April Fools Day Fun Lunchbox Ideas

Heheee...did you hear the exciting news? Dunkin Donuts just launched a brand new (teehee) line of ultra mini donuts just for kids.  I ran out and got some my little one could enjoy with her lunch. April Fools!

Since I had such a leisurely day LOL I thought I would bake a few of those luscious French style "macarons" too.  Used two mini pancakes from Whole Foods and put Hershey's spread in between the two and on the sides. Added some of the extra frosting to the top and sprinkles. She got one of those in her lunchbox too. 

Ready for my secrets: Donuts-Cheerios covered in homemade frosting and natural sprinkles. Used a toothpick to poke the hole back in after frosting. Macarons: Took two Whole Foods mini pancakes and filled with Hershey's Spread and used leftover frosting to frost it and sprinkles on top. Also opened bottom of single serving crackers and replaced with mini carrots. Gave Wholly Guacamole single for dipper. Healthy main meal included of course...special day=special treats

Enjoy your April Fool's Day!

Chamberlain’s Leather Milk Liniment No. 1 to naturally clean and refresh all your leather goods: Blog Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. I received the product mentioned above complimentary for the purpose of this review.  The opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the product. 

Let me start by saying I am pretty particular about my leather goods.  Shoes, purses, boots...I am a bit of a shoe fanatic.  I always bought the very best shoes and purses since I was old enough to start working.  In the early days I bought Coach and Dooney & Bourke purses...these days I prefer the quiet but well made Brahmin line.  My shoes and boots have always been leather from the tips to the soles whether they were hand sewn in the USA or Italy.  I like good leather goods.  My husband is the recipient of my leather goods fascination as well and don't you get any funny ideas. I know you are laughing now.  I am talking about his shoes.  I make sure he has well made shoes.  When you own good quality leather goods you do need to care for them properly.  If you don't you will be very sorry.  I am always searching for the perfect product to help me keep my beautiful leather goods in  perfect condition.  The biggest concern these days with a young child is finding more natural products.  I also like my fave Jimmy Choo black boots to stay looking beautiful.  See how fresh they look after a little bit of Chamberlain's Leather Milk?

I think I found a real winner recently in Chamberlain's Leather Care Liniment No.1. This is a modern product that comes in a old fashioned style bottle.  It is a milky, water-based natural leather care recipe containing some remarkable leather enriching ingredients.  It isn't oily, actually it is a water based product that also works as a gentle cleaner as well.  

The nice part about the light water based formula is that you can use it regularly without over-doing it.  Chamberlain's Leather Care Liniment is a perfect way to clean and refresh your leather purse, shoes, coat, tote bags, auto interior and even furniture.  Think about it:  I know my purse follows me everywhere it I always try to keep it off floors, but who knows what lurks on it?  I love that I can use Leather Care Liniment and lightly clean and refresh it anytime with no worries. I can do it quickly, effectively and get a refreshed look and feel in a flash. 

Justin Boots before 

The company shared with me that Chamberlain’s Leather Milk is for all things leather. If you purchase quality leather items like leather furniture, luxurious auto interiors, leather briefcases, purses or luggage you know you have to care for them.  Take good care of them and they last forever.  An example is my Justin cowboy boots above.  I love these boots. They are ancient but well made. I bought them on a business trip years ago in Texas. After this winter they are in need of some help.  You can see the amazing difference in the before and after photos above and below. The Chamberlain's Leather Milk Liniment No. 1 gave them a fresh, clean sheen.  I love the scent of Leather Milk too....clean and light, very natural.  The ingredients include natural oils and conditioners plus a few secrets.  It definitely works like a charm. I can't wait to try it on my leather blazer and coat. I have several other pairs of boots and shoes in need of love as well. Chamberlain's Leather Milk Liniment No. 1 is my new little secret for leather care. As Chamerlain's says, "Time to start milking the leather today!"

Justin Boots after

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and  believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."  I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Graze Healthy Snacking Subscription Box: 1st + 5th Box Free Plus Discount Code

Disclosure:  I received a graze box complimentary in order to review it. My opinions are my own.

I recently heard about Graze through a friend of mine.  You all know by know my mantra is "Move it or lose it!"  Along with moving your body regularly, you have to feed it healthy food and even snacks here and there. Just not a King Size Snickers bar. That is where graze comes in.  This subscription service is all about healthy snacking. Reasonable portions. Smart minds think alike. 

I tried the graze Nibblebox,  which is just perfect for one or two people. Graze has several size boxes to choose from to fit your needs. The Nibblebox has 4 different snacks. You can go to their website and personally rate each snack so that way graze can hear each box towards the snacks you really enjoy most. 

They have nut free options too just so you know.  I saw a variety of dried fruits and seeds as well so they really accommodate every kind of healthy  snacker.  They even have some snacks with a bit of shhhhhh CHOCOLATE in there too.  Graze knows...some days you just need it. Make sure you rate your faves either when you sign up or as you go. You can even nix options you know are just not for you right away. They even share the calorie counts either on the top seal or you can peek in the enclosed booklet. 

The first snack was Black Pepper Cashews. This was a slightly peppery mix if black pepper cashews, roasted cashews and redskin peanuts.  All good. Very yummy. My husband was a big thief and ate most of this one. 200 kcal for the whole thing. 

What could be yummier than Banana Shortbread with a dip comprised of delicious Caramel Sauce. That's right, nothing!  A perfect little mini snack which clocked in at only 150 kcal.  I think that is a perfect little snack. 

Cherry Fudge Sundae here...tiny bits of brownie fudge, cherries, cherry raisins, and almonds. Perfect when you need a bit of chocolate. 200 kcal for all of it. 

The last item is Mango Chutney. This includes adorable little black pepper dipping crackers accompanied by  a yummy mango chutney. Only 80 kcal for the entire serving. You cannot beat that. 

So now you want to check it out for yourself...I know. Graze has been kind enough to provide me with a discount code to share. When you use the code BETSYK2ZB you get your 1st and 5th box free. I get $1 off my next box. We are all happy snackers. 

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and  believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 

Natures Best Vitamin C Serum Review

Disclosure:  I got this product as part of an advertorial.

If you have been noticing some fine lines and other signs of aging you can do something about it without resorting to over the top plastic surgery or more.  You can start simply with adding Nature's Best Vitamin C Serum from Mystelic Beauty to your daily facial care regimen.  Nature’s Best Vitamin C Serum contains C+E+Hyaluronic Acid.  This powerful combination has been shown to help improve those fine lines and reduce signs of aging.  

Lordy knows we all need a bit of help with that aging issue thing but some of us don't want to resort to surgery.  Or needles. Like me.  Buckkkk buckkkk yes, I am a chicken. But I have found that something as simple as Vitamin C serum can make a huge difference.  It takes one minute in the morning or at night and it dries in a flash.  Nature's Best is super easy to apply and it didn't irritate my delicate facial skin at all. No redness or itching...nothing.  What I did notice was a bit of a glow and a softening of the fine lines especially on my forehead and around my mouth.  My skin lost that dull look that had seemed to settle in during the winter.  I will keep this up since it is easy and I see an improvement.  I am not the only one either. 

Vitamin C serum has become a hot ticket especially after Dr. Oz mentioned that he uses it too.  That man looks amazing so he must be doing something right.  Nature’s Best Vitamin C Serum contains organic 18% Vitamin C Serum.  Nature’s Best shared with me that this powerful combination has been clinically tested and proven to stimulate collagen.  We all know that collagen is the key to the clock on aging. 

Organic Ingredients make this product perfect for all skin types whether yours is  dry, oily or even sensitive. Nature’s Best is manufactured in the U.S.A by a FDA Certified Cosmetic Lab.

Some of the benefits of Nature’s Best Vitamin C Serum for your skin:

• Works for all skin types, dry, oily, sensitive as its made from pure natural organic Ingredients.

• Can improve acne by removing toxins and boosting collagen for firmer, plumper, healthier skin.

• Minimize redness of scars and acne by lightening pigment

• Serum is the perfect consistency to easily apply and dries quickly

• Smoothes complexion and tightens skin for a more radiant glow

• Antioxidants reduce skin damage from pollution.

• Reduces fine lines and wrinkles

• Stimulate collagen making improving vibrancy of your skin

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and  believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." I received the product mentioned above for $1.00 for the purpose of this review.  The opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the product. I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Adovia Dead Sea Mask for Facial Skin at Home Treatment

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. I received the product mentioned above for free for the purpose of this review. The opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the product. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I have used masks before but not on a regular basis.  My skin can be so challenging sometimes. Sometimes it is dry, sometimes oily, sometimes that acne pops up and in the winter I sometimes experience eczema. The joys of variation, right?  I was interested to hear that the Adovia Dead Sea Mask can help with some of these issues plus others like oily skin, blackheads and psoriasis too.  The combination of pure Dead Sea mud, Bee’s wax,Vitamin C, Jojoba oil, Evening Primrose oil, Olive oils, Chamomile, and Aloe Vera work in concert to help your skin. This mask is made in Israel by the true Dead Sea experts and contains the highest and freshest concentration of Dead Sea Mud.

The company shared with me that the mask removes impurities from the skin that can clog up your pores and actually age your skin. This includes oil, debris and even toxins This mud mask also has moisturizers and anti-inflammatory ingredients to help soothe the skin. You can be comfortable that Adovia Dead Sea Mud Mask is safe and very gentle skin renewal treatment for you.  This pore tightening, skin renewing mask is gentle and safe for all skin types.

So I have used this mask several times now.  My husband always laughs so I have to do it when he is not home. It is easy to put on but it is a greenish gray color.  You can feel it tightening up a bit as it dries but it was very comfortable. Not too tight. I also used it on a few small blemishes that popped up last week after some sweaty workouts. I was surprised they looked much quieter the next morning.  They dried up and went away quicker than usual too.  It rinsed off very easily too.  My skin looked like it had a bit of a glow. I was impressed because it is hard to find anything to make my skin glow...that is a challenge when you are over 40.  I am also going to try it on my hands where I sometimes get eczema.  It is known to help improve eczema too. You can buy the Adovia mask on Amazon for $27.95 now for 5.1oz. You can get a bunch of treatments out of one tube so the cost is much less than a spa treatment. 

Here are a few details about the product:

• Facial Mask Tightens and Purifies Pores leaving Clear, Younger Complexion
• Dead Sea Mud Quickly Reduces Acne and Pimples 
• Contains Over 21 Minerals 
• Help to keep skin healthier and act as acne treatment
• This Mask contains 30 Sessions
• Can be Used as Spot Treatment and Blackhead Remover

The Adovia Dead Sea Mud Mask contains 30 Treatments which lasts for 3-4 Months. The company has shared with me that the treatment provides the ingredients and results of a $120 facial at a high end dermatology spa! Adovia is made with Pure Dead Sea Mud with the highest concentration of minerals.  This is vital for facial skin treatment glow. I really like that it has the ability to reduce oil and even pesky blackheads.  They suggest that you apply a layer to clean, dry skin once per week or as needed, as a facial mask for the whole face or as spot treatment for blackheads or pimples.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and  believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Instant Miso and Wakame Soups from San-J are Perfect for a quick lunch,dinner, snack or even breakfast

Disclosure:  I received the product mentioned above complimentary for the purpose of this review.  The opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the product. 


Have you ever considered an Asian style breakfast as something different and fun for your family or yourself?  A savory breakfast is the norm in Japan.  I tried eggs recently with soy sauce and loved it.  It is kind of a nice twist on the usual ho-hum breakfast to try something different. San-J has just launched a yummy line of Miso and Wakame soups that are perfect for any time of day including breakfast.  I was so excited to try these since I love both miso and wakame. 

San-J is a well known company who makes high quality products including miso.  They just created an amazing new line of instant Japanese Miso and Wame soups that you can prepare in a flash. Perfect for those days when you need a warm meal for breakfast, lunch dinner or even a snack.  San-J has also included two very important updates...they have sleek new packages and the recipes are now totally gluten-free.  Not only that...they are an all-natural product too. A real trifecta of a meal option in my mind.

Miso and Wakame were always top on my list whenever we went out to Asian restaurants but they always seemed like a huge to-do to prepare at home. I don't know why, I really am an amazing cook. I cook many international dishes too.  Miso and wakame soups just seemed like they were a big project. San-J makes it so easy to have a warm cup or bowl of soup anytime.  I love that you can enjoy these yummy and fast soups for breakfast, lunch or dinner without stepping out of the house. 










It has been so chilly here in the mid-Atlantic that I welcomed a hot Asian breakfast the other morning. I scrambled up an egg and added a bit of San-J Soy Sauce in a flash. I added my water to my cup of Instant Miso soup and had a warming breakfast in less than 5 minutes on a workday.  It was really nice...and delicious!
 
All you need for a delicious and light meal is 8 fluid ounces of boiling hot water and a mug or bowl.  Consider adding some Asian style noodles of your choice, a few slices of scallion or a few squares of fresh tofu for a more substantial meal.  I would pair a cup of soup with a side of scrambled eggs with San-J soy sauce. Yum!  Think about tucking a soup packet into your purse or tote bag for a quick snack at work too. 

I was impressed to hear some thoughts from one of my favorite health and wellness leaders, Andrea Donsky about these new soups too.
“These are great go-to soups anytime of the day, even breakfast, not only because they are delicious and easy to make, but also because they contain nutritionally rich ingredients,” says Andrea Donsky, founder and Editor-in-Chief of the leading health and wellness site, NaturallySavvy.com.  “Miso is a fermented food that helps to improve digestion. It's also high in antioxidants that help strengthen our immune system. Wakame contains important minerals that provide our bodies with magnesium, iodine, iron and calcium which so many of us lack."

What are Miso and Wakame really? Traditional miso soup starts with dashi which is a simple boiled fish stock base. It is slowly simmered and miso paste is added to it along with tofu and wakame seaweed.  A bit of chopped green onions are added just before serving. Wakame soup is a seaweed based soup that is chock full of nutrients. It includes shiitake mushrooms, sesame seeds and a bit of black pepper. San-J's special Wakame recipe includes their 100% soy Tamari Soy Sauce. It is wonderful because it is vegan and Gluten Free.

San-J International was founded in 1804 by the Sato family in Mie, Japan. San-J is still family-run with Takashi Sato in the helm as the current President and eight generation member of the founding family.  They starting brewing their first Tamari in Henrico, Virginia in 1987, continuing their 200 year tradition of Japanese brewing mastery. 

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and  believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 

DANCING WITH FIREFLIES: RSVP for Facebook Party & enter to win a KindleHDX from Denise Hunter!

Disclosure:  I received the product mentioned above complimentary for the purpose of this review.  The opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the product. 

A Chapel Springs Romance

This is a book from the Chapel Springs Romance series.  It is very sweet and a nice book to come home to relax with in the evening. Lovely Jade returns home to Chapel Springs after protecting her sweet heart for years and never getting hurt. Daniel comes along and makes her heart sing.

Creative and complicated, Jade McKinley felt like a weed in a rose garden growing up in Chapel Springs. When she left, she thought she'd never look back. But now, pregnant, alone, and broke, she has no other choice but to return.

The mayor of Chapel Springs, Daniel Dawson, has been an honorary member of the McKinley family for years. While his own home life was almost non-existent, Daniel fit right into the boisterous McKinley family. He's loved Jade for years, but she always saw him as a big brother. Now that she's back, his feelings are stronger than ever.

As Jade attempts to settle in, nothing feels right. God seems far away, she's hiding secrets from her family, and she's strangely attracted to the man who's always called her "squirt." Finding her way home may prove more difficult than she imagined.

Win a Kindle HDX!


My thoughts: 

Jade McKinley has been in the big city for years now pursuing her dreams. She left her tiny hometown of Chapel Springs behind so long ago. Awful circumstances have her packing up quickly to go back to the safety of Chapel Springs.  She gets closer to Daniel, someone she has known since she was a little girl. Daniel remembers how much he adored Jade when she was younger but the real question is whether Jade and Daniel can make something of this together now that they are both grown up.

I like a variety of books from mysteries to romance to wacky dystopian stories depending on my mood. I really enjoy the characters and the romance in Dancing with Fireflies. Jade and Daniel were a sweet couple and it was nice to see them grow together. Their families were kind and it was a relaxing read.  It is a mostly happy book but you will feel all the emotions that Jade and Daniel feel as their relationship evolves. The author is very skilled at weaving the whole story together.

Don't miss Denise Hunter's latest Chapel Springs Romance, Dancing with Fireflies. Reviewers have already labeled Dancing with Fireflies "swoon-worthy" and "the perfect love story." 


Join Denise in celebrating the release of her new book by entering her Kindle HDX giveaway and RSVPing for her April 10th Facebook party.






One winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire HDX


• Dancing with Fireflies and Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 10th. Winner will be announced at the Dancing with Fireflies Facebook Party on April 10th. Connect with Denise for an evening of prizes, book chat, and an exclusive look at the next book in the series.






Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN on the event page. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 10th!

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/uJ6OD

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and  believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."