A great cause and an even greater recipe to share with you. Strawberry Cheesecake Bites.

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Project 7 but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #chewforchange  http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO”

One of the statements that was made by my pastor this past weekend at church talked about the value of giving. "We are put on this Earth to impact it, to change a life, and to serve those in need." He went on to talk about how important it is for us to give back, as much as we can, and to do so whole-heartedly. That we need not be rich, successful, or efluential to make an impact. You don't have to be rich, successful, or efluential. Those words really impacted me.

I had to think about this.

You see, you don't have to be religious, go to church, or even believe in a higher power to be impacted by such words. You just have to believe that there is a need for good, that there is a need for help and healing, and there is a need for giving. Yes, I believe that, but often times I find myself wondering what exactly I could do to give back. How I could impact someone's life or change a little piece of the world. I'm quick to judge myself. Criticize. And bring down. Will this little amount do anything? What do I have that I can give? What areas are more important than others? Do I really make a difference?

Yes the little things count. You have more than you think to give. All areas are important, and there is never a surplus of giving. And every act of giving makes a difference.

I found that I was the person that would take the easy road of giving. Yes, I will donate a dollar at every cash register that requests it. Yes, I will donate money when a life is dramatically changed and a fundraiser has been brought to my attention. Yes, if you want me to write a check, I'll do it. Those things are easy to me. Click of a button. Writing of a check. Done. That should make me feel good...right?

Except, it doesn't.

Sometimes, it's not about the amount of money or money at all that is of importance. Sometimes, it's giving more of our heart and our hands that will make the bigger impact and difference. And it takes a little reminder at times that we need to do a little more. Donate our time, our skills, and our resources in order to help others.

Project 7 is one that has a great message behind it. I love the simplicity of their message. Yet, it speaks volumes. "Projects of Good. We exist to do good around the globe. For every purchase of a Project 7 product, good is done in seven areas of need Feed the Hungry, Heal the Sick, Hope for Peace, House the Homeless, Quench the Thirsty, Teach them Well and Save the Earth."

Feed, Heal, Hope, House, Quench, Teach, and Save. Seven words that define the meaning of giving. Giving back our lives to our community.

One of the components of Project 7 is making products for the greater good. Some of these products include water, coffee, mints, and gum. When I went to pick up my ingredients for my giving back recipe at Meijer, I picked up my first {of 10} packs of Project 7 gum, specifically the FEED the hungry and SAVE the Earth packs. I made sure to leave one for the cashier, one for myself, and one for the librarians. The others we plan to disperse throughout the week with a little message attached to them.   Although these acts may be small, and although they may not initially hold meaning to the recipients, there is a much bigger picture behind the message. To give what we can, when we can. It's a message that I needed to hear for myself, and I believe others are in need of hearing. A little reminder. 

Giving back does not have to be an overwhelming cloud over my head. It should never be forced, and it should always come from the heart. It is neither about the amount of money or size of your giving. Even the smallest moments of giving can have some of the largest of impacts. Even as simple as gong to buy Project 7 products at places you regularly shop {click here to find out where products sold}.

Project 7 WEBSITE | Project 7 Facebook | Project 7 Twitter


I decided that I wanted to make something for our local library. It's a place that we visit at least once a week. A place where we get to experience story time, crafts, and interaction with other little kids. A place that my daughter has attended since she was 18 months old, and one where we have seen the biggest amount of growth in. I am thankful for our library and all that it does for our youth. They always welcome us with the biggest smiles on their faces, stimulate the brains' of our little ones, and make each and every activity inviting and fun for all. Their hard work is much appreciated, and I feel as though our "thank yous" alone just don't truly express our gratitude. And because my daughter enjoys it so much, I thought it would be a great learning opportunity. For me to show her the importance of giving back and showing our appreciation toward others.

We have our toddler time tomorrow, goodie bags are packed, and little messages are waiting to be written. I have a feeling that my daughter may want to share a couple with her favorite librarians.

I mean, I do myself.

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites {recipe adapted from allrecipes.com}

Ingredients

1 block of cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 package of strawberries {I bought 2}
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Graham crackers crushed
Semisweet chocolate chips {optional}
1 teaspoon canola oil {optional}

Directions

1. Knife out the center of the strawberries in a cone shape.

2. Mix the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Crush the graham crackers in a bag until very fine crumbs develop.

3. Fill the center of the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture so that it overflows. Then sprinkle the graham crackers on top.

4. {optional} melt the chocolate and canola oil and either drizzle on top, or dip on the bottom of the strawberries.

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They turned out amazing. So easy to do. All ingredients purchased at my local Meijer, and it is a recipe that has made it in the books. And my belly.

Straight Talk. Make A Wish Come True.

 I participated in this sponsored campaign for One2One Network. I received monetary compensation, but all opinions stated are my own.

One of the things that I remember quite well growing up, is hearing about the Make-A-Wish foundation and all of the great stories that went along with it. I remember seeing people give back to wonderful causes to make dreams come true for so many children out there that were sick and part of a reality that no child should ever have to go through.  Yet, they're still very much children that have dreams. Dreams that others have the opportunity to make come true.

Sometimes you have to be reminded of these stories and the acts of giving to want to do something yourself. Sometimes we forget about how much we take our own lives for granted and what may be going on in someone's world gives us a new perspective on what is going on in ours. Something that makes our world and our problems seem like nothing in comparison. And therefore, further reminding us of the power helping others in every way possible.

Especially the innocent beautiful children.

Donating our time and efforts can even take us that much further in our quest to helping put a smile on a child's face. A child that has been faced with more than we could ever imagine at such a young age. And all it takes is a dream.

It's great to see companies that also donate their resources for great causes such as Make-A-Wish. Straight Talk is one of those companies that is currently running a campaign called "Give A Minute, Help Make-A-Wish."

Have you heard about it? It really is simple, and is a great way for us, you and I, to be a part of something bigger and life changing.

For every Saturday in the month of September {RIGHT NOW}, you can visit your local Wal-Mart, stop by the Straight Talk Wireless for a minute to learn more about it, and as a result, Straight Talk will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish. For each person that stops by. That means, take your husbands, your parents, your brothers and sisters, and friends!  Straight Talk plans to donate up to 1 million to Make-A-Wish and at the least will donate 500,000. That's amazing! Last year they met their 1 million goal, and let us help them meet that mark again. 

Another great way to help the cause? Share the straight talk video. And by doing so? For every person that watches {per day}, $1 will be donated to Make-A-Wish. 

Don't know what Straight Talk is? It is a cell phone carrier that reaches 300 million people, carries name brand phones such as LG and Apple, and has plans that include unlimited talk, text, and data nationwide!

But personally, I believe the best part of the company is their passion for helping our children by being a part of the Make-A-Wish foundation. And not only can you learn more about this company by visiting Wal-Mart on a Saturday, but you can also be a part of making a sick child's dream come true.

We can all be a part of a dream. And it's as simple as just taking a minute out of our day.

My Battle with Acne Scars; Clearasil New! Refreshing Superfruit Wash

“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Clearasil, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #SuperFruits  http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.”

Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and struggled with what you saw. Have you cried at the image looking back at you, reminding you of something that will be there forever. Have you ever wished that you could change something about yourself, improve a characteristic, or make it all go away completely. I think most women around the world can attest to struggling with a physical characteristic or flaw. Whether that be too big, too small, too dark, too light, too short, too tall. For me that characteristic is something that I have to stare at day in day out. My face.

Growing up, I was that teenager that when going through puberty, I developed that inevitable, ugly acne. I'd have periods where it would get better, and periods where it would get worse. But never would it go away. I did what your mother always tells you not to do, and that is to pick at those dreaded awful little {sometimes big} red blemishes that stare at you all day. All I wanted was for them to go away. But instead of doing that, they only got worse.

Looking back, I wish so badly I would have listened to my mother. Not the only time that I have said that in my life. I remember specifically sitting in the car, driving home from school, and crying at the wheel. I had had one of the biggest breakouts and my face was tired. I was tired. And I wished so badly that I could have that flawless perfect skin that so many other girls my age were walking the halls with. It was in that moment that I realized that although I may not be able to make this go away, I better figure out a way to live with it.

A good skin regimen is, I believe, what finally got me through that time in my life. It's what helped to battle the breakouts and what minimized the severity of those breakdowns. Clearasil was a cleanser I remember specifically using. One of the few that stuck through during the trial and error phase. One of those that I could feel a difference as soon as I put it on. I was excited to be able to test out their new line of cleansers, Clearasil's NEW! Daily Clear Refreshing Superfruit Cleansers , which are made with sensorial Superfruit Extracts, mildly medicated with 1% salicylic acid acne medication, and help to prevent future blemishes from surfacing.

Are you struggling with acne? If so, my advice to you is this:

1. Don't pick! Don't don't don't do it. If you don't want to listen to your mother {like me}, then please listen to me and learn from my experience.  

2. Set up a routine, a skin regimen that you will stick with. Your skin needs as much TLC as possble. 

 3. Go to Walmart and buy the Clearasil's NEW! Daily Clear Refreshing Superfruit Cleansers and save $1.00 by using this coupon. 

Today, acne has completely gone away {with the exception of a pop up here and there}. The only thing I am left with is scars. Scars that will forever remind me of what tormented me for so long during the teenage years.  Scars that I'm sure will lead to my children asking about them.

Which then, I can get on my soap box proudly and say, "Kids... don't pick! And take care of your skin!"

We should all listen to our mothers more often.

My Workout Gear. Work Out with Hanes.

We all know that a big component of motherhood that {many} mothers stress about is time. Time to get chores done. Time to meet everyone's needs. Time to get "me" time in. And time to just slow down. Time is never enough and always goes by too fast.

One of the things, for me, that I struggle with is finding the time to get exercise in. Something I used to be so diligent about. Something that was very important to me. Yet, something that I have let slip by and never looked back.

Three years later, two kids later, and here we are. Me tapping my pen on my the table, staring at my calendar, trying to figure out how to squeeze in a workout here and there. More importantly, how to figure out a routine, because, after all, I want to make this a habit and be successful.

So I turn to inspiration, and something that has always given me that little oomph to get my running shoes on.

My Hanes panty #Undercovercolor is:Pink

Color. Getting my color on, putting on something bright, and making me feel good. Also reminding myself that there is still weight, more importantly, extra skin, that needs to be lost {or in this case, toned}.

That is when I turn to Hanes and their variety of undergarments and bright colored tees to piece together and make working out not feel so dull and dreadful. Something about color just brightens the mood, and gets my legs moving. It builds this fire inside me and cheers me on. I've always been that way with fashion and clothes in general. When I look good, I feel good.

No different with pairing my working out gear.

On top of wanting good, the Hanes undergarments fit perfectly to the body. The form fitting stretchy material allows the undergarments to move with you through every stretch, shift, and change in position. 

And can we talk about saving money? Most important aspect of working out for me is not spending too much money to work out. That means no gym membership, little cost on equipment, and budget-friendly attire.

So now that I have my work out attire figured out, I just need to throw on my running shoes and... go. Time? I'll figure that one out along the way.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

What Bliss Looks Like

I've had many beautiful moments in my life. Moments where I can close my eyes and recall every aspect of that memory. Whether that be just a few minutes in time, hours out of the day, or weeks that stood out to me as moments of bliss and happiness. Some of these moments can be stated as the obvious. In fact, as a parent, these moments are probably characterized similarly to those that other parents hold onto. The moment where your child is first born. Their first steps. The first time their voices called out to you. 

But some of the moments that I see as complete bliss are also moments that do not have a "big event" attached to them. Sure, they may be forgotten one day. May not be significant or monumental in my life. But yet they are still moments worth looking back on. Moments of bliss.

What does a moment of bliss mean to me?

1. Peace and Quiet. Something that is very rare in our home. Something that I do not always want or need, but something that is sure great to have once in a while. Most of us moms would also like to call that nap time. 

2. Sitting on the front porch. This is blissful to me. Rain or shine. There is something so calming and serene about sitting out on the front porch, taking in the fresh air, and listening to yourself think. 

3. Getting able to do what I love. Whether that be writing, or taking photos. During these quiet moments, I love nothing else but to let my thoughts run free. It's something that I cherish in my life. 

Putting all three together, sitting on the front porch, peace and quiet, and getting able to do what I love... well that is my exact definition of a blissful moment that may not be at all significant, but just as important to have every once of a while.

Stress is a big problem that people struggle with day in day out. Being a parent is no exception to that. Recently Neuro conducted a stress study surveying more than 1200 consumers which revealed that nearly 50% of those people spent at least half of their day stressed. Wow! That's big. As a nurse, I know how important eliminating stress in our lives is.

Neuro is urging Americans to join the stress reduction movement and has created the Bliss and Tell campaign, urging people to share their blissful moments. Be sure to check it out and enter the weekly contest and giveaway for a chance to win a $10K dream vacation. Now that would relieve a lot of my stress!

Lastly, another way to minimize stress and soothe the mind is through the neuroBLISS drink, containing powerful vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants! With a citrus flavor, only 35 calories per drink, and no artificial flavors or colors, you can start your day out in a more calming, blissful way.

Download the coupon above to get $1 off any neuro drink!


Because at the end of the day, who needs stress. Neuro in, stress out.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

What Summer Time Means to Me

image credit

Tomorrow is officially the last day of July. August is literally right around the corner, and fall is creeping up on us. It seems that every year, after my birthday, I get this feeling of nostalgia. Summer has this way of lifting my spirits, brightening my day, and bringing an overall effect of happiness into my life. Every one has a favorite season, mine happens to be summer time.

Summer time means a number of things to me.

Summer time means warm weather. Sun shining. Tan skin. Temperatures reaching in the 90s.
Summer time means birthday. A celebration of life. Continuation of life. And life to come.
Summer time means family. Family activities. Family memories. Family fun.
Summer time means vacation. A time spent away from our every day lives. Yet, not. Taking our family, some of our belongings, and traveling 700 miles across the country to relaxation. If you want to call it that with kids.
Summer time means ice cream, watermelon, milkshakes, and more. More cold everything. Ice cream every day during the summer? Totally acceptable.
Summer time means flip flops and dresses. The most appropriate attire for any and every day of the week. The easiest to throw on when running late out the door. And the easiest to throw off right before climbing into bed.
Summer time means water. Lots and lots of water. Sitting by the pool. Putting our feet in the sand by the beach. And scarfing down bottles and bottles of ice cold water. Remember...the heat.
Summer time means sparkles. Fireworks. Freedom. It's a time for us to celebrate this country and all the freedoms that at times we take for granted.
Summer time means carnivals. Crazy rides that scare you to death. Food that.. well.. scares you to death, yet tastes so good. And laughter and smiles all across the board.

Summer time. It's the season that makes me smile the most, and the season that also goes by the fastest. The season that I am always anxious to say hello to every year, and yet, one that I'm ready to say goodbye to come August.

Something else we will be saying goodbye to soon? Andrew's car. It's been good to us, but time for a change. Something new, something fun, something that makes me want to eat ice cream and cruise around with the windows down. Like summer time.

We've been looking at the Kia and have loved what we have seen and read. We are looking to test drive in the next few months. Right around fall time.... oh fall.

By then, I'll have a list of what fall means to me. And maybe what a new car means as well.

I'm ready.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

The Beans are Back

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Jelly Beans but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #JellysAreBack http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO”

Do you remember wearing Jelly sandals as a kid? Do you remember how you begged your parents to own a pair? You needed to have one and you needed to have one now? Not to mention, you needed one in every color. Am I bringing up some memories in your head? Did you look down at your feet thinking that they are in fact missing something in their life? The feet, that is. Your feet.

These were the exact thoughts that crossed through my head when I had heard that Jellys were back. 

They reminded me of jumping in puddles as a kid. Skinned knees, dirt on my pants. I grew up a tomboy. They reminded me of running around in nothing but a swimsuit and jellys on in my backyard. Each and every summer. They reminded me of listening for the ice cream truck to make his stop around our circle, to beg my parents for a "couple bucks" and then to sit on the sidewalk while we gobbled down every bit of the cold heaven on a stick. Only to dream about waking up the next day to do it all over again.

How does a pair of shoes even do that? Bring back sweet summer memories. Just like that. I'm not sure the answer to that, but I sure was excited to be able to finally get my hands on a pair. The only question that remained was... what color.

Initially, my mind instantly went to black. I'm a black and white kind of girl. I like plain and simple sometimes because it is what works with anything and everything. However, lately, I've been venturing out the box, and I knew that if I truly wanted to relive my childhood all over again, that I would have to do it the right way. Pink.

So pink it was. Pink it is. And pink definitely made me feel young and fresh all over again. It was, it is, the perfect shoe for summertime. From comfort to style, to hello-one-of-a-kind-look-at-me kind of shoe. I know that when every celebrity starts to wear them, at least I can sit here and say... hey, I started the trend! A girl can dream.

I'm not all too trendy to be honest with you, but I sure do like myself a pair of comfortable shoes and anything that reminds me of jumping in puddles, swinging off trees, and playing with the boys in the baseball fields. Then I'm all about it.

The last, and probably the best perk of all? The fact that I can match my daughter. The fact that she points down at my shoes and says "MOMMY! COOOOOOL SHOES!"

Yup. That's a win in this mama's book.

I hope that my daughter grows up with a pair of shoes that remind her of the good days. The great memories. The summer sun, the mama-daughter dates at the pool, and the sound of an ice cream truck turning the corner. I'm sure her memories will involve things that are much more hip and advanced in comparison to mine, but one thing will remain the same:

Summer is made to have fun.

And Jelly Beans? The Beans are back.

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Want a pair? They are available now with free shipping to US Residents and ships here from the US by visiting the websit: jbeans.co
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