My {not so} Glamorous Life

Review of Kerastase Resistance Therapiste shampoo and conditioner

2015-10-23T07:31:00.004-07:00

Over the last few weeks, I have been using hair products by Kerastase. This line is the Resistance Thérapiste products. They are for severely damaged hair. Though my hair does have some damage, it is not severely damaged. It has very little color treatment done to it, and heat styling maybe only twice a week. It does tend to get dried out feeling though.

When I received the box, I was surprised to find out that with these products, you actually use the conditioner before the shampoo. Kerastase uses a special Reverse Care technology. You condition first in order to protect your hair during the shampooing price. Different… But it makes sense.
I smelled each of the items, and the smell was pleasing. Not overpowering, clean.
When I proceeded to take a shower and use the product, it felt really weird to use the conditioner first. Additionally, the conditioner doesn't feel like typical conditioners do when you apply them… Not quite as "slippery" feeling. I then went on to use the shampoo. The shampoo creates quite a lather. I would even go as far as to say a little goes a long way with this product.
Once my hair was dry after the shower, it felt nice. I can't say that after one use I saw any visible change in my hair. Perhaps it's because my hair wasn't that damaged to start with.
After several weeks of using this product, I still can't definitely say that it's made a change in my hair. Again… That might just be because my hair wasn't very damaged to start. That being said, I still have enjoyed using this product. I like the way it makes my hair feel and smell. Also, I may have a smaller amount of hair that falls out. I have pretty thick hair, and I'm constantly finding it in my brush, on the counters, on the floors. Everywhere. After using this, it seems like less hair is being shed. If you have damaged hair, I would definitely recommend giving this product a try.

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

A Reflection

2014-07-23T08:25:00.001-07:00

It's been 32 years since I entered this crazy, beautiful, awful, breathtaking world.
32 years.
Guess what? I embrace that! Oh, how I welcome these days of wisdom and experience.
Over the last few years, I've begun to notice my true self, the one that I can really love, begin to emerge. What an enlightening experience!
Of course, that doesn't mean that everything is perfect, all of the time. Quite the opposite, in fact. But I have learned to find the beauty in the chaos.
Parts of me are still incomplete, I suppose that will always be the case. There are some things I'd do differently if I could do them over. There are still some things that I long for, that I will likely never get. And there are some things that I'd change, even now, if I could. But life is going to happen regardless of what changes I'd like to see, so I better make each moment count.
This morning I was enjoying my coffee on the back patio in peace while the children slept. I was lost in thought, and the beauty of my garden. I love how a garden is like life... it can be overgrown with weeds, yet you can always find something to nurture you amidst the weeds. Just push those weeds aside (or better yet, pull them!) and you will find the nourishment you need.

Days that are Overrated

2014-06-29T16:33:00.002-07:00

Days that are overrated:
1) Valentines Day
2) Mother's Day
3) Anniversary's

Basically any day that has the potential to backfire and leave you with hurt feelings; Sucks.

My Happy Place: The First Day of Summer Vacation

2014-06-12T08:50:00.000-07:00

Peaceful. Easy. Relaxed.
Those are some ways to describe my feelings this morning, as I quietly sit, sipping my coffee, without having to get little people ready and rushed out the door. It's different than a weekend. More special somehow.
I revel in the knowledge that today is the first day of Summer Vacation.
Little Man is in the other room, quietly occupying himself. Little Lady ate her daily banana and is playing on the floor, while Little Boy is taking advantage of sleeping in late.
And I'm just quietly sipping my coffee. Enjoying it. Delighting in the fact that I have time to sit and enjoy it.
For two blissful months, there will be no rushing out the door. There will be no homework to do, spelling tests to study for, projects to work on, or due dates to remember. There will be no assemblies to attend, no snacks or lunches to pack, and far less laundry to tend to.
Everyone says "by the end of summer, you'll be ready to send them back to school!". But no, not me. I love having my children home. I cherish it. (That's not to say there aren't times when they don't drive me completely bonkers. But that's mommyhood. Summer Vacation, or not.) I can't get enough morning or evening snuggles. Not enough jammie days. Not enough planning adventures with them. I drink in every moment.
I have these 3 little rays of sunshine, and they're all mine for the next 2 months, and I'm all theirs!

This is my happy place, and 2 months isn't nearly enough.

Adding on, or Starting Fresh?

2013-12-26T16:25:00.003-08:00

I haven't posted anything on this blog since August.
Aside from this blog post, I only posted 24 times in 2013. I totally fizzled out on this blog... several reasons why I suppose, some of them I know and discussing it doesn't matter, and other reasons are more of a "life happens" kind of thing. Busy schedule, with less time on the computer, and some personal changing and evolving within myself. Which is a good thing!
However, every now and again I think back to this blog and contemplate leaving it up and ignoring it/doing nothing, or picking it up again, or totally deleting it.
Giving it some thought, I don't think I'll delete it. This is MY space, and I will just let it grow and evolve with me in whatever path I'm on. That makes me happy.

Slim Fast Sexy Summer VoxBox Slim-Fast Strawberries ’N’ Cream Shake

2013-08-26T12:32:00.001-07:00

I recently received the Slim Fast Strawberries & Cream shake from Influenster as part of the #SlimFastSexySummer VoxBox.
Availability, and ease of use are good points of product. Slim Fast is a major name and can be found everywhere from your local grocer, drugstore to your quick stop convenience store. Product use and guidelines are simple and easy to adhere to.
Included in my VoxBox were recipe cards to make Slim-Fast "Mocktails". I made the "Berry Sexy Vanilla Sunrise Mocktail" but used my Strawberries & Cream shake as the base instead of the Vanilla.

You can find some fun recipes for your Slim-Fast shakes here.

I made a collage to share with you the items from my box.

Here's the nitty~gritty on my Slim-Fast review:
Ingredients that are chemical laden and full of GMO's are major turn-offs for me. There is nothing about Slim-Fast that is a part of MY healthy diet. I do understand that it fits into the lifestyle of some people, and that's okay. It's just not right for me.
I would love to see a big name like Slim-Fast embrace a healthier way of life, including use of non-GMO ingredients, and attention to dietary restrictions such as dairy/casein free and gluten free.

Here's the fine print:
I need to let everyone know that I received Slim-Fast for complimentary testing purposes from Influenster! I was not paid or compensated in any way for my reviews.
This post was created in connection with my appointment as a SlimFast Ambassador.

Lunch Meal Planning, Delicious Lunch Idea & Recipe Link

2013-04-29T16:10:00.001-07:00

I almost always plan my dinners for the week ahead. It makes it so much easier to grocery shop, and to keep from eating out when we already know what the plan is.

This week, I took my meal planning one step further than I usually do, and planned out my lunches for the week. Lunchtime is the most challenging meal for me. I never know what to make, and end up overeating, eating something junky, or just kind of grazing a little bit. I'm hoping this will help me feel less "lost" at lunchtime everyday. I'm trying to keep my meals pretty "clean" too, and organic when I can.

Day one of a planned lunch was great! I made a Clean Eating Quinoa Avocado Salad that was to die for. SO GOOD! I used a recipe from The Gracious Pantry (which is one of my new favorite blogs), with just a few tiny tweaks. I didn't have any limes, so I used lemon. And I inadvertently used too much garlic powder. But, it was one of the best things to hit my palate in quite a while, really. It was simply bursting with flavor.

This recipe is a "clean recipe", so it's dairy free, and it also happens to be gluten free. Perfect! The whole thing took less than 20 minutes to prepare. I highly recommend it! So, go ahead and head over to The Gracious Pantry for the full recipe!

Celebration of Life: Cancer Free

2013-04-18T09:14:00.001-07:00

2 years ago my mom was recovering from brain surgery, and we were waiting for the results of the biopsy (which later revealed that she had a rare form of Lymphoma).
That was the beginning of a very challenging journey.

Today, she is almost a year and a half in remission, and attending the Celebration of Life at UCLA Medical Center!!!
Here's to many more Celebrations mom, I love you!!

Better Late Than Never

2013-04-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

Have you read this yet? (http://thebloggess.com/2011/06/and-thats-why-you-should-learn-to-pick-your-battles/)
Yes, of course you have. Because I've seen it floating around the internet for months and months now, but never read it. So today, finally, I became the last woman on Earth to read this little bit of hilarity.

After reading this blog post, I'd have to say that The Bloggess is quite a role model.

Busy Weeknight Dinner: Semi-Clean Eating

2013-04-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

Weeknight Little League games call for quick, easy dinners.

Last week I mentioned that we are eating cleaner in this household, and that my daughter and I are Dairy Free/Gluten Free. So that does present some challenges on the "quick easy meals" situation. No take out for us!

Last night it was GF spaghetti. I make it with Ancient Harvest Quinoa pasta, which is so much better for you than a rice based pasta. In fact, for those of you on Weight Watchers, it happens to be a Power Food. Yes, that's right, a pasta that is a Power Food!

Tonight we'll be enjoying a pot of pinto's with bacon & onion accompanied by some GF cornbread muffins on the side. Yum!
Dinner's on the stove already and making my mouth water.

What are some of your favorite "quick & easty" healthy meals?

How to Cut Fast Food From Your Diet

2013-04-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'll be the first to admit that the allure of the oh-so-convenient Drive-Thru has been a contributing factor to my growing waistline and shrinking pocketbook for years now. With a busy schedule and hungry kids, it's just too easy to swing by one of these fast "food" joints to grab a meal. Sometimes multiple times in one day if it's a hectic day. Can you relate?

Recently, I have made some dietary changes for my daughter and myself. And I don't just mean, "we're on a diet". These changes have kept us out of virtually every drive through there is (because there's nothing on the menu that we can order at almost all of them). They don't even tempt me anymore!

Back in December, my daughter and I made a change to our diets. After considering the developmental delays of my daughter, and doing some research (GoDairyFree.Org is a great starting place and resource. , I eliminated all dairy (and casein) from our diets. I blogged about the experience here.
Dairy Free was much easier than I had anticipated it would be. For the most part, we have not had any problems with that.
After we survived December and January without dairy, the time had come to eliminate gluten from our diet. (Why? http://alignlife.com/articles/digestivehealth/compelling-reasons-to-explore-a-gluten-free-lifestyle/) Obviously, that was a slightly bigger challenge than going Dairy Free was. It was a major diet overhaul. Still a work in progress. But I am happy to say that we are doing well with it.
But I'm not just substituting all of our old favorites with junky alternatives. I am incorporating as much "whole food", "clean eating", and organic foods into our lives as I can. And those boxes of processed foods? No more! It's a work in progress, but every day it gets a bit easier.
As for those fast food joints? Now I just drive by instead of drive through.

Long Lost Blogger

2013-03-25T14:51:00.000-07:00

Hello Blogosphere! I'm here, for reals, it's really me.
Remember me? I used to post 3-6 times a week and then I sort went off the grid.
Here's what happened to me. (Sort of, but on a substantially smaller scale).
In any case, I can recall the moment that the magic started to fizzle out for me. And from there, it went fast. So I decided to step back over the holidays to enjoy time with my family. And then, for the most part, I didn't miss blogging. I did a little bit at first, but that didn't last long. It wasn't long before this little blog of mine was kind of just a memory.
Fast forward a few months, and I think I'm ready to ease back into it. But differently. I'm just going to go where my creative juices lead me. I wont be "trying" for anything aside from a personal creative outlet.

Blessings!

A quick note

2013-03-15T08:22:00.000-07:00

I've been MIA from the 'Blogosphere' for a little while now.
Today I went into my Google dashboard and discover that Google is getting rid of Google Reader in July.
This is a bummer for me, as it's how I follow/read my favorite blogs, and it's how many of my readers follow my blog.
If you are following me via Google Friend Connect, may I please ask you to follow me here at Bloglovin'?
I went into my Bloglovin' account and found that it was VERY easy to import all of the blogs that I'm following via GFC to my Bloglovin' account, so now I can still follow along with all of my favorite bloggers! Give it a try sometime soon, before you lose all of your favorites :)

Tomorrow is Dr. Seuss's Birthday!! Check out how we celebrate.

2013-03-01T09:59:00.000-08:00

March 2nd is Dr. Seuss's birthday! Dr. Seuss has always been a man that I admire for his fun writing and humor. How could anyone not admire a man that created so much inspiration in children and instilled a love of reading in them?
Dr. Seuss's birthday is also recognized as Read Across America Day. Many elementary schools participate in this as a week long event. It's so much fun for the kids, and again, it really reinforces the importance of reading for pleasure.
While I'm still deciding what to do tomorrow, here is how we celebrated last year:
I started the day by making Green Eggs and Ham for my kiddos.

My boys spent the afternoon at their grandmother's house, so I became inspired and decided to surprise them by throwing a mini birthday party for Dr. Seuss!!
While they were gone, I got busy making our celebration dinner (as colorful as I could, just like a Dr. Seuss book!) and cupcakes. I printed out Seuss games, coloring pages and activities.
When they got home, we read Seuss books and watched Horton Hears a Who. Then we had our little birthday party. Here is what we ended up with.

At Odds

2013-02-07T12:47:00.004-08:00

I'm at odds with this blog right now. Not a writers block. Not a lack of things to share. Just... whatever. I'm taking a break.
When I return, I feel sure that it will be less frequently. Thought I'd say hi though, just because.
See ya later alligators!

Dairy Free Mac & "Cheese"

2013-01-28T12:18:00.000-08:00

Ah, Monday, we meet again. All of last week I was planning on posting this recipe and I just never got around to it. It seemed that this blog and myself were at odds last week. On that note, my kitchen stayed relatively clean and my laundry backlog is less than usual.
Recently I posted about how my daughter and I have started the journey into a dairy free lifestyle. You can read about that here if you missed it.
One of the struggles of having a two year old that is dairy free is that two year olds love cheese. Seriously. Tot-friendly foods like grilled cheese, quesadilla's and macaroni & cheese really cannot cease to exist in the life of a two year old. So what's a mama to do? Well, make those tot-friendly foods of course!
I decided to make some Mac & "Cheese" for my Little Lady, and didn't feel like getting caught up for hours browsing recipes on the internet, so I just made my own version. I mostly eyeballed it as I went, but the following recipe worked well for me.

Ingredients:
1 c. Elbow Noodles
1 Tb. Earth Balance Butter Substitute (I used the whipped spread, but there are several variations of Earth Balance that would all probably work equally as well.)
1/4 c. Almond Breeze Original
3/4 c. Daiya Cheddar Shreds

Directions:
In pot, bring water to boil. (No set amount, I just eyeballed this. Dash of salt if desired.)
Add 1 cup elbow noodles to the boiling water.
Once noodles are soft, drain the water.
Add 1 Tb. of Earth Balance spread and 1/4 cup almond milk. Stir.
Add 3/4 cup of Daiya cheese shreds. Stir until mixed well. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve and Enjoy!!!
Photograph your happy tot.

Do you have a favorite Dairy Free recipe?

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I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife

Lost Dog/Found Dog, A Winner, An Inauguration, & MLK Day.

2013-01-21T07:24:00.000-08:00

Good morning friends! Oh my! I have so much to share this morning. So who's in the mood for a completely random blog post?
Ok, first of all, last Wednesday, my little dog bolted out of the house to go chase a cat.
He. Is. Fast. (There's a reason why we named him Flash.)

He ran around the yard for hours chasing stray cats and barking at them. I could never catch him. Then I didn't hear him barking anymore. He didn't come that night. To say I was concerned is an understatement. Unfortunately, the next morning my Little Lady had an orthopedic Dr. appt in Los Angeles and we had to leave very early in the morning to get there on time. I could not look for my dog, or really do anything.
I just kept hoping he'd be there waiting when we got home. He wasn't.
The next day I went to the animal shelter looking for him, talked to neighbors, made signs, called all the local shelters, posted on local Facebook pages, searched petharbor.com, and posted on Craigslist in hopes of finding him.

The weekend passed. No dog. My heart was so sad.
Then, just this morning, The Hubs woke me up (at 4:45am) as he was leaving for work and says "I found Flash!". A happy reunion!!!
The little stinker was under the hood of one of my husbands old cars. Literally laying on top of the engine. It's so hard to believe that he was there for 4 days and didn't bark for us or anything. What the heck? Maybe he went out roamed around for a while before coming home and climbing up there? So hard to believe, but I'm just so glad he's home! He was tired, hungry, thirsty, scared and stinky. But he's home safe now where he belongs. He's been snuggled on my lap all morning.
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Next order of business: A Winner from The Banner Girls giveaway! And the winner is......
BeauandKatie Vegter. Congratulations!

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Today is the 57th Presidential Inauguration. Who plans on watching? I will be!
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And finally, today is Martin Luther King Jr. day. A day that we celebrate a man who helped shape and change this country. A man who is due a great deal of respect and admiration.

Nellie Bellie asked on her Facebook page:
"How would you finish this?
I Have a Dream that _______________________"
Here was my response:
"I have a dream that" one day, in our lifetimes, all humans will be valued as equals. Regardless of race, creed, background, financial status, sexual orientation, or ability. I have a dream, that we can all live in a world where our differences and diversities are seen as a thing of beauty, and never looked upon with distaste. I have a dream that all persons will be valued and accepted."
How would YOU complete the sentence?
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Ok, that's all of the random ramblings I have for this morning. Have a great week my friends!

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What I Love Wednesday

2013-01-16T10:07:00.001-08:00

Happy Hump Day my friends!! I hope that this week finds you well.

Have you ever seen anything like this House of Books? How cool is that?

I love this recipe for a Fresh Strawberry Bellini.Yummy!
And with it, I think I'd like to enjoy this Strawberry Shortcake Sushi. Fun!
Baked Green Tomatoes? Yes, please!!

What's better than wine? Wine that glitters! I like sparkles.

And because I'm craving warmer weather, check out these 5 Lovely Lemon Home Accents. I feel a little warmer just looking at this stuff.

Isn't this a clever idea for Valentine's Day?

And finally, I am loving the Weight Watchers 360 plan. I wonder why I ever try any other program besides Weight Watchers???

What are YOU loving this week?

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Mini Bunting Banner Giveaway!

2013-01-15T15:40:00.001-08:00

Hi friends! One of the hottest trends in home decorating right now is buntings and banners. And I can see why, they are super adorable. I've used them myself quite a few times.
If you love this trend, then you've got to check out The Banner Girls. They make the cutest ones I've ever seen! Almost daily they are sharing new ones on their Facebook page, which makes it so easy to see new inventory as well as see what types of prices and sets they offer.
Each banner is handcrafted and made with love. The Banner Girls offer custom items as well as the inventory they list, so you can have just what you need. Right now they have some super cute sets that include a Valentine banner and a matching garland. LOVE IT!
Here's one of the gorgeous banners in their Etsy store right now:

The other day they contacted me and let me know that they would be giving me a free mini banner, and I simply adore it. I chose a Valentine one for in front of my fireplace.

It looks perfect and will compliment my mantle wonderful. Now, since The Banner Girls were so generous to give me a banner for myself, I thought that I would pass that generosity on to my readers with a giveaway of a mini banner. The winner of this giveaway will receive a mini banner that says FAMILY on it.

This banner is made on burlap with a crochet lace trim, brown lettering, and cute brown/white polka dot ribbon. Would look great under a family picture! The winner will be announced on Monday, January 21st.
Good Luck!!!

Your entry wont count unless you follow this blog via Google Friend Connect. MAKE SURE you click the "Join this site" button!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Storybook Reality

2013-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

A Storybook Reality: Don't you just love the sound of that? Well, Laura shares her Storybook Reality with her readers on her wonderful blog. She also shares a lot of recipes like this one for Jalapeno Pasta. Have you been over there yet? If not, go take a look!

Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

Laura describes herself as "a lover of Jesus, my sweet husband, my fabulous little boys, costume jewelry, cooking, reading, traveling and all things Kentucky. I really dislike green peppers, wet paper products and weird word abbreviations. If you're hungry for food, funny or family you are in the right place!"

I asked Laura what her goals for 2013 were, here was her reply:

My goals for the new year....

Spend quality time reading my Bible each day

Read all the books on my book list

Have fun with my boys (1 big one and 2 littles)

Reach my weight loss goal

Simplify life....

Link to all of her social media locations are under the photo above so go pay her a visit and follow along! You wont regret it, she's got some great things to share with you!

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What I Love Wednesday

2013-01-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! Who's ready to get over the hump? I am! It was our first week back to school and therapy, and appointments and all that jazz and we are worn out.
Let me share some of the things that I am loving this week:

I love that Parents Magazine has a special needs child on the cover. Isn't she a cutie?

Image Source

I'm super loving the 52 Weeks project going on over at My Three Bittles. Check it out!

I love this recipe for Vegan Strawberry Cake. Anxious to try it for my Little Lady!

I love this workout plan from Fit Fab Cities. Click the "Image Source" below to get her free printable!

Image Source

(Um, yeah. I'm 100% aware that I just posted a link for a cake recipe, and a workout one after the other.)

I love this article about a couple who went to Disneyland EVERY DAY in 2012!! How fun would that be?!

What are YOU loving this week?

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Going Dairy Free~ A Lifestyle Change Experiment

2013-01-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

Back in November I was out with girlfriends to see part 2 of Breaking Dawn. I met a mother who also had a special needs child (though hers is quite older than mine.) She mentioned how her daughter becomes non-verbal when she eats meat. Then another lady there chimed in and said that she's heard that if a person seems "addicted" to any specific type of food, that they could actually be very sensitive to it. And I thought to myself "Hmmmm... Little Lady is pretty hooked on milk. Like, REALLY hooked on milk." After that night, I ~~mostly~~ forgot all about it.
Early in December, I stumbled across some information that made me consider it again. I'm not 100% sure what I started researching (probably the term "developmental delay") and I found something regarding dairy being a contributing factor to delays in some children. Again, I gave thought to my Little Lady's ultra-love for milk.
Further research triggered an experimental lifestyle change. She was going Dairy Free, and so was I.
(The males in this household aren't on board with making the change themselves, however, they are consuming less dairy as a result of the cooking changes I've made. Baby steps.)
I realized that December is a very challenging time to make any type of dietary changes so I gave us that month to use as our "phase out" time. During those four weeks, we worked on the elimination of dairy and dairy by-products in our diets.
Within a week of starting this change, my daughter propelled herself forward in her gait trainer for the first time ever!

She's still working on the movement in the gait trainer, but I feel that after she gets new braces she'll improve even more! Also, her vocalization has increased, as well as her floor movement (she rolls from room to room regularly now!). Her struggle with constipation has improved considerably as well.
This has been a learning curve. Dairy, and dairy derivatives are in A LOT of food. Especially processed foods, or restaurant foods. Even "non-dairy creamer" has dairy derivatives in it (casein).
After we have mastered the dairy free diet, I'm hoping to move us into a gluten free lifestyle as well. But one big change at a time.
To read some of the findings on why dairy is no good, check this out. And this. And this. Here is an interesting article.
The change has been much less challenging than I was anticipating. She drinks almond milk now instead of cow milk (so do I). One day I made her some dairy free creamy potato soup. I've also made dairy free blueberry muffins, dairy free pancakes and dairy free mac & cheese. I found a relatively nearby health food store that has many dairy free and/or vegan options.
I'm looking forward to sharing our new adventure with you.
If you have any special dietary lifestyle choices (dairy free, gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, etc.) I'd love to know what they are & why you chose to take that route.

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Let's Get Hoppin' at the GFC Blog Hop!!

2013-01-07T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!! I am so excited to be co-hosting the GFC Blog Hop this week with Melissa from The Life of a Not So Ordinary Wife.
If you are new here to My {not so} Glamorous Life, then I'd love to welcome you, and share with you my "about me" page, where you can learn a bit more about me and my blog.
If you are a long time follower, then I'd love to thank you for being a loyal reader, and joining me on my journey.

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It's Tuesday again which means it's time for the GFC Blog Hop!

When I want to follow a blog the first thing I look for is GFC (Google Friend Connect), it's so easy and nice to be able to go and see all of the blogs you follow in one spot. It's really a great tool to have.

One side note- Did you know you can follow through GFC using your Twitter Account? TRUE, it's definitely an option!

Ok, so let's get to the party, shall we?

RULES are simple:

1. Follow your host via GFC

The First link below

2. Follow your co-hosts via GFC

The Next 8 links below

3. Link up below using your main blog url not a specific post.

4. Make sure to visit some of the blogs in the link up and follow them via GFC

and if you want to leave them a comment, I'm sure they'd appreciate that as well.

5. Tweet about this blog hop

6. Share about this blog hop by grabbing a button and putting it on your sidebar!

Post Sponsor Ad:

Let's talk about oatmeal

2013-01-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

I like oatmeal. Quite a lot, actually. Do you?
I prefer the the big canister (like this) of oats that you make on the stove with a boiling pot of water. I love that you can customize it to what you want that day, and the price can't be beat.
However, I greatly appreciate the convenience of the pre-made packets... they are fast and easy, and sometimes that's just what I need.
So when Influenster sent me some Quaker Real Medley's in my Holiday VoxBox, I was very excited to sample it.

The flavor I received was the Peach Almond Oatmeal.

I prepared the oatmeal as directed on the package. It looked really yummy.

It smelled really yummy.

The convenience of the portable container can't be beat. Since it's in it's own container, you wont dirty a bowl. (I hate cleaning oatmeal bowls, LOL!)
As far as flavor... I found it to be lacking. I wish that I could give it a rave review, but honestly it wasn't incredibly flavorful, and the texture was relatively mushy. (You know how the packets are mushier than when you make it from the can?) It had the nuts and fruit in it, but then the oats weren't firm. So it was kind of an odd consistency. I feel like I could make a much more flavorful bowl of oatmeal at home.

This oatmeal has a whopping 290 calories in one cup. Not a huge value as far as I'm concerned. (For those of you on Weight Watchers, this one cup of oatmeal is 8 Points Plus. Ouch.)
Now, I don't mind spending 8 Points Plus on breakfast if it's something more than a cup of oatmeal. But this... not enough bang for my buck.
Check out the nutrition info:

After my taste test and evaluation of the nutrition info, it got me wondering what the retail price of these is. The next time I went to the grocery store, here was the display.

It looks like the price point for these ranges from 2/$3, up to $1.69-$1.99. Each. More than I care to spend on a single serving of oatmeal, so I wont be purchasing this in the future. I'll keep buying my big canister of oats and making them myself. Better for the waistline and the pocketbook.

Overall, on a five-star rating system, I'd give this product 2 stars. Great in the way of portability and convenience. Not so great in the areas of flavor, calories and cost.

Have you tried the Real Medley's? What did you think of them?

**DISCLAIMER: While I did receive free product for review, I did not receive any compensation for this review. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% mine.**

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Now THAT'S my kind of manicure!!

2013-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I shared with you that I received a Holiday VoxBox from Inluenster. One of the items in the box that I was most excited to try was the Kiss Nail Dress nail adhesives.

I've seen these before an have wanted to try them, but was wary about it. So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to "try before I buy".
I love having my nails look nice, but being a busy mom and a homemaker that has to do her own housework, it's hard to find time for a manicure, and even more challenging to keep them looking good.

I was pleased with the design that I recieved, because it was a great color/design for this time of year. My VoxBox arrived on New Years Eve, and this design definetely had a New Year sparkle to it!
The package displays the very simple 3-step instructions.
Inside the package, was a phamplet sharing some of the other designs available. What a variety! Also, there are plenty of sizes included, which makes it simple to find the right size for your own needs. You can even use them on your toenails!
I will say however, that the smell upon opening the package is pretty strong, and not pleasant.
Application of the Kiss Nail Dress adhesives was quick and easy. The only qualm I have in regards to application is that if you have a variety with jewels on it, and there is a jewel where you need to make the fold, it is very awkward. But do-able.
Once I was finished applying the Kiss Nail Dress, I was excited with my end result.

24 hours later, and they still look great! The package says that they can last up to 10 days. Honestly, with all of the dishes I do, and kiddos I wash, I doubt they'll make it 10 days. But if I can get 5-7 days out of them, I'll be a happy mama! (I will do an edit to the post in a few days stating how they've done!)
For what they would cost retail, I feel sure that I will in fact buy these again. I am very please with the results thus far!!

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