Holiday Gift Guide

I'm not sure if it is due to the fact that I am a serious procrastinator or the fact that I have been crazy busy, but I kept meaning to pre-post about the upcoming Holiday Gift Guide and never did.

It's set to launch Nov 1st and I already have reviews and giveaways scheduled to automatically go live......and still haven't post. *sigh* *bad blogger*

Boobies, Ducky and I have teamed up to bring you a heck of a Holiday Gift Guide this year. On each of our blogs you will find a page dedicated to directing you to the latest and greatest Reviews & Giveaways on all three blogs. We have some super fab stuff coming, throughout the entire month of November so make sure to check back often!
(look for the tabs at the top of each of our blogs to be directed to the HGG lists)

Happy Holidays and let the shopping begin!

Scentsy Party

I'm pretty sure most of my readers know that I'm friends with Boobies, but I don't know if you do know that she is now a Scentsy Rep. Since we are BFF's I offered to host her first online scentsy party.  Just in case you live under a rock and don't know about Scentsy, here are some questions she recently answered about the products:

Premium Pumpkin Warmer

Q: Is it expensive?

A: A brick of Scentsy is $5. It lasts longer than the half priced knockoffs you find at your local mass retailer. You can also browse a Closeout section to score the best deals possible.

Q: What makes Scentsy better than comparable off brands.

A: First of all, NO knockoff is comparable. Before Scentsy, I bought every kind of warmer wax I could find.. NOTHING holds a candle to Scentsy. Why? Scentsy bars carry a scent for 60-80 hours. That's three times more than a standard candle. with Scentsy, there are no open flames, wicks, or fire hazards. If you so choose to, you may leave your Scentsy unit on 24/7.

Q. What's in it for me?

A: A house that smells AMAZING. I get compliment after compliment from anyone who walks into my home. Also, if you choose to book an online party with me, you can collect hostess rewards. Who doesn't love that?

Q: Does Scentsy only carry Warmers & Bars?

A: NO! Scentsy has really expanded their line. Bath & body items, Scentsy dryer discs, Scentsy Buddy stuffed animals, the list goes on. Perfect gifts for HIM & HER!

I'd love for you guys to help me make my Scentsy venture a huge success. Feel free to follow my Scentsy Blog, Facebook, & Twitter. This way you can stay in the loop and catch the deals!

I always buy Scentsy and gift it to family members at the holidays and it is a huge hit. So in order to make my online party better than me spending my entire paycheck on one of everything, I thought I'd invite my readers. Just go too: https://scentswag.scentsy.us/Scentsy/Home and in the party section on the left hand side join Carrie B's party!

Nutrisystem Week #16 #NSNation

Another week, another pound! At least that is my goal :) This past week was a good week, at least as far as weight loss and Nutrisystem goes. I won't get into the weather except to say it is still raining here and has been, non stop since Friday night. Blech.

I've been trying to mix up my meals a little and found/created a new favorite recipe! I lightly sauteed bias cut peppers, onions, minced garlic and a little bit of fat free Italian dressing. I like these particular veggies crunchy, so it didn't take long. Then I shredded up my Nutrisystem chicken breast (after nuking it) and mixed everything together and wrapped in a 100 calorie tortilla shell. It was fantabulous and I am going to have to order more chicken breasts now!

(yay!)

On the weigh in, I'm thrilled to say I have finally hit the next "decade". 169.3!!!!! I'm feeling better after that little slump and I get so happy inside whenever someone notices that I've been losing! Total weight loss thus far: 26.7 pounds and counting!

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 

 888-853-4689 or by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog

Disclosure: Nutrisystem is providing their food and program to me free of charge in exchange for blogging about my experience as part of the Nutrisystem Nation Blogger Program. The opinions are my own and others experiences with Nutrisystem may vary.

Miracle-Gro and The Gardeneries Are Inspiring Me This Fall

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I will be the first to admit that I am a bit of an odd duck. Summer I sort of just trudge through, I don't do well in 90 degree heat and humidity. However, come the cool crisp weather of Fall I am energized and taking on all sorts of home and garden projects.

The Gardenieres  videos have something for everyone from novice to pro and west coast to east coast. I saw quite a few projects I'd love to take on but I know not to over reach what I will have time for!

Something I have always wanted was an indoor herb garden because my husband and I both love to cook from scratch and having fresh herbs on hand at any time really makes our food taste fabulous. Plus the fact that it's something we would use, so nothing goes to waste and it serves a purpose which keeps me interested and I won't get bored with it!

This awesome video shows me just what I need to get started and how to go about it. All I would need to do is pick up some Miracle-Gro potting mix, which will feed my plants for up to 6 months with hit's continuous release plant food, plus the rich organic materials help with drainage. Also a little Miracle-Gro Liqufeed which makes feeding my plants as easy as watering will go a long way towards simplifying the care of my indoor pot garden. I realy can't wait to get started and be able the see my fresh herbs growing!

The best place to connect with fellow gardeners and to share tips and ideas is the Miracle-Gro Facebook page . Make sure to "like" them while you are there so you stay up to date with the latest news!

Reasons Vodka Should Be Allowed at Work

 Seriously people. Vodka should totally be permitted at work. Don't believe me? Here, let me provide examples (yet again) of the things that make me want a shot or twelve

The local paper screwed up. They put our phone number in a different companies want ad. For a job a quarter above minimum wage. In the ghetto. All day long dealing with phone calls. Here is one particular one that was really fun


Me: (answers phone) Carries Work Place
Nasty Lady: Yeah, you gots this ad in the paper and I want to know what time I can come down to interview
ME: Okay ma'am. That ad is for Ohio Canning Company, this is Carries Work Place, the newspaper put the wrong number in the ad.
NL: Dis is 867-5309 right? 
ME: Yes, but you have the wrong number, it is a misprint
NL: Naw, you got an ad you all is hiring canners. What time can I come in?
ME: This is NOT Ohio Canning Company
NL: WHat so you don't want me to come in? that what you saying?
ME: Ma'am. WRONG NUMBER. The newspaper put the WRONG number. This is NOT Ohio Canning
NL: Bitch you got an attitude problem
ME: I know, but at least it's not an intelligence problem

 Example #7

Me: (answers phone) Carries Work Place
Creaky OLD lady: I had my roof put on by Joe Shmoe 26 years ago and we got shingles from you and now I need someone to put a screen on my chimly ( I HATE when people say chimly) and I was calling you to see if you could recommend someone to do that because I called someone but they didn't show up
ME: Okay Ma'am (being really nice cuz she sounds really old) You can call Bill at 
COL: Hold on I don't have a pen
Me: Okay (while thinking WTF did you call and ask for a number but not have a pen?)
COL: Okay, you said call Sam
ME: No Bill
COL: Phil?
ME: (hollering) B-I-L-L the # is 867-5309
COL: THank you Dear, now what does this man do? Will he be able to put a screen on my chimly
ME: Yes! (while thinking, no. I gave you the number for a pool cleaner HELLO)


 Example #91

Me: (answers phone) blah blah blah
GUY: Hey this is Joe and I need some mud
ME: *blink* *blink* whaaaat? (also, not sure why he thinks I care that his name is Joe)
GUY: Mud, ya know, for drywall
ME: Oh, right, we don't carry drywall or anything like that here. 
GUY: How about that place down the street from you?
ME: I have no idea. I don't work down the street
GUY: Can you find out?
ME: Ummm, no. But you could go ahead and give them a call.

 Which all led up to me picking up the phone, dialing my bosses extension and telling him that if he expects me to continue working here I'm going to have to start drinking on the job.
He replied: "you mean you don't already?"




 Disclaimer: Seriously, all this shit happened. Today. (err actually yesterday--today there was another dead rat in the trap under my desk. Rat. not Mouse) I wish I was making this stuff up. My name is Carrie and I endorse this message (please let the elections be over soon)

All Ladies Should Kegel! Right?

I know for a fact that I've mentioned being a Sexpert for Cal Exotics one or twenty times. I also know you tune in eagerly every month just dying to know what fun new toy or fact I will bringing to you (just humor me, m'kay?)

This month is all for the ladies:

 

 

Dr. Laura Berman ® Weighted Pelvic Exerciser with Stainless Steel Balls Veronica™

 

 

 

Haven't heard of Dr. Larura? Let me introduce you to her. She is a world renowned love & sex educator and a therapist. Since she is also obviously an overachiever she has created  a fantastic line of intimate products to the benefit of women everywhere.

The pelvic exerciser above is ergonomically weighted to tighten and tone your pelvic muscles. (which is important because really? who enjoys peeing every time they sneeze?) It is constructed of seamless resin and there are weighted stainless steel balls inside. Smooth to the touch except on the two ends that have unique pleasure tips. It measures 7" x 1.25".

I have to be totally truthful here, because I really only lie about how fast I was driving and how much that last pair of shoes cost. I have zero clue how this thing works. Honestly, I really wish all sex toys came with instructions. Since it is 7" long I'm fairly certain that inserting it and leaving it there while I run the vacuum isn't going to work. On the flip side, I don't think it is supposed to just ummmm dangle?

You can however feel free to use it for "other" solo pursuits, if you get my drift. If any of you happen to have a clue, please let me know! I know I like it and it's pretty, but I'm sure I am not using it for the intended purposes!

Nutrisystem Week 15 #NSNation

 Whew! Just wrapped up week 15 on Nutrisystem and it was a busy one! I'm pretty excited that I switched out a few items and added some new ones to my order this time around. Like the Chocolate Chip pudding (snack):

 Normally I'm the type of person that is happy eating the same thing over and over. I like routine :) Ever once in awhile I crave something different though!

I especially think it might be a good idea to change things up a little because I feel like my body is getting too used to what I'm doing. I feel like I am stuck, just can't hit those darn 160's! Seriously, the scale is being as stubborn about moving as someone trying to pry heavy Oprah out of a Cheesecake Factory. It did drop back down to 170.9 which is a pound less than last week, but I don't think I can count that towards my over all goal since I had to lose a pound I gained back! Grrr.

Anyways, good news is that I went shopping and bought some new jeans. Hello Happy Camper! Size 10 jeans! From a 16 in July :) I'm going to be honest, I am really excited and even more honest? I really think I could be happy and feel confident about myself in a size 8! C'mon Carrie! You can do this, you can hit the 160's this week!!

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 888-853-4689 or by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog

Disclosure: Nutrisystem is providing their food and program to me free of charge in exchange for blogging about my experience as part of the Nutrisystem Nation Blogger Program. The opinions are my own and others experiences with Nutrisystem may vary.

Purex Plus With Oxi Review & Giveaway

Woo Hoo! I'm here as a Purex Insider to once again tell you that Purex has gone above and beyond and surprised me yet again! The newly released Purex plus Oxi will rock your socks (err, more importantly it will clean them)

Purex plus Oxi is the most powerful Purex laundry detergent available and it works at treating more than 101 different stain. It contains three different stain-fighting enzymes that each work on different types of stains. This hypoallergenic formula has a light, fresh scent that is perfect for both everyday laundry and heavily soiled loads. Not to mention Purex is always affordable and won't empty your wallet!

You can even use this as a stain pre-treater, eliminating the need to purchase a second product just to pre-treat. Simply pour a small amount on the stain and rub in, allow to sit for five minutes before placing in the washer and add Purex plus Oxi to the water as you normally would.

I love the Purex brand period. As a matter of a fact I had a different brand that I got on sale and when I used it the hubs started itching all over and my one dog had a severe reaction when I put a sweater on her that I just washed. Definitely switched right back to Purex! Now with new Purex plus Oxi we can even use it as a pretreater for the stains on the husbands' chef coats (and there are alot of stains!)
It works great, our clothes come out clean and smelling fresh.

In honor of the new Purex plus Oxi, Purex is hosting a contest. One winner will win $1000 and 250 second place winners will win $25. Entering is super easy and only takes a minute: enter HERE

Courtesy of Purex, I have 3 coupons for free product that I am going to pass on to my readers. Must be 18 and have a US mailing address. Rafflecopter entry form below.


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MexAmerica Tortilla Review & Giveaway

Since 1987, when MexAmerica was founded, they have been working hard to manufacture the highest quality and best tasting artisan tortillas, wraps and corn chips. They have a great consumer relationship and a behind the scenes team that is obsessed with perfecting the perfect recipes. MexAmerica makes National Award Winning, Kosher Certified soft tortillas and wraps. They have received awards from National Culinary Institutes for flavor, nutrition and quality and have also been recognized in Men's Health and Fitness Magazine for the same attributes.

I was graciously sent a package of corn tortillas, Whole Wheat with Honey wraps and taco size flour tortillas. I admit to loving Mexican food but having no idea how to cook it, so I can't say I cooked traditional Mexican cuisine with them :)

Hubs used the corn tortillas and actually deep fried them and made himself a hard taco shell with them, which he filled with beans, lettuce and sour cream. Unfortunately he did this when I wasn't home so there are no pictures (I really have to work on training him better) He did say that they were the perfect size and just the right thickness.

The soft tortilla wraps were my personal favorite. I was able to tie them in with my Nutrisystem meals, since they are only 120 calories and very low in fat (they count as a smart carb, or as an exchange for a roll). I crumbled one of my burgers and made an awesome taco wrap with it! If you warm them for just a couple seconds in the microwave, they are very easy to roll up and don't crumble or tear. Plus they taste fabulous. My wrap won't win any awards for prettiness but it tasted great!

Last are the Honey Wheat wraps. Hubs made up a vegetable wrap for me. Place the wrap on the grill just long enough to mark it, fill with bias cut veggies mixed in a light balsamic dressing. The warm, soft texture of the wrap with the mild honey flavoring is the perfect accent to the cold crisp veggies.

MexAmerica Honey Wheat Wrap

By the picture you can probably tell which one of us is an actual Chef for a living! Obviously I need to take lessons from Chef Lynn and one up the husband! MexAmerica wraps won a A+ in this household! To find a store that carries them near you, simply check the store locator

Want to try them for yourself? One reader is going to receive the same package I did, corn tortilla, soft tortilla and honey wheat wraps. US only, must be 18+ to enter. Please use the rafflecopter form below to enter

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Halo Oral Antiseptic Review & Giveaway

Cough, cold and flu season is approaching right along with winter weather and the holidays. Blech. I love winter but definitely don't look forward to all the icky germs that get spread. Kids bring them home from school and activities, people pass them at work and let's not even get into what you can pick up at the store! Since I spend so much time at my parents house helping out my mom, it is especially important that I don't bring any extra germs as she has Lupus and basically no immunity.

Halo is a patent pending oral antiseptic spray that has been clinically proven to kill airborne germs that you breathe in. Scientifically tested, it kills 99.9 percent of infectious germs such as rhino virus (causes the common cold), influenza and H1N1. All it takes is three simple sprays directly into your mouth and Halo protects for up to six hours.

Some Interesting Facts:

• 75% of daycares, 33% of medical offices and 67% of airplanes contain enough airborne germs to infect a person in ONE hour!
• Halo is an FDA-monographed oral antiseptic
• Halo is portable and meets TSA regulations for carry on luggage (1 fl. oz)
• Halo is alcohol, sugar and dye free
• you can read a list of common FAQ's at http://www.halogermdefense.com/faqs.html

"Halo Moments": everyone has them. You know what I'm talking about. You are standing at the copy machine at work and a co-worker walks past hacking up a lung, or in line at the grocery store and the person behind you is sneezing like they just snorted pepper. You think "oh great, I'm sooo going to end up sick". Those are Halo Moments. You could instantly grab your Halo and spray or if you already had, then you have the peace of mind, knowing that it is killing those airborne germs.

I received a full size adult in berry flavor and I full size childs (ages 2 and up) in grape. I keep mine in my purse at all times and am glad to have it! It has a mild berry taste that really is pretty good. My niece has been using the childrens' spray and she actually likes the flavor. Since she is asthmatic, she tends to pick up upper respiratory infections easily. So far she hasn't gotten sick this fall and neither have I. We are waiting for my moms next doctors appointment to see if this is something that she can use, which would be fabulous and make her feel much safer going places in the winter.

From October 12th thru November 2, Halo is asking you to share your "Halo Moment" with them on Facebook. Sharing could win you a $500 gift card (not to mention some extra entries in my giveaway) Enter here: https://www.facebook.com/HaloGermDefense/app_163032157099207

BUY IT: You can purchase Halo Oral Antiseptic nationwide in the cough and cold sections of CVS, Target, Walmart, Rite Aid, Kmart and various other mass  market and drug stores. The suggested retail price is $12.99

WIN IT: One reader will receive a full size Adult Halo Oral Antiseptic Spray. US only, must be at least 18 to enter. Rafflecopter form below.

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Glade Expressions Review #BzzAgent

As a BzzAgent I recently had the opportunity to try the new Glade Expressions Collection. Since I love all things that make my house smell pretty, I definitely did not have a problem testing these products out!

I really like that they actually become a part of your decor, instead of standing out as an air freshener. I pick up the Pineapple & Mangosteen oil diffuser with the wooden lattice. I set it on top of the half book shelf in the living room and it looks like a decoration! The smell is a light fruity smell, not cloying or sneeze worthy, just a subtle background scent.

I also grabbed a Pineapple Mangosteen frangrance mist for the bathroom. After you take off the wrapper you have a white, slightly decorative canister that you can set anywhere. It makes me feel a tad classier to have this sitting on the back of the toilet tank rather than an obvious air freshener! Again, a nice subtle fruit scent.

Both of these items are very reasonably priced and can be found at most mass retailers nationwide. (I picked mine up at Walmart)





I received the above mentioned products to try out as a member of #Bzzagent. All opinions expressed are solely mine.

Nutrisystem Week 14 #NSNation

Wow! Week 14. Time is flying by. I am going to have to honestly admit that this was probably my worst week so far on the Nutrisystem program. I was really low on food (which is totally MY fault for not getting my order in on time) so I was down to my least favorite items and not many choices.

Then my scale develeped a split personality disorder. One day it read 167.3, being so excited about that I got off and got back on again just for the joy of seeing the numbers flash at me. 173.9 HUH???? I'm pretty sure that it isn't possible to gain that much weight in 30 seconds. I gave it the benefit of the doubt and replaced the batteries. Nope, it was still bouncing around like a toddler on red bull. Had to go purchase a new scale, which is currently giving me a reading of 171.9. A pound more than I was the week before.

I'd like to say it is just a different scale so it might be a little different than my old one. The reality is I might have gained a pound. You know how every so often it's THAT time of the month and it happens to be a REALLY bad one? You find you find yourself in a dark room, heating pad on your stomach, enough ibuprofin in your veins to kill a rhinocerous, sobbing into a nearly empty bag of Cheetos because the dog looked at you funny......... Right, that was me last week. More than once. I'm pretty sure the dogs actually rolled their eyes and hid from me. Hopefully it'll be another six months or so before I get that crazy again. If not I'm donating my ueterus to science.

This is a new week and I'm looking at the positives.
--My latest shipment of Nutrisystem foods is sitting in front of me right now waiting to be unpacked, chock full of yummy food. (yay! bagel for breakfast tomorrrow!).
--I found  a pretty blue TShirt in my closet, I had picked it up without trying it on last year in the clearance section for $3. I never wore it because it turned out it clung tightly to all the rolls. When I came across it, I put it on and was amazed that it's baggy now, so I wore it to work today!
--

SparX Halloween Candy Giveaway

Trick or treat is right around the corner, which I'm sure has moms all around cringing when they think of all that sugary candy that will be coming home with their little darlings.  Sure the costumes are adorable and the candy is yummy, but nobody wants a visit to the dentist after!

This year make the choice to hand out SparX to all the little goblins, witches and Bella Swans that show up at your door. SparX is a candy that is actually good FOR you! It is sweetened with 100% natural xylitol, making them a yummy treat for the kiddos and giving mom a little piece of mind!

Clinical studies of Xylitol have verified the positive effects that regular consumption can have on overall health as well as improving dental health as well as promoting mineral absorption into the teeth. Another benefit is that because xylitol is a natural sweetener that doesn't interfere with blood sugar levels or the production of insulin in the body, there are no sugar highs. SparX are perfect for kids on a sugar controlled diet and moms don't have to worry about sugar highs and crashes.

Visit TheAmericanToothFairy.org to learn more. . While you are there you can also participate in Trick or Treat for Americas Tooth Fairy. You can also sign your kids up for the American Tooth Fairy Club at TheAmericanToothFairyKids.org. Members receive a personalized letter from the Tooth Fairy and quarterly fun games


Want to win it? One reader is going to win a 30 pack of SparX candy. Contest will end on 10/23 so that you well receive your candy before Halloween. Please use the rafflecopter form to enter, US only.

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Firmoo Glasses-- Get Your Free Pair!

Technically this is a review, I received a pair of glasses that I'm going to tell you about. BUT I'm also going to tell you about the awesome program that Firmoo has so that you too can get a free pair! You see, Firmoo is an online glasses retailer that offers fashionable prescription glasses at a price my cheap frugal heart loves. PLUS they have launched a program for first time buyers that allows you to receive your first pair FREE! You can find out how here: http://www.firmoo.com/free-glasses.html

Now I know there are skeptics out there that think that because something is free it can't possibly be of good quality. Wrong!


Firmoo has a great selection for you to choose from, prescription and non and even a sunglasses selection. You can narrow your selection down and shop by shape, material and even gender. I chose to go with gender and have a broader range of options to look through. Then I uploaded my photo to their super handy virtual try on window. this is fabulous because I tend to really like some pairs, then when I put them on I can see that they totally do not fit the shape of my face.

I love having a spare pair of glasses. Since I don't need mine for reading, just TV, driving and that sort of thing I tend to leave mine sitting in strange places then have clue where they are when I need them. This way I keep one pair in the living room and one pair on the car. Besides, prices start at a mere $8, so you could potentially have a pair of glasses for every outfit!

My whole experience with Firmoo was very pleasant, checkout was easy, shipping is quick and reasonable and the product is great. I actually like them better than my expensive eyeglasses because they are very light and I hardly know that I have them on. I think I forgot to mention that they are shipped with a hard case, a set of adjusting tools, a cleaning cloth and a soft case for no extra charge!

Rachael Ray, Naturally Delish Dog Food

Rachael Ray worked with a team of pet nutrition experts in order to create her super premium line of dog food and treats. Her Nutrish dog food contains no by-products, no artificial flavors or preservatives and is made with simple, natural ingredients.

When the husband and I brought home our first dog, we had schedules that changed constantly. So we didn't feel it was fair to put the poor guy on a feeding schedule that would never be the same. We just put dry dog food in his bowl and he could eat when he was hungry. Over the years 3 more pups came to live with us for a total of four and the dry food always worked well.

 Occasionally I would pick up a wet food to let them have as a "special" meal. Let me tell you that never worked out great for me. I found some foods that smelled God AWFUL and made me want to gag and others that were ground up into some unrecognizable mush. Even worse, it would upset their tummies after eating and at least some of them would end up with diarrhea.


















I agreed to try out Racheal Rays Wet Nutrish with a little trepidation. We received a package with Chicken Muttballs with Pasta, Hearty Beef Stew, Savory Lamb Stew and Chicken Paw Pie (how cute are those names!). I was pleasantly surprised when opening the tightly sealed plastic tubs. The first thing I noticed was that none of them smelled like "dog" food (Thank you Rachael!).  The gravy is gravy, not some congealed jelly like substance. The food is actually recognizable as meat! The Muttballs are little balls and had me cracking up, but the dogs loved them!  All four varieties were crowd (four dogs is a crowd, trust me!) in our house.,

Everyone got in on the action and you can see the definitely enjoyed it! I was internally cringing a bit waiting for the upset tummies but nobody got sick and no diarrhea.



You can learn more by visiting RachaelRay.com and you can sign up for  a coupon for a $1.00 off Nutrish while you are there!



I received the above mention items for free. In return I agreed to post my honest opinion. No other compensation was received.