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Not everyone stays home to entertain for the holidays and unfortunately that means our pets are left at home for the day which can be hard on both the pet and the owner.  So when it comes to my dogs, I have a few ways to make sure they are safe and happy at home when I'm away. 


1.  Fresh Water
I always make sure there's fresh water available in case they get thirsty.   I know they still play even when I'm not around and they usually are all thirsty afterwards so the last thing I want to do is deprive them of quenching their little thirsts! 

2.  Check In
That's right, I check in on my babies when I'm not home.   The good ol' Vimtag 361 HD Camera is my new best friend. 

This thing can move around (pan and tilt) remotely, has a clear two-way voice built in mic and speaker, and can remote live stream.  That means at any time I can check in to see what the dogs are doing and where they are.  And if I happen to catch them doing something naughty, like Rocky trying to go pee inside (it happens trust me!) I can quickly shout NO at him.  It has definitely stopped him.

It's so nice to be able to check in from time to time to know all is well at home with my babies.  There's a Micro SD card slot too and I honestly love the quality of video I get.  I can see everything clearly.   This also doubles as a nanny cam or regular security camera!! I love it!!!

3. Leave on a Calm Note
Some dogs get anxious when mommy has to leave so I slip them Pet Naturals Calming Dog Chews from Chewy.   They encourage your dog to relax without sedation or your dog acting different. It's great during thunderstorms, fireworks, or any other stressful time.  It really helps Grace relax since she's usually on edge.

What do you do to keep your dogs safe and sound when you're not home? 

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Festive with My Bestie

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Last weekend I got to see my blogger bestie Monica of Jersey Girl Texan Heart and exchange gifts!!! 

I decided to dress comfy (for the drive which was 90 minutes) but still classy, so I threw on this sequin sweater from Maurices. 

When it came to accessories I kept it light because I didn't want to take away from the pretty sequin detail of my sweater.  I decided to wear this Victoria Emerson Wrap Bracelet.  This bracelet is not only handmade but it's so gorgeous and light weight but I love that it makes a great chunky statement piece.  There are 3 loop options for sizing too. You can also get 20% off  on their site with the coupon code: askaway20 

For my necklace, I chose this adorable Gold Arrow Necklace from Marrin Costello! It's like the perfect length and it's so lightweight. Since I wore a neutral color sweater, the gold went perfect with it!

 I love my bestie because she's so smart. She knows what I love. She got me this gorgeous serving platter carousel because she knows we entertain a lot at our new house! I love this thing!!!!!! I took it out and kept spinning it when I got home.  She also got me another chihuahua ornament which is friggin awesome and she made that cute little deer out of wine corks!!!

We only got one picture together which is fine because I noticed the older I get the more I cherish time with people. Not only was it dark and cold outside so it would have been hard to do photos, but I was more excited to see her and talk with her than take photos!   We haven't seen each other since earlier in 2015.  With the chaos of Rocky's heart condition being discovered and moving and settling in, we totally fell off our normal routine of seeing each other every 2 months.  So I'll definitely see her again in February!

Do you have a blogger BFF? Do you meet up with them?

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I and Love and You [30-Day Challenge] // PART 2 // Progress + Improvements

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Welcome back to the 30-Day Challenge.  As you read in the First Thoughts post, Chewy.com is one of my favorite companies that I've ever worked with on this blog.  So when I got the opportunity to do a 30-Day Challenge with them for a brand of dog food known as I and Love and You, of course I said yes.   So for 30 days (at least) I'm feeding my dogs I and Love and You Naked Essentials Dry Dog Food in the Chicken and Duck flavor. 

My dogs are like my children so it's no surprise that I care a lot about what they are eating and what goes into their body.  I am so impressed with the ingredients in I and Love and You dog foods and I had no reservations going into this challenge.

So far so good in this household.  I've noticed there is less itchiness with my pups.  About a month ago they seemed to have dry skin and were itching themselves all the time.  That also led to a lot of shedding and little furballs (I call them tumbleweeds!) but I've noticed a decrease in them and the itching.  

Their stools are twice a day and very healthy/firm.  That's always a good sign with dogs.  And honestly I truly have noticed that they are doing less "poos" a day than normal which means their body is absorbing more nutrients from this food.  When you feed a nutritionally dense food to your pets, their body has less of it to pass through as junk!  I am so impressed with their energy levels too.  They are constantly playing and wrestling and they just love to interact with each other and with me.  I love that they are getting good nutrients and vitamins from their food that allow them to be healthy and full of life. 

Another HUGE thing is that they are full after they eat until their next meal.  Before, they were always crying and begging for more food.  Now they actually seem satisfied which means their food is nutritionally dense. 

I can't wait to see how the next week goes and then I'll post the final part - my overall thoughts! 

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Holiday Gifting CAN Be A Breeze

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.  All opinions are mine alone. #GiftingAMemory #CollectiveBias

Tis the season for chaos!  Everyone is running around like a crazy person trying to get all their Christmas gifts purchased, wrapped, and ready for the big day.   Lately, I can't even run a quick errand without running into traffic or long lines at the checkout counter.  It's kind of a shame because when you let yourself get stressed out now, you miss out on enjoying the little things that happen during the holiday season.  You know, things like Santa coming around your neighborhood on a firetruck, Christmas lights, baking cookies, office parties, Christmas specials on TV, and enjoying putting decorations up inside your own home.


 Why do people get so stressed over gifting for the holidays? I've never understood it.  It's not that hard if you know what you're doing.  Half the time - the gift is already put together for you if you opt for some sort of gift set.   My holiday shopping has been a breeze because I was super smart about it.  Trying to figure out a gift for everyone is just exhausting but if you consider Coty Holiday Gift Sets, like I did, it really can make it easier on you. 

When it comes to my mom I always want to give her gifts that are practical and useful but something that still has a hint of luxury.  That's why I chose the Beyonce RISE Gift Set from CVS.   It ended up being one of the main gifts for her and I just got a few supplemental things to give the entire gift basket a "pampering" feel.  


I mean who can't use a sleep mask for when you decide to take a nap in the middle of the day (because you SO earned it)?  And a nail file and some pedicure accessories.  Everyone deserves to pamper themselves from the comfort of their own home so I figured my mom can do JUST that with these items.  And how about a nice cozy blanket for her to wrap up in while she simply relaxes? 

Beyonce always has such luxurious fragrances and my mom is someone who really deserves to relax and be pampered so I feel like this fragrance is a special treat.  Besides, of all the senses, smell is the most powerful and certain smells can even conjure up memories.   I wanted a fragrance that will remind my mom of a more relaxed time in her life.  And honestly, this and other COTY Holiday Gift Sets make it so easy to shop for your loved ones.  It's always nice to get a variety of items in the same set like lotion, body wash, and perfume. 

You can find the Beyonce and other Gift Sets in CVS as well as some other great pamper items! Find out even more ways you can give the gift of pleasant memories this holiday season!

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My Festive Week in the 2016 Kia Sorento EX

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Well I had quite a fun week last week with the forgeous 2016 Kia Sorento EX.

The weeknights were filled with errands upon errands which required me running all over town to the point where I was just exhausted and went right to bed when I got home.  Of course I had to buy some fun holiday decor for the Christmas dinner I'm hosting this year.   

Me and James also attended his company's Christmas party which was a blast. 

And on Saturday I got to see my blogger bestie, Monica!  I had to drive over an hour away but the drive was really nice in the Kia!

But back to the Kia Sorento...I had a blast loading up the trunk but I also really enjoyed that there is a third row of 2 seats.  It's surprising because this SUV isn't a monster on the outside but it sure has plenty of room inside.  

The weather this week was soooo foggy and normally that stresses me out but for the first time ever I learned how useful fog lights are.   I also loved that the outside mirrors are heated so my morning commute wasn't held up by me trying to crane my neck out the window to merge onto the highway. 

For all the running around I did - the 2016 Kia Sorento was great with gas.  It's got an 18 MPG city fuel economy and 26 MPG on the highway.  

And this thing can speed up when you need it to! I loved that aspect of it.   It's not your average clunky, laggy SUV.   It really let me keep up with the flow of traffic and I love the blind spot detection.   

This is definitely a great vehicle for someone that needs a lot of room for passengers but still needs a decent fuel economy for everyday driving.  As always, the interior was luxurious and comfortable.  That's one reason I always enjoy Kia's so much!  

If you are in the market for a new SUV - I highly recommend the 2016 Kia Sorento EX.  Oh and it has a great sound system for those of you that like to jam out like I do!

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Eat ANYWHERE On-The-Go with GoPicnic {{+ a giveaway}}

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If you are anything like me then you have a busy life and you're always on the go.   I get so stressed out when it comes to meal time because I feel like it interrupts my schedule and is too time consuming.     And the worst is when I'm out running errands or I'm super swamped at work and I can't eat a meal that requires hot or cold or sitting down and using a plate.  It's just easier to skip a meal at that point.  This is usually the case with breakfast and lunch and even snacks. 

So when I learned about a littlething called GoPicnic, I was thrilled! GoPicnic was started in 2006 and uses the innovating concept of refueling on-the-go with yummy offerings so you can prevent yourself from getting grumpy and hungry.  Have you ever shopped on an empty stomach? You made some bad decisions didn't you? Exactly!

GoPicnic includes a balance of grains, proteins, fiber, and calories.  Everything is ready-to-eat with breakfast under 400 calories, lunch under 500, and snacks under 300.  There are meals and snacks that are available for different food diet restrictions like gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, kosher, and non-GMO.  All of their meals contain no artificial colors, flavors, trans fats, MSG, or high-fructose corn syrup.

You can get GoPicnic products at more than 15,000 different locations including Target, Wal Foods, K-Mart, Giant Eagle, and more!

What's even better is that they have an AWESOME Holiday Gift Pack that would be an amazing gift idea for the people in your life that NEED to eat but don't always have time.  At least this way they can get a nutritious meal or snack. 


The gift pack includes:
3 Turkey Slices & Cheddar Meals
3 Salami & Cheese Meals
3 Creamy Cinnamon Spread Breakfasts
3 Honey Turkey Stick Breakfasts
10 Cashed Medleys
10 Baja Blends
10 Chocolate Pillows
10 Zeppelin Lollipops
10 Jelly Jets


I got to try out the Holiday Gift Pack and it was amazing.   The breakfasts and lunches are delicious, nutritious, and satisfying.  I seriously loved eating them while I was on the go and even while I worked at my desk.  They were very filling and it actually made me enjoy taking the time to get a break and eat!     








One lucky winner will get some GoPicnic goodies of their own!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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