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Free Yoplait YoPlus Yogurt

Are you a fan of yogurt? Are you familiar with Yoplait as a brand in yogurt in your home?

Well you are in luck because I am holding a giveaway for Yoplait to promote their YoPlus yogurt line. So most of us know that yogurt is absolutely fantastic for your health right? Ladies did you know that yogurt can actually ward and prevent yeast infections? YES! My doctor shared that fabulous information with me when I asked about eating yogurt when I was pregnant (since I was concerned about what to eat) and he told me to GOBBLE yogurt, because the natural cultures are fabulous for women’s health. Additionally, yogurt and the active and live cultures, or “probiotics,” are excellent for digestive health.

In fact Yoplait reformulated their YoPlus line to provide excellent health benefits in each cup. Could you add more benefits, is the question I asked. They answered by adding antioxidant vitamins like A and E which are great for your skin and eyes, calcium and vitamin D for bone health (ladies….great for future prevention of osteoporosis), and finally the probiotic cultures and fiber for excellent digestive health.

But if you are nay-saying about yogurt and the “same old boring flavors,” BEHOLD! Yoplait kicked up the flavor amplifier by adding flavors like blackberry pomegranate and blueberry acai in addition to your favorites like strawberry, peach, vanilla and cherry.

Yogurt is a great addition to any diet as a snack or part of a meal with the amount of calories, the fiber leaves you feeling full, and hey the sweet tooth is satisfied too if you are worried about breaking your healthy new way of life and eating.

The first 50 readers will receive the opportunity to try Yoplait YoPlus for free! Don’t fret if you are not one of the first 50 to sign up, you will still receive a $1.00 off coupon for a 4-pack of Yoplait YoPlus yogurt. So go on! Click the “Try It Free” tab and let The Five Fish and Yoplait send you a coupon for FREE Yoplait YoPlus yogurt to chow on in your home.

*Yoplait provided me with this opportunity and all corresponding information, unless stated otherwise.
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My Life is NOT My Blog

Lately I admit I have had no desire to write, blog, share. PERIOD. When the sudden change of life events happened I haven’t even had a chance to digest my options, weigh pros and cons, the event horizon landed and now I am left to deal with my spinning.

I talked with my sister the other day (GASP, I know…we may fight but she’s still my sister) and we both agreed on one thing (GASP…I know, we agreed) which is we could shut our blogs down and say “Who gives a fuck.” Because really that is who I am.  I came to the conclusion that my writing has been driven based on what my audience wants to read, what would be “PG blog material” for PR or whomever. Why do I give a shit about that? I DON’T!

My life is NOT DEFINED by my blog, my blog defines my life.

My writings talk about my feelings, my life, how my life is like everyone else. Struggling to sometimes get through the day feeling unappreciated, alone, at times feeling unloved with the effort and hard work we put into our homes, working an ever thankless job that is glorified to be some great fucking experience. Not everyday is a picnic.

Granted, motherhood has MOMENTS that are to be cherished. When Grant told me when I was 6 months pregnant with the twins and as huge as a house and we went to a wedding, he told me how I looked like a princess. I melted. When the twins told me for the first time “Lub yoo,” I got teary eyed. But other moments and days are robotic, insane, going through the motions of day-to-day. Seriously, we can take a licking and keep on ticking.

I also began to ponder how asinine the parent-child relationship is defined. I mean, our children can hit us with no repercussion but if we spank them, child services is banging on our door calling us “abusers.” Do you see the insanity? I am not suggesting we go wail on our children, but come on, the suggestion just screams what the shit.  I digress. Back to my rant.

Someday’s I find I would rather not blog. Being a mother of twins is challenging. To say the least. Sharing how dealing with two toddlers wears away at every inch of you brings on nay-sayers about “Well I have two toddlers…and they aren’t twins….I can do it.” Good for fucking you. When you deliver two at the same time either through your vagina or an intricately cut incision into your perfectly uncut skin, then let’s talk. It’s not a damn competition…

And that’s where I find myself lacking motivation. The constant judgment of you are only as good a mother as you share on your blog. You are only as good as your blog. I can’t access your blog, blah blah fuckity blah. Let me say this again:

MY. LIFE. IS. NOT. DEFINED. BY. MY. BLOG. MY. LIFE. IS. DEFINED. ON. MY. BLOG.

Which leads me to the fact that if you don’t like that I drop the “f” bomb, don’t read it. I try to limit my use, but why? It’s my blog, these are the feelings and thoughts in my head and really, I use the work fuck as a proposition, noun, verb, adjective, hell, even as a conjunction in my sentences when I talk at home. *GASP and yes….in front of my children. I would rather they hear the word from me than from Billy down the street, then I only have myself to blame for my child telling sixth graders they are “fuckers” and throwing rocks at them in a taunting fashion.

So I beg the question, why worry so much about what other people think? About the language used? Because Barbara Bible-thumping Bozo doesn’t like it? Well go pray for me Barbara. Because some Linda says I won’t get opportunity. Cry me a FUCKING river Linda and write some letter in your basement, since opportunity does not motivate me to write. Or my audience does not appreciate what I am writing about….the fact that my kids do not shit rainbows and sunshine, singing like harmonic angels, and I with my perfect hair…I am just missing some pearls to top off the air of perfection right?

Get the hell outta here. I find that my audience is not who they used to be anymore if in fact my audience even exists. Well, Ellen I know you are reading this, so big hugs to you woman. I am finding I am sick of being like everyone else and their damned canned sunshine, or no, sorry, bottle of sunshine with Xanax or whatever fucking concoction your doctor prescribed with this medicated mommies bullshit. Really? You are proud to be hyped up as a way to deal? Shit…then by all means blog. I have no bottle of hype, I have no medication. However, I have great stories, I have great experiences, I have lots to share that have not been touched on because God, Allah, Buddha, Higher Power, forbid I offend, scare, or not play by the rules. Heaven forbid I admit that some days my life feels like a pile of shit and the people who are my friends abuse my kindness. That some days I want to blog about how my husband could do me the fucking favor of putting the butter knife used to make his sandwich in the dishwasher that is three feet away, rather than leaving it on the counter for HOURS. Other days I want to scream about how my twins are Tasmanian devils when they float from room to room making messes and I wish they would just sit and play with me because I won’t be able to do that later in life with them. Why I do care about these blogging rules and playing by them. I never played by them in real life. So why should I play by the rules now?

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Organic Home Pest Control

As the weather begins to warm up and the family gets out and about to play, our insect friends are doing the same. They too are enjoying the warmth and unfortunately at our expense. Invading our homes, yards, and causing annoyances and grief to keep them at bay.

USDA Organic, organic, Karie Herring, thefivefish.comI am a firm believer in not using chemicals in and around my home because my kids can get into them, the residuals can get on their skin, and even my dog can get sick from the chemicals used in home pest control.

So I sought out non-toxic, alternative, safe methods, for the most part, an organic ant killer. I tried cinnamon, I still use diatomaceous earth (for my pool mostly) but also to ward off scorpions, fleas, and other exoskeleton buggers. I even found that corn meal can get rid of ants, but did not repel them.

EcoSMART is my savior. When I received the package I immediately surveyed the ingredients. How in the world could an insecticide, ant killer, and repellent be organic? Non-toxic? The answer? The ingredients are all natural oils, like peppermint oil, thyme oil, water, the ingredients are easy to understand and read.

I noticed as well after I received the package that our back patio is acquiring ants again. I went to work on eradicating the buggers so I did not and do not have to worry about my any of my kids being bit by the ants and my bulldog being besieged. I sprayed the ant killer around my back door, and where the ants were congregating and watched as they died on contact and as others came within any distance of the spray they immediately hauled off.

The scent was also completely tolerable. No smell of chemicals, just a fresh minty smell and as my kids were walking in and out of the back door, I did not have to worry about them coming into contact with the spray. While I did wash their hands and feet, I felt safe knowing that them coming in contact would not require me to take IMMEDIATE action or fear calling poison control.

Fact is that children are more often hurt in their own homes by products that we use everyday and assume to be “safe.” Additionally, bugs and pests are becoming more and more resilient to synthetic pesticides and as the formula’s change and the insects evolve combating the problem is only a band-aid and causes further harm to our children, pets, home, and family as we spray over and over and over again.

With EcoSMART you can spray over and over without the worry of residual effects of a synthetic pesticide to harm  your family. If you would like a safe, alternative to ward off pests be sure to check out EcoSMART which is available at Home Depot and other home improvement stores. Or you can enter my giveaway which ends April 15th, 2010. *I received product in exchange for a review and giveaway promotion.

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Babies The Movie

Last weekend The Chad and I went to see “How to Train Your Dragon” in 3D, which by the way TOTALLY ROCKED! Well while we were amped for the movie we enjoyed the trailers for the newest releases, and if you ask me, that is generally the BEST part of any movie.

As the trailers were moving along, the best film that is sure to touch many hearts, as well as the hearts of mothers across the globe popped onto the screen. BABIES. This documentary captures the moments of four children from San Francisco, Tokyo, Mongolia, and Namibia during all their firsts during their first year of life. Here watch the trailer:

The Chad and I were ooh’ing and ahh’ing at this super feel good movie of the year. Heartfelt, unique, and positively breathtaking capturing all the sweet moments of humanity during a child’s first year of life. Be sure to check it out, maybe take your mom or any mother in your life to the movies for Mother’s Day to enjoy a feel good film.

*I wrote this post as part of being a BzzAgent.
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Goodbye Stay At Home Mom

For the last four years to be exact I have been blessed with the opportunity to be with my child and then with my children at home. Watching them grow, watching my belly grow, and then watching as I delivered two more people into our home who have brought that much more joy.

I watched as Grant was transformed from a troublesome, often busy, and quite the handful toddler into a mellow, funny, loving, infectious to be around little boy. At first I dreaded the thought of staying home with him. I would be the entertainment, the playmate, the food handler, everything I had PAID someone else to do for me while I worked. While I enjoyed my time as a singular individual working in a professional office with professional attire, having professional conversations.

Dear God, I would now be the (dun dun dun) “stay at home mom.”

*Gasp! I cannot do this, I would not do this. Granted, sleeping in would be freaking fabulous. But what do I know about potty training my oldest and only child at the time, keeping him on a schedule, snacks, ABC’s, 123’s, what the shit was I thinking when I said, “Oh sure I can stay at home and work at home at my leisure.” I must have been on crack.

But I managed. I kicked the ass of my prima donna self, learned that wearing jeans everyday and a t-shirt (well, a hot fitted, not your average stay at home mom t-shirt) would be fine. I also managed to teach my boy Spanish along with his colors, alphabet, numbers and the “F” bomb that he would drop once while taunting some sixth graders. Yeah, that in and of itself is a blog post. However, I managed to be a stay at home mom juggling my son and maintaining a near perfect home.

Until we agreed to have another child.

What the hell am I thinking with these grandioso ideas? Oh right, we planned on trying to conceive ONE child, not a TWO in ONE deal. Silly Karie, twins are for…other parents. Again I was blessed. I continued to nurture and grow my bond with Grant and I nurtured and grew my surprise of a pregnancy. The dynamic in my home was changing again and now with The Chad working out of the house EVERYTHING was really changing.

The birth of the twins brought new challenges, drawbacks, pitfalls, enjoyment, and moments of hiding in the closet to cry. I never wished for anything in my life to be different. Knowing I was the only one in my family with the courage, sanity, and strength to tackle motherhood in such a unique fashion. I fully embraced the embodiment of what motherhood is as a job, as a joy, as a frustration.

Especially now as I am standing on the edge of a dawn of a new chapter in life. So much has happened in such a short time with bidding a sorrowful goodbye to child rearing today The Chad goes in for his vasectomy. A bittersweet moment brushed over me as I knew I would never smell a new baby born from my womb. My moments of motherhood frozen in time with photos and my impeccably solid memory (like an elephant really) will forever cherish those once in a lifetime moments.

Legoland

Yesterday I received a call that changed everything. While I had not been looking for a job, since I have the unique opportunity of working from home, as I wish, generating income whenever I want, I had submitted by resume for shits and grins. Not hearing anything for months except for the typical “Come sell insurance” scams, I all but abandoned any idea of working out of the house and was pleased with feeling rejected. For once in my life!

Until I received the call offering me an unbelievable position with an even more unbelievable company that offers health insurance for our family that currently LACKS healthcare coverage. I would have a 401k again, lunches undisturbed, adult conversation, professional conversation, time out of the house and moreso than just a trip to Whole Foods and Costco.

But then I sobbed. I sobbed alone in my kitchen, in my bathroom, on my couch. I am still sobbing. Bawling like a baby, weeping the death of a life I felt so tragic to live. Who the hell wants to be a stay at home mom anyway. I did, I do. I held my composure long enough yesterday to visit a pre-school and childcare center the twins will attend and Grant will attend in the summer for summer camp. The twins were glass eyed and eager to see other gnomes, playmates, a new environment for their budding social personalities. I saw a germ infested, non-organic, styro-foam cup using facility that made my OCD cringe.

However, I know, and knew, in my heart that the twins will be fine. The facility is less than two blocks from our home, the staff is kind and loving, and the job I am offered and have agreed to take will yield money for our family that we need to provide the best for our kids. Even if only for a few years, which by that time the twins will be school age and yet another milestone in their life.

So with a heavy heart I take my fabulous new opportunity and bid farewell to the opportunity I so dreaded just four short years ago. I know this is best for my family, for our finances, and for my sanity, but ever so heavy on my heart. Goodbye to being a stay at home mom.

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Ward off Spring Pests with Organic Insecticides

Now that Spring has officially sprung and the warmer weather is well on her way, the dormant and pesky pests of summer begin to creep out. Where I live in Arizona, insects, bugs, ants, and the all despised mosquito run rampant in the spring and summer. I despise bugs. With a wrath of passion I cannot stand bugs. Especially ants.

I searched the net high and low for a natural ant killer and the best I could find was cornmeal. Even then, the little buggers were back. I tried cinnamon, water, whatever I could find that was non toxic.

Why non-toxic you ask? Well with my kids running around everywhere, since this is their home too, and an English Bulldog, I needed pest control that I felt comfortable using around them, but effective enough to eliminate my exoskeleton enemy.

EcoSMART is a fabulous company that prides itself in making organic insecticides, among other products, that are safe to use  in and around your home, children, and pets. Not only do they pride themselves in their non-toxic product, it really works!

You too can have this wonderful product in your home to use around your children, animals, everything, without fear of calling poison control! Visit EcoSMART and tell me what products you could use in your home?

Extra Entry

  • Follow my blog on Google Friend Connect
  • Subscribe to my feed (it’s a new one, so you get 2 entries!)
  • Fan The Fish
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Tweet this giveaway as much as you want without having a double entry: #organic alternative to eliminate bugs http://bit.ly/cl3Q5z  @KariewithaK Ends 4/15
  • Read more entry options (which you can blog, Stumble, whatever!)

CONTEST ENDS APRIL 15TH

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Boost Your Immunity and get Gut Happy with Bio Gaia

Healthy diets result in overall health. I know, I am queen of the obvious. But our on the go lifestyles often times mean that our meals and or snacks are the on the go as well. Which can result in adverse affects on our stomachs. Add to that our indulgences in rich, spicy, and decadent foods and our stomach is calling for disaster. Now our children on the other hand are an even more delicate situation.

All of my children were breast fed, however, I had to put Grant on formula as he got a little older because my supply could not keep up when I returned to work full time. The formula would often wreak havoc on his poor little tummy as he transitioned. We do what we can to maintain our digestive and stomach health, but our lifestyles are not always conducive for “happy” digestive processing, including babies and children.

Now add Bio Gaia to your daily digestive routine as a supplement. Bio Gaia is a probiotic supplement to help boost your immune system as well as promote a healthy digestive track. Lactobacillus reuteri is one of the world’s most studied probiotic strains. To date more than 60 clinical studies have been done proving its health promoting effects.

Safe enough for the entire family which is a HUGE plus, Bio Gaia offers infant drops, a 30-count pack of straws, and a 30-count pack of chewable tablets. A lot of probiotics are only offered to adults only, whereas the Bio Gaia line is almost universal for the entire family. The drops, shown to significantly reduce symptoms of colic, are ideal for infants and toddlers because they can be added to a liquid like juice or water. The chewable tablets or straws work well for older children and are effective in preventing common tummy upsets and all three forms support overall gut health.

Our family has fairly decent gut health, The Chad suffers a bit due to chronic back pain, which often results in a crabby tummy (to say the least). He has been taking these daily and is amazed at how well he feels in addition to how happy his “tummy” feels as well. Needless to say “the deuce” is a topic of big conversation in our home. My kids love the chewables and the straws and I even have put the drops in the twins milk or juice if they seem a bit “off.”

You can win a package of Bio Gaia to up your topics of conversation in your home as well as promote a happy healthy digestive track and boost your immune system.

Main Entry

Just tell me a fact about probiotics and which product would be best for your child in your home (drops, straws or the chew-able tablets).

Extra Entries:

You can:

  • Follow this blog publicly through Google Friend Connect
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Fan The Fish on Facebook (2 Entries)
  • Subscribe to my feed (it changed if you subscribed to me when I was with blogger, so please resubscribe) Worth 3 entries
  • Fan Bio Gaia and Everdis Health Sciences on Facebook for more updates
  • Tweet this giveaway for unlimited entries, as long as another comment separates your tweets (no double entry): #giveaway Win a customizable BioGaia probiotic pack from @KariewithaK Ends 4/10 Unltd Entry http://bit.ly/brxLFH
  • Enter any other ongoing giveaway for additional chance to win, just tell me which giveaway you entered here on The Five Fish

Open to CAN residents.

CONTEST ENDS APRIL 10TH

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Hottest New Girls Toy Hot Locks

hot locks, think wow toys, mom select

We all know how hot those pesky pets were, so how about another hot new toy for the season with Hot Locks for girls! My Little Bitty received a Hot Locks Deluxe Morgan to play with as part of the MomSelect Hot Locks toy promotion and giveaway.

hot locks, think wow toys, mom selectWhile Sara may be a bit young at age two she LOVES her Hot Locks Morgan with 28″ of hair to play with, style, and twirl. However, she is all girl with playing with her bright colored Morgan Hot Locks doll. Although she cannot get the full play now, we have had lots of fun styling her “pretty” as Sara calls her brightly colored barrettes and hair ties.

The hair is made of a soft vinyl that can be detangled by the included styling comb. But the hair can become twisted around the doll and in knots if not stored properly. The dolls clothing all stays on the doll (super plus mom!) , but some parts are small enough to be considered a choking hazard. So the suggested age would be 4-6. Each doll comes with different accessories, names, and a coordinating hot locks extension for your daughter to sport in her hair as well!

Your daughter too can play with this fun hair doll where they can spend hours of play andhot locks, styling. Win a Hot Locks Ami doll, and for those who do not win the doll get a choice of Hot Locks hair extension for your daughter so she can be a Hot Locks girl too!

Main Entry

Tell me what you think your daughter would love most about this brightly colored at home salon full doll. Visit the Hot Locks site and tell me which doll or which options.

Extra Entries

These are in addition to the many entry options I offer:

  • Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Fan The Fish on Facebook (2 entries since we rebuilt the fan page)
  • Tweet this giveaway, unlimited tweets daily but no double entry: Giveaway – Hot Locks Ami doll from @KariewithaK before they hit stores http://bit.ly/btXWcJ Ends 4/13
  • Subscribe to my feed (2 entries since the feed changed too if you followed me when I was on blogger)

Open to CAN residents.

CONTEST ENDS APRIL 13

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Sip and Seed Bird Feeder

birdfeeder

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of birdfeeders.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

Spring has definitely arrived in Arizona. While the temperatures are starting to scorch into the high 80s this week, the flora and fauna are alive and bursting with color, scent and energy. This means that the wildlife are out and enjoying the wonderful weather as well.

This time of year in Arizona is also a very popular time of year for cardinals to be mating, hummingbirds to be pollinating and feeding on the spring blossoms, and citrus groves are pungent with fragrance. Early mornings are so wonderful as you can enjoy the sounds of birds chirping, the fresh cool breeze and occasionally you will see a visitor if you happen to have blossoms around your home.

Our home is decorated with honeysuckle but at times the evergreens are late to bloom and I love to watch the hummingbirds zip around, especially for the kids to enjoy. So our home recently received the sip & seed birdfeeder that allows birds to both sip and eat. I immediately pulled it out of the box and filled the water tank portion of the feeder with hummingbird water mix. Such a lovely bright red color.

We did attempt the seed feed for the other birds like the cardinals and finches, but with toddlers, they managed tools to knock the snacks out and scare away the larger birds that we were enjoying on our patio. Nevertheless, the hummingbirds were a sight to see and the kids enjoyed watching our feathered friends.

In addition to the fun they had, I enjoy the feeder for it’s stylish design. Other bird feeders arebirdfeeder rather bulky and unattractive while the sip & seed bird feeder is attractive in design and appeal. The neutral decor of the product would fit into any home. Set up of the feeder is easy and requires no instructions. Each silo can house seed and water, water and water, or both can house seed making this feeder multi-functional with the interchangeable bases.

Hanging the feeder was simple as well. I hung the copper trellis first and then the silos to avoid spills and splashes. I enjoy the look of the feeder as well off of my back patio as it is not an eye sore or an obstruction in any way. The sip and seed bird feeder can be used to feed and water birds of all sorts. Simple and functional and the birds enjoy the pit stop.

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Hey Honey, It’s a Caesar Salad

While stalking reading some of my favorite blogs tonight my friend Chelle (whom I love and adore…she is my kind of people) wrote a post about Hooters Girls and Margaritas. I could not help but to read this and DIE LAUGHING because I had a story to tell about this Hooters chick.

As you know I am a very patient and forgiving person. Not always to my children as I run a tight ship, but to the common moron I do give him or her a lot of slack. Pausing, smiling gently, but enough eye gesturing to suggest, “Did your dumbass really just say that?”

One day when The Chad and I were debating on where to grab a bite to eat before we ever had the kids. Albuquerque was rather limited in prime choices for dining delicacies, we settled on Hooters. They have decent food, I am a fan of the wings and they had beer specials. We head on over and seat ourselves in a relatively quiet and empty dining hall.

Greeted by our “perky” server with some bimbo-esque name, the borders on the air of wearing glitter, smelling of bubble gum lip gloss, and riding a pole (*cough* stripper) we order our drinks and peruse the menu. Feeling rather adventurous, and passing on the oysters this early in the day with a beer, I decide on a chicken Caesar salad and an ice tea. I know…I am really living on the edge. I order and then The Chad orders.

Now here is where the waitress clearly needed a “I’m a blond…yah yah yah” audio dub insertion, a “Here’s your sign” slap, or “Are you stupid or something?” Because she bold faced turned back to me, looks me square in the face and asks,

“What kind of dressing do you want on that salad?”

I looked at The Chad who clearly just snarfed a beer through his nose and back into his mug. Which I made him drink. I look back at the waitress with her doe eyed expression, as she was awaiting my response and I again turn back to The Chad who is now occupying his attention on something other than my reaction. Clearly you could see I was wondering if she was joking. So I asked her. You are joking right?

“No, what kind of dressing do you want?”

My response….

“It’s a Caesar Salad…..” I trail off….nodding my head as if she is to have a light go off and go Oh right I knew that (hiccup)

Clearly. She. Does. Not. Get. It.

“I know. So what kind of dressing do you want.” Her tone beginning to have a twinge of annoyance.

I coldly replied to her without telling her she’s a moron or slapping her stupid face, I smile,

“It’s a Caesar salad. I would like CAESAR dressing.”

She walks off  in a huff, as The Chad lets out a guffaw. Seriously? Who the hell orders a Caesar salad and doesn’t get Caesar dressing? WTF?!