Naturally Sweet Easter Candy from YumEarth {Giveaway - Ends 4/13}

Easter is just around the corner. Have you given much thought about all the treats your kids will possibly indulge in? Much like other holidays which typically involve candy, Easter can easily get out of hand with a traditional morning Easter basket and an egg hunt or two. Although moderation is so important, so are the actual candy choices you're putting in front of your kids.

 I received complimentary product for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own.

This Easter, choose to make better candy choices like those from YumEarth, the #1 organic candy company in the USA. Made from real fruit extracts and free of chemicals and artificial additives or colors, YumEarth is a much better choice than conventional candies found at the supermarket. Their planet-friendly ingredients are grown on sustainable family farms, and are free of gluten, peanuts, soy and dairy.

Instead of forgoing candy altogether (that's just no fun!), I love that there are more natural choices like those from YumEarth. Choose from their natural Sour Beans or their organic Lollipops, Gummy Bears or Fruit Snacks. 

The little snack pack bags are the perfect size for filling Easter eggs, and also for an appropriately portioned treat for kiddos (grown-ups too!).  

Did I mention how delicious YumEarth candy is? I definitely have a major sweet tooth and I think it's all delicious. The Sour Beans are still definitely my favorite. Perfectly sweet and sour, and an honest treat. 

This Easter, I'm filling some eggs with YumEarth candy. The rest will be little toys and stickers, just as we've done each year. 

YumEarth candy is now easier than ever to find. You'll find their delicious candy in over 7,000 Walgreens stores, along with many online retailers like Amazon.com.

Win It!

One winner will receive Lollipops, Sour Beans and Gummy Bears!

Canyon Bakehouse :: Delicious Gluten-Free Breads & More {TWO Winners - Giveaway Ends 4/13}

Anyone that eats gluten-free will probably tell you that they really miss eating regular bread. I know that's true for me. However, with so many gluten-free options today, needing to follow a gluten-free diet is hardly as difficult as it may seem. In fact, Canyon Bakehouse has an entire line of wholesome gluten-free breads and more that are fabulous.

 I received complimentary product for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own.

I try my darnedest to not fall for the gluten-free frenzy that you see at the grocery store. It's just so easy to see the words gluten-free and just buy what ever it is, only to find out later that what you bought has really horrid ingredients! Been there, done that.

With Canyon Bakehouse, I feel really comfortable with their natural, minimal ingredients. They use 100% whole grains and clean ingredients in every product. It's hard to find a gluten-free bread that is GMO-, dairy-, nut-, and soy-free, but Canyon Bakehouse has done it! I love that their facility is a dedicated gluten-free bakery, making way for their products to be Certified Gluten-Free. Best of all, Canyon Bakehouse is family-owned and located in Loveland, Colo. 

Canyon Bakehouse sent me an assortment of their breads to try.

7-Grain

Cinnamon Raisin

Deli Style Rye

Hamburger Buns

Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia

Cranberry Crunch Muffins

Upon receiving all this bread, into the freezer they went. As with other gluten-free breads I've tried, it's best to freeze until use. Gluten-free breads tend to get stale and dry out quickly in the fridge or out on the counter. We pulled out several slices at a time as needed and this seemed to work out well.

 

There are two breads I miss most. A classic soft and moist sandwich bread and a dipping bread. Canyon Bakehouse has not disappointed! The 7-grain is an a-maz-ing bread, and especially great for sandwiches. It's super moist, fluffy, and really tasty. I will be buying again and again. We've gotten out of the daily sandwich for lunch habit, but on our weekly homeschool group day an easy packed lunch with a sandwich is a must. 

The Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia has satisfied my craving for restaurant-style dipping bread with oil and vinegar. It's fantastic warmed up and pulled apart to dip, which is how we enjoyed it. I love having this bread option for having guests over, especially when eating gluten-free can typically be so limiting. 

Mmmmmm, Cinnamon Raisin. Toasted and slathered with grass-fed butter of course! Seriously, I was shocked by the normal texture on all these breads. Shocked!

The Cranberry Crunch Muffins are an awesome option for breakfast or snack. The outside texture was a bit weird to be honest, but the inside is pretty moist and fluffy as they should be. I love the crunch from the millet, poppy and sunflower seeds in these, and the extra tangy sweetness from the occasional cranberry. We enjoyed these for breakfast, and hope to see more flavors come out in the future.

 

I'm not a rye bread person but Canyon Bakehouse makes a mean Deli Style Rye. I went back for seconds with a load of butter, really. Although I tried to get around to making burgers, it just didn't happen in the time I've had these buns. So, look out for a peak of gluten-free burger deliciousness on my Instagram coming soon.

 

Really, none of these breads or the muffins tasted like they were gluten-free. No one would ever know they were different than their gluten-filled rivals. I've been around gluten-free replica foods long enough to know a good brand when I find one. Canyon Bakehouse has not only nailed the texture and flavor, but also the clean ingredients too. Two thumbs up for Canyon Bakehouse.

Win It!

TWO winners will receive the same Canyon Bakehouse goodies I reviewed!

Thomas & Friends®: Trouble on the Tracks {DVD Giveaway Ends 4/11}

Thomas & Friends®: Trouble on the Tracks is arriving on April 8th with five never-before-seen adventures for your Thomas & Friends fans! This new program will be available exclusively at Walmart on DVD, and also on Digital HD and Video On Demand from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment.

And the fun just keeps on coming! Here's another Thomas DVD with brand new adventures with Thomas and his engine friends. The Island of Sodor is buzzing with excitement once again! Buddy's always ecstatic when a new Thomas DVD comes, this one included. Another must-have for your little Thomas fan!

I received a Thomas & Friends®: Trouble on the Tracks DVD for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own.

SYNOPSIS
Cinders and ashes…there's trouble on the tracks for Thomas and his friends! The Troublesome Trucks delight in causing chaos for Thomas, as Annie, Clarabel and Toad encounter unexpected high-speed adventures. Oily Diesel gives Paxton a fright, while Salty's spooky story has the engines running scared. All Aboard for fun and exciting escapades with Thomas & Friends!

Episodes
· “Thomas the Quarry Engine”
· “Not So Slow Coaches”
· “Flatbeds of Fear”
· “Disappearing Diesels”
· “Toad’s Adventure”

DVD Bonus Features
· The Earl's Quiz
· Guess Who? Puzzles

Thomas & Friends®: Trouble on the Tracks will be available on DVD with an SRP of $14.98.

 

Win It!

One winner will receive a Thomas & Friends®: Trouble on the Tracks DVD courtesy of Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment!

Insulating and Refractory Materials for Your Business Needs

Disclosure: This is a guest article.

Insulation materials are only as good as the raw materials and production process that went into making them. In many cases, the name that goes on the materials has a track record and service history of producing a certain type of product as its core business. When customers hear that name, they recognize it for its innate sense of high quality and learn to depend on that name to deliver just what they need for the job at hand.

The insulation materials business is just like that.

What Goes Into the Product Make a Whole Lot of Difference

Selecting manufacturers who use high grade raw materials may lead to more expensive material costs, but the costs are justified by the overall dependability of the project. Raw materials, additives and the overall condition and shaper of the finished product must all come together to form a singular insulated product.

Not All Insulating Materials are Created Equal

Depending on the process utilized to create and form these insulating products and materials, some materials can withstand extreme weather conditions better than others. Other insulating materials are a better fit for high pressure environments, especially extreme water pressure. The job or project determines which insulating materials would work best to get the job done.

Sustainable Energy with Effective Refractory Materials

Biomass energy is an energy source that has been human usage for years, but it has only been over the last two decades that this energy source has been seen as a “renewable energy source.” Given its origins with plant life and natural vegetation habitats, biomass energy comes in a close second to hydropower when it comes to sustainable energy sources. Developing effective refractory materials can assist in the sustainability of biomass energy sources. Amassing and safely storing large quantities of such energy sources like plants and other fossil fuels will require refractory materials that can withstand the fluctuations in temperature that come with such mass quantities of energy. Therefore, the refractory materials selected for transferring such energy must pass muster and serve as effective tools for ensuring that the job gets done and done right.

People can search and find refractory materials here and there, but some of the best refractory material options will be with companies like Oxidizer. Oxidizer takes care to not only build a quality insulating product but to also stand behind its quality as well.

 

Help Pediped Reach 50K Likes Before Easter!

In honor of spring time and a robin's hunt for eggs, Pediped is going hunting for Facebook likes! They're getting close to 50K likes and have set a goal to reach it before Easter. 

Their new Facebook campaign will unlock a special prize at each milestone along the way to 50K. The first prize (a giveaway!) will unlock at 47K likes! 

Pediped kid shoes are awesome, so we better boost their fan base PRONTO so we can all get a chance to win a special prize!

Hop over to Pediped's Facebook page and give them a "like"!

I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

 

Photography comes to heal the pain caused by distance, time and death

Disclosure: This is a guest post submitted by Kira B.

This beautiful picture that now hangs on that white wall in the living room was taken by an old New York photographer. Two sisters having the best time of their lives are in the picture, with the Statue of Liberty in the background. That photograph portrays not only siblings traveling. There is a lot more. It was the last time these two sisters traveled together. One of them was about to stay in the huge city, the other one was about to leave for her hometown. Now, that photograph is not only a piece of hard paper. It is an incredible memory that has the power to transform the pain into warm.

Looking at a picture, where you are so happy being next to your loved ones, feels like drinking a hot tea that you simply adore. Especially when you’re alone and you look at that photograph just like when you’re cold, all you need is some hot black tea with lime. You look at it and you start thinking about how lucky you are to have these people in your life. Many times people who are far away from their families and friends, find relief in pictures, videos that bring them all the beautiful memories.

The photograph of you and someone who you care about but is far away, sometimes, is everything you need. We all know how hard is to be alone and to feel down. All you get to have is memories, you start breathing with them. That’s how photography helps us, giving us the chance to relive specific moments again, when we need it the most.

Photography comes to heal the pain caused by distance, time and death. Even in movies you can see super heroes traveling to different planets and taking pictures of their loves with them. It is important for those movie heroes, it is important for us to hold on to precious photographs.

There is a special emotion deep inside every photograph that includes families, relatives, friends, people who just care about each other. They have no idea that the way they hold their hands, the way they smile and look at each other, screams with emotions. You can see kindness, love, sadness and so many other feelings in one photograph that brings a separated family together.

When one sister flies over the ocean, the other one starts opening photo albums, computer fields and media libraries on the phone. That’s how she gets to not only remember the best moments of them being together, but also to review them.

Umi Childrens Shoes :: Ready for Warm Weather {Giveaway - Ends 4/6}

 I received complimentary product for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own.

Every summer Buddy practically lives in sandals. With California heat combined with my hot-body little boy, close-toed shoes are simply off limits for about four months. At the same time, Buddy doesn't walk well in thong-style flip flops, and quite frankly, they aren't that great for growing feet anyway. With the arrival of spring, it's time to check out this season's new styles from Umi.

This is the Reece II sandal. Perfect for every day of warm weather, a special day out on the beach, or your family's camping trip in the mountains, this style is a must-have this spring and into summer.

The Reece II features a thick, grippy sole, textured footbed, and water friendly materials for every summer activity. This is the Choco Multi color which boasts a bright orange, a couple brown tones, and a bit of black too.

The orange footbed appears to be made of EVA, or perhaps some other type of water friendly foam material. The raised texture helps with airflow and also grip if wet or a bit sweaty. The lining of this style is made of black neoprene, which is soft and aids in overall comfort.

With a three-point closure system, the Reece II can be adjusted to fit your child's foot just right. It's also great for quickly taking them off quickly, or for a thorough cleaning after playing through the mud.

The hook and loop (velcro) extends over the entire length of each strap closure. Velcro can often wear out before the rest of a sandal so I'm always glad to see that details aren't skipped with Umi.

Despite printing the size chart provided by Umi on their website, the size 34 we ordered are still about a whole size too large for Buddy. Because of this it's hard to say exactly how comfortable these sandals are if they were the correct size, but I have no doubt they will be great in just a few months. At this point I can't adjust them any smaller. 

Buddy has noted that the textured orange footbed is not his favorite, but I have to think that with normal wear the footbed will soften and it's just a feature he's never experienced before. 

I think the Reece II is a smart design for busy summer activities. It's a very sturdy sandal and with the high quality of Umi, I would expect them to last all summer. I just wish they were Buddy's size to wear now!

Camping in the wilderness or making sand castles, these water-friendly sandals can keep the pace with even warm weather activities.

Durable outsoles

Waterfriendly materials

Manmade uppers with neoprene and microfiber linings

Three adjustable hook-and-loop straps

- See more at: http://www.umishoes.com/shop/style/36412A-207.html#sthash.ohcf1rya.dpuf

The Reece II is available for $55 in three fun color combinations to suit your son's individual style. Order now at UmiShoes.com or find a location near you!

 

Win It!

One winner will receive a $60 gift card for a pair of Umi Childrens Shoes!