Stack Wine-Why am I just now hearing about this?

These are just about the coolest thing I have seen in awhile!  You can check out their website here...Stack Wine to see if they sell it in your area.  Unfortunately, it's not sold any where near me so I signed their petition to try to get it in a store near where I live.  How awesome would these to take along for a hike, camping or for a picnic?  Below is their tag...  Have you tried Stack Wine yet?

Thursday Thoughts

I realize I posted about Maya Angelou yesterday but I could not pass up the opportunity to share more of her for my "Thursday Thoughts" post.  I would say she accomplished her mission and then some!  Maya Angelou was a phenomenal spirit that was full of compassion & wisdom.  She was a stellar humanitarian and was extremely philanthropic and we should all strive to have similar aspirations!  Just think what our world would be like if we had a few more people like Maya Angelou...

**Deals & Steals for Father's Day** Valid 05/29/14

Deal & Steals has some great items on sale today and just in time for Father's Day!  

My personal favorite is the Corkcicle, perfect for the wine lover in all of us!!  The Corkcicle allows you to chill, aerate, and you can pour all in one single device.  Pretty cool if you ask me!

Don't forget these deals are only good for today 05/29/14 so grab them while supplies last!  You can also get this bonus deal from Omaha Steaks, Grill Time Combo, $158 value for just $39!  This offer is valid 05/29/14-05/30/14.

Maya Angelou-Rest in Peace

I can only aspire to live my life the way Maya Angelou lived hers.  She was full of grace, confidence and love and shared all of it with the world and the world was a better place with her in it.  Maya Angelou was a kindred soul and will be profoundly missed!

Must Have Monday-Cardamom Vanilla Sugar Whipped Soap

Clearly today is Tuesday but since I missed yesterday to celebrate Memorial Day I wanted to make sure I still did my "Must Have Monday" post!  How about this nice little gem?  Cardamom & Vanilla Sugar Whipped Soap?  YES, PLEASE!  You can get it on OpenSky.com for only $12.00, or less if you've earned some credits through them.  You can also get another 7.5% Cash Back when you shop the site through Ebates.  I think this "Must Have Monday" just might turn into a "What I Bought Tuesday" post!!

**Tone It Up Tuesday's**

Yay for Tone It Up Tuesday!  This week Karena & Katrina have a new Ab workout video that you can check out below...

Also, be sure to make some of these delish recipes too!!!

And of course don't forget these yummy cocktails...

They really do think of everything to help us stay motivated and on track!!  So, no excuses!

Ebates Cash Back Button

Are you using Ebates yet?  If your not then you should be since they pay cash back when you shop on-line!  Now Ebates has made it even easier to make sure you don't miss out on earning cash back with their Ebates Cash Back Button!!  Nothing is more irritating than when I buy something on-line and I forget to check Ebates first!  With the new button the cash back deal with automatically pop up and then you just click on the "Activate Cash Back" and you are on your way to getting paid to shop on-line!  Sooo fantastic!  How much cash back have you earned from Ebates?

Thursday Thoughts

Change...I have decided to embrace it!  We are in the process of moving and up until a few weeks ago we had no idea where we were moving to so to say we were stressed out would be putting it mildly!  I had faith that we would be taken care of but it was still stressful not knowing!  Now that we know where we are going to live we have been busy packing and moving and while that has been VERY stressful I have to say that we are excited for a change.  We are not moving very far, it's just across the river but we are moving into a house that is actually on the river which is really fun for us.  We float the river all summer and our dogs LOVE the water so living right on the river will be a total lifestyle change for us.  Change can be a good thing and it usually is!  Change gives us the opportunity to grow and experience something new.  So embrace CHANGE!

**Tone It Up Tuesdays**

Tone It Up Tuesday!!  It's that time again and Karena & Katrina have another awesome Bikini Body workout video for us, check it out below...

Also, don't forget to check in this week using the hashtag #BIKINISERIES so you can be eligible to win some of the great prizes below and GOOD LUCK...

Must Have Monday-Mad Hippie Exfoliating Serum

My pick for this week's Must Have Monday is the Mad Hippie Exfoliating Serum!  This serum is supposed to "Shed dull, damaged skin and discoloration to reveal a brighter, smoother complexion".  Sounds good to me!!  You can get it through OpenSky right now for $31.99 or less if you have credits to use.  If you order it directly through Mad Hippie it is $34.99 so sign up for OpenSky if you haven't already and save a few bucks, while your there check out their other deals too!

Total Beauty Summer Prep Collection **SALE**

Head over to Total Beauty and grab yourself a Summer Prep Collection Box!  This is a $95.00 value for only $25.00, use coupon code 15SAVE and get it for only $21.25 + shipping is FREE!  There is 6 products total and they have revealed 2 of the products (see pics below) so the other 4 will be a surprise!  Who doesn't love a surprise!  Are you going to get the Summer Prep Collection?

**New**bareMinerals BB Primer-Cream Daily Defense Broad Spectrum Spf 30

For those of you that don't already know I am a HUGE fan of bareMinerals products!  As a result, I have a huge collection of all things bareminerals.  But, I don't have the new BB Primer-Cream Daily Defense Broad Spectrum Spf 30.  I do have several of the other primers and love them so this is going on my Must Have List!  Have you tried the new BB Primer-Cream Daily Defense Broad Spectrum Spf 30?  If so, what do you think about it?  I would love your input so leave me a comment below and I will reply back!

Thursday Thoughts

Attempt the impossible!  If failure was not an option just think of all the wonderful, crazy things you could do!  Our only limitation is us; we place limitations on ourselves because we think we might fail.  But, what if we knew we would succeed?  Have you been wanting to try something new or make a change in your life but you have been to afraid of what would happen or that maybe you would not be successful?  Make today the day that you decide to try that something new or to make that change!!

**Deals & Steals** Valid 05/15

It's Deals & Steals Thursday again and this week these are some of Oprah's favorites!  I'm sure these deals are going to go quick so grab one before they are all gone!  Click here to see the full list of items.

I love this Butterfly Coverup for only $29.00...

Another item I LOVE is the Beach Towel/Coverup for only $24.00...So Cute!

There are 3 other deals that you can take advantage of as well by watching the video on this link!

**6pm.com SALE**

How cute is this dress?  Perfect for spring or summer, right?  The best part is...it's only $24.99 on 6pm.com!  Have you shopped at 6pm.com yet?  They have unbeatable prices on clothes, shoes, bags & accessories for women, men & children.  You can also grab a pair of fun shoes to match!  How about these shoes to go with the dress?  Only $22.05!  That's an entire outfit for only $47.04!!

Are you going to treat yourself to a fun new spring/summer outfit & shoes for under $50.00 at 6pm.com?

**Tone It Up Tuesdays**

With only 6 weeks until the 1st day of Summer Tone It Up is sharing 6 ways to help us stay motivated!  Don't forget to get signed up, here!  Also, check out some of the prizes you could win, here and in the picture below.  The Grand Prize is a trip ANYWHERE in the world where Contiki travels! I would say a free trip is motivation enough!

Must Have Monday-Jenni by Jennifer Moore Satin Top and Pajama Shorts

With spring in the air and summer on the way I wanted to pick out some fun, comfy jammies for my Must Have Monday pick so I picked out this fun set from Macy's.  How cute are these?  I love everything about them including the color & pattern and the fact that they are satin is just a bonus!  It's even better that they are on sale right now, $19.99 for top and $11.99 for the shorts.  But wait there is more...if you shop at Macy's through the Ebates website you will get an additional 15% cash back from Ebates to celebrate the 15th birthday of Ebates!  I think these would make the perfect belated Mother's Day gift for myself!  Are you going to grab these fun, cute jammies?

If you have yet to sign up for Ebates yet you can do that here.  It's free to sign up and they literally will send you cash back just for shopping through their website, it's really that simple and the have all your favorite sites to choose from!

Vision Board

Spring is the perfect time of the year to start anew and align priorities!  What's a better way to do that than to create a Vision Board?  I decided to fill my Vision Board with affirmations vs. pictures of things I want to accomplish this summer and even some long term goals for the year.  Vision Boards are really easy & fun to create and it's nice to print them out and post them where you will see it everyday so it's a constant reminder of what your goals are.  Or, you can also create one and save it as your Desktop on your computer, fun!  I used PicMonkey Photo Editor to create mine, it's easy & free!  Are you going to create a Vision Board?

What My Mom Means To Me

Happy Mother's Day!  It's Mother's Day here in the U.S. so I couldn't let the opportunity to do a blog post about my fantastic mother, Linda, pass me by.  Unfortunately for me, but fortunate for her, she is in Hawaii with my Dad on a little vacation celebrating her retirement from nursing.  If she were here we would be on one of our usual Mother-Daughter lunch & a movie dates.  So, our date will have to wait until she returns all golden tan from Hawaii!

My mom is the most important thing in the world to me!  I would be lost without her and my world as I know it would crumble and there is not a day that goes by that I do not THANK GOD that she is my Mom.  I am extremely fortunate to be best friends with my Mom.  I literally tell her EVERYTHING, the good, the bad and the ugly.  Let's be real, my mom is not only my best friend she is also my therapist.  She is a fantastic listener, advice giver and she doesn't push her opinions on me, she let's me form my own.  I could only dream of being as good as a mother as she has been to me.  So, Happy Mother's Day Mom!  I love you to the moon and back!  And to all you other Mom's out there, enjoy your special day!

P.S. In case you were all wondering the answer is yes!  I really AM that much taller than my mom, she is only 4'11 and I am 5'6! :)

**Meme Box Mask Edition Unboxing**

There is nothing like a good mask so when Meme Box had a Mask Edition I knew I HAD to have it!  Sheet Masks have been all the rage in Asia for quite awhile and they are finally gaining popularity here in the U.S.  I have already tried a few and I am a huge fan so the fact that all of the masks in this box were sheet masks made me really happy.  

If you have never tried a Meme Box then you simply must purchase one for yourself!  They have wide variety of boxes to choose from and prices range from $15.00 to $144.99 and they are worth every penny.  I only paid $19.99(with discount from Meme points) for this box and received 8 Full Size products.  Check out the Meme website for a full list of boxes.

Here is what I received in my Meme Mask Box:

Box Included...

Keyskin Gold Hydro Gel Eye & Spot Patch-The patch combines gold, ginseng, snail essence (very popular in Asian products) and collagen.  It will moisturize your eye contour area while preventing any development of wrinkles.

Pure Smile Choosy Lip Pack-Ultra-hydrating gel patch specifically designed for lips.  It intensely moisturizes & nourishes your lips.

Doctor's Care Tea Tree Mask-A facial sheet mask that soothes all skin troubles and controls excessive sebum through tea tree oil.  It also enhances the complexion and brightens any dark spots.

Bio Medi-curing Mask-Aqua Dressing-Deeply hydrating & moisturizing face mask, dramatically reduces the appearance and development of fine lines.

Yew Tree Stem Cell Perfect Calming Soothing Mask-Infused with yew tree cells known for invigorating properties to bring skin back to life.

Purederm Exfoliating Foot Mask-Wearable sock foot mask removes calluses exfoliates & smooths feet.

I will be doing reviews on all these masks so please stay tuned...

Thursday Thoughts

My thoughts for this Thursday are all about forgiveness.  We all have things in our lives that have happened to us that have tested our ability to forgive.  One thing I have realized is that forgiveness is not about the other person it's about you.  When you hold onto feelings of ill will and revenge you are only doing damage to yourself, you can literally make yourself sick!  Dr. Drew said it best, "Resentments are like swallowing poison and expecting the other people to die".  I understand some things are more forgivable than others but if you have been holding onto a grudge or wishing something bad would happen to someone (come'on we've all done it!) then try to just let it go and forgive.  You don't have to forget, just forgive so you are not holding onto all those feelings of hurt and betrayal.  How do you do that, you ask?  My advice is to write!  Write an email or letter to that person.  The trick is that you don't actually send it to them, you just write about what they did to you and how it made you feel or write about anything else you would love to tell them straight to their face!  Once you get all of your feelings out onto that paper or into that email then burn the letter or delete the email.  It sounds a little crazy but it REALLY does help.  Just forgive; after all, you will be the one that benefits from it!  Have a happy & resentment free Thursday!

Here are a few links to websites that I find useful as well:

Tiny Buddha

Joyce Meyer Ministries

Think Simple Now

**Deals & Steals Thursdays**

It's Thursday again and time for Deals & Steals!   This week it's jewelry from Sacred Jewels regular prices range from $139-$199 and prices are good for 2 days only, May 8th & 9th.  The other great deal is from MyRuMe where you can create these cute personalized photo totes, the regular price is $29 but with the GMA deal you can get it for just $10 + Free Shipping just enter GMA14 at checkout and prices are good for 2 days only, May 8th & May 9th.  I am loving the jewelry!  What are you going to get?

**Tone It Up Tuesdays** New Series

Every Tuesday I will be sharing the latest from the Tone It Up girls.  If you missed any other my other posts on Tone It Up be sure to check those out here.  We are in week 2 of the Bikini Series but you can still sign up here.  They have a ton of awesome workout videos you can check out here and great recipes to help us stay on target that you can check out here.  You can check out another one of my favorite workout videos below...

Happy Cinco De Mayo

Are you going to celebrate Cinco De Mayo?  If you are trying to be "good" and watching your calories don't forget to try the yummy recipe for Bikini Bite Tacos from the Tone It Up girls and of course Cinco De Mayo would not be complete without a Margarita!  My go to Margarita recipe is the Original Skinny Girl Margarita recipe from Bethenny Frankel and you can get that here!  Oh happy day!

Must Have Monday-Dr.Dewy Lip Protector & Recovery

One thing I haven't talked about on my blog is my obsession with lip balms.  I am always on the hunt for the next best lip balm.  I have tried just about everything out there and I have a few favorites and a few go-to balms.  My #1 go-to lip balm hand's down is Burt's Bees Lip Balm, I love everything about it, the way it smells, the way it looks and the way it feels on my lips!

Since this is Must Have Monday I decided to pick a lip balm that I am dying to try and Dr.Dewy Lip Protector & Lip Recovery is an obvious choice for me.  At $30.00 it's a little pricey but the description on the website makes it sound totally worth it!  Make sure you check it out and I would love to hear your comments if you have already tried it!  If you haven't tried Burt's Bee's then definitely try it out too, at around $2.50 it's a sure thing!

Sephora 8% Cash Back!

We all LOVE Sephora and we all LOVE a great deal!  Right now you can get 8% cash back at Sephora when you shop through this Ebates link here.  I would recommend Sephora Favorites, a bag full of Sephora's bestsellers on sale right now for $45.00, a $115.00 value which includes the following:

- 0.23 oz Algenist Advanced Anti-Aging Repairing Oil 
- 1.9 oz Bliss® High Intensity 24-'Heaven'™ Healing Body Balm 
- 0.17 oz Dr. Jart Ceramidin™ Cream 
- 1 oz First Aid Beauty Ltd. Ultra Repair Cream 
- 0.5 oz Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil 
- 0.67 oz Korres Greek Yogurt Advanced Nourishing Sleeping Facial 
- 0.3 oz L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream 
- 0.5 oz Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation® 
- 1 oz Origins Checks and Balances™ Frothy Face Wash 
- 0.5 oz Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream SPF 30 in Light-Medium 
- Cosmetic bag 

Of course there are a million other goodies to choose from, like another great deal on bareMinerals, a set on sale for $32.00, a $104.00 value which includes:

- 0.02 oz Color Shift™ Eyecolor in Gold (shifts to Blue) 
- 0.03 oz Blush in Boost (pink cantaloupe) 
- 0.33 oz Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara in Black 
- 0.014 oz Natural Lipgloss in Star fruit (golden pink nectar) 
- 0.012 oz Big & Bright Eyeliner in Black Sea (deep teal)
- Color Shift™ Double-Ended Brush

Just make sure you go through Ebates so you can get the 8% cash back!

Bikini Series May Calendar

The Tone It Up girls released the Bikini Series May Calendar that you can download here which will help us stay on track & achieve our goals!  You can also check out their Bikini Bites Video where they share their favorite healthy snacks and easy nutritious meals.  Have you signed up for the Bikini Series yet?

**Tone It Up Tips to Stay on Track**

If you are participating in the Bikini Series challenge that started on Monday 04/28 you already know we have to complete 100 miles by June 21st, that's an average of 1.7 miles per day (come on we got this!!).  Use this link to get fitness tips & awesome recipes from Karena & Katrina to help us reach our goal!  I love the Crock-Pot Recipes they share and I cannot wait to try all of them!  It's not too late to sign up, you can do that here!  Good luck my fellow beach babes!

**Deals & Steals** Valid 05/01/14

Every Thursday on Good Morning America they have a fun segment called "Deals & Steals" where they offer some fantastic deals on a variety of items. This week they have bags & bracelets for up to 81% off some items!  I personally love the Kashmir Tote Bag above, it usually sells for but it's on sale Thursday for just $29.00 + $6.99 for Shipping, that's a 71% savings!  Check out the other great deals, here, special prices are valid 05/01/14, while supplies last and ships to continental U.S. only.  Are you going to get a bag or a bracelet?

Thursday Thoughts

Today for "Thursday Thoughts" I wanted to share another favorite quote of mine from Pema Chodron.  Do you ever find yourself saying "why does this keep happening"?  Well chances are it's because you haven't learned the lesson it was trying to teach you the first, second or even third time around.  Been there, done that!  So, next time your having a moment of Déjà vu take a different path and learn the lesson!