Citrus Lane review

     I got my first Citrus Lane box last week and I was beyond impressed. It is definitely one of my favorite subscription boxes. (I've also tried Bluum box, but it hardly compares to Citrus Lane because they contain mainly samples and they don't tailor the boxes based on age so Owen was starting to get stuff more for infants). Citrus Lane sends parents of babies and toddlers from newborns to 3 years olds four to five full-size items per month tailored specifically to their child's age and gender. Each month the box is organized around a theme like "Fun in the Sun" and "Bed and Bathtime Fun." The boxes cost $25 a month, though I used a promotional code and got mine for less. 
     My first box was the June box with the "Little Artists" theme. It was full of fun music and art-themed products. Owen enjoyed opening his own box and pulling out the pretty yellow tissue paper. (The fact that the box made jingling noises was pretty exciting too.) 

     Every box includes a flyer that gives you an overview of the theme of the month and then a detailed description of what products are included in that month's box, including regular price for the items and sometimes even special promotional codes and discounts for subscribers. 
     Here is what I got in my box this month:


1.  Wee Can Too Veggie Art Kit - $19.99
Eco-friendly, organic, and safe-to-eat fingerpaints and veggie crayons (we got two of each in greens, yellows, and an orangey-red). The fingerpaints are made from organic fruit and vegetable powders and are a little grainy when mixed with water. The consistency is weird and they don't look like normal paints when applied to paper, but I was more interested in using them for the experience, not the finished product. (Though Owen's first masterpiece is hanging on the fridge.) We used ours outside just in case, but I didn't have any problems with the paints staining. And after we painting, I just picked Owen up and took him in for a bath, though the paint would easily wipe off with a wet washcloth. Owen just seemed to paint himself more than he did the paper. The box also included a code for 20 percent off a purchase at Wee Can Too Art. 

2. Putamayo 2012 Playground Sampler CD - $5.00
I am in love with this CD. It features eight songs from seven of Putamayo Kids' popular children's music CDs, including "Cowboy Playground" and "Kids World Party." The songs are so cute and way better than listening to Barney or the Wiggles or some other equally annoying music. A few of the songs are even sung in different languages. Watching Owen bob up and down to the music is so cute. I can definitely see myself buying their CDs when Owen is a bit older or for when we take a road trip. 

3. Hohner Kids Musical Instrument (a tambourine) - $7.00-$11.00
These musical instruments are BPA and phthalate-free and used to help introduce children to making music. They are perfectly sized for little hands to shake, rattle, and roll. Other kids from Citrus Lane received maracas or a dog-shaped whistle. Owen doesn't love this right now, but as he cycles through favorite toys, I'm sure at some point this one will be fun for him.

4. Pop and Lolli decal (1) - $67 for set of 16
Pop and Lolli decals are made from real fabric and are reusable and recyclable. And with each purchase made, Pop and Lolli donate educational materials and resources to a South African child. These decals are oh-so-cute. Owen received a really cute owl wearing a top hat. We are currently painting his room, but I've already begun trying to decide where to place this on the wall. I'm thinking about "perching" him on top of Owen's bookcase. Citrus Lane also included a promotional code for 15 percent off at Pop and Lilli.

5. BabyGanics Toy & Table Cleaner - $3.99
This non-toxic spray has no parabens, no sulfates, and no phthalates, yet is effective at cleaning splats and spills off tables. It's even great for cleaning off toys after they've been chewed and drooled on. I have used it so far to wipe up where Owen smears his lunch on the table and it worked fantastically. I 

6. A $35 voucher for Minted.com - $35
Minted offers stationary, birth announcements, invitations, and more in fun modern, graphic styles. They are pretty pricey so I most likely wouldn't order from them normally, but I was able to find some stationary for $35. So all I had to do was pay for shipping. I got some really cute cards for Owen so that I can write thank you notes whenever someone buys him a gift. If you use a referral link to join Minted, you can get a $25 credit to add onto the $35 credit from Citrus Lane. Unfortunately I didn't know that before I used my promo card, but if you're interested in doing it, you can use my referral link and get $60 worth of merchandise for free! 

      So for $25 you get $78.98 worth of product (or more if you use the referral link for Minted). That's a great deal! And watching Owen paint and play has been so much fun this month. I really hope that Citrus Lane continues to give me things that I can use with Owen to expose him to new things and entertain him. 
      If you're interesting in trying Citrus Lane, you can get 10 percent off your subscription by using the code SPRINGFUN. You'll save $7.50 on three months, $12.50 on six months, or $25 on twelve months. Click here if you want to check it out. I'd love it if you used my link so that I can get credit towards a free box at some point. 
     I think what I love most about this box is being introduced to products that I might not have thought to buy or discovered myself. I loved being able to fingerpaint with Owen for the first time. And watching him dance to his music CD. Once again, I am so impressed with the items in my first box. And with that, I'll leave you with some pictures of Owen using his new fingerpaints. 

Father's Day 2012

This is Owen and his dad figuring out what they were going to grill for Father's Day dinner.

     We had a really great Father's Day this past weekend. We didn't really do anything fancy, but we had a fun time doing some things that Tim wanted to do, eating his special meal, and even finishing up painting in the kitchen. 
     To begin Father's Day weekend, we went out on Saturday morning to a local park behind the college to play disc golf. We had a really great time. I'm not particularly good at throwing a disc because they fly differently from frisbees, but I didn't do too badly. Though at one point I did have to climb into some ivy to reclaim my disc. Owen enjoys following us around and throwing his own disc. And I think Tim enjoyed sharing something he loves to do with us. 

My two boys.

Perfect form.

Even Owen got in on the action.

"Throwing" his disc.

   Tim taught Owen a really important skill this weekend as well - how to make truck noises. Vroom! Watching him push around his little bulldozer truck was so cute. 

Vroom! Vroom!

Bulldozing some books.

      Another favorite for Owen was helping his daddy unwrap his presents. He can definitely pull off the paper by himself now and watching him do it is so cute. I'm glad that I bought Tim so many presents just because we got to watch Owen unwrap so many and have so much fun. For Father's Day, Tim got two polo shirts, two button-downs, a pair of jeans, a pair of khakis (can you tell he needed work clothes?), a golf swing practice net, a mug, and two half-gallon jugs of Sonny's sweet barbecue sauce. 

Ready for presents!

Riiiiiip!

I can't wait to see what's inside, Dad!

A shirt? Boring!

Maybe this gift will be more exciting.

Can't get enough ripping paper.

After unwrapping his daddy's mug, Owen reached into the box and pulled out the mug and threw it across the room. Don't worry. It didn't break.

Then we made the wrapping paper into a cape. Super Owen!

Tim's final wish for Father's Day were these made from scratch cinnamon rolls. Yum! 

Menu Monday

     That's right folks, it's back! Menu Monday. I am so happy to be back in my kitchen cooking and able to look at all my recipe blogs and cooking magazines again. It was kind-of sad to find yummy recipes when we were living in the hotel because I couldn't cook them. So this week we have several new recipes and some old favorites. 


Monday: Chicken, spinach, and noodle casserole. This recipe is from a recent issue of Real Simple magazine. It looks really good and I already have on hand all the ingredients except for the sour cream and spinach. I pulled this recipe out of the magazine about a month ago when we first moved into the house, but it got lost in all the cardboard boxes and packing paper and chaos. When I uncovered it the other day, I decided to give it a try before I lost it again. 

Photo from www.realsimple.com.

Tuesday: Sausage and kale quiche. This is a recipe that my mom adapted from one on the blog Kalyn's Kitchen. It's a basic quiche with kale, onion, mozzarella cheese and sausage in it. She said that it turned out really well. I have never eaten kale before, but I like most leafy greens, so I'm willing to give it a shot. And if it turns out that I like it a lot, the local farmer's market sells loads of it. 


Wednesday: Crock pot chicken cacciatore. This is a recently posted recipe on the Skinny Taste blog. The main reason that it stood out to me is because I have chicken thighs in the freezer from when Tim and I grilled some the other week. The other reason I chose it was because of the picture. Look at it. Doesn't it look like some fancy pasta dinner you'd get at a restaurant? Also, I can't wait to use my slow cooker again. We unpacked it last weekend and it was like reuniting with a long, lost friend. A long, lost friend that makes your dinner for you all day while you do other things. 

Photo from www.skinnytaste.com.

Thursday: Healthy baked chicken nuggets. This is a recipe I've made several times from the Skinny Taste blog. It is super easy to make and tastes really great even though the nuggets are baked. We love to pair ours with our favorite sauces from fast food restaurants. I love mine with either Zaxby's sauce or Chick-Fil-A sauce. Tim will most likely drown his in Sonny's sweet barbecue sauce. We'll be having the chicken nuggets with baked zucchini sticks and pasta sauce for dipping and a side salad. I'm excited to make these now that Owen is eating more foods and I'm hoping that he will at least give them a try. He's eaten a McDonald's chicken nugget before and I'd rather he get a taste for these than the unhealthy fried kind. The zucchini sticks are a great thing to pair with these because I just dip them in the same breading at the chicken nuggets and throw them in the oven with them. 

Photo from www.skinnytaste.com

Friday: Cheeseburger salad. I have a pound of ground beef in the freezer that I wanted to use for something this week. This recipe is super quick and just as tasty as eating a hamburger. And probably a little bit healthier since you're eating a bunch of lettuce. My favorite parts are the yummy sauce made from ketchup, mustard, and barbecue sauce, the pickles, and the homemade croutons. P.S. Take the extra step and make the croutons instead of using storebought ones. You will thank me. Maybe even name your first child after me. 

Photo from pioneerwoman.com.

Saturday: Chicken and white bean enchiladas. The blogger of Skinny Taste makes the best chicken enchiladas I have ever eaten, restaurant, at home, or otherwise. Her regular red sauce enchiladas are super amazing, but these more frequently overlooked white enchiladas are just as good in my opinion. The jalapenos and diced green chiles seem really hot when you're making the sauce, but after you cook them, they leave a really nice flavorful spicy taste that isn't too hot to eat. 

Photo from www.skinnytaste.com

Sunday: Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork sandwiches with cilantro jalapeno slaw.  I have been waiting for summer to arrive just so that I could make these sandwiches again. Not really, but they are one of my favorite summer recipes. They are so very tasty. And super easy. Because the meat is made in the slow cooker, all you do is throw a pork shoulder in with a can of chipolte chiles, a can of Dr. Pepper, some brown sugar, and an onion. Then you shred it and put it on a toasty bun. The coleslaw really helps to cut down on the heat from the meat and adds a nice crunch as well. It's practically nirvana in a sandwich. Well, except for Tim because he's deathly allergic to mayonnaise and won't eat coleslaw. At least that's the story we'll go with for now because otherwise he would sound like a crazy person for not wanting to eat this sandwich exactly the way it is in the picture below. My parents are coming into town this weekend so they will be lucky and get to eat this with us. I will be happy about that because it means that when I see the bottom of the coleslaw bowl, it doesn't mean that I ate the whole thing. 

Photo from pioneerwoman.com.

Random Friday

1. Father's Day plans! 
    I am so very excited for this Father's Day. Last year on Father's Day we were flying home from Tim's brother's wedding so we didn't really get to celebrate other than Tim opening a gift and a card when we finally arrived back in Washington. So I'm happy that this year we're not traveling so that I can really pamper Tim for being such a great daddy. I'm going to miss being with my dad on Father's Day, but I'm excited to be able to do whatever Tim wants to do. He has thus far decided that he wants to play disc golf and he wants to grill a beef brisket for the first time. Other than that, I suppose I will provide the rest of the meal and maybe a dessert. I have bought Tim four different presents this year. (I know, I went overboard.) I also want to refill the frame that I got him last year with the pictures of Owen holding the letters D, A, and D. Honestly, I've been procrastinating on that because Owen is super mobile and non-stop action all the time so I'm afraid I won't be able to get the kinds of pictures that I want. 

Photos from Wikipedia.

2. Julep Mystery Box let-down. 

       I got an e-mail the other day saying that Julep Maven was offering a Mystery Box this month containing between $60 and $200 worth of products, including the possibly winning a limited edition mystery color or the entire Julep nail collection of colors. It was a gamble and I lost. Sort-of. I added up the value based on their website of everything in my box and I received $62 worth of merchandise. And no mystery color. Not terrible, but not as exciting as it could be. Still, it was a better deal than their normal monthly box which has just two polishes and one nail care item in it. I received three nail colors, one base coat, lip balm, and a nail file. The polish colors I got were, from right, Alyson, (the basecoat), Marisa, and Maggie. I think Alyson (almond creme nude) looks pretty, but both Maggie (frosty amethyst) and Marisa (dark, rich cobalt blue shimmer), while pretty, are a little dark for summertime. They will be great for fall and winter, though. Oh well. It was a nice treat anyway and maybe I will have better luck if I decide to go for another mystery box in the future. If you're interested in trying out Julep Maven for just a penny, click here and use the promo code PENNY or COLORS4ONE.

3. Back in the saddle again. 

     And by saddle, I mean kitchen. Now that the cabinets are painted (I promise I will post a final reveal at some point. We have a few touch-ups to do first.), I have been able to make dinner this entire week. And not on the grill! I have really enjoyed being back in the kitchen. And Tim and I have both been feeling so much better since we've started eating healthier and at home. I am trying to decide whether to resume posting a menu to my blog each week. Is anyone interesting in seeing that back on the blog? Right now, I'm mainly making some of our old favorites that we haven't had since we moved, but Wednesday night I made a new, tasty dinner - Skinny Taste's Chicken and Broccoli Noodle Casserole. Try it out!

4. Vacation plans. 
     Tim and I haven't finalized anything yet, but we're hoping to go to Florida this fall to visit our friends David and Katie. Katie and I have been friends since high school and we were in each other's weddings. She and her husband David moved to Florida back in 2010 so we haven't gotten to see each other regularly for a long time, especially after Tim and I moved to Washington. Katie has gotten to see Owen twice, once last June and earlier this year in April, but David has never seen him in person. I can't wait to introduce him. Katie and David live near Orlando so I'm sure there will be tons of stuff for us to do when we go. I hope we can go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. But we'll have to see what Owen will tolerate. Regardless, I can't wait to see them!

5. What's on my Nook.
    I am currently reading a couple of books. The first is the memoir "Wild" about a woman (Cheryl Strayed - yeah, it sounds like a pun because it's not her original name) who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail solo after the loss of her mother. So far, I am having trouble getting invested in the book because I am having a hard time feeling empathy for the woman. After losing her mother, she basically sabotaged her entire life by dropping out of college, cheating on and divorcing her devoted husband, sleeping around, getting addicted to cocaine, and having an abortion. If my mother died and I did those things, you better believe she'd come haunt my sorry butt. It's very obvious in the book that she is a person who desperately needs Christ, but since it's not a Christian book and I haven't finished reading all the way through, I don't know if she ever comes to that realization. So far, it's just been really sad. She is a good writer though and I do want to finish the book, if only to see how she comes out on the other end. 

    The other book that I'm reading is the young adult science fiction retelling of the fairytale Cinderella. It takes place in an imagined dystopian future in the city New Beijing and the Cinderella character is a cyborg, complete with a robotic foot instead of a glass slipper (I'm betting her foot falls off at some crucial moment, what do you think?). So far I'm enjoying it. The main character is really strong and not super whiney like the protagonists of most young adult books (picture Bella from Twilight). The concept seems really unique even though it is a popular idea right now to adapt fairy tales like in the TV show "Once Upon a Time" and the movies "Little Red Riding Hood," "Mirror, Mirror" and "Snow White and the Huntsman." I haven't seen the latter two movies, but I was pretty disappointed with the first. I may do a book review when I'm finished reading this. 

      Lastly, I just have to get this off my chest because I have such a strong opinion about it. I recently read and hated the popular erotic (it's labeled as romance, but let's call it what it is) novel "Shades of Grey" and have no urge to finish the trilogy. In fact, I'm ashamed I read the first one. I should have done more research before buying it to see what it was all about, but I really wanted to see why it has become so popular. I figured it couldn't be that bad if the books were ranked first, second, and third on the New York Times' Bestsellers List. The main reason I disliked the book was the romanticized view the author gave to what I believe was an abusive relationship. I'm sorry, but even between consensual adults, sex should not be something one has to sign a contract for so that the man can dominate you, punish you as he sees fit, and control and abuse you. Not sexy! I know some women are attracted to the idea of "fixing" a damaged man, but I think it's completely ridiculous. Any relationship where you have to hide the way the man treats you from your friends and family is not a healthy relationship. And it disturbs me that so many women who read this book are falling in love with Christian Grey. In addition, the plot had some major holes. I'm supposed to believe that a girl who is still a virgin because she has very high standards in men would then decide to lose her virginity to a completely messed up, mentally damaged sex addict just because he's handsome? Not believable! Also, what 21-year-old college graduate doesn't have an e-mail address? The other reason I hate it is because it has very little plot and what little plot it has is so obvious that I guessed the secret behind Mr. Grey's traumatic childhood in the first half of the book. Why read two more novels? Plus, I started just skipping the sex scenes because they were so frequent and repetitive. Finally, the writing is terrible. How many times is the author going to repeat the same phrases? If I had to hear about Ana's "inner goddess" or read about her biting her lip one more time, I was going to throw the book across the room. Anyway, that's my take on the book. Read at your own risk. 

6. For the Makers. 
     I am super giddy with excitement because my friend Haley got me a For the Makers box for my birthday. For the Makers is a subscription box for crafters that includes all the necessary supplies (save for scissors and other normal household tools) to complete four to five crafts per month. I received my box for June yesterday and I can't wait to sit down and craft. I really love the concept for this because anytime I find a craft that I want to do on Pinterest, I end up spending a ton of money at Michael's buying craft supplies when I really only need one or two of each item. This service reduces a lot of wasted product and money. And the crafts are really great and not lame like popsicle stick picture frames or something. The founders of the company are jewelry designers so many of the crafts in the box are jewelry or accessories. This month, I have the supplies to make a floral, zippered pouch, a bracelet, a hair pin, and a candle holder. The box includes materials like a gorgeous floral fabric, pink neon cord, a magenta zipper, silk flower petals, cream-colored thread, and blue and green silk chiffon. I will post again once I've completed the projects to show you 

7. The Woman in Black. 
    Tim and I recently watched "The Woman in Black." I actually really like suspenseful "scary" movies. I hate gory horror movies about murderers and things like "Saw" or the "Final Destination" movies, but I love a good suspense movie. Especially now that I sleep next to a big strong man who can protect me. The movie was okay. Tim and I were both freaked out at a lot of it. I can always tell when Tim is getting freaked out during a movie like this because he starts making fun of the movie to lighten the mood. And I really like Daniel Radcliffe as an actor though I think he's doomed to be called Harry Potter for the rest of his life. Not that I don't love Harry Potter. It's just that I can't look at him without thinking "Harry Potter." Despite that, he acted really well in the movie. Though what is with people in this type of movie investigating the scary noises? If I heard a creepy loud rocking chair rocking back and forth really loudly in the nursery of a dead boy, you can better believe I'd be out of that house, not checking it out. Some other movies in our Netflix queue are: "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," "Machine Gun Preacher," "We Bought a Zoo," and "Gone." Anything we should add?

8. First big purchase. Tim and I recently made our first big purchase as homeowners. Get ready for it ... a brand new riding lawn mower! Yay! Okay, so it's not the most exciting purchase ever, but it was a huge necessity. And now we don't have to borrow our neighbor's lawnmower anymore. We went with a Craftsman style mower from Sears because we were able to get it for a really good deal and pay it off right away. (We're really close to paying off our credit card too - yay for no debt!) 

June Conscious Box review

    Thanks to my dear friend Haley (who knows I've become a subscription box junkie), I was gifted a Conscious box this month for my birthday. It arrived exactly on my birthday. I had so much fun digging through the box when it arrived and I'm still working on trying out all the free samples included inside. Unlike most sample subscription boxes that come with only 5-6 samples, Conscious Box comes packed!
    For those of you who don't know, Conscious Box is a monthly subscription service designed to introduce consumers to "ethical, sustainable, and honest businesses that create the purest products available." The samples include everything from organic food to vegan beauty products. Conscious Box costs $12 a month plus shipping and handling.  

   The theme of this month's box was "Leap into Summer." The box was described on a small card enclosed: "Summer days linger long as the light slides gently through the trees and away into night. Early summer eves awaken our spirits as warm air drifts over our skin and nature coaxes us to join it. Allow the bounty of June's essence to wash over you, reinvigorating your soul with this season's abundance of energy. Embrace this season's simple gifts and revel in what they bring."

      This month's box included the following samples (flavors and scents vary by box):

Vega One Nutritional Shake ( Vanilla Chai flavor) - This is a plant-based powder that you mix into water to make a shake that contains 50 percent of your daily vitamins and minerals, 15 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, and assorted probiotics and antioxidants. The shake was actually pretty good. I really liked the vanilla chai flavor. 
Artisana Sattva Cashew Butter - This organic cashew butter was really tasty. I love cashews and the flavor really came through. It wasn't as sweet as peanut butter, which was nice. It was smooth and creamy, and not too sticky or thick. Owen and I shared this spread on bread for lunch yesterday. He seemed to like it a bunch too. 
KO Denmark Lotion (Jasmine, Neroli, and Rose) - This vegan lotion is fragrance-free, sulfate-free, glycol-free, phthalates-free, silicone-free, and paraben-free. It is designed for all skin types and features ingredients like Indian Jasmine, Tunisian Neroli, and Bulgarian Rose. This lotion was unlike any other lotion I've tried before. It had a thinner, more watery texture than your normal thick, almost greasy lotion. I really like how it soaked into my skin and the scent was really nice too. My skin felt super soft hours later. I'm actually pretty sad that my sample is all used up.
Nuti-Masu Life Ocean Salt - This 100 percent pure and natural salt from Okinawa, Japan, can be mixed with water to make an economical, eco-friendly, sugar free sports drink. This does not taste anything like a conventional sports drink, so don't expect lemon-lime or glacier freeze. It definitely tastes mainly like slightly salty water. It's not really bad, but I would maybe rather drink it mixed in with juice. 
Lara Bar (Peanut Butter and Jelly flavor) - This is a nutritional energy bar with simple ingredients. Owen ate half of my bar yesterday for a snack. I have had Lara Bars before and I really like how moist they are. I am not a huge fan of peanut butter and jelly flavor, but I know Lara Bar has many other delicious flavors.

Mighty Leaf Tea (Organic Spring Jasmine and Organic Earl Grey) - This handpicked whole leaf organic tea comes in a biodegradable pouch free of glue and staples. Mighty Leaf is a member of Good Partner Initiatives in places like Sri Lanka and Morocco. I tried the Earl Grey tea last night and was very happy with it. It was a nice, bold black tea with the very distinctive flavor of earl grey. I'd forgotten how soothing it is to relax with a hot cup of tea and a good book. 
Natural Vitality Energy 28 (Berry flavor) -This energy shot comes from powerful whole-food sources and contains Golden Chlorella, Bioenergy Ribose, organic Maca, Rhodiola, and 24 organic fruits and veggies. The directions say to either drink it straight or add it to juice. I decided just to take the shot. It wasn't especially tasty, but I did feel like I had more energy during the day. Even without my usual morning cup o' joe. And, you know, I really did need more golden chlorella in my diet. :)
Savvy Boheme Allons-Y Natural Deoderant ( Lavender and Grapefruit) -  This deodorant is free of GMO, artificial fragrance, aluminum, and propylene gycol. Luckily I read the packaging before I tried this because it came in a tube that looked like lip balm. That would have been embarrassing! It smells really good. 
Vita Rocks (Cherry Blast and Lemon Burst flavors) - These are fun, innovative vitamins just like Pop Rocks candy. The flavor was a little medicine-y at first, but then the sweetness from the cane juice and brown rice syrup came through. These are packed full of vitamins, including 50 percent of your daily value of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, and minerals like iodine, calcium, zinc, and magnesium. They were super fun to eat and I bet they would be a major hit with kids and teens. 
The Natural Newborn Bug Stopper Soap - This natural soap repels bugs without the use of harsh chemicals or toxins. I haven't used this soap yet, but it smells nice. I will definitely put it on Owen before we go outside to play next time. 
Kelp Krunch Sesame Seaweed Energy Bar -  This organic, gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free vegan energy bar uses sustainably-harvested kelp. Proceeds from the sale of each bar supports Allied Whale, one of the oldest whale conservation organizations in the country. And honestly, believe it or not, it was tasty. Really tasty. And it has just four ingredients: sesame seeds, brown rice syrup, maple syrup and kelp. 
     
    The box also included coupon codes to buy full-sizes of many of the products. A $5 gift certificate for Soap Hope was also included. 
    Based on this box, it would seem the Conscious Box is a really great deal compared to a lot of other sample boxes. There were at least 12 different samples in the box, practically double most other sample boxes. I'm not really a "green" person and I'm for sure not a vegetarian, much less a vegan, but I really enjoy trying out some more eco-conscious products. I have consistently bought organic food for Owen and I love brands like Seventh Generation. Every little bit helps, right? I definitely recommend Conscious Box if you are interested in trying products from businesses that are working to make a healthier and happier planet. Click here if you want more information about Conscious Box or if you want to subscribe.