Hershey's Pumpkin Spice Kisses

After being addicted to the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes last year (but not digging them as much this year...Maybe I need cooler weather?), I've been even more into the pumpkin spice flavor to things.

Imagine my joy while shopping at Target and stumbling upon these little sweeties - Pumpkin Spice Hershey's Kisses? MMM!

I was concerned about how the pumpkin spice would meld with the chocolate, but I guess I didn't have to worry, as the whole thing is P.S. flavored...not like a P.S. flavored filling. Curiouser and curiouser...

Anyway, they are orangeish, and not terribly delish to me. I have a whole bag, so if you want to try them, come on by and I'll give 'em to you. They were kind of mushy, despite being in our cool house for the past day. I think there's white chocolate involved, as there is that weird grainy white chocolate texture going on, too.

I don't love them. That's all I have to say.

Pledge with Future Floor Finish

Our kitchen and tv room have ancient (likely 40-50 year old?) linoleum/vinyl sheet flooring, and it is VERY difficult to keep it looking decent. Until we get around to replacing it (soon! I swear it, soon!), we usually just stare it down, depressed and glum about its appearance and don't bother doing much more than quick washes because it always just looks dull and cruddy.

However, I think that is more likely because I was an awful daughter and never helped my mom clean the floors when I was growing up, because if I had, I would've certainly heard of Future Floor Finish, which is now part of the Pledge family and available at your local Target/WalMart/grocery store for around $5 for a bottle.

I wish I had taken before and after pictures of the floors. What a difference!! The floors have some shine and luster and I finally get why my Gram is always so angry with me for the condition of the floors.

Easy to use: wash floor. If you have was or lots of buildup on the floor, you may want to wash with ammonia to strip it down. Let the floor dry. I then sprayed a bit of the floor finish onto a section of the floor, and then used a rag attached to my swiffer stick to apply it evenly across the floor. DO NOT WORK YOURSELF INTO A CORNER!! The floor will remain sticky for a while until it is completely dry, and if you step across it, you'll leave a total footprint in it, even if you reapply over it. (Can you tell I half ass most projects?)

Anyway, thumbs way way up!

Pepperidge Farm Pretzel Thins in Savory Cheddar

Mmm, mmm, mmm

The taste vaguely reminds me of some other snack I enjoy, but I can't place it. Picked them up because they were on sale (Naturally) and they have a pretzel crisp texture, with a soft cheddar infusion. Great for a snack tray, though not a cheese tray - adding cheese would be ridiculous. They're just right.


Thumbs up.

Target Brand Baby Formula

Apparently I'm in a Target Brand mood today (see post below). Which is fine, because the only thing I think I've not liked that was Target brand was their knockoff of Pantene shampoo. Blech.

Anyway, I pumped breastmilk for Eleanor for almost 100% of her nutritional input for the first 9 months of her life, supplementing only occasionally with the Enfamil tubs we got from the hospital when she was born and then purchasing same.

When I stopped pumping and we made the gradual switch to 100% formula, I had sticker shock. $22-26/can of formula??? Why does anyone use this instead of nursing??? It wasn't so bad to pick up a can here or there when it would last for ages because we had breastmilk but when we were totally on formula, I did some research, and felt comfortable picking up the Target store brand of baby formula.

In addition to being LESS THAN HALF the cost of Enfamil and Similac, it agrees with Ellie and she hasn't reacted to it negatively at all. In fact, I'd guess she can't tell the difference between the two.

The powder is a little clumpier/thicker than Enfamil, but I think about on par with Similac, which isn't a big whip. They also offer a "Next Stage" formula for 9-24 month old babies, which is something Enfamil also offers.

I say give it a whirl. The nutritional values and ingredients are identical to Enfamil*. Even if your baby hates it, you're out $12 max.

*I belive that Enfamil, Similac, GoodStart, etc. have to renew their patents each year, which releases the prior year's patent out to be duplicated by store brands, so I think it may, in fact, be identical.

Target Brand Diapers

UPDATE: 7/21/08
Well, we're back on Pampers Cruisers. The price hurt, but Ellie's been a little red in her "area" as of late, I feel they aren't as good at wicking the wet away from her body. So it was time to switch back.


So after my eh experience with Walgreens diapers (see below), I decided to try out Target brand diapers. It was under $6 for 36 size 4 diapers. I just picked them up this morning, but Ellie has one on now and I like the feel of it a lot better than the Walgreens ones.

Will update upon a pooxplosion or lots-o-pee as to performance...

UPDATE, 4:38pm: Big poop, went great. Not as "cloth like" to do the initial swipe with the front of the diaper to get some of the mass off, but contained everything quite nicely, baby was as comfy (or uncomfy) as she usually is with Pampers Cruisers. Thumbs up!

Reese's Whipped Candy Bars

I finally met a candy bar I didn't like.

There's not a ton from Reese's that I don't like. Well, the white chocolate grossness was bad...but in comparison to these Whipped things, the white chocolate monstrosity was a delicacy.

Let's look at it this way...If, when I was 6, I ate a ton of peanut butter and then puked it up and it was frothy, that would be the inside of the candy bar. It is like Three Musketeers with Peanut Butter, and, well, I couldn't even finish the candy bar.

People. Read that last line again.
I. Couldn't. Even. Finish. The. Candy. Bar.

I don't think I've ever uttered those words before in my entire life, especially one with components I love (Chocolate and Peanut Butter). But I have always admitted to having texture issues, and therein lies the problem. I guess I want my PB in standard Reese's form, not "whipped." I should whip them.

Thumbs down!

Town House Flip Side Crackers

Redefining the phrase "Catch you on the flipside!" - these crackers are DELICIOUS!
I tried the cheddar cracker variety. One side is a regular cheddar cracker, the other side a pretzel. I don't know how those elves do it, and I don't care. At a friend's house, snacking on these with a dazzling array of cheeses made for the perfect amuse bouche while having a few drinks on a warm summer evening. They will be in my cart for sure on my next trip to the local grocer.

Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Mist Sunblock

I bought this on recommendation from my cousin. It is super easy - better than most spray-on sunblocks. It goes on really light, and no need to rub it in at all. And it really IS cooling and refreshing when you put it on.
You know everyone is abuzz about using "broad spectrum" sun block coverage - defense against UVA and UVB rays. Check!
I got it in SPF 70 for the girls. I prefer to have a little color - skin cancer and wrinkles welcome, apparently.

Melatonin

I typically have problems sleeping at night - falling asleep and staying asleep. In the past I've turned to Excedrin PM, Target over the counter sleep aid caplets, or Benadryl to help me fall asleep.

On the recommendation of a cousin (who has used it with her sleepless kids (on her pediatrician's recommendation)), I gave it a whirl. And it seems to have helped.

Mayo Clinic information on Melatonin.

Lava Soap and Goop Hand Cleaner

After putting up our fence 3 years ago (Maybe more like 2 years ago?), I finally got around to staining it. However, I'm not the neatest worker when it comes to stuff like that, and I had stain ALL over me, which I couldn't get off with mineral spirits, scrub brush, or exfoliating stuff.

One quick trip to Menards, and I was set. I remember us always having Goop and Lava by the basement/utility/laundry sink for good cleaning for bad messes. So I picked up some of each, and the Lava worked like a charm! The Goop was good for some of it - hands and wrists, mostly.

I also saw that Goop has many uses, including removing grease spots from laundry/clothes, which I haven't tried yet, but I will soon!

Pibb Xtra Zero

I'm a big fan, overall, of the ZERO products from Coca Cola. I like the Cherry Coke Zero. I like the Coke Zero, and now I like the Pibb Xtra Zero.
Much like its cousin with a PhD (Diet Dr. Pepper), Pibb Xtra Zero tastes just like regular Pibb Xtra (Or, as us traditionalists like to call it, Mr. Pibb).
Currently, you should be able to catch some great soda deals at your local big chain grocery store, so why don't you pick up some Pibb Xtra Zero and treat yourself to some tastiness with no guilt. Mmm mmm Good!

Walgreens Diapers

I feel like everyone I know knows people who swear by a store brand of something - cleaner, diapers, wipes, food, soda, whatever, which typically means they are saving some bucks over national name brand. However, I feel like I never find these deals or products that I really love.
Anyway, I tried out the Walgreens diapers on the recommendation of a close friend, and, well, I'm not a big fan. L was not a big fan. Half the bag is still under the kids' dresser. I suppose if you're in a pinch, they are decent, but we found the following:
Not as secure on the velcro as the Pampers we usually use
Filled up quickly with pee (ie diaper got HUGE)
Several pooxplosions which leaked up the back, and a couple times out the leg
More papery feeling than cloth feeling

Tumaro's Low Carb Green Onion Tortillas

I used these to make enchiladas because they were the only tortillas I had in the house. Not good. Texture and consistency were poor - they were crumbly and flakey and didn't roll/fold well. They kind of fell apart. And they tasted vaguely like cardboard. Not at all like green onions. Thumbs down.

Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr. Pepper

blech.
Don't be fooled into drinking this because you like Dr. Pepper. Total grossness.