Bargain Hunting Moms

SOS Hydration Electrolyte Drink Mix Sticks Review

Dehydration can lead to fatigue and poor sports performances. Are you looking for a way to keep yourself hydrated? The heat is still brutal here and if you're outside working or working out, you know how quickly you can get dehydrated which can lead to fatigue and more nasty symptoms. I'd heard about some of these electrolyte mixes to add to water and was happy to try these out from SOS Hydration. I did receive these free to review for you, but the opinions are my own. 

My first impression was the easy of use. They are SO easy to use. They come in easy to use and store packets that are pre-measured for you. You don't have to mess with scoops. Just open the packet and dump it in. In addition, the packs are easy to open which was a relieve. I was glad I didn't need scissors or worse--my teeth--to open the packets. Just add a packet to your water and shake well. Then you're good to go! Use your own reusable water bottle of course if you want. I used a clear bottle to show you how it looked.

One pack is enough to flavor 16 ounces of water which is a standard size bottle of water. You can use up to two sticks before exercise to keep you hydrated for up to a 60 minute workout. Two adds more flavor, so if you like a stronger flavored water, that might be fore you.

Taking a trip? These packs are TSA approved, so if you're traveling, these can go in your suitcase or carry-on with no issues. They're also the perfect thing to stash in your purse or your car to keep you hydrated on short notice.

Rainbocorns Giant Big Bow Surprise Mystery Egg by Zuru

This post may contain affiliate links. We received this toy to review for our gift guide. Please see my full disclosure policy here.

Do you want to be the hero of the holidays? This Rainbocorns Giant Big Bow Surprise Mystery Egg (Includes 25+ Surprises!) by Zuru will help you do that! This toy was a giant hit with my toy tester.

If your kids love unboxing  videos on Youtube, I'm sure you've seen an egg or two. These come with a giant plush toy and lots of things to go with it. Of course, it's a unicorn, too, so chances are, it's combining all of their favorites into one toy.

Tryazon #MeribelDesigns Cozy with Cocoa Kids Party #JamcoBrandz

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy here.

 

I recently had the opportunity to host a Cozy with Cocoa Kids Party sponsored by Meribel Designs and Jamco Brandz through Tryazon. Our box was filled with such great stuff and we had an awesome time getting together and trying everything out.  The kids LOVED the stuffies and the adults may have argued over the slippers.

The Peek A Boo Palz Plush may be the cutest thing I've ever seen. The video above doesn't do it justice. Not only can you play peek-a-boo with him, but he also sings "Do Your Ears Hang Low." 

The Easy Air Fryer Cookbook Review

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy here.

Air fryers are all the rage right now and if you've been hanging around here long, you know I love my air fryer! Air fried foods don't have the greasy taste that fried foods have because an air fryer uses hot air to cook your food. It's kind of a mini-convection oven, so if you take the time to learn how to use it properly, you can have delicious, crispy, food that everyone will believe you fried.

If you're using an air fryer, you're probably already trying to be a little more health conscious. I was recently sent a copy of a wonderful air fryer cookbook that is targeted at diabetics, but really, if you're just trying to eat a little better and maybe lower carb, this book will work great for you, too.  Many of the recipes use ingredients like whole wheat panko instead of regular breadcrumbs or spices to add flavor, so it's easy to modify for your own use if necessary.

The Easy Air Fryer Cookbook: Healthy, Everyday Recipes for People with Diabetes is a wonderful cookbook to get you started on a low-carb, diabetic-friendly air fryer journey. You'll find recipes like Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Southwestern Egg Rolls, Nashville Hot chicken and Salmon Sliders with Fennel Slaw as well as things like Cauliflower Tots, Spicy Green Beans and Mexican Street corn. There's a ton of healthy recipes packed with flavor that are sure to please the whole family.

Because everyone always wonders if you can make tasty fried chicken in the air fryer, I decided to test out the recipe for Buttermilk Fried Chicken along with Spicy Green Beans. The recipe below calls for whole chicken breasts, but I used chicken tenders because that's what I had in my fridge. You can use regular chicken breasts and get the same results. As you can see, the chicken is crispy and the inside was amazingly tender and juicy. That's what happens when you cook with an air fryer. It seals the flavors in so your meat doesn't dry out. You'll want to cook your chicken until it reaches 165 degrees for food safety and remember some air fryers may cook more quickly than others. It's a good idea to check your food a few minutes before you expect it to be done.

BabyLit Classics - Review & Giveaway

 

I haven't done a giveaway in a while, but when I was offered the chance to review these BabyLit Classics, I knew I had to share them with you. BabyLit takes classic books we've all read, from Little Women to Pride and Prejudice, to The Jungle Book and Treasure Island as long as many more, and formats them into easy to understand board books that are perfect for the youngest children. It is a wonderful way to introduce your little ones to the classics. We all love a good read of Goodnight Moon, but it's good to add to the bedtime repertoire. 

As a child, I loved to read. I spent countless hours in far-away lands, imagining myself a junior detective, or a princess, or so many other characters from my favorite books.  I imagined living in Narnia, Terabithia, London, or the big manor house. The possibilities were endless in my books and my imagination. I know my love of reading happened because my mom, aunt and older sister read to me every day!

I discovered A Little Princess when I was in third or fourth grade and it became my favorite book as a child. If you haven't read it, you really should! There are those who like The Secret Garden more, but this was the book I adored. The book captivated me from the beginning as I witnessed Sara Crewe go from being virtually a princess to living in the attic with the other servant girl, Becky. I took away the kindness she showed to Becky even when she didn't have to and Sara's positive attitude to the end as the message from the book.

Playmobil Sand Toys - Get Outside & Play

This post may contain affiliate links. I also received products from Playmobil to facilitate this review. Please see my full disclosure policy here.

It may feel like summer is almost over, but we still have time to play! Get out and enjoy the summer. Play in the sand. Splash in the water. Just enjoy the backyard with your kids. They're only small for a while and making memories doesn't mean you have to take expensive trips or do expensive things. Hanging out in the back yard is sometimes even more fun!

One of our favorite toy brands has always been Playmobil.  They sent us some cool toys to try out and I am thrilled to say thatPlaymobil is just as wonderful today as they were 20 years ago when I first started buying their products for my children.

Playmobil toys are amazing quality and will last through kid after kid! As a mom and aunt, I also like that their toys promote creative play and encourage the kiddos to expand their imaginations through play. That's how kids learn and is so important to encourage.

We have kids that would rather be outside than indoors, so these sand toys from Playmobil were perfect for us. They turned out to be a huge hit! Our sand box is down for the count right now(thanks neighborhood cats!) but there are plenty of opportunities for imaginative play even with out sand. These girls have tremendous imaginations.

If you leave near the beach or are planning a trip, these Playmobil Sand Toys would be perfect to take along for extra beach fun! 

The Playmobil Ice Cream Shop Sand Bucket is very cute for playing in the sand or for any pretend play opportunities you have.  Kynzi set up shop with the bucket and there was a lot of pretend scooping. Although it's recommended for ages 2 and up, even 10 month old Payslei had a blast with it. She was supervised and we kept the small pieces away from her, but this is a toy we'll enjoy for a long time.

 

Who doesn't love a truck? We had so many different trucks when my son was small and this Playmobil SandWater Tank Truck is a perfect one for use in all their pretend play. They can use it to transport water to their sand piles and help make their creations. As a former pre-k teacher, I know how much kids love sand and water play and this water truck will bring both together for the perfect combination.

So get out there and enjoy these last few weeks of summer. Head to the beach or just the backyard. Get outside and play--and bring along some Playmobil for extra fun!

Bird's Eye View: The Natural World: See the World as Never Before Book Review

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy here. I received a copy of this book to facilitate this review.

I recently received a copy of Bird's Eye View: The Natural World: See the World as Never Before. First, I have to say the book has some beautiful illustrations. It takes the reader on a tour of the world showing different animals, plants and more that live in various areas like the tropics, the arctic, grasslands and more. The colorful, detailed illustrations make the book. We had as much fun looking at the pictures as reading the book.

There are a few pages that pull out to give a full "birds eye view" of the areas being discussed. It was interesting to learn about the different animal and plant life in the different areas and held her attention quite well. While the book says it's for grade levels 1 - 4, my reading partner is only going in Kindergarten and  we were able to enjoy it together.  She became immersed in the book.  She loves both animals and nature, so  if you have a child interested in animals and topics like these, they will truly enjoy this book!

If you're looking for a copy of Bird's Eye View: The Natural World: See the World as Never Before you can pick up your own at Amazon for $13.99 which is a nice price for this hardcover book.

Outdoor Fun with Glove-A-Bubbles

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy here.

It may be hot out there, but these girls are still having fun with their Glove-A-Bubbles. Glove-A-Bubbles are a unique product and perfect for outdoor bubble fun! No more spilling the entire bottle of bubbles to stick a tiny wand inside. Glove-A-Bubbles let them dip their glove in bubbles and create a ton of bubbles at once. Inside the gloves, you'll find plastic bags filled with bubble solution. It is probably best to put the bubble solution into a larger container so they can more easily dip their gloves.  We didn't think of that at first and made a little mess. OOPS!

Baby Box Co - Parent Education with Rewards

Disclosure: I received a box from BabyBoxCo.com to facilitate this review.

I remember reading a cool article several years ago about Finland. They give all new moms a "Baby Box" filled with things like sleepers, diapers, blankets and even a little mattress. The moms then can use the box as a bed for their newborns. This ensures that new babies have a safe place to sleep and has helped Finland lower their infant mortality rate. 

Enter the Baby Box Co. It's the same idea, but the Baby Box Co is also a great site for parenting advice, tips and more. A cool aspect of the site is that you can earn rewards by completing video courses.  It's totally free to take the courses. You watch a video and take a quiz at the end. The Baby Box Co worked with a team of  team of healthcare experts to develop these video courses that help parents safely care for their kids. You will definitely find the video courses worth watching and may very well learn something in the process. At the very least you'll put your mind at ease.  It's a simple process. You sign up, take a course, and when you finish, you can select a reward like a sleep bag, onesie, romper, burp cloth, or other option.  

I received my own baby box that was filled with coupons, samples, a burp cloth and lots of information. The box comes flat and assembles easily. If you don't need it right away or need to store it, you could easily store it under a bed or in a closet. The mattress fits in the bottom snugly and it even came with a sheet and a spare. This is a perfect little bed for a newborn for sure. Just think how many times a spare place to safely put your baby would come in handy and with the box, it's portable.

CleverMade Wine Cooler Insulated Tote - Just what we needed!

(I received this product from CleverMade to facilitate this review. No money changed hands and all opinions are mine.)

CleverMade has some very cool products. They have things you didn't know you needed until you saw them.  For instance, I'm loving this Wine Cooler Insulated Tote that I received to review. It's the perfect way to keep your wine or other beverages cool at your next picnic, BBQ, or just because! This Wine Cooler will keep up to THREE bottles of wine nice and cool for you so a girl's night on the patio or by the pool won't have you running in and out all evening for more wine.

Don't drink wine? That's ok. The bag will hold 6 cans of beer or soda which means it's perfect for your impromptu get-togethers with a few neighbors or friends.

As you can see, it has a carry handle as well as a nice long strap that you can use to toss it over your shoulder when your hands are full. The bag comes with an ice pack insert that you just throw in the freezer to get nice and cold(mine just stays there when I'm not using it) and basically wraps around the wine when it's in the bag. This way, your wine is surrounded by ice to keep the wine, beer, or other drinks nice and cool for you. 

 

The mom in me says this would be a nice bag to take along for bottles, juice boxes or sippy cups when you're having a day at the beach, the zoo, or pool. This bag can be used just like any other cooler, but the nice feature is its shape and the ability to hold wine bottles which so many other sizes and shapes of coolers cannot.

As you can see, CleverMade thought of everything. They have pockets on the front and back of the cooler, plus another compartment in the top and actually holds a wine opener. A wine opener actually comes with your bag and you can store it easily in the lid or use this compartment for your keys, ID or other valuables. I think this makes a nice bag to take along for a day at the beach! 

This bag will run you $24.99 at CleverMade and comes in both Charcoal and Deep Teal. The fabric looks like it would be easy to clean in case something gets spilled on it and it's lightweight--only 2.3lbs before you fill it with your beverages.

 

Fanilu Clothing for Active Kids

While I received samples from Fanilu to facilitate this review, all opinions are my own.

We had so much fun trying out our Fanilu apparel.  After what felt like weeks and weeks of snow, then rain, then more snow, we were finally able to get outside for a while to play.

Active girls need active clothes. If you're always on the go, they need to be comfortable, and Fanilu knows just how to keep them that way. We tried out the Rainbow Grey Leggings and Wild Aqua Tank.

Little Spoon Baby Food - Save 20% #FirstBitesMatter #Tryazon

I received some free product from Little Spoon via Tryazon to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own.

Have you heard of Little Spoon baby food? It's a great line of baby food that is FRESH, organic, and delivered straight to your door so you can give your baby the best food possible, because #FirstBitesMatter. There are tons of different foods including single ingredient favorites like apples or mango and blends that are definitely not your mom's baby food!

You can choose what you want and it's delivered to your door every two weeks. You can also adjust and cancel deliveries, so you aren't locked into a plan once you sign up.  If you want to try it out, you can enter coupon code TRYAZON20 at checkout to save 20% off your order.

Tastefully Simple Family Favorites Meal Kits Review #Tryazon Party

Disclosure: I received a party pack from Tryazon to host a #TastefullySimple Party. All opinions are my own.

Have you heard of Tastefully Simple. You've probably seen the catalogs and maybe even ordered. It has been a while since I'd seen a Tastefully Simple catalog, so I was thrilled to be selected to host a Tastefully Simple Party thanks to Tryazon. 

Not only does Tastefully Simple make those great dips and sauces that you're used to, but they have a new program called Family Favorites Meal Kits that sends you all the seasonings and flavors you need to make dinner at home for you and your family. You just have to shop for the fresh ingredients to add to it. The meal kits make 10 delicious dishes that are perfect for your everyday dinners or use them for socializing with friends and family.

I dove right in and tried out the Artichoke and Spinach warm dip. I served it with Garlic/Parmesan pita chips and this, most definitely, was the biggest hit of the evening. 

I should have made more! This dip disappeared fast!

I also made this creamy pasta dish that used the Spinach and Herb as well as the Garlic Garlic seasonings. I added a bit of milk and some grated fresh parmesan cheese and it was delicious!

Because we were celebrating a birthday, the birthday girl wanted tacos(how did I not get a picture of the tacos?) which were seasoned with TastefullySimple's Mom's Favorite Taco Seasoning.

Well, there are sort of tacos in this picture!

I also received this Bacon Pepper Jam that I can't wait to try on a sandwich or maybe even a burger. Yum!

We were able to try out all this wonderful food thanks to Tryazon. Never heard of Tryazon?  It is this really fun company that lets you apply to host "parties" so you can share new products and fun items with family and friends. You apply and if you're selected, they send you a fun party pack. What you do with your party is up to you. I've been able to try out so much fun stuff thanks to Tryazon. If you want to sign up for future opportunities, head over to their site and sign up. It's really easy and who doesn't love trying new products?

Top Trumps Card Games #Tryazon Party

I received a party pack from Tryazon to host a Top Trumps party. No money changed hands. This is my honest opinion.

Have you ever heard of Top Trumps card games? I hadn't until I had the opportunity to try out a selection of Top Trumps Card Games from Tryazon.  no, they don't have anything to do with the president! They're cool card games based on various characters/movies/tv shows like FRIENDS, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Marvel and more. 

This is the selection I received:

Of course, you know I had to break out that Friends game. That's my favorite--of all time! My son was thrilled to see Star Wars because he's a Star Wars geek.

You can relive all your favorite Friends moments! Okay, I might be just a little over-enthusiastic about this game.

No. I'm not. It's FRIENDS.

If you like Harry Potter, the Harry Potter game is fun, too! I admit I'm not a Harry Potter fan, but other people at our get-together had fun with that deck. The Star Wars deck features characters from the original movies. If you're a fan, don't miss out!

These card games are great because you can play them anytime and anywhere. The deck is the size of a deck of playing cards, so you can stash this in a carry-on for a plane trip or take them in the car with you on a road trip. With so many versions to choose from, there's a Top Trumps Card Game for you.

Another cool game we received was the Top Trumps Lexicon Go game. (affiliate link) We had a lot of fun with it. I love word games and this one was fun. You build words from tiles and the first person to use all their tiles wins.

Ok, that wasn't part of the game. It was just for fun! Overall, these card games were fun. Some were educational--the Wonders of the World--but mostly, we just had fun with favorite characters from Friends, Harry Potter and Star Wars.

If you want to pick up some Top Trump games of your own, they're available at Amazon.

Never heard of Tryazon?  It is this really fun company that lets you apply to host "parties" so you can share new products and fun items with family and friends. You apply and if you're selected, they send you a fun party pack. What you do with your party is up to you. I've been able to try out so fun stuff thanks to Tryazon. If you want to sign up for future opportunities, head over to their site and sign up. It's really easy and it's fun to get to try things out! 

Fall's Here! Refresh Your Smile with Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Toothpaste @Amazon

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Crest and P&G. All opinions are my own. Please see my full disclosure statement here.

 

Fall is officially here! 

I love fall. Every year, I wait for the changing leaves, the crisp morning air, and best of all, football! My family has certain traditions that go along with the first days of fall. We watch WVU football, eat pepperoni rolls, and sing "Country Roads" on Saturdays. On Sundays, we cheer on the Browns and HOPE for a win.

We also like to bake, or at least I do! Every year we bake pumpkin rolls, apple pies, banana breads and yes, even chocolate meringue pies. My mom is turning 79 this week and she requested her favorite Chocolate Meringue Pie, so I did my best to make her happy. It's an old family recipe and I'd share, but she might not let me make it to my next birthday if I did. (Shhh...look for a post later on! I promise I'll share when she's not looking.)

Filling up on our favorite fall treats can really effect our smiles. Whether you're pumpkin spice obsessed or indulging in your favorite comfort foods this fall, sticking to a good oral hygiene plan is important, and luckily for us, Crest has us covered. 

Fall has always felt more like a beginning to me rather than an end. It's the start of a new school year which brings a new schedule for everyone. It's the perfect time to take a look at your smile and figure out how to make it as bright and healthy as possible. Why not use this time to refresh your smile this fall?

Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Toothpaste has a unique foaming formula that surrounds your teeth with whitening agents. It will help with a whiter, brighter smile, something we all can use year-round. The toothpaste leaves your mouth feeling fresh and clean and ready to tackle the day.

With regular use, Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Toothpaste removes up to 95% of surface stains in just 3 days. It can even brighten your smile in just 1 day. Best of all, it uses the same enamel safe teeth whitening agent that dentists use. In addition, it also has the tartar control and cavity protection you'd expect from Crest. I've been using this toothpaste for a few days and I really love the way my mouth feels after I brush. It  wakes up your mouth and leaves your teeth clean and sparkling.

You knew there had to be a deal in this post somewhere, right? Of course there is! Right now, you can snag a deal on Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Toothpaste at Amazon. You can pick up the 4-pack of Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Toothpaste for just $13.99 after a $1 online discount and this promo code: 24LUXEGLAM.

You'll want to be sure to select the 3.5 ounce 4 Pack and make sure you click the $1 off coupon under the price. Then add the promo code at checkout.

This is a great way to stock up on toothpaste for fall! That works out to just over $3 per tube for a fabulous tasting whitening toothpaste. That's a bargain if I've ever seen one.

Hurry though! This deal will be gone on 9/29!

Kid K'nex Building Party #tryazon #knex #kidknex

(Disclosure: I received a party pack from Tryazon and K'nex to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.)

We recently had the opportunity to try out some fantastic building toys from K'nex thanks to Tryazon. They sent me a huge box of Kid K'nex building toys to try out with family and friends, so I set up a party and we had a blast.

K'nex is just those kind of toy that everyone loves. There's no "right way" to build with them. Just let your imagination flow and build what you like--whether it's an animal, a vehicle or anything your imagination can come up with! It's totally up to you. 

These sets from Kid K'nex are amazing. The kids had a great time trying to replicate the pictures on the box using the directions, but of course, they also added their own imagination to the mix and came up with some pretty cool designs of their own.

Pies, Pies, Pies! Wewalka Pie Crusts Review & A Chocolate Pie Recipe

I received samples to facilitate this review of Wewalka pie crusts. All opinions are my own.

I've told you about Wewalka pizza dough and puffed pastry before, but now Wewalka makes pie crusts. I was delighted to be able to sample their pie crusts and put together a few desserts for my family. Who doesn't love pie?

First, I have to tell you that in all honesty, pie crusts are one type of dough that has always intimidated me. I've never been able to get that perfect, flaky pie crust when I've made my own, so I usually resort to store bought doughs. What I like about the Wewalka pie crust is that it has no lard and the dough definitely seems a bit thicker than the kind I usually buy. That means it's easier to handle.

The dough also comes rolled on parchment paper which is another thing I love about Wewalka doughs.  I worried the dough would be too cold straight from the fridge and break apart on me when I unrolled it, so to solve that problem, I just sat the dough out for a few minutes while I was gathering all my ingredients and when I was ready to make the pie, it worked out perfectly. Using the parchment to roll out the dough keeps it from cracking and I wound up with a perfect crust for my apple pie!

Isn't that a beautiful pie? The crust was so flaky and light. That's also a BIG 9 inch pie pan and the dough was the perfect size. No trimming was required.

Keep in mind that each package contains one crust, so if you're making a pie with a top crust, you'll want to pick up two packages.

I also made this lovely cherry pie with a lattice top. Again, the crust was so yummy and absolutely perfect!

Yummy!

Who can resist a slice of cherry pie with ice cream? I know I can't! I had so much fun baking pies. I realized as I was baking that I just don't do this enough. My family was also very happy to have these delicious treats because usually pie is reserved for holidays around here.

I may have gone a little overboard with the pies. My mom loves chocolate pies with meringue topping. I remember her baking at least a half dozen of these at a time over the holidays when I was a child, but at some point, she stopped baking and I decided to surprise her with her favorite pie. I managed to get my sister to hand over the recipe and whipped one up using the Wewalka pie crust as a base. 

Isn't it pretty? I know she loved it. I sent it to her warm and asked her to take a picture of it when she cut a slice, but she forgot to do it. I'm sure it was as pretty inside as it was out. 

If you'd like the chocolate pie recipe, this is the one I used. I'm sharing the photos because I love seeing old recipes hand written out! This is from an old Betty Crocker cookbook from the late 1950's.

I still have a few crusts that I want to use to make some other desserts from the Wewalka site. Perhaps these Crispy Chocolate Mousse Bites or these Macaron Squares.  Make sure to follow me on Instagram to see what I bake next!

Wild Dash - #FamilyFun with #RoosterFinGames

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Rooster Fin Games. All opinions are my own.

As families, we're always so busy it seems like we never have time to just relax. That's why we make a point to relax as a family and try to have a Family Game Night every few weeks at least. It's a great way to unplug and spend quality time together. We love all kinds of board games and were thrilled to try out some games from Rooster Fin Games. I love the fact that there are no batteries required and the games let us have some good, old-fashioned #FamilyFun.

Wild Dash is a fun card game for the whole family from Rooster Fin Games. (You can buy it here.)It's rated for ages 7 and up, but younger kids can still play with a little help. Not only is the game fun, but your little ones will be practicing their addition and subtraction skills.

They pick their character, roll the dice and they will use their math and logic skills to see who wins. (As a tip here, the pieces to the die roller are in with the cards. I thought we were missing pieces until I flipped over the bag with the cards and there they were!) 

It's a fun game to play with the younger kids, but mom and dad will enjoy this game as well. 

Rooster Fin Games has a big selection of games that are great for the whole family. Everyone from the youngest to grandma and grandpa will enjoy playing these games. There is nothing more fun than making some snacks and gathering around for some family fun during Family Game Night. Check out the Rooster Fin Facebook page for more ideas.

Rabbit Pirates - Family Game Night with #RoosterFinGames #FamilyFun

 

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Rooster Fin Games. All opinions are my own.

We love board games and I'm always looking for new games to play as a family. Rooster Fin Games has some really cool games that are perfect for the whole family to play. Not only are they fun, but your kids will actually learn as they play. It can be hard to find games suitable for all ages, but this one from #RoosterFinGames is a great example!

Rabbit Pirates is a fun game to help your kids learn basic addition skills. In this easy to play, but also really fun, card game, you'll help the Rabbit Pirates "shoot for the loot." Just deal the cards, add them up and see who wins each round and gets to collect a "chip." At the end you find out who has the most pirate treasure! The one with the most treasure, wins.

While you're playing as a family, they're learning and they won't even realize it. They'll have to use their math skills to add up the cards to see if they're the winner. The littlest ones might need a little bit of help adding up the numbers on their cards, but they'll still have a great time!

This fun game is rated ages 7 and up, but it's a perfect game for the whole family. Little ones will love it as well as tweens, teens and even grandparents. We really love playing board games. It's a great way to unplug and get everyone away from screens. I was playing with a 4.5 yr old and a 7 year old. It was fun for both! 

No batteries are required! Just good old-fashioned fun and as a bonus, you get to spend some quality time together. Take a peek at #RoosterFinGames to find more great game ideas to add to your family's Game Night collection! You can find more info and ideas on the #RoosterFinGames Facebook Page.

 

OREO Chocolate Candy Bars on Rollback at Walmart

This post was sponsored by Nabisco as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Have you tried these yummy OREO Chocolate King Size Candy Bars yet? If you haven't, you are in for a treat! They're a combination of Milka Chocolate bars and OREOS which are Milk's favorite cookie! The delicious flavors of OREO Cookies and Milka Chocolate come together in a decadent vanilla flavored creme  filling and are covered in chocolate candy to make this amazingly delectable chocolate bar.  Anyone who loves OREOS will love these candy bars. And if you don't love OREOS, we've got a problem!

It gets even better. OREO Chocolate King Size Candy Bars  come in both the Original flavor or Mint Flavor. My favorite is the original because I just don't like mint with my chocolate. The original bars are oh, so good! My husband likes the OREO Mint Chocolate King Size Candy Bars the best, though. He mixes his chocolate with mint. 

That could create a problem and maybe a few arguments about which one to buy, but these delicious chocolate bars are on Rollback right now at Walmart for just $1 each, so we can both afford to get our chocolate fix. Choose your favorite flavor and stock up at this price! These chocolate bars are perfect for a special treat. They even make a great gift for the chocolate lover in your life. 

You can also enter the sweepstakes below and maybe you'll get lucky!

 I-C will randomly select 7 winners from all program entries and will facilitate fulfillment of the 7 winning prizes.

OREO Chocolate Candy Bar Sweepstakes

Strictly Briks Review - Building Blocks & More #tryabox #tryazon

Disclosure: I received a Strictly Briks Tryabox from Tryazon to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

 

I recently received a Strictly Briks Tryabox from Tryazon.  What are Strictly Briks? They're building blocks with a twist. Yes, you can build towers and houses, but there's also an educational aspect to them. Best of all, they're so much fun, the kids won't realize they're learning.

Trying out Strictly Briks was so much fun! Not only can you build towers, houses, castles and everything your mind can imagine, but they also have these really cool Alpha Briks and Math Briks. The silicone Alpha Briks and Math Briks are great to help little ones learn their numbers and letters. My son was not a visual learner. He needed to hold things and see how they worked. I think letters and numbers would have been easy for him to learn with manipulatives like these Alpha Briks and Math Briks.

She was so proud of herself for knowing her numbers!

We built a garage for Shopkins and Matchbox cars.

They can learn basic math facts with Math Briks, too. If you're interested in trying out Strictly Briks for yourself, you can find them at Amazon.  They're great for pre-schoolers on up. I do recommend picking up some containers to store the blocks to keep them nicely organized.

Never heard of Tryazon?  It is this really fun company that lets you apply to host "parties" so you can share new products and fun items with family and friends. You apply and if you're selected, they send you a fun party pack. What you do with your party is up to you. I've been able to try out so fun stuff thanks to Tryazon.  In addition to the parties, they also have a program called Tryabox. For these, they send you fun products to try out and you share your experience with your friends and family and your social media followers. If you want to sign up for future opportunities, head over to their site and sign up. It's really easy and it's fun to get to try things out! 

 

From Frozen to Dinner - Why I Really Bought My Instant Pot

I must talk about my Instant Pot a lot on Facebook because it seems like every time one of my friends gets one, they tag me in their posts about their new pot. Yes, I admit, I'm a little addicted to my Instant Pot. It's something I use at least 3-5 times a week. Sometimes I use it every day, but I have to tell you the reason I bought it originally. I tend to stock up when I see a good deal, so my freezer is generally full of frozen meat, but I'm not a good planner.

I really admire all of you who have the meal planning down for weeks or even the whole month. I'm just not good at that. I'm very bad at remembering to defrost meat for dinner and before I got my Instant Pot, when that happened, we'd wind up ordering pizza or getting take-out. The money we were spending on take-out was negating the money I was saving when I stocked the freezer with meat deals.

It was frustrating. I was also dealing with being newly diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease and the fatigue and brain fog from that made it even harder to plan. Enter the Instant Pot.

I don't have to defrost meat! If I do, great, but if I don't, it's not a big deal. For instance, the other night, I was working and noticed it was already 5pm. Oops. I hadn't even THOUGHT about dinner. I went to the freezer and started to pull out a couple of frozen pizzas, but then I saw two packages of frozen chicken legs and thought, "why not?"

As you can see, these were frozen solid. I stuck them in the microwave just long enough to be able to get them out of the package so we wouldn't be eating plastic and styrofoam with our dinner.

 I put my trivet in, added 1 cup of water and then the frozen solid chicken legs in two layers. My 6 qt Instant pot held 11 chicken legs. I sprinkled them with salt, pepper and some Fox Point Seasoning from Penzeys and closed the lid.

Air Wick Spread the Joy Review #Spon #SpreadTheJoy

I received free samples from Air Wick to facilitate this post. All opinions stated are my own.

We all love it when our homes smell good. I love it when mine smells like the holidays. If I could capture those magical smells all year round, I would! That's why I was thrilled to get these samples of Air Wick's "Spread the Joy" holiday scents to try out. Christmas magic all the time? Yes, please!

We can't have a real Christmas tree in our house because both my daughter and I are allergic. That's always been a big disappointment to my husband, so he was happy to try out the Woodland Pine scent. It is like having a real tree in the house. I even fooled him by putting it in the loving room where the tree is. The next time he walked into the room, he could smell the pine and was a little confused! I had to explain it was an Air Wick scent because it really did make it smell like we have a real tree in here.

My favorite scents are vanilla and bakery scents. The smell of sugar cookies baking in the oven is definitely one of my favorite top five scents, so I have to say that my favorite Spread the Joy scent is the Sugar Cookies scent. It smells just like fresh baked sugar cookies. You might even fool your kids and make them come running for fresh baked cookies!

#3Doodler Powerpuff Yourself Kit Review #Tryazon

* Disclosure: I received a party pack from Tryazon to host a #3Doodler Powerpuff Yourself Party . All opinions are my own.

 

My family has been the victim of one bug after another over the past month. Stomach bugs, coughing bugs, the works. Our 3Doodler Powerpuff Yourself Party was planned for the weekend, but too many illnesses(including my own) kept it from happening. We still wanted to do our best to showcase the 3Doodler, so we got together last night and tried it out.

First, I've got to say that the 3Doodler has got to be one of, if not THE coolest items I've ever received to review. Throw in the Powerpuff Girls and you have a hit with my gang.

Here's a quick video that shows you have the 3Doodler works. You put the plastic strips into the pen. They heat up and you can create anything you like!

We started on paper so the kids could figure out how it worked and get the hang of using the pen.

Then we moved on to the molds/stencils that came with the kit. 

We spent so much time practicing that we ran out of time and didn't get our Powerpuff Girls finished, but we're going to finish them up. This is a toy that takes some practice and getting used to. It will take some help from a guidance with the littlest ones, but ages 8 and up should have no problem at all once they get the hang of it. 

Overall, we had a blast with this toy and I can see the 3Doodler giving us all hours of fun in the future. If you have a tween who loves to craft or is into drawing and art, this toy will be a hit with them! Think of the cold, snowy days coming up. Something like this will occupy many afternoons!

The 3Doodler Powerpuff Yourself Kit retails for $69 at Amazon if you're looking for one for yourself. It's  TOTY (Toy of the Year) winner.

Never heard of Tryazon?  It is this really fun company that lets you apply to host "parties" so you can share new products and fun items with family and friends. You apply and if you're selected, they send you a fun party pack. What you do with your party is up to you. I've been able to try out so fun stuff thanks to Tryazon. If you want to sign up for future opportunities, head over to their site and sign up. It's really easy and it's fun to get to try things out! 

 

HORMEL GATHERINGS® Party Tray Review #StressFreeparty #spon #alreadyready

I received free product in exchange for my honest review.

Throwing a party can be stressful, even if it's just for your family. Actually, sometimes family parties are the most stressful and we could all use a little help over the next few months to survive the holidays without going crazy! HORMEL GATHERINGS^® Party Trays to the rescue. They make an easy appetizer when you're hosting friends and family for game day, a tailgate or holiday party. They're ready-made  and easy to work into your party planning.

Whether you're hanging out at home watching a football game, hanging out with friends around the bonfire in the back yard, or celebrating the holidays, snacking is easier with HORMEL GATHERINGS^® Party Trays. Choose from two different trays and you'll be ready for your next get-together. Each comes with cheese, crackers and meat that you can easily open and arrange on the tray.