The Stair Barrier - Stylish Safety for Children and Pets

#sponsored

Twenty-five years of teaching preschoolers in my two-story home made it very clear that finding a baby gate that worked into my decor was a must. Our solution was a swinging wood gate, but now that I've seen The Stair Barrier, I think it's a much better idea. The Stair Barrier is a beautiful solution to keeping children and pets off the stairs. The Stair Barrier is designed for the bottom of the stairs, from banister to banister and comes in either Regular Size (36"-42" wide) and Wide Size (42"-52" wide). There are no extension kits to buy, no mounting kits to buy, and you won't have to drill any holes in your walls, banisters, or stairs.

The Stair Barrier is made of Class 1 upholstery grade fabrics, internal plastic struts, heavy polypropylene webbing, and standard dual side release buckles. It's available in a variety of fabrics to match the decor of your home and can be rolled to the side when not in use. You can even personalize it if you want. It's so easy to use and installation is simple. The Stair Barrier even comes with a handy travel bag, so you can take it to Grandma's home when you visit or take it to the babysitter's house for extra peace of mind.

I think The Stair Barrier is a fantastic way to keep children and pets off the staircase! The choice of using fabric over plastic or wood is a much softer way to work something functional and necessary into existing home decor. I really love the chevron design. I was especially excited to see that these are handcrafted in the United States. You should check out The Stair Barrier!

Visit www.thestairbarrier.com for more information. You can also purchase The Stair Barrier on Amazon. Be sure to check out their Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest accounts too!

Giveaway! $100 Divine Walls Gift Card

It's time for the

Welcome Winter Giveaway Hop

Hosted by The Review Wire

As winter tightens its grip, let's warm up with some great prizes!

From January 16-30, you can visit the list of bloggers below

and enter to win prizes on each blog, worth at least $15.

My prize is a

$100 Gift Card to

Divine Walls!

Divine Walls creates beautiful vinyl art for the walls of your home, office, or just about anywhere. It's so easy to create a custom piece for your home. You can choose from their designs (or create your own with any verse), then select your colors and the size!

These heart-warming Bible verses will remind you, your family, and your guests of God's love for all of us. Divine Walls vinyl art decals are very easy to install and there's even a video on their website to show you how to do it.

If you have something special in mind, their designers will work closely with you so you can create custom pieces like the example below. Check out www.divinewalls.com to find the art that will bless your home!

www.divinewalls.com

Enter to win a $100 Divine Walls Gift Card!

To enter just fill in the contest form below. Giveaway is open to US residents ages 18 and older. Giveaway ends on 1/30/2015. Good luck!

Follow me on Facebook HERE.

Enter my other giveaways HERE.

Giveaway - GoGargle! and $20 CVS Gift Card

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Each year over 15 million people visit a doctor for a sore throat. GoGargle! is based on the time-tested remedy of salt water gargling, but is a new, convenient and tasty way to soothe your sore throat! Gargling with warm salt water has been touted by Grandmas and health experts for generations because it is a time-tested remedy that works. The special blend of salts reduce painful inflammation and bacteria in the back of your throat by drawing fluid out of swollen tissue, while the aloe, chamomile, honey and zinc soothe and moisturize it.

Unlike colored sprays and drops made with scary sounding chemical ingredients that only hide the pain for a while, GoGargle! is made up of salts to treat the sore throat and soothing ingredients like honey and aloe to moisturize. This combination of ingredients both reduces inflammation but also soothes and moisturizes making GoGargle! a more natural way to treat a sore throat. GoGargle! tablets make treating your sore throat easy: just drop a tablet in a glass of warm water, let it dissolve, then gargle your sore throat away!

GoGargle! doesn’t just mask the pain (like sprays or drops), but the healing power of salt works to reduce inflammation, while the honey, aloe and chamomile soothe throat tissue and provide long-lasting relief. I've used my GoGargle on two occasions for a sore throat and it works great! The best part is that it tastes good, not like salt water. The minty flavor is subtle, not overpowering, and my throat feels so much better afterwards. You should try it! Grab a money-saving coupon HERE!

www.gogargle.com

Enter to win GoGargle! and a $20 CVS Gift Card!
Just fill in the contest form below and one lucky winner will be chosen. Giveaway is open to US residents, ages 18 and older. Giveaway ends on 1/30/2015. Prize includes a 10-count package of GoGargle! and a $20 CVS Gift Card. Good luck!

Enter my other giveaways HERE.
Follow me on Facebook HERE.

Fiora Paper Towels Snack-Off Contest and Giveaway

Disclosure: I received products at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

There’s nothing like a great snack to compliment a great party or even to munch on during those weekend playoff games. But with so many options, it’s hard to know what to choose…sweet, savory, spicy, salty? Fiora, the fastest growing tissue and towel brand in America, is out to crown the best snack in America with their Ultimate Snack-Off Contest. They are asking fans to submit their favorite snack for a chance to win one of four grand prizes and a year’s worth of Fiora brand paper products.

My favorite snack is called Birdseed, an easy-to-make treat that my entire family loves. To make Birdseed, combine one large container of salted peanuts, one large container raisins, and one bag of MMs candies. I usually pour all three together in a bowl with a tight-fitting lid, then shake it gently.

You're going to need good paper towels for all those salty fingers, so be sure to grab some Fiora Paper Towels. They are three-ply and I love that they come in smaller sheets. I always feel like I'm wasting paper towels when I'm using the larger paper towel sheets. Fiora paper towels work great for my family!

Get over to the Fiora Paper Towels Facebook page so you can enter the Fiora Ultimate Snack Contest!

Thanks to Fiora for my gift basket and for letting me give away a gift basket to one of my readers!

Enter below to win a Fiora Gift Basket!
To enter, fill in the contest form below. Open to US residents, ages 18 and older. Giveaway ends on 1/30/2015. Good luck!

Follow me on Facebook HERE.
Enter my other giveaways HERE.

Review: Mary's Gone Crackers #glutenfree #nonGMO #vegan

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

How's your New Year's resolution to eat healthier going? Still sneaking snacks you shouldn't? Here's a great way to keep your resolution and still allow yourself some snacking time! Mary's Gone Crackers makes crackers, pretzels, and cookies that are free from all the guilt.

Loaded with whole grains and healthy ingredients, Mary’s Gone Crackers products are certified organic, gluten free, non-GMO, kosher, and vegan, and contain no nuts, dairy, or eggs. The crackers are super crispy and crunchy, and come in seven flavors - Original, Black Pepper, Caraway, Herb, Onion, Hot ‘n Spicy Jalapeño, and Super Seed.

The pretzels come in three flavors - Sea Salt, Chipotle Tomato, and Everything. These light, crunchy pretzels are filled with brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, and millet, as well as tasty and nutritious seeds including flax, sesame, and chia seeds.

Love cookies? Try the Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate, “N’Oatmeal”® Raisin (no oats!), or Ginger Snaps. These sweet vegan cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth with a blend of healthy, wholesome ingredients including high omega-3 chia seeds.

Learn more about Mary's Gone Crackers at www.marysgonecrackers.com. I love the crunchy, wholesome taste of these snacks. Try some!

Weekly Giveaway Linky - Wednesday Wealth (January 14-20)

Link up all your giveaways

and click through to enter the giveaways below!

Review: Chef'd Gourmet Meals at Home

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

If you like food, then this post is for you. If you love gourmet food, then read on! Chef'd is ready to help you make gourmet meals in the comfort of your own home. You simply choose from their recipes from famous chefs, turn in your order, and everything arrives at your door in an insulated, temperature-controlled box.

I received a box that included Beef Bourguignon and Lamb Chops with Salsa Verde. Inside my box were two bags with all of the individual ingredients separated into their own little bags. There were also two large recipe cards that provide step-by-step directions, color photos, kitchen tools required, and even suggested wine pairings for the meals.

The only ingredients not included in the box were cooking oil, salt, and pepper since everyone already has those things in their kitchen. Absolutely everything in the box was fresh and beautiful. The meat was high quality and even the herbs looked like they were just picked.

I was a bit intimidated at the thought of cooking a gourmet meal at home, but the directions were clear and in about 30 minutes I created a delicious Beef Bourguignon with mashed potatoes and Herbed Green Beans. I don't think I've ever even tasted a dish like this and I was so impressed with it. I was also impressed that I actually made it! The photo below is both servings on one plate, so you can see how much food is provided.

My husband wanted to try his hand at making the other gourmet meal, the Lamb Chops with Salsa Verde. I'm always in favor of my husband doing the cooking! The lamb chops meal came with dried fruit and black rice pilaf plus a side of carrots. Chef'd has over 100 recipes to choose from and they even offer recipes for vegan, paleo, gluten-free, and vegetarian diets.

Below is one of two servings of the mouth-watering Lamb Chops made by my husband. We discovered it takes a bit more work than our usual dinners to create a Chef'd gourmet meal, but the reward is a much more delicious dinner!

Visit chefd.com to learn more and check out their Indiegogo campaign. Chef'd makes delicious gourmet meal creation at home simple and convenient. I definitely recommend Chef'd!

Giveaway! Cosco Car Seat and Gift Card

Disclosure: This giveaway is hosted by LeahSay's Views.

I have some exciting news about a new Cosco car set, the Scenera NEXT Convertible Car Seat, which is available now at Walmart for... $46.00. That's right $46.00 it's not a typo my friends you can purchase the only car seat on the market that enables YOU to fit THREE car seats across in an automobile.

The seat is rear facing from 5 - 40 pounds, and forward facing 22 - 40 pounds. The seat has a 5-point harness with easy front adjustment and side impact protection along with a machine washable fabric (yeah). The seat is already receiving praise from car seat advocates nationwide for its affordability and safety.

Exciting fact! Did you know that Cosco Juvenile Car Seats are Made in the USA? That fact alone would make me take a second look at the Cosco Scenera NEXT Car Seat. Cosco's first priority is family and the company is proud of what its workers do each and every day to help keep our children safe. To coincide with the roll out of the first Scenera NEXT's, Cosco is launching a personalized letter writing campaign. Over 500 of the first Scenera NEXt's will feature handwritten notes from a child of one of Cosco's Columbus, Indiana, employees.

I love the fact the car seat will allow for three car seats to fit in a automobile*, which I hope will help parents with multiply children fit comfortably in the family car. The second thing I'm really liking is the price point and the fact that they have maintained safety for your child's protection. And my final fun feature is the fact you can choose the print for your new Cosco Scenera NEXT Car Seat. I know my granddaughter will love the Pink Realtree print.

I have some exciting news my darlings! Cosco is giving YOU the opportunity to WIN a Cosco Scenera NEXT Car Seat along with a $25 Walmart Gift Card. How awesome is that!

Giveaway! Texas Roadhouse $25 Gift Card

Welcome to the

Made in My State in the USA

Giveaway Hop

hosted by LeahSay's Views

and Planet Weidknecht

January 13-27, 2015

As you know, I live in the great state of Texas. One of our favorite places to eat is Texas Roadhouse because of their hand-cut steaks, fall-off-the-bone ribs, made-from-scratch sides, and fresh-baked bread. Lucky for you, Texas Roadhouse locations are now in 49 states so you can experience the tastes of Texas close to your home! Enter below to win a Texas Roadhouse $25 Gift Card, then hop to all the other blogs listed below to enter to win prizes from their states!

Win a Texas Roadhouse $25 Gift Card!
To enter, just fill in the contest form below. Giveaway is open to US residents ages 18 and older. Giveaway ends on 1/27/2015. Good luck!

Enter my other giveaways HERE.
Follow me on Facebook HERE.

Giveaway! The Power of Forgiveness - Chicken Soup for the Soul

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Do you harbor anger at someone in your past? I know I struggle with this issue. There have been many people throughout my life who have wronged me, hurt me, and degraded me. Sometimes it's really hard to let go of things and move on with life. I read a quote once that said hate is like swallowing a deadly pill and waiting for the other person to suffer from it, but in reality refusing to forgive someone hurts the hater even more. Someone close to me once told me that true forgiveness means forgiving the other person before they even ask for it, and often they never ask. Still, I often have a hard time forgiving some of those who've hurt me most. The new Chicken Soup for the Soul book, The Power of Forgiveness, gave me some great insight from people who have had to deal with the same kind of harbored anger. With over 100 insightful and inspiring stories, this book helped me take a longer look at some of the most painful events and I'm better learning to forgive. I enjoyed reading The Power of Forgiveness. Visit Chicken Soup for the Soul for inspirational books and products that will help you live a better life.

Win a copy of The Power of Forgiveness!
To enter, just fill in the contest form below. Open to US residents, ages 18 and older. Giveaway ends on 1/31/2015. Good luck!

Enter my other giveaways HERE.
Follow me on Facebook HERE.

My Thoughts on Dove Dry Spray #TryDry

Disclosure: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. 

Have you tried Dove Dry Spray? I recently received a can to try. I've been brand loyal to a single deodorant brand for over 25 years. That particular brand is a gel, not a spray can. I tried the Dove Dry Spray for two consecutive days. I am pleased that it kept me dry and smelled good. The only thing I didn't like about it was the white cloud that sprayed around my bathroom when I applied it. I don't think I will change over to the Dove Dry Spray brand.

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.