Sephora $25 Gift Card Giveway

You have a chance to win a $25 Sephora Gift Card thanks to:

Simply Sherryl

Beauty Info Zone

Whit Devereaux

All In A Day’s Work

This giveaway is sponsored by the bloggers listed and hosted by WomanlyWoman.com

We look forward to awarding the prize to one lucky winner! You are welcome to enter if you are 18 or older and have a United States mailing address.

The winner will receive one gift card in the mail directly from Amazon:

 

This giveaway will take place from June 1-7.

To enter, follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you are a blogger and would like to join us in offering a Sephora giveaway next month, please visit this page.

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Litehouse Dressings: Bloggers Night Out

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions (like always) are my own.

So last week I had the privilege of being invited to a local bloggers night at at Bouquet Resturant  hosted by Litehouse Foods Bouquet is super cute restaurant and wine bar in Covington, in the Mainstrasse area.

Photo courtesy of Bouquet Restaurants website – I got there when it was pretty dark, and wasn’t able to take outside photos!

We were greeted with appetizers and drinks, and I have to say I was impressed. My most favorite appetizer was the cucumber slices with a dollop of guacamole and a pickled red onion. It was seriously delicious, and I probably could of just filled up on appetizers!

I don’t really drink much, but I did have a glass of sparkling wine with appetizers as we awaited our fun food demonstration.


We were lucky enough to have Lisa – NutriGirl a registered dietitian who runs the website  Sounds Bite Nutrition. She also does group nutrition lectures for companies (like Litehouse) meal planning, diet counseling and more.

I was impressed how knowledgeable she was about every ingredient she was using in the food demo. She made this really awesome Homestyle Apple Slaw which would of normally been out of my comfort zone – I mean apples, mint and ranch dressing?! To me, that sounded more like a combination that my son would put together playing Chopped with his sisters in the kitchen. But I was pleasantly surprised – it was super delish, and it’s on my list to make for grill outs this year.
After our food demo, well got ready for dinner – and lots of conversation. I was definitely in a room filled with talented and strong women! I learned a lot, and went away from the dinner inspired and motivated to be a better me – as a blogger, and as a healthier person.

We had a tasty salad, and some great options to chose from for our main course – chicken, salmon, or steak. I of course went with the steak.
Now I grew up where all the meat was thoroughly cooked to brown perfection lol. I’ve been working my way out of my comfort zone and trying steaks the way they are supposed to be eaten – medium rare.
If you are afraid of the pink (like I used to be) you need to stop it right now! Eating it cooked just right makes all the difference and you wouldn’t believe the flavors and overall experience in your mouth when you aren’t eating overcooked steak! (I am still working on my Mom with this – I’ll keep you updated on that).
We talked a bit about Litehouse Foods and their desire and mission to be a company that offers fresh, delicious products and as natural as possible. They don’t just offer dressings (which by the way, is my families favorite) but also dips, cheeses, herbs and now even cider! Since their products are all fresh with no preservatives, they are in the refrigerated section (which for me, I love. If I am getting ingredients for a salad, I want to get my dressing where I get my salad stuff as well). Their are GMO free, and most products are gluten-free as well (all the labels are clearly marked).
I love working with brands and companies that are looking out for me and my family – a product I can reach for, without worrying about whats inside.

We finished up our evening with some yummy bite size desserts. They even served one of my favorites – creme brulee!
I have to admit; I totally could of devoured like 5 or 6 of these lol. They were super delicious. It’s also one of my favorite desserts that I have yet to try at home (though thats something thats on my list for this summer!)
They also served us their signature pb&j brownie. I’m not sure why I’ve never thought of it! Brownies with peanut butter, jelly and whipped cream on top! (I may have to try this at home).
It was a great finish to an fun evening.

It was a great evening – and I think we all learned some new information when it comes to healthy eating, and that I have even more reason to love Litehouse Foods!
Remember Litehouse Food products can be found in the refrigerated section of your local grocery stores such as Kroger, Meijer, Walmart, and Target!

Posted in Cincinnati, Fitness/Health, Travel | Leave a comment

Natural Tick and Bug Repellent

If you haven’t spent a lot of time outside yet this year, you will notice there are tons of bugs – everywhere. Due to the mild winter here in the Midwest, I’ve noticed wayy more bugs than normal.
Where most of them aren’t too much of a threat, ticks do seem to be at an all time high – when my kids or my husband comes in with them on their legs just by being in our backyard (which is in the city at that) I know we have a real problem.

So between pets and kids – I knew we had a real problem.

I am not big on harsh chemicals if I can help it – I do try to look for more natural remedies when possible; I feel like it’s healthier for my family (pets included). So when I read about the benefits of Rose Geranium I knew that was going to be something that we had to try.

If you didn’t know – ticks pretty much operate on their sense of smell. Ticks don’t normally jump or fall from trees – they ‘quest’ which means they pretty much lay in wait for the ‘smell’ of prey to go by; and then they drop.

So luckily ticks aren’t at all attracted to the scent of rose geranium. Which makes it the perfect natural tick repellent.

It’s also super easy to use – unlike other essential oils, rose geranium does not need to be diluted. A few drops will do the trick – just place a drop on each wrists, a drop behind each ear, and I always add a drop to my ankles as well (because they are usually exposed when we are hiking or outside)

If you use it on your animals just be extra careful – most dogs can be extremely sensitive to smell, so you will want to use a little. A drop behind each shoulder blade, and at the top base of the tail – and that should do it. Make sure to avoid face/nose/eyes (and on yourself as well).

I’ve heard of people using this for flea repellent as well – along with other essential oils such as:  lavender, lemongrass, citronella, eucalyptus, and cedar wood.

Posted in Beauty, Fitness/Health | 1 Comment

A Household of Savings at Sam’s Club

Though this is a sponsored post where I was compensated for my time, all opinions are my own.

I am not usually a fan of ‘paying money to save money’ to me a lot of these programs, at least the amount of times I would use them, seemed like a waste of money. I stuck with dollar type stores, known for ‘low prices’ and assumed that I was getting just that – the lowest price out there.

That was until I became a Mom for the first time – I was a single Mom on a very tight budget, and I needed to save every penny possible. So my Mom helped me as we started ‘scouting’ stores for prices on their diapers, wipes and formula and calculated the cost per item. Needless to say, I was shocked.

Not only did I save money each month on diapers and wipes – but I got them in bulk so I wasn’t running out every week (that alone is worth buying!)

Since I did my research and decided that a Sam’s Club Membership was worth every penny, I started stocking up on grocery items there as well. Things like boxed mac n cheese, milk, fruit snacks, ground chuck, whipped cream, Toaster Strudels (you seriously can get like a 3 pack at Sam’s for the cost of 1 box at other grocery stores) and so many other items.

The Sam’s Savings $45 membership is the lowest among warehouse store membership fees! With this coupon you can get a $20 gift card when you sign up for membership making it an even better value!

In fact, savings.com is soo excited about the great deals you can get at Sam’s Club that they are giving away 10 Sam’s Club Plus Memberships! Hurry up and enter – the giveaway ends June 2nd!

Win a $100 Sam's Club Membership!

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The Busy Moms Guide to a Healthier Life

This is a sponsored post on behalf of BODY ARMOR LYTE -and the Mom It Forward Network. Though I was compensated for my time, all opinions are my own.

I have always said that Mom’s in a way get the ‘short end of the stick.’ Generally speaking we are the ones who keep it together – we are the core of the family; and if we aren’t happy and healthy, most likely our family isn’t happy and healthy either.

I work full-time along with my blog, and my husband is a truck driver. With three kids that leaves me as a sort of single Mom who pretty much is in charge of everything from household chores, to cooking, running kids here and there, getting them off to school or the sitter, and everything in between. And let me tell ya – it’s exhausting.

Now don’t get me wrong – I wouldn’t change a thing (OK maybe I’d hire a maid and a chef, but that’s besides the point). But there are days I am just completely exhausted. And there are times that if I notice that I’m not taking care of myself, that I am past exhausted – and quite grumpy as well, and as we know, unhappy wife/mom = unhappy family.

So there’s a few things I know that if I am feeling off that I need to do – and it seems to work nearly every time. We all have our off days; but knowing what to do to maintain a healthier happier life, makes life better for everyone!

Stress. Stress increases the risk of developing health problems including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and a weakened immune system. Many studies show a correlation between stress and the development of mood disorders such as anxiety disorders and depression.
Stress is a legit issue with busy Moms – and reeks havoc on your mind and body. I know we can’t just eliminate stress completely from our lives, but we need to do our best to keep it at bay. This includes taking some ‘me’ time and relaxing. Stressing about a situation or problem does not resolve or help it – in fact, it probably makes it worse. So if you can sit back and relax and put life back into perspective, it will usually lower your stress levels.


Sleep.  Sleep plays an important role in your physical health.  For example, sleep is involved in healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.
Stress can lead to loss of sleep – and also can trying to keep up with the Joneses. Sleep is important! That extra load of laundry, or the stuff in the living room can be cleaned up in the morning – get some rest!

Exercise.  Exercise boosts energy. … Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.

Hydration. Exercise (and hydration) kind of go hand-in-hand. Your body depends on water to survive. Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body needs water to work properly. For example, your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste, and lubricate your joints. Water is needed for overall good health.
I don’t know about you, but it’s hard for me to ‘stomach’ such a large amount of plain water. That’s why I love BODYARMOR LYTE.


Body Armor Lyte has only 20 calories per serving, its naturally sweetened,no colors from artificial sources, and contains coconut water, electrolytes, and vitamins. They come in some delish flavors such as peach mango, and cherry berry, two of my favorite.

I take one to the gym with me every time I go, and it’s also what I carry in my bag when we go hiking or for a bike ride. You can order them online, or find them at your local Kroger or Meijer stores! (check it out for yourself, get your Body Armor Lyte Coupon here!)

 

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