Outnumbered 3 to 1: July 2011

Friday, July 29, 2011

Summer Fun - Post Caramel Apple Boulder Bites Cereal Review and Caramel Apple Boulder Bites Recipe

Summer has finally arrived and we couldn't be more excited! The weather's nice and lots of fun is to be had. That's why we're celebrating this fun season as well as Mel moving into a new house on a lake here at Outnumbered 3 to 1. Please join us all Summer long as we share great products for the home and season. Of course we'll have tons of great prizes for you to win too!

I am a huge fan of Post cereals. They're among my top choices for cereal. The Pebbles cereal in particular is a top choice in the whole house. The kids love it! I personally love the Cocoa Pebbles, yum! Well Pebbles just launched a new cereal that recently hit store shelves, Pebbles Boulders Limited Edition Caramel Apple.

"With more whole grain than Honey Nut Cheerios**, Pebbles Boulders gives you a reason to give your kids what they love. New Limited Edition Pebbles Boulders cereal brings new shapes, exciting flavors, and good nutrition to your breakfast routine. With bigger pieces and fierce flavors, it's the boulder part of a complete breakfast! Limited Edition Caramel Apple solves the mystery of the Applesaurus, a legendary dinosaur whose bones tasted like delicious apples! Try limited edition Caramel Apple Pebbles Boulders before they’re extinct!

**
Based on Honey Nut Cheerios package claims. Honey Nut Cheerios is a registered trademark of General Mills IP Holdings, LLC

Available in 9.5oz
*
THE FLINTSTONES AND ALL RELATED CHARACTERS ARE TRADEMARKS AND © OF HANNA-BARBERA"

We all know that summertime fun can't start without a good breakfast!

My family had the opportunity to try this cereal and I must say I think it's pretty good. I loved the caramel apple crunch! Big Bro didn't like it so much so Lil Man pretty much ate the whole box and he loved it! While searching the website for this review, I came across a recipe for Caramel Apple Boulder Bites. I'll share that with you below.

Caramel Apple Boulder Bites Recipe

Makes:

16 servings

Ingredients

6 cups popped light butter microwave popcorn. Remove un-popped kernels
2 cups Pebbles Boulders Stone Age Carmel Apple cereal
1 cup almonds or other nuts
1/2 cup dried cherries or other dried fruit
2 cups small marshmallows
2 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, melted

Directions

Prepare 2 17”x12”x1” sheet pans with cooking spray, set aside.

Combine popcorn, cereal, almonds, and cherries; set aside.

In the microwave, melt marshmallows and butter, 30 to 60 seconds, stirring half way through. Marshmallows and butter should be melted and smooth. Pour over popcorn mixture, stir to coat all pieces. Then pour onto baking sheet.

Melt chocolate in microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, stirring half way through. Drizzle over popcorn mixture and let chocolate set. Serve after chocolate has set.

This recipe looks so delicious and I want to try it so bad! I wish I would have seen this sooner, but now I suppose I have an excuse to go out and buy another box!

I received samples for the purpose of reviewing. Opinions expressed are my own or my families and are not influenced by any form of compensation. Take it or leave it. Click here to view my full acknowledgment policy.

Summer Fun-Maukilo-HABA Rainbow Whirls Pegging Game Review!

Maukilo is the leading supplier of quality, timeless toys and gifts. We provide innovative, safe and eco-friendly playthings for all ages. From infant toys to kids toys, they're fun, educational and last a lifetime.

Inspired by European toys and owned and operated by the German based HABA, we're your best source for baby toys, building blocks (from our wooden toys collection), educational toddler toys and everything in between. With Maukilo you Buy Once, Play Forever.

How fun it this?! I love it! It is Haba's Rainbow Whirls Pegging Game and I think B loves it as much as I do.

Maukilo is the online retailer for Haba toys, and if you aren't already familiar with Haba, you really should be. They are wonderful, high quality toys. I remember the very first baby item I ever purchased was a mobile for B. That mobile has taken quite a bit of abuse, and yet it still keeps everyone amused. This toy, however, is really cool. For a toddler just beginning to sort/stack/color coordinate- the Rainbow Whirls Pegging Game is perfect.

B likes to line things up in order. Be it size, color or shape. At first I was highly disturbed finding these rows of miscellaneous objects around the house in rows (cars, balls, etc) but a wise friend told me not to fret as he's probably just brilliant. Of course! So...this is for those brilliant kids that love to stack, put things in rows, and match. The possibilities of what they can do with this are endless.

The Rainbow Whirls Pegging Game is a lot of fun and we love it. Yes, there are several pieces to keep track of, but get yourself one of those large ziplock bags, and keep that in the box. Those bags save my life!

I absolutely recommend the Rainbow Whirls Pegging Game for your toddler or a toddler that you know. It doesn't have bells, whistles, red blinking lights or batteries- which is WONDERFL!

CONNECT: You can connect with Maukilo toys on Facebook and Twitter.

I received a sample for purposes of reviewing this item. Opinions expressed are my own or my families and are not influenced by any form of compensation. Take it or leave it. Click here to view my full acknowledgment policy.

Summer Fun- What's In Every Mom's Beach Bag Contest!

Hmmm...let's see. What do I have in my beach bag? At the moment I've got a couple of diapers, some sunscreen, unidentifiable crumbs, some earrings (never know when you'll need to put on some earrings!), and a towel. That sure sounds like an awesomely prepared mom of three if you ask me!!! Of course I'm teasing. But I wonder...what do YOU think is essential for a beach bag for the baby?

Here's an easy peasy contest for you moms and dads out there to tell me what you think are the TOP FIVE beach essentials for baby!

Are there prizes? Of COURSE there are prizes!! To make this even easier-- we're just going to do a random.org pick!

BornFree Eco Classic bottle: BornFree leak proof BPA-Free baby bottles come in plastic or glass and feature an innovative venting system designed to promote ActiveFlow™ and help minimize the painful symptoms of colic. After use, the bottles can be returned to BornFree where they will be recycled into other products such as toys and furniture.

Kids-EEZE Allergy Soft Chews: Kids-EEZE® is a children’s symptom reliever specially formulated to ease the symptoms of hay fever and upper respiratory allergies. The convenient chew form makes dosing easy with no measuring or messes.

Star Rock for Kids CD: A CD of fun and age-appropriate music that is perfectly “in tune” with the whole family, featuring hits from past decades and today. Beyond being a rockin’ CD series sung completely by kids, Star Rock for Kids! Presents an exceptional opportunity for budding singers to show off their talent and realize their dream by becoming a “Star Rock Kid” and appearing on the next CD.

Tattooed by Inky: Used after showering or as a pick-me-up during those hot summer days, these bodysprays refresh and revive the senses, with just the right amount of scent. TheTattooed by Inky collection offers 5 distinctive scents for every personality---two men’s, two women’s, and one unisex. Inky is available at BigLots and Target stores.

Smart for Life protein bars: Eliminates post-exercise hunger, so you gain muscle not fat. Supports healthy cardiovascular function, helps promote weight loss, boosts metabolism and controls hunger.

USANA Usanimals vitamins: Usanimals comes in fun animal shapes while providing a phytonutrient blend of blackberry, cranberry, raspberry, and wild blueberry fruit flavors. The vitamins contain a comprehensive array of antioxidants, and minerals, in amounts designed especially for active, growing children.

Medifast Parmesan Cheese Puffs: Providesjust the right balance of fiber and high-quality protein to keep you feelingfull and satisfied, plus your daily requirement of 24 vitamins and minerals!

To win: In one comment simply make a list of the top 5 most essential items for baby in a beach bag. You MUST be a GFC follower so please leave your GFC name in your comment as well as your email. That's it! Only one comment per person.

So, just give me your top 5 items, and you're in! Remember you must also be a GFC follower for your list to count (include in your one comment with email). CONTEST ENDS AUGUST 5th!

I received a sample for promoting this contest. Opinions expressed are my own or my families and are not influenced by any form of compensation. Take it or leave it. Click here to view my full acknowledgment policy.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Aloha Friday - Summer Fun

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that you take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So Kailani thought that on Fridays she would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link at An Island Life. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

Ok, so I just now realized that I haven't participated in "Aloha Friday" since February! Can you believe that? Time has simply slipped by me I suppose. I guess it's only fitting that my question revolve around that in a sense.

My question this week is:

What have you been doing all Summer?

My family has been quite busy this Summer. We recently moved to a house on the lake that we completely renovated and remodeled. You can view our remodeling journey here. We've spent a lot of time at the beach and playing in the yard. Nothing too fun and exciting yet, but all of our hard work is paying off. Hopefully we'll make a camping trip on Labor Day weekend!

Summer Fun - Coleman Repellents SkinSmart Review & Giveaway {CLOSED}

"The Coleman® Company, Inc. has been encouraging people to get outdoors. They've been doing so by developing rugged, reliable outdoor products that make being outside that much more enjoyable. From the legendary Coleman® lanterns and stoves, to tents, sleeping bags, coolers, backpacks, and grills. You name it, if there's something integral to a great outdoor experience, it probably has the Coleman® name on it.

So when Coleman® decided to extend their brand into insect repellents, Wisconsin Pharmacal Company was the perfect partner. As a licensee, Wisconsin Pharmacal - a leader in the outdoor health and safety market - will use its longtime history as an insect repellent manufacturer to bring innovative, high quality repellents to the market under the Coleman® brand."

I've heard of Coleman Repellents before and even tried them out last Summer. However, I never did know that they were local, in my own state! Well talk about helping the local economy!

Coleman Repellents expanded their line with Deet Free Repellent, one of which being the SkinSmart line.

Coleman^® SkinSmart® Insect Repellent
SkinSmart® is a new patented DEET Free insect repellent formula proven to be as or more effective than DEET, Picaridin and other common repellents.

Proven effective against mosquitoes and ticks for up to eight hours

Odorless, fast drying formula

Clinically proven to be as effective as DEET based repellents

Can be safely used on infants and children

After all, we want every member of your family to enjoy the outdoors!

With our recent move into the country on a lake, bug guard is a must! Our yard is absolutely infested with bugs and we have to do everything that we can to reduce them.

I recently had a change for my family to try some products from the SkinSmart line. We tested out the aerosol, pump and wipes.

I like the SkinSmart brand compared to others because of the scent. There really isn't much of one, besides when you're spraying it. But it doesn't leave you with that nasty bug spray scent. Another great thing about the SkinSmart line is that you can safely use them on children and babies.

The Coleman SkinSmart Wipes are really convenient because they can be thrown in your purse or bag for easy use on the go. The wipes are easy to use and one wipe really goes a long way.

Connect:

You can connect with Coleman Repellents on Facebook and @ColemanBugSpray on Twitter!

Buy It!

You can buy Coleman Repellents at these retailers near you.

The Giveaway: How would you like to win a prize pack that includes the following:

Two (2) SkinSmart aerosol sprays
Two (2) packages of SkinSmart wipes
Two (2) Botanicals in a pump bottle

I have one to give away to one lucky contestant!

To enter the giveaway head over to Coleman Repellents, take a look around and tell me something else that you'd love to try! This step must be done before you can qualify for extra entries.

Extra Entries:

Follow @ColemanBugSpray on Twitter
"Like" Coleman Repellents on Facebook
One extra entry for having the "Summer Fun &n Moving Event" banner on your site!
Follow Outnumbered 3 to 1 through Google Friend Connect , subscribe by email or through a reader {1 entry for each}
"Like" Outnumbered 3 to 1 on Facebook or follow through Networked Blogs on Facebook {1 entry for each}
Post the Outnumbered 3 to 1 button on your blog sidebar and/or add us to your text blog roll, leaving a link {1 entry for each}
Share this post using the "share" button below {Let me know where you shared it and your user name if applicable}
Comment on any non-giveaway post {1 entry for each post commented on, max 2 extra entries}
Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Make sure to leave a direct link {5 Entries, commenting 5 times}
Follow @OutnumberedMama on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway using the following tweet and leave a direct link to your tweet {Can be done daily}

#Win an assortment of SkinSmart products @ColemanBugSpray @OutnumberedMama http://outnumbered3-1.com #Giveaway #SummerFun

Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry, otherwise it will just be counted as one. Your loss.

This giveaway is open to residents of the US until August 11th at 11:59 pm.

Check out a complete list of giveaway rules.

I received samples for the purpose of reviewing. Opinions expressed are my own or my families and are not influenced by any form of compensation. Take it or leave it. Click here to view my full acknowledgment policy.

A FIN-tastic Birthday Card!

Materials Used:

Paper - StampinUP! Pumpkin Pie, Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, Tempting Turquoise; Bazzill orange, dotted swiss brown; K & Company Halloween pack; Michael's blue glitter
Stamps: My Pink Stamper Even More Punny-licious, Everyday Life; Peachy Keen Stamps PK-753 Critter Faces Set A small
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Swirls
Ink - Paper Trey Ink True Black
Pen - Uni-ball white
Adhesive - Xyron (1.5 and 250), StampinUP pop dots
Cricut Cartridge - Create A Critter

Create A Citter Cricut Cuts:

Base of fish (Chocolate Chip) 2 x 1.26
Fish (Pumpkin Pie) 2 x 1.26
Fish body (K & Company) 1.52 x 1.26
Fish head (Bazzill orange) 0.9 x 1.26
Fish bowl (Tempting Turquoise) 4 x 3.28
Water in bowl (Blue glitter) 3.5 x 3.38
Sand in bowl (Bazzill spotted swiss brown) 3.24 x 3.38
Plant in bowl (Kiwi Kiss) 0.81 x 2.43

Other: Kiwi Kiss to emboss was cut at 3.75 x 5.25

Given I have a gypsy, I am able to cut every layer at one time. Here is the paper place on the cutting mat.

After the Cricut has cut the layers out, it is time to assemble. Given that the "water" layer is glitter paper, I decided use my Xyrons to apply the adhesive.

For bigger cuts I use my larger Xyron (250).

For smaller or narrow pieces I use my small hand-held Xyron (1.5).

For all the fish pieces, I used the same small Xyron.

Now it is time to put the fishbowl together.

1. Blue glitter is applied to the fish bowl.

2. The Bazzill spotted brown paper is applied to the glitter.

3. The Kiwi Kiss plant is applied to the brown paper.

Now it is time to assemble the fish. Again, I used the smaller Xyron. Assemble the fish as follows:

1. The Pumpkin Pie fish is applied to the Chocolate Brown fish.
2. The K&Company paper is applied to Pumpkin Pie paper fish.
3. The light orange is applied to the K&Company.
4. The fish is applied to the fish bowl.

I used Peachy Keen Stamps - to stamp the eye. I colored in the eye area with an Uni-ball white gel pen.

I used Paper Trey Ink - Perfect Match in True Black (the best ink out there).

Very carefully I combined two of My Pink Stamper stamps to create the saying on the card - Have a FIN-TASTIC Birthday! I used my StampinUP black marker and "colored" over the words Have a (My Pink Stamper Everyday Life Stamp set) and stamped it at the top of the fish bowl.

Next I used My Pink Stamper Even More Punny-licious set and "colored in FIN-TASTIC (did not color the exclamation point) with the black marker and stamped it above the water. I did the same thing with Birthday! (from the same stamp as Have a) and stamped it at the bottom of the bowl.

Assembling the card is the last part - I ran the 3.75 x 5.25 Kiwi Kiss paper through my Cuttlebug using Swirls embossing folder. I adhered it to a white card measuring 4 x 5.5. Using pop dots, I adhered the fish bowl to the Kiwi Kiss.

Summer Fun - Clue - World of Harry Potter Game Review

A classic game meets a classic story! In Clue World of Harry Potter there are Dark Forces at work. A friend has vanished and its up to you to rescue them before its too late. Playing as Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna or Neville, you must try to discover who did it, what spell or item they used and where the student was attacked. Was it Fenrir Greyback with a Cursed Necklace in the Forbidden Forest?

Use the Floo Network to travel faster through the wizarding world -- but watch out for unlit fireplaces! When you're sure of your facts, return to the Burrow to make your final accusations and win the game!

My son Cody and I are huge Harry Potter fans. We've seen the movies together since the beginning, we have all of them in a special edition pack including the books. His Grandma even owns the wands, special Hogwarts school books and many other items. Our family is just a wee bit obsessed with Harry Potter. So when given the chance to review Clue - World of Harry Potter Game, we were so excited!

With the last Harry Potter movie finally released, it was nice to have something to carry on our tradition as a family. We may not be able to go to the movies anymore, but we can sit and play Harry Potter Clue and figure out who did what and when just as we tried deducing with the movies before the end! We play on the weekends for family night and Cody has won the last game, but this weekend I am calling for a rematch!

You move about the board making suggestions, but you have to be very careful because the wheels on the board turn and fireplaces can light up, there are hidden doorways and the Dark Mark. Whenever the Dark Mark appears that means that Dark Forces at work.

You can pick up Help cards, they have spells and items that stop you from losing Floo powder tokens when the Dark Forces are working. The Floo powder tokens allow you to travel room to room using fireplaces. You have to guard them because if you run out you won’t be able to use the magical fireplaces to move around the board. It gets to be very challenging! We enjoyed that mix up of the original Clue game, our family loves a challenge and it was a great inclusion for Harry Potter.

You don't have to be a Harry Potter fan to love the game. It is really just a fun family game that will have everyone scrambling or laughing till the end (well I was laughing), but for those of you Harry Potter fans is it a great piece to add to your collection of memorabilia of one of the greatest books written!

Buy It!

You can buy the Clue - World of Harry Potter Game for $27.99 on Amazon.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Summer Fun & Moving - Wolf-Garten Vegetable Garden Set from BluestoneGarden Review

"Gardening for many of BlueStone Garden’s customers is their first hobby and a large part of their life’s adventure. Whether it is planting a new perennial variety, wrestling with paving stones for that new garden path or the simple pleasure of a morning alone in the garden, BlueStone’s company mission is simple; To provide the best quality, tested and innovative gardening products from around the world."

One of the exciting things about moving into this house was the fact that we have a huge yard. Our lot is almost an acre and actually the largest lot in our little neighborhood. It's absolutely amazing!

Of course, with my gardening addiction, that's perfect for me! I finally have all the room that I want to plant flowers and even have an actual fresh vegetable garden! Thus, I thought the Wolf-Garten Vegetable Garden Set would be absolutely perfect to review.

"We recommend this kit for the vegetable gardener. With these Wolf-Garten tool's you can accomplish everything you need to produce and maintain a productive vegetable garden. One bag of tools, one handle, one great garden.

This collection of tools is a great way to save money... 25% savings. It also makes a great gift for the gardener in your life."

Unfortunately for me, it was too late in the planting season by the time we could actually do a garden. There was just so much other more important remodeling work to do first. But, each and every one of these tools has come in handy big time either way!

The fact that this kit comes with a short and long handle is just such a smart idea. The whole set really comes in handy for every day yard care. We use the rake regularly for grass and weed clippings. The pruner I use for my flowers and small weeds. I use the trowel for planting. Once I can really do the veggie garden, these will come in handy even more!

Each of the tools I have used are really heavy duty and sturdy. Even the handles seem to be quite strong and I doubt they could be easily destroyed. I also love the convenience of just having to store the one long handle, then the rest of the stuff can go into drawers. It really leaves a lot less clutter than if I had each of these tools individually on their own long handle. Besides, the ability to switch between long and short handle is definitely a convenience!

Besides this set, Bluestone Garden offers so many more products to make your gardening time that much easier. They even carry potting benches and greenhouses!

Connect:

You can connect with BluestoneGarden on Facebook!

Buy It!

You can buy the Wolf-Garten Vegetable Garden Set for $99.99.

I received samples for the purpose of reviewing. Opinions expressed are my own or my families and are not influenced by any form of compensation. Take it or leave it. Click here to view my full acknowledgment policy.