Textbook Mommy

Palmolive Fresh Sponge Review

2012-04-12T20:21:00.001-07:00

Palmolive has a new dish soap out that is pretty awesome! It's Palmolive Fresh Sponge dish soap and it actually washes away odor causing agents that contribute to a stinky sponge. As soon as I heard about Palmolive Fresh Sponge I thought it was a great idea. I mean, clean my sponge of grime all while I'm cleaning dishes. It's was a no brainer that this was going to be a marriage made in dish heaven!

Thanks to Influenster I got the chance to review this new product in my own home. I'm always worried about germs and my sponge, and now I don't have to! What I also love about this formula is you still get the great soft hands after doing dishes, just like Palmolive is known for! The scent is an added bonus as well, reminiscent of fresh grapefruit. I would recommend this product for any household that wants to have clean dishes while keeping dirty grime away!

*Disclosure: I was provided a sample of the above mentioned product thanks to Influenster in exchange for my honest review. All opinions in this review are 100% mine and are not a result of any outside influence.

Quaker Oatmeal Squares Cereal Review

2012-04-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

Introducing Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal! The taste you love from Quaker Oatmeal just got even better with their new cereal that I find has just the right amount of sweetness, while still providing a healthy start to your morning - or anytime really! Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal comes in four delicious flavors:

* Brown Sugar

* Cinnamon

* Golden Maple

* Honey Nut

Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal also provides 96% of the daily minimum recommendation for whole grains consumption! That's 46 grams of heart healthy whole grain this cereal packs! You also get 6 grams of protein per serving.

This cereal is available at grocers everywhere, with the Golden Maple available exclusively at WalMart.

Want a free sample? Just head on over to the Quaker Oatmeal Squares Facebook page to request one!

Thanks to the fine folks at BzzAgent and Quaker, I had the opportunity to sample the Honey Nut flavor of Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal! I've been on a healthy diet kick for awhile now, so when I heard that this cereal provided 96% of the daily minimum recommended amount of whole grains, I was on board. I personally think this cereal had just the right amount of sweetness and provides a satisfying meal that keeps you full and tides you over in between meals. Whole grains are an important part of my diet and this cereal fits perfectly into my lifestyle and dietary choices. My kids even tried this cereal and loved it! I would recommend this cereal because it tastes great and it packs so much more of a healthy punch than some other sugary cereals. Give it a try!

* Disclosure: I was provided a sample from BzzAgent in partnership with Quaker in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and are not a result of any outside influence.

Happy Easter!

2012-04-08T10:29:00.001-07:00

Children's Claritin Review

2012-04-04T19:35:00.000-07:00

Did you know that 4 out of 10 school children are affected by allergies? These allergies include both indoor and outdoor allergies. Children suffering from allergies may have a harder time staying focused in school, and lead to an overall case of drowsiness. Children's Claritin is specifically formulated for kids and is a non drowsy anti-histimine, working to combat those tough, pesky allergies!

What's even better is Children's Claritin provides a full 24 hours of allergy relief for your child! Children's Claritin is also the #1 recommended non-drowsy allergy brand. Children's Claritin comes in a variety of forms including chewable tablets, liquid, and dissolving Redi-Tabs. The syrup and chewables are recommended for kids ages 2 and up, while the Redi-Tabs are recommended for kids age 6 and up.

I received a sample of Children's Claritin Grape Chewables from BzzAgent to review with my own kids! My seven year old twins have suffered from allergies since they were toddlers, yet for some reason I had never actually tried the Claritin until now. We had always used different things such as the generic brands and doctor prescibed medications. My girls also have asthma, which according to their doctor it is common to see allergies with asthmatic patients. I'm sure other moms out there with children that suffer from allergies can relate to painfully having to limit some of their outdoor activity time due to allergy triggers.

Since using the Children's Claritin Grape Chewables, my girls are able to play outside longer because of the full 24 hour relief just one chewable provides! I really wish I would have tried Claritin sooner because this stuff works great! I have seen a huge reduction in their allergy symptoms, which is in turn making their asthma issues less intense. Usually they need their inhaler when playing outside in the spring, but they haven't used it once since using the Claritin chewables. If you have a child that suffers from allergies, this is a product you must try!

*Disclosure: I was provided a sample from the above mentioned company in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and are not a result of any outside influence.

Knorr Homestyle Stock Review

2012-04-04T19:08:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of or tried the new Knorr Homestyle Stock? Not just a soup ingredient, Knorr Homestyle Stock is also great for skillet dishes and and as an ingredient to add to mashed potatoes and rice dishes, for example! Each pack of Knorr Homestyle Stock contains 4 tubs that make 3 1/2 cups of broth each. If you do the math, it comes out to a way better deal than buying by the can!

Knorr Homestyle Stock is also super low on fat and calories, with just 1 gram of fat and 10 calories per serving of the Chicken flavor and 0.5 grams of fat and 10 calories per serving of the Beef flavor. Want some ideas on how to use Knorr Homestyle Stock? Just visit letsmakeknorr.com and you will find a great resource for plenty of yummy recipes!

Here's an example of just one of their many recipes:

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

{ Taken From The Knorr Website }

SERVES 10

PREP TIME: 10 Minute(s)

COOK TIME: 4 Hour(s)

INGREDIENTS

3- lb. boneless pork shoulder
1 tub Knorr® Homestyle Stock - Chicken
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
10 Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns

PREPARATION

Arrange pork in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients except rolls and pour over pork; turn to coat.
Cook covered on LOW 8 to 10 hours or HIGH 4 to 6 hours or until pork is tender.
Remove pork; reserve juices. Shred pork with fork, then stir into reserved juices. Serve on rolls.

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Knorr and Smiley360.com I received some of their Homestyle Stock to sample, as well as a soup serving spoon, some money saving coupons, and a booklet filled with recipes. I received the Knorr Homestyle Chicken Flavor Stock to test, so I used it to make my family a nice big pot of homemade chicken soup! We're a big family so I used two of the flavor tubs and it worked perfectly. My husband couldn't believe so much flavor came from something so low in fat and calories! I'm a vegetarian so none for me, but my husband and kids all loved the soup. I would definitely purchase Knorr Homestyle Stock in the future!

* Disclosure: I was provided a sample of the above named product in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and are not a result of any outside influence.

Howard B. Wigglebottom Book Review And Giveaway

2012-03-31T23:22:00.000-07:00

Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns About Sportsmanship

The Howard B. Wigglebottom children's book series is a wonderful collection of stories with meanings and good values behind them! The We Do Listen Foundation is a non profit corporation that aims to provide children with a wide variety of quality entertainment through their educational books, videos, games, and songs. Each story in the Howard B. Wigglebottom series caters to a different set of good morals. Their book Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns About Sportsmanship "Winning Isn't Everything", is just another book in this series that does just that! In this story, Howard B. Wigglebottom learns that good sportsmanship is key. Through the story you get to see the wrong ways that Howard has been going about sports. Then at the end you get to see how much easier it is for Howard to practice good sportsmanship. There are also valuable questions and interactive ways to go over the story and engage your child at the end!

I have to say that as a mom I have been a huge fan of Howard B. Wigglebottom children's books for some time now. This is actually our third book we added to our collection! I read this book with my 7 year old twin girls and they loved it just like they have the others. I have always talked to my girls about having good sportsmanship, and how being a sore loser isn't fun for anyone. This book brought this message across wonderfully and the guidance questions after the story to prompt further discussion with the girls was great! If you've never experienced the Howard B. Wigglebottom series I highly encourage you to check out the website and have a look around for yourself! You can also review animated versions of the books free of charge on their site, as well as download posters and lesson plans that go along with the books.

Connect With The We Do Listen Foundation:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Want To Win Your Own Howard B. Wigglebottom Book?

The wonderful folks at the We Do Listen Foundation have offered to give (1) lucky reader of Textbook Mommy their choice of Howard B. Wigglebottom hardcover book!

Details: Open to the U.S., 18 years of age and over. One entry per household please.

Giveaway ends: April 7, 2012 at Midnight EST.

Winner will have 48 hours to respond by email or an alternate winner will be chosen.

* Please be honest with your entries. I DO VERIFY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Disclosure: I was provided the book mentioned above in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and are not a result of any outside influence.

Rockin 30th Birthday Bash Giveaway Event!

2012-03-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Rockin' 30th Birthday Bash Giveaway Event hosted by 365 Changes Of Me, and co-hosted by Going Crazy Wanna Go?, Life With Captain Fussy Buckets, and Mom With A Dot Com.

Each blog in this event is hosting a giveaway worth at least $30.00, so make sure to check out the linky below and visit them all for your chance to win some fabulous prizes!

For this event I will be giving away a $30.00 gift code to EdenFantasys.com. Eden Fantasys carries a wide array of romantic products, as well as clothing, lingerie, beauty items, and more! Good Luck!

Details: Giveaway Ends: April 9, 2012 at Midnight

* Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email or an alternate winner will be selected.

One person per household entering please. U.S. Residents, 18 years of age and older.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Disclosure: I was provided gift codes for previously blogging on behalf of EdenFantasys.com.

Now Hop Around And Enter Some More!

Smiley360.com Is Looking For Men To Test A Hair Color Product!

2012-03-30T18:58:00.001-07:00

Right now Smiley360.com is looking for males who would be interested in testing a hair color product! All you need to do is click the link below to sign up free for Smiley360 and you will have the chance to test this and many more future products! I love this program because I get to test and share products with my readers! Look for my Knorr Homestyle Stock review coming soon!

smiley360.com—Be Heard. Be Happy.

Winter Term Grades Are In!

2012-03-28T22:42:00.004-07:00

Oh my goodness this last term was hard, but I pulled through and still made good grades. Hooray! My last term at community college already starts next Monday, but I'm so ready to graduate and move on to the university! Here are the final grades for winter term:

Physical Anthropology (A-)
Survey of Astronomy (B-)
General Psychology (A)
Lifespan Developmental Psychology (B)
Sociology (A)

Just found out tonight that one of my classes got cancelled, so I'm scrambling to pick up another in it's place. This last term is mostly electives towards my degree. Here's what I have coming up so far:

History of Asian Art (Japan)
General Biology
Drugs, Society, and Behavior
Holistic Health

Spring break has went by way too fast!

80Bites Weight Loss Program Week 5 Review

2012-03-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

If you missed my last week's post: Week 4 of the 80Bites diet, you can see my review here!

I'm happy to announce that I am trying a new approach to weight loss. It's the 80Bites program! The 80Bites program is a whole new take on dieting and a close look at how much we are eating. Thanks to the wonderful folks at 80Bites I am getting to review their full length program, which consists of 12 weeks.

Week 5 continues the theme of frequency! This week the key is to focus on having 4 meals a day, at around the same time every day. Ideally, 4 hours in between each meal is key to help let the body metabolize and detoxify in between eating. Learning to structure your meals helps your body gain a regular time frame each day of when to get hungry and expect food. This week I learned that snacking throughout the day can backfire, as it helps to continuously feed the hunger. The goal is still to stay around 80 bites a day!

Eating 4 meals a day for me was actually a challenge in itself this week! I'm usually a 2, maybe 3 meal a day kind of person. I eat a lot of whole grains so I don't tend to get hungry as often. To make this program work with my eating habits, I cut back on how much I was eating at meals, to be able to space the food out over 4 meals a day. After a couple days I noticed my body was only getting hungry when it was my regular meal time, not throughout the day or late at night! I'm still going strong with my 80 bites a day and I hoped to see more weight loss this past week but I've hit a small plateau. I'm assuming it's because I lost so much right off the bat.

I encourage you to check out the 80Bites website and have a look around. If you want to get the same membership as I have, the 12 week program, the cost is $49.99 available through their site.

* If you're not quite ready to start the program, but would like a take on counting and keeping track of your bites, the 80Bites app is available through the iTunes and Android app store!

Connect With 80Bites:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

*Disclosure: This post is chronicling my journey through the 80Bites program which was provided at no cost to me in exchange for my honest weekly review and opinions. All opinions in this review are 100% my own and are not a result of any outside influence.

Imperial Toy Review

2012-03-26T18:58:00.000-07:00

Founded in 1969, Imperial Toy has made a successful business out of having fun! Imperial Toy is a worldwide leader in bubbles and novelty toys, and has something for kids of all ages. Their website is packed full of wonderful toys and is super easy to navigate to find just what you need. You can search by age, gender, price range, brand, and more! You'll find many of your child's favorite characters as well like Dora, Care Bears, Disney Princesses, Barney, Avengers, Cars, and the list goes on!

Imperial Toys sent me a gracious pack of some of their best toys for outdoor fun. I received a Super Miracle Bubbles Glow Fusion Sabre that came with glow in the dark bubbles, an extra box of glow in the dark bubble mix, a Bubble Turbine, a KAOS Cyclops water balloon launcher, and a KAOS Fast 'n Easy Filler for water balloons. You can see everything my package included in the picture below!

The Glow Bubbles are so cool! You take your container of regular bubbles, add the Glow mix, and you have yourself some glow in the dark fun! We decided to make up two batches of the Glow bubbles last night and then went outside armed with the Bubble Turbine and the Glow Fusion Sabre. We have never experimented with glow in the dark bubbles, let alone bubble fun at night, so this was a treat! Here are some more photos below from last night's fun.

Glow In The Dark Bubbles - How Cool Is That?

My Daughter Having Fun With The Glow Sabre!

Once the weather around here warms up and quits raining we will bring out the water balloon toys and have a blast! Last night our whole family had so much fun with our bubble gear from Imperial Toys. I would highly recommend these as a gift for your child or a loved one. I will definitely be getting us some more Glow mixture to make more batches of glow in the dark bubbles! Below is a video of the KAOS water balloon toys in action!

Connect With Imperial Toy:

Website

Facebook

*Disclosure:

This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.

Miracle Gro Expand 'n Gro Planting Mix Review

2012-03-25T17:00:00.003-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Miracle Gro Expand ‘n Gro™ is a revolutionary formula that takes your planting to the next level! With Expand 'n Gro, you get the benefits of 3x the flowers and vegetables (verses native soil), a soil that will continue to improve over the years, a concentrated planting mix that will expand up to 3x once water is added, a mix that feeds for up to 6 months, and a mix that holds up to 50% more water than your basic potting soil. Prepping for Spring and Summer planting just got easier and better!

Right now you can visit the Miracle Gro website and request a sample packet of their Expand 'n Gro formula to try for yourself! There is a also a printable $3.00 off coupon, so snatch that up while it lasts! Be sure to check out the video below for more information on Miracle Gro Expand 'n Gro!

All natural Coconut Coir is the heart of Miracle Gro's Expand 'n Gro formula. What is Coir you might ask? Coir is a natural, light-weight material derived from coconut husk. The sponge like cell structure of Coir helps to naturally absorb and retain water better than other traditional soils, as well as successfully expands. I'm looking forward to using Expand 'n Gro around my house this Spring, as I love to plant flowers! I'm also thinking of starting a garden within the next couple of weeks, so this formula would be a great one to try! For more tips on planting and maintaining your lawn or garden - visit Mircale Gro's website for lots of great tips and ideas.

Shaklee Get Clean Review And Giveaway

2012-03-24T22:27:00.001-07:00

Shaklee, a company known for their amazing health products, want to introduce you to their Get Clean line, an array of natural and nontoxic cleaning choices that are safe for your family and the planet! Shaklee's Get Clean line of cleaning products contain no harmful fumes or hazardous chemicals. Proving you don't need a bunch of chemicals to get the job done, the Get Clean line has been shown to outperform over 20 leading household cleaner brands!

Shaklee cares about our environment and their Get Clean kits help make a positive impact by keeping 108 pounds of packaging out of landfills, as well as eliminating 248 pounds of greenhouse gases with each Get Clean cleaning kit. One Get Clean household kit helps to do this by saving on packaging and harmful chemical outputs. Not just good news for the planet, but you can rest assured your family can breathe easy when you clean with Shaklee's natural cleaners, free of harmful and hazardous fumes.

You would spend around $3,400 in ready to use cleaners to get the same amount of clean found in one of Shaklee's Get Clean kits!

Watch This Informational Video By Shaklee!

Shaklee's Get Clean kits feature a special Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate Formula, enabling a little to go a long way! This is how you can get more cleaning bang for your buck with one of their Get Clean kits! Below is a picture of my finished window cleaner solution that I made with water and just a few drops of this super concentrate!

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Shaklee, I was able to try one of their Get Clean kits for myself! I was surprised to learn just how harmful for not just the planet, but for my family the cleaners I have been using are. Some scary chemicals I found in my cleaning supplies included: ammonia, sulfuric acid, and morpholine. These are just a few of many chemicals that are harmful and found in most common cleaners. In Shaklee's Get Clean products, you won't find any of these!

Since I just started my Spring cleaning regimen, I was excited to use my new Get Clean kit to tidy up! The Basic H2 super concentrate not only doubles to make a window and a separate bottle of all purpose cleaner, a little bit goes a long way and provides a clean that is just as good as my old cleaners. My kit also came with some wonderful eco-friendly laundry sheets, some micro fiber cloths, a handy soft scrubber bar, a container of Germ Off disinfecting wipes, laundry soap concentrate, liquid dish soap concentrate, some Nature Bright laundry booster and stain remover, dishwasher powder concentrate, some empty spray bottles to make my window and all purpose mixtures, and more. The concentrates that come in this kit are going to make for enough cleaners to last me well past Spring cleaning!

My Old Cleaning Stash

My New And Improved Stash!

Want To Win A Get Clean Mini Kit?

Thanks to the folks at Shaklee, (1) reader of Textbook Mommy is going to receive a Get Clean Mini Kit. This kit retails for $46.95 and can be viewed here!

Official rules by Shaklee for this giveaway can be found here.

Details: Open to U.S. residents, 18 years of age and older. Only one person per household entering please. Once the giveaway has ended the winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email or an alternate winner will be chosen.

Giveaway Ends: March 31, 2012 at Midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure:

This review and giveaway was made possible by the Shaklee Corporation & Mom Spark Media. Incentives, product and support were provided. Thoughts are my own.

Mrs.Cubbinson's Easter Culinary Creations Review

2012-03-24T20:29:00.000-07:00

When it comes to holiday meals, Mrs.Cubbinson's is a go to name for great food every time! You might recognize the name Mrs.Cubbinson's for their tasty stuffing mix, but they also make other wonderful products such as croutons, tortilla strips, and crispy onions. For great holiday or anytime meal ideas, check out the Mrs.Cubbinson's website where you will find plenty of recipes to get you started on the perfect meal! Cooks have trusted Mrs.Cubbinson's products for over 60 years for the most important meals of the year.

Mrs. Cubbinson's Classic Dressing {Seasoned}

Mrs.Cubbinson's Classic Seasoned Croutons

Thanks to the wonderful folks over at Mrs.Cubbinson's, I received a kit to spark my own Easter culinary creations! I received a cute Easter bunny apron, a kitchen towel with printed Easter eggs on it (too cute!), a box of Mrs.Cubbinson's Seasoned Corn Bread Stuffing, and a package of Mrs.Cubbinson's Classic Seasoned Croutons. You can see a picture of what I received below!

Now I had never tried Mrs.Cubbinson's stuffing before. I know, I realize what I have been missing now! I have tried the croutons before and would recommend them in a heartbeat. Mrs.Cubbinson's challenged me to come up with a recipe of my own for this upcoming Easter and I was ready for the task! Since holidays are a little harder for me as I have to make extra vegetarian friendly foods I can enjoy, I had an idea to go with a vegetarian friendly stuffing. The stuffing I received in my kit was the Seasoned Corn Bread Stuffing and I made sure to check, and yes, it is vegetarian friendly. Now I just added my own touch to make it my own!

Textbook Mommy's Vegetarian Sweet and Crunchy Stuffing:

Ingredients:

(2) 6 oz. bags of Mrs.Cubbinson's Seasoned Corn Bread Stuffing

1/2 cup of chopped celery

1/2 cup of chopped onion

1/2 cup of dried cranberries

1 cup of butter or margarine

1 cup of vegetable broth

Directions:

1) Chop up your celery and onion and set them aside, as well as set aside your dried cranberries.

2) In a pan on medium high heat, combine your vegetable broth and your butter or margarine.

3) Bring to a boil and then add your (2) 6 oz. bags of stuffing mix. Stir well, turn off stove top, and remove from heat.

4) Toss in your celery, onion, and cranberries. Serve while warm. Enjoy!

I made this recipe last night as a side dish with some mashed potatoes and meatloaf (for the meat eaters). Not only myself, but my husband and kids loved this stuffing recipe! They said it contained just the perfect balance of stuffing flavor with a hint of sweetness from the cranberries. I would eat this again myself for a non holiday, that's how impressed I was with it! Even if you're not a vegetarian like me, this stuffing recipe is tasty enough to be enjoyed by all.

Now that I've tried Mrs.Cubbinson's stuffing, I will be buying it again! For this upcoming Easter, or any meal really, Mrs.Cubbinson's has the products to make your family meals extra special. I recommend checking out all the other great recipes on the Mrs.Cubbinson's website, as well as stopping by and "liking" their page on Facebook.

*Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Ways You Can Bring The Farm To Your Table

2012-03-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

Providing your family with farm fresh food options is a great way to eat healthy together and enjoy a good meal around the table! When you think of farm fresh foods, which foods in particular come to mind? When I think farm fresh I think fruit juices, fresh eggs (cage free are my favorite!), and an abundance of options that include fresh vegetables and fruits.

Tropicana helps take care of the juice portion of your farm fresh options with their 100% Pure Florida Orange Juice. Each bottle of Tropicana 100% Pure Florida Orange Juice is handled with care, starting from the grove. Why are Florida oranges the preferred oranges for Tropicana premium juices? The answer is because the different soil and microclimates in Florida help the fruit reach it's maturity peak at different times, allowing ripe fruit to harvest throughout the entire growing season!

Fun Fact: Oranges have been grown in Florida since the 1560's. That's approximately 147 years before any other state!

Of course our family's favorite time to enjoy a nice cold class of Tropicana orange juice is at breakfast! It's a great way to start the day and a good dose of Vitamin C to boost your immune system. Why not try incorporating Tropicana orange juice into a fun and healthy recipe like the one below for the whole family?

Orange Juice Breakfast Rolls Recipe:

Ingredients:

8 dinner rolls
1/4 cup of Tropicana 100% Pure Florida Orange Juice
1 tablespoon of sugar
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
Pinch of Cinammon

For The Glaze:

1 Tablespoon of Tropicana 100% Pure Florida Orange Juice
3 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:

1) Use a small bowl to combine your orange juice and sugar.
2) Dip each roll into the above mixture until well coated.
3) Place each finished roll in a greased/spray coated pie pan or 9 inch round cake pan.
4) In a separate small bowl, combine your brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over rolls.
5) Bake in oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
6) Combine your glaze ingredients and brush over the tops of the rolls while they are still warm.

* Optional: Sprinkle the tops of the rolls with a little orange zest. Enjoy!

Right now you can head on over and enter the Tropicana Perfect Pick Sweepstakes! While you're there make sure to "Like" Tropicana's Facebook page. This sweepstakes is offering a chance to win 100 different prizes including a trip to Florida which includes a visit to the groves! Also, 99 winners will win a year's supply of Tropicana orange juice in the form of 12 free product coupons. So don't wait! Head on over and get your entries in today!

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Tropicana blogging program, to earn My SocialMoms Rewards Points. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. To read more posts on this topic, click here.

80Bites Weight Loss Program Week 4 Review

2012-03-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

If you missed my last week's post: Week 3 of the 80Bites diet, you can see my review here!

Week 4 starts the next focus of "Frequency". Watching how much you eat and how often you eat are key, but I also learned something interesting this week regarding dental hygiene. Did you know that brushing your teeth can help you reduce hunger cravings? Neither did I until this week! Brushing your teeth is like a little cue to your body that a meal is complete and that in turn satisfies your need to eat for the time being. So not only do you get sparkling pearly whites throughout the day, you help curb cravings!

A good way to use this I learned this week is to brush your teeth when you feel an unnecessary snack craving coming on, especially for those pesky late night snacking habits. I have tried this trick and it does work to get past wanting to grab something to snack on. Of course this past week has also been about maintaining around those 80 bites a day! I'm still losing weight so I can attest this program is working great for me so far!

I encourage you to check out the 80Bites website and have a look around. If you want to get the same membership as I have, the 12 week program, the cost is $49.99 available through their site.

* If you're not quite ready to start the program, but would like a take on counting and keeping track of your bites, the 80Bites app is available through the iTunes and Android app store!

Right now I also have a giveaway going in the Spring Buzz Giveaway Hop where (1) of my readers can win the full 12 week 80Bites diet program! Click here to enter! (Ends 3/27)

Connect With 80Bites:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Spring Buzz Giveaway Hop!

2012-03-20T21:00:00.007-07:00

Welcome To The Spring Buzz Hop!

Spring Buzz Hop is hosted by Sweep Tight and Just Married with Coupons and the Grand Prize is sponsored by BeeSavy. Save Time, Save Money, Make Money. See what the buzz is about at BeeSavy.

My sponsor for the giveaway is the 80Bites Diet!

The 80Bites diet is a revolutionary way to look at dieting, specifically by looking at our bites. With the 80Bites approach, each week of the 12 week program unlocks new information about the program. This makes it easy to digest each week's information so that you have a higher success rate. No need to for information overload!

I have been using the 80Bites diet program now for four weeks and I have already lost 8 pounds just by combining this program with healthier foods. You can read my first three weeks of reviews on this program below!

Week 1 Review

Week 2 Review

Week 3 Review
Week 4 Review

Like you might of guessed by the name, the 80Bites diet program involves a goal of getting to about 80 daily bites of food. While getting your number of bites down is important to minimize overeating, there is also an emphasis in the program on taking a proper bite size, as well as properly chewing your food while you eat. All of these topics that this program goes over are the tools that propel you into a healthier life and a healthier weight!

{ The 80Bites diet offers a bite counter app through the iTunes and Android app store to help you succeed! }

The 80Bites diet 12 week program retails for $49.95 and can be purchased through the website here.

Connect With 80Bites:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Time For The Giveaway!

* (1) Lucky reader of Textbook Mommy is going to win the full 12 week 80Bites diet program!

Details: Open to U.S. Residents, 18 Years of age and over. One person per household entering please! Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email or an alternate winner will be selected.

Giveaway Ends: March 27, 2012 @ 11:59 PM EST

Please be sure to hop around below to all the other wonderful blogs who are hosting their own Spring Buzz giveaways!

Also be sure to click here and enter to win the Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire, sponsored by Bee Savvy! Be sure to mention Textbook Mommy sent you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: The above mentioned sponsor is graciously giving away a 12 week program. In exchange, I am a regular reviewer for their company as I travel myself through their 12 week program. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not a result of any outside influence.

Register To Become A Bone Marrow Donor!

2012-03-19T16:53:00.061-07:00

Become A Bone Marrow Donor And Save A Life!

It's been a while since I blogged about becoming a bone marrow donor, so I thought I would write this post to remind people how simple it is to become a bone marrow donor and potentially save a life. I first became a donor about a year ago when I saw a heartbreaking video of a little girl that needed a donor match to save her life, as she was dying from leukemia. My heart ached for her and her family. I thought to myself "What if that was my child?" and about how agonizing of a process it must be to wait and hope for a match to come through to save your life.

That's when I took the step and went online through DKMS and requested my free swab kit. Within a couple weeks it arrived and all it required was two cheek swabs to do yourself and then sent back in with a prepaid postage envelope. DKMS doesn't require a fee to register to become a bone marrow donor, but any funds are appreciated. In fact, if you want to help but are not yet ready to become a donor, you can text MARROW to 20222 to make a $5.00 donation to DKMS, added to your monthly cell phone bill.

To learn more about who qualifies as a potential donor, you can visit the DKMS website, as well as check out all the information in my latest Squidoo article all about bone marrow donation here! Please pass the word on to your family and friends about the facts on bone marrow donation! Contrary to what some people may think, it's not some huge painful process that involves the spine whatsoever. In fact, most donors donate via the bloodstream!

* Click on the widget above and let's count how many of my readers we can get registered!

6 Year Old Colin Flood Is Waiting For A Match...Watch His Story!

LoobaLee.com Review And Giveaway

2012-03-16T20:15:00.001-07:00

If there's one thing us moms know, it's that kids grow like weeds! Clothing can get pricey over the years, especially for the name brands. Now, purchasing quality children's clothing doesn't have to be expensive at all! LoobaLee.com is a new children's clothing and accessories resale shop online where moms like you and me can buy and sell new and gently used children's items. All items are sold at a fixed price so you don't have the hassles of an auction website. Are you thinking you might have a gold mine in your kids' outgrown items? List them on LoobaLee, where there are no fees to sell your items! Right now sizes range from baby to tween, with plans in the works to expand into selling toys, media, maternity, and more!

Right now it's March Madness over at LoobaLee.com, and that means savings! Every day for the month of March there will be a new with tags featured item at a deeply discounted price. Gotta love that! Also, right now LoobaLee is having a "Pin To Win" contest for the month of March. To get involved, visit the LoobaLee.com website and start pinning on Pinterest per the rules to get your entries in to win gift cards!

Be sure to check out the LoobaLee blog called "The Conscious Kid's Closet" where you can read about ways to help moms save cash and the environment...one outfit at a time!

{ Screen Shot Of My Order Placed On LoobaLee.com }

I recently placed an order myself on LoobaLee.com! I have to say that the site is super user friendly and I love the easy drop down menus to help you find just what you're looking for in terms of sizes and types of clothing. If you're like me and love the brand Gymboree, this site has lots of it, and cheap! As you can see from my order screen shot above, all the items I ordered for my twin girls were Gymboree and if you know Gymboree prices, you can see how good I made out! The sunglasses alone retail for about $9.99. I got them for $2.00 a pair! Shipping prices were lower than I expected also. About $5.00, and that's combining two different orders!

When it came time to check out my orders it was very simple and easy. Less than a minute and I was registered and ready to go! I also received superb customer service through this site. I had placed two separate orders through two different sellers, and within a matter of hours both of them had contacted me to let me know my items would be shipping and to thank me for my business. I was pleasantly surprised!

Register And Try LoobaLee.com For Yourself! Make Sure To Let Them Know TextbookMommy Sent You In The "Referred By" Field.

Now Who's Ready To Hear The Giveaway Details?

(1) Lucky reader of Textbook Mommy is going to win a $15 Visa Gift Card and a $15 LoobaLee.com reimbursement!

Details: Giveaway is open to U.S. Residents, 18 years of age and older. One person per household may enter. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email or an alternate winner will be selected.

Giveaway Ends: March 23, 2012 @ Midnight EST

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This sponsored post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. All prizing for MSM giveaways is handled by a third party unless otherwise noted. For this reason prize fulfillment can take up to 90 days after the winners information is received.

The Clorox Lounge And The Last Comic Sitting

2012-03-15T23:08:00.000-07:00

The Clorox Lounge is a great place to take a break and have a laugh! Proudly featuring the "Last Comic Sitting", The Clorox Lounge offers plenty of laughs with everyday mom and dads competing for the top spot! This week the moms had a challenge called "Stall Comedy". These moms had to perform their comedy acts to unsuspecting strangers in the bathroom stall next to them! These women were hilarious! I have to give them credit because I don't think I could of been so brave. My favorite this week was Kira Soltanovich! Check out the video below!

Stall Comedy!

With four kids I have had plenty of humorous bathroom experiences! Though I can laugh about it now, a couple weeks ago my daughter decided she was going to trim her own hair. Let's just say it is very long and she managed to trim off a good 2 1/2 inches. Don't ask me how that works! It was right before her basketball game and I had no actual proper trimming sheers on me, so I had to fix it best I could with household scissors. She really didn't think it was a big deal that she trimmed her own hair! We have a good laugh about it now though and she realizes it was not the smartest idea she's ever had!

Here's another great video below featuring the dads performing their weekly challenge called "Newsical" where they each had to write a song about a popular topic found in parenting magazines. My favorite was by comedian Johnny Walker. Watch the video and decide for yourself which dad was funnier! You can also head on over to the Clorox YouTube channel and see all the comedic challenges so far, as well as individual Meet The Comic videos.

Newsicle!

Want a chance to win $10,000 from The Clorox Lounge? Who wouldn't, right? Right now The Clorox Lounge is hosting a special sweepstakes where you can enter to win a cool $10,000! All you have to do is click here and sign up! You can enter daily for extra entries, as well as chances to win by participating in the weekly commenting contest and weekly giveaway for prizes such as Clorox prize packs and gift cards.

"Like" Clorox on Facebook!

Have a funny bathroom moment to share? Leave a comment below!

Be sure to also check out The Clorox Lounge to interact with other members in their special website forum!

*Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox® blogging program, to earn My SocialMoms Rewards Points. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. To read more posts on this topic, click here.

80Bites Weight Loss Program Week 3 Review

2012-03-14T15:23:00.000-07:00

If you missed my last week's post: Week 2 of the 80Bites diet, you can see my review here!

Week 3 wraps up the concept of Quantity. Particularly in Week 3, there is an emphasis on thinking before and while you chew! The goal is to actually think about the chewing process in detail. The longer you take to chew each bite, the more saliva you are going to be adding to each bite. Saliva contains enzymes that actually help break down each bite before it even hits your stomach! If you think of it this way, chewing each bite slowly and thoroughly really makes a difference.

Another part of Week 3 is about observing how others eat. I eat out a couple times a week for breakfast with my husband while the kids are in school, kinda like our date days as we like to call them. I used these days this past week to observe (unnoticed of course!) others and how they eat. I found this part of the week to be interesting. Most people I noticed barely chewed each bite! I really used this past week's information to get my own bites thoroughly chewed and to listen to some key advice like "put your fork or sandwich down in between bites because it's not going anywhere!". I'm happy to announce I'm down 1 more pound - for 5 pounds lost total so far!

I encourage you to check out the 80Bites website and have a look around. If you want to get the same membership as I have, the 12 week program, the cost is $49.99 available through their site.

* If you're not quite ready to start the program, but would like a take on counting and keeping track of your bites, the 80Bites app is available through the iTunes and Android app store!

Connect With 80Bites:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Pamper Yourself With EdenFantasys Beauty Products

2012-03-13T22:17:00.002-07:00

EdenFantasys.com carries an array of unique beauty products to pamper yourself from head to toe! With bath and body products, makeup, skincare, fragrance, and more - you will find just the right products to fit your lifestyle. Right now you can use coupon code: POTOFGOLD to save 20% off your entire order. No restrictions!

Here are some of my top wishlist picks:

Venus Body Scrub in Pomegranate Scent - $14.99

Lip Care Kit - $14.99

Flirty Body Mist - $14.99

Of course EdenFantasys.com also caters to those in the market for romantic items. Right now there is a wonderful giveaway going on at Eden Cafe where you can win Coquette lingerie! There will be 3 winners total. Giveaway ends on 3/19 at 12:01 AM so head on over here and get in your entry!

Every woman deserves to feel pampered, and the selection of wonderful products at EdenFantasys caters to what women want! Taking some "me" time has definitely been something I've incorporated into this new year, as every woman (especially us moms!) should. While you're visiting the site I encourage you to check out their array of gorgeous sleepwear. The prices at EdenFantasys are always budget friendly and they are constantly having superb sales and deals. Head on over and find some pamper worthy products today!

BarkLogic Review

2012-03-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

Logic Product Group is a revolutionary company founded by Jill Taft, who is passionate about the use of safe products for your household. Jill started Logic Product Group when looking for products that not only work, but also products that could work while being safe, containing no pesticides or synthetic colors or fragrances, eco-friendly, and containing organic ingredients. Currently Logic Product group has three wonderful lines of products:

LiceLogic

BedBugLogic

BarkLogic

I was very excited to have the chance to review BarkLogic, Logic Product Group's natural, eco-friendly defense for fleas, ticks, and other various arthropods. Living in the country there's plenty of critters to go around, and my dog's regular flea treatment doesn't always stand up, especially in the warmer spring and summer months. The opportunity to review BarkLogic just as spring is upon us was a great way to start our flea and tick back up defenses.

I received both the BarkLogic pet wash and conditioner. Other products in the BarkLogic line include their prevention spray and a special three piece kit. First off, I love the scent! BarkLogic is naturally scented with Lemongrass and it gives such a nice fresh clean scent for your dog. Not only does the BarkLogic line get rid of these nasty pesks, it helps prevent them. It didn't take long with the BarkLogic pet wash to see some fleas fall off. I didn't know how well an all natural product like BarkLogic would work, but let me tell you it works! Not only does my little guy have no more fleas, he smells fantastic. Papi and me give BarkLogic two thumbs up! Below is a picture of my dog Papi enjoying his bath with BarkLogic!

Papi Loves BarkLogic!

BarkLogic Is:

* Pesticide Free Flea And Tick Treatment

* Non-Toxic

* Biodegradable

* Hypoallergenic

BarkLogic is available for purchase through the Logic Product Group website or through Amazon.com

Connect With Logic Product Group:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

*Disclosure: I was provided sample from the above named company, in partnership with MomSpark Media in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and are not a result of any outside influence.

Lucky Day Sweepstakes Event!

2012-03-12T21:00:00.006-07:00

Is today your lucky day? Find out and hop around to all these blogs hosting sweepstakes you can win hosted by Sason and Pobi.

Welcome to the Lucky Day Sweepstakes Event!

My sponsor for this event is brought to you by SendAFlyingCard.com

SendAFlyingCard.com offers a unique and fun twist on traditional greeting cards! Instead of sending your typical card, you are truly sending a flying greeting because your personalized message is on a frisbee! This website has plenty of colors of flying discs to choose from, as well as room for your personal creativity with options to create your own personalized message, as well as add your own image free of charge. Don't have an image in mind? That's okay! SendAFlyingCard.com has preselected images you are welcome to choose from.

SendAFlyingCard.com is a family owned business based in New York. This husband and wife team love the business of helping people send personalized messages to their loved ones in the form of a fun product! SendAFlyingCard.com proudly offers FREE first class shipping through USPS. Want to send one to a family member or friend in the military? No problem! Any military address also ships FREE OF CHARGE!

Above is a picture of the sample disc I received! I just love how my blog logo was incorporated onto the front of the disc! My disc came in perfect condition and has been a joy for my kids to play with. It's a greeting and a gift all in one! I am so glad to have came across this company. I think this is a perfect, unique gift for a loved one. You just have to check out their site!

Connect With SendAFlyingCard.com
Website
Facebook
Twitter

* SendAFlyingCard.com has graciously offered to award (1) reader of Textbook Mommy their own customized flying greeting!

Next up, I am personally adding a $20.00 Amazon gift code to give away to the lucky winner!

The winner of this giveaway will win BOTH the personalized flying disc from SendAFlyingCard.com and the $20.00 Amazon gift code!

So Who's Feeling Lucky?

Details: This giveaway is open to U.S. residents, 18 years of age and over. One entry per household please.

Giveaway Ends: March 20, 2012 at Midnight EST.

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email or an alternate winner will be selected.

Please enter honestly. I do verify!

And Remember To Hop Around To All The Wonderful Blogs Hosting Their Own Giveaways During This Event!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love VoxBox Review

2012-03-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

It's here - the Love VoxBox! This is my first VoxBox since joining Influenster and I was so excited to try all the wonderful products inside. If you are not yet a member of Influenster, you can jump on the band wagon and join here! By joining Influenster you can receive products to test and share your opinion on. It's a great way to learn about hot new products as well!

The Love VoxBox Included:

* Gillette Venus & Olay Razor

* Kiss Nail Dress

* Stash Tea Herbal Tea Sampler

* Ghirardelli Gourmet Milk Creamy Devotion Bar

* Truvia Natural Sweetner

My Thoughts:

The Gillette Venus & Olay Razor is amazing! It's seriously like a spa day for your legs ladies. The Olay moisturizer on this razor helps give you a smooth shave, as well as leaves your legs feeling silky soft! This is going to be my new razor of choice.

I received a pack of Kiss nail decals that are a creative alternative to nail polish. With these, you just peel and smooth over your nail! These have lasted me 4 days strong now with no signs of wear. The pack comes with 28 fashion strips, so you can do your toes too!

As someone who already was a brand loyalist when it comes to Stash and tea, this sampler pack was refreshing because I got to experience varieties I had not tried from their line before! This sampler came with Acai Berry, Blueberry Superfruit, Chamomile, Cinnamon Apple Chamomile, Lemon Ginger, Licorice Spice, Mango Passionfruit, Peppermint, and Wild Raspberry Hibiscus. My top faves - Blueberry Superfruit, Cinnamon Apple Camomile, and Mango Passionfruit!

Okay, tasty doesn't even begin to describe this one - how about total gourmet chocolate experience! I'm usually more of a dark chocolate girl myself, but Ghirardelli really surprised me with this one. It is hands down the best milk chocolate bar I have tasted. A girl has to be careful with this one!

My weigh in on Truvia: While I prefer the taste of this alternative sweetener to the other leading brands, I am a plain old sugar gal at heart. I do think this is a great alternative to have handy though for guests. And if you're trying to cut back on sweets, this is a definite plus!