Food, Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Enjoy The Sweet Life With Lily’s Chocolate

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

In my opinion, chocolate is one of those foods that definitely makes life sweeter. However, if you are looking to cut back on sugar, that does not mean you have to cut out chocolate. Lily’s is a brand that makes chocolate and sweets with no added sugar. Instead of sugar, Lily’s uses stevia extract, which is a zero-calorie botanical sweetener.

I picked up a few bars of Lily’s chocolate at my local Target so that my family could do a taste test. We tried Lily’s Cookies & Creme White Chocolate Style, Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Style and Sea Salt Extra Dark Chocolate. Pictured here is the Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Style bar, which was my favorite of the three. The little tinge of salt really enhances the flavor of the caramel and the chocolate.

The Lily’s Cookies and Creme bar is for the person with a real sweet tooth. I enjoyed the crunchy texture that the pieces of cookie added to this bar.

Lily’s offers an expansive product line in addition to chocolate bars, including baking chocolate, gummy bears and sour worms, peanut butter cups, chocolate covered nuts and caramels. Any of thee products would be a welcome treat for those who wish to enjoy sweets without the sugar!

Where To Purchase Lily’s Sweets

Lily’s Sweets are available through their online store and at a store near you.

Lily’s Chocolate Bars Giveaway

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Reviews, Sponsored

So Glad We Found Gladskin Eczema Cream

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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.

My son has suffered on and off from eczema ever since he was a tiny baby. I remember our pediatrician prescribing a steroid cream for him when he was quite young and I was weary of its side effects. Since then, he has tried several eczema creams with varying degrees of success.

Therefore, I am so glad that Moms Meet introduced me to Gladskin Eczema Cream! This cream contains a unique patented endolysin, which rebalances the good and bad bacteria that naturally live on the skin as it moisturizes.

Gladskin Eczema Cream is 100% non-toxic, free of steroids, antibiotics, fragrances, drying alcohols, preservatives and parabens. It is even gentle enough for cheeks and eyelids, and has has been proven safe and effective for babies as young as three months old. Notably, this product is also accepted by the National Eczema Association.

This is how my son’s skin looks like during a mild eczema flare-up.

The Gladskin Eczema Cream is easy to apply and absorbs well. Because it does not contain any harsh or addictive ingredients, there is no worry about “overdoing” it. We noticed an improvement in his skin overnight. I think the key will be for him to use the cream on a consistent basis, even when he is not having a flare-up. How I wish that I had this cream when my son was a baby!

In addition to the Eczema Cream, Gladskin also makes other products that are specially formulated for sensitive skin, including face wash, body wash, shampoo bar, and makeup remover. If you or your child has eczema, Gladskin skincare products are definitely worth looking into!

Gladskin Promo Code

Save 10% on your order on gladskin.com with promo code GLADMOM10. Offer expires 3/31/22.

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Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Hand In Hand Makes Soap With A Mission

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

We are all washing our hands more these days, so I am excited to share about Hand in Hand. This company makes body care products with clean ingredients and modern, sustainable packaging.

Even more importantly, the founders of Hand in Hand wanted to help the millions of children who die each year due to the lack of clean water and soap. For every purchase, Hand in Hand donates soap and water to countries in need around the world. Since 2011, the company has donated an incredible 13.8 million bars of soap and 120K gallons of water.

Hand in Hand soaps and lotions contain natural ingredients such as shea butter, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, cocoa butter, essential oils and aloe vera. Also notable is what their products do not contain, including palm oil, parabens or phthalates.

Each of Hand In Hand’s body care products are available in a variety of scents. This Island Mimosa Body Wash smells like “fresh coconut and mango leaf”. The scent reminds me of a tropical summer vacation! I also tried the Sea Salt Sugar Scrub, which smells like “sweet mint and eucalyptus”. It provides an amazing energizing lift in the shower and left my skin feeling soft and smooth. Their other scents include: Cactus Blossom, Citrus Grove, Pink Peony, Lavender, Sweet Grass and Poppy.

I often do not remember to apply lotion until I am about to go to sleep. Keeping this Hand in Hand Sweetgrass Body Lotion on my bedside table looks nice and is a good reminder to keep my skin moisturized.

I hope that Hand in Hand continues to expand, as they offer body care products that you can feel good about using on multiple levels!

Where To Purchase Hand In Hand Soap Products

Hand in Hand soap products are available through their online store. They are also available at a store near you, including several major retailers such as Target, Whole Foods and Walmart.

Hand In Hand Soap Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a set of Hand in Hand soap products, including hand soap, sugar scrub, bar soap, body wash and body lotion.

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Giveaways, National Parks, Reviews, Sponsored

Games For National Park Fans

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Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this 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.

As many of you know, our family enjoys visiting national parks. So far we have explored 27 national parks, and we wish to visit more! If you or someone you know has a similar love for the national park system, take note. The Op gave me the opportunity to try out three of their national park-themed games: Scrabble: National Parks, Monopoly: National Parks Edition, and National Parks Get Wild. All of these games would make a great gift for a national park fan!

Scrabble: National Parks

During a recent camping trip, we ended up playing Scrabble: National Parks inside our tent before going to sleep. I did not take any pictures, as the lighting was not ideal. However, it was a fun family bonding experience. Scrabble is a classic game for a reason, and the addition of national park cards gives it an interesting twist. Extra points are also awarded for playing national park words, such as things found or items used in the national parks. This game is for 2-4 players, ages 8+.

Monopoly: National Parks Edition

It seems like there is version of Monopoly for every interest, so it is exciting that The Op offers Monopoly: National Parks Edition. In this edition, players “buy” national park properties with special bills featuring national monuments. Instead of building houses or hotels, players build camp sites or ranger stations.

This Monopoly board is so beautiful. Just looking at the pictures of the various parks brings back a lot of precious family memories.

Are these national park-themed playing pieces not the cutest? I especially like the ranger’s hat and hiking boot! Monopoly: National Parks Edition is for 2-6 players, 8+.

National Parks Get Wild

National Parks Get Wild is a completely new game for our family. In this game, the object is to remove the animals that do not belong in your national park, and gather the ones that do. I like that this is a simultaneous play game, so you’re not waiting for someone to take their turn! Again, the national park illustrations are gorgeous and I appreciate all of the fun facts listed on the player boards. This game would be great for kids that like to learn about animals, too. National Parks Get Wild is for 3-6 players, 6+.

Where To Purchase The Op Games

The Op Games can be purchased through their online shop, or at major retailers such as Amazon, Target, Walmart and Barnes & Noble.

The Op Games Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win Scrabble: National Parks, Monopoly: National Parks Edition, and National Parks Get Wild.

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Coolibar Provides Wearable Sun Protection

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

Living in sunny Southern California, I am constantly aware of how important it is to protect our skin from sun damage. Coolibar is an apparel company that makes clothing, swimwear and accessories guaranteed to provide an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating of 50+. The fabrics that they use block 98% of UVA/UVB rays and Coolibar guarantees this protection for the life of their products. I had the opportunity to try some of Coolibar’s innovative products and I am excited to share about them!

Coolibar Clothing

This is the Coolibar Women’s LumaLeo Relaxed T-Shirt in Grey Heather. I requested the small size, and the cut is quite generous (hence the “relaxed” description). However, I did notice a little shrinkage after washing. The neck is cut high to provide maximum sun protection.

I really like this shirt’s full-length sleeves with thumbholes. They provide a lot of coverage, yet still allow you to use your hands. It is so convenient to be able to wear UPF 50+ protection.

I also tried out the Coolibar Women’s LumaLeo Beach Pants. These pants are very comfortable and “flowy”. As the name suggests, they are the perfect pants to wear at the beach. However, I will probably be wearing them most often to my son’s soccer games!

Coolibar Accessories

Coolibar also has a wide variety of accessories that provide UPF 50+, including hats and shawls.

I received the Coolibar Blake Elegant Floppy Hat and Sanibel Everyday Beach Shawl and we tested both of them out at a recent Angels baseball game.

I have been on the hunt for the perfect sun hat for a while now, and the Blake Elegant Floppy Hat is just what I was looking for! It has a wide brim (but not too wide) and is comfortable to wear. The polybraid construction is high quality and it seems like it will last a really long time.

The Sanibel Beach Shawl also proved to be very useful at the game. When the sun was up, we used it as a coverup. When the sun went down, my husband used it to keep warm. (The temperature dropped more than expected, and he did not have a sweatshirt). This versatile shawl would make a wonderful gift, as it is one size fits all.

Where to Purchase Coolibar Clothing & Accessories

Coolibar clothing, swimwear and accessories for men, women and kids are available through their online store.

Coolibar Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a Coolibar Blake Elegant Floppy Hat and Sanibel Everyday Beach Shawl (in a surprise color)!

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Food, Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Poptime Snacks Introduces Tasty New Popcorn Flavors

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Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this 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.

Poptime Snacks recently introduced five new flavors to their lineup:

  • Nacho Cheese (Big & Bold Popcorn)
  • Salsa with Lime (Big & Bold Popcorn)
  • Spicy Dill Pickle (Kettle Cooked Popcorn)
  • Everything Bagel & Cream Cheese (Poptime Creations)
  • Orange & Vanilla Cream Pop Flavor (Poptime Creations)

Don’t they all sound intriguing? Best of all, Poptime Snacks are vegan, cholesterol-free, preservative-free, GMO-free, nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, trans-fat free and artificial flavor-free.

The Orange & Vanilla Cream Pop flavor would be fun to serve for Halloween. I do not remember having tried orange flavored popcorn before, but it works! The cream flavor is not overly sweet, and it complements the orange.

Everyone in my family enjoys everything-flavored bagels, so we were especially curious about this flavor. It is actually pretty wild how this popcorn does taste like a combination of everything seasoning and cream cheese. This popcorn delivers everything except the bagel!

If you’re looking for a snack on the go, Poptime popcorn also comes in convenient 1.0-1.5 oz. bags. We brought a few bags to a baseball game and they were a *hit*!

Where to Purchase Poptime Snacks

Poptime Snacks, including all of their newest flavors, are available for purchase on the Poptime Snacks website. They are also available on Amazon.

Poptime Snacks Popcorn Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win TEN bags of Poptime’s newest flavors of popcorn (two bags of each of the five new flavors). There will be THREE winners!

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Crafts, Reviews, Sponsored

Do Something Creative Everyday With Chalkola Watercolor Brush Pens

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Disclosure: I received a sample in order to facilitate this 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.

Do something creative everyday.

-Unknown

So much of our days are made up of routine tasks that we need to do. Using our creativity forces us to do something just for fun and encourages us to use different parts of our brain. Recently I had the opportunity to try out Chalkola Watercolor Brush Pens-Set of 58 Colors with 2 Blending Paintbrush Pens. It was so much fun to bust out my sketchbook and start experimenting with these awesome pens!

As you can see, this set comes with a wide array of lovely colors. If you do not need quite that many colors, Chalkola also has a set that comes with 28 Watercolor Brush Pens.

As a fan of sweets, it is no surprise that my first project involved drawing desserts. I sketched first in pencil, which I highly recommend. After some trial and error and I learned that it is better to use these pens to color in your pencil drawings first. Then, trace the pencil outlines with a black pen. (Otherwise, the black pen ink may smudge from the colored markers).

I really like how these Watercolor Brush Pens have an actual brush as a tip. The ink flows nicely and the colors can be “built up” to create a shading effect. I plan on practicing with these Chalkola pens more and sharing my projects in the future.

My inspiration for these kawaii (cute) drawings came from How to Draw Cute Stuff: Draw Anything and Everything in the Cutest Style Ever! (Volume 1), by Angela Nguyen. This book is filled with super cute drawings that are simple enough for a beginning artist like me. This book plus a set of Chalkola Watercolor Brush Pens would make a fabulous gift for the budding creative in your life.

Where to Purchase Chalkola Products & Discount Code

Chalkola products are available on Amazon; use discount code CHALKOLA10 for 10% off your purchase. This code is applicable both in the US and UK, and can be used for all Chalkola products.

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Food, Reviews, Sponsored

Please Pass the Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto

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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 the post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

Most of us are probably familiar with Barilla pasta and tomato sauces. However, did you know that Barilla also makes pesto? Thanks to Moms Meet, I had the opportunity to try a jar of Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto imported from Italy. The ingredients include Italian basil and grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, along with cashews, olive oil and garlic. The possibilities for this pesto are truly endless.

First, I made a simple appetizer by arranging cherry tomatoes, small mozzarella balls and basil leaves on toothpicks.

The Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto made the perfect dip to provide a burst of complementary flavor. The pesto could also be drizzled on top.

For breakfast, I spread some Barilla pesto on a piece of toasted sourdough bread. I added a fried egg on top and it was so delicious!

Finally, I tried mixing some of the pesto with a steaming bowl of cheese tortellini. One 6.2 ounce jar of pesto mixes well with 16 ounces of pasta, so a little does in fact go a long way! Other suggested uses for this pesto is to use it as a marinade for meats and vegetables or as dip for veggies and pita chips.

Where to Purchase Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto

Look for Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto at Target, Publix, Stop & Shop, Meijer, ShopRite, Hy-Vee, Albertsons, Safeway Vons, or at a store near you.

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Food, Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Choose Your Heat With Thrive Sauce Co.

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

A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed a set of Thrive Sauce Co. Asian-Style Sauces. Today I would like to introduce Thrive Sauce Co.’ s Special Sauces.

Thrive Sauce Co. Sauces are available in three different heat levels:

These special sauces contain Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic, Apple Cider Vinegar, Non-GMO Canola Oil, Agave, Mustard, Habanero, Kosher Salt & Xanthan Gum. Because these Thrive Sauce Co. Sauces are made of 80% vegetables, they are low in fat and calories. I also appreciate that these sauces have a one year shelf life when refrigerated after opening. (You will be sure to run out before then!)

The possible uses for these Thrive Sauce Co. Sauces are endless. The Thrive Sauce Co. website suggests using their sauces on burgers, eggs and potatoes, fish tacos, salads and french fries. I mixed some of the Extra Special Sauce into some chicken salad for a wrap and the sauce added a nice zing of flavor.

Quesadillas are a quick and easy staple in our house. Adding some Extra Special Sauce made our quesadillas taste extra special.

Another easy way to use the Special Sauce is on sandwiches. This Special Sauce was a welcome addition to the turkey sandwiches we brought to the beach yesterday.

Where to Purchase Thrive Co. Sauces

As I noted before, Thrive Sauce Co. is a woman-owned small business that you can feel good about supporting. Their sauces are available for purchase through their online store or at a store near you.

Thrive Sauce Co. Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a set of three Thrive Sauce Co. Sauces!

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Crafts, Reviews, Sponsored

Horizon Group Craft Kits For Kids

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Disclosure: I received samples in partnership with Horizon Group USA. 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.

Even though my kids are in middle school and high school now, they still like to do crafts at home. I think there is just something satisfying about creating with your hands. Crafting also offers a good non-technology break from studying/schoolwork.

Just My Style Radical Rainbow Tie-Dye Kit

The first kit we tried was the Just My Style Radical Rainbow Tie Dye Kit. I have always wanted to try doing tie dye with my kids, but never made the effort to gather all the materials necessary to do it. This kit has everything you need; I just bought a couple of cheap white t-shirts. My son also experimented on an old shirt he already had.

This is definitely an activity best done outdoors or where it is fine to make a mess. The clean-up actually was not that bad though. My kids were able to follow the directions and complete their projects on their own.

The vibrancy and variety of the colors was impressive. We had enough dye to complete several projects, so I think this kit is a good deal.

Made By Me Jungle Figurines Kit

The second kit that we reviewed was the Made By Me Jungle Figurines Kit.

This kit comes with two resin figures, paint and a paintbrush. The recommended age range for this kit is five and up. However, even my older kids had fun with this activity.

This type of painting is pretty straightforward and does not require a lot of guidance or instruction. Kids can use their creativity in choosing colors and painting details. Both the Just My Style Radical Rainbow Tie Dye Kit and Made By Me Jungle Figurines Kit would make great gifts for kids.

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