Andersons Angels

Lucky Clover Event

2012-03-17T00:28:00.000-04:00

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!!!

To the Saint Patrick's Lucky Clover Event! Proudly hosted by Joy Of Momma Joyner and Myself! We are super excited to have put together this fun blog hop with a total of 30 bloggers! There is a great prize package valued at $25 or more on each blog! You'll definitely want to hop on over to each clover on the blogs to enter!

This event is going to be open from 12:01am EST Saturday, March 17, 2012 through 11:59pm EST Friday, March 23, 2012. So don't delay, start entering now! Otherwise another lucky lad may steal the prize! :)

ALSO... You will want to make sure you don't miss the CASH GIVEAWAY valued at $75 that is only located on this Blog and Joy Of Momma Joyner's Blog! EASY to enter on a Rafflecopter form! But you only need to enter on one of the blogs for the Cash Giveaway!

So I am very excited to be bringing you a very cool prize pack!

Sponsors:

SOUNDplusSLEEP

Bitsy Blocks

Ava's Tutu Cute Boutique

Monogram Mania

Retail Total: $169.95

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Lucky Clover Sponsor Spotlight: Bitsy Blocks

2012-03-16T22:39:00.001-04:00

Do you love to decorate for all the different seasons and holidays? I do I love having something up in the house for each season and holiday. With that being said let me introduce you to Bitsy Blocks. Bitsy Blocks are created by the talented Amanda; who loves having an idea and running with it. She is a very creative and crafty person and it shows in her work.

I received a very cute St Patrick's themed set of blocks to review. I must say that I love these blocks!! They are so darn cute! I love the time and detail that Amanda put into them you can tell she made them as if they were for herself. I like that she made each side different on the blocks so I can still use them even when its not March.

I have seen these blocks made by several other people but have never seen such cute ones like Amanda makes. I would love to have a set of these for each of my children made with there favorite colors and themes. Bitsy Blocks would make a great baby shower gift, housewarming, holiday or a just because gift. Amanda is a very talented lady who does great work!! Make sure you stop by her Etsy page and see of the wonderful sets of blocks she can make for you.

I had to show you this set of Bitsy Blocks because they are so cute!! It also shows you the detail and creative of Amanda...

How would you like to win a set of Bitsy Blocks like my "Lucky" set?

Then come back Saturday 3/17 to grab some luck and enter for a set of these awesome Blocks in my "Lucky Clover Giveaway"!!!Retail: $12.50

Lucky Clover Sponsor Spotlight: SOUNDplusSLEEP

2012-03-15T22:12:00.001-04:00

So a good night sleep what is that again?? I can't remember what that is or when the last time was I had one. With Sweet Pea still nursing she still sleeps in our room and feels the need to wake up several times during the night to get a quick snack and then back to sleep she goes. This momma needs some sleep and so does dad. Well with that said I started getting curious about the SOUNDplusSLEEP machine I had seen featured on some other blogs. Sweet Pea sleeps well when were in the car and there is music playing and I sleep well when its raining outside.

How to describe this machine to you? Well as my husband says this machine is awesome and he wouldn't get rid of it for nothing!! Since getting the SOUNDplusSLEEP machine not only is Sweet Pea sleeping better through the night so is this momma and dad. She still wakes up a few times but what went from every hour is now maybe one or two times throughout the night. We take this with us on any trips we go on now. It helps drown out noises and creates a calm and relaxing setting.

I love all the different sound settings that you can choose from on the SOUNDplusSLEEP machine. Jake and I both have our favorites so we take turns each night on which one we will put on. But I have noticed that I will turn on one setting when I go to bed and when I wake up it's on a different one because he changed it when he came to bed. Ugh sometimes he knows how to bug me. lol

One feature that we like is the adaptive button that you can turn on so the sounds will get louder to drown out any noise in the room which is nice for when your in a hotel and the room above you decides to have a dance party or something.

How would you like to own a SOUNDplusSLEEP machine for yourself or to give to someone you know who is in need of a goodnight sleep? You can purchase a SOUNDplusSLEEP machine directly from there webiste for $129.95.

Then come back Saturday 3/17 to grab some luck and enter for this awesome machine in my "Lucky Clover Giveaway"!!!

Newmans Own Organics Review & Giveaway

2012-03-15T16:37:00.000-04:00

One thing that my family loves is yummy snacks!! But lately we have been trying to do more natural and organic things with everything we eat. So trying to find good tasting snacks is one mission i've been on lately. I was happy when I came across Newman's Own Organics because I was familiar with the Newman's Own brand. Our family had the pleasure of trying out some delicious organic foods from Newman’s Own Organics and when I say yummyay I really mean it! In fact when they create their products that is exactly what they keet in mind – “Great tasting food that happens to be organic.”

Newman’s Own Organics was established as a division of Newman’s Own in 1993 and later became a separate company in late 2001. Newman’s Own Organics are certified organic by Oregon Tilth which means they have been grown on farms that have not used artificial fertilizers or pesticides for three years or more. That way you know that you are truly getting Organic products.

There were so many yummy and tasty treats in the big box that arrived; that we are still working our way through it. They have just about everything from Pretzels, Chocolate Bars, Fig Newman’s, Champion Chip Cookies, Chocolate Cups, Newman-O’s, Pop’s Corn, Alphabet Cookies, Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar, Dried Fruit, Soy Crisps, Licorice, Mints, Coffee, and Royal Tea plus more! You can find all of this plus much more at Newman’s Own Organics. I can also promise you that when you are munching on Newman’s Own Organics product you will completely forget that they are actually an organic food; because they taste just like your normal non-organic snacks.

My families favorite was the Newman-O's cookies and the chocolate chip cookies. They are just like Oreos but the Organic version and oh so yummy! It’s also nice to know that these cookies don’t have any cholesterol or trans fatty acids because they are made with organic palm fruit oil.

How would you like to try some of Newmans Own delicious yummys?? Well you can purchase them at your local store such as Wal-Mart or Giant Eagle. How would you like to win some of their yummy treats? Well then I have a surprise for you I am giving away some of these awesome goodies!!

Up For Grabs is our favorite 4:

1: Chocolate Peanut Butter Newman-O's

2: Newmans Raisins

3: Newmans Fig Cookies

4: Newmans Pretzel Twists

This giveaway is Open to the US Only!

Please use the simple form below to enter!!

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Spring Mix Up KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway

2012-03-13T20:26:00.000-04:00

It's HERE! The Spring Mix Up KitchenAid giveaway is open for entries!

Mama Chocolate has teamed up with a group of great bloggers to bring you this awesome giveaway! The KitchenAid Mixer is a workhorse that just about everyone wants in their kitchen! Use the super easy Rafflecopter form below to enter. Remember to come back every day for the daily tweet entry option to increase your odds of having this beauty delivered to your door!

Important Giveaway Details:

- This giveaway is open to US and Canada. Canadian residents will be given a $300 amazon.ca gift card in place of the actual mixer. - Winner chooses style and color, up to $300 value. If the winner prefers a more expensive style/color, they can choose to be given a $300 Amazon gift code to put towards the mixer of their choice. - Giveaway ends Wednesday, March 28th at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be randomly chosen and notified by email and must reply within 48 hours to claim prize, after which prize is forfeited and a new winner will be drawn. - This giveaway is entirely sponsored by Mama Chocolate and the participating bloggers. - KitchenAid and Facebook are in no way associated with this giveaway. - Please email info@mamachocolateblog.com for any questions concerning this giveaway or problems with entries.

GOOD LUCK!

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Baby Milano Review & Giveaway

2012-03-05T10:59:00.000-05:00

I am always looking for cute clothes for Sweet Pea. I love to dress her up and make her look cute but what mom doesn't right? Well while looking around for cute clothes online I came across Baby Milano on a fellow blogger's blog and loved what I saw! So of course I contacted them and was super excited to get a yes on the chance to work with them.

I had a hard time choosing what I wanted to review because all of their stuff is so cute!! I finally decided to get the Toile Kimono Onesie in Black & White. When I got the kimono I was so happy with it. It was so much prettier in person then the picture. I actually used this outfit in Sweet Pea's first birthday photo shoot and my favorite from the whole session was one with her in this Kimono.

Don't you just love this picture? I sure do!! I also love how well this outfit fits Sweet Pea and how soft it is. The material is not rough or scratchy on her soft skin. The seams were nicely done so there was no lose strings on this outfit. I like that there is a snap inside to help keep the kimono snug fitting since it does wrap. The inside snap helps keep the kimono from coming undone and bunching the inside material which would be uncomfortable on a little ones skin.

Baby Milano offers a wide variety of stylish baby items that would make greats gifts! Make sure you stop by there website and check out all their cute items!! How would you like to win this Kimono for your little one? This would be a great outfit for a boy or girl!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lucky Clover St Patty's Event - Blogger Sign-Ups

2012-02-29T23:59:00.000-05:00

Announcing...

Trista from Andersons Angels & Courtney from Joy Of Momma Joyner are excited to host a FUN blog hop event called Lucky Clover St Patrick's Event! It will run from 12:01am EST Saturday March 17, 2012 through 11:59pm EST Friday March 23, 2012. It's super easy to join in on the fun!

Rules to Participate:

You must get at least a $25 prize/package together to be given away during the event. It can be ANYTHING! (Ideas: All Green Things, "Green" Living, St Patrick's Day, Lucky Items, Spring Fun, etc.)

You must display the event button in your sidebar from now until the event ends

Participation is completely FREE! All you have to do is make sure the button is on your blog side bar, and write a post encouraging other bloggers to join in the fun! Put the link to the blog post in the form.

If you would like to participate in a GRAND PRIZE CASH GIVEAWAY, you can send $5 (gift) to tristaeanderson05@gmail.com via PayPal. This will get you TWO social media entry options! (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Email, GFC, Pinterest, Klout, etc.) The GRAND PRIZE CASH value will be determined when we know how many people are going to participate in that part of the giveaway. The GRAND PRIZE CASH GIVEAWAY will be hosted on Anderson's Angels and Joy Of Momma Joyner. We ask that you refer your readers to either of those two sites to enter the CASH GIVEAWAY!

If you have any questions feel free to email Trista at andersonsangels2010@gmail.com or Courtney at joyofmommajoyner@gmail.com

You will definitely want to join us in this FUN Event! But you've got to HURRY! Sign-ups will end as soon as there are 75 blogs participating OR by March 10, 2012! Your spot on the Linky will be determined by how soon you fill out the form. We are so excited to spread the LUCK together! Don't forget, once you have your blog post up, fill out THIS FORM and put the link to your post in that form.

*Feel free to use the information in this blog post in your own posts about this event!*

Baconery Review & Giveaway

2012-02-23T23:27:00.000-05:00

One thing that my family loves is bacon. We usually go through a pack anytime we cook some and we usually still don't have enough. I was very intrigued when I came across the Baconery. I mean the idea of using bacon in your everyday favorite goodies just made me very curious and I had to try them.

Needless to say when a box of goodies showed up at my door from Baconery I was excited!! I instantly opened the box to see what all goodies I received. I also sent Jake a picture of all the goodies and got yelled at that I was trying to sabatogize his diet. Which lately seems like I have been getting goodies all the time.

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by how good all the goodies were! I received the Chocolate Covered Bacon, Bacon Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods, Bacon Marshmallow Bar, Bacon Brownie, Chocolate Peanut Butter Bacon Cookie and Chocolate Bacon Cookie.

My husband loved the chocolate covered bacon and was telling all his buddies about it and sure if enough they were all getting online to check out Baconery's website. I really enjoyed the Chocolate Bacon Pretzel Rods and the boys enjoyed the cookies!!

How would you like to try some of the Baconery's wonderful goodies?? Well hop on over to their website and order some today!! These would make great things to put in Easter Baskets....

-OR

You can enter to win an order of the Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods!!

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SpermCheck Fertility Review & Giveaway

2012-02-18T17:36:00.003-05:00

Are you considering starting your family soon or possibly adding a new addition to your family? Have you had problems trying conceive in the past or are struggling to conceive right now? When we started our family we weren't really trying to start Bubba was a oops. Then when he was 2 we decided we wanted another little one it took us 4 months of trying to get Pumpkin. Then when Pumpkin turned 2 we decided we wanted to start trying again and it took us a year to get pregnant with Sweet Pea. I have wondered many times if I was the cause of the delays in conceiving or was it maybe my husband's sperm just weren't a high count?

Well with that said I'd like to introduce you to a new product out to help couples with their conceiving problems. SpermCheck Fertility is a at home test that you can use to check your sperm count and see if it is in the Normal or Low range. I didn't think Jake would actually be willing to do this review when I first heard about it, but I asked him and he said sure he'd test it out. It is similar to a at home pregnancy test with easy to read results that over 98% Accurate.

Some food for thought on Fertility:

Each year 11 million couples will try to conceive, but only about 7 million of those couples will encounter fertility issues and the most common accepted myth is that the woman is mostly to blame. The fact is that about 50% of all infertility problems are directly attributed to the man, and most of them are mainly due to low sperm count. With that said many men are reluctant to get their sperm tested because up until now they had to go to their doctor and perform the test in the doctor's office or lab. Which sperm tests can be pricey, as well as embarrassing to men.

Why Use SpermCheck Fertility?

SpermCheck Fertility is FDA approved
SpermCheck Fertility is as accurate as lab testing - 98% accurate
SpermCheck Fertility is private and convenient - done in the privacy of your own home
SpermCheck Fertility is affordable - just $39.99
SpermCheck Fertility is fast and easy - provide easy to read results in 10 minutes

I know if I asked Jake to go to the doctor and have his sperm tested he would just laugh at me. Since we had problems with conceiving Pumpkin and Sweet Pea Jake was all for trying the SpermCheck Fertility to see if he was the problem or if I was right and it was me. Well our results are in and.... His Sperm Count levels are Normal so I was right it is me. So since we have decided that we are ready to try and start trying for our final little Anderson we know that any problems we run into conceiving is not from Jake.

SpermCheck Fertility is currently available at Walgreens and CVS online stores only for $39.99. BUT will be available in Walgreens stores in April 2012.

Are you trying to conceive or thinking about it? How would you like to try SpermCheck Fertility for Free? Well here is your opportunity I will be giving away a SpermCheck Fertility away to one of my awesome followers!!

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My Memories Review & Giveaway

2012-02-16T18:17:00.000-05:00

I was recently contacted by My Memories about doing a giveaway and review of their digital scrapbooking software, I jumped at the opportunity! I had heard good things about it from other bloggers and wanted to check it out. I was also excited about being able to give the software away to one of my awesome follower's! I have been wanting to start scrapbooking but didn't seem to have the time so I was hoping this program would make it fast and fun.

Guess what it did!!

I was also curious to see whether the My Memories Suite would be easy to work with. I have tried other programs that seemed to take forever to learn how to use. So I was not looking forward to having to spend a lot of time learning how to use the program. Much to my surprise, I was able to do up a sample page within minutes of downloading the software.

Take a peek at what I made!

Look how easy the program is to use!

To receive $10 off this software use the code: STMMS87810

-just copy and paste the code so you dont get any typos...

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Valentine's Day 2012

2012-02-16T11:38:00.000-05:00

My Valentine's Day Weekend 2012

For several weeks I hinted that I wanted Chocolate Covered Strawberries this year for Valentine's Day. I know it doesn't take much to please me... Well I got them 2 pounds of them :-) yepp I was a very happy girl... I also got a beautiful blue topaz necklace and earring set. I am one lucky girl not only do I have a hubby that thinks the world of me but three great kids as well.

I didn't buy my hubby anything for Valentine's Day instead I made him his favorite meal Beef Tips over Noodles with Garlic Bread. Then the kids and I surprised him with a DQ ice cream cake.

Not only did we celebrate Valentine's Day but also Sweet Pea's first birthday!! She turned 1 on the 10th... I can not believe a year has passed since I brought that beautiful little girl into this world... She has been a real blessing to our family and we just love her to pieces!!

I hope you all had a blessed and wonderful Valentine's too!!!

FWFF: Buffalo Chicken Dip

2012-02-13T21:33:00.001-05:00

I must say that I am sorry that this is going up so late!! I have had a super busy weekend with Sweet Pea's 1st Birthday and we had her picture this morning as well!! Well one thing that I typically do at parties I throw is make way to much food!! But I am getting better at this now I have my mom and mother in law bring stuff with them... For Sweet Pea's party the only food that I made was this Buffalo Chicken Dip. I must say I do not have any photos of it though due to being so busy with getting the party ready at the same time as cooking it I didn't think to grab my camera and take pictures... Sorry... But the dip was a HUGE Success at the party and I received a lot of compliments on it as well!!

Recipe Submitted by: Debbie M. from Boyzrule

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:

2 (10 oz) cans of chunk chicken, drained

2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese softened

1 C. Ranch dressing

3/4 C. pepper sauce, such as Franks Red Hot (I used a cup of Franks Red Hot b/c my family likes Hot Stuff)

1 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Heat the chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook and stir until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese and transfer to a slow cooker. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks, crackers, tortilla chips or bread.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and try it out soon makes a great dish for a party or any get together... Make sure you also check out the other Fun With Food Friday posts for this past week at Mama Chocolates Blog and Staying Me!

All For Love Event

2012-02-07T20:34:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the ALL FOR LOVE EVENT hosted by Real Mom Reviews and Mama Chocolate! This event features 50+ blogs each with $25 or more in prizes in each package. I have two packages up for grabs one for the adults and one for the kids!! Be sure to go through the linky below and enter for your chance to win! This event will close on February 7th at Midnight EST. Good Luck!

Adult Package is "Romancing The Night"

Sponsors:

Pure Romance by Amanda

Corckcicle

Prize Value - $49.95

Kids Package is "Lovie Dovie"

Sponsors:

Earth Grown Crayons

Andersons Angels

Prize Value - $25.00

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All4Love Sponsor Spotlight: Corkcicle

2012-02-06T20:27:00.002-05:00

One thing that my hubby and I enjoy doing on occasions is enjoying a nice bottle of wine. We are very lucky to also have several great local wineries around us too. One thing that always bothered me with the wine was one we opened it there was no easy way to keep it at a nice temperature. If we put it in a ice bucket it would get way to cold and if we left it just sit out it would get warm and we wouldn't want to drink it.

Well thanks to Corkcicle too cold or warm wine is no longer a problem in our house! This is one of the best thought up ideas I have seen in a long time! The corkcicle looks like a large icicle that is placed in your wine to keep it at the perfect temperature.

My husband have fallen in love with this product and also shared it with my in-laws who are also big fans of wine. This is a must have item if you like to drink wine. It also would make a great wedding or anniversary gift!! This would be great to take with you in the summer if you would want to surprise your honey with a romantic picnic or even just a romantic dinner.

Make sure you stop by their website and order yours today!! This is a must have for any wine lover...

All4Love Sponsor Spotlight: Earth Grown Crayons

2012-02-06T20:00:00.000-05:00

Do your kids love to color? Bubba and Pumpkin do and we also like to have coloring contest in our house. I found that doing the coloring contest is a great way to spend family time and the kids love it!! I was happy to finally find some natural crayons. Let me introduce you to Earth Grown Crayons...

Earth Grown Crayons are handmade, biodegradable and Eco friendly soy crayons shaped in designs that celebrate this earth's wonderful treasures. These natural nontoxic soy wax crayons have a frosty matte appearance to them that goes away when held in a warm hand.

Soy crayons glide on smoothly creating a creamy texture while you color. Leaving behind a beautiful picture. I know when I color I like bright beautiful colors not dull. That's what we got with these crayons bright beautiful colors. The only I disliked about these crayons is how small they were. I would like to see them be just a little bigger, I think that would make easier for smaller toddler hands to use.

(That is a Nintendo DS game to show the size of the crayons)

These crayons would make a great gift for a child's birthday or to put in a goodie basket. You know Easter is right around the corner these would make a great item to add to your kid's Easter Baskets. Stop by their website and check out all the different designs available, and pick some up today.

Avoiding April Showers Giveaway Event

2012-02-03T21:21:00.003-05:00

I am super excited to say that I now have the whole month of April booked with Event Giveaways!!! So there will be lots of great prize packages coming your way so keep your eyes peeled!!! Also if you are a fellow blogger i'd like you to pay attention to this post as well as my previous one!! This another great event looking for bloggers!!

Avoiding April Showers is a Giveaway Hop being hosted by Put A Little Umbrella In Your Drink, Seeds of Life and Taking Time for Mommy, & and the little ones too! It runs from April 16 – 30.

It is easy to join if you are a blogger! All you have to do is, either create a blog post telling other bloggers about this event OR pay a $5 administration fee to oldcityreds@aol.com as a gift. If you don't want to send it as a gift just add 50 cents. So there is NO FEE to sign up as long as you create a blog post about the event. Do not delete the blog post.

And last but not least: This event is limited to 150 blogs so enter as early as you can. Now go fill out the form and have fun!

ABE Sponsor Spotlight: Relish Meal Planning

2012-02-02T21:47:00.001-05:00

One thing that I have started to do lately is trying to plan my meals out more. I have noticed that when I do this it helps me save on my grocery bill. Which is always a plus because then I have a little extra to spend on getting special little goodies for the kids.

I had heard about several didn't meal planning sites while talking with friends online and decided to check a few of them out. One of the ones suggested to me was Relish! I like how they not only help me plan my meals weekly but also generate my shopping list for what I'll need.

How Does This Work Exactly you ask...

1. Go in and Pick the meals you'd like for the week.

2. Print off your shopping list.

3. Go shopping and buy what you need.

4. Cook up some awesome meals for you and your family!!

They also feature great articles, party/theme menus and tons of creative and realistic recipes. You are also able to add your own meals and recipes as well!!

What Kind of Recipes do they have??

Let's see in one word Delicious!! The recipes look awesome, are very easy to put together and pretty quick to make as well. On a plus note, there are kid-friendly options, vegetarian alternatives and low- calorie meal options as well!

How Easy Is The Shopping List to Use?

Once you have picked all your meals, the site will generate a shopping list for you. The best part is that the shopping list is put together according to most stores layouts. There is also a column with items that are commonly in most kitchens like spices and condiments.

Have you ever used Relish or do you use Relish? If so I'd love to hear your thoughts on it... If you have never tried Relish stop by their website and use the code ANGELS to receive 20% off the sign up fee!!

ABE Sponsor Spotlight: Skoy Cloth

2012-01-31T12:40:00.001-05:00

How many paper towels do you think is put into our landfills a year? What would you say if I told you that the answer is 2.5 million tons of paper towels. With that said I'd like to introduce you to Michelle and Karen, both are stay-at-home moms that had a desire to come up with a product that would not produce so much waste, and the SKOY cloth was invented. The SKOY cloth is 100% biodegradable, absorbent, re-usable, clean, and fun! SKOY cloths can be used instead of a sponge, wash cloth, or paper towels. One SKOY cloth is equal to 15 rolls of paper towels! Wow just think of the money you save as well by not buying all those paper towels and not only will you save money but trees as well. It is super quick drying which helps prevent bacteria from growing on it (unlike sponges that stay damp for days and are breading grounds for bacteria).

Our family has always been big paper towel users…sometimes we will go through a roll or more a day! I super excited to try the SKOY cloth to see if it could replace my paper towels. It has super absorbency power! After I wipe up the counter and all I do is rinse it out and then its ready to use again. When I’m done cleaning up the counter and dishes, I just lay it flat and it dries super quick. I love that I can throw it in the dishwasher once a week to keep it freshand it is also washer/dryer safe.

ABE Sponsor Spotlight: Natural House

2012-01-30T20:58:00.001-05:00

When you think of probiotics you think of yogurt and what you need to keep your insides healthy. But what about using probiotics for cleaning? Natural House probiotic cleaning products brings you a new way of cleaning the most dirty areas of your home! By utilizing non-toxic, probiotic cleaning agents, Natural House products are strong enough to be used for commercial clean-up, yet still safe and gentle enough to be used around all of the members of your Home.

As you know I have been trying to find ways to replace harsh chemical cleaners in my home, and the Natural House product line is perfect for just that.

First off let me talk to you about “Sinky.” I am not a fan of doing dishes, and while I work hard to keep my sink clean. Dishes seem to sit in our sink just a little too long sometimes, which makes things really start to stink up. Especially when it seems that no one knows how to rinse a dish other then me.

Placing one of the little Sinky packets down the drain really seems to make a difference whenever it seems like it's time to freshen-up. Sinky is especially useful for who have garbage disposals, because those can get pretty nasty quick. I love thinking about how there is little probiotic guys down there eating away at the stinky germs.

Next lets talk about “Trashy”. Trashy is for use on your garbage cans and diaper pails. Plastic containers seem to always develop nasty orders and breed germs, so by spraying Trashy into your garbage cans it will help keep all the germs away! I’ve been using this on our diaper pail mostly. I have noticed that the room is no longer contastly smelling like wet diapers since i've been using the Trashy on the pail.

The last Natural House product i'd like to tell you about is “Flushy” a toilet bowl, drain and septic cleaner all in one. It does an awesome job at cutting through stains and the hard water rings that the toliet gets. Though we don't have a septic tank it is nice to know that the probiotics will help keep our sewer lines cleaned.

You are able to purchase Natural House products directly from their website, or through Amazon. Each product is $4.99 for a 30-day supply, which I think is a great deal for natural, safe cleaning products!

ABE Sponsor Spotlight: Dree's Natural Cleaner

2012-01-30T14:01:00.001-05:00

As you have noticed I am getting into more Natural stuff including cleaning supplies. What if I told you I found a cleaner that you can use on your kitchen counters, hands and baby's bottom? You are probably thinking Trista you have fallen off your rocker and hit your head right...

Well I am happy to say that I have not fallen off my rocker or at least I don't remember doing it. But I am lacking sleep thanks to a weekend filled with sick children. Bubba woke up Thursday morning fevering and had a sore throat took him to the doctor to find he had strep. Pumpkin started coughing and complaining of his ears hurting took him to statcare last night and he has a Upper Repository Infection as well as an ear infection. So what am I doing to keep me, my husband and Sweet Pea from getting all these yucky germs?

I have been spraying down all my door knobs, light switches and anything else the boys touch a lot with Dree's Natural Cleaner. I have quickly fallen in love with this cleaner. I love how versatile it is. I can use it on Sweet Pea's bottom as a wipe solution but also use it as a disinfected on my door knobs. (It is cloth diaper safe!!)

More great ways you can use this cleaner:

In the car- clean cd's, seats, dashboards, windows, carpet, sunglasses, hands, laundry pre-treat on your clothes you dropped your togo order on!

Diaper bag- clean hands after a diaper change, spray on babies bottom for messy clean ups! Spray grocery carts before putting your baby in the seat.

In the kitchen- well outside of cleaning your entire kitchen, you can also use the cleaner to clean your fruits and veggies!

In the bathroom- well outside of cleaning your entire bathroom, you can also spray a little cleaner on tissue to use as a " wet wipe"!

If you are too tired to clean your face one evening, no prob, just spray a cotton ball with cleaner and clean away.

I mean with all the great ways you can use this cleaner why would you not want to stock up on it? I know that once mine is gone I will be ordering more from Dree! I love being able to de-germ my house and not worry that I am creating super bugs by constantly using anti-bacterial products with alcohol in them. Dree's cleaners are made with Purified water, natural soap, vitamin E, and your choice of any 100% pure oil blend. Make sure you stop by Dree's website and get some of this great cleaner today!!

ABE - Easy Peasy Lemon Squeazy Prize Package

2012-01-29T23:59:00.000-05:00

Guess what time it is...

Yep A Blogtastic Extravaganza!!

I had so much fun in August when I participated that I signed up to bring it to you all again!! I have a wonderful prize package lined up as well and my theme this time is "Easy Peasy Lemon Squeazy"... Each blog participating will have a prize package valued at $100 or more so you'll want to visit the other blogs as well and enter I know that I will be. There are a lot of great prizes up for grabs on all the blogs!!!

One of my sponsors has been gracious enough to give EVERYONE who enters my giveaway a FREE 1 Week Trial to their meal planning site!!!

So without further a~do Have Fun and Enter for this great Prize Pack Valued at $192.30

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Final $20 Fast Cash for January!!!!

2012-01-26T23:59:00.004-05:00

Guess what time it is again!!

Yep you guessed it time for the LAST 24 hour long Fast Cash Flash Giveaway of the month and YOU can enter to win $20.00!! This giveaway is open worldwide to anyone with a Paypal address.

Entry is super simple!!!

All you have to do is follow the all the hosts, with an optional entry of liking the post on Facebook!

How much easier could we make it for you??

So what will you do with an extra $20.00?

Buy A Valentine's Gift?
Go out to lunch?

The possibilities are endless!

However the contest is not endless!!!

It starts NOW- and Ends tonight night at 11:59 EST!

So enter NOW for your chance to win!

I mean why wouldn't you want another chance at winning $20.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Old Orchard Cranberry Naturals Review & Giveaway

2012-01-24T11:48:00.000-05:00

One thing that I love is Cranberry Juice and I love trying new flavors as well. Since I have been going more natural and organic lately I have been trying to switch the most used items in our house first. So of course I jumped at the chance to review Old Orchards new Cranberry Naturals Juice.

With my hubby watching his calories lately as well it has been hard to find a juice that is not either high in calories or filled with a ton of sugar. Cranberry juice is a great drink with proven health benefits, but can also be a source of extra sugar and calories. Old Orchard Cranberry Naturals offers tasty fruit juice but without all the calories and sugar!

Here are a few nutrition details about Cranberry Naturals juice:

Has 40% less sugar
Sweetened with Truvia
No artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners
20% more real cranberry juice than leading brand
All the benefits of cranberry juice but far less sugar/calories

I received the Classic Cranberry Raspberry and Cranberry Blueberry juices to review. These juices were refreshing to drink and I enjoyed them with breakfast and with my evening snack. I didn't really detect any flavor difference between this juice sweetened with Truvia and other brands, so the reduced calories and sugar didn't seem to affect the flavor or taste at all. I also appreciated that the juices are all natural - no high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, or artificial colors or flavors. Truvia is a sweetener made from the leaves of stevia plants, so it comes from a natural source but has zero calories.

My family enjoyed this juice and I'm sure yours would too. Make sure you look for Old Orchards Cranberry Naturals next time your in your juice isle at the store.

How would you like try Old Orchards Cranberry Naturals? Well here's your chance to win some coupons for 5 free bottles.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friendly Debates with the Danielles: Spanking

2012-01-22T22:02:00.002-05:00

Each Sunday evening Danielle from “We Don’t Have It All Together, But Together We Have It All” and Danielle from "Happenings of the Harper Household" host this awesome meme and they would love for you to link up and join them. There will be a question each week that will require you to think about your feelings on a certain topic and to decide where you stand regarding that topic, then of course share those thoughts!

We do have a few rules… or rather guidelines… that we would appreciate being followed:

1.) Please follow the hosts via GFC: Danielle B. & Danielle H.
2.) If you link up please leave a comment so we can visit you.
3.) This is a meme, so you MUST answer the question in a blog post.
4.) Link directly to the blog post in which you answer the question.
5.) Grab the button and place either in your post or on your blog.
(You can find the html code in my right side bar).
6.) At the end of your post leave a suggestion for the following weeks topic.

If we choose your suggestion you will be mentioned and linked to in the following weeks post.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE

Please respect each others opinions. This means no bashing of other bloggers in comments on their posts. Kind words and genuine questions are encouraged. If you strongly disagree with someone else the place to address your view point is in a post on your own blog. If we find that you have blatantly disregarded this you will be removed from the linky.

TOPICSpanking: Yay or Nay? What do YOU say?

This week I thought I'd join in on the discussion since I worked at a daycare for 5 years and have had numerous trainings...

So I say Yay! Yes I do believe in spanking and I also believe that society has become way to soft on children now in days. When I was little I remember my cousin getting the belt if he did something wrong. Did my cousin grow up to be a horrible person or parent NO! He is an awesome parent and person to know.

Since I worked at a daycare for 5 years one training class that I had to take on more then one occasion was child abuse training. In those trainings we were taught how to see the signs of child abuse and were also taught what is Child Abuse? One topic they touched on was Spanking... What did they say to the subject? "Spanking is not abuse IF it is done with a open hand on a covered bottom" meaning if I smack my sons bottom and he has clothing on it and I'm using a open hand it's fine.

Do I spank by boys you better believe I do and I am not ashamed of it and I do it only because I love them and I want them to grow up and be respectful young men. Do they know that they are not to hit others unless its in self defense? Yes. So by me spanking my children I am not teaching them that it is ok to hit or be abusive. My husband and I have tried just about every form of punishment we could on our children and only use what works best for them. Time-Outs, taking stuff away and early bed times just got us laughed at by my boys. So spanking was the only thing that worked and is what is used in our home.

Our boys do not get spanked over something like they forgot to clean up the dinner table or do a chore. They only get spanked when they are being purposely disrespectful and disobedient. If I ask my son to do something and he tells me NO then yes he is on grounds for a spanking. Also if we are out and one takes off running from me in a crowded place you better bet I am going put my hand across his butt.

Now go ahead and let me know what you think of the topic….. but please know if you want to go on and on about how horrible of a parent I am then I am not even going to encourage you with a response. I by no means whatsoever agree with using any physical object to hit a child and I do not agree with causing physical injury to a child. End of story.

Homemade Chicken & Gnocchi Soup

2012-01-22T18:45:00.001-05:00

I love getting the Chicken & Gnocchi Soup from Olive Garden and was thrilled to find one that I think is very similar in taste. One thing that I did to it differently was use all Organic and Natural Ingredients... So I hope that you will try out this recipe and if you do please let me know how you liked it and if you thought that it tasted similiar to Olive Gardens.

Ingredients you'll need:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

1 quart of half & half

1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

1 cup onion, finely chopped

2 minced garlic cloves

14 ounces of Organic Chicken Broth

1 cup carrots, finely shredded

1 cup all natural chicken breast, cooked and diced

1 cup spinach coarsely chopped

1 package gnocchi, cooked

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon parsley

What you do:

Start by sauting the onion, celery and garlic in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the onion becomes clear. Add the flour and make a roux. Let the butter and flour mixture cook for around a minute. Then stir in the quart of half and half into the butter and flour mixture.

Cook the gnocchi according to the directions on the packaging.

Add the carrots and chicken to the roux. Once the mixture has thickened, add the chicken broth. Once the mixture becomes thick again you'll want to add the cooked gnocchi, spinach and seseonings. Simmer until the soap is heated all the way through.

Serve with breadsticks or garlic bread... Enjoy!!

Fun With Food Friday: Easy Beer Bread

2012-01-20T13:42:00.003-05:00

This weeks recipe was sent in by Katie from All Natural Katie Blog. Easy Beer Bread I have had Beer Bread in the past but only from Tastefully Simple I had never tried to make it from scratch. So I was super excited to try out this recipe and see how it compared to what I've had in the past... Ingredients you'll need:3 cups of flour (self-rising or all purpose)
1/2 cup sugar
12 ounces of beer 2 Tablespoons butter

Directions:Preheat Oven to 375*. Butter loaf pan and set aside.Combine flour, sugar and beer mix well. The mixture should be sticky.
Melt butter. Pour batter into loaf pan, then pour melted butter on top of batter.Bake for 55 minutes.

All Done and the final verdict is...
It looks, smells and taste Delicious!!!

If you wanted you could use fruit in this bread but I would recommend using a fruit based beer if you do to give it a little more of the fruity flavor.

Make sure you stop by and check out the yummy recipes up at Mama Chocolate for Quick Cinnamon Biscuits and SnozBerryz for Gluten Free Cake!

$20 Fast Cash Flash Giveaway

2012-01-19T23:59:00.002-05:00

Guess what time it is again!! You guessed it time for another 24 hour long Fast Cash Flash Giveaway and YOU can enter to win $20.00!! The giveaway is open worldwide to anyone with a Paypal address. Entry is super simple! All you have to do is follow the hosts, with an optional entry of liking the post on Facebook!

So what will you do with an extra $20.00?

Buy A Valentine's Gift?

Go out to lunch?

The possibilities are endless!

However the contest is not endless. It starts NOW- and Ends tonight night at 11:59 EST! So enter NOW for your chance to win! Make sure to come back every Friday this month for another change to win! I mean why wouldn't you want another chance at winning $20.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABE Sponsor Spotlight: Tropical Traditions

2012-01-17T14:07:00.000-05:00

One of my goals for my family this year was to get us more healthy and green. I am very happy to say that so far I am doing very good at this goal. I have been switching stuff with organic or natural left and right. With that said I'd like to introduce you to one of new favorite companies Tropical Traditions.

Since I have been going green with everything in the house I figured cleaning supplies should be included as well. I have been using a green laundry soap for about a year now but never thought about what I using on my dishes. I have tried tons of different dishwasher detergents because nothing ever seemed to work well with our semi-hard water. But I never thought of trying a green dishwasher detergent.

Before I started using the Household Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent With Enzymes, I just assumed that it would clean like all the other detergents. Wow was I surprised when I pulled my first load out of the dishwasher after using the new green detergent. The usual powdery film was not on the dishes and they actually felt clean to the touch.

Household Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent w/ Enzymes is FREE of:

Chlorine

Phosphates

Fillers

Fragrances

I liked that this detergent is non-toxic and environmentally safe with no harmful by-products upon decomposition. It is also guaranteed to work as well as the leading commercial products and it is economical to use!

Now that I have introduce you to Tropical Traditions make sure you make your way over to their website and check out all their great products!! I am sure that you will find more then one item over there that you will want to get and they have really great prices as well.

If you would like a chance to try these for yourself make sure you come back January 23-28th and enter my ABE "Easy Peasy Lemon Squeazy" Package for a chance to win some of these and many other great items.

Ohh, Baby, Baby Giveaway Hop – Sign Ups!

2012-01-17T10:58:00.001-05:00

Ohh, Baby, Baby Giveaway Hop sponsored by The Shopping Duck is taking signups now. This blog hop event will take place from April 1, 2012 to April 15, 2012. Come join the fun!

ABE Sponsor Spotlight: E~Mealz

2012-01-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

Are you a busy mom who is looking for something to help you with your daily meal planning and grocery list? Are you trying to eat healthier but do not know what kind of recipes to make? Are you looking for a way to get your dinner time routine organized, easier and save money? If so then I'd like to introduce a wonderful company to you called e~mealz. E~mealz can help you accomplish all of your dinner time goals and save money.

In 2003 e~mealz was launched by sisters Jane DeLaney and Jenny Cochran due to their frustration of trying to find healthy, budget friendly meals for their families. So how exactly does this work? For as little as $5 a month, subscribers are able to download a recipe plan along with a matching detailed grocery list. There is more to this then what meets the eye in the beginning.

When you subscribe to e~mealz, you will chose whether you want your plan to be for a family of around 3-6 people or for just 1-2 people. Then you are able to chose between regular meals and specialty such as Natural & Organic, Low Fat, Gluten Free and many others. Lastly you will chose the store you wish to shop- Wal-Mart, Publix, Whole Foods and more. Once you have made all your choices, you can print out a weeks worth of menus that includes your recipes and the grocery list that are estimated at a $75 a week family grocery budget and a $35 budget for couples.

If you chose a plan and decide that it is not the right plan for you; you are able to make changes at anytime you are not locked into any plan at anytime. I loved trying out e~mealz! I loved how easy and simple it made everything!

Things I Like About E~Mealz:

Easy To Use

Customizable

Family Friendly

Budget Friendly

Lots of Choices

Recommended by Dave Ramsey

Make sure you jump over to the E~Mealz blog (Make Time for Family) to check out all the great recipes and tips that they provide.

If you would like a chance to try e~mealz for yourself make sure you come back January 23-28th and enter my ABE "Easy Peasy Lemon Squeazy" Package for a chance to win some of these and many other great items.

ABE Sponsor Spotlight: Purecosheets

2012-01-15T11:52:00.003-05:00

Do you use dryer sheets with every wash? How many of those dryer sheets are reusable for more then 2 cycles? How many of those dryer sheets are chemical free and safe for cloth diapers? With that said I'd like to introduce you to Purecosheets.

One thing that I had a hard time doing with cloth diapering was not using dryer sheets. I have always used dryer sheets and didn't know any other way. So I was excited to find a natural, chemical-free dryer sheet. I love that I do not have to worry if my hubby helps with laundry that he may throw a dryer sheet in with the diapers not knowing that they are not allowed. Now that I have Purecosheets I do not worry at all about hubby helping with the laundry because the Purecosheets are safe for all fabrics.

Purecosheets are:

100% hypoallergenic

perfume free

dye free

chemical free

cloth diaper safe

safe for children's clothing (does not reduce flame resistance)

Which makes them safe for everyone - even eczema and allergy sufferers.

Purecosheets work by instead of leaving a chemical residue all over your clothing and your machine, they act like antennas - conducting, equalizing and removing any potential static charge in your dryer load. They get rid of the static and keep your family's fabrics clean, fresh and natural. Purecosheets are very simple to use; just put both dryer sheets in the dryer with your laundry and they will last for hundreds of loads. Which means for most families that's at least one full year of chemical free laundry. All you need to do is just wash them after the first three loads and then every three months and they can be used again immediately since they're effective wet or dry.

Now that I have told you about this wonderful find of mine I hope you will go over to Purecosheets website and check them out for yourself. They have other great products as well and some great Green Tips on there as well.

ABE Sponsor Spotlight: Spirit Natural Cleaners

2012-01-14T21:26:00.002-05:00

Lately I have been trying to go more natural and green in every aspect of my families lives. That also includes what I am using to clean my house with. I mean if I am cutting chemicals out of foods and cookware why not my cleaning supplies as well. With that said I'd like to introduce you to Spirit Cleaners.

I came across Spirit Cleaners while searching around for natural cleaners. I was wanting products that I could use at anytime and not have to worry about my kids or pets getting into it or being around me while I was using it. I can't tell you how many times I have worried when using cleaners that the kids or cat would get into them before they dried or that I didn't get it all cleaned up. Spirit cleaners are made using Plant-based natural ingredients. They are safe, non-toxic, kid, pet and earth friendly. They are also in 100% recyclable packaging.

Example: Daisy our dog was in the living room yesterday and had an accident on our floors. Well first we got it wiped up and then I wanted to clean that area since Sweet Pea crawls around on the floors and I didn't want Daisy to possibly smell that area and pee there again. So after it was all wiped up I went and got my "Jack" Spirit cleaner and cleaned the area. While cleaning Sweet Pea was on the floor with me and right by me. I did not worry about her being around the cleaner or on the spot that I just cleaned when I was done.

I liked how after I was done cleaning up Daisy's mess the smell of urine did not linger in the area. I felt like the "Jack" did a wonderful job cleaning up the mess and left a nice lavender scent afterwards. I went back to the spot today and it still does not smell like urine.

Along with "Jack" I also got "Dinah" to review. "Dinah" is the Spirit cleaner for granite, tile and counter tops. I am not sure about you but my counter tops are always in need of a good cleaning because everything goes on them. I use to clean my counter tops with disinfecting wipes but always had to wait for them to dry to set anything down and I hated that. I like the "Dinah" cleaner because it cleans nicely and leaves them shinning.

There are many more great Spirit Cleaners as well to try that can help you tackle your whole house all while using a natural cleaner. Make sure that you go over to the Spirit Cleaners website and check out all there great cleaning supplies or you can find them at select Bed Bath and Beyond stores and Whole Food locations.

Natural Antibiotics - Guest Post

2012-01-13T20:07:00.001-05:00

I get asked a lot about different natural alternatives for more than just cleaning products. Being natural is a way of life, and an evolving one at that! We are always learning so many different things each day; I just make the changes where I can.

One question I have been asked is what I do for an alternative to prescription antibiotics. Well, here's what I do, and I by no means push this on anyone, this is what has worked for my family.

My first choice is to run for the Grapefruit Seed Extract. You can find this in gel or pill form at your local health food store. I usually always pair it up with Oregano oil capsules, since I'm a big believer in layering! I have also used Olive Leaf extract which comes in a capsule form as well.

For the young children who do not take capsules, I use Black Elderberry Syrup (Gaia Brand). It is a natural antibiotic and it is also antiviral as well!

It takes patience, it usually takes an extra 2-3 days, but it has always worked! These natural antibiotics kill all the bad bacteria and not the good! That is so important!

My last experience with prescription antibiotics is what did it for me. I used natural antibiotics, but when my daughter had a double ear infection and was coughing up green mucous, I thought it was better to get rid of it quick. So I reluctantly, filled the prescription and 6 days later I had to give her different antibiotics because the first lost its effect on her! Well, 3 weeks later, she had a double ear infection again! This time they had to give her the strongest stuff and double the dose! Well, a couple months later, she had another double ear infection! In comes the natural antibiotics! She was well within 10 days of using Grapefruit Seed Extract and she hasn't gotten another ear infection since! And that was 14 months ago!

I hope this helpful and gives you more of a choice when you know the doctor is going to suggest antibiotics! There is a natural alternative to almost every part of life!

Thank you

Dree Adams

www.dreesnaturalcleaner.com

www.dreejuiceplus.com

ABE 3 Sneak Peak

2012-01-13T17:04:00.005-05:00

Guess what is right around the corner again... Yep A Blogtastic Extravaganza!! I had so much fun in July when I participated that I signed up to bring it to you all again!! I have a wonderful prize package lined up as well and my theme this time is "Easy Peasy Lemon Squeazy"... Can you guess what I've got lined up by that title?? Each blog participating will have a prize package valued at $100 or more so you'll want to visit the other blogs as well and enter I know that I will be. I have a few blogging besties that have gathered up some great prize packages too so you will want to keep an eye out over the next week or so for every ones spotlight posts...

So without further ado let me introduce you to all my wonderful sponsors: So our "Easy Peasy" Sponsors are: E~Mealz

Value- $21.00

RelishRelish

Value - $21.00

Juice Plus

Value - $20.00

Now onto our "Lemon Squeazy" Sponsors:

Natural House

Value - $14.97

Tropical Traditions

Value - $19.99

Skoy Cloth

Value - $13.98

Sew Is Your Baby

Value - $14.00

Spirit Natural Cleaners

Value - $12.98

Dree's Natural Cleaner

Value - $30.00

Purecosheets

Value - $24.38

So A Grand Total of: $192.30
So what are you the most excited about in the package? I know that I am loving all the products and I am sure you will too.

20 Fast Cash Flash Giveaway

2012-01-12T23:59:00.024-05:00

Buy A Valentine's Gift?

Go out to lunch?

The possibilities are endless!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Valentine's Day Is Coming

2012-01-12T14:34:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day

With Valentines right around corner what will you get that special someone? Hubby and I do not typically exchange gifts instead we just go out to dinner. One thing that I never mind getting is Chocolate though. I love chocolate and especially chocolate covered strawberries. But what to get for your significant other? A card, gift card, shirt, tools? I'd love to hear what you are getting your significant other or any suggestions...

Alexa Drop Hop 1/12/12

2012-01-12T09:38:00.002-05:00

What is an Alexa hop? An Alexa hop helps your Alexa rank to drop. The lower the Alexa rank, the better (Google, for example, is ranked 1). If you do reviews and giveaways, an Alexa rank may be very important. Many sponsors will look at your rank because it informs them of how popular your website or blog is. If you'd like to particpiate as well visit Measuring Flower to link up to this great hop!!

Wordless Wenesday - My Addiction

2012-01-10T23:18:00.000-05:00

CC Bums Review

2012-01-10T13:15:00.000-05:00

As most of you know I am loving be a cloth diapering momma. I am always looking for new cloth diapers especially ones made by awesome mothers. Like Cami from CC Bums who's motto is "Going green for the everyday family!" CC Bums takes pride in offering totally unique solutions to help even the most timid family go green.

Cami makes lots of wonderful items not just diapers and all her items are customizable. I was sent a fitted tshirt diaper to review. This diaper is super soft on Sweet Peas little bottom but is a little big on her legs. But with a cover on we get no leaks which is what we want. The stitching is well done and the diaper seems very sturdy and that it will last for a good amount of time.

I like how Cami is using up-cycled and recycled fabrics to better the earth and save you money! Her company is designed for the everyday mom and dad who care about the earth and their wallets. I think that is an awesome move on her part. Not only is she helping us by giving us a great product but she is also helping the Earth at the same time.

Make sure you stop by CC Bums and check out all the great products they offer and pick some up today!!

Knickernappies Review

2012-01-10T10:36:00.001-05:00

When I first had children I could never imagine using a cloth diaper. I mean just the thought of having to wash diapers was not my thing. At the time I was so concern with what society that was right and should be done. So I went with the flow and used disposable diapers and bottle fed Bubba. As I have gotten older and wiser with each child I have started to see that just because society says it what's popular doesn't mean that it is the healthiest for my child.

While I was pregnant with Sweet Pea a friend of mine started to cloth diaper her daughter and it caught my interest. The diapers she was using what NOT what I thought cloth diapers were. I mean they looked like disposables just with cute designs. But I was still worried about the fact of cleaning the diapers. My friend walked me through the process and ensured me it wasn't as bad as I thought.

Sure enough I gradually started to win cloth diapers from giveaways to start Sweet Peas stash before she was even born. I still had disposables around the house to begin with just in case the whole cloth diapering thing wasn't for me. Well sure enough those disposable diapers were donated to a church down south that was in need after some bad storms.

One of our newest diapers added to Sweet Peas stash is a Knickernappies. I must say when I first saw this diaper I thought it would not fit Sweet Pea well. It just looked like it would be to big and would gap around her legs. Since Sweet Pea is so petite she doesn't have the super chunky legs that most people expect with babies. We had a few leaks in the beginning with the diaper but after a few more washes we haven't had any problems. I do have to keep the diaper on the smallest setting otherwise we have gaping around Sweet Peas legs.

The diaper is very soft and very comfortable for Sweet Peas little bottom. I like that the snaps are on the sides so they are not pushing on her tummy since I have it on the smallest setting. The diaper is seam free and made very nicely. I like that the insert is made of 2 layers of thirsty hemp french terry plus 2 layers of ultra-thick white microfiber, these inserts are able absorb a lot! Knickernappies has warranties on their diapers how many other companies stand behind their products for longer then a year?

2012 Goals/Resolutions

2012-01-07T15:48:00.000-05:00

New Year Resolutions is something that I typically do not do. However this year I did have a few that I made for myself and family. One thing that I took into account before making my goals was would I be able to attain them and were they reachable goals for me?

So here are my goals for 2012

1. Get rid of all my non-stick cookware and replace them with Stainless Steel

2. Cook healthier and more Fresh & Organic Foods for my family

3. Use more "Green" Earth Friendly Products in my house

Well as of today January 7, 2012 I am happy to say that I have accomplished my first goal of the new year!! I bought a set of Stainless Steel Cookware last night so Goodbye Non-Stick cookware and all the chemicals that go along with you!! I am going to get my family healthy and eating right and doing things to help the environment, because I want to give my kids the best life and health that I can provide for them within my means!!

TinTin Chocolate Bar Giveaway

2012-01-06T14:42:00.000-05:00

Cost Plus World Market is a specialty retail store featuring items from all around the world. Right now they have an exclusive line of Tintin products based on the movie The Adventures of Tintin, which is in theatres now!! They have offered to giveaway 4 Free Chocolate Bars in a variety of flavors to one lucky Andersons Angels Blog Reader!! Best Part is with Valentine's Day just around the corner it would make a great surprise for your kiddos!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Zookies Review

2012-01-06T12:34:00.000-05:00

I received the great privilege of reviewing a Zookies diaper cover with Sweet Pea. A little info about Zookies and the creator Michelle. Michelle is a stay-at-home mom of two little ones. She used to be a elementary school teacher prior to having children and knew that she wanted to stay home with them for a bit. What she didn't know was how much I would love being at home with them as do the rest of stay at home moms. So she started searching for something that she could do while at home with her kids. She used cloth diapers, so the idea to make her own was developed.

I must say that this diaper cover quickly became a favorite of mine! I love how it is not huge and bulky and it fits her little bottom so well. We have other covers that just do not seem to fit her little bottom well at all. You can tell that they are bad to fit chunkier babies and Sweet Pea is very petite. But that's the nice part about this cover it contours to the baby so if you have a chunky baby it will fit them perfectly as well.

With Sweet Pea starting to crawl we are starting to see more leaks with the other covers because they are bigger and do not fit her well around the legs. As you can see in the picture above this cover fits her little legs well so no leaks. When there are no leaks you've got a happy momma here. The stitching on the covers is very well done with a nice heavy thread so the seams do not start to come apart after a wash or two and to me that is very important. The closure on this cover is velcro and so far it has showed no wear for it being used and washed. Typically velcro does not stand up well from what I've seen on my other covers and diapers but the kind Zookies is using is standing up very nicely.

Make sure you go check out Zookies website and see all the great prints she has to over and if you are not in need of a diaper cover she makes a ton of other awesome items. I must say that Michelle is a very talented momma!!

20 Fast Cash Flash Giveaway

2012-01-05T23:59:00.019-05:00

Every Friday for the next four weeks there will be a 24 hour long Fast Cash Flash Giveaway and YOU can enter to win $20.00!! The giveaway is open worldwide to anyone with a Paypal address. Entry is super simple! All you have to do is follow the hosts, with an optional entry of liking the post on Facebook!

So what will you do with an extra $20.00?

Save it for a rainy day?

Go out to lunch?

Pay off some debt?

The possibilities are endless! However the contest is not endless. It starts NOW- and Ends tonight night at 11:59 EST! So enter NOW for your chance to win! Make sure to come back every Friday this month for another change to win!

•
a Rafflecopter giveaway

K5 Learning Review Opportunity

2012-01-04T16:27:00.001-05:00

K5 Learning has an online reading and math program for kindergarten to grade 5 students. I've been given a 6 week free trial to test and write a review of their program. If you are a blogger, you may want to check out their open invitation to write an online learning review of their program.

Design With Vinyl Review & Giveaway

2011-12-31T23:10:00.000-05:00

I have discovered that I love wall decals and love having them throughout my home. I love being able to walk in a room and see some type of inspirational saying hanging up. It really helps keep my spirit up. Lucky for me I keep finding great Decal companies that have stuff that I like and are different. Design With Vinyl is the newest company I have come to love that has decals for every room in your house including wall switches, dorm rooms and many different themes. The decals are nicely made and in many different sizes and range in price and can be customized. The decals are well made and look very nice hanging up on the wall.

Place the decal where you want it to hang with some tape.

I got a couple of phrases that fits my family very well and hung one up in the dinning room so when you sit down for dinner you can see it. The decals were pretty simple to hang up with two people. The decal that I got was nicely made and I was very happy with it and the look of it. I can't wait to get some more decals this time for the boys room and Sweet Peas room as well. Design With Vinyl has so many great designs to choose from that it will be hard for me to pick just one for there rooms. I especially like hanging inspirational phrases around my house that helps keep my family motivated and remembering whats important.

Remove backing and place on wall...Finished product

Design With Vinyl has been gracious enough to offer one lucky follower of Andersons Angels a $35 gift certificate!! Make sure you check out all their awesome decals on their website and start decorating your home today!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Safety 1st Review & Giveaway

2011-12-31T20:45:00.000-05:00

When you think of what you need for a baby what comes to mind?

Diapers, Clothes, Blankets and Toys right?? Well those are a few and the most popular it seems too. When I had my baby shower for Sweet Pea those were the main things I received, but one very important thing that I needed was a baby monitor. Though I had Bubba and Pumpkin the monitors I had from them had been sold or broke. One of the most trusted brands that I use for baby care is Safety 1st and has been with all three of my kiddos.

I was so excited when Safety 1st agreed to allow me to review a product for them. They are one of my favorite baby brands to use as it is already. I was given the privilege of reviewing their HD Digital Audio Monitor set.

I must say that I was very impressed with this monitor set. I have always hated how my monitors would pick up the neighbors and sometimes so clearly that I would go to the room to make sure there wasn't someone in the room. But that is not the case with this set at all. It's DECT 6.0 technology allows for superior privacy and clarity on the set. Which is a great feature to have on a monitor set.

Some other great features that this set has are:

Energy Saving AC Adapters - Included

Parental Unit Features:

Rechargeable Batteries that come with it.

Sound lights display.

Page Indicator.

Out of range/low battery indicators.

Volume Controls.

Belt clip for portable convenience.

1000+ ft range.

Baby Unit:

Page Feature.

Upright or slight recline positioning.

Power on/off indicator.

These are all features that are important to me and many other moms when it comes to qualities in a good monitor. One major thing that I liked about the set was the belt clip because I love to be outside when its warm but hate to leave a sleeping baby in the house when I have no way to hear them. With this set having the belt clip on the parental unit I can take it with me while I'm outside watching the boys play and can safely leave Sweet Pea inside sleeping and not worry. Peace of mind is one thing that I absolutely need when it comes to my children and knowing their safe gives it to me.

Make sure that the next time you are invited to a baby shower or are having your own little one to check out all the great products that Safety 1st makes. Because not only do you want to help give your yourself or friend peace of mind but you want to do all you can to keep that precious bundle of joy safe from birth and up. Safety 1st was gracious enough to offer a HD Digital Audio Monitor set to one lucky Andersons Angels follower. You can also buy Safety 1st's great products at Wal-Mart, Target, Babies R Us and many other great stores.

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B Toys Review

2011-12-31T17:52:00.000-05:00

Toys, toys and more toys is what is around our house. But seriously how many toys does two boys need? Well our boys seem to think the more the better. Lately we have been downsizing in the amount of toys our boys have. But we have also been replacing some with stuff that our boys enjoy doing like building so blocks are a must in our house. Lately though we have been trying to find more unique items for the boys to build with. Since Bubba is a little older he is starting to get into the more complex building stuff; while Pumpkin is still young enough that he likes to build with anything he can.

I'd like to introduce you to a wonderful toy company that I have had the privilege to work with B Toys. To me B Toys has things figured out nicely when it comes to be Earth Friendly. I feel this way because the difference in their packaging goes way beyond the surface. They scrutinize every piece to ensure its impact on our children’s world is as light as possible. How awesome is that and how many other companies can say that?

They do this by:

Minimizing.

Using recycled materials.

Packaging toys in bags you’ll love to reuse.

Designing boxes to become pretty trays to hold tiny treasures.

Even making some packages reversible to become gift wrap.

Their inks are soy-based and their varnishes water-based.
Every single bit of their clear plastic is recyclable and marked #1,

the most widely recycled plastic available.

And when they simply have to create a tie to hold a toy in place, it’s made out of

100% recycled polypropylene (PP), easily recycled again.

I like that the B Toy company is so conscious of what our children are playing with and the impact that the toys and the packaging has on the Earth. I never use to be very aware of what my children's toys had in them or where they came from. But lately with all the recalls due to lead poisoning and cheaply made products I have quickly became more aware of what is coming into my home.

I got the pleasure of reviewing the Spinaroos from B Toys and it was a perfect item for my boys especially Pumpkin. They love making things and then tearing them apart to make something else. Bubba is always making planes and some sort of flying objects while Pumpkin is making buildings.

I liked how easy the Spinaroos were for the boys to build with and they came in such a beautiful box that the blocks can be stored in while not being used. The Spinaroos are very colorful bristle blocks that come in many shapes and sizes. There are also heads and decorative designs to be able to make some very interesting and decorative figures. These make an awesome gift for any child who loves to build or likes to be creative. With all the different shapes, sizes, colors, heads and decorative pieces your children can let their imaginations run wild for hours and hours. Make sure you check out all the wonderful products that they make over at their website or at a local Target store by you.

Crane Humidifier Review & Giveaway

2011-12-29T13:53:00.001-05:00

One thing that my family has been in need of lately was a humidifier since ours decided to quite working. I had looked at the stores by me but could find nothing that meet the needs of my family. I am not a fan of the hot water humidifiers because I'm afraid of Bubba or Pumpkin bumping and it and getting burned bad and it just seems like there are not many options for cool mist humidifiers out there on the market right now. My Mother In Law knew I was on the hunt for a humidifier and offered to buy us one but ran into the same dilemma I did with trying to find one.

Then I came across the Crane humidifiers and feel in love with them. I showed them to my Mother In Law and was set on getting one. She said she would get me one but didn't know when she would make it to a store that sold them to get one for us. Well with cold and flu season just around the corner I didn't want to wait so I decided to contact Crane and see if they would let me review one and guess what they said yes.

So Bubba, Pumpkin and I went to their website to try and decide exactly which adorable humidifier we wanted. It was hard since I said they had to agree on one well after a couple of arguments they finally agreed on the Dog Humidifier and I must say he is absolutely adorable and we love him. I love that the water tank is so easy to remove and fits under the bathroom sink for easy filling. So no having to get a cup or worrying about spilling the water out while trying to fill it up.

I was so excited when the humidifier showed up in the mail that I instantly unpacked him and got him all ready to go for that night. One very important thing about having a humidifier is taking care of it properly. This is very easy to do by emptying the water from the basin and disinfecting the water tank and basin with white vinegar water solution. By doing this you are killing any bacteria that could possibly be growing and helping to prolong the life of your humidifier.

There are so many wonderful features to the Crane cool mist humidifiers

* They are very quiet which allow for a goodnight’s sleep.

* They do not require a filter which means no extra pieces to replace.

* They can run up to 11 hours with one fill up.

* They emit up to 2.1 gallons of moisture output a day.

* They have automatic shut off when the tank runs out!

* They are safe for children since there is no heating elements!

By now I’m sure you want a Crane cool mist humidifier for your family too. You can find them at Target, BabiesRUs, Bed Bath and Beyond as well as the Crane website with a suggested retail of $39.99 – $49.99 depending on the model. Or you could win one of your choice here!

How would you like to name one of these adorable humidifiers?

Every Monday 5 finalists are named and every Monday a new Adorable Name Contest will begin. There are two left to name so get your entries in at their facebook page.

Winners of Name That Toon Contest will receive:
* Animated likeness of the winner next to their Humidifier, along with all the winners, in the final Adorable Land cartoon short which will be posted on Crane USA Facebook and website in 2012.

* A complimentary humidifier.

* A custom made tee-shirt with the animated elephant along with the winner’s first name.

* The winning humidifier name will be included in Crane’s 2012 packaging.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Family Memories/Traditions

2011-12-29T11:19:00.000-05:00

A family memory/tradition that we have started with our children is going to the Cleveland Zoo's Snow Days. We go up the day after Christmas weather permitting to enjoy the cold weather animals, the crafts and cookies they have for the kids to make and the music. What's nice is they have heated trams that run so you don't have to walk in the cold all around the zoo. It was a nice day in the 40's so we just walked and got the exercise and fresh air.

The snake came right up to glass when Dennis put his hand up there like it was smelling it; it was really cool to watch. If you look you can see Dennis's reaction reflecting on the glass. I love taking my kids to the zoo and spending time with them. I also love when extended family gets to join us as well. This trip my in-laws, BIL and soon to be SIL came along.

Sweet Peas favorite animal at the zoo was the Monkeys she loved watching them play and they kept coming up to the window to see her as well. Pumpkins favorite animal was "Dorie" from Nemo he loves the fish and Bubba's favorite animal this trip was the snake that came up to the glass with him. We all have our favorites and I think that is what makes going to the zoo so enjoyable because we all want to see our favorite animals.

One thing that I made sure we didn't miss while at the zoo was seeing the new Grizzly Cubs. I love babies and baby animals they are so cute!! They were playing with each other and climbing in the trees it was so fun to watch them. After we were done with the outside exhibits we headed for the Rainforest Exhibit another favorite because it's always so nice and warm inside it. After we were all done with the zoo and everyone seemed to be starving we all headed off for a nice dinner together at Eat N Park on the way home. Once we were back to my In-Laws hubby and I played monopoly with my BIL and Soon to be SIL while the boys got their baths and ready to spend to the night at their Nana and Papas house so all in all a really great day that made some lasting memories.

Loved their smiles in this picture so I had to share it with all of you Bubba and his Daddy...

Wordless Wenesday: A Great Quote

2011-12-28T11:20:00.000-05:00

Cowgirl Chocolate Review

2011-12-12T11:00:00.001-05:00

Do you love chocolate? I know I do chocolate is my one downfall when it comes to food. I love a good piece of chocolate every now and then. So I was so excited when I found cowgirl chocolates. I love everything that has to do with being a "cowgirl" so the thought of cowgirl chocolates enticed me. Cowgirl Chocolates are not your normal chocolate bars by any means. They come in a variety of flavors to entice your love of chocolate. Cowgirl Chocolates took chocolate to all new level with their flavors.

I must say that these chocolate bars really set a new standard for chocolate! They were yummy but they ended up not being my favorite. I loved how they took different things like green tea and different spices to make these chocolate bars. But I do not do well with spicy things so I ended up with an upset stomach. My hubby on the other hand loves spicy things. Unfortunately he was not wild about mixing spicy with chocolate, the boys on the other hand loved the chocolate.

This is a great product that I think many of you would enjoy it's something that you just have to try to see if you will like it because every ones taste buds are so different!!

Earth Mama Angel Baby Review

2011-12-12T10:10:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to use more natural and organic products with my family lately. With all my children and myself having sensitive skin I need to. All the chemicals and fragrances in most soaps and lotions bother us. So I was happy to find a wonderful company that is geared toward bringing safe organic items to the whole family. Let me introduce you to Earth Mama Angel Baby.

They have some wonderful items for moms and babies as well. When you think of your babies do you think of using harsh chemicals on them? Probably not but you probably do not realize what all is in the products that you are using on them everyday. I know I sure didn't think about it I assumed it's for babies it would be pure and natural right?

Well with Earth Mama Angel Baby their products are just that Naturally made so NO harsh chemicals are going on you or your little Angel! I know that I can not be with Bubba and Pumpkin when they are at school so I have no control over what soaps and products they use. That's why I was happy when Earth Mama Angel Baby sent me their travel sizes of their different Hand to Toe Wash's to review. I like the travel sizes because I keep one in my purse for when were out and about and need to wash our hands. I have also sent one to school with Pumpkin for him to use at bathroom breaks.

I like that I can give Pumpkin something safe and natural to use while I am not with him and I can count on his teacher letting him use it as well. I love that when looking at the list of ingredients in these hand to toe washes I can pronounce everything in them and that it is all organic. So once again NO harsh chemicals going on my family's skin!!

I would definitely recommend you looking into Earth Mama Angel Baby for your families needs. They have so many different wonderful items make sure you stop by their website and check out everything that they offer to help keep your family Natural, Organic and Chemical Free...

Tree Hut Review

2011-12-11T12:05:00.000-05:00

Do you like to take a nice long soak in the tub or are you more of a shower person? I love a good soak but our tub is just to small so showers it is around here for me and hubby. Showers or Baths it doesn't really matter but one thing that does is the soap I use. We seem to have hard water so my skin is always dry and that drives me nuts. I am always looking for a good soap or scrub to use that will not leave me feeling dry. With that said let me introduce you to Tree Hut.

Tree Hut is the maker of some wonderful Shea Butter Body Scrubs. I got the chance to review their Almond & Honey Body Scrub. With the sweet smell of honey and the rich scent of almonds, this sugar scrub combines the best of both worlds. The honey helps smooth your skin, while the real almond bits will gently buff away dead skin cells and the sweet almond oil will leave your skin feeling soft all day. I don't know about you but I like my skin to feel nice and smooth not dry and flaky.

Tree Hut's body scrub was so refreshing to use not only did it leave my skin feeling nice and soft but it smelled wonderful as well. I loved that the smell was not overpowering at all. With me having asthma some of the most common smells can trigger my asthma and cause me to have an attack or become all stuffy. I would recommend this product to family and friends and it would make a great gift as well. Make sure you stop by their website to see all the wonderful products that Tree Hut carries.

Pure Pearls Review

2011-12-10T09:13:00.000-05:00

If you are like me you love jewelry and love receiving it as well. But with the economy the way it is lately it is hard to afford it. Even for special occasions I typically do not ask for jewelry because there are other things I could use. Well with that said let me introduce you to Pure Pearls. Pure Pearls is a wonderful company that sells beautiful pearl jewelry!! They have every type of pearl and color that you could wish for.

I got the chance to receive a beautiful pair of fresh water pearl earrings from Pure Pearls to review. Pearls are one thing that I have been wanting since my father in law bought my mother in law a beautiful set for their anniversary a few years ago. So I was super happy to be receiving a pair of my own to review. The nice thing about Pure Pearls is every pearl they sell comes with a certificate of authenticity.

I was so excited when I received the earrings in the mail that I tore into the package right away it was like Christmas morning and I was a little kid again. Silly I know but when it comes to jewelry wouldn't you feel like a kid on Christmas morning or on your birthday?

I loved how beautiful these earrings are and they are cheaply made or looking either. I have sensitive skin so one thing I worry about is the metal on the earrings affecting my skin and the posts on these earrings did not do that at all. I also really liked that they were not to big and overbearing for my small ear lobes.

Make sure you stop by there site and see all the wonderful pearl pieces that Pure Pearls offer. They would make some great gifts for that special occasion!!

Wordless Wenesday: True Love

2011-12-07T13:59:00.000-05:00

Shadora Review & Giveaway

2011-12-06T14:04:00.000-05:00

If you are like me you love jewelry and love receiving it as well. But with the economy the way it is lately it is hard to afford it. Well with that said let me introduce you to Shadora. Shadora is a wonderful company that sells beautiful jewelry at a discounted price and the best part Free Shipping on all orders!!

I got the chance to receive a beautiful pair of pearl earrings from Shadora to review. Pearls are one thing that I have been wanting since my father in law bought my mother in law a beautiful set for their anniversary a few years ago. I know the set will be coming to me but I've got awhile before I receive them. So I was super happy to be receiving a pair of my own to review.

I was so excited when I received the earrings in the mail that I tore into the package right away it was like Christmas morning and I was a little kid again. Silly I know but come on its jewelry wouldn't you feel like a kid on Christmas morning too? Speaking of Christmas morning it is right around the corner and Shadora has more then just earrings they have all different kinds of jewelry that would make some great stocking stuffer for that special someone in your life.

I loved how beautiful these earrings are and they do not look cheaply made either. I have sensitive skin so one thing I worry about is the metal changing my skin colors and the posts on these earrings did not do that at all. I also really liked that they are not to big and overbearing for my small ear lobes.

Shadora is always running great giveaways on their facebook!! They recently gave away a 2 carat Diamond Tennis Bracelet, White Topaz Stud Earrings and much more!! They currently have a giveaway up for a 1 carat Diamond Tennis Bracelet make sure you enter here!!

Well now I have surprise for all of my wonderful followers in the US!! I am giving you the chance to win your own set of Rose Colored Pearl Earrings.

Real or Fake Christmas Tree

2011-11-29T13:03:00.000-05:00

This is my dilemma what do I want? We currently have a fake tree that we've had for a couple years that some of the branch's are broke on. The sad thing is the branch's broke the same year we bought the tree. I am tired of having to rig up the branch's so my tree looks decent and don't feel like doing it this year. So I am thinking of getting a real tree this year. I think my boys would love getting to go out and pick our tree instead of just pulling it out of the box. My fears are that having a real tree may affect my asthma or the boys allergies. I am also worried about our cat eating the tree he already tries to eat the fake one.

So I am curious what are your thoughts on this subject?

Real or Fake which would be the best for my family??

Holidays and Catching Up

2011-11-29T12:54:00.000-05:00

I want to start off by saying I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! Everyone came to our house for Thanksgiving this and once again I realized that I need a bigger house. I am very behind on reviews and giveaways and I am so sorry about that; but my computer had to be reformatted due to a virus so I was without a computer for awhile and now I am way behind on things and I apologize to everyone for that. I am going to be doing my best to get everything up on here ASAP I have a event that starts on December 1st so my focus is on it at the moment. Then it will be play catch up. If you need me for anything please email me and I will get back with you.

Thank You All
~Mama Anderson

Sorry I'm Behind

2011-11-27T00:01:00.000-05:00

I must start off by saying if your waiting on a review I'm sorry but I have fallen behind. The past few months has been one big headache and it's carrying into this month. We have had our electric shut off without warning, latch on my truck window break almost causing the window to fall off, basement flood again, Bubba's Rabbit died, Pumpkins teachers dad pass, hubby had to have an emergency colonoscopy, my dad had to have three biopsies and they believe he has cancer in this thyroid, Pumpkin is dealing with ear infections and they believe that they are affecting his hearing so were at the doctors getting them checked frequently now. We also are looking into getting Bubba tested for ADD so I am constantly on the run and at the doctors with someone. The lord is putting me through many tests and I'm trying to keep my head up and not fall into a depression. I am trying to stay strong for my family while getting all my reviews done as well. So please bear with me and your stuff will be done as soon as I can.

Sponsor Spotlight: Savvy Rest

2011-11-21T20:05:00.004-05:00

So lately with all the health issues that are arising in my family I am trying to find ways to help make my family healthier and that includes using more greener products. That's why I got excited when I found Savvy Rest, the company that gives us healthy alternatives to the traditional bedding that is on the current market. Savvy Rest offers only the finest organic mattresses, organic mattress toppers, sheets, mattress pads, and pillows. By making their mattresses from natural latex rubber, certified organic wool and certified organic cotton you know what you are sleeping on and can rest assured it is healthy.

Savvy Rest has a wonderful commitment to each of there customers:

Purity: there materials are natural, nontoxic, certified and independently tested
Comfort: every Savvy Rest organic mattress is customized for the customer
Integrity: they treat customers with honesty and respect
Value: Savvy Rest will long outlast a conventional store bought mattress

I got the privelage to review Savvy Rest's Contour Pillow. I chose this pillow because I am one who needs typically two pillows to sleep. I liked the shaped of the contour pillow and thought that it might help me cut back on using so many pillows at night. This pillow is a soft dunlop molded shape that has a higher rounded edge along its length for extra neck stability. The lower edge allows you to change positions easily when needed and the center hollow gently cradles your head. The only problem I encountered with this pillow was it had a strong smell of latex at first, but as time passes the smell seems to be fading away.

This has become a favorite pillow of mine very quickly and i'd love to try there other Oragnic Pillows. I'd also like to try some of there other products like the mattress topper. I love a nice soft bed and I think adding a topper to our mattress would accomplish this for me. Make sure you stop by their website and check out all there great products and maybe purchase some for Christmas they'd make great gifts!!

Sponsor Spotlight: Restaurant.com

2011-11-16T20:26:00.001-05:00

If your like most people with the economy lately going out to eat is a once in awhile thing. It is just to expensive to take a family out to a nice dinner anymore and truthfully even out for fast food. That's where restaurant.com comes in. You are able to buy local restaurant gift certificates at a fraction of the normal cost and best part the print them at home so no waiting for them to come in the mail.

I was tickled when resturant.com agreed to allow me to do a review of a $25 Gift Certificate and give one away as well. I am one who loves to go out to eat and lately its not something that we do. With having a family of 4.5 (since Sweet Pea is just starting to eat table foods I won't count her as a whole) it gets to be expensive to go out to eat. One way we have found to cut cost and save bringing home a ton of leftovers is by having the boys spilt a meal.

But still with the holidays coming up and money being tight why not consider buying gift certificates at a discounted price. So that way you save money, get your gifts bought all from the comfort of your home. No standing in big lines and having to deal with finding a parking spot or your way through a big crowd.

A great program that Restaurant.com is doing that starts tomorrow is there

Feed It Forward Program:

What is it?

Feed It Forward is there holiday giving celebration, founded to revive the gift of giving after the economy crashed in 2008. From November 17th to New Year’s Day, consumers can give FREE Restaurant.com $10 gift certificates to anyone. There’s no catch or gimmick. It’s free to give and free to receive. Feed It Forward encourages everyone to experience the gift of giving, regardless of economic circumstances. They believe giving lift spirits, spreads joy and strengthens community.

How does it work?

Consumers can give up to 40 FREE $10 Restaurant.com gift certificates per day during the duration of the program. The giving can be done through Facebook or the Feed it Forward site.

Want to win your own $25 Gift Certificate to Resturant.com along with some other great prizes go here and now...

I was not paid in any way to give this review or giveaway. The review item was sent to me free of charge. All opinions are mine and my childrens alone. I try to be honest and fair when giving a review.

All For Love Valentine's Event

2011-11-16T15:50:00.002-05:00

Attention, Attention, Attention

~Ladies and Gentlemen can I get your attention for a moment...

I'd like to make an announcement about a great event coming up that is looking for great bloggers like yourself...

hosted by

Real Mom Reviews & Mama Chocolate

Rules to Participate:

You must get at least a $25 prize/package together to be given away during the event

You must display the event button in your sidebar from now until event ends

If you are willing to help spread the word about this great event, it is completely free to participate!

So hop on over to either Mama Chocolate or Real Mom Reviews and sign up today!!

Wordless Wenesday

2011-11-15T23:59:00.001-05:00

Teething Bling Review & Giveaway

2011-11-15T20:18:00.001-05:00

Do you have a little one who is cutting teeth and wanting to stick everything in their mouths? Well that's where I currently am with Sweet Pea. She is 9 months old and has all the signs of teething but no teeth yet. Anything and everything she can currently stick in her mouth to chew on she does.

Go Steelers!!!I am not a big jewelry wearing person and I think that's because I worked at a daycare for 5 years so I got so use to not wearing it. I didn't see the point in wearing something that could possibly get ripped off my neck and broke. That's why I was so interested in the teething bling necklaces that my friend had.

Bangle- which makes a great toy
like that these necklaces are not put on a thin fancy chain that will get broke easily instead they are on a black, silky cord with breakaway clasp. Which means if a little one grabs and pulls it won't break off your neck. I also like that they are easy to wash and you don't have to use any chemicals from jewelry cleaners on them. Sweet Pea loves for me to take my necklace off and let her play with it. If were out i'll hook it to her stroller for her to play with it and chew on.

It's nice to know that I can wear something stylish while out and about and not have to worry about what Sweet Pea is sticking in her mouth if she decides to chew on my jewelry. Piece of mind at an affordable cost what could me better? And now there are so many great styles, colors, shapes and scents to choose from. You know these would make a great stocking stuffer...

I was not paid in any way to give this review or giveaway. The review item was sent to me free of charge. All opinions are mine and my childrens alone. I try to be honest and fair when giving a review.

Beat the Winter-Break Blues as a Family

2011-11-15T09:51:00.002-05:00

Beat the Winter-Break Blues as a Family

Sponsored Article submitted by Kathleen Thomas on behalf of Primrose Preschools

Just because the weather is getting colder and wintertime is just around the corner does not mean the good times have to come to an end. Although more activities will be enjoyed inside, there are still a wide variety of activities you and your family can do to beat the winter blues. From the first snow of the year to the last, regardless of what the weather may be doing outside, here are ten great indoor activities you can do on a budget to ensure the fun doesn’t stop when the snow starts to drop!

1. Indoor Playgrounds: One of the newest trends popping up across the United States is that of the indoor playground. These indoor gyms consist of anything from bounce houses to jungle gyms and all in climate controlled environment. In many instances, these indoor playgrounds often advertise on a number of daily deal sites as well making admission easily affordable for everyone!

2. Make Your Own Play-Dough: Especially if you have younger kids who enjoy playing with Play-Dough, this is a great and inexpensive idea to pass the time away. There are a number of easy to make recipes online that you can print off and use. Also, with the addition of a little food coloring, your kids can make your play-dough just about any color they would like.

3. Malls: Although you may not have the money to go on a shopping spree is no reason to avoid the local mall. Many malls today have areas for kids to run around and play on a myriad of toys. These areas are free, highly supervised and allow your kids to run around burning off a lot of steam from being cooped up in the house during the winter. Although the mall hopes you spend money while you are there, you can take advantage of these play areas without spending a dime.

4. Tea Time: While you are at the mall, be sure to check out their calendar of events. IN many cases, individual merchants will also have free events for kids throughout the year. Whether it is a “Princess Tea Time” put on by one of the department stores or a “Wildlife Adventure Story” at one of the Outfitter retailers, many of these events are also free and a great way to have your kids be entertained, learn something new or a combination of the two.

5. Building a Dollhouse/Fort: Whether you have recently purchased a large appliance for the home or know someone who has and may be looking to get rid of the box, what better use of a huge appliance box than building a beautiful dollhouse or an impenetrable fort. For kids with a healthy imagination, cutting a door and a couple windows into one of these big boxes will keep your children entertained for hours. They can also have a blast decorating it in any way they would like.

6. Goodwill Donations: As kids grow up, they tend to grow out of their clothes year after year. A great way to give back to the community as well as teach your family the importance of charity is to round up the clothes they no longer wear and donate them to Goodwill or any number of other charitable organizations. It may also be a good idea to walk through the organization and meet some of the people running it so your kids can learn how their old clothes can do a lot of good for other people.

7. Dress Up: Whether you pick up a few things from Goodwill, or just let your kids wear your old clothes, dressing up and pretending can be another great and inexpensive wintertime blues beater. Whether it is old suits and ties or fancy dresses and costume jewelry, your kids will have a blast pretending to be like mom and dad.

8. Making Candy: Many of the local hobby shops sell candy molds for relatively inexpensive prices. With a few bags of milk chocolate chips, and some sucker sticks, you can easily make and decorate a number of different chocolate suckers. For those who prefer to stick just with candies, you can forego the sticks and just make chocolates. Either way, this inexpensive activity can be fun for the whole family and tasty to boot.

9. Indoor Water Parks: This may be one of the more expensive options on the list, but many of these parks runs specials throughout the summer in preparation for the slower winter months. They also advertise across the daily deal-type sites, so if you keep an eye out throughout the year, you may be able to pick up some passes for dirt cheap. Most kids love swimming and going on waterslides. With these indoor parks, this no longer has to be a summertime only activity.

10. Visiting Senior Centers: In keeping with the looking out for others activities, nothing may brighten up a person’s day then to see some smiling kids coming to visit them. Many people in these senior centers no longer have any children in their lives, so even a short hour visit could mean the world to those folks. This is also a great opportunity for your kids to learn from the residents as well about how life used to be 70 or 80 years ago.

It is inevitable that winter will be here before we know it. Talk to your kids about what they would like to do when it is too cold to be outside and plant some of these ideas in their heads now. Also, don’t be afraid to have them come up with some ideas of their own. Together with the suggestions here and what you and your family come up with, one thing is for certain: you are about to have a great time this winter!

Freaky Pets Review & Giveaway

2011-11-14T21:41:00.000-05:00

Do you ever feel like your kids have two sides to them; one a nice cute loveable side and then a mean cranky side. I know mine sure are like that and it's like a switch gets flipped and wham I have the opposite of what I did 5 minutes ago. Well I was excited when I heard about these awesome little pets that have a cute and cranky side to them just like my boys.

CRANKY w/ Papa

Let me introduce you to: Freaky Pets. These awesome stuffed animals that you are able to turn inside out to bring out their cranky side or cute side. I wish I could as easily switch my boys as you can these pets. Bubba and Pumpkin were instantly in love with these guys as was I. Not only are they a cute stuff animal but you can play with these guys online as well.

CUTE
Pumpkin got Wallco to review and Bubba got Warto. They both carry these guys around with them to their grandparents houses and to show friends. They got our little neighbor boy interested in them and playing the online game now as well. Bubba and Pumpkin love to turn their guys into cranky guys and have them destroy cities that they build out of blocks.

There is also a really cute story that I got to preview that goes along with the Freaky Pets. It was about how the one little guy PuffPuff was having a hard time trying to learn something new. But what he learned was that it was ok for him to use his cranky side and cute side to get a routine done. Once he finished it he taught his friends the routine and then they all showed their parents.

These are really cute animals that would make some Great Christmas Presents for boys and girls. Check here to find a local Hallmark retailer by you.

Made With Love Giveaway Event

2011-11-07T23:59:00.013-05:00

Made With Love Giveaway/ Win 1of 2 Dress Up Prize Packages #madewithlove

Do you have little one's that love to pretend and dress up whether it be boys or girls? Then do I have a couple great prize packages lined up for you!! But first off let me:

Welcome you to the Made With Love Event: hosted by The Reynolds Mom and Seventeen Sirens! This event features at least $25 or more in handmade prizes on each of the participating blogs.

I've got some great sponsors lined up for this event!! These would make some great Christmas Gifts!!

Package 1 Girls Dress Up:
*All Dress Up Couture: Tutu Dress of Choice (ARV $30)
*My2lilpixies: Minnie Bloomer Set up to Size 24 months (ARV $16.95)

Total Prize Value: $46.95

Package 2 Boys Dress UP:

*Woo Who: Red Gnome Hat (ARV $10.00)
*BayleeBug Designs: Veterinarian Outfit (ARV $25)

Total Prize Value: $35.00

Please make sure you check out all the sponsor spotlights for ways to earn extra entries!!

Be sure to go through the linky below and enter for your chance to win!

This giveaway is Open to the US ONLY

Good Luck!

Made With Love: BayleeBug Creations Sponsor Spotlight

2011-11-07T10:03:00.001-05:00

I got the pleasure to work with BayleeBug Designs for the great event Made With Love that I'm participating in. Teresa makes some of the cutest things for kids. She has so many cute and unique items that she makes for kids and lots of cute girls stuff too.

Teresa makes really cute veterinarian costume for kids to play dress up in. I got the pleasure of reviewing one of her veterinarian costumes. She was able to make it so that both my boys can wear it which is great!!

Teresa takes her time and pays attention to detail while making all her items. It shows in the products when you receive them. The stitching on the boys veterinarian costume was proof of that. You couldn't see and of it and was done with a nice heavy thread as well so the stitching won't come lose from being taken on and off or from washing.

For now leave a comment below telling me something you would love to have from "BayleeBug Designs" - when the giveaway starts this will count as an extra entry. You will simply have to click “I DID THIS!” beside “Comment on BayleeBug Designs Spotlight Post” on the entry form.

Disclosure: I was not paid to give this review. The review item(s) was sent to me free of charge. All opinions are mine; and I try to be honest and open when giving a review.

Made With Love: Woo Who Sponsor Spotlight

2011-11-07T09:11:00.000-05:00

I got the pleasure to work with Woo Who for the great event Made With Love that I'm participating in. Melissa makes some of the cutest little outfits for kiddos and the best part outfits for boys as well. I know that dress up is typically classified as a girls activity, but I disagree. I think boys should be able to play dress up as well because it great for them to use their imaginations and pretend to be other people or characters.

Melissa makes really cute Gnome and elf costumes for the whole family. I got the pleasure of reviewing one of her red Gnome hats with a yellow mushroom embellishment on it. Pumpkin feel in love with this hat and wears it all the time even for dinner. He loved running around pretending to be a Gnome he thought it was cool.

Melissa makes her hats with a heavy and sturdy felt which makes them nice and durable for kids. She also has some really cute embellishments that she can add to the hats. My boys are very rough on stuff so it was nice to know that the Gnome hat was able to hold up to some wear and tear from my crazy boys. Bubba and Pumpkin were taking turns wearing while watching Gnomeo and Juliet it was so cute!!

For now leave a comment below telling me something you would love to have from "Woo Who" - when the giveaway starts this will count as an extra entry. You will simply have to click “I DID THIS!” beside “Comment on Woo Who Spotlight Post” on the entry form.

Disclosure: I was not paid to give this review. The review item(s) was sent to me free of charge. All opinions are mine; and I try to be honest and open when giving a review.

Puppies vs Babies Which Is Cuter??

2011-11-06T19:01:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Puppies vs. Babies. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you heard of the newest online contest going on right now to see which is cuter Puppies vs. Babies? Well just thinking about this question really makes my head start to spin. Anyone who knows me knows that I absolutely love babies seeing how I have three children of my own as of right now and worked at a daycare for 5 years 3 of which were in the nursery. But I also have a HUGE soft spot in my heart for those adorable cuddly little puppies hence I have 2 dogs.

I know some people hands down would say babies are cuter and others puppies...
But for me its a draw because I love them both so much!! Well I must say that I do have the cutest baby and puppy right here in my home!!

But which would you choose??
Well now is your chance to let the world know which you think is cuter Puppies or Babies. Hurry and Cast your Votes today!!! From now until November 23rd you can vote daily and the winning puppy or baby will receive $5,000!

So I am curious which you voted for Puppies or Babies leave me a comment letting me know....

Puppies vs. Babies online contest

Fun With Food Friday

2011-11-04T14:18:00.001-04:00

Tomato Basil Soup

Well it's getting to be that time of year to start making all those yummy soups and I am happy to be bringing you a very yummy recipe sent in by: Andrea S.

- Depending on the amount of soup you'd want, get between 25 and 30 large, ripe tomatoes. (These also come in cans if you don't want to peel them yourself).
- Peel the skins off all the tomatoes, and put them in a large pot with the juice on low heat.

- Sprinkle in some pepper. This is done to taste, so don't go overboard here because you can always add some later if needed.
- After the tomatoes have been simmering on a low heat for around 45 minutes to an hour, use an immersion blender or scoop the still-whole tomatoes into a blender and puree.

- Put about a cup and a half of whole basil leaves in a food processor, and grind them up. This is to taste though, so add slowly until you reach the desired basil-ness. Add to the soup. You can also use dried basil if fresh is not available to you.

- Continue to let the soup simmer, the thicker and less watery it becomes.

Enjoy this wonderful soup with Grilled Cheese or some fresh sourdough bread.
Make sure you hop on over to Mama Chocolate and Little BGCG and what they cooked up this week.

Wordless Wenesday: Family

2011-11-02T09:38:00.001-04:00

Easy Way To Help Fight Breast Cancer

2011-10-25T09:46:00.002-04:00

BeautyMint has a very exciting campaign going on that I'd like to tell you about. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, BeautyMint will donate $1 for every BeautyMint registration to the National Breast Cancer Foundation starting October 20th through our October 31st. How easy is that? I know not everyone has the means to donate especially with how the economy is but here is a great way you can help without having to ask for donations or give out of your pocket if funds are tight. All you have to do is registered at BeautyMint.com and they will donate a dollar to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Wordless Wenesday

2011-10-19T10:59:00.001-04:00

Activate Water Review

2011-10-18T12:49:00.003-04:00

I am not one who is big on taking vitamins or even drinking water. I have always wanted some kind of flavor in whatever it is that I am drinking. Lately I have been drinking more water but I have to have lemon in it once again I need flavor. Well let me introduce you to a new kind of water that has recently came out Activate Water. Did you know that vitamins and other healthy ingredients lose potency sitting in water? Activate water has found a way to stop drowning the vitamins in drinks. By storing the active ingredients inside their unique, patented cap, separate from the water, ACTIVATE’s vitamins stay fresh, potent and offer a convenient way to get a healthy dose of the nutrients your body needs.

I was hesitant at first to try this water since one I'm not a big fan of water and two I didn't understand how you could keep the vitamins in the cap. Well I was pleasantly surprised. The water looks almost like juice after you release the vitamins into it. I really enjoyed it and I loved the fruit punch flavor I'd have to say its my favorite.

I'd like to tell you about this great idea that Activate had and tried out. So here is a question for you. Would you pedal an exercise bike for a thirty seconds if it meant you would get a drink for free? Well Activate decided to try just that... Passersby's pedaled an exercise bike attached to the vending machine for thirty seconds to release a free bottle of ACTIVATE. 1,250 bottles were distributed, the retail value of which will donated to Nourish America in support of nutrition for pregnant women. The final donation amount totaled $2,240.

How would you like to try some Activate? Then simply follow this link and get your coupons today...

Love & Hate....What to do??

2011-10-18T10:38:00.002-04:00

Let's go back to June 1984; I was a month old and my mom and her parents left Ohio with my crib tied to the top of the car and headed to Florida. In 1986 my mom lost custody of me due to some bad choices of her boyfriend and my grandmother gained custody. So from that point my grandmother raised me and my mother was forced out of the picture. I got to see her on occasions thanks to my one Aunt who took me on the weekends. Growing up was different for sure I knew my mom but didn't understand why she wasn't with me. Around 1988/1989 my mom moved back to Ohio and had my brother in June 1990. I never saw either of them until my grandfather passed away in April 1993. Nor did I know that they were living in Florida.

After my grandfather passed away my grandmother decided she wanted to go back to Ohio to be with her kids and she promised my grandfather on his death bed that she would come back. Well that ment I had to move with her. So after I finished my third grade year at Prine Elementary we packed and headed to Canton, Ohio. I did not understand that I would never see my friends or the beach again.

Being pulled away from everything I knew and my friends did a real number on me. Though I was only entering the fourth grade I started battling depression and it was something that I ended up dealing with secretly until I was married and pregnant with my third child. Not only did I deal with depression but eating disorders as well. Stuff that my grandmother and family should have noticed but never did or if they did they just didn't care. A few of my Aunts were jealous of me because I got everything I wanted and got to do whatever I pleased to a degree; but they couldn't grasp the concept that my grandmother only had me and when they were growing up there was 12 of them.

Now I have been living in Canton, Oh for almost 20 years wow its really been almost 20 years since I stepped foot on those beautiful white sand beaches. Instead I've been stepping on white snow something that I have grown to hate. I dislike being cold and having to wear layers and layers of clothing and hope to be warm. Bubba loves the snow, Pumpkin loves the beach, Jake likes the sight of snow but that's about it. We both hate driving in it because it seems like the people around here go stupid while driving when it snows.

So when once the weather starts turning cold in Ohio I can hardly walk and move because I have a bad back, and the cold weather agitates it. So Jake and I have been talking lately about moving south possibly Florida in a few years. Which means leaving our family and friends. I know that my mom will go back to Florida since she still has a house there anyways, but Jake's parents have already said they won't move to Florida. But have talked about possibly going to the Carolina's.

So we have decided that this summer we are going to Bradenton, Fl for a week and take the kids. Maybe getting to go back for awhile will help me get over the wanting and needing it so bad. I am also hoping that it will help Jake and I decide on whether it will be a move we'd want to make in a few years or not. I love all our friends & family we have here dearly; but sometimes you need to do what is best for your family and unfortunately Ohio is a dying state there are no jobs and nothing to look forward too.

A Blogtastic Extravaganza

2011-10-16T17:02:00.000-04:00

It's getting close to another great round of A Blogtastic Extravaganza again!! We had such a fabulous time during A Blogtastic Extravaganza in August that Jess from "My Silly Monkeys" has decided to continue the tradition with a third round of ABE! I am already signed up and super excited for this event, but if you are a blogger that would love to join in this great event you should head over and check out the sign up information!

A few more details about A Blogtastic Extravaganza:- A maximum of 100 elite blogs will participate.
- Each Blog's prize pack will consist of a $100 minimum value.

You know you really want sign up! So head on over there now and get signed up before all the slots have been filled!!

Holiday Greeting Cards Giveaway

2011-10-14T20:25:00.002-04:00

With the Holidays right around the corner it's time to start thinking about getting those Christmas Cards ready. How about this year personalizing your cards with a family picture or a picture of your pet. Well until October 18th Greeting Card Universe has all there Holiday photo cards HALF OFF!!! Yep you read that right HALF OFF a deep discount traditionally reserved for exclusive sales days like Black Friday!!! What a deal for such a great product. So hurry and get them while you can...