Friday Favorites

Dried Apricots:
Have you ever had dried apricots?  Well, you should try them, because they are amazingly delish.  I know whole fruit is better nutruitionally than dried fruit, but sometimes convience is top priority with food when you're a mom and have a busy schedule.  When it comes down to sugary fruit snacks or dried fruit, I will choose dried fruit every time.  My almost 2-year old loves dried apricot like they are candy crack.  I have to hide the bag from him.  I love getting them at Costco in the giant bags, so I can put them in sandwich bags with some cashews for a quick healthy snack when I am at work or driving around.  I'm not even a big apricot fruit fan, but give them to me dried and I'll devour them all up.  Give them a try next time you're at the store.

Smart Links:
When you are driving home at 8pm and you realize your kids have not had dinner, you stop at the drive thru for some quick chicken nuggets.  Don't lie to me, because you know you do it.  I try to avoid fast food, but it happens sometimes.  One time, we went to Wendy's and were given their Smart Links kid's meal toy.  The first time my 3-year old opened that bag...I knew he was embarking on toy heaven.  My friend gave us a bunch that her older children didn't want, and now my son has quite the collection of Smart Links.  Although these toys can be annoying when you find them spread out around the house in the strangest places, I will say the benefits outweigh the negatives.  When I have a splitting headache and I need a mommy moment of peace and quiet, I can always count on these colorful links to entertain my toddler for a good chunk of time.  So for me, these toys have been a lifesaver.  My little guy loves linking them into giant creations, laying them out on the carpet in rows, and counting them into color piles.  They are the best.

Target's Dollar Spot:
I try to stay out of Target, because once I go in I get sucked into every cute thing they have to offer...which is pretty much everything.  It's seriously sickening the amount of money I can drop there in an hour.  One of the many things I love there is the dollar spot at the front of the store.  Everything in that section is a few dollars or less, and you can find some pretty awesome things depending on when you go.  Right now, they have their Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving stuff available.  I was able to get some cute Trick-or-Treat buckets for my kids, a "Happy Halloween" banner for decor, a couple packs of glow sticks, and some Halloween stationary for work all for just a few bucks.  Check it out next time you are there. It's a great spot for party favors and kid reward prizes.

Friday Favorites

A few things I have been obsessed with lately that you totally need to know about.

1. Luna Chocolate Peppermint Stick 

You need this bar in your life, like yesterday.  I have tried a lot of health and protein bars, and most of them taste poo.  Poop mouth...poop. (10 points for anyone that can name that quote.)  Anyways, this chocolate peppermint stick reminds me of Christmas every time I take a bite.  This lady at the grocery store introduced me to these treats.  She said they were the best things she has ever had, so of course I had to buy one.  I wish I could thank her for the recommendation, because I have been buying these things in stock ever since.  I am so addicted.  Target has these for $5 with a box of 7, which is a screaming deal.  So do yourself a favor, and go buy some right now.

2. The Wet Brush

I love the blog maskCARA so freaking much, and THIS post helped me change the way I get ready every single morning.  This brush is a life saver.  My hair is really really fine, but I have a lot of it.  Because of it's fine-ness, it tangles like a rat's nest from hell.  My normal hair brushing routine after a shower would take about 5 minutes of continuous brushing, and at the end I would have a hairball bigger than your cat's going in the trash from all the hair I ripped off my scalp from intense brushing.  My hair is so horrible to brush when wet, that I brush it myself at the salon after a shampoo just to spare my stylist from the agony and time it takes to untangle my hair.  You can only imagine how happy I was after finding the The Wet Brush.  I don't know how it does it, but it totally works to get all the tangles out without the pain and pulling that normal brushes cause on wet hair.  I got mine at Target.

Friday Favorites- FMD favorites

Since this weekend is my last week of The Fast Metabolism Diet, that is until I start up another 28 day cycle, I wanted to share some of my favorite products that I have discovered and fallen in love with.

Sweet Potato Chips

I have tried making my own sweet potato chips, and although they are really good, I can't ever seem to get the crispy crunch that I want.  I bought a few bags of these Terra Sweet Potato Chips at the store, and I am hooked.  They are super yummy and the perfect snack for Phase 3, especially with some cookie dough hummus (my review on that is coming soon).


Xylitol

On The Fast Metabolism Diet, Stevia and Xylitol are pretty much the only okay sweeteners you can have.  In the first week I was using Stevia in my oatmeal and smoothies, but I could not stomach the aftertaste of it and I started dreading my morning oatmeal because of it.  It's not unbearable, but it definitely has a flavor to it you can taste.  So, I went out on a search for xylitol.  Man, that stuff is hard to find!  I finally found some at Good Earth, and it is so good!  It tastes just like sugar, and it is way better for you.  Did you know that xylitol won't cause cavities?  How awesome is that!  I put it on everything now, and I plan to go back and buy a giant bag to cook with in the future for all my sweet needs.  I really like this Xyla brand.


Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread

This is my favorite bread for the FMD.  I have always been a wheat bread fan, so this wasn't a huge change for me to eat.  It tastes a lot like the normal wheat bread I eat.  You get this Ezekiel bread in the freezer section, and I love that it is frozen since I only take out a few pieces at a time.  It lasts forever that way and doesn't get all moldy half way though.  I love using this bread to make french toast with strawberries in the morning. Mmmmm...


Justin's Almond Butter

I was slightly hesitant to switch from peanut butter to almond butter.  I was pleasantly surprised with the taste, and I really like the Justin's brand.  Sure, it's not the creamy Jif I love, but it is edible and tastes good.  I really like this almond butter with celery or on toast.  Another reason I love the Justin's brand, is because they sell individual serving packets which are great to keep in a bag on the go for a healthy snack. 

Friday Favorites-The Fast Metabolism Diet

Let's be honest, losing weight is hard work.  I'm not talking about losing the 5 pounds you gained from eating too many bread rolls after Thanksgiving.  I'm talking about real weight that you put on over the years, only to wake up and look in the mirror 20 plus pounds heavier thinking "How did I become this person?".  It's never a good feeling having extra weight attached to your hips.  A lot of people will argue loosing weight is easy by simply eating healthy and working out.  Sure that works, but "healthy" can be a lot of things to a lot of people.  If it was that easy, millions of Americans would not be obese.  It's not so black and white.

Thanks to a slow metabolism and horrible genes, I have struggled with the scale most of my adult life.  I go up and down and up again, and I have tried almost every weightloss program out there.  Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. After having 2 kids, my old weight loss methods just have not seemed to be effective.  It's as if every child I have has sucked something out of me, and it is harder and harder to get back to my normal feel good self.  I always thought nursing would magically take the fat away, but I learned that I am one of the lucky few moms that gain weight when nursing since their body hangs on to food to provide for the baby.  Awesome.  So, when I stopped nursing I decided to do a strict no carb, no sugar diet.  I was determined to get back in shape.  For two straight months, I didn't even allow myself one M&M.  I was so excited when I weight myself and saw I was down 8 lbs!  I decided to reward myself by eating like a normal person for one day.  I didn't binge on anything crazy.  I just allowed myself to have some bread with dinner and a cookie for dessert.  What happened next shocked me.  One day, one SINGLE day of eating normal food caused me to gain 9 lbs!  I was speechless.  In that moment, I realized my strict two month no carb, no sugar diet was not helping lose fat.  I had lost water.  A lot of water.  It is physically impossible to gain 9 lbs of fat overnight, but it is easy to gain water, and water weighs a lot.  I was devastated.

After consulting with my good friends Ben and Jerry (which is probably the LAST thing I should have been doing), I decided to man up and figure out why my body was not responding like it should to healthy eating and exercise.  I made an appointment at a clinic for women that had really good reviews dealing with hormone issues.  Making that appointment was the best thing I have ever done.  During my one hour consultation, I learned so much about myself.  Basically, my hormones are so jacked up that I could eat lettuce every day and STILL gain weight.  I didn't even know that was possible.  My blood was drawn and sent to a lab to be tested for specific hormone indicator levels, and I get the results back next week.  In the meantime, I was instructed to read a book.  And that's where the Friday Favorites comes in.

The book is called The Fast Metabolism Diet, by Haylie Pomroy (There's an app too!).  Here is a little about the book from the website:


"On The Fast Metabolism Diet you’re going to eat a lot, and still lose weight. What you’re not going to do is count a single calorie or fat gram. Instead, you’re going to rotate what you’re eating throughout each week according to a simple and proven plan carefully designed to induce precise physiological changes that will set your metabolism on fire.

• PHASE ONE (Monday-Tuesday): Lots of carbs and fruits
• PHASE TWO (Wednesday-Thursday): Lots of proteins and veggies
• PHASE THREE (Friday-Saturday-Sunday): All of the above, plus healthy fats and oils
• Repeat for four weeks!

Each Phase focuses on different whole, healthy foods to calm your adrenal glands, reduce stress on your liver, and feed your thyroid so it can produce the hormones T3 and T4, the superstars of a fast metabolism. You’ll reduce stress, too—and as a result, put the damper on the belly-fat hormone, cortisol. By keeping your metabolism guessing, you’ll get it working faster. This isn’t just a theory; it’s the results-based product of Haylie Pomroy’s successful programs. It’s worked for celebrities, for athletes and for people with chronic illnesses who need to lose weight, doctor’s orders. Now it’s going to work for you!"


I hate reading and I will admit, I was a little hesitant to buy the book.  I mean, there are probably a million weight loss books out there, so what makes this one so special?  And if it works, why does the whole world not know about it?  I had so many hesitations in my head, but I decided to take a leap of faith and just read it.  What's the worst that can happen, right?  Well, I am so SO SOOOOO glad I read it.  For the first time ever, I feel like someone gets me.  I have hope and I am excited.  I don't even feel like Haylie's program is a diet.  It's more of a combination of eating certain foods that makes sense and causes your body to react by burning fat.  Just like cross fit exercises confuse your muscles and cause your body to get fit, The Fast Metabolism Diet confuses your metabolism and causes it to speed up and burn, burn, burn away fat.  It's not a fad diet, it is science.

I spent this whole week preparing to start the diet on Monday.  I made a grocery list, shopped for all the things I needed, cooked recipes from the book for 2 straight days, and stocked my freezer full of soups and chili that will help me follow the diet with my busy schedule.

I've never been so excited to start a diet than I am to start The Fast Metabolism Diet.  Today I made chocolate chip cookies to get it out of my system before committing myself to a new lifestyle, but I really don't have a desire to eat them.  Just reading the book has changed my outlook on food completely.  If nothing else, I am so grateful for the knowledge I have gained about the things I put in to my body.  I am excited to find out the results from my hormones, get them fixed, and start my Fast Metabolism Diet journey.  So, for at least the next 28 days I will be posting recipes and results from my Fast Metabolism Diet experience.  If weight is something you are struggling with and have yet to find an answer, I would 100% recommend getting this book.  I have my mom and sister reading it right now, and they are starting the program with me too.  I haven't even started the plan yet, but I am that confident that amazing things are going to happen.  So, stay tuned for my results and as Haylie says, I hope you look forward to seeing less of me.

Friday Favorites- All About BBQ

I'm a Texas girl, so I love me some good BBQ.  There are a lot of BBQ products out there, but there are only a handful that I will endorse as my favorites.

Famous Dave's Steak and Burger Seasoning

I actually discovered this gem in Utah.  Famous Dave's is a pretty good BBQ place, but their seasonings are where it is at.  I won't make or eat any steaks at home without this stuff.  I also admit to bringing it to every BBQ I go to, so I can put it on my steaks before they go on the grill.  I've converted so many people to this seasoning, and now it's an item I give out for holidays and birthdays.  (Great present for Dad!)

Claude's Barbeque Brisket Marinade Sauce

If you are going to make your own brisket and you are not using Claude's, you might as well just toss it in the trash and save yourself some time.  Claude's sauce is amazing.  It adds the best savory BBQ flavor into the meat.  Every time we ate brisket growing up, we always used Claude's and people were dying to know what the secret was in the amazing brisket they were eating.  It's that good.

Rudy's Bar-BQ Sause

Nope, I didn't mispell "sause".  Rudy's is a well known BBQ joint in the south, and people rave all about their amazing food.  The rumors are true, and this stuff is soooo good.  It's unlike sauces that you can buy at the store.  I remember reading one time anchovies as an ingredient.  I hate seafood, but I didn't care, because this stuff is so good.  I have friends that beg me to bring them a bottle when I visit Texas.  So, if you ever go to Rudy's, make sure to pick up a bottle.

Friday Favorites

VaniCream

My sister in law introduced me to VaniCream products when I told her my baby was having eczema problems.  His skin was red and rough, and in some spots it was so dry he would bleed.  Her dermatologist recommended VaniCream for her son, so I figured it was worth a try.  I was pretty much desperate to find anything that worked.  The only place I could find VaniCream was at Walgreen's.  I ended up buying the ointment and lotion.  I used the ointment after his baths to seal in moisture, and I used the lotion in the morning and throughout the day to add moisture to his skin.  After only a few days, my little baby's skin was clean and clear.  I love how VaniCream is free of harsh chemicals and dyes.  It's a really good product and is the only thing that worked for us. 

Sleeping Masks

I'm kind of addicted to my sleeping mask.  I bought one a long time ago, because I was taking a late night flight and I wanted to make sure I slept well.  Ever since I have been hooked.  The curtains in my bedroom are sheer, so when the sun comes up my whole room is lit with sunshine.  This is great to help me wake up on days I need to get an early start, but not so great on days I want to sleep in.  So on the days I want to get some extra shut eye, I wear a sleeping mask.  Something about how much they block out light makes you sleep SO much better.  I literally fall asleep within 3 minutes of wearing a mask when it is light outside.  Unfortunately, I have lost the two nice ones I usually wear and I have been wearing a kids pink bunny mask the last few months, but it does the job until I can find where my toddler hid the other ones.  So, if you have trouble sleeping or just want to feel more relaxed when sleeping, try a sleeping mask.  You might be surprised at the results.

Friday Favorites

Loreal Double Extend Mascara

I get asked a lot if I have eyelash extensions, and the answer is no.  After two babies, I can't always say I am the most confident about my body, but I can say I am happy about my eyelashes.  I have used the same mascara since high school, and I will never switch to a different kind for as long as they are making it.  I have tried other mascaras that brag about how awesome and award winning they are, but they never seem to make my lashes as long and full looking as Loreal's Double Extend does.  My favorite kind is the carbon black one.  I don't really know why, but the word carbon just sounds exciting and cool to me.  (I'm obviously a sucker for marketing.)  I think the reason this mascara works so well, is because you put on a primer before putting on the mascara.  I always put the primer on and let it sit for about one minute before putting on the mascara.  I also like the brush.  It isn't super tiny, and it always seems to add just the right amount of coating without looking clumpy.  Every person has different lashes, so every mascara might not be the best for everyone, but if you are on the search for a good one I would HIGHLY recommend giving Loreal's Double Extend Mascara a try.  It's literally the one makeup staple I can't live without.


Avon's Skin So Soft- Satin Glow Moisturizer

I don't usually wear shorts, because that would mean the world would have to bear looking at my pasty white and borderline see-through legs.  Luckily, my awesome mom got me Avon's Skin So Soft Satin Glow moisturizer for my bday this year, and I actually look like I have some color on my legs.  The reason I am making this a favorite is because of how much I like this product compared to other self tanning lotions I have tried.  This one goes on super smooth and it doesn't have that gross tanning smell to it.  It also dries quickly and does not stain clothing.  So far, I have had great results with this product.  I would definitely recommend if you have ghostly white legs like me.

Friday Favorites

My short vacation has turned into an extended stay, and with a sick baby on top of that I wasn't able to post yesterday. Sorry. Moving on to some of my favorites from the kitchen...

The Ex Knife Set

This is the best and coolest knife set you will ever find. Forget boring knife sets for wedding gifts. Next time get this awesome one instead. My mom has this set, and the knives are actually really nice and sharp.  I guess they have to be to be able to stab through an ex. But really, I love this thing! You can find The Ex online pretty much anywhere. Just Google it.

Blade of Glory

While we are on the topic of knife sets, the Blade of Glory is the perfect addition to any knife in your life. (I rhymed!)  I purchased this As Seen on TV item at Walgreens last week, and it is great. After ten years of my parents using the ex knife set, they did not have their original sharpness. I learned this when I tried to cut a strawberry and practically mushed the whole thing trying to slice it since the blade was so dull. The Blade of Glory was easy to use and quickly made the knives as good as new (and probably sharper).  It only cost $10 and would make a great gift for anyone you don't know what to buy.

Friday Favorites

My son is 7 months old and is starting to really get into different textures for eating.  Here are a few of my favorite things that he likes to eat.

Puffs and Yogurt Melts
These both melt in your mouth, so you don't have to worry about your baby choking as long as your baby is at the point where they can gum their food.  My little guy loves these.  They are great to keep in the diaper bag for when your baby needs something to keep them busy while you are waiting for your food at a restaurant or something.

Baby Mum-Mum Rice Rusks
These are my go to treat for my little guy when I am busy cooking in the kitchen and he needs something to gum and keep him occupied.  He loves these things, and they dissolve probably better than the puffs do.  Even my toddler loves these.  They do get little fingers kind of sticky, but they are awesome for teaching your baby how to hold and eat food.

Mesh Food Feeder
These things are great!  They are little mesh bags that you can put fruits and veggies in, and your baby gets all the flavor but you don't have to worry about them choking.  My little guy loves nectarines, watermelon, and grapes in here.  It is also a nice tool to have when they are teething (which is pretty much all the time), and you can put ice chips, carrots, or other cold things into the mesh to help those swollen gums.

Friday Favorites- Toddler Bath Fun

When my 2-year old takes a bath, there are three things that he HAS to have every time in order for his bath to be "totally cool" (his words).  These Friday Favorites would make a great gift for a toddler birthday party, since most kids have a bazillion toys already and bath toys are not usually thought of.

1. Washable Bath Crayons
My little guy LOVES these things.  They are really easy for him to grip, and he loves to color all over the tile and walls of the bathtub.  And if you are wondering if they are really washable, trust me, they are.  I found this out when my son decided to color the whole bathroom, including the walls, floors, toilet, scale, and anything else you can think of in a bathroom.  Thank goodness it all came off easily with a sponge. 

2. Mr. Bubble Extra Gentle Bubble Bath
As soon as the bath water comes on, my little guy immediately asks for bubbles. "Bubbles mom, bubbles!"  We go through a LOT of bubbles.  I have tried a lot of different brands of bubbles, but Mr. Bubble seems to be the best one.  You only need a little bit, and you get a lot of bubble. Other brands I have tried seem to take half the bottle to get the same bubble volume as Mr. Bubble does.  I also love their Extra Gentle formula in the white bottle.  It doesn't irritate my kid's skin and doesn't have a sickly bubble gum smell that other brands have.  I usually buy a big tub of Mr. Bubble and put it into an old Elmo bubble bath bottle since obviously Elmo is way cooler than a giant pink bubble character.  If you ask me, Mr. Bubble is definitely the biggest "bubble" for your buck.  (I crack myself up sometimes.)

3. Crayola Color Bath Dropz
No bath in our house is complete without some color.  My son gets so excited to pick out what color his bath will be.  I also love these color dropz, because it teaches him about blending colors.  The dropz are little tablets that fizz and fill the whole tub with whatever color you want.  They come in blue, red, and yellow tablets, but my son loves mixing two of them together to create purple, orange, and green. 

Friday Favorites- Baby Carriers

There are so many different baby carriers out there, and it can be hard to choose which one is best.  I have bought my share of carriers, so for today's Friday Favorites I am going to share my favorite carriers and why I love them.

Seven Slings
Seven Slings often get bashed for being cheap and non-stretchy slings.  I actually like these slings a lot for the first couple months while having a newborn.  With both of my kids, I used my Seven Sling almost every day.  I like that the fabric is tight and keeps my newborn feeling snug and secure in the cradle carry position.  Both my babies have loved this sling and immediately fall asleep once they are in it.  

After 2 months old, I don't like using this sling though.  Since the fabric is tighter and doesn't stretch, it is too difficult to put my babies in it when they get bigger, and I would rather use the other carriers I have.  I still think this carrier is a great deal since you can always find coupon codes to get 100% off and just pay free shipping.  It would make a great baby shower gift for someone.

Moby Wrap
I got a Moby Wrap with my second baby from my aunt as a gift.  When I first opened the Moby, I was taken back by how long it was.  It's basically a long piece of material that you wrap around your body multiple times to make the carrier.  After reading the manual 10 times, I was still confused at how to use the Moby, so I turned to YouTube for help.  One video later, and I had it all figured out.

There are multiple ways you can wear the Moby Wrap.  I like the newborn hold for the first 3 months until my baby was more active and wanting to kick and look around.  Then I transitioned to the other holds where my baby could have his feet and legs out.  My son is 7 months and I still use the Moby around the house when I am cleaning or needing to get things done, but I don't keep him in it too long since he is a big baby and the stretchy material of the Moby sometimes stretches too much making my baby is sag.  

Also, I am not a huge person, but I am by no means skinny minnie.  Immediately after having my second baby, I was swollen and still looked 5 months pregnant, which is to be expected.  The problem with my body being like this, is that I barely had enough material to tie the Moby with.  Now, 7 months later, I have plenty of material and can double or triple knot it, but if you naturally have a thicker frame you might want to test a Moby before buying it to make sure it will fit comfortably for you and your baby.
 

Baby Bjorn Carrier
I love the Bjorn Carrier.  It's seriously the easiest thing to put on, which makes it ideal when your baby is screaming and you need to throw them in a carrier quickly.  My husband even loves using it!  I love that your baby can face in or out in the Bjorn.  My babies loved facing in for snuggle time or naps, but loved facing out to see the world and kick their little legs.   

I started using the Bjorn when my babies outgrew the Seven Sling.  By that time, they had a little bit of head control and could hold themselves up better in a carrier.  The only problem with the Bjorn is that most of the weight is carried in your back and shoulders, so once your baby hits about 15 pounds, it can get painful.  Like I said before, my last baby was a big boy.  Once he hit about 14 pounds, I could only carry him in the Bjorn for about 30 minutes until my shoulders were killing me.  I think now they have newer models with better back support, so if I were to get another Bjorn I would definitely look into those.  

Some people say the Baby Bjorn is bad for your baby because it is a "crotch dangler", meaning your baby is dangling in the carrier from the crotch rather than being supported in a sitting position.  I was never concerned about this, because I wasn't keeping my baby in the carrier for hours and hours every day.  My baby was always happy in the Bjorn carrier.  In fact, a lot of time it was the only thing that calmed him down when he was crying.  I would definitely buy the Bjorn again or recommend it to a friend. I think it's a great, affordable, and convenient carrier for small babies.

Ergo Baby Carrier
The Ergo Baby Carrier is definitely my favorite carrier.  With my first baby, I was happy with my Seven Sling and Bjorn, because my first baby was a pretty petite little guy.  My second was a chunker though, and when my shoulders and back started to hurt with the Bjorn, I started looking into other carrier options.  My sister-in-law told me about her Ergo, and after reading all the great reviews online, I knew I had to get one.  

The Ergo carrier is a lot pricier than other carriers, but I promise you it is worth it 100%.  The material on the Ergo is very soft, and after a few practices it is pretty easy to get on by yourself.  The Ergo is great, because your baby is seated in a sitting position, almost like they are in a chair.  Another reason, and probably my favorite thing about the Ergo, is how the pressure and weight is all in your hips.  There is almost no weight at all in your back and shoulders with this carrier.  Because of this, I can carry my chunky monkey 7 month old for a couple hours without any pain at all.  When I take it off, I can feel a little pressure in my hips, but it's not painful at all.  

The Ergo carrier has three different positions: front, side, and back.  My husband and I went to the zoo last month and put our 2-year old in the Ergo in the back position.  That's right, our 2-year old!  The Ergo held up like a champ and he loved every minute of it.  I also love the Ergo's pockets to hold my keys and phone, and the built in cover that comes up to nurse or shield your baby from the sun while they are sleeping is awesome.

The only complaint I have with the Ergo is that you can't have your baby facing outward in it.  For me, it wasn't a deal breaker, but if that is something that really bothers you, then look into the Beco Gemini carrier which can be positioned outward facing and is similar to the Ergo.  If I was rich, I would totally buy an Ergo carrier for every baby shower I went to.  I seriously love it that much.  If you are thinking of getting an Ergo, make sure and check on Ergo's website to see what places are verified sellers, because sadly there are a lot of fake Ergo carriers out on the market.  Although a fake one might be cheaper, it won't have buckles and straps that are safety tested which could potentially harm your baby. 

What carrier do you use for your baby?  I love hearing about new and different carriers.

Friday Favorites

Oops, a little late on this post, but the hubs and I were celebrating our 6 year wedding anniversary on a hot date, so I had a good excuse.  Here are this weeks Friday Favorites.

Crystal Light Liquid
For the last 3 weeks, I have been on a no carb, no sugar diet to try and lose the remaining baby weight I have from my last child.  Unfortunately, this means no Coca-Cola.  (Insert tears)  Drinking plain water every single day is boring, so I decided to try something new.  I'm not going to lie, I have kind of been afraid to try liquid drop enhancers ever since Mio came out, but I decided to try the Crystal Light ones because I know it is a brand I like.  To my surprise, I love these things!  It's the perfect way to add flavor to water to any size of cup.  I really like the Mango Passionfruit one.

 Campbell's Kettle Style Soups

I am part of a survey company, and for one of my survey missions I had to try Campbell's new Kettle Style Soups.  The only Campbell's soup I have ever had is the chicken noodle one when I was sick as a kid, so I was excited to give this adult looking soup a try.  They sent me a free sample of the Chicken and White Bean soup, and it was DELISH!  I immediately went to the store and bought 2 of every flavor for an outing we were having with our friends over the weekend.  Everyone that weekend were in love with the soups and their flavor.  Now, I keep my pantry stocked with a few of them, so I have something good when I am searching for something quick and yummy to eat.

Friday Favorites

Here are a couple of my favorite apps for Friday Favorites.

Tozzle

My grandma introduced me to this app.  Yes, my grandma.  She downloaded it on my phone for my toddler, and he is obsessed with it.  He could be throwing a crazy fit, and the second we turn on the Tozzle app he gets so happy and calms down.  I don't always like to use electronics as bribery, but sometimes as a mom you get desperate and do whatever works.  I like Tozzle, because it helps in problem solving in kids.  Basically, Tozzle is just a puzzle app, but there are a large variety of puzzles to choose from.  Every kind of puzzle from a few big pieces to a lot of little intricate pieces.  When my son first got on this app, it took him a long time to figure out how to drag each puzzle piece to the right spot.  Sometimes he even got frustrated.  After a couple of weeks, he was a pro at it.  I swear some of them he could even do blindfolded.  

Tozzle has a few puzzles with uppercase and lowercase letters, and numbers.  Around 19 months, I learned my son could identify and say all the letters of the alphabet and numbers 1-10.  It amazed me and anyone who heard him, and the crazy part was I really had not worked with him that much academically.  I realized Tozzle and a few other alphabet apps were the reason.  It's crazy how fast little minds can learn. I also love that this app can easily be just as fun on silent mode, making it great for quiet places like church.  

The Tozzle app cost a couple bucks, but it is totally worth it.  There is also a Tozzle lite that is free which has a couple puzzles if you want your little one to try it out before you buy it.  We definitively bought it.

RunKeeper

Let me start by saying I am NOT a runner and I do NOT like running.  Every once in a while though I decide running might be good for me, so I do it anyways.  Recently, running has become a lot easier with the RunKeeper app. I like this app, because it makes tracking your workouts fun and it is super easy to understand.  It also has a social element to it, so you can join with your friends on the app to see their workouts and motivate each other.  There is a lot that this app can do, but my favorites are how it automatically plays your music from your iPhone during your run and notifies you every few minutes on your running progress and stats.  It also comes pre-loaded with specific workouts for whatever your running needs are.  RunKeeper is free.  If you get RunKeeper, let me know so we can be friends!

Friday Favorites

Drop Stop
I know you've been there.  You're driving in your car, and all of a sudden you drop your cellphone or that french fry you were eating down into the crack of your seat.  Then you have to get out of your car and awkwardly bend to dig under the seat while your butt is sticking up in the air and your arm twists like play-dough trying to retrieve your lost item.  Well, this has happened to me more times that I would like to admit.  A couple months ago, my husband and I were watching ABC's show "Shark Tank" when a couple entrepreneurs got a deal for their product, the Drop Stop.  The Drop Stop is tube looking thing that fits in that annoying gap and stops things from falling down the crack of death.  We immediately jumped online and ordered two of them for our cars.  These things really work!  They literally take 10 seconds to install, and they have successfully stopped a few things from falling into the black hole gap already.  You can get the Drop Stop for $19.99 +S$H, and it comes with a credit card light and slide free pad.

Wubbanub
If your baby takes a pacifier, you know how annoying it is to constantly have to put it back in their mouth when they spit it out over, and over, and over again. After our second baby was born, I heard about this thing called a Wubbanub.  It is a pacifier that is sewn on to a cute little animal, and it is supposed to help your baby easily find their pacifier and put it back in themselves if it falls out.  Evidently it was the greatest thing invented since sliced bread, so I had to check it out. 

The store I went to had a yellow duck, a green frog, and a red dog.  I went with the red dog and was so excited for my little guy to try it out.  Since he already takes the Soothie pacifiers, he immediately latched on to the Wubbanubs use the same pacifier brand.  He then put his hand around the little dog, and he has loved it ever since. 

I love the Wubbanub for two main reasons: (1) It is so easy to find when I am frantically searching all over the house for a pacifier to soothe my baby, and (2) My little guy can easily find it on his own to soothe himself in his carseat while I am driving and can't get to him.  It did take a while for him to figure out, but now even if he is not getting the actual pacifier in his mouth, he is still happy with chewing on the dogs leg or ear since he is teething.  The only things I would say are negatives with the Wubbanub are that the pacifier is literally sewn on to the animal, so it can be tricky to wash.  Also, if your baby doesn't take a Soothie pacifier, then they probably won't like it.  Both of those were not problems for us, and we love our little red Wubbanub dog.  Wubbanubs run anywhere from $10-14 depending on where you buy them.

Friday Favorites

Birthdays

Birthdays are one of my favorite things, and today is my birthday!  I love birthdays, because even though it is just another day to everyone else in the world, it is a special day for you and inside you feel just a little different all day long.  When you get older and have kids, birthdays are not as cool as they once were, but it is still nice to have an excuse to do whatever you want and eat a lot of cake.  Which brings me to my next favorite thing...

...Cake

Cake is delicious.  I'm not talking about that store bought cake from Wal-Mart with that sugary icing that turns your tongue strange colors (although some people actually love that kind).  I am talking about a good old fashioned homemade cake that takes a few hours to make and tastes oh so yummy.  My least favorite cake is red velvet cake.  My favorite cakes are carrot cake, german-chocolate cake, and of course any other cake that has chocolate in it.  Oh, and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake.  Cheesecake totally counts as cake.  It's my birthday, and I say so.  I plan on eating some cheesecake when my husband takes me out for my birthday dinner at my next favorite thing...

...Ruth's Chris Steak House

I plan on getting a juicy filet mignon, and I will get to enjoy every single bite of it to myself since our kids will be with a sitter.  Ask any mom, being able to eat a warm meal uninterrupted is seriously the best gift ever.  Yay for birthdays!

Friday Favorites

Heads Up! 

This app is a fun and hilarious game that Ellen DeGeneres plays on her show.  I am a big fan of Ellen, so naturally I had to download this app.  You choose a category (celebrities, movies, animals, accents, act it out) and hold your phone up to your head.  Someone else then gives you clues until you guess the answer, and you go through as many as you can before time runs out. This is a fun app to have on your phone to liven up a dull party, or play with someone in a waiting room when you have time to kill.  My husband and I have already played Heads Up! a few times and have really had a blast.  Heads Up! is .99 at the Apple Store.

Downy Unstopables Scent Booster

Like I mentioned in a previous post, I have an obsession with fresh and clean smelling things.  I got a free sample of Downy Unstopables a long time ago, and ever since I have been hooked.  They are little tiny beads that you put into your washing machine when doing laundry, and they make your clothes come out smelling heavenly.  They also make your house smell amazing while your washing machine is going.  If you notice on the top of the bottle, it says "squeeze & sniff" so you can sample each scent at the store I assume.  I cannot confirm or deny that I go into my laundry room to squeeze & sniff the bottle frequently, but I will say the blue one is my absolute favorite.  I put a double dose in the washer when I wash my bed sheets to give them a power boost of freshness that lasts a long, long time.  Seriously though, this stuff smells so good and the scent stays on your laundry forever.

Grocery iQ app

You know how it is, you write out your grocery list just to forget it at home or lose it in your purse.  Then you are at the store guessing what it was you were supposed to buy, and you always come home having forgotten at least 2 things.  That has happened to me more times than I would like to admit.  Ever since I downloaded the Grocery iQ app, those days are long gone.  I love this app.  Throughout the week when I realize we are out of something, I just add it to my list on my phone right then and there.  I always have my phone with me, so no matter when I go to the store, I always have my grocery list.  There is also a feature that lets you view coupons from Coupons.com, so you can see what coupons you can print for items you have on your list.  You can even find your nearby grocery store and add your loyalty card with the app.  I feel like I am way more organized with this app and my grocery trips are a lot faster since I am not browsing as much and I only get what is on my list. Grocery iQ is free at the Apple Store.