It's a giveaway!

I've been looking for reusable snack bags for a while, and nearly all the ones I found were made with a velcro closure. I didn't feel like the velcro would keep things from getting stale, and I wasn't looking forward to the prospect of cleaning peanut butter out of it! I saw a Living Social deal for Re-Pack bags several months ago and jumped on it...zippered bags that I can throw in the dishwasher!


I loved these bags so much that I contacted Re-Pack, who has graciously agreed to host a giveaway. One lucky winner will receive 3 Re-Pack bags, one small, one medium, and one large.

I picked out two small (snack sized) and two medium (sandwich sized) bags in different colors and patterns...

I can fit two whole sandwiches in one of the medium bags, and they are also perfect for a family-size snack on a picnic.

A small bag holds enough snack stuff for both of my kids to share on an outing. I like to fill it up with crackers, goldfish, cucumber slices, or apple slices!

I also enjoy keeping one of the small bags in my purse full of nuts. Its a great snack for me when I'm on the go.

While they are not water-proof, they are water resistant (and mold and mildew resistant!). I will put my phone, sunglasses, etc in one to keep things together when we are at the pool.

I turn them inside out and stick them in the top rack of my dishwasher. They need time to dry afterwards, but it beats having to wash them by hand!

I love that I've cut out plastic baggie/Ziplock bag usage down to next to nothing. I always felt like it was such a waste to use a plastic bag for something that wasn't messy, and with my husband taking lunch every day to work, he could easily use 4-5 a day. It would be crazy if my kids were in school too...talk about a ton of extra trash.

I also save money not buying individual snack bags. It takes relatively little extra effort to grab a handful of something and toss it in one of these bags for a picnic. Plus, since these are sturdy, it gives my kids a lot more to hang on to than a plastic bag. We've had a lot less dropped snacks since using these bags.

The downside to these is that they are fairly pricey. A small bag is $5.95, a medium $6.95, a large $7.95, and a gallon bag is $9.95. You can get free shipping when you purchase 6 bags right now. I found these prices to be only slightly higher than the velcro snack bags I was looking at on Etsy, and now that I own some, I am planning to add more to our collection at some point.

Win It!
For a chance to win, leave a comment on this post telling me which print Re-Pack bags you would pick if you win. I've been eyeing up the tie-dye print right now. Its seasonal, so I imagine that it will no longer be available as summer winds down. When you comment make sure that your email address is enabled in your blogger profile or leave it in your comment. I need to be able to get in touch with you if you are the winner!

The giveaway will run through midnight on Friday (August 8), at which point a random commenter will be chosen to win the Re-Pack 3-count of bags.


Disclosure: I purchased my own Re-Pack bags and was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own. 

Shutterfly Yearbook Review

I take a lot of pictures, especially of my kids...the time flys so quickly! I love giving photo gifts to family for Christmas, birthdays, etc, and I often use Shutterfly. I love that their site makes creating photo gifts super simple and fast.

Did you know that Shutterfly now offers Yearbooks? This is a new product, and let me tell you, this is not what my yearbooks looked like! Take a look at some of these pages:

I love the bright colors and designs! In my experience with other Shutterfly products, it is super easy to personalize with your own style, and I think the same is true for these yearbooks. You can choose from a variety of backgrounds and embellishments to fit with your organizations colors and personality. There are also lots of "pre-made" layouts to choose from for each page. You can change the size and location of photos, add text, and make it as unique as you like.

A single 20 page 8x8 hardcover book runs about $30, but their site says prices can go as low as $5 a book. A softcover 5x7 book with 20 pages is only $16. I'm a little out of the loop on the price of Yearbooks, but $30 for a 20 page book sounds little more on the pricey side to me. Shutterfly often offers discounts, so that might bring the price down a little. Also, you can get a bulk discount starting at just 10 books, which is pretty reasonable, and a great number for smaller organizations. Contact Shutterfly on their Yearbook page for pricing options.

I think this new Yearbook feature would be a great way for smaller schools to create a fantastic Yearbook easily. And the possibilites are really endless...preschools, homeschool groups, and even sports teams. This would be an awesome way to document a season for a travel ball team or other long term sport team. I always love flipping through old yearbooks, and I'm sure these Shutterfly books will be fantastic.

For more Shutterfly news about Yearbooks and other great quality products, check them out on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest!

I was given a free photo book in exchange for my participation in the Shutterfly Yearbook campaign. The opinions in this review are my own.

Drying Cloth Diapers

Our cloth diapers just turned three this month! Our cloth diaper routine has stayed mostly the same as I detailed in this post. The only real difference is that we use fleece liners in the diapers instead of disposable ones. And we use cloth wipes exclusively now. I still keep a pack of wet wipes in the diaper bag, but I've literally only bought one pack of wipes in 12 months. I love the savings and love that I've gotten rid of needing to buy another disposable product!

We recently added to our cloth diaper drying routine with this hanging clothes dryer from Ikea (Pressa).

Love this! We call it the octopus -- 8 arms and 16 clips. We tend to hang our bumGenius covers on this instead of the absorbant liners because they dry quicker. Things are a little tight if you hang the liners, so we only hang 8 or 10 if that is what needs drying.

And the best part? It's amazingly portable! It folds up and is perfect for travel.

My only regret with this hanger? We only bought one. I'm planning to get 2 more the next time we're near an Ikea. They're $4.99 each, and I think that is a great deal.

Ikea didn't pay me to say any of this; I just love how their product makes my cloth diaper drying easier!

For more information about cloth diapers, check out my guest post on The Frugal Girl for an overview of cloth. And while we love bumGenius and Flip diapers, there are tons of other brands out there too. The important thing about cloth diapering is to make it work for you!

Gevalia Kaffe Review and Giveaway

I'm a coffee lover, and I've passed that on to my kids already...they ask for "coffee milk" with breakfast! I was thrilled to get the chance to try new Gevalia Kaffe, thanks to Kraft and My Blog Spark. I was given two Gevalia products to try - the French Roast and the House Blend, along with this Gevalia mug.

I love robust and strong coffee, and I normally drink Bold or Extra Bold coffee from Starbucks. The Gavalia French Roast is their dark roast and the House Blend is a medium roast.

I started off trying the Gevalia French Roast, and I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor. It was strong and robust, and while I made it a little stronger than I normally make my Starbucks coffee, it tasted excellent.

I tried the House Blend next, and this ended up being more like I expected. The flavor was mild (translation: a little weak), and I was mostly underwhelmed. 

The Verdict: The Gevalia Kaffe French Roast was a winner. I ask for bags of Starbucks for Christmas every year, so I don't buy a ton of coffee on my own. I would get this French Roast on my own; a much better grocery store option than some other coffees out there! I wouldn't buy the House Blend just because I like darker coffee, but I think it would be great for someone who prefers a more mild coffee. The bag of House Blend certainly won't go to waste in my house! I'll probably drink it when I want a cup of coffee before bed.

Win it!

My Blog Spark and Kraft Foods have provided me with a Gavalia Kaffe Prize Pack for one of you! To enter this giveaway, all you need to do is comment on this post telling me how you like your coffee. And if you aren't a coffee drinker but know someone who is, tell me who you would give this to. Please make sure your email address is enabled in your Blogger profile, or leave your email in your comment so I can be in touch if you win. The giveaway will end Sunday, March 4, 2012 at midnight, at which point the winner will be chosen at random. 

For more information about Gevalia Kaffe, but sure to visit their website or like Gevalia on Facebook. Also, Walmart has a free sample of Gevalia Kaffe available; sign up here.

Kraft Foods has provided sample product to me and is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me.  This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by Thrifty Living.

Tiny Prints Christmas Card Review

I love making our Christmas card each year! Sure, its a bit of pressure to get a good family photo, especially to make sure the kids are looking normal (ha!). There are TONS of options for Christmas cards out there, and I usually go with the most inexpensive (free) option. So, when Tiny Prints offered to give me free photo cards in exchange for a review, I said sure!

(Distinct Wishes)

I often use Shutterfly for our photo cards throughout the year. They run nice promotions and I have always been pleased with the final result. I've done a bunch of looking at the selection of Christmas cards offered by Tiny Prints and I am impressed! There are tons of options to personalize the front, inside, and back of your card.

(Sweet Watercolor)

Tiny Prints beautiful cards in a number of different styles. I really like their color pallet; many of the cards have rich, dark reds and greens instead of neon shades. I also appreciate the variety of pre-written wishes on the cards. I'm not going to pick "Holly Jolly" or "Jingle Bells" for our Christmas card (though there isn't anything wrong with that if you like it!). I much prefer a classic and simple "Merry Christmas".

(Gift for Noel)

I really like the flat stationary picture cards. They have the same design options as many of the folded cards, but instead of being white on the back they have a pattern that matches the front of the card. Little things like this are a great touch! And I checked out the Shutterfly folded cards...nothing on the backs of their flat cards!

(Picture It)

Square cards look so interesting, and I especially love the rounded corners. They are tempting for sure, but remember that they usually require additional postage! 

(Wreathed Charm)

If you are looking for a really different type of Christmas card, check out their selection of circle card and flip cards. They are sure to wow!

Thanks for the chance to do a review, Tiny Prints! I'm excited to see this year's Christmas cards. I know they will be beautiful!

Would you like a chance to review Tiny Prints and get free cards also? Apply here.

Disclosure: In exchange for my honest review, Tiny Prints is giving me free photo cards. All opinions are 100% my own.

Walmart Star Wars Review & Giveaway!

We are big Star Wars fans in my house, so I was super excited to get the opportunity to check out the Star Wars edition cereals from General Mills!

We received three boxes of cereal...

along with a $25 gift card to Walmart. These special edition cereal boxes are available at Walmart to celebrate the release of all six Star Wars movies on Blu-ray.

Check out the mural when you put all the boxes together!

I'm a huge fan of Honey Nut Cheerios, and they are a nice change from the plain cereal that we usually buy, but without being too crazy sweet.

My daughter call Cinnamon Toast Crunch "the tasty cereal". Too cute! Like Yoda? Not quite!

 And both Martin and I love Lucky Charms...once in a while that is. I can't do too much sweet stuff for breakfast, and so we usually opt for a sugary cereal for a snack instead of as part of a meal.

Win it!

I have a prize pack to give away to one of you! The prize pack includes 1 box of each of these three cereals (with the limited edition Star Wars mural!), as well as a $25 gift card to Walmart. For your chance to win, simply leave a comment on this post. If you are feeling creative, let me know your favorite Star Wars character. Of course, you don't have to be a fan of Star Wars to enter! 

Please include your email address with your comment, or make sure that your email is visible in your blogger profile. I will contact the winner via email to get your mailing information. The giveaway will close Monday, November 14 at 9pm. Winner will be chosen at random.

Disclosure: The cereal, gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Fridgesmart Review and Giveaway

Shutterfly Christmas Photo Cards

Just a few more days until Thanksgiving! I am excited to get to spend the time with lots of family. The end of November also means that Christmas is right around the corner.

Shutterfly is running a promotion where bloggers can get 50 free photo cards in exchange for a review. This past weekend we took some family pictures to put on our Christmas cards, and I am so excited to start picking out some special cards. Shutterfly has tons of great options, and I was able to pick a favorite quickly...I actually may end up with 2 or 3 favorite cards! You really should check out the options for square cards as well. They are a nice modern twist on the traditional Christmas card. I'm a big fan of this Merry Christmas square card.

I have used Shutterfly many times in the past to make photo cards, and I've always been impressed with how simple and easy the process is on their site. The quality of the photo cards is great too. Not only is the turnaround time quick before they come in the mail, but I think they always come out better than they looked online. Our families have enjoyed being the recipients of these special cards too.

If you are a blogger and interested in getting 50 free cards as well, just fill out this form!

Disclosure: Shutterfly provided me with 50 free photo cards in exchange for a review of their 2010 photo card products. All opinions are my own.

Yoplait whips! review and giveaway!

I got a fun package in the mail recently courtesy of MyBlogSpark and Yoplait whips! It contained a coupon for a free Yoplait yogurt product as well as these:

(a cooler/tote bag and ice cream pop making set)

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you probably know that I enjoy making my own yogurt, and have done so for some time. But there are times when I've suffered from yogurt burnout...I've gotten bored of my homemade stuff, and through the pregnancy had times when I really craved store bought yogurt. At the top of my list of store bought yogurt is totally Raspberry Mousse by Yoplait whips! So when Yoplait told me that a great way to cool down during the summer heat is to pop a yogurt container in the fridge overnight I was all about it. My Raspberry Mousse yogurt was A-MAZ-ING; an icy and refreshing treat.

I'm all about being thrifty, and homemade yogurt is way more cost effective than the stuff in the store, but I also enjoy indulging every now and then. Yoplait usually has several coupons and sales out there, so while I don't make a habit of buying yogurt at the store, I am by no means a "homemade yogurt only" person!

My daughter and I made good use of the cooler tote bag on a recent picnic, and while I haven't gotten to make the freezer pops yet, they will be used this week!

MyBlogSpark and Yoplait have given me a prize pack just like I have to giveaway! If you would like to enter in this giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite yogurt. Please make sure that your blogger profile has your email address, or leave your email in the comment so that I can contact you if you win!

This giveaway will remain open until midnight on Friday, September 10, at which point a winner will be chosen via random.org.

Disclosure: I was provided with a Yoplait whips! prize pack by MyBlogSpark and Yoplait in return for my honest evaluation and review of the product. All opinions are 100% my own.