Yankee Candle Holiday Haul

It's that time again!!
































I got my favorite delivery from FedEx earlier this month!  My holiday order of Yankee candles!
I ordered 8 different scents this time.  Some are ones we had had before and some we new scents.

Two old classics for us are Christmas Wreath and Apple Cider.  Beau is a big fan of pine scents so Christmas Wreath is one of his favorites as it smells very strongly of pine.  While it isn't my favorite, I do like to get whiffs of it now and then and it does mix well with other Christmas scents so we usually put it near our (fake) tree then another at the other end of the room.
Apple cider smells exactly like fresh apple cider.  It just smells so nice and spicy and warm.  Just love it.

The next two we got were Balsam & Cedar and Gingerbread.  Balsam & Cedar is another that we have been buying for years.  It smells strongly of cedar and smells very loud when lit.  Just another Christmas staple for our house.  Gingerbread is a new one for us although as soon as I opened it, i regretted not getting it before.  It has a strong smell of ginger when you open it but the smells goes all warm once you light it.

Another old classic is Sparkling Cinnamon which smells just like...Cinnamon!  It is very strong though so be careful with this one.  Sugared Apple is a new one for us.  I haven't burned it yet and I hope the smell is stronger when it is lit.  The smell is nice but muted.  It smells like a sort of vanilla apple with a little bit of sweet to it.

Apple Spice and Magical Frosted Forest are both new ones for us.  I really like apple spice and the fact that there is a doughnut on the front pretty much did it for me.  It smells a bit like apple cider but its not nearly as strong and burns with a much warmer scent than Apple Cider. Magical Frosted Forest smells very evergreen-y.  I smell both cedar and pine and its not overwhelming which I also like.

Until next time!!!

Washington Plaza Hotel, Washington, DC

Beau and I spent the past weekend in Washington, DC while Jordyn spent the weekend at home with my parents.

We had been planning the trip for a couple of months and had been having trouble finding a good hotel at a good price in the area we wanted until someone recommended the Washington Plaza hotel to Beau at work one day.

I did some looking around online and saw that the reviews were pretty good and the prices were awesome compared to other hotels in the area.  We were looking for something close to downtown, preferably within walking distance of the Mall and most of the large museums.  The plaza was right in the area we wanted.  It is only about a 20 minute walk to the White House and a 30 minute walk to the Capitol building and we were taking our time.

Their online booking options are a little different from other hotels I've booked before.  Once you select your dates, you then select the room type such as king, queen, suite, etc. then you get some rate options.  When we booked ours they offered several different ones like Best Available Rate which was the bare bones package, the Advanced Purchase Discount which included a discount if you paid in full up front with no refunds or cancels, Breakfast for Two Package which includes breakfast for 2 daily in the price, Park and Stay with included parking and the Romance in DC which included in room breakfast and chocolate covered strawberries.  We selected the Website Special Discount which turned out to be the lowest rate and allowed for cancellations and or changes to the reservation for a King size room.

We ran late getting there so we called ahead and let them know that we wouldn't be getting there until around 11:30pm or later.  They made a note on our account and we didn't have any trouble checking in late.  The staff was great for our entire stay.  They were accommodating and extremely helpful.

The room was not the nicest room we've stayed in but it was great for the price.  It was neat and clean and had everything you would need.  The hotel has a full service restaurant with room service with reasonable prices and tasty food (try the fish and chips!).  They also have a full bar and a large, secured parking garage.  We had planned to park at a public parking garage a few blocks away that was a bit cheaper but by the time we got there, they were all closed for the night so we just opted to park at the hotel.  It was a little more than we had wanted to pay but at the end of the day it worked out to be more convenient.

Overall we really enjoyed our experience here and wouldn't even consider staying somewhere else next time we are in DC.

Below are some photos of our room.  I didn't realize until after we got home that I forgot to take photos of the bathroom.

King Size Bed

View from Bed

Window & AC Unit

Balcony

View from Balcony

Mini Fridge and Additional Storage

Desk

What is in Our Winter Car Emergency Kits

We have two of these ful brand backpacks that we got in a crazy good sale during back to school time a few years ago.  Many survival experts recommend having your car's emergency kit in a container that is portable so that in the event that you must leave your car, you can take your supplies with you.
We often all ride in our mini van so we have that kit stocked for both of us and Jordyn.  Beau is the only one who uses his truck so that bag is only stocked for him.  (we just move the bags over if we all go in the truck)
We change over our bags twice a year.  We have a list for Summer or warm weather and one for Winter or cold weather.






Emergency Supplies in the Car, but not in the Bag:

• Jumper Cables... Duh!  
• Fix a Flat
• Ice Scraper / Snow Brush.  Just got this one off Amazon! 
• Extra Winter Coats.  We are both pretty bad about not bothering with coats if we are just running to a drive through or just running a quick errand so we keep some older, out of style coats in the back.
• Cell Phone charger
• Rescue Tool.  We got this one off of Amazon a while back and we chose this one for a few reasons.  One because the reviews were great, two because it also has a seat belt cutting option and three because it is a bright color so it is easy to find.
• Road Side Assistance Card
• Snow Chains
• Small Box of no clump cat litter

Supplies in the Bag:

• Emergency Card (Phone numbers, addresses, medical information)
• Emergency Candle 
• Matches
• Sewing Kit
• Yellow Glow Sticks
• Electric Flares
• Duct Tape
• Solar Charger
• Hand Warming packs
• Emergency Blanket
• Toilet paper
• Bottled water (enough for each person for 3 days is recommended)
• MREs (Meals Ready to Eat, enough for 3 days for each person is recommended)

First Aid Kit:

• Glucose packets
• Band-Aids
• Elastic Bandage/Wrap
• Gauze Pads
• Large adhesive bandage
• Quik Clot
• Anti Itch cream
• Antibiotic cream
• Decongestants
• Antihistamines
• Heartburn relief
• Gas relief
• Diarrhea relief
• Pain reliever
• Lip balm
• Hydrogen Peroxide

Check out our Emergency Pinterest page here for more lists, ideas and suggestions.

Also, if you are interested in reading about tips for other emergency/natural disasters, check out the Disaster Prep Summer Series on MyNavyWifeLife.com

Almost There!!

We wanted to say thank y'all so much for putting up with all of our changes and updates thus far!  We are about 90% of the way done, just a few more tweaks and we will be there!!  Yay!!
Let us know what y'all think so far!

Exciting News!

Hi Guys!
We wanted to share the exciting news that our family is expanding!!  Our little peanut is due June 22, 2015!!

New Name, Same Reviews!

Hi Everyone!
As we mentioned before, the website is in the process of undergoing a major facelift.  Part of that facelift is an update to the name.  Your Go-To Reviews was a name we selected for the blog when we created it but after a while we started to realize that it just wasn't what we wanted.  We decided that now was as good a time as any to update the name, as the blog is still very young, so we have updated it to...

The Review HQ!

This change over to our new name will take place over the next two or so weeks as we work out some kinks in getting it changed across all of our social media accounts as well as the blog itself.  All existing links on our accounts will be updated with the new URL.

Also expect to see a complete overhaul of the website's format and graphics.  We are working on new social media buttons, backgrounds, a new logo, etc.

Thank you for sticking with us through these changes!!

Pardon Our Dust

We wanted to let everyone know that the website is going to be undergoing some changes in the next few weeks.  We are going to be doing a lot of design as well as back end/technical changes and updates to make the website more modern, streamlined and user friendly.  And yes, we will still be posting new posts during these updates!

We ask that you pardon our dust and bear with us while we make these changes and work out some kinks.

Thank y'all!!

In-Wash Scent Boosters

Something I'm not sure I've mentioned before is that I am a pretty avid couponer.  This means that I am constantly getting new or different products depending on what coupons/deals are out.  There are some brands that I am very loyal to (Tide!) and don't deviate from but most of the time I'm always willing to try new things.

There have been a lot of deals on in wash scent boosters recently so I've selected 5 different ones for a side by side comparison.  For this post I've selected:

Gain Fireworks
Bounce Bursts
Downy Unstopables
Purex Crystals: the scent stuck around for a long time
Purex Crystals Scent Splash
Downy Fresh Protect

I separate my laundry by dark, white, colors and towels.  Everything gets washed with some form of Tide detergent.  I usually use fabric softener on everything except towels.  Whites always get a little bleach.  I dry as much outside as possible.  Towels always go in the dryer.

For those of you who don't know, we have a toddler and two large dogs so it is a constant battle to keep the house smelling nice.  I use these scent boosters in addition to my fabric softener to add more pleasant smells to the house.  Our closet always smells nice (and Odessa likes to sleep in there), our sheets and duvet are nice and fresh and I also use a booster (plus some extra) on the dog bed covers as well.





My hands down favorite is the Gain Fireworks in Moonlight Breeze.  For one, I LOVE the scent.  Just love it.  Everything came out of the wash smelling so nice and a little perfumey.  I put this in with all my laundry types.  I loved this smell on my guest room sheets which were washed with this scent booster, bleach & soap then line dried.  This one also lasted a long time.  The label states that the smell lasts up to 12 weeks (out of storage).  While I didn't have my guest sheets in storage, they were on the bed under the comforter and dust sheet and the sheets still smelled nice after about 2 months when my next set of guests came.  I buy this one every time I can get it on a good sale.

I have used the original Purex Crystals before in the past but this was my first time trying the ScentSplash version.  I got this one for free after a mail in rebate which is why I decided to give it a try.  I enjoyed the original crystals for sure.  They had a pleasant scent that stuck around on the clothes for a long time afterwards.  This one however, I was a little disappointed with.  I got the same scent that I had used before but I noticed that while it smelled the same, it wasn't nearly as strong.  It didn't nearly as long either.  I could hardly smell it when I brought the laundry in from drying.  It didn't smell bad by any means but it just wasn't what I was looking for.  I don't plan to buy this one again.

The Downy Unstopables is the scent booster that I've been using the longest.  Last time it went on sale, the only scent left was left was Fresh.  I prefer the scent Lush but I don't mind the Fresh scent.  I like this one but again the scent just isn't as strong as I would like and it doesn't last as long as the Gain Fireworks I think.  I definitely would buy it again but it's not my favorite.  Definitely better than not having one at all for sure.

My next one I tried was Bounce Bursts in Outdoor Fresh.  Not a big fan of this one to be honest.  It just smells really soapy to me.  I do like how strong the smell is but the soapyness of it is a little overwhelming, even for me.  The smell did stick around longer than the Downy and Purex but not as long as the Gain.  I would buy it again if I was completely out because I would rather have a booster than not but if given the choice, I would buy Downy or Gain.

This Downy Fresh Protect was our least favorite by far.  While Beau did notice that his workout gear did smell a little better after his workouts then it normally does, the scent that this leaves on the clothes after the wash wasn't pleasant at all.  Beau described it as a really cheap carpet deodorizer smell, like after you have your carpets cleaned.  It also smelled a bit musty which I didn't care for at all.  I'm very sensitive to smells and this one just didn't cut it for me.  While I like the deodorising aspects of it, the smell it left after the wash was not worth it so I will not be using this one again.

Be on the lookout for more reviews soon!

Thanks Guys!!

*This is not a sponsored post.*

New Product Recall Tab!

Good Morning Everyone!
We are excited to announce that we have added a new tab on the website dedicated to product recalls!  This tab will be a running list of recalls starting with the ones October 1st.
Each recall item on the list is a hyperlink to the page on cpsc.gov for that recall.  That page will give a detailed list of all the information involved in the recall as well as any manufacturer's websites regarding the recall.

You can find this tab at the top of the website next to the About Us and Contact pages.


Enjoy!!

PSA: DON'T USE THIS PET SITTER

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUCEMENT:

If you live in the West Chester, PA area and are looking for a pet sitter, dot NOT use Fuzzy Buttz R Us.  This woman let my aunt and uncle's dog STARVE for an entire weekend without a thought.
They have used her several times before and had scheduled her to watch their dog Katie this past weekend.  Upon arriving home, they found a huge mess all over the house and saw that all of her meals and medications were untouched.  She was left from Friday morning to Sunday evening.
My aunt called her and asked what happened.  She claimed that she had called to confirm that they still needed her and when she did not get a response, she figured they didn't need her.  She called and left a message on their HOME phone, after they had already left.  Having used her before, they had provided other numbers including their mobile's to her so while she had those numbers, she chose not to call them.
Katie is 15 years old and requires regular medication in addition to her regular food and potty breaks.
The fact that she went 3 days without food, medication or toilet breaks is APPALLING.  This woman obviously has no regard for your pet's safety or welfare.

Share this post so no other pet gets left to go hungry while under her care.



See my aunt's full review here:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/fuzzybuttzrus-exton

Yankee Candle Fall Haul

My favorite thing to see sitting on the porch when I get home!!!

For anyone who doesn't know by now, I'm OBSESSED with Yankee.  Like I have two 5 foot cabinets full of Yankee candles obsessed.  But thats another post.

I usually order my candles online about once a quarter or so and only when I've got a buy 1 get 1 or buy 2 get 2 coupon.  Most of the time, you can uses them multiple times in one order so I usually get enough to get me to the $100 minimum for the free shipping.  Sometimes a little more... 

Since we were moving this time last year, I didn't replace my fall scents so we didn't have to move them so this order was just fall scents.

I got 3 Spiced Pumpkin (one of my favorites, obviously!),  a Pumpkin Pie (meant to get 2, oops), Pumpkin Buttercream, Cinnamon Stick and Pumpkin Ginger Bark.

Spiced Pumpkin and Pumpkin Pie are my two favorite fall scents ever.  They both smell exactly how you would expect them to.  Spiced Pumpkin smells like fresh pumpkin with a bit of spice.  Pumpkin Pie smells just like warm pumpkin pie.

The Pumpkin Buttercream is one I havent tried before and I can't decide how I feel about it.  It definately has some good pumpkin scent but the buttercream is almost overly sweet smelling.  I'll keep burning it and get back to you on that one.

Cinnamon Stick is one we have ordered before and it is one of our holiday staples.  I prefer it more around Christmas.  It just smells almost overwhelmingly of cinnamon and it is just lovely.
Home Sweet Home was also a repurchase.  We have burned it the last few years and it is a favorite.  The online description says blend of cinnamon, baking spices and a hint of freshly poured tea and that is pretty close to what I smell.  I smell more cinnamon than anything else but I do smell the spices and tea.  It also has a nice warm smell once its lit.
The last one we got was Pumpkin Ginger Bark which was a new buy for us.  I think it smells like a little bit of pumpkin with a bit ginger and warm caramel.  We haven't lit this one yet but I can already tell I'll be ordering it again.

Be sure to sign up for Yankee.com's emails for coupons!

Thanks guys!


*This is not a sponsored post.  I just really love Yankee :)*

Chobani Family Greek Yogurts

We were invited to participate in the Chobani Family campaign through BzzAgent.com and sent 4 different kinds of Chobani greek yogurts to test.

The four that we we received were:


Chobani Greek in Strawberry flavor


Chobani Greek Simply 100 in Lemon Raspbery flavor


Chobani Greek flip in Peanut Butter Dream


Chobani Greek KIDS in Strawberry and Grape







The first one we tried was the orignial Greek in Strawberry.  The fruit in this cup is on the bottom so you stir it up before you eat it.  There were nice chunks of strawberry and the flavor is balanced.  However, we probably wouldn't buy this again.  The yogurt itself tasted just a little more sour than we prefer.  We prefer Muller greek yogurt for flavor and texture.  This was the best one of the Chobani's we tried in this review.

Before Stirred

After Stirred

The second one we tried was the flip yogurt.  We got the Peanut Butter Dream flavor.  Beau tried this one and he said that it was not his favorite combo.  He said the bits tasted like candied trail mix but the amount of the bits to the yogurt was a good balance.  He said he would not buy it again.

The next one we tried was the Simply 100 in Lemon Raspberry flavor.  The first thing we noticed about this one was that the cup was less than 2/3 full of yogurt.  I'm not sure if there was an air bubble or if they are all that way.  We did not care for this one at all.  The flavors were not the best combination.  The lemon flavor tasted more like a lemon zest than lemon juice which left a strange, acidic after taste in our mouths.  It says on the side that there is no sugar and whatever sweetener they used gave it a very fake sweet taste.  Almost like Sweet N Low.

 

The last one we tried were the KIDS pouches.  We all three tried them but Jordyn was our main tester!  Of the two, she went for the strawberry more than the grape.  We noticed while the strawberry tasted a lot like the original one we tried with real strawberries, the grape had a very processed tasting flavor.  Overall though she really seemed to like them.  If the price was right, I would buy these again for her.

See y'all next time!
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Febreze vs Up & Up Fabric Refresher

Hi Everyone!
We are back again with another vs post!
This time we are looking at Febreze original vs Target's Up & Up fabric refresher spray.

Having two dogs as large as Abbey and Odessa, it is a constant struggle to keep the house from smelling like dog.  Between keeping them clean and my Yankee Candle addiction, we spray the furniture down regularly with Febreze.
I saw a sale on the Up & Up version of Febreze and decided to give it a try.
And I must say, we were not impressed at all. :(

I love Febreze.  I like that the smell doesnt fade quickly and does help to get rid of the odor instead of just covering it up.  The Up & Up acted more like perfume water than Febreze.  Every time I spray it, the smell is very faint then within a few minutes I can't smell it at all.  We noticed too that every time I would spray it, everyone would start coughing or sneezing.

Needless to say, we won't be buying this one again.  Just can't beat Febreze!
See the Amazon link below to purchase Febreze and click the image above to check out the Up & Up version at Target.com!

Thanks guys!
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