FreshPet~ Natural Pet Food & Treats for Dogs & Cats       Review and Giveaway

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I have two dogs & 2 cats that LOVE Freshpet wet and dry foods. 
My Shih Tzu picks out all the cranberries to eat when she is done. I think it's her dessert. 
Freshpet wet, roll and dry food has been a staple in our home for a few years now. 
I can see what's in the bag, read every ingredient on the back and know what all of them all and smell the freshness when opening the bag. It's a food that we feel comfortable feeding our pets. It's all things we eat for dinner so I know it's good for my pets. 
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Why is fresh
food best?

Find out what makes Freshpet different from the rest, and why pets are begging for more.

 Freshpet is hosting a FreshFit Challenge. 
To Raise Awareness about Pet Obesity while Benefiting Animal Welfare Groups. 

Join Freshpet, The Pet Show with Dr. Katy, and ResQwalk in The FreshFit Challenge
to Raise Awareness About Pet Obesity While Benefiting Animal Welfare Groups
 
Improve you and your pup’s health and earn money for pets in need, just by walking!
 
Secaucus, NJ (April, 2016) – Freshpet, Inc. (Nasdaq: FRPT), maker of fresh, real food for pets, has teamed up with The Pet Show with Dr.Katy on Washington, D.C.’s News Channel 8, and ResQwalk, a free mobile app that enables you to raise money for animal welfare groups just by walking, for The FreshFit Challenge to raise awareness about pet obesity in the United States.
According to The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, over 50% of dogs in the United States are overweight or obese, but by incorporating fresher, less processed foods into your pet’s diet, along with proper exercise, Freshpet and Dr. Katy Nelson believe we can overcome this life-threatening disease. By joining The FreshFit Challenge, not only are you and your pup walking your way to a healthier lifestyle, you’re helping deserving pets in need.
Here’s how it works. For every mile you walk, you earn part of a monthly pool of money that will be donated to Bideawee, a pet rescue and welfare organization servicing NYC and Long Island, or you may choose to donate your portion of the funds to the pet charity of your choice. To get started, simply download the ResQwalk app or log on to www.freshpet.com for more details. The FreshFit Challenge runs now through May 4, 2016.
Dr. Katy Nelson, nationally recognized veterinarian and host of The Pet Show with Dr. Katy, will provide plenty of inspiration and education along the way through informative blog posts, live FAQ sessions with prizes, and updates on The FreshFit Challenge’s collective goal of walking 200,000 miles over four weeks.
 
“Nothing is more important than exercise and a proper diet for you and your pet,” says Dr. Katy Nelson. “The more we can do to help motivate pet parents to spend quality time exercising with their pets benefits all of us. We hope everyone will join us in walking our way towards better health.”
If you need a little extra motivation as you walk your way to helping others:
·         Simply set a personal goal in the ResQwalk app. The first 1,000 to reach their goal will receive a Freshpet coupon.
·         The more miles you walk, the more meals will be donated to Bideawee.
·         Everyone who participates will automatically be entered to win one of three Freshpet Prize Packs, to include Freshpet gear, food, and more!
 
“We are delighted to team up with Dr. Katy Nelson and ResQWalk for the FreshFit Challenge to raise awareness and encourage action against pet obesity,” says Scott Morris, Co-founder of Freshpet. “Helping improve the health and wellbeing of our pets is at the very core of what we do.”
 
About Freshpet
Freshpet has a single-minded mission – to improve the lives of dogs and cats everywhere through the power of fresh, natural food.  Packed with vitamins and proteins, Freshpet foods offer fresh meats, poultry, and vegetables farmed locally. The Freshpet Kitchens then thoughtfully prepare these natural ingredients and everyday essentials, cooking them in small batches at lower temperatures to preserve key nutrients. That way, your pet gets the best. Freshpet refrigerated foods and treats are kept cool from the moment they are made until they arrive at Freshpet refrigerators in your local market.
 
Freshpet foods are available in select mass, grocery, natural food, club, and pet specialty retailers across the United States and Canada. From the care Freshpet takes to source their ingredients and make their food, to the moment it reaches your home, Freshpet’s integrity, transparency and social responsibility are the way they like to run their business.  To learn more, visit www.freshpet.com.
 
Meet Dr. Katy Nelson
Dr. Nelson is an associate veterinarian at the Belle Haven Animal Medical Centre in Alexandria, VA. as well as the host and executive producer of "The Pet Show with Dr. Katy" on Washington DC's News Channel 8 - the show airs at 11am on Saturday mornings. She’s also known as "Dr. Pawz" on Washington DC's All News Radio Station, WTOP. Read her blog on WTOP Living every Wednesday morning and catch her live in-studio every other Thursday at 12:20 pm talking about timely topics for your pets. You can also find her reporting on animal health topics for WJLA ABC 7.

What a GREAT CAUSE. 
I downloaded the App, you should too. 

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Freshpet gives your pet choice:

​Refrigerated

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Freshpet Select
Wholesome and balanced recipes. Great for pet parents looking for all-natural, fresh and delicious meals. 

This will all be found in the refrigerated isle in your local pet store. Even some grocery stores now have Fresh Pet refrigerated foods, I know mine does. 
Many choices to choose from. 

Freshpet® Select Tender Chicken with Crisp Carrots & Leafy Spinach Cat Food Recipe is our cat, Duncans favorite. 


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​Vital
Fresh real food. Inspired by nature.Inspired by natural canine and feline diets, Vital meat-based recipes are prepared using fresh, high-quality animal proteins plus nutritious fruits and vegetables for a highly digestible, complete and balanced meal. Available in grain and grain free varieties and single-source, multi-source and novelty protein recipes, like salmon and bison.


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Nature's Fresh

A fresh approach to holistic nutrition. Thoughtfully prepared, made of carefully selected and locally sourced ingredients that are GAP certified.

I have never seen this in my local stores, hopefully soon. I would like to let my pets give it a try. 

Many choices to choose from. 


Fresh Baked Recipes

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Fresh Baked
Crunchy recipes made with 100% fresh chicken or turkey plus antioxidant-rich superfoods.

This is the food my dogs LOVE. 
It's like a treat and dinner all in one. 

Feed your pets like you eat, natural, healthy good for you items. 

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Treats for Dogs

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Treats for Dogs

Dog Joy® and Dognation® meat treats and chews are fresh and delicious snacks you can feel good about giving your pooch. 
Our dogs got to try Dognation Sweet Potato Chews once, I never found them again, they loved them while they lasted. The store that carried these is gone now, so hopefully I can find someplace else that carries these treats. 


Toppers

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Toppers
Something NEW
Vital® Whole Blends address your dog’s specific needs, with vitamins from real ingredients and supplements where necessary for a nutritional boost. 


Real food, real nutrition. 
Introducing Vital Whole Blends. Simply mix in to add a boost of super foods for happy, healthy dogs.

Vital® Whole Blends are a nutritional boost for your dog’s meal:

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Pick up some Freshpet today. Your pet will thank you. 

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Enter Below to win a Freshpet product coupon. 

Organic Aromas pure and simple ~ Review & discount code

I have numerous essential oil diffusers in my home, but NEVER have I had one as cool as Organic Aromas pure and simple, 
All diffusers I had used water & heat and you had to refill them every few hours. You also could hardly smell the essential oils unless it was in the same room or you added allot of oil. 
Since my picture didn't do this diffuser justice, I had to add a stock photo from Organic Aroma's pure and simple Site. 
The Exquisite Essential Oil Diffuser for Aromatherapy is like no other.  This is the most effective diffuser of pure Essential Oils on the market. Silently nebulizes using the Bernoullis Principle. Perfect for aromatherapy, place in the spa, office, bathroom, kitchen, classroom or meeting area.

In easier understandings. Just add your favorite essential oil into the glass , put the lid back on, turn on low to high and your whole home will fill with the wonderful scent of essential oil you used. 
Plus it has a light on it so when used at night it glows so pretty where ever you have it.  
This has got to be the BEST 
Essential Oil Diffuser
​in the world!

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​The Exquisite essential oil diffuser was specifically designed and developed for modern, fashion-minded individuals who desire something fresh, exciting and unique. Crafted in a stunning contemporary style with a sleek, polished look, Exquisite is a lovely addition to a newly decorated flat or lavish residence, but equally suitable for an office or the desk of a professional. With three different striking colors and dazzling white LED mood lighting, Exquisite unites state-of-the-art design and functionality.

A versatile, effective and therapeutic aromatherapy diffuser that does not use heat or water. The device is clean, safe, uses very little energy and is completely quiet. This nebulizing diffuser uses pure essential oil

  • Uses No Heat or Water Maintaining the Holistic and Therapeutic Properties of Essential Oils. Has "volume" switch to precisely control how much oil you diffuse.
  • Low energy consumption, the unit has a Usage Cycles of 2 minutes On, and 1 minute Off.  Auto Shut-off after 120 minutes. Excellent atomizing performance requires little essential oil to saturate the air quickly. Under ideal conditions can “service” a room of up to 80sqm (800+ sq ft).
  • The unit measures approximately 25cm (10 inches) tall and 15 cm (6 inches) wide. It features soothing LED Mood Lighting. It works on any electrical outlet (110 or 220v) and comes with the electrical plug adapter for your market (USA, UK, EU, Australia, etc).
  • Refined and elegant hand-made wood base and custom-blown glass diffuser makes the device a work of artistic craftsmanship. The unit is the perfect gift for any occasion.

$95 & comes in Red, Black or White. 

I also reviewed these WONDERFUL essential oils from Organic Aromas pure and simple. 
This is the 
Designer Series Luxury Gift Set for $49.00
The box is awesome. If you were giving this as a gift, no need to gift wrap. The box in itself is already wrapped It's a cool patented folding design and intricate premium quality materials that makes this designer box kit one of a kind. 

The box contains 6 x 10ml bottles: Energy, Serenity, Purification, Passion, Burglars and our own Signature Blend.
These are six of the most powerful, widely used and versatile pure, organic essential oil specialty blends in this remarkable presentation. 
These oils are all 100% pure
​I really like this essential oils pack. 
They all have wonderful scents and special uses.


​Energy Essential Oil Blend 100% pure

Benefits and Uses

•    Natural glandular support 
•    Reduces fatigue and eases anxiety
•    Stimulates and uplifts the mind
•    Respiratory support and headache relief
•    Boosts energy

​Serenity Essential Oil Blend 100% Pure
Benefits and Uses

•    Reduces stress and anxiety 
•    Treats insomnia
•    Promotes relaxation
•    Soothes fussy children
•    Establishes balance 

Purity Essential Oil Blend 100% PURE
Benefits and Uses

    Cleanses odors 
•    Repels insects 
•    Anti-microbial and anti-fungal
•    Promotes well-being

•    Soothes the skin, bites and rashes 

Passion Essential Oil Blend 100% pure
Benefits and Uses

•    Aphrodisiac 
•    Mood enhancer
•    Antiviral and anti-inflammatory
•    Contains relaxant properties

•    Boosts sense of well-being 

​Burglars Essential Oil Blend 100% Pure
Benefits and Uses

•    Antimicrobial and antioxidant 
•    Fights colds and flu
•    Eliminates odors and disinfects
•    Apply on wounds to promote healing
•    Elevates mental alertness 

​Signature 100% Pure Essential Oil Blend

The Organic Aromas Signature Blend is a fantastic combination of five unique and diverse pure essential oils that form to create a scent unlike anything you have every experienced.
I really like Oranic Aromas pure and simple site. The products are amazing. 
The diffusers are like no others. 
You will be amazed. 
If you think the $95 price tag is high, it's not. This diffuser is such wonderful quality. 
It works like no other you will ever buy. 
Your oils will also last longer. 
The Ionic Nebulizing Essential Oil Diffuser uses a unique theorem of fluid dynamics called the Bernoulli principle. This principle gives that when an air current is forced through a narrow micro-tube its’ velocity increases. Physics states that the pressure at the exit point of the narrow micro-tube is subsequently reduced.
Due to the difference in pressure, a form of suction is created causing the essential oil in an alternate micro-tube to rise up. Finally, the fast stream of pressurized air then comes into contact with the essential oil causing fine, atomized micro-particles of oil to be sprayed against the wall of the glass diffuser reservoir.
Consequently, the tiniest particles (mist droplets that measure between 1.5 - 5µm) are diffused out of the top of the glass cap in a light vapor, while the larger bits of oil are returned to the bottom of the instrument to form a cycle.
Due to the fact that there is no heat involved the original chemical structure of the essential oils are not altered or transmuted in any way. Therefore, the particles are able to be quickly absorbed by the human body in their most natural, original state. Also, because the Ionic Nebulizing Diffuser does not use water, the environment is able to stay dry. Consequently, this is the safest, longest lasting and most natural way to directly and completely diffuse pure, organic essential oil into the air without the use of heat or water.

If you want a natural way of healing your body & mind, Organic Aromas pure and simple has what you need. 
Check them out, you will be happy you did. 

Wild Hibiscus Flower Co. Review & Flower Power Giveaway

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Wild Hibiscus Flower Company was founded in Australia by Lee Etherington in 1999 with the creation of our flagship product, theWild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup.  It was by chance at a more than lively dinner party one night that Lee and partner, Jocelyn and their guests dropped a flower into a glass of champagne. Watching in amazement as the flower started to unfurl and look particularly special in the glass, the idea was sparked by Lee to create the first bottled hibiscus flowers in syrup.  ​
Wild Hibiscus Flower Co. makes so many fun and different products. I received a large variety of items to sample and review. You will be happy to hear that you lucky Simple Side of Life readers have a chance to win all of the products that I received.

I used every single thing I received and can't wait to try all the different recipes that are on the Wild Hibiscus Flower Co. website. There is a steak recipe idea that includes seasoning your steak with thePyramid Salt Flakes that I am dying to try: 
http://www.wildhibiscus.com/blogs/recipes/18099468-hibiscus-salt-seasoning

They also have a delicious looking cheesecake recipe idea that uses the Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup to decorate and garnish each yummy slice:
http://www.wildhibiscus.com/blogs/recipes/17988636-wild-hibiscus-cheesecake

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Color your ice cubes with either of their 3 extracts or you can even make ice cubes out of their teas. They have Heart-Tee Blue Tea and Heart-Tee Hibiscus Tea. They both are the most brilliant colors of blue and red. I have really been enjoying the teas. I love hot tea and these Heart-Tees are a delicious light floral flavor. 
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I don't drink Champagne but I do drink Ginger Ale and I really wanted to try the concept of putting a Hibiscus Flower and some Hibiscus Flower Syrup into my drink. It really does look so pretty and would be perfect to spice up a dinner party or drinks with friends. The flower looks awesome in the bottom of the glass and the Extract adds not only beautiful color but it adds a hint of light hibiscus flavor.

These three extracts are excellent for adding color to drinks. Like vodka drinks and teas. I saw on the website they have a very cool idea to use the extract to make colored ice cubes.

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Heart-Tee Blue Tee is made from 100% pure butterfly pea flowers.  A mild tasting tea with intense blue color. The flowers are a very high source of anthocyanin antioxidants. Butterfly pea flower tea is used for the traditional Thai welcome iced tea drink - just add a teaspoon of honey and squeeze of lemon to your tea and serve over ice.  It has an amazing vivid blue color which changes to purple when the lemon is added.
Heart-tee Hibiscus is 100% pure dried hibiscus flower tea.  A rich red, strong full bodied tea with intense berry flavor.  Hibiscus flowers are a very high source of anthocyanin antioxidants. 
Substitute a red wine with a Hibiscus Heart-Tee if you're trying reduce drinking alcohol.
This tea is a little tart which many people enjoy as it is obviously pure and unsweetened and the flavor really shines through.  If you like it a little sweeter, simply add honey or other natural sweetener. I prefer this tea with honey vs the blue I drink straight. Both of them are yummy and very cool looking.
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The teas are delicious and the extracts are fun in so many different ways. I even used them to add a hint of flavor and a touch of color to some cream cheese icing for the strawberry cupcakes I made. They turned out pretty cute.
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The cupcakes turned out pretty good and they are so fun looking. I had three different color frosting and then used the Pyramid Salt Flakes as a decoration. I sprinkled it ever so finely across the top of the frosting. I wanted it as added color, as like a little flare and fun on top. At first I was nervous that the salt would over power the sweet but after sampling it we decided it was not at all a worry. It was perfect and so cute.  I got the salt sprinkles idea off their website and then topped each cup cake with a Hibiscus Flower.
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Their all natural Wild Hibiscus Flower Salt is a zingy gourmet finishing salt with a rich red hue - color and flavor for your palette and plate. Also dazzling on cocktails. Guaranteed deliciousness on all sorts of foods - sweet and savoury! Just two ingredients - dried and ground hibiscus flowers and pyramid salt flakes which crumble easily in your fingers. Sold in a convenient resealable 100g/3.5oz net pack.
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Wild Hibiscus Flowers In Syrup are a glorious indulgence bursting with joie de viver!  A tribute to the eternal romance of the rose, this product contains the natural essence of two dozen Bulgarian roses and 15 hand picked Wild Hibiscus Flowers. 
The ultimate edible garnish for sparkling wine, cocktails, desserts and more. ​
The rose oil is the most premium rose oil in the world and combined with the hibiscus the flavor is well rounded and not overpowering but still very sensual and delicious.

  • Can be used for food and beverage (mostly sweet applications)
  • Gorgeous bight crimson color and a sensational taste with hints ofraspberry, rhubarb and the sensual flavour of rose all rolled into one. 
  • The flowers have a similar firmness to lychees or dried cranberries.

Find tons of delicious recipes and ideas on their website: http://www.wildhibiscus.com/blogs/recipes/tagged/food-all

You can purchase all of these incredible products directly off the Wild Hibiscus Flower Co. website:  ​http://www.wildhibiscus.com/collections/retail

                                                              GIVEAWAY!!!!! 

One lucky Simple Side of Life reader will win everything I received!! This is a $60 Value and such a fun prize so good luck, follow Wild Hibiscus Flower on all their social media pages and tweet daily for extra points.

REQUIRED ENTRY IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. PLEASE EMAIL YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO simplesideoflife2@gmail.com

IdealLean Protein & Pre-Workout Review & Protein Giveaway

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IdealFit has created workout products and supplements that are geared towards women. There are a million protein shakes and supplements that mostly focus on men and getting huge. IdealLean is for women prefer a protein shake with less sugar and calories. As women, we have unique nutritional needs. IdealLean Protein meets those needs head on. And because they know that women play hard and never quit, they have added their IdealFit Proprietary Recovery Blend, packed with L-Glutamine and superfruits to help your body recover from any challenge you take on. Get ready to get lean!
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I am loving theIdealLean Chocolate Brownie Protein Shake that I received. Everyone seems to have their own routine when it comes to drinking their shakes. I wake in the morning and drink my pre-workout and then do my workout. I like to drink my protein shake after I workout with a piece of fruit and this is my breakfast. I feel it gives me a boost for the day and replenishes my body after a long run or lifting weights and doing calisthenics.  It is suggested that you drink a shake before and after your workout but because I workout before I do anything I just drink it after.

I have used a lot of different protein shakes and one of my old favorites had 200 calories per scoop. I have found that a lot of protein shakes taste horrible, hurt my tummy or even make my skin break out. So my old 200 calorie per scoop shake was fine with me for a while because it was yummy and had no negative effects. 

Everything has changed now that I found IdealLean. I tasted it first, before I really read into it and was really happy with the delicious chocolate brownie flavor. It is super yummy especially ice cold and with 8oz of water. If you want you can add juice or milk but I stick with water because of calories. I was super excited when I looked on the front of myIdealLean container and saw that their was only 80 calories!! 
                80 CALORIES!! 

Seriously?? I have never had a protein shake so low in calories. Like I said before my old favorite was 200 so that's a 120 calorie difference. I can eat that much more each day. I could have two shakes and still have 40 calories left over. IdealLean has won me over with that.

Each scoop contains 20 grams of protein which is perfect and there is zero fat, sugar and carbs. This is truly a fantastic protein shake. IdealLean is 100% whey protein isolate.Whey protein isolate provides your muscles with the high quality protein they need, allowing you to build strong, lean muscle.​

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Whey protein isolate is easily digested and is ideal for those looking to build lean muscle because it is absorbed and processed quickly by your body. Whey protein isolate is the purest form of whey available, it’s also a complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids that your body needs to repair muscle after a work out.
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IdeaLean does not upset my stomach like other shakes have done in the past because it contains no lactose. A lot of other protein supplements irritate users with lactose intolerance because they don’t use whey protein isolate.  IdealLean is formulated to address the specific nutrient needs of women. Many women are deficient in folic acid, calcium and vitamin D despite the fact that they are crucial for good health. 
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that women get at least 400mcg of folic acid daily, by drinking two IdealLean protein shakes each day you meet that requirement. Folic acid helps renew the cells that aid in hair growth and nail strength, a deficiency can lead to premature graying and hair loss. It’s a fact that women are at a higher risk of osteoporosis, calcium reduces that risk. It also assists in blood clotting, muscle contraction and nerve transmission. It may also reduce the risk of preeclampsia in pregnant women.

If you are trying to build lean muscle or losing body fat, recovery should be a top priority. Faster recovery means you can work harder each day and push your body to the next level! If you breakdown muscle without rebuilding it you’re not going to see the results you’re working for. IdealFit proprietary recovery blend is included in IdealLean and is packed with L-Glutamine and super fruits to minimize muscle breakdown and improve protein metabolism, allowing you to build more muscle, faster.

I am all about building more muscle fast so I will be sticking with my IdealLean protein shakes and can't wait to try the vanilla. Vanilla would be awesome because you can drink it straight of blend in fruit to give it whatever flavor you choose that day

The other product I received and have been using daily is theIdealLean Pre-Workout. It comes in two fresh and fruity flavors, Watermelon Ice and Blue Raspberry. I picked the Blue Raspberry and it is delicious. 
This pre-workout has 0 sugar, 0 fat and 0 calories so you can drink it without tracking any calories. I am obesessed with pre-workout drinks and have tried multiple brands. Just like protein shakes I have tried tons and only liked a few. Before I received my IdealLean Pre-Workout I was using two other brands both of which I was unsatisfied with. They just didn't back the punch as my regular favorite brand. I had run out of my regular brand and figured I would use up the other two brands I had before I went out and bought my brand.

Lucky for me the amazing people at IdealLean sent me a jar of theirBlue Raspberry. I am soooooo excited to have found it and now I have a new favorite IdealLean will be my number one from now on. I can't wait to try the Watermelon Ice. 

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If you are not familiar with Pre-Workouts you should for sure try it. I call it my Go Juice. You just mix a scoop of it in with 8-10 oz of water. If you are new to pre-workouts or new to this brand it is recommended to try 1/2 to 1 scoop at first and see how you like it. You can use up to 2 scoops but never use more than 2 scoops per day. Consume your drink 20-30 minutes BEFORE your workout and it will give you the energy you need to push hard through your routine.
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IdealLean Pre-Workout will deliver the motivation you need, and so much more. This Pre-Workout gives you natural,clean energy and focus with a special blend of ingredients including Green Tea Extract 50% EGCG, proprietary IdealFit Fat-Loss Blend, and other components to improve blood flow and oxygen to muscles and combat lactic acid build-up. You’ll be able to push yourself harder and recover faster! 

I am a firm believer in pre-workouts and must have a good brand so I am super happy with my new favorite IdealLean Blue Raspberry. 

You can purchase IdealFit IdealLean products here > https://idealfit.com/simplesideoflife

                                                             GIVEAWAY!!!!

The awesome people at IdealFit are giving away a tub of protein powder to one lucky Simple Side of Life reader so good luck. Follow IdealFit on all their social media sites, and tweet daily for extra entry points.

Ladera Foods Review & Free Bag w/Purchase

Family values are the guiding forces behind Ladera Granola. The original recipe started in the kitchen of a Stanford Medical Doctor and loving mother of three. With her kids’ best interests at heart, she created foods that promoted their active lifestyles while appealing to their demanding tastes. This vision has since grown beyond the confines of Ladera to support a vibrant healthy and active community across the country.
Ladera Foods makes three super delicious, kid friendly, taste bud friendly granola blends.  Each blend is made with simple ingredients that almost anyone can find in their kitchen. It does not have a bunch of ingredients you can't pronounce or don't recognize. These blends are created out of foods you can feel safe feeding to your kids.
Ladera bakes all their granola in small batches at low temperatures keeping the flavors and health benefits intact.

They recognize the struggle in adopting a diet that is low in sugar and high in protein. The available options can be difficult to swallow so Ladera aims to make this transition seamless by replacing the processed sugars with rich natural flavors. Their goal is to keep you feeling satisfied throughout the day and power you through.

Their Almond Pecan Granola is made with California grown almonds and pecans. It has 3 grams of protein 

in every 1/4 cup and contains a very minimal amount of sugar. 

Chocolate Almond Granola is a favorite in my house as you can see in the picture above it is nearly gone already.

It is made with California grown almonds, hand mixed with whole grain oats, and infused with a rich blend of olive oil, maple syrup and rich cocoa. 

The Chocolate Almond Granola also has 3 grams of protein in every 1/4 to give you the boost you need to kick start your day. Eat it by itself, in a cup of yogurt or bake some delicious cookies with it. How every you choose to devour it is up to you. You will love it I promise.

Ladera Foods came up with their newest blend Pumpkin Quinoa Granola because they were asked by schools to create something they could serve in their cafeterias. So many kids these days have allergies that have cause schools to be very cautious of what is served and even what is brought on campus. I know that because of nut allergies some schools even ask parents not to pack peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in their kids lunch for fear that another child could get a hold of it or come into contact with it.

Ladera Foods was given the challenge to come up with something safe, nutritious and delicious for kids to eat and Ladera Foods was successful. They created Pumpkin Quinoa Granola and I will tell you.....IT IS DELICIOUS!! 

I am a granola lover and was actually surprised at how much I love this blend. It has the perfect amount of sweetness. It's sweetened with maple syrup and brown sugar.

It is totally nut free so you can feel safe serving this to your kid, your kids friends and even send a bag of it to school with your little one.

Ladera Foods all started with Brian's mother's original granola recipe, what is now known as the Almond Pecan Granola. Brian baked that granola throughout college and after graduating, started selling, marketing, and distributing, to local markets in Northern California. If you live in Northern California look for Ladera Foods Granola in your local stores. 

You can also buy Ladera Foods Granola on their website and if you place an order over $25 then shipping is FREE. Even better than that, when you buy this delicious granola on their site you can add a note at checkout saying "Simple Side of Life" and they will include A FREE BAG OF GRANOLA !!! 
http://www.laderafoods.com/collections/

Make sure you follow Ladera Foods on all their social media sites to keep connected.

Ladera Foods on Instagram: ​https://www.instagram.com/laderafoods/

Fancy Fortune Cookies Review

Mather's Day is right around the corner. 
This year get your Mom or a wonderful women in your life something different. 
Fancy Fortune Cookies. 

​MOTHER'S DAY FORTUNE COOKIES -
CHOCOLATE DIPPED FORTUNE COOKIES
WITH
MOTHER'S DAY FORTUNES

These YUMMY fortune cookies have a wonderful all natural vanilla flavor, each one hand-dipped and decorated.
They come filled with special Mother's day sayings. 

Each one of these classic gourmet vanilla fortune cookies are dipped in a luscious  Belgian chocolate (dark, milk or white) and decorate with candy sprinkles and pretty spring blossoms.
Perfect for any Mother's Day event!

Fancy Fortune Cookies are the freshest fortune cookies I have ever had. They are thicker then most fortune cookies, 
They have a really good vanilla taste to them.  On the outside of each cookie is either dark, milk or white chocolate, then on-top of that are sprinkles or a fine sugar and then a cute sugar flower tops it off. 
Each cookie comes individually wrapped and will stay fresh up to 12 weeks. 

Once you open your cookie you will find cute Mother's Day messages inside like:

A mother always has to 
think twice: once for herself 
and once for her child. 

A mom's hug lasts long 
after she lets go. Thanks!

You can fool some of the people 
some of the time, 
but you can't fool Mom.  

Biology is the least of what 
makes someone a mother.  
~Oprah Winfrey

There is no way to be a 
perfect mother, and a 
million ways to be a good one.

When you have a child, you
decide forever to let your heart 
go walking outside your body.

Each individually wrapped Fancy Fortune Cookies costs 99 cents and you must purchase 12 at a time. 
These would be cute in a gift basket to your Mom. 
Fancy Fortune Cookies doesn't just sell the typical fortune cookie you would get at your local Chinese restaurant. 
If your looking for something special they have 

Traditional Vanilla, Orange, Raspberry, Strawberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Fruit Punch, Cappuccino, Graham Cracker, Mint, Apple, and Chocolate.

You will not be disappointed with these cookies. 
Excellent for any occasion.  

Essential Oil Jewelry by Izzybell Jewelry Review & discount code with FREE shipping

Functional yet fashionable jewelry 

I am a big essential oils user. Have diffusers all over my home, car and office at work. 
The different scents help with just about anything or just help make my day a great one. 
Now I can have the scent I want for the mood I need right next to me. 

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This beautiful bracelet has a soft braided rope band and a large easy to use clasp. There's a few cute beads on the rope along with a unique aromatherapy locket to apply your favorite essential oils in. It also comes with a bag of balls ~ to put in the locket & one essential oil of your choice.  

To use the essential oils benefits of this bracelet just remove the safety clasp from locket and open at the seams or on top of locket. Apply a few drops of your favorite essential oil to one of the included aroma-balls; wait for the oil to absorb into the ball, place back in the locket and enjoy the benefits of your chosen essential oil.
To preserve the life of the locket, removed aroma-balls when not in use. Aroma-balls are reusable.

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Not only is the Essential Oil Diffuser Bracelets Blue Braided adorable, it's also an essential in your every day life. 
This and all the rest of the Izzybell Jewelry line will look perfect with whatever outfit your wearing and help solve your daily need. I really like the idea of having an essential oil aroma ball. I now wear this bracelet daily. 
I mostly use lavender oil on mine but have tried the uplift and really like the smell and energy
​I feel when wearing my bracelet. 

How Aromatherapy Works
Aromatherapy or essential oils therapy, is using a plant’s aroma-producing oils (essential oils) to treat illness, emotional distress or disease. Essential oils are like juiced herbs. The oils are taken from a plant’s flowers, leaves, stalks, bark, rind, or roots. There are many things that essential oils can do for you but the Therapy comes through the Aroma or as you inhale the scent that truly makes a difference in your emotions. SO, you may ask. CAN I REALLY RECEIVE BENEFITS OF ESSENTIAL OILS JUST BY SMELLING THEM? The answer is YES! Hence the word, AROMA (or smell) THERAPY.

Your choices of Essential Oil's are:

one free with each purchase. 
Breathe Eze Essential Oil
Breathe Eze is a blend of eucalyptus, peppermint and lemon.  This unique blend helps to open bronchial and sinus passages while providing a calming and centering effect to the body.   A perfect choice for any sickness as it loosens tightness in the chest and aids in better breathing.
-Respiratory system
-Antiviral
-Decongestant
-Calming

Lavender Essential Oil Lavender is universal oil that has been shown to balance the body and work wherever there is a need.  There are many uses for Lavender essential oil.  Lavender helps decrease stress and anxiety and can calm and relax the body.-Stress
-Headaches
-Anxiety
-Balancing
-Improves outlook
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint is like a rush of fresh energy into the system.  It allows us to relax instead of letting anxiety build up in our body and mind.  It is very strengthening to the digestive system and works great in stimulating a feeling of fullness to help curb food cravings just by smelling it.
-Headaches
-Digestion
-Clear sinus
-Curbs appetite
Lemon Essential OilLemon is a perfect oil to reach for when feeling ill, improving your attention span and problem solving.  Lemon oil can kill bacteria in 15 minutes.  It also promotes clarity of thought, improves mental accuracy and concentration.
-Bacteria Fighter
-Boosts immunity
-Stimulating
Uplift Essential Oil
The blend of sweet orange and lime has a highly stimulating effect that helps to bring peace and happiness to the mind and body and joy to the heart.
-Energizes
– Brightens outlook
– Creates optimism
– Overcomes anxiety
– Helps depression
Sweet Orange Essential Oil
The scent of orange has been said to bring peace and happiness to the mind, body and spirit. This delightful scent of the best smelling peeled orange you will ever smell can help boost energy and mood throughout a stressful day.
-Overcoming sadness
-Creating optimism
-Relaxing the mind
 Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea Tree is a very strong oil and very effective in killing airborne bacteria.  It is great for treating wounds, cuts, insect bites, stings, rashes, nail infections, cold sores and much more.  Should be used diluted as this is a strong oil.
-Antibacterial
-Antifungal
-Antiviral
-Immune stimulant
Lime Essential Oils
This stimulating and refreshing oil is perfect for those tired days when you are lacking energy or you just are not feeling like your best self.  Lime oil promotes emotional balance and well-being and has powerful antioxidants that support healthy immune function.  It also improves memory and concentration.
-Memory
-Concentration
-Energy
-Focus
How can smelling an oil reach your limbic system or emotional center? 
Well, as you smell an oil it goes into the nose to a part called the olfactory bulb then in turn that bulb has a direct link to our emotional system. So…I know this works in aromatherapy, but I wanted to give people a way to tune into the feeling of having a great day every day, whether that’s down to feeling better physically or having a better outlook mentally and emotionally. The result is a range of aromatherapy jewelry. You can wear something that looks great, and which will release the scents that your brain needs, thus giving you all the benefits of aromatherapy too. You can put a smile on your face; you can improve your digestion; you can leap tall buildings at a single bound…well…maybe not, but you might just feel as though you can!    

Lava Rock Collection

Odd but, since it's been so cold at my house I haven't worn my Lava Rock Collection bracelet much. 
The Lead-tin alloy band is cold on my arm. Once it starts to warm up I will wear it more. I love the look and it will go with almost everything I wear. 
Feel the energy and clear emotionally with this edgy three-stone essential oil diffuser bracelet.  Lava stones are known to increase health, concentration and energy for the person wearing it.  Couple that with your favorite essential oil and you have a tool right at your wrist to help you be your best.  Aromatherapy jewelry has never looked so good.
 
Includes:
  • Bracelet measuring 7” Length
  • Fold over clasp
  • Essential oil of choice
  • Description Card

Materials:

  • Natural lava rock volcano stone
  • Band: Lead-tin alloy band

How to Use:  Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to one of the lava rock stones and allow the oil to absorb.  Wipe any access oil off any part of the jewelry that isn’t the lava rock. If the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a couple more drops and enjoy your scent throughout the day.

The Lava Rock absorbs the essential oils making you wrist not only smell great but help ease whatever you need eased that day. The oil scent doesn't stay as long on the lava rock as it does the aroma ball but long enough and looks beautiful on your wrist. 
Izzybell sells other wonderful pieces of aromatherapy jewelry 
check them out HERE they all would make wonderful Mother's Day gifts. 

When ordering use Promo Code: take20 
to receive 20% off your order and FREE shipping. 

Fresh Wave Mother's Day Gift Basket Giveaway

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Fresh Wave Odor Removing Products

I have been using Fresh Wave products in my home since the first time I hosted a review for them. 
They are a staple in my home. From the odor removing packs, gel and my favorite the odor removing spray. 
These are the BEST odor removing products I have ever used. 
They REMOVE ODORS with NATURAL ingredients. 
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I have Fresh Wave Odor Removing Spray ALL over my house. In the cat's/my workout room, kitchen, upstairs by the laundry area & in the bathroom. I even keep the smallest bottle in my car. I LOVE THIS STUFF. 
It really works. There is no smell like most odor removing products that just mask the smell with it's overpowering scent Fresh Wave 
products actually make the odor molecules disappear. 

Shake. Spray. Smile. For stronger odors a few more spritzes will do the trick.  When you smell "fresh air,” it’s working.
·     Removes odors using only natural ingredients
·     No harsh chemicals or masking fragrances
·     Non-toxic
·     Spray in the air or on water-safe fabrics to remove odors immediately

My second most used Fresh Wave product in my home is the Odor Removing Gel. 
Our home is old, even though it's fully remodeled we still have a "old-musty" smell upstairs or sometimes downstairs when we don't get to open the windows due to the cold weather. After talking to fresh wave about it they sent me a few of these odor removing gels to try and the problem was solved. NO MORE old-musty smells anywhere in my home. 
So now I purchase this gel and always keep one upstairs. 

Our odor-removing Gel can tackle even the toughest of odors—pets, bathrooms, mildew, trash, skunk...even food odors. Place the Gel container where odors are strongest, and BAM odor problem solved.

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Open lid and remove seal. Replace slotted lid and place Gel where odors are strongest. Sniff. Smile.
The odor removing gel for me lasts about a month and a half, sometimes longer. I notice the hotter it gets in my home to sooner it goes away. You can purchase it in a 7 oz & 15 oz container or a 24 oz or 2 gallon bucket
refill for your containers. 
The containers are cute too, so they will look fine anywhere around your house. 
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The Fresh Pod is PERFECT for your trash can lid. I have one of these in each trash can in my house. Since they are not only pretty, they always take away ALL odors your trash can may of had. My bathroom small trash can has one of these pods on the front and my kitchen trash has one on the inside of the lid. I also have one in my bedroom closet where we keep all of our shoes. No more odors anywhere. 
Stick it to big odors in small spaces with the Fresh Pod. Fresh Wave Fresh Pods go anywhere. Garbage cans, closets, diaper pails, lockers, boats and RVs! Place in any small space to get rid of odors 24/7. Take the refillable case out of the plastic pouch and peel off the adhesive backing. Adhere to a clean, flat surface. Those small-space odors are cut down to size! Replace Pack every 30 days. Includes 1 Fresh Pack + Refillable Case
You can refill your fresh pod with the odor removing packs below
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Not only can you refill your fresh pod with these odor removing packs, you can also add these to smelly shoes, gym bags, back packs, diaper pail and more. 
These small pouches of fresh wave goodness remove odors fast like all the other fresh wave products. 

​odor removing packs
Funny how small spaces can sometimes have a huge odor. Kind of funny, not so funny, huh? Our Fresh Wave Packs are great for those situations like car interiors, gym bags, shoes, closets, boats, campers, bagless vacuums, trash cans and that oh-so-powerful diaper pail—just to name a few. Toss them in and toss those odors out. And when you only need one or two packs to do the job, just reseal the bag to keep the other packs smelling freshtastic. Boom!
Future odor problem solved.​
The odor removing candle works great when cooking something that smells like fish or cauliflower. I light this candle when getting ready to cook something that my boyfriend always complains it makes the house smell. 
Now he never complains. 
It works right away and doesn't have a smell so no overpowering scents. 

The Fresh Wave soy-based Candle is perfect for removing odors caused by cooking, smoke, pets and more!  Our candle burns cleanly and is environmentally friendly (oh yeah!) And the best part? It removes stinky odors with natural goodness, not perfumes or fragrance.

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Just a personal opinion I did like the glass jar this candle was in before, it used to be a frosted white jar, the above brown color is pretty but the other looked better on my kitchen counter. I still love the candle either way. 
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Everybody has bad smells in their life. From the bathroom, kitchen and diaper pail to sports equipment and the car, not-so-nice smells are a not-so-wonderful fact of life. But here’s another fact. You don’t need harsh chemicals or heavily perfumed air fresheners to get rid of the stink. Not when you’ve got Fresh Wave.

Fresh Wave® natural odor removing products use simple, pure and natural ingredients — water and natural extracts of lime, pine needle, aniseed, clove and cedarwood -- to get rid of organic and inorganic odors. As in gone. Adios. Goodbye. Rather than covering up odors with perfumes and chemicals, our products actually make the odor molecules disappear. So when we say that odor is outta here…we’re not kidding. 

Enter Below for your chance to win the above gift basket. 
Perfect for Mother's Day. 

Rawkin Raw Review, Discount Code & Giveaway

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 Erinn Williams launched R.E.A.L. (Raw Energy and Life) FOODS in 2007 as part of her goal to bring healthier and real food options to people. Erinn intends to expand the business and develop many more raw vegan products in the coming years. She hand selects the finest raw vegan ingredients herself, and loves creating and sharing her super food energy treats!

At REAL (Real Energy And Life) foods, their mission is to bring you the highest quality REAL raw vegan foods, packed with nutrition and good vibrations to feed your mind, body and soul.

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Erinn sent me the most generous package of these delicious Rawkin Raw Truffles, Cookies and Macaroons. Erinn has eaten a 100% raw vegan diet for over 6 years, and has been vegan for 15 years. She is also a certified Vinyassa Yoga Instructor and believes that a healthy body leads to emotional and physical well being, and a higher spiritual evolution. She believes if we simplify and respect ourselves and nature, we can preserve our precious natural resources, and receive the endless bounty of truly living! It is her passion to provide healthy vegan raw foods through her company R.E.A.L. Foods and I have had the pleasure to sample these wonderful treats.
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I received two types of Power cookies:
~ Rawkin Raw POWER Organic Chocolate Energy Protein Cookies are 300 calories and have 10 grams of
I am a lover of protein and these protein cookies are perfect for before or after a workout. They are great to slip into your purse for when you are on the go or even pack them in a backpack for hiking trips and camping trips. ​
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protein packed into them making them an excellence source of protein as well as being a cookie you don't have to feel guilty eating.
Ingredients: Sprouted Gluten Free Oat Flour, Coconut Oil, Almond Flour (almonds), Coconut Nectar, Cacao Powder, Pea Protein Isolate, Cacao Beans, Gojiberries (Gojiberries, [Lycium Barbarum] Free of Additives and Colorings), Cacao Butter, Chia Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Ground Flax Seed, Vanilla Extract, Maca, Reishi, Sea Salt.
~Rawkin Raw POWER Protein Cookies have 280 calories and 8 grams of protein.
Ingredients: Sprouted Gluten Free Oat Flour, Coconut Nectar, Almond Flour (almonds), Coconut Oil, Pea Protein Isolate, Cacao Beans, Gojiberries (Gojiberries, [Lycium Barbarum] Free of Additives and Colorings), Chia Seeds, Hemps Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Ground Flax Seed, Vanilla Extract, Mesquite Pod Powder, Turmeric Powder, Sea Salt.
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Both of these Protein cookies are 100% Raw Vegan and have  0.4 grams of ALA omega 3,  1.09 grams of omega 9 and 1.06 grams of omega 9 per serving. Rawkin Raw Power Cookies are a perfect source or protein & iron.
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                              YUMMY!!!!

Rawkin Raw Truffles are the best. The Organic Chocolate are my favorite. They have a wonderful chocolate flavor with chunks of goji berries and covered in Cacao Nibs giving this soft melt in your mouth truffle a crunchy exterior.

These are Raw Vegan, have no preservatives and are Agave free. Two of these truffles are 1 serving, 180 calories and have 2 grams of protein. 

100% Raw Vegan Ingredients: Date Paste, Coconut Oil, Cacao Nibs, Cacao Powder, Coconut Nectar, Goji Berries, Cinnamon, Spirulina, Ginger, Maca Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Sea Salt.

These are my personal favorite of the entire line of treats. 

Rawkin Raw Organic White Chocolate truffles are creamy and delicious. They have a smooth, buttery of texture with a little bit of crunch from the finely scattered cacao nibs that speckle the inside.

INGREDIENTS: Raw Cacao Butter, Coconut Nectar, Ground Almonds, Cashew Butter, Vanilla Extract, Cacao Nibs, Sunflower Lecithin, Maca, Mesquite, Sea Salt.

Rawkin Raw Truffles are best kept refrigerated so when bringing them on a road trip or to a picnic make sure to keep them near an ice pack or in a cooler.

These Truffles also come in Cool Chlorella Mint Chocolate, Organic Superfood Supreme and Organic Triple G Choc.

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Rawkin Raw Organic Macaroons are really good, it's tough to choose a favorite.

Spirulina Mint Superfood Macaroons has a coconut mint flavor. The coconut is not like other coconut flavored treats. These macaroons have real pieces of coconut flakes in them as well as coconut nectar. They are also made with extra virgin coconut oil and peppermint oil.

Orange Chocolate Super food Macaroons have a lovely orange butter flavor that comes from orange peel and orange oil. It has a hint of chocolate flavor and the coconut flakes give it a hearty texture. 

Mint Chocolate Chip Superfood Macaroons are another one of my favorites. There is nothing better in life than the combination of mint and chocolate. These Macaroons have the perfect blend of both of these with a coconut flake texture.

Rawkin Raw Macaroons also come in Superfood Chocolate made of Dried Unsweetened Coconut, Coconut Nectar, Cacao Powder, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Cacao Bean Nibs, Goji Berries, Vanilla Extract, Maca Powder, Spirulina and Sea Salt. 

Superfood Blonde ~ ingredients, Dried Unsweetened Coconut Flakes, Coconut Nectar, Almonds, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Cacao Bean Nibs, Goji Berries, Vanilla Extract, Maca Powder, Mesquite Pod Powder, Sea Salt.

It is Erinns passion to provide healthy vegan raw foods through her company R.E.A.L. Foods. 

She is also a Singer/ Songwriter and believes that expressing our creativity is vital for a healthy, joyful life. Please visit Erinn Williams music at: https://www.erinnwilliams.com or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Erinn-Williams/206366206079341  

She invites you to join her in her vision for a peaceful healthy world with sustainable organic local farming, eco homes and businesses, and healthy, vibrant, joyful and compassionate people and communities!  

               ~BUY RAWKIN RAW~

You can find these delicious Rawkin Raw treats in a store near you by using the store locator provided on the website: http://rawenergyandlife.com/retail-locations/

If you can't find Rawkin Raw near you then don't worry because you can buy them online using DISCOUNT CODE: WEB10  at checkout to save 10%. This code is for Simple Side of Life readers.
http://rawenergyandlife.com/products/

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                                                  GIVEAWAY!!!

R.E.A.L (Raw Energy and Life) Foods is giving away a sampler package to one lucky Simple Side of Life Reader. One winner will receive one of each flavor, a couple of each of the protein cookies and Erinn Williams Rawkin CD

The Real Deal Snacks Review & Giveaway

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For more than 60 years the Corriere family has worked hard to harvest the healthiest flavors and turn them into authentically delicious snacks. They created the first"party mix" and were one of the first to make corn chips and tortilla chips. So when you reach for The Real Deal, you reach for the original.
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I received a delicious box filled with The Real Deal Snacks and was sooooo excited to dive into these bags of tasty treats. I got large bags and snack bogs. These snack bags were the first to go not only because they are a scrumptious, crunchy, salty treat but also because they are simple for me to bring out to my work shop and pop open when I get hungry. Each bag is measured and only 100 calories so if you are logging calories like I try to, eating these pre-measured bag makes it super simple to track. These veggie chips are perfect at satisfying any craving. I even put them in my turkey sandwiches to give them added crunch. I know I'm weird but I love chips in my sandwiches.
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The Real Deal Veggie Chips come in 3 incredible flavors, Siracha for you loves of spice, White Cheddar and Original. You can get the Original in both the 6oz bag and the 100 calorie 6 packs. They contain 0 sugar and 3 grams of protein. Veggie Chips Original and Siracha are Gluten Free, Vegan, Non-GMO, Baked, Low Fat and Kosher. The White Cheddar Veggie Chips are Gluten Free, Non-GMO, Losher and Baked. These are made from real peas, real corn and real rice, these delicious snacks provide a serving and a half of vegetables in every ounce!
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I also received two bags of The Real Deal Original Snack Mix. I am loving this Snack Mix!!! It has a few types of corn chips, two different pretzel shapes and a very light, crispy and cheese crunchies. They are amazing just by themselves and being the mustard lover that I am, I also enjoy them dipped in mustard.

This Snack Mix also comes in yummy Chili Lime. It's the perfect amount of zest with a kiss of citrus. The Real Deal snack mix is perfect for any party or movie night and makes a great snack in your kids lunch.

This combination of the best ingredients creates a good-for-you snack that's healthful and delicious.

The Real Deal also makes:

Cheese Crunchies ~ these light, crispy curls are packed with delicious cheese flavor!

Tortilla Chips ~ White Corn and Blue Corn savory and delicious flavored Corn Tortilla Chips. These chips are made with organic corn and lightly sprinkled with sea salt. Each serving provides 21g of whole grain.

Corn Pretzels ~ Satisfy your snack cravings with The Real Deal golden delicious one-of-a-kind Crunchy Corn Pretzel lightly sprinkled with Sea Salt!

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Look for these tasty snacks at a store near you. If you can't find them in your local stores you can buy the online on amazon.com

                                                                   GIVEAWAY!!!!!!

The amazing people of The Real Deal Snacks are giving away an incredible prize package to one lucky Simple Side of Life reader. You package will contain: 2 bags of original veggie chips, 2 bags of sriracha veggie chips, 2 bags of aged white cheddar veggie chips, and 2 bags of the 6 pack.

Meta 73 Reusable K Cups/K Carafe Review & Discount Code

Meta73 - Transcendent Goods produces coffee accessories where gaps in the market exist. Products that solve problems for consumers while agonizing over details to satisfy the most discerning and demanding.
Meta73 was born to go beyond the quality and expectations buyers typically experience. Transcendent Goods has grown from a tagline into their ethos, driving their product line, becoming their true north. They look forward to connecting with you on this journey.
 I drink a TON of coffee, in fact I don't know what I would do without it. I drink it in the morning and throughout the entire day. Big pots of coffee would get cold or kinda stale tasting and if I didn't drink the whole thing I felt like I was wasting. There are a few factors that made me switch to using a keurig. With the Keurig I get a fresh cup of coffee or tea every time.
There are two things that I struggle with being a Keurig user and I'm sure every Keuring owner already knows what these struggles are.

First off K Cups are just toooooo expensive. I have spend way too much money buying these tiny cups that you only use once and then toss into that ever growing pile of k cup trash. I could build a castle out of the amount K cups I have thrown away.

These awesome MetaCups are the solution to this problem. With these re-fillable, re-useable cups there is no need to spend my entire paycheck on coffee. Not only does it save me money but I can now put any brand of coffee I love into my Keurig. I can buy whole beans and grind them how I want them and use my favorite flavors and roasts.

The MetaCups also allow me to dump my used grounds into a container and put them into my garden. I use grounds to create a border around my veggies to keep out slugs and critters so they won't munch on my plants.

The amazing people at Meta73 Transcendant Goods sent me two packs of MetaCups. I received the MetaCups 2.0 reusable K Cup for Keurig 2.0 brewing systems.  The reusable 2.0 K-cup coffee filters work seamlessly in all Keurig 2.0 Brewers - K200, K300, K400, K500 Series and Keurig 1.0 single server coffee maker.

​My second struggle with pre-filled K-Cups is, as I mentioned before the amount of trash. Being a girl from Northern California I am always aware of how much trash we are polluting Mother Nature with. Adding 5 K-Cups a day to the landfills that clog our Earth just does not sit right with me.

Using these Eco-Friendly, 100% BPA free MetaCups allows me to feel better about drinking my fresh cup of coffee. 

You can buy these fantastic purple cups with dolphins on them individually or in a three pack. They are durable and affordable. In the past I have had other brands of these and the lids broke off quickly. MetaCups are tough enough to last again and again without any issue.
I also received the MetaCups reusable K Carafe K Cup and 2.0 coffee filter gift set. With this incredible MetaCups reusable K Carafe K Cups you can brew up to five mouthwatering cups of coffee simultaneously for Keurig 2.0 machines. 

BREW ANY SIZE COFFEE FROM 4-30oz: The reusable K-Carafe 2.0 brews all Carafe sizes: 2-3 cups, 3-4 cups, 4-5 cups (16-30oz) and The reusable K-cup 2.0 brews single cups of coffee from 4-10oz and Travel mug sizes 12-16oz.

The gift set is awesome. I love being able to have the option of brewing either one cup for myself or make multiple cups when I have friends over. No more one cup at a time where one guest gets their coffee and the other have to wait. The carafe will brew enough for everyone.

Meta73 is offering Simple Side of Life Readers a really excellent discount on their product so take advantage of this while you can.  

20% off till April 30, 2016. Use code SSOL20 at checkout!!!!

Make sure to follow Meta73 on their social media pages:

Ilvento’s Proprio Italiano Sauces Review & Gift Basket Giveaway

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Made locally in Southern California, Ilvento’s Sauces use all natural ingredients and no preservatives. It all started in 1933 at the repeal of prohibition when Joe Ilvento, an immigrant from Grassano, Italy, opened Ilvento’s Restaurant in Jersey City.  Joe’s son, Pete became well known for his wonderful tomato sauces.  Now, Pete’s son and granddaughters, Joe and Juliana, Christina and Luisa (the fourth generation of this family that makes these sauces in America) continue the Ilvento’s tradition by doing a small batch production of these classic southern Italian style sauces. Their sauce is hand made, slow cooked, hand bottled and hand labeled, assuring the highest standards. 80 years of Sunday dinners later, these recipes are still "Proprio Italiano" ("Truly Italian") and they hope you enjoy some with fresh pasta, on homemade pizza, or with just about anything! ​
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These sauces are incredible and you can break out of the mold when thinking of sauce because these sauces can be used for so much more than just spaghetti. 

When you purchase these sauces they come with a variety of delicious recipes that you can try. They are written on recipe cards making it super simple to keep your favorites in a recipe box of book.

You can also find an entire section of recipes on their website > http://www.ilventos.com/#Recipes

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The Mushroom Boscaiolo is named for the woodsmen of the Chianti region of Italy. It is their second spiciest offering but is balanced to please all palates. Especially popular with vegan friends, this sauce features sliced whole mushrooms (not stems and pieces like other brands) and will make a filling yet healthy addition to any dish!
Sugo Marinara is their original flavor and is a mild and sweet sauce with a wonderful balance of garlic and basil. Lot's of their customers have told them that this is the ONLY way they can get their kids to eat vegetables! 

I can't wait until my veggie garden starts producing so that I can cover my vegetables in this Sugo Marinara. Yummmy!!!

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The Arrabbiata is their spiciest offering- with a bold mix of garden vegetables, dried aromatic herbs, and a healthy dose of spice, this sauce is a great compliment to seafood, sausages, or pasta. 

This is my mans favorite of the four because he loves spicy. It is amazing when cooked with rice and served with seafood or sausage.

​Pete's original spice mix is at it's best in this Dal Pietro, which means in Italian, "According to Pete"! This savory and rich sauce showcases the historic cultural diversity of southern Italy with a unique and wonderful blend of spices. Use this sauce on lamb, gnocchi, and lasagna and other rich dishes for your next dinner party or family gathering.
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Ilvento's Proprio Italiano sent me all four of their amazing sauces to try along with recipe card and a beautiful gift basket. That included 2 jars of sauce, a box of pasta, a bottle of oil, recipes, oven mitt, a really cute kitchen towel and a colander.  I had a plastic colander before I received this on and I love, love this white metal one.
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Ilvento's Proprio Italiano is an extremelly environmentally friendly company and tries to make their gifts as close to zero waste as possible by using useful items like towels and colanders as packaging and padding- all of their jars are mason-style and can be re-used with a new mason jar lid that you can buy from knorr or any other brand using the standard thread in a 16oz size. 
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You can buy the basket that I received and other gift baskets through their website. It will direct you to amazon. These make excellent gifts for foodies, dads, grads and moms. Also I think it makes a perfect house warming gift.

You can use this link to get to amazon and for 15% off use this code at checkout: 2016CALM
http://tinyurl.com/zddp8lr

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We used the pasta that was in our gift basket and a recipe that was included to make a delicious pasta dinner. We put a tiny spin of it but we made the SIMPLE MEAT SAUCE

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Lb of Italian Sausage (we also added kielbasa)
16oz Jar of Ilvento's Proprio Italiano Suga Marinara
1 Lb pasta
​Grated Parmesan Cheese

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Cook pasta in salted, boiling water with 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil. While pasta cooks heat 1 tablespoon oil in large frying pan on high heat. The recipe says you can remove sausage from casings and add to the pan. We choose to leave the sausage in the casings and cook in links as well as add kielbasa slices. Reduce heat to medium and cook sausage until lightly browned stirring frequently. Add Sugo Marinara and stir. Drain pasta before completely cooked and add the pasta to the meat sauce to finish cooking. Add water if needed and continue to cook until pasta is desired doneness. Add parmesan cheese. We also added oregano and spinach to top ours off.

​The final result was delicious and feed us for a few days. Even the picky kiddo liked it.

You can purchase the sauces on amazon as well or you can buy them on GrubMart.com  https://www.grubmarket.com/welcome  and save 20% using code: Grub20  at checkout​

                                                                     GIVEAWAY!!!! 

E-hydrate Review and Giveaway

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program (greenmomsmeet.com), 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. 
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E-hydrate has great on the go Protein & Hydration products. 
They taste great, are easy to use and come packaged ready to use. 
While hiking over the weekend in beautiful Sedona Arizona we took along E-hydrate Protein on-the-go Chocolate and Vanilla Pouches and very happy we did. 
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The above picture is beautiful Sedona Arizona. This was the hike we took Saturday, Cathedral Rock.
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E-hydrate offers theProtein on-the-go in
Chocolate and Vanilla. 
We used our camel-backs to fill the E-hydrate drink out on the trail. You add half the water, put the lid on, shake shake shake, then add the rest of the water till full. Shake some more then enjoy!
I liked the vanilla best, but they were both very good. Each contains 25g of protein. 
They will help you RECOVER, HYDRATEENERGIZE
GLUTEN FREE
Easy to use, great tasting and convenient. 

Finally, protein is portable and convenient. Just add water and shake to enjoy delicious, premium protein anywhere, anytime, straight from the pouch.
Protein On-the-Go is made from natural ingredients with the great flavor you crave and the nutrition you need in the world's most innovative pouch. E-hydrate Protein On-the-Go delivers clean, natural protein with only 150 calories and just 4 grams of sugar per pouch. This is portable. protein.

E-hydrate Protein on-the-go can be purchased in 3 or 6 packs of either Chocolate or Vanilla. 
$11.49 for a 3 pack & $23.99 for the 6 pack. 
Great for hiking, backpacking, camping and more 
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Since I am not a huge fan of anything with caffeine in it. I did not try these, but I did have my boyfriend give them a try and he really like the taste & the extra jolt of energy it gave him. 
Feel great and stay hydrated all day long with great tasting natural fruit flavors.
E-hydrate's hydration + energy drink mixes are may be added to any liquid to deliver vitamins, minerals and more electrolytes than the leading sports drinks. 0 sugar, 1 carb and 4 calories. E-hydrate is healthy. 
The natural drink mix is easy to use, just tear open and add to a bottle or cup of water. Make sure when adding into a bottle of water you take a sip first, since these bubble up some you don't want your bottle to overflow. 
ORANGE
RED BERRY    
   GRAPE     
    LEMON LIME     
10 pack of any flavor
$9.99
Feel great and stay hydrated all day long with great tasting natural fruit flavors.
E-hydrate's hydration + energy drink mixes are may be added to any liquid to deliver vitamins, minerals and more electrolytes than the leading sports drinks. 0 sugar, 1 carb and 4 calories. E-hydrate is healthy. hydration.
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E-hydrate also has kids products. 
Since there is no description on the website I can't tell you much about the Protein on-the-go but I can tell you I received Cinnamon Roll and Milk Chocolate. We tried the Milk Chocolate, it was really good, had the same taste as the adult chocolate. The E-hydrate KIDS Hydration + Immunity Drink Mix will keep your kids hydrated, healthy and feeling great all day, without the sugar.
KIDS E-hydrate natural powdered drink mix provides the electrolyte and immunity support your kids need every day. KIDS E-hydrate drink mixes may be added to any liquid to deliver vitamins, minerals and more electrolytes than the leading sports drinks without sugars and artificial ingredients your kids just don’t need.
KIDS E-hydrate has 0 grams of sugar, 4 carbs and only 15 calories. KIDS E-hydrate is healthy. hydration.
This contains NO caffeine. 

Apple
Fruit Punch
Grape
Strawberry Lemonade
10 pack of any one flavor $10.00

You can buy all the E-hydrate product online or at your local Target store. 

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For JUST $10 you can purchase the above "JUST TRY IT" pack. 
Try every E-hydrate product for only $10. BUY 2 AND GET FREE SHIPPING!
The E-hydrate Ultimate Sample Pack includes one of each E-hydrate product in every flavor! A $25 dollar value for only $10.

Give E-hydrate a try now

Overall I think E-hydrate has some really good products.
The PROTEIN on-the-go will be my new
must have on every hike. 
The taste is excellent and the ease of
just adding water is perfect. 

Enter Below for your chance to win E-hydrates Ultimate Sample Pack. A single pack is valued at $25, so the total prize is valued at $50. Each sample pack contains: • (2) Protein On-the-Go pouches (Chocolate and Vanilla) • (4) Hydration Drink Mix sticks (Lemon-Lime, Red Berry, Orange, and Grape) • (4) KIDS Hydration Drink Mix sticks (Strawberry Lemonade, Fruit Punch, Grape, and Apple)

Eco Nuts ~ Dryer Balls Review & Giveaway

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Dryer Balls are a reusable, healthy, natural and chemical-free alternative to dryer sheets. 
I have been using Dryer Balls in my dryer for a few years now and really like the way they naturally & chemically free help soften, keep static off and speed up drying time. 
Just throw the balls in the dryer and they do the rest of the work. 
If wanted you can even add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to one of the balls. 
​I keep a bottle of lavender & peppermint oil on-top of my dryer and when drying bedding, towels or sometime clothes I add a few drops to one of the dryer balls.
Not only does my laundry come out soft & static free, it also smells great. 
Eco Nuts sells a wonderful set of dryer balls that are king sized. 
These work really good in helping bedding dryer faster and I notice it gets less tangled up with the balls in the dryer. I also don't need to wait so long between each load, the drying time has sped up thanks to Eco Nuts. 
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Eco Nuts® Dryer Balls are a reusable, healthy, natural and chemical-free alternative to dryer sheets. Dryer Balls work by lifting and separating clothes allowing air to circulate, and can reduce drying time by 10-25%. They fluff and soften the laundry through gentle friction.
These wool Dryer Balls are an alternative to the plastic PVC dryer balls.  Place them in your dryer and as they tumble with your clothes they will keep laundry soft and reduce the drying time. They last for years.  We recommend you start with 4 per dryer load and increase as needed.  You can also use our linen spray or an essential oil to scent the balls before drying to scent your laundry.
This is sold as a set of 4.
How to Use:
Toss all four Eco Nuts® Wool Dryer Balls into your clothes dryer and let them tumble in every load with your laundry.
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About Eco Nuts

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Safe IngredientsWhen we say our products and their ingredients are organic and natural, we mean it to the fullest extent. Keep cleaning safe and simple in your home – no hidden chemicals, no toxins.
Sustainable PackagingThere is a plastic problem on this planet, and we refuse to contribute to it. We are committed to being as plastic-free as possible, so we opt to package in more sustainable, highly-recyclable options such as aluminum and paperboard.
Ethical SourcingWe source our soap berries from Nepal, and in doing so, we’ve created many jobs and opportunities for the Nepalese people. We are pleased to have such a strong business relationship with Nepal as it helps restore their infrastructure and rebuilding after their devastating earthquake in April 2015.
Certified Organic
We are proud to be USDA Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth, a leading nonprofit certifier, educator and advocate for organic agriculture and products since 1974.
Certified Cruelty-FreeWe have never tested on animals and are Certified Cruelty-Free by Leaping Bunny. We source our wool from happy sheep in New Zealand, which is known for it’s strict laws and regulations on animal welfare.
Mindful ManufacturingWe consider our environmental impact in all aspects of our company, and production is no exception. From water-saving machinery to reusing recycled paper and cardboard boxes as many times as possible, we are mindful of our footprint.
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I will continue using Eco Nuts Dryer Balls forever.
I really like how large these are. Some dryer balls you purchase are small and don't last long. I have used these for apx. 40 dryer loads now and they have not once changed size. Still as large as they were the day I took them out of the cute box. Eco Nuts is a really good company. If you are trying to bring more natural and better for the environment and your family products into your home, Eco Nuts is a good start.  They have wonderful Laundry & Cleaning products. This company was also featured on Shark Tank. 

Enter Below for your chance to win Eco Balls Large Dryer Balls

Welch’s Manischewitz 100% Grape Juice Review and Contest

Two long-time consumer trusted brands
Manischewitz and Welch’s together
bring nearly 275 years of Kosher experience
and Grape Juice expertise.    

“Manischewitz and Welch’s are clearly focused on product quality and the Welch’s Manischewitz Grape Juice launch reinforces our ability to bring to market a delicious and wholesome drink.” says David Sugarman President and CEO of The Manischewitz Company. “With Welch’s expertise in Grape Juice combined with Manischewitz leadership in Kosher, we are thrilled to offer consumers a quality product from two well respected brands.”
 
“This product gives us the chance to bring a nutritious alternative to consumers who have only had one option for Grape Juice that’s Kosher for Passover,” says Ike Kim, Senior Brand Manager for Welch’s. “We’re excited to bring consumers our expertise in delivering a unique and delicious Concord Grape taste.”
 

 ​Enter the “Manischewitz #Grape4Passover” Contest

Manischewitz® invites you to submit a photo of you and a bottle of Welch’s Manischewitz 100% Grape Juice to enter the “Manischewitz #Grape4Passover Contest.”  A panel of judges will review all eligible entries to select the four (4) weekly winners and one (1) Grand Prize. The four (4) weekly winners will receive Manischewitz Passover Essential Kits and one grand prize winner will receive an iPad Air 2.
 
Now through Sunday, April 10, 201611:59 PM (ET) consumers can enter the “Manischewitz  #Grape4Passover.” There are 4 chances to be a winner from the beginning to end, with a second chance to be a grand prize winner.  To enter go to the official Facebook page (Manischewitz, www.facebook.com/Manischewitz), you will then see where you can upload 
one photo per person of your entry.

Springs Creative Quilt Kit Review & Giveaway

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Located in the historic Cotton Factory in downtown Rock Hill, SC, Springs Creative Products Group, LLC sells a variety of textile based products. Springs Creative develops textile-related products in Fabric, Crafts & Accessories, Home & Lifestyle, and Technical & Specialty Fabrics.

When it comes to Springs Creative Craft & Accessories department they develop packaged craft products that complement their broad range of do-it-yourself fabrics. They inspire, with projects that are simple, functional, fun, and easy – including aprons, gift items, and totes suited to a variety of skill levels. Their designs include top licensed brands such as Disney, Nickelodeon, John Deere, and Daisy Kingdom – as well as exclusive runs from the Baxter Mill Archive. 

Springs Creative sent me this SUPER COOL Star Wars quilt kit to review. I was so excited to get started on this project when I received it I rushed to the fabric store right away. 

The kit comes with all the fabric you need to create the front of the quilt. I just had to go buy batting and a backing fabric. Other than that I was able to use all the sewing things at my moms house to put this quilt together. 

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The kit includes the pieces in the picture on the left and a set of instructions that walk you through step by step what to cut and how big or small you need each of these pieces. There is really not much waste which I think is fantastic, you just need to measure twice and cut once.
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The first thing you need to do is cut each color fabric to its proper size using a cutting mat with lines and a rotary cutter. Having these tools will make youquilting experience a breeze. When you are finished cutting your strips and squares you will also need to cut down the main piece of fabric. It is simple to cut this main piece evenly by folding it down the lines. Fold it in half and then in half again to make a clean and equal cut on both sides of the fabric.
Using pins you follow the step by step instructions to attach the white stormtropper strips of fabric to the top and bottom of your center piece. Remember to make sure your pattern is going the proper direction. You don't want upside down stormtroppers. That would be terrible. LOL Once you have sewn on a piece you will want to iron the back flap down. Make sure to follow directions because it will tell you which directions because it will tell you specifically which direction to press the seam. Next you will sew the blue and black strips together and then attach your side strips to the center piece. 
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When putting your squares together you really want tofollow the instructions placing the specific colors to the right or left of each other. It is outlined for you step by step so pay attention and it is pretty simple. 

My main tip is to make sure the fabrics are going the proper direction. Again....no upside down stormtroppers or ship flying the wrong direction. The blue fabric has Star Wars written on it so the lettering will help determine if the ships are right side up or not.

After each sewn piece make sure to iron the seam on the backside the way the instructions direct you to.

Next attach these four corner squares to your top and bottom blue and black stripes.

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Finally, attach these top and bottom pieces to the quilt for your finished quilt top. That's it, it's very simple as long as you cut everything properly you should have no issues. 
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The colors in this quilt kit are bright and brilliant. The fabric is a very nice quality fabric. The finished product is approximatly 37" x 54" give or take. It is big enough to lay on top of a twin bed. We are going to use ours as a wall hanging in the office. ​

We picked out a very cool Star Wars fabric at Jo-Ann Fabric to back it.

These packaged crafts/kits can be found at Hancock Fabrics, Hobby Lobby, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, select Michaels stores, and Walmart, also at quilt shops and catalog retailers throughout the United States and Canada.

This kit sells for about $25 dollars but I have seen them on sale for $17 so they are super affordable and can be a really fun project for you and your little one. I think it is important to spend quality time doing crafts 

together with family and is much more exciting than watching another re run on tv. It's also an excellent way to learn how to sew and quilt or teach your child how. I love this quilt so much I think I am going to enter it into the fair this summer and get my free ticket in. 

Springs Creative has a number of different quilting and crafting options so check out their website >>  http://springscreative.com/

Follow them on their social media pages to and keep up to date with new project ideas as well as products and where you can find them.

                                                                        GIVEAWAY!!!!!!

Springs Creative is giving away one quilt kit to a lucky Simple Side of Life reader. Good Luck Everyone!!!!

Renpure Shampoo/Conditioner Review & Giveaway

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Renpure is a small family owned and operated hair care company that promotes safe, effective, and affordable hair care solutions for all. This family is the Redmonds and they have been in the hair care business for over 40 years. They are relentless in their pursuit to create unique formulas that you can rely on and driven to satisfy your hair care needs. They create hair care products that are FREE from harmful chemicals like sulfates, parabens, harsh salts, dyes, and gluten at a price that anyone can afford!
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Renpure has a HUGE line of hair care products in a multitude of delicious scents. There is something for every hair type and a scent for all moods. 

Argan Oil ~
​Their new Argan Oil Treatment line has a unique structure that penetrates the hair cuticle, reducing friction & breakage during washing & styling, providing a natural micro-barrier that protects from styling heat & UV rays, resulting in amazing shine with a silky-soft feel.

Coconut Cream ~
Coconut cream has a unique micro structure that penetrates the cuticle layer delivering vital moisture and nutrients to dry and damaged areas. Their coconut line is packed with nutrients that are excellent for all types of hair.

Brazilian Keratin ~
The new Brazilian Keratin Straightening line has a blend of Coconut Oil & Shea Butter, whose molecular properties absorb deep into the hair cuticle, cleaning & removing impurities, helping repair damage & restoring strength, as it conditions & smooths for healthy beautiful hair.

I have curly hair and sometimes it just feels out of control. I will spend hours trying to flatten it out. The Brazilian Keratin Straightening line is the perfect product to use before a blowout and flattening iron.

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Biotin & Collagen ~
The Biotin & Collagen shampoo and conditioner delivers essential nutrients vital to growing and maintaining healthy hair. Vitamin B7 Biotin infuses into every strand of hair, while collagen & keratin help create thicker, fuller-looking hair. Your hair will be beautiful, healthy, and full of body.

Almond Milk ~
Almonds are an abundant source of vitamin E and oils that help to protect and moisturize the hair. Vitamin E protects hair against heat exposure from hot-tools and the sun, while almond oil adds lightweight hydration starting at the inner regions of the hair fiber. Your hair will be healthy and vibrant from the inside-out.

Cleansing Conditioners ~
This miracle cleansing conditioner melts into your hair. Coconut oil gently removes surface impurities while restoring natural oils. Hydrating Keratin loaded with amino acids & protein repair damage and restore strength. Shea butter conditions damaged areas replacing protective lipids, resulting in beautiful, soft, silky hair alive with shine & luster.

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Coconut Line ~
Coconut is the main ingredient in all of the 12 formulations. Coconut oil is an extremely effective ingredient and has the ability to lubricate the cuticle and protect it from shampoo, brush and styling friction. Coconut oil also contains a large amount of moisture and 
conditioning properties that penetrate to the inner regions of the hair fiber and smooth the cuticle to lock in moisture.

Argan & Keratin Creme ~
Renpure Perfection is the most luxurious blend of ingredients we have ever used. This line emphasizes on moisturizing and repairing damage. Using a perfect blend of essential oils to condition and lock-in moisture, along with vitamins and protein to repair damage and replenish vital nutrients to return hair to a healthy, beautiful state.

Renpure sent me three sets of their shampoo and conditioners to try for myself. They all smell so amazing it's really tough to pick a favorite. I am very picky when it comes to shampoo and even more so when I buy conditioners. It seems like if I don't choose the right one my hair is left feeling dry and almost crunchy or it's out of control. As I mentioned before my hair is curly.....more so with winter frizz than summer heat. 

Renpure Vitamin C & Omega-3 feeds your hair the vitamins it needs. Combining omega-3 and vitamin C with kiwi oil provides hair with a dose of nutrients, minerals, and oils that are essential for boosting hair’s vitality, strength and shine. I think this is an excellent over all shampoo for any hair type. It has been working perfectly with my crazy hair. I have had no issues at all with it and am super happy with howlight and soft my hair feels after it dries. There is no need to condition twice or use a leave in like with other brands I have used in the past. The leaves your hair smelling clean and fresh without being too over powering.

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The Moroccan Spring Water Line is perfect for the hot summer days when I embrace the heat that straightens my hair. It's also fantastic to use before I flatten out my hair with a hot iron. When I spend hours getting my hair to be super straight I want a shampoo/conditioner that will add shine and make my hair look as healthy and lush as possible. This nutrient-rich blend of moroccan spring water and argan oil is a soothing way to provide hair with long-lasting hydration. In unison with white tea extracts and vitamin E our, Renpure Moroccan Spring Water Shampoo and Conditioner, penetrates deep into the hair cuticle to repair damage by filling it with balanced hydration and locking in vital nutrients to result in hair that is smooth, hydrated, shiny, and healthy.

The scent has almost a little more of a citrus hint than the Vitamin C & Omega-3 line. It is a very light citrus scent that is long lasting so it's excellent if you wash your hair every other day. Washing daily can over dry your hair so the Renpure lines keep your hair smelling delicious until your next wash.

I love thisBamboo Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner so much it hydrates dry hair and leaves it weightless. With my curly hair this works excellent if I want my hair more bouncy and flouncy. It's not heavy or greasy so it won't drag your hair down.

This advanced formulation provides your hair with a nourishing blend of bamboo oils meant to take you hair to a whole new level of freshness. Boost your hair with a formula that offers weightless moisture, a rich-foaming lather for results you can clearly see.

I has a very tropical scent and smells like delicious coconut. I love coconut everything so that alone won me over when I used this and smelled it for the first time. Renpure Advanced shampoos and conditioners leave your hair fresh and clean for days. If you are picky with your 

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hair products like me you will love this brand I promise you. I truly cannot just use any type of shampoo and conditioner. I have purchased brands where I have to condition 2 to 3 times and my hair is still not soft so when I used Renpure and it worked the first time leaving my crazy hair soft and manageable I was amazed. I have found my new hair product line.....Renpure is a winner!!

You can find Renpure pretty much everywhere so it's super convenient to buy.

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If for some reason you can't find it in a store near you then go to Renpure website and it will connect you to either drugstore.com or amazon ​http://www.renpure.com/hair-care-products

Make sure you follow Renpure on all their social media pages to keep up to date with this line of hair care.

Instagram : ​https://www.instagram.com/renpure/

                                                                      GIVEAWAY!!!!

Renpure is giving away a bottle of shampoo and conditioner to one Simple Side of Life reader. The winner can choose from the three lines that I recieved. So the winner will pick either a set of Bamboo Coconut Water, Vitamin C & Omega 3 or Moroccan Spring Water.   Good Luck!!

Cappello's Gluten Free Foods Review

Cappello’s is a Colorado-based gourmet food company specializing in high-end gluten free, grain free products. Founded in 2011 by friends Stacey Marcellus and Benjamin Frohlichstein, the inspiration for Cappello’s was born out of Stacey and Ben’s desire to create a totally unique food company, to be the best at what they do, and to legitimize their penchant for asking strangers to taste their pasta. Cappello’s mission is simple: provide fresh, uniquely delicious options for gourmet food-lovers, healthy eaters and people with dietary restrictions.
I have seen Cappello's in my local Whole Foods and Olivers stores many times and became extremely attracted to these super classy packages of food. I noticed that the entire line of food is gluten free and grain free. Most items are even Paleo Friendly. Living in Northern California these particular diets are very popular. Beyond the popularity these diets are excellent for you. I have spoken with a number of people who swear by gluten free foods saying they have lost weight, lost the extra fat that creates muffin tops and pooch tummies. Most importantly these people just feel better and have higher energy. 
I have noticed that it is hard to find pastas and yummy foods that are gluten free. I have a friend that on occasion will just eat a bowl of pasta sauce but with no noodles. It's crazy!! Why should she have to suffer just because she is gluten sensitive? Cappello's offers 3 types of gluten free, grain free pastas so never again should she be reduced to eating just a bowl of sauce.

Cappello's has Fettuccine, Gnocchi and Lasagna Sheets. These items must be refrigerated so when when you order the directly from Cappello's they will be delivered to your door nice and cold in a cooler of dry ice. To extend the life of these delicious products store them in your freezer.

I received an amazing package of Cappello's products fresh and frozen for me to sample. I am in LOVE!!!


Gnocchi ~

On the 29th of each month, it's a tradition in Argentina to eat gnocchi. On a very simple, yet remarkable Patagonian farm, Stacey learned to create the most deliciously light, fresh potato gnocchi. With organic potato flakes as our base, we make our delicate dough using almond flour and egg as the primary ingredients.
Cappello’s gourmet, grain- and gluten-free gnocchi is not only fresh and savory, it’s also easy to prepare. After the gnocchi floats to the top of your boiling water, try sautéing it lightly in your favorite sauce — or just sauce and serve. 


Fettuccine ~

Capello's fresh, gluten-free, grain-free fettuccine is carefully hand-crafted to achieve a texture and taste that is unrivaled among traditional pasta. Low on the glycemic index and made primarily from almond flour and egg, Cappello’s fettuccine has a deliciously rich, buttery flavor and silky consistency.
Unlike dry pasta alternatives, our fettuccine cooks quickly — 90 seconds or less, depending on your personal preference for bite. Serve the pasta immediately, and watch as your friends dig in — oblivious to the fact their dish is 100% gluten free. 


Lasagna Sheets ~

Perhaps our most versatile product yet, Cappello’s gluten-free, grain-free lasagna sheets are nothing short of fabulous. Low on the glycemic index, our lasagna is made primarily using almond flour and egg for a deeply rich, flavorful experience.
No pre-cooking is necessary; just layer, bake, and relish in the glory of fresh, gourmet lasagna. To extend shelf life, store product in freezer until you're ready to enjoy! 
If you love Cappello's pastas you will love their pizzas even more. I was sent a Naked Crust so that I could top it with whatever I wish. I am a huge fan of spinach, 
pepperoni and black olive pizza so we used those as the toppings on our Naked Crust. Of course we used pizza sauce and a perfect amount of shredded mozzerella cheese. We placed the crust on a pizza stone but the directions say to place the pizza directly onto the bottom rack of your oven for 20-25 minutes. Our pizza turned out crispy and delicious. The crust was amaaaazing!! I can't wait to eat another Cappello's pizza.

Cappello's also makes Pepperoni Pizzas, Cheese Pizza and Sheep's Milk Cheese Pizza so I recommend you try them all.

Cappello's has teamed up with author/blogger team Primal Palate to bring to you the world's finest gluten-free, grain-free, chocolate chip cookie dough. They have used the highest quality ingredients to craft this delicious, nutrient-dense, low-glycemic treat. This paleo-friendly cookie dough may invoke feelings of deep nostalgic bliss; savor it raw, mix it into ice cream or simply cut and bake.

Each roll makes 13 cookies give or take depending how thick or thin you cut it.

I don't even know where to begin when I tell you about Cappello's cookies!!! This Chocolate Chip cookie dough is heaven on Earth. You store it in your freezer and when you are ready to bake then you pull them out and give them time to thaw a bit so you can slice the round onto cookie sized circles. 

I noticed immediately after tasting it raw that the dough had a slight coconut taste so I read the ingredients. Instead of junkie oil the make this dough with coconut oil. Yuummmmmy!!!

These cookies are made with sea salt and you can truly taste the difference. Between the high quality chocolate and the sea salt these cookies give a bit of sweet and savory all at once. I have never had a cookie that taste as good as these Cappello's Chocolate Chip Cookies. You can taste the quality, you can taste the difference and serving these gluten free treats to your friends and family makes you feel great!

AT A STORE NEAR YOU 
You can find Cappello's near you using the store locator that they provide on their website >>  ​https://cappellos.com/apps/store-locator/

BUY ONLINE
If you don't have a local shop to buy these delicious foods than you can buy them directly from Cappello's website and have them delivered directly to your home. I promise you they will arrive fresh and cold just like mine did. Here is the link to their online store >> ​https://cappellos.com/products

Make sure to check out their site for recipe ideas and follow them on all of their social media pages to keep up to date with new locations. They are popping up in more stores all the time.

You can also find them in Instagram: ​https://www.instagram.com/cappellos/

Bai Healthy All Natural Drink Review 

The BEST good for you drinks....

Bai makes a wonderful tasting drink that is only 5 calories & full of antioxidants. You just can’t top our original Bai drinks. Each exotic flavor is antioxidant-infused using coffee fruit,
our not-so-secret superfruit, and has 5 calories, 1 gram of sugar and no artificial sweeteners.
They’re pretty much a party in your mouth.

They are AMAZING

I received 2 WONDERFUL variety packs of Bai drinks. 
Bai Rainforest Variety PackBai Mountainside Variety Packboth were equally my favorite. There was only one flavor that I claimed as my favorite. The rest I like allot but one I loved. It's hard to not like Bai, it's so refreshing, not too sweet ( I am not a fan of sweet drinks) and so many wonderful flavors to choose from. 
Below was my FAVORITE of them all. 

South of the equator flavor.

Brasilia, Brazil — sounds fancy, doesn’t it? Exotic. Romantic, maybe. Definitely adventurous. It sounds like a faraway place that boasts exciting, captivating faraway things. Can you imagine if one of those things was unbelievable flavor? And other things were antioxidants? How about five calories and just one gram of sugar per serving? Can you imagine all that? You should start. Because that’s what’s inside each bottle of Brasilia Blueberry. All that plus visions of beautiful people in teenie bathing suits. That’s like a quintuple-win.​

Brasilia Blueberry was my favorite Bai drink. It has a wonderful fresh blueberry taste. Not too sweet at all just refreshing. Excellent right out of the bottle or in a glass with ice. 

I noticed on the website there's a recipe for Brasilia Blueberry Mojito....oh my, I am going to have to give this a try. Sounds WONDERFUL...

Rainforest Variety Pack
Imagine being in a rainforest when that magic moment arrives – as mighty sheets of rain give way to brilliant bursts of sunlight. That same explosion of light and energy comes in every sip of Bai. With its lush, tropical flavors, Bai awakens your tastebuds and enlivens your day. It's like running through your own personal rainforest of flavor – no umbrella needed.
I think starting with the variety packs is the way to go. 
You get 3 of each flavor. Since there are two people in my home we each got one, then we narrowed it down to which one of us liked what and split the remaining 4 by favorites. I got the extra Brasilia Blueberry & Costa

Rica Clementine. YUMMY! I am usually a HUGE green tea drinking, morning, noon & night. It's pretty much all I drink and usually iced. I just like non sweet drinks. So I am not one to go out of my way and buy something like Bai. When looking at it in the store I would think it's way too sweet for me. I am glad I got a chance to review them, since I was totally wrong and now love these things. The best part is, if I still really want my green tea I have figured out I can add about 1/4 of a bottle of Bai to my iced green tea and I now have a wonderfully flavored green tea. The Costa
Rica Clementine is the BEST mixed with green iced tea. 
Malawi Mango, Brasilia Blueberry, Costa

Rica Clementine, Sumatra Dragonfruit
Mountainside Variety Pack
Like the mountainous terrain of the world's great coffee-growing regions, Bai is a natural wonder. Majestic flavor. Breathtaking sweetness. Awe-inspiring refreshment. The best part is you don't need a sherpa to guide you to the peak. Just twist open the bottle, take a sip and find yourself at the summit of flavor and natural goodness.
Ipanema Pomegranate, Molokai Coconut,
Tanzania Lemonade Tea, Panama Peach
I have to admit, I was not a fan of the Molokai Coconut. Maybe if I added some rum I would of liked it, but otherwise I just wasn't a fan. I still drink a whole one, but it won't be a flavor I go back to. 
The Tanzania Lemonade Tea was the best in this pack. 
​REFRESHING is the best word to describe it. 
Imagine a world full of flavor and packed with goodness.This is our envisioned future. We are working every day to make this world a reality. It’s a world where doing what’s right doesn’t mean sacrificing enjoyment. A world where flavor and natural goodness go hand in hand. A world of beverages without borders — with no limits on taste, geography or imagination.
Everyone at Bai is committed to bringing this world to life. We are in the throes of a “bevolution” and we want to bring everyone along on our journey, because we know this is a world in which we all want to live.
Bai’s core values guide us in our quest. We are unwavering challengers — audaciously declaring that we’re not satisfied with conventional wisdom and status quo. We are impassioned explorers — relentlessly searching to unearth the best that nature has to offer. We are uninhibited dreamers — obsessively creating new realities that others could never see.
And with every sip you take, we all are one step closer to our envisioned future.

The superfruit that powers Bai 

Nature's Secret Weapon

You’re probably pretty familiar with the coffee bean. It’s dark, aromatic, and might provide you with a lift-off each morning and flavor throughout the day. But do you know where that bean comes from? Do you want to? Then read on, friend!

The coffee bean is actually the center of the coffeefruit. And while we at Bai love a good cup of joe, we’re pretty pumped about repurposing the outside of the fruit, too. See, the coffeefruit’s red pulp has free-radical fighting antioxidants. Antioxidants help maintain your body’s natural protections against potentially damaging process such as oxidation. In other words, antioxidants are like your body’s bodyguard.

So as you can probably imagine, we love the coffeefruit. We are constantly innovating processes to convert this once discarded coffee byproduct into an even better super ingredient. In fact, we think of it as our super-secret superfruit.

Maybe by now you’re like, “okay, but where has this superfruit been hiding?” Well, we like our coffeefruit like we like our Spring Break—exotic. So we get ours from Indonesia, land of lush green fields and bright, tropical skies.

Antioxidants 101
Bai beverages are powered by a “secret superfruit” —a.k.a. the coffeefruit— which includes the fruit surrounding the coffee bean.
What makes it so “secret?” The fact that the coffeefruit’s outside is an ingredient that, until recently, had not been widely used in beverages found on your favorite stores’ shelves.
Most Bai beverages are also an excellent source of antioxidant Vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body. Like the pulp of the coffeefruit, the white tea extract in most of our beverages also has polyphenols.

The Home T Review

I happened to be wearing my Home T on the same day I did my review. 
I love this shirt, it's insanely soft, super cute and fits me just right. 
Below is The Home T I received. 
I am a California girl. Born in La Jolla, California and lived in Cardiff by the Sea for many many years. I am now living in Arizona and have been for years, but my WHOLE family minus my brother all still live in Southern California area. Maybe one day I will move back. Or move on, but I will have my Home T to remind me of where my home really is. 
I have washed and dried my Home T numerous times now since receiving it. It washes up great, never shrunk at all and looks great. Did I mention how insanely soft this shirt is. Besides the fact that I like the section of California and the home. I am crazy about how soft this T is. I would wear this every day if that wasn't so odd. 
Home. It’s the place you long to be, or the place you can’t imagine leaving. No matter which, there’s no place like it.
We get it. And The Home T helps you show off your home state pride, stylishly.
Our shirts are insanely soft, and our products are Made in the USA. But beyond making things we think you’ll love, we have a greater purpose than just spreading happiness with cotton.

The Home T Donates 10% of profits to MS Research

Multiple sclerosis is a nasty disease that can impact anyone, at just about anytime, and comes in many shapes and sizes. It’s a disease that impacts our founders’ family, which is one of the many reasons we donate a minimum of 10% of profits to multiple sclerosis research.
Watching a loved one deal with something such as multiple sclerosis can leave you feeling helpless, even though you’d like nothing more than to help them. Our commitment to funding multiple sclerosis research is an effort to help, in the one way we know we can.
Our donation is made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and is specifically earmarked for research. In 2013 the Society honored The Home T by giving us their Cause Marketing Partner of the Year award, and we couldn’t have been happier.
We know that our efforts are just a drop in the bucket, but as you know, if you get enough drops in the bucket, it will eventually become full.
The Home T comes in many different styles. 
Crew Neck
V - Neck
Baseball T
Hoodies 
Castles

Plus they have hats, kids T's and Onsies, Tanks and more. 

The Home T would make a great gift. 
Do you have friends that just moved to your state? The Home T would make a great housewarming gift. Something to remind them of home. 
Since these T's are so soft, comfy to wear and just so cute, everyone girls and guys will want one. 
For most of the Home T's you get to choose from Grey or Blue. 
The sizes rang from Extra Small to Extra Large

Home T-shirt is a stylish way to show off your state pride, while also helping raise money for multiple sclerosis research.
The Home T is 100% made in the USA, and we use a high-quality unisex t-shirt that is insanely soft. In fact, it will be one of the softest, most comfortable shirts you've ever owned.
The shirt and screen print have an amazing vintage look and feel that you're really going to love. 

The screen print is soft, not like some screen print t's that are thick and not flexible. 

Overall, VERY NICE shirts. 
Perfect for yourself or gift giving. My now FAVORITE everyday shirt that looks good with jeans, short or workout pants. Love everything about my new California Home T. 

Please support The Home T by liking them on Fabebook, Following them on Twitter and Following them on Pinterest
Thank you!

Right now ALL Home T Hoodies are 25% off CHECK THEM OUT!
Softest Hoodie EVER.