Time to Celebrate: V05 is 60! + Giveaway

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

"In 1955 Culver City, creator Alberto, developed VO5 hair conditioning treatment to keep Hollywood starlets’ hair looking healthy and beautiful under the bright Hollywood lights, as depicted here in this vintage TV commercial. Since then, the brand has created a number of other innovative products using its five essential vitamins including their original Hot Oil treatment to the new Shine, Glow & Go Beauty Oil.
To commemorate 60 years of innovation, the brand announced its petition to get the brand a star on Hollywood Boulevard. In order to get Alberto VO5 the much deserved star on Hollywood Boulevard, VO5 is calling fans to sign a virtual petition on its Facebook page. All signatures via the drive will be compiled throughout 2015 and will be presented to the Walk of Fame organizers. We encourage beauty fans everywhere to show their support and spread the word about the drive by using #VO5is60."

I love the fresh scent of the Kiwi Lime Herbal Escapes Cleansing Shampoo and Conditioner.  It leaves my hair soft and smelling great!

VO5's Hot Oil treatment is great for restoring dry, damaged hair.  It provides moisture and leaves hair shiny and soft.  The new Shine, Glow & Go spray can be used on both your hair and skin whenever you need a boost of moisture and shine.  It is easy to apply and smells and looks great.

VO5 has a large selection of excellent products that use their 5 essential vitamins to help keep you looking great everyday without breaking the bank.

Happy 60th VO5!

Enter below to win a VO5 prize pack:

iBbeautiful: A Monthly Box of Inspiration for Teens and Tweens! + Giveaway

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

As the mom of an impressionable tween girl, I am always on the lookout for products that will inspire and encourage her.  An iBbeautiful subscription does just that!

iBbeautiful is a subscription service that delivers fun products plus a monthly message to help young girls realize they are beautiful just as they are.

Each month the folks at iBbeautiful search the market for fun, new and exciting items that range from nail art, accessories, lifestyle items, fun school supplies, body, skin, and hair care. What makes them different is that included in the box is their positive ‘monthly message’ of inspiration and empowerment to help girls feel more confident about themselves and to embrace who they are and believe in what they can become. 

iBbeautiful offers boxes for 2 age ranges, an 8-12 box and a 13 and up box.  They know how hard it can be to shop for teens and tweens, so they also offer a Happy Birthday Gift Bag full of goodies.

Our iBbeautiful box was filled to the brim with awesome products and A was super excited to review them:)  This month's theme was "Aspire."

First up, a pair of Zipper Headphones, $8, and an Aspire Journal, $3.

Next, True Girl Exfoliator, $18.50, and a cute Bra Strap Headband, $8.

Finally, a gorgeous Spring Scarf, $18, and the graphic tee ($10 upgrade) for this month's theme.

Also included in the box were cards describing the featured products and talking more about this month's theme, Aspire.

A really enjoyed the whole iBbeautiful experience and both she and I would recommend this box for teen and tween girls!  A loves each and every product and I appreciate iBbeautiful's message:)

At just $20/month for the Basic Box (4-6 items) or $30/month for the Graphic Tee Box (4-6 items + tee), this service is a real value!  Our box was valued at over $60 which made it way more than the $30/month fee!

Visit iBbeautiful for more info!

Fuel Creativity This Summer with Pley LEGO Rental Service!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Looking for ways to keep your kiddos entertained and engaged this summer?  Maybe an alternative to screen time?  Look no further than Pley:

Pley is a LEGO rental service that is committed to cutting costs for families, boosting creative playtime for kids, and limiting waste on a globally significant scale.

As the mom to 2 LEGO-loving kiddos, I know just how expensive these fun sets can be and I love the idea of a rental service!

Subscribers choose from over 300 LEGO sets in every difficulty level.  Their large LEGO selection includes Star Wars, Friends, Super Heroes, City, Duplo, LEGO movie and more...something for every builder!

When you join, you create a Pleylist  of sets you'd like to rent and within a few days a LEGO set - clean and sanitized, including the mini-figures and the manuals will show up on your doorstep.

Every set is cleaned with an eco- and kid-friendly sterilization solution. Pley's cleaning and sanitation process ensures that 99.99% of residuals, germs and bacteria have been killed and removed from the set before they are shipped out.

Sets are shipped both ways for free using pre-paid shipping labels.  And if you're wondering what happens if your kiddo loses a piece, no worries!  Pley's service includes a guarantee so that you will not be charged anything extra if normal loss occurs. WooHoo! Also, you can visit your Account page to report the set status or any missing pieces.

Pley plans range from one rental set per month, to unlimited rentals per month! You can keep the set as long as you’d like. Depending on your plan type, once you have returned your set, the next one is shipped out to you right away! It usually takes a few days for a new set to arrive, depending on the USPS delivery schedule.

The Builder Plan ($19.99) offers unlimited exchanges each month and the Master Plan ($49.99) gives you unlimited exchanges and access to Pley's largest sets.

As an added bonus, if your child loves the set and wants to keep it, you can easily purchase it from Pley at a discounted rate.

What a fantastic program that really helps save money and reduce clutter, while keeping your kiddos engaged and entertained without a screen in front of them!

Find out more about this fun subscription service at Pley!

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.

Xlear's Spry Products Offer Natural and Effective Oral Care! #MomsMeet

***I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.***

Looking for a great, natural way to protect your oral health?  Check out the Spry line from Xlear:

Xlear has an entire line of health-enhancing products that are made with xylitol, a healthy and natural sweetener. Xylitol has a wide variety of uses and benefits, from improving oral health to maintaining upper respiratory and sinus health. The Xlear Care Kit is equipped with everything you need to naturally care for your oral and sinus health, including Xlear Nasal Spray, Spry Toothpaste, Spry Oral Rinse, Spry Gum, and Spry Gems. 

The gum and mints were a hit here!  I love having candy on hand that is made using a natural sweetener as opposed to the traditional stuff loaded with food dyes, preservatives and high fructose corn syrup.  Spry gum and mints are just the right amount of sweet and great for freshening breath at home or on the go! 

If you have sinus issues that cause dryness or inflammation, Xlear offers fast-relief nasal sprays that are super effective and natural (of course!)

The toothpaste was fantastic and we really enjoyed the oral rinse.  It has a refreshing, minty flavor and proves you don't have to have an alcohol-heavy mouthwash to provide fresh breath and amazing oral health to your whole mouth!

You can purchase the Xlear Care Kit, valued at $65, for only $25 now through June, 30th 2015. Click here to take advantage of this special offer.

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.

Fellowes Saturn 3i 95 Laminator #shopletreviews

ABCD Diaries was provided with the products in this post by Shoplet.com as a member of the Shoplet Product Review Program. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone. 

Thanks to Shoplet and Fellowes, we recently had the chance to try out a Fellowes Saturn 3i 95 Laminator.

"This Laminator features a rapid, one-minute warm-up with InstaHeat Technology. The 9-1/2" entry width accommodates multiple document sizes. Saturn3i 95 Laminator delivers hot lamination for 3 mil or 5 mil and cold setting for self-adhesive pouches. Green light and audible beep indicate when machine is ready to laminate. Release lever disengages pouch for re-centering or removal. Auto shutoff saves energy and prevents overheating. Laminator includes a laminating starter kit."

This laminator was incredibly easy to set up. Seriously, just plug it in and you're ready to rock.  Because it only has a few buttons, it was also amazingly simple to use.  As homeschoolers, we find having a laminator very useful for school purposes, but it would be great for more practical uses as well.  Having a laminator helps safeguard important documents and family mementos.  

We used ours to seal photos for the "Top Secret" Father's Day gifts the kiddos made for B and it worked great.  It only takes seconds to heat up, then a few more seconds to use and bam!  Quality lamination at the touch of a button in mere moments:) 

I would definitely recommend this laminator because of it's ease of use and portability.  It's small size makes it easy to store when not in use, though it can accommodate documents up to 9 1/2 inches.  It's also helpful that it comes with a laminating starter kit.

You can find the Fellowes Saturn 3i 95 Laminator at Shoplet!

Shoplet.com is your one-stop shop for office supplies, promotional products, promotional shirts, and office stationary. 

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.

Take a "Staycation" this Summer with an Escape Monthly Subscription Box Service!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Summer is here and with it comes vacation season.  If you are looking at a slim vacation budget this year, check out Escape Monthly.  Escape Monthly is a subscription box service that delivers a box of goodies from a different place to your door each month.  This box is a fun experience that the whole family can enjoy!

The theme for the Escape Monthly box we reviewed was "The Rocky Mountain Escape."  With our temperatures rising every day here in Texas, we'd love to actually be inn the Rockies this time of year, but since we can't, Escape Monthly is the next best thing:)  Our package was overflowing with amazing products from the Rocky Mountain region to give us an immersive, hands-on experience of the area.

Our box included several great bath and body products:

GOAT’S MILK LOTION 4OZ The Goat’s Milk Lotion is all that it was intended to be. It contains a unique blend of skin-loving oils along with a healthy dose of goat’s milk and shea butter to nourish your skin without the greasy feeling. Earthy, and completely good for your skin. $6.00 

ROSEMARY LAVENDER SOAP FROM Sierra Nevada soap company not officially part of the rocky mountains, we couldn’t resist these hand made soaps with fresh dried herbs and essential oils. $6.50 

BATH BOMB A fun and fragrant way to leave your skin ultra-moisturized! Pop one of our nourishing, fizzing bath bombs in your bath water and watch it explode into a swirling, twirling ball of fragrant, moisturizing fizz! $2.95

2OZ SUNSCREEN AND HOLDER WITH CARABINER NAAWK sun care products uses a proprietary blend of carefully selected ingredients that is light weight, non-greasy yet protective and nourishing. Blending together a balanced mix of key ingredients such as Shea Butter and Natural Oils assures optimum performance and an overall, natural awesome feeling on your skin. Paraben-Free. Proudly made in USA. $6.95 

The box also included several tasty treats:

THE WILD WEST CHOCOLATE BAR - THE HOWDY BAR This Dark Chocolate w/ Almonds chocolate bar has all natural ingredients and helps keep rescued horses in their time of need. We wanted to help out as well as give you all a big HOWDY! $3.50 

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROOT BEER Our FAVORITE HERE at Escape Monthly! Made with ALL NATURAL ingredients, all of which you can count on one hand. Vegan, no GMO’s and hand crafted goodness in each taste $4.00

STASH BAR kate’s stash bar is real food at it’s finest. With only 8 simple ingredients, this nutty flavored bar will keep you fueled and satisfied for hours. Plus, the taste can’t be beat! $2.79 

DIRTY DIANA PRESERVES Tart Montmorency cherries from Brigham City the lack of added sugar (or substitutes)emphasizes the wonderful flavor of these cherries that are normally uses for pies. “Fantastic!” This is becoming one of our all time favorites! $4.00

The box also featured a gorgeous book and key chain:

MOON YELLOWSTONE & GRAND TETON Travel photographer don pitcher reveals the splendors of Yellowstone Park and Grand Teton, from the sought-after vacation town of Jackson and a world-class museum complex in Cody to the gorgeous badlands topography of old-west Dubois. $19.99 

COLLECTORS ADDITION KEY CHAIN Created by a family owned business and each of the 100 Anniversary of Rocky Mountain state park key chain piece is created by hand and embodies the nature it celebrates. Created only once, it is a collectors item for sure. $12.50 

The bonus box (included with a Luxe subscription) featured some awesome goodies as well:

COLUMBINE CORNBREAD This sweeter version of the old standby is a must with Chili $5.50 

MAPLE ALMOND PECAN DELUXE GRANOLA Something amazing happens when you combine buttery pecans, crunchy slivers of almonds and shredded coconut with pure maple syrup. $6.00 

ITALIAN SEASONINGS FROM LOCAL HERBS AND SPICES Add a world of flavor to your fabulous kitchen
creations. $5.95

LAKEWOOD LEMON GRASS CHAI TEA! A crisp & calming blend of lemongrass and exotic Bombay spices
with a light floral note... Sure to float your boat.$2.95 

COTTONWOODS DESIGN TILE This charming hand panted tile represents the beauty of the rocky
Mountains. $8.50

Escape Monthly is a great way to learn about and enjoy places you may not have the time or funds to this summer and year round!  
Escape Monthly subscriptions are a great value, starting at just $49.95.

Start travelling the world today in the comfort and convenience of your own home with a subscription to Escape Monthly!

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.

Indulge Your Sweet Tooth with Barbara's Cookie Pies!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Whether you are looking for a sweet treat for an upcoming celebration or want to spoil yourself with a delicious gourmet treat, look no further than Barbara's Cookie Pies!  Barbara specializes in butter cookies and cookie pies, but you can also find other fun treats on her site.  She is a pro at personalizing her gourmet goodies and her treats are sure to steal the show!

We sampled the Oreo Creme Pie, and oh my!  

"Cookie Pies are delicious sweet treats that look like a pie but eat like a cookie.  Each starts with an authentic, all-natural butter cookie crust  (made from a 3 generation family recipe ) that is hand- pressed to form the bottom layer of each Cookie Pie.  Then each is hand-decorated  with delectable toppings made from high quality baking  ingredients."

The piece above may seem small, but we cut our pie into 12 slivers because a little goes a long way.  This cookie pie was incredibly rich and decadent and enjoyed by the whole crew:)  

Check out Barbara's Cookie Pies and Gourmet Gifts to see Barbara's whole lineup of mouthwatering treats!

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.