Now that I am no longer perpetually pregnant, I have started doing things to tone my body and regain some of the strength and flexibility I have lost from enduring back to back pregnancies. I go for walks through my neighborhood with my babies, and I also have been dabbling in belly-dancing and yoga. These are great activities that even a beginner like myself can do, and you start seeing and feeling results rather quickly. (Which is great for impatient people who like instant gratification!) I have been doing light yoga routines for a couple of months now, 3-4 times per week. I already see a noticeable difference in my muscle tone and I feel more energized. I also feel a lot less anxiety in general. Yoga is great not just for the body, but for the mind as well, since it is very calming and requires great concentration. I usually do my routine very early in the morning, before everyone wakes up. This is my peaceful time before I have to worry about diapers and feedings and housework and all of the other stresses that come with being a mother. Surprisingly, yoga is something I have really started to enjoy and look forward to every week. That's why I was so excited to get the opportunity to review the Mobility Pant from Be Present. Be Present is a wonderful company that manufactures comfortable and highly breathable yoga clothing. Here is more about their unique vision, taken from their website: be present, a clothing line carried in yoga studios, boutiques, spas and resorts throughout the United States and the World, incorporates the yoga philosophy into the design. be present began as clothing for yogis and yoga instructors, and evolved into a company rooted in the experience of yoga, but designed for those who value versatile, simple, comfortable clothing. Yoga is a centuries old eastern philosophy with contemporary devotees, and yoga clothing needed a modern look that embraced and respected the philosophy without being commercial. Our pants are designed to weather the street as much as they are designed to hit the mat. In the years since the first be present pant was introduced, our line has set the industry standard for versatile, agile and mobile yoga pants. be present has consistently been on the forefront of creativity and originality in the yoga world. As the line evolves into a company rooted in the yogic lifestyle but accessible to anyone who values high quality, fashionable and active clothing, we will continue to be a leader in innovative designs. be present: Modern day yoga is often characterized with an appreciation of the present moment. be present is more than a clothing line, it is a way of life. To be present, one must always live a balanced lifestyle: listen to your body, let yourself daydream, have fun, sweat, pay attention to your social, sexual and spiritual being. At the core of be present are the seven chakras. Symbolizing energy centers in the body, each chakra is associated with a color and a symbol. Chakras are essential to the clothing line - which consists of shirts, pants, camisoles and matching chakra panties. The colors for the line are inspired by the colors of the chakras. Need more grounding? Red is root chakra, attributed to stability and inner strength. Want to feel sexy? Orange is sacral chakra, associated with being sensual. Big day ahead of you? Yellow is solar plexus chakra, associated with energy and increased confidence. Need a hug? Green is heart chakra, associated with compassion and unconditional love. Feeling shy? Blue is throat chakra, associated with increased communication and creativity. Want to be psychic? Indigo is third eye chakra, associated with the unconscious self. Need wisdom? Purple is crown chakra, associated with wisdom and the spiritual world. How cool is that?! I love the idea of different colors representing the various chakras. I am curious to see if wearing these colors will actually effect my energy as stated. I could definitely use help in the shyness department! I am probably one of the most painfully shy people I know, and I have never been able to approach people I don't know well and start a conversation with them. I am always the quiet, under-confident girl in the corner. Perhaps I should wear more blue! I just love the in-depth attention to detail be present puts into their clothing. Not only do they provide the most comfortable, fashion-forward yoga attire around, they also care about the wearer's emotional and physical well-being. I love a company that is passionate and brings their inspirations to life in the products they create.
99 Comments
By now, you all know how much I love cloth-diapering. I use fluff on both of my babies 98% of the time, with the exception of occasional overnights for my son who always wakes up poopy and still doesn't have overly solid poo, or during a stay with a babysitter, as most that we know are not exactly cloth friendly. I probably have tried dozens of different brands of diapers over the past year, and am always on the lookout for cloth diapers that are not only cute to look at, but also affordable. We're a one income family, so price definitely matters. However, when it comes to my babies, we are not willing to skimp on quality. Not all cloth diapers are created equal. Many of the el-cheapo diapers found on EBay for 5 dollars a piece are poorly constructed, resulting in massively leaky diapers. When I first began using cloth, I made the mistake of buying a ton of BabyLand diapers on EBay because they were the least expensive I could find. Let me tell you, this was a mistake of epic proportions. They had terrible wing droop, and while they are *okay* for smaller babies, they are an absolute nightmare for older babies and leak like a sieve! Not so good! So while I have learned my lesson about some diapers sounding too good to be true, I assure you, not all affordable diapers stink, no pun intended. There are super-affordable diapers on the market that provide great protection against leaks and fit well, too! You just have to know where to find them! This is where I can help. As far as diapers go, I have tried so many of them and can definitely point you in the right direction so you can some some of your hard earned money without skimping on quality and style. Yes, it CAN be done! That's why I am so excited to tell you about my next Christmas In July sponsor, Done With Disposables. They are a Canadian company that specializes in providing affordable, adorable, and effective cloth-diapering solutions to fluff-addicted families like mine! Before I get into my review, I want to let you all know that the customer service at Done With Disposables is fantastic, and Heidi has been an absolute joy to work with. Good customer service matters to me, and I like to point out companies that are wonderful to deal with. Done With Disposables is one such company! I was lucky enough to receive a fuzzy purple diaper with a cute white star print for my review. I don't often get the luxury of getting more feminine diapers, as I have a boy and a girl and usually get neutral prints for practicality's sake. But when I saw this adorable diaper, I just had to try it. Purple is my favorite color, and I am a sucker for soft, fluffy diapers. And it won't hurt my son to wear a purple diaper on occasion, if need be. I don't think he will be permanently scarred, haha. After all, it IS just a diaper...Now when I start getting the urge to put bows in his hair, that's when I will start to worry! Here are some photos of my diaper from Done With Disposables. Please note, the top photo is a stock photo, as I was having issues with my camera capturing the colors accurately. Thankfully, I just received a new camera as a late birthday gift so I will no longer be running into photo issues. I would have taken a new photo, but the diaper is currently soiled, and trust me: No one wants to see that! Now that you've seen how cute this diaper is, let me tell you about my experiences with it. Upon receiving this diaper, I was immediately struck by how soft the outer layer of fuzzy fabric is. It feels plush and velvety, and my daughter loves grabbing her fuzzy diapers and rubbing them all over her face. She giggles when she does it, too, which is quite cute! This diaper was no exception, and it immediately got her approval as far as softness goes. Done With Disposables offers One Size Diapers, which are generally what I use since I have 2 very different sized babies. I find OS diapers to be the most versatile and economical choice, as I can use them on both babies rather than having to build two separate stashes. One Size diapers are easily adjusted to fit small babies and toddlers alike by adjusting the rise by snapping them down to fit each baby properly. This system is very easy to use, and I was able to get a great fit on both my 24 lb 18 month old as well as my 17 lb 6 month old. This diaper has been used a few times on both babies, both for overnight and day time use. During the day, I can get away with using 1 microfiber insert. At night, I choose to double up for added protection against leaks. This is something I do with all of my pocket diapers, just to be on the safe side. I am pleased to say, I have not had any leaks when using this diaper. It keeps messes in quite well, and offers a fairly trim fit. The fabric is soft against baby's skin, and even after quite a few washes the diaper looks and feels brand new. I have not experienced any pilling, and the hidden PUL layer inside the pocket has remained intact. The snaps are also very durable and secure very quickly and easily. This really makes a difference when dealing with a squirming baby during diaper changes! About the only thing I would change about this diaper is that I would have loved to see double leg gussets. This is a feature I have only seen on a couple of diapers, and it really helps keep messy poop at bay. This is just a personal preference though, and this diaper performed exceptionally well even without this feature. Let me point out, most cloth diapers do not have double leg gussets. So this diaper is the norm, and is definitely a high quality product. It was well constructed, absolutely gorgeous, and it did its job very efficiently. Here are some photos of Sophie wearing her fuzzy purple diaper from Done With Disposables! As you can see, this diaper is super-cute! And guess what? It's only $8.99! Now that's a fantastic deal! Many One Size pocket diapers cost double, if not triple the price of this little gem! And at Done With Disposables, they offer a wide variety of gorgeous colors and prints, both in fuzzy and silky fabric options. So you can easily build a huge stash of adorable diapers at a fraction of the cost you'd spend on diapers elsewhere. We really like our diaper from Done With Disposables. It's really stinking cute and it remains leak-proof on both of my children. I plan on buying more of these great diapers to add to my stash. I especially love the blue monkey print they offer. We're crazy about monkeys in my house, so this will definitely be the next addition here! I am thrilled to announce that one very lucky mama will be receiving a diaper from Done With Disposables during my upcoming Christmas In July event! Yay! In the meantime, here's how to connect with this awesome company! Done With Disposables is a wonderful option for cloth-diapering families. There is no need to spend an arm and a leg to diaper your baby! In addition to these fantastic diapers, they also offer great wet bags, detergent, inserts and even convenient diaper package deals to save you even more! HOW TO CONNECT: You can purchase Done With Disposables Diapers on their website. Please note, the site is in the process of being updated, so please pardon their dust! You can also follow Done With Disposables on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions! FYI: Doing so NOW will put you one step ahead of the game once my Christmas In July event begins! ***Disclosure: I received a complimentary product to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***
I know you're all familiar with the awesomeness that is Earthy Crunchy Mama, since I recently hosted a giveaway for them that featured a great Rumparooz Kanga Care Wet Bag. This giveaway was a HUGE success with over 700 entries, and I was thrilled to hear your overwhelming enthusiasm about this eco-friendly boutique that offers practical green living solutions for modern families. From cloth diapers to feeding solutions to household, skin care products, and even products for moms, Earthy Crunchy Mama has something for every member of the family! A little birdie told me they even carry the newest craze in cloth-diapering, the Itti Bitti Tutto! I have not tried these diapers yet, but they look amazing and only a select few retailers carry them. I am thrilled to announce that Earthy Crunchy Mama and I have teamed up yet again for the upcoming Christmas In July event! The product that will be featured is the EIO Kids Cup! What is the EIO Kids cup and why is it special? Well, as any parent small children knows, sippy cups can be a pain in the butt. Especially when it comes to cleaning. Many feature small parts that must be removed for cleaning, and these parts tend to mysteriously disappear in my house, sending us on a wild goose chase any time we need to get Sophie a drink.Aside from the inconvenience of these little valves, many sippy cups are made entirely of plastics and some even contain harmful chemicals called BPA, which has been found to be hazardous to human health over long term exposure. I don't know about you, but this is not something I wish to expose my children to! The EIO Kids Cup is a unique, eco-friendly alternative to the traditional sippy cup. Here are some of the great features of this "big kid" cup: Totally BPA free. Unmatched Versatility. Environmentally Friendly. The Kids Cup is a spout-free, valve-free cup made without BPA, Phthalates and PVC, and is designed to transition young children properly from bottles to real glass dinnerware. Sippy cup spouts and valves necessitate a bottle-like sucking motion, but EIO’s unique cap promotes correct sipping, quickly and with less mess! EIO is a one of kind kids cup. Our cap and sleeve fit on virtually any 8oz canning jar. The sleeve is easy to remove and can be left on the cup for washing. How’s that for convenience? We lost the valve... so you won’t! EIO’s cap is specifically designed without small parts, like the easy-to-lose valve. According to the ADA’s recommendations for better dental development, children over the age of one should drink from a cup without a valve.* Spouts can also be detrimental, as they tend to become chew toys. EIO encourages a healthy, natural transition to cups. Clearly, it’s EIO for years to come. Our modern design appeals to kids of all ages and our versatility allows you to use the jar without the cap as your child learns new skills. The sleeve offers a flashy style and grippy surface no matter how old you are! Never throw them away. That’s great news for our environment! If these reasons aren't enough to make you want to try this great little cup, check out how CUTE it is! Come on, admit it...Where kids' products are concerned, cute matters! I have used the EIO Kids Cup several times now, and I have to say I am quite impressed! But of course, this product did win a prestigious award from PTPA, so I knew it would be a quality product. The first time Sophie used this cup, I will freely admit that she hated it. She spilled all over herself, since she wasn't 100% sure how to drink out of this cup. This is no fault of the product, though. She was simply used to a certain style of sippy cup that required a different sipping action than the EIO Kids Cup. She quickly caught on, though, and now has absolutely no problem with her new big kid cup! She seems to love the bright colors and easy grip of the cup, and has no problem drinking out of it with very little mess. While the EIO Kids Cup is definitely a child-pleaser, it will be sure to make parents happy, too! I love this cup! It is not only an eco-friendly alternative to traditional cups, it is durable, shatter-resistant due to the easy to grip protective sleeve, and this cup is also very easy to clean. The sleeve stays on during washing! I also love the fact that it is surprisingly spill-resistant considering it has no valves whatsoever. Yes, you CAN spill fluid from the cup, but only if it is shaken upside down. During normal toddler abuse, the liquid in the cup tends to stay exactly where it belongs: INSIDE of the cup! Another thing I love is that this cup promotes proper sipping technique due to its recessed cap, which makes transitioning from baby cups to normal tablewear a breeze! We are thrilled with our EIO Kids Cup and plan on using it for years to come! And since the cap is compatible with most canning jars, I can always have a great sippy cup at hand using products I already have in my home! I am happy to announce that Earthy Crunchy Mama is adding an EIO Kids Cup to my HUGE Christmas In July Prize Package! Look out soon for early extra entry opportunities for this and my other wonderful sponsors! In the meantime, here's how to connect with Earthy Crunchy Mama. Check them out! They have so many wonderful products, and I know you'll find several items that are absolute must haves for your family! HOW TO CONNECT: You can purchase this and other green products on the Earthy Crunchy Mama website. You can also follow Earthy Crunchy Mama on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest news, products and promotions! FYI: Doing so NOW will put you a step ahead of the game once Christmas In July begins later this month! You can also check out their blog and YouTube Channel to get great green living tips and see awesome product reviews! ***Disclosure: I received a complimentary product to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***
I am and always have been a bit of a beauty junkie. I love great products that make me look and feel feminine, just the way a woman should. I have tons of various "girly products" as my husband calls them. From skin care to cosmetics to fragrances, I have it all. But one of the absolute best beauty investments for every woman is a collection of good hairbrushes. Seriously! Not all brushes are created equal. They are made of many different materials, and if you don't have brushes that are tailored to your specific hair type, you simply won't achieve the best results. And aside from choosing the best brushes for your hair length, type, and texture, different brushes DO different things! Some are ideal for blow-outs, some are great for product distribution and detangling, some are wonderful for teasing and creating volume. So it really makes sense to own several different brushes to achieve many different styles and keep your locks looking their best! I will admit, I have a love/hate relationship with my hair. It is very long, very thick, and very wavy. Plus, there is a TON of it! While some people have expressed envy of my hair, I have to be completely honest: It's a pain in the butt. It takes a really lone time to dry, and it is so heavy that I have a hard time getting it to hold a style for long. Luckily, my hair tends to fall into place and look decent with minimal effort.But I have 2 babies that love to pull and tug at my hair, so it usually ends up in a ponytail or messy bun. But there are times that I want to shake things up a bit and style my hair, and I definitely need extra help getting my hair to behave. Especially if I want to achieve a smooth, polished look.This is where a great hairbrush makes all the difference with my hard to manage hair. That's why I was absolutely thrilled to get the opportunity to review a selection of salon quality brushes from Spornette! Haven't heard of Spornette? Well, they are a leader in high quality salon hairbrushes and have been in business of helping women create gorgeous styles for 60 years! They are a 3rd generation, family owned business, so they really know hair! The folks at Spornette are truly beauty experts, and they have TONS of different brushes to meet every possible need and hair type. (And I do mean TONS!) Anyone who knows me in real life will tell you, I LOVE cheese. And I don't mean a little bit, either! I add cheese to literally everything I cook. And not just cheddar or American cheeses...I love Muenster, Havarti, Pepper Jack, Gouda, Swiss, Queso Fresco, Feta, Ricotta and more! As a matter of fact, the only cheeses I won't eat are Blue Cheese and Gorgonzola, because they just look absolutely disgusting. I mean, who wants to eat something that is very visibly moldy? Not me! But while many women go gaga for chocolate, (which I am NOT a big fan of) my culinary love affair has always been with cheese. Ever since I was a child, I loved cheese above all other foods. I remember being a little kid and sneaking the cheese packets out of the macaroni and cheese boxes. My parents even had to keep the cheese locked up because while they wanted to use it for preparing meals, I had other ideas for it. Yes, I have a definite cheese addiction! I even have an entire "Cheese Drawer" in my refrigerator! A big one, at that! Yes, one of our crisper drawers is jam-packed with nothing but a wide variety of creamy and delectable cheeses. Cheese, much like bacon, makes everything better, in my humble opinion. So when I heard about the cheesemaking kits at New England Cheesemaking Supply Company, I knew this was something I just HAD to try! Lucky for me, they graciously offered to let me try their Ricki's Mozzarella & Ricotta Cheesemaking Kit! Woo-Hoo! I immediately began planning all of the wonderful meals I would prepare with fresh, homemade cheeses. From homemade pizzas and lasagnas to wonderful cheese and fruit plates, I could not wait! I had never had fresh cheeses before, so I knew we were in for quite a treat! When my kit arrived, I was thrilled to see there were enough supplies to make a whopping 30 batches of cheese! Wow! Now that's a lot of cheesy deliciousness! We read through the instructions very carefully, since cheesemaking is in fact a science, and realized we had a few pitfalls we had to overcome before we could successfully make our first batch of cheese. First, we had to find a stainless steel pot large enough to accommodate a whole gallon of milk. I have a ton of cookware, but none of it was stainless steel. Aluminum will not work properly for cheesemaking. So we ran out and bought a 5 quart stainless steel pot, which we found was just big enough. Success! Our next obstacle was finding milk that is compatible for cheesemaking. Farm fresh will offer a higher yield due to higher butterfat content of course, but some store bought milk will work also. The trick is finding milk that is NOT Ultra Pasteurized. More and more milk is being heated to super high temperatures to sterilize it, and these milks are not ideal for making cheese. Luckily, Ultra Pasteurized milk must be labeled as such somewhere on the packaging. (You may have to closely examine the jug or carton, as the UP label can be placed anywhere, and may be very tiny.) We were happy to find that the Great Value milk we buy at WalMart is compatible with cheesemaking. This made our lives so much easier, as we didn't have to go on a wild goose chase to find usable milk! Once we were sure we understood the instructions and has all of our equipment ready to go, we embarked on our first cheesemaking adventure! We chose to make Mozzarella for our first batch. Ricki's Cheesemaking Kit conveniently contains pretty much everything you'll need to make cheese in the comfort of your own home! It contains a Dairy Thermometer,Butter Muslin, Citric Acid, Vegetable Rennet Tablets, Cheese Salt and even a handy Recipe Booklet to help you create yummy dishes with the cheeses made! We were quite surprised at how easy it was to make a batch of creamy, homemade Mozzarella right in our kitchen! The hardest part was paying close attention to the thermometer to make sure the contents of the pot were being heated to the precise temperatures indicated in the instructions. From there, it was smooth sailing. Our first batch was a bit softer than I had expected, and had more of a spreadable quality to it, but I think it was due to the fact that I didn't have any ice cold water to submerge the finished product in to firm it up. The dishwasher was running and interfered somehow with the temperature of the water coming out of the faucet. So instead of being ice cold, it was more on the slightly cool side. That didn't matter to us, though, since the cheese still came out absolutely delicious! I added some garlic and crushed red pepper to my cheese during the final stretch, and it lended a gourmet flavor and feel to our cheese. It was SO good! And making cheese only takes a mere 30 minutes! Here are some photos from our first cheesemaking experiment! During the summer, kids need outlets to explore the world around them and engage their curious little minds. It is far too easy for kids to be sucked into the TV or video games, in my opinion. I am the TV and gaming Nazi in my home. Sure, I allow my 11 year old to play games and watch TV, but I also set limits on these activities so that he doesn't turn into a permanently attached lump on our couch. Plus, I do not allow him to play any graphically violent games that seen to be increasingly popular nowadays. The way I see it, there is already enough ugliness in the world, so why glorify it with games like HALO or Call Of Duty? Not to mention, they are not at all age appropriate. My 11 year old doesn't need to be blowing things up or shooting people to death. That just is not an option in my home. Call me strict, but it is what it is. Kids are innocent, and I think that it's the responsibility of parents to preserve this quality. Of course every home is different, and I would never judge another person for their parenting decisions. Each family is different, and each child is different. I know plenty of kids who are allowed to do these things and they are great kids. I just don't allow these activities in my home, as I do not feel these are the best influences for my children. So I like to find fun, stimulating activities that allow my kids to just BE kids. Things that are creative and enjoyable that give them something to do that doesn't confine them to the sofa. That's why I was so intrigued by the wonderful line of products found at SmartLab Toys. They offer a wide variety of mentally stimulating, educational toys for boys and girls that get them to actively explore the world around them. Whether it be creating trendy jewelry and other art projects or conducting neat science experiments, SmartLab Toys literally has something for everyone! I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to review the Bug Playground from SmartLab Toys. This is a great activity for my oldest child, since he is very into science and nature related activities. When this awesome toy arrived, he was so excited, and insisted on putting it together all by himself! Well, this proved to be a bit beyond him since he wasn't interested in thoroughly reading the instructions, so my husband ended up assisting him. The Bug Playground is really a neat product, since not only does it give kids the opportunity to capture and observe some creepy crawly friends, it gives these bugs a virtual amusement park to explore! There is a twirly slide, a bridge, a rock wall to climb and even a pool to take a dip in! Included with the Bug Playground is an informative little book that describes different bug behavior. So while children watch their newly captured bugs "play" they will also be able to decode different behaviors. They will be learning new things without even knowing it! I love educational toys that make learning a fun and effortless endeavor! My son promptly took his bug catching tool, which is included with the product, outside and began catching some bugs. Of course we told him no wasps, bees, roaches, or venomous spiders. This should be common sense, but with kids, you never really know! In no time at all, he had found not one but TWO large grasshoppers! He placed them in the Bug Playground and had a blast watching them do their buggy thing in this cute little enclosure! Here are some photos of the Bug Playground! Overall, we really enjoyed the Bug Playground from SmartLab Toys! This offered my son the opportunity to get off of the couch and get moving as well as learn new things about insects! What a wonderful exploratory and educational toy! Any little boy is sure to love the Bug Playground and have many adventures catching some creepy crawlers to study! Of course, catching and releasing back into nature is highly recommended. If you're anything like me, you won't want bugs on the loose in your home! Disclaimer: No bugs were harmed in the making of this review. :) Another very cool thing that SmartLab Toys has to offer is their Free Zone. What's this? It's a totally FREE corner of the SmartLab website that offers children fun, educational activities and trivia to keep those little minds working and wondering all summer long! This site has downloadable content that is absolutely free for families and is updated weekly so summer boredom will be a thing of the past. Keep your children engaged with things like Star-Gazing, Weird and Gross Trivia, Gummy Worm Cupcakes and Rotten Plastic Milk! There is always something new to explore at SmartLab Toys! Interested in seeing what great toys and activities SmartLab Toys has for your kids? Here's how to connect!
BUY IT: You can purchase SmartLab Toys products on their website. From now until August 31, 2011, you can save a WHOPPING 25% off your SmartLab Toys order by using the following code during checkout: BLOGDEAL711 You can also connect with them on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions! WIN IT: One VERY lucky winner will receive a Bug Playground of their own from the nice folks at SmartLab Toys! Monterey Chicken AKA: Bacony goodness! My husband's MOST requested dish! I mean absolutely no offense to my vegetarian and vegan friends, but I have to say, I am a firm believer that bacon makes everything better! That savory, smoky taste...The nice crispness....Whether wrapped around a water chestnut in a nice Rumaki or topping my famous Monterey Chicken, (or as the hubby calls it, "Bacon Chicken") bacon can add a whole new dimension of flavor to commonly eaten foods. I like to shake things up a bit by using bacon on steaks, in my baked potato soup, even in grilled cheese sandwiches! No, we don't eat bacon every day. I doubt our arteries would ever forgive us if we did. But I do enjoy adding bacon to several dishes. I feel it enhances the overall flavor and feel of a dish. I try and find new and interesting ways to utilize bacon while experimenting in the kitchen. I like thinking outside the box. I add bacon to my chilis, to my stews, and I have even used bacon in desserts! Trust me, bacon and chocolate DO go together! Bacon is incredibly versatile, and I thought I had used it in every way possible. Until I discovered Skillet Bacon Jam. This is a delicious spreadable bacon condiment created by the folks at Skillet Street Foods. This company is local legend in Seattle, Washington, and they got their start creating awesome lunch menus served out of an Airstream trailer, Food Truck style, using the finest seasonal gourmet ingredients and innovative culinary techniques. This caught on like wildfire in the Seattle locale, and droves of hungry people flocked to this food truck every day to sample their innovative fare. Skillet Street Foods has evolved into a brick and mortar restaurant, and also offer consumers nationwide the opportunity to purchase one of their most loved taste sensations: Skillet Bacon Jam. But what exactly IS Skillet Bacon Jam? Sure, it may sound funny, but the concept is truly ingenius! Skillet Street takes Niman Ranch Bacon and renders it down along with onions, balsamic vinegar and other spices . It cooks for several hours until it is a perfect blend of smoky, tangy, savory and slightly sweet….basically spreadable bacony goodness! I was lucky enough to have sampled Skillet Bacon Jam, and I have to say, it is GOOD! We used it as a condiment for burgers stuffed with mined Jalapeno, fresh Cilantro, garlic, and Ancho chiles topped with spicy Pepper-Jack cheese. The Skillet Bacon Jam had a savory, smoky sweetness that perfectly complimented the spicy burgers. I also used Skillet Bacon Jam while making twice baked potatoes. This was fantastic! I made my twice baked potatoes like I usually do, with a blend of different cheeses. I simply added a dab of Skillet Bacon Jam to my cheesy potato mixture before I filled my potato skins to bake them the second time. Again, the Skillet Bacon Jam was a real treat, and added a whole new and unexpected dimension to my potatoes. There is the distinct flavor of bacon, of course, but add to it the rendered down onions, balsamic vinegar, and their secret blend of spices, and you have a flavor explosion of epic proportions. The best part? This condiment is easy to use and can be used in so many ways! The possibilities are simply endless! Want to learn more? You can find out more about Skillet Street Foods on their website. For e-mail inquiries, they can be contacted at eat@skilletstreetfood.com I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.
I have some winners to announce!!!
Baby Magic Patty Cake Dustless Powder Winners: Candice K. Christy V. Nicole Lee USA Winners: Linda M.G. Brittany Melissa I am e-mailing you all now, and you'll have 48 hours to respond and claim your prizes! Please check your spam folders! Thanks to everyone who entered, and keep checking back as I have tons of great giveaways added regularly! Summer vacation is in full swing! As a mom, I have to admit, I am already going more than a little bonkers hearing "Mom, I'm BORED!" from my oldest child. We are a one income family, and can't afford any extravagant trips to the islands or to Disney World. But somewhere we CAN go is Virginia Beach! We happen to already live in the Commonwealth of Virginia, so this makes for a very easy 3 hour drive for us! (If not less, depending how much lead-foot-itis my husband is displaying at the time.) Did you know that Virginia Beach is within a day's drive for 2/3 of the US population? This makes for a very convenient summer getaway for families. And with tons of hotels right on the beach and a great boardwalk complete with games and attractions, every member of the family will be entertained! Here are 10 reasons why I would love to head to Virginia Beach this summer!
These are just a few of the many reasons to check out Virginia Beach with your family this summer! Only 4 hours south of the DC Metropolitan Area, this makes a fun and very accessible family destination! Do you have any vacation plans? I'd love to hear about them! ***Disclosure:I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Virginia Beach Tourism blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.*** As I am sure you all know by now, my family uses cloth diapers on both of our babies. This was a decision that was made out of financial necessity at first. We had just had Sophie we found out 3 months later that we were pregnant AGAIN. Well, the cost of using disposable diapers for 2 very different sized children would be astronomical, and we were more than a little bit stressed about how we would accomplish this. We're a one income family, so every penny counts! An old friend that I grew up with introduced me to the idea of cloth diapers. I had heard of cloth before, but had the image of big diaper pins, prefolds, and squeaky rubber pants in my head. You know, old-school cloth that our grandparents used about a million years ago! I was NOT enthusiastic about this option...Until she came up from the Carolinas to visit, fluff-butted babies in tow. I had never seen a modern cloth diaper in action until then, and once I saw the adorable colors and prints and plush, cuddly fabrics, I was hooked! I knew then I wanted to use cloth on my babies. There are a lot of common misconceptions about cloth diapering. People think they're stinky, hard to clean, leaky, gross, old-fashioned...And these stereotypes couldn't be more wrong! Cloth diapering has come a long way, baby! Modern cloth is easy to use, easy to clean, and doesn't have to involve gigantic pins or nasty rubber pants. And not only is cloth reusable and will save a TON of money over the diapering career of your baby, it is also better for baby! Cloth diapers do not contain all of the nasty chemicals found in their disposable counterparts, which makes for less rashes and irritation on baby's delicate little booty! They're also much more comfortable than scratchy paper diapers! If that wasn't a good enough reason to consider using cloth, consider the amount of waste disposable diapers add to the world's landfills every single day. If the average child uses 10 diapers a day, and there are millions of babies globally, that amounts to a LOT of diapers being discarded! Did you know that a single disposable diaper can take up to 500 YEARS to biodegrade? Yes, I said 500 years! That's a long time, and if you consider all the disposable diapers used by generations of babies and thrown away, that's an enormous amount of trash! So using cloth when possible is just common sense in my mind! I am very excited about my next sponsor for the upcoming Christmas In July event! Lovely Pocket Diapers is a fantastic company whose mission is to provide families with high quality pocket diapers at an affordable price while reducing the waste added to the Earth's already brimming landfills. How cool is that?! Plus, the pocket diapers sold at Lovely Pocket Diapers are cute! They are available in bright, vibrant colors and fun prints that will make your baby's behind fluffily adorable! One of my favorite parts of cloth diapering is the cute factor. I love using diapers that are colorful and fun! Yes, a diaper can be a fashion statement in itself! Lovely Pocket Diapers carries 2 different kinds of diapers. First, there is their classic line of pocket diapers. These diapers are available in both a wide range of solids and even some fun, playful prints! And for $7.00-$7.50 per diaper, you can build an entire stash without breaking the bank! Many similarly constructed diapers cost at least double, if not triple the price of these diapers! But for those of us who like our diapers with a little something extra, Lovely Pocket Diapers also offers the Rave. This is the Rolls Royce of their diaper collection. Double row waist snaps, 4 rise snaps and double leg gussets make this line something to RAVE about!! The Rave is also available in a variety of solids and prints, and retails for between $12.00-$12.50 per diaper. This is an amazing price for such awesome features! I was lucky enough to receive a Yellow Rave for review. Take a look at this awesome diaper! I absolutely LOVE the Rave. When this adorable, cheerful looking diaper arrived, I couldn't wait to try it on my babies. The outer fabric is soft and silky to the touch, and the inner layer is a soft cotton material. Hidden beneath the outer layer of fabric is a layer of PUL, making the Rave waterproof. I absolutely love the additional row of snaps, as this allows finding the perfect size, whether you're diapering a newborn or an active toddler. This diaper is made to grow with your child! So really, if you own nothing but a stash of Raves, you're set from birth to potty-training! My favorite feature of all would have to be the double leg gussets. This is something that more diaper manufacturers should offer, but most do not. What is so great about double leg gussets? Simple. Baby poop can be runny at times, and can somehow migrate outside of the diaper onto chunky little thighs and down squirmy little legs. This can be a nightmare to clean up, and quite frankly, is really gross! Offering a double leg gusset in a diaper acts as an added barrier and helps keep nasty poop where it belongs: INSIDE the diaper! This feature definitely comes in handy with Xander, my 6 month old! He has some of the nastiest poo this side of Creation, and it often makes a HUGE mess! But with these great double leg gussets, the poop doesn't escape his diaper and get onto everything else, including him! The Rave works well on both of my babies both for day and night time use. For night time, I do double up on the inserts for added absorbency. However, I do this will all of my overnight pocket diapers. Sophie is a heavy wetter, so I always prepare for such with both babies. This diaper has not leaked on me yet, and I have used it on both babies multiple times! Here are some photos of Sophie wearing the Rave by Lovely Pocket Diapers: Overall, I love this diaper. It offers premium features with an economical price tag. The Rave is a great diaper for those with multiple babies in cloth, since the sizing options are so varied due to extra row of snaps. The fit is relatively trim when stuffed with one insert, and not too terribly bulky when double stuffed. I was able to achieve the perfect fit on both of my babies effortlessly, and the Rave offers great protection against leaks. With all of the great features, bright colors and prints, and tiny price tag, I'd be crazy NOT to love this diaper! Lovely Pocket Diapers is a wonderful choice for your diapering needs, since they offer a highly effective, affordable, and adorable line of products!
I am pleased to announce that Lovely Pocket Diapers will be giving one lucky follower a Rave of their own during my Christmas In July event later this month! Be on the lookout soon for early extra entry opportunities for this and my other event sponsors! In the meantime, here's how you can connect with Lovely Pocket Diapers! HOW TO CONNECT: You can purchase Lovely Pocket Diapers on their website. You can also connect with them on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions. FYI: Doing so NOW will put you one step ahead of the game once my Christmas In July event begins! ***Disclosure: I received a complimentary product to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** |
PR Friendly Mama!
I'm Brandy, a happily married, proud Mom of 3 amazing kids. If you're interested in building a working relationship, please feel free to e-mail me at: NewlyCrunchyMamaOf3@gmail.com Links We Love :Archives
June 2023
|