Private Selections Upside Down Delicious!!!

Yum!!

  I  had the opportunity through BzzAgent to try for free a Kroger's Private Selection Upside Down Cake and let me tell you it was mouth watering delicious!    There are three varieties: Double Chocolate Molten, German Chocolate Fudge, and Amber Honey Apple Spice.    I picked out the Amber Honey Apple Spice because lets face it that is one yummy sounding combination that is just screaming out to be tried!

I decided to use this cake as part of my daughter's birthday celebration so that I could share it with more people.  (Not sure if that was a wise decision since I ended up with such a small piece!) The upside down cake was very easy to prepare, I just heated it up in the oven.  What came out of the oven was a warm and tasty treat!

Warm and yummy!

The honey with the apple would be delicious but add the spice to it and the combination was close your eyes goodness! The cake was a huge hit with everyone who tried it and when I told them it was Private Selection Brand they were excited because they knew they could run to the local Kroger store and pick up their own.

Over all this was a great cake and I can not wait to try the other flavors!  Although I will have a tough time not picking up the Amber Honey Apple Spice cake again because it was sooooo delicious!

Almost Gone!

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The Cottonelle Experience!!

Cottonelle has revolutionized the bathroom routine with some plain old common sense! Thanks to +Crowdtap and +Cottonelle I got to experience the Cottonelle Clean Care Routine!  I recently received free samples of Cottonelle Clean Care Toilet Paper and Cottonelle Fresh Care Flushable Wipes for myself and two friends!

Me and my Cottonelle Clean Care Routine!!

I shared my samples with my mother and my sister who were absolutely thrilled to have them!  I also shared with them some of the more humorous Youtube videos of the Cottonelle Clean Care Routine! We all chuckled over the clip of the  Restaurant episode of the Testing Your Cleaning Logic.  So logical and really brings to home the Cottonelle Clean Care Routine!   I even did my own version Test the Cleaning Logic with my son when I made him his evening snack of Ramen noodles with no water!! We all laughed at that!

My Test the logic!  Noodles with no water!!

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2h8iPoipj4

So exited she already opened her sample!!

Mom and her samples!

My mother, sister and I all enjoyed trying out the routine and we have all decided to stick with the routine!  Why not it IS logical!!!

Woolite Not Just For Delicates

I recently hosted a Woolite In- Home Boutique party through +Crowdtap and Woolite! While the party did not exactly come together as planned we all had a great time!    The original Woolite party that I planned ended up cancelled twice due to snow and illness so I gathered up family and friends and had a  In-Home Boutique with both the important men and women in my life!  

We gathered together the men came bearing no  baseball caps for the boutique and the girls came with scarfs jewelry and a few purses!  I set up the boutique to include the men's section.  We had a great time! 

Guess that symbol!

We played a few games including a Woolite trivia game with questions like "How many countries is Woolite sold in?"  Which who knew it was more then 40!  We also played a game thanks to the Woolite website of "Can You Name That Symbol?"  I printed out the Fabric care guide from the Woolite Website and asked everyone to name as many symbols as they could that are on the clothing labels.  I have often wondered what the little triangle meant on my sweaters!  I never knew it stood for chlorine bleach!  It was fun to see who knew most of them!  My dad is the main laundry man in his household as well as my husband in mine!  So it came as no surprise when my dad knew the most! 

We next ate some yummy food and drinks!  We relaxed and talked about some of our laundry horror stories!  I told the story of my father shrinking my favorite sweater in high school!  It would have fit a toddler when it came out of the dryer!  It did provide a great reason though for my mother and I to go shopping!

We then had our little In-Home-Boutique!  The men at least most of them participated by trying on a ball cap or two!  They fought over the Cleveland Browns cap with the ear flaps!  Very warm in the winter or even in April if you are in Ohio!  The women tried on scarfs which my mother looked dashing in one of the yellow ones!  Good thing we had two because my daughter's friend like the yellow also!  

So Happy to have some Woolite!!

Styling a Yellow Scarf!

I gave three of the girls who were to attend the original party a tiara set!  Which they loved....they had a soccer game to get to so they stayed about 5 minutes!!  Over all though the party was a success and the Woolite samples were a big hit!! Thanks Woolite and +Crowdtap!

Taira's for little Wooliters!

Kroger's Simple Truth Simply Delicious!

I recently had the opportunity through +BzzAgent to try Kroger's new Simple Truth product line for free!  I was so excited to try these products since as a family we are trying to simply eat better.  I  really try to buy organic when I can and to buy products with simple ingredients without all the artificial preservatives so when I saw this new product line I was thrilled!  I really like the direction Kroger has taken and I love the fact that they really seem to be listening to the consumers!

My Simple Truth products!

My daughter was super excited when our package arrived from BzzAgent and she promptly opened it and drank the Blackberry Pomegranate Natural Sparkling Beverage and the energy bar!  She told me both had a great taste and then proceeded to tell me which flavors she would like to try next.   So I have to say they must have both been very delicious to be requested for our next Kroger shopping trip!

We also tried the Almond which I have to say tasted great!  I have been using almond milk in my cereal for years and I loved the taste of Simple Truth Almond milk and I love the fact that it is less expensive then the other brands!

 The Organic Raspberries and Organic Blueberries were amazing, both of which I put on my cereal in the morning for a fresh vitamin C enriched start to my day!  My daughter also polished off  blueberries as an evening snack!  I never knew that a persons lips could turn that shade of blue when eating frozen blueberries!

The Simple Truth Veggie Sticks were also a huge hit in our house!  My son and his friend ate an entire bag while playing video games!  I was able to sneak a few so that I could taste them.  They did not have a strong taste but they were a satisfying snack and we have since gone through three more bags!

Simple Truth Organic Dinner!!

Overall I really loved this product line!  It has made buying Organic and healthy affordable for my family!  I also really love the Simple Truth website http://www.simpletruth.com/about-simple-truth/101-free-from-ingredients/   that has all the ingredients that are not in these products!







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Verizon HTC Windows Phone Fun!!!

  I recently had the exciting opportunity through +Crowdtap and +Verizon Wireless to try out and share the new Microsoft Windows 8 HTC Phone!   I was thrilled that I got this opportunity especially because I am usually the last one in my family to get the new gadgets!

Look who won!

I invited my family and friends over for the party and let me say they were just as excited as I was to play with this new phone!  I started out showing them some of the fantastic features.  My friend who is a mother of five loved the Kids Corner feature.  This feature allows  your kids to play with the apps the parents choose along with the camera but with a pin number you can  lock them out of buying apps, making calls, or using the internet.  This is a great idea and I know many moms who would be relieved to have this feature on their phone!

Looking it over!

 My father absolutely loved the camera...as well as my daughter!  This phone takes amazing pictures and we had a great time during the party playing with the camera and then playing with the photo app to try the different filters like this picture of my cat resting in a very tiny box!  We also watched a video we took with the camera and all I can say is the camera is awesome!


We also loved the Sky Drive feature that allows you to save your photos and documents to Sky Drive so that they may be accessed from different computers or devices!  My husband was excited about this feature because he often saves work documents and this way he will be able to access them from his phone!

Helping with the Pinterest game!

After much playing with the phone we decided to have some goodies and sit down to play a Pinterest game which involved some specific questions like what was your favorite childhood memory. We had a great time playing and those that had no idea how to use Pinterest had the help of my daughter and myself to find the pins they wanted.  We had a lot of laughs over the pins people choose for many of the questions asked especially the questions asking what would be your dream job.  I choose Santa Clause! How cool would that job be.

Over all we all had a great time and loved many of the features on the new Windows HTC Phone from Verizon.  I really loved how easy this phone was to use!  Thank you +Crowdtap and +Verizon Wireless!

Most of our group!

The Durex Experience!

I recently received a sample and share through +Crowdtap  and Durex! This was Sample and Share that my husband was thrilled I qualified for!  The package contained several packages of condoms and several boxes of "Durex Play"  packages.  The "Durex Play"  variety pack contained a vibrating ring, lubricant packs, and condoms.  I shared these packages with my family and friends who I knew would appreciate them over the holidays. Some of the samples I mailed and some I handed out.

Helping to create the special packages!

I received a lot of positive feedback from several friends.  We all agreed that it is important to keep the love life interesting and fun!  I have been married for 23 years and as they say variety is the spice of life.  My husband and I went to dinner and decided we would try the products...for the sake of research!

Surprise!

We had a great time and really enjoyed the different lubricants and the ring was a great addition to our night. My friends were also pleased with their "play pack" and informed me to let them know if I get any other great samples!

My hubby stealing all the packages!!

Healthy Choice An Easy Choice

I recently had the opportunity through +Crowdtap to try the product Healthy Choice Baked Taste.  For the past year I have been trying to watch my weight and dieting is just not my thing!  Through trial and error I decided I will just try  to make better choices in my eating habits and I was excited to try the New Healthy Choice Baked Taste.

Which one to choose!

I ran out to the store with my dollar off coupon, thanks to +Crowdtap and Healthy Choice, in hand and ended up buying four different meals.  I purchased the Four Cheese Ziti Marinara, Lasagna, Roasted Chicken and Potatoes, and Fettuccini Alfredo Bake.  The last one was for my husband who is a big fan of Alfredo sauce!  I was  looking forward to trying the Lasagna!

A Healthy Choice Lunch!

I was so excited to try my Lasagna only to realize as I reached into the freezer that my husband took it to work the day before! He said it was delicious and highly recommended it to me to try.....which I will the next time I go to the store! This time I am going to hide it so I can try it myself!  I looked at the other Healthy choice products in my freezer and realized someone had also eaten the Roasted Chicken and Potatoes and after asking around my son confessed to eating it for lunch the day before...teenagers nothing is safe in the freezer!  He told me it was really good and said he would eat it again.... high praise coming from my son!   So my choice was narrowed down for me!  I tried the Four Cheese Ziti Mrinara!

I prepared my lunch as directed and while it was cooking I got out one of my favorite veggies to eat with my meal, Sugar Snap Peas.  I also pulled out my clementine and for dessert a Healthy Choice frozen Greek Yogurt!  A very Healthy lunch!

I always have dinner companions !

Hubby trying the Ziti!

I have to say that the Four Cheese Ziti Marinara was yummy!  I am always a bit leery when it comes to frozen pasta meals because they tend to be either bland or taste too much like tomato but this really was delicious!  I liked the fact that the Marinara sauce had a bit of spice to it and the noodles were cooked just right not too rubbery or hard but just like I cooked them on the stove.  I also like the cheese that was in the Ziti I could taste it but it did not overpower the meal.  Overall I felt it was a great Healthy Choice for my lunch and I can not wait to try the Lasagna next!

BENJAMIN MOORE AURA® WATERBORNE INTERIOR PAINT REVIEW!

Picasso I am not but when I got the opportunity to try out a gallon of Benjamin Moore Aura paint I jumped at the chance!  I have been wanting to redo my living room from the "lovely" country blue theme and move into the new century and this gave me a great reason!

So Many Color Choices!

Now came the hardest part for me....Picking the color!  I was tired of pale and country blue and I wanted to go with something that was rich in color yet neutral enough to go with what I already had in the room.  After days and days of deliberation I decided to go with the color Carob which is a rich brown color that would look great with my cream colored furniture and eggshell trim.

Paint day arrived and first I had to patch up several holes and some of them were whoppers!  My son had a major accident while carrying a computer desk chair with the wheel deciding to detour though the wall rather then his door.  When all that completed finally to the paint.

Patching up the wall!

I was shocked when I went to the store to use my free coupon to see what the bill would have been if I did not have my coupon thanks to Bzzagent!  I thought this paint has a lot to live up to!

Gotta love the 90's Country blue!

Love the rich color!

when applying the paint I was shocked that I was not immediately overwhelmed with the normal "paint" chemical smell!  I was also amazed that as I painted that it went on so smoothly and that it covered so evenly I realized I would not need a second coat and it dried in about twenty minutes! Amazing!  My walls became a rich milk chocolate brown that I knew would breath new life into my living room!





Would I recommend this product to a friend? Yes I would I love it!  The only concern I had is the cost. So you have to out weigh the initial cost with the fact that you do not have to purchase a primer and the fact that this product makes painting a breeze!

I need to find great accessories like these!

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I Am So Glad It's Glade!

I recently had the opportunity through Bzzagent to tryout the new Glade Expressions! Needless to say I was very excited, I am always looking for creative ways to improve the "natural" scent of my home and Glade is a  product I had always used in the past. I could not wait to try their newest product!

So many choices!

I quickly took my coupons to the store to get my Glade Expressions I stared at the choices and finally decided on the fragrance mist, Cotton & Italian Mandarin and Oil Diffuser, Fiji Apple & Cardamon Spice!


I can not tell you how much my family enjoys both scents!  The Fragrance Mist when sprays brings an instant  scent of Ahhhhh.... As my son would say!  The scent is pleasant and one of my favorites I am of fan of scents that are not too flowery or "perfumey" I love it and I love the subtle "clean" aroma that fills the air when I use this product!  I also love the fact that it is refillable which helps to reduce the cost of my next purchase!

Placed among the honored "Browns Bobble Head"

My daughter eagerly opened the Oil Diffuser and put it together and placed it on top of our piano in the living room.  The Fiji Apple & Cardamon scent is amazing!  I love that it is a subtle scent that does not overpower the room!  It is like an afterthought....and I mean that in a good way!  I walk through my living room even two weeks after opening the diffuser and I think..."what is that smell?" I realize that it is the Glade Expressions and it fills the room with a gentle pleasant scent!

On of our main reasons we love Glade Expressions!

 I really would recommend these products to family and friends they are pleasing scents incorporated into tasteful designs that can decorate your home as well provide a delicate aroma!


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Brand X With Russell Brand!

 I recently had a viewing party through Crowdtap of  Brand X with Russell Brand a new show on the network FX !  I gathered some of my family and friends over at my daughters new apartment to watch the show.

Getting ready to laugh! LOL!

To help us get in the mood for the show we all walked down the street to the coffee shop to watch open mic night. We watched a not so great comedian, my Daughter played the piano and sang ( wonderful) and my husband actually performed a few magic tricks!  Yes I am married to a magician and have a musician daughter!  Now we were in the mood for some good comedy!

Let the "kids" pick the snacks and you
end up with pizza rolls and cake! Yum!

Sporting a "Brand" vest!

Back at the apartment we ate some great snacks and performed our best Russell Brand impersonations!  Not all of them very good.  My son however has a sense of humor we call "Under the Radar" because he manages to say something very subtle to get us rolling!

He looks very Russell Brand ish!

son doing his Tebow wearing the
shirt that makes me cringe!

We then watched some very funny Russell Brand X clips on the FX website....did I say very funny!  My kids loved the Tim Tebow clip as my son is an avid football fan and does the best Tim Tebow impersonation! (At least in my opinion!)



We are now primed to watch the premier!  When the show started I was a little leery because I was unsure what to expect but as I watched I was pleasantly surprised!  We laughed throughout the show and since my son's name is Joe he immediately sympathized with Joe the man from the audience that Russell Brand picked on throughout the show!  My husband really enjoyed seeing Ryan Hurst on the show because he is a huge fan of Son's of anarchy and I got a kick out of seeing Cletus Hogg!


Over all we all thought the show was humorous and glad that is was rather easy to laugh with!  It was not tooo political or too serious it was a great half hour escape from reality!  My friends and family enjoyed it so much that they all stated they would tell their friends to watch it too!