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

September 16, 2018 43 Comments

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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Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

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

August 30, 2018 34 Comments

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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Reviews, Sponsored

How to Keep Kids Hydrated When They Play Sports

August 6, 2018 2 Comments

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).

n, Reviews, Sponsored

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

August 2, 2018 No Comments

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!

Crafts, Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Unique Gourmet Popcorn: Pop Art Snacks Review + Giveaway

July 31, 2018 73 Comments

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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Reviews, Sponsored

Upgrade Your Toothbrush: Smile Brilliant cariPRO Toothbrush Review

July 18, 2018 No Comments

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

Reviews, Sponsored

Boredom Buster: I Dig It Kits Review #thamesandkosmos#letknowledgegrow #Tryazon

July 15, 2018 No Comments

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

With the kids on summer break, we are always on the look out for activities to do at home. We recently had the opportunity to try the I Dig It! kits by Thames & Kosmos, and they are definitely a fun boredom buster!

Here is what came in the kit that n chose.

The kids had fun digging for their objects.

Be prepared for a mess, but that is half of the fun, right?

Click here for a 25% off discount and free shipping from 7/6/18 – 7/30/18 when you order one of the I Dig It! Excavation Kits from Thames & Kosmos on Amazon.

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.

Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

A Sweet Selection: Japan Candy Box Review + Giveaway

July 13, 2018 54 Comments

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

As a Japanese-American, I have always been fascinated by Japanese candy. The packaging is so kawaii (cute) and the flavors and varieties are quite different from what is available in the United States. When Japan Candy Box gave me the opportunity to review one of their monthly subscription boxes, I was so excited (and so were my kids!)

The box comes with a handy guide that has a description of all of the products in English. Each box has a theme, and this month’s theme is Ice Cream Carnival!

These are the items that came in our box, along with some of our thoughts:

1. Glico Caplico Mini Ice Cream Snack

This is an ice cream snack that does not melt! It really does look like a mini ice cream cone. The filling is interesting, like aerated frosting.

2. Coris Cola & Soda Soft Candy

I was not quite sure what to expect from this candy, which is described as a “rope shaped candy [with] two layers, one tastes like cola and the other like soda!” I do not know what flavor “soda” is, but it tasted like Sprite or 7Up. I cannot think of any American candy that is similar.

3. Calbee Sapporo Potato Chips BBQ Flavor

This is a light and crispy snack made from Sapporo potatoes. The BBQ flavor is more subtle than American BBQ chips. It is nice that they added a couple of savory snacks to the mix.

4. Fujiya Baskin Robbins Mint Chocolate

It is a little strange (but fun!) to see an American company (Baskin Robbins) featured on a Japanese product. The individually wrapped pieces of chocolate were very “melty” when we opened them so we put them in the freezer before eating. The dark chocolate outer shell is a nice contrast to the minty sweet middle.

5. Yaokin Little Gang Popping Candy

This one is similar to Pop Rocks, but the kids liked it better because of the sour flavor. I have never thought about putting popping candy on ice cream, but we tried it as suggested on the package. It is definitely a party on your tongue!

6. Coris Hiyarinko Ice Gum

I am personally not a big fan of gum, but I do like penguins! I only let my kids have gum on occasion, so this was a special treat. These gumballs have a slightly hard outer shell and are filled with softer cooling xylitol that freshens your breath.

7. Meiji Panda Yan Yan Biscuit Sticks

The kids liked the DIY aspect of this snack. They had fun dipping the not-too-sweet biscuit sticks (with Japanese writing!) in the chocolate and then in the sprinkles.

8. Baby Star Shinkansen Ramen Maru

The Shinkansen (bullet train) in Japan is truly a marvel to behold, but it still seems odd for it to be a featured image on packaging for a crispy noodle snack–ha! n really liked these little savory and crunchy nuggets.

9. Koala’s March Biscuits Soft Ice Cream

We have had Koala Biscuits before, but only in flavors like chocolate and green tea. This soft ice cream flavor is a limited edition. We put them in the freezer before eating for the “full taste experience” as suggested in the pamphlet. I like how the koalas come in so many designs, and the vanilla flavor did remind me of soft serve ice cream when I ate it cold. This was my favorite item of the box!

10. Kabaya Kakigori Shaved Ice Gummies

I enjoy shaved ice, but I have never heard of shaved ice candy! How cute are these gummy candy snow cone tops?? These soft gummies are unique and fun. The sugar crystals make them really look like snow cones, plus they add a nice little crunch.

A subscription to Japan Candy Box would be a delightful gift to yourself, or for anyone you know who would be interested in trying out a variety of Japanese snacks and candy for $19.90 per month (with free shipping!).

Now for the exciting part…Japan Candy Box is giving away one of their boxes to one of my readers! This giveaway is open worldwide, and is open until August 9.

LimByLim Japan Candy Box Giveaway

Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Adorbs x 2: Cutie Stix Bracelet Collector Pack Review + Giveaway

July 9, 2018 25 Comments

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

I would consider both of my kids to be “makers”; they like to make things with their hands. These Cutie Stix Friendship Collectible Bracelets packs by Maya Toys come with everything you need to make two utterly adorable bracelets.

I like how each pack makes two bracelets so that there is one to keep and one to share with a friend. Each pack comes with two bright pink cords, two sets of clasps and a variety of Cutie Stix to collect and trade.

The recommended age is 6 years and up, but these 11 year olds enjoyed making them too!

These Cutie Stix Friendship Collectible Bracelets packs can be found at Target and retail for $4.99. Series 2 will be launching in Fall 2018. How cute is the Target-exclusive avocado??

These bracelet packs would be a fun summer activity, party favor, or stocking stuffer.

Maya Toys has offered to give two Cutie Stix Collectible Bracelets Packs to one of my readers!

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Food, Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Make Your Own Ice Pops: Zipzicles Review + Giveaway

June 30, 2018 26 Comments

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

Summer is in full swing, and we like to have frozen treats on hand. It is a good idea to make your own, since a lot of store-bought frozen treats have artificial colors and flavors, not to mention high fructose corn syrup. Have you heard of Zipzicles? They are sealable BPA/BPS/Phthalate-free plastic pouches that let you make your own portable ice pops.

They also offer Ice Pop Sleeves to “Keep hands warm & ice pop cold”. Ingenious.

These are the Zipzicle flavors that we made:

There are plenty of ice pop recipes that can be found on the Zipzicle website, along with Pinterest, etc. However, we kind of just winged it with some ingredients that we thought sounded good.

n cut up the strawberries and we blended it with lemonade to make the strawberry lemonade flavor. We did the same with some blackberries that my parents gave me from their backyard.

For the mango lemonade flavor, we used frozen mango chunks from Trader Joe’s. So easy–no prep!

For the root beer float flavor we simply blended root beer and vanilla ice cream. (Confession: we used “regular” root beer so there were some not-so-good-for-you ingredients in that one, but you could easily use a natural brand!)

For the cold brew coffee flavor (for D and me) we used cold brew coffee, milk and sweetened condensed milk. The beauty is that you can make it as milky or as sweet as you like it. This would also be a good way to use up any leftover coffee that you may have, as well.

Once we blended the ingredients, we found it easiest to use a funnel to fill the ice pop molds. There is even a “fill line” marked on the pouch so you know when to stop. (Since liquid expands when it freezes, you don’t wan’t to overfill it!)

We froze them upright, as recommended on the website. We just used another ice pop set that we already had but you could use a cup or anything that would hold them upright. They did not take long to freeze–maybe a couple of hours.

So excited to have a stockpile of these Zipzicles in our freezer!

The kids had so much fun both making and eating their Zipzicles!

Zipzicles can be ordered here. They are also available at Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart and Amazon.

I am also excited to announce that Zipzicles is offering one of my readers a chance to win their own set of ice pop molds and ice pop sleeves!

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