Give Simple Wine Sippy Cup Review

 

 

 One of the best things I love about summer are all the outdoor concerts, picnics in the park, and beach days with friends and family.
Since I live in the rainy Pacific Northwest, when out weather is clear and sunny, my family and I like to head outside and enjoy it. Our activities usually include eating and drinking, and very often, a bottle of wine.

As seen on The Chew and The Today Show, The Wine Sippy Cup is the perfect answer for enjoying your glass of wine without any worries about spilling it. The Wine Sippy Cup has the familiar wine glass shape in a spill resistant double glass tumbler.

 

Available from Give Simple, the cups come in four fun colors, or clear. They have a 10 oz. wine capacity, are made of SAN acrylic plastic, and are BPA free.

A friend and I took my two Wine Sippy Cups out for a little dinner at the beach a few nights ago when the weather was just gorgeous. I have to say I did enjoy using them, and I especially loved the fact that I wasn't trying to balance a regular wine glass on my picnic blanket or hold it while I was trying to eat. Yes, I actually take real wine glasses with me outdoors because I don't like using paper cups or other kinds of cups to drink from.

The glasses were great, and would certainly make a terrific gift for yourself or the on the go wine lover in your life. Whether at the beach, an outdoor concert, or tailgating, The Wine Sippy Cup is a handy and stylish answer for enjoying your vino on the go.


*I was provided two of these products for review. All opinions expressed here are my own.


Wordless Wednesday and My Favorite Way To Spend $10

My Top 5 List Of Things To Do To Stay Young (When You're Not)

I think the thing about getting older for me is that I'm surprised how fast it got here. All those hundreds and thousands of days came and went, and left me where I am today, yes, a little wiser, and definitely older.

Whenever I hear someone complain about aging, I like to say that it beats the alternative, which is not being here at all. Life is absolutely a gift and I would like to remember that each morning when I wake up to see a brand new day.
I have made a list of 5 things that you can do for yourself at really any age, but this list gets more important as each year passes.

1. Do Yoga
You have to be physically active as you get older in order to stay healthy, that is a fact. One of the kindest things I ever did for myself was to enroll in a yoga class. Yoga helps me to stay stretched and balanced both mentally and physically. It helps me to stay in the present moment and listen to my body and what it is feeling. I try to practice yoga at home five days a week, and on the days I don't, I am just not as happy as the days that I do practice. And one of the coolest things about yoga is that you can start at any age and have it benefit you in so many wonderful ways.

2. Drink Lots Of Water
I know we've all heard this forever, but it's true. Water is so great for so many reasons, including the fact that if you are drinking it, you aren't drinking things that are bad for you, like soda. Water is good for your skin, your kidneys, and can help you to feel full and not have the urge to snack. I love water, and that it is so good for me, and helps me to keep my weight down.

3. Call The People You Care About
So many of us keep in touch with friends and family with Facebook, texting and email. We get information, yes, but there is nothing that can replace hearing the voice or laughter of someone you love. I always feel so much better after I have talked to someone I care about on the phone. Talking to family and friends keeps us healthy by not being socially isolated, and this is a problem for so many seniors.

4. Buy Good Underwear
I am guilty of buying bras and underwear that really don't fit me very well, and certainly don't flatter my shape at all. It is definitely wise to invest in undergarments that are going to hold you up and hold you in comfortably. This gets more important with each passing year, trust me.

5. Have That Chocolate, Or Glass Of Wine, Or Whatever
What I mean is, don't deny yourself life's little pleasures. But the key to this is of course, all things in moderation. Don't over indulge in anything. Have one glass of wine, not three. Have two chocolates, not the whole box. I know this is easier said than done, but just consider it character building, which is good for us at any age.

This is by no means a complete list, and I could easily add hundreds of more ways to try to stay younger. Getting older is hard, that is very true in so many ways.
But I do believe in counting my blessings, and going forward each day with a positive attitude. If anything, I know that what you expect, usually comes, so I try to expect the best and sometimes I actually get it.

Simple Suppers - Mushroom and Red Onion Pizza

I love pizza. I know lots of us do, but I also know it's so easy to call for a pizza, that not too many people make their pizzas from scratch.

It's actually pretty easy, and I love being able to choose my toppings, and exactly how much of each topping I want. I am calling this a Mushroom and Red Onion Pizza, but it also has a layer of spinach on it. It gives the pizza an extra healthy boost, and I don't even taste the spinach. I know some people don't like spinach, so this is a great way to sneak it on a pizza, especially for kids.
The pizza dough recipe is for a whole wheat crust. It's easy, great tasting, and can also be frozen for later use. I usually put some kind of meat on my pizza, but this time I didn't, and I honestly didn't even miss it.

I love making my pizza healthy with a whole wheat crust. I think it's fun kneading the dough, and kids really enjoy helping out to knead it, too. Pizza making is a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen and I love having my grandsons cook with me.

Healthy and delicious ingredients. I usually make a white sauce, but this time I used already made Ranch dip from the grocery store. Because it was a dip, it was thicker that Ranch dressing, and it tasted great, and was super simple.

Recipe for Mushroom and Red Onion Pizza

Ingredients for Whole Wheat Pizza Dough:

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Combine the water, yeast, and all purpose flour in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the whole wheat flour, oil, and salt. With your hands, or a large wooden spoon, work the ingredients together until the dough holds its shape.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. If the dough becomes sticky while you are kneading it, sprinkle a little all purpose flour over it.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled, large bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and let the dough rest until it has doubled in size, for 1 hour. After the dough has risen, place it on a lightly floured surface and divide it in to 2 parts. Shape the dough into balls, cover them with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 20 minutes. The dough is then ready for use. This will make 2 pizzas.


Pizza Sauce and Topping:

1/2 cup Ranch Dip
1 cup Mozzarella cheese
1 large red onion, lightly sautéed
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup sliced mushrooms

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread Ranch Dip evenly over pizza dough. Put an even layer of spinach over ranch Dip, followed by the mushrooms and red onions. Sprinkle the Mozzarella cheese on top.
Bake for about 20 minutes.

Avocado Love and Avocado and Mango Topper Recipe

When you grow up in Southern California, you start taking for granted the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables year round.
When I was a kid, I thought everybody got to eat oranges and strawberries and melon whenever they felt like it. Our kitchen always had fruits and veggies in it, and my parents especially loved eating avocados.
They were serious avocado eaters, and my Mom made so many meals and snacks with them, that I frankly got sick and tired of them. For years the smell of guacamole made me almost nauseous.

Fortunately, I have come around to loving avocados again. I don't live in Southern California anymore, but I am loving having them available at the local grocery stores. I have been adding them to salads, making dips with them, and slicing them to top our burgers.

One of my favorite ways to liven up grilled chicken or fish is to make this Avocado and Mango Topper Recipe. I am not a big mango fan, but it pairs perfectly with the creamy avocado to make a yummy topping that is both sweet and spicy.





Avocado and Mango Topper Recipe

Ingredients:

2 large ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1 cup seeded, diced tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. chopped red onion
1 Tbsp. minced jalapeno pepper
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine mango, tomato, cilantro, onion, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, salt and pepper. Add avocado and toss gently. Use as topping for grilled chicken or grilled fish.

This recipe makes enough to top 6 servings of chicken or fish.

Wordless Wednesday

Helping To Fight Childhood Summer Hunger With Odwalla and Champions For Kids #Odwalla4Kids #cbias

*I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®, Odwalla, and Champions for Kids #cbias #SocialFabric All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

I am so proud to be a part of this month's Champions For Kids Simple Service Project called, Hunger in the Summer Project.

 The month of May is all about helping to feed children during the summer months when school is out.
Champions for Kids has partnered with Odwalla to help with this very important need that exists in so many communities all around the country.

I went shopping at Walmart where I bought lots of healthy and delicious Odwalla food bars to donate to my local food bank. The food bank is always in need of donations, especially this time of year when school is not in session.

During the summer months when school is out, millions of children lose access to school breakfasts,
lunches, and snacks that they receive during the school year. Only 1 out of 6 children who receive free or reduced price meals during the school year continue to receive them during the summer.

This puts an additional burden on low-income families to provide more meals for their children during the summer months.

I am making my food donation to the North Kitsap Fishline Food Bank. This food bank has provided food for needy families, emergency services, and advocacy services since 1967.

They also have a thrift store in the community, called Second Season, and all profits from the store benefit the food bank.

Fishline partners regularly with local groups and businesses to sponsor food drives whenever possible. They are an important and vital part of the community.

I had asked some of my friends and family to donate whatever they could to my donation box. Besides all the many great Odwalla Bars, we were able to donate crackers, juice, cookies, soups, cereals and more.
Some of my friends have still been affected by job loss and an uncertain financial future, so I am grateful for any donations they could give. I know these donations will help out at the food bank, and help provide meals and snacks for kids.

This is my grandson Jayden, who is six years old. Jayden has come with me several times when I have worked on other Champions for Kids projects.

He knows what the word "donate" means, and that we are sharing with others as best we can. He is my little buddy when it comes to helping get together donations and taking them to the food bank.

We are inside Fishline, waiting to make our donation. I am grateful everyday that my four little grandchildren have a warm home and plenty of food to eat.

I love working on this Champions for Kids Hunger in the Summer Simple Service Project and telling everyone about the great need that must be filled. It is heartbreaking to think about the number of children that will go hungry this summer.

This is the food bank's director who accepted our donation with such grace and gratitude.

You can make an impact in your own community and help fight summer childhood hunger. You can do this by doing your own Odwalla Hunger in the Summer Project.

Start by letting everyone you know about the food needs of children in the summer months, and then hold a food drive in your own community. Ask family, friends, co-workers, and others to make donations.
Healthy snacks like Odwalla Kid Bars (or regular bars) and Odwalla Juice Boxes would make a great contribution, and are easy to distribute and eat. Donate the food you collect to a food bank, and make an impact on childhood hunger this summer.

You can share your donation on the Champions for Kids website, and also see how other people just like yourself are helping to fight children's summer hunger.

I really love Odwalla food products and I admire the company's philosophy about the importance of helping out in the world.

I am grateful to Champions for Kids and to be able to be a part of this wonderful project.
I would like to thank the North Kitsap Fishline Food Bank and all the great people that work there and donate their time.

Champions for Kids has a goal of mobilizing 20 million people by 2020 to become champions for kids.
Get involved, and you can be one of them!!

You can see my shopping trip to buy Odwalla food bars at Walmart by going over to my Google+ Photo Album.

You can also connect with Champions for Kids online and Odwalla and on their Facebook pages and Twitter.