I’ve been using the pacs from a few different brands for my dishwasher for a few years now- powdered dish detergents aggravate my asthma & the liquids just didn’t really work that well & left water spots & leftover food. But every brand of pac I’ve used has been great, and I frequently buy Cascade because they have great results at a great price.

It was just recently that I heard of new Cascade Platinum, and I have to say I was impressed with their claims:

-Powers away tough, 24 hour stuck-on food {Awesome since I have a tendency to skip the dishes on the weekends, resulting in said stuck-on food}
-Eliminates the need to pre-wash dishes {I refuse to pre-wash anyway since I know it’s better not to, but Justin doesn’t believe me so here’s your proof!}
-Helps maintain the look of new machines and helps prevent additional hard water film build-up {I have a new machine and hard water in my house so, totally awesome.}
-Delivers exceptional dishware shine {Because who wants to eat off of dirty dishes?}

Like I said, I already buy Cascade tablets sometimes & never have any complaints, so I wasn’t sure that I’d see a difference. These tablets performed exactly the same {which is a good thing}, and in addition, my stainless steel dishwasher, which is typically streaked & stained when I open it up after a cycle, was actually shiny! That makes less work for me, and all I have to do is pop in a detergent pac.

Dishes are so important when presenting food, whether it’s to your family, in a photograph or on TV. Gail Simmons, Top Chef judge & editor of Food+Wine magazine, has partnered with Cascade Platinum to share why presentation is just as important as preparation. {Check out the video above for more.}

If you like to enter contests, be sure to check out the My Platinum Instagram contest going on now! You can enter to win the grand prize of a 1-year supply of Cascade and a Kitchen Makeover! You can also be a weekly winner of a new dishwasher & six-month supply of Cascade. To enter, just register on the website {required to win} & upload a photo for each week’s theme, tagging @MyCascade & hashtagging #MyPlatinum:

Week 1 & 2 are over, but included showcasing your best dish styled from the sparkling plate up & your best bite and most creative use of sparkling silverware!

Week 3: My Platinum Clink {Entry period 6/17-6/23}
Show us how you serve up creative concoctions in sparkling glasses. Cheers!

Week 4: My Platinum Table {Entry period 6/24-6/30}
Show us your sparkling tablescape for your most special celebrations!

I really liked using the Cascade Platinum & intend to buy more when I run out. I was already happy with the cleanliness of my dishes thanks to the Cascade packs I was already using {and having a new dishwasher}, but now that these actually clean my dishwasher & prevent it from getting hard water film I plan on switching so I can keep the dishwasher in tip-top shape!

Buy It: You can find Cascade products, including Cascade Platinum, at most mass merchants, grocery stores & retailers. {Prices start at just $4.29 for a 14 ct. package.} Be sure to check out Cascade on Facebook for more info!

What shortcuts do you take with cleaning?

The post Clean More While Doing Less with Cascade Platinum appeared first on {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker.

Last month, I told you all about our new showerhead. The Delta In2ition has so many fun features, after I finished writing my blog post I wanted to jump in the shower & try it out!

But I had to wait. &Wait. &Wait. I was asked to record the installation process & I don’t have a tripod so I knew I needed Justin’s help. But he was nervous to install it because it involves a water pipe &that’s not something you want to mess with. So finally I talked him into it when he had an extra day off of work & so he finally sat down to look at the directions. He scanned them for a minute, then said, “That’s it?”

Installing this thing was ridiculously easy. I’m talking, under three minutes easy. I don’t blame him for thinking it’d be hard, because I admit I was a little intimidated. But once we saw that it doesn’t involve doing anything to the actual pipe, that changed everything. Take a look at how easy it was to install {&pardon the silent video but it’s way better than the sound that was included, which was Shane’s version of Gangnam Style}:

In case you can’t watch that, I’ll give you a breakdown of the steps:

1. Remove your old showerhead by rotating counter-clockwise.

2. Wrap the end of the pipe with plumber’s tape {sold separately}.

3. Attach the new showerhead, rotating clockwise.

4. Attach the hose to the base, then the hand shower.

That’s it! Shane thinks it’s so cool that he keeps asking for showers {which he was afraid of before this showerhead}, so I think we have a winner!

Buy It: You can find Delta products on their website or at home improvement retailers.

What was the last thing you installed in your house?

The post How to Install the Delta In2ition Showerhead appeared first on {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker.

-Treat yourself to a frosty! For every frosty purchased this weekend, 50 cents will go to the DTFA. These donations will be used to benefit the cause of Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, which is a program that helps foster children in need find great homes. &Any frosty purchase counts, including their new Frosty Waffle Cone!

-Share on Facebook & Twitter. Use the hashtag #FirstFrosty and share your first Frosty memories. For each story, image or video, Wendy’s will donate $1- up to $50,000!

Whether you’re in the mood for something sweet or just want to send a quick tweet for a great cause, Wendy’s is your answer this weekend!

Win It: One lucky reader will win a $10 giftcard to Wendy’s! Just enter using the simple form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note: I was treated to a $5 Wendy’s gift card to get myself a frosty for a cause, but all opinions are my own & I am happy to support such a great cause.

The post Buy A Frosty {Or Send a Tweet} for a Cause this Weekend! {$10 Wendy’s Gift Card Giveaway!} appeared first on {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker.

Kids have the cutest clothes. &They’re so comfortable, too! {Why can’t adults have elastic waistbands?} But they outgrow them FAST. Every season I find myself clearing several boxes worth of clothing from Shane’s closet to either donate or save for the next kiddo, and when I’m done I have to rebuild the wardrobe. It can get expensive quickly, so I rely on great sales to make it easier on my wallet. Like right now- Osh Kosh B’gosh is holding a GINORMOUS sale!

It’s big…it’s huge…it’s ginormous! Save big on baby and kids clothes online and in-stores. OshKosh B’gosh has GINORMOUS savings! Save on summer essentials like cool summer shorts, tunics & leggings, tees, sandals, accessories, flip flops and more. {Styles vary by location.}

Right now you can nab some great items at great prices! Sale items for boys include summer essentials like short sleeve graphic tees & tanks, shorts in a variety of styles & patterns {including my all time favorite, plaid}, sporty sandals & flip flops & even classic polos in a variety of colors for dressier occasions.

&For girls? You can find adorable dresses with all the stuff that makes my heart hurt: ruffles, floral prints, and tiers. You can also grab some jersey tunics in bright colors, shorts in a variety of styles, tees & tanks in several adorable styles & lots of adorable accessories. {Anyone want to let me borrow their little girl to play dress up?}

I’ve been on their website checking out the selection & may have already added some picks to my cart already: like this layered look tee, which retails for $24 but is on sale for $9.99, or these flat front chino shorts that are $11.99 from $28:

I added some great items to my shopping cart already- I’m loving these layered shirts. We have a set already from OK- I love it because Shane can just wear the t-shirt when he’s playing &ghen dress it up when we go out!

Shane has an outfit he loves from Osh Kosh {above}- so much so when he wore it for the first time yesterday, he asked me if he could sleep in it. Seriously. I’m glad I only got one outfit though because now I can stock up for less! I plan on getting the outfit above in addition to more outfits like the one he has- I love the overshirt/t-shirt combo since then Shane can take the overshirt off to play but then can add it back when we’re out & about.

Be sure to follow @oshkoshbgosh on Twitter and OshKosh B’gosh on Pinterest for outfitting ideas, vintage ads, deals and special events!

Buy It: Osh Kosh B’gosh’s GINORMOUS sale is available both online & in store {styles vary by location}. You can find a location near you or visit their website. While you’re purchasing, you can also help Osh Kosh to support the United Through Reading® Military Program, a unique program that allows deployed parents to read children’s books aloud via DVD for their child to watch at home. You can donate $1, $5 or $8 at checkout {online & in-stores} with your OshKosh B’gosh purchase or feel free to donate directly at www.unitedthroughreading.org/

Win it: One lucky reader will win a $50 gift card to stock up on whatever Summer Essentials they need! Just enter using the simple form below. Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note: OshKosh B’gosh partnered with bloggers such as me to help promote Ginormous Sale.  As part of the program, I received product or gift cards.  OshKoshB’gosh believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words, and therefore did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products I used. OshKosh B’gosh policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. The winner of any giveaway in this program will be randomly chosen and gift card fulfillment will be handled by a third party.

The post Save Big with Osh Kosh B’gosh’s GINORMOUS Sale! {$50 Gift Card Giveaway!} appeared first on {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker.

It gets boring wearing the same outfit every day though, so this summer I plan on playing around with colors & patterns. I need to go shopping desperately so I have been window shopping lately. Here are some of my top picks:

Women’s The Diva Cut-Off Denim Shorts in Watermelon from Old Navy

1969 Bermuda Shorts from Gap

Colorblock Henley Racer Tank in white by Gap

Little Mermaid Shirt from Target
{I already own this one & had to explain it to Justin. Le sigh.}

Women’s Perfect Rib-Knit Tanks in Multi-Blue Stripe from Old Navy

Merona Tiered Tank from Target

I may be wearing a tank & shorts combo every day, but with the fun colors, patterns & embellishments I won’t get bored! {&Apparently I have a thing for stripes.}

Much like tanks & shorts {&flip flops!}, Tide, Bounce & Downy are just better together. Sure, they’re all great products on their own, but when you combine the ease of washing your clothes that you get from Tide Pods, the unbelieveably yummy scent you get from Downy’s Unstopables, &the set-it-and-forget-it convenience of Bounce’s Dryer Bars you have a winning combination that will keep your clothes fresh- even if you’re sweating in them like it’s, well, over 110 degrees outside. {&Combined, they can even cover that musty odor that never seems to go away after you leave your beach towel wadded up in a ball in the wet bag for too long. Not that I’d know..}

What do you like to wear in the summer?

Note: This post is sponsored by P&G. With Tide®, Downy® and Bounce®, you can keep your summer fashions looking new up to 50% longer.* Text CLEAN to TARGET (827438) for mobile coupons. *vs. leading value detergent alone

The post Tide, Downy & Bounce Are Better Together! appeared first on {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker.

I may not have a baby anymore {though I hope to change that soon}, but I still have a need for a baby monitor. First of all, I have a very independent little man who likes to spend some time playing in his room. While I’d love to hover over him like a helicopter all day, all the “experts” say I should let him play by himself sometimes. During those times, it’s great to have a monitor to check in on him without interrupting him or hovering. Also, we’ve been cosleeping, but he’s about to get booted into his own room. I know he’s not going to be able to resist the temptation of being surrounded by his toys, &thanks to our monitor, he’s totally going to get busted for sneaking out of bed!

We recently received the Motorola Blink1 Wi-Fi Monitor which is all kinds of fancy. Just check out the features:

- Wi-Fi® Video Camera
- Live Video/Audio with Compatible Smartphones, Tablets, and Computers
- Polyphonic Lullabies
- Connects up to Four Cameras
- Remote Pan, Tilt, Zoom
- Two-Way Communications
- Video Recording
- MJPEG Video Compression
- Image Snapshot
- Infrared Night Vision
- Room Temperature Monitoring

I call this monitor inception- a photo of me taking a photo of me. *cue spinning top*

Why I love it:

-I already carry my phone with me from room to room, so I love not having to carry an extra monitor to view him. I just open the app on my phone & he’s there!

-My phone gets alerts when there are loud noises, making it easy to find out if your baby or child is yelling/screaming without constantly watching the feed.

-I can remotely tilt & move the camera, which is especially helpful during playtime when he may be moving around the room.

-The 2-way communication makes it easy to talk to your little one- whether you’re soothing a crying baby or asking your toddler what’s wrong, you can reassure your little one even if you’re across the house.

-It’s actually really cool looking, and it’s pretty small. The camera isn’t very big & there are no handheld monitors so it’s less clutter & less space taken up.

Buy It: You can purchase the Motorola BLINK1 Wi-Fi Baby Camera for the MSRP of $249.99 at Target, Toys R Us, or on Amazon.

What is your must-have feature for a baby monitor?

Note: I received the monitor to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

The post Motorola BLINK1 Wi-Fi Baby Monitor Review appeared first on {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker.

The Children’s Pool is an area of beach that was originally designed to be a safer swimming spot for children, since it’s partially covered by a sea wall. However, some seals had a totally different idea & this place is now home to hundreds of seals! We walked along the seawall {it has guardrails} &I was able to get some great photos of the ocean while standing right on top of it. It was pretty amazing.

Even from the parking lot, we could see that there were definitely some seals on the beach! All of those little black dots right next to the ocean are seals- there were dozens of them!

We decided to go on the seawall for a closer look- these guys are so cute! We watched them for awhile & while most of them were sleeping, some of them were being silly & playing with each other.

If you’re ever near La Jolla, be sure to check out the Children’s Pool! The seals are there year-round &it’s so fun to watch them- plus the view is amazing!

Now it’s your turn- link up your Wordless Wednesday posts below!

The post {Not Quite} Wordless Wednesday: Seal Watching at La Jolla Children’s Pool appeared first on {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker.

Little ones love bathing in the water until their fingers become like raisins, but bathrooms are not always the safest place in the house. They can be downright dangerous if you overlook safety basics. The potential dangers for kids in bathrooms include slipping, getting cut on sharp faucet edges or being burned by scalding hot water. With all this in mind, it takes some planning and prowess to create a kids’ bathroom that stays clean, stylish and safe. When planning a vibrant and functional bathroom for your children, don’t overlook the following basics.

source

Vibrant Theme

Bright hues are the hallmark of a kid-friendly color scheme and work especially well for bathrooms. However, you don’t need to stick to primary colors. Vibrant shades of purple, lavender, emerald and teal can be paired with contrasting colors. Using white and black as accents can bring a unique sensibility to a color palate. Once you have chosen the color theme you can chose a nontoxic paint for the walls and install heavy-duty waterproof flooring, because with the kids around — you’ll need it!

Floor Mats

These are not only a style aid but a safety necessity. Invest in a floor mat that has a no–skid underbelly, preventing it from becoming a slipping danger. Floor mats can be visually appealing and accent your bathroom’s theme or you can choose an understated, but functional, mat. Kids love “fluffy” textures, and mats are available in a variety of quirky, absorbent materials.

Bathmat

Slipping in the bathtub is a real danger for kids. A quick slip while bathing can disorient a child and pose a drowning danger. Bathmats are a key safety feature, and they’re available in fun textures for kids. Some bathmat textures emulate “fuzzy grass” while others feature raised ripples that create a gentle massage-like effect.

Eco-Friendly Shower Liner

Because vinyl shower curtains can be a potent allergen for kids and adults alike, purchase an eco-friendly non-allergenic shower liner for your kids’ bathroom. Find a product that is labeled nontoxic and hypoallergenic to confirm your shower liner is vinyl free. Vinyl has been known to occasionally cause respiratory problems in sensitive individuals. A positive trait of non-vinyl shower liners is they are odor free, lacking the distinctive rubbery aroma that lingers for months.

Toothbrush Protectors

Some of the biggest dangers kids face in the bathroom are invisible to the naked eye. When toothbrushes are left out on counters, they are prone to become homes for varieties of microorganisms — and not all of them are benign. It is possible to pick up dangerous bacteria from toothbrushes that are not kept clean. A step in the safe direction is to store toothbrushes in airtight containers, which are commonly available in the oral care section of most drugstores. These come in bright, fun and novelty designs kids will enjoy using.

A Medicine Safe

Another danger lurking in your bathroom is medicine. Because many people store medicine in the bathroom, kids sometimes get their hands on dangerous prescription drugs. You can still store your medicine in the bathroom — even in the kids’ bathroom — but do so in a medicine safe. Medicine safes can be purchased at most drugstores. They are a simple, effective way to protect your children from the dangers of accidentally ingesting prescription drugs.

Two Towel Sets

A wise choice for outfitting a kids’ bathroom with linens is to keep two sets handy — one for “looks” and one for “function.” You can use your decorative linens to display, but use your “functional” linens for actual daily use. Kids put a lot of wear and tear on linens. This is a surefire way to keep your ornamental towels out of harm’s way.

Nontoxic Cleaning Kit

Because children have more sensitive skin than adults, use nontoxic cleaners that are less likely to irritate young bathers. Basic, nontoxic cleaning supplies include white vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice. Those three items take care of most basic bathroom cleaning needs and with less toxic fumes than harsh bleach or ammonia-based commercial cleaners do.

About the Author: Molly Fledman is an interior designer who writes extensively about how to create kid-friendly spaces in your home.

The post Guest Post: 8 Essentials for a Safe and Stylish Kids’ Bathroom appeared first on {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker.

You can download the sheets too, just click on the images below to download PDF versions of the activity sheets:

About the movie:

Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are an inseparable pair, but that wasn’t always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn’t stand each other. “Monsters University” unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends.

Screaming with laughter and fun, “Monsters University” is directed by Dan Scanlon (“Cars,” “Mater and the Ghostlight,” “Tracy”) and produced by Kori Rae (“Up,” “The Incredibles,” “Monsters, Inc.”). The film opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2013, and will be shown in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

Be sure to check out Monsters University, in theaters June 21st! You can follow the movie on Facebook & Twitter for more sneak peeks!

The post Free Monsters University Activity Sheets! appeared first on {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker.

So when I had the chance to try the BELLA NutriPro Cold Press Juicer I stocked up on produce & got to work! One thing that I noticed right away was that it was much quieter than I expected. Having never used a juicer, I was expecting it to sound more like a blender- after all, it was turning my fruit & veggies into juice. It was quiet, but it was efficient- mere seconds after placing the food into the machine, delicious smelling juice came pouring out of one spout while waste material came out the other. &I was really surprised by how much juice I was able to get out of it! Having grown up with one of those glass “juicers” {those bowls that have a thing in the middle to squeeze juice out of lemons} I imagined it’d take pounds of fruit to get anything, but that definitely wasn’t the case.

Some more high-tech information on the BELLA Nutripro Cold Press Juicer:

With the NutriPro juicer, users are able to get more juice and more nutrients for optimal health and wellness than other conventional juicers by thoroughly squeezing each fruit and vegetable. The BELLA NutriPro Cold Press Juicer utilizes a two-stage cold press juicing technology that operates via a chewing (mastication) method to produce high-quality juice from each fruit and vegetable. The single juicing screw in the processing bowl first crushes, the compresses and squeezes out the juice. There are no fast-spinning blades that cut and pulverize the fruits and vegetables to produce juice. With the no-blade, cold press technology, oxidation is minimized, no heat is used, and more nutrients and enzymes are preserved. (Most traditional juicers and blenders that claim to juice use blades that shred and break open the cell walls of the produce, exposing it to oxygen and therefore affecting the integrity of the nutrients and enzymes. Enzymes are a necessity for the health and healing of the body. They help break down foods and tell the nutrients where they are most needed in the body. Enzymes aid digestion, keep you youthful and vibrant and increase energy.)

Besides the health value, the NutriPro Juicer users can get more juice from certain fruits and vegetables than other juicers. For example, the NutriPro got 66% more pineapple juice than one of its main competitors.

I love it because:

-It’s dishwasher safe: let’s be honest, if it wasn’t, I’d never use it.
-It’s quiet: something I especially appreciate as a Mom with a 3 year old afraid of loud noises.
-It works really well: I definitely feel like it squeezes out every last drop from what I put in & so I don’t feel like I’m “wasting” any produce by juicing it instead of eating it.
-It’s delicious: While the machine itself doesn’t impact the taste of my produce, it has allowed me to create some yummy juices & even comes with a recipe booklet full of great starting points!

In fact, I actually made the following recipe from their website, although I tweaked it a bit. {The original recipe calls for ginger, but I absolutely despise ginger, so I just skipped it.}

Fresh Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients:

-Zest from 2 lemons
-3 cups spring water {I just used filtered water from the fridge}
-1 lb. fresh strawberries, tops removed
-2 lemons, peeled, seeded

Directions:

-Add the zest of 2 lemons to a pitcher of cold spring water and stir well.
-Peel and seed lemons. Cut into chunks. Cut unpeeled ginger in chunks.
-Alternate feeding ginger, strawberries and lemon chunks into the hopper.
-Pour fresh juice into the pitcher and serve.
{Optionally, sweeten with a small amount of stevia- I didn’t need it but Justin did}

Serves 4

I love this Fresh Strawberry Lemonade recipe- Strawberry Lemonade is already my favorite drink but to be able to make it in my own kitchen, from fresh produce, without any preservatives or added sugar adds up to a whole lot of win in my book. &It’s the perfect healthy beverage to enjoy on a hot Summer’s day!

Buy It: You can pick up the BELLA NutriPro Cold Press Juicer for the MSRP of $249.95 {or trial it for 30 days for just $14.99} on their website.

Do you juice? What are your favorite recipes?

Note: I received the juicer in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

The post Fresh Strawberry Lemonade Recipe {& BELLA NutriPro Cold Press Juicer Review} appeared first on {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker.