#MakeItYours Christmas Cookies!

This post is sponsored by Country Crock, who sent me a coupon to get a tub of Country Crock free, in exchange for creating my own "Make It Yours" recipe. I love creating things in my kitchen, so I was really super excited about this!

Country Crock's "Make it Yours" recipe is as follows below!


Ingredients:

1 Cup Country Crock
1 to 2 Cups of your choice of mix-ins
3/4 Cup packed brown sugar
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, Country Crock, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla in large bowl until well mixed.

Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until blended (dough will be soft and creamy).

Add mix-ins (such as chocolate chips, sprinkles, nuts, dried fruit, etc.) into the dough until every spoonful of dough has some of the delicious mix-ins.

I personally used semi-sweet morsels, and white chocolate morsels for mine!

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets 3 inches apart. 

Even though it says to drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, I decided to get creative, in the spirit of "Make it Yours," and the spirit of Christmas!

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are golden. Cool 1 minute on wire rack. Remove from rack and allow to cool completely. 

Our cookies came out big and puffy, and CHRISTMAS-Y!!!

If you're using Country Crock's Make it Yours recipe, how do YOU plan on making it yours? I'd love to know!

If You Were Me And Lived In... Elizabethan England (A book review)

So I'm pretty excited about today's review! My daughter loves reading, so I'm always looking for new books for her to read. This book is one that she not only loved, but it's one that she was able to LEARN from, also.

In this book, the narrator describes to the reader all of the differences between life in England today, and life in Elizabethan England.

The book isn't too short, but it isn't too long either. It's just the right length to keep a child's attention. My 8 year old loved this book! She really loved learning about what life was like in Elizabethan England, and she loved being able to see the illustrations that painted a clearer picture for her.

Additionally, in the back of the book, there is a glossary of terms used during that time period along with definitions for them. There's also a list of some of the most famous people of the time period, along with their portraits (My daughter loved this part, too!)

If you're interested in getting a copy of this book for your kids, you can find it on Amazon.

Also, there are many other books in the series! Other books that you can find in this series are listed below.

If You Were Me And Lived In...

• Ancient China
• Ancient Greece
• American West
• Colonial America
• Middle Ages
• Mali Empire
• Renaissance Italy
• Viking Europe

The books listed above are for civilizations throughout history, however, there are also books to educate kids about the world as it is TODAY, which are listed below.

If You Were Me And Lived In...

• Australia
• Brazil
• China
• Egypt
• France
• Greece
• Hungary
• India
• Italy
• Kenya
• Mexico
• Norway
• Peru
• Portugal
• Russia
• Scotland
• South Korea
• Turkey

I really do love the concept behind these series of books! My daughter has started on "If You Were Me And Lived In... Renaissance Italy," And I'm certain that I'll be buying more books in the series to stick under the Christmas tree for her this year! 

I did receive a copy of this book for free, however, all opinions stated in this post are genuinely my own! 

My Review on Bino The Elephant #BuddyPlush

My youngest daughter absolutely LOVES animals, so stuffed animals are something we're always investing in for her. I received this Bino the Elephant for free in exchange for my review, and all opinions are genuinely my own!

Bino is a soft and shiny elephant that's perfect for little hands! My daughter has been obsessed with this since we gave it to her. It's not too big, but not too small either, which I love.

Bino is a Plush Buddy that stands out from the average stuffed animal. It's not just ANY stuffed animal. You see, Bino comes with his own unique story, which you can find here.

What I love about the stories attached to each plush buddy is that they benefit more than just my youngest daughter. I love that I can sit ALL of my daughters down to read Bino's story to them, and that they are each able to learn a valuable lesson from it! It definitely gives a unique aspect to plush animals. I love knowing that this is more than just the average toy. As a mother, I'm always looking to teach my children life's lessons, and this makes it easy to do that!

If you're looking for just the right toy that has real valuable lessons attached, you can find Bino on Amazon.

(As a side note, I think these would make great gifts for little ones during the upcoming holiday season!)

New York Biology Peppermint Essential Oil

If you've been following my blog here recently, then you know that I've been working on a series for New York Biology's Essential Oils. Today's post will be covering NYB's Peppermint Essential Oil. I was originally supposed to receive it for free, however, the original bottle was lost in transit. I made the personal decision to purchase a 2nd bottle at my own expense, because I truly love NYB's oils THAT much.

NYB's Peppermint oil (which can be purchased on Amazon) is from India.  It has a cool and soothing scent to it that literally leaves a person feeling refreshed.

Many people use peppermint oil as a way to clear up sinuses and relieve congestion, but there are other uses for it as well.

Some of the uses are as follows below:

• Relieves stomachaches, and can help calm IBS
• Help to provide headache relief
• Can soothe nausea
• Can help sooth muscle aches, and pain from Fibromyalgia
• Can promote hair growth
• Can help repel lice
• Natural fever reducer
• Helps to treat acne

There really is a myriad of ways to use peppermint oil! I definitely recommend this one if you're looking for a peppermint oil that works, but doesn't absolutely blow you away with the potency of the aroma! 

As a reminder, you can read about other oils in this series below!

• Tea Tree
• Sandalwood
• Lavender
• Bergamot
• Frankincense

New York Biology Frankincense Essential Oil

So today, I'm giving you all a double-dose in my series on New York Biology's Essential Oils (you can catch my previous post here). For those just joining in, this is a sponsored series, meaning that I was sent these oil for free in exchange for my reviews. This does not change that all thoughts and opinions in this post are my own! That being said, let's talk FRANKINCENSE!

New York Biology's Frankincense oil is the Boswellia Serrata kind, coming straight from India. It's scent has a soft earthy tone to it. The earthy aroma makes it pleasant, and not overbearing, which I love! NYB's Frankincense oil can be purchased on Amazon.

Frankincense has many medicinal properties. It's even been suggested in some studies that it can help fight certain cancer cells that have become resistant to chemotherapy treatments.

So what are some of the other medicinal properties? Well, take a look at the list below.

• Antidepressant
• Reduces anxiety and stress
• Helps to treat insomnia (my husband and I actually use this, blended with lavender, in our diffuser at night)
• Helps to relieve congestion and other respiratory issues
• Has antibiotic properties that can help with conditions like urinary tract infections

Granted, the list above is only a FEW of the many benefits that come from Frankincense oil. There are plenty more not listed! The fact that Frankincense oil has so many medicinal uses is exactly why it's one of the most sought-after oils on the market. It's definitely a staple in my own medicine cabinet.

As a reminder, if you're just joining this series, you can check out some of New York Biology's other oils below:

• Tea Tree
• Sandalwood
• Lavender
• Bergamot

Tuesday, I'll be back with my review & thoughts on NYB's Peppermint Essential Oil, so stay tuned! 

New York Biology Bergamot Essential Oil

Continuing with the series I've been working on for New York Biology's Essential Oil collection, THIS post will be focusing on Bergamot oil.

Bergamot is an oil that has a sweet and uplifting citrus-y scent. I'd never actually tried Bergamot before, as I tend to stay away from strong citrus smells, however, the aroma isn't actually that bad! It's noticeable in a pleasant way, but isn't overwhelming.

Being as I'd never been adventurous enough to try Bergamot oil before receiving this bottle, I did some research to find out what sort of benefits it hold.

Some of the benefits are as follows:

• Works well as an antidepressant
• Has uplifting properties that also help to reduce anxiety and stress
• Can be used to help treat insomnia (I always LOVE oils that help with that!)
• Helps to relieve congestion and other respiratory issues
• Has antibiotic properties
• Because of the antibiotic properties, it can be used for things like urinary tract infections. 

There are a host of other benefits too, of course, which is why I'm honestly kicking myself for not introducing Bergamot to my oil collection sooner!

One thing that should be noted is that most Bergamot oils contain an ingredient called bergaptene, which becomes poisonous if exposed to sunlight, and causes photo-sensitivity. New York Biology's Bergamot oil (which you can find on Amazon) doesn't have this ingredient, which makes it even safer to use.

I received this oil free in exchange for my honest review, and I'm so glad that I did! If you're just joining this series, and curious about some of the other oils I've discussed so far, you can check out the list below!

• Tea Tree
• Sandalwood
• Lavender

The next oil that I'll be discussing in this series is Frankincense, so stay tuned!

***This is a sponsored post. I received this product free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are genuinely my own!***

New York Biology Lavender Essential Oil

I promised you all that I'd be doing a series on New York Biology's essential oils. Number 3 in the series is their LAVENDER oil. Lavender is one of the most popular essential oils on the market, and with good reason!

New York  Biology's Lavender oil (which can be purchased on Amazon) is of the Kashmir variety, and is from India. The aroma for this oil is definitely potent. I could smell the oil faintly through the bag, and even more so when I actually OPENED the bag that it was delivered in. This is not to say that the smell is overpowering! The aroma is actually quite pleasant!

Part of the reason why Lavender essential oil is so popular is because it has many benefits. The benefits for Lavender oil include both, topical use as well as aromatherapy benefits. Let's start with the aromatherapy benefits (my favorite).

Aromatherapy Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil:

• Helps to induce sleep, and increases sleep regularity
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Can help with respiratory issues like sinus congestion, cough, bronchitis, and even whooping cough
• Improves blood circulation, and helps to lower blood pressure

Topical Uses for Lavender Essential Oil:

• Can help promote hair growth when regularly rubbed into the scalp
• Can be used as a lice treatment
• Natural bug repellent (Goodbye, mosquitoes!!)
• Reduces irritation and inflammation from bug bites
• Can help with pain relief

There are a lot of other ways to use Lavender oil that aren't listed here. It's no wonder why it's one of the most popular essential oils on the market! It's definitely a staple in my oil collection. Again, this particular Lavender oil can be purchased on Amazon.

Out of curiosity, what are some of your favorite uses for Lavender oil?? I'd love some fresh ideas!

Don't forget to stay tuned! The next oil I'll be discussing in this series is New York Biology's Bergamot oil!

***This is a sponsored post. I received this product free in exchange for my review. All opinions are genuinely my own!!***

New York Biology Sandalwood Essential Oil

The other day, I left a review on New York Biology's Tea Tree oil (which you can find here). Today I'll be reviewing NYB's Sandalwood oil.

This particular Sandalwood oil is the Santalum Almbum, which is the purest you can find. It originates from India.

My husband and I use this in our diffuser most of the time. The scent of this specific Sandalwood oil (which you can find on Amazon) is so potent, that you literally only need one drop of oil (it's much too strong if you use more than that).





Topical Uses for Sandalwood Oil:

• Astringent
• Reduce inflammation for warts, pimples, etc.
• Can be used as an expectorant
• Helps decrease blood pressure

Aromatherapy Benefits of Sandalwood Oil:

• Relaxation
• Mental Clarity/Focus
• Helps reduce depression & anxiety
• Helps to treat insomnia
• Reduces stress
• Natural aphrodisiac

There are SO many more uses and benefits for Sandalwood oil that I wish I had time to list them all! New York Biology's oils are genuinely some of the purest that are on the market. If you're not using essential oils in your household, I highly recommend using them. You'll wonder why you didn't start using them sooner! Stay tuned. I'm actually working on a series of reviews for New York Biology's essential oils (I'm super excited about this!!), and my next one will be for their Lavender oil.

***This is a sponsored post (as is the rest of the series). I received this product for free in exchange for my review. All opinions are absolutely 100% my own!***

My Review of #NewYorkBiology Tea Tree Oil

So, essential oils are something that our family has started using within the past year. I love that they have medicinal purposes, and that they come from nature. Tea tree oil has definitely been a go-to oil for me (I have 3 daughters, and it's a natural head lice preventative). Over the last 2 weeks, I've been testing New York Biology's Tea Tree oil, which was sent to me for free for review purposes.

New York Biology's Tea Tree oil comes straight from Australia (Where the Tea Tree is originally from), and is of the purest form of Tea Tree oil that you can find.

 I've used other brands of Tea Tree oil that weren't as pure, and could notice the difference as soon as I opened this bottle. The scent was MUCH more potent and noticeable than the brand I'd previously been using.

Aside from being a head lice preventative and treatment, there are a number of other purposes that this oil can be used for.


Some of the purposed that Tea Tree oil can be used for as listed below:

• Acne
• Fungal infections
• Bacterial infections
• Abrasions and minor cuts
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Dry skin
• Chapped lips
• Plantar warts

There are MANY other uses, aside from those listed above, for Tea Tree oil. It's actually one of my FAVORITE oils, and you can find it here.

Again, I received this oil free in exchange for my review, but all opinions are genuinely my own! P.S. I've got more oils from New York Biology that I'm super excited to be reviewing over the next few weeks! Essential oils have truly changed my family's life, and I honestly can't wait to share all the different medicinal benefits with everyone! (Yes, I'm an Essential Oil nut, haha!)

ISA Professional Victorya Flat Iron Hair Straightener Review

I've been in the market for a new hair straightener for what seems like forever now! Not just any straightener will do. I love my hair, I love styling it, etc., but I also want to keep it healthy and PROTECT it. I wanted a straightener that was built with those needs in mind. I'm so happy to have found one!

The ISA Professional Flat Iron Hair Straightener, which you can find here, is currently priced at $118, and I can tell you from experience that it's worth every penny!















Some key features to this straightener (as also listed on their website) include:

•  100% Solid Tourmaline ceramic plates
• SMART Automatic Temperature adjustment (personally my FAVORITE feature)
• Universal Voltage
• Fast and safe straightening, curls, & waves
• 360 degree no tangle cord
• Full 2 year warranty

As you can see, this straightener has a nice sleek design, and I love the red plates on it. I also like that the on/off switch is on the inside of the straightener, because I don't have to worry about accidentally turning it off while I'm straightening my hair. 

As you can see on the left, my hair's natural state is this weird combination of being kind of straight, but kind of wavy at the same time. 

I love how sleek and straight my hair is after using this hair straightener!

Am I satisfied with this hair straightener? Absolutely!! My hair is noticeably more soft now when I straighten it. Also? It only takes about half the time to straighten my hair now, compared to how long it used to take with my OLD hair straightener.

If you're in the market for a new flat iron, ISA Professional is a brand you need to consider. You truly get good value from this product! I know I'll be going back for more hair supplies in the future!

***I received this product free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are genuinely my own!***

#DOKOIN Mop and Broom Holder Review

This week, I've been introduced to a product that has genuinely helped with my OCD!! I'm the type of person who has a serious need for things to be organized. If things aren't organized, to the point where the term "clutter" comes into play? Well, I get irritated and grumpy. Anyone who really knows me can vouch for this.

See the picture? It has driven me absolutely crazy to know that this use to be the resting spot for my floor cleaning supplies. It was a complete waste of floor space, an eye sore, and in my own opinion? CLUTTER.

Holan Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser

It's me again!!! I've spent the last week or so testing a product that I'm actually super glad I found....and I love the way it works!

The Holan Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser (Which I received for free, in exchange for my honest review) is pretty nifty!

This diffuser has multiple light settings. You can set it to be a single solid color (of your choice, of course), or you can set it to rainbow mode, where it gradually changes to each color of the spectrum. The colors are bright enough to be seen, but at the same time they're dim(ish) to give the room a relaxed feel.

The Holan also has two mist settings. You can set the mist to spritz sporadically, or you can set it to a continuous mist.

If you're looking for a diffuser for the purpose of using oil blends that help with sleep, this one has an automatic shutoff function once all the water's gone, so you can fall asleep even easier with that knowledge! (My husband and I use sleep blends to help with insomnia).

#Jackyled Universal 3 in 1 Travel Plug Adapter

***This is a sponsored post. I received a 2-pack of Jackyled Universal 3 in 1 Travel Adapters for free, in exchange for my review. All opinions are genuinely my own.***

So this week I had the opportunity to test these Jackyled travel adapters, which can be purchased on Amazon here.

This adapter is made for travel in the UK and Hong Kong, and can fit virtually any plug (It does state in the Amazon product description it is NOT compatible with the large South African plug).

As you can see from the pictures, I tested the product with my cell phone charger, and my laptop charger (the FIRST 2 things I'd pack to bring with me!).

#LEBICE Popsicle Molds

I received a set of #LEBICE Popsicle Molds in exchange for my honest, unbiased, review.

The set (which you can purchase here) comes with 6 molds, which is perfect for my family. The molds are also BPA free, and dishwasher safe (these are perks, in my book).

What I love the most about these is that you can get creative, and add any ingredients that you want. I like that I get to create what I want because HEY....I love being in my kitchen! It's also nice to know that you know exactly what's going into your treat. Also....there's plenty of variety for making HEALTHY snacks for my family!

The set I received came with a small complimentary recipe booklet (THANK YOU!!!), from which I followed the recipe for Strawberry Creamsicles for our first go-round.

The recipe I followed was a simple layering of pureed strawberries, and Greek yogurt. I was a little leery at first, thinking I'd accidentally filled the molds too high (because the ingredients can expand when they freeze). Luckily that wasn't the case though!

About 6 hours later, and VOILA!!!! The creamsicles turned out BEAUTIFULLY!!! They were also quite delicious!

I honestly can't wait to make more, and I can't wait to get my kids involved (I'm letting them choose the ingredients with the next batch).

















If you're looking to make your own treats this summer, I highly recommend these! I'm actually going to invest in some more, just to have extras on hand when friends and family come to visit!

My Review of "Snow Blood: Season 1"

 

Bonafide Baby #BabyCarSeatCovers Review

***Sponsored Post*** I received a Pink Chevron car seat cover from Bonafide Baby in exchange for my review. All opinions expressed in this review are genuinely my own.

As a mother, I am always looking for new products and ideas to help make parenting easier. As a result, I was delighted to have the chance to try the pink chevron cars seat cover, made by Bonafide baby. With my older two daughters, car seat covers were something that I never really thought about. My youngest daughter, however, was born with congenital heart defects, which means her immune system is weaker than that of a completely healthy person. As a result, I'd been in the market for a car seat cover as a way to ward off germs when in public places! With all of that being said, let's get down to business on this great product that I was able to try!

I was sent the pink chevron design to try. On the front, you've got a white & baby pink for the colors. I love the soft blend of these colors! On the back (as you can see in the top right corner of the collage) you have more of a hot pink coloring, with a super soft fabric (the front is more of a plain cotton fabric).

As you can see in the bottom picture of the collage, this car seat cover provides adequate coverage of the entire car seat. I love this because it really gives my daughter protection from outside disturbances (or germs) when we're in the grocery store! The soft fabric on the back also makes this cover a great makeshift blanket when nap time rolls around if we're our visiting friends or family!