Mountain Mom Finds

Tag: Products

  • Salud Energy + Focus – My Go-To Coffee Alternative

    Salud Energy + Focus – My Go-To Coffee Alternative

    Confession time: I don’t love coffee. I wish I did, but something about the taste just doesn’t work for me (Can you say, hot dirt water??). For years, my workaround was soda—1-2. Mountain Dews a day, to be exact. It gave me the caffeine I needed but came with a bunch of stuff I didn’t want: tons of sugar, calories, food dyes (hello, Yellow #5), and carbonation that honestly just made me feel bloated.

    A while back I started looking for something better—a caffeine option that still felt like a treat, but didn’t come with all the junk. That’s when I found Salud Energy + Focus, and I haven’t looked back.

    Why I Love It:

    • It’s super convenient – I just toss a stick in my bag or keep a few in the car.
    • Mostly water – No carbonation, no fizz, just hydration with a boost.
    • 1g of sugar – Sweet but not overly so, and no weird ‘fake sugar’ aftertaste.
    • Lower calorie (5 per serving) – No excess sugar or artificial stuff.
    • Custom caffeine control – Each stick has 200mg of caffeine, but I only use half a packet at a time, which is perfect for me.

    Most mornings, I shake up half a stick in about 10oz of water, which gives me around 100mg of caffeine—about half the kick of a typical energy drink. It’s enough to help me focus and get through the morning, without the crash or the jittery feeling I used to get from soda.

    The caffeine is listed as Purcaf (from unroasted coffee beans) and Amatea and they add vitamins B6 + B12. Basically, I get the energy I want, minus the downsides.

    Favorite Flavors So Far:

    • Guava Agua Fresca (Guayaba) – light, fruity, and refreshing.
    • Dragon Fruit (Pitaya) – a little more tropical, also really good.

    If you’re looking to cut down on coffee, soda, or traditional energy drinks, I seriously recommend trying Salud. It’s been a game changer for me, and I actually feel good about drinking it. I have it on an Amazon subscription and go through a 15 serving bag about once a month (because I use half a stick/serving a day) – they run about $26 regular price, which works out to just under $1/day – way better than the cost of buying a daily coffee! (And no hassle of buying heavy cases of soda!)

    Shop Salud Energy Guava on Amazon
    Shop Salud Energy Dragonfruit on Amazon

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for supporting my blog!

    Cheers to healthier habits that still feel like a treat!

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    Helpful reviews from a Colorado mom

  • DIY Bedazzled Books – A Sparkly Craft Night

    DIY Bedazzled Books – A Sparkly Craft Night

    We’re a pretty crafty bunch at my house, and lately my daughters have become obsessed with bedazzling. Their latest project? Books! ✨

    Standing book

    One evening they hosted their very own craft-and-yap night, where everyone brought along their current favorite read and turned it into a sparkly masterpiece.

    What We Used

    Bedazzle supplies

    We gathered a few tools to make the process easy and fun:

    • Diamond Dotz pens and wax – perfect for picking up and placing the beads.

    B-7000 glue (off-brand version from Amazon) – this worked even better than expected! The bottles come with a fine needle tip for precision gluing and a needle-cap lid to keep it from drying out.

    Glue with lid
    • Bedazzling rhinestones in assorted sizes and colors – smaller beads for details, bigger beads for covering larger areas.

    The Process

    Each kid picked their favorite book (they tried to stick to a similar color scheme so we didn’t have to buy as many bead packs). To decorate, they dabbed a little glue on a section of the cover, then used the Diamond Dotz pen to place beads on top.

    Book mid decoration

    The fine-tip glue applicator worked perfectly for detailed areas like lettering, while larger beads filled in the big sections. Slowly but surely, plain covers transformed into sparkly, textured works of art.

    The Results

    By the end of the night, the books looked incredible—each one unique, colorful, and totally personalized. It was such a fun activity that combined creativity, conversation, and a whole lot of sparkle.

    If he had been with me book
    Hunger Games
    Broken Heart

    This definitely won’t be our last bedazzle-and-chat night!

    Sparkle Book

    Supplies We Used

    👉 Check them out on Amazon and get your sparkle on!

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    , , , , , , #DIYCrafts #BedazzledBooks #DiamondArt #FamilyCraftNight #CreativeKids #AmazonFinds

  • A Golden 13th Birthday Party to Remember ✨

    A Golden 13th Birthday Party to Remember ✨

    This year was a special day for my daughter—it was her 13th birthday AND her golden birthday! To celebrate this perfect golden milestone, we threw a fun and cozy golden-themed birthday party right in our basement.

    We transformed our living space into a chill hangout and sleeping area with a touch of glam. We already had two twin mattresses from an old bunk bed and two air mattresses from our camping gear, so we laid them all out side by side. To keep the theme going, we picked up some simple gold blankets from Amazon that made the space feel warm and coordinated. For snacks, we got creative and used trays from storage bins as mini snack tables right on the beds—practical and cute!

    Now, for the sweet part—my daughter really wanted to make cake-sicles. This was our first time trying them, and I was so impressed by how easy it was with the right tools. We found some amazing cake-sicle molds and used melty candy coatings to give them a smooth, shiny finish.

    To top it all off, we scored these golden sparkly resin popsicle sticks at JoAnne’s during their going out of business sale. They were the perfect touch of sparkle and made the treats feel super special.

    For the finishing touches, we added a golden sequin dress and hand bedazzled boots for the birthday girl to wear. The balloons, gold curtain backdrop, and “Happy Birthday” balloons came from Walmart, rounding out the golden vibe perfectly.

    Overall, it was such a fun and memorable night for the birthday girl and her friends. It wasn’t about a big fancy party but more about making a cozy space full of golden touches that made her feel extra special on this milestone birthday. Her and her friends watched movies, did crafts and played games while hanging out in their cozy space.

    If you’re thinking about throwing a golden-themed party or a sleepover with friends, this setup is definitely a winner! Comfortable, cute, and a little bit sparkly—it hits all the right notes.

    Links:

    I am an Amazon Associate and may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

    #GoldenBirthday #SleepoverParty #BirthdayDecor #DIYParty #CakeSicles #GoldenTheme #KidsBirthday #CozyParty #MomLife #PartyIdeas #AmazonFinds #BirthdayTreats #TeenBirthday , , , , , ,
  • Quick & Cute Crocheted Wine Bottle Holders — The Perfect Crafty Gift 🎁🍷

    Quick & Cute Crocheted Wine Bottle Holders — The Perfect Crafty Gift 🎁🍷

    I’m all about homemade gifts, especially ones that are quick, cute, and useful. This year, I made crocheted wine bottle holders for my best friends, and they were such a fun project!

    I found this great crochet pattern on Etsy from CamiCrochetDesigns that was simple enough to finish in just a few days—because honestly, I can’t commit to a crochet project that drags on longer than a week. These holders are small but stylish, and the best part? Each came with a bottle of their favorite wine inside for an extra personal touch.

    This was also my first time punching holes in leather straps to add handles, and I love how they turned out! The leather handles give the holders a chic, polished look that’s perfect for carrying or gifting.

    I used t-shirt yarn from Amazon, which was my first time trying it out. I really appreciated how strong and durable this yarn is, great for holding a heavy bottle. The only tricky part was that the yarn tended to roll up and was a little hard to keep looking neat while crocheting, but it was worth it for the finished product.

    If you’re looking for a quick, handmade gift idea that feels thoughtful but doesn’t take forever, these crocheted wine bottle holders are a winner. Plus, they’re super cute and practical for anyone who loves a good bottle of wine.

    Links & Disclosure:

    I am an Amazon Associate and may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

    #CrochetGift #HomemadeChristmas #WineBottleHolder #CrochetProject #TshirtYarn #LeatherStraps #CraftyGiftIdea #QuickCrochet #DIYChristmas #AmazonFinds #EtsyPattern , , , ,