Universal Babymoon

I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan and have been for years.  I started reading the first HP book when I was in the sixth grade, so basically, I grew up alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione. So when my husband and I decided to do a baby-moon (due in September with #2), my first choice was Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.  I knew that being pregnant would make things a little harder so, I took extra care in my planning.  I can't tell you how excited I was to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

We  chose to go at the beginning of May because I would be around 20 weeks along in my pregnancy.  Which meant that the nausea period was over, I was getting some energy back, and I was not too big or uncomfortable yet.  It was also a perfect time seasonally, because the weather was nice and not too hot.  I, of course, made sure to check with my doctor before making any concrete plans, especially since we would be flying to Orlando. Luckily, I was healthy and it would only be a short flight from Greenville, SC so there were no concerns.  He did tell me to take things slow and to be sure to stay hydrated. I packed my own water bottle so that it would be easy to hydrate anytime.  There were places all over the park to fill up with water for free! I took a water bottle with a water filter built in, to make sure I was getting the best quality possible while traveling. This also saved a lot of money not having to pay for drinks all day long.

We stayed onsite at Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort.  It is a very cool, retro themed, family-oriented resort with free transportation to and from all Universal properties, all day long.  This was great because we chose not to rent a car.  I loved that it was easy to come back to the room anytime, so I could rest or take a break in one of the pools.  The hotel was very nice, not over-crowded, and had everything we needed. Cabana Bay Beach Resort includes a lazy river, retro bowling lanes, a diner with tons of options, and a Starbucks!  It was a great place for families, and would love to take the kids back when they are older.

Also, by staying onsite at a Universal resort, you get passes to enter the Wizarding World of Harry Potter before the park officially opens! This was totally worth staying onsite for! The WWoHP gets super crowded after the park opens and it can be difficult to really take in all the details and to get a chance to use your interactive wand, which of course I had to have!  You have to check out every little nook and cranny, because they really went all out to give you the Harry Potter experience.  For, example, in one of the bathrooms you can hear Moaning Myrtle wreaking havoc among the toilets! Knocturn Alley is super dark and creepy, and the butter beer is fantastic!

You may be wondering how much there is to do for a pregnant lady at a theme park.  Well, I knew I wouldn't be able to ride very many rides, but there is so much more than rides at Universal. We saw countless shows, both indoors and out, which were great when we needed to sit for awhile. Although I couldn't ride anything at the WWoHP, just walking through was absolutely amazing.  The details were incredible.  I was able to ride the Hogwarts Express, which we did several times because you see different things going to each park. You do need tickets to both Universal studios and Islands of Adventure to ride the train and to see both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.  I also was able to see all the 3D shows except for Transformers, because most include stationary seating.  Poseidon's Adventure was a walk through show that was really cool and involved some really neat water and fire tricks! The Horror Make-up show was very funny and one of our favorites, but maybe not appropriate for young children. There are also lots of parades and characters roaming around to interact with throughout the park.  If you get the chance, make sure to see Universal's Cinematic Spectacular.  It is a water show out in the middle of the lake at Universal Studios that showcases 100 years of memorable movie moments!

Make sure to download the Universal Orlando App that includes maps of all parks, show times, and wait times.  It helped us plan out our entire day and to make sure we got to see everything we wanted to see. We bought Park-to-Park tickets on a deal where we got two days plus a third day for free. I loved this option because it gave us plenty of time to see everything without having to run between attractions.  It even gave us time to rest at the resort during the hottest times of the day.  I was able to take a nap in the afternoons to recharge before going to the CityWalk for dinner.

I will warn you, there will be a lot of walking.  We walked both parks entirely all three days, but we saw something new every time. You have to walk through Universal's CityWalk to get to the Park's Entrances. The CityWalk is full of restaurants and shops, including Margaritaville, Hard Rock Cafe, and Emeril's Restaurant Orlando. They also have Burger King, Panda Express, and many, many more! Our favorites were the Red Oven Pizza Bakery and The Cold Stone Creamery!  Lines weren't really a problem for us because we didn't hit any of the big, popular rides and we planned our day out in order to do the more popular ones first before the park got too crowded.

We had a blast and totally felt like we got our money's worth even though I couldn't ride too many rides.  I still want to go back so I can experience the whole park one day.  We would love to take the kids when they get older! I was so impressed with the details all over the park! It was awesome just walking through the different areas.  I'm glad I planned ahead and was prepared, because it definitely made a difference staying onsite being pregnant. It was a great baby-moon, and we can't wait until the kids are both old enough to go back!

Check out or start planning your next vacation at UniversalOrlando.com

Get Fall Rolling: Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls Party

It's my favorite time of year. The leaves are changing, pumpkin spice is abundant, and sweaters and leggings come out of the closet. It also means holidays, and even better, holiday parties! I love decorating the house for Fall and Halloween! I love hosting scary movie nights with my friends.  This year, I get the opportunity to host a party from Tryazon featuring Rhodes Microwaveable Cinnamon Rolls.  Yum! Who doesn't love Cinnamon Rolls!

Rhodes specializes in frozen baked goods like dinner rolls, loaf bread, and cinnamon rolls.  You can purchase Rhodes' delicious products at your local grocery store.  I found mine at Ingles and Walmart.

 

I got the opportunity to try out Rhodes new Microwaveable Cinnamon Rolls for free just for having some friends over to share with!  I chose to have a Halloween movie night with my girls.  This gave me an excuse to get my Halloween decorations up and to clean up the house!  My daughter and I had fun decorating with faux spider webs, bats, owls, and other spooky decor.  My daughter, Aria, is two years old and loves everything creepy!  She even wants to be a scary spider for Halloween!  I guess the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree.

We visited a local church pumpkin patch to pick up some pumpkins for carving and painting.  I let Aria paint her pumpkin, for obvious safety reasons, and she absolutely loved it!   She named her pumpkin Jack, and has been carrying him around since we got him. 

I pulled out several spooky themed movies from my collection, keeping them kid-friendly.  I chose some classics like Hocus Pocus, BeetleJuice, and Casper.  I even let Aria pick one out, she chose The Nightmare Before Christmas.  She makes me so proud :)

I made pumpkin spice cookies and had apple cider and Pumpkin Ale for those old enough.  My party guests brought a giant plate of wings, so there was plenty of finger food to enjoy while watching our movies.  We stopped after the first movie to make our cinnamon rolls.  These were a new experience for both me and all of my guests.  It was amazing how fast they cook, done in 60 seconds! Not only were they easy and fast to make, there were just as delicious as a homemade batch of cinnamon rolls!  I love that you can cook them one at a time, no need to cook up a whole batch for one person to enjoy.  There are individual icing packets too, so everything is fresh and ready when you are. I would not recommend cooking more than one at a time, because the timing is a little weird and they don't cook quite right.  They cook so quickly, though, it's easy to cook them each separately and still takes less time than it would to even pre-heat the oven.

My guests were very impressed with my Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls and were eager to pick up the extra coupons I had received. The party was a success!  We have all been converted to Rhodes brand Microwaveable Cinnamon Rolls! The movies were great, the food was a hit, and the friendship was amazing!  I can't wait until our next movie night!

To learn more about Rhodes and their delightful products --- Rhodes
To apply for your own Tryazon Party (just make sure I'm on the guest list 😉) --- Tryazon

New review Site: Reviewsio

Love trying new products for discounts, then, check out this new site!

 Reviewsio

I love getting to try new products for deep discounts or even better, for free!  I do this several ways but mostly by using review sites. Through these websites I get a discount code, I go to Amazon.com to purchase a product,  try the product, and then leave an honest review. This allows new or small companies to get their products out to the public by boosting their reviews.  I always check out product reviews before a I make a purchase and I love leaving a good review for a great product.   Reviews can be very helpful when they are honest.

I recently came across a new review site that will be starting up the 1st of October. Reviewsio will be another site like I talked about above.  You'll get a product code for, I believe, a totally free product (if you have Amazon Prime). Then you are expected to try the product and leave an honest well-thought review in Amazon.  Then you link your review back to Reviewsio so you can get points and more opportunities to review more products.  It looks like they will have a good variety of products to review from beef Jerky to yoga mats.  I can't wait to see what other great products we will get.

I have already signed up and will be excited to try out my first product.  I will let you know how it goes.  If you would like to go ahead and sign up too, click below!

Reviewsio.com

Keeping it Clean: Grill Brush Review

We love cooking out in the summer.  Steaks, burgers, and grilled veggies are some of our favorites. We got our gas grill as a wedding shower gift and have enjoyed using it on our deck.  My husband does most of the grilling, okay, he does all of it.  He's just so good at it!  He does the grilling which means he has to clean the grill.  I received a grill brush for free in exchange for my honest review.  I'm happy to say this is a great product.  My husband is really the one who has tested this brush.  He usually rolls his eyes at my review products, but was excited about this one.  Imagine that.

Robby really likes this brush because it is long enough to clean while the grill is still hot.  The bristles are strong and get between the grates very well.  It makes clean-up a breeze which is awesome when you are having a cook-out and are ready to eat as soon as the food is done. I like it because I don't have to remind him later to clean the grill.  It works great for both of us and keeps are grill nice.

This would make a great Father's Day gift or Christmas gift for the grillers in your life.  It comes with a storage bag and a recipe book.  It has 100% money back guarantee and a 5 year warranty! It is great for all grill types and is really easy to clean, just pop it in the dishwasher!

You can get this same BBQ grill brush from Veesap Lifestyle on Amazon

Get Infused: A Hydrating Review

We all know that it is important to stay hydrated, especially during the summer months.  This is true for everyone, not just athletes, but anyone who spends time outside in the heat.  We can become dehydrated very quickly, especially since many of us are not getting enough water to begin with.  To stay hydrated, water is the best option.  It is easy to get pulled into the marketing of sports drinks and flavored water beverages with low or no calories, but beware of sugar, sugar substitutes, and added sodium.  Juice is full of sugar as well.  The easiest, healthiest option is always water.

I know lots of people who hate drinking plain water.  They'll say, "I need something with bubbles" or "I need some flavor in my life."  I was one of those people for a long time.  I was drinking around five cans of soda a day!  I got headaches if I went too long without one.  I was addicted.  Then, one day, I found out I was pregnant.  I was ecstatic about being a mother.  I read countless articles on pregnancy and three pregnancy books. I was determined to be the best mom I could be even before the baby arrived.  That meant changing my diet completely. I was already overweight and I wanted to make sure my baby was healthy, so I stopped buying soda all together.  Water became my best friend.

I felt so much better after I quit soda.  Most of my headaches went away.  I lost weight, despite my pregnancy.  My skin looked amazing.  Giving up soda was the best decision of my life.  I do, still order a coke when eating out on occasion, but I refuse to bring it into my home.  I know that if I do, I could easily fall back into my old ways.

Now, I drink water.  Clean, clear, wonderful water.  I always take a water bottle to work, or anytime I leave the house.  I keep lemons to squeeze a little flavor in the mornings, but mostly I drink it plain. Well, I did until I got a new water bottle.  I received the InfuseFruit 25oz water bottle in exchange for an honest review of my personal experience. There are many bottles like this out on the market right now.  It is a regular bottle shape with a basket inside for fruit, herbs, or tea to flavor your water as you drink it.

I have used something like this in the past, but the quality of Infusefruit is much better.  The bottle itself is hard plastic and is very durable. If that isn't enough, it comes with a soft neoprene cover with a handle for easy handling and extra protection. The top has an extra locking feature so that it won't spill while in a bag or during transport.  The fruit basket is removable so you can take it out if you are out of fresh fruit one day.  The basket is easy to manage and the holes are the right size for letting flavor out, and keeping fruit (and those annoying seeds) inside.

The InfuseFruit bottle is a great way to start adding more water to your life.  You add your favorite fruits, herbs, or tea for a great tasting, healthier beverage. It was fun for me to experiment with flavors.  My favorite is fresh, sliced lemon with mint leaves, refreshing and hydrating.  

Try Infusefruit for yourself on Amazon

Comfort, Design, and Accuracy: A First Response Review

I participated in a Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for First Response. I received product samples as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. 

If you have a child or have ever tried to conceive a child, than you know what it is like to have to wait for the answer to the biggest question of your life.  It is absolutely maddening, waiting for a simple little line to appear, or not.  This little line could change your entire life!

I remember the first time I went shopping for a pregnancy test.  I was very nervous and was trying to be discreet, when I found this wall of pregnancy tests. There were tests in a range from super-expensive to scarily cheap, and I had no idea which to choose. How accurate should a test be, when should you take it, how many tests do I need?  There are lots of options out there, too many options for a first time tester.  I chose one pretty much at random. The insert explained that I was to pee on the little stick for a certain amount of time, first thing in the morning because that is when your hCG levels are the highest. It was easy, I just had to wait until morning.

Wait, I had to wait! Well, I couldn't wait I was too excited.  I ended up with a negative result. I eventually got a positive when I took the test a few days later and in the morning. Needless to say I was super excited and also more scared than I have ever been in my life.  All this emotion and stress over a little stick that I peed on.  In the spring of 2013, we were blessed with a beautiful baby girl!

With so many brands and options it can be difficult to know which to pick, especially if you are testing for the first time.  Luckily, there is First Response designed for accuracy and ease. In a sleek pink box, you get two ergonomically shaped tests that detect pregnancy up to six days before your missed period. Six days! That is awesome especially if you are like me the first time, and aren't sure exactly when Aunt Flo is supposed to show up. These tests have a wider tip and longer handle than any other tests I've seen making it very easy to maneuver. The results show up in about three minutes and is simple to read, one line for negative and two for pregnant. The best part, you can take it anytime during the day! First Response seems to really understand what women need in a pregnancy test! Less waiting, and very easy to use and read. Pregnancy test have evolved a lot over the years and are even more accurate than when I first took a test which was only three years ago.  First Response is a brand that is on top of the newest technology, giving their consumers the best, most accurate, FDA approved product available. 

Parenthood is an amazing journey, it is nice to know that we moms have First Response on our side.
I know exactly which test I will be reaching for when my husband and I begin trying for baby number two!

You can pick up a First Response test at any major drugstore, grocery store or mass retailer near you for $8.99 - $15.99.

For more information about this test and for some great pregnancy resources, please visit FirstResponse.com

Welcome to Oz: A Sunscreen Review

Oz Naturals is a skin care company that focuses on natural, organic, and environmentally responsible products.  They have a range of beauty products from lotions and cleansers, to sunscreen and anti-aging serums.  Their products are made in the USA and are centered on keeping your skin healthy and beautiful.

Click Here to learn more about the Oz Naturals Company.

I was given the opportunity to try a few of their products for free in exchange for my honest reviews. The first product I received was their anti-aging sunscreen.  I used this several times while on a girls trip to the coast.  The first time I used it I made the mistake of not re-applying after a few hours and I got very sun-burned.  It was not good, but totally my fault.  The label states that you should re-apply every 2 hours or after getting wet.  I apparently was having too much fun drinking fruity drinks at the beach bar to reapply.  After that experience, I have been sure to re-apply in a timely fashion and have had a lot more luck with this product.

The bottle is 4oz. and seems a little small for the price until you take into account what your really buying.  You get a socially responsible, natural product that does what it claims, all while supporting the U.S. Economy.  I'd say it is a good deal.  The lotion is smooth and rubs into the skin quickly without leaving you feeling oily. It has a very light scent which is refreshing.  It has an SPF of 30 which I usually prefer to use higher, but it worked well.  I would not hesitate to buy this product again.

After trying this product I wanted to see more of their products.  I decided to try the Ocean Mineral Facial Cleanser next.  This is my new favorite skin product!  A combination of organic rose hip oil, vitamin E, and Borage oil brings new life to rough, dry, aging skin.  My skin feels absolutely amazing after using this cleanser.   My skin is so smooth and feels clean and fresh I feel like I've been to the spa.  The natural ingredients are gentle on the skin and the clear color is reassuring of the quality of ingredients used.

It is sad to say that I have just recently started taking better if my skin.  I realize I won't be young forever. My body is my responsibility and I want to keep it healthy.  Oz Naturals is helping me achieve just that.  It is a win/win.  I get beautiful, healthy skin while staying Eco-conscious for a healthy body, mind and soul.  

You can purchase your Oz Naturals on Amazon today!

Images from http://www.oznaturals.com