Reviews, Sponsored

Burn Cleaner Candles With Terra Vela

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

I recently read about the benefits of burning soy candles, including that they give off less toxic fumes than other traditional candles. So off to Google I went, where I came across Terra Vela Soy Candles. Terra Vela uses 100% natural, biodegradable soy wax and all cotton wicks, along with essential oils and phthalate-free fragrance oils. It was also exciting to learn that this small business is local to me, as the candles are made in Huntington Beach, California.

One of the reasons I like burning candles in my home is because the scent can transport to you another place and time. Terra Vela has a wide range of scents that can evoke memories of a relaxing day at the beach (e.g. Beach House), or a refreshing walk in the forest (e.g. Aspen).

Each Terra Vela candle comes in an individual box made of 100% recycled material. I appreciate how the hand-stamped label gives the candle an extra artisan-touch.

This “Bliss” soy candle was one of my favorite Terra Vela candles that I tried. The box describes the scent as follows: “A sparkling, fruit fragrance with top notes of pineapple, jasmine and grapefruit, finished off with mango and sugared musk”. Since I am a fan of of fruity fragrances, I can see why this candle appeals to me. It also reminds me of the Bath and Body Works Champagne Toast fragrance, if anyone is familiar.

I also really like the clean aesthetic of the Terra Vela Soy Candles. They do not use coloring, as using synthetic petroleum-based colorants would compromise their commitment to using natural ingredients. The simple clear glass container is easily incorporated into any interior. Therefore, these candles would fit anyone’s style and make an easy gift; think housewarming, Easter, Mother’s Day, etc.

Where To Purchase Terra Vela Soy Candles

Terra Vela Soy Candles are available through their online store. They also offer a variety of other natural home fragrance products, including essential oils, diffusers, and soy melts. To receive 20% off your purchase, use the following discount code at checkout: 20

Terra Vela Soy Candles Giveaway

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Pretzel Pete Snacks Are Delicious AND Allergen-Safe

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

Pretzels are one of my family’s favorite snacks to munch on. I recently learned about Pretzel Pete, a family-owned company dedicated to making delicious pretzels with natural ingredients. What makes Pretzel Pete especially stand out to me is that their snacks are made in a peanut and tree nut-free facility. As a parent of two kids with nut allergies, I know how difficult it is to find truly allergen-safe snacks. Even if no one in your family has nut allergies, you probably know someone who does. It is reassuring to know that you can share these snacks with others without worries about cross-contamination.

Pretzel Pete Mini Twists

The shape of the classic twist pretzel reminds me of a friendly hug. The Pretzel Pete Mini Twist Pretzels are light and crisp and have just the right amount of salt. It is also notable that Pretzel Pete offers two gluten-free options for anyone who adheres to a gluten-free diet. Pretzel Pete Mini Twist Pretzels come in the following flavors:

  • Lightly Salted Whole Wheat Mini Twist Pretzels
  • Salted Caramel Mini Twist Pretzels
  • Cheese Pizza Mini Twist Pretzels
  • Gluten-Free Salted Mini Twist Pretzels
  • Gluten-Free Sour Cream Chives Mini Twist Pretzels

Pretzel Pete Nuggets

Pretzel Nuggets are perfect for when you are craving a heartier crunch. The Pretzel Pete Pretzel Nuggets come in the following flavors:

  • Cheddar & Ale Seasoned Pretzel Nuggets
  • Honey Mustard & Onion Seasoned Pretzel Nuggets
  • Garlic & Parmesan Seasoned Pretzel Nuggets

Don’t all of these flavor combinations sound so delectable? My favorite is the Garlic & Parmesan, since I am a big garlic fan. Pretzel Pete “soaks” their pretzels with seasoning instead of just spraying it on like most manufacturers. I have to say that this process really makes a difference in increasing the flavor intensity.

Pretzel Pete Seasoned Pretzel Pieces

I really like Pretzel Pete’s idea of making bags of pretzel pieces. All of the irregular nooks and crannies provide a lot of places for the unique seasoning to permeate. The Pretzel Pete Pretzel Pieces come in the following bold flavors:

  • Smokey Bacon Cheddar Seasoned Pretzel Pieces
  • Buffalo Blue Seasoned Pretzel Pieces
  • Cinnamon Brown Sugar Seasoned Pretzel Pieces

My son likes just about anything with bacon, so of course he wanted to try the Smokey Bacon Cheddar flavor first. He gave them a big thumbs up!

We will definitely be packing Pretzel Pete snacks with us for our spring break excursions!

Where To Purchase Pretzel Pete Snacks

Pretzel Pete products are available through their online store, or at a store near you.

Pretzel Pete Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win an assortment of Pretzel Pete products!

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One Minute Parenting Tips That We Can All Use

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Disclosure: This post is made possible with support from the Center for Parent and Teen Communication, part of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. All opinions are my own.

If you have a teenager at home, you know that communication is key for developing and maintaining a healthy relationship. The Center for Parent and Teen Communication (“CPTC”) uses science-based strategies to help families thrive. To receive the CPTC’s newsletter featuring helpful parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox, sign up here.

One Minute Parenting Tips

CPTC recently published six one-minute animations that I found to be both thought-provoking and helpful as I navigate the parenting journey. 

My favorite CPTC animation is Parenting Style. According to this video, we should strive to be “lighthouse” parents. We need to shine our light on potential issues with our kids to avoid bigger problems.

I can see the benefit of acting as a lighthouse for my son as he started middle school and struggled on a couple of tests. My first instinct was to email his teacher myself. Instead, I encouraged my son to talk to his teacher about study strategies. Now, I see him advocating for himself without my prompting, which will benefit him in the future.

Take a little time (just six minutes total!) to watch these CPTC animations:

Inquire and Listen

Parenting Style

Self-Interested Teens

Monitor Your Teen

Destination, Good Communication

Spot Teen Strengths

These short videos contain valuable nuggets of parenting advice that will help you better understand and communicate with your teen.

Which one is your favorite?  Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know!

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Food, Giveaways, Restaurant Reviews, Sponsored

Take The Seafood Challenge With Rubio’s Coastal Grill

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Disclosure: I received compensation in order to facilitate this post.  All opinions are my own.

One of our family’s favorite activities is eating out together. We like to try new restaurants, as well as revisiting our favorites.  For as long as I can remember, one of our family’s go-to fast casual restaurants is Rubio’s Coastal Grill.  

Rubio’s is a California-based restaurant chain with many locations in California, Nevada and Arizona.  Rubio’s specializes in fresh Mexican food that incorporates sustainable seafood and produce that is locally grown (whenever possible).  

As you are probably aware, there are many health benefits that are linked to seafood.  Seafood provides the nutrients, vitamins and omega-3s that support strong bones, a healthy heart, brain development and the immune system. In fact, both The American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend that we eat two servings of seafood per week.  

We recently had a Saturday picnic lunch with Rubio’s take-out. My son is a taco fanatic, so he ordered his “usual”, the fish tacos.  My husband and daughter both went with one of our family favorites, the Wild Alaska Salmon Burrito, full of Vitamin D and omega-3s.

#MOLDIV

I ordered the Mango Avocado Salad with mahi mahi.  According to the Rubio’s website, mahi mahi is a significant source of selenium, which supports immune responsiveness and boost metabolism.  Those are some pretty great benefits for eating something that tastes so good.  Eating at Rubio’s is a delicious, healthy, convenient and affordable way to incorporate more seafood into your family’s diet. 

Find A Rubio’s Near You

Rubio’s has locations in California, Nevada and Arizona.  Find the closest Rubio’s location near you.

Rubio’s Coastal Grill Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win five $10 Rubio’s complimentary meal cards!

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Establish A Night Routine With Brandless

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

Do you have a self-care night routine? While I am diligent about using sunscreen in the day, I am more sporadic about the skincare products I use at night. Brandless is a company that makes high-quality personal care and household products at a reasonable price point. I recently had the opportunity to try out the Brandless Night Routine Bundle.

Brandless Night Routine Bundle

The Brandless Night Routine Bundle contains some of Brandless’ favorite skincare products. Notably, these products are not tested on animals and are “cruelty free”. Here is a list of the included products, along with some of my thoughts on them.

Grapefruit Facial Cleanser: Grapefruit is one of my all-time favorite scents, so I had high hopes for this facial cleanser. I love the scent and it left my skin feeling clean and refreshed.

Depuffing Eye Gel: I like that this eye gel has the word “depuffing” in its name since my under-eye area is prone to puffiness. In addition, this eye gel provides moisture and claims to reduce dark circles. This eye gel was light going on, and not greasy. It felt slightly tingly and cooling under my eyes as well.

Green Apple Facial Toner: I tend to think of toner as being somewhat harsh on the skin, but this one felt more gentle. The green apple is a welcome addition to the usually strong witch hazel scent. It is a good step to use in between a cleanser and a moisturizer.

Night Cream: My face did indeed feel softer and less dry after applying this night cream before bed. Recently my daughter has been complaining that her facial skin is dry, so I am going to have her try using this cream at night.

Acai Berry Lip Balm-2 Pack: This is a colorless lip balm that anyone can use. The acai berry scent is subtle and it does a nice job of moisturizing my lips.

The Acai Lip Balm is a product you will want to keep in your bag so that you can reapply it throughout the day.

Avocado Basil Hand Cream: I was curious about this hand cream since I like to eat avocados and basil, but I do not necessarily want to smell like them. I found the scent to be pleasant, but difficult to describe. I would not guess that it was avocado and basil! It does have a nice rich consistency and I find myself reaching for it often during these dry winter days.

Mint Foot Cream: I confess that I often neglect the skin on my feet, and my feet deserve better. I tried slathering this cream on my feet and putting on socks to seal in the moisture before bed as suggested. My feet appreciated this treatment! Now I just need to remember to do this more often.

I started to keep the Avocado Basil Hand Cream and Mint Foot Cream in my nightstand drawer so I have it handy before bedtime.

Charcoal Mask: Charcoal seems to be a popular skincare ingredient these days. It is known for drawing out impurities from the skin. This paste has a thick consistency and is easy to apply and rinse. My skin felt like it received a “deep clean” and I would like to incorporate this into a weekly routine.

Where To Purchase Brandless Products

Brandless carries a wide variety of products which are available for purchase through their online store. They are currently offering free shipping on purchases over $40.

Brandless Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a Brandless Night Routine Bundle (products may vary slightly).

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Register For Moms Meet Virtual WOW Summit #VirtualWOW2021

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Although it is disappointing that so many live events have been cancelled, one benefit is that many of these events are going “virtual”. This makes the events more accessible as attendees do not even need to leave their own home. One upcoming conference that I am especially looking forward to is the Moms Meet Virtual WOW Summit, from March 9-11, 2021.

The Virtual WOW Summit will include educational workshops and interesting speakers that will educate attendees about how to raise a happy and healthy family. There will also be networking opportunities and a separate track for bloggers and influencers. I had the opportunity to attend a couple of WOW Summits in the past. They were both very informative and lots of fun.

Who Should Attend

While I went as a blogger eager to learn more about connecting with companies, I also invited non-blogger friends to come with me. These mom friends also enjoyed learning about parenting and healthy living. This event is not just for bloggers and influencers. Moms, dads, grandparents and caretakers of all backgrounds are welcome!

Register for the Virtual WOW Summit Today (It’s Free!)

Registration for the Virtual WOW 2021 Summit is free for Moms Meet Members and joining Moms Meet is FREE! Click here for more information about the event and register today!

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Costoffs Office Chair Review

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

Like many others, next month will be the one year anniversary of D working from home. Over this past year, he has changed his work-at-home configuration several times. Currently, his setup is in a downstairs corner adjacent to our living room. Several months ago, he realized that he needed to buy a bigger desk. Now, he has a new Costoffs Office Chair to complete his makeshift home office.

This Costoffs Office Chair in Dark Gray features a mesh back and a swivel base with casters. It arrived neatly packaged with an instruction manual easy enough for my eleven year old to follow.

We have gone through several office chairs over the years, but this is our first time trying out an office chair with a mesh back. According to the Costoffs description, the mesh back “allows better airflow, accelerating heat and moisture dissipation”. This makes sense if you have ever spent a long time sitting on a leather or pleather chair.

The Costoffs Office Chair has several other additional features designed for comfort. The cushioned seat made with durable mesh fabric has a good amount of padding. The arm rests provide support and the smooth-rolling wheels provide mobility. This chair also includes a lumbar support, which I personally am not used to. (I would try to test out a similar chair to see if this type of lumbar support is what you are looking for). The chair also has a lever that allows the back to be tilted and locked in place. As you can see, there are a lot of elements to consider when purchasing an office chair. The Costoffs office chair seems to cover them all.

Costoffs Office Chair Measurements

When buying a new office chair, it is important to make sure the chair will fit well in your space (and for your body!) Here are the measurements of the Costoffs Office Chair for your reference:

According to the website, the recommended user weight for this chair is under 200 lbs. The lever (which is powered by a gas cylinder) that adjusts the height of the chair is handy and easy to use.

#MOLDIV

As I grow older, I realize how important it is to sit in a chair that provides adequate support. D is disciplined about making sure he takes walking and exercise breaks during the workday. However, having a comfortable and ergonomic office chair is essential when you spend several hours a day sitting at a desk. We are now realizing that our kids should also be sitting on better office chairs while they Zoom for online school. Do you need an office chair upgrade?

Where To Purchase Costoffs Furniture

This Costoffs office chair is available for purchase through their online store. It comes in a variety of colors, including black, gray, red, blue, orange and dark gray (as featured). Costoffs also offers a wide selection of other types of furniture for the home and office. As noted on their website, they offer free shipping, no minimum! I found their shipping time to be fast and efficient.

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Poptime Popped Chips Fuel School + Work

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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.

Well, we have almost completed a full year of the kids Zooming from home for school. They are currently doing a hybrid schedule where they go in person two times a week and are virtual three times a week. I actually like the flexibility of this type of schedule, and it has just become part of our routine.

I try to keep a stash of relatively healthier snacks on hand so the kids have something to munch on to keep them going through the school day. Poptime Popped Chips are the perfect choice! They come in four highly poppable flavors:

  • Jalapeno
  • BBQ & Honey
  • Sea Salt
  • Truffle

Everyone in my family devours these light and crispy Poptime Popped Chips. Seriously, all of the flavors are winners. In addition, they are non-GMO, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, contain zero trans fat, no preservatives, and no artificial flavors.

Let’s not forget about my husband, who is also still working from home. I think he is even more of a snacker than the kids. Poptime Snacks help fuel our family during both school and work.

Where To Purchase Poptime Snacks

Poptime Snacks are available for purchase on the Poptime Snacks website (with free shipping on all orders). Use code LIM10 for 10% off your order! Poptime snacks are also available for purchase on Amazon.

Poptime Snacks Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a Variety Pack of both Poptime Popped Chips and Poptime Creations Popcorn (12 bags total). There will be three winners!

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Barely There Block Island Organics Suncare

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Disclosure: I received a sample in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

Wearing facial moisturizer with SPF is one of my daily habits. I think we have all heard about how much damage UV rays can do to our skin. However, we also need to be careful about which skincare products that we use to protect ourselves from the sun. Block Island Organics Suncare is a line that uses non-toxic ingredients. In addition, their products do not contain parabens, sulfates, phthalates, dyes or artificial fragrances.

I had the opportunity to try Block Island Natural Face Moisturizer SPF 30. My personal experience is that most “natural” sunscreens leave a white film on my skin. I do not find it too bothersome when I am at the beach and the sunscreen makes my arms and legs look white. However, going to work with a pasty white face is not attractive. Therefore, I was curious about the “transparent zinc” found in this facial moisturizer’s description.

After using this moisturizer for several days, I am pleased to say that it really does blend in clear, not white. Although the moisturizer itself appears whitish/yellowish out of the tube, it miraculously disappears after applying it to my skin.

This Block Island Facial Moisturizer does a great job of moisturizing my face, which is especially important in the winter. I like that it does double-duty by simultaneously providing SPF 30 UV protection. The fact that it also does not make me look like a mime is a wonderful bonus!

Where To Purchase Block Island Organics

Block Island Organics skincare products are available through their online store.

Block Island Organics Giveaway

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Compact Fun With Winning Moves

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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.

Even though playing epic board games with large, beautifully illustrated boards is fun, sometimes you only have time for a quick game. It is also convenient when a game can easily fit in a bag and not take up too much space. Today I am sharing about three games by Winning Moves that are small in size and quick to play, but offer big fun:

Words Over Easy

Words Over Easy involves making words from letters that look like eggs. The catch is that you need to use all of the letters on the side with the good eggs and none of the letters on the eggs on the bad side. I can see how this would be a good game for strengthening vocabulary and spelling skills. This game is recommended for ages 8 and up.

Trashed

The goal of Trashed is to line up your cards in the correct order, from 1 to 10. The challenge is to beware of the “Trashed” and “Stop” cards, which make the game more difficult. I appreciate that all of the cards fit neatly in the cute blue trash can. This game is recommended for ages 7 and up.

Scrabble Slam!

I can see this game becoming a family favorite. To start the game, players choose a four letter word. Players then put down their cards one at a time to make a new word as fast as they can. The first person to use all of their cards wins. I like how this is a fast-paced game that you can play in just a few minutes. This game is for ages 8 and up.

Where to Purchase Winning Moves Games

Winning Moves games and toys are available on their website, Amazon and other retailers near you.

Winning Moves Games Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win Words Over Easy, Trashed and Scrabble Slam!

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