Corraling the Water Bottles and Travel Mugs

One of the challenges that I feel like I face in my house is a place to properly store things. Sure, I can usually find a corner, a basket, a shelf to tuck things away on, but it doesn't always feel very organized to me.

One of the items that have been a challenge to store are our reusable water bottles and insulated travel mugs. Between the ones that we have purchased overtime - with filters/with chilled cores/insulated/fits the bike cup holder/for coffee and the ones that we have gotten through different events - summer reading club/sports/store events/vacation, we have more than our fair share of reusable water bottles. On any given day, several will be occupying the dish strainer in our sink but several need to be stored. The real challenge has always been the varying heights and some of them have straws - so even if I had cupboard space, they likely would be too tall for a typical shelf.

We have what is supposed to be a coat closet at the end of our hallway near our garage door. Because of a feeling of lack of storage space and a desire to have some semblance of order, it has become more of a storage closet. It is where we keep our vacuum, we have two hanging shoe organizers, there is a shelf unit that holds our winter gear, my spring form pans, a roasting pan, my cookie cutters and up until a few weeks ago our water bottles.

Their perch on the top shelf always felt like it was one bump away from having several water bottles come clattering down to the floor.

Then, as I was wondering the web, as I so often do, I randomly came upon the idea of using an over the door shoe organizer to corral water bottles. I loved it. So, the next time that we were at Target, I picked up this inexpensive over the door shoe organizer and set out to organize my water bottles and travel mugs.

My hall closets and pantry all have bi-fold doors, so they weren't options for me for hanging it, so I settled on the back of the laundry room door. It keeps them out of the way, but still readily accessible, just a few steps from the kitchen.

I really am pleased to be able to store 24 water bottles and travel mugs out of the way. The crazy thing is, I still have 4 or 5 in my kitchen - the one I take each day to the gym, one for each of the kids to take to their near daily sports practices or games and summer camp, the one that I take coffee to work in each day and one other for those days when we have back to back sports and need more than one water per child.

In addition, now I have regained a shelf, plus some random other space where some additional mugs were tucked away, that allows me to better organize other things.

This post shared at Works for Me Wednesday.

Dial It Back - Fruit2O Mommy Party #gotitfree *

* no compensation was received for this post. I received information and product to share with friends as a host of a Fruit2O MommyParty.

I don't know about where you live, but here in North East Ohio, it was a rather cool Memorial Day weekend. Last year, it was close to 90 every day of the weekend - trust me, I was sweltering at an all weekend baseball tournament. This year, it was closer to 60. In some ways, a cool weekend was nice, but in others it made the weekend more of a challenge. For instance, the kids were asking about setting up the slip'n slide. I'm not sure exactly what they were thinking, wearing jeans and sweatshirts and thinking that it would be warm enough for a swimsuit and water. In addition, we had to move our picnics indoors - leaving us with less place to eat and hang out than we have when we can use picnic tables and the table on our deck. Thankfully, we did all of our picnic-ing and marshmallow roasting on Saturday and Sunday, because Monday turned out to be not only cool, but also wet!

One of the fun features of our weekend gatherings, was the Fruit2O Mommy Party (dads and kids were included!) that we incorporated into our gatherings. In fact, instead of having just one party, it was more like 2 1/2 - spanning Saturday and Sunday. Everyone seemed to enjoy trying the variety of flavors that we received in the party pack, as well as the additional bottles I picked up at the store on Friday evening to make sure that we had plenty on hand for the gatherings. We used some fun temperature sensitive cups to serve up samples (and really all of the beverages over the course of the weekend). It reminded me a little of those Hypercolor t-shirts that were all the rage 25 years ago. The kids thought it was fun to watch them change colors and then to see the track of where they had drank the water.

There were several flavors of the water that we got to experience at the party - Strawberry, Raspberry, Cucumber Lemon, Grape, and Watermelon. Unfortunately, the two new flavors, Cucumber Lemon and Watermelon, I wasn't able to find at my local store, so we only had a little to sample and share for those flavors. I had picked up two 6 packs (on special for only $2.50/6 pk at my grocery store), one each of Strawberry and Raspberry, for the party, anticipating that the samples we had wouldn't be enough. We drank them all, so it was a good decision on my part.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the water. The water has a nice subtle fruit flavor, enough to taste and identify the flavor, but not so much that the flavor was overwhelming. We had some disagreement about whether the cucumber or lemon flavor was more prevalent in the Cucumber Lemon water. We talked about the available flavors and decided that the lemon was the one we were least likely to buy, because you could just as easily get the flavor with a lemon wedge or a bit of lemon juice in your water, but the other flavors really offered a nice change of pace from 'plain' water. Even the little kids enjoyed the water, with one little girl asking for more juice when she finished hers.

The water was a great beverage option for the picnics. It wasn't hot out, but the drinks were still refreshing and a nice accompaniment to our dinners and snacks.

One of the other things that we checked out briefly was the Fruit2O Dial it Back Facebook App. The app 'audits' your Facebook posts and make suggestions on where you might want to dial it back and show a little restraint. You can even check back to see what your progress is in dialing it back.

Above is my report. You can see that I evidently spend my time talking about the kids, the weather and sports. It doesn't surprise me, seeing as how my kids have had lots of spring sports that involved us wearing winter coats and gloves and snow. You can check out the stats on your posts, by heading to www.dialitback.com, clicking on Like and then running the app. While there, be sure to enter to win in their daily prize giveaway, too.

As the guests headed out, I gave them a coupon to pick up their own 6-pack of water to enjoy at home. Luckily, I still have one more for me and I will be on the watch for the Cucumber Lemon or Watermelon to show up at my local stores.

No compensation was received for this post. I received information and product to share with friends as a host of a Fruit2O MommyParty. I was selected to be a host of a MommyParty through my participation in MomSelect. All opinions shared are my own or that of my family.

Where's the Hot Water?

I can't explain the why, but for some reason, getting hot water in the shower in our bedroom is nearly impossible. As I am sure many do, we would turn on the water and let it warm up while getting prepped for hopping in. Problem was, it only warmed up, never got to the point of being hot water. Even as the shower progressed, it didn't seem to get warmer. The second person showering seemed to have an advantage. By the time they hopped in, it was actually a pretty warm shower.

Over the years, I have tried several things. If I run the dishwasher or the washing machine shortly before a shower, that usually helps, but I can't always be doing this. Sometimes the water is warmer if I run our tub first and then the shower, but that feels a bit like a waste.

A while back, by complete accident, I found a solution that seems to work consistently. I have actually been able to take hot showers instead of warm showers (I am first most mornings). On that morning, I had reached in and turned on the shower and when I hopped in, it was relatively cold. I reached for the handle and discovered that I had not turned it all the way on. When I did - voila! - hot water. I thought that was nice. So, the next morning, I intentionally only turned the handle on about 3/4 of the way, got ready and moved it to fully on right before stepping in - hot water! I don't know why draining the cold water from the pipes on a warm vs hot setting allows for the overall shower to be hotter - I just know that, at least at my house in my shower - it WORKS!

New Crystal Light Liquid

I am trying to lead a healthier lifestyle and one aspect of that is making sure that I drink plenty of water. Generally, I love water and have no problem drinking it, but after a while, you want something with flavor and from my vantage point, some meals simply just don't go well with plain water. Take pizza for example, maybe it is because it is one of the few meals that I associate with soda, but plain water never seems quite right with pizza. I just need some sort of a flavor, something other than plain water. With new Crystal Light Liquid, I can enjoy a flavorful, 0-calorie drink.

Crystal Light is excited to announce a fabulous new addition to its drink mixes – 0-calorie Crystal Light Liquid Drink Mix. With delicious Crystal Light Liquid, you don’t have to sacrifice. You can have the best of both worlds – breakthrough flavor with 0 calories. The portable drink mix comes in six delicious flavors and makes it easier than ever for women to indulge their taste buds without the calories.

Available in Strawberry Lemonade, Blueberry Raspberry, Iced Tea, Mango Passionfruit, Peach Bellini and Pomtini flavors, Crystal Light Liquid puts a new, modern twist on the classics.

Crystal Light Liquid is available in 1.62 fl. oz. multi-serve bottles with 24 servings

Crystal Light Liquid is:
- 0 calories
- Sugar free
- Sweetened with a blend of non-nutritive sweeteners
- Gluten free

I tried both the Peach Bellini and the Mango Passionfruit flavors. I enjoyed both of them. I think that next I will try the Blueberry Raspberry or the Strawberry Lemonade.

I will say that I was a little bummed at first that the Crystal Light Liquid Peach Bellini didn't have the same sparkle that I get from their Crystal Light Mocktails Peach Bellini. I still love the flavor though, and I found the solution in the Mixology recipe section on the Crystal Light Liquid page:

Virgin Peach Bellini

Ingredients:

1 squeeze Crystal Light Liquid Peach Bellini
8 oz chilled sparkling water

A festive cocktail-esque drink without the guilt.

I also really like how easy they are to take with you. The little bottles are the perfect size to fit in your purse, for a shot of flavor in your beverage on the go.

Have you tried new Crystal Light Liquid? What is your favorite flavor?

No compensation was received for this post. A sample of Crystal Light Liquid and information about the product was provided by Kraft for the purposes of this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

True Lemon (and more!) - Helping Me Drink My Water

One of the things that I have been trying to focus on in my weight loss journey is my water consumption. I love water, so it seems like it should be easy, but sometimes you just need a little flavor.

(Sort of unrelated ramble) I am convinced that if someone could invent flavor strips that gave me the flavor of many of my favorite foods that I could lead a more "fuller" life without the added calories. When I go on little eating adventures and exceed my calorie targets for the day, it is generally because I am looking for a flavor. I try this or that and it just doesn't satisfy my craving and I move onto another flavor. Now, I know that the reality is that likely these flavor strips wouldn't satisfy my craving - they might provide the taste, but my stomach would still be empty. I read somewhere, not sure where though, that in part, consumption of diet sodas leads to a higher overall calorie intake and that one premise is that the sweet taste leads your body to expect calories and when they don't "arrive" in your stomach that you wind up needing to eat to deliver on that promise of calories. (now back to what I was saying)

I enjoy the crisp taste of water with lemon, but for some reason, at our house we struggle with lemons. We either don't buy enough or buy too many and they go bad. I have shared before about True Lemon and how much we really like this product. We typically have True Lemon in the house and I frequently have a packet in my bag.

Recently, I had the opportunity to receive a sample box of all of their products. I was completely unaware how many other products that they offer. They have a True Lime and a True Orange product that is very similar to their True Lemon, in that it is just flavor. And, one that I haven't tried, True Grapefruit. But, they also offer some sweetened products - True Lemonade and True Raspberry Lemonade. They use Stevia as the sweetener to provide the sweetness in the lemonade products.

One of the things that I like about the True Citrus products is that their flavor is subtle. Whether I add True Lemon, True Lime or True Orange to my water, I don't get knocked down with flavor but rather get a refreshing glass of water with just a hint or essence of the fruit flavor. The first time I had the True Orange, it took me a few sips to decide what I thought - normally when I am having an Orange drink in my glass it is orange juice and that packs a lot more flavor punch. The lime and lemon, well I have added wedges of those fruits to my glass before. Even the True Lemonade and True Raspberry Lemonade products aren't overpowering. They offer a nice flavor, with a touch of sweet.

What I do know for sure, is that the product line from True Citrus allows me to enjoy my water more. Having flavor options, beyond plain water, makes it easier for me to increase my water intake and to avoid other flavored beverages with meals like pizza, where plain water never seems to work for me.

This post shared at Works for Me Wednesday.

No compensation was received for this post. The opinions expressed are mine and those of my family. True Citrus provided me with a sampler pack that included samples of many of their products, so that I might share about my experience.

Flavored Water

When it comes to drinking water, I generally have no problem. I fill a cup each morning before I exercise. I fill a cup for the drive to work. I fill the cup for my morning. I fill the cup for lunch. I fill the cup for the afternoon. I fill the cup for dinner. The cup holds 16oz, so I get 96 oz without much trouble. The trouble is that sometimes drinking that much plain water, it doesn't work for me.

To keep my water fresh, I mix it up. Sometimes I add lemons to it to get that fresh lemon flavor. If I don't have lemons, a couple drops of lemon juice can give it the same fresh flavor (just don't put too much in, a drop will do it). Sometimes I rely on drink sticks (generally something with an added advantage like the protein in Special K Protein Water sticks or the fiber in Benefiber flavored drink sticks) to give me flavor. Sometimes, I still just drink plain old water from the tap.

Speaking of tap water, I'm one of those strange birds who prefers plain water barely cool from the tap. If I'm adding lemon or a drink stick, the colder the better, but plain water I'm not a big fan of super cold water (except when I was pregnant and I couldn't make it cold enough?).

Mixing it up, helps me meet my daily water intake and that Works for Me Wednesday and other days too!

Water! Water! Water!

One of the things that I have always known (at least I don't recall not knowing it), is how important hydration is for you. Especially, when you are trying to lose weight and when you are maintaining an active life and working out.

You know, one struggle that many people have is that they sometimes mistake thirst for hunger. I know, it sounds crazy, but it is true. I once was told that if you are trying to lose weight and you feel like you are constantly hungry, try drinking a glass of water when you feel hungry, wait 1/2 an hour and if you are still hungry, then you likely do need to eat, but if the hunger goes away, it likely was dehydration. I'm not sure of the science behind this, but I do know that there have been times where a glass of water has helped me no longer feel hungry. (Here is a mention of this on LiveStrong)

As a member of Weight Watchers, I know that they have made changes over time to what counts towards your 8 glasses of water a day, but the reality to me is that even if I can count milk, juice, coffee or whatever as part of my water, but I still have to count those points. So, I have a tendency to rely on good old water to fulfill a majority of my glasses of water each day.

Experience has showed me that when I am drinking my water, I have more success in my weight loss. I strive hard to drink the 8 glasses a day. I love water. I can drink it straight from the faucet, it doesn't need to be ice cold or anything. But, as with many things, variety is the spice of life and without it, things get old. I do need to mix it up occasionally to help maintain that target of 8 glasses per day.

But, there are times where I really want some flavor. I kind of like having something fruity to drink with my breakfast and I need a flavored beverage with pizza and with popcorn. I used to have a glass of orange juice to start my day and a can of soda every time I had pizza and popcorn. I'm not a big fan of alternative sweeteners for my soda (perhaps they are better with some of the new sweetener options out there, but from my childhood I just remember the terrible after taste that diet/low calorie sodas had) and have always been a full calorie soda drinker. Being on a weight loss journey, this simply doesn't work for me (although, an occasional splurge does happen - at 3 points, it's not awful but certainly not something worth it on a regular basis).

I have found alternatives that have helped me. A while back I started using many of the different drink sticks to help me flavor my water. They work really well and I keep a few in my purse just in case. My challenge here is that I have really only found two flavors that I like and well, honestly, I feel like sometimes I need a little variety in my life.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try Fruit2O Essentials. "Fruit2O Essentials is a simple, refreshing beverage choice that promotes a healthy lifestyle because it combines several nutrients found in two servings of fruit, with the hydrating benefits of zero calorie water." Fruit2O Essentials come in six different flavors - Cranberry Raspberry, Strawberry Kiwi, Peach Mango, Citrus, Blueberry Pomegranate, and Cherry Acai. Each variety has it's own set of vitamins and minerals. I like that it is ready to serve and that it is fortified with nutrients and fiber (1 g per serving) that I need in my diet.

Would you like to learn more? You can check out the Fruit2O Essentials webpage or become a fan of Fruit2O on Facebook to find tips, share small changes that have made a big impact on your health and to learn more about upcoming tours and product coupons. Fruit2O Essentials are available as single bottles and as 15-packs at club stores.



Would you like to try Fruit2O Essentials? Courtesy of Fruit2O and MomSelect, I have the opportunity to giveaway a one month supply of Fruit2O Essentials to one reader of A Busy Mom of Two.

How to enter: Leave a comment sharing a small change that you are making to live a healthier life.

The giveaway will remain open until April 21st at 6pm. The winner will be selected using a random number generator and once posted, will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. It helps if you leave an e-mail (or include it in your profile), so that I can send you a notification in addition to simply posting it on A Busy Mom of Two.

Getting my recommended daily water intake, mixing it up with variety in water flavor, works for me on my weight loss journey. This post was shared at Works For Me Wednesday.

No compensation was received for this post. I was provided with bottles of Fruit2O Essentials to try so that I could share my experience, courtesy of MomSelect and Fruit2O.