Up Close, and Personal, with the New Febreze ™Air Purifier #KeepItFresh

This post is sponsored by Febreze ™Air Purifiers and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping Febreze Air Purifiers but Adventures in All Things Food only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Febreze Air Purifiers is not responsible for the content of this article.

Life around the house just got a bit more real.

At the beginning of August, I mentioned that we had 4 new kittens in the house. I was nervous about cat odors and was glad to have found the Febreze™ Tabletop Air Purifier. I put it front and center in our living room because my family and our guests should be able to relax and not be preoccupied with the "cat" in the room.

Actually, with all the forest fires going on in the Pacific Northwest, it was perfect timing. The air quality outdoors has been so bad, we have spent most of our summer indoors. There is nothing I enjoy more than opening up the house to fresh air, but right now the Febreze™ Air Purifier we have is helping to keep the pet odor, dust and allergens down in our main living space since we can't air out the house.

And those cute little kittens? 3 weeks ago they were still a little shaky on their legs...

They went from nursing and sleeping, to exploring and litter box training in a distinctly cat fashion. Cats rarely make litter box mistakes, but at this age they can hardly be bothered to stop the play and trek across the house to their box. Their new favorite activity is climbing to the top of our cat tower.

Thank goodness it is only a phase.

After having tried out our Febreze™ Tabletop Air Purifier for past few weeks, I am happy to say that it is compact, convenient and has worked well for our family of 7 cats, 2 dogs and 3 small children

The first feature I wanted to mention is the Febreze scent pod that you can add to the purifier. You control how strong you want the scent to be, so when you need it more, you can dial it up. I love that it made my living room feel fresh. I should note that we do not enjoy a lot of artificial scents in our home, and often go fragrance-free, so I didn't dial it up more than 1/3 of the strength. The air purifier scent was light and not overwhelming at all.

I was also happy to see that it had a a HEPA-type filter and removes 99% of airborne pollutants such as dust, pet dander, and smoke. Yeah, we have a lot of smoke around right now, for sure! Our home is also older and dusty on its own, but with all the cats, this has helped to keep the house our home... not just theirs.

I think everyone can appreciate a household dust reducer, even if they are not a pet family.

With the Febreze tab, as well as the air filter, set-up was simple and fast. Overall this small tabletop appliance is very easy to use and my toddler reminds me to turn it on every morning.

It is also nice to have control over both the scent and power. I do enjoy options with any appliance. I am sure once the kittens have their new homes I can turn the power down a little on the machine. For now it has a lot to keep up with.

In the middle, you can see where there are automatic filter and scent replacement reminder lights. I haven't had the chance to see those work yet, I have had my machine for a little less than a month, but I appreciate the quick, built-in reminder.

Do you have a room that could benefit from the Febreze™ Tabletop Air Purifier? 

Be sure to check out the other great sizes and options to see which one would work best in your home.

Our Kitten Invasion and How I #KeepItFresh

This post is sponsored by Febreze ™Air Purifiers and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping Febreze Air Purifiers but Adventures in All Things Food only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Febreze Air Purifiers is not responsible for the content of this article.

We have been invaded by cuteness this summer.

Our family has swelled in number and until we find proper homes for our 4 new kittens the cat shenanigans are at an all time high. The four kittens are just starting to explore the house on their own and I never know when a little furry face will pop up.

It has gotten wild enough in the house that the older cats go outdoors to rest. Even Hook has been known to duck the little ones now and again for the safety of the hay barn.

So this brings our current (and temporary!) total to 7 cats and 3 kids. I promise it is a summer we won't soon forget. But, with our little bundles of fluff learning to use the litter box, our house has started to smell like we have 7 full-grown cats.

Ugh.

I love my cats, but I also want my house to smell fresh and clean. Let's not even think about the added dander and fur roaming loose in the house. And if my kids weren't messy (and occaisionally) smelly enough... now I have a bunch of little furry kids to contend with.

Yes, our growing feline family is not to blame for all the smells in the house. There would also be the toddler diapers, my love of seafood and two very busy and mess-seeking kids.  My family doesn't always smell like a rose, but I don't want friends or company to know that the minute they walk in the door.

I could open up the windows and air out our house... but this summer has been a scorcher and now with forest fires blazing through the state we have had all the windows closed up tight. Instead, I decided to get an Air Purifier - the Febreze™ Air Purifier which should help me clean the air, eliminate odors and refresh with a Febreeze scent. 

Yes, Febreeze has been a lifesaver on my upholstery and carpets, as I have posted before, but now it can help our full house with the air we breathe. 

This small device easily fits on my side table in the living room. It is amazing to think that such a small appliance can capture up to 99% of airborne pollutants such as dust, pet dander, pollen and smoke. I can't wait to try it out for a few weeks and then share my thoughts. I should also have some cute updates on our growing litter of kittens.

I love the cats and the kids, but I could really do without the lingering odors they create.  You can learn more about the Febreze™ Air Purifiers on the Febreeze™ website. Is there one that would fit your home and needs?

Would you have more pets if pet odor wasn't an issue?

Do you currently use an Air Purifier?

How to Save Some Green for your Family with Lowest Priced Unlimited Plans

This #MarchIntoSavings shop has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

Have you noticed how expensive kids are these days?

Not only that, but a family of 5 always needs something. Summer is coming up and we need new Summer clothes for all 3 kids, new shoes, etc. On top of that, as my husband and I discussed adding another phone for our family, the plan costs had me sweating bullets. Currently we pay about $200 for our 2 phones.

We no longer have a land line in the house. It was something rarely used and a good place to cut the budget, but that means we don't have an emergency phone, a back-up or a way for my son to stay in touch if he is busy at activities or away from home.

Have you tried to find a payphone these days? I am not sure my son even knows what a payphone is!

After doing some research I found the Walmart Family Mobile - Walmart Best Plans are an inexpensive way to go. It is a great place to start for a phone and reasonable service plan.  I loved that I could hop onto their online site and check to see if my area would have coverage for their plans first.

I went to the electronics department in Walmart to find the Walmart Family Mobile display. You can't miss it!  There were several phone options, but I chose the Alcatel Evolve 2 ($39.83 - was $59.88), and the $29.88/month (for the first line) Unlimited Talk, Text & Data service plan which includes up to 500MB of 4G LTE data.

This is a post-paid plan, so we will pay for our cell service at the end of each month. I also love that it has no contract, so early termination fees or penalties are not a problem.

That saves me a whole lot of "green" right there! 


Disclaimer: All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to http://cbi.as/aafid or your local Walmart for current pricing.

To get started, I just needed to buy the phone, and a starter kit. I had the choice to sign-up for service in-store or do it from home. With the whole family in tow, I opted to sign-up later and finish the rest of our shopping quickly. I love saving money by getting all our household needs at one store.

I would love to tell you that I am amazingly tech savvy... but, I won't lie. Luckily, the instructions in my starter kit made set-up fast and simple.

Time is money, right?

The Alcatel Evolve2 had everything we needed in a new phone; a 5MP Camera, built in WiFi and an Android operating system. We were all excited to see how it would work around the farm, especially my son. I mean, we have to stay connected to find one another around here. There is a lot of acreage. 

The phone was easy to use, and signal strength is great. The new 4G LTE service is a great choice for fast service and clear calls.

And for my little budding farmer, he can snap pics of the plants, or bugs and send them to his Dad to help identify. I was impressed with the photo quality.

So, my kids are growing up. My son has a lot to learn about cell phone etiquette and online safety. I am just thrilled that Walmart Family Mobile has options that allow us to teach my son, while not putting a squeeze on my wallet.

You could say I am feeling a little lucky that I have more money in my pocket for our growing family's other expenses this Summer. Saving sure does feel good.

I shared how we will be saving some money this Summer, now I'd love to hear yours!

"Leap into Gaming" with LeapFrog LeapTV

I received free products in order to host the LeapFrog sponsored MommyParty. The opinions expressed here are my own. #LeapTV #MommyParties

Oregon is known for it's wet weather, dark Winters and annual feelings of cabin fever have already started to appear. It is hard to keep kids, young kids especially, moving and active during the darker, colder months. So our LeapFrog LeapTV was a welcome addition to a rainy weekend and we even had friends over to share the fun!

If you have ever tried using a gaming system with young children, it can be a challenge, especially to find something where they can understand the instructions (often written) and can stay engaged at their learning level.

So what is LeapTV?

Take a game that is focused on kids, with sports, characters and activities that kids enjoy, give it an easy to use controller and then mix in basic learning lessons in a fun way. While my Kindergarten age daughter played the dance game, she also worked on forming compound words, and picking out the "striped fruit" on the screen or the "longest fruit".

My favorite part is the kids can be active while learning and playing interactive games! Targeted for kids ages 3-8, there are currently 9 cartridge games to choose from and 100+ games and videos available by year-end.

Our LeapTV system came with a console, motion-sensing camera so the players can see them selves on the screen, a transforming controller, power adapter, HDMI cable and a camera mount so the camera could be placed on top of our TV.

We were also sent 2 games to try; LeapFrog Sports and LeapFrog Dance & Learn.

Set up was easy. In fact, my husband was thrilled that most of the account set-up could be done on his smart phone. We didn't have to do any awkward typing with the controller or have to find a computer to finish set-up. The easy-to-follow instructions had us go from box to playing in just a few minutes.

The transforming controller can go from a classic hand-held controller for easy button reach and finger toggle to a pointer with both ends stretched out.

Even better, for the dance games, only body movement is necessary, so younger kids can push buttons and select fruit without having to worry about selecting the correct button.

Another feature I loved was that beginning readers were given verbal cues and help, so no one at our party was left out. This is exactly the type of gaming program I have searched for for years. True story, my oldest has always wanted to play on family game nights, but when he was younger it was frustrating that there wasn't an age appropriate system. Luckily, now there is!

One aspect the kids really enjoyed was being able to watch themselves on the screen. Our only issue was for a larger party kids behind the camera had to remain still or they could could interfere with some of the actions. We ended up placing our small chairs around the sides of the room so our guests could take turns in the fun.

From soaring around and flapping their wings...

...to creating compound words for real things...

"The sun did not shine.

It was too wet to play.

So we sat in the house

All that cold, cold, wet day."

- Dr. Seuss

...well, until these Oregonians got their LeapTV and made the most of their blustery day!

Check out a video of some of the fun. LeapFrog LeapTV

You can pick up your own #LeapTV in time for Christmas, along with various games. Look for them wherever other LeapFrog products are sold. 

Thrilled to Upgrade Our Keurig - 2.0 Is the Way to Go!

It is no secret that I love a good cup of coffee.

Getting our Keurig changed my world from pots of lukewarm or stale coffee to fresh cups of just what I wanted. We have been through 2, and I wouldn't be without a Keurig and my K-Cups.

So when I learned about the Keurig 2.0, I talked my husband into getting one. Jumping with both feet into the improvements that had me all excited. A chance to have the coffee my way, with even more options.

First of all, after a little online research I decided to go with the Keurig 2.0 K560. This is the model available right now at Costco.  One of the big differences between the different models is the water reservoir. The K550 and K560 both have an 80oz water reservoir. These models also both have a customizable night-light in the water reservoir. Okay, this was not a big selling feature for us but I did set ours to display green for our beloved Ducks.  Both come with a variety of K-Cups and K-Carafe packs, but the one at Costco was a better overall price.

You can also find the Walmart version, the K500 with the same model features, just a smaller pack of K-Cup and K-Carafe samples. Overall, the price was between Costo and the Keurig brand site.

I really liked the new look of the 2.0. Though aesthetics are such a small part of a coffee maker, I thought they really improved the look of a machine that will be gracing my counter top.

The water reservoir redesign was fabulous! I loved how the top lifted up for easy refills. The other big bonus was the water filter that will keep me from having to wait for our water to filter before adding it to my machine. We are on well water and there is fine sediment that wreaked havoc on our past machines. Now my Keurig has a filter and even has a program (which you don't have to enable) that will tell me when maintenance is needed.

Oh, and that 80oz. means I don't have to keep refilling throughout the day.

Another big difference is the base completely pulls out for easier cleaning and to fit in the carafe. Keurig boasts that the machine can tell if you are brewing a single cup or a carafe and this is why. Do you notice the notch in back?

That is where the carafe fits in. It has a magnet so it fits snugly into place.

Our machine came with a plastic carafe. We decided to do the upgrade to the stainless Thermal Carafe to help keep our pots of coffee warmer longer. This is a feature I plan to use more for our Sunday morning breakfasts. That is when we are more likely to use regular mugs and take a little longer to enjoy our morning coffee.

The display has also been redesigned. One of the biggest reasons why my husband and I chose to upgrade right away was the strength feature. Both my husband and I prefer a stronger brew than usually Keurig has to offer. This allows us to make our favorites stronger. And yes, it works!  As the machine brews, it sounds different. The water is put through in intervals instead of straight through.

As always, select the size cup you want and now you can even choose hot cocoa or "other". Then push the button for the water to dispense.

Another great feature is hot water dispensing. My old machine would dispense water, but without a K-Cup the water went all over and wasn't directed down. I even tried putting in a reusable, empty K-Cup, but wasn't thrilled with the results. Now I have taken my hot water pot off the counter because the Keurig 2.0 now will dispense without problems.

If you are a current Keurig owner, you will notice that the biggest change is you must use a Keurig licensed K-Cup. They have changed the packaging and generic pods are no longer accepted by the system.

I would say that is the biggest downside of this new product. But take heart, there are some hacks out there online. I haven't tried them myself, so I won't go into detail. The biggest grumble I had was for the leftover K-Cups in my pantry (yes, even licensed ones) that didn't have the new packaging. My stores, even in rural OR, are now carrying the newer acceptable version.

Overall I love the new machine! We ended up giving away our old Keurig. It still had some life left, but my new Keurig 2.0 now fits my family's needs better. Even with the larger water reservior, the machine didn't take up much more counter space. It is taller, and overall better than the original.

Do you own a Keurig? Will you make the upgrade?

Beamly: Stay Cool While You Dish with Fellow Fans

Is it hot? We have reached the hottest stretch in Summer and now I finding myself enjoying my favorite chair and air conditioning even more at the end of the day. Whether you TiVo or map out your night around your favorite shows, I hope you will come and join me on Beamly. Available on both the website and mobile through the Free Beamly App. It is the Summer home stretch for many of my favorites, as well as time to start trading news clips and updates about my Fall favorites set to return soon.

With just few more home chefs left for the final episodes of MasterChef (FOX), and the first episode of the much anticipated Outlander series coming in August to Starz. There is a lot of great shows to fall in love with, catch up on and talk about.

Then there is my favorite drama, Suits. With Mike hitting rock bottom, who knows what is going to happen?
And any Dr. Who fans out there? With a new Doctor things are sure to be interesting.

So head over to Beamly, look me up (Andrea Kruse) and connect so we can talk about some of your favorite shows. Everything's better with friends, and friends don't let friends obsess about TV alone.

Beamly is THE 24/7 social and content network for TV and TV fans. Join me today in TV conversations and get the latest juice and gossip about your favorite shows!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Beamly. The opinions and text are all mine.

Connect with Fellow TV Fans on Beamly

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Beamly. The opinions and text are all mine.​




What are you doing at 8pm? Do you have a standing prime time engagement?

After I tuck my kids into bed it is "me" time. Time that I like to unwind with my favorite shows. Unfortunately, my husband is more of a Top Gear and Discovery Channel sort of guy, so my dramas, science-fiction and food programming is something I enjoy alone.

Well, not anymore at least. I have found a fun, interactive community online where I can share episode thoughts, dish about my favorite actors and discuss plot lines and those horrid cliff-hangers. Yes, no one quite gets my weird ideas on Orange is the New Black like the community at Beamly.




Beamly is an interactive, online community for TV fans. There are places to chat about the show episodes (TV rooms), as well as learn more about the show, and even keep track of the TV schedule. I usually forget to watch Suits when it airs, but now that I can use the Beamly phone app to remind me of a new episode, I am there.

Yes, you can either check Beamly out on your computer, or download it free to your smartphone. I enjoy tweeting during my favorite shows anyway, so I just keep the Beamly app open and I can not only chat with fellow fans about how Mike and Harvey from Suits need to make up and start working together again, but I can also send my tweet with the show hashtag (#Suits) right there. It connects me with the wider online community of fans.




Now I recently was turned onto watching MasterChef on FOX. Many of my favorite shows are between seasons and I always love interesting food challenges. I learned all about the show, the cast and even the program schedule through Beamly.

Speaking of MasterChef, did anyone watch last night's episode? I am really loving the idea of that Prosciutto, Guinness and Maple donut that Gordon Ramsey gushed about. Okay, he didn't really gush (does he ever?), but he did give it rather surprising praise.

So I guess you could say Beamly has taken my TV viewing to a whole new level. I am interacting with fellow fans, learning more about the behind the scenes workings of the show and even finding new shows to fall in love with.

Okay, so put down the remote for a moment, go create your own profile on Beamly and follow my profile (Andrea Kruse) while you are at it. I would love to discuss the finer points of prison food (Piper style - OITNB) or tell you why I think Donna is the glue that holds together Suits. But, I am sure there are a whole bunch of other Beamly users who would love to chat with you too.

What is your current favorite show? Which Beamly TV room would you join?

Beamly is THE 24/7 social and content network for TV and TV fans. Join me today in TV conversations and get the latest juice and gossip about your favorite shows!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Beamly. The opinions and text are all mine.

Grab the Remote and Come Join Me on Beamly! The Social Network for TV Fans

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Beamly. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Do you have a favorite TV show?

Bound to the home and stuck with my children's animated and educational shows by day, during prime time it is Mommy's turn with the remote. In the evening I can escape into my favorite drama, fantasy and science fiction television series.

Of course, yelling at the TV screen isn't as much fun as dishing with friends. Beamly is the new social and content network for your favorite television shows. Discuss the shows, share your reactions, set reminders for which shows you want to watch and even keep up on the current news regarding your beloved shows.

Television fans everywhere rejoice! ... then come check out Beamly.

I love that I can customize my avatar, screen and info. Then follow others. Come check me out and follow my profile. I would love to chat with you.

You can download the Beamly app FREE for your iPhone or Android.Now I can vent or dish in my spare time.

So what are my must-see shows? Right now I am watching Once Upon a Time. It is the best way to start my week with a new Sunday night installment. This season's twist on The Wizard of Oz has me on the edge of my seat. I am rooting for Hook, by the way. What is it with smoldering pirates wearing eyeliner? Followed of course by Revenge later the same evening. That show jerks me around and I love it.

To satisfy my love for good Sci-Fi, I also religiously watch Haven, and Warehouse 13. I expect both of these seasons to end with a bang, especially since this is the last season of Warehouse 13.

Of course, I'm secretly watching Resurrection and the verdict is still out on Continuum. But you can see all my thoughts and opinions right there in the different television show rooms.

Love a show? Then GET A ROOM! ... just do it on Beamly. You can learn more in the Beamly youtube video.

Beamly is THE 24 X 7 social and content network for TV and TV fans. Join me today in TV conversations and get the latest juice and gossip about your favorite shows!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Beamly. The opinions and text are all mine.

The LEGO Movie Video Game - In One Word? Awesome!

Like many families, our kids dragged us to the  theater to watch a family flic, The LEGO Movie. Okay, I was dragged, my husband, who grew up being a total LEGO enthusiast, was not so hard to convince. I was a little skeptical. Oh boy, it was so good - never saw that coming!

In retrospect it is stacked with an amazing cast of voices, lots of LEGO favorite sets and a whole lot of good nostalgic fun. Why did I not expect more from this movie? Oh, yeah... it is a family-friendly film.

By family-friendly it was not filled with non-stop bodily noises or bathroom humor. Instead it relied on what LEGO does best, creativity and building. The themes of the movie were ever changing but it touched on being part of a team, creativity, being special and allowing yourself to just play.

Amazingly under-merchandised (other than the movie building sets) I agreed to get The LEGO Movie Videogame for our Xbox One. I was actually hoping to get my son a T-shirt, but this ended up being better.

The game closely follows the movie plot, so don't play until you have watched the movie - *spoilers* Average builder Emmet finds the peice of restance and is identified as "The Special". Wyldstyle swoops in to take him to see Vitruvius and they set out to stop Lord Business and save Bricksburg as well as the greater LEGO world. With 15 levels and the ability to use up more than 90 film characters, there is a lot for your Master Builders to do.

My favorite part of the game? Actually getting to build on screen. There is a time limit, but the build is pretty simple. I just enjoy that it stays true to the purpose of these building toys.

This is the first non-sports game my son has attempted and he is having a blast playing it with his Dad. Watching them in demolition mode, laughing as they tear through Bricksburg, makes me smile. Dad is a big LEGO fan, having spent hours as a child playing with his sets and my son is the next generation to love the toys. Both boys are loving that every stage in the movie and object is created with digital LEGO bricks. That is a first from previous LEGO games.

It really is intended to be a 2 person game. Yes, you could play on your own, but several tasks require the help of another character and having a partner along the way will make the game go more quickly.

Some of the most notable movie voices also were included in the game like Emmet (Chris Pratt), Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Batman (Will Arnett) and Lord Business (Will Ferrell).

The game is rated E10+ for everyone and is available for multiple platforms including Xbox One ($59.99)