Mattress Pad Reviews!

I received several mattress pads/covers to try for free! This came at the best time! We had recently had a new addition to our family and my son now sleeps in a full sized bed. The company sent a crib mattress cover, pack and play mattress cover and a full sized mattress cover. They were even kind enough to send a crib mattress sheet too!
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 Pack and Play Mattress Pad
Unfortunately the SOFT  pack and play mattress cover was too small for our pack and play and for those of our friends. ( We have a Graco Pack and Play). I was sad that did not fit ours, because I feel it could make a hard pack and play VERY comfortable when we travel.


 Comfort Shield Crib Mattress Protector with Spill Block Review.

Great Deal at $14.99 here! 

This is a nice Mattress protector that fits the crib well and does very well in the washer. No smells are retained and it does not come apart after being washed several times.


Check out the description from their website.

Product Description

Our Comfort Shield crib mattress protector is made with a super absorbent terry surface and a breathable polyurethane backing. Providing a comfortable, quiet surface while protecting the mattress from leaks or soiling. Includes expandable knit contoured skirt and dust mite protective barrier.

- Waterproof yet breathable polyurethane backing, soft and quiet
- Absorbent terrycloth surface
- 10 year guarantee
- Dust mite protection barrier
- Expandable knit contoured skirt

Americare Vinyl Fitted Mattress Protector Review.

Americare Vinyl Fitted Mattress Protector, White Great deal at $12.99

They sent this to us in full size, which was perfect for my six year old's room. I didn't read the directions and put it in my washer and dryer. It survived even though it said DO NOT WASH on it. Whoops! I was worried the plastic sheet would make noise and wake him up in the middle of the night. This has not been an issue and it fit well on his bed.

Here is a description from their company about the product.

Product Description

Keep your mattress protected from liquids, spills, and bodily functions with our Vinyl Mattress Protector! The easy clean up will make nighttime accidents or home health care tasks much less strenuous. The Vinyl cover allows you to wipe any mess away and avoid costly mattress cleanings. Whether you have pets, incontinence needs or simply wish to protect your mattress this is the products for you.

- Easy to wipe clean
- Fits snugly around mattress with an easy contour fit
- Protects complete mattress from liquid spills and soiling
- Bed Beg and Dust Mite Protectio


( Note the bed bug protection. I want every hotel we visit to have these! Check out the  Bed Bug Registry and you will agree with me too! )



I highly recommend   Fiberlinks Textiles Inc.










I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.  I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Tomato Basil Soup and Why I returned the the Vitamix

This is NOT a sponsored post, product review or paid post. This purely my opinion.


I had a Vitamix. I tried to like it. Everyone else said it was amazing. I found it to be an over priced kitchen gadget that didn't live up to the hype.  Fortunately Costco has and AMAZING return policy which allowed me to return it for the massive price we paid ( $400+ for a blender) It just doesn't do enough to justify the price. In fact a Kitchen Aid Mixer is a MUCH better deal. It can do a lot more with the variety of attachments.


A few days ago I went to Buppert's Farm to pick up product. They had tomatoes for canning for $10.00 for what I think was a bushel as you can see $10 worth was A LOT of tomatoes.

1.  Remove the skin with hot water and ice. 

                               

Fill one bowl with ice and cold water 

                   

                                         

                                               

                                                      Boil water and drop the tomatoes in it!

                                               

                                             After they are in boiling water for a minute use a spoon and drop the hot         tomatoes into the ice water.

This makes the tomatoes very easy to peel!

I didn't have a bowl big enough for all the peeled tomatoes! 

Set up the kitchaid and attachments! This works so much better than the Vitmix because it also removes the seeds!

Look how nice! The good stuff goes in one container and the seeds into another. 

Look how nice! 

It made so much I had to also fill my Ninja Crock Pot 

 

The "recipe" is so simple

After putting the tomatoes through my Kitchen Aide Vegetable and Fruit Strainer. I added the following.

1. 1 container of Trader Joe's Beef Broth in EACH the stock pot and Ninja 3 in 1. 

2. 1 Cup fresh basil in EACH stock pot and Ninja 3 in 1

3. 1 or 2 heads garlic in EACH stockpot 

4. Teaspoon in each of Artisanal Salts Hand Rakes Celtic Gray Sea Salt   ( Better quality spices make the difference)

5. Teaspoon or more taste of Artisanal & Organic Mediterranean Oregano

6. Then just let both simmer on law for a few hours! 

This is so easy! If I used a Vitamix it would have taken FOREVER to get all the tomatoes into soup form! This is why I returned it and prefer my Kitchen Aid Mixer and attachments! 

Holiday Gift Guide!

Look for a holiday gift guide coming soon!

25% off Gymboree

This link contains affiliate links. I do make a small profit if you click on this link.( That money is used to do fun things with my kids and extra deposits to their college funds :) )


I have a Gymboree Addiction! But I never buy it full price! Click here and use the Code HELLOFALL to get 25% off your purchase of $75!

Restaurants Creating Picky Eaters

Our family enjoys experiencing a variety of cultures, flavor and variety when we go out to eat. This includes our six year old son. However every children's menu is the same, filled with chicken nuggets, french fries, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, buttered noodles and grilled cheese. They often do not even give the child a choice to experience the variety that is the restaurants specialty.  And if the child asks for a child size portion of the adult meal the restaurant often refuses. This leads to either the parent sharing their meal ,ordering a much too large portion for a small child. or forcing them to eat kid food while the adults enjoy variety. We recently had this experience at two restaurants.


First was Grilled Cheese and Company. This restaurant is known for spicing up the boring grilled cheese sandwich. My son was SO excited when he read the words MEATBALL grilled cheese on the menu. He then attempted to order a half sandwich just like the only option on the kids menu. He was quickly denied and we were forced to order him an adult portion.

Yes you read that correctly. This fun menu ONLY offers a half a grilled cheese sandwich on the kids menu, no other options.

Look at the other options! I don't understand why they couldn't just make him a half a grilled meatball sandwich.  The concept seems simple, but he was refused and we had to order for him off the adult menu.


We had a similar experience yesterday when we went out as a family for our eighth wedding anniversary. My children are generally well behaved in restaurants. We are new to this town and do not have a babysitter, which means if we want to enjoy a good meal we take them with us to try a new adventure. It was our anniversary and we decided it would be fun to try Peruvian food at Pisco a Peruvian Cuisine and Ceviche restaurant. Guess what wasn't on the kids menu? That is correct there wasn't ANY Peruvian food on the kids menu for him to try! Not even a side of fried plantains. He was REALLY excited to see the word " Salchipapa" and asked what it was, thinking he may get to try a new food. Then he was sadden by hearing that "Salchipapa" was just a fried hot dog over some french fries.

He ordered the 1/8 chicken meal while stealing some of my husbands rice and  fried plantains.


Am I the only one that is disturbed by the lack of variety on children's menus? Forced to pay for adult sized meals to please a pint size foodie? And loosing half their delicious food when out with children? Refusing to cultivate picky? Think about how often kids go out to eat because of busy schedules making it just easier to grab something fast or run to a restaurant. This has to be leading to a generation of children that survive on nuggets and grilled cheese! So PLEASE restaurants give our kids a variety of fun food in kid size portions! Because when they are adults you may just being serving nuggets and french fries to all your adult patrons!

Gobs are Not Whoopie Pies...

Gobs are NOT a Whoopie pie... This recipe is a South Western PA dessert. They are NOT a Whoopie Pie. This post was sponsored by #Fortisproduction and is a review of their Art of Cooking  Baking mats.

INGREDIENTS.
For the outer layers

1. 1/2 cup Cocoa
2. 2 cups sugar
3. 1/2 cup crisco ( I substituted butter for Crisco)
4. 2 eggs
5. 4 Cups Flour
6. 1 teaspoon salt
7. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8. 1 teaspoon vanilla
9. 3/4 cup sour milk ( milk with teaspoon of vinegar added)
10. 1/2 cup hot water 
11. 1 package of fudge pudding mix  ( I am still looking for a quality organic brand of pudding) 

Excuse the mess, my six year old helps me bake.

Mix ingredients alternating wet and dry. It does not matter what order they go in to the mixer.

 It will look like a cake mix when it is fully blended. When it is mixed put in in the fridge for at least an hour.

Line your cookie sheet with the Art of Cooking Silicone Mat! It fits perfectly!

Use a small cookie scoop to drop the batter onto the baking mat.
Smooth them out with a clean wet finger.

Then bake at 375 for 10 minutes ( note that my cookbook recipes did NOT provide a cooking time)

This baking mat is not the best at being non-stick. Look at how much stuck to the mat.

Filling Ingredients.

1. 1 cup milk
2. 4 tablespoons of flour
3. 3/4 cup Crisco ( I used butter instead) 
4. 1 cup powered sugar
5. 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Heat 1 cup milk on medium . 

 

2. Add 4 tablespoons flour until the mix thickens.

  3. Let mixture cool

    4. Whip 3/4 butter (or crisco) and 1 cup powdered sugar until fluffy.

5. Mix the milk/ flour mixture with the butter/ sugar mix

6. The filling will look like this when it is mixed

Then make them look li

Now it is time to fill the gobs!

Next make them look like a sandwich

This is what they look like when they are filled.

Then I put them in the freezer for at least an hour before individually wrapping them.

After wrapping them individually store them wrapped in a ziploc bag in the freezer. I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Earth's Best

Normally I do not show my children on my blog. I have many reasons for this, but on occasion I make an exception for a special brand. Earth's Best is a brand I have been fond of for years. They were the ONLY organic brand available in the small town we lived in when my son was a baby six years ago. In fact Earth's Best was doing organic before it was cool to be all natural and avoid giving your family chemical filled food. Because Earth's Best has made it possible to give my children a head start I made an exception.


Earth's Best sent me an awesome box of products to review.

Wholesome Morning Hot Cereal Oat & Brown Rice Pumpkin Vanilla
·         Gluten Free Wholesome Morning Hot Cereal Quinoa & Brown Rice Sweet Potato Cinnamon
·         Apple Peach Oatmeal Fruit & Grain Puree
·         Banana Raspberry Brown Rice Fruit & Grain Puree

Even though I already had a full cupboard of AWESOME Earth's Best Baby food.

We tried a variety of the products they sent with my daughter who will be seven months old.  She really liked the varieties that were sent. Though she was not a stranger to Earth's Best products. Can you tell?

It is almost like she knows the container for Earth's Best equals delicious baby food!

They even have a nice variety of breakfast blends that are awesome for when you are in a hurry, traveling or on the way to drop your older kid off to school. ( I plead the fifth, but a six year may be very capable of squeezing drops from these into the a baby's mouth while in the car..)

She really liked the Apple Peach Oatmeal blend! That look is the "You aren't feeding me fast enough" look... She pulled the dish to her when  I had to help my older child. This resulted in me running across the kitchen to catch the bowl before it fell on to her.

They also have Oatmeal for babies and toddlers. It SMELLS amazing. Both my husband and I thought they should make similar flavors for adults. Earth's Best respects that babies want a variety of flavors too!

Look how easy it is to make! Even a husband can do it!

Though my only complaint is HOW they describe how to make it. Most people do not have a 1/8 cup measuring cup in their cooking tools. I know I don't and as a tired Mom I don't always have the energy to do the math in my head. It would be much easier to just say TWO TABLESPOONS on the back instead of 1/8 cup.

Just take two tablespoons of this awesome smelling cereal, but in a bowl .

Add Water

Heat in the microwave!

Feed the baby!


Earth's Best is such a great brand.

• They make baby food that comes in jars and easy to travel pouches. 
• Earth's Best have several NON-GMO products. 
• Directly from their webpage. 
  

  he Earth’s Best® Difference

  At Earth’s Best®, we pride ourselves in organic farming using no potentially harmful pesticides or herbicides, no artificial preservatives, flavors or colors and no genetically engineered ingredients in our organic fields and crops. Our fruits and vegetables are grown organically producing great tasting foods for your baby and that you have come to expect from Earth’s Best. 
  
  
 
 
Earth's Best Products can also can be found at several stores. When I lived in a small town, Earth's Best was the ONLY brand that was available for me to purchase and they were a reasonable price! ( Right now they are 5 for $5 at Target for the pouches, cheaper than Non-Organic brands.)   
 
If you also LOVE Earth's Best for your family, you can go here to rate their products and be entered to win a Gift Pack! 
 
 Earth's Best products can be found in many grocery stores, online at Babies R US and of course Amazon
 
 
PS. Big kids LOVE Earth's Best too.! My six year old loves their line of big kid products! I like to keep these in my freezer! 

 
 
 Earth's Best products are produced By Hain Celestial they are a company dedicated to developing and producing healthy products!  (Unlike another "organic" company I won't mention, I doubt they will sell out to a company that is pro-GMO for profit :) )