New Wet N Wild Nail Color To Show off!

      Got a new Wet N Wild nail polish today!  Permission To Proceed from the Spoiled line- a CVS exclusive. Spoiled is one of my absolute favorite nail polish lines ever. Variety with such intensity.

pre-clean up after 3 coats

Its such a deep full green that screams summer to me.  Very reminiscent of the lush green grass gets after rain in the summer and of fresh ripe watermelon. This would be an excellent pop of color in any summer wardrobe. Its a rather opaque color and will take a few coats to achieve a deep color.

pre-clean up after 3 coats.

Besides awesome colors and a fantastic price ($1.99), the brushes in this line are phenomenal. The bristles are sturdy and fairly thick. The brush is wide enough to cover my entire nail in one swoop. Oh yes, fabulous coverage! I wish all polishes came with this brush!

As you can see the brush fully covers my nail.

I can't wait to make my way through all the colors of the Spoiled nail polish line! So stay tuned to see what other colors I pick!

Have you tried any of the Spoiled line? What colors are your fave? Any to suggest? Comment below & let me know what you think!

7 Things Not to do When You Can't Sleep

   All of July I've dealt with bouts of insomnia & tonights no different. The clock ticks on & I rummage for various sleep aids. Warm milk, check. Counting sheep, check. Turning off all electronics, check. Deep breathing, check. Relaxation techniques, check. Sleep-lost in the dark.
    Amongst all the trying to sleep I thought I'd pass along a few things not to do when you can't sleep. I'm sure there's oodles but these 7 I like best. And please keep in mind, sleep deprivation is a torture tactic. So be prepared for what you're about to read! Haha!

7. Don't play Triple Town on your phone. It'll suck you right in & before you know it, the sun is up & at it!

6. Don't decide a triple scoop sundae with hot fudge sauce sounds like a good ideal. Ultimately it'll just give you a sugar rush then crash that doesn't result in sleep. Plus it'll ruin all the hard figure flattering work you did the prior day.

5. Don't spy on the neighbors.  Ever heard the saying "the freaks come out at night"? Trust me, spy on your neighbors at 2 in the morning & it'll make perfect sense.

4. Don't peruse the internet looking for insomnia remedies.  Its just going to suck away the hours before ya know it. Surf for them during the day so maybe they'll work by night fall.

3. Don't check your Facebook, Twitter or emails!  Once you go in, you'll never come out!  (Don't say I didn't warn you!)

2. Don't settle down for a zombie apocalypse movie. Once it gets going, you'll be too engrossed in watching your significant other or pet for signs of "zombification" to watch the movie or sleep. Seriously! Lack of sleep can turn an insane man sane!

And number one is....

1. Don't have to go to the bathroom AFTER the zombie apocalypse movie.  No sleep + flesh eating zombie movie= accident waiting to happen. 

Oh My! Hiking it is!

   Kids all nestled snuggly in bed, hubby still at work, chores all checked & what is this momma doing? Starting my first bucket list of sorts. And much to my own sort of surprise I've been researching hiking trails.
    I'm not an avid hard core hiker but I enjoy some well spent time communing with nature.  Unplug, unwind, & reconnect. I'm not an expert at the ins & outs of this wonderous task but I know that it can go from a casual saunter around the bend to a complex mail-myself-packages trek in a second.
     I've hiked the backwoods of my community here in Kentucky quite a bit. The historical Camp Wildcat almost feels like a second home. As much as I love the nooks & crannies of my stomping grounds I do yearn to branch out & see the wonders of other backyards. So here I sit making my top 5 hiking trails bucket list!
    The first new trail I'd love to give a go is in Kentucky, near Stanton actually. Located in the Red River Gorge you'll find Gray's Arch Trail; a roughly 3.3 mile trek that leads to a 50-foot natural sand stone arch. Check out some great shots of the arch here. Reviews of this trail lead me to believe its moderate in difficulty & chucked full of beauty! Found this to be a good run down of the trail.
     Next up on my Hiker's Bucket list trails off to Whitley City Kentucky. Yahoo Falls. Home of what is said to be Kentucky's highest waterfall cascading in at 113 feet high. Although worth the footsteps, what I've found on it says make sure you go in a rainy spell as it comes from a small stream. This site has some good tidbits of info as well as gorgeous pictures. Along with great visuals, the energy of the history of the massacre in 1810 I would say is unreal. One quick sum up about the massacre can be found here.
    Leaving the wonderous Bluegrass state, I would love to explore some trails along South Carolina; spend some time in Caesar Head's State Park. My whole reason for that would be to meander the 2 mile trail to Raven Cliff's 420-foot falls. Can you imagine the awe one would get standing in the presence of such natural amazement & beauty? Worth every single step of that two miles. A stunning photo & a bit more info can be found here.
    Traveling on around, I'd hit up the Berryman Trail in Missouri near Steelville. But of course after educating myself much more in hiking. The info I've gotten on this trail is that its very very difficult. It has some shorter cuts but the actual whole trail is 24 miles long. Maybe this should be my last pick, huh? After some easier ones, work my way up to this doozy.  I don't know that I'd ever be up for the full 24 but who knows. I may just make it one day before I'm old & grey haha. The descriptions I've read of this trail though definitely make me want to work towards the full trek.  You can get some information here. And gorgeous photos here. (Have you noticed yet that I'm slightly drawn to water?)
    Last, at least on this short list, would be traveling up to the beautiful Maryland. There I'd delve into the beauty that is the 15 mile Susquehanna Trail in Harv De Grace. What I have gathered about this trail is that its a plethra of history, plant life, wildlife, diffculty, & much more. The crisp clean air of Maryland & the serenity of Mother Nature. Sounds good to me! Get a little more insight about Susquehanna trail here.
     A nice little work towards list if I do say so myself ;-).  Let me know what you think about these trails or suggest one for me to try! Hoping to trek a local trail to VanHook Falls again soon now that we've got some rain. I'd love to hear from everyone!

Mmmm Let's Talk About JIF!: Review of JIF Hazelnut Spread.

I'm a peanut butter fanatic! & JIF is one of my absolute fave brands. I plan on venturing into other nut butters but right now I've only made an exploration into hazelnut spreads.

Nutella was my first hazelnut spread & I think its yummy-my kids do too.  So I was pleasantly surprised when I happend across JIF's new Hazelnut spreads! Of course I bought some right then! They have 2 flavors to choose from- regular Chocolate & Mocha Cappucino. I must confess, I adore anything coffe flavored or inspired so I opted for the Mocha Cappucino!

It has a truly rich & creamy texture & flavor. The chocolate is a deeper flavor than the other brands. The mocha isn't too overpowering, which can happen with mocha flavor. It has a different feel to it at the end than other hazelnut spreads I've had. Nothing bad, just different. The smooth texture was so melt-in-your-mouth good that it was a perfect pair for graham cracker squares!

Other ways we enjoyed JIF's Hazelnut Spread were  mixed with peanut butter, on apple slices & as smores. I am dying to use as an ice cream sauce & combine in my homemade fudge recipe! I'll let you know how it is when I do!

I think JIF has a very versatile & delicious product on their hands. It's also fantastic that it comes from a company in the USA.

Its slightly high on the calorie end but rich enough in flavor you don't need a lot. I enjoyed just half a teaspoon on a graham cracker square. It would make the perfect splurge item for those keeping an eye on calorie intake.

Another yummy added to our loves list & I hope you try & enjoy it as much as my family does!

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The Many Uses of Ivory

Ok who doesn't love timeless classics? Movies, foods, make up, music, clothes... we love things that stand true through the test of time. To me Ivory soap speaks volumes of timeless classics!

I was delighted, if not a bit shocked, to receive a complimentary bar of Ivory soap in my Mom Voxbox from Influenster.  I was quickly reminded why Ivory is such a delightful brand.

One new thing I learned about the Ivory bar soap is the microwave experiment. And can't forget the fact that it floats in water! This left me with a wonderful use to show & teach my kids about density & the affects of heat on things.

With it being a 99.4% pure soap product it only makes perfect sense that this soap makes an excellent face wash! With all the other things we slap on our precious facial skin what better treat than to wash it with something with the least amount of extra concoctions? It left my skin feeling clean but not parched which I loved!  On that same note it also makes a great make up brush/applicator wash. Gentle on the material but strong enough to remove germs/dirt/product/etc. It took just a little to clean my foundation brush spotless!

A tip that I found is if you do microwave the bar, it makes it an awesome texture for doing all these different things. You can then store the flake/crumbs in a zip bag or bowl with a lid. 

Grab some of the crumbs, add a few drops water & use as a pre-wash treatment on stains. I love to use it to wash my delicates as well. Just crumble some in the wash & go. The scent is fresh & subtle & cleans without all the harshness of additives!

Another great ideal is to scrape your nails across a bar of it before doing any job that may require getting your hands dirty or gunk under your nails. it keeps it out & helps wash up quicker!  That's a spiffy one huh?

Here's one more cool & helpful tip, wash your plant leaves in a warm Ivory Soap bath. I have also been told that a capful of Ivory soap water poured about the roots can help as well. I've not tried that but know of people who swear by it. 

One last thing it can be used for is a carving medium. Check out some great images here.

If you get down to the math of it, Ivory tops all other brands on value for your buck. It's aslo a greener alternative to most of what's on the market today. With so many uses and such great results, Ivory is sure to be a staple in our household. Thanks to Influenster, I'm thankfully reminded of this timeless classic!

Hope you've enjoyed my uses for Ivory Soap!

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DISCLAIMER: THESE PRODUCTS WERE COMPLIMENTARY & EARNED BY BEING AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE INFLUENSTER COMMUNITY. I HAVE RECEIVED NO MONETARY OR OTHER COMPENSATION FOR MY TIME OR OPINIONS FROM INFLUENSTER OR ANY OF THE BRANDS. MY OPINIONS ARE UNBIASED AND SOLELY MY OWN!

One Bite: A Review of Quaker Soft Baked Oatmeal Cookies

        As you've read, my MomVoxbox has been a conundrum of goodies. One treat I had yet to try (but had been wanting to) was the Quaker Soft Baked Cookie. I pulled out the luciously large Oatmeal Raisin soft baked cookie & was immediately bumbarded by my 4 boys!
        After answering their umpteen questions- "What's that mom?" "What flavor is it?" "Does it have nuts?" "Can we have a bite?"- I was able to wrangle it open. At this point I was very thankful for the generous portion because once I rationed it out, I was left with one bite to savor. So I did just that.
        It was soft but not exactly crumbly soft. It smelled of that slightly "cinnamony" sweetness an oatmeal raisin cookie should. The color was a yummy creamy brown. And when I finally took my bite, I was delightfully satisfied. The taste was superb. All the different flavors were very balanced, none too overpowering. The texture was just right. It was an enticing mix of soft, chewy, tender, & the ever so slight crunch. It packs only 6 grams of fat, a great source of fiber and is made with delicious whole grain Quaker oats!
         Once I had savored all the flavor I could I turned to my boys. I could see from the crumbs that they loved the cookie. As I surveyed each content little face, I had to sigh. They devoured their bites & I didn't even get any pitcures! Luckily I managed one before opening the pack.

        When I asked them what they thought, I got a resounding yummy from the three oldest & an outstretched hand followed by a "bite bite" from my fourteen month old! Needless to say these are on my snack list for grocery shopping from now on!

      After checking out the Quaker site, I am determined to find the chocolate almond flavor! They come in five tempting flavors: Oatmeal Raisin, Chocolate Almond, Apples and Cinnamon, Cranberryand Yogurt, and finally Banana Nut. I was very glad to see some of the other Quaker products I wasn't aware of. Check out their site & see if you've tried all their goodies!

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DISCLAIMER: THESE PRODUCTS WERE COMPLIMENTARY & EARNED BY BEING AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE INFLUENSTER COMMUNITY. I HAVE RECEIVED NO MONETARY OR OTHER COMPENSATION FOR MY TIME OR OPINIONS FROM INFLUENSTER OR ANY OF THE BRANDS. MY OPINIONS ARE UNBIASED AND SOLELY MY OWN!