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Celebrating Life’s Wild Moments!

Glad Black Bag wants to help moms celebrate life’s “Wild Moments” – Because, when you have a life with kids in it, you know that good times can often end up with BIG messes too. Have you ever beaten yourself up over a broken glass or a spill on your dining room chair? Life is full of those oops moments – which is why Glad Black Bag has teamed up with the Picker Sisters – best friends and interior designers Tracy Hutson and Tanya McQueen – to celebrate and cleanup those wild moments, and then find ways to reuse discarded items.

trash to treasure with the Picker Sisters

“Don’t blow it – good planets are hard to find.” – Quoted, Time

I can’t believe that I hadn’t heard of this show before! The only time that I watch watch TV usually is when I join the Mister for one of his shows. Some of my favorites that he watches are shows like Storage Wars or American Pickers, so when I heard about this, I went right out and ordered  Picker Sisters: Season 1 – I’ve always been such a big lover of the “trash to treasure” idea. I love “junk-crafting” – finding ways to reuse things and make them cool again. {Get inspired by some of my favorite clever ideas on my Junk Crafts board on Pinterest!} Read what the sisters say about it –

“We live by the saying, ‘one person’s trash is another’s treasure.’ In fact, on our television show, we travel across the country to find reclaimed trash to turn it into treasure for our store,” said Picker Sister, Tracy Hutson. “However, you don’t have to travel far beyond your home to find items worth transforming into beautiful pieces.”

I’ll be sharing a post tomorrow filled with a bunch of their best tips, to help you take your own trash and junk pieces and turn them into treasures! I’ll share some of my favorite ideas and tricks too. {If you have any cool ideas to share – leave me some comments here, and maybe I’ll feature YOUR great ideas tomorrow too!}

Glad bag art auction

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” – Native American Proverb

Glad Black Bag is partnering with Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanups across the country – they’ll be collecting trash items, and providing them as materials to mosaic artist Jason Mecier, who will combine them with trash collected from celebrities like Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Raphael Sbarge (Once Upon A Time) and Nathan Kress (iCarly) – and then turning them into one-of-a-kind treasures!  Four pieces of art will be auctioned off during the Glad Black Bag art auction on eBay – {you can bid on them here from April 16-26th, 2012!!} – with proceeds benefiting Keep America Beautiful’s Great America Cleanup events. How cool is that??

“The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river.” – Ross Perot

No matter what WILD moments life throws your way – you’ll be prepared for any messy clean-ups when you stock up on Glad Black Bags. They’re the bags with that cool diamond print texture – you know, that stretch with your trash, to prevent rips or tears, and keep that trash that you CAN’T turn into treasures secured safely for disposal. Because there’s nothing worse than cleaning up a mess TWICE! {Seriously, the Glad Black Bags are my very fave around this house.}

  1. Connect with the Picker Sisters, Tanya and Tracy on Lifetime.com.
  2. For additional information on GLAD Trash, visit, www.glad.com.
  3. See the other amazing trash to treasure collections on Ebay.com.

{Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Glad Black Bag and received a Glad Black Bag product and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate. I was also asked to “pin” one (1) Glad Black Bag Art Auction photo on Pinterest.}

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Why this product is a must-have for every frugal gardener!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Most of you have probably noticed that I love to garden. Well – let me adjust that. I love to HAVE a garden. Being able to grow our own fruits and veggies so that I know the foods Abby is eating are safe is really important to me. And being surrounded by beautiful flowers and trees all summer makes me feel centered. But, I’m very much garden-challenged. Luckily, my mother moved in with me a couple of years ago, and she is a total Master Gardener, and has helped me so much. With her tips and advice, {and careful guidance when I’m digging around out there!} we’ve managed to put together a beautiful garden at our new home, that will continue to get better and better each year. Love it.

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Your New Frugal Garden Helper

One of the things that my mom helped me to learn was that it’s very seldom that your garden’s soil is optimal for growing. But it’s also pretty easy to turn that poor soil into a great place to plant – You just need a good planting mix to give it a boost. She swears by Miracle-Gro products, and is really excited to see what kind of results we get from the new Expand ‘n Gro™ product we’re using this spring. It promises to give you up to 3x the flowers and vegetables that you’re used to growing, and they are calling it their best planting mix ever. Sounds pretty awesome, right?

Why do I want to use it?

The Expand ‘n Gro planting mix is made out of 100% natural materials and, “When mixed with native soil, Expand ‘n Gro™ helps loosen and aerate soil. It creates up to 90% more air space than native soil alone, so moisture and nutrients can reach plant roots.” That means it makes any soil, even really compact and clay soil, into a spot that can finally grow beautiful fruits and flowers!

How and Where do I use it? 

Since almost everyone’s soil can use a little help, everyone can benefit from this stuff. If you’re using it in your garden, you simply spread a layer about 1-inch deep over your whole garden area. Then, using a garden tiller or even just your shovel, work it into the top 4-6 inches of soil. Then you just plant like normal, and give it a good watering. So easy peasy even I can’t mess it up!

I want to grow plants, but don’t have any room for a garden?

No worries! You would be amazed at how many things you can grow in just a few pots on your patio or porch! Grow a mini veggie garden, or just plant some pretty blooms to brighten each day. And the Expand ‘n Gro works in containter plants too. It’s easy to get started – Find some great pots with drainage holes and saucers. Fill each pot 1/3 of the way full with Expand ‘n Gro. Slowly add water, and stir it all up. The mix will expand from the water, and then be ready for you to plant as usual.

Is it really worth buying?

You know that I’m always looking for new money-saving tips, and I’m all about frugal gardening. It might at first seem like it’s a better value to just use the dirt you have, and not bother with things like potting mixes or fertilizers. But – when you plant in poor soil, some of your plants won’t make it, and the others just won’t thrive as well as they could. That’s a waste of both time and money, if your tasty veggies die before making it to your table! And the really great thing about the Miracle-Gro Expand ‘n Gro is that it improves your soil for years – making it a really great value, and totally worth adding to your own garden this spring!

What are YOUR best spring gardening tips?

Share your best tips on growing the tastiest produce and the prettiest flowers. Do you have any great tips to save money in the garden? Do you have a favorite plant, or product? Share your great ideas in the comments – I love hearing from you guys!

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Gettin’ Back in the Skinny Jeans #DigestiveCare

In addition to the big set of ambitious goals that I set for my blog and business life this year – {Remember my list of 10 goals, including “Be More Awesome?”} I also made a more private list of personal improvement goals. Not the generic, “Lose weight, be more active, get healthier” type of goals, but a list with very detailed steps to take to get back into the great shape I used to be in. You know, in my old life. Before I had a baby…. {You can’t keep blaming the fact that you’re favorite jeans don’t fit on “baby weight” when your baby becomes a toddler…}

Healthy living

“Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.” – Doug Larson

I have always been a pretty healthy eater, but I’ve picked up some bad habits now that my nephews live with me, and we have more snack foods in the house. Plus, with my Mister, and my brother both making dinner a few nights a week… Well, let’s just say they’re not exactly into cooking light, lol. When I pulled my box of pre-baby jeans out of the garage, and realized that my old favorites STILL don’t fit – I knew it was time to get down to business. I’d been so busy over the past year – I had a baby, had family move in, earned my degree, and started this site – I hadn’t even realized that I wasn’t taking good care of myself. It was time for that to change!

Joovy Tricycoo

“In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired.” – Author Unknown

To reach your goals, you have to break them down into small steps. Since my goal is to get back into shape – a shape that will fit into those awesome jeans again – here are some of the smaller goals I’ve been working on:

  1. Get more active. Abby got the coolest new trike – the Tricycoo from Joovy a few months ago. It’s such a fun way for her and I to go out for walks around the neighborhood – and she has so much fun looking and pointing and giggling, that she’s actually ready for a nap when we get home each afternoon.
  2. Eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies each day. This surprised me – I felt like I was eating pretty good foods. But when you track your habits, most of us are not getting enough produce!
  3. Find a diet plan that works. I recently started the Nutrisystem diet. I love it. I’ll be sharing more about it with you guys really soon – But it’s such an easy solution for me. The food portions are prepackaged, so it’s simple to follow. And it’s re-training my brain on what an appropriate portion size looks like.
  4. Add some healthy supplements. I take a Multivitamin, fish oil tablets – and just added in a 4X Pro-B tablet each morning too. I  have suffered from IBS for years, and while some changes to my diet, and doing my best to reduce stress, have helped – My doctor has been recommending that I add a probiotic to my diet too. This is a great choice if you’re looking to improve your digestive health too.

These changes combined are already making me feel SO much better. {Can you believe that since it’s march, we’re almost 1/4 of the way into the year? Wow, right?}

4X Pro-B

“If I’d known I was going to live so long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” – Leon Eldred

I used to skip breakfast – But now that I’m on the Nutrisystem diet, I have a protein shake and my breakfast choice each morning. That’s when I take my 4X Pro-B tablet too. I’ve been taking it for a couple of weeks now, and can honestly tell a difference. Nothing drastic – but it does help me feel, well, lighter. I’d been suffering from some really bad tummy troubles with my IBS over the past couple months, and they do seem to be getting better. I can’t wait to see how I feel after I finish the 2 month supply I ordered from Costco.com.

Costco.com

“When it comes to eating right and exercising, there is no “I’ll start tomorrow.”  Tomorrow is disease.” – Terri Guillemets

You might be wondering – “Ok, what in the heck IS a probiotic??” They’re bacteria that help maintain a healthy digestive system, and they help improve your immune system. You’ll find them in certain yogurts, and other foods – but getting them in tablet form is the best way to get a consistent daily dose. You need to have good bacteria in your digestive system, but as we get older, there are less of these good guys in your system. And things like diet, stress, and other lifestyle factors can cause your bacteria levels to get off balance. According to Costco.com, the 4X Pro-B “patent pending caplet technology protects delicate probiotics from stomach acid, ” making them one of the best options available.

Big Star Jeans

“You get whatever you settle for.” – Unknown

I have settled for less than the best for quite some time now. I have already seen some great changes – getting out and being active each afternoon with Abby gives me a bigger boost of energy than the cup of coffee I used to have. Eating more fruits and veggies makes me feel SO much better than grabbing some chips or a cookie. The Nutrisystem program is rockin’ for me, and adding in the 4 X Pro-B tablets is just another step towards success. By the middle of the year – Hopefully I will be writing another blog post with a picture of me IN those skinny jeans up there!! Those babies are the goal – and I WILL reach it.

For more information on the 4 X Pro-B from Costco check out my Album on Google+. You can also find Costco.com on Facebook to stay updated on cool new products!

{Disclaimer: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias. I received a complimentary product for review purposes.}

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How to Treat Eczema in Kids

“Making the decision to have a child – it’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body.” – Elizabeth Stone

We all know that babies have sensitive skin – but so do many toddlers, too. I kept noticing rough patches on Abby’s skin – a bit here and there, on her legs or arms. But when it started showing up her adorable little cheeks, I knew it was time to figure out what was going on. It wasn’t bad – but it was noticeable. Luckily, that week was our 18-month check-up, so I was able to show it to our pediatrician, who I totally love. I was confident that she’d know what it was, and how to fix it.

eczema treatment for kids

“Hugs can do great amounts of good – especially for children.” – Princess Diana

Turns out, Abby had some patches of eczema – that’s what those rashes were that kept popping up! It made sense – each time she’d get a rash, I’d try to figure out what she’d been around that was out of the ordinary, but hadn’t found anything that could be bothering her. Our doctor said that it’s just an incredibly common problem in kids – but with a few easy treatments, it should go away, and hopefully she’d grow out of it as she got older.

How to treat eczema in kids

Our doctor said that there is a lot of misinformation out there about childhood eczema, and cleared up a few rumors for us. She also gave us some great tips to follow too, and recommended her favorite products.

  1. You should avoid giving baby a bath: This is totally not true! She said that you want to avoid using scented products when your little one suffers from eczema, {check out the Johnson’s Natural line for babies} – but there’s no reason at all to avoid a bath. In fact, that could even make it worse, by not keeping the skin clean and healthy!
  2. Diet can affect eczema outbreaks: She said that this really isn’t proven at all. There’s no reason to avoid any specific foods – and a healthy diet helps lead to a healthy system and healthy skin. So get those fruits and veggies each day.
  3. Use a medicated cream: Using a great topical cream on eczema patches when they pop up can bring big relief to your little one! There are many choices out there that are available over-the-counter, so no need for expensive prescriptions. A great option is the new Neosporin Eczema Essentials line, since there’s a full system that you can use to prevent, treat, and sooth eczema in your family.

Why the Eczema Essentials Line Rocks

We decided to check out these Eczema Essentials products because they were one of the ones that my doctor recommended. Sometimes it’s so hard to choose which products to use on a baby or toddler – there is an overwhelming amount of stuff to choose from! But I think that this system is a great option for any family – our doctor likes it, we like it, and I think you’ll like it too. Here’s why:

  1. It’s easy to find. You can get it at any local Walmart store, or at Walmart.com.
  2. This line is from Johnson & Johnson. The people who make all of the most mom-trusted brands, things like Band-Aids and Baby Care products.
  3. It’s affordable. You don’t need to spend a ton of expensive prescriptions, this full system of products works together to sooth sensitive skin at a great price.
  4. These products are perfect for the whole family. That saves time and money, since you can treat all of the problem skin in your family with one set of products.

The Neosporin Eczema Essentials system can give your family clearer, softer skin in just 3 days. It includes a Daily Body Wash, a Daily Moisturizing Cream, and an Anti-Itch Cream {the last one is only for kids 2 and up}. They’re all fragrance free, and recommended by doctors like mine. We’ve been using the daily cream, and I’ve noticed a big improvement in her cute little cheeks!

If you want to try it too, visit Walmart.com to get a high-value coupon for  your purchase.

{Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, brought to you by One to One Network and Walmart. All photos and opinions are totally my own.}

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{Direct Sales Directory} Save on Advocare Products!

Joint solution sale product from Advocare

Advocare Savings!!

Tiffany and Sean from Advocare want to share a special promotion with you – this is only available for a limited time!! This is only available until December 6th – but check out their site for more great products, and stay tuned here for the next savings announcement coming soon!

Save on Joint ProMotion – keep your joints healthy from the inside out!!

You can come by and shop from Tiffany and Sean’s Advocare site anytime by visiting them in the Weight Loss and Natural Products section of the Directory – you’ll also find their contact info, if you have any questions at all about how their products work, or if you’d like to get started building your OWN Advocare business in the new year!

Reminder: Get all of your holiday shopping orders in before December 16th for Christmas Delivery!

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Become a Savvy Sampler with Naturally Savvy – Blogger Opp too!

Naturally Savvy Free Sample ProgramJoin Naturally Savvy!

I was a member of Naturally Savvy all of last year, and got a bunch of great shipments of products to try out with my family. We got to try things like natural, non-toxic cleaners, vitamins, snack foods, and more. They’re enrolling people for the coming year right now, so make sure to sign up and apply for a  spot!

What is Naturally Savvy Sampling?

Are you interested in sampling natural and organic products in the comfort of your home and giving us your feedback? If so, the our Savvy Sampler program is for you! As a Savvy Sampler, you are helping to provide natural health manufacturers with feedback on their products. Help us to make a difference!

To qualify as a SAVVY SAMPLER you must:

  • Have a U.S. address
  • Have an interest in trying and using natural and organic products
  • Be 19 years or older
  • Not have any relation to the companies making or distributing the product(s) we are asked to review
  • Agree to sign our release form
  • Sample the products and answer the survey questions honestly
  • Agree to receive our monthly newsletter

Apply to be a Savvy Sampler today!

Make sure to check out their giveaway too – you can enter to WIN a gift-basket filled with FULL-SIZED products!! They give away a ton of great stuff from their sponsors on a regular basis, so make sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook too – you’ll find lots of fun ways to win!

Are you a blogger?

Naturally Savvy is looking to partner with bloggers to help review and blog about their favorite natural & organic products. If you have a blog and are interested in reviewing some great products, fill out their blogger application form. I just signed up tonight – hoping to hear back soon!

Sounds Awesome, right?

Feel free to use the social buttons to share this to your own Facebook and Twitter too – so you’re friends can apply to be Savvy Samplers too! Signing up doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get to join – but I think most people get accepted. Good luck!

{Nope, I have no affiliation with Naturally Savvy at all – except that I was a Savvy Sampler member last year, and got some amazing goodies! Just wanted to share this opportunity with you guys too!}

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The Ultimate Green Store: Perfect Picks for New Moms

Introducing… The Ultimate Green Store!

This is one of my favorite online shops… They have such an amazing selection of really high quality, organic, and SAFE toys, bedding, and baby accessories. This was one of the first sites that I made a Baby Registry at, and got some wonderful gifts from here.

My Baby Registry…

One of the things that I had registered for, and had really wanted, but didn’t get, was this absolutely perfect baby blanket from the Casablanca Organic Crib Bedding collection. I was so so excited that The Ultimate Green Store let me choose this as my item to review — and it did NOT disappoint me. It is so soft, light-weight yet super warm and cozy, and made from safe materials. Read more:

“Cotton Monkey bedding is made from 100% certified organic cotton fabric and batting that is not treated with any formaldehyde or chlorine bleach. The Cotton Monkey prints and colors are fun and cheerful, dyed/printed with non-toxic, fiber reactive, water based pigments and dyes.”

I had been making some changes towards a cleaner, greener, healthier life before I found out that I was pregnant – but once I found out I was expecting, I kicked those changes up a few notches! I wanted to make sure I made the safest environment for her that I could, so when putting together her new space {which was in my master bedroom with me} I used Zero VOC Paint, and as many natural products as I could- and the Ultimate Green Store gave me so many amazing options.

More than Baby Stuff…

Organic Hand BagWhile the baby items are my favorite, there is SO much more to the Ultimate Green Store than that!

The Ultimate Green Store is your one-stop green shopping destination for the home, office and everyone in the family!

Wish List and Gift Registry

Since The Ultimate Green Store has such a wide variety of products, it’s easy to put together a great Gift Registry for weddings, baby showers, or even big birthday celebrations! There is also the option to add items on any page to a Wish List, so you can “window shop”, and easily find your favorite items later. Love sites that offer that!

Win a Gift Certificate to The Ultimate Green Store!

One lucky Sunshine and Sippy Cups fan will WIN a $25 Gift Certificate to do some shopping of their own at The Ultimate Green Store – fun right? And when you enter, be sure to sign up for their newsletter updates – you’ll get great coupon codes and special savings – which will make the Gift Certificate go even father if you win! Good Luck!

[Read more…]

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