Soft Scrub Advanced Surface

Soft Scrub Advanced Surface is a rinse free gel that cleans and polishes granite, marble, glass cook tops, and stainless steel.

This all purpose cleaner is really easy to use. I used this on my glass cook top.  You just apply to the surface and wipe away with a sponge, cloth or paper towel.

I was impressed with how this worked. My cook top wasn't really dirty, but there were some spots that I was never able to get out. 

Before: 

After:

Soft Scrub is having a sweeptakes where you could be a lucky winner of:

• One 1st Place Winner of $1000 and a years supply of soft scrub coupons
• 250 2nd Place Winners of a coupon for free soft scrub advanced surface.

You can enter the Soft Scrub sweepstakes here.

I am also giving away 2 coupons for any Soft Scrub Product, valued up to $3.39. You can enter through the rafflecopter sweepstakes below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Healthy No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

I found this recipe on Pinterest. I thought it sounded interesting and better for my health than eating regular cookies.

they were very easy to make and only had three ingredients: oats, bananas, and chocolate chips. I have also seen some recipes where you add craisins instead of chocolate chips.

You mix all of the ingredients, roll into balls and bake for 15 minutes. I was able to get 14 cookies out of my mix. 

They don't spread out at all when baking. They just firm up more into a cookie texture.

I entered the ingredients into MyFitness Pal and each cookie is 56 calories.

While these are a low calorie snack, I did not care for them at all. I would rather eat a cookie with more calories that actually tastes good. 

Purex Plus Crystals

I have to admit this one got away from me. I received the Purex Plus Crystals for review and put the bottle on top of my washing machine and then haven't done much laundry after receiving it. 

I usually only wash on average two loads of laundry a week! I know that probably sounds amazing to everyone, but we just don't generate a lot of dirty clothes.

However, this morning I did use this with a load of towels. I was surprised at how the detergent looked, it was more opaque than regular detergent. The scent was really nice though. I tend to use non scented detergent on clothing and scented on towels. 

Purex Plus Fabric Softener combines the enchanting fragrance of Purex Crystals with the proven performance of Purex detergent.  This is perfect for every day laundry. This detergent also has DirtLift Action, which works dept into clothes to get out dirt. 

Since I let so much time go, this time I'm not going to have a separate contest for coupons for this item, but I will be sure to include them in my next giveaway as an added bonus. 

Disclaimer: The Purex brand provided me with a sample of Purex detergent plus Fabric Softener with Crystals Fragrance in exhange for a product review. However, all the opinions expressed here are my own.

 

Firefly Island

I just finished reading Firefly Island by Lisa Wingate. 

Mallory Hale's life quickly veers off course when she falls hopelessly in love. After a whirlwind romance, Mallory finds herself leaving the bustle and action of Capitol Hill for the remote town of Moses Lake, Texas--with husband, stepson, and a U-Haul in tow.

A sweet, mishap-filled journey into marriage, motherhood, and ranch living ensues, and Mallory is filled with both the wonderment of love and the insecurities of change. But what she can't shake is the unease she feels around her husband's new boss, Jack West. Jack's presence--and his mysterious past--set her on edge, and when hints of a scandal emerge, Mallory finds herself seeking answers... and comes to realize that the middle-of-nowhere home she wasn't sure she wanted is the very place she'll risk everything to save. 

I thought this book was ok. I found it very slow moving in the beginning. Once they moved to Texas I felt like a lot of the story was just filler. I really started to enjoy it the last third of the book when it became more suspenseful. 

I also felt like the book left me hanging. I would have liked to know what happened with Jack and his son. I would also have liked to know what happened to his wife and stepson. It felt like a lot of the beginning story line was just ended without any resolution.

You can find out more about the author Lisa Wingate here

Disclaimer: I was given an electronic version of this book for my review, as always all opinions are my own. 

Happy St. Patty's Day!

We are going to see the new movie Oz today with friends. Addison and I are both wearing green for St. Patrick's Day!

I saw a fun craft on Pinterest for her to make at home. I already had all of the supplies on hand. I cut white paper to 5x7. Then I painted her hand with flesh and orange paint and she stamped the paper. 

While we waited for the paint to dry, I drew a hat on green paper and she cut them out. 

Then she glued black paper on the hat and glued the hat on the handprint. 

I used tacky glue to glue a button on the hat. Then Addison drew on a face and wrote her name on the bottom corner and 2013 on the other corner with black marker. 

We decided these would be fun to frame and give as gifts. I picked up black 5x7 frames at the Dollar Store to display them in. I think they turned out really cute and look forward to putting this out every year for St. Patrick's Day!

Dial Coconut Water Body Wash

I love trying new bath products like soap and lotions. When I received the Dial Coconut Water Bath Wash in the mail to try I was very excited.

This body wash is made with coconut water for clean, healthy, hydrated skin.  I love the scent of this body wash, it smells clean.  There are fresh hints of green, floral, and coconut.

Coconut water is found in young, green coconuts and are known to be rich in antioxidants and electrolytes that provide replenishing hydration.  Coconut water is known as a "super water" for its natural hydration and health benefits.

I really liked this nourishing body wash.  I love the scent, it smells really good without being overly strong.  I used it on a body poof and it made a lot of lather.

Dial is holding a consumer sweepstakes to promote the release of New Dial Coconut Water Body Wash.  You can enter here for your change to win:

• $1000 for One (1) Grand Prize Winner
• A Free Bottle of New Dial Coconut Water Body Wash for 250 First Place Winners

I am also giving away two (2) coupons for a New Dial Coconut Water Body Wash, Valued up to $4.19. You can enter through rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure: DIal Soap provided me with a sample of New Dial Coconut Water Body Wash in exchange for a product review.  However, all the opinions expressed here are my own. 

52 Books in 52 Weeks

This is the third year that I have decided to try and read 52 books in 52 weeks. So far I have come close, but not met the goal of 52 books. I do work full time and have a young child, so I feel that I have read a lot for being a busy working mom.

This year I have decided to also give some book reviews on the books I have been reading, so you'll be seeing some of those as well.

I've decided to list the books I have read in the past years as well just to keep them all in one place. I'll be posting 2012 in a separate post. Most of these books were either freebies through my Sony Reader or I checked them out from the library.

2011


1. The Search - Nora Roberts
2. Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas - James Patterson
3. Bulls Island - Dorothea Benton Frank
4. The Memory of Water - Karen White
5. The Potluck Club - Linda Evans Shepperd
6. After the Leaves Fall - Nicole Baart
7. Vision in White - Nora Roberts
8. Honeymoon - James Patterson
9. If I Stay - Gayle Forman
10. Bed of Roses - Nora Roberts
11. Private - James Patterson
12. Shelter Mountain - Robyn Carr
13. Savor the Moment - Nora Roberts
14. Virgin River - Robyn Carr
15. Happy Ever After - Nora Roberts
16. A Promise to Remember - Kathryn Cushman
17. Fireflies in December - Jennifer Erin Valent
18. The Weird Sisters - Eleanor Brown
19. First Impressions - Nora Roberts
20. Whispering Rock - Nora Roberts
21. Spinning Forward - Terri Dulong
22. A Virgin River Christmas - Robyn Carr
23. Winter Garden - Kristin Hannah
24. Second Chance Pass - Robyn Carr
25. Temptation Ridge - Robyn Carr
26. Paradise Valley - Robyn Carr
27. The Thorn Birds - Colleen McCullough
28. Forbidden Falls - Robyn Carr
29. Angel's Peak - Robyn Carr
30. Chasing Fire - Nora Roberts
31. The Silver Boat - LuAnne Rice
32. Every Secret Thing - Laura Lippman
33. Moonlight Road - Robyn Carr
34. The Things that Keep Us Here - Carla Buckley
35. Promise Canyon - Robyn Carr
36. Wild Man Creek - Robyn Carr
37. Harvest Moon - Robyn Carr
38. Life's a Beach - Claire Cook
39. Delivery - Diana Prusik
40. Heartwood - Belva Plain
41. Deep in the Valley - Robyn Carr
42. A Secret Kept - Tatiana DeRoshay
43. Sundays at Tiffanys - James Patterson
44. Just Over the Mountain - Robyn Carr
45. Sheltering Hearts - Robyn Carr
46. Beach Lane - Sherryl Woods
47. All I Want for Christmas is You - Lisa Mondello
48. Christmas Redemption - Patty Jager 

Soft Scrub Total All Purpose Bath & Kitchen Cleanser

I was sent a bottle of Soft Scrub All Purpose Cleanser to try out. I received the All Purpose Lemon cleanser. This cleanser does have a strong scent, but the lemon does help with that.

I used this all purpose cleaner in my bathroom on the sink and toilet.  This cleaner worked really well and I would use it in the future.

Soft Scrub is hosting a sweepstakes along with the release of the New Soft Scrub Total All Purpose Bath and Kitchen Cleanser. You can enter here for your chance to win:

• One grand prize winner will receive $1000 and a 1 year supply of Soft Scrub coupons
• 250 winners of one (1) Soft Scrub Coupon

 I am also giving away two (2) coupons for any Soft Scrub product, valued up to $3.30. You can enter through rafflecopter below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Soft Scrub provided a free sample of Soft Scrub Total All Purpose Bath & Kitchen Cleanser for this post. My participation is voluntary and my opinions, as always, are my own. 

50 Books in 52 Weeks 2012

2012

1. The House at Riverton - Kate Morton
2. Summer on Blossom Street - Debbie Macomber
3. Hide in Plain Sight - Marta Perry
4. Bring Me Home For Christmas - Robyn Carr
5. Down by the River - Robyn Carr
6. One Day - David Nicholls
7. The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton
8. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
9.  Hidden Summit - Robyn Carr
10. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
11. Mocking Jay - Suzanne Collins
12. The Lucky One - Nicholas Sparks
13. Safe Haven - Nicholas Sparks
14. Sea Swept - Nora Roberts
15. Rising Rides - Nora Roberts
16. Inner Harbor - Nora Roberts
17. Chesapeake Blue - Nora Roberts
18. 50 Shades of Gray - E.L. James
19. A Summer in Sonoma - Robyn Carr
20. 50 Shades Darker - E.L. James
21. Redwood Bend - Robyn Carr
22. The Sugar Queen - Sarah Addison Allen
23. 50 Shades Freed - E.L. James
24. The Future Scrolls - Fern Michaels
25. Summer Secret - Barbara Freethy
26. Never too Late - Robyn Carr
27. Don't Say a Word - Barbara Freethy
28. White Satin - Iris Johansen
29. Unfinished Business - Nora Roberts
30. The Sweetest Thing - Barbara Freethy
31. At First Sight - Nicholas Sparks
32. One Breath Away - Heather Gudenkauf
33. Summer People - Aaron Stander
34. Just the Way You Are - Barbara Freethy
35. The Deposit Slip - Todd Johnson

Easter Bunny Barrettes

LinkingI was in Joann's and came across this super cute kit to make Easter Bunny Barrettes.  My local Joann's already have their Easter crafts and decorations 40% off!  I figured Addison would have fun making these as well as wearing them.

This kit was very easy to use. The inside pink part of the bunnys ears had sticker backs as well as the jewels inside the flowers.

The directions did say you could use white glue or a low temp glue gun. I chose to use a glue gun to insure that they stayed together. 

Addison had a lot of fun with this kit and we both love how they turned out!  

Linking up with The Dedicated House