In Remembrance~ Wordless Wednesday

In remembrance of the poor little baby birds that were so brutally murdered before they even had a chance to spread their wings and fly. Early one morning my daughter discovered their bodies on our back porch. Right now our suspects are Jasmine and Sammy, the two cats living in our house. We're still on the look out for these dangerous felines. So please contact us if you have any information.

WANTED

To play along, head over to Live and Love Out Loud

I just want to give you all a heads up that I'm going to skip FAB Friday this week because of the holiday. Also, be sure to enter my giveaway($25 gift card to Sucre Lulu),  you have until tomorrow. So be sure to enter, and I'll be announcing the winner soon!
Have a great weekend everyone and happy 4th of July!!!

TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE

I've just learned the way to overcome writers block.  All you have to do is, well, just be an emotional wreck which seems to happen about once a month for me... hmmm, very strange. So, anyway, I'm realizing that the drama queen emotional side of me is what kicks out my best blog posts. It's all about pouring your heart out, and if being on my period is what drives my passion, then so be it. It's about time I find something good about that time of month.  I shall now embrace my womenhood more fully than ever. 

  
Now if I could just get my husband to do the same... :)

There are two kinds of people. What I AM, and what I am NOT.

What I am NOT: I'm not the type of person that hides the way they're feeling very well. I know that this can be a good thing, but also a bad thing. Sometimes it's good not to share EVERYTHING, especially when it's negative. Focusing your energy on the bad things is not going to make life any easier. Learning to find solutions can bring you closer to achieving your goals and overcoming your trials. I heard a quote once by Charles Malik, "A great leader suffers in a hundred different ways and keeps his suffering to himself."
The bad side to always keeping things to yourself is,  you'll never allow others to know how you truly feel, and as a result may never have the opportunity of helping them. Sometimes it's just nice to hear someone say, "oh yes, I've been there" or "I feel the SAME way". 

What I AM: I am the type of person that is VERY open and will share every detail about the way I'm feeling. Some people may not like this because they'd rather just hear the good. I like to vent, I feel so much better when I can just get my feelings out. And sometimes it's not even venting, it's just being honest about the way things are. Life can be hard, we all know that, but why not open up a little and allow others to relate and know that what they are feeling is normal and okay. I always appreciate it when people are open, it allows me to feel a little LESS crazy :).  Writing and talking about your thoughts and feelings can bring clarity to problems, and perhaps helping you figure out what's really bothering you.

Let me give you an example here, which happens to be from my mission once again. The reason why I refer to my mission so much is because I learned ALOT of important life lessons within that period of time. Okay so, I had a companion that was great in every way. She seemed to be perfect, everyone I ever met who knew her had nothing but good things to say about her. We got along great except I always felt like there was something wrong with me for struggling so much.  I was tired, homesick, discouraged, overwhelmed, and just felt completely inadequate.  So, when I tried telling her the way I was feeling, I noticed that she was getting annoyed with me. She then said something that I'll never forget, "gosh, do you just hate your mission or something?"
 I didn't know what to say, but I do know that when she said that to me, it made me feel even worse. I thought, wow, I must be such a bad missionary if I'm having these feelings, especially since it was obvious she could not relate.  In her opinion I was just dwelling on the negative and she was sick of hearing it. In my opinion, all I needed to hear was, "oh, I know it can be hard, I've felt the same way, but you're doing great, it just takes some time, you can do this, I'll help you, being so far away from home can be rough, and the language is overwhelming, but I promise, you'll get it".  

So the moral of the story is, there are two kinds of people and sometimes those two people don't always mesh well, but it doesn't make either one of them wrong. Some people are great examples of living a positive life, and the others are good at opening up which can be helpful to those who are dealing with the same issues.

Answers to Your Questions & The Bachelorette

Hey Everyone, I don't know where my mind was when I posted the Revitalash product review. After receiving so many questions I decided to add a little more information for you, as well as answer some questions about it.

Do you put it on both your upper and lower lashes? Or just the upper lid? You can apply to both upper and lower lashes, it just depends on the look you want. I only used it on the top, I didn't really care to have long lower lashes, so I figured the product would last longer if I only used it for the top. 

Is that real? Yes, these are ACTUAL pictures of my lashes. It's absolutely real results.

Do you have mascara on in the last after pics? Yes, I have mascara on the last two pictures, all the other ones are without.

Do you have to continue to use the product in order to keep the length you've gained? Yes, you have to continue to use it. I like to take a few months break after the product runs out, I've noticed that the affects are much stronger when I spread it out like that.

The product lasts about 6 months, and you can even use it for your eyebrows if you want to thicken them up a bit. There are side affects, not sure what all of them are so you'll have to google that. I haven't had any bad reactions so I continue to use it. Also it takes about 6 weeks to 2 months before you start noticing a difference. They do have a product for thinning hair as well, I used it, and it was a COMPLETE waste of money. It was $150 for a tiny little bottle. I used it after I gave birth to my second child, I lost SO much of my hair as a lot of us women do after having a baby. So I was pretty desperate. The product only lasted TWO weeks and I didn't notice a difference at all. So don't waste your money there.

Now for a little Bachelorette talk. If you know me then you know how much I love the Bachelor and the Bachelorette. Nothing like a little drama mixed with some incredibly awkward moments. Perfect example right here. 

Well at least he's going to guard and protect her heart. What a guy!

 If you're new to my blog you may have missed my Kyla Tells ALL post. Be sure to check that out if you'd like a little behind the scenes scoop. My friend Carrie from The 5th Girl actually knows one of the girls from the Bachelor, so we were able to have a little Q&A with her. You'll love it!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Want LONGER lashes? Revitalash is the Answer

Just a quick note, for those of you who have subscribed via email. Be sure to check your junk mail for the verification email. I've noticed there are several who have subscribed but have not verified your subscription. You should have received an email asking you to verify that you want to receive my posts via email. So if you are not receiving emails then check your junk mail, or just try again.

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway, $25 gift card to Sucre Lulu. 

This post is about my new favorite product, and in my opinion, is a MIRACLE!!! I was so excited to try this product that claimed to make your lashes longer and thicker. Of course I was sceptical, but I wasn't about to let that keep me from trying it. And I'm so glad I did, I was amazed with the results!

BEFORE

AFTER

You can find it on Amazon for $70. I've seen the price as high as $150, so this is the best price I've found so far. Revitalash Eyelash Conditioner, 4.1-mL/.013-Fluid Ounces

It's very easy to apply with this little brush. Just paint on the clear liquid as close to the lash line as possible. It's just like putting on eyeliner. Be sure to apply it after you wash all your make up off. Once a day is all you need.

Getting Kids to Eat Heathy

Before I move on to my blog post, just wanted to mention a couple things.

1. Today is the LAST day to enter my giveaway (2 free nights in the Newpark Hotel in Park City Utah).
2.  I was given the Star Blog Award and was interviewed on the amazing Blog Stylist website.  I'm so happy to share this website with you! For all you other bloggers out there, you will just LOVE all the tips and information you'll find on here about blogging. Bree shares all kinds of blog secrets, inspiration and blogger success stories. Go check it out and see my interview HERE.

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Last night I proudly watched my daughter eat a spinach salad (fresh from our garden), and some orange ruffy fish. You may think I'm bragging a bit, and well...      I AM :)
To be serious, I'm trying just as much as all you other mothers out there. We all know that getting kids to eat healthy can be like trying to squeeze your butt into a pair of SPANX. Anything BUTT easy :) haha, gosh I'm funny.

My Favorite Breakfast 

Today I wanted to share with you a little about why I love the Isagenix shakes so much, and as you can see my kids love them too. We all know what it feels like as a mother to see our kids eating and LIKING something healthy. I try to get my kids to drink half a serving size of one of these each day, and I add this too it as well.

BE A LITTLE SNEAKY
I've also been trying to sneak in this Flaxseed anywhere I can, yogurt, mac & cheese, salad ect.

Although flaxseed contains all sorts of healthy components, it owes its healthy reputation primarily to three ingredients:

    * Omega-3 essential fatty acids, "good" fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.
    * Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75- 800 times more lignans than other plant foods
    * Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types.

Sometimes I'll even add spinach to the shakes, and amazingly my kids don't even know the difference when you add a banana along with it. The flavor of the banana completely overrides the taste of the spinach.


CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY
I've read somewhere that the key to getting kids to eat healthy is to try, try, and try again. Kids will usually turn their noses up to most anything new, unless it's dessert or candy of some sort. So with a little bribery and consistency, I've been able to get Lily to eat more than just mac & cheese and chicken nuggets.
 When ever I make something new she's never had before, I tell her, all she has to do is take ONE bite. If she doesn't like it, she doesn't have to eat it. I will continue to make her try it each time I make it. She hated fish at first, but now she eats it without any fuss. For us, every Tuesday is fish day. We all know how healthy fish is, so I try to make it part of our weekly menu. I still can't get Oliver to eat it, but I continue to try :)

A LITTLE BRIBERY GOES A LONG WAY
It never hurts to bribe your child with treats :) The ONLY way I can get Lily to eat all her dinner is to offer a really yummy treat for finishing it. Works every time!

7 Reasons Why ISAGENIX IsaLean® Tops Other Meal Replacement Shakes

Just what is it that makes the IsaLean® Shakes superior to other meal replacement drinks? The no-compromise, quality ingredients! We’re bombarded every day by product advertisements for drinks that are filled with mediocre and sometimes suspicious ingredients. Companies might say the products help people lose weight quickly, but they’re lacking in nutrition and often unsafe and unreliable for long-term weight loss.

IsaLean Shakes are different. Isagenix uses only high-quality ingredients to create the perfect balance of protein, carbs and fats designed to boost metabolism and weight loss while preserving muscle and promoting health.

I’ve got the lowdown on why the nutrient-dense shakes top the competition and have helped hundreds of thousands of people to shed unwanted pounds and achieve optimum health. Join us in our million-blender vision and ask everybody you know to start the day off with the blender and an IsaLean® Shake, not the frying pan. They’ll boost their health, feel better and lose weight!

7 Reasons Why IsaLean® Shakes Beat Out the Competition

   1. Low, Low Sugar. Our shakes have far less sugar than other meal replacement drinks. Try half the sugar than you’ll find in Slim-Fast Original Shakes.

   2. Fill ‘Er Up. Our shakes have seven grams of dietary fiber to help you feel fuller, keep blood sugar stable and support heart and colon health. Other shakes like Myoplex® Original have half the fiber, which could leave you with a half-empty tank and scrounging for snacks later.

   3. Charge Your Batteries. Our shakes are packed with 16 vitamins and minerals, which means you won’t run out of steam halfway through the day. IsaLean® Shakes have more vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C, D, E, B6 and B12 than what you’ll find in Herbalife® ShapeWorks® Shakes.

   4. Complex & Complete. Our shakes are engineered with the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fat, which boost your metabolism and help you lose weight.

   5. Break It Down. Our shakes have the digestive enzymes many people lack in order to facilitate proper digestion and absorption of nutrients. This process helps to break down the carbs, protein and fat for maximum results.

   6. Lose the Pounds, Not the Nutrition. Our shakes give you optimal nutrition, not just rapid weight loss. Unlike other companies, we use the highest quality ingredients, which produce the highest quality results.

   7. Pure as Gold.Our shakes include the highest quality of whey protein, dairy farmed in New Zealand because of its purity and fabulous taste. It’s also antibiotic and steroid-free.

*   How IsaLean® Shakes Stack Up Against Other Brands:

    * Herbalife® ShapeWorks® Shakes — Isagenix has 3-times the protein and more vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C, D, E, B6 and B12.

    * Slim-Fast Optima® Shakes (ready to drink) — Isagenix has twice the protein and less fat and sugar.

    * Slim-Fast Optima® Shakes (powders) —Isagenix has 10x more protein and more dietary fiber.

    * Slim-Fast Original Shakes — Isagenix has twice the protein, less sodium and carbohydrates, half the sugar and more dietary fiber.

    * GNC Lean Shake™ — Isagenix has nearly 3x the protein, less sodium and carbohydrates.

    * Myoplex® Original — Isagenix has less calories, cholesterol and sodium and twice the dietary fiber.

    * Myoplex® Lite and Deluxe — Isagenix has half the sodium and more dietary fiber.

House Update (3rd Edition)~Kitchen and Dining Room

Okay, now for the kitchen and dinging room before and after pics. If you're new here and would like to see other pics of our home remodeling then click HERE. I'm posting one room at a time.

Kitchen and Dining Room BEFORE

And AFTER

• We tore out the wall dividing the dining room and kitchen.
• Put in TONZ more light fixtures
• Moved the back door over to make the kitchen bigger.
• Then got new everything, cabinets, appliances, added two little windows.
• Refinished the floor, using a little darker shade of stain.
• Painted the walls.
• Had a TV built in, not sure if you can see it (it's above the cabinet on the far left wall/ this also doubles as our security camera. I can turn it on and see our backyard, it's nice to have when the kids are playing outside and I'm cleaning or cooking inside.

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

What is Beauty?

Yesterday's post brought in a lot of really good feedback, some positive, and some REALLY negative. My first reaction was the urge to fire back, then my second was to ignore it and TRY not let it bother me, and my third reaction was to let it inspire me to write this post. I have a really hard time holding things in. Talking about it and getting the chance to explain myself, makes me feel sooo much better. Maybe this is a bad thing, but I don't care, I'm going to do it anyway.
So, due to this really mean comment someone left me yesterday I've chosen to not allow anonymous comments anymore. I don't need mean people leaving me comments who don't even have the guts to reveal who they are.
First of all, I'm really sorry if I offended anyone by talking about horoscopes and patriarchal blessings as if they were equally the same. I was simply trying to relate to the masses. Not everyone is LDS and not everyone even knows what a patriarchal blessing is, so I was just trying to find things that people could relate to as far as what they choose to believe.
And now for my real purpose for this post. The comment that inspired this was "why did people laugh when you said you wanted to go on a mission? Please don't say something like, they thought I was too pretty".
Hah! Well, ya know what? That was not the reason AT ALL.
If people weren't so quick to judge then maybe they'd learn a little something.  Without going into too much detail, all I have to say is,  you NEVER know what people have been through. Coming from a broken home, and moving every 6 months didn't exactly give me any kind of stability a child needs. I was always changing schools in the middle of the school year, which of course put a lot of stress on me, trying to make friends, getting comfortable in my new area and  adjusting to the new school program. I always felt behind in everything, while the rest of the class seemed to be doing fine. I began to think that I wasn't very smart, and my grades made me believe I would never amount to much.
Of course I'm grateful for these experiences now because I can see how it's made me stronger as a person. It took a long time for me to believe that I wasn't stupid. So with this bad self image brought a lot of bad life choices. Most everyone in my family dropped out of high school, got into drugs or alcohol, never went to college... it was all I knew. I believed that I wasn't anything special and that I probably would never do anything great in my life. So serving a mission was the last thing people would have expected me to do, and it was the last thing I ever thought to do.
 After all these years of feeling this way about myself, suddenly a light turned on! I was starting to realize my true potential, and I didn't have to settle for less. I COULD be amazing, I started to BELIEVE that I could do ANYTHING I wanted! Learning the truth about myself literally SET ME FREE from the bondage of self doubt.
Here is a picture of me on my mission with my natural hair color, no tan, glasses, and about 20 pounds heavier. I wasn't anything too exciting to look at. And who ever said that "pretty" people don't serve missions anyway? Each and every one of my mission companions were GORGEOUS! They didn't choose to go on a mission because they couldn't get married. They chose to go because they simply wanted to make a difference in someone's life.

I don't think I'm any prettier than the average person. Anyone can wear make up, hair extensions, false eyelashes, body shapers to look thinner, get braces on their teeth and bleach them to make them white, color their hair, and take a good picture.
What is beauty? Well, we all know that true beauty comes from within. I don't think there is anything wrong with enhancing the way you look in some ways. The bad thing is when you think your looks are ALL you have.
I've learned that there is more to life than LOOKS. I love to share tips on hair, skin, and weight loss. It's fun and it makes us women feel good to pamper ourselves and to FEEL pretty, but it's only one small part of life. I also share my thoughts and life experiences that don't have anything to do with beauty. It's all about balance, and not getting too obsessed with any one thing.
Anyway, I feel so much better getting that off my chest.
Thank you all for listening :)

Finding Ourselves In This Journey Called Life

I've been doing a little soul searching lately. It seems that we all go through this from time to time. Wondering if we're fulfilling our purpose, or living up to the expectations of motherhood. Are we making each day count? Are we sharing our time and talents with others? Are we working hard to DEVELOP our talents? Are we using our talents for the purpose of serving others, or for the purpose of serving ourselves?
I know what OUR purpose is, but I also know that each one of us has something extra special to offer the world, and whether or not we choose to fulfill it, is up to us.

In hopes to shed a little light on the subject, I started going through some of my old journals, studying my patriarchal blessing, and even reading my horoscope. By the way, what is your opinion on horoscopes? Do you believe in them? I'm still not sure if I really do. I would LIKE to, it would sure explain a lot about myself, which seems to be something that I'm constantly trying to figure out.  Perhaps it will ALWAYS be something that is not so clear. I guess it's all part of this journey we call LIFE.

It's funny, because everything that my horoscope told me, seemed to be VERY comforting, and in fact answered many of my questions. My NEEDS as a Pisces, is: A purpose, so as to focus thoughts and avert boredom. Quiet intervals, to foster a sense of identity and peace. To feel ENCOURAGED, trusted and loved. Pisces needs to stick to a schedule or they'll get lost in their own dreams. Too much regimentation, however, will crush their creativity.

"THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE" John 8:32

Horoscopes and patriarchal blessings are very interesting. If you choose to believe them, it unwraps the truth about ones self, and in a sense, setting us free to do MORE with the gifts/ talents we've been given. It enhances faith in our own abilities, giving us the reassurance that, YES, we are special, and even GOOD at certain things. It gives us affirmations of what we can ultimately become, and perhaps unveiling the hidden obstacles holding us back.

RISING ABOVE 
I laughed when I read in my horoscope that I NEED to feel encouraged :) I've noticed that about myself and I believe it's a weakness. It holds me back a little in life, provoking me to second guess myself A LOT!  I remember when I first started telling people I wanted to serve an LDS Mission. People literally laughed, thinking I was joking.  This caused me to really doubt my abilities and think maybe I was fooling myself at thinking I could ACTUALLY do something like this. I knew I had to rise above the negative comments and go forth with my endeavor. It's not easy for me to ignore the nay sayers, but I know it's the only way to succeed.

COMPARING OURSELVES
I think it's human nature to compare ourselves with others, and in so doing, we tend to compare our weaknesses with others strengths. Why not be happy with who we are and what we have been given? I ask myself this all the time. It's hard to always be aware of the unique abilities we each have, and not be jealous of others gifts. I'm always doing this to myself, not realizing at the moment the harm it's doing to my self confidence. I read other blogs and I'm completely blown away by the talent these other women have. I can't help but feel less as a person, completely inadequate in every way. Comparing yourself to others is guaranteed to bring you down and make you feel worthless. Therefore leading you in the opposite direction of finding true fulfillment in life.

HURRY LESS

In a world that's ever changing and clocks that seem to be going 100 miles a minute, it's hard for us to take time to relax and enjoy the little things. Maybe I should just speak for myself. I'm constantly trying to remind myself to slow down and relax a little, always feel like there's something more I should be doing,  like there is never enough time in a day to accomplish it all. I'm reminded of the quote by President Ezra Taft Benson, "When we put God first, all other things fall into place."

Hurry Up and Slow Down

SEASONS OF LIFE
 I know I'm in the season of motherhood and that in itself is something to be grateful for and proud of. I also believe very strongly that it's so important for us mothers to have other hobbies that don't include wiping bums and making bottles. It's important for us to set aside time for ourselves to refine our minds and develop talents.

"Water cannot be drawn from an empty well, and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children."
-Elder M. Russell Ballard

I want to try harder to fulfill my purpose by allowing the truth to set me free, rising above the negativity, quit comparing myself to others, and hurry less in my season of motherhood.

Featured!

Hey Everyone, just wanted to let you know I was interviewed by my friend Carrie, over at The 5th Girl. She's recently joined us bloggers in the blogging world, so go check her out. You will be hooked I'm telling you. She's got such a great way of sharing her story.  Pop on over there and and show her some comment love :)