Fruit Vines Bites - Perfect for road trips

Although the summer is almost over, there is still time to fit in some day trips before back-to-school. We traditionally sneak away right before school starts just to refresh our minds for the non-stop weekdays ahead. We always pack snacks, drinks and food to take with us. One of our new favorite is Fruit Vines Bites by the makers of Red Vines. 

They come in 2 flavors- Strawberry and Cherry. I received a box filled with both varieties in 3 sizes-- resealable 10 oz. stand-up bag allows for portion control,  2 oz. single-servings for quick trips and 5 oz. bags for sharing. 

Honestly, I don't know about sharing. These bite-size candies are irresistibly soft, chewy and fruity. I think the 10 ounce stand-up bags are good for portion control. We can easily eat more than our share! Fruit Vines are also low-fat and preservative-free for guilt-free snacking. They would be perfect in school lunch boxes too. 

These are going with us when we take a little road trip later this week. You can find Fruit Vines Bites at many retailers including Target, Walmart, Walgreens and more. I saw them at Target today and think they would make a nice "just because" treat for my little one's teacher. Check out Fruit Vines Bites on the web, Facebook and Twitter for product promotions and updates. 

I received complimentary samples in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 

Backyard Adventures with Fruit Shoot #stunthunt #ad

Thank you to Fruit Shoot for sponsoring today’s post, but my love for their juice and endorsing children’s imaginations is all my own!

Fruit Shoot is looking to families across the U.S. to share videos of your kids doing amazingly active stunts. Here's the trick: Your submission has to feature a Fruit Shoot bottle and a ball of your choice. The best of your videos will get the Hollywood treatment with special effects added to bring your kids' imagination to life! You'll instantly receive a coupon for a free bottle of Fruit Shoot just for registering! Need a cool ball to shoot your video with? Any time you buy 6 bottles of Fruit Shoot in-store, you can send away for a FREE Waboba ball, the ball that bounces on water!

The video can simply be done on your smartphone and uploaded straight to the Fruit Shoot site. Share your video with friends and family and encourage them to vote for your video. 

Check out my little guy's video below...

Some great things about Fruit Shoot-- It has a new no-spill cap, perfect for children of all ages, and contains no fructose corn syrup, making it a much better option than other flavored drinks.

This fun hydration drink is perfect for energetic, independent kids who desire fun on the go. It contains real fruit juice, natural flavors, no high-fructose corn syrup, and no added sugar.

Fruit Shoot lets moms balance the hydration their kids need with the taste that they love, making hydration fun for kids and easy for moms.

Fruit Shoot also features an innovative no-spill cap (no more juice stains in the car!) making it easy for kids to be independent while on the go. These vibrant fun colored bottles come in tasty flavors of Orange, Apple, Berry Burst and Strawberry/Raspberry. All of the flavors are available in both the regular and low sugar varieties.

William loves Fruit Shoot!

Be sure to check out the Fruit Shoot Stunt Hunt site for full details. 

Belli Skin Care Products Review

I received product samples in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 

Belli skin and body care products are made especially for pregnant women or those planning pregnancy. This is why Belli is "Picky for a purpose". Doesn't every mom-to-be deserve the absolute best? Although I am not pregnant or plan on having any more children, I still treat my body well. Skin care is very important to me.  

I have been using Belli Fresh Start Pre-Treatment Scrub and Anti-Blemish Facial Wash for two weeks now. The scrub is really gentle on my face and I really like the subtle peppermint scent it has. It's very refreshing. After rinsing the scrub off, I cleanse with the Anti-Blemish Facial Wash. Although the tube says green tea and cucumber, I smelled fresh lemon. I checked out the ingredients list and it contains lemon peel oil. That made me wonder if this facial wash would be drying. It turns out that it cleaned my skin and left it feeling soft and smooth. I swear my skin glows after using it.

I am really very pleased with both products and plan to purchase the moisturizer to complete my skin care regimen. I highly recommend these products to anyone looking for gentle cleansing that is very effective. Whether you are an expectant mother or not, these products are excellent. They would make a great gift too. 

Connect with Belli on their website, Facebook and Twitter to get more information on their products. 

Salba Chia Seeds-- Where have you been all my life?

For some time now, I have been really curious about chia seeds. I know, I know-- I'm so late. Seriously though, I have been wanting to try them since I have been hearing so many good things about them. I received a fabulous box of samples from Salba Smart to try out. 

Salba chia comes both in whole seeds and ground. I read some material that was enclosed in my package and was blown away by the healthy benefits chia seeds provide. Salba is gluten free, raw, vegetarian/vegan, non-GMO, non allergenic, and has a neutral flavor profile. Salba can be easily incorporated into any recipe to boost the nutrition, which is especially beneficial in more specialized diets. Salba's water absorption properties and high fiber make it excellent for increasing satiety, which is important to maintaining healthy weight. Salba also increases your energy, makes your nails, hair, and skin healthier, and improves regularity.

We tried Salba whole seeds on salad first. I love the fact that chia seeds are practically flavorless. This makes adding a super healthy punch to foods much easier. Me and my husband absolutely love Salba on our salads. Seriously, we have been missing out for so long. The amazing part is staying full longer from eating a salad. This was a first for both of us. I have been adding some seeds on top of my cereal and even our six year old has been asking for them on his oatmeal. This is really good since school starts back in exactly two weeks. I worry about him staying full until lunch time. Looks like we have found a new pantry staple in our household. I love the fact that you can purchase single serving packets. This makes it easy for me to send in my husbands lunch box. 

I plan to incorporate Salba chia seeds into breakfast muffins, yogurt, smoothies and more. To find out more about Salba Smart chia products, check out their website. They have a recipes tab and such great tips on how to use them in general. These tips were very useful to me. Check them out:

Have you tried chia seeds? What is your favorite way to have them?

IHOP's New World Scrambles (Review)

Last week I visited my local IHOP to check out the latest World Scrambles menu offerings with my younger daughter. I think everyone else had the same idea to visit IHOP at the exact same time so the restaurant was slammed! I decided to go with the Californian Scramble and my daughter went with the All-American Bacon Scramble.

Each World Scramble is made to order and perfectly paired with golden hash browns and your choice of a warm flour tortilla, toast, or two of IHOP restaurant’s classic buttermilk pancakes. You can also add bacon or sausage for an additional cost. We both when with the famous IHOP pancakes. 

When my entree came, I was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of salsa that was on top of my eggs. You can't really tell from the photo, but there was fresh avocado slices underneath the salsa that made it look like it was way more. The whole combination of the eggs, cheese, salsa and avocado screamed California! My mouth was happy. I did not leave a single bite on my plate. I was very satisfied and really enjoyed the Californian Scramble. 

My daughter kept things simple with the All-American Bacon Scramble. She was pleased with how much bacon was incorporated in the eggs and liked the fresh bite of tomatoes as well. I think she said she would be full for the next three days after she finished her meal! 

Overall, we were very pleased with our meals and recommend you try them, but hurry, they are only available until September 7. For more information or to find an IHOP restaurant near you, please visit www.IHOP.com.  Follow IHOP on Facebook and Twitter.

I received a gift card from IHOP to try out the latest menu offerings. All opinions expressed are my own as always.