BodyBudd Pull-Up Assist Band

Raise your hand if you're like me and you struggle with pull-ups, BIG TIME! 

Well did you know that they make these awesome stretchy bands that can basically be your spotter and supporter. No workout buddy needed for pull-up assistance, so you don't have to be embarrassed when you can barely get that chin up there. 

Introducing the BodyBudd Pull-UP Assistance Band

See, doesn't that look much easier now?! You got this! 

Now, this is not like your typical stretchy workout bands. These are much thicker to give you all that support you need. BodyBudd offers 2 different thicknesses depending on what level you are at with your pull-ups and how much extra help you need. 

Left: 4.5mm                   Right: 6.4mm

Extra Product Features: 

• These are made with high quality latex, this baby isn't going to snap on you! This will hold your weight. 
• Great for not just pull ups, try chin ups, muscle ups and dips. This gives you that extra support to strengthen your upper body. Work your way up to doing these on your own!
• Great length and stretch.
• Comes with a door anchor to let you work on stretches and anchoring your band somewhere.
• Also comes with a travel bag to allow you to take this on the go or just store in your home.

If you are interested in reading more or purchasing this to add to your home gym or bring along with you to the gym, follow this link.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read full disclosure here.

ANGEL CRAFTS VINYL PACK

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read full disclosure here.

Angel Crafts 6" x 12" Self Adhesive Vinyl Sheets (35 PACK)

What you get and why I like this vinyl: 
35 sheets of 3 mil. thickness vinyl
Easy for your machine to cut
Quick peel away
Vibrant Colors
Very sticky vinyl

Textured Matte (they call it Flat)-

    1 Black 

Matte-

1 White

1 Black

1 Yellow

Gloss- *I put these in order of what I think the colors shown are called. The blues were tricky.*

1 Burgundy

1 Tomato Red

1 Red

1 Cardinal Red

1 Poppy Red (red orange)

1 Tangerine

1 Sunflower (darker yellow)

1 Sunbeam Yellow

1 Forest Green

1 Dark Green

1 Kelly Green

1 Lime Green

1 Teal

1 Sapphire Blue

1 Blue

1 Peacock

1 Azure Blue

1 Olympic Blue 

1 Violet

1 Plum

1 Royal Purple

1 Lavendar

1 Magenta 

1 Fiesta Pink

1 Black

1 White

1 Brown

1 Gold

1 Beige

1 Medium Grey

1 Silver

Sizes available are-

6x12

12x12

For more information watch my demo video HERE

Where to buy?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0125FQD9Y

GIVEAWAY!!!

Happy Friday Everyone! 

I just wanted to announce some exciting news. As some of you who follow on my social media sites may have already seen, I announced that I teamed up with a couple of friends to offer a fun giveaway to my followers. Usborne books and a beautiful handcrafted Swarovski crystal bookmark. We still plan to do this giveaway.

Unfortunately, it seems not too many people are interested in getting free stuff. Part of this giveaway is sponsored, so in order to help my sponsor in any way, it would be most beneficial if I had a larger follower base. 

I would like to still offer this giveaway and reward those who are willing to help me in this endeavor. Once my blog hits 100 followers, which is so doable, I will be happy to do this wonderful giveaway and throw in some extra goodies for a second winner! 

This blog is a way for me to share my love of cooking and adapting recipes, sharing fun adult and children's crafts, and just recently I have been providing product reviews. Some of these reviews are requirements in order for me to get a great deal on such products, and some of these are just things that I absolutely love and HAVE to share with you all. I do not get paid for the majority of these posts, and if I do, I will state such in the posts.

So whats the gain in me doing any of this? 
Am I trying to sell you something? No, I am simply just sharing some great things with you great people. I enjoy being able to do this and would love to continue to do so. Your support would mean a lot to me as this can sometimes be a time consuming venture. My reward is not money, but knowing that people find my information useful or entertaining in some way. I just really want you all to know how much it means to me when you actually read my posts and appreciate them in some way. 
Also, sellers are more willing to provide giveaways when they know there is a large follower base. So, lots of followers=lots more free stuff for you!

How can you help?

Word of mouth is my only means of "advertising".

 The best way to help me get followers is to share a post from my blog that you like and tell your friends WHY you like it. Invite them to follow my page and why you think they should. They're more likely to follow if you mention it to them and actually let them know you like this blog (if you do).

You can also share this with friends on other social media sites like Instagram or Twitter. 

Send an email to someone with a recipe, craft or product you think they may like.

Comment on posts and tell me what you liked about the post or what you thought.

Message me and let me know what sort of products you would like to see. Or if there are any products you would like me to help you find deals on. 

Ask me how you too can start getting awesome deals on products in exchange for your reviews. 

Once I hit 100 followers I will start the giveaway posts and give back to those who helped me! 
Thank you all so much for your support!

Chalk Marker Review

10 Premium Liquid Chalk Markers- from Kynsa

This post may contain affiliate links. Read full Advertising Disclosure Here.

If you've been wanting to get your hands on some awesome chalk markers and don't want to pay the steep price at the craft store, let me help you! 

This set of chalk markers are awesome! Not only do you get a set of 10 ultra vibrant markers, but it comes with 40....that's right, 4-0 chalk labels! 

Yeah, it does kind of make you want to label EVERYTHING! 

Here are the 8 different styles of labels you will get:

The labels stick very well and are also easy to remove from glass and plastic. 

Now, let's talk about these markers:

1. Ultra Vibrant- these colors will make any project stand out

2. Wide Selection of Colors- some are neon and some are basic colors

The 4 yr old helped me with the test strips. 

3. Decent Dry Time- these don't take forever to dry like some chalk markers I have tested

4. Non-toxic, water based and low odor

5. Can Be Used on Any Non-Porous Surfaces- think whiteboards, glass, mugs, food containers, chalk labels, mirrors and more

6. Wipes Off Easy- I just use a baby wipe and sometimes dry with a paper towel 

7. Make Sure to Test your Chalk Paint Surface- if you have made your own chalk surface using chalk paint, you will want to test a small area first. In my experience, the chalk marker will leave a residue (no color), that is almost like waxy. It is hard, if not impossible, to remove. I have had to just repaint my surface where markers left their..."mark" Haha

8. Long Lasting- you will get lots of use out of these. They are just like any paint marker though. Make sure you don't apply too much pressure once you have already established a paint flow to the tip.

9. Shake WELL before each use!

10. Fine Tips- the fine tips make it easy to control the look of your project

I recommend you give these markers a try if you are looking for some good quality chalk markers at an affordable price. 

*I did receive these markers in exchange for testing and providing my honest review on Amazon.com. You can find my review here. **

If you're ready to purchase this set, buy them here on Amazon.com

*This post contains affiliate links. I did not get paid for my review of this product. I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Banana Date Nut Muffins

Banana Date Nut Muffins

 (grain-free, gluten free, w/ dairy free option)

 Mmmmm, look at those perfectly toasty browned edges. These grain-free muffins are everything you want from a muffin: moist, crumbly and sweet with perfect little nooks and crannies. 

Oh my grain-free goodness, these are heavenly!

I used my food processor to make these, but you can totally make them in a blender as well. 

Prep Time: 10 min  Cook Time: 20 min 
Makes: 6 muffins
Preheat oven to 350

• 1 ripe banana
• 5 dates, pitted
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 Tbsp pure cane syrup or pure maple syrup 
• 1 Tbsp butter, melted (for dairy-free, use coconut oil)
• 1/2 Tbsp AC vinegar
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 C. almond flour, plus 1 Tbsp
• 1/8 tsp salt 
• handful of chopped pecans or walnuts (or dark chocolate chips. I love these)

Break up your banana into a few pieces and place them in the bowl of your food processor along with the dates. Pulse this a few times. 

Now add in the remaining wet ingredients and pulse a couple more times just to mix it well. Add in the almond flour, salt and baking soda. Blend until you get a nice batter with no large visible lumps of banana or date. 

Stir in the chopped nuts or chocolate chips if using those. 

Line muffin tin with 6 liners. I use silicone liners and then I used a little leftover melted butter to coat the insides with. This ensures they come out perfect every time. Spoon batter 3/4, or more, into liners.

Bake at 350 for 20 min, or until a toothpick, inserted in the middle, comes out clean.

Let these cool for about 5 min before inhaling....I mean eating.

Try not to eat the whole pan to yourself! I suggest making a double or triple batch of these babies! Freeze them, if there are any leftovers, to snack on throughout the next couple weeks. You'll be happy you did! 

** Please, as always, comment and let me know if you tried this recipe or have any questions. **

Great Sports Bra Find

Do you agree... your sports bra must be comfortable, not too restrictive but give you that perfect amount of support?! And I like to add in, mine must have padding for modesty purposes and cost me less than $50. 

Well, guess what?! Through my purchase of this product for testing and reviewing, I fell in love with this sports bra (and the price tag, under $20!). It's my new favorite and as soon as the ones I want are available in my size, I am ordering more! 

Here is the one I got. I have been wanting a black sports bra. I am one of those people who like to match, even when I am working out at home, in my garage, where no one else will see me. 

Ok, so I was forced to order a size SM b/c that was the only option available. I am normally a medium but after adjusting this to the max, it fit just fine. A little tight, but better than not tight enough.

There are so many things to love about this bra:

1) Thick, padded straps for extra support, esp for those who are heavier set/more blessed.

2) Mesh throughout. The inside is lined with mesh and I did my best to get pics of that. This helps keep you cool during your workout. I especially love that there is that mesh lining right in the center. The padding in this one is not removable. (pic below) 

3) Now let's talk more about support. The racerback allows for extra support across your  back. These are adjustable straps as well! There's a little more mesh in the back to keep you cool. There are three settings you can choose from to tighten your bra with the typical bra hooks. Again, this was super helpful for me since this was just a little small for me. 

4) Super cute design. I love this print, and all the other color options available. Here's a close up.

If this design is not quite your style, or maybe you don't quite like this color. They have several options to choose from. This one in particular comes in 3 colors, including this "Grey". Another one of my favorite styles is this one. That is a pullover style and has padding as well. 

Anyway, I hope you found this product review helpful! You can purchase this same bra here. 

** I was not paid to provide this review. However, I did receive this product at a discount in exchange for testing and providing my honest and unbiased review on Amazon.com. **

Toddler Pillow Case Review

I am so happy that we got this pillow case. I was even more excited to find that I actually had a little pillow that fit inside of it just right.  

Elise is happy to have a new cute little pillow on her bed and could hardly wait to cuddle up on it. The fabric is not only a great quality, but it is so soft. I want this on my bed, in fact! 

There are four color options available and we chose the Ivory. I was hoping it would be a little more on the yellow side so it matched her bedding better, but it's no big deal. It does match her quilt pretty good. 

We made sure to wash the pillow case before testing it. I washed it in cold water and dried it on medium heat. 

This pillow and case are a much better size for littles ones to use, rather than standard size pillows. Plus they're easier to cuddle with, if your kiddo likes to do that too. 

I would totally recommend this pillow case to you all. It's just the right size for a kiddo pillow or even a travel pillow. The sateen fabric makes this look very nice and again, is high quality. I did not find any random loose strings, nothing came unraveled in the wash. I believe this pillow case will withstand many washings. I also have not noticed any pilling yet. 

I hope you found this little review useful and if you have any questions, let me know in the comments. Here is the link were you can find this product.

**Please note, we got this adorable little pillow case for free in exchange for my honest review. 

Mini Apple Hand Pies

Just a quick post for you all with a super quick recipe! Sorry I don't have lots of pics, but this is so easy, you don't need a step by step photo tutorial. I promise! 

Sadly, I did not get a good picture of these to show you how mini and cute these little hand pies are.  Next time I make them I will take pics of them in the girls' hands so you can see how perfectly adorable these are.

These are just right for a little dessert or snack. They'd be even more perfect for a picnic or party!

Here's what you'll need:

1 sheet pre-made pie crust (*Don't take your crust out of fridge yet)

1/2 apple, Gala or Granny Smith are great for this

1 Tbsp. Sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbsp. Kraft Caramel bits, optional

4" round cookie/biscuit cutter

First, dice your apple up very small. This will ensure they will cook up in the short baking time and also that they fit perfect inside the crust. 

I combined the cinnamon, sugar and salt in a plastic container. I then added the diced apples, put the lid on and gave it a good shake. This could also be done in a ziploc bag or just a bowl, giving it a good stir. Let this sit while you let your pie crust come to room temp.

Remove your pre-made pie crust from the refrigerator and let it sit out before rolling. You can use a homemade pie crust for this if you would like, but it takes away from the ease of this recipe. I'm sure you could make the pie crust from scratch while your filling sits and gets all deliciously combined. In my case, I used Pillsbury pie crust due to convenience. But now that I have seen all of the unnecessary ingredients Pillsbury uses, I plan to switch to this brand.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Once your crust is ready and rolled out, cut as many circles as you are able to fit. I got 5 out of mine. Place about 1/2 Tbsp. of the apple filling, and a few caramel bits if you are using, into each pie circle you cut. Before folding, brush the edges with your beaten egg. You can use a pastry brush for this, or just your fingers are fine. Gently fold the crust in half while containing the filling the best you can. 

Seal the edges by crimping with a fork. Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash. Place on a baking sheet. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Keep an eye on them though. Ovens vary and you don't want to burn your delicious crust. In my opinion, that's the best part. 

Once you remove them from the oven, I suggest letting them cool on a baking rack for 20-30 minutes. Otherwise, they are just burning hot in the middle. 

This would be cute served in a little ice cream bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. That's not my thing though, so I served mine as is. 

The girls absolutely loved them and were begging for more right after they finished theirs. They even begged all the next morning. Eventually, I let them have them as an afternoon snack. 

Also, since those pre-made crusts come in a 2 pk., you can totally and very easily double this recipe. That way you can use up that whole apple of yours ;)

You're probably also wondering, "Am I just supposed to throw away the rest of the pie crust?". 

My answer, "ummm, no! Coat those babies in some cinnamon and sugar and bake them after you've made your pies!" (They burn if cooked WITH the pies.) Bake at a lower temp also. 

Pie chips anyone?! I could just make an entire batch of those, I love pie crust so much! 

I'd love to hear from you! Let me know if you try this out. You can totally change this up and make it all the more easier by using a fruit jam for the filling. 

Yoga Towel Review

Shout out to my fitness gals! You're going to love this product and even better yet, there is a discount code available for you to save 10% off!!! Read on...

This is my first time ever using a "yoga towel". I'll admit, for the longest time I thought they were just like towels you wiped yourself off with when doing hot Yoga. (you're probably shaking your head at my stupidity). Well, if you were like me, guess what, that's totally NOT what they are meant for. Hahaha. You use them on top of your yoga mat WHILE you are doing hot yoga. 

This mat is amazing in that it provides a better grip and keeps your sweaty body from slipping all over the place. The extra hand towel is so... well, handy! Wipe off your hands and your forehead and you are good to go. The fabric is high quality  microfiber. However, it is unlike any other microfiber I have ever felt before. It's thick, it's soft, it's kind of plush and feels almost rubbery. Strange way to describe it, but that's the best I know how. It's very absorbent and perfectly grippy. The towel itself is extra long and the hand towel is a very decent size as well. Elise and I did a little beginners yoga sesh today and she used the hand towel as her "yoga mat". Too cute, right?!

disregard all that random junk in the background

I used my Yoga Towel for stretching after a sweaty workout last night. Embarrassing story, my hands sweat a ton...huge reason why I never really even do normal yoga in the first place. Can you imagine me trying to support myself on my hands while they're slipping and sliding around?! Super embarrassing. But alas, my problem is solved with this awesome towel! Anyway, I used my hand towel to wipe my hands when I needed to and was able to do some of my cool down workouts and stretching with no worries about the sweaty palms. 

Some uses I noticed suggested on there site is using this as a picnic towel or beach towel, and it is certainly large enough for doing that as well.

The first picture shows the vibrant color (Rose Pink) of this towel really well, but if you hop on their website you will find pics of the other colors available. (Grey, Green, Ocean Blue, Orange, Purple, Rose Pink and Teapot Blue) My faves being this pink of course, then the Teapot Blue and Grey. They also have a wonderful money back guarantee and they're a small business. Huge thumbs-up there. I love supporting small businesses! Be sure to check out their other products as well.

***Oh and most importantly, notice on there, the Coupon Code to save yourself some $$ on Amazon.com when you purchase one for yourself...and maybe one for your mom or best workout buddy***

I'd love to hear any questions from you guys or any feedback. I hope you enjoyed this review and I look forward to sharing many more great products with you all. 
I did receive this product in exchange for my honest review on Amazon, which you can find here.

Toddler Activity Crafts

Create Your Own Toddler Entertainment and Learning Aids

So, here I am mid-summer about 8 months pregnant with a very active toddler. It's not always easy to go play outside in this 90-100 degree weather, and we don't always make it to the pool. Sure, we've got lots of books and toys at the house, but I thought it would be fun to make a list of a few activities that we could do together indoors. I then put each idea on a little pieces of paper that we could draw from a jar/box. I did little searching through my Pinterest boards and found a few lists that I had saved as Toddler Activities. 

Here are some of the ideas that I added to our activity jar that I will be making for Elise: 

• Bean Bag Toss
• Practice Scooping Beans
• Number Flash Cards
• Letter Flash Cards
• Play w/ Princess Wands 
• Play w/ Felt Board 
• Pom Pom Tube Shoot
• Color Matching Stick

Color Match Game: 

Here's the link to where I found the idea for this:

Paint Chip Color Matching Activity

So I didn't have any paint chips or paint sticks laying around... but I did have some awesome shiny heavy weight paper and a piece of cardboard on hand. 

Here are all of my supplies:

I used the round punch for the colors that would go on the clothespins. I attached those with double sided foam adhesive circles b/c those hold better than the Photo Splits. 

Since my "cardboard paper"is 8 1/2" x 11" I had to overlap the squares a bit. I cut the strip of cardboard  2" x 11" and the squares are 2" x  2". Attach the squares onto the cardboard strip with the photo splits. 

You can then take your marker and write the name of the colors on the strip if you like.

And there you go. Have your child attach the clothespin to the corresponding square on the color strip. 

More to come on this...