Embracing a Healthy Family

Mamavation Monday: Food Cravings

This week's Mamavation Mom question is why do we crave food cravings.  I think the answer can be many reasons ranging from it being a comfort food, to the forbidden food to the additives that are included to make it crave-able.  I've often read about franken sugars like Aspartame having addictive qualities which makes you crave more.  I think foods such as salty, sweet and/or carb laden foods are a basic want we were probably conditioned into liking as we grew and that habit extended into our adult lives.  They might even be hormonal or maybe even seasonal.  The possibilities are endless in my opinion but I know I have those cravings periodically if not daily.  It's one of my struggles I live constantly.


This week, I did much better and I expected to gain weight but was surprised at how post our trip to Sea World and the elimination of soda and eating a bit healthier, I started to lose what I picked up over the weekend.  I'm still not running but I did ride the bike a lot.  Today, I worked off 400+ calories and tried to ride after I ate.  I've had a sinus infection or something that won't go away and I've been terribly fatigued coupled with insomnia so the will to run is out the door for now.  All in all, a good week and hope to continue to choose healthier foods and watch the scale go down a bit more.






This week on Mamavation:



Special Guest:  YVONNE STAFFOR, author of ” From Fast Foods to Slow Foods: How to Wake Up Laughing
Yvonne Stafford is a welcome voice in the field of holistic lifestyle. She has worn many entrepreneurial hats including commercial real estate broker and writer, event planner, educator and actress and has a long list of accomplishments to her name.
Ms. Stafford brings a lifetime of practical experience to the table traveling, researching and studying with the best healers in the holistic field. She holds several certifications in natural living lifestyle coaching and, a Masters in Communications from New York University. More than thirty years of study and living the “talk” has culminating in her first book; From Fast Foods to Slow Foods How to Wake Up Laughing;
In 2010 she founded the Natural Living Institute, a comprehensive educational, healing and therapy center devoted to teaching people how to take responsibility in restoring and maintaining their health through detoxification, good nutrition and conscious living.

This post is sponsored by Dole and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway

SodaStream Giveaway $99.95 Value 6/24






We have joined together with other Bloggers to give you this great Fountain Jet Soda Lover's Start-Up Kit ($99.95) Giveaway! We just received ours and the girls love it! Stay tuned for my own review but in the meantime, you can check out the review below.

This package includes:
  • Fountain Jet Home Soda Maker 
  • 1 60 liter Carbonator 
  • 1 Carbonating Bottle 
  • 3 SodaMix flavors (your choice) - each bottle makes 12 liters of soda 
  • Sodamix Variety 6 pack 

Review on the Soda Stream!

Having a Soda stream seltzer water maker is awesome! As a child, we would have a case of seltzer water bottles delivered to our home along with flavored syrup. This went away with the growth of canned soda. But now the seltzer water method is back in our life! We just fill our reusable plastic bottle with tap water push the button to carbonate with our soda stream maker then add some of the many flavors. We have tried at least 30 different flavors to date and have not been disappointed yet! We no longer have to buy 3+ cases of soda a week from the grocery store. We are saving money, we are saving more time, saving storage space, and much less to dispose of or recycle. I have yet to find any fault with this product. I highly recommend having a SodaStream maker to everyone.


Please Enter Below and Good Luck to All My Readers!

$100 Target Gift Card Giveaway 6/24 - US/Canada



Mom Powered Media has teamed up with 50 wonderful bloggers to bring you a weekly chance to win $100 to one of our favorite retailers!  I don't know about you but I LOVE Target! 



One lucky winner will receive a $100 Target Gift Card {paypal option available to winner's outside of the US so either way, it's a win-win!}

Giveaway ends June 24th at 11:59pm, open US & Canadian Residents, ages 18+. 


 To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. 


Good luck and if you win from my blog, drop me a quick message letting me know!



a Rafflecopter giveaway




Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.  Health, Beauty, Children and Family is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

$250 Summer Wardrobe Aeropstale Giveaway 6/23 - US/Canada

Welcome to the $250 Summer Wardrobe Giveaway!


AĆ©ropostale is a mall-based, specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories that is pretty well known. AĆ©ropostale provides customers with a focused selection of high-quality, active-oriented, fashion and fashion basic merchandise at compelling values and in great looks. Products can be purchased in-stores and online at Aeropostale.com and ps4u.com.   You can find exclusive Aeropostale Coupons and discounted gift cards on CouponTrade.com, your only source for both! Now you finally have a way to stack your savings in a whole new way!!!


Here is a GREAT deal to get you started, and you can print it to use in a store!


Aeropostale Printable Coupon | 20% off at Aeropostale in-store

Better still, have any unused or unwanted gift cards laying around? You can SELL them on CouponTrade to get that gift BACK! And if you do, you will earn 50 bonus entries in the giveaway! Just click here to find out how!

Bonus CouponTrade Registration Points



Great! Now log you entries in the Rafflecopter form below and don't forget to come back for your daily entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway





*Disclosure:  Health, Beauty, Children and Family is participating in this blog event.  We are not responsible for the prize fulfillment.

Free Blogger Event + Extra Links Optional: Get Fit for Summer Giveaway Event Update

NOTE: I didn't get e-mail addresses of all participants and since I have to have all following on Twitter to send a message, I can do that either.  Due to a couple of sponsors, the giveaway has been delayed until final details have been worked out.  If you signed up, can you please go back in and enter e-mails.  Thanks!




Join Health, Beauty, Children and Family and My So Called Homeschool Life in promoting this Get in Shape This Summer event!


Everyone is wanting to look good for summer and sometimes a little push is needed.  Sign up for this great giveaway event promoting better health.  


One winner will receive:


Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi Smart Scale


Product DetailsProduct Details Product Details





  1. Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi Smart Scale (see below for how awesome this Wi-Fi scale is)
  2. $25 Sephora Gift Card
  3. Kristin McGee's Power Yoga DVD
  4. Ageless Kathy Smith Total Body Turnaround DVD

Total Prize Package:  $190



Blogger sign up for one Facebook link is FREE.  You can purchase additional links for $2.00 each.  Gift the amount via PayPal to staying_younger@yahoo.com

Sign ups end 6/10 (sign up is in form below)



 

Super Saturday Flash Giveaway 6/16


Super Saturday Flash Giveaway
Prize: See Prize Options Above
To See Larger Images, Click Here
Event Date: 6/16
Time 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM EST
Host
&
Special Sponsor
Sponsors:
Please Note: Winner Will Be Announced on the Rafflecopter of This Post by 11:59 PM
If You Are The Winner You MUST Contact The Host Carmen @ carmen.uballe@yahoo.com 1st
You will then receive an email View A Sample Of The Email You MUST agree to the Terms & Conditions
In this email before the host can send you your Prize (No Exceptions)
You must email the host with in 48 Hours To Claim Your Prize Or A New Winner Will Be Selected

Issues With RC:

Please Note that if you are having an issue with Rafflecopter Please just keep refreshing until you are able to enter and Do Not Leave any Inappropriate Comments on this Blog Post They Will Be Removed

ATTENTION BLOGGERS ONLY:
I am hosting a Kindle Fire Extravaganza Giveaway and I am looking for Sponsors
Click Here --> To Find Our More

MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A COMMENT AND THE NAME OF THE BLOG YOU ARE ENTERING FROM FOR ALL YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT
a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

6 Boxes Mott's Medleys Assorted Fruit Giveaway - 3 Winners 7/7




Busy mom on the go this summer?  My kids aren't that involved with extra curricular activities but we are on the go between doctor appointments and our non-profit.  On those days when we are busy and on the road, having a quick and easy snack is nice to have.  With my growing importance on better snacks, Mott’s® Medleys Fruit Flavored Snacks are ideal for our busy family. Made with pear, apple and carrot juice concentrate, it's a great snack for my kids.


Since I mentioned our non-profit, Mott's also makes a great snack for our gift bags that we deliver since they are individually packaged.  We also pop them in our cooler for picnics.  They really are a versatile snack with each pouch containing only 80 calories and 0 fat.  They are gluten free and made with natural coloring and flavors.  Available in    berry and assorted fruit, they are sure to please!  


If you haven't checked out the Mott's page yet, you should for great recipes, quizzes, activities and more.


If you visit http://bit.ly/MottsCoupon, you can download a printable coupon for $.60 off the purchase of (1) Mott’s® Medleys Fruit Flavored Snacks.


Learn more about Motts by visiting them on Facebook and Twitter.


The Giveaway:


Three readers will win SIX boxes:

  • 3 boxes of Mott’s® Medleys  Fruit Flavored Snacks in Assorted Fruit
  • 3 boxes of Mott’s® Medleys Fruit Flavored Snack in Berry





To Enter:


Please use the Rafflecopter form below.  Prizes will be shipped by MyBlogSpark.  US only please.



a Rafflecopter giveaway





Disclosure:  The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have all been provided by Mott’s® through MyBlogSpark.












Check out all our other giveaways here!

UPrinting.com Business Card Giveaway 6/26

With the advancements of our society, business cards just aren't for businesses anymore.  So many of us are bloggers, participate in extra curricular events for our children or ourselves or a host of other reasons which makes business cards a nice must have at the end of the day.  UPrinting.com business cards are a perfect way to convey who you are, what you do or your own business.  Having our own non-profit is one reason why I use business cards and can think of so many other cool reasons such as an upcoming party, contact information since I have so many hobbies or even notification of when I move which I do so frequently.




This is your chance to have your own set of business cards from a printing company that makes exceptional quality cards.  I have received products in the past from UPrinting.com and know the quality and can vouch for them.  This giveaway will end 6/26 and includes:

  • 250 Die-cut Business Cards for one (1) winner
  • 2×3.5″ Rounded Corners, 2×2″ Rounded Corners, 1.75×3.5″ Rounded Corners, 2×3.5″ Leaf, 2×3.5 Rounded one corner, 2×3.5″ Half-Circle Side, 2×3.5″ Oval, or 2.5″ Circle
  • 14pt Cardstock Gloss / Matte / High Gloss (UV), or 13pt Cardstock Uncoated
  • 6 Business days print turnaround time
  • Free US shipping only

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.


a Rafflecopter giveaway








Restrictions:



1. This giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old and above.
2. No prize substitutions allowed.
3. Winners are allowed to win once over a six-month period.
4. Only email addresses used for the giveaway will be eligible to claim the prize.


*Disclosure: You should assume that I will receive free print products in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions. Interested to hold a giveaway like this? Please sign up here.

Coupon & Friends 6000 Fan Sweepstakes 6/30


I can't believe we have made it to this point, it seems like such a short while ago when I was setting up Coupons and Friends and now here we are at 6,000 Fans. I owe so much of this to my fellow bloggers who answer even the stupid questions I come up with and my fans who support me!! You all make my days a little brighter. And for that we have some great prizes.


Wholesome Sweeteners has put together this fantastic gift basket for one lucky winner! Check out my review on Wholesome Sweeteners here.


2 Lucky winners will get to Rock out like Keira with headphones Sponsored by Kidz Gear! Check out my review on these awesome headphones for kids!

Toe Juice is offering a 4.6oz bottle of their multi-use, all natural, skin care product!! Check out what we had to say about this.



2 winners will receive 10 Hangflex hangers courtesy of Hangflex! Check out what they're all about here.

One Lucky Winner will receive an awesome gift pack from Guylian including: One 22 piece box of Guylian Artisanal Belgian Original Chocolate truffles, Two- 6 piece Original Chocolate Truffle boxes, and Four- 2 piece Original Chocolate Truffle boxes. Read my review on these delicious chocolates!

One winner will receive Boogie Wipes for their little ones!! Check out my review here.

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Support Small Business & Vote: Ficklets, Adorable Baby Clothing & Baskets-N-Beyond



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Please take a few seconds and vote for three great mompreneurs as they try to win a $250,000 business grant.  


Just repeat three times by clicking on the link, logging in via your Facebook account and type:

  1. Ficklets, click search and vote
  2. Adorable Baby Clothing, click search and vote
  3. Baskets-N-Beyond, click search and vote







It's one vote per Facebook account and voting ends 6/30 - please share and help spread a little help to three deserving women!  They only need 250 votes to qualify!


Thank you!







Madame Deals Event: Coach Purse and Wallet Giveaway 6/30


It's time for another great Coach Purse and Wallet Event!  With summer upon us, now is the time to win a great new purse and wallet to show off with or to just look even hotter.  Aren't the colors great? Perfect for summer!

**Powered by Madame Deals and Slop Swap**

Thanks to our hosts for helping us run this great giveaway:

This giveaway will run from 6/14 12:01 am EST thru 6/30 11:59 pm EST

If you've entered any of our other Madamde Deals Events, this will be easy for you.

There is 1 mandatory entry of a blog comment plus Facebook likes for bonus entries.

Wait for the Rafflecopter to load and enter below:

1 Sol Swimwear Must See Review & Giveaway 7/3


Summer is upon us and it's time to pamper ourselves with fashionable suits for the beach or just at home.  As many are planning vacations, weddings or just some relaxation, now is the time to pick out a great new suit.  I always like to get a new suit every year because it just feels good to have something new.  Swimsuits are no exception but this year, I'm also 30 pounds less so I wanted something that would wow me.  1 Sol Swimwear was one place I had never heard of and was happy to participate in a free sample and giveaway.  1 Sol Swimwear has that salon high end craftsmanship but at competitive prices and highly fashionable sets.  


  
This summer, solids, scarf prints and high waist cuts are fashionable and of course, 1 Sol Swimwear has the selection.  One of the features I liked the most with 1 Sol Swimwear was the Bikini Maker where you can select from a variety of styles and colors and make the suit you love.  This is what I selected when I choose my suit for review.  There are many feature options in finding the perfect suit:
  • Bikini Maker (noted above)
  • By Fit
    • Brazilian Bikinis
    • Moderate Coverage Bikinis
    • Tankinis
    • Monokinis
    • One Piece
  • By Collection
    • Embellished
    • Prints
    • Silky Solids


The swimsuit I chose was the Hardware Grecian Top in Black and the Diane Skirted Bottom in Black.  I wanted to get maximum coverage and with the Bikini Maker, I was able to choose the type of coverage I wanted first and then I was able to create my suit.  I loved this option because we know that our tops and bottoms are not always the same size.  It's also nice as we might like a better combination then pre-made suits available.  It's a great feature since you can make your own suit or pick one of their fashionable selections.  

The suit is made with high quality and the silky fabric is soft and provides full coverage (i.e. not see through).  It's a very well put together suit that is beautiful and classy.

The top has an embellishment that adds to the classiness and allure of the suit and compliments a tan.  Overall, it's a great suit that arrived in amazing upscale packaging that fit the quality of my gorgeous new swim suit.  


1 Sol Swimwear offers free shipping and free shipping return.

Now you can win your very own 1 Sol Swimwear Suit! 

Enter by using the Rafflecopter form below and enjoy looking at all the great suits!



a Rafflecopter giveaway 


*Disclosure:  I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Help 2 Mompreneurs Win Chase Business Grants - Easy & Free Voting



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Please take a second and vote for a great mompreneur win a $250,000 business grant.  Just click on the link and type in FICKLETS! She needs as many votes as she can get 6/30 and voting is FREE! Please share! Thanks!


Ficklets was started by mompreneur, Ros, to help her special needs daughter like her eyeglasses a little bit more.


https://www.missionsmallbusiness.com/


Adorable Baby Clothing is also running for the same grant.  Cynthia is also a mompreneur and could use your vote.


You can use the same link as above but just type in Adorable Baby Clothing and vote after you vote for Ficklets.  


It's one vote per Facebook account and voting ends 6/30.







Free Blogger Event: Eddie Bauer Fairview Baby Collection Giveaway


The Eddie Bauer Baby Collection Giveaway Event hosted by the Iowa-Mom and Bay Area Mommy is now open to bloggers!

Cost is $2 or free with announcement post. See bloggers wanted details and signup form for more details.

$25 Amazon, Walmart or Target Gift Card Giveaway 6/30

I do some freelance work and get paid what I call my fun money.  I like to take a portion of that and give it to my readers.  This time, I'm passing on a $25 Amazon, Walmart or Target gift card just to say thanks!



Also, if you get a chance, I would greatly appreciate a vote for the two mompreneurs below as they try to win a $250,000 grant to further their business.

To Enter:

Please use the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway ends 6/30 (EST) - Open anywhere that can accept an online Amazon GC or US for all three options.


_______________________________________________



Please take a second and vote for a great mompreneur win a $250,000 business grant.  Just click on the link and type in FICKLETS! She needs as many votes as she can get 6/30 and voting is FREE! Please share! Thanks!


Ficklets was started by mompreneur, Ros, to help her special needs daughter like her eyeglasses a little bit more.


https://www.missionsmallbusiness.com/


Adorable Baby Clothing is also running for the same grant.  Cynthia is also a mompreneur and could use your vote.


You can use the same link as above but just type in Adorable Baby Clothing and vote after you vote for Ficklets.  


It's one vote per Facebook account and voting ends 6/30.




Please note that voting is not expected rather just a request from my readers to help out a couple of friends.  







a Rafflecopter giveaway