Go to snack

Ever since I was little nuts have been a snacking staple for me. My dad actually used to buy giant bags of mixed nuts that were still in the shells and sit around using a nut cracker to open each one. My favorites are cashews (number one) and almonds coming in at close second. Yumnuts now has both gourmet cashews and almonds, I was able to sample the delicious Toasted Coconut cashews. Generally I try to eat my nuts raw because I hate that most nuts are roasted in oils, which they simply do not need but Yumnuts does not use any oil to roast their yummy cashews (or almonds) they simply dry roast them-- perfect! The Toasted Coconut flavor is to die for. I am an avid coconut fan anyways so take cashews and wrap them in a coconutty topping and I am in nutty heaven. These cashews were buttery and rich like cashews should be but then had a coconut outside, I don't know how else to describe it but it was like a thin shell of goodness. They have quite a variety of other flavors too-- I would love to try the Chocolate or Touch of Honey as well.

Enjoy Life with Chocolate!

Yummy! Just say the word "chocolate" and my ears perk up. I love chocolate for breakfast, lunch dinner and anywhere in between. Enjoy Life Foods has added more chocolate items to their lineup of delicious gluten-free and allergen friendly foods. So when given the chance to try their new Mega Chunk chocolate chips (ummm hello?!) and Double Chocolate Crunch granola I did not hesitate. So how good can chocolate chips taste that are dairy, soy and gluten free? You would never notice the difference. The chips were very generously sized hence the term mega, with a sweet and creamy chocolate flavor. These would be perfect for baking your favorite chip recipes OR straight out of the bag by the handful like I had them.

How about the granola? This was AMAZING. The granola had the perfect amount of chocolate flavor, sweetness but still the crunch of a great granola. I love the idea of chocolate for breakfast and its not a junk food cereal, their granola is:
NO TRANS FAT, NO ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS, VEGAN, KOSHER PAREVE, GLUTEN-FREE, CASEIN-FREE
and packed with:
Magnesium, Iron,Niacin (Vitamin B3), Zinc, Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5), Folate,Vitamin B6

Enjoy Life Foods has tons of other snack foods, not just for those with food intolerances or allergies but anyone looking to have a satisfying treat. Visit them online, facebook, or follow them on twitter.  You should be able to find their products pretty easily as I pick up their cookies and bars regularly.

Powered By Nature

Are you ever wary of trying "all natural" cleaning products? To be honest, sometimes I am. I try and live as natural and eco-friendly as possible but I have had some not so great experiences going green in this regards so sometimes I steer clear of this stuff. Ecover was so confident that they have the natural solution to household cleaning (including dishwashing and laundry) that they let me try their stain remover out. So far, so good. I removed splashed green bean and peaches puree from my son's khaki pants with no problem whatsoever and it sounds like this stain fighter is up for ever tougher challenges:

Got stains?  Grass, grease, mud and blood are no object for our power-packed Stain Remover.  The built-in brush starts the job on stubborn stains before the washing machine even gets going.  

I did LOVE the built in brush feature! Generally I spray and then have to rub with my fingers or rub the fabric together for quite a while-- this was much easier and I am sure helps in the stain removal process. Want to be more eco-friendly in your home? Check out Ecover and let me know what you think. You can buy it online here. They too have a blog you can follow, a facebook page you can visit or follow them on twitter.

Need that perfect present?

Whether its for you or for someone on your "nice" list Yester Year Soap Company has you covered! Everyone uses soap and these soaps smell delicious making them a real treat. Yester Year hand-crafts their soaps without adding chemicals, preservatives or syntetic fragrances. You have many options when buying-- a huge array of scents from fruity, tropical, flowery and fresh. Can't decide? They have combo packs with their most popular bars. Fall in love with a particular scent? You can purchase full loaves! Feel like pampering someone? Shower them with a gift basket filled with yummy Yester Year soap! I think these would be great presents for those who love high quality moisturizing soap or those who are hard to buy for like teachers, the friends who already have everything etc... When putting together a 3-bar pack for myself I had a hard time picking which ones I wanted to try. The descriptions make each one sound delicious, good enough to eat! Here is what I finally chose:


Sunrise:

Clean, airy top notes give way to a floral heart of jasmine, rose, orange blossom, and ylang.

Mango Papaya:

A tropical delight! You will fall in love with this fruity blend of ripened mango and juicy papaya

The smell makes you want to wander onto the nearest plane and go island hopping!

Summer Citrus:

Lovers of fruity fragrances will be swept away by our re-creation of this sparkling and contemporary blend.

A Best Seller! This clean-yet-sexy classic floral blend will not disappoint you.

As you can see I had a bit of a theme going-- summery and tropical, boy am I going to miss the summer-time and hoping to keep it in my shower at least a bit longer. Ask me to pick a favorite? I can't. Honestly, each smelled so sweet. I can only imagine how rich the vanillas must smell and how fresh the mountain air or green tea mint must be. Take a peek at their online store-- there is really something for everyone including those guys on your list! Oh and my 3 bar pack was wrapped up super cute in a nice box with some natural ribbon in a bow just like this:

Pit Stop!

Check out the cool looking "Pit Stop" themed lunch box that my son got from Go Green Lunch Box:

"Each Go Green Lunch Box set comes with an insulated fabric carrier, a five-compartment food container, and a bottle that will hold eight ounces of water or your child’s favorite drink – all leach- and lead-free. Turn 'n lock technology ensures your child's lunch stays fresh."

Not only do these lunch boxes have fun designs that will make your children excited to carry them but they are innovative with their unique design features that I have not seen anywhere else.

They have a whiteboard to write notes (this might be my favorite part of all), 5 compartments including a stainless drink bottle, silicone banding on each compartment to seal from leaks, turn and lock technology to keep in freshness and is an affordable alternative to purchasing each item individually-- look at the cost analysis here. (They also have replacement parts so if anything happens you are not purchasing a whole new set). Even though Max is not in school we will use the Go Green Lunch Box on picnics, running errands, car trips and any other time I want to keep his food fresh on the go. I love getting the chance to review and showcase these types of products that will make life easier! Oh and these are not just for kids-- I would have loved one of these when I was working to tote my lunch back and forth, they have cool adult designs as well.

How am I just learning about this?

Steven at JK Gourmet asked me if I wanted to try their Almond Flour and pointed me towards a couple of recipes that use Almond Flour (here is the link to those). I checked it out and I was in. After getting the flour I looked at the ingredient (notice no "s") it was simply blanched (no skin) almonds perfectly ground up-- this must be a skill because if you go too far you will have almond butter and not enough you will not have the perfectly fine flour that was contained in my box. So what do you do with almond flour? After getting my box I popped on the internet (go figure) and was amazed at how versatile this is and how many people could benefit from using it since well it is almonds and they are great for your health but also those following a gluten free diet, low carb diet and many others. So what did I do with mine? Made some muffins. I saw dozens of recipes and modified my own to use what I had on hand and to try and keep them on the healthy side. Here is what I used:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large ripe mashed bananas
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• handful of crushed walnuts

Mixed, heated oven to 350 and they took about 15 minutes to be done.

Delicious almost guilt free muffins (any ideas on how to nix the sugar-- email me!). I realized just how many variations there could be on these simple muffins-- use applesauce instead of bananas then insert other fruits, nuts etc... I want to try ones using cocoa powder next to see if they will have a brownie effect since these turned out so moist. I would not attempt to make almond flour at home so luckily you can order yours up here

JK Gourmet also has other grain free products including granola bars (come in the cutest little boxes-- would make great gifts with a gift card strapped to them or as a stocking stuffer and they are delicious) and granola which shocked me that it was grain free-- its granola just how I like it no added fat and loaded with good stuff like fruit and nuts.

Check this out:
We guarantee that all of our products are:
• Made from whole, natural foods
• Grain-free (that’s no wheat, bran, oats, rice, spelt, barley, rye or corn)
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free and lactose-free
• Soy-free
• Trans fat–free
• Sweetened only with honey
• Legal for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet
• A source of fibre and calcium
• Labeled accurately and include all ingredients
• Able to help lower LDL cholesterol
• Part of a healthy eating plan

Love your heart!

Corazonas was kind enough to send me a couple of their best selling oatmeal bars to try out. While Corazonas snacks are aimed at those who are trying to lower their cholesterol they are a heart healthy and delcious snack for everyone out there. The oatmeal squares that I sampled are packed full of nutrition with 13-16 grams of whole grain, 5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. They are also infused with plant sterols which are proven to lower LDL cholesterol levels-- thats the bad kind! So to the snacks! I tried the Chocolate Chip and the Cranberry Flax, both were great but of course me loving Chocolate so much that was my favorite. The Chocolate Chip one reminded me of an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie but heartier. The body of the bar was packed with oats and had just the right amount of sweetness then generously scattered with chocolate chips. I loved this bar. I thought it was a great size for a mere 190 calories. I saw on their website that they also have Peanut Butter and Chocolate Brownie. I would love to try both of those flavors! I think we all know someone who is trying to or needs to lower their cholesterol, so if they think that delicious snacking is out of the picture for them point them to Corazonas. We should all be proactive with our heart health and just reach for great snacks all the time. Corazonas has other heart healthy snacks in their linup too!

Help a parent in need!

You have to go check out the video on the Baby Diner website! I was cracking up watching the kids spilling their bowls, dumping on their heads and stepping on the bowls. Even at 9 months my son already thinks its hilarious to step on the cat bowls and watch the food and water go spilling out so I can just imagine what I am in store for. Right now I think its cute but after watching the video I am not so sure! I was sent a Baby Diner Dish Holder to review and we tried it out tonight just to see if it lived up to its claims. The suction power is fantastic and we tried it on a variety of bowls/plates and surfaces our son may be eating on. It stuck great to the granite, coffee table and even to his varnished high chair. It also worked on all the plates we have for him and then we tried it on our plates to see if it would hold and it did! That is reassuring because this would be an item I would then take with us to restaurants to avoid big spills there. It is unique, I have not seen these out shopping YET and would make a perfect gift to the new or even seasoned parent.

Go on and "like" Baby Diner on facebook, you can also follow them on twitter. 

Nature's Dessert

Fruit is nature's dessert-- what is better than a piece of fruit following a delicious meal? One covered in chocolate of course! I am not suggesting that each night you melt chocolate on your double boiler, slice up fruit, dip it, lay it out on wax paper then serve. Instead pick up a box of Diana's Banana Babies and get ready to enjoy a creamy dreamy treat of frozen bananas (hand-picked, fully ripe and deliciously creamy) covered in milk chocolate, dark chocolate or milk chocolate with peanuts.

At my house we are huge fans of the dark chocolate "babies" and eat them constantly, they are a yummy guilt-free treat, but this past weekend we were having people over and knowing not everyone adores dark chocolate we picked up a box of milk chocolate with peanuts and they reminded us of a sundae-- ice cream flavor, rich chocolate and that crunchy, nutty topping YUM! Then Diana's were kind enough to send me some milk chocolates to sample and they were the same quality frozen bananas dipped into high quality bar chocolate (not a coating) covering my banana in a thick layer. If you don't believe that frozen bananas are like ice cream then google banana ice cream maker (don't want to name names) and check out the machine created JUST to make frozen bananas into an ice-creamy treat but its really not necessary to buy this "contraption" use your blender, freeze bananas yourself or get chocolate covered bananas by Diana's and save yourself the hassle. "Like" Diana's on facebook while you are at it and check these full size ones out for fun-- they made me giggle since they are so huge but I really wouldn't having one in my hand right now. Find them here or order online.

If You Care

Using environmentally products should be on the top of everyone's priority list. We can do simple things everyday like recycling, reusing and just reducing what we use and put out. This year around our house we have tried to make our own impact by cloth diapering (diapers are VERY environmentally unfriendly),using less in general and buying as many eco-friendly products as possible. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to find household items when you are out shopping that it is why you should take a look at the large product line by If You Care. Their lineup includes coffee filters, baking products and aluminum foil. Each product boasts these great facts:

·           100% unbleached paper products which help reduce the amount of toxins in our lakes and streams and 100% recycled aluminum foil which can be used over and over again

·           All manufactured materials are made from renewable resources

·           Only vegetable-based inks are used for printing and graphics

·           All packaging materials are made from recycled paper

·           Landfill safe paper products

·           Biodegradable paper products

        If You Care was kind enough to share some of their great products with me to review and I had a chance to try out the aluminum foil and the baking cups so far, these items have been superior to what I normally purchase and make me feel a lot better too! I can not wait to try their snack/sandwich bags which are made from renewable resources and not filled with the plastic bases most sandwich bags use. So how can you get your hands on some of If You Care's great stuff? Well, you can head over to Whole Foods or you can enter to win an If You Care baking gift pack right here on my blog! So to get in on this shoot me an email and let me know why you would like to win this and which item excites you the most! You have until Wednesday September 21st to get your entry in-- good luck! 

Do you use cloth diapers?

We are a family of cloth diaper lovers. It was not love at first use, that is for sure. Honestly, they are a pain but the payoff is worth it. They take a lot of washing and assembling and I feel like you deal with a little more when it comes to leaks but maybe that is user error! Anyways just one month after having our rather expensive cloth diapers they STUNK after washing them. We tried everything and even ruined a few with bleach! After extensive internet searching we found out about Rockin' Green Laundry Detergent. Rockin' Green is not just for cloth diapers it is a great detergent for anyone wanting to use eco-friendly products that do an awesome job cleaning up your laundry. Rockin' Green has three types designed specifically for the type of water you have-- Hard Rock, Soft Rock and Classic Rock. Since we do not have either really hard or soft water we opted for the Classic Rock and with an array of natural (and fun) scents it was hard to choose but we settled on "Motley Crue".

 I bet you wish you had a chance to try out Rockin' Green for yourself! Well actually you do, the folks at Rockin' Green are offering up a 45/90 load bag in your choice of formula and scent. To win this please send me an email and tell me what your stinkiest laundry is and which formula/scent of Rockin' Green you would like to try. You have until Wednesday September 21st at midnight to get your entry in. Good luck! 

Honor Thy Mother

Are you tired of constantly outfitting your baby in bears, puppies, lions and cars? That is all I seem to find for Max at the mainstream stores so when I came across this website I was so excited. Baby Rock Apparel has fun, hip, trendy clothes for baby and toddlers (boys and girls). "Hip Childrens Wear With An Edge" Everything from t-shirts/ one pieces to COOL footwear and diaper bags. Max got the "Honor Thy Mother" t-shirt in "burnout blue". I chose this one because of the awesome designs on the front and the back, the burnout material which I wear myself constantly-- makes it totally soft and has a worn in look but mainly because it says "Honor Thy Mother" and I thought that was too cute and a message he needs to remember.

How adorable is this?! I got his big enough so he can wear a thermal under it this winter and still be able to wear it next summer as well. I learned when I was constantly replacing his clothes to err on the larger side especially when its something cool like this that I want him to rock for a long time!

Baby Rock Apparel offers free shipping on orders of 50.00 or more plus they are offering up a 15% off code (good for 3 months) MOMINTOLIVING. Another little tidbit that I found that made me like them even more:

Making much more than a fashion statement, Baby Rock Apparel donates a portion of its profits to The Pediatric Cancer Foundation. "Cancer has impacted our family like it has so many others, so we found it fitting to contribute to this great foundation to help kids", says Kimberly Strayer, President of Baby Rock Apparel.

A Stocking Stuffed

When I was a teenager my Dad got married and I finally had someone who filled my stocking with "girls" stuff. She would would stuff it to the brim with Avon products like chapsticks, lotions, scented deodorants-- you name it. I absolutely loved it and loved Avon ever since then. I remember pouring over those little magazines filled with goodies picking out the best  scents and it was always packed with great deals. So with all those fond memories I was so happy when I found out that Avon has a baby line-- Tiny Tillia.
"Originally sparked by a mother's love for her children, Tiny Tillia by Avon is a world of charming baby products designed to turn everyday routines into special moments for mother and child. The softest cotton babywear. The smartest developmental toys. The most inspired nursery decor. The highest quality bath and body products."
So lucky me, I got to review some of Tiny Tillia's baby line and see for myself if they lined up with the quality Avon products that I have been using for 10+ years now. If you browse the website you will see they have everything from bathtime (which is my focus), baby wear, playtime, nursery decor, blankets and accessories. Tiny Tillia sent me their Calming Moisturizing Lotion which was just as described-- lightly fruity, absorbed quickly, light-weight and not greasy at all. I loved the smell and the texture to the lotion-- it was a baby smell but was really fresh and fun, the texture was really as described and I was able to put a sleeper on right after applying the lotion.

I also loved the Dilly Pig Bath Mit-- so cute, affordable and would make a great basket stuffer for a baby shower. I love that it is a fun character for bathtime AND is so soft, perfect for that delicate skin.

So go check out Tiny Tillia-- they have an array of products for baby and some for mom too! Let me know what you find!

Yummy in my Tummy

Tonight was breakfast for dinner night at my house. I do this quite often when I am running short on time or well just feel like having breakfast again! My Manna Sprouted Bread arrived just on time so we had egg scrambles (of your choosing), homemade hashbrowns, fresh fruit and Manna "Sunseed" variety bread. I have yet to try the other kinds of Manna bread but if they are anything like this one my family is in for a real treat. The bread is very hearty and has a nutty flavor to it, while not necessary we warmed ours in the oven for just a bit-- boy was it ever delicious.

After reading this its hard to believe how great this bread can be but take a peek at the ingredients of the Sunseed variety that I am in love with:
Sprouted organic wheat kernels, filtered water, organic sunflower seeds, organic sesame seeds, organic flax seeds, organic millet, organic poppy seeds, organic caraway seeds
All those different seeds give it a rich, nutty flavor-- I love that they use millet a grain that is one of the worlds healthiest foods, read more about millet if you are not familar.

Are you ready for a great big giveaway?

This one is very generous! The folks over at Uprinting are offering up the lucky winner-- 100 5X7 custom postcards printed on cardstock gloss, 2 day turnaround (WOW) and free shipping! (More details to follow for the lucky someone). What can you use these postcards for? Just about anything you can dream up! Business advertisements, announcements etc... The internet has become a great haven for postcard printing and affordable online printing needs. Not a business owner? Dream up personal uses and include them in your entry for this giveaway.

So how do you get a shot at this amazing package? First shoot me an email with the subject "Uprinting Giveaway", inside the email please let me know how you would use your postcards so I can post the most creative ones when I announce the winner drawn randomly. This giveaway will end one week from now (next Tuesday-- Sept 20th at midnight)*Note this giveaway is being sponsored by Uprinting, no monetary compensation is being given but a blogger appreciation prize will be awarded to match that of the giveaway winner*

I have NO clue what “Crunch drying” is but I love it! Sensible Foods makes quite a wide array of these wonderful dried items. Here are some of the things that make this product so fabulous (besides the taste):
• 100% Natural and Organic
• Equal to 1 “weight watcher” point for all you “watchers” out there
• Each bag is part of your “5 a day”
• Fat free (except sweet corn, soy nuts and edamame but these have good fats)
• No added sugar
• No preservatives
• GMO free
• Convenient single serve bags
• Kosher
So the varieties include: Cherry Berry, Sweet Corn, Tropical, Apple Harvest, Orchard, Edamame and Soy Nuts.

Naturally, I thought the Cherry Berry was going to be my favorite with the apples, strawberries, cherries and blueberries. And it was LIP-SMACKINGLY good. But the Orchard Blend (apples, peaches, apricots), Sweet Corn (and I don’t even like corn) and Soy Nuts stole my heart.
I had to sneak in a picture of the sweet corn for you to get the idea!

The Orchard Blend was so refreshing and fruity, the Corn was crunchy and sweet with a touch of sea salt and the Soy Nuts were soooooooo nutty and yummy. I never knew I LOVED soy nuts. Visit their website and they are nice enough to tell you the health benefits of all their great offerings. I highly suggest trying the Soy Nuts and Corn. I guarantee they are nothing like you have ever tasted. Here are some pictures of the products so far!

Warning! Delicously Addictive!

This was quoted from the Nutridel website about their gourmet, crispy, healthy cookies. I have to agree with them! These generously sized cookies are all natural and composed of good for you ingredients like seeds, grains, nuts and fiber then sweetened naturally. They have four varieties: oatmeal, almond, flaxseed and pecan. My faves are the nut varieties-- pecan and almond, oatmeal comes in very close followed by the flaxseed cookie. On the website they have recipe possibilities like making frozen yogurt sandwiches, top with nutbutter or honey etc... but really they don't need any jazzing up as they are awesome on their own (don't mess with a good thing). Unless you live in CA or the Pacific NW you will probably have to order these online-- they sell a sampler pack letting you try all four kinds. If you do find food faves encourage your local stores to check them out and hopefully stock them.

Crunch, crunch, crunch...

My family has been eating Cape Cod chips for quite some time now and we love them! We are not constant chip eaters but when we do we love these crunchy kettle chips that are all natural and hand-stirred. The basic ingredients are simple but they have some not so simple flavors like sea salt & vinegar, sweet mesquite bar-b-que, aged cheddar and my favorite -- classic. Since we usually only buy the classic around here I was more than happy to sample some of their other flavors.

First we tore into the sea salt & vinegar because if done right, it is an amazing combo. These were tangy and delicious.

Next, the bb-q and these chips are a great combo of sweet and salty with a huge crunch.

The cheddar was not my favorite but its also not a flavor I normally care for. I have to say as far as cheesy chips go they were pretty good in my book and still had that great cape cod crunch.

I noticed that the bags look a bit different but rest assured that the chips are the same delicious ones that I have been crunching for quite some time now.

Happy Halloween!

This year is SO special, its a year of first everythings with my boy Max (he turned 9 months today). Every event is so special and I get sentimental about it all. I am trying to capture and take in every sweet moment the best I can-- I can never have these times back so I want to cherish every bit so its no shocker that for each holiday I want to commerate it in a special way-- so how about this:
Babies First Pumpkin playset

This set includes:

My First Pumpkin Developmental Toy Playset- Genius Baby Toys
Cute Pumpkin - Halloween Developmental Playset comes with four fun play pieces:
Pumpkin carrying case
Ghost - squeaker!
Cat - meows
Spider - rattles
Candy Corn - crinkles
Pumpkin Size 8 inch wide by 8 inch high
Ages Birth and up.

AND

Babies First Halloween Soft Photo Album

Baby's 1st First Halloween Soft Photo Album - Genius Babies Toys
Holds Twelve Precious 4" x 6" Photos of Baby's Halloween!

Both items are ADORABLE and even cuter than the pictures can capture. Who even knew there were "Babies First" for Halloween? Max loved the pumpkin full of goodies, he takes each thing out one by one and examines/ plays with each item. He even loves playing with the photo album and feeling the textures on the front while flipping the pages. You can get these items individually or save a bit and buy them together as I have linked you to. The site is Genius Babies and they sell "Smart Baby Gifts and Toys". They have TONS of stuff to look at for kids of all ages, their items are grouped nicely by age, type, price etc which I like for ease of shopping. Head over there and let me know what you find! Look how cool this is, it will be under the tree for Max this year. They are offering some codes/ deals right now on this page, not sure how long these offers will last.

Its not a disguise!

Some protein bars are simply candy bars dressed up in a fancy package and labeled as a protein bar with bad nutritional stats. So how about a protein bar that has great stats (15 grams of QUALITY protein per bar) and tastes just like, if not better than, a candy bar? I was not expecting for these Supreme Protein bars to be this delicious so here are my takes on the "Carb Conscious" line (my favorite first):

Peanut Butter Pretzel Twist: 10/10
A thick layer of peanut butter (which I love and generally in protein bars is NOT good) that tasted like smooth, creamy, real peanut butter topped off with a layer of gooey caramel and wrapped in a peanut butter shell with pretzel pieces throughout. Perfect mix of sweet/ salty with more sweet-- which I love.

Caramel Nut Chocolate: 9.5/10 (This one was the second best protein bar I have tasted but got a lower score only because the PB Pretzel Twist is the only bar that deserves a 10)
Peanuts and caramel coated in chocolate-- reminds me of a famous candy bar with a similar makeup but better-- and great nutritionals.

Peanut Butter & Jelly: 8/10
First off, I may not be a fair judge of this one because I don't like the PB&J combo but I have to mention this bar was still better than the majority of protein bars I have tasted. If you like PB&J's you will love this (my S.O. thought this one was the best one out of the bunch so to each his own). Just as the name states-- fruit jelly, PB and whey crisps that did add a nice crunch.

Overall if I were to buy a protein bar this would be the one I spend my money on (these were provided to me free of charge at my request from Supreme Protein). We loved these at my house. The nutritionals are great and filled with quality ingredients. You should be able to find these at a retailer near you since they are stocked at CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, GNC and tons of other places. I spotted the "Cookies and Cream" variety while out this weekend and it will be the next bar I buy!

Taste Testing

Last week I got a very generous package from Newman's Own Organics with a lot of items in it that I have never tried before and probably would not have picked up myself but I am always happy to venture outside my box a bit. Tonight we (me, S.O., S.O.'s cousin and date) sampled the NOO's licorice line.

Black: Chewy black licorice-- everyone liked it, I do not love standard black so its not fair to ask me!

Strawberry: YUM! I could eat this one for a living.

Pomegranate: Chewy, tart and sweet.

Tangerine: WOW-- the name did not excite me but wow was this great, it tasted more orange to me but was sweet and seriously addicting!

It's never too early...

For your first halloween costume! We have this obsession with sock monkey's at our house, they are just so stinkin' cute! I first got one at my baby shower and since then we have collected different sock monkeys but this is our best one so far! I found a SOCK MONKEY costume at Costume Supercenter-- they not only have a huge selection for toddlers but tons for kids in general. So here is the one that we got for Max:

Adorable huh? We love it... but being a baby he is not so thrilled about the hat part yet, that is going to take some practice! This got me thinking I never knew how much he hated hats but he better be getting used to them both for his too cute for words halloween costume but also we do live in Wisconsin and the winters are fierce, he will be wearing hats for sure. This costume is actually priced on the lower side (22.97) so I was not sure how nice it was going to be but the quality is fantastic. The bodysuit is made of a soft but durable fabric with easy openings in the legs for quick diaper changes. The hat is my favorite part with real moving eyes, cute ears that stick out and a red pom-pom on top.

A Couple of Random Things

Today was Max's 9 month Dr. visit-- boy oh boy how the time flies! I heard over and over from parents how much your baby changes over the first year and how fast the time goes with them, to cherish each moment. Both things have proven to be true. Max has gone from a newborn who laid in my arms for hours on end to a busy body boy who is ready to rule the house! He impresses me every single day!

On another note, tomorrow (Friday) is your last day to email me for the yummy Chobani giveaway!

Yummy Baby Care

This title will make sense shortly! I was able to sample True North's "Lil' Sprout" baby line both the lotion stick and Hair & Body wash-- they smell so delicious and the ingredients are so natural you really could eat them which makes me feel really good about putting them on Max's delicate skin. The lotion stick REALLY impressed me because it smells great, is very moisturizing AND very unique. I love that I can toss this in my diaper bag and not worry about spills. After I had Max I decided that even if it meant giving up organic products for myself I would make sure that he had natural, organic food/products for himself. True North carries USDA certified organic products for your baby, yourself and even your pets!

Lotion Stick:
A gentle aroma that blends soft sweet calendula with soothing floral lavender.
This ultra rich, concentrated formula is safe and gentle for sensitive skin. Organic shea butter contains vitamins A and E and is rich in fatty acids, which help to retain skins moisture. Organic coconut oil soothes and softens dry skin, while helping to prevent environmental damage. Organic jojoba, macadamia nut, sweet almond and sunflower oil promote healthy radiant skin and help to seal in moisture.
Directions: Apply a small amount of lotion as needed for soft, smooth skin. For best results store in a cool dry place.
100% Organic Ingredients: Organic shea butter, organic beeswax, organic jojoba oil, organic macadamia nut oil, organic sweet almond oil, organic sunflower oil, organic calendula herbal oil, organic lavender essential oil.

Hair and Body Wash:
A gentle aroma that blends soft sweet calendula with soothing floral lavender.
This 100% natural concentrated castile hair and body wash is made with a blend of saponified organic coconut, olive and jojoba oils, which help to create a safe and gentle cleansing foam that will not dry out skin. Vegetable glycerin and organic aloe vera help to hydrate skin while organic essential oils soothe and calm skin.
Directions: Shake bottle and apply hair and body wash to a bath pouf or washcloth. Lather with water to create a safe and gentle cleansing foam.
100% Natural Ingredients: Saponified organic coconut oil, saponified organic olive oil, saponified organic jojoba oil, glycerin/vegetable gum extract, organic aloe vera, organic calendula herbal oil, organic lavender essential oil, organic jojoba oil, organic macadamia nut oil, organic sweet almond oil, organic sunflower oil, rosemary extract.

A World of Possiblities...

As winter approaches we all comb through our closets wondering what we can wear that will keep us nice and cozy warm but also look HOT! I recently ordered a sweatshirt for my S.O. from Liquid Blue Biker Shirts and we are thrilled with what we got. Normally, we buy the biker shirts, sweatshirts etc from the bike dealers and pay outrageous amounts but Liquid Blue costs much less and allows you to customize exactly what you would like your shirt or sweatshirt to look like. Not to mention the designs are much more modern and trendy than the tired designs we normally find. So here is how it works-- find your design (we chose Revolution Skulls), then choose your style shirt t-shirts, tanks, slim fits, talls, hoodies etc... then choose your color (there is a ton), then choose your size and you are on your way to getting a personalized article of clothing. Our hoodie arrived very quickly which I was happy with since normally custom items take some time and the customer service was so great-- I was kept informed of the progress and shipping the whole time. Not to go on and on but this site is home to a whole family of sites packed with everything you can think of ranging from a whole website that is all about bacon to Jersey Shore and military shirts. To find all the different shirt stores they have (I counted around 40) scroll down at the very bottom of any shirt and you will see all the links. I will be doing my christmas shopping here because not only will I get cool shirts but they will be specific to the person with their favorite colors and an exact fit that they like (I do have some talls in my family which are generally hard to find).

On a side note I just about flipped when I saw THIS shirt-- I want it so bad! I did not notice this one when I was combing through the crazy amount of possiblities. Oh man!

My super saturday snack!

Ok so these were supposed to be my super saturday snack but they were opened a bit early and turned into my fantastic friday snack. I just had to try these Kangaroo Brand Pita Chips (flavored with Sea Salt) right after I picked them up. These pita chips were the perfect dippable size (really don't need a dip though they are that yummy), very lightly salted and buttery tasting. Kangaroos pita chips are all-natural and contain no trans fats. I actually was unaware that Kangaroo Brands were a local company to me (Milwaukee) and how many different pita products they make including pockets, sandwiches and chips. Yum!

Dirty Secret

I am a Jersey Shore fanatic! Team Pauly D! I hardly have a moment to watch tv anymore so the shore is my weekly indulgence. To show my shore pride I ordered this awesome shirt from the Costume Squad website (you can find it by going to the girls t-shirts category). I loved ordering from here because the prices are good and they had great customer service. The shirt arrived quickly and was just as described, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the shirt-- it was a nice smooth cotton that is super soft like its been my favorite for a while already. Jersey Shore not your thing? The Costume Squad has a variety of t's for everyone and great costumes too!

Ahhhh refreshing!

Why is the combination of chocolate and mint so refreshing? They compliment eachother so well! Tonight after a long, long day of traveling I wanted a seriously good snack so I grabbed a stack (not disclosing the size of the stack) of Newman's Own Organics Newman-O's Hint-O-Mint cookies. These delicious cookies have a crunchy, chocolately cookie with a creamy mint center that is just like the name implies "a hint-o-mint" it is not overpowering, just a subtle mint flavoring. As a Newman's Own Organics food fan I was excited to find out they have expanded their cookie offerings to include Peanut Butter filled Chocolate (omg- must try) and Ginger Creme. I am sure these will be making an appearance here soon... What's your favorite NOO product? I always have their mints handy in my purse! So why choose NOO cookies? They are certified organic and made with organic palm fruit oil, read more about that here.

You can call me obsessed if you want

Chobani has made quite a few appearances on my blog over the last couple of years and for good reason, it is simply amazing yogurt. If you don't eat greek yogurt currently you just have to try it. Greek yogurt is actually nothing like the "yogurt" most of us are used to but its a thick, decadent, creamy treat. I love this yogurt for so many reasons-- a high protein snack is what I usually have it for but its also awesome in the morning layered with fruit and granola, in the afternoon mixed with ranch seasoning and used as a dipper for your veggies or a creamy layer on your wrap and as a dessert for sure (you can see my Chobani recipes here, here, here, here or here). Chobani was kind enough to send me a great assorted case of their O% fat and low fat yogurt selections in great flavors like strawberry, honey, plain etc... AND here is the great part-- one lucky reader can win the exact same selection that I was able to score. So what do you have to do to win? Go ahead and visit the Chobani website, after you are through send me an email with a Chobani factoid  and I will randomly select a winner. Get our email to me by next Friday at midnight and I will announce the winner on Saturday. Good luck!

Stellar Combo!

Luna has come out with a few new bars both in their regular nutrition for women line and their protein bars aimed for womens health as well. I was able to sample the Chocolate Dipped Coconut, Chocolate Chunk, Protein Mint Chocolate Chip and Protein Chocolate. All of them were fantastic but I fell in love with the Chocolate Dipped Coconut, Chocolate and Coconut are two of my favorite things so put them together and for me its a masterpiece! The layer of coconut topped with swirls of decadent chocolate will make it hard for you to believe that these bars are good for you and can be part of your healthy eating plan. I love that these bars have the nutrients that women really need like folic acid, calcium, iron and vitamin D.