Sponsored Post: Kevin Frank and Real Estate in Vancouver

Property for Sale Vancouver

In a time when buying and selling homes is extremely difficult, Kevin Frank is here to help you out completely and ease your mind. Kevin is your go to guy on the West Side of Vancouver, which is a beautiful area! One of the great things is that he lives in the area that he works in and shows homes in, so he knows the ins, outs and great places around this area.  You definitely do want a Realtor who is extremely knowledgeable about the area and who can give you an honest opinion about the area in which you're going to be living.

Kevin is approved by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver and has a great track record helping families and first time home buyers find their homes.  He has been in the industry for 10 years and is a very seasoned and successful Realtor.  An important quality in a Realtor is that they love what they do and are passionate about their job.  Frank does love what his career is and he enjoys helping people find their homes and loves to assist them in such an important decision and investment in their lives and futures.

Are you looking to sell your home but not sure how to go about it? Are you anxious about selling your home and need some guidance?  Kevin can definitely do that!  He has a special section on his site just for those selling their homes.  He has many educational articles on the process, how to list and how to stage your home for showings.  The peace of mind and guidance that his site can give to you is incredible, and that's important to someone who is anxious about putting their home on the market.  

If you are looking to buy or sell your home in the West Side of Vancouver, Canada -- Contact Kevin Frank and he will be happy to give you all the assistance you would need!

Property for sale Vancouver

DISCLAIMER:  This is a sponsored post and these are solely my opinions and not opinions persuaded by Kevin Frank.  I was compensated for this post.

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Sponsored Post: Accessories Loft Review

Accessories Loft is an accessory lover's heaven!  They have some absolutely beautiful brooches, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and so much more that are fashionable and stylish.  One of my favorite items is the beautiful Classic Rose Brooch/Hair Piece!  This is such a beautiful piece and is also so functional, being a brooch and a hair piece in one!   Another favorite is the Bird and Butterfly necklace.  I love the brass look and the very modern look that's slightly edgy.  It's a piece that would look good with multiple outfits!

  

One of my favorite pieces of jewelry is a ring... Accessories Loft has some great rings on their site such as this beautiful and unique Angel Wings Ring and the Double Ended Ring.  Both of those rings have such a unique look, I've never seen anything like it before.

So definitely check out Accessories Loft! 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  All opinions in this post are mine and mine alone, not the opinions persuaded by Accessories Loft.  I was compensated for this post. 

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How awesome is Verizon Fios for your family?

 

We have been through so many TV companies such as Optimum (Cable), DirecTV, Dish Network and finally Verizon Fios.  With other companies we either got charged too much money (Optimum) or lost our network reception during a snow, ice or rain storm. (DirecTV and Dish)  It got to the point where paying for and watching TV was just too frustrating and stressful!  We were quickly losing hope and trying to figure out what service to stick with when we found Verizon Fios. 

Verizon Fios is Verizon's advanced fiber optic network that lets you watch regular and HDTV with hardly any pixelation and interference from the weather!  Honestly, if you have ever had satellite TV, you know how frustrating it is to lose the picture in the middle of a movie or TV show!  It's frustrating and isn't helpful to your relaxation!  Verizon Fios has NONE of that!  That isn't the only thing that makes Fios awesome, it's the other features that come along with it!

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Totsy Memorial Day Weekend Sale!!

What is Totsy?  Totsy is a site that hosts private sales for moms, children and babies.  I absolutely love Totsy for the reason that they have items for up to 85% off the retail price!  Not only do they have great prices, but they have items that would normally be un-affordable for most families because of the high prices, but Totsy makes them affordable. I have gotten some amazing, unbelievable deals off of Totsy and will continue to shop there for as long as I possibly can get steals!

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Kindercare Summer & Spring Camps! Fun and learning rolled into one!

My daughter has wanted to attend summer camp for a few years now.  Unfortunately, we have never been able to find a place that is educational, as well as fun.  I am one of those parents who won't just send her daughter to any camp to get them out of the house, I want her to learn something when she goes.  I never saw the fun in spending money for a camp that they just play, swim and do nothing all day.  My kids could do the same at home!

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Libman Freedom Spray Mop Review & Giveaway

Why do we LOVE this floor mop?

We have super sensitive laminate floors that were put in wrong, so when we wash our floors we have to be super careful not to use a sponge mop that leaves the floor damp.  We aren't allowed to let moisture seep between our planks.  Well, it's impossible to find the right mop and floor cleaner for that.  I have tried numerous mops that claim to be perfect for laminate, but they all leave the floor damp.  

When we were offered to review the Libman Freedom Spray Mop I jumped at the chance.  Of course, I didn't know what to expect of it since we had tried numerous mops previous to this!  I wasn't sure if it was actually going to be something that worked or thrown in the basement with all the others.

This. Mop. Works!   I love the reusable microfiber pad because it saves so much money.  With a lot of those mops you have to buy the disposable wet pads or even new sponge mop heads every so often because of wear and tear.  Those things both can cost a pretty penny!!  This mop is so much different.  The microfiber pad is super absorbent and you can throw it right into the washing machine when you're done washing your floors.   You can also use your own favorite floor cleaner for the light mist that gets sprayed out!  This mop does not leave your floors slippery and damp.  It gives your floors a visible clean!  (Oh, and the swivel head is just SO great!! I can clean without having to really try to maneuver it.)

Doesn't push dirt around.

 With many of the mops you need a bucket of water filled with water/solution.  That was the way to wash your floors for the longest time, but it wasn't a successful way.  Whenever you would put the mop back into the bucket to rinse it off or get more moisture, you would put the dirt BACK on your floors.  The clean you had gotten with that was a FAKE clean.  Not with the Libman!  No buckets, no mop heads, just the floor solution in the well and SPRAY to clean!  This mop is so easy and so much fun!!

This mop retails for 19.99-24.99 but one of my lucky readers will get one for FREE!!

WIN IT:

Moms Bloggers Club and Libman want to give one of my lovely readers a Libman Freedom Spray Mop for FREE!!

Mandatory Entry:

What do you currently use on your floor and how can Libman Freedom make your floor cleaning better?

Extra Entries:

Follow Our Blog - +1 Entry

Follow us on Facebook - +1 Entry

Subscribe to our Feed - +1 Entry

Follow us on Twitter - +1 Entry

Enter another one of our Giveaways - +1 Entry

Tweet about our giveaway - +1 Entry

Win a Libman Freedom Spray Mop from @kickitykickball http://bit.ly/b5oALJ #giveaways

Follow Libman on Facebook - +1 Entry 

Good Luck!  Giveaway ends on November 23  2010.

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Brilliant Lenses Review & Giveaway!

I have been wearing glasses since I was 7 years old and I never ever remembered to clean my lenses until I was at school or out with friends and realized the smudges were terrible!  It would drive me absolutely nuts. (Especially being somewhat OCD!)   I really wish that I could say I remember more often now that I am older, but unfortunately I cannot.  Actually, with two kids, a full time job, a part time job and a freelancing position, I forget even more now-a-days!  

It's so hard to actually get your glasses clean enough to feel like you can see clearly, especially with just regular water!  Even wiping your glasses with paper towels gets fibers on the glass and wiping your glasses with a towel sometimes smudges them further.  I am the kind of person who (when I remember to clean them) has tried absolutely everything you can purchase at a store and nothing worked well enough for me!  The only thing I used to use that worked was a glass cleaner from LensCrafters....Unfortunately, they no longer make the type that I had used.  It's frustrating to not be able to look through your glasses and see like you did not have them on.

Brilliant Lenses is actually amazing.  When I received this I was not expecting it to work at all, nothing else had!  I felt like I would go through my life with glasses being smudge free one moment and back to square one the next.  I was completely wrong.

I am so very glad that I had the opportunity to try Brilliant Lenses because IT WORKS!  There is everything to love about this product and when I put it to the test I was amazed.  We tried the double pack and I have to say, it comes in this cute little white drawstring carrying case to throw in your purse.  It also comes with this great microfiber cleaning cloth and two little bottles of the great Brilliant Lenses cleaners.  The best part is that it is alcohol and ammonia free and their SR-8 adds scratch resistance to your lenses!  The invisible barrier that it adds to your lenses is just so great!  My kids constantly knock my glasses on the floor or I end up knocking them over and it really protects your lenses!

I love that this product multi-tasks!  It also cleans monitors, MP3 players, phone screens, etc...  When I read that on the packaging, I had to try it!  My iPhone screen is ALWAYS dirty because my kids play games on it.  I am embarrassed to say that I had A LOT of fingerprints on the screen and didn't clean it often. (I wasn't sure how to do it safely!)  When I sprayed a light mist of Brilliant Lenses on the screen and wiped it off with the microfiber cloth, I was amazed.  I now keep one of these little bottles (along with the carrying case and cloth!) In my purse and one on my desk.  I love being able to easily clean my glasses and phone screens on the go and so easily!  This product gets an A+ in my book!

WIN IT YOURSELF:

Brilliant Lenses was kind enough to offer one of the double packs to one of my readers.  Even if you do not have glasses, this is a great product.  You can safely clean your phone screens, computer monitor screens, etc...  Let me tell you, this product works! (And I'm very picky when it comes to things I use on my most beloved possessions!)

Mandatory Entry:

Comment below telling us what you would use Brilliant Lenses for and why.  Would you use it on your phone that always has fingerprints?  Your glasses that YOU may forget to often clean?  Would you use it on both?

Optional Entries:

Follow our blog (+1 entry)

Tweet this giveaway [Providing link in comments] (+1 entry)

Include a link to this in your blog [Providing link in comments] (+1 entry)

Become a Facebook fan of ours (+1 entry)

Like Brilliant Lenses on Facebook (+1 entry)

Follow Brilliant Lenses on Twitter (+1 entry)

Follow us on Twitter (+1 entry)

Remember to leave a comment for each entry you do!  That is how we count the optional entries. :)

[Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."]

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Rid Diaper Rash with BUTT PASTE!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boudreaux's Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% mine.

Has anyone else used Boudreaux Butt Paste and loved it for their kids?  Olivia is almost out of diapers and goes to the potty most of the day, but at night we still use diapers and she still gets diaper rash even though she knows when she goes and we frequently change her.  She has had it since she was a baby and we had tried pretty much every diaper rash cream known to man!  I remember when she was a few months old, one of our neighbors gave us some Butt Paste to try, saying it was the BEST diaper rash cream she had ever used.  So we did.

Butt Paste is incredible.  We used it for Olivia ever since and it really is the best.  It eliminates the pain associated with diaper rash and heals it up fairly quickly, more quickly than any other diaper rash cream we have ever tried!

Boudreaux's Butt Paste was specifically formulated by a pharmacist with direction from a respected pediatrician to provide effective diaper rash care.  Which is definietly a plus and this is why it's so effective and so great for parents to use!  It's not a more firm cream like a lot of the others that when it goes on an already painful diaper rash, rubbing it in hurts.  It's a soft cream with a soothing feel for your baby.  It's able to be rubbed in very easily and cleaned off just the same.  Easily with a baby wipe!

Check out the Boudreaux's Butt Paste website for a free sample for your baby!

Contains:  16% Zinc Oxide & Peruvian Balsam

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I caved. I'm now a Droid Girl...

I have been a loyal Blackberry user since 2006 and I have never strayed. (Except for signing up for AT&T and also getting the iPhone, but I still had my Blackberry! lol)  My loyalty to Blackberry was for many reasons and even though it's many flaws and many bugs, I loved my phones.  My last Blackberry was the first Blackberry Storm.  That was one of my favorite phones until the normal wear and tear and age got to it.  Lagging, freezing up, rebooting on me, saying the memory was full and frustrating me beyond belief.  That's when I knew it was time for a change.

With researching and going to the Verizon store frequently to speak to it's agents, I came to the conclusion that the Droid X was the phone to switch to.  I wasn't sure, as much as I loved the Storm, if I could use the Storm2 and have to deal with pressing the screen to type and all of the Blackberry bugs.  The reviews on the Droid X were amazing as well as the design, the graphics and everything about it.  I was in love.  So last Tuesday, I switched.

My Droid X (as pictured above) is the best.  I'm in love with it now that I have had it for a week.  The ease to type, the Swype feature, the apps, the widgets... Everything about it is just amazing.  I really thought the transition from Blackberry Storm to Droid X would be terrible and oh-so-difficult, but it really wasn't.  It was a smooth and very well deserved transition.  It is now my little trusty sidekick. :)  (Not to mention the great deal Best Buy Mobile gave me!  $199 + $30 for the Shield screen protector AND a hard gel case.  That alone is over $55!)  My phone is my new love and I do highly suggest it to anyone who is looking for a new upgrade with Verizon Wireless. :)

I really want to write a post within the next few weeks with some tips that I have learned and some great apps that I have found.  I will hopefully get that up next week but with my daughter and school and activities, things are all busy and hectic here! Ha.

All opinions noted in this post are mine and mine alone.  I was not compensated at all for this post and paid for the phone, accessories & contract all on my own.  I was not asked by Verizon Wireless or Motorola to post this review.  I decided to do it out of the goodness of my heart and love for my phone.

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REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: General Mills Sweet and Salty Snacks (With a touch of fire!)

Who doesn't like snacks??  I can only think of less than a handful of people who don't like them.  When I was asked to try out three new General Mills products, I jumped at the chance.  Hey, I like snacks, I don't mind trying them out and being a voice for the products!  Because of MyBlogSpark, my family and I had tried out three new snacks.  Cocoa Puff Treats: Triple Chocolate, Bugles Hot Buffalo and Natures Valley Oats N' Dark Chocolate Crunchy Granola Bars. 

Who doesn't love Cocoa Puffs?  I remember being obsessed with this cereal as a kid,  it's still a great treat for me as an adult!  Well, my kids jumped at these as soon as I got the package and wanted me to "go out and buy more" after eating the two bars we had.  I was able to steal a small little piece from my oldest and - OMG, they're delicious.  So crunchy and chocolaty... I could see how they wanted more.

General Mills describes these as: An indulgent cereal bar that combines the great taste of Cocoa Puffs cereal and chocolate into one decadent treat, Cocoa Puffs Treats Triple Chocolate is perfect for satisfying any sweet tooth. 

 These granola bars were actually the BEST granola bars I have ever had.  They tasted like very rich chocolate and were actually very satisfying.  Most of all for me, they actually fit into my diet.  I am always looking for something delicious and new that would actually fit in with my plan. :)

General Mills describes these as: If you want the best of both worlds, give Nature Valley Oats ‘N Dark Chocolate Crunchy Granola Bars a try. These bars mix dark chocolate pieces, oats and crisp rice nuggets for a classic crunch and burst of whole grain goodness, making them a perfect natural snack that's high in fiber and protein, but low in saturated fat.

 Save the best for last, right??  These Bugles were THE BEST things I have ever tasted in my life.  I'm one who LOVES spicy and loves firey tasting foods;  this was it for me.  I'm hooked.  I'm obsessed.  They're my guilty cheating on a diet pleasure.  They give the right combination of fire and salty so they're not too overpowering hot.  My oldest loves these as well and she's only 4.5.  So they're not TOO hot.  They're absolutely delicious...one taste and you'll be hooked as well!!

General Mills describes these as: Need something salty with a bit of a kick? Look no further than Bugles Hot Buffalo Crisp Corn Snacks, which blends the taste of hot buffalo sauce with crispy corn Bugles. 

WIN ALL THESE SNACKS?? 

 

Of coure you can!! General Mills and MyBlogSpark are offering one of my lucky readers a prize pack filled with two of each of the snacks noted here, a Bugles T-Shirt and a Natures Valley thermos!!  Very great, right??  Now you can try each of these new snacks for yourself!! (And believe me, you'll love them after one taste!)

 GIVEAWAY ENDS JUNE 24, 2010

MANDATORY ENTRY: Tell us which of the snacks appeals to you and why. :)  Which would you more so look forward to trying if you won?

EXTRA ENTRIES:

• Follow us on Google Friend Connect
• Follow us on Twitter
• Subscribe to our Feed
• Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter (sub in sidebar)
  
• Fan us on Facebook
• Tweet the giveaway - (You can do this twice a day.) 

The Artsy Mom is giving away General Mills prize pack! Will it be you?  Just simply click to enter! http://bit.ly/ds2mNw.

• Add our button to your blog (button in sidebar)
• Blog about this giveaway (+2 entries, even if you mention our giveaway in your blog it counts.)

GOOD LUCK!

Disclaimer: Life of an Artsy Mom was provided with a General Mills Sweet & Salty prize pack from MyBlogSpark.com in order to facilitate this giveaway.  All of my opinions are my own.  Descriptions of the snacks were provided by General Mills.

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EA Sports Active workouts #1 and #2

I was so busy yesterday I didn't get to blog, but I wanted to blog about my first exercise with EA Sports Active.  I was very wary when I purchased it and didn't think it would really make me sweat and give me a good work out.  After all, I tried Wii Fit and it's a good beginners workout, but I didn't think Wii Fit was good to really make use of your workout time.  I finally had some time alone yesterday and had energy, so I got EA Sports Active out of my closet and went to work! 

Having a animation of an actual person rather than a Mii is, first of all, very motivational. It's easier to see what you're supposed to do.  The actual videos also help a lot with teaching you the right way to do exercises.  If you do something wrong, the screen will tell you that you are doing something wrong.  It tracks your movements through #1. The thigh band in which you put the Nunchuck in the pocket and #2.  Through the Wii Remote.  (I also have that Wii Motion Plus, which you really don't need for the game.  But it does make it a lot easier for it to accurately track your motion.)

The exercises are very good.  You can choose from low intesnity, medium intensity or high intensity.  Currently, I am on medium.  My favorite exercise is the running/walking.  I've always wanted to learn the track and don't have the courage to run outside. lol  So this is perfect.  It tracks how fast you run and how much effort you're putting into it.  If you don't do enough, it will tell you to restart.  

It also combines aerobics, sports, cardio and strength training.  It comes with a resistance band which is an OK band.  I would rather buy a better one that actually feels like you're doing something, but I'm sure this one is OK for beginning.  (I've seen weights for the Wii where you put the remote in the weight.  I've also have seen better resistance bands for the EA Sports Active.  They're pretty cheap at AJ Wright, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, etc...)  I actually love the work outs on the "30 Day Challenge". 

My leg muscles hurt and I can feel "the burn" as I work out.  This is always a good sign for a work out.  You don't want to push yourself too much, but you do want to feel it.  I'm very satisfied with the work outs it gives me.  Of course, I'll get to the gym and won't keep this as my primary workout, but it's good for now when I am just starting off. Yesterday it says I burned 164.4 calories and today, since it was a higher intensity, I burned 211.3.  I know these are just estimates, as all calorie counts are, but I've heard from researching that it is usually 80% accurate.  That's a pretty good percentage.

We're also participating in:

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Is Rather, Rinse, Repeat a thing of the past? WEN Haircare Review.

I'm a sucker for infomercials and late night advertising.  I've said that before and I proudly admit to it! Ha!  The other night I was in bed, couldn't sleep and came upon an infomercial for WEN Haircare.  It really peaked my interest because, as I always say, I am always looking for a product to make my hair silky and smooth.  Frizz is constantly my enemy.  Chaz Dean, the creator of WEN Haircare, claimed that regular Shampoos and even Conditioners strip your hair of natural oils and leave your hair feeling dull, dry and frizzy.  WEN Haircare claimed to fight all that and leave your hair moisturized, replacing the natural oils that have been stripped by regular use of Shampoos, shiny, silky, soft and fight the frizz.  Of course, being the obsessed hair product tester that I am, I decided to try this out.

Tonight was Night 1 of trying WEN.  I really had high hopes because of the infomercial and really wanted to like this product.  I wanted it to be the miracle that I've been waiting for and wanted it to do miraculous things within one washing.  First time using WEN, I have to say that I was a little disappointed. I did all the steps as was told, used some as a leave in conditioner, combed it through and when it was dry it was still very frizzy.

Now, I'm not one to just leave the product and count it as something that didn't work, so I did a little more research into the product.  I found some tips on numerous websites including someone who has been using WEN for two years.  She said that the first time she washed her hair with WEN it didn't work too well either.  That was because her hair was severely damaged. (As is mine!)  What she had said, was after using it for about 2-3 weeks, the product really does wonders and begins to repair your hair, giving the natural oils back.  I will give it a try and will definitely keep up the posts about how it goes.  I'm thinking about washing my hair again tomorrow just to see if it makes any other difference.  I am still very excited about this product and have high hopes.

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Cascade 24 Hour Challenge and WALMART GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!

I was recently asked to take the Cascade 24-Hour challenge by baking something in a casserole dish and leaving the dish out for 24-hours. I baked a beautiful lasagna, and in my case, since things are so hectic in my house, I ended up leaving it out for almost 48-hours...Even more of a challenge, right??  We were asked to use Cascade Complete dish washer gel packs to wash the casserole dish afterwards.  Would it come out clean after almost 48-hours sitting in the oven?!  I highly doubted it!  Unfortunately, being a mom and forgetting these things when I actually do cook, I had ruined many beautiful dishes and frying pans because of just throwing them in the oven until a later time where I could wash them!!  

After throwing it in the dishwasher with the Cascade Complete, I wasn't very optimistic.  I know my past experiences with dishes left out and I was feeling like I'd lose another beautiful casserole dish because of my forgetfulness and stupidity.  

When I went back to get it out of the dishwasher, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was completely clean.  There was no crusty food left on the dish.  It looked as good as new.  I was very surprised to see that this was the case!  I really couldn't believe this!  It seemed insane to me.  This Cascade really works for me since this forgetfulness happens very very often.

Disaster avoided thanks to Cascade Complete!  This one little gel pack of wonder actually works... My hero!! :)

Product Benefits:

Cascade Complete All-In-One ActionPacs give you the confidence of a job done right.

It breaks down, dissolves and rinses away tough food particles without the need to pre-wash.

- No pre-washing

- No more tough food-cleaning ingredients

- Rinse Aid Action

Learn more at CascadeClean.com

Want to win a Walmart gift card?

Who doesn't??  Everyone can use some extra cash in this economy and My Blog Spark has been kind enough to offer one of my lucky readers a $25 Walmart Gift Card!!  Giveaway ends on June 23, 2010.  Just follow the steps below to enter!  Each is one entry! If you are already a follower, please let us know.  It will still count.

Mandatory Entry:

What is something forgetful or silly that you constantly do?  I know all mom's have "mommy brains" and all soon to be moms have "pregnancy brain".  Tell us of a time that you had the case of the "brains". :)

Optional Entries:

• Follow us on Google Friend Connect
• Follow us on Twitter
• Subscribe to our Feed
• Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter (sub in sidebar)
  
• Fan us on Facebook
• Tweet the giveaway - (You can do this twice a day.) 

The Artsy Mom is giving away a $25 Gift Card to one lucky winner! Will it be you?  Just simply click to enter! http://bit.ly/ds2mNw.

• Add our button to your blog (button in sidebar)
• Blog about this giveaway (+2 entries, even if you mention our giveaway in your blog it counts.)

GOOD LUCK!!  Winner will be chosen on June 24th, 2010.  Giveaway ends June 23, 2010 at 12 AM EST

Disclaimer: This product review was based on using complimentary Cascade product provided by P&G. Bloggers also received a Walmart gift card to share with their readers.  P&G does not represent or warrant the accuracy of any statements or product claims made here, nor does it endorse any opinions expressed within this blog.

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