Gimme some of that HAIR!

When I was in high school, I won the mock award for best hair!  Since graduating, I've felt immense pressure to uphold my title.  I love my hair (when it doesn't look like David Spade's).  It is THICK and grows so fast.  I can curl my hair one day, use no product on it, and still have the same bouncy curls (with a little touch-up, of course) two or three days later!  Remember those Cabbage Patch Crimp and Curl dolls?  Yeah, that's me.  While I also love my natural hair color, I like to lighten it in the summer and darken it in the fall.  Two dye jobs a year, plus the dryness of summer, plus ponytails equals slightly damaged locks... I'm talking FRIZZ, ladies!  You can imagine my excitement when I was contacted to try out Dove's new Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner. 

Dove's Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner uses patented technology to repair and nourish dry hair.  It's Patented Micromoisture Serum targets damage, repairing the surface of hair by sealing lifted cuticles. Dove advanced conditioners leave hair touchably soft and smooth, resulting in smoothness, softness, shine and frizz control with no surface greasiness!

It is great!  It has a smooth texture that not only moisturizes my hair, but my skin as well!  After a shower, I usually feel the need to moisturize RIGHT after I get out because my shampoo and conditioner leave my skin feeling dry (I'm sure my hair was feeling the same way!)  This conditioner did not do that for me.  I will definitely be using this in place of my old conditioner.  Thanks, Dove!

What about you?  Have you ever had a conditioner leave your skin and hair feeling dry?  



Enter to win a $1,000 Spafinder gift certificate!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

COMMENTS TO THIS POST ARE NOT SWEEPSTAKES ENTRIES. PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR ENTRY METHODS FOR THIS SWEEPSTAKES.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

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c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and then visit this link to provide your email address and the URL to that post.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. Winners will have 72 hours to claim the prize, or an alternative winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 9/4/2012 - 9/30/2012

Be sure to visit Dove^®Hair.com to get a coupon for $1.50 off Dove Hair Therapy products.

A Review: Michelob ULTRA Light Cider

Wow, guys! I'm telling you... this whole moving process is sucking the life out of us! Fortunately, Mike and I were able to get away from it all for a day and enjoy the long holiday weekend at a cookout party our friends had on Memorial Day weekend. It was also a great time to try out the new Michelob ULTRA Light Cider!

I'm sure you've heard of the Michelob name and have probably tried their beer. Personally, I'm not a fan of beer. I have never really developed a taste for it but when BlogHer informed me that Michelob had introduced this new light, naturally sweetened and gluten-free cider made from crisp apples, I hopped on board at the chance to try it! The light and refreshing, Michelob ULTRA Light Cider is an ideal alternative to white wine, champagne and traditional ciders. I grabbed a six-pack and shared with five of my friends!

Where barley and hops are the main ingredients in beer, Michelob ULTRA Light Cider is made with all-natural ingredients, including apples, and is naturally sweetened with stevia. It is naturally gluten-free, and is the first cider Anheuser-Busch has produced and distributed in the U.S.

Michelob ULTRA Light Cider can be enjoyed straight or over ice – perfect for a warm summer day. We mixed it up a little and tried it both ways. I drink EVERYTHING over ice, so naturally I went with this option. The verdict: It was delish! If I’m being completely honest, I expected it to taste like beer because it was made by Michelob. I was pleasantly surprised and the crispness of the cider. I think it would have been perfect with a little wedge of lemon, but then again, what drink wouldn’t? My go-to drink is either a Moscato wine or a margarita on the rocks. The Michelob ULTRA Light Cider was a nice mix of the two. The flavor was not over powering and really didn’t leave an after taste like beer does. This drink would be absolutely perfect with a big steak right off the grill and some corn-on-the-cobb... YUM! Would I buy it again? Sure, why not! At $10.69 for a six-pack of 12-ounce bottles, I’ll definitely give Michelob ULTRA Light Cider another shot!

Like I said, I shared the cider with five of my friends. Let’s hear what they had to say!

Different people, different opinions! Overall, I think that everyone enjoyed it and we all would buy it again in the future! Heck, with only 120 calories per serving (one-third fewer calories than an average of the leading regular hard ciders) why not?


So, which favorite summer meal or activity do you think would go best with Michelob ULTRA Light Cider?

Want more information on Michelob ULTRA Light Cider? Please visit www.MichelobUltra.com or find them on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MicheolbULTRA. You can also find out more about this product on the Michelob ULTRA Light Cider page on BlogHer.com or visit the sponsor's site!

A Middle Schooler's Perspective

I recently found this book review.  It was written by a middle school boy.  Enjoy!

Monster by Walter Dean Myers


The novel Monster is a dull book with a flat plot and boring characters, and a very stereotypical dialogue. Overall I didn't like this book. When I first read the back, the teacher told me about the book and I thought we found a very good book to read, but I guess not.

Monster has a flat plot. I think this is due to the repetitive storyline. The author goes back into the past over and over again. Every day Steve Harmon goes to court and they say the same thing as the day before. After a while you start to figure out what they are going to say. I thought this would be a good book by what the teacher told me and by the way it sounded on the back, but I know that you can't judge a book by its cover. I felt like I was reading the same book one-hundred times! After a while it started to get real boring and I just wanted to put the book down. After a while I could say the line before I even read it because it said the same line three pages ago.

Secondly, the book has very dull characters. The author didn't describe the characters as much as I needed him to so that I can understand their background a little bit more. All the book really was to me is a bunch of talking and then it went on. I was hoping I could feel the characters more so that I could tell if they were guilty or not before I even reached when it told me. When I read the book, I wanted to be able to feel the characters, know what they are like, and what their families are like. I think that if the author would have explained the characters the book would have been longer and a lot more interesting than I thought.

I also caught a little distraction that I don't think that most people would have found. The dialogue was very stereotypical. Once again, it was a bunch of black males growing up in the hood. They have to talk slang. They have to be bad kids and have no respect or knowledge. I don't think much people would find that but I thought that it was a little wrong and the author should have written the book a little more different. I have always lived in the hood and I am a perfectly good kid and it isn't even really that bad.

I personally don't like this book because there were many things that I found wrong with it. I would not recommend this book to anyone, and I would not read this book again. In my opinion, I think this is the first book I have ever read that would be better as a movie because the settings and the dialogue. I hope you liked my book review, and I hope that you find a better book than this one.

:o)  This review just made me smile a little bit... Too cute.  Actually, I may have to read it just to see if he is right!  I know a few teachers read my blog... Have you or your students ever read this book?  What did you/they think?

The only way I can explain it is MAGIC!

No, this is not my pot boiling over.  BUT, this is what happens in my house 90% of the time when I'm boiling water.  I have an electric cook top stove and I absolutely HATE it.  With a gas stove, when your water starts rising, you simply turn down the heat and you're fine.  My sweet little stove likes to take it's precious time when I want to turn the heat down, resulting in lots of boil overs.  If that isn't bad enough, post boil-over leaves me with a burnt mess!  I have to scrub and scrub and scrub to get that sucker clean!  I'm smiling now because those days are long gone :o)

While shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond the other day, I saw a tiny little item at the check out.  You know the kind... WAY over priced junk they want you to impulsively buy and later regret.  I was hesitant to shell out a measly $3.99 for the so-called miracle worker staring me in the face.  The cooking gods opened their heavens and shone light on this beauty:

That little white disc claimed to prevent boil overs!  When I lived at Mom & Dad's, Mom had a little metal disc that did such.  I asked the cashier if I was allowed to return it if it failed.  He replied, "Of course!"  Sold!  With nothing to lose, I bought this baby and headed home to give it a whirl!  Here's the puppy in action:

At this point, my water would normally be rising to the top in a suicidal leap over the edge.  The results, you're wondering?  Why don't you just see for yourself:

By golly, it worked!  That little clicking sound you hear is this precious being doing it's job.  I don't know how it works, but it does.  I love it and most of all, I love not scrubbing a scorched cook top every time I boil water! 

Don't you just love it too?  Do you want one?  I'm giving one away!  All you need to do to enter is take a picture of yourself in your kitchen with a boiling pot of water and send it to me at lifeonpurpose@rocketmail.com.  I want lots of pictures!!  I'll post them and you all can vote on who is most in need of this magical little disc :o)  Happy boiling!

Oh yeah, I bought this magic disc with my very own money.  BB&B people don't even know about my silly little review, therefore I was not compensated in any way.  Also, the disc I am giving away will be bought with my own money, too.  Jaden might not get new shoes this summer because of my hard earned money going toward it, but as long as my blog readers are happy, I'm happy :o)

Let's go shopping!

I have a couple of awesome deals for you, my wonderful blog readers!

Brookstone is a super awesome website full of great gifts for anyone!  After you pick out some fun things for yourself, go grab something for your sweetie... You know, he can't get mad at your online shopping habits if you buy things for him too!  Whether your man is a tech geek or an outdoorsman, you will be sure to find him something great! Brookstone's gifts for him and gifts for dads are truly unique.

For my blog readers, Brookstone is offering $10 off a purchase of $70 or more!
How sweet is that?!  Just enter the coupon code 22SAVE at checkout for this great offer.

Thanks, Brookstone!

***

Have you ever thought about shopping at stores that weren't necessarily directed toward your size?  I'm talking plus size stores!  When Jessica at Fashion to Figure contacted me, I got excited about reviewing this necklace!  I had never thought about shopping at plus sized stored before.  You better believe I'll be browsing their accessories from here on out!  I LOVE this necklace/earring set!  Super cute :o)  Also, check out all of the awesome plus size dresses Fashion to Figure has... Super cute!

Have a great afternoon and happy shopping!

Ghosts, Werewolves, and Vampires, oh my!

I don't believe in ghosts... or at least I didn't think I did... until we got one!  We have a ghost.  You know, they say that animals and small children can see ghosts.  Jaden used to call us in her room nightly because she saw a ghost.  Once, Mike even asked her if it was a nice ghost to which she replied, "No, he's an ANGRY ghost!"  Great.  Then she wanted to put glow-in-the-dark stars on her ceiling because, "they keep the ghosts away."  Humoring her, I brought out a box of my old stars from college (I love them, don't judge) and we put them all over her ceiling.  After that, we never had to go back in her room for ghosts.  Then, one cold December night (are you scared yet?), Tabitha was over babysitting for the girls.  Jaden came out of her room and in a quiet, somber voice, she said to Tabitha, "There's someone in my room."  If I was Tabitha, I probably would have run screaming!  Again, I just chalked it up to her being a kid.

Fast forward a few weeks... Mike and I were getting ready to go to bed.  We were both in our room when we heard a LOUD thud.  It sounded like something crashed into the side of our house.  Mike said it was probably raccoons or rabbits outside (yeah, with a wrecking ball!) and not to worry.  Yeah right.  I saw Paranormal Activity 2.

Wednesday night, Mike and I were watching a movie in the family room when out of our computer speakers, we hear an angry man yelling!  We couldn't make out what he was saying.  Mike said it was just interference picking up someone's phone conversation, but I've seen White Noise!  I know that the angry man ghost is trying to tell us something.  If I had to put money on it, I would bet that he is telling us to get the heck out of dodge!  Yes, sir!

Last night, Kalie came over to watch New Moon.  We were sitting on the couch in the family room when I heard, clear as day, a whispering... "I SEE YOU."  I fumbled for the remote and paused the DVD.  After freaking out for a short second, Kalie just laughed and said it was her phone... STILL.  I know we have an angry ghost.

Speaking of New Moon...

Book vs. Movie

The movie wins by a teensy tiny bit!

The book was definitely more detailed.  In a way though, I think that hurt it.  I kind of got lost in parts of the book.  I felt like there was too much focus on the history of the wolves and the tribe.  Also, I missed Edward like crazy in the book!  The movie was a perfect blend.  I also thought it was pretty awesome seeing the wolves phase.  I still recommend reading the book first, but definitely watch the movie as soon as you're done!

Oh, and in case you are wondering... I'm still Team Edward but Jacob was really starting to win me over in the movie!!  Seriously Bella, werewolves AND vampires?  Can you not find a hot HUMAN guy??

Twilight: Book vs. Movie

Book wins, hands down! 

What I love about books is the fact that you make the movie in your mind.  When I read Twilight, I absolutely fell in love with each character.  It was written in a way that I could get so lost in the story, I would literally find myself holding my breath.  Even if you've never read Twilight, you know basically what it is about -- vampires.  But, don't let that put you off.  I was picturing some kind of Buffy the Vampire Slayer type of story with people running around scared... TOTALLY not Twilight.  In Twilight, Bella Swan takes you into the secret vampire world and makes you fall in love with Edward Cullen and his family. 

The movie was good.  What I didn't like was Bella's character.  She was so skittish in an acting-too-hard kind of way.  Also, Edward can read minds.  I would've liked to have heard through his mind... actually, it would have been better if the movie would have gone more in depth with Alice and Jasper's special talents, too.  Another major difference was the book talked a lot about the Cullens' "vegetarian" diet, meaning they only drink the blood of animals, not humans.  It would have been neat to see Edward and Emmett hunt.  Having said that, I do realize that the book was narrated by Bella, as was the movie.  Bella did not get to see them hunt in the first book... I don't know. 

Oh yeah!  If you have seen the movie, did you notice Stephenie Meyer sitting at the bar in the diner?  I saw her right away!

Both movie and book were great.  If you haven't read/seen either, definitely read the book first!

Next week, Kalie and I are watching New Moon :o)

I DID IT!

Can I do it?

Read 10 whole big-girl chapter books from
September 1-November 30?

Challenge accepted.

I did it! 

As a reward for myself, I bought these lovely black boots from Old Navy... because really, I needed an excuse ;o)

It was a difficult task but Mr. James Patterson made it a little easier with his sitting-at-the-edge-of-my-seat mysteries!  Not only did I finish these 10 books, I also watched the movies, Along Came A Spider and Kiss The Girls, based on these novels.  Personally, I thought that deserved two pairs of boots but my paycheck thought otherwise.

The Women's Murder Club series was awesome.  I can't wait until number 9 comes out in paperback!  This series is about Lindsay Boxer, Clare Washburn, Cindy Thomas, Jill Bernhardt, and Yuki Castellano.  They work together over margaritas at Susie's to solve the tough murders of San Francisco. 

The Alex Cross series is proving to be just as good as the WMC series.  Cross is a D.C. detective working high profile cases in the nation's capitol.  I'm only two books into this series and can't wait to read more!

Although I LOVED every one of J.P.'s novels, I think it's time for a change.  I'm dedicated the winter months to some light, cozy girly books!  First, I have a couple of novels to read and review.  Any suggestions on fun, comedic books?  What are your favorites?  Which authors do you like?