothes are HAPPY!!!

Thanks to Smiley360, I was sent a FREE bag of Arm & Hammer Power Packs to review and boy are my clothes happy!  It's really hard for me to switch detergent because I have found a few that work well and that my skin can tolerate so I don't like to change.  I will admit that when I received the power packs that I was so tempted to just use them on my husbands clothes and test them that way but I gave in.  My clothes come clean so easily now and being able to toss and go is amazing!  I was using a homemade powder detergent and I was really starting to dislike it.  I felt like my clothes weren't getting clean and the smell was not desirable (and I wasn't going to buy scented oils to fix that).  I am so glad that I didn't buy the oils because I am totally sold.  Arm & Hammer just earned a new customer because I will be buying the Crystal Burst Power Packs from now on!


I received a FREE package of Arm & Hammer Crystal Burst Power Packs from Smiley360 in exchange for my review.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.

Does your hair need moisture??

If so, you need to try Garnier Triple Moisture shampoo and conditioner!  I was offered the opportunity to try these through BzzAgent and of course I jumped on the offer!  They sent me a full size bottle of each for me to try and review.  After the first time of washing my hair with the products, I could immediately feel a difference!  My hair was so much softer than normal.  My hair is usually combination (oily at the roots and dry at the ends) and it's hard to find a product that works because it either makes it more oiler or dries it out more.  When I received these, I decided to use the shampoo on all of my hair and use the conditioner on just the ends.  I really think it's making a difference on the ends of my hair.  They feel so soft!  Of course I can't tell how the split ends are doing but I can definitely feel a difference!  I am tempted now to try these on my daughter's hair because her hair is SO dry!  I guess we will see....but in the meantime, if you have dry hair, you should definitely try it!  I think they are great products!!


I received a bottle of shampoo and conditioner in exchange for my review and to spread word about these products.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been received.