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You are here: Home / Archives for Jessie

AirFree Onix 3000

August 4, 2018 by Jessie Leave a Comment

Sample provided.

I am a chronic allergy sufferer. I have had allergies as long as I remember. When I moved to South Korea in 2008, my allergies peaked and never really went back to normal. I was in a specialists office 3 times a week having my sinuses cleaned out and was frequently prescribed antibiotics just so I could breathe normally and keep illness and infections at bay. When I was finally tested for allergens, my dust mite allergy was so high it wasn’t even countable. What this means for me is that carpets and bedding make me feel ill like you can’t believe. Because of my allergies, I almost never sleep in a bed, preferring a less cushioned, less linen infused area such as my living/dining area.

When I received the Airfree Onix 3000, I received the possibility of an allergen-free bedroom.

So, what is in my bedroom that makes it a bio-hazard? 3 hairy, stinky cats that spray, a cat box, and the beginnings of mildew in my bathroom. Not to mention… DUSTMITES!  Lucky for me, the Airfree Onix 3000 promises to eliminate all of the above!

I have been using the Airfree Onix 3000 on and off for several months, testing it in different weather and seasons. It definitely helped with the pet odor and cut down on dust motes in the air. Paired with frequent washings of my bed linens, and vacuuming of the carpet in my bedroom, it has definitely left the room feeling more fresh and breathable. I actually am able to sleep in my room for consecutive nights now!  

My Dustmite Farm

I personally have more trouble with allergies in spring and summer and this is when I have found the Airfree Onix 3000 to help me the most. Because the Airfree Onix 3000 does purify the air through use of a heat source, I found that it pretty drastically dries out the air. For me, dryness exacerbates some of my symptoms, so during the dry winter I had to stow away the Airfree Onix 3000. However, when I pulled it out in spring and summer I found it was much more helpful due to the increased moisture in the air. I am able to leave it running and enjoy a less smelly, less dusty, and less dustmite-y bedroom during these more humid months.

I would recommend the Airfree Onix 3000 to chronic allergy sufferers who are not sensitive to arid climates. Airfree Onix 3000 coupled with clean bed linens definitely improves the environment and makes everyday life a little more bearable in the bedroom for the chronically congested.

Go check out the AirFree Website and take a look at the Onyx 3000! 

Filed Under: review

#Teleflora Presents #ImJustLikeHer Mother’s Day Bouquets

May 8, 2017 by Jessie 1 Comment


Sample provided.

176 odd days of rain and counting here on the glorious North Oregon Coast.  We’ve given up on ever seeing the sun again and the house is dark and full of grey weather and gloom.  We are swiftly expanding around our middles and growing ever more despondent in our dreary and stuffy houses.  My mother and I sit and play video games all day and it is even raining and thundering in our game.  What a way to spend the upcoming holiday.

Mother’s Day is just next weekend and until just this last Friday, our hopes of spring were further away than that.  We didn’t feel like moving, or talking, or celebrating.  We were tired of wet, muddy feet and dark skies.  However, thanks to a beautiful delivery from Teleflora that arrived for my mother on Friday, a little bit of life and color has been brought back to us courtesy of Teleflora’s Sparkle and Shine Bouquet.  And it definitely has brought a little sparkle and shine for all of us.  There is finally a spot of color to break the gloom of this unending rain.  It finally feels like spring is here and has brought with it the spirit of Mother’s Day.

The soft, blushing roses and the purple and pinks of the lavender and mums work together so beautifully that this is easily one of my favorite Teleflora arrangements.  It is the perfect way to tell your mom, “I love you!” on Mother’s Day.  In addition to the excellent color selection, I really like the texture of this bouquet.  The round of the roses, the sharpness of the mums and the fluff of the lavender and huckleberry blossoms really compliment each other.  Not to mention the fashionable and color coordinated vase they arrived in, which accents the flowers perfectly!

My mother loved her bouquet and I am very excited to place another order for the mother of my significant other.  Now, quick, before it’s too late!  Go find the perfect bouquet for your mother on Teleflora.com!

 

Filed Under: review

Romantic Floral Arrangments by #Teleflora #HandmadeByYou

February 2, 2017 by Jessie Leave a Comment

Samples provided.

I can’t believe Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Normally, I don’t really celebrate Valentine’s but thanks to Teleflora, it is quickly moving up on my list of favorite holidays! Of all of the beautiful Teleflora bouquets that I have had the pleasure to enjoy, I am always a little extra excited about their Valentine’s Day arrangements.  At Teleflora, there is a little something for everyone.  At first, I was dead set on their Love’s Passion Bouquet with an abundance of lilies and roses, (I highly recommend this bouquet, also!) but this year I was intrigued by the Shining Heart Bouquet (pictured) with delicate flowers in rich purples and pinks and a generous helping of vibrant red roses.

When the delivery man arrived at my door with my Teleflora bouquet, I was having a bit of a down week. Rain was falling, report cards were looming, and I was feeling a bit out of sorts. Opening the door to an armful of fragrant roses and rich alstromeria brightened my mood and suddenly things didn’t seem so glum. Each day only brings more joy as the closed buds bloom and the bouquet fills out. Not to mention the wonderful aroma that now fills my old farmhouse! How romantic!

Teleflora works with a local florist to bring you the freshest flowers and quick service.  The flowers keep well as long as you remember to give them water everyday! In addition to the gorgeous Shining Heart Bouquet, Teleflora has many, many amazing arrangements for your loved one! Don’t delay, check out teleflora.com for the perfect gift for your Valentine this holiday!

Filed Under: review

Teleflora’s Sparkling Star Centerpiece

December 20, 2016 by Jessie 3 Comments

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Sample provided.

Nothing says the holidays like Teleflora!  I am always excited when I get a knock on the door and there is floral arrangement from Teleflora greeting me.  This year I received the Sparkling Star Centerpiece chosen from a myriad of other beautiful arrangements.  I particularly love Teleflora’s Christmas bouquets because they bring that delicious scent of Christmas…without the fire hazard of a well-lit tree!

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Their holiday bouquets are wonderful gifts for loved ones or that hard-to-shop-for friend.  They also make excellent appreciation gifts for co-workers (such as your school secretaries!), or even a house guest gift!  For those of you with a mother-in-law, this. is. perfect.  They are beautiful centerpieces for holiday dinners, whether that is New Years Day, Christmas or even Thanksgiving!  Best of all, the delicately crafted and classical looking mercury glass vase goes with any decor and is a timeless piece that can be used again and again!

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Photo Credit: Scott Clark Phototelefloras-sparkling-star-centerpiece

Photo Credit: Scott Clark Photo

Take a peek at teleflora.com and order your holiday bouquet today!

Filed Under: review

#Banfi Wines Presents: Back To School! First Quarter, Final Report

November 19, 2016 by Jessie 1 Comment

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Samples provided.

Back to school has never been more crazy than this year! Not only are my days filled with lessons, assessments and a classroom of new students, but it is back to school for me to learn about wine!

Amidst the chaos and grading I am squeezing in time to read Wine Folly by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack while sampling a delicious array of Banfi wines. And trust me, it is an interesting new hobby as well as a fun conversation maker as I argue with friends on Friday game nights about the scent of a particularly tasty wine!

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While I am usually a creature of habit unwilling to deviate from my secret margarita recipe, I have had tons of fun the last few weeks sampling different kinds of wine and learning where the different flavors come from! I even learned a little about pairing different kinds of wines, and had an extra fun excuse to throw a dinner party! (Homemade Indian curry and Bolla Rose anyone?)

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I’ve learned about the effect of tannins (natural compounds found in grape skins) on my tongue and consequently that I apparently have too many taste buds (bitter!), thus I favor the sweet deliciousness of a fruity red or white wine with fewer tannins. I learned about the acidity and sweetness of wine. The more acidic the more shriveled your mouth will feel. (Fun fact: Did you know that the higher the alcohol content in your wine is, the more watery your mouth will be?) I also learned how to look for clarity by tipping your glass and looking at the wine from an angle to judge color and depth.  I also read something about finding the dominant scent of the wine.  Funny thing is, I (drunkenly?) read that you should sniff the inside of your elbow and then smell the wine. And better yet?  I made my whole family do it before I let them drink any.  Clearly that day I could not handle my alcohol.  Please DON’T do that. Instead, smell the wine once, to cleanse your palate before inhaling and looking for that first delicious aroma.

Lastly, I learned that the finish is that lingering taste that stays with you after a sip. I like a nice, long, sweet finish to my wines.

After all this learning and sampling, I have concluded that in this wide world of wines, there ARE perfect wines for me!

rosa

Of the six most delicious wines I tasted from Banfi, I naturally favored the sweeter, lighter wines, particularly the Lambrusco Emiliano and the marvelous, amazing Rosa Regale. If you want a wine that tastes like a cup of juice or sparkling soda, these are the darlings for you! I am in love with these babies. They paired well with pasta, my specialty asian sweet potato cheese tonkatsu rolls, and chocolate cake. They also made quite a fine dessert on their own!

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I also received a couple of dryer wines that made excellent dinner companions. The Bolla Rose paired well with exotic spices and the Banfi Centine paired well with my garlic breaded tilapia fillets. These wines are good for a person who doesn’t have quite the sensational sweet tooth that I have.

Lastly I had a yummy Pacific Rim Dry Riesling and Natura Chardonnay. The chardonnay went well with a long day at work and a waffle shaped like a Death Star. This delicious wine can be paired with the meal of a tired spinster or make a delicious companion to a fancy steak dinner. It isn’t too sweet, and not too bitter. It has an excellent balance so even the amateur wine drinker like myself can handle it on its own or with a meal.

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And with the Pacific Rim Dry Riesling? I won’t lie, I’m saving it for Thanksgiving. Partially because the bottle is beautiful and partially due to knowing its flavor will go well with my turkey next week and I would like to share it with my family.

As for me, the first 9 weeks of Back to School are up and I think I passed my Wine 101 course. But like with anything there is always more to learn. For now I have only a dream of going to the Castello Banfi Vineyard in Tuscany, Italy and sampling their beautiful wines and foods in a graduate level wine tasting course. So I will keep at this wine thing and maybe someday my dreams will come true.  There are so many more flavors to try!

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If you don’t know how to start wine tasting, first things first, you’re going to need a manual! I highly recommend Wine Folly – The Essential Guide to Wine. It is a great beginners guide which explains different aspects of wine and gives you a nice chart and information regarding pairing wines and dinners. And don’t forget to pick up a wine tasting notebook! I have become silly in love with my wine tasting notebook and love to challenge myself to pick out those unseen details in a glass of wine.

And if you, like me have no idea what wine to start tasting? Check out http://www.banfiwines.com/ I highly recommend the Rosa Regale and the Lambrusco Emiliano, but there are so many delicious flavors to try. And the only way to find them is to sample, sample, sample!

Filed Under: review

Celebrate #OneToughMother with #Teleflora’s Mother’s Day Bouquets!

May 2, 2016 by Jessie Leave a Comment

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Sample provided.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner!  Not sure how it crept up on me this year but I looked over my shoulder this morning and there it was, chasing me down!  Thanks yet again to Teleflora, I am prepared with an amazing bouquet of lilies and lavender to surprise my mom! From the gorgeous vase to the color and flower selection I was more than pleased with the Luxurious Lavender Bouquet!  And my mom loved it, too!  (Unfortunately my #onetoughmother is a bit camera shy…)

 

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Motherhood is a tough job and I’m pleased to celebrate my mother on Mother’s Day.  I know how much she gave of herself and her dreams to make sure my siblings and I such an amazing chance at life.  Thanks mom!

Although I’m only a parent to several furry 4-legged beasts, all I have to do is look around me at my friends and their children and the parents of my students to see all the amazing mothers that are giving their all to help bring up the citizens of tomorrow to be loving, respectful people.  Thank you for all you do!

Teleflora is a great way to show your love and appreciation for the special ladies in your life.

Check out this awesome video for One Tough Mother  and then head on over to Teleflora and check out their beautiful Mother’s Day selection before it is too late!

Filed Under: review

Wrapped With Passion #Teleflora Bouquet with #LoveConcierge

February 7, 2016 by Jessie Leave a Comment

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Day 5 : Blooming!

Sample provided.


Ever since teaching a unit on plants, I have been very into flowers. As a true cat lady must, I often buy them for myself because my cats are lacking in coin. I get orchids in the fall, poinsettias in the winter, tulips and hyacinth in the spring. I collect handfuls of daffodils in March and all the wild flowers and bleeding hearts around my home in the summer and make a poor-man’s bouquet all on my own.

So naturally, when my favorite florist, Teleflora offered to send me a bouquet of Valentine’s Day flowers, I could not refuse. Last summer, I greedily hoarded left-over bouquets from BloggerBash and had the great pleasure of sharing their Christmas special last year. Despite these small floral pleasures in my life, I have to say TeleFlora’s Wrapped With Passion Valentine’s Bouquet absolutely trumps all. The flowers compliment each other perfectly and it is so relaxing to sit down and literally smell the roses after a long day at work. If someone, perhaps a handsome cat, were to send me a bouquet I would be quite pleased with them. And if I were generous enough to send someone else flowers (rather than hogging them to myself) I know my loved one and I would be 100% satisfied with Teleflora’s product.

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Day one : Delivery

As a special offer, if you order between the 3rd and the 12th of February, you can receive a FREE “Love Note Concierge” to help pen that special note for your darling this Valentine’s Day. Just call (1-844-IT-IS-LOVE) to have an important note accompany your bouquet!

Teleflora bouquets are hand-made bouquets by local florists and delivered right to your door! You can’t go wrong! My lovely arrangement was made by the local Erickson Floral in Astoria, Oregon.

I urge you to take a peek at Teleflora.com and call the Love Note Concierge (1-844-IT-IS-LOVE) to pick out a special something for that lovely person in your life.

GO.  NOW!  Celebrate your love with Teleflora.com and the Love Note Concierge!

Filed Under: review

Teleflora’s Snoopy Cookie Jar Holiday Flowers Are Here! #SendCheer #Teleflora

December 21, 2015 by Jessie Leave a Comment

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Sample provided.

I arrived home from a very long and challenging day at work to find Teleflora’s Snoopy’s Cookie Jar bouquet sitting on my door step. I love Snoopy and I love flowers so it was a nice little surprise at the end of the day. I loved the mix of evergreens and red and white flowers that brought it to life.  Better yet, it brought me back to life from the towering edge of Homework Mountain and the insane amount of rain that has been falling outside my window.

I set it on my mantle and thought, “Well I may as well bring out some lights to hang around it.” And then I hung up a stocking, and eventually out came the tree. The arrangement was long lasting, eye catching, and simple and elegant. It would make a good table center piece or mantle piece. I liked the colors and style that carry this bouquet through any of the holidays this season, including New Years Day.


And in the end, my dog has an adorable little Snoopy treat jar for her dog treats!

Teleflora was surprisingly fast and made use of a great local florist here in Astoria. (Thank you Erickson Floral!). I have seen a number of their arrangements at a convention in NYC as well and enjoy their elegance.

Teleflora are cordial and friendly and a pleasure to work with! I will definitely be going with them for my flower-needs in the future.

Check them out at teleflora.com and then check out their Peanuts Holiday Collection, because there is a little something for everyone.

Filed Under: 2015 Gift Guide, 2015 Holiday Gift Guide, review

SoftJox – The Loveable Sportsman #SoftJox

October 12, 2015 by Jessie Leave a Comment

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Samples provided.

Sports fans!  May I have your attention, please?

I’m so excited to introduce SoftJox to our readers just in time for the heat of the football season!  SoftJox are your very own loveable sportsmen for your kids to hug and cheer on their favorite teams.  Not only are SoftJox quality-made, but they are far softer than you could ever imagine and make quite the comfortable and adorable pillow to snuggle.

I met SoftJox owner and creator, Mike Friedman at a recent blogging conference and learned the story of how SoftJox came to be.  He and his family were spending time with his brother’s family and they noticed how the children loved both sports and stuffies, but found that there wasn’t a lot of mixing of the genres – thus the idea for SoftJox was born!  Next (and this is what I think is the coolest part of this whole story) the children started developing the concept art for the product!  Design artists later used this concept art to draw and make this dream a reality!

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It took four years for the final product – the footballer – to be finalized and created.  The customizable aspect of this character is what makes it so much more special than it already is.  Schools have ordered customized SoftJox with team logos or school logos for a fun and unique team gift.  With more designs in construction, I can’t wait to see the future prototypes from SoftJox!  (I’m anticipating the Hockey Player myself…)

As an educator, the idea of customizable sportsmen caught my interest.  When I found out some schools bought them as end-of-season gifts for their sports teams, I immediately thought of my own students!  How cool would that be for the kids to have a SoftJox of themselves!   However, SoftJox are also awesome for children who are more interested in sports as a spectator.  How cool would it be to have such a personal toy to express your interests?

They are super cute, soft and extremely loveable in person.  I have to fight my dog for cuddle rights to them at night.  I can’t say enough just how pleasant they are to squish.  With soft, fabric and strong construction, my SoftJox have traveled cross the USA twice this summer and are staying strong!  I’ve got my fingers crossed  and hope to someday see a Martial Artist SoftJox!

Please visit SoftJox.com and see what they have to offer!  I just LOVE my 20” Footballers!

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Filed Under: review

Cooking With Happy Family’s Founder and CEO, Shazi Visram

June 14, 2015 by Jessie 1 Comment

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Event consideration and samples provided.

Happy Family is a corporation dedicated to healthy and organic lifestyles. I was fortunate enough to be invited to do a little learning and cooking with the Founder and CEO of Happy Family at the Happy Families Event here in New York City. I learned a lot about nutrition, food, and Happy Family’s mission to improve the lives of our children through the consumption of fresh, non-GMO, organic produce and vegetables.

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As a child of the processed 1980’s, I learned a lot of good information about health and nutrition for children, as well developed a better understanding of exactly what GMOs and “organic” eating are all about. As it turns out, a lot of the natural produce we pick up at grocery stories are covered in a lot of not-so-natural chemicals. Yuck!

Fairly new to me (as childless adult) was the concept of nutrition for children starting from conception and lasting into the toddler years. They call this essential time, “The First 1000 Days.” The concept of the first 1000 days (starting from the first trimester) is the most critical in a child’s life. It is this time in a child’s life where we provide the nutrients to grow and encourage healthy development. There is plenty of research out there with evidence supporting the idea that the nutrition given during this time plays a role in the development of the child throughout their life. Definitely take a look at the 1000 Days page on their website to learn more.

I found a lot of the information would have been wonderful to know when I was preparing the meals of my young preschoolers back in the day. In the classroom and in my own personal life, I can see and feel the difference a good, healthy meal makes of a typical day for both children and adults. I have also seen the devastating effects that a poor diet or severe food allergies can have on an individual, and how a good meal can turn the day around. If simple good-eats is the path to a dream classroom…Sign me up!

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This is what I thought was awesome about Happy Family. They are a wealth of information on both the average childhood diet as well as specialty diets, including various food allergies. Take a look at their website to find more information. They are an open book regarding their products, and are happy to share knowledge and information to better educate their patrons. They tell you with complete honesty what goes into their products and also provide recipes to make at home, ensuring that your children get the real first chance that they deserve.

I am impressed with the devotion to health and happy living that Happy Families holds at the core of their mission. They openly state that their product, while a great alternative to many processed foods, is only meant to be used as a supplement to fresh products. I love their honesty and dedication to supporting the development of all children through childhood, regardless of what walks of life they may come from. I feel very lucky to have attended their gathering and learned the art of stealthily integrating healthy greens into a yummy food.

unnamed (6) (Spinach, Mango and Pear Squishible, anyone? YUM!)

They even provided me with a Nutribullet 900 and stock of fresh veggies and from Farmivore so that I can make a commitment towards the health of my own family! The Nutribullet brings the creation of your own nutritious drinks and blends to another level of ease, with very little clean up for the mom-in-a-hurry. Even the busiest of us can quickly throw in a few select choices and make a nice veggie fruit Squishable for their children or even themselves!

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Thanks Happy Family!

Filed Under: review Tagged With: Happy Baby

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