>U Mom Knows Best: February 2013

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Nuby Pop-Up Cup



I needed a cup for Jesse to take on the go and Nuby had a cool colorful one that he liked. I choose the Nuby Pop-up cup as it had features I liked. The Nuby Pop-up features a pop-up sipper that is easy for Jesse to open and I like that it keeps the cup clean when closed. Like all Nuby cups it is dishwasher safe and durable. The Nuby Pop-up cup comes in many cool colors also,check the colors out here .The Gator grips ensures a comfortable and secure grasp for you child. Jesse really enjoys using his new Nuby cup and you can buy one for your child also at Walmart,Target,Amazon,and www.buybabydirect.com .


"These opinions are my own and I received a product from Nuby as a Nuby Mommy blogger."

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

VeggieTales The Little House That Stood Giveaway

My family love VeggieTales movies and when I received the opportunity to review this new movie I was very happy. Veggietales are awesome movies that not only teach kids about lessons from God but also entertains parents and kids too. VeggieTales new movie is called The Little House That Stood and it teaches children about making good choices through parables and nursery rhymes. Bob the Tomato,Larry the Cucumber and friends come together to share the parable of "the wise and foolish builders" from Matthew 7 in their version. As with all VeggieTales movies there is singing and cute characters to help your children learn God's teachings. My boys were very happy to receive this movie.


Here is a short description  about the movie:
  About The Little House That Stood
When the Three Little Pigs roll into Cabbageville looking to build some new houses, they meet one builder with a plan and two without a clue! Larry builds with hay, Mr. Lunt with bricks, but only Bob builds his houses on a firm foundation - following the wise plans from the Master Builder's Handbook! Will the Little Piggies make the right choices when it comes to building their houses - and their lives - on solid ground? Find out in this parable that shows kids when they follow God's blueprints, then can stand strong when the storms come! 
 For more information about this new VeggieTales movie go here and to see a trailer of the movie go  here
 Now the best part is Flyby Promotions,the great company that sent me a copy of the movie,is allowing me to do a giveaway so I can give one of my readers their own copy of The Little House That stood.
Just enter on the Rafflecopter form below
a Rafflecopter giveaway
"These opinions are my own and I received a copy of the VeggieTales movie from FlyBy Promotions to do this blog post."

My Soft Pretzel Dinner

My family loves soft pretzels so I decided to make pretzel dogs for dinner. I am trying to use up food that has been in my freezer for a while and there was hot dogs  in there that no one was eating. My family does not like hot dogs that much so I had to be creative to get them to eat them. The idea for pretzel dogs came to me one day when I was making soft pretzels and needed to also make dinner. My family enjoyed the pretzel dogs and now I have a way to use up the hot dogs in the freezer. I used this recipe to make my pretzel dough which I made in my bread machine. It was easy to roll out the dough and roll around the hot dog.
I then place the hot dogs is a baking soda solution for a couple of minutes.

Then I placed them on a pan and sprinkled with salt. I then baked the pretzel dogs and they looked wonderful.
My family enjoyed them and my 6 year old said "this is the best dinner I ever had!"
The recipe is easy to make.

Soft Pretzels

ingredients:

1 1/2 cup warm water
1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups regular flour
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda
to taste coarse salt

directions:

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often. After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope* (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Sprinkle with salt and Bake in 450 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or until golden.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Kodi and Jesse's New Rooms

 Jesse and Kodi moved into Tyler and Dillon's old room as their room was too small for them to have big boy beds. They are loving sleeping in big beds and they did not fall out of bed last night.

 Their room turned into a playroom and they have been up there all day discovering old toys they have not played with in a while.




Saturday, February 23, 2013

Tyler's New Room

We have been busy here at our house. We went from 5 kids to 3 kids living at home and decided to move kids into different bedrooms. Tyler wanted his sisters old room but it was painted purple. So we spent the last couple of weekends painting and it is finally done. We also bought a new platform bed for Tyler and because of the company shipping us the wrong product(a dresser and night stand kit) we got other new items for his room. Tyler is happy he is finally in his new room and yes, Dillon and Kyle,that is a queen size bed. We had a twin size bed frame and a queen size mattress so we bought a queen size bed frame and sold the twin bed frame. That way in the future we have a guest bedroom. We bought the queen size platform from Amazon along with the comforter. The bed frame made by South Shore as show  here is very sturdy and was only 150.00 and I love that it does not require a box spring frame. I will also be able to do a review on the bed at www.expotv.com to earn more Amazon money. I do a lot of product reviews and was able to pay for the bed and comforter from that work.
Here is some other views of the room. The dresser and the night stand are also made by South Shore.



Now I have to move Kodi and Jesse into Tyler's old bedroom. Kodi and Jesse's room will become a playroom. I will post pictures when those rooms are done.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Soft Scrub Makes Surfaces Happy and A Giveaway



I have three boys and a husband who are know to make messes and they never clean them up. I always have a dirty sink in my bathroom, so when I received a bottle of Soft Scrub Total all purpose bath & kitchen cleanser the other day from Purex Insiders,I knew it would be put to good use. I love that Soft Scrub has superior cleaning power yet will not scratch surfaces. The new improved formula has more whitening power and less residue,for better rinsing. Soft Scrub also is lemon scented to make the cleaning job smell great.
Here is a picture of my sink that is used all day by my boys. The spots are soap that gets all over the sink. I did a close up to show you the mess and the sink is white,not yellow.

I then cleaned the sink with a little bit of Soft Scrub and was amazed at how easy it was to use. I did not have to use any elbow grease. The Soft Scrub cleanser did not have any bad fumes,just a nice lemon scent. Here is the sink after cleaning with Soft Scrub,I love my clean sink. From sinks and showers to bathtubs and faucets,this cleanser will blow you away with its versatility and fresh,lemon scent. To find out more about this wonderful cleanser go to www.softscrub.com or www.facebook.com/SoftScrub
Soft Scrub has provided me with 2 coupons for free Soft Scrub Total all purpose bath and kitchen cleanser to give away to my readers. Just enter the rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vitacost- A Great Place to Shop

I got a box of goodies the other day from Vitacost. This store sells healthy living products and they have a huge selection from food to beauty. Their slogan is "Take the cost out of healthy living" as you can save up to 50% off retail prices. My favorite part is they ship to your home so no need to go to a store. I knew they were a healthy natural store right when I opened the box and I was provided information on what to do with the box.

I was sent many things to try.
 I love Kind bars as they are all natural,gluten free,non GMO and loaded with antioxidants. They are a fruit and nut bar that taste wonderful.
 The Pure bar was also yummy and made with fruit and nuts. I love that it had protein and fiber in it. It made a great snack.
 The Promax fit n crisp is a yummy high protein snack that tastes like a rice crispie treat. It has 13 grams of protein in it. That will make a nice meal replacement bar.
 The Eco Nuts laundry soap smelled wonderful and I love that 4 ounces of product is good for 24 loads. This bottle was the size of a travel size shampoo so it takes up so little space in my laundry room.

My favorite product is the Innersense shampoo and conditioner. It smell so wonderful and made my hair so soft.

To check these products and all the Vitacost sells go to http://www.vitacost.com/
Vitacost also offers free shipping on orders over $ 49.00.  While you are shopping dont forget to checkout their Deal section where you can save up to 62% over products. Vitacost also has a great refer a friend program where you can get 10.00 for every new customer you send there way. My other favorite part about Vitacost is I can go shopping in my jammies and don't have to drag kids out shopping with me.

"These opinions are my own and I was sent samples to write my blog post fronm Vitacost."

Premama Mommy Party


  I love hanging out with friends and having a party. My mom's group was having a Valentine's playdate. So I took the opportunity to tell them about Premama prenatal vitamins. Most of the moms were nursing babies and were still planning to have more babies. They were happy to take many samples of Premama prenatal vitamin home with them.  Premama prenatal vitamins are great for pregnancy and nursing moms. I told all the moms about how Premama is a taste-free powder vitamin that mixes great in any drink like juice or even milk. The moms loved that it was not a big pill to swallow as when you have pregnancy sickness it is hard to get a big pill down. The moms loved that Premama has folic acid, iron, and DHA in it and ginger, B6 and magnesium to help with nausea.



We exchanged presents at our party and ate wonderful snacks while the kids played.


To get more information about Premama go here or http://www.drinkpremama.com/

"These opinions are my own and I was sent product from Mommy Parties to share with others."

Nuby Booster Seat



I love being a Nuby Mommy blogger as I get to try out wonderful products and tell others. I received a Nuby booster seat the other day for my little one. He was very excited to try it out when I took it out of the box. I love the bright colors of this booster seat,it also comes in pink and green. The Nuby booster seat is safe,durable,and strong. It comes with straps so you can secure it to any chair and has safety straps to hold your child in. The chair is also made to hold up to 65 pounds and it does as my 13 year old son wanted to try it out also. This booster is great so your little one can reach the table and when they do not want to sit in a high chair anymore.

My son fits comfortably in the Nuby booster chair. The booster chair also is made of plastic so it is easy to clean. You can get more information about this wonderful booster and other great Nuby products at www.Nuby.com  This Nuby booster chair is available at www.BuyBabyDirect.com

"These opinions are my own and I was sent the product as being a part of the Nuby Mommmy bloggers."

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Purex® & Honey Bunches of Oats & Outrigger Hotels TROPICAL TRIO SWEEPSTAKES



This is one cool contest that I am hoping to win. Purex and Honey Bunches of Oats  are teaming up to give away a tropical vacation for two to Outrigger Hotels and Resorts.



The Purex® brand is teaming up with Honey Bunches of Oats and Outrigger Hotels and Resorts to launch a monumental prize giveaway: The 2013 Tropical Trio Sweepstakes!*

One lucky winner will be sent on a tropical paradise vacation to Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach, courtesy of the Purex® brand, Honey Bunches of Oats, and Outrigger Hotels and Resorts! Enter to win a chance to spend your days relaxing underneath the warm, Hawaiian sun and your nights exploring Waikiki.

To enter to win click here and good luck!

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

How To Make a Box Dinner Healthy


I love the convenience of box mixes but do not like the sodium content of them as they are high in salt. I will buy box mixes like rice and potatoes when they are super cheap but will then add extra ingredients to make them healthy and serve more people. I had a box of red beans and rice mix in my pantry that I received for free by doing a blog post. I decided to make it on Mardi Gras yesterday but added one cup of pinto beans and two cups of brown rice. They taste was wonderful even better than when I made two weks ago without the extra ingredients. My husband and I both agreed with the added beans and rice it was not so salty. I liked that now my family was getting more nutrition with the added ingredients and there was plenty for my lunch the next day. So next time you reach for a box mix add some extra ingredients like pasta and veggies to a mac and cheese mix. You might be surprised it tastes even better.

Great Contests on Purex

Purex Logo

 There is several great contests going on at Purex


Purex, Honey Bunches of Oats, and Outrigger Hotels and Resorts are joining forces to send one lucky winner on a tropical paradise vacation to Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach! Over $13,000 in prizes!
http://www.purex.com/tropical-trio-sweepstakes



The only thing Cupid loves more than the cleaning power of Purex is a fresh fragrance. Search through Purex.com and find Cupid’s heart for a chance to win $50!
http://www.purex.com/find-cupids-heart



\
Win big with the enchanting, fresh scent of Purex detergent plus Fabric Softener with Crystals fragrance. Click to sign up for a chance to win over $1,000 in prizes!
http://www.purex.com/experience-enchantment-sweepstakes


 

Let’s welcome the newest member to the Purex Crystals’ family: Purex Crystals for Baby! A great new scent for the little ones.
http://www.purex.com/sharp-dressed-baby-sweepstakes



Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Escape To The Tropics With Honey Bunches Of Oats And a Giveaway


 My family has discovered a great new yummy cereal. My boys already love Post Honey Bunches of Oats and when we tried Post Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends we loved it. My box of this wonderful cereal arrived from Purex insiders on a dreary day. The box lifted lifted my spirits with it's tropical design and the taste took my taste buds away to a tropical island. Later on I will tell you how you can enter a contest to go on a tropical vacation. Post Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends is made with 10 grams of whole grain and has 9 essential vitamins and minerals including 60% daily value of iron. As a mom.I love that it has only 6 grams of sugar and 120 calories per serving. The taste of this cereal is wonderful with crispy mango flavored flakes combined with real coconut shavings and coconut flavored granola clusters. Just look at my bowl of cereal-yum!

Now for some fun! The Purex brand is teaming up with Honey Bunches of Oats and Outrigger Hotels and Resorts to launch a great prize giveaway: The 2013 Tropical Trio Sweepstakes.

 One lucky winner will be sent on a tropical paradise vacation to Outrigger Waikiki on the beach. The winner will receive a four-night stay at www.Outrigger.com on the Beach for two people.

  Five winners will receive a 1st prize package of one-years supply of Purex Natural Elements Tropical Splash detergent & Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends

. 100 winners will receive coupons for free  Purex Natural Elements Tropical Splash detergent & Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends.

To enter this wonderful giveaway go to Purex.com/promotions/tropical-trio

Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends has provided me with two coupons for a free box of cereal to give to one of my readers. Just enter on the Rafflecopter form below and good luck!





a Rafflecopter giveaway


"Post provided a free sample of their Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical blends so I could review them. However,all of the opinions expressed here are my own."

Friday, February 8, 2013

Kroger Good For You



I was sent some coupons from Bzzagent to try some low carb yogurt and greek yogurt made by Kroger which also owns Smiths grocery stores.I know a lot of friends who are on low carb diets and are always looking for food that fits their diet. I can tell them that now they can have yogurt and milk again as Kroger makes low carb milk and yogurt that tastes good. They also make low carb greek yogurt. I love greek yogurt as it is high in protein. So I bought the Kroger pineapple mango flavor greek yogurt to try. I love that it has stevia in it for sweetness as stevia is natural and not chemical like other sweeteners. The taste was quite good for a low carb product. The Kroger low carb yogurts came in many yummy flavors,so the next time you are at at Smiths check out this yummy yogurt. I also have coupons to give away.

"These opinions are my own and I was given coupons from Bzzagent to purchase the yogurt to write my review."  

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Never Let Them See You Sweat With Dry Idea and A Giveaway


I love to run and I sweat when I run. Sometimes after I run I don't have time for a shower so I want an antiperspirant and deodorant that gives me enduring odor and wetness protection. I found a great product that does just that. Dry Idea Advance Dry brand antiperspirant and deodorant offers enduring odor protection for up to 72 hours and Pulse Activated Wetness Protection to keep you dry all day long. It is great to know I am protected for 72 hours,which is great if I forget to put on Dry Idea the next day.Dry Idea Advance Dry is also formulated with vitamin E for a silky smooth application. It comes in roll-on,aerosol,and clear gel with wonderful scents like powder fresh,fresh,and unscented. I was sent the fresh scent to try and it is a mild scent that will not overpower others next to you. I buy the unscented variety for my husband as man deodorants smell gross to me. For more information on this great product go to www.Dryidea.com or facebook.com/dryidea
Dry Idea is also hosting a contest on Facebook where one lucky person will win $ 500.00 and 10 people will win $ 50.00. Go here to enter http://www.facebook.com/dryidea/app_184876404878981

Now for the fun part I have 2 coupons to giveaway for free Dry Idea AdvanceDry so you can try it too. Just enter on the form below.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Dry Idea brand provided a free sampl of their Dry Idea AdvanceDry fresh brand antiperspirant and deoderant so I could review it. However,all of the opinions expressed here are my own."
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