My 365 To A Size 5

I Entered Serta's iComfort Giveaway! Wish Me Luck!

2011-07-08T20:15:00.000-07:00

When Mike and I first got married almost five years ago we had to get a new bed, I had a queen sized bed and my 6'5" husband's feet would hang off of the edge. Since I was relocating and looking for a new teaching job and Mike was just an intern, we got a cheap generic bed that we found at a warehouse outlet. It was so uncomfortable! So we bought a memory foam topper...... Which made it better, but it doesn't fit right, and it can get really hot. Here is our bed:

I saw a link to Serta's iComfort Giveaway and read up on their new mattress line and it sounds amazing! We haven't had a good night's sleep in years! Reading the descriptions of the beds makes my back cry in happiness. The Cool Action Gel Memory Foam sounds like the perfect answer to the warm memory foam problem. Plus you can get it on a motion frame! You can read up on it here. It is so important for health and weight loss to get a good night's sleep also.

The contest has you submit a photo that represents a Smarter. Cooler. Better. Summer. So I picked out a recent photo where Ellianna surprised Gavin (who was relaxing outside after camp). It is not only really funny that a one year old little girl thought to do it (and got away with it), it also represents how we feel at night on our warm bed. Wish someone would hose us down!

I really hope we win! Would be the perfect anniversary present for our five year next month! Not too late for you to enter! Hurry you have a couple hours left!

My Interview With Brandi Chastain!

2011-06-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

I am so excited that I was asked to interview Brandi Chastain! Brandi Chastain played for many years on the U.S. National Soccer Team and will be coaching this year's team in Germany. Brandi is also the new spokesperson for the Holiday Inn Express's new Team Travel Center. Perfect timing too since Gavin is starting his first soccer season this August!

Here are her enlightening answers to my interview question:

1) My son Gavin, who is close to your own son's age is starting soccer this fall. Do you have any advice on how to be a supportive parent and not one of those overbearing sideline runners?

"This is a question I get asked a lot and it is not as easy as you think. As a parent the best thing we can do is to be supportive, encouraging, to be there, and participate. Participate and show them why it is healthy. How to be on a team, how sometimes you are a leader and sometimes you are a follower. Listening is also a lifelong lesson. One of the best things a parent can do is to get out there and do some of the skills with them, that way they can lead by example and can appreciate themselves that sometimes it isn't that easy. If the parents get involved in a physical way too, they can understand what their kids are going through."

2) Was it hard for you to balance soccer with your homework? I remember growing up how hard it was to get everything done for school while being involved in an extracurricular activity.

"There is no doubt that juggling with time management skills is really a wonderful life lesson. If you have practice at 2:45 and dinner at 6:30, you only have an hour before practice and an hour after practice to do your homework; the guidelines are set and kids are really good at falling in line line with structure. When I played on the U.S. National Team every single athlete was a college graduate. If they weren't a graduate they were in the process of graduating while they were on the road. It is definitely possible and with structure it makes it much easier."

3) Is your son Jaden playing soccer?

"We play backyard soccer. He is around soccer so much he feels like he is playing soccer all day. He said today that he would love to be on a team with his friend Jacob. I have asked him before if he wants to be on team and he said no that he likes to play with me in the backyard. I'm not going to rush him into playing, I was older than him when I started to play.

4) My husband's cousins have three teenagers and they are all involved in sports, they travel all over the country for their games. The couple splits up and one will go to this game and the other will go somewhere else. It can get so expensive with all three kids participating on these traveling teams. Do you have any advice for them and my readers on how to make this a little easier and less expensive?

The Holiday Inn Express has an excellent website where the coaches and team managers can rotate accommodations and sign up for them all at one time. You are saving time in making the reservations rather than letting calling many different hotels, which can monopolize your time. I mean who wouldn't wish for more time in their life? There are many benefits and values you can get at the Holiday Inn Express like a wonderful breakfast in the morning which I had yesterday. Which is very HEALTHY which I am going to express is very important to me to have kids eat healthy. I am not up for the sugary breakfasts to get them through the day. I was really pleased to see what the Holiday Inn Express had to offer their guests. Most locations have a pool so families can spend time together, a fitness center for people like me if I stay on the sidelines too much I need to get out my energy. If people go online to http://holidayinnexpress.com/teamtravel you can take care of everything. It is a wonderful way for parents to maximize their time and minimize their cost."

5) What are some of the challenges that young athletes face while traveling?

"The number one thing, which Holiday Inn Express has to offer is healthy food. It is always a challenge when you have to eat out away from home. Going to the grocery store is not always an option, so it is important to have healthy options. It is so easy not to eat healthy when you are on the road. Playing on the National Team that was always a concern, if we are supposed to be at out best playing against other teams around the world, we needed to have a fuel that is going to benefit us and not inhibit us from doing what we need to do. Breakfast is the most important meal, so it is very convenient that Holiday Inn Express has that. You have to eat healthy foods, you have to let your metabolism kick in.

6) Any advice for the Moms who are trying to lose weight while on the road?

"There is real value in being a role model, it is really important to live the healthy lifestyle, not only for yourself but for your kids on the teams as well. If you eat healthy food and exercise, kids pick up on that, they are very smart. This is what we do and this is how we take care of ourselves."

7) This question is for my husband, he wants to know what it was like to work with Daniel Tosh on the episode of Tosh.0 that you were on.

"He was a lot of fun, used some off color language to the point of being uncomfortable, but definitely fun. He said he played soccer until he was twelve, but you couldn't tell. He moves around like an old man. But I definitely had a good time. "

What Brandi Chastain ate yesterday:

Breakfast: A pancake with peanut butter and honey rolled around a banana, like a wrap. With a glass of hot water. All from the Holiday Inn Express

Lunch: Tomato, avocado, swiss cheese open faced sandwich with a fruit salad.

Dinner: Barbecue chicken and salad.

Thank you Brandi Chastain for answering all of my questions! It was a lot of fun chatting with you.

I conducted the interview with Brandi Chastain with many purposes including to get information about the Holiday Inn Express, which she is promoting. I quoted her as close as possible but did summarize on my own in some instances. So some of the wording might not be exact. I was not paid for this interview nor have I worked on this campaign before.

Color It By Numbers Review and Giveaway!

2011-06-19T15:32:00.000-07:00

Color it by Numbers is amazing and educational on so many levels! This fun game is Gavin's favorite computer program by far. They have three different motifs, animals, princesses, and vehicles.

Reasons why Gavin loves it:

It is all about numbers, his favorite!
So many vibrant pictures of vehicles, dump trucks, trains, and boats galore!
You can follow the color guidelines or mix and match your own
Has fun and entertaining music
Doesn't take too long at all
Don't have to worry about coloring in the lines (his least favorite thing)

Reasons why I (Mom) love it:

Number association and match up
Keeps him busy while I cook dinner or tend to his baby sister
Gets him comfortable with using a mouse
We have also used it on our laptop so he gets comfortable using a touchpad
We are going to try a wacom tablet and pen next!
Getting used to computers is essential in this day in age, in fact a lot of school around here have kids start taking laptops to school in third grade!
Beautiful and fun game, and I can even print it out

Here is Gavin demonstrating how it works:

Very easy to learn and manipulate!

BUY IT: Go to Color it by Numbers, each program is only $9.99 - what a deal!

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win all three programs! Princesses, animals, and vehicles!

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you)

1) Go to the Color it by Numbers web site and tell me which program you would think about buying

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)

4) Subscribe to my Feedburner (1 entry)

5) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

6) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

7) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day (1 entry per day)

8) "Like" Color It By Numbers on Facebook

9) Tweet about Color it by Numbers on Twitter

Winners will be chosen via random.org on July 20th, 2011. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

So Easy to Stay on Track at Trader Joes! Weight Watchers Goes to the Frozen Food Aisle at Trader Joes!!

2011-06-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

Like most moms, summer is a time of go-go-go! It is very hard to stay on track, feed your family good wholesome foods, and most of all - STAY AWAY FROM DRIVE THRUS! I have found a very quick and healthy way to feed my entire family for less than $6 per dinner. Perfect in this economy and a mom's hectic life! Plus, every meal is delicious and will have the kids asking for more!

The answer is Trader Joes!

Meal #1 - Penne Pepperonata - Only 5 Points Plus! $2.99 + $1.99 bagged salad on the side = $4.98

Meal #2 - Fettuccine With Mushrooms - Only 4 Points Plus! Plus I add 2 points worth of boneless skinless chicken breasts sauteed in. $3.69 + $2.00 chicken breasts = $5.69

Meal #3 - Mandarin Orange Chicken - only 5 Points Plus! $4.99 + $1.00 for brown rice = $5.99

Meal #4 - Shrimp Stir Fry - Only 2 Points Plus! $3.99 + $1.00 brown rice= $4.99

Meal #5 - Saucy Scallops with Mushrooms - Only 2 Points Plus! $5.49 + $1.00 brown rice= $6.49

Meal #6 - Biryani - Only 3 Points Plus! Plus I add 2 points of boneless skinless chicken breasts $2.29 + $2.00 chicken = $4.29

Meal #7 - Pollo Asada with Peppers - For when you are entertaining - Only 3 Points Plus! $9.28 = $1.69 = $10.97

* I am not affiliated at all with Trader Joes

* Being a Weight Watchers Insider I am frequently given incentives and free products. I am not a paid employee or contractor, nor am I monetarily compensated but I am affiliated with their programs and company. My opinions are honest and not hindered nor persuaded due to these perks.

Magic Shoe 5k!!

2011-05-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday my entire family and I ran at the Magic Shoe 5k Run/Walk! Mike and I ran the 5k and my parents ran the 1k Fun Run with my four year old son, Gavin after. It was a wonderfully cloudy morning, so it was nice to run in.

Before I started Weight Watchers 5k training program I couldn't even run a quarter mile without stopping. With only three weeks of training (I was sick for a month during) I was able to run for seven minutes at a time without stopping! I ran approximately two thirds of the race! It was amazing and I felt so good afterwards.

Starting tomorrow I am going to resume my training and run in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure! My goal this time is to not stop running the entire time!

I had all of these great pictures of my family and I during the 5k, unfortunately when I went to sync my iphone, I lost everything, again, ugh. Luckily my husband took a few (very unflattering) shots of me finishing the race that I will attach.

Being a Weight Watchers Insider I am frequently given incentives and free products. I am not a paid employee or contractor, nor am I monetarily compensated but I am affiliated with their programs and company. My opinions are honest and not hindered nor persuaded due to these perks.

KinKast Review and Giveaway!

2011-05-30T14:38:00.000-07:00

Right before I started writing the blog entry before this one I went to sync my iphone to get all of the pictures I took of my family and I during our 5k. Unfortunately during the sync I lost everything! Including videos! Luckily my most recent videos were saved on KinKast! KinKast is not only a great way to store and share videos privately, it also gives you a piece of mind. I am truly devastated about losing all of my iphone photos, but thankfully I still have the first video of my son riding his bike without training wheels for the first time, safe in the little KinKastcloud.

Step One: Record video

Step Two: Watch Video

Step Three: Choose Share Video

Step Four: Choose who you want to share with, you can even send it to Facebook friends!

KinKast is an amazing way to private video sharing, as well as a great way to access video storage for iphone.

Here is some information from the sponsoring company:

Easy Sharing

Email links for private experience
It's your video. You control who can see it. Email friends and family links to their private website. Better yet, they won't need to create an account.

Post to Facebook
Want a bigger audience? (More than just your "real" friends.) Post it on Facebook. Hey, even if you post on Facebook, you may still want to email links to your closest friends so your video doesn't get buried in their News Feed.

Fast and Friendly

Sharing memory
Find yourself sharing with the same people? Of course, they're the real important ones. KinKast has a great memory and will pre-fill their names for you. Two taps on your iPhone is all it takes to share your video. Now that's fast!

Uploads in background
Why should you wait while your video is uploading? Or why should your video get compressed real tiny so you don't have to wait too long? KinKast doesn't make you do either. Compose and send your share email instantly. Doesn't even matter if you have a network connection. We'll queue your videos and upload them while you're doing something else — like maybe recording another video. Or, when you get back to civilization and have a network connection.

BUY IT: Go to "_blank">KinKast The basic membership is free, the premium membership is only $4.99/month!

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win a premium membership for one year!

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you) US and Canadian residents only

1) Go to the "_blank">KinKast web site and tell me one thing you learned about their Video Sharing capabilities.

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)

4) Subscribe to my Feedburner (1 entry)

5) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

6) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

7) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day (1 entry per day)

8) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)

Winners will be chosen via random.org on June 20th, 2011. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Greek-Style Cheeseburgers

2011-04-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

I have just tried another delicious recipe from Weight Watcher's Kitchen Companion and had to share it with you! Definitely another family favorite, it was so yummy!

Since the burger was 8 points, I filled the rest of the plate with some zero point fruit salad and spinach salad with a one point serving of Wishbone's Rasberry Walnut Light dressing. We loved it so much, I am going to share yet another recipe with you, my lucky readers:

Just going to say this in advance.. "You are so welcome!"

Weight Watchers Walk-It Challenge! OMG I Am Running!

2011-04-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

When my Weight Watcher's contact emailed me asking to participate in a 5k challenge I laughed outloud, then I read on and saw that you could walk it, I figured... why not? Then after an hour or two I got into the shower mulling over my up and coming 5k walk and thought, "why don't I run?" Remembering that I do not run, I mean maybe if a guy with a knife was chasing me I would run, but other than a life threatening situation or one in which I needed to rescue a child or animal, I DO NOT RUN. The intense dislike and the fact that I have not run since the dreaded "mile" in Jr. High PE actually made it seem like a very challenging challenge.

I downloaded the 6 week running training guide from Weight Watcher's Walk-It Challenge and looked over the first week. Hmmm run for only a minute with a minute of walking in between. Maybe it is possible? Then I called my husband, who actually runs, to get some feedback. When he initially laughed I knew that I had to do this. In fact, I am already on day 4!

Now for a second, let me talk to you mom to mom. There are so many reasons why you can't exercise, especially with little children. Seriously, it is impossible! For 3 months I had to get up at 5am to exercise before the rest of the family got up, I was exhausted! I have tried exercising with a video and including them, but the entire time they whine, need something, or can't stay in my sight. Very distracting! Now let's visit running or walking... put them in the stroller with some snacks and a park within view as the reward for sitting nicely in the stroller while mama runs, priceless! For the first time ever, I have no excuses!

I will admit that halfway through the run I am hating life and right now I walk like an invalid because I am so sore, but it is so worth it! I am actually doing something for me! I am working towards a goal and feeling amazing after each run.

Go to Weight Watcher's Walk-It Challenge and check it out! Also any friends in Orange County, California want to run with me? Email me at LaurenTurner949(at)gmail(dot)com.

Here are some tips that Weight Watchers would like me to share with you:

The first step is getting up and moving - start slow and increase your speed and distance over time. Be sure to set reasonable goals.
To help motivate you, sign up for a future 5k. Having that date on the calendar is sure to keep you focused.
Be sure to add strength training to your routine. Before you know it, you will have a new you!
Finally, listen to your body. If you need to rest take a day off. And Have fun!

Delicious and Easy Baked Chicken from Weight Watchers Companion

2011-04-03T17:10:00.000-07:00

Thursday night I tried yet another easy, delicious, and nutritious Weight Watchers Recipe from their amazing Kitchen Companion.

My family and I loved it so much I wanted to share it with my readers:

This recipe uses things you most likely already have in your pantry and refrigerator. The only ingredient I didn't have on hand was the parsley, which I sent my hubby out to get. It was so easy, I was able to prepare this meal in less than ten minutes while answering my four year old's questions and dancing around to entertain my fourteen month old.

I made some homemade garlic mashed potatoes and a spring salad for the sides:

It came out to a nine point meal and kept me nice and full while feeling good.

This is a screen shot of the meal, showing you the point distribution as well as the easy to read point tracker that I love from Weight Watchers Mobile.

Something else that I wanted to share, is that if you look at the picture of my dinner, I'd like you to notice how the salad is now taking up half the plate. This is helping me easily up my vegetable intake as well as providing an easy portion control too. While plating our meals now I make the salad before doing anything else. I am also a huge fan of the light Wishbone dressing, it is so sweet and tangy!

Being a Weight Watchers Insider I am frequently given incentives and free products. I am not a paid employee or contractor, nor am I monetarily compensated but I am affiliated with their programs and company. My opinions are honest and not hindered nor persuaded due to these perks.

Review of Applied Labels LLC

2011-02-15T21:31:00.000-08:00

Applied Labels

First Impression: As soon as I opened up the envelope fromApplied Labels I was so excited to see little Ellianna's name with a little crown next to it! The labels are just adorable! I also received shoe shields to put over her the tags in her shoes to insure maximum effectiveness, as well as blank tags to label the dates are on her bottles.

Style/Choices: You can choose from three different fonts; Cutie, Elegant, and Standard. I of course chose cutie for my cutie. You can also choose a little icon to accompany your label.

Functionality: These labels have been soaked in hot sopay water, through puddles, and the dishwasher. The labels still look great! The baby dates for the milk bottles work well too! I have used them on her baby food containers as well (I make my own).

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: As a lactivist, I can not tell you how important it is to label your baby's bottles with the dates. Pumped milk can last a week at most in the refrigerator and it is so important to have these bottles labeled, especially if you use a daycare or nanny. Having fresh milk and food is essential for having a healthy and happy baby. Applied Labels has definitely found a great way to do this.

Cost Effective: The baby bottle labels come out to less than fifty cents each, a great deal when they can be used over and over again with new date stickys.

BUY IT: Go to Applied Labels website and buy yours today!
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Review of Oliver's Labels

2011-02-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

First Impression: When I opened up my sample package from Oliver's Labels I was thrilled with how adorable the labels were and immediately started sticking them all over Gavin's things. In preschool you never know when things will be misplaced in the cubby room, so I stuck a label on his shoes, jackets, lunch box, reusable water bottle, and everything else you can think of! We picked out the transportation theme and it is so perfect my son who is obsessed with trains, cars, trucks, you name it!

Style/Choices: There are so many great patterns and styles to choose from; fairies, sports, transportation, plain colors, script, and even allergy tags! Oliver's Labels has thought of everything!

Functionality: I got to review the following:

Original Labels

Shoe Labels

Clothing Labels

Mini Labels

I have had them for about a month and the original labels have been through the dishwasher, the shoe labels have been through sweat and sand, and the Stick-eez clothing labels have been washed numerous times. They are all stuck on really well and don't show any signs of wear and tear! Thank you Oliver's Labels! We are in love!
How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: One of the biggest components of living a healthy lifestyle is nutrition. To make sure that our children always have good eating habits, we carry food everywhere we go. Futhering our healthy lifestyle we also care about this planet, so everything we use is reusable, which means we have to keep track of our food containers and the like. We also want to make sure they always come home. This is where Oliver's Labels comes in very handy. With our things clearly labeled our things always come home.

Their Found-it system also helps insure that your things will always make it home. It is like having low jack on your items. There is a tracking number which can be tracked on their website, so your belongings can find their way home.

Cost Effective: Oliver's Labels products are very cost effective. Their packages start at $26.99 and you can also buy single types of labels.
Pros:

Your things will always be clearly identified
Great styles to choose from
Found-it system is amazing!
Well priced

Cons:

Can't think of any

BUY IT: Go to the Oliver's Labels web page.

The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Loving The Weight Watchers Companion Application for the iPad!

2011-01-28T21:35:00.000-08:00

Loving this new cooking application for the iPad, brought to you from Weight Watchers is great! Even if you aren't a Weight Watchers member I still highly recommend it.

Details from Weight Watchers:

Everyone who downloads the app will be able to:Get the latest 10 featured recipes
Save up to 10 favorite recipes
Create custom shopping lists
Set cooking timers in recipes
Watch cooking technique videos
Share recipes with email or Facebook
Browse through recipes in book view
Get step-by-step instructions in cooking view

Subscribers to Weight Watchers Online & eTools have access to all features and can also:Find thousands of Weight Watchers recipes
Access complete shopping, ingredient and equipment guides
Get cooking primers and technique videos
View exclusive recipe collections hand-picked by our editors
Use the WeightWatchers.com Recipe Builder to create and edit recipes
Send recipes to your Plan Manager for tracking

Here is yours truly using my new favorite app in my 22 lbs thinner body!

Being a Weight Watchers Insider I am frequently given incentives and free products. I am not a paid employee or contractor, nor am I monetarily compensated but I am affiliated with their programs and company. My opinions are honest and not hindered nor persuaded due to these perks.

Another CSN Review!!

2011-01-20T21:28:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to be doing another CSN review! Right now I am looking at modern office furniture and want everything in the store! So much to choose from it is so hard to decide!

Live From the Kitchen with Weight Watchers

2011-01-18T22:37:00.000-08:00

My friends and I checked out the awesome video about Weight Watchers Points Plus, and even got to see a live kitchen demonstration of an amazing Points Plus Meal. You too can watch it on ustream!

Weight Watchers also sent me some great Points Plus merchandise to hand out to my friends who are interested in their new program. We got Points Plus Cookbooks, vegetable peelers (which work so well!), and yummy Mint Cookie Crisps which I also handed out at a playdate to all of the moms and they were in love!

Brilliant Screen Cleaning Wipes Review and 2 Giveaways!

2011-01-18T21:57:00.000-08:00

Brilliant Screen Cleaning Wipes. We have so many things that needed to be clean and these wipes definitely did the job!
Sponsored by Tomoson.com
I was very excited when I was chosen to review

These wipes not only cleaned all of the dirt and grime off of our many screens, it also will protect against future smudges as well as scratches. The minute they arrived in the mail my husband ran to his 65 inch flat screen (his high definition mistress) and cleaned it. Then he continued on to the playroom TV, his laptop, our iphones, and my iPad. All using one packet of Brilliant Screen Cleaning Wipes.

Cleaning your electronic screens and creating an invisible barrier is very easy:

First Step: use the wet wipe to gently clean the screen.

Second Step: use the dry cloth to gently wipe screen until dry.

End product: Beautifully clean and protected screens!

BUY IT: Go to Brilliant Screen Cleaning Wipes web page. Twitter (1 entry)

5) Subscribe to my Feedburner (1 entry)

6) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

7) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

8) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day (1 entry per day)

9) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)

Winners will be chosen via random.org on February 5th, 2011. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

Our winners are RuthHill74 and Amyztoy
The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

I am a Weight Watchers Insider!

2011-01-02T22:08:00.000-08:00

I am so excited! Weight Watchers asked me to be an insider! They have extended my online membership, sent me an ipad to try out their amazing Kitchen Companion application (review and video to come soon), and many other exciting perks and things to share with you, my readers.

Unfortunately my laptop is at a data recovery center, darn four year old hard drive, so my exciting articles and reviews will be coming soon. I have hijacked my husband's work laptop because I want to share a new and exciting event happening this Wednesday, January 5th at 7pm EST.

"You're cordially invited to a live virtual event created especially for bloggers, Weight Watchers subscribers, Facebook fans and Twitter followers. You'll learn about the PointsPlus™ program from Weight Watchers® Program Development Director Stephanie Rost and WeightWatchers.com Editor-In-Chief Theresa DiMasi will be on hand to answer some of your questions and give tips about healthy cooking and healthy living. WeightWatchers.com Recipe Editor Leslie Fink will provide a behind-the-scenes look into how a Weight Watchers® recipe comes to life with a cooking demo of a recipe you'll want to try out.

Join us on Wednesday, January 5^th at 7PM (EST) on our Weight Watchers Facebook page at this link.
Please RSVP here so we know you're coming."

If you aren't already a fan, definitely check out their Facebook page. They frequently post yummy recipes, fun food savvy blog links, as well as interesting articles.

ReUsies Review and Giveaway!! CLOSED

2011-01-02T21:50:00.000-08:00

Available Sizes

Snack: approx. 6” w / 5” h
The snack size holds a half sandwich or whole sandwich with the crust cut off! It is good for smaller quantities of crackers, pretzels, apple slices, etc.

Sandwich: approx. 7.5” w/ 6”h
The sandwich size holds a typical "grown up"- sized sandwich, full bagel, or larger quantity of snacks.
A typical lunch would contain one sandwich and two snack-sized bags or three snack-sized bags.

Care Instructions

ReUsies™ can be machine washed and dried, washed in the dishwasher, or for longest life simply wiped clean with a soapy sponge and air dried.
**to keep the Velcro from snagging on the stitching when washing in the machine we recommend turning the bag inside out, tucking in the flap, and securing one side of the Velcro to the other.

Pros:

Ecologically savvy
Great for packing lunches
So many adorable patterns
Kid friendly

Cons:

They are an investment if you buy a bunch of them, so make sure you stick with it!

BUY IT: Go to the ReUsies.com web page.

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win an ReUsies
Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you) US and Canadian residents only

1) Go to ReUsies.com's web site and tell me which one you would like. Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)

4) Subscribe to my Feedburner (1 entry)

5) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

6) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

7) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day (1 entry per day)

8) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)

Winners will be chosen via random.org on January 20th, 2011. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

WINNER VIA RANDOM.ORG is comment #2! Congrats!
The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

Baby Bond Nursing Cover! Review and Amazing Discount! Buy One Get One 75% off!

2010-12-09T10:13:00.000-08:00

First Impression: When I received my Baby Bond nursing cover I was very excited! The box is just adorable! I immediately put it into a mental note to remember to get one of these for the next baby shower I get invited to. The directions are everywhere! On the side of the box and even on a tag on the actual nursing cover, very thoughtful! Especially for those of us with "mommy brain". I received the Hudson color in the couture line and it is so so

Style/Choices: There are three different lines of nursing covers:

I received one from Baby Bond's couture line, called "Hudson" which is a basic black one. It was so incredibly soft that when I use it, Ellianna fingers the soft fabric while she nurses! There are many colors to choose from in each of the styles.

Functionality: The product is very functional, though there was a little bit of a learning curve with Baby Bond's couture one. The reason being is that it is adjustable, which is actually perfect for me since I am on this diet plan, who know what size I will be a few months from now, so it slims with me. I am one of those bold moms who rarely ever cover up, the last thing I need is to worry about a cover over my baby's head being constantly thrown or kicked off. So Baby Bond's cover actually meets all of my needs. It doesn't cover my baby's head but covers that embarrassing belly flab as well as the breast/nipple which usually gets exposed for a few seconds during latching on and off.

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: One of the most important goals of my blog is to raise a healthy family and the most healthy thing I can do for my baby is to give her breastmilk. So products that help breastfeeding are high up on my list of healthy practices.

Cost Effective: At $35 the covers are pretty comparable to their competition. All of the more traditional nursing covers run around the same price.

Pros:

Covers the belly and breast without covering baby's head
Well priced
Comes in a variety of colors and styles

Cons:

The couture one has a bit of a learning curve

BUY IT: Go to the Baby Bond web page or Babies R Us

SPECIAL READER DISCOUNT!!!: Buy one from Babies R Us and you can buy a second one for 75% off!! What a great deal!!! Just buy your first one from Babies R Us. Then email your receipt to missy@babybondnursing.com and she will reply with the discount code that will allow them to order another BabyBond on our site with 75% off!

The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

Introducing Weight Watcher's Points Plus Program!

2010-12-02T15:06:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to have been chosen to try out Weight Watcher's New Points Plus Program! This is the first time in over a decade that they have decided to redo their entire Points system! Instead of just calculating the points by way of calories, fat, and fiber, they have revolutionized their entire formula to include all of the ingredients that directly affect the caloric intake of each food product. Another great aspect of this new innovative program is that most fruits and vegetables are worth zero points! This allows us to satiate our hungers with yummy and delicious fresh produce which is great not only for our health but for our households as well, which is perfect for moms. Having a fresh basket of delectable fruit up on the table or counter spreads healthy nutrition to everyone around you.

On a more personal note, this new change in program could not have come at a better time for me. I have been sitting on a plateau twenty pounds from my goal for a month and a half and it has been chipping away at my motivation. I am hoping that this recalibration of points will give me that extra boost and get me under this plateau and on to a more new and healthy "me".

I can't wait to share my results and reviews of this amazing new system my supportive readers!

Thank you Weight Watchers for providing me with an extended online membership and other wonderful incentives. I am very excited to be a part of the exclusive Insiders group and I am looking forward to being an ambassador for this new program.

Here is some information provided by Weight Watchers:

A NEW FOUNDATION AND A BETTER WAY

The biggest innovation from Weight Watchers in more than a decade, PointsPlus uses the latest scientific research to create a program that goes far beyond traditional calorie counting to give people the edge they need to lose weight and keep it off in a fundamentally healthier way. The program is designed to educate and encourage people to make choices that:

Favor foods the body works harder to convert into energy, resulting in fewer net calories absorbed
Focus on foods that create a sense of fullness and satisfaction and are more healthful
Nudge toward natural foods rather than foods with excess added sugars and fats
Still allow flexibility for indulgences, special occasions and eating out

PointsPlus achieves all of this in an easy to follow program where people continue to learn how to incorporate healthier, more satisfying habits into their life in small, manageable steps. The net effect is weight loss that is satisfying, healthful and flexible all at the same time.

The above company has given me a free membership along with other incentives. These perks have in no way influenced my opinions, the words are solely my own and I take full responsibility for them.

CSN Stores Review! Eureka Cordless Quick Up 2-in-1 Vacuum Cleaner in Blue

2010-11-29T14:26:00.000-08:00

First Impression: Upon opening the box I was thrilled! A great vacuum, very lightweight and a pretty purplish color! I love that it is small like a stick vacuum but still has floor settings and a revolving brush.

Style/Choices: The style is perfect, the Eureka Cordless Quick Up 2-in-1 Vacuum Cleaner it can easily fit into a corner of the room and go unnoticed or hang in a broom closet.

Functionality: Honestly, this little cordless stick vacuum works better than my full size! Everynight I use my Eureka Cordless Quick Up 2-in-1 Vacuum Cleaner before bed. I use it really quick around the kitchen table and counters to do a quick pick up, it takes me about 5 minutes and I have floors clean enough to eat off of (just ask my ten month old). Every mom needs this!

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: It is so important to keep your house as clean and dust free as possible, especially with a crawler. I have also noticed that since I have started using my Eureka Cordless Quick Up 2-in-1 Vacuum Cleaner nightly that I have had less asthma attacks. I am so glad we have it.

Cost Effective: For a vacuum under $40, you can't go wrong! Perfect gift for any mom or dorm room dweller.

Pros:

small
lightweight
pretty color
easy to empty
holds a great charge

Cons:

It would be the perfect contraption if you could detach the brushes and use it as a dust buster as well. Would be the perfect 3 in 1.

BUY IT: Go to the CSN web page.

The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

Celebrating the End of a Great Campaign! Weight Watchers Lose For Good!

2010-10-22T16:56:00.000-07:00

It always makes me so happy when big companies use their notoriety to help others, and Weight Watchers has gone above and beyond! Their "Lose for Good" campaign reached out to society by helping feed the hungry. During their campaign, Weight Watchers used social networks as well as real life communities to help raise awareness and resources to feed our nation's hungry. Using hashtags members and followers were able to raise up to $60,000 for Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger.

In local communities Weight Watchers advocates ran food drives to donate to the same causes. Weight Watchers is trying to not only to lower the occurence of obesity, they are also feeding those who don't have enough to eat. Finding the balance in nutrition is key to raising a strong and healthy society. Thank you Weight Watchers for raising money, awareness, and action.

Unfortunately this week my son Gavin came down with croup and the virus has spread to his baby sister and me, so we were unable to run the food drive we were looking forward to hosting. Lucky for my readers, I have three T shirts and two totes to give away!

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you) US residents only

1) Go to Weight Watchers web site and tell me which offer on the right hand side bar sounds most appealing . (1 entry)

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)

4) Subscribe to my Feedburner (1 entry)

5) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

6) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

7) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day (1 entry per day)

8) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)

Winners will be chosen via random.org on October 30th, 2010. Last valid entry can be entered on October 29th, 2010 at midnight PST. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

Miraclebody Jeans Review and Giveaway! Look 10 lbs Lighter in 10 Seconds! CLOSED

2010-09-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

First Impression: Once I opened the box, I fell in love. Jeans are the keystone to any wardrobe and I just found that essential favorite pair. Miraclebody Jeans are trendy, gorgeous, and oh so flattering!!! As soon as I got them I grabbed them and ran into my daughter's room, the room with the sky high mirrored wardrobe. I am in love! I have lost twenty pounds so far and Miraclebody Jeans aesthetically take off another ten! So I was looking at my body only 10 pounds from my goal, and it felt so good! I actually found an excuse to visit my husband at work that day, and he was not disappointed!

Style/Choices: Miraclebody Jeans come in so many great styles! Bootcut, skinny cut, straight cut, and even capris! My favorite are the bootcuts, or Samantha as they call it. You can get them in dark or light, studded or western, I think you understand now why they are my favorite!

Functionality: Since Miraclebody Jeans take off ten pounds I expected them to be tight and binding, but they were exactly the opposite! Stretchy and comfortable, I could wear them all day!

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: Anything that you put on and feel an instant self esteem boost is healthy in my book. What could be more motivating for your diet than feeling instantly sexy in a pair of jeans?

Cost Effective: Miraclebody Jeans are moderately priced. They range from $98 - $110. In my opinion, a pair of jeans that makes you feel good, is worth it.

Pros:

Instantly takes off ten pounds!
Comes in all of the trendy styles!
Flattering
Comfortable

Cons:

A little pricey
The rise is a little higher than I am used to, but it has to be to flatten the tummy

BUY IT: Go to the Miraclebody Jeans web page. Did I mention that they have skirts, leggings, and tops too?

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win their choice of Miraclebody Jeans!

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you) US and Canadian residents only

1) Go to Miraclebody Jeans web site and tell me which pair of jeans you would like to try most. (1 entry)

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)

4) Subscribe to my Feedburner (1 entry)

5) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

6) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

7) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day (1 entry per day)

8) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)

Winners will be chosen via random.org on October 15th, 2010. Last valid entry can be entered on October 14th, 2010 at midnight PST. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

Participate in Weight Watcher's Lose-A-Palooza and Get Extra Entries in Our Giveaways!

2010-09-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

Wouldn’t it be great if you could help fight hunger – and encourage your friends to do the same – simply by using your favorite social network to spread the word?

On September 14, 2010, you can! Lose-A-Palooza is a one-day social media event created to encourage participation in the Lose For Good® campaign** to benefit Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger.

For every accepted mention or acknowledgment of “Lose For Good” made on September 14th through blogs, Twitter, Facebook and check-in via foursquare, Weight Watchers will donate $1 – up to $60,000* – to Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger.

You can participate on four different Media sites and here is how!

Twitter:

Follow Get in on the good. Follow @WeightWatchers, @sharestrength and/or @acfusa.
Tweet Tweet or Retweet using the hashtag: #LoseForGood. Let people know how they can join you in the fight against hunger.
Accessorize Install a “Lose-A-Palooza” Twibbon to your profile picture (Available 9/14).

Facebook:

Like Like Weight Watchers, Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger.
Comment Like or Comment on any of the Weight Watchers “Lose-A-Palooza” updates we’ll be posting throughout the day.
Accessorize Add a “Lose-A-Palooza” Twibbon to your profile picture (Available 9/14).

Blog:

Post Include the phrase “Lose For Good” in a post about the Lose For Good campaign, and encourage your readers to get involved by visiting WeightWatchers.com/LoseForGood.
Comment Comment on a blog post about Lose For Good. Also, ask your friends to show their support by commenting on your post. Don’t forget to include “Lose For Good” in your comment.
Community Write a post including “Lose For Good” in the Community on WeightWatchers.com.

Foursquare:

Check-In Each check-in at a Weight Watchers meeting can help contribute to the good. Find a meeting.

To support this wonderful campaign, My365toaSize5 will give you an extra entry per current giveaway for each element of this campaign that you participate in! That is a possible seven extra entries per giveaway!!! Just link me to your blog post, Facebook profile, or Foursquare check in so I can see your hashtag.

Coming Soon! CSN Review

2010-09-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be working again with CSN Stores! They have everything from exercise equipment to cheap bedroom furniture. With 200 stores it is hard to find things they don't have!

Wilton Cupcake Starter Kit Review and Giveaway!!

2010-09-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

Cupcakes are so popular right now, and it is so hard to pass on them at gatherings! So when I read a couple of yummy cupcake recipes and tricks on Weight Watchers, I saw that I could eat a scrumptious cupcake for only 3 points, I was thrilled! So of course, my first stop was to Wilton's Website! When you think of delicious and fun desserts, they are always the brand that comes to mind!

First Impression: When I received my package from Wilton's I was very excited! I received a beautiful and sturdy thirteen cupcake stand

a 12 piece cupcake decorating kit:

and of course, the baking pan!

Style/Choices: Wilton's Website has some beautiful decorating ideas and so many things to choose from for every occasion! For instance, my husband wants to have everyone over for a football game next month and I bookmarked these goodies!

Most of my friends can tell you that I love Halloween! In fact I try to plan as many Halloween type events as possible during the glorious month of October. How about these to spice up a ghouly party?

Functionality: These ideas are great, right? But can you really do them yourself? Well, now you can! Wilton's Website not only has great ideas, but great step by step instructions on how to do them as well!

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: Ok my beautiful dieting compadres, please stop giving me the evil stares. I swear I am not helping the devil on your shoulder by enticing you to forget the health food and exercise and jump into a batter of caloric decadence! First off, Weight Watchers has some great cupcake recipes, for instance here is a yummy red velvet cupcake one:

Not up for all of that hard work? Go to the grocery store and get a mix, just replace the oil with applesauce! Now your perfect portion sized cupcake is only a whopping three point indulgence!! So get your Wilton's goodies, use applesauce instead of oil or a healthier recipe, and partake in a yummy guilt free dessert!

Cost Effective: From what I have seen you are getting great quality baking pans, decorating kits, etc.. from Wilton's for a very good price. The only thing that can get expensive are the ingredients from your local grocery store.

Pros:

Amazingly beautiful ways to decorate
Can be used for every occasion
Healthier alternatives
Perfect portion size

Cons:

You "should" only eat just one!

BUY IT: Go to Wilton's web page.

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win the same amazing Wilton's cupcake starter kit that I got! Which includes the 13 cupcake stand, 12 piece decorating kit, and the cupcake baking tin!

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you) US and Canadian residents only

1) Go to Wilton's Website and tell me which cupcake idea you'd like to try first with your new kit ! (1 entry)

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)

4) Subscribe to my Feedburner (1 entry)

5) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

6) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

7) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day (1 entry per day)

8) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)

Winners will be chosen via random.org on August 30th, 2010. Last valid entry can be entered on August 29th, 2010 at midnight PST. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

Skin Free Review and Giveaway - CLOSED

2010-08-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

First Impression: When I first opened my package from Skin Free Skincare, I was very excited! Before kids I used to get monthly manicures and pedicures, and my feet and hands were always soft and pretty. Well along with the decision to stay home with my babies came some sacrifices, and unfortunately the manis and pedis were part of the cutbacks. My beautifully manicured toes and silky moisturized feet have become hard and rough. In fact, when my feet would rub up against my husband he would jump! So the jar I looked forward to using the most from my Skin Free Skincare's Skin Renewal Kit was the hand and foot scrub.

Style/Choices: There are so many allergen free products here to choose from! Facial, body, blemish, mother-baby, soaps and scrubs, and even gift sets!

Functionality: Can I just say that I am in love? After using the hand and foot scrub with a pumice stone on my gross and rough feet they are finally starting to smooth out! No more cracks, flaking, or rough patches! I am a true believer! The acai scrub has given my face a wonderful glow, and the sugar scrub makes my skin tingle and feel so refreshed!

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: Your epidermis is the largest organ in your body, and sometimes gets ignored. It only makes sense that for overall health you need to take good care of your skin. Wash away all of the dead skin cells and let your skin breathe!

Information from the site:

All products distributed by Blue Ridge Gypsy Studio™ are designed and formulated by owner and practicing pharmacist, Julie Hilton, who has over 30 years experience in compounding and natural skin care. “I started the Studio in 2000 when my husband and I moved to the Blue Ridge of Virginia. Our friends were calling us “gypsies”, so the name evolved naturally.”

“Working in a typical retail pharmacy setting, I was constantly frustrated when asked to recommend products for patients with difficult skin problems, especially those with fragrance allergies. I recognized a void in the market and knew that I could offer effective and affordable products to fill it. Atopic dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis are life-long conditions and need to be addressed for the long term. Patients with diabetes or renal disease, pregnant women, babies, the elderly, and patients treated with radiation therapy can all benefit from quality natural products. Even people who just have dry, sensitive skin can appreciate wholesome natural skincare products.”

“Since I personally suffer from chronic allergies and eczema, I understand that it is very important for people with these conditions to maintain the integrity of their skin and reduce their exposure to antigens to help prevent acute outbreaks. These diseases can be quite debilitating and cause increase depression, work loss, and pain."

Naturally occurring vegetable oils and butters contain indigenous nutrients, antioxidants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), and antibacterial agents that petroleum-based oils just don’t have. Natural oils absorb into the skin and do not feel greasy. They also come from replenishable sources, which is a great environmental concern.

"I hope that SkinFree™ products will become widely used and be truly helpful to the ever increasing patient population who need products such as these."

Cost Effective: For the quality of these products, this is a very good price. I have tried numerous over the counter products to heal my dry feet issues, and this is the only one that has ever worked!

Pros:

Soft beautiful feet
glowing skin
pleasant smell
well priced

Cons:

the jars leaked a little bit in the mail

BUY IT: Go to Skin Free Skincare's
web page.

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win the same amazing Skin Free Renewal Kit that I got!

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you) US and Canadian residents only

1) Go to Skin Free Skincare's web site and tell me which product you would like to try most. (1 entry)

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)

4) Subscribe to my Feedburner (1 entry)

5) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

6) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

7) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day (1 entry per day)

8) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)

Winners will be chosen via random.org on August 20th, 2010. Last valid entry can be entered on August 19th, 2010 at midnight PST. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

Update

2010-08-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, so for the past few weeks my blog hasn't been that active and I apologize. My family has been very busy and last week we were all plagued with that stomach flu that has been going around. Yes, I did say plagued, if it went through your household you know exactly what I mean.

I have been good and been sticking to my Weight Watchers plan, though exercise has been going to the wayside. Since it has been so hot out, getting out on my daily walks has honestly not been happening, just so hard to get motivated to take a long hike up numerous steep hills when the sun is beating down in the 90s. Being a stay at home mom, it is very hard to get any "me" time to exercise and take care of myself unless I want to get up before the sun. But I am going to be making it a priority and figure out how to get it done, even if I have to do crunches while little Ellianna crawls around me, or squats while stirring dinner on the stove.

I have some great giveaways coming up, but in the future I will only be doing one giveaway every week or two. These will be amazing and wonderful products, but they will not be as frequent. Doing reviews and giveaways are definitely fun and keep my readership up, but they are very time consuming. Personally my family and my weight loss goals come first, and I need to make them my priority.

A few teasers about giveaways to expect:

Snickidy Snacks
Skin Free Renewal System
Miracle Jeans
Wilton's Cupcake Starter Set along with some yummy guilt free Weight Watchers recipes

Journals for 8/25 - 8/31

2010-08-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

Week of - 8/25 - 8/31

Wednesday:
Weight Watchers Points: 25.5
Exercise: :-(
Housework: Laundry, dusted
Products Used: Skoy Cloth, Ecousable bottle

Thursday:
Weight Watchers Points:
Exercise:
Housework:
Products Used:

Friday:
Weight Watchers Points:
Exercise:
Housework:
Products Used:

Saturday:
Weight Watchers Points:
Exercise:
Housework:
Products Used:

Sunday:
Weight Watchers Points:
Exercise:
Housework:
Products Used: Skoy Cloth, Ecousable bottle

Monday:
Weight Watchers Points:
Exercise:
Housework:
Products Used:

Tuesday:
Weight Watchers Points:
Exercise:
Housework:
Products Used:

Nuts Online Review and Giveaway! CLOSED

2010-08-24T15:51:00.000-07:00

First Impression: When I opened the box containing my Active Lifestyle Sampler Pack from Nuts Online I was so excited! They came in these cute yellow resealable pouches and there were so many!

Flavors/Choices: Nuts Online has so many delicious things to choose from! Nuts, dried fruits, chocolate & sweets, coffee & teas, as well as things to cook and bake with! My favorite section is their gift section. They have the most perfect things to put out before a Thanksgiving dinner while everyone is just hanging out or watching a game. Also, some of these would make wonderful holiday gifts as well!

Taste:After I opened the box, my son grabbed the freeze dried fruit, my husband grabbed the cashews and trail mix, and I opened up a bag of apricots. We were all very satisfied and demolished the packages. I think my favorite was the light vanilla granola, tasted so good in my morning yogurt.

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: Nuts are an excellent source of protein and dried fruit help you attain some of your eight servings of fruit per day.

Cost Effective: From what I have seen Nuts Online's products are very competitively priced.

Pros:

delicious
so many to choose
from
excellent gifts
healthy (most)
they have sampler packs if you just can't decide which to choose

Cons:

I can't think of a single con

BUY IT: Go to Nuts Online's web page.

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win the same amazing Active Lifestyle Sampler Pack that I got! This sampler pack includes: Dried Organic Mango, Dried Apricots, Roasted Cashews (Salted), Organic Cacao Nibs (Raw), Antioxidant Mix, Power Mix, Organic Trail Mix, Simply Fruit Cocktail, Vanilla Light & Crunch Granola, and Organic Quinoa (Gluten-Free)

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you) US and Canadian residents only

1) Go to Nuts Online's web site and tell me which other product you would like to try most. (1 entry)

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)

4) Subscribe to my Feedburner (1 entry)

5) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

6) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

7) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day (1 entry per day)

8) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)

Winners will be chosen via random.org on September 15th, 2010. Last valid entry can be entered on September 14th, 2010 at midnight PST. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

Miraclesuit Slimming Bathing Suit Review and Giveaway! CLOSED

2010-08-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

First Impression: When I first opened my package from MiraclesuitI was not immediately in love. It looked just like a plain "mommy" type suit. But I tried it on and went over to the full length mirrored wardrobe and I couldn't stop staring. I haven't been in a bathing suit for a long time, the only ones I owned previously were string bikinis, and everytime I have tried one on since having babies I have taken it off within seconds and refused to go to the pool or beach. Well, now that I am 20 pounds lighter and have a bathing suit that takes an extra ten off of that, I am ready to go out in public!

Style/Choices: There are so many amazingly beautiful suits to choose from at Miraclesuit! Cyberswim has a great collection of their suits as well as a guide to which one is most flattering for your body. Go check it out!

Functionality: I received the Pandora Suit in black. It is definitely fitted and for a good reason! It holds in the tummy bulge, lifts up the tush, and controls the girls up on top.

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: For me, this definitely promotes a healthy lifestyle. It gives me the confidence to get out there and take the kids to the pool, I am even seeing laps in my future. Anything that helps me get my family outside and active gets an A+ in my book, and my new Miraclesuit is going to do just that! The kids have been battling summer colds, but should be better by this weekend, so come back and I will post pictures of me in the suit at the pool (yes I am feeling that much better about myself in this suit!)

Information From The Site:

At Miraclesuit, we believe in CURVES.

The Miraclesuit® heritage of fit, form and function continues to be the basis of the collection with emphasis on strong print development, new bodies utilizing innovative construction and design details, and a collection of coordinating cover-ups that completes a woman's beach wardrobe. We have also expanded our separates collection and introduced new silhouettes and print directions.

Miraclesuit swimsuits begin with our unique and innovative fabric, Miratex®.

Next, we utilize the best in bra support, including our newest innovation, the one piece molded bra construction that has the underwires built into the foam bra. No more bulky wire construction or wires that poke through after a couple of wearings. We have a bra construction to suit every woman no matter what kind of support she wants.

Pulling it all together is our figure flattering use of prints and strategic use of shirring and draping. This season we are featuring bold graphic patterns, engineered florals, European-inspired prints, modern florals, animal skins and classic dots.

Completing the look is our Swim to Soiree’ sportswear and cover-up grouping, including coordinating pareos, scarves, and beach shirts designed to make a splash.

The Miraclesuit collection is designed to appeal to women of all ages and all sizes—there is something for everyone and every body. When a woman wears Miraclesuit, she feels confident and beautiful.

Cost Effective: The bathing suits are a bit pricey, but I only plan on getting one great suit. In my opinion, you get what you pay for. Cyberswim is having a huge sale right now though! You should go see for yourself - up to 80% off!

Pros:

Takes 10 lbs off!
Supports and accentuates the bust
Makes you look more leggy
Tummy control
Amazing Miratex fabric
Flattering suits for every body type

Cons:

A little expensive

BUY IT: Go to Cyberswim's Website or check out one of the other vendors on Miraclesuit's Website.

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win their very own Miraclesuit!

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you) US and Canadian residents only

1) Go to Cyberswim's Website web site and tell me which suit you would like to win. (1 entry)

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)

4) Subscribe to my Feedburner (1 entry)

5) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

6) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

7) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day (1 entry per day)

8) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)

The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

Baby Blanket Suncare Sunscreen Review and Giveaway - CLOSED

2010-08-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

First Impression: When I first opened the package from Baby Blanket Suncare I was delighted to see a great collection of baby sunscreen! I was very excited to see so many things to try out! Especially the SunBlankie Towelette that I have always been curious about while waiting in the check out line at Toys R Us.

We received 6 Products:
*Titanium Dioxide Sunscreen Lotion, 6 oz. Tube, SPF 50+
*Sunscreen Stick with Zinc Oxide SPF 45+
*Convenience Sunscreen Spray Lotion SPF 45+, 2 oz
*(2)SunBlankie™ Towelette SPF 45+
*Titanium Dioxide Sunscreen Continuous Spray Lotion, 5 oz. Bottle, SPF 70+

Style/Choices: Baby Blanket Suncare has a great line of products! They have baby sunscreen lotions, sprays, towelettes, sticks, and even a line for kids and faces too! They also have cute little packages that come with a pair of sunglasses which I think would make a perfect add on to a gift for a summer birthday baby! I am seriously in love with these products!

Functionality: My neighbor and I decided to put Baby Blanket Suncare's products to the test! We took our kids to the neighborhood water park and tried them all out!

Ellianna (6 months old) tried out the (2)SunBlankie™ Towelette SPF 45+ , I used it all over her; arms, legs, and face. It was great seeing how the sprays and things scare her.

Owen (1.5 yrs old) tried out the Sunscreen Stick with Zinc Oxide SPF 45+ on his face and the Titanium Dioxide Sunscreen Continuous Spray Lotion, 5 oz. Bottle, SPF 70+ on his body.

Connor (3 yrs old) and Gavin (3.5years old) put the water resistance of the lotions/sprays to the test!

Connor used the Sunscreen Stick with Zinc Oxide SPF 45+ on his face and the Titanium Dioxide Sunscreen Lotion, 6 oz. Tube, SPF 50+ on his body. Gavin used the Sunscreen Stick with Zinc Oxide SPF 45+ on his face and the Convenience Sunscreen Spray Lotion SPF 45+, 2 oz on his body.

It was a very hot and sunny day in Southern California and Ellianna, Owen, Connor, and Gavin were safely protected from the harmful UVA and UVB rays. Not one of them left the park with a burn. Of course silly Mommy (me) put some sunscreen on her face but forgot to put some on the rest of her, so I left with a pretty bad burn on my shoulders.

My children have very sensitive skin, they have actually been diagnosed with contact dermatitis by an allergist. So the day before we used the sunscreen, we did a little patch test on their arms. Baby Blanket Suncare passed with flying colors! So it is definitely hypoallergenic!

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: Playing outside is wonderful for obtaining a healthy lifestyle, I try to get my kids outside everyday for at least an hour. To be able to do this safely they need to be wearing some protection from the sun. Wearing the right kind of clothing and sunscreen like Baby Blanket Suncare's products is a definite must.

Information from the Site:

AVOID	direct sunlight between 10 AM and 4 PM

WEAR	sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and a shirt

APPLY	liberally to cool dry skin, 20 minutes prior to sun exposure each and every day

RE-APPLY	after prolonged swimming, towel drying excessive perspiration or any time you feel the need

EXAMINE	your baby's skin once every 3 months

Application Directions: Apply liberally to cool dry skin, 20 minutes prior to sun exposure. Apply liberally to hard to protect areas.For maximum protection reapply after prolonged swimming, towel drying, excessive perspiration or any time you feel the need for extra protection.

Cost Effective: Baby Blanket Suncare's products are very cost effective and comparable to their competitors. They range in price from $2.50 to $14.

Pros:

Doesn't sting their eyes
Hypoallergenic
Water Resistant
Many different products to choose from

Cons:

I really can't come up with one, except for maybe that the lotions and sprays are opaque so you have to do some rubbing in once it is applied.

BUY IT: Go to Baby Blanket Suncare's web page. Or you can buy their products at your local Toys R Us or Babies R Us.

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win the same amazing package of Baby Blanket Suncare products that I got!

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you) US and Canadian residents only

1) Go to Baby Blanket Suncare's web site and tell me which product you would like to try most. (1 entry)

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)

4) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

5) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

6) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day (1 entry per day)

7) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)
8) Subscribe to my Feedburner (1 entry)

Winners will be chosen via random.org on July 20th, 2010. Last valid entry can be entered on July 19th, 2010 at midnight PST. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

The products above were given to me for free to review, I was not compensated in any way. The views depicted above are solely my own, others may have different outcomes or results.

Journals for 8/1-8/7

2010-08-02T06:13:00.000-07:00

Week of - 8/1 - 8/7

Sunday:
Weight Watchers Points: 25
Exercise: Chased Gavin around at a birthday party
Housework: Organized, put away clothes
Products Used: Skoy Cloth, Ecousable bottle, Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier

Monday:
Weight Watchers Points: 24
Exercise: 50 minute hike
Housework: Wiped down kitchen counters, cleaned stove, cleaned microwave, dusted, polished furniture, cleaned bathroom counters, cleaned toilets, laundry - mine, towels, and beddding.
Products Used: EasyLunchBox, Ecousable bottle, Skoy Cloth, Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier, GeoPalz - 3 Winners!, be present Agility Pants, Bebe Soleil Stroller Sunshade, and Enell Sports Bra

Tuesday:
Weight Watchers Points:
Exercise:
Housework:
Products Used:

Wednesday:
Weight Watchers Points:
Exercise:
Housework:
Products Used:

Thursday:
Weight Watchers Points:
Exercise:
Housework:
Products Used:

Friday:
Weight Watchers Points:
Exercise:
Housework:
Products Used:

Saturday:
Weight Watchers Points:
Exercise:
Housework:
Products Used:

Enell Sports Bra Review

2010-08-01T04:15:00.000-07:00

First Impression: My first impression of the Enell Sports Bra was that it looked a lot different than all of the other sports bras I have ever owned. It was shiny, big, and pretty thick, not exactly my idea of sexy. The hook and eye closure system all of the way down the front seemed pretty cumbersome and the thick material looked as if it would be my own personal sweat machine. But read on, as like with my husband, my first impression was way off. This bra has seriously changed my life!

Style/Choices: The Enell Sports Bra comes in white, pink, Ecru, beige, and black. They also have have a lite bra now for low to moderate exercise. If you order a pink one now, 10% will go to help fight breast cancer. My grandmother is a breast cancer survivor, so any company that donates to the cause gets a plus in my book.

Functionality: This bra is amazing! I sent over my measurements to Enell Sports Bra so that I could get the right fit, and they got it perfect! For once while I was bouncing up and down on the elliptical, the 'girls' stayed put! Believe me, this is an amazing comment coming from a nursing mother! The material breathes so well, that even though I was wearing such a thick material, I didn't sweat more than I normally do. This bra is so comfortable, I never want to take it off!

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: This bra definitely promotes a healthy lifestyle by making sure that you get the right support while exercising, which is definitely a necessity! The only thing that should be bouncing around while working out is your ponytail!

Cost Effective: The price on the Enell Sports Bra is between $64-$66 depending on your size. While this is a pretty hefty price, it is worth it for those of us who need superior support while working out. I only have one, but it gets tossed in with who's ever laundry is getting done at night. With how well made this bra is, I know that I can wash it many times and it will still look brand new.

Pros:

Amazing support
Comfortable
Very breathable

Cons:

Not very sexy, but who needs to be sexy while working out?
A little pricey

BUY IT: Go to the Enell Sports Bra web page.

I was given a free product for review and was not compensated. The review above is my own honest opinion and others may have different experiences and/or results.

Gaiam The FIRM 5lb Kettle Bell Kit Review and $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway to CSN Stores! - CLOSED

2010-07-31T04:34:00.000-07:00

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from dumbbells and exercise balls to dinnerware! I love CSN Stores! Everytime I need something, they always have it!

First Impression: When I got the box, I was very excited, I had heard how great of a workout the kettlebell was, so I couldn't wait to try it. The purple kettle bell that came in the
Gaiam's The Firm 5 lb Kettle bell Kit was definitely cute! But don't let it's looks deceive you.

Style/Choices: CSN Stores has many different kettle bells and kettle bell kits to choose from. I chose Gaiam's The Firm 5 lb Kettle bell Kit because it was a great price and I definitely needed some guidance and instruction.

Functionality: I can't remember the last time I did a workout I couldn't finish. There are two workouts, a 45 minute one and a 20 minute one. Since I had gotten up really early (4:30am yeesh!) I decided to do the 45 minute one. After ten minutes I swear that my muscles were already sore. Not like the pulling you get during a workout, I am talking about the soreness you get the day after a really intense and strenuous workout. I ignored the soreness and kept plugging away. There is actually a woman to follow in the background who doesn't do anything full out, for the more novice kettle bell users. Of course, I followed the leader and scoffed at the lady doing the girly push ups. Well, 40 minutes into it with 5 minutes left I had to stop. Now those of you who know me personally, know that I never give up, never stop. In fact at the gym I have to go faster and stay longer than everyone else on the ellipticals near me (no the are not aware that I am constantly competing with them). So now I have a goal, in one month I will master the 45 minute kettle bell workout!

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: Gaiam's The Firm 5 lb Kettle bell Kit definitely promotes a healthy lifestyle! Oh my goodness this thing kicks booty! It works your arms, legs, core, you name it! If you follow the video they will take you through all of the exercises and I guarantee you will feel each and every muscle straining and working to it's fullest.

Cost Effective: If you look a the price of most kettle bell kits, you will see that this is definitely a great low price, shop around and see.

Pros:

It works most of your body's muscles
It even does cardio!
Amazing price
Did I mention that purple is my favorite color?

Cons:

You will be sore!

BUY IT: Go Here

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win $50 CSN Stores Gift Certificate! It can be used in anyone of their 200 stores!

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you) US and Canadian residents only

1) Go to CSN Store's Dinnerware Section and tell us which piece of dinnerware you would like to buy, if you had to choose.

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)
4) Subscribe to my Feedburner (1 entry)

5) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

6) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

7) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name or link (1 entry per day)

8) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)

Bebe Soleil Protective Sun Shade For Strollers - Review and Giveaway! CLOSED

2010-07-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

First Impression: I love my stroller, but the one thing it is lacking is a good sun shade. My son is constantly ducking his head down to try and ward off the glare of the sun. When I stumbled across Bebe Soleil's Sunshade, I knew I had found the solution to our problem. When I opened up the package I was delighted to see how nice and compact the detachable sunshade was. It rolls up and has a loop of stretchy elastic to hold it together while not in use.

Functionality: This sunshade definitely does it's job. It is like the entire top half of my son's body is wearing sunglasses! No more awful glare and worrying about sun damage to my precious little one. Bebe Soleil's Sunshade also attaches with strong magnets, so it is easily attached and detached, which I love! The magnets are strong enough that a toddler's tug won't pull the shade off, which is definitely a plus in my book!

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: This product promotes a healthy lifestyle in two ways:
1) Information from site:

Sun protection is important all year round, not just during high temperature months. UV rays reach you on cloudy and hazy days, as well as bright and sunny days. UV rays will also reflect off any surface like water, cement, sand, and snow so sun protection at any time is a good idea. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

If your child does not have sun protection from these UV rays, you may be damaging their skin and eye sight. One blistering sunburn before the age of 20 can double the risk for developing skin cancer later (Skin Cancer Foundation, 2000a,b,c,d). In addition, children's eyes do not have the same sun protection ability as adults to protect from UV radiation.

Protect your child from harmful UV rays in the bright sun or in the shade with bebe soleil, the sun protection shade.

2) Knowing that your child is protected, you have no excuses to not go for that walk or hike under the summer sun! Get outside and get moving!

Cost Effective: $29.99 is definitely a great deal! A small price to pay to protect your young one's eyes and skin.

Pros:

Easily attaches
Child can see the panoramic views without the glare
Protects your child's skin and eyes
Rolls up for storage

Cons: I can't think of any!

BUY IT: Go here.

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win their very own Bebe Soleil Sunshade
Each comment = 1 entry. The more entries(comments) you do, the better chance you have of winning. If you have any questions about how to enter, please contact me at LaurenTurner949(at)gmail(dot)com.

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you)

1) Go to Bebe Soleil's Website and tell me something that you've learned. (1 entry)

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)

4) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

5) Grab my button and post a link to where it is - (3 entries)

6) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - (1 entry per day)

7) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)
8) Subscribe to my Feedburner (2 entries)

Winners will be chosen via random.org on August 15th, 2010. Last valid entry can be entered on August14th, 2010 at midnight PST. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

Journals for 7/25-7/31

2010-07-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

Week of 7/25-7/31

Sunday:
Weight Watchers Points: Cheat day - went to the OC Fair
Exercise: Walked all day long
Housework: Nothing - spent the day at the fair
Products Used: Ecousable bottle , EasyLunchBox, Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier, GeoPalz

Monday:
Weight Watchers Points: 30
Exercise: Lots of housecleaning - got down and scrubbed the floors
Housework: cleaned stove, microwave, sinks, kitchen counters, bathroom counters, toilets, and floors. Dusted and polished too! Did the bedding and towel laundry as well. * All while taking care of my kids and babysitting. I am impressed with myself, but now..... I feel like I could sleep for a thousand years.
Products Used: EasyLunchBox, Ecousable bottle, Skoy Cloth, Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier

Tuesday:
Weight Watchers Points: 25
Exercise: Elliptical for 35 minutes
Housework: Diaper laundry, mopped kitchen again, wiped down counters
Products Used: EasyLunchBox, Ecousable bottle, Skoy Cloth, Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier

Wednesday:
Weight Watchers Points: 29
Exercise: Exercise Ball
Housework: NA
Products Used: EasyLunchBox, Ecousable bottle, Skoy Cloth, Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier

Thursday:
Weight Watchers Points: 23
Exercise: Chased Gavin all over a water park
Housework: Cooked and cleaned the playroom
Products Used: EasyLunchBox, Ecousable bottle, Skoy Cloth, Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier, FitBALL

Friday:
Weight Watchers Points: 25
Exercise: Chasing the kids
Housework: Wiped down counters, cleaned stove
Products Used: EasyLunchBox, Ecousable bottle, Skoy Cloth, Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier,

Saturday:
Weight Watchers Points: 23
Exercise: :-(
Housework: :-(
Products Used: Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier,

be present Yoga Agility Pants Review and Giveaway! CLOSED

2010-07-23T05:14:00.000-07:00

First Impression: After opening the box I was greeted by a beautiful teal color! The material had a light, smooth, and stretchy feel to it, very conducive for yoga. It felt so wonderful, so I ran to try them on. be present's Agility Pants definitely do not disappoint!

Style/Choices: be present's Agility Pants come in sizes extra small, small, medium, large, and extra large. They also have seventeen beautiful colors to choose from! Another option is that you can buy be present's Agility Pants with a cute lillypad lotus design on the back.

Functionality: be present's Agility Pants are made with a special fabric called, "Breathe Weave" - a lightweight, woven fabric with stretch that dries quickly. For yoga, this fabric is amazing! Keeps you feeling light, dry, and cool while doing your yoga stretches and poses.

Information From The Site:
• be present’s signature pant
• Back slits
• Two front patch pockets
• Drawstring waist
• 26.25” – 27.25” inseam
• Darted knees
• Sits comfortably on the high hip, providing maximum
coverage during practice

Fabric: Breathe Weave™ - a lightweight, woven fabric with stretch that dries quickly

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: be present's Agility Pants definitely help promote a healthy lifestyle by enabling you to have an excellent Yoga workout! They will maximize your comfort allowing you to have an extra long session. I have also used these pants while doing cardio, which definitely put them to the test! They passed with flying colors!

Cost Effective: be present's Agility Pants cost $63, which does put them on the high end of the spending spectrum. Personally, I think comfort during exercise is worth it, and you will definitely wear your money's worth.

Pros:

Wonderful "Breathe Weave" fabric
Beautiful colors to choose from
Comfortable cut
Adjustable draw string

Cons:

Price is a little high

BUY IT: Go to be present's web site.

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win their very own pair of Agility Pants!

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you) US and Canadian residents only

1) Go to be present's web site and tell me what other product you would like to try.

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (1 entry)

4) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment (2 entries)

5) Grab my button and post a link to where it is (3 entries)

6) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day (1 entry per day)

7) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)
8) Subscribe to my Feedburner (2 entries)

Winners will be chosen via random.org on August 15th, 2010. Last valid entry can be entered on August 14th, 2010 at midnight PST. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

This is not a paid review, I was given the product for free. The free product did not influence this review nor my opinions expressed within. Others may have different experiences with the product and/or views.

FitBALL Sport Review from CSN Stores

2010-07-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

First Impression: The FitBALL looks exactly like it does in the picture! A really pretty shiny blue, and when blown up it has the perfect resistance and softness to enable an awesome ab routine. I love how CSN Storeshas an entire store dedicated to fitness!

Style/Choices: The FitBALL comes in blue, black, and white. You also have a choice in size and if you would like it to be hard or soft. I chose soft and a medium sized ball.

Functionality: The FitBALL is very functional! The ball is a great tool to work on your core/balance, upper body, lower body, general balance, and for warming up.

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: I think this is pretty self explanatory! Building your balance and core is key to a healthy lifestyle and the FitBALL is the perfect tool to achieve the perfect level of fitness. It is pretty common to see physical fitness trainers using stability balls as the sole exercise tool in training sessions.

Information From Website: Ball Dynamics® has been family owned and operated since 1990. We were founded by a physical therapist, Joanne Posner-Mayer, to ensure that her clients and other physical therapists had access to the highest-quality exercise and therapy ball products. Since that time, BDI has been a leading source and educator for physical therapists and fitness professionals, offering a full line of FitBALL® exercise balls, ball accessories, and educational products for core strength training and therapy.

Cost Effective: The ball is extremely cost effective! In fact I had no idea that you could get them so cheap! It is only $15.96! If you find it cheaper anywhere else CSN Stores has a link to report it. They strive to make their customers happy which is another reason why this company is so great!

Pros:

Inexpensive
Can be used for all elements of fitness
Sizes and colors to choose from
Comes with an exercise chart

Cons:

Doesn't come with a pump, so if you don't have one you need to spend a little more to purchase the kit that comes with the pump.

BUY IT: Go here FitBALL.

I was not paid to do this review, the product was given to me for free but in no way influenced my opinions. Others may have different views and results.

Journals for 7/18 - 7/24

2010-07-18T05:33:00.001-07:00

Week of - 7/18-7/24

Sunday:
Weight Watchers Points: 30
Exercise: FitBALL
Housework: Organized, packed Mike and Gavin's lunches
Products Used: Skoy Cloth, Ecousable bottle, EasyLunchBox

Monday:
Weight Watchers Points: 30 - darn you In n Out!
Exercise: FitBALL
Housework: Cooked and cleaned the kitchen
Products Used: Skoy Cloth, Ecousable bottle, EasyLunchBox

Tuesday:
Weight Watchers Points: 28
Exercise: FitBALL
Housework: Diaper laundry, my laundry
Products Used: Skoy Cloth, Ecousable bottle, EasyLunchBox

Wednesday:
Weight Watchers Points: 24
Exercise: 50 Minute Hike
Housework: Cleaned kitchen
Products Used: Skoy Cloth, Ecousable bottle, EasyLunchBox, Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier, GeoPalz

Thursday:
Weight Watchers Points: 25
Exercise: FitBALL, Elliptical for 40 minutes
Housework: Lots of laundry, wiped down counters, made lunches for Mike and Gavin
Products Used: Skoy Cloth, Ecousable bottle, EasyLunchBox, Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier

Friday:
Weight Watchers Points: 23
Exercise: :-(
Housework: :-(
Products Used: Skoy Cloth, Ecousable bottle, Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier

Saturday:
Weight Watchers Points: 29
Exercise: :-(
Housework: Put away laundry and did diaper laundry
Products Used: Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier - wore it during a birthday party, made life so much easier

I love Tuesdays!

2010-07-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

While you're here check out my giveaways! Thank you for stopping by!

$50 Gift Certificate

be present Agility Pants

Please leave me a comment and I promise to follow back! Click on the banners to learn more!

Once I have followed you back, I will delete your comment, this way I can keep track! Thank you!!!

How to Breastfeed in a Beco Butterfly II

2010-07-12T06:05:00.000-07:00

Thank you Orange County Baby Wearers for teaching me how. If you watch the video and still have problems please contact me and I will help you out LaurenTurner949(at)gmail(dot)com. I have helped over a dozen of my friends, all with different body types, and everyone of them is now successfully nursing in their Beco Butterfly.

Journals for 7/11 - 7/17

2010-07-11T05:48:00.000-07:00

Week of - 7/11 - 7/18

Sunday:
Weight Watchers Points: 28
Exercise: Yoga
Housework: Cleaned out car, reinstalled car seats, put away Gavin's and diaper laundry
Products Used: Ecousable bottle, Aurorae Yoga Mat , Yoga By The Dozen

Monday:
Weight Watchers Points: 26
Exercise: 50 minute hike
Housework: Cleaned stove, microwave, counters, kitchen table, organized living room
Products Used: Ecousable bottle, Skoy Cloth , Beco Butterfly II
Notes: Long day, very tired. Gavin did awesome at his swimming lesson.

Tuesday:
Weight Watchers Points: 20
Exercise: :-(
Housework: :-(
Products Used: :-(
Note: Today we drove all the way out to BFE to get a train table for Gavin off of Craigslist, then swimming lessons. Spent no time at home.

Wednesday:
Weight Watchers Points: 24
Exercise: :-(
Housework: :-(
Products Used: Ecousable bottle, Beco Butterfly II
Notes: I was so tired and unmotivated today, everytime the babies went to take a nap, I did too. Babysat today.

Thursday:
Weight Watchers Points: 29
Exercise: Kettlebell workout - Kicked my booty! Sore already! Link and review to come next week
Housework: Laundry - diapers, bedding, & towels
Products Used: Ecousable bottle, Beco Butterfly II

Friday:
Weight Watchers Points: 22
Exercise: Still sore from my Kettlebell workout!
Housework: Cleaned counters
Products Used: Ecousable bottle, Skoy Cloth , Beco Butterfly II

Saturday:
Weight Watchers Points: 25
Exercise: Lots of intense housework!
Housework: Cleaned kitchen counters, kitchen table, stove, dusted and polished all furniture, cleaned toilets, cleaned bathroom counters, windexed mirrors, and completely reorganized playroom.
Products Used: Ecousable bottle, Skoy Cloth , Beco Butterfly II

GeoPalz Activity Tracker Review and Giveaway! 3 Winners! Great Pedometer for Kids! - CLOSED

2010-07-09T04:35:00.000-07:00

First Impression: I was so excited when I got my GeoPalz package in the mail, and even more excited when I opened it up! The pedometers are adorable and so edgey! Gavin was excited too, and immediately wanted to know how to use them. We got the JujuBug and the Rock-N-Roll one!

Style/Choices: They have twelve styles to choose from at the moment, and every three months new ones are released. They have cutesy, edgy, fantasy, and rock. The newest addition is a virtual pedometer so if you already have a pedometer, you can use that one and still use the amazingly motivating software on the GeoPalz site.

Functionality: GeoPalz pedometers are not just cute, they work very well too! The arty design holds a very durable pedometer inside a special fitted pocket. Gavin checked to make sure that it is accurate (imagine a 3 year old walking around counting his steps while clutching his edgy Rock - n -Roll, see it is educational too!

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: I think this is a no brainer! What better way to motivate your child to get off of the couch and start getting some exercise! They have an amazing program where at the end of everyday you log in your steps and once you hit certain benchmarks, you get awards and prizes.

Of course the prizes promote a healthy lifestyle as well!

You get a fun pedometer, an interactive way to log in your steps, great prizes, and an online community so the kids can support each other.

Parent Involvement: Here is my favorite part, every week I get an email telling me about Gavin's progress! I think I use mine more than Gavin uses his, did you know that my hike is approximately 5000 steps! So neat!

Cost Effective: GeoPalz are only $19.99! What a great deal! They run about as much as a regular pedometer without all of the cool software.

Pros:

Gets your child off of the couch and outdoors
Fun designs
Prizes
Awards
Parent notification emails

Cons:

The designs are very fun for older kids, but for my three year old boy, he would probably rather have a sports one than an edgy one. Sometimes we swap and he takes the Jujubug one.
The logging of steps is on your honor, so older kids might need to be monitored.

BUY IT: Go to the GeoPalz web page.

WIN IT: Three of my lucky readers will win their very own GeoPalz pedometer!

1 COMMENT = 1 ENTRY, the more entries (comments) you have, the better chance you have of winning. If you do an entry worth 3 comments, leave 3 comments. If you have any questions please email me at LaurenTurner949(at)gmail(dot)com

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you)

1) Go to the GeoPalz web site and tell me which pedometer you would like! (one entry)

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry, if it counts as 2 or 3, then leave 2 or 3 extra entries)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (one entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (one entry)
4) "Like" GeoPalz on Facebook (one entry)

5) Follow GeoPalz on Twitter(one entry)

6) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment - (2 entries)

7) Grab my button and post a link to where it is - (3 entries)

8) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name or URL - can only do this once a day (1 entry)

9) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)
10) Subscribe to my Feedburner (2 entries)

Winners will be chosen via random.org on July 30th, 2010. Last valid entry can be entered on July 29th, 2010 at midnight PST. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

I was given a product for free to write this review but was not given any monetary compensation. The opinions depicted above are my own, others may have different outcomes.

iGearUSA.com Review

2010-07-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

First Impression: I wasn't sure what iGearUSA was sending me until I opened up the box. I was so excited to see a beautiful soft case for my iphone! It also came with a screen protector, which I desperately needed.

Style/Choices: If you check out iGearUSA's website you will see that there are so many accessories you can get for your apple and blackberry products! I personally love the bling cases!

Functionality: The case I got was very functional, and definitely necessary! I regret downloading preschool applications because Gavin now thinks it is his personal gaming phone. Which means that it gets dropped constantly. Ever since I got the case and screen protector, I haven't had any new scratches, I truly wish I had bought these a long time ago.

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: While exercising some good tunes are definitely a motivator. Sometimes while rocking out to your favorite tunes your phone may slip and fall, when it is wearing protective gear from iGearUSA, you will feel a lot better about those mp3 tumbles. Plus they also have headphones, another necessity.

Cost Effective: These are well priced and high quality.

BUY IT: Go to iGearUSA's web page. Use code vip10 for 10% off your purchase

My First Wordless Wednesday - Scenes from Our Hiking Trail

2010-07-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Organic Beco Butterfly II Baby Carrier Review and Giveaway! - CLOSED

2010-07-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

First Impression: The carrier comes in a beautiful box with a picture of a mom happily wearing her baby in an adorable carrier! Inside the box you get the amazing Beco Butterfly II Baby Carrier, an infant insert (so you can wear your itty bitty newborn), a headrest/hood, an easy to follow instructional DVD, and an owners manual.

Style/Choices: You will never find a more beautiful carrier out there. The choices are amazing, the prints are stunning! Just go to their website and check them out!

Functionality: These carriers are extremely functional! They are super easy to use and it will enable you to get tasks done that you never thought possible! I cook, clean, hike, shop, breastfeed, chase my three year old around, and every other day to day activity while wearing Ellianna in my Beco Butterfly II.

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: You are probably wondering how my obsession with this amazing carrier relates to my blog's goals of a healthy lifestyle and weight loss. If you look at my journals you will notice that I go on a lot of walks/hikes. During these hikes, little Ellianna is snuggled up next to mommy in her Beco Butterfly II. Not only does this keep baby happy, it also adds to my Weight Watchers Activity Points, yes my weight loss buddies.... carrying weight (your precious baby bundle) helps burn those calories!

Cost Effective: It took me a while to convince my dear husband to let me buy my first Beco Butterfly II, because they run around $140. When I finally convinced him to let me get one with my son Gavin, I rushed out and bought the River print and my husband regretted not getting it for me earlier. All of a sudden the house was cleaner, dinner was made on time, and I was much more eager to go out and do chores. All while wearing my toddler on my back. In fact, once in a while Gavin still begs to get in the carrier (which can carry up to 45 lbs).

My Becos:
You may notice that throughout this review you see three Beco Butterfly IIs. The first one I bought was the River print, which is now kept in my car for outings. The second one is the Kassie print which I designed and won through a contest on MyBecoBaby, this Beco is for around the house and hikes. The third one is the Organic Panther one that I was given for this review, which my husband has claimed. Can never have too many Becos!!

Information from the site:

PRODUCT FEATURES

newborn to toddler (7-45 lbs/3.5 - 20 kg)
front and back carry
easy On and OFF features
high quality tested materials
machine washable
DVD instructions included
made in USA and China

PRODUCT MEASUREMENTS

body 13" wide x 16" tall
shoulder straps 23" (can be adjusted up to 22" LONGER for a total of 45")
waist belt 28"(size 0) can be adjusted up to 57"
weight capacity of the carrier: 7-45 lbs
weight of the carrier: 1.8 lbs

INCLUDED WITH PURCHASE

Baby Carrier
Head Rest (Hood)
Infant Insert
DVD Instructions
Owners Manual

Pros:

The benefits of
babywearing are immeasurable! Both of my babies were worn numerous times throughout the day and every week people comment on how happy and content they are.
Wearing baby burns calories.
The Beco Butterfly II is extremely easy to use and fits both my husband (6'5") and I (5'2") with room to spare!
Did I mention they are gorgeous??
The inside panel allows the sleeping baby to be put down to finish his/her snooze as well as the ability to pass baby between parents.
Easy to breastfeed in and while baby nurses upright it helps with digestion. Plus it easy to be discreet.
While wearing your baby at Disneyland, you can go on almost every ride with him/her! I was pleasantly surprised!
It allows you to spend time and interact more with your older children

Cons:

The hood is a little baggy when I use it with Ellianna

Improvement Suggestions:

Putting more snaps on the hood to make it smaller if need be.
Hard to come up with anything else, this carrier is so perfect! Maybe a pocket to hold your keys?

Gemini soon to be revealed!
Like most avid Beco fans, I am eagerly awaiting their newest carrier! The Gemini carrier is going to be the biggest break through for babywearing! The straps will have the ability to criss cross on the back to help alleviate the baby's weight and the baby will have the ability to face out!! I am so excited! I may even have the opportunity to review this wonderful new carrier, so stay tuned!

BUY IT: Go to Beco Baby Carrier's web page.

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win their own Organic Beco Butterfly II Carrier in the Panthers print!!!!

1) Go to Beco Baby Carrier's web site and tell me which other Beco Butterfly II print you would like! (one entry)

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry, if it counts as 2 or 3, then leave 2 or 3 extra entries)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook (one entry)

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter (one entry)
4) "Like" Beco Baby Carriers on Facebook (one entry)

5) Follow Beco Baby Carrier on Twitter(one entry)

6) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment - (2 entries)

7) Grab my button and post a link to where it is - (3 entries)

8) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name or URL - can only do this once a day (1 entry)

9) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one (1 entry per giveaway)
10) Subscribe to my Feedburner (2 entries)

Yoga for Kids DVD Review and Giveaway - Yoga By The Dozen - CLOSED

2010-07-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

First Impression: I was very excited when I opened up the package! Not only was there a colorful DVD with cute kiddos doing poses on the front, we got a Yoga T shirt as well! Yoga By The Dozen's T-shirt has all of the organs that you use in Yoga to help the kids do the poses right, for instance - breathing from the lungs. The DVD and T Shirt set would make an excellent gift!

Functionality: I was a little nervous popping the DVD in, anyone who has been around a three year old boy knows that getting them to do anything for an extended period of time can be challenging, especially something slow like Yoga. Well, Yoga By The Dozen's JoAnna Ross has nailed it! Not only did Gavin follow her directions, he was eager to go onto the . She teaches the pose and the kids do it with her, then she has a student go into the center of the circle and model it, then onto the next pose. Slow enough for the kids to attempt the pose, learn the word, but fast paced enough to keep your little one's attention.

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: Starting yoga for kids at such a young age is very beneficial, it will help them keep their flexibility, keeps them active (especially when weather is keeping them indoors), helps with posture, learning how to concentrate and remember... too many benefits to list. My favorite is that Yoga By The Dozen is definitely something that we can do together.

Information From The Site:

Yoga By The Dozen™ promotes a healthy lifestyle for kids through their highly acclaimed ‘Yoga By The Dozen’ DVD and their complete line of lifestyle products for yoga. The top-selling DVD is a fun, interactive children’s yoga video, designed especially for kids ages 2-6. JoAnna and her 12 friends demonstrate a ‘dozen’ fundamental poses that will introduce your children into the exciting world of Yoga.

Key Benefits:

Increase Cognitive & Motor skills
Confidence, Courage and Self-Esteem
Balance & Coordination
Memory Retention and Concentration
Nurture Creativity and Self Expression
Respect for themselve and each other
Proven therapy for kids with ADHD and Autism

JoAnna Ross, founder of Yoga By The Dozen™ is a life long performer. Having danced on Broadway for years she found her natural charisma clicked with kids.

Here are some pictures of my little Yogi doing Yoga By The Dozen

Cost Effective: $17.99 is definitely a great price for such an amazing product! I also suggest buying the T-shirt so your kid feels like he/she is in the class. The Yoga mat with hand and feet prints would make it a complete gift set, I know Gavin would definitely enjoy having his own Yoga Mat.

Pros:

Promotes a healthy lifestyle
Keeps the kid(s) attention
Educational
Something the family can do together

Cons:

The only con I can come up with is that watching the DVD is probably not as fun as being in JoAnna's class!

BUY IT: Go to Yoga By The Dozen's web page.

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win a Yoga By The Dozen DVD

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you)

1) Go to Yoga By The Dozen's web site and tell me which of the poses listed you would like to try.

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter

4) Follow Yoga By The Dozen on Facebook

5) Follow Yoga By The Dozen on Twitter

6) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment

7) Grab my button and post a link to where it is - 3 extra entries

8) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day

9) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one
10) Subscribe to my Feedburner (2 entries)

Eco Friendly Lunch Box Review and Giveaway - Closed

2010-06-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

First Impression: I was so excited when I got the box in the mail from
EasyLunchBoxes.com. When I opened the box I was definitely not disappointed! Gavin picked out the red one (he is in a red phrase) and it was a nice rustic red color. The containers were well made as well and had lids to go with them.

Style/Choices: The color choices for your
EasyLunchBoxes.com cooler bag are black, dark red, olive, purple and aqua. It is easy to find a color lunch box system to please your eye.

Functionality: The
EasyLunchBoxes.com system is very functional! The containers are nice and sturdy and the cooler bag easily fits a container, ice pack, and a drink with room to spare! In fact we went on a picnic and I packed up three of the containers and they all fit into the cooler bag!

How it Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle: As you know, the goal of my blog is to promote a healthy lifestyle for myself as well as my children, one of the first things I did was hunt down a eco friendly lunch box system for my family.
EasyLunchBoxes.com easily fit the bill. A lunch box system is definitely necessary for a healthy lifestyle, not only because it is a green alternative to the brown paper bag, but because when you have a nice fresh meal packed and ready to go everyday, you have no reason to end up in line at an artery clogging drive thru. Everynight I lay out the boxes and pack up lunches for my husband, myself, and Gavin - even if we are just staying home. There is a compartment for our main meal (usually a lean cut protein or salad), a compartment for vegetables, and a compartment for fruit. It is perfect to help us maintain a well balanced meal.

Cost Effective: The
EasyLunchBoxes.com system will cost you aproximately $22. This is a little bit expensive compared to the ones you can get in the market by some name brands. Though in this case, you get what you pay for. The cheapy name brand ones are flimsy and you will most likely be replacing them often, where as
EasyLunchBoxes.com has containers that will last a very long time, which of course make it more of a green friendly lunch box.

Information from the site:

My clever solution to the lunch-packing chore is the simple two piece EasyLunchbox container : The bottom has three compartments to hold an entree or sandwich and two side dishes. The fitted lid (which comes in 4 colors) covers all three compartments at once. No more squished sandwiches, mismatched plastic container pieces to keep track of (matching up all those bottoms and lids was the thing that drove me nuts!) or wasteful baggies. Fits perfectly inside the roomy EasyLunchbox custom carrying bag. And there is still plenty of room to throw in an extra snack or two, whole fruit, perhaps a thermos of soup, drink and ice block. Flexibility is key, and since so many different things can fit, no matter what menu you choose to include, it packs easily and quickly. It's amazing how much faster, greener, & easier lunch box packing is with the EasyLunchbox system.

Supporting the waste-free lunch movement, EasyLunchboxes.com offers a reusable, superior solution at a much lower price than other companies.

Great for large families and those on a limited budget.

FDA approved. No BPA, phthalates, lead, vinyl, or PVC. Safe for dishwasher and microwave.

The simple chic design and bright colors of our Cooler Bags can even be personalized! We have included a sturdy grommet in the carrying handle so you can easily attach a pretty key ring, dietary restrictions warning tag, or your choice of any type of handcrafted or store bought “flair.” Examples HERE Our Cooler Bags are made of the highest quality 300D Polyester for premium durability and toughness. Vinyl free (PVC free) & lead free, with an FDA compliant PEVA lining.

Pros:

Great colors
Promotes healthy food choices
4 awesome containers
Dishwasher safe

Cons:

A little pricey

I was given the product for free for this review, I was not compensated in any way and the views depicted above are my own. Others my have different experiences and outcomes.

BUY IT: Go to the EasyLunchBoxes.com web page.

WIN IT: One of my lucky readers will win an EasyLunchBoxes.com system

Mandatory Entry: (you must be a public follower and leave me a way to contact you) US and Canadian residents only

1) Go to EasyLunchBoxes.com's web site and tell me which color cooler box you would like.

Additional Entries (leave one comment per additional entry)

2) "Like" My365toaSize5 on Facebook

3) Follow My365toaSize5 on Twitter

4) Write a blog post about this giveaway and link me to it in your comment

5) Grab my button and post a link to where it is - 3 extra entries

6) Tweet about this giveaway, leave me your twitter name - can only do this once a day

7) Enter another one of my giveaways and tell me which one

Winners will be chosen via random.org on July 15th, 2010. Last valid entry can be entered on July 14th, 2010 at midnight PST. Winners have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen via random.org.

MBTs, Shape Ups, Rock and Tones, Easy Tones, Ryns... Thoughts?

2010-06-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

Between 3-5 times a week I go on this great walk/hike. I love it so much, it is the best way to get exercise with two kids. I have read and heard so much about these shoes that are supposed to help your posture as well as give you more of a work out. The first few times I did our hellish walk I really felt the burn for a few days, while the walk is still challenging (pictures to come next month), I am never really sore after anymore. I would love to try a pair of these wonder shoes to see if I will feel more of a burn. Of course I haven't heard back from any of the companies.

So I am going to my readers, have any of you tried any of these shoes? Do they really work? Any reviews?

Honestly I think that some of them look a little too orthopedic, but if they work, hey I am game. Please comment if you have any experience with MBTs, Shape Ups, Rock and Tones, Easy Tones, and or Ryns.

CSN Stores Review

2010-06-21T17:51:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! A great store that has everything from LED lighting, baby accessories, to exercise equipment! CSN is giving me $40 to spend in their fitness store! What do you think I should get??? They have so much exercise equipment to choose from! Kettlebells, ellipticals, you name it, they have it!