Let the Fun begin(again)!

I'm backkkkkkk! Hello Blog world! I know its been a while since I have posted and boy have I missed writing.  I am so excited to get back to sharing my adventures in motherhood. As any mom knows, life sometimes gets a little hectic and you can find yourself running in a million circles. In the mist of life happening I have not been able to find the me time where I can sit down to write. But I come to you today pledging that I am going to make every effort to do a better job of setting time aside to post as often as I can. During my time away I have had the pleasure of doing so many wonderful things that I can't wait to share with you what I have been up to over the last couple of months. So let the fun begin (again). Have a great day!

The Not So Perfect Stay at Home Mom 

The apple of my eye... Opal apples are a hit.

Apples are one of my favorite snacks that I like to simply cut and eat as I go about my daily chores at home. I must say I was a little leery of an apple which did not brown but boy did I find a gold mine. I love apples as my snack and as a busy mom of two active girls I often find myself on the go so I am always looking for great grab and go snacks that I can toss in my purse. I love apples but I often do not take them on the go because I prefer to have them without the core.  Anyone who has ever cut an apple knows that the moment you cut an apple it starts the browning process hence the reason that I do not cut them up for my grab and go snack. Then one day I got an email from Bzzagent asking me join a campaign to try out a new apple called Opal which were non- GMO and are naturally non-browning. Opal apples first hit the apple scene in the US in 2010 and they are exclusively grown in Washington at a place called Broetje Orchards. I saw the non- browning part my eyes got big and I was all in.  The first thing I did was cut an apple up and I left it sitting on my kitchen counter to see if it held up to all the browning claims and it really did. I even went as far as to leave it sitting there overnight and the next morning it was still holding strong.

These little gems are only available from November until March and they are truly a treat.  Opal apples are bright yellow in color and the flavor is amazing  These are sure to be the new apple of your eye. At first bite I found the flavor to resemble that of a cross between a pear and an apple. The opal apple's texture has a little crispness to it but it is not as firm as other apples like the granny smith. I absolutely love the Opal apples, I just wish the texture was a little firmer.  Another great thing about Opal apples is that they have been known as the apple with a purpose, because a portion of their sales Apples’ sales go to their Youth Make a Difference grants, which support youth-led non-profits involving food, nutrition and agriculture. So what more could you ask from your apple, great taste, and a support for great causes. I am sold on them and so are my friends. 

I knew I had found something good in Opal apples but I wanted to see if my friends felt the same way so I provided two of them with an apple to try. After all was said and done, they too were fans. One friend said that it was a great late night snack that she enjoyed with a little peanut butter. The one downside that my friends reported is that the apples were not easy to locate in stores. I too agree with this because I had to look at over 5 stores before I was able to secure mine. The other problem that I found was that the apples were a little on the expensive side. I paid about $7 dollars for about 5 apples. Each apple was priced at a little over a dollar a piece. As much as I loved the flavor and the non- browning I am not sure if I would be willing to keep shelling out so much money to support my new favorite fruit. 

Opal apples lived up to all their claims and they are in fact a great grab and go snack that you can enjoy without all the ugly browning of other apples. Next time you are in your local store check out the apple section and see if you can find this little gem. I promise you will not be disappointed. 

Love at first bite: Brookeside Dark chocolate crunchy clusters are heaven sent

I recently started 21 day Fit girl challenge which restricts me from eating candy and all other wholesome goodness, except for one piece of dark chocolate. So you can only imagine how happy I was when I received the Brookeside Dark chocolate Crunchy Clusters in the mail. They were heaven sent to me and I could not wait to try them out. From the moment I tried them I was in love. I must admit that I was a little leary on how they would taste because I am normally not a fan of dark chocolate but boy am I happy that I went against my first notion and tried them. These things are awesome goodness without all the guilt since they are made with whole grains and fruit(at least that is what I am telling myself). As soon as I opened the bag I could not stop eating them which explains why I had to make a quick trip to SAMs to grab an economy size bag to feed my new craving. I try to limit how many I eat at a time but I must be honest it is a hard task to do. How would I describe my favorite new treat? Well let's just say they are a delightful little piece of chocolate goodness withy a little bit of sweetness to offset the flavor of the dark chocolate. The final flavor that hits your taste buds is the whole grain pieces which remind you of a crisp.  Overall, it is awesome goodness for less calories of other candy options. All I can say is that I love these things.

Zep Cleaning products to the Rescue

As a stay at home mom, one of my biggest tasks is keeping our house sparkly and clean. I do not mind house cleaning but I must admit that one of my least favorite thing to do is cleaning the bathrooms.  This is a problem for me because we have 5 bathrooms in our house that have to be maintained.  I am not sure why I hate cleaning the bathrooms so much, but it could have something to do with the fact that it has been my chore since I was a child. We recently moved into a new home and the shower in our master bathroom has become my arch nemesis. It seems to get dirty after just one shower and it is an absolute beast to clean. I think the main issue  with it is the material that it is made of. It is made of a hard plastic and is surrounded with a glass enclosure.  I have tried several products but none have seemed to really work very well at getting it sparkling clean. That is why I was super excited to when Crowdtap gave me the opportunity to try out two of the new Zep products.  What really excited me about this sample and share was the fact that not only would both of the product provide a superior clean, it would also serve as a disinfectant which is great with cold and flu season being in full force. In the sample box I received:

-Zep Quick Clean Disinfectant

-Zep All-Around Oxy Cleaner and Degreaser

Once I got the samples, I immediately stated cleaning every surface in my home.  No surface was safe with me. I covered the light switch plates, the cordless phones, the kitchen counters, the bathrooms, some of my kids toys, and anything else that I thought may have a germ or two on it. Once I had disinfected everything, I then decided to try out the Zep All-Around Oxy Cleaner and Degreaser on some stubborn stains that I had around the house. I started in with a stain that I had on my daughters bathroom counter. The counters are made of a white stone that had somehow gotten a blue stain on it. I had tried everything to get it out but it just did not seem to work. So I sprayed the Zep All Around on the stain and waiting for a minute like the directions stated. After the minute I took a Mr clean magic and started to clean the stain. Within seconds the faint blue stain that had once ruined my white counter tops was no more. I was so impressed with it that I tried it on another stain that was on my master bath counter top. I repeated the steps but this time the stain did not come out all the way. The next stain I tried it on was a permanent marker stain that one of my daughters had placed on a wall. Once again, within minutes the stain was long gone.

Overall, I was impressed with the Zep products that I received. I will say that I found the Zep All-Around Oxy Cleaner and Degreaser to do a better job on cutting stains and dirt. I will definitely be purchasing this product to use in my home because it helps cut my cleaning time in half. Be sure to check it out in your local store and let me know what you think about it. 

Products referenced in this review were provided to sample but all reviews about both products are based on my personal opinions of the products. 

The Low Down on Sweet and Low: A Crowdtap Party Sampling

As many of you know I love trying out products so I was excited when Crowdtap invited me to have a host a "The Sweeter, The Better: A Sweet’N Low” party. This party was aimed at sharing some healthier alternatives for so great summer party drinks.  To help throw this party I was provided with an awesome kit included the following items:

• One (1) Sampling Insert to guide your experience
• One (1) Box of Sweet’N Low for me
• Five (5) Sweet’N Low samples with coupons for your friends
• Six (6) Cards with skinny Sweet’N Low recipes
• One (1) pitcher
• Cups
• Napkins
• A set of measuring cups
• A gift card for supplies

I must admit that I am a yellow packet kind of girl but I am open to trying new things.  I use an alternative sweetener in my coffee and ice tea but never did I think to add it to my mixed drinks. That is why this party was so cool.  I really liked the cool drink recipe cards that were included in the kit. I liked how they offered both alcoholic and non alcoholic drink options so there was something for everyone. These drink cards opened up a whole new door for me on new ways to use Sweet and low.  The recipe I loved was the Skinny Mini Mojito.  I lived this one because it was a light and refreshing drink that was great for these hot California days. The great thing about it is that you can serve it with our without the alcohol and it still be a great drink. Check out the super easy recipe below:

Ingredients

• Ice
• 12 packets Sweet’N Low® zero calorie sweetener
• 1 1/4 cups light rum
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 cup loosely packed mint sprigs
• 1 liter club soda, chilled
• 6 lime wedges
• 6 small mint sprigs

Place 1 cup mint sprigs, lime juice, rum and Sweet’N Low® in 2-quart nonmetal pitcher. Crush mint with wooden spoon. Add ice and club soda. Serve in tall glasses over ice. Garnish with lime wedges and small mint sprigs.

Overall, all the drink recipes included in the kit were great and I look forward to trying many more of these.  If you are interested in finding out more great drink options using sweet and low be sure to check out their page  by clicking here.  

I must admit that up until now, I normally use another alternative sweetener because I find that Sweet and Low has a slight after taste.  One thing I did find is that the after taste is not as noticeable when it is mixed into the mixed drinks. 

I received the above products free from Crowdtap and Sweet and Low so that I could review the products but all opinions are based on my own personal experiences with the products. 

Love at first bite: Hills Ideal Balance dog food is a hit

As many of you know I am always trying out new products through some really great companies. I recently got the opportunity to try out Hills Ideal Balance dog food through Crowdtap.  Our family is blessed to have a small four pound pomeranian who goes by the name of Blue. A couple of months ago the groomer informed me that I needed to change Blues diet because it was affecting his skin and coat. She recommended that we switch to one without all the additives and fillers. We started using Blue Buffalo and he was enjoying it but it was a little pricey. That is why I was excited when Crowdtap contacted me about trying this new Hills Ideal Balance dog food.  What's great about this food is that it is made with all natural ingredients and does not contain any artificial colors or flavors. Instead it is made with ingredients like fresh chicken and brown rice. The chicken is a lean protein which will help keep Blue slim and trim ad he ages. It also contains potatoes which are naturally gluten free which means it will help with heath digestion. Hills Ideal Balance food is said to be great because it provides key nutrients that are perfect for your dogs  nutritional needs. The each food type contains 50 key nutrients based on life stage, lifestyle, size or special care needs. We have tried several dog foods over the past couple of months and Blue has been pretty tough on them so I was a little leary on if he would actually like the Hills Ideal Balance. Boy was I surprised he loved it from the moment I set it in front of him. I was excited because Hills food contains 3 and 6 fatty acids  which have been known to improve skin and coats which is a big issue we face with Blue.
Along with the dry dog food they also sent some dog treats and a can of wet food. This is great because it is a complete line of products which will continue to help with the nutritional health of Blue.

Overall, we were happy with the Hills Ideal Balance food. Blue seemed to really enjoy the snacks as well as the food. This is definitely a food that I can feel good about giving to Blue because not only is it good to him but good for him. Don't have a dog? Don't fret Hills has a complete line for cats as well. Be sure to check them out on the pet food Isle your pet will thank you later for it.

I received free products to try out this product but all opinions are based on my personal experiences with this prodcut.

Crowdtap sample share: Kleenex to the rescue

Summer should be the season where allergy sufferers get some relief but in our house that has not been the case. Over the last couple of months there has been more runny nose than I can count. That's  why the Crowdtap Kleenex sample and share was right down our alley.  For this sample share, I received one box of Kleenex tissues to use and share with my family and friends. Now let me tell you that we normally use the cool touch Kleenex tissues so it was an adjustment for us to use the regular tissues. Even though we missed the cool feel of our normal tissues, still enjoyed the great softness that the Kleenex brand is known for. My two daughters loved using the Kleenex tissues because of how soft they are.
So whether you have to sneeze, or clean up a small mess Kleenex tissues are great.