The Positives of Building Your Own House {#spon}

**This is a sponsored post.. I was compensated for sharing my blog space with the author for this post. **

Building a home is an exciting process, but it can also be a time-consuming and expensive one. To be an owner builder is a choice that may have a few drawback but the advantages are numerous and, depending on your own values and needs, often greatly outweigh the challenges. Here are a few reasons why building your own home can be so worthwhile.

Design Your Home to Suit You

When you build your own home you’ve got almost free-reign over what the end product will be. You can design the house from the ground up so that every element is perfectly suited to you, your lifestyle, your needs, your values, your family – you can completely customise the build so that it’s a perfect fit for you. From choosing between small or large rooms, single or split level, open-plan or cosy cottage, you can tailor every element to suit.

Chose A Lot That Suits

If you’re building your own home, you’ll also be choosing the lot on which you want to build it. This means you’ve got total control over the location of your new abode, whether you want to be by the sea or somewhere rural, be near schools or work or places of leisure, be amongst a close-knit neighbourhood or with miles between you and your neighbours. You can also choose the size of the plot you’ll be building on, and the size of your house – whether you want a grandiose two-storey house but you don’t mind having a small yard, or whether you want a big open-plan sprawling kind of home with acreage on all sides, you can totally customise the fit of the home on the land you’ll be living on.

Choose Your Own Construction Materials

Building your own home means you get to dictate the balance between cost, function, aesthetics, durability and all the other varying elements to be considered when choosing what you’ll build your home with. You get to decide where money gets spent and where it gets saved in your construction budget. You have control over whether your construction materials are sourced locally, or from renewable or sustainable resources. You can opt for fire or pest resistant materials, or choose materials that are proven to be durable and long lasting over their cheaper counterparts. It’s all up to you.

Control Maintenance Requirements

You can construct your home based on what you’re prepared to do to maintain it too. For example, you can choose to steer away from wood in your construction if you want to negate the need for termite checks, or use carpets instead of polished wood floors inside if you’re not a fan of weekly vacuuming. You can spend a little more on higher quality materials so that they’ll last longer and require less looking after. You can design simple spaces that are easy to keep clean and tidy rather than lots of pokey nooks and crannies, or if you’re building a house you plan to retire to, you can go for a single level home over a split-level so that you won’t have to worry about stairs, or cleaning 2 can decide what kind of house you want to live in, not just what kind of house you’re going to build.

Dictate the Eco-Friendliness of Your Home

Making all the decisions about the construction of your home means you also have a great opportunity to create a home with a small carbon footprint. You can opt for many energy saving measures in your home, and make choices that will create a space in which waste is reduced and power requirements are kept to a minimum. Things like solar power, double glazing, insulation and tank water are all great examples. You can also choose to make the building process itself a more eco-friendly event by choosing sustainable materials from local sources.

If you think that these are all points that are important to you, then perhaps it’s time to seriously consider building your own home. Coral Homes are able to help you turn your dream home into a reality - their qualified builders will work with you to ensure that your new home ticks all of the boxes on your wish list.

- Written By Katie Stevens

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Palmolive's New Soft Touch Dish Soap, Manicures, And A Giveaway

** Thanks to the PR firm or brand for the items to review. This review is based strictly on my experience and opinion. There was no compensation for the review itself or to influence my choice of words. Others may not agree or may have a different experience.**

It happens every day. Dishes pile up in my sink, needing to be washed. I don't mind having to do the chore so much, but the washing tends to do a number on my hands. My skin gets dry and my painted nails get chipped. 

With this problem in mind, Palmolive formulated 3 new types of dish soap for their new Soft Touch line. I'll be introducing you to each one over the next few months and will let you know what I think of them. I'll also be showing you my fun manicures to match each soap!

The first of the 3 sent to me was the Vitamin E. When I opened the box and saw that it was pink, I was very excited to paint my nails to match and begin trying it out. You can see the nail polish I was sent in the picture above. Yes, this soap is infused with Vitamin E just like its name suggests, and it has a light floral smell. I find it to be very refreshing.

Here is my manicure! I used the pink they sent me and grabbed a shimmery taupe color of my own to paint stripes on the index finger and give just the ring finger a french manicure tip. Cute, right? I was really hoping that it would last a bit while I used the soap in my everyday dish washing. 

Did I notice a difference in this dish soap? You bet! I noticed that it really is soft on the hands. I have regular Palmolive dish soap on my sink as well {we use this brand regularly in this house} and the Soft Touch soap felt almost like velvet compared to the other soap. I love it because it's really gentle on my hands while still cleaning my dishes well. My nails can stay pretty a bit longer this way and my hands don't dry out as quickly.

Stay tuned to hear about the other two types of Soft Touch soap and enter those giveaways as well!

THE GIVEAWAY!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Josh Groban "In The Round" Tour TICKET GIVEAWAY!

**Thanks to the PR Firm that offered tickets to give away. I did not receive any compensation {no swag, tickets, payment, etc } for sharing this giveaway with you. **

Yes, you read that right...and...
I KNOW! Right?

I'm crazy excited that I get to give one of you 2 free tickets to see Josh Groban LIVE in CONCERT!

Here's what you need to know!

• For more information about Josh Groban’s “In the Round” tour, or to buy tickets, check out http://bit.ly/GrobanRSVP
• The “In the Round” tour, launching October 2^nd in Boise, ID will give fans a one-of-a-kind concert experience. Placed in the middle of the venue floor, a 360-degree stage will allow Josh to interact with fans from all sides of the venue and hear Groban sing classic songs that span his illustrious 12 year career. The “In the Round” tour builds on the concept of Groban’s 2011 “Straight To You” world tour, bringing the intimate feel of a theater experience to an arena setting.
• ENDS 5/12: Fans are encouraged to check out a special Mother’s Day sweepstakes where you can enter to win a pair of tickets to any stop on the “In the Round” tour, plus a meet and greet! http://bit.ly/GrobanSweeps

Now, the winner will get to choose the concert he/she would like to see, but the tickets for each date/venue are extremely limited. I WANT you to get to the show that works best if you win, so I'm only allowing 1 week's time for this giveaway to run. If, by chance, the venue the winner selects is sold out, he/she will have to choose another venue/date. The winner will receive the tickets by mail before the concert date. {I am not responsible for any complications in the shipment once I submit the winner's information to the sponsor but I will gladly follow up with the sponsor should there be any concerns/questions.}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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What I Learned About #LACTAID {And A Giveaway}

**Thanks to TheMotherhood and LACTAID for this opportunity. I will be receiving compensation for my involvement in two posts and hosting a giveaway.**

Last week, I sat in on a conference call with members from TheMotherhood, other bloggers, Melissa d’ Arabian, LACTAID Brand Spokesperson, and Michelle Harrington , R.D. and LACTAID® Regulatory and Nutritional Affairs Manager to talk about LACTAID. My oldest son has a lactose intolerance so strong that we cut all dairy out of his diet. However, he's one of three children and it's tricky sometimes to keep everyone happy with the foods we eat.

Lactose is what you will find as the major carbohydrate in milk and dairy products and it's basically the milk sugar. When that lactose enters the intestine, lactase {an intestinal enzyme} breaks it down into two parts, glucose and galactose. And this process is what determines the lactose intolerance level in each person. The less lactose a body makes on its own, the greater the level of lactose intolerance. Each person has a different level and some people can develop an intolerance overtime, where it shows up later in life.

My son's doctor explained it to me this way, when the galactose hits the intestine, the body tries to break it down. For him, the body would continue to send the lactose back through again and again since it couldn't break it down, it would reject the lactose, and that would make him sick.

We began looking for milk substitutes after we nailed down my son's problem. I am so thankful for LACTAID and their line of products.

LACTAID products are 100% dairy but they add a natural enzyme {lactase} from yeast. This makes their milk taste a bit sweeter than normal milk. In their line of products, they create Milks, cottage cheese, ice cream, and even egg nog. I was so excited to see that they offer chocolate milk that is not only lactose free, it also has no high fructose corn syrup in it! And cottage cheese? My mom gave me cottage cheese with peaches or pears when I was little. I'm glad to know that I can share that with my son and not make him sick from the lactose in it. Also, don't get me started on ice cream. When we first learned of his intolerance, we couldn't find a dairy free ice cream, so we offered him sorbet {crazy expensive stuff}. Now, he can choose from Chocolate {always in our freezer}, Butter Pecan, Vanilla, Cookies and Cream, and Strawberries and Cream flavors. Each of the ice cream flavors is also gluten free with the exception of the Cookies and Cream.

In the coming months, I'll be trying out a recipe with LACTAID to make something my whole family can enjoy together. I can't wait to share that with you. In the meantime, please be sure to check out Melissa d' Arabian on the TODAY show with Kathie Lee and Hoda as she shares ways to use LACTAID in recipes. Check out Food.Today.com or Youtube.com/LACTAID

THE GIVEAWAY!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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SwaddleDesigns For The New Baby {Review}

** Thanks to the PR firm or brand for the item{s} to review. This review is based strictly on Andi's experience and opinion. There was no compensation for the review itself or to influence her choice of words. Others may not agree or may have a different experience.**

Hi there. It’s me. The girl who doesn’t like coffee. I hope that we can still be friends after my confession the other day that my true love of steaming beverages lies with tea and apple cider. {phew} Now can we all agree that buying sweet things for adorable new babes is one of the greatest joys ever?! If you are looking for some sweet ideas for a new bundle allow me to point you in the right direction!

When I was given the opportunity to review some adorable baby items from SwaddleDesigns, I jumped at the chance! After Bean decided to join us on Valentine’s Day, I knew she would be surrounded by pink and hearts for the rest of her life. I was looking forward to some sweet things to add to her girly lifestyle and SwaddleDesigns did not disappoint. I was thrilled with the girlie swag I received: a fitted crib sheet, a lovie, and a swaddling blanket.

As parents we want our precious little ones to be comfortable. Since they spend so much time sleeping, a comfy crib sheet is a must. The Ultra Soft Cotton - Fitted Flannel Crib Sheet is so soft and cozy. It totally delivers! I know I will be grabbing this one first when making her bed. And, since she will be sharing a room with her brothers for a while, the tiny pink polka dots are just the right touch to make her bed her own.

Speaking of making things her own, I can certainly see her reaching for The Violet Puff Circles Baby Lovie. Our oldest squisher, Bookworm, has been obsessed with fabric from the day she was born. Bean seems to love the feel of fabric in her hands and against her rosey cheeks as much as her biggest sis. The fuzzy soft center combined with the satin edges will keep any little one comforted day or night.

Another item that is sure to comfort is good swaddling blanket. Swaddling comforts and reminds babies of the mother’s womb. I think there is something irresistible about a tiny baby swaddled all warm and cozy. The Marquisette Swaddling Blanket is amazing. A luxurious 46 x 46 size makes this the queen bee of swaddling blankets in my book. I wish I had this blanket in my stash with my other squishers. This durable cotton blanket is a multitasker and as versatile as SwaddleDesigns promotes on their site - use as a sunshield, play mat for tummy time, or privacy throw for breastfeeding.

I am so impressed with the quality of the items I received from SwaddleDesigns. You cannot go wrong with any of the fun patterns they have for a practical, yet memorable, gift for a new squisher in your life.

BUY IT: The products mentioned range in price from $16-$32 and can be purchased online.

~Andi

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Snikiddy Snacks, Please! {Review}

** Thanks to the PR firm or brand for the item to review. This review is based strictly on my experience and opinion. There was no compensation for the review itself or to influence my choice of words. Others may not agree or may have a different experience.**

Can I just be very honest with you about something? I really don't like when we have things like potato chips in the house for the kiddos to snack on. Most store-bought items are way too greasy and I just want to keep that garbage far away from their little stomachs. I don't even care for greasy potato chips to eat, myself. 

So, I hesitated when I was approached to review snacks with my family. That is, until I read that these snacks had no GMO's in them and certain types had a full serving of vegetables in every ounce of chips. That was all I needed to read and I was sold. I received 6 bags of chips to review from Snikiddy. 

 When we opened the box that had arrived, my little ones were very excited. Alex was even more excited when I told him that the Sea Salt chips had no milk in them.  I told them to pick a favorite to try first and those choices are the ones you see pictured above. {I tried a little bit of everything with one exception. I'll explain later.} Each of them were very tasty and I thoroughly enjoyed snacking on each flavor.

My Top Two Favorites:

I sampled both the Sour Cream & Onion and Grilled Cheese Puffs flavors. And while the Sour Cream & Onion chips were delicious, light, and not greasy, I preferred the airy Grilled Cheese Puffs for my own snacking. The only downside to these is that they're so airy, I lost track of how much I was eating. The upside, of course, was that they were all natural and not weighing down my stomach when I was done. 

Ah, the Bold Buffalo flavor. Yah, these didn't last very long at all in my house. The hubster is a huge fan of anything BBQ or, in this case, Bold Buffalo. In between hand fulls of his eating the baked fries, I did manage to get him to say something about them. He really, really liked them and thought they were very good. {Obviously, he thought so because they disappeared very quickly!}

I shared one very cheesy Cheddar Cheese fry with my smallest to see what she would think of it. Hm...will she like it? 

Yes! She loved it and wanted more right away. 

Snikiddy Snacks can be found in stores. Take a minute to search your zip code and find the store closest to you!

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My Little Mover and Her NEW HuggiesSlip-On #FirstFit Diapers! {review}

My baby girl has started standing up and taking her first steps recently. I can hardly believe I will have 3, perfectly mobile kiddos soon. {Sounds fun, right?}

Just in time for my little wiggler to become a little wobbler, Huggies and Mom Central Consulting sent me 2 packs of the new Huggies Little Movers Slip On Diapers to try out.

Right away, I changed out the diapers I had in the changing table for these new ones and started using them. I'm learning that I can stop using the changing table for the most part with my smallest kiddo and simply stand her up to change her. It makes changing her diaper so much faster and easier.

Now, these diapers still have that great leak lock protection I've talked about before but they're designed just for those little ones who have started standing and walking. There is no velcro to close up as they all come ready to just slip on and go.

But you can bet that taking these off is just as simple. The sides are easy to undo and the diapers design easily rolls up and the tight-hold velcro keeps it closed for easy disposal. No need to worry about messes or old diapers coming undone!

Here's a commercial to help give you a full picture of these Little Movers Slip On Diapers.



These diapers really do work wonderful and they do stay put. Through ever walk, fall, crawl, stand, sit, and squirm, I don't worry that these might leak because I'm sure they won't.

HUGGIES has done it again, and made a product that makes me want to switch over and use them exclusively. These come with my stamp of approval and recommendation for anyone with little movers in the home.

If you'd like to try them out, let me help you save on your first purchase by offering you a coupon. Just go to the HUGGIES page, click on "Get Coupon", answer a few simple questions and you'll get a coupon for $2 off your purchase!!

Grab your coupon, go buy them, and try them for yourself. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

**I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for HUGGIES. I received product samples to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

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Eye Spy: Pistons Academy Dance Is This Weekend

My Eliana loves to dance and if she were old enough, I think the Pistons Dance Academy would be a fun and encouraging activity for her to join in on.

It's happening this weekend at The Palace Of Auburn Hills and I've attached a flyer for you with the details.

Please note, this is not a compensated post. I'm just helping them spread the word to you. {click the image if you need to enlarge it.}

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