I am in LOVE....with STITCH FIX!!!!

disclaimer:  I received nothing from the company in exchange for this post.  All opinions remain my own.

STITCH FIX

  Have you ever wanted your own personal stylist...you know, just like the celebrities.  Well now you can have that and more with STITCH FIX.  

  STITCH FIX is a clothing delivery company that sends you items for your wardrobe based on your own personal style profile.  The items are selected by your own stylist who even include a note with why they chose what they did and ideas for wearing items together.  

  Each shipment costs $20 for stylist fee but the fee is deducted from your total if you choose to keep any of the items shipped.  Also if you decide to keep all the items in your shipment, you will receive a 25% discount.  

  You can select how often you want your shipments, what price ranges you prefer, and you even get to let your stylist know exactly what you are looking for.  

  Right now STITCH FIX is giving new members $25 for signing up.  If you go here you will receive $25 and so will I : )

  Mommy in PA:  So I recently won a gift card for STITCH FIX which is why I actually tried it in the first place...let me tell you, I am so glad I did.

  My stylist, Marissa really had her hands full with my "FIX" as I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking for.  I gave her some ideas and was actually surprised her choices were pretty close to my style.  I only ended up keeping the jeans from my  shipment but my decision to return the other items and why will help them narrow it down next time.  I was even able to select to keep the same stylist or let them choose another, how cool is that?!?!

 This one was actually my favorite outfit but shirt requires a strapless bra...which honestly, I have yet to find one I trust...so I mentioned that in my feedback...we shall see : )

  Oh and they don't just have clothing...there are shoes, jewelry, bras, underwear, and handbags.  The bras and underwear are add on items that you can have shipped with your "fix".  

  Price range for the items I received was between $34 to $78.  Items are of great quality though, so worth the extra cost.

  Now you can also set up accounts for your kiddos.  I did this for my fourteen year old son, and let me tell you...they did a wonderful job.  He received 10 items (I was jealous, lol) and there were only two shirts we weren't crazy about...but, with the 25% discount it ended up being cheaper to keep every item than to send those two back : )

 I love the red shirt with the blue trim!!!  My son loves the jeans.  I let the stylist know he loves sweatpants but needed to find some alternatives for school and they sent jeans that are actually as comfy as sweatpants...said it right on the tag : )

  I am going to do one more shipment for him before school starts (they even have an option to rush your next fix) and we should have enough new items for him for back to school.  

  Oh and the greatest thing...price ranges for his items were from $12 to $24 very reasonable for the amazing quality : ) 

Can't wait to get our next shipments!!!!

 

 

 

Travelwise Packing Cubes

disclaimer:  We received the products below for free in exchange for our honest opinions.  All opinions remain our own.

Travelwise Packing Cubes
 

  With nicer weather finally upon us.  That leads us to thinking about camping, fishing, traveling with our families on vacation, etc.  And what's the one thing you also have to consider during these extended trips with the family...luggage. 

  Most of us end up just tossing things in suitcases, duffel bags, backpacks, etc. and wishing we had a better way to separate things to make it easier to retrieve just what you need instead of emptying the whole bag or case for just a couple of items. 

  Well lucky for all of us, Travelwise Packing Cubes seem like a great alternative to the cluttered mess.

  Each set contains five different sized zippered bags made of lightweight, durable nylon. And the open mesh panels make it easy to see what's inside and allows for breathablilty for your clothing items.  

  They also come in five color choices (black, purple, red, silver, or teal).  

You can see more about them on EatSmart's website or Amazon.  Or you can check them out on social media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EatSmartProducts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EatSmartScales

Instagram: http://instagram.com/eatsmartproducts #travelwise Tag: @eatsmartproducts

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/eatsmartscales

  Mommy in GA:

I

 Got the grey travelwise packing cubes and LOVE them!! As a mom of 5 we are always in a hurry and always TRYING to stay organized lol.
 
The first time I used these we went camping and so you pack all of your stuff....snacks for the car and campground and your sunblock, bathing suits, toiletries etc....

I used the smallest cube for bug spray, Kleenex, bandaids, Tylenol etc..
The next on shampoo and conditioner and soaps
The next size I used for toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant (did I mention I have 5 kids😂😂)
Snacks for the car in the next size up and in the last one I used it to keep bathing suits together (wet/dry!!)

It was amazing because I knew exactly what to grab and all the little items were in the same place....it saved a lot of time and whining😉😉


  Mommy in PA: The Travelwise Packing Cubes are something I didn't even realize I needed!!!  These are now going to be part of every trip we take.  Having a child who is a Type 1 Diabetic means that we always have extra supplies in tow, whether we will be gone a couple days or a couple of hours.
 

I packed our bags in the pictures as if we were going on a day trip to go swimming.  There was actually plenty enough room to add a couple outfits per person or I could have actually packed all of our beach towels in the largest bag and put some of our clothes together, but I wanted to keep each persons stuff in their own bag to see if it would all fit, and it did : )

These bags are going to go on a ton of fishing trips with us so that I can keep my son's testing supplies separated from our food, and also we sometimes take along changes of clothing in case the weather decides to change on us, so these will work perfectly!

I also love how when you are done with these you just fold them up and stick them inside the biggest one and then you can chuck it into your suitcase, closet, drawer, wherever until you need them again : )  And they don't take up hardly any space at all.

Paper House Puzzles - Christmas in July Gift Idea #2

disclaimer:  We received the products below for free in exchange for our honest opinions.  All opinions remain our own.

Paper House Puzzles

  If you are looking for a great last minute gift idea.  Paper House Puzzles may have exactly what you are looking for.

  And don't be fooled by their name, they sell other things too like stickers, scrapbook supplies, cards, journals, magnets, and much more.  

  

  We got a chance to try out their floor puzzles and here is what we thought:

  Mommy in GA: these are awesome!!!  My big kids pull them out to play with the baby!! We love the dinosaur and fire truck!! I did give the castle and puppy one away as a gift (labeled the to and from right on the box because they made a spot for it!!) The kids all love them....when my nieces and nephews show up they pull them out and put them together.... I love how big they are (it is REALLY hard to lose the pieces to these!!) I am excited to check out more products because they are a very sturdy product as well!!

  Mommy in PA:  Ok I just want to start with the first thing I noticed when I looked at the boxes...they actually have the "to and from" label on them already so gift giving is made that much simpler.  This would be a wonderful idea for a grandparent to give their grandchildren every year because the child will know who it was from the whole time they have it.  

  I also have to mention that these are high quality puzzle pieces.  We have never had any issues with the pieces bending or having those annoying frayed edges like some others do.  

 The dinosaur one was our favorite : )

  Even my twelve year old enjoyed putting them together, this totally surprised me as he is a major computer addict, but this gave us some good quality time as we turned it into a game of "how fast can we put these together : )

  My only disappointment was the fact that these puzzles don't have the shapes in them like the other ones we did.  But other than that they were a blast.  

Kristine's Shower - Christmas in July Gift Idea #1

disclaimer:  We received the following products for free in exchange for our honest opinions.  All opinions remain our own.

  Kristine's Shower

  If you are still looking for the perfect gift for that special lady in your life or perhaps a mother who has no idea what to get her daughter, then we recommend you checking out the products over at Kristine's Shower.

  Kristine's Shower offers a huge assortment of homemade products.  Shower Bombs, Bath Bombs, Bubblecakes, soaps, body sorbets, aloe vera body whips, and body frosting.  She even has product varieties for the kids and the guys.

  Kristine's Shower was kind enough to send us each a variety of products to try out and here are our thoughts:

  Mommy in GA:If you are a bath kinda gal or  guy......keep reading❤❤.  If you just like to pamper yourself like a spa but in the privacy of your own home at a fraction of the cost? 

Again keep reading😍😍! 
We had the privilege to try bath bombs ,a sugar rub and a whipped body lotion! My skin felt amazing and I smelled delicious lol.

I have all the kids so they used the bath bombs and really liked them a lot, when they were gone the kids asked when we were going to get more!

The whipped lotion goes a long ways too and my skin was soooooo soft BUT
My favorite is the sugar scrub.....i used it from head to toe started with my face which helped with blemishes and used it on my legs which exfoliate and even helps if you have a pesky ingrown hair all the way to your feet if you have a rough patch and the sunset colors and tropical scent make you forget you are in your own home scrubbing your feet you used to chase after your 5 kids all day...very relaxing!!!

  Mommy in PA:  Ok so even without looking at who sent the package I could tell what it was....that whoosh of scent when you open the box is just heavenly.  She always packages things so pretty with the tissue paper and you can tell she truly cares about making her customers feel pampered : )  

  My favorite product to try this time was the Shea Butter Body Frosting...this stuff is AMAZING!!!!  I don't know if my skin has ever felt that soft before, my husband even mentioned how smooth my legs were...couldn't keep his hands to himself lol : )  

  My favorite scent this time was the CocoVan.  It smells delicious lol, makes me think of a decadent dessert.  I got that in the Shea Butter Body Sorbet and it smells yummy : )  

  I also received a thing of the Aloe Vera Body Whip which is nice for my dry hands and feet and she sent along a good variety of bath bombs which I never get to try because my son LOVES them.  It is hilarious how much he likes these, claims them all as soon as they get here.  But I am ok with it because after he uses them in the bath then we get to enjoy how the house smells the rest of the evening.  We loved every scent : )  And the cupcake one with the elephant on it is adorable...not sure my son will use that one...he thinks he might be able to save the elephant lol : )

  So needless to say my household is HUGE Kristine's Shower Fans!!!!

Maple Holistics

disclaimer:  We received the following product for free in exchange for our honest opinions.  All opinions remain our own.

Maple Holistics

  Are you currently looking for all natural products that are made in the USA?  Maybe you are just looking to try out a new brand of shampoo, conditioner, etc.  Then head over to Maple Holistics and request a free sample.  

  We were lucky enough to each receive a free full size Dry Hair Treatment Concentrated Shampoo.

  Mommy in PA:  I love how these products are made from natural ingredients.   The Dry Hair Treatment Shampoo we received contains Organic Sesame, Avocado, Sunflower, and Peach Kernel to repair dry, damaged, split and broken hair.  Perfect for winter : )

  Now it did leave my hair feeling nice when it was dry but when I first rinsed it out it was making my hair feel like straw : (  My solution was to not leave it in the full two to three minutes that they recommend.  

  The scent is very nice and works for everyone in the household unlike some other brands.   

Cave Tools Wing Rack

disclaimer:  I received the product below for free in exchange for my honest opinions.  All opinions remain my own.

Cave Tools Wing Rack

  Are you looking for a better way to cook your wings/drumsticks?  How about one tool that would allow you to cook your wings/drumsticks and veggies all at one time?  Then you need to check out Cave Tool's Barbecue Wing Rack & Drip Pan.

  Made out of stainless steel this Wing Rack can go many places...grill, smoker, or oven and then when you are done just pop it in the dishwasher.  It can hold up to twelve wings/drumsticks and the bottom drip pan can be used to catch drippings to make gravy or even add veggies to do an entire meal in one dish.  

  The rack also has a locking mechanism to keep it from collapsing during use.  And don't forget that lifetime satisfaction guarantee and as with all Cave Tool products you get free downloadable recipes.

  Mommy in PA:  This was not nearly as entertaining as the Beer Can Chicken that I wrote about last time but sure made cooking drumsticks a breeze  : )

  I got the larger size drumsticks that they recommend to do, if you use smaller ones there is a chance they can fall out of the rack during cooking.  I filled the whole rack and proceeded with cooking them.  When I was down to about the last ten minutes I coated my drumsticks with barbecue sauce.  

  As you will notice I do not have a final picture this time, I unfortunately was too busy cussing and cleaning up the mess that was all over the inside of my oven, my broiler door, my floor....ugh, I tipped it : (    Now keep in mind I had removed it from my oven multiple times before to check the chicken temperature and had no issues.  The product itself is made well and should not have tipped.  I think it was a combination of my luck running out and possibly I had quite a bit more weight on the one side.  

  All in all, the chicken we did get to eat turned out really good and I will be using this again real soon : )

  To get your very own Wing Rack you can head over to the Cave Tools Website or Amazon to get yours.  Use code WING15 to get 15% off your purchase : )

Cave Tools Beer Can Chicken

disclaimer:  I received the product below for free in exchange for my honest opinions.  All opinions remain my own.

Cave Tools Beer Can Chicken

  So whether you've already tried it or not, I am pretty sure you have at the very least heard of beer can chicken.  This typically involves an actual beer can and trying to keep the chicken from toppling over when you are cooking it with a open can of beer in places that no beer can wants to go.

  Well, Cave Tools has created a much easier and less messy way of doing this...introducing Cave Tools Beer Can Chicken...

  In just a few easy steps you will be cooking beer can chicken like a pro. First put your liquid of choice (I used lemon-lime soda for mine) into the "can".  Next you just insert the can into the holder and rotate a quarter of a turn to lock it into place.  Place the can holder onto the tray and get your bird ready for it's moment of shame.  Lift your bird by its wings and carefully lower it onto the can.  Last but not least don't forget to use your veggie holders to make some corn or potatoes along with your beer can chicken.  And finally cook....you can use your grill or even your oven like I did.  For the oven I just set a rack on the lowest position and preheated oven to 350 degrees.  It ended up taking about an hour and 45 minutes but I did a pretty big chicken.

Oh and be sure to send a picture to your friends/family cause once they see how hilarious this looks they will want one too 

: )

 

  The Chicken was extremely juicy...not only did I get a lot of juices in the drip tray to use for gravy but when I removed the chicken and laid it out on my platter there was more.  I can't wait to try some of the recipes they have for this.  Clean up was also a breeze, I just ran mine through the dishwasher.  

  Great product at a great price and now no more trying to balance a chicken on an actual can : )

To purchase your own Cave Tools Beer Can Chicken you can go here or head over to Cave Tools Website and use code BEERCAN15 to save 15% off your purchase : )

Derma E Scar Gel

disclaimer:  I am a Derma E Ambassador and received the following product for free in exchange for my honest opinion.  All opinions remain my own.

  Derma E Scar Gel

   Derma E has skin care products for all kinds of skin issues...including scars.  

  The Derma E Scar Gel is made of a blend of botanical extracts that help soften, smooth, and diminish the appearance of scars.  It also helps with other skin hardening issues.  

  Mommy in PA:  So I was excited about the concept with the Scar Gel but the forgetful person in me is having a bit of a time remembering to apply it everyday....ok so everyday not an issue...twice a day...big issue.  I must admit that I am not great at my overall body skin care routine.  My facial skin care routine isn't shabby but I have never been good with the rest of my body.  

  I started out thinking I was gonna use the Scar Gel on my stretch marks.  Then I read that it could take three to six months to notice results and that I would have to apply it twice a day and I realized I didn't have that much product lol.  

  The reason it would take so long for the stretch marks is that they are older scars (almost thirteen years).  So I settled on using it on a smaller, newer scar on my arm.  Well the scar has gotten lighter but I am not sure if it was due to the Scar Gel or if it was due to my tan fading : (  And also this Scar Gel works best for lumpy, bumpy, and discolored scars and my arm one was only discolored)

  I wish I had more info to give you all about this product but I just don't.  I may just have to update this post more at a later date : )

Derma E Psorzema Cream

disclaimer:  I am a Derma E Ambassador and received the following product for free in exchange for my honest opinion.  All opinions remain my own.

  Derma E Psorzema Cream

  Whether we like it or not, winter is not far away.  And when winter comes I know one thing for sure...dry skin will follow 

: (  We use forced air heat in our house so my skin, especially my feet, get very dry.

  This winter I will have a secret weapon though.  Derma E Psorzema Cream is a deeply moisturizing cream that helps relieve scaly, flaky and itchy dry skin.  It was created for people with psoriasis and eczema to help calm and sooth hot, irritated skin.

  The cream is made with a combination of herbal extracts and skin vitamins to help reduce redness and promote healthy skin.  

  Mommy in PA:  I am always excited to get products from Derma E and this one was no exception.  I am currently not experiencing very dry skin as summer seems to be the best season for me as far as skin goes, but I gladly applied it anyway.  

  I actually did a test where I applied it to only one leg so I could see if there was a recognizable difference...and there was.  Even without having dry skin I could tell right away that the product was working.  I noticed a bit of a cooling feeling upon application which feels great (I can only imagine how wonderful this would feel to those with irritated skin).  I also like how it absorbs super fast...one of my biggest pet peeves is lotions that are too heavy and take forever to absorb.  

  The next day it was still easy to tell which one I had applied the cream to.  A lot smoother than the other leg : )  

  Now the smell of this product isn't the greatest but when a product is purchased for relief of dry skin you don't want added scents so this is perfect : )

  Another great product from Derma E.  

"I'll Push You"

disclaimer:  I received the following book from Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. in exchange for my honest opinions.  All opinions remain my own.

"I'll Push You"

by Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck

  "I'll Push You" is the true life tale of two best friends who decide to go on a challenging adventure.  They decide to take on the 500 mile trek from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostella in Spain, also known as the El Camino de Santiago.  

  This six week journey is tough enough for many folks let alone the fact that Justin is in a wheel chair and that Patrick will be pushing him over the rough terrain.  Along with their camera crew to document their journey and Ted who has agreed to help them for awhile, they head out for a wonderful adventure.

  Mommy in PA:  I just want to say that this is one of those books that I was dragging my feet with, not that I didn't like it, but because I didn't want it to end.  

  You really get to understanding these guys and what they've been through in their personal lives and the challenges that they and their families face everyday.  They make you see that everyone has their battles, whether physical like Justin's or more inner turmoil like Patrick's and how allowing yourself to be open to others and receive help from others can finally make you realize what really matters or what your next step should be.

  I love how this book would take you from a really sad moment in one chapter and do a total flip and have you laughing to the point of tears in the next (the story about the bat had both my husband and I laughing so hard...the book is totally worth reading for this part alone).  The emotions are so real.

  I can't wait to watch the documentary that was filmed during the trip.  It will be the perfect companion to the book.   

  I think it is just wonderful how all the others stopped to give a hand or just talk for a bit, it reminds you that we really are all just humans trying to make it day by day and sometimes we all need a little help and sometimes helping others helps us : )

Aurorae

disclaimer:  We received the products below for free in exchange for our honest opinions.  All opinions remain our own. 

Aurorae

  Have you decided to up your fitness game?  Well if so and you are adding in some yoga or perhaps you are already a yoga enthusiast looking for some new accessories then Aurorae is the place for you.

With their huge assortment of eco-friendly yoga products you are sure to find what you are looking for. 

  Thanks to the folks over at Aurorae we were able to try out a couple of their products and here is what we thought: 

  Mommy in GA: Ok so I know by this point I am supposed to be on here sharing how advanced my yoga moves have gotten since the last review of a yoga mat.......... it just didn't happen that way😭

I am still using my very beginner yoga in a very sporatic way on this new AWESOME mat though!!!
I am in LOVE with the dark maroon color and the light airy texture of it.

The mat comes with instructions on the proper way to care for your product AND the aurorae slip free rosin bag....helps keep your feet in place better whether you are sweaty OR sometimes helps hold you up if you stumble a tad ( a friend told me cause, I am totally graceful😂)

I also received the yoga sandals but unfortunately they were a little small for me but my girls' have been loving them and say they are super comfy (and i think they are super cute too!!!)

  Mommy in PA:  I received the Aurorae Aqua Aromatherapy Spritz in Hawaiian Island Afternoon and the Aurorae Aqua Swim and Sport Microfiber Towel. 

 
The spray is awesome...smells like a pina colada : )  I like to spray it on myself after my workouts and on just random things throughout my house, it really energizes me.  I use it on my bed and on my couch the most. 

  The towel is also amazing...super light-weight but very absorbent.  No need to rub this towel around, just wrap it around you and wait a minute or two.  Also love the enormous size.  It would make a great towel for at the beach or pool, not only does it dry you super quick but it also makes you feel instantly warmer : ) 

Nature's Bakery Fig Bars

disclaimer:  We received the products below for free in exchange for our honest opinions.  All opinions remain our own.

  Nature's Bakery Fig Bars

  Well it's that time of year again...either your kids are already back in school or will be shortly.  Well we all know how hectic mornings can be whether you have one kid or many kids (like mommy in GA...lol).  Well we all want our kids to start their day with a healthy breakfast but who has the time to prepare full blown meals every morning?!?!  We've all been known to hand our kids something they can just scarf down real quick, as often times we do ourselves, well what if that convenient food was also a healthy food?  Well it can be if it is Nature's Bakery Fig Bars : )

  Nature's Bakery Fig Bars are using wholesome ingredients like stone-ground whole wheat and contain no gmo's, no dairy, no soy, and no high fructose corn syrup.  They come in a nice variety of flavors too including raspberry, blueberry, lemon, peach apricot, apple cinnamon, strawberry, original fig, and mango.

  Mommy in GA: We LOVE to do food reviews in our house ( for totally different reasons😂)
The kids because apparently i NEVER buy anything good lol but, always get good stuff to review.
Me because we are able try the products to know what we will be buying and because my kids like to eat every crumb of the "bad" food i keep in my house on the regular😂

At first my kids'  said.... "ewwww fig bars😔😢, I hate those."

The big favorite in my house was the blueberry or apple cinnamon these were both delicious!! 

The pomagranite and mango were a close second and the fig taste was not super strong.

I really liked the fig flavored one also lol

The only one we were unsure of was the lemon it was ok but I think we still have a few of those in the cabinet though.

  Mommy in PA:   We actually tried some of these flavors a few years back but were super happy to try them again : )  My son actually asks for these when we go to Sheetz, I was super surprised when I first saw them there.  Healthy and readily available, can't beat that!

  My absolute favorite is the blueberry (they taste very similar to my mom's blackberry strudel, a healthy food that tastes like a decadent dessert...yes please).  A close second would be the raspberry for the same reason.  I also loved the lemon, totally didn't expect to but I did.  I guess I was expecting the lemon to be really strong but it wasn't : )

  The fig was really tasty too, if you like fig flavor you will love these, it doesn't have that over the top sweetness.  The apple cinnamon was also good (not my favorite anymore though), strawberry would have ranked higher if the flavor was a bit stronger but that would have required sugar i imagine.  The peach apricot was better than I expected, I am very picky when it comes to peach flavoring and I typically love it or I hate it, these were kind of in the middle (may have been the apricot).  My least favorite was the mango, probably because I don't eat much that is mango flavored but they weren't terrible : )

My son is a huge blueberry fan so those were his new favorite, and also the kind he gets at the store all the time.  My husband tried one once, think it was strawberry and didn't like it cause he said it was too bland and I haven't been able to get him to try them since, oh well...more for me : )

  All in all these were all pretty tasty and I know why my son asks for them when he sees them at the store : )