Dress Up Your Hair With Qoileez! Review & Giveaway

From the time my daughter was a baby, I have always loved to doll her hair up in pretty styles. She was TERRIBLE about keeping anything in her hair as an infant so I sort of gave up until she was older. Now that she is bigger, I am constantly giving her special styles in her hair and for the first time ever, I did her hair in rag curlers the other night. Woo! Was her hair ever curly the next morning!! She loved it and I loved doing it for her. Curly hair on little girls is just too cute. :) Some of the other hair styles that she loves are braids, half up and half downs, pony tails and other easy styles. Because she is older, she also sits still for longer periods of time while I do her hair. This was something that she always had trouble with when she was smaller. I have convinced her that when she sits still so mommy can do her hair, she can end up looking like a fancy princess and that usually does the trick in getting her to stay still longer.

I have recently discovered a really cute and versitile fashion accessory that looks super classy in Hannah's hair and wanted to share it with you today! Qoileez! is a company that makes small, curly hair accessories that are easy to use and fun as well! Here is a bit more about Qoileez!, and the founder of this company, Maria Casarez...

Qoileez! came from being inspired by so many successful inventors/entrepreneurs' stories that I have read and heard about.  And the drive to invent and create something overpowered me. I said to myself: "I want to create something. Something fun and fashionable. Something with a multi-purpose." Well, one day I was at the store and I was thinking of the inventor who invented the Topsy Tail and I said to myself "I am going to look in the knitting, crochet area and see if there is something like the Topsy Tail that I can use in my hair." So I did and found these tiny stretchy plastic things that were used to hold knitting needles together and I said to myself those would look cute in my hair. So I bought them. They were $5.99 for a pack of 5 solid colors (purple, green and white). I experimented with them. They held my hair together and helped me create some cute hair styles but didn't have that, "Wow factor"!  

So I thought to myself what can I do to make them look better?  They became my prototypes. Now I know what prototypes are because I have done a lot of research and have been educating myself on inventing and bringing products to market.  I researched the material manufactures, colors, design and so much more. I thought to myself "these" coils would look so cute if they were different designs and colors and would make such a cute fashion accessory for my hair.  My kids and I started to come up with all these ideas of how these coiled plastic objects could be used for. So I bought some nail art stickers cut them and put them over the coils and molded them to fit the coils. They looked so cute!

Once again, I have discovered a product that has been invented by a mom and that is what I love about doing reviews. It really opens my eyes to the number of great companies out there that have their roots in family and that is so great.

So, for this review I was sent three packages of Qoileez! to try out and experiment with. As I said before, I love doing my daughter's hair and this created the perfect opportunity for a quick hair style for her.

As you can see, there are many different styles, colors and themes to choose from when shopping for Qoileez! I am not a really flashy type of person so I love the pretty colors that I was sent. They are just enough color to add a bit of "pop" to any hairstyle.

Measuring about 1/2 inch in length, these are flexible little coils that wrap nicely around the hair. They are made out of a flexible plastic type of material and once they are stretched, they can be coiled around just about anything!

Are you a student or teacher? Then Qoileez! would look really great coiled around your pencils and pens. As an added bonus, not only can you have them decorate your writing utensils but you can also have a hair accessory handy for those moments when you forgot your hair tie and need to put your hair back! I love that idea.

Hannah's hair tends to be wispy and gets in her eyes really easily. So, I pulled her bangs back and wrapped the Qoileez! around the hair. I was amazed at how nicely it held her hair in place. Not only did it hold her hair for the remainder of the day but it also held throughout the night too. THAT was impressive. :) Her hair isn't that thick either so I thought the Qoileez! held her hair together really well considering that aspect. I am also wanting to put several of these throughout her hair when I braid it...I think it would look super cute. 

So, to buy Qoileez!, simply visit their website and click on the "shop" tab. This will give you so many options for colors and styles...they have something for every one and every taste out there! Right now, they have free shipping too so be sure to take advantage of that. Think ahead to Christmas...stocking stuffers are always difficult and these would make PERFECT stocking stuffers!!  One package of 7 Qoileez! retails for $4.99 and you can also get 14 count packages for $7.99 too. Fantastic price for outstanding hair accessories!

So, in my opinion...Qoileez! are really cute hair accessories that I have been having fun with. My daughter's hair looks even cuter now that I have these and I seriously am using them all the time. They don't pull her hair or put kinks into it...plus, they are super easy to use. I would definitely recommend them to anyone!

Qoileez has offered to giveaway three packages of Qoileez! to one of you! The winner will have their choice of which three packages they would like to receive as well. Here are your entry options into this awesome giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I did receive free Qoileez! products for review purposes. All quotes and stock photos are from the Qoileez! websites and email.  Prize is being provided and shipped by the sponsor. This blog is not responsible for lost, damaged or stolen prizes. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

A Wedding Weekend!

Well, my brother is married!! The wedding was beautiful and the bride and groom were sooo cute. It is such a blessing that my brother found such a wonderful girl and that they are so happy together! It was an incredibly busy weekend but one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Congratulations to Reuben and Hannah!! Here are some photos of the wedding...

 The Happy Couple. :) Can you believe she got her dress on ebay?????

The wedding was at Becker Farms...what a beautiful venue! If you are looking for a gorgeous place to hold your wedding, this is definitely a great option!! Everything was nicely done and looked so elegant. The food was yummy too!!

 The bride's mother made the cake...it tasted as good as it looked!

I love this picture. My littlest man and my hubby. So cute together. :)

My honey and I.

So, after a long weekend I am ready to get back into blogging...stay tuned for some fun and exciting reviews and giveaways! :)

Tropical Breeze Fragrance for Him...Free Sample

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20 Mule Team Borax Review & Giveaway {3 Winners}

Well, summer is in full swing and I am loving the cooler weather that we have had this week. It makes working in the kitchen enjoyable and I love to bake and clean when the air is cool. When it is hot and sticky that last thing I want to be doing is working. If this cool weather is any indication of how the rest of the summer is going to be, I am SO ready! :) Cleaning is something that I really do enjoy and when it comes to keeping my house clean, I am pretty good at keeping up with things. I am not OCD about my house though (unless we are talking about toys, then I am terrible!) and it doesn't have to be spotless 100% of the time. My family comes first and if the house needs to wait until tomorrow to be cleaned then so be it. It can wait. Now, at the end of my day, I typically do a walk-through of the house and pick up toys, wipe down counter tops and straighten things up a bit. If there is one thing I do enjoy it is waking up to a clean and ready-for-the-day house.

One of the rooms of my house that just has to be clean is my kitchen. I have a lot of experience with ants and so I know the importance of a clean kitchen. So, when it comes to cleaning supplies for my kitchen I tend to use multi-purpose cleaners. 20 Mule Team Borax Detergent Booster is something that I use regularly for my laundry but did you know that it can also be used for cleaning purposes? I never did until recently and have been using Borax around my house ever since. I have often wondered where the name "20 Mule Team" came from and thought you would be interested in learning more about the history behind the famous name...

Twenty-mule teams were a solution to the transportation problem of moving millions of pounds of borax from remote mines in inaccessible Death Valley to the railroad at Mojave.

Originally, teams of eight and 10 mules were used. But the 165-mile trek proved to be too much for these teams. According to local legend, Harmony Borax superintendent J.W.S. Perry and a muleskinner (or driver) named Ed Stiles came up with the idea of hitching two 10-mule teams together. The result was 100-foot-long team that took 10 days to carry 10 tons of borax one way across the desert.

Three men operated the 20-mule teams, which were actually 18 mules and two horses. The mule teams hauled more than 12 million pounds of borax 165 miles in the five years between 1883 and 1888. During this time not a single animal was lost, nor did a single wagon break down. In 1894, a steam traction engine named “Dinah” was brought in to replace the mules, but she proved less reliable, and was eventually towed back to town by the mules she tried to replace.

After the mules were replaced by a new rail spur, the Pacific Coast Borax company added the name 20 Mule Team to Borax. The symbol was first used in 1891 and registered in 1894.

How interesting is that! I would have never guessed but now, I know! It is also really neat to note that Borax has been used for so many years. You really know a product is good if it has stood the test of time and is still used now!

So, for this review I was sent a box of 20 Mule Team Borax Detergent Booster and also some coupons to give away to some of you! Borax is a regular additive to my laundry and while it is odorless and doesn't seem to add much to my laundry, it does a great job cleaning my clothes and helping my detergent work better. It is also really helps to remove stains in clothing and believe me, with three toddlers we have a LOT of  stained clothing around here!

Because I have never cleaned the drains of my kitchen sinks, I thought that it would be a good idea to use the 20 Mule Team Borax on them to see how well it worked! You can also use this product to clean your disposal if you had one. I had one at the old house and I miss it terribly!! Those things are simply the BEST.

So, all you do is sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons down the drain and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then, flush well with water. That is all you need to do! Any foul odors will be gone and your sink will be cleaner than it was. I have never noticed any bad smells from my drains but it is good to know that now they are clean!

Not only can you use Borax in your sinks, but you can also use it for your laundry (it naturally softens hard water which helps your detergent work at it's maximum capabilities), washing your dishes and even adding it to your dishwasher to eliminate water spots and residue! I love that! I have been noticing water spots on my glasses recently so I may try this out in the dishwasher too.

20 Mule Team Borax Detergent Booster retails for about $3 and can be found at mass retailers around the country. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone! It is multi-functional, practical, natural and VERY effective! Try it out today!

I have some coupons for Free 20 Mule Team Borax Detergent Booster to give away to three of you! Here are your entry options...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I did receive 20 Mule Team Borax for review purposes. All quotes and stock photos are from the 20 Mule Team Borax website and email. Prizes are being mailed by myself. This blog is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged prizes and in this case I cannot replace lost coupons. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine. 

Tropical Traditions Whole Golden Flax Seed Review & Giveaway {US & Canada}

Well, I am sad to say that I didn't win the weight loss competition against my family. :( The bride-to-be actually won and I am really really happy for her! She is marrying my brother on Friday and we couldn't be happier for them. I am happy to report that I did come in third out of everyone that participated, which is really cool. :) During my weight loss journey, which I am still on, I enjoyed eating salad alot and it has become a staple for my lunches. Salad is such an amazing food...filling, healthy and so many ways to dress it up! It also helps with digestion and the fiber found in lettuces and spinach is wonderful. Along with eating salads, I have found some really yummy toppings that just make the salad even more tastier! Today, I am going to share a review of Tropical Traditions Whole Golden Flaxseed and how I used it to spruce up my salads.

Tropical Traditions has been a long-time favorite of mine and they are best known for their amazing Coconut Oil. I never realized what I could do with Coconut Oil until I met Tropical Traditions. If you (like I was) are wondering about how to use coconut oil, then you should really check out what Tropical Traditions suggests. I never knew I could use it in so many different recipes, candies and beverages. Check out this video on the many uses of coconut oil...
 Ok, so I totally want to try and make the fudge. Doesn't it look amazing?!? Oh, and I had never thought to add coconut oil to my coffee...what an interesting idea.

For this review I was sent a pouch of Tropical Traditions Whole Golden Flax Seed. Back when I was on a vegan diet I used flax seed daily as a fiber and fatty acid addition to my smoothies. It didn't have a whole lot of flavor but added some much-needed nutrition to my diet. This Flax Seed comes in a one pound pouch and it is definitely a good amount of seeds! In case you aren't familiar, here is a bit more information about golden flax seed...

Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is a beautiful blue flowered plant grown on the plains of Central Canada and the North Central United States. Our organic flaxseed is "golden flaxseed" from North Dakota. Modern research has taken great interest in flaxseed. Study after study confirms that the oil and fiber components of flaxseed have wonderful health benefits. A valuable source of Fiber, Essential Fatty Acids and Lignans.

The flax seed I used when on my vegan diet was brown so seeing it a golden color was different! I like it though...it kind of reminds me of sesame seeds.

This came just in time for my lunch and so I fixed my salad as usual. Adding the Golden Flax Seed really added nice color and flavor to my salad. Combined with my other ingredients, this flax seed is now a regular addition to my daily salad. It is nice to know that something so tiny can provide such wonderful nutrition for me. I also love to add Whole Golden Flax Seeds to my fruit smoothies, casseroles and yogurt. Oh, and this is also a WONDERFUL way to add a bit of extra nutrition to your children's foods as well. I sneak it into my youngest son's yogurt and he doesn't even notice. :)

A one pound pouch of Tropical Traditions Whole Golden Flax Seed retails for $10.30 and can be ordered in one bag or multiple bag quantities.

Tropical Traditions has offered to giveaway a pouch of their Whole Golden Flax Seed to one of you! Here are your entry options...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I did receive free Tropical Traditions products for review purposes. All quotes and stock photos are from the Tropical Traditions website and email. Prize is being shipped by the sponsor. This blog is not responsible for lost, damaged or stolen prizes. *Canadian residents: Tropical Traditions and this blog is not responsible for customs or duties that Canada may charge for your prize should you win.* All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

Get a Picture Perfect Smile with REMBRANDT! {Review & Giveaway}

Well, as I have mentioned in previous posts, this coming Friday is my brother's wedding. Ahh! I can't believe my little brother is getting married. Needless to say, our entire family is so incredibly excited and I am especially excited because I get to dress my babies up in the most adorable outfits and I am going to do Hannah's hair in rag rollers! (Wish me luck on that one...lol!). It has been about 2 years since I have been to a wedding and it will be nice to be at one once again. Normally, all weddings have something in common...two people are hopelessly in love and EVERYONE has huge smiles on their faces. :) I remember my wedding day like it was yesterday - my face hurt at the end of the day and I felt like I had a permanent smile that was glued in place. Ha ha! Well, I am positive that I will be doing a lot of smiling this Friday and in preparation for that, I have been in the process of whitening my teeth!

Looking for the perfect teeth whitening products can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. There are so many different brands and types, it gets confusing to know which ones are the best. I love two different brands in particular and today, I am going to share one of them with you! REMBRANDT is one of my favorite teeth whitening brands because they carry just about everything you need to quickly and efficiently whiten your teeth. Here is a bit more of REMBRANDT's history...

REMBRANDT® was the discovery of cosmetic dentist and whitening pioneer, Dr. Robert Ibsen. His goal was to provide his patients with effective whitening power that would help fix the stains and scratches on their teeth. But he couldn't find anything on the market that served this purpose. So he headed to his lab and created REMBRANDT®, the first whitening toothpaste the category had ever seen. Even though the category has grown over the years, unlike other whitening brands, REMBRANDT® still stays single-mindedly focused on teeth whitening.

I do not consider myself to be a vain person but I do try to always look my best. Special occasions are the perfect time to work a bit harder to try and look even nicer so that is why I am attempting to whiten my teeth. Your smile is one of the first things people notice when they look at you so why not try and get it looking it's best?

So, for this review I was sent some of REMBRANDT's teeth whitening products to try out and I am so excited to share them with all of you today! I was sent the Two Hour Whitening Kit, Stain Dissolving Strips, Deeply White Toothpaste and the Intense Stain Toothpaste. Wow...I wanted white teeth and I am sure going to have them! :)

The Two Hour Whitening Kit was the first thing I tried out and it was very easy to use. Once you open the package you will find a tray containing all the items you will need for your whitening experience. There are two mouth trays and 8 capsules of whitening gel.

So, all you do is heat the mouth trays in hot (not boiling) water until they start to lose their form. Then, you put them in your mouth and bite down on them, molding them to your teeth using your lips and tongue. Once you have finished that step, put the contents of one capsule into the tray in a thin line. There is plenty in each capsule to adequately fill the tray so don't worry about using too much or too little. All you do at this point is put the mouth trays into your mouth and let them sit for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, rinse with water and let your mouth rest for 10 minutes. Repeat the process until you have used up all the capsules of gel. If you find that you are satisfied with the result of the whitening gel after only one or two applications, you don't have to use any more and can stop whenever you wish. I like to use mine for two applications at a time...my teeth are not that bad when it comes to stains and what-not so I save the other two applications for a different day.

The REMBRANDT Whitening Strips are wonderful and I use them all the time. They are super easy to use as well and are easily taken anywhere you go! They are made of small, filmy, dissolvable strips that are placed on your teeth and pressed into place, folding the excess over the back of your teeth. These strips completely dissolve and there is no sticky residue left over...just whiter teeth!

I love the REMBRANDT toothpastes. The Deeply White Toothpaste is wonderful...it thoroughly cleans my teeth and helps them look white in the process. The tube itself looks like it is about to bust open but that is just the active peroxide inside the paste. I love using this toothpaste about once a week to just maintain the whiteness of my teeth.

For those of you who have badly stained teeth from coffee, wine or other staining foods and beverages, may I recommend Intense Stain Toothpaste? This is also a daily use toothpaste that removes stains to brighten your teeth. I was having issues with yellowing teeth but since I have been using this paste over the course of several months, my teeth have lost the yellow color!! This is something I am VERY grateful for. :)

REMBRANDT products can be found at food, drug and mass retailers across the country and are very reasonably priced as well...DEEPLY WHITE™ 2 Hour Whitening Kit, $20, DEEPLY WHITE™ Toothpaste, $7, INTENSE STAIN® Stain Dissolving Strips, $20, INTENSE STAIN® Toothpaste, $7.

So, I guess you could say that I am pretty much ready for the wedding on Friday! Thanks to REMBRANDT,  my teeth are looking great and I am so thrilled that I have been able to get them nice and white for a picture perfect smile!

Now, one of you has the opportunity to win the exact same REMBRANDT products I received! Here are your entry options...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I did receive free REMBRANDT products for review purposes. All quotes and stock photos are from the REMBRANDT websites and email.  Prize is being provided and shipped by the sponsor. This blog is not responsible for lost, damaged or stolen prizes. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

Copperhead Movie Blog App + Ticket & Signed Poster Giveaway!

How many of you LOVE history? When I was in high school, I didn't really enjoy it that much but as I grew into young adulthood, I came to appreciate it much more than ever. Watching documentaries really helped me to understand history more and when I see something acted out, it makes so much more sense. Well, if you, your family or someone you know loves history than you are going to LOVE the movie "Copperhead", which is opening in theaters on June 28th!!

Copperhead is the perfect movie for this year as 2013 marks the 150 year anniversary of the Civil War & The Battle of Gettysburg! How appropriate then, to make a movie based on true events that actually happened during that time. Here is a bit more about Copperhead...

From director Ron Maxwell, (Gettysburg, Gods and Generals) Copperhead is unlike any other Civil War movie. Far from the Virginia battlefield, it’s the exciting story of Abner Beech (Billy Campbell), a peace-loving but stubborn dairy farmer in upstate New York. He detests slavery, but opposes the war for the sake of the “union.” Abner is neither a Yankee nor a Rebel. He is a Copperhead. This is an extraordinary story of family and community.

Last night I watched the trailer for this movie and I actually think it will be an amazing film. Our family does not attend movie theaters but I am constantly on the look out for good films for us to enjoy. Well, in celebration of this upcoming movie premier, a fun and informative blog app has been created for you to enjoy and also, this app includes the trailer for the movie! Check it out...

I love movies that are based during this era and so this is one that I am definitely going to want to see when it comes out on DVD! So, on June 28th, grab your family and head out to see Copperhead...a movie packed full of adventure, history and a peek into what life was like during the days of the Civil War!

Now, this will be a quick giveaway but one that I think you all will enjoy! Enter now to win:
- Official Copperhead Movie Poster hand signed by Director/Producer Ron Maxwell (Gettysburg, Gods and Generals) (27 X 40)
- The Copperhead Official Companion Book [Author: Harold Frederic]
- Movie Theater Cash [Valid for 1 Movie Admission]

Here are your entry options (*PLEASE NOTE: Prize will not be shipped to PO Boxes and winner will have only 36 hours to respond)...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I am working in conjunction with Copperhead and they have supplied the materials used in this post. Prize is being provided and shipped by the sponsor. This blog is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged prizes. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.