Whole Foods Weekender Bag + Giveaway!

By Meg Hodson

I received a complimentary sample of products from Whole Foods in exchange for my post. All opinions remain 100% my own.

We may be nearing the end of summer, but there is still some time to sneak in some travel and fun weekends away. That is actually the primary travel my family has done this summer....day trips to the beach, hanging out in Seattle. Most have been with all my kids and husband, but I did manage to sneak one day trip in with just my daughter, which was fun.

What better way to stay fresh and fabulous during travel than with a bag from Whole Foods packed with all the essentials for a perfect weekend away. They are in stores now for the bargain price of $6.99. Trust me, this is a great deal! I know the prices of conventional travel sizes can be spendy; you are paying for the convenience. 

I would rather put that money toward eco-friendly, gentle products like the ones found in this bag. Here's what you get in the Whole Foods Weekender Travel Bag:

1. Juice Beauty Nutrient Moisturizer. Perfect for all skin types, it's filled with hydrating plant oils and botanicals.
2. Acure Repairing Shampoo. Filled with moroccan oil, it's moisturizing and smells great.
3. Acure Repairing Conditioner. This compliments the shampoo and leaves hair silky smooth.
4. Alaffia African Black Soap. Filled with essential oils, it can be used on the face and body.
5. Tom's of Maine Simply White Toothpaste. I have been a longtime Tom's fan and this is the perfect toothpaste.
6. Mineral Fusion Mini Nail Polish. This polish has noformaldehyde, toluene, or DBP.
7. Chico Travel Zip Bag. Sleek and easy to tuck into any travel bag, large or small. Bonus: it's made from recycled plastic bottles. 

You also get a few valuable coupons in the bag, too. It's available now through August 25th (or while supplies last).

Want to secure your bag now? Enter my giveaway below for your chance to win one!

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If you like what you're reading, I invite you to follow my blog.  Cheers!

Apothecary Extracts Tea Tree Oil Review + Giveaway

By Meg Hodson

If you are a regular visitor to my blog, you know that I lean toward healthy food choices and alternative medicine options occasionally. One of those alternative choices is becoming much more mainstream these days: tea tree oil. Do you use tea tree oil? What do you use it for?

I use it a lot in our household! Tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant, so I add it to household cleaners and sprinkle some in my kitchen sink. I love that clean, fresh smell that it lends, too. I also use it topically on skin to treat my children's eczema and for my husband's dry, itchy feet (sorry hon, the secret's out now!). It's great for itchy scalps and as a massage oil, too. I even wrote a blog post awhile back for an eco-friendly wasp spray that gets rid of them fast. I'm a fan.

I recently was given the opportunity to try out a new tea tree oil from Apothecary Extracts. It is a pharmaceutical grade oil. What does that mean? You are not getting a lot of additives and fillers in the oil; it is pure and undiluted and thus very concentrated. A little goes a long way.

Tea tree oil is a pure oil harvested from the leaves of a tree native to Australia. It was traditionally used by aborigines as a topical agent for the skin. It's gained popularity in the USA as a household cleaner. Little did I know that it could be used for a multitude of ailments beyond what I list above: acne, toenail funfus, lice, yeast infections, skin tags, cold sores, dandruff, ringworm, fleas, warts, psoriasis, and more. You can also make your own shampoo, lotion, soap, face cleaner, body wash, and toothpaste. 

The tea tree oil from Apotheary Extracts has a pleasing scent that is not overpowering, like some tea tree oils are. I applied it to some problems areas that are recurring on my children with eczema and it noticeably helped in 2-3 days. It's not greasy feeling at all on the skin and absorbs fairly quickly. I even made a homemade air freshener with vinegar, distilled water, the tea tree oil, and a few drops of lavender oil. It's perfect for bathrooms and stinky shoes!

Want to win a bottle to try? I've got a giveaway for just that! You've must have an Amazon.com profile. Good luck!

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I'd love to hear what you use tea tree oil for? What have been your successes? What did it not work for?

Follow along:

Bloglovin' Blog Hop #104 + Giveaway

This month's banner sponsor!

     

     

1. Add your link directly to your Bloglovin' profile (NOT your blog) in the linky below. You will have to manually upload your profile pic.

2. Follow your host, co-hosts, and sponsors. Be sure to say "hi". 

3. Visit at least 3 other bloggers in the linky.

4. Tweet and share this hop!

5. Enter the giveaway for free ad space on Happy Kids, Inc.!

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Reed's Ginger Brews + Giveaway

By Meg Hodson

I received a complimentary sample of Reed's ginger beer and a mug. All opinions remain 100% my own.

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know I am a BIG fan of food au naturel. I like healthy options, home cooked meals, and taking it easy on sugar. My family doesn't regularly drink soda, but we do occasionally buy specialty drinks for parties, special occasions, or Friday night pizza. And I always like to have ginger ale on hand in case the kiddos get sick.

Reed's line of ginger brews are the perfect to answer to a natural, old-fashioned approach to soda. Their method is an age-old brewing method of the soda. Their brews are brewed directly with roots, spices, and fruit. The result is an amazing flavor that you truly won't find in any soda. You can choose from great flavors like cherry, cider, and the original ginger ale.

My personal favorites are the ginger ale and the ginger beer. I love using the ginger beer (a non-alcoholic soda) in cocktails and "mocktails". I created the delicious "Ginger Sunset" cocktail below (make the "mocktail" version by simply omitting the bourbon, my kids loved it!). Trust me, they are ridiculously addicting and tasty. 

Ginger Sunset

Serves 1

Ingredients:

High quality bourbon whiskey (like Woodford Reserve, Bulleit, etc.)

Reed's Ginger Beer

Freshly squeezed orange juice 

Orange peel

Maraschino cherries

In a 12 ounce glass filled with ice, measure 2 ounces of whiskey and pour over the ice. Squeeze a few drops of orange juice into the glass. Follow this with one maraschino cherry with about a teaspoon of the syrup they come in. Peel a six inch long piece of orange peel and tuck into the glass. Top with Reed's Ginger Beer until it reaches the top of the glass. Get ready for the yum!

Enter my giveaway below so you can enjoy the deliciousness of Reed's Ginger brews!

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If you like what you're reading, I invite you to follow my blog.  Cheers!