In December I decided to join the 30 Day Photo Challenge. This is the kind of challenge I love. It wasn’t hard, but because I took every photo using my HTC Thunderbolt I had to get creative because of the limitations cell phone cameras have. I used different camera app filters, played with angles and utilized light better. Here is the series of photos I took. I hope you like them!

Thank you to all that entered to win a a family four (4) pack of tickets to Disney On Ice presents Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3! I received 34 entries, but there can only be one winner … Rachel Reyes (@RachelReyes). CONGRATULATIONS!

Still want a chance to win? You can enter San Diego Deals & Steals giveaway until January 16, 2012 at 10pm PT.

Disney On Ice presents Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3 is coming to San Diego at the end of January (25-29) for a 5-day engagement at the San Diego Sports Arena (Valley View Casino Center).

Inspired by the #1 animated movie of all time, Toy Story 3, everyone’s favorite characters are hitting the ice in this sensational live production! Catch all the heroic action when Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie and the Toy Story gang escape from the rambunctious tots of Sunnyside Daycare and race for home, in their most daring adventure ever. Plus a few new faces join the fun, including Barbie’s groovy bachelor Ken and Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear. This show is jam-packed with fast-paced adventure that takes family fun to infinity and beyond!

Click here to see the show schedule and ticket prices. Feeling lucky? I am giving away tickets! Read below on how to enter …

PRIZE:
One (1) winner will be selected at random to receive a family four (4) pack of tickets to opening night on Wednesday, January 25 at 7:00 pm or Thursday , January 26 at 7:00pm or Friday, January 27 at 11:00am of Disney On Ice presents Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3.

THE RULES:
For this contest, there is one official entry and one bonus entry available (NOTE: The bonus entry will only count if you leave another comment below letting me know you did them). The deadline to enter is Suday, January 15, 2011 at 11:59pm PT. One winner will be selected at random using Random.org List Randomizer. The results will be posted and I will notify the winner via email (so I MUST have a way to get in touch with you). If the notified winner has not responded within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. The contest is open to US entrants only.

OFFICIAL ENTRY:
You must leave a comment below letting me know who your favorite Toy Story character is.

BONUS ENTRY:
Follow me on twitter and tweet “Enter to win 4 tickets to @Disney_On_Ice Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3 from @redlotusmama: http://www.redlotusmama.com/?p=2487 #giveaway”. This bonus entry will only count if you leave another comment below with a link to the tweet.

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Thank you Feld Entertainment for providing the tickets to Disney On Ice presents Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3

Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite Disney princess movie. The story teaches so many important lessons. I know every word to every song. And, Belle is such a great heroine! I want my daughter to have an adventurous spirit, find enjoy in reading, learn to look beyond appearances, and understand that a life of comfort and luxury means nothing with out family and good friends.

This Friday, January 13, Beauty and the Beast will be back on the big screen in 3D! Princess D and I got to attend a screening this past weekend. We were both enchanted all over again! Walt Disney Animation Studios did an amazing job adding 3D imagery to enhance scenes like “Be Our Guest” and the dance in the grand ball room.

For an extra treat before the movie Walt Disney Animation Studios presents the all-new short, Tangled Ever After. The sequel to Tangled is about the royal wedding of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider was so good I wish it was a full movie!

So make sure you get your tickets to see Beauty in the Beast in 3D. To help your kids stay patient while they wait for the movie you can download Beauty and the Beast coloring pages.

Earlier this year I had a series of chemical peels. I loved the results — reduced sun damage and scaring — and I want to maintain it. On top of my hyperpigmentation issue, I suffer from large pores. This means I produce a lot of oil and my pores get clogged if I use heavy products. (Painting a really pretty mental picture for you!) All of the products I was trying after my peel was either drying out my skin or clogging it.

In October I attended an event for Vitality Institute Medical Products at Oasis MD. After I described to the VI reps my skin issues and how unhappy I was with the very expensive products I was currently using, they sent me home with the entire hyperpigmentation system to try. After a month of using the products I noticed more of my scars were fading. Even after my Maui trip I did not develop any blotchy dark spots once my tan faded. More recently I noticed that the pores on my nose have gotten much smaller … less blackhead on my nose!

Additionally, VI had me try their body wash (which includes Glycolic Acid and Azelaic Acid) and exfoliating body lotion. I noticed a huge improvement in my skin tone and texture within a couple of weeks. Today, when my doctor was giving me a shot she mentioned that my skin was like butter!

Who doesn’t want to have skin like butter, smaller pores or less scars? I would pay good money for all of those things, and Vitality Institute Medical sells bundles of their products at incredibly reasonable prices. They offer 3 different bundles (acne, hyperpigmentation and anti aging), each with 4-5 products in a silver cosmetic case. Price ranges from $171 – $243.

Still out of your budget? Is spending less part of your new year resolution? Until the end of January you can get 25% off your entire Vi Derm purchase by entering the coupon code redlotusmama at checkout! I promise you will love these products as much as I do!

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Thank you so much Vitality Institute Medical for providing your products for me to review. All statements are my opinion and my opinion only.

“Celebrate endings, for they precede new beginnings.” ~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie

I have made resolutions every new year and (like most people) have broken them. One year I thought setting tangible milestones would help. Another year I figured if I was more vague I would have a better chance of succeeding. This year I was ready to give you a nice list of resolutions:

• practice yoga 4-5 days a week
• eat slower and less carbs
• go to bed every night by 11pm
• find motivation in my day job
• watch less TV so that I can read and write more
• consider try online dating

Then I read a great article on my favorite site Tiny Buddha and realized that no matter how simple my resolutions might sound there is an underlining issue … happiness. Or lack there of. Since the end of July I have kept smiling, been optimistic, dealt with life. I have focused on parenting and gotten back into yoga, but I am not really happy.

Will completing my list of resolutions by the end of 2012 make me happy? They might help, but I think I have to dig deeper.

The other day in yoga class my instructor had us working on opening up our throat chakra which would allow my mind to hear my heart. Whatever inspiration or passion I had been ignoring would be given a chance to be heard and allow me to focus on them. But, no matter how much I leaned my head back in my Urdhva Mukha Svanasana pose (upward facing dog) I couldn’t hear anything. Either my heart or throat (or both) are completely closed up preventing me from moving forward in life.

I think my real resolution is to focus inward … open my heart for happiness, allow inspiration, improve my faith, love myself. The list above will help guide me through the new year and my real resolution. Goodbye 2011, you have taught me a lot, but I am ready for 2012!

You might have noticed with my lack of Wordless Wednesday posts that I have been in a serious photography slump. My D60 needs to make a visit to the repair shop. There are hundreds of photos on my camera memory card waiting to be downloaded and edited. I just haven’t found the time to focus on my shutterbug hobby.

Yesterday my friends Undomestic Diva and Miss posted about a 30 Day Photography Challenge. The list of photo prompts looked simple enough that I could have some fun with them.

I plan on taking all of my photos with my cell phone and using different mobile app filters. All of my photos will be uploaded to my Flickr account and a photo album on my Facebook page. I will also be tweeting each photo with the hashtag #TDPC. At the end of the 30 days I will post a slideshow of all the photos.

Want to participate in the 30 Day Photography Challenge? The official start date for the challenge was December 20th, but you can jump in ANYTIME. Click here to join in!

Happy shooting!

Get your mind out of the gutter! I am referring to the Drybar, a premier hair blow-dry bar.

A few months ago a Drybar opened up in Del Mar Highlands Town Center. This salon does not offer hair cuts or color. For $35 you can get your hair washed and blow dried. Sounds like a lot of money for something you can do at home, right? That’s what I thought too … we are both wrong!

On Friday night I stepped into the salon with a cynical veil blocking my view of the funky retro interior. I was instantly offered a glass of water or champagne. It took me only a second to say “Oooh … I’ll have some champagne!” I was introduced to my stylist Joseph who escorted me to the backroom for a wash. Since I am the child of a retired hair stylist I couldn’t help asking my typical questions … where did you go to school, how long have you been styling, why did you get into the business, etc? Then Joseph started to massage my head and my 20 questions were washed down the drain. I laid back and enjoyed my shampoo wishing I had asked for the additional 10-minute scalp massage.

When the shampoo was all done, Joseph led me to a chair at the “bar” where my glass of bubbly was waiting for me. I had selected the Cosmo style from the Lookbook since I wanted the blow out to last for my family Christmas party the next day. He quickly grabbed 8 round brushes and got to work. Fifteen minutes into the blow out 6 of the 8 brushes were wrapped up in my hair. Five minutes later all of the brushes were back on the bar and my hair looked like this:

My hair was full of curls! There wasn’t a lot of product weighing my hair down. It felt soft and I could run my fingers through it. And, the next morning my hair still looked like this:

You can bet I will be going back to the Drybar if I have any special events I want my hair looking fabulous for. So, if you have a holiday party to go to or simply in need of the ultimate luxury get your hair blown out to perfection at the Drybar.

Have a friend who is need of some some pampering surprised them with one of the Drybar gift sets:

Gift Set 1: HAPPY HAIR
1 Blowout – $35
1 Floater – $10
1 Wet Brush – $10
1 Moroccan Oil Hair Spray – $22
1 hair tie – $2
Price: $55 (Value: $79 – $24 savings)

Gift Set 2: EVEN-HAPPIER-HAIR
2 Blowouts – $70
1 Hair Shot – $20
1 Floater – $10
1 Wet Brush – $10
2 Lauren G Hair Ties – $4
1 MO Hair Spray – $22
Price: $99 (Value: $136 – $37 savings)

Gift Set 3: DRYBAR HEAVEN
3 Blowouts – $105
1 Hair Shot – $20
1 Floater – $10
3 Hair Ties – $6
1 Wet Brush – $10
1 MO Hair Spray – $22
Price: $129 (Value: $173-$44 savings)