Wyoming Girl turned Coastie Wife

Slim & Trim Thursday

2012-01-26T12:57:00.000-05:00

This week's Vlog-it's a long one but full of good stuff--so hang in there! ;)

Die Young: Burying Your Self in Christ by Hayley and Michael DiMarco Review

2012-01-23T14:48:00.000-05:00

I absolutely adore reviewing books. I have always been an avid reader--ever since I learned how to read. Ever since I started reviewing book for my blog and on sites like Amazon I've enjoyed getting to read a variety of my favorite kinds of book. Many of the time these books are "good reads" but not worthy of gaining a permanent spot in our bookcases as I pass them along to friends/thrift stores/book stores. Every once in awhile a book comes along that is a diamond amongst semi precious stones. Die Young is one of these diamonds!

Such a short little book--just 7 chapters and 173 pages--but wow what great truths and convictions it holds! This book takes common Bible passages and really breaks them down and shows how they apply to your life--all based around the theme of dying to self and the paradoxes that it brings. Everything from knocking yourself off your high horse, to the sin of not having self control over things like food, to the wrong things with being a perfectionist are discussed. I was so convicted 75 pages in that I wrote this Moms of Faith devotional about the things that I learned and applied to my own life.

Such a great book--I'm now recommending it to all my friends and family offline as well as on. If you're looking to grow, to stretch, and to learn how to find true happiness and contentment then this is a must read!

$30 Fast Cash Giveaway

2012-01-23T08:52:00.002-05:00

I *love* all of my work from home jobs!!!! I seriously think that I'm the luckiest girl alive with my beautiful family, wonderful marriage, and getting to do things for money that I truely *love* and am passionate about! This week my company is hosting a $30 Fast Cash giveaway--please join in and help show some "love" to all of my fabulous co-workers and my wonderful company!!! (or just do it for the cash....that works too, haha!!!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I Heart Rafflecopter

2012-01-22T20:11:00.002-05:00

So as you've noticed I've been using the SUPER AWESOME Rafflecopter widget to host my giveaways lately (yes that did require caps!) I can't say how much I *love* it-for real! It has improved the way I run giveaways and made my life easier by leaps and bounds! Because they're all so super awesome they are hosting this amazing giveaway--lots of entries already but hey--with entering as easy as clicking a few times you might as well get in on the fun as a way to say "thanks" to them too!

And OH! pretty please put that Nicole Elliott of Wyoming Girl Coastie Wife referred you! :) You know you wanna have me win if you win, right??!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Silly Saturday ~ Crazy Cat Lady!

2012-01-21T05:01:00.000-05:00

Fake or not--this video is epic awesome sauce!!!!

HippMAMA Reviews & Giveaway from Mompact

2012-01-20T10:58:00.000-05:00

I live on the 3rd story and between hauling the diaper bag, my purse, my keys, my coffee cup--and all while holding Tyler and making sure Amber doesn't tumble down the stairs I often wish I had about 8 hands! The wonderful thing about mom inventors is that they create things because they understand my life as a fellow Mom! The HippMAMA was created to help give you a "toolbelt" I mean why should guys have all the good ideas? I can definitely see how this would come in super handy--especially for flights of stairs or with a newborn! If you think this is a great idea then you're in luck! MomPact is hosting a great giveaway that you can enter below!

Be sure to check out the interview with Shannon Leslin-Wyszynski of HippMAMA
and then check out the great reviews of the HippMAMA from some of my favorite fellow bloggers:

http://thecinnamonhollow.com/2012/01/16/hippmama-belt-review/

http://www.mallerysdeals.com/2012/01/16/hippmama-belt-review/
http://unvlmom.blogspot.com/2012/01/are-you-hip-mamma-do-you-need-3-hands.html
http://www.thedealscoop.com/2011/05/hippmama-review-everything-mom-and-baby.html
http://vanessascraftynest.blogspot.com/2011/07/review-giveaway-hipp-mama.html

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purex Crystals & Jockey Sports Bra Review-&-Giveaway

2012-01-19T14:51:00.000-05:00

Join me in my weightloss and wellness journey this week for Slim & Trim Thursday and also check out my review of the awesome fabric softener & sports bra I got sent! Be sure to check out the awesome -->20% off Jockey Coupon as well!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SOPA & PIPA

2012-01-18T13:52:00.000-05:00

Have you heard about SOPA & PIPA yet? These are scary, scary things to me. Dealing with censorship infringing upon our right of freedom of speech is a dangerous, slippery slope to get started down. Do you realize that if these pass THIS blog can be shut down on a whim? As you all should know by now I have a big love for My Litter and her blog--here is how she put it-I love how she explains it so I'm going to pull a copy/paste (something that could get me shut down if this passes!!!!):

Today you will see many of your favorite sites and bloggers on strike against SOPA and its little friend PIPA. If you are not sure there is a lot of information out there as to what it is. You could “Google” it, but if SOPA passes there might not be a Google!
Just 2 days ago SOPA was “shelved” for a short time and will NOT be voted on January 24th. However, the bill is being “rewritten” and some speculate as soon as all the hype dies down it will be quietly pushed through.
There are many reasons why this is VERY bad.
First, SOPA is about copyright infringement, but with SOPA there is no trial, no judge or jury. If a big/little business doesn’t like what you have written they can claim SOPA and you are immediately shut down.
Don’t like a video or picture that was uploaded to Facebook?? Under SOPA you can shut all of Facebook down.
From Mashable: “This means that YouTube, Facebook, Wikipedia, Gmail, Dropbox and millions of other sites would be “Internet sites…dedicated to theft of U.S. property,” under SOPA’s definition. Simply providing a feature that would make it possible for someone to commit copyright infringement or circumvention (see: 09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0) is enough to get your entire site branded as an infringing site.”
Oh wait!!! That link to Mashable just got me shut down!
Also, you might be easily become a FELON or your kids could. All that has to happen is they infringe on a popular song that was videotaped by a friend and uploaded. Now, under SOPA (again from Mashable) “if you upload a video to YouTube of you singing a popular song, and that song might sell for $1, and your video gets 2,500 views, you are guilty of felony copyright infringement. Furthermore, you can tack on “willful infringement for commercial gain or valued at more than $1,000.”
“This would make you a felon, and if a copyright holder were to bring a suit against you, would give you a criminal record that would make it virtually impossible to gain future employment, and may subject you to up to three years in prison for singing a song. You don’t have to receive any money. You don’t have to gain anything from your video. Simply receiving 2,500 views on a song you sung, which happens to have copyright held by someone else, makes you a felon.”

What can you do? Go HERE and write congress, tell them you like the internet uncensored.

Finding Your Frugal Way by Staci Gerardi Review

2012-01-17T18:01:00.000-05:00

I have a definite soft spot in my heart for fellow bloggers. One of the things that I *love* so much about the blogging world is that it is all about helping each other out, supporting each other, and making friends. Staci blogs over at November Sunflower and we run in many of the same circles in bloggyland. She's a fabulous frugal blogger and when I heard that she was releasing her first e-book I begged her to pretty pretty please let me review it :) She--also having soft spots for fellow bloggers--agreed.

Now one thing you actually *might* not know about me is that I'm a hard core frugalista. Although I don't blog about it very often I live it every day. One of the things that really attracted me to Staci, her blog, & her book is that her view on being frugal is exactly mine--neither one of us does anything that's excessive, crazy, or takes 40+ hours a week.

Being that I *do* live frugally always--and have some pretty sneaky and handy frugal tricks up my sleeve--I actually was a little worried that I would review the book and come away with nothing new. I'm happy to report that this was not the case! Although many of Staci's tips are things that I already do, there were several--especially tips 4 & 5 that I had never thought of and will definitely be using!

Want to know what they are? Well then you'll have to buy the book silly--no spoilers from me!

Finding Your Frugal Way was a quick, fun, and easy read that is loaded with tons of great tips and ideas. I'd recommend it whether you're just starting your frugal journey, or for gals like me who *think* you already know all the tricks in the book--it never hurts to gain a new perspective!

You can go here to November Sunflower to find out all the places you can buy Staci's book--along with a *great* list of sites that will help you make & save money!

Happy Saving!

Stumble Tumble Tuesday

2012-01-17T10:34:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Stumble Tumble Tuesday hosted by Acting Balanced, Sunshine and Sippy Cups and Wyoming Girl Turned Coastie Wife! The goal of this hop is to use Stumble Upon to help you promote your blog posts and get more traffic.

Even if you think you are stumbling correctly, please read this post on how to check and see if your stumble was successful. Some stumbles aren't showing up, thanks!

To take part is simple.

Add a link to a blog post that you would like people to stumble to the linky below. It *must* be a link to an actual post and NOT your main site. Please do not list giveaways.
Stumble as many other posts as you care to, check to make sure that your stumble went through by clicking on the "Info" icon. Then leave a comment on their post saying, "I stumbled you, my post is _____(add link)". The great thing about Stumble Upon is that it is fast and easy to do with the Stumble Upon toolbar. PLEASE DO NOT ADD YOUR LINK IF YOU AREN'T GOING TO STUMBLE ANY POSTS.
Remember LINK TO AN ACTUAL POST, NOT YOUR MAIN SITE.
PLEASE DON'T LIST ANY GIVEAWAYS.
PLEASE ONLY ONE LINK PER BLOG.

Important: If you are the first person to Stumble a post, please take a minute and fill out the Stumble Upon review page. This is a one shot deal so if you don't fill it out, that particular post will never get the same opportunity again.

Feel free to post about Stumble Tumble Tuesday on your blog and help us spread the word.
Have fun with it and let's discover and stumble some posts!

The first person to "like" a post on StumbleUpon assigns it a category. If your post has not been discovered yet, please leave the category you would like, in your link to help the discoverer assign it correctly. Example: Strawberry Shortcake Recipe (food)

Surf Sweets ~ Natural & Organic Candy Review

2012-01-15T19:32:00.000-05:00

As I've mentioned before I'm a pretty strict ruler when it comes to sweets in our house. I'm not a totally meanie though, and do let Amber & Tyler enjoy a "special treat" (as Amber calls them) from time to time. I like giving them treats even more, however, when I know that they are made from all natural ingredients and have vitamin C in them along with the sugary stuff! Surf Sweet are tasty treats of all your favorite kinds of candy--just better for you since they're made with organic ingredients. The kids gobbled up the jelly beans and gummy bears like crazy--I stole the sour berry bears for myself and was very impressed--they were very tasty, it's a good thing they came in such little packets! ;) They're also made in the USA which is a definite bonus as well! To find out more about these tasty treats visit the Surf Sweets Website or look for them in natural and specialty food retailers like Whole Foods.

Silly Saturday

2012-01-14T15:40:00.000-05:00

I'm a member of voiceBoks and it's a great community of bloggers who support each other! One of them started the idea of a Silly Saturday post and I love the idea--I love to laugh and so each Saturday I'll try to bring you something that has made me giggle lately, whether it be a picture, story, or youtube clip.

One thing that made me giggle today was that the guy in the Wendy's drivethrough told me "Thanks Beautiful" when he handed me back my card and receipt right as I drove off-that is until I realized they gave me tea instead of Coke and grilled chicken instead of homestyled-oh well!

I *love* this picture above, hope you do too!!! Have a happy Silly Saturday!

Plan 2 Bee Planner Review

2012-01-12T17:57:00.000-05:00

and Slim & Trim Thursday! :)

Since I know after seeing how awesome this planner is you'll want one of your own you can find the Plan 2 Bee Website here. Be sure to "like" them on Facebook as well!

Walgreens and Express Script --what's the deal?

2012-01-12T03:00:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

There have been more than a few times that I've used the Walgreens pharmacy after hours while visiting back home. ER trips lead to medicines that lead to needing to pick up something at 9 p.m. at night. I've always been very greatful for Walgreens extended pharmacy hours when it came to helping infections immediately!

A few months ago I was sent a letter stating that the Express Script program would no longer be working with Walgreens. Express Script is a middle man company who pays the various pharmacies to fill the prescriptions. This directly affects me as a military dependent since TriCare (my prescription coverage provider) works with Express Script. While this is troublesome for customers like me I was pleased to see that I was sent a letter telling me about the situation--and they even listed other pharmacies that I could still go to in the area. You can see that Walgreens is doing it's best to keep their customer's happy and satisfied. You can read the Walgreens and Express Script article for more in depth information on this situation.

In addition to actions like the ones I described above to help ease the burden this is causing Walgreens is also offering a special discount to the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club where for $10 a year a family membership covers everyone in your immediate family, including a spouse, dependents (22 and younger) and pets. This will give you discount prices on your prescriptions.

Be sure to follow Walgreens on Twitter and Walgreens on Facebook to stay up to date on all the latest news and offers!

Wordless Wednesday ~ The Heavens Declare

2012-01-11T13:57:00.000-05:00

For more WW Fun link up with 5 Minutes for Mom and at the HQ

Stumble Tumble Tuesday

2012-01-10T10:38:00.000-05:00

Even if you think you are stumbling correctly, please read this post on how to check and see if your stumble was successful. Some stumbles aren't showing up, thanks!

To take part is simple.

Add a link to a blog post that you would like people to stumble to the linky below. It *must* be a link to an actual post and NOT your main site. Please do not list giveaways.
Stumble as many other posts as you care to, check to make sure that your stumble went through by clicking on the "Info" icon. Then leave a comment on their post saying, "I stumbled you, my post is _____(add link)". The great thing about Stumble Upon is that it is fast and easy to do with the Stumble Upon toolbar. PLEASE DO NOT ADD YOUR LINK IF YOU AREN’T GOING TO STUMBLE ANY POSTS.
Remember LINK TO AN ACTUAL POST, NOT YOUR MAIN SITE.
PLEASE DON'T LIST ANY GIVEAWAYS.
PLEASE ONLY ONE LINK PER BLOG.

Important: If you are the first person to Stumble a post, please take a minute and fill out the Stumble Upon review page. This is a one shot deal so if you don’t fill it out, that particular post will never get the same opportunity again.

Feel free to post about Stumble Tumble Tuesday on your blog and help us spread the word.

Have fun with it and let’s discover and stumble some posts!

The first person to "like" a post on StumbleUpon assigns it a category. If your post has not been discovered yet, please leave the category you would like, in your link to help the discoverer assign it correctly. Example: Strawberry Shortcake Recipe (food)

Purex Laundry Detergent Review

2012-01-10T10:29:00.000-05:00

Want to be let in on a little secret? I didn't used to use Purex as my laundry detergent . I used to only use powder detergent, but then when Amber was born and we figured out she had eczema that was out. I spent several months looking through the different options-first going with the ridiculously expensive baby detergent (that didn't work well for getting tough stains out) then ending up with a little less expensive brand that had a free clear version. After using Purex over the past year I'm completely hooked! Even when I don't get sent bottles of their products Purex is now the only laundry detergent I purchase because I love it so much! It's super affordable, and it works wonderfully--all while coming in a free clear solution that keeps my babies skin soft and eczema free! They just made their already great detergent even better by adding extra stain fighting power. This is a huge plus for me since my little man has to be one of the messiest little guys ever! My mother-in-law commented that she had never seen him with a clean face, and that's about the truth of it, haha! I've been using Purex Triple Action on all my laundry over the past few months and it has worked great on everything from food stains to toddler underwear and sheets. Highly recommend it to any mom!

Purex provided a free sample of their Triple Action laundry detergent so I could write a review. However, all opinions, baby skin, and dirty laundry expressed and pictured here are my own.

Feedback Please!

2012-01-08T14:21:00.001-05:00

I'm so excited that I have now reached over 1,000 subscribers, followers, and fans! I'm truly amazed every time I consider these numbers. I know that compared to the "big gun" Mommy Bloggers I have a small blog but for me I'm humbled that that many people bothered even clicking my button! So first of all-- Thank each and every one of you!!!!

And now for a chance for you to tell me some things--I mean I tell you things *all* the time! My big question is what kind of blog posts you'd like to see more of! Although I absolutely love, love, *love* doing reviews and giveaways, I have never wanted to be known as a "review & giveaway* blog. I'd much rather be known as a diverse hodge-podgy eclectic blogger who brings a diverse and fun variation of posts, ideas, recommendations, and snippets into the blogging world. In order to stay more true to this vision I would like to start regular weekly posts that are more content related. I have several ideas but want to hear what you would like! As you know I'm starting back up my Slim & Trim Thursday's where I'll be vlogging my weight-loss and wellness journey. Here are some other possible topics I've been considering:

Frugal Living Tips --though I'm no couponista I do know all sorts of odd ways to make a buck S T R E T C H and I'd be more than happy to start sharing them!
Kill the Clutter -- I always have people comment that I'm one of the least cluttered people they know. This came about due to 8 moves/relocations in 6 years of marriage--but I do have good tips on how I got there!
Fun Activities with kids -- Playdough recipes, easy activities & crafts--a peek into a day in the life of my kiddos!
Easy Every Day Dinner Ideas -- I always like hearing what other people do every day for dinner, thought you might like to as well!
Military Wife 101 -- As you know I do vlogs for RealMilitaryWives.tv but if you're interested in more I can start doing them more often and do blog posts as well!

If there is anything else you're interested in that you think I could write about just let me know!

If you're a fellow blogger--what posts do you find get the most interaction, genuine readers, and great comments?

Thanks again for reading and letting me know--you are truly appreciated!

Montagne Jeunesse Cucumber Peel Review

2012-01-06T13:19:00.000-05:00

Last review from my holiday VoxBox! You can check out the Montagne Jeunesse website here!

Slim & Trim Thursday Week 1 Vlog

2012-01-05T17:43:00.000-05:00

<p>&amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;nbsp;</p>

Be sure to link up if you would like to join along! If enough people express an interest I will start a linky weekly!

Here is the link to Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred in case you'd like to buy it for yourself!

NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine Review

2012-01-05T14:41:00.000-05:00

Here is my video review of the NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine that I received from Influenster in my Holiday VoxBox!

imPRESS Press-On Manicure Review

2012-01-04T18:26:00.001-05:00

As you might remember I was sent the new, fun imPress Press-On Manicure nails as part of my Holiday VoxBox from Influenster

I was happy with these overall--they were super quick and easy to put on, did both hands in under 5 minutes. I also love how adorable they are and that they come in so many different patterns (36 in all!), and the fact that they are on the shorter side for fake nails-for me they were the perfect fit and length. The price is also great--$5.99 for colors and $7.99 for patterns, and they're available all over including Wal-Mart and CVS.

However, they came off just about as easily as they went on. I made the mistake of taking a bath a few hours after I put them on and I think that loosened them up too much and they came off the next day. Next time I'll make sure to put them on right before bed so they have the whole night to adhere.

These would be perfect for a quick fix for a date night. I'd recommend just making sure your nails are dry and clean before applying them and giving them plenty of time to set before you start doing anything-especially before showering or washing your hands. The ones that didn't pop off came off well and I also loved the fact that they didn't damage my real nails at all like so many fake nails do. All in all I think it can be an excellent product--you just need to use it correctly, as I will next time!

Stuck!

2012-01-04T16:18:00.002-05:00

Hope you enjoy this cute, short video that totally sums up my son's vocabulary, personality, and big sister's tendency to steal the show--all in one minute!

The Loom by Shella Gillus Review

2012-01-04T14:18:00.000-05:00

If you follow along with my book reviews it's fairly obvious that I love to read historical novels. As I've mentioned before after a bit these can become to feel a little cookie cutter with little originality or variation in them. The Loom breaks the mold when it comes to historical novels and was the most original book I've read for a long, long time. A story of the slave girl Lydia it delved into the depths and darkness of life as a slave and the oppression that they faced. It also showed that slavery isn't the only thing that holds souls captive, however, and that when it comes to true goodness the color you are on the outside has little to do with what is in the heart. Once again I stayed up past midnight because once you hit the last 5 chapters it's just too exciting to put down! I would highly recommend this book--definitely adult in content for a few different reasons but a very real, vivid, and refreshingly unique take on this time period. There were elements of Christianity sprinkled throughout the book but it was not a huge part of the story or overwhelmingly there. For the kind of story and the feel of the book in general I felt it was a good fit.

Cooper & Me and the Winter Adventure Review & Giveaway

2012-01-03T15:39:00.001-05:00

You might remember our introduction to Cooper back in October. Amber was *thrilled* when he appeared again under our Christmas tree! The book Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure has become a bit hit--with both of us this time! This book is more focused on Cooper playing with his puppy friends and what happens when a winter storm strikes. The rhythm of the book flows much better, rhymes well, and is a great read aloud story. The storyline is more fully developed as well and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the book! Like the first book Amber was enamored with Cooper and had fun meeting his friends as well. This is a book that any dog lover will enjoy sharing with their children. It's not focused on Christmas so can be used all winter long. You can purchase the book on the Cooper Website Here $1 of every Winter Adventure book sold will go to advance research & treatment of pancreatic cancer, via the Lustgarten Foundation. Be sure to "like" Cooper on Facebook here and Follow on Twitter here as well!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or

services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it

on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally

and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance

with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the

Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Wyoming Girl *turned* Coastie Wife

Slim & Trim Thursday

Die Young: Burying Your Self in Christ by Hayley and Michael DiMarco *Review*

$30 Fast Cash *Giveaway*

I Heart Rafflecopter

Silly Saturday ~ Crazy Cat Lady!

HippMAMA Reviews & Giveaway from Mompact

Purex Crystals & Jockey Sports Bra *Review-&-Giveaway*

SOPA & PIPA

Finding Your Frugal Way by Staci Gerardi *Review*

Stumble Tumble Tuesday

Surf Sweets ~ Natural & Organic Candy *Review*

Silly Saturday

Plan 2 Bee Planner *Review*

Walgreens and Express Script --what's the deal?

Wordless Wednesday ~ The Heavens Declare

Stumble Tumble Tuesday

Purex Laundry Detergent *Review*

Feedback Please!

Montagne Jeunesse Cucumber Peel *Review*

Slim & Trim Thursday Week 1 Vlog

NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine *Review*

imPRESS Press-On Manicure *Review*

Stuck!

The Loom by Shella Gillus *Review*

Cooper & Me and the Winter Adventure *Review & Giveaway*

Wyoming Girl turned Coastie Wife

Die Young: Burying Your Self in Christ by Hayley and Michael DiMarco Review

$30 Fast Cash Giveaway

Purex Crystals & Jockey Sports Bra Review-&-Giveaway

Finding Your Frugal Way by Staci Gerardi Review

Surf Sweets ~ Natural & Organic Candy Review

Plan 2 Bee Planner Review

Purex Laundry Detergent Review

Montagne Jeunesse Cucumber Peel Review

NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine Review

imPRESS Press-On Manicure Review

The Loom by Shella Gillus Review

Cooper & Me and the Winter Adventure Review & Giveaway