coffee date & a giveaway.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.

THANKS FOR ENTERING!

before i catch you up on some of the yummy portion packs we've been indulging in, i want to let you know that you can get free shipping and 15% off your purchase at green mountain coffee by using the code
AM0016-3605. this code is good until february 29th.
{no minimum purchase required & offer is valid in the u.s. only}

once upon a time, i referred to myself as the ambassador of coffee quan.
of course, anyone who owns a keurig might think of themselves in the same way. 

but, you & i both know that the keurig is not just for coffee lovers.

one of my family's favorite portion packs is the hot apple cider.

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made from real apples, this is a warm, refreshing drink that the whole family enjoys. my children love that it's an alternative to hot chocolate and they have a lot of fun using the keurig to make a cup. the hot apple cider portion packs are available year round.

another favorite are the fair trade coffees.

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the sumatran reserve is just one example of the variety of fair trade coffees offered at green mountain coffee. my husband and i loved the bold flavor of this blend. 

it's no secret that i love iced coffee. while it's convenient to swing into my favorite coffee shop and order an iced coffee to go, it is certainly cheaper to be able to make them at home. i'll admit...i was skeptical of the iced coffee portion packs at first. but, add in some hazelnut syrup and some half & half and i'm good to go.

{via}

everyone i know how has a keurig has tried the donut house variety of portion packs. the flavor is familiar...it's described as "easy going, bold, and dependable."

{via}

we enjoyed the "regular" variety of donut house, but we did not care for the cinnamon roll portion pack by donut house. my husband and i prefer bolder, stronger coffees and the cinnamon roll was a bit too weak for our taste.

for the holidays, we had the privilege of sampling two seasonal portion packs: spicy eggnog & gingerbread.

{via}

{via}

my husband and i are not big fans of flavored coffees. yes, we'll use flavored creamers or add syrups to our coffee, but we prefer a nice, bold coffee taste for our coffee {if that makes any sense at all}. my father enjoyed the gingerbread coffee. it had a nice, spicy flavor and he enjoyed it black. the spicy eggnog's flavor, however, was inconsistent. sometimes it tasted like eggnog, sometimes it did not.

one seasonal flavor i did enjoy was the pumpkin spice. yum, yum!

perhaps the most favorite portion pack we've sampled thus far has been the barista prima variety: french roast, italian roast, house blend & colombia.

{via}

out of the four varieties, the house blend was our least favorite. why? because it wasn't as bold as the other three. the italian roast was my husband's favorite. i preferred the french roast. both were smooth, bold and tasty. in many ways, the rich flavor reminded me a lot of the coffee we enjoy whenever we vacation in mexico.

and, if you've made it this far, you have the chance to win a four pack sampler of the barista prima variety {one serving of each blend}. and, as an added bonus, i'll even throw in a box of your favorite portion pack!

here's how to enter...
in a comment, let me know your favorite keurig portion pack.
for an extra entry, tweet about this giveaway. leave proof of the tweet in a separate comment.


please make sure to leave your email address in your comment so i have a way to contact you if you're the winner.

Winner will be announced on Friday, February 3rd!

disclosure:  i am a k-cup ambassador working in conjunction with green mountain coffee roasters & the your perfect cup program.  i was given all of the k-cups mentioned as compensation for my review.  all opinions in this review are my own. regarding the giveaway, the barista prima sampler has been provided by green mountain roasters. the bonus portion pack will be paid for and provided by me.

PRODUCT REVIEW: creating a memory with LiveOn...

recently, i was given the opportunity to "test drive" the website a company that is dedicated to creating memories by preserving memories...

LiveOn

the idea behind LiveOn is to allow users to create an account where you can upload photos from your computer or facebook {how clever!}, create memories {aka slide shows} with ease & publish those memories to your timeline. you can even create a time capsule that will only contain the memories you wish for it to contain. honestly, i was a bit hesitant at first about reviewing LiveOn because i thought to myself, "do i really need to join another photo hosting site?"

the answer? yes!

why?

first of all, LiveOn is easy to navigate. i created an account, watched a short introductory video & created my first memory in minutes. MINUTES, y'all. i've played around with other websites & programs before and none have been as easy as LiveOn. want proof? click here to view the slide show i created. you can include text, videos & music in the slide shows, too. i was pleasantly surprised at how user friendly LiveOn's website is & creating my first memory was super easy...i can't wait to create more!

LiveOn allows you to pick & choose what to share and who to share it with. you can build what LiveOn calls a tribe. it's basically a list of followers who are viewing your timelines & memories {i've been calling them slide shows}. you can also narrate for people. this is a neat feature because it allows you to create an account for a friend or loved one who might not be able to, as LiveOn says, "tell their own stories."

i love that LiveOn also features "life questions." you'll see different questions pop up in little windows throughout the site. these "life questions" get you thinking...and you'll soon realize that this website is so much more than just creating & preserving memories. LiveOn is allowing you a place on the internet to journal, if you will, and create a keepsake that will last a lifetime.

i'm sure you're wondering...LiveOn is free. there is a paid option which grants you access to the premium features. the nice part of the paid option? you can choose it for one memory OR you can choose a monthly, yearly or lifetime option. but, don't worry about your memories...whether you are accessing LiveOn for free or paying for premium access, ALL memories stored at LiveOn are safe & secure and will be on LiveOn forever. Seriously, forever. That's LiveOn's promise to you.

even more exciting? there is an option for folks who have video tapes, film, older forms of media or physical pictures {you know, like 4x6's and polaroids} to preserve their memories, too! LiveOn Rewind is the site that handles the processing of all physical media into digital memories. your pictures, videos & other precious documents are safe & will be returned to you. if you're interested in this option, you simply choose a package to get started. {psst...and here's a 20% off code for LiveOn Rewind: cgc47}

y'all, check out LiveOn. the holidays are here. thanksgiving is tomorrow. get your camera out & take some pictures so you can get started on your own timeline at LiveOn. and, when you do, be sure to add me to your tribe so we can share our memories!


thank you to LiveOn for this sponsored opportunity to blog about storing and sharing my most important memories with those closest to me.  although story ideas were provided, all thoughts and opinions are my own.  please click here to learn more about storing and sharing your most special memories.  


i was selected for this sponsorship by clever girls collective.  all opinions expressed here are my own.

holiday greetings...and a giveaway!

THE GIVEAWAY PORTION OF THIS POST HAS ENDED. THANK YOU FOR ENTERING!

halloween is less than two weeks away, so it seems a bit silly to think about holiday cards, right? no.

choosing the perfect card to give to family & friends can be a daunting task. there are so many themes, styles, and designs to choose from. should you include a photo? or, should you keep the card simple? these are decisions that can make even the most organized person sweat. if you're not familiar with shutterfly, you need to be. why? because not only is shutterfly a great website that offers photo sharing, but you can also create photo gifts, calendars and beautiful cards, too {cards for all occasions, i might add}. 

creating a holiday card on shutterfly is easy. how can that be? deciding on the perfect design might be difficult {it's hard to choose just one favorite!}, but shutterfly breaks down the card creation process into three simple steps:

• card theme: christmas, holiday, religious, or story
• number of photos: one, two, three, or four {or more}
• card format: flat, folded, or high-quality photo paper 

uploading & editing a photo to create the perfect card could not be easier! the possibilities are endless & the prices are affordable. in addition, shutterfly also offers address labels, gift tags & even thank you notes to round out your holiday needs.

i've been a fan of shutterfly cards for years, especially during the holidays. here are the holiday cards i've ordered from shutterfly in the past:

i love knowing that i'm sending my friends & family a beautiful, high-quality card . . . it's not your average greeting card. instead, i'm giving the people i love an item that can be cherished. 

and, yes, the third card down is totally from the erin condren collection at shutterfly. that particular card style is no longer available, but shutterfly does offer many cute designs by erin!

are you a blogger? want a chance at 25 free holiday cards this season? if so, then register here:  http://goo.gl/DDw7Q

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now, about the giveaway mentioned in the title...

shutterfly has generously offered to give THREE of my readers 25 free holiday cards.* 

seriously, this is an amazing deal! 

all you need to do is comment on this blog...that's all!

you have until 11:59pm on sunday, october 30th to comment.

i'll choose THREE winners on monday, october 31st {halloween!}.

*please note that you will be responsible for the shipping charges

the fine print: in exchange for this post, shutterfly gave me a promotion code for 50 free cards. all opinions are my own. 

PRODUCT REVIEW: smurfalicious fun!

i thought i would be excited about my opportunity to blog for ubisoft as an ubichamp... 

clearly, i was wrong. 

when the smurfs dance party showed up at our home, it became very evident that my children were more stoked than i was about my new blogging venture {mom, do we have to send this game back?? this is so cool!!}.

{picture via}

saturday morning smurf cartoons was my thing back in the day. and, unless you have been living under a rock, you know that the smurfs are a pretty big deal these days. the smurfs are starring in their own movie {with n.p.h.!}. gargamel is still as goofy as ever. even better? the smurfs have their own wii game.

the premise of the smurfs dance party is very similar to the already popular just dance games {which we own three of, thankyouverymuch}. my kids enjoy the just dance games, so i knew they would be especially excited about the smurfs dance party.

there are three game modes: dance, story & playlists. there is even a fourth mode especially for parents in which mom or dad can change game options, track your child's progression & check the awards section to see which figurines have been unlocked. the characters featured in this game are: papa, smurfette, clumsy, brainy, gutsy, grouch and, of course, gargamel.

my kids opted immediately for dance mode. here are a few videos i took of them having fun while playing along with the smurfs dance party:

{dancing to mr. smurftastic}

{dancing to barbra streisand}
i started laughing during this video...sorry about that.


{dancing to just the way you are}

my kids are in LOVE with the smurfs dance party. they had so much fun playing & i can't wait for them to discover the other two modes, story & playlist. aside from some of the music lyrics {it's mild, don't worry!} i approve of this game as well. it will certainly bring our family hours of fun!

if you have a smurf fan of your own, you can pick up the game at toys 'r' us or amazon.

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this UbiChamps blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

PRODUCT REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Sand-Off!

THE GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED - thanks to all who entered!

But, please, read my review & check out Sand-Off!

if you're anything like our family, then you probably spend a lot of time here:

we live within minutes of a handful of beaches & we're also just a few hours away from some of north carolina's awesome beaches.  saltwater runs through our veins {although, i'm pretty darn certain that caffeine runs through mine, but i digress...}.

seriously, once the weather warms up, we are always at the beach.

we love the beach.  we love the surf.  we love the shells.  we love the sand...

sand.  not only does it get all over the inside of your bathing suit, but it also comes home with you.  {trust me, you should see the inside of adam's truck during the summer months...there's enough sand in there to replenish a small beach.}

i think my least favorite thing about going to the beach is "de-sanding" ourselves as best as we can before we head for home.  our "de-sanding" routine is less than ideal.  i mean, what's the point of rinsing your feet off in the shorebreak when you have to walk back through the sand?  then, when you get to the truck, you spend a few minutes per foot trying to remove every. single. grain.  eventually, we just give up {hence the small beach in adam's truck}.

our "de-sanding" routine has been forever changed thanks to sand-off!  sand-off is a powder-filled terry cloth mitt that helps 'break the bond between sand and skin.'

{source}

sand-off is so easy to use.  just like the graphic above says, you clap, wipe & store...that's all!  the mitt can be easily stored in your beach bag, too {i keep our sand-off mitt in a plastic baggie}.  the terry cloth is gentle on your skin & the powder is unscented and doesn't irritate your skin.  

we've used our sand-off mitt on wet & dry skin and it works well at removing the sand from our kids' feet.  adam loves the convenience of the sand-off mitt.  once upon a time, getting the kids to "de-sand" themselves was a chore, but not anymore!  now, whenever we pack our beach bag, we always make sure we have our sand-off mitt with us.  long gone are the days of rinsing off in the shorebreak!

one sand-off mitt is supposed to last one beach season...depending on how often you go.  once you run out of powder, you'll know it's time for a new mitt.  but, don't throw away your old mitt...wash it and use it for cleaning around the house!  sand-off is also great for removing grass clippings, construction grime, saw dust, etc.  

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are you ready for some fun in the sun?  is your family excited about heading to the beach?

do you want to win your own sand-off mitt??

the awesome folks at sand-off have generously offered one of my readers a sand-off mitt of their own!  all you need to do is enter to win...here's how:

1.  leave a comment - tell me what you're family loves to do in the summer, where you like to vacay, whatever.  just leave me some love!  

2.  visit sand-off's website.  check out their video!

3.  follow sand-off on twitter.

4.  "like" sand-off on facebook.

5.  follow my blog.

6.  tweet about this review/giveaway {leave me your tweet link}.

7.  follow me on twitter.

you can do one or all seven...just leave a separate comment for each entry, please.  oh, and be sure to leave an email, too, so i know how to get in touch with you {just in case your blogger profile isn't already linked to your email}.  

i will choose the winner on saturday, june 4th!

disclaimer:  i contacted the folks at sand-off about their product.  they generously offered me a mitt to review as well as a mitt to giveaway.  thank you, sand-off!!

coffee? yes, please.

i'm sure many of you have noticed that badge off to the right.  yeah, the one that shouts to the world that i'm a keurig k-cup ambassador.

so i'm not an ambassador of quan.  but, if you equate coffee with quan, then maybe i am your girl.

i don't know about you all, but my blood is caffeinated.  coffee gets me through my day.  but, i know that some of you don't like coffee.  some of you may be tea drinkers or even cocoa drinkers.  shoot, some of you might not even like hot drinks and prefer your coffee or tea to be iced.

decaffeinated, high-octane, hot, cold, sweetened, unsweetened, flavored creamer, half & half...no matter how you take your coffee, tea or cocoa of choice there is one thing you should know...the keurig does it all.  trust me, i've been a keurig owner for years and my family loves it.  my husband & i even joke about who will get the keurig if we ever split up...yep, we're that serious about our machine.

once upon a time, we were slaves to our coffee maker.  filters, programs, scorched coffee, stained carafes...not fun.  keurig came to our rescue with their k-cups.  suddenly, there was no more stale, burned or wasted coffee.  k-cups allowed us to brew the perfect cup - in three different sizes - whenever we wanted.  and the variety? unbelievable!

{source}

and, let's not forget the keurig's versatility because sometimes we prefer to grind our own coffee beans and the keurig allows us to do that.

we've tried many of the different k-cup varieties, but this past month we've been enjoying two: tully's french roast & green mountain coffee's breakfast blend

{source}

my husband is a fan of dark, bold coffee {so what if he then proceeds to load his coffee up with flavored creamer AND sugar}.  tully's french roast is the tully brand's most popular blend.  it is extra bold, "powerful and intense with a smoky, decadent finish."  to him, tully's french roast is THE perfect cup of coffee.  he starts his morning with a cup and he sometimes finishes his day with a cup.

i find that i'm not nearly as particular about the intensity of my coffee.  true, i love drinking coffee black {especially if we're in mexico}, but i also appreciate the subtle flavors of smoother coffees like green mountain coffee's breakfast blend.

{source}

the breakfast blend is lovely.  the aroma is heavenly.  it's not bitter nor is it as acidic as darker, bolder blends.  to me, it's the perfect cup of coffee to wake up to.  to my husband, not so much.

so what does all of this coffee talk mean for you?

from now until june 10th, you can enjoy 15% off anything AND free shipping when placing an order online with green mountain coffee.  use the code: AM0013-3605

if you don't have a keurig, don't worry.  green mountain coffee sells whole bean & ground coffees as well.  but, i seriously think all of you who are on the fence about buying a keurig should really take the leap.  and, guess what?  green mountain coffee sells keurigs, too!  talk about a one stop shop!


next week, i'll be reviewing gloria jean's hazelnut coffee and celestial seasonings english breakfast black tea.  i will also have additional discount codes for you every so often, but please take advantage of the current offer & be sure to share it with your friends, family & fellow bloggers!




disclosure:  i am a k-cup ambassador working in conjunction with green mountain coffee roasters & the your perfect cup program.  i was given the k-cups as compensation for my review.  all opinions in this review are my own.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker

months ago i was contacted by csn stores to review one of the many products their website offers. let me start off by saying it was difficult to decide what i wanted to review because csn stores has a wide variety of shops to choose from.  seriously, you can buy just about anything and everything from swing sets, lcd tv stands, furniture to pet accessories, art & luggage!  i settled on a new slow cooker.  boring, i know, but come on, y 'all, i own three other slow cookers in various sizes...i cannot live without my slow cookers!

i ordered the hamilton beach six quart "set & forget" slow cooker.  it's from the "stay or go" line.  this is my second six quart slow cooker, but i love this one much more than my other programmable slow cooker.  why?  there are many cooking options.  three of them, in fact.  i can program the slow cooker to cook manually {you keep track of the temperature & time}, cook using a program {the slow cooker keeps track of temperature & time} OR cook using the thermometer probe {it will stop cooking when your meat has reached it's desired temperature}.  i also appreciate that the slow cooker will automatically adjust to 'keep warm' when it is finished cooking.

the thermometer probe is cool.  i cooked a whole chicken in the slow cooker and it came out moist, juicy & the meat was falling off the bone {never mind the fact that i felt like buffalo bill when i had to skin the whole chicken prior to dropping it in the slow cooker}.  i love that the probe offers me further peace of mind when cooking larger portions of meat like roasts and such.

if you've never cooked with a slow cooker or if you are hesitant to buy one, do yourself a favor and take the leap, okay?  slow cookers help you save time {and even money!}.  you can prepare your meal in the morning and come home to a warm, fully cooked meal in the afternoon.  or, you can cook overnight.  i love using my slow cooker for large family gatherings, but - most importantly - it has been a lifesaver for our family in the afternoons especially on the days that i have class in the evenings {i'm a full-time graduate student in addition to being a wife & momma of two}.  by the way, the stoneware crock and lid are dishwasher safe.

i have not taken my slow cooker to any pot luck suppers yet, but i like that the lid seals to the crock with the help of two latches on either side of the slow cooker.  a serving spoon rests neatly in the slow cooker's lid.  the price of the slow cooker was just under $50.  while it may seem pricey to some, i believe that this slow cooker is worth the cost.  it would make a great wedding gift or a great holiday gift for a busy family in your life.  i'm very happy to have added the hamilton beach six quart "set & forget" slow cooker to my collection and i'm looking forward to cooking many boston butts {mmm, shredded bbq} in it this summer!

as for csn stores...what can i say, but WOW!  it was super easy to place an order on their website.  they follow up with emails letting you know the status of your order.  they also ship fast.  i wasn't expecting the slow cooker to arrive for nearly a week, but imagine my surprise when it showed up on my doorstep just a few days after placing my order.  definitely consider csn stores the next time you need to order something for your home or for a gift.  you won't be disappointed.


disclaimer: the slow cooker was my compensation for doing this review for csn stores. all opinions in this review are my own.

bare...skin?

i'm sure all of you are pretty well familiar with the fabulous mineral makeup company, bare escentuals, right?  my mother & i have been long time fans of leslie blodgett & her mineral makeup.  we were like two giddy school girls when we visited a b.e. store at fisherman's wharf in san francisco five years ago.

{my momma in s.f. back in 2006}

i'm super stoked that a bare escentuals store is opening at my local mall.  of course, i'm certain my husband {and our bank account} won't be, but i digress...

as wonderful as their mineral make up is, did you know that bare escentuals has a skin care line, too??  seriously, this is huge.

the bareMinerals skin care line offers cleansers, moisturizers & treatments so your skin can reap the rewards of the 100% pure rare minerals active soil complex.  your skin will have a naturally luminous glow even before you swirl, tap & buff!

{source}

i don't know about you, but being the beauty product junkie that i am and knowing what a reputable brand bare escentuals is, i am very excited to try the bareMinerals skin care line!  are you excited?  you should be!

which bareMinerals skin care product are you excited to try?
let me know in your comment, please.

for more information about both bare escentuals and the bareMinerals skin care line, be sure to check out their website as well as their facebook page.  you can also follow bare escentuals on twitter.

the fine print:  i was contacted to write a blog post about the bareMinerals launch and, in return, i may receive products from the bareMinerals skin care line to sample and review as long as product was stillavailable.  all opinions in this blog  post are my own.

there's a review coming!

i'm probably the only person on the face of the earth who has NOT made a purchase from csn stores.  

certainly, you've all heard about their website, right?  

yep, over 200 stores in one location {all online}.  

seriously, i die.  

csn stores offers just about everything.

really. 

 pet items, household goods, lcd tv stands, car seats...that's just the tip of the iceberg {so to speak}.

there is so much to see & so much to shop for online with csn stores.

i'm excited to let you all know that i will be doing a review for csn stores.  i haven't decided which item i want to "test" although i do have my eyes on a few of the lcd tv stands they offer.

whatever i choose, i know the item will be fabulous.  

keep your eyes peeled for my review & get ready because there may be a csn store giveaway in the very near future as well {hint, hint}.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Febreeze Sport

a couple months ago, i was asked to try the newest member of the febreze family:

{source}

this product is endorsed by television personality & cincinnati bengals linebacker, dhani jones.  a guy like dhani knows all about the smells associated with leading a very active lifestyle.  if he believes in it, i would certainly believe in it, too.

my family does not participate in nearly as much activity as dhani jones, but we do create our fair share of stinky smells {ha!}.  my husband works in construction.  we have two very active children who are always outside riding their bikes, skateboarding or dancing around.  and, let's not forget about our dogs, too. 

 i've always been a fan of febreze products.  i've used their noticeables, air effects as well as their fabric refreshers.  i was very excited to try this product, however, because i wanted an effective way to make my son's sneakers smell, well, fresh.  washing shoes & stuffing them with dryer sheets only masks a smell for so long.  i'm happy to report that febreze sport extreme odor eliminator did the trick!  even after one use i noticed a difference in the way my son's {stinky} sneakers smelled.

i don't just use this product on shoes.  i spray our throw rugs by the front & back door.  i spray the couch, throw pillows, mattresses and even the kids' backpacks.  i use this item in very much the same way i use the fabric refreshers.  

it works, y'all.  

for more information about febreze sport, click here.

you can also follow febreze sport on twitter.

do you want to try a bottle?
on friday, march 11th, i'll choose three random comments {from this blog post} & reward each with a bottle of febreze sport!

disclaimer:  i was contacted by marketing works, inc. on behalf of febreze.  i was given full-size samples of febreze sport to use & review.  the opinions in this post are my own.

PRODUCT REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Scentsy

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED...THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED!

i was recently asked by my friend, lis, to review a scentsy warmer & scent bar.  i immediately said yes!  i was given the margot warmer.  it was january's warmer of the month.  let me tell you, it is gorgeous!

a description of the margot warmer from the scentsy website:
a shimmering metallic reactive-glaze finish and exquisitely embossed details punctuated by creamy faux pearls create a feeling of romance 

the picture does not do the warmer justice.  it's very chic.  very classic.  it goes well with any decor, too.  of course, the warmer is useless without a scent brick to melt in it, right?  i was given the scent "my wish" which was january's scent of the month.

a description of the "my wish" scent bar from the scentsy website:
a confection of earthy fig, sweet violet, and playful marshmallow will have you wishing for more

i was a bit skeptical about the scent at first.  lis said it reminded her of the way conversation hearts smelled.  it reminded me more of necco wafers {which i can't stand}.  but, i'm open-minded and i knew that the scent could smell different once it was melted {candles are like that, ya know}.  and, smell different...it did!  don't let the lavender color of the scent bar fool you...that's just for show.  i only used two cubes of the scent bar {it comes 'pre-scored' into eight small cubes} which gives off the perfect amount of a sweet, subtle aroma.  to me, it makes my house smell like valentine's day.  we had friends over last weekend and he thought i had baked something...wrong!  it was the scentsy warmer that he was smelling!

scentsy products are great.  i like that the warmers do not use an open flame to generate heat.  instead, you're simply using a light bulb {that's included} to melt the wax.  the full-size warmers have a convenient on/off switch on the cord, too.  the warmers are portable and the variety of warmers that scentsy offers seems endless.  there are also plug-in warmers available if you'd like to use a scentsy product in a smaller space like the bathroom.  perhaps the most difficult scentsy decision to make is which scent bar you'll choose -- there's so much to choose from!  and, the scent bars last quite a while...you'll be surprised at how much fragrance you'll get out of just two little cubes.  and, don't worry about the wax...if it spills, it won't burn you and it's easy to clean up!  and, don't just think that all scentsy offers are warmers & scent bars.  no, you can also purchase {just to name a few}: scentsy buddies, room sprays, travel tins & fragrance foam.

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how would you like to win something from scentsy?

lis is graciously offering one lucky person a plug-in AND a scent bar - you choose the design and scent.
to see the different plug-in choices, click here.
to see the different scent bar choices, click here.


the rules are quite simple, but please leave a separate comment for each entry:

• leave a comment on this post {one entry}  
• join/like lis' scenty page on facebook {one entry}
• follow lis on twitter {one entry}
• place an order on lis' scentsy site {three entries}

this giveaway is open to u.s. residents only.  


you have until 11:59pm e.s.t. on february 9th to enter.  the winner will be announced on thursday, february 10th.  due to a google reader glitch {there's no better feeling than knowing your blog posts aren't showing up at all...grr...} i am keeping this giveaway open until monday, february 14th.  the winner will be announced on tuesday, february 15th!!

disclaimer:  all thoughts expressed in this product review are my own.  i was compensated by being given a warmer & scent bar to review.  

holiday snail mail.

i suppose there's no better time to start thinking about the upcoming winter holidays than now.  as you sit there eating leftover halloween candy, i'm sure you're thinking about who you're going to send holiday cards to, right?  no?  well, perhaps you should be because right now shutterfly is offering 20% off of all holiday cards. {and, no, i'm not asking you to send out your yearly family update to friends & family before thanksgiving...please, nobody likes an overachiever.}

instead, i want you to think about YOUR family's holiday card.  is it usually just some random folded card from the nearest discount chain?  is it impersonal & filled with some preprinted sentiment?  why not jazz things up a little this year? 

have you ever thought about ordering your holiday cards online?  there are many sites to choose from and we all have our favorites, but for the last four years i've exclusively used shutterfly for my holiday card needs.  the assortment of cards that shutterfly offers is amazing!  you can order folded cards, flat stationery cards or flat photo cards and even cards in spanish!  and, if that wasn't enough, shutterfly also offers personalized gift tags & address labels, too!

i love a personalized holiday card that shares photos of the past year with the recipient.  here are my family's holiday cards from the past four years:

{2006}

{2007}

{2008 - this particular "theme" has been discontinued}

{2009}

for the past two years, i've become quite a fan of the flat stationery cards.  they are a great size {i usually get the 5"x7" cards} and they are so sophisticated.  and, for the price, they are quite a steal compared to some of the other personalized photo card companies.  i think the hardest thing about creating a holiday card is choosing which one to use.  there are so many wonderful colors, themes & designs to choose from! 

here are some of my favorites from shutterfly's flat stationery line for the holidays: 

{family wall red}

{dotty holiday monogram}

{framed with love}

{2010 wishes}

oh, the decisions that i'll need to make...and soon!  remember, shutterfly is offering 20% off all holiday cards for a limited time.  get started on your holiday card list now!!  and, if you want to participate in a promotion for 50 free holiday cards, please click here & share this promotion with your friends on twitter or facebook by simply sharing this message:

50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly http://bit.ly/sfly2010 #SFLY

now go...start sorting through your photos & get those creative juices flowing so you can get started on your holiday cards with shutterfly!

disclaimer:  shutterfly contacted me to write this post after responding to a request from the mom blogs.   these are my opinions.  i will receive 50 free holiday cards from shutterfly as compensation for my testimonial and time.  i blog with integrity.

PRODUCT REVIEW - Dove's Body Wash with Nutrium Moisture

About a month ago I was asked to try a few of Dove's newest body washes. Over the last few years, I've been quite loyal to my body wash brand of choice {a pricier option by a pretty well-known women's skincare & beauty line}, but I was interested in the chance to try something new. As we all know, Dove is a very reputable brand - it's been around for 50 years & it's dermatologist recommended - and it's also very affordable.

So, what was so special about these NEW Dove body washes? Imagine my surprise when I read that most all body washes on the market dry out your skin. Apparently, the body washes break down the proteins & the lipids in the skin's most outer layer which leads to tight, dry skin. Some body washes try to combat this by adding heavy moisturizers; however, the heavy moisturizers only temporarily alleviate the dry skin issue and don't really address the fact that those damaged lipids in your skin need some TLC, too.

Dove has found a way to combat the dryness by using this:

What's nutrium moisture? It's a formula of soybean oil & natural lipids that are able to penetrate deep into the skin's layers to nourish & replenish the skin...all the while maintaining & repairing the skin's protective layer while you cleanse your body. Dove stands firm in the fact that their body washes with nutrium moisture are the only products of it's kind on the market & that clinical studies show that using the product reduces dryness and improves moisturization.

Dove's body wash with nutrium moisture comes in three formulas - deep moisture, sensitive skin & gentle exfoliating - and I had the opportunity to try all three.

I took every bit of one month to try out these body washes. I was a bit hesitant at first just because I am such a creature of habit and really loved the body wash brand I had been using for years. But, dare I say that I am actually quite happy with the results of using Dove's products and my view on body washes has changed??

I do suffer from dry skin. I have eczema {granted, it's on my hands only, but still}. I am pretty careful about the products I use on my body because I don't want to have some wonky reaction. I had nothing to worry about with Dove's body washes. Each had a pleasant scent and cleansed my skin well. I left the shower feeling clean & the body wash didn't leave a greasy feeling to my skin. I also loved how the body washes left a light scent on my skin {yes, I actually caught myself sniffing my arm one day}. I've noticed that my skin looks healthier {if that makes sense} and my skin isn't so tight & itchy anymore. My husband tried out the body washes & loves them, too. And, right now, I have the sensitive skin formula in my children's bathtub & they enjoy using the product, too.

Out of all three body washes, my absolute favorite is the gentle exfoliating formula. It has small, blue microbeads that lightly scrub your skin and help get rid of the funky dead skin cells & other gunk that's on your skin. It's not a harsh scrub and it's gentle enough to use on a daily basis.

This is definitely a drugstore product that's worth checking out. I found it in my local Wal-Mart.

For more information on this product, please check out this link.