Family * Travel * Food

You learn something new every day

You are probably looking at this photo and saying, "What in the world?" Looks pretty crazy. An Outback Steakhouse bag as a decoration? Is this a new trend?
Actually, it is a makeshift fix for a pesky problem we have been trying to resolve.  Behind the bag is William's fish tank. We went into the pet store a few days ago to purchase a couple algae eaters and some algae removing stuff. The gravel and ornaments in the tank were slowly getting covered in algae and we knew we had to do something soon. After getting our fish and water treatment, we headed over to the check-out counter.  The cashier asked me if I was trying to get rid of algae in a fish tank. I told her yes and she politely asked if I would like to hear some advice. I accepted and listened. She was very animated and seemed to know her stuff. She suggested some non-chemical methods for me to try and see if they would work. She explained the ins and outs of algae and asked me how often I turn on the light in the aquarium. I told her I had a day and night light and that I run it 24/7. Well.... she told me that was what my problem was. Too much light has been feeding the algae and allowing it to grow. OOPS! That explained it all right there!

She went on to tell me what steps to take. Of course the obvious thing was to turn the light off. She said to only run it at night, maybe 6-8 hours. Next she suggested that I cover the tank in a blanket for 3-5 days without any light and see if that kills the algae. No lie, I looked at her 10 kinds of crazy. A blanket? She told me that if that didn't work then my other option was a moss ball. I noticed them around the store, but didn't know what they were. Here is an example of what a moss ball looks like:
They are supposed to absorb nitrates and prevent algae. Her last bit of advice was to use a chemical although she was against it. I decided to try her blanket idea... hence the Outback bag. Guess what? Blocking all the light for 3 days now has stopped the algae from growing and it is almost all gone! I plan to remove the bag tomorrow and will purchase a moss ball this weekend. I wish I could remember the young lady's name or face so I could thank her for her wonderful advice! I just love home remedies and I certainly learned a whole lot in the process :) 
Shelly, Mom Files
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My latest food obsession, Yum Yum sauce

It is not unusual for me to get on these crazy food kicks where I find something I like and end up eating it like it's going to no longer be available. My husband would love to tell those stories! My recent foodie find is Yum Yum sauce. I have had it several times at my favorite Asian eatery and I can't get enough of it. I found it in Kroger by accident the other day and although it was a bit pricey ($4.29) I just had to have it. It came in regular and spicy. I wanted spicy, but figured I would see if the rest of the family would like it too.
You can put it on all kinds of food--- steak, chicken, seafood, veggies, salads and pretty much anything you like. I tried some out in a wrap today and it was pure perfection!
For those of you wondering what it tastes like, it is almost like a kicked up mayo with a saucy, dressingy type of consistency and a tangy sweet taste. I will be getting the spicy next time. Even the husband called me up from work and told me that the Yum Yum sauce "set off" his wrap I sent him for lunch.

Have you tried Yum Yum sauce before?
Shelly, Mom Files
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Chili Lemon Pistachios from Sincerely Nuts, YES please!

Since me and my husband have been eating healthier foods and getting our exercise in regularly, we have had to be very creative with our snack choices. One of our favorite go-to snacks is fruit or nuts. I received a bag of Sincerely Nuts pistachios in chili lemon flavor to try out. My first impression was, "Wow, those are some HUGE nuts!" I don't think I have ever seen such big pistachios before. They were packaged in a heavy-duty, sealed plastic bag with a zipper closure for freshness.
I popped open the first nut and tasted it. I liked the subtle chili lemon flavor with a not too salty bite. The nut itself had that natural sweetness that pistachios normally have. I then end up tasting almost 1/4 of the bag! They are hands-down the best tasting and highest quality pistachios I have ever eaten! Even my husband loved them and he is not into flavors besides lightly salted or unsalted.
Some facts about Sincerely Nuts Pistachios:

They are cholesterol free, a good source of dietary fiber and protein, they are gluten-free and do not contain trans-fats. Sincerely Nuts provide the best grown pistachios that have no additives or preservatives as well.
Sincerely Nuts offers many varieties of Premium nuts, seeds, dried fruits, snacks and more. Right now through Aril 26th, Momfiles' readers can receive a special discount of 10% off any purchase of $40 or more using the code: MOMF10

We really enjoyed these pistachios and we think you will too! Sincerely Nuts products are great to have delivered to your home or as a gift for friends, family or business-related connections. Join Sincerely Nuts on Facebook and Twitter for product information and discounts.

I received a product sample for review purposes. All thoughts/opinions are my own as always. 
Shelly, Mom Files
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New Post-It Mobile keeps you organized, on-the-go!

Being a homemaking, mother of 3 keeps me on-the-go at all times. Now that I think about it, my entire family is always scattered all over the place... school, work, college, activities, travel and more. We try our best to stay as organized as possible. When the school year started, I purchased planners for all of us. I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to scheduling, labeling and sorting things. I was thrilled when I received the entire line of Post-It Mobile products to review. Post-It really came up with some neat ideas for busy people like myself. I was really impressed with the selection and the versatility behind this line.
Post-it Mobile products are designed be attached to items you carry like notebooks, binders, laptops, book bags, cases and more. I love that I can attach tabs to my planner so that I can keep track of the most important tasks by color. 
All you do it peel off the backing from the sticky surface. I added these cute tabs on the back of my planner so I always have them on hand when I take it to-go in my purse. 
My husband loves the convenience of having Post-It notes and tabs that are attach to his book bag for when he goes to his night college class. He gets a lot of use out of them with those enormous books he studies from!
One of my favorites is the assorted tabs and notes that fit into binders. I have this one in my family bill binder and if I need to take the binder in the carpool line to do some quick updates, I have my Post-It Mobile items already in there! Oh and even better for the carpool line, they have a clip-on portable Post-It note holder that attaches to your visor. Oh man, I just had a nerd moment!
Check out this neat highlighter with tabs and pen in one! It clips onto most anything and would be especially good at the office. It is even great for students since it can easily be attached to a lanyard.
Post-It even has attach & go pockets that fit on your laptop or the back of your tablet or planner to hold important things like business cards, documents and more. The whole family fought over picked out what they needed the most and I can see them being a great benefit for our busy lives. It's also a great way for me to use the color-coded tabs for my blog post scheduling and giveaways.

You can find out more about Post-It Mobile and Post-It products on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. I really love their Pinterest page for all the great ideas on organization. You have to check them out!

I received free products samples in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 
Shelly, Mom Files
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