McKinney Mommas: March 2013 Google+

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Get FREE Credit Monitoring + Win $200!

Thinking about cleaning up your credit score?  

Here's a way to get FREE Credit Monitoring, plus be able to win some cash while you're at it!










*Disclosure: I was not paid for this post, however if readers choose to follow up on the links above, provided by Escalate Network, I could potentially earn compensation for completing registration with the company.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Paul Newman's SeriousFun Children's Network - Camp For Kids With Serious Illnesses

Always on the lookout for people who "DO GOOD", I discovered a cool organization, founded by Paul Newman called SeriousFun Children's Network

It's a program that runs camps for children with serious illnesses, where laughter, fun, games and playing with others helps them to forget about their illness for a short time and just enjoy being a kid.  

In Paul Newman's words, the kids are allowed to: "Kick back and raise a little hell."

 

I hope I never have to endure the terrible ordeal of having a child with a serious illness, but for the families that are bravely fighting for the health of their children - the SeriousFun camps offer them a small but very necessary break.


I recently had an awesome opportunity to interview Alyson Fox - Director for the Global Partnership Program at SeriousFun, to find out more about SeriousFun Network and the good they are spreading to children everywhere.


Interview With Alyson Fox
  
 
1. Do SeriousFun camps just change the lives of terminally ill children, or does it affect their family too?

When children with a serious illness attend a SeriousFun camp, this experience has a long-lasting impact on both children and families. In many cases, this is the first time that children have been separated from their families which is an incredible milestone for everyone involved. Parents of children with a serious illness rarely get a break as they are on duty 24/7. Parents can leave their children at a SeriousFun camp with the confidence that all staff and volunteers are well-trained, passionate, and committed individuals whose sole purpose is to create a fun, safe and memorable experience geared to each child’s needs and interests. Safety and medical care are highly professional and intentionally inconspicuous.

Since 2010, the Yale School of Medicine has surveyed and interviewed hundreds of SeriousFun campers and their parents. Results of this ongoing study give scientific support to what our staff around the world have seen, heard and known for years. Our camps do more than just give kids a fun-filled, memorable week. They have a profound and long-lasting impact. By creating a place where children with serious illnesses can connect with others like themselves, along with carefully trained and caring adults, SeriousFun camps and programs enable kids to reach beyond the barriers of their conditions. This unique experience helps build important connections that foster resilience and support their growth in the face of challenge, restore their hope for the future, renew their spirit of childhood, and regain their sense of possibility.

 
2. Do you have a favorite or memorable story of a child's experience at SeriousFun camp?

I work with our global partnership programs in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and so I’ve been lucky enough to see the magic of SeriousFun camp translated into so many languages, cultures, and geographies. And the wonder of it all is that no matter where you go – whether you’re in Malawi, Cambodia, or Haiti – kids are kids and the magic of camp is universal. 

While I have so many amazing memories, there is one that stands out about a camper in India named Anita. She was 12 years old, an orphan living with HIV, staying with relatives and taking care of her little brother, and she was painfully shy. She was a bit of a tom-boy, wearing a hat low enough to hide her eyes, and was most happy drawing, reluctant to join group activities. During free choice, her camp counselors would ask her what she wanted to do, and inevitably she would always ask to sit on the side with a 3 foot roll of poster paper drawing and coloring an intricate picture of a house and a rainbow. Soon enough though, the other campers were curious, came over to investigate and see what she was doing. They asked if they could join her and color too. Soon she was surrounded by a group of campers making similar drawings. I could see her look around, slightly uncomfortable at first, inching away from the group, but then you could see a switch go off, her posture straighten, her hat pulled back, and she was asking the other campers for different color pencils and giving them instructions on how they should complete their drawings. 

 Later in the week, campers were preparing their “Stage Night” skits, and Anita’s counselor said that Anita had a question for me. “Can this be my skit?” she said. And with both arms held up as wide as can be, she presented her finished drawing high above her head. I couldn’t believe the intricacy of details and colors included in her drawing and I was incredibly touched by the way in which she was interacting with me. “Absolutely! I have never had a camper ask to show their artwork on stage, and that is a very unique and creative Stage Night skit, Anita. You are clearly a talented artist.” You could see her eyes widen, her smile deepen, and she turned and skipped away. And that night, to great fanfare and drum rolls, Anita was announced for her skit, and she quietly walked on stage, opened her backpack, awkwardly unrolled her drawing, held it up the same way she had earlier, and for a split second of surprise, the camp was quiet, taking in the novelty of this skit…and then, an outburst of cheering, and shouts, and clapping, and every camper and counselor stood to give Anita her standing ovation. 

Beaming with pride, she skipped back to her group, and was bombarded with hugs and high-fives from other campers. And you knew, in that special and precious moment, that her life was changed. Maybe not dramatically, but in discovering what she does well, having the confidence to try something new, having the courage to present in front of her peers, and to be publically praised for it. 

That’s powerful stuff that happens each and every day at SeriousFun camps.

 
3. What's your favorite Paul Newman salad dressing?

I’d opt for Paul’s original approach to good salad dressing… find what you have in the fridge and be inspired (and brave) enough to make something delicious. But I will say that the Newman’s Own Lime Vinaigrette Dressing is great to use as a marinade for fish on the grill!

 
4.  How do 100% of donations go directly to benefit the children?

Our founder, Paul Newman, was all about the kids. And, as we continue his legacy, we are committed to the same ideal. That’s why, when you make a donation to SeriousFun Children’s Network, we ensure 100% of your donation goes directly to the camps and programs that provide a life-changing experience free of charge to the children and their families.

All of this is made possible due to the generosity of our Board of Directors and Newman’s Own Foundation. Thanks to their support, all of the administrative expenses of the Support Center, or the SeriousFun main office, are paid for, enabling us to channel your entire donation to benefit those who need it most – the kids.


5. Have you ever meet Paul Newman?
 
Yes, I was fortunate to meet him a few times when I started working for SeriousFun eight years ago. I remember him at camp. You could walk into the dining hall, and out of the corner of your eye, you’d catch a glimpse of something that stood out. And there he was, sitting at a table in the dining hall, amongst a group of 8 year olds, whole hearted belly-laughing and having the time of his life. I also have a poignant memory of being late to “Stage Night” during a session of camp. “Stage Night” is the pinnacle experience for many campers where they prepare all week to perform a joke, story, song, dance, or just a smile on the stage in front of the entire camp…and always to a standing ovation. And as I ran from the dining hall towards the theater, Paul and Joanne were walking hand in hand on their way to “Stage Night” too. Camp was such an important part of their lives, and we are all so fortunate to have had a humble and inspirational founder.

 
6. Where are SeriousFun camps offered in the US?

There are nine SeriousFun camps in the US located in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New York, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Michigan.

 
7. How can interested readers get involved with SeriousFun?

There are a number of ways people can get involved with SeriousFun but the most important thing to remember is to personalize your experience to get the most out of it!

If people are interested in exploring volunteer opportunities with one of our member camps, I’d encourage them to visit our website at http://www.seriousfunnetwork.org/how-can-you-help/volunteer. Here people can learn more about volunteer opportunities by downloading the 2013 SeriousFun Camps Calendar, or they can visit the individual camp websites listed on this page.

People can also raise money for any and all camps through events and runs from 10ks to marathons, and can learn more about this new endurance program called Team SeriousFun by visiting teamseriousfun.org.

Or if people have a child with a serious illness and are interested in learning how their child can attend a SeriousFun camp, they should contact us at info@seriousfunnetwork.org.





*Disclosure: I was not paid for this post.  This post is part of my mission to simply "do good" and spread awareness about others that are doing good too. :-)

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

ProCook Bakeware - Baking Sets For Kids

ProCook bakeware

 Guest post by Sarah Perry



Sometimes it can be hard for us parents to keep our little ones occupied, especially when you constantly need to come up with inventive ways to use all that energy up ready for bedtime. One such way to keep your children engaged (and to stop them from running riot or drawing on the walls) is by employing their creative skills in the kitchen with some baking.


Baking can be an incredibly rewarding activity for both parent and child as you get to spend some quality time together having fun, learning important life skills and creating some tasty treats in the process! 



Procook understands that parents treasure the time spent with their children and have therefore created some bakeware products with the intention of making them ideal to use for the whole family. From the complete novice to the experienced baker, they have a range of products available that are designed to make baking easier and more fun for all users so you can spend less time on the dull parts and more time accomplishing great things together.





For children there’s a choice of quirky cookie cutters and cupcake molds available in a variety of different shapes, colors and sizes. There is also a children’s baking set designed especially for little hands that supplies all the necessary baking utensils in miniature form.



After your baking session, you can show off your creations to the rest of the household with a handy cupcake holder. Alternatively, stow them away in a cake tin (like the one below) to help keep them fresher for longer.



A big "thank you" to guest blogger, Sarah Perry for writing this informational post about baking with children and ProCook's bakeware.

*Disclosure: This post was written by guest blogger, Sarah Perry and sponsored by ProCook.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Estilo Gaúcho - Authentic Brazilian Steakhouse in Frisco, TX - Taking Reservations for Easter Sunday

One of my best food memories to date, was from my father's company Christmas party, held at a Brazilian Steakhouse (churrascaria) in Los Angeles.



Since moving to Texas, I have yet to dine at a traditional Brazilian Steakhouse. So, was very excited to hear about the opening of Estilo Gaúcho in Frisco, Texas.






Estilo Gaúcho, aiming to provide the most authentic Churrasco dining experience, is the only Brazilian steakhouse in the area owned and operated by Brazilians.

If you've never experienced the Churrasco style of dining, take it from me, it's truly a unique experience.

Rooted in traditions three centuries deep, the Gaúchos, Southern Brazilian cowboys, are responsible for creating the Churrasco style cooking - which is an open-fire roasting of meats, a central part of the social lives of and history of the Gaúchos.


 

From my last Churrasco dining experience, I remember how cool it was to see the servers take their long skewers of meat off of the fire, bring it right to my table to slice me off a piece - cooked to my desired done-ness. Also, it was fun to take multiple trips to the "salad bar" which was a vast array of delicious sides and desserts, to accompany the meat entrees.

Typically, the servers will come to your table in rotation, to see if you'd like to try each new type of meat that just came off the gaucho fire pit. You'll have a little placecard with one green side and one red side, that you flip to green when you are ready to try something new, and red if you need a break to finish what's on your plate.

I promise you this. You will NOT leave a Brazilian steakhouse hungry. Ever.




Estilo Gaúcho boasts 15 different gourmet cuts of meat, 40 freshly made vegetables and sides and some delicious authentic desserts to finish off the meal. If you've got wine on the mind, I'm sure you'll find something to suit your taste with an incredible 1,300 varieties!

I can't wait to try this restaurant.  It's been way too long since I've gotten to enjoy a meal at a authentic brazillian steakhouse. I'm heading there next week. I'll let you know how it goes!


If you haven't already planned your Easter Sunday meal, Estilo Gaúcho would love to have your family dine with them this holiday.

Make your reservation online today: http://estilogaucho.com/reservations

8650 State Highway 121
 Frisco, TX 75034


Group/Parties: Space to accommodate parties of 15-120 guests.

Reservation: Online reservation available for group of 12 or less. For parties greater than 12, call to make reservation.

Phone: 214.618.6150

Hours of Operations:
Lunch
Mon - Fri 11:00 - 2:00pm
Dinner
Mon - Thu 5:00 - 10:00pm
Fri 5:00 - 10:30pm
Sat 4:30 - 10:30pm
Sun 3:00 - 9:00pm
Pricing:
Lunch - $24.50
Dinner - $38.50
Salad Bar Only - $19.50


**Easter Sunday Reservations: Lunch 11-3pm $32.50 / Dinner 4-9pm $38.50


For more information, visit: http://estilogaucho.com


*Disclosure: I was not paid for this post. I may, however receive a complimentary meal to facilitate honest evaluation of the services/facility in the future. The opinions I share in this blog post, are all my own, and were not influenced by any complimentary meal provided.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Shoplet.com Pentel Pens {Review}

I love pens.

I really do. 

During my 10+ year career as a social worker, I'd often purchase my own office supplies. Working for non-profit agencies typically meant that we didn't have a huge budget so weren't able to afford the nice pens so I'd treat myself to a nice roller ball here or there - until they'd mysteriously disappear. Hmm.

Anyway, I was recently sent some "nice pens" from Shoplet.com to check out and I couldn't be happier at the thought of having some nice smooth pens to write with.





The first happy little pen to cross my palm is the PentelEnerGel X Roller Ball Retractable Gel Pen.  This little guy has a 1.0 mm point size, which is perfect in my opinion. A nice clean black ink line without being too scrawny or too bold.  I appreciate retractable pens, since these days with kiddos around lost pen caps make me anxious. 


A pack of 12 will cost you about twenty bucks, so it's a little pricy in my opinion, since I'm apt to lose one or two here and there. However, if you are able to keep your pens close to you, this is probably worth the investment.



I love this next set of PentelEnerGel X Roller Ball Retractable Gel Pens, sold in (8) vivid and bright ink colorsThe package says "No Smear, No Smudge, No Globs" and so far, they're living up to the hype.  I get bored of writing in black or blue all the time, so these colors are fun.  They're great for teachers who need to write grades or notes on student's papers and such!

If you want a bit finer point, the PentelEnerGel X Roller Ball Retractable Gel Pen also comes in a 0.5 mm tip size and comes in packages of blue ink only.



I can't remember the last time I used one of those yellow wooden pencils, most of them just got gnawed up anyway!  A PentelEnerGize X Mechanical Pencil is the better way to goComplete with an eraser on top, a 0.7 mm fine point, and latex-free grip this pencil has your erasable writing needs covered.

If we're getting picky; I think I'd prefer a little larger point size, for a pencil, the writing seems a bit faint or thin on paper.



If you're shopping for your company or business, Shoplet also has a large selection of high-quality Shoplet Promotional Products that you can have personalized with your company or blog name.

Thanks for the Pentel products, Shoplet!

My writing needs are now covered, at least until these pens start to mysteriously disappear.



Friday, March 22, 2013

Today is World Water Day! #WorldWaterDay2013

Water.

We take it for granted every day.

If you remember, I wrote about WaterAid earlier this year, and encouraged you to support their cause, in providing the world's poorest communities with clean sanitation and water supplies. 


Today, March 22 is World Water Day - instituted by the United Nations in 1993, to bring about awareness to the fact that 2,000 children are dying each day due to lack of safe water or sanitation. 

If you'd like to read more about the very real number of people suffering today from no access to clean water or sanitation, check out the statistics here: www.wateraidamerica.org/statistics.

WaterAid is currently the leading charitable organization making strides towards solving the safe water and sanitation crisis across the globe. They've found some of the world's poorest communities, that had to travel unheard of distances, just to get their daily water supply, and taught them how to dig and drill wells for clean water.

Bringing clean water, closer to the communities in need help open up the residents time and energy (instead of spending the entire day transporting water) to be spent on important things like being able to find employment or participate in education - all activites that benefit the health of their society.



When's the last time you tried carrying a child, and your daily supply of water to your home (no, from the trunk of your car into your kitchen does not count). 

It's time to help.




Wondering how YOU you can help the thirsty?

  1. Join the discussion for #WorldWaterDay2013 at a Google + hangout at 12:30pm central time!
  2. Instead of buying a birthday present for your friend, give the gift of water for life in their honor - only $25.00
  3. Buy a handpump to help bring water to a family in need
  4. FOLLOW @WaterAidAmerica tomorrow and re-tweet their posts to spread the word across the web

 


How will McKinney Mommas participate in World Water Day tomorrow?
  • Instead of sending Nana flowers for her birthday, on the 24th, I'm thinking about donating a year's worth of water in her name (comes with a cool e-card you can mail to let them know you've donated in their honor) -

For more information on World Water Day 2013, visit: http://www.wateraidamerica.org/get_involved/world_water_day/default.aspx



Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this post. This post is part of my commitment in being a Mom Blogger for Social Good and member of the Global Team of 200. 

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Spring Into Spring Giveaway Event $150 Target Gift Card {GIVEAWAY}

Yesterday marked the Official First Day of Spring!

Could you feel it where you live?  It was a gorgeous day here in McKinney, TX yesterday, we went to the park and played the afternoon away.

Let's get back to business, what could you buy this spring with $150 gift card at Target?

Spring Tulip Bulbs? Some fun outdoor toys for the kids to use in the nice weather? Well whatever it is you have your eye on, here's your chance to win this great prize:



Welcome to the "Spring Into Spring" giveaway event sponsored by Famous Free Samples, sister site of Tip Hero, featuring some fabulous blogs and a wonderful opportunity to be the winner of a great prize!

To celebrate the coming of spring (finally), we're offering one lucky reader the chance to win a $150 Target gift card to use however they'd like! Whether you'd like to stock up on some spring apparel, decorate your home to match the season, or prepare your outdoor space for warmer temperatures, we're sure this great prize could come in handy!

This giveaway begins on March 21st and will run until April 4th at 11:59pm US Eastern time.
Open to residents of the United States and Canada, 18+.

To Enter:
Use the PromoSimple form below to enter this giveaway. Be sure to take advantage of the array of entries you can gain, and also, come back daily for even more chances to win.
Good luck!
 $150 Target Gift Card

Disclosure: McKinney Mommas was not compensated for this post. Just hosting to give all my readers a chance at a great prize :-) 

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

$50 Old Navy eGift Card Giveaway!

As promised.....


Welcome to the $50 Old Navy eGift Card Giveaway!

I actually just placed an order online a week or two ago from Old Navy.  I got my little girls their very first St. Paddy's Day gear, and a shamrock shirt for me as well.  When Old Navy has their sales, which they seem to have all the time, you can get a bundle of clothes for a great price!  Right now, they have some great dress selections for women and girls starting at only $10, which is perfect since today is the official First Day of Spring! I'm sure this $50 Gift Card will come in handy for a spring clothing shopping spree, no?!

Hosted by The Mommy Island and Co-hosted by The Kids Did It! ,

Join us as we say goodbye to Winter and welcome Spring with this $50 Old Navy eGift Card event! As the seasons change we all start to think about cleaning out our closets and updating our wardrobe, and we want to spend as little as possible!

VitalOxide Hospital Grade Disinfectant + Safe For Kids

We recently began the potty training journey. 


If you haven't experienced it yet, it's not exactly the most sanitary event in the books.

I knew I needed a disinfectant that would work on multiple surfaces, but didn't want to use harsh chemicals for the sake of my little ones lungs and skin. 

VitalOxide, is a hospital grade disinfectant I found, that cleans as well as bleach, but is safe for children and adults.  



Knowing that I was going to be cleaning and sanitizing the potty chair, floor, uh....random surfaces multiple times a day, it was very important to me that the products I used would be both safe for my kids and have a minimal impact on the environment.

I was so excited to find out about this company, that uses "green cleaning" practices and harnesses the power of nature's chemistry to use in their cleaning products, instead of harmful chemicals.


WHY USE VITAL OXIDE?

  • EPA approved (Environmental Protection Agency).
  • Hospital Grade - which means it kills harmful bacteria like: Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella cholerasuis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • Food Contact Sanitizer - reduces bacterias that cause staph infections & E.coli by 99.999% within 1 minute on a food contact surface.
  • Kills Mold & Mildew - prevents mold spores from growing for up to 7 months
  • Odor Eliminator - hypoallergenic, so won't trigger asthma issues like with similar products

After a few weeks of using VitalOxide daily to sanitize and disinfect the potty chair (pee pee and yes, even poo poo) I'm pleased to say that at the end of the day, the potty chair smelled clean and new as the day we opened the box.

What's better, is that I felt at ease, knowing my little one's tushie wasn't sitting on a chemically sprayed surface that could irritate her very sensitive skin.
 

VitalOxide, is my new, green, pee-pee & poo-poo cleaning machine!



To learn more about VitalOxide, visit their website at www.vitaloxide.com/




Tuesday, March 19, 2013

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Released on Blue Ray & DVD Today! {GIVEAWAY}

Yup, I'm one of "those mothers" who love the Lord of the Rings trilogy. 

The only one I haven't seen yet is The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - since this McKinney Momma hasn't been able to get to the movie theater since having "Big Sister H" in 2011 [sad face].

Needless to say, I'm super jazzed about it being released on Blue-Ray and DVD today, March 19, 2013, so I can finally get to watch it.

If you are as excited as I am, check out the fun app below to take a quiz or plan the best viewing party in the shire! 





Find out if YOU are 100% Hobbit with this FUN quiz and enter to WIN a copy of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Blu-ray Combo Pack!

Oh, no. I took the quiz and am only 56% Hobbit (sad face). My husband would be ashamed of me.


~ GIVEAWAY ~ 


Enter to Win The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Blu-ray Combo Pack!

Giveaway ends: April 5, 2013 at 11:59pm
Eligibility: US entrants, ages 18+

Easy Mandatory Entry

1. Take the "Are You 100% Hobbit" Quiz (above) and post your results in a blog comment below

Bonus entries (leave comment for each method of entry)

2. "Like" McKinney Mommas on Facebook

3. FOLLOW McKinney Mommas on TWITTER

4. FOLLOW McKinney Mommas on Google +

5. FOLLOW McKinney Mommas on Pinterest

6. VOTE for McKinney Mommas - choose any on right toolbar
(Top Mommy Blogs, Picket Fence, Fuel my Blog)




GOOD LUCK!



Disclosure: Materials for this post were provided to me by Warner Bros. I was not compensated for this post.

Monday, March 18, 2013

My Plan To #GetHealthy with eMeals

My husband cooks dinner more nights than I do, since these two babies arrived.

I'd like to pitch in and cook more meals, but I always feel like I don't have the time or energy to plan what I'm going to make each night.

I'm always thinking "if only the meals were just planned for me", I'd cook more often.  I like to work off recipes and have almost too many to choose from, so end up choosing none most nights.

eMeals is a cool program that I recently stumbled across, that just might solve my problem. Each week you receive an email with 7 unique and delicious dinner recipes (and sides) to your inbox, so your whole week's worth of dinners are already planned.

What's better, is that it also comes with a printable shopping list, so you don't even have to figure out what to buy at the grocery store. It's all spelled out for you.  Oh, and you have the choice of a variety of meal plans like:
  • Gluten Free
  • Classic Meals
  • Vegetarian
  • Natural & Organic
  • Clean Eating
  • Simple Gourmet.....and more

I'm going to try out this program, starting tomorrow.

Here's an example of one of the recipes under - Clean Eating



Horseradish Crusted Tilapia with Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes
www.emeals.com | #gethealthy | #getthrifty
Serves 6

Total Cost: $17.26, Cost per Serving: $2.88

Tilapia:
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon horseradish
6 (6 ounce) tilapia fillets
1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons butter


Potatoes:
1 pound red potatoes, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cooking Instructions
1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, Dijon mustard,
and horseradish. Spread mixture evenly over both sides of tilapia filets, and coat lightly
with breadcrumbs.
2. Heat butter in a skillet, and cook fish over medium heat 4 minutes per side, or until
browned and fish flakes easily with a fork.
3. Heat oven to 375¡F. Toss potatoes with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Bake on a
rimmed baking sheet for 45 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking time. Serve
potatoes with tilapia.

Nutrition Information (per serving): Calories: 319, Total Fat: 12.1 g, Saturated Fat: 3.3 g,
Cholesterol: 94 mg, Sodium: 444 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 16 g, Dietary Fiber: 1.7 g,
Sugars: 1.5 g, Protein: 37 g

Wish me Luck!

eMeals - Dinner Done

Friday, March 15, 2013

Pin To Win It Giveaway by Customizo - Win 5 Custom Apparel Items!



Welcome to The Pin To Win It With Customizo Event!

Customizo Pin it To Win It

When was the last time you had a group get together and thought it would be perfect if you could have Tshirts made to commemorate the event or occasion?  Last year, our family had a reunion and my in-laws had shirts made for the whole family.  They turned out great, and are a special momento that I love to have to remind me of the fun times we shared.


Customizo is an innovative group of sites that help groups with apparel and product design, collaboration and purchasing. With their design tools, group collaboration platform, mobile content integration and centralized hub of fully customizable artwork templates, creating and designing, bringing your designs to life is easy.

Check out my review of a Customizo tshirt here!

Here is your chance to win all 5 pieces of clothing  "Pinned" to your own Cutomizo Board! 

For your chance to win, follow the simple steps below:

1 - Follow Customizo on Pinterest AND The Review Wire on Pinterest

2-  Create and Design 5 Items from the Pinterest Party Category on Customizo.com. Use one of the free templates or upload your own artwork to customize your items. Save your designs and grab the Share link to post to Pinterest, you will have to create an account to do this.

3 - Create a Pinterest board and title it "Customizo Fashion" or "Customizo Custom Designs." Make sure to tag each pin with #Customizo!

4 - Come back and fill out the Giveaway Tools Form with your direct link to your Custom Customizo Board!

Pin It To Win It Giveaway

  • 3 Winner's Will Each Receive their "Pin It to Win It Customizo Board" {RV $125}
  • See Form for Entry Details. Open to U.S. You must be 18 years old to enter to win.
  • Ends 4/1
Disclosure: This event is sponsored by Customizo and hosted by The Review Wire. McKinney Mommasis not responsible for prize fulfillment. Companies and bloggers, if you would like to participate in group giveaway events like this one, sign up to be emailed about future events hosted by The Review Wire.

Healthy Snacks Delivered To Your Door - NatureBox

Trying to stay healthy this year?  Are you making steps towards choosing healthy snacks instead of ones full of empty calories?



Did you put those potato chips on the shelf, but are still craving some tasty salty snacks? 

Enter, NatureBox

How about instead of revamping your whole diet, start out small with just replacing your favorite fatty snacks with healthy ones.




With NatureBox, you can have quality delicious and nutritious snacks delivered to your door. 

No more browsing through the aisles of the heath food store trying to figure out which products to buy...because with Nature Box, the best tasting ones are selected for you. 




 
For $19.95 you'll have (5) full sized healthy snacks delivered right to your doorstep and you can cancel your subscrption at any time.  

I know it's easy to drop $20 bucks on chips, cookies and other unhealthy snacks during your regular grocery store trip, so why not invest in your health instead?




In my first NatureBox I received:
  • Wild Berry Bunch - a mix of dried fruits that were great to eat on top of yogurt or just by themselves.
  • Lone Star Snack Mix - this satisfied my craving for salty and savory snacking - mesquite almonds, peanuts and savory multigrain chips.
  • Orange Crush Granola - a lively orange kick, made this a new breakfast favorite for me.
  • Chocolate Ginger Bliss - missing your chocolate? This mix of chocolate chips, tamari almonds, ginger and other dried fruits are sure to sooth that craving for sweets.
  • Cranberry Almond Bites - a light and fruity (kinda addictive) square of puffed rice and cranberry deliciousness.

Cranberry Almond Bites


All of the snacks in our NatureBox were delicious, and actually lasted us a few weeks! My favorite was the Lone Star Snack Mix, just a perfect blend of salty and savory.  I also noticed that I didn't need to eat the whole bag in one sitting,  all these snacks did a great job of satiating my desire to snack, but kept the munching in moderation

Not only do they help YOU to eat better, with snacks approved by their staff of nutritionists - they are a company doing GOOD for the whole country! 

For every NatureBox they send out each month, they donate one meal to help feed the millions of children who go hungry in America.

Now, that's something I can support.



I wanna be friends with NatureBox, do you?




*Disclosure:  I was not paid for this post.  All opinions are 100% my own and I am under no obligation to write a positive review.  Thank you to the company indicated for providing me with a sample for honest evaluation. 



Thursday, March 14, 2013

Customizo Custom Apparel {Review}

At our last family reunion, my father in law had custom shirts made for the whole family.  They turned out great and are a special momento we got to keep to remind us of all the fun we had together.

Customizo, is an online company that you can use to design and order your own custom tshirts and apparel. What's great about this company, is that you can either choose from a bunch of free template designs, or upload your very own photo or graphic.



The company sent me this tee to check out, from their collection of free templates.  A great deal, printed on a $5 Hanes 100% cotton tagless tee is a perfect canvas for your next customized tshirt needs.

The quality of the graphic printing on the shirt is great - bold colors and a very intricate design.  The tshirt feels like really heavy cotton. Honestly, it doesn't have quite enough "give" or stretch for my liking, but it's really is a nice durable tshirt.

So, remember to check out Customizo.com next time you're in the market for any custom printed apparel.

eco.kids Organic Hair Care Products For Kids That Work! {Review & Giveaway}


Have you been on a mission to find organic hair care products for your kids?


I've got your back!


A few weeks ago, I was at my local playgroup and a momma complained to me about her 4 year old son's unruly hair.


She didn't want to use adult hair products, with chemicals and dyes, and was disappointed at the selection of eco-friendly and organic hair products for children.



Just a few days later, eco.kid organics for kids contacted me to try out a few of their products.  I was excited to see if they were good enough to recommend to the momma in my playgroup.


THEY ARE!


My toddler absolutely hates having her hair in her face, so just about every day, I'll put her fine little strands of hair into two pigtails or braids or her newest little harajuku style buns on top of her hair (thanks daddy for the creative insight). 


Bubbalicious for Girls, is a cool eco-friendly styling paste that is perfect for taming your baby girl's tresses, and totally worked for my little one.



Love that shimmer!

The all natural scent of this product (made with 100% pure essential oils of lemon tea tree, citrus and sandalwood) is uplifting and makes me want to keep opening the container all day long, just to take a whiff.

Somehow, eco.kid organics has designed this product to work great at holding hair in it's place, but since it's made with natural, water soluble ingredients, you won't get an oily or sticky residue the next day. 


BEFORE 


Seriously messy


AFTER

Thanks daddy for the cool 'do!

   WHY BUY?

Well, I have a whole list of reasons:
  • No artificial preservatives, fragrances or coloring
  • No synthetics
  • No silicone
  • No parabens
  • No sulphates
  • No artificial preservatives
  • No artificial fragrance
  • No artificial coloring  


My hubby has even tried the Tuff Stuff Strong Styling Shield, (pictured above) and now sneaks into our kids bathroom every morning saying "just sneaking some hair stuff from my kid." 

Shh, don't tell but he thinks this stuff smells GREAT. He keeps talking about it. I'm serious, he won't stop talking about the great natural scent of this pomade.

Something that's gentle enough to work on a child's sensitive scalp, yet strong enough to hold big pappa's hair through a whole work day is a must-have in my book!






Eco.kid also has some fantastic smelling shampoo, that makes my peanut's hair so silky soft. When hubby gives her a bath, he'll only use this shampoo and bubble bath now, since he loves how well they work. 

One cool fact about all these products, is they are also designed to prevent lice from jumping on your little one's head.  Apparently the essential oils used in the products are deterrents for those little buggers. Luckily we haven't had to deal with lice yet, but hey that's another BONUS!

Well, I'm a new fan of all of the eco.kid products I've tried so far!  Since they're an Australia based company, recently opening up their products to a USA fan base, I think you can currently only order eco.kid products on Amazon. That doesn't bother me at all, since I like ordering all my hair care products online anyway!



LET'S BE FRIENDS!




Enter to Win

A Set of eco.kid Sensitive Shampoo & Nourish Conditioner
Retail Value $27.98 


  • Complete easy Rafflecopter Entry Form for your chance to win
  • Giveaway deadline:  March 31, 2013
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway