Since Winter is so cold and boring, I decided to spice it up a bit with a leather jacket (hey, it keeps you warm!) and a yellow and black swirled dress.  This dress is sleeveless so I normally only wear it in the Summer but with a jacket over top, it looked great and to keep my legs warm I just threw on a pair of solid leggings.

What I Wore:
Dress - Body Central
Leggings - Target
Boots - Marshalls
Leather Jacket - Bebe

Safe Paw Review & *Giveaway* Ends 1/11

With the snow and ice moving in, you can never be too safe when it comes to your home.  And did you know that when you spread salt on your driveway or sidewalk so you don't slip, you can actually harm your pets.  Whether they get it on their paws and lick it later, try to eat it right off the ground, or it gets tracked in your home for them to consumer, it is NOT good for them!   That's why I only use Safe Paw.  Safe Paw works differently than salt.  Salt is spread on the top of ice and snow and it melts from the top down while Safe Paw works down to the surface of the ground and then spreads out from there, melting from the bottom up.  This makes snow and ice removal much easier and it leaves that bond on the surface for 3 days to prevent any ice from freezing again.  Brilliant!!

But wait, are you going to tell me your dog doesn't care for salt? okay, well how about the fact that rock salt jabs and hurts your pooch's paws with it's sharp edges.  That makes it very uncomfortable and it can get lodged in between your pet's paws.  Safe Paw is much more gentle on your pet.  I have 4 chihuahuas and they are very sensitive,not just with ingesting things but also when it comes to the surfaces they walked on.  We have had a couple snows so far this year and when I used the Safe Paw it went much more smooth than normal.  First of all, it did a much better, quicker, and long lasting job with melting the ice.  Also, the pups ran across the driveway and sidewalk like they normally would when they went outside.  I am so in love with Safe Paw it's all I'm going to use from now on!

One winner will receive a container of Safe Paw for their home!

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Fitness Update: Healthy Eating & Accountability Partner

Ever since November, I've been working on eating healthier and working out several days a week.   A friend had told me "If you can't stick to working out 2 out of 7 days of the week, you are kidding yourself.  He was right, who am I kidding?   There is NO excuse.   So I began exercising as often as I could (as long as I wasn't too sore).   In December I really started to go crazy with it and I even recruited a friend from California to be my accountability partner. 

photo by mikebaird	via PhotoRee

An accountability partner is basically someone who checks in on you and what you plan to do.  Just the act of them asking you, is enough to remind you or push you to do it.  Every morning, Kate texts me and asks what I'm going to do that day for my workout.  After I tell her my plan, I get a text from her that night asking how it went.  The whole reason this works for me is because I feel like I have someone challenging me.  There's no way I'm going to lie to her because she's my friend, so when I start to feel lazy I think "No, I HAVE to do this because when Kate texts me tonight, I don't want to let her down when I tell her I let my workout plan go out the window." 
So far, I've basically been working out 5-6 days a week.  I don't get bored because I now have about 6 different Jillian Michaels workout DVDs to choose from on any given day.

Also, I've been eating much healthier.  For lunch I make a turkey and cheese sandwich rather than eating a frozen dinner.   I am eating more fruits like bananas as a snack and I'm also eating much healthier portions.  I have tried to curb night time snacking, by keeping busy up until I go to bed.

And here is my measurement progress:

I am measuring myself every two weeks. On 12/26 I lost:
.25" in my waist and .75" in my hips.  My thighs stayed the same but are very toned.  So I hope to have some measurement progress with them in the future. 
I'll keep you updated each week with what I'm doing.

Bohemian is IN!

Check out this little gem from Silvia's Handbags!  It's the Melie Bianco Salma Handbag and it comes in a beautiful Bohemian Chic pattern!  This is a great statement accessory for pretty much any time of year and the handle drop is a fabulous 9.5" which makes it very easy to get it on and off your arm!

Designerliners - Decorative Trashcan Liners to Add to Your Home Style

Designerliners are decorative USA- made, biodegradable trashcan liners that can be used just like any other trash bag.  But they look BETTER because they help add some decorative and creative spark to your home.  You can select from several different designs on your Designerliners.   I love these because they come packaged inside out so it's very easy to see how beautiful they are when you place them in the trash can, and fold the top down.   You can also purchase some of the designs in economy 100 packs if you are interested in getting them for your office or just have a large supply on hand. 

I received a pack of Gold Gingham Designerliners and it really makes staying clean and tidy much more fun.  I receive compliments anytime a guest is over and sees the trash bags.  They always say "Oh that's really neat and unique, where are those from?"  Designerliners come in pink polka dot, orange polka dot, navy polka dot, dark green polka dot, red gingham, gold gingham, black leopard, blue leopard, red toile, blue toile, and black tattersol. 

Designerliners are great for any room that has a decorative theme to it because they will totally compliment the room.  Nothing throws off the style of a room more than an ugly plain trash can.  If you have a decorated bathroom, these are ideal!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Outfit of the Day: Jungle Pink

I decided to add some fun to this winter-appropriate jungle theme by throwing in some hot pink skinny jeans! Not only was this a comfortable look but it was so easy to throw together.

So What I Wore:
Cami- Express
Cardigan - Old Navy
Jeans - Old Navy
Boots - Marshalls
Necklace - Anon9 Jewelry