BILINER Premium Water Review #ad

As we all should know, drinking water is imperative in maintaining proper health. I make it a point to consume more than 60 ounces daily and try to aim for 100 ounces if I can. I have often heard of water coming from pure and natural sources and have been curious to find out more. I received some bottles to test out from BILINER in both Premium Mineral Water and Royal Class Spring Water.

I couldn't help but admire the lovely bottles and names that seem to match. But what exactly makes this water different from others?

BILINER mineral waters comes from the heart of the old continent, the Czech Republic. From the North Bohemian region (Czech Republic), extremely rich in valuable minerals (which are found along the extensive geological break) comes this highly valued, naturally carbonated alkaline mineral water BILINER as well as the renowned and, for many centuries, a proven natural aid to digestion, SEDLITZ WATER. When me and my husband tried this mineral water for the first time, our eyes opened wide from the tingle on our tongue. We were really intrigued that the carbonation was natural and unlike the typical carbonated water we have tried in the past. The Spring Water was crystal clear, super smooth and clean tasting. It's refreshing to drink water that does not taste like a plastic bottle or even like tap water. I found out that these waters are so pure that even a newborn baby could drink it.

Interesting facts about BILINER Premium water: 

• Really great, unique taste of mineral salts
• Naturally carbonated directly from the source, with no artificial carbonation. Very rare water property.
• High content of beneficial minerals
• Bottled exactly as it flows from the mineral spring
• The oldest mineral water in the world, which was the subject of trading more than 300 years ago
• Popular throughout Europe under trade name BILINER SAUERBRUNN since early 18th century
• Recommended by balneologists and loved by spa guests, it combines healing properties with the refreshing, restorative qualities of naturally carbonated water long before any other manufactured soda waters were available
• The city of Bilina was called “Vichy of Germany” before the many political changes which took place in Europe
• The temperature of this spring water ranges between 63° F and 68° F at its source.
• Contemporary Czech name is BÍLINSKÁ KYSELKA

Major effects when used in the form of drink treatment include:

I – neutralizes excess gastric acids (Natural remedy for heartburn)
II – avoids mucoid effect (Ready for inhalation)
III – powerful anti inflammatory
IV – stimulates stomach secretions
V – aids pancreatic activity
VI – reduces creation of oxalates in urine, helpful in prevention of kidney stones
VII – reduces creation of uric acid, helpful in prevention of gout

Dosage and practical use of BILINER Premium:

Natural healing water Biliner is prescribed for use either as Spa drink treatment or for regular home use drink regimen. In order to boost its beneficial effect, the recommendation is to drink the water – in small gulps – out of a spa cup. The water is best at room temperature although refrigeration does not impair its value in any way.

This healthy functional mineral water is now available in the United States, distributed by the  BILINER USA to exclusive and discerning retail stores for sale to those customers who want the very best. My husband has already decided to start ordering cases of the mineral water and we hope to find it available in some local stores soon. You can check here to see if you can find it locally or you can also order BILINER online.

Be sure to connect with BILINER on Facebook and Twitter for product updates and promotions.

5-hour ENERGY® “Yummification” contest & Giveaway #spon

5-hour ENERGY® provided me with the information, samples and a gift card for this post. All opinions are my own as always. 

The makers of 5-hour ENERGY® announced the launch of the “Yummification” video contest, where entrants can win a share of $100,000 for creating a video of their favorite way to mix a 5-hour ENERGY® shot with an everyday beverage. The contest will be judged on the creativity of the video and the taste of the creation

· Drink creations must follow the approved/non-approved ingredients guidelines (i.e. no caffeinated beverages or alcohol)

· To enter the contest, visit www.5houryummification.com and follow the instructions to complete the entry form; “Like” 5-hour ENERGY® on Facebook, then create and submit a video that is no longer than 60 seconds showing an original combination being made, tasted, and named (creativity counts!)

• One grand prize winner will receive $50,000, and the following prizes will also be awarded:
• Second Prize (1): Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000)
• Third Prize (1): Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000)
• Fourth Prizes (10): One Thousand Dollars ($1,000)

Entries must be received by August 19, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. EDT to be eligible.  No purchase necessary.  US residents only.  18 years and up   

To enter, visit www.5houryummification.com and follow the instructions to complete the entry form or “Like” the 5-hour ENERGY® page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/5HourEnergyShot and follow the instructions to click the contest tab

For official rules, visit 5houryummification.com

I was provided with a selection of 5-hour ENERGY shots so that I could create my very own beverage. I mixed 4 ounces of 100% cranberry juice, 1 5-hour ENERGY Lemon-Lime shot and 2 ounces of club soda. I call my creation, Citrus-Berry Splash. I even got fancy and garnished my goblet with a slices of lemon and lime. What do you think? It was very refreshing and I'm glad I went with the club soda and not lemon-lime soda. I think it would have been too sweet. 

Information about 5-hour ENERGY® shots:

·5-hour ENERGY® shots are dietary supplements that provide hours of energy and alertness
· Contain a blend of B-vitamins, amino acids, and essential nutrients
· Helps people feel alert and energized for hours
· Zero sugar, zero carbs, zero herbal stimulants and 4 calories!
· Caffeine in a 5-hour ENERGY® shot is comparable to a cup of the leading premium coffee
· May consume up to 2 bottles of 5-hour ENERGY®, spaced several hours apart. For moderate energy, drink ½ bottle of 5-hour ENERGY®

One lucky Mom Files reader will win a gift pack of 5-hour ENERGY shots ($30 value) as well as a $25 Visa gift card to buy supplies to make their own drink creation. Enter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on August 5, 2014. Please follow giveaway rules in Rafflecopter widget. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Mom Files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

New from IHOP: Scrambles Inspired by Tastes from Around the Globe

The Restaurant Famous for Making Eggs Any Way You Want Them Has Three New Scrambles Inspired by Tastes from Around the Globe

Do you have a taste for adventure, but can’t get away? For a limited time, you need only go as far as your local IHOP® restaurant:  they are bringing exactly that—a taste of adventure— straight to your table with the introduction of their new World Scrambles, which capture the best flavors from destinations both near and far!

Guests at IHOP restaurants have always been able to enjoy a multitude of egg dishes, prepared any way they want them, and now three new savory egg scramble sensations, available now through September 7, give them even more “egg-citing” choices to enjoy:

All-American Bacon Scramble: Fluffy scrambled eggs topped with diced fresh tomatoes, crispy hickory-smoked bacon and shaved white cheddar cheese.

Tuscan Scramble: Eggs scrambled with sweet basil, roasted red peppers, finished with shaved Parmesan cheese, diced tomatoes, and topped with delicious fresh spinach

Californian Scramble: Jack & cheddar cheeses melted into fluffy scrambled eggs topped with our salsa & fresh avocado.

Each World Scramble, a satisfying choice for breakfast, lunch or dinner, 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.

Guests can also beat the summer heat with refreshing new lemonades, also available until September 7. In addition to a traditional lemonade, IHOP restaurants are now offering a cherry lemonade and a mango lemonade, each garnished with a slice of lemon, and available with free refills. Each ice-cold lemonade pairs well with IHOP’s new dinner salads, sandwiches and other entrees. For more information or to find an IHOP restaurant near you, please visit www.IHOP.com.  Follow IHOP on Facebook and Twitter.

Summertime with Santa Cruz Organic Lemonades- Review & Giveaway

I received complimentary product samples for review purposes. All opinions are my own as always. 

One of my favorite beverages to drink throughout the summer months is lemonade. I love different flavors too-- strawberry, cherry and mango to name a few. I tried the Santa Cruz Organic brand for the first time this week. My husband was so curious about what the mango lemonade would taste like, so we tried that one first. Before I actually took the first sip, I sniffed it. It smelled as if I just peeled a fresh, ripe mango. I went in for the first taste. It was like a mango and lemon explosion in my mouth. I was able to taste each flavor and combined, it was fantastic! I love that it was not too sweet and had the right amount of tart bite to it. My husband really loves the mango variety and has claimed what's left in the bottle for himself. That shocked me because he is a very traditional person when it comes to food or drink. He usually sticks to original flavors.

I love that these lemonades are made with no artificial ingredients or preservatives and are packaged in shelf-stable glass bottles. That makes it perfect for stocking up when they are on sale. I noticed a big end cap of them at my local Kroger the other day, so I hope to grab a few bottles of other flavors to try in the future.

About Santa Cruz Lemonades:
Santa Cruz Organic® Lemonades are certified organic in accordance with the United States Department of Agriculture's organic regulations.  Bearing the official USDA Organic seal, Santa Cruz Organic® Lemonades are guaranteed to be organic, from the ingredients through the recipe-batching process, and into the bottle.  This assures product integrity and supports efforts for environmental responsibility.

Santa Cruz Organic® Lemonades come in Cherry, Peach, Mango, Raspberry, Strawberry, and Original Lemonade. I want to try them all! You can find a location near you here that sells these lemonades.

Two lucky Mom Files readers will win 2 bottles each of Santa Cruz Organic® Lemonades. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on June 20, 2014. Please follow giveaway rules in Rafflecopter widget. Two winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Mom Files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

Snackeez! Review

I received a complimentary product sample in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Have you seen the commercial for the Snackeez! cup? My kids (especially the teenagers) have always thought it was the coolest thing. I think the fact that they are big snackers is what makes this cup so attractive. 

Snackeez! is the all-in-one, go anywhere snacking solution. The cup holds up to 16 ounces of your favorite drink and also 4 ounces of a snack at the same time. 

They come in four fun colors and are so easy to use. My little one gave the Snackeez! a try and really loved it. He enjoyed sipping on his iced tea and was mesmerized that you can keep a snack in the top compartment. 

 

It was easy for my little guy to flip open the lid to get to his snack. I like the no-slip grip band around the cup for his smaller hands to hold on to. This makes me feel better about him not dropping it.

Check out the video of how the Snackeez! works...

Snackeez! retails for $9.99 and can be purchased online and at Bed Bath & Beyond, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Walmart and more. I think this would be perfect for each family member to have for road trips, movie/game nights, beach tips or anytime for that matter. This would make an ideal birthday gift, especially for the kids' classmates. You can't beat a ten dollar gift that is practical and useful. These also make great stocking stuffers or as an addition to a gift basket. Anyone of any age would enjoy this!

Are you prepared for food emergencies? #MilkUnleashed

Life can get super busy and hectic for all families. We have been going through spells of sickness mixed in with work, school, sports, family obligations and extracurricular activities. It is not hard to get behind on many things. One thing many of us don't think about is food emergencies. With the weather getting colder in many places, this means potential storms, freezing temperatures and even power outages. Usually when there are warnings about dangerous weather conditions, the first place everyone goes is to the grocery store. I can recall years ago seeing empty bread and milk shelves. It is hard to go for days or even a week without milk when you have small children. With Milk Unleashed shelf stable milk, you can always be prepared. Shelf stable milk is the same milk you buy refrigerated, except they processed differently and packaged in a shelf safe Tetra Pak carton. 

This is great news since they have a longer shelf life. They come in single serving cartons as well as 32 ounce Tetra Pak cartons. You can choose from whole, 2%, 1%, organic and even flavored. My kids love them! It is a convenient way to send milk in lunch boxes and my teens love them in the car on the way to school. These are great for your emergency supply, road trips, lunch boxes or for after-school. You can find them in most grocery stores, usually on the aisle that sells canned milk. I try to grab a pack every other shopping trip just to stock up in my pantry.

You can learn more on how to prepare for emergencies here and be sure to check out Milk Unleashed on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

I received product samples for review and all opinions are 100% mine. No other compensation was received. 

From the Marriage Files: Dating your spouse

Life gets hectic almost all of the time. We have to juggle children, work, activities, bills and other life obligations. It can weigh heavily on a marriage. Although I don't make any resolutions for the new year, I did make a vow to have more dates with my husband in 2013. We both realize how important it is for us to have time together, away from the kids. Ever since January, we have taken time to go out alone whether it is for lunch, browsing the stores or just for cocktails. Having that alone time has brought us closer together and it is nice to engage in intimate conversation and a little laughter. So far we have managed to stick with our dating arrangements. The key to making it happen is to not plan it. We just randomly decide, "hey, do you want to go have dinner or catch a movie?"

Of course there are those times that my hubby looks up Columbia SC Flowers and surprises me with a gorgeous arrangement. After 19 years of marriage, he still buys me flowers. Having them delivered is a romantic touch as well. Just this past weekend, Dwayne asked me out on a date in a formal way. It was so sweet! It's also fun to get all dolled up and even wear heels to have some fun time away from the kids. Even if you don't have a lot of extra money, it is so worth squeezing out a few dollars to go out on a date with your honey.

Do you date your spouse? What do you usually do?

Old Orchard Juices and Teas Review & Coupon Giveaway {5 winners}

Are you looking for ways to save on giving your family juice and drinks and not sacrifice quality and taste? Old Orchard frozen juice and tea concentrates might be the answer you are looking for.

Old Orchard offers many flavors to choose from including Southern Style Sweet Tea, Classics like Grape, Apple, Pineapple and Orange, as well as a variety of juice blends. I found the Old Orchard frozen concentrates at my local Walmart. There were so many to choose from! I picked out the Sweet Tea and the 100% Juice in Pineapple Orange. I really love the convenience of having a frozen concentrate for those times that we run out of drinks. The plastic containers can be microwaved if you are in a rush and recycled. Of course you can't go wrong with having less packaging. I plan to save the containers to use as seed starter pots for my Spring planting.

I mixed up the Pineapple Orange juice as directed on the container and enjoyed a glass of it with my breakfast this morning. For those calorie conscious folks, each serving of Old Orchard drinks have only 90 calories. Not bad at all! The taste? Absolutely delicious. I will have to keep a half dozen of assorted flavors in my freezer at all times. To find a store near you that carries Old Orchard frozen juice, go here. Stay connected with Old Orchard on Facebook and Twitter.

I have a set of 4 coupons for any variety of teas or juices for 5 Momfiles readers to win. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on February 14, 2013. Five winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

Old Orchard provided me with coupons for FREE products in exchange for a product review. All thoughts/opinions expressed here are my own, as always.

How I maximize my coffee budget and still have the perfect cup each day

I love a really good, rich cup of coffee. I only require one cup a day and I get tired of the same old brand sometimes. I am a coffee snob and stay away from the low-end bargain brands. They lack the strength and flavor I require.  The whole 'use a tablespoon per 6 ounces of water' is a joke. I am more of a use 1/2 cup per 6 ounces (no lie!) As much as I love the premium brands, I can't always justify the cost. I finally found a way to get around that and not sacrifice the quality or taste. Lately I have been shopping for premium, traditional ground coffee that is on sale and try to match it up with coupons. I also purchase an espresso ground coffee that I always find on sale at Publix. They tend to always have a brand for under $3. I usually buy Cafe Bustelo, Pilon or La Llave.

What I do is mix both varieties in my regular drip coffee maker. The fact that The espresso grind is more concentrated and rich, makes me have to use less of my more expensive premium coffee.

The result is a dark, strong and rich cup of coffee every time. I have been doing this for months and even my husband noticed how good our coffee is. We are so spoiled that we have to bring coffee from home when we travel. I totally recommend this method of coffee making for those who crave the richness of Starbucks but have Walmart pockets.

"Flavor It" Review & Giveaway

I am such a big fan of kitchen gadgets. I received a neat item from Primula Products called Flavor It Pitcher 3-in-1 Beverage System. You can make a wide variety of amazing infused beverages using just about any ingredient you want.  You can make fruit flavored teas, water, wine, even iced coffee! The only limit is your imagination!

The beverage system includes:

• Flavor Infuser - can be filled with fresh fruit, herbs, or spices to lend intriguing flavor notes to water, tea, punch, and more. Creating a multitude of beverage options from cucumber lime drinks to blueberry iced tea, to sangria and more. 
• Stainless Steel Tea Infuser - designed to brew loose tea or ground coffee, either hot or cold. The infuser's filter sits low in the pitcher, accommodating small quantities as well as a full pitcher. 
• Chill Core - filled with non-toxic gel, it is better than ice because it keeps the beverage cool without diluting the flavor.

I decided to test it out over the weekend and decided on fruit infused water. My daughters are big on fruit flavored water so we took a vote and went with peach and lime. I added slices of peaches and limes into the Flavor Infuser and added filtered water the pitcher.

I love the design of the pitcher because it fits perfectly in my fridge door. This frees up more space for bulky milk jugs and other drinks. I let the fruit infuse overnight and we all tasted the water. It was fantastic and very refreshing! I plan to make sangria this coming weekend and will use red wine with a mixture of fresh fruit. My 16 year old is looking forward to make some vanilla flavored iced coffee. I really love that you can tighten the lid to close it to reduce spills. The pitcher itself is BPA-free, dishwasher safe, scratch resistant, shatter proof and  stain resistant. 

The Flavor It Pitcher 3-in-1 Beverage System would make a great wedding, anniversary, hostess or holiday gift. Check out Primula Products on the web, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

How would you like to win one? One lucky Momfiles reader will win the Flavor It Pitcher 3-in-1 Beverage System. Enter in the Rafflecopter widget:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on October 25, 2012. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received a product sample for review purposes. All thoughts/opinions are 100% my own as always.

Arbor Mist Frozen Wine Cocktails | Moms Need Wine!

I had the great pleasure of receiving a lovely assortment of the new Arbor Mist Frozen Wine Cocktails to try out. Of course I had to do my part and try all 3 varieties to be sure I gave an accurate review. It was a tough job but someone had to do it! I received the Blackberry Merlot, Strawberry White Zinfandel and White Pear Pinot Grigio flavors. I have never tried any of the frozen wine beverages before and honestly, I wasn't sure if it would be something I would like. In my mind I figured it would be too icy for me. 

I put the pouches in the freezer and left them in there for the recommended 5 hours. First up was the Blackberry Merlot. I tore the top off the pouch and squeezed it into my wine glass. It was not super icy like I thought it would be. It was very smooth which is more of my thing. I took my first sip out of my straw. I loved the flavor. It was so refreshing and everything I hoped it would be! I had my husband taste it because he is the picky one. Guess who had me open another pouch? Yep, he loved it too!

Since he took a few sips from my glass, I felt like I did not have the full serving *ahem* so I opened up a pouch of the White Pear Pinot Grigio. I normally don't drink white wine so I had no idea what it would taste like. I LOVED this one even more! The texture was perfect and it is my new favorite. The next evening I tried the Strawberry White Zinfandel. It was good but I much prefer the first two. I really love having a frozen cocktail that doesn't require breaking out the blender and having multiple ingredients. You can beat the 'freeze, tear and squeeze' method!

I can totally see having a cooler of these at a cookout or gathering and it would be awesome for a girl's night in! I will be purchasing these in the future and highly recommend them. If you have tried them, what do you think? If you plan to try them in the future, I would love to hear your thoughts!

Check out Arbor Mist on the web, Facebook and Twitter. *You must be 21 or over.

I received products samples for review from SheSpeaks. All thoughts/opinions are always my own. 

Mommy Mixology to the rescue! {Giveaway}

Moms, how often do you feel like you want to throw in the towel and run away from home? Sound familiar to you?  I think moms can get really overwhelmed with the duties of the day... from piles of laundry to walking through a sea of toys that you have should have been picked up hours ago. Of course, it's just not realistic to run away so we have to find alternative ways to relax. I received a fun book called Mommy Mixolgy by Janet Frongillo, that is designed just for moms to help you get through those crazy moments in motherhood. The thing that stuck out to me most is the blocks on the front cover of the book that reads "BAR" and also the part that says "A Cocktail for Every Calamity".

This book takes you through the stages of conception all the way to kindergarten. There are some cocktails called "Sleeptastic Sangria", "Cosmopotty" and "STFU Slushie". I couldn't help but chuckle and think, "Yeah, I sure could have used one of these when we were going through that stage!" There are so many great drink recipes for every occasion, even sickness and dealing with the PTA. There's a lot of great full-color photos of the fun cocktails decorated to suit the occasion. You have to check it out!

The book is filled with humorous content that is so easy to relate to. I think this would make the perfect baby shower gift. I guarantee that the mother-to-be would love it! It's a great conversation piece and I really believe any mom with kids of any age would appreciate it. You can purchase a copy of Mommy Mixology at Amazon for $14.95 or $9.99 for the Kindle edition.

How would you like to win a copy for yourself? (One winner) Enter below in the Raffecopter widget.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on Sept 10, 2012. Please follow giveaway rules. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Winner will be chosen at random and contacted by email.

I received a copy of the book for review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Why hydration is important

I made the most ridiculous mistake this weekend when my family went away on a getaway. I knowingly did not drink any water (besides maybe a few ounces) for about 3 days. As a matter of fact, I pretty much didn't drink a lot in general on those days. I normally drink a minimum of 60+ ounces of water daily. My body totally showed me how bad I had been. I suffered from several muscle spasms in my feet and a lot of aches and pains throughout my body. I got so consumed in all the activity that was going on and the weather was unusually cool, so I completely neglected to hydrate like I should have. I think being at an indoor water park made me not think about being thirsty. Needless to say, I had to get back into the practice of proper water consumption and have incorporated a banana and 2 servings of orange juice into my daily diet. I have learned my lesson, the hard way. I will do my best to never make that mistake again!

Does your body do crazy things when your diet is off?

Things that are making me so happy right now.

Today I laughed HYSTERICALLY in the car on the way home from picking the girls up from school. I am talking full abdominal pain, tears from my eyes and coughing from laughing so hard. My sunglasses even fogged up. Man, that was some good laughter! 

Today William was complaining about "those meddling kids". He loves old school Scooby Doo. As a matter of fact, he loves all the old cartoons like Tom & Jerry, Yogi Bear, The Snorks, The Smurfs and more. Sure beats Sponge Bob any day! 

This salad is made from baby organic greens (kale, spinach, arugula and others) dried cranberries, sliced almonds, feta cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. It is outstanding. It is my new favorite salad. 

If you haven't tried Mr. Clean with Gain scent, you are missing out on the happiest scent ever. It is as if you accidentally spilled Gain freshness into the air. It really makes me excited to clean. Yeah, I have issues :)

Dwayne and I tried Red Moscato for the first time and really enjoyed it. I think we need to explore some other brands. I am going to make a date night reservation to try out a wine bar in our area in the very near future. 

I love Coca-Cola from the 1.25 liter bottle. There is something so special about the taste from that specific size bottle. It's not the same out of the can or the 2 liter bottle. 

Dwayne and I have been thoroughly enjoying watching the NBA play-offs and even the pre-game, half-time and post-game footage. This has been the most enjoyable basketball season ever! We will be so sad when it's over. 

The thing that has been making me over-the-top happy lately has been the new windows we had installed over the course of the last year. We have noticed a huge difference in the consistency of  the overall temperature as well as the air conditioning unit does not run 24/7. I know our light bill should be looking a lot better too. That will be the icing on the cake! 

So what has been making you happy recently? Please share, I wanna know! :)