SweetLeaf Cola Drops

OK, y'all.  I'm super pysched to tell you that I was chosen by Moms Meet to review SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia Sweet Drops Cola!  I know a ton of blogs review products and some of you bloggers out there are like, "Who cares?" But when I opened up my email and found my acceptance letter, I was like, "What the What?!"

You may be wondering why I'm so excited, so let me tell you.  First of all, I already use one of their other products, SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia Drops Clear, for pretty much everything and it's by far the best stevia brand I've found. Don't be fooled by other stevia products, some are as bad as the pink and blue stuff! It has no bitter aftertaste like other brands I have tasted. I LOVE IT!  When I got the opportunity to review the Sweet Leaf Cola Drops, I was on board!  Secondly, I don't drink soda.  Like, ever. I used to a loooong time ago, but realized how horrible it is for you, so I stopped.  Cold turkey.  It was one of the hardest things I've done.  I can proudly say now that I haven't had a soda in about 6 or 7 years.

Now just because I don't drink soda that doesn't mean that I don't crave it every now and again.  That's why SweetLeaf Cola Drops is such a GENIUS idea! You can have your soda, but without all the harmful chemicals, HFCS, and major guilt.  This is an all natural, organic product.  You just put a few drops into some sparkling water and viola!  Soda!  It's also incredibly economical.  Much cheaper than buying soda.  And did I mention much healthier, too?  I'm so impressed with these drops!  It's something that you'll want to keep in your purse or backpack.

So how does it taste?  Well, the flavor is mild. Not mild like watered-down, but more like a less intense Coke.  I actually prefer the mild taste. And despite it's mildness, it is still very flavorful.  I can taste vanilla and caramel notes, which I absolutely love, so it was all good!  This product definitely has a "diet" taste to it, though.  It's not going to taste like a straight up sugary soda.  But, I don't mind the taste of diet sodas, so, again, I'm good.  It also does not dye your drink a weird brown color.  It stays clear.  The drops are brown, but that is because of the vanilla extract.  It will not change the color of your sparkling water.  This is a WAY better substitution than say, any other diet soda with aspartame or sucralose.  With all the food fiascoes happening in the world today, it's nice to have a company that produces quality products for their consumers.

All in all, I really like this product.  I will definitely purchase these in the future, and to top it off I actually feel comfortable giving it to my boys.


So, to recap,  here are some FACTS about SweetLeaf Cola Drops:

• SweetLeaf® Liquid Stevia Sweet Drops™ Cola is a healthy alternative to traditional diet sodas!

• How does it work? Simply add two drops of Cola Sweet Drops to your glass for every ounce of sparkling   water (or to taste), and you get delicious cola taste without the bitterness.

• Cola Sweet Drops are portable, convenient, and a great value at just 5¢ per serving.

• SweetLeaf Sweet Drops contain no carbohydrates, calories, sugar alcohols, methanol, aspartame or             sucralose. They are all natural and gluten-free.

• Like all SweetLeaf products, Cola Sweet Drops is made with USDA certified organic stevia.

• The retail price for SweetLeaf Sweet Drops Cola is $4.39 for 37 servings, or $14.99 for 100 servings.      Pricing may vary based on retailer.

I can honestly say that I am sold! I love the fact that I can now have a guilt free soda.  And thanks to the lovely people at SweetLeaf, now you can too!!!  

SweetLeaf is offering y'all an AWESOME deal!  Just use the code “ColaMD” at checkout to take 30 percent off your online purchase!

If you'd like more information on this product, find them here.  They also have a FB, Pinterest and Twitter page.

Try it and let me know what you think!  You won't be disappointed!!

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetsSM blogger, I agreed 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 the product.

Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lash Mascara Review

Hello all of my beautiful readers!  Today we are going to discuss Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes. I'm sure you've all seen this product by now. It is BLOWING UP on all of your social media feeds. Well, I was given an opportunity to test this product out and give my honest opinion about it.  First of all, I'm no stranger to products that claim to make your lashes longer, thicker, fuller, etc.  I've had eyelash extensions. I've tried lash building serums.  I've worn fake eyelashes and I've tried several brands of lash lengthening mascaras.  Some of them worked and some of them didn't.  The ones that did work, only worked for a period of time.  Mostly because of price and the fact that I didn't want to continue with the financial aspect of it all.  Well let me tell you that I have just tried my very last mascara! No, really...I have found THE one.  I will never, ever have to search for that ONE PERFECT mascara EVER again.  

At first, I was a little dubious as to how well this actually worked.  Yes, I've seen all the before and after pictures.  But, everyone is different and everyone has different length natural lashes.  Mine are soooo short and sparse.  It's the Asian in me. But this mascara worked wonders.  It lived up to its claim to fame.  Not only did it lengthen my lashes, but it thickened them too.  

Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes comes in a pretty, quilted black case.  It's very fancy!  There are two tubes inside.  One tube is a Transplanting Gel and the other tube is a Natural Fiber.  The instructions for this product are very easy to follow.  First, you apply a thin coat of your own mascara, then let that dry.  Next, you apply a coat of the Transplanting Gel.  This gel looks like mascara to me. It's dark in color.  I can't tell if it's brown or black.  Then, before your Transplanting Gel dries, you apply a coat of the Natural Fiber. Finally, you apply your last coat of Transplanting Gel.  Then, BOOM!  Your lashes will look like you've just had eyelash extensions put on.  It's crazy how long they get!  If you want them even longer,  you can continue to put on the gel and fibers until they are the length you want.  I stopped at one application, because I thought they looked great at that point.

Oh, I did use a eyelash curler before I got started and I used an eyelash comb to separate some of the lashes that got a little clumped together.  The clumpiness did not happen on both eyes.  My lashes are weird on one eye, so I have to use an eyelash comb just for that eye.  It's the way my eyelashes grow, not a comment on how the mascara applies.  

If you are not used to using a two step mascara, it may take you a few times to get it just right.  So, don't give up!  Make use of all of your beauty tools.  I didn't start using my eyelash comb until I used products that made my lashes longer.  Now it's something I use every day.  

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Younique offers mostly natural and/or organic products, which I truly appreciate. If you want more info on this subject, read about it here.  The 3D Fiber lash is water resistant, NOT waterproof.  It comes off easily with soap and water but stays put on super sweaty days.  I used my regular facial wash to get it off.   

I have not tried any other Younique product....yet.  Now that I know how awesome the mascara is, I'll definitely be checking out the rest of their line.  

OHHH...I forgot to mention price.  It's $29 for the 3D Fiber Lashes.  Some of you may think that it's a little pricey.  It is more expensive than your typical Cover Girl nonsense, that doesn't do jack for your lashes. But, I've purchased Lancome mascara before that was right at that price point, and it still did nothing for me. So, $29 for a 3 month (give or take) supply is OK by me.  And it's cheaper and way better for your lashes than eyelash extensions.

SOOOO....Are you ready for some pictures????

Here I am with NO makeup.

This is the mascara I used before applying the 3D Fiber Lash.

Here I am with a coat of my mascara.

Here's the Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lash set.

See how pretty it looks!

One eye done with the 3D Fiber Lash. Can you tell the difference?

and BOOM!  Amaze-balls!

(My husband and my Mom asked if I was wearing fake lashes!)

If you've never heard of or checked out this product before, PLEASE do so!  It's FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC! My friend Cristi is a Younique Independent Presenter, she introduced me to this product.  You can check out her website here if you want to have amazing lashes!  She also has a Facebook page.  Check it out here and here.  Seriously, check it out!  You will not be disappointed. 

It's crazy how one product can take you from blah to BOOM!  Thank you Cristi for introducing me to this product!!

Mexican Chocolate Vegan Ice Cream

Summer is here!  And with summer comes HOT, HOTTER, and HOTTEST.  I'm talking about the weather, not Norman Reedus.  To combat this hotness, I figured it would be a good idea to make my vegan ice cream.  The boys don't care that it's vegan.  They just care that it tastes good....and it does!   It has 4 ingredients; coconut milk, raw cacao powder, cinnamon, and maple syrup.  It's sooooo yummy! You should definitely make it and let me know how you like it!

Here it is in the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker

Mexican Chocolate Vegan Ice Cream

The first thing that I did was put everything into my Vitamix.  Then blended it until it was all combined and threw it into the ice cream maker.  Thirty minutes later....viola!  The BEST vegan Mexican chocolate ice cream EVER!

Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream (using Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker)

2 cans organic coconut milk (I used Whole Foods brand)

3-4 tablespoons raw organic cacao powder (I used this brand)

3-4 tablespoons of organic maple syrup (I used Kirkland brand - use as much or little as you want)

a few sprinkles of cinnamon.

Place all ingredients into the blender.  Whirl it around until combined, then pour into the ice cream maker.  30 minutes later, you'll have the best ice cream, I promise!

The base is coconut milk.  You could put anything into this you want.  If you come up with a fantastic ice cream concoction, let me know!

Happy Summer!!!!

Homemade Cheese Crackers

Cheesy Crack - a - lackin Crackers

I've been wanting to try some cracker recipes and the very first one I try, I LOVE!  It has 4 ingredients and some spices.  THAT'S IT!!  It didn't make a whole lot, so next time, I'll double up on the recipe.  But, it's a nice small amt for two people having some wine and cheese :)  

This is how I made it:  I grated up some cheese, added some butter, threw in some paprika, cayenne & salt, then some whole wheat flour.  Mixed that all up with a couple of tablespoons of water and rolled it out to about an 1/8" thickness.  Then I used a pizza cutter to cut my squares, put those on some parchment paper in the oven and in 15ish minutes, I had homemade, better than store bought, crackers!!!  

I only used one type of cheese here, cheddar.  If I had used parmesan along with the cheddar, I think they'd have been even tastier.  

Do any of you have a cracker recipe that you love?  If so, please share!

Crack - a - lackin Crackers

1 cup loosely packed shredded cheddar

2 tablespoons room temp butter (very important that it's room temp - you need to be able to smoosh it)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspon paprika

a shake of cayenne, or more if you want it spicier.  But this amt gave it a nice heat on the back end.

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons of cold water (more if the mixture is too dry - but in small amts, like a another few drops)

Mix everything together, except the water, with a spatula until combined and the butter is all the way through.  Then take a fork and make all the bigger pieces tiny pieces.  Once you have your mixture looking like crumbly sand, add the water and mix with spatula again.  Your dough should be coming together.  If not, add a few more drops of water.  It doesn't take much water!  Your dough should be squishy and together, but not sticky to the touch.  Form it into a ball and wrap some plastic wrap on it and throw it in the fridge for about 30 minutes or so.  It rolls out much nicer when you do this.  Preheat your oven to 375 near the time your will be taking the dough out of the fridge.  Once the 30 minutes is up, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out until it's about 1/8" thick.  Then take a pizza cutter and slice it into little squares. Once the squares are all cut out, take a skewer or chop stick and poke some holes into each cracker.  I did 5 on each cracker.  This way, they won't puff up or be uneven.  Lastly, place the crackers on parchment paper on a cookie sheet, or a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.  They should be golden brown on top.  Let them cool completely before eating.  Otherwise, they won't be cracker, crisp :)  

OH, and I should add, that if you want to try other cheeses, like parmesan, I'd cut the cheddar by 2/3 or 1/4 and make up the rest in the other cheese.  I'm going to try this soon with parm.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

Our New Patio Table

A couple of weekends ago, the Hubs made a patio table for me.  I LOVE it!  It's like the ones you have all seen on Pinterest.  It seats 10 and fits perfectly on our upper deck.  It's made from redwood and gas piping. The wood, we purchased at a lumber yard.  It was on sale and cost around $75.  We also purchased stain and sealer bringing our total to about $95.  The piping, we purchased at Home Depot for about $30.  We had our measurements ready, so they cut and threaded it for free.  I read on another blog that their particular HD charged them per cut and per thread.  Ours did not.  So, I don't know if that was a mistake or if they just don't charge here.  I'm in northern CA, by the way.  So all of my prices are going to be a lot more than say, Texas, or anywhere else for that matter.  We used 3/4" piping and 6 boards that were 2x8.  The boards didn't have to be cut.  We just sanded those bad boys so there wouldn't be any splinters.  We connected the bottom of the boards with three 2x2x3's and used a Kreg jig to attach the long boards together.  The Kreg jig is a very important tool for this job.  If you don't know what one is, check it out here.  We are currently working on a bench for one side and I'm looking for some Tolix like chairs for the other side.  Once we have the bench built, I'll post that too.  All in all, our patio table cost less than $200.  That doesn't include the bench or chairs I'm going to buy.  I'm really please with the outcome.  I've looked all over for a LOOONG table and can't find one that isn't thousands of dollars.  This table is perfect for our family and has room for friends, too!