Cute Kid Goodies

A few weeks ago, I took Aiden to a Valentine's Day party for his preschool playgroup. We were suppose to brings some goodies to give out to put in everyone's goodie bags. I was falling short on what to bring aside from regular Valentine Cards. Then I had a cute idea! I decided to get some heart shaped lollipops and some glow in the dark sticks. I taped them all together and the kids loved it!

Why do kids love glow in the dark toys? Scratch that. Why does everyone like glow in the dark stuff? My hubby, son, and I all had fun with these glow in the dark bracelets! We decided make it a little more fun and cut off the ends of a few of the bracelets and splashed the wall with them. My son loved this! Painting the walls without actually having to paint over them? A fun activity with an easy clean up! The only thing you do need to worry about is the small broken glass inside the sticks, so I put shoes on my son and sweep it up right afterwards.  We started doing this activity around Christmas time. It made it a fun Christmas nightly activity that we haven't grown out of yet.

We got the Super Glow Stick Bracelets, which brings over 100 eight inch bracelets in 5 different colors. They come in blue, green, yellow, orange, and pink. It also brings the  100 connectors to make bracelets or necklaces. The bracelets last for 8 to 10 hours, but I did notice some don't last for more than 4. I do remember an old trick of putting them in the freezer for a few minutes before popping them to make them last longer.

I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Finish It! Gear ; Running Belt

I love things that have multiple uses. I also love making multiple uses for something that is branded for a specific activity. For example, the Finish It! Gear Running Belt! I love how simple it is, so I can use it for other things aside from running. This running belt is comfortable and versatile. It has an inner compartment to hold your phone, and you can pull your headphones through to listen to your music safely. It has holders on the outside to hold snacks or other items. My favorite part is the 3MM Wetsuit Grade Neoprene, which makes it water and sweat resistant. This is great for Florida weather and for working out!

Like I said, I love making versatile options for certain products. I realized that I can attach my gardening tools to the outside compartments and make the Running Belt into my Gardening Belt. I can also keep my seeds and labels inside the compartments to have them handy anytime I need them. I use this as a running belt now, and then I can also use it as my gardening belt when spring hits! Another way you can use it is as a fanny pack underneath your clothes while traveling or on vacation. This is why I love simple products. I can use it for more than one purpose and not have to buy three different products!

Check out the Finish It! Gear Running Belt on Amazon. Use code 3G5GVV5Z to save 25%!!

*Finish It! Gear's best fitting, no bounce running belt takes the stress away from training and working out by delivering a rock solid military-grade running, training belt that will carry all the gear you need to feel safe, secure and connected.

* Two spacious 7.5" x 4" inner pockets protect your phone from scratches so you can carry your car or house keys, extra gear, passport when traveling, even a small wallet. The tight secret pocket, perfectly sized for credit cards and cash, keeps them secure and in one place for easy access.

* 3MM wetsuit grade neoprene guards against water and sweat and the extra polyester inner lining provides an additional layer of protection. The belt stretches tight over your waist or hips and with the dual adjustable sliding adjustment bars, will not ride up or slip.

* The high grade 610D PP straps will not wear out and stretch over time like many lower quality belts with elastic straps to save on cost. Two reflective dots keep you safe and seen at night.

I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Red Brick Candle Loft No. 1

I have gotten quite a few candles over the past few months. All different shapes, sizes, and aromas! I am picky when it comes to aromas, as some tend to give me headaches and some just don't sit well with me once the candle is burned. I like warm and inviting scents like Coffee Bean, or Vanilla Maple. There's nothing like a great smelling home that makes your senses tingle! While some candles are small, or don't live up to the promise of their scent, this Red Brick Candle has all the right features.

This elegant candle brings the right type of attraction wherever you set it. It gives a warm amber glow, with a warm and inviting scent.  I have the Vanilla Maple scent, which is perfect for these cold winter nights. It makes my house smell like I just baked a plate of cookies! It came beautifully and carefully packaged, and it weighs over a pound with the glass the candle comes in. It also came with its own set of matches, which I loved because my lighter didn't have any fluid left! The candle slowly burns and last a really long time! Which is great for me because I go through candles like monkeys eat bananas. At first I was flabbergasted that the price of this candle of $28. After using it for a few weeks, I get what the fuss is about! This candle is greatly worth the money and I can't wait to try another scent.

Check out this Red Brick Candle on Amazon.

About Red Brick Candles

• IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS - From the moment you receive your candle, you will notice the attention to detail - from our packaging to the hand-poured wax. Our scented candles contain 10.9 ounces of premium grade soy based wax and provide 75-80 hours of clean, even burn time and rich luxurious scents. And of course, our wicks are all natural and lead free.
• GIVE LIGHT - Whether you are treating yourself or giving a gift to someone special, Red Brick Candles are the perfect gift for any occasion.
• LIGHT UP THE WORLD - Help make a difference by partnering with us in our Light Up The World campaign. Ten percent of all proceeds directly benefit urban revitalization and community development initiatives in the communities where our people live, work, play and burn candles.
• LOVE YOUR CANDLE - Enjoy your candles with the peace of mind of a 100% money back guarantee. Really. If you aren't satisfied, we'll ship you a new candle or refund your purchase. You don't even have to return the original purchase. But we are confident you will love them and want more.

Other scents available : Cinnamon Bark (No.2) , Lilac (No. 3)

I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

The Fruit Bowl

As a family, we eat a lot of fruits and veggies. It is rare that our fruit bowl is ever empty. We eat a lot of bananas and a lot of strawberries, and we usually buy many oranges to make orange juice. I remember coming home from school and grabbing an apple from the bowl in the kitchen nearly everyday. That is something that I want my son to be accustomed to. I feel like fruit and veggies should be more easily accessible than sugar and fatty snacks, such as chips and cookies. We usually just place fruit in a wooden bowl, but the bananas always end up getting bruised. Now we place our apples on the wooden bowl, while I place the bananas and other items in a metal fruit bowl.

Double Hammock Iron 2-Tier Fruit Bowl, Basket and Rack Display Stand, Chrome Finish : I love how this fruit basket doesn't take up a ton of space. I have been able to store more than double the amount of fruit than I was before. My bananas don't get dented anymore and slowly ripen due to the ventilation. The most I was able to stash in there was 6 different bunches of bananas at once. I thought the weight of the bananas might be a problem, but it is really stable. I like the chrome finish as it adds a modern look as well. It holds a ton of fruit for a great price, under $25!

Check out this fruit bowl on Amazon.

I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Veggie Roll Up Bites

We eat so much salad in this house, so sometimes I get tired of eating the same salad. I'm not the kind of person that likes to add nuts or fruit into my lettuce bowl. I like my salad with olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and salt. There's usually a little variation as to whether I add the mix to shredded lettuce (I HATE chopped up lettuce), tomatoes, or cucumbers. Sometimes I'm in the mood for all three! So I add them all to the bowl and have fun. But then again, that gets boring too. This time I decided to make some Veggie Roll Up Bites. I made some vegetarian of course, and for some I added cold cuts for the Hubby. I also decided to add my homemade sprouts to it since they look like they finished growing!

Veggie Roll Up Bites

Ingredients
1 cucumber
1/2 carrot
2 Tablespoons Sprouts
Publix Mayo
Small bunch of Spinach

Instructions

1. First steps is to clean all the veggies. Then use a Julienne Peeler to peel and slice the cucumber and the carrot. Cut up the spinach and set aside. Have the sprouts nearby as well.

2. After prepping, start making long, thin slices of cucumber. This will be use to roll up everything in. 

3. Take a long cucumber slice, and add a light layer of Mayo. This will help all the veggies stick to the cucumber. Add the julienned peeled carrots and cucumber horizontally and some vertically. Then add the lettuce 1/3 of the way into the cucumber. Add the spinach and sprouts after the lettuce, so about halfway into the cucumber. Take a look at the picture below for a guidance.

4. Carefully roll up the cucumber, while helping everything stay inside. Place it on a plate. Repeat with all the cucumber slices until all the prep food is gone.

Optional:
Add a drizzle of salad dressing on top of finished rolls.
Add thin deli slices for those who are not vegetarian.

Tips:
I found that holding the cucumber slice in my hand while applying all the other veggies was easier than doing it on the counter top.
Add some avocado slices instead of dressing!

Check Out the Nikkouware Julienne & Vegetable Peeler on Amazon.

I used the Nikkouware Julienne & Vegetable Peeler for this recipe. It is double sided, so one side makes Juliennne style cuts while it has a peeler for the other side. I used the peeler side for the cucumber rolls and the Julienne side for the carrot and cucumber inserts. It cost less than $10 and works better than the sparilizers that I own. It is a little heavy, but that makes it sturdy to use compared to the plastic peelers. There are a ton of different things you cane make with it. You can use it to cut up mango, apples, or pears or stick to veggies and make an elegant salad.

I received this product in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Wanting to Have Another Child When You Have Health Problems

Aiden has turned two, and I have always thought I would have another child before Aiden turned three. I have always wanted a huge family (think 7 kids). I have put off trying to conceive due to many reasons; ie. Finances, postpartum depression, a host of health issues. Some of these health issues make it difficult to conceive, or even remain pregnant. So many things come to mind because I want another child, but I'm never quite sure it is the right time. So when family members ask when I will have #2, I'm never quite sure what to say. Am I healthy enough? Will my health be better the next few months or worse? Is my health ever going to get better? These questions among others get stuck on repeat. Here are a few more thoughts in no specific order.

"Am I healthy enough to get pregnant again?"

"What if I'll never be healthy enough? What if this is the healthiest I will ever be?"

"Will my thyroid allow me to get pregnant, let alone remain pregnant?"

"I felt the healthiest during pregnancy - aside from the nausea and high blood pressure."

"Am I too high risk to even consider a Midwife instead of an OBGYN?"

"Will Aiden be jealous?"

"How will I keep up with two kids, when I can barely keep up with Aiden?"

"Aiden does have more energy than a regular child. Maybe the next kid won't be as hyper."

"Should I wait until my health gets better? What if I get diagnosed with another condition?"

"Can I really handle all those early doctors appointments again? With Aiden on top?"

"Goodbye sleep. I will miss you. Wait - I don't even have you now!"

"We will need another bed."

"Should I keep all the baby stuff I have now that we're moving again. Or should I get rid of them?"

"I have a doctors appointment next week that I'm worried about. What if they tell me bad news?"

"What if I can't breastfeed again? I really want to breastfeed."

"What if I get postpartum depression again? I definitely will be encapsulate my placenta."

"Do I really want to take a prenatal on top of the 6 other pills I take on a regular basis?"

"Am I being selfish for waiting to have another child?"

"Am I being selfish for not wanting to wait until I'm healthier?"

"Aiden could use a sibling. Or a dog. Let's get a dog."

"Is anyone ever ready for another kid?"

As you can see, my mind goes everywhere. This isn't even half of what goes through my head. When you have various health issues that have a mind of their own, it is difficult to plan for another child, let alone know if you have enough energy for tomorrow. Sometimes I wonder if I should chuck all the worries and just go for it, or if I'm really doing the right thing by waiting.  So my answer to family members that ask when we will have #2, I always say "soon." Because I just hope it's true.

 Have you ever had second thought about trying to have another child?

Epic Cordless Electric Stainless Steel Kettle

We make a lot of tea in our house. We drink more tea than we drink coffee! A little while ago I wrote about Infinite Joy tea and how much we loved it. I used to heat water up on the coffee maker or on the stove because I didn't have a kettle, and now I use the Epica Cordless Kettle. It used to take forever to make a cup of tea, so I was ecstatic when I got this Kettle.

We use this kettle for much more than just making tea. For example, when I clean my floors, I heat up the water in the kettle before adding it to the other ingredients.  Hubby seems to use the kettle more than I do recently. He fills the whole kettle with water to make a detox drink. Once the water boils, he mixes the water with cinnamon sticks, lemon slices, grapefruit slices, and detox teas. The kettle itself holds about 1.75 quarts of water and has a small filter behind the spout. My favorite part is that it is easy to use. You just flip the switch down and wait for it to boil. Once it's done, it turns off by itself. And you don't need to deal with the cord getting in the way, as the kettle itself detaches from the base. It also makes very little noise compared to my mother's electric Kettle. I think that it is a great kettle for under $30.

Epica Cordless Electric Stainless Steel Kettle

1500 Watts of Power for Rapid Boil

Faster than a stovetop kettle or the microwave, the Bellemain heats water in just 2 minutes!

Power On Light and Locking Lid for Safety
With many kettles, you can't tell if they're hot except by touching them (ouch!). When the Bellemain's power light is on, you'll know just by looking. The locking lid is another great safety feature: it prevents accidental spills while you're pouring.
Water Level Gauge
A clear plastic panel in the handle tells you when there's danger of overflowing or boiling dry.
Adjustable Length Cord Stores in the Base
For safe, convenient storage, the cord wraps inside the base. When you're ready to plug it in, pull out just the length you need.
1-Year Limited Warranty
The Bellemain is made of durable, brushed stainless steel for dependable quality and service. It is backed by a 1-year limited warranty.

Check out the Epica Cordless Electric Kettle on Amazon.

I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

AYL LED Ultrabright Lantern

I have another survival post today. This time is for your home. As you may know, I live in Florida, or home of Hurricanes. I have been without power many times to know what is essential to stock up on. Luckily, I've never been hit too bad from all the hurricanes that have come through, but there was this one time where we did not have power for about two weeks. I was only a pre-teen at the time, but I remember what we needed and what we didnt.

Some things are common sense, like water and canned goods. Other things don't come to mind so easily. For example, we had a gas stove; therefore, even thought we had no power, we were still able to cook.  If you're stove is electric, you might want to think of a back up. A charcoal or propane grill can work, just have charcoal and propane stocked up as well. Keeping warm is not much of an issue here, so we don't need to worry about that, but we have to find ways of keeping cool instead. We have kept water bottles fully frozen in the fridge that stay frozen for days even without any power. So when a hurricane is coming, we place a few water bottles in the feezer, and they stay there until the end of Hurricane season unless we need them. Toilet paper. Do I need to go further on that one?? Stock up! Another thing some people seem to forget is medicine. Make sure you have enough medicine to last you a while as you don't want to run out of your prescriptions. If any need any of them to be kept cool, use a cooler filled with ice or frozen water bottles. Candles seem to be high on the list, which is great for the bathroom instead of having your flashlight light bouncing off the mirror. But candles don't seem to be a favorite for me for the rest of the house. They're great in essence, but they can make the whole house hotter than it needs to be. That is why I like to have some LED lanterns on hand. The AYL Starlight Lantern has great qualities that make it a must have to have in my home.

What are the amazing features of the AYL Starlight lantern?

- It uses LED bulbs with an output of over 300 lumens, guaranteeing you crystal clarity and over 100,000 hours of use

- Has 3 lighting modes; these are low, high and flashing strobe. Depending on your needs, you can switch to any of the modes seamlessly by simply cycling the switch button

- It comes with a removable convex reflector cap that provides 360 lighting and that can also be removed to allow for more focused lighting

- Has a hook at the bottom that makes it easy to set it up virtually anywhere

- It also features a watertight body that is complemented with plastic molding and rubber for maximum water resistance

Check out the AYL Ultrabright Lantern on Amazon.

The plastic molding make it bump resistance, which is great for wear and tear. It is easy to switch on and to pick what setting of light you want. The top is removable in case I want more light. There is also a hook at the bottom that makes it easy to hook to things. This is a great addition if I am cooking outside on a BBQ.  The only draw back I have received from this lantern is the bottom cover for the batteries. I found it very difficult to put back on, but since the batteries last a long time I don't have to worry about it again for a while.

I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Catching Up With Hippie

I promise this is not a conceded post about me. This is a more of a "sneak peak of future posts" type of post. I have been super busy the past few weeks with Aiden's birthday party (which you will see pictures of soon!), being in the middle of moving, and being completely sick! I'm behind on everything! My living room is a mess, the sink is full of dishes, and I have barely started packing. This cold has taken over my life the past week. But I have started a few things as well.

I started some sprouts! I have heard of this, and even have eaten some at a raw restaurant a few times, but I have never grown them myself. I don't have a sprouter, or mason jar with a cheese cloth (as i have seen on Pinterest), so I have been making due with what I have. I am still not done but you can see how much they have grown in just 3 days!! Below you will see broccoli, mustard, and Beet sprouts sprouting!

I started some seedlings for my new garden for when we move to our new place. I'm finally getting a place where I can garden! I've been busy making a list of all the things I want and will probably never have for my garden, but I am excited to get started! So far the spinach, lettuce, and tomatoes have started sprouting!

Aiden's first birthday party. He's getting two this year! The first one was at Sky Zone with his playgroup mates. They had a wonderful time. The next party will be a Super Why birthday/house warming bbq! (Which I have yet to send out invitations to... oh boy me... I'm so behind.)

And now, I just notice it's Valentine's Day... did I mention I'm sick? Yesterday I made the wrong decision to eat a Taco Bell Cantina bowl, so on top of having this cold I got a horrible stomach bug. Taco Bell never again. Yesterday we also took Aiden to a Valentine's Day party at the park with his playgroup. They had so much fun!!

I also went to Trader Joe's for the first time! It's over half an hour away, but it was so worth it! I'm ready to make it into a monthly trip! I got so many goodies, and some were cheaper than they were at Publix!

What have you guys been up to?

Valentine's Day Babaroa

Chocolate Season is in full swing. As you walk into any store, you will see the Valentine's Day isles of teddy bears, roses, and chocolates. Let's face it,  chocolate is a part of the Valentine's Season. But there are those of us who aren't completely in love with chocolate, look for other options. I prefer something that is sweet but more fruity instead. During this season, I love to make a Spanish dessert called Babaroa that is perfect for Valentine's Day. This dessert is great for the entire family, even the kiddos!

Babaroa is a Chilean dish that has been made a regular in my family. It has a fluffy sweet texture with a pink bold color that catches your eye. It's a perfect dessert to make for your Valentine. Add a little whipped cream, sprinkles, or strawberries on top to make an elegant dessert. I make this dessert for everyone in the family, and make individual cups for everyone to enjoy. I make some romantic cupcakes for Hubby and I to enjoy, and I freeze some for my toddler to devour on hot Florida days. Babaroa is also great to eat during the summer! This recipe makes enough to last for a few days, so we use many different size containers so we don't waste any of this delicious treat. Now, you can make Babaroa with any flavor Jello but to get a pink color, you will need cherry or strawberry flavor.

Rawr Bars Review + Giveaway!!

Holiday's are over, and Valentine's Day is upon us, and it's brought me back to looking for healthy snacks! If you remember a couple months ago. I featured a few gluten free, vegan, and natural snacks that rocked my world. I'm glad to say I found another! They are called Rawr Bars and they are from a company called VegThisWay! My favorite part about these bars is that there is no preservatives or sugar added! Plus its Gluten Free and Vegan! Who can't love that?

Isn't that lion so cute!?

Explore the Benefits of Rawr Bars!

1/2 serving of fruit

1/2 serving of veggies

NO sugar added

NO preservatives

Gluten Free

Certified Vegan

Now when I heard about these bars, I thought they were a similar substance to the Skout Bars I liked so much. I was wrong, but in a good way! They are fruit and vegetable peels. Sort of like a healthy, vegan, natural option to Fruit Roll Ups!  I was sent three flavors to try; Beet A Peel, Super Sweet Potato, and very Berry Kale. They are great alternatives to high sugar snacks for kids. Put one in your kids lunch box for a great healthy snack! 

Now, I'm not a big fan of sweet potato, so I was sure I wasn't going to like it. I was so wrong! It was very sweet and tasted like cinnamon... yum♡. My favorite was the Very Berry Kale. It had a surprising texture to it, but with a sour twist I didn't expect. I love sour sweets! I suspect the lemon juice in this bar to be the cause ;). The last flavor was the Beet-A-Peel was really good as well. My son favorited this one the most to my surprise. Makes me want to plant some radishes when we move into our new place!

Connect With VegThisWay:

Website

VegThisWay on Facebook

VegThisWay on Twitter

I even added one of these flavors into the Suprise Care Package Giveaway! But don't worry, you will get a chance to try them as well as VegThisWay is also giving a prize away to one of my readers. Click the Giveaway Tool below to enter :) Don't forget to enter in the other giveaways on the hop listed below as well!

VegThisWay

Welcome to the Sweet Nothings Giveaway Hop, brought to you by The Hopping Bloggers & Up All Night Blogging!


Hosted by

Mama Smith's Review Blog & Women And Their Pretties


Co-Hosted by

Reviews411, StellarManicMommy2, EasterBabe's Theory, One Hoolie Mama, Susie's Reviews and Giveaways, re•solve, West Coast Mama, Fashion Beyond Forty, & Our Mini Family.



Each blogger participating in this hop has a giveaway with a prize value of at least $15 - and some are much more than that! Be sure to visit them all - there is no limit to how many prizes you can win!

Good Luck and Have Fun!

DISCLOSURE: Mama Smith's Review Blog and Women and Their Pretties are not responsible for any of the prize fulfillment. Each blogger is responsible for providing their sponsor with their winner's contact information.

I received these bars in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Survival Paracord Bracelet

Who would have thought a simple bracelet could save your life? I recently heard of survival bracelets last year when I came across a seriously cool one that cost over $100! Now $100 is worth the cost of that bracelet, but I wanted to start off with something a little more simple. I decided to give this Paracord Survival Bracelet a try and to keep it in the car in case of emergencies. And it only costs $14.95!

This Survival Bracelet can extend up to 16 feet long, includes a fire starter, and a mini saw. The cord is a military grade parachute cord that can be used for stop wounds from bleeding, make a splint, support a simple shelter, or split it to use for fishing. I have heard many ways to use the cord part of the bracelet,  but these are the most used. The saw section of this bracelet can be used to make spears, alter gear, and saw branches. It is rather small, but it is standard for parachute bracelets. Now the fire starter part of this bracelet is pretty cool. You can use it to keep warm, heat up food or water, or to scare off animals. This bracelet can come in handy in emergency situations aside from just camping. I have decided to keep it in my First Aid Kit in the car, in case we are ever stuck anywhere. It is essential to have some emergency kit for your cad, even if you don't live in places where it snows! Remember to keep a few cans of food in your car as well. I remember one day we were stuck on the side of the road for about 6 hours! I was pregnant at the time and starving! Having a few cans of food and this bracelet would have gone a long way that day.

Check out this Paracord Bracelet on Amazon.

The bracelet is easy to put on. It is quite bulky, but if you use it for camping, it will be quite comfortable. The fire starter is easy to use. Hubby rubbed his buckle against the stick and sparks started flying quickly. I have left the bracelet in tact as there is no way I will be able to put it back together! Haha.

I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.