Goodies Box May 2013

Ok, first things first... have you entered my Cravebox Giveaway?  Not yet?  Go ahead, click the link and enter it.  I'll wait.  And if you already entered it, go back anyway.  You can get 5 extra entries each day!  I'm cool like that, I know.

And... I'm done shilling for my giveaway.  Until tomorrow.  But now, for Goodies!  They must have heard the giant collective "meh" when we all opened up our boxes in April.  They totally stepped it up for May!  Yay, Goodies!  I was honestly (and sadly) about to cancel after this month if I got yet another mediocre box.    So I am extra thrilled that this month was awesome!  Seriously, check this out!

So much yummy goodness!

Now, if any of this seems familiar, you may have watched my unboxing video for this box:

Yeah, for some reason I look like a demon incarnate in the screenshot (what is wrong with my eyes!?) but I assure you, the video is entirely exorcism-free.  I am happy to say that I have now tried everything in this box, and I have an in-depth review for you all!

The first item in the box was the Beanitos White Bean with Sea Salt chips.  Instead of being made with corn, these beans are made with (wait for it...) beans!  They honestly tasted really close to regular tortilla chips.  My only complaint was that they are a bit bland, but with any kind of salsa or guacamole dip, they'd be amazing.  Definitely a win!

The next item was Bronco Bob's Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce.  There were several varieties sent, so I was happy to get this one! The sauce had a thick, rich texture, and because it was such a tiny jar (2.5 oz), I knew it wouldn't go far - so I substituted it for ketchup in a meatloaf recipe!  It was one of the best decisions I made last week!  The sauce gave the whole dish a nice fruity zing without being overly spicy.  I would buy this again, but I might go for the Orange Ginger flavor.  It's getting some great reviews as a marinade for Asian food.

This bad boy had us all excited once we got tracking numbers.  It made the box weigh over four pounds!  It's Zico Pure Premium Coconut Water, and they sent a full liter!  Coconut water really isn't my thing, but my husband LOVED it, and used it in smoothies all this past week.  He just finished it off this morning.

I love it when they send kid-friendly items, and this was a great treat for the boys!  I did make them "earn" the candy by picking up their toys, concentrating on their homework (well, Knight had homework.  And trouble paying attention.  These totally helped) and helping me make dinner, but it was so worth it to see them giggling and sucking air through the sour straws.  I loved that these were fat-free and had no artificial coloring!  I'll keep an eye out for these next time I'm in the candy aisle!

This was really the only "meh" product for me, I'm just not a big seed fan.  My husband tried a few, I tried a few, we looked at each other and shrugged, and forgot about them for a few days.  Neither of us wanted any more, so I ended up throwing it away.  I felt bad, but no one in the family wanted any more, and I didn't want to try and pawn an open bag off on someone else!  (ok, well I would have if we had extended family nearby, but we don't).  But now I know that I don't like pumpkin seeds, and I won't waste time at Hallowe'en trying to to get all crafty and bake those suckers!

These!  So awesome!  Not only are these California Olive Branch Extra Virgin Olive Oil packets made from olives grown in the USA, but they are the PERFECT size for sauteeing!  I used one last week for some onions and veggies and I was very happy to have these pre-measured packets.  I always, ALWAYS overpour oils into the pan, so these were awesome in helping control portion size!  I'm sure it's sold as a full-size item, but I'm going to check around and see if any packets are available for sale.

For me, tea is always a win.  They sent Moroccan Mint flavor, and while I haven't made my cup o' tea with it yet, I know it's going to be awesome (and if it's not, I will update this post!)  I was also very happy that they sent a coupon!

I may have to go outside of my usual shopping radius to find this brand, but we do have an organic market about 20 minutes away, and I'm sure they carry this brand.  Now, are you ready for my MOST FAVORITE ITEM in this box?

Bam! Chip Clip!

Wholly Guacamole!  It's for a free item, and for some reason, I have been getting these coupons in a LOT of boxes lately.  But you will never hear me complaining!  I love buying the little individual size packets of guacamole, because I make guacamole burgers (sooo much healthier than putting mayo on your burgers!) and while my hubby and I will slather the stuff on, the kids run screaming at the sight of the GREEN OOZE.  So we just split one of the individual packets, and since the other packets are still airtight, I'm not all like "Must use this stuff! Gaaaah!"

I do want to try one of their salsas or pico de gallo soon, so this coupon might go towards trying something new.  Hey, for free I can't go wrong!  Oh and I also got one of these Chip Clips in my Cravebox Resolutions box back in January, and I'm happy to report that the clip is still going strong, and was happy to have a twin join him in the drawer!

Well, my friends, that was the May Goodies Box!  What was your favorite item?

Disclaimer:  I am neither employed by nor affiliated with Goodies Co or any brand in the box.  This box was free this month due to my accumulation of points on their website, but I do normally pay $7 per month to receive it.  All reviews are my own opinions.

Goodies Box April 2013

Good Morning all my wonderful readers!  I'm reviewing my April Goodies box, and I have to say, this box is rapidly going downhill.  I'm not to the point of cancelling yet (after all, it's only $7/mo), but if I continue to get a box full of energy bars and single-serving chips, I will be waving buh-bye to this sub.  I'm bummed about that, because Goodies was so great when I started.  I'd get things like entire boxes of cookies, or make new discoveries like Biscoff spread (it's like peanut butter - only made out of crushed cookies! NOMZ) or Barefruit's Cinnamon Apple Chips.  Now it's all stuff I'd never buy again.

I know, my completely underwhelmed reaction is totally making you excited to read this review, right? Sorry.  I promise, there were a few good things this month!

Hey, at least the box is pretty neat!

Goodies Box March 2013

Yup, still behind.  But catching up!  The good thing about waiting so long to write this review is that I've tried every item in this box!  So you get the real deal... not just "This looks yummy", but "This WAS yummy!"

Am I trying to sugarcoat my procrastination?  Possibly.  Let's just enjoy the review though...

Breakfast of Champions!

March's theme was "Rise and Shine", and contained several sample sizes of breakfast foods.  Of course, their definition of breakfast doesn't always jive with mine, so several of these items made excellent afternoon snacks.  (This is not their fault.  I can't stomach anything more than tea or a smoothie before lunch.)

Goooood Morning!

The first item is a Greek Yogurt coated granola bar by Rickland Orchards.  I got the Cranberry Almond flavor.  This is my problem with combination flavors.  I love cranberries, I hate almonds.  GAAAAAHHH.  I sucked it up and tried it anyway.  Greek yogurt?  More like Greek icing.  It wasn't bad, but it wasn't my fave.  Moving on.

Adequate, but unmemorable.

Next we had the ubiquitous Belvita biscuits! These are pretty good, but very dry.  I always recommend having a large glass of water (or a gallon of milk, a quart of juice, or a jug of wine.  Your choice) nearby.  I seriously don't know if it's the cinnamon or grains that make me so darn thirsty, but seriously.  Sahara.  Also, these didn't give me any "sustained energy", I was hungry again an hour later.  So... kinda recommend?

Eat these if you need to drink more water!  You'll have no choice!

Ok, onto something I really liked! COOKIES!  Why has no one thought of breakfast cookies before?   The Erin Baker's Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookie was like a regular oatmeal raisin cookie, but less sweet and more... oat-y.  The emphasis on the grains did make it feel more like breakfast, but honestly now I just want to have cookies for breakfast every day!

Bravo, Erin Baker's.

Well... that was the pinnacle of my box's achievements.  The rest of the items were given to my husband and kids, so I'll share their thoughts.  Knight ate the Triple Berry Newtons (I guess you can't call them Fig Newtons if they're a different flavor?), and liked them well enough, but he certainly hasn't asked for any more.  Also? These are MESSY.  They have that crumbly grain outer coating, and bits of it get everywhere. And of course, every bit of grain is connected to a tiny bit of sticky, squishy filling.  If you are a neatnik, avoid these!  

This company can claim decades of wreaking havoc on carpet.

My hubby, the granola connoisseur, declared the Vanilla Almond Ola! Granola to be "good, but a bit dry".  It's all-natural and handbaked, which explains why it may not be as sweet as the bigger brands, but it's not something I'll be seeking out.   

Adios, Ola!

Jovan's Instant Breakfast is also something that went to the hubsters.  He uses protein powder a lot, and I'm trying to talk him into using this as a substitute.  So far, no luck, but I may put it into a milkshake and try to serve it to the kids.  Poor Instant Breakfast... it's like the last kid picked for dodgeball.

Awwwww.

Oh, look, here's the item that won the "Weirdest Drink EVER" award!  It was an Alo (no idea how to do the line above the "O") Comfort drink in Watermelon + Peach.  It tasted great!  But alas, it's made with real aloe juice AND PULP.  That's right, this drink is chewy.  Every time I took a swig, I almost choked on the pulp.  Thankfully, my honey didn't have the same "Argh!  I'm chewing my drink!" reaction and finished this off for me.  He actually wants more.  We'll see.

Darn you weird chewy drink!

And last, we have the most ADORABLE jar of Strawberry Preserves!  It's by Bonne Maman, and it was actually pretty decent.  Unfortunately, due to the jar size (yep, I had to take the picture with it pinched between two fingers) I only got to cover two pieces of toast.  It was good, but I seriously wish they had sent a larger sample.  I would not be willing to buy a big jar based on one (good, but not great) toast & tea experience.

But if they had more tiny jars, I'd buy them all!

So that's my breakfast box.  Some other bloggers figured out the cost of all these items, and I'm not going to break it down individually, but it was right around the $7 price. of the box.  This box has been underwhelming for a few months now, but my family always eats everything in the box (eventually...) and it's led me to several great food discoveries.  So I'm keeping Goodies!  They're also improving their communication about shipping times, and my April box should be shipping around the 24th of this month.  It's my goal to be completely caught up on reviews by the time it gets here!  Wish me luck!

Foodie Box Beatdown! (Goodies, Graze, Love With Food)

First things first... I know I've been a bit absent for awhile.  I came down with a tummy bug earlier this week, and as soon as I started feeling better, the kids got sick.  Apologies for the writing dry spell, but getting everyone feeling better definitely took precedence over blogging!  However, the mail didn't stop, so instead of doing three separate food box reviews, I decided to pit them against each other and declare a winner!  I have now cancelled two out of three of my foodie subscriptions (my bank account is certainly happier), and I'm very content with the one I chose!  Read on for details!

I have tried the food boxes... and declared a winner!  Ok, not all of the food boxes, but three.  I tried to find boxes at a similar price point, and compare based on taste, quality, value, and creativity.  Personally, I love trying new foods, and finding new things for my picky kids!  Welcome to the Foodie Box Beatdown of 2013!

I'm already sensing a size advantage.

Goodies Box January 2013

Oh wow.  Nothing says "party weekend!" like having two sick little boys.  So much cleaning, and laundry, and wiping noses, and trying to remember exactly when you gave that last dose of medicine so you're not OD'ing your poor kid on ibuprofen.  I also had two very different patients.  Knight was happy to just lie in bed, watching movies and being a good little patient.  I'm sure you can guess where this is going... Yep, Dragon wasn't happy unless he was cuddling in my arms and coughing in my face.  Gross.  So imagine my happiness when I staggered outside on Saturday for a breath of fresh air and found my box o'Goodies!  Nothing says love like snacks on my porch.

That's love right there.

Happy New Year! The Inaugural Post

Happy New Year! And a happy new blog!

Welcome to the Whimsical Adventures of a Magical Mom.  Hi, I'm Leigh.  Wife, mother to two awesome little boys, and ruler of my own little kingdom.  Yeah, normally I'd be co-ruling with the king.  But he's away right now for his job, so it's my job to be the Evil Queen benevolent monarch. Our oldest boy, whom I'll call Knight, is a dream child. Polite, curious, sweet, and already a ladies' man in his kindergarten class, he is Mommy's helper.  Although he did totally thrash me at Candy Land this morning, and I'm not sure if I'm over it yet.  And then, we have Dragon.  My youngest.  He's.... wild.  Boisterous.  Non-verbal.  Seriously, he's three, and has yet to say a complete sentence.  We noticed his speech wasn't developing properly when he turned two, and we took him to a private speech therapist for a year.  She did an amazing job working with him, and now we have him in our local elementary school's preschool, with speech and cognitive therapy a few times a week.  I'm starting to see a lot of improvement lately, thank goodness.  He does a LOT better in a peer group, and heaven bless his teachers, who are willing to deal with over a dozen rambunctious preschoolers every day.  So, that's us!  We live in a quaint little town a few hours from the East Coast, and just bought our first house this summer.  Yay!

I'm sure you're all happy for the introduction, but now you're thinking "What is this blog all about?"  Well, several things.  We live far away from extended family, so this is a great way for them to stay updated on how we're doing without ridiculously long Facebook statuses.  Hi, family! Love you all!  Seriously, I have the greatest family.  And let's just say I won the in-law lottery.  They're quite fabulous.  So, family updates will be a big part of this.  I will also post about my artsy-craftsy projects.  Pinterest is a little (ha!) obsession of mine, and I'd love to be able to share my accomplishments, once again, without blowing up my Facebook newsfeed with "look what I can do!"

And lastly, I will be posting about my most recent hobby... subscription boxes!  What are subscription boxes, you ask? Oh, you didn't ask? Well sit down, cause I'm gonna tell you anyway!  For a small price, usually about $10-15 a month, companies like Ipsy, Birchbox, Beauty Army, Love Club Box, Goodies, and Citrus Lane (my current subs) send you a box each month filled with the most amazing stuff!  There are many categories, I currently have beauty, lifestyle, food, and kids' boxes.  I will post reviews on what I got in each box, and give a little explanation about what each company is about.  I am not paid for these reviews, nor do I receive the boxes for free unless otherwise noted.  (Sorry, but the little lawyer that lives in my head told me I should put in a disclaimer.)  I may have referral links that give me rewards if you sign up through my site, but I will always have those noted.

I hope all of you are having a very Happy New Year, and that 2013 brings you lots of blessings and joy.  Please enjoy my new adventures in blogging, pictures and other extra stuff are coming soon.  After all... Ancora Imparo!*

*Latin for: "I am still learning"