Food, Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

A Treat Without The Tricks: Koochikoo Lollipops Review + Giveaway

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Disclosure: Samples were provided in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Happy October!   Since today is the first day of October, that means we have thirty days to prepare for Halloween and the trick-or-treaters that come to our door.  Well, I recently discovered a treat without the tricks: Koochikoo Lollipops!

These lollipops are the world’s first organic, no sugar added lollipop brand.  They are sweetened with organic prebiotic fiber and contain 5+ grams of fiber per lollipop.  In addition, they are gluten-free, vegan, Non-GMO and contain only 10 calories each.  Because the sweetness comes from organic tapioca fiber, you do not have to worry about any questionable artificial sweeteners.  These lollipops are also manufactured in a gluten-free, dairy-free, and peanut-free facility.

Koochikoo lollipops

We tried all of the flavors, and they are all super yummy.  They are sweet and tart, and will satisfy any sweet tooth.

Here is k enjoying a Koochikoo Lollipop as an after-school treat.

This is n enjoying one of the lollipops while doing his homework.  And yes, sometimes he does his homework on the floor!

These lollipops are such a great alternative to the sugar-laden, artificial flavored candy that is handed out to kids during this time of year.  Koochikoo Lollipops can be purchased on Amazon.  Use Amazon promo code “lollipower” for a 10% discount. (Code is good through the end of October.)

I am also excited to announce a giveaway for my readers for three of the 20 ct. canisters of Koochikoo Lollipops, (60 lollipops in all!)

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New Natural Products: #NewHopeBloggerBox

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Disclosure: I received samples in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The quarterly arrival of the New Hope Blogger Box is something to which I look forward to now.  It is always filled with new and interesting products that could potentially benefit my family.  This quarter’s box was no exception.  Here are the products that were included, along with some of our thoughts regarding some of them.

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A Delivery of Cuteness: Kawaii Box + Giveaway

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Disclosure: I received a free sample in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

As you may recall, the kids and I had so much fun reviewing the Japan Candy Box.  Therefore, when I was contacted about reviewing a Kawaii Box, I did not hesitate to say yes.  The concept is similar, but the Kawaii Box is a monthly subscription box focused on all things kawaii, or “cute”.

We received the September box to review, and the theme was “Travel With Sumikko Gurashi”.  I have been a fan of Sanrio for as long as I can remember, and this relatively newer set of characters makes me smile.  Sumikko Gurashi literally translates to “living in a corner”.  I am not exactly sure what that means, but this line is adorable!

I was thrilled that a Sumikko Gurashi notepad, plushie, and travel badge were all included in this month’s box.  I think I am going to have to fight with my daughter over these items. 🙂

Not surprisingly, my son was immediately drawn to the Happy Nikukyu Paw Gummies.  These gummies are soda flavored, which makes them unique and fun to eat.  Going along with the “cute dog” theme, is this pad of Inu Sticky Notes.

Gudetama is a Sanrio character that I have been seeing a lot of lately.  I personally do not see the appeal of a character who is a “lazy egg”, but these stickers are pretty funny.

Items featuring unicorns still seem to be quite popular.  Any unicorn fan is sure to love this Unicorn Pen With Light, Sweet Unicorn Gel Pen, and Unicorn Washi Tape.

For those us who cannot have enough decorative tape, this month’s box also included a Sparkly Deco Tape Set.

Kawaii Box offers different lengths of subscriptions at varying price points ($17.90-$19.90/month) and shipping is free!  This would make a wonderful gift for anyone who would appreciate a box of cuteness delivered to their doorstep every month.

Enter today for a chance to win a Kawaii Box for yourself!
LimByLim Kawaii Box Giveaway

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Treat Your Gut Well: Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics #MomsMeet

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Disclosure: I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

It seems like the benefits of probiotics are being touted everywhere these days.  Over the past month or so I have had the opportunity to try Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics.  What makes this brand of probiotics unique is that it contains prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics that work together to improve your digestive health.  Now, I do not have any type of science background, so I will not attempt to explain how these “biotics” interact with one another.  However, after taking these probiotics for a month, I can feel the difference in my body.  I do not want to be guilty of sharing too much information, but I do feel more “regular”.

I am a fan of the natural ingredient list: fruits, vegetables, mushrooms and seaweed.   The capsules are also 100% vegetarian, gluten-free, non-dairy, and non-gmo.  Unlike most other probiotic products, Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics are not grown in a laboratory.  Instead, they are fermented for three years and hand-made in Japan.  I appreciate that dedication to quality, especially when it comes to health supplements.

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics is available for purchase on amazon.com/essentialformulas.

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Hot or Cold? Cold Brew Coffee Your Way With Java House

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Disclosure: I was provided free samples in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Over the years both D and I have become avid coffee drinkers.  We drink it hot or cold, pretty much year-round.  I usually make batches of cold brew coffee in the summertime.  I like the refreshing, smooth, less acidic flavor.  It is easy to make, but it does take about twelve hours to steep.  Therefore, I was excited to learn about the convenience of Java House Cold Brew Coffee.

Java House Cold Brew Coffee comes in pods, but these pods are unique because they contain liquid, not grounds.  The ingredient list is simple: Filtered Water, 100% Arabica Coffee.  That’s it!  No preservatives or other weird additives.

The manufacturing process is also simple, but the result is a delicious cup of cold brew coffee.  What is even better is that this cold brew coffee can be enjoyed either hot or cold.

We had the opportunity to try the following four varieties: Ethiopian (light roast), Sumatran (dark roast), Colombian (medium roast) and Decaf (medium roast).

Preparing the coffee cold could not be easier.  Peel off the lid, pour it in a cup and add cold water (no coffee maker needed!).  I could see this being handy for traveling.

I used our Hamilton Beach FlexBrew coffee maker to prepare the hot version.  It was a little trickier because I did not failed to read the directions and did not realize that the liquid would come out as soon as I inserted the pod (although I guess that should be obvious!)  As long as you have your mug ready as soon as the pod is inserted, there should not be any problems.  Cold or hot, it was delicious both ways!

I cannot wait for the weather to become cooler.  Reading with a cup of coffee and a little sweet snack on a chilly day is one of my favorite things to do!

Each 6-count box retails for $8.99 and can be found at javahouse.com, walmart.com, or your local Wal-Mart store.  Java House is providing the opportunity for one of my readers to win a month’s supply of their cold brew coffee pods (1 box of each variety: Ethiopian, Colombian, Sumatran, and Decaf)!

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Label It Or Lose It: Mabel’s Labels Review + Giveaway

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Disclosure: Samples were provided in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

With kids going back to school, now is the best time to make sure all of their personal belongings are labelled with their name.  In 2002, four moms noticed a need for durable, waterproof labels and tags for their children’s belongings.  They met this need by starting a company called Mabel’s Labels.  I am always inspired by entrepreneurial stories where people see a need in everyday life and take action.

I had the opportunity to try out the Ultimate Back-To-School Combo for my kids.  This ultra-handy pack includes:

  • 40 Mini Custom Name Stickers: 1-1/2″ x 5/16″
  • 70 Tag Mates™ Stick On Clothing Labels: 13/16″ x 3/8″
  • 16 Custom Shoe Stickers (8 pairs): 1.3″
  • 2 Personalized Mini Tags: 1-1/4″ x 3/4″

We were able to choose the name (of course), font, image, and color scheme.  This was the fun part for my kids.  Not surprisingly, my daughter chose the basketball design, and my son chose the soccer design.  When we received our package in the mail, I was impressed with how high-quality the labels and tags are.  I can tell that these labels have been designed to withstand heavy use.  They are dishwasher-safe, microwave-safe, laundry-safe and waterproof!

The tags are metal and are convenient to attach to a zipper, like here on my daughter’s backpack.

I am pleased to announce that Mabel’s Labels has generously offered to give away one School Label Pack ($42 value) to one of my readers.  The choices include: Ultimate Back to School Combo, Little Kid School Combo, Middle School Label Pack, Designer Label Pack, Mr. Men School Label Pack, or Hello Kitty School Label Pack.

 

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How to Keep Kids Hydrated When They Play Sports

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by BODYARMOR.  All opinions are my own.

My son really enjoys playing soccer.  Even though fall is the official soccer season, we like to enroll him in various programs year-round to keep him conditioned.  This summer, I signed him up for a week-long soccer camp that lasted from 9 a.m. – noon.  We live in sunny Southern California, so I felt bad when the weather forecast was in the 90’s everyday.

Three hours of strenuous physical activity can take a serious toll on the body, especially young kids.  The first day when I picked my son up at the end of camp he looked miserable.  He told me that he had a headache, which is one of the symptoms of dehydration.

Here are some tips on how to keep kids hydrated when they play sports.

1. Make sure kids start hydrating two days before the anticipated strenuous physical activity.

2. Make sure kids drink the day of the physical activity, before it starts.  My son said he drank a lot during the practice, but drinking before the practice is imperative.

3. Talk to the coaches to make sure that they are implementing several breaks throughout the practice so that kids have the opportunity to hydrate.

4. Water is always a good choice for hydration, but when strenuous or prolonged physical activity is involved, it is beneficial for kids to replace electrolytes that they lose through sweating.  One way to replace electrolytes is through the consumption of sports drinks.

It seems that sports drinks have developed a bad reputation because many of the most popular brands contain a lot of sugar and artificial ingredients.  I am excited that I discovered BODYARMOR LYTE, which is a sports drink that contains only 3 grams of sugar per serving, and contains no artificial flavors, sweeteners or colors.  BODYARMOR LYTE also includes more potassium, vitamins and coconut water than other leading brands, which keeps the body feeling its best.

BODYARMOR LYTE comes in four flavors: Peach Mango, Cherry Berry, Orange Citrus, and Blueberry Pomegranate.

We had the opportunity to try BODYARMOR LYTE in the Peach Mango flavor.

My son really liked the taste, which is important so that kids actually want to hydrate themselves.  The BODYARMOR LYTE also helped keep his energy level going throughout the entire camp day.  I would recommend BODYARMOR LYTE for any parent looking for a sports drink with more natural ingredients for their kids.

Starting in 2018, BODYARMOR Sports Drink is now available at all Walgreens locations nationwide. Click HERE to receive $1.00 off on TWO (2) Bottles of BODYARMOR Sports Drink or BODYARMOR LYTE Sports Drink (16oz Only).

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Sharpen Your Child’s Soccer Skills: Challenger Sports British Soccer Camp Review

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Challenger Sports.  All opinions are my own.

With my daughter away at camp, I knew that I needed to find an activity to keep my son busy for the last week of July.  He tends to become really bored when she is not around–ha!  I saw that Challenger Sports was holding a British Soccer Camp at a park just down the street from us so I decided to sign him up.  There was a choice between a half day camp (9-noon) and full day camp (9-4).  We went with the half day camp, which was a good thing since the weather was so hot that week.  I actually felt bad for the kids that were signed up for the full day camp since it was so hot, but it is a nice option if you need full day childcare.

There were three coaches, and about twenty-five kids at the camp.  Sign-ups were open to boys and girls from ages 3-16, but it seemed like most of the kids were about 5-12.  I had limited interaction with the coaches (2 male, 1 female), but they did have British accents!  From what n told me, they were all friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.  I appreciated how they greeted n by name by the second day.  That might seem like a small gesture, but it made me feel like they were paying attention to each individual child which is not always the case in settings like this.

The kids were split up into 6 teams and earned points throughout the week for winning their games, as well as participating in fun spirit activities such as dressing up for “Wacky Wednesday” or drawing a picture of their coach.  Each day they did focused drills to focus on specific skills.

The coaches also gave the parents instructions about signing up for an app called TopYa! Soccer.  I had not heard about this app before, but it is pretty cool.  The app teaches kids certain soccer skills through videos.  You can then take a video of your child performing that skill and a virtual coach gives you feedback.  We had a little trouble uploading the video at first, but now that we have the hang of it, n seems to like it.

I realize this is not the most exciting video, but you get the idea!

If you have a young soccer player, or a child who is interested in trying soccer, I would recommend trying out a Challenger Sports British Soccer Camp near you!

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Unique Gourmet Popcorn: Pop Art Snacks Review + Giveaway

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Disclosure: I received free samples in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own.

Popcorn is one of my all-time favorite snacks.  I like that it satisfies my craving for salt and crunch without too much guilt compared to other snacks.

Pop Art Snacks is a company that makes gourmet popcorn with unique and interesting flavors.  The packaging is so bright and cheerful!  I was excited to have the opportunity to try out four of their varieties:

  • Hawaiian Sea Salt with Avocado Oil
  • White Cheddar Jalapeno
  • Rosemary Truffle
  • Nori Sesame

The Hawaiian Sea Salt with Avocado Oil flavor debuted at Expo West this past spring, but somehow I missed their booth.  I love how the ingredients are so simple: Non-GMO Popcorn, Avocado Oil, Natural Pacific Sea Salt.

The White Cheddar Jalapeno flavor definitely has a kick to it!  It might be a little too spicy for kids, but spice fans will like this one.  The white cheddar rounds out the spiciness.

As soon as you open the Rosemary Truffle, the aroma hits you.  Although I am not the biggest rosemary fan, I was surprised that I really enjoyed this sophisticated flavor.  Set a bowl of this flavor out as a hors d’oeuvre at your next fancy dinner party.

The Nori Sesame was naturally a big hit with my Asian American family.  I am still surprised to see how “mainstream” nori has become, but it seems to be a flavor that a lot of people enjoy these days.  I like how this is a flavor of popcorn that you cannot find just anywhere.

All of the flavors use non-GMO corn, are gluten-free, air-popped, and have no trans fat or MSG.

Why not make a Pop Art popcorn bar at your next gathering and let your guests decide which is their favorite?

My son and I had fun making origami paper cups to coordinate with each of the flavors!

Origami Popcorn Cup Tutorial

 

I think these pictures are easy to follow, but I will attempt to explain the steps as well:

1. Start with a square piece of paper.

2. Fold in half into a triangle.

3. Fold one corner of the triangle so that the top is parallel to the bottom of the triangle.

4. Fold the opposite corner of the triangle in the same way.

5. Fold top triangles down and tuck into the cup.

6.  To make the cup stand up, flatten the bottom and place a weight, like a little piece of candy in the bottom to help it stay upright.

These paper cups are so festive and easy to make!  They are perfect for serving popcorn and are easy to coordinate by choosing paper that matches your occasion.

Pop Art Gourmet Popcorn can be found at a store near you.  We were also thrilled to find three flavors at our local Cost Plus World Market on sale for $2.99!  We bought a bag of the Thai Coconut Curry because it sounded so intriguing.

You also have the opportunity to try this delicious popcorn for yourself.  Enter our giveaway for four bags of Pop Art Popcorn in the flavors pictured below!

 

 

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Upgrade Your Toothbrush: Smile Brilliant cariPRO Toothbrush Review

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Disclosure: Smile Brilliant provided me with a free kit in exchange for an honest review and I will receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.  However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

You may recall that my husband D recently had the opportunity to try out the Smile Brilliant Professional Whitening System.  Since we were impressed with the results, I did not hesitate in accepting an opportunity to try out Smile Brilliant’s new cariPRO electric toothbrush.

The “Individual Package” that we tried includes:

  • x1 cariPRO™ Ultrasonic toothbrush
  • x2 premium replacement heads with tongue scraper & DuPont™ bristles
  • x1 wireless charging dock

I currently use an electric toothbrush on the recommendation of my dentist.  However, the cariPRO electric toothbrush has some unique features that impressed me:

  • 40,000 vibrations per minute (that is a lot of vibrations!)
  • 5 brush modes (clean, white, massage, gum care, sensitive)
  • 30 day battery life (on full charge)
  • Slim and light-weight design with graphite gray soft-touch grip
  • Waterproof design is safe for shower or bath
  • The replaceable toothbrush heads are reasonably priced.

For answers to some FAQs about Smile Brilliant’s products, click here.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlYn00qh2KH/?taken-by=limbylim

Who knew that brushing could be so fun?

I thought I was doing a good job of brushing my teeth before, but my teeth felt cleaner after using this toothbrush.  If you do not already use an electric toothbrush, I would recommend this one.  If you already use an electric toothbrush, it might be time for an upgrade!

I am pleased to announce that Smile Brilliant is offering my readers an exclusive 40% off cariPRO Ultrasonic electric toothbrushes.  At checkout, use code: limbylim40


Tooth Whitening Gel

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