I am new to this whole eating healthy thing. I am trying so hard to eat right and lose weight. Eating healthy can be a real pain in the butt for someone who has eaten unhealthy their entire life.

We were recently contacted by Sambazon about trying out some of their new smoothies that hit the shelves this spring. One of our writers, Catherine, tested them for us and found out that they were in fact pretty tasty.

The Chocolate Almond Coconut Milk Protein Superfood Smoothie was the first one I popped open on my busy rush out the door.  Wow! The flavor burst just stopped me in my tracks.  I was expecting something a little grainy and thick but it was smooth and tasted wonderful. This smoothie is packed with healthy omegas and 10 grams of protein.  I loved how full it kept me!

 

 

The new Supergreens Superfood Smoothie features the “new” hip superfood, kale.  I was excited to try this one mostly because I know I don’t get enough green food in my diet and this was a way to do that!  It is packed with six greens + fruit (nutrient-rich blend of grasses, kale and sea greens plus a hint of ginger with the sweet flavors of acai, mango and bananas) which gives you two servings per bottle.  I also love that this does not contain green tea.  This smoothie gives me energy without the side effects of caffeine.  Although I didn’t find the taste of the Supergreens Superfood Smoothie as nice as the Chocolate Almond Smoothie, it was still delicious.  My advice is…drink it cold.  It’s much better chilled.

About Sambazon:

It all started in 1999 during a trip to Brasil when local surfers introduced us to açaí. We were blown away by all the incredible flavors and potent nutrition of the local fruits. We wanted to share these amazing superfoods with the world – but in a way that respected the people and protected the natural resources of the area. So when we discovered that sustainable growth and harvesting of Amazon superfoods was not only possible, but could also create jobs and help protect the rainforest, we knew it was an opportunity of a lifetime. Before we left Brasil, we had a plan in place and in early 2000 Sambazon was born.

Click here to find a retailer near you.

Connect with Sambazon

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Enter to win

Use the Rafflecopter below to enter the giveaway to win both flavors. Remember, the  more ways you enter, the better your chances are of winning.

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We were sent some of both of Sambazon’s newest products to try. All opinions remain our own.

It’s no secret that I am not the most organized person in the world. In fact, I loathe organizing. I love the end results from it, but I cannot stand the actual process of getting to the end point.

Having said that, I found some new ways to organize and decorate Jackson and Olivia’s rooms last week as I chatted with  design expert, Kelly Edwards. You may know Kelly from her show on HGTV  Design on a Dime, or on Style Network’s Tacky House. Well today, Kelly is going to share some of her inspiration with us for sprucing up our kids rooms and getting them a bit more organized — DIY style.

I love her idea of a locker for Jackson’s room — now if I could just find one!

DIY Projects for Your Kids Rooms

What DIY tips do you have to share about sprucing up kids’ rooms?

Written by Janice, co-founder of this Mom Blog 5 Minutes for Mom

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Jennifer here–

I don’t know about you, but I could definitely use a vacation!! Now that summer is here, all I can think about is laying on the beach and relaxing with my family in the sun. If you are wishing you were on vacation as well, why not try to win an all expense paid vacation from Land’s End?

Okay, I’ve got a confession for you… 

If you’ve seen my many tackle posts revealing my messy house, you’d know I can’t throw anything away. I still have clothes I’ve owned since high school. But what you might not know is…

I am a domain hoarder.

Janice and I own hundreds of domains and today I just renewed about 60 of them. Yes, today I was on the phone with Go Daddy and just dropped a bucket load of cash renewing a ton of domain names.

So as I’m joining in the BlogFrog conversation that Go Daddy has sponsored asking bloggers ”What’s something most people don’t know about you?”… I figured my domain hoarding habit is one character trait you might not yet know about.

You can find out all sorts of fun tidbits about your blogging friends by joining in the BlogFrog conversation below and by searching the hashtag #behindthebrand on Twitter.

And here’s a little known fact about Go Daddy…

“Did you know Go Daddy works around the clock to keep children safe online? Cyberbullying and illegal online pharmacies are just a few of the issues Go Daddy works to combat. Driven by the belief that the Internet should be safe for everyone including children, Go Daddy has helped pass both the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act and the Protect Our Children Act of 2008.”

Now It’s Your Turn

Tell us something we don’t know about you… how about a juicy confession?

There’s a lot you don’t know about Go Daddy! Including all the tools they have for bloggers! Check out www.godaddy.com to learn more!

Join the conversation for your chance to win 3 year Unlimited 4GH Hosting from Go Daddy! 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Go Daddy. The opinions and text are all mine.

I get a little emotional talking about this two-wheel trailer bike designed for special needs riders – The Caboose Trailer Bike.

It’s one of those products that most of us don’t need. When I read the emails from customers – like Robert’s sister – whose lives have been changed because someone they love can now experience the thrill of riding a bike, I’m humbled by what I take for granted.

The Caboose is a stable, two wheel trailer bike that attaches to a regular bicycle. It is designed especially for children and adults who are not otherwise able to ride a bicycle.

These days I’m especially emotional about the bikes because supply is running out and we don’t know when — or even if — they will come back in stock.

Our Pedal Cars and Retro Collectibles store has been the exclusive retailer for these special needs trailer bikes for the last few years. We’ve seen hundreds of lives changed because of the bikes, but the manufacturer is running out of stock and we’re not sure when they’ll make more.

The Caboose lets kids and adults who have special needs finally experience the joy of riding a bike. We’ve heard from customers who have purchased the bike for family members who cannot ride a typical bicycle because of Down syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Blindness or a host of other reasons.

The message is clear – The Caboose Trailer Bike changes lives.

The Caboose bike comes in two sizes: one for 5 to 10 year old children and another that fits children over 10 years old up to adults aged 95 or older. (The bike is perfect for elderly riders.)

These bikes are unique in many ways – especially in their low price. Most other special needs adapted bicycles are hugely expensive and out of most families’ budgets.

You can read more about the Caboose Trailer Bike here.

How Can You Help?

Since the Caboose is so unique, most families who could benefit from the bike unfortunately do not even know it exists.

Please spread the word to everyone you know about the Caboose Trailer Bikes so…

1. We can help families that need the bikes get one before they are gone.
2. We can show the manufacturer the demand and get them to produce more bikes.

If you know someone who can benefit from a Caboose Trailer Bike, please hurry.
Place your order right away so that you don’t miss out.

Please help change lives by Pinning, Tweeting and Sharing this post on Facebook.

Here’s to more family bikes rides!!!

Today’s guest post is written by Kelli. Kelli just returned from a trip to Tanzania.

Someone told me not too long ago that Africa has a way of getting under your skin. “Once you go,” she said, “You will never fully return. Somehow, a piece of who you are will remain and in it’s place, Africa will stand.”

So it was with this thought that I baorded a plane two weeks ago and made my way to Tanzania along with a group of bloggers. We went on behalf of Compassion International, an organization I have long loved and admired and believed in, so having the opportunity to travel with them was a dream come true.

And now that I’m home I can tell you with certainty that my friend was right. Africa is inside of me. I cannot escape the images I saw there, the emotions I felt. The impact of that trip is something that will affect me for the rest of my life, hopefully in a way that makes a positive change.

It’s not as though I wasn’t prepared to see hardship before I left. I’ve read previous blogger trips. I watch TV. I have seen poverty before. But this? This was something different. Because I witnessed poverty against the backdrop of hope.

It seemed everywhere I turned in Tanzania I stared hope in the face. It was in the shining, tear-filled eyes of a mother as we prayed for the realization of her ten-year old daughter’s dream of becoming a doctor. Hope shone in the laughter of a hundred children as we stepped off of our bus and into their arms.

Hope sang songs, it danced and rejoiced. Hope was realized as I watched children acting like children. These are children who once lived without the promise of a next meal, a pair of shoes or even a future. Yet now, thanks to the amazing work of Compassion, these children act and play like children – as though they haven’t a care in the world.

Hope is an amazing gift.

Did you know how much hope a simple, one page hand-written letter could bring? A letter is the difference between a child thinking about his dreams and believing they could come true. It’s so simple to offer hope. I didn’t realize before that life-changing week in Africa.

I saw the beast of extreme poverty in Tanzania. It was ugly and dark and sometimes I felt so overwhelmed it hurt to breathe. But in the middle of that, I also looked right into the face of hope, of joy, or peace and of a future. Compassion International is the breath of fresh air that breathes life into the darkness of poverty. They are able to provide that hope thanks to the thousands of sponsors around the world who have stood up and offered a small sacrifice.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child through Compassion but have questions or reservations, please feel free to voice those in the comments and I would be happy to answer them to the best of my ability. If you’re on the fence and have been considering child sponsorship I can tell you without fail that you will never, ever regret the decision.

If you’d like to read more about the experiences I and the other bloggers had while in Tanzania, please visit the Compassion Bloggers site where all the posts are listed. But I will warn you in advance – you’ll want to bring Kleenex.

Sponsor a child in Tanzania today by clicking the banner below.

All photos taken by Keely Scott

When you have a family, it can sometimes be hard to get everyone talking when you want them to.  For our family, dinnertime is our time to chat about our day or anything else that may come up.  Even still, there are times that conversations need a little help getting started.

Since my children are so young, finding topics that keep them interested can be a little more challenging.  However, when we make talking seem more like a game for them, they have fun with it.  That is why I love TableTopics.

TableTopics is a company that creates conversations for any setting in an instant.  The first TableTopics cube that I ever purchased was one for families.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was hoping it may have questions that we would find interesting and fun to answer together.  The good news is, that is exactly what it turned out to be.  Since that first purchase my collection of cubes has grown.  As a matter of fact, I have even begun to branch out to TableTopics To Go.

I recently had the opportunity to check out the Happiness Cube by TableTopics.  It was one that I had been wanting to try, but just hadn’t gotten around to purchasing.

I am not sure about the rest of you, but there are certain days that I can really use a pick me up.  This particular cube is perfect for those times.  The questions you will find in the “Happiness Cube” help to get your mind focused around the things that make you happy.

With questions like, “Who has the most beautiful smile in the world?” and “What’s the happiest song ever written?”, you are sure to find yourself smiling at your answers.

On the other hand, the questions in this cube are also thought provoking, like “How do you unnecessarily spend money?” and “What everyday problem bothers you?”.  When I first read some of the questions, I thought, okay my answers aren’t making me very happy.  However, then I realized that if you turn the cards over, they share a tip with you.  For example, on the card about unnecessarily spending the money, the tip is:  Live in a place where you won’t have pressure to buy anything more than what you have.  I love that it guides you to find a place where you can be happy.

You can find the Happiness TableTopics Cube on their website for $25.  The cube contains 135 questions and is recommended for ages 12 and up.

If you are looking for ways to get conversations flowing, while creating happiness for yourself and others, the Happiness Cube is a great solution.

Connect with Table Topics

• website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest

Enter to win your very own Happiness Cube from Table Topics

Use the Rafflecopter below to enter this giveaway. Remember, the more ways you enter, the better your chance of winning.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post was written by 5 Minutes for Mom contributor Laurie. You can find Lauri blogging at Guessing All the Way.

Reminder that tonight is the Twitter Party for Stanley Steemer. Are you ready to party? Details are below.

Are you ready to get your home clean and prepped for the last of Spring and beginning of Summer? If so, you will NOT want to miss this amazing Twitter party that we will be hosting for Stanley Steemer.

During the party, we are going to be sharing super easy cleaning tips for your carpet and home, chatting with Stanley Steemer experts about the dangers lurking in your carpet, and other ways to clean your home as well.

Stanley Steemer – The Experts of a Deeper Clean

Here are a few things to consider regarding Stanley Steemer (and the carpet in your home!):

• Stanley Steemer cleaned more than 200 tons of dirt from American homes last year alone!

• Stanley Steemer has more than 60 years of experience in the cleaning business.

• Stanley Steemer’s expertise extends beyond carpet cleaning to include hardwood, tile, upholstery, air ducts, and more!

• Stanley Steemer has grown to now service 95% of the country with more than 70 branches and 220 franchise locations in 48 states.

• Stanley Steemer achieved the CGI GOLD rating score 98.65% of dry soil removed from floors – as certified by the Carpet Research Institute. This rate is significantly more successful than self-cleaning methods.

Twitter Party Details

What: Join @5minutesformom and @stanleysteemer for as we discuss Spring Cleaning Tips for Your Home

Who to follow: @5minutesformom, @stanleysteemer, @susancarraretto, @janicecroze

When: Wednesday, May 23rd 2012

Time: 8pm-9pm eastern, 7pm-8pm central, 5pm-6pm pacific

Theme: Spring Cleaning Your Home

Party Hashtag:#stanleysteemer

Prizes: Stanley Steemer will be giving away 5 $100 Stanley Steemer Gift Certificates

RSVP:

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Advertising and Communications Contact, Jennifer. You can find her sharing her thoughts at her own blog Jen’s Journey. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

When we were at Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, my Olivia made instant friends (in the airport actually!) with a little girl named Cassidy from Hong Kong. Cassidy’s mom, Maggie Tong, was just as sweet and friendly as her daughter and insisted on sending Olivia some clothes from her online store, Cotton Candy Kids.

When the box of clothes arrived, I was overwhelmed with Maggie’s generosity and the incredibly quality of the gorgeous girls’ clothes. Last week, I did a couple of photo shoots with Olivia modeling some of the clothes. (Olivia was wearing my favorite of all the items — a beautiful black dress — in my Tackle it Tuesday photo yesterday.)

I will show you more of the clothes soon, but for today’s Wordless Wednesday, I just had to share this shot of Olivia. She was demonstrating to her cousin Julia, how to do a “sassy” pose.

Thanks Maggie and Cassidy — the clothes are gorgeous and we had so much fun with you both!!!

Mom Bloggers (and Dad Bloggers too!) post a photo on your site, link up and find others… Wordless Wednesday is tons of fun. (And I know it says “wordless” but I just can’t bear to not write anything! If I had created it, I probably would have named it something different! LOL So feel to link up your word-full or word-less Wednesday photos!)

Leave the URL to your photo (clearly mine are never truly “wordless”) and then visit others!

Here is a fun thumbnail linky:

And here is a basic linky if you prefer your linkies the good old fashioned way!

Thanks to Uisce for creating Wordless Wednesday.

Written by Janice, co-founder of this Mom Blog 5 Minutes for Mom

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