SodaStream Review and Giveaway!

I think it's safe to say that summer is officially here! It seems like we were in the midst of chilly May weather and then all of a sudden were in burning hot summer weather! On summer days like we've been having it's really nice to have something to cool you off. Lately, our favorite thing way to cool off is with fun drinks we make with our amazing SodaStream machine!

Our family was so excited when we found out that we were going to get to review the SodaStream Penguin Starter Kit. Our kit came with the Penguin Sparkling Water and Soda Machine, 2 60 Liter Carbonators, and 2 glass carafes. We couldn't wait to get started! We aren't huge soda drinkers, but that's mostly because the soda you buy at the store is so unhealthy for you. With the SodaStream machine, you are able to create yummy concoctions that aren't quite as bad for you as traditional sodas. When I found out that SodaStream sodas didn't contain high-fructose corn syrup and have much less sugar than traditional sodas I jumped for joy! Finally I can enjoy a soda without so much of the guilt! This also made me happy because on the rare occasion that our daughter gets to drink any soda, I can rest assured that it's not as bad for her as traditional sodas.

Now, let me back up a bit, because I know you've got to be wondering how this works! Well, all you have to do is fill your carafe or bottle with water to the fill-line, pop it in the soda machine, press the lever to carbonate, and in less than 30 seconds you have carbonated water! Another thing about this that's great is that you get to decide how much carbonation you want, which is especially handy for kids, so they don't drink too many bubbles.

It's been so much fun coming up with yummy concoctions with our SodaStream. If you simply want carbonated water, you can do that. If you want to make sparkling lemonade, simply add some fresh lemon juice to the carbonated water. If you want to make a soda, simply add the yummy flavor of your choice to the water. We've tried most of the flavors, and I have to admit, I was very skeptical at first. I didn't really expect them to taste like the traditional name-brand sodas on the market. Boy, was I wrong! Not only do they taste very similar, but there are a few flavors that I think taste better than the other ones on the market! Some of my favorites were the Root Beer, the Diet Cola (which contains no aspertame: BIG PLUS!), and the Cranberry Raspberry. Even my husband (who drinks more soda than I do) thought the flavors were amazing! One of the really cool things about the flavors is that you can buy a Variety Pack which allows you to try lots of flavors in small quantities while you decide which ones are your favorites! Also, one of my favorite aspects of the SodaStream is that the soda doesn't go flat nearly as fast as other sodas on the market, because the caps that come with the carafes and bottles really seal the air out, which keeps it fresher longer.

With four different types of SodaStream machines, you're definitely bound to find one that fits your budget and style. Click here to see the chart that helps you choose your machine based on the features you want. I would recommend the SodaStream to any family who enjoys soda, especially because it saves so much space, it's fun for the whole family to make, and it's a healthier choice when it comes to soda. It's also a plus that it's environmentally friendly since it cuts down on waste with the reusable carafes and bottles.

I bet you're all itching to buy one of these cool SodaStream machines now, huh!? Well, you can also try your hand at winning one! One winner is going to receive the Fountain Jet Soda Lover's Start-Up Kit (worth approximately $100), which will include your color choice of the Fountain Jet Soda Maker, 1 60 Liter Carbonator, 2 Carbonating Bottles, and your choice of 2 SodaMix flavors!

Mandatory Entry (please leave me your email address in this entry): Leave me a comment telling me which flavor you would most like to try, along with what color of the Fountain Jet Soda Maker you would choose if you win.

Additional Entries (please leave a separate comment with each entry):
2 Entries- Become a Follower of The Mommy Homemaker
1 Entry- Become a facebook fan of SodaStream
1 Entry- Become an email subscriber of The Mommy Homemaker
2 Entries- Grab my new button and let me know where to find it
1 Entry per day for following me and SodaStream on Twitter and tweeting about this giveaway
1 Entry for every person you tell about this giveaway


This giveaway will end on June 12, 2010 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Eeek!

So, I was getting ready to post up tonight's giveaway and guess what... Blogger malfunctioned and instead of posting the giveaway it deleted it! Have any of you Blogger users out there ever experienced this???

Since it's already after midnight, and I'm a little cranky with Blogger, I'm going to call it a night and re-do the entire post tomorrow. Sorry guys!

Loving this weather!

Hey girls, how amazing is this weather? Well, at least for us in the midwest. I'm loving the nice weather and all the fun things that come with the arrival of summer. We have a membership to our zoo here, and I think we go at least once a week. It just never gets old seeing Izzybug be so curious about the animals! We're also gearing up for some fun summer excursions, which will be a lot of fun!

So, my question to all of you out there is this, what are some fun activities you're planning for the summer? In this tough economy, are there any budget-friendly summer vacations or roadtrips that you're taking? Leave me a comment with what you are most excited to do this summer and you'll get an extra entry into tonight's giveaway which will come from... SODA STREAM! Check back later tonight to try your hand at winning something to help cool you off on those hot summer days!

Where in the World has Marina been?

So I bet you're all wondering where in the world I have been. Well, I'd like to think you've missed me in some way, haha! I wish I could say that our family had taken three months off and backpacked across Europe, or sailed across the world, or maybe something else that would sound really impressive.

But, alas, my only excuse is that life got busy. And I mean busy. My husband was in his final semester of art school (for now, until he goes to grad school), Izzy was really sick, and I was in my first semester of grad school. I thought I had this whole balancing act down pat, but boy did I have a lot to learn these past few months! I kind of felt like we were in survival mode just trying to make it until May.

And now May is finally here...and almost over...but I'm finally back and into the swing of things. I'm going to be pretty busy again with summer grad classes, but now that my husband is finished with school, things will be a lot less hectic!

Now, onto what you all really want to know about! I've got a lot of fun things in store for us here on the blog this summer, starting with the fact that I'm getting a complete blog makeover to kick off the summer! It's going to be in a completely different color scheme than it is now, so if you land here one day and find yourselves in a sea of turqouise and pink, rest assured, you are indeed still in the right place! I'm also planning some AMAZING reviews and giveaways, and you will not want to miss them! We're talking carseats, bassinets, hair straighteners, and much more!

I'm also going to be featuring a guest blogger when it comes to all things fashion and beauty. My lovely sister Dre, who since my daughter was born has been my own personal stylist (we're talking, "No, Marina, you can't just wear sweatpants and your maternity jeans after the baby is born, it's time to buy you a pair of skinny jeans!), will be giving us a few tidbits of what the fashions are, since we all know moms don't really have time to keep up with all that!

So, as your spring winds down into summer, stay tuned to The Mommy Homemaker, because I have some exciting things planned for all of you!