Revolution Foods Meal Kits for Kids . . . Convenience Without the Artificial Ingredients! #RealFoodForAll #MC

I participated in an Influencer Program on behalf of Mom Central for Revolution Foods. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

We usually keep a small handful of refrigerated lunch kits on hand for our children just in case we ever need them in a pinch.  I used to give lunch kits to our children regularly because they were so convenient, but most of the time I would have to remove the things that came in the kits that I considered to be more appropriate for an occasional treat, such as powdered drink mixes, candy, and cookies.  That is something I do not need to worry about with these new Revolution Foods meal kits since only wholesome foods are included in each box.  In fact, Revolution Foods goes even a step further by including only all-natural foods in these meal kits for kids.

Having been designed by two moms, these meal kits are extremely child-friendly.  Not only did my children enjoy the foods (even without any artificial colors or flavors), they were mostly able to open the sealed packages of food inside each kit on their own.  There aren't too many foods my children can serve themselves.  I keep our Revolution Foods meal kits in the drawer of our fridge right next to the juice boxes, so our children can choose their own lunch and beverage independently.

Although there isn't enough food inside these kits for our 10 year old son, they are the perfect size for early grade school children, like our 7 year old twins.  They each took a meal kit with them on the day of their class field trip to the zoo.  Both were very excited to have such a cool looking lunch to bring, rather than a semi-smooshed sandwich in a paper bag.  As expected, our daughter enjoyed hers, but surprisingly her picky twin brother admitted his was good as well.  It was very clear that the Cheese Pizza Meal Kit was the favorite among our children.  In addition to the pizza, the Ham & Cheddar, and the Turkey & Cheddar, there is also a Peanut Butter & Jelly kit available.  We did not purchase that one because our children's classrooms are peanut-free.

As a parent, I like not feeling guilty about packing something convenient for my children for lunch. These kits contain high quality meats, cheese made from real milk, a serving of 100% real fruit, and whole grain crackers or pizza crust.  There are also no preservatives or artificial flavors and colors.  Best of all, our children enjoyed the meals!

You can find these new Revolution Foods meal kits at Safeway stores nationwide, as well as at select Target and Whole Foods stores.  Use the store locator to find a retailer near you.  Before you shop, be sure to grab a printable coupon to save $1.00 on one Revolution Foods Meal Kit.  Then come back and tell me which variety was your child's favorite!

We Shopped the Carter’s Friends & Family Event with a Printable 25% off Coupon Valid Thru 12/24 (#CartersFam #MC)

I participated in an Influencer Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Carter’s. I received a gift card to facilitate my shopping trip and to thank me for participating. All opinions expressed are my own.

You all know that I am a shopper at heart, so you may be as surprised as I was to find out how unaware I was of two things.  The first thing is that Carter's sells clothing up to a size 6x for girls and size 7 for boys.  I always thought that, once my children passed the toddler and preschool stages, they were done with clothing from Carter's.  I was mistaken!  The second thing I learned is that there is a Carter's Babies and Kids retail location not too far from us.  Once I got over the shock of my lack of knowledge, we ventured out to pay a visit to our local store.

I was pleased to find a huge sale going on when we arrived at the store.  This, along with the Carter's Friends & Family Event coupon in my wallet, made me even more excited to shop for our nearly 7 year old twins!

The Carter's store was divided by age groups and gender.  The girls' section was full of cheerful brights and pastels.  My favorite section was the denim for girls, which came in skinny and boot cut in a variety of washes.  My philosophy is that a girl can never have too many pairs of jeans!

Since our daughter is a daddy's girl, we bought her not one, but two graphic tees that let the world know it.  We also found two pairs of skinny jeans, one in a faded denim wash and the other in a pastel.

The boys clothing did include some bright colors and pastels, but there were also plenty of choices for neutral colored pieces.

I ended up choosing a graphic tee, a graphic thermal, and three pairs of pull-on cargo pants for our son.  He was thrilled because, even though he looks so cute in them, he dislikes wearing jeans.

Now, if I have you wondering whether you have a Carter's store near you, you can find out by using their store locator.

Before you shop, you must remember 3 things!  First, be sure to print the Carter's Friends & Family Event coupon below to save 25% off your purchase (some exclusions apply).  This coupon expires on December 24th, 2013.

TO PRINT:  Be sure that your printer is on and ready to print.  Click the image below to enlarge.  Then right-click on the image and choose print.  Use your browser's back arrow to return to this page.

The second thing you need to remember is to checkout the enormous amount of clearance merchandise in the store.  Even though the coupon does not apply to clearance items, it is very much worth a look.  The third thing you should remember is, if you are not a Carter's Store Rewards Member, you should sign up while you're in the store.  I did and received $10 in rewards for every $50 I spent.  I spent a little over $100 on clothing for end-of-winter and springtime and received $20 in rewards that I will be returning to use after the Holidays.

A few other things you may not know about Carter's stores . . . 

• There are building blocks, wooden puzzles, and other wooden toys in-store to help keep your children occupied.
• The store carries Melissa & Doug toys, making it possible to shop for infant, toddler, and kids clothing, as well as toys, all in one stop.
• The stores also sell children's shoes up to a size 12.

Remember, if you shop, come back and tell me all about what you purchased!

Papa Gino's Pizzeria Pasta Family Meals Make Family Dinners Fast and Easy

Thank you to Papa Gino's Inc. for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a free product coupon for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I make no secret of the fact that our family is a busy one.  There are evenings when my husband is running late coming home from work and I am buried in deadlines or I am with my children at taekwondo class past six o'clock.  Those are the nights when my husband and I settle for what we thought was the quickest and easiest option . . . having him go to a drive-thru on his way home.  Well, it turns out that there is a better option that is equally as quick and easy, but allows us to serve our family a real family dinner.

Papa Gino's has been offering pasta for quite some time, but did you know that they offer Pasta Family Meals?  These meals come with enough pasta of your choice, salad, and breadsticks to feed the whole family.  Pasta Family Meals come in a small size, which feeds 4 to 6 people, and a large size, which serves 8 to 12 people.

My favorite way to order from Papa Gino's is online.  I can place my order, tell them when my husband will be arriving to pick it up or ask for the food to be delivered, and I can either pay for it online or have my husband pay when he picks up the order.

For the Pasta Family Meals, you can choose one of the 11 types of pasta dishes, a garden or Caesar salad, and one of several kinds of salad dressings.  You can even add chicken to your salad for just a few dollars extra.  The meal also comes with Papa Gino's Cheese Breadsticks.  The restaurant provided more than enough salad dressing, serving utensils, and even offered to provide plates and cutlery.  Since we were eating at home, we just used our own dishes and utensils.

We opted for the penne and meatballs.  My husband was in awe of how much pasta and meatballs there were.  I felt the same way when I saw the salad.

I am unsure whether the meal comes with Parmesan cheese.  It was not offered to us and my husband did not ask for it since he knew we had some at home.  If grated Parmesan is not included, then I would say that is the one thing that is missing from the Pasta Family Meals.  We must remember to ask next time.

Out of everything, our children were most excited about the cheese breadsticks and the enormous amount of croutons included with the meal.

The Caesar Salad already had shredded cheese on it, so all we had to do was add the croutons and salad dressing.

Our family of five stuffed ourselves and we still had about a fifth of the pasta and meatballs left and just slightly less than half the salad.  The ten breadsticks didn't stand a chance.  Our children were so stuffed that they did not even ask for dessert.

While we were cleaning up after dinner, my husband and I agreed that this meal was a very good value.  The Small Pasta Family Meal costs $29.99.  For the five of us, we spend almost that much going through a fast food drive-thru.  We definitely spend more than that with just about any other kind of takeout.  Next time, we want to try the new Sweet Sausage & Roasted Red Pepper Pasta!

Papa Gino's would like you to try a Pasta Family Meal for yourself with your own family and has made available the printable Papa Gino's $5 off a Pasta Family Meal coupon below.  This coupon is valid through 6/30/13.

TO PRINT:  Make sure your computer's printer is on and ready to print.  Click on the coupon to enlarge.  Then right-click on the image and select print.  Use your browser's back arrow to return to this page.

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Say "Merci For All You Do" with a merci European Chocolates End-of-the-Year Teacher's Gift

Thank you to merci for providing a complimentary prize pack for us to base this review upon and for providing additional products for our contest prize. All opinions expressed are my own.

In some parts of the country, summer vacation has already begun for students.  Where we live, however, students have 3 more weeks of school to look forward to.  They actually lost 5 days of summer vacation due to the abundance of snow days we had this past winter.  If you have multiple children, then you probably have several thank you gifts to buy if you include all the teachers, assistant teachers, and school bus drivers.  One gift that is affordable and always seems to be appreciated is fine chocolates . . . something the teachers can enjoy while celebrating their much-needed summer break.

merci European Chocolates is a different take on the usual box of chocolates.  Inside the box is an assortment of 20 individually wrapped mini candy bars.  Everyone in my family enjoyed trying the seven varieties, which include Milk Chocolate, Coffee and Cream, Hazelnut-Almond, Hazelnut-Creme, Dark Cream, Dark Mousse, and Praline-Creme.  We all had our own favorites.  My husband and daughter liked the classic Milk Chocolate the best, while our oldest son's favorite was the Coffee and Cream.  My personal favorites were the Praline-Creme and the two Hazelnut varieties.

These rich merci chocolates are definitely a crowd-pleaser.  The surprising part is that you can find them at your local Walmart for approximately $5.50!  You can check whether merci chocolates are in stock at your local Walmart right on the product page.  At that price, you can afford to buy a box for all your favorite teachers, the school bus driver, and pick up a few for yourself.  For a limited time, you can get a $1.00 off coupon by "liking" merci on Facebook.

Enter to win a teacher-themed merci European Chocolate Prize Pack . . . 

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AeroShot Energy is a Easy, Quick, Portable, No-Mess, No Calorie Way to Get a Caffeine Fix for an Energy Boost (#cbias)

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ #CBias #SocialFabric. All opinions expressed are my own.

When you hear the term "pulling an all-nighter," you often think of college students studying. However, running on little to no sleep is something parents do all the time.  I get an average of about 6 hours of sleep per night and, a few times a month, I only get about 3 or 4 hours in one night.  Whether the reason for lack of sleep is being kept awake by a child, catching up on chores, or trying to sneak in some quiet time to read or watch your favorite grown-up show, you already know that tomorrow is going to be a rough day.  How do I get through the next day if I don't have the time to take even a short nap?  Since I don't drink coffee, I get my caffeine fix by drinking caffeinated cola.  Sometimes I may turn to soda up to 3 times per day for an energy boost.  I've lectured myself countless times about the extra caloric and sugar intake.  For busy parents like me, coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers alike, a product like AeroShot Energy would save the day.

AeroShot Energy is a powdered naturally flavored dietary supplement that provides your body with 100mg of caffeine.  It also gives your body 100% of the daily recommended dose of 3 types of B vitamins.  You cannot spill AeroShots like you can coffee.  It does not need to be chilled like an energy drink.  It does not leave crumbs behind like energy bars.  AeroShots are convenient, portable, and discreet.

Since AeroShot Energy is a fairly new product, it may not be available everywhere yet.  You can check for a retailer near you by entering your zip code at www.aeroshots.com.  I found that most CVS stores in my area carried this product, along with one or two convenience stores.  I suppose I'm not surprised that Boston may have been deemed as a highly populated area of sleep-deprived people.

AeroShots come in naturally flavored Raspberry, Green Apple, and Energy Lime. When I shopped for AeroShot Energy at one of my local CVS stores, I only found the Raspberry variety, which does not surprise me since the stores may be testing out one slot on their shelves for this new product.  If there is not yet a retailer near you, you can order AeroShots online at CVS.com or AeroShots.com.

The ingredients in AeroShot Energy are Natural Flavoring, Monk Fruit Extract (Siraitia Grosvenorii), Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, and Sucralose.  Having few ingredients is a huge plus.  The numerous ingredients (many of which cannot be pronounced) in some energy products are a little off-putting.  This product is also a no-calorie sugar-free product.

Using AeroShot Energy is as easy as 1, 2, 3 . . . 


Although my husband does not use energy boosters daily (if you don't count coffee), he has turned to energy drinks and energy bars many times before, especially when he has a long drive in front of him.  To use the AeroShot, he only had to pull the dispenser open, place it in his mouth, and draw in and swallow some of the powder.  Even though there is only one serving per dispenser, you can draw in powder 4 to 6 times.  If you require less to get your energy boost, then you can save the remaining powder to use at another time.

My husband is 6' tall and weighs about 240lbs.  After taking 4 draws over a half an hour, he clearly felt the energy boost.  It took about 25 to 30 minutes from his first draw to start feeling the effects fully, whereas it usually takes him 45 minutes to an hour to feel an energy drink start to work.  He did feel his heart rate increase slightly.  You should not use this product before consulting a doctor if you are sensitive to caffeine or are taking any medications.  Be sure to read the short list of warnings on the back of the package.

As far as the taste goes, my husband described the flavor of the Raspberry AeroShots to be similar to that of a powdered Sweet Tart.  He said the taste was strong and also reminded him of how an artificial sweetener might taste.

This product is perfect for any adult who is busy and could use an energy boost now and then, such as the busy parent, the college student, or the work-a-holic.  AeroShots are perfect for keeping in your handbag, backpack, or jacket pocket.  It needs to be stored in a cool place, otherwise it would be the perfect thing for my husband to keep in the glove compartment of his car.  I recommend your keeping the dispenser sealed in the package until you intend to use.  If you shake the dispenser, a small amount of powder may escape.

To learn more about AeroShot Energy products, visit www.aeroshots.com, AeroShots on Facebook, and on Twitter.  This product retails for $2.99 and you can find your nearest retailer here.  Currently, you can use this printable manufacturer's coupon for Buy 1 Get 1 Free at your local CVS or convenience store.  You can also order online from the AeroShots Shop or from CVS.com.

Keeping Our Family's Allergies Under Control with the Help of #MyAllerGenius, Allegra, and CVS

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and ALLEGRA® #cbias #SocialFabric #MyAllerGenius.  All opinions expressed are my own.

My husband and I both suffer from allergies year-round, but the symptoms are especially severe during the Spring and Summer months due to the high pollen count.  Unfortunately, our 6 year old daughter and her 9 year old big brother also suffer from allergies.  My husband and our son usually display the typical hay fever symptoms, such as sneezing and sinus pressure.  Our daughter and I, however, will develop a chronic cough that will last for weeks.  I think it has to do with our throats constricting combined with post-nasal drip.  It is such a miserable experience to constantly be coughing, having other people wondering silently if you have something that's contagious, being kept awake at night due to violent coughing, and just having our normal everyday activities (indoor or out) be brought to a complete halt because we start coughing uncontrollably.

I know how these allergy-induced coughs have affected my daily life and I am starting to see how it is affecting our daughters.  Although she does not have asthma-like symptoms like I do yet, I want her to be able to enjoy everyday activities without the inconvenience and discomfort of a cough.  Some activities, such as studying taekwondo, require a lot of focus and this is extremely difficult while coughing.  Also, coughing continually for weeks really takes a toll on our bodies, making us feel tired and run-down.  That is why I wanted to try the Allegra products for children on her, since she is now old enough to use the disintegrating tablets.

In addition to trying Allegra, I signed up for pollen reports on www.myallergenius.com.  You can actually go to this site anytime to check your area's pollen count, but having the report emailed or texted to you automatically is much more convenient if you're a busy parent like me.  With these reports, I can plan ahead in regards to spending time outside or even opening the windows.  We all love the fresh air, but the allergens that come in with it are just too much sometimes.

This is what the pollen report sent via email looks like . . .

If you are considering trying Allegra for yourself or for your family members, the month of May is the time to do it.  CVS is running an exclusive sale on Allegra products for adults and for children through May 31st.  They are offering $6 off the 45ct Allegra and both the liquid and tablet form of Children's Allegra are on promotion for just $9.99 each with your CVS Extra Care Card.  In addition to this, you can print coupons to save an extra $4 off Allegra (30ct or larger) and $2 off the Children's Allegra at CVS by visiting www.myallergenius.com.

We took advantage of these extra savings and printed our coupon before we shopped at CVS.  You should be able to find the Allegra products on a prominent end cap near the pharmacy and also in the cold and allergy relief aisle.  We noticed that the Children's Allegra tablets were short in supply at our store, so I'm glad they still had a few boxes left.

We will be testing out the Children's Allegra on two of our children.  With the help of the pollen reports, we may be able to stop their symptoms before they get too severe by giving them a dose of Allegra on the mornings when the pollen count is especially high.

Learn more about Allegra products by joining in on the Twitter Party on Tuesday, May 14th at 1pm EST.  You can RSVP here.  Also visit www.myallergenius.com for tips on managing your allergies, as well as beauty tips for those suffering from allergies.

Achieving Balance & Moderation in 2013

Aside from always working when there is work to be done, I actually have very little self-discipline when it comes to other areas of my life, such as eating well and exercising.  I have come to realize that I will never stick to a strict diet or workout 5 days per week, but I am not opposed to finding some balance and moderation in those areas.

There is nothing wrong with eating what I enjoy as long as I do not over-indulge.  For example, when I saw this Countertop Grill and Griddle by Cuisinart on BestBuy.com I could almost taste the grilled tomato, bacon, and melted Mozzarella panini sandwich I could be making with it.  Of course, that, plus all the yummy breakfast food that griddle could make, was already starting to tip the scale on my guilt-o-meter.  That was when the Healthy Foods Yonanas Ice Cream Maker caught my eye.  This ice cream maker turns frozen fruit into soft serve ice cream and could replace the fattening store-brought ice cream currently in my freezer, thus tipping the scale back a little in the other direction.

To help you find balance and moderation in your life and to achieve your 2013 fitness goals, Best Buy has the small appliances and fitness gadgets you need both online and in-store.  Many products are currently available with free shipping.  If you will be shopping in-store, be sure to print out these coupons for 20% off Small Kitchen Appliances and for 20% off Health and Fitness Products.  Both coupons are valid through 2/11/13.

What other ways can you think of to find balance and moderation?  Buy a new item of clothing, donate two items of clothing from your closet to charity?


The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.  All opinions expressed are her own.

Save $10 off Admission to Six Flags Courtesy of Gogo's Crazy Bones

Gogo’s are small, colorful toys that resemble Squinkies, but are made of hard plastic instead of rubber. They come in hundreds of designs and colors and each one has its own unique personality, name, and abilities.They were inspired by ancient Greek games where kids played by bouncing and throwing sheep knuckle bones. Gogo’s are fun little characters and have a game that resembles marbles and jacks. Each Gogo has its own number for collecting and are designed so you can hold and throw them with one hand.

A few months ago when my youngest son, Quinn, had his tonsils removed, my mother bought him a pack of Gogo’s at the store because she thought he’d like them. Thus began my kids fascination with these little characters. They are very cute, miniature, and perfect for collecting and playing with, which is right up their alley.

We’ve bought several small blister packs of Gogo’s since their first exposure to them, so when we got offered to try out the new set, Gogo’s Crazy Bones, I knew both my kids would want them. As expected, the Gogo’s delivered and my kids have enjoyed playing with their two new ones.

As an added promotion, Six Flags is getting in on the fun by offering $10 discount off of admission with a coupon downloaded from Gogo's Crazybones' website. This offer is only valid at participating Six Flags theme parks, including: Six Flags Over Texas, Over Georgia, Great Adventure, Great America, and New England, until September 30, 2012!

Gogo’s Crazy Bones are available at: Walgreens’s, Walmart, ToysRUs, Target, Big Lots, Learning Express, Mastermind Toys, Five Below, The Paper Store, Permed, Caramagica.com, and Olympia Sports.



Thank you to Gogo's Crazy Bones for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.

What You'll Need to Know About Teaching Your Children to Swim This Summer

The first day of summer really sneaked up on us this year.  Our first clue was our pool pass showing up in the mail yesterday.  The second would be the near-100 degree weather we're experiencing.  If you're getting ready to do some swim training with your children like we are this summer, then you should arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible about the dos and don'ts of teaching children to swim.  A wonderful resource for swim tips is the site TeachMeToSwim.com.  You can also connect with experts and other parents by joining the interactive Swim Steps Community.  The dangers of drowning has always been something that has made me nervous about allowing my children to play in or near water.  I want to do our swim training the right way.

We will definitely be using swim vests and other tools for our children this summer.  Before you go shopping for swim gear for your children, here is a printable manufacturer's coupon for $2.00 off a purchase of 2 or more SwimWays products that can be used at many major retailers, such as Walmart, Sports Authority, and Bed Bath & Beyond.  This coupon expires on July 31st, 2012.

This post was written as part of a Swim Steps Swim Team Ambassador program.