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.