Labor Day Weekend 2014

Hello, everyone!  I hope that each of you enjoyed your Labor Day weekend with your family and friends.  This blog is going up a little later than I had wanted it to, but hey, life happens!

Disclaimer:  As a member of Crowdtap, I was selected for a hosted party, from #KingsfordCrew and to make it a #TailgateForOurTroops.  As a part of this party, I was sent products to use in return for my opinion. All opinions expressed in this blog are my own.

Cookbook and coupon for a free bag of charcoal

Included was an apron (I'm obsessed with aprons so I loved this)

Kingsford has always been our go-to brand for charcoal, so I was so excited to be selected to host this party. We spend most holiday weekends behind the grill (except in winter) and the Saturday of Labor Day weekend was a gorgeous day outside.  We grilled out at my parent's house.  You will see both my mother & step-father behind the grill.  We decided on hamburgers, hot dogs, and some chicken breasts that we cut into smaller pieces and seasoned with a chicken rub. We didn't try any of the recipes out of the cookbook this time, but some of them we will definitely be trying in the future. The cookbook included recipes for beverages, meats, and even rubs to use on the meats!  We had a great time spending the day with family, and the food was so flavorful coming off of the grill. I will never understand how people use gas grills!  There is NO flavor to the food!

Chicken on the grill

Adding more seasoning to the chicken

Some may call this burnt, I call it delicious!

Hamburgers and hot dogs in abundance

Review: SweetLeaf Sweet Drops

Disclaimer:  I    received    this    product    for    free    from    the    sponsor    of    the    Moms    Meet    program,    May    Media    Group    LLC,    who    received    it    directly    from    the    manufacturer.    As    a    Moms    Meets    blogger,    I    agreed    to    use    this    product    and    post    my    opinion    on    my    blog.    My    opinions    do    not    necessarily    reflect    the    opinions    of    May    Media    Group    LLC    or    the    manufacturer    of    the    product.   

Facts about SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia Drops Cola:

• healthy alternative to traditional diet sodas!
• All you have to do is add two drops of Cola Sweet Drops to your glass for every ounce of sparkling water (or to taste) and you get delicious cola taste without the bitterness.
• Cola    Sweet    Drops    are    portable,    convenient,    and    a    great    value    at    just    5¢    per    serving. 
• SweetLeaf    Sweet    Drops    contain    no    carbohydrates,    calories,    sugar    alcohols,    methanol,    aspartame    or    sucralose.    They    are    all    natural    and    gluten-free. 
• Like    all    SweetLeaf    products,    Cola    Sweet    Drops    is    made    with    USDA    certified    organic    stevia. 
• The    retail    price    for    SweetLeaf    Sweet    Drops    Cola    is    $4.39    for    37  servings,    or    $14.99    for    100    servings.    
• Pricing    may    vary    based    on    retailer.

I am an avid soda drinker (I know it's unhealthy!) and I have been wanting to get cut down on sodas slowly. I had hoped that I could easily switch to diet sodas instead. I was excited to try this product, in hopes that it would have the diet soda taste without all of the harmful ingredients.

When I decided to sample the product, I was a little worried.  It says to use two drops for each ounce of sparkling water. I put a little sparkling water in a cup, and added a couple drops. It tasted like sparkling water. I ended up having to use half of the sample bottle just to get a hint of cola taste.

You can see here the amount of water I used.

I am not pleased with the product at all. I could not imagine how much would have to be added to a full glass of water, if it takes half of this for only the small amount I put in my cup.  I would not purchase this product (again, this is just my opinion. Some of you may love it!) I would much rather purchase bottled water and use something to flavor it with, or just drink sparkling fruit water.

Bottoms Up!

I will leave a few links for those who would like to learn more about the SweetLeaf brand and what they have to offer.

SweetLeaf official website

Shop!

SweetLeaf Facebook Page

SweetLeaf on Twitter

Pinterest

Moms Meet

Until next time, Be blessed!

Meal Plan: Week of July 28, 2014

We have been so busy this past week that we had to move our meal plan from last week over to this week.  Here's the menu plan for this week.  Our week's start on Mondays and run to Sunday.

Monday, July 28th:  We ordered Papa John's for lunch, so had the leftovers for dinner.
Tuesday, July 29th:  Hashbrown Casserole with biscuits
Wednesday, July 30th:  Taco Soup, Salad, Cornbread
Thursday, July 31st: Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti, Italian Bread
Friday, August 1st:  We will probably go out since it's my dad's birthday
Saturday, August 2nd: Burritos
Sunday, August 3rd: BBQ Beef Roast, Italian Bread

REVIEW: Ideal Balance dog products

As a member of #crowdtap, I was selected to try #IdealBalance as part of the #PetFoodCrew.  The following is my personal opinions, and I do not get paid to review these products.

What we received in the #IdealBalance #PetFoodCrew package

Rocky is VERY picky about what he eats, and would much rather have human food than dog food.  However, he LOVES treats!!  All you have to do is say the word, or move the bag and he is there, tail wagging!

This bag of treats only lasted about 3 days!  He loved them.  I was a little skeptical about the flavor, Duck and Pumpkin.  I wasn't sure that he would like them, but boy was I wrong!

Patiently waiting for Mama to give him a treat!

 

 He hasn't tried the dry food yet, but that is because he doesn't eat a lot of dry food.  He only eats a little bit of dry food every few days, and until his bowl is not that full, we don't fill it up.

That moment he had been waiting for.

 

 The only problem we had with these products, was the canned food.  It was a salmon flavor and he would not touch it!  I was very shocked, because he loves fish!  I'm not sure if it was just that it was salmon, or what.  All he did was smell of it then walk off.

We did enjoy this #Crowdtap experience, and Rocky was beyond thrilled to get mail, especially those treats!  As you'll be able to see in the following pictures, he LOVED those treats!

If you would like to join Crowdtap, you can go HERE to become a member!

My precious baby boy, getting his treat!

Finally got him to look at me while he was eating!

 

Stepfathers: The Unsung Hero

As we wind down this Father's Day, I wanted to just make a post honoring the dads!  First off, Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, the grandpas, uncles, step-dads, brothers, single dads, and the moms who have to play both roles!

This post may get a little emotional and sappy at times, but this has been weighing on my heart this year, and even more so today. 

I was six months old when my parents got married. Logically, I can't even see why they did but at that age, it wasn't like I could do anything about it! My childhood was a great one.  I knew that I could always count on my mom to help me, teach me, and most importantly, love me.  Yes, I said my mom!  Growing up, and the older I got, the more I realized how much she played both parenting roles in our family, even though my dad was "around."  My mother was the one who helped me with my homework and worked her butt off to put me through school, who made my boo-boos all better, and who showed me unconditional love and support in everything I did.

Fast forward to early 2000, when I was 13.  My mother's co-worker called to inform her that my dad had been spotted with another woman multiple times.  Right there showed me what kind of man he was, breaking wedding vows...and the Ten Commandments!  Needless to say, my mother kicked him out and filed for divorce.  Just a few weeks later, my aunt gave my mom the phone number of her childhood sweetheart (who she had only seen once since the age of 15).  As a teenager, I was hurt at first.  I mean, that was my "dad", regardless of what he had done but once she started talking to her childhood sweetheart, I could see how happy she had become in just a matter of days.

Fast forward to the spring of 2000, the man who I now call my dad, stepped in and became what a father should be.  I was in the 7th grade at the time that him and my mother rekindled their romance.  He was there for the awards days, the 8th grade graduation, every big event I had in high school, prom, and high school graduation.  He was the one who helped me with school projects when I needed something big to be done (even that Geometry project about the barn!)

He is the man who took me to job interviews, who was there for me through every triumph and tragedy I've faced in the last 14 years. He's the man who STILL helps me with things around my house, who STILL makes sure I have what I need when times are hard, and even after all these years, is still loving my mother, and making her the happiest I've ever seen.  There is nothing greater than that.

So, with that being said, today, honor the men in your life who have made all the difference, whether that be a stepdad, grandfather, or even a friends dad.  My "dad" may still be a part of my life, but by no means has he ever shown me what a true father should be. Money can't buy love.  Love has to be proven through actions.

Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses: Kathy Mattea concert review

Growing up in the 90's, I was surrounded by great music.  I'm a child of 90's country music, and let's face it, they just don't make country like they used to. Last night, I was blessed to be able to see Kathy Mattea in concert at our local civic center, along with my parents. The tickets were purchased as an anniversary gift for them, but I just had to tag along!

The show started out great, with her performing songs from her two newest albums, Coal and Calling Me Home. Both albums tell the story of growing up in West Virginia and being surrounded by the coal mines. 

I was very excited to hear her sing Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses (my FAVORITE Kathy Mattea song!) and the fact that she got the crowd involved was great! There aren't many performers who allow their crowds to sing not only one chorus, but two, by themselves with the band!

As a request from the crowd, she was asked to sing Coal Miner's Daughter by the legendary Loretta Lynn!  This is the only disappointing part of the show for me. She messed up the second verse of the infamous song, and it just ruined the vibe in the room, especially for those who KNOW that she messed up.

Overall, great performer! I would recommend seeing her live, her interactions with the crowd are amazing. Plus, there aren't many performers who can sing great without their band, but she did amazing.

 

REVIEW: Hershey's Spreads

I know that I've told you guys multiple times about Crowdtap and I really hope that ya'll will take the time to sign up!  It's a great program that I love being a part of!  All you have to do is answer questions from your favorite brands and you're then eligible to win monthly prizes, as well as participate in Sample & Share opportunities.  Sample & Share is where you will be sent a new product to try, share it with your friends and family and then you just have to give your honest feedback in a "follow-up report."

I received a Sample & Share opportunity to try new Hershey's spreads.  They have three varieties available:  Chocolate, Chocolate with Hazelnut, and Chocolate with Almonds.  We were sent the Chocolate variety.

I didn't take pictures of everything that we tried this spread with.  However, we did try it on apple slices and mini marshmallows tonight.  I wasn't very pleased with the taste of it on the apple slices, but that could have just been the apples.  It was delicious on the marshmallows though.  One of my favorite combinations was on graham crackers.  If you like something sweet and salty, then it's good on pretzels as well.  I must admit that I prefer it straight out of the jar!

I'm so glad we got the opportunity to try this new product.  There were some delays in shipping but once it arrived, everything was perfect!

#crowdtapper #SpreadPossibilities

Be blessed.

I've neglected ya'll!

Saying that I've neglected my blog is an understatement.  I haven't posted anything in almost 4 months!  That's a really long time for me.  As most of you know, I'm a full-time college student so the last couple months have consisted of lots of studying, loss of sleep, finals, the holidays, and trying to organize my house before classes start back this week!  My blog isn't the only part of my life feeling neglected right now.

However, I have set myself a lot of goals this year!  

1. Lose at least 75 pounds before our wedding (which is in a little over 8 months!)
2. Get my house as organized as my Pinterest account would make it seem it is
3. Maintain my straight A's and 4.0 GPA in college
4. Become more financially stable (it's hard with just one income right now)
5. Pay off our debt (this will roll over into next year)

I have a lot of things I want to get posted for ya'll but I have a lot of things I need to get done outside of social media and my blog first.  My goal for the weekend is to get my house put back together from the holidays.  All of our decorations have been down for about a week and are back in storage but we still have some gifts that haven't been placed in their proper homes yet :/  (Slacking on my part!)

Hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!  I can't wait to see what the New Year holds for us all.

Be blessed.