Lush Decor

I recently was given the opportunity to select some products to review in my blog from Lush Decor. I am waiting on shipping, but want to get the word out on their giveaway IMMEDIATELY. So, this will be a two-part post.

First, the product I am waiting on ....

Isn't it just gorgeous? This is their Flower Texture 8-piece Comforter Set and I am getting it for a Queen-size bed. I cannot wait until it comes and then go to Target to get matching sheets. I am not a silk sheet fan, but I might have to find something to be spa-ish when I have this set on my bed. It has been SO long since I have had anything nice for decor.

Book Reviews - The Chase & Love Trap

So, I am VERY behind on my sponsored posts, so bear with me over the next few days as I fill you in on a few things! There may be days when I feel the need to pop in with a more personal post so I might have 2 posts that day. I am very glad I have some patient clients as I could not anticipate this illness that I had ... or that it would get so bad.

One of the things I feel the most blessed about during this past month is having a lot of books to read. I was given the opportunity to read a couple books for free ... and I am going to tell you about both of them. These are two VERY different types of books but both will keep you wanting more until you get to the end. I was actually disappointed in the end of one ... only because I wanted more. I am sure that is is exactly what the author wanted me to feel too. *laugh*

So ... on to the first book.

Dealing with Dry Scalp!

As I have stated in November, I HATE dry skin! I have been using my Mary Kay products for several weeks now and I have noticed a HUGE difference. However, I have still struggled with an itchy scalp. I have used tea tree oil in my shampoo and conditioner and that has helped quite a bit, but not completely. I still find myself scratching at my scalp throughout the day and winter is only beginning.

When I read your comments on other blog posts, I realized that I am not alone in this struggle. I was approached by Insta Natural to see if I would like to try a few of their products. One of their products is Vitamin C Serum and I will touch on it at the end of this post, but the other two are Argan Oil and are designed to help with hydration. I was all over that!

So, here is my quick FTC disclosure statement ... I DID receive these three products free in exchange for a blog post and review. HOWEVER, the opinions on the products are my own.

One Night Promised {A Review}

First off, an apology for not posting over the last few days. I actually decided to do a cleanse and wanted to take the time to clear my body of toxins and figure out what all was triggering my IBS. I have learned a lot from my cleanse ... but I will leave that for another post.

I reviewed the first book from the Hachette Book Group back in October. I waited on this next book because I wanted to read the second book in the trilogy. Unfortunately, now I have to wait a couple months before the final book comes out. I am DYING to see how it ends!

A book has been provided for my honest review.

One Night Promised

Author: Jodi Ellen Malpas
ISBN: 978-1455559312
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Release: August 5, 2014
Publisher: Forever
416 pages

Beginning to fall in love ...

The first time I tested out the One Direction color line, I was pretty clear that it was not my cup of tea. It was GREAT for teens, but it was too bold for pretty much everyone else (MHO). So, when I heard they had MORE colors, kits, and products coming out ... I was stoked to see what they had in store.

*Quick note - I DID get these products free in exchange for a review, but my opinions are my own. Compensation does not make anyone the boss of my opinions.*

So, this time I received SEVERAL packages. My daughter was SO excited. We have not yet had the chance to try a few of them out and I will let you know which ones those are. The first to arrive were trio packages. I got nail polish with toppings, mascara/hair coloring, and lip gloss.

Tackling Mount Washmore with a Review

Well, did you survive Thanksgiving & Black Friday? I think I can mark mine down as JUST BARELY. Friday night ended on a great note, but the week was SO crazy. I literally started thinking about how long it will be until we are empty nesters ... which is sad since that is like 16 years down the road. LOL

Part of the reason for the craziness is that we decided that this week would be when we move everyone around again. While we were given permission to have the parent's bedroom in the basement by the state over a year ago ... our apartment complex did not want a bedroom in the basement. We were looking at getting a sleeper sofa for the living room, but we just could not find a style that we liked. THEN there was the discussion of having to open it and close it daily ... yeah, just icky.

We struck a compromise with Peanut. She has had her own room for over a year now and is seriously OCD about the state of her stuff. However, we were going to have to put the little girls in the same room. Since we were moving our bed out of the basement, we decided to section off a part of the basement just for her stuff. She literally will only have her bed in the room with the girls.

What this meant was Bullfrog & Peanut had to switch rooms ... then we had to move the little girls upstairs. FINALLY, we had to move our room upstairs and clean the basement. With Jeremy working Monday and Tuesday ... and today being Black Friday ... we had Wednesday & Thursday to do it all. The older two rocked and got their rooms done over the weekend so everything was set for quick changes.

A vault on the go ... a NEED for parents

Okay, so back in September, I attended Type-A Con in Atlanta. I didn't expect to come home with anything other than swag. I was SURPRISED (to say the least) when I got an email from one of the sponsors letting me know I had won their iPad Mini drawing. Even more amazing, it was a sponsor that I was VERY interested in because I know MANY parents who need this.

Before I dive into who this sponsor is, let me tell you about my struggles. Jeremy and I both have jobs. He works outside of the house in a traditional work setting. I work from home and drive for Uber. Both are freelance jobs and are flexible ... but I'm also a hermit. Jeremy is the one who goes to the events while I stay home and corral the two toddlers who would make our life a living hell if they attended.

This leads to common problems. Jeremy gets the schedules and I have all the important documentation. Which means, when he is filling out paperwork, he has to call me to get information such as social security numbers, current vaccination records, health insurance information, and so forth. We also don't like to keep things the kids bring home (count four children plus three of them in school plus everyday activities ... yeah, no thanks), but we like to preserve the memories of them and share them with family members.

Jill Shalvis - It's In HIs Kiss - Book Review

I was selected by Hachette Book Group to read a couple of their adult fiction books. I was sent two of their books, and while I have already finished both, I am going to dedicate a blog post to each of them. I will warn you ahead of time, both of these books are for mature adults.

The first book I am reviewing is It's in His Kiss by Jill Shalvis. Jill has written 23 books and is a New York Bestselling Author. She is a romance writer and lives in a small town. It's In His Kiss is one of her Lucky Harbor books and was just released this past August.

Tea Tree Oil - Is it Worth the Hype?

I LOVE essential oils. I really do. However, there are definitely times when I struggle with whether an oil is really good as the hype makes it out to be. This was the case with tea tree oil. I really hadn't used tea tree oil, but I have heard of it. I heard you use it to clean, repels insets, clearing up infections, and the list goes on. I discovered that coconut oil is not quite as good as the hype has made it out to be ... so I began to wonder if tea tree oil was the same. We had seen it work with homemade mosquito repellent, but that was as far as I had gone with testing the oil out.

Apothecary Extracts gave me the opportunity to do a variety of things with the oil by providing me with a complimentary 4oz bottle. There was no requirement for a positive review, just a blog post on my thoughts and what I did. I will state, however, that I did fall in love with the oil and I DO believe it is worth the hype.

*FTC Disclosure - I have been compensated for this post with a complimentary 4oz bottle of Tea Tree Oil. This review and all opinions in it are my own.*

Cute way to introduce different cultures to your children

If you are like me, you are constantly wanting to introduce your children to different cultures. Part of my problem is that I am stuck in the middle of the United States, and in a location where Hispanics seem to be the only other culture the children are exposed to. I used to home school, so we made a big deal about doing a lesson on the different cultures around the world, and some of them that make up who "Americans" are today.

*Note - I was given access to this Kindle book in hopes of a positive review on Amazon. All of the opinions are my own and the blog post is of my own free will.*

I was approached by a company that represent eBooks and asked to read Abigail and the Jungle Adventure.

Why I prefer Amino Acid Supplements

Working on building muscle but feel as if you are getting nowhere or that it is taking forever? You are likely not getting enough of the right protein. Protein is required to help build muscles as it has the amino acids your body cannot make otherwise. This is why it is necessary for those who are looking to build muscle mass to take amino acids.

Mystery, Romance, and Couldn't Put it Down

I LOVE to read and I love the fact my Android phone has a Kindle app. This allows me to read without having to clutter my house up with paperback books. I was given the opportunity to read a story that involved a mysterious murder, romance, lost love, and twists and turns.

{GIVEAWAY} Hydrate your body with coconut water

I am SO tired of being dry after my showers. I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but you can actually see the dryness on my arms and legs after I get out of the shower. I have to slather on the lotion, just so I won't feel tight and uncomfortable. I got some shea butter soap, but it was in a bar and I really prefer liquid to put on my loofa. So, I was super excited when I was selected by Purex Insiders to try out the new Dial Coconut Water with Mango.

I LOVE Prizes

There is nothing more exciting than being able to unwrap a prize or present. I, personally, think this is why all of the subscription boxes are so popular. You have no idea what is going to be in them, so it is like getting a present every month! I was given the opportunity to try Prize Candle, which has a prize inside EVERY candle!

Don'tcha Want Some Matcha

I am a mother of four, and as such, I am usually lacking in the area of mental focus and energy. This leaves me longing for a shot of caffeine, which couldn't be worse for my health. I do take multi-vitamins and drink Shakeology, but it doesn't always cut through the fog. Therefore, I am a huge fan of the antioxidants found in green tea powder. Now, the problem comes from me being Latter-Day Saint and not drinking fermented drinks! So, how do I get the benefits from all natural green tea, without the fermented process? Two words ... Matcha Powder

Look Great for a 1D Concert

One Direction is one of my daughter's favorite bands. She is head over heels about their latest release ... makeup. She loves the Mary Kay At Play line, and in our opinion, the 1D line is very similar. The make up will be released starting the 11th at Macy's and Beauty Brands on the 25th.

Review of a company that "rose" to the challenge

It isn't very often that I get to give myself flowers. I have NEVER gotten flowers in the mail. The last time I was given flowers and wasn't at home was when my sister sent me flowers for my 16th birthday. I received them at school and I was so excited. I was approached by an online company to review their roses and I was intrigued. It is the dead of summer and I wondered what flowers really looked like when you first received them.

Won a Noodles & Company Tasting

I am going to start this post by saying I was NOT informed I had to blog about it. I only won the sampling because I put my business card in their fishbowl. I took my best friend who has been there through everything for the last six years. My husband was so awesome and stayed home with the kids so I could enjoy a night out.

I wanted to talk about the sampling and give  little insight into this company. I have NEVER been disappointed with Noodles & Company. I go there every year for my birthday for their free meal ... but I also order food once or twice a year as a date with my husband. It is not cheap, but it isn't very expensive either. I put it in the same class as Chipotle and Schlotzsky's.

Shakeology Comparison

On a comment from my #GoVoxBox Review, I was asked whether I would recommend Next Step Fit N Full or Shakeology ... and why. First, I am a Beachbody consultant and a Shakeology user. I have sold the product on my husband as well. So, I am writing this post with the facts, instead of just saying "I sell Shakeology, so buy it!"

Mortgage Calculator

*Note - I have been compensated for this post but the opinions expressed are my own.*

When you are looking to purchase a home, you will want to make sure that you have your finances planned out. This is not easy when you are not sure what your mortgage payments will be. With a calculator that figures your mortgage payments for you, you can have an easier time figuring out what you can afford in the way of a home.