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Start Your Day with some OJ!


In our house, the supply of orange juice is the one thing that never keeps up with the demand. I swear, my kids would swim in it if they could.
OJ is huge part of their every day diet.
It is the one thing that they all ask for every morning before heading off to school.
The Alex and I also enjoy our orange juice as well, (I however like to have mine later in the evening as part of an adult beverage).
Of all of the brands of OJ available today, our family is definitely brand dedicated and enjoys Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice over any other.
Our family has a few daily rituals that bring us together and meal time is one of them. Whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner as a family we like to share tidbits of our day with each other in addition to upcoming things we are excited about.

Compared to all of the other things my kids could be drinking, I would prefer that they drink orange juice over anything because it is packed with essential vitamins and nutrients that their busy hardworking bodies need!

Did you know:
*Tropicana Pure Premium is 100% Pure Florida Orange Juice?
*Tropicana is the single largest buyer of Florida fruit, purchasing approximately 11.6 billion oranges from Florida each year.
*Tropicana uses groves in 22 different Florida counties, primarily in central and southern Florida.
*The different microclimates and soil types mean that fruit reaches peak maturity at different times, allowing Tropicana to harvest ripe fruit throughout the    entire growing season.
*The two major orange types in Tropicana Pure Premium are Valencia and Hamlin. Valencias typically have more intense color and flavor, while *Hamlins can be sweeter. They each add unique characteristics to the TPP blend.
*Many Florida growers sample oranges by cutting them into a cup shape, allowing for drinking juice directly from the fruit.
*Tropicana’s roots in Florida go back a long way. Some of its current grower relationships date to the 1960s.
*Oranges have been grown in Florida since the 1560s, approximately 147 years before any other U.S. state.

Right now Tropicana is running a sweepstakes with the amazing opportunity for one winner to receive a trip to a Florida orange grove along with three guests of their choice and round-trip airfare for 4 to Florida, and a 3 night stay at a Florida hotel along with an exclusive experience at a Florida orange grove.

In addition to the grand prize trip to Florida, Tropicana is awarding 99 other winners a one-year supply of orange juice (payable in the form of 12 coupons for 12 – 59oz. Tropicana Pure Premium Containers.

Be sure to head over to the Tropicana Facebook Page and ENTER NOW!!!

Disclosure:  I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Tropicana blogging program, to earn My SocialMoms Rewards Points. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. To read more posts on this topic, click here.” 

Picasso Hair Feathers {Review}

Having a tween daughter means I have to constantly keep up with the latest trends. Right now it seems that the big thing sweeping the nation is hair feathers. The Libby has wanted to add the colorful feathers to her hair for quite some time but frankly, I feel that the salons charge way to much to do it and didn’t find it to be something worth spending a ton of money on.

We were recently introduced to Picasso Hair Feathers (cruelty-free).

Picasso Hair Feathers is a premium-line of Cruelty-Free Feather Hair Extensions. The majority of feather extensions on the market are the result of overt brutality and the slaughter of thousands of roosters. This is done in the name of fashion and most customers are typically oblivious to the consequence of their purchases.

Picasso Hair Feathers are cruelty-free and designed specifically to improve the look, feel, and experience when wearing a feather hair extension.

Picasso Hair Feathers come in a variety of colors and are moderately priced starting in packets of 5 feathers for $19.95, 12 packs for $29.95, 25 packs for $59.95 or a single hair feather for $3.95.

I was also really surprised how easy it was to put these in the Libby’s hair and was even happier that they stayed in her hair through the shower, combing and even when we straightened it! Not only were the feathers easy to use, care for and remove; they also looked great along with her peekaboo pink hair color!

You can learn more about Picasso Hair Feathers by visiting their website, liking them on Facebook, following them on Twitter or checking out their blog.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Gifts for Mom this Mother’s Day – Wine Lovers

As you know, Mother’s Day is next month.  I know that sometimes shopping for the perfect gift for mom can be a challenge, so this year I’ve decided to dedicate some of my time to steering you in the right direction and helping you find some great gifts that mom will love!

Since I have a mom, Granny the Great, who LOVES wine and all things wine related, I have decided to dedicate this first post to the moms who are wine lovers.

Gifts for Mom – The Wine Lover

Reclaimed Wine Barrel Coat Hook from Uncommon Goods -$75.00

Baggy Wine Coat from Wine Enthusiast Catalog – $64.95

Collapsible Party Wine Bottle Tote from HomeWetBar.com – $19.99

Wine Cork Board Kit from Wine Enthusiast Catalog – $24.95

Recycled Glass Bottle Platters from Uncommon Goods  – $18.00

Corkcicle Wine Chiller – $24.95

Disclosure:  I was not asked to include any of these products or websites in this gift guide.  Items included are items I would give as gifts.

itzy ritzy Snack Happened Mini Reusable Snack Bag {Review}

Last month when the Alex, Ellie and I attended the 2012 International Home & Housewares Show in Chicago, I found a new line of products that I can see many moms swooning over very soon, if they are not doing it already.

I was invited to stop by the itzy ritzy booth and check out their award-winning Snack Happened Reusable Snack Bag and fill it with some yummy candies.  What peaked my interests in stopping by this particular booth (aside from the candy) was when I read that the liner of these bags was custom, FDA approved lining and also easy to clean!

What mom doesn’t enjoy something that is reusable and easy to clean?

In addition to using the as snack bags, you can also use them to hold your cell phone and keys, travel toiletries and other small items.

After learning all about the Snack Happened Mini Reusable Snack Bag (sells for $12.99 online), I discovered that itzy ritzy carries a large line of items that this mommy wants.

While we were standing in the booth, I am pretty sure I heard Alex calculating the cost of the items I was falling in love with!

There are larger (7″x7″) reusable snack & sandwich bags. car seat covers and handle cushions, the Wet Happened?  zippered wet bag (this is on my list of must haves for the summer!) that can be used for soiled cloth diapers, clothing or as I would like to use them, swimsuits when we leave the beach.

One of the other must have products on my list is the Ritzy Sitzy Shopping Cart and High Chair Cover. The Ritzy Sitzy is a 3-1 multiple use item; it fits standard shopping carts (including the new Target carts), double warehouse carts and restaurant high chairs; it is padded and reversible, contains 4 toys loops, 2 safety belts and 2 pockets. It is machine washable and comes in a reusable carrying case. The Ritzy Sitzy sells online for $67.99

If you are looking for some quality items with great functionality, be sure to check out itzy ritzy and all of their great products.

Disclosure:  I was not compensated or asked to complete this review.  I found a product that I fell is love with and wanted to share it with my readers along with products that I would like to purchase.

Infected

My poor little Baby Ellie has her first ear infection.
It makes me very, very sad.
She is in a lot of pain and is tugging at her ear constantly.
She will only sleep if she is laying on someone, preferably mommy, or if she is upright in her swing.
She has had 3 doses of antibiotics and is taking some Advil for the pain as well.
I hate seeing her in pain and not being able to really do anything to comfort her.
Since she hasn’t been sleeping much, neither have I.
Needless to say, my lack of sleep is causing me to snap at every one about every little thing.
Other than the ear infection, Ellie is doing great. Her umbilical hernia is almost gone and looks much better than it did a month ago. She is also getting big! According to the scale when they weighed her in the ER she is just over 11 pounds but I will have an official update on weight and height when she goes in for her 4 month check on the 17th.
She is also full of smiles and loves to talk and play.
Oh and she is totally enamored with the television and cannot take her eyes off of it!
Other than that, I’m really hoping we start to see some improvement in the next 24-48 hours because we could all use some rest before the busy holiday weekend arrives.