Oral-B® Professional™ Precision 5000

I grew up in a family that didn't have dental insurance. That being said, we didn't go to the dentist unless something hurt! As an adult I suffer with the effects of neglected dental care. I have spent most of my adult years trying to get my teeth to look good and be healthy. Everytime I visit my dentist he tells me I need to get a power toothbrush. Having tried the Oral-B® Professional™ Precision 5000 for the last two weeks I understand why!

 

My teeth have never felt cleaner! I love the brushing technology, which comes from the oscillating, rotating and pulsating movements. One of my downfalls of brushing my teeth is not brushing for long enough. The Oral-B® Professional™ Precision 5000 signals you to switch quadrants every 30 seconds making sure you get 2 full minutes of brushing in!

 

I can't wait until my next dentist appointment in January. I'm sure my dentist is going to see a huge improvement in how clean my teeth are!

 

 

Oral-B is offering a $20 mail-in rebate on select power toothbrushes November 18 through December 31, 2012. Please visitOralB.com for more information.

 

Learn more about Oral-B by visiting them:

 

At their website

On Facebook

On Twitter

 

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Modern Mom on behalf of Oral-B and received a product sample to facilitate my review.

Torani Syrup

I'm always on the lookout for ways to flavor my beverages. Torani Syrup is one of the best options out there. They have so many different flavors that you will definitely find the one you want. I love to add some Vanilla to my coke! It doesn require much and tastes delicious! Another great way to use it is in coffee. Add a little Pumpkin to your latte and its amazing!

Torani is available online at www.torani.com or at many local retailers.

A little information about Torani:

Since 1925, 3rd generation family-owned Torani has been crafting great tasting flavored syrups that coffeehouses use to make their flavored drinks taste so delicious. With over 120 flavors in Regular and Sugar Free varieties, Torani flavored syrups are perfect for flavored lattes, mochas, coffees, cocoas, Italian sodas, teas, lemonades, cocktails and smoothies. Coffeehouse professionals choose Torani flavors because they are expertly crafted and made with the highest quality ingredients, like natural flavors and pure cane sugar. The Sugar Free flavors have no calories and are sweetened with Splenda. Now, Torani flavored syrups are widely available at retail so you can easily create authentic coffeehouse quality drinks at home.

Now I'll leave you with a unique way I use Torani. It's a jello shot recipe!!

Ingredients
1 Large Cherry Jello package
2 cups boiling water
¾ cups Torani Crème de Cacao
¼ cup vodka
1 cup White Rum
Magic Shell
1 jar maraschino cherries
Whipped Cream
Jello Shot containers (I use 2 oz plastic soufflé cups)

24 hours before preparing(If you’re short on time then you can skip this step)
Strain the cherries leaving about ¼ of the juice in the jar. Fill the jar with white rum. Place cherries in refrigerator overnight.

Preparing Jello Shots at least 3-4 hours before servingStrain the Maraschino cherries and rum mixture into a measuring cup/bowl. Add rum to the mixture until it measures 1 cup.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add jello. Mix until jello is dissolved. Stir in the 1 cup of rum that you measured out, ¼ cup of vodka and ¾ cups of Torani Crème de Cacao.

Pour mixture into jello shot containers. Fill the containers about ¾ of the way. Place 1 cherry in the middle of each jello shot.

Refrigerate jello shots until they are firm.

Immediately before serving pour a thin layer of Magic Shell on each jello shot. Put them in the freezer for about 20-30 seconds OR until Magic Shell is hard. Put a small amount of whipped cream on each one and serve!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks and Torani! All opinions are my own!

Kurrenci, the universal coupon

As editor of The Average Family it is my passion, job and duty to bring you the best deals available on the world wide web. We have all made it our mission to never accept the starting price on anything, and always search for the best deals. But, what if I told you there was a start-up that is changing everything and developing a way to get you the best possible deals WITHOUT the hunting, cutting and spam! I am happy to introduce you to Kurrenci.com the internet’s very first universal coupon.

Here’s how it works... You sign up for a free account. Next, you fund your account the same way you would with paypal, accept with Kurrenci there are more options and it’s way easier and fun. Then, you visit any shop that accepts Kurrenci, or you can simply search by product on Kurrenci.com. When you’re ready to checkout, you will see the amazing discount you get by paying with Kurrenci! The store owner makes your dollar worth more! Some days your dollar will be worth 1.15, some days 1.50 it all depends on what rate the store owner sets it to. But it can only go up! So you are basically always getting way more bang for your buck, without the coupon! It’s more valuable money!
At first this sounds too good to be true, but it’s not, they already have several sites accepting Kurrenci! See skincareheaven, babybot, voilaccezzories, babybot and others!

So go to Kurrenci.com today, and sign up for your free account!

Disclosure: I will receive a Kurrenci.com credit for this post. All opinions are my own.

15%off at Gift Baskets Plus

There's always a few people on my holiday gift list that I have no idea what to get. My go-to gift is a great gift basket. Finding the perfect basket can be hard. Gift Baskets Plus has so many different baskets to choose from that you can find just the right one. They have very unique gift baskets like pet, wine, kosher, beer, organic, corporate, movie, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and more. My personal favorites are the Holiday Confections and Sparkling Holiday baskets.

Gift Baskets Plus is giving my readers an additional 15 percent off their orders. When ordering the perfect Gift Basket use Code 15OFF at checkout.

Disclosure: I will receive a Gift Basket in exchange for my post. As always, all opinions are my own.

Alfac Holiday Duck Program Helps Fight Pediatric Cancer #AflacKids

 

 

Aflac has teamed up with Macy’s to offer the perfect holiday present: limited edition plush Holiday Ducks, which benefit pediatric cancer treatment and research. All net proceeds go toward pediatric cancer treatment and research at the participating children’s cancer facility nearest to where each duck is sold. Since 2001, the sales of the Aflac Holiday Duck have raised more than three million dollars.

 

This Holiday Duck is the perfect stocking stuffer. My daughter LOVES it! You press its belly and it says, " Aflac, Aflack, AFFFFLLLAAACC!" She has slept with it every night since we received it! It's a great gift AND all net proceeds go to fighting pediatric cancer.

This year, Aflac held a contest among the patients at the Aflac Cancer Center in Atlanta to determine who would design the 2012 Holiday Duck. Sixteen year-old Monica Sandoval, from Winder, GA, was the winner. Monica, who has battled leukemia for 4 years, is thrilled to have had her design selected and hopes that everyone will be inspired to purchase the 2012 duck to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer.

 

The Aflac Holiday Duck retails for $10 for the 6-inch duck and $15 for the 10-inch version. The Aflac Holiday Duck is available at over 600 participating Macy’s stores across the country and at www.aflacholidayduck.com. All net proceeds go to fighting pediatric cancer.

 

Aflac will donate $2 directly to pediatric cancer research for every Tweet you send with the #AflacKids hashtag! Please Tweet and Re-Tweet!!

 

 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Aflac/SheSpeaks

NYC New York Color IndividualEyes Custom Compact

I always have the hardest time choosing an eyeshadow compact. Normally I have to buy a couple different ones to get the look I want. The NYC New York Color IndividualEyes Custom Compacthas everything I need in it: primer, illuminator, applicator and complementing shadows. With four vibrant colors designed for your eye color, you can create a look as individual as you are! This is my new "go-to" eyeshadow! I love it!

Straight from the city that never sleeps, NYC New York Color offers products with uptown style at down-to-earth prices, from $.99 - $4.99. The energy, style, and color of New York City shines through the wide range of shades, textures and innovative products. NYC always delivers the most on-trend products & shades hot off the runway!

Disclosure- I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Influenster.

Kiss Ever PRO Lash Starter Kit

I've never worn fake eyelashes before so I didn't know what to expect from the Kiss Ever PRO Lashes that Influenster.com sent me. It turns out they are easy to apply and look great on. My eyelashes have never looked so full!

They are made from highest quality human hair. Latex free, odor free, waterproof, flexible formula for 24hr hold, and come with an easy applicator.

Kiss Ever PRO Lash Starter Kit retails for $4.99 and are available at Walgreens stores nationwide.

Disclosure- I received this product complimentary from Influenster.com. All opinions are my own.

Melissa & Doug Terrific Twenty List and Giveaway

It's that time of year again! Time to try and figure out what to get those special kids in your life. Melissa and Doug are helping you out with their Terrific Twenty Holiday Gift 2012 list. This list compiles the “best of the best” holiday gifts for the 2012 holiday season!

To celebrate, Melissa and Doug are having a “20 Days of Terrific Twenty” Giveaway on their Facebook page! Every day (starting TODAY, November 6) they'll be giving away one item from their Terrific Twenty list to at least one of their lucky Facebook fans! You can enter the contest here: http://www.facebook.com/MelissaAndDoug

Melissa and Doug are also giving me the opportunity to host a Giveaway for my readers. One reader will receive their very own Trunki. Enter using the Rafflecopter entry form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure - All Opinions are my own. I will receive a free product from Melissa and Doug. as compensation for this post.

Tiny Prints Review & Giveaway

For years Tiny Prints has been my "go-to" company for invitations, birthday cards and Christmas cards. With the Holidays approaching its time to start thinking about Christmas Cards. Tiny Prints has a large selection of cards to choose from. They have everything from fun photo cards to religious/scripture cards. My favorite are the Christmas Cards. I like to add a family picture so everyone can see how our family is growing! Tiny prints has new Premium DoubleThick™ Matte Paper, their most luxurious cardstock yet. Here's a great video letting you know all about it.

 

For great deals, check out Tiny Prints Special Offers page -http://www.tinyprints.com/promo/tiny-prints-coupon-codes-promotions.htm.

Tiny Prints is giving me the opportunity to host a Giveaway to my readers. One lucky winner will receive $50 off your total order at Tiny Prints (expire 12/14/2012 – no extensions, does not include shipping & cannot be combined with any other promos). Please enter below. Giveaway ends 11/15/2012 @ 12:01am EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tiny Print. All opinions are my own.

The Original™ Dish Drying Mat

When I wash dishes by hand, I normally place a dish towel on the counter and place the dishes on it to dry. The dish towels never hold all the water and I end up washing more dish towels then I want to.

The Original™ Dish Drying Mat solves this problem. It holds up to 4 times its weight in water, has a cushion that helps protect dishes and is machine washable. The Mat folds and is easy to store. We travel alot in our travel trailer and this is my new dish washing Mat. It works perfect in the trailer and stores well for traveling.

Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary through Influenster's Vox Box program. All opinions in this post are my own.

LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisturizer

I'm always on the lookout for a product that will moisturize my lips but not make it feel like I am wearing a heavy lipstick. LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisturizer does just that. I was shocked at how moisturized my lips felt immediately after applying it. I had to make my husband try it. He loved it also.

With pure Swedish beeswax, organic shea butter and vitamins, LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisturizer is seriously long-lasting! Normally I apply my old brand of lipbalm at least every hour. I can go for hours without reapplying LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisturizer.

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisturizer from Influenster through the Naturals VoxBox Program!

The Many Uses of Ivory

As a member of Influenster, I received a complimentary bar of Ivory soap to try. I had never previously tried Ivory so I had no idea what to expect.The fact that its 99.44% pure and its free of dyes and heavy perfumes was a plus for me!

There are many ways to use Ivory. Some examples are:

Body Cleanser
Facial Cleanser
Clothes Stain Remover
Laundry Flakes
Soap carving projects

I chose to use it as a body cleanser. It worked great. Left my skin feeling clean and smooth. It washes off easily and doesn't leave a residue! After using Ivory for awhile my skin is softer then ever!

Ivory is good for the whole family and its affordable also. A 10-pack of Ivory bar soap retails for around $4.49.

Disclosure: I received this product complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster and Ivory as a participant in the Mom VoxBox campaign.

StyleUnited

As a member of Shespeaks, I was given the opportunity to try www.styleunited.com, a new fashion and beauty website by P&G.

Some information about StyleUnited:

StyleUnited is brought to you by brands including Olay, Frederic Fekkai, DDF Skincare and Cover Girl. Providing access to exclusive editorial content and personalized recommendations, StyleUnited connects women to their full style potential using these unique tools:

• Style 360 - a fully personalized diagnostic quiz that has been designed to understand your individual needs in skin care, hair care, cosmetics and fashion.
• Customized Beauty and Fashion Content - hundreds of curated articles, blogs and how-to videos from industry experts created to answer your every question while keeping you up on the latest trend news.

StyleUnited is so easy to use. I wanted to know what fashions it would recommend for me. I answered 7 easy questions and my fashion profile was created. The fashions that StyleUnited recommended are definitely me! It said my fashion look is Edgy Bold with a hint of Casual Cool. This is so me!!! This is a great beauty tool that I will be utilizing from now on!

Join StyleUnited.com today for a chance to win the New View, New You Giveaway. Two lucky winners will be chosen at random to take home a $500 gift card for a shopping spree at Macy’s or Nordstrom courtesy of StyleUnited.


Disclosure: I was given the opportunity to use StyleUnited for this review. I will also receive a beauty gift from P&G, the owners of the website. All opinions are my own.

Get Stoked For Summer with Old Navy Shorts!

I love being a member of Crowdtap!! Once again I was chosen for an Old Navy Sample and Share. For this wonderful opportunity I was sent 2 coupons. One for me and one to share. Each coupon was good for 1 pair of Old Navy Shorts.

We are preparing for a trip to Disneyland next week so this was perfect timing. I sent one coupon to my friend in Missouri. She will be flying out with her family and meeting us at Disneyland! I haven't seen pictures yet but she said she had a blast shopping for her free shorts!

I took my husband and daughter along with me to get my shorts. My husband's opinion means a lot to me so I wanted him to help me out! Having recently lost 30 pounds, I wasn't sure what type of shorts would look good on me. I tried on about a dozen different pairs before I choose the bermuda jean shorts. They are so comfortable. The fit is wonderful and they are the perfect length for someone thats not used to showing off some leg!

Old Navy has a wonderful selection of shorts to choose from! I'll definitely be going back!

Disclosure- I received a coupon for a free pair of shorts from Crowdtap and Old Navy. No monetary compensation was received. All opinons are my own!

Kiss Nail Dress

Who doesn't LOVE pretty nails? I love when my nails look good but I rarely have the time to go have them done. As a member of Influenster's VoxBox program I was sent a package of Kiss Nail Dress to sample and review. I wasn't sure what to expect but I love them! I wore them for date night with my hubby and they were so easy to apply and looked amazing.  To apply the nail dress just peel, apply, and shape for a manicure that lasts up to 10 days. It only took me about 10 minutes to get beautiful nails and when I was done with them they came off really quickly. There's 18 different styles available, many of them featuring 3-dimensional jeweled designs.

The Kiss Nail Dress can also be used on your toes. I can't wait for summer to try them out!!

Disclosure: I received a package of Kiss Nail Dress from Influenster's VoxBox program. All opinions in the post are mine!

Venus & Olay Razor

Every girl needs a good Razor. One that gets you a close shave and leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth. Gillette Venus and Olay have come together to create the perfect razor, the Gillete Venus & Olay Razor. Olay Moisture Bars help lock-in moisture to your skin for less dryness, and with every smoothing stroke, Venus’ five blades shave you close.

I received a Gillette Venus & Olay razor from Influenster's VoxBox program. The razor left my legs moisturized with a smooth shave. This is definitely my new "go-to" razor.

Product Details

• Venus’ five-bladed razors shave you close and adjust to women’s curves for a smooth and comfortable shave, even over tricky shaving areas like knees and ankles.
• Olay Moisture Bars contain skin-enhancing elements found in Olay products: Petrolatum helps lock in skin’s moisture for less dryness and Glycerin helps offer that goddess glow! Just wet the razor to release a light lather – no separate shave cream required.
• As with most Venus razors, new Venus & Olay also features a rounded, pivoting head designed for women’s curves, and a soft-grip ergonomic handle for confident control, even in wet and soapy environment

Disclosure- I received a Gillette Venus & Olay razor to test through Influenster's VoxBox program. All opinions in this blog post are my own!

 

Truvía® natural sweetener Product Review

My mornings always start with a cup of hot tea. It helps get me going and keep warm in my cold office. Normally I add some sugar or sweetner to it. I'm always looking for new ways to sweeten my tea. Influenster and Truvia recently introduced Truvía® natural sweetener to me when they sent me a sample in the Love VoxBox.

It tastes different then any other sweetner I've ever tried but in a good way. It's not too sweet and doesn't have an aftertaste. I will definitely be using Truvía® natural sweetener in my hot tea every morning!


*Disclosure- I received a package of Truvia natural sweetner from Influenster and Truvia. All opinions in this blog post are mine.

Get Dolled Up in Old Navy Dresses!

I love when spring time comes around! It's time to get your arms and legs out of hiding and put on a dress. Crowdtap and Old Navy gave me the opportunity to go shopping for a free dress. I also received a coupon to give to a friend. My friend and I made plans to go shopping together but unfortunately it didn't work our as planned and we ended up having to go shopping separately. My shopping companion ended up being my 3 year old daughter. She's a great shopping companion and is good for my ego. Everytime I tried on a dress she told me I was beautiful!!

I've been shopping for dresses at Old Navy before and the selection can be hit and miss. It was definitely a hit this time. They had a large selection to choose from making it really hard to pick just one. Normally I can't wear maxi dresses because they are too long. I decided to go ahead and try this one on and I fell in love with it. Its perfect for hanging out in during the day or going to dinner with the family. The dress is so comfortable and the length is perfect. I can wear flip flops or sandals with a little heel.

Thank you for this wonderful opportunity Old Navy and Crowdtap!!

*Disclaimer - I received 2 coupons from Crowdtap & Old Navy. One for me & One to share. All opinions posted here are my own!

LISTERINE® Total Care Zero

Mouthwash has never been my friend. I've never been able to get used to the liquid burning my mouth. I have no problems brushing, flossing or going to the dentist but give me mouthwash and I am like a baby!

As a member of Crowdtap I received a free sample of LISTERINE® Total Care Zero  to try. This is a new mouthwash by Listerine that gives you all the benefits of Listerine but has no alcohol in it. The result is a mouthwash experience with less intensity and burn. This mouthwash tastes better then any other mouthwashes I've used before and it doesn't burn so bad that I have to spit it out. The LISTERINE® Total Care Zero  is our households new mouthwash!!

Disclaimer: I received a free bottle of LISTERINE® Total Care Zero  from Crowdtap to try. All opinions in the post are my own.

Purex Crystals & Jockey Giveaway Ending 01/27

When you think of Purex, Jockey isn't the first thing that comes to mind. The two companies have teamed up to offer Purex Insiders a bottle of Purex Crystals Tropical Splash fabric softener and a Jockey Tech Terry sports bra. I was so excited to receive both of these products.

The gym is my second home and I love to run so I couldn't wait to try out the sports bra. I've lost some weight so I was afraid the sports bra would not fit. It fit perfectly. The material is soft and it offers a lot of support. This is definitely a sports bra I would purchase again.

Here's a few details on the 2012 Jockey Tech Terry Performance Sports Bra:

• Moisture-wicking sports bra helps keep you cool and dry
• Convenient key pocket so you can take your workouts anywhere
• Reflective logo on the back
• Breathable mesh panels
• Soft bottom band for comfortable support.

The Purex Crystals had a nice scent to it. It wasn't overpowering and left my clothes smelling fresh and feeling soft.

Purex Crystals are 92% natural crystals that go in at the start of the wash so they spend more time with your laundry infusing them with long lasting freshness.  Since Purex Crystals do not contain oil, it can safe to be used on all laudnry including:

• athletic wear
• towels
• childrens sleepwear
• & everything else

Now for the good news. Purex and Jockey are giving my readers a coupon for 20% the purchase of a sports bra. They are also giving me the opportunity to give one of my readers a Jockey Tech Terry sports bra and a bottle of Purex Crystals.

Tide Coldwater

I've always tried to wash my clothes in cold water. I feel like the cold water isn't as hard on the clothes and it's a small way to conserve energy. The problem is that they don't always come out as clean as they do when washed in hot water. Therefore, I'm using lots of stain remover products.

Recently, SheSpeaks sent me some Tide Coldwater free liquid laundry detergent to try. I love that this is made specially for washing clothes in cold water. The fact that it is free of dyes and perfumes also allows me to be able to use it on my daughters clothes.

I was a little nervous trying this product. I didn't want to use any stain removers so I could see how well it really cleaned. To my surprise my clothes came out clean with no stains. They are soft and fresh. Tide Coldwater free is now a new addition to my laundy room.


                                      

Disclaimer: I received Tide Coldwater free liquid laundry soap from SheSpeaks to test. Additionally I will be receiving a gift certificate from them. As always all opinions in the post are my own!

Montagne Jeunesse

I recently received a Montagne Jeunesse face masque to test from Influenster's VoxBox program. Let me just say Wow!! I received the Fruit Smoothy Deep Pore Cleaning Masque. My face felt so clean and refreshed after using it!


The Montagne Jeunesse face masques are packed with the most delicious natural ingredients and are bursting with luscious fragrances. Suitable for all different skin types, there is one to suit every mood and everybody!

Montagne Jeunesse beauty treats are free of parabens, vegetarian approved and never tested on animals. So treat yourself today to a masque that will hydrate, nourish and leave your skin cleansed, smooth and glowing. Available at ULTA Beauty, Walgreen’s, Claire’s, Walmart, Kroger, CVS Pharmacies and other retailers across the US, these masques are available in a variety of succulent flavours.




Disclosure: I received a Montagne Jeunesse face masque to test through Influenster's VoxBox program. All opinions are mine!