Why Our Kids Love L'il Critters Gummy Vites #sponsored

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for L’il Critters. I received a product sample and promotional item as a thank you for participating.

I have two very picky eaters who would choose pizza or chicken nuggets for every meal if I let them! We try to get them to eat a balanced meal and always have at least one or two vegetables with our meals, but this doesn't mean they will eat them. That is why I think it is so important to supplement their diet with vitamins for many, many reasons.

My son, Liam, started his chemotherapy treatments last fall, so at that time I purchased our first L'il Critters Gummy Vites and also the L'il Critters Immune C (with Echinacea and Zinc). We'd tried other types of vitamins before and both of the boys were not fans, so this was our first try with gummies and the boys loved them! For once they were asking every day if they could have their vitamins! Not only am I impressed with the taste and how much my children like them, but we also made it through flu season with only minor colds that lasted a day or two!

We recently received L'il Critters Gummy Vites just in time since our most recent container of them was nearing empty. The boys were so excited to receive these in the mail and, of course, wanted to "try" them immediately. Seriously, how could I say no to a taste test and, once again, they passed with flying colors. When I asked Josiah, my 6 year-old, what he liked the most about L'il Critters Gummy Vites, he replied, "I love how the red ones taste. They are my favorite!" Liam also told me he loves the flavor of all of them and then asked if he could have more. Liam also carries his stuffed animal bear, Peanut Butter, around with him everywhere, so he immediately noticed the gummies were bear shaped and was very excited!

L'il Critters Gummy Vites are naturally flavored cherry, citrus and berry! Yummy!

It's easy to get into a routine of taking vitamins, especially when your kids love them so much and actually request them daily. I have them sitting out on our kitchen counter near our breakfast food area, so each morning the boys eat their breakfast and take their vitamins! Having them out helps me remember to give them out each morning, but most of the time the boys are the ones reminding me! This has become an everyday occurrence and it makes me feel like they are starting the day off right because L'il Critters Gummy Vites contains essential vitamins and minerals, which support and maintain healthy growth and development. As someone who has given them to my kiddos for almost a year, I am so impressed and happy about how well they really have supported their growth and helped them not only maintain a balanced diet, but also how they have also helped keep them healthy overall.

Eating their gummies and getting ready for the day!

Now that Josiah is back in school and has begun 1st grade, it is more important than ever for him to stay healthy and to be prepared each day! Although I can support Josiah by going over homework with him, helping him get to sleep early and making sure he is ready to go in the morning, I cannot make them always eat a balanced diet with all the vitamins in minerals I would like them to have. L'il Critters Gummy Vites has definitely helped out with this and, for that, I am forever grateful, especially since they love them so much.

Be sure to check out the L'il Critters Facebook page, too, and "Like" them to keep up with the latest news and promotions! You never know when a great coupon will come out or even a new type of gummy.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for L’il Critters. I received a product sample and promotional item as a thank you for participating.

A Healthier Mama With Provella Probiotics & 30-Day Supply Giveaway *5 Winners*

A few years ago, I came down with the flu while my husband was at work. It was the worst day of my life. Since then, I've tried to keep my body healthier, in shape and feeling good. There isn't just one way to become healthy. You have to find what works for you. For myself, exercise is a must each day. Yes, as a stay at home mom, it would be easy to lay around on the couch all day with the kids watching tv, but I don't want to become a couch potato and I certainly don't want that happening to my children. Each day we go outside for at least one hour. Although I don't jog or run, just playing with the kids is a great workout. The weather has been great for this lately, so we've been outside even more than usual.

Another important factor in my health is diet. Eating right changes the way I feel, from the energy I have to the way my stomach digests food. Before I had children, I never had any stomach issues, but now things are unfortunately much different. Shortly after having Liam, I noticed my stomach was hurting much more often, I became constipated more often and just didn't feel very well. I spent more time trying to sit still so my tummy wouldn't hurt, which made me feel even less healthy. I knew something had to change, but I had no idea what to do. Then, a friend suggested probiotics and this changed everything!

We all know there are good and bad bacteria in our bodies, but did you know they can severely disrupt your system's performance if unbalanced? Most noticeably, it can upset your digestive and feminine health. Probiotics aren't drugs or vitamins. In fact, they contain live microorganisms that work within your body to restore the balance of good and bad bacteria in our bodies. There are many factors that can cause an imbalance, including diet, hormonal fluctuations, sickness and more.
The probiotic I am trying right now is Provella, a probiotic specifically for women. Provella contains 6 bacteria strains, which specifically give support to digestive feminine and immune health. This is something different from other probiotics and I love that there is one specifically for women. Another fact that makes Provella unique is the patented controlled-release technology, which allows the probiotic bacteria to better survive stomach acid, so it can get to the intestines and start working!

I take one each day with or without food and that's it! I don't have take medicines or other drugs to target stomach issues because probiotics do this naturally for me. Having an alternative like this for myself is always preferred because I don't like taking medicines unless completely necessary. I feel healthier, my energy is restored and I can keep up with my kids. There are many benefits to taking probiotics and I, personally, can tell a difference in my digestive health.

Want to give Provella a try? Click Here to print out a $6 coupon for your next purchase of Provella! Provella is available at drugstores around the United States and can also be purchase via Drugstore.com.

Giveaway Time

Now that you've ready a little about probiotics, would you like a chance to try Provella? We are so excited to offer our readers an awesome giveaway:

FIVE Children Teaching Mama Readers Will Win A 30-Day Supply of Provella!

Just use the GiveawayTools form below to enter. This giveaway is open to continental US readers 18+ years of age and will end on Tuesday, April 23rd at 11:59pm. Be sure to come back daily for extra entry options. Good Luck!

Together Counts Encourages Us To Stay Active This Fall Season #TogetherCounts

 I have always been very active and enjoy being on-the-go all the time. Now that I have a family, we are even more busy pretty much all the time! The fall is one of my favorite seasons because there is so much to do. We live up in the mountains, so the fall is when our little town gets busy and and we have a blast.

I want my children to be happy, healthy and active, which is exactly what Together Counts, a nationwide program, inspires others to do, too! The Together Counts principle is Energy Balance. This means you balance the amount of calories eaten in foods with the calories you burn from exercising and staying active. No sitting indoors watching tv when we can be outdoors enjoying nature.

Together Counts is the first kind of coalition bringing together almost 200 retailers, food/beverage manufacturers, restaurants, sporting goods and many other businesses. You can check out their website for some amazing resources, both local and nationwide. There is even a service locator feature that helps you find nearby businesses and activities encouraging physical activity, health and nutrition, food and recipes and much more!

Here are a few fun fall activities for your family:

1. Go for a hike. We live up in the mountains and have many state parks and trails nearby. Search online for local trails. You can be outdoors, enjoy the weather and get some exercise.

Beautiful fall weather in the mountains while hiking!

2. Go fishing! We are far from master fishermen, but we still enjoy it. The kids get their little reels and love trying to fling them in the water. Honestly, we have never caught anything, but that's ok! They have more fun splashing in the creek.

3. Ride bicycles as a family. You can ride around your neighborhood or go to a local/state park. Many have fun bicycle trails and, in the fall, the scenery is so pretty!

Having a great time picking apples!

4. Go to a fall festival. Many states and cities celebrate annually with a fall festival. Take a stroll around, look at all the arts and crafts and enjoy what the festival has to offer. Stay away from junk food and look for the local produce. We have an Apple Festival every year and our local apples are absolutely delicious!

5. Go apple or pumpkin picking. This year we went to an apple house to pick apples. I had no idea just how much exercise we would get while walking around the fields. There were thousands of trees with different types of apples. We walked for miles and we were having so much fun, it really didn't even seem like work. Then we rewarded ourselves by making caramel apples. Yum!

There are so many things I love about fall, including all of the healthy recipes that go perfectly with fall weather. Vegetable soup is one of my favorite things to make and is perfect on a cold, windy day. I also enjoy making vegetarian chili for the family in the fall. My husband likes his a little spicy to warm him up.

How do you stay active during the fall season? 

Click Here to see how you can help win your child's school a $30,000 grant with the Find Your Balance Challenge. There are several other prizes, too!

Be sure to join the Together Counts Twitter party next Wednesday, October 17th from 8-9PM EST with the hashtag #TogetherCounts. We hope to see you there. 

Also keep up with all the latest news from Together Counts by following via Facebook, their blog and Pinterest!

Disclosure: This post was written for Together Counts in conjunction with Resourceful Mommy Media. All opinions written are my own.

Together Counts Encourages Families To Become More Healthy & Active + 5 Fun Outdoor Activities

This year we've been very lucky with the weather here in Georgia. Spring arrived very early this year and at the beginning of March we've had highs in the 80s already! I'm so happy because we are an outdoor kind of family. We love being outside and, since we live in the mountains, there is always something fun to do. It's so important to stay active as a family, especially for children. Why? Being active benefits children in may ways, including promoting healthy growth and development, building strong bones and muscles, and improving self-esteem! I notice my children are much happier after spending time outside and I think we parents also benefit from getting some fresh air and letting the children burn off some of that extra energy!

There are many ways we stay active with this kids and I highly recommend as a family. Here are 5 ways to stay active outdoors with children this Spring and Summer!

1. Plan a visit to a national or state park! We live close to the Amicalola Falls State Park because there are several hiking trails, beautiful scenery and you can even hike to see the amazing falls. They even have a hike-inn where you hike up part of the mountain and spend the night.

2. Plant a garden! We plant a garden every year. The boys love digging in the dirt and it's great exercise! This year I bought them their own above-ground garden, which is an 8x8 area. They can dig in it, plan flowers and vegetables, etc. Not only is it fun for them, but they learn something from the experience and get to enjoy the results! We have already planted our flowers and have one tomato plant that has several tomatoes already forming.

3. Go fishing! Older kids may actually love to go fishing. We go out to our creek and walk along the rocks. Josiah enjoys casting his reel, but more than anything he just likes playing in the water. Encourage children to look for the fish and find other creatures in the water. We always find clam shells, crayfish and other goodies to tote home with us.

4. Backyard Water Games - We have 2 water tables and the kids go wild with them. You can also get cheap little pools or even just water guns and let them chase each other around. Kids love water!

Future Fortified Provides Mothers & Children With Essential Vitamins and Minerals

Yesterday I went to the grocery store to purchase milk, eggs, gummy vitamins, juice and other items for our week's meals. It's our weekly trip to the store and something I usually don't think twice about. It dawned on me that this is many of the daily occurrences we often take for granted. Many families around the world do not have this luxury. They struggle to provide even the most basic nutrients we are given each and every day. Future Fortified, a campaign of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), helps provide millions of women and children around the world with the essential nutrients needed.

In a perfect world all pregnant women, new mothers and their young would and could receive the appropriate nutrients needed. Future Fortified has invented creative and innovative ways to improve nutrition and health in a cost-efficient way. How? Home Nutrition Packets. These small single-serving packets, filled with essential vitamins and minerals, are sprinkled onto food and easily ingested a few times a week. These amazing little packets cost less than three cents each in countries such as Kenya and Bangladesh. It's such a wonderful, yet affordable way for low-income mothers and their children to receive the nutrition they need and deserve. 

I wanted to share the information about Future Fortified because it's such an amazing and necessary effort that deserves attention and donations. Can you imagine not being able to provide your own children with the vitamins and minerals needed? Though we have these items at our disposal, others do not and we should do our part to help. Please take a look at the Future Fortified website to see what you can do to help. You can also follow via Facebook and Twitter.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf Future Fortified. To thank me for my contribution, Mom Central donated $20 to the FutureFortified campaign.

Knock Out The Fat With the George Foreman Next Generation Removable Plate Grill

I remember when George Foreman came out with his very first grill. I received it for Christmas when I was in college and was so excited to have one. I hate to even admit this, but that was about 10-11 years ago now. I officially feel old. Well, the George Foreman Next Generation Removable Plate Grill is not only much bigger, but has some great features that knocks this one out of the ballpark!


I've mentioned a time or two that my husband has high blood pressure and has gained quite a bit of weight over the past few years. It's been my goal to cut down on fatty, salty foods and for all of us to eat healthier. Yes, it's tough, especially with children in the house, but the George Foreman Next Generation Grill is definitely a step in the right direction. With it's special technology to "Knock Out The Fat™", you will find it much easier to cook delicious meals and eat healthily at the same time.

How Exactly Does the Grill "Knock Out The Fat™"?

First, there is no need for oil when cooking your items on the grill due to it's nonstick coating. Secondly, the grill is slightly slanted, which allows fat and grease to cook off of your meat and run down into the drip tray.

New results of independent testing show that the George Foreman Grill removes up to 42% of fat from quarter-pound burgers made with 80/20 ground chuck beef, translating to a reduction of approximately 89 calories per burger!

My Thoughts

I was selected to put the George Foreman Next Generation Removable Plate Grill to the test. Would it, indeed "Knock Out The Fat"? I actually tried two types of meats for separate dinners to compare. The first night, we had 80/20 ground chuck beef marinated with some of my sodium-free goodies. I immediately noticed the fat running down into the drip tray! By the end, I had a delicious, juicy burger without the grease running everywhere. The second time, we had soy burgers. I was very skeptical that any fat would be dripping anywhere and, to my surprise, the George Foreman Grill still managed to make my soy burger meal even healthier! Who knew?!

I absolutely love that this grill is so huge compared to some of the other George Foreman Grills I have owned in the past. At 72 sq. inches, there is plenty of room to cook! I am also a huge fan of the removable plates. I know it comes with the 2 spatulas, just like the older grills, but we all know that didn't adequately clean them. I was always paranoid I'd end up getting the ones without removable plates wet and ruin them. Not to worry anymore!

This grill is super easy to use and plenty of room to cook for the family. I have a feeling the George Foreman Next Generation Removable Plate Grill is going to become my new best friend this summer. In addition to all of the other great things I mentioned, it won't overheat my kitchen, too. That's a major plus here in the south!

What I Learned Through Trial & Error
1. You must let it pre-heat for about 10-15 minutes for it to be able to cook your meat properly. Otherwise, you'll end up with a semi-hot mess.
2. Don't overload the grill with burgers. It only takes about 7 minutes to cook, so put 2-3 on at a time if you are cooking the big, fat ones. 


Grill Specs

• 72 square inch grilling surface lets you cook for 4
• 2 dishwasher-safe removable grill plates for easy clean up
• Temperature indicator light indicates plates are at grilling temperature
• Integrated handle is ergonomic & compact
• George Tough™ Triple non-stick coating is durable & eliminates need for oil
• Patented sloped grill design knocks out the fat 
• 1 ½" floating hinge works to accommodate thick cuts of meat
• Embedded heat elements provide consistent heat & rapid recovery time
• Dishwasher-safe removable plates with cool-touch handles for easy clean up
• 2 Plates included: 2 ribbed grill plates
• 2 drip trays catch run off liquids for no-mess clean up
• 2 spatulas are customized for grill 

Buy It

Purchase Your Own

George Foreman GRP4 Next Grilleration 72 Square Inch White Removable Plate Grill

For Only $42.54 On Amazon! (It has a $59.99 RV, so that's a great price, btw!)

This review was made possible by George Foreman & The Family Review Network. I was provided with a grill for review purposes and no other compensation was awarded. All opinions stated in this review are completely and 100% mine.