O-sip! Silicone Sippy Lids

These are one of the most ingenious creations for toddlers.
Sometimes your child wants their Christmas cup and red Kool-Aid at the same time. And if you have carpet in your house or cute clothes then you know the nightmare that ensues.

The O-sip! Silicone Sippy Lids turn nearly any cup into a sippy cup!

(Can you hear the sigh of relief from moms all over the world?)

How about this one:
Have you ever gone to a restaurant or diner with a toddler and they don't have lids for their cups?! I have. It usually ends with water all over somebody's dish and lap. Even worse is when you go to a restaurant and you forget to take a sippy cup for your one year old. That's a battle over a straw for 3/4 of the meal and then water all over two laps and your food.

As long as you keep an O-sip! lid in the diaper bag then you never have to worry about a situation like that again. Phew!

Any cup with an opening between 2.5 - 3.75 inches will work with these lids. They just won't work with mugs that have handles that go all the way to the brim of the cup.

Did I mention how easy they are to clean? You can toss them in the dishwasher or you can wash them by hand. If something gets stuck in the stem then you can flip it inside out and give it a quick scrub and poof! you're done.

And they're not bad to store either since the sleeve can collapse into itself and then you can stack them.

If you're always getting cups confused between kids because you're one of the lucky households that has a cupboard full of matching dishes then this solves your problem as well. Each pack comes with three different colored lids. As long as you use a different color for each cup then the kids can tell whose cup belongs to whom.

They are also very simple to attach to the cup and remove. If you are super clumsy dealing with a very full cup then you could end up with a little mess, but that's okay when you imagine all of the messes that could have happened if you didn't have these lids.

The only downfall to these lids is my kids. They have a fascination with sticking their fingers into any hole they can fit them in. The silicone does stretch and bounce back into place, but I have a feeling that after a lot of use my kids will end up either tearing these or stretching them out so bad that they do leak. They have done that to nearly all of our sippy cups that have soft lids though.

Anyways, I do like this product and I do recommend it.

Check them out on Amazon, HERE

I received this product complimentary in exchange for an honest trial and review. 

Some of these pictures are borrowed from their Amazon page. 

Mister Tea Silicone Tea Infuser

This past month has been rough. Sickness has been all through our house. Over. And Over. And Over Again! It has been horrible. 

Luckily, I have had my little buddies to help cheer me up. 

Aren't they adorable??!!

I just love them. Personally, I think that they should've called it Mister and Miss Tea though. I guess they could both be misters, but my pink one is a miss. 

My Dad grew his own Elderberries this past Summer and dried and ground them in the Fall. He had heard about their use as a cold remedy and decided to try it. It actually tastes amazing when paired with honey. In order to enjoy it at my house I needed a tea infuser. I purchased this pair on Amazon and hoped that they would work. 

They worked perfectly! I have been enjoying Elderberry Tea all month long thanks to Mister Tea. 

The pants remove from the body so that you can place the loose tea leaves inside. Then you simply connect the legs back to the body and place him in the water to steep. Be sure to hook his arms on the lip of your mug though! 

It looks like he's relaxing in an amazing hot bath. Honestly, I was a little jealous watching Mister Tea soak while I sat with the sniffles trying to keep up with three and one year old girls. I should have gotten the shark or manatee. Haha.

Cleaning Mister Tea is super easy as well. You can simply rinse him out under running water and everything comes right off. If you need a little help then you can just use a sprayer to help remove all the small particles or a baby bottle brush. If you happen to leave him out accidentally and the tea dries onto him, no worries! I simply flipped his pants inside out and scrubbed for a second and he was clean. 

The only thing that I wish they would change is his torso. It's hollow. If they made it solid then it would be much easier to clean. You cannot flip his upper half inside out. My daughter got a hold of my Mister Tea and shook him while he had wet particles in him still. I set him in the sink and forgot to rinse him out. Everything ended up getting dried on inside of him. I just used my spray nozzle to clean his torso out and it worked very well. However, if he was solid on top then I wouldn't have to worry about that happening again.

All in all, I love my Mister Tea Silicone Tea Infusers! They are super cute and great quality. They would be an adorable and hilarious gift for any tea lover. Even the box was good for a laugh. I would definitely buy these again. 

You can find Mister Tea on Amazon HERE.

I received this product at a discounted price in exchange for my honest trial and review. These are my personal opinions and experiences. 

Yeti Versus Smart Coolers

Have you heard the joke about the blonde??

A blonde woman walks into a store and is immediately curious about a shiny object on sale. She asks the shop assistant, 'What is that?' The assistant responds, 'It's a thermos.' The blonde then asks, 'What does it do?' 'It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold.' So the blonde buys one. The next day she brings the thermos to work with her. Her boss, also a blonde, asks, 'What is the shiny object?' 'It's a thermos.' 'What does it do?' 'It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold.' Her boss then asks, 'What do you have in there?' The blonde replies, 'Two cups of coffee and a Popsicle.' source

Super cheesy, I know. I remember hearing it as a kid and I've never fogotten it.
Obviously, you can't put hot and cold items in a thermos together and expect them to maintain their temperature. But what if I told you that I have a cup that can keep ice in it for 24 hours?

I do!

Last year my parents gave me a Yeti 30 oz Rambler Tumbler for my birthday. I was stoked! I am an ice lover. I always fill my cups up with ice. They had recently gone on a trip to humid Georgia to visit my Aunt who raved about hers. They purchased some for themselves and were instantly in love. My Dad left his Iced tea in his Yeti in the rental car during the summer for over 6 hours. It still had ice in it when he came back from their excursion!!! Absolutely amazing!

That's why I jumped at the opportunity to review the Smart Coolers 30 oz Tumbler. Could it possibly be as good as my Yeti? Could a cheaper version actually be a nice gift?

You see, I tried buying my husband a Yeti for Christmas. I couldn't though. They were all on backorder or sold out... EVERYWHERE. I was devastated. I wanted to give him the perfect gift, but I didn't trust any other brands. Could anything truly compare with the original?

Yes!

I found one that does. It is made from the same kitchen-grade 18/8 Stainless Steel. This means that you won't taste the metal. It holds the same thirty ounces. Both of them feature Vacuum-Insulation. Neither one of them will sweat, so it's okay to forget the coaster. Both of them come with a clear lid that has a permanent opening for drinking.

Do they really perform the same?

As far as I can tell, Yes! I performed two different tests - one for maintaining ice, and the other for maintaining heat. For the ice test I simply filled them both up to maximum capacity with ice. I placed their lids on and then placed them somewhere where they would both receive the same constant external temperatures. Then I waited. I checked on them at 14 hours and again at 24 hours. These were my results:

*Remember - I did not place any liquids in with the ice. Adding liquids will make your ice melt faster. It's kind of like placing hot coffee and a popsicle in a thermos. However, the ice will maintain much better than your average cup.

I keep my house at 68 degrees during the colder months, so it is fairly reasonable for the ice to last as long as it did. You cannot expect these same results during the summer. I am really curious to see if the Smart Cooler works just as well in the extreme heat of summer like the Yeti did. I'll let you know in July.

Next, I did the heat challenge. I boiled some water on the stove and then I poured it into both containers. I placed the lids on and took an initial reading to make sure we had the same starting temperature. I then placed them in the same location I used for the cold test. Every hour for ten hours I would measure the temperature in my log. Here are my results:

The Smart Cooler actually stayed really close to the Yeti. The temperature differences were only miniscule. It was always within 2 - 4 degrees Farenheit. The Yeti was always slightly warmer, but barely. Not enough that I think it would matter too much when drinking your beverage.

The Smart Cooler is $32.99 and the Yeti retails for $39.99. That is a 7 dollar difference! That is only for Prime Members however. I don't know what the shipping rates for the Smart Coolers are for non-Prime members. If it's more than seven dollars then buy from Yeti because they offer free shipping.
UPDATE: Come to find out, the free shipping only applies to their large coolers, not the tumblers. During checkout you will also be charged sales tax and shipping. For me, that made it an extra $6.73 for the Yeti. Hope that helps!

The Smart Cooler stands just barely taller than the Yeti, but not by much. The base of the Smart Cooler is also slightly larger than the Yeti. I am not sure if that will prevent it from fitting in your cup holder or not. Both of these products fit in the cup holders in my Camry.

Overall, I am really impressed. I did not expect the Smart Cooler to perform as well as the Yeti. Yet, it did! The more affordable option can actually work just as well as the name-brand tumbler. If you want your coffee to still be warm at the end of an 8-hour shift or you don't want your ice to water down your soda then you should definitely invest in a good tumbler. I also love to use mine for smoothies and shakes! It keeps them cold and nice and thick. I would recommend both of these tumblers to my friends and family. You get to choose which option is better for you!

You can find the Smart Cooler Travel Tumbler HERE.

You can find the Yeti Rambler Tumbler HERE.

Go ahead and compare them for yourself.

I received the Smart Cooler Travel Tumbler at a discounted price for testing and reviewing purposes. These are my personal opinions and experiences. Thanks for reading!

Smart Weigh Stainless Steel Kitchen Scale

Most quick and easy recipes don't require anything more than a quick year of a packet. Some may require an extra step - like using a measuring spoon for an ingredient not included in the box.

But if you want the good stuff then you've gotta do it from scratch. You'll need a while kitchen full of tools. Especially, measuring cups and a scale.

Don't believe me?

I can give you a couple of recipes...

Don't have a scale? You need to get one.

And after you make some of these homemade goodies (...And eat the whole batch) you can use the scale to do some meal prep and get your waistline back into your waistband.

I tried out Smart Weigh's Stainless Steel Kitchen Scale and was quite pleased with my experience.

It was very easy to work and figure out. There is a user's manual, although it is pretty self explanatory.

The scale has four different measuring options - ounces (pounds), mililiters, fluid ounces, and grams. It can measure up to 11 lbs or 5 kg. While measuring you simply press the "Unit" button to scan through your options. I did notice that the scale is affected by pressing the button, so don't let your finger linger like I usually do.

It is also very easy to zero out the scale for measuring liquids and other foods you need to measure in a separate container. Just another simple push of the "Tare" button. Or if you want to measure all of your ingredients without dirtying any more dishes then you can just tare out after each added ingredient.

The scale has an automatic shut-off feature which turns it off after two minutes without use. I love this feature! It's great for those of us with little distractions running around our feet. I never have to worry about wasting my precious batteries. Those things are like rare gems at my house. Did I mention that it comes with batteries?! Yes, it actually comes with three working AAA batteries! They won my heart with that one simple provision. It even has a low-battery indicator to keep you prepared.

There are only two downsides to this lovely machine:

1. The buttons are actual buttons. I can already envision the flour debris and egg slime getting stuck in the crevices. I wish it was more of a touch-screen flat panel.

2. The measuring isn't always exact. With the same bag of chocolate chips I got three different measurements. The bag was supposed to contain 11.5 ounces, but I got 11.6, 11.7, and 11.8. I can understand 11.6 ounces... Packaging. But the 11.7 and 11.8 were a little more quizzical. If you need absolutely exact measurements then I don't know if I would trust this scale.

Overall, I liked this scale. It will do a great job and meet my kitchen needs. I like this scale and would recommend it to any casual cooks.

I purchased mine at a discount in exchange for an honest and unbiased trial and review. These are my own personal opinions and experiences with the product.

If you have any questions then you can check them out on Amazon for more information, HERE.

Thanks for reading!

Runaby Glass Baby Bottle

Any sentence that includes the words "glass" and "baby" is enough to make any Mother catch her breath. 

Or is it just me?

Giving an infant anything made of glass is like a playground made of barbwire in my mind.

Until now.

I read about this bottle and realized I've been missing out. I'm always trying to do right by my kids, but I've been completely missing a huge component in their life - the bottle.

I nurse for the first year of their lives, and so they do get those benefits. Once they turn one though or go to the sitter's then they get the bottle. Half the time it's a super cheap plastic bottle. I NEVER put a bottle in the microwave, and I ask everyone else not to, but there are probably tons of toxins leaching into the milk still. 

Runaby created a glass baby bottle to prevent your infant or toddler having to drink those poisons. Glass doesn't leach chemicals like plastic does. It is much safer for using with food or liquid. If you have walked through the water bottle section at any store you've probably noticed all of the "BPA Free" stickers. Most people don't even know what BPA is, but they assume that if every company is going to go through the trouble of making sure their product does not contain it then they  don't want it either. If you do an internet search about the hazards of plastic and human consumption then it might scare you a little. 

Even BPA-Free products are leaching as much or more estrogen-like hormones into your food or drink. If you haven't done your research then here's a quick snippet of some of the side effects: hormone imbalance (which screws up EVERYTHING in the body), and it can even affect brain development in the womb. Worried about emotional disorders? Then you should be worried about your plastics. 

Ok, now that I have you throwing your bottle of water in the trash and running to WebMD, let me get back on subject. Sorry! I started using a glass baby bottle. I was so nervous at first. However, I've been quite pleased with it. 

It is easy to pour powder or liquids into because the opening is very wide. This also makes it very simple to clean. The silicone cover slips off easy enough to clean, but not so easily that the bottle could fall out. It does come with a nipple (USA made, medium-flow), however you can swap it out with almost any other brand that you prefer (Dr. Brown's, Avent, NUK, MAM, etc.). The silicone sheath does protect it from breaking, but it does not make it invincible. This is not a bottle that I would let my child run around with, toss, or play with. The glass is not very thick, which makes it light enough that it doesn't turn the bottle into a 5 lb weight for your baby. 

Runaby bottles are free of harmful BPA, phthalates, PVC, latex lead, and polycarbonates. They are designed so that liquids only touch the glass and food-grade silicone. It is made from borosilicate glass. It is supposed to hold up against boiling and freezing temperatures. There are measurements clearly visible on the side of the bottle that are easy to read through the silicone window. The handle can swivel or be removed completely. The silicone sheath comes in two colors, blue or pink.

I love it! I am going to continue using it and try to avoid the plastic bottles at all cost. 

Speaking of cost, it's not that much to purchase it. On Amazon it is only $12.99 for the 4 oz or $15.99 for the 8 oz. Plus, you get a coupon for $5 your next purchase from the company. And if you have Amazon Prime then shipping is free. I purchased the pink 8 oz bottle at a discount in order to provide a review. These are my own thoughts, experiences, and opinions. I am not a doctor and neither am I a scientist. 

If you would like to make the switch to glass then you can find the Runaby bottles, HERE.

26 Uses for your Ice Cube Tray

I have a refrigerator with a built-in ice machine. Sometimes I still find that I need an ice cube tray though. There are so many more uses for them than you may have known. Here are 26 for you to start with:

1. Make Ice Cube Paint for a fun summer activity for the kids.
   
2. Create Striped Ice Cubes to add extra vitamins to your drinks.
3. Make Blueberry Cheesecake Bites that are only 10 calories per treat.
4. Instead of tossing out that last bit of Costco spinach, make Spinach Ice Cubes to make green smoothies. 
5. Or Kale.
6. Enjoy some healthy Infused Water to keep you hydrated on hot days.
7. Use your leftover coffee to make Coffee Ice Cubes for your iced coffee. This helps cool your coffee without watering it down.
8. Or you can add the Coffee Ice Cubes to Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, or regular Milk.
   
9. Or you can reverse it and freeze your milk to add to your coffee or hot chocolate.
10. Or you can freeze your sweetener in your milk and make Milk and Honey Ice Cubes.
11. Freeze your creamer and make Flavor Shots for your coffee or hot chocolate. 
12. Drink some Chilled Milk with Chai Tea Ice Cubes.
13. Easily make Chocolate Covered Strawberries.
    
14. Preserve fresh herbs in olive oil to add to your recipes later on. Great for stews, roasts, soups, and sauteeing. Olive Oil Herb Cubes.
15. Freeze strawberries and blueberries in water or Sprite to make a Patriotic Drink.
16. Make homemade Baby Food that you can freeze in perfect portions!
17. Play with some Erupting Ice Chalk Paint!
    
18. If you're throwing a baby shower for someone then play the My Water Broke Game.
19. Have a Mommy and Me date with some fun Iced Drinks.
20. Make Fruit Juice Ice Cubes to add to Seltzer, Water, Juice, or Smoothies.
21. Toss some colorful ice in the pool for fun summer Sensory Games.
22. Make a Magic Potion for the kids to drink.
    
23. Freeze Greek Yogurt so that ice cubes don't water down your smoothies.
24. Freeze your leftover Buttermilk, Chicken/Vegetable Stock, or Pesto so that it can be used later on.
25. Make your own Organic Peanut Butter Cups!!!
26. And there's a gazillion ways to change up your margaritas, mojitos, Cocktails, Sangrias, and Wine....

I recently tried out some silicone ice cube trays that I have fallen in love with. I like them so much better than my old plastic trays. The plastic trays always caused a lot of trouble in my freezer. They were difficult to remove the ice from. They would tip over and spill on the racks. They broke after a lot of use. And they were awkward to store. Not to mention the plastic was made with harmful chemicals.

Kuuk has designed a fabulous silicone ice cube tray that I just lOVE! Each tray is made with 100% BPA-free silicone. This means that you can safely heat them up and cool them down without chemicals and other substances leeching into your food. They are also safe to put in your dishwasher when you need to clean them. 

I can hold it with one hand without spilling.

Each hole is a cute one inch square. These make your ice cubes so much fun. We like to stack them and try to make forts. The silicone is very pliable and so it is extremely easy to remove your ice cubes. The square shape is also perfect for using as a candy mold. 

The colors are also very cute and vibrant. The only problem with these ice cube trays is that they are too pretty and too much fun to touch. Now I have to get a second set just because my kids like to play with them. They are great for learning activities such as color sorting and numbering. 

If you would like to cool off in a colorful and stylish way this summer then check out Kuuk's Silicone Ice Cube Trays HERE.

I was given this set of ice cube trays in return for an honest and unbiased review. These thoughts and opinions are completely my own. I was not paid to promote this product. I really, truly do enjoy using these trays.

Forever Fused Fruit Infuser Water Bottle

Water.

Do you drink it? Do you drink ENOUGH of it?

Probably not. 

You should aim for at least 64 ounces of plain water each day. Most people I know hate drinking water. They will only drink water if it is flavored. But they tend to choose water flavored with High Fructose Corn Syrup, Artificial Flavorings, and Dyes. No bueno.  I love water. I always have a water bottle with me. I still don't drink as much water as I should though. 

I also have a major problem with my sweet tooth! And I mean, it is bad. Especially since I am trying to get back in shape. I found a way to satiate my cravings while also adding to my water intake - an infuser water bottle. 

The one that I tried is made by Live Infinitely. It is made of high quality Eastman Tritan Copolyester, which is eco-friendly, BPA free, dishwasher safe, and leak proof. I love it because you can also take the tube out and use it like a normal water bottle. It is easy to clean and very durable. Not to mention, they have an awesome 100% money back guarantee just in case. And you get a free sports backpack and Fitness eBook with your bottle. The lid has an almost rubber-like top that prevents the bottle from leaking, which is great for when I shake it. a lot. The lid also has a loop which is an amazing addition. It is perfect to hold your bottle so that it doesn't slip, or you can hook it to a carabiner or onto a backpack.

Directions:

1. Place your fruit, veggies, and herbs in the aerated tube. I like to bruise the leaves of my herbs and slice my fruit/veggies into small pieces so that the flavors escape. 
2. Fill the rest of the bottle with water.
3. Place the tube into the bottle and let the magic happen. 
4. You can drink it immediately (it won't really be flavored though) or you can let the flavors mix by allowing it to soak. I love mine after an hour, but especially overnight. 

*Be sure to use cold water, place ice in the bottle, or refrigerate while fusing. It makes a more refreshing blend and keeps your fruit/veggies/herbs from breaking down too much.

Plus, there are hundreds of different drinks that you can make with your water infuser. Here are some that I think you might enjoy this summer:

blueberries + strawberries + coconut
lemon + lime + orange
strawberry + lemon + basil
raspberry + lime
orange + berries
lemon + cucumber + mint
pear + rosemary + raspberry
apple + cinnamon stick
blackberry + sage
cucumber + mint
strawberries + kiwi
carrot + ginger + lemon + apple
cinnamon + pear (or apple) + ginger
cherry + lime + mint
pineapple + ginger
watermelon + rosemary
peach + lavender
pineapple + mint
strawberries + orange + blueberries
orange + cinnamon + ginger
peach + vanilla bean
cantaloupe + strawberry + pineapple
lemon + raspberry + cherry 
blueberries + lemon + cucumber

The possibilities are practically endless! Just mix and match to your heart's desire. My local grocer doesn't have many herbs on hand and so I have to travel a little further to get really creative. But the herbs are so good for you and they take your infused water to a whole other level. Make sure you try it at least once! 

And when I am really craving something yummy and full of flavor, I take off the blue piece and fill the entire bottle with yumminess. Then I just place the white piece at the top so that I don't have to worry about inhaling the ingredients. It's awesome!

Infusing your water is great because nutrients are released into the water! Plus, if you're like me then you can chomp on the whole pieces for the fiber when your water is gone. Most people don't get the oils from herbs in their diets practically ever. They get the dehydrated forms from food, but it's NOT the same. The oils that are released from the leaves have so many healthy benefits for your body that I cannot list them all. If you have heard of DoTerra Essential Oils then you probably know how beneficial they are for our bodies. Infuse your water with them. You can thank me later. 

And if you have a bunch of leftover fruit, like I did, then you can make this fabulous Dancing with Mint Smoothie.

Have a deliciously awesome summer and start FUSING today!

If you want the bottle I used then you can purchase it on Amazon HERE.

I received my bottle complimentary for an honest and unbiased review.