Precious Moments “Good Things Come To Those Who Wait” Figurine Review

I received this figurine free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Precious Moments is having two different special offers on separate dates. Starting on June 30th with a purchase $100 or more, you can select a free gift ($35.99 value) to add to your cart with the coupon code FREEGIFT17. Free figures to select from are the following: It's All Good!, Thanks For Being There, “Love You Lots!” Glass Bud Vase, Bisque Porcelain Figurine, Girl; and “Love You Lots!” Glass Bud Vase, Bisque Porcelain Figurine, Boy. Offer ends July 5, 2017 11:59 pm CT. Starting on July 7th you will get free shipping with a purchase of $75 with the coupon code SHIP4FREE17. This is for US residents only and excludes Disney Masterpieces. Offer ends July 12th. Don't pass these savings opportunities up!

I received one figurine called the “Good Things Come To Those Who Wait” Figurine. Made of hand painted bisque porcelain, the “Good Things Come To Those Who Wait” Figurine shows a young fisherman happily and comfortably waiting with his puppy dog for the "big one" to bite. He is relaxing the day away enjoying time with his pet, not a care in the world. I love the details of this figurine! The boy is wearing a fisherman's hat with lures and flip flops. His fishing pole has a fishing buoy float that is attached by actual fishing line to the pole. A smiling fish pops his head out the water nearby.

This is a unique gift for a loved one that loves fishing and the great outdoors. It is 4 inches high and can be personalized with with a loved one's name or initials. The pole does look like it might be fragile and is a bit flexible, so I hope it doesn't break. Perfect for Father's Day or any day that celebrates the fisherman in your life. I love this figurine because it makes me smile and reminds me of fond memories of fishing with my Grandpa and Uncle when I was little. This figurine is a great reminder to slow down and enjoy the simpler things in life and that patience is a wonderful virtue to have because good things certainly do come to those who wait.

BUY
You can purchase the “Good Things Come To Those Who Wait” Figurine on the Precious Moments website for $60.99.

6/30 – 7/5 – Free Gift with purchase of $100 or more.
Offer: Select 1 free gift, a value $35.99, with any purchase of $100 or more.
Coupon code: FREEGIFT17

7/7 – 7/12 – Free Shipping with Purchase of $75
Offer: US only. Excludes Disney Masterpieces
Coupon code: SHIP4FREE17

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Precious Moments for sending me this figurine for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

#PreciousMoments #LifesPreciousMoments #PatienceIsAVirtue #GoneFishing #FathersDay #Fisherman #Sportsman #DadsAreSpecial

Orkin Summer Scientist Bug Catching Kit Giveaway

Summer is almost here! That means picnics, baseball games, barbecues and all the fun of enjoying the great outdoors with your family. There’s one thing no one likes about being outdoors, though: mosquitoes! They not only are a nuisance, but they also pose potentially serious health risks. Fortunately, the experts at Orkin study the science of mosquitoes and other pests closely in order to better tailor plans that help keep them out of your home this summer.

Are you prepared for mosquito season this year?



To help you better prepare yourself and your family to fight the bite, Orkin presents the “Buzzer Beater” app, which features its deep scientific knowledge of mosquitoes.

About Orkin:
Orkin, uses the latest technology and unparalleled training to develop an effective treatment that's right for your needs. To learn more about our pest control based in science or to schedule an inspection, visit orkin.com or call 1-800-800-ORKIN.

Orkin on Facebook: facebook.com/OrkinPestControl
Ask The Orkin Man® on Twitter: twitter.com/TheOrkinMan
Orkin YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/OrkinVideo



Orkin’s “Buzzer Beater” Blog App:

• Are you prepared for mosquito season this year? Take the quiz to see if you’re ready to earn your badge in Mosquito Season Prep.
• Watch the “How to Deal With Mosquitoes” & “Do Mosquitoes Prefer Adults over Children” videos, as well as the rest of Orkin’s How-To video series, to get the most up-to-date knowledge on dealing with pesky home invaders.
• Download Orkin’s yearly “Mosquito Cities” list and find out if your city made it! 
• Get social with it! Tweet using the #LearnWithOrkin hashtag and mention @TheOrkinMan  

WIN IT
Prize:  Orkin Summer Scientist Bug Catching Kit {US Only}.

The Orkin Summer Scientist Bug Catching Kits are fun for the whole family! Each pack includes: 

• 2 Bug Catcher Craft Kits: These awesome DIY bug catcher kits will let your family’s personality shine through while also learning about nature and the world around us. The kits include a variety of foam ladybugs, dragonflies and more! 
• 2 Bug Nets: Explore the great outdoors with these fun mesh insect nets. They can be used to collect and study butterflies, ladybugs, caterpillars and many other backyard creatures. 
• 2 See-Through Bug Jars: Reveal the wonders of your backyard with these clear bug jars. Each transparent plastic box has a magnifying lid for better insect viewing. Young explorers love discovering worms, butterflies, ants and insects. These containers allow them to make homes for their new discoveries. 
• 2 Magic Color Scratch Little Garden Critters: Scratch faces, designs and more on these Magic Color Scratch Little Garden Critters! A perfect kids' activity for critter lovers, simply scratch away the black coating to reveal vibrant rainbow colors. Includes butterflies, frogs, turtles and more. 
• Glow-in-the-Dark Creepy Crawlers: Turn off the lights and let them glow! These vinyl glow-in-the-dark bugs are lots of fun for all ages.

I run giveaways with Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

Each household is only eligible to win Summer Scientist Bug Catching Kit via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the Orkin’s “Buzzer Beater” Blog App I am getting an Orkin Summer Scientist Bug Catching Kit free for my readers as a giveaway and one free for myself. Thanks to PartnersHub/Tether Group and Orkin for providing me this promotion information and free product. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this blog app and giveaway.

Dynacraft Launches Experiments in Fun with Family Oriented Whimsical Events

Dynacraft is an industry-leading importer and distributor of bicycles, scooters and battery operated wheels for the entire family. They offer such fun designs as: My Little Pony, Tonka, Transformers, Marvel Avengers, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Hello Kitty, Minions, and Monster High to choose from. My girls who are 4 and 7 would absolutely love their My Little Pony line!

Experiments in Fun is Dynacraft's ongoing celebration of the endless creative ways kids and families can enjoy their bikes, scooters and ride-ons. All the fun is kicking off this summer with a series of community-focused events across the country, designed to help families rethink what’s possible with their favorite wheels.

If you live in St. Paul, MN consider yourself very lucky! Dynacraft is hosting an Experiments in Fun Color Ride (think color-powder fun run meets scavenger hunt on wheels) on June 13th. If you live in or around this area you can sign up now to participate!

They already did a Ride-In Theater in Atlanta, GA and the participants had a blast! Here is a fun little recap of that event:

COMING SOON, CLOSER TO HOME...
Also, if y'all are looking for some fun action that is closer to my home, just you wait. The next Experiments in Fun Dynacraft will be putting on is in, none other than, Portland, Oregon!!! It will be a Biker Juice Bar The Kickstand on July 30th June 27th at Pioneer Courthouse Square from 12pm-3pm. Participants will experience a pop-up juice bar for active families, with biker-themed fun and decor. Games, test rides, giveaways & refreshments provided by Dynacraft. Yay! I cannot wait for my family to be a part of it!

****Heads up, the Portland, Oregon Event has been moved up to June 27th!!!

Can you think of another unique activity for summer that you can have your kids do with their favorite wheels? 

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I am posting about these events because I wanted my readers to know about them. Thanks to a public relations email for providing me this promotion information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for posting this promo and event information.

WONKA Peel-a-Pop Frozen Dessert Pops Review #GotItFree #wonkapop

My girls with the WONKA™ PEEL-A-POP™ promotional items we received with the coupons.

We received these products free from BzzAgent to facilitate this review.

We received these items in our BzzKit:

• A coupon for a FREE (up to $4.49) 8-count box of WONKA^™ PEEL-A-POP^™ frozen dessert pops, redeemable at the local Kroger Co. store
• A Wonka-fied whistle to let kids know when they can come running for a peelable pop
• A WONKA^™ branded beach ball and pair of sunglasses for outdoor summer fun
• $1-off coupons to share with other parents who also shop at The Kroger Co. Family of Stores
• A postcard explaining what to do with all the wacky items in my BzzKit

WONKA™ PEEL-A-POP™ frozen dessert pops are a great summer snack! At only 70 calories per pop this whimsical treat won't make you feel guilty. We also liked these because at 13g total carbohydrates per pop these are great for my diabetic son as well! Did you know that the WONKA™ brand made more than just candy?

Your kids will go bananas for these frozen dessert pops because they are both tasty and fun to eat. The WONKA™ PEEL-A-POP™ comes in two yummy varieties: vanilla grape and vanilla banana. What is super about these is that they can be peeled like a banana, but you can also eat the peel! To eat all you have to do is bite into it at the top, peel the outer coating like a banana, and enjoy.

WONKA™ PEEL-A-POP™  vanilla grape flavor, peeled.

The combination of the peel and frozen pop are actually pretty good together. The peel is an interesting gummy gelatinous texture and even though it gets a little slimy on the outside as it warms up, it peels easily. My kids didn't have any problem with it being messy. Although the peel was fun and it added uniqueness to this product some of my kids didn't like the weird texture of it. It also has an inside that tastes very similar to frozen vanilla pudding. We tried the grape flavor and it was rather good in my opinion. My kids certainly enjoyed their experience eating them up.

Monkeying around eating  WONKA™ PEEL-A-POP™.

You can find NEW WONKA™ PEEL-A-POP™ frozen dessert pops in the ice cream aisle at The Kroger Co. Family of Stores. We only found the grape variety at our local Fred Meyer, so we didn't get to try the banana flavor. Others have found both varieties though easily.

Each 8-count box retails for a suggested price of $4.49.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am a member of BzzAgent I received word of a BzzCampaign for the WONKA™ PEEL-A-POP™ products. I received these products free to facilitate my review. All information about the products I received from the media kit, the products and the WONKA™ website. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

The Okee Dokee Brothers Through The Woods An Appalachian Adventure Album Review

We received this product free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this post. Thank you for supporting this blog.

The Okee Dokee Brothers, Justin Lansing and Joe Mailander, are wonderful outdoors men and Americana folk musicians. The duo are at it again with a new album and adventure. This new album is called Through The Woods, An Appalachian Adventure and it is their second Adventure Album. This album, just like the last one, has a DVD along with the CD and field journal that shares footage of their journey in the part of the USA they are trekking in.

In this album The Okee Dokee Brothers spent a month hiking, camping, backpacking, filming, and making music (This whole CD and DVD!) on location through the Appalachian Trail. They met some neat people along the way that shared their stories and music with them while they took a small breather from exploring the outdoors and creating their own songs. This album is a wonderful compilation of 15 original tracks from The Okee Dokee Brothers with songs that feature guest artists as well as emulating the traditional old-time Appalachian music with their sounds and styles. This album features an array of instruments such as fiddlesticks, pots, pans, auto-harp, bones, clogs, mouth bow, gut-string banjo, washboard, jaw harp, mountain dulcimer, fiddle, hambone, bass harmonica and whistling.

My favorite part of the DVD: The Okee Dokee Brothers with wild ponies :)

See the Trailer for the Through The Woods DVD here...



The Okee Dokee Brother's last album, Can You Canoe?, won a GRAMMY for best children's music album in the 55th GRAMMY Awards! It was well deserved because it is a fantastic album. I also believe Through The Woods is really good and deserves the highest of accolades.

Track Listing on the CD:

1. Through The Woods: The title track to this CD, a great song about going on an adventure with friends through the woods.
2. Big Rock Candy Mountain (with Hubby Jenkins-Carolina Chocolate Drops on bones and mandolin): A fun upbeat banjo/mandolin pickin' song about a made-up place called Candy Mountain.
3. Jamboree: A great dancing song about a jamboree. I love the lyrics to this one...so perfect!
4. Evergreen: I love this song about trees. It has sweet lyrical poetry and sings the beauty of the forest.
5. Walking With Spring (with Cathy Fink, on mountain dulcimer): This song is a perfect song to go hiking with and reminds us to slow down and enjoy the scenery and beauty around us.
6. Out of Tune: This is a fun song about how it is sometimes better to live life a little bit out of tune.
7. Black Bear Mama (with David Holt-Doc Watson/O Brother, Where Art Thou? on gut-string banjo and mouth bow): Great song about a Black Bear Mama and has a fun fast part in the middle.
8. Hillbilly Willy: One of my favorites on this CD about a hillbilly and his silly wife. Fun and upbeat too.
9. Riddle & Rhyme: This is a great rhyming song to slap your knee or clap to.
10. Tiny Little Life: Upbeat fiddle song about a life of simplicity.
11. Ruby Jane: A sweet love song about a farm girl sweetheart.
12. Fiddlestick Joe (with Marcy Marxer on cello banjo): A fun fiddling upbeat dancing song.
13. Lighten Your Load: This song reminds us that it is better to pack light.
14. Echo: A yodeling love song.
15. Baby Mine (with Rosie Newton on fiddle and vocals): This is a sweet lullaby, wonderful to put kids to bed to and a gorgeous end to the CD.

With their beards, flannel shirts, overalls and instruments The Okee Dokee Brothers are sure fun to watch perform on stage as well. You can see when their next show is here. They played at the Mountain Park Recreation Center on May 4th at 7pm in Lake Oswego, Oregon. I was pretty bummed when I couldn't make that performance with my family of 6 this year. Hopefully they'll make it around here again soon.

This album is great to take with you to listen to on a family road trip, around a campfire or even while hiking. It is a wonderful reminder to get outside to experience and explore nature with your family and friends. Through The Woods is wonderful kids music that resonates with adults as well. I love The Okee Dokee Brother's adventure albums because they bring back so many good memories of the great outdoors when I was a child and remembering helps me recreate wonderful memories with my own kids. The messages in all the songs are good and wholesome and The Okee Dokee Brothers feel like Kindred Spirits to me. I can't wait for the next adventure album in this series!

FOLLOW THEM
You can friend them on Facebook or like their page. You can also follow them on Twitter.

BUY IT
Go HERE and you can buy The Okee Dokee Brothers merchandise.



DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Beth Blenz-Cluc​as of Sugar Mountain PR for sending me a free The Okee Dokee Brothers - Through The Woods An Appalachian Adventure Album CD/DVD to listen to and review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

GeospacePlay Jumparoo Boing! JR Pogo Stick Review

It takes a lot of concentration to pogo.

We received a GeospacePlay Jumparoo Boing! JR Pogo Stick free to facilitate this review.

I try to have lots of options for my kids to stay active and busy especially in the summer when the weather is nice and they can get their wiggles out outside. We all love the outdoors! Summer is a blur of camping trips, hiking, biking, playing water sports, building outdoor forts, gardening, etc. We visit a lot of parks, fairs, festivals, zoos, museums, etc. during the summer. When we are home my kids get bored easily, but I try to keep it fun with a variety of activities they can always turn to when they can't think of something else.

GeospacePlay has a bunch of cool toys that were engineered to be awesome and just for kids. They have flying toys, sports and active play, remote control, water toys, novelty and more. They have: foam rockets, water rockets, water cannons, stilts, pogo sticks, hopper balls and LED jump ropes, just to name a few of their neat looking toys. These are all great for summer vacation gifts to keep your kids active and make summer a blast!

We just received the new GeospacePlay Jumparoo BOING! JR Pogo Stick and it is a great outdoor activity for smaller kids. It is just the right size for my son Jaedan at the moment, although I'm sure he will grow out of it soon and then it will be handed down to his sisters. It is sized shorter for smaller kids from 40-80 lbs. This pogo stick is perfect for smaller children and beginners. It bounces up to 24" with practice. Like the entire Geospace family of BOING! Pogos, the rugged metal spring is completely encased within a steel housing for safety. This pogo stick has comfortable foam grips on a T-handle and rugged rubber type non-slip tip and non-slip foot rests. Ages 4 & Up. Dimensions: 37 x 10.25 x 2.75

You can also use this pogo stick with their 99 cent app called Boing-O-Meter for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. It measures max air time, scores how many bounces, and shares with friends.

This was our very first pogo stick for the kids and my oldest, Delbin, was a bit jealous because he has been wanting one for a while now and is too big for this particular one. Jaedan has had a lot of fun on this pogo stick and loves to take it out on the pavement to bounce. I made a short video of him bouncing on it :)

Here, see it in action...



DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Welmedix SunBurnt and FirstDegree Sunburn and Burn Remedies for Summer Review

I received these products for free to facilitate this review.

The summer season means lots of family fun with: BBQ’s, fireworks, going to the beach, vacations, outdoor sports, outdoor activities and more time at home with family and friends. With all of the festivities, little ouches also come with the territory, such as cuts, scrapes, sunburns and the common household burn. We all should know that we need to wear sunscreen before going outside, especially in the hot summer days. Sometimes though we forget or the day doesn't go as planned. If you've ever gotten a bad sunburn you know that it doesn't feel very good. It hurts and you really need something to sooth the skin and make it feel better.

Welmedix has made two homeopathic products: SunBurnt after sun gel and FirstDegree burn cream that are great for sunburns and minor burns. These products are great for use this summer and throughout the year. These are essential for families to have in their first aid kits at home and on the go. I am so glad to have them in my first aid kit so that I can treat my family's minor burns that can occur and make sure my family is well taken care of. I certainly like to be prepared.

SunBurnt is an after sun gel that is great first aid for sun burns. It temporarily relieves symptoms of mild to moderate sunburn. Great for burning, redness, stinging, rawness, itching, dryness left after a sunburn. It helps reduce skin peeling, soothes and hydrates skin and cools overheated skin. It has Aloe, Calendula, Echinacea and other ingredients to help burns, sunburns, skin itching, burning, and dryness. It goes on as a clear gel and is Lidocaine free.

FirstDegree is a burn cream that is great first aid for minor burns. It aids in the healing of minor epidermal burns and temporarily relieves associated symptoms like: rawness, itching, minor infection. It has Aloe, Calendula, Echinacea and other ingredients to help wound healing, reduce the appearance of scars, soothes pain, cools the burn and/or scald, and antiseptic to prevent infection. Great for burns from stovetop/oven, grill, curling iron, clothing iron, tools/auto. It goes on as a cream and has Shea Butter in it to make it creamier. A portion of the proceeds from buying this product go to providing care to victims of critical burns.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

AMF Summer Unplugged Free Bowling for Kids

What are your favorite summer activities to stave off boredom?  I don't know about you, but I really never thought bowling would be one of my choices. My family loves to go bowling though. It is a great activity with kids. Especially great because it gets you out of the hot sun. My family doesn't bowl too well, but it still is all in good fun and we play to have fun not compete. Although we could always use free advice on how to bowl better if you have any tips :)

We wish that AMF was closer to us, because we have to go to Portland to participate in this promotion, but I wanted to get it out there to my readers because I am sure that you would want to know about this!

You can sign up for free bowling for kids all summer long! Kids registered in the AMF Summer Unplugged program can bowl two games per day, every day, all summer long from open until 8pm!* (*Based on lane availability, Shoe rental not included.)

Who says a summer break is just for kids? Now you can get in on the fun as well. An AMF Summer Pass is just $34.95 and includes two games per day for you and up to three guests ages 16 and up, from open until 8pm.* (*Based on lane availability, Shoe rental not included.)

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I participated in this campaign as a member of One2One Network and am eligible for a prize drawing. All opinions stated in this post are my own.

Funky Monkey Snacks Review and Guest Post: Don’t Let Healthy Living Take a Vacation This Summer

I received these products for free to facilitate this review. This post is sponsored by Funky Monkey Snacks.

Funky Monkey Snacks are healthy all-natural freeze dried real fruit snacks. They are great for summer time! The snacks come in seven different original flavors: Applemon (freeze-dried apple and organic cinnamon), Bananamon (freeze-dried organic banana and organic cinnamon), Carnival Mix (freeze-dried organic banana, pineapple, apple and papaya), JiveALime (freeze-dried pineapple and lime juice), MangOJ (freeze-dried mango and orange juice), Pink Pineapple (freeze-dried pineapple and guava) and Purple Funk (freeze-dried organic banana and organic açaí). They also have teamed up with Marvel to bring new flavors (I did not receive these to try) with Marvel characters on the packaging. They are all free of: GMOs, preservatives, added sugars, coloring, flavoring, wheat, gluten, dairy, peanuts, tree-nuts. They are also a vegan, kosher, and raw food. Some of their snacks are even USDA Certified Organic. The USDA defines 1/4 cup of freeze-dried fruit as 1 serving of fruit and Funky Monkey Snacks have 3 servings of fruit in every bag. The fruit used are sliced into full slices instead of diced and contain more nutrients than regular dried fruits because no heat or cooking was involved in the process of making them.

These snacks were really good and my kids and I enjoyed them. They have an awesome crunch that is very unique. My favorites were the JiveALime and Applemon. My kids loved those and the MangOJ the best. These are great to take on trips and are so convenient and portable! They can be taken anywhere to be eaten.

Below I have included some great tips from the CEO of Funky Money Snacks...

Don’t Let Healthy Living Take a Vacation This Summer
Matt Herzog, CEO of Funky Monkey Snacks

As school lets out and summer begins, family trips, camp and lots of free time can mean a more lax eating schedule and menu for kids. How can parents keep them on track during carefree summer activities? Below, Matt Herzog, father and CEO of healthy snack company, Funky Monkey Snacks, gives some tips on this topic:

1. Don’t forget breakfast! It’s easy to forget about this meal when kids get up during the summer and head outside to play immediately. Have quick options on hand, such as oatmeal, yogurt, non-sugary cereal or whole grain toast with peanut butter. 
2. Try to stay on a schedule. Even though the regimented hours of school are no longer present, try to serve meals at approximately the same time they would have been eaten during the school year. This helps prevent unnecessary snacking and allows the family to plan ahead and spend mealtimes together. This also means that it’s good to still have a set bedtime, even if a bit later, so that everyone is getting plenty of rest. 
3. When traveling with children, make sure to pack plenty of healthy snacks to have on hand in case you get stuck in traffic, at the airport or someplace where healthy eating options are limited. Funky Monkey Snacks are a great option of course, but also pre-cut vegetables, whole grain crackers or homemade trail mix will also do the trick. 
4. Buy personalized water bottles for each child (with their favorite character, sports team, color, etc). This show of personality will help each child want to drink more water – a must for hot summer days. Plus, the individuality will prevent mix-ups about which bottle belongs to which child. 
5. Limit screen time and find fun activities outside. Movies, television, iPads and video games are all fun, but take advantage of the weather! Start a family garden and let your children choose what to plant so they are invested in helping it grow. Take walks, find hiking trails, bike to get frozen yogurt. Go to the beach and bring the Frisbee. The bottom line is that even though summer should be filled with fun activities and some treats, it should not be an excuse to drop all the rules, or back-to-school time will be an even bigger hassle! Maintaining a sense of schedule, while throwing in fun, summer-specific activities and trips is the perfect recipe for a healthy and harmonious summer together.   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Matt Herzog was a brand manager at General Mills, where he responsible for the launch of Yoplait Whips! as well as managing Chex Mix. Now, he is using his healthy snack food knowledge as the CEO of a small startup with an all-natural, freeze dried fruit snack (made in Brazil using fresh tropical fruit). Since becoming CEO, Funky Monkey Snacks has taken off, landing distribution through natural and conventional grocery stores, Amazon.com, as well as Walmart. He is also a father of two.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. The Guest Post was provided to me free to share by Funky Money Snacks. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review or posting this guest post.

Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Pasta Salad Review and Giveaway

I received these products for free to facilitate this review. I also have the opportunity to also give away another gift pack just like the one above to a lucky reader for free.

Want to make you summer BBQ easy and yummy too? Try Suddenly Pasta Salad from Betty Crocker and General Mills. These are quick and simple mixes that come in a box. They come complete with dry pasta and veggies with a packet of seasoning mix all in one handy box. You can also use stir-ins to create a main course or just have it as a tasty side. They come in seven different flavors: Classic, Ranch & Bacon, Caesar, Creamy Italian, Creamy Parmesan, Chipotle Ranch, Basil Pesto, Tuscan Style Tomato. You can just follow the simple instructions on the box or get some delicious recipe ideas off the Suddenly Salad website.

I received both the Ranch & Bacon and the Classic flavors along with a Picnic Cooler and blanket for free to facilitate this review. The cooler is a Leed's Arctic Zone 36-Can Cooler with Blanket. The liner is an Ultra Safe™ leak proof lining which means it is PVC free and is lead and phthalate safe under FDA and CPSC safety standards. This cooler has a main zippered top that holds a large amount of food and drink. It has a front zippered pocket to hold things and a larger zippered pocket in the back that holds the 4' x 5' fleece blanket. It also includes an adjustable shoulder strap with shoulder pad. It collapses when not in use for easy storage and has a carry handle to use when closed. This cooler is best used when items are pre-chilled and packed with ice/freezer packs not ice. It is also easily wiped clean with a damp cloth, lightweight and portable. The blanket it comes with is a thinner fleece, but provides warmth on cooler summer nights and is a good size to throw down on the ground for a nice picnic ground cover.

The Suddenly Salad Pasta Ranch & Bacon flavor was really yummy. You will need just 1/2 cup mayonnaise to add with this if you are just making it regular. It turned out very creamy and has a smokey flavor to it. On the box it has Box Tops, a delicious looking recipe called lemon-chicken pasta salad and other stir-in ideas. The instructions are simple to follow and the pasta salad is easy to make. After I made it and tasted it I was having trouble sharing because it was so good.

When you open the box you will find two things: the bag of dried pasta & veggies and the packet of seasonings. This particular one has dried shell pasta with dried peas and shredded carrots in the bag. The packet of seasoning consists of a number of ingredients and I will not list them all here, but it has good ingredients of buttermilk, onion, garlic, parsley flakes and dried cheddar cheese. Along with those contents it has imitation bacon chips consisting of many ingredients including these I did not really care for in my food: partially hydrogenated soybean oil, artificial flavor, caramel color, red 40, and tocopherol. This also has Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) that I usually try to avoid as well.

The Suddenly Salad Pasta Classic flavor was also really yummy. You will just need 3 tablespoons cold water and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. I used Filippo Berio^® Extra Virgin Olive Oil of which I also received for free to try for being a BzzAgent. This turned out with a citrus zing and was very zesty in flavor. On the box it has Box Tops, a delicious looking recipe called ranch spinach pasta salad, and other stir-in ideas. The instructions are simple to follow and the pasta salad is easy to make. I loved the herbal zing it had.

When you open the box you will find two things: the bag of dried pasta & veggies and the packet of seasonings. This particular one has dried spiral rotini pasta in plain, spinach and tomato in the bag. The packet of seasoning consists of a number of ingredients and I will not list them all here, but it has good ingredients of red pepper, parsley, onion, garlic, basil. It also has modified and hydrogenated ingredients and Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) that I usually try to avoid as well.

If you want a complete list of the ingredients you will have to go straight to the box and look at it. Betty Crocker doesn't have them listed on their website.

I myself believe that even though these boxed sides or meals are convenient the filler ingredients are not really desired. I would rather make something from scratch. These do however make it very simple to whip something up in a jiffy if you have major time constraints.

WIN IT
Prize: 1 winner will win a Gift Pack (Retail Value: $56) containing:

• One package of Suddenly Salad Classic
• One package of Suddenly Salad Bacon & Ranch
• Picnic Cooler with Blanket.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: By participating in this Spark, I received product for free to facilitate my review and another gift pack to give away for free to a reader. The information and prize packs have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review and giveaway.

Steaz Natural Beverages Review

I received these products for free to facilitate this review.

Steaz are thirst-quenching beverages that are all made with green tea and other all natural, USDA organic and fair trade certified ingredients. These are a healthier alternative to regular soda and make the perfect summer time refreshment! Great for: filling a ice cooler with at a BBQ, taking to a relaxing outdoor pool, going to the beach, bringing on a family bike ride, etc. Steaz has many drink flavors to choose from so everyone in your household can find their favorites.

I received 4 of the flavors free to try out myself and share with my family: Iced Green Tea with Coconut Water, Super Fruit Energy & Zero Calorie Sparkling Green Tea in Root Beer and Steazy Cola. I also received some lip balm free as an added bonus that I do not have to review.

• Iced Green Tea with Coconut Water - A hydrating alternative to water that satisfies your taste buds, and your body! Packed with 120mg of antioxidants and enhanced with electrolytes and potassium. The perfect addition to your summer beach bag! http://www.steaz.com/green-tea-coconut-water-iced-tea/

• Super Fruit Energy - A clean energy supply of sustainably sourced guarana berries, and rainforest grown yerba mate - some of nature's most balanced stimulants - fortified with acai and a boost of B vitamins for that extra special kick providing an all natural "buzz" you can feel good about. Just the thing for those long summer days! http://www.steaz.com/energy-super-fruit/

• Zero Calorie Sparkling Green Tea - A guilt-free alternative to sugary, carbonated soft drinks; great for summer BBQs! The healthy zero calorie flavor lineup includes, Blueberry Pomegranate; Black Cherry; Raspberry; Blood Orange; and two new flavors: Root Beer and Steazy Cola. http://www.steaz.com/steazy-cola-zero-calorie-sparkling-green-tea/

Steaz Beverage Facts:

• All use all-natural, USDA Organic, Certified Vegan, and Fair Trade Certified ingredients.
• The Iced Tea, Sparkling Tea and Energy drinks are lightly sweetened with all-natural, organic, evaporated cane juice.
• The Zero Calorie beverages are sweetened with Stevia, a natural herb that contains no calories and no carbohydrates.
• The Energy drinks provide beneficial levels of naturally occurring caffeine sourced from all-natural green tea, guarana, and yerba mate.

Steaz has launched the Steaz Summer Tour Instagram Contest - offering eight changes to win $500!  To enter, simply register at Steaz.com, snap a shot of a Steaz drink in action this summer, and post it on Instagram @SteazSocial #SteazSummerTour. Winners will be randomly drawn to win $500 all summer long (through August)!

My Thoughts

The Steaz Iced Green Tea with Coconut Water was delicious! I love coconut water and this had all the hydrating benefits of it and the wonderful antioxidant properties of green tea! This was refreshing and one I am definitely going to get again! Steaz has other flavors of their iced green tea beverages to choose from as well.

The Steaz Super Fruit Energy drink was carbonated with sparkling filtered water and very good with a nice fruity taste to it. Along with the green tea, guarana, and yerba mate it had Acai, pomegranate, Mangosteen, blueberry and Goji. It has a total of 100mg caffeine per12fl. oz can and has added B Vitamins. They also have their energy drinks in berry and orange flavors. I sipped some of this one to try the flavor and gave this one to my husband (that is the handsome guy in the picture above) because he likes energy drinks more than I do.

The Steaz Zero Calorie Sparkling Green Tea in Root Beer wasn't my favorite. It kinda reminded me of mouthwash. My kids loved it though and drank it without batting an eye. The Steaz Zero Calorie Sparkling Green Tea in Steazy Cola was better than the Root Beer flavor, but didn't taste much like cola to me and had caramel color (which to my understanding is not good for you) to make it a darker coloring. These both have B Vitamins added and 120mg of antioxidants. Both of these my son Delbin could drink without a shot of insulin because they both had 0 carbohydrates and they are better for you than any diet sodas out there.

I'd love to try other flavors Steaz has to offer. The Steaz Zero Calorie Sparkling Green Tea Black Cherry and Blood Orange flavors sound good, as well as the Steaz Zero Calorie Peach Mango Iced Tea. I'll have to go searching for them.

BUY IT
You can purchase Steaz Beverages online on their website or find a retailer near you.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

FREE Bowling For Kids At AMF Bowling: Summer Unplugged Promotion

All information is provided by USFamilyGuide.com and AMF Bowling. I will receive a free voucher for posting.

KIDS BOWL FREE ALL SUMMER! Summer fun is just around the corner, and so are we. Sign-up for Summer Unplugged and Summer Pass now! Free bowling for kids all summer long! Kids registered in the Summer Unplugged program can bowl two games per day, every day, all summer long! Sign up today! https://freebowling.amf.com/?source=USFAMILY

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: All information is provided by USFamilyGuide.com and AMF Bowling. I will receive a FREE Bowling voucher for two adults (including shoes) for posting.

Space Warriors Giveaway & Blog App

I have the opportunity to give away a Space Warriors Blu-ray Combo Pack below free for posting this information. All information and giveaway prizes are provided by Walden Family Theater and PartnersHub.

Walden Family Theater is proud to announce the Space Warriors Blog App & a chance to Win a Family Trip to Space Camp!

Watch Space Warriors on Hallmark Channel May 31st at 8/7C for your chance to win a trip for the whole family to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center's Space Camp! Keep an eye out for the secret keyword for a chance to go on location where Space Warriors was filmed and train like a real astronaut!

In Space Warriors, six highly skilled teenagers are handpicked to be part of a summer space camp competition but they don’t realize that they will be forced to solve a life or death crisis aboard the International Space Station as the world anxiously watches.

Starring: Thomas Horn, Danny Glover, Josh Lucas, Dermot Mulroney, Mira Sorvino and Booboo Stewart.

Space Warriors is the second film in the Walden Family Theater original lineup featuring great family entertainment, airing Friday nights exclusively on Hallmark Channel. Walden Family Theater is creating films for the whole family to enjoy together, so make sure to mark your calendars and gather around the television to watch all the great upcoming films!

Past films include: "The Chronicles of Narnia" series, "Holes", "Nim's Island", "Charlotte's Web", and "Return to Nim's Island."

Official Space Warriors Website: http://spacewarriorsmovie.com/
Official Space Warriors Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NutxR0D4FxY

Announcing the Space Warriors Blog App from Walden Family Theater & a chance to Win a Family Trip to Space Camp!



Blog App:

• Win a Family Trip to SPACE CAMP! - Tune in to Space Warriors on Hallmark Channel May 31 at 8/7c for the secret keyword to win a family trip to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Space Camp!
• How Spacey Are You? QUIZ - Are you a Space Warrior? Do you use the stars to navigate your journeys instead of the map function on your smartphone? Take this quiz to find out whether you're destined to orbit the cosmos or whether you're happiest living here on this planet.
• Prepare for Blast-off! Space Warriors Viewing Guide - Mark your calendars for May 31st and check off the boxes as you watch Space Warriors for the most spectacular, spaciest experience!
• Get Social With It! Tweet with the #SpaceWarriors hashtag to get excited about tuning in on May 31st for the secret keyword and a chance to win a family trip to #SpaceCamp!

WIN IT
Prize: Space Warriors (Blu-ray + DVD + VUDU Digital Copy) (Walmart Exclusive).

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the Space Warriors Blog App I am getting a Space Warriors Blu-ray Combo Pack free for my readers as a giveaway. Thanks to PartnersHub and Walden Family Theater for providing me this promotion information and free product. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this blog app and giveaway.

Kick Back and Play This Summer Sweepstakes

I am a Purex Insider and so I was provided with this promotional offer information to share with you, my readers. I might win a GC for driving traffic with my unique URL.

Purex is teaming up with Little Tikes and Life's Good (LG) to make parents' lives this summer just a little bit easier. Enter to win prizes including a playground, a washer & dryer, and a year's supply of Purex!

You can enter daily between May 1-June 30 2013 at... http://insiders.purex.com/littletikes?id=405

If I won the Little Tikes Endless Adventure Playcenter Playground grand prize my little ones would be so thrilled! We have had to rely on park visits for play on playgrounds because we had to dismantle our old rickety one and haul it away. Our kids love playing on the playground. We also love the Little Tikes brand and know that this playground would probably last longer than our other one. My little ones would have all types of fun adventures on the Little Tikes Endless Adventure Playcenter Playground if we won. They would be climbing, jumping, swinging, sliding and using their great imaginations for all kinds of wondrous play.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Purex for providing me this promotion information. By posting about this sweepstakes I will be entered to win 8 lucky Insiders to win a $10 or $50 Amazon.com gift card for driving traffic using my unique URL! My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Summer Fun at the Kalama Community Fair

We have been staying very busy having a lot of fun this summer with camps, summer reading programs, VBS (my kids are always invited by the neighbor kids), swimming lessons, staycations, field trips, fairs, and festivals.

We recently brought my girls to the Kalama Community Fair on July 20th this year. It is July 19th thru the 21nd, 2012. It is located every year at the Kalama Fairgrounds. Kalama, Washington is located in Cowlitz County on the Columbia River north of Vancouver, Washington and south of Kelso & Longview, Washington. Longview is right across the bridge from my home in Rainier, Oregon.

My girls had fun seeing all the animals and entries of yummy food, garden grown items, handmade things, art, etc. We have been to this fair before in previous years and it is always more down to earth and neighborly than some of the other fairs we have been to. I will always remember the photo I took of my daughter, Tatiana, with a friendly pony while we were there in August of 2008 it is one of my favorites.

This year my 4 year old daughter, Teela, entered the Chicken Chase. Before she signed up there was a lady handing out cake pops to all the younger kids and so Teela and Zari each got one. It was fun to watch her chase around all the chickens trying to capture one and bring it to the finish line. She was the first to catch one in her age group and she won the prize, a blue tube necklace that lit up and flashed. She was so happy.

We went to pet some horses, ponies and goats next and Zari was a little reluctant at first to pet them, but she warmed up after a while.

Here are websites about the Kalama Fair:
Kalama Community Fair
Kalama Fair Pictures
Kalama Fair Facebook Page

The Okee Dokee Brothers Can You Canoe? A Mississippi River Adventure Album Review and Giveaway

Can You Canoe? A Mississippi River Adventure Album by The Okee Dokee Brothers is a great album for the summertime or really anytime you want to get into the spirit of camping, canoeing, and the great outdoors. The songs in this CD and DVD are wonderfully lyrical with fun play on words. In this their first CD/DVD in The Okee Dokee Brothers' Adventure Album Series Justin Lansing on Banjo and Joe Mailander on the guitar paddle down the Mississippi in a canoe singing and camping along the way. I love their bluegrass, country, folk feel to their songs. This album is my favorite of theirs so far and I can't wait to listen to their next CD/DVD in the Adventure Album Series. Includes a CD, DVD and field journal.

Here is the Trailer to the DVD:




The DVD takes you up close and personal to see Justin Lansing and Joe Mailander and some of the other crew having boat barge loads of fun doing what the two do best...adventuring outdoors. The Okee Dokee Brothers are superb lyricists. In just 30 days while camping, canoeing, filming and writing they created this album containing 15 outstanding songs. The music videos and footage taken for the DVD are of their grand trip. My favorite parts are where they try to make a sail for their canoes and where they talk with Kenny Salwey, the self proclaimed "Last River Rat" who shares his wisdom with them.

Track Listing on the CD:
01. Can You Canoe?: A great song about canoeing and how the simplicity of it is grand.
02. Haul Away Joe: Based on a traditional song this version is about being a raftman.
03. Mr. & Mrs. Sippy: Such great play on words and personification in this one about the Mississippi River :)
04. Bullfrog Opera: Great song about comparing New York to camping outdoors in the South.
05. Rosita: A little bit of a Latin beat to this one about a mosquito.
06. Campin' Tent: Camp living in style.
07. Memphis Town: About a train going to take him to Memphis Town and all around.
08. Along for the Ride: About having a friend or companion to be there by your side.
09. Muddy River: Fun song about the countdown of going fishing on a muddy river.
10. Boatman's Dance: Upbeat song about the boatman's dance.
11. King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O: Based on a traditional song that I remember singing at camp. I love this nice song that brings back memories.
12. Thousand Star Hotel: A great song about sleeping under the stars. You can see the making of this song on the DVD.
13. Brother: Upbeat song about being brothers.
14. Small and Simple: A slow song, singing me to sleep.
15. Roll On River: “The Mississippi river splits America in half, so to speak. And yet, it joins it together.” – Kenny Salwey – The Last River Rat

The Okee Dokee Brothers are fun to watch perform as well! With their beards, flannel shirts, overalls and instruments they're sure to be fun listening to around a campfire or even in a canoe :)

BUY IT
Go HERE and you can buy The Okee Dokee Brothers merchandise.

WIN IT
Prize: Win a copy of  Can You Canoe? A Mississippi River Adventure Album by The Okee Dokee Brothers CD and DVD set

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Beth Blenz-Cluc​as of Sugar Mountain PR for sending me a free The Okee Dokee Brothers - Can You Canoe? A Mississippi River Adventure Album CD/DVD to listen to and review. This giveaway is also provided free from Beth Blenz-Cluc​as of Sugar Mountain PR. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pick Punch Review and Giveaway

We are a musical family. I have been teaching myself and the kids piano for part of their music homeschool lessons and we all love to sing. Both my husband Brian and I played instruments in high school too. He played the tuba and I played the violin. I would also love to learn to play guitar someday.

We recently got my 10 year old son Jaedan a mandolin for his birthday and he has been loving learning on it so far. He has quickly been learning the chords and some easy songs that he plays by ear. I am going to be trying to find him some mandolin music, but in the meantime enjoy this little video of him strumming his first chords on it. This video was made the day after he received it.



I just cleaned out my purse and my husband cleaned out his wallet and we had a stack of old: credit cards, bank cards, gift cards, insurance cards, ID cards, gym passes, bus passes, and drivers licenses that needed either shredded or destroyed somehow. I saw this great product online for any stringed instrument played with a pick that recycled, reused and re-purposed the very stack of plastic I had at home for an ingenious purpose. I was then sent one to review for free.

The Pick Punch is a great tool for making your own picks. You can buy and use sheets of thin plastic that are made for the very purpose of crafting picks and other things or you can use your own thin plastic that is lying around the house no longer being used for its previous purpose. It is similar to craft punches for scrapbooking, but bigger for punching out guitar picks out of old credit cards, gift cards, plastic bottles, plastic lids, plastic place mats, and other thin plastics. I love how you can flip it over and precisely place the plastic where you want it and see exactly what you are about to punch out. I also love that it comes packaged with a 4 stage sanding block so you can shave the outer edges of the picks smooth if they come out a bit rough. Jaedan and my husband loved punching out picks for Jaedan's mandolin.

The Pick Punch is great for those that misplace picks a lot or just love making handcrafted picks for their instrument. You can get really creative making your own picks. I have seen some created using stamping, image embedding, stenciling, airbrushing, inkjet printing, spray painting, etc. The Pick Punch definitely rocks!

BUY IT
The Pick Punch is great for music lovers and enthusiasts. Wonderful for Father's Day too! It costs $24.95 and comes in two different sizes: standard 351 style picks and Jazz style which is smaller and pointier. You can also buy plastic sheeting, sanding blocks and Stazon ink and stamping products on the Pick Punch website.

WIN IT
Prize: Win a Pick Punch (351 style) of your very own.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Pick Punch for sending me product for free to review and one to give away for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Download N Go Summer Sensations Review and Giveaway

Many of you know that I homeschool my kids by having read my blog. I use what is known as the eclectic way of homeschooling, meaning I combine all sorts of different kinds of homeschooling together to make a curriculum that suits my children and I. The Unit Studies Method is one way I have done some of my curriculum. With the unit study method, we choose one topic and tie it into the different subjects somehow. We try to tie as many of the subjects in as possible for the study.

We love the Download N Go unit studies by Amanda Bennett because they are really fun and we learn a lot. We first learned about them on The Old Schoolhouse Magazine website. They focus specifically on content for K - 4th grade students. Each Download N Go unit study is a week long and has five daily lessons with book list suggestions, hyperlinks to go to online and learn and lapbook elements for each day. Lapbooks are a mini-book that you put together yourself covering key details that you've studied. They are a fun way to enhance the learning experience and give your child some hands on. All they need is a little bit of ingenuity and creativity. A few inexpensive items are needed for the lapbook: a simple file folder, a glue stick, safety scissors, a piece of ribbon, a stapler, and crayons or markers. The Download N Go unit study is complete and they are ready to use as soon as they are downloaded!

I received the Download N Go Summer Sensations unit study free to review and try out. It goes into depth about how seasons change, what summer is all about, how
shadows work, why trees are important in the summertime, and the history of ice cream. This unit study has full color pages that my kids can fill out. We loved the nature walks the best. My kids love getting outside and observing nature especially when they find treasures along the way and can document what they have found. We had a lot of fun with this unit study!

BUY IT:
Download N Go unit studies are fun for homeschooling and during the summer for a fun learning activity. They are very affordable at $7.95 each and there are many titles available to purchase! Just go HERE for purchasing options.

WIN IT:
I have been given the opportunity to also give one of my readers the Download N Go Summer Sensations unit study in PDF version to win and then download for their own use.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Download N Go website and tell me what other Download N Go unit study you would be interested in trying.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by feedburner or by email and let me know which way. (2 extra entries each)

2. Become my fan/like on facebook AND write that you are entering this giveaway on my wall. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Download N Go in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra entries)

7. Follow me on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

8. Tweet this: @finamoon WIN A Download N Go Summer Sensations Unit Study PDF #giveaway http://bit.ly/cqhI8q
(Daily Extras are Available)

9. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

10. Comment on any of my other posts or enter my other giveaways and let me know which post you commented on. (1 extra entry per post you comment on)

11. Fan/Like Download N Go on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

12. Fan/Like Amanda Bennett on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

13. Follow Amanda Bennett on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed, blogged about this, listed it, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday August 27, 2010 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to anyone 18 years or older with a email address only!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Amy Lathrop of Litfuse Publicity Group for sending me a free Download N Go Summer Sensations PDF to download, use and review. This giveaway is also provided free from Amy Lathrop of Litfuse Publicity Group. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wordless Wednesday Slip n Slide Fun

If you are participating in Wordless Wednesdays, click on the Mister Linky image, enter your name and URL in the form, and press Enter.

Foodie Friday Cold Food and Drink for Hot Summer Days

COLD FOOD AND DRINK FOR HOT SUMMER DAYS:
When it is blazing hot I don't feel like cooking on the stove or in an oven. I want something light and cool! The above picture is of a berry sorbet I made. Here is my list of cold food and drink for hot summer days...

1. Salads: pasta salad, potato salad, fruit salad, egg salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, coleslaw, Waldorf salad, pickled beets, deviled eggs, etc.
2. Cold soups: gazpacho, borscht, okroshka, cucumber soup (you can add dill), avocado soup, spinach soup, squash soup, yogurt soup, celery soup
3. Desserts: ice cream, frozen yogurt, shaved ice, slushy, frozen custard, parfait, sorbet, sherbet, yogurt, pudding, popsicles, ice cream sandwiches, frozen pastries, granola, key lime pie, lemon meringue pie
4. Beverages: ice cold water, lemonade, limeade, iced tea, iced coffee, smoothies, milk shakes, soda floats, chilled yogurt drink, 100% juice drinks, fruit nectar, homemade ginger ale, frappe, sparkling cider or juice
5. Fruits: watermelon, mangos, kiwis, bananas, peaches, pears, citrus fruit (grapefruit, oranges, etc.), pineapple, avocado, frozen fruit (melon, grapes, berries, bananas, pineapple, peaches, etc.), fruit salad, Jell-O (add fruit, shredded carrots, mini marshmallows, nuts...if wanted, etc.), fruit and cottage cheese, fruit skewers, etc.
6. Sandwiches: cold deli sandwiches, pinwheel sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly, tuna, chicken salad, egg salad, BLT, tortilla wraps or pita sandwiches
7. Fancy breads: add...nuts, raisins, dates, shredded veggies (carrots, zucchini, squash, etc.)
8. BBQ or Grilled: anything cooked on a grill outside (for example corn on the cob, shish kabobs, grilled chicken, grilled fish, etc. Try to cut down on red meats.)
9. Raw veggies: celery, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, green leafy, sprouts, radishes
10. Dip: hummus, bean dip, 7 layer dip, spinach dip, artichoke dip, ranch dressing, yogurt dip, salsa, fruit salsa, guacamole, peanut butter, fruit dip, etc.
11. Seafood: shrimp cocktail, ceviche, sushi
12. Cold pasta or grain: couscous, tabbouleh, pasta salad, cold peanut noodles, quinoa

NATURALLY FLAVORED WATER:
In the summertime you have to keep your body hydrated to stay healthy and prevent dehydration, exhaustion, and heat stroke. Alcoholic beverages are not really a good option because of their alcohol and high sugar content, which can quickly dehydrate you (although I believe that alcohol at any time is not good). Soda pop (even diet) in high quantities can also dehydrate you. If you are not big into the taste of drinking city water straight from the tap, like me, then you might want to try some of these awesome things to flavor your water with. You can also flavor your lemonade or iced teas with these too and make sure you go to my friend Darcey Blue's blog, Gaia's Gifts to see some yummy naturally flavored water recipes.:

1. Herbs, spices, edible flowers and extracts: mint (chocolate mint, apple mint, pineapple mint, spearmint, peppermint, etc.), basil, thyme, parsley, cilantro, catnip, marjoram, rosemary, chamomile, lavender, pansies, rose petals, red clover, ginger, bagged/flowering teas chilled, aloe, nettles, lemon balm, lemongrass, lemon verbena, vanilla extract, crushed cardamom seeds, cinnamon, etc.
2. Fruit and fruit juices: berries, pineapples, peaches, watermelon, kiwis, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, pomegranate, tomato juice, fruit nectar, 100% juice added to mostly water, etc.
3. Vegetables and veggie juices: cucumber, carrot juice, wheat grass juice
4. Ice cubes: Freezing ice cubes with fruit or fruit juices and add it to your water. Frozen fruit works just as well.
5. Natural Sweeteners: stevia and honey (herbal infused honey is yummy too) are better options for sweetening than sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Do you have a favorite food or drink that you love during hot days? What other things do you love to flavor your water with? Please make a comment on this post.