2019 Holidays, Food, Home

Weekly Dinner Menu Planning Board – Includes Recipes

Comment: I was sent product for this feature. All opinions are 100% my own.

Our current house situation went from my Husband, tween son and I to adding our oldest and his GF as they save for their first home. They pay us a food allowance and get grocery shopping done and meals cooked for them. Having 20-somethings in the home I am cooking a lot more at a time and then I always try to cook huge batches of dinner because if there are leftovers they love taking them the next day for work lunch. From 3 people to a lot more, planning is crucial or it can become overwhelming.

Recently I was introduced to the new Weekly Dinner Menu Planning Board. The design is done, it stands up and even has recipe cards with shopping lists. Having a meal plan in my head wasn’t cutting it. I save so much time and money having a visual menu planning board.

Every menu board includes:

  • a 11×17 printed board with attached stand and velcro tabs to plan out your family’s meal for each night of the week.
  • 15 of Nic’s favorite quick and easy dinner recipes that your family is sure to love including chicken, steak, fish and vegetarian options.
  • Individual cards with a shopping list for each meal.
  • Easy 4-step recipes for each dinner.
  • An extra card for “Take Out” and “Leftovers” for those night your prefer not to cook.

Take a look at the board in action

If you know a busy family or just want to start the new year off more organized, make sure to order your Weekly Dinner Menu Planning Board from Nibbles by Nic!

2019 Holidays, Healthy Living, Home

VEO Active-Probiotics Surface Cleaner

Comment: I was sent product for feature. Opinions are 100% my own. May contain some affiliate links within post

Did you know that or kitchens is the germiest place in the home (according to a recent CNN story)? Now think about where you will spend a lot of time over the Holidays; probably in the kitchen. Yuck!

Your choice of cleaner DOES matter! I hold a lot of regard for certain cleaners I choose to bring into my home and many I will never buy. The VEO Active-Probiotics Surface Cleaner is a must for getting your kitchen holiday-ready and then to clean it back up again.

Why VEO Active-Probiotics Surface Cleaner?  VEO uses the cutting-edge science of active probiotics to biodegrade dirt and grime for a deeper, long-lasting clean like you’ve never seen. It keeps cleaning deep down for up to days after you wipe it down!

Seriously! It keeps cleaning for you for days! Think about most cleaners on the market, they are causing more harm than good. They can leave behind potentially dangerous bacteria and grime you thought you reached in the grooves but didn’t. Kind of gross, isn’t it? Veo is a peace of mind for a deep clean.

Veo Cleaner is currently available on www.veocleaner.com and Amazon with expansion into retailers soon. It comes in two delightful scents – Apple and Jasmine and Citrus Blossom.

2019 Holidays, Healthy Living, Home

Say HELLO to fresh air inside with the Laser Egg+ CO2

Gone are the days where you need to judge air quality in your home or office by the absence or presence of sniffles and watery eyes. No more relying on musty odors and opening doors in cold weather when you may or may not need fresh air. The Laser Egg is here for us and now the new Kaiterra Laser Egg + CO2 is available for your home.

Kaiterra is on a mission to lessen air pollution and it starts in your own home. Kaiterra wants to make sure they delver the best accuracy in their monitors so they use a cloud-based calibration that helps in that not all air particles are created equal so simple mass measurements are not very accurate. Kaiterra tells us that the key to long-term accurate readings is having an algorithm that can take the changing factors into account in real-time.

Kaiterra has set up numerous co-locations around the globe with reference grade monitors that provide particulate readings as mass concentrations. Then they analyze the readings of the optical monitors against these devices in real-time and are able to identify the key properties necessary to update the algorithm inside a Laser Egg. Hefty stuff!

The Laser Egg + CO2 monitors 5 measurements and that’s all we really need to know! But, we need to know what these measurements mean to our health and the Kaiterra website is loaded with education for you. It’s worth the read for your family’s sake (and your health). The free app is your handled info you can check in on from anywhere.

app and air quality

PM2.5 is a measurement in regards to our health and how deep particles penetrate our bodies. PM2.5 refers to particulate matters in the air with an aerodynamic diameter equal to or smaller than 2.5 microns. Only by measuring PM2.5 can we start to understand the levels that we are exposed to and ultimately work towards fixing it and improving our air. Think: fine dust particles, dander and smog.

CO2 levels can effect our thinking. This is because the higher (even within safe ranges) the CO2 is the cloudier our minds and can trigger headaches are, simply put. CO2 levels are affected by poor ventilation, larger home population (people releasing CO2), cooking food and heating your home. A maintained and working HVAC system does wonders for CO2 levels. So practice steps to lower those levels as much as possible.

The Air Quality Index refers to how clean or polluted your air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for you. Think of the AQI as a yardstick that runs from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. Try to stay within 0-50 for the best air quality!

Temperature is the best way to ensure comfort, indoor plant survival and best HVAC support. You get a full weather forecast within your Laser Egg.

Humidity measurements are great to know for bacteria growth. You don’t want unhealthy microorganism growth so staying about 30-50 is best.

air monitor

I love how this ‘egg’ looks as it blends into decor very well. Whether your main concerns are lung health, skin concerns, better sleep or allergies, this will be your go-to for the reports you need to make accurate adjustments I your home. You never knew it mattered this much! Visit Kaiterra for the Laser Egg that best fits your needs.

2019 Holidays, Home, Tips and Tricks

DIY Bar Table with Giani Butcher Block Countertop Paint Kit

When we bought our home 2 years ago I had so many ideas to do with the place. We bought new build and so we sold and donated a lot of furniture and items so we can move into the new home with new stuff. A few rooms were done right away and some spaces I am just now finishing because I could not make my mind up of what I wanted to do. This weekend I finished all I need to be as ‘entertaining ready‘ as I want to be.

By being ready to fully entertain I mean that I have the products and space needed. I looked long and hard and saved Amazon credit and bought the perfect bar cart. It’s in my dining room corner and holds everything nicely.

Then I had family over and realized while it holds all my bar cart items it leaves no table space to make your drink so everyone would take what they need and walk over to the counter and it suddenly was not serving its purpose. I loved my cart and spent quite a bit for it, but then I was sent the Giani Butcher Block Countertop Paint Kit and the wheels in my head started turning on how to gain more surface area in that corner of my dinning room.

I looked in yard sales and buy nothing pages for some table space that would match the bar cart I bought and I just had no luck. Then one day I ran into Goodwill to browse Halloween items and I saw a TV Tray leaning on the wall and it was marked $2. This could work! Now I can fold it up and store it which means matching is not an issue because I will only have it out when needed. But, it was ugly! So I went to work with my Giani paint kit.

I don’t usually tackle DIY but I really wanted this to work out so I gave it a try. I already had the paint kit which is enough to cover a lot more than this tray so I’d be out $2 if I fail. I sanded it down and applied the Primer which are the first steps.

Once the primer dried I did it again. Two coats of primer and it was time to tape my block lines. The best part about the kit is that it comes with everything you need. The only thing I used of my own supplies was my drop cloth and a larger paint pan.

Using the paint to create the grain and contrast was so easy. I found their YouTube video instructions and it was so easy to follow along! This might just work out.

Once the paint dried, I applied the sealer and that completed the project. The worst part was waiting for each step’s drying time because I was so anxious to complete it and see it done.

When you look at the finished results compared to that expensive cart I bought I get the same table surface area. This means I can dress my bar cart up and when guests come over, I can set up my Butcher Block stand and set it up so there is a surface to fix the cocktail.

Even if butcher block is not your style, Giani paint kits come in so many finishes from granite, shiplap (which is on my wish list), chalk paint, backsplash and more.

Get your home and spaces ready for the Holidays with these easy-to-use, all inclusive kits. You can do many surfaces or one large surface with just one kit (covers up to 35 sq. feet). Visit Giani Granite to get started. Also available on Amazon.

Comment: I was sent product for this authentic feature. All opinions are my own