Push Ups & Pajamas

Friday Favorites

2016-04-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

The weeks have been flying by lately. I have been reading and doing a lot of yoga recently, as will be reflected in my favorites this week! If you missed it, you can check out my post about TriNova's Castile Soap from earlier in the week. Hope everyone has a great weekend and without further ado, here is what I have been loving this week...

I read this e-book the other night and I really liked it. As someone who is chronically ill and spends a lot of time in bed it is nice that someone took the time to lay out a way to do yoga and receive its benefits no matter your ability or activity level. There are modifications if you can't sit up, as well. The message in the end of the book was great as well. It is currently free on amazon!

Hand Stamped Dog ID tag

I am afraid I have developed an Etsy addiction. There are so many great and adorable things being sold on there!

Daily Walk Bible: 31 days with Jesus - I downloaded this off of Amazon for free. I believe it is still available for free. I am really enjoying it and highly recommend it. It is written in a way that is easy to understand and follow. I have experienced frustration in the past because I never fully understood what was going on. I don't have that issue with this book and I enjoy my daily reading.

Not Your Father's Ginger Ale

I am a big fan of all things ginger flavored, so I was so excited when my husband grabbed this from our local grocery store. This brand also makes a hard Root Beer as well that I am not a big fan of. I don't like the flavor of beer but I found this drink to quite tasty. It reminds me of nonalcoholic ginger beer with a beer kick at the end.

What have you been loving this week?

*Linking up with Life in Leggings*

TriNova Castile Soap

2016-04-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

As I continue to phase out harmful chemicals in my house, I found myself needing an all natural cleaning solution. Sure, there are many available options at your local natural grocer but they usually come with a hefty price tag and I am not always impressed with the results. Through my search I have found quite a few homemade recipes on Pinterest that use castile soap. Castile Soap is a vegetable oil based soap. It is all natural and many options are vegan. It does not suds as much as store bought soap that contains SLS since it is natural.

I was lucky enough to receive a sample of TriNova's Castile Soap to test out. I like it better than the Dr Bronner Castile Soap I was previously using. The Dr Bronner soap had an odd smell to it whereas the TriNova has a much milder, natural smell to it.

I made a homemade soft scrub to test out my castile soap. The end result was a clean bathroom, that didn't require harmful chemicals!

Next up, I plan to try making a natural liquid laundry detergent with it!

I received this product in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. I received no compensation other than the product. I was under no obligation to provide positive feedback.

Friday Favorites #17

2016-03-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

This week was a really chill week for me. I spent a lot of time resting and catching up on TV. I hope you all had a wonderful week. Here is what I have been loving this week...

I am pretty sure I am late to the party - but I discovered this gem this week! It taste so good. I have been eating it on rice cakes lately. I plan to try it on oatmeal soon.

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When your TiVo box hits 99% it is time to take action. I watched about 2 weeks worth of Ellen this week. She is so funny! I love her attitude and message.

My sister in law Snapchat me a picture of the party cake Peeps, because everything cake flavored is the best.

I don't always eat Peeps, but when I do they must be at least 24 hours old! I like them when they start to get firm on the outside. Anyone else know what I am talking about?

Franklin's Favorite

Franklin is absolutely loving this soft bone shaped stuffed toy.

He carries it around the house with him. Uses it as a pillow when he naps. Even tried to take it on his walk with him the other day.

What have you been loving this week?

Have you had Peanut Butter and Co White Chocolate Wonderful before?

*See what others are loving @ Life in Leggings*

Friday Favorites

2016-03-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

I am all about health, wellness, and natural products lately. I have decided to start cutting out parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, and many more toxins.
There was a study done that estimates the average woman puts over 160 chemicals on her body daily. Some of these chemicals are known to be harmful for the body and some we don't yet know the effects they have.
As someone who already has many health issues, I know my body doesn't need any more things to be battling on a daily basis.

Here are some of the things I have been loving lately...

I received these amber bottles for testing purposes to review on Amazon. I love being a reviewer because I receive so many great things and these bottles are definitely one of those great things. The amber coloring helps protect the integrity of any oils or essential oils I add to the bottles. Recently I am using the bottles for face serums. My current combo is grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, lemongrass oil, lavender oil, and tea tree oil. This is to help clear up blemishes and acne.

I have been using my new diffuser in my home for a little over a week. The little guy is always on, during the day and at night while I sleep. I love that I have a way to clean my air and have my home smell nice without burning candles that left off chemicals and fumes into the air.

Please note I received this product for testing purposes as well but I honestly do love it and use it all the time. I do not post products I don't truly love on my Friday Favorites posts.

My mom sent me the link to this on Pinterest. I think this shirt is adorable! The company has many other adorable dog shirts. Each shirt you buy feeds 7 shelter dogs!!

Franklin's Favorite

Naps!!

How can you go wrong with a good nap? :)

To see what others are loving go check out Life in Leggings!

Friday Favorites

2016-02-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm back and it's Friday!! Which means it is time to share what I have been loving this week and find out what others are loving over at Life in Leggings!

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I recently started watching this show and I am hooked. It is SO good. I tell everyone I talk to that they need to watch it! I am a little more than half way through the first season. I love how there is always two exciting plot lines going on.

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Another show I am loving. I only got hooked on the bachelor/ette about a year ago, but boy do I love the drama! This week's episode was so good. Some girls I haven't been fans of finally went home!!

My love for guacamole is still going strong. I also received the sweet chili tortilla chips by Way Better Snacks in my recent voxbox from Influenster. The chili kick the chips have compliments the guacamole so well. I can't wait to grab more of these tortilla chips next time I go to the store.

Lastly, I am loving Franklin's new hair cut!! I was unaware how matted his coat was when I first adopted him. It has continued to get worse at the base of his fur, near his skin. I knew it couldn't be saved without lots of tugging and stress on my fur baby. My husband did some research and found a great groomer where I could stay with Franklin while he got groomed. This was very important to me because Franklin gets anxiety when he is not with me and I have heard some horror stories from dog owners who drop off their dog at a commercial groomer.

I was so happy with the experience I had and I think Franklin looks adorable with his little fur 'booties'!

If you are in the Phoenix Area, I recommend you check out Sherry's Spa 4 Paws Pet Grooming. Sherry is great and really cares about her fur customers!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Do you watch The Bachelor or Jane the Virgin?

Eucalyptus Oil by UpNature

2016-02-02T10:41:00.000-08:00

If you follow my blog you know that I have been incorporating essential oils and other natural healing products into my routine. The most recent essential oil I have added to my routine is Eucalyptus Oil.

Eucalyptus oil has so many different uses and benefits. Eucalyptus is the distinct smell in Vick's Vapor Rub. Every time I smell Eucalyptus I think of slathering that vapor rub on when I catch a bug. Now, I can make my own natural vapor rub with this eucalyptus oil. I also plan to make my own shower bombs with eucalyptus oil for when my sinuses or chest are congested.

Along with Eucalyptus oil's many health benefits due to its pain relieving, antiviral and antibacterial properties, it also has antiseptic and disinfectant properties that make it great for cleaning. I have seen people make their own bathroom or shower cleaning solution with eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil has also been shown to treat lice and fleas!

I have added the eucalyptus oil to my Epsom salt baths and found it to be quite relaxing!

Eucalyptus oil has so many benefits and uses. If you are getting into essential oils and living a more natural life, I highly recommend you add eucalyptus to your collection.

I received my eucalyptus oil from UpNature to test out. I am very happy with it. It came bubble wrapped in a small box inside of a larger box. I see no way the glass bottle could have possibly been damaged in route to me. I received a 4 oz bottle, which is quite large and will last me awhile. The oil came with a dropper style lid. I love this style lid because it is easy to know exactly how many drops you are adding to your carrier oil.

Whenever I get a new essential oil, I always do the paper test. I place a drop of the oil on a white piece of paper and wait a few hours. If there is nothing on the paper it means the essential oil is 100% pure, if there is any oil ring or residue left that means the oil was most likely diluted with a cheaper carrier oil. This eucalyptus oil passed the test. I feel confident that when I use this oil I am using pure 100% eucalyptus oil.

If you are interested, you can purchase the UpNature Eucalyptus Oil here.

*Disclaimer: I received this product to test out in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. The above post is all my personal opinions of the product. I was in no other way compensated. I receive no percentage if you chose to purchase the product.*

Paw's Choice

2016-01-27T06:30:00.000-08:00

I am always on the search for the best products for my little pup, Franklin. Recently, I was introduced to Paw's Choice. I have had the opportunity to try out there Tear Stain Remover as well as their Dry Dog Shampoo and I wanted to share my experience with all of my readers who have pets.

Franklin is a poodle mix, but he is heavy on the poodle part. He comes with all the typical problems that poodles come with. He has pretty bad allergies and his eyes are constantly watering. He always has little goo balls in the corner of his eyes, getting embedded and staining his white fur.
I jumped at the opportunity to try Paw's Choice Tear Stain Remover and put it to the test. I love it is all natural, derived from coconut. No worries that the product will be harmful. I used a cotton pad, the kind I usually use to remove my eye makeup, and soaked it in the tear stain remover. I set it gently on his eye, making sure it was closed first. After letting it sit for 15-30 seconds I gently rubbed the cotton pad for another 15-30 seconds and then tossed it in the trash. I was surprised how much junk the tear stain remover was able to remove or soften enough for me to remove with my nail. I will continue to use the tear stain remover on Franklin once to twice a week to keep the goo from forming and staining around his eyes.
If you have a pet that's eyes water a lot or have tear staining, I recommend you try Paw's Choice Tear Stain Remover.

Another product available through Paw's Choice is Dry Dog Shampoo. I had never heard of such a thing and I was very intrigued by the concept. The idea is to keep your dog fresh and clean in between baths. I would love to be able to bath Franklin more often but it would be too drying on his skin and it is quite a bit of work to bath a dog! Sadly, this product was not a hit for me. I think the major reason I didn't love this product is because Franklin has such thick, curly fur and I couldn't move the product through his fur to get an even application.
I really liked the mango-pomegranate scent and the fact that it is also, all natural and derived from coconut. I think that dogs with other types of coats could benefit from this Dry Shampoo, but I wouldn't recommend it for owners with breeds similar to mine.

*Disclaimer: I received these product free of charge in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. I was in no other way compensated for this post. The above opinions are strictly my own, based on my experience with the product.*

Friday Favorites

2016-01-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends! I hope you have had a good week. It is Friday so I am here to share what I have been loving this week!

I am loving this lemon essential oil. On Wednesday I reviewed the oil. I have been using it this last week for a LOT of different things including as a cleaning solution to kill all the bacteria in the house from my husband who is sick (even though he claims he never gets sick). I was most impressed that it took the sticky residue off of a brush that had a sticker on it.

So in love with this nail polish color this week. I am usually not a fan of nudes but something about this one has me obsessed. It is Florence by Julep. It has quite a runny formula but as long as you got the excess off the brush it was easy to apply.

I have been craving (and eating) guacamole like crazy this week. I had some Monday night at Chipotle and it was the best I had ever had. After that night it was all I could think about!

Franklin's Favorite

Franklin is loving these beef flavored Canine Carryouts that he received as a Christmas present from my grandparents. If I leave the bag out on the counter or table he will keep walking by them and trying to get to them. He has been much more excited to practice tricks now that these are in the mix of treats!

Check out what others have been loving at Life in Leggings

Lemon Essential Oil

2016-01-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

I mentioned last week that one of my goals in 2016 is to focus on natural ways of getting healthy and healing my body. One of the ways I plan to do that is by using essential oils more often. Coincidentally, Simply Earth sent me this lemon essential oil to test out.

I love the smell of this oil. Lemon has such an uplifting and clean smell. I have been using this oil for tons of things.

I have put it in my laundry soap before washing my clothes so they would come out smelling even cleaner than usual.

I have put a few drops in my water since lemon oil is a natural detox. (Please note that not all essential oils are safe for consumption and I did not realize this until after I consumed this lemon oil.)

I used the oil to remove sticker residue and I was extremely amazed that the oil broke down the adhesive and balled it up. I was able to roll the leftover adhesive right off.

I put about 10 drops in my dishwasher before I started it and the whole kitchen had a lovely clean lemon smell while my dishes were being washed.

Lemon oil is an antifungal and antiviral so I mixed white vinegar, lemon oil, and water to create a cleaning solution!

I would also like to mention that if you mix lemon essential oil with water and soak your fruits and veggies. it will clean off some of the chemicals that can be found on the outside of non-organic produce. I have not yet tried this but I look forward to trying it because organic produce can be quite pricey!

I have heard some companies add carrier oils to save money and pass their product off as 100% essential oil. To test if this essential oil was a true lemon essential oil, I put a drop on a piece of computer paper and waited for it to dry. When it dried there was no oil ring left behind on the paper, this is a sign it is a true essential oil.

Essential oils do not mix with water (like typical oil), but they are not truly oils so they should not leave behind any traces of oil.

I really liked this lemon essential oil and will continue to use it. I love that I can replace toxic cleaning supplies with a couple of household items and this essential oil. I hope to discover more ways to use it in my daily life (hello, Pinterest!).

If you are interested in trying out some essential oils, I recommend you check out Simply Earth. A percent of proceeds go to helping human trafficking victims. A purchase from them is something you can feel good about and your body will thank you too!

Disclaimer: like stated above I received this product to test and give my honest, unbiased review based on my personal experience. I was in no other way compensated for this post and was not required to give positive feedback.

Friday Favorites

2016-01-08T15:07:00.002-08:00

It has been a while since I have done a Friday Favorites post. Now that the holidays have calmed down, I am back and I have a few things to share with you. I recently became a product reviewer so I have been receiving lots of products to test out and review on Amazon. I will not be posting many of them here on my blog, but I will post some product reviews here and there. If I really truly love a product and have been using it often it may show up in my Friday Favorites post. I will always post if it is a product I received for free or discounted.

Something I have been absolutely loving lately is Cake Batter flavored Chapstick. I love cake batter - especially in the form of frozen yogurt. I have been wearing this stuff everyday since I got it in my stocking on Christmas!

Ever since making a trip through the Dunkin Donuts drive through before looking at Christmas lights, sugar cookie coffee has always been on my mind. I didn't think it would be as good as it is. Who knew coffee and cookies went together so well? Apparently everyone but me.

New Years Eve night I discovered the delicious drink called Redd's Apple Ale. I have been wanting to drink something that has hops in it because it is good for your nerves but I think beer is gross tasting. My husband picked up the variety pack of the Redd's Apple Ale because he believes it is a mild ale that I would be able to tolerate. He was right. The pack came with Cranberry Apple, Strawberry Apple, and Apple. The Cranberry and Apple are my favorite - not a big fan of the Strawberry. They taste even better mixed with cinnamon and ginger non-alcoholic beer.

Franklin's Favorite

This is him playing with his new chew rope that is Christmas colors. He got it from his grandma and grandpa on Christmas. He loves them both and plays with them often. There is squeaking in my house ALL.DAY.LONG.

Thinking Out Loud Thursday

2016-01-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Long time, no post.
I have been slacking on blogging lately due to the craziness of the holidays, but I'm back!!
My 'Thinking Out Loud' post this week is about 2015 and 2016!

2015 was an eventful year for me. If you would have told me at the beginning of 2015 that by the end of the year I would be married and have my very own furbaby I would have called you crazy. 2015 took me by storm in the best way possible.

I feel so blessed to have my little family and I can't wait to conquer 2016 with them by my side.

I am not a fan of New Years Resolutions. I believe if you want to make a change in your life you should do it whenever you want to. However, I feel when a new year comes around it gets us thinking about our lives and our plans for the next year. Instead of resolutions, I have goals.

continue to improve my health through fitness and weight training
heal and support my body with natural remedies such as essential oils
improve Franklin's allergies through natural remedies & help him with his anxiety
continue to grow my amazon reviewing
live in the moment & appreciate it all - don't take anything/anyone for granted

I wish the best for you all in 2016!

Do you have any goals or resolutions for the new year?

Friday Favorites

2015-12-11T04:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday!

This is where I insert a little paragraph about how I am still sick so my week have been pretty uneventful and consist of detox baths, resting in bed watching Netflix and talking Franklin on little walks.

However, I would rather talk about the fact that Wednesday marked two years since I met my husband. We met on social media (how millennial of us, right?). We had a great day hanging around the house, continuing to unpack boxes and settle in. We talked about and reflected on our past two years and we went out for a late lunch to celebrate. Two years down, decades more to go!

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One of the highlights of my week was this delicious deep dish pizza I got from BJ's Brewhouse. This is obviously not my picture - I was too hungry to take a photo before diving in. I got BJ's Favorite deep dish pizza. It comes with pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushroom, onion, tomatoes, green bell peppers, black olives and meatballs. I asked for it without the black olives. It was delicious and I will definitely get it again in the future. Along with their Vanilla Cream Soda which I get every time I go because it is SO good.

As I mentioned above lots of Netflix was watched this week and my show of choice has been Girl meets World! I must confess, I haven't even seen all of Boy meets World - I wasn't much of a TV watcher when I was younger. Girl meets World is really cute. It's nice to see Cory and Topanga all grown up. The show is about their daughter, Riley, and the little messages in each episode are perfect for the age group that mainly watches the show on Disney Channel.

Franklin's Favorite

This little guy has been loving the flower bushes at our apartment complex this week. He spends a long time sniffing in them. Sometimes he comes out with little yellow flowers on his nose, like the above picture.

Have you ever ate at BJ's Brewhouse?

Do you watch Girl Meets World?

*Linking up with Life in Leggings , Running4Cupcakes , and Momfessionals.*

Thursday's Thoughts

2015-12-10T10:55:00.001-08:00

Happy Almost Friday! Today I decided to make a Holiday Wishlist. I was struggling to create a list when I realized it is because I am grateful for what I have (a wonderful family, an amazing husband, a cozy little apartment, and a kitchen full of food). The things I wish for can't be found in a store.

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Health
I wish to be healthy. To be in control of my body. I want to be able to make plans and know that I will be well enough to do them. I hope to be able to take spontaneous trips without planning and days of rest ahead of time. I want to pursue passions and hobbies with all of my heart, not have to take long breaks to recover from the energy expended. I wish to be healthy and I wish for all those suffering from chronic illnesses to be cured of their illness.

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Peace on Earth
I know, it sounds cliche. But I am sure if you turn on the news and see the tragic events that are happening in our world you wish for it too. The amount of innocent lives that are lost every day break my heart. These people had their whole lives ahead of them, a life full of love, laughter, dreams, and memories but it was taken away from them in a blink of an eye. I wish for peace.

Shelter for All
Baby, its cold outside... and everyone deserves a roof over their head and a warm bed to sleep in. I know this is not the case in our world, many go without basic necessities on a daily basis - but this holiday season I hope and pray for all to have a place to call home.

*Linking up with Running with Spoons*

Profusion Smoky Eye Palette Review

2015-12-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

I posted on Friday that this was one of my new favorites. Now that I have had a chance to try most of the colors I thought I would share my thoughts.
If I remember correctly this palette was only 3.99 at Walgreens. I remember thinking it was such a good deal that I might as well give it a try - even if only a few colors were good it would still be worth it.
It was totally worth it too! Yes there are some colors in the palette that are not so pigmented or apply chalky, but that's to be expected with a cheaper palette - especially with light colors. I have yet to find a brand that can create a good pigmented, non chalky pastel/light color. I am surprised how much I liked the palette for the fact that I prefer matte eye shadow and there are only a few mattes in this palette.

Column 1

Shadows 1,2, and 3 are some of my favorites in the palette. They are quite pigmented and blend beautifully.Three is the most beautiful red color. Honestly I bought the palette because of that color. Shadows 4 and 5 are slightly less pigmented than the first three, but still usable with a little more time and building the color. However, 6, 7, and 8 were chalky and lacked pigment. They aren't worth your time of trying to use them to attempt to build, I just use silvers and whites from other palettes I have instead.

Column 2

I really like this column. Shadow one surprised me. It is a matte navy blue and I expected it to take a while to build up color on my eye lid but it was super easy and resulted in a great blue smoky eye. Almost all of the darker colors are pigmented and easy to build. I really like every color in this column except 7 and 8. Boy oh boy do I wish 7 would have been more pigmented, its a gorgeous yellow with a hint of gold but I just couldn't get that color to transfer to my lid. Color 8 is the deepest silver with the most shimmer so I expected it to transfer well but it didn't. With that said, the rest of the column is a dream. Shadows 4, 5, and 6 are my most used in the palette so far besides the red from the first column. Shadow 2 is a denim jeans blue that applies nicely. Shadow 3 is a light shimmer-y blue that requires a little building but the results are worth it. Colors 4, 5, and 6 are all copper tones that compliment my blue eyes nicely.

Column 3

This column is mostly dark colors. 1 is a matte black that doesn't apply quite as smoothly as the matte blue to its left but it is still workable if you are willing to build the color in layers. 2 is a shimmer black that is quite pigmented and could be used as a liner or to create a smoky eye. 3 is a dark navy blue shimmer color that is also quite pigmented and creates a nice smoky eye. 4 is a green color with a strong silver metallic in it that is a medium pigment and will be nice for holiday looks this month. 5 is another silver shade that lacked decent pigment. 6 is a dark green with shimmer in it - I was impressed with this color, I didn't expect to like it as I don't gravitate toward green shadows but I will definitely wear it again! I expected zero pigmentation from 7 since the shade to its left lacked in color but this light green was build-able and created a very pretty look when paired with the green directly above it. 8 as i'm sure you can guess was a disappointment as well, lacked in pigmentation.

Overall, if you ignore the silvers and a few of the lighter shades this palette is pretty nice. The price is hard to beat - around $4 for 24 shades, 15 of which I will continue to use again and again.

I recommend using a eye shadow primer with these shadows, as I suggest with all drugstore shadows.

This palette is by the brand Profusion. I had never heard of it before walking into Walgreens a few weeks ago but I will definitely be trying other products by them in the future.

Have you ever tried this brand Profusion?

What is your favorite eye shadow palette?

Weekend Snapshots

2015-12-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

What a weekend. I am feeling under the weather. I first thought my chronic illnesses were flaring but then I started getting some sort of bug. So my weekend was spend similar to last weekend - lots of rest and TV. Hopefully I bounce back quickly because I have some fun things planned for next weekend!

Without further ado, here is my weekend in pictures!

Lots of Vitamin C was consumed!

Peppermint decaf tea was sipped to soothe my throat. As well as, warm water with lemon and honey!

Detox baths were soaked in. I did hydrogen peroxide and powdered ginger.

Puppy love was spread.

Franklin kept checking on me while I was in the bath.

Side Note: Franklin had a good weekend - He got a new bone from his grandma & my grandparents stopped by to bring me goodies to help me get over my bug and visit the little pup (who loves the attention).

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And of course, football was watched!

Hope everyone has a great week.

*Linking up with Her Heartland Soul*

Friday Favorites

2015-12-04T07:18:00.000-08:00

Happy December!

Welcome back to Friday Favorites. Hope you had a good week.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this week I haven't been feeling very good lately. Sadly I am not doing much better but I was still able to discover some new favorites this week.

Peppermint Mocha Coffee Creamer
As I mentioned yesterday, it is peppermint season!! I am not a big coffee drinker. I go through phases where I crave it and drink it for a few days but I don't drink it daily. However, I have been craving peppermint mocha coffee and this delicious stuff is satisfying my new food kick!

Call of Duty
I didn't think a shooting video game, or any video game would be on my favorites list. But I am really enjoying this game! It started out as something to do with my husband that he loves. I wasn't any good at it... I'm still not really very good. I am having fun though. We play it at night and talk with his family through Xbox live party chat. I even have been playing it on my own as practice.

Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
My Mom told me about these little gems. I don't know if I should be thanking her or angry at her. They are so delicious. I have been eating them every day for breakfast since I purchased them. You can find them at your local Walmart in the frozen breakfast food section. They also offer original french toast sticks but I recommend you get the cinnamon if you are going to try them. One side is covered in a little cinnamon sugar mix! Sadly, these will probably be gone before the weekend is over.

Profusion Smokey Eye Palette
I haven't really talked about makeup on the blog but I do love a good eye shadow palette. I picked up this one from Walgreens for less than $5. It is by a brand called Profusion which I had never heard of but they had a small section of their products (mostly palettes) near the holiday makeup section. I loved the colors and thought for such a cheap price I might as well give it a try.
I have not used all of the colors yet but I already have a small handful that I love which make the palette worth the money already. Once I have had a chance to test all the colors I will post a review up on my blog!

Franklin's Favorite

Since I have only had this little guy a few weeks I am still learning his likes, dislikes, and quirks. Trust me, he is quirky, I love him and he fits in well in our family.

Rawhide Twists with Chicken
His little nub of a tail starts wagging when he sees these little twists. He devotes an entire half hour to chewing on the stick until it is completely gone and then he sniffs around the house for a few minutes looking for more.
Now I'll be honest, I don't know a ton about dogs. I thought this twist would take him a few days of chewing on it for a half an hour to hour. I was surprised when he devoured it so quickly. He is pretty little so I was hesitant to get him a bone, but I think I will go back and get him the mini bone version when he runs out of these.

Thanks for stopping by.

What have you been loving this week?

Any new discoveries?

*Linking up with Life in Leggings , Running4Cupcakes , and Grace & Love.*

Winter Treats

2015-12-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

It is peppermint season! Which in my humble opinion is so much better than pumpkin season.

It's also cookie season. So... its the best time of the year.

This holiday season I have been trying a lot of holiday flavored treats so I thought I would share my thoughts!

Nope. I had high hopes for these little cupcakes. They are sprinkles, green frosting, chocolate, and mint - how could it go bad? The mint flavor was extreme odd and artificial tasting, almost spearmint opposed to peppermint. I highly recommend you pass on these in the supermarket.

Sadly, I wasn't a fan of these either - Hostess holiday limited edition flavors were a complete miss for me this year. The mint is more peppermint than the previous product but it just didn't mix well with the chocolate cake part of the hoho. I had two, the first one threw me because I had high expectation (I love Hostess original hohos!) so I decided to try a second one a week later and I will not be eating any more. I say pass on these in the supermarket as well.

Drop everything and go get these, they are delicious! These cookies are a hit. They are sweet enough where I didn't want to eat a ton, but not too sweet to the point where I could hardly tolerate one without becoming nauseous.

When I saw this ice cream I knew I had to try it. I mean come on - sugar cookie flavored ice cream! I was very intrigued. I like the ice cream flavor, the snickerdoodle cookie dough pieces, and the cinnamon sugar revel! However, I am not a fan of the buttercream swirls in it. The texture of the frosting is off, but thankfully there isn't a lot of it in the ice cream. My mom isn't a fan of snickerdoodle and she enjoyed the ice cream. As a ice cream in the winter kind of gal, I give it a thumbs up.

Another hit!!

If you like true peppermint candy cane flavor you will love this ice cream. It even has little candy cane pieces in it. I like how the peppermint makes your mouth even colder than a normal ice cream would.

All of these products can be found at Walmart.

What holiday treats have you tried this year?

Weekend in Review

2015-11-30T13:51:00.000-08:00

I have not been feeling well lately, my illness seems to be getting the upper hand recently. Sometimes I like to pretend I am not sick and ignore the mild symptoms but if I do that for too long I burn myself out. So this weekend was low key and full of rest.

Source

Friday & Saturday were spent watching Cristela on Netflix. I heard it was a good show but I missed my opportunity to watch it when it originally aired. When I saw it was added to Netflix I just had to give it a try. I am really enjoying it.

Source

Besides not being well enough to be standing in long lines, my dislike for crowds and chaos always keeps me from shopping on Black Friday. However I did do a little bit of online shopping this weekend.

Lots of leftover pie {and mashed potatoes} were consumed this weekend as well.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

*Linking up with Her Heartland Soul*

What's Up Wednesday - November

2015-11-25T10:03:00.001-08:00

I can't believe November is almost over. Time flies. I forgot to do a What's Up Wednesday last month but I am joining the part again this month!

What We're Eating this Week...
So far it's been a decent amount of ice cream. I crave ice cream as the temperatures drop.
But starting tomorrow it will be apple pie and vanilla ice cream!

What I'm Reminiscing About...
The fact that I have had Franklin over 2 weeks already! I feel like I just brought the little guy home a couple days ago.

What I am Loving...
Getting back to the gym! I forgot how much I enjoy that feeling of pushing myself to become stronger.

What We've Been up to...
Celebrated our two month anniversary and getting ready for Christmas.

What I am working on...
Doggie Bandanas!!

Posing with his new bandana

This is one bandana - it is reversible and slips right onto his collar.

I had fun making it and plan to make some more!

What I'm Excited About...

Christmas!!! Time to make some new memories and traditions.

What I'm Watching...
Gotham, Chicago Fire, Limitless, and Blindspot are my current favorites.

What I'm Listening to...
My current favorite song at the moment is 'Die A Happy Man' by Thomas Rhett

What I'm Wearing...
Lots of comfy, casual clothes that are perfect for walks with Franklin. My favorite are my new color block dri-fit leggings!

What I'm Doing this Weekend...
I don't really know yet. Lots of walks and play time with this little guy though.

What I'm looking forward to next month...
Christmas. I am so excited to have my first Christmas with my husband.

Favorite Christmas Tradition...
Decorating Gingerbread Houses & Decorating Sugar Cookies. I like frosting and sprinkles.

*Linking up with Shay, Mel, & Sheaffer*

Weekend Snapshots

2015-11-24T10:50:00.003-08:00

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Are you ready for Thanksgiving?!

I am ready for Thanksgiving, looking forward to spending time with the family and eating apple pie.

In my house, we are almost ready for Christmas too! My husband has been chomping at the bit to decorate so Friday night we spent our two month anniversary out purchasing our first Christmas Tree! :)

We came home, put on Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and got to decorating! Right now it just has tinsel, candy canes, and cardinals on it. We will be adding more later.

Full disclosure - he did most of the decorating & I fell asleep during the movie. Oops.

Most of Saturday was spent cleaning up and organizing around the house, as well as walks and play time with Franklin.

Saturday night my husband and I went to a Demolition Derby with my parents, which was disappointing and all we really watched was lawn mower races.

Sunday we re-watched Mockingjay Part 1 to prepare for our tradition of watching the newest Hunger Games movie in theaters on Thanksgiving.

And Franklin received some new sweaters & a bow tie Christmas collar from his Grandma (my mom).

He is still getting used to the sweaters - that's why he looks slightly uncomfortable in the first photo.

Hope everyone has a good week and Thanksgiving!!

*Linking up with Her Heartland Soul*

Thinking Out Loud: Grateful

2015-11-19T17:12:00.003-08:00

I recently started a "1,000 Things List". I was inspired by Lynette Marie's list on her Instagram. Each day I add a few {big or small} things that I am grateful for. Since I have started this little project, I am more aware of all the little things that life has to offer. Each day is a gift and we should live it to the fullest.

Today I am thankful for ...

1. Franklin adjusting well to his fur-ever home. He has come along way from when we first got him. He was so shy and timid, but now a week and a half later he is slowly coming out of his shell. He is going potty outside and becoming much more playful! Franklin is definitely becoming part of the family.

2. Time spent with loved ones. Saturday morning I spent some time with my parents {We went to IHOP & I got the new Caramel Bon Bon Pancakes - they were delicious}. Wednesday my husband had off of work and we spent the day together.

3. A wonderful home. I really love our apartment. It isn't super big but the layout makes it feel spacious. We looked at quite a few apartments before we settled on this one.

4. My health. To most, I am not the picture of health - I take medicine to feel semi-well and my neurological system just doesn't work. But I am so grateful for the parts of my body that do work. I think back to a year ago and I wasn't even able to walk 10 feet without feeling awful. Now I take multiple walks a day. Its all about perspective. Am I as healthy as I would like to be? No. But I am making progress and I am grateful I am not where I was a year or two ago.

5. Delicious Food. Our society vilifies food but it is a source of energy and fuel. I don't see fat as something that will make me gain weight. I don't see carbs as a thing that will pack on the pounds. I see them as essential nutrients our bodies need to function. You don't expect your car to work with out fuel, don't expect your body to work right without the fuel it needs!

Happy Almost Friday!

What are you grateful for this week?

*Linking up with Running with Spoons*

Meet Franklin

2015-11-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

I have been MIA from blogging and social media the last week but I have a good reason! Last week my husband and I made a trip to the local animal rescue to check out what they had. It was an innocent trip, just see the dogs. And then I met him...

Franklin

Look at that face?

He stole my heart.

He is a very good pup but we have already had a roller coaster of a week with him. A few days before we met and adopted him, he had his bladder punctured while being neutered. He is getting back to normal but the medicine they had him on was affecting him a bit.

The vet estimated he is around one year (between 9 - 14 months). He is a poodle mix, which is suppose to be easier on those of us with allergies.

Franklin loves napping/cuddles, belly rubs and being my shadow. He dislikes other dogs and being left alone, both of which are understandable being an abandoned pup recently at a rescue facility.
Expect to see much more of this little guy on my blog!

Weekend Snapshots

2015-11-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a great weekend. I had a fun and relaxing weekend spent with family. I am hoping to have a day of eating and update on macros post up this week. Here is my weekend in snapshots!

{Yankee Candle Sale with Mom}

{2 Pink Sand, Apple Spice, Berrylicious, Chocolate Layer Cake, and North Pole Sample Candles only a dollar each!}

{Berrylicious Car Freshener for Husband}

{Gym time on Saturday - Rest Day Sunday}

{No snapshots - Game Night at Parent's. We grilled out, talked, laughed and played Ripple and Five Crown's}

{New Call of Duty Game - I am sure if you have a gamer in your house this was played a lot this weekend!}

{Late Night Grocery Trip = delicious treats; I could not resist those peppermint Oreos}

{Watched the first couple of episodes of Limitless- I am quite intrigued by the plot line}

What did you do this weekend? What are your plans for this week?

*Linking up with Her Heartland Soul*

Friday Favorites: E-Card Edition

2015-11-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

What I am loving this week...

The fact that I didn't have to deal with the daylight savings nonsense. I am so happy I live in a state that doesn't use it. I understand at one time it served a great purpose but it is outdated.

I have been loving homemade cookies this week. My mom has officially become the cookie lady to everyone who knows her. I am not complaining.

I have been loving peanut butter this week. PB on toast. PB in the form of delicious cookies. PB in Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. You get the idea!

What have you been loving this week?

*Check out what others are loving at Life in Leggings , Running4Cupcakes , and Grace & Love.*

Wishlist Wednesday

2015-11-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Middle of the Week!! Today is a good day for me, it's my husbands first day off in about 8 days. We don't really have any big plans - just winging it.

Source

I have a confession. I have puppy fever. I am allergic to cats & dogs. But ever since I heard about 'hypoallergenic' dogs, I couldn't get the idea out of my head that it may be possible for me to have my very own pet. Above is a miniature goldendoodle (golden retreiver and poodle mix - apparently it's the poodle DNA that makes them shed very little to not at all)

Always on my Wishlist - Workout Clothes - because they are the best motivation & comfy to wear even when you aren't working out.

When I walk to the gym it's cool enough I need to wear a sweater but when I leave the gym it's warm and sunny. I am grateful for the cooler mornings so I am not complaining. My wish is that the weather continues to gradually fade into a nice fall/winter!

What are you wishing for this week?