Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Label It Or Lose It: Mabel’s Labels Review + Giveaway

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Disclosure: Samples were provided in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

With kids going back to school, now is the best time to make sure all of their personal belongings are labelled with their name.  In 2002, four moms noticed a need for durable, waterproof labels and tags for their children’s belongings.  They met this need by starting a company called Mabel’s Labels.  I am always inspired by entrepreneurial stories where people see a need in everyday life and take action.

I had the opportunity to try out the Ultimate Back-To-School Combo for my kids.  This ultra-handy pack includes:

  • 40 Mini Custom Name Stickers: 1-1/2″ x 5/16″
  • 70 Tag Mates™ Stick On Clothing Labels: 13/16″ x 3/8″
  • 16 Custom Shoe Stickers (8 pairs): 1.3″
  • 2 Personalized Mini Tags: 1-1/4″ x 3/4″

We were able to choose the name (of course), font, image, and color scheme.  This was the fun part for my kids.  Not surprisingly, my daughter chose the basketball design, and my son chose the soccer design.  When we received our package in the mail, I was impressed with how high-quality the labels and tags are.  I can tell that these labels have been designed to withstand heavy use.  They are dishwasher-safe, microwave-safe, laundry-safe and waterproof!

The tags are metal and are convenient to attach to a zipper, like here on my daughter’s backpack.

I am pleased to announce that Mabel’s Labels has generously offered to give away one School Label Pack ($42 value) to one of my readers.  The choices include: Ultimate Back to School Combo, Little Kid School Combo, Middle School Label Pack, Designer Label Pack, Mr. Men School Label Pack, or Hello Kitty School Label Pack.

 

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National Parks, Vacation

Crater Lake Trolley

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We needed to leave Sacramento early in the morning because we had reservations for the Crater Lake Trolley tour at 3 p.m.  Then, at one of our rest stops I realized that I had a message from the trolley company that asked if we could make the 2 p.m. tour instead because the smoke from the wildfires had been rolling in around 3 p.m. the past few days.  As we drove through Northern California, the sky was an ominous gray from the other numerous wildfires.  We kept our windows rolled up and made minimal stops.  Thankfully, we were able to make the tour on time.

The tour is run in conjunction with the National Park Service.  A knowledgeable ranger narrated the tour which made for an educational experience.

I was grateful that the tour company provided cushions for us to sit on since the wooden seats were pretty uncomfortable.

The trolley circled the entire lake in about two hours, with numerous stops.  I find it amazing that this lake was created by a volcano that imploded on itself and filled with rain and melted snow.

If I had known that k was squinting like that in our only family picture, I would have asked the trolley drive to take another one!  Oh well.

Although Crater Lake was pretty, I must admit that I was disappointed.  I had seen so many jaw-dropping pictures beforehand, so my expectations were high.  The haze from the smoke obscured the view and blocked the sun so the stunning blue color just was not there.  I told D that we need to go there again to see its true beauty, but I doubt we would ever make the drive again. 🙁

We had reservations to camp for two nights at Mazama Campground near Crater Lake, but it did not seem like a good idea with the poor air quality.  I was especially concerned for n, since he is small and has had asthma issues.  I do not like having to do things on the fly, but I was able to cancel one night of our camping reservations, and nab a room in one of the cabins instead.  I was not happy paying for $180 for one night in a very basic room, but it was worth it in order to decrease any health risks.

We decided to add another night of camping in Lassen National Park, our next stop.  Since we no longer had access to a fire ring, we had to microwave our pre-bought hot dogs in the camp store microwave.  What a sad dinner!

 

 

 

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Vacation

Our First Airbnb Stay!

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For our last week of summer vacation, we took a road trip to visit Crater Lake National Park in Oregon and Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California.  I took k and her friend to their middle school registration in the morning, and we hit the road right after.  Our first stop was Sacramento.  At first we had a reservation at a Marriott in downtown Sacramento with D’s points, but then I saw this Airbnb listing in my Facebook feed through our friend’s sister’s friend!  We had never tried Airbnb, but thought it would be worth a try.

The duplex did not look like much from the outside, but you could tell that a lot of effort had been put into remodeling the interior.  We were able to park right outside the front door, so that was nice.  I downloaded the SmartLock app as instructed, and it was so cool.  The lock looks like a regular lock, but when I opened the app on my phone, the door unlocked/locked like magic.

The owner definitely has an eye for style!

This was the bedroom D and I stayed in.  The mattress was very comfortable!

This was the bedroom where the kids slept.  It was nice to have separate rooms.  D was able to wake up early to do his core exercises without disturbing the kids’ sleep.

Here’s the bathroom.  For some reason I failed to take a picture of the kitchen!  Overall, this was a positive Airbnb experience for us.  I will definitely be keeping it in mind for future stays.

We went to a local grocery store and bought food for dinner, breakfast, and hot dogs for the next night’s camping dinner.

We left early the next morning since it was Oregon or bust!

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k, n

Our Kids Sang In a Honda Commercial!

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A few years back, D had the opportunity to be in a Mazda commercial through work. A couple of months ago, our kids had the opportunity to record in a studio for a Honda commercial through our church.

Since it looks like the commercial will only be shown in Japan, here it is for your viewing pleasure.  k asked, “If it is a Japanese commercial, why are we singing in English?”  Ha–good question!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVgcipDDsec

Here is a behind the scenes video where you can catch some glimpses of k and n.  I guess they are categorized as “Asian” instead of “American” in the demographics slide.  I think the song ended up sounding pretty good for a group of non-professionals!  Even though they were unsure about participating at first, it ended up being a fun experience for them.

 

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Reviews, Sponsored

How to Keep Kids Hydrated When They Play Sports

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by BODYARMOR.  All opinions are my own.

My son really enjoys playing soccer.  Even though fall is the official soccer season, we like to enroll him in various programs year-round to keep him conditioned.  This summer, I signed him up for a week-long soccer camp that lasted from 9 a.m. – noon.  We live in sunny Southern California, so I felt bad when the weather forecast was in the 90’s everyday.

Three hours of strenuous physical activity can take a serious toll on the body, especially young kids.  The first day when I picked my son up at the end of camp he looked miserable.  He told me that he had a headache, which is one of the symptoms of dehydration.

Here are some tips on how to keep kids hydrated when they play sports.

1. Make sure kids start hydrating two days before the anticipated strenuous physical activity.

2. Make sure kids drink the day of the physical activity, before it starts.  My son said he drank a lot during the practice, but drinking before the practice is imperative.

3. Talk to the coaches to make sure that they are implementing several breaks throughout the practice so that kids have the opportunity to hydrate.

4. Water is always a good choice for hydration, but when strenuous or prolonged physical activity is involved, it is beneficial for kids to replace electrolytes that they lose through sweating.  One way to replace electrolytes is through the consumption of sports drinks.

It seems that sports drinks have developed a bad reputation because many of the most popular brands contain a lot of sugar and artificial ingredients.  I am excited that I discovered BODYARMOR LYTE, which is a sports drink that contains only 3 grams of sugar per serving, and contains no artificial flavors, sweeteners or colors.  BODYARMOR LYTE also includes more potassium, vitamins and coconut water than other leading brands, which keeps the body feeling its best.

BODYARMOR LYTE comes in four flavors: Peach Mango, Cherry Berry, Orange Citrus, and Blueberry Pomegranate.

We had the opportunity to try BODYARMOR LYTE in the Peach Mango flavor.

My son really liked the taste, which is important so that kids actually want to hydrate themselves.  The BODYARMOR LYTE also helped keep his energy level going throughout the entire camp day.  I would recommend BODYARMOR LYTE for any parent looking for a sports drink with more natural ingredients for their kids.

Starting in 2018, BODYARMOR Sports Drink is now available at all Walgreens locations nationwide. Click HERE to receive $1.00 off on TWO (2) Bottles of BODYARMOR Sports Drink or BODYARMOR LYTE Sports Drink (16oz Only).

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n, Reviews, Sponsored

Sharpen Your Child’s Soccer Skills: Challenger Sports British Soccer Camp Review

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Challenger Sports.  All opinions are my own.

With my daughter away at camp, I knew that I needed to find an activity to keep my son busy for the last week of July.  He tends to become really bored when she is not around–ha!  I saw that Challenger Sports was holding a British Soccer Camp at a park just down the street from us so I decided to sign him up.  There was a choice between a half day camp (9-noon) and full day camp (9-4).  We went with the half day camp, which was a good thing since the weather was so hot that week.  I actually felt bad for the kids that were signed up for the full day camp since it was so hot, but it is a nice option if you need full day childcare.

There were three coaches, and about twenty-five kids at the camp.  Sign-ups were open to boys and girls from ages 3-16, but it seemed like most of the kids were about 5-12.  I had limited interaction with the coaches (2 male, 1 female), but they did have British accents!  From what n told me, they were all friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.  I appreciated how they greeted n by name by the second day.  That might seem like a small gesture, but it made me feel like they were paying attention to each individual child which is not always the case in settings like this.

The kids were split up into 6 teams and earned points throughout the week for winning their games, as well as participating in fun spirit activities such as dressing up for “Wacky Wednesday” or drawing a picture of their coach.  Each day they did focused drills to focus on specific skills.

The coaches also gave the parents instructions about signing up for an app called TopYa! Soccer.  I had not heard about this app before, but it is pretty cool.  The app teaches kids certain soccer skills through videos.  You can then take a video of your child performing that skill and a virtual coach gives you feedback.  We had a little trouble uploading the video at first, but now that we have the hang of it, n seems to like it.

I realize this is not the most exciting video, but you get the idea!

If you have a young soccer player, or a child who is interested in trying soccer, I would recommend trying out a Challenger Sports British Soccer Camp near you!

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Crafts, Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Unique Gourmet Popcorn: Pop Art Snacks Review + Giveaway

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Disclosure: I received free samples in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own.

Popcorn is one of my all-time favorite snacks.  I like that it satisfies my craving for salt and crunch without too much guilt compared to other snacks.

Pop Art Snacks is a company that makes gourmet popcorn with unique and interesting flavors.  The packaging is so bright and cheerful!  I was excited to have the opportunity to try out four of their varieties:

  • Hawaiian Sea Salt with Avocado Oil
  • White Cheddar Jalapeno
  • Rosemary Truffle
  • Nori Sesame

The Hawaiian Sea Salt with Avocado Oil flavor debuted at Expo West this past spring, but somehow I missed their booth.  I love how the ingredients are so simple: Non-GMO Popcorn, Avocado Oil, Natural Pacific Sea Salt.

The White Cheddar Jalapeno flavor definitely has a kick to it!  It might be a little too spicy for kids, but spice fans will like this one.  The white cheddar rounds out the spiciness.

As soon as you open the Rosemary Truffle, the aroma hits you.  Although I am not the biggest rosemary fan, I was surprised that I really enjoyed this sophisticated flavor.  Set a bowl of this flavor out as a hors d’oeuvre at your next fancy dinner party.

The Nori Sesame was naturally a big hit with my Asian American family.  I am still surprised to see how “mainstream” nori has become, but it seems to be a flavor that a lot of people enjoy these days.  I like how this is a flavor of popcorn that you cannot find just anywhere.

All of the flavors use non-GMO corn, are gluten-free, air-popped, and have no trans fat or MSG.

Why not make a Pop Art popcorn bar at your next gathering and let your guests decide which is their favorite?

My son and I had fun making origami paper cups to coordinate with each of the flavors!

Origami Popcorn Cup Tutorial

 

I think these pictures are easy to follow, but I will attempt to explain the steps as well:

1. Start with a square piece of paper.

2. Fold in half into a triangle.

3. Fold one corner of the triangle so that the top is parallel to the bottom of the triangle.

4. Fold the opposite corner of the triangle in the same way.

5. Fold top triangles down and tuck into the cup.

6.  To make the cup stand up, flatten the bottom and place a weight, like a little piece of candy in the bottom to help it stay upright.

These paper cups are so festive and easy to make!  They are perfect for serving popcorn and are easy to coordinate by choosing paper that matches your occasion.

Pop Art Gourmet Popcorn can be found at a store near you.  We were also thrilled to find three flavors at our local Cost Plus World Market on sale for $2.99!  We bought a bag of the Thai Coconut Curry because it sounded so intriguing.

You also have the opportunity to try this delicious popcorn for yourself.  Enter our giveaway for four bags of Pop Art Popcorn in the flavors pictured below!

 

 

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Sponsored

Your Choices Matter: Plan Against Pain

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Disclosure: I received this information for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

I have to admit, when I gave birth to my children, I put a lot of blind faith and trust in my doctor.  I attended childbirth classes with my husband before the birth of our first child, but did little research on my own. I remember a brief discussion with my doctor about pain management where I decided that I would have an epidural if I felt it was necessary. However, I do not remember there being any discussion of my pain management options should I have needed a C-section. Thankfully, I did not need a C-section, but if I had, I probably would have blindly agreed to take any opioids or prescription painkillers that my doctor had prescribed. I think it is important for expectant mothers to learn about their pain management options before they are in the hospital. Once you are in the midst of pain, it is difficult to make rational decisions, because it feels like you would be willing to do almost anything to make the pain go away.

Plan Against Pain is an excellent online resource that educates patients about the potential side effects and addiction that can result from prescription painkillers. If you are planning to become pregnant, or are currently expecting, Plan Against Pain provides information about non-opioid pain-relieving options following C-section surgery. In the United States, overprescription has become all too common. Education is key in making sure that we as women make informed decisions regarding our health and well-being.

 

 

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Reviews, Sponsored

Upgrade Your Toothbrush: Smile Brilliant cariPRO Toothbrush Review

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Disclosure: Smile Brilliant provided me with a free kit in exchange for an honest review and I will receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.  However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

You may recall that my husband D recently had the opportunity to try out the Smile Brilliant Professional Whitening System.  Since we were impressed with the results, I did not hesitate in accepting an opportunity to try out Smile Brilliant’s new cariPRO electric toothbrush.

The “Individual Package” that we tried includes:

  • x1 cariPRO™ Ultrasonic toothbrush
  • x2 premium replacement heads with tongue scraper & DuPont™ bristles
  • x1 wireless charging dock

I currently use an electric toothbrush on the recommendation of my dentist.  However, the cariPRO electric toothbrush has some unique features that impressed me:

  • 40,000 vibrations per minute (that is a lot of vibrations!)
  • 5 brush modes (clean, white, massage, gum care, sensitive)
  • 30 day battery life (on full charge)
  • Slim and light-weight design with graphite gray soft-touch grip
  • Waterproof design is safe for shower or bath
  • The replaceable toothbrush heads are reasonably priced.

For answers to some FAQs about Smile Brilliant’s products, click here.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlYn00qh2KH/?taken-by=limbylim

Who knew that brushing could be so fun?

I thought I was doing a good job of brushing my teeth before, but my teeth felt cleaner after using this toothbrush.  If you do not already use an electric toothbrush, I would recommend this one.  If you already use an electric toothbrush, it might be time for an upgrade!

I am pleased to announce that Smile Brilliant is offering my readers an exclusive 40% off cariPRO Ultrasonic electric toothbrushes.  At checkout, use code: limbylim40


Tooth Whitening Gel

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Reviews, Sponsored

Boredom Buster: I Dig It Kits Review #thamesandkosmos#letknowledgegrow #Tryazon

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Disclosure: We received samples in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

With the kids on summer break, we are always on the look out for activities to do at home.  We recently had the opportunity to try the I Dig It! kits by Thames & Kosmos, and they are definitely a fun boredom buster!

Here is what came in the kit that n chose.

The kids had fun digging for their objects.

Be prepared for a mess, but that is half of the fun, right?

Click here for a 25% off discount and free shipping from 7/6/18 – 7/30/18 when you order one of the I Dig It! Excavation Kits from Thames & Kosmos on Amazon.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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