Back to School with Walmart Coca-Cola Effortless Meals

Thanks to The Coca-Cola Company for providing compensation for this blog post. All opinions are my own.

School has been in session for about a month for us. Last week was actually our first full 5 day week. Trying to get back into a routine is hard work. We still have mornings we are rushing around trying to get everyone ready on time. And yesterday my son missed the bus. Ugh. Well, technically the bus missed him. Anyway, it made the rest of my day hectic, because we had to change plans to get him to school on time.

It's hard to believe that I have a 3rd grader this year. Time has flown. That means this is our forth back to school season. While I do miss my oldest son when he's at school, back to school means a little more structure with our schedule. It isn't always the easiest, but once we hit our groove things go well. It does take time to get there though, so the first month is pretty hectic trying to sort everything out. 

One thing that can be tough after school is thinking about supper. My son gets home late in the afternoon, my husband gets home an hour later, and we eat supper shortly after. Add in a toddler who naps in the afternoon and is just getting up around the same time, our afternoons can get a little crazy. Sometimes that mealtime sneaks right up on me. 

Time for meal prep is short for me. There are different ways that I can battle that, and one big way is to have a ready to cook meal available for those especially crazy days. Now I have a solution thanks to Coca-Cola and Walmart Effortless Meals.

Families are busy. Coca-Cola and Walmart are helping to beat the busy suppertime with Effortless Meals. You can quickly and easily stop by your local Walmart Supercenter and find a take 'n bake pizza, tasty sandwiches, or ready-to-serve rotisserie chicken. These meals will help you put your focus back on your family without the hectic dinner rush every evening.

We went to Walmart for groceries and looked over the Effortless Meal items. My kids helped me pick something out, and we settled on a take 'n bake pizza and Coke. We also found breadsticks and cinnamon dessert bread in a combination box. All of these were so easy to prepare. The large pizza fed our family of 4 for more than one meal. We enjoyed the yummy flavors and fresh vegetables on it. Everyone gobbled up the pizza. And I don't know about you, but my favorite drink with pizza is Coca-Cola. We have pizza about once a week, and I'm sad when I forget to get the Coke to go along.

You can see more about the Walmart and Coca-Cola Effortless Meals at the My Coke Rewards website. You can unlock bonus points when you purchase one of these meals. Not only will you enjoy the ease of supper, your family will thank you for a delicious meal too! It makes the back to school rush a little easier.

Bronze Buffer - Help for Self Tanning

*Disclosure: I received this product to review. All opinions are my own.*

Many people enjoy summer for the sunshine and tan skin. My skin does get tan, but it's not something I seek out like others. The older I've gotten the more easily I burn. Lucky for me my burn doesn't stay red long, though. I still avoid getting too much sun. I try to make sure I have plenty of time in the shade while outdoors, and I wear sunscreen to help protect my skin too.

Another alternative is using self-tanner. You can get the nice tanned look without exposing your skin to too much sunshine. Sometimes with self-tanner, though, you get blotchy spots or tanner in a spot you didn't really need it. This is where the Bronze Buffer comes into play.

The Bronze Buffer is almost self-explanatory from it's name. It is a sponge that is made to help make your self tan look even and nice. For a no stress, tanning mess, just keep this product on hand all summer long (and winter too...why not!).

For a great self tan follow these easy steps:
1. Exfoliate your legs with a non-oily scrub, loofah or mitt.
2. Apply your favorite tanner, making sure to let it dry fully before getting dressed.
3. Refine your results with the Bronze Buffer. Even out streaks on your legs, blend any excess color on the tops of your feet, and be sure to get between your toes!
4. Now that you have picture-perfect color, add a little shine before stepping out. You can try a body cream or oil - take your pick!

The Bronze Buffer sponge works with only water. There are no added ingredients or chemicals. The gentle exfoliation from the Bronze Buffer will gently remove unwanted self-tanner from the upper layers of skin. No more streaks or color mistakes. You can have a perfectly tan look with ease.

Bronze Buffer costs $10 for 2 sponges. You can purchase it at www.bronzebuffer.com.

Beach Vacation

So much fun in the sun. 

Now we are home and work must be done.

I have more to share.

You'll wish you were there.

But for now please enjoy,

 the photo of my boys.

Blogging Lull

I am about to do something that I cringe at when other people do it. I'm going to blog about blogging. Ugh. I give you my apologies now. Go ahead...roll your eyes. Feel better? Good. Feel free to turn away if it really appalls you. Or you can stay for the cute pictures too.

Blogging has been part of my life for over 7 years now. I started to write when my oldest son was about 10 months old. I had been following some blogs and reading and commenting. I finally decided it was time to start my own. I found that it was a great way for me to connect to other mothers like me. It is it's own online community.

I have made many great friends through blogging and social media. There are many times that they/you are the ones that I turn to first when a problem or challenge arises. Sometimes I take to Twitter just to let out a little frustration. It does make me happy to know I'm not the only one who does this. I try to repay my gracious online friends by being upbeat and positive when they need a little encouragement too.

My oldest, Zachariah, is now 8 years old. I still have no idea how the years fly by at such an alarming speed once you have children. And we've added our sweet little Jonah to the mix now. He is 13 months old. Life with one child was busy. Life with two can be pure crazy. (I can only imagine that compounded for those of you with more children.)

From having one little baby at home to having a busy toddler at home. It is busy, but it's not too bad. Those were the years I was really into blogging. I had time each day/week to write and share, research and work. It was even easier when my oldest started school and I was still at home. I had time to keep up with everything at home easily. I had time to start going to bible study each week. I had time to volunteer in my son's classroom. I had time to blog and start fun projects. Of course there were busy times with a busy school-aged child, but there was more free time for me to fill.

It threw me through a loop when we found out I was expecting again. This pregnancy was very wearing on me. I had such low energy the whole time. I seriously started to think that I was never going to feel a normal level of energy again. It was a pleasant surprise when I bounced back quickly after birth. I had so much energy, probably more than before I was pregnant. However, it didn't take long to realize that all my time and energy was going to be occupied with a needy newborn.

It was during this time that I really fell off the blogging bandwagon. Sure I've been around here and there. But I really haven't taken the time to write and stick with it. I do better at social media, but without blogging I wasn't keeping up with those things connected to my blog.

Here's the thing. I think about blogging a lot. I still compose posts in my head. I talk to PR reps about reviews. I connect with bloggers and readers on Facebook and Twitter and more. I still need this platform to open up about my life. It's a creative outlet of sorts that I still need. I was thinking for a while that maybe it was time to call it quits and focus on other things. But the truth is that my mind keeps wandering back to this blog.

So here we are. I do have a little more time now that my youngest is gaining more independence as a toddler. My oldest is pretty self-sufficient, but his various activities do keep us busy. Truthfully it's this blogger mindset that has me wanting to recommit to this blog.

I want some place to connect to other mommies online. I want to share the things that I have learned and am still learning. I want to find others with similar interests. I want to document things that are happening in my children's lives. I want to keep reviewing great products and hosting giveaways for my awesome readers.

Thanks for sticking around. (Or coming back. Or just finding me.) I'm definitely still here. And I look forward to being around more often. I hope that you'll stay and share with me. There is more adventure waiting for me.

***
You can also find Sarah, PS Mom Reviews, at these various places as well:
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Mint Oreo Brownies

I was searching Pinterest (Are you following my pins?) last week for a fun dessert recipe. Somehow I stumbled upon a great one. Today I finally made this yummy recipe. It was so easy and turned out wonderfully. I followed the directions and only had to bake a little longer. Otherwise everything was perfect. These brownies are delicious, especially if you love the chocolate mint combo.

Here is the recipe as found on Averie Cooks.com:

Fudgy Mint Chocolate Brookies

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

1 egg

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons brewed coffee (enhances chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup flour

25 mint Oreos, quartered, divided (save 5 for the top)

Directions: 

1. Preheat the over to 350. Line a 8x8 pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Melt butter in bowl.

3. Let butter cool for a few minutes, then add egg, brown sugar, coffee, vanilla, peppermint extract (Do not add too much!) and whisk until smooth.

4. Whisk in cocoa powder until smooth.

5. Add flour and stir until just combined. Don't overmix.

6. Quarter 20 Oreos with a sharp knife and stir into batter. (Save 5 for top.)

7. Turn batter into pan and smooth top.

8. Quarter the remaining 5 Oreos and place evenly on top of batter.

9. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until done. (This took me about 5 more minutes in my oven.) A toothpick will come out mostly clean when done.

10. Let brownies cool, cut, and eat. Yum!

Yield: 9-12 pieces, depending on how big you want your brownies

My #DisneySide Party

*I received free products in order to host the Disney Side @Home Celebration. All opinions are my own.*

Parties are fun! Disney is great. Put the two together and throw in a birthday, you have one great party. (And one cute, little, Mickey Mouse eared baby!)

We received our Disney Side party kit full of great things. First of all it came in a huge box. Inside was all of our Disney Side party supplies inside of American Tourist Luggage, which just happens to be the official luggage of Walt Disney World Resort!

There were lots of great party supplies like Disney napkins, cute, balloons, plates, a tablecloth and more. To play we had Disney bingo and trivia. The HP photo card packs were great for creating invitations and printing photos of the event.

We made up party gift bags with lots of goodies inside. Each person got a Mickey & Minnie Mouse poster, Craisins, a Run Disney poster and bumper sticker. Plus there were balloons, tattoos and stickers. It was a great goody bag without all the sugary sweets and cheap toys that parents cringe about.

Our Disney Side party was a little different. We incorporated it with Zachariah's 8th birthday. He had been talking about doing something a little different this year anyway. We typically have a low-scale party with all of our family at our house for birthdays. But the older he gets, the less fun that is (especially when he's the oldest cousin...by 4 years). So we discussed a few different options and settled on bowling. I knew we could do our Disney Side party along with the birthday fun.

We were able to set up our decorations at the bowling alley. The kids bowled, then we ate pizza and had our special Mickey Mouse cupcakes (in the Mickey Mouse cupcake wrappers, of course). They ran around and played like crazy little boys do. I think it turned out very well. They enjoyed the fun of bowling and the fun of our Disney Side too. They were so busy the whole time, I don't even have a great picture of the birthday boy himself (he's in the green hoodie).

Our Disney Side Home Celebration was a hit! How do you show your Disney Side?

Spring

With the winter we've had, I'm happy to know that today is the first day of spring. It doesn't mean winter is completely done, but it's time to think spring. I couldn't do it better than with my little lamb!

And now you can see what happens when Mom takes just one too many pictures. Ha ha!

This cute little lamb hat was made by me. The pattern was free from Repeat Crafter Me. Go check her out. Her things are so cute! I've used several of her patterns and adore them.

What makes you think spring?

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope that your Valentine's Day was as sweet as mine!

Mike and Ike, Hot Tamales candy for Valentine's Day Plus Recipes

*Disclaimer: I received this product to review. All opinions are my own.*

Valentine's Day. The day of candy and flowers. Chocolate is good, but there are other great candies to celebrate the day too. How about Mike and Ike? Now that's a sweet treat that everyone in my house loves. It's perfect for this holiday with their special Valentine boxes too.

The product:

MIKE AND IKE and HOT TAMALES Valentine's Day Varieties 

Are the Perfect Candy To Share With Loved Ones

Bethlehem, PA (January, 2014) - Share the passion of Valentine's Day by surprising special loved ones in your life this Valentine's Day with limited edition varieties from MIKE AND IKE and HOT TAMALES candy. MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix, is hitting the shelves just in time for Valentine's Day! Your favorite "hottie" will love to receive special edition HOT TAMALES Cinnamon candy with special HOTTIE Valentine's Day graphics. Go the extra mile for your Valentine this year and create some tasty recipes featuring MIKE AND IKE and HOT TAMALES candies! These recipes were created by Chef Jamie Geller as part of her recent alliance with the leading candy brands.

MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix and HOT TAMALES Hottie both come in a 5 oz box, and are the perfect addition to any Valentine's Day gift. The MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix blend includes Paradise Punch, Strawberry, Grape and Cherry flavors. HOT TAMALES special edition for Valentine's Day is the classic Cinnamon flavor everyone loves and the box comes ready to gift with a tag fully integrated into the packaging! SRP for both 5oz boxes is $1.00 - $1.39.

"There is nothing sweeter on Valentine's Day than candy," says Koren Ivie, Brand Manager for MIKE AND IKE and HOT TAMALES candy. "We are sure consumers will fall in love with MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix as well as HOT TAMALES with Valentine's Day packaging!"

What we thought: This family likes MIKE AND IKE and HOT TAMALES already. My son isn't a fan of the hot cinnamon, so he opts for the fruity MIKE AND IKE. And my husband prefers the HOT TAMALES. Honestly, I like both. We really enjoy the Valentine's Day packaging. They are great little packs that include a spot to write a special message to your loved one. I made sure to give the HOT TAMALES to Matt and sign it "Your Hottie"!

When I saw the recipes for using these candies, I was intrigued. I would have never thought to put MIKE AND IKE or HOT TAMELES in a recipe. But the cookies sound really good. I'm planning to try them soon. (See the recipes below.)

Where to buy: The Valentine's Day MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix and HOT TAMALES are available in stores.


BeJeweled MIKE AND IKE Cookies
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Ready Time: 25 min
Servings: 36

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 Boxes of MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix
• 2/3 cup margarine - cold
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a mixer bowl, put 2/3 c. margarine, 1 c. sugar, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
3. Mix until well creamed.
4. Add in 2 c. flour and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
5. Add in chopped up MIKE AND IKE Passion Mix, mix into a dough (will be slightly sticky).
6. Roll into 1 inch balls. Place on cookie sheets lined with baking paper.
7. Bake for about 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Centers will be slightly soft.
8. Let cool.

HOT TAMALES Snickerdoodles

Servings: 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup (4 oz) HOT TAMALES Candies, coarsely chopped*
• 1/4 (2 oz) salted margarine, softened
• 1/4 (2 oz) shortening
• 3/4 (5.6 oz) granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt (increase to 1/4 tsp if using unsalted margarine)
• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

*This candy is quite sticky so the best way to chop it is with a lightly oiled knife.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream together the margarine, shortening and 3/4 cups sugar. Add the egg and beat until thoroughly combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients (except the candy) into the creamed mixture and mix until just combined. Add the chopped candy and mix until the candy is evenly distributed, a few minutes more.
4. Refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes (this makes it easier to handle).
5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
6. Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Form dough into balls the size of small walnuts (or use a tablespoon scoop). Roll the balls of cookie dough in the cinnamon sugar.
7. Place the cookies two inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets in the oven at the halfway point. They are done when they look puffed in the middle and slightly brown at the edges (the tops of the cookies will form cracks). Be careful not to overcook.
8. Remove cookie sheet from the oven and let cookies sit on it for another minute or so before removing to cooling rack; cookies will flatten out as they cool.
9. These cookies are best served warm, straight out of the oven, but they can be stored in an airtight container for up to two days.

Beenevolence Lip Balm

*Disclaimer: I received this product for review. All opinions are my own.*

The product: Beenevolence Lip Balm is made with everyone in mind. They are packaged in a simple tube that is gender neutral to appeal to both men and women. The three varieties are natural, peppermint and cinnamon. These all natural lip balms are made in Austin, Texas.

What I thought: I like having a simple, no frills lip balm around. They are especially great for the boys in my house. It's nice to have a healthy, natural product, and the added bonus of something without frills makes it a product that we can all use and enjoy.

Where to buy: You can check out Beeneveolence Lip Balm at their Etsy shop.

Elle Naturals Lip Balms

*Disclaimer: I received this product for review. All opinions are my own.*

I love finding products that are from small, US companies and naturally made. It's not always easy to find such things that meet high standards we have for the things we use. Here is a lip balm that will live up to your expectations.

The product: Elle Naturals is a small company located in Austin, Texas. They produce lip balm from natural ingredients on a small scale. They use things like plant oils, beeswax, and essential oils as ingredients in their lip balm.

They make their lip balm in the following flavors: Coffee Butter French, Coffee Butter Vanilla, Green Tea Butter Lemon, Green Tea Butter, Mango Butter Coconut, Mango Butter Lima Lip, Shea Butter Grapefruit and Shea Butter.

What I thought: I was happy to find a nice lip balm that is made naturally. I'm also happy that this supports a small business. I like the variety of flavors that they offer too.

Where to buy: You can purchase Elle Naturals from their website https://www.ellenaturals.com/.

How to connect: You can find Elle Naturals on Twitter and Facebook.

MUPPETS MOST WANTED Not Nominated for Awards

Can you believe it?!!

Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe’s most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid, Dublin and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine—the World’s Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit the Frog—and his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two, portrayed by Ricky Gervais. The film stars Tina Fey as Nadya, a feisty prison guard, and Ty Burrell as Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon.

Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” is directed by James Bobin and produced by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman. Bobin wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Stoller, who is also executive producer with John G. Scotti. Featuring music from Academy Award®-winning songwriter Bret McKenzie, “Muppets Most Wanted” hits the big screen March 21, 2014.

Starring Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey, Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour where they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper.

NOTES:

·         Director James Bobin returns to Muppets mania. For his work as Disney’s “The Muppets” director, Bobin was nominated for BAFTA (Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer). He co-created HBO’s “Flight of the Conchords," which he wrote, directed and exec produced.

·         Bret McKenzie, who won an Oscar® for best original song for “Man or Muppet,” returns to the Muppets stage as music supervisor. McKenzie created, co-wrote, executive produced and starred in the hit HBO television series “Flight of the Conchords.”

·         Ricky Gervais is the creator of “Derek” and the Golden Globe®- and Emmy®-winning series “The Office” and “Extras.”

·         Ty Burrell is an Emmy® Award winner for his role in TV’s “Modern Family.”

·         Tina Fey is a Golden Globe®-, Emmy®- and SAG Award®-winning actress and writer Tina Fey (“30 Rock,” “Mean Girls,” “Date Night”).

·         In the grand tradition of the Muppets, the film features a host of cool cameos. Revealed so far are Danny Trejo, Tom Hiddleston, Celine Dion, Salma Hayek, P Diddy, Christoph Waltz and Ross Lynch.

Get the Look: Lizzy Caplan at the Golden Globes

Hitting the red carpet for the 71st annual Golden Globe Awards, "Masters of Sex" star Lizzy Caplan dazzled as the epitome of understated glamour. "Because Lizzy's beautiful dress is so structured with amazing gold beadwork, I wanted to keep her makeup relatively simple," said Burt's Bees Lead Makeup Artist Katey Denno. Katey began with Burt's Bees Peony Lip Shimmer ($5, www.burtsbees.com), followed by a super-hydrating coat of the Burt's Bees Caramel Daisy Tinted Lip Balm ($7, www.burtsbees.com) to lock in the subtle color. "To achieve a perfect red-carpet glow, I added a cream blush and a cream illuminizer along the highlights of her face, and used three shades of eyeshadow along with a black-gold liner and black mascara for a sultry eye," says Katey. 

*This article is shared with permission. Watch for my upcoming review of the products mentioned.

I Love Making Crocheted Baby Hats!

I have a new little hobby. 

Making baby hats.

Gotta love the crossed-eyed newborn look!

Before my youngest was born I crocheted a cute little newborn owl hat. It was so much fun. He didn't wear it a lot, but it was cute for some pictures. Of course after he was born I had my hands full, so I didn't make many new hats. But a few months later I started seeing different baby/kid hats online and was inspired.

This pumpkin hat is knitted.

I made more owl hats, a pumpkin hat for Halloween. Then it started. I would make owl hats now and then for friends who just had new babies too. It was a fun little gift I could easily make. Other people started asking about them, so I started making a few for friends and family. Then more people wanted them, so I made more hats.

   

At some point my cousin asked if I could come up with a minion hat. I was able to alter the pattern I have for the owl to create a cute minion hat. These were an even bigger hit. I was busy making them for many family and friends for many Christmas gifts and Halloween costumes.

 

Since the craze slowed a little bit I started doing some new patterns and making some new creations of my own. For Thanksgiving I crocheted Jonah a turkey hat and babylegs to match. For Christmas it was a gingerbread man and Rudolph. So cute!

       

My latest creations are a snowman (with top hat!), polar bear and fox hat. I just can't help myself. They are so cute on my little guy. We get stopped everywhere with compliments about these hats. It's a fun hobby for me. And it inspires me to make more. My little guy has quite the collection!

 

If you are interested in purchasing one, I'd be glad to talk to you. My prices are very reasonable and I can easily customize colors and size. Just comment here, email me, or connect on Facebook or Twitter.

*Quite a few patterns have come from Repeat Crafter Me. The rest are my own creations (some of which I remembered to write down).