Homeschool Field Trip to County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana

We officially started off the school year and already had our first field trip.  I think it's important to have the children engage in hands on activities to supplement their learning schedules.  The County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana was not our first trip to an orchard but surprisingly, it was the first time we actually picked from the many apple varieties and had the kids pick their own apples.  They were excellent apple pickers and even had a chance to learn which variety was good for snacking and baking.  

We started out taking a tractor ride to the sunflowers but much to our dismay, they were either not in bloom yet or perhaps picked over already.  It was one of the things we were looking forward to.  We continued on past the maze which looked very inviting and had a Chicago Cubs theme.  On the short ride over, we made it to the rows of apple trees.  After we filled our bags, we made our way back to the inside barn and purchased an apple pie, apple doughnuts, pumpkin doughnuts and a couple of single cookies.  My youngest, 10, devoured two pumpkin doughnuts and proclaimed they were the best doughnuts ever!  My oldest said the apple pie beat out the local bakery we thought was the best. 

We were told by a couple of other customers that not all of the activities were open as the County Line Orchard is a big weekend gathering for people.  They have many activities:

• U-Pick Apples
• U-Pick Pumpkins
• Bee Yurts that houses hundreds of bees
• U-Pick Sunflowers
• Barnyard Jams
• Corn Mazes
• Moo Choo Train
• Gift Store and much more!

Overall, we had a fun time and did manage to learn a bit about apples.  We're not done yet as next will be baking with apples which utilizes math and life skills.  Stay tuned!

Cave Tools BBQ Grill Light Lights Up Our BBQ & 15% Coupon Code

Disclaimer:  I did receive a complimentary product in exchange for my review.  The opinions are of my own.

I know it's closing in to the end of summer but if you are like me, it's always the right time of the year for a BBQ.  We bought our son-in-law a smoker for his birthday and couldn't wait until October to give it to him for obvious reasons.  We're heading into the second week and we've already enjoyed amazing southern BBQ.  Between the grill or the smoker, he can keep our appetites satisfied as if we were back in Texas or Georgia.  With a smoker, sometimes you end up smoking in the dark or with the days becoming shorter, we will be grilling under the nighttime sky.  The Cave Tools BBQ Grill Light is perfect for this!  The light is portable and with the easy to use with the upgraded handle mount that fits both square and round bars.  The touch on/off switch is perfect for hands that are full holding utensils or sauce and the three brightness settings is ideal for any amount of darkness.  Other pro's about the light include:

• Heat and water resistant so no worries about it being too close to the grill nor leaving it out in the rain.
• Comes with 25 professional recipes with step by step instructions.
• Limited satisfaction warranty.

It makes a great gift for that person who loves to grill out.  When my son-in-law first saw the light, he gushed about how he could even use it at work as he works in systems repairing and replacing fire systems under grills at restaurants.  He definitely loves the light and plans to continue using it all season long into winter, spring, next summer and beyond.

Click on the link to learn more about the Cave Tools BBQ Grill Light.  Use code BBQLIGHTS15 to enjoy 15% off!

Caught the Keto Craze Yet?

I have found the fastest way to lose weight for my body type is watching my carbs and eating more fats and protein. My son-in-law actually lost over 50 pounds just by following a keto influenced diet. The best part of a keto diet is the fact that you can eat good healthy fats with the protein and gain energy while losing the weight.  I've looked up many recipes trying to optimize taste with the ensuring the benefits of losing weight on an accelerated manner in which I've grown accustomed to. I know health experts state that losing weight fast is never the ideal path to take and without having some sort of a maintenance plan, you are doomed in gaining it all back and then some in some instances.  I've been a yo-yo dieter mostly because I'm a stress eater.  When I do stick to a keto type diet, I do lose weight and I am more energized.  When I look for recipes, I want a quick way to satisfy my hunger without having to buy a cart full of ingredients.  It can be difficult trying to find an easy to read and comprehensive guide to keto dieting.  I have bought many keto-inspired e-books, downloaded guides, books and more and was quite pleased with this quick and easy guide with links to other recipes from FitnessCrest.com.

One of my favorite keto recipes are called keto bombs.  They are easy to make and are perfect for these sweet tooth cravings you have from time to time.  If you decide to try a keto diet, the guide from Fitness Crest is perfect with ideas on achieving the keto diet as well as links to recipes and ideas ranging from zero preparation to sweet snacks to savory snacks as well as cookies and smoothies.

You can read more about 120 Keto Snacks for Your Enjoyment here.

Pantry Perks: Fund Your Passion & Earn Cash Back on Natural, Organic and Natural Food

I received a $75 credit to purchase items from PantryPerks.

I was just introduced to PantryPerks and was quite surprised in what they have to offer.  Not only do they have a great assortment of items ranging from supplements to food to health and beauty products but you get money back as well as the ability to donate 1% to a group of your choice.  It was so easy to start using Pantry Perks and I was able to set up an account, peruse through many categories of product, add to my shopping cart and check out in about 30 minutes.  I will admit that I did not check out every category but they have so many great products to choose from.  

PantryPerks has natural, organic & specialty brands with so many items from grocery, wellness and household items.  There are over tens of thousands of Gluten-Free, non-GMO, 100% Organic, Kosher, Vegan, Fair Trade Health, Food and Beauty items. Searching is easy and intuitive as you can select by attribute from their menu or simply refine search results - its as simple as that!

Through their multi-tier Refer-A-Friend program, you can earn multiple cashbacks, month after month. There is no fee. All you need to do is buy a minimum of $60 of the brands you love on PantryPerks every month, and start seeing the cashbacks roll in.

Click the link above and I'll provide an update once I receive my order!

$25 Amazon Back to School Gift Card Giveaway - Ends 9/11/17 - Daily Entry Options

Can you believe it's already time to go back to school?  The summer just flew by and I've noticed the older I get, the faster time moves on.  This year, again, I'm sticking to homeschooling as I like the time flexibility coupled with the ability to teach what is important to me such as religion.  We've tried many different curriculum and I still haven't found the one that reaches out to me.  

This is an easy giveaway as everything is just a click, a comment or a share.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Inspiring A United Kingdom is now available on Digital HD & on DVD and Blu-ray on June 6th

Disclaimer:  I received a party pack and a free digital code to watch A United Kingdom.  I did end up purchasing my own code on my selected digital movie source because the movie trailer appeared to be one that I would want to watch again.  

This weekend was the perfect weekend for brunch with family and friends to catch a flick together.  Being half British, I love nearly all British themed movies but I must admit that A United Kingdom left me a disappointed with the late 1940's British government.  Actors David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike portray Sereste and Ruth Khama in the film and deliver a beautiful chemistry of love, anguish and hope.  Based on a true story, Sereste is a king of Botswana in Africa seeking higher education in Britain while his uncle remains regent king. He meets and falls in love with Ruth during a time when apartheid reigned in South Africa and overlapped in other British controlled/influenced areas.  The film continues with their romance, trials and tribulations and then the final outcome of the resistance they endured by all around them.  It's a very moving, thought provoking story that doesn't disappoint.  I can't give it all away now can I? 

Rosamund Pike first caught my attention in Pride and Prejudice and I loved her in A United Kingdom as well.  A treat was seeing Lady Edith from Downton Abby as well as Ruth's sister.  David Oyelowo was superb in his portrayal of Sereste.  The film provides beautiful glimpses of Africa and the people of Botswana along with the cultural ties that bounds this small African country.

This is what my guests thought:  "A very good movie!" "That was surprisingly good." "I must watch it again."  "I had no idea. It was such a good movie."

Watching movies is always fun but when you add something "extra" to it, it makes for a memorable occasion.  For our brunch, I channeled some British recipes that my mum has mentioned in the past as well as recipes I've watched on other shows.

We started out with an old fashion tea served with English Tea Cakes and Scones:

Our brunch consisted of pork tenderloin pie although I altered it and served it warm as my mum said it's served cold.

After we ate, we gathered around the television and watched our digital copy of A United Kingdom.  It made for a wonderful Saturday afternoon!

 It's now available digitally and can be purchased via DVD/Blu-ray on June 6th.

#AUnitedKingdom  #BrunchandaMovie

Box2Bake Brazilian Chocolate Alfajores Review

I recently had a chance to review another of Cratejoy's wonderful subscription boxes and to date, I can say I'm not disappointed.  This review is for the Box2Bake which is a baking theme per month subscription box service with 100% organic ingredients. Each month will showcase an international recipe that will especially delight your taste buds and your students if you are a homeschool family like I am. This month, we received the Brazilian Chocolate Alfajores and I can say it was easy YET fun to make.

We opened up our eco-friendly box which is also cute with the international shipping appearance on the outside.  Everything is packed nice and neat and the instructions are easy to follow.  An e-mail is also received to assist in how to make each recipe card along with numerous pictures making it very easy to make that even a student can follow along.

They each their own job to do and they might have went their own way with preparing the ingredients but the end result was ... you have to wait and read!

I have to say this was a lot of fun not just because I made it a homeschool exercise but it was fun just spending time in the kitchen with the girls and they loved the hazelnut applicator!  To sum it up, they really liked the outcome and thought it was a lot of fun!  I also thought the Alfajores were very good!  This is a must try box!  I forgot to mention, the girls really liked them even my picky one!  I like international flavors so this is really a fun subscription box that you have to try!

Click on the link to find out more about Box2Bake.

Also find Box2Bake on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Bibliophile-Crate: March #JaneAusten Themed Literature Fun Box Review

Have you checked out the subscription box services yet?  Every area of one's love is covered by the numerous boxes with an extraordinary amount of detail in many of the boxes.  I'm a big Jane Austen fan as well as literature in general so I'm waiting for this new box to arrive.

The box service is called Bibliophile Crate and features a couple of photographs of their boxes.  Jane Austen is a yes, yes, yes!  We have tried two to date but this post will focus on the first one called Bibliophile Crate

Our first box contained many items that were handcrafted and unique to the Jane Austen theme.  It had a nice introductory/thank you card, a recipe card, a 5 x 7 print that I could frame (shown) as well as a 3 x 4 framed print.  It also had two Jane Austen pencils in a clever Jane Austen themed pencil box but that's not all!  It also had Pemberley House soap, a magnet, a Jane Austen pen, post it notes and an interesting Sense and Sensibility book with a twist as it was about sea monsters.  The notecard and bookmark were also little nice extra's.  I think the box was well worth the costs and I can't wait until next month's!  

The recipe card was period specific and a nice addition to the box.

The pencils were really a nice addition:

The tea box was cute in a Darcy theme that included two Earl Grey tea bags:

Check them out today on Cratejoy: Bibliophile Crate 

Jane Austen, Hitchcock Other Classic New Subscription Box Service on Cratejoy

Have you checked out the subscription box services yet?  Every area of one's love is covered by the numerous boxes with an extraordinary amount of detail in many of the boxes.  I'm a big Jane Austen fan as well as literature in general so I'm waiting for this new box to arrive.

The box service is called Bibliophile Crate and features a couple of photographs of their boxes.  Jane Austen is a yes, yes, yes!

This one being a classic of Hitchcock's North by Northwest with handsome oldie Cary Grant looks amazing as well!

They even have a one time wine accessory in Jane Austen's theme too that I might have to try.

Check them out here if you are interested:  Bibliophile Crate

Another coming soon box to be launched:  Audrey Hepburn Themed <-- click here to be informed when it launches!

Top Five Fitness and Wellness Predictions for 2017

A new year and new trends to get in shape and get healthy are already upon us at every corner from various social media outlets to television to the magazines at the check out counter. It's really difficult to sort out what is good versus fad and potentially unhealthy. Last year was a mix of eating more natural coupled with squeezing in fitness routines no matter how one made it work. This year will be no different as social media continues to educate a more informed consumer looking for more healthy ways to ensure good health and longevity as well as atheleisure wear that allows one to dress for work with the flexibility to work out. The top fitness and wellness trends for 2017 will be plentiful with the ones I feel will have the biggest popularity include:

5. Vitamins and supplements will probably never go out of style with the advancement of technology and the array of claims of benefits. Vitamin D to fish oil to even smart pills are trending among many consumers. Supplements possibly provide the consumer with nutrients and other ingredients they might not normally get from poor eating habits or busy schedules. It's debatable among some of the claim but we consumers still purchase. "The global dietary supplements market is expected to reach USD 278.02 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc." That is proof that the business is lucrative.

4. The increase consumption of fats and less carbohydrates will continue to rise given the host of diets and "experts" on social media touting various diets ranging from Atkins, variations to Atkins, Dukan and ketogenic themed diets. High fat/protein and low carbohydrate diets work but they aren't without their controversy either. Fats are not the evil heart killer as they once were perceived and various studies have proven that they are potentially good for us.

3. Organic eating continues to climb the chart of a profitable business with more and more consumers opting for less chemicals and preservatives. It's a tricky business as a consumer knowing what truly is organic versus natural versus dishonest claims to have to weed through. The issue of GMOs are everywhere and difficult to steer clear of especially given the fact that the consumer has to be diligent to find out what the animal was fed. If an animal was fed GMO corn, that then affects the quality of the "organic" meat or other animal product such as milk. 

2.  Wearable technology will continue to rise in popularity. The convenience of being able to track everything is a bonus especially for those that are busy and are on their feet a lot. From Apple to Garmin to Fitbit, it's a big business expecting to grow even more. Even the pharmaceutical and health industries are getting into the business. Companies such as CRF Health work with pharmaceutical companies in incorporating advance ways of data collection by the use of smart devices. It's a big business!

1. Strength training and athleisure will continue to rise given the host of research supporting the health and wellness claims. Strength training is easy and affordable and can be done just about in any environment. Clothing options has evolved to allow consumers choices in fitness fashion to remain active at anytime yet have a leisurely feel about their choices. One of the brands that I actually fell in love with last year was Betabrand. The great looking and high quality women's fitness fashion pants provide that great office look yet are made to move and allow the flexibility to take that walk at lunch time or even to drop and do some squats or lift some free weights. I did purchase the Boot-Cut Black Dress Pant Yoga Pant and love the fit and the quality of the fabric.

Those are my top five fitness and wellness predictions for 2017. I don't see much variance from the previous year rather more of a focus on getting natural and taking our health in our hands devoid of chemicals, preservatives and pesticides. Having the ability to be more involved in our health from wearable tracking devices to clothes that allow the flexibility to move will be hot topics this year.

NOTE: I was not compensated for this post.

Top 10 Ketogenic Diet Recipes

After yet another year of not meeting the health goals I had set for my family, I decided it's better to try try again rather than give up and succumb to being a quitter. This year is no different from any other year except that my 28 year old is a cancer survivor and it's imperative that I try to lead by example and encourage healthful eating. I have adopted a thought process of baby steps as all or nothing never works for me and I slowly or more so rapidly, watch the scales skyrocket up. This time, I'm going to incorporate smaller steps to encourage and change the mindset of eating better and/or reducing consumption. One diet my son-in-law has had extreme success with is a ketogenic type diet. He joined the Navy and has had to lose weight and keep it off in a relatively short amount of time. He met his goal and he looks amazing and I do believe he feels better. With all the diets, it's hard to keep track of what is good, what is bad or what is different as the high protein, high fat, low carb diets are springing up all over the place with minor variations. 

Some feel they just can't follow such a rigid diet and utilize other means whether it's calorie counting, choosing a particular brand like MorningStar to reduce meat intake or combining exercise with smart food choices. For this post, I wanted to showcase some of the recipes my son-in-law included in his weight loss journey as a ways of possibly encouraging others to never give up. 

Ruled.Me has some great recipes and optional plans and books you can purchase. I am not affiliated with Ruled.Me nor do I get anything in return for posting rather I wanted to share what worked for my son-in-law. Here are the top 10 and recipes can be found with the link above.