Wednesday, September 29, 2021

FILLO's Americas Made Sofrito Beans, Rice and More Make Flavorful Meals Easy Peasy

 *DISCLOSURE* Thank you to FILLO's Americas Made for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

Looking for a delicious time-saving side for mealtime?  FILLO's Americas Made has got you covered!


FILLO's offers up beans, rice, lentils, garbanzos and more infused with a healthy does of scrumptious sofrito.  (Never heard of sofrito?  You are missing out!  Take diced aromatic vegetables like onions, garlic and bell peppers, alongside herbs and spices like oregano and cumin, and cook them in extra virgin olive oil for about 15 minutes.  We like to make up a big batch and freeze it in ice cube trays.  Then we pop a cube or two into pretty much any savory dish for an added bump flavor and nutrition. Yum!!)  FILLO's non-GMO Project Verified, shelf-stable, ready to eat, vegan friendly sides are packed with plant protein and make a lovely addition to any meal.  Check out some of their delicious options:

Cuban Black Bean

Peruvian Lentils

 Puerto Rican Pink Beans

 Tex Mex Pinto Beans

 Mexican Mayocoba Beans

 Panamanian Chickpeas

Cuban Congri

Why Americas made, plural?  While FILLO's products are made in the United States, their brand is inspired by the common aspects found in many foods from all over the Americas and you can taste the delicious inspirations in these pouches!


It couldn't be much easier to prepare the perfect side dish.  Just vent and heat the pouch and serve.  Alternatively, you can pour the pouch into a microwave safe dish as well.  FILLO's are packed with flavor and nutrients and we enjoyed each and every variety!

Grab your family some FILLO's this fall and watch how quickly they all become members of the clean plate club:)



Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Create Spooky Treats This Fall with the Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook!

 *DISCLOSURE* Thank you to the publisher for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

We love the cult classic Hocus Pocus and watch it every year.  This year, we will be adding a few special treats to our watching party thanks to this awesome cookbook:

The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook: Bewitchingly Delicious Recipes for Fans of the Halloween Classic 


Join the Sanderson sisters just in time for Halloween with this USA Today bestselling cookbook that is sure to put a spell on you!


Since its debut in 1993, the movie Hocus Pocus has achieved cult-classic fame, with both children and adults as a loyal fanbase. Fans fall in love with the delightful, demonic and diva-esque Sanderson Sisters and the sleepy New England town they torment. Now you can conjure up your own spooky treats and bewitching drinks to celebrate Halloween, whether you’re attending a surprise rave in town, or just spending “a quiet evening at home.”


The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook is filled with over 60 recipes for fare inspired by everyone’s favorite witches and their spells, potions, and schemes. It is the ultimate must-have for fans of all ages—but don’t worry, no children were harmed in the test of these recipes. Inside you’ll find frightfully delicious recipes for:

-Burning Rain of Death Punch
-William’s Wormy Grave Tombstone Cake
-Dead Man’s Toes Sausage Appetizers
-Baked Witch Casserole
-“Way to Go, Virgin” mocktails
And much more!

Get in on the Hocus Pocus craze this fall with some really fun foods and drinks from this great cookbook!




Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Get Back-to-School Clean with Arm & Hammer and OxiClean!

 *DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Arm & Hammer and OxiClean for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

Take a look at some of our favorite cleaning products that we always like to have on hand, especially during the back-to-school season!




ARM & HAMMER recently released it's Essentials Disinfecting Wipes.  They feature a citrus-based disinfectant formula that kills 99.9 percent of viruses & bacteria and cleans without harsh chemicals.  Because the active ingredient is citrus-based and they contain no quaternary ammonium chloride compounds like other leading brands, ARM & HAMMER Essentials Disinfecting Wipes are worry-free to use on a range of household surfaces.



 Safely eliminate pesticides, wax and soil with the cleaning power of pure & simple ingredients like baking soda, salt and plant-derived cleaning agents.  This is a must-have for clean, safe to eat fruits and veggies!



The OxiClean On-The-Go Stain Removing Pen is specifically formulated to remove the most common ‘on the go’ stains like coffee, wine and lipstick. The OxiClean pen uses a safe and effective formula that doesn’t leave a residue behind.  They are perfect for tossing in your purse or school bag for those on-the-go mishaps.

Stock up on these great cleaning products from brands you can trust to safely get the job done and be prepared for all those messes back-to-school season brings!


Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Therapedic Sleep RX Down Alternative Comforter Keeps You Cool Year Round!

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Therapedic for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

With thoughts of fall dancing in my head, I am often feeling the desire to curl up under a big cozy blanket.  Then the reality sets in...I live in South Texas.  That means fall-like weather is far, far away even though everywhere we go has been pumpkin-spicified!  However, Therapedic's Sleep RX Down Alternative Comforter has made my fall snuggling dreams come true thanks to the filling of Suprelle Cool Night Fiber.  This means I can get comfy cozy under a big cushy blanket, even during South Texas' seemingly never-ending summer, without feeling overheated. 


 The Sleep RX Comforter from Therapedic allows you to treat yourself to a little bit of luxury. This gorgeous white sateen bedding is so soft. so cool. so stretchy, you may not ever want to get out of bed!


This comforter is earth friendly thanks to plant based yarns and features handy corner loops in case you want to throw it in a duvet cover. It's the perfect comforter for year round use, keeping you cool in the warmer months and cozy in the cooler months.  Though down here, I'm not sure that we have cooler months plural, maybe cooler month, as in all of our "cool" days add up to about a full month's worth of days, lol!!


Therapedic's Box Quilting Pattern prevents fill from clumping and shifting which solves the problem we had with our older comforter.  Plus, this fabulous comforter is machine washable!  What, what?!  Gotta love that! 

The Sleep RX Down Alternative comes in all sizes between twin and king, so you can get one for every bed in your house this fall and give everybody a comfortable night's sleep.  You are so awesome! 


Check out Therapedic at Bed, Bath and Beyond for an excellent variety of bedding and other home linens this fall!



Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Monday, September 20, 2021

Check Out What We're Reading: Fall Picture Book Roundup

 *DISCLOSURE* Thank you to the publishers for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

Check out some of our favorites books that we are reading this Fall:


Where is Everyone? by Tom Schamp 

(September 2021; ISBN: 978-3-7913-7450-5; Hardcover $14.95; Ages 2+; 14 pages)

A toaster, a refrigerator, a sink, a bed, a car. Most kids can recognize these and other things that are part of their everyday lives. Leave it to Tom Schamp to imagine a different way of seeing them. As kids pore over these brightly colored and highly detailed pictures they’ll be delighted to discover a monkey on a surfboard and an elephant in a bowler hat— all inhabiting the same shapes they recognize in their homes. Each whimsical illustration offers a chance to explore, discuss, and giggle at the unexpected. Every page will encourage kids to think creatively and differently about the world around them and the possibilities that lie hidden in the things we see every day.

When I See Red by Britta Teckentrup 

(September 2021; ISBN: 978-3-7913-7494-9; Hardcover $14.95; Ages 4+; 40 pages)

The heroine of this beautifully illustrated story feels her anger like a storm in a dark forest. It sweeps her away, and she thunders and howls. She pours down her emotions like sheets of rain; rage surges like a wind whipping angry waves. Her anger takes her on a wild ride.

Appropriate for a wide variety of ages, this book illustrates many aspects of anger that are often hard to articulate— how overwhelming it is, how isolating, even scary. But it also shows anger to be a source of power and an agent for change. Teckentrup’s impactful, boldly colored paintings skillfully evoke the way intense anger can take us on an emotional journey, one that can be both exhausting and affirming. This beautiful tribute to one girl’s experience of anger offers readers the opportunity to make sense of, and talk about their own feelings of rage in a time when that kind of understanding is more important than ever.

The Weather Pop-Up Book by Maike Biederstaedt 

(September 2021; ISBN: 978-3-7913-7393-5; Hardcover $25; Ages 5+; 15 pages)

In her hugely successful books Creatures of the Deep and What’s in the Egg?, as well as her enormously popular series of greeting cards for the Museum of Modern Art, Maike Biederstaedt has established herself as one of the preeminent paper artists working today. Now Biederstaedt takes book engineering to new heights as she immerses readers in five electrifying weather scenarios. As each spread unfolds, a meticulously designed landscape emerges—a freighter balances like a nutshell between high waves in the sea; a tornado takes terrifying aim at a truck trying to outrun it; a rain-spewing storm cloud towers like a skyscraper over a farm house. Nature’s delicate beauty emerges in the intricate shapes of a snowflake and in the luminous arc of a rainbow. Each page features an informative description of its weather event and the book closes with sobering commentary on the effects of climate change. A wondrous introduction to weather for budding climatologists, this is also an artistic tour de force that collectors will treasure.

Is There Life on Your Nose? by Christian Bortslap 

(September 2021; ISBN: 978-3-7913-7497-0; Hardcover $17.95; Ages 6+; 56 pages)

Germs, microbes, bacteria—these days those words are fraught with fear and uncertainty. But they’re not all bad. In fact, most of them make life and nature possible. Christian Borstlap’s playful, boldly colored illustrations and cheerful text will help kids understand that microbes are everywhere—in our noses and tummies, in the food we eat, in the air we breathe. From the world’s largest organism in Oregon’s Blue Mountains, to the bacteria that started life on earth; from microbes that help recycle plastic, to yeast that makes bread taste good—this book shows the incredible diversity of these tiny beings and how they affect every aspect of our lives. Borstlap uses both science and humor to demystify a potentially scary subject, and closes with double-page spreads that are packed with information to satisfy the most curious readers.

The Book of Labyrinths and Mazes by Silke Vry and illustrated by Finn Dean 

(September 2021; ISBN: 978-3-7913-7474-1; Hardcover $19.95; Ages 7+; 96 pages)

This brilliant book on mazes and labyrinths in history and the modern world encourages young readers to really think about why these puzzles are so appealing. Filled with photographs, drawings, artwork, illustrations, and puzzles, it takes a thematic approach to these enigmatic works. Why are we sometimes afraid to get lost—and why does the idea excite us? How do mazes and labyrinths figure in history and mythology? What can nature tell us about humankind’s obsession with lines, spirals, and patterns? Along the way children will learn about the labyrinth designed by Daedalus for King Minos in the ancient city of Crete; the mystery of the Hemet Maze Stone in southern California; and the magnificent labyrinth at the Cathedral of Chartres. They are encouraged to trace their fingers along a labyrinth to experience its soothing effect, to solve maze-related number puzzles, and to create their own mazes and labyrinths. Packed with fun facts and engaging ideas, this book will help children understand why mazes and labyrinths are so popular, while inspiring them to identify and create these fascinating puzzles in their own world.

The Day Time Stopped by Flavia Ruotolo 

(October 2021; ISBN: 978-3-7913-7489-5; Hardcover $14.95; Ages 5+; 48 pages)

One afternoon in Italy, a little girl is about to take a bite of her delicious popsicle when time . . . stops. At that very moment, across the planet, people and animals are frozen in action— captured by this book’s warm, quirky illustrations and clever, time-stamped captions. A penguin hatches in South Georgia; a little girl gets a haircut in Brazil; a family sits down to breakfast in California; a tiger falls asleep in Bangladesh; a boy’s football ball gets stuck in a tree in Cape Verde. The sheer enormity of planet Earth can be impossible for young kids to grasp. Here, in this playful introduction to time zones, hemispheres, and life in different climates, kids will identify with all the ordinary things going on at the same time in our extraordinary world.

I Saw a Beautiful Woodpecker by Michał Skibiński and illustrated by Ala Bankroft 

(October 2021; ISBN: 978-3-7913-7486-4; Hardcover: $16.95; Ages 6+; 128 pages)

It is the summer of 1939 in Warsaw, Poland and Michal is an eight- year-old boy just finishing his school year. In order to improve his handwriting, Michal’s teacher gives him a simple assignment: keep a journal, writing one sentence a day. Eighty years later, Michal’s diary has been gorgeously illustrated with beautifully atmospheric paintings. Eloquent in its simplicity, the journal is a remarkable artifact that captures the innocence of childhood and the trauma of war. The journal starts out with a typical boy’s observations: “July 15: I went to a stream with my brother and teacher.” “July 23: I found a caterpillar.” However over the course of weeks, menacing details emerge. “July 27: A plane was circling over Anin.” “September 1: The war has begun.” “September 3: I hid from planes.” “September 14: Warsaw is bravely defending itself.” These haunting entries are interspersed with visits from relatives, a soccer game, a trip to a park, an ice cream cone. Photographs of pages from Michal’s diary enhance the poignancy of this simple record—an ordinary holiday interrupted by war; a life changed forever by an extraordinary moment in history.

MICHAŁ SKIBIŃSKI was 8 years old and a schoolboy at Warsaw Primary school when he wrote this diary in the summer 1939. Today he lives in a retirement house for elderly priests. ALA BANKROFT is a painter, photographer and film animator living in Warsaw, Poland.

Green Kids Cook: Simple, Delicious Recipes & Top Tips: Good For You, Good For the Planet by Jenny Chandler 

(7/13/21; ISBN: 978-1-91-166358-4;9781911663584.jpg Hardcover $23.95; 160 pages)

This is a fun cookbook aimed at children' aged 7-14 that teaches young people to engage with healthy food and sustainability.

This sequel to Cool Kids Cook emphasizes how to teach children to cook in the most environmentally sound and sustainable way. With over 50 easy and adaptable recipes and special feature spreads on the environment, simple ways to be more eco-friendly, and a few fun crafting projects, this will be a book to really engage the next generation of foodies in a positive way. There is no better trick to get children eating more healthily than letting them take the reins in the kitchen. Including recipes for Breakfasts, Snacks, Soups & Salads, Mains and Sweets, this is an inspirational and empowering cookbook for kids.

Jenny Chandler teaches regularly in London and Bath, UK. She has made television appearances for BBC, ITV and Carlton Food Network. She is the author of The Food of Northern Spain, The Real Taste of Spain, Pulse, and Cool Kids Cook.

This Book is Not a Bedtime Story by Eoin McLaughlin & Robert Starling 

(9/7/21; ISBN: 978-1-84-365506-0; Hardcover $16.95; Ages 3-6; 32 pages) is a hilarious, spooky tale by a celebrated author and illustrator.

This book is NOT a bedtime story.
It’s scary, strange, and rather gory.
Bedtime stories make you sleepy.
This book won’t.
It’s much too CREEPY.

Except it isn’t... This book is told by a group of monsters who think they’re very scary, but in fact they’re not—they’re cute and cuddly. They try their hardest to frighten—in a haunted house, creepy wood, ghostly ship, and darkest dark, but each time they fail! The problem is, these monsters aren’t at all scary, they’re a bit silly and a bit cuddly. They share the insecurities and worries of us humans and all they want is a good night’s sleep.

Eoin McLaughlin was born in Ireland and lives in London. He has written several books, including Secret Agent Elephant and The Hug.

Robert Starling was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2018 for his debut book, Fergal is Fuming. He lives in Norwich, UK.

Protest! How People Have Come Together to Change the World by Alice & Emily Haworth-Booth 

(9/7/21; ISBN: 978-1-84-365512-1; Hardcover $22.50; Ages 8+; 168 pages) 

This is a timely book on the history of peaceful protest, from the Egyptian pyramid workers’ strike of 1170 BCE all the way up to the present day.

Protest has changed our planet—from Roman times to today, ordinary people have stood up for what they believe in and made the world a better place. The global history of protest is brought to life in this engagingly illustrated book, which includes the Boston Tea Party, the Storming of the Bastille, the Abolitionist Movement, the Women’s Suffrage Movement, anti-Vietnam War, the Stonewall riots, the Monday Demonstrations, the Arab Spring, Black Lives Matter, Extinction Rebellion, and much more. It looks at creative ways of protesting: student strikes, singing protests, guerrilla gardening, noisy protests, and surreal happenings, and ends with a practical section on how children can organize a protest for themselves.

Alice Haworth-Booth is a London-based freelance graphic designer who works mainly for third-sector organizations. Both Alice and her sister Emily are activists with Extinction Rebellion.

Emily Haworth-Booth is an award-winning author and illustrator who teaches at the Royal Drawing School, London. Her debut picture book, The King Who Banned the Dark, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, among other awards. Her second book, The Last Tree, has been nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2021.

Where's Brian's Bottom? A Veeeerrrrry Long Fold-Out Book by Rob Jones 

(9/21/21; ISBN: 978-1-84-365466-7; Board Book $9.95; Ages 1-4; 24 pages)

This is an innovative and fun concertina board book, offering over 61⁄2 feet of fold-out fun!

Brian is a very long sausage dog. So long he’s lost his bottom! Where could it be? Maybe it’s in the living room, with Alan the hamster? Or could it be in the bathroom with Derrick the duck? Oh, where has it got to? Help Brian find his bottom with this unique board book that just keeps growing and growing! As well as being entertaining, it teaches young children all about the different rooms in a house, about different animals and the sounds they make, and encourages a sense of curiosity.

Rob Jones studied illustration at the University of Gloucestershire, UK, where he also discovered a love for making books, toys, and puppets. His first book, Bernard, won the People’s Book Prize in 2014.

From funny and entertaining to thought-provoking and impactful, these books are fantastic additions to our bookshelf this Fall!  Grab a few and gather the whole family for a snuggly reading marathon, so fun!!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Friday, September 17, 2021

Back-To-School with Pampered and Protected Lips Thanks to EcoLips Balms!

  

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to EcoLips for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

EcoLips makes it easy to pamper your lips this back-to-school season! 


Check out some of our favorite new products from EcoLips:



Plant Pod® is the first plant-based, 100% plastic-free lip balm tube that fully functions like a regular tube.  This back-to-basics Pure & Simple lip balm is made with just FOUR ingredients - sunflower oil, beeswax, Vitamin E and flavor. Certified organic and 100% edible - yes, you can actually eat it! 
We love these Pure & Simple flavors: Raspberry, Coconut and Vanilla, especially the coconut!

Looking for an all-around ultimate lip moisturizer? Gold is truly the gold standard. Made with organic baobab seed oil which is high in omega fatty acids to smooth, soften, and condition your skin. This unflavored balm is anything but "vanilla". Gold is perfect for those with sensitive lips that are prone to cracking, chapping and bleeding.



These 100% beeswax-free vegan lip balms are made of candelilla wax, a plant-based wax with a soft and glossy consistency, certified organic & Fair Trade Certified™ cocoa butter and coconut oil to leave your lips incredibly soft and supple. We are really enjoying this variety of vegan Bee Free® lip balm in flavors like lemon lime, sweet mint and superfruit!



Finally, my new favorite at-home lip treatment, hands down! The ultimate lip care product, Eco Lips Intensive Overnight Lip Mask will nourish and moisturize while you sleep. This treatment is so awesome! After using it before bed, I wake up the next morning with soft, supple and kissable lips!
Organic Jojoba, Coconut and Argan oils nourish while Gotu Kola Extract supports collagen and helps to rejuvenate dry, cracked and chapped lips. Blackberry fruit extract, high in Vitamins A, C, and K, rounds out the formula to help fight free radicals. Yum and yes please!!

We adore EcoLips balms and treatments!  They offer such a great variety of lip products that help to keep our lips in tip top shape...moisturized and feeling good!  Grab a few of these fantastic goodies to have on hand for the whole fam this fall!



Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

September is National Family Hydration Awareness Month! Celebrate with SOS Hydration

 *DISCLOSURE* Thank you to SOS Hydration for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

SOS Hydration (www.SOSHydration.com ), makers of science-based, research-proven and best-in-class family hydration drink products, today announced the launch of its first annual September “National Family Hydration Awareness Month” initiative, during which the public is invited to learn about the physical, cognitive and emotional benefits of pre-hydrating to avoid becoming dehydrated. Throughout September “National Family Hydration Awareness Month,” families will enjoy an assortment of activities and benefits aimed to help them become, and remain, hydration-minded as the new school and business year kicks into gear. From its web site at www.SOSKidsHydration.com, families can learn more about the science of hydration and see the full line of SOS Hydration products for both adults and children.

lemonade stick Kids Paw Patrol-front view.png
Also commencing September 2021, children across America can enjoy SOS Hydration’s healthier and more effective alternative to the mass-market sugary drinks targeted to children. The company’s new child–specific, low sugar electrolyte drink mix formula—SOS Kids, featuring PAW Patrol®—is now available online at SOSHydration.com, Walmart.com starting September 11 and, also this September, will be exclusively available on shelves in every Walmart store throughout the United States.

“As a dad of two young girls I wanted a better-for-you lunch box alternative to the high sugar, unhealthy beverages marketed at children...plus I understand the power of PAW Patrol,” said James Mayo, Co-Founder and CEO of SOS Hydration. “My girls love the pups and I love what they stand for. With our company having formulated the first kids-specific electrolyte, vitamin and mineral drink, my wife and I felt the PAW Patrol franchise was a perfect partner since their values mirror our own. The pups now grace the packaging of our SOS Kids line that not only tastes great, but also gives children that boost of hydration—all without the artificial ‘nasties’ and high sugar content of other so-called solutions on the market.”

10ct strawberry Kids Paw Patrol-front view.png
SOS Kids was specially-formulated for daily hydration by SOS Hydration Co-Founder and board certified Internal Medicine physician Dr. Blanca Lizaola-Mayo to help keep children optimally hydrated, and actually avoid becoming dehydrated in the first place—a condition that compromises the body and mind in a variety of ways. SOS Kids has only three grams of sugar; is boosted with Vitamins A and C, minerals Zinc and Magnesium; and contains no artificial additives—all designed to keep kids ahead of their hydration needs so they can perform better and get more from their days. “The first sign of thirst means you are dehydrated,” notes Dr. Lizaola-Mayo. “SOS helps the body absorb water two to three times faster than drinking water alone and provides a better alternative for children over juices, powders and other sports drinks laden with unnecessary sugar, calories, carbohydrates and additives.”

Mayo added, “SOS Kids is a valuable addition to our popular adult hydration line that is based off independent and 3rd party research for maximum advocacy,” Mayo said. “We’ve also put our product formulas up for independent research so that we can base our claims on fact rather than self-promotional rhetoric. One need only review the ‘How does SOS Compare’ page of our web site to appreciate the comprehensive suite of reasons putting our formula in a scientific league of its own. We want consumers to fully vet us against our competitors as well as published scientific standards so they can truly understand appreciate what sets up apart and makes our product worthy of their hard-earned dollars.”

About SOS Hydration
SOS Hydration is a science and research-backed electrolyte drink for both adults and children that is based on proven sports and medical findings to help the body absorb water two to three times faster than drinking water, alone. The brand’s corporate mission is to drive the hydration education though facts and apt formulations rather than marketing spin and hype. NBA great and former Olympian Charles Smith is actively involved with the company, and Kevin Harrington—famed sales and marketing guru and original Shark Tank member—recently joined the SOS team as an investor and advisor. SOS has also partnered with Global Empowerment Mission and Bethany Frankel’s BStrong Foundation on philanthropic endeavors. SOS Hydration is founded by former quarter mile runner, former British Mile Champion and former Army officer James Mayo who serves as company CEO; Blanca Lizaola M.D, a board certified Internal medicine physician finalizing a fellowship in gastroenterology and transplant hepatology; and former national middle distance runner Tom Mayo. Learn more and get hydrated at www.SOSHydration.com.




Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Friday, September 10, 2021

Doodle Hog Art Supplies Make Back to School Fun!

  DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Doodle Hog for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 


We love implementing art into our homeschool.  It allows us to explore our creativity and is a relaxing hobby as well.  We recently found Doodle Hog, a great source of quality art supplies at fantastic prices!  Check out a few of our faves:


A is really into to watercolors at the moment, so it's no surprise that our favorite new supplies fall into that category.



 This premium watercolor paint set is designed with the true artist in mind. The half pan set is secured in a portable metal palette case and comes with a swatch sheet of watercolor paper, multi-page technique guide, an easy-squeeze water brush pen, and 48 professional-grade watercolor half pans.

 Get creative with 48 different watercolor half pans. The highly-pigmented colors blend and dry beautifully, providing artists with the best 'true to color' watercolor experience. Combine the vivid watercolors to create custom hues or layer them for gorgeous glazing. Each of the premium colors provides exceptional staining for all watercolor techniques to bring your artwork to life.


 Explore all the beautiful wash techniques using the Technique Guide. The color-rich paint is excellent for flat washing, graded washes, and vivid variegated washes. Also create various watercolor textures like stippling and splattering. There are endless technique combinations using the 48 watercolors.


Each watercolor half pan comes with a refillable 4 mm water brush that fits easily into the portable metal case. The easy pinch grip of the brush allows you to comfortably control the water flow while painting. You can create fine line details, blend colors together, or boldly layer watercolors for endless possibilities!


The half pan set is light for transporting while keeping everything secure in the metal case. The lids fold out to provide multiple mixing wells for easy blending and simple clean up. Just snap the color pans in and out of the palette to adjust. The water brush is easily refilled anywhere that you're inspired.




Remarkable Value Budget friendly price without comprising on quality. Our artists agree, after comparing other expensive water color brush pens, Doodle Hog's offer amazing quality for the money.


Effortless Control You won't be disappointed with these water color markers gives you the ability to move across paper and lay down easily without streaking or leaving wet marks. Its watercolor without big messes. Dipped in water for lighter washes to create beautiful watercolor effect, use without water for fine line marker effects. BETTER than alcohol markers and more FLEXIBLE than real brushes with color that lends itself to blending and watercolor easily.


Provides Fine and Broad Lines: Excellent point tip for calligraphy to intricate graphic work. Easily gets in to those tiny spaces. Soft and flexible brushes allow bristles to lay down for a controlled stroke.


Intense Pigment: Blends smoothly over other true and deep colors, and yet can be much lighter color on a wet ground. 48 true deep intense colors and 2 refillable real brush pens packaged in premium gift box.


We have had so much fun trying out these fun watercolor sets!



Doodle Hog has supplies and art sets for all ages and they are a great way to kick off the back to school season!  Check them out on their Amazon store!




Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.