Stock Advice! Buy into Yourself!

Our own value can only go up if you buy into yourself! Keep learning, feeding your mind and body with healthy food for thought and your stock will climb to infinite proportions.

HERE I AM!

I apologize for being absent for a while!
Ahhhh, new jobs, new school! Lots of adjustments and events all seeming to happen at once!
How do you keep yourself in check? Nourish your body and your mind. Take care of number one. Once you take care of number one, you will be able to take care of the people and things you need to take care of!!!
Do something for yourself, whether it is having an hour a week to work out, give yourself a mani/pedi, drink a cup of tea, read...whatever leaves you with yourself for a while.
Being a mom/dad, wife/husband, employee etc can be demanding and I truly believe it is important to give yourself some YOU TIME.
Enlist a friend or family member to entertain the children for an hour, utilize nap time to your advantage, find a gym with childcare...

Treat your body and mind well. It is the only one we have!

Cupcakes for Parties

I definitely feel that cupcakes are a fantastic idea to serve at parties as an alternative to cakes!!! They are easy to prep ahead of time, economically friendly, easy to freeze, easy to handle and kids and adults alike love them. I have made them for my son's birthday for the last 3 years and I am not sure I will have a cake again! I also like the feeling of accomplishment that I made them myself and didn't enlist someone else to do it.

Vegas on a Budget!

There is no shame in doing Las Vegas on a budget...especially with the state of the economy right now.
As an esthetician, I try to attend the IECSC (Esthetics Conference) in Vegas annually and if you book early, there are plenty of budget friendly travel options during conference time!
In the past, I have stayed at the Luxor, Tropicana, Las Vegas Hilton and Excalibur. Each had a decent price but nothing beats this year at the Imperial Palace. Sure it is not the Venetian, but here are the major advantages. Price on weekends: Harrah's hotels offer RED HOT DEALS when you search and book online. For a Saturday night we got a smokin' dealThe Imperial Palace is located mid-strip so, eating, shopping, transportation, is very easily accessible. There is actually a Monorail stop right in the hotel. If you have a conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Monorail takes you right to it.
You can also get a fantastic breakfast deal at La Salsa Cantina...they are the restaurants that sell giant margaritas you can carry around town. They have a daily breakfast special of $3.95 for 2 eggs (your way), homestyle potatoes and your choice of ham, bacon or sausage with 2 tortillas! You have to eat before 11am which was no problem for us!!! Delicious and great service to boot!!!
We also made a stop at our local CVS to get a case of water and some snacks and we brought oranges and nectarines to snack on as well.
Don't forget, hotels are also offering incentives like gas cards and special dinner offers etc. when you book now. Do your research and have a blast in VEGAS!!!!

Wall-E Definitely a Must S-E!

We took our son to see the new Disney Pixar movie Wall-E as his first movie in the theater.
It was a hit. Not only did our son love it but my husband and I quite enjoyed the story of a very ET-esque (and Short Circuit Johnny 5 reminder) robot who collects all kinds of trinkets while he is working. He meets and falls in love with a beautiful (Angelina-esque...if that is possible) robot, EVE who was sent to Earth on a special mission. It is a very endearing and heroic story with a lot of cute surprises and wonderfully animated by Pixar. There are also a lot of cute 80's references and quite a powerful message and theme to the storyline.
I give this G-rated movie a 2 thumbs up for people of all ages!

Compare your Fares!!!

Okay, get ready to save some bucks on airline travel the right way.
Make sure to check out www.farecompare.com
You can check fares from different airlines and receive insider tips on booking travel. It is updated periodically and it is very user friendly. It uses a calendar format to show you the low fare days you are looking for which is fantastic!

I highly recommend this site. I have not booked travel on it yet but the searches are excellent! Also, make sure to compare coach class and first class fares because a little birdie told me that first class really isn't a whole lot more expensive and you can compare on Fare Compare!

Cheers!

Trying Out Some New Things

Just an update to let everyone know I am in the process of trying out a few new products and I am about to travel as well.
I should have a bunch of new posts soon regarding navigating Las Vegas on a budget, International Esthetics and Beauty show (next week) and I am trying out a new organic pest repellent for the garden.
Keep checking back for new posts!!!

Reduce your JUNK MAIL the Easy Way!

Here is a quick and easy way to electronically reduce the amount of junk mail in your mailbox (and save some trees!!!). Also, you can get a lot of those telemarketers off of your back!!!

You can register your name and information at www.optoutprescreen.com and you will opt out of receiving a ton of insurance and credit card offers. Doing this electronically through the website will opt you out for 5 years.
You can also go to dmachoice.org/mps to remove your name from mailing lists of it's members. This site will also direct you to many helpful areas to opt out of emails, take the names of deceased family off of mailings, telemarketing lists ( www.donotcall.gov ), and many more helpful tips on reducing the "bother" of unnecessary marketing.
I also found that opting out of catalogs you no longer want is something you can do electronically as well. You can go to www.catalogchoice.org to opt out of anything you have been receiving that you do not wish to receive any longer!
Each of these sites are fairly easy to navigate and pretty straightforward. I highly recommend all of them and it will definitely help reduce the JUNK MAIL and other marketing annoyances, while helping the environment at the same time! I know this works primarily in the US, however I will do some research and post back the Canadian versions if different for my North of the border familia!
YAY!

Perfect 10 by Clairol...Does it Work?

Okay, so I get bored with my hair rather easily and to be completely honest, I do not want to spend megabucks to get it done all of the time so I have been experimenting with boxed color for several years.

I would look at reviews to see which hair color worked well according to its specifications on tones and direction (basically doing what it says it will do on the package). Mind you, this is hard to find and I learned quickly that different hair colors and types are going to take to the dye in a different way, no matter the brand.
Perfect 10, by Clairol, is something that peaked my interest. I am generally a fan of Natural Instincts (because it is non-permanent), however, I would try a permanent color once in while. Perfect 10 was interesting because it says that the color takes 10 minutes, rather than the standard 20. This is great if you are limited on time and like most moms, I am very limited (even 10 min. is precious!).
The product also includes a comb applicator feature (for a quicker, more even application) AS WELL AS the traditional applicator tip.
I found the color to be a good match for me. I have naturally darker brown hair with red tones, and my goal was to make it a more even tone and ash out the reds that were beginning to show through from previous dye jobs.
Here is my before shot.
You definitely have to follow the directions to a tee! They recommend 10 minutes or NO LONGER than 15 for resistant grays! They mean it! The color works quickly with strong chemicals which seem to get stronger the longer they are on. I had some grays to cover however I did the recommended 10 minutes and immediately washed it out. If left on too long, you will get a shade that is something other than what the proclaimed result is on the box. It gave my hair a more even tone although I still see a bit of red (I bought the ash to tone out the red). Now the texture of my hair, UNBELIEVABLE! Soft, shiny, tangle free and smelling great!
Here is the after shot.
The lighting isn't the greatest so it is hard to see the color change. I was only going for subtlety, not a drastic result, and I believe I achieved just that.
For $11-14 and 10-15 minutes of your time, I would give Perfect 10 by Clairol, the thumbs up!

DING:Southwest Airlines' Exclusive Daily Low Fare Specials

Alright all of you deal searchers, here's one for the travelista in YOU!

I love using DING! It is a downloadable application for your computer that tells you daily flight specials offered by Southwest Airlines. If you are constantly looking for low fare deals, you need to check your DING periodically. I have seen two different posts in one day on occasion. You can customize your settings to include the cities you are most inclined to fly out of and it lists different destinations so you can see if one might interest you in your search for an ultra low fare!
I have found that DING is especially useful flying to Las Vegas and the smaller California airports, from Phoenix...you are looking at around $41 bucks each way (sometimes higher), plus taxes and fees. I have also found great fares to and from Baltimore and Detroit, which is where we fly to yearly. DING usually restricts the days of the week you can fly and puts specials out a month ahead, sometimes weeks so if you are looking to book months in advance, sometimes it is possible, but I would say it is more spontaneous than super advanced (for chronological booking). I am very flexible most of the time so this works for me.
If you would like to download DING go to www.southwest.com and scroll down to the bottom of the homepage and you will see DING. Download to your specifications. Check periodically and you will be on your way to saving dollars on travel throughout the United States!
Every little bit helps in this economy!!!!!!

Las Palomas Resort, Rocky Point, Mexico

Ahhh, relaxation! A short trip from the Phoenix, Arizona area, Rocky Point, Mexico has plenty of new resort developments to offer it's north of the border visitors!

Las Palomas

www.laspalomas-sgc.com

is definitely one of the most beautiful and child friendly places I have been to.

These are actually condos, owned by individuals who are kind enough to "lend" their space out to friends and family. We stayed in a 1600 sq. ft. pad, overlooking one section of pools and kiddie areas, and of course, the beach. Our condo included 2 master bedrooms with a full bathroom for each, a large eat in kitchen with dining area, a wonderful seating area (inside and on the balcony) and full laundry facilities. This condo also boasted a large flat screen television and the couch is a pull out queen sized bed.
We brought all of our own food and beverages and towels and sheets are provided at the resort.
Flying into Phoenix or Tucson is the way to go, then you will need to drive to Mexico (where you will need to purchase separate auto insurance at www.aaa.com), cross the border (make sure you have passports) and head to the resort. From the Phoenix area, the drive is about 4-5 hours, maybe a little more or less depending on how (speedy) you drive.
The resort is still being developed and I believe some units are still available for purchase.
I highly recommend this resort, mainly for the availability of children's activities and on site childcare. If you are going to "party" you will find a "Spring Break"section with swim up bars and beautiful infinity edge pools filled with young (and some older)party singles.
I forgot to mention there is a beautiful golf course on site as well!

So check it out! We are so glad we did!

Priceline for Flights!

Hello Everyone!

If you have flexibility while booking trips, the new and improved (No booking fees) Priceline.com is fantastic!

The name your price feature is great if you don't mind if they pick your flight times for you.

Hotels are a great deal and you can track the price fluctuation from your desired destination on a daily basis in order to get a great deal!

The only confusing part is if you are Canadian, you need to input a US address when completing registration to name your price. They say contrary to what the site says (regarding choosing your "State/Province") you will only be able to choose from the states on the list and do not give you provincial choices. You can still use your own credit card and name, just not your Canadian address so be aware of this. This little tip will save you time and confusion when using this site!

Viva Priceline!

Bubba Keg Update

Due to more than annoying leakage, I took back one of the Bubba Kegs. If it tipped just a little bit while full, it would leak like crazy. My husband still enjoys his and tries to keep it as upright as possible.

I spoke with a friend and she purchased a different size and it leaked and she took it back as well. I think this is a consistent defect!!!!

Where can I find a product with similar capabilities that doesn't leak!!!!

The METHOD to Detoxifying the Home

Alright! So I have decided to detoxify my home and begin to go green!!

In addition to switching my light bulbs to the more energy efficient ones and putting my outdoor lights on a timer, I am adding things to the big list of "Going Greener".

Mind you, I have always recycled and been somewhat conscious of energy conservation, but with the rising costs of EVERYTHING, less really is more and changing things little by little makes me feel great about helping the environment, limiting physical toxins and saving a little bit of money.

I have a lot of allergies, mostly environmental, but chemicals are horrible irritants to me and that is difficult for a person bordering obsessive over keeping a clean house.

My mother used to say, "if you don't clean up your room and leave food lying around, the bugs are going to come", and Lord help me, I am not a fan of bugs just showing up in the places I choose to dwell!

I spend a lot of time browsing the cleaning aisle and came across the line of Method Home. I decided to try the surface cleaner, mainly because it looked and smelled interesting (grapefruit), but it also was non-toxic which was great, because at the time, I had just had a baby, which made me even more conscious of the effect all of the harsh chemicals could potentially have on my family.

I fell in love with the surface cleaners and gradually replaced certain cleaners with the Method brand. I particularly love the omop and the floor cleaner. I also love the leather wipes, wood wipes, bathroom wipes (in a wonderful eucalyptus mint scent) and the minty fresh glass cleaner!!!! I have even cut down on using paper towels (which helps save trees and limit household dust) by using the greatest cloths Method has. You just throw them in the wash and keep on using them!!! They seem to have one for every household cleaning task!

So check them out at Target, Canadian Tire, or find out more at www.methodhome.com!

They have also come out with a baby and child-friendly line of products!!!! Check them out and start detoxifying your home!!!

Oh BubbaKeg! The REVIEW

Where do I begin!

Well, after a few days of testing, I have come to the realization that the BubbaKeg seems to serve its purpose.
Little did I know, this BubbaKeg is a Spring Break staple (and has been for years) and an essential for cottage and cabin country everywhere!
Of course, the BubbaKeg is usually filled with beverages other than water, our testing was done in one of the hottest climates so you can judge how well this device works after reading our review (or trying it yourself)!
Testing Day: The Phoenix Zoo and Golfing
I decided to freeze the ice insert overnight and place it in the bottom of the keg and fill with extra ice and water. I did this at 8:30am. We left for the zoo and I took my first sip. I liked how the spout worked. It had a nice and even flow and of course, the water was nice and cold.
I laid the BubbaKeg on the front seat of the car.
I noticed, right away, that there were water droplets coming out of the top area, under the handle and around the mid-barrel area where there was an obvious separation between the metal and the plastic body on the top area.
I thought it may be condensation as it was quite warm out and the pressure from the inside of the Keg and cold water were finding an escape. Basically, it was leaking. The leak wasn't terrible so I went on my merry way.
By 10:30am, it was around 75 degrees outside and climbing to 92 for the day. I took another swig of the water and it was still ice cold.
We drank more around 12pm, with lunch and it was still nice and cold. The extra ice had melted, but we were almost 4 hours into the 12 they say it can possibly stay cold, and it had held up in the now 80+ degree weather.
We left the zoo and ran errands and continued to drink from the BubbaKeg until we got home around 2:30pm. 6 hours had elapsed and the water was still very cold. We had also left the BubbaKeg in a hot car on several occasions during this time.
We left the Keg out on the counter top when we returned and I had some water left in it.
Around 8:30 pm I took the last swig. The water was about room temperature. Definitely not cold anymore but not warm or hot either.
I think it served its purpose, although it did leak a little bit if it was tilted slightly or leaning on an angle at all.
If I had to give you a rating of this particular BubbaKeg, I would say it was a 7 out of 10, simply because of the leaking issue, but it kept the water nice and cold through out our time out.

My husband took his golfing for the day too. He was gone for 7 hours outside on the same hot day that we went to the zoo and he loved it. He did mention it leaked a little bit, however it kept the water nice and cold and he still had a little bit left when he got home.

To conclude, I would say, depending on your climate, usage and choice of beverage, this would be a decent purchase. I do believe that the leaking was caused by pressure from the extreme cold contained in an almost airtight container...but I may have to do some digging for the answer to that question.

So find the right BubbaKeg suited to your needs and have fun!

What is a BubbaKeg?

Alright folks! Living in Arizona has definitely introduced our family to dehydration in the worst way. At first, I thought I could get away with drinking an extra glass of water here and there to quench my thirst, however that just didn't cut it out here. I began to fill a 20 oz bottle with water and take it with me in the car but if I didn't drink it quick enough, it would get warm and warm water certainly doesn't quench your thirst, much less turn you off from drinking it. If I did drink the 20 oz, I needed more water for the rest of the day. I would prefer not to buy separate bottles as that creates so much waste (not to mention wastes money) when I have a perfectly good tap at home.

After 6 years of living in one of the hottest places in the U.S. I believe I may have found the answer to my water wonder. The questions I needed answered were, "Where can I find a water container that keeps the water cooler during the day while I am out and about?"and,"Is the container big enough to hold the amount I need to stay hydrated throughout the day?"

As I was browsing through Target, I went into the Automotive section and noticed these funny keg-shaped containers and thought I would get a closer look...It was called a BubbaKeg. I looked at all of the different sizes, colors and shapes and decided to go home and look them up. They have a website which is linked to from this blog. It vaguely describes the keg-like containers, but showcases the different sizes (20 oz to 5 gallons), and colors (electric blue, green, black and camo and I have seen bright pink at Target).

The BubbaKeg claims to keep cold beverages cold for up to 12 hours and hot beverages hot for up to 3 hours (in the 72 oz). Each one varies.

After showing my husband, we decided to get two of them, each 72 oz, in black. I take my son out during the day a lot and my husband is an athlete. Sounds great for a day at the park or while playing organized sports. This particular BubbaKeg even included a bonus personal cooler ice insert inside. This is one of those plastic containers filled with liquid that you freeze and then it attaches to the bottom of the inside of the Keg. This container also has a convenient flip spout for easy drinking or pouring.

Now that you have a lowdown on the product, my husband and I will put these BubbaKegs to the test, and let you know how they work for us!

Does it Work for You?

The purpose of this blog is to take random items, products, movies etc. and review them to help people decide whether what is being reviewed is right for you. I will use myself, as well as family and friends to test and submit reviews based on a series of physical testing, ie. tasting, using, watching, then giving reviews based on opinions formulated through the testing process.
I really wanted people to have somewhere to turn to see how random things work for them in order to get an idea of the item before they purchase. I have wasted a lot of time and money with things that simply don't work, however, I have found many gems that I feel would be beneficial to others and worked very well for myself and my family.
Maybe you will find something random that will help you decide whether "to buy or not to buy".
:) Dani