Back at it!

For far too long I have had this blog and not really done much with it.  I think part of the reason in laziness.  The other part is being a little scared.  I don't do good with writing.  It's hard for me to put things from my head to paper (so to speak).  So this is your heads up....while I will post on here I am sorry in advance if this isn't in proper format.  :D

I am a member of Crowdtap, Influenster and Bzzagent.  They send me products to test and review.  I have put off for to long not posting about the products they send me.  I have finally decided to post them as I get them.

This summer my goal with our kids is to find fun free things for us to do.  Being cooped up in the house all summer is not fun especially with 2 kids.  One thing that we are going to try is geo-caching. I plan on documenting those adventures on here.  Plus, anything else fun we hope to do.

Lastly, I am working on losing weight.  My plan is to share my weight loss journey and the tips/tricks that work for me.

I hope you all enjoy our little adventures and the product reviews on my little blog!

Tandi

Living & Active-week 1

Ever since I had my second (last) child a little over 3 years ago I have struggled with my weight.  I have never weighed this much for this long in my life.  I have ALWAYS been under 200 unless I was pregnant.  With my first child I was able to lose it quickly.  However, with my second child its like the weight wants to just stay glued to my body. (lol)

The biggest probelm I have is staying focused on getting the weight off.  I LOVE food and that is one of my biggest problems.  That and the fact that I am married to a former chef.  He cooks dinner all the time and it is always so good.  I try to do my best with portion control but even that is hard to do some times.

I am going to give the Living and Active 5-week challenge a try.  I pray that this will help me stay motivated and on track to getting a good jump start for weight loss.  We are taking a big family vacation in 2016 and that is my big goal to have all of my weight off by then.  (if not sooner)

This is my weekly verse to stay focused on while trying to stay on track.

Vitality Vox Box

I was so excited to be selected to review another Vox Box from Influenster.  I love getting these with awesome products in it to try out.

The first product I got to try is the lip cube from Softlips.  At first I that the design was a little odd and I really didn't think I would like it.  However, it works perfect and goes on the lips so easy.  I received the flavor mint.  It was a nice light scent/flavor not overpowering at all.  The only down side to this is that it doesn't stay on the lips very long.  Otherwise, I will for sure put this at the top of my chapstick needs.

Pure Leaf tea.  I am a BIG tea drinker....both hot and cold.  When it comes to cold tea I usually only like plain sweet tea.  I have tried lemon flavor in the past and its always been too lemony (lol).  When I got this I knew I had to try and with fingers crossed I tried it.  I LOVED it!!!  It has the perfect amount of sweetness and the lemon flavor is just right.  This is now my go to quick grab tea when I am out running errands.

These tampons are the BEST!  I love how they keep me protected.  They aren't just for sports.  I have a very active 3 year old and I don't have time to worry about accidents.  These keep me protected when I need it most.  If you have an active life I highly recommend these.  They really help me #playon

This sample of Flawless Future powered by Ceramide Caplet Serum from Elizabeth Arden.  I have used EA products in the past and I was really excited to try this out.  First, a little goes a long way which is what I really love.  After two weeks of use I could tell a difference in my skin.  It looked brighter and fresher.

Next is the First degree burn cream.  I have not been able to try this product because thankfully no one in our house has been burned. :)  I will say that it has no strong smell and doesn't feel greasy.  I will update this if or when I get to really give this a try.

The last product I tried were the Bikini ready energy gummies.  I do NOT like gummies of any kind.  However, I was willing to give them a try.  Sadly, I just couldn't get through one.  Now don't get me wrong they had a nice taste and smell.  I just don't like gummy texture so thats what went bad for me.  If you like gummies then you will love these. :)  #BikiniReadyLifestyle

GoVoxBox

I was so happy that I finally got my very first VoxBox from Influenster.  There are so many awesome things in this box I can't wait to share them with you.

This is the Next Step Jaxx Shaker.  It has this cool "Jaxx" in the cup.  This Jaxx helps mix your shake SO much better then just a regular shake.  I use to use our blender to get make shake nice and mixed up.  Problem with that is I get up before everyone else in my family and I never wanted to try on the blender and wake everyone up.  The magical little Jaxx in the middle really does help with that problem.  I am so happy to have it.

I also receieved 3 Next Step shakes to try...Swiss Chocolate, Vanilla, Fresh Berries.  My favorite is the chocolate!  I mixed the chocolate with water and it still tasted amazing.  I was very happy with it.  As for the vanilla and berries one I mixed them with non-dairy coconut milk.  I kept seeing people post that those 2 tasted funny or chalky so I decided to change them up.  They actually tasted pretty good.  I would drink them again but they just would be my first choice.

I am calling these my magical feet savers....LOL!!!!!  I have cheap tennis shoes I purchased from a box store last year on sale.  They don't have the best support but that work.  Since getting them I have tried to find some inserts that really help.  Well I have FINALLY found them!!!!  These ProFoot Triad Orthotic inserts are so unbelievable.  I really put them to the test when last Saturday my daughter and I went to Leavenworth National Cemetery.  We went with her Girl Scout troop and placed flags in honor of Memorial Day.  We walked all over that cemetery up and down hills and in the mud.  Now I might have been huffin and puffin but my feet felt great.  Even at the end of the day when I took my shoes off my feet felt amazing.  In the past my feet would hurt so bad that I couldn't walk.  Thankfully with these inserts that is no longer the case.  I HIGHLY recommend these!

Next, I received a coupon for a free treat from Muller.  Up to this point I have only tried the Muller fruit mousse cups.  I love those!  So does our 3 year old son.  I was really wanting to try something new however, I do not like Greek yogurt, it just tastes wierd to me.  So I was pleasantly surprised when I went to the grocery store and saw this yogurt corner.  I was quite tasty even with the malted choco balls which I wasn't very sure about.  This is something I will have to keep in mind the next time I want a little treat but don't want to bust my diet.

The other yummy treat I got was Blueberry oven roasted almonds from Blue Diamond.  I'm not really a fan of blueberries or blueberry flavors.  They tasted ok.  My husband loved them.  He is a big blueberry fan.  The other down side for me is this small bag is 230 calories.  When I have a snack I like to try and keep it under 100.

AquaSpa Bath Soak.  It has a nice light scent and was great for soaking my feet after a long walk.  I have not used it for a full bath yet.  We have a HUGE tub and I don't want to use that much water....lol  AquaSpa has lots of other great products and you can purchase them at Wal-mart.  Click on the link below for a $1 off coupon.
$1 off coupon Any AquaSpa product

Last but not least the Playtex Sport fresh balance tampons.  I highly recommend these.  I have to active children and keeping up with them means I don't have time to worry about "accidents."  Thankfully with these I didn't have to worry.  Whether you are involved in sports or just have a busy life style these will be perfect for you.

I received all of these wonderful products for free from Influenster to test and try out.  If you would like to sign-up for this site (its free) just leave a comment below with you email address.  I will send an invite.  I have 19 left.

Great Outdoor Giveaway

Awesome giveaway happening over at Hayneedle!

Great Outdoor Giveaway

What's to come...

I am finally working on keeping up with this blog....lol

I am currently working on getting doing reviews for all kinds of things and companies.

Make sure you stop back by within the next couple of weeks.  I will be posting lots and lots!

Here are some of my personal tips for couponing and saving the most money.

-Have a coupon organizer.

-Get a newspaper every Sunday and clip all coupons. You might not need the products right now but you might in a couple weeks. (There is usually at least 1 insert in the paper unless its a holiday and then they don't put one in)

-If you have a Dollar Tree close to you go get your newspaper there. They are only $1. This way you can get even more great coupons.

- Always look at every ad. Go through them and see if you can match up coupons with the sales.

-Every store you go into always check out the clearance section. See if you can match up coupons.

-Always keep an eye out online for coupons. For instance Target has their own store coupons and usually update those every couple of days. (With Target you can add one of their coupons with a manufacture coupon to double your savings)

-Get on company mailing lists to get coupons directly from them. Look at the link above for more info

-Don't be brand loyal. You can always find a good deal on products just not always on what might be your favorite.

-Start a stockpile!!!! That has been the greatest thing I have done for saving money. Even if you might not need the product right away. If you can get it for really cheap or free then do so. It will save you down the line. I have 8 deodorants in my pile and I paid a total of $3 for all of them.

-Always always always keep your eyes out for a good deal!

-Keep following my page and I will keep you up to date on all the best deals I can find!

Trying to earn money

Asked if she could vacuum.....She really trying hard to earn money for our trip to Disney World next May....lol

Target coupons!

I quit smoking 19 months ago.....

This is the good that has come from me quitting smoking. My last cigarette was on December 11, 2009. I quit cold turkey. There have been times when it's been hard, but I feel some much better and I know it's worth it. I will be around for my kids so much longer.

* In 20 minutes your blood pressure will drop back down to normal.
* In 8 hours the carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) levels in your blood stream will drop by half, and oxygen levels will return to normal.
* In 48 hours your chance of having a heart attack will have decreased. All nicotine will have left your body. Your sense of taste and smell will return to a normal level.
* In 72 hours your bronchial tubes will relax, and your energy levels will increase.
* In 2 weeks your circulation will increase, and it will continue to improve for the next 10 weeks.
* In three to nine months coughs, wheezing and breathing problems will dissipate as your lung capacity improves by 10%.
* In 1 year your risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by half.

Still to come:
* In 5 years your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.
* In 10 years your risk of lung cancer will have returned to that of a non-smoker.
* In 15 years your risk of heart attack will have returned to that of a non-smoker.