K’NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster Building Set Fun + Tips and Tricks

November 17, 2016 by Jenni 304 Comments

This post was sponsored on behalf of K’NEX, however, all opinions and building fun are 100% our own.

K'NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster Building Set

Building things is just something that is naturally fun! Especially for the guys in my life. K’NEX recently sent us the new K’NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster building set to put together. You should have seen my husband’s and son’s eyes light up when it arrived!

My husband has been working SO much overtime lately – so he and Eli only have the evenings to work on it at the moment. Last night, they pulled it from the box and got to work.

Here are a few tips to help get you going on the K’NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster building set!

K'NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster Building Set

#1 – Build in a Low Traffic Area

Seriously. My guys jumped the gun and just dumped everything out into the middle of my kitchen floor. HELLO?! Find a spot or corner where there isn’t much traffic through the house to build. Also, keep pets in mind. They get nosy and like to knock things over!

K'NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster Building Set

#2 – Separate into Piles

Again. My guys jumped the gun on this one too. They just dumped it all out into the floor and then decided after just a few minutes that they should have separated the pieces into nice little piles.

K'NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster Building Set

#3 – Be patient

Rome wasn’t built in a day, right?! If you’re like us and short on time – pick a time to build with your kids if they need help! Choose weeknights, after dinner. Or on the weekends! We’ll be finishing ours up on Thanksgiving break!

#4 – Have FUN and Encourage REAL Play

Today, our kids are so into digital and electronic play. We can build things, with just a click on a computer screen. It doesn’t use as much “brain power” as physically building an actual building set! The K’NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster building set is perfect for digging in and encouraging real building and playing!

More about K’NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster:

Seriously! Get ready for the ride of your life!! This bad boy stands over 2 1/2 feet high! This creepy carnival themed coaster works by a motorized chain lift that shoots the coaster car through 14 FEET of twists and turns!

Thankfully, it comes with easy to follow, step by step building instructions. Everyone can build it!! There are even instructions for a 2nd coaster that you can download from knex.com! It’s the perfect gift this holiday season or ANYtime for that matter! You can find it exclusively at Walmart! You can also find other massive, moving, motortized roller coaster toys, ferris wheels, and more from K’NEX!

K’NEX wants to show kids that the only limit to building is the size of your imagination! After 25 years of business, K’NEX prides itself on connecting science, technology, engineering, arts, and math with imagination.

Visit K’NEX on social media to see what they’re up to!

Facebook: KNEX / Twitter: @KNEX / Instagram: @knexbrands / Pinterest: K’NEX Brands

Tell us, would your family love the K’NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster?!

Hawaiian Toast with a REAL Cheese Twist!

November 8, 2016 by Jenni 1,336 Comments

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sargento® Cheese. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hawaiian Toast

You know the old “Farmer in the Dell” song?! The cheese stands alone?! Well, that’s fine by me. I can eat cheese — all by itself. And I do, often. Cheese is a major staple in our kitchen. I’m not talking about the cheese singles, either. I like the real deal.

Did you know that…

Pasteurized Process Cheese Food, sometimes known as American singles, is only required to contain 51% real cheese?!?!?!

Our fave REAL cheese brand is Sargento® Sliced Cheese. They only make 100% natural, REAL cheese. They’re the Real Cheese People! They want to rally consumers to create a community of cheese lovers to declare their passion and love for the real deal.

A German friend of mine named Dieter, told me about a treat that his family always had back home in Germany. It’s called Hawaiian Toast, or more formally – Toast Hawaii. It’s a delicious recipe – but it was always made with cheese singles, he said. I wanted to change this recipe up by using REAL cheese – and on whole grain bagels vs. white bread. Here’s how it went…

Hawaiian Toast Ingredients:

whole grain bagels (or you can use any bread you like)
Sargento® sliced cheese (any variety, we used swiss and sharp cheddar)
pineapple slices, drained really well
sliced or shaved ham

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Warm ham through in a skillet on medium heat.
Toast bagels or toast in toaster.
Pile ham onto bagel, or toast. Place a drained pineapple ring on top. Place a slice of cheese (or two!) on the top.
Place in the oven and bake just until the cheese starts to melt and bubble up.
Enjoy!

Just look how yummy these turned out! They were DELICIOUS!!!!!

You can (and should!) replace all of your cheesy recipes and favorite snacks/treats with Sargento® cheese! There’s nothing like the taste of REAL cheese!! It’s perfect for your burgers, sandwiches, wraps, etc! Visit them on Instagram and Facebook to find awesome and EASY recipes and snack ideas!

Shower Upgrade Ideas Featuring Delta

October 31, 2016 by Jenni 45 Comments

This post was brought to you by the Delta Faucet Company. I received free product from Delta Faucet to write this post, but all opinions expressed are my own.

I have the “if you give a mouse a cookie” mentality.

This is true with almost everything I do. Recently, I got a new Delta H₂Okinetic^® showerhead. When I installed this – I was in awe of how pretty it was. Bright and shiny! Like a new diamond.

Then there was the ugly shower caddy that had years worth of gross soap scum all over it. You give me a new showerhead, and I’m going to want a new shiny shower caddy to match. When you give me a new shower caddy – I’m going to want a new shower curtain. When you give me a new shower curtain, I’m going to want a new bath mat. Well, you get the picture…….”if you give a mouse a cookie” mentality.

If you’re looking for some new ideas for a shower upgrade, I’ve got some for you…

1. Upgrade your shower head! ASAP.

Get rid of that crusty old shower head that barely spits out enough water to wet your eyebrow! I’m obsessed with my new Delta H₂Okinetic^® showerhead! This baby has multiple settings and the showerhead itself, is HUGE! Makes you feel like you’re showering in a rain forest. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

I love it because I can change it to whatever setting I’m in the mood for. My husband always changes it to something different, so when I get in the shower it’s like a box of chocolate candy….you never know what you’re gonna get! HA!

The Delta H₂Okinetic^® showerhead is 2 showers in 1! A showerhead and hand shower that can operate seperately, or both at the same time.

It has 3x the coverage of a standard showerhead. Larger droplets and a unique wave pattern that creates the feeling of more pressure and a warmer shower experience. The showerhead also stays put! When you pull the hand showerhead out and place it back, it’s kept firmly in place with a powerful magnet.

Another favorite feature that I love is the “pause” feature! You just push a small button that pauses the water flow so that you can lather up, shampoo your hair, or shave! I LOVE that!!!

2. A new shower caddy

Once you put in your new showerhead, your old shower caddy will just look SO out of place! Do yourself a favor and get a new caddy. Pick one that’s large enough to hold your shampoo, conditioner, body washes, and razors!

3. A new shower curtain

I don’t know about you, but our shower curtains get GROSS. Really fast. Especially at the bottom of the curtain. New shower curtains are cheap – so grab a new one that matches your bathroom design and style!

4. A new bathmat

I love our microfiber bathmat! They’re really soft and spongy – and they absorb a lot of water! If you have slick bathroom floors, a bathmat is a MUST anyway, especially if you have kids! Get one that adds a pop of color to your bathroom!

5. Yummy scents

To top off the best shower experience ever – go buy a new body wash and shampoo. I love trying new scents! While you’re at it, grab some body scrubs too! Winter is coming soon and we gotta get prepared to get rid of all that dead and dry skin this upcoming cold and chilly season!!

Do you have any shower upgrade ideas? We’d love to hear them!

Repair Damaged Hair with L’Oreal Total Repair 5 (and get a Target Gift Card!)

October 29, 2016 by Jenni 1,453 Comments

This post is sponsored by Savings.com

Years ago, when I was a teenager – I had a bad “hair” experience. Being a teenager in the late 80’s/early 90’s was ALL about the HAIR! I went into the salon for a perm and apparently the rods were too tight which broke a ton of my hair off. I was devastated!

Back then, I would have loved to have had these L’Oreal Advanced Haircare products! I know that they would have saved me from all the turmoil of those days. Now that I color treat my hair and use a lot of heat from straighteners and irons – I have to do damage control. Thankfully, I have these products to keep my hair healthy and looking (and feeling!) awesome!

You can find out more about the L’Oreal Advanced Haircare products below – but make sure to head to Target right now and grab them! When you buy (3) you’ll receive a $5 Target gift card! Woot!!! Get the details for this Target deal here!

Total Repair 5 Shampoo & Conditioner
- Helps repair the five visible signs of damaged hair (split ends, weakness, roughness, dullness and dehydration).
- Results
  - Rebuilt fibers
  - Strength
  - Vitality
  - Silkiness
  - Shine

Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm
- Instantly melts into hair upon application and provides instant volume after blow-drying.
- Non-greasy.
- Doesn’t weigh hair down.

Get your 3 L’Oreal Advanced Haircare products at Target now, and get a $5 Target Gift Card!

Have you tried these products yet? Let us know what you think!

The Warrior Dash – Messy Fun with Delta Faucets

October 15, 2016 by Jenni 638 Comments

This post was brought to you by the Delta Faucet Company. I received free product from Delta Faucet to write this post, but all opinions expressed are my own.

Are you a fan of the Delta Faucet Company? As far back as I can remember, my mom always used Delta’s products!

This past September 10th, Delta hosted the Crawfordsville, Indiana Warrior Dash! Some of the local correspondents conquered 12 world-class obstacles. Not only did they bound over fire and trudge through mud, they got to experience some other outdoor fun! I was invited to attend this event, but sadly I wasn’t able to make it. I was seriously bummed!

I also missed out on the custom, outdoor shower karaoke station that was at the end of the race. Get this — it had more than 40 Delta H₂Okinetic^® showerheads! Can you say “Community Shower“?!?!

Here’s hoping to being able to make it the next time — after following the #HappiMess hashtag for a few days, it’s apparent that so many had such a great time – and there were a lot of newbies too!!!

I’ll be sharing a shower makeover really soon, and sharing our thoughts on the new Delta H₂Okinetic^® showerhead. Let’s just say that I’m pretty much in love with it! I’ve never wanted to shower more in my life!

Stay tuned for our post coming up nearer the end of the month! In the meantime, be sure to check them out at Delta’s website now!!

Have Seafood Night in at Home with Michael Angelo’s

October 12, 2016 by Jenni

All ideas, recipes, & opinions are entirely my own however, this is a sponsored post on behalf of Michael Angelo’s™.

Guys. Get this. You NO longer have to leave home and get out of your comfy PJ’s and slippers to indulge in Seafood night!

We’ve fallen head over heels in love with the new Michael Angelo’s Seafood Meals, and so will you! It’s an upgrade from frozen fish sticks that the kids love! Nothing wrong with those, we’ll just leave those to the kiddos while we indulge in the big people stuff!

The new Michael Angelo’s Salmon Piccata is CRAZY good! It’s turned off chilly here this week and I really enjoyed warming up and having this for dinner. Perfection! Made with wild-caught Alaskan salmon, spring vegetables, and a fluffy brown rice in a piccata sauce. It’s super flavorful, and the portion was perfect for me!

I’ve been a fan of Michael Angelo’s foods for a long time now, and most people love the amazing flavor. What they don’t know is that the ingredients are simple, and clean.

Want a night off from having to cook?

Want a super quick and easy seafood night at home?

Grab some Michael Angelo’s Seafood Meals, straight from the frozen aisle at your local grocery store. I got ours at Kroger – but you can also find them at Walmart and Publix. Visit their store locator page to see where you can snag yours!

You’ll love that you’ll be able to read and understand everything on the label. Real ingredients. No preservatives. Nothing artificial. BAM! Their salmon is wild caught and their shrimp is chemical free!

Each week now when I write out our weekly menu plan, I make sure to reserve at least one night for Seafood Night! The family is always super excited – and THIS momma is super excited that I don’t have to slave over a hot stove!

Go ahead and visit Michael Angelo’s on their social channels below to see what’s the latest and greatest!

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Some of the other products include…

Michael Angelo’s Shrimp & Kale Piccata

Michael Angelo’s Seafood Primavera

Michael Angelo’s Salmon Piccata

Have you tried any of these seafood meals yet? If so, which was your fave or which would you love to try?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Michael Angelo’s . The opinions and text are all mine.

Play the New Addictive EyeCons Mobile Game and Win REAL Prizes!

October 7, 2016 by Jenni 270 Comments

This review was made possible by iConnect and EyeCons. I was provided compensation to facilitate this post, but all opinions stated are 100% mine.

I often find myself sitting in the car pickup line at school, or waiting for the bus – trying to kill time. THIS is one of my “quiet” moments through out the day where I can enjoy a little me time. Sip some coffee, plan out our weekly menu and grocery list, and play games on my phone.

14625553_1294257557264700_2014142360_o

Have you heard of EyeCons yet?! I’m super addicted to this game! It’s a new “distract and relax” mobile game from the creators of the mega-hot board games TABOO and OUTBURST, Hersch Games! EyeCons is a match-two puzzle game and it offers REAL, offline rewards and prizes as you move from level to level! It’s like really getting paid to play!

YOU’RE INVITED for a Chance at $1000!

On Thursday, October 13th you can join in on the fun and win special prizes AND a chance for a $1,000 grand prize, just by playing along during a 30-minute #EyeConsParty gaming event! It’s at 9pm ET/6pm PT.

eyecons-party-image

Here are the RULES for the EyeCons Party Gaming Event:

Like @eyeconsthegame on Instagram – this is a critical first step, as only people who like EyeCons will qualify for the $1,000 grand prize.

Download the EyeCons app on either the iTunes App Store or Google Play.

Register your EyeCons account using your Instagram handle as your USERNAME. Do NOT login to the game using a Facebook account. You must register in order to verify a winner after game play ends.

At exactly 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Thursday, October 13, 2016, game play will begin. Make sure you are set and ready to go BEFORE this time slot!

Official gameplay will happen on Level THREE! When the game begins, play until you reach LEVEL THREE. Then, keep playing on LEVEL THREE ONLY. DO NOT ADVANCE to Level 4.

After 30 minutes, the players at the top of the leaderboard on Level THREE who followed @eyeconsthegame on Instagram will win.

*Please NOTE: When you sign up for the game using your Instagram handle, your entire handle may not be accepted, so just use as many characters as you can from your handle.

14614444_1294257513931371_156870102_o

How to Play EyeCons:

Try to clear all the tiles in time by tapping any two matching tiles to remove them from the board. Then you can advance to the next level! But remember to keep a close eye on those tile designs – looks may be deceiving! Players earn real rewards and prizes for achieving high scores.

 Match two similar looking tiles in order to eliminate them all and win each level

 You can net a higher score with faster elimination speed

 Utilize combos, power-ups and in-game assists to score high and get to the next level and win real, physical prizes just by playing (i.e. free truffle fries!)

 Play anytime as an individual, or play against others during in-venue group sessions that are activated at specific times

PRIZES and Winner Announcements:

 First Place: $1,000 AMEX gift card

 Second Place: The ultimate Taboo package – one “Taboo” board game and one Taboo Buzz’d

 Third Place: One copy each of Platinum Taboo, Platinum Outburst, Platinum Scattergories

 Fourth Place: One copy each of Platinum Taboo, Platinum Outburst, Platinum Scattergories

Since the EyeCons team will be the only ones who can cross reference who’s following them on Instagram against the leaderboard ranking, they’ll post the Official Winners at 12:00pmPT on October 12, 2016 on the @eyeconsthegame Instagram feed. Winners also will be contacted directly via email.

Fun Halloween Crafts, Treats, and Party Activity Ideas + Luvs High Value $2 Coupon Alert

October 3, 2016 by Jenni 358 Comments

This review was made possible by iConnect and Luvs. I was provided compensation to facilitate this post, but all opinions stated are 100% mine.

Are you ready for Halloween?! It’s less than a month away!!

We love getting together with family and friends for a Halloween/Fall party each year. We haven’t been able to the last couple of years, but we’re going to this year. We always come up with really fun games for the kids and adults, alike. If you need some ideas, use some of ours from below!

Halloween Party Games & Activities:

Bobbing for Apples
Girls vs. Guys Tug of War
Hayride
Corn Hole
Potato Sack Race
Musical Chairs
Making Caramel Apples

We always make a point to make fun treats and crafts with the kids each Halloween. Below are some of our favorites!!

Halloween Crafts and Treats:

Creepy Crawly Spider Kids Halloween Craft

Spooky Bat Toilet Paper Roll Craft

DIY Candy Corn Mason Jars

DIY Black Cat Pillow – Farmhouse Decor

Haunted Pumpkin Patch Lunch Ideas

Mummy Oreos Halloween Treats

Luvs is all Treats, No Tricks!

Luvs is the official diaper of experienced moms. They know that raising kiddos is expensive, so they’re offering a special Halloween “Treat” for you!

You can find BIG savings in Sunday’s papers September 25th and October 9th! Make sure to pull out your scissors and cut out the high-value coupon for up to $2 off any one Luvs Diaper pack from the P&G insert. Please note: The coupon image above is NOT valid. This is just an image of the coupon to look for in the upcoming Sunday’s paper!

Luvs is now softer and more absorbent than ever before. They understand us moms DO NOT have time for leaks, even while they’re sleeping overnight! They have large refastenable stretch tabs to fasten moving babies in a hurry! They offer ultra-leakage protection and a money-back guarantee! The Luvs Ultra Leakguards with NightLock Plus™ are perfect for babies and parents – and for less cost than premium brands of diapers. Using Luvs alone, can save you up to $150 a year!

You can find Luvs diapers at mass, discount, and grocery stores. They come in sizes newborn through 6 and you’ll find fun designs in each pack!

For more information, the latest news and ideas – visit Luvs social media channels below!

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/luvsdiapers

Twitter https://www.twitter.com/luvs

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/luvsdiapers

9 Drool Worthy Coffee Recipes on Pinterest – Celebrate National Coffee Day with Folgers Perfect Measures

September 29, 2016 by Jenni 2,729 Comments

This post has been sponsored by Folgers Perfect Measures. All of our opinions and love for coffee, are all our own.

Happy National Coffee Day!!!!!

Pull out the party hats and the coffee cups!!! It’s National Coffee Day, ya’ll!!! Woohoo! This is like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years — all rolled up into one! Right?!

Coffee is the Laverne to my Shirley.

The Lucy to my Ethel.

The ying to my yang.

…you get the drift.

I love it. It loves me. It doesn’t talk back. It understands me. It brightens my mornings. You feelin’ me?!

Folgers Perfect Measures has become a staple in our home. Why, you ask? They’re so easy to use, and completely mess free. No more worrying about measuring out the coffee. You just drop in the tabs of coffee to make your perfect pot! No measuring = no mess!

Mornings around here are so easy now. I just drop in the tabs from the canister into the filter and we’re ready to roll.

You can pick your perfect roast! Our personal fave is the Black Silk. Folgers Perfect Measures comes in all your favorite Folgers blends…

Classic Roast
Classic Decaf
100% Columbian
Black Silk
Breakfast Blend

Since it’s National Coffee Day — I scoured Pinterest and found some of the top coffee recipes on the net, including a few of our very own popular recipes amongst our readers and friends! These are all super easy to make – and gourmet coffee made at home saves you a pretty penny too!!

Pick your favorite recipe below and enjoy National Coffee Day with me! You’ll find me sipping from my own cup today!

9 Most Popular Coffee Recipes found on Pinterest:

1. Mocha Frappe

2. Peanut Butter and Chocolate Iced Coffee

3. Pumpkin Spice Frappe

4. Almond Joy Iced Coffee – A Treats Affair

5. Butterscotch Caramel Coffee – Living Locurto

6. Caramel Brulee Coffee – Foxes Love Lemons

7. White Chocolate Latte – Julie’s Eats and Treats

8. Mocha Coconut Frappuccino – Simply Stacie

9. Gingerbread Latte – Simply Stacie

Which coffee recipes above are you drooling over?!

Seriously Fast & Easy Baked Italian Chicken with NEW Idahoan Signature Russet Mashed Potatoes

September 29, 2016 by Jenni 1,600 Comments

I’ve partnered with Idahoan on this sponsored post and all opinions stated are my own.

Let’s face it. Potatoes are an integral part of dinnertime. Especially at our house. My husband is one of those “meat and potatoes” kinda guys.

There’s just one thing though. This momma don’t have the time, NOR the energy to stand and peel potatoes, cut potatoes, boil potatoes, and then mash the heck out of them to get all the lumps out. Don’t get me wrong, I do love me some mashed potatoes – but the real deal around our house isn’t as often as I’d like.

Ahem. Until NOW.

I’ve always been a huge fan of Idahoan because they are the best tasting “instant” out there, in my opinion. Well, they have overwhelmingly upped their game!!!

The new Idahoan Signature Russets Mashed Potatoes are SO STINKING GOOOOOOOOOOOD! You’d swear to the heavens above, that these were 100% completely homemade at your grandma-ma’s house! Not even kidding!

They have a very smooth taste, just like original homemade mashed potatoes with just a hint of butter and cream.

My husband is always a griper about my mashed potatoes. It wouldn’t matter if they were liquid gold, he’d still find a complaint. Not this time. He ate 2 huge helpings, and then came back and basically licked the pot clean. Kidding (sooooo not kidding!) 😉

I made these the other night with one of my super quick and easy chicken recipes. We’re having some remodeling done on the house, and this particular night — by the time dinner time came – I was too tired and needed something hearty for dinner! This was a HIT.

2 Ingredient Baked Italian Chicken Recipe ingredients:

3-4 chicken breasts, thawed
1/2 cup (give or take) Zesty Italian Salad Dressing

Instructions:

Place chicken breasts in a plastic container or large zip lock bag with Italian dressing. Shake around until chicken is well coated. Stick in fridge to marinate for 30 minutes or so.
Place chicken in baking dish or pan, pour leftover dressing from the baggie over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until no longer pink.
Spoon some of the hot dressing from the pan over chicken.
Serve with mashed potatoes and your favorite veggies!

More reasons why I love the new Idahoan Signature Russets:

They’re delicious. Oh, wait…did I already say that?!
Makes any meal taste like Sunday dinner!
More than 6 pounds of premium Idahoan russet potatoes go into every 16 oz. pouch.
They use a new processing method that let’s the potatoes keep their natural goodness and texture. In the end, they taste as good as if you had peeled, boiled, and mashed them yourself!
Takes just 5 minutes using milk and butter….or just water!
You can get them in a 4 serving, 12 serving, or 20 serving pouch – and the pouches are resealable.
You can find them nationwide, including Walmart and Kroger NOW!

What’s your go-to recipes with mashed potatoes as a side dish?

More about K’NEX Wild Whiplash Roller Coaster:

Hawaiian Toast

9 Most Popular Coffee Recipes found on Pinterest:

Which coffee recipes above are you drooling over?!

Quick Links