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I'm sure many of you have heard about those meal delivery services where you cook the meals and the company gives you all the ingredients. Well, I got to try out Blue Apron for a week and I wanted to tell you all about it! Blue Apron has different plans depending on the number of people you need to cook for. I got the 3 meal - 2 person plan. 

When the box arrived it was neatly packaged inside with the 3 recipes on top and information about eggplants, which is one of the main ingredients in one of the recipes.   In order to get the meals you like, you basically get to tell them which meats, etc. you do or don't like and if you have any allergies or sensitivities.  

My 3 recipes ended up being Spiced Meatballs, Stir-Fried Chicken, and Seared Salmon and Panzanella.

Some of the minor ingredients come in a little brown baggie marked with each recipe.  Each ingredient is labeled.   The produce is gorgeous and the meats were kept in a very cold section at the bottom of the shipping box.  

So for the first meal - Seared Salmon and Panzanella with Corn, Shishito Peppers, and Thai Basil.

The directions are pretty detailed with how to prepare the ingredients.  For the most at you can do it with basic cooking utensils and tools. 

FINISHED! This was by far my favorite meal! I love fish and I loved the taste of all the veggies!

Next up was Spiced Meatballs with Garlic Toasts & Summer Squash Salad.
This was a bit more challenging because I was really multi-tasking a lot and sometimes it's just nearly impossible to do everything perfectly all at the same time so I definitely had to enlist James' help!

And finally there was Stir-Fried Ginger Basil Chicken with Tinkerbell Peppers and Coconut Rice.

This one was super challenging so without James I likely would have burned the house down!

All in all the meals we got were pretty delicious but also very involved.   It took me longer than expected to prepare them but that could just be because I'm not used to cooking so much.  For instance, instead of making my own croutons, I'd probably just buy premade ones.



The portion size was accurate and it definitely filled and satisfied two mouths.   The only downside is the amount of clean up afterwards because of all the different knives and cutting boards and bowls I used.   But still it was a great experience.   Make sure you have the time to make these meals within a few days though because some of the ingredients may start go bad and lose their freshness.




And if you read this post to the end you are lucky because My first 50 readers will get 2 free meals with their first Blue Apron Box - redeem here.

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Pixie's Birthday Celebration, Dog Park Etiquette + A Giveaway!

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So  last week I posted about Grace's birthday celebration and this week is Pixie's!

I can't believe she is 10.  Of course we celebrated with Doggie Froyo which we do every year.  I also took her outside to play for a bit. We do plan to go to a dog park in the next few weeks. Speaking of dog parks - did you know there are a few rules that you should always keep in mind?

[1] Clean up - If your dog makes a mess make sure you have a baggie on hand to clean it up!

[2] Leave the puppies at home - If your puppy is under 4 months of age, it's best that you keep them at home.

[3] Pay attention - Stay off your phone or any other electronic devices and pay attention so you can make sure your dog isn't interrupting anyone else's good time.

[4] Learn commands - Make sure before you even take your dog to a park, they know some basic commads. It's important to keep your dog in line when out and about with other dogs and humans.

Training treats should always be clsoe by.  Speaking of that, Bil-Jac treats are great for teaching! Visit Bil-Jac.com/products to find the best variety for you!

Pixie's special treats for her birthday were actually from Bil-Jac.  Bil-Jac Grain Free Dog Treats are yummy and nutritious and she loved the Chicken and Sweet Potato flavor!  They are great as a training reward or just to suprise her every once in a while!

And guess what! One lucky winner will get some Grain Free Dog Treats for their pooch!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Grace's Birthday Celebration!

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My babies are growing up! Make it stop! On Monday, Grace turned 8 and this coming Monday Pixie turns 10!   I want to cry and scream!   But I love my babies so I always do something special for their birthdays. 

Grace went out for some doggie ice cream like each dog does every year.  She loved it! It's nice to have some alone time with her since it's hard to do that at the house.


Another fun treat that everyone got to indulge in was Merrick Jerky Chip Treats from Chewy!

I love these because they are made in the USA and are oven baked.  They don't have any corn, wheat, or soy and they are a huge hit with my pups!   I also loved that they didn't have a stinky odor like most dog treats do! It was also nice because it helped distract the dogs so I could get a few things done in the meantime.

And a special special special snack for all of the babies was Freshpet Vital Raw Rolls.   They are now available at Petco and they are acctually different than other raw diets because they are ready to serve right from the fridge and are made with fresh fruits and veggies and they even have probiotics.  Probiotics are important because they grow and create an environment where pathogens can not survive so it makes for a longer shelf life and it helps support a healthy immune system. I loethat they is no thawing required and my babies loved all the recipes they tried.  This is so easy to serve them and it's really good for Rocky who is a finicky eater!

What do you do for your pets when it's their birthday? 

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How I Take Care of Myself Lately

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Lately I've been in a great place with my fitness and beauty routines.   For beauty - I am loving the products I use from Pura D'or.

 Hair Loss Prevention Therapy Shampoo - This product is great because it adds volume and strengthens my hair and is loaded with vitamins for hair growth. I need my hair to keep growing long and strong so it's very important I use a product that stimulates growth.

Healing Conditioner - My poor hair is always so dry. I love this conditioner because there are no sulfates, parabens, or harmful chemicals.  It really helps my frizzy hair and leaves it smooth, shiny, and detangles.  This conditioner has coconut and vegetable proteins inside to help hydrate and repair damaged hair like mine from the root to the tip.   And it doesn't leave a buildup behind which is great. 

Pure & Organic Argan Oil - Argan Oil helps minimize wrinkles, stimulate skin cells, and reduce the appearance of scarring and stretch marks.  It helps me get softer and smoother skin and is great for eczema, which I suffer from on a regular basis.   It restores the nutrient content to skin cells and when I use it on my dry scalp, it really moisturizes it and stops the itching.  Argan Oil can even be used to repair hair damage.   It's 100% pure and is imported from South Western Morocco.  There are no chemicals added so it's safe for all skin, hair, and nail types. I just use a small dab, rub it in my hands, and apply it to whatever area I'm using it on for 1 minute.

Also, we have a gym in our basement...well it's a nice big space to workout so I've been jumping rope to get some good cardio in. My favorite jump rope to use is my TKO Soft Grip Jump Rope.  TKO has a line of products from boxing gloves and punching towers all the way to body balls, yoga mats, and kettle bells.  They even developed a line of fitness apparel.  And they understand that these days people have more time constraints so a lot of us try to exercise at home.  Their products are great for a home gym and that's why this jump rope is perfect for me.  It has a soft rubber coated grip so I can easily grasp it and not worry about it flying out of my hands in the basement.  There is metal ball bearings and a 9 foot solid vinyl rope. 

Jumping rope has so many benefits. Not only is it good cardio, but it helps me destress after a long day. I can just reflect on my day as I mindlessly jump rope. 

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My Office & Closet Shelf Makeover

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Since I just moved into my house a couple months ago I'm trying to not make any drastic changes that I might not love forever.  That's why I decided to make an easy update to some shelves around my home, and if I ever want to change the appearance it's easy as can be!

For my bedroom closet, I have this nice little shelf system that is built into the wall.  The walls are white but I wanted to spice them up.  So I used Mineral Wrap from Smock! You can use this stuff as wrapping paper (and by the way it's double-sided with a different print on each side) or you can use it in a decorate way like I did. I thought of lining drawers with it but I really wanted to look at this beautiful grey design all the time. I used sticky tack to affix it to the back wall.   And if I ever want to remove it I can just pull it right off.

There is also in-wall storage in the office.  And I wanted a bit of a change with some more color.   So I used the Garden Path wrap from Smock.

I love the pretty aqua color and how it makes everything pop.  It was so easy to apply with sticky tack and I just love that it's still a nice shiny yet thick paper!

What would you do with wrapping paper?

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Decorating Around my Yard + A Giveaway

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I know I've shown you guys the inside of my house but the outside is pretty cute too.   There are a few things I did (and got rid of ) to decorate around the house to make it just as relaxing and peaceful as the inside.  First of all we had tons of weeds and shrubbery in the two raised garden beds out back so I ripped them out.

|1| Flower Pots
I actually painted these flower pots myself. There are some that I bought already painted but either way, it makes everything so pretty and adds some fun color.

|2| Garden Statues
Of course my main man Buddha has to make an appearance! I love him!  I think garden statues are a classy way to add a personal touch to the outside of your home.


|3| Lighting
I try to make the outside very serene so at night when we choose to hang around outside, I like there to be some lighting so I put solar lights in the back near the outside of the porch.

|4|Windchimes
Windchimes are so relaxing to me and when you put several of them together it creates a beautiful song. I just love this Church Bell Windchime from P&J Home Décor.  They sound soooo relaxing when the wind blows through them.   I love the look of them too. I keep them in the porch because I love to lay on the loveseat when the weather is nice and listen to them.

Also, if you use the coupon code ASKAWAYBLOG now through September 25th you can get 15% off!

And one lucky winner will get a Serenity Prayer etched glass mirror in either 13" octagon or 10"x12"!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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What You Need to Know About Scalp & Hair Health

Recently, I gave my head a makeover with CLEAR SCALP & HAIR™ which is a global hair care brand that focuses on nourishing the scalp for strong and beautiful hair.   In 2012 CLEAR SCALP & HAIR™ launched in the United States and shifted the way women were caring for their hair.   Most of us focused on the ends of our hair but the funny thing about that is - the ends of your hair are already dead. CLEAR SCALP & HAIR™ encourages women to focus on the scalp which is where 99% of your hair's natural strength and beauty comes from!  The skin on your scalp is the same skin you have on your arms and legs and it has the same function and structure.  And if you wouldn't skip cleansing or moisturizing your skin, why would you do it for your scalp?   Caring for your scalp and hair with products designed to nourish and strengthen them is absolutely essential for a healthy, full bodied head of hair.  And with Fall right around the corner, you should make sure you start early so your scalp and hair are ready for the transition ahead.  Like skin, the weather can affect the scalp and as the seasons change, our skin cells and hair cycle change.  Actually, studies have shown that seasonal changing can cause shedding, especially in the Fall!

The CLEAR SCALP & HAIR™ line of nourishing shampoos and conditioners are designed to address all kinds of hair and scalp needs.  They are very feminine products and they have a fabulous smell. 

Specifically, I would like to tell you about CLEAR SCALP & HAIR™ Intense Hydration Nourishing Shampoo and Nourishing Daily Conditioner.  It leaves your hair resilient to dryness for 24 hours so you can enjoy soft and hydrated hair.  It's infused with cactus extract which is known to deliver moisture and this specific product is clinically proven to help replenish the scalp with essential hydration if you use it regularly.   It can leave hair stronger from root to tip.  It's also formulated with Nutrium 10™ which is an advanced moisture complex of vitamins and nutrients including B5, C, E, sunflower, almond, soybean, coconut oils, glycerin, and aloe vera.

I am always trying to be mindful of what products I use on my hair and skin.   I give everything time to work.  Within a couple of weeks I saw a very noticeable change in my scalp and my hair.  It was shinier and much more hydrated.  In fact, it didn't get all frizzy when I was in humid air because it wasn't starving for moisture! My hair always freaks out when it gets in the humidity.  Plus, my scalp usually gets really itchy on a regular basis but ever since I began using
CLEAR SCALP & HAIR™  I don't seem to get itchy anymore. I haven't been worried about flakes either and my hair feels so soft and smooth! 




CLEAR SCALP & HAIR™ is available at Target.com and Walgreens.com for $4.99-$5.99. 

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.