Rave & Review

Green Giant has a Giant Surprise: New Veggie Chips

When it comes to snacking foods, you can keep your cupcakes, your chocolate and your sweet treats.  I only have one snacking weakness and that is salty snacks - the crunchier the better.  The problem with this is that most salty foods are horrible for you, and are not included in any diet I know of.

While I wish there was some sort of pill I could take to curb these cravings, a smarter option would be to find snacking foods that don't compromise my day's diet.  Say something made with vegetables, whole grains, and with less fat than potato chips, but that still tastes delicious and fulfilling.  But, does such a food exist in the salty/crunchy realm?

The surprise is that they do exist, thanks to The Green Giant.  With their recently introduced new line of veggie snack chips with two flavors to pick from: Green Giant Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips Zesty Cheddar Flavor and Green Giant Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips Sea Salt Flavor, Green Giant is ready to surprise you with a great tasting snack that you can actually feel good about.

So, why is this so surprising?  On one hand, it isn’t.  For years Green Giant has been producing great-tasting veggies for even the pickiest of eaters, and it’s the same brand I turn to when buying canned and frozen veggies, so it makes sense that they should also produce veggie snacks that the whole family loves. 

But on the other hand, I’ve tried other veggie chips before and found them to be styrofoam or cardboard-tasting snacks that are overly processed and look nothing like actual food.  So, the real surprise is that these veggie chips from Green Giant look and taste just like your favorite tortilla-type chips, but have the benefits of whole grains and real veggies.

And that they are, in fact, every bit as delicious as I hoped.  We recently got to sample a bag of each flavor and it was a very sad day when both bags were empty.

The Green Giant Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips – Sea Salt Flavor are made with real sweet potatoes and include 14 grams of whole grain.  While my favorite part is that they contain 40% less fat than regular potato chips, {only 6g of fat per 28g serving compared to regular potato chips 10g of fat per 28g serving} I also love the hint of sweet with salty and the fact that it’s a lighter flavor than most traditional chips. 

And, my favorite, the Green Giant Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips – Zesty Cheddar Flavor. The Green Giant Roasted Veggie Chips are made with real vegetables, they include 17 grams of whole grain per serving and are naturally flavored, all of which I love.  Add in the cheddar flavor, and I’m smitten.  One bite of these chips has so much more flavor than any other veggie chips I’ve ever tried, and it was really all I could do not to eat the whole bag myself!      


Are you as surprised as I am that Green Giant has created such a delicious and nutritious snack made with real veggies?  Well, to celebrate this accomplishment, they are on a mission to find other surprise talents.  Just check out the surprise talents they've featured in this video as well as the Jolly Green Giant's favorite surprise talents at the Green Giant YouTube channel.

Have a surprise talent of your own?  Be sure to share it with the Jolly Green Giant as well and you might end up in their online film!  You can also find out more about the contest at the Green Giant Facebook page as well as other promotions they are running!

Don’t have a surprise talent but really want to check out these Green Giant chips to see if they are as amazing as everyone says?  You’re in luck, because Green Giant has shared a printable coupon for 85 cents off their Veggie Snack Chips!  

Thank you to The Green Giant™ for being a sponsor. Show the Giant your surprise talent at www.facebook.com/greengiant

Disney's Wreck-It Ralph is in stores now!

Enter the world of video games where every character has a specific job that they do and good guys and bad guys are pre-scripted.  This is the world of Ralph, who has begrudgingly played the bad guy in his popular video game, Wreck-It Ralph, for decades. 

But, when he isn’t invited to the game’s anniversary party where Fix-it Felix Jr. is being honored as the star of the game, Ralph sets off on a mission to show everyone that he’s simply misunderstood.  His journey takes him into the taboo world of arcade game-hopping where he tries his best to prove himself to be a true hero at heart while learning the ropes of each new game.

Shenanigans and hijinx ensue when Ralph leaves his pre-scripted life for one of adventure and unknowns.  Along the way he meets new friends and new predicaments that teach him that his role in his game is vital, and that even “bad guys” can have a big heart.

Since I had missed the movie when it was in theaters, I have been eagerly awaiting the release of Wreck-It Ralph on Blu-ray Combo Pack so we could watch it as a family.  For months I’ve been hearing Wreck-It Ralph references and hearing what an awesome family film it was and had been counting down the days until March 5th.

But, even though I was prepared to like the film based on all of the reviews I had heard, I didn’t expect that my 4 year old daughter would love it as much as she does.  Her world these days revolves around fairies and princesses and unicorns, so I thought a film about a video game was going to be a hard sell.  I was pleasantly surprised when she ended up loving the movie and that the show sparked a whole series of questions about video games and arcades and why Ralph was in Grand {Game} Central Station.

I personally thought the film was hilarious and I loved that there was humor that only us parents that grew up with arcades and 8-bit video games could appreciate.  Even though I'm no gamer by any means, I still got all the references and ended up laughing along with most of the movie.  But, even though my son has zero experience with video games, he still really loved the film and all the silly catch phrases and one liners. 

The DVD and Blu-ray combo pack also includes something for everyone with bonus features that take you even deeper into the world of video games.  Over an hour of all-new bonus material is featured on the Digital and Blu-ray Combo Pack, including deleted and alternate scenes, the theatrical short “Paperman” that everyone has been raving about, and much more. 

Other features include:
* Bit by Bit: Creating the Worlds of “Wreck-It Ralph” – Fans of the film will get a look at five new worlds created for “Wreck-It Ralph.” The short takes viewers into Game Central Station with the artists who brought Sugar Rush, Hero’s Duty and Fix It Felix Jr. to life.
* Alternate & Deleted Scenes – Four separate scenes are highlighted with an introduction and optional audio commentary from director Rich Moore.
* Video Game Commercials – Viewers can check out the commercials created for the video games featured in the film - Fix It Felix Jr., Sugar Rush, Hero’s Duty and Fix It Felix Hammer.
* “Paperman” – This animated short film played in theaters before “Wreck It Ralph.” It tells the story of a young man in an office who sees the girl of his dreams in a skyscraper window across the street. But how can he get her attention?
   
And of course, my favorite new feature, Disney Intermission.  Wreck-It Ralph comes with Disney Intermission: The Gamer’s Guide to “Wreck-It-Ralph” – When the Blu-ray is paused, host Chris Hardwick appears on screen to guide viewers through a series of 10 video segments offering an inside look at the many video game references, Disney references and other hidden surprises featured in the film. 

If you are looking for a great family film for boys and girls, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Wreck-It Ralph.  It's been compared to many other Disney "greats" since its release and I am not alone in feeling this is destined to become a family classic.

A big thank you to Disney films for sending Wreck-It Ralph to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Stax Living 3-Piece Hard Anodized 5-Quart Saute Pan Set {Review & Giveaway}

In honor of February being Heart Health Month, we’ve been making an effort to eat healthier and cook more at home.  In addition to the savings of not eating out, I just feel better knowing what every single thing is that I’m eating, and have found it’s actually a lot of fun to find, create, and enjoy meals here at home.  Yes, really.

If you’ve been reading awhile, you may know that I’m called “One Pan Leanne” because I rarely use more than one piece of cookware with each meal.  But you probably don’t know that I won’t just use any old pan, it has to be a very specific size and type.  It has to be large enough to hold enough food for everyone, be versatile enough to cook all my favorite meals, and, most importantly, it needs to be hard anodized so I don’t have to use extra oils and fats just to keep everything from sticking.

Each Valentine’s Day, hubby and I create a gourmet meal at home using all of our many kitchen gadgets and this year I was extra excited because that morning I had received the loveliest delivery on my porch.  No, the delivery was not from my Valentine, it was from FedEx and it contained a brand new Stax Living 3-Piece Hard Anodized 5-Quart Sauté Pan Set.

Since the American Heart Association and National Stroke Association both recommend nonstick cookware that doesn’t require extra fat and oils as part of a heart-healthy diet, I knew this new 3-piece set coated with Teflon was going to be perfect for us in our quest to eat healthier.  And, not only does the set have a nice, large hard anodized 5 quart sauté pan to help reduce excess oils, it also comes with a stainless steel steamer basket and lid, which makes it even more versatile and health-friendly.

With how much I love steaming veggies to retain all the nutrients, I had been looking to buy a nice steamer soon, and this one was better than what I had been looking at.  I love that it’s an integrated part of the cookware, fits the same lid, and the fact that it nests so nicely in the sauté pan, which saves space when storing.

And, speaking of lids and nesting nicely, the Stax Living line has done something I really appreciate by creating a shatter-resistant glass lid that is flat instead of curved.  In addition to allowing you to check your food while it’s covered, this design also allows you to place the lid upside down on the pan and create a flat surface, which maximizes your storage possibilities.  

This is great because once you have one set of Stax Living cookware, you’re going to want more, so this gives you an easy way to store all of your pieces and make them quick to grab.  With its durable hard anodized sauté pan boasting twice the hardness of stainless steel as well as exceptional heat retention and heat distribution, you will find yourself reaching for the Stax Living set over and over again.

I’ve never used another cookware set with silicone wrapped handles, but even so, it didn’t take me long to get used to it.  The silicone makes them easy to hold onto as well as heat resistant even when cooking over gas, which makes me wonder why every cookware handle isn’t wrapped as well. 

After using the 3pc set for the past two weeks, I am thrilled with how easy it is to use, how versatile it is for all of our favorite dishes, and most of all, how it has encouraged us to eat healthier.  By eliminating excess oils and making it easy to integrate veggies into everything we make, I find I’m much more adventurous and have been cooking far more vegetables, even as a main dish. 

As great as healthy, versatile cooking is, the really big bonus is the fact that the Teflon® nonstick cooking surfaces are nonstick, which means it is easy to cleanup without scrubbing or soaking after the meal.  Since the whole idea behind “One Pan Leanne” is to minimize dishes and mess, having a set that is so easy to clean {either by hand or in the dishwasher} is paramount. 

If you’re looking for cookware to help you cook and eat healthy, I would recommend checking out the Stax Living hard anodized set.  You can use less oil, cook more veggies, and enjoy cooking a whole lot more when your cookware is this fun and easy to use and clean!  You can find out more about cooking with Teflon here.

Now, how would you like to try out this Stax Living 3-Piece Hard Anodized 5-Quart Sauté Pan Set for yourself?  Well, you’re in luck because I’m giving away one of these great sets!

One lucky Rave & Review reader will win this awesome set valued at $80!

To Enter: simply connect with Rave & Review by any of these methods: Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome Stax Living 3-Piece Pan Set giveaway {bit.ly/YCabZd} with extra credit if you tag Teflon Brand and Rave & Review

1 Extra Entry - Facebook.  Follow Teflon Brand on Facebook

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet

1 Extra Entry - Like @RaveAndReview and @TeflonBrand on Twitter

4 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus. Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On March 25th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  US only.

A big thank you to Stax Living for sending a cookware set to facilitate this review and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Toast to the Newlyweds with Personal Creations

With lots of family and friends announcing upcoming weddings, I can’t help but start searching early for personalized bridal shower gifts and wedding ideas.  When I got married, it was well before Pinterest and even before people went online for everything, which made it hard to get truly special items that everyone else wasn't going to have at their wedding. 

Because of this, I’ve always been sad I didn’t have the opportunity to customize the event even more than we did and am very jealous of all of you lucky ducks getting married in this internet age.  You will never understand why I spent weeks searching on a bad {dial-up!} internet connection for one simple little personalized piece of art for the reception or why I ended up having to make almost everything by hand that I wanted special. 

If I was getting married now, I could find hundreds of gorgeous pieces at Personal Creations with a simple click of a mouse.  But, while I'm obviously not getting married now, I still can appreciate the ease of creating awesome, personalized gifts in a matter of minutes with the help of Personal Creations, which is why I return over and over.  It may be quick and easy to shop and order, but it certainly doesn't look like you didn't put any thought into a gift worthy of their big day. 

The first thing that always catches my eye whenever I start shopping is the gorgeous hand thrown Wedding Crock.  What I wouldn’t have given to have this little beauty as my centerpiece on the day of.  I love how classic the Wedding Crock looks, and how it would be great for cut wildflowers or for kitchen utensils year-round. 

Well, you know, if it had my husband’s and my names and wedding date, of course. 

And I definitely would have ordered the I Heart…Hoodie personalized with up hubby's name.  I could have worn for the colder nights on our honeymoon…  or to channel our inner Monica and Chandler and attempt to get a plane upgrade.

In fact, I loved the I Heart…Hoodie so much that I had to order it for a friend’s upcoming wedding.  Now, isn’t this adorable?  

I really love that the letters look screenprinted and aren't cheap iron-on ones you can get at the fabric store, and I also love that it's got a vintage-y vibe while still looking put together and fun.  I was really happy to hear my friend absolutely loved it and she’s worn it numerous times to pre-wedding events and gotten compliments on it each time. 

Even though I was initially worried at how the shirt would wash up because I seem to have bad luck with hoodies, I was told that by following the washing instructions to a T it came out nicely, even after two washings.  This is great news, because I know this sweatshirt certainly won't be retired once the wedding is over; it's going to be the perfect shirt to wear whenever she wants to make her husband smile. 

The next item I ordered was the Mr. and Mrs. Black Mug Set because I also wanted to surprise hubby with a little something as well for our anniversary this summer.  But, I decided not to order ones with our last name on them; I had to go with our pseudonym because I knew it would make him laugh. 

And, as soon as I unwrapped them, I had to laugh myself. 

Since hubby and I have tea almost every evening, I knew these would be the perfect replacement for the snowman mugs that recently got chipped, and I was correct.  While the cube-shaped mugs are smaller than our ginormous mugs we typically use, they still hold about 8 oz, which is still a good size for drinking, especially at night. 

If you are like me and have a bunch of weddings this spring and summer, you should definitely check out Personal Creations and take care of all your shopping at once.  Everyone loves personalized products, and this is even more true for new brides who are changing their name for the one they love.  You really can’t go wrong with a Mr. and Mrs. set for a bridal shower gift that they can use for the wedding or to celebrate the day they wed, and Personal Creations has more choices than I have seen anywhere else.  

Start shopping now for all the special couples on your list to make sure your perfect present arrives before the big day.  And, be sure and check out the Personal Creations coupon page before you start shopping so you can save money while ordering the perfect personalized present.  Win, win.

A big thank you to Personal Creations for providing a few personalized items for gifting this spring and summer to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours. 

Nokia 920s are red and violets are blue…

I think we all know that old rhyme.  I, for one, have been singing it all week as I’ve been learning and loving my new fire engine red Nokia 920 Windows 8 phone from AT&T that arrived just in time to celebrate Valentine’s Day with me.   

I’ve said before how utterly amazing it is that nearly everyone I know is walking around with a palm-sized computer in their pockets, but sometimes it takes a new phone ike the Nokia 920 with all the newest technology to really drive that point home.  We’re long past the days of merely making phone calls and marveling about text messaging, we’re at the point now where we are able to do nearly everything you can do on a laptop right on our phones, and let me tell you, I love it.      

If you’ve been reading a while, you already know that I’m a Windows gal who has been looking to make the leap to Windows 8, and with this phone I finally got the push I needed.  Say what you will about iWhatevers and Google, but as a PC gal, I will happily keep my Windows phone that goes quite well with my Windows PC and access all of my files easily right from my phone or computer, thankyouverymuch.

So, what makes the Nokia 920 different than my Samsung Windows 7 phone?  Even at first glance it was clear the answer was *a lot*. 

Size Does Matter:  The first thing you’ll notice is that the size of the Nokia 920 is much larger than most smartphones, which I immediately liked.  Having gone from a Blackberry Bold to a Google phone to my old Samsung, my screen size was progressively getting bigger with each new model and I think I’ve finally topped out at what I think is the largest size that makes sense for my needs.  Since I’m online a lot over my phone and needing full screen access, this really does give me huge freedom over even the slightly smaller Samsung that I couldn’t see full frame on. 

While I wouldn’t expect the larger screen size to be a deal breaker either way for most users, it actually saves me a ton of time when working on certain sites because I don’t have to scroll over or zoom out with each new page load.  It may only be seconds we’re talking about, but when you multiply that by 1,000 page loads, it more than adds up. 

Kids Corner:  You’ve probably seen all the commercials recently with Jessica Alba and Gwen Stefani talking about the Windows 8 Kids Corner function that locks down the phone and allows your kid to use it safely, without deleting all of your important information.  Having been subjected to a phone with locked contacts for over 2 weeks after my then 8 month old son nicely reprogrammed my phone for me, I am all for anything that protects my data and keeps junior from emailing my boss at midnight with a string of incoherent messages. 

While I love the idea of keeping my phone just for me, I’ve often been tempted to hand over my phone during meetings that run long or times when we’re stuck in waiting rooms, but the fear of getting my phone back reprogrammed has always stopped me.  With the new Kids Corner, I no longer have to worry about what they are doing to the phone without my constant supervision because everything in their “corner” has already been approved by me and set up just for them.  As cool as this is now with really little ones, I feel this feature is only going to get more and more useful as they get older and get even more tech-savvy. 

Heavy on the Tech, Please:  I honestly thought my Samsung was high tech as late as last week.  It turns out there are phones out there that take better pictures than my point-and-shoot camera, stream movies faster than my laptop, can charge wirelessly with an additional accessory, and come with PureMotion HD+ screens with ClearBlack display featuring curved Corning Gorilla Glass 2.0 and sunlight readability enhancement.  Yeah, that. 

Customized for Me:  I don’t know what it is about Windows phones, but from the very first time I touched one, I just “got it”.  I personally love the live tile display that shows me which of my dozen emails are filling up, how many calls I missed during the last meeting, which Facebook post is blowing up and where my next appointment is with one quick glance.  With the Nokia 920, the live tile display is even more customizable and you can shrink the tiles to ¼ size or you can expand them so you can read your emails and calendar right from the home screen.

Since I can never commit to anything for long, I love that it’s incredibly simple to reorganize my home screen with literally a few clicks.  If I’m using an app a ton for just a few days I can bring it above the fold and move apps I haven’t touched in weeks down to the bottom, and then change it all back in a matter of seconds. 

Stalk Your Friends, In a Nice Way:  If I’m working on a project with a colleague or needing to keep in touch with someone with limited availability, I love that I can actually pin that person’s profile to the home screen on my phone so I can see when they are available to chat and call them with a push of a tile.  Their newest messages will display right in their tile along with their picture so I can see at a glance who is on right now and get messages in real time. 

While I don’t plan on pinning all my friends to my homescreen, I love that I can pin my husband so the kids are able to call him simply by selecting his picture on my phone.  Whereas I might have trained them to recite his number only years ago or sat with them and taught them about how to use the phone’s rolodex, I love that even my 2 year old could call daddy using the live tiles if there was an emergency and we needed help. 

Red is the Color of Love:  Don’t believe me that a red phone has magical powers?  Check out the ratings for all the Nokia 920s on the AT&T site and you will find that even though all colors are very high rated, the red phone has a perfect 5 star rating.  The color of love, I tell you.  In fact, if you’re looking to surprise your Valentine with a trip to the AT&T store to get one of these awesome red beauties, I have it on good authority you should call ahead to make sure it’s in stock first.  Of course, I’m sure you’d love a black or a white version as well, but I’m telling you, there’s just something special about the red.    

If you are thinking of getting this awesome phone for Valentine’s Day, you will be happy to note that AT&T is running a special through the 21st where you can get two phones for the price of one or get the wireless charging accessory free with purchase.  We all know how cool accessories are with your brand new phone, so if you go with the second option you can get one of the newest and coolest accessories for free and never be limited by cables again!

To Buy: You can find the Nokia 920 in AT&T stores or you can order online here for $99.99 with 2 year service agreement. 

A big thank you to AT&T for sending the Nokia 920 to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Simple and Delicious Homemade Bread with the Lekue Bread Maker {Recipe}

While I love cooking, I’ve never fancied myself a baker.  Whenever I try baking, it typically comes from a box, and even then I usually somehow manage to ruin it.  For this reason, the main things on my grocery list each week are from the bakery - wheat rolls, bagels, baguettes, etc.

But, in an effort to eat better and provide the most nutritious foods I can for my family, I am willing to give anything a shot.  In this case, that means trying something that scares me silly: making my own bread from scratch.  I know, I know, it’s not rocket science.  But is there anything more disappointing than working ridiculously hard on something for half of your day only to completely fail?  Terrifying, right?

But, armed with a pantry full of baking ingredients and a little something called a Lekue Bread Maker, I made this little beauty.  From scratch. 

I followed this recipe from the Lekue site:

Ingredients

1 ½ cup (200 g) whole wheat flour
½ cup (50 g) wheat flour
5, 50 fl oz (165 ml) water
1 tsp (5 g) salt
0,18 oz (5 g) fresh yeast or 1 tsp(3 g) baking powder for bread

Preparation

Place all the ingredients in the Bread Maker and knead until you obtain a homogeneous, uniform, and elastic dough. Leave to rest in the Bread Maker at room temperature for 1 hour and half, covered with a cloth so it won’t dry out. Once rested, shape it into a baguette or loaf and leave to rest for 45 further minutes.  Afterwards, close the Bread Maker and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes at 428ºF (220ºC).Once baked, leave the bread to cool on a rack. (full recipe here)

I had to convert fresh yeast from the recipe and used this fresh yeast conversion as my guide, but, other than that, it was as simple as baking from a box.  With maybe 15 minutes of hands-on time and virtually no cleanup, it was quicker than running to the store, and a whole lot more rewarding.

I’ve followed the recipe a few times now using various types of flour, and every time it has turned out delicious – and even better than the loaf before.  It’s a little denser than sandwich bread, which makes it the perfect side for soups, salads, and for pre-dinner snacking while waiting for the main course. 

After “mastering” this recipe and conquering a bit of my fear, I’m excited to try out even more recipes with the Lekue Bread Maker and try my hand at making a sourdough loaf or a rye baguette.  Heck, I might even try baking bread in the microwave.  Crazy, right?

You weigh, mix, and bake all in the same bowl so it really minimizes messes and makes for simple cleaning – either by hand or in the dishwasher.  But, more than that is how incredibly versatile it is because it can go in the fridge, freezer, microwave, oven and more and then can be squished into small spaces for easy storing.  With an already packed kitchen, I really love that it can be stored so compactly, and you can even stack multiple bread makers inside of each other if you plan on buying a few of them like I am.   

If you love baking, are scared of baking, or even if you fall somewhere in between those two distinctions, I feel the easy-to-store, easy-to-wash Lekue Bread Maker is an essential piece to have around.  When you’re not using it as a bread maker, it makes for an awesome steamer basket or fish baker, and when serving, it is a great versatile bowl that can blend in with any décor.  Win, win, win, win, right? 

Personally, I want a whole cupboard of Lekue Bread Makers, so I can do this:

A big thank you to Lekue for sending their Bread Maker for review.  As always, all opinions remain 100% ours.

Shari's Berries for Valentine's Day

I don’t know about you, but as soon as I think February, all I can think of is chocolate.  I’m not really a Valentine’s Day person in general as I prefer to do something romantic on a random day when hubby least expects it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like gourmet Valentine’s Day chocolate. 

And, when that gourmet chocolate happens to be covering my favorite food in the whole world, I am in heaven.  This is precisely what happened when Shari’s Berries delivered this to my front door.

The two full dozen gourmet dipped swizzled strawberries may have arrived on a random Wednesday afternoon, but all of a sudden we were having a party to celebrate.  We invited over my sister’s family for dinner and we saved the berries for dessert.  The dinner was good, but all anyone was thinking of was the chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us after.

And, at the first bite it was clear Shari’s Berries are definitely worth waiting for.  Using perfectly ripe HUGE strawberries that are bigger than anything I’ve ever seen in retail, these are the kinds of berries you can cut up and eat or even share {that is, if you share better than me}.

Covered in a thick chocolate – white, milk, and dark – the strawberries are then finished with sprinkles or swizzles, or both, and packed as if they were precious jewels.  This might have seemed like overkill, except for the fact that these are so delicious that they really do seem like precious cargo.

Young and old, er semi-young, gathered around the island and devoured a dozen of these beauties between the 7 of us.  We all sampled each flavor, picked our favorites, and then still had plenty left for a party the next day after dinner. 

And, after trying them all I really feel like it’s impossible to describe how much we all loved the Shari's Berries strawberries.  There’s only so many times you can use the words “delectable” and “delicious” and there are absolutely no words to describe the perfection that happens when you combine two things that on their own are perfect.  

Whether you are looking for hand dipped gourmet berries to decadent cookies and combo packs, Shari's Berries has you covered for Valentine's Day.  And, now ordering from Shari's Berries is even sweeter by shopping off their coupon page!  Simply visit berries.com or connect with Shari's Berries on Faceboook and keep up with discounts and promotions

Start shopping for gourmet Valentine's Day treats now!

A big thank you to Shari's Berries for sending some treats to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Walgreens 24/7 Pharmacy Chat and Mobile App to Keep Your Family Happy and Healthy

My kiddos never fall ill in the morning, mid-day, or even in the afternoon when I could pop them in a car and head to the pediatrician.  No, if they are going to get sick, it will undoubtedly happen in the middle of the night while the rest of the world is sleeping.  I don’t know about you, but my math and reasoning skills don’t work during the wee hours of the night when I’m struggling with laundry, sick kids, and lack of sleep, which makes these nighttime illnesses all the more annoying. 

Was it 3 tablespoons or 3 teaspoons?  Is it feed a cold, starve a fever?  And, at what point is it a real emergency?  These are the things my husband and I all of a sudden can’t remember and we spend our time digging for that first aid book we got during our childbirth classes in a panic, re-reading medicine labels, and stressing that our little ones need better care than we can provide in our hazy state. 

Next time, though, all we will have to do is snuggle our babies and grab our cell phones to find all the answers we need.  With the new Walgreen’s 24/7 Pharmacy Chat you can talk directly with a pharmacist to get the answers you need - day or night.  You simply register on their site with your Balance Rewards card and you can access things like pharmacy orders and more, and when you're done you can print the transcript so you don't have to remember every little detail.  My 3am self thanks you in advance, Walgreens.


Not only do they have online chat, they also have an app that can help you manage your family’s prescriptions easily.  You can order prescriptions through the app by scanning your old medication, manage doses, schedule reminders and more that will ensure that everyone gets the medicine they need, when they need it.  Do you remember the days when you had to make a trip in to see your doctor to get a slip of paper with your prescription, drive to your pharmacy, and then return home?  Then remember how excited you were when doctor’s offices started faxing orders?  Their auto-fill and express refills via their app are like that, only 10x more exciting and a million times quicker when you’re sick. 

In addition to managing your pharmacy orders, you can also shop via the app, order photos {seriously! From your phone!}, browse their weekly ad, and even find emergency clinics near you.  My husband and I both have this downloaded on our phones {iPhone and Windows} so we can manage our prescriptions, so no matter who ends up doing the wellness run they will have all the information they need.

Last week, my son and I did a quick run to the corner of Happy & Healthy, AKA our local Walgreens.  While the purpose of the trip was to pick up a prescription refill, while we were there I wanted to restock our children’s medicine after our awful bout with the flu late last year, as well as get a new addition to our first aid kit, the EarCheck that my doctor recommended since my son is prone to ear infections. 

We did some shopping for items for my daughter’s snack day at school, got some wellness items to prepare for cold and flu season,  and when we were done, our prescription was there waiting for us at the back counter.  With our items all ready, our coupons clipped, and prescription, we headed to the register to purchase. 

We had a slight glitch with their Balance Rewards program when their till locked up and they weren’t able to select my name off their computer, but they hooked me up with a shiny new Balance Reward card so I don’t have to look it up each time, and we were all set.  If you don’t have one yet, you should!  It’s free to sign up online or in-store and you can earn rewards on the items you buy the most so you can at least save money during your late-night medicine run. And, now is a great time to sign up for the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club because new members get a $15 bonus! 

See our whole shopping trip and #HappyHeathy Wellness Kit here.

I headed home and updated our #HappyHealthy “wellness kit” and admired my amazing preparation skills.  I even reorganized our locking linen closet to make room for our two Crane humidifiers, checked expiration dates on old medicines, and did a general clean sweep to make sure we were stocked and ready. 

Then, because I love new toys, I had to check out the new EarCheck.  My son was nice enough to sit still long enough for me to try it on him and it turns out he loves it.  He kept saying “more scan” and then giggling.  I love that it seems very reliable {even with a low battery warning} as the ear that is prone to infection came back as “monitor” and the other one said “fluid unlikely”.  While I haven’t had a chance to test it out with an actual ear infection {knock on wood}, I feel better prepared for the next round of illness knowing I have it. 

I’m hoping Murphy’s Law doesn't prevail and that being this prepared makes us less likely to fall ill this year.  But even if that doesn’t work out, we now have one place to go when looking for supplies in the middle of the night and professional backup available 24/7 via Walgreen’s pharmacy chat.  And, we also have my secret weapon: cure-all, homemade turkey soup with heart-shaped carrots. 

Connect with Walgreens via Facebook, Twitter, and download iPhone App, or download Android App

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 Walgreens #cbias #SocialFabric #HappyHealthy.  All opinions are 100% ours.

My New Year’s Resolution: More “Us” Time

I’m going to brag for a moment: I have the best husband.  Ever. 

We met when I was in high school, during those awkward teen years when you’re still trying to figure everything out and it feels like you will never, ever become an adult.  It was a stage in which I wore flannel almost every day, was trying to grow my hair out after I had accidentally dyed it black trying to fix a previous dye job, listened to Nirvana like it held the key to surviving teenage-dom, and was still shuttling back and forth between my parent’s houses with no clear place to call home. 

And even though the teen love odds were definitely against us, we’re still together after all these years.  This year we’re looking forward to celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary and our 16th year we’ve been together and it dawned on me that this year also marks the point that we’ve been together exactly half of my life.  Yes, I know, right?

So, instead of just celebrating on the day we started dating {which we then subsequently got married on}, I feel like a bigger celebration is in order.  Perhaps an entire-year celebration? 

While we wish we could go on a year-long sabbatical or even a month-long vacation to celebrate, we can barely squeeze in date night these days with our little ones, so we have to think a little smaller.  Like coffee.  Our dates happen when the kiddos fall asleep while we’re driving, are cuddled up in the stroller as we walk, or are upstairs napping… and they almost always involve coffee.

As coffee-loving Seattleites, it’s probably not surprising that we’re fans of Starbucks, but what would probably surprise you is that we’re almost entirely brand loyal.  Yes, I realize Seattle has a coffee house or mocha box on every corner, but it was Starbucks that originally made coffee drinkers out of us after our daughter was born and now it is our tradition for our mini “dates”.

So, to get in the spirit of celebrating 2013 as the year of our mini dates, we recently went to Walmart to pick up some of the Starbucks Coffee Holiday Blend.  The trip had two purposes: 1) to try the Holiday Blend which we had heard was amazing and 2) to start to brew some Starbucks here at home for when our mini dates happen when the kiddos are napping upstairs and we’re housebound.  But, while we were there, we developed a third purpose: to find some fun treats from the bakery at Walmart that would go well with the Holiday Blend coffee to kick off our first coffee date of the year.

And, what do you know, but there’s actually a whole system for pairing foods with coffee to enhance the flavors of both.  Starbucks appropriately calls these “delicious pairings” and they even have displays throughout the US at many Walmart stores to showcase their many pairing suggestions.  Since we had already grabbed the Starbucks Holiday Blend coffee, we just had to figure out what we wanted with it, and we quickly figured it out – The Bakery at Walmart cinnamon rolls with white icing. 

We walked around the bakery at Walmart a bit until we were good and convinced cinnamon rolls were our perfect pairing, which gave us time to get some mini donuts for a late Christmas celebration that same day as well as see what other delicious treats we wanted to try for our next bakery run.  And, just look at all this deliciousness!

We got a chance to have our first coffee date at home on a gorgeous but frigid New Year’s Day when the kiddos went down for an afternoon nap and we seized the moment.  I mean, I couldn't stare at this for weeks, could I?

I though it fitting that we should get a start on our resolution on the first day of the year by curling up by the fire with coffee and cinnamon rolls.  Not only was it a fun end to the hectic holiday season, it gave us the perfect time to reflect on the year ahead.

With the awesome smell of fresh brewed coffee filling the air, we first sipped the coffee together.  It proved to be the perfect afternoon pick-me-up with its smooth dark roast and hints of spicy and sweet. It’s the perfect complement to holiday treats with cinnamon and spice like rolls, gingerbread, and my favorite, pumpkin scones.  Since I love Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes more than any other beverage, it’s really no surprise that I loved the Holiday Blend, even on its own. 

But, paired with the deliciously ooey gooey warmed cinnamon rolls from The Bakery at Walmart, the combination was simply heavenly.  The perfect balance of sweet and spice, it was amazingly decadent and flavorful without being too much of a good thing.  Before we knew it, our plates and mugs were empty and we were chatting about our plans for the New Year.   

In searching for ways to make 2013 the year with more “us” time, the key is to really make that time together count and our #DeliciousPairings was a great way to get started.  Instead of thinking about it as coffee and instead regarding it as a whole year of mini dates, snuck in during naps and days out with the family, it’s going to be a whole lot easier to actually make it happen and not abandon our resolution mid-January.

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 #DeliciousParings As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Holiday Gifts for the DIY'er from Dremel {Dremel Saw-Max Review}

It seems like everyone these days is a DIY’er.  With the advent of Pinterest with detailed and pictorial instructions, it has become incredibly easy to redo an entry way, create a one-of-a-kind art installation, or even to renovate an entire house.  Where we used to lament our lack of built-ins or architectural interest, now we merely add our own easier than ever before.

But, while I’m a big advocate of DIY’ing, I do have small children and can’t have my entry way, art installations or house renovations taking over our entire house.  This means I’m always looking for options that cut my project time, minimize cleanup, and don’t require a whole workshop full of power tools while the project is in process.  For all these reasons and more, I love Dremel tools.

Since the only time I have for DIY’ing is during the 2-3 hour nap window, I need quick and efficient ways to get projects done, and for me, that’s Dremel’s biggest plus.  Being able to quickly grab the tools I need, have tools that can handle multiple tasks, and offer the easiest cleanup possible is paramount, which means I never reach for anything other than our Dremel Multi-Max or Dremel Saw-Max. 

But, if I’m being honest, I’m incredibly scared of power tools and the Dremel tools are all I can handle in terms of size and power.  If I need anything more intense than these, I’m calling in backup as there’s no way I’m using a full-size circular saw or jigsaw.  Luckily, Dremel tools can handle almost anything and they can do just about any DIY project Pinterest or I can dream up.

But, Dremel tools aren’t just for casual crafters like myself, these are serious tools that can make short work of many projects and renovations, large or small.  Even hubby who is all decked out with traditional full size tools adores our Dremel tools and reaches for those first.

You may remember how we raved in our Dremel Multi-Max review about how great it is for doing plunge cuts as well as cutting precise shapes including square corners in all sorts of materials.  We’ve used it for all sorts of projects around the house in the past year and a half and it’s still the most grabbed tool we own.  Because we love it so much, we were hoping to expand our Dremel collection and try out either the Dremel Trio or the Saw-Max this year, especially now that we have a list of to-dos that require tools we were lacking.   

So, when the Dremel Saw-Max arrived last month, we were thrilled and couldn’t wait to get started on some of our pins on Pinterest.  And, just look at this beautiful tool – who wouldn’t want to do some DIY projects armed with this?    

The Dremel Saw-Max is a scaled-down circular saw that is much better for doing traditional long, straight cuts while allowing for greater control and precision.  Since it is about a third the size of a standard circular saw, it is much more portable and easy to use either indoors or out without immediately turning the room into a construction zone. 

I immediately felt comfortable using the Saw-Max, even one handed, and was able to tackle small cuts on my own during our last project.  Since I won’t touch our full size saw and have to ask for help to finish even a simple project, having the Saw-Max makes me feel unstoppable and it has greatly increased the projects I’m willing to take on.

Because the Saw-Max uses a 3” blade, it really excels at smaller jobs and trim work, which is perfect for most of the projects around our house and most of my craft projects.  While it’s compact enough for small art projects that require greater attention to detail, I also love that it can still tackle big jobs like cutting flooring or building furniture.  And, with the adjustable base plate that allows you to set the depth of the cut in seconds and without tools, it allows you to create different size cuts in various materials quickly and easily which makes it a great all-purpose power tool for bigger renovations. 

I bet you’re wondering how a 3” blade can tackle large jobs?  Well that is where the smart accessories come in.  The 2x4 cutting guide is a simple plastic guide that you clamp over the board you want to cut and then simply run the saw along the top and bottom of the board for a nice straight cut.  The straight edge guide is another great tool that attaches to the side of the Saw-Max and lets you cut a precise straight line.  But the one accessory that is on top of our list to get is the miter guide, which allows you to do precise angle and bevel cuts for really detailed trim work. 

If that’s not enough for you, there is also a multi-purpose flush cut blade that puts the blade right up to the edge of the saw, and my personal favorite, the dust port adapter so I can hook a vacuum right to the saw to clean up the mess as we go along. Pretty awesome, right? 

With the confidence I have gained using my Dremel tools there are sure to be a lot of formerly intimidating projects finished up at our house soon, and maybe in the future we will add the Dremel Trio and tackle even more. Come back next year to see us tackle our biggest DIY to date, the front entryway that we'd like to function more like a mudroom. 

If you have a long to do list at your house as well, be sure to check out all the tools from Dremel and you might be surprised at what you can accomplish too.  And, if you've got a Pinterest pinner or a handyman on your list, you will definitely appreciate the following Dremel Gift Guide: 

Gifts from Dremel for the Pinterest Pinner-
•         Dremel 8220 12V Rotary Tool ($99-$139) – Take on nearly any project with this new rotary tool. From hobbies like jewelry-making or glass-engraving, to tackling household repairs, the Dremel 8220 cordless rotary tool provides versatility and precision for projects large and small.
•         Dremel Trio™ ($99) – Thanks to the resurgence of the Shabby Chic design trend, refinishing and distressing furniture pieces has become a popular hobby. For those on your list who have a knack for breathing new life into furniture and décor, the Dremel Trio will allow them to tackle multiple materials and planes without switching tools.

Gifts from Dremel for the Home Handyman-
•         Dremel Multi-Max™ MM20 ($99) – Repair. Remodel. Restore. The Dremel Multi-Max MM20 offers do-it-yourselfers and pros a versatile and effective multitasking tool. The Multi-Max can cut into a variety of materials including stone, sheet metal and cement with precision, power and ease, so users can tackle an array of applications quickly and comfortably.
•         Dremel Saw-Max™ ($129) – Making cuts with a saw can be a daunting task, but at one-third the size and weight of a traditional circular saw, the Dremel Saw-Max allows users to make smooth cuts on a variety of materials with easy, one-handed operation.

Stocking Stuffers from Dremel-
•         Dremel EZ Twist Nose Cap ($6.99) – A must-have for anyone with a Dremel rotary tool, the EZ Twist Nose Cap makes changing accessories on a Dremel rotary tool faster and easier.
•         Dremel Multi-Max Drywall Jab Saw Accessory ($9.99) – Designed to be the fastest-cutting drywall blade available, the Drywall Jab Saw is the only oscillating blade that makes both straight and curved cuts in drywall, ideal for cutting out electrical boxes and recessed lighting.
•         Dremel Multi-Max Multi-Knife Accessory ($14.99) – Quickly and easily cut carpet, vinyl, boxes, shingles, foam, insulation and plastic with the Dremel Multi-Knife. Two cutting edges allow users to cut in either direction; the inside-facing edge is designed for cuts requiring a pulling motion and the outside-facing edge is designed for cuts requiring a pushing motion.
•         Dremel Saw-Max Cutting Kit ($39.99) – Includes seven Saw-Max wheels, including diamond and carbide wheels,  to cut tile, drywall, wood, plastic, metal, cement, brick and more.

A big thank you to Dremel for sending the Saw-Max to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.