My New Beauty Favorites Tree Hut Hand & Foot Care

May 17, 2013 By 2 Comments

This post brought to you by Tree Hut. All opinions are 100% mine.

Here’s a little something you don’t know about me – I can’t go to bed without washing my feet. Seriously, I can’t do it. I have to have clean feet to get into bed. Something about dirty feet in my bed, totally weirds me out.

On nights when I am exhausted and can’t wait to sleep, I have tried convincing myself that my feet are clean enough. I skip washing them and crawl into bed, I lay there, the click ticks and with in 10 minutes I am back up (wide awake) washing my feet. My feet must be clean to sleep!

I used to have a favorite foot scrub. I used it for years, and when I found out it was being discontinued I bought 10 tubes of it. Yes, I really did. I ran out of the last of my stockpile a while back, and I have tried several brands since. They have all been nice, and I use them. But I had yet to fall in love with another foot scrub, and for a girl who washes her feet daily (or more) this is important stuff.

Until now.

Tree Hut Food Scrub Hand Cream

I have discovered Tree Hut Hand & Foot Care, and I am in LOVE. Why didn’t anyone tell me about the awesomeness of a sugar scrub? My old favorite was walnut based, I like sugar even more. It is so cool because it dissolves while you scrub leaving you with the softest tooties. It is perfect for regular, daily, use. And it leaves my feet soft and clean!

To compliment the Peppermint & Sugar Foot Scrub, I also like the Aloe & Peppermint Tree Hut foot cream. Both smell lovely, and the cream does a great job at making my feet soft. Take it from this foot-washing loon - these are great products. Plus they are available at Walmart, which means they are super affordable too. Yeay!

As much as I love the Tree Hut foot scrub, I also have to tell you about the Moroccan Rose Renewing Hand Cream. I have to admit that I was not expecting to like this cream because while I might be a hoarder of beauty products, I don’t typically like flowery rose scents. For some reason they remind me of my grandmother, but NOT this one. Oh my stars it smells soooooo yummy. It isn’t your typically flowery rose scent, it is so much better. It is light, sweet and when I put it on I can’t help smelling my hands over and over. (It does not smell like a grandma!)

Oh I almost forgot — all of these products are also organic, not tested on animals and made in the USA. Yeah, I am a fan!

So get your tooties ready for summer with Tree Hut Peppermint & Sugar Foot Scrub and Aloe & Peppermint Cream. To keep up with the latest from Tree Hut, like Tree Hut on Facebook and Tree Hut on Twitter

Tree Hut #NaturalBeauty

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Our End Of The School Year Block Party… With A Food Truck

May 16, 2013 By 8 Comments

I’m known for throwing block parties. I love to host them because they are easy and the more people the better, so I can invited everyone. But after throwing an end of the school year block party last week, I think I might have set the bar too high for future parties.

I had a food truck. At my house.

Innovasian Food Truck Party

Want to wow your friends and neighbors, apparently that’s the way to do it.

Sure, everyone knew a food truck was coming, but when the truck arrived squeals erupted from the kids (who raced to the curb) and every adult stopped what they were doing to check out the truck. It was a sight.

Innovasian Food Truck

Let me back up and tell you how this all came about (a story I repeated about 20 times the night of the party). It all started with an email. The folks at InnovASIAN are trying to get the word out about their product, and they wanted to know if I would be interested in hosting a block party with an InnovASIAN food truck. Without a moments hesitation, I responded yes!

Talk about grassroots marketing and taking your product to the people. This former PR girl loved the idea, and I knew my friends would too.

So I sent out the invite to all of our friends and neighbors and planned the event. And by planned the event, I mean purchased drinks. Block parties are so easy – especially when there is a food truck bringing dinner!

InnovAsian Cuisine Food Truck

The InnovAsian food truck came fully stocked with three entrees — General Tso’s Chicken Breast, Sweet & Sour Chicken Breast and Chicken Fried Rice. Other InnovASIAN meals include Orange Chicken Breast, Beef & Broccoli, Chicken Lo Mein, Sticky White Rice, Chicken Egg Rolls, Chicken Potstickers and Pork Egg Rolls. All of the InnovASIAN meals are available in your grocer’s freezer section. Locally they are available at Publix and Walmart (for those who aren’t in Florida, visit InnovASIAN’s store locater to find the products near you).

InnovAsian Cuisine Chicken Fried Rice, General Tso's Sweet Sour

So, after much hype and anticipation, how was the food?

It was good. It was very good. For those nights when you don’t feel like cooking (or waiting for takeout) InnovAsian is a great option for a takein meal. Meant to be served family style, you mix and match chicken flavors, a few egg rolls, rice and ta-da dinner is served.

For families with picky kids, one of the nice things about the InnovASIAN chicken line is that the chicken comes separate from the sauce. So when you are making it, you can leave some chicken to the side without sauce — voila, chicken nuggets for picky kiddos. (This tip brought to you by our friendly food truck chef who served up some plain nuggets for our kiddos by request.)

My guests were impressed.

chicken nugget

(Yep, that’s my little chicken nugget. She ate 6-7 nuggets, I lost count because she kept nabbing them from plates that people set down!)

Another thing you should know, no trans fats and no MSG. And no peanut oil (at least in the three dishes that were served at our party, because of allergies we inquired).

$1.50 Off  InnovASIAN Cuisine Coupon

Want to try InnovASIAN Cuisine for yourself? Like InnovASIAN Cuisine on Facebook to get a printable coupon for $1.50 off one InnovASIAN Cuisine entree, side dish or appetizer.

InnovAsian Cuisine Printable Coupon

InnovASIAN Sweepstakes

After you like InnovASIAN Cuisine on Facebook to print your coupon, enter the InnovASIAN Sweepstakes for your chance to win Amazon gift cards ranging between $25 – $100.

It’s hard to tell from the pictures because at any one time everyone was scattered about, but we had nearly 70 at the party who came and went. For many of our guests, it was their first experience eating from a food truck. The party was such a success, I am already contemplating what I can do to make the next one just as special.

Innovasian Cuisine Food Truck Party

Thanks to InnovASIAN Cuisine for providing the food, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The New Play-Doh Plus And Disney Princess Rapunzel Hair Designs Set Review

May 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Not much has changed with Play-Doh in the past 60+ years. It is an iconic toy that kids have been pushing, pulling and molding into fun shapes since the mid 1950s. Of course there are constantly new toys to use with Play-Doh including Disney-themed molds and the color selection continues to expand, but Play-Doh itself — it’s been the same compound since our parents were little. It’s a classic, and we all love it.

Can you guess where I am going with this?

Play-Doh has a new compound – Play-Doh Plus.

New Play-Doh Plus

When I was told about  the new Play-Doh, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it, literally. Advertised as smoother than traditional Play-Doh, I was extremely curious to test it for myself. I wondered if I would actually be able to feel a difference, or if it was just advertising fluff.

To feed my curiosity, Hasbro sent me a few cans of Play-Doh Plus and the Play-Doh Disney Princess Rapunzel Hair Designs Set (for my princess-loving girls) to test.

I was excited about Play-Doh Plus, my daughter only had eyes for Rapunzel.

Play-Doh Disney Princess Rapunzel Hair Designs Set

Play-Doh Plus

It’s surprisingly softer and smoother, but interestingly it is also stickier. I was admittedly surprised just how different Play-Doh Plus feels compared to traditional Play-Doh. It’s fluffy. I don’t know how else to describe it, but it is truly different. And it’s really kind of cool.

The idea behind Play-Doh Plus is that the softer, fluffier texture lends itself to more realistic molding details. For example, with the Play-Doh Sweet Shoppe Frosting Fun Bakery Playset (that now comes with two cans of Play-Doh Plus) kids can mold more realist desert toppings. We don’t have this set exactly, but we have a similar, older version and K found that Play-Doh Plus is MUCH easier to squirt out than traditional Play-Doh. In fact, she could do it herself with the new Play-Doh vs always asking me to push it for her with the traditional Play-Doh. Similarly, the Play-Doh Sweet Shoppe Flip ‘N Frost Cookies Set comes with a can of Play-Doh Plus to frost your cookies.

Play-Doh Plus New

Play-doh Plus definitely provides a softer texture that is perfect for squeezable toppings. However, the soft texture means that it is significantly more sticky. Not to the fingers, it still molds beautifully in the hands and it works perfectly in toys that squirt Play-Doh, but when it comes to molds that you press the Play-Doh into — stick to traditional Play-Doh. Because it is softer Play-Doh Plus does not remove cleanly from molds. In fact, I found myself reaching for a toothpick to scrape out bits when K tried to mold Play-Doh Plus on her Rapunzel set.

This let to a mini mommy melt-down as traditional Play-Doh and Play-Doh Plus in various colors began to be mixed together. Ack! I am so not fun because it drives me nuts when colors mix, adding new Play-Doh into the mix was almost too much. Deep breaths mommy, it is ok for Play-Doh to mix.

Once we got used to using Play-Doh Plus, we both really liked it. The texture is a lot of fun to play with and it is even more pliable for little hands. But because of the sticky factor, it does have limitations. Because of that I don’t think it will ever replace good-old Play-Doh, but it does make a nice complement for even more fun. Look for the purple can.

Play-Doh Disney Princess Rapunzel Hair Designs Set 2

Play-Doh Disney Princess Rapunzel Hair Designs Set

I wasn’t the least bit surprised that K loved the Rapunzel Hair Designs Set, after all the Prettiest Princess Castle was one of only three things she asked Santa for at Christmastime and her favorite feature is making Rapunzel’s hair grow from the tower. So this set was even more fun because she could make Rapunzel’s hair grow and then add colorful, braided extensions. K also loves molds, so she really enjoyed making jewels to decorate Rapunzel’s hair with the molds around the base of the set. (As I noted earlier, traditional Play-Doh is better for these molds.) As you can see, she even free-styled some earrings and a necklace.

Another successful Play-Doh toy in our book.

Play-Doh Disney Princess Rapunzel Hair Designs

Play-Doh products received to facilitate this review, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Iron Man 3 Spoiler-Free Review

May 1, 2013 By 2 Comments

Action? Check. Interesting plot? Check. Humor? This is Iron Man and Tony Stark delivered, so double check.

Iron Man 3 – just as good as I hoped it would be. A definite must-see. (Because it is a must-see, I will take extra care not to spoil the movie.)

Iron Man 3 Movie Poster

When a new evil force threatens America, and more importantly those Tony Stark loves, Iron Man once again sets out on a mission to save the world. Putting on a brave face, he publicly challenges the terrorist called The Mandrin to come and get him, but privately he finds himself much less confident in his own abilities still haunted by his brush with aliens and Gods in The Avengers.

Channeling my inner nerd, I have been excited to see this movie for months (just as excited about Thor in the fall and Captain America spring 2014) Marvel and Disney just keep getting it right. With clever plot twists, a harrowing mid-air rescue scene (Barrel of Monkeys!), tons of action, lots of Iron Man suits and a precocious little boy who reminds Stark who he is, this movie has it all. And it left me wanting to go back and re-watch Iron Man I and II and The Avengers. (Although not enough to sit through an entire Iron Man Marathon being held at AMC on May 2 and Cinnemark on May 3. I think I will stick with Netflix.)

Does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Tony Stark Iron Man 3

While Tony Stark struggles with inner questions about his abilities and the crippling fear that he is “just a man in a tin suit without any real superpowers,” Iron Man 3 opens the door to larger role played by supporting characters who led him down a path of discovery.

As a fan of Pepper Pots, I was happy to see that her role in the Iron Man series continue to grow. In Iron Man 3 she finds herself playing the part of a powerful executive, the damsel in distress, and ultimately a hero all within one movie. Go Pepper!

However, it is a small boy, Harley, who is ultimately the one who is able to help Tony Stark see past his issues and get back to basics. Reminding him to do what he does best, tinker, Harley helps Stark find his inner strength and rediscover his purpose as Iron Man.

Upon saving the world, yet again, Tony Stark is literally and figuratively left a changed man when he answers the question — It is the man who makes the suit.

To take the kids or not to take the kids?

With people regularly being blown up and an overall darker tone, Iron Man 3 is decisively more violent than it’s predecessors. My daughter is more into rainbows and butterflies, so clearly it is not a movie for her. However, a friend had her five-year-old son in the audience when I saw the movie. While he reported that he liked the movie (while clutching an Iron Man mask), mom admitted that it did not hold his attention. My recommendation is for older kids.

I was invited to a media prescreening of Iron Man 3, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

John Frieda: Protecting My Hair And My Color Without Grease

May 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment

This post brought to you by John Frieda. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have thick hair. Thick hair. The kind of hair that makes every new hairdresser who does my hair comment over and over. I love my hair. Not in a braggy way, but in a it-is-my favorite-physical-feature kind of way. (In case you were wondering, my least favorite feature — my skin.)

My days as a natural blonde have faded, although it lightens nicely in the sun, so I have taken to semi-regular highlights. Plus for some reason my hair decided to get wavier with the birth of each kiddo. Not curly. Not even soft flowing waves, just kind of kinky wavy. To achieve straight, blonde locks that means the blow dryer and straightener are my regular tools. So my hair takes some regular abuse.

The Suburban Mom Hair

All that heat means that my hair need some extra love, but here is something else about my hair — it is super oily. So while I need a shampoo/conditioner to add extra moisture to the ends, it is a delicate balance between moisture and grease. The latter, is unacceptable.

Since I am constantly on the search for the right balance I was thrilled when John Frieda sent me a ton of new products to try. (I won’t have to buy shampoo/conditioner for like a year! LOL.) Years ago, I used to use Sheer Blonde. I don’t remember why I stopped, but I was excited to try it again. I received the following products to try:

  • Sheer Blonde Shampoo/Conditioner
  • Full Repair Shampoo/Conditioner
  • Full Repair Deep Conditioner
  • Frizz-Ease Shampoo/Conditioner
  • Luxurious Volume Shampoo/Conditioner

Top two things I look for in a shampoo/conditioner – performance (including no grease) and smell (I am a sucker for yummy smelling products). John Frieda products have both.

John Frieda Shampoo Conditioner

The Smell Test

Even though John Frieda products are available at the store, they smell like salon quality products. Not fruity and flowery like many brands, they have that professional, just stepped out of a salon smell that I love. The smell test won me over on all four product lines.

Performance

I am happy to report that all of the products were lightweight – no grease. That means I can (and will) use them all. My favorite lines were Sheer Blonde (hello, I need all the help I can get to keep my color) and Intense Repair, which left my hair super soft feeling. In fact, I had been actively looking for a deep conditioner, and I have now called off the search. I love the feel of the Full Repair Deep Conditioner.

Let’s review – John Frieda products smell great. They leave my hair soft and shiny, but not greasy. They protect my color. And they are affordable – available at Walmart. Yep, I am a new fan.

Learn more about all of the John Frieda hair care products by watching video tutorials and product videos online.

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