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  • Cranberry Naturals Review and Giveaway

    Cranberry Naturals Review and Giveaway

    I love Cranberry Juice. Growing up, I loathed it. I cringed opening the fridge and seeing the Cranberry Juice, because it meant someone was sick, and everyone would be drinking it until the sickness was gone.  To my young tastebuds, Cranberry Juice was very bitter. 
    Then one day I married Mark, and he LOVED cranberry juice, drinking close to 1 glass a day. So I looked into Cranberry Juice more, and started slowly adding it to my diet (not diet diet, just the normal foods I would eat).  Overtime I was able to overcome the bad childhood memories of cranberry juice, and actually enjoy it.  I think the biggest problem was that when you have a cold, it magnifies the bitter taste.  I still can’t drink cranberry juice when I’m sick.
    I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review some of Old Orchards Cranberry Naturals.  Here’s a few fun facts about this awesome drink:
     – It has 2X the cranberry juice of leading “diet” juices
     – 40% less sugar than other brands, and naturally sweetend with Truvia and just a touch of sugar
     – NO artificial flavors or preservatives
    Can it get any better?  Besides Cranberry Juice already having tons of health benefits, Old Orchard has made Cranberry Juice healthier by cutting back their sugar and loading it with more of the actual fruits juice! 
    Now being the holidays are here, and the cold weather has come to stay, I had to try something a little new with Cranberry Naturals.  I decided to make my own Wassail, completely experimental with no recipe to guide me (I LOVE recipes and rarely venture away from them).  Oh, and if you’re wondering what Wassail is, it’s like Hot Apple Cider, but has more fruits and spices in it. One of my favorite Christmas Carols is Here We Come A Wassailing, although some sing it as Here We Come A Caroling. That is the only word that has been changed. Not sure why, but there’s a little Christmas fact for you!
    Right back to my Wassail.  I made it up last night, and it was so delicious! The kids loved watching it simmer, and enjoyed drinking it as well.
    Home Maid Simple’s Cranberry Wassail
    Ingredients:
    64 oz Old Orchard Cranberry Naturals Original
    6 oz Old Orchard Frozen Apple Concentrate
    1 Gala Apple, peeled, cored and sliced
    1 Orange, juiced
    1 Orange, sliced
    2 Cinnamon sticks
    1/2 tsp Allspice
    Directions:
    In a large pot, mix all ingredients together. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, let simmer about 20 minutes. Serve warm.  You can either pull the fruit pieces out, or enjoy with the wassail. The kids escpecially had fun seeing apples and oranges inside their drinks. For large holiday parties, I suggest doubling the recipe.  Enjoy!
    Guess what?! I have a giveaway for you!!!  Old Orchard is giving away coupons for FREE Cranberry Naturals to 5 of my lucky readers!  Each winner will receive 2 coupons for FREE Cranberry Naturals as well as 2 $.50 cents off coupons!  That’s 4 coupons each for 5 Winners!!
    All you have to do is enter the Rafflecopter Form below!
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    *I was provided with Old Orchard Cranberry Naturals to review and give my honest opinion. All opinions shared are my own.
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  • Quilted Euphoria Sponsor Spotlight

    Quilted Euphoria Sponsor Spotlight

    I’m pleased to share with you all Amber from the Quilted Euphoria etsy shop and blog.  She is offering a tote bag as part of the Best Gifts of 2011 giveaway, so make sure you go enter through the button on the left!

    Amber lives in Utah (turns out pretty close to my parents!), and loves quilting.  No one can say it better than the person themselves, so here’s a little snippet from Amber’s about me page.

    Hello world, I’m Amber and I’m addicted to quilting! Not just quilting as I’ve come to find out recently, but I am developing a love for all things crafty! I have been quilting since I was 19, and crafting for…well however long it’s been since I started this blog! I was so inspired as a child watching my grandmother quilt that I decided to do it myself, and that as they say, was that.Then I discovered blogging and the insanity really took hold. And here I am!

    I have really enjoyed getting to know Amber through our separate blogs and her Quilted Euphoria shop.  Like Amber, I learned quilting from my grandmother as well. Unlike Amber, I did not take it up as a hobby.  I periodically help tie quilts for our church, but until I met Amber, that was the extent of my “quilting”. Thanks to Amber I did recently make another small scale quilt, and shared the tutorial of that on her blog.  On her blog, Amber also hosts a Weekend Wow Me Party, where you can link up and show off different crafts you have made. I’ve gotten so many ideas from those links, I need to stop browsing them and get crafting!  
    Now, if you’re like me, you love quilts, especially in the winter time, but you don’t want to spend the time, or have the time to make one yourself. Amber takes custom orders, and I’m sure she would be thrilled to put something special together for you! Quilts make great Christmas gifts, Wedding Gifts, baby shower gifts, and going to college gifts!  Really, I don’t think you could ever go wrong giving a quilt as a gift!  Just look at some of Amber’s handiwork – 
    Don’t forget to enter the Best Gifts of 2011 giveaway to win a quilted tote from Quilted Euphoria, plus many other amazing prizes!

  • Heely’s, the shoes with wheels Review

    “Heelys are the original shoe with wheels in the heels that allow the user to transition from a walk to a roll by shifting weight to the heel. Users can also transform Heelys into street shoes by removing the wheels.”

    I am having a hard time getting used to these wheeled shoes. Heelys sent me a pair to try and out, and I was pretty excited to act like a kid again! Turns out my balance, especially when pregnant is not very good.

    I love the look of my Heelys. There are so many different styles to choose from, and sizes range from kids to adult.  When Mark and I got married, he had a pair of Heelys and I just laughed at them, because to me they were a kids shoe.  I’ve learned differently.  I personally think it would be a blast to get some Heelys for the whole family.  You see families biking together, roller blading, and going on walks. I think the next new thing will be Heely family outings! 

    When I pulled my Heelys out to try out, I showed Princess V. You can’t really see the wheels, so at first she wasn’t too interested. Then I started rolling them around the floor. Her eyes about bugged out, and she excitedly exclaimed “MOM do those have wheels?!!” followed by “Can I try them?”  I have a hard time saying no, so of course I let her try them on.

    That is the look of pure joy! She then insisted I try them on as well. Sorry no picture. I will be using my Heelys more as a street shoe until I have a bit more of my balance back. I may find next summer that going for walks with the stroller is more fun with my own set of wheels!
    Click here for Skate 101 – Video’s for how to’s, tips, tricks, and safety with your Heelys
    Click here to shop for Heelys
    Don’t miss a thing by following Heelys on Facebook
    Hang out on Twitter with Heelys
    And watch more vidoes on the Heelys youtube channel
    *I was provided with a pair of Heelys shoes for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
  • Little Miss Princess Tutu Review

    Little Miss Princess Tutu Review

    April is the creator of little Miss Princess tutu, and she does an amazing job! So good a job in fact that TLC’s Quints by Surprise were seen wearing Little Miss Princess Tutu’s!  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review an LMP tutu.  I’ve got 3 little Princesses of my own, and tutu’s are all the rage! I’ve tried making my own tutu’s (really who hasn’t), and honestly they just never turned out looking like the other ones I see out there. They take a lot of time and patience to get just right! 
    Helping my princesses dress up, and watching as they play hard in their new LMP tutu, I know that it was made with care, precision, and lots of love!
    Of course the camera came out, and she had to “show my moves!” Despite being tossed around the house, worn by 3 Princesses, and never put away, this Little Miss Princess Tutu, still looks brand new to me!  Thanks April, for letting my Princesses enjoy a quality made tutu! 
    I just love browsing through the LMP tutu online catalog and seeing the other beautiful tutu’s and pettiskirts!!!
    Simply Sweet Portrait, 22 inches-
    Ally Girl Red Ribbon Pettiskirt-
    Yeah I totally want that pettiskirt! How adorable!!!
    These would make great Christmas gifts, especially if you’re doing a dress up box! They’d also be great for that Family photo shoot we all do at Christmas time!
    Don’t forget! You can enter to win your own custom Little Miss Princess tutu by checking out the Best Gifts of 2011 Giveaway!
    Current Giveaway!

  • GUM Crayola Toothbrushes

    GUM&#174; Crayola™ Marker Toothbrush

    Teaching kids good hygiene can be difficult at times. Some days they are great and don’t mind brushing their teeth, other days it’s like they think a monster is going to take all their teeth if they open their mouth at all. 

    That’s why I love finding products that make good hygiene fun! GUM crayola toothbrushes come in all different styles, so there is sure to be one that your child will enjoy.  There’s the Marker with suction cup base, that is designed to look like crayola markers. The suction cup base helps keep the toothbrush clean when not in use as well!  Then there’s the Pip Squeaks, which are modeled after the marker of the same name. These are great for toddlers just learning to brush, so they don’t have a long handle they have to maneuver around.  There’s also, and this is my favorite, the timer light toothbrush.  It also features a suction cup, but in the middle of the suction cup is a button that turns a flashing light on.  The light flashes for 60 seconds, encouraging longer brushing times. These are really fun to let the kids brush in the dark.  Finally for older children there is the power toothbrush.  This one also has a suction cup base, but it is not attached to the actual toothbrush. 

    The Princesses have really gotten into brushing their teeth with these kid friendly GUM crayola toothbrushes. Princess V and Princess C claimed theirs based on color. Princess R attempted claiming all of them, but finally settled on the timer light toothbrush.  Princess R absolutely loves brushing her teeth though, so I’ll let her walk around the house brushing all day long. Unfortunately this led to a lost timer light toothbrush on day 2, so she laid claim to the green Pip Squeak.
    As soon as we opened our package Mark laid claim to the power toothbrush.  His reasoning was because it’s a power toothbrush.  So these obviously are not just for kids! Adults enjoy the fun designs (or power) as well. 
    I don’t know about you, but we like to put a toothbrush in the kids Christmas stockings every year. These would make the perfect fun, and practical stocking stuffer!
    *I received samples of all 4 GUM Crayola toothbrushes for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are solely my own.
  • Sponsor Spotlight – Saressa Designs

    Sponsor Spotlight – Saressa Designs

    Saressa Designs is an etsy shop full of beautiful handmade jewelery!  Ladies, put this shop on your Christmas list! Guys, browse around here, and I’m sure that special lady in your life will not be disappointed with anything you choose here!
    Rachel, the shop owner was kind enough to let me review a necklace.  Not just any necklace though, a customized necklace to my tastes!   Like any girl, I love dressing up, and getting all pretty, especially for my man.  So I browsed through some of her items, and let her know a couple pieces that I liked, and the color I liked. I was stunned by how beautiful this necklace was when I received it.
    Rachel used some cornflower blue quartz in a briolette shape.  She then added a brass heard hand stamped and oxidized with a curvy “a”.  I adore personalized jewelery, and had not expected the extra addition.  What you can’t see pictured here, is that on either side of the lobster clasp is a fresh water pearl.  It really makes finding that clasp easy!  Princess C again, was home when I opened it, and she asked if she could wear it. This, I told her, was for mommy.  She got her HEXBUGS, I got a necklace!  Even better is that Mark says “I approve”.  To me jewelery is not worth wearing if my husband doesn’t like it. I mean I dress up for him, so if he doesn’t like it, why would I wear it? No problem with this piece this though. He gives his stamp of approval!
    Rachel has been crafting jewelery since she was a child from old pieces her mom would give her and fishing line from her dad.  Rachel is a mom to 2 boys and loves spending time with all her family!
    You can follow Saressa by hearting her etsy shop, following on facebook, or catching her tweets.
    Have you entered the Best Gifts of 2011 Giveaway yet? Lots of prizes, 1 winner!
    Current Giveaway!

  • HEXBUG Micro Robotic Creatures Review – Best gifts of 2011

    HEXBUG Micro Robotic CreaturesA big Thank YOU to HEXBUG for sponsoring the Best Gifts of 2011 Event here on Home Maid Simple.
    We received a HEXBUG Hive Habitat Set and 2 HEXBUG Nano’s for review. Princess C was the only one home with me when the package came, and she was so excited to play with these bugs.  Watch the video I took to get a feel for these robotic bugs and the joy they can bring to your child!

    Of course as soon as her sisters got home she had to show off the cool “bugs” and their tricks.  We’ve played with the Hive Habitat and Nano bugs almost every day since we’ve received them in the mail. The girls could spend hours watching them, chasing them with their hands, and laughing when they flip onto their backs. 
    Pro’s:
    – The kids enjoyed them and kept them entertained indefinitely. The main thing I look at from a toy. I like nothing less than a toy that is played with for one day and then forgotten about. The HEXBUG toys will not disappoint!
    – Easy clean up! The Hive folds up and has a wonderful carrying handle. Plus the Nano bugs fit inside too!  I’m pretty sure we’ll be bringing this to a couple playdates this holiday season, and to the family parties.
    – Many different parts, so you can rearrange the Hive for new fun each time!
    – They’re tough! The HEXBUG Hive and Nano’s are for children 3+. We let Princess R (1yr) enjoy as well under supervision. Between the 3 Princesses I thought we’d have a “dead” Nano on our hands day 1. But we didn’t. Princess R did manage to suck on one for a little, but with some gentle tapping it came back to life, and hasn’t been a problem since.
    – Learning tool.  My kids hate bugs, really I’m not kidding. They like to look from a distance, but never too close, and certainly never touch them. The Nano’s allow my kids to view bugs up close, and watch how they react.  My personal opinion is that they really act like live bugs. I was very pleasantly surprised!  The Nano’s come in different variations, each one named after Scientists. You can also register them online for more bug fun!
    Con’s:
    – I think my biggest complaint, is that they are loud. The vibrating on the plastic isn’t the most appealing sound. But, I will gladly block it out while my children enjoy so much fun!
    – small parts. I’m sure this is why there is a 3+ age rating on this toy. I only wish I had a better way to store all the flags and pegs.
    The HEXBUG Nano Hive Habitat is available for purchase nationwide in major retailers, as well as online at www.hexbug.com with a MSRP of $34.99
    The HEXBUG Nano’s are also available nationwide or online at www.hexbug.com with a MSRP of $5.99.
    OR you can enter to win your own HEXBUG Nano Habitat right here! Head over to this post and enter on the rafflecopter form. 

    *I was provided with a HEXBUG Hive Habitat and 2 extra Nano’s for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

  • Book Review: Feeding the Dragon

    Feeding the Dragon: A Culinary travelogue through china with recipes

    By Mary Kate Tate and Nate Tate

    My thoughts: I LOVED this book! Looking at the cover and title was good enough for me to want to pick it up. I have a few other cookbooks that are country specific with some history in them, but they were fairly boring to read.  When I Feeding the Dragon arrived in the mail, the cover told me this was going to be different, and it was!

    Mary Kate and Nate take you right to the heart of China! You get to see the real culture, people, and the history that surrounds them.  The photography in the book is also stunning. While reading about the culture, I really felt like I was right there with them!  Of course, I probably would’ve died from feral dogs, while Mary and Nate made an escape, but if I had made it, I’d be carrying a branch with me too!  While reading I felt very connected to the Hakka people.  Their homes are built around a central room used for all types of family gatherings, and they have strong focus on the family. What I really loved, though, is how they competely included Mary Kate and Nate and treated them as more family.  It’s what I want my home to be – a place anyone can come and feel like family. 
    Thank you Mary Kate and Nate for this trip to the heart of China, without having to leave my couch.  You have inspired me to search out the heart of the country when I travel (….if I travel…someday I’ll be a world traveler…you’ll see!).

    I have yet to try any of the recipes from this stunning book, but I have my eye on 4 that will be going on our menu very soon!  Youtiao Fried Dough Stick which apparently are like doughnuts, Farmhouse Omelet a very simple dish, Chicken Lettuce Cups because I love the ones at PF Changs, and Mango Pudding because the name accompanied with the picture is just irresistable!

    While browsing the web, I also came across Mary Kate and Nate’s BLOG! Yeah, I love blogs, so I’m very excited to add their’s to my reading list.  You can purchase their book Feeding the Dragon, through their website or by clicking the picture below!

    *This post contains an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting Home Maid Simple

  • Book Review: I Believe In You

    I Believe in You, Marianne Richmond, Hardcover
     

    Book: I Believe In You by Marianne Richmond

    About the Book: This is a Children’s picture book. It takes all the small things we parents believe our kids can do while growing up, and plays it out for our kids. “Whether it’s sunny or stormy, Whether you’re happy or blue, I’m here to say, without a doubt that I believe in you”

    About the Author: Marianne Richmond is an inspiration! When she was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor, she started hand painting greeting cards.  Soon she was getting many orders for her cards, and created a small business Watercolor Works.  In 1997 Marianne decided to try writing a children’s book.  She is now the author and illustrator or many children’s books.

    I Believe In You Review:  I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read it with Princess V (age 5) the moment we got it in the mail.  As I read each page, all I could think was, YES I do Believe in YOU! As Marianne says, Growing up is hard but we believe in our kids ability to make it past the bumps.  One of Princess V’s favorite lines is “I believe in your stand up truth”. On this page there is a little girls hiding behind a couch that has been covered in crayon.  Princess V thoroughly took this to heart, and later that day I found her coloring all our walls purple. It has been YEARS since Princess V colored on the walls, and when I asked her why she did it, her response melted my heart
    -“Mom, I believe in my mistakes, and my…..my…..”
    -“Your stand up truth?”
    -“Yeah my stand up truth because I make mistakes”
     Awe, how could I be mad at her, when she had learned such an important lesson? Ever since bringing this book into our home, when I have to ask my kids who did something, like coloring on walls, hitting, pushing, taking toys, etc. Princess V always waits a bit, but then tells me “Mommy I’ll tell the truth. It was….” And most of the time it has been her. Whether it really was her or not, I appreciate her wanting to make things right and taking the consequence (simple time outs, apologizing) for doing wrong.

    I’d like to thank you Marianne for this book, and the many others you have written, and may (hopefully) still write. Your story is inspiration to follow our dreams, and your books have become an extension of that.

  • Little Remedies, Little Fevers Review and Giveaway

    Little Remedies, Little Fevers Review and Giveaway

    Get ready for a new fever fighting product for kids! Little Remedies has come out with a new product Little Fevers for Infants and Little Fevers for Children. Although this product features some new aspects to the Little Remedies medicine, such as dye and gluten free, my favorite feature is the new dosing bottle.
    You know how you used to stick the syringe into the bottle trying to guesstimate the right dosage only to pull it out, covered in medicine, and either too full or not full enough? No longer! A new top on the bottle allows you to insert just the tip of the syringe, tip the bottle upside down and get an accurate dosage on the first try!

    With school starting we had to get Princess V ‘s shots updated. Sadly she did develop a slight fever and pain at the injection site. I was really excited to try out Little Remedies for children. grape flavor. Little Fevers Children’s comes with a dosing cup, and the syringe top. Even with the top designed for a syringe, it poured easily into the cup. Princess V wasn’t so sure about this though. It wasn’t red which to her meant it wasn’t cherry flavored. I did get her to take it after some coaxing, but she complained it tasted a little sour. However, it did bring her fever down and her arms got better faster.
    A few days later Princess R started teething some back teeth, and was pretty miserable, she was starting to develop a small fever as well. So I pulled out the Little Fevers infants! Like I said before, I loved the syringe top! It was so easy to use, and completely mess free! Princess R took the Little Fevers just fine, and soon was back to her normal self

    With the new syringe top, Little Remedies Little Fevers is my new choice in fever/pain reducer for my childrens. We just may need to try the cherry flavor instead of grape for the older kids.

    Be ready to fight fevers this School Season with your own Little Remedies Little Fevers for Children and Infants. Enter the Rafflecopter Form below to WIN!

    *I was provided with the product for review. All opinions are my own and my childrens.

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