Month: May 2014

May BarkBox Review!

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Yes! Finally we’ve caught a glimpse of sunshine and let me tell you it’s been great! Sunshine and warm weather welcomes lots of fetch games with Ani. She’s obsessed with tennis balls lately, just trying to pry them out of her mouth is a challenge. This tennis ball obsession has led to an obsession with just about anything that resembles a ball. This BarkBox quenched this newly discovered obsession which I’ll elaborate on further throughout the post. Ani was also excited to find a squeaker toy that passes for her favorite feline friend, Moe. (Yes, it’s a kitty) Wow – can’t forget two, yes two, bags of really yummy, yet healthy treats. Let’s just say this months BarkBox was worth the wait, but aren’t they all? It’s hard to pick a favorite when they’re all so great and different.

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The Products

Let’s begin with Ani’s favorite toy – it’s a Megalast Ball by JW Pet! Why is this ball the best? It’s vibrant red color and funky shapes make this ball unlike most, which is why Ani’s obsessed. The holes and shapes make it easy to grip, which is great for a game of tug of war with her doggy brother, Piper. My favorite aspect of this product is its safety. This product is certified non-toxic; free of lead, antimony, arsenic, barium, calcium, chromium, mercury, and selenium. I’m sure all dog mommy’s appreciate that!

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Meow! Yes, I’m in love with this adorable kitty-shaped toy! Who doesn’t like a cute kitty squeaker toy? Ani sure does (even at 1 AM when some of us are trying to sleep). Ani squeaks all around the house, which is a helpful hint when trying to find her! Loopies does a fabulous job catering to our pups!

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Max & Ruffy’s haven’t disappointed in the past so I was confident these healthy treats wouldn’t disappoint either. These strawberry and carob flavored treats are perfect for a summer snack! Every ingredient is human grade – yes! These organic treats are wheat, corn, soy and GMO free! There are absolutely no artificial flavors and they’re low fat! Perfect for our weight challenged pups. Ani loves these irresistible treats.

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No Grainers by Nooties delivers delicious jerky chews! (Ani told me they were delicious) These BBQ chicken flavored treats are also grain-free! Isn’t it wonderful that our pets are fed so well these days? It’s great to know my dogs eat just as well as I do. These soft jerky pieces are great to give whole or easy to break into tiny pieces. Enjoy those jerky chews, Ani sure did!

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If you want any information as to how to get your pup his or her very own BarkBox check out my January BarkBox Review! Enjoy the surprise!

Ani Memorial Day

We hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day celebration!

– Bayley & Ani

 

 

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Blueberry-Lime Cupcakes

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I’ve been scouring the produce section for weeks in search of fresh blueberries and I’ve finally found some! There’s nothing better than fresh blueberries. They’re sweet and refreshing. Now add fresh squeezed lime juice and zest. This may be the best combination yet! A cupcake incorporating two of the best spring/summer ingredients can’t disappoint and let me tell you it didn’t. I still have people raving about this recipe asking when I’ll make more. I’ve turned non-blueberriers into blueberriers just because of this simple cupcake recipe!

Get ready to make the cupcake of the summer!

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Ingredients:

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp Flour
3/4 cup Cake Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 stick Butter – room temperature
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp Sugar
Zest of 1 Lime
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp Lime Juice
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Milk
1 cup Fresh Blueberries

Lime Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 8 oz. Cream Cheese -room temperature
1 stick Butter – room temperature
3-4 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tbsp Lime Juice
Zest of 1 Lime

Note: Depending how tangy you’d like your frosting you can less or more lime juice.

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Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans. Makes about 12-14 cupcakes.

2. In a medium bowl combine 3/4 cup of flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl combine blueberries and 2 tbsp of flour. Toss gently.

4. In electric mixer mix sugar and lime zest until well combined and fragrant. Add butter and continue to mix on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs and continue to mix. Add vanilla and lime juice.

5. Begin adding flour mixture and milk alternatively into electric mixer. Make sure you begin and end with flour mixture.

6. Once batter is combined gently fold blueberries into the mixture.

7. Fill cupcake cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing. Make sure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting.

Lime Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. In electric mixer beat cream cheese and butter on medium/high speed until smooth.

2. Add lime juice and zest. Continue to beat.

3 Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and continue to mix on medium speed.

4. Once smooth and creamy begin frosting your cupcakes!

ani spring

Enjoy and have fun! I promise you’ll make these cupcakes more than once! HAPPY SPRING!

– Bayley & Ani

April BarkBox Review!

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Ani has had a pretty exciting month; she celebrated a birthday (she turned one on the 18th!), met some new doggy friends, enjoyed some beautiful Spring weather, and received her BarkBox! The best part of it is, Ani’s BarkBox was delivered on her birthday! What a great birthday gift! (Not that she didn’t get three brand new toys earlier that day.) I was thrilled my little birthday girl could enjoy another great birthday surprise! We opened that brown box to lots of goodies. Talk about spoiled pup! Five items and all for her? I’d say she’s one lucky girl. She couldn’t resist getting her cute button nose right in that box.

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Let’s get started.

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I’ll start off with Ani’s favorite gift. Once she got her mouth on this there was no getting it away from her. This adorably spooky toy is a product of Loopies. It’s much more durable than most squeaker toys. It’s long legs make it excellent for a game of tug-o-war and it’s tennis ball head makes it great for a game of fetch! Ani is obsessed.

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Have you ever opened a bag of dog treats and wondered how these smell better than your own food? These treats smell great. I couldn’t believe it! These soft, chewy, and grain-free treats make great training treats. They are slightly small for larger dogs. Off-Leash treats did a nice job capturing Ani’s attention!

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Riley’s Organics did an awesome job making sure our pets are held to the highest standard. These treats are free of corn, soy, wheat, sugar, and preservatives! It’s great knowing our dogs are given the same opportunity to live a healthy and smart lifestyle. Feeding your dog the right products makes all the difference.

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Oh Barkworthies – my pooch is thoroughly impressed with your 100% beef bladder yummy treat. Maybe not very tempting for us human owners, but Ani sure enjoys it! This is a great alternative from the traditional rawhide chew. These bully sticks are chemical and preservative free making them a favorite in my household.

barkbox april 5

Who doesn’t enjoy a smoothie? Us humans shouldn’t be the only ones who can enjoy one – what about our pups? Mr. Barksmith answered our dogs prayers! They’ve created a carrot cake smoothie treat just for our canine friends. This smoothie treat consists of apples, bananas, and carrots; pop it in the freezer for a cold treat or as it is! This yummy blend of fruits and veggies was a favorite.

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If you’re wondering how you can get started with your very own BarkBox check out my January BarkBox Review. I would recommend BarkBox for all my furry friends. Ani receives the best goodies every month! It’s definitely worth it!

Hope everyone had a great April! For those who shared an April birthday with Ani – she wishes you a Happy Birthday! Enjoy!

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– Bayley & Ani