New Fall Line from eShakti and a Giveaway (2 winners) CLOSED

CLOSED- 

 Winners are Team Jacob and Alicia- congratulations!

It's almost my favorite season of the year, Fall! I am really looking forward to some crisp, cool air and the sights and smells of all things Autumn. I was excited to get to check out the new Fall line from eShakti and got to pick out a dress of my choice to review. I had the hardest time choosing because I am a big fan of very classic and vintage dresses. The most unique thing about eShakti is the customization. You can choose from standard sizes or go with detailed sizing for a more precise fit. Depending on which dress you go with, you have options of pockets or no pockets, removing embroidery, dress length, sleeve style and even what neckline you prefer.

I have ordered a dress in the past and found that they run a bit small. I went with a size 8 and picked out the Victoria dress in black. I was attracted to the ruffles on the top and the overall feminine flow of the dress. I decided to keep the same sleeves and length and opted for a lower neckline. I also liked the idea of pockets so I kept that too. I absolutely LOVE the fit of the dress! I feel like this dress was made just for me. My family really loved the way I looked and think I picked the perfect style. I was surprised at how perfectly it fit and the side sash really completed the look. I liked how the ruffles continued along the back. I can easily dress things up with some accessories or even wearing my hair up. You can't ever go wrong with a little black dress!

I have my eye on the eggplant color in this same style. One thing I am really happy about is that I went with a larger size. I normally can wear a women's size 4 but something told me to go with the 8. It was perfect! Be sure to check out eShakti on the web, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

I am so excited that the kind folks from eShakti are offering a giveaway for two Mom Files readers to each win a $50 gift card. There are so many styles, colors and pieces to choose from! Enter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to Canada and US Residents only. Giveaway ends on September 22, 2013 and two winners will be selected at random and contacted via email to claim prize. Be sure to follow contest rules stated in Rafflecopter widget. Mom Files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received a dress at no cost in exchange for an honest review and to help spread the word about the new fall line. All opinions are my own as always. 

Get ready for the Publix® Fresh Savings Event with a $25 GC Giveaway

Disclosure: The information and prize pack have been provided by Publix® through MyBlogSpark.

Right now through September 12th, you can find savings on produce, bakery items, meat and eggs with the purchase of *participating items to get ready for the final days of summer exclusively at Publix® Fresh Savings Event. 

*PARTICIPATING ITEMS: General Mills Cereals Cheerios® (14oz), Betty Crocker® SuperMoist Cake Mixes and/or Frostings, Old El Paso® Dinner Kits, Hellmann's Mayonnaise (22oz or larger), Diet Pepsi (2 liter), Lipton® Recipe Secrets® Onion, Aunt Jemima® Syrups (24oz) and Pancake Mix (2lb), Breyers® Products, Tostitos® Tortilla Chips (9oz or larger)

My family loves having Mexican night often so I know I will take advantage of the Old El Paso dinner kits as well as the Betty Crocker cakes mixes for making cupcakes for dessert. Oh, and I can't forget the Breyer's ice cream! Publix prices are great and often you can find coupons for a lot of the items that are a part of this sale. I know I will be stocking up! 

One Mom Files reader will win a $25 Publix gift card to take advantage of the great deals at Publix.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Giveaway ends on September 12, 2013 and one winner will be selected at random and contacted via email to claim prize. Be sure to follow contest rules stated in Rafflecopter widget. Mom Files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

A Healthy Alternative to the Traditional Chips and Dip: Smart Fries

I have a confession: I am a compulsive snacker. I snack all day long and even at night in bed. When I received a box of samples of all natural Smart Fries from Gourmet Basics for review, I was happy for a healthy snack alternative. The first thing that stood out to me was the word "fries". I love fries. Of course, I know they are not something you can eat everyday because they are not healthy. Smart Fries are different. They are the "Better for You" potato snack treat which is Air-Popped in an innovative healthy cooking process that preserves the all natural goodness and delicious taste. Smart Fries contain as little as 1.5-2 grams of fat per serving (depending on flavor), and are 100% natural with no artificial additives, no MSG, and 0g trans fats and are sure to satisfy your potato chip craving. 

The first flavor I tried was the Vintage Cheddar. I was so pleased with the light crispy, crunchy texture and the surprisingly delicious cheese flavor. The full size bag contains 3 servings and it is quite possible that I ate half the bag at one time. At least I did not have to feel guilty about it!

They are absolutely delicious and really satisfy my craving to snack, especially at night. The crunchiness is addicting! It's nice to have the feeling of eating a potato chip-like snack without the disgusting oily taste.

I have tasted a few of the other flavors and so far the Honey Mustard Onion is my favorite. If you like spicy, the Jalapeno Trio is sure to please! I really love how much flavor is packed into each "fry" without being salty. I feel like I now have snacking freedom!

Stay connected to Smart Fries on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Smart Fries can be purchased at Amazon.com. They come in single serving sizes and full size bags. The case of 24 single serving bags would be perfect for when I have snack duty for my kids' class or sports team. It's a good things to have in the workplace too for when the munchies strike.

I received samples of Smart Fries for review purposes. No other compensation was received and all opinions are completely mine. 

My latest homemaking find: Bounce Ironing Spray

I recently stumbled upon a product while I was shopping in Publix and knew I had to try it out. It is Bounce Ironing Spray. It's supposed to remove wrinkles as you iron and give a starched feel. The bonus is the signature Bounce freshness. I put it to the test on some of my hubby's shirts. I like the spray bottle instead of an aerosol can. It does not flake or leave any residue and his shirts had that starched feel which he really loves. 

The best part was the fresh scent of clean laundry. I have been ironing garments in batches and noticed that the Bounce scent stays on for days. If you are a fan of that fresh laundry straight out of the dryer scent, then I recommend you try this! Oh, and you must actually iron clothes :) I will warn you though, you have to use this in an open area because the scent can be overwhelming. If you get to try it, let me know what you think. 

Kindergarten update: William loves school!

We are into our second week of the school year and so far, so good! William walked into the school last week with the biggest smile on his face and was full of excitement to be in big boy's school. We were lucky to have met his teacher and teaching assistant a couple weeks before school at kindergarten camp. I really think the camp was a great benefit to help break him into being in school. He goes to bed without argument and wakes up on his own. It's nice to have a 5 year old boy wake up each morning fully rested and excited to start his day. We have a very simple routine in the morning and he has already gotten into the groove of things. We walk him into school each morning and let him lead us to his classroom. He knows how to get there but being a curious little boy, he gets a little sidetracked sometimes. Daddy insists that he needs to prove he can get to his class on his own before he is allowed to go into the school by himself. I don't have a problem with that. It's nice walking into the school each morning and seeing all of the warm smiles and welcoming good morning greetings from the staff and other parents.

I have gotten positive feedback from his teacher and look forward to keeping close communication throughout the school year. We are so lucky to have such wonderful educators. Of course I have signed up to volunteer to help out with pretty much everything! I did so much when the girls were in elementary school and got to see what an asset parental participation is to not only the student, but also to the teacher and other students. My first volunteer job will be picture day next week and I am really looking forward to it! It's a good way for me to get to know some of William's classmates.

When I pick William up each afternoon, I ask him what the best part of his day was. He always starts off with, "We went to the playground two times!". He hasn't learned all of his classmates' names quite yet, but knows his main teachers and some of the related arts teacher's names. He just loves P.E.. His coach is the same one that his sisters had throughout the elementary years. It has been wonderful seeing a lot of familiar faces at the same school I spent countless hours in. We feel like William is going to thrive in kindergarten and the rest of his elementary school career. Oh, by the way, I did NOT cry on the first day of school! I didn't even have any anxiety or fear. I guess I feel like he is right where he belongs. I look forward to sharing more about his kindergarten adventures. Thanks for reading!