Pine Bros Softish Throat Drops Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

These throat drops have been helping people feel better for over a century now and are really helpful when your throat is feeling a little scratchy. I know from when I lived in the midwest that the flu bug and cold's run rampant and that a sore throat is just part of the cold, surprisingly this year I didn't suffer through a seriously sore throat but these helped me out during class presentations to sooth an itch.

I do have to say although these help with the throat scratch that I didn't much appreciate their texture,

obviously texture is a personal preference and just because I didn't LOVE the "softish" part of them doesn't mean you won't... I'm weird, I don't much care for gum either.

I was given the opportunity to review their Wild Cherry Flavor softish drops and the flavor wasn't the most delicious thing I've ever tried but definitely much better than a standard cough drop. These almost taste like candy so I'm certain little one's would be more than happy to pop one while feeling a bit down on their weather.

If you are looking for a quick fix for a scratchy throat, then these guys will do. I think they would be a decent addition to a "get-well-soon" gift box as well. They aren't going to cure your illness but they will soothe your throat, which means a lot to someone who is feeling sickly.

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

FlipStir - a fun way to entertain your brain #FlipStirFun

Sponsored

Have you heard of Flip Stir? 

These new toys are fun and engaging,

perfect for anyone of any age,

and they are a great conversation starter.

I'm ready to share the #FlipStirFun with you. 

I was pretty excited to receive my FlipStir's, I heard about this fun new 3-D puzzle through a friend and she mentioned that it was a great stress reliever... I'm always feeling anxious or stressed so I was more than overjoyed to hear FlipStir wanted to send me a product to review. I had no idea how amazing these toys were going to be though...

 I was pleased to find the toys were difficult enough to keep me entertained but not as overwhelmingly tough as other games *ahem, flappy bird  whichever trendy mobile game comes out next*. Challenging yet fun, the perfect mixture!

You'll be glad to hear FlipStir requires no batteries, no parts to put together, it's just straight out of the box fun... Plus, I love how simple the design is and how clean and modern they look. These toys will be a great addition to anyone's collection, they are fun and different - a few house guests have already had the joy of playing with these and they were thrilled once the puzzle was complete... It's a lot of fun to see the artwork after spending a little time assembling it.

Speaking of artwork,  I was sent the rainbow color pencil FlipStir and the Statue of Liberty FlipStir, both have brilliant graphics as you can see in the pictures.

These two examples of FlipStir's are so fun,
but I also look forward to seeing more designs in the future; 
I'm sure they will continue to impress!

So here's the scoop: 
If you want to play with these, you simply pull the wand up, shake the puzzle to mix up all of the pieces. Then using the wand, you can manipulate the pieces to assemble the puzzle. 
No rules, just pure fun! You just use the wand, gravity and your own cleverness to solve the puzzle and reveal the artwork. 

These little toys could be an essential tool in the development of your child, something so simple could help them in the future with hand-eye coordination as well as the ability to "think outside the box". They are shown to improve the development of motor skills and problem solving. Not only are they helpful in the development of these skills, they offer a way to interact with children, possibly teaching them more about colors or monuments like the Statue of Liberty... or providing the opportunity for some quiet contemplation as they figure out which pieces belong next to each other.

I could also see these used in a classroom setting, especially during "quiet time" or a rest period, these would be a good way for kids to keep entertained while still gaining knowledge and skill. Plus, they are such a clean and organized toy. As you can probably tell from the pictures above, the FlipStir is a self contained puzzle, so no more searching for missing puzzle pieces... The joys of not having to clean up, especially in a classroom after 20-25 students! AHHHH! :) Also, I want to note these may be good in a LD setting as well, I could see them used with a variety of different students at different levels and could help some students that don't necessarily get to partake in other types of play or games learn to enjoy themselves. 



FlipStir is a brilliant new toy on the market that is suitable for "kids" of any age,
it's unique design and fun graphics deserve two thumbs up!
My future foster kids will definitely get a kick out of these,
plus bonding over a love of puzzles or toys sounds like a good start.

Are you interested in having some #FlipStirFun?
You can learn more about these fun toys by clicking here.

Disclaimer: I may have received a product, sample, and/or compensation to facilitate this review, regardless all opinions expressed above are completely my own.

February is almost over... #Fitin2014

So now that February is almost over and I haven't even come close to sharing all of my favorite recipes and health tips, nor did I lose all the weight I intend to lose this year... So I've decided to change "Fit in Feb" to "Fit in '14"!

I'm determined to get more in shape this year and we all know Rome wasn't built in a day, I didn't gain all of this weight in a week, and I'm surely not going to lose it all in the shortest month of the year! BUT, I did learn this month that I love sharing health related posts on my blog and that I need to get better at time management, can I get a hand raise for how many bloggers, mamas, or college students feel me on that one? Time can really get away from you, can't believe I'll be 25 in 10 days.
It's like that song "Time keeps on slippin, slippin into the future..."

Forgive me for the tangent, ha. I also learned that it's going to take time to reach my goals, as I addressed above I didn't gain this extremely quickly so I'm definitely trying to lose it at a healthy rate so the weight loss is truly permanent. So here's my update:

I really can't believe this month is over.
I'm down 6lbs since Jan 1. and several inches.
I'm on a pretty strict diet plan til I get back from Miami *WOOHOO for winning a trip from a local radio station!!!*
I haven't been working out like I need to but that is all about to change,
I have a little over two weeks til Miami and I want to at least lose 1-2lbs more.

So wish me luck, I can't wait to share a post about my trip and to share more health related posts through out the year. I'm thinking of revamping the blog a little too so don't be shocked if you stop by and I've changed things up, variety is the spice of life... right? :)

Super Simple Recipe: Gluten Free Berry Zucchini Muffins Recipe

These muffins are super simple to make and taste absolutely delicious.
Their texture is perfect, which means a lot for gluten-free baking...and they are SO moist!
These are seriously going to be your favorite on-the-go
breakfast and with so many healthy ingredients, they won't leave you feeling guilty.
 I make these almost every week and even have included them in my meal plan,
which I plan on sharing in the future.
Oh & be sure to pick up some adorable cupcake liners -
another fun part of baking!

Healthy and Delicious
Gluten Free Berry Zucchini Muffins

1 1/2 cups (gluten-free) all-purpose flour 

1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup almond (or soy) milk
1 egg 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 whole organic shredded zucchini
1 over ripe, mashed organic banana
1 cup organic blueberries 

1/2 cup organic berry of choice
(I used blackberries this time, but recommend strawberries or additional blueberries) 

1/2 cup chopped pecans 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Place your liners in your muffin tins, if you are in a pinch you can always just grease the muffin tin but I prefer the ease of liners.

2. Combine flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a mixing bowl.

3. Whisk olive oil, milk, egg, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until smooth; stir into flour mixture.

4. Fold zucchini, berries, banana, and pecans into batter. Stir until thoroughly mixed

5. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full with this deliciousness. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick or fork inserted into the center of a muffin comes out completely clean. approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

 

Zesty Shrimp, Avocado, Mango Ceviche Recipe {a healthy + refreshing snack!}

I wanted to share with you one of my favorite healthy snacks,

this Shrimp Ceviche is so easy to make and tastes absolutely delicious!

Made with all fresh ingredients, it's a stunning appetizer to serve at a party...

plus, it looks amazing inside a martini glass FYI!

The lime and cilantro flavors give this recipe a huge kick,
but the mango adds a nice surprise element that really WOW's!
I like to enjoy my ceviche inside corn tortillas or with cucumber!

Be sure to let me know what your family thinks of this recipe...

 Zesty Shrimp, Avocado, Mango Ceviche

• 1/4 red onion
• approximately 1lb cooked shrimp 
  {peeled, devained, + chopped}
• 1-2 jalapeno pepper(s)
• 1/2 tomato
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 2 large ripe hass avocados
• 1 mango
• 1 lime {for the juice}
• 1 tsp olive oil
• garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste

You'll also want to get something to dip -
crackers, cucumber, tortilla chips, taco shells, etc.
whatever floats your boat!

I typically just pan sear my shrimp quickly on medium heat with a dash of olive oil.

Then in a small bowl combine lime juice, red onion, olive oil,
salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
{ I just add a pinch of each spice and add more once I mix the recipe.}
Let them marinate, it will mellow the onion flavor.

In a large bowl mix together the shrimp, jalapeno, tomato, mango, and avocado.
Combine the two bowls, mixing slowly.
 Then add the cilantro + toss.
 Add additional garlic, salt, and pepper if needed.


 ENJOY!

Blogger Opp: #Markerly Blogging Network - What's it all about? + a $250 Am Ex Giveaway

Sponsored

 

 What is Markerly 

and Why should you join?
Let's first start off with,
this is for my bloggy friends.
Sorry to my other readers,
I just HAVE to spread the word about this network.

If you are a blogger into influencer marketing,

 you will want need to be a part of this website.
Markerly is a full-service managed network with 24/7 blogger support!

It is one of the best blogging networks I'm a part of,

I've heard good & bad things from other bloggers

but all of my experiences have been terrific.
They offer great campaigns that are based upon topics that are actually
entertaining and that I know my readers will love.

One great feature that I have never witnessed beforeis their "heat map".
{pictured below}

This feature allows you to see what people have been clicking on

& interacting with on your posts.
It's great, it not only lets me know what people like about my Markerly posts,
but what really get's clicked on my sidebar and header as well.

 

They have other excellent features as well,

I'm definitely not a blogger "for the money".

But I do think it is pretty great that they pay their bloggers within 48 hours of posting.

I work for a few other networks that don't pay until MONTHS later.

I love the other networks but Markerly is the bomb dot com  best!

They hook me up with all kinds of companies including big names

such as Levi's, eMeals, and even Super Bowl Sponsored posts.

You can see more about their campaigns and media outreach here.

I honestly love that they only allow QUALITY bloggers to be a part of the network.

It's a great way for brands to connect with authentic bloggers 

and their readers to help the public gain awareness.

I know all of our readers trust our opinions and knowing that only quality, honest reviews 

will be posted via Markerly posts is rather important to me.

 They truly are unlike any other network I'm a part of... 

If you are new to blogging, this is a great company to get your "feet wet" with.

Their campaign managers are always available and very helpful,

I actually have had the pleasure of working with a couple different

members of their team and I must say everyone has been so friendly.

Are you ready to get paid to write for top brands?

Click here to learn more.

Plus, enter to win this awesome giveaway for a $250

American Express Gift Card:





Disclaimer: I may have received a product, sample, and/or compensation to facilitate this review, regardless all opinions expressed above are completely my own.