Love It – Scrub Daddy
I got a Scrub Daddy for Christmas. It has been a big help when washing dishes. When I first got it I wasn’t sure how well it would work, but I love it.
It feels pretty hard when you first take it out of the box. As soon as you run a little warm water over it the Scrub Daddy becomes more pliable. It works awesome on our smoothie cups because it gets all the way down in the cups and around the edges really well. While it is soft like a sponge in warm water it is firm when you use it in cool water.
It is safe to use on wood, plastic, stainless steel, non-stick coatings, glass, counter tops and more! The Scrub Daddy works great on spoons, spatulas, straws, and more kitchen items. The kids think it’s neat because it has a smiley face! It has been nice having around when it is time to wash the dishes! You can pick up a Scrub Daddy at a local store or on Amazon!
“Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love! There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun. I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list. It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!
Love It – Elenco Snap Circuit Set
Building with the Snap Circuit set
The girls have enjoyed their Elenco Snap Circuit set. They can build a variety of projects with it. The set they have allows them to do over 300 different variations. They received the Elenco Snap Circuits SC-300 Physics Kit and it has been a huge hit with them!
Karlie has spent a lot of time working through the various projects. One of her favorite tasks that she did at the beginning was building a working radio. She was very excited to be able to tune into a real local radio station and hear it over her newly built radio. Love seeing them building items and learning how to put together various projects on their own!
Working on a different project!
Close up of one of the Snap Circuit items she put together! If you have a child who loves to build, create, and/or a budding engineer who loves to explore a variety of technology items this is a wonderful educational toy they will love! Also, you can by additional kits to add onto the sets to expand the number of projects you can do.
You can learn more about Elenco’s Snap Circuit Toys or read reviews by going to the Elenco Snap Circuit website or on Amazon. There are several different Snap Circuits you may enjoy trying, here are just a couple that they carry:
“Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love! There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun. I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list. It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!
Love It – Ozobot Robot
Ozobot running through its course!
One of the gifts the girls got for Christmas was an Ozobot. It has been really neat seeing them learn more about robotics and create more maps for it to explore. The Ozobot is very tiny and comes with a couple maps.
You can create any number of additional maps for the Ozobot – all you need is a piece of paper and some markers. The kids have really enjoyed doing different maps for the Ozobot. One of the best ways to create new maps is to get a large piece of drawing paper from an easel and have the kids continue to add various paths to it until it is full of fun routes and activities for the Ozobot to go on.
We got the Ozobot from a deal site, but you can also find it on Amazon as well. The Ozobot helps the kids learn more about programming and coding while having fun! If you know of a kid (or an adult!) who enjoys robotics, computers, and/or engineering you may want to check it out!
We made a list with all four of our names – we ask the Ozobot after dinner who should clean up the table! He will pick someone at random…interesting way to decide who gets chosen for the task! Ha! Dad was the lucky winner this time around!
Karlie mesmerized by Ozo!
Learning how to program it and make new maps for it.
Brina designed a new map for Ozo to run on.
Really neat robot! Love that you can create new maps!
Ozobot picking the next lucky winner! Who gets to choose the next game for the family to play?!
You can learn more about the Ozobot and read some of the reviews on the Ozobot website or on Amazon.
“Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love! There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun. I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list. It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!
Love It – Village Naturals Foaming Bath
Jake and the girls gave me Village Naturals Therapy Foaming Bath Oil & Body Wash, Aches & Pains Relief with Eucalyptus, Rosehips, and Chamomile earlier this year for Mother’s Day. I love it! 🙂 I never thought I would get so excited over bath items, ha! It wasn’t long before the girls were begging to try it out.
Village Naturals Therapy Foaming Bath Oil & Body Wash gives you a lot of great long lasting bubbles. The girls are always asking to use this whenever they have a “long” bath because they love all the bubbles. One time they stayed in the bathtub for over an hour splashing around.
Our family has had a round or two of sickness since I received it. The Village Naturals Therapy Foaming Bath Oil & Body Wash works really well for when you have a cold and are congested. You can find it in a lot of stores, including Walmart, or online. The best part it is only a few dollars and it lasts a long time. You only need a couple drops to get a bath full of bubbles.
Even though the girls and I have used this many times we are still on our original bottle. If your looking for a great bubble bath or body wash that will be a big hit with the lady (or kids) in your life you should check this out. It is a great way to relax after a busy day!
“Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love! There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun. I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list. It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!
Love It – You Version (Free Bible App)
A friend of mine shared this free app with me back in September. While in a conversation with a group of friends we started discussing how much time we actually spend reading and/or listening to Scriptures. We decided as a group to encourage each other to read through the Bible completely.
Each of person has chosen various plans, versions, etc…. Since I didn’t start this until the middle of September I decided to do the whole Bible in 90 days so I can listen to the entire Bible before the end of the 2012 calendar year. Here’s the 90 Day Plan I chose.
At the beginning of the New Year I plan to switch to another plan. I have a few that I am excited about doing but haven’t completely decided which one yet. Even though I have grown up in a godly family and church and probably have read all the Bible verses at various times I honestly cannot say that I have not faithfully followed a “read / listen the whole bible plan” until this one (I know it is really sad and embarrassing to admit).
I have been thinking and praying a lot about my life, parenting, etc…. if my heart isn’t right and I am not gaining wisdom from the best source available how am I suppose to raise children who love God? How can I make an eternal positive impact on the lives around me if I am living life in the flesh or doing what “I” think is best?
So after gathering with a few friends (for accountability) who want to do the same thing we started using this awesome free app. I LOVE that I can listen to Bible with this app. Everyone learns a different way. I have found that if I get up earlier and listen to it while I walk on the treadmill I actually retain more. The girls have come down a few times and heard me listening to it as well and have asked to listen to the last half with me while they eat breakfast for school. It warms my heart to see them eager to hear the Bible.
When I miss a day I have it set to remind me which helps me stay on track. I find the weekends harder to keep up with it since our schedule is always different so I listen to more chapters on Mondays to catch up. Doing the 90 day plan has a lot more reading / listening then some of the other plans but it has been wonderful, insightful, and encouraging listening to it.
There are 100’s of plans to chose from (whole bible plans, topical plans, devotional, and more). I chose to do the whole bible because I have never done it before. You can read it, listen to it on your phone, or on your computer. I typically listen to it on my phone (if I do it on the computer I tend to get too distracted) where I can take my phone downstairs where it is quiet and listen without interruptions or distractions.
I am so EXCITED to say that I have actually stuck with this plan! Tomorrow is my last day – Day 90!!!!! YAY!!!! I am already looking forward to narrowing down the next plan that I want to go through.
While I did listen to the Whole Bible in the past 90 days I still have A LOT to learn! There were days that I didn’t listen very well or got distracted. I am so thrilled to finally find an app that works really well for me that I want to share it with you. Since starting I have shared this app with many family and friends too. Jake is working through one as well.
I hope as we quickly approach Christmas Day and the New Year that you would consider challenging yourself to read or listen to the Bible, whether it is with this app or another. We have so much that we can gleam from the Scriptures that can help encourage us throughout our days as well as point us to the One who truly has all the answers!
Download The Bible App Now
Love It – Cuisinart CPB-300 Compact Portable Blender & Chopper
My husband bought me a Cuisinart Blender a little over a year ago and I LOVE it! He got me a Cuisinart CPB-300 SmartPower 15-Piece Compact Portable Blending/Chopping System and it has been a huge hit with the whole family. The best part is it is compact and comes with four 16 ounce single smoothie cups as well as a bigger blender. I will often whip up a quick smoothie for myself for breakfast or a snack as I am walking out the door.
I have used this blender A LOT and it has held up very well (its still in great condition). Before this one I went through 2 KitchenAid Blenders which were much bigger and I didn’t use them nearly as often because it was harder to clean. I cannot say enough good things about this blender.
I have made a lot of different recipes with this Cuisinart. The fruit smoothies are my favorite! I have enjoyed experimenting with smoothies and have discovered how easy it is to make smoothies at home.
The girls will often request a smoothie for a special treat or snack too (so I am not the only one who loves the Cuisinart Blender). I have included some of our favorites smoothie recipes.
Smoothie Recipes
- Green Spinach Smoothie
- Hot Pink Smoothie
- Special Strawberry Smoothie
- Quick Orange Julius Smoothie
- Mixed Fruit Smoothie
- Sweetheart Strawberry Smoothie
- Quick Breakfast Smoothie
Product Specifics
• Sleek electronic touchpad with LED indicator lights
• Powerful 350-watt motor
• High, Low and Pulse controls
• Standby mode; safety interlock and auto stop features
• BS housing with stainless steel front pane
• BPA-free Tritan 32-oz. blender jar, 8-oz. chopping cup, and set of four 16-oz. travel cups
• Patented ultra-sharp stainless steel blades
• Two interchangeable blade assemblies: blending blade and chopping blade
• Recipe Book
• Dishwasher safe
• Limited 3-year warranty
Are you ready for a smoothie?
“Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love! There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun. I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list. It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!
Love It – BluApple
I am very excited to share with you a little item that has saved me a lot of time, energy, and money over the past year while helping our family eat healthier! I have been asked many times how I can purchase marked down fresh vegetables and fruits without them going bad within a day or two…..well, I am going to share my little “secret” with all of you. If you love to eat fresh fruit and vegetables, but wish they would stay fresh longer I have stumbled upon something that will really brighten your day! 🙂
When I got the BluApples I was a little skeptical, to say the least. How can these little blue apples really help extend the life of my fresh fruits and vegetables?! Do they really work? Is it worth the cost? And many more similar questions.
I waited for a few weeks and found an amazing deal on these little BluApples. I was able to get these free (only had to pay $3 shipping). Unfortunately, I haven’t seen that deal again otherwise I would stock up on some for my family and friends. Either way these little apples have more than paid for themselves MANY TIMES OVER!
Our family loves to garden, buy fresh fruits and vegetables, however, when our fridge is full of produce sometimes fruits and vegetables would go bad before we had a chance to eat everything. The BluApples extend the life of our fruits and vegetables (even ones that I buy which are already on the “edge”) for weeks! These BluApples really do preserve the produce and help the items last much longer!
I used to clean out my fruit and vegetable drawers out about once a week. Now I do it once a month and sometimes longer because the items in the drawer are staying fresh. Enough of my raving, here are some more facts about this neat apple:
- 2 Bluapples – Last for 3 Months Each – Additional Absorber Refills Available Separately (Our BluApples lasted longer than 3 months, typically lasted 5 to 7 months)
- Prolongs freshness and storage life of fruits & vegetables
- Made In USA
- Put in refrigerator crisper drawers
- Place in the fruit bowl on the counter or anywhere you keep fruit
- Pays for itself dozens of times over in the the first year alone
- Extend storage life of your produce (up to 3 times longer)
- Average household can save up to $600 per year
How Do The BluApples Work?
- Ethylene gas is given off naturally by fruits and vegetables as a signaling mechanism in order to coordinate uniform ripening. However, once concentrated in your refrigerator or other storage areas, the presence of ethylene gas continues to speed up ripening and hasten spoilage.
- The BluApple is designed to provide effective ethylene gas absorption for three months in a typical home refrigerator produce bin or storage container.
- The active ingredient does not “wear out”, but continues to absorb ethylene until it has reached its capacity.
This would be a wonderful gift for any cook in your family. It really does WORK (and BluApple is not paying me to say it either). Your Mom, wife, sister, friend will probably come back to you in a couple months thanking you again for this gift. Hey, they even make you a special meal out of some the fresh produce just to say thanks!
You can pick up the BluApple Ethlylene Gas Absorbers – Starter Pack of 2 – Refrigerator Fruit & Vegetable Preserver on Amazon for around $9.95 with two packs of or many major retailers. If you have a Swagbuck Amazon Gift Cards you can even get this it for free! You’ll love it!
“Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love! There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun. I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list. It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!
Love It – Purple Heart Necklace
My Purple Heart Necklace, beautiful reminder of the blessings in my life! Thanks Handsome! My husband has known for years the impact the Little Purple Flower had on my life. We were dating at the time the incident occurred and he was delighted to see God use such a beautiful reminder to encourage me. Since that time Jake has on numerous occasions surprised me with a gift that had a purple flower or something similar on it as a reminder of how much He loves me. The gift is also a visual reminder that God daily gives me the many blessings I have in my life.
On Valentine’s Day my husband and I celebrated together at Winter Jam 2011. When I got up to go to the restroom before the concert started I came back to a small package on my chair. He gave me a beautiful purple heart necklace (totally surprised me) as a way to remind me of His love and the many blessings in our lives as a couple. I had no idea that he was even saving his money to get me such a sweet surprise.
He had been looking for the perfect necklace for awhile until he found the purple heart which he thought it would be a perfect fit for me. For those of you who know me personally I am not a glamour and glittery type of person. I grew up with three brothers on a farm and was more of a tomboy than a princess. I can count on one hand the pieces of jewelry I wear regularly. Every single piece I wear daily Jake picked out on his own for me (most of them were surprises too). I wear my watch, engagement & wedding rings, and my heart necklace he gave me for our 7th anniversary every day. The only other time I wear different or more jewelry is for a special event or Date Night when I an extra necklace, ring, or bracelet. So needless to say I was shocked to receive a necklace on Valentine’s Day and my heart about burst with love for him when I realized it was a purple heart meant to remind me of the little purple flowers in my life.
I am surrounded by many blessings in my life. Some days I have to look harder to find those blessings but they exist no matter how big or small. I am thankful for a God who extends love and grace to me every day. A husband whom I adore and kids that bring so much joy and laughter into my life. The best part is they all love me despite my imperfections and crazy days. Thank you babe for reminding me of the MANY blessing in my life. I am thankful for the amazing gifts God has given me!
“Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love! There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun. I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list. It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!
