I like to give the impression that my belly is not as big as it really is. While diet and exercise are certainly helping me along in my quest to make it smaller, it is not where I want it to be yet. That does not mean that I am not going to stop going out, but I get self-conscious. That is when a shaper comes in handy.
I've gone through a number of shapers throughout my life. They either stop supporting, become too big or (in the case of my last pregnancy) become too small. I have never had a postnatal shaper though. So, this one should help me manage the extreme shape my torso took on after my second child. So far, it's not that bad. It is not riding or curling up and it helps me keep my stomach better looking - there are not as many rolls sticking out. Recommended. Full disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
With two rowdy kids, having a good bath mat in the tub is important. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard crashes followed by screams emanating from the bathroom during bath time or shower time. This is the first bath mat I tried and upon arrival, I was
happy to find the surface to be rough enough to ensure that little bodies would not crash again. Unfortunately, I wish I could say the same thing about the suction cups at the bottom of the mat. And there are numerous suction cups. Not a single suction cup was attaching to the bottom of the tub. I tried pressing each and every one down, I tried jumping on it, standing on it. Nothing was working. So, while the surface is rough, if the suction cups won't stick to the tub, it kind of renders its purpose moot. Without sticking to the tub, the mat slips around. I guess my search for a bath mat will continue. Full disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
We are relatively new preppers in this household. We have been stocking up on certain things and have a bug-out location ready to go. But, one aspect of prepping we are lagging behind in is our bug-out bags. However, we are taking steps to rectify that.
One thing my husband insisted on obtaining was paracord. Now, I had no idea why, but apparently paracod is extremely handy in extreme situations. Nonetheless, I got him a paracord bracelet and he was thrilled with it. The bracelet fits on his wrist easily and features more than 10 feet of 350-pound strength paracord. That leaves a lot of possibilities in survival settings. Not only does this bracelet feature the paracord, but also a whistle you can use in emergency situations. I am going to get my kids one of these bracelets just for that whistle, because it's loud! It has a fire starter kit, which comes in handy for prepping or camping, because lets face it - matches get wet and lighters get lost. It also has a knife, which can not only be used for cutting, but also for starting the fire. I recommend this bracelet if you are into camping or prepping. It's a goody. Full disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Unfortunately, facial hair is something that I have dealt with almost all of my life - namely excess eyebrow hair. I have a unibrow tendency and I do not always notice it. And when I do, I spend what seems like forever plucking my brows to get them trim and separated. Getting my eyebrows waxed isn't expensive, but I would rather spend that money on other things - like groceries, gas or medication.
Now, I had heard about threading, but never had the opportunity to get it done professionally. I recently acquired a manual threading device, though. I was a little nervous when I tried it. After all, who really appreciates the feeling of having hair ripped out by the roots? It is a spring with two pink handles on each end. You bend the spring into a U-shape, place it where you want hair removal and then twist the handles. It sounds like a faster way to remove those eyebrow hairs. But alas, it is not. The device would only pull one or two hairs at a time, when it did at all. I used this on the same spot eight times and it only pulled hair twice. There is still hair in that location. Maybe I did it wrongly, but I made sure to go against the grain of the hair, as the instructions said and it just didn't seem to work properly. Full disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Here is a pleasant change in my quest to find supplements to help me achieve optimal health. Nutri Lifescience's Nutri Maqui Fruits Blend is in liquid form. Every morning, I wake up and I take a shot (literally - I pour it into a shot glass) of this supplement. Since I have began, I am very happy to report that I have
increased energy and clarity particularly in the morning. The energy and clarity begin to fade in the late afternoon, but still that is nothing to sneeze at. Now, maqui is a purple berry that is found in Chile. It is commonly used to increase energy and support your immune system. This supplement blend does not only have maqui, but also acai berry, elderberry, pomegranate, blackberry and raspberry. This blend is to increase your antioxidants. The only bad thing I have to say about this supplement is that the taste is a little odd. It's not unpleasant, but you certainly do not want to drink a glass of the stuff. It is not sweet and almost has a pepper or black licorice undertone to it. That being said, it is nothing so terrible that I do not want to continue taking this product. Full disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge, and received compensation, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
As a parent, I know the comfort that exists in a fully and completely stocked first aid kit. These kids frequently get into accidents and hurt themselves. Blood and bruises are a
weekly occurrence in my household. I was recently missing some larger, heavy-duty bandages until I got these Ari-ale Emergency Trauma Bandages. I hope and pray that a time never comes to use them, but in case it does, I will be ready. These bandages are made of high quality material with an excellent clasp. If there is a wound with heavy blood flow, the pressure applicator that accompanies will increase pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding. I am giving two winners an opportunity to win some of
these bandages in this awesome Lots for Tots giveaway hop hosted by The Kids Did It and The Mommy Island! One winner will win a pack of two 4-inch bandages and the other winner will win a pack of two 6-inch bandages. Please use the Rafflecopter form below and be sure to enter for all of the other great prizes offered.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Slimming creams. Sometimes they're awesome and other times they are not. You might remember a rather recent cream that made my skin feel like it was burning. Not exactly a pleasant sensation. This slimming cream also gave me a warming sensation, but nowhere near as intense or unpleasant. Made with argan oil, this slimming cream tackles your cellulite and helps your shape your body. I've been using it on my torso and my thighs. Twice a day, I use circular motions to rub the lotion into my skin. After a few minutes, I begin to feel a warming sensation. And this cream does not burn. Now, there is a notification on the lotion that if you put it on after a hot shower, the sensation will be more intense. I think that I will not go that route, given my experience with the last slimming cream. I don't want to take the chance of not liking this lotion. This lotion also smells really nice, so even if it doesn't end up slimming me, I will still smell sensational! Full disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
My quest to obtain more essential oils continues, and I have a goal of trying all of the businesses so I can find the oils that work best for me and my household. Avenir Oils sent me their Lavender Essential Oil. You can read about how lavender oil might benefit your diabetes here. Upon arrival, I opened it to take a whiff. Of course, it being an essential oil the scent was strong. However, it was still pleasant. I gathered up some baking soda to make a carpet
deodorizer for my floors. If you haven't used essential oils in that way, all you have to do is take 1/2 cup of baking soda and three drops of essential oil. Mix those two ingredients together and then sprinkle on your carpet. Let it sit for about 15 minutes and then vacuum the floor. The scent is not overpowering, but subtle and pleasant. And your carpet definitely smells a lot better. So far, that is all I have used this lavender essential oil for. But, I have plans to use it in a homemade laundry detergent recipe that I love. I will also use it to make some bath salts for myself. You can't go wrong with lavender bath salts. This is a good oil and I do recommend it. Full disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
All my life, there have been flashlights everywhere - in arm's reach almost always. Now, this stems mostly from my grandfather, who was obsessed with flashlights (and pocket knives). Growing up on a ranch, flashlights were essential because work did not always stop at 5 p.m. Many times, it would extend well into darkness. Thus, a flashlight would come in really handy.
So, when an opportunity to test out a new flashlight came along, I took it. Because right now, I only have one flashlight. I NEED MORE! Unfortunately, this flashlight does not fit the bill. The light is very bright and it is rechargeable with a USB, but the construction of the flashlight is poor. When it arrived, it was neatly packed in its own cute box. But, upon inspection, my husband found that the USB plug for the flashlight was damaged. My husband took is apart to fix it, but was unable to do so. He is an aviation mechanic. He's very handy. If he can't fix it, I don't think it's salvageable. Which means that once this particular flashlight's charge is used up, I will have to toss it. Because there is no recharging. I don't know if this happened with the company or with the shipping, but either way, not too happy. Full disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Gray hair. It is a something that has plagued me since I was a child. I had streaks of white and silver in my hair by the time I got to high school. My bangs turned white early in my 20s, making people comment on how I reminded them of Rogue from X-Men. I will totally take that as a compliment. She's HOT! But, now that I am in my 30s, people have begun to ask my daughter if I am her grandmother. Excuse me?! Is it wrong for me to indulge in my natural white hair? I know many women feel gray hair is a symbol of age, but it never was for me. So, I suppose I have a different view of it. Now, I have been dying my hair since I was 16. I would let the color grow out from time to time and people were split down the middle on what looked best - color or natural. So, every so often, I would venture to the drug store to pick up a box of hair dye. What mood would I be in when I got there? Red? Brown? Black? I tried it all (Except for blonde. Not going to go there). But, for the past two years, I have not had a desire to dye my hair. I wanted to know what my natural hair looked like. Now, it's all white and gray. I'm told it's trendy and I believe it. Personally, I like it, but having people ask if I am a grandmother is rather annoying. So, I made a deal with my Girl Scout troop (since my daughter is one of the Scouts and she wanted me to dye my hair). If they sold all of their cookies, they would get to choose my hair color. They gasped in excitement. At the next meeting, I was told I had to get galaxy hair if they win the bet. Huh??? I found some pictures online and it certainly looked interesting and something I had never tried before. I was game. A few months later, their sales were incredible! Not only did they raise enough money for them all to go to camp this summer, but I also had to go to the salon to get my brand new hair. Afterward, my hair was bright and vibrant blue and purple, with some pink. And it certainly looked awesome, but the salon could have done a better job. I still had some gray spots, but since I knew it was going to fade drastically in two weeks, I let it go. Now, instead of people asking if I am a grandmother, I have people telling me they love my hair and that I remind them of a bag of cotton candy! It's good to sometimes go against the grain with your style.
Ever play beer pong? If not, this is the perfect accessory for your next party. If you have, then this is still the perfect accessory for your next party. After all, it is summer. That means barbecues and beer! Might as well throw a drinking game in there, right?
We took this kit with us when we visited some friends recently. Since these friends also have a love of hops, we knew it would be awesome! And I deeply regret leaving both my camera and my smartphone at home. I wish I could share pictures of the awesome drunken frivolity that ensued! What I really like about this kit is that all of the pieces are in one place. And you can easily pack it back into the box, as it is resealable. The balls bounce well and have not broken and cleaning the pieces was very easy. I mean, you don't want to let beer linger on surfaces. It gets all sticky and starts emitting an odor. This is an awesome party accessory for you to have. Please, check it out! Full disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I am usually apprehensive when it comes to taking omega-3 supplements. The reason being is that I detest the fishy aftertaste that some of them leave. You know, it lingers in your mouth, makes your burps take even more disgusting. I would find some supplements that would claim no aftertaste, but they usually came up short.
This supplement however, does not give me that fishy aftertaste and it still gives me the benefits of omega-3. The benefits include lower triglycerides, which is a big deal since high cholesterol run in my family. Another benefit is reduction of depression. I have had two bouts of depression in my life and those were dark times. I work hard every day to keep it suppressed. I'm not working as hard with this supplement. Yet another benefit is controlling ADHD. I'm pretty sure my daughter has ADHD, but a doctor has not diagnosed her . . . and never will. I have been giving her one supplement every morning and she seems to be more focused. I would recommend this supplement. Full disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge, and received compensation, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Sometimes when stink hits, you want to quarantine the room. Seriously. Who wants to smell whatever offensive odor is floating in the air? Who wants to wait for it to disperse? I cannot stand waiting for smells to disappear, because it seems to take forever. And the entire time, my nostrils are getting assaulted by disgusting odor pockets.
I could spray the smell, but then it just smells like flowers. It smells like gross, yucky flowers. The smell does not disappear. It lingers, adding its own aroma to the overwhelming scent of lilacs. It's enough to drive me crazy. Now, here is when an odor eliminator comes into play. I recently tried this one out in our master bedroom, much to my delight. This black pouch purifies the air and absorbs moisture. It can take care of moldy fridge smells or even cat litter box smells. What's inside the pouch? Naturally activated charcoal, a dehumidifier which can last for years. The pouch itself has a look that I appreciate. I just set it right on the back of the toilet and I let it do its thing. Full disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I frequently have an odor problem in my daughter's room and in my guest bathroom. My daughter's room is due to the frog currently living in there. The bathroom is due to the bath mat getting wet - a lot. I have purchased a variety of air fresheners over the years. The end result is that the rooms smell like flowery frogs or flowery mildew. So, those options are not the best.
I have heard about little packages that purify your air, making them smell cleaner. I had to get some. This pack of teeny purifiers arrives in a cute little burlap bag. The individual purifiers are super cute and small. They are easily concealed around a room. Right now, I have some tucked away in my daughter's closet and under shelves. In the bathroom, they are roosting on top of a painting - and no on knows they are there. They work wonderful in the bottom of diaper pails to help alleviate the odor. They are working just fine. I have not noticed any odors creeping back, but once they do, I will be standing by ready to drop more purifiers. Full disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
