Mother's Day Guide 2023

I'm sure you've already been thinking about Mother's Day since we both know it will be here before we know it. Which makes now's the perfect time to start thinking about how we can show mom (or that mom figure in your life) just how important she is to us. Why not do that with something that shows her just how special she truly is.

Gifts for the Holidays: Kitchen Edition

What Makes Mealthy Different? Mealthy is more than just a product, they provide consumers with all the tools they need to make home cooking easy! Including a FREE recipe app and website that provides 2000+ Mealthy-owned recipes. You'll fine everything from frying pans and an immersion blender set to their signature Mealthy MultiPot all on the Mealthy website for easy shopping.

Are you Back to School ready?

Back to school is just two weeks away for us! I can hardly believe it. We have almost everything all set and ready when it comes to back to school supplies, but there's always those last minute things that seem to pop up. Especially when it comes to fashionable accessories and snacks! Whether your kiddos are headed into grades K-12 or headed off to college you'll definitely find something in this round-up of back to school necessities!

Hidrate Spark 2.0 - The "Smart" Water Bottle

My husband and I have been trying to do better at drinking more water lately so I decided it was time for a little help via the Hidrate smart water bottle. The Hidrate Spark 2.0 holds 24 fl oz (710 ml) and comes in seven eye-catching colors. The bottle is made with BPA-Free Titan plastic and features a drink through pop-top opening that locks shut. This helps prevent breaks and spills, because you want to drink water, not wear it. Each bottle comes with a sensor stick that’s powered by two coin cell batteries (included). That means no charging to worry about! When you drink out of the bottle, the sensor measures how much you drank and transfers this info to the hydration app, which tracks your progress throughout the day, week and month. It only measures as you drink, not when you’re refilling the bottle, or dumping out leftover water. I really like it because it reminds me when I need to get drinking by lighting up. The app calculates a recommended hydration goal based on your personal parameters such as age, height, weight and gender. It can even use your location to determine the temperature, humidity and elevation of your surroundings to make sure your goal is customized specifically to you. You can also manually set your goal if you’d like. And to top it off my hubby can even sync it to his Fitbit which he is super addicted to these days. Father’s Day gift made easy!

About Hidrate Spark:
In September 2014 Nadya pulled together a team of fellow U of M students for the Google Startup weekend in Minneapolis, Minnesota to build the first smart water bottle prototype. In just 54 hours, they built a water bottle that tracked water intake and synced to a mobile app on a smartphone. The product was well received – they won third place and people began asking when the water bottles would be available for purchase. The team worked evenings and weekends for 7 months before being accepted into the Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator Program powered by Techstars. Now the team works between Minneapolis and Chicago, where they are hard at work bringing the product to life, exploring the mountains, and staying hydrated.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I may have received monetary compensation and/or product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. However, all thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Timolino - Contemporary Lifestyle Drinkware

The folks over at Timolino have a really nice line of contemporary lifestyle drinkware that any mom would be honored to receive for Mother's Day. They sent over a couple of their stainless steel products for me to check out and I for one love them. I'm a big fan of drinkware that's multi-purpose in that you can use it for both hot and cold beverages. I think that's why I'm so drawn to the stainless steel since it holds both heat and cold so well. I received the Icon Vacuum Travel Tumbler (right) and Omni Cruiseline Steel Series (left) to check out. Of the two the Omni is probably my favorite because I can use the included straw for cold beverages and the drink through part of the lid for hot beverages. I've just always preferred to use a straw for drinking cold beverages so this is a nice feature. Plus it comes with a removable filter basket so I can use it for my fruit infused water, or to brew tea on the go with fresh tea leaves. Both are made from 18/8 stainless steel, are vacuum insulated, and are BPA free. So honestly either of these would make an excellent Mother's Day gift. Pair one up with some fresh tea leaves or coffee and some cookies and you've got yourself the perfect gift basket too!

About:
Timolino is a leading contemporary lifestyle drinkware brand, that's committed to developing products that help people live a life that is comfortable no matter where they are. At Timolino, we believe that comfort is essential whether abroad or at home. Combining form and function, Timolino's sustainable and stylish designs are inspired by your lifestyle. Whether it's a morning commute, lunchtime yoga or afternoon tea party, Timolino has products to keep your favorite beverage hot, cold and fresh longer.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I may have received monetary compensation and/or product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. However, all thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Genuine Thermos Brand - The name says it all!

I can remember growing up that my dad would only use a Thermos brand tumbler for his coffee when he took it to work. I used to think it was funny how particular he was back then, but now I can look back and see why he made the choice he did. He knew it was a quality brand that would keep his coffee hot until he was finished drinking it. If only I had paid more attention I would have saved myself going through a few other brands before realizing Thermos was the way to go. I send a hot tumbler of coffee to work with my husband every morning as well as a beverage bottle so he has refills. By using the Thermos brand I know his coffee will be just as good hours into his work shift as it was when I sent it. When the microwave in his department broke down at work I had to get creative with what I was sending him. That was until I started using a Thermos food jar to pack his food for lunch. It keeps his food hot up to seven hours. So I can heat it up at home and pour it into the food jar so it's ready to eat anytime he's able to take lunch. It even has a handy folding spoon in the top just in case I forget to pack his silverware! That's just an added bonus in my book.

Thermos brand products aren't just great for using at home, they also make great gifts. I gave my step-dad a tumbler for Christmas paired up with his favorite brand of coffee and let me tell you he was very appreciative of the gift.

Stainless King™ Vacuum Insulated 16 oz Travel Tumbler
• Thermos™ double wall vacuum insulation for maximum temperature retention, hot or cold
• Durable stainless steel interior and exterior
• Cool to the touch with hot liquids, sweat-proof with cold
• Built-in tea hook, easily holds tea bags or most loose leaf infusers
• Fits most automobile cup holders

Stainless King™ Vacuum Insulated 16 oz Food Jar
• Thermos™ double wall vacuum insulation for maximum temperature retention, hot or cold
• Durable stainless steel interior and exterior
• Extra wide mouth is easy to fill, serve from and clean
• Cool to the touch with hot liquids, sweat-proof with cold
• Compact and insulated stainless steel serving bowl
• Full-size folding stainless steel spoon

Connect with Thermos.

Help kids stay hydrated with Klean Kanteen

Keeping the kiddos hydrated is just as important at school as it is while they are at home. My daughter's school has actually installed water fountains that are made specifically for refilling water bottles. This allows kids to take a water bottle to class with them and be able to drink through out the day instead of just during lunch or the occasional trip to the bathroom during the day. As a mom I was really excited about this because I know my daughter doesn't always drink all of her milk at lunch and that meant she was really getting in a lot less liquid during the day then her body needs.

I prefer for her to use a reusable water bottle like this Kid Kanteen from Klean Kanteen over a disposable water bottle that will end up getting tossed after a few uses. This way she always has one to use and I don't have to spend the money on bottled water. I'm sure the teacher appreciates it too because it's one less plastic bottle that's getting squeezed making noise during class. The Kid Kanteen is the perfect size at 12oz for my daughter to use at school, and we were even able to get a sport cap top so she doesn't even have to take the top off to drink from it.

Features:
• Large opening fits ice, easy filling and pouring
• Electropolished interior doesn't retain or impart flavors
• Double-wall vacuum-insulated construction keeps contents hot 12 hours, or iced 40 hours
• Portable, reusable, and recyclable

Connect with Klean Kanteen: 
Facebook | Instagram

Disclosure: I received the products featured in this post for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions state are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Aardvark: The original paper straw - Made in the USA and now BENDABLE!

I know there are many options out there for disposable straws, but did you know there were bendable paper straws? I had no idea until I received some from the Aardvark paper straw line. They are super cool and totally unique. They are called Eco-Flex™ straws and they come in a wide variety of stock patterns, plus they can be customized just like standard paper straws. I've always been a fan of the "bendy" straw because I can leave my drink sitting on the table and just lean over to drink from it at whatever angle I want. Why you ask? Because I hate getting my hands all wet from a sweaty glass when I'm eating. Having a bendable straw means I don't have to touch the glass to drink and I don't have to drink from an odd angle like with the standard straight straws. These Eco-Flex™ straws work perfectly for that and they are super cute too.

Klean Kanteen® the hydration bottle of choice for Back to School

Klean Kanteen® was the world's first BPA-free metal hydration bottle. A little tid bit I have learned from exploring their website. I thought that was pretty interesting. In a world today that's filled with so many dangers lurking in our foods and our food/beverage containers that's a little bit of reassurance. It's nice to know that a company is out there that cares, and has cared for over ten years. We've actually owned several Klean Kanteen® bottles over the years and have all of them still. They are very well made and durable so it's not something you'll use for a year and then toss out. I've had lids that got tossed in the garbage on accident, but that didn't keep me from holding onto the bottles until a new lid could be ordered. That's actually one of my favorite parts, is that their lids are universal so they fit all sizes of bottles. Plus you can choose when you order if you want a a loop cap (like the one in the photo above), or a sport cap that is more like a water bottle cap that you drink right out of. We have both kinds because we seem to all have our different preferences. My daughter likes to use her bottle to take her favorite beverages to school with her when she packs her lunch. She says the loop cap is her favorite because it has a larger opening for her to drink from at lunch when she's in a hurry. I like the sport cap because I like to have a good cool bottle of water with me on the go and the sport cap makes it easy to grab a quick drink.

About:

We introduced the world's first BPA-free metal hydration bottle in 2004. The grassroots following of our products and company exploded in 2008 when public outcry led to national bans of BPA-laden, polycarbonate containers. Today Klean Kanteen® continues to lead through innovation and example, bringing new products to market that replace plastic with safe, long-life cycle alternatives. The new Reflect Kanteen® eliminates paint and plastic altogether, raising the bar once again.

You can purchase Klean Kanteen® bottles and many other products in their line through their online store and select stores that can be found through their dealer locator.

Ozeri Serafino Double Wall Insulated Glasses

These Ozeri Serafino Double Wall Insulated Glasses are very unique glasses in that they are made from heat and shatter resistant borosilicate glass. Usually you don't put things that are hot in a glass like this, but these are made specifically so you can. The patent-pending double wall design  suspends drinks within an inner wall, creating an engaging optical effect. And because of the double wall design they don't allow the heat to reach your hand when your holding them with a hot beverage inside.And it also helps keep the glass free of condensation with chilled beverages.  The glasses hold 12 oz. which is a great size for cold or hot specialty drinks like cappuccino. They are completely dishwasher, microwave and freezer safe so they are great for chilling too.

One thing I really like about the Ozeri Serafino Double Wall Insulated Glasses is that they are so comfortable to hold. They have a nice shape to them so it's easy to grasp the glass in your hand. Plus the unique shape also gives them a really classy look.

It's go time with Reusable Coffee Cups & Water Bottles from Reduce

I'm one of those that likes to always have something cold to drink in my hand on the way out the door when it starts getting warm out. But I don't always have the luxury of spare time to make myself a beverage, and don't like to spend unnecessarily on disposable bottle beverages either. That's why I was super excited to learn about the WaterWeek line of reusable water bottles. It's called WaterWeek because it's a set of five  bottles that's perfect to have ready for each day of your work week. The bottles are BPA free and dishwasher safe so they are safe for drinking beverages out of and easy to clean between fill-ups.  I like that they come with a nice little tray that slides into the refrigerator. I wasn't sure about this at first, but once I filled them up and got them in the fridge I fell in love. I was afraid if I lifted one bottle the whole thing would come up with it, but with the others full the tray stays flat on the shelf. This is a great set to have water (or other cold beverages) on hand for a moments notice. I can even slip one into my purse because it's so nice and tall it fit in my outside pocket.

I also really like my new set of GoGo's coffee cups. GoGo's are single serve barista style coffee cups that easily stack up saving you lots of space in your cabinet. They are BPA free and dishwasher safe making them a great go-to source for safety and convenience.  I like that they fit perfectly under the dispenser part of my single serve coffee maker unlike some travel mugs that can be just a little bit to tall. Now I can brew and go right away too because they have nice insulated sleeves to keep you from having to hold onto a hot mug. The other great part is you can interchange all of the parts and make your cups all one color, two colors, or even three colors to match your mood.

Buy it: You can purchase these and other Reduce products through their online store.

Contigo® Water Bottles

About Contigo AUTOSEAL Products:

Contigo® travel mugs and bottles feature the revolutionary new AUTOSEAL® patented technology that automatically seals between sips. The products – to-go coffee mugs, hydration bottles and kids mugs – are 100 percent leak-proof and spill-proof with superior insulation properties and are FDA approved and BPA free. Contigo is a brand of Ignite, a company with a passion for great products. For more information, visit www.gocontigo.com. 

AUTOSEAL® West Loop Stainless Steel Travel Mug - 16 oz.

• Patented AUTOSEAL® lid is 100% leak-proof and 100% spill-proof.

• Drinking made easy! Press to sip. Release to seal. The AUTOSEAL® Stainless Steel Mug automatically seals between sips to ensure no spills.

• Vacuum-insulated technology keeps beverages hot for 4 hours, and cold for 12 hours.

AUTOSEAL® Kids Trekker Cup

• 100% BPA FREE. Made with polypropylene (PP) #5. Phthalate- and PVC-free.

• Patented AUTOSEAL® lid is 100% leak-proof and 100% spill-proof.  Press to sip. Release to seal.

• The AUTOSEAL® Kids Trekker Cup automatically seals between sips to ensure no spills.

• Top-rack dishwasher-safe.

AUTOSEAL® Swish Water Bottle - 17 oz.

• 100% BPA free. No need to worry about the bottle you're drinking from.

• The AUTOSEAL® Swish Water Bottle is made out of Tritan™, which provides high impact resistance and won't stain or retain odors.

• Drinking made easy! Press to sip. Release to seal. AUTOSEAL® automatically seals between sips to ensure no spills. 100% leak-proof and 100% spill-proof.

• Water bottle is top-rack dishwasher safe.

• Rubber-like base grips tabletops. Fits standard car and exercise equipment cup holders.

My Take:

I received the West Loop Stainless Steel Travel Mug, Swish Water Bottle, and a Kids Trekker Cup for my review. As you can see my daughter is in love with her Trekker Cup.  She was quick to show me that she knew just how to open the drink through port too! There was no tricking this kid, she is just too smart and quick to catch on. I too am in love with my travel mug and water bottle.  These are the best bottles I have ever used, the perfect size and the Autoseal feature is wonderful.  I actually did a heat test on the steel travel mug, and my drink was still slightly warm even after the suggested 4 hours. I did periodically take a drink just to see if it was still hot every hour or so and was really surprise at how well it held the heat. I can't imagine ever taking that long to drink a hot beverage, but if it were to happen at least I know it would still be warm. Unlike most travel mugs this one didn't get warm on the outside of the mug after I dumped the hot beverage in, this told me all of the heat was kept inside and not lost through the mug walls. Very impressive and well worth the little higher price point. I actually have already found these at my local Meijer so I'll be watching for sales and picking up a few more.  I can't wait to get another travel mug for my step-dad for Father's day!

Giveaway CLOSED - Congratulations to the winner you have been notified via email and have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.

Win it: One lucky reader will win their choice of 1 of the above I reviewed. This giveaway will end May 22nd at 10 PM EST. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If no response, a new winner will be chosen. Open to residents of the US.

Mandatory Entry: (Mandatory entry must be completed first or bonus entries don't count.)  *Tell me which item I reviewed you would choose if you won and why?

Disclosure:  Thanks to PR Firm/sponsor I was provided with this product(s) for the purpose of my personal review. This blog post is not a paid post and the honest opinions stated are my own.

BornFree® - Twist'N Pop Easy Drink Straw Cup Review

Twist'N Pop Easy Drink Straw Cup

This 14 fl oz toddler cup has a twist straw mouth with a pop-up soft silicone straw that keeps the straw clean and reduces spills. The cup has removable parts for easy clean up and an ergonomic design making it easy for a child to grip and hold. Available in blue, green, yellow and pink.

Suggested retail price: $7.99

About BornFree:

BornFree® the world’s leading BPA-free baby brand has developed a range of innovative baby bottles, cups and accessories that is totally free of the potentially dangerous chemicals Bisphenol-A (BPA), Phthalates and PVC. BPA is a known estrogen mimicker that is used in the production of polycarbonate plastic that according to researchers may cause developmental and neurological problems in children. In addition, BornFree®`s cups and bottles feature the unique BornFree® venting system, designed to reduce colic and middle-ear infections. BornFree is committed to the highest standards of BPA-Free products for baby and family.

Our Take:

I love this cup and so does my daughter. I like that when you twist the cap the straw is hidden inside so it isn't out and open all of the time.  I also like that it is pretty much spill and leak proof.  I haven't taken a full cup and shook the daylights out of it, but it has been dropped and knocked over without spilling or leaking.  There are so many beneifits of using a cup like this one especially if your child suffers from ear infections or colic.  The venting system BornFree® uses helps with both of these problems so how can you go wrong.

Disclosure:  Thanks to PR Firm/sponsor I was provided with this product(s) for the purpose of my personal review. This blog post is not a paid post and the honest opinions stated are my own.

Day 7 : Strawesome

I had always wondered what all the hype was when reading posts on Facebook and other blogs about  Strawesome straws.  So I contacted them myself and got a sample for my own reviewing purposes. It took a little while to get used to the size and the fact that it was not plastic that was bendable like throw-away straws. But after a few uses I got a little more used to it, so I gave it to my son to test out. (Yes I tried it out myself before sharing) : )  He was really afraid of it breaking when he was using it, but I reassured him it would not easily break, especially while just drinking through it. I think I would like the bent straws a little better than the straight version, I find myself bending plastic straws even when they aren't the bendy kind.