Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Tropicana Trop50 Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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I am a big fan of juice, and Darah has followed in my footsteps. We water down her juice (50/50) to cut back on the sugar and calories, though. But as for me, I can’t seem to stand to water down my juice more than about 80/20. What can I say….I have a real sweet tooth!

Fortunately, Tropicana has a line of products that are absolutely perfect for those of us who want less sugar but not less flavor. It’s called Trop50, and so far I’ve tried one flavor (pomegranate blueberry) and absolutely LOVED it.

Here’s what is so unique about Trop50 products. They contain 50 percent less sugar and calories than competing fruit juices. And….NO artificial sweeteners! What they use is a stevia-based sweetener, and it tastes wonderful, because it works to enhance the sweetness of the real fruit juice that’s in the product! All of their yummy varieties have 50 calories per 8 ounce glass and give you a full day’s supply of vitamin C. They are also a good source of vitamin E.

You can find Trop50 products right next to all the other cold orange and other fruit juices, and it comes in all the following varieties:

  • Orange (no pulp, some pulp, no pulp plus calcium and vitamin D)
  • Pomegranate Blueberry
  • Pineapple Mango (next on my list to try!)
  • Farmstand Apple
  • Lemonade
  • Raspberry Lemonade
I also thought you’d like to know about the Trop50 True Resolutions celebration happening on the Trop50 facebook page. If you share the real motivation behind your resolutions on their site, you’ll earn a $1 off coupon for Trop50 AND you’ll be able to send a .50 off coupon to up to 50 of your friends. Sweet! But wait, there’s more! While you are on the site, be sure to enter their sweepstakes…they are giving away a $1,000 gift card! I hope I win (just being honest), but if it isn’t me, I hope it’s you!

Win it!: I’ve got a great opportunity for one of my readers! You will win TWO free product coupons from Trop50! Woo hoo!

 

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5 Blogs I Love to Read

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Thanks to Trop 50 for sponsoring my writing about fabulous bloggers. This year Trop50 is granting 50 fabulous wishes.
Click here to enter for a chance to win $1,000 to help grant a friend’s wish!

Full confession: my Google Reader has 180 blogs in it. And that’s after I did some semi-painful unsubscribing (I was pushing 300 blogs a few months ago). I need to cut it back more, but it is a struggle, because there are SO many awesome blogs out there that speak to me in a number of different ways. I always love hearing about who other bloggers are reading, and so today I’m highlighting 5 blogs that always grab my attention. I want to encourage you to go check them out; you just might get as hooked as I am!

1. So Easy Being Green. This blog is written by Lindsey, one of my most loyal blog readers. I read this blog because Lindsey writes from the heart, always engages with her audience, and it doesn’t hurt that her baby is such a cutie pie. I like her point of view and find myself relating to her a lot. She’s a relatively new kid on the blogging block, but I definitely think her blog is a keeper! This is Lindsey having a slumber party with her baby. How cute is that?!
2. Chic Critique. This is the only blog in my overcrowded feed that is devoted strictly to beauty and fashion. That’s because I think it is so good that I don’t need to ready any others! This blog contains posts that show me tips and tricks I can actually use in my beauty routine, and give me ideas for which trends to consider and which to avoid. Posts are written from the point of view of “real” women and not fashion magazine editors (yes, I know those are also real women, but I just can’t relate to them). Perhaps what I love most about this blog is learning which of the drugstore cosmetics are the real gems!

3. The Makeshift Revolution. I think this blog is a “sleeper.” By that I mean that her readership hasn’t yet skyrocketed into the stratosphere, but her writing is truly worthy to have a following of tens of thousands. I really mean that. Mary Allison is someone I have the honor of knowing in real life, and she is a person of great joy, careful consideration and unconditional love. She writes from the perspective of a professional (she’s a PCUSA minister) trying to redefine this whole “balance” thing that eludes almost all of us as we navigate our adult lives with kiddos in tow. Pretty much every post she writes not only makes me laugh, but also gives me pause to really think. GOOD, GOOD STUFF.

4. Real Ways to Earn Money Online. You may recall that this year Tim and I have some goals when it comes to monetizing our online presence in various ways. This blog is written by a mom who has kids at home but who is also figuring out ways to work and generate some income. Her website is an AWESOME resource, because she has written some fairly extensive articles on tons and tons of online earning opportunities, sharing her personal experiences if she has tried them, and even if she hasn’t, she does plenty of research online to see what others have to say about their experience. Basically, this is my go-to source when I hear about an online earning opportunity. I’ll always hop on Real Ways to Earn Money Online to get the real scoop before I sign up! I’ve also heard of lots of new opportunities that I probably wouldn’t have found, otherwise. Basically, this site saves me time and helps me make money. WINNER.

5. The Adventures and Mishaps of Mrs. Amy B.I’ve been reading this blog for ages (ok, really I’ve been reading it for a year and a half, which in the blog world is 3 eternities). It has been such an honor to have a front row seat as a reader as Amy prepared for her first child and now writes about the joys and struggles or parenthood. What I especially love about this blog is Amy’s passion and honesty. She really tells it like it is. Parenting is HARD. She doesn’t shy away from acknowledging that truth, and it is really comforting to hear another mother say that she is struggling in whatever number of ways that we all do struggle from time to time. But she also has such a fierce love for her son, and you can feel it in each and every post. I really identify with her and always look forward to her posts.

What blogs do you always make a point to read??? Please share!

Don’t forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to support a friend’s wish. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.