Thursday, March 24, 2011

I have Sensitive Skin! #bMSkincare


Since the time I was in my preteens, I found out that my skin reacted to cosmetics in weird ways!  I get black marks on my otherwise smooth skin, I get dry rough patches and sometimes I would get this small breakout if there was something that didn't agree with my skin.  So I've been VERY careful about what I use.  Most of the time it was just water.

As I aged, I found that I needed something more than water to keep my skin happy.  I tried several major brands of cosmetics both available in stores and through direct sales.  While I had some good results, nothing seemed to provide the right combination.  So I resorted to just using cleansing cloths to wash my face and that's it.  But now I'm facing the same problem.  It's not quite enough!

So when BareEscentuals approached me about trying their bareMinerals line, I visited their website and thought maybe this is what I need.  Something doesn't have many of the impurities in cosmetics today:

RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex

This proprietary complex in our skincare line is composed of the Earth's most natural, effective and mineral-abundant soil containing a comprehensive blend of beneficial macro and micro minerals that exist in nature. When extracted through a unique method, these minerals yield a densely rich, efficacious concentrate clinically proven to deliver faster cell turnover, noticeably smaller pores, increased luminosity and softer, smooth, younger-looking skin.

Healthy Ingredients

There are no synthetic fragrances, no artificial oils and no parabens within bMskincare.

It seems to be just enough to address the problems I'm having without overwhelming my skin!

I think I would like to try the deep cleansing foam and the Purely Nourishing Moisturizer to see how they work with my skin.  If the basics work well then I'll try the Blemish Therapy treatment to deal with the annoying black patches on my skin!

So if you had the opportunity to try the Bare Escentuals bareMinerals line, which would you choose?

Disclaimer: Please note, this is not a giveaway and I was not provided any compensation/product for this post.  I may have the opportunity to try this line in the future and provide a review. 

Love and Blessings!
Margaret

Friday, March 11, 2011

Book Review: Tandem by Tracey Bateman

TandemTandem by Tracey Bateman


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


From Goodreads:


As obsession and loss become dark partners, how far must the people of Abbey Hills go to survive?

Six months ago, brutal murders shook the small Ozark town—murders that stopped after a house fire reportedly claimed the killer’s life. Lauryn McBride's family auction house has taken responsibility for the estate sale of one of the victims—the enigmatic Markus Chisom. Submerging herself in Chisom’s beautiful but strange world, Lauryn welcomes the reprieve from watching Alzheimer’s steal her father from her, piece by piece. She soon realizes that centuries-old secrets tie Abbey Hills to the Chisom estate and a mysterious evil will do anything to make sure those secrets stay hidden. Even the man who grew up loving her may not be able to protect Lauryn from the danger.

When Amede Dastillon receives an unexpected package from Abbey Hills, she hopes it might be the key in tracking down her beloved sister, long estranged from her family. Visiting Abbey Hills seems the logical next step in her search, but Amede is unusually affected by the town, and when mutilated carcasses begin turning up again in the small community, the local law enforcement isn’t sure if they are confronting a familiar evil or a new terror.

Two women brought together by questions that seem to have no answers. Can they overcome the loss and darkness threatening to devour them—or will their own demons condemn them to an emotional wasteland?

My Opinon:

I'm torn about this book. First I want to say the book is not a bad read. It's not a GREAT read but it's not bad. The story is structured well and you can read this book without reading the prequel Thirsty (I did not read Thirsty). The story lines are good, the struggles about doing the right thing are realistic, I tried to think what I would do if I was in some of these situations.

What bothered me is that this is marketed as a Christian fiction book. I have no problem reading "non-Christian" fiction but I was expecting to see more about faith and victory. While this was alluded to, there was no really proclamations of faith, or demonstrations of God's faithfulness. There was a lot of darkness (think the Twilight series which I read entirely), much more than I expected. I would say I wouldn't let anyone under the age of 16 or so read this book, the material is too mature in the darkness sense (no sex or anything like that).

Love and Blessings!
Margaret




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Is there a Dr. in the House?!?!

I'm thinking there is something seriously wrong with my 17 year old.  He has cooked dinner three times in the last two weeks!!!  OK, I admit the first time he grilled the steak because he wanted to go driving when I got home from work.  But the other two time, there was no prompting!!  Oh don't get me wrong, I am NOT complaining and I wouldn't even be concerned really, except, he cleaned the kitchen too!  Now come on parents, this is NOT normal behavior for a 17 year old boy.  Should I get him checked out????

Wanna know what he made?  On Saturday, it was actually lunch that he made.  He grilled fresh fish and made Onion Rings on the side.  The fish was seasoned perfectly!! Can you say YUM! 

Then Wednesday, he made chicken (fried and grilled), his own version of creamed spinach (another YUMMY!) and a pasta side (from Knorr's).  He had the table set and all of the dishes ready to serve when hubby got home!  I got home later but it was still great to just come in and take my shoes off and eat! LOL!

I asked him why and he said he was bored!  I wish he would get bored more often!  It sure is nice coming home to a clean house and fully prepared meal!

Thanks B!  You are a great son! 

Love and Blessings!
Margaret

The IPAD 2 is here!

I know because I got the email this morning!  I'm a little excited because I might be getting one!!  I like that it has two cameras, I like that it's bigger than my Ipod Touch which I LOVE!  It just sounds like something great to travel with and have fun with.  So far the reviews from the beta testers is positive! 

What have you heard so far about the IPAD 2? 

Is now the time to buy?

Should I get the regular one or the 3G if I do decide to purchase?

I'll let you guys know what I decide.  Oh and if you are purchasing one, don't forget to go through Ebates and get 1 % cash back at the Apple store!!!!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post, I really just want an opinion of whether I should get one or not.

Love and Blessings!
Margaret

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Time to Hit the Road!

March starts AAU basketball season for my son, and that means LOTS of traveling, very few free weekends and numerous hotel stays! It can get really expensive so I really need to focus on ways to save this year. I do have a few ways I plan to save that I’ll share with you! Who knows, maybe some of it will be useful!


1. First, with gas prices the way they are, we have to determine the least expensive routes to travel for our trips. This means minimal toll roads without adding a lot of miles. I invested in a new GPS system with current maps. I have the TomTom and I really like it! I will invest in updating the maps before our travel season so I have the most recent information available. This will save us time and money (as well as keeping us from wasting gas being lost!!).

2. For me anywhere I can save money is a deal to me. I am putting my car in the shop for maintenance, tire checks and anything else that needs to be done before we hit the road. This way we will not only be safe, we will safe money on gas and unnecessary repairs.

3. Since we don’t have a choice as far as when we travel, I signed up for the loyalty clubs for the major hotel chains (Marriott, Hilton and Sheraton). These points add up really quickly when you are doing a lot of traveling. Plus I have some classes scheduled for work so by the end of the summer, I should have enough points for a free room or two! Some of the rewards clubs also have “stores” where you can cash in the points for items.

4. I start looking for hotels early to try and catch a good deal. For instance we have a tournament in the Disney area this year. While we may not be able to enjoy the parks all that much, we can surely cash in on some of the hotel discounts that abound in this area. Since we will be there for a week, I plan to rent a vacation condo and hit up the nearby Walmart to stock the refrigerator! Some places I like to check for discounts in the area are Passporter.com and Deb’s Unofficial Walt Disney World Vacation sites. For other areas I like to check Expedia and Travelocity.

5. When I arrive at the hotel, after checking in, I look for the ad board. I don’t know the official name for it but it’s the place where all of the little pamphlets for local and area attractions are. There are usually some discounts for local food places.

6. I always visit the area’s Chamber of Commerce website prior to my trip. This is another place you can find coupons, and discounts for local businesses. Also if you are going to be in the area for a few days, you may find some local events that you can attend! Once we attended a local fair and had a blast!!

7. My son plays basketball so that keeps him pretty busy, however my daughter sometimes gets a little restless from having to sit in a gym all day. I shop ahead of time for little treats for her. Since I use Swagbucks as my search engine, I’m always accumulating Amazon gift certificates. I use these to purchase games for her DSi and also books and puzzles that she can do in the car. Saves a lot of grief and fighting over the laptop!!

8. My kids don’t like this one so much, but we gotta do what we gotta do. If the hotel where we are staying does not offer a continental or some type of breakfast, I get bagels and cereal for us to eat breakfast in our room. That’s one less meal that we have to pay for. They don’t like it but they know!

9. One thing I just started doing is checking to see what supermarkets are in the area. This way I can take my coupon binder with me and still save money if I have to shop for food or other necessities. Most areas have a Super Target or a Super Walmart so this is usually not too difficult. There are tons of coupon sites where you can find out what the best deals are too! I tell them I’m from out of the area and I don’t have their store card and most of the time the cashier will swipe their card for me. More savings!!

10. Last but not least! We have fun! Whatever the situation, wherever we are, we make the best of it and have a good time. Fortunately our team is very close knit so we eat most of our meals together and enjoy each other’s company. This is the cheapest form of fun there is!!

So there are my tips for a fun filled travel season! If you have any, I'd love to know what they are! 

I’m looking forward to exploring some new places this Spring and Summer. If you see me on the road, be sure to wave!!

In the interest of disclosure, I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Alamo blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Love and Blessings!
Margaret

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Book Review: It Looked Like Spilt Milk

It Looked Like Spilt MilkIt Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was a cute book to read! Great for new readers or younger.

The funny thing is the other night, my son was getting ready for bed.  He had testing at school the next day so he had an earlier bedtime.  He had taken his shower and was still putzing around. So I said in my best Mommy voice "B, it's time to go night night, are you finished getting ready for bed?  Do you want Mommy to read you a story?"  I didn't hear anything, then all of the sudden he comes tearing into the room with this book in his hand, lays on the floor in front of me and waits for me to start reading.  So I read him the book and all throughout, he said "Mommy what is it?", "Mommy I wonder what it is?", it was VERY entertaining.

Why you ask? Only because my son is 17!! Yes I said SEVENTEEN! LOL! I was hysterical by the time we were finished!! It was a really cute book though!!

This is a book from my personal collection. I reviewed this book on my own and was not compensated in any way!


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Love and Blessings!
Margaret