Keep Mosquitoes Away With A Thermacell Patio Shield Protection Lantern

It's summertime! Many of you may be participating in a lot of outdoor activities like cookouts, gardening, hanging out poolside, and more. We went through the catastrophic floods here in SC last year. It left behind so much damage and some people are still trying to recover. One thing the floods caused is a serious mosquito problem. We already have enough of them in SC, but now we have triple the amount. We can't be outside for long before someone gets bit. I don't always want to wear repellent on my skin and am always looking for alternate ways to keep those pesky blood suckers away.

I've heard about Thermacell lanterns before and was so intrigued by the video demo on how it works. Haven't heard of it before? Look at the short video below...



I received the Patio Shield Mosquito Protection Lantern to test out for myself. It comes with 1 butane cartridge, 3 repellent mats, and of course 1 LED lantern. It requires 3 AAA batteries that are not included. Just as the video instructed, you simply insert batteries, the butane cartridge, and a repellent mat in the slot. Turn it on and get ready for your outdoor fun! It provides a 15'x15' zone of protection. My son loves to refer to it as his very own force field.

Does it actually work? Let me tell you, if there are 1,000 people and one single mosquito, it will find its way to eat me up. My Thermacell lantern keeps them away! I sat out in my back yard recently for one hour and I was able to go inside completely untouched by mosquitoes and biting flies. Now we can say goodbye to the candles that do not work and say hello to Thermacell. This makes me so happy that I don't have to hide inside anymore.

Buy it: You can find a store near you here. I'm pleased to see that my local Walmart and Home Depot carry them. I forgot to mention that you can purchase refills as well. There are personal sized units as well as a variety of lanterns and torches. I keep my lantern in my mud room for each time I want to go outside. I don't miss the sprays one bit! I will be taking it with me when I go to my neighbor's cookout next weekend. I'm sure everyone will want to sit by me :)

Thank you Thermacell for providing me with a review unit. All opinions are my own as always and I simply love this product! 

Amazing Foodie Gift Ideas With a Difference

Thinking up the perfect gift for any foodies you know can sometimes be tricky. It’s best to make sure you have as much information as you can. So, check these ideas out, and use them to help you make the perfect choice of gift for the foodie in your life.

Spices

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One of the perfect gifts to get anyone who's a food nut is spices. That's because these last a long time, and they can go great with any kind of food or meal. So, you need to think about the perfect spices to get as a gift for someone. I would suggest taking a look at RawSpiceBar and the gift boxes they offer. You can find plenty of weird and wonderful spices here. These would make the perfect gift items for any foodies that you know.
 
Hampton Creek

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As well as using spices as a gift, you might also want to consider Hampton Creek products. They specialize in making eggless mayonnaise, and, recently, cookie dough as well. Hampton Creek represents the future of the way in which food products may develop. Though seen, and marketed as vegan mayo, it is also something that is enjoyed by those who want to be more healthy. So, if the foodie in your life fancies a health kick as well, then this would be perfect for them.

Hamper

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You might also decide that you’d like to go with a hamper. These are generally a great idea when you’re buying for a foodie. You can get lots of different hampers to choose from, and you may even be able to make your own as well. That's why it’s important to ensure you have a look at the types of things on offer before you start. A hamper is the perfect way of including a little bit of everything in the gift. That way you will be able to appeal to a much wider collective of foodies. Try to customize your hamper to suit the interests of the person you’re buying for.

Gin Kit

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Okay, so it’s not exactly a food, but who doesn't like a gin and tonic?! And, these days it has become very popular for people to make their own gin using kits. That's why this would be an ideal gift for someone who is a food and booze fan. You can choose from a lot of different options when it comes to gin kits. And, a quick search online will reveal many different kinds of kits to choose from. A gin kit is an excellent gift for anyone and will show a bit of thought and effort on your part. It’s also something a little different from what someone would normally receive.

You have to bear in mind that buying gifts for the foodies in your life can be a challenge. These are generally people who know a lot more about food than you do. So, it can be tricky to find the right kind of gift for them. That's why you sometimes need to think outside the box. Use the suggestions on here to come up with a few ideas to get you started.

College Commuter Student's Perspective

Today's conversation is sponsored by the Michelin 

There is so much to think about when you are preparing to send your young adult children to college. Whether they are out of the state, in-state or local, there is a lot of planning involved. Both of our daughters attend college locally at the University of South Carolina, and commute back and forth. It was a united family decision that they both live at home at least for the first two years of college. It has been about 3 years now since my older daughter, Chardonnay started at USC and it has worked out with the commuting aside from the complaints of early wake-up times, traffic, or simply feelings of 'not wanting to drive today'. I've shared those feelings of not wanting to drive for many years (carpool pick-ups/drop-offs, sports, after-school activities, and more).

I asked Chardonnay to give me her personal list of pros and cons of living on campus vs off and here is what she came up with.

Pros of living on campus:
• Easy access to everything on campus, easier to get involved
• Easier to make friends because you have roommate, suitemates, people on your hall
• You can wake up 30 minutes before class starts and still be on time
• Don’t have to deal with traffic

Cons of living on campus:
• Might not have a car, so you might feel as if you’re stuck on campus
• More expensive to live on campus (cost of housing, meal plan, etc.)
• Limited meal options because of meal plans
• Not much privacy
• Homesickness

Pros of living off campus:
• More privacy and independence (depending on where you live)
• Home-cooked meals

Cons of living off campus:
• Have to get up much earlier to get to campus on time
• You can feel disconnected from campus
• Not as easy to make friends
• Spend more on gas
• Feeling of missing out

As a parent, I think that being there for your new college student both emotionally and physically are key to helping them make that transition. There were so many adjustments to be made during the first full year. One of them is when you decide to let you student have their own car. I'm sure my daughter must have been sick to death of me nagging about driver safety. An 18 year-old may think they know everything, but they have so much to learn when it comes to being responsible for their own car.

My husband had to go through so many details in regards to fueling up the vehicle, when you need an oil change or service, and using common sense to determine if there might be an issue with the tires or brakes. She has experienced a couple of minor fender benders, but seems to finally have a handle on being cautious and responsible when behind the wheel of a car. She never gets a single mile over the recommended oil change time, and gets her tires checked regularly. I guess on the perks of living at home is she can get assistance right away if there is any issue with the car.

Are you a parent of a college student or have a high school senior preparing for their next journey? You can share your stories or moments on social media using the #BeThereMoments hashtag and check out the stories on the Be There Moments website by Michelin. As parents, it is so important for us to simply be there for our college kids, don't you think?

How to Make Anything Taste Better With Finlandia Butter and Cheese

June is a special month.  It marks graduation, the start of summer, weddings, vacation season. But did you know that June is also National Dairy Month? Finlandia is a brand that has been crafting some of the highest quality cheese and butter for over a century. Their butter and cheese products are all-natural and do not contain additives such as growth hormones, preservatives, and dyes. All you get is pure deliciousness that you can feel good giving your family. 

Many of my family and friends refer to me as a food snob. I'm okay with that label and I think more people should be food snobs as well. Caring about the quality of your food and eating real food is important.  Finlandia Butter is made from pure, hormone-free milk, which comes from happy cows that live on family-owned farms in Finland—the greenest country on Earth.  No hidden chemicals, no factory farms—just pure, creamy goodness. Let me tell you something, Finlandia butter is perfection times 20! It's so creamy and delicious and perfect as a spread on your toast or incorporated in both sweet and savory dishes. 

I love a good omelet (or scramble as mine tends to turn into) and the addition of Finlandia butter and cheese make it extra tasty. Oh and you can't forget the crunchy buttered toast. 

When you put quality ingredients into your dishes, you will be able to taste the difference. I am currently obsessed with Finlandia's perfectly salted butter. I'm waiting on some bananas to get overripe so that I can bake up a loaf of banana bread. Oh, and I'm thinking about a nice pound cake too! 

Be sure to check out the Finlandia website and follow on Facebook for recipes and promotions. 

I received product samples in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and I absolutely love this brand!

Harmless Harvest Coconut Water Is The Real Deal

Do you ever have a taste of something or even a scent that transports you back to your childhood? I grew up in Miami, Florida and it was very common to see vendors on the street corners selling fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, and various goods. One of my favorite things to get was the fresh water coconuts as we called it in my culture. You would get a fresh green coconut that was sitting in a huge cooler of ice and watch the vendor chop the top off with a machete. They would then stick a straw in it and hand it to you to enjoy. There is nothing that can compare to drinking that gorgeous chilled coconut water straight out of the actual coconut. Once you have experienced the real thing, you can't have it any other way. Fast forward... I have lived in South Carolina for close to 18 years and it has been more than 20 years since I have had coconut water like I did in Miami.

I was doing some crowd sourcing on Facebook a month or so ago asking what natural food or drink was rich in potassium. One of my old friends from Florida mentioned coconut water. I told her that would be a winner if I had access to proper coconut water like I did in Miami. She told me to look for one called Harmless Harvest. She is also Guyanese so she knows I know what real coconut water is supposed to taste like. I finally got around to trying it with full hesitation. You see, I've tried about 2 or 3 brands already and I ended up pouring it out in the sink from pure disgust. I took into consideration that Harmless Harvest is refrigerated and is simply organic coconut water with nothing added. It is free of GMOs, toxic pesticides, artificial additives, and irradiation.

I poured some in a glass and was a little intrigued by the pink color. Honestly, I didn't realize that it can be that color (clear to pink). I took my first sip and guess what? I was on transported back to being a kid again. It was the real deal and what coconut water should taste like. No lie, I closed my eyes each time I sipped. I can finally have that taste back in my life all the way up in South Carolina. You can find Harmless Harvest Coconut Water in grocery stores including Kroger, Publix, and Whole Foods in the refrigerated organic/health foods section near the produce department. Check out the amazing story behind Harmless Harvest here.

The back of this t-shirt says "I'm Harmless" :-) 

Harmless Harvest coconut water is the perfect hydrating beverage to help beat the summer heat. Have you tried it yet? If you haven't, I really suggest you do!

I received product samples in exchange for my honest review. It doesn't get more honest than this.