Make icy cold summer treats with these Classic Groove Ice Pop Molds #kitchenne

I love cold treats when the weather gets warm. Oh, who am I kidding....I love cold treats all year long! And I love making my own so I was so excited to get to try these Classic Ice Pop Molds from Kitchenne.

I've tried several different types of ice pop molds but this is the one that I really like. It is a set of 6 BPA-free molds with a tray to keep them standing up straight in your freezer. I love the bright summery colors of this set. I've used these a lot since I've had them & have tried all sorts of different ingredients. These are so easy to use. Just fill them up with your favorite recipe, put the handles into the molds & pop them in the freezer. Once they are frozen, I warm the mold with my hand while I'm pulling the handle. Sometimes I have to run it quickly under some warm water to get it out. It really depends on what you used to make the popsicle. Some come out easier than others.

These photos were my first attempts with these ice pop molds. The pink ones are Strawnana popsicles for the kids and the brown ones are Dirty Pirate Poptails for adults only. These are the recipes that I used to make them:

Strawnana (kid friendly): Put 12 large strawberries, a banana & some juice (I used Sunny D but you can use orange juice, pineapple juice or whatever you like) in a blender. Blend until smooth & pour into the ice pop molds.

Dirty Pirate Poptails (adults only): Pour 2.5 cups Coke, 1/3 cup Captain Morgan Spiced Rum & 1/3 cup Kahlua into a pitcher. Stir to mix & pour into ice pop molds.

Making your own popsicles is so much fun! You can purchase your own Classic Groove Ice Pop Molds on Amazon.

#kitchenne

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Use these Rise Coffee K-Pods in your single serve K-Cup brewers #greatergoods

We love our Keurig brewer! I love not having to wait for my first cup of coffee in the mornings. But one of the things that I don't love is that the plastic K-cups that are currently on the market cannot be recycled. A more eco-friendly option are these Rise K-Pods from Greater Goods.

The Rise K-Pods fit most of the K-cup compatible brewers & they work perfectly in my Keurig; just be aware that they are NOT compatible with the Keurig Vue or Rivo. I don't remember which model Keurig I have but I've had it for 3 or 4 years so it's not one of the new ones. The K-pods come packaged in vacuum-sealed plastic bags, 6 pods in each bag. They are eco-friendly because the pod is like a filter, not a plastic cup. I think that brewing the coffee in a filter instead of plastic makes it taste better.

I got the Mountain Blend Medium Roast K-pods. We drink all types of coffee but I usually prefer medium roast coffees. This blend is really good & has a nice smooth flavor which does not taste bitter at all. I usually add creamer to my coffee but sometimes it's just to cover up the bitter taste. I have found myself drinking this coffee black.

I love buying products from a company that give back. This company, Greater Goods, is a proud supporter of PureEarth.org & their mission to identify & clean up the poorest communities throughout the developing world where high concentrations of toxins have devastating health effects.

You can purchase Rise K-Pods in your choice of blends. They are available in Breakfast Blend (light roast), Mountain Blend (medium roast) or Vista Blend (dark roast). Check them out on Amazon.

#greatergoods

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Do you love hot stuff?? Try Chef Cristiane's Brazilian "I'm Hot" Gourmet Hot Sauce #imhotsauce

We use a lot of different sauces when we cook & like a lot of them but I've never tried anything made with Malagueta peppers. I had to do a bit of research to find out what I had gotten myself into by agreeing to review this Chef Cristiane's Brazilian "I'm Hot" Gourmet Hot Sauce.

I learned that the malagueta pepper is popular in many dishes in Portuguese-speaking countries with double the heat of a cayenne pepper. Depending on your taste, you may think cayenne is hot or you might not. When I first opened this bottle of hot sauce, my eyes didn't water so I took that to be a good sign. Then I read the label to find out that the ingredients are: apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, onions, water, EVOO, carrots, malagueta peppers, sugar cane, salt, garlic & spices. I like when I can actually recognize & pronounce every ingredient in a product!

We have eaten this hot sauce on Crockpot BBQ Chicken, on eggs for breakfast, on chicken strips, mixed in with some of our favorite salsa, & on cheese with crackers. I'm looking forward to using this in soups & stews when the weather gets cooler in the fall. I think this will be great in a big pot of chili! This is a medium flavored sauce that allows the flavor to come through instead of just burning your mouth. It adds just enough heat without being intense. This is a great hot sauce for every taste.

You can purchase Chef Cristiane's Brazilian "I'm Hot" Gourmet Hot Sauce on Amazon.

#imhotsauce

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Product Review: Flower Girl Headpieces for Weddings #FlowerWreath

We go to a Renaissance Faire in the Spring & we've never dressed up but we see so many people there who wear costumes. One of the things that the girls & women wear are floral headpieces similar to these Flower Girl Headpieces for Weddings.

This is a set of 6 floral headpieces. Each one has 5 different colored Daisy-like flowers & a bunch of leaves attached to a green wire frame. They tie at the back of the head with a shimmery white ribbon so they can be adjusted to fit any head size. Each headpiece came individually wrapped in a plastic package & then the 6 packages were kind of stuffed into one big plastic package so they were a bit squashed when I received them. A couple of leaves fell off of 2 of the headpieces but it's a quick fix with a glue gun. In fact, if you want to make a fuller wreath, you could add more flowers with a glue gun as well.

These headpieces are perfect for a princess or fairy birthday party for your little girl, for the flower girl at a wedding, for wearing to a Renaissance Faire, playing dress-up or as a part of a costume.

You can purchase these Flower Girl Headpieces for Weddings on Amazon.

#FlowerWreath

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own based on my personal experience and use of the product.

I updated my ugly shower with this Aqua Dance 3-Way Combo Showerhead in Chrome/Gray #aquadance

We moved into our house almost 6 years ago & the bathroom was outdated then so it's even more outdated now! A complete remodel has been on our minds & we've done a bit of planning but have been putting it off because.....well, we only have one bathroom. So when we rip out everything from the floor to the ceiling, it's going to take a few days to complete the project. Maybe a whole week....without a bathroom. But when I got the chance to review this Aqua Dance 3-Way Combo Showerhead in Chrome/Gray I couldn't pass it up so at least one thing in our bathroom looks good!

This showerhead is really easy to install. I didn't actually do it myself but hubby took it into the bathroom & came less than 10 minutes later with our old showerhead in his hand & said it was done. He said it was super easy & the plumbers tape is even included in the package. He didn't use the tape because there were no leaks, but it's there in case you need it.

I love having the hand-held along with the fixed showerhead. The hose is long so it will reach far enough down into the tub to wash your child's hair or bathe your pet. I love all of the different settings as well as the ability to use each showerhead individually or use them both at once. We get good water pressure from both heads & I feel like I've got a spa in my bathroom now.

You will find the Aqua Dance 3-Way Combo Showerhead at Target. If you're like me, you're going to be there sometime this week anyway so you might as well go check this out.

#aquadance

I received this product in exchange for my honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product. 
Reference ID: pm7b3b85acc94d2df9ba27b7188e30d667 

Product Review: Baltic Amber Teething Necklace #balticamber

I'm always interested in homeopathic or alternatives to traditional medicines so I was looking forward to receiving this Baltic Amber Teething Necklace so I could see it for myself.

The teething necklace came in a really cute drawstring cloth bag with the Baltic Wonder logo on the front. It also came with a Certificate of Authenticity which states "We guarantee that our products are made of 100% Baltic Amber with Succinic Acid and use the highest quality on the market, safe for use on infants". Baltic Amber is supposed to have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties to boost the immune system & promote fast healing. I've read that wearing the Baltic Amber against your warm skin releases miniscule amounts of healing oils from the amber which are then absorbed through the skin & into the bloodstream. I've also read that the amber is electromagnetically alive & produced significant amounts of organic, purely natural energy.

I gave this teething necklace to a young friend who has a baby that is teething. She put the necklace around her daughter's neck & it looked really cute. The baby wore the necklace every day for a couple of weeks, except at night. When I asked if the necklace seemed to be helping, I was told that it is a really cute accessory but didn't really seem to be helping with the teething pain. So now I have the necklace back & I'm wearing it as a bracelet.

So I can't say that this teething necklace will relieve your baby's pain or stop them from fidgeting & fussing, but I can say that this necklace is well made. The beads are individually tied so if the necklace were to break, the beads would not come loose & be a choking hazard. The closure screws together & is not noticeable so doesn't distract from the look of the necklace.

Just because the baby that tested this necklace for me didn't get much relief doesn't mean that it won't work for you. Every baby is different & you may have better results.

This Baltic Amber Teething Necklace can be purchased on Amazon.

#balticamber

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Bring your favorite brew home in this MIRA Stainless Steel Beer Growler #BeerGrowler

One of the best things about the area that we live in is the number of craft brewers that have opened in the last 10 years. We are big fans of craft beer & love to "Drink Local" in order to support these brewers. One way that we can bring home our favorite craft beers (other than spending some big bucks in the beer stores) is to go to tasting rooms and bars that fill growlers. This 64-ounce MIRA Stainless Steel Beer Growler is going to get a lot of use!

A beer growler is a container that is used to transport beer from once place to another without losing quality or flavor. We have a few growlers that we bought from breweries when we purchased their beer to bring home, but all of our growlers are made of glass so when we take them to be filled, we have to make sure they don't bang against each other. This MIRA growler is made of stainless steel so we don't have that problem with this one!

We've used this growler a lot since we got it. We take it when we go our favorite beer filling station, we get home-brewed beer from a friend, and we pour our favorite bottled beers into the growler when we go to backyard cookouts but don't want to lug an ice chest along. The growler keeps the beer cold & fresh until we are ready to drink it. The wide mouth makes it easy to fill & easy to wash.

We haven't used this growler for anything except beer but it will keep any beverage cold. Or use it in cooler weather for coffee or hot toddies because it keep beverages hot as well.

You can purchase a MIRA Stainless Steel Beer Growler in Black or Brown on Amazon.

#BeerGrowler

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Pruning our plants with the help of these Ratchet Pruning Shears from Ezy Pruners #ezypruners

We had rain for days & days & days earlier this year & our yard was so flooded that we couldn't even go out there! But now the rain has ended, the sunshine has returned & our plants are recovering from being waterlogged. We have several bushes that don't like a lot of water because they are native to Texas, where we live. So now we're pruning the dead limbs from trees & bushes so these Ratchet Pruning Shears from Ezy Pruners are really coming in handy.

I don't usually do the pruning in our backyard. That is a job that my husband has always done & he enjoys it. But since I need to review these pruners, I went outside to find out what branches I could cut to see how these work. My husband suggested that I wear gardening gloves to get a better grip & keep from getting blisters. So I put on my gloves & got ready to prune!

I cut a few small branches from some of our bushes & the pruners were easy to use. They were easy to grip & felt comfortable in my hand but I was unable to cut any larger branches because my hands are not big enough & the handles spread too wide. I tried cutting with both my left hand & my right hand to see if there was any difference & I was able to cut branches either way. Then I gave the pruners to my husband because he has more experience using gardening tools. He said that the ratcheting system on these pruners make them very easy to use without exerting as much pressure . In fact, once he started using them he forgot all about the project he had been working on & finished pruning all of our bushes & small trees.

These are 8" ratchet pruners with a carbon steel blade & teflon coating. They come packaged with clear instructions for using & caring for your pruners.

You can purchase a pair of Ratchet Pruning Shears on Amazon.

#ezypruners

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Don't waste time searching for missing lids! Use these EZ-Lid Silicone Lids & Food Covers #ezlid

If you're like me, you've got a cabinet full of Tupperware & other plastic containers but can never find the right lid for the right container. I've been meaning to get organized & put everything together where it belongs, but it just hasn't happened. But these EZ-Lid Silicone Lids & Food Covers by Pratico Kitchen can be used with virtually any bowl, pan or mug that you own!

These are FDA-approved, reusable, stackable, food-grade silicone lids that will create an air-tight seal on just about any container that you put it on. There are 2 lids in this set: a 10" grey cover & a 6" pink cover. They are safe to be used in the freezer, oven, dishwasher & microwave. They can withstand temperatures from -40 degrees Fahrenheit to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

To use these food covers, just place them on top of a pan, bowl or mug & press down to create a suction. They stay where you put them & then just pull the handle in the middle to remove them. I use these lids to keep my food warm after cooking, to keep food fresh in the fridge, to cover bowls in the microwave and to keep flies & bugs out of the food when we have a cookout or go on a picnic. There are so many times that you will need these lids & it's nice to have them handy. I've washed them in the top rack of the dishwasher & they come out just fine.

So if you're tired of looking for missing lids or you have containers that have broken lids or no lid, you can get a set of these EZ-Lid Silicone Lids & Food Covers on Amazon.

#ezlid

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Fresh Produce! And a new type of melon that we haven't eaten before.

I'm running really far behind with these posts. This is the produce basket that I picked up from my Bountiful Baskets site on the last Saturday in June. When I arrived to pick up my produce, I saw a melon that I had seen before so I was anxious to get it home & cut it open.

Here is what I got in my basket that day:

Cabbage, green leaf lettuce, 2 celery stalks, broccoli, 4 green bell peppers, 

5 Roma tomatoes, 9 apricots, 6 red pears, 1 pint of blueberries & a Canary melon.

I got all of this for $18.50 (which includes the $3.50 which is added to each order in Texas to contribute to the fuel costs for the trucks). We tried the Canary melon as soon as I got home. It has a very pale green flesh that is lighter than a Honeydew melon. It tastes a bit like a cantaloupe but not quite as sweet. We did like the flavor but I probably won't go out of my way to buy one because we love cantaloupe, especially the Tuscan variety.

If you want information about Bountiful Baskets, you can go here to read the New Participant Information.

Until next time....

Book Review: Terminal Life: A Suited Hero Novel by Richard Torregrossa #TerminalLife

I have always loved to read and I am a regular at my local library so I'm very excited to do my first book review here on my blog! The book that I received is Terminal Life: A Suited Hero Novel by Richard Torregrossa.

This book jumps straight into the action in Chapter One! The hero of this story is actually an anti-hero who wears his perfectly tailored suit like a super-hero costume. Luke Stark is a former Navy SEAL who comes home from his 2nd tour of duty in Afghanistan to find out that his wife is dead, murdered at her job in his Uncle Pauley's locksmith shop which is money laundering operation to cover up his illegal prescription drug deals, and his son has disappeared. These tragedies, coupled with his PTSD and a diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma for which he has refused treatment, are enough to push Stark over the edge and he ends up in the psychiatric ward of the VA hospital. When he is finally released back to the real world, he finds himself living in a homeless shelter with only two things on his mind: avenging his wife's death and finding his son.

This story has non-stop action, violence, shootouts, car chases and even a love connection. It is a good read for anyone who loves crime thrillers and once I picked up this book, I didn't want to put it down. It moves easily from chapter to chapter and pulls you right into the dark side of Luke Stark. When I read a book, I always have a picture in my mind of what the characters look like. For me, I always thought of Jason Statham when I pictured Luke Stark.

I think that this action-packed thriller would make a great screenplay and I hope that this is just the first in a series of Luke Stark novels.

This novel is available in two formats on Amazon.

#TerminalLife

I received a hardcover copy of this novel from Oceanview Publishing for the purpose of this review. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own based on personally reading the novel.

Unboxing....Target Back to School Beauty Boxes #HeadOfTheClass #HonorRoll #Target #beautybox

On the 13th of July, Target offered two new Back to College Beauty Boxes which I immediately jumped on! I love the Target Beauty Boxes because they always come full of products that I either already use or have been wanting to try. I was lucky enough to grab both of these boxes & I want to show you what was in them.

This is the Head of the Class box. It came in the usual black Beauty Box but instead of the "Target red" tissue paper inside, the products were wrapped in bright green tissue. On the back of the info card is a coupon for $3 off of any Target Beauty Department purchase of $15 or more. This box came with:

Goody Ouchless Elastics (3-count sample size)

Bathery Pumice Stone ($1.99)

Hollywood Fashion Tape (6-count sample size)

CoverGirl Coverlicious Lip Gloss in Give Me Guava ($5.99)

Wet N Wild Max Volume Plus Mascara ($4.99)

Herbal Essences Wild Naturals Illuminating Dry Oil Spray ($5.99

Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes (10-count Travel Size)

(prices shown from Target.com)

This is the Honor Roll box. It also came in the black Beauty Box with bright green tissue paper inside & the coupon for $3 off of any Target Beauty Department purchase of $15 or more. Here is what came in this box:

Bathery Delicate Pouf ($1.99)

John Frieda Luxurious Volume 7-Day Treatment (1 ounce sample size)

Olay Cooling White Strawberry & Mint Body Wash (3 ounce sample size)

NYX Butter Gloss in Strawberry Parfait ($4.99)

Goody Ouchless Elastics (3-count sample size)

CoverGirl outlast All-Day Primer ($9.79)

Burt's Bees White Tea Facial Wipes (10-count Travel Size)

(prices shown from Target.com)

Target Beauty Boxes are not a subscription box. They offer various boxes throughout the year so I always keep my eyes open for them to appear & then grab them quickly because they sell out fast. These Back to College boxes were $5 each with free shipping. You can see that they are both worth much more than $5!

I'm very happy with these Beauty Boxes so I'll be stalking Target waiting for the next one!

Product Reviews: Epica Large Digit Timer #timer1 Epica Large Digit Timer/Stopwatch #timer2

At times, my husband & I both need to use a timer. We have a timer on our stove & we have a timer on our microwave. The stove is the preferred timer because if you don't go turn it off after it buzzes, it will continue to buzz every 30 seconds until you do. The timer on the microwave makes one little buzz & that's it. But now we have the Epica Large Digit Timer and the Epica Large Digit Timer/Stopwatch so we no longer have to rely on our kitchen appliances.

The Epica Large Digit Timer is white with gray sides. It runs on 1 AAA battery which is included in the box. It also comes with a sheet of Operating Instructions. This timer is easy to set to a specific time (up to 99 minutes, 59 seconds) & then push the Start button to count down to zero. And when the alarm sounds, I can hear it from any room in my house! I was worried that I wouldn't be able to hear it if I wasn't in the same room, but it is quite loud. You can also start at zero & push the Start button to act as a stopwatch then push the button again to stop it. The display is large & easy to read & you can set up this timer just about anywhere you need it. It has a fold-out stand, a magnet & a hanging hook. I use this timer just about every day.

The Epica Large Digit Timer/Stopwatch is silver with a black back. It also runs on 1 AAA battery which is included in the box. It also comes with a sheet of Operating Instructions. This time operates the same as the other timer but it has smaller buttons. It also has a loud alarm so I never have to worry that I won't hear it. It also has a large, easy to read display & has a maximum reading of 99 minutes, 59 seconds. This timer also has a fold-out stand & a magnet on the back so that you can use it on multiple surfaces. My husband uses this timer in his backyard work shed & it is attached to the side of a metal cabinet where he can easily see it.

You can purchase both of these timers on Amazon:

Epica Large Digit Timer

Epica Large Digit Timer/Stopwatch

#timer1 #timer2

I received these products for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I personally use and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the products.

Unboxing....Birchbox July 2015 #BIRCHBOX

I love the bright colors of the July Birchbox! As I got ready to open it & take a peek, I was hoping for something equally as bright on the inside.

  "go bold"....Summer is not the time to hold back. It's the season of wearing brights on brights on brights, driving with the windows down, and eating popsicles for breakfast. Accordingly, what better time to dial up your beauty routine a notch (or three)?

So here are the products that I received this month:

Benefits Cosmetics They're Real! Mascara (full size $24)

COOLA Classic SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face (full size $32)

dr. brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant (full size $78)

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray (full size $22 - $42)

stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Venizia - 

my info card says Look At Me Liquid Lipstick Trio (Set of 3 $20) but I didn't get the trio set.

I've used all of these brands before, except for Oribe, but different products. I'll definitely use the mascara, the moisturizer & the exfoliant because these are all products that I use regularly. I don't use Texturizing Spray so I'll give that to someone who will use it. And I was really excited about the liquid lipstick because I love lip color. In the tube, the color looks great so I couldn't wait to try it. But on my lips....yuck!! I don't know if hideous describes it but it looks really different once it is applied. This product will go straight to the Halloween costume/makeup box!

Birchbox is a monthly subscription box which comes with 5 beauty, grooming and/or lifestyle samples. The cost is $10 each month with free shipping to the US & Canada. It is delivered via USPS. This is a fun way to sample new products!

If you haven't subscribed to Birchbox yet but want to get in on this subscription box, click here.

Until next month....