Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Birthday Giveaway!
Happy Birthday to me!
Happy Birthday to me!
Guess what - the gifts are going to YOU!
Hip hip hooray! I love presents =)
I know it's been a while (again... I'm like a broken record!) since I've been in the bloggy-world, please accept my apologies, again! =) I honestly have been too busy to write about all the fun stuff we've been busy with... but you'll be happy to know that there are about 5 blogs in progress. In order to buy myself some more editing time, and because I'm a gift giver, I shall attempt to distract you with my summer BUG B GONE giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
There are 13 entry options AND when you share the giveaway on Facebook from the original post YOU'LL BE ENTERED TO WIN A $25 PARTYLITE GIFT CERTIFICATE!
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Giveaway! Giveaway! Giveaway!
My facebook audience is growing and to celebrate I'm doing a GIVEAWAY! Correction - GIVEAWAYS!!
I've been meaning to celebrate for about a month now... but apparently I needed Kim over at Kim's Peanut Gallery to light the fire under my tushy =) Her fan page has reached over 6,000 likes and she's getting ready to do a HUGE giveaway which I'm TOTALLY excited to participate in and I figured that if I'm getting goodies ready for her event I could put a few extras together for my own - again, because it's been on my "to-do" list =)
A little history and then a break down of the goodies!
My Facebook page is dedicated to my two home businesses and it's called "delitefularomas" If you haven't already gone over to like my page you should cruise on over and "like" it and you'll simply be entered into my drawing! And then - stay tuned on the details of how to enter to win goodies at Kim's event!
I'm excited to incorporate two of my favorite products for this giveaway and I'm happy to announce that I will have FIVE prize packages to give away! Let me do a little breakdown =)
PartyLite - Discover the magic of candlelight! PartyLite is the world's largest direct seller of candles, candle holders, and home accessories!
Currently my favorite wax product is the GloLite!
+ illuminates from top to bottom
+ lightly fragranced in the outer wall
+ each candle is hand crafted
+ come in soft, cool, watery colors to give the full effect
+ soft outer shell will remain, giving the candle a rustic organic look
Every prize package will contain a GloLite candle!! Yahoo! There's nothing on the market like this product - GloLite candles are exclusive to PartyLite and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them!
doTERRA Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils! I'm addicted to my oils and I promise that any ailment or condition you can come up with, I can find an oils for it!
There's a bit of a learning curve when it comes to essential oils but you have to start some where! So after being inspired by Rebecca at Camp Wander and the doTERRA blog I've decided to put some kits together of some of my favorite oils (I use that term loosely, because honestly every single one is my favorite!)
Here are the 5 kits that I'm putting together for the giveaway!
+ Mood Matrix
+ Citrus Power
+ Allergy Blaster
+ Travel Kit
+ Cold and Flu
Okay - I have to run for now, it's dinner-making time for me! But stay tuned because I'll be posting about each mini kit over the next few days AND sharing how to enter Kim's giveaway! Don't forget to head over and like the Facebook Page if you haven't already =)
I've been meaning to celebrate for about a month now... but apparently I needed Kim over at Kim's Peanut Gallery to light the fire under my tushy =) Her fan page has reached over 6,000 likes and she's getting ready to do a HUGE giveaway which I'm TOTALLY excited to participate in and I figured that if I'm getting goodies ready for her event I could put a few extras together for my own - again, because it's been on my "to-do" list =)
A little history and then a break down of the goodies!
My Facebook page is dedicated to my two home businesses and it's called "delitefularomas" If you haven't already gone over to like my page you should cruise on over and "like" it and you'll simply be entered into my drawing! And then - stay tuned on the details of how to enter to win goodies at Kim's event!
I'm excited to incorporate two of my favorite products for this giveaway and I'm happy to announce that I will have FIVE prize packages to give away! Let me do a little breakdown =)
PartyLite - Discover the magic of candlelight! PartyLite is the world's largest direct seller of candles, candle holders, and home accessories!
Currently my favorite wax product is the GloLite!
+ illuminates from top to bottom
+ lightly fragranced in the outer wall
+ each candle is hand crafted
+ come in soft, cool, watery colors to give the full effect
+ soft outer shell will remain, giving the candle a rustic organic look
Every prize package will contain a GloLite candle!! Yahoo! There's nothing on the market like this product - GloLite candles are exclusive to PartyLite and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them!
 |
| examples of the GloLite candles |
doTERRA Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils! I'm addicted to my oils and I promise that any ailment or condition you can come up with, I can find an oils for it!
There's a bit of a learning curve when it comes to essential oils but you have to start some where! So after being inspired by Rebecca at Camp Wander and the doTERRA blog I've decided to put some kits together of some of my favorite oils (I use that term loosely, because honestly every single one is my favorite!)
Here are the 5 kits that I'm putting together for the giveaway!
+ Mood Matrix
+ Citrus Power
+ Allergy Blaster
+ Travel Kit
+ Cold and Flu
 |
| doTERRA essential oils |
Okay - I have to run for now, it's dinner-making time for me! But stay tuned because I'll be posting about each mini kit over the next few days AND sharing how to enter Kim's giveaway! Don't forget to head over and like the Facebook Page if you haven't already =)
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Life With My Littles Guest Post
Today I'm sharing a guest post with you! My friend at Life With My Littles used some of dōTERRA's oils for her home birth and this is the post that I am sharing on her blog soon (she will have one up soon too! STAY TUNED!)
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are plant compounds that are found in flowers, roots, seeds, bark, and stems. These products are all natural, aromatic and have their own specific compound make-up (e.x. there are different varieties of lavender and though they may be similar, their specific compounds give them their specific therapeutic and medicinal properties - not all oils are equal! But I will touch on that in the next section). Essential oils are fat-soluble, not water-soluble, but they do not contain fatty acids or lipids the way vegetable and animal oils do. Because of their special chemical make-up they can be used aromatically, topically (some oils are hot and should be diluted with a carrier oil such as coconut or olive so as to not cause skin irritation) and as dietary aids.
An easy way to think of essential oils is to picture peeling or zesting an lemon- can you see and smell the essence? That is the lemon's essential oil! It is different from the juice that we get from the fruit. Lemon is my favorite for cleaning and I enjoy putting it in my water to help my system detox. Did you know that lemon essential oil is more potent and has no acid compared to putting slices of lemon into your drinking water?
Every oil has a handful of suggested uses and sometimes they work differently for different people. They have a special way of interacting with our cells in every body system and it is amazing to experience them at work.
What is dōTERRA?
The company was started in 2008 and will be celebrating its 5th birthday in April! dōTERRA is a Latin word meaning "Gift of the Earth" and they represents the safest and purest essential oils available in the world today.
The CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® mark represents dōTERRA's commitment to us that their oils are of the highest quality, potency, and purity. This is ensured in a number of ways. First, dōTERRA's oils are sourced from their native habitats. They are grown by knowledgeable farmers who are learned in the conditions that make for correct harvesting. Then, proper methods of distillation are followed so that the correct compounds are extracted. And lastly, each and every bottle is tested by a 3rd party to make sure the correct compounds in the correct quantities are present and that there are no artificial ingredients, pesticides, fillers or any other contaminates.
As I mentioned before, not all oils are the same. Although they may be 100% pure they may not be the correct specie for a certain medicinal purpose, the wrong part of the plant may have been harvested which would cause different compounds to be extracted (essential oils are extremely volatile and little things like air pressure and amount of due are extremely influential).
How Do I Try These Products?
dōTERRA's CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® essential oils are distributed through Independent Product Consultants. There are 3 main ways to access the oils;
1) Order through an IPC's website and purchase products at retail prices.
2) Enroll as a preferred member and get 20% off your purchases (do you own a business that could incorporate essential oils either in other products you sell or as a specific item? IPC's can get great percentages back by enrolling their business as a PM.)
3) Enroll as an Independent Product Consultant (IPC) and purchase all your products at 25% off retail prices. There are no monthly minimums! (If you would like the opportunity to build a business, get free products, and/or earn rewards then ask me about dōTERRA's Loyalty Rewards Program!)
My dōTERRA Story!
To make a long story short (thanks for taking the time to check out all my information! I know that time is very valuable and it's an honor to share this time with you!) I enrolled as an IPC in November of 2012. A very dear friend of mine had just gotten started with dōTERRA and her world was being dramatically changed (she will be sharing her story on my blog very soon, so stay tuned!)
I had been battling a cold over Thanksgiving that just would not let go and decided to give the oils a go. Now I have to interject real quick here that the oils work instantly for some people and some situations and others must practice consistency before they experience results.
Consistency ended up being the key for me in this situation. I think I knew the oils would work but I expected them to work instantly and so I almost gave up when they didn't fix-me-up with one application.
At first I think I was more excited about being empowered and in control of my health care than the fact that the oils actually worked. I liked the idea of having an all natural product that could help heal my body instead of the only option being OCT products or something only a Dr. could prescribe.
I have slowly become addicted to the oils; to point that I am afraid I will be annoying... I toss out the phrase "I have an oil for that!" into just about every conversation I have - it seriously takes a lot of self control to not bombard every person I come in contact with. My husband is about ready to start referring to me as a "crazy oil lady". =)
But it is SO exciting to have a product that can soothe and relax a sore body that was just in a car accident with a single drop of oil! The oils work quickly and have no side effects. They are safe for men and women, adults and children, and even our pets!
I would love to get some of dōTERRA's essential oils into your hands! And I have a few options for you to choose from in order to make that happen.
1) If you're not quite sold on the idea of essential oils but you're willing to give them a try, message me on FaceBook, comment here or on my blog or send me an email and I will send you up to 3 different samples.
2) I am doing a limited time offer for those who would like to order oils but not enroll with dōTERRA- from now until "new baby little" is 1 month old (she was born Sunday April 14th! so this special will run until Tuesday May 14th), use the code word "Littles" via FaceBook, Blog, or email and I will send you the oils you would like at 25% off!
3) If you are interested in enrolling as an IPC with dōTERRA and would like information about the Loyalty Rewards Program please contact me! Anyone who enrolls with an enrollment kit and sets up a Loyalty Rewards order of 100pv will get the Modern Essentials book (the oil lover's Bible) for FREE!
Thanks for joining me! I look forward to your questions, comments and oil orders!
Happy Oiling! Amanda
Email: delitefularomas@yahoo.com
FaceBook: www.facebook.com/delitefularomas
dōTERRA: www.mydoterra.com/delitefularomas
Blog: www.missahmanda.blogspot.com
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are plant compounds that are found in flowers, roots, seeds, bark, and stems. These products are all natural, aromatic and have their own specific compound make-up (e.x. there are different varieties of lavender and though they may be similar, their specific compounds give them their specific therapeutic and medicinal properties - not all oils are equal! But I will touch on that in the next section). Essential oils are fat-soluble, not water-soluble, but they do not contain fatty acids or lipids the way vegetable and animal oils do. Because of their special chemical make-up they can be used aromatically, topically (some oils are hot and should be diluted with a carrier oil such as coconut or olive so as to not cause skin irritation) and as dietary aids.
An easy way to think of essential oils is to picture peeling or zesting an lemon- can you see and smell the essence? That is the lemon's essential oil! It is different from the juice that we get from the fruit. Lemon is my favorite for cleaning and I enjoy putting it in my water to help my system detox. Did you know that lemon essential oil is more potent and has no acid compared to putting slices of lemon into your drinking water?
Every oil has a handful of suggested uses and sometimes they work differently for different people. They have a special way of interacting with our cells in every body system and it is amazing to experience them at work.
What is dōTERRA?
The company was started in 2008 and will be celebrating its 5th birthday in April! dōTERRA is a Latin word meaning "Gift of the Earth" and they represents the safest and purest essential oils available in the world today.
The CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® mark represents dōTERRA's commitment to us that their oils are of the highest quality, potency, and purity. This is ensured in a number of ways. First, dōTERRA's oils are sourced from their native habitats. They are grown by knowledgeable farmers who are learned in the conditions that make for correct harvesting. Then, proper methods of distillation are followed so that the correct compounds are extracted. And lastly, each and every bottle is tested by a 3rd party to make sure the correct compounds in the correct quantities are present and that there are no artificial ingredients, pesticides, fillers or any other contaminates.
As I mentioned before, not all oils are the same. Although they may be 100% pure they may not be the correct specie for a certain medicinal purpose, the wrong part of the plant may have been harvested which would cause different compounds to be extracted (essential oils are extremely volatile and little things like air pressure and amount of due are extremely influential).
How Do I Try These Products?
dōTERRA's CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® essential oils are distributed through Independent Product Consultants. There are 3 main ways to access the oils;
1) Order through an IPC's website and purchase products at retail prices.
2) Enroll as a preferred member and get 20% off your purchases (do you own a business that could incorporate essential oils either in other products you sell or as a specific item? IPC's can get great percentages back by enrolling their business as a PM.)
3) Enroll as an Independent Product Consultant (IPC) and purchase all your products at 25% off retail prices. There are no monthly minimums! (If you would like the opportunity to build a business, get free products, and/or earn rewards then ask me about dōTERRA's Loyalty Rewards Program!)
My dōTERRA Story!
To make a long story short (thanks for taking the time to check out all my information! I know that time is very valuable and it's an honor to share this time with you!) I enrolled as an IPC in November of 2012. A very dear friend of mine had just gotten started with dōTERRA and her world was being dramatically changed (she will be sharing her story on my blog very soon, so stay tuned!)
I had been battling a cold over Thanksgiving that just would not let go and decided to give the oils a go. Now I have to interject real quick here that the oils work instantly for some people and some situations and others must practice consistency before they experience results.
Consistency ended up being the key for me in this situation. I think I knew the oils would work but I expected them to work instantly and so I almost gave up when they didn't fix-me-up with one application.
At first I think I was more excited about being empowered and in control of my health care than the fact that the oils actually worked. I liked the idea of having an all natural product that could help heal my body instead of the only option being OCT products or something only a Dr. could prescribe.
I have slowly become addicted to the oils; to point that I am afraid I will be annoying... I toss out the phrase "I have an oil for that!" into just about every conversation I have - it seriously takes a lot of self control to not bombard every person I come in contact with. My husband is about ready to start referring to me as a "crazy oil lady". =)
But it is SO exciting to have a product that can soothe and relax a sore body that was just in a car accident with a single drop of oil! The oils work quickly and have no side effects. They are safe for men and women, adults and children, and even our pets!
I would love to get some of dōTERRA's essential oils into your hands! And I have a few options for you to choose from in order to make that happen.
1) If you're not quite sold on the idea of essential oils but you're willing to give them a try, message me on FaceBook, comment here or on my blog or send me an email and I will send you up to 3 different samples.
2) I am doing a limited time offer for those who would like to order oils but not enroll with dōTERRA- from now until "new baby little" is 1 month old (she was born Sunday April 14th! so this special will run until Tuesday May 14th), use the code word "Littles" via FaceBook, Blog, or email and I will send you the oils you would like at 25% off!
3) If you are interested in enrolling as an IPC with dōTERRA and would like information about the Loyalty Rewards Program please contact me! Anyone who enrolls with an enrollment kit and sets up a Loyalty Rewards order of 100pv will get the Modern Essentials book (the oil lover's Bible) for FREE!
Thanks for joining me! I look forward to your questions, comments and oil orders!
Happy Oiling! Amanda
Email: delitefularomas@yahoo.com
FaceBook: www.facebook.com/delitefularomas
dōTERRA: www.mydoterra.com/delitefularomas
Blog: www.missahmanda.blogspot.com
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
B.O.
Hmmm..
B.O. - the Presidents Dog?
B.O. - back order
B.O. - back office
B.O. - body odor
B.O. - box office
What are we talking about today?!
How to get rid of body odor! Yahoo! Maybe you're blessed enough not to have to battle with bad odors. Maybe you don't smell as much as you sweat. Maybe you're happy with what you have right now and don't care to change. That's cool. Thanks for joining me today as I talk about my armpit journey regardless of where you are in yours =)
I still remember that life changing day in middle school... It was during lunch and we were doing whatever middle schoolers were doing and someone shattered my world by pointing at my wet pits. I was mortified. I didn't stink but I was certainly sporting a multi-colored shirt and it was embarrassing.
I played a lot of sports in school so I wasn't unfamiliar with sweat but I sure wasn't expecting it to be noticeable during a regular day. And I had no idea there was a solution for it for a few more years (or a suggested solution that was actually really unhealthy for me). Monitoring my armpits because an obsession. If I went to the bathroom I always carried something with me to fan my pits with. I walked around with my arms up when no one was around hoping my shirt would dry out or strategically keeping my arms as close to my rib cage as possible. I even second guessed clothing choices because some colors and fabrics hide sweat better. I have absolutely no recollection of when I started using anti-persperants. But I do vividly remember spending a pretty penny on an anti-persperant cream to rub on for a wedding (this was '04) because I was terrified of sweating during the ceremony. Unfortunately it made the situation worse; I still remember feeling beadlets rolling down my arms and dripping off my elbows.
It wasn't until recently that I thought there was another way to approach this situation. I had been talking with my cousin about making my own deodorant because I had been reading articles about antiperspirants possibly being connected to breast cancer along with other issues. Well of course this article debunks those theories but in my mind the correlation is sound. AND let's just be honest here - the FDA has some crazy "practices" and "rules" (for reals - you can put sugar in my milk and not report it on the label but it's illegal for me to buy fresh milk? are ya'll crazy?). So my cousin mentioned that she noticed she was sweating LESS when she stopped using antiperspirants (she's the one who enlightened me to the color and fabric choices). So I decided I would give it a try!
Sometimes I feel like I should have a Pinterest Board dedicated to deodorant. But I'm not quite that obsessive, yet. I am on my 3rd "recipe" now though and I know there is at least 1 more that I would like to try.
Over Christmas my sister-in-law and I tried our first recipe, found here. It was a probiotic deodorant. It was a mess to clean up and it totally stained our pits - as in our shirts - our whites were a very ugly yellowy/brown after using it. It was suggested that using white beeswax would eliminate that issue. This sounded great until my mom shared that to get white beeswax, the yellow has to be bleached. WAY counter productive. Recipe #1 fail. (I do have to say that I liked the product otherwise).
Then the friend who introduced me to doTERRA said she was using coconut oil and Purify, only, for her deodorant. I started using it too. Both coconut oil and the oils in the blend Purify are very anti-bacterial (which is what causes us to stink). Turns out this wasn't quite strong enough for me though - at least not at vendor events where my adrenaline is constantly pumping or Hawaii where the temperature is 20 degrees higher than I'm used to. (fyi - the natural products are not necessarily once and done - they don't always last 12 hour and you may need to reapply during the day)
Well, in a panic I bought an over-priced all natural stick in Hawaii and was incredibly unhappy with that also. Thus continued my hunt for something natural that helped eliminate some B.O.
About a month ago a friend told me there was a gal teaching a class on Citrus Oils and being the sucker I am (read "addict") for essential oils I decided to drive the hour Northwest to go to her class. Janine did not disappoint. (Can I just say that I love being able to participate and learn from others.) Janine has an amazing blog that I hope you will read, you can find her over at My Lamp is Full. I hope you'll enjoy her as much as I do!
So anyway - after Janine talked about oils, she made us some sugar scrub, deodorant, and she'd passed out a few different desserts for us that she made using some essential oils. AMAZING!
Here is Janine's deodorant post. And the pictures of my adventure;
B.O. - the Presidents Dog?
B.O. - back order
B.O. - back office
B.O. - body odor
B.O. - box office
What are we talking about today?!
How to get rid of body odor! Yahoo! Maybe you're blessed enough not to have to battle with bad odors. Maybe you don't smell as much as you sweat. Maybe you're happy with what you have right now and don't care to change. That's cool. Thanks for joining me today as I talk about my armpit journey regardless of where you are in yours =)
I still remember that life changing day in middle school... It was during lunch and we were doing whatever middle schoolers were doing and someone shattered my world by pointing at my wet pits. I was mortified. I didn't stink but I was certainly sporting a multi-colored shirt and it was embarrassing.
I played a lot of sports in school so I wasn't unfamiliar with sweat but I sure wasn't expecting it to be noticeable during a regular day. And I had no idea there was a solution for it for a few more years (or a suggested solution that was actually really unhealthy for me). Monitoring my armpits because an obsession. If I went to the bathroom I always carried something with me to fan my pits with. I walked around with my arms up when no one was around hoping my shirt would dry out or strategically keeping my arms as close to my rib cage as possible. I even second guessed clothing choices because some colors and fabrics hide sweat better. I have absolutely no recollection of when I started using anti-persperants. But I do vividly remember spending a pretty penny on an anti-persperant cream to rub on for a wedding (this was '04) because I was terrified of sweating during the ceremony. Unfortunately it made the situation worse; I still remember feeling beadlets rolling down my arms and dripping off my elbows.
It wasn't until recently that I thought there was another way to approach this situation. I had been talking with my cousin about making my own deodorant because I had been reading articles about antiperspirants possibly being connected to breast cancer along with other issues. Well of course this article debunks those theories but in my mind the correlation is sound. AND let's just be honest here - the FDA has some crazy "practices" and "rules" (for reals - you can put sugar in my milk and not report it on the label but it's illegal for me to buy fresh milk? are ya'll crazy?). So my cousin mentioned that she noticed she was sweating LESS when she stopped using antiperspirants (she's the one who enlightened me to the color and fabric choices). So I decided I would give it a try!
Sometimes I feel like I should have a Pinterest Board dedicated to deodorant. But I'm not quite that obsessive, yet. I am on my 3rd "recipe" now though and I know there is at least 1 more that I would like to try.
Over Christmas my sister-in-law and I tried our first recipe, found here. It was a probiotic deodorant. It was a mess to clean up and it totally stained our pits - as in our shirts - our whites were a very ugly yellowy/brown after using it. It was suggested that using white beeswax would eliminate that issue. This sounded great until my mom shared that to get white beeswax, the yellow has to be bleached. WAY counter productive. Recipe #1 fail. (I do have to say that I liked the product otherwise).
Then the friend who introduced me to doTERRA said she was using coconut oil and Purify, only, for her deodorant. I started using it too. Both coconut oil and the oils in the blend Purify are very anti-bacterial (which is what causes us to stink). Turns out this wasn't quite strong enough for me though - at least not at vendor events where my adrenaline is constantly pumping or Hawaii where the temperature is 20 degrees higher than I'm used to. (fyi - the natural products are not necessarily once and done - they don't always last 12 hour and you may need to reapply during the day)
Well, in a panic I bought an over-priced all natural stick in Hawaii and was incredibly unhappy with that also. Thus continued my hunt for something natural that helped eliminate some B.O.
Today I want to share with you the recipe that I have found and fallen in love with! And in closing I'll share one other recipe that I totally want to try =)
About a month ago a friend told me there was a gal teaching a class on Citrus Oils and being the sucker I am (read "addict") for essential oils I decided to drive the hour Northwest to go to her class. Janine did not disappoint. (Can I just say that I love being able to participate and learn from others.) Janine has an amazing blog that I hope you will read, you can find her over at My Lamp is Full. I hope you'll enjoy her as much as I do!
So anyway - after Janine talked about oils, she made us some sugar scrub, deodorant, and she'd passed out a few different desserts for us that she made using some essential oils. AMAZING!
Here is Janine's deodorant post. And the pictures of my adventure;
 |
| Tropical Traditions has a VERY powerful smell - I only smell that, not my Purify - just so you're warned. AND I peeled off that label and reused the deodorant bottle after I tossed the poor product (not to say other's don't like the product, it just didn't work for me). |
 |
| Hey, if you have the arm-power by all means, mix away. I, on the other hand, don't enjoy that much work and heated it (double broiler recommend instead of the microwave) |
 |
| This is after the deodorant has sat for a bit and cooled. Can you see that it's starting to "stiffen" |
 |
| I peeled the label off that "natural" stuff that I didn't like and scooped the thickening product into the empty deodorant container (I would wait until it's more solid than liquid AND make sure you twist your container all the way down!) I had enough extra deodorant to make two sample containers (sorry, no photo of that).
I can't smell the Purify in my product because of the strong coconut oil fragrance. I also am not sure how it will do once my house starts warming up with the summer. Right now it starts looking a little runny after I apply it because of the temperature. I may have to keep it in the fridge.
Another one of my favorite bloggers is Rebecca over at Camp Wander. This is her deodorant recipe that I really want to try out.
Please let me know if you have any questions or would like some samples to try something out!
delitefularomas@yahoo.com
Happy Oiling!
|
Tuesday, April 02, 2013
Safe and Sound: A Diono Radian RXT Giveaway Event
Disclaimer: This giveaway is in no way sponsored by Diono®. Winner is responsible for reading and understanding the child restraint manual, and properly installing and using the child restraint; should winner require assistance with the child restraint, winner should contact the manufacturer for assistance as soon as possible. Sponsors and bloggers hold no liability for adverse outcomes related to the use of this child restraint. My opinions are my own and this Alaskan's adventures was not compensated for this posting. Life With My Littles is responsible for prize fulfillment.
We are pleased to bring you Safe and Sound: A Diono® Radian RXT Giveaway Event hosted by Life With My Littles, and Water Rolls Uphill.
This giveaway is sponsored in part by Just Kids Store and every blogger found in the Rafflcopter widget. We (this is Amanda btw) recently bought a Diono for baby-girl who will be 2 in a 13 days and we LOVE IT.
One lucky winner will receive a Diono® RadianRXT child restraint, approximate retail value $269.99.
This giveaway runs from April 2, 2013 at 12:00 AM to April 16, 2013, at 12:00 AM, and is open to US residents ages 18 and over.
The Diono® RadianRXT features include:- Accommodation of a wide weight range of children from 5 pounds to 80 pounds in a five point harness;
- An infant insert for superior fit and comfort;
- Head wings, steel alloy frame, reinforced sidewalls, and adjustable head support;
- Extended rear facing to 45 pounds;
- Forward facing from 20 to 80 pounds (and up to 57");
- Allowing for use as a high weight harnessing booster up to 120 pounds;
- SuperLATCH and being rated for LATCH to 80 pounds;
- Sits low in vehicle for easy boarding and exiting of the seat;
- Narrow seat width to allow for a three across child restraint configuration, in many vehicles;
- Extensive safety testing and NCAP crash tested;
- A ten year seat life.
- "Save20" to save 20% sitewide (some restrictions apply, see website for full details)
- "Shoes25" to save 25% off all shoes
- "Zoob25" to save 25% off all Zoobies plush toys
- "BOB25" to save 25% off of any BOB or Britax product
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Scrubbing Bubbles. Or Scrubbing w/no Bubbles.
On Sunday I tried my hand at making my own laundry detergent.
and...
It was MUCH easier than I thought it would be!!
I've just loaded the machine (I have a HE front loader) and so now I play the waiting game!
SUPPLIES
1 bar Fels-Naptha
1 cup Borax
2 cup Washing soda
micro-plane grater/zester
detergent container
You want to grate/zest the bar of soap as small as you can. I ended up going back and breaking it apart a little with my hands. Then you mix everything together and put it in your storage container! I bought a glass pasta jar that was on sale at Hobby Lobby.
My front loader has a removable cup so that you can place dry detergent in it's own compartment. But you could easily mix 2 T of detergent with some water and put it in the liquid compartment. I almost always put vinegar in the softener compartment too. Works great to soften and take care of any smells.
Using your own detergent in front loading or other HE machines is perfectly safe. When you make your own you're not including lots of chemical agents that make the soap sud. For more information on that visit this website.
So I decided to make my own detergent for a number of reasons;
1) reduce our chemical load
2) less expensive
3) baby-girl has sensitive skin.
I'm interested in seeing how the Fels-Naptha works, especially since it says on the bar that it is a skin and eye irritant and I'm not entirely sure what all the ingredients are (I have such a HUGE list of items to look up!) But I have to comment on how wonderful my hands felt when I rinsed them off after zesting the bar - they were not dry like they normally are after I wash my hands with soap. In fact, they felt soft and moisturized!
and...
It was MUCH easier than I thought it would be!!
I've just loaded the machine (I have a HE front loader) and so now I play the waiting game!
SUPPLIES
1 bar Fels-Naptha
1 cup Borax
2 cup Washing soda
micro-plane grater/zester
detergent container
You want to grate/zest the bar of soap as small as you can. I ended up going back and breaking it apart a little with my hands. Then you mix everything together and put it in your storage container! I bought a glass pasta jar that was on sale at Hobby Lobby.
My front loader has a removable cup so that you can place dry detergent in it's own compartment. But you could easily mix 2 T of detergent with some water and put it in the liquid compartment. I almost always put vinegar in the softener compartment too. Works great to soften and take care of any smells.
Using your own detergent in front loading or other HE machines is perfectly safe. When you make your own you're not including lots of chemical agents that make the soap sud. For more information on that visit this website.
So I decided to make my own detergent for a number of reasons;
1) reduce our chemical load
2) less expensive
3) baby-girl has sensitive skin.
I'm interested in seeing how the Fels-Naptha works, especially since it says on the bar that it is a skin and eye irritant and I'm not entirely sure what all the ingredients are (I have such a HUGE list of items to look up!) But I have to comment on how wonderful my hands felt when I rinsed them off after zesting the bar - they were not dry like they normally are after I wash my hands with soap. In fact, they felt soft and moisturized!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Aloha!
If you haven't heard... my family loves Hawaii. We have only ever visited Oahu but I have a feeling we would love every Island given the chance to visit.
We are sort of addicted to Oahu because of the military installations there. Our last 3 trips we have been able to stay on Barbers Point at their beach cottages because of Ryan's active duty military status. We love this because it saves us so much money! We have a little cottage right on a beach. It's quiet, we have a full kitchen, a bar-b-que and two bedrooms.
While living in Alaska we could easily justify a vacation to Hawaii. And while we can still easily find reasons to continue going they just aren't quite the same =) February vacations were a perfect way to break up the long, dark, cold winters in Anchorage. Now we have a lot milder winters, hotter summers, and a seemingly long flight across the mainland (actually, the flight wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be, but it's very unfortunate that you cannot leave during the day with Alaska Airlines. Overnight flights are no good!)
Three trips ago we had the opportunity to go to the huge flee market at the stadium. Touristy-shopping?! Yes please =) Every year I've seen strands of twinkle lights with the hibiscus flowers. And despite my drool over them I have never convinced myself to fork over money to buy them. But I did buy some leis last year and this year I have finally finished my own strand of lei-lights =)
They were super easy to make and I think they took me less than an hour to put together. I had to disassemble the leis, and then glue them on to my strand of lights. I had a set of orange LED's that I got in my stocking at Christmas that I thought would be perfect. (They are battery operated which is handy for placement in my Hawaiian bathroom since I only have 1 outlet. I think my mom got my strand at Fred Meyers in Anchorage but I've seen similar at Hobby Lobby and I've bought a set myself on Amazon.)
1) Collect all your tools/items; mat to work on (or table), hot glue gun and extra glue, scissors, leis, lights, batteries.
2) Carefully cut the thread holding your lei together and pull off flowers according to how many bulbs you need to cover.
3) Small dot of glue and then slide the petals from the tip of light down towards the cord. I used 3 different petals per light to give the flowers a fuller look.
While I love the finished product I wish the strand was a little longer - 15 lights didn't go very far. I can't decide where to put them in my bathroom - but above my window works for now!
Happy Crafting!
We are sort of addicted to Oahu because of the military installations there. Our last 3 trips we have been able to stay on Barbers Point at their beach cottages because of Ryan's active duty military status. We love this because it saves us so much money! We have a little cottage right on a beach. It's quiet, we have a full kitchen, a bar-b-que and two bedrooms.
While living in Alaska we could easily justify a vacation to Hawaii. And while we can still easily find reasons to continue going they just aren't quite the same =) February vacations were a perfect way to break up the long, dark, cold winters in Anchorage. Now we have a lot milder winters, hotter summers, and a seemingly long flight across the mainland (actually, the flight wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be, but it's very unfortunate that you cannot leave during the day with Alaska Airlines. Overnight flights are no good!)
Three trips ago we had the opportunity to go to the huge flee market at the stadium. Touristy-shopping?! Yes please =) Every year I've seen strands of twinkle lights with the hibiscus flowers. And despite my drool over them I have never convinced myself to fork over money to buy them. But I did buy some leis last year and this year I have finally finished my own strand of lei-lights =)
They were super easy to make and I think they took me less than an hour to put together. I had to disassemble the leis, and then glue them on to my strand of lights. I had a set of orange LED's that I got in my stocking at Christmas that I thought would be perfect. (They are battery operated which is handy for placement in my Hawaiian bathroom since I only have 1 outlet. I think my mom got my strand at Fred Meyers in Anchorage but I've seen similar at Hobby Lobby and I've bought a set myself on Amazon.)
1) Collect all your tools/items; mat to work on (or table), hot glue gun and extra glue, scissors, leis, lights, batteries.
2) Carefully cut the thread holding your lei together and pull off flowers according to how many bulbs you need to cover.
3) Small dot of glue and then slide the petals from the tip of light down towards the cord. I used 3 different petals per light to give the flowers a fuller look.
While I love the finished product I wish the strand was a little longer - 15 lights didn't go very far. I can't decide where to put them in my bathroom - but above my window works for now!
Happy Crafting!
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