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Reviews

Comfortable Aerosoles Shoes for Summer Style

by Nicole on June 17, 2013

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I am always looking for dressy black sandals with heels that I can wear with a pantsuit to work in the summer.  I love Aerosoles shoes because they are super comfortable, well made and very affordable! These black Gin Rickeys were just what I was looking for!

Since 1987, Aerosoles has developed high quality, comfortable and fashion-right shoes at affordable prices. Aerosoles offers a vast assortment of women’s shoes to suit every occasion, from office wear to weekend gear and everything in between. The Gin Rickey shoe is a head-turning slingback sandal with row upon row of straps for a standout look. Gunmetal buckle. Soft manmade sueded lining and amalfi-wrapped cushioned footbed on a self covered heel and flexible rubber sole.

These shoes fit really well and are nice looking! They are comfortable, I don’t get any marks or feel anything digging into my feet.  I have received many compliments on them and they look really great when I wear a pantsuit to court!

I received a sample to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

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Tips on Choosing a Stroller and Safety 1st Aerolite

by Nicole on June 16, 2013

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For many moms choosing a stroller is stressful – you want to get the perfect one for your needs.  The most safe at the most affordable price, etc.  Everyone has a different priority in choosing a stroller – some want the most practical, others care about color and looks and still others want the most compact or easiest to fold up.

Choosing a stroller to best fit the needs of your family and child can be very confusing. Julie Vallese, Consumer Safety Expert, for Safety 1st has put together some expert tips to help your readers find the best stroller that works for their lifestyle. Today a stroller does so much more than get you from point A to B with a child; it can be a fashion statement, a utility vehicle or a convenience to keep in the trunk of your car.

Consider your Lifestyle
I like to think of categories like cars. For example, if you have a newborn, a travel system with an infant carrier is the SUV of strollers. This is the stroller that you can use from infant until the child is a few years old. If you travel often or are always on the go you will want the compact version. An umbrella stroller is great for these parents. Umbrella strollers are generally less expensive, lightweight and fold up easily. The luxury models are sleek, stylish and easy to maneuver, with plusher padding on the seat.

Shop Smart
After you have found the stroller for your lifestyle shop smart. Test it out and make sure you feel comfortable pushing it. If one parent is much taller than the other, consider a model with an adjustable handle height.

Size Matters
Another important tip, make sure you measure the trunk of your car. There’s no point in purchasing a stroller only to find out later it won’t fit.

For more baby gear buying tips or to see a video on this topic, visit the ‘Tools and Advice’ section on the Safety 1st website.

I got the Safety 1st Aerolite Stroller and tried it out with my niece baby M.  I thought that the stroller was amazingly lite and was able to open it and close it pretty much one handed.  The stroller was very sleek looking and had some great storage even though it was pretty compact.  My sister in law is loving the stroller.  She had a much more expensive stroller but said that the Aerolite wins hands down over the “fancy” stroller she bought and now regrets!

The Safety 1st Aerolite deluxe LX stroller has an ultra compact 1 hand fold n stand. The large multi position canopy with airflow mesh window and cover help keep baby protected from the sun. The multi position seat recline provides comfy positions for baby and the child snack tray with cup holder and slide guard protection keep baby’s snacks close at hand while keeping baby from slipping out of the stroller. The parent organizer tray with 2 cup holders and fabric storage pocket keep parent’s need nearby. The large storage basket provides easy access to baby necessities and the 5 point restraint system keeps baby safe and secure. The stroller accepts the onboard 35 air infant car seat for quick click car seat attachment and the stroller can hold a child up to 50 lbs.

I received a sample to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

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Summer Beauty Finds at CVS

by Nicole on June 15, 2013

CVS/pharmacy offers NEW beauty launches for every season, conveniently, at an affordable price. Many of these products are not yet on-shelf and will be hitting shelves throughout the summer. CVS’ mission is to consistently deliver the best NEW beauty products to shoppers and the incredibly popular Beauty Club loyalty program that helps its 12 million+ members save BIG on beauty.

I am so excited about these awesome new beauty finds at CVS! I am totally loving the Lumene CC cream and the L’Oreal Facial Oil as well! I can’t wait to try all of the products in my package and to grabbing some additional new products at my local CVS!

I received samples. All opinions are my own.

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Fun In The Surf with the SurfSkimmer

by Nicole on June 12, 2013

SurfSkimmer

Noah is just getting the hang of ocean swimming and is fascinated with surfing.  We live about 15 minutes from the beach and in the summer we go frequently.  Even when it’s 95 degrees and super humid inland it’s always tolerable at the beach! We used to go to a protected beach with a reef where the water is literally like a bathtub since he wasn’t the best swimmer.  This summer we are able to go to the regular beach and he was so excited for his SurfSkimmer to come to try it out!

The SurfSkimmer is the first of its kind product with Gripper Technology and an easily removable handle. It’s the perfect skimboard or bodyboard for an entry level action sports fan. The handle easily comes off so each of the boards has the ability to act as a traditional skimboard or bodyboard. While the big kids are out there shredding, now the little guys and girls can join the fun in a safe way with the removable handle…making moms and dads feel good!

SurfSkimmer

Here is a cool video of a SurfSkimmer in action:

Noah had a blast trying out the SurfSkimmer.  He used it in pretty shallow water so he could get used to it.  He wiped out a few times but that was to be expected.  He is not the most coordinated child and he was able to figure it out within a few minutes and I loved that it was good exercise for him while at the beach! The SurfSkimmer seems to be very well made and durable and I had a large number of parents ask me about it while we were on the beach!

For more information, check out the SurfSkimmer on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.

I received a sample to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

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Muir Glen 2012 Reserve Tomatoes

by Nicole on June 11, 2013

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We are big Muir Glen fans here at my house and you all know how much I love limited edition products! There is something about knowing that the product won’t be made forever and is only available for a short window of time that makes me want and need it, lol! Well, we got 2 cans of these Muir Glen 2012 Reserve diced tomatoes and so I decided to make the fire roasted tomato soup recipe that came with the package! The tomatoes are really delicious on their own (I tried them) and this soup was absolutely yummy!

Muir Glen Reserve Harvest tomatoes are grown on only 13 acres, representing the pinnacle of our tomato season each year. The Halley variety that was grown this year takes us back to our roots, as it was one of the first varieties we planted. All Muir Glen tomatoes are field grown and vine ripened under certified organic practices — no synthetic pesticides, no chemical fertilizers, just gorgeous tomato taste, true to nature. Our commitment to the organic practice of growing tomatoes is only paralleled by our commitment to our friends and supporters.

I also got a few other limited edition products in my package that I wanted to highlight!

California Olive Ranch Limited Reserve Olive Oil - Seasonally available, Limited Reserve extra virgin olive oil is the finest first cold pressings from the first two weeks of harvest.  Bottled internationally with olive fruit suspended in oil for a “burst” of olive fruitiness.  Fresh from California!

Jonathan’s Wild Cherry Spoon – Handcrafted in Pennsylvania from sustainably harvested wood, Jonathan’s Wild Cherry Spoon is the leader in wooden spoon design.  Here you’ll find the trademarked lazy spoon with the folding salad tongs, two of many exquisite pieces in Jonathan’s collection.

Raw Materials Design – Handmade in the USA and inspired by the American West, the Classic Chef Apron from Raw Materials Design is made with organic heavyweight cotton canvas combined with classic top-stitch construction and stamped with the Muir Glen Organic logo for a one of a kind, limited-edition apron, just for you.

These items were really fun to get and I loved the small samples of the olive oil! We used it to roast asparagus and both said we could taste the flavor of the olive oil! The spoon is so funky yet practical and it has become my favorite! The raw materials design apron is very professional looking and I have worn it several times in the kitchen.

Here is the fire roasted tomato soup recipe:

Print
Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 cans (14.5 oz each) Muir Glen® organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can can (14 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves, cilantro leaves or Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream

Instructions

  1. In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
  2. Add onion and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until onion is crisp-tender.
  3. Stir in tomatoes, broth, 1 tablespoon of the basil, the sugar and pepper flakes.
  4. Heat to boiling.
  5. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat; pour mixture into large heatproof bowl; cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
  7. In blender, place half of the mixture.
  8. Cover; blend until pureed.
  9. Return to saucepan.
  10. Repeat with remaining mixture.
  11. Heat over medium heat until hot.
  12. Remove from heat.
  13. Stir in cream and remaining 1 tablespoon basil.
http://www.nicolesnickels.com/2013/06/muir-glen-2012-reserve-tomatoes.html

I received samples to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

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ALDI South of the Border Party

by Nicole on June 10, 2013

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I have posted several times about ALDI before and how much I love the premise behind their store! They are all about the savings but not at the sacrifice of any flavor! You’ll find mostly the store brand products at ALDI but I have done many blind taste tests and many times prefer the ALDI product to the national brand! This summer ALDI has some great savings and I wanted to make sure you knew! They have a special summer catalog that you will want to check out for sure!

We had an ALDI south of the border party recently and set it up as make your own tacos. Noah absolutely loved this and it was a very easy dinner to make. I did this with all ALDI products and you won’t believe how affordable this was!

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Here is my shopping list:
Benita flour tortillas – $.99
Benita corn tortillas – $1.29
Benita crispy tortillas – $.99
Clancy’s multigrain tortilla chips – $1.69
Little Salad Bar Guacamole – $2.99
Little Salad Bar Artichoke and Garlic Salsa – $1.99
Little Salad Bar Medium Salsa – $1.99
All Natural Ground Beef – $2.29/lb
Dakota’s Pride Black Beans – $.59
Casa Mamita Fat Free Refried Beans – $.79
Casa Mamita Salsa con Queso – $2.29
Casa Mamita Taco Mix – $.35
whole Kernel Corn – $.49
Happy Farms Mexican Shredded Cheese – $2.99
Pickled Jalapenos – $1.19

As you can see my grand total is just $21.92! This meal would easily feed 4 people and you will have leftovers of many of the items.

My favorite thing about ALDI are the special buys.  I love that there are different things every time I go into the store.  These special buys are often seasonal and I love that since ALDI doesn’t carry as many products as a traditional grocery store they change it up by having the special buys!

Here is a fun drink recipe from the folks at ALDI!

Print
SanGrita

Ingredients

  • 8 Grandessa Signature or Specially Selected Lime Fruit Bars
  • 1 1 .5 liter bottle Sangriana Sangria
  • 3 tbsp. Stonemill Essentials iodized salt
  • 1/2 cup baker's corner sugar
  • 1/2 cup strawberries, diced
  • 1/2 cup blueberries, cut in half

Instructions

  1. Remove the frozen lime bars from the popsicle sticks by cutting around the sticks.
  2. In a blender, blend the sangria and frozen lime bars together until smooth.
  3. Meanwhile, on a plate, mix together the salt and the sugar.
  4. To salt/sugar the rim of the glass, wet the lip of each glass with a wet paper towel then rub the lip of the glass into the salt/sugar mix until a crust is created.
  5. Pour the SanGrita mix into the salt/sugar-rimmed glass and garnish with strawberries and blueberries to taste.
http://www.nicolesnickels.com/2013/06/aldi-south-of-the-border-party.html

I received compensation to purchase the items for the party. All opinions are my own.

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Unhampered: A Collapsible Laundry Basket

by Nicole on June 9, 2013

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Priced at just $29.99 Unhampered is a collapsible laundry basket that doesn’t take up any space! I was excited to try it and even more excited when I realized just how useful this was for me!

Don’t let your laundry basket take up more space than necessary. Unhampered provides all the function of your average laundry basket — and then some! – and can fold flat when not in use. When folded, Unhampered can be easily stored between your washer and drier, under your sink, or any other place where you have an extra inch or two of room to spare. Unfolded, you’ve got a sturdy deluxe basket with multiple handles and storage compartments. It includes a divider panel to separate your colors, intimates, or whatever really. Once you’re done with your wash, just fold it up and put it away for next time.

Unhampered goes above and beyond your typical laundry basket:
– Folds flat to approximately 2″ wide, allowing you to store it nearly anywhere!
– Has two sets of handles, for an easy grip in any situation.
– The side mesh pocket holds all your soaps and softeners, and keeps them within easy reach.
– Divider panel that swings out and secures in place with velcro to separate your laundry.

Jamie and I use a laundry basket as a dirty clothes hamper but I need another one for sheets, towels, etc.  When I do laundry I can just pull out my Unhampered and use it accordingly! No need to shift all the dirty clothes around to find an empty laundry basket and no need to have multiple bulky laundry baskets, I just pull out the Unhampered!

I received a sample to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

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JustFab.com’s Sizzling June Looks

by Nicole on June 8, 2013

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I am loving JustFab.com – have you heard of it? It’s a website that has some super cute and trendy items like shoes, handbags and jewelry with new items each month! It’s FREE to join and each month on the first of the month you’ll have an individualized style boutique that the stylist has created for you based on your indicated preferences. You review the boutique and choose whether to buy or not. You decide by the 5th of the month and pay just $39.95 for each item. If you decide not to buy that month then you just let them know and you’ll get the next month’s boutique on the first of the next month. There is no obligation to buy. You can skip as many months as you like. If you don’t make your decision by the 5th of the month you’ll be charged. It’s easy to set an alarm on your phone to remember to check your boutique each month.

Surprise, surprise, I chose another handbag! My collection is growing and I love the bursts of color these fun bags add to my wardrobe at such a low cost! This color is listed as peach but it is actually a deep coral which I totally love! The bag is large, has a lot of compartments and a zipper and of course I have received many compliments on it! I am forever telling people to check out JustFab.com and they are amazed that the bag is not designer!

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I also decided to get a bracelet to wear when we go out that had some mint green in it since I know green is the new it color.  The bracelet is a great statement piece and has nice bursts of mint green on it!

I received the 2 items reviewed in this post. All opinions are my own.

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Manage Your CVS Prescriptions Online

June 5, 2013

I have a CVS super close to my house and I have all of my prescriptions filled there.  Jamie and I both take a few medicines every day and it’s so easy to deal with CVS.  I was excited to hear that I can manage our pharmacy accounts online – makes it even easier! By [...]

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Which Way USA Club from Highlights

June 5, 2013

You know how much we love Highlights magazine in this house and each month Noah is excited to read through the magazine! This Which Way USA club is a great way for kids to learn about the states! With 2 State Sets full of fresh puzzles, interesting facts and geographically accurate state maps each month, [...]

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Catch Strictly Ballroom on Blu-Ray

June 4, 2013

I hadn’t ever seen Strictly Ballroom and was excited to see it had been released in Blu-Ray recently! I got a chance to watch it one rainy Sunday while Jamie was at work and I had some time to myself! Audiences can relive all the heat and passion in Miramax’s uplifting and iconic dance film, [...]

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Giveaway Winners

June 4, 2013

I’ve picked winners – they are posted on the Giveaway Tools widget of each of the following giveaways (just click the link of the giveaway title to be taken to the post where each widget is): Shoe Spa (1) Cut the Rope (1) Biggest Loser (1) Pokemon (1) P&G and Home Depot (1) Zicam (1) [...]

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Allstate: Good Hands for the Good Life

June 3, 2013

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Allstate for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine. I love my life but it wasn't always so easy! There were many years when I was in school and living alone where I didn't think I'd ever have a career and a wonderful husband like [...]

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Keep Your Packages Safe with Elephantrunk from Architectural Mailboxes

June 2, 2013

I get a lot of packages.  Like at least a package a day and one time there was 18 of them! I do most of my shopping  online and also get a lot of review items and promotional items because of this site.  Recently in my neighborhood we have had some thefts from vehicles and [...]

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New Summer Products from Kiss Nails

June 1, 2013

I recently attended a fun webinar about Kiss Nails new products for summer! I was really impressed with the products and wanted to highlight 2 of them to you all! Gradation Kit: Layer Shades to Create an Ombre Manicure 3 monochromtic polishes with hints of shimmer have a special formula to help colors blend and [...]

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Reducing Household Odors with Filtrete

May 31, 2013

I know air filters aren’t something a lot of us think about regularly and may even be a “husband” chore in most of our homes but when Filtrete sent me their Odor Reduction filter to try out my interest was piqued! In Florida it is very humid and our house has a tendency to be [...]

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Easy Delicious Coffee with Keurig OfficePRO Brewer

May 29, 2013

You all know how much I love my Keurig brewer and we use it at home multiple times a day.  Well, I thought it was time for my office to get their own Keurig and everyone was super excited when I brought in the Keurig OfficePRO Brewer from Staples! They have an old drip coffeemaker [...]

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Yummy Summer Cocktails with Smirnoff Sorbet Light

May 28, 2013

I love drinks made with vodka and have been a flavored vodka drinker for some time.  I prefer it as it doesn’t give me a headache at all and is lower in calories than other liquors.  I usually just grab a flavored vodka and add some soda to it for a lower calorie mixed drink.  [...]

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Custom Photo Wall Calendars from Calendars.com

May 27, 2013

My family is big into personalized calendars! My parents have one in their kitchen, I have one in my office, and my brother has one in his kitchen as well! Since my niece was born the calendars all revolve around baby M! Custom Photo calendars are available in 12- and 18-month versions from Calendars.com. You [...]

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Recharge with Energizer!

May 27, 2013

Energizer is our go-to brand for batteries.  I find the batteries are well made and last a long time! We use a lot of rechargeable batteries and have several chargers plugged in throughout the house.  We are always excited to try out new Energizer products, I can always count on them to come up with [...]

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