Meet the Mini! Only $22 each!

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freshINSPIRE Sweet & Salty Snaps

For this week's Make it Monday we would like to share a quick and easy treat . . . Sweet & Salty Snaps.  This is a great idea for a birthday party, football party, holidays, or really any celebration.  Not only are they easy to make, but there are only three ingredients.  A large batch can be made in 15 minutes!

Over the weekend we had family and friends over for a Batman Birthday party, and decided to use blue and yellow M&M's.  Grey M&M's would have also worked out well, but there were plenty of blue and yellow in the standard M&M bag to make enough for the crowd.

If you are looking for specific colors, check out the M&M's website.  There are 25 different M&M's colors to choose from, including some fun Shimmer Pearl, Shimmer Platinum, and Shimmer Golden.  When customizing an order, you can add images, clip-art, and messages.  A 7oz bag of standard colors is around $6.99/ea (without images or clip-art), and a 7oz bag with Shimmer M&M's cost us $8.49/ea. 

Many party stores such as Party City also sell bags of M&M's in a single color. 

Ingredients

• Hershey Kisses or Wilton Candy Melts (Sold at Michaels, or JoAnn's)

• Pretzels - Both the square and the bow shaped pretzels work really well

• M&M's

• (Optional) Parchment Paper - I highly recommend this if your looking to save time,  and a quick cleanup.

Directions

1. Heat oven to 275 degrees.
2. Cover a metal pan with parchment paper.
3. Lay out the pretzels on the pan.
4. Add a Hershey Kiss or Chocolate Drop on top of each pretzel
5. Bake for 3 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven, place an M&M on top of each pretzel. Lightly push them in so that they will stay.

Some things we learned while making these:

• Preparation is key!

• If you are using specific colors from the bag, it is easier to sort out the colors you want to use first.  If not, you will be sorting through them all while trying to get them on the chocolate before it starts to harden.

• Decide if you prefer the "M" to show.  If not, it's easier to spread them out with the "M" face down before the pretzels come out of the oven.

Enjoy!

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Make it Monday ~ Home Made Dish Cloths

Growing up we never used dish cloths.  There was a sponge, tea-towels, and of course paper towels.   Not until my husband and I moved in together did I realize that the "dish cloth" was such a must-have!  For those of you who have always used them, I am sure I sound crazy right?  Yea, I figured as much :-)  

Since I enjoy knitting and crocheting in my past-time, I decided I should try making a few myself. I am also sharing a pattern that many others have also shared.  The pattern works up quick, and is a great pattern if you are just getting started learning how to knit.

• Eco-friendly
• Machine washable
• Durable
• Quick to create
• Can be made in almost any color or color combinations
• Cotton yarn is relatively inexpensive
• Fun to make and share with others (I just may give them as gifts this year)

I have made a few in the Lily Sugar 'n Cream 100% cotton.  This yarn can be found at Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and JoAnns.  It's a great yarn to stock up on when the stores are having their sales.  

Another nice yarn choice is Lion Brand's Nature's Choice Organic Cotton Yarn.  This is a very soft yarn, and would make wonderful washcloths as well.

Grandma's Favorite Dishcloth 

Cast on 4 stitches

Row 1: Knit all stitches

Row 2: Knit two stitches, Yarn Over, Knit to End of Row

Continue Row 2 until there are a total of 44 stitches on the needle

Next row:  Knit one, knit 2 together, Yarn Over, Knit 2 Together, Knit to End of Row

Continue this round until there are 4 stitches remaining on the needle

Knit one row

Bind off 

Weave in ends

Dole Fruit Smoothie Shakers

Have you ever found that eating breakfast can be a challenge?  Much less, eating a healthy breakfast?  If your like me, the mornings are hectic.  After getting myself ready for the day, I get three more off to school, one off to preschool, and then it's off to work I go.  With so much to do in a small amount of time, I often find breakfast takes the "back seat".  

For those who enjoy a fruit smoothie for their breakfast, Dole recently introduced a wonderful new "Fruit Smoothie Shaker".  The Fruit Smoothie Shaker taste great, are quick to mix up, and are healthy.  With the Fruit Smoothie Shakers, you can say good-bye to your blender.  Simply store the shakers in your freezer until ready to use.  

The Dole Fruit Smoothie Shakers:

• Contain all natural fruit and yogurt
• Pre and probiotics
• Fiber, Calcium, and vitamin C
• And are under 200 calories

Easy Preparation:

• Shake the yogurt and fruit loose (may need to let the shaker sit for a few minutes to thaw)
• Add juice to the mix
• Shake again
• Enjoy!

The smoothies come in three great flavors, Strawberry, Strawberry-Banana, and Mixed Berry.  

Be sure to check out the Dole website for a money saving coupon!

Protect Your Lips with Kiss My Face Sport Lip Balm

Soothe In the Sun

Kiss My Face Sport Lip Balm SPF 30

As you know we just love the Kiss My Face products and were so excited when we found the new Sport Lip Balm!   

Now you can love your lips in the sun with Kiss My Face Sport Lip Balm SPF 30, a lip balm that shields delicate lips from UVA and UVB rays while keeping them smooth, soothed and soft all day long.  Made with natural beeswax, coconut oil, Vitamin E and Shea Butter, this balm offers perfect protection for active adults as well as children.  Scented with lime and spearmint essential oils, this balm keeps lips kissable and soft…naturally.

Kiss My Face Sport Lip Balm SPF 30:

• Organic beeswax softens the skin with antioxidant properties
• Shea butter and Vitamin E moisturizes and soothes
• FDA approved sunscreen that protects sensitive skin from harmful sun damage
• Not tested on animals
• Contains no artificial flavors or colors

Kiss My Face Sport Lip Balm SPF 30 is available for $3.49 at Whole Foods and KissMyFace.com.

eos: Evolution of Smooth

Have you found it difficult to find a great lip balm, that doesn't leave your lips feeling tacky or wear of quickly?  If so,  I recommend trying eos lip balm.  The eos lip balm is a small sphere that comes in several bright colors, which makes it much easier to find in the bottom of the bag. 

eos lip balm is 95% organic, 100% natural, and comes in a variety of flavors. eos is packed with antioxidant-rich vitamin E, soothing shea butter and jojoba oil, eos keeps your lips moist, soft and smooth.

Long-lasting moisture

Shea butter & vitamin E

Smoothes on clear

New smooth sphere precisely glides on to lips

Twist-off top

Gluten-free

Paraben-free

Petrolatum-free

Phthalate-free

Don't forget to also check out the eos hand lotion, and the eos shaving cream.  They are both also wonderful products.  Trust me on the shaving cream . . . I have used many of the shaving creams available in the grocery store and they didn't seem to do any more than using my body wash to shave with.  

The shave cream is ultra-moisturizing, and made of natural aloe, oat, shea butter, and antioxidant vitamins E and C.  I am truly amazed at how much softer and more moisturized my legs feel on the second day.  eos states that their shave cream is so moisturizing that you can use it wet or dry. I have yet to try it on dry legs, but I wouldn't be suprised if it worked. 

eos can be found at Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart, Target, and many drug stores nationwide.

I am so impressed with their products, I just might have to give their body lotion a try this weekend.