10.7.13

Orbit Gum for Kids: Finally A Delicious Kid-Friendly Sugar-Free Gum!

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom CentralConsulting for Orbit for Kids. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
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My mom was very adamant about keeping a healthy oral routine when I was a child. We brushed at least twice a day and went to the dentist every 6 months on the dot. For this reason, I find it very important for me to also do the same for my own children. I can't say it is always easy to get them to brush their teeth, so I've tried to make it fun. The boys have toothbrushes that sing an Alphabet Song, so they are learning as well as having fun while brushing. We also have toothbrushes that flash a light until it is time to stop brushing. These have definitely helped with getting them to brush twice a day. In addition to brushing and flossing, did you know that chewing gum is actually a great way to loosen debris from teeth and clean them when brushing isn't an option?
I love chewing gum and always have some in my purse at all times. I've always been a gum chewer. You could say I am a gum addict and my favorite is Orbit Fresh Mint. The kids are always asking me if they can chew some, but I am reluctant for a few reasons. First, the mint is a little strong for them and Josiah says it is "hot", burning his mouth. Another reason is because he is at the stage where his baby teeth are beginning to fall out and his permanent teeth are coming in. I don't want him to consume too much sugar, which could damage those new teeth. This is why I was so excited to hear about Orbit for Kids. That's right, my favorite Orbit gum is now available for kids AND it is sugar-free! 

Josiah couldn't contain his happiness as he opened up his Orbit kit we received in the mail from Mom Central, which contained everything we need to keep his teeth shiny, clean and healthy, including a toothbrush, mouthwash, dental floss and the new Strawberry Banana Orbit Gum for Kids all packed inside an awesome Built lunch tote Josiah can use when school is back in session!
Josiah hardly ever gets to chew gum, so imagine his excitement when he received 2 packs of gum just for himself. It's also been good practice for Liam, who has been wanting to chew gum for a while now, too. 
I think it's great that there Orbit has a sugar-free alternative chewing gum just for kids, especially because my children would much rather chew gum than eat a piece of candy.  Little do they know they are also helping keep their teeth clean in between brushing. It's been a great incentive to when getting them to finish meals and summer homeschool work. It's also been used as an a reward for brushing teeth. Sometimes the boys fuss when it comes time to brush teeth (especially when in the middle of playing), so when they brush their teeth without a fuss, they may get a piece of gum after lunch. 
What did Josiah and Liam think about Orbit for Kids? They both said it is delicious and have continued asking for a piece each day, so I knew it had to be good. That's why I gave it a try, too, and confirmed that it does, indeed, taste very good. It's fruity, satisfying and even makes our teeth feel cleaner after chewing. None of the flavors are overwhelming and I swear I taste just a tiny bit of mint. Whatever it is, I love it and, even though it is for kids, I could see myself chewing it as well. 

Every time I reached in my purse for a piece of gum, the kids always asked me for a piece, too, and I always had to say no. Now I can place their gum in my purse, too, and actually have the option of saying yes! They absolutely love this and feel so grown up because they have their very own gum. Have your kids tried Orbit for Kids yet? It is available not only in the Strawberry Banana flavor we received, but also an original bubble gum flavor. 


I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Orbit for Kids. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Summer Fun at Six Flags Over Georgia with Mom Central and #WetOnes

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Wet Ones. I received free admission to Six Flags, attended an informational and complimentary luncheon, and received a gift bag and promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Wet Ones Wipes
Just recently we had the opportunity to visit Six Flags Over Georgia with some other amazing Atlanta bloggers, Stacy DeBroff, the CEO of Mom Central, and Wet Ones, our favorite antibacterial wipes!  Josiah, my 6 year-old and I decided to make a mother-son weekend out of the trip and he was so excited, especially because this was his very first time at Six Flags. He really had no idea what to expect and I couldn't wait to see his reaction.

We parked and met up with everyone right inside the front gates to begin our day. From there, Josiah spotted roller coasters, a candy shop and much more. He was ready to explore, but first we met the president of Six Flags (pictured below with Tweety) and learned about the vast history of Six Flags, which was amazing in itself.
We took a few great group pictures...
Do you see Josiah? His head is between Tweety and Sylvester. :) 

Then, we followed our guide to the next stop, a train tour, which circled completely around the park, giving us moment to cool down and rest our legs. Afterwards, we were on our way to the Monster Mansion, which has been one of my favorites since I was Josiah's age. I remember coming to Six Flags for the first time when I was only 5 years old (many, many years ago) and now it's Josiah's turn! 

Josiah thought Monster Mansion was a little scary, but he's already asking when we can go back and ride it again. The great thing is that we had our Wet Ones. While touring the park, just imagine everything we have to touch (the rides, gates for the rides, etc.). Wet Ones helped us clean off the germs and have an amazing time. Not to mention, the day was a typical Georgia summer day- hot and humid. Luckily, the kids spotted a spray station where we could cool off while walking around and I think we could have stayed there all day. 
We made a quick stop for a surprise gift... super hero capes for everyone! Josiah said he was going to give his to his brother, Liam, since he could not be there with us. Liam has worn that cape almost every day since we gave it to him. Before lunch, we were able to walk around Bugs Bunny World, an area with rides specifically for little ones. Josiah was in heaven and wanted to ride everything. Here's a collage of all the fun he had:
He absolutely loved the swings and said that was his favorite ride. After about 30 minutes, we met up for lunch at Bugs Bunny's Carrot Patch for pizza and chicken fingers.  That's also when we got our Wet Ones goody bags full of all kinds of great gifts, including Wet Ones, our drink cups and bracelets for unlimited refills. We immediately used the Wet Ones to clean our hands before eating food and were so excited to have the unlimited drink bracelets! On such a hot day, those were really a lifesaver and we refilled our cups many times over the course of the day. 

Josiah read a book recently about bears riding bumper cars at an amusement park, so that's where he wanted to go next. We waited patiently in line until our turn and he had a blast! He wanted to get in line and do it again, but that was one loooong line! In our Wet Ones bag, we also got one exit pass to be used to cut the line on any ride of our choice. When he saw the old timey Hansons cars, he had to drive them, but the line was the longest we'd seen yet, so we went through the exit, got in our car and we were riding away in no time. 

Near the bumper cars, Josiah spotted fair games, including the one where you spray water and race your horse to the finish line for a prize. We actually ended up winning a few prizes to our surprise, which made the games even more fun. We wanted to meet up with the group for a cotton candy break, but got lost somehow! I was all turned around, so we eventually gave up, but I made sure to buy some for Josiah before leaving, along with a caramel apple for myself. Yummy! Believe me, we really needed some Wet Ones after this deliciously sticky situation. For our last ride, we got on the Sky Buckets to head back to the front gate. Here's a picture of Josiah saying goodbye to Six Flags one last time. After a long day of fun and games, we were ready to rest up, but weeks later he is still talking about what a great time he had and continues to ask when we can all go back.
As I mentioned earlier, Wet Ones were perfect for our Six Flags trip. Why? Because the travel-sized packs  and singles easily fit in a diaper bag, purse or bookbag. The singles can even fit in your pocket with ease. We were able to pull them out in between rides to wipe up and keep the germs at bay. Since Liam is still in the middle of his chemo treatments, we do what we can to stay healthy and keep the germs away, so Wet Ones have really helped out when being out in public. Kids don't often think about what their hands touch and can easily put those dirty hands into mouths! Eck! That's why it's important to keep Wet Ones nearby. You never know when they will be of use. Liam's doctor has the antibacterial gel instead, but this is NOT a great option for kids. First of all, if they have any cracks or boo boos on their skin, the gel burns like nobody's business. Plus, it smells like alcohol. Wet Ones smell great and are lightly fresh scented. They also don't cause rashes on Liam's extremely sensitive skin, so that really tells me a lot about the product. 

I don't think I had been to Six Flags since I was a teenager, so it was great to see how much the park has changed over the years. After having such a fun time with Josiah, I have a feeling we will be back in the near future with both boys, but I think we will wait until October for Fright Fest since the weather will be much cooler! 

What's your favorite ride at Six Flags? If you are going this summer, don't forget to pack your Wet Ones for the trip. Believe me, you will end up using them quite often and will be happy you brought them along!

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Wet Ones. I received free admission to Six Flags, attended an informational and complimentary luncheon, and received a gift bag and promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

9.7.13

Trying A Delicious New Lactose-Free Blueberry Muffin Recipe with #Lactaid

This post is brought to you by The Motherhood and LACTAID®. Although I have been compensated for my time, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

We had the opportunity to try out Lactaid in May and have been huge fans every since then. My husband is extremely lactose intolerant as well as my son and my niece. I, too, cannot consume much lactose or my stomach will be a mess, so I used to just avoid dairy products when possible. However, now I've learned that this isn't at all necessary. Lactaid is a perfect lactose-free substitute and is actually 100% dairy!

What is Lactaid?
As I mentioned in my last post, Lactaid provides the delicious creamy taste of dairy without the stomach discomfort I often experience. This awesome product actually provides the lactase we need to break down lactose. This product only differs from other dairy products because of the added lactase enzyme for those of us who are lactose intolerant. You can read more about Lactaid and find some amazing recipe ideas on the Lactaid website.

My family loves muffins, so we were inspired by the delicious blueberry muffins we found on the Lactaid website under their recipes tab. All of our blueberries and blackberries are ready for picking, so we picked some fresh blueberries AND blackberries to put a twist on the recipe and give it a try. The kids were so excited.
First we got all of our ingredients together, including the most important:
LACTAID, of course (it tastes and looks like regular milk!):

Fresh blackberries picked from our yard:


Blueberries we picked earlier in the week and had frozen:

Once all of our ingredients were mixed, the baking begin and boy did they smell delicious... and yes, the boys picked the Christmas tree shapes for our muffins for some reason!

Once they were finished, I had to keep the boys away until they cooled off, which was very tough!

My husband is a huge fan of LACTAID and we have purchased several gallons since our first review purchase. He loves the 2% milk and the kids said they cannot tell a difference in the taste at all. I know I can't!
Here he is enjoying his muffin before they all disappeared. These were gone within 24 hours, so I know this is a recipe we will use again and again!


Here is the recipe in case you'd like to give this easy recipe a try, too:
Lactose Free Blueberry Muffins
Serves 6
Write a review
Save Recipe
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
45 min
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
3/4 cup LACTAID® Reduced Fat Milk
1/2 cup melted butter or cooking oil
1 tablespoon finely shredded orange peel
1 cup fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries, thawed
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease six 3 1/2-inch muffin cups or line with large paper bake cups. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl stir together flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.
3. In a small bowl combine eggs, LACTAID® Reduced Fat Milk, butter or oil, and orange peel (if using). Add all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in blueberries.
4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. If desired, sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 30 minutes or until golden. Cool in muffin cups on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups; serve warm.
Notes
If you prefer standard-size muffins, spoon the batter into twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups and bake in a 375 degree oven about 20 minutes or until golden.
In our first post about Lactaid, we talked about our interesting and educational conversation with Melissa d'Arabian, who is a spokesperson for Lactaid. She recently appeared on The TODAY Show introducing Lactaid and a great lactose-free recipe, Chicken with lactose-free creamy mushroom sauce, that looks absolutely delicious. Check out the video and let me know what you think!


This post has been brought to you by The Motherhood and LACTAID®. I have been compensated for my time, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.


8.7.13

Sweepstakes App $200 Amazon.com Giveaway Event


Love to win? Use a smartphone? Then you need to checkout Sweepstakes App.
The Sweepstakes App is available on Android and Apple iTunes. This is your chance to win big prizes ranging from electronics and event tickets to vacations and cash giveaways. Download the app today to start entering sweepstakes to win.
Sweepstakes App gives away hundreds of prizes every month! Prizes up for grabs include items such as gift cards, vacation packages, money, and much more! It's free to download and free to enter into all of our sweepstakes.

What are you waiting for? Download today and start winning some prizes!

One lucky reader will receive a $200 Amazon Gift Card!

6.7.13

Buzzworthy Books of Summer iPad Mini Free Blogger Giveaway Event Sign-Ups

Welcome to the Buzzworthy Books of Summer iPad Mini Giveaway Event sponsored by Reader Spoils. This giveaway will begin on Wednesday, July 24th at 12:01am and ends on Wednesday, August 14th at 11:59pm. One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries to receive a 16GB black iPad Mini valued at $329.99!

Details:
  • Each blogger receives 1 free link of choice (Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram)
  • Additional Links can be purchased at $3 each. These links can be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and/or Pinterest.
  • We have 4 co-host spots available for $12 each. This includes 2 links for the giveaway event, a back link to your blog on the giveaway page and a page for you to host during the event.
  • The giveaway html will be sent out by Sunday, July 11th and posts must be live by noon on Friday, July 26th. We will send out reminder emails for those who forget to post.
Payments
  • Payments can be made via Paypal to childrenteachingmama@gmail.com
2 BLOGGER PARTICIPANT GIVEAWAY CONTESTS 
(YOU can win prizes, too!!)
  • The blogger who refers the most bloggers to sign up will win a $15 Amazon gift card! Announcements are not mandatory, but are a great way to increase sign-ups so you can win. If you'd like, feel free to cut/paste the event details above as your own announcement post with a link here or to the sign-up form. 
  • An additional $15 Amazon gift card winner will be chosen from the bloggers who post an announcement. So, post an announcement on your blog and you have another chance to win!

This is going to be such a great giveaway and we hope you will be a part of it! Below I have included the button along with html for you to cut and paste into a post or to include on your sidebar. This is not mandatory, but we would love for you to use it and spread the word. You can also share the post with your friends and followers via Facebook and Twitter with the widget at the top of the post. This is a good way to increase sign-ups, which also increases your change to win a gift card!



If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at childrenteachingmama@gmail.com. 

1.7.13

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Indie Author Holiday Event Twitter Follows Page 2 - Amy G.



























Indie Holiday Event Twitter Follows Page 1




























Want to be healthier? Change your wallpaper!

If you steer clear from gyms, and have trouble motivating yourself to do any exercise (apart from repeated lifting of beer bottles) Travelodge might have the answer! Their fascinating study, shown by in infographic, reveals the psychological impact of different wallpaper colours, including on exercise, health, sleep and even relationships!
The study found that a fifth of those with a silver décor in their bedroom said they are more motivated to exercise in their bedroom! Or if it’s digestion problems you suffer from, a warm shade of orange can aid this, so after a big meal, this would be your best bet!
Those with insomnia should choose their wallpapers very carefully. People with blue wallpaper, thought to create a feeling of calm, sleep the best. Other top wallpaper colours are yellow, green, silver and orange, all of which are thought to contribute to sleep by making people tranquil and restful.
However, Grey, Brown and Purple wallpaper is more likely to promote dramatic dreams and nightmares; leading to a zombie-like state in the morning! People with grey wall paper are also more likely to shop online.
So, for exercise, choose silver, for sleep, blue, and for digestion, orange. But the real question is, what if you had multi-coloured wallpaper?! Maybe that’s one for Travelodge to answer!
Visit the Travelodge blog to read the full fascinating findings!
Travelodge bedroom wall colour infographic
Travelodge Bedroom Wall Colour Infographic

Buzzworthy Facebook Follows Page 3 (Tween & Me)