What do you find in the laundry? Fish eyes and crab claws?

As a mom of two energetic and adventure seeking two young boys, I find a ton of bizarre things in the laundry.  A lot.   And I'm not talking about a Lego here and there.

Just a couple weeks ago I found these crazy jelly balls.  Hundreds of them in the washing machine and throughout all the clothes in the washing machine.  I mean in pockets, in crevices, all over the place.  I took me forever to figure out what they were and where they came from.  Turns out they were a gift one of the boys had received at a party, called fish eyes.  Just add water and watch them grow.  Yeah... pretty sure they didn't mean to place in pockets and put through the wash to grow them.  I'm just so thankful I found them before they went in the dryer because I'd bet they would be melted fish eyes... Let's just not go there.

Then there was the one time I found a pair of crab claws in the laundry.  Yeah...  It was a couple nights after we had eaten at Joe's Crab Shack.  (You can read about those fun times here.)  I can rest assured that life will never be boring when I'm doing the laundry around here!

Recently I got the chance to test out Wisk Deep Clean laundry detergent and in the process learned some fascinating and absolutely grotesque things about the average American's laundry.  Did you know that the average wash contains 20 times more body oils and sweat than visible stains?  That's just nasty.  How often do you change your bed sheets?  I bet not once a week like is recommended...  Did you know that women are more likely to snag something out of the laundry basket to re-wear something than men?  That surprised me!

I'm sure you're feeling as self conscious as I am by this point, so head out and grab a bottle of Wisk Deep Clean the next time you are at the store.  I've just made the switch and have absolutely noticed a huge change in the cleanliness of the laundry.   I've tested it with some of our sweatiest work out clothes (and trust me, we have been putting our washing machine to the test this Summer with all of the adventures we have been on!). 

There are some great options including ones for families with skin sensitivities and for people with HE washing machines!   I tested out the Wisk Deep Clean Free & Pure for HE machines because of the crazy skin issues we have. 

I dare you to test it out on a few loads of laundry to see if you notice a difference like I did!  Psst... if you join their Facebook fan page here you can download a coupon too!

Note:  No compensation was received for this post.  Product was received to facilitate the review, but as always the opinions are 100% my own!
 
 

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Quick and Easy Steps to #ClearBeauty on a Budget

I sat there on the side walk in tears.  I wanted to tear my skin off with my nails and every tear just increased the stinging.  I have never before felt such intense stinging.  I couldn't run anymore because the sweat from jogging only added to my pain.  Walking back home the last mile was my only choice.

It was at that point I knew something was terribly, terribly wrong.  Over the weeks prior I had noticed an intense acne like rash on my face.  I'd had acne issues as a kid, but absolutely nothing like the flaming inferno I was feeling on my skin.

My first step was to head to the dermatologist.  I found one that came referred by several people, so I thought it would be safe to assume they'd be great. I couldn't have been more wrong!  The doctor looked at my skin from the other side of the room and quickly said "It's acne" and went about writing a prescription for meds.  I was infuriated and explained that I've never heard of people with acne being in such pain that they literally want to tear their skin off!   "I'm the doctor and it's acne."

I stormed out of the office in tears.  Then in more tears because that brought the stinging on.

I immediately went to another dermatologist.  At least this one looked at my skin.  But the same diagnosis came up.  I knew with every fiber of me that it was incorrect.  Why on earth would this start at age 30?  It just didn't make sense.

I had always suspected I had lots of allergies but have never been to a allergist, so I made an appointment to get tested.  I was miserable waiting to get in to see them as my skin stayed inflamed.

The day my appointment came I was nervous, but praying that the testing would begin to answer what was going on with me.  It absolutely did.  The doctor looked at me almost immediately after starting the skin testing and said oh boy, this is gonna be a definitive one.   He looked at me and said, "You eat a lot of oats?"

I said, "um, yeah...  lots, even oatmeal body wash".

"Yeah, don't do that..."

And the mystery was being solved.  I have horrible food allergies as well as environmental and pet allergies.  I break out in hives (that tend to look like acne), have eczema to go along with all the other million "normal" allergy reactions.  He put me on a daily Allegra pill and my skin has been light years better ever since.  I work to avoid as many of the things I am allergic to daily, but the Allegra helps me combat the unexpected ones that pop up or ones that I can't control (like the cat and dog we cherish so much).   My acute onset of symptoms were from the healthy eating kick I had started (and oats are in everything these days) so my body had just reached a sensitivity point that caused it to go crazy.

If you suspect you have any allergies of any kind, I highly recommend seeing an allergist.

Allegra is the most important part of my beauty regime!  I always notice when I go a day without it because I feel like my energy is draining out of me.  I'm so thankful to have those days of inferno skin and acne like skin gone!

I recently had the chance to head down to my local CVS (you can follow along with the Google+ story here) to purchase $25 of products to help me feel fabulous for Spring as a part of the #ClearBeauty campaign. 

I grabbed my Allegra (an absolute must!), a foot scrubber for making my feet feel fab, my favorite Moroccan Hair oil (love paying 1/3 what everyone else pays at the salons!  Shhh), a new lip gloss (oh a must for every girl), and a new vibrant red nail polish so I can be ready for flip flops and sandals! 

During the month of may, you can get a 30 count of Allegra for $17.99 (great deal, especially if you add in a coupon!) with your CVS card!  You can also go here for the Allergy Makeover Game for your chance to win a $50 CVS giftcard!

Want to know more about Allegra?  You can head here, on Twitter here, on Facebook here.

What tips do you have to go from Drab to Fab?  I'd love to hear them!

Note:  I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric but all opinions are completely my own.  I have been using Allegra for years and wouldn't go a day without it if I had a choice!

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Skinnygirl Daily Vitamin Power Packets - Perfect for After a Workout!

I've been working really hard at losing weight (ok that might be an understatement - I've been working my tail off!).  I've been counting calories, hitting the gym five days a week for a good 1-2 hour workout.  It's paying off big time, but I still have a long way to go.  I'm down about 30 pounds (yay!) in the last couple months.

Since I have been getting in such intense workouts in (lately I'm doing 4-6 mile runs on the treadmill in addition to weight training), by the time I get home I am needing to rehydrate big time.  And it seems to feel like I spend the rest of the day guzzling water.  I love water, but it definitely gets boring! 

I'm totally a fan of Bethenny Frankel (Skinnygirldaily.com) and had see that she had created a line of powdered drink packets, so I jumped at the chance to try them out!

What I absolutely love about them is they are so unique and different than all the other drink mixes I have seen.  There is Strawberry Lemonade (for energy and alertness), Wild Berry (for hair, skin and nails), Tangerine for Immunity and my personal favorite is the Blueberry Lemonade (for stress relief and calm).  Each packet contains multi-vitamins and electrolytes so they are perfect for re-hydration after a workout!

Readers of OCMomActivities get a special $5 and purchase of $14 or more through their website through May 20th when you enter the promo code MOTHERSDAY at SkinnygirlDaily.com.  Note this is the only place you can purchase these and the other fabulous items in the Skinnygirl Daily line.

Another bonus?  Orders of the multi-vitamin packets now through May 15th will also receive a free t-shirt!

Note:  I received several packets to facilitate my review but the opinions as always are 1000% my own!

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Baby Steps to Go Green - Recycled Post-It Notes!

I don't claim to be super green.  What I try to do is make as many green choices as I can every chance I get.  Baby steps.

To celebrate Earth Day Post-It notes have released a new line of Post-It notes that  are made from 100% recycled material (30% is post-consumer material) and an adhesive made with plant based materials.  We go through a lot of Post-It notes in our house, so I'm super excited I have one more place I can make the green choice.

They are available in these cool new color collections...

Next time you're at the store picking up Post-It notes - make the greener choice and choose recycled Post-It notes!  It's an easy baby step to take!

Note:  I received samples of the product to facilitate my review (but we were already fans of Post-It notes in our house!!!)

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Einkorn Pasta - Fantastic alternative to other whole grain pastas!

I'm really focusing on eating healthy and getting more exercise.  Eating whole grains is super important, but unfortunately many of the more common whole grain pastas are made with oats which is a no no in our house due to my (as well as my oldest) crazy oat allergy.

Recently I was sent a unique type of whole grain pasta to try and LOVED it!  It's made with 100% Einkorn whole grain (an ancient form of wheat).  It's loaded with protein (9 gm per serving), and number of other vitamins (with real daily value amounts!). 

The above pictured recipe is super easy and so delicious!  Cook the pasta as directed, saute chicken (leftover chicken works great), fresh broccoli, garlic in several tablespoons of olive oil.  Add in the pasta once cooked and 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese.  (note you can also add in cherry tomatoes - sliced in half to the saute for some gorgeous color!).  It's a perfect weeknight meal that is sure to be a hit in your house!

You can find the Jovial products (check out all the other amazing sustainably packaged products they offer!) at Sprouts, Whole Foods, Amazon, Mother's Market and more.  Check their website here for more information and to locate a store that sells it near you.

Note: No compensation was received for this post but product was received to facilitate the review.

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Focusing on me again and the sore muscles that go with it!

The last couple of years have been crazy in our house.  Because I had been just so plain busy working full time and being Mom, I had not taken care of myself as much as I wanted to.  I had gained a lot more weight than I was comfortable with and it was driving me nuts.  We've recently made some really big changes in our house that have allowed me to take more time to focus on getting healthy again.

I joined a fantastic gym and over the last few weeks I've been spending several hours at the gym 5 days a week to work on getting back in to shape.  But I have a tendency to push myself because of my impatience.  It's normal to not be able to lift your arms above your waist, right?  It's certainly not going to deter me from working out because I know that it's a sign of building muscle and that is my goal! 

Life does get in the way though and unfortunately I can't walk around with these crazy sore muscles all the time.  Recently I was sent several tubes of Topricin to sample (a topical pain relief gel).  I hadn't ever used topical pain relief gels before and honestly didn't think they would work.  But last night in an effort to not feel like I was walking around with dumbbells for arms, I grabbed the Topricin and rubbed it on my sore muscles and almost immediately felt relief!  I was shocked and so excited to be able to move my arms above my waist without cringing!!!

So, if you're still going strong with your New Year's Resolution to get back in shape, I highly recommend grabbing some Topricin to ease those aching muscles!

Note:  No compensation was received for this post - but samples were provided for review.  The ridiculously sore muscles were provided by me and the genuine relief was beyond appreciated!

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Christmas Dinner Recipes from Carapelli plus Coupon!

I prefer to cook with Olive Oils rather than butter whenever possible because it's just plain more healthy.  I'm always on the lookout for unique and new recipes to cook with and wanted to share these delicious recipes from Carapelli Olive Oil.  I'll be trying the Brussel Sprouts with Carmelized Onions tomorrow!  Be sure to head here for a special $1.00 coupon on Carapelli 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil!

Tuscan Roast Turkey

Serving Size: 16

1 16-pound young turkey

Kosher salt, to taste

1 cup Tuscan Herb Paste

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

2 teaspoons celery salt

3 fennel stalks with fronds, rough chopped

3 onions, large dice

1 stalk celery, small dice

2 1/4 quarts chicken stock

3 ounces all-purpose flour

Remove giblets from turkey’s cavity, rinse cavity and pat dry, set aside. Season turkey inside and out with Kosher salt.

Mix Tuscan Herb Paste with crushed fennel seeds and celery salt. Starting at the neck of the bird, slip your hand between the meat and the skin to loosen.  Rub half the paste mix under skin, and rub remaining paste inside the cavity and over the rest of the turkey. Season all over with kosher salt.

 Place two-thirds of the chopped onion and fennel stalks inside cavity. Truss bird.

 Place turkey in a roasting pan. Roast at 400°F for 30 minutes.

 Reduce temperature to 325°F and continue cooking the turkey to an internal temperature of 160°F, approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Baste turkey often during cooking with juices from pan. If turkey begins to overbrown, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

 As turkey roasts, simmer giblets (neck, heart and gizzard), the other one-third of the fennel stalk, onion mix and diced celery in 1 quart chicken stock until tender, approximately 1 1/2 hours.

 When turkey is done, remove from roasting pan and set aside to rest. Degrease roasting pan, reserving 3 ounces of fat to make a roux.

Deglaze pan with a small amount of chicken stock. Transfer stock to a saucepot, and add remaining stock and broth from giblets. Bring to a simmer and degrease.
 

Make a blond roux with reserved fat and flour. Add roux to the liquid, whisking well to prevent lumps. Simmer 15 minutes. Strain gravy through a fine-meshed strainer. Adjust seasoning.


Tuscan Herb Paste
Yield: 2 1/4 cups

3/4 cup Carapelli Extra Light in Taste Olive Oil

1 cup Carapelli Premium 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tablespoon fresh basil

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

1/2 packed cup fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

2 tablespoons fresh sage

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
 

Blend herbs and crushed red pepper with light olive oil using a blender or food processor, then stir in extra virgin olive oil.
 

Serving Ideas: Rub under the skin of turkey for Tuscan Roast Turkey. Use to flavor vegetables for grilling and mushrooms for roasting.

 Olive Oil and Herb Mashed Potatoes

Serving Size: 12

10 8-ounce potatoes, (about 5 pounds) peeled and cut in half

3/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1/2 cup Tuscan Herb paste

1/2 cup Carapelli Premium 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup heavy cream, warmed

Boil potatoes in salted water. When cooked tender, mash potatoes. Mix salt and pepper with Tuscan Herb Paste, olive oil and warm heavy cream. Fold into potatoes.



Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions and Prosciutto

Serving Size: 12

2 pounds fresh Brussels sprouts, blanched, quartered

4 tablespoons Carapelli Premium 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 onion, julienned

1 1/2 ounces prosciutto, sliced into 1/2-inch strips

4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

Sea salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

Trim stem end of Brussels sprouts. Discard wilted outside leaves. Boil in salted water until cooked through (about 7 minutes) until just tender. Shock in ice water. Quarter the cooled sprouts.
 

In large skillet over medium high heat, caramelize onions in olive oil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from pan. Place in bowl, mix with prosciutto.

In the same skillet, over high heat, lightly brown Brussels sprouts. Add onion-prosciutto mix, toss.  Deglaze by adding white balsamic vinegar and scraping bottom of pan. Season with salt and pepper.

*Note no compensation was received for this post - but products were provided to facilitate the review.

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All Natural First Aid Remedy

I'm always on the lookout for more natural remedies - especially first aid remedies.  Recently I received a sample of Omyst to try out and almost as if on cue I received a nasty cut on my thumb.  I grabbed the Omyst (and my camera to take a picture first of course).  I must admit that it does sting a briefly but it did seem to speed the healing, but the added benefit of being 100% all natural is just what I was looking for in my cabinet.

I've since tried the First Aid spray on cuts and scrapes that both my boys have had and they both admit it stings a bit (I'm sure this is from the alcohol solution) but it is very brief.  Since I warn them ahead of time - they don't freak out and are ok with it because it goes away so fast.

Omyst is loaded with Calendula, yarrow, plantain and wild roses instead of the other synthetics you find in ointments.

For more information about pricing and where you can find Omyst go here.

Note: No compensation was received for this post but the product was received to facilitate the writing of the post.  The injury described above was a painful yet timely coincidence.

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Norwegian not Swedish Meatballs - Hillshire Farm #GourmetCreations #CBias

Norwegian meatballs are a family tradition in our house.  As far back as I can remember we'd have the meatballs at Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas Eve dinners.  It's taken me a long time to master making fantastic meatballs the way my mother did.  I'm always looking for ways to increase the flavor of them because I can't seem to duplicate them exactly the way my mom made them.  

I recently participated in a shop for Hillshire Farm Gourmet Creations sausages and I immediately knew the bacon and beef smoked sausages might be exactly what I had been looking for to perfect the recipe.  We were celebrating my husband's birthday and this is one of his favorite dinners so I knew this was the perfect time to test out the new recipe.  After dinner tonight it was clear that both kids and my husband agree that the meatballs I made tonight were beyond amazing.  The strong flavor of bacon and smoky flavor came through and added the taste I was looking for in the family recipe.

Now I'm about to share a secret family recipe with you.  No kidding.  It is sacred in our household.  Follow along through each step of the shopping and cooking with pictures and other tips on the Google + album here.  Have a question on how to cook a certain part?  Comment below this post with it and I'll answer!

Norwegian (NO not Swedish!) Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 cup Bread Crumbs

1 cup Milk

2 tsp each Ginger, Mace, Nutmeg, Salt and Pepper

4 pounds ground beef

2 packages of Hillshire Farm Gourmet Creations Beef and Bacon Sausage

Butter

Flour

Milk

Beef Bouillon

Directions:

Mix Bread Crumbs, Milk, Ginger, Mace, Nutmeg, Salt and Pepper in large bowl.  Grind sausage and meat until smooth.  Mix in to large bowl with bread and milk mixture.  Mix well (you'll most likely need to use your hands).  Roll in to meatballs and cook in pan.  Rotate each meatball twice to ensure cooked all the way through.  

Once you have cooked all the meatballs, use the left over "drippings" in the pan to make the gravy.  Add flour to absorb all of the oil.  Mix in milk to bind them together.   Add more milk leaving over low heat and allowing to thicken.  Add beef bouillon to taste.  

And enjoy!  Remember - they are Norwegian Meatballs (don't you dare call them Swedish Meatballs!).

(actual picture of my dog begging for meatballs - notice he is licking his lips!)

Our family enjoyed it so much tonight that the dog was begging for some!  I made plenty so there I used some of the extra to prep the lunches for the kids in small containers.  The meatballs also freeze really well and are frequently even better the next day after soaking in the gravy overnight.

Think this sounds delicious?  Yes, it sure was.  Please post a comment here if you try them out - I'd love to hear about it!

*This shop has been compensated as a part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.  All of the product and shopping opinions above and on the Google + story are completely my own.  And the recipe above is based on a family recipe.

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HEXBUG Halloween Party Fun!

HEXBUGS were the life of the party.  With tracks going in every which direction and countless kids crowded around the table it was an afternoon full of fun.

Kyle methodically put together elaborate tracks for the HEXBUGS to run through before the party started, creating his version of a HEXBUG haunted house.

The new larvae HEXBUGS are really cool.  They have have sensors and cameras.  It's pretty cool to watch them wriggle and weave around avoiding objects put in their path, they seem so lifelike - yet not (which is good!).


The kids squealed with joy when I told them they each got to each take home a HEXBUG Nano Halloween Zombie bug and a limited edition HEXBUG Galileo collection. 

We even had a round of musical chairs to decide who got to take home parts of the sets and exclusive new HEXBUG larvae!  It was a ruthless battle for those seats as the kids were determined to win parts of the set!

Looking for an educational and fun gift for the kid who has everything?  You can't go wrong with HEXBUGS because even if it is a part the kid has... it never hurts to have more than one!

For more information and ideas for HEXBUG Nano parties read here.

*The HEXBUG Nano Party sponsored by Innovation First Labs and product samples were supplies to facilitate the review/party.  The opinions expressed were 100% my own and we were HUGE fans of HEXBUGS long before (hence the dozens of tracks and HEXBUGS up in my sons room...) #HEXBUGHalloween

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HEXBUGS have invaded our house! Plus Halloween theme party ideas

Our house has been infested with bugs.  Nano HEXBUGS that is.  Thank goodness those are the only bugs since the untimely demise of the praying mantis.  My sons have been huge fans of HEXBUG Nanos for awhile and we have accumulated a fleet of them and have habitats for them invading our family room on an ongoing basis.  These bugs are ones I am happy to allow to invade our house because the chances of finding them in bathrooms (like the lovely cricket I found that escaped from the praying mantis terrarium) are slim to none.

I jumped at the chance to host a HEXBUG Nano Halloween party.  Both my boys squealed with delight when we opened the box to find a number of limited edition HEXBUG Nano Halloween Zombie bugs, Glow in the dark HEXBUG Nano Galileo collection, several HEXBUG larvae and several HEXBUG habitat sets.  To say the least this is going to be one awesome Halloween party!  Prizes and take homes galore.

Be sure to hurry out and get some of the limited edition HEXBUGS before they sell out!  The glow in the dark mummy HEXBUGS are pretty cool and sure to make your kids feel super cool to have.

Hosting your own Halloween Party?  Be sure to grab some of these not so creepy crawlers and make some Zombie Punch, Cemetery Swamp Dip or Mummy Dogs to theme out the event!

Zombie Punch
Ingredients:
1/2 gallon limeade
1 liter ginger ale
1/2 gallon lime sherbet
plastic spiders or worms

Directions:
Mix together juice and ginger ale.  Scoop sherbet and add to punch.  Add the bugs to the punch.  Serve chilled.

Cemetery Swamp Dip
Ingredients:
1 package (10oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 container (8oz) fat free sour cream
1 container (8oz) plain Greek yogurt
1 package dry vegetable soup mix
1 loaf of bread
Vegetables (for dipping)

Directions:
Combine vegetable soup mix, Greek yogurt, sour cream, and spinach together in a bowl.  Cut bread slices in to tombstone shapes.  Arrange in a single layer on cookie sheet and bake until crisp.

Mummy Dogs
Ingredients:
I can (8oz) crescent rolls (the refrigerated ones)
2 1/2 slices American cheese quarters
10 large hot dogs
Cooking spray
Mustard or ketchup

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll dough; separate at perforations creating 4 rectangles.  Press perforations to seal.  Cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces making a total of 40 pieces of dough.  Slice cheese slices in to quarters.  Wrap four pieces of dough around each hot dog and 1/4 slice of cheese to look like bandages, stretching dough slightly to cover hot dog.  About 1/4 inch from the top, separate the bandages enough for a "face".  Place on un-greased cookie sheet but lightly spray with cooking spray.  Cook 13-17 minutes or until dough is light golden brown and hot dogs are hot.  With mustard or ketchup draw eyes on the face.

*The above recipes are courtesy of HEXBUG Nano sponsored by Innovation First Labs and are on my list of fun for our upcoming party.

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More fantastic wine recommendations from fresh&easy!

I love a good glass of red wine.  Pair it with a bowl of goldfish crackers (I know only a mom would pair these) and I'm happy as a clam. 

I grew up in the Bay Area, just a tinsy bit south of Napa Valley.  You'd think with that I would be a wine connoisseur with a sophisticated palate and that I would practically spew good wine recommendations.  We'll you'd be very wrong!  I love a good bottle of wine, but when it comes to being able to explain what I like and the different flavors in a wine?  Yeah, not so good.  My way of finding a good bottle as a hostess gift or other event is to look at the more expensive bottles and try to decide from the labels what looks good.  Or I'll grab one I know I've had before and thought was really good.  I know, this is so sad, but I know I'm not alone in this either!

Way too many times I have tried something new and been very disappointed with it and vowed to only stick to ones I know are good because I've had them before.

I was recently invited to participate in a Twitter online wine tasting with fresh&easy.  I was super excited because I have really come to trust their experts opinions on wines.  Not only to they search out some fantastic wines to exclusively sell at their stores, they bring them in a absolutely fantastic prices, most of their recommendations come in well below the $10 mark.

During the online party we were introduced to Doon Buggy Red which comes in just under $10 a bottle was my favorite because I'm a red drinker. 

We also tasted the Ma Cherie Wine Cuvee which comes in under $8/bottle.

And last but definitely not least was the Dreamstone Pink Moscato which also comes in under $8/bottle.  I'm normally not a fan of Champagne and other bubbly wines, but the Dreamstone Moscato was really good with just a hint of sweetness but not too overpowering. 

All three wines would be easy and painless picks to bring as hostess gifts or to have on hand when entertaining this holiday season.  All three are also exclusives at fresh&easy stores.  In case you don't know where your local one is you can head here.

If you are a regular shopper at fresh&easy like me, you may have seen they are now starting a fantastic new rewards program for shoppers.  Staying true to their mission, they have made it easy to participate.  It's super easy, register to get a card and immediately start collecting points that you can later redeem for CASH once you hit the redeemable points.  You'll also never have to print fresh&easy coupons as they easily be loaded on to your card.   Log in on the fresh&and easy website here to keep track of your points and personalize your card with coupons you can go here.

Are you a fresh&easy shopper (fanatic) like me?   What do you love about shopping there?

*Note: I recieved the items mentioned above to facilitate the review, but note that I love the store and do my weekly grocery shop there. :)

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Umm, My "Digestive Issues" Are Gone!

I hadn't realized how bad my digestive issues were until they went away.  It only took about 2 days of being on the Members Mark 4X Probiotic supplement and I knew I was in love.  As I mentioned in a previous post I have "digestive issues" and wasn't really sure what was causing it.  I noticed coffee was an issue and was struggling because I knew there was no way I could give up my beloved coffee.  I was having heartburn issues as well as bloating and other general digestive discomfort.

For the last two weeks I've been sampling the product and am totally in love.  I honestly wasn't expecting such rapid results.  For the first time in a long time I'm feeling like I don't have "digestive issues" any more!   I'm not sure if it is IBF I struggle with or what but I'm beyong thrilled to say that it is a total non-issue right now. 

I knew that years and years of antibiotic use and not taking enough acidophilus was probably not a good combination, but after taking the Members Mark 4X Probiotic for only a short time, it is clear how badly I needed something like this!  It is available only at Sam's Club.  For more information about the product you can go here.

One of the things I love about these is how easy it is to keep track of your daily dose.  Each pill is individually wrapped and marked with each day of the week.  If you can't remember if you've had your dose you can just see which days are left.  And as moms this is so handy because I've never double dosed on a daily vitamin by accident because I forgot I had taken it earlier... Ok, I admit it, I've done that way more times than I would like to admit...

I can't emphasize enough that if you too have digestive issues, you must try this.  By no means am I a doctor, but all I can tell you is from my experience in two days I saw a change and by the two week mark there was a huge change.

So how is YOUR digestive system working?

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.  Without a doubt this product has had a HUGE impact on me physically and I will definitely continue to use and purchase this for a long time in the future. 

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Do you have "digestive issues"?

I have digestive issues.  I admit it.  I've wrestled with it all my life.  I can't really put a finger on what my symptoms are, but I know my digestive system just doesn't work well.  I have a sneaking suspicion it all goes back to the copious amount of antibiotics I was on as a child for the every other month earaches I got.  It got to the point as a child that the doctor gave my mom an extra prescription of antibiotics to keep on hand because of course the earaches would always start at night and we knew the symptoms all too well.  

Of course, 30 years later we know that the massive amounts of second hand smoke I was exposed to played a huge role in why I was getting the earaches and there are a lot better options out there for children that to basically take antibiotics daily.  Hind sight is 20/20, but now I am dealing with a digestive system that has probably been functioning without the proper "good" bacteria in it.  I've taken lots of acidophillus supplements over the years, but I honestly probably haven't taken anywhere near enough and that is probably what is at the root of my digestive issues.  

One of the things I have come to realize is that when your digestive system is out of whack, it can affect your immune system as well as a slew of other things (each person is different).  

I am jumped at the chance to participate in a 2 week trial of taking the Member's Mark 4X Probiotic Digestive Care Supplement (available at Sam's Club) and to share my experiences and health improvements.  Stay tuned for my post in two weeks to read the changes I have noticed.  To find out more about the product I"m am testing out you can go here.

Want to hear more?  Join the Twitter party on October 5 from 9 - 10 EST (TODAY) where you can participate and win the product, or gift cards.  RSVP here.

Do you have digestive issues?  I want to hear about them so I know I'm not alone and any insights you have!

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.   My opinions are purely that of my own and in no way are influenced by the above.

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Razors are the must have for childhood

We recently had the chance to attend an amazing 10th anniversary event for Razor.  You know, those things that are practically replacing bikes as the childhood staple...

Razor rides in our family have become a daily ritual, I really don't remember what life was like before my boys had them.  Ok, I do.  I remember the first day they got them, you'd think they were riding skateboards for the first time or something.  I was nervous beyond belief but quickly realized that the Razors were pretty safe.  It all came down to kids understanding that when they started to lose their balance or go to fast, the best thing to do is step off on to the ground!  Problem solved.  The big difference between the Razor and a skateboard is this "skateboard" had handle bars!  It didn't take long for the boys to get really good at using them and made it possible for us to go on much longer family walks around the neighborhood because they wouldn't tire out.

Here in South OC, many kids also ride their Razors to school because at least at our local school, there just isn't enough parking.  Riding Razors to schools has become the way many kids get to school.  (I'm sure there is a video somewhere on YouTube of me riding the Razors home in my business clothes after dropping the kids off at school.  Please don't track it down.).

I thought my kids were getting pretty good on their Razors until we had the chance to check out Team Razor doing tricks at the picnic.  It's truly amazing what these kids can do!


One of the things I didn't know was how many new kids of products Razor has been coming out with.  Talk about cool!  My kids fell in love with the Rip Rider 360.  Everyone tried to explain to me what it was and words really don't explain it.  So here's Brett showing off what I call the tricked out trike for big kids:

With products like the Sole Skate (like a skateboard but fits in a backpack), the Seige and many many more fun scooters and ride-ons, your family is sure to have hours and hours of fun together.

(* Psst... I'm going to be giving away a Razor product later this month... But I'd really like your opinions as to which product you'd like to win.  Head on over here and tell me which Razor product is your favorite!)

*I received a complimentary Razor product for attending the event, but the opinions expressed in this post are completely my own.

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The PERFECT Specialty Coffee at Home - I'm in love!

As you all know I'm a HUGE fan of mochas.  So when I had the opportunity to try out a Tassimo T20 by Bosch, I was excited beyond belief, but a little worried that the coffee at home would be good but not take the place of my daily premium coffee habit.  I can now say with 1000% percent honesty and can't underline enough how in-love with this machine I am (if you saw my tweets on Twitter the day I tried it out, you'd know I'm not kidding!)!  Yes, I was provided with a sample package of the Gevalia Espresso Cappuccino package but loved it so much that I ran out the very same afternoon to get more packages because I knew this was going to become a staple drink for me.  

It was simple, quick and foolproof to make an amazing espresso (or mocha in my case). Using one T-disc for the espresso (it's easy to dilute the espresso to make amazing cup of coffee using the same T-disc), one milk T-disc and some of my favorite mocha powder from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.  Hands down it made a comparable (if not better) than the majority of coffee houses I have been to (including many BIG chains).  Can I underscore that about a bazillion times? 

I've since gone out and bought iced coffee T-discs, hot chocolate T-discs and I am anxious to continue to try more out.  For Chai Tea lovers, they have Chai Tea T-discs.  Besides the amazing cups of espresso it makes, I was totally impressed by the fact that the Tassimo by Bosch uses a bar code scanner to scan a bar code on each T-disc so it makes the perfect cup (of whatever you are making) every time.  Coffee machines have made an evolutionary jump!

Friends of ours have the Keurig machine and as far as I have tasted, the Tassimo by Bosch makes a far superior cup of coffee, espresso or other specialty drink.  I'm guessing one trick is in the milk T-discs because they are filled with real milk as opposed to the powder you find in the other types of coffee machines.  The Tassimo by Bosch may be a tad more expensive, but in the long run I think I'd get far more value out of the Tassimo by Bosch because of the amount of money I'll save in future coffee house purchases! 

Have you tried the Tassimo by Bosch?   Do you have a favorite recipe?

You can find the Tassimo by Bosch at Target and many other locations.  You can also "like" them on Facebook or find them on Twitter.

(*Note I was provided a Tassimo T20 by Bosch to facilitate this review, but almost immediately went out and bought more refills because I am that in love with this product!)

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Can a tube of toothpaste really whiten your teeth?

Fabulous Yet Frugal Friday...

When I bought a tube of Crest 3D White Vivid at Target last week, I can tell you the last thing on my mind was writing a blog post about it!

I'm really tough on my teeth.  I admit it.  I LOVE Mochas and the occasional glass of a good red wine, neither of which are a positive influence on the color of my teeth.  I've been pretty lucky with my teeth, but always planned on going in to the dentist to get the professional tooth whitening to make them super bright.  I just haven't gotten around to it, life's been kinda hectic.  So I figured I'd try a tube of the new Crest 3D White Vivid toothpaste and see if it made my teeth brighter. 

By night two I was taking double takes in the mirror after brushing my teeth.  I really thought I was imagining things... my teeth seemed whiter!  By night three I knew I wasn't really imagining it.  And by night four it was obvious - my teeth were really brightening up. Don't get me wrong... it's not the instant shocking white that you'd get from the treatments at the Dentist, but for the cost of a tube of toothpaste it's a fantastic short term solution.

If you are like me and have been wondering if those toothpastes really do make a difference... you heard it here first - it did for me!

So there's my totally unsolicited un-requested review of toothpaste.  :)

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More Discounts from Etnies!

I'm THRILLED to announce that Etnies is offering another Mom Blogger promoted discount on their website!  (Read my previous Etnies post here)

Between now and the end of the year you can go to Etnies.com and receive 30% off any purchase, get a free stocking stuffer (while supplies last) and receive free shipping!  The code is the same as before "etnies family".  Pass it on to everyone you know - this is a fantastic deal!

Any for those of you who remember why I rave about Etnies... I'm (kinda shocked) to report that Kyle's new Etnies that I received at the event - still look BRAND NEW.  Despite the 3 trips to Disneyland & three weeks of daily school destruction.  See for yourself...

I'll give you one guess as to what Kyle will be getting for Christmas in addition to toys, etc... Yup - another pair of Etnies!

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Chevy Volt & Chevy Cruze Sneak Peek!

Alright, I admit it… I’m a tree hugger at heart. You’d never know it from a first impression, but I grew up in a very eco-friendly area of the country yet I still drive the large SUV and live in Orange County, CA. Secretly the guilt of driving that SUV has gnawed at me. I love driving and these days, those driving hours are mostly spent with my entourage (my two sons!). When I first heard about the new advances Chevrolet was making with their cars and gas mileage I honestly thought, “Good for them, but it will be years until I can get one of those!”

I had the privilege of a sneak peek prior to the LA Auto Show at the new Chevy Volt and Chevy Cruze last night. It didn’t take me long to see that I am their target demographic. And now it just makes perfect sense!

The Chevy Cruze (pictured above) is designed with families in mind (from price point to safety to aesthetics). Keep in mind that I’m not an auto expert – I’m a busy Mom to two wonderful boys, so what you are getting is simply my opinion. I might as well just admit it - I’m also a car snob. The thought had never crossed my mind of looking at a Chevy for anything other than the Tahoe… and when it comes to a family sedan I’ve never really thought outside the BMW, Lexus or Mercedes realm. I’ve been eyeing all the new Hybrid vehicles on the market and wondering if I was ready to make the jump back to a family sedan instead of the gas guzzling SUV. (To me the Hybrid SUV’s like the Yukon &Tahoe don’t improve the MPG enough to warrant the price tag yet). It looks like the Cruze will come in around the $20,000 mark. Talk about affordable!

The Chevy Volt (pictured above) is a car of the future that is about to go on sale today! On the outside it is reminiscent of the Toyota Prius, but it takes fuel efficiency to an entirely different level! It’s designed for the average person who drives less than 40 miles a day (although you can drive it more, you just won’t have the same insanely awesome gas mileage). I’ve got to say it is one REALLY cute car. Perfect for a second car if you’re a family or as a primary car if you aren’t hauling kids around (the demo I saw only had 4 seats because there is a console in the middle back row)! I’ve heard lots of numbers thrown around in regards to cost of the Volt, but I can tell you it will definitely be way less than $50,000 and will have environmental rebates. My bet is the cost will end up being $40,000 or less after those rebates. That is competitive.

I walked away from the night being proud of Chevy (still surprising myself with that…). I’ll save it for another post, but as a working Mom, I also walked away with a newfound respect for Chevy as a company. Their embrace of women and mothers in their workforce is impressive and I can’t wait to tell you more specifics about how real that is, not in theory – but in practice!

For more specific information about the vehicle check out this YouTube Video they have created:

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