Protecting your family is obviously important to everyone. This summer the American Medical Learning Center is trying to raise awareness on the importance of learning CPR with their Be a Shield campaign.

Learning CPR isn’t as difficult or complicated as one might think. Thanks to ACLS campaign, the statistic of over 70% of adults who aren’t comfortable administering CPR can change with their free program. In just six easy steps you can brush up on providing CPR to not only infants, but children and adults as well.

Through the campaign they are trying to raise awareness and knowledge for the need to have life saving skills like rescue breathing and chest compressions. The steps are simple enough that even tweens and especially teens can learn them as well. Who knows, but you might just need the refresher course. Hopefully, the life saving skills won’t be needed, but you never know what might happen. And it’s never a bad idea to be prepared.

It doesn’t take much time to brush up and re-learning or learning CPR this summer doesn’t sound like a half bad idea to me.

Protect your family and find out more about the Be A Shield campaign here.

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Cascade© Platinum Pacs deliver the most powerful clean available from Cascade while simultaneously helping to maintain the sparkling look of your clean dishwasher interior.

Cascade© Platinum Pacs feature an advanced triple action recipe that is specially designed to leave dishware virtually spot-free and help prevent the build-up of hard-water film on dishwasher walls.* *Use a dishwasher cleaner to remove existing build-up on wall interiors.

Cascade© Platinum Pacs achieve a top-tier clean so powerful that they even help keep your dishwasher machine sparkling and deliver a variety of dish care benefits:

• Powers away tough, 24 hour stuck-on food

• Eliminates the need to pre-wash dishes

• Helps maintain the look of new machines and helps prevent additional hard-water build-up

• Delivers exceptional dishware shine

Our Review:

This review piggybacks on Theresa’s review of Cascade Platinum, as our family was also fortunate enough to review the product. We have gone through many dishwashers and many dish washing liquids and powders, powder pacs, etc… Cascade is by far the BEST product we have tried. I have always been a cascade buyer…after trying various other products and never being completely satisfied … I tried the traditional Cascade Complete dishwasher pacs on the recommendation of my sister. My sister told me that these pacs were the ONLY thing that worked for her and were by far the best out there. Well, after one use I was sold. NOW I have tried cascade PLATINUM and can give my sister a bit of advice to switch from the cascade complete to the cascade platinum. The Platinum is by far much better than the cascade complete…we have seen a difference in overall cleanliness of both dishes and dishwasher. I truly think that this product has boosted our dish washing performance.

I also liked the fragrance of the Cascade Platinum pacs… it was a nice fresh scent…BUT when perusing the store aisles for Cascade Platinum I noticed that they also sold a “lemon scent” so of course I just had to purchase them…they also work great but have a nice lemon scent! I CANNOT wait to find a 43 pac tub size! Right now I have only been able to find the smaller bag sizes in my area…but know I will find the jumbo size soon… !

Overall, Cascade Platinum works wonders on our dishes and dishwasher… I will not go back to my old brands anytime soon…and sorry Cascade but the platinum is so much better than Cascade complete that I will now only buy the Platinum!

Do not forget to enter the contest that Theresa wrote about and submit your pictures to win some prizes from Cascade!

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Reality TV is here and probably here to stay since so many reality shows are popular among viewers. Our family watches a few like X-factor, Shark Tank, Undercover Boss, Secret Millionaire. Then there are others that we just shake our heads wondering why they are even on the air. We have also seen a few episodes of a home buyers show and another one where they go in and demolish homes, fix them up and resell them. They were fun to watch too. If you are into real estate and construction etc. then the new home renovation competition show Brother vs. Brother on HGTV will be of interest to you.

HGTV’s popular property brothers face-off in new home renovation competition, brother vs. brother. Identical twins, Jonathan Scott, a licensed contractor, goes up against is realtor brother, Drew Scott, in this battle of the skills competition of home renovation upgrades and highest increase in property value. The show will also feature other HGTV real estate stars like, Mike Aubrey (Power Broker), Kennon Earl (Selling LA) and Hilary Farr and David Visentin (Love It or List It). The winning team takes home a $50,000 grand prize.

Viewers can even vote for their favorite brother team by using hashtags #TeamDrew or #TeamJonathan Via HGTV.com/brothers.

Take a peek at the show’s promo video:

The show premieres Sunday, July 21, at 10 pm ET with a six-episode series to give us a taste of the Property Brothers skills set.

What reality shows do you watch? And will you be catching the Brother vs. Brother show?

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If you remember from past summers, Wendy is once again donating fifty cents from every Frosty purchase to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption on Father’s Day weekend (June 15 & 16). These donations will be used to benefit the cause of Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, a wonderful program that helps foster children in need find great homes.

Frosties are a special treat around our house that everyone loves. Some of my children’s favorite memories are of summer visits to Wendy’s to purchase a Frosty as a treat after a long day of gardening or on a family road trip. We love the the creamy taste and of course, the affordable price.

I love that Wendy’s is doing this for kids and need, even more so on Father’s Day. I’m glad to see that they are doing this great program again. There are several ways to help donate, and I hope you’ll take your family to Wendy’s this Father’s Day weekend to help support this great program.

How do you donate? There are several ways:

1. Facebook & Twitter – Use the hashtag #FirstFrosty and share your first Frosty memories. For each story, image or video, Wendy’s will donate $1, up to $50,000.

2. Go to Wendy’s – For each Frosty purchased on June 15-16, Wendy’s will donate 50 cents to Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption . Any Frosty purchase counts! Even their newest product, the Frosty Waffle Cone!

Enter to win two ten dollar Wendy’s gift cards below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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When I was contacted by HBL Hair Care about doing a review and giveaway, I couldn’t refuse. I really appreciate products that are sulfate, paraben, allergen and gluten free. All of HBL Hair Care products are formulated to ensure that your hair is healthy, beautiful and shiny.

They sent me out the HBL Volumizing system for review. It includes the:

· HBL Volumizing Shampoo

· HBL Volumizing Conditioner

· HBL Hair Masque

The set is supposed to perk up limp, lifeless hair. The shampoo and condition were designed to cleans and provide lightweight conditioning while the hair masque gives a boost of overall moisture.

I’ve been testing the products out for the past week and while they aren’t the most amazing hair care products of all time, they do work. Too much of the conditioner left my scalp irritated, but the overall products smell good and I really like that they are all natural. I think for people with thinner hair the volumizing set would work much better and give them a boost.

You can buy HBL products at www.hblhaircare.com.

Enter to win your very own set in the Rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Avoiding in-car boredom on your summer break

It’s the time of year when we’re all taking to the road with the kids in tow, and it’s time to get your thinking cap on to find ways to keep the kids entertained. We all find long car journeys boring, but for excitable kids with heaps of energy, they can be an even bigger challenge.

PassSmart have written a few tips to keeping in-car boredom at bay, which, hopefully, will keep the dreaded “are we nearly there yet!?” away.

Design their own game

Getting the kids to create their own game is bound to keep them occupied. If you’re going on holiday or a day trip, they could design a game to do with your destination. So, for example, if you were on your way to Disneyland, a) you’ll have some VERY excited kids, and b) they could draw or write a letter to each Disney character they want to meet.

By keeping their mind on the destination you’ll be able to keep them thinking about what they’re going to do rather than the boring journey which comes first.

Plan you breaks

Plan your breaks strategically to make sure the kids get a chance to get out of the car and stretch their legs. The more energy they use up during your stop off, the less restless they will be in the car. Try and stop off somewhere where they can get out of the car and have a little run around. This isn’t always possible, but you could consider taking a scenic detour to find somewhere away from the main roads.

Beware the sugary snacks

The best part of going on a road trip is often the in-car snacks, but try not to let them over do it with the sugary treats. Staying still in the car is tough at the best of times, let alone on a sugar high! Instead pack snacks with a natural energy boost like fruit, nuts and raisins. For something a little more appealing, you could make your own ice poles with fruit juice and pack them in a cooler bag, ready for lunch.

You don’t, however, have to cut out the sweets completely! Instead, try to impose an evening curfew for sweet snacks and, ideally, let the kids have them before you stop off for a break so that they can burn the energy off.

Old-fashioned fun

You don’t have to have an iPad, a portable DVD player and a Nintendo DS to keep the kids happy in the car. Great old-fashioned games like I-Spy or lorry spotting are fantastic ways to keep the kids occupied, and, you never know, you might even have fun too!

Take it in turns to choose a game you want to play and the kids won’t be able to complain about your choice of entertainment. You can even put an educational twist on some in-car games, like, for example, the alphabet game. Get the kids to read license plates and think of an animal/food/country/color relating to each letter. You might be surprised at how long in-car games keep the kids occupied for, and, best of all, they won’t cost you a cent!

Avoid music battles

Trying to decide what music to listen to in the car can be a headache in itself, but there is a way to keep everyone happy. Unless you all have different devices to listen to, you’ll know that someone has to compromise. Get the kids to choose 5 songs each and then take it in turns to play one of their choice. You may have to listen to a few Disney classics, but at least there’ll be no squabbling to contend with!

Finally, drive safely and enjoy your trip!

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Protecting my children’s skin has always been important to me.  Their skin is so very delicate and the sun can be so harmful.  My kids love to play outside and know that everytime they go out they have to get loaded up with sunscreen.  Our backyard has no shade all day long until 4pm.  I’m always on the lookout for ways to keep them out of the sun or protect them the best way I can such as swim shirts, hats, and sunscreen.  Sun Angels Sleeves goes a step further offering protection for the arms.

Sun Angels has developed sun protective arm sleeves for kids.  Their arm sleeves are certified UPF 50+ and are made from a 60% polyester, 35% cotton jersey, and 5% spandex (latex-free) blend.  This makes them extremely lightweight and breathable.  The material feels very soft and thin.  Each sleeve has a non-restrictive elastic band on the top to keep them from slipping down.  Initially I thought they would be too tight on my daughter’s arms, but they slipped on snugly, making them the perfect fit.  They didn’t fall, twist, or move at all.  The arm sleeves stayed in place and looked like actual sleeves.  These arm sleeves are so stylish, too!  They are sold in pairs and they have many styles to suit boys or girls.  The patterns are so adorable and the colors are very vibrant.  They come in four different sizes to accommodate infants through children aged six.

I use these all of the time on my daughter.  I am always carrying her around in my carrier and her arms are always exposed.  These arm sleeves are great since they slip on and off easily and keep her skin protected.  They are machine washable and fold easily into my diaper bag so they are always with me.  I highly recommend these to every mom out there.  You no longer need to fuss with sticky, gooey, chemical filled sunscreen.  Simply slip on the arm sleeves and you’re ready to go!  They would make great gifts as well!  Go to their website to see all of their products.

www.sun-angels.com

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Cascade Platinum

Washing dishes is an every day occurrence at our house, as I am sure it is at yours. With ten of us we use a lot of dishes and run our dishwasher 1-2 times per day. In January we reviewed Cascade Complete Pacs, which we really liked. So when Cascade Platinum came out, it was with great interest that we tried the new Cascade Platinum pacs.

The difference between the Cascade Complete and the Cascade Platinum is the advanced tough food cleaning and film protection for a sparkling machine. We have noticed the dishes are cleaner and more sparkly. Our machine seems to be cleaner but we have some hard well water that seems to have made the inside of our dishwasher a rusty color so it may take time to see if there is a change in the color with consistent use of Cascade Platinum.

We will definitely be purchasing Cascade Platinum again, as we mentioned in our Cascade Complete post, Cascade is one of our favorite brands because we have yet to find an organic, eco-friendly dishwasher detergent that does a better job than Cascade.

Cascade Platinum Contest

Cascade had partnered with Gail Simmons,Top Chef judge and editor of Food & Wine magazine, to discuss why food presentation is just as important as preparation.

• From prep to plating: It’s more than just a great tasting recipe, but also perfect presentation. Sparkling dishes, shining flat ware and spot free glasses truly!let you put your best food forward with culinary creations that pop!

• Gail recommends impressing with a)Platinum Presentation: “The easiest recipes pop with unexpected, gourmet presentations. Drizzle bright sauces on sparkling white plates or layer
desserts in crystal clean glassware. Keep your presentation sparkling with Cascade Platinum, which keeps dishes perfect for anytime entertaining and impromptu guests.”

Below is a video where Gail shares why plating is so important:

You can learn more about Cascade’s partnership with Gail Simmons by viewing the other videos available on the Cascade Facebook page http://on.fb.me/10Y8RQQ or on You Tube via the video above.

If you enjoy taking photos of your food and want to show how much Cascade Platinum enhances your presentation, I encourage you to enter the contest for a chance to win some great prizes from Cascade. For complete details of the #MyPlatinum Instagram contest visit http://tinyurl.com/PlatBlog

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Shout! Factory Kids in collaboration with Hasbro Studios has released a NEW Littlest Pet Shop Sweetest Pets DVD!

The DVD is entitled “Littlest Pet Shop: Sweetest Pets” and it is based on Hasbro’s popular Littlest Pet Shop brand and animated TV series. The DVD contains FIVE fun-filled episodes and captivating entertainment the whole family can enjoy. The DVD also features bonus content including a brand new coloring sheet.

For those of you who have not seen the series … basically, Littlest Pet Shop is an animated half-hour comedy series that follows Blythe Baxter and her father as they move into a Big City apartment above the Littlest Pet Shop store (an amazing day-camp for pets of all kinds including a doggie diva, dancing gecko, a sweet adorable panda, and others. Her real adventure begins when she discovers that she alone can miraculously understand and talk to all of the pets. Blythe joins them on fantastical adventured that include uproarious songs-and-dance sequences featuring all-new original music by Daytime Emmy Award nominee Daniel Ingram and the vocal talent of Ashley Ball, Tabitha St. Germain, Nicole Oliver, and Peter New.

Littlest Pet Shop: Sweetest Pets sees Blythe embark on five more wild adventures with her newest friends: Pepper, the hilarious skunk; Sunil, the magical mongoose; Penny, the adorable panda; Russell, the highly organized hedgehog; Zoe, the diva Spaniel; and, of course, Minka the artistic monkey!

Episodes on DVD include:

• Topped with Buttercream
• Trading Places
• Sweet (Truck) Ride
• What’s in the Batter?
• Bakers and Fakers
• Penny For Your Laughs

DVD Bonus Content

• Coloring Sheet

The DVD is available in Stores and online NOW!

Our Review:

My children absolutely ADORE Hasbro’s Littlest Pet Shop Products and Toys. So of course they were thrilled when the HUB TV network aired the cartoon series and released their first DVD.  Now they are overjoyed with a SECOND DVD that they can watch anytime they wish! As a mom I have to say that this is a great cartoon series. The characters are engaging and suitable for children…there are some cartoons out there that are inappropriate that I will not let my children watch …but this is NOT one of them! This is a delightful series about a young girl and pets. What I like is that even after the cartoon is over I find my children reenacting the episodes and imagining new adventures with their Littlest Pet Shop Toys and figures. I have three children, 2 girls ages 9 & 4 and a boy age 7…they ALL enjoy the series and the toys. Although honestly I have to say that my girls are more “into” Littlest Pet Shop than my son…but he will play along with them or watch the series and have just as much fun!

Overall, we cannot say enough about the release of the DVD…my household is enjoying the product and will for years to come…

For more information about the Hasbro brand please visit: www.habro.com

The DVD is reasonably priced at your local store or on Amazon.com here for 12.99

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#spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and Sprout Foods. This could include the Sprout Foods providing us w/ content, product, access or other forms of payment. Check out the new Sprout Foods website at www.sproutorganicfoods.com.

Our family is usually game to try anything organic. So when the opportunity to try Sprout Organic Toddler Snacks we took it. Sprout Organic Toddler Snacks aren’t just for toddlers, my preschoolers, school aged children, teens and even we adults enjoyed trading these little Fruit & Veggie Crispy Chews and Fruity Yogurt Bites.

We all loved the Sprout Organic Fruit & Veggie Crispy Chews and Fruity Yogurt Bites. My husband had an aversion to even trying these snacks because of the blend of fruit and vegetables. Here is a photo of his exaggerated dismay:

All the younger children traded their vegetables and fruit so they could try each flavor.

This is what the all natural snacks look like:

We would definitely purchase these snacks for on the go, traveling or as a special treat. Two thumbs up from us!

Here’s a digital coupon offer for you to enjoy through the end of June:

A new coupon, from Sprout and Diapers.com, which is good for $1.00 off the purchase of Sprout Fruit & Veggie Crispy Chews or Fruity Yogurt Bites. The promo code is SPROUTSNAX, and the coupon is good through June 30th. If you want to share the coupon with your friends and followers, feel free to do so!

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