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Smile Brilliant cariPRO Cordless Water Flosser Review (Discount & Giveaway – Ends 11/23)

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caripro water flosser
 

Smile Brilliant cariPRO Cordless Water Flosser Review (Discount & Giveaway)!

Beautiful, clean, white teeth – it’s what we all want, but it can be so hard to achieve. 

(Especially if you’re a mom who loves coffee like I do…)

A while back I posted about how I keep my teeth their whitest in an article called “6 Ways I Keep My Teeth their Whitest (and 5 Teeth Whitening Myths).”
 
I also shared about my experience with Smile Brilliant’s at-home teeth whitening system. 

Smile Brilliant system

AS I shared in the article, using an at-home whitening system is one of the ways I keep my teeth their whitest. And because I have sensitive teeth, I can’t use just any teeth whitening system, which is one reason I like Smile Brilliant. It’s great for sensitive teeth, and it works!

Smile Brilliant

I’ve also been following Smile Brilliant and noticing that they’ve been developing a lot of new oral care products. 

Smile Brilliant uses real science and innovation to create custom-formulated oral care products that achieve professional results, but at an affordable price (which of course is super important for our family!).

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Manly Man Co. Edible Beef Jerky Flower Bouquet Review & Giveaway

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Manly Man Beef Jerky Flower Bouquet

If you have a man in your life who loves all things meat, then you need to keep reading!

There’s a very unique gift you can give him – an all-edible BEEF JERKY “Flower” Bouquet!

And you can WIN one for him – or anyone (even yourself!)

Review of Manly Man Co. Beef Jerky Flower Bouquet

I have the most wonderful man…he has gotten me flowers so many times, which I mostly enjoy while I’m at work (definitely makes my desk more cheerful!).

flower bouquets

Well, I just learned of Manly Man Co. gifts for men – and found a unique gift that made me think of him right away. A flower bouquet – made of beef jerky!

[Read more…]

Get Eaten by a Dragon at a Playground in Forest Lake, Minnesota

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The Twin Cities has many unique playgrounds – but this one really deserves its own blog post!

Cedar Park in Forest Lake, Minnesota is tucked away behind businesses like Burger King and Perkins, and its playground is nice. But the dragon alone makes it worth a visit!

In 2015, a crew from a business called Themed Concepts based in Forest Lake built it for the park for $38,000.

Dragon Cedar Park

You can find Cedar Park at the intersection of 2nd Avenue NW and 7th Avenue NW in Forest Lake.

The actual address is 100 5th St NW, Forest Lake. 

Find it in the Forest Lake parks directory here.

Cedar Park Forest Lake

We checked it out one day this summer. There were families coming and going – and the dragon was definitely a popular feature.

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What’s New at Hy-Vee: My Unboxing Experience & Video

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Hy-Vee Store

I’m thankful to Hy-vee for sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love browsing my local Hy-Vee store. There are always so many food choices – many of which you can’t find anywhere else. 

So I was super excited to be part of “What’s New at Hy-Vee” for Hy-Vee’s online streaming network, Helpful Smiles TV (HSTV) with several other bloggers.  

I got to be among the first to try several new food items at Hy-Vee!

Hy-Vee mailed me a box full of products that are new in their stores and I tried them all on camera. I shared my honest thoughts and rated each one.

Check it out:

Here are the foods I got to try:

  • Kellogg’s Club Crisps Ranch
  • Boom Chicka Pop Salted Maple Kettle Corn
  • Mott’s Mighty Soarin’ Apple Juice Drink
  • Nabisco Multipack with Wheat Thins, Oreos, and belVita snacks
  • Hy-Vee Whistling Tea

Hy-Vee New Foods

Here’s what I thought of each item:

Kellogg’s Club Crisps Ranch – Crispy, light and full of ranch flavor! You don’t even need to dip them in anything!

Boom Chicka Pop Salted Maple Kettle Corn – SO flavorful. To me, it was like sweet and salty kettle corn with the taste of waffles and syrup. Mmmm…

Mott’s Mighty Soarin’ Apple Juice Drink – I like that it has 50% less sugar than regular apple juice, but still tastes great. It really tastes like candy apple.  

Nabisco Multipack with Wheat Thins, Oreos, and belVita snacks – This was super convenient for on-the-go or for snacking at home. And of course they all taste great! I love chocolate so of course I especially loved the Oreo Thins…

Hy-Vee Whistling Tea – I love sweet tea and this was the perfect blend of tea and sweetness.

Hyvee Unboxing Instagram 

What did I like best?

Honestly I thought they were all good – but my favorite item was the Boom Chicka Pop Salted Maple Kettle Corn. After I made the video, my family enjoyed these foods quickly and I actually went back to Hy-Vee to buy more!

Boom Chicka Pop Maple

Which of these foods sounds the yummiest to you?

To me these are all worth trying so head to Hy-Vee to try them for yourself!

Visit HSTV.com for more fun unboxing videos!

Check them out on their website and social media pages!

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

 

Pick Your Own Beautiful Bouquet at Emery Acres Flower Farm in Rosemount

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Emery Acres is a new U-Pick flower farm in Rosemount. It just opened up in June and we were invited by the owners to check it out, so my kids and I went and picked our own beautiful bouquet!

It’s located at 15490 Emery Avenue E in the beautiful countryside of Rosemount.

Emery Acres Flower Farm

Emery Acres was founded and is operated by Connie Merriman and her daughter Alicia Merriman. It’s located where Connie and her husband have lived since 1996.

Connie and her daughter decided to turn their land into a business, started planting earlier this year and then they celebrated their grand opening on June 18th!

We met both of these super nice women, and they showed us around and helped us get started.

[Read more…]

Valleyfair Family Fun in 2021 (And how to get the cheapest tickets!)

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Valleyfair 2021

Ahh – Valleyfair is back!

Valleyfair was closed in 2020 due to COVID but it’s BACK this year! 

We couldn’t wait to go and were so excited to go to Valleyfair on a weekend in June.

All my life I have had so many memories going to Valleyfair as a kid, teen and now a parent! Growing up in Duluth, it meant road trips to Valleyfair for and even overnight stays in the Twin Cities, and now it’s just an easy drive anytime we want! 

We knew it would be a hot day so we packed some water bottles (yes, you can bring in one sealed water bottle – one per guest!), and were super excited to pull into the parking lot!

When we arrived we posed for some pictures and then headed to the left for some of our favorites including the Tilter!

Valleyfair Tilt a Whirl

My kids went on the Scrambler while I sat and enjoyed an iced coffee from Caribou Coffee, just around the corner.

Valleyfair 2021

We then went on the Antique Cars – a CLASSIC at Valleyfair that’s been around as long as I can remember. 

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3 Ways Dryel Saves You Time & Money

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3 Ways Dryel Saves You Time & Money

I have partnered with Dryel as an ambassador and am excited to share how Dryel works and how it can help you save money! I have received free products and compensation as part of this partnership.

Did you know it can cost over $20 to dry clean a clothing item one time? 

Typically that’s for a gown or suit, but even the cost of dry cleaning blouses and pants can add up quickly. 

And then add in the time and gas it costs to go to the dry cleaners and back.

Dry cleaning can be pricey, but there is another option that I’ve found and shared here.

It’s Dryel, and it’s a fraction of the cost of dry cleaners!

[Read more…]

How Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash Saves Money & Improves Health

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Arm & Hammer Fruit Vegetable Wash

As a brand ambassador for Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash, I received products and compensation in exchange for my review. This post also contains affiliate links that help support this site at no cost to you. All opinions are 100% mine.

Our family eats a ton of fruits and vegetables year-round. I usually buy conventional produce, but if it were more affordable, I’d buy all organic. I prefer produce that is pesticide and chemical free, but prices for organic can definitely add up!

There is another option that I’ve found though that can help keep your food clean without breaking the bank!

Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash is a spray that removes pesticides and wax from produce using baking soda and other natural ingredients. 

Arm & Hammer Fruit Wash

I use Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash on a variety of produce including apples, grapes, and berries. With all the fruit we’re eating in the summer it helps keep a lot of gunk out of our bodies! And it has a nice, light lemony scent.

Plus it helps save money because we don’t have to pay expensive prices for organic produce.

There are 3 easy steps to using this product:

  1. Spray produce with Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash
  2. Gently rub produce to remove soil and wax
  3. Rinse under water to wash away pesticides, wax and soil

If you can, it’s advised to let the product stand on the produce for 15 minutes before rinsing to get the most surface pesticides removed.

What produce do you consume the most in your household? What fruits and veggies can you use this spray on? 

You can find Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash in stores or on Amazon.com here!

Learn more about Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash here!

Cleaning my Garbage Disposal Easily with Arm & Hammer

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Arm & Hammer Garbage Disposal Pinterest

As a brand ambassador for Arm & Hammer Garbage Disposal Cleaner, I received products and compensation in exchange for my review. This post also contains affiliate links that help support this site at no cost to you. All opinions are 100% mine.

We all have those areas of our home that easily get forgotten when cleaning…like doorknobs, remote controls, and for me, my garbage disposal! 

Since it doesn’t get used every day, I don’t often think about cleaning my garbage disposal. But when I do think of it, it’s definitely in need! It does NOT smell good! Honestly it should be cleaned regularly – at least twice a week, especially if you use it often. And thankfully it’s super easy to do with Arm & Hammer Garbage Disposal Cleaner.

Arm & Hammer Garbage Disposal

Arm & Hammer Garbage Disposal Cleaner cleans and deodorizes your disposal with the power of baking soda, and leaves behind a fresh citrus scent!

[Read more…]

What to Do With Kids in Stillwater, Minnesota

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What to do with kids in Stillwater

Stillwater, Minnesota. It’s one of our favorite places to “get away” without really getting away.

For years, our family has visited Stillwater throughout the year for day trips, afternoon trips, evening adventures. 

It’s a beautiful, quaint city along the St. Croix river, right at the easternmost border of Minnesota. It’s only about 30 minutes from the Twin Cities so that makes it an easy, quick trip. 

One thing I really like about Stillwater is how it’s perfect for any kind of visit…romantic getaways, family fun, girlfriend outings.

And it reminds me of my hometown – Duluth, Minnesota – in so many ways. Walking along the river, the tour boats, the lift bridge…the many restaurants and hotels with river views…the gift shops galore…it both feels like home and like a vacation at the same time!

But after many years of day visits, my kids and I decided to visit for an overnight to get the full vacation experience! 

Kari’s Create & Paint Studio

Kari's Create & Paint

We started our Stillwater staycation at Kari’s Create & Paint Studio which is downtown. Here you can walk in or make an appointment to paint canvas or pottery. 

And no you don’t have to know how to do any of it!

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