Although not just for the holidays, anytime is a good time to check out and try new things. I enjoy receiving new products which is why I blog and I also want to share great products with my readers. When I received the opportunity to try Torani, I definitely wanted to participate as I've never heard of it. Torani is a syrup offered in over 80 flavors that can be added to make some sensational beverages both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The Torani website has so many delicious recipe ideas that is perfect for a long day relaxer to a weekend fun drink to hosting a party.
For this review, I sampled the Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie Syrup and the Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup. What I liked the most about each of the syrups is they had 0 fat, carbs and calories. This is great for those of us watching our carb content. They were amazing in aroma and immediately made my mouth water thinking of vanilla ice cream and pumpkin pie. I was doubtful in how rich they would taste but as soon as I received them, I opened them and dipped my finger in to taste each one and I was hooked! I actually tried them both in natural, fat-free yogurt and the flavors came alive! My mind immediately thought of the things I could create along with decadent lattes and coffees.
I tried making pumpkin bread and added the Pumpkin Pie syrup in with my crumbly top to see how that tasted and it was wonderful. Rich in flavor and smell. This is a great way to jazz up any of your drinks, to try new drinks like Italian Soda or even in a cooking recipe. The flavors are of the same you get in the expensive coffee houses but at a fraction of the cost and at your own convenience. They are delicious and a must have!
To find Torani in your location, click on Torani or shop online at Torani online. If you use code shespeaks, you will save 10%!
Mark your calenders for a Twitter Party on November 17th, 9pm ET!
*Disclosure: I received complimentary product as part of my participation with SheSpeaks from Torani. The opinions are of my own.
A Vera Wang fan? How about a Kohl's fan? I'm both and even though I haven't known anyone close with breast cancer, I always think it's great to support something that takes away so many friends, daughters, sisters, aunts, mothers and grandmothers. I'm very passionate also about epilepsy as my daughter has it and would love for their to be a cure as at the age of eight, it was not something I wanted to see her tackle. Although this is about breast cancer, I would love to see Kohls start participating in Epilepsy Awareness Month in November.
I did want to share this cute collection with everyone in case you missed as I really like Vera Wang's fashions. The great thing about Kohl's Care programs are the products are inexpensive and the net profit goes 100% to the fund they are supporting. They also have Kohls Cares for Kids which my daughter won a scholarship for her charitable work. I think it's great when a business reaches out for the good of others and sends 100% of the net proceeds to where it was meant to be.
I have not ordered any of these products but they do look appealing. With Christmas approaching, it could be a great way to give without spending a lot.
The holidays are fastly approaching and I'm not sad at all. I love the holidays and although I'm not near my family, I still love getting dressed up for dinner and also taking pictures for Christmas cards and more. When preparing for the holidays, I want everything to be just right to include my children's clothing. I look for something that catches my eye yet can be versatile.
When I was looking through the Tea Collection site for clothing, I found some that immediately caught my eye because my oldest loves Asian inspired clothing and these were just adorable. They reminded her of the kimono type robes and I'm sure they would just look adorable on my grand baby. Isn't it cute? I love the colors and the style as well.
Tea Collection carries children's clothing in boys, girls, baby girls, baby boys and women's sizes. The categories are easy to shop ranging from gender to sale to new items and more. What's better is that when you refer a friend and they spend $100, you get a $25 gift certificate and they get to save 20%! That's an easy way to save and get a bonus.
I have purchased from Tea Collection in the past and the quality is wonderful and the clothing is true to form to the pictures. I like the variety they offer and the customer service is really good.
When it comes to putting together an outfit, I may not put as much effort into it as other people do, but I do care a lot about putting on makeup and fixing my hair. I'm a big believer in that if you spend a lot of time doing that, you'll look and feel so much better that your clothing is just like scenery. Well, another part that I like to also make sure that I do each and every day while I get ready is put on perfume. I just think that it's so important for feeling put together.
Perfume is actually one of my favorite splurges and I'm always looking online with my Salt Lake City wireless internet to figure out what kind of perfume I want to buy next.
I've had my eye on a few different perfumes for a while now. I think that I might just have to settle on the Ralph Lauren Romance perfume. It smells so fresh and is very similar to what I would go for in a perfume, just with a surprising little twist. I'm basically banking on buying that pretty soon.
Congratulations to: Chris Stevens, Susan Clooney, Marilyn Houser, Cassie Brawdy & Amanda Wright
The winners were selected after inputting the extra comments from the post into the Excel Rafflecopter form post exporting and matching the comments with the dates within the form to ensure accuracy. I then used random.org to select the five random winners. Thanks to all those who entered!
I've been on the Slim-Fast 1-2-3 Plan consuming their new shakes that allow you to take them with you along with the meal bars and snacks going on my third week. To date, I've lost six pounds on a very easy diet plan that still provides food that is not only Slim-Fast based and I get a sensible meal that focuses on vegetables, lean protein and a whole wheat starch. Sounds smart doesn't it? It's a very easy and an extremely tasty way to lose weight. I'm a huge chocolate fan and the chocolate shakes are my crutch to get over the calorie counting since they replace meals but are very satisfying. They report that they curtail hunger for up to four hours. I think the average is three but by the time I'm feeling hungry again, it's time for a snack.
It's a great plan of breakfast and lunch with a shake or meal bar, a sensible dinner and three snacks in between. I've read many times how this is a great approach to keeping your body going with smaller snacks through the day. Your snacks can be their snacks or you can pop in some almonds, an apple or something from the big list of recommendations. The online support is just as good. You can track your progress, the calorie intake, exercise, water and find great recipes and tips. It's an all in one great way to lose weight and get healthier. The food choices are healthy ways to change behaviors and changing the behavior is the long term key in keeping the weight off.
I tend to run my errands during the morning and when I want to get moving, I just grab a shake and go. It's so easy and again, so tasty. They even have a low carb alternative for those watching carbs too. My store didn't sell them so I wasn't able to try those. I know the Milk Chocolate and Rich Chocolate Royale are amazing. They are rich, chocolaty and taste like chocolate with no bad after taste. They are filling and take the cravings away for chocolate. I also tried the Chocolate Cookie Dough, Chocolate Fudge Brownie and the Chewy Chocolate Crisp meal bars and they are like eating a candy bar. For those of us that are chocolate addicts, it's really the diet for them. My goal is to lose the weight I want and to continue learning to choose healthy snacks and sensible meals.
Five readers will win a $25 Sephora Gift Card! Since Christmas is coming, a great gift idea or a way to pamper yourself after you shed some unwanted pounds on the new Slim-Fast Shakes as I am doing!
To Enter:
Follow the details in the Rafflecopter entry form and that's it!
*Disclaimer: I received complimentary product, Sephora Gift Cards and the opportunity to provide this giveaway from Slim-Fast. The opinions are of my own.
Carmex is a name most of us know and have used at least once. When you hear Carmex, you think of lip care because they have built an excellent reputation around their lip care products. It's the one I turn to when my lips need some attention. Now Carmex introduces Healing Cream and Healing Lotion. This is wonderful for those of us that prefer the Carmex brand. For this review, two reviewers used the products on their children since it was ideal given issues of chapped skin.
The Healing Lotion was used on a one year old active toddler who was experiencing rough, dry patches on her knees due to crawling. The cream was applied after another brand was not working. Within two days, the skin was healed and restored back to his soft clear appearance. The Healing Cream was used on my eight year old who was experiencing chapped hands from improper hand washing or more like not drying her hands off. I'm happy that I can at least say that as that shows she understands the importance of clean hands! Within three days, her hands went from dry, red and sore to smooth and clear. Neither children had any reactions to the cream and lotion. I have also used it on my hands and like how it feels and smells. The cream tends to be a bit heavier and leaves a slight film behind but it was absorbed in a short amount of time.
Overall, both products worked and I will definitely turn to Carmex for my skin needs.
More Information:
Healing Cream can be used anywhere the skin feels dry, can be used daily, absorbs fast for a non-greasy feel, contains rich healing ingredients to include aloe and vitamin E and is available in a tube or pump.
Healing Lotion can be used on your driest skin especially the knees, hands, feet and elbows, contains nine healing ingredients, concentrated so only a small amount is needed, absorbs fast for a non-greasy feel and is available in tube or pump.
About Carmex:
For over 70 years people have come to love the healing power of Carmex lip balms.
Are you a Chuck fan? Do you watch diligently and have a good feel for what is going to happen? Do ou also wonder what you would do if put in the same situation? I do when I watch shows and Chuck is no different. In season four, there are many different story lines and twists that keeps you guessing and wanting more. In one episode, Morgan has been avoiding his mother's house so he wouldn't have to face Big Mike. Big Mike reveals that he is proud of Morgan’s new role in the company. After spending months out at sea, he has realized that Morgan's mother is the source of his happiness, and reveals his intention to propose. Morgan hires him, and Big Mike entrusts Morgan with the proposal ring until Morgan judges him "worthy of his mother's love."
Isn't that a clever spin on ensuring intentions are true? I think it was a great way to hold Big Mike accountable and to ensure his love was not hidden by ulterior motives. I would have given him my blessing especially with taking my mom's feelings into account if she really loved him.
How would you have handled this situation? Would you have given Big Mike your blessing?
In season four, the geek gone spy is putting everything on the line, available for pre-order here: http://bit.ly/r3n2er
We are starting Christmas early and wanted to share our work in progress Gift Guide. If you are a sponsor, we would love to add you. Otherwise, please enjoy what we are putting together and be on the look out for updates!
Wrinkles .... the worry I despise as I'm not one of those women who embrace aging. I am fighting it every step of the way and why not? We spend half of our lives being old so why not try to look as good as long as possible. I can still age but I don't want to have premature wrinkles. I've always been searching for the holy grail for anti wrinkle creams that work. I have to admit that I have purchased Perricone MD in the past and would again except I lost my job and have to scale back. I don't like cutting back in this department however so if you are like me, you are going to love this giveaway. I've tried many creams and serums but there is one that I would love to try from Perricone and it's the DMAE lotion.
DMAE is an abbreviation for dimthylaminoethanol which is a non-irritating anti-oxidant that is reported to make skin firmer, smoother and brighter while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. If you don't know about Perricone MD, there are a host of products that provide for total body care. I even follow Perricone on Twitter to hear about the latest and greatest news and products. There's even a great recipe book that helps you eat healthier. This is one of the many things I like about Dr. Perricone is the total approach to healthy he touts and encourages his customers and followers to pursue.
Your choice of a Perricone product $150* or less <-- isn't that awesome?
*Free shipping on orders over $50
To Enter:
Leave a comment telling me which $150 or less Perricone product you want to try or have and why. This is a mandatory entry before completing the extra entries.
Extra Entries:
*Disclosure: I will receive a product in exchange for this giveaway.
Christmas will be here before we know it and if you are like me, that's when you gather the family for the big family picture. It's a time that some just get dressed, pose and smile while others spend a lot of time trying to figure out what everyone will wear, where they will get the photo taken and then fretting if everyone will smile or someone will inevitably have their eyes shut. It seems that the older my girls get, I have to take a series of photos to just get them all with their eyes open. Four girls is a lot to coordinate ranging in ages from 1 to 23. I usually steer clear of the photos but perhaps I'll be a part of it this year. I love the family pictures because I love preparing my Christmas Cards every year. The card to the left is one I chose from Shutterfly last year and is available this year too.
There is just something magical about picking the perfect Holiday Cards that I look forward to. From deciding their dresses to the location to picking the perfect card that will give my girls justice in their cuteness and beauty, it's an event that I am eager to plan for. When I do plan for that one great family photo, I start with the attire. Since they are young, except my 23 year old as she would never go for it, I buy the same dresses for my girls. It's hard trying to find the same dress in the same size but luckily my friend who has Adorable Baby Clothing, an online clothing store, provides the most beautiful dresses in a variety of sizes. So my first step, is finding the dress that will fit my grandbaby at size 24 months to my middle one at size 10. I think finding that ideal outfit or outfits sets the stage for ensuring the picture will look amazing.
My second step is to pick the date as I want it to be close enough to Christmas yet not too soon because I'm impatient and will show off my pictures ahead of time. I usually pick late November so I can get the best choice from Shutterfly, pay normal shipping or take advantage of one of their great offers and still get it in time for mailing in December. You pay a lot more when you wait too long due to the shipping costs.
My third tip is to pick the right location. I take my own photos so I think about the area I'm in and will choose a natural setting such as a park or the mountains. If I decide I have to take them inside, I'll use my photo stands to offer a simple white or black background. If I had to go to a studio, I would try to find one based on others feedback. I have had bad experiences with studios which is why I started taking my own.
The actual photo day. Aside from ensuring everyone's hair is fixed, the best family photos are the one's where everyone is not so rigid. Having props to let them loosen up and play is fun to do as you never know what you might capture. A simple flower to a Christmas ornament or more can break the seriousness of the photo to allow your children's innate charm to shine through. It's also good to layer the children and that I mean to place them at various heights such as having one sitting, one standing and so forth. When taking the photos, make sure the sun is not shining in anyone's eyes. The shade is truly best to avoid squinting or complaining that it's too bright.
The best tip is to keep it as stress free as possible for the children. If you make your kids grumpy, you will have a hard time getting a good family picture!
The final step in completing your family picture is choosing the right card. Here are some of my favorites:
How about you? Any tips on how you make sure you have the perfect family picture? Need some more great tips or ideas? Check out the Shutterfly Family Photo Days. This is a great resource for planning your next family photo and more!
*Disclosure: I'm writing this post to receive 50 free cards from Shutterfly. I am a customer of Shutterfly and the opinions expressed are of my own.
Heard of chicBuds? If you haven't and you listen to music, books or more, you are missing out on something really cool and fun. I've been a chicBuds customer and love the little speakers that are fashionable and full of life. They are cute. They are fun. They are playful. They are so much and yet the most important aspect, they are functional. They work great and are portable so they can go with you and since they plug into your computer, they get recharged with ease. We have three varieties now and love every one of them.
Our newest edition to the family are the Blue Leopard chicBuds chicBoom Keychain Speakers. The stylish leopard print also has a sparkling crystal heart to appeal to us blingy girls. They have a 2 watt amplified speaker that gives four hours of sound on a full rechargeable battery. It's great on trips or anytime you just want a break from headphones.
Here is an example of the sound:
See? They have great sound! We just returned from a trip to the Grand Canyon and I was able to just place it in our bag:
The 41st Annual Bob Evans Farm Festival took place October 14th through October 16th. The Farm Festival offered a glimpse in to living in the past on a farm as well as some good old fashion family fun. With the various activities ranging from actual live demonstrations to entertainment and not to mention some great tasting food, it was great fun. Unfortunately, I was only able to spend a day there due to a family emergency. It was a long, long drive just to have to turn around and go back but the girls did have a good time and since I'm homeschooling, it was a road trip adventure for them. We had crossed many states so they had a geography lesson along the way.
The Bob Evans Homestead Museum offered visitors a glimpse of the reconstructed counter of the original steak house owned by Bob Evans. Life size models of Bob Evans and Jewell Evans along with commercials and the history behind the 53 years of history behind Bob Evans' legacy.
This sign was a favorite for my family: A Cattle Tunnel! Yes, you read it! A cattle tunnel and isn't that something you rarely see?
There were many vendors and booths for various things such as pumpkin painting, singing and much more.
Overall, it was a great experience and I wished I had been able to spend the weekend as originally planned. By the time we arrived, we were tired but made the most of our wonderful hospitality we received. It's something to try again next year to see how the entire weekend event it. If you attended the Bob Evans Farm Festival, share your opinion on how you liked it!
*Disclosure: I did receive tickets/gift basket to attend the Festival but I did not receive financial compensation.
