Restoring Your Natural Neck Contour is Easier Than You Thought

  If you’re like most women, you took your tight, smooth, and contoured neckline for granted until somewhere around your 30th or 40th birthday, at which point you realized that your skin won’t stay that way forever. Though the majority of cosmetic anti-aging products and treatments focus on facial wrinkles, the neck needs just as much TLC. Fortunately, botox injections such as dermal fillers in Norfolk, VA or dermal fillers in Edmonton, AB and other treatments like this neck lift in Sacramento, CA and non-surgical facelift in Staten Island, NY, which are administered or performed by a dermatology expert, can also help reduce wrinkles on your face and neck. You don’t need to undergo an elaborate plastic surgery or expensive laser treatment to reverse the signs of aging along your … [Read more...]

The Best of The J.Crew Factory Clear Out

I have been a fan of J.Crew since I first laid eyes on the catalog back in the early 90s.  I confess to wearing the hell out of a bright orange windbreaker throughout both high school and college so much that my Dad threatened to burn it if I didn't retire it. You know what?  I still had it after I got married.  That's when H stepped in and asked that it be thrown out for the love of all that is holy.  When J.Crew Factory came on the scene online and near my house years back?  I near lost my mind with the sales. It gets better.  Right now J.Crew Factory is hosting their CLEAR OUT sale and it is so good.  That means you can take an additional 50% OFF already reduced prices. Just a few of my favorites to help get you started. Use the code CLEAROUT to get your savings of up to … [Read more...]

Summer Driving Safety

Summer time.  A time when Americans hit the road for a series of adventures that involve a lot of time in the car with loved ones. That's why summer driving safety makes for an important and timely topic, especially because during the months of June, July, and August we see about 29% more road deaths than in winter months, making it the most dangerous driving season. I know for me I can get distracted with everyone in the car asking for one more snack, to look at that crazy car or roadside oddity.  It's a wonder we get where we are going.  Alarms.org created this infographic to help us out this summer. … [Read more...]

Support a Mom-Trepreneur at a Snapology Franchise this Summer

      I don't know about you but by the time August rolls around our ideas of summer fun become pretty lean.  Throw in the fact that my youngest celebrates her birthday that month and everyone is so over the idea of a pool party or pretty much anything else I had in mind.  No one wants to be outside.  They all just want the cool indoors and a different sort of fun. Enter the idea of a Snapology birthday party or Snapology summer camp session from a Snapology franchise. What is Snapology? It is a mobile service for STEM learning located throughout the country that offers kids fun birthday parties, awesome afterschool programs and more. Snapology works for kids of all ages from babies to 18 years old so you can find something for everyone in your household.  … [Read more...]

My Summer Favorites for Summer Fun

Summer officially makes its debut this week! That means more time by the pool, more time in the sun and sand and more time with the kiddos playing games outside and hanging out with friends and family.  From backyard BBQs to weekend getaways and beach weeks there is always something to do and some fun to be had by all.  Why not be prepared with a few favorites of mine? Let's Get Away! For that next weekender or trip to the pool stow your stuff in one of these lovelies. Fun for the Kids When school ends each year I welcome the kids home with a few gifts to kick off the summer season.  This year the haul included TWO Water Warriors by Buzz Bee Toys.  One was a Steady Stream X and the other an Outlaw (42 feet of blasting water!).  I sprayed the girls with them when they got … [Read more...]

The Comeback

The line, "Don't call it a comeback..." from 'Mama Said Knock You Out' by LL Cool J has been playing over and over again in my mind the last few weeks. It has a double meaning for me. Yes, I've been here for years. Here in this space but mainly in this realm of not being well. My life as I knew it was forever altered last year by Lyme disease and I've been beating myself up over it and my lack of abilities ever since. It suddenly became very real to me that I needed to forgive myself and fast. It seems so simple, right? Just say, "Ok, self. You've been unwell. You have had to make changes to your personal life as well as your family life in order to get well. Do what you need to do." My diet had to change. That doesn't mean I'm changed. My ability to work and identify myself as … [Read more...]

Using Mother-Daughter Days to Tackle Big Parenting Moments

"Being a parent is the toughest job you will ever have." -My Mother It's not that I didn't believe my mom when she said these words but then I went and had three kids, all girls, who are hitting that tween and teen stage and now I'm a true believer.  I'm learning those mother-daughter days in order to tackle the big stuff and not just for tea parties, lunches out or getting treats. Yes, the diaper days were rough.  The physical nature of parenting little ones is damn hard.  I was not prepared for that aspect of it.  But tweens and teens come with so many emotions, the highs, and lows. The bigger problems that force us as parents to reflect on our past and then figure out how to handle the same issues in a different world. That doesn't even factor into the running them around town … [Read more...]

Simple Summer Jewelry with AUrate New York

I'm a no muss, no fuss kind of girl when it comes to my daily jewelry.  Simple summer jewelry is where it is at for me. Once I got sick this past year I just didn't even want to think about bracelets, rings, or necklaces. I didn't want to feel anything dangling, hanging off me or even touching me.  Then I found AUrate New York and that all changed. AUrate New York is all about gorgeous collections of pieces that stand behind their claims of selling fine jewelry without concessions. What does that mean? It means something really incredible for you mean and everyone.  It means real gold, at a fair price, that is also ethically sourced, made right in NYC, and the company gives back to kids in need.  The pieces are simple but beautiful. I didn't expect to like the product as much as … [Read more...]

5 Natural Ways to Get Allergy Relief

There is no good time for allergies to rear their swollen eyes, red-nosed, ugly head. Now that spring is in full bloom so are seasonal allergies. In our house, we like a multi-prong approach for obtaining allergy relief which includes both natural and traditional medicinal routes. Here are my top five natural ways to get allergy relief. If it is not a stuffy nose or one that is chronically running there are swollen, red eyes or a dry cough that plagues at least one or all five members of my family.  While I have more allergy relief than ever this year due to my strict Lyme diet (no gluten, no dairy, no sugar, no yeast) my kids and husband do not.  The absence of food inflammatories in my diet has made a radical difference in my seasonal allergies this year. There is a lot to be said … [Read more...]

Lyme Awareness & Getting Out

May, my birth month, is also Lyme Disease Awareness month. Funny, that's exactly the month that I have been bitten and contracted Lyme twice now. I always do like being timely. These days I find I'm able to make it outside more.  I'm attempting to run instead of walking and yoga.  I've been able to add strength training back into my days.  I'm seeing friends and doing things with my family that months ago I would have had to forgo.  A month ago going out for coffee would have been my only activity for the day.  Just this weekend we hit up the Cirque De Soliel show, Luzia and took in a baseball game.  A NIGHT game.  I wasn't asleep or crumpled in pain and needing a detox bath.  This is HUGE.  It is life-giving. Just look! And I got dressed in something besides leggings and … [Read more...]