To contact us Click HERE Knowing how much my preteen son's Starbucks granola yogurt parfait habit cost me over the summer, I happily accepted when the folks at Breyer's offered to send me a sample pack of their granola-topped Yo Crunch Fruit Parfait.
The four-pack they sent me was gobbled up before I could say, "Yo!" Seriously, I did even get to try it.
I like that the product is HFCS-free and lowfat, though I'm not pleased about the artificial dyes. Still, these are a good size for him and easy to tote along. I'm happy that he's eager to bring these as part of his lunch.
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Gimbal's comes so close to getting it right for today's discerning parent- they use real sugar and natural fruit juices in their gummies and jelly candies and their sweets are free of 8 major allergens, but I really wish they would lose the artificial food dyes in favor of natural ones.
Image borrowed from the Gimbal's website
I received a sample of Gimbal's new Sour Lovers, which are tasty enough. They offer a tart zap of one of 12 flavors, and hooray for the natural fruit juice flavors, but those too bright colors and the dyes that make them are a turn-off.
This year as I head to the Sweets and Snacks Expo, I'm on the lookout for items that are made with real sugar and use natural food dyes. I'll be sharing my thoughts about the best of them over at Feed Our Families.
Disclosure: Gimbal's sent me three bags of Sour Lovers, but did not ask for or require a product review.
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Our water in Wichita is pretty icky compared to most other places I have lived. It's very hard and leaves a mineral scale on everything. Sometimes it even has a lovely poo smell due to algae bloom in the reservoir. Not so delicious. I jumped at the chance to review a new ZeroWater pitcher, much to my husband's bafflement. You see, we have a reverse osmosis system that makes our water safer to drink and much tastier. When we had it installed, we gave away our old water filter pitchers and thought we were done with them for good but I was intrigued by ZeroWater's built-in TDS meter, which measures the amount of total dissolved solids in your drinking water. I was curious to see how our water would rank, with and without the reverse osmosis filtration. Shockingly, our tap water measured 382 ppm– 500 is the EPA maximum! I knew it would be high but that was more than I expected. Next, I measured a glass of water from the R/O tap: 79 is definitely much better than 382 but it still could be better. I decided to fill the ZeroWater pitcher with regular tap water to test how well it reduced the TDS levels. It did very well, getting it all the way down to 005ppm on the first pass.
Now I remember that my ancient water filtration pitchers recommended running water through the filter several times to remove any residual charcoal so that might account for the slightly elevated reading. ZeroWater is ready to go with one fill, though, making it awfully convenient for lazy folks like me. I also love the clever lid design that allows you to totally geek out and test your water at any time with the handy TDS meter: I was a little surprised at the size of the ZeroWater filters and the weight of the pitcher, which is a bit heavy for kids to use in the traditional manner. Thankfully, the pour handle has a nifty integrated spigot: My kids LOVE the spigot. They are constantly going to the fridge to get water now. I'm not even joking! We haven't bought juice boxes since getting the ZeroWater pitcher. It's increased the entire family's water consumption. And it tastes great, especially when we fill it from the R/O tap! I love having cold water at the ready, especially now that the weather is getting warmer. Check your local TDS levels using the free TDS look-up on http://www.zerowater.com, then use code MC30 to get 30% off the 10-cup ZeroWater pitcher featured in this review! Learn more about ZeroWater on Facebook.
Giveaway Two readers (US only, sorry international readers) will each win their own ZeroWater pitcher! Enter using the form below:
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In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of ZeroWater and received a water pitcher to facilitate my review, two pitchers to giveaway, and extra filters to thank me for taking the time to participate. All opinions are my own.
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I received a surprise from my dear friend Zippy this week, lovely flowers from the Better Homes and Gardens collection from FTD. Actually, it's an extra-special surprise because I ended up getting two arrangements! Here's what happened. The florist tried to deliver the first arrangement while we were in New Jersey but I had to schedule redelivery when I got home.
I think they delivered the same arrangement, three days later. The flowers were pretty but a little wilted. I mentioned this to my FTD contact and they sent a replacement arrangement, via a different local floral shop. I think it's more "me," what do you think? FTD has been America's flower expert for over 100 years and is a go-to source for Mother's Day gifting. Their Better Homes and Gardenscollection features “Editors’ Choice” arrangements, designed by BHG editors. Each flower arrangement and plant is designed to reflect the style and elegance of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine. For Mother’s Day, all Better Homes and Gardens Flowers by FTD come with an additional gift that is sure to make moms feel even more appreciated: a free one-year subscription to Better Homes and Gardens! I especially love the idea of giving FTD potted plants, like bonsais and container gardens, because they keep giving well after the holiday is over. $50 FTD Gift Card Giveaway
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You might also want to check out the Mother’s Day Getaway Sweepstakes on the FTD Flowers Facebook page where, amongst other prizes, one Grand Prize winner will receive a trip for two to Morgan Bay Beach Resort in St Lucia. Prize includes a 4-night stay in a one-bedroom (double occupancy) Oceanview Suite with Morgan Bay’s all-inclusive program for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, unlimited beverages, all on-site activities, nightly entertainment, and more!
In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received the flowers shown above to facilitate my review and gift codes to use and give away. No other compensation was provided and, as usual, all opinions are my own.
To contact us Click HERE Please rise in a standing ovation for Graco, a company that has made an overwhelming contribution to raising the world's babies, including my own. Both of my kids are sadly well beyond the playpen age but since I am a Graco Nation Ambassador (we have TurboBoosters in each car these days), I was given the opportunity to give one away in honor of the quarter-century anniversary of the Graco Pack 'N Play. Can you believe it's only been around for 25 years? What did parents do beforehand?! Pack 'n Play® Playard with Reversible Napper & Changer™ The original Pack ‘n Play providing 25 years of heritage, trust and leadershipFact Sheet Designed to offer a compact, convenient solution for on-the-go parents, this playard combines two of our most popular features into one convenient solution – a reversible napper and changer. The Reversible Napper & Changer is a napping station on one side and can be flipped over to become a changing station on the other side. MSRP: $99.99 Available online and in stores at Babies ‘R Us, Target, Walmart, Amazon.com, GracoBaby.com, Buy Buy Baby and specialty retailersFeatures:
The first playard to feature a reversible napper and changing station, all-in-one
Toy bar features soft toys to amuse baby
Removable, full-size bassinet provides an extra-comfy spot for infants to nap
Convenient carrying bag for no-fuss travel and storage
Beautifully-styled, soft fabric cuddles baby for naps while the wipe-clean fabric resists messes
Pack Facts:
The first Pack ‘n Play was created in 1987
Pack ‘n Plays are currently available in more than 60 models and fashions
Pack ‘n Plays can range in price from $49.99 to $229.99 based on model
More than 30 million sold
Pack 'n Play Playard with Reversible Napper and Changer in Soho SquareWin one, courtesy of Graco by filling out the entry form below:
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In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am a Graco brand ambassador and have received complimentary samples of their products in the past. They are supplying a prize for this giveaway but no compensation has been received and, as usual, all opinions are my own.
To contact us Click HERE This is easily the most insipid Live a Little post I've written but, hey, it's summertime and I'm feeling pretty laid back. Let me write about hairstyles. Back to soul-searching next week!
I've been experimenting with my hair since junior high. It's been every color from inky blue to hot pink to a woeful #2 pencil yellow. It's been streaked and variegated, most notably when a bleach error left it several different hues like a the starburst colorway on a Fender guitar. I think they're calling it "ombre" this summer, so obviously I was well ahead of my time. Ahem.
I just recently dyed my hair close to its natural dark brown, almost black and I'm pretty into it for the moment. See, the thing is, I get bored easily. And also I have an insatiable urge to lop off bangs every couple of months, which sets a regrowth cycle into constant motion. I remember finding a photo of my best girlfriends in Seattle and realizing that all of us had variations on the same blunt-banged Bettie Page hairdo. I love it but it's also such a total cliche at this point. Not to mention the fact that my hair has gotten noticeably thinner since I've had kids, so my bangs aren't as enviously thick and severe as I'd like. I'm not blaming my progeny but both of them seem to have gorgeous, thick heads of hair while mine is just kinda there these days… What to do?
I found a simple, reasonably-priced option last week while browsing at Ulta: clip-in bangs from hairdo, the hair extension line from Ken Paves and Jessica Simpson. It is super easy to put on, with three small sewn-in clips and it stays put, even with significant tugging.
Okay, fine, it's a bang toupee. But I love it. The Midnight Brown is a pretty decent match to my natural color and it might even curb my desire to shear off my own poor locks for a while. I'm even contemplating getting a couple of the brightly colored clip-in side bangs to stave off the urge to dye. I'm getting so lazy in my old age… Roo tried on my bangs, too, even though they're a bit dark for her. I think they're adorable: Bob tried them on, too, but threated bodily harm if I tried to take a picture. Let's just say Prince Valiant is not his best look. Heh.
The moral of this story: don't be afraid of doing something silly to get what you want. It's only your hair, it'll grow back, right? Whatever, take the shortcut and Live a Little right away!
Share your Live a Little suggestions with the Skimbaco every Monday by adding the link to your Live a Little blog post in the InLinkz widget below. Rules: Link either to Skimbacolifestyle.com OR grab the InLinkz code for your blog post – or do both! If you post the widget in your blog post, please add the rules as well.
To contact us Click HERE I'm going to use my turtle , Tick Tock, as an example of how to Live a Little again. Remember how he inspired me to break out of the box? Well, this weekend I finally set up his gigantic new tank (thanks, Craigslist!) to replace the itty bitty one he had outgrown so quickly. At first, he seemed daunted. I was surprised, having expected him to adapt quickly to such a beautiful new habitat. It's so much bigger, so much cleaner, so much brighter. It even has a stellar view of the backyard, looking straight out of our biggest picture window. All he did was knock over the foliage and paw around at the pebbles. Then it occurred to me that, although boundaries keep us penned in, they can also be comforting. Maybe Tick Tock liked being in a tank that forced him to climb out and test his limits on a regular basis. Maybe it was important for him to struggle up the walls and flip himself over time and time again. Maybe he liked the challenge. About an hour into his resettling, I noticed Tick getting more comfortable. He seems to like the babbling brook sound of the new filter and the spacious basking platform. He also likes having the kittens sit on the ledge in front of him and visit. I think he just needed some time to reassess his situation and realize that everything was okay. The world is bigger but still within his reach. No matter how high you set your goals, you need to make sure you keep yourself grounded.
I can't believe I learn so much from a stray turtle. Share your Live a Little suggestions with the Skimbaco every Monday by adding the link to your Live a Little blog post in the InLinkz widget below. Rules: Link either to Skimbacolifestyle.com OR grab the InLinkz code for your blog post – or do both! If you post the widget in your blog post, please add the rules as well.
