Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover Pads

 Nails Nails Nails! I paint my nails at LEAST 3 times a week. I'm obsessed! The truth is, I have to keep my nails painted. I struggle with growing nails because they are very thin and peel.I like to keep them painted to help prevent the peeling as well as keeping from picking at them. I received these nail polish removal pads from Cutex in my #GlamVoxBox. It was awesome to have gotten these because I've used them before and LOVED them. I know that nail polish remover smells in general, but these don't have a strong chemical smell. The polish comes off really easy with these and it's a one stop shop! You don't have to have cotton balls or Q-tips to get the job done. These are a must have product that I will be purchasing for myself. Thanks  @Influenster ! @CutexNails  #SoCutex #HealthyNails  #contest 

Gillette Venus review!

Another review for you! I've been a long time consumer of Gillette products. I was really excited to find that there were TWO products from them! I got a pack of Venus razors and the shaving cream! Who doesn't need those?! The one thing that I really like about these razors is that you can use them more than once. They glide easily over your skin. I've never had razor burn or experienced an nicks while shaving. The shaving cream just add to the ease of using the razor. I find that when I use the cream, it leaves my legs feeling very moisturized and soft. I'm so excited that I got this when I did. It's the perfect size to use and take with me on my cruise at the end of the month. These are really great products that I most def will be using in the future!
#ChooseToSmooth #GlamVoxBox #Influenster
I received these FREE or testing! Thanks Influenster! :) 

Not Your Mother's® Unscented Dry Shampoo.

Thanks to Influenster I snagged the GlamVoxBox and was thrilled when I opened it. I had so many great products, one of them being the Not Your Mothers Brand Dry Shampoo. I normally opt out from using dry shampoos, only because I have pretty thin hair. I've used a couple of dry shampoo's in the past but most of them leave my hair feeling gritty and even more dirty. I was on 3rd day hair yesterday so I decided to give it a try! SO here is my review:
1. It has virtually no smell. I LOVED that it didn't have an awful weird smell. That's usually the numero uno thing that turns me off about hair products.
2. I liked that it was really light weight and it didn't make my thin hair feel weighed down.
3. It has a lot of pressure and came out really easy, so I didn't have to use a ton of it to get it evenly distributed through out.
4. After using it, my hair felt fresh and really did feel clean. It seemed to have soaked up any extra oil I had and left my hair feeling soft.

I'm so happy that I was chosen to get this box! I received the products free from Influenster for FREE for testing purposes.  Thanks Influenster!

Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Foundation

About three weeks ago I received this Better Skin foundation by Maybelline. I will start out by saying that I've used Maybelline products in the past and I believe they have some pretty good options for drug store products. They sent me 30 which is Warm Nude . As you can probably tell by this picture, it didn't exactly match my skin tone, but I went ahead and gave it a try. I feel like it was gave a medium to full coverage which I like. I have a lot of freckles and uneven skin tones so this was something I looked for right off the bat. It blends well and seems to give a semi matte finish. I usually tend to go towards more luminizing foundations because I have dry skin. It also seems to stay on during the really hot Louisiana days which was a big plus. Overall I would say this was a decent foundation to use but it wasn't my shade so I probably won't be using it unless I mix it with another shade to get the right color for me. On a side note, I did go out and buy the concealer and I'm really enjoying it!. #Maybelline #influenster #betterskinchallenge #voxbox "I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes"

Whole30/Day 2

Wahoo! Day 1 done, onto day 2!

Day 2 was not bad at all! I was surprisingly full from all the meals I ate. The one thing I didn't mention yesterday was how HARD it is to find organic foods in this town. The fresh veggie items that I did find were pretty piddly looking and was also SUPER expensive. One organic lemon was $1.98. Yikes!! We unfortunately don't have any organic groceries where I live such as Whole Foods or Trader Joe's so its makes it so difficult finding foods that are approved. I hope to find more foods for variety or I don't think this is going to end too well for me. I also questioned some of the "approved" foods like organic tomatoes in a can. Every can that I picked up had sugar in it. Does this mean because it has sugar it's not on the approved list or is it considered "no added sugar" and is approved? If anyone has the answer to this I would appreciate it! I had the same issue with Almond Butter. I didn't buy it because it also had sugar in it. 

So what did day 2 look like? Here is what I ate:

Breakfast: Larabar and two boiled eggs

Lunch: Tuna,pickles & hot sauce wrapped in bibb lettuce along with a green apple.

Snack: Handful of walnuts 

Dinner: Squash with onions cooked in olive oil 

Spinach, onions and artichoke hearts with olives to top

Pan seared chicken tenders seared in olive oil seasoned with Greek seasoning, garlic powder, S&P. 

I need to add that I'm drinking a good bit of water. I've been getting down almost 8 glasses a day so I'm pretty happy with that. I will say the only "issue" I'm having is a headache every day but I think that's because I haven't had coffee or tea :(  

If you have any suggestions or tips please let me know! 

-Amy

Whole30 Program/Day 1

I came across the Whole30 program via a you tube video that I subscribe to. After watching the video, I still wasn't entirely sure what it was all about so I decided to do some more research on it. The first things I thought to myself was,   "man, this is going to be a LOT of work!"  So, what IS this program about? 

*Eat real food! Eat meat, seafood, eggs, tons of vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and seeds.

(In a nutshell, totally natural and unprocessed) 

No: Avoid for 30 days: Omitting all of these foods and beverages:

*Do not consume added sugar of any kind, real or artificial 

*Do not consume alcohol in any form, not even for cooking 

*Do not eat grains

*Do not eat legumes

*Do not eat dairy

*Do not consume carrageenan, MSG or sulfites

*Do not try to re-create baked goods, junk foods, or treats* with “approved” ingredients 

*You are not allowed to step on the scale or take any body measurements for the duration of the program. 

That means no coffee with creamer?!?! No cheese!?! No cupcakes?!?  No deep fried french fries?!  This doesn't sound like much fun at all! 

I wanted to try this program because my body hasn't been functioning like I know it should be. I know 100% that it's contributed to the foods that I'm eating as well as not exercising. I've been very tired, lethargic, headaches and really moody. I also wanted to try it because it's based on mostly organic and unprocessed foods. Have you read what is put into our foods or the things they spray on them? It's disturbing to say the least! No wonder we are all so sick. I can rant on that another day!

So here I am a giving this a try. I actually started yesterday, 8/11/14. This is what I ate: 

Breakfast: I had hot lemon water, banana and a Larabar. You have to check the labels on those! 

Lunch: I had mixed veggies that I sauteed in unrefined organic coconut oil. I also had two organic chicken tenders that I pan "fried"  in EVOO. I added Greek seasoning, garlic S&P. Again, gotta check the labels especially on seasonings. They may contain sugar.

Dinner: I had bibb lettuce, lean hamburger meat seasoned with chili powder, oregano, S&P. I also made some homemade guacamole to go along with it. They were like little "tacos". This was my favorite of the day. 

Overall, the first day was not too bad. I did get a little bit of a sweet tooth around 8pm, so I had a small bowl of red grapes. I read that you are not supposed to snack if all possible, and if you do, it should be after exercising. 

I'm going to blog the whole 30 days so I can keep myself accountable as well as have a journal of my progress. I may also upload videos on my you tube channel to make things easier for myself. If you are doing this challenge, please let me know and share some tips! 

Happy Whole30 eating! 

-Amy  

Influenster #TLCVoxBox

YAY! I was so excited to get the email  from +Influenster that I was chosen for the #TLCVoxBox. After waiting for what seemed like FOREVER (not really but felt like it), I finally received it in the mail! Let me take you through what I got!

Avon Anew Reversalist @Avoninsider #AvonANEW

 I'm all about trying new beauty products especially ones that help fight the aging process! I've been using Avon products for years. My mom bought my first basic make up set from Avon. Ok, so here is my review. Love this stuff! It goes on very smoothly and works better than a concealer. I'm only 32, but I do have a few creases on the side of my eyes and forehead. After using the Reversalist they were noticeably lighter. Two thumbs up! 

I'm not a big fan of bar soap. I have really dry skin so I tend to lean towards body washes with moisturizers. I don't have any plans in using this for myself per say, but I do plan on trying it out in making some homemade laundry detergent! #Sudlife 

Who doesn't like rewards!?! This was an awesome treat to have recieved in this box! 

With having a SUV, gas can get so expensive! Most of the time, I purchase my fuel at  Wal-Mart because you can purchase a gift card so that I can get those few extra pennies off when filling up. I was excited to read and find that not only will you be saving on your gas purchases with +Shell  #FuelRewards, this rewards program allows points towards other purchases such as dining out and shopping! Woot! Excited to start earning those points for more free stuff! 

ANY time a company that has great quality products makes something that makes life a bit easier, it's a win win in my book. We are a family that is always on the go so when I found this nifty Neosporin #NeoReady product in my #TLCVoxBox I was happy happy happy. The one thing I've been meaning to do for years now, is to keep a basic first aid kit in my car. My kiddos are involved in a lot of sports so there is always a chance for a bump, scrape or bruise. This would be an awesome addition to my first aid kit. I like sprays over lotions or creams because they dry fast and less of a mess! 

As I mentioned before we are a family on the go and with kids, these are a no brainer to have! @Puffs #PassthePuffs tissue products are a must in the winter season around our house! I like that these are small enough to fit in my purse or backpack for my kids. The really big plus is that they have lotion in them, which makes your skin feel less dry and irritated! 

I saved THE BEST for last! I've been seeing this product advertised on TV for a little bit now but wasn't sure I would like it. I'm kinda picky when it comes to ice cream. Some brands have a bad artificial taste to them or they lack the right consistency for my liking. Since I received a FREE coupon for Gelato Indulgences +Breyers US #GelatoLove I decided to give it a whirl. With caramel being my favorite filling/topping on ice cream, I picked the Vanilla Caramel flavor. I must say, I was so happy that I tried it! This stuff is so creamy and DEL-LI-CIOUS! Defiantly worth sharing a spoon with someone, but I think I'll keep it all for myself! ;) 

I'm so happy that I was introduced to +Influenster! I've gotten so many great things and it's all been for FREE! 

"Running" or something like that

About 6 weeks ago I was so excited to find that some of the girls from Timmy's running group were starting a "Couch to 5K" running group. I was thrilled! Finally I could get back into a routine of working out, finding that lil bit of "me" time and building friendships. So I went out, bought some new shoes and was ready to get started.

Our routine would be to meet up at the Wellness track on Tuesday/Thursday's at 5:30 and Saturday at 7:00. Now, anybody that's anybody knows that I'm NOT a morning person, so as soon as I was told 7:00 AM on Saturdays...my thought was "EWWWWH" I would also be faced with the challenge of not being able to be there every other Saturday because T runs every Saturday morning with his group. Along with that, our big girls are gone to their mom's so I would not be able to make it. However, I knew how important it would be that I be there to keep up with the routine if I had planned on actually doing this thing without walking.

So, I talked to T about working this out around our schedules, decided that I would use this opportunity to start "dieting" again and to begin this journey.......I am at week 5 now and I'm STRUGGLING....and that's putting it lightly. I'm not sure if this running thing is "for" me. I feel defeated and just plainly put "a loser". I want SO badly to be good at something!

Running is hard and I know it takes time,effort and conditioning..."it's all about conditioning". I never was in any sports growing up so I'm not an athlete, but I've heard plenty of people say, "I wasn't an athlete, I just started one day"....and guess what? They are running marathons. I don't know what the deal is...I wished I did. I want to finish this 5K without walking so badly, I mean 3.2 miles? That should be a drop in the bucket right? I mean I can run at least 2.5 miles on the treadmill. Why or Why can I not do the same on the track? I try reallllllly hard to push through the pain, but when the pain comes, my pushing isn't enough and in the end I just give up. I've been told most of the running is mental. I'm fighting a huge barrier and I'm not sure how to get past it. I'm also dealing with a toe "injury". I'm not sure what is causing it but my hub seems to think it's "turf toe". I'm not so sure.

I participated in two 5K's the year before last. I had to walk in both of them but I finished. Some would say it's not about running the whole thing but finishing, my feelings are just the opposite. I want to succeed at this. I feel like giving up, especially after yesterday's run. I sat in my car afterwards and had a pity party for myself squalling like a baby...... I still want to try at it. I suppose there is something inside me that is still fighting. The only thing I know to do is to just keep showing up every week and trying again. I still have an outrageous goal of running a 1/2 marathon by next February. At this point, I just don't see how.....

If any of you runners have some tips or helpful thoughts please feel free to share.

Pumpkins, Fall Festivals and sweet treats!

Well, last weekend we went to our local pumpkin patch. This is something we do each year, however, I believe last year it had flooded rain so much that we didn't go. I remember them having to put the pumpkins up on crates.


So you will notice the blur in some of these pictures. This is because my camera lens got scratched at the beach this summer. Chloe Grace wasn't much in the mood for the patch this year. It was after lunch in the heat and that usually equals fussy two year old. I made this big ole head "gear" (that's for you Nik) for Chloe Grace to match her outfit that I also made.

See the fussy two year old?! .....and the blur? GRRRRR

My Ethan, my sweet sweet Ethan. He is getting at the age where he could really care less about "cheez'n" for the camera. He used to be all about it, but he is "big" boy now.

She really didn't care, can you tell?

So after the patch we headed to Drew School Fall Festival. Ethan is a student in the 2nd grade. We love Drew. Anyhow, our 1st game we played was the cake walk at Ethan's request.

And would you guess who won the very first cake?!!! Would you look at that "don't take a picture of me" smile? :)

So we headed outside to the petting zoo. Chloe was thrilled. She wanted to pet and hug every animal that was there. Like this giant tortoise.

And this billy goat

and she even got to feed the baby moo cow

After being in the heat, we decided to head back in and get our face painted. Chloe Grace chose a paw print. GO BOBCATS!

And just for good measure, we tried another pic with the camera before we left. I think she is still the cutest baby girl ever!

Moving on to the sweet treats. I've made about 200 of these in the last two days, and I've got about 45 more to make tonight. I really do enjoy doing them and they are so yummy!

Here are the pumpkins. These were from last year. This year, I had no faces on them because I could not get the icing to dry.

My newest creation...the witch hat :)

and the one eyed monster!

Don't forget about the mummies. I think these are my favorite!

And here they are all packaged up and ready to be served at a party. I plan on trying to do some for Thanksgiving, but I'll let you know on that after I finish these 45 more I have to do tonight.

Happy Halloween everyone!