Culturelle Kids Regularity Gentle-Go Formula

I was sent a free sample of Culturelle Kids Regularity Gentle-Go Formula from Smiley360. This is an easy-to-use probiotic that has worked great with my kids. It is simple to add to their yogurt, applesauce, or juice. They don't seem to notice a difference in flavor, but I notice a difference in their regularity. It has been awesome to use while potty training my 3 year olds. Check it out!

EQtainment QWunder Party

What a fun set of products! I was able to host a QWunder Party thanks to Tryazon and EQtainment. These are designed to help kids develop good social skills and behaviors in preparation for school and, well, life in general. We got to meet Q, an adorable little monkey that helps kids to calm down and focus. The stuffed animal is weighted, and when it sits on the kid's tummy it helps them calm down, breathe, and refocus. We also played the Q's Race to the Top game. This was simple enough for our 3-year-olds, but fun enough for all the adults to enjoy as well. The Q, You, and Do cards each have different questions or activities designed to develop good emotional intelligence. The Q cards present a situation about Q and ask a question about how he should react in the situation ("Q didn't like a gift his friend gave him. What could he say to his friend?"). The You cards ask a question to help the kids think and process the world around them ("What rules are good rules and what rules do you think should be changed? How could we change them?"). The Do cards have to do a fun/silly activity to get you moving and interacting with one another ("Grab a friend and do a wheelbarrow walk across the room and back."). We loved interacting and learning and playing together at our party! We also There is also a fun QWunder show and app that coordinate with the other products. It was fun for the kids to watch the show and see their monkey "alive." We had a great time learning about each other and interacting at our QWunder party. 

Oodles of Fun Cupcake Party with Sweet Creations and Tryazon

I had the chance to throw a fun Oodles of Fun Cupcake Party thanks to a free party pack from Tryazon and Sweet Creations by Good Cook. Included in the fun party pack was OodleTip Stars, a cupcake/cake pop stand, cupcake corers, cupcake dividers, cupcake scoops, cupcake liners, and cupcake boxes. We were definitely able to highlight the awesomeness of cupcakes and of the Sweet Creations products at our party!

We started off the party by making cupcakes. The flavor of choice was a festive fall caramel apple cupcake. The kids loved putting the cupcake liners into the cupcake pans - it was the perfect activity for them to do while the adults chatted and mixed the batter. We all loved trying out the cupcake scoop. It was nice to not get batter dripping all over our hands and the pans. The scoops held the batter well and were easy to use. We felt they provided an efficient, clean way to get a uniform amount of batter in each liner. As the cupcakes baked and cooled, we made frosting and discussed how we would fill the cupcakes. We tried a few different varieties. We had caramel apple frosting and buttercream frosting. For some of the cupcakes, we cored them and filled them with caramel then topped with buttercream. For others, we didn't core them, but mixed both frostings together on top for an aesthetically pleasing, fun, delicious cupcake. The OodleTip was so easy to use! We were able to cut the tip to form the type of star we wanted. We filled it with the desired frosting, and had fun topping the cupcakes. My favorite part? Clean-up was a breeze, because the OodleTip bags are disposable! Just use and toss. When we were done frosting, we drizzled caramel on the top of the cupcakes and displayed them on our cupcake stand. They looked great! I loved being able to enjoy the cupcakes with my friends, and having the boxes to send some home in, too. All in all, it was an awesome party with fun friends and great products. Thanks Tryazon and Sweet Creations!

Poland Spring Sparkling Water

I was able to try Poland Spring Sparkling Water from Smiley360. I like the taste of the Raspberry Lime flavor. It is sweet and citrus-y without being too overpowering. I definitely recommend drinking it chilled and/or over ice - it is super refreshing that way. I love that it's a healthier alternative to sugary soft drinks. I received a free sample of this product in exchange for my honest review.

Maya Rudolph tells it like it is!

Check out this hilarious video of Maya Rudolph telling it like it is! Seventh Generation's #ComeClean campaign is a push for companies to list what's in the products we buy, including our feminine hygiene products! You should have a right to know what's in the products you're using for your personal areas.

Guidecraft Grippies Better Builders Party

These are such a fun, simple toy that my kids love. We were sent two packages to host a Tryazon party featuring Guidecraft Grippies. The young kids (aged 15 months through 8 years) loved using their creativity to build fun structures. The adults got in on the building action, too. We all loved seeing how tall we could build a tower, or how structurally sound we could make something. I love that these are the perfect size for my 17 month old son to use. The pieces are large enough that choking isn't a concern. The magnets are strong enough to keep the pieces together, but not so strong that it's difficult for my kids to pull the pieces apart. The colors are bright and fun. The designs and rubbery material create a great tactile experience for young children. I definitely recommend Guidecraft Grippies as a unique toy to promote STEM Ed for very young children.

T-Fal Stop, Drop, & Chop Tryazon Party

We recently hosted a fun dinner thanks to Tryazon and T-Fal USA. We were able to try out several products from T-Fal (knife, peeler, strainer, bowl, and chopper), but we highlighted the T-Fal Ingenio Rapid Food Chopper! This is such a handy little chopper. I love how simple it is to put together, use, and clean! Just three main pieces: the bowl, the blades, and the lid. It is small, so you do have to do a little prep of the food you're planning to chop. It also doesn't produce uniform-sized pieces. However, I think it's perfect for a fresh salsa, or salad ingredients. My kids love the 'apple salad' I make with it - just chopping up an apple, and then eating the pieces out of the bowl with a spoon. It's easy to chop with little effort. Even my 3-year-olds (with much supervision) like to get in on the fun! I like that I can remove the blades from the bowl and then work with the ingredients in the bowl directly. I definitely recommend this convenient kitchen tool.

At the party, we enjoyed a yummy meal and great company. The guests were happy, and they enjoyed the food preparation and trying out the different T-Fal products. They were all super thrilled to take home a peeler as well!

Seventh Generation Free & Clear Baby Wipes

I was recently able to receive a free sample of Seventh Generation Free & Clear Baby Wipes courtesy of Generation Good. I liked my experience with the wipes. They seemed strong and durable, meaning I didn't have to go through a ton or rip any during diaper changes. They were moist enough to do the job (I hate dried out wipes). And I felt good about using them on my kids' bums because I know they are made with safe ingredients. I recommend these wipes to any moms looking for a good baby wipe.

My Generation Good Healthy Baby Home Party

I was thrilled to have the chance to host a Healthy Baby Home Party sponsored by Seventh Generation's Generation Good, Bobble, American Meadows, Plum Organics, and Zarbee's Naturals.

At the party, we loved learning about the safe, natural ingredients used in the Seventh Generation products. My guests loved their samples of wipes, dish detergent, laundry detergent, kids meals, wildflower seeds, cough syrup, and coupons. We loved checking out the Seventh Generaion diapers as well. It was really eye-opening to play the Healthy Home Bingo game and see how much we knew (and didn't know!) about keeping our kids and our homes safe.

Seventh Generation is on a mission to help more homes and families be safe and sustainable for future generations. Join them in asking other product companies to #ComeClean about the ingredients in their products! Check out Seventh Generation today!

I received these products free from Generation Good, but all opinions are my own.

#SmoresAnytime with the Sterno S'Mores Maker and #Tryazon

I had such a fun time throwing a S'Mores Anytime, Anywhere Party featuring the Sterno S'Mores Maker. The S'Mores Maker claims to promote family fun, and it sure did at our house! We were able to get together with friends and cousins to enjoy our s'mores and we had a great time. I loved how simple it was to set up. My guests loved that it could be used indoors or outside. We all have young children, making camping or campfires unsafe/uncomfortable. However, with the S'Mores Maker, it takes a super fun part of camping and makes it accessible for our young families. 

My guests loved that the S'Mores Maker comes with spaces for the s'mores ingredients and that it comes with roasting sticks. Our kids loved to help assemble their own s'mores, and they especially loved eating them. The older guests loved to experiment with non-traditional s'mores ingredients. We loved trying out different fun size candy bars in place of the chocolate. My personal favorite was the "S'mOreo" invention: an Oreo, pulled apart with peanut butter smeared in with the creme filling, then put back together with a roasty-toasty marshmallow between the two halves. Yum!

As parents, we loved the ease of the S'Mores Maker. It is super easy to set up and use. The Sterno heat can lasts just long enough, and is a safe form of s'more heat. I was easy to clean, as well. The tray is made of a durable plastic, and the safety screen, roasting sticks, and suspension tray are all easy-to-clean metal. I would recommend this product to family and friends for a fun, unique item. 

I received this product free to showcase from Tryazon, but all opinions are my own.

Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover Pads

I received a sample of Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover Pads free to try from Influenster in exchange for my honest review. Whenever I'm removing nail polish, I'm lucky if I can find a cotton ball/swab to help, and then I usually have to go through two or three. I often have to resort to wetting a tissue with the polish and getting little white tissue flakes everywhere. I love these polish remover pads because they are super convenient to use! No trying to dump (and spill!) polish remover from a bottle. No looking for something to apply the polish remover. A lot less mess! Plus, these pads work for removing polish from all my toes with just one pad. I highly recommend these!

Personalogy Game

I had the fun experience of hosting a Personalogy Game night thanks to Tryazon. What a fun game! At our party, we talked about Tryazon and the cool experience it is to share products with friends. We enjoyed snacks and chocolate. And, of course, we played some games, highlighting the Personalogy game! My friends and family loved the fun and interesting questions posed by the Personalogy cards. I felt it was a good way for us to get to know one another better, and find out hilarious and fascinating facts about each other. From serious to silly, the questions really got us talking. My favorite way to play was to not keep score but rather focus on the person whose turn it was. My competitive family liked the score-keeping, however, as they vied for the most points. I highly recommend this game as a fun competitive game for good friends, or an ice-breaker at house parties, or a getting-to-know-you question set for new friends.

#BloomVoxBox from Influenster

I received the #BloomVoxBox free from Influenster! This box was packed with fun little goodies.

This VoxBox included the following items:

• Sunbelt Bakery Bar in chocolate chip - I enjoy Sunbelt Bakery Bars. They are soft and chewy. The flavors are always great! The chocolate chip flavor, in particular, is sweet and has the perfect amount of chocolate. It satisfies my sweet tooth without overwhelming it. I have tried other varieties of Sunbelt Bakery Bars in the past, as well, and I have always been pleased with the quality and taste. My favorite is the fudge-dipped coconut bar! If you have a chance to try or buy Sunbelt Bakery Bars, I highly recommend it.
• Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil - This was a new product for me. I had used oil products in my hair before, but never a dry oil like this. I enjoyed treating my hair - I applied it to my hair then wrapped it in a warm towel. It took a little longer than any other oil product I've used in my hair, but I liked that I could get other things done during the treatment. My favorite use is just on my skin. I like to use it on my legs in particular, especially as summer is coming. My leg skin tends to be dull and dry. The oil helps my skin to be more vibrant and healthy-looking.
• Not Your Mother's Plump for Joy Thickening Hair Lifter - A fun easy product to add to your hairstyling routine. I love using this to plump my hair and give my volume. I get tired of the daily mom ponytail or messy bun. This thickening hair lifter allows me to quickly give my hair some texture and volume, and give me a confidence boost while at it!
• Sinful Colors Nail Polish in Teal Midnight - I love the dark color of this polish! It has a great sparkle to it as well. My daughter loves the glitter, and my son loves that it's blue. :) The polish goes on easily. I covered it with a clear topcoat to help prevent chipping. With the topcoat, it hasn't chipped much. The color stays on well and is vibrant. I recommend this as an affordable, fun nail polish.
• Secret Outlast Xtend - A great little stick of deoderant to use when I'm working out. I've begun my training for a half-marathon, and I'm participating in a lazyman ironman, so I've been moving a lot more lately than I have in the past. The Secret Outlast Xtend helps to minimize the sweat and the stink, so I can come home feeling a little fresher than I would otherwise.
• Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover Pads - Whenever I'm removing nail polish, I'm lucky if I can find a cotton ball/swab to help, and then I usually have to go through two or three. I often have to resort to wetting a tissue with the polish and getting little white tissue flakes everywhere. I love these polish remover pads because they are super convenient to use! No trying to dump (and spill!) polish remover from a bottle. No looking for something to apply the polish remover. A lot less mess! Plus, these pads work for removing polish from all my toes with just one pad. I highly recommend these!

I received all of these products free in exchange for my honest review.

Sunbelt Bakery Bar - Chocolate Chip

I received a chocolate chip Sunbelt Bakery Bar in my #BloomVoxBox from Influenster. I enjoy Sunbelt Bakery Bars. They are soft and chewy. The flavors are always great! The chocolate chip flavor, in particular, is sweet and has the perfect amount of chocolate. It satisfies my sweet tooth without overwhelming it. I have tried other varieties of Sunbelt Bakery Bars in the past, as well, and I have always been pleased with the quality and taste. My favorite is the fudge-dipped coconut bar! If you have a chance to try or buy Sunbelt Bakery Bars, I highly recommend it.

I received a product free in exchange for an honest review, but all opinions are 100% my own.

Apply to host a Healthy Baby Home Party from Seventh Generation

You guys! Seventh Generation's Generation Good is running another promo to host a Healthy Baby Home Party! These parties are so fun. I hosted one the last round and had a blast. I got together with family and friends and shared some awesome products with them: Seventh Generation diapers, wipes, dish soap, and laundry soap; Zarbee's naturals; American Meadows; Bobble; and more! It was great to talk about how we can have healthy homes for ourselves and our growing children. Read more below, then check it out!

What is a Healthy Baby Home Party? 

Seventh Generation's home parties are powered by people like you who are focused on creating a healthy environment for the next generation. Developed with input from non-profit partner, Healthy Child Healthy World, they are a great way to get together with friends, share helpful information, and make an impact!

Healthy Baby Home Party kits are provided to all selected hosts and are filled with educational info about our environment, helpful tips, a fun game, and samples and coupons from Seventh Generation and other favorite family-friendly brands like bobble, American Meadows and Zarbee's Naturals.

What is the Application Process?

• Sign up atgenerationgood.net to join the Generation Good community, or log in if already a member.
• Accept the Healthy Baby Home Party Application offer on your Generation Good dashboard and complete the application.
• Applicants will be notified by mid-June if they have been selected to host a party, via an email to the email address assigned to their Generation Good member profile.
• All selected applicants will then need to confirm their participation by accepting the Healthy Baby Home Party Mission in Generation Good and confirming their shipping address.
• Hosting spots are open to US residents only at this time. Canadian parties are planned for later in 2016!
• Full terms and conditions are available within Generation Good in the "Healthy Baby Home Party Application" offer.

Guidecraft IO Blocks!

We had an awesome party opportunity from Tryazon: Guidecraft IO Blocks! These fun and colorful little blocks inspire creativity. My kids and their friends love to sit and build anything they can imagine. I loved sharing the blocks with my friends, as well. They were excited to build on their own, as well as to introduce the blocks to their kids. At the party, we talked about Guidecraft and Tryazon. We all got to try our hand at building different figures with the IO Blocks and their creativity cards. There is a really useful app (IO Blocks App) that goes with the blocks that helps show you how you can build different structures with the blocks. Way fun! At our party, we also had an IO Blocks building contest for tallest, most creative, and most lifelike builds. If you love to build (or have children who love to build) I highly recommend IO Blocks!

SOI Purse Light and Whoosh Screen Cleaner Party

We were able to try out the SOI Purse Light and Whoosh Duo + screen cleaner from Tryazon! I loved the purse light - it is such a nice, compact design that lets me see what's in my bag. I love using the purse light not only in my purse, but also in my diaper bag. My mom friends also loved to see how the purse light could work in their various bags. We loved trying it out, and we were excited about the possibilities of where we could use the handy little light.

We also got to try out Whoosh Duo + screen cleaner. I love that this cleaner is so easy to use - just spray it on the cloth and wipe the screen (polish after if desired). And it is safe for any device! My mom friends also loved to learn how we can easily keep our screens clean because our kids use them so often. What a fun party! Thanks Tryazon!

Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Spinbrush and Toothpaste

I was able to sample the Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Spinbrush and Toothpaste from Crowdtap. All opinions are 100% my own.

I loved the flavor of the toothpaste. It was a fresh minty flavor that helped my mouth to feel clean. I felt confident after brushing my teeth with it - I had fresh breath every morning and felt ready to face the day! I love that the toothpaste contains baking soda as a great way to clean my teeth.

I also loved the Spinbrush. It seemed so much more effective than my normal manual toothbrush. I felt like I had just gone to the dentist with my pearly whites! I enjoy brushing my teeth more now with the spinbrush. It's an exciting addition to my daily dental hygiene routine.

Emergen-C Chewables

I was able to sample Emergen-C Chewables from Smiley360 in exchange for my honest review. My family loved the Immune + Chewables we got. The orange flavor was tangy and delicious. We felt good about taking the chewables as an immune system support. We also loved their portability - it was so nice to be able to take them with us and have them on the go without the need for water. Thanks Emergen-C and Smiley360!

Apply to host a GenerationGood Healthy Baby Home Party!

Check out GenerationGood for a chance to host a Healthy Baby Home Party!

What is a Healthy Baby Home Party? 

Seventh Generation's home parties are powered by people like you who are focused on creating a healthy environment for the next generation. Developed with input from non-profit partner, Healthy Child Healthy World, they are a great way to get together with friends, share helpful information, and make an impact!

Healthy Baby Home Party kits are provided to all selected hosts and are filled with educational info about our environment, helpful tips, a fun game, and samples and coupons from Seventh Generation and other favorite family-friendly brands like bobble, Plum Organics and Zarbee's Naturals.

What is the Application Process?

• Sign up at generationgood.net to join the Generation Good community, or log in if already a member.
• Accept the Healthy Baby Home Party Application offer on your Generation Good dashboard and complete the application.
• Applicants will be notified by end of March if they have been selected to host a party, via an email to the email address assigned to their Generation Good member profile.
• All selected applicants will then need to confirm their participation by accepting the Healthy Baby Home Party Mission in Generation Good and confirming their shipping address.
• 1,900 FREE Party Kits will be distributed in this round.
• Hosting spots are open to US residents only at this time. Canadian parties are planned for later in 2016!
• Full terms and conditions are available within Generation Good in the "Healthy Baby Home Party Application" offer.

Ore-Ida Totchos

As a member of Influenster, I was able to sample a complimentary package of Ore-Ida Tater Tots for testing and review purposes. I love potatoes and potato-based snacks, so I was super excited for this opportunity! The tots were excellent! They were easy to throw in the oven, and they cooked well. My kids loved their bite-sized-ness - trust me, getting two two-year-olds to sit and eat anything, let alone be excited about it, is a task in and of itself!

To jazz up the Tots for mom and dad, we made some Ore-Ida Totchos! Ours were simple, based on the typical tortilla chip nachos we eat all too often, but you can find even more awesome recipes to try here.

To make our Totchos, we used the following:
-A bag of Ore-Ida Tater Tots
-about 8 oz. of shredded cheddar (more to taste)
-sour cream (probably about 4 oz?)
-salsa

We cooked the Tater Tots in the oven as directed on the package. When they came out of the oven, we transferred them to our plates, and quickly sprinkled the shredded cheddar on them. (If they don't get melty enough, you could always toss them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.) Then we placed a few dollops of sour cream and some sprinkles of salsa over the cheese.

We love nachos, and this potato twist to our normal recipe was awesome! I recommend Ore-Ida Tater Tots for young and old alike, and I highly recommend you try out some Totchos for yourself!

Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream

As a member of Influenster, I was sent a complimentary sample of Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream for testing purposes. I was excited to receive this sample, as it was a product my daughter's pediatrician had recommended for her dry winter skin. I am happy to report that it works well! It keeps all of us well moisturized without leaving a greasy-feeling residue on our skin. I love that the sample size is small enough to throw in the diaper bag, purse, or my work bag so I can use it on the go. I definitely recommend Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream for your dry skin needs.

Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean & Fresh Toothpaste

I was sent a sample of Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean & Fresh toothpaste free to try from Smiley360. The toothpaste truly does have a clean, fresh flavor. I love the way it makes my whole mouth feel clean after I've brushed my teeth. The spearmint flavor is refreshing - I especially love using it in my normal morning routine so that I feel alive and ready for the day. Check it out today!