Meg O. on the Go

24 Day Challenge Update

2013-05-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

First of all, a huge thank you to everyone who tuned in to my TV debut this past weekend! If you missed it, you will still be able to catch it this weekend on ABC, or you can view the episode online HERE! My segment starts at about 7:50 minutes in. Hope you enjoy! Look how famous I am!!!

Anyway!

I started the AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge on May 6 and I wanted to give you all an update on how it is going and how I did on the initial cleanse.

The Cleanse portion of the challenge consists of using the above three products. You drink Spark, an energy drink before breakfast, and then you take certain supplements and also drink a fiber drink 6 out of the 10 days. Your diet should be free of dairy and you are encouraged to eat clean, drink lots of water and exercise.

I had started Couch to 5K before I began the challenge, and then I also added in Jillian Michaels' Ripped in 30 to the mix. I freaking love that DVD. I was also eating pretty clean, but I really paid attention to tracking calories and ingredients.

Overall, I never felt like I craved anything bad, and I was actually able to avoid temptation (we went to a Mexican restaurant and I ordered a salad and didn't even touch the chips! Now that is focus, people!). Mother's Day weekend was in the middle of this, which did not help, and my in-laws took us to Maggiano's (aka my favorite restaurant in the world... we had our wedding reception there!). That was the only time I let myself to splurge a little, although I kept my portions very small. Not the best choice during the cleanse, but at the end of the day I didn't over do it.

I made sure to eat a lot of fruit, vegetables and lean protein (and continue to do so as I'm still on the challenge). I haven't had coffee since May 5, and I can honestly say I haven't missed it!

At the end of the 10 days, I had lost a total of 4.6 pounds and 3 inches from around my body (most places losing half an inch). This is coming from my bust, natural waist, belly button, hips, thigh, and bicep. I feel great, and energized. That makes me about 3 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight!

Ready to tone that belly some more!

I am kind of mad at myself that it's taken me this long to take up running....because my legs have never looked this good. I'm currently on week 4 of 8 in the Couch to 5K training, and I have really enjoyed it. I'm glad I'm doing this before it gets majorly hot outside. I usually run right before it gets dark, pretty much my favorite time of day.

Me, in shorts! Never happens. I honestly would have never noticed that little muscle cut in my leg had I not put those shorts on. My legs are one of my problem areas and I always hide them. I can't wait to see what 4 more weeks of running will do to these legs!

All in all, I have enjoyed this challenge very much. I think your success highly depends on what you put into it, as there is no magic pill or solution. Because I started a lot of things before the challenge, I think it has made the transition more seamless and easy to the cleanse. I have felt I've gotten that jump start to the success I was really hoping for.

If you guys are interested in trying the challenge or ordering any products for yourself, my awesome friend Katie is offering a 10% discount to all of my readers! Please email her at advocare.morris@gmail.com if you'd like to take advantage of it. If you don't know where to start and don't have a lot in your budget, order yourself some Spark! You won't regret it!

Tune in Tomorrow for My TV Debut!!!

2013-05-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hey guys!!

Remember when I told you about my segment that I filmed with Deals on the Live Well Network? Well, it airs tomorrow!!

This show is nationally syndicated, so there are a few ways for you to be able to catch it.

THE SHOW - DEALS
SEE IT:

1. Saturday, May 18 (tomorrow) on the Live Well Network at 8:00 a.m. Central Time

2. Saturday, May 25 on ABC at 10:00 a.m. Central Time

3. Online on the Deals Episodes Webpage (not sure when!)

I look forward to seeing how this all turned out! I hope you tune in with me!

Mrked iPhone Case Review & Giveaway

2013-05-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

If there's anything I love, it's discovering new companies that have a purpose. And when it has something to do with the support of education, you really have my attention. When Mrked offered to send me an iPhone case to review and an opportunity to give one away to my readers, I was thrilled. I mean, this new company is awesome.

Why, you ask? Well, aside from the fact that my phone case is adorable and I've gotten like a million compliments on it....

Here's a little bit about Mrked, via their website:

Each founding member grew up in an unique environment that shaped our personal lives. But one common feature is that our parents migrated from South Asia in order to provide us with a proper education. The stories of the struggles our parents went through to make it in America has motivated us to excel in our studies and do something to make them proud. This idea became the foundation and driving force of Mrked: we wanted to provide an opportunity for people, like you, to change a young girl’s life in an Asian or African country.

At Mrked, our mission is to not only give our customers high quality products, but want to give them an opportunity to "Leave A Mrk" on the world. Our vision is to create a business model that would bring positive change. We chose to educate, as it is a vital part in making sustainable improvements in the developing world. We have created a profit-sharing model with Room to Read to help provide education to girls in Asian and African countries. Together we are working towards alleviating the lack of education within these countries.

The tech accessories maintain a contemporary, chic appeal while proving to serve it's protective purpose. We sought to keep the design slender as not to make your phone too bulky and really push the opportunity to provide girl's with access to education through our "Leave A Mrk" initiative.

All of the cases that Mrked sells are very stylish and I find mine to be very durable, even withstanding the likes of my ever so clumsy toddler. I love that it has a rubbery insert and then a hard plastic shell over it. Not to mention, it's ridiculously cute. Being able to support the cause of education is something I feel very strongly about, especially since I am an educator. I am happy to support the cause of Mrked and I truly believe in their vision to "Leave a Mrk".

Be sure to visit their website: http://www.mrked.com
Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrkedbrand
Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrkedbrand
Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/mrkedbrand

Mrked is offering you guys two things today!

1) 10% off your order with the code "onthego"

2) One case for one lucky reader!

Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Please note: all entries are optional but the first four options give you ten entries each!

GOOD LUCK!

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Unfinished {Part 2}

2013-05-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

"What's wrong with her eye?"

"What happened to her eye?"

"Is she blind?"

"Does she have a lazy eye?"

"What's wrong with her?"

"Can she see me?"

"Is it going to fix itself?"

Those are just a few examples of some more of the things I have heard regarding Kennedy's coloboma. Need to read up on what it is? Check out this post.

I realize those questions come because Kennedy's condition is so incredibly rare, and she will most likely be the only person in their lifetime that they will meet like this. Regardless, hearing this hurts. I go through days of not even noticing her eye or thinking about it, and then I hear one of these questions, or someone acts pretty ignorant about the situation, and I'm truly saddened and worried for my little girl.

I love Kennedy so much. I love every single part of her, including her coloboma. I think it makes her incredibly special. It literally is a physical manifestation of how our lives and souls are never finished; how we are a continual work in progress. I just worry for how others are going to start treating her once she starts going to school where children become judgmental. Let's face it, it is different and kind of weird. You can try and compare whatever birth mark you have to her eye, but the fact is that it is not the same. Every time I look at pictures of eyes or every time someone draws eyes, the pupils are always round. But what about Kennedy's keyhole shaped pupil? How do I explain this to her when she later has questions after she learns that eyes are two circles with two little dots inside the circles?

I just worry about the future. I worry that kids will be mean. I worry that she will rebel and try and hide her face, retreat from others, and become socially awkward. I wonder if she will ask me for a contact lens to hide her coloboma (I discovered this website that deals with cases like hers, and it's pretty neat), and I will gladly let her have one. I just hope she doesn't become ashamed of herself. Ashamed of what God made her, because God doesn't make any mistakes.

Why am I writing this post? Why hash this out again when I've already posted about it before? I just think there is a lot to learn, especially with how we look and treat other people. Specifically when it comes to teenagers.

Throughout the school year, when Kennedy would come to rehearsal with me, some of my students would push her around in the stroller. She loves walks. Some of the other random kids that would be around after school would approach her and ask really ridiculous questions, just like the ones up at the top of this post. High schoolers are the absolute worst, aren't they? My students were really offended and, of course, they felt hurt and came and told me. We had a thoughtful discussion about Kennedy and about how others pass judgment in high school. They shared experiences on how others have judged them before, even on things that weren't as noticable as Kennedy's eye. This discussion had a few of us in tears, and it felt amazing to just talk about this to them. Kennedy doesn't even realize that she is already helping others open up and talk about these issues! What a blessing she is!

It makes me so happy to know that my students care about her so much. Kennedy really is a normal, beautiful girl. She has perfect vision. She truly brings everyone joy. The kinds of students that I have that care about her so much give me hope. Also clicking on the #coloboma hashtag on Instagram has made me feel so inspired (go look it up now!). I hope Instagram or something like it exists when Kennedy is a teenager so she can find her community. I've already found one little boy whose eyes are exactly like hers. It's so crazy. So insane to think out of all the people in this world, I could find one little boy on instagram only months younger than her with eyes that are almost identical.

Like I said before, we are all unfinished. We are all a work in progress. We all have something that we feel we are different because of it. Kennedy's is in the window to her soul. Perhaps that may seem bad, but I find it incredibly humbling.

My Second Mother's Day Reflections

2013-05-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated Mother's Day, and specifically, it was my second year to celebrate as an official mother. Time truly moves too fast, and it is bewildering to think that last year I had a bouncy, bubbly little five month old princess in my arms.

I really started to think again about how life has changed since I became a mom almost seventeen months ago. I feel like the same person, but somehow my child makes me better. I feel like I can still do some of the things "old me" would do but with a littler more planning and organization.

Being a mother is one of the greatest joys I've felt in my life.

I understand love more deeply and on a level that is inexplicable. I see the world with a different pair of eyes. I understand what "mommy gut" is. I can understand exactly what Kennedy is trying to tell me, and I always have been able to ever since she was born.

Being a mother has taught me immeasurable amounts of patience, humility, and perspective as a human being. I feel like I continue to grow and learn as Kennedy is growing and learning. There are new things to discover, new obstacles to overcome, new milestones to reach, and new celebrations to be had. Both on her part and my part.

I feel like motherhood is as much of a journey as it is for our children as they grow. Yes, you become a mother when you have a baby, but it doesn't stop there. Being the mother your child needs and loves is a hard, but rewarding task that I am proud to say I am a part of.

Of course, I wouldn't be able to do this alone. I have had the most amazing spouse and father to my child who is there every step of the way, picking up every inch of slack and always being there for Kennedy and me. He makes motherhood an easier journey and one that I am proud to be on with him by my side.

I am excited to see where this journey takes us. What beautiful things my child will learn and accomplish and what things I can learn to help her blossom and flourish. I am beyond blessed with such a beautiful daughter who is so expressive, smart, funny, and thoughtful. Oh, and she's pretty stinkin' cute, too.

Truly blessed.

A belated Happy Mother's Day to all of the amazing women that are on this journey called motherhood. You are treasured.

Hoarse Vlog

2013-05-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

I somehow picked up a little bug from Kennedy (thanks, love) which somehow made me freakin' hoarse. I absolutely hate being hoarse. I rely so much on my voice throughout the day, and it feels like I just have nothing when I don't have it! I guess the one benefit is my students were much quieter to listen to me these past few days.

Anyway, I figured you could all laugh at my expense. So I vlogged while being hoarse. You're welcome.

Gee, YouTube. You really know how to make a girl feel sexy with those thumbnails.

I'll take requests for more vlogs if you find me entertaining.

Subscription Box Share: Glossybox & Beauty Box 5 April 2013

2013-05-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! Today's our second installment of Subscription Box Share, hosted by myself, Katie, and Tara! Write about any subscription box you receive (doesn't have to be beauty), put our button anywhere on your post and come back to link up with us!

Today I'm sharing two boxes with you! I've got my regular Glossybox and then something new! I was sent April's box from Beauty Box Five. I was so excited to try! So let's get to it, shall we?

Let's first talk about Beauty Box Five. They are a new beauty subscription company. They send you five samples per month, most of which are deluxe, for $12 (or less if you buy a quarterly or yearly subscription). When they contacted me asking me to review April's box, I was thrilled! The brands that are in their boxes intrigue me and are brands that I've used and love or brands I'm interested in trying. The box that they sent me is about the same size as the Birchboxes, which was neither here nor there, but just for reference. Here's my box!

1. MINXXETTE BRUSH HANGER - This is a little suction cup thingy that you are supposed to hang your makeup brushes in to dry upside down, because apparently it's better to let them dry that way. The size of the brush hanger fits an eyeshadow brush. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for cool, innovative beauty tools, but this just seems a bit excessive. I have a million makeup brushes, and my bathroom would certainly look a hot mess if I had a million of these brush hangers suctioned to all flat surfaces. Cool concept, but it may not work for me.

2. MODEL CO. ILLUSION LIP PENCIL - This lip pencil is supposed to help you line your lips as to make them look plumper. I like the nude color of the pencil, and I also like that it has a little sharpener on the cap. I actually don't have a nude lip liner, and this is full size (score! $20 value!), so this is a perfect addition to my collection.

3. LA FRESH INSTANT BODY SMOOTHER - These little towlettes are supposed to help calm and wipe away stress and fatigue. They have peppermint and essential oils and what not. Greg and I rubbed them on each other while watching TV before bed, and we sure felt relaxed. Was a nice little luxury and a nice bonus.

4. JEAN PIERRE OIL ABSORBING FACIAL TISSUES - Does what it says. Great at blotting oil without messing up my makeup. I actually needed more oil absorbing sheets for my purse, so I was happy when I saw this product.

5. BRAZEN COSMETICS EYESHADOW - This loose eyeshadow is an eco-friendly brand, that is also vegan! Finding brands like that is very awesome to me, and I hope that more mainstream beauty brands turn to more eco-friendly practices. Anyway, the shadow is a very simple nude color, and it actually reminds me a lot of "Naked" by Urban Decay. Great color for blending out other colors.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

I really enjoyed my box from Beauty Box Five, and it is definitely a subscription I would consider subscribing to! I highly recommend them to y'all if you are looking for something cool and unique and don't want to spend the $20 that Glossybox charges!

Now, onto Glossybox! Here's an in-depth view of my box.

1. BLVGARI TEA BAG FOR BATH - Holy crap, this smells awesome, although I haven't used it yet. I can't wait to take a bath!!

2. TIGI COSMETICS GLOW BLUSH - I love the color that they sent me of this blush. It's a spicy kind of plummy-goldeny-pink. It's hard to describe, and I own nothing like it. I believe the color is called "Haute". Hollah for another full size product!! $22 value!

3. WASH WITH JOE COFFEEMINT INVIGORATING BODY WASH - Another amazing smelling thing in my box! Coffeemint? Who da thunk? Brilliant combination if I don't say so myself. Very energizing for those morning showers!

4. ALTERNA BAMBOO STYLE BOHO WAVES TOUSLED TEXTURE MIST - I like the Alterna brand, and another spray has been in my Glossybox before. I do not own a texturizing spray, which is cool because now I want to really try it more during the summer. I plan on using this on air-dried hair. I played around with it a little bit and I like it so far!

5. THE HONEST COMPANY ORGANIC LIP BALM - Yay! Another eco-friendly and organic product! I got the vanilla citrus flavor, and it's like putting a creamsicle on your lips. Love it. It's incredibly smooth and moisturizing. I had no idea I could love a lip balm upon first wear this much. I adore it! Apparently these come in packs of three, so it's technically not a full sized product.

6. LE METIER DE BEAUTE REPLENISHING DAILY SERUM - Okay, so this stuff runs $225 for 1.7 ounces. Are you freaking kidding me? Now I'm kind of scared to use it, in case it's like the wings of angels that touch my skin and make me look like a supermodel. I honestly would never pay that much for a serum. I guess I'm flattered that they think us Glossybox subscribers are fancy high class ladies, but dang that is just too much. So yeah. There you have it.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

I don't think I enjoyed this box as much as others, but it definitely had some high points for me (the blush, lip balm, and texturizing mist). I'm also kind of surprised there was one true full sized product in the box. I usually get 2-3. I wonder if that darn "high class" serum had something to do with it. Stop sending me crap I can't afford and send me more full sized stuff, Glossybox!

What did you get in your subscription boxes this past month?

Link up with us below! Can't wait to see what y'all got!

April 2013 Beauty Favorites

2013-05-01T09:13:00.000-05:00

You guys. It's May. That means it's almost summer (yay for no work!) and nearly one month away from my 21+9 birthday. It's a big birthday this year. So I guess I only have a month left to enjoy 21+8.

Regardless, I have my monthly recap of my beauty favorites. I haven't gotten that many new things this past month, but of course I always have my favorites of the month! Duh! Not to mention, two of these things I received for free. Bonus!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

ANASTASIA PERFECT BROW PENCIL
This is seriously my Holy Grail brow pencil. I love a defined brow. It makes you look so much more put together, and I am always getting compliments on my brows. I just repurchased this pencil after going through my old one for a year and a half. Yes, you read that right. It lasted me that long. I prefer a brow pencil that I can sharpen because I feel like you get more product than one of those self-sharpening ones. In the process of trying to make this pencil last, I bought a few others. All of which I didn't like as much as this one because either it ran out so fast, the color was off, or it wasn't pigmented. I have this pencil in Medium Ash Brown and it is seriously perfect. Never straying away again.

VO5 TOTAL RECOVERY DEEP CONDITIONING HAIR MASK
At Blissdom, I received the entire new line (and then some) of VO5's new Salon Series products. They totally rebranded and reformulated their prodcuts to perform like high end products. I have been quite impressed with the things I have tried, but this hair mask is my favorite. Not to mention, it's really cheap. And I got it for free, which makes it even better. I was actually in need of a hair mask because my beloved Macadamia mask saw its last days.

REVLON PHOTOREADY BB CREAM
I received this BB Cream as a Klout perk a few weeks ago. Revlon is one of my favorite drugstore brands (remember, Colorstay is my holy grail foundation!), so I had high hopes for their BB Cream. See, I honestly think BB Cream is hyped up to be this magical product, when essentially it's an amped up tinted moisturizer (at least, the American brands are). So with that in mind, I have loved using this underneath my foundation and it's helped with the need to use concealer. On its own, it's great for days where I just need something quick and light. I use this how I use a tinted moisturizer, and I find it has a bit more coverage. I have this in the shade light-medium and is a great shade for me.

REDKEN GUTS 10 VOLUME SPRAY FOAM
I first saw this product on my friend, Veronika's, blog. She has fabulous hair, so obviously I needed to try it. I'm still battling postpartum hair loss (seriously, it is the worst thing ever). My hair is so thin these days, and falls flat a lot. When I blow my hair out with this stuff, concentrating it at the roots and nowhere else, it really does bring my hair to life more.

LORAC BEHIND THE SCENES EYE PRIMER
This primer came with my Lorac Pro Palette (you know, my fave eyeshadow palette of the moment). It's a small travel size, but it's lasted me forever. I think I like this just as much as Too Faced Shadow Insurance (which I think is better than Urban Decay Primer Potion). Eyeshadow and liner lasts all day. Loves it. The end.

What are you loving lately? Leave me your suggestions in the comments!

Body After Baby - Katie

2013-04-29T07:33:00.002-05:00

Today I have a real treat for you guys. I mentioned before that I wanted to start incorporating more healthy living posts into my blog to help keep me accountable. With that being said, I have an amazing guest post for you guys today. Katie is one of my dear friends. I have known her since college, in which we both were in the same sorority together (Omega Phi Alpha! Holla!!). She is truly a sweet girl, has a heart of gold, and a super cute family. Katie doesn't have a blog, although I think she should start one (you hear, that Katie?)!

I reached out and asked Katie to guest post because I was inspired by her story. Losing the last bit of baby weight has proved to be much more difficult for me than I had expected, and seeing Katie's success has me so fired up! She is looking incredible these days. So let's have her take it away!

Hi I'm Katie, I have pretty much struggled with my weight my whole life...until June of last year. It all started with a Spark...and The 24 Day Challenge.

After having my son Colton in April I was really struggling to lose the baby weight...like it seriously wasn't going away and NONE of my clothes fit. And who wants to buy bigger clothes? I decided something needed to change - I needed a little extra push and I needed it now. We had some friends at church that had told us about AdvoCare and how amazing the products were and how great they were feeling. I finally got up the courage to ask them what I needed to do and that's when I realized that AdvoCare could be my answer.

In June 2012 I started off with the 24 Day Challenge which is a product bundle that starts with a 10 day cleanse and then a 14 day Max phase. Day 1: I felt amazing! Spark, which is the energy drink, made me feel like super mom. In 24 Days I lost 12 pounds and my clothes fit or were feeling loose! I also joined my local gym by my house and started taking classes and continued on the products and the weight kept coming off!! I am smaller now than I was before I had my son and I feel incredible.

Through my journey I have learned to really enjoy going to the gym and staying healthy. My favorite ways to sweat are,weight lifting...ladies, throw out the rumors that you are going to get "bulky"!! Muscle burns more calories than fat! I also love Dance and Yoga.

My favorite meals and snacks to keep me on track:
- AdvoCare Meal Shake in Chocolate Mocha

-Big salad with chicken and dried cranberries (to help curb my sweet cravings)

-Banana with almond butter

-Strawberries

-Quinoa

-Rice cakes with a little almond butter & honey

KATIE'S PROGRESS:

Doesn't she look awesome?! Katie and her husband are actually now selling AdvoCare. If you are thinking of trying it and want to get a special discount, email her at advocare.morris@gmail.com. AdvoCare is never offered at a discount, so this is very generous!

Thanks, Katie, for sharing your story with us today!!

Emeals 3 Month Subscription Giveaway!

2013-04-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I am a huge eMeals lover! If you don't know what eMeals is, it's a meal planning service in which you choose a meal plan (they have low fat, organic, vegetarian, gluten free, portion control, paleo, low carb, simple gourmet, and even slow cooker) suited for your family and tastes, and they will send you weekly recipes with attached shopping lists. The point is to save time and money on groceries.

I love my Clean Eating for Two plan. Not only are the recipes delicious, the plan is definitely helping with saving money and time! I am also thrilled because they also just launched an iPhone app where I can manage all of the recipes and my shopping list on my phone! No printing anything and no having to lug my laptop into the kitchen when I cook. For me, this is what makes eMeals even more special. Here are a few of the things I've made from eMeals:

Today I have something special for y'all. I'm giving away a 3 month eMeals subscription to one of my readers! This is something you want.... I promise you that! If you don't want to take your chances and get a subscription for yourself, use promo code "BLISS13" at checkout to receive 15% off your subscription! One last thing. If you are a blogger and interested in joining the eMeals blogger network, sign up here!

ENTER BELOW USING THE RAFFLECOPTER WIDGET

Good luck!!

Please note: all ways to enter this giveaway are optional, but the first five options are worth 10 entries!

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Body After Baby {part 4}

2013-04-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

If you may remember, I gained 48 pounds through my pregnancy with Kennedy. Way over the recommended amount (even though my doctor wasn't that worried about it since I was so small beforehand), and very embarrassing to put that out there.

At 4 months postpartum, I still had 15 pounds to lose. At 6 months postpartum, I still had 12 pounds to lose (only lost 3 pounds in two months). At 9 months, I still had 9 pounds to lose (only lost 3 pounds in 3 months). This was after an entire summer of working out every week day.

Since then, I've lost about 5 and then gained a few. I'm 16 months postpartum, so as you can see, the weight loss has been extremely slow. Breastfeeding didn't make the pounds fall off like I had thought they would (it actually had the opposite effect on me - made my body hold onto fat for maternal fat stores). I have gone through waves of being ridiculously healthy and then gorging myself.

Right now, I'm 7 pounds up from my pre-pregnancy weight. Not much of a change from 7 months ago. Embarrassing. I fit in all of my pre-pregnancy clothes, but I don't feel 100% confident in them, and some are tight.

Obviously I need to start doing something different. I have always been a good eater during the week (I love my clean eating plan from eMeals and I have a giveaway from them coming your way this week!) but I need to up my activity, journal my food, and really watch what I eat on the weekends. Eating right comes easy to me, but having more control of it is what really gives me success. And I'm not doing that. I'm definitely not staying active enough, either. I'm in fairly good shape and I don't lead a sedentary lifestyle (teaching and directing is cardio), but I'm just not doing enough.

It's so hard to find time to work out during the school year, especially when I am directing a show and sometimes getting home late in the evenings. I am not a morning person, and school starts at 7:20 a.m. Yeah... I'm not waking up early to work out. Now that things have slowed down after school and the weather hasn't reached "hotter than hell", I think it's best that I get activity in outside until summer time.

PLAN OF ATTACK

- Start the AdvoCare 24 day challenge (I have more details of that coming up soon! I'm so excited)

- Continue to train for a 5K using the Couch to 5K app. I started this two nights ago and I am loving it way more than I thought. I have survived the first two days and I feel great. I'm also tracking my runs/walks and calories burned using the Nike+ Running app.

- Take more walks in the afternoon, pushing Kennedy in the stroller. I have been doing this almost every day for a couple of weeks and both Kennedy and I have enjoyed ourselves.

- Track my calories using My Fitness Pal (find me on there - my username is momomeg)

- Reactivate gym membership when summer begins

I also feel like I should post more about my fitness and healthy living journey here to keep me accountable. In no way am I ever going to claim that I am an expert on anything healthy living, but the blogging community is a powerful tool to be able to share tips and best practices. In other words, I hope to learn from you all.

At this point, I just have no more excuses to prevent me from doing this. It's almost summer. After school activities have slowed down. I owe it to myself to keep to this. And most important, I am doing this for my desire to live a long healthy life, not just to be thin.

Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep (Book Review)

2013-04-22T09:05:00.001-05:00

I will be honest here, I have been blessed with a good sleeper. Kennedy has had few problems with sleep, and she currently sleeps through the night, from about 7 p.m. til 7 a.m. I know, you're thinking, "I hate you." So obviously me reviewing a sleep book is something I should do, right?

No, but in all seirousness, I have read a ton of sleep books since Kennedy was born. She has had a few problems here and there, and each and every time she has had a problem, I scour my books. I've been very interested in the science behind sleep, and all of the sleep training methods for babies. By choice, I do not prefer the Cry It Out (CIO) or sleep training methods, although there have been a few nights that we have had to resort to that when nothing else has worked. Generally, what has worked for us is to establish a sleep routine and stick to it, so she knows to expect it every night at the same time.

While I am generally happy about how well Kennedy's sleep patterns are currently going, there is always room for me to learn, especially for the years to come. One2One Network recently sent me a copy of a new sleep book that was just released that covers a broad age range! I present to you:

Dr. Harvey Karp's

The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep

I enjoyed Dr. Karp's first book (and DVD) The Happiest Baby on the Block, which was full of very helpful soothing techniques for newborns. We applied many of them to Kennedy with much success. Naturally, I trust Dr. Karp and I was excited to read this next book. What interested me in this book was that it covered from birth to five years. General topics that this book cover are:

- How to train brand new babies to sleep better

- What's the best white noise (and which worsen sleep)

- Why parents should wake a sleeping baby (not necessarily one I agree with but I understand why)

- How to enjoy the benefits - and avoid the risks - of swaddling

- The importance of powering down

I skipped the first part of the book that focuses on newborn and infant sleep, simply because it didn't apply to us at this time, although I plan on going back to it if we have another baby. I focused on reading the toddler part, which I found very helpful. I enjoyed the different parts on teaching patience and good behavior during the day really impacts a toddler's sleep at night. Very worthwhile information. I want to work on being able to put Kennedy down without having to hold/rock her for a few minutes, and I found a couple of different things that I think would help with that. Especially the idea of a lovey and white noise.

I definitely recommend checking this book out if you have an infant through five years old. There are many different points that apply to young children of all ages.

Please note: I am participating in a book review campaign with One2One Network. I received this book from Harper Collins for the purposes of reviewing it. I have not received compensation. My participation in the campaign enters me into a drawing for a gift card. All opinions stated are my own.

16 Months

2013-04-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, little Miss Kennedy turned 16 months! Can we believe it? Nope.

I was able to snap this picture this past weekend when we went to go visit Greg's parents who live in the Austin area. If you're a Texan, you know you've got to get a picture in the bluebonnets in spring! We also were able to get her grandpa to snap a quick photo of us all!

KENNEDY LATELY:

I'm pretty sure Kennedy will be running by tomorrow. She is getting so fast.
She is also getting a little more independent. When we were walking around downtown Austin, she wanted to get out of the stroller and not only walk by herself, but not hold mama's hand! Of course I had none of that. Mama won.
Kennedy's vocabulary is still ever-growing. She is such a darn good communicator. She will copy you and try to form words and repeat them back to you. I really think she has a good ear. I've got a video down at the bottom of this post so you can see what I mean. I think she has a musical ear and is trying to match pitch. Which makes me a proud music mama!!
She had her school pictures done recently and they are just too funny. They did class pictures and individual pictures. She is such a hoot.
I think she is starting to understand the concept of herself and her name. When you ask her "Where's Kennedy?" she will put her hands on her head and pat her head. I could have sworn she tried to say Kennedy as well (not an easy name to say for a little one).
Her favorite foods are banana, cheerios, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and spicy food (like chili, spaghetti, or Tex-Mex). So fruit and spicy. I'm having a bit of a challenge trying to get her to eat vegetables, but I sneak them in and I won't give up that fight.
She's still a Mickey Mouse lover. She calls him "KEE!" Yet she can say Daisy "DE-see"
Speaking of Daisy, she loves ducks. She calls them "DUH!"

See? I mean her personality is just too much to handle. I am in love with this little girl more and more! I'll leave you with two short videos to show you how fun this little girl is.

I guess she is a crazy cat lady in training. Also, I realize her room is a mess. She's a toddler. Which basically means a human manifestation of a tornado.

This is a good example of how she tries to match pitch! Don't you hear her trying? I am so proud! Also, the little "a duh DUH duh!" is a song she made up. She randomly started "singing" it when she was around 9 months old. I have no idea where she learned it or if she made it up, but we call it the Kennedy Song.

Happy 16 Months, pretty girl! Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

For Boston

2013-04-16T10:47:00.001-05:00

We all know about the extreme tragedy that struck Boston yesterday. My heart hurts for the city, the victims, and their families.

In order to set the mood for this post, please play this song. It's my favorite Boston song.

Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond on Grooveshark

Boston is a special place for my family. As some of y'all may know, Greg was born and raised in a small town west of Boston. I actually met Greg up in Massachusetts in his home town, where my friend married his childhood friend.

His parents still lived up there until the summer of 2010. They currently live in Texas three hours away from us, however, Greg's heart is in Massachusetts. Although he doesn't have much family left up there, we try to make it up there at least once a year to see childhood friends.

I love Boston.

Today I wanted to share some of my favorite pictures from our trips up there. I wanted to honor this town for the amazing place that it is.

Boston, you're in my prayers, along with everyone involved in yesterday's tragedy. My heart goes out to you.

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa (Clean Eating)

2013-04-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, friends.

I've got an amazing clean eating recipe for you today. I posted this picture on instagram the other day and had multiple requests for me to post it. So ask and you shall receive!

Unfortunately I do not have an amazing photo of the recipe, but I can assure you this has quickly found its way into our dinner rotation. We love a good, clean meal. In fact, we try to make most of our meals at home a clean meal. We have fun trying new recipes, and are blown away when we find great ones, such as this, and my Thai Chicken I posted last week.

I think what I loved so much about this dish was taking a classic buffalo flavor, and adding it to something relatively exotic, the quinoa. If you've never tried it before, you need to get some. It's like a "bubblier" brown rice... if that makes any sense. Adding in the blue cheese may not make it super duper clean, but hey, it's good and a little won't kill ya, right? And let me just say, Greg found this recipe and he made it. So he is #1 Hubby in my book for this.

BUFFALO CHICKEN QUINOA

via

INGREDIENTS

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup broccoli florets
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles, plus more for garnish
4 green onions chopped, save half for garnish

Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup hot sauce (we used a Mexican brand)
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (we did not have this, so we just used sea salt)

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

Rinse quinoa well and drain. In a medium pot, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn heat to low. Cook until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, fluff the quinoa with a fork.
While the quinoa is cooking make the buffalo sauce dressing and cook the chicken and broccoli. In a measuring cup or small bowl combine the olive oil, hot sauce, and seasoned salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
Heat a medium size skillet over medium high heat Add a tablespoon of olive oil and saute the broccoli for about 5 minutes. You want it to just start to soften, but still be crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the chicken to the same pan and cook the chicken for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. Add 1/4 cup or so of the buffalo sauce and cook until the chicken absorbs the sauce.
When the quinoa is ready add the chicken, broccoli, carrots, shredded cabbage and as much of the dressing as desired, toss well. Add the blue cheese and half of the green onions. Toss again and serve warm with extra blue cheese crumbles and green onions.

My Notes: We only used about 1/2-2/3 of the sauce that this calls for. It's a lot of sauce. Also, if you are trying to be extra good, you can always skip out on the blue cheese, although I loved the kick it gave to the dish. And if you would like to make it vegetarian, I think this would be awesome with some extra firm tofu in place of the chicken. Or leave out the chicken altogether.

Happy Monday! Hope y'all have a wonderful week!

Beauty Bargains Under $5!

2013-04-10T10:15:00.003-05:00

Y'all know I love makeup. I mean, seriously. I especially when I can find items that I love for a very reasonable price! I'm all about beauty on a bargain, and I will absolutely use products that are from the drugstore, especially if they perform just as good as my high end brands.

Today I've compiled a list of my favorite beauty finds under five dollars!

Yep, you heard me right.

Every single one of these products I use and love, and I am all about passing along my infinite knowledge and wisdom (haha) on to you!

ELF CREAM LINER // TARGET BRAND CREASE BRUSH // WET 'N WILD 'SWEET AS CANDY' EYESHADOW PALETTE // WET 'N WILD 'COMFORT ZONE' EYESHADOW PALETTE // MAYBELLINE FALSIES MASCARA

ELF CREAM LINER - I find this liner seriously comparable to MAC Fluidline. It stays put, goes on creamy, and doesn't dry out. I have repurchased this multiple times and I will never go back to a high end gel eyeliner! However, the brush that comes with it is not great, so I suggest buying your own eyeliner brush for it.

TARGET BRAND CREASE BRUSH - This is an amazing quality crease brush, and I find it very comparable to my Sigma and MAC brushes. No lie.

WET 'N WILD SWEET AS CANDY EYESHADOW PALETTE - I love these trios. This one is so neutral and fun to use, and I really like the light pink shade on my lid. Even though it's pink, it still looks neutral and pretty!

WET 'N WILD COMFORT ZONE EYESHADOW PALETTE - This is probably my favorite Wet 'n Wild 6 shadow palette. It's full of amazing colors, both neutral and not. I highly recommend this if you are wanting to experiment more with your shadows but not sure where to start!

MAYBELLINE VOLUM' EXPRESS FALSIES MASCARA - This is one of my favorite drugstore mascaras. It provides a very "feathery" look that I love. Sometimes you can't find this under $5 but I have seen it for that at Walmart (if you ever want to step into that lovely establishment).

NYC BRONZER IN SUNNY // ELF GLOSSY GLOSS // RIMMEL STAY MATTE POWDER // WET 'N WILD 'MELLOW WINE' BLUSH // EOS LIP BALM

NYC BRONZER IN SUNNY - This is an amazing matte bronzer that blends very smoothly, and is great for pale-skinned girls. Not orange-y or glitter-y at all!

ELF GLOSSY GLOSS - I find this lipgloss to be super similar to MAC's Lipglass. Extremely similar. They also have a great color selection online but it can be found at most Super Targets.

RIMMEL STAY MATTE POWDER - I am totally blown away by this powder. All of the amazing reviews I read/heard were true! Very finely milled, and I totally stay shine-free! Seriously, gals. Get you some! My only complaint is that it does kind of whiten you up a bit (I got the translucent one), so I have to contour/blush on top of it.

WET 'N WILD MELLOW WINE BLUSH - Can you tell I love me some Wet 'n Wild? I adore this blush. It is such a beautiful, natural color, even though it looks a little dark on the pan. Not disappointed at all!

EOS LIP BALM - This is seriously the best lip balm ever, and it lasts forever! I know many of you have tried it and love it, but I just can't get enough. Plus they're so cute and fun!

Obviously you will find these products for different prices depending on where you will go, but I have found each one of these for $5 or under. I also suggest checking out a drugstore such as CVS or Walgreens because they typically run a lot of beauty specials (buy one get one free) or offer various coupons. Walmart has consistently had really cheap prices, but there's that whole having to go to Walmart thing, and a lot of times they seem to be out of what I'm looking for.

What are your beauty bargains? Do share! Of course I have to add it to my ever growing wish list!

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Coconut Curry with Slaw (Clean Eating!)

2013-04-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

I love anything that simplifies dinner time. As you all know, I lead an extremely busy lifestyle, but I do not want to compromise healthy meals. Anything I can throw in a slow cooker or will take little time to make but still be healthy and full of nutrients is something that is a winner in my book.

I have been an Emeals subscriber (I actually won it in a giveaway and have subscribed ever since) and I have always loved how they simplified the whole shopping and cooking experience for me. I've actually blogged a couple of their recipes before here, where you will find salmon and pineapple skewers and chicken and rice stuffed peppers.

I connected with Heather at Blissdom (she is a total babe and a sweetheart, by the way), who also works for Emeals. As a result of that, I'm happy to announce that I'm a part of the Emeals blogger network now! That means I get to host some giveaways and give you guys some discounts. And I absolutely love Emeals, so this is such a natural fit for me and my blog.

Emeals is simple. Basically, you select a meal plan (Greg I are on the Clean Eating for 2 plan) and every week, they will email you a week's worth of dinners and recipes, along with a shopping list on the back! It is highly convenient, and also a money saver, as they try to overlap some of the ingredients you are buying for multiple recipes. We have felt that sometimes seven recipes are a little too much for the week for us (especially with weekends), so we tend to pick out the four or five that sound the best to us and go from there.

The thing is with Emeals, there is absolutely no compromise on flavor. The recipes are all around delicious and adventurous. I love the Clean Eating plan. Simple, fresh ingredients.

I tried a new (to me) recipe that I found on the Emeals blog for this amazing Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Coconut Curry with Slaw (say that five times fast). It did not disappoint! I knew I had to share this with you guys. I am a huge fan of anything Thai and coconut, and I am huge red curry lover. So being able to try this at home in the crock pot is a win for me!

INGREDIENTS

Curry:
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or boneless, skinless breasts) - I used 4 frozen chicken breasts
2 tablespoons Madras curry powder (couldn't find Madras, so I used mild curry powder)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup thinly sliced white onion
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 cup organic chicken broth
13.5 oz can coconut milk (I used unsweetened, no added thickeners or ingredients)

Slaw:
16 oz shredded cabbage coleslaw mix
1 cup diced fresh pineapple (or 20 oz can crushed pineapple in juice, drained)
½ cup chopped green onion
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

- Combine chicken, curry powder, garlic, onion, bell pepper, broth and coconut milk in a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. (I cooked mine for 10 hours but I also added in the fact that I put frozen chicken in the crock pot.)
- Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed.
- Combine cabbage, pineapple, green onion, crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper in a large bowl.
Stir in the lime juice and oil; let stand 1 hour before serving.

As pictured, I whipped up some brown rice for underneath the curry. I love the sauce and when the rice sops it up, so I had to add that in there. I guess it's still clean eating (however not paleo, which the blog post I got it from originally advertises) because it's organic brown rice.

I highly enjoyed this meal. The curry did not disappoint - it was so rich and flavorful. The slaw was so refreshing. I actually left out the red pepper in the slaw because I felt like there were a lot of flavors going on already and I just loved the simplicity of the slaw with the complex flavors of the curry. This meal was Greg approved - he loved it! I think we are definitely going to add this into the rotation.

One last thing! If you are considering Emeals, use the promo code BLISS13 to take 15% off your subscription! You're going to need to get yourself one... you won't regret it!

Beach & Bikini Giveaway!

2013-04-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Spring is finally here. You know what that means...summer is just around the corner. Sunshine, bikinis and the beach.
To help you kick off the warm weather season, some blogger friends and I would like to give you a head start on planning for your next beach getaway and new bikini. For me, I'll be working on my bikini body for this summer....
Don't forget to check these lovely ladies' blogs. They are fab!

21 Amazing Bloggers 1 Winner: $300 Travelocity Hotel Gift Card + $100 Victoria's Secret Gift Card 1 Mandatory Entry + lots of bonus entries
There is just one mandatory entry and that is to leave a comment below telling me where you would go on your beach vacation. The rest are bonus entries and totally up to you!

Dreaming of Dimples | So Shay | This Won't Hurt A Bit

Saturated Canary | Glitter and Gloss | KV's Confessions

Jessica Who? | Gentri Lee | Her Late Night Cravings

For Lauren & Lauren | Meg O. on the Go | Hey, Hollywood

The Life of Bon | Ramblings of a Southern Belle | The Sunshine Diary

Lipgloss and Crayons | House of Rose | the Anna Delores blog

The Vanilla Tulip | Choose to be Happy | The Vintage Modern Wife

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!

*Note: Victoria's Secret gift card is only valid in US. Winning entry will be verified.

Benji Frank Eyewear Review (aka the Time I Tried to Pose Like a Fashion Blogger)

2013-04-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

Let me be honest here. I don't own any pair of sunglasses over $20. I frequent Target for my frames, and they haven't really disappointed, but I have always wanted a nice, chic pair of "grown up" sunglasses with a fancy case. I never dove in got a pair because always thought I would break more expensive sunglasses or worse, lose them. Come on, I'm not that irresponsible (shh.. let's not talk about the time I lost my car key for a week when it was in my hoodie pocket... three months ago).

Aw, to heck with it. Mama needs some pretty fly grown up shades. It's time.

That's where Benji Frank enters the picture! They are a Houston-based company (holla!), that is internet-based that sells boutique-style sunglasses and prescription eyewear for just $100 a pair. Although their eyewear is more affordable than the fashion brands, they're still made of the same high quality components found in those boutique designer frames. They also have the Try 5 Program - they can send you five pairs of glasses/sunglasses at a time for you to try on and then you send the ones back you don't like, free of charge. Pretty convenient!

I opted to try the "Kennedy" style sunglasses (I wonder why?? hmmmm...) in the light tortoiseshell. I am a sucker for tortoiseshell anything. They came in this amazing case and I felt so luxurious when it arrived.

The sunglasses feel like they are made of high quality materials, while at the same time being lightweight and comfortable on my face. I really think they fit my face well and I have gotten tons of compliments on them. I kinda feel hipster in them, because they have this '80s vintage feel, but it's this really cool super modern awesome kind of way.

Do you like my "fashion blogger" pose? I probably should try something else besides the standard "put-my-hand-on-my-hip-because-I-think-it-makes-me-look-skinnier" pose. Hmm.

I know you're asking yourself, "But Meeeeeeeeeeeg, what makes these sunglasses so special?"

Why, thank you for asking!

In all seriousness, I think what sets apart Benji Frank from other online eyewear retailers is their "One Pair, One Vision" campaign. A portion of every sale goes to helping restore the vision of someone less fortunate. Check out this manifesto in more detail by clicking here! It's basically like the TOMS of eyewear, except that instead of donating shoes to a child in need, they donate vision services to those in need. I think that is an amazing mission for this company and I would gladly support them in any future eyewear purchases.

I am proud to wear my new fancy sunglasses with a purpose. I feel so grown up.

Disclaimer: Benji Frank sent me these sunglasses to review, but this is my honest opinion. Obviously I wouldn't look this hot if these sunglasses sucked.

One last thing! I'm guest posting for Michelle today over at The Vintage Apple!

Check out my feature:

Subscription Box Share: Glossybox March 2013

2013-04-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! Today's our inaugural day for Subscription Box Share, hosted by myself, Katie, and Tara! Write about any subscription box you receive (doesn't have to be beauty), put our button anywhere on your post and come back to link up with us!

Y'all know that I'm a huge Glossybox lover, although I have only blogged about it one other time. Today I'm going to share with you my thoughts on my March 2013 Glossybox!

I have been a Glossybox subscriber since they launched it in the US! Well, technically I subscribed one month after their first box, but I would like to think that I have a pretty solid opinion on this service since I've been with them from the beginning. Subscriptions are $21 a month, but I find that you get so much more than what you pay for. I initially was very put off because my first box arrived pretty much destroyed (a body wash emptied in the box), and they promptly sent me another one. They got really popular when the Man Repeller box came out a few months ago and I didn't get my box until well into the next month! I guess the popularity of Glossybox has gotten so big now that they didn't know how to handle it. Hopefully that has evened out some. I didn't have any problems the last two months.

One thing I just love about them is that I get to try unique, niche brands that I have never heard of each month, and without fail, there are at least two full size products in the box. One thing I don't like is waiting until the absolute end of the month to get my box! It's torture. Glossybox has had it's ups and downs for me, and sometimes has been really random. But overall, I am pleased with it and I am going to continue to subscribe.

So, what did I get this month?

PRESTICHE BAR SOAP IN YIN YANG // ELITE MODELS LINER MATT BROWN // PIXI LID LAST SHADOW PEN //MODELCO CHEEK & LIPS TINT // SEBASTIAN SHAPER FIERCE HAIRSPRAY

PRESTICHE BAR SOAP
Never heard of this brand before. They also gave a $40 gift certificate to this brand's website in the glossybox. It looks like an interesting all-natural brand and I will research more later. This bar soap smells heavenly. I haven't used it yet, because I tend to use my bar soaps when I take bubble baths. I haven't had time to take a bubble bath in the last couple of weeks, so I guess one is in order. The only thing that is kind of a let down is that Glossybox likes to send me bar soap. I swear I have like 5 of them. I'm not a big bar soap user, but I guess they do look pretty on my bathtub. This is a full size, and runs $16.99.

ELITE MODELS MATTE LIQUID EYELINER
This product is a full size product, retailing for $15! Never heard of this brand. It looks like it's based out of France, and a modeling agency who launched a cosmetics brand as well. And you can't get it in America currently, but soon. Interesting. Hmm. At first I wasn't too keen on the idea of brown liquid liner, but I actually have loved using it these past couple of days for my everyday neutral looks. It looks really dark on and stays put all day.

PIXI LID LAST SHADOW PEN
Another full size product, retailing for $18! This little stick is super interesting. I love the shade of this - it's a universally flattering taupe color. I used it as a primer on my eyelids underneath some shadow, and it really made it pop. I love it! I also think it will be great for those days when I don't really want to do eye makeup and just want a splash of color quickly on my lids. My only complaint is that it is not very creamy and it takes a bit of effort to apply (not a lot, just more than I would expect from a cream-based shadow pen).

MODELCO LIP & CHEEK TINT
And another full size product, retailing for $24! I have to admit, I do not have much experience with cheek & lip tints because I think they look best with those that do not wear a whole lot of foundation. I think it looks good on bare skin and it tends to move around foundation on the face where you might not want it. But for some reason this blended so easily over my foundation and really gave a nice pop of color to my lips. I put my powder blush on over it and it really seemed to stay put all day. I may have become a cheek and lip tint convert. We shall see!

SEBASTIAN SHAPER FIERECE HAIRSPRAY
For some reason, Glossybox just loves sending me Sebastian hair products. I think I have five. Haha. Anyway, I love hairspray, and I love the fact that this is a perfect travel size. It smells kind of weird, but it did great at holding my hair all day yesterday, so I consider that a win. Would I repurchase it on my own if I run out? Probably not, but that's okay.

OVERALL THOUGHTS?

Glossybox has done it again for me, especially after how random last month was. FOUR full sized products this month (I always get at least two) and how useful they are really won me over. The bar soap is kind of a "meh" product for me because I am not a big bar soap fan nor do I use it very often, but I'm willing to overlook it due to the amazingness of the other products. I mean this box is valued at $80+ dollars...and of products I will use! So I consider that a major win.

What goodies did y'all get this month?

Link up below!

ONE MORE THING! Interested in subscribing to Glossybox? Do that HERE! If you end up signing up with my referral link, let me know I'll give you a free month of ad space on my blog!

March 2013 Beauty Favorites

2013-04-01T10:02:00.000-05:00

It's April Fool's Day today, but I ain't foolin' you with my beauty favorites. This month I've got a few unconventional items on my beauty favorites list that I have been loving lately! No joke.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

VASELINE

This is something I never thought I would ever add to a beauty favorites list. I don't know how I stumbled on reading about Vaseline, but I'm glad I did. I have been using this on my lips, as eye cream at night, and even on my face at night! I am acne prone and I haven't broken out whatsoever. Apparently this stuff is unable to clog pores because the molecular composition of this stuff is too big to clog pores. The FDA has also labeled petroleum jelly as "non-comedogenic" (meaning it will not clog pores). If you're scared to use it, try it on just your eyes first and then patch test it. I use Retin-A (it's a prescription) so this definitely helps with the dry skin associated with it.

RIMMEL STAY MATTE POWDER

I have been loving this setting powder lately! And the best part is it's under $5! It really does help me stay matte. The only down side is I've noticed that it does sort of whiten up my face a bit (I use the translucent one), so I will have to use it before my contour, blush, and highlight.

MONISTAT ANTI-CHAFING GEL

Have you heard that this stuff is almost an exact dupe for Smashbox Primer? I actually think I like this better than Smashbox, because that one tends to make me a bit oily. I am not a huge fan of silicone-based primers, but for some reason, I just love this! My friend Tara wrote a pretty awesome review of it here if you want more details!

URBAN DECAY NAKED FLUSHED PALETTE

If you have read my blog recently, you know how much I love this palette. It is darn near perfect and I have been seriously using it almost every day. Read my more in depth review of this palette here. You can even watch my tutorial of me using it!

YSL ROUGE VOLUPTE SHINE LIPSTICK IN PINK DEVOTION

This lipstick has been on my beauty wish list for a while and I finally purchased it! I am so in love with it. I am so glad that I went with the 'shine' version and a bright pink color. I find it to be universally flattering. The packaging is so darn beautiful and probably the best lipstick I've ever owned. I want to slowly purchase more colors. The hefty price tag is a little of a turnoff, but it is YSL and it is a lovely splurge item.

What have you been loving lately? Leave me a comment so I can add it to my ever-growing wish list!

Also, do you subscribe to any subscription boxes (Birchbox, Glossybox, Barkbox, PopSugar, Ipsy, WhimseyBox, etc.)? Blog about it and link up with me tomorrow for Subscription Box Share! Looking forward to reading your posts!

Happy Easter!

2013-03-31T17:10:00.001-05:00

Happy Easter...

...from my little Easter Flower!

I hope that you all have been enjoying the day with your family, celebrating Christ's resurrection. We went to church this morning and then had family over for yummy food. We're all lounging on the couch now (Kennedy included) stuffed to the brim and happy to be together. So not looking forward to work tomorrow. I need more family time.

HAPPY EASTER!

Love,

Meg, Greg, & Kennedy O.

Subscription Box Share: A New Linkup!

2013-03-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hey friends! I have a super exciting announcement today!

My super amazing BFFs, Katie and Tara have brought me on board to help host a monthly link up! I am so excited to announce that we will be doing:

Please join us on Tuesday, April 2 for the first official link up of Subscription Box Share! From there on, we will continue it every month on the first Tuesday.

Katie and Tara decided to transform the Birchbox Brag link up into something that allows more people to participate. And lucky for me I get to co-host (thanks again, Katie and Tara)! The premise is the same, but this link up will be open to any and all subscription services that you may be a member of! It does not have to be beauty related.

Just write a blog post about your most recent subscription box(es) and come back and link up your post! Don't forget to add our Subscription Box Share button to your post! This will be a monthly link up that will take place on the first Tuesday of every month.

Looking forward to having you join us on Tuesday for the first Subscription Box Share link up!

Meg O.'s Blissdom 2013 Recap

2013-03-26T08:46:00.000-05:00

Blissdom, Blissdom, Blissdom!

Wow, how to I even begin this post? It'll be a long post, that's for sure.

I spent this past weekend at the lovely Gaylord Hotel in Grapevine, TX, with a bunch of amazing bloggers for the Blissdom Conference. It was a great weekend.

I roomed with these lovely ladies:

Me, Whitney, Amber
I just love this picture of us! Not to mention I did everyone's makeup in this picture. Haha!

Let me just talk about these two ladies for a second. I feel like our personalities meshed really well and I enjoyed rooming with them SO much! Each of us seemed really laid back and there were never any problems! Thank you, Whitney, and Amber for rooming with me! I had SO much fun with you two!

ORGANIZATION OF EVENT:

I felt that this conference was organized very well, and everything was laid out easily.
I knew where I needed to be at all times.
I felt like the Gaylord was a great venue, and that even though our room was one of the furthest away, it still wasn't that far of a walk.
Everything was close by
Meals were provided for the most part. I never felt hungry. I think I paid for two meals the entire weekend I was there.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

All of the keynote speakers were amazing and incredibly uplifting. I took away some really big picture messages. Some of which brought me to tears and moved me quite a bit.
One of the key things I really learned from these speakers was to actually take time away from the computer and live life more in order to be inspired more.
I think my favorite out of all of the keynote speakers was Jon Acuff. He was just so darn amazing.

DAYTIME SESSIONS:

This is where I feel like the conference was a little lackluster. There weren't really that many sessions to attend during the two days of the conference. You could choose from either writing, life development, business, or photography classes. Those were offered twice a day for two days. So not that many opportunities.
I took pages and pages of notes, but I feel like I really didn't learn anything groundbreaking or earth shattering that I could take home and apply to my blog right now.
One session leader in one of the business sessions sped through all of the information so quickly that she was done in fifteen minutes. I was so confused because I thought that these sessions lasted an hour. A bunch of people at the table I sat at just looked at each other like "that's it?"
I actually walked out of one session because it was that bad. I felt like the speaker just sat there and talked about how amazing her success was and all about her story, but gave no real tips. I walked next door to the photography session with Lucrerer Braxton, and I just looooved her. She gave amazing, applicable photography tips that even those using iPhones could apply to their photography.
Jeff Goins' session was my other favorite of the conference.

SPONSORS AND EXPO:

This part of the conference was awesome! There were a lot of big name sponsors in attendance, all of which giving out amazing free things! The expo was laid out very easily and never felt super crowded.
I loved the VO5 suite (yeah, I got like every single hair product ever) where they were doing hair, and the One2One Network suite where they were doing lashes with NYX and taking headshots.
There were incredible opportunities to win amazing prizes (none of which I won, though! BOO!).
Carnival was even handing out cocktails all day! Ain't nothing wrong with drinking a champagne and peach cocktail at 10 a.m.!
The Handmade Marketplace was a lot smaller than I expected, but I was so excited to see Ashley from the Shine Project there and purchase a bracelet!

SOCIAL EVENTS:

This is where Blissdom really knocked it out of the park. I was blown away by the sponsored social events throughout the weekend.
The Girl's Night Out was awesome!! We had the Glass Cactus to ourselves. Sponsored by ConAgra Foods, they had an open bar, full dinner, and entertainment from Chris Mann and Amber Riley! After the event was "officially over" the venue opened up to the public and the Spazmatics played (an amazing 80s cover band)! That was so much fun, although some.... interesting.... people (read: incredibly wasted and falling all over the place) showed up when the venue opened to the public.
I also very much enjoyed the Girl's Night In sponsored by Maytag! It was awesome to see Ana Gasteyer and Jeremy Sisto! And of course rock it out to some karaoke. You bet your britches I got my toosh up there and sang some Madonna!
I also had a blast at Neely's unofficial birthday party. We just had a little dinner (with tiaras!) before the girls' night in.

Ladies in these pictures:

Whitney // Amber // Neely // Stephanie

Heather // Ashley // Natalie

Rachel // Heather // AP // Mandy

Jana // Jodi // Georgina // Taylor

RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNITY:

This is where I feel like Blissdom is the strongest. I felt incredibly welcome to the conference.
I didn't feel like anyone was "snooty" or had a "Mean Girls" attitude in the conference. I don't know if this has anything to do with the fact that I just talk to anyone anyway. I am as outgoing as they come (I mean, this is coming from the girl who has no stage fright whatsoever).
I saw some negative comments yesterday that some people thought the conference was snooty. I didn't feel that way. I'm not saying they're wrong, I'm just saying that I felt incredibly welcome.
I went to Blissdom not really knowing the girls and I felt like I spent a lot of time in different places, not really following the same people around and going to sessions that they wanted to go to. It's not like I went there with all of my BFFs and didn't leave their side. I even left the hotel on Saturday for lunch with one of my closest friends who lives in Dallas (which I'm glad now that I left because of the lunch fiasco that apparently happened on Saturday). Yes, I gravitated towards certain people during the social events, but at the same time, I also branched out.
I feel like I connected with a lot of people at the conference and I found a lot of new blogs to follow. I truly enjoyed connecting with bloggers at the conference.
My favorite moment of the entire conference was when I met Diana from Hormonal Imbalances. I have been following her blog for a while now and her story about her twin boys has touched my heart so much. When I met her, I asked if I could see her tattoos. When she showed them to me, I immediately teared up. Either she thought I was crazy or appreciated the fact that I cared so much about her story. I felt like this moment really put blogging into a tangible experience of what it means to really care about someone you have never officially met. Being able to tell her that I was praying for her and that her story touched me made the conference worth it. Diana, if you read this, I hope you don't think I'm crazy!

BOTTOM LINE:

I hope they have this conference in Dallas again next year. Being able to drive to a conference only 4 hours away was a huge plus.
I just had so much fun. SO much fun. Thank you to all of my new friends that I got to know this weekend! You guys were so much fun!
I didn't take away some amazing knowledge that will make me a better blogger, but I did take away some personal experiences that really helped me grow.
I truly believe you will get out of a conference what you put into it. I decided that I was going to put myself out there, really try to connect, take pages of notes, and meet a lot of new people. I feel like I got out of it what I put into it (except with the disappointment with the sessions).
I know it is expensive to go to Blissdom, but I feel like since I didn't pay for hardly anything while I was actually at the conference, that it was worth it to me. I'm not sure if I could swing it if I had to add a flight into the mix and I would highly reconsider if it was harder for me to get to.

And my favorite picture ever:

Brunch with Amber just wants brunch, people!

I'll leave you with one more thing. Neely, made an awesome video of this weekend and I wanted to share it with y'all if you wanted to see more pictures! Gosh, did we take a lot! Thank you, Neely, for making that! I love it!

North American Bear Company Review + Giveaway

2013-03-25T10:30:00.002-05:00

Hello, my dear friends! It's Monday morning. I am totally dragging from all of the amazingness that was Blissdom, but luckily I have an amazing review and giveaway today!

Let me introduce you to North American Bear Co.

When Samantha from North American Bear Co. offered to send Kennedy some spring toys and to host a giveaway for you all, I can't tell you how excited I was!

If you haven't heard of this company before, they can usually be found in high end boutiques around America. There are a couple of boutiques in the Houston area I would be able to find these lovely toys, and there are many places you should be able to find them. You can check out this page to locate a store closest to you!

Here's what they sent us!

We got the Mamma and Babies Ducks, the Big Fat Bunny, and the Butterfly Goody Bag, which is like a "baby's first purse"! All of the items are incredibly soft and made of high quality materials. Kennedy is a big lover of ducks, so of course she kept saying "DUCK!" over and over when she played with them.

What's even better than just playing with the toys? Pushing them (because she prefers to push than pull) around in her girly wheelbarrow!

Kennedy and her friends had a blast playing outside and now she wants to bring her with them every time we go out there and play with the wheelbarrow. I can't get over how cute these toys are! Kennedy just loves playing with them, too, which makes it even better.

And seriously, how cute is she with that little butterfly purse? I mean, seriously. And the best part of this all? North American Bear Co. is offering to give one of my readers a prize basket full of spring toys for your favorite little one! Yee haw!!

Wouldn't you like to win some goodies of your own?

Enter below using the Rafflecopter Widget!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!

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