Health, Beauty, Children and Family

Click Here for Current Product Review & Giveaways

2012-02-26T23:31:00.135-05:00

Current Giveaways:

Toshiba Portégé R835-P56X – Core i5 2.3 GHz – 4 GB Ram-GIVEAWAY 12-26-1-26-12
YouthfulTips Purex Crystals Jockey Sports Bra Giveaway 1/26
YouthfulTips General Mills Frosted Toast Crunch Cereal Prize Pack Giveaway 1/30
YouthfulTips $50 Amazon GC & Kindle Giveaway 1/30
YouthfulTips Happy Valentine's Day $50 Amazon or Starbucks GC Giveaway 2/1
YouthfulTips sneakpeeq $25 & $10 for 4 Winners Giveaway 2/3
YouthfulTips Oceans Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks Giveaway (4 Winners) - 2/4 (US)
YouthfulTips 5 Boxes of General Mills Cereal 2/6
YouthfulTips Publix The Best Meals Happen at Home $25 GC Giveaway 2/14
YouthfulTips Publix Running Out? Run In $25 Gift Card Giveaway 2/29 <-- Coming February 9th!

Publix The Best Meals Happen at Home $25 GC Giveaway 2/14

2012-01-26T12:46:00.000-05:00

I'm a firm believer that the best meals happen at home for many reasons. Now when I was working a lot, it was hard to fit that concept in but as I get older and wiser, I'm learning more reasons why what Publix is stating is so true. Not only do home cooked meals taste better but it's a great opportunity to get the family together for some 1:1 family time which is greatly missing in many families today. Publix is hosting The Best Meals Happen at Home event now (January 26th) until February 1st!

I'm a HUGE Publix fan because they offer such a huge variety of my favorite brands, organic brands and their own brands which are of high quality. I love the BOGO deals and the buy the name brand and get the Publix brand free opportunities!

Head out to Publix to experience some great savings on your favorite foods as well as some in-store coupons that will be good from today until February 1st. If you visit Publix BestMealsatHome online, you can sign up for weekly recipes and coupon offers that can help you save up to $200 this year. Not only can you save money but you can also check out some recipes Publix has to offer which I already did and shared. Check Publix out on Facebook for more tips and possible money savings.

I don't know if you ever tried any of Publix recipes but they are good! I love how they have the cooking demonstrations in the store.

Here is a quick and easy Crunchy Chicken Nugget Recipe:

Prep time: 15 Min
Cook time: 25 Min
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups Cheerios^® cereal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon mustard
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Directions:

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray with cooking spray or lightly grease 13x9-inch pan.
Finely crush cereal. Stir together cereal, salt and pepper; set aside. In medium bowl, stir together milk, honey and mustard until blended. Dip chicken into milk mixture; coat with cereal mixture. Place chicken in pan; drizzle with melted butter.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden and chicken is no longer pink in center.

Now the fun part, one reader will win a $25 Publix Gift Card! To enter, just complete the Rafflecopter form below and that's it!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure: The Publix gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Five Mom-Inspired Driving Tips #Esurance

2012-01-25T19:41:00.001-05:00

Driving is a scary time anymore as it seems there are too many distractions on the road. Not only do you have to worry about what might be in the road or your own vehicle but you have to always be on the watch out for others. It's not easy trying to drive at times when you have your kids in the car because they also offer their own mode of distractions. Sometimes they just can't help themselves and require immediate attention. Being on alert is imperative when it comes to driving and watching out for others. Based on my many years of experience with driving and helping to teach one teen how to drive, here are my five inspired driving tips.

Slow down! That is for everyone! When you are in a hurry, not only will you possibly make careless mistakes but you might also get a case of road rage. I found that when I'm in a hurry, I tend to get angrier when I drive so I have learned to slow down. Slowing down is also safer from an auto standpoint. Having a tire blow out going 70 mph versus 60 mph can mean the difference between life and death.
Treat distractions as non-existent until you are safe. If the phone rings, wait to find out who calls. When you didn't have a phone, you still kept driving so there is no reason why a call can't wait. Same with text messaging as it's unsafe and in many states, illegal. There is nothing that can't wait until you are parked. If the kids are causing a problem that is taking your attention, pull over in a safe spot and deal with it. I've seen too many parents try to discipline as they drive.
Buckle up and use appropriate car seats for children. You always hear of so many people dying because they weren't properly seated in the car. It takes a click to buckle up and you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to prepare for anything.
Keep your distance and don't tailgate. Even if it's illegal to cause an accident, it doesn't stop people from slamming on their brakes if you are tailgating. When driving, always be on the look out for the other guy and it's one thing I really taught my daughter. You have to always watch to make sure someone is not going to swerve in your lane, make sure they are going to stop and so forth. Being on the defense is paramount to good car safety.
Drive for the conditions is what my parents always told me. I neglected that rule when in high school as I didn't realize the roads really did become slick with rain around curves and wiped out a telephone pole and a boat on a trailer not to mention my car. Hazards are everywhere so you have to watch and adjust for the conditions at all times.

Driving is a tough time especially for the young. When you are a mom, you have so many distractions battling for your time but when you are driving, paying close attention is the key to staying safe. No matter what, most everything can wait their turn. Keep the phone away from you to avoid temptation, talk to the kids about car safety, keep the car maintained properly to hopefully avoid things like tire blow outs and most importantly, buckle up!

Esurance on Facebook

You like this.

*Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Esurance blogging program for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Mamavation Late!

2012-01-25T17:37:00.002-05:00

I'm very very late in posting my Mamavation update but I've had a migraine that won't go away. It's an excuse but it's worthy enough of using trust me! I am a big Biggest Loser fan and this season's motto is "no excuses." Sometimes one just has to have one and it's mine this wee. I've done hardly nothing for two days and not being able to run is killing me!

I know I finally hit that magic point because I feel immense guilt for not exercising and when I see a commercial like the new Jack in the Box Jumaco, it makes me almost physically ill over how much food they are offering in the meal not to mention the unhealthy aspect of it.

Needless to say, I'm striving to get back to my Hawaii days and I'm soooooo close that I could almost scream in excitement. Although not a picture of my entire body, I can see my weight loss in my face and am happy with the progress of running and counting calories.

Special thanks to Scott for recommending the salmon oil for my knee pain as it's working like a charm!

Making a Move to Los Angeles?

2012-01-25T17:13:00.001-05:00

Moving is a big deal as I know! I can't remember how many times I've moved but know it's well over 30 times. I've lived in Indiana, New Jersey, Hawaii, Georgia and many other places but I never lived in California. My older sister lived in Los Angeles for years and loved it. She used to move around a lot to come to think of it. When moving, I know from experience you want to hire someone that is good and trustworthy. Trying to find movers can be difficult especially since there are so many Los Angeles movers.

One thing I have done in the past is to get free quotes as you there really are variations in the price each movers will charge. The field of LA movers is immense and you want to pick a good Los Angeles moving company to move your precious belongings, memories and more. One thing I learned from my last move is the logging in of boxes is a good idea. It took a semi truck to move all of our belongings and I could not remember how many boxes on top of furniture we had.

Moving is not fun but there are many things you can do to help make it easier. A good planning (timeline) list is first and making sure you line up a good company is essential. I always keep out a box or two of essentials to make the trip easier as you never know what you might need such as birth certificates and so forth.

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

Valentine's Day Classroom Cards & More at Tiny Prints

2012-01-25T09:12:00.001-05:00

I'm a fan of just about any holiday although some might be more favorite than others. Valentine's Day was always so much fun as a child with choosing which Valentine Cards to buy and who received which version of the card. As an adult, my tastes changed and I preferred the cards that had some style and professionalism with them. Granted my children probably don't know the difference but I do. When I look for Valentines Day, I look for variety and options which is why I love Tiny Prints.

This time, I'm focusing on classroom Valentine's Day cards because they are so cute! I have to admit that I do love the photo cards just because I get to pick the cutest of the cutest pictures of my girls to put on them. This is one of my favorites! One thing to note about the classroom cards is if you are planning on mailing them, they are too small for Postal regulation and thus will require your own envelope but what a great excuse to send a gift too!

I asked my two girls which cards they preferred and here is what they picked:

My older daughter couldn't decide but here were her three favorites:

Aren't they all cute? There are so many different ones to choose from whether you have a boy or a girl and want a photograph or not. The ages vary so there is sure to be a card for every child and even us big children!

Check out Tiny Prints for all your card and many gift needs! Follow on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest to stay up to date on the latest and maybe even some special deals!

*Disclosure: I will be compensated with free cards in exchange for this post but the opinions are of my own.

Apple Laptop Battery Replacements

2012-01-25T05:04:00.000-05:00

I started to write this post by starting out with who doesn't own a laptop anymore but I rethought that as I'm sure there are many people who don't. For those that do, you know what it's like to have a dead battery and what a pain that can be as it always seems to happen at the most inopportune time. I used to have a laptop where I had an extra battery and if I ever get back to traveling, it's definitely something I would look into. My daughter's battery was always running out and I never thought to buy another Apple Laptop Battery for her which now seems pretty simple to do since prices have also dropped.

Having that extra back up is a good idea no matter what you are doing as you never know when you might need it. Since laptops are so portable, it's not much weight to carry around either. I have a laptop and know that the battery life is pretty short and I can't remember how many times it has died on me because I forgot to charge it. Do you keep an extra battery around?

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

$15 Amazon GC & Free Light Sides Meal from Chilis Giveaway?

2012-01-24T12:21:00.000-05:00

Anyone interested in a $15 Amazon GC & Free Light Sides Meal from Chilis Giveaway? If so, head on over to my Facebook page and just click "like" on the post!

I wasn't sure if it would draw much interest so if I get enough likes, I'll give them away via the random selection from all of the Likes.

Vitalicious “Walk It Off in 7 Minutes” Facebook Sweepstakes 3/4

2012-01-23T15:40:00.003-05:00

Ready to get in shape? Enter to win one grand prize of a LifeSpan TR 1200-DT Desktop Treadmill ($1,999 Retail Value). I have a treadmill and it's definitely helping me lose the 30 pounds that I have since 2011. I also just tried the VitaCakes and LOVE THEM!

Ten runners-up will receive a 48-pack of the new 50-calorie Fudgy Chocolate Mini VitaCakes ($48 Retail Value).

It takes just 7 minutes to walk off a Mini VitaCake!

Please go to http://www.facebook.com/vitatops?sk=app_28134323652 to enter.

The sweepstakes will run from January 19 through March 4, 2012.

Check out my review here.

All Natural Mini VitaCake Fudgy Chocolate Cakes Review

2012-01-23T15:40:00.002-05:00

Are you part of so many others trying to lose weight or just trying to get healthier? I am and many of my family and friends are. I have tried diet after diet and nothing has worked until I started watching what I eat and exercising. Watching what I eat is the key and watching what you eat can be boring. I was eating cabbage soup in between other meals to have something a little healthier with low calories. This is why I was completely surprised to taste how good the all natural Mini VitaCake FudgyChocolate cakes are by Vitalicious.

Not only are they only 14 g of carbs and 1 g of fat but they are only 50 calories! The kicker for me is they are natural. If you want to snack on something not as good, you can eat four chocolate covered peanuts or this mini cake that really is delicious. I find them to be the perfect snack in between meals and knowing that they are not going to be filled with processed sugars is a huge plus.

You can purchase a 24 pack for only $21 online at Vitalicious.

It is chocolatey and some bites have a great tasting chocolate chip that enhances that bite. It's moist, dreamy and wonderful! I have been eating one a day and am still losing approximately two pounds a week. They are conveniently packaged to take on the go or to pop in the microwave for a warm, gooey taste. I am definitely sold and will be returning to Vitalicious for both myself and my children for great tasting snacks!

By the way, it only takes 7 minutes to walk off one VitaCake!

Vitalicious also has other products such as VitaTops, VitaMuffins, VitaBrownies and more!

Follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

*Disclosure: I was provided complimentary sample of product but the opinions are of my own.

Identity Theft Protection

2012-01-23T13:05:00.001-05:00

Have you ever been a victim of identity theft? I was once but was notified by the bank luckily. Had we not been, we would have been responsible for over $500 of charged racked up by someone who obtained my credit information via a previous hack to a site I used in the past. When thinking of people stealing your identity, it's a big deal. Not only can it cost you immediately from a financial aspect but it has long term ramifications on your credit report and future interest rate charges. IdentityHawk is one company that does provide the comfort needed for those incidents when someone steals your identity.

Identity theft protection is something I was missing and I was very fortunate that the bank caught it and put a stop on payment. I do admit that it did require a lot of work on my part as I had to contact each online vendor where the purchases occurred to stop payment. After I did that, made several calls to the bank, I was then instructed to file a report at the local police station. That was a lot not to mention the mental duress of worrying if we caught all the transactions, caught them in time and would we be without the money. I was relieved it ended happily but that's not always the case.

*Disclosure: This is a paid post.

Welcome to Saturday FLASH $50 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway Hosted by Coupon Scribbles

2012-01-21T19:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Saturday FLASH $50 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway Hosted by Coupon Scribbles

On tap for tonight.... A $50 Walmart Gift Card

The FLASH Giveaway begins at 7pm EST Saturday 1/21/12 and ends at 11:59pm EST Saturday 1/21/12

Be sure to come right back to this post around 12:30am Sunday 1/22 to see who won. That's the beauty of the Flash Giveaway - There's no waiting around to see who won.

Participating in the Saturday Flash $55 Target Gift Card Giveaway tonight along with Coupon Scribbles are:

Extreme Personal Measures

Health Beauty Children and Family

Angels4Epilepsy

Follow the instructions below. Good luck!!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Al Fresco Chicken Sausage and Boboli Perpetual Pizza Party 2/5

2012-01-20T19:38:00.001-05:00

al fresco All Natural, America’s #1 chicken sausage brand, and Boboli pre-cooked pizza crust have teamed up to bring two lucky Facebook fans a “Perpetual Pizza Party:” a year’s supply of al fresco chicken sausage and Boboli pizza crust.

To enter, all you need to do is “like” al fresco All Natural on Facebook and then vote for your favorite original Game Day Pizza recipe before February 5, 2012. That’s it! Each vote is a chance to win, and choices include delicious options like the Amalfi Caprese or the Chipotle Mexican (all perfect recipes for a Super Bowl party!).

In addition to the grand prize, one winner will be selected weekly during the sweepstakes to win coupons and an assortment of branded cooking supplies from both al fresco and Boboli. Official rules for the contest, as well as complete prize details, are available here.

Post® New Honey Bunches of Oats Fruit Blend Cereals

2012-01-20T16:08:00.001-05:00

Have you heard about Post® New Honey Bunches of Oats Fruit Blend Cereals? I hadn't either until a few minutes ago! The newest, Fruit Blends, includes two fruit combinations – Peach Raspberry and Blueberry Banana. The two bursts of fruit flavor complement each other with one on the crispy flakes and the other baked into the crunchy granola bunches.

I don't know about you but I love blueberries and bananas so I can't wait to try it! I also like that it has 10 grams of whole grains and not processed for each 3/4 cup serving! Whole grains are so much better for you and with only 6 grams of sugar, that's just the perfect amount to make it sweet and tasty.

To learn more, check out Honey Bunches of Oats here and on Facebook.

*Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post.

How to Make a Football Snack Cake #gluenglitter #cbias

2012-01-20T15:04:00.001-05:00

I had a challenge to create a snack cake or a craft cake like you see with the diaper cakes so I chose a snack cake just in time for the Superbowl! Making a football craft cake was fun yet challenging at first as I had no idea how I was going to make it so I took to the web and my Facebook friends for some suggestions. I ended up making this cute football cake that would even appeal to the men since it was not "girly."

I set out to my local Walmart since they have a crafting department and some extra goodies like candy bars and peanuts which I needed for this cake. We got there early to avoid the rush and it was definitely nicer. The girls loved looking at all the princess stickers and scrapbooking embellishments but I was on a mission to find as many Elmer's Glue products as I could. I have used Elmer's adhesives for many of my other parties which you can see by clicking on parties.

I had some items already but here is what you will need to make this snack cake:

Elmer's CraftBond Glue Spots Medium Thin
Elmer's CraftBond Foam Mounting Tape
Elmer's CraftBond Wet and Dry Dual Tip Glue Pen
Elmer's Mini Bi-Fold Foam Board
Elmer's Paint Marker - silver
Elmer's Gel Pens
Three different sizes of Styrofoam circles - you can use the Foam Board if your store carries the different sizes but mine didn't
3 small bags of Hersheys and Snickers
1 jar of peanuts
1 snack size bag of Kit Kats and Reeses
1 roll of brown ribbon
1 roll of brown ribbon with polka dots
Package of small footballs - craft store
Package of foam small footballs - craft store
1 small paint can - craft store
4 wooden skewers
Soda or water caps or anything to provide the bottom a base

Instructions:

First step was to secure the bottom with a base since I had the ribbon overlap the top and the bottom of the circle. I used Coke bottle caps to provide the base. Not exactly pretty but it's on the bottom and it's an effort to reuse what I had.

I secure each layer by using pieces of wooden skewers and glue to fasten them in place and for added strength. I then added ribbon and used the Foam Mounting Tape to secure around the back #gluenglitter.

I used the CraftBond Glue Spots to secure the candy bars together for added support. I also put one periodically on the bottoms of the bars to secure for transport. Using the Foam Board would have been ideal for added adhesive qualities.

I also added extra Kit Kats and Reeses in between each layer to provide a secret surprise stash and extra strength to keep the next layer up. I added small football foam shapes periodically around the ribbons as well as in the back where the seams met up.

On the final or top layer, I filled the small paint can with peanuts and placed on top securing with more foam tape. I added two layers of Reeses around the top and secured them with the CraftBond Glue Spots. The CraftBond Foam Tape was ideal for keeping the footballs on top together.

I had the girls sign "thank you" on the foam board and stuck the sign in the back to thank the soldiers for all they do. You could purchase the plastic basket bag to secure everything together if you have to transport it.

It took about an hour or maybe more to put it together. I think it actually looks better in person than the photo. You can check out all my photos here on Google+.

Disclosure: this shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias” All opinions are of my own. #gluenglitter

The Progressive International Motorcycle Show This Weekend - Free Entry for Military, Police and Firemen!

2012-01-20T12:50:00.002-05:00

The Progressive International Motorcycle Show is happening this weekend in NYC and is the #1 place to see the latest Motorcycle products, custom bikes and stunts. To check out show features, go to www.motorcycleshows.com.

Firemen, Policemen, and Military will get in free all weekend if they come in uniform or present ID, and kids 12 and under get in free on Sunday for Family Day!

sneakpeeq $25 & $10 for 4 Winners Giveaway 2/3

2012-01-19T19:37:00.000-05:00

When it comes to the Health, Beauty, Children and Family/sneakpeeq giveaway, everybody wins! sneakpeeq is giving away 20% off your next purchase just for entering, plus a chance at the Grand Prize: one winner will receive a $25 gift card to use on your favorite food, style and home products. Four runners-up prize winners will receive a $10 gift card—that goes a long way in sneakpeeq’s amazingly low-priced boutiques!

Come see all the things you love but haven’t discovered. sneakpeeq only has New Products that you have never seen before! There are a variety of items and they change so you want to keep checking back.

I fell in love with these:

The Giveaway:

One winner will receive a $25 Gift Card and FOUR winners will receive a $10 Gift Card!

To Enter:

Enter the giveaway by clicking on this link: http://bit.ly/AhPRdG and joining sneakpeeq! All winners will be announced on my blog on 02/03/2012!

Don't forget that anyone who joins, gets 20% off their next purchase!

Giveaways ends February 3rd and winners announced February 4th! Giveaway only open to new subscribers of sneakpeeq and US only.

General Mills 5 Boxes of Cereal Giveaway 2/6

2012-01-19T00:35:00.000-05:00

A new year and a new set of goals if you are like me. I have set aside some goals for the year and one in particularly started actually last year but because getting healthy is a life long journey, there is nothing wrong with continuing a new year's resolution into the following year as if it's a new resolution. To date since I started working on getting healthier, I've lost 28 pounds since around June of 2010. That wasn't easy and it's a complete mind set change along with a need to exercise as I won't tell you that you can't. Part of my getting healthier was for myself and the rest was for my children. As parents, we lead by example and I don't want my children doing the same mistakes I made when it comes to our health. One of the areas I'm working on with myself and them is consuming more whole grains. Whole grains are reported to be essential to the well being of our body and whether or not that is true, I believe it is so. I'm happy my girls have chosen General Mills' cereals as their cereal of choice.

Another thing you may not know is that when you look at the ingredients on a product, the first ingredient is the biggest portion of the recipe. When you shop for General Mills cereal, the white check mark signifies that particular cereal has more whole grain than any other singular ingredient and that sure beats sugar being the first ingredient! According to Dr. Travis Stork, emergency room physician and host of The Doctors, identifying whole grain products can be difficult. He stated if you see a product listed with whole grain with oat or wheat following, it means the product contains the most whole grain over any other ingredient.

Dr. Stork provided additional guidelines to help us on our journey to get healthier:

Start Early! The Dietary Guidelines recommend people get at least 48 grams of whole grain in their daily diets. Get a jump-start on the day’s nutrition by incorporating whole grain into your morning routine. For instance, when choosing cereal make sure whole grain is listed as the first ingredient. One easy choice is cereal with the white check, which have more whole grain than any other single ingredient.
Make Simple Swaps. Choose whole grain versions of the foods you love. Great options include whole wheat pasta and whole wheat bread or even whole grain crackers. Also, try different types of whole grain. Use brown rice instead of white rice as a side dish at dinner or popcorn, which is a whole grain, for a snack.
Don’t Judge a Food by Its Cover. The front of food packages provide good nutritional cues, but don’t forget to read the ingredients and check the nutrition label and side labels for additional health information. Cereals with the white check even include the amount of whole grain per serving on packaging.

If you want to have some fun and learn a bit more, General Mills created an online educational game called "Fast Lane for Whole Grain." You will be taken through a virtual grocery store to find the products with the most whole grain along with an option to enter a sweepstakes to win one of 50 boxes of cereal with the white mark.

The Giveaway:

Total
Honey Nut Cheerios
Lucky Charms
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Cheerios

To Enter:

Please complete the Rafflecopter form below.

Don't forget to enter my other giveaways!

Disclosure: The prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Zeiss' Educational Tools to Help with Vision Health

2012-01-17T15:41:00.004-05:00

Vision health is an important part of one's life and is often overlooked until an obvious problem presents itself. Given January is National Glaucoma Month, it's an ideal time to get those peepers checked! My eight year old was diagnosed with an optic pit and required glasses almost a year ago. I had no idea as she never had any complaints but when the headaches started and her school work started to slip, I knew it was time to get her eyes checked. If you are like me and you didn't really know a lot about vision tests and how to choose the right doctor, you can check out the Zeiss educational tools.

I did learn that once you reach age 40, you might become one of most adults who suffer from presbyopia which is a result of crystalline lens of the eye losing its flexibility making it difficult to focus up close.

Do you know the differences between an optometrist, ophthalmologist and an optician? Sounds confusing doesn't it? The optometrist performs the eye exams and writes the prescriptions. They can also diagnose and treat some medical conditions of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who can treat a full range of eye diseases and conditions. They also perform surgery for cataracts and other eye conditions. An optician fills the prescription.

Some other common vision problems include:

Nearsightedness – condition in which visual images come to a focus in front of the retina, causing blurry distance vision
Farsightedness – condition in which visual images come to a focus behind the retina making it more difficult for the eyes to focus on near objects
Astigmatism – condition in which the cornea's curvature is asymmetrical, so light rays are focused at two points rather than one, resulting in blurred vision

Make sure you are getting your annual eye exam and check out the resources to help ensure you pick out the right doctor!

Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal Review

2012-01-16T18:48:00.003-05:00

If you are a regular to my blog, you know that I prefer natural products and things that are healthier. I don't always choose the best choice but when it comes to something that I'm putting on my skin daily, I definitely want something that is not going to be harmful. I used to use one of the leading brands until I started reading about the potential toxicity of the ingredients that made them effective. Once my now eight year old, yes, she's only eight, needed deodorant, I didn't want her putting anything harmful on her skin. This is where Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal comes on the scene.

Not only is it 100% pure and natural, it's made in the US AND is a woman-owned and family-operated natural products company. I cannot ask for anything more other than having Johnny Depp delivering it to me! They don't just stop with deodorant as they also have a full line of personal hygiene products that includes spray mists and roll-ons that provide 24 hours of hypoallergenic protection against body and foot odor. My younger daughter, not quite ready for deodorant yet, is allergic and sensitive to products. Knowing that all their products are paraben free, propylene glycol free and contains no aluminum makes it ideal for my entire family.

In case you are wondering how regular deodorants work, they are processed into smaller molecules which allows easier absorption into the blood stream. Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal is not processed and the molecules are larger to prevent absorption. If you want to learn more about aluminum and mineral salts and alum, just click on the link.

I was able to review the following three products: Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal, Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal - Spray Mist and Moiststic Natural Lip Protection.

Each product performed as expected and I was able to use even when running. I did notice that if I ran late in the day, I needed another application of deodorant but that is what I expect with all deodorants. The smell is pleasant and was not overwhelming. Out in the dry winter, my lips took a beating so the timing of the Natural Lip Protection couldn't be better. It went on easy, stayed on and was not filled with obnoxious aromas or a waxy film. All products performed up to my standards and I definitely recommend each of them. For me, the fact that they are natural is top notch!

Follow on Facebook and Twitter and to purchase, click here.

*Disclosure: I received complimentary products but the opinions are of my own.

Good Snacks: Oceans Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks Giveaway (4 Winners) - 2/4 (US)

2012-01-16T12:15:00.001-05:00

I took on a big healthy living kick starting in 2011. I started with an interest in 2010 but fully embraced it in 2011. With getting older and seeing the effects of too much McDonald's on my middle one, I knew it was time. I stopped those nearly daily after school stops to McDonalds and started with wholesome snacks and regular cooking. Finding snacks that are good and good for you can be challenging with all the carb laden, calorie enriched foods out there. I was happy to discover Oceans Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks. Only 80 calories, gluten free and they contain 100% of daily value of Vitamin C, you can't go wrong. When I noticed my eight year old was getting a little chubby, I knew it was time to make the change as it's a health issue over a "fat" issue.

We started eating healthier and getting more exercise through playful exercise. Whether it's through the pool or playing interactive wii or Xbox games, we are moving! I have lost 27 pounds in the course of a year. My girls are fit and healthy and that is the key....healthy! My girls enjoyed the flavor and this is the first fruit snack that my youngest would actually eat!

Oceans Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks colors are made from all natural sources. The snacks are made with apple, pear and cranberry concentrate.

You can download a $1.10 coupon here for two boxes of Oceans Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks. Check them out on Facebook.

Don't forget to enter my other giveaways!

The Giveaway:

Six boxes (three of each) variety of Oceans Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks.

To Enter:

Please use the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: Ocean Spray^® Fruit Flavored Snacks, information, and giveaway have been provided by Ocean Spray^® through MyBlogSpark.

Kindle Fire and $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway 1/30

2012-01-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Kindle Fire and $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway Hosted by Coupon Scribbles

You've heard about now WIN one!! The Kindle Fire would be wonderful to win just by itself but we are throwing in a $50 Amazon Gift Card for Movies or Books to load up your Kindle Fire.

The Giveaway begins at Monday 1/16/12 and ends at 11:59pm EST Monday 1/30/12.

The winner will be chosen and notified. The prize will be sent out via 2nd day shipping!

Don't forget to enter my other giveaways!

Co-Hosting the Kindle Fire and $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway with Coupon Scribbles are:

The Krazy Coupon Queen

Health Beauty Children and Family

Saving in Sumnerco

Shopper Strategy

Grandma Bonnie's Closet

Three Boys and an Old Lady

Extreme Personal Measures

Bad Ass Chicks that Bite

Mommy's Crazy 4 Coupons

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win a Cameo Silhouette!

2012-01-15T11:56:00.002-05:00

I can honestly say I wished I was hosting this giveaway but I'm not. Since I have a Silhouette, I can a Cameo. I've been entering to win and wanted to share this giveaway with you!

Kindle Fire and $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway Starting Monday!

2012-01-14T22:18:00.005-05:00

Kindle Fire and $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway Starting Monday!

Beauty and the Beast Printable Coloring Sheets

2012-01-13T17:43:00.001-05:00

If your little ones are fans of Beauty and the Beast like mine, you won't want to miss out on these Beauty and the Beast Coloring Sheets. <-- Just click on the link for a series of different printables!