Start Something That Matters: TOMS Book Giveaway!!!!

Recently, I applied to TOMS " Books For Bloggers Program" and was selected to read Blake Mycoskie's new book, "Start Something That Matters", give my review, and then give a copy away!
For those of you who don't know about TOMS(which I assume is few), it is a company whose motto is; One For One. They give a pair of shoes to a child in need, for every pair of shoes that is purchased. They now, also do the same with their sunglasses and books.
I personally, spotted TOMS a little over 4 years ago at a local store. I was drawn to the simple, yet trendy, style of the shoes- back then they only had a few options of colors. Once I found out what they actually were and realized I could be helping a child in need for purchasing them, I knew I had to have some. My husband ended up buying me my first pair for my birthday and have bought multiple pairs since then, as they now how many style of shoes and designs to choose from. I have been so inspired with the story of TOMS and what Blake has started, that is why I am honored to review his book and spread the word about the movement he's created. Blake took a simple idea, to help others in need, and has changed the world and lives of many. Its fabulous to have watched how far the company has come in just 5 years!
All I can say is that this book is seriously SO Inspiring and informative. Its a book for dreamers and go-getters! YOU can do something that matters in the world and this book gives great advice on how to get out there and accomplish your hopes, step by step. Its also very fascinating to find out details of how TOMS got started! and learn little facts like, why he even calls it TOMS-and no its not the founders name, like tons of people think:). I'm telling you this book can be life changing. If Blake can do something to make a difference in the world, why can't each of us?





So go ahead, leave a comment on why you should receive a free copy of his book to learn how you can make a difference in the world too! Also like
frommypinklips facebook page, you will get double entries for doing so:)The deadline to enter will be Midnight of December 16th and I will pick the winner on the December 17th. So spread the word!
Hope you win!!!! and enjoyed my little TOMS photo shoot :)

An Inheritance of Gratitude

Most of you know, because I talk of it often, how my grandma is and always has been my role model. Being that Thanksgiving is only a couple days away, I thought I would take a moment to reflect upon how thankful I am to have her in my life and guide me in the way that she was taught. The life values she has passed down from her ancestors and instilled in me are irreplaceable. I am truly grateful for the Christian faith she has taught me. The stories she has told me. The family recipes she has shared with me. The time she has taken to teach me. For always being there to support me, no matter what. She is so special to me, one of a kind and I am so happy God made her MY grams.

Every year, as we all sit around the Thanksgiving table, I reminisce about all the things I’ve been given, the things I am thankful for, and the loved ones I’ve lost and what it would be like if they were still here today- the past and present truly unite. As crazy as things can get when we are all together, I can see that I am blessed to be apart of a family, and not any family- but mine.

DIY Beauty Recipe: Chocolate & Strawberry Facemask

When I was about, probably 11 or 12 years old, I would to sneak into my grandma's bathroom drawers and secretly use her Avon face-masks. Ever since then, I have had an absolute obsession with them and not just any kind of face mask, but making homemade ones. I love the fact that they are cleaning my skin, I love the way they make my face feel after and I love that there are endless kinds to make; always something new to whip up and pamper myself with.
Tonight as I am relaxing and sipping my hot chocolate, I decided I wanted to make a Chocolate & Strawberry one...I told my husband and his reaction was, "Isn't chocolate bad for your skin?" So to make sure my skin wasn't going to break out and turn bight red, I did some research and here is what I've found: it is a myth! Chocolate actually is rich in antioxidants and can save skin from free radical damage. So I continued with my inspiration....

To make you will simply need:

1 Large Strawberry
1 oz Organic Dark Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon Honey
(you can also add oats for an exfoliate, but I didn't this time)


Mix all the ingredients together and apply. Rinse off in about 15 min
and your face will feel baby soft!

One reason I love my husband: FA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA

If you are friends with me on Facebook, you already know that I’ve been complaining about how I demolished the Jonathan Adler ceramic coffee mug, my husband got me last holiday season from Starbucks…and how I found out its selling NEW online for almost $600.00! So replacing it was NOT an option. I was so upset because my husband surprised me with it, I used it 2-3 times a week (at least), it was ceramic, and a super cute design!

(The reason I still have the shattered pieces, is that I plan to do something crafty with it & because I can't bring myself to toss it, knowing what it was worth)

Needless to say, I have been bugging my husband daily since it broke, to see when Starbucks will be getting in there new 2011 holiday cups, so we can see if they come out with one similar...and low and behold yesterday they did! My sweet husband came home on his morning break, to wake me up and surprise me with this:

Its ceramic, super cute and NOT $600.00! I like the lid on this one better too because it actually closes, the JA one didn't!(we all know those rushed mornings are prone to spills). Hubs is so thoughtful and I am so thankful for him thinking of me and making my day....winter and life, a little better:)

Yard-Saling Addict!

Not too long ago, my bosses had a yard sale and I was watching their girls while they hosted it. They advertised for it in the paper, and I believe, Criagslist. Anyways- I could not believe how many people were stopping by, literally there were non-stop cars for hours! I sort of wanted to see for myself what the fuss was about....

So a weekend or so after that, my husband and I drove by a yard-sale and I forced him to stop, so we could take a quick gander...I got some brand new AMAZING things! Since then, its all I can think about! Don't get my wrong, I had been to yard sales before when I was younger- but now, since I'm married and we're on our own, I'm always on a hunt for a good bargain! I also couldn't believe all the things I found at that yard sale, and knew that there had to be more!

After my new found love, I went for a morning with my friend Leticia... I can NOT believe everything I found for $26.00 and a bunch of the things were brand spankin new, like with tags and packaging still on! Plus, it was such a fun way to spend a Saturday morning!

To find our spots, we looked in the newspaper, Craigslist, and just drive bys.

First there was a yard-sale with someone who inherited almost an entire store of "Halmark Gold Crown" and that was fabulous because EVERYTHING was new!
There I bought:
Scrapbook Photo Album
Candle
Bus Driver Key chain(my uncle is a school bus driver)
Book of "fun things to do"
Mug
Board Game
I found plenty of gifts there, but no one would ever know...So if you get a gift from me-don't ask me where I got it ;)

We also went to a Church Sale. Towards the end of our time being there, they announced if you wanted to fill a brown bag with whatever you wanted, it would only be $3.00!
There I found:
2 Scarfs
6 Belts
1 Tie
Cookie Scooper
Bath and Body Works oil diffuser (brand new with $12.00 tag still on it!)
Lemon Juicer
3 Christmas Decor items
6 Shirts
1 Cardigan
Mirror
Frosting Decorator
Book/Journal

There was a Womans Club having a sale that we also wanted to check out and glad we did!I purchased:
Christmas Cookbook
Christmas Decor
Board Game (90's trivial pursuit)
Enjoy Tray

Regular Yard Sales I bought:
Multi Grater (brand new)
2 Makeup Books
Board Game (brand new)
Candle (brand new)
Volcom Jeans
Long Sleeve Black Collard Shirt




Moral of my story- Don't EVER underestimate a yard sale! It is true what they say, "One's persons trash is another person's treasure"!

I can't wait for my next encounter!!!

Homemade Canine Treats!

Lately I have been feeling really bad, having to leave my pooch at home by herself a lot while I'm at work(or hubs-man is at school or work). So I decided I wanted to do something special for her, which sparked the idea of making her some homemade treats. They have now become the highlight of all her days :)! but I don't mind because they are easy to make, cost effective and good for her!

Natural Peanut Butter & Oat Canine Treats

For this tasty treat, you will need the following:

* 1 1/2 cups White Flour
* 1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
* 1/2 cup Natural Peanut Butter
* Handful of Old Fashioned Oats
* 1 cup Water
* 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
* Cookie Cutter (I prefer a bone shape)
(Makes about 40 treats)


Preheat oven for 350. Mix the oil, natural peanut butter and water. Slowly add the flour to the mixture, creating a dough. Sprinkle desired amount of oats. Knead until you create a firm ball. Roll dough until you create about 1/4 inch in depth. Use chosen cookie cutter. Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 min, depending on your oven.

Waiting patiently...

She can hardly take the anticipation!

If you want to do something EXTRA special, you can also add some yogurt frosting:
* 6 oz Plain Yogurt
* about 1/4 cup Corn Starch
* 1 tablespoon Stevia
Combine ingredients. Dip whole treat in the yogurt or just the ends of the treats. This mixture can be runny, so you may have to add a little more corn starch, if desired. Place on tray and refrigerate.



My girl is so in love with these treats, she sits under the kitchen counter for hours, waiting for another!....and I'm pretty sure I've never met a dog that doesn't drool at the sight of peanut butter, so I know yours will love these too!


*Please consult with your Vet to approve this recipe for your dog.

Logan Update!

Tonight, Nick and I went to go visit my sweetheart nephew Logan, at Valley Children's Hospital and wanted to share some photos and also give a little update... He thankfully seemed to be doing much better tonight and even gave us some smiles! My brother has been staying with Logan at the hospital since last Thursday and are hoping to get to go home soon. Please keep praying for a fast recovery, its sad to see him like this! but I know great things are ahead for him.

Stress Less & Enjoy the Seasons!

Okay so now that holiday time is officially here, I wanted to share some ideas that help keep me from totally stressing out during the holiday season and from having a serious meltdown.


1. Go through your mail daily. This time of year I get swamped with advertisement mail, so to prevent it from piling up and keep myself from getting overwhelmed, I just plan to take 5-10 minuets to go through it each day and toss what I don’t see useful. There are, however, sometimes great coupons that come with the advertisements, so I always check first to see if its something I’ll use.


2. Try to get your shopping as early as possible. If there is anyway, try to brace the stores during a midweek morning, when they are “semi-less” crowded. Or better yet, do your shopping online! There are TONS of discounts/coupons during the holidays. I never go shopping without checking to see if there are any coupons for anything I have on my list (this applies to anytime of the year).


3. Set a budget of what your family can spend during the holidays. This REALLY helps me from accumulating credit card debt and having to stress about it after the holiday is over. Set your limit and stick to it! Don’t let yourself get sucked into the disease of “I NEED it”.


4. Assemble as much food as you can ahead of time and freeze it. I know this won’t work for some things, but there are plenty of freezable dishes that would only need to be heated & served.


5. Make deadlines for yourself- like having all the wrapping or decorating done by so or so date…That way you can sit back and relax and truly enjoy the season with family and friends.

Irresistible Scents!

Being that I used to work at Bath and Body Works, I obviously have an irresistible passion for scents! I like to change up the aromas I use in my apartment with all the different changing seasons. During the holiday’s, I love to burn things that are dessert-themed. Some of my favorite scents right now are:

Bath and Body Works:





• Kitchen Spice
• Creamy Nutmeg (This one is my Honey buns favorite, he requests me to burn it often during fall time!)
• Marshmallow Fireside
• Hot Butter Rum
• Twisted Peppermint

Scentsy:

• Pumpkin Marshmallow
• Central Park Pralines
• Mochadoodle

Although I LOVE the smell of my newest Scentsy products- I don’t feel that the scents actually last as long as my Bath & Body Works Candles or oils. You also have to use electricity, which I know isn't much money…but 1- 14.5 oz candle, last me 45-60 hours of burn time and cost me nothing extra once I buy the product. The candles and oils seem to create a quicker and longer lasting scent also.

*A little trick when trying to find the perfect scent for your home or for someone else, is to ask an employee if they have sample coffee beans... That helps to clear your sniffer before you smell a new scent. Sometimes it can be overwhelming when you smell too many scents at a time- they all start smelling the same.

Stop calling me Stick!

For my entire life I have been skinny...and no, this is not a post about me bragging saying; “ha ha I’m skinny and better then you”. There are just some things I want to point out that I don’t think is talked about from “our” side. God has chosen to given me a very fast metabolism and throughout my life, I have dealt with issues of not being able to gain enough weight. For whatever reason my body just doesn’t want to receive extra weight. I do eat, a lot actually, and this really upsets some people. I understand that the majority of people deem “skinny” people as better or more beautiful, but I believe that we are all created equal, not matter what our weight. I think that most of us have self image issues; I would like to gain a little weight, but cant...some want to loose a little weight, but cant, the list goes on.

I get called names often. I want to write about this because I don’t think people realize they are insults. Stick. Skin & Bones. Skeleton. Beanpole. Twiggy. Anorexic. I don’t know about you, but these all sound like mean names to me. I have feelings too and don’t know how anyone can consider these names as flattering. Just as a person overweight would not want to be called Fat or Tubby, as they are insults. Being too skinny also comes with health problems, just as someone who is overweight might have health problems.I think that we all need to be a little more sensitive to what we say to one another. We ALL have feelings and should respect one another and should STOP with the name-calling! I am thankful for the way God made me and you should be thankful for the way he made you.

Awhile ago, I came across this website;http://operationbeautiful.com/.The editor of the movement, Caitlin, states "The mission of Operation Beautiful is to post anonymous notes in public places for other women to find. The point is that WE ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL. You are enough... just the way you are!"

Below is mine:

Why every girl needs cute kitchen gloves…

A couple of years ago, I spotted these pink cleaning gloves at, Sur La Table, and my cleaning life will never be the same! I thought they would be perfect for doing the dishes!... Even though we have a dishwasher, there are tons of “hand wash” things we received from our wedding, so my hands were still in the wet sink a lot. Anyways, my brother Patrick and sister-in-law Kimber, knew I wanted them and decided to get them for me for Christmas…I was overjoyed to say the least! I later ended up buying another similar pair for “other” household chores. The reason I love them so much is that they help make a much-dreaded task, seem not so bad.

Example One: They are obviously super cute, so it makes me feel “cute” while I’m doing an ugly task...
Example Two: They prevent my hands from becoming like prunes and super dry from being in the water…
Example Three: They keep my nail polish from chipping as fast. Ya’ll know how that happens when your nails are exposed excessively to water...

There you have it! Go ahead and try it- I'm telling you, you will never go back to being glove-less while doing the dishes or cleaning again.

Candy, Candy, Candy...overload!

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy 1st day of November today! I'm ready to move on from October & toss out our rotting pumpkin's(that are now covered in disgusting gnats)... but I do hope you all had a great Halloween! If you ended up with WAAAY to much candy but don't want to just toss it, here are easy some ways to preserve or use/rid of it faster:

Donate it to a worthy cause.
Bake with it.
Use it for doing crafts or decorating.
Freeze the chocolate candy, then pull it out at your discretion.
Simplest solution: Give it away!!!Charities, friends or neighbors, the office, etc... You could even put a "free" add on Craislist!