Help Us Find Hylee For A Chance To Win With Hylands

** This is a sponsored post, thanks to Hyland's. All opinions and statements are my own. **

ALERT!!

The Hyland's baby fairy, Hylee is missing! But, if you help find her, you'll have the chance to win a pack of Hyland's Teething Tablets OR a Hyland's gift basket!

Hylee must be found in time for National Tooth Fairy Day!! This is a real emergency and we are asking that everybody is on the lookout!!

If you happen to stumble across, Hylee, please make sure to let Hyland's know, by entering her location, here!

You could end up winning 1 of 500 full size Hyland's Teething Tablets or you could hit it big and win a Hyland's gift basket, filled with lots of Hyland's goodies!!

This promotion runs all week and everyday will be a new opportunity to #FindHylee and enter her whereabouts on the Hyland's Facebook page.

Oh, I almost forgot, she will be holding a sign with the day of the week so that you know you know you have her. 

So, where should you look? Well, other than Hyland's Facebook page, you may be able to find her on Instagram, Twitter or she may be flying around the Hyland's Pinterest page!

Our youngest daughter, Genevive has a loose tooth right now and is just moments away from loosing this and will be very sad if she doesn't get a visit from the tooth fairy. (This is why I must repeat how important it is that we all pitch in and #FindHylee!)


If you aren't familiar with Hyland's Homeopathic, you can find information about them here.
Hyland's offers a full range of homeopathic medicines for your whole family. From babies through adult!
We have been big fans of Hyland's for many years. Maybe not since they started, (By the way, they have been around since 1903!!), lol, but, our oldest daughter is 22, almost 23 and we were using Hyland's Teething Tablets when she was just a tiny baby girl ;)
We have 4 children, ages: 4, 8, 11 and 22 and 2 granddaughters, ages: 9 months and 2. All of these little ones have had quite a few Teething Tablets in their tiny mouths at certain points in their lives. There were times we did try other products, usually because we ran out of Teething Tablets, or because a grandma had something different... (We didn't have internet back with our first baby! So, it wasn't as easy to restock as often as we can now!) But, nothing and I mean, NOTHING ever came close to the easy peasy Teething Tablets!
Not only are they super fast and a cinch to get inside their little mouths, they actually work! Almost in an instant!! The time saved with these little morsels from heaven is priceless. I can't think of anything I would rather have then a sleeping, content, happy, teething baby during those crazy times. and I'm sure our little ones are grateful, well, I know they are, because, they don't have to worry about crying or being in pain or being cranky when they have Teething Tablets!!
I actually most recently had to give a bottle to my son in law while they were visiting because he had quite the painful toothache and even if our youngest is 4, we always have Teething Tablets in the medicine cabinet. Yes, they actually helped him enough to be able to stay and visit so I could see my little princes granddaughters a bit longer!! I do use them for my little ones if they have a toothache, especially when they have loose teeth. Maybe it's magic? I don't know. But, they comfort them and when they are comfy, so am I!!

While you are searching for Hylee, check out the other products Hyland's has to offer. They are always out and about on social media and are always more than happy to answer your questions! I have Tweets sent to my cell phone, via text and I have my favorites set to alert so I don't miss a thing. I can promise you, out of all of my favorites, (and there are a ton!), Hyland's Health and Hyland's Teething Tablets are 2 of the most active and helpful accounts out there. That's another reason we love this brand and continue to use their products for anything from colds, to nerve tonic to restless leg, to allergies to skin care.

Have you ever tried Hyland's Homeopathic products before?
We love comments and would love to hear about your experience!
Which products have you used? Which products work best for your family?
Are there any in particular you haven't tried but would love too?

Harvestland Review AND A Giveaway!

* I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product. *


How could I pass up on a brand who says, "Eat Like Your Ancestors"? I mean, that alone like, totally won me over!!
Not just that, but you can find some mighty tasty recipes on their site, errr, I'm sorry, "Old Time Recipes" < another winning tagline in my book! Especially in this day and age when there are so many icky headlines each day about how somebody found this or that in their food, or somebody did an experiment on this and found that this is bad...  How about we play it safe and just stick with what our ancestors ate, eh?



Some information about, Harvestand:

• No Antibiotics Ever
• Fed All-Vegetarian Diet With No Animal By-Products
• Raised Cage Free

With the HARVESTLAND® brand, the only thing you'll ever get is purely all-natural* chicken. We also know our chicken needs to taste good, too. So we pay attention to the little details, right down to the USDA Process Verified "Tenderness Guarantee" on our boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
HARVESTLAND® Turkey
Raised to the same high standards as our chicken, HARVESTLAND® turkey is fed an all-vegetarian diet with no antibiotics ever. And, of course, no hormones or steroids**.
HARVESTLAND® Pork
The latest addition to the HARVESTLAND® brand. Raised on family farms in the Midwest, fed an all-vegetarian diet with no animal by-products, our hogs never, ever receive antibiotics, hormones or steroids**.
HARVESTLAND® Organic Chicken
Our USDA-certified organic chicken represents our highest commitment to providing you the most-natural food. Raised without antibiotics on all-vegetarian diet of certified organic ingredients, our organic chickens live in a free-range environment on organic farms.

I had a bit of a time trying to track, Harvestland down but I ended up calling my local Redner's and finally demanding that they get this product in a little more often then when it's just on sale. (For the record, I live near absolutely nothing lol! Harvestland IS sold at Redners and Walmart... Redners just opened up not to long ago, about 15 miles from me and they always have a couple select Harvestland products in stock but they are still learning. Now, they have Harvestland chicken breast and chicken legs at all times because I finally drove them crazy!)


When I did find them, I was delighted and so excited that I gave up 1 of my coupons to the cashier that night because I went on and on and on about how wonderful this brand was and why I was grabbing 5 packs and using the coupons they provided! She was such a patient and kind cashier I just had to share. (I had a few other coupons, had to do a price check on Harvestland because the sale price wasn't marked on the packages and I had a cart full of groceries, it was the least I could do.)

Oh, before I get to crazy here about Harvestland chicken, turkey and pork products, I have to tell you about the packaging!!

If I could have jumped up and down, I would have! (I have medical issues with my bones, tissues, tendons, neuro chronic pain arthritis fibro RSD MS blah blah blah so, I actually can't jump up and down, lol!) But, there are times I am so excited about what may seem to be the tiniest things to some and since I can't jump up and down, I kind of scream and giggle and yell things like, "OH MY GOD! Didja see this??" and yes, my husband usually just rolls his eyes and ends up calling me a nerd. My kids all laugh and they get excited to and then it's just a big old family cheer about weather models, a new cooking trick or utensil or uhhh the way my chicken breast was packaged.


Ok, so, the chicken breasts come inside a package, right? But, this next part is unreal.... The chicken breasts are then packaged separately in their very own packs so that you don't have to repackage them or even waste or anything crazy like that! YES, you heard me correctly, THE INDIVIDUAL CHICKEN BREASTS ARE WRAPPED UP SEPARATELY INSIDE THE PACK!
Do you realize what this means? Well, let me tell you what it means! It means, you can open these when you get home from the store and freeze them separately and defrost separately. You can grill one up for a lovely grilled chicken salad for lunch while the kids are in school or you can use 1 and a half packs and not have to bag up the other half and use tomorrow. The possibilities are endless really and yes, so exciting! (You can also just take 1 out so you can make the best chicken salad ever. You know that kind that has all of the neat stuff inside that only you eat and you don't want to waste it so you just want to make a small amount?)


I planned a week's worth of meals ahead of time to use our new chicken. (Yes, I would have loved to try their kielbasa and turkey however, my closest Redners does not carry these products, YET. But, I found a Redners who does and they are just a little further away.)  I asked the kiddos what they would like to use our new chicken for and they helped plan our meals. (I found that the more I include them in meal planning and preparing, the better chances I have of them actually eating those meals.)


We are big fans of Frontier Soups so, we rummaged through our leftover bags (I'm between orders!) to find a suitable soup for our freezing cold, windy, snowy night's dinner. This winter has been a pain, I don't remember a colder, windier winter. I do remember snowier winters but we have had snow and ice storms almost every other day since we came home from Wow Summit, in November! So, we have been eating lots and lots of soup!

Frontier Soups are very versatile. You can add chicken or shrimp or whatever your soup lovin heart desires! We chose their South of the Border Tortilla Soup and added Harvestland chicken that I roasted in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. (I usually only use olive oil, salt and pepper.)

I can sum this meal and Harvestland chicken up in one sentence.Our 11 year old son said, "MOM! Now, this, is what chicken should always taste like!"


He's right.  I didn't really expect such a difference in taste. I was way wrong for thinking that. I seriously don't recall a time we had chicken this good and I can't imagine eating anything but Harvestland chicken. Our 8 year old even went crazy and said, "You should always get this chicken now! It tastes like real chicken!" That was night #1.


I had one chicken breast left from the first pack so, I decided to keep an extra one out of the second pack for chicken quesadillas for the next day. ( A snow day, like every other Monday this winter.) and who doesn't love quesadillas? Plus, we had leftover soup too! (Yes, I use paper plates on busy days, lol!)

I usually roast the chicken but sometimes I will use my George Foreman grill to make the chicken and I always use the Foreman grill for quesadillas! They are fast, easy to make and much healthier. These are also made to order since some like, "little chicken" some like, "extra chicken", some like, "no cheese" and some like, "extra cheese", so basically, I'm at the grill  until every single quesadilla is done and everybody is almost finished. This was another success story! Our 4 year old who is super picky, he even ate some of the chicken he keeps hearing everybody rave about!


I was starting to think that maybe the fact that Harvestland was the talk of the town at the moment, (ok, the talk of our house..), that maybe that was somehow feeding into the almost Hollywood esque type of comments, eyes popping out of our heads, it was starting to look like we were all in some commercial. So, I defrosted our normal brand of chicken and decided to make some chicken karaage.


I thought if I make 2 pans of chicken karaage, one of Harvestland and one of our normal brand, I could tell for sure if all of the cravings and late night leftover snacks was all just in our heads or was this real.....


I marinated the chicken in Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki, for about an hour. Then, I coated chicken pieces in a cornstarch, planko and spices mix and then I baked at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes.


I did make more of these and fried them in olive oil and just used cornstarch after receiving a better recipe and they turned out just as good, if not better!

Of course I knew which pan was different and even though I could tell the difference right away and yes, it is a very big difference, I still thought, maybe this is in my head. Well, sure enough, EVERYBODY could tell the difference. I quizzed each member of the family and unfortunately, the Harvestland pan disappeared and all we had left was our normal chicken. I got stuck eating some of that and after eating Harvestland, not even a vat of teriyaki sauce was going to save it.


Next up was chicken cordon bleu!


I cooked the chicken in a frying pan with olive oil, salt and pepper and then added chicken stock, garlic onions, cooked a bit more and then added swiss cheese and then ham.
This is always a hit for the grown ups at our house! The kids will eat it just fine as long as I make some without swiss cheese and ham.

(Yes, I know, paper plates again. It was a super busy week!)


I know this is super long, I promise you are almost at the very end. I just have one more picture to share with you and this was our chicken and waffles dinner.



I don't know if this is a Pennsylvania thing but, we eat chicken and gravy over waffles here. I did add veggies and made a thicker gravy with some hidden ingredients like, parsley, garlic, rosemary and a few other herbs I had leftover. I was making some bland waffles and I'm all about flavor!!
No leftovers after this dinner. None at all and sadly, this was our night to bid farewell to our Harvestland stash. (Until I get back to Redners of course!)

I did receive coupons that were good for $5 off of my purchase of Harvestland products and I used a few and gave a gift to my cashier and I am reluctantly saving 3 to give to one very lucky reader!!

I also received the cutest, old fashioned magnet timer and my new favorite set of measuring cups! They are copper and so pretty!! Both of these items fit Harvestland's whole brand and I appreciate these extra gifts very much!

These coupons expire on 5/31/2015 and can be used wherever Harvestland is sold. (I can find them at Walmart and Redners but I think if you check their site, they are available at more stores!)

The winner will receive all 3 coupons and you will probably have a wrinkled envelope, the wrinkles will be my dried up tears since I parted with these but, I really think something this awesome must be shared ;)

If you are not going to enter the giveaway, kindly check out Harvestland's social networks!

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Instagram

Google+


Now, for the giveaway!
Good luck!!
















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Get To Know doTERRA AND A Giveaway!

Essential Oils-
I am super excited to share with you doTERRA Essential Oils, which I use every day for my family. They are great for diffusing – to clean the air and to lift the mood, for using in cooking (LOVE them in green smoothies!), and of course for applying directly on the skin.
doTERRA oils are beyond organic, with NO chemicals, synthetic ingredients or other contaminants like pesticides. In fact, doTERRA is Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade. (Find out more about CPTG below in Other Important Information) This is why I am so confident about using these oils on my children, takingthem internally and using them for just about everything. It's always why I am SO excited to offer this fabulous special for people who are new to doTERRA.
I know that you will fall in love too as you experience the good that doTERRA essential oils and their other natural products can do for you and your family.

doTERRA’s February’s special --
New Year New You PromotiondoTERRA is bringing back a huge customer favorite - their 100 FREE product point promotion! Place a 100PV order (or get a kit!) in February and then place to place a Loyalty Reward Points order of 100 PV inMarch and doTERRA will give you a 100 PV essential oil shopping spree!! (PV is equal to dollar amounts on most doTERRA products. Some products vary though.)
Many of my friends enroll with the Family Physician Kit. This kit comes with a number of the most popular doTERRA essential oils and oil blends: Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, On Guard (protective blend), Frankincense (the precious ‘king of all oils’), Melaleuca, Oregano, Deep Blue, Breathe, DigestZen and Slim & Sassy.
When enrolling in doTERRA, there are many specially put together kits to choose from. The most popular starter kit is the Natural Solutions Kit . It is such a great deal because it includes a FREE diffuser, $100 in free product credit and at least another $150 in free product. (Note: With the purchase of any enrollment kit, the $35 enrollment fee is waived!





Bonus Freebies! I love free stuff as much as the next gal! So I wanted to get you started off on the right foot with some tools that have helped me USE my oils daily in a simple way.


 


*My Personal Special Offer:
if you enroll with a Family Physician Kit, I will add some of my own favorite products and helps – FREE**:
Personal 1-hour consultation with one of our essential oil experts! (This values alone at $50 plus!) One of our coaches will walk you through how to use your new oils & help you to create a personal plan!
doTERRA’s exclusive key chain, with space to hold 8 oils with 4 filled with our favorite essential oils.
Access to The Natural Cure Facebook group, where you can ask questions and share ideas with essential oil experts and users just like you!
The Using Essential Oils booklet, plus popular essential oil quick reference sheets on topics like green cleaning, pain and mood management, skin and body care, pregnancy, birth and baby.
An issue of doTERRA’s Living Magazine!
A 10 ml Rollerball to make up your favorite oil blend for ease of use anywhere! Veggie caps – great for taking essential oils internally! At least two different personal product samples!
 **Remember, the above FREE items are being offered by me personally only with the purchase of a Family Physician Kit.


I know you'll love doTERRA products as much as I do that I am using my own commission to supply these freebies!
Follow these super simple steps to enroll:
Remember: With the purchase of any enrollment kit, the $35 enrollment fee is waived.
1. Enter My Virtual Office .
2. Begin by picking your country and language.
3. Once you’ve selected your country, select “Wholesale Prices”
4. Fill out your name, address, billing address, shipping address and remaining contact info (Don’t be alarmed when doTERRA asks you to list your Tax ID number or SSN.  This is for tax purposes only.  You are opening a Wholesale Account giving you the ability to generate income.  If you make over $600/year, you will receive a 1099 form in the mail, as is required by law.  I promise you doTERRA will never share this info with anyone!)
5. The “Enroller ID” and “Sponsor ID” boxes should already be filled in for you but if not, enter 329366 in both boxes.
6. Select your time zone and your own virtual office password.
7. Agree to the basic Terms and Conditions and your Virtual Office User Agreement. Click “Continue”.
8. Choose the enrollment kit you want (remember the freebies listed above!). Or if you wish, you may simply select the $35 Introductory Packet plus the first products you’d like to try.
9. ENJOY ordering your doTERRA products at wholesale prices, plus get tons of training from me and my team!
10. Email Brittany Roscheck at HealWithEssentialOils@gmail.com with code: FUN in the subject line. In the email please include your address and name so we know where to send all your awesome freebies!

There are no hidden fees, obligations, sales quotas or minimums.  Just the best, purest essential oils and all the support and guidance you could ask for to achieve success.

Questions? We have Answers!

What is the Loyalty Rewards Program?

Participating in LRP is not required to purchase doTERRA products, but many people find they want to purchase certain products every month. LRP is doTERRA’s way of saying ‘Thanks!’ to their buyers who make a regular monthly purchase. LRP allows you to earn 10-30% credits towards future purchases (even your shipping costs earn you credits!), PLUS qualifies you to receive FREE products, wholesale prices, participate in product specials and even open up the way to receive income.

What is PV?

Point Value shows the rewards points you’ve earned. Essential oils have a point value equal to the price ($1 = 1 PV). Personal products and supplements may have a PV slightly lower than the dollar value.

Did you know…?

In addition to essential oils, doTERRA offers personal care and spa products, nutritional supplements (the most popular supplement package is guaranteed or purchase price is refunded), and healthy living products that are naturally safe, purely effective, and infused with CPTG essential oils.

What is CPTG-- Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade?

doTERRA essential oils are guaranteed 100% pure plant extracts. CPTG says that oils are the safest, purest and most beneficial essential oils available. ‘Therapeutic’ means these oils have natural and powerful healing properties. The right species of the plants are grown and harvested in their native regions – all over the world – for maximum potency. doTERRA sources all of its oils from producers who have extensive knowledge of how quality oils are produced.  No short-cuts are tolerated, because it's all about the quality of the end product — and how it works for you.  Each batch of oil is proven through third party testing at two state-of-the-art independent labs that ensures oils are beyond organic, verified pure, and free of fillers, artificial ingredients, chemical residues, pesticides, and foreign contaminants.

Am I signing up to sell anything? There is no obligation to sell doTERRA products when you get the wholesale membership. In fact, most people with doTERRA wholesale memberships, don't sell at all. However, once they discover the benefits of using doTERRA, many people love to share their essential oils with others. This can lead to free products for yourself or extra income. The decision to create an income from selling doTERRA is entirely yours!

What does the medical community think of doTERRA essential oils? doTERRA works with both a Scientific Advisory Panel and a Medical Advisory Panel. In addition, many in the medical profession are discovering how beneficial doTERRA oils are to their patients’ health and wellness. Find out more simply by searching in Google for doTERRA and hospitals.

Still have a question?
Contact me directly! I would love to chat!
Brittany Roscheck: HealWithEssentialOils@gmail.com.


Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This information is not meant to substitute for medical care or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition.

If you are interested in a free sample, please fill out this Google Doc and let us know you are interested!

Now for the giveaway!!!

 Good luck!!



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Win A $150 Gift Card For Buydig.com

They don't just sell electronics, at BuyDig.com you can find so many great items at a great price! They sell Digital Cameras, Lenses, External Hard Drives and Accessories, Camcorders, MP3 Players, Home Theater Components including LCD, LED and Plasma televisions, Blu-Ray & DVD players, GPS Navigators, Computers, Tablets, DJ Equipment & Pro Audio, Printers, Scanners, Binoculars, Housewares, Small Appliances, Sporting Goods, Optics and much more.

If you do any shopping online you are going to love BuyDig.com. Their prices are low and they have package deals that can save you even more money! Plus you get free shipping on everything! Unlike other online retailers, you don't have to meet a minimum purchase amount to qualify for free shipping. Every order includes free shipping!

Besides the giveaway below, BuyDig.com is having a Pin it to Win it contest! You could win a $250 shopping spree. Click here to enter.
(The Pin it to Win it contest ends on Sunday, February 8, 2015 at 23:59.)

 Now for the giveaway! One lucky reader will win a $150 Gift Card to spend at BuyDigcom. You can find a lot of things to buy with this gift card. You have until 2/13/15 at 1159pm EST. This giveaway is open to US residents. a Rafflecopter giveaway Stay Connected:

• Facebook
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• Twitter
 

 

 

 

This information is brought to you by BuyDig.com and SavingYouDinero.com. Blogger is not responsible for fulfilling the prize.  

 

All By Myself Again

I don't know how people do it.
I don't think I can stand much more of the loneliness, the empty arms, no sharing the sofa or bed with a tiny, warm, sweet little person who showers you with kisses and squeezes you tight with their little, pudgy arms. No more of the, "I love you mom"'s, all night long until you both drift off to lala land...
Sometimes, somebody will come downstairs and ask for a drink of water or they will have a belly ache or a bad dream. (Although, ever since I put the dream catchers up, there haven't really been many of those anymore.) < Yes, I am being serious about that ;)
The first night this happened, I didn't know what to do! I sat here, trying to figure out what to do first. Did I want to work on my blog? My new blogs? Make some body butters and cleansing grains? Read a book? Bake cookies without a bunch of kids joining in and making a small task end up being a night long adventure? Just goof around on social media? Get a long, hot, bubble bath?? 
I ended up just sitting here, trying to decide what would be the best thing to do. By the time I decided on starting some homemade body butters, it was 1am and a school night, so, off to bed I went.
It took me a bit to get used to sleeping in my bed on a school night/week night and I laid there, sort of wishing for a little voice to say, "Mommy. I need a drink of water." But, it didn't happen.
I really thought that our youngest would be running back down, I was hoping to hear his teeny feet hit the floor and see the big blue blanket ball that crawls across the floor when he is looking for his mommy but worried his dad might still be awake, lol. But, nothing. Not even a peep. I was so sad to think that our youngest didn't need me to hold him and squeeze him super tight and fall asleep while we snuggle up on the sofa.


When we had our first daughter, 22 years ago, she slept through the night, every single night. Sometimes, I would go in her room and try to make a little bit of noise so that she would wake up, just so I could hold her and pretend that she needed me at night time. (Lots of my friends told me I was crazy, they swore this was the best thing I could ever want... a baby who sleeps through the night.) It was very nice to have that but, just once in awhile, I would have loved to have her wake up and cry in the middle of the night lol.
Our next baby, our oldest son, was not a night time sleeper, like, at all. I am a bartender so, I work night shift the majority of the time and this little guy would not sleep until mommy was home. He was wide awake at all hours of the night and I couldn't say no to him, even as a toddler, because he would stare with his big, gorgeous, blue eyes and smile and hug me.
Our first 2 were opposites and then our 3rd and 4th came and they were kind of in between. So, I sort of just stayed with all of them every night. Sure, I had nights when I could sleep in my bed, but, it wasn't easy and it usually ended up with me jumping out of bed several times and coming back with a little monster, or staying with them, where ever they were.
Weekends weren't so bad, since their dad is home. (Yes, having a truck driver for a husband does have it's ups and downs.) and I usually work weekends, so, he was always better than me when it came down to bedtimes. I am spoiled on weekends since I come home and everybody is asleep. Although, even then, there are times I am needed at 4 or 5 am.


So, it's been a few weeks and they are all sleeping where they belong and I am still sad about this. I whisper to each of them, every night, "If you need anything, anything at all, make sure you come back down and tell mommy, ok?"
and they smile and hug me and shake their heads, yes.
It has happened a few times! One of them will come back downstairs and tell me they need help with something, or they just wanted a hug, so, I am always  ecstatic when I hear somebody coming down the steps or slithering through the rooms, covered in a blanket.
I admit, I have been getting a lot more done and I am happy about that, but, I miss being needed all night and I am very worried about the near future when it does come to a complete stop.
BUT, that is what grandchildren are for, right??

Do You Trust Brands With Only 5 Star Reviews?

I sure don't. I absolutely, positively will not trust a brand who has nothing but, 5 star ratings, everywhere on the internet. Especially when there are several BBB complaints, (which the company can not erase....)
I just can not find any reason to think that there will ever be a pretty large company, skin care company, who only has 100% results, every time and with everybody. It is just not possible.
I feel bad for people who may fall into the trap of companies like this and end up spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars, trying to get that beautiful, perfect looking skin and getting stuck in subscription services and not being able to tell ahead of time that this company has BBB complaints about being overcharged, not receiving phone calls back, things not being credited to their bank accounts and having reactions to chemicals in their products.
I feel offended by this, in many ways and I wish more consumers would be more aware of these tiny things that could end up helping them make a decision as to whether they would like to do further business with the brand.
I have been researching this specific company ever since I was invited to an online party by a friend who I believe, has been brainwashed by the overly excited representatives of this company.
Here is what I found while surfing the web:

1) I found a few links for potential bad reviews, but instead, it ended up being a blog post or a post on the brand's website or a Youtube video, with a title that read, "Is...... a scam" or "My bad experience with....." and when you click, it is a representative of that company who created the misleading title, knowing that people are out there, looking for honest reviews of this brand.

This hurts me. It is immoral and it is wrong. It also makes me question what in the world is wrong with your product that you can not allow real reviews to be posted?


2) I found an article on Good Housekeeping, not a great article/review and not necessarily a horrible one either. BUT, they definitely had some issues with the specific product that they reviewed.
Now, I trust Good Housekeeping, in fact, I emulate them and I can not believe what I found in the comments section.

7 representatives, literally flipping out and insisting that Good Housekeeping didn't use this specific tool properly and they are so happy that Good Housekeeping was able to provide the results they provided, even when they didn't use it properly.

Ok, first of all, it was used properly. 3 of the test subjects had to drop out of the review due to skin irritation. That isn't uncommon. So, why try and hide this?


"I agree with .... and ..... As far as I'm concerned THIS IS GREAT NEWS!! Considering they did not follow instructions or learn the specifics of the entire .......... regimen and still had results."

 "So... the roller wasn't used according to manufacturer's instructions, that is, in conjunction with the ....... regimen. No before-and-after images are shown with this review. Yet even with that a third of participants preferred the results they got with the roller. Seems to me the ...... performed quite admirably given the handicap it had in your testing process."

The above comments and many more, were ALL made by brand reps. Why are they stalking the internet, 24/7, to rip people down and tear them apart if they say even 1 thing that may bring down their superficial, dishonest, 5 star review status they have on the internet?

3) The reps are all over the internet with very catty replies to absolutely any and every comment you will find on any video or article. Are they told to do this by their higher ups? and if so, why would or why should, anybody trust a brand who uses such dishonest and misleading practices?

4) The reviewers are reps and they are not disclosing this information. It is a law, FTC law as a matter of fact, to fully disclose ALL relations with a company and if the products were free and if you were paid to review these products.
How do I know they are reps?
I can't say every single one is positively a rep but I guarantee they were promised something in return for their reviews. However, I was able to track several of the so called "reviewers", straight to their Facebook pages and their own websites and sure enough, they are reps. Same names, same everything.

5) This comoany has removed the option to review on their Facebook page. I actually posted on their Facebook and asked, "Why can't people post their reviews on your Facebook page?" They replied with this:

 Hi Brandy, Thank you for your question, we welcome your feedback. Our Facebook page is a our brand page and we currently allow comments and public wall posts. We encourage you to leave your comments and reviews on our page. Thank you.

Ok, that would be great! However, all I can find from the very beginning of their Facebook page creation, is a bunch of reps and photoshopped before and after shots. (More on that in another post.) 

So, what did I conclude from my research and investigations? 

I concluded that this brand/company is hiding to much. They train their reps to use dishonesty in order to collect customers and even more potential reps. I can not trust and will never trust a decent sized brand's Twitter or Facebook, being 100% clean and flawless. Not 1 complaint, anywhere and the cult like behaviors by their reps is seriously disturbing.

My Undercover Lover aka Brookside Dark Chocolate Crunchy Clusters

** I received a free sample from Brookside and Crowdtap, in return for my honest review. All of my opinions are my own. **

It all started the day the mail woman stopped at the mailbox for longer than the typical fly by drop off. She hesitated for a moment before opening the door and as I watched from the window, trying to rush to get my slippers on, she had already flung a couple boxes onto my porch as she always does when she can't overstuff my mailbox.


"If only she were a little friendlier", I thought, "I might open the door and meet her halfway but I can't deal with her callousness today."


I opened the door as she stomped away, as if she thought her stomps were crushing the dreamy goodies that were nestled inside my Crowdtap box. But, she is just a tiny thing and she can't throw a fastball as she may make her friends and co workers believe as she sits at the gas station each day while she sips her diet soda and picks the peppers she ordered off of her sub she ordered with extra peppers. I will never understand those people.


I picked the package from the porch and brought it safely inside to get warm and cozy. "I'm so sorry my dear. I know it's winter time and we have been getting colder than normal temperatures out there. I certainly don't want you to suffer any longer then you have too."


Of course, the package didn't respond. But, that's ok. I could already tell what it was thinking....


I went for the scissors but immediately decided that wasn't the best option for such a delicate treasure. So, I grabbed a pen instead and followed the line of the tape between the two, cold flaps of cardboard and gently poked the tiniest hole through the tape.


My heart was pounding a mile a minute, because I knew what was inside! I knew that in just a few minutes, all of my wildest dreams would come true and I would be holding some of the universe's finest chocolates that my hard earned money could buy.... But, this was making my heart pitter patter even more then usual. Because, I didn't pay for these, not at all. Just a simple promise to try this simple yet splendid, fine luxury and in return, I would share my thoughts and honest opinions.


I must have opened the wrong side of the box first because, the precious 5oz bag of Brookside Dark Chocolate Crunchy Clusters (Berry Medley Flavor), was backwards. "How sweet!", I thought to myself as I turned the package over to read what was inside of these scrumptious, misshapen, divine gems!


"OH MY GOD!", I shrieked in sheer delight, as I read the label on the front of the bright purple and white bag.... "Clusters of crispy multigrains and soft fruit flavored centers, all covered in smooth dark chocolate"
I had to read it again as I tore the top of the resealable bag right off as fast as I could!


I couldn't believe my eyes (or nose.)! How did I get to be so lucky?
We had an instant connection, Brookside Dark Chocolate Crunchy Clusters and I.

 Thinking back, I guess maybe I was blinded by the smooth, silky chocolate covered crispy multigrains and fruits. But, at the time, there was just the 2 of us, nobody else.


I wondered, "How could I feel so much affection for a bag of chocolates? Is this lust? Infatuation? Or is this bag of delectable temptations, the real deal?"
Right away I knew what had to be done! I absolutely had to know for sure!
So, I turned the unblemished bag over to read the nutrition facts...

"Yes!! Yes!!" I cried as I read that there were 3.5 servings inside this bag, 22 pieces per serving! 190 calories per serving and 80 calories from fat.
"Perfect! Impeccable, superb itsy bits of heaven!"
and then the unthinkable happened. I didn't have a choice. I had to taste these flawless, teeny, tidbits of fruits and multigrains and DARK CHOCOLATE!
Not one of them matched, every piece was unique and a different size, as if I would have made these at home. "So imperfect", I said, "So imperfect they are the ideal snack!"

The last thing I can remember about life before, Brookside Dark Chocolate Crunchy Clusters, was that first bite. The strange, yet so delicious, morsels, crunching in my mouth and delivering such a supreme kick of harmony and mismatched nirvana, I can only remember exactly how I almost couldn't stop myself and continued to eat these crunchy clusters as if it was a game. Each piece was different then the last. Each delivering a different order of dark chocolate, berries and crispy multigrains.

I can remember putting the bag down after I carefully counted out my 22 pieces and my 4 year old son came into the kitchen to ask what I was eating...
"NOTHING!!!" I screamed, "NOTHING AT ALL!!" as he stared at me as if I belonged in a straight jacket.

That was the end of my quaint, content life that I loved so much. (Or so I thought it was the end.)

I stuffed the bag into a special, secret cabinet where I store these secrets where my husband and children will never look. I folded the bag up to make it as small as I could and slid it into a slight crevice I found between all of my chocolate covered biscuits, cheese making ingredients and a few caramels I have found along the way.

Very few things have made it into this cabinet. I call it, "Mom's secret stash". But, I won't ever share a thing from it, it doesn't matter who you are. Cute bottom lip face or not, you will not get between me and my favorite snacks!!

If you have a secret mommy cabinet or a secret daddy cabinet or any kind of secrets that you keep, Brookside Dark Chocolate Crunchy Clusters will keep that secret for you. The bag, if handled properly, is very quiet and will not perk up the ears on even the most sensitive child! They are also just the right size so that if you quickly grab a few and shove them in your mouth and a kid or a husband or anybody comes out into the kitchen and asks, "What are you eating?", you can have it chewed, swallowed and completely gone from sight in a matter of seconds! Just learn to say, "I have no idea what you are talking about?" and start talking about something else, while you chuckle and think about how funny it is that nobody knows......



** I wanted to add a couple favorite pair ups I have found that work together wonderfully with, Brookside Dark Chocolate Crunchy Clusters:

Strawberry Greek Yogurt with Crunchy Clusters as a topping! YUM!!
A mug of coffee. (Always a fine pair up!)
A cup of hot tea. (Any kind will do, just choose your favorite! Although, I enjoy Crunchy Clusters with a breakfast blend.)

Pistachios. (Sometimes I am in the mood for something salty and sweet. These 2 are probably my most favorite combo!)