Need an Everyday Sunscreen?

One of our favorite things to do is hit the back roads in the jeep.  Hence the name "Back Road Momma".  The land here offers more beauty than can be appreciated in a life time and the old dirt roads are just simple, quiet, and very peaceful.  It's our time to unwind, take in the fresh air, and just enjoy this amazing world we have been blessed with.

Kolton's getting big enough that we're able to take him now.   I purchased a bikini top for the jeep and we just putt around.  But while that may protect him from the wind his cute little toes seem to always be in the sun.   It's too hot for socks, and he won't keep his feet covered with a blanket either. I can't say I blame him though.

Of course, there's sunscreen for that right?  That's my first thought too!  On his first jeep ride I didn't think about it until after the fact so there we were pulled over on the side of the road putting sunscreen on his arms legs and feet.  (mainly just in case) 

I actually received this bottle of Beautycounter Mineral Sunscreen a couple weeks ago and had tossed it in my purse until we needed it.  Perfect timing I thought!

Of course first thing I noticed was how the lotion slightly shimmered in the suns reflection but I continued to rub it in and the shimmer was eliminated.  That got me thinking... Why.... Why does it shimmer?  Is it just because of the minerals?  Yea pretty much....  But that's a good thing!

The Beautycounter Mineral Sunscreen actually shields against the suns harmful rays protecting against UVA, UVB, and blue light while sitting on the surface of the skin rather than absorbing into the skin.  Beautycounter doesn't use any SPF filters because they are known to cause skin irritation. Instead the Zinc oxide or titanium dioxide sit on the surface of the skin and physically bounce/ reflect the suns rays away from the skin. This is great for people with sensitive skin like sweet Baby Kolton! And yes, of course it's water and sweat resistant and I noticed it doesn't wear off quickly either although the company recommends you reapply every 40 minutes if in direct contact with water.   That just makes since anyways.

 Formulated with non-nano zinc and antioxidant-rich California Poppy, I really like how it feels. Where I applied the sunscreen on myself my skin is soft and silky smooth.  It doesn't feel greasy and it was easy to rubbed in without leaving white residue.  I think the Beautycounter mineral sunscreen is great for everyday use because of how easy it's applied, the lack of residue and the simple fact that your skin's not consuming the product by soaking it up but just hosting it for a little while if you will.  This is a great everyday sunscreen!

To check out Beautycounter and all their healthy living products find them at the following links;

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We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers. This page may contain affiliate links in which we receive a small compensation for your purchases. This allows us to continue to offer you our services.

Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing with Vermont Village

A couple years ago I remember hearing about some of the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar and although I did purchase a bottle I could never really get myself to follow through. The taste was just too much and really not for me.

Until recently when I found Vermont Village Flavored Apple Cider Vinegar which surprisingly is actually pretty good!  The blueberries and honey is my favorite but I also really liked the Cranberries & honey.  They are just so full of flavor and the health benefits are unlimited!  Vermont Village offers their flavored apple cider vinegar in these perfectly portioned 1 ounce pouches which is great for simply taking shots if your focused only on the health benefits but I figured let's take this one step further.  Not only can we benefit from consuming the apple cider vinegar, but when mom suggested using it as a salad dressing, I knew we could enjoy it too! 

So all these recipes are pretty basic. Mix the ingredients together and serve. You can also set the dressings aside for 30-45 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to combine a little better. Either way, easy peasy which is what I like because I'm definitely not a chef. Vermont Village sent us the following flavors to try and they are each available on Amazon. Check out the links below.

Ginger & Honey, Double Shot, Blueberries & Honey, Turmeric & Honey and Cranberries & Honey.

Most of the recipes include honey for a little sweetness but I think each of the recipes can be altered for your own preferred taste since we are using flavored apple cider vinegar and not traditional. The Vermont Apple Cider Vinegar is full of flavor so this could very much be a trial and error per your personal preference.

Basic:Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing

Try this with Blueberries & Honey (my favorite!)

½ Cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup olive, grapeseed, or sunflower oil

2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

dash of salt and pepper

LemonApple Cider Vinegar Dressing

Try this with Turmeric & Honey

½ Cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

fresh juice from 1 lemon

½ teaspoon basil, parsley, and or oregano

AppleCider Vinegar Mustard Dressing

Try this with Ginger & Honey

1 Cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

2 teaspoons ground mustard

1 garlic, minced

Dash of salt and pepper

SugarFree Ginger Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing

Try this with Ginger & Honey

½ Cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup sesame oil

2 tbsp fresh grated ginger

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp minced garlic

HoneyGarlic Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing

Try this with Cranberries & Honey

you can even add dried cranberries for extra flavor!

1 Cup vegetable oil

1/3 C apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons honey

2 cloves garlic, minced

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We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers.

Stamina Wonder Exercise Bike- Great for the whole family!

So when the Stamina Wonder Exercise Bike showed up on my front porch, I immediately left it there for the boys to carry in...  I didn't think they would also beg and beg to put it together.  But it's not like this preggo was truly in the position to say no as bending and a whole lot of moving has become rather difficult. So fine..... There ya go bud! Have at it!

I went inside to get some work done and came back out and was incredibly surprised at how far he had gotten in such a short time!  “What mom? The instructions were easy!” Good to know!! And the boys, for half a minute, worked together! 

Now I've had exercise bikes before so when I found out this one was coming I wasn't really sure what to expect.  Just another piece of exercise equipment that the boys would probably use more than anyone and maybe just maybe it would keep them out of my hair for a little while here and there?  Wow was I wrong!  I've even gotten on it a couple of times (in small burst) and the seat and set up is extremely comfortable!  I was really surprised!  






The Stamina Wonder Exercise Bike has so many different features on it, it's definitely more than just your traditional exercise bike!  I love love love it!     The wheels on the back make it super easy for me to move around.  We are storing it in the garage, but when I'm ready to use it I would much rather be outside!  Easy peasy!  And as guilty as I feel for wanting to watch TV and ride on it at the same time, it's still just as easy to move it in the living room because it's actually pretty light-weight once it's all put together.  





Battery operated, The Stamina Wonder Exercise Bike has a simple multi-function monitor which tracks workout time, calories burned, speed and distance travel!  Hubby is constantly coming in and telling me that he did x amount of miles and is really proud of how fast he's doing them.  Soon honey, I'll catch up with ya!  I see a little friendly competition in our future! 

The knob you see just below the monitor easily adjust the resistance too!  I love that because that allows everyone in the house to personalize the workout experience specifically to their needs.  







So check this out, that little knob controls the adjustable Wonder Arms!   Here's what makes the Stamina Wonder Exercise Bike different from all the rest!  Pull the knob and the arms you see coming up from the top can move all the way down giving you several different options for an upper body workout!  


 The elastic tension cord is perfectly paired with resistance and position to change up the upper body workout and tone not only my arms but shoulders, chest, and back!  With the ability to move the wonder arms, I've seen the boys do exercises like the chest press but I like using it to throw punches.  At this point in my pregnancy that's the way I have found it easiest for me to use.   

Oh my gosh I remember when the boys were little, they were at work with me while I was taking care of an incident and Maison goes "Mom what happened to your arms!  They are hanging!!"  Yea..... Now they know better but I have a smaller smarty pants on the way so I'm not even going to take the chance!   

I can't wait until Baby Kolton get's here and I can really put the pedal to the metal and give the Stamina Wonder Exercise Bike my turn!  I've gotten to use it so very little so far I just keep growing more and more anxious watching everyone else enjoy it.  And by the time it's my turn, those trees will be in full bloom and my wild flowers should be growing nicely out in front of the garage.  I just can't wait!!


Be sure to check out The Stamina Wonder Exercise Bike is available at the following links!  Give it a try after all summer is right around the corner and not only is this a good piece of equipment to help get into shape to have enough energy to keep up with summer but who doesn't want to fit a into that swim gear a little nicer???

Stamina Products Website 

     

   Also available at Sears & Walmart!


We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers.  

Ozeri Blood Pressure Monitor Review

So it's definitely not been an easy last 7 months. I don't remember either pregnancy with the boys being so exhausting or stressful. Maybe it's the simple fact that I'm older but who knows. It's definitely been challenging!

One thing I've tried to stay on top of is my health watching my diet, sugar levels, and blood pressure. My blood pressure gave me a lot of trouble during my first trimester which could explain some of the exhaustion. I would get tired just walking from one end of the house to the other. 

About 3 or 4 weeks ago now, I received a Ozeri Blood pressure monitor and absolutely love it! The one I had before was the traditional cuff that went on the upper arm, and although it was fairly compact this one fits way more conveniently in my purse its hard plastic carrying case with the instruction booklet which I kept just for future reference.

Right out of the package which contained the required batteries, it was easy to use with very little start up. You can program it with the date, time, and user 1 or user 2. Which is kinda neat because for each user it will store 90 past measurements, 180 measurements total. That totally helps with taking the readings to my doctor without having to remember to write them down when I'm not feeling well.

The first time I used it, I simply placed it on my wrist and turned it on but I got an error message. For complete accuracy the cuff requires you turn your palm outwards, and use your other wrist or an object to comfortably support your arm holding it as still as possible. Once I supported my wrist with the monitor on it, (holding it still) it worked like a charm and has every single time after that. I feel like that's a little guarantee that it's as accurate as possible and not picking up body movement for a false reading. Even the instructions show examples of how to hold your your arm when applying the cuff. The instruction booklet is extremely helpful which is rare for most products these days. There is a lot of information in the book from troubleshooting to how to accurately read the monitor including the color guide on the left side, and if all else fails, turn to the last page of the book and contact Ozeri Customer Service. Pretty neat, no Google required to find their contact information.

I love my Ozeri Blood Pressure Monitor and it couldn't have came at a better time! There are several places you can order yours from, check out the links below!

                    Wal-Mart       Sears

Disclaimer: We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Arctic Cool- my babies aren't babies anymore

There are so many different clothing lines out there it's really hard to shop for the men of the house sometimes. Jeramiah and Maison aren't really babies anymore and through all their extra curricular activities plus going to work with hubby it's really starting to make me feel old. But the shopping must continue so this week I gave Jeramiah a tank top from Arctic Cool as it's super cold outside and usually pretty warm inside at the gym or during sports practices. I worry about him sweating too much and then going outside and getting sick because he's still wet from the gym but these shirts seem to do just the trick!

Arctic Cool products are made with an instant activation hydro freeze technology. As he starts to sweat, the Hydro Freeze X starts to work instantly wicking the moisture away from your skin. I thought that was pretty neat. Jeramiah likes how slick the material is and says it moves well with him when hes working out.

 While hubby originally got the long sleeve shirt Mr.  Maison is a way cuter model!  Love these boys and all the silliness I put them through! 

Now I gave hubby one of the long sleeve shirts as he works outside and in the mornings we have been starting out around the 20's and then it can get up to the 60's by the afternoon. Gotta love Missouri weather.
 I swear he goes through clothing faster than I can get to the store to get it! He's had a few chances to wear it as I've been completely under the weather and when the package from Artic Cool came in the boys tore right into it. So..... about a month later, it appears to be holding up pretty well. In my opinion that makes it one of my favorite shirts for him but he says he likes how breathable it is, how easy it is to wear under other clothing, and it keeps him dry. Again my primary purpose to getting the shirts was to keep both of them dry, especially him since he's working out in this crazy weather!

Picture courtesy of Arctic Cool 

Another product we received that hasn't gotten much attention in the house is the running shorts. I guess mom failed on that one as they are true traditional running shorts, meaning the length on them isn't “Jr. High cool”. That's OK little man, I'll snatch them up after this baby is born. I love the built in liner in them and the length is perfect for me! I also love the material they are made out of and I hate sweating so I can't wait until I can fit into these shorts because they will be perfect to help me get into my pre-baby clothes!

Last but not least, the towel! Jeramiah thinks it's so cool to have a towel when he's working out but he would at 14.... But it's super light weight, and the mesh material absorbs all the stinky sweat. Plus if he gets too hot he can get the towel damp and the hydroFreeze Technology kicks in with the mesh design allowing it to cool him down faster than just a regular towel that you would find at the gym.

The Arctic Cool products were a hit at our house! But now there's so many more we want to try! Who knows what mom will order next! New Years Resolutions are just around the corner and what would be perfect than new workout gear! Check them out at the following links;

Website       Facebook        Twitter       Instagram         Youtube

Disclaimer: We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.