Jump Rope & Hoops for Heart

Schools across America will be raising money for the American Heart Association through their Jump Rope for Heart & Hoops for Heart programs. Next month my daughter's school will be participating, so she is currently fundraising! I love this program, it's such a great opportunity for kids to learn about heart health and about giving back to help others. My daughter is beyond excited about the event and has been doing an excellent job in telling people about what she's doing. If you'd like to make a donation to the American Heart Association, click here. Thank you!

Tropicana OJ plus Vitamin C & Zinc

So my latest BzzCampaign from BzzAgent is the new Tropicana orange juice with extra Vitamin C & Zinc. I was pretty sure I was going to hate it, I've tried juice with extra stuff added like this before and I've never been a fan. I accepted the invite to join the campaign a while ago and had actually forgot that the juice was even coming. It was some kind of kismet I think because I was just coming down with a cold. Now don't get me wrong, this stuff isn't going to cure anything, but liquids are always good when you're sick and the extra Vitamin C & Zinc, well they certainly weren't going to hurt.

I poured a small glass, and was pleasantly surprised. It tasted really good. It was nothing like the other orange juice with added vitamins that I had tried in the past. Since finishing off that original free bottle, I have purchased 3 more bottles. The price is comparable with other OJ brands and it's been in stock every time I've looked for it. I found it at Kroger, but I'm sure it's available in most places.

**EDIT** Apparently the sentence above (now highlighted in bold print) did not suffice as full disclosure. So, I received a bottle of Tropicana OJ plus Vitamin C & Zinc for free to try in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Best Over The Counter Headache Medicine!

I get some seriously bad headaches. I have tried just about ever over the counter pain medicine out there. I've tried all the name brands, the off brands, and until recently I hadn't found anything that really worked. Then, while at a friend's house I was given a few of the most amazing pills ever.
There are a few things that make them so awesome. The first, and the most obvious, is that they work. Fast. I take 3 (yes, I know it's 1 more than any medicine recommends, but I don't care. I just want to kill the pain.) The second thing that makes these so awesome is the insanely low price.
So what are these miracle pills? Hold on to your hats! They're the Walmart brand, Equate! They cost $4 for 2 bottles of 100 caplets each. I don't know how Equate managed it, but everyone I know who has tried them has been amazed. For the fast relief they provide, I'd pay just about anything. The fact that they cost less than any other headache medicine I've ever seen, is just a bonus.

Paula's Choice

I had already been using and was fairly obsessed Paul's Choice skincare products when I was invited to try out the CLEAR Acne Kit through BzzAgent.com.
I'm 34 and I still breakout. There I said it. OK I typed it, but still. They're not awful and they don't ruin my day but they're still annoying. Over the years I have tried just about every acne remedy out there. I've used DIY tricks, drugstore products, department store products, all natural products, prescription medications, vitamins, infomercial acne subscriptions, and just about every 3 step system on the market. Through all the trial and error I've never found anything that has consistently worked well. Then I came across Paula's Choice.
The first thing that I loved about the website is that they offer sample sizes of just about every product they sell. The samples aren't free however they're pretty close to it. I love that I can try the products without investing in a full size before I know if I love it. I don't even want to think about the number of practically full skincare products that I've tossed in the garbage over the years. So far I have yet to find a product that I don't love though. The Shine Stopper legitimately works. The Resist Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator is the best moisturizer that I've ever used. I'm totally in love with it! The CLEAR Acne Kit is pretty fantastic too. This is the first 3 step system where I've been able to use all 3 steps with no irritation. It is also the first set I've used that has been consistently improving the appearance of my skin. Totally loving that too!

#GotItFree

Coppertone Clearly Sheer for Beach and Pool

The last time I wrote about Coppertone Clearly Sheer I had only used the formula for sunny days. I was pretty impressed with that, and was looking forward to getting the chance to try the one for the beach and pool.
My in-laws have a 5th wheel camper that they keep parked at a campground every summer. Last weekend we took the kids out there to see them. The camper is parked right on a lake and there's a nice little sandy beach. I brought along the Coppertone Clearly Sheer for Beach and Pool. Right off the bat I was loving it because the top turns to keep it locked. This meant I could toss it in my purse without fear of it spraying all over my stuff. I used it on the kids before they went swimming. The label says that it's water resistant up to 80 minutes. I think they may have under estimated that. I only used it once and it kept my kids protected all afternoon. It didn't just prevent burning, they didn't tan at all. They spent all afternoon playing in the water and the sand yet were still as pale as if they'd spent the day inside. I'd say that was a successful test! I received the Coppertone Clearly Sheer from BzzAgent to try and review. If you'd like to get free products to try out, you should definitely check them out!

Coppertone Clearly Sheer

Wow, that's one sexy leather face...said no one ever. I don't know about you, but I don't want to get older and end up with that leathery skin I see on some women. I'm really trying to get into the habit of wearing sunscreen daily, not just when I'm going to the beach or in the pool. I spray my daughter with it when she goes out to play and try to chase my son down with the bottle, but I was often neglecting myself. Then I started using mineral makeup, and in the instructions, it calls for moisturizer. The lotion that came with my makeup set has and SPF. However, I don't like it. The lotion just doesn't seem to absorb well enough so I was looking for something new to protect my skin. Then I got an e-mail from BzzAgent offering me a place in their campaign for Coppertone Clearly Sheer. I was intrigued and happily accepted. They send me some sunscreen to try, and I'm really impressed. There are 2 different formulas, one for regular everyday wear and one for beach days. For starters, the scent is really pleasant. It's not that typical sun screen scent. It's nicer than that, kind of fruity. The one for everyday wear is SPF 30 and it goes on really nicely. It absorbs super quick and leaves my skin feeling soft since it has added moisturizers. Its good for both face and body, and it doesn't clog pores, if it did my face would have broken out for sure! I have no problems applying makeup over top of the sunscreen either since its got a matte finish. I know some sunscreens leave your face too greasy for your makeup to really stay put, but that hasn't happened to me with the Coppertone Clearly Sheer For Sunny Days. It's not quite beach weather here in Michigan yet, but as soon as it is I'll try out the Coppertone Clearly Sheer for Beach and Pool and let you know how it works. It's water resistant for up to 80 minutes so that's nice. It's got a higher SPF too, this one is SPF 50.

Free Listerine Mouth Wash from Walmart

Right not Walmart is offering free samples of Listerine mouth wash. Walmart is not my favorite store to shop in, however they do offer lots of free samples. They're freebies are always legitimate and I have always received every one that I've requested. Also, I don't receive any promotional email from them after ordering. If this is something you're interested in, click here to request your free sample. For any tablet users, I could not click on the free sample button from my iPad. I had to switch over to the laptop before it would work.

The Workout That Changed my Life

OK, so I know that title sounds a little dramatic, but honestly it's true. I have never been into working out. I was always a fairly thin person, though after having my daughter at 30 taking the weight off was much harder than it was when I had my son at 20. I had finally lost most of the baby weight (my daughter was 3 though!) but I still wanted to tone up some. I came across this article in US Weekly (a subscription I get free BTW because of offers like the one I posted here a while back!)Tracy Anderson is the pro who trains celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Richie. They both have pretty amazing bodies so I figured she had the street cred to be reliable. The workout seemed easy enough, and she said in the article that the moves are basically working all the muscles in your arm from shoulders to fingers. The entire workout takes 12 minutes a day 4-6 times each week and you will need a set of 3lb weights. Tracy says that when you start working out your upper body, its easy to see results in your arms quickly so that motivates you to work on other areas of your body too. Since I've never stuck to a workout routine, I wasn't so sure she was right, but for 12 minutes a day I decided to give it a try. Boy oh boy was she right! Not only did I start to see results pretty quickly, but it did make me want to do more. I started doing squats and lunges after my arms work. I added some leg lifts I had learned in a cardio kickboxing class I used to take. Now that its getting warmer out I'm going for walks and I can actually jog for more than 10 seconds without being out of breath! I've lost another 10lbs which really got me close to my pre-baby weight! So here are pictures of the US Weekly pages, they were a game changer for me and I hope they'll help anyone else looking to tone up or drop a few of those pregnancy pounds!

Awesome Shave Cream!

I'm not usually a user of shave creams and gels. I generally just use my body wash to shave with too. I always thought it did a fine job. I mean all you really need is something to lubricate the blade so that it glides over your skin smoothly, right? Boy was I wrong. Recently, when I took my vacation I picked up a travel size bottle of this EOS Shave Cream. Mostly just because it looked cool and I wanted to conserve my body wash. I didn't want to be using it all for shaving and run out half way through the trip. All I can say is WOW what a difference! This shave cream made my legs feel so soft and smooth after using it! The travel tube was kind of hard to use, it was just too sturdy to make squeezing the product out easy. I tossed it in the trash while I was packing up to leave the ship after showering the morning we departed. However, when I got home I made sure to pick up a full size bottle! This one has a pump, so no issues there. I got the bottle at Target for around $3.50. I think that's a small price to pay for soft, smooth legs all summer long!

Paula's Choice = Amazing!

I was recently browsing around the campaigns that are going on with BzzAgent, a site I absolutely love. I wasn't picked to join the Paula's Choice campaign, however the product looked interesting so I decided to check it out. The first thing I found out about Paula's Choice is that they let you buy sample sizes of all their products so you can try a small amount before committing to a full size one. I ordered a few samples and gave them a try. I have never in my life been so excited about a face product as I am about Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid! This stuff is absolutely amazing! It has changed my skin so much in the past couple weeks, I can't even believe it. I have been fighting acne breakouts for almost 20 years now. I have been applying this to my face at night after washing my face and every morning I wake up with my skin looking even better than the day before. I almost can't believe it! I keep looking in the mirror because I'm so amazed with the change. I have been using this under my makeup during the day as well. It is not just for acne, it shrinks pores, clears black heads, and overall just makes skin look more radiant. If you're interested in trying out any of Paula's Choice products, using this link will automatically take $10 off of your total at checkout! You'll also have the opportunity to pick 3 free samples to be mailed with your order. Lastly, Paula's Choice stand behind their products, so if you are not satisfied they will work with you on a refund or getting you a different product. That really says something to me!

Diva Stuff Update

Initially I was pretty impressed with all of the Diva Stuff products. They seemed to do what they promised and the cost was very low. However, after using the Diva Stuff products for a few more days the Blemish Bomb and the lotion began to irritate my face. Since it began to burn pretty badly, I discontinued using those products. I still think the Charcoal Scrubbies are pretty cool, though I am not using them every day. The Eyelash Conditioner I am still using every day. This was probably the biggest surprise for me since it was the product that I was the most skeptical about. I really do think it is making my eyelashes stronger, fuller and longer too! Because it was the least expensive product I ordered and I think it's working, I definitely feel comfortable recommending it to anyone. The Lip Balm, well I'm not totally sold on the scent, but it does feel nice on my lips.

Free Film Coated Advil Sample

Right now CVS is offering free samples of Film Coated Advil. I know that I don't have time for a headache... or any other aches for that matter! I bet there's not a whole lot of moms out there who do! Click here to request your free sample.