Pure Yankabilly All Natural Skin Care Review and Giveaway

One day I was sitting and talking to a friend when she asked me if I use organic products. My reply was that I would LOVE to buy more organic and all natural products but they just cost entirely too much. If cost wasn't a factor, I would definitely use more natural products because they are better for you and for the environment but with a tight budget, there is just no way I could afford to pay hundreds of dollars for all natural products, no matter how much I would like to. It wasn't too long after that and another friend approached me about a new business moving into the market called Pure Yankabilly. She hooked me up with the owner, Pam Moore so I could check out her affordable line of all natural skincare products and I am THRILLED to share them with you!!!

The first product that I tried out was the Organic Sugar Scrub and boy did I ever fall in love with this stuff! It gently exfoliates my skin and leaves it silky and smooth and it smells great! It's like giving your thirsty skin a drink!!!!  It's made with organic cane sugar, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice and then you can choose the essential or fragrance oils to add in!  

My next favorite product was the 5 piece Love Your Face Kit! 

This kit is probably one of the best kits I have seen and you seriously get a lot for the price.  You receive the following products as a part of this kit: 

GENTLE BAR SOAP - 5 ounces


TONER - Your choice of Lavender Rose, Lavender Calendula or Citrus - 2 ounces

MOISTURIZING FACE OIL - 2 ounces

WHIPPED EYE CREAM - 1 ounce


LIP BALM made with nourishing oils and healing tea tree and lavender essential oils - 1/4 ounce


This kit is SUPER!!!  First of all, my daughter tried to steal my lip balm right off the bat. It makes your lips so soft which I love! I have lived in Ohio my whole life and we have some pretty brutal winters that kill my lips....this stuff is going to save me next year!!!!  Before my daughter had a chance to take it though, my husband of all people took it! He works in a factory and it's very dry inside and he constantly has dry, cracking lips and this stuff has made a HUGE difference!!  He especially likes it because he doesn't think it smells "girly."haha! My next favorite product in this kit is the eye cream. I am a mom of 4 kids and my eyes need all the help they can get and this eye cream definitely does the job. I apply it in the morning and again at night and I love the benefits it is giving my skin. Next up is the bar soap which I am shocked that I love so much. I am usually not a fan of bar soap but I really do love this soap. I especially love that the bar soap is good enough for the entire family to use....we now have a bar sitting right on the bathroom sink for the whole family to enjoy! The toner and face oil top it all off and make this a must have kit for every skin type. I was a little skeptical about using the oil on my face but I was really surprised by it. Instead of leaving my face oily and greasy like I thought it would, it just made it really soft!!!  I have dry skin on my face so I have been applying these products under my makeup and they have made a huge difference.  


The final 3 products I received were the Hard Lotion Bar, Green Goodness Healing Balm and the Flower Power Soothing Salve. 

 

If you are someone who uses lotion on a regular basis, you must try the hard lotion bar. I have never seen lotion in a bar form but it is great......I can even let my kids use it because I am not worried about it making a mess. You simply rub it on the spots you want to apply it to.......you can use it all over the body or you can spot treat just the parts of the body that you want to use it on. I have been using this on my rough elbows and I can't believe the difference!!!!

The Green Goodness Healing Balm is probably going to be my new best friend. I constantly burn myself in the kitchen and this stuff is AWESOME for that! I touched the top of the oven the other night while taking something out and I had the most painful burn on the top of my hand. I applied a little bit of this and the pain was immediately gone. A lot of time and care has gone into this product to make sure it contains only the best ingredients are included and it definitely shows. I can't wait to share this with my sister to try on my niece's eczema!  


The final product I tried was the Flower Power Soothing Salve.  

 It can be used to soothe dry skin as well used on a variety of skin related issues such as rashes, fungal infections and even eczema. It is full of oils and herbs that are perfect for soothing and healing the skin which makes this a must have now for my family! My daughter had a cut on her hand and we started applying this salve right away to see how it works. Within a day it had made a noticeable difference and within 3 days, it was completely healed.  

If you have been on the lookout for some seriously great products that are earth friendly and safe for your family, definitely check out Pure Yankabilly!!!!!

GIVEAWAY


One lucky reader is going to win their own Love Your Face Kit!!!!

TheRoomPlace.Com

I shared with you all awhile back that we were working on making over our children's bedrooms and I have to admit. It has been a much bigger job than I thought!  When you are completely making over every aspect of a room, it can be completely overwhelming, especially when you are trying to incorporate different tastes and interests into the theme.  Eventually I would love to makeover all of the rooms in our house so I was so excited to learn about theroomplace.com!!! 

Since we are redoing my daughter's room first, I checked out theroomplace.com bedroom line and I was so excited with some of the things that I found!!!  They offer a full line of  beds, dressers, nightstands, chairs and even desks!  This Hailey Desk below would be the perfect fit for my daughters room!!!  She needs her own space to do her homework and this would really be great.

Her theme is zebra and hot pink, I was SO excited to find this zebra chair!!! We already have most of the aspects of her room picked out but this would make an awesome addition to the decor!!!  I have already purchased an ottoman that would work perfectly with this chair too. Accent chairs make such a big difference in a room and I know she would love this one!!!

After the bedrooms are all finished, we are going to start working on other parts of the house. We just got new living room furniture but I would love to have a new dining room table and chairs set.  TheRoomPlace.com has some awesome sets that are perfect for big families like ours!!!!

No matter what room you are working on, TheRoomPlace.com offers a huge line of affordable furniture that will make your entire house beautiful!  Check out their website where you can browse their products, hook up with them on Facebook and Twitter and while you are there, be sure to check out their Red Tag Sale and their fabulous financing plan!!!

Where Does Your Strength Come From?!

I had every intention of getting on my computer tonight and posting a couple of giveaways that I have been meaning to get posted but to be honest, I really just have a heavy heart tonight and just feel like venting. Do you, as a Mom, ever feel completely and totally overwhelmed? I try to not let things bother me and this is the way that I have always been. I have always been the "tough guy" so to speak, you know, the strong one. I have always been able to just let things roll off my back and not give them a second thought but I realized today that sometimes that isn't a possibility. The truth is, I try to be Super Mom. Super Wife. Super Citizen. I try to do everything right in my life. I try to make the best of every situation. I try to keep things together, and pretend like everything is o.k. but sometimes they just aren't o.k. Sometimes I can't be Super Mom. There aren't enough hours in the day for me to do everything that needs to be done. I can't give all 4 of my kids equal amounts of attention and affection, no matter how hard I try. And it seems like no matter what I do, it's just never good enough. And sometimes, just sometimes I wish that I didn't feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders. 

I was browsing through some of my favorite blogs today and blog after blog after blog I just kept seeing what appeared to be perfect family after perfect family.  I was reminded one day of when one of my readers messaged me and told me how jealous she was of me because I had the perfect family. And the truth is, my family is not perfect. We are far from perfect. We have the same problems that every other family potentially faces.  We have spoiled rotten kids who can be complete brats. My house often looks like a tornado has gone through it, no matter how many hours I spend cleaning. I have panic attacks. My husband and I don't always get along and we rarely agree. Sometimes I just want to hide away because I don't know what to do next.  Sometimes I look at my life and feel like I have done nothing that I had planned to do. It's hard to be a Mom. I would never let anybody downgrade my job as a Mother.  It is one of the most terrifying yet rewarding jobs I will ever have.  Sometimes I just don't know where the strength is going to come from to get through the next day but somehow it always comes. And we always find a way. And life continues on. 

Where does your strength come from when you find yourself overwhelmed? Do you ever find yourself in situations that look so impossible yet you still find a way to muddle through and make it work?  

Ants, Spiders, Asian Beetles, Oh My!

I want to apologize for my lack of posting here in the past week!  Life sure has way of getting super hectic and I sometimes find myself wishing there were more hours in the day! Our son started Spring soccer which means at least 2 evenings a week we have to drive to town for his 1 1/2 hour practices. Games have now started too so we also have 1-2 games per week. On top of that, baseball is right around the corner and I have been working on getting the kids all signed up and prepared for that AND we just had a birthday in the house which had me super busy. If that isn't all enough, we are still working on figuring out what to do about a house. We are really ready to move from the country back into town but nothing is happening as fast as I would like it to of course. Not that I have time to move or anything right now but I think I could make the time if we could find the house of our dreams back in town. I am so tired of the cornfields, well water and the bugs. Especially the bugs. 

Living in the country has opened my eyes to a whole new world that I didn't know existed. I see species of bugs out here that I have never seen before! *LOL* And since we had a super easy winter, the bugs did not die off like the normally do so I am seeing even more creepy crawlers than usual. First of all, I absolutely despise those pesky Asian Beetles.  They look like ladybugs but ladybugs they are NOT! They are stinky, they fly around my house and they even bite!!  And they didn't come alone, oh no! I spend my days sweeping them off of my ceiling and out of the windows with the hose to my vacuum. The kids won't sleep in their bedrooms if there are any of them creeping around so I have now made it a part of our nightly ritual, sweeping   bugs off the ceiling. HA! And don't even get me started on the spiders. Ewwwwwww. I hate spiders SO much! Seriously, they are so creepy and I want nothing to do with them and yet I keep finding them all over the place. The other day we were walking into the house and I felt something fly down the front of my shirt. I grabbed it with my shirt and was so afraid to look and see what it was and I wish I hadn't looked. It was some creepy green bug that I had never seen before. I think my husband might have liked laughing at me just a little too much while I jumped up and down, freaking out!!!!   Yep. The country just wasn't meant for a girl like me!!! 

On a plus note, my parents are moving back here to where we live which makes me super excited! And no, not just for the free babysitting. It will be nice having them just right down the road again. My sisters and I have been hard at work helping them get their new home in order so I guess that's another reason I have been MIA! Today we helped clean the house top to bottom and I shampooed their carpets for them. The only thing I don't like is that my Mom likes to clean everything with bleach and I am NOT a fan. It is way too harsh for me and my eyes were burning like crazy. But I am so happy they found  a place so quickly! FYI, in case you are looking to buy a new home or refinance one you already own, you can save money with an FHA refinance.  Rates are at an all time low so this is the perfect time to take advantage, especially without all of the long paperwork. 

And can you believe that our kids don't get a Spring Break so I have absolutely no time off to look forward to in the near future. Ahhhhh. On a plus note, we have a couple fun features coming up including The Ultimate Baby Shower and Gearing up for Summer so stay tuned! I will be back to normal shortly, even if it means I have to become a night owl blogger!!!

Easy Rainbow Cake

Our oldest son just turned 10 and we had a little party for he and his friends at the park on Sunday. Since his birthday was actually on the first day of Spring, I thought it would be fun to give this Rainbow Cake a try! I have been seeing it all over the internet and I thought it was perfect for this time of year, especially for an outdoor party in the sun! I should tell you. Anybody can make this cake. I am probably the world's worst baker and I made this cake so you can too, no matter what your skill level!! I promise. All of the recipes I found looked like way too much work so I made my own and it worked like a charm!

Ingredients:

2 boxes of white cake mix, prepared

Food coloring, color gels, Wilton icing colors (Whatever you have available to dye the cake mix)
Icing

Directions:

1.) Prepare Cake Mix as directed

2.) Divide cake mix equally among up to 6 different bowls (Approx 1 1/2 cups of cake mix per bowl). I only had 4 colors to use when I made it this time but I normally have 6. Just use what you have. That's the beauty of this cake!!

3.) Using your food colors, make each bowl of cake mix a different color of the rainbow 

4.) One at a time, pour half of each bowl of cake mix into 2 round pans. (You are going to be making 2 round cakes)

5.) Bake as directed on box

6.) Once the cakes cool, stack the 2 round cakes together with a layer of icing between. Once they are together, icing the rest of the cake. I used buttercream icing but you can use whatever you like!

And there you have it! One awesome, tasty, rainbow cake!  Heck, the kids loved it so much that even the kids who don't like cake wanted to try it out. If you are looking for something creative and different, this is it!

YUM!

Helping Hands

Guest Post written by Shelly Garcia

There are times in this life when you just need a hug, a friend, or a shoulder to cry on. You need someone to tell you they love you, they are thinking about you, they care about you. Maybe just to hear "hey, everything will be okay." I have been that "shoulder" or that "ear" many times. It feels good to be able to help someone out or give the guidance. It makes me feel good about myself. Makes me feel like I have a purpose. I, also, have been through times in my life where all  needed was that hug. I just needed a friend. Some of the people that have helped me out along the way deserve nothing but the best in life. I wish there was a way to tell each and every one of them "thank you".

I am actually going through a rough time right now. For the past week or so, I have been really depressed and crying all of the time. A couple of family members have helped. My church is actually helping me a lot. I see these people often (my family and my church family) so I can physically tell them "thank you". But, I would like to do more for them. Something more meaningful. Maybe if, when I am able to, I send them gift baskets Sounds like a nice idea to me. Maybe a nice fruit basket to each of them. Maybe flowers? I'm not sure, but I will really think about this for the next few weeks. I want to show my appreciation, show them that I am truly thankful for what they have done. They didn't have to help me, but they did. There are some people who honestly have a heart of gold... and I am forever grateful for them.

*This post is brought to you by Blogsvertise and Gourmet Gift Baskets*

Trying to Conceive Kit Giveaway Ends 4/8

Maybe it's the beautiful weather, the flowers blooming, the birds chirping........I'm not sure what it is, but I know A LOT of couples who are trying to conceive right now!  I was extremely fortunate in regards to getting pregnant. I never had any problems whatsoever which actually makes me feel kind of guilty because I have SO many friends who want to start a family but are just really struggling to do so. I was recently introduced to the Conceive Easy TTC Kit and I am super excited to share it with you all!! If you are currently trying to conceive or will be in the near future, this is a fabulous product that you don't want to miss!!!

Conceive Easy is a natural way to boost fertility.  The formula has been clinically tested and works by stimulating ovulation and helping to overcome some of the most common causes of infertility!  Those who have used this product showed an increased pregnancy rate of 33 percent and it can help women increase their fertility rate in as early as 28 days. Best of all, this is accomplished without side affects or the use of fertility drugs!!! Because even small imbalances in the body can affect conception, Conceive Easy uses ingredients that support and enhance the body's reproductive cycle to help eliminate some of those problems that include irregular cycles, progesterone deficiencies, poor quality cervix mucous and even hormone imbalances.  

The ConceiveEasy TTC Kit™ gives valuable information on how to get pregnant and they also provide resources for additional questions.  They are also supporters of breast cancer research and they donate $1 from each kit to fight breast cancer which makes me love them even more!!! If you are trying to conceive, definitely check this company and their products out!!!!

GIVEAWAY

 One lucky winner is going to receive Conceive Easy's Months 1&2 starer pack (Valued at $152) AND their choice of a bonus gift that includes either 20 early result pregnancy tests, 20 one step Ovulation Tests or 10 Pregnancy and 10 Ovulation Tests!!!  You can read more at www.ttckit.com!

Fun Spring Treats for Kids

Spring is here and I LOVE this time of year! There are so many awesome things you can create with your children right now so I thought I would share a few of our favorites. The first two are great, healthy snacks that you can make anytime. The last one is a super cute cupcake that would be perfect for any occasion in Spring!!!

Healthy Butterfly Treats 

Just make a peanut butter sandwich using apple slices that are cut into quarters. Add a trimmed carrot stick and you have a beautiful (and healthy!) butterfly treat!!!

Vegetable Flower

For this treat, just cut cucumbers into slices and get creative with whatever vegetables you have around the house! The one shown above uses baby carrots, celery, radishes, baby tomatoes and salad leaves!

Spring Showers Cupcake

Make your favorite cupcake and then ice with a blue frosting (Make your own using blue food coloring). Cut an Airhead taffy to make the handle for the umbrella. Cut a half circle umbrella top from another color of Airhead taffy. Place it over the top of the umbrella handle. Using decorator's gel, scatter raindrops around the rest of the cupcake. How cute is that?!

Thanks Family Fun for these fabulous Spring recipes!!!!!

Pong iPhone Case Giveaway Ends 4/8

For the past year, I have fought the urge to join in on the Smart Phone craze but I have finally decided to join the rest of the world and get an iPhone!  I have been super excited about this but was even more excited when I was introduced to Pong, an awesome company that provides top of the line cases for iPhones, iPads, Blackberry's, and Droids! Not only do they provide sleek and stylish cases though, but they also provide you with the peace of mind that you are reducing your exposure to harmful radiation that is associated with these types of devices!

More about Pong® Research Corporation:

Pong® Research Corporation (“Pong”) protects users of cellular telephones and similar wireless devices from unnecessary exposure to electromagnetic radiation (“EMR”) in their everyday lives. Pong provides solutions based on rigorous science to promote environmental health, safety, and wellness. Pong’s first consumer product, the Pong cell phone case, represents the first patented technology proven, in laboratories certified by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), to redirect EMR away from the head and body. Pong thereby reduces the user’s radiation exposure by up to 95% below FCC and internationally established safety limits, as measured on the Specific Absorption Rate (“SAR”) scale. Pong devices simultaneously protect the wireless signal strength as measured by Total Radiated Power (“TRP”), typically within a margin of +/- 2.5 dB.

I was super stoked to pick out an iPhone Case for my new iPhone and I chose this soft touch case in the color pink! 

 Here are some of the awesome features this case has!

*Protect your head and body from unnecessary radiation exposure

*Reduce concerns about possible health risks

*Sleek soft touch case provides durable protection, shock absorption and scratch protection

*Pong micro-thin antennae module redirects cell phone radiation away from your head 

*Pong may even enhance your phone's signal strength 

*Also available in black, red, neon green, deep purple and blue!!!

In addition to the iPhone Cases, they also offer cases for your other devices as well like this iPad 2 Case!!!

If you are looking for a high quality case for your device, definitely check out Pong Research!!!

GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader is going to win their own phone case from Pong!!

24 Hour Flash Cash Giveaway

You remember the Flash Cash of the "old times"? Get ready for the new way to win instant cash presented by Moms with Voice Media!

Where every time we reach a 100 entries the pot gets bigger!

We'll start with a $20 prize! Then up it by $2.00 every time we hit 100 entries!

The rules are simple! Follow everyone, tweet for the extra entry then tell your friends so the pot will keep growing!

Enter today! Win tomorrow!

Winner will have 48 hours to respond. Open worldwide. Winner will be sent the prize money by paypal.

Mission Tuition

I remember college like it was yesterday and the number one thing I remember is that it was EXPENSIVE!!!  I started taking classes when I was 19 and then I decided to get married and start a family so I went on and off until I finally got my Bachelor's Degree in 2009.  Prices definitely went up each year that I attended and I know a lot of students now who are constantly complaining about how much stuff costs. It would have been so much help if I had been introduced to companies like Mission Tuition so I could have been saving money while making purchases of other things we needed at a discount price!!

Mission Tuition offers a free educational savings program for parents, relatives, and even students.  By using the website to shop with major retailers, you can earn valuable money toward cash rebates. When you sign up with their easy enrollment, they automatically open an educational savings account for you. Then you shop online at Mission Tuition and the advertised rebate from each retailer goes directly into your savings account. When you are ready to access your savings, you just let them know! You can request a check to withdraw your funds or tell them where you would like the money transferred! 

You can access participating merchants HERE and it will also show you there how much cash back you will receive. For example, I shop at Old Navy all of the time and they offer 2% cash back!!!  Places like Petco offer up to 6%.  I did a search for toys and games and it brought up a list of all of the places to shop and I couldn't believe that some of them offer up to 10%.

This is definitely worth checking out!!!

Fun and Easy Easter Treats for Kids: Bunny's Nest

Now that St. Patrick's Day has passed, it's time to start focusing on one of my favorite holidays, Easter!  I love everything about Easter, especially because it's in my favorite season, SPRING!  It is so easy to find inexpensive but super cute ideas this time of year and I am loving this one! It only takes 3 ingredients to make the actual nests making it very inexpensive but SUPER cute! You can get chocolage bunnies for $1 and you can make this super sweet if you buy the edible grass too! You can also buy just about anything to go into the nests. We have used M&M's, speckled eggs, milk balls, jelly beans, etc. 

Thanks iVillage for this awesome recipe!!! If you have a recipe or fun idea for Spring that you would like to share with us, shoot me an email! We would love to feature it here! sarahlewis06@aol.com

Bunny Nest's

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Butterscotch or Chocolate Chips

2 Cups Dry Chow Mein Noodles

Candy to fill the nests

Directions

Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper or parchment.

Put the butterscotch morsels in a microwave-safe bowl, and melt them in the microwave: Heat on high for 60 seconds, stir well, then continue to heat, if needed, for 2 or 3 minutes in 10-second bursts, stirring well after each burst. Avoid overheating, which WILL cause the morsels to become stiff and they will be ruined. 

Stir the chow mein noodles into the melted butterscotch. Drop large spoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets, using the back of the spoon to press a little hollow into the center. While the nests are still warm, press a clutch of jellybeans or candy eggs into the center of each treat.

How cute and YUMMY!

Grand Event Cash Giveaway

You know you neeeeed it...

Well a great group of bloggers have come together to give it to you!

Welcome to the Grand Event Cash Giveaway!

1 Grand Prize: $500

1 2nd Place Prize: $250

5 3rd Place Prizes: $50

Moms with Voices Media is hosting the GRAND Event Cash Giveaway. With a few clicks of your mouse, you can be entered to win a Grand Prize amount of $500, Second Place Prize of $250, or FIVE third place prized of $50!

This giveaway runs from 12:01 AM 3/17/2012 - 11:59 PM 3/31/2012. With so many different ways to enter, why not come back and do a few each day along with your daily entries!

RAFFLECOPTER FORM

Pediped Spring Collection PLUS Giveaway! Ends 3/25

Since having children, I have learned a lot about children's products and fashion. I am pretty sure after 4 children that we have experienced nearly every brand possible but when it comes to footwear, hands down my favorite has been and will always be Pediped shoes.  I love my little one's to not only have stylish shoes but shoes that I know support their developing feet and motor skills and THAT is why I love Pediped!  Our youngest child has been wearing Pedipeds since he was big enough to wear shoes and now that he is a toddler, we again looked to Pediped to keep his feet happy and healthy!

We recently received the Jake style from Pediped's Flex line which we were thrilled with! We actually had the infant version of this shoe last Summer from the Originals line and they were definitely our favorites!!!  These shoes are so versatile and our little guy LOVES them too! 

There are so many things we love about Pediped but one of our favorite is their HUGE selection! It doesn't matter what kind of shoe you are looking for, I am certain you will find something you will LOVE from Pediped!  Some of my favorite for this time of year are a part of their Adventure Line of water safe shoes!  We were at our oldest son's soccer practice this week when our 2 year old found the one puddle in the entire park and boy do I wish he had been wearing a pair of these!! They are machine washable and water safe so if your child is a little adventurous, these would be perfect!!!

Easter is right around the corner too so if you are looking for an adorable pair of Mary Jane's, Pediped has you covered there too!!!  If my daughter was still small, we would definitely own the Evie style shoe from Pediped!! I am absolutely in LOVE with these!!! They are so girly and perfect for Spring!!!!

You can purchase your own pair of shoes from Pediped by visiting their website at Pediped.com! While you are there, be sure to sign up to be a Pediped Insider so you can be the first to know about new products, promotions and more!  

GIVEAWAY

One lucky winner is going to win a pair of Pediped Originals! Winner will choose gender and size, the company will choose the style!

Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 LCD Monitor

This post brought to you by Lenovo. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

Not too long ago,our oldest 2 boys were playing ball in the house (grrrr) and broke our computer monitor. I was so bummed as I had to resort in dragging back out our dinosaur monitor that weighs so much I can barely lift it. Since then, I have been on the lookout for a monitor and I recently stumbled across the Lenovo ThinkVision!!! If you travel a lot, you must check this out!!!

There are so many things I love about the ThinkVision LT1421! First of all, it is super convenient for when you are on the go. It's under 2 pounds and less than an inch thick!!! This makes the perfect companion if you are someone who is one the go a lot, especially for occupations such as auditors, consultants, etc. It's quick and easy to set up in meeting rooms, hotels, lobbies, cafes, etc. allowing better multitasking!  It's also super easy to use. You just plug the monitor into a laptop via USB and prop it up with its photo frame stand! You can tilt the display to the right angle and choose from 16 different brightness levels. This monitor was designed to match the ThinkPad family of laptops and offers convenience, simplicity and elegance.....and it even comes with a standard carrying case! Since we are always on the go, this would be such an awesome product for us. We stay in a lot of hotels and this allow me to continue my work on the computer even when I am away from home! 

Right now you can get 10% off using code LENOVOMONITOR10. This code is good through the end of March on part number 1452DS6! 

Yoplait Lactose Free Giveaway ends 3/18

I love yogurt but sometimes dairy products really bother my stomach.  I had no idea there was such thing as Yoplait Lactose Free yogurt so I was super excited to try it out when I heard about it!

Inspired by the Yoplait yogurt we know and love, Lactose Free comes in four delicious flavors – Strawberry, Peach, French Vanilla and Cherry – and contains 50% of the recommended Daily Value of calcium, with vitamins A and D in every cup. Lactose Free contains no artificial sweeteners and can be used in some of your favorite recipes – like chocolate crème brulee and strawberry cheesecake.

What does it feel like to say YES after saying NO for so long? Find out by saying YES to Yoplait Lactose Free. It’s a little taste of freedom. Be one of the first to try new Yoplait Lactose Free. Click here to enjoy a coupon for $0.30 off Yoplait Lactose Free!

GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader is going to win their own prize pack that includes a VIP coupon to purchase Yoplait Lactose Free yogurt, a lunch tote, 2 gel packs, an individual bowl and a spoon!!!

Just leave a comment here with your name and email address to enter!
Giveaway will end at midnight on 3/18
Winner will be chosen at random via random.org

*The information and prize pack were provided to me free of charge by Yoplait and MyBlogSpark*

March Grand Event

Cute-Ecakes and Moms with Voices Media are hosting a Grand Event! (Yes- $1000.00)

With a goal of 100 bloggers, we are going to make this thing huge!!

[CLICK HERE FOR THE SIGNUP FORM!]

Details

• The Grand Event Cash Giveaway will run from Saturday, March 17th (12:00AM) to  Saturday, March 31st (11:59PM).
  The Grand Event Grand Prize
  
  
• The GOAL for this event is a $1000 prize
• The actual prize will depend upon participation!
• Grand Prize amount will be announced on 2/8!!
  
  
  BLOGGER REFERRAL CONTEST
  For  an added incentive to spread the word, we’ve added a blogger prize!  There are TONS of ways to enter, and I’ve tried to make it as easy for  you as possible!
  
  
• ONE WINNER- will receive $50 Paypal Cash
• ONE WINNER- will participate in the event for FREE!
  
  Find out complete details and sign up HERE!!
  

Oreo Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies

I'm not much of a baker but when I saw a picture of a peanut butter cookie with an Oreo stuffed inside of it, I decided to put on my apron and chef hat and pretend I was anyway.  I mean, who can resist something like this?! My 2 favorite cookies, combined into one........SCORE! Here's how you can make your own!

*Warning* These might become addictive. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Oreo Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

2 sticks of unsalted butter 
1 cup peanut butter (I prefer Jif) 
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 package of regular Oreo cookies

2 Bowls

Preheat Oven to 375. 

In the 1st bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, and both sugars until smooth.  

Add the eggs and make sure they are completely mixed in. 

In your other bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. 

Slowly stir in flour mixture, 1/3 at a time until completely mixed. This was a good arm workout! I had to stop a few times and shake my arms out! 

Now you are ready to start assembling your cookies.  Start by placing 1 Tablespoon of your peanut butter cookie dough on top of an Oreo cookie. Take a 2nd tablespoon and place it underneath the Oreo.  Gently press the dough around the Oreo cookie, sealing the cookie dough edges together. You should not be able to see the Oreo cookie through the dough. 

Bake for 8-11 minutes, or until cookies have just started to brown around the edges.  I baked mine on a Wilton baking sheet for 8 minutes and they were perfect! What you get when you are finished is a delicious peanut buttery, chocolaty piece of Heaven. 

Go ahead. Eat more than one. I won't tell anybody.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Febreze Common Scents Institute Giveaway Ends 3/25

Having 4 children means I have seen the worst of the worst when it comes to laundry so I am pleased to announce that I am now a proud honorary member of the Febreze Common Scents Institute! What does that mean?! That means that I tackle the toughest laundry room challenges without a second sniff! That's right, and now I am really up for the challenge because I received a bottle of Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator to try out!!!

There are so many reasons why I need this product. First of all, I have 3 children that play sports. They all 3 play baseball and soccer which means I pretty much have stinky, sweaty uniforms to wash from March-October.  In addition, I have a 2 year old who loves to make a stinky mess of his clothes and everything else in the house for that matter so I need all the help I can get. Finally, my husband works in a plastic factory and I don't know about you but I am not a fan of the smell of melted and burnt plastic and that is what my husband's work clothes smell like, even after I wash them. Plus, he has a nasty little smoking habit and even though he smokes outside, I can still smell it on his clothes sometimes and it's pretty gross. So I was pretty excited to pick up my bottle of Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator at our local Wal-mart yesterday and was eager to try it out.

We went away for the weekend and the dryer in our room was broken which means we carried around a bag of damp towels, swimsuits and swim trunks for nearly 24 hours in the back of our mini-van. When we got everything unpacked, I was dreading getting those things out of the bag because I knew they would be stinky! I tossed them into my washing machine with my regular detergent and just a little bit of the Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator and those clothes came out smelling as good as new!!! We left in a hurry on Friday morning so I also had a hamper full of my husband's work clothes to wash and again, the Febreze left his work clothes smelling fresh and clean without a trace of that yucky plastic smell in them.  

I am super excited for soccer to start this week so I can give the Febreze a try with my oldest son's soccer clothes!  If it can get them smelling fresh and clean, I would venture to say that it will work on anything!! Check back in a couple of weeks and I will let you know how it's going!!

How about you? What is your stinkiest laundry problem?!

Leave me a comment and answer that question (don't forget to include your email address) and one lucky winner will be chosen at random on 3/25! Winner will receive their own Common Scents Institute Prize Pack that includes a coupon for a bottle of Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator, a Febreze Towel and a Tide Odor-Absorbing Travel Laundry Bag!

For an extra entry, "like" the Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator Facebook Page! Just make sure you leave a separate comment telling me you did!

*This is not a paid post. All opinions are my own. Review and Giveaway were provided by the company and/or representing PR firm*

Places To Visit In Ohio....The Columbus Zoo

So we decided to get away this weekend on a little mini vacation and I was so excited! It's been awhile since we have really done anything away from home so we were definitely overdue. Yesterday instead of hanging out another day at the indoor waterpark we went to, we decided to venture out to the Columbus Zoo!!!!  It was an absolutely beautiful, sunny day and even though we were both born and raised in Ohio, neither my husband or I had ever been to the Columbus Zoo! The kids haven't been to a zoo in awhile either and I knew they were going to have a blast!

When we arrived, it was going to cost us nearly $80 to get in if you counted in parking so we invested in a years membership for just $92!!!  That means we can go back to the Columbus Zoo anytime in the next 365 days and it will not cost us a penny to get in! We will also get free parking so really, it practically paid for itself in our first visit. Plus, I think it will be an incentive for us to go back. It's only about 1.5 hours from our house and they have so many great events throughout the year that we would love to go back and see. Because it's only March, a lot of the animals weren't outside when we were there either so now this gives us an excuse to go back and see all of the animals we missed! A lot of the rides weren't open yet either so we definitely want to go back and do that. We did manage to get a train ride and a ride on the carousel though!!!

I was super bummed because my camera went dead after just a few minutes of being there (We hadn't planned on going anywhere else besides the waterpark so I didn't bring my charger. Oops!)  but I still managed to get some great pics of a few of our favorite things on my phone.

We absolutely LOVE the monkeys at the zoo. The gorillas, the apes, you name it and we love them.  It was super cool seeing the Silver Back Gorillas!!! This one here is in her 40's and we got there right at feeding time. They were all going crazy doing sign language because they were so excited to eat. It was a really awesome thing to get to see. There was a worker there who was telling us how this particular gorilla is the subordinate one in her family so she eats alone or the other gorillas might steal her food. All of the other gorillas were teenagers except for the mother who was in her 50's. It was crazy listening to the stories and learning about their ages and stuff. We watched them forever and they act so much like humans, it's insane!  The siblings picked on one another, pulling each other's hair and wrestling around. It was so funny!

We also got to go visit the aquarium which was nice because it was a little chilly outside. This gave us the chance to warm up and our kids loved looking at all of the different types of fish and other water animals!!!!

Our kids also loved watching the bears! We found brown bears, black bears, polar bears......we even found a few little bears wrestling around together. They were so cute!!! Most of the bears were enjoying a lazy Saturday though like this big brown bear!!!!

If you are ever in Ohio, this is definitely a place you will want to visit. The Columbus Zoo is an awesome place for families to go and we can't wait to go again!