UNREAL (TM) Candy Review (for BzzAgent)

 

Recently, I was able to try the new candy from UNREAL. UNREAL candy has no artificials, no corn syrup, and no hydrogenated oils. I know I have been trying to eat better, and get my family to eat better, but it is hard to rule out candy. This brand helps me feel a little better about them eating candy.

Right now, they have 5 different kinds of candy:

UN 5 - Chocolate caramel nougat bar

UN 8 - Chocolate caramel peanuts nougat bar

UN 41 - Chocolate candy shell

UN 54 - Chocolate candy shell peanuts

UN 77 - Chocolate peanut butter cups

Check out Get UNREAL for more information

So far, I have tried UN 41, UN 54, and UN 77. I very much enjoyed them. They are not as sweet are their name brand counterparts, but still good. They are very chocolatey. I found myself having to drink a glass of milk while eating them. I would recommend them to anyone. I feel good about my children eating them.

As of right now, I can only find them at CVS. I do not know if they will be available in more places in the future, but I sure do hope so.

Now, a recipe that you could use UN 77 in!

This recipe requires UN 77, Pre-squared Cookie Dough (or mix) , Brownie Mix, and Baking Pan with Individual (Square or Round) Sections.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Pull apart cookie dough and line the bottom of cupcake pan or square individual brownie pan.
3. Top the cookie dough with UN 77 peanut butter cup (upside down)
4. Top peanut butter cup with brownie mix. 
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
6. Enjoy!!!

 “If you want to grow up to be a big, strong pea, you have to eat your candy," Papa Pea would say.”
― Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Little Pea

Free (and Almost Free) Goodies for Mommies and Mommies-to-be!

 

 

Mommy FREEBIES and other great goodies!

I will try to update this if anything changes. I will try to update it with freebies and offers that are long lasting. I won't update it with freebies that are for a limited time.

Free Pregnancy Wristband

I've ordered this wristband back in 2008 when I was pregnant with my first child. Then I ordered it last year when I was pregnant with my second. Just last month, I ordered another on for a family member who is expecting her first. I have received all 3 of them each time. They are cute, and can be a fun gift, too! They are blue on one side, and pink on the other, so if will work for any mommy-to-be!

Free Beech-Nut Baby Starter Kit

I order one of these back in 2008 when I was pregnant with my first. I recived a bowl, bib, and coupons for free products. It has been 4 years, so I don't know what the kit has in stored. I just placed my order for another one for Cam, so I will update when I get it with what it has!

Beech-Nut Rewards Program

This is something that is new to me, but the website states this:

Buy any 2 Beech-Nut Cereals to receive 3 coupons for $1 off any 2 Beech-Nut Cereals

Buy any 40 Beech-Nut Baby Food Jars to receive 5 coupons for $1 off any 8 Beech-Nut Baby Food Jars

Buy any 10 Stage-4 or Stage-5 items to receive 5 coupons for $1 off any 2 Stage-4 or Stage-5 Items

Free Stage-4/Stage-5 Toddler Welcome Kit

I have never ordered one of these, but friends who have received coupons for free products by mail, and they received some coupons by email.

Pampers Gifts to Grow Rewards

Even if you do not buy Pampers diapers, this is still a great program to sign up for. You save up your points for cool prizes. They release as free code once or twice (sometimes 3 times) a month. You can always find there free code through their emails, or on freebie websites. Also, Pampers will send you free offers to your email, such as coupons, free song downloads, and free offers from Shutterfly. Below are some other codes that may still work:

2BEGINEARNING50
GIFTSTOGROW4MOM
FBMLKKU4RPP6P12
JOINNOW4REWARDS
GTGWELCOME10PTS
CONGRATS2NEWMOM
10PTSFREECODE4U
CAREFORNEWBORNS
WELCOME2VILLAGE

Huggies Enjoy the Ride

If you buy Huggies diaper, they have reward codes inside them that you can enter at this site. You can them save your points up for cold prizes or enter them in to instant win games for free Huggies products.

Free Honey Suckle Milk Storage Bags

These are great for mommies that are breast feeding! They will send you a couple sample bags to try out for free. Their Facebook page even had suggestions on what else you can use them for if you do not need them to store breast milk, such storing homemade baby food or baby's snacks.

Two Free Size 2 Diapers for You and Two Friends from Naty

Sign up to be a Naty Ambassador, and you will be allowed to send a link to 3 friends' emails for a free gift (the diapers). Make sure one of the emails you put in is your own email. After that, check your email, and you will have the link to sign up for the two free size 2 diapers!

Free Items from Similac Strong Moms

Even if you are breast feeding, you can still sign up for this. You can get sample cans of Simlac formula (which are good to donate!), formula checks, and free offer in your email from places like Shutterfly.

Free Formula Checks/Coupons from Gerber

I have only received formula checks from them. Still, this is great if your are formula feeding, or for donation if you are breast feeding!

Free Items from Enfamil

Enfamil will send you free formula samples, formula checks, and special offers in you email!

$3 off Coupon on Any Enfamil Product

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Just click the link to print (print only) up to two coupons for $3 off any Enfamil product.

Free Subscription to American Baby Magazine

I get this magazine once a months, and sometimes it has coupons for baby stuff, stuff just for mom's, and discounts to clothing/baby stores! Plus, great tips and stories for you and your baby!

Disney Movie Rewards

You can sign up for great rewards from Disney! Even if you don't buy a lot of Disney movies, they still offer points in other ways, such as surveys and bonus points in emails. I have gotten a Cars 2 lunch box and a $5 gift card to Starbucks from Disney Movie Rewards. I only put in one code a from a Disney movie. The rest of the points came from the surveys and bonus points!

50 Free 4X6 Photo Prints from Shutterfly.com

You love your kids, and you love taking tons of photos of them! So lets get some of the pretty pictures printed! Sign up for a free Shutterfly account, and you get 50 free prints! You still have to pay shipping and handling, but last I did it, the S&H was around $3 something. Not too shabby for 50 prints!

25 Free 4X6 Photo Prints from Walmart.com

Sign up for a new membership at Walmart.com's photo section and get 25 free prints that you can pick up for free at you local Walmart! No paying S&H, and no waiting several days for them to come in them mail!

Free Goodie Bag with Babies-R-Us Registry (In-Store Offer)

If you are ready to make your baby shower registry, stop by your local Babies-R-Us, you will receive a free goodie bag for opening up one with them! I got one, and it had free samples, coupons, and great information about things my baby will need!

 Free Personalized Song by Elmo

Click the link to get your child a free song by Elmo with his/her own name in it! Just enter the code myelmo to get your free song! I made one for my little girl, and she was beyond ecstatic! You can also get a free personalize VeggieTales song by entering the code veggie.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A mother's happiness is like a beacon, lighting up the future but reflected also on the past in the guise of fond memories." -Honoré de Balzac

Free Tip Tuesday: Vacation Coupons and Deals!

 Frugal Vacationing

I know fall is soon approaching, and this post would have been more appropriate at the beginning of summer, but I always say "Better late than never". Plus with the miserable summers we have been having, fall is a lot better time to go on a vacation if you plan to be out in the open.

So, lets say you have planned a vacation for fall break and you want to make the most of it. Of course you do your research on places to stay and eat. You look up fun places to visit and sight-see. You may get so caught up in the excitement of planning your vacation you may not realize that you are missing an opportunity to save money on your trip.

Tip 1:
Once you have decided where you are going, request a travel catalog or brochure. When hubby and I were trying to decide where to go on our honeymoon we order several free catalogs and brochures for more information on the destinations. A lot of the brochures had coupons for local restaurants and tourist attractions. When you go a vacation you could save money buy only eating food from a local grocery store for breakfast and lunch. You can always eat cheap at a well known fast food restaurant, but when dinner rolls around, you want to try what the local cuisine has in stored. Which leads me to tip number 2.

Tip 2:
Google search restaurants around you vacation area for printable/mobile coupons. Bigger cities have more mobile coupon opportunities. Sign up for email notifications (you can make a special vacation email if you are worried about spam), and mobile notification (you should always be able to opt out once you are done with your vacay).

Tip 3:
Always stop at rest stops/tourist centers as you are entering you destination. When my family was going to the Memphis zoo, we stopped at a tourist center to used to restroom. They offered a discount on ticket to the zoo if you bought them through them. Be sure to research prices a head of time to be sure you are really getting a deal. We were able to save almost $2 per person. That's not a lot, but every bit counts when you are on a budget... more for souvenirs!! Also, look around the rest. They will have brochures that may have local coupons.

Tip 4:
Once again, you are going to want to sample the local cuisine once you hit your destination. When you are on the open road it's hard not to eat every snack food you see at a gas station or rest stop. But highway gas stations and rest stops will gouge you for the convenience. I paid $2 for a pack of M&M's at a rest stop outside of Chicago. When we were leaving Florida to come home, my dad pack us a traveling foods and snacks. This was a 12 hour drive, so we were going to have to eat a some points. My dad bought us a cheap styrofoam cooler (if you take care of them, you can re-use them), filled it with ice, and packed it with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, ham sandwiches, and drinks. He also got us candy packs and chips. Buying them from a grocery store is always cheaper than a gas station. By doing this we had extra money to stop in Nashville and enjoy a nice dinner at Hard Rock Cafe and stroll the gift shops.

Tip 5:
If you sign up for freebies/samples like I do, go through them before heading out to buy toiletries for your trip. Sometimes even I forget what types of freebies/samples I have on hand, so going through them to see it you have something with SPF in it, or shampoo/conditioner that you wouldn't be too upset about if it got left behind. Lets be truthful ladies, you really don't want to use that over-drying hotel soap and shampoo (but we still take it home, hahaha!).

Tip 5:
If you live in a big tourist area, request catalogs and brochures for your city. You could find coupons and discounts to place you frequent or have always wanted to try right in your area! I requested brochures to local Kentucky hot spots, and some of them had coupons for water parks and restaurants that I live within 2 hours of. Cheap mini-vacay! Hehehe!

Tip 6:
My last tip is an obscure one, but it is to help those with kids at theme parks, such as Disney World. If you are heading to a theme park with character, your child/children might want an autograph. BRING YOUR OWN PEN! Bring several cheap pens. Otherwise you will pay close to $5 for an ink pen that you more than likely wind up losing (I know from experience), and then have to buy a new one.

Please comment below if you know of any great money saving tips to add to the list!

"Vacations are the coupons on the bonds of industry" - Harry Van Denmark | The Texas Magazine, July 1911

Brew Over Ice Review (For BzzAgent)

Today I am going to review 4 different drinks from Keurig Brew Over Ice line: Green Mountain Hazelnut Iced Coffee, Green Mountain Nantucket Blend Iced Coffee, Celestial Seasonings Perfect Iced Tea Southern Sweet Black Tea, and Celestial Seasonings Perfect Iced Tea Half & Half Black Tea & Lemonade.

First I would like to say, I love my Keurig! I’ve had it for around 2 years. It’s convenient and easy to use. I don’t drink a lot of coffee in one sitting. That is why I love that the Kuerig make single serve cups, because I don’t have to brew a full 6 or 8 cup pot of coffee. I also love that it brews straight into whatever cup I want to use. I recommend the Keurig to anyone.

Now, let’s get the ball rolling on the drink reviews!

Green Mountain Hazelnut Iced Coffee – I really liked the Hazelnut Iced Coffee. I think having the coffee with flavor already in it helps when adding more flavor to it. I am used to pre-made iced coffees. A lot of premade iced coffees you can buy in the store taste very sweet… more like a chocolate of vanilla drink with coffee flavoring. This gives you more of the coffee flavor. Also, in the long run, these are way cheaper (but not cheap in quality) to buy than an iced coffee from an actual café or coffeehouse. You can add a little fun by freezing milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate chips to add to your iced coffee.

Green Mountain Nantucket Blend Iced Coffee – I was not a fan of the Nantucket Iced Coffee. It tasted bitter. I added sugar and cream, but I still was not impressed. It left a bad taste in my mouth. Like I said before, with the hazelnut iced coffee, it already had a flavored base, and I think that really helps with the flavor. A way to make this drink better is to add syrups and not flavored creamers. In the coffee isle of your favorite grocery store there are coffee syrups. I think these add flavor without making it too thick and creamy like what happens when you add too much creamer. Too much creamer takes away from the coffee flavor, makes it to thick and sweet, and kind of coats your mouth.

Celestial Seasonings Perfect Iced Tea Southern Sweet Black Tea – So refreshing. Better than buying already made tea from the store, and it’s easy that making a whole pot of tea. When tea is fresh brewed, it’s always better. I froze lemon slices for extra flavor. I recommend taking the lemon skin off before doing this, or you will get a bitter lemon tastes from the skin.

Celestial Seasonings Perfect Iced Tea Half & Half Black Tea & Lemonade – This is so yummy. No need for the frozen lemon slices. It’s the perfect blend of lemon and tea. It’s great for those days when you are being very indecisive. You can always freeze other fruits for an even more indulgent treat, i.e. oranges, strawberries, raspberries, etc. Once again, I recommend removing any skins, and I also recommend cutting up the bigger fruits. By doing this it will allow the juices to slowly infuse with the drink as the fruit thaws.

Why stop drinking iced coffee at the end of summer?

Maybe you could take a whole new spin on it for Christmas. I know hot chocolate is a major staple for the holiday season, but with cozy sweaters, hot fires, and warm cuddles from family and loved ones, most of us need a little cooling off! That’s where I came up with Mint Chocolate Chip Iced Coffee. Plus, the extra caffeine will help with all the present shopping!

Always remember to brew your iced drinks into plastic, never glass. Take your favorite Green Mountain Iced Coffee (doesn’t matter if it already has flavor) and brew over iced just like you normally do. Go ahead and add International Delights York Peppermint Patty coffee creamer to the coffee. Next, take chocolate chips (or even mint chocolate chips if you want the extra mint flavor) and ice and chop them up in a blender. By blending them together will help keep the chocolate chips cool so that won’t melt if you add them too early to the coffee. Add your ice/chocolate chip blend to a tumbler, and poor your iced coffee over the mixture. You can then top the iced coffee with whipped cream. I have found a blog that has a recipe for peppermint whipped cream.

realmomkitchen.com | Peppermint Whipped Cream

Peppermint Whipped Cream

6       

6  red and white peppermint candy canes or 24 red and white mini peppermint candy canes

2  cups of whipping cream

1.  Unwrap your candy canes and place them in a blender or food processor. I like to break them into pieces as I add them to the blender.
2. Process until the candy canes until they are a fairly fine powder.
3. In another bowl, whip cream until firm. No need to add sugar. The sweetness will come from the candy canes.
4. Fold in the candy cane powder in the cream. Use immediately to top you cocoa if you like little pieces of crunchy candy cane in it (This is the way I like it). Or place in the refrigerator for 2 hours and allow the candy canes to completely dissolve.

This minty topping might be too much, but that is up for you to decide! Have fun with it, make it your own, and enjoy!

Join the Brew Over Iced Tumbler Nation by going to their Facebook page at facebook.com/brewoverice 

 "There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea."  - Bernard-Paul Heroux

The Day After the Anniversary and the Birth of Mylah Denise!

Yesterday was mine and my husband's 1 year wedding anniversary! We didn't do much yesterday, but today we had a ball. Of course, we have a 4 year old and a 2 month old, so we have to do thing that involve them.

First we enjoyed a nice lunch with them and my best friend Laura. We are super broke at the moment because of the move we made at the beginning of June, but I was able to afford it with Jingit. (Check out my "Favorite Websites" page for more information on Jingit)

Then we went to the mall, where we ran into Laura's brother and his family. Laura then treated Lexie, Mia (her niece), herself, and me to a mall train ride! If only the train would take you from store to store to shop. After that was a stop at Dillard's for free perfume! Not kidding. Full size bottles of the good stuff... but they were testers. BUT we got them for free, and they had a good majority of their perfume. Not going to complain. I got Harajuku Lovers Music, which still goes for $30 on some online stores.

At home we excitedly awaited word on the arrival of Chris' cousin Allie's baby, Mylah Denise! Haven't gotten to see her yet, but seen pictures. She is beautiful! She has dark hair and looks like her daddy. (I mean she is half Hispanic. How could she not be beautiful!) Mylah has great, level-headed parents and an amazing, loving family! She is going to have the good life!

Mylah Denise Gonzalez 9 lb 1 oz, 21.5 inches long born July 31 at 7:50 pm

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for." - Unknown

Freebies for the weeks of July 16th - 22nd & 23rd - 29th

Pictured:
Week of July 16th - 22nd:
- 4 count sample pack of Brew over Ice K-Cups
- A coupon for $1 of Meow Mix
- A coupon for a free cup of Meow Mix Pate Toppers
- A coupon for a free pint of Edy's ice cream
- A sample of Bissel carpet cleaning solution
- 4 sample packs and reusable wash cloths from ProForce cleaning solutions
- A free tee shirt from Hershey's/Reese's for their NCAA March Madness promotion
- Febreze Set & Refresh from a Febreze giveaway
- 6 hair care samples for curly hair from Miss Jessie
- Dove deodorant sample from Costco
- 2 full size bottles of Bio True multipurpouse contact solution
- 2 samples of seasoned macadamia nuts from Island Princess
- Sample of chocolate covered coffee beans from Island Princess

Week Of July 23rd - 29th:
- A coupon for a free Nivea lip care product
- 2 coupons for $1 off any Nivea lotion
- Rubber bracelet that says "Mommy to be" (for a family member)
- Free greeting cards (that whole pile of white envelopes and the two that are open)
- Babytalk magazine (free subscription)
- Family Fun magazine (free subscription)
- 2 samples of Fekkai hair care products
- A tube of Neutrogena sun block
- 4 sample packets of Enfamil baby formula
- Sample of Perfectly Simple by Zone Perfect peanut crunch bar with $1 off coupon
- Pink BIC permanent marker with $2 off coupon
- A coupon for $1 off Snuggle fabric softner
- A coupon for $1.50 off Children Advil
- Revlon ColorBurst lipstick sample
- Target coupon book
- A bottle of TRESemme shampoo and bottle of TRESemme conditioner
- A bottle of Aveeno daily detox scrub
- Fructis shampoo and conditioner samples
- Blue make-up bag from Target beauty bag giveaway (which most of the beauty freebies from this week came in)

Not Pictured:
Free sweet tea from McAlister's Deli

Always remember: freebies are a privileged, not a right. Never get mad or upset at a company/brand over a freebie or giveaway. It's not worth the stress, and it's very immature. If you get a freebie, awesome. If you don't there will always be more! Companies do not have to give anything away to anyone for free, so always thank them when the chance arises.

"Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts."  - Alan Cohen

Mommy/Daughter Crafts on a Rainy Day

Clay was made with flour, salt, water. Very simple to make. The baking part... eh... Took about 4 hours at 250. Also, you would think that since baking in a hot oven makes them hard that the heat from sitting in a car would effect them... nope... wrong. They will get soft and try to fall apart. Only one of them had to suffer, but the rest got to their destinations before that horrible fate.


“You cannot help but learn more as you take the world into your hands. Take it up reverently, for it is an old piece of clay, with millions of thumbprints on it.” - John Updike

Tackling a Pinterest Recipe: Butterfinger Cake AKA Better Than Sex Cake

The Better than Sex Cake is not a name a came up with, but it's the name that is most used for this cake on Pinterest. Yes.. it is THAT good.

I found the recipe from this blog: http://mariescookingadventures.blogspot.com/2012/01/butterfinger-cake.html

I followed the recipe except I add some red and yellow food coloring to the cake to make an orange color. I felt it made the cake look so much yummier.

I used 5 Butterfinger candy bars. I tried to crunch up the candy bars in to bits, but once a Butterfinger is broken it becomes a make shift razor blade (Don't give a prison inmate a Butterfinger). My plastic baggy was shredded in seconds. So, that is why there are still big chunks of the candy bars on the cake.

This cake is rich and moist. This a cake you can give to someone you love... or hate (they will eat it all, and they will probably gain a million pounds or go into a sugar coma).

"I eat quite healthily normally but, like everyone, have relapses and give in to the odd cake."  - Denis Van Outen

Free Tip Tuesday: Making Gifts from Freebies!

Anyone who knows me knows I love freebies! I requested all that I can for myself, friends/family, and donation. But sometime you might get way too many free samples (I know you are asking, "How is that even possible?" hahaha). I mean, I own so many samples of free lotions and shampoos on top of my usuals that I buy. These are great to donate, but lets say you have a friends birthday coming up. Or, you are having a party and what to do door prizes, or sleep over for you kids, or sleep in at church, or game night.... the list can go on and on. That's when those freebies really come in handy!

Back in April, I had my baby shower. When you read further on you might think it is weird I threw my own baby shower, but I LOVE throwing parties/decorating for them, and I am a control freak. I knew I wanted to play baby shower games, and I needed prizes for the winners. The I remembered, I had stock piles of free samples (and even some full size products I got for free in giveaways/couponing). So I went threw the freebies and decided what I could part with. I them had to decide how many games were going to be played and how many prizes were needed. I decided 5. I am a sucker for presentation. I wanted my prizes to look like and some what professional. I when to Dollar Tree where they had cute, purple plastic gift baskets, 4 for $1. I also has some wicker gift baskets from gifts that had been given to me (Admit it. At least once in your life, if not every year, you have received that spa gift set with basket that you did know what to do with after you took the goodies out. SAVE THAT!) Also, I save all my tissue paper and gift bags from parties, so I used the tissue paper to line the bottom of the gift baskets.

I then organizes my freebies by category. I had one basket with tea and sugar samples along with coupons if that sample came with them. Next, I had a coffee sample basket, then 2 shampoo/conditioner sample basket, and a make-up/lotion sample basket. An idea for the tea and coffee samples are to put them in a mug as the basket, but that will cost a little more. You can get mugs at Dollar Tree, but you might not find one that you like or that was too cheesy (that was my issue.).

You can play around with these idea to work for you and whatever event you want to use them for! It will barely cost you a dime, and your gifts/prizes will be a big hit. More ideas are care packages for military members overseas or families who have lost there homes, donations to charity auctions (presentation will bring in more money!), teacher gifts, "get well soon" present for someone in the hospital. etc.

If you have more ideas/suggestions to add to this please let us know by commenting below!

“The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.” ― Pierre Corneille, LeMenteur

Crafty Wine Glasses

Lots of people get married every year (Which is why I hate the whole "Why is everyone getting married?" jokes and complaints, like this is the first year it's happened.). If you are like me you want to do something crafty, cute, and creative for your wedding and/or friend's wedding. Well, for my bridal shower I had come up with the idea to make personalized wine glasses for my bridesmaids. I am great with coming up with ideas, but sometime I need a little help... ok a lot of help. Which is why I am lucky that not only my maid of honor is my best friend, but super crafty and artistic!
She made mine, hers, and all the other bridesmaids wine glasses.

Mine is a little nit different from the girls'. It was made re-using ribbon from another wedding gift. I loved it so I wanted to use it for something, so it's the bow on my wine glass and the ribbon on my ring bearer pillow (that was hand made by my mother!)

As you can tell my wedding colors were blue and green, but of course this can work with any color. My best friend even put together the wine glass charms.

To make this for your own shower/wedding/birthday/girls night/whatever, first you need a wine glass. We got ours from Dollar Tree. Be warned though, Dollar Tree wine glasses are cheap for a reason. They have weak steams the break very easily. Then chose some ribbon that you like. A hot glue gun is a must to keep everything from falling down or looking droopy. I'm sure the names can be painted on with acrylic paint, but she used stain glass paint the you can buy at a craft store. You also need some one with fancy hand writing! She then coated the black paint with glitter glue. The plastic jewels under the name are just strips of sticky jewels you can get at a craft store in other colors, shapes, and sizes. We then picked out blue and green dragonfly charms for the wine glass charm. This was found in the jewelry section of a craft store. She then used wire you can get from a craft store or hardware store to string the beads and charm. She then used needle nose pliers to bend both ends into hooks to hold the wine glass charm onto the base. And.... that's about it.


"Crafts make us feel rooted, give us a sense of belonging and connect us with our history. Our ancestors used to create these crafts out of necessity, and now we do them for fun, to make money and to express ourselves." -Phyllis George

Tackling a Pinterest Recipe: "Best Ever Post Roast"

"Best Ever Pot Roast"

I made this "Best Ever Pot Roast" for my family yesterday. It was pretty good. It tasted just like any other pot roast I have eaten, but I also didn't a crockpot to cook it in.. so... maybe the flavor didn't soak in a well as it should. Above the picture I linked the original recipe, but I didn't not follow it exactly. I had to change it up since I did not have the crockpot.

First off I cook it in a turkey roaster instead of a crock pot. I had a 3 to 4 lb pot roast which I browned a little bit first. I use 2 packets a Ranch and 2 packets of Italian seasoning. I used one cup of beef broth, and about 4 cups of water. I forgot to put in the brown gravy mix :/ Haha. I also add some chopped onion. I put all the said ingredients together and cooked for 1 hour. Then I flipped the pot roast over and cooked for another hour, added the potatoes and carrots in in the last half hour. 

Like I said. I made changes to suit my needs. This modified recipe above may not work for you. Just click the link and work with the original recipe til you perfect it to you own liking!

"When baking, follow directions.  When cooking, go by your own taste."  ~Laiko Bahrs

Freebies for the week of July 9th - 15th

It was a slow freebie week by still received some nice freebie!

- Cosmopolitan magazine (Free subscription)
- Coupon for Hungry Jack syrup and pancake mix
- 2 free samples of Carnation Breakfast Essentials
- 2 travel size bottles of Bath and Body Works lotion - free internet coupon

Not picture:
- Free Dippin Dots Cluster - free internet coupon

Always remember: freebies are a privileged, not a right. Never get mad or upset at a company over a freebie. It's not worth the stress. If you get a freebie, awesome. If you don't there will always be more!

"Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant" - Robert Louis Stevenson.

Bic Soleil Savvy Review (For BzzAgent)

 I am a Bzz Agent and every so often I get to test and review products. This is a great honor because I get to make an impact on brands and item on the market! Today I am reviewing the Bic Soleil Savvy razor.

So, what is the Bic Soleil Savvy razor? It's a razor that combines the convenience and performance of a cartridge razor with the price of a disposable razor. This razor has a 3 blade on a pivoting head, supported by an easy grip disposable handle. It comes with 4 replaceable heads.

I shaved the right leg with the new Bic Soleil Savvy razor, and I left the left leg untouched to show the difference. 

The razor itself is cute. It sports a pink color that is appealing for a girly-girl. I love the fact that it is suppose to be comparable in price to disposable razors, but with the convenience of a reusable razor with disposable heads, but I was not impressed on the shaving performance. I am use to using 4 and 5 blade razors, while this is a 3 blade razor. My legs still felt prickly. The picture above was taken on my second time using the razor with the same results both time. I have sensitive skin, so for others with sensitive skin, the good news is this razor did not irritate my legs. I think this razor is probably great for women with thinner leg hair, but being half Puerto Rican, my leg hair is some what thicker than most. So will this product be on my "obsession list"? I don't think so.

Here are some shaving tips that will work with any razor straight from BzzAgent:

1.) Shave at night. Shaving removes dead skin cells and the superficial layer of skin. While this process is healthy, it reduces your skin's defenses for a couple of hours. Shaving at night gives your skin time to recover its strength and suppleness to resist irritation.

2.) Shave clean skin. To help prevent infection and bumps, make sure your skin is perfectly clean before you shave. Apply hot water beforehand or shave after showering. Warm humidity increases skin elasticity and soften your hair, making it easier to shave.

3.) Apply shaving cream or gel. Use shaving cream or gel with Aloe Vera when shaving -- it's gentler on your skin than regular soap and can help lift hair. Lather the cream or gel, then leave it on for two minutes prior to shaving. Once your hair is softened, the razor will glide more easily over skin.

4.) Use a sharp blade. Change your blades regularly, especially if you have sensitive skin. On sensitive areas like your bikini line and underarms, shaving with a dull blade can result in red spots.

To learn more, please visit feelthesoleil.com and facebook.com/bicsoleil

Baby Shower Creations!

So my sister-in-law, Anna, and my husband's cousin, Allie both had baby showers, so I made some goodies for them:

 Gift basket with goodies for Anna and baby Ayden. I did the same gift basket (only pink) for Allie (not pictured).

 Picture frame for Anna made from a $1 wooden unfinished frame from Walmart. Painted brown then glued scrapbook paper and blue ribbon.

 Gift I made for Allie's baby shower. Initial and signature plates for baby Mylah's room! Plate chargers from Michael's with silver scrapbook paper, and sheer blue ribbon. Just drill holes for the ribbon.

Baby wipes case I made for Allie with batten and pink fabric hot glued to it. The trimmed with blue ribbon, blue flower, and blue plastic jewels.

 "Other kids did drugs; I did crafts. I never knew where I fit in." -Kathy Lee Gifford

Living with a newborn again!

This time around I feel... calmer... I handle situations better... less stressed... Well, I feel like I feel this time around is different because I am more experienced. (lol) A lot of things have happened since I last posted. I had my little man, Cameryn Harper Garland via c-section on May 5th. I was due May 19th, so he was a little early. We moved closer to the college my husband goes to. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law had their baby: Ayden Blake Garland. My husband's cousin is due with her first baby, Mylah Denise (named after their Aunt Cindy Denise, who passed away from breast cancer), July 29th. I am hoping for good news in the next couple of weeks about jobs. So... until next post, remember:

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt

Baby Shower #2

 All the presents and goodies from my husband Chris's lovely family!

 Diaper cake made by my mother-in-law Nancy! She made the felt monkeys by hand!

 Cake my by my husband Chris' step-sister Sarah!

The hubby and I!

Baby Shower #1 {Some Photos}