Ironman R2O FuelBelt

Monday, March 16, 2015



I've been searching for a better way (for me) to hydrate during long runs and be able to easily access any nutrients that I may need for refueling. Most of my running clothes do not have pockets large enough for the few pretzels or gels that I need when I'm out on a long run. I also despise running with a bottle of water in hand. I tend to dehydrate easily - so leaving it at home isn't an option for me. I also don't ruck every run, so I don't always have that extra space for items.

The Ironman R2O FuelBelt came in handy on its first use this past weekend. Though its trial run was on the treadmill, it held up for the 13.2 mile run. I had worried that the Velcro closure wouldn't hold up to the inclines and general bouncing around but it did just fine.

Details

  • Fully adjustable elastic stretch waistband for a customized, comfortable no-bounce fit and Velcro closure
  • Revenge holster design provides for single handed entry and exit
  • Removable pocket with zipper for gels, keys, cash or up to iPhone sized electronics
  • Breathable thermoform backing wicks moisture away and keeps you cool
  • Two ergonomic, leak proof, dishwasher safe and BPA-free 7 oz bottles included




I had hoped that the pocket would be large enough to hold my cell phone in case I wanted to switch from placing the phone in an armband and putting it in the belt instead. The pocket is not large enough to hold a cell phone unless your smart phone. If your phone isn't a smart phone then it may work. Though it couldn't hold the phone - it did hold the few items that I need for refueling during a long run. The zipper was smooth, didn't snag or cause any problems while opening and closing.

The holster for the water bottles were also easy to maneuver. The bottles slide in and out with ease yet the bottles are gripped firmly enough to keep them in place during the run. I also enjoyed the padding on the the belt that separated me from the water bottles.

I do wish that this belt had a place to attach a race bib. Though I find most races (races, not runs in general) over a 10K to be boring - I'll do them every once in a while and it would be handy to be able to hang the bib from the belt.

Need an Ironman R2O FuelBelt?  Hop over here to grab yours!






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5 Ways to Stay Healthy This Winter

Wednesday, March 11, 2015





Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Walgreens via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Walgreens

Though signs of spring are slowly beginning to appear – it’s still winter and it could last for several more weeks. We’re very happy, mama especially, that this winter wasn’t marked with a lot of coughs, colds or time spent at the doctor’s office. In fact, other than a sniffle here and there, we had a very healthy winter! That makes mama happy! I know we can’t always avoid getting sick – but we can be proactive in trying to protect ourselves in an effort to stay healthy. Here are a few things we focused on this winter.

1. Taking Vitamins


Walgreens brand vitamins (and supplements) are a staple in our home. It’s amazing how much better I feel when I take the vitamins that my body needs. We’re all different and will have different needs – but there are a few that each member of our family takes. At the top of our list is Vitamins A, B6, B12, C, and D. We also make sure to get a lot of calcium! 

When shopping for vitamins, you might find it useful to know that you can help a child in need with every vitamins or supplements purchase at Walgreens. Millions of children around the world are suffering from ‘hidden hunger’, a lack of micronutrients that can lead to disease and even death. In fact, 45% of all childhood deaths are attributable to under-nutrition. Walgreens is giving a portion of all vitamin retail sales to Vitamin Angels to help 100 million children in the U.S. and abroad get the vitamins they need to live well.

2. Keep Hands Clean


We touch a lot of surfaces and objects throughout the day. That can add up to a lot of germs collected and transferred to our face, lips and mouth. I think my kids touch everything they see when we are out grocery shopping, etc. While I’m working to remind them that we can’t go around touching everything we see – I’m also reminding them to wash their hands often. 

If we’ve been out an about – I have them wash their hands when we return home. Hands are also washed before handling food and meal time. When water and soap aren’t available, we use hand sanitizer. Remember to monitor your child’s use of hand sanitizer to help keep them from using too much or ingesting any of the gel.

Not a fan of hand sanitizer? Baby wipes are also great for keeping hands clean! I keep a pack in the car and if we’re hiking, enjoying a festival or amusement park – they are toted around with us.

3. Eat Healthy


I think we (at our home) are more tempted to have unhealthy eating habits when the weather has turned cold and we spend more time indoors. When we’re curled up on the couch, the comfort foods are just a little more appealing for some reason.
Make it a point to include fruits and veggies into your diet during these winter months. You may need their nutrients more than ever during this time of year. We’ve made sure to have at least one meal that includes a salad each week and to keep fruits and vegetables available for snacking.

4. Stay Active


The winter is a great excuse to stay inside and become inactive. The short days and long evenings can easily keep us on the couch. Make sure to remain active during these months. A brisk walk or ice skating with the kids can help to keep you feeling better, boost your immune system and relieve any tension that builds up from being indoors too long.

Can’t make it outside? Include an exercise routine to your day. Order a video exercise series or search online for free instructional videos. You’ll find that there are even exercises your kids can enjoy alongside you.

5. Proper Rest


Getting the right amount of sleep is important no matter the time of year. I’ve noticed that it’s easier for me to stay up later working or watching movies when the days have become shorter and I’m inside more. However, for my vitamins, nutrients and foods to be used properly by my body – my body needs rest. Ensure that you are getting to bed at a good time and sleeping long enough for your body to get the rest it needs.


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Create your own DINO TALES learning adventure

Monday, March 9, 2015



It's my goal to raise children who forever see the world as an exciting place where they can always be learning.  That means that I am forever on the hunt for new and exciting ways that my children can learn.  I love when I am able to find a subject that fits their interest and is also presented in such a fun fashion that they don't immediately recognize that they are learning.

With the DINO TALES app, available in the App Store, your child can not only enjoy a fun learning experience - but create their own story! “The game combines a fun exploratory world with a beautiful story book to encourage children’s reading, writing, listening and speaking skills.” explains David Miller, award-winning educational expert at Kuato Studios. DINO TALES allows your child to capture their session of play and turn it into a digital storybook.

Aimed at children aged between 4 and 10, DINO TALES is designed to strengthen literacy, reasoning, and inquiry skills - in and beyond the classroom. The game has also been developed alongside pupils and teachers to ensure that language and content are age-appropriate, and that all opportunities for learning have been explored.



Game Features

  • Hatch 6 baby dinosaurs to play with and nurture
  • Discover an island teeming with prehistoric wildlife
  • Use Word Wheels to ask Darwin, the talking dino, any questions you have about dinosaurs
  • Explore an epic land filled with caves, forests, rivers and even an erupting volcano
  • Enjoy the musical boneyard, river rapids, boulder bowling, lava slides and more
  • Unleash your creativity with the Berry Blaster to make your dino stand out from the rest!
  • Fill a Storybook with your own Dino Tales, to be personalized and read with others
  • Collect loads of fossils and minerals to add to your Treasure Trove

While playing DINO TALES children will uncover a wealth of paleontological facts and fictions, enough to satisfy the most curious of minds. Using the intuitive Word Wheels, children can construct thousands of questions to ask Darwin, the in-game learning buddy, who answers in a child-friendly voice.

Parent Corner


I love this feature within Dino Tales. The Parent Corner is a pin-secure area where you can set your child’s reading age, session length and get email notifications when your child creates a new Dino Tale. It's great that you can customize it to your child and keep up with their app activity.

What others are saying


Fantastic Reading and Dinosaur fun

The kids set their age the minute the start the game and have fun meeting new dinosaur friends on each new level. What I love particularly is the fact that you have the game- which is fun and entertaining but can touch the bottom right corner to ask random "dinosaur facts"--- it's such a great way for kids to raise their confidence for reading as well as teaches them fun new facts to share . Best new reading app I've seen in a long time!! - Jennifer Arcuri



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National Read Across America Day - Dr. Seuss Day

Monday, March 2, 2015



We love to read and encourage this by trips to the library and by allowing the kids to own as many books as they choose. Dan and I chose a few favorite series of our from childhood and very purposefully added them to our collection when the children were very little. That included The Berenstain Bears and Dr. Seuss.

Today is Dr. Seuss Day - so we have set aside special time to read our favorites. Actually, as I'm writing this, Joey is reading Hooper Humperdink...? Not Him! to me. He's reciting most of it from memory. Yes, he's had that read to him and read it quite a lot over the years.

There are many fun and simple things you can do today to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday. For lunch or breakfast, you can serve Green Eggs and Ham. Create a The Cat in the Hat dessert parfait with yogurt and strawberries. Snack on Goldfish Colors and read One Fish Two Fish .

My top 5 Dr. Seuss Favorites












What are your favorite Dr. Seuss books?





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How would you spend $1,000 on Amazon?

Wednesday, February 18, 2015



I've had an injury that has kept me indoors. I'm thankful that the weather has been cold and snowy during my recovery as opposed to sunny, warm and inviting weather. It has helped me to not want to be out and about as much as I normally would. But today, Savannah and I began talking about shopping. We were chatting and chatting about how much we wanted to get out and go store to store and just shop to our heart's content.

Since we weren't able to actually get out and do this - we decided to window-shop online. Logging on to Amazon, we decided that we could each fill a wishlist with $1,000 worth of merchandise. From new sandals, to beach totes and toys - we had a blast. It was great fun for a snowy day indoors and somewhat helped to squelch that urge to shop.

So, what would you do if you could log on to Amazon and spend $1,000 on anything you wanted?

Browse around and let us know in the comments all of the items you chose! Hop over here, browse and be sure to tell us what you would do with that much on Amazon.







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DirectDrive® Challenge and $1,000 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway





I can't wait to use the DirectDrive app once the snow clears in our area!  Right now, Direct Auto Insurance is hosting the DirectDrive Challenge.  New users who download the app, get a quote, log their drives and then share their score on Twitter using #DirectDriveScore, will have the chance to win a $1,000 Walmart gift card!

Download the DirectDrive® App and take the DirectDrive® Challenge for the chance to win prizes including a $1,000 Walmart® gift card

New users who download the free DirectDrive app (available for iPhone and Android mobile devices) can compete in the DirectDrive Challenge from February 4, 2015 - April 14, 2015. The first 100 participants to share scores on Twitter will receive a $20 Walmart gift card. So users need to act fast! The top 10 cumulative scorers will receive a $50 Walmart gift card. Any new users who share a score will be entered to win the ultimate prize of a $1,000 Walmart gift card.

What can the DirectDrive app do?

  • Provide real-time, measurable feedback on driving behavior and offers tips for improvement.
  • Log trips automatically – never turn the app off.
  • Access complete Trip History to see a real-time breakdown of trip's miles, directional heading, duration, route and total points scored.
  • Log trips with safe driving scores. The closer users become to making safe driving a permanent habit, the higher they soar on the DirectDrive leaderboard.
  • Tallies driving accomplishments for achievement badges.
  • Invite Facebook friends to compete on custom leaderboards.
  • Share scores and favorite routes with Facebook and Twitter friends.
  • Earn rebates for quality miles driven (DirectDrive Focus groups).
  • Get a free auto insurance quote.
  • Quickly find the Direct Auto store nearest you.
  • Pay monthly bills and get ID cards.
  • Connect with JJ Hightail on Facebook and Twitter.


For the full rules and legal disclaimers for this contest and sweepstakes, please check here.

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KidKraft Limited Edition Toy Box

Tuesday, February 17, 2015



We're gearing up to redecorate Savannah's room. There are a few items that she really wants included in the re-design - but she is adamant on a bench. She use to have a plastic toy box/bench that sat at the foot of hear bed, near her window. She had a blanket folded neatly on top of the bench and would sit in the sunlight and read from her favorite books. She remembers those moments fondly - and her daddy has brought up the memories he has of walking by and seeing that picture.

I think his recollection is what more prompts her to want another bench - but whatever the case, I think they are adorable. One of my picks for this piece of furniture is the KidKraft Limited Edition Toy Box. I love the curvature of the back which reminds me a lot of the bench I had in my room when I was little.


{This post contains affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy here.}

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Dickies Women's Denim Skirt



I'm still on my denim skirt kick from last night and quite honestly, I will be through the spring. And then it will return for the fall season. Here's another lovely denim that I've added to my shopping cart as it's currently listed at a great price! Check out the Dickiesmisses 20" straight fitting denim skirt with contour waistband with stretch interling to prevent gapping at back waist. Five pocket denim styling with rivet reinforcements on front pockets and signature stitching on back pockets.

Details


  • 72% cotton/27% polyester/1% spandex
  • Machine Wash
  • 20" Length
  • Contour waistband with stretch interling to prevent gapping at back waist
  • Back slit for ease of movement
  • Five pocket denim styling for style and convenience
  • Rivet reinforcements on front pockets for style and added durability
  • Distinctive Dickies stitching on back pockets


Note: Pricing may change at any moment. Grab this deal while it's still available.


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Casual Spring Outfit #1!

Monday, February 16, 2015




KUT from the Kloth Women's Pencil Skirt


I am in love with this skirt! Add the KUT from the Kloth Women's Pencil Skirt to your spring wardrobe. It's great for mixing, matching and a myriad of occasions. More information here.

  • 98% Cotton/2% Spandex
  • Button closure
  • Machine Wash
  • Comfortable
  • Fuller fit
  • 16 inches length

What others are saying


"I love this skirt, it is so flattering and as classy as a denim skirt can be."

Accessories with one of these amazing heels.








Hop over here to grab this style!







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Floral Print Princess Skirt



Here's my first Summer Fashion Pick! Recently, I've been all about the floral print skirts. For me, they're a bit retro as they take me back to my middle school days. And at just $9.99 - you just can't pass this skirt up. There are also 30 other prints available! Check them out here.


Details


  • Fashion Trendy design
  • Comfortable to wear
  • One size fits XS to S
  • Suitable for casual wear
  • Hand Wash

What others are saying


"This skirt is super cute, even better than depicted in the picture. It's soft and moves with the body well. The fit was one size but it fits well and would definitely stretch to fit other sizes up to a large, I'd guess. Super cute and well made. Much better than I expected considering how inexpensive it was! It arrived a lot faster than the shipping estimate said as well. Love it, would definitely buy from this seller again!"



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Lija Women's Compression Ruffle Skort



I've found my new running skirt! Lija Women's Compression Ruffle Skort is adorable, flattering, and exactly what I've been wanting to find. Fresh and feminine, the Lija Ultimate Ruffle Skort features an asymmetrical hem and body skimming silhouette. An interior key pocket is located on the inside waistband and the fitted undershorts provides comfort and support.

Details


  • 84% Nylon, 16% Spandex
  • Moisture Wicking
  • Quick Drying
  • Stretch Fabric

The Lija Women's Compression Ruffle Skort is currently available here.


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Retinol Moisturizer - Professional Grade 2.5% Retinol Cream - 46% Off



Moisturizers with Retinol have been at the top of my beauty list since my teenage years. I learned very early on how beneficial they were for me and my (oily) skin type. Yes, oily skin can be a benefit for looking younger longer - but it has its obvious drawbacks such as also having acne prone skin.  This is a great Retinoid treatment for acne prone skin.


Price: $49.99
Sale: $26.99 & FREE Shipping on orders over $35. Details here.
You Save: $23.00 (46%)

Directions


Apply on your face and neck after cleansing and toning. If using a serum, apply the serum prior to the moisturizer. Can be used under makeup. For normal to oily skin, use morning and night. For dry or sensitive skin, use only at night. Apply sunscreen if stepping out in the sun. If you are a first time Retinol user, apply once every other night until your skin is ready to use it daily. For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes. If skin sensitivity occurs or if you suspect an allergic reaction, stop use and consult your doctor. Keep out of reach of children and animals.

What others are saying


"My skin is really dry and sometimes flaky even though I exfoliate like crazy. I have been looking for a product that contains Retinol that doesn't make my skin even drier and I really think this is it. After applying this I feel the plumping properties working, its a nice light tingle that absorbs quickly leaving nice smooth moisturized skin. The green tea, vitamins E and B5 and plant derived hyaluronic acid leaves my skin hydrated so I haven't had to worry about any extra dryness.

This is a moisturizer that has it all. A little extra plump to fill in those lines for those of us with more mature skin and a nice preventive for those of us that are trying to get on a good skin care regiment before their skin shows signs of aging."  Read more reviews here.


Product Details


  • MAXIMUM STRENGTH RETINOL: Body Merry's Retinol Surge Moisturizer contains 2.5% Retinol, which has time and again proven itself to be a potent youth reviving ingredient. This unique formulation is specially designed for you to be able to get the most out of this wonder ingredient, without suffering from any dryness or irritation that is typically associated with the use of Retinol.
  • NATURAL + ORGANIC: The cream also contains Plant Derived Hyaluronic Acid, which nourishes and hydrates your skin. Wildcrafted Green Tea, Organic Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E, Vitamin B5 and Shea Butter add their goodness to create a formula that is potent and proven to show results.
  • ANTI-AGING + MUCH MORE: This moisturizer not only effectively addresses wrinkles, fine lines, age spots and other signs of aging, but also helps to provide a flawless tone and texture by working its charm on discoloration, acne and other marks, hyperpigmentation and sun damage. Both men and women can use this moisturizer, and it is designed to work well for all skin types.
  • MADE IN USA + CRUELTY FREE + NO HARSH CHEMICALS: The moisturizer is made in the USA in an FDA registered and GMP compliant facility. It is not tested on animals. The formula does not contain any harsh chemicals such as Parabens, Sulphates or Phthalates.
  • MANUFACTURER GUARANTEE: Body Merry's products are backed with a 90 Day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If you don't like this moisturizer, just contact us and get a full refund. You don't need to return the bottle.




Note: This deal may change at any time. Grab this deal while it's still available.



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Valentine's Day Savings

Saturday, February 14, 2015



In the market for a few new tech gadgets?  Amazon seems to have you covered this Valentine's Day!  The Kindle Paperwhite has been on my list and today's sale puts it just under the $100 mark - so today may be the day I give in and grab it. 

Unlike reflective tablet and smartphone screens, the latest Kindle Paperwhite reads like paper with no annoying glare, even in bright sunlight. It'll be the perfect addition to my beach bag this summer!










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Kids Eat Free at McAlister's Deli on Valentine's Day

Tuesday, February 10, 2015



This Valentine's Day, McAlister’s Deli wants you to celebrate love with the whole family! All day on Saturday, February 14th, participating McAlister’s Deli locations will be offering free kids meals with the purchase of an adult entrée. With choices like the Kids Spud, Cheese Pita Pizza, Mac & Cheese or PB&J, everyone is sure to enjoy!

For participating locations, please visit www.thesaxtongroup.com/locations.



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3 Valentine's Gifts that are better than chocolate

Monday, February 9, 2015

This year, it's all about the tech 'bout the tech 'bout the tech - no chocolate. Actually, I still want my chocolate. Though it's unimaginative - I do still love it. But I want my tech too. Here are the three top gift categories sure to please and last longer than the flowers and sweet treats.



Entertainment


Have a film fanatic or TV enthusiast? Give them a gadget that shows how well you know them. One that streams Netflix and Hulu straight to their TV. Choose a Roku 3 Streaming Media Player, an Apple TV or Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player for your special someone.

Fit Tech


How do I love thee? Let me count the steps. Is your love into everything fit? Forget the gold and gift her a Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband.

Tablets and E-readers


A sweet card or book can be great gifts. Step it up a notch with a Kobo, Kindle or Nook pre-loaded with favorite reads. It's a gift you can continue to add to throughout the year and will be toted around long after the flowers are gone.





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