What I Wore ... 4th of July

I hope everyone had a great holiday this year. We were lucky to have a warm, beautiful day (it rained the day before), and we spent the 4th of July soaking up fun family time. 

 Dress ... H&M

Red Tank ... Target

Leggings ... Express

Sandals ... Steve Madden
The dress is actually much longer (length goes down to my knees), I just pinned it up for a little more casual look.

 Earrings ... Target

Hair Ribbon ... Target

 Me and my Hubby

 My little firecrackers ... swim trunks from Osh Kosh

4th of July, 2012

Nail Color of the Week

Jessie's Girl in Beach Baby

I bought this polish at Rite-Aid and it was a whopping $2.99! I love cheap polishes! In the bottle, this color looks like a neon magenta. On my nails though, 2 coats, it turns out more of a neon red-orange. While I was bummed this wasn't the pink I was looking for, I have gotten tons of compliments on how the color pops. It has grown on me, and the wearability is amazing ... 5 days with no chipping so far!

Fashion Friday ... in the desert sun!

Dress ... Juicy Couture (Outlet, Cabazon, California)

Earrings and Silver Bracelets ... Target

Wedges ... Target

The Stripper To Go, please ...

I was recently offered the opportunity to review a newer product by Deborah Lippmann. NailPolishCanada.com has stocked up on The Stripper To Go nail lacquer remover finger mitts and offered to send me a few to try. This girly girl always has her nails done, and I was excited to test out a product I haven't tried yet!

I was pleasantly surprised that this polish remover has a lavender scent to it! Not only is lavender one of my favorite scents, but it is always nice when something as strong as remover has a more gentle smell to inhale while you are using it!

Another perk in my book ... these little mitts are individually wrapped!! Perfect to throw in your car, make-up bag, suitcase, or even your desk drawer! No need to store bulky bottles and cottonballs - these little girls are simple and low maintenance!

Now, one of these pre-soaked mitts are supposed to have enough remover to cover all 10 nails. On natural nails with a normal polish manicure, I could see how this would be true. I have solar nails though, and my most recent mani included a bright neon polish tip with a thicker glitter top coat. We all know how hard it is to remove glitter from our nails .......

I ended up using 3 mitts in all. The first mitt removed most of my polish on all 10 nails. I definitely needed a 2nd mitt to take care of the remaining glitter - which, with a little extra pressure, the glitter came off quite well. The third mitt I used to remove the traces of color and glitter that was on my skin.

The final results were perfect! No glitter fragments, no leftover dye or polish. I was impressed with how gentle this polish remover is ... it didn't damage my solar nails at all, and it also did not dry out my skin or cuticles like most removers do! Very impressed!!

This product contains no toluene, DBP or added formaldehyde. For a box of 6 mitts, the price is $12. A bit spendier than a bottle of acetone and cotton balls, but you pay more for quality!

Deborah Lippmann is known as the 'celebrity manicurist' working with icons such as Cher, Sarah Jessica Parker, Lady Gaga, and Beyonce. With shades consistently worn in cover shoots for the most fashionable magazines (Vogue and In Style), Deborah Lippmann has built a reputation as the go-to nail polish both for it's sharp colors and amazing quality.

A big THANK YOU to Nail Polish Canada for selecting me for this review! Have you all checked out their website yet? They offer the top brands, latest collections and colors, great sales and offers, and they ship to the US!

Vacation Album ...

Upon getting home from our fabulous trip, I received an offer from Shutterfly in my email for a FREE 8x8 hardcover album! How could I pass that up, especially with vacay pics to organize?!? I wish I could share the code they sent, but it was specific to my email account ... sorry, peeps! Here's the final album I put together. I have ordered albums from Shutterfly in the past and the quality is awesome, so keep 'em in mind the next time you need to put your pics in a book. They make great and inexpensive gifts, too!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Turn your favorite photos into a photo book at Shutterfly.com.

California Love

We are off to the HOT desert of Southern California! It is finally time for our yearly vacation to Palm Desert and I could not be more excited to spend the week in 108 degree heat, sittin' poolside, and not worrying about a darn thing!

I know blogging has been scarce around here, but this busy chica has been working lots lately. Sometimes it sucks living in a big girl world. Sigh. I will definitely try to catch up as soon as we return. Thanks so much for the comments on the random posts I do get up on here.

xoxo

I wanna see your peacock ...

I am loving all things teal ... I am a bit obsessed.

How gorgeous are these colors?!?

Wouldn't mind drinking my wine outta these lovelies.

Swoon.

Where could I wear this?!?

xoxo

Will find this outfit and make it mine!

So pretty!!

My new cell phone cover I got on Etsy ... first saw it on Pinterest!

I NEED this dress!

Sparkles!!

To my hubby ... awwww!!

Hello, Luvah ...

China Glaze makes me happy with their fabulous teal colors!

♥

Bestie has a Blog!

She very well may kill me for posting this, but my bff, Betsy, has recently joined the blogging world!You will all love her, promise!! Pop on over to Southern Girl in a Rainy City and welcome Betsy to this fabulous neck of the woods!

xoxo

Kickin' off June with a bang ...

Man, what a weekend!

My annual garage sale was on Friday. It was my biggest sale yet. In all, I made close to $3000. Yes. It was THAT big. Needless to say, I was exhausted by the end of the day.

My mom-in-law treated me to a fabulous mani/pedi ... this is my current fave color, so I am adoring my nails and toes!

Hubby took me to go see Snow White and the Huntsman ... I LOVED it!! Such a great movie!! Charlize Theron was phenomenal, and K Stew played an amazing Snow White! I would totally go see it again!

Friday night, after my epic sale event, Tim and I attended a friend's wedding. It is always fun to get dressed up and leave the kids with a sitter (aka my bestie, who also kicked butt helping me out with the garage sale), and enjoy a few hours away.

The weekend was uber cray cray, and I am happy to have it over with. My hubby's b-day is this week and the countdown is on for our Palm Desert trip in 12 days!! June is off to a great start ... now if it would just quit raining!!

Going Green ... well, sorta!

I have been doing great on my new road to a healthier lifestyle! I recently started the Couch to 5K running program (oh yes I did!), have been attending Zumba more regularly (2x a week), and have been doing fabulous with my diet. I am not fasting or detoxing; I have simply cut out alcohol, most carbs, starches, and sugars, and have been cutting back on the dairy (homegirl still loves her cheese). I have increased my water and tea consumption, and have been working on portion control. Simple changes, but seeing big results! I am definitely less bloated and down about 5 pounds.

 Since I am cutting out a lot of carbs, pasta is one food I go without. I know, blasphemous for this Italian girl, but it is just not worth the swelling my poor stomach goes through after eating it. I have tried the gluten-free varieties, but no difference, so I simply turn to the trusty zucchini to serve as my noodles!

• Super simple to prepare ... with a vegetable peeler (mine is from The Pampered Chef, but you can get 'em anywhere kitchen gadgets are sold), peel layers of a clean squash or two.

•  Boil zucchini 'noodles' in a pot as you would normal pasta. Cook times vary depending on how thick your noodles are, but normally take 10-15 minutes.

•  Drain and serve with your favorite pasta sauce! With this particular dish, I added a little olive oil, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese ... YUM!

A super simple food swap that has HUGE benefits!

~

I have also been incorporating protein shakes as light meals mid-day. My appetite has been decreasing a little bit, but I know it is important to not skip meals. Being on Pinterest so much (don't judge), I am always seeing smoothie recipes that are green. They sure don't look appetizing, but their not-so-secret ingredient is a staple in my fridge, so I thought I'd give it a try. 

 I blended up this shake in my Magic Bullet (aka: the most awesome kitchen appliance EVER) last week (P.S. I don't ever measure anything in the kitchen, so go with what feels right):

• One small banana
• One medium kiwi
• One scoop of vanilla protein powder
• One handful of raw baby spinach
• Almond Milk
• Ice Cubes

Guess what?!? It was actually pretty tasty and a little on the sweet side!! I drank it and munched on a handful of almonds. It was the perfect meal that held me over for 3 hours before dinner! Plus, I ate less at dinner.

While my 2-mile walk/jogs exhaust me to the point of near coma status once I hit the pillow, my breathing sounds like I am in need of medical attention, and my times ranging 15-18 minute miles, I AM DOING THIS!! My body may hurt, but my brain is saying "You Go, Girl!!"

Baby steps.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Check back in next week ... my buddy, Dr. Oz, has some great advice that I wanna share!

Birchbox ... May

Birchbox is the best way to discover new grooming, beauty and lifestyle products. Sample top products from high-end brands, get expert advice, buy new favorites and earn points with every purchase! Every month, you'll receive a box filled with beauty, grooming, and lifestyle samples from both up-and-coming and well known brands. Each delivery will include a mix of categories, as well as lifestyle items. Samples are generously sized, with enough product to allow you to figure out if they're right for you. You'll also want to take advantage of Birchbox.com, which is packed with product information and tips, including expert interviews, helpful tutorials, and engaging videos.

May's Birchbox was inspired by the hit TV show, Gossip Girl! Samples that arrived on my doorstep included Algenist Regenerative Anti-Aging Moisturizer, Kerastase shampoo, conditioner and shine liquid, and Miracle Skin Transformer Body SPF 20 in Glow ... product reviews coming soon!!

Also in this fun little box was nail polish from Color Club in Clambake Coral ... omgsh! Too perfect for spring!!

To find out more and to join the club, visit https://www.birchbox.com/.

Doing your body good ...

I have found a bit of motivation lately to get back on track with taking better care of myself.
Vacation.
In just 32 days.
While a vacation is just a temporary mark to reach my goals, I am determined to kick my lazy habits for good and work on keeping up a healthy lifestyle. This last year in general, I gained 20 pounds to date. I always knew my metabolism was going to slow down eventually, and apparently the fine age of 30 was time to do so. While I am healthy (thank God), I am not okay with this extra weight, nor do I want to continue to gain. So, it's back to being diligent and focused on making healthier decisions. Detoxes and fasts are temporary fixes to re-boot, but they also tend to do no good when your body sees you are trying to use them as a fast-fix. I am guilty of this, and my metabolism laughs as soon as I start eating poorly again. So here are a few simple additions to my everyday routine that really helps my body and metabolism work at its finest ...

Green and White Teas ... awesome for your metabolism, high in antioxidants, aids in digestion and weight loss, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, and overall cleansing.

Probiotics ... regulates the good bacterias in your intestines and stomach. I am not a fan of yogurt, so I take one of these pills a day and they help keep my bloating and stomach issues at bay.

Okay girls ... this is one vitamin supplement EVERY gal should be taking each day. When we deal with stress, our bodies produce Cortisol. Cortisol triggers the body to store fat (especially around our mid-sections) and increases our appetites. The formula make-up of these B Vitamins increases positive moods and energy levels, decreasing stress and the production of Cortisol.

And lastly, but definitely not least important, I take a shot of this multi-vitamin liquid every day. It is found at Max Muscle (in stores and online) and has over 100 vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and amino acids. Because it is in liquid form, my body immediately absorbs the high potency formula and easily takes in the nutrients.

On top of the supplements, I am trying to incorporate cardio each day, whether it be going for a run in the neighborhood or hittin' up Zumba a couple times a week. I am also going to try to eat cleaner, which is my biggest weakness. It's hard to say no to fast food, bread and pasta ... especially in a family of boys who don't need to worry too much about the scale. I realize this isn't going to be a monumental change in the next 32 days, but it will be a start. Baby steps, right?

What do you do in your daily life to keep fit and healthy?

Insane Chicken

I was contacted by the great folks over at InsaneChicken, a company that offers hot sauces, barbeque sauces, and other specialty items for your cooking needs. They generously sent me over a box filled with goodies! My family LOVED the Honey Mustard BBQ sauce ... we put it on the chicken while it was on the grill and even added more when it was on our plates! I am not a fan of honey mustard in general, but man! This sauce was sweet on the tongue, but had a kick that followed. YUM!!

About the Company:

InsaneChicken, Inc. was founded in 2003 by Chris and Alison McCarthy. The husband and wife team offer an insane variety of hot sauces, barbecue sauces, and other specialty items to a loyal customer base. InsaneChicken’s now famous Hot Sauce of the Month Club was featured on TV’s Food Network. Its Fire Roasted Habanero Hot Sauce won first place in the 2011 Scovie Awards in the Extreme Sauce category. Obama’s Health Care Hot Sauce, Choke Your Chicken Hot Sauce, Pineapple and Mango Salsa, Mad Dog Teriyaki Sauce and a BBQ six pack are just a few of the 120 products available on InsaneChicken. InsaneChicken is located in Norwell, Massachusetts.

If you are looking for an amazing BBQ and hot sauce line, definitely give InsaneChicken a try!!

Italian Approved ... Mangia!

Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil ... the latest campaign I am participating in as a BzzAgent! I was sent a bottle of this rich and smooth olive oil that originates in the mother land herself, Italy. I love dipping fresh warm bread in oil and balsamic vinegar, and the sweet undertone in this olive oil blends so nicely with vinegar and garlic! I also added this oil to my Italian grandma's homemade pasta sauce ... amazing! Are you drooling yet? I definitely recommend this brand ... if you see it in the store, pick yourself up a bottle! I have coupons if anyone is interested and will be happy to send them!