a2 Milk® + Cookies |@a2milk #a2Milk

a2 Milk® + Cookies

By Erin

“This post was sponsored by a2 Milk® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.”

a2-Milk-Cookies-Chocolate

Who doesn’t love milk and cookies? Warm, Gooey- cookies, right out of the oven and paired with a glass of cold milk. I can never wait long enough for them to cool. I have to have one the second they are taken out of the oven when they are still super soft and filled with all that melty chocolate goodness followed by glass of cold milk. I know I can’t be the only one that does that, am I?

The only thing is, as I’ve gotten older, dairy doesn’t seem to like me as much anymore as my tummy doesn’t always agree with it. Experiencing tummy trouble when eating or drinking dairy poses a lot of problems! It also takes away from many of life’s favorite traditions- such as milk and cookies. Who wants to miss out on yummy milk and cookies experiences? I sure don’t! Lucky for me (and everyone else out there) a2 Milk® has saved the day so I can still enjoy my cookies with milk and not have to worry about the tummy troubles!

a2-Milk-glass

Getting to Enjoy Milk Again With a2 Milk®!

I have always loved drinking milk and have been reluctant to give it up due to tummy troubles. It took me awhile to realize that drinking milk was the offender. In an independent study I found out that 1 in 4 Americans have discomfort after drinking milk; yet only 5-7% of the population has been clinically diagnosed with a lactose intolerance medical condition.

YES! a2 Milk® is real milk! Those who experience tummy troubles or Post-Dairy Digestive Discomfort may enjoy a2 milk® without any symptoms. With a2 Milk®, you can enjoy great tasting milk without the worry of those pesky tummy troubles after. Did you know it’s the A1 protein that causes these tummy issues and that Post-Dairy Digestive Discomfort? The A1 protein is the culprit behind many people’s discomfort after having dairy, and it is currently in all conventional & organic milks in U.S. stores. a2 Milk® only comes from specially selected a2 cows, whose milk is naturally free of the A1 protein.  We no longer need to compromise on taste and nutrition with inferior nut- or bean-based beverages – or worse yet, cutting out milk all together –those days are long gone now!

a2 Milk® Comes From a2 Cows!

The a2 Milk® Company has partnered with U.S. dairy farmers in upstate New York and in the Midwest to expand the a2 herd that produces milk that is free from the A1 protein, so it is the original milk. Just like Mother Nature intended. Nothing added and nothing taken away. Not like the chemically processed milk alternatives you see in stores.

It is also interesting to note that a2 Milk® contains approximately 6 x’s the amount of calcium as soy beverages, approximately 8 x’s the protein of almond beverages and approximately 6 x’s the potassium levels of rice beverages so you can feel great about serving it to your family and friends. Which is great news to me as I have never liked the flavor or texture of these other so-called alternatives to milk!

If you have avoided milk due to being lactose intolerant, you may just want to give a2 Milk® a try and see how it works for you. The nutritional benefits of a2 Milk® can be enjoyed with confidence.

Now lets celebrate with some milk and cookies!  Try this delicious recipe for S’Mores Cookies!

a2-Milk-Smores-Cookies-Yummy

S’Mores Cookies

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Finding Dory: All Things Hank!| #FindingDoryEvent

Finding Dory: All Things Hank!

By Erin

*I was invited to Monterey courtesy of Disney • Pixar for a media event. All opinions are my own*

FINDING DORY – When Dory finds herself in the Marine Life Institute, a rehabilitation center and aquarium, Hank—a cantankerous octopus—is the first to greet her. Featuring Ed O'Neill as the voice of Hank and Ellen DeGeneres as the voice of Dory, "Finding Dory" opens on June 17, 2016. ©2016 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Hank—a cantankerous octopus—and Dory.  ©2016 Disney•Pixar

We are now just days away from the release of Finding Dory! Are you excited yet? You may remember that earlier this year I was up in Monterey for a very special Finding Dory media event. During this time, we had the pleasure of meeting one of Dory’s new friends, Hank.  Hank is the cantankerous yet lovable octopus in Finding Dory voiced by Ed O’Neill. Created from initial character design to being animated to his final look in the film by a very talented team that included Supervising Technical Director John Halstead, Character Art Director Jason Deamer, Supervising Animator Mike Stocker, Character Supervisor Jeremie Talbot.  We had the chance to sit down with some of the designers to learn about some of the new characters that you will see in this lovable new film. Here, I will share with you about all things Hank!

FINDING DORY – Hank Design (Concept Art) by Character Designer Jason Deamer. ©2016 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Hank Design (Concept Art) by Character Designer Jason Deamer. ©2016 Disney•Pixar

One of the first things we learned was that Hank the Septopus was one of the most challenging and rewarding characters that they have ever worked with. Ever wonder how a new character is developed? They shared with us how they develop a new character from scratch and what developing and animating a new character that is an animal that they have never animated before looks like.

Jason Deamer (Character Art Director) presents at the Finding Dory Long Lead press day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, CA. Photo by Marc Flores. ©2016 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Jason Deamer (Character Art Director) presents at the Finding Dory Long Lead press day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, CA. Photo by Marc Flores. ©2016 Disney•Pixar

Here are some fun things we learned about this special guy, Hank!

*All Things Hank*

*Dory’s New Friend– Hank is an octopus, or rather a “septopus” as he lost a tentacle—along with his sense of humor—somewhere along the way. But Hank is just as competent as his eightarmed peers. An accomplished escape artist with camouflaging capabilities, Hank is the first to greet Dory when she finds herself in the Marine Life Institute.

*Lucky Number 7 – When designers were working on Hank, the cantankerous octopus in “Finding Dory,” they created tapered tentacles for the cephalopod. The tentacles were modeled separately from the body, but when they tried to attach them, only seven would fit. Filmmakers later decided that it made sense that Hank would have an affliction, so they worked it into the script. Designers gave Hank 50 suckers per arm for a total of 350 suckers.

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Groupon Coupons!

Groupon Coupons!

By Erin

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are mine.*

I have always loved Groupon. From trying out new restaurants, to going to new places and to some of my favorite tea salons or having much needed spa days, I have had many amazing experiences through Groupon. I was pleased to learn about Groupon Coupons! I’ve found many hidden gems that I can use for places that I already am going to anyways. For me this means I get to save some money for things I was already planning on buying and can put this money towards other fun things I love to do, like travel. 😉

Groupon Coupons is one of those places you will want to check out before traveling or going out  shopping. You can look up the latest offerings by location if you want to see what’s near you or to a destination you will be traveling to. You can also search by category; Food & Drink, Beauty & Spas, Travel, Electronics, Things to Do and more. With Groupon Coupons, you can save on more than just events and experiences!  You can find coupons that work and are verified from lots of your favorite retailers. I’ve loved using Groupon in the past and now I can use it even more!

Groupon Coupons

Groupon makes searching for coupons easy and saves you money with just the click of a button. Here are some of the places you can find great deals on with Groupon Coupons:

  • Kohl’s
  • Travelocity
  • Macy’s
  • Last Call (Neiman Marcus)
  • Aerie
  • Puma
  • JC Penny
  • Dell
  • HP
  • Lane Bryant
  • Personal Creations
  • Carter’s
  • Tea Collection

I did a search for coupons based on where I live and by stores that I love to shop at. A few of the deals I found during my search include the following:

If you’re looking to save money on things you already buy, then definitely head over and take a look at Groupon Coupons! You’ll be amazed at what you find! 🙂