A thirty-something gal from Pennsylvania who loves her chihuahuas and blogs about simplifying life, organizing your home, getting your finances in order.
Click the links below to learn more about me or figure out where to start. Keep scrolling to see my latest blog posts!
Since it's the changing of the seasons it's also time to switch your wardrobe to more Fall appropriate clothing. This also means it's a good time to do one of my favorite activities - PURGING! I put a list together of how to purge your items so that you don't have to do it next Summer!
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So I finally got my FabFitFun Fall box and did an unboxing even with a video but by the time I had it all ready I was informed that the Fall box is now sold out. So before I start to show you all of the stuff from my box I wanted to give you info. You can still get the Editor's box which is basically a selection of the editor's favorite items. It's slightly cheaper. But either way, you can get $10 off your first box if you use the code TREAT here.
The FabFitFun box comes out 4 times a year and is packed with amazing items that are all pricey and full sized. For instance this month's box valued was at least $330! Each box features a variety of items relating to fashion, beauty, fitness, and more! I love that it's a mix of things and there's even surveys on their website for you to fill out so they know what colors and items you would like the most. Doing these surveys helps tailor your box to meet YOUR needs.
It's so exciting getting so many awesome goodies in the mail.
Here is my unboxing video.
And here's a closer look at all of my items!
Organic Carbon + Coconut Teeth Whitening Powder and Toothbrush - How cool! A natural way to whiten teeth with the power of activated charcoal. This is perfect for me since I adore wine and coffee but despise what it does to my teeth. Average value $43.95.
Deco Miami Lavender Cuticle Oil - This stuff is awesome. I was in dire need of a cuticle oil anyways but this one is amazing because it has argan oil and bamboo extract! It basically softens and moisturizes the cuticle of your nails. The value of this product is $12.50.
Trestique Matte Color + Shiny Balm Lip Crayon - Lip crayons are a favorite of mine because it makes it so easy to apply color and I just love that it's a 2-in-1 product. It has a value of $28!
Mer-Sea & Co. Scarf - This is the most comfortable scarf ever! It's a polyester knit and it is SO WARM!!!!! It's got a value of $98! And the company that makes it has teamed up with water.org which is a charity to make clean water available to women and their families in developing countries. Seriously this scarf is my favorite item.
IMM Living Coxet Wire Heart Ceramic Jewelry Holder - So this piece was named after a geometer who believed that music and geometry are linked. Kinda cool, and it's a nice minimalistic piece to hold jewelry or just use as regular room décor! It's got a value of $33.
B-Low the Belt Mia Belt in tan - I love this belt. It's 100% made of synthetic leather and has a round buckle hardware which keeps it sleek and stylish. This would be perfect to wear over a long cardigan where you would loop it through the hole once to get a nice sleek look. It's got a value of $55.
Private Party Gym Bag - Not only is there an adorable phrase on this bag but I love the denim wash and the nice cotton handles. The zipper compartment on the outside seals everything tightly inside and there's even an inner pocket to keep things safe. It's got a value of $59.
Cottonelle FreshCare Flushable Cleansing Cloths - This is great to carry in my purse or in a gym bag. It's always a good idea to keep these on hand whether it's to freshen up or just for emergencies.
Mytagalongs Hot and Cold Gel Pack - This is so adorable because it has a cute little catch phrase on each side and it actually is very practical. You can either freeze or heat it and then place it where you want relief. Then you just sit back and relax. The value is $15.
So again, this box is TOTALLY worth it! Make sure you sign up ASAP so you can get the Winter Box- or even check out the Editor Box.
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It's that time of year again! Halloween is right around the corner and it's one of my favorite holidays when it comes to celebrating with my dogs. That's probably because it's hilarious and so entertaining to dress a dog up in a costume and watch them play.
So today I put together some tips for having the best Halloween ever with your furry friend! And throughout this post I'll have photos of my various dog costumes over the years to inspire you.
Pick a Fun but Practical Costume
Whether you make your own costume or you purchase one at the store, make sure it's practical. Your dog (for safety reasons) should still be able to see out of it and walk around in it. And you want to make sure there's some way to keep your dog on a leash, whether it's making sure there's a leash clip on the outside of the costume or being able to reach your dog's collar with a leash even with the costume on. Be mindful of the weather if you live somewhere that stays warm even in the Fall. You don't want your dog overheating because you put a ridiculous costume on them, right?
Offer Treats Anytime your dog is in a costume or at a Halloween party, you want to make them feel comfortable and reward any good behavior. I always keep treats handy. In fact, Bil-Jac Dessert Jacs treats are a fall favorite right now because they are pumpkin flavored! They are also the perfect little size to quickly reward the pups.
Keep a Close Watch
This time of year can be full of a lot of things that can spook your dog, causing them to run off or even to get nippy. If you are in a public place around a lot of people, make sure you look for signs of distress from your dog. Sometimes they can anxious and overwhelmed by all the people and the attention. Also make sure you watch for people trying to feed your dog candy or something else they shouldn't be eating.
Mind the Temperatures
If you are in an area that can get really chilly in October, only bring your dog along if they can handle the cold weather. The last thing you want is to come home from a fun outdoor party with your dog and have them catch a cold.
Have Fun
Now is the perfect time to remember to just relax and enjoy time with your dog. I love letting my dogs interact with the neighborhood kids on Trick or Treat night. And I love socializing them with other dogs if we attend dog costume events. I don't force anything but I keep myself happy so that it rubs off on my dogs.
Respect
You have to remember that some animals will FREAK OUT when a person with a mask or costume is around them. You have to understand it from their point of view. They can't see a clear face, they smell something weird (costumes always have a bizarre odor to them) and it can be just plain overwhelming to a dog. That's why I always keep my Bil-Jac treats handy to keep them calm and happy.
And here's another cute photo of Pixie as a lion, because she's just so darn adorable!
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It's nothing to be ashamed of because we ALL have to deal with it at some point in our lives. You know what I'm talking about too. Maybe it's itching or maybe it's abnormal discharge but there are some common signs that come about and leave you freaking out because you know a yeast infection is popping up! One time, I actually had a job interview the next day when a yeast infection came about. I was freaking out. Like how was I supposed to sit there and not itch? How was I supposed to get sleep the night before? How was I to survive? It was my own fault too because that day I had been swimming with friends and stayed in my wet bikini bottoms for a couple of hours since we were in and out of the pool. I had to run out late at night to get treatment and I was frazzled the next morning before my interview. It was the most difficult 60 minute interview of my entire life. I seriously felt like I was sweating the whole time. After that horrible experience it was the last straw and I knew I had to be more prepared with the proper treatment and the ideal ways to at least try and prevent another one from coming. So here are some tips to try to prevent yeast infections through proper hygiene. Unscented Soap When washing "down there" make sure you use a gentle, unscented soap. Your wonderful body creates all sorts of bacteria to keep itself clean so trying to use harsh products to strip away the bacteria will actually do more harm than good.
Breathable Undies There are so many adorable styles of underwear but nothing is more stylish than THE PROPER underwear. A breathable cotton panty that isn't too tight is perfect to keep yeast infections away. I mean think about it, don't you want air getting down there? Duh! Avoid Moisture So remember how I said I got a yeast infection once from a wet bathing suit? Yeah, it's true. It can also happen from sweaty gym clothes. Take my advice - as soon as you're done swimming, change into something dry. And as soon as you're done getting sweaty at the gym, change into fresh clean underwear or shower immediately. Seriously, you can thank me later.
Eating Right Honestly, a proper diet will help your body get the bacteria it needs to keep everything clean down there. So always be mindful of what you put in your mouth and make sure you're eating wholesome foods.
Still, no matter how hard you try, sometimes a yeast infection still arises. Luckily for you, MONISTAT® has a line of products to help cure this awkward yet all too common issue. They have products in different dosage strengths for treatment like 1 day, 3 days, or even 7 days and their treatment forms range from creams to suppositories.
MONISTAT® is my go to product. It relieves symptoms up to four times faster and works on more strains of yeast than the leading prescription treatment. There are also less drug interactions than the leading prescription pill. I ALWAYS have MONISTAT® on hand because it's important to be prepared. MONISTAT® is actually the #1 doctor recommended OTC brand with a long-term record of success. It's been used to treat yeast infections for over 40 years! That's a pretty good track record. And of course always remember to read and keep the carton so you can read all the warnings and dosing information. And always use MONISTAT® products as directed. You can find MONISTAT® in drugstores nationwide!
Today, I'm going to help you be a little more prepared because I'm offering a $25 VISA gift card from MONISTAT® so you ladies can stock up for emergencies!
Something funny happened at our wedding shower this Summer. One of the games was a quiz where people had to determine if the statement was about James or myself. One of the statements was "I run the household." And almost all of the women in attendance knew right away that it was me.
That's because most of us feel the same way. It doesn't mean we call the shots and get to control everything. No no, you see the runner of the household tends to be the one that not only does a lot of physical tasks like cleaning and cooking, but the mental tasks.
If you were to write down all of the tasks you have to handle in a week I bet some of them would include reminding others (husband, kids, etc.) to do things. No wonder we feel so overwhelmed. We take on so many tasks that we even have to remember things for other people. And as much as we may want to become resentful of the other household members for not helping out, you can't be mad. You have to take action. Here's how to lighten your load so you have more time for yourself and you don't feel so frazzled.
[1] Discuss
Let your family know that you feel so overwhelmed anymore and it's causing you to neglect yourself. You should totally be able to schedule a few hours for yourself in the span of a week. Give them a heads up that you will be asking for help with some things you do regularly and if someone gets defensive and feels like you're accusing them of not doing enough, let them know that's NOT the case.
[2] Delegate
Taking the trash cans to the curb every week may not take long, but it's a task you have to mentally remember to do. Why not assign it to someone else. Worried they will forget? Write a note and keep it on the calendar so you can either shout out "It's trash night!" when you get something out of the fridge, or have them write it somewhere they will see on a weekly basis. There are a lot of tasks that can be delegated. If you are constantly reminding your kids or your husband of their appointments or important birthdays, consider using a smartphone app that sends reminders to them about those things or even just calling attention to the fact that everything will be on the calendar in the kitchen (or wherever) and it's on THEM to pay attention to it.
[3] Make Charts
A great way to make sure everyone is clear about what they are responsible for is to simply make a chart and put it in a central location like the fridge door. It can have the regular weekly or daily tasks everyone is responsible for along with anything that comes up on a spur the moment basis.
[4] Plan
Plan everything out so it's not a thought that keeps swimming in your head all day. I use daily to do lists for myself of even the tiniest tasks, just so that I don't forget. I plan meals out 2 weeks in advance and have my grocery lists all ready to go. I plan out where all of my money will go from each paycheck, and I plan out any appointments (hair, doctors, nails) well in advance so it never pops up last minute and I can't get it done.
With a bit of planning and asking for help, you can definitely lighten your load and not feel so bogged down.
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Another month of some amazing books, including new releases for Fall! Enjoy!
Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed This is an interesting science fiction read about a place where daughters come to fruition and are bred to make babies and when your job is done you can die. But there's a lot of twisted stuff that goes on and some badass girls that want to rebel. It's a very interesting book!
Mrs Fletcher by Tom Perrotta Once again Tom Perrotta gives us a juicy novel about suburban life with a twist of scandal. Mrs. Fletcher explores her own fantasies while her son is away at college learning that he should tone it down with his. This is such a guilty pleasure of a read!
The Secrets She Keeps by Michael Robotham
WOW this was an awesome thriller about two women that are pregnant and become friends. But as the story unravels, one of them is lying and it's very twisted! Stolen babies, affairs, etc.
One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus This is a great young adult book about 4 high school students at the center of the death of another student. Everyone has a straight story but it still doesn't add up. It's told through the perspective of each student. Really great and easy read.
Little Monsters by Kara Thomas This is an amazing thriller of a fiction novel about a girl and her step siblings and how when one of her friends goes missing, she's at the center of it all. I raced through this book with different evolving theories. It has a great ending as well!
All We Ever Wanted Was Everything by Janelle Brown This book was so awesome and juicy, about a family that is breaking apart and when the oldest daughter comes to live back at home temporarily because of her own drama, she learns her other family members have just as much scandal as she does.
All We Have Left by Wendy Mills This is an amazing book (fiction) that involves a few main characters in the times before and after 9/11. A muslim girl goes to visit her dad at work when the towers fall, and she becomes trapped inside with a boy named Travis who dies. Intermittently told in the present is the story of Jesse, sister of Travis, who is trying to figure out why her brother was at the towers the day he died. What an amazing read!
Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan This is another fictional novel set in the days and months during and after 9/11. It follows 3 teens as they cope with the tragedy in the city they live in and love so much. It's a great read!
Miss You by Kate Eberlen
I loved this book. It's about two people that cross paths at 18 and then their lives keep intercepting where they run into each other without even knowing it. It covers their lives separately and the relationships and experiences they go through before finally meeting back up.
