Home Maid Simple

Category: review

Animal Planet Animal Bites Books + Book Bundle Giveaway

I received Animal Planet Polar Animals and Ocean Animals for review purposes. All opinions are 100% honest and my own.

You know you have a winner of a book when your kids who normally complain about reading come home from school and immediately curl up to read for the next 2 hours. What better way to celebrate Earth month than learning about the animals that live on it?

That’s exactly what happened with the new Animal Planet Books! Venice grabbed Animal Bites Ocean Animals, and Chloe hopped up next to her with Animal Bites Polar Animals. They sat like this for a good 30 minutes giggling and showing each other their favorite little bits of info.

Eventually, they moved to the floor so they could share the fun with Rosie and Lincoln who were begging to know what all the excitement was about.

Did you know that Powder Blue Surgeonfish lives in the Indian Ocean and can get up to 9inches long – the same size as a dinner plate? Neither did I, but I do now! We’re learning all kinds of fun little facts about animals, and you can too! Time Inc. created some fun activity sheets you can download.

My kids have really enjoyed putting posters up in their room these days too, so you can believe we’ll also be downloading Time Inc’s Animal Fact Posters as well.

Do you have an avid reader, or animal lover? One reader will win a book bundle of Animal Planet Ocean Animals and Polar Animals. Enter on the rafflecopter. Open to US 18+ ends 4/26/16

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April 19, 2016
Family Asian Night at Home with InnovAsian

This shop for InnovAsian has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NoTakeOutNeeded #CollectiveBias

Sharing a new cuisine with your family doesn’t have to be stressful. In fact, it can be downright fun! Thanks to InnovAsian we were able to transport ourselves to Asia with bold flavors in all of 20 minutes. Now you can too!

$2 OFF one InnovAsian Entree

Backup 7 years and we had just taken our first family vacation out of the United States. As a child I frequented Canada, and as a mother, I was given the opportunity to visit Japan. Admittedly this is a country I never expected to find myself in. I knew very little about their food, and even less about their culture. We had 2 small children at the time, so while nerve racking, it was an experience I didn’t want to miss.

Probably our favorite dining experience were all the different seating possibilities. While in the US we usually have the choice of a booth, table or bar, in Japan there were more varying heights of tables. You could sit at a normal table, a booth-like table that was close to the ground, and some places even had what appeared to be a short table, only to discover a hole underneath your legs could hang down! Truly an experience.

Only 2 of our kids, and they were so young at the time, got to experience this amazing trip. I love learning about cultures, though, so about once a month I like to make dinner from another country. Most of the time it’s just the food, but every once in awhile if the food isn’t too time consuming I like to put a little more effort into the night so we learn something more than what foods the whole family likes. Asian night is definitely the kids favorite because, hello, Chopsticks!

Since InnovAsian is easy to prepare, I could spend a bit more time hanging with the kids, and prepping a seriously awesome Asian night. While I prepped some General Tso’s Chicken, Chicken Lo Mein, and Chicken Fried Rice I sent the kids off to dress up. We have more kimono’s then most people probably ever need – but our kids love them! I told them they may want to each grab a pillow too. I couldn’t fool them. They immediately knew we’d be eating close to the ground.

While General Tso’s Chicken tends to be a bit on the spicier side – sometimes I just need my spice – I had high hopes that the new seating arrangement, the use of chopsticks, and of course our Kimono’s would put everyone in an adventurous mood. I scored big time on this one! Everyone tried a bit of everything, and besides asking for some water, the kids loved it all!

Chloe’s first timid bite into her chicken was rewarded with an “HEY! This looks like a Chicken Nugget inside”. Well, what do you know about that! The rest of the kids were eager to try it after such a profound declaration and comparison to something else they all love. I secretly smiled knowing that these ‘chicken nuggets’ are made with all white-meat, lightly tempura battered, and no MSG! The kids didn’t need to know all that, though.

You can pick up InnovAsian entree’s and sides at Walmart in the frozen food aisles. I find mine on the end shelf, up on top. I’m hoping next time we have our Asian night to find the potstickers and egg rolls – my personal favorites that really are too time-consuming to make from scratch.

Does your family love InnovAsian cuisine?

Create your own family Asian night and earn rewards with InnovAsian’s rewards program. When you reach 1000 points you’ll earn a free box of InnovAsian! We’re already halfway to earning our first free box.

Where would you like to travel?

April 18, 2016
The Ultimate Sandwich + Brownberry® Giveaway
Brownberry® provided me with coupons and a gift card to share my thoughts on the Brownberry® products with you! All opinions are my honest thoughts.

Mark loves it when I ask him if I can make a sandwich, and what he would like in it. Knowing full well he doesn’t usually care for whole wheat bread, I often offer to make his sandwich just to sneak a better bread into his meal. Shh, don’t tell my secret!

Last week was Mark’s birthday so I, of course, offered to make his ultimate sandwich. The fillings change depending on his mood, so I had to get a list of what his preferred sandwich would be. He only had a few specific request. There must be avocado, lots of meat, and some muenster cheese.

The perfect sandwich starts with the perfect bread. Back when I shared my favorite sandwiches, I discovered Oroweat bread. Moving to Indiana I thought I wouldn’t be able to get Oroweat bread anymore, but it just goes by a different name here in the midwest – Brownberry®. The company recently reformulated the recipe for their Whole Grain 100% Whole Wheat Bread to contain 23 grams of whole grains, 100 calories, and 3 grams of fiber per slice!

To make Mark’s ultimate sandwich, and keep it on the healthier side, this is what I did.
Ultimate Sandwich

2016-03-08 07:23:47

Make the ultimate sandwich with Brownberry® Whole Grain 100% Whole Wheat Bread

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Ingredients

2 slices Brownberry® Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat Bread

1-2 tsp mayonnaise

2 slices Chicken

2 slices smoked Ham

2 slices Muenster Cheese

2 slices Cheddar Cheese

Red Leaf Lettuce

1 Roma Tomato sliced thickly

1/2 Avocado

Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Spread mayonnaise on 1 side of each slice of bread.

Layer chicken and ham on 1 slice of bread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add cheeses, lettuce, and tomato. Sprinkle with salt and pepper again.

Top with Avocado and last slice of bread.

By Home Maid Simple

Home Maid Simple https://www.homemaidsimple.com/
According to Mark, this was the best sandwich he’s ever had. I give credit to Brownberry® for making a whole wheat bread that Mark will eat and truly enjoy.

GIVEAWAY

1 reader will win (3) coupons for $5 Off Brownberry® Whole Grain 100% Whole Wheat bread. Open to US residents 18+.

Ends 3/16/16

Oroweat® if you’re in the west, Arnold® in the east

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March 8, 2016
Stop House Fires Before They Start with FireAvert

* I received a Fire Avert product as a member of the Social Butterfly Co. community. Thoughts are 100% my own true feelings. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you click through and make a purchase.*

Have you ever had a fire in your home? What if I told you there was a way to help stop oven fires before they ever start? Most house fires occur because of a lack of attention. Simple changes can help prevent you from the devastating effect of a house fire.

Mark and I LOVE watching Shark Tank. With my interest in marketing and Mark’s interest in new ideas, it’s a fun show that we can both get into. Some products make us shake our heads, some make us hungry, and others have us looking at the product website to see if we can fit it in our budget. We’ll sit there and guess which Shark might give the entrepreneur a deal and whether they’ll follow through after the show.

One deal we were thrilled to see go through was FireAvert. A simple plug-in for your stove that will auto shut-off your stove in case of fire.

How does it work? Simple really! When your smoke alarm goes off, the FireAvert responds by cutting power to your stove. In case of a fire, you won’t be worrying about turning the stove off because it’s already off. More likely, though, because smoke comes before a fire, your stove will shut off before the fire ever starts.

Having experienced a few house fires myself, this product is golden! When I saw it on Shark Tank, I knew it had to get a deal. Stove Fires are the #1 cause of house fires in the US! Who wouldn’t invest in a product that would benefit every home in America?

While fairly simple to install, being familiar with your home’s electrical breakers will be beneficial. You’ll need to cut power, for your safety, to the stove before plugging it in. Once plugged in, follow the easy to understand directions for syncing your FireAvert with the smoke detectors you already have. Now would be a great time to check the battery in your smoke detectors as well.

While a bit of an initial investment on Amazon, I believe it’s a peace of mind money can buy! The only downside I currently see to FireAvert is that they only work on electrical stoves. As a gas stove loving girl, I hope to see a future product for gas stoves. I’ve been told they’re working on it and hope to eventually have something for gas stoves.

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Would you feel safer knowing your stove had an auto shutoff?

February 16, 2016
Pimpernel by Sheralyn Pratt + $25 Giveaway

Looking for a great read to escape reality for awhile? Pimpernel by Sheralyn Pratt needs to be on your To-Be-Read pile – somewhere near the top.

Pimpernel by Sheralyn Pratt

They seek him here; they seek him there. For centuries, the elite of the world have sought the Pimpernel everywhere. Some want to kill him, others want to hire him, but Jack Cavanaugh knows that the love/hate relationship comes with the job title.

At present, Jack is trying to dismantle an investment scheme centered in Las Vegas, but “trying” is the operative word. It’s been a month since he put the face of the scheme behind bars, yet the scam is still going strong. As Jack tries to uncover who has stepped in as the new head, what miniscule evidence there is all seems to point him back to Claire Ramsey, an introverted PhD student studying at UNLV.

If ever there as an unlikely head of an investment scheme, Claire’s it. She has a genius IQ, but from all Jack has seen, Claire’s intelligence is as much a blessing as a curse when paired up with her acute OCD. Claire can barely make conversation with the cute guy down the hall, which makes it hard to believe she could be the charismatic salesperson who is getting international businessmen to invest $5—50 million a pop.

So what is Jack missing? What is the real story behind Claire Ramsey? And once Jack learns it, will he be able to walk away?

Excerpt

The high-pitched scream from the other side of her apartment door shattered Claire’s thoughts.

“Daniel?” That shriek had been way too high to come out of a man.

“Help!” Daniel’s voice cried out from the other side of the door.

Claire unlocked the door and pushed it open, finding Daniel cowering on the couch in sailor-themed boxer briefs. Classical music played from his bedroom, indicating Daniel had been sewing before he ended up on the couch. On the ground between them lay the lounge robe Daniel had made in his fashion design class along with his house slippers. They looked like they’d been flung at random.

“Move!” he shrieked at her, stabbing his finger at the ground like a mad man. “Take the high ground and leave the door open. Maybe it will go back to the gates of hell, where it belongs!”

Claire followed the direction of his manic gesturing, freezing when her eyes locked on something the size of her fist with eight hairy legs. “Daniel? Please tell me that is a toy.”

“That. Is. NOT. A. Toy!”

The spider chose that moment to make its move—which happened to be sprinting her way.

Claire shrieked as Daniel motioned for her to join him on the couch. “High ground!”

Was he insane? She would have to leap over the tarantula to get to him. Why in the world would she do that when she could just run away and go to a hotel for the night?

“Voldemort?” a man’s voice said from behind her a split second before Claire backed into a male body blocking her retreat. Not only did Claire scream, but her body was suddenly possessed by an Olympic hurdler as she scampered across the living room and flung herself into Daniel’s arms on the couch.

“You found her!” a flagpole of a man from the doorway said as Claire latched onto Daniel, hiding her face against his shoulder. If she didn’t see the spider, maybe it would cease to exist.

“Found it?” Daniel scoffed. “That thing tried to duel me for my sandwich before I batted him off my kitchen table.”

Claire shuttered, only vaguely realizing that the shoulder she was hiding her face in was bare. I’ve never hugged a guy who was only wearing underwear before, she thought a moment before Daniel pulled her keys out of her hand and flung them at the ground to join his slippers and robe.

“Don’t chase it this way!” Daniel yelled at the other guy.

“Come on, Voldemort,” the spider guy cooed. “Let’s get you back into your habitat—Don’t run!”

Wait, it was running? Claire didn’t want to see that, yet something compelled her to turn and look anyway.

People always said that horrible things seemed to happen in slow motion, but Claire could have sworn the giant arachnid was coming at her in fast-forward mode. In a heartbeat, she had climbed up to ride piggyback on Daniel while he responded by flapping his hands in panic as if he could fan the thing away with a light breeze.

Not only did the spider keep running, it was sprinting like an arachnid with a plan—heading straight for the couch. When Daniel backed away, Claire felt her back thump into the wall. Before he could move again, she pushed off his back to stand on the back of the couch, dropping her purse when it threatened her balance. On the way down, it ended up in Daniel’s hands and he wasted no time finding items inside and tossing them at the spider while its owner moved in to act like a human shield.

“No!” the tall guy cried as he tried to corral the beast. “Don’t throw things at her. You might hurt her.”

Just then, Claire’s favorite lip gloss bounced off the hairy spider, stunning it.

That lip gloss was dead to her—not just the tube, the actual brand. She’d never be able to look at it the same again.

Review:

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn’t put it down, but also didn’t want it to end. If you’re a fan of the classic The Scarlet Pimpernel, then you will also love this book. Who is the Pimpernel? I’m not going to say, but I will tell you it’s the first book I’ve read that I did not see the twist coming. Most books can hide it for a little, some books are too obvious, but not Pimpernel. When the reveal came I had to reread it and flip back a couple pages to make sure I hadn’t missed something.

Ms. Pratt has captured my attention, and I can not wait to see what else she writes. Her characters are believable, and the type readers find themselves wanting to be friends with. I feel a tie to Claire Ramsey and Jack Cavanaugh now, that has me hoping to see more books featuring them.

Author Sheralyn Pratt

Some describe Sheralyn as a girl who’s been around the block and worked at every shop. This isn’t far from the truth. Writing is what she loves most, however. There’s a magical power in stepping into new perspectives time and again, and seeing the world through different eyes. Few things increase empathy more than walking in another’s shoes for 100,000 words or so. At least, that seems to be the trend so far.

Some random things to know about Sheralyn:
* She’s a wanderer (geographically)
* She can write a novel, but doesn’t have the attention span for one page in a journal
* She vehemently disagrees with Stephen King’s stance that authors should not watch TV
* She is pretty much incapable of sleeping before midnight

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Pimpernel Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/28/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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February 15, 2016
Getting Kids to eat Oatmeal with Thrive Snackies + Snackies Box Giveaway

This is a sponsored post. I received Thrive product in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Food storage. It’s something I believe strongly in. Over the last 6 months, I’ve been chatting with one of my dearest friends, Laura, about her new business, selling Thrive Life. She and I really get each other. We live on a limited budget and have often needed the blessings that come from storing food. Through job loss and moves across the country, our food storage has made sure we don’t go hungry.

I kept telling Laura that I needed to resupply our food storage from our latest move. Mainly our 72-hour kits that we ate up in the 3-day drive from North Dakota to Indiana. Being an awesome friend, Laura suggested I try the Snackies.

When our box arrived in the mail, the kids got a little overly excited. “SNACKIES! Mom, you got us Snackies!!!?” Sure did kids! Only not the cool Snackeez 2 in 1 cups they thought it was. When we opened the box there were a few sighs of disappointment, but then they tried the snacks and all was well in the world again.

They ate the Peach slices one day after school, but the rest we decided to save for a family breakfast of oatmeal. See one of the best cheap meals we can have when going through a financial hardship is oatmeal. I’ve never been able to get my kids to eat it unless it’s the flavored overly sugared ones. So I whipped up some Creamy Wheat from our food storage one morning and opened up all the Snackies. Yogurt bites, strawberries, raspberries, bananas and a little sweet treat with chocolate chips.

The kids actually ate without complaint. There were some interesting combinations going on, but they did eat! Was it their favorite breakfast ever? No. When it comes to living frugally, though, we can’t always have our favorites. Now that I know my kids will eat oatmeal, especially with Thrive Snackies mixed in, I can add both the oatmeal and the Snackies to our long term food storage with peace of mind.

The Snackies come in all varieties, including veggies! I can’t get the kids to just snack on the veggies yet, but I plan on putting them in our car emergency kit. If we ever find ourselves stranded on the side of the road, we’ll have something to nourish us until help arrives.

Interested in learning more about Thrive?

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Are you ready to WIN Snackies for your Food Storage? One lucky reader will receive a box of Snackies from Laura!

Open to US 18+

Giveaway ends 1/31/16

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January 23, 2016
How I Protect my Phone

I received intelliGLASS screen protector for review. All opinions are 100% honest and my own.

My kids play on my phone ALL the time! I’ve tried taking off all the games and even Netflix, but they still ask to play on it especially when we’re stuck waiting at places like the dentist, or when I have a lot of work to get done, and they just want to be near me. So how do I protect my phone from damage?

My phone has suffered through falls in toilets, sticky hands, spilled juice, and more in the hands of my children. So wouldn’t you know it, when I accidentally drop it at the bus stop one morning, it cracks the corner fairly decently. My last phone did not make it through a jump in the lake when one child got too far from the shore, so I’ve been trying so hard to take care of it this time around.

I’ve avoided cases for it because I break those too. Frequently. And they tend to be too bulky for me to hold or stick in my pockets. I enjoy the slim design of my phone but knew I needed something to protect it. I found intelliGLASS and crossed my fingers it was the solution. SO SO SO happy you guys!

My biggest concern when installing, was that it wouldn’t bond because of the cracks going on in the corner. It wasn’t a problem at all! The installation is a breeze, and the package comes with everything you need for installation – the new screen protector, an alcohol wipe, a microfiber cloth, a dust film, and even a straight edge for smoothing out any bubbles.

Did I mention how much I LOVE my new intelliGLASS screen protector? I’ve tried picking the edge to see just how strong it’s attached, and to make sure my kids can’t peel it off when they play. It is on there, and good! Besides protecting my phone screen from future cracks, it has also been great from little dirty fingers. The screen is amazingly clear still, and the kids have been on and off it since I installed it.

Get 20% OFF your purchase of intelliGLASS from intelliARMOR

code: INTELLI20

How do you protect your phone?

Ready to WIN a screen protector for your device? One winner will receive a protector of their choice. Enter on the Rafflecopter below.

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January 11, 2016
Asleep on the Hay: A Dust Bowl Christmas Blog Tour + $25 Gift Card Giveaway

Blog Tour Schedule

Asleep on the Hay: A Dust Bowl Christmas by Ben Sowards

It’s Christmas Eve when a knock comes at the door of Paul’s family farmhouse. A small family is stranded due to a broken-down truck and seeks shelter for the evening. Paul’s grandfather not only welcomes them in, but offers them dinner and a bed for the night. Even though it is a season of giving, Paul’s heart is not filled with charity. It’s the height of the Dust Bowl and food is scarce. Why should he share what little he has with strangers? Worse, in order to help the sick baby, Paul will have to sell his beloved calf to buy a part to fix the truck.

Angry, he retreats to the barn, where he sleeps and dreams of faraway Bethlehem. In his dream, he visits Mary and Joseph, and their newborn son, Jesus. The family offers Paul food and shelter and warmth—extending to him the love and charity he lacks and teaching him of the true meaning of Christmas.

My Review:

Every year for Christmas we get a new book. It’s one of those traditions we’ve been able to hold on to throughout all our moves. This year I was excited to receive Asleep On the Hay as our new Christmas book. Books that incorporate a little bit of history while still holding the kids attention will always be a winner in my eyes. Before even starting the story, I explained to the kids what the Dust Bowl was. We then got into the story. With tender hearts my children gasped, cried, and cuddled in closer as they followed Paul through the tough choice of giving up his best friend in order to help someone else. My favorite part of the book was the last page. I won’t spoil it for you, but I just loved how it ended.

Author & Illustrator Ben Sowards

Ben Sowards is the illustrator of many well-loved picture books, including A Christmas Dress for Ellen, Seven Miracles that Saved America, and Christmas Oranges.

Ben Sowards teaches others to paint both traditionally and digitally at Southern Utah University, where has directed the illustration program since 2001.

Website

$25 Blog Tour Giveaway Giveaway

Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 12/30/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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December 16, 2015
Teaching Kids to Follow their Dreams with VTech Flipsies + Win a Flipsies Clementine Birthday Party and Bakery Set
This review is sponsored. Product was exchanged for an honest review VTech Flipsies.

If you could be anything, what would you be? What are your dreams? Are you living them? The new Flipsies line from VTech helps inspire our kids to dream whatever they want, and go after it. Dream of being a baker, teacher, astronaut, or parent – the Flipsies dolls teach kids that dreams are good to have, and even achievable! I’ve talked about my dreams before, but now it’s time to talk about the kids.

Meet Clementine. She dreams of becoming a baker. With her Birthday Party and Bakery playset, Clementine can live out her dreams baking goodies and serving them up to her friends at birthday parties. I’m pretty impressed with how well made the playset is, for having parts that detach for expanded play. Everything is sturdy, and allows plenty of room for all 4 of the kids hang out and dream together.

Look how fun this is! With bright colors, and attention to all the details, my kids have been playing with these on a daily basis, and with little to no fighting! Along with Clementine we got Sandy and her surfboard. Sandy dreams of becoming a Marine Biologist, but in our house enjoys taking breaks from surfing with her dolphins to grab a treat and chat at Clemetine’s Bakery.

Cute story time! I had Clementine hiding in my room for an opportune time to share with the kids. Little Prince comes in early one morning and finds it. I tell him to go show the girls, knowing it will being squeals of delight. I lay in bed patiently waiting to hear their reaction, and am not disappointed. Here’s how it went –
Little Prince walks in, and turns their light on then in a sing song voice calls out “Happppyyyyy Birthdaayyyy”
Knowing it’s none of their birthdays, the girls angrily tell him to turn off the light, it’s not time to get up yet. But then! There’s a pause. “Wait! WHAT?! What is that?!! MOOOMMMMMM, is this for us? Can we play with it?!”

Ah the joys of knowing you completely surprised your children for once, and put a huge smile on their face is priceless. I’ll always have that sing song voice in my head though, because Little Prince wanted to play with his sisters and knew it would make them happy too.

Later while playing with their new Flipsies Doll and Playset, I pulled the girls aside to ask them about their dreams.
- What do you like to pretend to be when you play?
- Who is your favorite Flipsie doll, and why? (great for Christmas present ideas!)
- If you could transform like a Flipsie, what would you turn into?
These are great questions to get conversation started and learn more about your kids dreams of the future. Something I think is important to always be aware of as a parent.

Curious how my kids answered? Me too! Venice, my oldest would transform into “Sleepyhead” because she loves to sleep. Truth you all, if she doesn’t sleep enough her emotions are more like a teen then a 9 year old. If she could get a job sleeping when she’s older, she’d be living her dream – and in her dreams, lol. Her favorite flipsies are Jazz and Styla because she too likes to make things and play music.

Chloe loves to pretend she’s Elsa, but loves the Flipsie Lexi who dreams of becoming a teacher like herself. Why a teacher? According to Chloe, teachers are important. Something I’m so glad she realizes this early on in her life.

Rosalina, my baby girl loves Sandy because hello – she has a surfboard! Her dreams are to become a surfer girl just like Sandy. Which may mean we need to move closer to the ocean…

Share your Dreams with VTech Flipsies on Facebook or Twitter

Want to win Clementines Birthday Party and Bakery? Enter below! Giveaway open to US readers 18+. Ends 12/7/15

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December 1, 2015
Take care of your health by tracking your Heart Rate with Beets Blu

*This is a sponsored post. I received product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% honest.*

Taking care of our health as we get older becomes increasingly more important. We start seeing the effects of our childhood choices, and sometimes wishing we had made different ones. I’m taking the first step back to better health by tracking my heart rate with a Beets Blu heart rate monitor.

As a kid I enjoyed running. Cross Country was the only sport I felt I could do, because it meant a team didn’t have to rely on me. I tried softball, and while fun I felt I held the team back with my lack of sporty skills. Getting outside though has always been an important part of my life. Whether it was camping and hiking, or playing family baseball or tennis with my Dad.

One day I woke up and was an adult. I had to clean house. Do laundry. Go to work. Take school classes. Have kids. Care for them. Where did all my time go?! Moving to Indiana has been one of the best things for my body, because now I live near family who are passionate about exercise and want me to enjoy it again too.

Every Thursday my sister in law and I go running with our 2 little boys in the double stroller. She uses an app called Strava (Find me!), and helped me set up an account. When I got the Beets Blu Heart Rate Monitor she showed me how to get it set up, and also explained why it’s a good idea to track your heart rate.

I’ve never used a heart rate monitor before, so was unsure what to expect. I really really liked the Beets Blu monitor though. The strap is a perfect width that when I put it on, it didn’t bother me at all. I was worried it would be too thick, or move around a bunch, but it didn’t! My next concern was connecting it by bluetooth to my phone. Would it really hold the connection?

The answer – YES! I ran a 1.5 mile and it tracked the whole thing. Using the Strava app on my phone in my arm band, I could see where my heart rate spiked while chatting and running with my sister in law, and where it slowed because we stopped to walk the hill. So cool you guys!

How will you take back your health?

November 7, 2015