Be Prepared & Avoid The Oops! Walmart & SheSpeaks #AvoidtheOops
Have you ever been in the middle of hosting an event at your house and realized you are out of napkins? Gone to brush your teeth only to discover you are out of toothpaste? Went to start the laundry only to find out that you are out of laundry soap? All of these are possible scenarios and can be quite frustrating. I speak from experience! It is not cool to run out of essential items when you really need them!
At the time it is not funny when you realize you need something and do not have it on hand. It can be a big inconvenience because you may have to stop what you are doing and go to the store to pick up the missing product. You may need to be creative with your available resources because you cannot pick up the missing item (using cloth napkins while your guests are still visiting or napkins). Whatever the resolution in those crazy times it simply would have been easier to just have the item already at the house!
No one likes that sinking feeling when you reach for something only to realize it’s all gone. Avoid those oops moments by stocking up at Walmart.
One of the best ways to “avoid the oops” and running out of staple items is to keep a stock of essentials from Protector & Gamble. Whether it is an impromptu summer event, gathering, or last minute outing. It is always great to keep the daily or regularly used items on your list and small stockpile (one or two spares). The best way that we have helped to “avoid the oops” in our household is to create and use a system.
First, we try to keep at least 1 extra of the essential items that we use regularly in our house. Whenever, any member uses or opens up the last of an item they automatically add it to our shopping list. It doesn’t matter if I use the last item, my husband or kids, everyone has the freedom to update the list. It helps us keep what we need in stock. Until recently I would pick up any items on our shopping list around town, however, using WalMart’s “avoid the oops” program would save me the time and energy of running errands. Plus, I get the opportunity to order great products and have them delivered directly to our house (extra bonus)!
Save Time and Money:
Who doesn’t want to have a little extra time at the end of the day or extra money left in the budget at the end of the month! Some weeks it takes everything you have to balance schedules and all the activities (school, work, family, extra curricular, and more). If you could have something already in place that would allow you to quickly and easily order quality staple products online for a reasonable price and have them delivered to your home it may reduce some of the unnecessary stress in your already busy schedule. Most shoppers don’t realize they have the option of shopping for the same great household essentials at Walmart’s everyday low prices on Walmart. And by doing so, they’ll also save time so they can enjoy more of that summer sunshine.
Share Your “Oops” Moment:
Have you ever had an “oops” moment? Please share! We are all human and have had those moments at various times throughout our lives. We can laugh or cry together about them!
I was thrilled to hear that SheSpeaks teamed up with Walmart to showcase their “Avoid the Oops” program. Practical products are awesome! I love it when my house is stocked with the basic necessities and the house looks as well as smells fresh! Thank you Walmart and SheSpeaks for helping me tackle my shopping list and clean my house! It is always great to find products that are useful and easy to get.
AMAZING Household, Cleaning, and Health & Beauty Items from Walmart that we Received:
- 2 – Pampers Baby Fresh Baby Wipe Tubs (72 count each)
- 6 – Bounty Basic Big Roll Paper Towels (95 sheets per roll)
- 9 – Charmin Basic Toilet Paper Bulk Rolls (319 sheets per roll)
- 1 Box – Gain Powder Laundry Detergent Original
- 1 Pack – Gillette Simply Venus Disposable Razors (4 count)
- 3 – Crest Cavity Protection Toothpaste 6.4 oz each
- 10 – Ivory Original Soap Bars
- 2 – Mr. Clean Magic Kitchen Scrubbers
- 4 – Puffs Ultra Soft Strong Non-Lotion Boxes of Facial Tissues (56 sheets per box)
- 4 – Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Original
- 2 – Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Extra Power House Cleaning Pads
- 1 – Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Original Scent
- 1 – Mr. Clean Hawaiian Aloha Multi-Purpose Liquid Cleaner (40 fl oz)
- Sample goodies to try too!!!!
I received ALL these products shipped directly to my house for under $60! They were super easy to order online at Walmart and arrived quickly. It was a big time savings for our family! Head on over and try out avoid the oops today so you will be stocked up on your products for tomorrow!
You can shop in all of the following categories: Kitchen, Laundry, Cleaning, Health & Beauty, Baby, Bathroom and More!!!
Additional Information Can be Found About This AWESOME Program at:
As a member of the SheSpeaks Blogger Society, I was given samples of these products and program to write an informed review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own. A special thanks to SheSpeaks and Walmart for providing the products to review.
Living on a Budget: Creative Cash (October Update)
October was a super busy month with me being gone for part of the month and out of commission with neck and back issues for several weeks. Thankful for my husband who pitched extra hours to take care of the kids while I was out helping my family in Kansas and out of commission health wise. It is nice to be back home and with Jake and the girls once again. Now that October is behind us it is time to give you an update on my Creative Cash and our special highlight.
What is Creative Cash? My definition of Creative Cash means finding a variety of ways to make extra cash each month to put towards my family’s current financial goal as well as having a little extra to share with others.
Why do it? I am working part time, a stay at home Mom, and wear many other hats from day to day, however, I feel that it is not only important to save money for my family by using coupons and buying items on sale, but to earn a little money to help with the family finances and to share with others. The extra amount I bring in on top of work is what I call “Creative Cash” and it is made by finding ways to make money creatively or with items and talents I have already. As I continue to challenge myself to make my life more simplified as well as find ways to bless others I have made it my goal to remain accountable for the Creative Cash I bring in month to month. My family has faced many obstacles over the years, however, we are blessed and have a multitude of reasons to be grateful.
How it Works: The creative cash will be made throughout the entire calendar month through various endeavors. As Creative Cash arrives the money, gift cards, and other extras are entered into my Creative Cash worksheet. The cash, gift cards, and other items are stored in a specific Creative Cash folder or marked in the account as Creative Cash. At the end of the month the money will be split with part of it going towards the current financial goal my family is working on and the other part will be donated to someone or a group of people such as a charity. It is important for me to find ways to be a blessing to people outside of our immediate family. In order to keep me accountable I will be reporting my monthly total and who I will be sharing the Creative Cash with that month. If it is a specific family or cause I may or may not be able to give all the details due to the amount of privacy they may want, but I promise share any details I can.
Monthly Goal: It is my goal to make at least $100 extra Creative Cash a month to help with my family goals as well as share with others.
Despite being gone and not feeling well the month October was still a wonderful month. I was able to accumulate more than anticipated during the time I was at home! I will share with you the ways I did it so if you are looking for ways to make a little extra creative cash for your family hopefully it will be an inspiration in getting your creative juices flowing:
- $100.00 – 20|20 Research for doing a Panel Discussion
- $24.32 – Credit Card Bonus Rewards (if you are looking to earn interest both on your savings and checking accounts as well as rewards I recommend checking out Capital One 360)
- $5.00 – Amazon Gift Card earned through Swagbucks
- $5.00 – Survey Cash
- $15.00 – Walmart Gift Card from SheSpeaks
October Creative Cash Total: $149.32
Our October Creative Cash Highlight: Our Creative Cash Highlight this month will be Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child!
Every year during this time we try to set aside money and special items to put together some Operation Christmas Child boxes. The boxes need to be ready by mid-November so October is the perfect month to focus on this ministry. Our whole family looks forward to doing this every year. We feel that it is important to share what we have been given with others and Operation Christmas Child is a great ministry. The kids get really excited about picking out special treats and goodies to go into their boxes. We pray specifically for the kids who will be receiving our boxes. We want to make sure that our boxes are filled with items that are perfect for each child and a blessing to those that receive them. There is so much joy in giving and sharing with others. In October I was able to earn extra creative cash along with some gift cards that will come in very handy when purchasing items for Operation Christmas Child. Your family can get involved too, check out the Samaritan’s Purse website for more information about Operation Christmas Child!
Current Family Goal: We are currently working to stay within our written budget and pay down debt! We recently had to purchase a new microwave and refrigerator. Plus, we had some additional expenses and emergencies that have caused us to have a little extra debt that we would like to get paid off!
- $24.32 Credit Card Bonus was applied towards a debt on a credit card.
- Any remaining money that is not going to our Creative Cash Highlight that’s listed above will be applied towards paying down additional debt!
It was exciting to go past the $100 goal!!! I know this will help us get a little closer to our goals as well as helps others along the way! A hundred dollars extra a month may not seem like a lot to some people, but every little bit helps! If I find that I am going over my goal every month (which would be awesome) I will make an adjustment. I have plan of action on ways to earn creative cash next month so stayed tuned, hopefully, it will be another great month of sharing. Each month I will do a variety activities to accomplish this goal, the items above are just the ones I did specifically this month. I look forward to sharing more of the things that work well for our family as I do them in the upcoming months.
I will share with you the challenges, successes, and updates as I go through this journey so you can keep me accountable or even go through it with me by participating and sharing your story. Taking the extra time to find ways to help my family as well as invest in the lives of others is important to me. I hope that I have been able to encourage you to find ways to come up with some creative cash for your household as well. Obviously, each situation and family is unique so decide what works for you and go for it! If you know of another way to earn creative cash I would love to hear it! Feel free to comment on how you earned creative cash this month or post a picture or link to what you did!
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff! We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, wear clothes we find at garage sales, etc…however, if our family is taken care of and has love in our hearts for others we have more than all the riches in the world.
Celebrate with Febreze Home for the Holidays Collection #FebrezeHoliday
The Holiday Season will be here before we know it! Already the stores are stocking their shelves full of Holiday items. Recently, we received this cute Febreze Home for the Holidays Collection box in the mail from Febreze, Walmart, and SheSpeaks! The kids were thrilled to see the Holiday House and I was excited about getting all the amazing Holiday Febreze scents and goodies!
Have ever used Febreze to add an extra festive touch or to enhance the decor in your home? Febreze truly eliminates odors so your guests will only notice the fresh holiday scents when in your home. If you haven’t tried any of the Febreze Home for the Holidays Collection you should get some soon to help you get into the holiday spirit! The scents and the designs on the packaging helped inspire the ideas in the scentspiration box!
One of my favorite parts about the Holidays all the amazing smells! A wonderful way to ramp up for the Holidays is by using Febreze’s holiday scents including Frosted Pine, Apple Tart, Toasted Almond, Vanilla Latte, and Sugared Cranberry. Do you like having a different holiday scent for each room or one for the entire house? Febreze’s Home for the Holidays Collection is a great way to get your home ready for the holiday season!
We received the Frosted Pine, Apple Tart, and Vanilla Latte NOTICEables NOTABLES scents! My favorite is the Apple Tart!
Our Home for the Holidays house came complete with scents and a scentspiration box full of amazing recipes, activities, and home decor!
Febreze Home for the Holidays Recipe – Cocoa-Dusted Almonds
What you need: 1 pound raw almonds, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 8 packets sugar-free sweetner, and a pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Melt the coconut oil to a liquid, and then pour it over the almonds in a large bowl. Make sure each almond is covered.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch, cocoa powder, sugar-free sweetener, and salt.
3. Pour the dry ingredients onto the almonds. Toss the almonds in the mixture until they are well coated.
4. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 250 degrees for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let them completely cool then ENJOY!
These were DELICIOUS! The Cocoa-Dusted Almonds would make a great item to take to the neighbors for the Holidays or to have at a Holiday Party! Our family enjoyed these toasted almonds this past weekend. This recipe is easy to make and tastes awesome! Have you ever made toasted almonds, if so what’s your favorite recipe?
Febreze Home for the Holidays Activities – Coffee Scrub
What you need: 1/ cup ground coffee, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup melted coconut oil, 1/2 tablespoon nutmeg, 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon, and 3 to 4 drops of vanilla extract.
Directions:
1. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Use a fork to mix in the oil and vanilla.
3. Spoon into a small mason jar or other airtight container.
Loved the refreshing coffee smell of the scrub! The Coffee Scrub would make a great gift for a coffee enthusiast this Holiday Season!
What is your favorite coffee flavor and when is the last time you made a cup of it at home? I really loved the refreshing coffee smell of the scrub! The Coffee Scrub would make a great gift for a coffee enthusiast this Holiday Season! What unique addition would you add to this scentspiration activity?
What are some fun Holiday activities or recipes you use to get you ready for the Holiday Season? I would love to see any pictures of the scentspiration activities you tried at your house.
More information about Febreze:
- Like Febreze’s Facebook Page
- Follow Febreze’s Twitter Feed
- Pick up your favorite Febreze Fall Home Harvest Scent at your local Walmart
A special thanks to SheSpeaks, Febreze, and Walmart for sponsoring this post! Any specific product information was provided by Febreze, Walmart, and SheSpeaks, however, the opinions expressed in this post are our own. We received a complimentary products for sharing information and our family’s experience.
Living on a Budget: Creative Cash (September Update)
It’s been awhile since I have shared the Creative Cash report with everyone, but I made it happen this month! Honestly, I have not been as consistent these last couple months in finding creative ways to earn a little extra cash. It’s been busy, but that really isn’t a good excuse. It was brought to my attention recently that when I make a point to share this information with you it:
- Helps keep me accountable
- Gives me extra motivation to be creative
- Keeps me on track
- Reminds me of the goals we are trying to accomplish as a family
- Refreshes my memory on the importance of sharing with others
When you have the ability to share a piece of what you earn with others not only are you blessing their lives it makes your life richer and fuller too! I have made a few adjustments regarding my Creative Cash goals, but otherwise it is pretty similar to the report that I have shared with you in the past.
What is Creative Cash? My definition of Creative Cash means finding a variety of ways to make extra cash each month to put towards my family’s current financial goal as well as having a little extra to share with others.
Why do it? I am working part time, a stay at home Mom, and wear many other hats from day to day, however, I feel that it is not only important to save money for my family by using coupons and buying items on sale, but to earn a little money to help with the family finances and to share with others. The extra amount I bring in on top of work is what I call “Creative Cash” and it is made by finding ways to make money creatively or with items and talents I have already. As I continue to challenge myself to make my life more simplified as well as find ways to bless others I have made it my goal to remain accountable for the Creative Cash I bring in month to month. My family has faced many obstacles over the years, however, we are blessed and have a multitude of reasons to be grateful.
Explanation: The creative cash will be made throughout the entire calendar month through various endeavors. As Creative Cash arrives the money, gift cards, and other extras are entered into my Creative Cash worksheet. The cash, gift cards, and other items are stored in a specific Creative Cash folder or marked in the account as Creative Cash. At the end of the month the money will be split with part of it going towards the current financial goal my family is working on and the other part will be donated to someone or a group of people such as a charity. It is important for me to find ways to be a blessing to people outside of our immediate family.
In the past the donated amount has only gone to charity and was always 50% of whatever Creative Cash was made that month. After much thought and prayer I decided to change this part of my goal. I don’t want to limit myself to giving only 50% or only giving it to charity. There may be some months I feel led to give more than 50% and it may be to a specific cause, purpose, family, or charity. In order to keep me accountable I will be reporting my monthly total and who I will be sharing the Creative Cash with that month. If it is a specific family or cause I may or may not be able to give all the details due to the amount of privacy they may want, but I promise share any details I can.
Monthly Goal: It is my goal to make at least $100 extra Creative Cash a month to help with my family goals as well as share with others.
September was a wonderful month and I was able to accumulate more than anticipated! I will share with you the ways I did it so if you are looking for ways to make a little extra creative cash for your family hopefully it will be an inspiration in getting your creative juices flowing:
- $50.00 – Credit Card Bonus Rewards (if you are looking to earn interest both on your savings and checking accounts as well as rewards I recommend checking out Capital One 360)
- $116.68 – Google Ads payment
- $50.00 – Writing a review for a company
- $15.00 – Walmart Gift Card from SheSpeaks for sharing about the Febreze Fall Home Harvest Collection
September Creative Cash Total: $231.68
Current Family Goal: We are currently working to stay within our written budget and pay down debt (yes, exciting I know)! A couple months ago both our microwave and fridge bit the dust. Plus, we had some additional expenses and emergencies that have caused us to have a little extra debt that we would like to get paid off!
- $15 Walmart Gift Card is not cash nor could we pay down debt with it so we used it towards the vehicle maintenance budget. It was used to purchase oil change supplies for my car which came in handy this month after many miles of driving this summer. Thankful for a husband who can service the vehicles!
- $50 credit card bonus was put towards a debt we currently have on our credit card.
- Any remaining money that is not going to our Creative Cash Blessing Highlight that’s listed below will be applied towards paying down debt!
September Creative Cash Highlight: Our extra Creative Cash this month will be going to a very sweet family who is in the process of adopting a beautiful little girl named Annalise. We have known this family for many years and we are blessed to call these amazing people friends. As you may already know adoption can be a very long and expensive process. You can read more about their adoption story or give as they go through this awesome journey!
It was exciting to surge past the $100 goal!!! I know this will help us get a little closer to our goals as well as helps others along the way! A hundred dollars extra a month may not seem like a lot to some people, but every little bit helps! If I find that I am going over my goal every month (which would be awesome) I will make an adjustment. I have plan of action on ways to earn creative cash next month so stayed tuned, hopefully, it will be another great month of sharing. Each month I will do a variety activities to accomplish this goal, the items above are just the ones I did specifically this month. I look forward to sharing more of the things that work well for our family as I do them in the upcoming months.
I will share with you the challenges, successes, and updates as I go through this journey so you can keep me accountable or even go through it with me by participating and sharing your story. Taking the extra time to find ways to help my family as well as invest in the lives of others is important to me. I hope that I have been able to encourage you to find ways to come up with some creative cash for your household as well. Obviously, each situation and family is unique so decide what works for you and go for it! If you know of another way to earn creative cash I would love to hear it! Feel free to comment on how you earned creative cash this month or post a picture or link to what you did!
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff! We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, wear clothes we find at garage sales, etc…however, if our family is taken care of and has love in our hearts for others we have more than all the riches in the world.
Introducing Febreze Fall Home Harvest Collection – #FebrezeFall
The Fall Season is just around the corner! Even though Fall officially starts on September 22, 2014 it is already starting to cool down in our area. The leaves are falling, apples are ripening, and animals are scurrying around to finish stocking up for the cooler months. Recently we received a package and this adorable barn was inside from Febreze, Walmart, and SheSpeaks! Let’s just say the kids were as excited about seeing the barn box as I was about getting all the amazing fall Febreze scents and goodies!
One of my favorite parts about Fall is all the amazing Fall smells from toasted nuts, pumpkins, fall harvest, apple picking, pears baking, and more amazing scents of the season. What are your favorite Fall Scents? Febreze has come out with their Fall Home Harvest Collection! Have you already tried the Febreze Home Harvest Collection? If not it is a great way to get you ready for the upcoming Fall season! They have some perfect Fall scents to get your house and car ready! Some of the scents you might want to check out this Fall season are Vanilla Latte, Autumn Harvest, Spiced Pear, Toasted Almond, Sugared Cranberry, and more.
We opened up our Febreze Fall Home Home Collection barn box and were pleasantly surprised with all the cool scents, goodies, and activities included. What a great way to get excited and prepared for the Fall Season! Febreze truly eliminates odors so your guests will only notice the freshness of fall when they enter your home.
We received a Febreze NOTICEables Warmer with two NOTICEables NOTABLES. One was the Autumn Harvest which is a blend of sandalwood and chai – smells amazing! The other NOTICEables NOTABLES was the Vanilla Latte which is a blend of vanilla and sugar – absolutely love the smell of this one! Reminds me of a fresh hot cup of coffee on a cool Fall day! Febreze even took care of bringing Fall to our car! They sent us a Febreze Car Toasted Almond vent clip which lasts up to 30 days and smells delicious! Even the teachers have commented that they really like the scent when I pick the kids up in car line at school.
The barn yard is complete with the awesome Febreze Fall Home Harvest Collection, activity cards in the scentspiration box, a gift card from Walmart, and cute decorative picket fence, wagon wheels, and hay bales!
They thought of everything! Included are some delicious Fall Recipes, fun Fall Activities to do with your family, and Fall Home Decor to get your home ready for the Fall Season! We will share a few of the ones we have done so far below.
We are already enjoying the Febreze NOTICEables Warmer with NOTICEables NOTABLES Vanilla Latte!!! Makes the house smell amazing! Do you like having a different fall scent in each room or one scent filling the whole home?
One of the recipes that Febreze included that will make your house smell like Fall – Oven Baked Smores:
What you need: A graham cracker, marshmallow, and chocolate bar per Smore and an appropriate baking sheet to fit all the Smores you are making.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place graham crackers on a baking sheet.
3. Press marshmallows between your fingers to make them a little flat, then place them on the graham crackers.
4. Bake until the marshmallows have puffed up and the edges turn a light, caramel brown color.
5. Remove tray from oven, and firmly press a piece of chocolate down into the marshmallow. You want the warmth of the marshmallow to melt the chocolate. Enjoy!
Delicious Oven Baked Smores! You can put another graham cracker on top if you want as well. You can probably use a little less chocolate too, but we enjoy the extra sweetness!
Febreze Fall Activities – Whistle with an Acorn Top
What you need: An acorn top. I recommend washing your acorns with water first to make sure they are clean and bug free.
Directions (once your acorn is washed):
1. Make a fist with your hands, then place your hands together with your fingers touching.
2. Place the acorn top on the top of your index finger.
3. Put your thumbs on top of the acorn top, angling them so that the tips of your thumbs make a “V” shape.
4. Blow over the top of your thumbs, and you’ll hear a whistle!
Our whole family tried the various acorn tops for whistles. Jake won the contest for the the loudest and most shrill whistle! These were a little more difficult than we expected, but if you got your fingers and acorn top just right you can get a really loud whistle which brings smiles to the kids faces. Do you have any of the great scentspiration activities you would like to share?
Febreze Fall Home Decor – Acorn Centerpiece
What you need: Acorns, leaves or flowers or ribbons, a vase, Febreze Air Effects
Directions:
1. Gather lots of acorns.
2. Take the vase of any shape and size and fill it to the top with acorns.
3. Add colorful leaves or flowers if you want to cover the top of vase.
4. Lightly spray the top of the arrangement with your favorite scent from the Febreze Fall Harvest Collection for a unique final touch, and then put it on display.
Do you decorate your tables with seasonal decor? Have you ever used Febreze to add an extra festive touch to your home or used Febreze scents to enhance your home décor?
I would love to hear how your family prepares for the Fall Season:
• Have you ever tried making toasted almonds?
• Have you ever tasted sugared cranberries?
• What is your most popular pears dessert recipe?
• Do you have another version of one of the recipes, decorations, or activities that I shared today?
• I would love for you to share any pictures of the Fall scentspiration activities you have tried.
• Are there any scents or designs that help inspire the ideas for you?
• What new ideas do you have to get your home fall-ready?More information about Febreze:
- Like Febreze’s Facebook Page
- Follow Febreze’s Twitter Feed
- Pick up your favorite Febreze Fall Home Harvest Scent at your local Walmart
A special thanks to SheSpeaks, Febreze, and Walmart for sponsoring this post! Any specific product information was provided by Febreze, Walmart, and SheSpeaks, however, the opinions expressed in this post are our own. We received a complimentary products for sharing information and our family’s experience.
A Fresh & Clean House with the Help of Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle! #MrCleanMorePower
I LOVE it when my house smells fresh and is sparkly clean! Spring has been in the air with the 70 degree temperatures the last few days making me get excited about doing my Spring Cleaning! Thank you Mr. Clean and SheSpeaks for helping me tackle my cleaning this week. I always love it when I find great products that help me keep my house clean. Somehow our family manages to make a mess which means regular cleaning is a must in our home.
A few days ago an amazing package arrived on my front porch! I was thrilled with Mr. Clean’s new product and the kids were excited about the motion light inside the box (very fascinating)! Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle has 2.5x more cleaning power in every drop!
The kids were super excited to see how it works too! They are helping around the house doing more chores so they wanted to know if it worked (and if they could have the motion light for their own special project).
I’ve got my cleaning bucket, sponge, and a new bottle of Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle!
It had a wonderful fresh scent and lots of great bubbles! You only have to squeeze the bottle once per gallon of water because it automatically shuts off after the correct amount has been dispensed. The good news about it only squirting the amount I need is that the kids won’t waste it when it’s their turn to use it!
First area to tackle was the kids bathroom. I am not sure what happened when they were brushing their teeth this morning, but somehow toothpaste was spread from one end of the counter to the other. The kids bathroom seems to be the area I get the least excited about cleaning because I know as soon as they brush their teeth again or wash their hands the toothpaste and soap suds will be everywhere. One of these days they will figure out how to brush their teeth and only get the toothpaste on their toothbrushes! I guess I should be pleased that they are at least brushing their teeth even if the whole process is a little messy.
Not only is the toothpaste all over the counter and sink, but someone left the cap off the toothpaste! I am beginning to think they must have been doing a “toothpaste” craft, painting, or trying to use their creative juices with the amount of toothpaste I found on the counter this morning!!!
The first wipe with Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle took all the sticky globs of toothpaste right off the sink! Love it!!! It worked really well and still lots of suds too! I have used other cleaners on their sticky toothpaste mess and I had to really scrub to get it off. Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle took one swipe followed by a rinse and it was done in just of few seconds! So excited!
The kids sink is once again clean and sparkly! Let’s see how long it will last! At least it is good to know that Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle works amazing and quickly on the toothpaste messes the kids leave behind.
After finishing the kids bathroom I was able to get more of my Spring Cleaning done, including scrubbing down the kitchen cabinets, mopping the kitchen floor, cleaning the master bathroom and more! Thanks for making my cleaning easier Mr. Clean! Even my husband and kids commented on how clean, sparkly, and fresh smelling the house was when they came home! I am already looking forward to tackling a few more Spring Cleaning projects with Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle this week!
More information about Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle:
- Like Mr. Clean’s Facebook Page
- Follow Mr. Clean’s Twitter Feed
- Pick up your bottle of Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle online or at your local Walmart
A special thanks to SheSpeaks and Mr. Clean for sponsoring this post! Any specific product information was provided by Mr. Clean and SheSpeaks, however, the opinions expressed in this post are our own. We received a complimentary bottle of the product for sharing information and our family’s experience.
P&G Everyday Effect Movement – 10 Ways We Can Make A Positive Impact
With the celebration of Earth Day fresh on our minds our family has been thinking about ways of how we can be more intentional in our efforts to conserve. While we do our best to recycle we are not always very consistent about doing it. Making small changes as a family can save a lot over the course of a year.
P&G Everyday Effect Program is brought to you by P&G and SheSpeaks! P&G believes the most effective changes start at home first by changing the way we think and making small steps to improve our lives by reducing, reusing, recycling, conserving and more. Here are 10 specific ways our family has been working on changing so we can make a positive impact:
Adjust the Thermostat
By adjusting the thermostat only a degree or two you could save potentially several hundred dollars over the course of a year. Also, when you travel, like we did in April for the girls Spring Break, make sure to adjust the thermostat even more. If we are not going to be home we turn it up or down (depending on the season) as much as possible so that the HVAC unit is not working over time for an empty house. Yes, we have come home to the house at about 90 degrees or in the high 40s but we have also noticed a significant decrease in our power bills those months too! 🙂
Picking Up & Recycling Litter
When it rains all the water from the street next to us runs down into the creek into our backyard. After every rain storm we usually have to pick up a variety of trash that was litter on the side of the road. One of the ways we decided to help is by making it a point to recycle any of the items we pick up instead of just throwing them away. We have an aluminum can crusher in our garage which is one of the kids chores to sort and crush any cans that we have for that week. Every couple months or so we take all the cans the kids have crushed to a salvage yard nearby and get some cash for the cans they have saved.
Using Reusable Water Bottles & Re-purposing Disposable Plastic Water Bottles Prior to Recycling
Our family typically has at least a few disposable plastic water bottles in our cars or lunches or a 24 pack in the house to grab quickly. We are trying to use more reusable water bottles to take to school or work lunches and other places so we are not being wasteful. If we get a plastic water bottle from an event we are making a point to reuse it for something fun (like the snack container pictured above or another craft) before putting it in the recycling bin instead of just throwing into the nearest trash can.
Water Conservative Shower Head & Shorter Showers
Sometimes we tend to take longer showers than necessary in our house. While the occasional long shower doesn’t seem like a lot just cutting it back a few minutes can help us conserve a lot of water for a family of four! We have put conservative shower heads in our showers so there is not as much water coming out as we take our showers which helps us save a little bit more.
Washing Our Laundry in Cool Water & Air Drying Our Laundry
Choosing to wash the laundry in cool water instead of warm or hot can help conserve energy too. Also, when we allow items to air or line dry that saves energy on the drying cycle. We have been more intentional about picking out certain items that would air dry nicely.
Turn Off the Water while Brushing Our Teeth
This is one that we have been working on at our house for a long time. For some reason it seems like it is just so much work to turn off the water while brushing our teeth. If we assume that all four of us brush our teeth for 2 minutes (recommended time) at least twice a day and the average bathroom faucet uses approximately 2 gallons of water per minute our family alone is using over 30 gallons of water a day just to brush our teeth! Yikes! If we took the extra second to turn off the water then to turn it back on only to rinse we could easily cut that amount in half or more.
Grow Our Own Produce & Compost
We make it a point to grow at least some of our produce every year. Usually we have a huge garden with surplus that we are able to share with family, friends, neighbors, and people from church. We only water our garden when necessary and it is on a timer to prevent us from wasting the extra water. This year we are doing a smaller garden because of several big events coming up but we are so looking forward to eating our juicy strawberries and any other plants we put into the garden this summer! If you don’t want to grow your own garden you can buy produce from your local farmers market. One of the big benefits of growing your own garden or eating a lot of produce is you have the opportunity recycle and make great compost for future gardens!
Turning Off the Lights
Here is another one that it seems like we have worked on for a long time especially with the kids. They tend to bounce from room to room without even thinking about turning off the lights. We have talked in depth about the importance of turning off the lights so we don’t waste extra energy. Thankfully, the kids seem to be getting better with this one now too (although they have forgetful moments)!
Pack Our Own Lunches Instead of Eating Out
We have made a point of packing our own lunches for work and school. It saves money by not eating out all the time plus we can use reusable sandwich and other containers as well as a lunch box instead of getting disposable wrappers and containers from restaurants or fast food. I have noticed during the busy months I tend to be a little more relaxed on this one so we pulled ourselves together and stuck to doing this for most of the year so far and plan to continue it. The food that we pack is much healthier, offers more variety, and is packed in more earth friendly containers.
Only Run the Dishwasher When it is Full
I have been known to run the dishwasher half full especially if it seems to be a little “stinky” smelling! This past month we have been more intentional on how we load the dishwasher and only running it once it is completely full.
Even though you are only one family “everyday effect” can make a huge difference over time. We only listed a handful of easy ways to conserve water, energy, power, take care of our environment and more, get together with your family and come up with a few more creative ways you can make a difference!
More about the EverydayEffect movement can be found:
A special thanks to SheSpeaks and P&G for initiating the Everyday Effect Program and sponsoring this post. Any specific program information was provided by P&G and SheSpeaks, however, the opinions expressed in this post are our own.
Review: L’Oréal Paris Magic BB Cream
I was thrilled to hear that SheSpeaks teamed up with L’Oréal and they were sending me a tube of their L’Oréal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream to try! It is available in four shades (Deep, Fair, Light, and Medium). I received a tube of the light L’Oréal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream.
“L’Oréal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream gives the sheer coverage needed to create a natural bare skin finish, while delivering built-in skincare benefits. With four beautifying actions, this all-in-one innovation primes and smoothes, perfects to hide flaws, hydrates all-day, and corrects and evens skin. The product is infused with skincare ingredients like Panthenol, Vitamin E and Glycerin for 24-hour moisturization.”
- Enhances skin’s 6 dimensions of flawless skin in 1 magic BB (BB stands for Beautifying Beads)
- Encapsulated pigments self-adjust to skin to unify and blend perfectly
- Ultra-light and hydrating for weightless, blends completely in with skin for an invisible coverage
- Micro-infuses your skin with continuous and complete care
To apply, simply dot on and blend with fingertips or a cosmetic sponge. L’Oréal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream’s self-adjusting beads will instantly transform and blend to your skin tone.
The first time I used L’Oréal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream I was surprised when it came out white. The little Beautifying Beads (BB) really do transform when you rub them onto your skin to match your skin tone. It does seem to stay on better and moisturizes my skin while not making it oily. The cream is very light weight (almost like your not wearing anything) and it didn’t take very much to do my entire face. I have worn it alone and with a touch of my mineral powder foundation.
I would like to see them add sunscreen to it (if possible). If you are planning on being out in the sun you should probably put on sunscreen first and let it soak in before applying the L’Oréal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream. The other thing that could have been better for me was that the shade I received was slightly darker than the foundation I was wearing previously, but it wasn’t too dark I couldn’t wear it.
You can learn more about L’Oreal Paris Magic BB Cream by joining their Twitter Party this week! You might even win some awesome prizes like L’Oreal Paris Beauty Baskets and a $250 Target Gift Card!
When: Thursday, March 7 at 9PM ET
Where: Twitter – follow hashtag #MagicBBCream
Tweet Grid: http://bit.ly/TwZyJS
Hosts: @LOrealParisUSA and @SheSpeaksUpYou can find L’Oréal Paris Magic BB Cream at retailers nationwide like Walmart, K Mart, Rite Aid and CVS or online at places like Amazon.
As a member of the SheSpeaks Blogger Society, I was given samples of this product to write an informed review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own. I was not paid to write this post. A special thanks to SheSpeaks and L’Oreal for providing the samples to review!
Torani Pumpkin Pie & Hazelnut Flavored Syrups
Hot Chocolate with Torani Hazelnut Syrup, Cool Whip, and Sprinkles
What is the secret ingredient behind those amazing coffee shop drinks that you and I enjoy so much? It is the delicious syrups they use to flavor them. Torani flavored syrups are made in the USA and are used at restaurants and coffeehouses in more than 40 countries around the world. The best part is you can get these amazing flavored syrups and make your favorite drinks at home!
As the weather gets cooler you may enjoy a hot cup of coffee to help jump start you on a crisp morning even more or a cup of hot chocolate by the fire with the family as you relax together on a cold evening. Of course you may be in an area that is warm and would rather grab a smoothie or an iced coffee.
Torani Pumpkin Pie and Hazelnut Syrups
I was thrilled to hear that SheSpeaks teamed up with Torani and they were sending me some Torani Flavored Syrups to try! I received the Salted Caramel and Peppermint flavored syrups. They are delicious! I have been having fun trying out a variety of fun recipes both Torani’s Recipes and ones that I have come up with myself.
Torani offers over 120 Regular and Sugar Free Flavored Syrups which are the perfect compliment to your favorite Coffee, Espresso, Hot Chocolate, Lattes, Smoothies, Teas, and many other drinks you enjoy. I have even used Torani Flavored Syrups in a few recipes while I was baking and they turned out great! Our favorite baked goods were Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup in our Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins and Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup in our Pumpkin Dip! My favorite way to eat / drink Torani Hazelnut Syrup is with a cup of coffee (hot or iced) and in hot chocolate. Torani Flavored Syrups will add an extra special touch to your next party celebration!
Coffee and cream with a touch of Torani Hazelnut Syrup
Use them in
- Flavored Coffees / Espresso Drinks
- Italian Sodas
- Flavored Tea, both hot and cold
- Flavored Lemonade
- Flavored Sodas (or Pop as we say in the Midwest!)
- Cocktails
- Mocktails
- Flavored Energy Drinks
Our family tried a variety of delicious recipes with our Torani Flavored Syrups! The ones from Torani’s recipes are awesome so if your interested in getting started that’s a great resource.
These Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins are super easy to make and taste awesome. The last time I made these for a group of friends only 2 came home with us and the girls begged to take them in their school lunches. You will not have to add any water, eggs or oil to this recipe and the muffin will still turn out with a moist.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
- 1 box Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 can (15 oz) Pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup
- 4 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
- 4 tablespoons Powdered Sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line 24 muffin tins. Mix together yellow cake mix, canned pumpkin, and Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup until blended (the batter will be thicker than your typically cake mix). Scoop evenly into muffin tins (I use an ice cream scoop) and set aside. In another bowl blend softened cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Drop a small spoonful of the cream cheese mixture on top of each muffin. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven, cool, and sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar over the top of each muffin prior to serving.
Ghirardelli Milk & Truffle Chocolate Squares
Delicious Milk & Truffle Chocolate Squares from Ghirardelli
An extra special package came in the mail recently from Ghirardelli and SheSpeaks! The box contained a bag of Ghirardelli Milk & Truffle Chocolate Squares. I made sure to wait until my husband was home to open them because just looking at them made my mouth start watering. If they were anything like the other chocolates I have had from Ghirardelli I knew we were in for a special treat! Oh my…..they were DELICIOUS….melt in your mouth goodness!
The perfect mix of flavor and texture…any chocolate lovers dream!
Ghirardelli has taken their chocolate to a whole new level with these Milk & Truffle Squares! The Milk & Truffle Squares have a rich slow melting outer layer of milk chocolate with a luscious truffle filling on the inside. The flavor and texture is heavenly!
Individually wrapped Ghirardelli Chocolate Milk & Truffle Squares that melt in your mouth
After receiving these and enjoying them so much my husband and I decided to stretch them out for as long as possible. Each night after the kids were in bed (shhhh….don’t tell the girls…..hehehehe) we would sit down for our quiet time together and each have a Ghirardelli Chocolate Milk & Truffle Square. One square was the perfect amount for an extra special treat in the evenings after a busy day!
Ghirardelli bag full of Milk & Truffle Chocolate Squares
If you enjoy any of the Ghirardelli Chocolates or gourmet chocolate these Milk & Truffle Squares are perfect. They would be a wonderful for a Birthday gift, Valentine’s Day, Anniversary, Mother’s Day, your next Date Night or a special surprise for anyone that likes chocolate or truffles in your family. You can find the Ghirardelli Milk & Truffle Chocolate Squares at most major stores (Target, Walmart, Walgreens, and more).
Goodies from Ghirardelli and SheSpeaks – Bag of Ghirardelli Milk & Truffle Squares and Coupons
Thank you Ghirardelli and SheSpeaks for giving us the opportunity to try these wonderful Milk & Truffle Squares! We LOVED them! I already have the coupons in my purse for the next time I go to the store so we can pick up some more. They are amazing! Thank You! Maybe the next bag of Milk & Truffle Chocolate Squares we’ll share with the kids too! 🙂
As a member of the SheSpeaks, I was given samples of this product to write an informed review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own. I was not paid to write this post. A special thanks to SheSpeaks and Ghirardelli for providing the samples to review and the coupons to use on more products!
