Wanderlust Wednesday-- Desert Southwest Road Trip

Image Source-- Visit her fabulous Etsy shop!

It's no secret that I love to travel. I also every little thing leading up to a trip: the research, the planning, the decision-making, the travel books (that I end up keeping well past their due dates), the anticipation & excitement-- I love it all. Travel is essential to me & I'm always looking for our next adventure.

Aside from a quick trip to New Jersey in June, our next big adventure will be a road trip to the desert Southwest this summer & I can. not. wait. From Texas, we'll head through New Mexico into Arizona stopping at the Grand Canyon, then northeast into Utah, and then over into southern Colorado before heading back home. Here are the on my to-see/to-do list while we're gone.

1. The Grand Canyon

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Despite it's touristy (is that a word?) nature, we have decided to visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon because of it's location relative to other points of interest on our trip. Initially, we thought we'd take the time to visit the North Rim (the cooler temps sound soo appealing), but the time it would take to travel there won't quite work with our schedule.

2. Horseshoe Bend

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Is this not one of the most stunning images you've ever seen? The rich colors of the canyon set against that brilliant backdrop? I seriously cannot wait. Speaking of brilliant, did you hear about this? Too, too cool.

3. Antelope Canyon

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This slot canyon is the one stop I am most excited about. Located just outside of Page, Arizona on sacred Navajo land. I'm dying to see it. Torn between the upper & lower canyons (I don't think we'll have time for both), I'm leaning more toward the lower canyon.

4. Monument Valley

Located on the Arizona/Utah border, this region of Navajo land is studded with gorgeous sandstone buttes. I'm looking forward to driving the 17-mile road through the park & taking it all in. I've heard the road is in terrible condition & extremely bumpy, but I can't wait to hear my girl giggle going over the bumps.

5. Durango Mountain Resort

With all sorts of fun activities to do during the summertime (alpine slide, horseback riding, mining, ziplining, etc),  this place looks like an absolute blast for my girl.

So there you have it, my top 5 to-do/to-see things on our 2014 Summer road trip. What have I missed? Where should we stay/eat? What else MUST we see? Tell me!

Product Review: Tone Body Wash

 

Thanks to BzzAgent, I was recently given the opportunity to try Tone body wash. To be honest, Tone isn't a brand I'd normally buy. I tend to stick with brands I've used before like Suave, Dove, Softsoap, etc. depending on what is cheapest/what I have a coupon for. I have to say, I was so pleasantly surprised with Tone body wash, that I will absolutely be buying it in the future. 

 What I liked:

• I loved the shape & functionality of the bottle. There's a flip-lid with a flat surface, which means as the product gets low in the bottle, I can turn it over and let the remaining product drip down and collect, making it easier to get out the next time. This may seem silly, but the body wash I bought the last time has a rounded top, which makes this virtually impossible, and a reason why I'd never purchase it again.
• The scent is sweet & floral. It is strong enough to last for hours after a shower/bath, yet not overpowering.
• Tone body was provides a rich, luxurious lather making me feel like I'm using a very high end body wash, without the steep price tag.
• Tone body wash leaves my skin feeling very hydrated, eliminating the need for lotion after showering.
• Coupons are readily available for Tone body wash & it's available at all of my local retailers.

Cons:

• In my opinion, there aren't any cons to this product.

Overall, I absolutely love this product and I will continue to use it in the future. I'm looking forward to trying the entire variety of scents. I would recommend this product to anyone looking to purchase a high end body wash at a bargain price.

Choose Fair Trade, Choose Green Mountain Coffe

I have to admit, I have heard the term 'Fair Trade' many times in the past, but I never really knew what it meant until becoming a part of BzzAgent's new campaign for Green Mountain Coffee. Turns out, Fair Trade coffee is a very good thing. Here's why:

According to ChooseFairTrade.com, "Fair trade certification gives farmers a fair price for their beans with a guaranteed minimum, which means they can invest in their crops, their communities, and their future.". This is so very important! Also, because of Fair Trade, Green Mountain Coffee gets to works closely with farmers, which in turn means better tasting coffee for all of us caffeinated coffee freaks. 

It's a win for everyone!

Kelly Clarkson recently visited the Fair Trade community of Agua Azul, Peru to learn more about Fair Trade. You can view her beautiful travel diary here. It is very inspiring.

As for my participation in this campaign, I was sent several samples of Green Mountain Coffee's Fair Trade Three Continent Blend. According to the website, this particular blend is made with beans sourced from "Sumatra, South America, and Ethiopia".  I immediately brewed a k-cup and put it in the fridge to cool to use for my morning iced coffee. I loved that this particular blend is a medium roast and is extra bold. This is the type of coffee I prefer to brew because it holds up so well to ice without becoming watered down. I have to say, the Three Continent Blend is fantastic and I even prefer it over the other k-cups I was using every day. It has a very bold taste without any bitterness and there's a subtle sweetness that I really enjoy. I prefer mine with a splash of half-half and a little bit of sweetener. It's my go-to beverage every single morning.

I encourage you to visit ChooseFairTrade.com and explore all of the varieties of FairTrade k-cups Green Mountain Coffee has to offer. I personally can't wait to try the Pumpkin Spice variety.

Product Review: Lysol Power & Free

 

 As a self-described clean freak, I'm constantly purchasing cleaning products for my home. I love a good deep-down clean, but most of the cleaners I use come with harsh and powerful fumes. These fumes are often so overwhelming that I find myself having to clean in spurts, which is pretty darn inconvenient. 

 Thanks to BzzAgent, I was given the opportunity to try new Lysol Power & Free cleaning products. I was sent Lysol Power & Free Multi-Purpose Cleaner & the Toilet & Bathroom Wipes. So what's different about new Lysol Power & Free products? 

 I'm so glad you asked. Lysol Power & Free products use hydrogen peroxide to attack pesky stains, giving you "more cleaning power than bleach" without the harsh fumes and chemical residue. And I'm here to report that these products do just that. I'm so pleased! I used both products to clean all of my kitchen and bathroom surfaces.  I also used them to clean out my daughter's lunchbox (these products kill 99.9% of bacteria!), tabletops, light switches, my daughter's desk (they removed tough marker stains!), and all of our phone cases (full of bacteria, if you didn't know). 

  What I liked: - Powerful cleaning without harsh fumes. - Anti-bacterial properties which give me a sense of peace when cleaning - I loved the mild scent of the cleaners 

  What could be improved upon: The only thing that could be improved up is the wetness of the wipes. Mine were not very wet and I found myself having to use them with the multi-purpose cleaner.  

Overall: I am very pleased with the effectiveness of new Lysol Power & Free. I will absolutely buy these products as replacements for all of my other cleaning products. You also can't beat the prices of $1.97-$2.97. I would recommend these products to anyone.  

Things I'm Loving Lately

These books:

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

This quote from The Still Point of the Turning World by Emily Rapp:

"I realized you could not have one without the other, that this great capacity to love and be happy can be experienced only with this great risk of having happiness taken away from you-- to tremble, always, on the edge of loss."

 The Dirty Harry from Gordough's Public House in Austin, TX:

Coconut creme filled donut holes, chocolate icing and topped with fresh coconut. Served warm. I die.

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The Dirty Harry was heaven in a crock. It's been almost two weeks and I'm still thinking about this incredible dessert. 

Speaking of coconut, these are incredible. Crunchy, sweet, & slightly salted. Yum!

Dang Coconut Chips

This article about three huge mistakes we make leading our children. Thought provoking and a gentle reminder.

And finally, Miss Mustard Seed's incredible kitchen. I'm head-over-heels in love with it, especially the countertops.

What are you loving lately?

Product Review: Campbell's Go(TM) Soup-- Moroccan Style Chicken w/ Chickpeas

There's a saying about the weather in Central Texas. It goes something like this: If you don't like it, wait five minutes.

True enough as yesterday I was blasting the A/C and today it barely made it to 60 degrees. It was drizzly and cold all day long-- all I wanted was soup.

I was lucky enough to receive a sample of Campbell's Go(TM) soup in the Moroccan Style Chicken with Chickpeas variety and figured today would be perfect to try it out.

Have you seen these on the shelves? I love the design of the bright white pouches.

Initial Impression: Hmm, I'm not a huge chicken fan, but typically it's easily identifiable in most soups so I can just pick it out. Moroccan? Not sure what that flavor profile is usually, but I enjoy chickpeas and the ingredient list doesn't look too obscure, so let's give it a try. . 

What I liked: 

• It was easy enough to heat up the pouch in the microwave and I really appreciated the "cool touch" spot on the pouch to avoid burning my fingers after heating.
• Can eat out of the pouch or pour into a bowl
• Very thick consistency. The soup was hearty and satisfying. 
• The soup was well-spiced, but not spicy. It was very flavorful.
• Plentiful chickpeas
• Small pieces of pulled chicken-- nice touch, felt like it was a homemade soup
• 320 calories per pouch (of this particular flavor)
• 3 grams fat/pouch (of this particular flavor)
• 12 grams fiber & 26 grams protein (of this particular flavor)

What I didn't like:

• Strong hint of cinnamon both in smell and taste. I didn't see cinnamon on the ingredient list, so I'm not sure where this was coming from. Different and slightly off-putting, but it didn't prevent me from finishing the soup. 
• 1580 mg of sodium/pouch! (of this particular flavor)

Final thoughts: With a coupon, I'd likely buy this variety of soup again. Speaking of coupon, print your $1 off coupon here!The pouch packaging is very convenient and much more appealing to me than a can for some reason. Aside from the sodium content, I think this is a tasty & decently healthy lunch/dinner option.

Other Campbell's Go(TM) Soup Varieties:

• Golden Lentil with Madras Curry
• Creamy Red Pepper with Smoked Gouda
• Coconut Curry with Chicken & Shitake Mushrooms
• Chicken and Quinoa with Poblano Peppers
• Spicy Chorizo and Pulled Chicken with Black Beans

I was provided a sample of Campbell's Go(TM) Soups by Smiley360.com. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way. 

Bucket List

Do you have a bucket list?

I was able to cross a big one off of mine a couple of years ago when my little family of three took a trip to Boston, Massachusetts. We fell head-over-heels in love with the city; it's charm and it's weather were incredible.

My favorite part of the trip was attending a game at historic Fenway Park. My husband is a huge Red Sox fan and it warmed my heart to see his eyes light up when he took in not one, but two games while we were there. He was like a kid in a candy store and it was incredibly cool.

Most of my bucket list revolves around travel-- there is so much out there I want to do and see. My main travel goal is to see all 50 states. You see, I'm not one of those people that yearns to travel to far off places. I have zero desire to travel abroad. I'd much rather explore everything this beautiful country has to offer. That's not to say that I haven't been out of the country, though. As a couple, my husband and I have taken several cruises and of all of the ports we have visited, Jamaica is at the top of our list. As soon as we got off the boat in Montego Bay, Jamaica, we ignored all of the warnings the cruise line gave us and hailed a cab. I was petrified at first, but it ended up being an incredible experience. The cab driver took us all over the city, showing us the magnificent sites, buying us Red Stripe and treating us to an all-day experience we will never forget. And all for $40! Well worth it.

There are lots of experiences and places remaining on my bucket list. Here are a few:

Attend a football game at Lambeau Field:

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See the Northern Lights:

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Visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks:

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See the lights of Marfa:

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Rock in a rocking chair on the front deck of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, MI:

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Tour the Hawaiian Islands via the Pride of America:

See Niagara Falls:

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What fun things are on your bucket list?