Scrutiny by the Masses

Pony Royale: Princess Making Fun

This post is sponsored by Pony Royale. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Little girls love to play with ponies. I should know - I've had four little girls and we have an entire bucket full of ponies. Most of these are of the My Little Pony brand, but there's a new kid on the block! The twelve Princess Ponies are pony action figure dolls with names, personalities, and changeable hair and outfits.

• With two Pony Royale dolls, make over 60 fashion styles!
• Each pony comes with a jeweled birthstone blaze
• Two sets of Change-It-Up Hair and hair brush included!

I'll admit - I was a tad bit skeptical. A pony is a pony, right?

Wrong. My little girls LOVED the Pony Royale set that we were sent - so much that they've already scoped out the other offerings in the set, in order to see how quickly they can buy the rest. They played with these ponies for hours, creating scenarios that were more elaborate and involved than any I've ever seen. They mixed and matched the manes, tails, jewels and other pieces so that each time they had a unique and original pony. One could fly, one only walked, one was the mommy and the other the baby - it was nice to see such open ended, creative play that involved some of their favorite things - horses and fashion and "hair do's".

Here's what they thought of them, in their own words:

 

And here's the video that they watched again and again and again:

 

Visit the Pony Royale website for more information. Look for Princess Ponies in stores starting late July! Meanwhile, be sure to check out Pony Royale’s Facebook page and follow them on Twitter!

The Pony Royale collection will be available at Toys R Us in late July and in select Target stores in August.

 

Walgreens

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.

Spring. The time when the weather is fickle, the pollen is heavy and my legs are pale.

P-A-L-E.

I've had a few Stage 2 melanomas removed, so I'm pretty much out of the tanning bed/laying out for a tan rotation. I've done the spray tan thing, which, when combined with my "smiley kneecaps" - meant white lines - and spray "run" lines down the back of my legs. Even thorough and exhaustive exfoliation and lotion application left me with dark patches and globs.

It wasn't pretty and didn't look natural, is what I'm trying to say.

I've been known to stand in front of the self tanner selection muttering to myself, "tried that, tried that, hmmm, is that a new one?" I'm a fan of wearing dresses and skirts in the spring, and so, to me, tan legs are a necessity, especially for the many parties, picnics and such that the warmer weather allows - all hail the rising thermometer!

I'm a firm believer in the reality that you can get great products for your beauty routine at drugstores, without the cost incurred at a department store. No matter the cost of your self tanning product, though, there are a few things that can make the process go just a bit smoother.

Here are some self tanning tricks I've learned along the way:

• Make sure you exfoliate well. A salt scrub (equal parts kosher salt and olive oil, with the juice of a lemon works well for me) rubbed THOROUGHLY  into every part of your body gets the dead skin cells off and smoothes the way for the self tanner. image credit necrocake
• Wear gloves if you don't think you can adequately scrub the color from your hands. I've been lax on this before, because the lotion isn't colored, and had orange palms and darker webbing between my fingers. Don't forget the base of your hand!
• Mix the self tanner in with a good lotion if you don't want a drastic color change all at once. Diluting it with lotion helps to ease your color onto your skin.
• Stay naked  and upright for at least 20 minutes - putting your clothes on too fast, or sitting down, causes color stripes.
• Consider self tanning wipes. 

Do you have any tips you can add? Any favorite products?

Bullying

Thanks to The Bully Project for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website to join the movement and learn more.

Bullying.

It exists everywhere. In every group of people, there are the top and bottom contenders. Often through no work of their own, society - or people - promote on person above another. And for whatever reason -  probably through a fear that we might, one day, be the picked upon one - many of us follow suit.

I really think that's the toughest part of bullying. No one wants to stop it for fear that they will become the next victim. It's better to harden your heart and watch someone else be the victim rather than experience it yourself, or so the thought process goes.

I don't know that you can find one person who hasn't been the victim of bullying. If you think you have, that person is lying. As soon as one person has power, they become a bully.

I'm a bit jaded, I think.

I spoke with my oldest son, who was bullied badly in high school. Just two years later, he says he doesn't care. It didn't stick with him. I know people who have been bullied and they still talk about it, years later. It takes a special kind of person, I think, to never be affected by the bullying we all experience.

No one knows how someone will be affected by your words and your actions. And I don't know the answer, for it seems to me that people in general just can't seem to be nice. No matter the station, no matter the circumstance - everyone seems to be angry and irritable all the time.

The movie Bully is showing in select theaters. Will you go and see it? I think, maybe, I will - and take my oldest kids.

Following five kids and families over the course of a school year, the film confronts bullying’s most tragic outcomes, including the stories of two families who’ve lost children to suicide and a mother who waits to learn the fate of her 14 –year-old daughter, incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. With rare access to the Sioux City Community School District, the film also gives an intimate glimpse into school buses, classrooms, cafeterias and even principals offices, offering insight into the often-cruel world of children, as teachers, administrators and parents struggle to find answers.

 

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. Find showings in your area for The Bully Project and buy tickets here.

Cool Whip Makes Dessert Fun

 

You can make elaborate desserts. Great, tall towers of meringue, e laborate tunnels of frosting and lakes of ganache. You can make whoopie pies so good your grandma would cry, and Baked Alaska any cruise chef would be proud to call his own.

All of those desserts are completely awesome. I'd love to have them, every day. (You can tell by the size of my hips. Oy.)

The thing that those listed desserts have in common, though, is that they are time consuming. And as much as I might want them - I just don't have the time, on a daily basis, to make them. What I can do is make the everyday dessert a little more special. You know, that scoop of ice cream, the pudding cup, the piece of chocolate cake or fruit in jello - those easy, peasy, lemon squeezy desserts that come together in a snap. Those desserts that, when topped with COOL WHIP Whipped Topping - might cause a riot in your house.

Or, you can make the Oreo pudding that I often make for family get togethers - seriously, don't judge, it's one of the BEST things I've ever made - and know that, when you do, your family will feel extra special and loved. Try this pudding the next time you have family over, and watch their faces light up when you've made a easy dessert a special treat.

OREO PUDDING

• 1 pkg Oreo cookies, crushed (regular size box)
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 stick butter
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 12 oz COOL WHIP 

Mix together cream cheese, sugar and butter. Set aside. Mix together other ingredients(excluding oreos!) and whip until it becomes thick. Combine the two mixes together and layer with Oreo cookies, forming six layers, beginning with cream and ending with Oreos. Chill for a few hours before serving.

Sponsored posts are purely editorial content that we are pleased to have presented by a participating sponsor. Advertisers do not produce the content. I was compensated for this post as a member of Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all my own.

It's a Dance Party Up in Here!

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

Just Dance 2 is my very favorite Wii dance game. I'm not calling anyone out, mind you - but I SERIOUSLY rake up the points when I pull out this Wii game.

I can really tear up the dance floor. I'm a whiz at Viva Las Vegas, and I'm so not ashamed to show you.

Ahem.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try out the newest version - Just Dance 3. With 44 all new songs, many of them well known to me - I was ready to break it down, and this game did not disappoint. From the Pointer Sisters "I'm So Excited!" to Taio Cruze's "Dynamite!" to Duck Sauce's smash break out hit "Barbra Streisand", there's literally a song for everyone.

Just Dance 3 is offered on Kinect, Playstation, and Wii, and follows the same basic principles as the former versions. For the first time ever, Kinect has an all-new “Just Create” mode – where players are able to capture their own choreography to challenge friends and share online. The Wii version of Just Dance 3 has an improved “Just Sweat” mode to track personal progress making playing the game true exercise-in-disguise - and this is the way I, personally, use the Just Dance games.

Get your exercise in to music, while learning dance moves to help you the next time you go out with your spouse - it's a win-win in my book. Find this addictive game on Amazon - released just in time for the holidays!

ABBA House Party - Bring it ONNNNNNN

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

So, there's one thing you may know about me. I love to dance. Dancing is an extreme amount of fun, and as a person who just canNOT sing a tune AT ALL - dancing is my creative outlet. And, so, dance I do.

I'm also a big retro fan. Vintage anything is right up my alley.

Thus, I was delighted to be able to host an ABBA 1970's Dance Party.

It's not a 1970's party without chip and dip and little hot dogs.

Featuring ABBA's Greatest Hits, this dance game for Wii was an amazing amount of fun. Created by the same fine folks who came up with the Just Dance games, this game offers 26 of the band's greatest hits, including "Fernando" and "Mamma Mia".

There's a DANCE mode, where you compete with yourself - or up to three other players - for a high score. There's the STORY mode, in which you can participate in a mini musical. You can also Karaoke, and sing along with the lyrics onscreen. The only problem is that there is no microphone included, although we had one from another game. You can still sing, but you won't be able to have a score - so make sure you buy one if Karaoke is your thing.

It's not my thing. I'm up for the dancing.

Even though I only had one working wii-mote - the three of us danced along. I think it's pretty admirable that we are all doing the same thing at the same time. Trust me - that's tough to do.

The daces score just like the other dance games, in that you earn stars and "Perfect!" and "OK" - which can be addictive if you are a competitive person - which I happen to be.

All in all, it's a fun and satisfying game that can really help you get your sweat on - which is a great thing, indeed. Pick up your own copy at Amazon today!

Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip

I was one of the bloggers selected by T. Marzetti Company and Clever Girls Collective to host a Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip review. They provided me with product to test myself and compensation for my time. However, my opinions are entirely my own.

I’ve always been a fan of veggie dips. Even when I didn’t follow a healthy diet, setting out a tray of veggies with a dish of dip was a guaranteed way to help me eat some fresh vegetables. Most commercially prepared dips are chock full of fat and calories, and no matter how you try and spin it, they just aren’t good for you. Marzetti, the company most known for their ubiquitous white tubs has come out with a lighter, more healthy version - and it features Greek Yogurt, of all things.

Offered in five different flavors, I was intrigued by the Cucumber Dill Feta - but ultimately I decided on
the Spinach Artichoke dip. It was absolutely delicious. I am almost embarrassed to admit it - but I ate an entire English Cucumber and about 3 handfuls of grape tomatoes. This dip was freaky good. But the regular Marzetti Spinach Artichoke dip - the one in the white tub - is pretty good, so why would I chose the New Greek Yogurt dip? I grabbed the original dip offering for a comparison - and I can see why you might want to pick the Greek.

The original Marzetti Vegetable Dip contains 110 calories per 2 tbsp serving with 13 grams of fat and 250 mgs of sodium. The Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie dip contains 60 calories for a 2 tbsp serving, with 4.5 grams of fat and 19 mgs of sodium. The Otria also boasts 200 mgs Omega 3 Fatty Acids from canola and fish oils.

Want to try this new dip for yourself? Leave me a comment telling me your favorite veggie to dip, and I'll draw one random commenter to win. This contest will close on 11/27 at 11:59 p.m.

Allergies, Allergies, ALLERGIES

I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour conducted by Clever Girls Collective on behalf of Children's Claritin.

Of my six kids, an odds breaking six of those kids have seasonal allergies. five of them have asthma - and the sixth loves to tell me that she thinks she may have asthma - cough, cough. Unfortunately, I have kids who have fall/winter allergies, winter/spring allergies, fall/spring allergies and one kid who has all 4 season allergies. I often joke that we should buy stock in tissue companies and everyone knows to grab a paper towel if we are out of them.

Yeah. It's just about that gross.

It got better when I discovered the wonderful and amazing allergist that my kids now visit. A combination of allergy medications, asthma inhalers, nose sprays and the like. We practice strict avoidance of the food allergens as well as the seasonal stuff, and we've done extensive home modifications. All of the kids' beds are sealed with hypoallergenic mattress protectors and pillow covers, and we vacuum the beds often. we have HEPA filters on the vacuum as well as the air filters in the house, curtains are almost non existent and the ones we have are washed often. We go straight from heating to air conditioning - the worst multiple allergy flare I ever experienced occurred the night I left all of the windows open to enjoy the lovely night air. We don't dry the wash outside and we never, ever, ever use real Christmas trees.

Learned that the hard way.

All of that to say, it's much better than it was, and I've been pleased with the changes that we've seen. I'm really hopeful that they outgrow it - but the fact that my husband keeps Benadryl in his desk every spring tells me that this just may not happen.

For more information check out

Clear to Enjoy Spring: The Allergy Guide for Moms and Kids

And visit Claritin on Facebook.

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

Road Trips, Pictures and ME

I was compensated for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.  All opinions are my own.

It's no secret to anyone that I take a lot of pictures. I take considerably less road trips, but I almost always have a camera of some type on hand. I love my Canon camera more than just about anything else, but I've gotta say, downloading the pictures is a SERIOUS drag. Find the cable, hook it up, wait for the pictures to download, format the camera, name the folder on the computer, yadda yadda. It's a laborious, time intensive procedure - and often, all I want to do it post the picture on Facebook. One way around this is to use my iPhone - but if it's a picture that I really want, maybe to print and frame - this is not such a great choice, even though uploading pictures from the phone is virtually painless.So, sometimes, those pictures just sit in the computer and I discover them later. Much, much later.

Which may be why we don't have many road trips recorded. (Not to mention that I really despise road trips.)

Samsung has developed a camera that bridges the two issues seamlessly. The Samsung SH100 is a compact and WiFi-enabled camera that sends those photos directly where you want them, even to your social networks to share with your friends and families anywhere.

I haven't yet seen this camera, so I can't comment as to it's photo capabilities, but Samsung is prepared to give everyone an option to try it out. They are taking this camera on a month-long road trip across America in the month of May. The mobile team is going to record all the amazing people they meet and the fascinating places they visit with the SH100, and the best photos and videos will be shared on the Samsung USA Facebook page.

 

At $200, this camera affordably contains just about everything one could want in a point and shoot, with an astounding 14 megapixels, real time live streaming and a 5x optical zoom. I'm not going to lie - this camera would make a fantastic Mother's Day gift. Which, you know, is in three days - if you haven't bought something for your mom (or, if your hubby hasn't even realized what's coming this weekend!) - this would make a fantastic gift.

If, you know, you wanted to buy something for me, this would be a great gift. <hint, hint>

Freschetta By The Slice - It's a Giveaway!

I can eat pizza every day. For breakfast, for lunch, for dinner - middle of the day, middle of the night.

I think you get my point. I like pizza an awful lot.

I often make my own pizza. Grilled or baked - I love it. I'm not normally a fan of frozen pizza, though - it's mostly tough and cardboardy, the veggies are soggy - it's just not one of my favorite purchases.I was sent a coupon to try the new Freschetta By The Slice, though - and so I decided to give it a shot. Worst case scenario, I figured I'd have to find something else for lunch, but I wouldn't be wasting much food - it waas just one slice. And I've got a teenage boy who eats just about anything, so if I didn't like it, I could always pass it over.

The pizza comes in BBQ Recipe Chicken, Vegetable Medley, Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom and Six Cheese Medley. I'm kind of adventurous, and so I selected the Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom. It was a single slice, nicely sized with clearly evident toppings that actually LOOKED like the correct foods. No minced mystery ingredients.

It was - good. I was pretty surprised. I'd buy it again, and in fact, (shh!) I already have. It's lunch tomorrow. Want to win a coupon for your own - as well as a pretty sweet food storage set? Leave me a comment telling me which version you'd pick. This is a short giveaway, which ends 4/27 at 11 p.m. EST.