#MixItUp March Giveaway Hop! Ends 3/25

Welcome to the Let's Mix It Up in March Giveaway Hop Event, hosted by The Blogging Mamas Network. We're mixing up March, with a host of other bloggers, by bringing you fun (and in some cases delicious) giveaways in this Food and Cooking themed Giveaway Hop! You don't want to miss the Grand Prize! A Ninja Ultima Blender - be sure to enter to win the Grand Prize!

What's better for this hop than food?! Whether it's your or your kids, we have something to please the whole family with this giveaway. 

PB Crave uses all natural ingredients in their peanut butters, and they also give them a twist with different flavors like Banana, Raspberry, Cookie Dough, and Chocolate. Since PB Crave features all natural ingredients, they align with Fit Pick nutritional requirements, which are based on joint criteria published by the American Heart Association, the 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation Guidelines for Competitive Foods. I was happy to post my review recently about PB Crave and how much we love their peanut butter. 

Go to your pantry and see if your favorite products pass this test:

Can you name the natural source of each ingredient?

Do you know what you are really eating?

Can you pronounce the ingredients on the label?

The idea behind Simply7 was born because many of my favorite foods did not pass this test (and I suspect that many of yours don’t either). I decided to create a company that makes sure that every ingredient in our products is not only natural but is SIMPLE. 

Lakeon posted a review with her thoughts on Simply7 and their full line of products. Lakeon likes to eat healthy and find good alternatives to things like chips, without all the extras in said items, so this post was right up her alley!

Enter below to win this $61 prize pack from PB Crave & Simply7

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Make Me Chic: Adorable Attire

Guest Post. Receive compensation for this post

Dress to Impress: What to Wear on Your Very First Speed Date 

Dating has evolved over the years and now many men and women participate in speed dating to meet a number of people in just one go. Of course, your goal is to get noticed so you need to dress up for your date. Thinking about wearing gladiator boots? Or a dress? Or maybe carrying a striking accessory so men can remember you? Not to worry because everything you need from head to toe is available at Make Me Chic.

Now before you attend to your very first speed date, you have to keep in mind that each date only lasts for about 5-8 minutes. With so many choices in line, sometimes guys tend to mix up names so it’s better you plan what you wear and give these guys a recall of who you are. In just five picks, you’re on your way to having a lot of men on your list.

 1. Tribal Chevron Chiffon Dress. Tribal prints are very in this season. Of course you want to be fashionable on your date so dress up with this chevron chiffon dress in teal. This dress is short in length to show off your legs in a tasteful manner. It also has foldable sleeves and a flowy material so you can comfortably move. You’ll definitely look stunning in this dress with just the right amount of skin and a whole lot of sophistication.

#WhateverGoes Giveaway Hop Ends 3/24

Welcome to the "Whatever Goes" Giveaway Hop hosted by Mommy's Favorite Things and Mama's Baby Cupcakes. This hop is an open theme so whatever the blogger wants to showcase goes!! After visiting my giveaway, make sure you use the linky below to take a look at the other bloggers and see what they have to offer! Each blog has a minimum prize package of $25 per winner. 

With Spring just around the corner, we're all bound to be outside more and enjoying the great weather. Why not add some re-usable cups to your collection?! I recently got the chance to review some of Cool Gear's amazing Mason Jar re-usable cups and I love them. With many colors and patterns to choose from, there's something for everyone depending on your personal style. 

All their Mason Jar cups are 16oz and BPA free. They have double wall construction which helps in making the drink stay hot or cold for longer than a regular cup. They're also top rack dishwasher safe! 

These cups range in price from $10-$12 depending on color vs pattern and I will be purchasing more in the future. They're pretty much all I drink out of since getting them to review, so my collection needs to expand. 

Enter below to win 2 Mason Jar cups. 

Winner picks colors/patterns. 

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Cool Gear: Reusable Mason Jar Cups Review

Thank you Cool Gear for the Mason Jars to help with this review

Cool Gear International creates innovative products that strive to revolutionize the green movement with the hopes of eliminating disposable plastic bottle waste, as well as encourage a healthier and happier you.

Last Summer I discovered reusable cups. Our toddler was always knocking over the open cups sitting on the end tables, so we found reusable cups to be a great option to prevent spills. If they were knocked over or grabbed, it was only what came out of the straw instead of the whole cup, and I've pretty happy with these kind of cups ever since. When I found Cool Gear and all the "cool" products they have, I knew I had to check them out. 

Dr Brown's Baby Review

Thank you Dr Brown's Baby for the items to help with this review

At Dr. Brown’s, our focus has always been to create innovative feeding products to promote good health and optimal nutrition for baby. Designed by a doctor in 1996 and patented in 1997, Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow® is the only baby bottle to feature an internal vent system that helps preserve vitamins C, A, & E by minimizing oxidation of breastmilk and formula, provides positive-pressure vacuum-free feeding similar to breastfeeding, and helps reduce colic, spit-up, burping and gas by eliminating negative pressure and air bubbles.

Having four children ages 6yrs and under, I'm very familiar with baby products. As first time parents back in 2007, my husband and I stood in the baby aisle at Wal-Mart and looked at the different brands of bottles trying to figure out which one might be the best for our baby. After a while my husband saw Dr Brown's Baby and became intrigued with their style of bottle and the patented two-piece internal vent system. From then on, we've been hooked with their bottles, so I was excited to try out the items you see above and get to know the other items that this company has to offer. 

Above you'll see I received a six pack of pink and purple 8oz bottles, six pacifiers, two teethers, one pack of Nose and Face wipes, one pack of Pacifier and Bottle wipes, and one pack of Tooth and Gum wipes. As soon as I got this package in the mail, I immediately started using the different items, so below is my thoughts and opinions on each item above!

Crafty Friday: Week 20 (Crafts with Egg Cartons)

I searched around Pinterest and put together the below images and links for crafts involving Egg Cartons! I didn't realize there was so much you could do with them until I searched it, but I've found some great ideas for you all!

Find it HERE

Find it HERE

Find it HERE

Find it HERE

Find it HERE

PB Crave Peanut Butter Review

Thank you PB Crave for the items to help with this review

Curt was raised on traditional peanut butter –and hated it. Everything changed the moment he tried a delicious mix of peanut butter, raspberries and mouth-watering chocolate. In fact, he loved this new twist on an old classic so much, he created his own peanut butter company and after 40 years of avoiding peanut butter he is now eating it nearly everyday. Curt’s Peanut Butter Company soon developed four unique PB Crave flavors. The exciting new peanut butter is produced by Sweet Harvest Foods in Cannon Falls, MN — where we’ve focused on uncompromised quality, discriminating taste and unwavering integrity for nearly 100 years.

Peanut Butter is a big hit in our home. Our second daughter can be pretty picky when it comes to food, so peanut butter has been our "go to" when she doesn't want to eat normal dinners. She has some sensory issues and food is a touchy subject for her, but with peanut butter, she'll eat it every time. With her love of peanut butter, I wanted to test out PB Crave and be able to offer McKenzie, along with our other girls, some variety and a fun change with an easy food. 

I received all four flavors a the beginning of February, and opened all the same day to try them all. I think I was more anxious than my girls were to actually try the different flavors and see what PB Crave is all about!

Simply7 Review

"We created Simply7 because of a distressing trend we noticed in our local grocery stores: food made with ingredients that most people don’t recognize and can’t even pronounce. Over the years, we have learned to examine the nutritional content of foods (calories, fats, vitamins, etc.), so why do we not scrutinize the ingredient labels on our food as well?

Go to your pantry and see if your favorite products pass this test:

Can you name the natural source of each ingredient?
Do you know what you are really eating?
Can you pronounce the ingredients on the label?

The idea behind Simply7 was born because many of my favorite foods did not pass this test (and I suspect that many of yours don’t either). I decided to create a company that makes sure that every ingredient in our products is not only natural but is SIMPLE. You should be able to identify the raw vegetable, fruit, grain, or legume the ingredients in our products come from. I also wanted to show people that simple ingredients are actually exceptionally delicious."

Since starting my weight loss journey, there are many things I miss including chips. I'm a huge snacker and chips are my number one weakness. But is there a such thing as a "healthy" chip? YES! I was very pleased to find out about Simply7 and their delicious line of snacks. I'll start off with the Hummus chips.

"All of our Hummus Chip flavors are designed to give you the most authentic hummus experience possible."

• No Trans Fat
• No Artificial Colors or Flavors
• No Preservatives
• Gluten Free Ingredients
• Non-GMO
• 50% less fat than potato chips
• Vegetarian

I was able to try a few of the Hummus chips before my husband (who is very anti-health food) snagged them all. They all had that very satisfying chip crunch that I so longingly missed! Each flavor had a light seasoning to them and my favorite was the Spicy Chili Pepper. I may or may not have ate the entire bag in 2 days. With only 130 calories and 0.5g of saturated fat for 30 chips, these are a huge win!!

Roasted Red Pepper - Roasted Red Pepper adds a slight sweetness to the hummus flavor that gives you a unique snacking experience. This chip combines the creamy taste of our hummus chip and a delicious blend of bell peppers fresh off the grill.

Sea Salt - You may expect Sea Salt to be similar to the flavors of all the other basic salted snacks on the chip aisle. But it has a unique kick with the hummus flavor that will give you a much richer snacking experience.

Spicy Chili Pepper - Spicy Chili Pepper has a lingering spiciness to the hummus flavor that’s not overwhelming. It’s not quite the same as the pungent flavors of jalapenos or chipotles. This chip offers a perfect balance between the fresh creamy taste of hummus and unique blend of spicy peppers.


Tomato Basil - Tomato Basil combines two recognizable flavors into one bold taste that will make your mouth water. You will instantly recognize the taste of tomato, which will quickly be followed by the freshness of basil. With a flavor that reminds you of vegetables freshly picked from your backyard garden, you will truly understand what “all-natural” should taste like.

Talkin' Tattoos Tuesday: Week 51

Welcome to week 51 of Talkin' Tattoos Tuesday! I did an intro post where I explained my goal in posting these every week and how you can submit your photo to be featured. Check out the post if you need to refresh your memory. Since I've went through all my tattoos, now I'll be sharing photos I've found online, and the occasional viewer submission when they come in.

#UndertheRainbow Giveaway Hop Ends 3/17

Welcome to the [2nd annual] Under the Rainbow Giveaway Hop Event, hosted by Blogging Mamas Network. I've joined with a group of bloggers who will be offering great prizes for you, just waiting to be found under the rainbow! So, hop along to all in the giveaway hop linky below to find your gold! While you're hopping, don't forget to enter to win the Grand Prize! Someone will find gold in the form of a $200 Gift Certificate to The Vintage Pearl!

I've teamed up with Rhoost and Merle & Velma to bring you this two prize pack giveaway as a part of the "Under the Rainbow" Giveaway Hop!

Merle & Velma is a melting pot of all the yummy goodness these two incredible women brought into the world.  Together with my Mother-in-Law Holly, we put a modern twist on the traditional keepsakes Merle & Velma loving created for family and friends. 

A sleek and simple take on a classic product, the Rhoost™ Blind Cord Winder makes dangling blind cords a thing of the past, keeping your loved ones safe and your personal style intact.

While I await my blanket from Merle & Velma, I want to showcase their work with a giveaway for one of their personalized pillows. These pillows retail for $89 and come in a variety of text and colors. Each pillow is approximately 16" x 16" and baby's story is printed on both sides!

I already posted my review for Rhoost and their cord blind winders, and now they're giving away one set for a lucky winner to try out for themselves. These winders come in black or white and retail for $8.99 as a 2 pack. 

Enter below for a chance to win!

Open to US only