ShopRite is celebrating The Honest Company’s in-store arrival by launching four Pop-Up Shops at select stores in New Jersey and New York throughout October: The ShopRite of Greater Morristown (10/7 – 10/11), The ShopRite of Vails Gate (10/7 – 10/11), The ShopRite of Stirling (10/14 – 10/18) and The ShopRite of Parsippany (10/14 – 10/18).
The introduction of The Honest Company to ShopRite stores is a key part of ShopRite’s health and wellness strategy moving forward, continuing to expand to meet consumers’ need for safe and organic offerings. The products will be first introduced into three New Jersey and one New York store, each of which reflect a high consumer desire for products that are non-toxic for the family.

“We’re so pleased to welcome The Honest Company to ShopRite stores,” said Will Magistrelli, Director of Specialty Grocery, Wakefern Food Corp. “Our shoppers expressed a strong desire for safe and effective baby, home care and personal care products, without compromising style or efficacy – so working with The Honest Company was a natural fit for the direction in which we are looking to expand. We look forward to a long partnership with Honest!”
The launch of the partnership will kick-off at The ShopRite of Greater Morristown on October 7 with a ribbon cutting ceremony and honestly delicious brunch for media.

“The Honest Company and ShopRite share a joint commitment to providing families with safe and effective products for their home,” said a spokesperson for The Honest Company. “We are thrilled to partner with them to make The Honest Company accessible to more families throughout the northeastern United States. Now, more people can enjoy the convenience of finding Honest baby, personal and home care products in addition to our beautifully designed diapers and wipes at their local supermarket.”

The Pop-Up Shops will offer The Honest Company’s baby products, including diapers, wipes and baby personal care, as well as home care products, such as laundry and dish soap. One of the hero product offerings will be The Honest Discovery Box Gift Set – complete with face and body lotion, hand soap, shampoo and body wash, laundry detergent and organic healing balm at a price point of $13.99. Each Pop-Up Shop will be equipped with dedicated sales assistants to help ShopRite customers find the perfect products for themselves, their children and their homes.

I am an animal-lover. We donate time and money to worthy non-profits, but one of the biggest things that we do is speak with our wallets in the way we buy.  While we are not vegan or vegetarian (and some contend that there is no real “cruelty free” animal product purchase, which I disagree with)  we don’t buy from places or brands that abuse animals.  Many people don’t know much about farm animal cruelty issues, but it can be an often brutal industry.  Have you heard about the “Change Your Chicken” Challenge? It’s one way you can make a difference, and let brands know you won’t tolerate animal abuse.

Did you know that most full-grown chickens have less than one square foot of space to live in– less than the size of an iPad?

The ASPCA is hoping to raise awareness about the plight of factory farmed chickens in order to inspire the public to demand healthier, more humane conditions. They launched Change Your Chicken– a 30 day challenge that encourages Americans to shift all their chicken purchases from the worst factory farmed products to more humanely raised products.

Want to help?

• Take the Change Your Chicken Challenge for 30 days. You can find more info and valuable resources on how to find more humanely raised chicken at www.ChangeYourChickenChallenge.com
• Watch and share the ASPCA video titled “Stand Up for Chicken,”  featuring chicken jokes that highlight the sad truth of factory farms: https://youtu.be/Zb9j9YSHxWw
• Share the ASPCA’s mobile-friendly poultry label guide – an explanation of the most common food labels and what they mean, as well as other social shareables: http://pitch.pe/1QmEJJO
• Post on social media, encouraging your followers to take the challenge as well. Sample language could be: “I’m cutting out factory farmed chicken for 30 days for the @ASPCA #ChangeYourChicken challenge: ChangeYourChickenChallenge.com”

The most important thing you can do is to buy only cruelty free chicken- paying careful attention to what you buy speaks volumes.  It’s often the only thing that companies “hear” as well, because you are talking with your wallet (the only thing that matters to those who are making those animals miserable for a bigger profit).  So speak loudly, and buy humane.

You only want the best for your family.  It can be hard to wade through all the mess and figure out what that is sometimes! Check out this link, where you can see all the products that won the 2015 Product of the Year Award.

Some of the products we were sent to try out include;

–   Dial Greek Yogurt Body Wash (which smells great and doesn’t leave any residue on your body)

–   Dial for Men Power Scrub (my son and husband both like it- and I like the smell! It has all these little tiny “scrubbers” in the gel, which helps get the “gross” off.  Most men don’t love loofahs.

–   Purex Crystals Aromatherapy (adds a nice touch to the laundry- and lets that “clean” smell last longer, which any mom will appreciate)

–   Werther’s Original Caramel Popcorn (Delicious!  If you haven’t had this yet, go pick some up.  It wont’ last a day, and I can pretty much promise that, LOL.  We don’t all agree on much, food wise- we all loved this.)

–   Sensodyne Complete (great for sensitive teeth, and recommended by dentists. My own teeth get weird sometimes, and this was good to try out- there are many kinds of Sensodyne toothpaste, you can find one for your teeth.)

–   ProNamel MultiAction (great for the whole family, this toothpaste protects your teeth and so much more.)

Make sure you check out the link above for all the info and all the products that won awards this year- everything from kids to pets and more. You can get the best without having to guess- someone else did all the trial and error for you.

Visit productoftheyearusa.com for more. You can also check them out on  Facebook: facebook.com/productoftheyear and Twitter: @POY_USA.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying an evening on the town, but if you aren’t careful, you could wind up sick, dehydrated or worse after an overindulgence of alcohol. If you want to avoid this fate, here are seven tips for drinking in a way that you won’t regret in the morning.

1. Hand Over Your Keys

Give your keys to the bartender as soon as you walk in the room. This is more effective than giving them to a friend because a bartender won’t be swayed by drunken protests that you aren’t “that bad off.” If they don’t believe you’re capable of driving, you won’t be able to, and that’s that.

2. Try Hydration Mixers

There are certain low carb alcoholic mixers out there that also double as great sources of hydration. This is because they contain electrolytes, so you aren’t just drinking alcohol, water or orange juice. You’re drinking energy.

3. Know Your Limit

This is easier said than done, of course, but if you’re serious about not drinking too much while you’re on the prowl, this will help you both figure out your limit and enforce it. Try videotaping yourself one night as you drink at home. Watch the tape and see where you go from tipsy to completely intoxicated.

4. Know When Not to Drink

You shouldn’t drink when you’re sick or taking medication. You’ll also have to avoid those screwdrivers when you’ve been appointed the designated driver. Get familiar with your local bar’s non-alcoholic options just in case you’re ever in a position where you can’t drink.

5. Eat Between Rounds

Peanuts are a particular favorite at bars and nightclubs because they contain protein that slows down the absorption of alcohol in the bloodstream. If you can’t find a bag, however, any food is better than nothing. Drinking on an empty stomach is a bad idea.

7. Sip Instead of Gulp

In a world of jello shots, sipping your drink is a lost art, but it can help you stay sober even when everyone else around you is falling down. Consider sipping your margarita instead of gulping it down immediately.

These are just a few tips for drinking responsibly. Remember, it’s up to you to take precautions when you know you’ll be partying hard. No one else can monitor your drinking habits for you. You have to be alert, and you have to be personally accountable for your actions.

One of the conundrums when you’re decorating your house is what to do with a large, blank wall. Do you fill it up with a large painting or wall hanging, shove a large piece of furniture in front of it? Don’t get stressed or use the wall to practice your self-hypnosis. There are few low-cost, innovative ways to liven up that wall and make it interesting.

Wallpaper

A patterned wallpaper print will add a little color and make the wall not so blah-looking; which is something that’s difficult to do when you simply paint the wall. However, wallpapering is time-consuming, and it’s not as easy as it looks. If you’re going to go this route, make sure you have an extra pair of hands to help you, or get a professional.

Collections

Another way to add interest to a large, blank space is to add an assortment of items. A good example is to hang different-sized decorative serving trays on a kitchen wall, or an assortment of framed, vintage magazine covers in a sitting room. You can also create shadow boxes that contain silhouettes or assortments of leaves and dried flowers. Just make sure to mix it up by using different frames sizes and placing them in asymmetrical groupings. The ideas are as limitless as your imagination.

Murals

You don’t have to be an artist to create an interesting wall mural. Some shops sell self-stick kits that form large designs when placed on the wall. You can also create your own using contact paper or stencils. If you want a piece of framed art, but you don’t want the hefty price tag that accompanies large artworks, you can purchase a large frame – either online or at an art supply store – and stretch a piece of decorative fabric over it. If you have children – or whimsical friends – you can paint the wall with chalkboard paint. Keep a supply of colored chalks in a bowl nearby for an instant, constantly changing display that will keep you, your family and guests entertained.

If you buy online and you want to look into a business before you shop, there are a number of websites that will help you do just that. For example, Balsam Hill reviews are by customers who have made purchases from their website. Online review websites will give you background information on a business, provide contact information and let you know what their customers think of them.

Disclosure- This is a sponsored post.  All opinions are my own and honest.

What can you do to decorate that office or corner of your house that just seems so empty?  A plant would look perfect there but plants need light and its a dark corner.  And there is little to no natural light in the office…..  Putting  plant there would pretty much be chlory-cide. (Get it?)

Your best option is an artificial plant.  A nice artificial plant that looks realistic and is pretty to look at.  Take a quick gander at ArtificialPlantsAndTrees.com for a huge selection of artificial plants ranging in sizes and types, some flowering some just greenery, but all good replicas.

We were given the opportunity to review the 18-inch Orange Topiary.  The plan itself is 18 inches tall, so it is the perfect size to beatify the dining room table, office desk, or any other spot that needs a little color. With the bright orange and green colors of a small citrus plant, it will bring color to any room.  The best part this plant has no upkeep, no picking, and fruit flies- only a pretty, orange plant.  It would also make a perfect gift for a teacher or coworker.  A real plant could pass away without careful attention and maintenance, but an artificial one is just that- artificial! So you are giving a gift that will not pass away or go out of style.  It is also great for those that travel often- they can have a plant, without having to keep a plant. Artificial plants are great all season long, in any nook or cranny of your home and there even some which can be places outside.

Want to win one of your own?  Enter to win one below.  Ends Oct. 22, 2015.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

RSVP for the #ManwichMonday Twitter Party

October 5, 2015, 7-8pm EST!

Don’t miss the #ManwichMonday Twitter Party on October 5, 2015, 7-8pm EST

With homework, sports, and everything else, it’s hard to find time for the most important activity of all: The good, old-fashioned family dinner.

On October 5, we’ll be chatting about back-to-school routines and how you can kick off the week with family mealtime (Hint: it involves Manwich). As we like to say, grab Monday by the buns!

Of course a party has prizes—and we’ve got 5, each one includes a $50 gift card, cookware, and lots of other stuff. Total value is $100!

RSVP below and be sure to follow @Manwich, @MrDad, and @HaveSippy. And don’t forget to use #ManwichMonday in all your tweets!

Just Click the link below and follow the directions. See you there!