Bonfire Night

Last night was just a lovely evening. It was the perfect night for a bonfire. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. It was a little chilly but nothing a hot mug of coffee couldn't fix. Well, that and just a push of the chair closer to the fire. :o) I love those type of nights just relaxing and enjoying the company of my hubby and boys. Such a good time.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

What a beautiful day it is! We are currently at 79 degrees on the 17th of March. The boys have been outside most of the day in their shorts and t-shirts enjoying this amazing weather we are having. If I wasn't wearing green I'd pinch myself to make sure it's real. :o)

We made cupcakes earlier today to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Even though I am part Irish I have never had corned beef and cabbage. So we just wore green and ate green cupcakes. Hope you are enjoying this fun holiday as well!

Truvía® natural sweetener Product Review

This was my first time trying truvia. It was included in Influenster's Love VoxBox. I was a little hesitant at first because I've heard so many opinions about different sweeters. I was actually surprised this was not so bad. A little bit goes a long way. It's nice this box came with 7 small packets. Which would be great you can take them on the go with you and just toss some in your purse.

I used a little bit in my coffee one afternoon, also some in my tea one day, and I tried a little bit in my cereal one morning. It did leave a little bit of an aftertaste but really not bad. I guess I'm probably used to some sort of aftertaste because I do drink diet pops and they also leave a bit. I do also plan on trying it in place of sugar when I do a little baking over the weekend. I think this is definitely a good alternative to sugar if you're wanting to stay away from it.

Here's a little more info about Truvia.

Truvía^® natural sweetener

Truvía^® natural sweetener is the first natural, great-tasting, zero-calorie sweetener born from the leaves of the stevia plant.


o   One packet of Truvía^® natural sweetener provides the same sweetness as two teaspoons of sugar.
o   Truvía^® natural sweetener is refreshingly uncomplicated.  Add it to coffee and tea.  Sprinkle it on fruit and cereal.
o   Truvía^® natural sweetener is a great alternative for people with diabetes. It is also kosher certified.


Where to Buy
Truvía^® natural sweetener is available nationally at most major retailers and in package sizes of 40-count, 80-count, 140-count and a spoonable jar. Find a store here.

You can also visit their website here. They are also on facebook and twitter.

* I received this product to test complimentary of Influenster's Love VoxBox program. Opinions are my own.

Venus & Olay Razor

One of the products I received in my Influenster Love VoxBox was this new Venus & Olay razor from Gillette. I was so happy to see this in my box! They combined two of my favorite products. I currently use other Venus razors and also use Olay products for my skin.

This razor gives a close shave because it has 5 blades. It also has Olay Moisture Bars so you don't even need to use shaving cream! My legs felt so very soft and smooth after using this razor. The scent is also very lovely. It's a light scent but just enough so it's not overpowering. Like with other Venus razors it has the nice soft grip handle so it makes it easy to hold onto in the shower. It also comes with an in-shower holder which makes it easy to air dry during each use.


Here's a little more info about the new Venus & Olay razor.

Venus & Olay Razor
For the first time ever, Gillette Venus, a global leader in female shaving, and Olay, a global leader in skincare, are coming together to deliver a gold standard in shaving with the new Gillette Venus & Olay razor. Venus’ best shaving technology works with Olay Moisture Bars, offering women best-of-both-worlds shaving and skin expertise. Olay Moisture Bars help lock-in moisture to your skin for less dryness, and with every smoothing stroke, Venus’ five blades shave you close.

Product Details

• Venus’ five-bladed razors shave you close and adjust to women’s curves for a smooth and comfortable shave, even over tricky shaving areas like knees and ankles.
• Olay Moisture Bars contain skin-enhancing elements found in Olay products: Petrolatum helps lock in skin’s moisture for less dryness and Glycerin helps offer that goddess glow! Just wet the razor to release a light lather – no separate shave cream required.
• As with most Venus razors, new Venus & Olay also features a rounded, pivoting head designed for women’s curves, and a soft-grip ergonomic handle for confident control, even in wet and soapy environment

Where to Buy

A refillable Venus & Olay with one replacement cartridge sells for approximately $8.99-$10.99. Packages of three replacement cartridges are available for about $14.99 - $19.49.
Venus & Olay will be available starting March 15, 2012 at food, drug, convenience and mass merchandise stores throughout the United States.  

You can also visit the Venus  website to learn more. They are also on facebook and twitter.


* I received this product complimentary of Influenster to test for their Love VoxBox program. Opinions are my own.

Love VoxBox from Influenster

I was absolutely thrilled to get chosen to receive the latest voxbox from Influenster. Love is the theme for this one and I am loving everything in my box! I will be reviewing the products over the next several days. Here's a sneak peek at the contents.

 If you haven't heard about Influenster I suggest you check them out.  They send the products to you for free as long as you give reviews and spread the word about the products included. So much fun! I love discovering new products!

It's Tea Time

I recently received a wonderful package of teas to try from a company called Steeped Tea . The first thing I noticed when I opened the package was the lovely scent of fresh tea and the pretty colored bags they came in. It brightened my day!

 Tart Granny Green Apple, Irish Breakfast 

Toffee Crunch, Pomegranate, & Sinful Seduction

There was such a nice variety. A flavor for almost any mood! The first one I tried was the Toffee Crunch in the bright yellow package. It is a caffeine-free Rooibos tea. The smell coming from the bag was enough to win me over. It tasted as good as it smelled! It was almost like dessert without the guilt!

The next one I tasted was the Tart Granny Green Apple. It is a green tea. This one was also good and a great choice when you're craving a little something on the tart side.

The third one on my agenda was the Pomegranate which is a white tea. I really like this one. It had a nice light flavor to it. This one and the apple one both can be used 3-4 times until the flavor is no longer there. So you can enjoy it a bit longer! I will continue on my tea tasting in the next couple days with the Irish Breakfast and Sinful Seduction.



Also included was a package of rub called Smoky Tea-aki.

I used it yesterday afternoon on some chicken breast tenders I had on hand. It was so simple. I just had to add a little bit of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and some brown sugar. There is enough rub in the package for several uses. Yay! Next time I think I'm going to try it on pork chops.

After putting the rub on I covered the plate and let it sit in fridge about 2 hours.

The end result was delicious! Sorry it's little foggy but they were still steaming hot.

I barely had enough time to take the photo before my boys were racing to the kitchen to try them. I had to grab one really quick. They smelled so good I knew I wouldn't be able to finish cooking the rest unless I got a bite! I can't say enough about this rub. It is amazing good! So much flavor and so little preparation! That's what I like.

If you are a tea lover I encourage you to visit Steeped Tea's website. It can be found here or you can find them on  facebook and twitter too. They offer a wide variety of teas and accessories.

 Enjoy your tea and sip wisely. :o)

* I was given these products for free to review. Opinions are my own. I want to thank Tonia for giving me the opportunity to try them.











Words of the Day

We are currently studying human anatomy and physiology for science. This was a nice change of pace after a couple months of astronomy! Yesterday we started discussing the muscular system. Of course the boys learned all about the smallest muscle, the largest muscle, and the strongest muscle in our bodies. If you happen to already know what the largest muscle is you can imagine how much enjoyment my boys got out of using gluteus maximus over and over again. I heard  "get off your gluteus maximus and come play with me" or "move your gluteus maximus a little faster" just to name a few.

Any idea what the strongest one is? I didn't know what it was either. It's the muscle that closes your mouth. It's called the masseter. So, of course, I then heard, "use your masseter, you're being too loud" and "is your masseter working?" So proud of my boys for using such big words.  I can't wait to find out what other fabulous words are in the days ahead. :o)