Dr. Brandt Skincare Haul!

I am all about skincare products.. I love trying the latest in everything from facial masks to moisturizers! So when I received a box of samples in the mail from Dr. Brandt, you could probably hear me screaming from several blocks away! This has EASILY become my new skincare line so figured I would share all of this goodness with you ;)

So, when I found this package sitting at the door, I couldn't wait to open it! When I did, I found all sorts of goodies that I could not WAIT to try out...

Ya'll...this is some good stuff! I have tried all sorts of different products and can honestly say the quality of the Dr. Brandt line is amazing!! Here's a lineup of my faves:

This Hydro Biotic Recovery Sleeping Mask is like..."wow!" It deeply hydrates and moisturizes to reduce redness and signs of irritation. You apply it before bedtime, on a clean face, and just go to bed.. enjoying the coolness and minty smell while it does it's work!

This Skin Recharging Magnet Mask is like something I've never experienced before! You lightly rub the mask onto cleansed skin and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before removing it easily by gliding a tissue-wrapped magnet across your face and watching magic happen right in front of your eyes! It takes like 5 seconds to remove and all that is left is a silky serum that you rub into your face that leaves you feeling AMAZING!!! This is by far my favorite product yet!!

I try my best to get my 64-oz. of water in daily but sometimes it's just so hard! This Antioxidant Water Booster makes it alot easier by giving your water a hint of berry and alot of detoxification! Made with green tea, white tea & grape seed extract, this supports the body's defense against the effects of free radicals & helps to rejuvenate the skin from inside to out!

If your wanting a good skincare regimen, you literally need to look no further! These products will definitely be part of my everyday routine and I can't stress enough how much they have really impressed me.. You can sign up for their VIP email to get exclusive offers & even get 25% off yours (& a friend's!) order when you refer them & they make a purchase! I'll go ahead and say, "your welcome!" because I know your gonna love it! ;)

*I received this box complimentary in exchange for my honest opinions.

Bringing Dead Hair Back to Life.

Hello lovelies! I'm back with another great product and this time it's for dry, damaged hair. As someone who flat irons their hair one, two, sometimes THREE time per day (especially in the hot, humid months) this product has become a life saver! I noticed a lot of small, fine hairs growing in around my face and when I went in for my hair appointment and brought it up to the stylist she kindly informed me that, "no honey, that's not new hair coming in.. that's breakage!" I had no idea that because of all of the heat treatment I gave my hair that it has slowly been drying it out and burning it off! That's when reality hit and I knew that I had to do something before it got even worse. 

Insert new life-saving product:

This is the new Total Repair 5 Damage-Erasing Balm from L'Oreal Paris. It system repairs up to 1 year of damage to hair's smoothness in 1 use! When I heard this, I couldn't WAIT to try it! The reason it's called Total Repair 5 is because it fights the 5 signs of damage including: 1. split ends 2. weak 3. rough 4. dull 5. dehydrated

It's a thick conditioning cream that is not greasy at all (like I've found most products to be). You shampoo your hair as usual and then rub this in good and leave for about 3 minutes before simply rinsing out. They actually recommend for continuous visible repair to use it every day. This will definitely be part of my daily hair routine! If your like me and use heat products on the regular you will love it! You can read more about it here.

*I received this product complimentary in return for an honest review.

Hefty, Hefty, Hefty.

Hey guys! It's been a little while since I've visited the ol' blog but wanted to pop in and tell you about a little surprise I got in the mail a few weeks ago. It's always exciting to come home to a package waiting for you on the front porch!

I opened it up and realized that it was the Hefty microwave strong disposable plates that Influenster was sending me to test out in return for an honest review! I opened up the box and was excited when I realized they had sent me a package of 40 plates that were able to be popped into the microwave for reheating foods!

With 3 kids, we are ALWAYS happy with something that we can eat on that doesn't create any more dirty dishes than necessary! I love using disposable plates but when it comes to hot foods, it's not always fun to watch your food melt into the styrofoam :(

That's why I was so excited to test these plates out and see how they held up! So, the day after Thanksgiving (hope you all had a GREAT one!!) I wanted to re-heat some of the sweet potato casserole to enjoy with a hot cup of coffee.. I thought, "what better way to test these plates out?!" I was very shocked when, after re-heating for a whole minute & a half, I took the plate out and it wasn't starting to melt under the food!! I also love the fact that these plates also have a "dip" in the middle (instead of being completely flat) that helps to hold your food a little better, instead of letting it easily slide right off the plate. I know it's not the best picture ever but here is a screenshot of a video I took on Snapchat when I was taking it out of the microwave...

All in all, I am very impressed with these plates and will definitely keep them stocked in our pantry for when I've cleaned up the kitchen already and no one is dirtying up anymore dishes foods need to be re-heated! ☺ This Mama says, "way to go, Hefty!"

Brown Paper Baggin' It.

Okay, so no one uses brown paper bags to carry their lunch in anymore.. I mean-- who would want to with all of these cute lunch totes they have now?! I remember the days my kids were so excited to take their own lunches to school with them but I struggled with coming up with something different everyday to pack for them! All I could think about was the notorious PB&J or ham sandwiches.. aka nothing exciting.

Today, I see so many cute lunch box ideas on social media that it has me dreaming of packing lunches again! I figured I would pick a few of my favorites and share them with you in case your in a rut with knowing what to stick in the bag with that banana :)

1. submarine sandwich - how cute is this?! one little straw makes all the difference here!

2. pizza quesadillas - this takes a regular cheese quesadilla up a few notches!

3. pb&j sushi rolls - how fancy they will feel when they pull out their own "sushi"!

4. cheesy pretzel dippers - this would be great to let them "make" their own lunch the night before!

5. sweet fruit wrap - another easy peasy one they could help make!

Also, I wanted to share with you my {new} favorite juice boxes from Apple & Eve that you will feel great about stashing in their bag everyday!

These juices contain 1 fruit/veggie serving in each box! for real.. and even better-- there is NO added sugars or artificial flavors/colors!! They have so many varieties to choose from and there hasn't been one so far we haven't liked! You can click here to find out where to buy & get a coupon while your there, too!

*I received these juice boxes complementary in return for an honest review.

Olay For Life.

Growing up, I always remember my grandmother having one of those "medicine-cabinet" mirrors in her bathroom that you could open up & store things on little shelves. Two of the things I distinctly remember that were a l w a y s on hand were Vicks VapoRub (in the little blue bottle) and this Oil of Olay that she would use daily on her face.

She had the most beautiful skin, even in her 70's, and I will be so blessed if I age as gracefully as she did. To this day, I swear by this product & use it daily myself! I was so excited to see that they have come out with a new line of Fresh Outlast Body Wash that is just as cute as it is moisturizing & delightfully scented! The Cooling White Strawberry & Mint is my favorite so far.

You guys, go grab some of this stuff and sit back in the tub dreaming that your lying in a strawberry field sipping on a fresh mint julep. It's THAT amazing.

#contest

Color from a Salon or Box? You'll Never Know..

Clairol was kind enough to send me a box of their new Professional Liquicolor Soy 4Plex hair color in Light Gold/Neutral Blonde to try. You would know that I had JUST got my hair highlighted at a local salon not even a week earlier (ugh!) so I thought, "hey, why not invite a friend over to treat her to a new, fresh 'do?!" So that's just what I did.

Said friend has a tiny 3-month-old and hasn't had her hair colored in the past year (due to 1) having been pregnant for 9 months and 2) just not having enough time to pamper herself since he's been born) so I figured she would definitely enjoy at least covering what roots were showing from her last color. This hair color is also for deep conditioning gray coverage and comes with a color serum that strengthens hair from within. Once opening the package, this is what it contained:

(I had already poured in the liquid color before I took this picture!)

It came with everything that we needed to get started and was VERY easy to do with simple step-by-step instructions on the back of the box... You basically mix everything up in the plastic bottle that's provided, shake, and start coloring away! We let the color sit on her hair for 45 minutes before washing it with lukewarm water, then with a color-safe shampoo & conditioner and blow drying. She was so happy with the results and said her hair felt extra silky and deeply conditioned after using the product. I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone that wants to save money and get a color treatment that looks just as natural as if you hadn't "colored" it at all! Here is a picture of the before and after that I took... I'll let you decide for yourself ;)

(it took all of the dark "root" areas and blended them in with the natural hair color to create a natural, highlight look)

If your interested, you can read more about the product here.

*I received this product complementary in return for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Five On Friday: Fall Feels

I can't believe Fall is here! Summer literally flew by and as much as I miss lounging by the pool with a cold drink in my hand and my favorite bathing suit on.. I'm ready for crisp nights by a bonfire with a cup of hot cider warming me up. There's something about flannel and wool socks that is so... COZY. Today I'm linking up to share some of my favorite things about fall:

1. Fall Drink:

This caramel apple sangria needs to be in my hands right.this.minute!! I can already see it in my near future.. 

2. Fall Dinner:

How caaa-ute are these, right?! My kiddos would absolutely love these for dinner on Halloween night! Simple--yet adorbs!!

3. Fall Decor:

I wasn't born with the "creative eye" for decorating so I take inspiration and tips wherever I can get them.. and this my friends, is an entrance that I would LOVE to come home to everyday! I may have to take a trip to the store this weekend to work on sprucing our porch up..

4. Fall Breakfast:

You guys!! Can you imagine pumpkin, almond milk, pecans, syrup..together in one bowl?! Oh.My.Goodness. Can we have breakfast for dinner tonight? I'm thinking YES, PLEASE. 

5. Fall Wear:

Everything about this look screams fall.. I'm loving the layered look with vest, sweater & button-up.. paired with a pair of skinny jeans? IN. LOVE.

Well, that's a wrap.. I'm off to go grab a pumpkin spice latte (#basic) before we hit up the high school football game.. have a great weekend, pretties!

So Good You'll Slap Your Mama!

Hey friends! Sorry I fell off the face of the earth for a bit... with three kiddos, it's like a circus over here sometimes ;) 

Every Sunday after church we have dinner with the family. I'm usually always in charge of dessert and this past Sunday I made an absolutely amazing one that disappeared within 5 minutes! When I see recipes that look like something we would love, I hold on to them until I have time to try them.. This one is one that I saw on The Country Cook and have wanted to try for awhile now. 

Well, let's just say this one will be on repeat... it was delicious! And talk about quick & easy... this one is perfect for a busy mama...

Your family will love you for it!

(click on picture for recipe!)

Wordless Wednesday.

Wordless Wednesday.

It's Friiiiiday...

Let's get this party weekend started! 



   

 

 

 

A New Year: I Want More.

Just a Little While Longer...

 

 

source

 

 

Dear Fall,

Please slow down. I would really like to enjoy you just a little while longer before you get in too good with Old Man Winter. When I woke up this morning with frost on the ground and the temperature reading 34* I got a little worried. No reason to rush off.. sit and stay a while.. we enjoy having you around..

The Best Win Yet.

Hi Kiddos.
I wanted to pop in and let you know that last week was one of the best days of my life! I opened my email to find out that I was chosen the winner of the Eat Boutique giveaway over at Katie's blog! OHH...THE EXCITEMENT!  Well, fast forward to today when I stepped out on the front porch to discover a package had arrived... yep, it was THE box I had been waiting for!! When I opened it up, I was absolutely shocked by all of the wonderful goodies they had sent!

 

Thank you SO much Katie, and thank you Eat Boutique for being such an amazing company with the best products EVER.

 

I can not wait for breakfast tomorrow morning! ;)

Father's Day Printable {gift idea}

 

 

I saw this printable on Pinterest and knew right away it would be the PERFECT gift for the daddy of little ones! Get you some "leafy" colors (orange, green, maybe a little red) and  use the kids handprints to make the leaves! Let completely dry and it would be beautiful framed and given to dad this Father's Day!

x

Foodie Penpals--Sept '12

 

This month, I received a goodie box from Krystal that was filled to the brim with some of the best suprises I've gotten so far.. ((ahem..chipotle salsa!)) The Biscoff Spread got me all excited, too!! I've seen it all over the web, but have yet to try it.. I saw a great-looking recipe the other day for Biscoff drop cookies that I may have to make this week! Stubbs BBQ is my family's absolute favorite, so when I saw it tucked in there, my heart skipped a beat ;) Those homemade chocolate & pb pretzel cookies were devoured in like..under 3 minutes between my kids & I! (that was the 1st thing they spotted & snatched out of the box!) Talk about goooood...I'm planning to pour some of the Raspberry Jalepeno Jam over a block of cream cheese & serve with crackers to snack on during the Clemson/Georgia Tech game Saturday, and my kids have been requesting apple pancakes every Sunday now for the past 2 weeks :/

 

...This Sunday I'll suprise them.

 

Thank you so much Krystal for such an awesome package you sent!! ☺

 

 

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Now, after reading that don’t you want a penpal of your own?! Here are the details!

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.

If you’re interested in participating for September, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions.

You must submit your information by October 4th as pairings will be emailed on October 5th!

Foodie Penpals--Aug '12

 

So I'm extrememly late in linking up and posting about August's foodie box {{story of my life}} but as they say.."better late than never", eh? ;) 

 

This box came from Bridget, a sweet girl in California. She sent me my FIRST.BOX.EVER. of granola!!! I have been dying to have some with my yogurt and mixed in my overnight oats onedaywhenIfinallylearnhowtomakeit. You know..all the foods the cool people eat on the blogs you read that your always wanting & never making. :)

 

AND..she sent me some Brigittine Monks Chocolate Fudge WITH NUTS (my absolute favorite way to have fudge!)  from Market Hall in Cali! I have GOT to open this and try it already!! I'm holding on to it like I'm waiting on "that moment when the time is finally right". ha! I think that moment will be tonight...

 

And last but definitely not least, a bag of 479* Popcorn. Not to mention it's Fleur de Sel Caramel! light, crunchy caramel sprinkled with delicate flakes of French sea salt  Yum.

 

I knew there was a reason I loved this Foodie thing. ☺

 

 

 

Here are the details:
-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.
If you’re interested in participating for September, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions.

 

 

 

 

 



**HOT DEAL ALERT**

My love for this woman is OUT.OF.THIS.WORLD!! I can't even describe it. Everything she makes, I want. This is her 2nd book {{which retails for $29.99}} but Amazon has the digital enhanced version right now for just $3.99!

Yes..you heard me.. now get it..quickly!

Foodie Penpals--July '12

This month, I was sent a "Charleston" package from Karen and absolutely L♥VED it! With Charleston being one of my most favorite places ever, it was right up my alley!!

 There were Benne Wafers (aka sesame cookies), Plantation Peach Tea, & Carolina Plantation Stone Ground Grits!Oh.My.Goodness those grits!!  She included some recipes that I can't wait to try as well! (more on those when I get around to it...)

She must have known the way to this Carolina girl's heart, I tell ya! ;) Thank you so much Karen for that wonderful box o' goodies!!

And now it's time for some details about Foodie Penpals. In case you’re a new reader, here’s a reminder of what the program is all about:

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We've determined things might get too slow and backed up if we're trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.

If you’re interested in participating for August, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions.

You must submit your information by August 4th as pairings will be emailed on August 5th!

Foodie Penpals -- June '12

Last month was my first month participating in Foodie Penpals - a "penpal" type deal where you swap FOOD instead of letters :) Being my two favorite things in the world are:
1. good friends &
2. food
I knew I HAD to join! This was like my dream job!! ..if only I could find a way to get paid doing it.
Okay..so.. this go 'round, the absolutely bestest-girl-in-the-whole-wide-world-that-could-have-been-chosen-for-me was Jennifer! She absolutely blew me away with all these goodies she sent me:

CAN.NOT.WAIT. to try all of it! So far I've made a pot of the Texas Turtle coffee, and it was out of this world! The hint of caramel really set it off! I tell ya...I couldn't have asked for a better box!! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Jennifer for such an awesome first month of Foodie Penpals!! ..now here's hoping to getting you again next month. ;)

In case you’re a new reader, here’s a reminder of what the program is all about:

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We've determined things might get too slow and backed up if we're trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.

If you’re interested in participating for July, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions.

You must submit your information by July 4th as pairings will be emailed on July 5th!