Yummy Coffee With Extra Benefits

If you haven't heard of Green Mountain Coffee you should check them out.  You can get more information about them on Bzz Agent.  I was selected by Bzz Agent to give the new wellness blends a try.  We don't have a K cup machine at home, so I sent them to work with my husband.  If you know my husband you know he is a coffee snob.  He likes good coffee and will always pay extra for it.  So he was the perfect tester for these brews.

My husband drank the coffee super fast.  He really liked it, especially the Focus Blend.  It helped him to concentrate better at work.  The Antioxidant blend is also great for this time of year.  Everyone can use some extra vitamins C & E, especially during cold and flu season.

The other great thing about these particular blends is that they are Fair Trade Certified.  If you're not sure what this means you can read more about it at Green Mountain Coffee  Basically they are making sure that farmers are being paid a fair wage.  Green Mountain Coffee also supports sustainable forestry and small farmers.  It's a win win.  You get amazing coffee at a reasonable price all while doing your part to help others.  If you're a little strapped for cash you can order online at Keurig or Green Mountain Coffee both have great loyalty programs to help you save on your coffee.

My husband liked this brew so much we decided to try a few other brews from Green Mountain Coffee.  They have all been really great.  We will continue to use them in the future.

If you haven't already, don't forget to check out Bzz Agent they always have amazing sampling opportunities like this one.  We received free coffee samples and amazing coupons that we were able to share with our friends and family so they could try it too.

Eukanuba

I was picked by Bzz Agent to try out Eukanuba for free in exchange for my opinion.  We actually have been buying Eukanuba for our dogs for the past few years.  We decided to look for a new dog food when our oldest dog started having some health problems and gaining too much weight.  We found that Eukanuba was made with all natural ingredients.  Since switching our dogs they are a lot shinier and have healthier teeth and gums.  From the research I did I found that finding a dog food that started out with a meat ingredient, and real ingredients is much better for your dogs.  Having a healthy diet will help your dogs stay healthy and live longer lives.

Eukanuba is definitely a premium dog food and costs more than other dog foods.  If you can afford to switch your dogs it's definitely worth it.  It has the potential to cut down on vet bills since your dogs will be healthier.  Unfortunately there aren't coupons available very often. 

I received a fun little black light from Bzz Agent.  If you want to check out your dogs current gum situation let me know.  Then if you decide to switch to Eukanuba for a trial run you can check their gums after a few weeks.  You will definitely see a difference, and who doesn't appreciate dogs that have less smelly dog breath?

Don't forget to check out Bzz Agent to see what campaigns you qualify for! And check out the campaign page for Eukanuba.

Delicious Pork Chops

I love Bzz Agent! I was selected for the Pork be Inspired campaign.  I have had difficulty cooking pork in the past and was very excited to work on my skills.  Bzz Agents sent me some great coupons, a meat thermometer, baster and some delicious recipe ideas and tips.  This is the Hawaiian Marinade recipe.  These were by far the best and juiciest pork chops I've ever made.  I was really sad when my husband took the leftovers to work.

Grilled Bone-in Pork Chops with Hawaiian Marinade Recipe
- 4 bone-in pork loin chops, cut 3/4" thick
- 2 cans (6oz each) unsweetened pineapple juice
- 3 scallions, white parts sliced into thin rounds
- 3 tbsp. peeled and minced ginger
- 3 tbsp. reduced -sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. Asian dark sesame oil
- 2 tbsp. light brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. coarse salt

Directions
Mix pineapple juice, white parts of scallions, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, pepper and salt in large, resealable bag.  Add chops, seal bag and refrigerate for 2 to 10 hours.  Remove chops from marinade and pat off excess marinade with paper towels.  Discard remaining marinade.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in grill.  Brush grill grate clean and lightly oil grate.  Grill chops directly over heat, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 145F, followed by a 3 minute rest.

I put ours in the oven since it was cold out.  I was really excited to try out the meat thermometer.  I'm always nervous when I cook meat, so it usually ends up over done and dried out.  However checking the temperature helped me get them just right.  I also didn't pat them dry since I was cooking them on a baking sheet with sides.  I was short on time so mine only marinated for 2 hours.  I still can't believe how great they turned out!  I have a couple of coupons left, so let me know if you'd like one.

After you sign up for Bzz Agent be sure to check out Pork be Inspired for more ideas.

My Avocado House Party

I was picked by House Party to host the Avocados from Mexico Amazing Holiday House Party.  It was a blast!  We tried some really fun recipes.  Above is a picture of me with the avocado cupcakes.  I had no idea you could put avocados in cupcakes in place of some of the other fat like oil.  My daughter couldn't get enough of them, and I didn't feel bad letting her eat them.  We also had an Avocado Crostini which was amazing, and meatballs with monster sauce. 

For hosting the party I received a $15 gift card to buy ingredients as well as a fun recipe / idea book.  My guests received reusable shopping bags and avocado tips.  House Party also gave me recipe ideas to use for my party.  I love House Party!  If you haven't checked them out you should sign up now House Party.  They always have tons of great parties to apply for, and send fun hostess packs. 

Delicious Dinner Idea

I just tried out my Progresso Recipe Starters from Bzz Agent.  As a Bzz Agent I get to try lots of things for free and then tell everyone about them.  Unfortunately my kit got lost in the mail, so I don't have coupons for this one.  However there have been some in the Sunday papers and on the Progresso website if you want to try these out.

I tried a can of the creamy roasted garlic with chicken stock.  I used the easy weeknight chicken pot pie recipe from the Progresso Recipe Starters Website.  It was really easy to make.  I followed their directions, except I made my own crust, and used Italian seasoning instead of poultry seasoning.  It was a bit tricky to put the homemade crust on top, which is why it looks a bit messy.  But it turned out delicious.  It was even good for lunch today.

Happy Friday!

Check our what I got to try from Bzz Agent.

Bzz Agent Glade Expressions Trial

I love the smell of these! I picked the pineapple and mangosteen oil diffuser.  It's in my bathroom upstairs and makes the entire master bedroom, bathroom, walk in closet and hallway smell like paradise.  And it looks so pretty on my bathroom sink.  I picked the fuji apple and cardamom spice fragrance mist and love it for fall.  It smells so good.

I still have a few coupons left if you'd like to give these a try.  They come in some other delicious scents as well. 

Don't forget to check out bzzagent.com if you'd like to try things for yourself in the future.



 It's Friday, don't forget to sign up for Shop Kick.  You'll get 50 points with my link.  Shop Kick offers points for walking in the door to shop at lots of places like Old Navy, Target, and Best Buy.  You can also get points for scanning items or purchasing items.  Then redeem them for gift cards.  I've got $12 in target gift cards right now and have almost enough points for a $25 gift card.  The gift cards are instant so you can redeem them right from your smart phone.

Have a happy Friday!!!

SLEEP NUMBER® m9 Bed Review

SLEEP NUMBER® m9 Bed: I completed a mission for Smiley 360.  I got to go to the sleep number store and try out the new Sleep Number m9 beds.  These are awesome!!! I'm between a 40 and 45.  As soon as I have the money I'm getting this bed.  You can adjust each side to your comfort.  So there's no more compromising on who gets to pick the softness or firmness of the mattress.  This came at a perfect time too, our current mattress is ready to go.  In exchange for going to the store I get a free CoolFit Pillow!  I'm really excited for this.  Thanks Sleep Number and Smiley 360 for this fun mission!!! 

Enter for a chance to win your own FREE Sleep Number m9 bed http://goo.gl/IBhol

Don't forget to sign up for Smiley 360 using my referral link smiley360 They always have great missions to sign up for. 

Happy Tuesday!

Hi, here is an awesome coupon for Kashi.  I recently tried them and love them.  They have all kinds of hidden nutrients from fruits and veggies.  And a lot less sugar than other snack bars.  I really like that they are filling.  And help with my chocolate cravings in the evenings.  Hurry and print your coupons.  Let me know what you think.  My toddler loves them too.  I first tried these from a Vocalpoint coupon I received.  They are now offering it to my readers.

Kashi Coupon from Vocalpoint

Have a happy Tuesday!

Keurig Vue House Party

Thank you everyone for coming to my House Party! It was so much fun!  House Party is amazing and helps people through great parties.  I received a free Keurig Vue just for having a party with my friends and family.  They even sent 6 boxes of Vue packs to try out.  It was so much fun trying all the flavors.  The Vue can brew coffee, tea, cider, hot chocolate and iced coffee and tea.  It's super fast and brews in under a minute too.  I absolutely love it.  Ben even wants one for his desk at work now.  They also sent 50% off coupons for my guests to use.  I still have a couple left.  If you want to check it out let me know.  The coupons expire on September 30th.
Don't forget to check out houseparty.com

Welcome Back!

  It's been a while.  I guess a lot has happened since my last post.  The biggest thing that has happened is my heart has been officially fixed!  Yay!  And this go around has been so much better than the "trial" run.  I can walk which I most certainly wasn't doing so well before.
 
  It's amazing what doctors can do with a tiny little tube.  They can make a couple tiny little holes in a persons leg.  Then guide a couple tubes up to their heart, while they are awake I might add.  Then put in a device to fix a big hole in their heart.  All without cracking their chest, putting them to sleep, admitting them to the hospital, or even sending them home with a prescription for anything.  Talk about crazy.
 
  By day number 2 of being home I was ready to do something fun.  I went for a couple walks with Ben and Maddison.  Worked on my coupons.  Did some laundry.  I was loving life.  Then the migraines started.  You know it's bad when you are taking pain pills and they aren't helping.  So that has been a set back.  However it's also a very good sign that the hole is healing.  And a good sign that the migraines have been caused by the hole in my heart.  So here's to a speedy recovery and no more migraines!

  Sweet dreams,
Jade

Happy Monday!

  I know it's Monday, but I keep thinking it's the weekend.  Maybe that's why I am still awake.  I really should be sleeping so I can keep up with my 19 month old tomorrow.  Maybe I just need to clear my head first.  I wish I could see at night, I'd go for a run.  That would definitely clear my head and relieve this anxious energy that keeps building inside me.
  The logical part of me knows that everything is okay.  My surgery is 8 days away and I know what to expect.  I'll go in after fasting after midnight.  They will ask me a bunch of questions, hook me up to an IV and roll me through the recovery room to the cath lab.  After giving me some medicine to relax (hopefully it works this time), I'll get 2 small incisions and they will put the device in my heart.  I'll go back to the recovery room within 2 hours and be up walking around as soon as the bleeding stops.  Then I'll be headed home to recover.
  However the emotional part of me remembers how it took a solid week before I could pick up Maddison.  I was under the impression that I'd be back to normal in a couple days.  Then it took over a month for the swelling and bruising to heal.  So that has me concerned, this time I'm getting the real deal. I'll have the device in my heart and will have to take it even easier than before so that it doesn't move before it has time to heal.  Then there's the fact that my migraines will probably be worse for 3 - 6 months.
  Don't get me wrong, I am grateful and relieved to finally be at this point.  But I'm nervous about what happens during the recovery period. I think I need to adopt the AA motto of the Serenity Prayer.  Maybe I should write that on all of my bathroom mirrors.
  Since running is out of the question right now, I guess I'll have to get to work on my to do list.  I've got diaper cakes galore to make, along with mother's day gifts and some belated birthday gifts.  Between those projects and taking care of Maddison, plus another thorough house cleaning I think I should be able to stay busy.  And during the evenings when all is quiet I'll type away on my new blog so I can lay down and sleep with a clear head.
  Thanks to all of you for being such a great support system.  Especially when I get anxious, I know it's not easy to put up with me right now.  So thank you, I owe you one.
  Jade

A long week

  Today I am grateful for so many things.  It's been a crazy week and a crazy day.  Thank God at some point things switch from boiling over stress to one thing at a time working itself out.  I had my heart surgery in February.  It was a clinical trial and I had a 50/50 chance of getting the hole in my heart fixed.  It was especially nerve racking because no one could talk during the procedure.  Mind you I was awake, and anyone who knows me well knows I'm a bit anxious and high strung so this didn't sit well.  The anestiseologist had to give me the medicine 4 or 5 times to try and get me to relax, and I was still wide awake during the entire procedure...at least they will be able to talk to me this time.  Maybe that will help me relax.
  I learned later that they had to stop half way through because I have a 20mm hole in my heart.  Unfortunately the trial device wasn't big enough to close this and would have caused more problems.  Dr. Sorensen who came up with the idea to close ASDs and PFOs this way had a much smaller hole than mine, 7 or 8mm if I remember correctly, and had 2 strokes before he could get his fixed.  Luckily I had a great surgeon who realized that and didn't put it in my heart.  That would have led to open heart surgery at the very least.  And what a blessing to have these great surgeons go up to bat for me before the board at IMC so that I could get my surgery approved before I have a second, and potentially more debilitating stroke.  And what a blessing to have such an amazing insurance company who will cover my surgery without having to beg and plead and hope to God I don't have a second stroke. 
  That came with it's own stresses.  Taking Aspirin everyday in the hopes of preventing a stroke, which according to the doctors I may have already had one (hello I'm only 31 and I don't smoke!).  Then the bills started coming in.  Might I remind you this was through a clinical trial so the research company was supposed to be paying the bills.  However this has turned out to be a huge blessing.  My insurance paid all but $800 of it.  Now my deductible has been met, my out of pocket for the year has almost been met and the research company paid the balance today.  Huge relief to me.
  My soon to be 19 month old went pee in the potty 3 days in a row.  This has only been 1 time each day but that is huge progress.  I would absolutely love for her to be potty trained since she is a nudist like my sister, maybe that should be sisters lol.
  Speaking of nudity...I was wondering again today why I bother to put clothes on.  Maddison loves to untie my drawstring, which makes my pants fall off and laughs hysterically.  Thank God for humor everyday with her or I would go crazy.
  Which leads me to another thought.  It's coming up to my 19 month anniversary of not working for pay.  I've been asked lots of times what I do when I get bored.  When have I ever gotten bored, maybe when I worked full time and didn't have a baby to take care of.  If only I would have listened and slept as much as I wanted to when I was younger.
  I'm also grateful that my mother in law was able to come down last weekend and watch Maddison.  Ben took me to Vegas for my MOMS Club seminar.  It was nice to have couple time.  Especially since we have only been on 3 dates since she was born.  I'm so happy that she didn't cry a bunch while we were gone, I'm pretty sure I cried enough for all of us.
  I'm also very grateful for my BFF Briana who loaned my a portable dvd player.  Talk about making a long drive so much better.  Put a little girl in front of Lady and The Tramp and that interstate goes by so much faster!
  And before I go off to kindleland I'm grateful for good friends and an amazing family.  My surgery is supposed to be a cath like last time, slightly longer healing since my hole will actually get closed this time.  However nerve racking it is if it all goes well, I know that if anything goes wrong I've got the most amazing family and friends a girl could ask for who will help take care of me, my daughter and my husband until I can recover.  Thank you all for your love and support!!!
  Happy Friday!
  Jade

Starting Point

I've always wanted to start a blog.  I admire those that I follow and how dedicated they are.  I myself follow blogs from crafts to couponing and enjoy them too much! 

Today is a big day for me.  I have been approved not only by the hospital board, but also by my insurance company to have my heart fixed.  I am so excited.  I know that the road ahead has complications and trials of it's own.  However it has an end in sight, which means I can be the mom I've always hoped to be for my 18 month old daughter.  Any of you who have children can appreciated how amazing it is to have a baby.  They are amazing to say the least.  They start out needing everything from you and quickly turn into these amazing little independent creatures.  Nothing in the world would make me want to give up my daughter, not money or fame.  She is amazing!  I'm hoping through this journey that those of you who are struggling too can feel like you're not alone.  Motherhood is difficult, quite possibly the most challenging career I have ever embarked upon.

I have wanted to be a mother since I was tiny.  My mom even has pictures of me nursing curious george.  At the age of 29 I was finally blessed with my daughter.  After an emergency c-section and struggles with breastfeeding, she has turned into the most beautiful person I have ever met.  I hope that sharing my struggles and triumphs with motherhood and health problems helps you in your everyday lives.

Jade