Armelle Blog

healthy cookies ...

2013-05-23T21:46:00.000-06:00

We refer to these "cookies" at our house as breakfast cookies, because they are essentially baked oatmeal with a few other goodies inside. I use the term "cookies" lightly because they aren't exactly like traditional cookies since they are egg-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free. But, for someone who goes off sugar a lot, they sure are a "treat" for me! And, bonus! My kids love them!

Healthy "Cookies"
makes about 12-16 cookies

1 1/2 cups old fashion rolled raw oats
1/4 cup unsweetened small coconut flakes
3 tablespoons natural peanut butter (optional if you want to go nut free)
1 cup applesauce
3-4 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon dried cherries or cranberries
2 tablespoons raisins or craisins (any dried fruit works)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.

Use a medium ice cream scoop or make 2 tablespoon round balls and place them on a baking sheet. The cookies do not expand when you bake them, so you can get away with putting them fairly close together.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Store in fridge for up to 5 days. We love to eat them for breakfast on the go. You can heat them up in the microwave before eating them for 5-10 seconds.

[all photos by me}

cream puffs ...

2013-05-21T17:09:00.000-06:00

I used to think cream puffs were one of those really hard pastry items to make, but really they are pretty simple to make!

You just have to start out by making these amazing little pate à chouxs! And fill them with some tasty pastry cream.

I am sharing the full step by step tutorial and cream puff recipe over on my post for Project Wedding today. Be sure to check it out!

[all photos by me, Caroline Armelle Drake]

family moments at zion ...

2013-05-16T22:26:00.000-06:00

My little family was able to spend a little bit of time in St. George Utah last week, and Zion National Park.

I don't know about you, but I can never get over how beautiful the red rocks are in Utah. It really is something!

We love to spend time together as a family, and one of our favorite things to do together is to get out into nature and explore and go on adventures. We decided to take the children on a hike at Zion National Park. We ended up hiking up to the upper Emerald pools.

The children were little troopers, and made it to the top! Well, Tommy rode in the backpack.

Norah surprised us this hike, and was Miss speedy on the way down!

It even rained a little, but it was still amazing to be in such a beautiful place!

It's neat to think this kind of stuff is in our own "back yard" here in Utah!

Have you been to Zion National Park? What's your favorite hike? Mine is Angels Landing, we couldn't do it this time with the kids, but boy is it an amazing view from the top!

It's fun for us to take our kids out and let them explore. I always say that nature is the best babysitter. You just let them free, and they have endless hours of entertainment!

We loved making memories as a family and sharing a fun moment! Be sure to share your moments, and tag them #HDmoment, and Haagen Dazs might share your moment over on their tumblr page.

[all photos by me, taken with my Iphone]

[Disclosure: Haagen Daz sent over product samples and gifts in exchange for me blogging about their "Moment's for Me" campaign. All thoughts and opinions are my own]

DIY giant fringe balloon ...

2013-05-15T08:46:00.000-06:00

A fun new trend hopping around is using giant balloons for party or even wedding decor!

We used these giant 36 inch round balloons I found at Zurchers at my daughters 3rd birthday party and they were a hit!

I dressed them up with some fringy crepe paper, and they really added to the event!

I am sharing my full step by step picture tutorial over on my post for Project Wedding today! Be sure to check it out!

[all photos by me, Caroline Armelle Drake]

DIY: color-blocked painted stick necklaces ...

2013-05-06T16:49:00.000-06:00

My children just love to collect things, rocks, sticks, bugs, you name it!

We thought it would be fun to put some of their collections to use, and make some color-blocked painted stick necklaces.

My cute little Norah loved the project, and got down to business painting her stick.

It turned out rather cute! This would also be a fun gift for your children to give for Mother's Day!

Be sure to check out the full step by step tutorial for the necklaces over on Less than Perfect Parents! I am a new contributor over there for kid's craft ideas.

[all photos by me, Caroline Armelle Drake]

ding dong, it's the ice cream man ...

2013-05-01T14:48:00.000-06:00

The nice thing about working with a company like Haagen Daz, is that on random days of the month, I'll get a knock at my door, and there on my porch will be the newest flavors of gelato! Pretty much a dream come true, right?!

I've had some particularly crazy/rough/busy days the last few months, so it has been nice to have a little gelato "friend" with me when I've been tackling my crazy email inbox. Seems to help a bit!

Sometimes even when you don't have a minute to spare, it's nice to take a brief moment to yourself before you have to get back to the grind.

Be sure to share your #hdmoment, and Haagen Daz might share yours over on the Haagen Daz tumblr page!

[Disclosure: Haagen Daz sent over product samples and gifts in exchange for me blogging about their "Moment's for Me" campaign. All thoughts and opinions are my own]

DIY tiny hands mothers day flowers ...

2013-04-30T14:28:00.000-06:00

I wanted to share a fun little DIY on how to make a pretty crepe paper flower out of tracings of your children's tiny little hands. I thought this would be the perfect idea gift for grandmas, or any special mother in your lives for a special Mother's day gift!

You'll need a few little hands to trace.

And, cut out to form some "petals."

You can see my full tutorial with step by step pictures and instructions over on my post for Hellobee.

[all photos my me, Caroline Drake]

moments for me ...

2013-04-25T22:21:00.000-06:00

If you follow me over on instagram (you can find me @armelle_blog), then you know that I have posted a little bit about working with Haagen Dazs! Well, I am excited to tell you a little more about our partnership!

Haagen Dazs has chosen me, and my family to be brand influencers! We are so excited to work with Haagen Dazs on their "Moments for Me" campaign.

I love the idea of taking a "Moment for Me!" With life being so busy, sometimes we forget to stop and take a moment for ourselves. And, yes, that does include ice cream sometimes, am I right?

Along with some of their amazing new gelato flavors, Haagen Dazs sent us over a fresh perspective box geared toward our family!

I'm not gonna lie, it was like Christmas morning for me when I opened the box, and started going through it's contents! I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear!

Along with several DVDs, and popcorn flavorings perfect for some family movie time, they sent over a romantic spa package for my husband and I, and a gift certificate to Crate and Barrel for me to do some shopping, and more!

I don't know about you, but this week has been especially long, and we've had lots of things going on. I feel like we haven't had a second to sit down and rejuvenate. So, today we decided to take a "moment" to have a little relaxation time! So, we popped some popcorn and put in one of our new DVD's!

The kids really enjoyed the impromptu "party!" as they called it, and I was able take a moment to myself to just sit and relax when things have been so go, go go!

Want to play along? Be sure to share your "Moment's for Me" on your social media (instagram, twitter, Facebook, tumblr), and tag it #HDmoment, and Haagen Dazs will be sharing their favorites on their tumblr page.

Before I go, I also wanted to share with you the easiest way to make popcorn! Two minute paper bag microwave popcorn, is just that! So easy, this is by far our favorite way to make popcorn!

All you need is:

A paper lunch size bag

1/4 cup un-popped popcorn kernels

A piece of tape (washi tape is always cute and practical)

Optional toppings: coconut oil, sea salt, gourmet popcorn flavorings

Step One

Place the 1/4 cup kernels in the bag, and fold the top down two times, and tape it shut.

Step Two

Place the bag in the microwave.

Step Three

Hit the popcorn setting, or cook about 2 minutes or until kernels stop to pop for longer than 5 seconds (every microwave can be different)

Step Four

Open up the bag, and drizzle melted coconut oil in with a little sea salt, and gourmet popcorn topping flavors if you have them, and shake it up! It is also great without anything on it, for a very tasty healthy snack!

My three little monkeys sure enjoyed their popcorn and movie time in mom and dad's bed, and mom enjoyed a few moments of quiet!

Again, be sure to share your "Moment's for Me" on your social media (instagram, twitter, Facebook, tumblr), and tag it #HDmoment, and Haagen Dazs will be sharing their favorites on their tumblr page.

[Disclosure: Haagen Daz sent over product samples and gifts in exchange for me blogging about their "Moment's for Me" campaign. All thoughts and opinions are my own]

mother's day cards ...

2013-04-23T23:00:00.002-06:00

Can you believe Mother's Day is Sunday May 12th?

It seems to always sneak up on me! I think Mother's Day is such a great holiday. I think being a Mother is one of the hardest jobs out there, and it's so neat to take a day to celebrate Mothers.

I am teaming up with Card Store to show you some well design Mother's Day cards that are easy to make, and can be sent right to your recipients door, or to you to hand deliver your loved one.

I love it because it has the convenience of an e-card, but Card Store will print it out, address it, and put US postage on it, and physically ship it out to your recipient or to you! I think giving real cards is such a great tradition that should live on!

I put together a card for my mom using the easy pre-designed cards, and I just added my photos, and customized it with my own special message to my mom.

I couldn't decide which one I liked best, so I did two!

It was very easy to customize them with my photos, and write and sign a message inside the card!

I'm excited for her to receive them in the mail for Mother's Day!

Don't forget to create your special Mother's Day card, and use the promo code: CSF3199 to create Mother's Day cards for only $1.99! (expires May 5th)

My mom is a special lady! She is the most un-selfish person I know, always giving up her needs for others. I am sure that was a lot of sacrifice for her having six children, but I never heard her complain!

One of the many things my mom taught me was how to cook! My mom is an amazing cook, and I remember helping her in the kitchen since I was a little girl.

I wanted to share one of our family recipes that my mom taught me to make over the years, and we still eat at family gatherings. My mom is well-known for her wontons, and I want to share with you her steam wonton recipe today!

Steamed Wontons

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef, turkey, or pork

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced

3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

¼ cup chopped green onions

3-4 drops sesame oil

1 1/2 cups frozen peas & carrots

1 package of wonton skins, preferably round ones (gyoza/ potsticker skins)

Directions:

Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl, mix well.

Bring water in steamer to a boil. Place 1 tablespoon of meat mixture in the middle of a wonton skin. For steamed wontons, squeeze the edges of the wonton skins towards the top, with some meat still exposed. Place wontons in steamer for about 10-15 minutes or until wonton skins are translucent and meat inside is cooked. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

Whisk together:

1 tbs soy sauce

2 tsp rice vinegar

2 tbs brown sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

2 drops sesame oil

½ tsp fresh ginger, minced

½ tsp green onion, minced

1 ½ tsp water

red pepper flakes (optional)

Enjoy!

And, cheers to all you Mother's lovers out there!

[*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post by Card Store. All thoughts and opinions are my own]

DIY: dipped wooden cutlery ...

2013-04-19T15:17:00.000-06:00

I love the custom look of "dipped" cutlery at a party or even a wedding!

I am sharing a full tutorial over on project wedding on how to customize your wooden cutlery for your next event by just painting it!

See the full post on project wedding DIY dipped wooden cutlery.

[all photos by me, Caroline Armelle Drake]

vietnamese spring rolls ...

2013-04-04T20:29:00.001-06:00

Being half Vietnamese, I grew up eating a lot of Vietnamese food. Fresh spring rolls are probably top on my list of favorite things to eat! I love that they are so fresh, not fried, and you can really be adventurous if you want and try new fillings.

I like the traditional Vietnamese Spring Rolls that are made with Shrimp and Pork. You can dip them in a peanut sauce or a fish sauce, and they are so tasty!

Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon)

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound cooked small shrimp, tails removed sliced in half lengthwise
8 ounces thin rice vermicelli noodles
Shredded lettuce
1 bunch fresh mint leaves
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, removed from stems
1 English cucumber or seeded regular cucumber, thinly sliced
1 package rice paper (banh trang) – I prefer three ladies brand

*can also add shredded carrots, and boiled pork

Directions:
1) Follow package directions and cook rice vermicelli noodles.

2) Fill a medium bowl with warm water and quickly dip and spin a piece of rice paper into water; make sure to wet the entire piece. Lay it down on a cutting board. Place some lettuce leaf at the lower end of the rice paper. Add rice noodles, mint, cucumber and cilantro evenly across the rice paper.

3) Roll the rice paper over the filling and tuck it underneath. Add shrimp with the sliced side facing up. Continue rolling while keeping tension on the rice paper for a tight roll. The roll will seal itself.

4) Repeat steps 2 and 3 until shrimp is gone.

Serve with peanut Hoisin dipping sauce.

Makes 16-18 rolls to serve 6 to 8 as an appetizer

Spicy Peanut Hoisin Dipping Sauce Recipe (Nuoc Leo)

Ingredients:
1 cup light chicken stock
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon thick soy sauce
4-5 tablespoons of Hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons crunchy or creamy peanut butter (natural or organic)
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or diced chilies to taste
1 ounce dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions:
1) In a small sauce pan, add light stock and garlic. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.

2) Add thick soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, 4 tablespoons peanut butter and chili garlic sauce. Stir until peanut butter is dissolved and the sauce thickens. Add additional peanut butter until desired thickness is obtained. Adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish sauce with chopped peanuts.

Makes almost 2 cups of sauce

Enjoy!

easter basket goodies ...

2013-03-31T20:38:00.000-06:00

Happy Easter!

I just wanted to pop on to share a few ideas for Easter basket fillers. I am a huge fan of holidays. I love to put together fun things for my children that I know they will love. I think it's because I grew up with parents from foreign countries, so they didn't totally "get" the American holidays, we always had a great time, but nothing too blown up. Perhaps that's why I tend to do a lot for my kids, because I want them to have those special memories for holidays!

I just love "playing" the Easter bunny! I usually scout out a few treasures over several months, adding to the pile if I come across something fun for their baskets!

Above is my daughter Norah's basket. I always like to get a few non-candy items, this is what I put in: (sources listed)

- Calico Critters (too cute to resist) (amazon)
- A six color pen from paper source
- A little schelich plastic bunny rabbit (walmart)
- Lindt chocolate carrot (target)
- Chicklet gum (dollar store)
- A wallet she's been wanting forever
- Yellow Surf Style Salt water sandals (amazon)
- Jelly Bellies (target)
- Annies Cheddar Bunny Snack Mix (target)
- A wind up toy (michaels)
- A duck pen that quacks when you push it (target)
- A pirate egg filled with squinkies (target/walmart)
- Our favorite Melissa and Doug Triangle Crayons (target)
- Wooden Excelsior as filling "grass"
- Wooden bushel basket (Hobby Lobby)

For the Boys, we got several of the same items plus:

- An angry birds keychain (target)
- Legos (michaels)
- Eric Carle coloring book (michaels)
- A tie (target)
- A bamboo toy car (local toy shop)

Hopefully this will give you some ideas for your Easter baskets in the future!

{photos by me}

DIY: doughnut easter bunnies ...

2013-03-30T17:38:00.001-06:00

Easter is almost here, and I wanted to share with you a quick treat that I put together for my kids to share at a little Easter hunt they attended yesterday.

These little bunnies are made out of little powdered sugar doughnuts, and were super easy to make, and the kids thought they were fun!

You only need a few supplies:

Jelly beans (for the nose)
Powdered sugar mini doughnuts
Mini chocolate chips
Wire cutters
Pipe cleaners

Step One

Push a jelly bean in the center of the doughnut to create a "nose." I used pink, you could use any color if you wish.

Step Two

Push in two mini chocolate chips pointed side down for the eyes.

Step Three

Measure the pipe cleaners to about 3 3/4 inches, and bend them in half to form the ears. Make sure the bottom of the pipe cleaners come together, or they will spring out of the doughnut later.

Step Four

Place the pipe cleaners into the top of the doughnut for the ears.

And, there you have it! Repeat as needed to share with all your little bunnies.

Happy Easter! Hope you have a great one!

I have to give a talk in my church congregation Easter Sunday. No pressure right? Better go write my talk!

{All photos by me}

albion fit grand opening at city creek ...

2013-03-27T17:20:00.001-06:00

Exciting news for my readers! Remember the amazing Albion Fit exercise pants that I reviewed a few weeks ago? Well, Albion Fit is opening up a physical store here in Utah at the City Creek mall! And, I want to personally invite you to their grand opening this coming Monday April 1st from 11 am to 2 pm. I will be there, (and a few of my kids) so be sure to drop by and say hi!

The amazing new store will carry both Albion fitness wear as well as swimwear!

At the grand opening you can expect:

Attendees will enjoy one free Albion Fit fitness headband while supplies last!
You will also get to preview the newest collections that have not yet been unveiled on their website.
All Armelle Blog readers will receive $20 off their purchase of a one piece swim suit or a top/bottom swim suit combo or $20 off any fitness top/bottom combo!
A special Albion Fit swim Fashion Show.
Entry into fantastic raffles with any purchase!

To redeem the $20 off promotion, all you have to do is tell them that you heard about the grand opening on the Armelle Blog!

Hope to see you then! Bring a friend, feel free to bring the kiddos!

Albion Fit Grand Opening at City Creek Mall Downtown SLC, Utah

Monday, April 1st 2013 from 11-2

(The store is located on the upper level of City Creek Center, on the Northeast end right next to the Allen Edmonds store, and kitty corner from Kneaders)

DIY italian soda bar ...

2013-03-27T05:23:00.000-06:00

I am over on The Project Wedding Blog sharing a DIY Italian Soda Bar. These are my very favorite interactive drinks to serve, and they are a lot of fun for your guests!

See my full post on how to make Italian sodas over on Project Wedding!

{All photos by me!}

support cody ...

2013-03-26T16:52:00.004-06:00

Hello friends.

My dear friend's husband was recently in a terrible snowboarding accident that has left him struggling with the use of his arms and legs. They have two beautiful children, and one on the way. They have recently found out that their insurance benefits for rehab will end March 27th, and are already bombarded with large hospital bills. If they can keep Cody in the rehab facility, the longer he stays in the rate of success he will have with learning to walk and function as normal again will increase dramatically.

There will be an event called the Support Cody Night Out put on by the families friends to help raise money for the Walker family, that I hope you can attend. It is this Monday April 1st from 6-8 at Butler Middle School (7530 S 2700 E, Cottonwood Heights Utah)

At the event, there will be food provided by Iceberg Drive Inn, and there will be a local entertainer doing a great family friendly performance. There will also be a silent auction for several amazing items, I will be donating some Armelle Jewelry, my girl Susan is donating some Freshly Picked Moccasins, there will be Jazz game tickets, ReAl Salt Lake tickets, and more!

So, if you are in the area, and would like to come, please purchase your tickets over on the Support Cody website for $20 individual ($25 at the door), or $50 per family ($60 at the door).

If you are unable to attend, you can still help! Please feel free to visit their website, and facebook page that was so kindly set up by their friends to keep updated with Cody's condition. Also, if you can donate to help this family with their mounding medical bills I know it will help ease the financial burdens they are facing.

Thanks for reading!

DIY: pipe cleaner easter bunny ears ...

2013-03-22T14:45:00.000-06:00

Easter is around the corner, and if you are looking for a fun and simple idea to craft with your children, then these pipe cleaner Easter bunny ears could not be more simple to make!

I am sharing my full step by step tutorial over on my post for Hellobee today!

Maybe I'm a little biased, but isn't that one cute little bunny?! How sweet would a group of little bunnies hoping around at your next Easter egg hunt be?!

And, can you believe how big my little Norah is getting!

Happy Easter!

{All photos by me, Caroline Armelle Drake}

product review: snugg ipad case ...

2013-03-22T05:30:00.000-06:00

I was contacted by Snugg to review one of their Snugg Ipad 2 Leather Case Cover and Flip Stand.

It was prefect timing because I was in need of a new Ipad case after a cheap one I had fell apart.
I liked the sleekness of the case, and the high quality of the leather. It seems like it will last a long time!

I also enjoyed using the case for a stand as well! My last case didn't have that feature, and it has been really nice to have, especially when I am catching up on my shows!

Side view of the stand.

Another feature I really like about the case is the magnetic closure, when you shut the case the top stays put and protects my screen.

{*Disclosure: I was given an Snugg Ipad case to review on my blog, all thoughts and opinions are my own. If you have a product that you think would fit on the Armelle Blog, email me at carolinearmelle@gmail.com All photos by me}

roasted beet salad with goat cheese and pecans ...

2013-03-21T22:18:00.000-06:00

This is my favorite salad as of late, I seriously crave it all the time it is so good! Roasting the beets brings out the natural sugars, and they taste amazing! Even if you don't think you like beets, give them a second shot!

{Roasted beet salad with goat cheese, pecans, and red onions}

Mixed greens
Red Onions (Sliced and soaked in water for several hours to take the edge off)
Pecans, chopped
Goat Cheese, crumbled
Roasted Beets, sliced

To Roast beets, heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the tops and roots off of the beets. Pierce it with a fork several times, and place them in a baking dish with the skins on. Roast in the oven for about 1 hour and a half, or until the beets are soft all the way through when you pierce it with a fork.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Peel/cut the skins off the the beets and slice. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Mustard Vinaigrette

Makes 1 cup [8 ounces]

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard [i prefer maille brand]
1/2 tsp coarse salt [like sea salt]
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons agave nectar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp walnut oil [found locally at target]

In a small bowl whisk together first five ingredients well. Slowly drizzle in oils as you whisk allowing the dressing to emulsify.

Prepare salad by placing of layer of mixed greens, then sliced roasted beets, chopped pecans, red onion, then goat cheese. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and serve.

Enjoy!

DIY: floral hair clip ...

2013-03-20T20:29:00.000-06:00

I have another fun DIY I worked on for Project Wedding to share with you, a DIY Floral hair clip!

Head on over to see my full step by step post with instructions over on Project Wedding.

{All photos by me, Caroline Armelle Drake}

DIY: sugar writing tray ...

2013-03-18T21:54:00.000-06:00

My cute little Norah has been working so hard on learning how to write all of her letters. Sometimes we like to use sugar to practice our letters in.

She loves to draw her letters in the sugar, and it is something new instead of the usual paper and pencil.

Head on over to my post over on Hellobee for the full step by step instructions on how to make your own montessori sugar writing tray.

{all photos by me}

DIY lucky rainbow necklace ...

2013-03-14T18:15:00.000-06:00

St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, and I wanted to share with you a fun little necklace my kids and I made! It is perfect to help learn those fine motor skills, and the chocolate gold coin is the perfect prize at the end of our rainbow necklace!

Be sure to head on over to Hellobee to see the step by step tutorial on how to make a Lucky Rainbow Necklace!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

{All photos by me, Caroline Armelle Drake}

DIY busy wallet ...

2013-02-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

I think at one time or another, we've all had it done to us. You're little one has gotten a hold of your wallet, and the next thing you know, the contents are emptied out all over the floor. I know my older toddler loves to play pretend and be, "just like mommy!" with a wallet at all!

I was getting rid of an old wallet, and thought it was the perfect time to put together a "busy wallet" for my children. It is so easy to do, and all you have to do is gather up a few things that you most likely have lying around.

You'll need:
One old Wallet
Pretend credit cards (I used some used up gift cards, or the junk mail credit cards work great, or business cards)
Pen
Drivers License- just a little polaroid of my little one
Stickers
Pretend coins and bills (If they aren't still in the choking stage)
A small pad of paper
A ruler

Fill the wallet with just about anything you think would be fun for your kids! Hopefully it will keep them busy for a night out at a restaurant as a family when they are having a hard time sitting still.

Surprise your children with a busy wallet full of things they usually get told, "no" for touching.

Nothing like a few moments of silence while going out to eat, or getting the bathroom cleaned! This should keep them entertained for a little while they fill and re-fill the wallet, and play with its contents!

{All photos by me, Caroline Armelle Drake}

product review + giveaway: albion fit ...

2013-02-25T22:42:00.000-07:00

I was contacted by albion fit to do a review and giveaway of one of their products on the blog. I was excited when they asked me to do this because I was actually in the market for some new workout clothes, mainly workout bottoms, so I was excited to try out the optimum capri's.

I've been able to wear these during my workouts, and even around the house a bit, and my first impression was that I was very impressed with the overall quality. You can tell just by the feel of the fabric that it is really good quality. I love the compression fabric that keeps everything where it should be while you're working out, and the extra wide waistband is nice and comfortable!

Albion also has a great selection not only of women's fitness wear, but also women's swim wear that you can check out on their site! I was also excited to see that they are a local company, and will be opening a store in March at City Creek in downtown SLC!

I am excited that albion fit wants to offer one of my lucky readers a pair of these amazing exercise capris!

For a chance to win, all you have to do is visit the Albion facebook page, and like their page, then visit their shop, and leave a comment here to tell me that you liked their Facebook page, and what is your favorite item from their site!

You have until Sunday, March 3, 2013 at midnight to enter. The winner will be chosen on March 4th!

You also can take $15 off any Albionfit.com purchase of $50 or more with the code armelle15 at checkout. (Expires 3/3/2013)

Good Luck!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED!

CONGRATS TO JESSICA FONG FOR WINNING THE EXERCISE CAPRIS!!

{*I was given this product to review, all thoughts and opinions are my own. If you have a product that you think may be a good fit for the Armelle Blog, email me at carolinearmelle@gmail.com}

DIY construction site activity tray ...

2013-02-22T17:09:00.001-07:00

This winter is proving to be a long one, and while we would like to be hanging out at the park in the sunshine, and playing in the sand, well the sand is currently covered in snow.

We've been trying to be creative to keep ourselves entertained over at our house, so we decided to pull out the activity tray we made.

We filled it with a few of our favorite construction site toys. And, it has kept my kids entertained for hours and hours. (Totally worth the quick vacuum clean up at the end!)

For the full tutorial and step by step instructions on how to make your own construction site activity tray, head on over to my latest post over on Hellobee.

{All photos by me, Caroline Armelle Drake}