I have to admit, with the recent heat wave, the last thing I felt like doing was cleaning our house.  However, today, (Labor Day), we experienced significantly cooler weather.  Since I did not have work and the kids did not have school, it was the perfect day to test out our new Libman Company Wonder Mop.

Even though it is not technically fall yet, I always associate fall cleaning with going back to school and a fresh new start.  Once the kids go back to school, more dirt seems to be tracked into the house.  We have been in school for a couple of weeks now, so…time for fall cleaning!

We bought our Libman Wonder Mop at Walmart.  It can also be found at Home Depot and Lowes.

According to the instructions, the Wonder Mop works on Wood & Laminate, Vinyl & Linoleum, Ceramic Tile, Marble and Stone.  Using the Wonder Mop is an simple three step process that was very easy for my kids to follow.

1. Soak 5 minutes in hot water.  It is nice not having to add any other cleaning solution!

2.  Push sleeve down and twist 4 times.  This rids the mop of excess water.

3.  Pull sleeve up, snap into place, and mop.

(My kids were literally arguing about who should do it first because it seemed like such a fun job–no joke!)

First, we tried the Wonder Mop out on our laminate flooring.

We also tried the Wonder Mop on our tile entryway.

The Wonder Mop worked “wonders” on both types of flooring.  The Microfiber Gripstrips did a great job of lifting dirt off of our floors.  It might be gross, but I always find it satisfying to see all of the gray water that ends up in the bucket after a good mopping.  When we finished, we easily removed the mop head and washed it by hand.  (It can also be thrown in the washing machine.)

You can grab a $3 off coupon to purchase your own Wonder Mop by signing up for The Libman Company newsletter!

I’m also excited to announce that The Libman Company is hosting a Back to School Pinterest Giveaway.  Participating is easy–just pin your must-have cleaning products and enter to win a Libman prize pack.  I am a big fan of giveaways and Libman Company products, so I will have my fingers crossed!

 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.

Both the kids and I are big fans of fruit snacks.  I keep them in stock for lunches, road trips, and passing out after soccer/basketball games for team snacks.  Therefore, I was excited to have the opportunity to try Veggie-Go’s, which are like fruit snacks, but they have the added nutritional benefit of including vegetables in the ingredients.

Veggie-Go’s come in individual size packets of strips or bites.

The strips come in a variety of unique flavors, including:

*Berry, Apple+Spinach

*Sweet Potato, Apple+Spices

*Carrot, Apple + Ginger

*Tropical Fruit + Kale

The bites come in three flavors:

*Strawberry, Chia+Beets

*Berry, Rice Crisps+Greens

*Orange, Cocoa Nibs+Carrots

My kids were somewhat skeptical about how these products would taste since they are not used to vegetables in their fruit snacks.  The clear favorite flavor-wise was the Strawberry, Chia+Beets Bites.  I am not a big fan of beets myself, but the strawberry flavor prevails, and the chia adds a nice little crunch.

The flavors with the green vegetables were a little harder sell with the kids.  Just like when I try to sneak spinach or kale into a smoothie, there is a distinct aroma and a little aftertaste.  However, I can honestly say that I enjoyed all of the flavors!  I also appreciated how the ingredient list is simple and healthy.  Each strip/bag of bites contains one half cup of fruits and veggies.

We brought these snacks along on a recent camping trip with friends.  Veggie-Go’s would be perfect to take along a hike or anywhere that you need portable energy.  They can be found at local stores, including Sprouts and Whole Foods.

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“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.”

We all know that sunscreen is important for protecting your skin.  Even when it is not necessarily sunny outside, we still make sure to put on sunscreen.

Last weekend, we went on an overnight camping trip with friends.  We went to San Mateo campground and visited San Clemente State Beach.

I made sure to pack the Coola Guava Mango Eco-Lux Sport SPF 50 sunscreen spray that was recently sent to me to sample.  I had never heard of this brand before, but it contains vitamins and antioxidants.  Maybe even more importantly, it does not contain parabens, paba and phthalates.  It is water-resistant for 80 minutes, which is always important for beach outings.  I was very curious about the Guava Mango scent, since I am not used to my sunscreen smelling fruity.

It turns out that these girls really liked it.  (The matching swimsuits were just a coincidence, by the way!)  The scent was tropical and refreshing, but not overbearing.  I think more sunscreens should be made to smell good.  It was easy to apply, absorbed quickly and did not feel greasy.

Coola has an entire line of sun-safe products, and the packaging has a luxe-feel.  I would recommend this line to anyone looking for sun protection with natural ingredients that is better for both you and the environment.

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.

When I was a kid, vitamins were chalky and awful-tasting.  Although they came in fun shapes, taking Flintstones and Smurf vitamins everyday was a chore.  I also had to take iron pills at one point that were so gross, my mom let me eat a few Skittles as a chaser!

Fast-forward a decade to the invention of gummy vitamins.

The Hero Nutritionals Yummi Bear Organics Complete Multi-Vitamin is the first and only organic and GMO-free gummy vitamin for kids with no artificial ingredients.  These mascot bears are wearing 20th Anniversary Celebration t-shirts, so the company has been around a while.  That is something to celebrate!

Because there are no artificial colors, the vitamins do not look like regular gummy bears.  The kids thought that the adult Slice of Life Organics Energy + B12 looked more appealing.  However, upon tasting the Yummi Bear vitamins, they were pleased with the sweet fruity taste.  I also appreciate that these vitamins are peanut/tree nut free without any “may contain nuts” disclaimers since our kids are allergic to nuts.  I try to provide my kids with all of the nutrients they need through their food intake, but I think vitamins are a good “back-up”.  These vitamins contain 16 essential nutrients for growth and development, and I feel good about giving them to my kids.

I tried the Slice of Life Organics Energy + B12 vitamins, which contains B12, along with folic acid and B6.  According to the company, this combination supports heart and circulatory health as well as energy metabolism.  These gummy vitamins taste like a little treat, and extra energy is always a good thing.  I would definitely be interested in trying the Slice of Life Multivitamin in the future.  The Hero Nutritionals line can be found at Ralph’s and Sprouts, two of my regular places to shop.

**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.**

Everyone in our family loves frozen desserts.  We do not discriminate between summer and winter–they are a year round staple in our house.  When I was sent samples of Arctic Zero, I was intrigued.  D and I are always on the lookout for healthier alternatives for our favorite treats.  I liked the fact that Arctic Zero is low glycemic, lactose free, and GMO free.  However, I was curious as to how it would stack up taste-wise with ice cream, AND if my kids would enjoy it!

One difference between Arctic Zero and ice cream is that you are not supposed to eat it straight out of the freezer.  Since it does not contain cream, it needs to thaw a little before you dig in.  The directions on the carton say to let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes or microwave pint for 30 seconds.  We chose to let it sit at room temperature and it went from rock hard to a delightful spoonable (is that a word?) consistency.

The verdict?  Everyone in our family really enjoyed it!  Even though there is no cream, it has a creamy mouth-feel.

Arctic Zero comes in several yummy flavors, including: Peanut Butter Swirl, Cherry Chocolate Chunk, Rocky Road Trip, Cookie Dough Chip, Brownie Blast, Snickerdoodle Dandy, Cookie Shake, Cake Batter, Salted Caramel, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cappuccino, Vanilla Maple, Purely Chocolate, Hint of Mint, Poppin’ Pomegranate, and Toasted Coconut.  The flavors really shine through with the natural ingredients.  D and k like Brownie Blast the best; n likes Cherry Chocolate Chunk, and I like the Salted Caramel.

There is a lot less guilt when you know it contains protein and fiber!

It looks like Arctic Zero will become our new year-round frozen dessert!

 *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.*

With summer here, I am more often in the mood for salads.  Considering all of the unidentifiable ingredients that usually make up store-bought salad dressing, homemade dressing is the way to go.  I usually use a really simple recipe: one part Extra Virgin Olive Oil, one part white balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.  That’s it.

I prefer Extra Virgin Olive Oil because it is pressed without heat or chemicals and is fresher and purer than other olive oils.  With so many olive oils on the market nowadays, it can still be difficult to choose.  However, I have learned that looking for the European Union PDO certification (Protected Designation of Origin), ensures that the oil is produced, processed and prepared with the highest standards.

You can add lemon juice, but I do not always have it on hand.  I mix it up in a mason jar, give it a shake, and pour onto my greens.  The mason jar is also handy since you can just stick it in the refrigerator if you have extra dressing.

I like to add a little bleu cheese and almonds for texture and interest.  In the summer it is nice to add some fresh fruit, such as nectarines and blueberries.  Here I used Zucchi Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and I found that it paired well with the fruity flavors.

Cheers to flavoring your life with “Liquid Gold”, aka Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Europe!