cream – Chocolate 'N Children

August 3, 2016

Aquation – Review

I received 3 full size Aquation products free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

About Aquation:

There are endless elements that affect your skin daily – not all of them in your control. There is a solution. Skincare that protects, restores and fortifies, with moisture you can feel. Clinically proven results you can see. Moisture balance technology you can count on. The perfect Aquation for hydrated + healthy skin.

Powered by Hydro Balance™ Aquation’s advanced dual phase technology delivers hydration and creates an invisible barrier to help prevent moisture loss while encapsulated actives penetrate deeply for long-lasting hydration. 100% of women in clinical trials saw more hydrated skin, even up to 24 hours. 93% experienced instant hydration. 93% found non-irritating.

Aquation consists of a family of hydrating cleansers, creams, and moisturizers. You can learn more about Aquation here.

Summer can be so hard on my skin. I’ve been outside with the kids a LOT this summer, and my skin definitely needs some additional moisture. So, I am quite happy that I got to try out these products.

Aquation Gentle Moisturizing Cleanser:

I set this cleanser in my shower and used it instead of my usual body wash. I am very pleased with the results.

It doesn’t lather very well. I tried it in my loofah and that didn’t work very well. This body was was just a bit too lotiony to lather. So, if you’re looking for lots of bubbles, this isn’t the product for you.

I also tried it using a wash cloth (because I like to scrub with something) and that worked quite well. The pump bottle is easy to use in the shower.

The results are what I’m most pleased with. This body wash did a great job of cleansing without drying out my skin. It also moisturized without leaving my skin feeling greasy or oily.

It’s lightly moisturizing, so you’re still going to want to use the Aquation lotion after your shower if your skin really needs moisture, like mine does. But it is nice to get out of the shower with my skin already one step closer to being well moisturized.

Aquation Daily Moisturizing Lotion:

I just love, love, love this lotion! It moisturizes so well without leaving my skin greasy. One of my biggest lotion challenges is that after putting lotion on my hands are clammy because of the lotion. I often end up having to wash my hands just to get the greasy feel off – which kinda defeats the purpose of using the lotion. Not so with this lotion. It absorbs quickly and without leaving my skin oily to the touch.

This is a great all over body lotion but honestly, I’m loving it for my hands because I can moisturize my hands without the being greasy afterwards. I need to get a bottle just for my desk so I have it on hand when I want it.

Aquation Moisturizing Cream:

This is a lot like the Daily Moisturizing Lotion, just a little thicker and a little bit more moisturizing. I’ve been using this product after my shower and on any spots that need extra hydration. Like my shoulders after a fun day in the sun.

I’m not using it every day but just when I need a little extra moisture and it’s working great. It’s also non greasy but still does a great job of hydrating my skin.

This combined with the Daily Lotion and the Moisturizing Cleanser has been really good for my skin.

After more than a week of using these products my skin is more hydrated and refreshed than I usually manage in the summer.

All of these products are gentle and non-irritating to my skin. They also seem to be unscented so they would be safe for me to use on my kids as well.

Want to try these product for yourself? You can purchase them HERE. Or purchase in-store at WalMart and use this Coupon for additional savings. At $9 each these are a great deal!

Follow Aquation on social media:

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I received these products free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

March 18, 2016March 10, 2016

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

I love potatoes, bacon, and cheese! Side dishes just don’t get much better than this.

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

Ingredients
6 medium potatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 pieces fresh cooked bacon broken into pieces, or 1/4 cup bacon bits
2 cloves garlic crushed
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of a 9X9 casserole pan.
Peel and slice potatoes into thin slices. Mix potatoes with heavy cream, 1/2 cup cheese, garlic, and salt & pepper.
Spread evenly in prepared pan. Top with 1/2 cup cheese and bacon bits.
Bake for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender

March 14, 2016March 8, 2016

J is for June

I like June. It’s a good month. It’s one of those nice summer months where it’s warm enough to go swimming, but not sweltering hot like August. Where you eat ice cream outside for lunch, because you can. And your favorite pair of flip-flips is the only pair of shoes you need.

This time of year with warm weather one day and freezing cold the next, I start dreaming of June and all the fun things we will do when it’s warm. Swimming, hanging out at the park, meeting friends at the park for lunch, really, just being outside all the time.

I’m not the only one in my family who likes summer. My kids have this thing against shoes, coats, and cold weather. Snow days are so boring around here. “It’s cold outside” they protest after 5 minutes in the snow. And we spend the next 2 hours recovering with hot chocolate and blankets and refusals to ever go out again.

In contrast, on hot summer days, they stop in for a popsicle, some more water, or requests for large amounts of food for their lunch that must be eaten outside, then return to the yard until it’s dark or they’re just too tired to play anymore. I think my kids live on fresh fruit and popsicles all summer long.

My daughters have been begging to wear flip-flops and sandals for weeks now. We’re getting ready to go out the door, it’s 35 degrees out. They have their coats, leggings, hats, etc. on and would like to know if they can please wear their flip-flops today. It’s not raining or snowing so it must be ok.

My 7yr old wants to know when she can plant her garden. Just as soon as it stops getting down to freezing at night, I tell her. Plant too early and that very last frost will kill everything and you’ll have to start over. She would still like to plant something.

Oh, and don’t forget ice cream. The kids have been begging for an ice cream party. I’ve already started planning it and Easter hasn’t even arrived yet!

I’m beginning to thing that right about now we need a vacation to southern Florida. A week of warm weather, flip-flops, and swimming.

Of course, spring is right around the corner, and summer is so soon. And summer is my favorite time of year. And I’m so hoping it’s a good one.

What do you love about summer?

July 22, 2015April 9, 2016

OxyRub Pain Relief Cream – Review and Discount

OxyRub Pain Relief cream is a rub on cream for the relief of arthritis, tense muscles, bursitis, and other strains or bruises.

I have some Carpal tunnel in my right wrist which flairs up from time to time. I received the OxyRub Pain Relief cream during a week that I was having a particularly bad time with it.

I try to relieve some of the symptoms by using my left hand more when I’m on the computer and such but I think most of the irritation comes from carrying my 35lb 2yr old around and some days not carrying him just isn’t option so I need pain relief that targets just my hand and wrist.

The OxyRub is not a strong pain relief cream so it didn’t relieve all the pain but it did reduce it a good amount so I was able to do most of my activities throughout my day without any pain – including toting around the toddler.

It performs pretty much as I expected for a Pain Relief Cream. It targets the pain right where it’s rubbed in, lasts a good amount of time (I only needed to use it once a day for the 3 days that I was having the most trouble), and does a good job of providing a good amount of pain relieve without numbing the area.

Use Code SAVEOXY2 to save 20% off your first purchase of OxyRub 1 Tube (4 oz.) sold by Healthy Directions on Amazon.com. Promotion code expires 12/31/15. Make sure you select the tube that is sold by Healthy Directions or the promo code will not work.

Don’t want to purchase from Amazon? You can also purchase OxyRub from HealthyDirections.com.

I received this product free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

April 19, 2012April 9, 2012

Banana Cream Pie

There’s just something about a good banana cream pie. I tried out this pudding recipe earlier this year and loved it.

The pudding takes 5 egg yokes and since I doubled the pudding recipe for this pie I ended up using 10 egg yokes. And with my 10 extra whites I made meringues. I now have a house full of meringue cookies! (the meringue cookie recipe is coming up next)

Banana Cream Pie

Nilla Wafers for crust

4 bananas thinly sliced

Pudding
2 C whole milk

¾ C heavy cream

½ C sugar

3 T cornstarch

2 T flour

¼ t salt

5 large egg yolks

¼ C unsalted butter cut into ½” cubes

1 t vanilla extract

(double this for group sized pie)

Topping
2 C whipping cream

8 T sugar

¼ t rum flavoring

Bring milk and cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add egg yolks; whisk until smooth (mixture will be very thick). Whisking constantly, gradually add milk mixture to yolk mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thick, 2-3 minutes. Add butter and vanilla, whisk until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl; press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream. Chill until set, at least 2 hours.
Line bowl with nilla wafers. Put ½ cup pastry cream evenly over bottom of bowl. Layer half of the bananas. Spread ¾ cup pastry cream over bananas, layer the rest of the bananas. Spread the remainder of the pastry cream over bananas.
Beat whipping cream, sugar, and rum flavoring until medium-stiff peaks form. Spread over pastry cream and serve.

April 16, 2012April 9, 2012

Corn Pudding

Another of my Easter dinner favorites. I love a good corn pudding! This particular dish is more milk and cream than corn, and it’s delicious!

This recipe is so easy! It should bake until the center is set. Just wiggle the pan a little bit and you’ll be able to tell if it’s set or not. I usually have to add an extra 10 minutes to the cooking time to get the center set.

Corn Pudding
Cook time: 50 minutes Oven Temp: 350 Servings: 8-10

1/3 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

2 cups whipping cream

½ cup butter, melted

6 extra large eggs, beaten

2 pkg. frozen golden sweet corn

Mix the sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and cumin together. Combine the cream and butter in a bowl and stir until blended. Stir in the eggs. Add the sugar mixture gradually, stirring constantly until combined. Stir in the corn. Pour into a buttered 9 X 13 inch or 2qt baking dish. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes or until the center is firm and the top is golden brown. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

December 2, 2011

Kroger’s Private Selection Frozen Foods

One more review for bzzagent.com and then I have a whole list of Christmas stuff to write about.

Bzzagent.com gave me three free Kroger Private Selection Frozen Foods to try. I tried a pizza, and appetizer, and a dessert.

Pizza: I tried the pepperoni, garlic pizza. I honestly would have preferred to try the supreme/vegy pizza but the rest of my family is picky and I didn’t want to eat an entire pizza by myself.

I liked this pizza ok. I thought it was kind of small for the $6.99 price on it, and I could have done without the crunchy chunks of garlic on it.

If you’re looking for something fancier than DiGiorono then you might like this pizza, but it’s not about to be my new family favorite.

Appetizer: We tried the Chicken Trumpets. I really liked them but the kids were not a fan and neither was my husband. I think these were $4.99 a box. The portion size wasn’t bad, but since I’m the only one who liked them I probably won’t spend $5 on another box.

Dessert: We tried chocolate covered cream puffs. These were winners. I think they were $4.99 a box as well, I don’t remember. These got gobbled up very quickly!

All in all, Kroger’s Private Selection Frozen Foods aren’t bad, in fact, some of them are pretty tasty, but I think they’re a bit expensive for a store brand food.