I took the Yoplait Taste-Off Challenge

 Today’s #Tasteoff was sponsored by Yoplait, but the winner was my honest choice.

I took the Yoplait Taste Off Challenge crunchy yogurt parfait I took the Yoplait Taste Off Challenge

In case you haven’t heard yet, Yoplait is challenging people to take a blind taste test and find out who they really choose between DSCN3133 I took the Yoplait Taste Off Challenge

For my taste test challenge I let my boyfriend hand me a spoon while my eyes were closed and tasted each one separately. I could tell you that there definitely was a clear winner for me, and that was Chobani. I enjoyed the thickness of the Greek yogurt, and the taste of the strawberries as well. Chobani tasted great with my cereal that has flax, quinoa, and lots of crunchy bits.

DSCN3140 I took the Yoplait Taste Off Challenge

Now I am a big DSCN3142 I took the Yoplait Taste Off Challenge

Turning yogurt into a delicious breakfast staple is the best way to get me to eat my breakfast. Here is my favorite

Print
Yogurt Crunch Parfait
Get your morning off the a good start with delicious Greek yogurt
DSCN3133 I took the Yoplait Taste Off Challenge
Author:
Cuisine: American
Recipe type: Breakfast
Serves: 1
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
  • 1 c. of your favorite Strawberry fruit on the bottom Greek yogurt with only 100 calories
  • ½ c. each blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries
  • ½ c. Nature’s Path Organic Sunrise Crunch Vanilla
Instructions
  1. Layer yogurt on bottom, then top with blueberries, raspberries and blackberries
  2. Another layer of yogurt
  3. Add strawberries on top of yogurt and finish with cereal.

Posted by & filed under Food, sponsored. This post has no comments yet.

Saving On Your Groceries With Store Brand

The Perrigo Nutritionals product, information and two gift packs have been provided by Perrigo Nutritionals.

After becoming a mom, I realized how quickly money can add up for a baby. With 6 months of breastfeeding under my belt with my first child, I was scanning the formula aisle and was shocked at the price tags. Thankfully I have never been one to be afraid of store brand products, with coupons and even samples available I was happy to say that Walmart’s Parents Choice formula satisfied my son’s needs.

photo 43 764x1024 Saving On Your Groceries With Store Brand

Perrigo Nutritionals store brands such as Walmart’s Parents Choice and Target’s Up & Up formula give children the nutrition they need without hurting our wallets as parents.

About Perrigo Nutritionals

·         Many moms are not aware that they can save up to 50 percent on infant formula by choosing a store brand over a national brand

·         Store Brand Formula is nutritionally comparable to the national brands, yet are typically up to half the price, and can save you about $600 a year

·         Perrigo Nutritionals is the largest supplier of Store Brand Infant Formula and nutrition products in the world and one of only four companies recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for meeting the strict FDA requirements for safety, nutrition and quality for infant formula-manufacturing in the United States

·         Same standards and expertise used to develop infant formula applied to toddler foods

·         Toddler foods are appropriately developed for variety of stages of growth and motor skills with quality, nutritional ingredients to create foundation of good nutrition

My toddler was thrilled with having a variety of store brand snacks, like Up & Up Little Puffs in blueberry and Parent’s Choice Squeezeable Fruit. His little brother was pleased with the Parent’s Choice formula and ate it all up!

Now saving money is not the only category that I need help in, time management and getting rid of unnecessary stress are areas I can use tips in too. Recently I had the chance to read Crystal Paine’s new book, “Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life”, and picked up a great deal of tips!

Crystal Paine’s 5 Money Saving Tips for Families

Create a Budget
A budget gives you parameters and purpose, it gives you boundaries, and it gives you freedom to live creatively within those boundaries.

Shop With Cash
When you shop with a credit card (or even a debit card, for that matter!) you can have your budget in your head and you can do the best to stick with it when you check out, but it’s so much easier to go just a little bit over here and there when you’re swiping!

Plan a Menu
When you have a plan in place for what you’re supposed to be eating each meal and you’ve already purchased the ingredients for those recipes, it’s a lot harder to justify chucking the plan for takeout.

Use Coupons
Coupons are a great way to save a lot of money on your grocery bill, but they can be hard to keep up with. Clipping, sorting, and organizing coupons takes time — so enter a coupon database! You’ll have access to printable and other coupons currently available and it’s one of the most effective and efficient ways to save money on groceries.

Buy Store Brands
One way to save a great deal of money on your grocery budget is to learn to like and use a variety of brands. The sooner you can get over being a brand-snob, the more your pocketbook will thank you.
For example, while I breast fed my children, moms who choose to formula feed can save up to 50 percent by switching to store brand formula, which meets the same FDA quality standards as expensive name brands. There are also coupons available at a website – StoreBrandFormula.com (www.storebrandformula.com).  This one simple change can save moms about $600 a year.

  photo 42 764x1024 Saving On Your Groceries With Store Brand

One reader will be able to win the same package I received:

  •         A copy of “Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your  Passion for Life” by Crystal Paine
  •         1 container of store brand formula
  •         9 assorted Puree Pouches
  •         5 assorted Puffs
  •         4 assorted Yogurt Bites

photo 44 1024x764 Saving On Your Groceries With Store Brand

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted by & filed under Parenting, Save Money. This post has one comment.

Even mommy brain can do laundry, with Purex No Sort for Colors

 

Purex sent me free samples for review and are providing coupons for winner. All opinions are my own and honest.

After 3 months of Kyler being born, I still feel like I’m trapped in the mommy brain. Perhaps this is just the brain that a mother of two now has, feeling a little lost throughout the day and trying to keep up with two kids that are at separate levels. Korey is so tired of Kyler because he can’t go in and play, he likes it when we try to include Kyler knocking over blocks or sitting watching us read him a book. I can still tell he’d rather him just grow up now and play alone with him.

DSCN3060 e1397876830794 768x1024 Even mommy brain can do laundry, with Purex No Sort for Colors

To be honest, keeping up with them is a lot and the housework gets a bit neglected: laundry. With 4 people now contributing to the dirty clothes, it takes me a long time to sort everything. How I wish I could have enough hampers for everyone but our space is limited so hand sorting a big pile is a daily chore. Purex is changing that problem for me and all laundry users, perhaps they heard all my little prayers. Purex No Sort for Colors* features some awesome Anti-Color-Transfer-Technology that allows it to trap loose dyes while in the wash and helps reduce color bleeding accidents.

 DSCN3062 1024x768 Even mommy brain can do laundry, with Purex No Sort for Colors

When I was pregnant with my first child I had a horrible meltdown thanks to a color bleed in the wash. One of my favorite shirts came out BLUE. I cried for three days straight, no lie, thanks to hormones and an accident that could have been prevented with Purex No Sort for Colors.

DSCN3066 e1397906856145 768x1024 Even mommy brain can do laundry, with Purex No Sort for Colors

Of course I would be ecstatic when Purex asked me to try the new detergent, I had plenty of clothes ready to go and use it on. Upon a few uses of the detergent I was happy to say I could stop sorting laundry as much and confidently have no color bleeding accidents. This helps me save so much more time during my already busy day.

 

As a thank you Purex is allowing me to give away a coupon for a free chance to try to 2 winners. This contest is open for those in the US only, NO PO BOX please. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*While Purex No Sort for Colors is using advanced technology, it is not a miracle worker. For new clothes or clothes that are strongly colored please wash separately at least 5 times.

Posted by & filed under Win. This post has no comments yet.

Speech improvements and preschool

Korey’s third birthday will be the mark of him being in Early Intervention for one year. A full year of speech therapy, and education and half a year of OT. The changes are remarkable.

Going from a boy who had no words at all, no communication, to signing and now speaking small sentences. He has over 100 words, sings songs, and tries to imitate almost everything we say. To say that I am impressed is an understatement. I am thrilled.

a840d962bd7411e38c420002c9d965ee 8 Speech improvements and preschool

Currently we are working on two syllable words and combing two words that he knows like purple pen and baby’s bed. Today he went for a walk with his speech therapist and he was telling her about people that he saw, and naming animals. Of course when it came time for him to tell me what he did, he couldn’t but that is another thing we are working on.

Had it not been for Korey being in Early Intervention, I doubt that I would know all the different things that are usually expected at certain ages. He is ahead of peers in some aspects but still behind in speech. With speech and his sensory seeking, he qualifies for special needs preschool. He will see a speech therapist 3 times a week and an OT 2 times a week. I’m more nervous about him just being out of my reach rather than him having therapies.

3ecd237eac6611e3b22c1241d1e00121 8 Speech improvements and preschool

For the most part I know what they are doing in therapies, and they of course go over everything with me. But him being in a room full of other children, and some that may not be able to protect themselves if Korey uses too much force in any way. I am hoping so much good comes from this upcoming Fall but only time will tell.

Were you nervous when you little one attended preschool or kindergarten?

Posted by & filed under Parenting, Speech Therapy. This post has 3 comments.

Convenient At Home Appointments With American Well

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of American Well.

Convenient At Home Appointments With American Well

american well logo Convenient At Home Appointments With American Well

As a stay-at-home, work-at-home mother, getting to the doctors is quite tricky. I’m usually more concerned with my kids appointments, rather than my own. Can the convenience of an appointment from my own home help me with my health?

With Spring under way, and me working in new health goals, I decided to visit American Well and make an appointment with one of their nutritionists. Before I made the appointment I made sure that I knew the issues I wanted to address, which is what should I really be looking to get into my diet daily. I knew that I couldn’t just rush into healthy eating all at once but having a basic idea of what to eat would help me prepare better for myself, and my family.

Screenshot 21 Convenient At Home Appointments With American Well

American Well has a simply registration process that you go through, once registered you can add your health information as needed. I really find this a great option as every time you go to your primary doctor you can make sure you transfer that information over into American Well. Not only is it helpful for any doctor you may talk to on American Well but it’s information you can keep right at your fingertips to see how you are doing.

After registration and adding health information you can begin to set an appointment or find a doctor or nutritionist to speak with right away. For a charge of $25 for a nutrition visit online or $50 for a doctor, you will get a virtual face to face appointment with a reliable doctor who can even send your prescription to your local drugstore for you to pick up after the visit! And all your information can be shared with your primary doctor, something I find valuable so that my providers all know how is going on with me health wise.

Screenshot 22 Convenient At Home Appointments With American Well

Before I can ever choose a doctor to go with, I always search whatever I can about them. American Well knows that you want to be visited with a doctor that has the proper credentials, be covered 24/7 no matter when an illness strikes and have your health information secure with HIPAA-complacency. As you can see from my picture, I am provided with where my nutritionist went to school, how long they have been practicing and even where their affiliations. This really set me at ease in making my selection and feeling comfortable chatting with someone, after all health is a very important matter.

My visit with my nutritionist left me thrilled with new knowledge that I had not had time to talk with my primary care doctor about. Confidence in knowing that I would be pleased to come back for another visit with my nutritionist that I added to my ‘preferred list’ any time the need aroused. American Well certainly has showed me that the next time I have a problem seeing a doctor for someone in my family that I can log on and get someone to answer questions.

If you are curious about American Well, you can sign up by the end of April and use code Spring to get one free visit with a nutritionist or doctor.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of American Well.

Posted by & filed under Health & Beauty. This post has 3 comments.