Remember these? One of my childhood sore throat faves is back: Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. I received a sample complimentary to review.

Can you believe the history behind these classic throat drops? In 1870 J. Herman Pine and his brother hung out a confectionery shingle on 8th Street above Walnut in Philadelphia and sold their first batch of what they called 'Pine Brothers Glycerine Tablets.' In an attempt to relieve his own sore throat and those of his family members, Mr. Pine, a former German confectionery maker, determined that by combining the soothing natural qualities of glycerin with the healing properties of gum acacia, he could soothe the irritation and discomfort of a sore throat. Of course he added some natural flavoring and a bit of sweetener. 

The name was updated to Pine Brothers Softish Throat Drops. Mr. Pine's discovery would become one of the most successful, most delicious and most unique throat lozenges in the world.  The current recipe is almost identical to the original recipe created 140 years ago...thank goodness!  In 1930 Pine Brothers was sold to the Life Savers Company and continued to be popular. Not surprisingly, Pine Brothers lozenges became a favorite of adults and children alike. I know I just loved these as a kid in the 1970's growing up in the northeast. All my friends did as well.  The company was sold by Life Savers a while back and you just never could find them anymore.

Recently, Pine Brothers was acquired by 3 Sisters Home Products™.  3 Sisters tirelessly worked to find the source for the original Pine Brothers recipes.  They redesigned and updated the packaging creating an exciting yet classic new look. 

Two different options now...the puck and the bag.  Alas, they did away with that old-timey box I remembered.  It always got squished anyway. I am just happy that the natural product is once again being made in America, and is available nationally...yay!!!  I am so happy to have an old favorite available again.  They taste just as delicious as ever (I taste tested them!) and sure helped my sore throat this past week.  Let me know if you remember this classic remedy and check them out for yourself! 

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.

MIRA Glass Digital Kitchen Scale Extra Large Display Perfect for a Healthy Eating Plan in 2014

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample of the product for review purposes. The opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the product.

Are you working on eating more healthfully in 2014?  So many of my friends have told me they just didn't realize how much they were eating until they started weighing their meals. It is amazing how enlightening that can be. 

Mira has beautiful digital glass kitchen scales that help you with portion control. A scale like the one I received really helps keep you on track.  It is easy to use and goes beautifully with any kitchen decor. Mira has a variety of colors and options too.  I think you will be surprised at how much food you are putting on your plate if you weigh it first. It really makes a difference. I find I am eating just enough, I am not hungry but I am not overeating.

This Mira Glass scale is made of tempered glass.  What that means for you is that it is 4 times stronger than normal glass. That means it is going to be much more durable.  Can see how slim this scale is?  I love that it can fit into a crevice or small corner in your kitchen. It is so light weight too! No need to pull out a big heavy scale anymore either. Another wonderful feature is that it weighs up to 11lbs of food.  I love that all the beautiful MiraGlass Digital Kitchen Scales are available on Amazon, one of my most favorite places to shop. 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.

Save on PET MEDICATIONS up to 75% discount at CVS, Walgreens, & Rite Aid

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

I bet you love all your pets as much as we do. Whether you have cats, dogs or a more exotic pet, they are really your best friends.  You always want to take the best care of them but it can get sooooo expensive. I found a good solution recently that doesn't cost a penny.  I now save a bunch on medication for all my pets at Rite Aid using my medication discount card.  I didn't even have to switch pharmacies either!

The best part is that this pet medication discount card works at ALL chain pharmacies... including CVS, Walmart, Walgreens and many more.  59,000 pharmacies nationwide!  It is funny...sometimes I feel like we are running a real zoo here in my house with all these animals and all those medical issues add up fast. It seems like every week there is something with one of them. But we love them so much and it is worth it.  Recently one of my pets needed to be treated with sulfadiazine for a medical problem and I was so happy I really saved a lot. Without my discount medical card I would have paid $122.02. I only paid $95.55.  I save $26.48. That is a big difference.....22% less!

This convenient pharmacy discount card will save you up to 75% off all of the cash price of your and your pet's prescription medication.  Simply print the card, then hand it to your pharmacist before picking up your medication.  Discounts will be significantly more for generic drugs than brand name.

**Also please note this is not Insurance and cannot be used to reduce your copay.  It can be used instead of insurance or for drugs/vitamins not covered by insurance.  This card will work for most drugs, but there may be a few that the card offers no discount on.
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.

Hershey's #SpreadPossibilities Sample and Share with #Crowdtap

Disclaimer: I received a sample of Hershey's Spread complimentary through Crowdtap. As always, my opinions are my own.

Have you seen Hershey's Spreads yet?  Ooooh, you are just going to lose your mind when you try them.  Now you are really curious, right?  So Hershey's Spreads are a soft chocolate spread with the consistency of cream cheese that is CHOCOLATE. Yummy chocolate too. You can spread it on anything and everything. That is the idea.

• Hershey's spreads have the power to transform any snack into a delicious treat
• Easy to spread on your favorite fruits, breads or mix into smoothies or shakes
• Blend into waffle or pancake mix for a fun change of pace
• Kosher by Orthodox Union for dairy

I was excited to hear that Hershey's Spreads are at Walmart now. Hershey's spreads come in three yummy flavors: Chocolate, Chocolate with Almonds and Chocolate with Hazelnuts. They are soft and created perfectly for spreading on toast, waffles, crackers and fruit. They are reasonably priced at about $3.38 a jar at the Walmart where I found them.

As I mentioned, Crowdtap and Hershey's sent me one jar complimentary..the Chocolate with Hazelnut. I purchased the other varieties. The Chocolate has a thick but very spreadable texture and tastes a lot like a classic Hershey's Bar.  That is a good thing! The Chocolate with Almonds tastes similar but almost like a Hershey's Bar with Almonds.  The Chocolate with Hazelnuts tastes like well, chocolate and hazelnut blended together in a yummy flurry.

All the varieties were creamy and very easy to spread.  We tried the spreads on whole wheat toast, bagels, muffins, pineapple, bananas, apples and strawberries.  The whole family and our guests said that the combos were super yummy.  

Now this is definitely a treat item for us since the fat content is 12 grams per two tablespoons.  Only about 2 grams of saturated fat are in that same serving and less than one gram of cholesterol.  Sugar is up there as the first ingredient and vegetable, sunflower and palm oils. Of course we all deserve to have a special yummy dessert or snack now and then and I would include this as a fun option a few times a week...especially when you consider how much more healthy fruit you will probably eat because it tastes much better with Hershey's Spreads.