Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Better Breakfast, Better You and a Giveaway!!

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Jimmy Dean, however the opinions and feelings expressed here are my own.

I am a bit of a health nut, especially when it comes to my kids!  Two of my kids are tiny.  Like seriously tiny. My oldest is not tiny, but the other two are.  In fact, I think I only have about another 6 months until my oldest is taller than me.  She’s not even a teenager yet.  Though since I’m only 5ft 1, I guess this was not that hard to do!  Even for this child I have always been very conscious of what I feed my kids.  This is a very big part of why I have a garden!  I shred my zucchini up and freeze it so that I can add it to almost everything I cook and bake!  I also add other veggies, wheat germ,  and other nutritious ingredients. 
 
Well, with my kids being so tiny, especially weight-wise I think it is even more important that I think through what they are eating.  I’m always re-evaluating how I do things.  With the new year coming up I always find it a great time to reassess everything in my life.  I’ve realized my kids are not getting enough protein.  I am just more of a fruit and veggies kind of girl, than a meat kind of girl.  We LOVE our salads, in fact my kids will beg for lettuce.  However, I think this means that my kids are not getting enough protein because we don’t eat meat a lot. 

We usually have Honey Nut Cheerios, or Hot Cereal for Breakfast. About once a week I make pancakes or eggs or something hot. I know that choosing a better breakfast, will help my kids and I stay on track and set the tone for the rest of the day. I think this is a perfect time to fit in some more protein. With the New Year coming up I want to add a resolution to make hot breakfasts more often, maybe 3 out of the 5 school days. A good way to add some protein into this new resolution could be to add some Jimmy Dean D-Lights products to our breakfast menu. I can see how their line of products could help by adding protein at breakfast as well as still being quick things to make in the morning rush!
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FYI:  When I looked for these Jimmy Dean D-Lights, they were not with the sausages.  Instead, I found them in the frozen breakfast foods aisle! 

I love this time of year because it gives us that push to re-evaluate how things are going in our lives and what we can improve on!  I’d love to hear how you are going to make better choices this New Year’s season.  Leave a comment and enter for $100 gift card!
 
So, here are the details for the giveaway!!
Giveaway Dates:
12/28-1/30
Prize:
$100 Visa Gift card
The rules page:
Visit the Official Rules  

Rules:
No duplicate comments.  You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.  Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.  You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.


BlogHer.com Round-up Page URL:
Visit the Exclusive Offers section

Visit the Official site

Rebecca


Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Final chance at Olay’s $100 Visa Card!

This is sponsored content BlogHer and Olay.
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I have discussed the reasons why I am excited to be reviewing the Olay product. I love Olay products and am excited to use them to try to reverse stresses in my life that have affected my skin and left me starting to see the effects of aging. I also love them for trying to stop any further damage that I am now doing to my body because of stresses in my life. For me right now my life is about presenting a more finished look for myself. It is about embracing who I am and how my life is changing.
I want to discuss why I feel it is important for me to be putting my best foot forward, or in this case it is my best face forward! ;) One reason I have already mentioned and that is that I still am young. So I need to start taking care of my skin while I can still do things to keep it as healthy as I can.
A second reason that I need to be putting my best foot forward is that I have been working out of my home for the last 12 years. This has left me being a little relaxed in my appearance during the work part of my day. I am finishing up my last classes towards getting my teaching degree and then I will be trying to get work in my new career field. This is such a highly stressful time in my life right now. I am averaging 3-5 hours of sleep a night because the only time I have to do my homework is after my kids are asleep. I am sure that this lack of sleep and stress over school work has not been kind on my body! I am seeing lots of other things being affected by this lifestyle as well.
Going into a new career field means that I will be interviewing and so I need to step it up a notch. I need for my whole appearance to be the best it can be (especially since we all know that getting a job in any career field right now is not the easiest thing). Since my face is the first thing people see I would like it to be the best it can be. I am not into drastic measures like surgery but am all for taking care of what I already have. I am also into trying to make what you have the best it can be.
I hope that if I start taking care of my skin, with a beauty routine, that my face will match how I feel inside, which is young and full of life! I don’t want someone to look at me and think that I must have had a lot of Sun in my life, been stressed out, or am older than I am. 
I would love to hear what everyone else is embarking on. Is anything new in your life that you are trying to get a handle on? Are you taking a leap of faith and going after any dreams? What specific steps are you taking to make your dreams happen? How are you embracing this time in your life (whatever time you might be in)?
 
Now onto the chance at winning a $100 Visa card!!
Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.
Sweepstakes ends 5 PM PST on December 27, 2010
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
Rebecca
Also be sure to check out the other 14 bloggers' beauty stories for more chances to win!
BlogHer.com Exclusive Offers page

Monday, December 13, 2010

Win a $100 Visa Card with Olay and BlogHer

This is sponsored content BlogHer and Olay.

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I feel as though my life has run away, with me barely holding on to it! I moved into my new home last year, I am in my last year of getting my degree to be a teacher, and the years seem to just be going by faster and faster.
I am actually loving my 30s. I am smarter, more educated, and more assure of myself than I’ve ever felt. I also feel like I even look better than I ever have. You know, like a fine wine that gets better with time!? (I couldn’t help myself, it seems so appropriate even if it is lyrics from a song!). But now I need to pull some aspects of myself together a bit more.
I have always tried to think everything through when it comes to raising my children. The rest of my life I have kind of pushed back to the background. I am just at a point in life when a lot of things are finally lining up into place. My kids are all in school full time now, and I am so close to starting in my dream career.
So now is a great time for me to be focusing on me a bit more. I also am needing to put my best foot forward as I jump into a new career! I am so excited to finally be achieving my dream of becoming a teacher. Slowly, I’ve been trying to regain control of my life and I guess that my health is a part of this. I want to take the steps that I need to now, to keep my whole body healthy.
In what ways do you take care of yourself? What do you think is most important in keeping yourself healthy? What is most important in keeping your face healthy? What tricks or tips do you have for me or anyone else who is just starting to take care of their skin?
Thank you everyone for all your comments last week!  That sweepstakes ends tonight at 5pm.  But hold onto your pants…I get to give away another $100 Visa gift card (from BlogHer)!!!! 
Here’s the info:
I get to give away a $100 Visa gift card (from BlogHer)!
Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.
Sweepstakes ends 5 PM PST on December 20, 2010
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
Rebecca
Also be sure to check out the other 14 bloggers' beauty stories for more chances to win!
BlogHer.com Exclusive Offers page

Monday, December 6, 2010

Olay Review Part 2

Congratulations to the winner of this post, Lucky # 71:  vmkids






This is sponsored content from BlogHer and Olay.
Wow, so many comments on the last Olay Review!  I’m so surprised to hear everyone’s responses.  I am not the kind of person that notices details.  I see the person, but don’t usually notice anyone’s skin.  But so many of you responded that you are having issues too.  I don’t know why this surprised me so much, but it did!  It actually makes me feel so much better!
olay product
OK so this time around I will tell you when I first started noticing that my skin was changing. I was out to dinner with my extended family. All of the siblings were there and we were just having a ball. I mentioned that I had been noticing some dryness on one spot of my face. I couldn’t figure out what it was from. My siblings all laughed and told me it was an age spot!
WHAT!?
Are you with me on this one? At 30, I was not prepared to hear that I would be seeing signs of aging on my face yet.
Just so you know, my siblings are all older than me so their laughing was not to be mean. They thought it was silly that I didn’t know what it was, and even more than that they were happy I had joined their aging woes!
OK now we are a few more years into these issues. My age spots are not just one dry spot on my face. There are more and they are growing and they are more of a discoloring on my face.
I already have lots of freckles (which I love), isn’t that enough color variation for my face?!
I guess now is the time to kick my butt into gear in having a beauty routine. Up until now, I will admit that I have not had one. I am one of those lucky people that did not (and does not) get acne. I have always had the occasional pimple but that is it. I never even washed my face other than in the shower.
I am really noticing lots of color variation on my face as well as dryness (I used to have slightly oily skin). I know this is all coming about due to getting further and further away from my 20s. ;(
 
I don’t know what my face has against my 30s but I’m guessing it has something to do with the years of sports out in the sun. Growing up we did not wear sunscreen. Yeah, I’m thinking that has a lot to do with the changes I am seeing in my skin.
I guess when it comes down to it, I feel like my face looks older than I feel it should.
One of the things that I am excited about with the Olay product that I am trying out is it’s claim of, “Gentle Exfoliation that smoothes and evens skin texture”. I never thought a lot about my skin texture before, until now.
I also must admit that I feel somewhat silly talking about aging skin. After all, I am only in my early 30s! However, I guess my thought is that if I don’t start taking better care of my skin now, when I really am older it is going to be too late to do something about it.
When did you first start taking better care of yourself? What is your daily beauty routine? What are your favorite products?
 
Thank you everyone for all your comments last week!  That sweepstakes ends tonight at 5pm.  But hold onto your pants…I get to give away another $100 Visa gift card (from BlogHer)!!!! 
 
Here’s the info:
I get to give away a $100 Visa gift card (from BlogHer)!
Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.
Sweepstakes ends 5 PM PST on December 13, 2010
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here
Rebecca
Also be sure to check out the other 14 bloggers' beauty stories for more chances to win!
BlogHer.com Exclusive Offers page

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Home Goods Store Review

Disclosure Statement:  I was provided a gift card from BlogHer and Home Goods for this review!  We were to use it to find a great gift for someone.  Sounds easy peasy to me! 

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I had never been to a Home Goods Store before, but have friends who love it!  I actually had to go back a second time because I could not make up my mind.  I loved the store.  It is always easy to win me over with those above products because I have a HUGE thing for maps and travel!  I have a huge map that I made in my front room.  We use it to map everywhere that we have been.  I want to have a travel corner and that globe and vase would be perfect.   But I moved on because this was not for me. ;(

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OK Those blinged up products would be perfect for my daughter’s room that she just got to herself!  I’m still putting in final touches for it even…

IMG_6775This cute airplane would be perfect for my Son… or his Father!

IMG_6777Oh I have always wanted magazine holders like these.  That was two of those organizers.  Wouldn’t that help with organizing the kids schoolwork?  Oh yeah, this is not for me, not for me…

IMG_6778This picture so reminds me of a project that LollyChops did!  Reminds me that I still want to make one myself!

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No surprise but I ended up in the yummy treat isles….a lot!  I mean peppermint bark!  Doesn’t that sound divine?  I am already going hot and heavy with my Christmas baking so I will have lots of fun goody plates to give to the important people in my life. 

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So, yeah I ended up buying the treats.  I mean look at those adorable chocolate covered oreos with the BEA-U-T-FUL edible designs on them.  These treats will all be topping off all my goody plates!  That way I am sharing the love with everyone.

 

Even though I did receive a gift card to review this store, my honest opinion is that I love it!  There were some really neat finds.  I thought of a few gifts for everyone on my list from the cat, to my children, to my BFF!  Really fun gourmet food accessories, neat dishes, toys, decorations, and more!   The prices were really reasonable as well, which totally wins me over!