Things I Love Thursday: Kids Thermos Containers
Believe it or not, I am not getting compensated for this post. But after getting so many comments about how cool the following item is, I decided it was my duty to let all moms know about this great find!! 
Ever since having kids, I have been on a mission to find portable, drink bottles that kept drinks cold and didn’t leak. I tried sippy cups that advertised “insulated and non-leaking”, I tried water bottles that perspired everywhere and didn’t stay cool, I tried just freezing juice boxes and taking them with us.
I was frustrated because I couldn’t find anything that worked and I 
was spending a lot of extra money on juice boxes (and consuming a lot of waste). That is when I came across these beauties at Target! I loved the fact that they were insulated (the sticker on them advertised 12 hours of cold) and “leak proof”. I was skeptical. But in desperation I bought each boy one. Evan wanted the Cars one and he insisted that Carter wanted the Toy Story one – there were only 2 to choose from 
! I wanted them to have different ones so that I wouldn’t have to worry who’s was who’s.
Let me just tell you, I have had these now for about 6 weeks. And I have yet to have them spill, leak or perspire!! And the water stays cold – if I put ice cubes with cold filtered water from the refrigerator in them, the ice cubes stay frozen for the afternoon!! HOLLA!
I take these everywhere we go. I fill them up with water and hit the road. I don’t need to worry about juice boxes, perspiration or leaking!
They are the Thermos brand and cost about $12.99 a piece at Target. Which they really paid for themselves after a couple of weeks of not having to buy juice boxes!! And they are fairly easy to clean – I have a miniature bottle scrubber, that came with the Dr.Browns bottles, which I use to clean the straw. Or I just throw the straw in the dishwasher and wash the thermos by hand!
If you are busy running with the kids during the summer, I would highly recommend getting these!
Thanks for stopping by my “Things I love Thursday”. For more favorites, check out Things I Love Thursday at the Diaper Diaries.
Jeremy Has Favorites Too!!
You know, I guess I am pretty lucky that Jeremy isn’t that picky about most things. He rarely complains about what I buy him when it comes to toiletries. And food, well again, he just goes with the flow.
But, he does have some favorites that I thought I would share! Ha and he doesn’t even know that I am doing it, either. So we will see what he has to say about it after he reads this post!
As I mentioned in one of my Trader Joe’s posts, Jeremy LOVES, LOVES, LOVES Just the Clusters Cereal from Trader Joes. Every week before I head to the grocery, I ask, “Is there anything special you want from the store?” and 90% of the time, he will respond, “Are you going to Trader Joe’s?? Because I could use some more granola”.
Yep ladies, that’s all I have to do to make this man happy – HA!!
There are a few things that Jeremy can be very picky about. I learned early on, NEVER to buy Jeremy ANY graphic tees. Because most of the time, I would bring them home, thinking to myself how cool they were. And he would politely tell me that he didn’t really care for them. You know, he can be kinda a t-shirt (graphic design) snob. So I have given up on buying clothes for him. He is a fan of Threadless, Brooklyn Industries and Ript to name a few. And most of the time, I have NO IDEA what the tee says or means. So when he gets a new tee in the mail and opens it all-excitedly, I put on my fake smiley face and tell him how cool his new shirt is because I am a supportive wife and all!
Speaking of Tees. When we first got married, he was always complaining about this undershirts being too short. So I went on a quest to find him some new ones. He has a long torso – but is skinny. So I bought him some Tall t-shirts from various brands and all but one brand were too BIG on him. You know “Big & Tall”. He isn’t “Big” just “Tall”! 
But he has become a LOYAL fan of Hanes Tall Undershirts!! They are skinny but give him the length he needs to tuck them in.
And now, they have come out with the new Lay Flat t-shirts (they have termed “Bacon Neck”) and let me tell you, that when I made a joke about that being silly, Jeremy confirmed that he HATES when his t-shirt collars roll like that. Who knew? So I can’t wait to get him some to check out.
A few weeks ago, Sinus Buster sent me a sample to try because of the headaches and sinus issues I was having. I have to admit, unfortunately it didn’t help with my headaches. But, Jeremy did get sick shortly after – you know the “Man Cold”. He was complaining about his sinuses killing him and he couldn’t breathe. So I thought it would be funny to let him try Sinus Buster. You see, when I had tried taking Sinus Buster, it burned terribly. And I thought it would be funny for him to take it and squeal in pain ! And it didn’t disappoint. He said a few choice words while it was taking effect but then after a few moments his sinuses completely cleared up! And stayed cleared for about 4 hours. No sinus pressure, congestion or headache. He continued using it until his cold was over. He swears by it! And what I like about it: “it is all-natural, which means it does not contain chemicals, additives or preservatives of any kind. It is non habit forming, zinc-free and has no known drug interactions.”
And finally, to leave you all with a funny story – 
I may or may not be slightly sarcastic in the upcoming story. Jeremy is slightly obsessed with ALL things Apple. And really, who in the design world isn’t? A few years ago, we were having a discussion about something * great and wonderful* that Apple was coming out with and per usual I wasn’t too impressed. So I made a comment to him that if Apple came out with Wet Wipes, he would insist I buy them just because they were Apple. Because come on, Apple does EVERYTHING better! Even producing baby items and competing with the likes of Huggies and Pampers. So I coined the term “A$$ Wipe”. They would come in a slick metallic travel case with the Apple Logo and it would be a status symbol among fathers! So now, when Jeremy comes home and raves about some new gadget or an update to one that he already owns, I simply just say “A$$ Wipe” and walk away which usually brings a reaction of eye rolling and him following continuing to sing the praises of Apple. You would think he would get the hint one day that I REALLY don’t care! Ha!
Okay, so I have a confession. I did ask Jeremy after writing this post if there was anything else I could add to the list. You know things that he is picky about and this is what he said:
Crappy looking Greeting Cards
Okay, not exactly what I was looking for. So I gave him another chance and I said, “No Jeremy, you know things that you love.”
Well I am pretty picky about my tennis shoes. You know I went through that decade of having to have Adidas Superstars. And now I’m still pretty picky about what shoes I wear.
And that my friends, sums up what I have to deal with on a daily basis! But I LOVE HIM!!
Thanks for stopping by my “Things I love Thursday”. For more favorites, check out Things I Love Thursday at the Diaper Diaries.
Things I Love Thursday: Trader Joe’s Part 2
I Love Trader Joe’s so much I had to write two posts (to check out part 1 click here) including all the great goodies I find for the fam (mostly for the boys)! And who knows, I am always finding new things to try so I may have to write another post sometime soon !
So, it is officially pool season, so this post has some great pool snacks that are a “healthier alternative” than the traditional types of snacks but yet pool and kid approved. Because how many of us love to eat a bag of Cheetos after running around at the pool all day?
- Baked Cheese Crunchies – Okay I can’t put the bag down! I admit it! And the boys LOVE these! I don’t have to feel guilty about letting them eat as many as they want (which is only a sandwich bag full for both of them – I do have limits ) while playing at the pool. These have less calories, fat and sodium than regular Cheetos!
Baked Yummy Cheesy Goodness!
- Salted Popped Potato Chips – these caught my eye this week. Because Carter really enjoys crackers and chips. They really are popped – no frying or baking! And they are gluten free! Not that we have allergies but for you info. They have less fat than Lay’s Potato chips (10 grams vs. 4 grams and 150 calories for 20 chips vs. 120 calories for 22 chips)! So for a “snack” these are much healthier. And Carter LOVES these! Evan won’t try them because they don’t look like chips – go figure.
Popped salty yummieness!
- Joe Joe’s - A great alternative to Oreos – no hydrogenated oils and all natural ingredients. You really can’t taste the difference. In case you missed it – this is the latest recipe I used these for – Homemade Chocolate Oreo Pudding Pops! YUMMY!! Again, in moderation, these are a great healthier alternative.
Chocolate goodness
- Organic Creamy Unsalted Peanut Butter – I match this up with Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Bread and jelly that is organic and less sugar so pretty much only has 2 ingredients (mostly real fruit!). I didn’t take pics of either the bread or the jelly, sorry! I make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for picnics. A great balance of protein and carbs!
TJ's Organic PB
The last two items aren’t pool snacks for the kiddos but parent favorites (ie. Mine and Jeremy – ha)
- Soy and Flaxseed Tortilla Chips - These are one of my favorites, especially paired up with some homemade guacamole! Yummy! In one serving these have 6 grams of protein and 500 mg of Omega 3′s!
Tortilla chips
- Just the Clusters Vanilla Almond Granola – Jeremy LOVES granola and hands down this is his very favorite. I have tried buying every type of granola and he continues to request Trader Joe’s. But unfortunately the box only lasts a couple of days ! And since it is granola and no coupons
it is expensive, but I guess Jeremy is worth it!
Granola
Just in case you think I don’t bring the real healthy stuff from this list to the pool, I do bring applesauce, raisins, and other fresh fruit to the pool .
For more favorites, check out Things I Love Thursday at the Diaper Diaries.
So what are some of your favorite pool snacks?
Things I Love Thursday: Mission Pink (With Giveaway!)
Yesterday, I gave you a glimpse into my obsession in all things Pink and how that is rubbing off on my boys! Today, I am giving you a chance to get your pink on (with a great cause!!)
I LOVE a GOOD CAUSE!!
This is why, when I was contacted about getting the word out about Hanes partnering with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, I immediately was in! I have participated financially for many years helping several ladies close to me run in races and raise money for the foundation and I have even walked in some local races.
My last pair of running shoes were a pair of New Balance that some of the proceeds went toward the Susan G. Komen Foundation. When people commented on how bright my shoes were, I laughed it off and told them why the real reason I bought the bright pink ones. And no it isn’t because I LOVE pink ! But, coincidentally, every time I went for a run, I was reminded of why I bought the shoes!!
My friends and family are well aware of what I will be sharing with you today. I have had Stage 2 Malignant Melanoma – twice! Two surgeries, two scars. But fortunately for me, my dermatologist caught it both times before it reached any lymph nodes. Jeremy has had thyroid cancer. We are well aware of what cancer can do to individuals and to families! As a woman, I am fully aware of the devastation of Breast Cancer. Here are just a few statistics:
- every three minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer
- Breast cancer incidence in women in the United States is 1 in 8 (about 13%)
- Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among U.S. women. More than 1 in 4 cancers are breast cancer.
As I stated earlier, Hanes and the Susan G. Komen foundation have partnered together to form Mission Pink. Here is a little info from their site:
In 2010, Hanes is supporting Susan G. Komen for the Cure® with a total donation of $500,000, which includes a $250,000 cash and in-kind donation to Passionately Pink for the Cure®, and another cash donation of $250,000 to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® Series. To ensure comfort every step of the way, the 1.5 million people who participate in Races this year will receive Hanes 100% cotton Tagless® T-Shirts.
Hanes is the 2010 Official Apparel for Susan G. Komen Passionately Pink for the Cure®, a program that empowers women to fight breast cancer by joining forces in teams and showing support by wearing pink for a day. The teams raise money that supports groundbreaking research and life-saving community outreach projects.
Hanes is also the 2010 Official T-Shirt of the Komen Race for the Cure® Series, the world’s largest and most successful series of 5k walks and runs. The series has reached more than 1.6 million people and in the past few years the event has raised more than $100 million to support local communities and national research, and events in multiple cities. This year, the Komen Race for the Cure® Series has 127 events planned in the US and 14 overseas, and will be organized by a small army of more than 100,000 volunteers.
Let me just tell you how much I LOVE this new Tee designed by 
CSI:NY Melina Kanakaredes!! I not only love the fact that it is pink and super cute BUT I love the way it fits. It fits me PERFECTLY! As I tweeted, I may just live in it, until I can get me another one. It is that comfy!! And since my wardrobe consists of jeans, shorts, tees and tanks while running after my two little speed demons, I may need to order a couple !
I have a *little* problem finding tees to fit me right. Okay fine, it’s a big problem. My midsection is my largest part of my upper body (I swear I am going to get lipo one day – but I digress) so I can’t wear the “girly” tees. And I am so tall that many tees are too short and won’t cover said midsection. So I was really NERVOUS when I ordered a Medium, which is what I normally wear in regular shirts. When I opened the package and tried it on, I literally called Jeremy and told him how excited I was about this tee. I had asked him to get me some new t-shirts for my birthday so that is the context of that phone call.
So now I am sporting a super cute tee and for an amazing cause! So I can be proud to wear it around while running frantically after my boys!
If you head on over to Hanes is Passionately Pink for the Cure, you can also design your own tee! So for you creative types, head on over and go at it. If people like it enough you could even win a prize!!
There are also many different styles tees supporting Mission Pink and they are only $9.99, you should pick up a couple and maybe another one for me . Head on over and check it out by clicking HERE.
All right so there is the info…I know you want to win your very own Hanes Passionately Pink Hope Tee (the exact one I am wearing). So here is how you can enter to win it:
- Leave me a comment! Yep to get entered to win just leave me a comment. Here are a few suggestions: Head on over to HanesPink and let me know what you think of their new campaign, has breast cancer impacted your life in any way?, have you participated in a Race for Cure? or you could just tell me how cute I am in my new tee
Additional Entries (worth 1 entry each):
- Join Mission Pink on Facebook. Then come back here and leave a separate comment telling me you have.
- Subscribe to Evan Has Landed via RSS or email. Let me know that you have done so. Of course, if you are already a subscriber make sure you leave that too.
- Tweet about the contest on Twitter and leave a comment here telling me you did so (Sample: Win a @HanesComfort tee designed by CSI:NY’s Melina Kanakaredes 4 Susan G. Komen. CUTE tee for a GREAT cause! http://bit.ly/an3gLJ )
- Post about the contest on Facebook and leave a comment here telling me you did so. (Sample: Win a Hanes Comfort tee designed by CSI:NY’s Melina Kanakaredes 4 Susan G. Komen. CUTE tee for a GREAT cause! http://bit.ly/an3gLJ)
For 2 additional entries:
- Go design a tee!! I want to see your creativity!! And then come back here and leave me 2 comments that you did and we will go check it out (and maybe vote for you too!)
It’s that simple! Please remember to leave a separate comment for each of the entries. This giveaway ends Wednesday, May 26th, 9:00 p.m. (EST). Winner will be chosen by random using random.org.
For more favorites, check out Things I Love Thursday at the Diaper Diaries.
*I was given one shirt to review and one will be sent to the winner. My opinions of Mission Pink and my new tee are STRICTLY my own!!*
