June 19, 2013 As easy as it is to just throw on a flag t-shirt and head out to some fireworks, wouldn’t it be more fun and stylish to show your patriotism this July in a new way? Using your nails, hair and accessories to show off the good ol’ red, white and blue adds…
July 5, 2013 Summer is in full swing, and with it are the bugs. Mosquitoes and other annoying, biting insects can ruin anyone’s day or night. With the fear of West Nile and other mosquito transmitted viral diseases, prevention is key. There are several options available to help keep the biting bugs, especially mosquitoes, away….
June 13, 2013 Click the banner below to sign up for the Chili’s e-mail list and get your coupon for a FREE full-size flatbread! Our friends at Chili’s are giving away one million of their NEW freshly-baked flatbreads — but time is limited and they’re going fast! Loaded with signature toppings on a crispy crust,…
June 15, 2013 Summer is a truly hectic time of year for me. I run several businesses online from home. Unfortunately, I don’t have the benefit of a true office. My office is in our living room which is normally a very quiet place. When school is out for the summer months, it becomes a…
June 18, 2013 There are days we could all use tips to get a good night’s sleep. While I generally don’t have a problem drifting off to sleep at night, I do tend to wake up frequently. This results in only about five or six hours of sleep a night. I know that isn’t enough….
June 19, 2013 It’s summer time, and many of you are planning trips to a theme park. It can be overwhelming, for sure, but tons of fun and a great place to build memories that will last a lifetime. Every parent ends up coming up with their own strategies but here are five suggestions for making your…
June 19, 2013 I always seem to have an abundance of old t-shirts lying around my house. Whether it is a shirt with an impenetrable stain, snag, or just a dated look, I can never bring myself to throw them out. Fortunately for me, I found a great way to repurpose these old shirts into…
June 19, 2013 I am an avid tea drinker, so imagine my shock and surprise when I read recent studies that uncovered that Celestial Seasonings and Teavana tea brands had tested positive for levels of pesticides that exceeded US food and safety limits. Celestial Seasonings is a brand of tea that is moderately priced and…
June 25, 2013 Want to live beautiful AND give back to one of your favorite charities? EcoTools is here to help! As part of their annual donation to 1% for the Planet® in support of Earthshare they’ve chosen three charities they think best support their idea of looking and living beautifully. These charities are making the world a more…
June 20, 2013 Can’t get to the beach as soon as you would like? There are dozens of ways to bring the sun and surf right to you every day without that messy sand. Here are some of the best beachy finds that will have you tanned and looking and feeling tropical fast. Bronzed &…
July 3, 2013 Have you ever dreamed of hitting the open road and traveling the country with your family in an RV? Our family is heading out on an RV trip this upcoming summer, traveling from Chicago to Bozeman, Montana, and we can’t wait! Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way about…
June 24, 2013 Poor butter, it gets such a bad rap. In fact, many margarine companies and “butter alternatives” bank on this fear of butter to grow their sales and appeal to the consumer. Butter has been labeled as a threat to your heart and overall health. However, is butter really all that bad? Heart…
June 28, 2013 Summer is here and with it, tropical fruits have returned to my local grocery store. Because I live in a small rural town, our selection for fresh tropical fruits is very limited in the winter. I often have to drive into the city to find the more exotic fresh tropical fruits. I…
June 25, 2013 The summer heat has you craving something cold quench your thirst. Before you dive into that frosty mug of pale ale or start sipping pina colada’s poolside find out exactly what your options are for great-tasting, low calorie drinks this season. Maybe you worked hard all winter-long to get a rockin’ beach…
June 28, 2013 The 4th of July is next week and everyone will be celebrating our country’s independence. Do you know that back in 1776, there was an estimated 2.5 people living in the United States. There are now over 316 million. Talk about lots and lots of hot dogs and hamburgers being sold and…
June 26, 2013 Time to take Fido for a walk, you grab the leash and your pup dances around excitedly as you snap it on. Off you both go for some fresh air and exercise. But wait … is there a dog-walking etiquette you should be aware of? Yes. Yes there is. In fact, there’s…
June 27, 2013 You wash your face morning and night, use a day cream with SPF and exfoliate once in a while. You may think that’s all there is to skincare. You would probably be wrong. There are a few rules you need to know (and ones you may be breaking) to help you look…
June 26, 2013 Many of you are probably already planning your Fourth of July celebrations. Independence Day can be incredibly fun, but also extremely detrimental to the environment. The popular pyrotechnics of our celebration can contribute to acid rain and releases toxic chemicals into the air. Some of the chemicals found in fireworks are heavy metals,…
July 4, 2013 The maxi dress is nothing new. It has been around for a few seasons, but now people are getting creative and using the dress in a multitude of styles. Here are some simple tips for getting the most wear out of the maxi dress already in your closet, or the new one…
June 28, 2013 Amy Tara Koch (style expert, author, journalist and travel aficionado) recently sat down to answer some questions we had about busy moms planning family vacations. Here are just a few of the tips Amy suggests: Set fare alerts on your computer or phone. Airfare Watchdog is one of her favorite sites. She…
August 12, 2013 The dog days of summer often mean blistering heat and sweaty skin. Not only do we crave cooling foods, but who wants to cook when you feel like you’re melting? When the temperatures soar, reach for water-rich foods and stay hydrated by eating a cooling diet of chilled and easy-to-prepare foods. Eating…
July 5, 2013 When it’s hot outside, the kids are bound to clamor for something cold. These popsicle recipes make a great snack to cool them down. They don’t have as much sugar as the store bought ones and all you need are popsicle molds. Or you can look around your kitchen and use a…
July 2, 2013 Clean Beach Week was started by the Clean Beaches Coalition and is held every year from July 1st-July 7th. Clean Beach Week is the “Earth Day” for beaches. The week is designed to promote a healthy beach lifestyle and to bring awareness to the problems associated with dirty and ill-maintained beaches. With…
July 2, 2013 Dressing in red, white and blue can be tricky. You don’t want to go overboard and look like a giant American flag with legs, but you do want to look stylish and celebrate the holiday with a cute outfit. Whether you’re celebrating with friends and family at a backyard barbecue, sitting on…
June 21, 2021 You can have your black bean burger and eat it too this Fourth of July. The Fourth is nearly synonymous with outdoor grilling. However, that doesn’t mean vegans can’t enjoy a nice BBQ or two this Independence Day. Here are some fantastic vegan Fourth of July recipes to keep your celebration exploding…
July 9, 2013 I’m sure you’ve heard of the dreaded plateau in weight loss. Many suggest that the way to avoid it is to change up your workout. But, sometimes it isn’t that easy. We cling to what is familiar and don’t know where to branch out. The key to overall health and fitness is…
July 12, 2013 With all the fresh fruit in season, it’s definitely time for fruit pies. But I live in hot, hot Arizona, and the thought of turning on my oven for an hour is not a pleasant one. Not to mention that I’m really not a pie fan. So it’s time for other options,…
July 8, 2013 Quiche is often viewed as a brunch favorite – not something many families tackle on a regular basis. But, quiche doesn’t have to be left to tea parties at high noon or women-only get togethers. In fact, a quiche can be a hearty meal that the whole family will enjoy. Best of…
July 19, 2013 How to keep kids active? It almost sounds funny doesn’t it? I mean, most kids have an abundance of energy and can run and play all day. The sad part is that oftentimes … they don’t. They sit inside playing on the computer or sitting in front of the TV. So we…
July 12, 2013 Learning how to make Labneh cheese is one of the simplest cheese-making projects you can tackle. It originated in the Middle East and Lebanon and is similar to our cream cheese, although not quite as firm. Labneh is basically a strained yogurt cheese. The yogurt is strained to remove the whey –…
July 11, 2013 The back-to-school flyers are hitting the mailboxes and inboxes at a rapid pace and yet it is only July. A new backpack may not be on your most wanted list but some of the following fall trends just might be. Get ready to be inspired by some of the autumn’s simple, chic…
August 5, 2013 My kids are extremely finicky when it comes to food. We’ve gone through periods of time where my youngest would only eat chicken nuggets and crackers. My oldest child still refuses to use condiments on anything! I’m sure most of us have similar stories and now it’s time to share those tales…
July 19, 2013 I don’t eat much red meat and absolutely no fish (just don’t like the taste), which leaves chicken (and the other white meat). Because of this, I am always looking for different poultry recipes. Fried, baked, roasted, grilled, sliced for stir fried – these same old ways get a little tiresome. Recently…
July 16, 2013 It’s a debate I’ve heard for years. If I want a soda, is it better for me to have one sweetened with artificial sweeteners or with corn syrup or sugar? Diet sodas have artificial sweeteners with no calories. This is a huge draw for those that are watching their waist or their…
July 18, 2013 As a beauty writer I encounter many products, all of them claiming to be unique and be something that you cannot live without. I’m a mom to three and I travel frequently. I want my make-up and skincare to perform what I like to call beauty double-duty. Finding those balms, creams, liners,…
July 17, 2013 Gas prices are no laughing matter for most families. This makes it difficult to travel on a budget. Road trips used to be the “cheap” vacation of choice, but now fuel costs are making even family road trips a financial burden for many. That doesn’t mean you have to skip a family…
July 23, 2013 As the temperatures rise my running tends to taper off, except when it comes to races that offer more excitement than your typical 5k charity run. If you need some motivation or a way to get active with friends or family look into these slightly off-kilter, but totally fun, 5k runs. Run…
July 26, 2013 Summers are very hectic at my house. I juggle the normal work and home responsibilities that are always part of my routine – but now I’m also dealing with the kids hanging out in the living room (which is my office). In the summer, I also get to play mom’s taxi service…
July 25, 2013 Many people spend hours planning the perfect outfits for their trip, but rarely do think about the clothes they’ll wear when they actually travel. Ditch those sweats and flip-flops and go for a look that is just as comfortable and smart! Clean & Simple When traveling it is important to look good…
July 26, 2013 Ever have one of those weeks where you realized you forgot you had volunteered to bake goods for the school? And then family drops in for the weekend and someone’s having a birthday so you think you need to bake more? That was my week. Only it was 2 birthdays and an…
July 30, 2013 An article by Rodale suggests that the sugar in our diet may be making us old. I’ll admit, when I first saw the article, I wasn’t really concerned. I don’t eat dessert very often and would much rather have potato chips than candy. Of course, we know that sugar can be found…
August 1, 2013 Let’s face it, sunburns do happen – and with it come the pain, redness, and eventual peeling. Here are some great home remedies to take the burn out of a sunburn. Pain Management The first sign that you have a sun burn is a tightness and burning or tingling feeling in your…
August 2, 2013 Summer is coming to a close and the kids are going back to school (in some places they are already back). Instead of packing the same old peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (many schools are going nut free anyway), why not try something new? I know my grandkids are always begging me…
August 5, 2013 Mangoes are in season right now – which means you can get some fantastic deals on the fruit. I recently purchased 25 Kent mangoes from a local co-op and have found they are really a very versatile fruit. Mangoes are packed with nutrients and can take a recipe from plain to exotic….
August 7, 2013 In the past if full-time vacationing was mentioned I probably would have laughed. I mean, unless you were gifted with substantial amounts of money, didn’t need to be employed, or didn’t have children, you couldn’t make that work, right? Wrong! My family has been “vacationing” now for a little over a year….
