Emior 4 Step Anti-Aging Skincare Routine

Guys, I turned 30 last week. Thirty! I'm still a bit in disbelief; where did my twenties go?! Then I look in the mirror and realize that it's been a while since I had the youthful look of my teen years - stress and children will do that, I guess. I've been noticing lines on my forehead and little wrinkles around my eyes lately, not to mention the purse lines around my mouth - I was even accused of having RBF a couple days ago. I'm not aggravated, it's just my face. 

Just when I was contemplating breaking every mirror in the house and refusing to ever go out in public again, I was presented with the opportunity to review Emior's 4 Step Anti-Aging Skincare Routine. It's a little less dramatic, but I decided to give it a shot before going full-on hermit. Here's what I thought:

Emior 4 Step Anti-Aging Routine

From their site:

While Emior's anti-aging serum is enough to bring back your skin's youthfulness and make it look suppler and rejuvenated, the process of anti-aging involves the following 4 steps that together ensure a truly vibrant and fresher looking skin.

Step One: Emior Cleanser

"Youthful Skin Begins With Cleaner Skin"

When I'm looking for a facial cleanser, I want something that will not only remove makeup and dirt but something that will cleanse the pores and leave my face feeling soft and clean without feeling like it's peeled a layer of my skin off.

Emior Gel Cleanser removes dirt and revitalizes skin cells by removing everyday impurities from your face without stripping the skin of its essential moisture. This means they've found the balance between a cleanser that gets rid of all the yucky stuff, without using harsh chemicals that leave your face dry and peeling. 

By combining the power of Aloe barbadensis leaf juice with Pyrus Malus (Apple) fruit extracts and Glycerin and boosting it with several other potent skin care ingredients, this ultra-purifying cleansing gel soothes, tones and softens the skin for radiant, healthy-looking complexion.

Emior Cleansing Gel

• Fights acne and minimizes breakouts.
• Purifies skin and lifts away impurities.
• Soothes skin inflammation.
• Minimizes the appearance of pores.
• Smoothens skin.
• Heals the skin.
• Reduces excess oil production.

Step Two: Emior Fruit Exfoliator

"Exfoliate your way to a younger, healthy and radiant skin."

I'll be honest - exfoliating is a step I always end up skipping even though I know it's one of the most important steps in a skincare regime. That's not to say that I don't love how baby soft and glowy my face looks and feels after exfoliating, I just never seem to have the time to follow an entire skincare regiment. That's probably why my face is definitely showing my age. One of my resolutions for this year is to take better care of myself, to focus on improving myself until I am happy with who I am. This includes taking a little bit longer in the bathroom in the mornings, and that's ok. I do like how easy the steps of the Emior Anti-Aging Skincare routine are: even though it takes a little longer than I'm used to, it's not a routine that takes a huge chunk out of my day.

Combining the power of Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Unsaponifiables, Barley Extract, Sunflower seed oil, Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Grapefruit peel oil, Sandalwood extract, and Radish Root Ferment Filtrate with other skin nourishing ingredients, this fruit exfoliator not only removes dull and dead cells from your skin, but also increases its oxygen level, decongesting the pores and restoring its health for a porcelain glow.

Emior Fruit Exfoliator

• Revives Dull & dry skin.
• Restore skin’s smoothness and glow.
• Detoxifies skin and revitalizes it.
• Reduces fine lines and sun damage.
• Improves product penetration and skin treatment results.
• Brightens the complexion.

Step Three: Emior Anti-Aging Serum

The website claims that you can see the effects of their anti-aging serum after just a few weeks - but I was happy to start seeing improvements in my skin within just a couple of days. I can't wait to see what an improvement I'll see after a month of using this. 

Emior single-handedly tackles all the menacing aging signs and radically improves the appearance of your skin in just a matter of few weeks. This magical anti-aging cream restores your skin’s vitality and spruces up your degrading skin’s condition by penetrating deeper into the dermis to regenerate your skin and nourish it on a higher level.

Emior anti-aging serum combines the power of these 5 potent ingredients with the power of snow algae to rejuvenate your skin’s health and eliminate all signs of aging from your skin.

Emior Anti-Aging Serum

• Visibly reduces dark spots and all kinds of age spots.
• Reinforces, smooths and hydrates the skin.
• Evens out wrinkles and balances uneven skin tones.
• Brightens skin and stimulates its growth on a cellular level.
• Helps skin appear clearer, brighter and smoother looking.
• Protects you from environmental factors such as UV rays that accelerate aging.

Step Four: Emior Eye Cream

"Wake up looking young and fresh every morning"

Did you know that fine lines around your eyes can be caused by sun damage, excessive squinting, and dry skin - not just age? I'm guilty of all three, plus the three decades and three kids, so needless to say those pesky lines are definitely making their debut. The skin around the eyes is more fragile and prone to damage than any other part of your body, so it's important to find an eye cream that boosts collagen production and reduces puffiness.

Emior Eye Cream targets the entire eye region and gives it a fresher look after every application. It is an ultra-rich cream that renews the area around your eyes and decreases the puffiness that forms while you sleep. Combining the power of Jojoba Esters with Phoenix Dactylifera (Date) Seed Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Poria Cocos Extract, and Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract. This new and improved formula stimulates collagen production and boosts antioxidants to prevent free radical damage to the skin and reduce discoloration.

Emior Eye Cream

• Gently moisturizes the skin around the eyes.
• Highly effective natural ingredients for daily hydration.
• Dramatically lifts, firms and de-puffs your eyes while you sleep.
• Expertly balanced with soothing extracts.

Emior 4 Step Bundle

The Emior 4 Step Combo combines a bottle of Emior Anti-aging Cream, Emior Eye Cream, Emior Gel Cleanser, and Emior Fruit Exfoliator - the perfect combination for clearer skin.

• Complete solution for wrinkles and saggy skin on the face as well as crow’s feet around the eyes.
• The nutrition in the formulas makes sure that your skin is rejuvenated for fresher and healthier skin.
• Highly recommended for people with occasional alcohol consumption to prevent skin deterioration.
• The gel cleanser is an effective solution to damage from free radicals.
• The fruit exfoliator targets enhanced removal of dead cells on the skin in addition to providing sufficient nutrition for new skin.
• Using both these creams will, therefore, help rebuild and restore skin more efficiently. The combined effect will work wonders on the skin.

Buy Now for $189

CHERRY MX Silent Mechanical Keyboard Review

If you're as tech-obsessed as I am, then you've probably already heard of CHERRY, the specialists for computer input devices. They make some of the best mechanical keyboards on the market, and I'm so excited about working with them to share my opinions of their new MX Board Silent.

First of all, I'm going to be honest - I've never used a mechanical keyboard before. That's not to say I haven't wanted one for years, it just never seemed to be in the budget. But now that I'm using one, writing this review for you guys, I can't imagine going back to my old membrane keyboard. 

As a writer, typing speed is important because if my fingers cant get my thoughts out fast enough then what's the point, right? I decided to put the MX Board Silent to the test on TypingTest.com to see how it stood up to my old keyboard. It seems like I can type much faster since the keys are much more responsive and don't have to be fully depressed and released in order to show up on the screen, but I wanted to know just how much faster.

Results? With the CHERRY MX Board Silent, I typed 67 WPM with 2 errors. My stock Lenovo keyboard was 54 with the same amount of errors. I'm not winning any typing competitions, but my speed has definitely improved. 

The only thing I would change about this keyboard is the lack of multimedia buttons. I sit in front of my computer all day, so being able to turn the volume up or down via my keyboard really is one of the things I look for. Is it a deal-breaker? No, but maybe something for them to consider for future models. 

I'm in love with the sleek, classic look of this keyboard. It's a style that gamers and professionals alike will love, and one that you would be proud to have sitting on your desk.

Is it completely silent? No, not for a touch typist who is used to having to press keys much harder. But there isn't that tell-tale "click" of a computer keyboard, and compared to other mechanical keyboards I've scoped out in the past, it's definitely much quieter. Based on their ever-popular G80-3000 mechanical keyboard, CHERRY was able to enable silent keystrokes with their patented noise reduction technology without giving up on its uncompromising writing performance in their new MX Silent Keyboard. 

From their press release:

The MX Silent-switches have a uniquely shaped rubber pad compared to conventional switches. The integrated 2-component stem reduces audible clicks at the bottom-out and top-out to a minimum. Instead of relying on third-party products, CHERRY relies on a self-developed, innovative solution that preserves the special properties of each individual switch. As with every other MX switch, these features include a sturdy housing made of plastic polymer, a precise spiral spring, and the unique Gold Crosspoint contact technology. This exclusive production process guarantees a precise release and a service life of over 50 million keystrokes.

Offered in two versions, the MX Red Silent or the MX Black Silent, both exhibit linear switching characteristics but differ in the required release force: 45 centinewtons for the MX Red Silent and for those who prefer a slightly higher resistance, 60 centinewtons for the MX Black Silent. Like all MX switches, the bounce is less than a millisecond, allowing for precise and instantaneous input.

Available in either gray or black, the MX Silent Keyboard has a MSRP of $149.

 Visit CHERRY to learn more.

Sleep Hacks for Moms

This post is made possible by a partnership with Nuvanna. All thoughts and opinions are that of my own, and any medical information should be researched further as I am not a medical professional and make no claims to be so.

Being a mom is no easy task, especially when it comes to functioning solely on willpower and coffee. Sleep is an important part of taking care of your health and mental status. Sleep deprivation, whether it's from having a new baby, co-sleeping, or just the stress of the day, can be really dangerous for moms.

What effects can sleep deprivation cause?

According to Harvard Medical School, sleeping five hours or less per night raised the risks from all causes of death by roughly 15 percent. Sleep deprivation is dangerous to your mental and physical health and can dramatically lower your quality of life.

Your risk of obesity, heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and a weaker immune system are just a few issues from not getting enough sleep.

How is a lack of sleep even more dangerous for moms?

Aside from the health issues that can arise from sleep deprivation, not getting enough sleep is really hard for moms in general. How many stories have you heard from mothers about little mistakes they've  made because they were up with the baby every 2 hours?

Let me tell you one of my own: When my baby girl was only 2 weeks old, I fell asleep with her on my chest. We were laying comfortably on the couch after a 3 am feeding, and I was exhausted. It was the first time I had fallen asleep without her in her bassinet, so when she woke up crying two hours later, I sat up really quick to get her and ended up dropping her into the floor. It was one of the scariest moments in my mom life so far, and although she was perfectly fine after the scare of being dropped wore off, it's something that will forever haunt me.

What about when a mom has to drive her kids to school? Not getting enough sleep can slow reaction times, and even cause micro-sleep (tiny mini naps where your brain shuts down for a few seconds) - can you imagine that happening when you're driving? So many things can happen!

That's why I want to share some tips and hacks to help moms get the most out of their precious sleep. 

Sleep Tip #1: Get a comfy bed

Now this one sounds like a no-brainer, but seriously - I didn't realize just how bad my mattress was until I agreed to work with Nuvanna. They sent me one of their queen-sized mattresses to try out for you guys and O.M.G. what a huge difference it's made. 

I'm a stomach sleeper, so finding a mattress that is firm enough not to make my back bow, but not so firm that my arm falls asleep when I have it tucked up under my chest. The Nuvanna mattress cradles my body while giving it enough support to help me be comfortable and wake up actually feeling like I got some sleep, no matter if a kid wakes me up for a drink or kicked-off sock at 2 am.

I've mentioned several times on here that I have fibromyalgia. I deal with being tired constantly, with aches and pains and soreness that can't really be wished away. Getting a good night's sleep is one of the best ways I've found to deal with the pain and fatigue, but without a comfortable bed, it's a near impossible feat. Since I've started using the Nuvanna mattress, I'm getting a solid 5-6 hours before waking - without following any of the other tips you'll find here. For someone who's used to waking up every hour or two, a straight five hours is a HUGE difference!

If you're waking up several times a night because you can't get comfortable, or have to try multiple positions before you're able to fall asleep, it might be time to look into getting a new mattress. You can learn more about Nuvanna on their site.

Sleep Tip #2: Don't co-sleep

Or do co-sleep, I'm not a cop. But, when you have little people that depend on you to help them fall asleep, there's a higher chance that they're going to wake up in the middle of the night, see you, and then decide right away that they have to tell you some Minecraft story or that they need you to sing 3 songs and give them 2 glasses of water and then walk them to the bathroom.

Co-sleeping is a choice many moms make because, in the beginning, it is easier to soothe your baby when they're only an arm's length away. But for toddlers and older children, letting them sleep in your bed is going to hinder the amount of sleep you get, not to mention creating unhealthy sleeping habits for your children as well. 

Sleep Tip #3: Avoid stimulants 

Before you run away screaming, I'm not saying you need to give up coffee. But studies show that consuming caffeine 6 hours before bedtime can reduce the amount of sleep you get by up to an hour! Not only can they reduce your total sleep, caffeine and other stimulants can also inhibit the amount of deep sleep you're able to get in a night, making you wake up less refreshed and more mombie.

Make it a habit to avoid all stimulants at least 6 hours before bedtime, including coffee, soda, and cigarettes. 

Sleep Tip #4: Get into a routine

Hey, we're all moms here. You're probably sick of mundane routines that are the same thing every. single. day. Humans are creatures of habit, though, and sticking to a routine helps your subconscious know exactly what to expect next. The same experts that tell you how important it is to get your kids on a consistent schedule to help their little bodies start sleeping through the night will tell you that having a bedtime routine works just as well for adults.

Maybe you can skip the rocking chair and butt pats for yourself, but starting your routine at the same time every night will do wonders for helping you unwind and get ready for bed. 

Sleep Tip #5: Don't force sleep

Some nights, sleep may elude you. Maybe you had extra stress that day, or perhaps your mind is too busy trying to plan out the meals for the rest of the week. If you lay down and sleep doesn't happen within 15 minutes, get up.

Let your body know that your bed is for sleep. Snuggle up on the couch with a good book and some chamomile tea and relax for a little while before heading to bed. Avoid screens as the light emitted from them can disrupt your natural melatonin cycles, but don't lay down until you are actually sleepy. Trying to force sleep when you aren't actually tired can cause you to lay there with a million thoughts running through your head and will take even longer for you to fall asleep.

Sleep Tip #6: Be patient
Overcoming sleep deprivation when you have little ones may take some time. Try increasing your sleep by 30 minutes a night, and focus on helping your kids get better sleep as well. It will take a couple of weeks, but once you have the sleep thing mastered, you will feel better, have more energy, and you will have a brand new outlook on the mom thing!

Spoonie Essentials

This post is sponsored: I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company.

I'm going to get painfully honest with you for a moment. Having a chronic illness sucks. I have fibromyalgia and panic disorder, and everything that I do is controlled by these conditions. 

There are days where I resent having kids because I can't do all the things they want me to do. When my three-year-old leaps off the couch, fully trusting that I'll catch her, I admit that I've had to fight the urge to step aside and let her faceplant rather than suffer the shooting pains in my neck and back from catching her. I can't rough-house or play with my son like he wants me to because every joint and muscle hurts. Telling the two of them that we can't go to the park because Mama's having a bad pain day or that we can't go to a birthday party because my anxiety level is too high sucks. 

How about trying to explain to my fiance that I don't want to go out because there will be crowds of people or turning down intimacy because my hips and back are killing me? 

Having fibromyalgia makes life a living hell, and no one knows what you are going through unless they, too, are going through it. 

One thing that makes it a little more bearable is knowing that there are other people out there dealing with the effects of having an invisible illness. We chronic illness sufferers are known as Spoonies, and finding spoonie communities has really helped me keep a grasp on reality.

Needless to say, when I had a chance to review a Spoonie Essentials Box, I was super excited.

If you have someone in your life that suffers from a chronic illness, get this for them. I mean it. If I had received this from a loved one as a gift, I probably would've started crying. It's packed with some seriously thoughtful items that you'd have to be a Spoonie to understand.

Like socks. I have perpetually cold feet, and there's nothing better than a good pair of socks. The February Spoonie Essentials Box is loaded with awesome pamper-yourself products sure to remind any spoonie that they need to be sure to take care of themselves. 

There are also a couple of treats to help bring out your creative side. A cross-stitch "Happy Pills" bag and a paint set, to remind us Spoonies that we have to nourish our minds and spirits as well as our bodies.

Because so many chronic illnesses can't be seen, it's really up to us Spoonies to share information and spread awareness for our conditions. Like mental health. The stigmas are still there, because there are so many people who are uninformed about chemical imbalances and frontal cortex development and other causes for psychological illnesses. 

I love that the Spoonie Essentials Box came with some conversation starters.

Is a "Chronically Fabulous" tumbler, a "Chronic Illness Warrior" keychain, or a necklace with spare spoons really going to change the world? No, but they have the power to open dialogue so we can talk about our chronic illnesses and raise awareness.

Along with these awesome items, there are treats and snacks and candies for a little "pick me up" when you just need to #TreatYourSelf. 

If you know someone with a chronic illness, the Spoonie Essentials Box will definitely be something they'd love. Trust me.

Check out the Spoonie Essentials Box here.

Do you know any Spoonies that would love this box? Share my review with them!

Because Shit Happens

disclaimer: I received a free copy of this game to provide you guys with a review - it is definitely not appropriate for children. 

Which is worse: a spider crawling into your ear or accidently sending a nude selfie to the entire office? Questions you probably never asked yourself, but that you might come across in this hilarious new game: Shit Happens.

Loosely based on the "Would You Rather?" drinking game, Shit Happens is an offensive card game for adults that compared unfortunate events on a Misery Index from 1 to 100. The scores were ranked by a panel of mental health experts and factor in stress levels, psychological effects, and emotional distress.

Some of the cards have pretty mild situations, like stepping on a lego. Others are the worst, like seeing your father naked. The object of the game is to rank the cards and see how your scoring matches the experts'.

My birthday was this past Tuesday and my family came over to celebrate. Now, we're highly offensive people when you get us all together. There's probably a reason we keep family gatherings at home! So when I pulled this game out, we were all cracking up and having a blast.

This makes a great party game or just a fun game for friends and will keep everyone laughing for hours. If you like raunchy humor and inappropriate jokes, this is definitely a game you'll love.

Shit happens. Putting everything into perspective is the only way to survive. So, can you tell trivial shit from the truly horrendous shit?

Mega Fun with the Block Scooping Wagon

This post is sponsored by Fisher-Price on behalf of WomensForum.com. 

One of my favorite memories from being a kid is sitting at the kitchen table, making towers with building blocks with my mom and little brother. We would sit and tell stories while we built cities and bridges and whatever else our creative little minds could think of. Now that I have kids, I realize how important that bonding over building is.

Kids learn as they play, and being the mom makes me their teacher. So while they're making these fantastic stories up with their Mega Bloks, I'm interacting with them by asking them what happens next and helping them realize it isn't the end of the world when one of their towers fall.

  

Mega Bloks Block Scooping Wagon is a neat little wagon that combines wagon play with the fun of construction in a great toy perfect for ages 1 to 5. What makes this wagon unique and extremely fun to play with? Why, its block scooping action, of course! 

As your little one pushes the wagon along on its big sturdy wheels, you can see the blocks spin inside the clear compartment, picking blocks up as it goes. I love how excited the kids get about picking up their blocks now, something I usually have to beg them to do after they're done playing.

 

Features:

• Colorful pull wagon picks up blocks when you push it
• Fold-out easy-to- grip handle with buildable section
• Includes 20 blocks in classic colors for tons of construction fun
• Compatible with all sets

We love the Mega Blok Blocks because they're big enough for little hands to get a good grip on, and their bright colors help bring whatever my kids think up to life.

 

Mega Bloks construction toys have been loved by children and trusted by parents all over the world for over 30 years. The iconic maxi block shape brings out children's creativity and helps nurture important early childhood development. Earlier this year, they launched their Build Them Up campaign promising to help parents “Build Up” their children through products focusing on developmental benefits. 

Their credo is:
Build them up.
Each colorful block.
Every bright discovery.
Build up the joy, the stories, the adventures.
Build their smarts, their confidence, their abilities, and even their hearts.
Because a love of play and learning is one of the most amazing things you can build with your child.

Isn't that sweet? It helps remind us as parents to let go of some of the frustrations and let ourselves explore the magic world of play with our kids - to build them up. Explore the Mega Blok world and see how they can help build your child up at their website.

Making Your Health a Priority: BabbleBoxx Women's Health Box

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Single Edition Media. 

One of the most important parts of being a mom is making sure you take care of yourself. I mean, chasing around little ones and keeping up with everyone is hard to do if you aren't mentally and physically healthy enough to stay on top of everything. 

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, it's important to remind ourselves not just about breast health, but our mental and physical health as well. That's why I've partnered with BabbleBoxx to show you guys some great products that can help us stay on top of our health.

This was my first BabbleBoxx and I am so excited to show you guys all of the awesome products that were included. BabbleBoxx is not a subscription service and it is not available to the general public – it's an exclusive box with products that gets delivered to a limited number of social media influencers. 

Spire Wearable Wellness + Activity Tracker

As a mom with panic disorder and anxiety issues, this was probably my favorite item in the box. Spire is a wearable "trainer" for mindfulness and mindful living. It helps you recognize stressful situations by monitoring your breathing and even suggests breathing exercises to help you calm down.

State of mind affects how you breathe, but how you breathe can also change your state of mind.  - Click to Tweet this!

 

Studies have shown that slow, deep and consistent breathing can lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and increase the flow of endorphins in the blood stream. Spire worked with leading experts in several health fields to create the only wearable device that increases mindfulness and productivity by tracking breathing patterns.

Spire is fully integrated into the Apple Health App and works with Apple watch. An Android App is also now available. 

Learn more and receive $10 off when you purchase Spire by clicking here. (Discount applied at checkout)

Viviscal Extra Strength for strong, healthy hair

Viviscal has been the leading brand of hair growth supplement on the market for more than 25 years. It works by nourishing hair from the inside out with its scientifically formulated, exclusive and clinically proven marine complex, AminoMar®.

100% drug-free, Viviscal Extra Strength promotes thicker, fuller hair and reduces hair shedding in women of all hair types.

Ever since I had my first baby, my hair has shed like crazy - to the point where it has thinned out drastically from the full luscious locks I used to have. 

I'm excited to be using Viviscal to help my hair grow healthy and strong again!

Dermae Firming DMAE Eye Lift & Firming DMAE Moisturizer

The closer I get to the big three-oh, the more fine lines I notice around my eyes. Not only that, but I'm starting to notice that my face isn't as firm as it used to be.

With Dermae, I can finally combat some of those signs of aging and bring back that young glow that I once had (not that many years ago!)

Firming DMAE Eye Lift - This multi-action eye cream helps to revive and smooth the look of your delicate eye area. Widely-acclaimed DMAE helps to visibly improve the appearance of skin’s firmness for a more lifted look. While wrinkle-fighting peptides including Instalift® Goji Berry help to smooth the look of fine lines and wrinkles for younger-looking eyes.

Firming DMAE Moisturizer - This nutrient-rich moisturizer is clinically proven to improve the appearance of skin’s firmness, hydration, and elasticity. Widely-acclaimed DMAE helps skin to appear visibly firmer, smoother and lifted. Antioxidant-rich Alpha Lipoic Acid and Vitamin C-Ester nourish your skin for a more revitalized appearance.

Fiera® by Nuelle™

It's not something that really gets brought up very often, but a woman's sexual health is just as important to her well-being. That's why Nuelle created Fiera, a small device intended to help your mind and body be ready for a physical, mental, and emotional connection with your partner.

This hands-free device is fast-acting and helps increase your arousal. Perfect for those times when the dirty dishes in the kitchen are distracting you from being completely present with your partner in the bedroom. 

Use the code Babble for 10% off at http://www.fiera.com/

Easiest Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

I received this item for the purposes of making my Chicken Fried Rice Recipe and for sharing my honest experiences with you. All opinions are my own.

I love rice. Unfortunately, I can't make rice to save my life. I mean, sure, I can whip up some Minute Rice as a side dish, but only if you don't mind a burnt layer stuck to the bottom of the pan...

Seriously, I gave up on making rice years ago. It's one of my favorite breakfasts, to make a bowl of fluffy white rice with a little bit of butter and sugar... yum! The frustration of making either crunchy rice or burned rice, though? Not even worth the hassle.

If your rice resembles cement more than something edible, you've gotta check out this new addition to my kitchen. It's the 4-20 Cup Rice and Hot Cereal Cooker from Hamilton Beach, and this thing totally cuts out the aggravation of trying to make a perfect bowl of rice.

I love this rice cooker because it can be used for so much more than just rice. I've used mine for hot cereals like oatmeal (add in some apples and cinnamon and your kids will go crazy for it) as well as steaming broccoli and carrots. It's definitely one of those things that I didn't realize I needed it until I had one.

It's so easy to use. The steamer basket doubles as a strainer to rinse your rice, and the measuring cup makes sure that your portions are perfect and exact every time. If I want to make 3 cups of rice, I just measure out 3 level cups with the measuring cup provided, rinse it, and then pour it into the pot and add water up to the 3 line. No more guessing portions or trying to make sure I remember the 50/50 ratio with rice to water.

It's a completely no-hassle system; All you have to do is close the lid, turn it on, and select the type of rice. There's even a delay button if you decide that you aren't ready to make the rice just yet. It took 45 minutes for fluffy, perfect white rice.

After trying out several different meals with my new Hamilton Beach Rice and Hot Cereal Cooker, my family's absolute favorite turned out to be this easy Chicken Fried Rice recipe:

Now, you're going to want old rice for this recipe. Leftover, straight from the fridge rice works best, cold.

Ingredients:
1 cups cooked, diced chicken breast
3 cups cooked rice (day old rice works best)
1 bag frozen vegetable blend (corn, carrots, and peas)
1 yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs Soy sauce
1 Tbs Vegetable Oil
1 egg
seasoning (I love the Sun-Bird Fried Rice Seasoning packets, but plain ol' salt & pepper works wonders too)

Start by heating your oil in the pan. Toss in your onion and garlic and cook on med-high heat until garlic is golden brown and the onions are becoming translucent. Add in your frozen veggies and stir, cooking about 5 minutes (or until the vegetables begin softening). Add in your rice, soy sauce, and seasonings, and continue mixing for 2-3 minutes. Move rice to the side and scramble egg, then mix into rice. Add chicken and enjoy!

Click here to learn more, and to get your own 4-20 Cup Rice and Hot Cereal Cooker.

What's your favorite rice recipe? Comment below and let me know!

Cleaning Tips to Make Your House Tidy in Minutes Plus a Shark® Rotator® Powered Lift-Away™ Speed Review

With three kiddos running around making messes, my house is never clean for very long. Matt will come home from work, look around, and sigh because he thinks I haven't cleaned at all. 

Our normal mess consists of whatever snack the kids were eating crumbled into the carpet, cereal under the couch cushions, and dirt that's tracked in all over the hardwood floor. I sweep, vacuum, and mop every day but it seems like as soon as I step into the kitchen to start working on supper, these house-destroying elves take over or a tornado comes sweeping through or something - and the house is a disaster again.

To make the daily cleaning ritual a little easier (and not so hard on my back) I've found a few things that work great to tidy up the house before Matt gets home without having to spend all day cleaning.

Clean Less Frequently

I know what you're thinking: this is a post about cleaning tips and I'm telling you to clean less often. There's a method to my madness, though! My mom is one of those people that scrub her floor on her hands and knees every day, and she has her whole cleaning ritual that makes me tired just thinking about it. It just isn't necessary to clean every little thing in your house every day.

What do I do? I break it up. On Mondays and Thursdays, I focus on laundry - specifically, folding the laundry. It's my most daunting task since it seems like there's always a load running, so I let it pile up and take two days out of my week to sit down with my favorite show on and catch up on folding. That way, I'm not having to spend an hour in the laundry room every day, plus I've made it into almost a reward for myself. 

That chocolate stain is definitely NOT from me dropping a Reese's when season 3 had a cliffhanger...

Delegate Chores

We have a "You made the mess, you clean it up" rule around here that is designed to teach the kids responsibility - but it really does help me out, too. When the kids are done playing with a toy, they know to put it away. After a meal, they clean their plates and carry them to the sink. 

We've also been working on giving each child chores that I know they can handle. The ten-year-old helps wash dishes and starts laundry, the five-year-old will take laundry out of the washer and put it in the dryer, and the three-year-old loves to put the silverware away after we finish washing dishes. 

The trick is to make chores less like work and more like "helping mom so she doesn't have a breakdown." Really, though, I've turned housework into part of everyday life so it isn't like being punished. I'm teaching them life skills that they'll need when they leave the nest.

Have the Right Tools

This is probably my best tip of all. When you're cleaning, there's no need to break out extra cleaning tools just to get the job done. My old routine included using a broom, a vacuum, a mop, and a duster. Then, I would have to pull the couches out just to make sure I was able to get all the crumbs out from under there too. By the time I had the house clean, I was exhausted.

I recently had the chance to work with Shark® to review their Rotator® Powered Lift-Away™ Speed and this versatile vacuum definitely makes cleaning a lot easier.

Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away Speed™ is a versatile vacuum providing uninterrupted floor to ceiling cleaning. Easily clean under furniture, above the floor, and all those other hard to reach places around your home.

Features

• "Never Loses Suction" Technology
• Powered Motorized Brush in all Modes
• Bare floor cleaning with Dust-Away™ Hard Floor Attachment
• Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology®
• Rotator Technology With Enhanced Swivel Steering
• Advanced Swivel Steering
• LED Lights on Floor Nozzle to Illuminate Work Area

I love that this vacuum can do the work of all of my cleaning tools!

Things I love about the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away Speed:

• Powerful suction. In comparison to my other vacuum, the Shark is a total powerhouse. I was able to get dirt and dust that I didn't even know was trapped in the carpet, not to mention it picked up the bigger pieces like random Cheetos without breaking and scattering them.
• Lightweight. The vacuum I reviewed was lighter than my old vacuum, weighing in at about ten pounds. This makes it easier for me to use every day and means the ten-year-old can help me out with the cleaning too.
• Straight from carpet to hardwood. I love that all I have to do is flip a switch on the handle to go straight from carpet to the hardwood floors. No changing attachments or grabbing the broom; It works just as well on the wood floors as it does the rugs.

What I would like to see improved:

Really, I only have one complaint about the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away Speed vacuum, and that is that the hose doesn't seem nearly long enough. If it was extended by about six inches, this would be the perfect vacuum. I'm short - about 5'2" so if i detach the wand to clean cobwebs or under the beds, the entire vacuum falls over unless it's right beside me. 

Where to find your own Shark® Rotator® Powered Lift-Away Speed™:

Visit Shark's website to compare models and learn more.

What are your favorite ways to cut corners to make your cleaning easier?

Back to School with Five Star®

I received the following products solely for review purposes.

Two more weeks until school starts back here. Two more long, boring, whining-filled weeks. Little Miss Priss, the 10-year-old, goes into 5th grade this year and has just decided that she needs to be this trendy fashion-forward popular kid this year. Thanks to Mead and Five Star, she'll at least be armed with some pretty cool back-to-school supplies to help her focus on her education while she's trying out her newly-discovered sense of self.

The Five Star® Big Mouth Backpack with silver and berry accents is Lexi's new favorite thing in the world. She loves that the main compartment is big enough to carry her zipper binder and her 2-inch ring binders, and with the new patent-pending "big mouth" zipper, she's able to find all her supplies without having to basically crawl into her backpack and dig at the bottom. 

Features:
• Dual zippers for easy open and close.
• Handle on the top to hang backpack in a locker.
• Patent-pending main compartment opens wide to quickly and easily find supplies
• Padded front panel provides extra protection for tablets or other digital devices
• Super big main compartment can hold textbooks, binders, notebooks and more
• Interior pockets provide convenient storage for smaller items to keep pens, pencils and more easily accessible
• Side, exterior pocket is perfect for holding a water bottle
• Padded backpack back and straps provide better support when carrying heavy loads. Adjustable for comfort
• Backpack overall dimensions: 13" x 18" x 8"

We also received a couple of their Five Star Flex® Hybrid NoteBinder® notebooks. These are easily the coolest notebooks I've ever used. That's right, I had to swipe one for my own personal use. One thing that has always bothered me about binders is that there's really no way to bend the front back to make it easier to take notes. This new design has the flexibility of a notebook, but the rings of a binder. Even better, their patented TechLock® rings won't break or misalign - another huge pet peeve of mine.

Features:
• Patented TechLock® ring won't break or misalign
• Rings open easily to add paper and dividers (like a binder)
• Durable plastic cover folds over to lie flat (like a notebook)
• Includes: NotePocket® dividers, NoteProtector® dividers and 8.5” x 11" paper (college and quad ruled)
• 6 color options

Five Star® also offers Reinforced Filler Paper, which we tested out too. The triangle-shaped holes and stronger reinforcement tape help to resist tearing, perfect in the Flex Notebinder.

This year, Lexi may be worrying about boys and making friends, but I know she won't worry about staying organized and on top of her school work with these awesome Five Star® products.

Help Baby Fall Asleep Faster with the Zen Swaddle by Nested Bean

I recently became a proud auntie... again. It seems like there's babies or pregnant bellies everywhere I look lately and holding the teeny tiny Alanna the other day made my ovaries scream for another itty bitty of my own to snuggle. We'll have a talk later, my ovaries and I, about how there will be none of those shenanigans anytime soon. For the moment, though, I was happy to snuggle and love on her. She has that sweet newborn smell and kept trying to taste my shoulders... *sigh*

She's three weeks old now, and her poor mama has had a hard time with her. There's been lots of discomfort and adjustment to being out of the womb; belly troubles and twitches have made sleeping something that no one in their house is getting. Even while I was holding her, she started this pitiful cry that seemed like nothing would calm. 

I had received a complimentary Zen Swaddle from Nested Bean to review that I figured I would try out on her. She's one of those babies that is fairly content as long as she's being carried around, and so far she only seems to sleep if she's being held. Of course, there's nothing sweeter than loving a sweet snuggly sleeping baby in your arms... until you have to pee. Or if you want some sleep yourself.

Anyway, she let me slip her into the Zen Swaddle and calmed right down when I fastened her into it. She didn't seem to like having her arms by her side and quickly worked one of them up so she could bring her hand to her little mouth. Otherwise, she loved it. 

You're probably wondering what makes this swaddle different than any other swaddle out there, right? Well, this one is weighted. There are special areas of the Zen Swaddle that are lightly weighted to feel like a gentle touch: making baby feel as if she's being held, even when you set her down to sleep. 

At birth all babies have a nervous system that is still developing. One sign of their developing nervous system is that until 4 - 6 months of age infants startle easily as they experience a whole new world of sensations that was absent in the womb. - Moro Reflex: What is it and How Can Swaddling Help?

The Zen Swaddle is specially designed to ensure that baby's hips are not restricted, which can cause hip dysplasia. Their 2 sizes in 1 design can be used from 0 – 6 months, twice as long as regular swaddles, and baby can be swaddled with their arms in or out. 

Features:

• Wide wings to wrap baby in a secure baby burrito

• Strong velcro strips keep swaddle secure

• Shorter pocket on the inside keeps legs snug during earlier weeks.

• Larger sack grows with your baby up to 6 months.

• Weighted areas on both sides and top of baby create an embrace second only to Mom's.

My sister-in-law called me to let me know how much she loves the Zen Swaddle. Not only did it help Alanna's Moro Reflexes from startling her awake, she slept snugly and calmly for several hours in a stretch last night. At three weeks, I wouldn't expect her to sleep all night yet, but if her little belly hadn't woken her up for her bottle I have a feeling she might have. They plan on using the swaddle for a couple more months since their baby girl was so calm and content in it. 

You can find the Zen Swaddle Classic (the one Alanna's wearing up there) on Nested Bean's website for $29.99. They also offer a Premier version, as well as Sleep Sacks. Be sure to check them out, as Moms who’ve used it are reporting that their babies fall asleep easier and stay asleep longer within 1 to 3 nights!

Grilled Summer Fruit Kebabs

This sponsored post contains affiliate links.

Use code MP203 for $20 off a Master Pan

What do you get when you mix summer heat, a sweet tooth, and mom guilt? Grilled Summer Fruit Kebabs! Keep reading to see how we came up with the recipe and learn all about a nifty new kitchen gadget that makes life so much easier.

I've been extremely irritable lately. I don't know if it's because it's summer and I have both little guys home and underfoot all day long, or if it's trying to take care of everything myself since the hubby is working out of town. Maybe it's a combination of everything, plus the heat. Whatever the cause - I find myself yelling more and just stressed out all the time. 

I know it's been rough on the kids - what with the extra time spent indoors and the boredom. Add in a mom who's on the verge of a meltdown, and a dash of missing their daddy... They needed some kind of special treat to help make up for it.

So today we went to the grocery store and I let them help me come up with an idea for a special dessert to make tonight. Kaya, my fruit-lover, picked out some strawberries and pineapples, while Sammy, the little man after my own heart, decided we needed something with cake. So what do you get when you put together summer fruits, pound cake, and weather too hot to turn the oven on? Grilled Fruit Kebabs, of course!

I had the opportunity to work with Master Pan recently, so I figured this would be the perfect chance to try it out. I mentioned that Matt is working out of town, right? He's the grill master, so I wouldn't even attempt to go out there and light the burners without him to supervise. The kitchen is my domain!

Usually, I'm not one for fad kitchen gadgets. So many of them are "unitaskers" (stolen from Alton Brown, my chef idol) and they're only good for one thing in the kitchen. I was a little worried about that with the Master Pan, but when I whipped it out of the box I realized the endless possibilities with this pan.

Seriously - as a mom with three picky eaters, I can sometimes make up to three different meals at supper time. Do you know how many pans that dirties up?! I can totally see myself using this pan to make chicken strips for Lexi, a grilled cheese for Sammy and Kaya, and then veggies to help balance the meals out a little. 

Katie over at You Brew My Tea uses hers for Homemade Fajitas and her marinade recipe sounds delicious - I can totally see us using our Master Pan for these too! Making breakfast would be so much easier; being able to cook bacon and sausage at once while making scrambled eggs for the kiddos and Matt's over-easy at the same time. Or burgers, with grilled onions and peppers and mushrooms... I'm telling ya, the possibilities are endless!

Clean up with this pan is so much easier, too, with the XYLAN Plus Dual Layer Non-Stick Coating. No need for oil, and virtually no scrubbing when I'm done cooking meals. 5 pans with only one burner? I can do that now.

The Master Pan is even oven safe up to 350° for an hour, so you can go straight from stovetop to oven for melty gooey goodness!

Back to the recipe, though. These are really easy to make. I just cubed up some pineapples, strawberries, peaches, and pound cake. I love the grill marks on the cake, so I grilled them up in the center of the pan, with the fruits on the outer edges to start softening a little to bring out that delicious sweetness. 

Once the cake cubes had grill marks and was pretty much toasted, I stuck a skewer through and began building the fruit kebabs. After they were assembled, I set them back in the center for about 5 more minutes, turning once halfway through.

Now, you could certainly use your own homemade chocolate sauce, but I just used some jarred hot fudge syrup in the smallest section. It heated the chocolate up nicely without scorching or sticking, and added the extra YUM factor to the kebabs!

Be sure to pin the recipe for later, and check out the exclusive offer I get to share with you guys below!

Visit the Master Pan website to order one for your kitchen! I promise: it'll quickly become a staple on your stove, too. 

Regular Price: $69.99 

Coupon: $20.00 off – Use Code: MP203

Final Price for my readers: $49.99

Portaplay™ Convertible Activity Center by Oribel Review

Oh my goodness, guys. It's full-blown summer over here, which means I have three kids home all day long. Wouldn't be too bad, but my other half accepted an out of town job that may mean up to two months away - so I'm soloing it.

Ya know, I'm not super mom. Heck, half the time I feel like packing them in a little box and shipping them off somewhere. I'm not cruel; I'd at least poke some air holes! Joking aside, the only way I'm going to survive this summer without totally losing it is by keeping the kids busy. Luckily, we had the chance to work with Oribel to review their Portaplay table, and it has been a lifesaver. Or sanity-saver.

I'll be sharing a couple of other products, games, and activities that are totally helping keep the preschoolers busy, but this one is on the top of my charts right now.

First of all, this is so much more than just a table. The Portaplay is a complete activity center for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Check this out:

Neat, right? 

So here's the deal. It's a bouncy seat with all these little attachments, but it also converts into a play table with a wooden top. The table can then be used as a little picnic table or writing desk - or you can get the paper roll attachment and stools to turn it into a mini art studio for your little ones!

I'm not really able to show off the baby seat/activity center being tested, since I don't have a little one running around that would fit in there right now, but I do want to highlight the paper art roll and the stools for a minute. This has been the best quiet-time activity for my preschoolers (the 10 year old too!)

I really like that the height adjusts, so even my long-legged little munchkins fit under the table comfortably. 

The Portaplay Child Stools have a large seat and sturdy legs and the kids love using them even away from the table to sit on. 

Make the conversion from our Portaplay™ Activity Center to a Play Table even more exciting with matching stools for your little ones. Sturdy and lightweight, these stools are designed to be just the right height for children up to 5 years of age.

The stools come in a set of two, great for us since my two little ones always argue if they don't both have the same thing. 

The Portaplay Paper Roll Dispenser comes preloaded with a 12 inch wide, 75 foot roll of white drawing paper - perfect for hours of quiet drawing and creativity.

Features:
Removable Baby Seat with 3" Bounce with machine washable cover
5 Removable Toys that easily clip on
Folds flat for easy storage
Table insert
2 Child Stools - sold separately
Paper Roll holder with 75" of 12" premium drawing paper - sold separately

The Portaplay™ Convertible Activity Center is available at Oribel­® for $149.00
Child Stools are sold separately for $39.90 and the Art Paper Roll Dispenser is $29.90

This is definitely a set I would recommend to any parents because gear that grows with your child is always the best kind.