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The Sensible Mom

Food, DIY, Chicago Mom Blogger

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Reviews

The Royal Berkey Water Filter System Review

October 11, 2017 by Sandra 4 Comments


Thanks to the folks that work with The Berkey for partnering with me on this post by sending me
The Royal Berkey Water System to review.

Water.

It’s something I’ve talked about a lot on my YouTube channel, and it’s definitely one of the things I’ve received the most questions about.

People want to know why we buy so much bottled water, and why we don’t simply drink tap water.

The short answer is that the tap water in our area isn’t great. It’s not even good. So, we’ve resorted to using tap water for things like washing dishes and brushing our teeth with, but we’ve drawn the line at drinking it.

In the past, we’ve used ZeroWater products to filter tap water, and they worked well. The problem is that ZeroWater products simply weren’t robust enough for our family of seven. Filters needed to be replaced often, and that’s expensive.

The Royal Berkey Water Filter System

Now, I’ve received lots of comments from people sharing ideas and products that we could use to reduce our bottled water consumption and one of the products that has been suggested over and over is The Berkey Water Filter System.

As you can see from the picture, the Berkey is quite large and the particular system sent to me to review is the Royal Berkey that holds 3.25 gallons of water. That’s a lot of water!

But that’s not even their biggest system. The Imperial Berkey holds 4.5 gallons of water, and the Crown Berkey holds a whopping 6 gallons of filtered water at one time!

Overall, our experience with the Berkey has been very positive. It does take some time to set up before initial use (I strongly recommend following the directions. πŸ™‚ ) and it does filter water very slowly when you’re filtering it for the first time, but then as you continue to use it, it begins to filter at its maximum flow rate.

And then it’s just a matter of using and consuming the water and refilling the Berkey as needed.

FUN FACT: The Royal Berkey system is so powerful that it removes food coloring from water without removing the beneficial minerals your body needs. Isn’t that amazing?

Drinking From The Berkey

We’ve been using theΒ water we filter with the Berkey for many things. Most importantly, we drink it, and it tastes clean, smooth, and refreshing. My kids enjoy it, and that makes me happy! πŸ™‚

I’m looking forward to using the Berkey for many years to come. It’ll become a fixture in our home, for sure!

Do you filter your tap water? Have you ever used a Berkey system?

You can also check out the Royal Berkey Water Filter System on Amazon (referral link), and this particular one comes with a fluoride filter and four stainless steel cups!


Filed Under: My Life, Reviews, Saving Tagged With: tips, vegetarian

The Tai Pei Life Hacks Event in Chicago PLUS Quick and Easy Dinner Ideas with Tai Pei

August 3, 2017 by Sandra 8 Comments


This post was sponsored by Tai Pei and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

When it comes to feeding my family, I’m all for easy dinner ideas. Who isn’t, right?

So when I had the opportunity to attend a Tai Pei Life Hacks Event in Chicago that was featuring their newest quick, easy, and delicious tasting entrees, I was all for it!

I’m just being honest here. πŸ™‚

The Tai Pei Event

While at the event, I had the chance to learn a few life hacks that work for a fellow blogger, Danielle Moss. And, I have to say, my favorite hack was one I already know about and can’t recommend enough to people who need help keeping up with their email inbox.

Danielle talked about using Boomerang for Gmail. And, well, if you’ve never used Boomerang for Gmail to get a hold of your inbox, you should! I found out about it years ago and still use it to this day.

Basically, Boomerang allows you to schedule when emails will be sent out, and it also allows you to “boomerang” emails that have been sent to you back to yourselfΒ so that you can deal with them at a time that’s better suited for you. It’s a fantastic tool and a real sanity-saver for those of us that like to have zero emails in our inbox before we head off to bed. πŸ™‚

Back to the Food…

Of course, at the event, we also had the chance to try some of the meals included in Tai Pei’s all-new single serve line of Asian inspired frozen entrees. And let me tell you, they’re delightful! Best of all, they’re made with real, quality ingredients.

Plus, because of all of the different choices that Tai Pei offers in this line of entrees, you’ll never get bored. My personal favorite is General Tso’s Spicy Chicken. It’s so flavorful and good!

I was even impressed by the variety and amount of veggies included in the meals. For example, the Pepper Beef meal has broccoli, peas, carrots, and celery in it! I like that!

And because the entire dish (including the veggies) is infused with flavor, my 5-year-old daughter, Elisabeth enjoys these meals, too.

Potstickers, anyone?

For those that love potstickers like I do, you’ll be happy to know that you can easily have a plate of potstickers ready to eat in minutes thanks to Tai Pei’s new convenient packaging. Basically, your potstickers are hot and ready for your taste buds soon after you pop them in the microwave with a tiny bit of water. So simple!

Now, my kids aren’t fans of potstickers, but my husband and I love to have them alongside rice when we’re eating Asian food at home. Tai Pei’s potstickers don’t disappoint, and they get a big thumbs up from us. πŸ™‚

Side Note: Save on Tai Pei with this coupon the next time you’re shopping at the grocery store.

Overall, I was already a fan of Tai Pei Asian foods before I went to the event in Chicago. They make lunch, dinner, and even night time snacking easy. But now that I’ve tried several of their new line of entrees, I’m looking forward to trying even more.

I do believe the Sweet & Sour Chicken is calling my name! πŸ™‚

What kind of Asian meals do you enjoy most or which Tai Pei entree would you like to try first?


Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: blogging events, Chicago, mealtime, tips

Our Disney World Vlog on the Disney Dining Plan (Day 1 at EPCOT)

August 2, 2017 by Sandra 5 Comments


Hi, guys! In today’s video, our family of seven visits Walt Disney World, and we bring you along as we head to Epcot on the Disney Dining Plan and have lunch at Sunshine Seasons! We also eat several snacks on the dining plan and pick up our fun refillable Disney mugs!

In addition, we bring you along with us on some rides and show a tiny bit of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground where we’re staying during this video.

We had such a fantastic day! As always, thanks for watching! πŸ™‚

You can follow along on our RV adventures with the Playlist here.


Filed Under: Blessed Seven Vlogs, Disney World, Family Fun, My Life, Reviews, RV Living Full-Time, Travel, Videos Tagged With: disney, epcot, vacations, video, YouTube Vlogs

A Fantastic Day at Disney World (2017 Vlog at Magic Kingdom)

May 10, 2017 by Sandra Leave a Comment


Thanks to Walt Disney World for the complimentary tickets we received. Elisabeth and I had a fabulous day!

In today’s video, I spend a fantastic day at Disney World with my 5-year-old daughter, Elisabeth. I bring you along on our adventure and show you lots of great Disney World rides for kids in addition to some delicious Disney snacks. We even have lunch at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe and get to enjoy the Disney Wishes Fireworks Show before the night is over!

I hope you enjoy the video, and as always, thanks for watching! πŸ™‚

You can follow along on our RV adventures with the Playlist here.


Filed Under: Blessed Seven Vlogs, Disney World, Family Fun, My Life, Reviews, RV Living Full-Time, Travel, Videos Tagged With: activities for families, disney, vacations, video, YouTube Vlogs

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My name is Sandra and I’m the author of this blog. I’m also a Christian, wife, home schooling mom of five, pro blogger, vlogger, and YouTube video creator. It's nice to have you here. Read More…

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We've had lots of great tomato harvests this year We've had lots of great tomato harvests this year but our cucumber harvest was pretty weak. How did your garden grow?

#garden #gardening #tomatoes #growing #summer #growingseason #vegetables #fruit #harvest #harvest2022 #gardeninglife #cucumber #gardeninspiration #summertime #summer2022 #backyardgarden
I love using pesto as a dressing for salad. It's d I love using pesto as a dressing for salad. It's delicious and the @barilla Creamy Genovese is my favorite. A little goes a long way and it makes dishes more delightful to eat. 😁 #yum #salad #ad #BarillaUS #BarillaPesto #creamygenovese #momsmeet @momsmeet #delish #delicious #tasty #pesto #ensalada #lunch #mealtime #mmm #veggies #vegetarian #saladideas #easy #meal #dinner #light #eat #eatplants
Transform and filter your tap water with the @vita Transform and filter your tap water with the @vitapodworld machine πŸ’¦  This is what I'm talking about #ontheblog today 😁
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What's your favorite way to eat cherries? I love t What's your favorite way to eat cherries? I love them sliced up or topping fresh pancakes or waffles. Yum! πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’
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@chelanfresh #ad @momsmeet #cherries # cherryseason #chelanfresh #momsmeet #chelanfreshcherries #snack #fruit #tasty #delicioso #healthy #delicious #cherry #summer2021 #sweet #fresh #fruits
We're transitioning to eating a more plant-based d We're transitioning to eating a more plant-based diet this year and we love it 😁 I'm slowly losing weight and my whole family is experiencing so many benefits to eating plant-based. I'm sharing about @wayfare_foods plant-based puddings on my blog today. They come in 3 delicious flavors: vanilla, butterscotch and chocolate. I'll post the blog post link in the comments.
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#ad #momsmeet #wewantwayfare #wayfareWOW #pudding #plantbased #delicious #vegan #dairyfree #vegetarian #chocolate #vanilla #butterscotch #snack #snacktime #kidfriendly #backtoschool #momlife #delicious #sweet #tasty #treat #yum #delicioso #snacks @momsmeet
We went strawberry picking today.😎 The weather We went strawberry picking today.😎 The weather was perfect and the berries were plentiful but I was surprised to see SO MANY PEOPLE picking berries on a Wednesday afternoon. Apparently, we all decided today was a great day to pick. Anyway, we had a fun time and came home with lots of berries and strawberry donuts for later.😁
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#memories #familyfun #strawberries #upick #family #familytime #berries #strawberry #summer #summerfun #momlife #fruit #sweet #tasty #yum #berry #remember #illinois #upickstrawberries
Making dairy-free vegan chocolate chip cookies for Making dairy-free vegan chocolate chip cookies for my family today 😁 We started going to a new doctor and found out that my oldest son is actually allergic to dairy. I don't know why none of his other doctors ever thought to check for the most common types of allergies in him especially since he has struggled with eczema and that's a common symptom when you're allergic to dairy products. Anyway, I'm glad to know for sure now. #delicious #plantbased #vegan #dairyfree #eggfree #cookies #chocolatechip #chocolate #sweets #family #dessert #treat #delish #delicioso #mmm #yum #sweet #baking #allergies #momlife
Enjoying the Benihana Vegetable Hibachi Rice meal Enjoying the Benihana Vegetable Hibachi Rice meal for a late lunch today 😁 I found it in the freezer section at Target and it's great for a super quick and easy meal. I have two more in the freezer that I think I'll bulk up even more with some riced cauliflower next time I eat oneπŸ‘#yum #complimentary #mealtime #BenihanaFrozen #BenihanaAtHome #BenihanaFrozenFood @influenster @influenster.eats #lunch #frozenmeals #vegetables #rice #meal #quick #easy #quickandeasymeals #quickandeasyfood #freezermeals #veggies #mealideas
My kids are best friends #familytime #wisconsindel My kids are best friends #familytime #wisconsindells #wisconsin #vacation #funtimes #remember #memories #familyfun #family #zoo #jellybelly #jellybeans #momlife #vacationmode #vacay #simpleliving #spring #bestfriends #bestie
Beautiful day at the zoo #familyfun #familytime #o Beautiful day at the zoo #familyfun #familytime #outdoors #family #zoo #simpleliving #spring #funtimes #remember #memories #wisconsin #wisconsindells #outside #fun #momlife #vacation #vacationmode #makingmemories #animals
I'm sharing how we manage our family's screen time I'm sharing how we manage our family's screen time and keep our kids safe online with the Circle Home Plus device and App on the blog today! 😁  Seriously,  there are SO MANY great features about the Circle and it gives you so much power as a parent to keep your kids safe. Check it out! #ad @meetyourcircle @momsmeet #momsmeet #safe #safetyfirst #meetcircle #snoozeonscreentime #digitalparenting #bedtime #screentime #family #power #control #online #internet #router #homelife #giftideas
I'm really enjoying these chewable tablet pre + pr I'm really enjoying these chewable tablet pre + probiotics 😁 I've been taking them consistently and they've been so gentle on my system. They're the @kyo_dophilus Pro+ Synbiotic chewables that you can take anytime with or without a meal. I wrote about my experience in a recent blog post that I'll link in the comments below. Do you take pre or probiotics?
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#ad #momsmeet @momsmeet #prebiotics #probiotics #microbiome #gut #bacteria #health #berrysmoothie #tablets #chewable #momlife #blogger #plantbased #benefit #easy #healthylifestyle #healthyliving #guthealth #immunesupport
We bought two sets of these $37 Knoxhult wall cabi We bought two sets of these $37 Knoxhult wall cabinets to use in our boys' bedroom and they're working out great. They're actually white with gray doors and while they didn't come with any hardware, we were able to add a couple of nice knobs we purchased from a hardware store. Now, the boys have extra space to store their stuff and they've been hanging in their rooms for months now so I thought I'd share in case it might help someone.πŸ‘ #home #organization #ikea #cabinets #boysroom #momlife #solutions #homedecor #homeinspo #homeinterior #room #ikeahome #family
πŸŽ„ Christmas Tree 2020 πŸŽ„ My two youngest kids πŸŽ„ Christmas Tree 2020 πŸŽ„ My two youngest kids had a fun time decorating our tree this year. I hope you're having a lovely holiday season. #christmas2020 #memories #Christmas #Christmastree #tree #Christmasdecor #family #tistheseason #Christmastime #lights #MerryChristmas #funtimes #remember #ornaments
Veggie omelet 😁 #delicious #yum #breakfast #egg Veggie omelet 😁 #delicious #yum #breakfast #eggs #tasty #delicioso #mealtime #mealideas #garden #inthekitchen #eat #eating #mmm
Kitchen is clean 😎 #cleankitchenatnight #cleani Kitchen is clean 😎 #cleankitchenatnight #cleaning #clean #kitchen #momlife #marriedlife #happy #funtimes #happyday #weekend #weekends #simple #simpleliving #cleaningmotivation #inspiration
Today's garden haul #garden #gardening #summer2020 Today's garden haul #garden #gardening #summer2020 #summer #tomatoes #tomato #cucumber #jalapeno #greenpepper #bellpeppers #healthyfood #healthy #vegetables #veggies #raw #delicious #tasty #gardenhaul #haul #momlife
Hubby made super fresh green salsa with jalapeños Hubby made super fresh green salsa with jalapeños from our garden 😁 We had to buy tomatillos to make the salsa from the store. Next year, Lord willing, we'll grow our own. I hope you're enjoying your summer. I'm not ready for fall - lol. Are you? #salsa #mexicanfood #garden #gardening #yum #delicioso #delicious #summer #fall #summertime #summer2020 #food #mexican #jalapeno  #salsaverde #greensalsa #fresh #freshfood
Happy 4th of July! πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡ΈπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡ΈπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ We're Happy 4th of July! πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡ΈπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡ΈπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ We're celebrating with @country_donuts 😁 #independenceday #4thofjuly #july4th #freedom #free #usa #independence
Spicy bacon-wrapped sausages in the air fryer 😁 Spicy bacon-wrapped sausages in the air fryer 😁 We stocked up on mild and hot Buona Beef sausages at the grocery store and decided to try making the spicy ones wrapped in baconπŸ‘ So good! For the process, hubby cooked the sausages a bit in the air fryer first and then wrapped them in the bacon. These were from over the weekend. Hubby made more last night.πŸ˜„ I hope you guys are doing well! If you want to see the specific sausages we used, they're in the most recent grocery haul on my YouTube channel. #dinner #sausages #bacon #baconsausage #lunch #meals #mealideas #airfryer #buonabeef #momlife #airfryerrecipes #easy #whatsfordinner #delicious #yum #tasty #spicy #food #savory #delicioso #baconwrapped
I made tempeh for the first time ever yesterday. I I made tempeh for the first time ever yesterday. It was @lightlifefoods Organic Original Tempeh, which happens to be a great source of plant protein. Have you tried tempeh? What's your favorite way to eat it? I'd love to know! 😁 #momsmeet #ad @momsmeet #tempeh #vegan #vegetarian #savory #nongmo #organic #protein #plantbased #food #soy #meatless #nomeat #meatlessmeals
I'm using these products to try to look younger πŸ˜‚ I think they're making a difference. They one thing I'm not crazy about is the light fragrance in the moisturizer but I love the Revitalift Ampoules πŸ˜πŸ‘ They're very moisturizing πŸ‘© #Revitalift #DermIntensives #complimentary @lorealparis @Influenster #antiaging #loreal #beauty #beautytips #aging #moisturizer #cream #youngerskin #momlife #lotion #lorealparis #lookyourbest
Thank you @calsangels for the fantastic care packa Thank you @calsangels for the fantastic care package full of toys and activities for my three youngest kids! 😁 They had no idea a package was coming and loved getting new toys and games to play with. I truly appreciate it! πŸ’› For those not familiar with Cal's Angel's, they're a fantastic organization that grants wishes for kids who are sick and fighting for their lives. They granted a wish for our son, David, when he was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. #thankyou #calscares #aplasticanemia #survivor #bmt #bonemarrowtransplant #live #blessed #blessings #saa #toys #family #surprise #love #wow #calsangels #severeaplasticanemia #wishes
Love my little Magic Bullet for making a quick smo Love my little Magic Bullet for making a quick smoothie πŸ˜„ We bought ours maybe a year ago from Bestbuy and I like that I don't have to pull out a big blender for smoothies.πŸ‘ Quick and easy! #simpleliving #simplelife #momlife #smoothie #smoothies #drinks #mangosmoothie #mango #magicbullet #tasty #easy #quick #snack #mmm #worksforme #momsofinstagram #drink #bestbuy #magicbulletsmoothie
Just peeked πŸ‘€ at the pork roast for dinner and Just peeked πŸ‘€ at the pork roast for dinner and it's looking goodπŸ‘I'm cooking it low and slow and going to shred it and make barbecue pulled pork sandwiches 😁 What's for dinner at your house? #inthekitchen #momlife #weekend #mealideas #dinner #dinnertime #mealtime #meal #pork #porkroast #weekendfun #marriedlife #whatsfordinner #dinnerideas #mmm #yum #delicious #delish #sogood #food #foodstagram #meat #delicioso #flavor #sabroso #tasty #tastyfood
We went to IKEA and picked up a new dresser for me We went to IKEA and picked up a new dresser for me. I ❀ it. We have a super small bedroom because we gave the master bedroom to our 3 boys, and the dresser fit perfectly in the spot next to our bed. It's tall, yes, but not too tall.πŸ‘ My old dresser became hubby's because he gave his dresser to my oldest daughter. Lol - It's musical dressers around here.πŸ˜‚ #yay #momlife #ikea #new #dresser #white #furniture #bedroom #ikeahome #dressers #bedroomideas
I haven't shared a #cleankitchenatnight picture in I haven't shared a #cleankitchenatnight picture in ages so here's my kitchen tonight. Dinner is done, the kitchen is clean and I'm about to make myself an iced coffee.πŸ‘ #momlife #cleaning #kitchen #marriedlife #momof5 #simpleliving #simplelife #clean #inthekitchen #inspiration #mom #motherhood #tired #cleankitchen #motivation #blessed #thankful #done
Mexican Meatball (Albondigas) Soup is one of my ve Mexican Meatball (Albondigas) Soup is one of my very favorite soups and takes me back to my childhood 😊 Is there a soup that brings back childhood memories for you? #remember #memories #soup #meatballs #meatballsoup #albondigas #albondigassoup #momlife #mexican #inthekitchen #food #foodstagram #eat #eats #dinner #delicious #delicioso #delish #tasty #tastyfood #flavor #yum #mmm #mexicanfood #comida #comidamexicana #childhood
Mango smoothie made with frozen mango chunks from Mango smoothie made with frozen mango chunks from @costco and sparkling water 😁 I made it in my little Magic BulletπŸ‘ #easy #momlife #mango #yum #smoothie #smoothies #delicious #healthy #simpleliving #simplelife #snack #snacktime #drinks #mangosmoothie #inthekitchen #magicbullet #healthysmoothies #costco #funtimes #mmm #drink
I can only have these Costco praline pecans in the I can only have these Costco praline pecans in the house once or twice a year because it's so hard to be self-controlled when they're around. They're so sweet and delicious that I can't eat just one or a couple. 😱 Lol - Hubby knows this so he bought me some for Valentine's Day and the container is already halfway empty.😳 Oh well! I'm enjoying them! 😁 Do you have a favorite food you can't keep in the house much? #pecans #delicious #snacks #sweets #sogood #yum #selfcontrol #valentines #valentinesday #love #praline #nuts #momlife #snack #delish #delicioso #eatsandtreats #treat #eats #costco #kirkland #good #foodstagram #pecan
Homemade m&m cookies 😁 My daughter, Breanna, ma Homemade m&m cookies 😁 My daughter, Breanna, made these for homeschool this week. I found the m&ms on clearance after Christmas hence the red and green πŸ˜‰ #cookies #homemade #homeschool #homeschooling #baking #inthekitchen #sweet #treats #delicious #delish #delicioso #yum #eatsandtreats #momlife #homeschoollife #home #simpleliving #simplelife #sweets #christmas
I did my taxes this week and I'm so happy to have I did my taxes this week and I'm so happy to have that task done! I was pretty happy to see that we finally didn't owe the State this year and instead we're getting back $1. Lol πŸ˜‚ I'll take it! I love doing my taxes using @turbotax It's super easy and not intimidating because the TurboTax program is so intuitive and walks you through everythingπŸ‘ Seriously, I've used TurboTax MANY times and it keeps getting better. Do you use TurboTax? πŸ€“ Thanks to @influenster for a #complimentary code they sent me to try out #TurboTaxLiveExperts #contest #taxes #momlife #selfemployed #tax #taxtime #turbotax #money #todolist #refund #taxseason #simpleliving #simplelife #breakfast #done #coffee #taxrefund
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