Chewy 30 Day Challenge - Final Thoughts

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

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Today's post is about my final thoughts after completing the Chewy 30 Day Challenge with Rachael Ray Peak Open Range Recipe .
 They have so much energy to play now that when they crash - THEY CRASH.  Here is Rocky and Pixie snuggling in blankets.  Yes, Pixie is actually laying on Rocky.







I have seen a huge improvement in my dogs when it comes to less shedding, less licking of their paws (which can come from allergies to food ingredients), and their breath not being as stink as it was before.


I also love that their poos are less stinky and more solid.  That tells me a lot about this food. They love the kibble and it's easy for them to chew even though they have tiny teeth.


I highly recommend this Rachael Ray Peak Open Range Recipe food.  My dogs love the flavor so much and all the benefits I've seen from them tell me that the ingredients are natural and beneficial to dogs.  I hope my 30 day challenge posts have been helpful.   In the beginning I had no doubt about this food and I'm glad it's proved me right the whole way through.
I will definitely continue to feed Rachael Ray Peak to my wolfpack!






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Books I Recommend You Read [February]

Monday, February 27, 2017

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Another month, another selection of great books I read!

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

This is an amazing book about a little boy that wants to be a little girl and how it affects the rest of the family and how they learn to face society.


Faithful by Alice Hoffman

about a girl that struggles and struggles with many things in her life including a tragic accident that she feels she is responsible for, unfulfilling relationships, and a bad relationship with her father.  It's a bittersweet story but I loved it.

With Love From The Inside by Angela Pisel
This an amazing, fast paced thrilling novel about a woman who is on death row but claims she is innocent.  Her daughter believes her and they are fighting the clock to get her saved.

 
Arrowood By Laura McHugh
This is kind of a thriller/mystery type book about an abduction of two little girls and now their sister is trying to piece together what really happened all those years before. 






The Most Dangerous Place on Earth by Lindsey Lee Johnson
 
This book was amazing. It takes you back to high school and the whole environment of how serious we took everything. It covers several different students and teachers and some tragic turns and risky affairs. This was also an easy read because I couldn't put it down. I was so eager to see what would happen next.












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A Delicious Surprise Each Month!

Friday, February 24, 2017

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I may be watching what I eat, but that doesn't mean I can't indulge once in a while.   And thanks to Sweets Gift Box, I can indulge on 4-5 goodies each month.  And these aren't just any goodies, they are things like artisan candies and gourmet chocolates!   I mean if you wanna embrace your sweet tooth you should do it with a touch of luxury right?  Each month there's a theme for the boxes.  The one I got was a New Year's Resolution theme - with the resolution being to eat more sweets!  

 


I love how everything was packaged so secure and carefully.  Inside I was so impressed by the treats I got.


Chocolate Brownie Crispy Cake - This was a fantasy of mine.  It was full of chocolate and marshmallow with the crunchy texture of a rice treat.  I seriously indulged in this one.


Peanut Butter Cups - These really hit the spot for my chocolate peanut butter craving.  I can't believe how delicious these were!


Bobo's Bites: Apple Pie - This would be a nice treat in the mornings with my coffee.  It was basically an apple pie snack with a hint of cinnamon.  I even added some vanilla ice cream to it. 


Lovely Caramel Chews - Okay, Lovely makes delicious candy so I was expecting these to be good but didn't realize how addicting they are.  It was impossible for me to have just one.  They are super buttery soft caramels and they are a nice after- dinner treat.


Chocolate Covered Potato Chips - Need I say more/ This is my favorite snack in the world and it goes great with a tall glass of milk!


Seriously, check out this monthly box.  It is SO WORTH IT!

PLUS - If you use the code SWEETSTUFF for one a one month box you get 40% off but if you use it for a full subscription you will get 50% off!!



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3 Tips to Prevent Night Time Snacking

Thursday, February 23, 2017

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 By far, one of my biggest struggles with a healthier lifestyle is avoiding snacks at night time.  It's become such a habit for me that I don't know what to do with myself if I don't get to snack. 


There are so many reasons to avoid eating at night.  Obviously it can cause weight gan and make it difficult for you to get a night of restful sleep.    It can also cause acid reflux since when you lay down with food iny our belly it can spill out more easily.  Plus late night noshing messes with your internal clock.  So I put together a few tips for those of you that have struggled with this same issue. 


Tip #1 Drink Water
Sometimes when I start to get cravings, I remind myself that I could be dehydrated and my body just wants water.  If I drink enough water, it really does seem to fill my tummy enough that I can quit obsessing over food.

Tip #2 Keep Busy
Sometimes it's sheer boredom that makes me start craving junk food at night so if I can find something else to do that takes my mind off it, I'm usually okay.  Reading a book, looking through a magazine, playing a game on my iPad, or just tidying around the house helps a lot for me.

Tip #3 Qurb Shot PM
Qurb™ Shot PM is a great way to help avoid late night snacking.  It's been formulated to work effectively at night and doesn't contain any caffeine.  It actually contains Theanine which has been scientifically shown to relax the body and mind.  It contains ingredients that help reduce hunger and increase the level of two key hormones that regulate appetite.   This shot was actually designed with a fast-acting delivery system to help burn fat and make you feel fuller longer.  I just added it to my daily routine by taking it in the evening and I can't believe how much this along with the other tips above have actually put a stop to my cravings at night.  

Have you ever struggled with late night snacking? ? How did you overcome it?




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Outfit of the Day: Cozy Birds

Wednesday, February 22, 2017




I was so excited to wear my Mimi shawl from LuLaRoe and then all of a sudden the weather got warm.  But that's why I love it so much because if I'm cold in the office I can keep it on and then if I get too hot I can just take it off. 

Don't mind Grace photobombing!






I still get to show off my cute bird leggings. These really grew on me. I love the different colors!



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Peanut Butter Cup Dessert Dip [RECIPE]

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

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Before you attack me, yes I'm well aware of the fact that this isn't a healthy dessert recipe at all.  That being said, it's an easy recipe and it's a good thing to make if you are asked to bring a dessert to a party.  I love this because it tastes like peanut butter cups and cream cheese - my two personal favorites!


What you need:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 box of vanilla pudding mix
4 Tbsp milk
16 oz frozen whipped topping
8 oz Reese's Mini Peanut Butter Cups (chopped)




1. Mix the cream cheese and vanilla pudding mix in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed.




2. Add milk and mix on a high speed for 1 minute until combined. Then add whipped topping a few spoonfuls at a time.

3. Use a food processor to chop peanut butter cups then stir into the mix.





4. Serve with graham cracker dipping sticks, crackers, or anything else you want!


Voila! And here is a printable image of the recipe that you can either print out or save as an image in your phone!

If you try this, let me know below!



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SHOP MY LuLaRoe PARTY TODAY!

Monday, February 20, 2017

 
I'm currently throwing an online LuLaRoe pop up party RIGHT NOW!!!!   Make sure you head over to www.facebook.com/groups/lularoeemilyjang to shop!!!









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Outfit of the Day: Mixing Prints and Patterns






The is one of my favorite outfits yet!  I absolutely love doing fun things like matching prints and patterns.   The top has teeny tiny dots and the color matches the purple tear drops on my leggings. 






People always say that they wouldn't know how to pair things together like this but it's so easy.  Just hold both items up together.  If they majorly clash, don't wear them.  If they look fine, go right ahead.  It's as simple as that!
This is a Large Classic T from LuLaRoe with OS Leggings.




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Outfit of the Day - Fun with My Mimi

Thursday, February 16, 2017




If you have ever heard of LuLaRoe you probably have heard of the MiMi. It's kind of like a sweater and a shawl.   I freakin love it!  I have one in green too!  You can wear it so many ways.   I start off the day wearing it buttoned up along the front or to the side.




It is actually really fun to wear it in different positions because it covers different parts.







My favorite part of this outfit is that my OS mermaid leggings match perfectly.   When I start to get too warm on my body with the Mimi I like to just wrap it around my neck like a scarf.  It's so fun to be creative with accessories like this.


 
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Chewy 30 Day Challenge - Changes and Improvements

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

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We are checking back in for an update on our Chewy 30 Day Challenge with Rachael Ray Peak Open Range Recipe . So far so good at meal time each day because these dogs are scarfing down their food! 

Sometimes Rocky can be a picky eater but I don't worry about that anymore! I love the size and texture of the kibble by the way.

I've noticed less shedding in our household since switching to this food which means their coat is doing better.  They also look super shiny in the right light!


The pups are as energetic and interactive as ever lately! If they aren't asking me to play fetch or chase them around the house, they're chasing each other around the house and wrestling.  It's good to see them with a lot of energy and knowing they can get that energy out without hurting themselves. 

I have also noticed that their stools don't smell as stinky and that's really good news for me considering that I'm the one who picks up after them!
Stay tuned for my next post where I give you an update on how the whole month went. So far so good though and I like that this food seems to be more nutritionally dense for my babies.




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Outfit of the Day: Valentine's Day Date Night

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

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Valentine's Day is all about pink, so when James and I decided to celebrate and combine it with our monthly dinner date night I knew I had to break out these hot pink lip leggings! They were actually a Valentine's Day gift from James!




The top is actually from Old Navy. It was only $7!   I love mixing patterns and prints and it's easy to do as long as they are different enough.   Stripes can definitely be paired with leopard print and polka dot style prints, which is what I would consider these leggings.  The lips basically resemble a more polka dot style.



And for date night we went to The Melting Pot. It was our first time and it was absolutely amazing!!!  Have you guys ever been there?
What did you do for Valentine's Day?







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Outfit of the Day: Mixing Prints

Monday, February 13, 2017




If I could give everyone just one bit of fashion advice it would be this: Never ever ever be afraid to mix patterns.  My favorite patterns to mix are leopard print with stripes or leopard print with polka dots.     If you aren't sure if it will look right just try it out first. 


Above, I am wearing a large LuLaRoe Julia that I knotted at the waist.  Then I topped the whole look off (literally) with a leopard scarf.  It's a nice cold weather combo and if you throw a little jacket over top it's the perfect outfit!






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Outfit of the Day: Mixing Colors

Thursday, February 9, 2017








First let me start off by saying that yes, my neighbor is photobombing. What is it with my neighbors?!?!?  She even matches!


So anyways, I love this outfit because I just mixed colors. There really is no mustard in the top but for some reason it looks amazing with mustard on the bottom.  


When picking outfits, don't ever be afraid to mix colors even if you're just introducing a new color into your look. 


This is a large LuLaRoe Irma with OS mustard leggings.






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