Back-to-School Survival Supplies for the Ladies!

 This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

#CycleSurvival #CollectiveBias

Y'all ready for this? ;) 

I go back into to my class in a little over two weeks. This gives me a little bit of anxiety because, as a teacher, I hate to see summer coming to an end. Of course, I love to meet my new students, but the idea of "Back to School" makes me a little anxious. I am not ready to say goodbye to summer yet. 

"Cycle Survival" can sometimes not be the most fun thing in the world. Period symptoms are not very fun, I will tell you that much. But there are so many remedies nowadays that can help with this process, and for that, I am VERY grateful! I always keep a little basket of Survival Supplies for me (and for my girl students if they need!) just in case. Teaching 6th grade means you get to watch out for the girls in this manner! 

Sometimes it is challenging to deal with these side effects. Yet, there are also so many POSITIVE aspects of being a woman. I always remind myself how grateful I am for the opportunity to have things that help me every month, instead of just living in pain constantly. I am grateful that I can have supplies that make me feel more confident as I deal with this process every month! 

My Cycle Survival Supplies usually rotate in and out, but there are always three products that are constantly repeated: 

U by Kotex CleanWear® by U

BiC Shaving Products

EOS Lip Balm

The U by Kotex CleanWear® has protection, but it doesn't even feel like you are wearing anything, that is why I love them so much!! It has a 3d Capture so you don't have to deal with embarrassing period stories (Oh my…I can't even begin to tell you some of mine) while being very comfortable. 

I usually add in some Excedrin Migraine (because headaches and migraines always come during the special time of month) and a yummy treat. Pop Tarts are perfect to have in the basket in my classroom because I can warm them up in my faculty room. And is it just me or do we all need a little something sweet during those "sweet times." ;) 

I keep all of these products in a cute little basket in a cupboard in my classroom. It is the perfect little "Cycle Survival Kit" for me during the school day. I add in some tampons in case the girls need to use them as well. 

You can find these products in the "feminine care" aisle at your local Walgreens. 

You can find these two products in the "shaving" and "travel size" aisle at your local Walgreens. 

As of right now, if you buy $15 of participating U by Kotex / EOS / BIC products, you will receive 3,000 Balance Reward Points at Walgreens. I currently have ten dollars to spend at my local Walgreens because of my rewards points card! 

You can find more inspirational and awesome posts about Cycle Survival here. 

Five Reasons Why You Need a Dog.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PetsLoveBeyond #CollectiveBias

1. It's fun to spoil a dog. 

See, with kids you can kind of spoil them, but not really, because you don't want them to be brats. But with dogs, you can spoil them as much as you want. You can give them treats and cuddles and let them sit on your lap in the car. It's like being a grandma except this "kid" doesn't talk back. I love spoiling Saylor with Purina® Beyond® Grain Free pet food. She LOVES the Ranch Raise Lamb recipe because, well, MEAT! Because of her mix, she is allergic to grain (diva) so we love to give her this food that doesn't upset her stomach and this works great. It has all natural ingredients and includes real meat--which is Saylor's favorite. 

H-E-B is my preferred retailer for Purina® Beyond® Grain Free Dog Food. You can find this product in the "Dry Dog Food" Aisle of your local H-E-B. Mine was located at the top of the shelf. 

2. Sometimes dogs are cuter than kids. 

I mean, come on, guys. Let's be real here for a second. There are a LOT of beautiful children (AKA anyone in my family…duh), but there are also some really unfortunate looking children. As of right now, I don't know if I'm willing to take the chance of having an ugly kid, people. Because it could happen. If that child gets Tanner's teeth with my mouth…not good. Anywho, you can choose a dog that is as adorable as Saylor. She's a mini aussie doodle and she's kind of the prettiest dog out there. 

3. Dogs love you more than anything. 

I leave the house to take the garbage out and I come back in and she's just as excited to see me as if I left for ten hours. I can't tell you how awesome it is to have an animal adore you no matter what you do. It's amazing. 

4. You have an excuse to get outside. 
I love having a dog because even if I don't have time to do an excessive hike or go to the gym, I always walk my dog. She loves to be outside so I get that time to walk her and get some fresh air myself. I love having a buddy that goes on hikes, walks, and hangs outside with me when I'm reading in my hammock.

5. It brings your family closer together. 
I know this sounds weird, but Saylor has brought us closer. We love to take her on walks together, we love to play with her. I swear…42% of our conversations revolve around having a dog. (I didn't know you could talk about a dog's poop so much?). She is so fun to have around. If you have kids, the kids all play with her together. It was so funny to watch all of my nieces and nephews play with her this past week. They all wanted to give her commands, lay on her, play fetch with her.

I mean, hello. Dogs are the best (specifically, Saylor.) 

Yes, I know. Go have a kid. blah blah blah. 

What Grain Free dog food do you use for your favorite furry friend? :)
What are some other reasons why you love your dog?

HomeMaker. Yikes.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PowerfulProtein #CollectiveBias

Sigh. Homemaking. The ever so controversial topic. ;)

Being a religious woman, I feel an immeasurable amount of pressure to be the perfect homemaker: to cook, clean, design & furnish a home, do laundry, garden, etc. Please don't tell me that I am the only one who feels this? Is this just a religious thing or do most women feel this way?

I am a horrible cook, so I rarely do it. I love to clean, but I am a perfectionist when it comes to cleaning so I will spend 3 hours on one bathroom and that is just too much time for one little space! I love to design and furnish my home, but I don't have the budget that I want. Ha.

This past week, I had my sister and her four kids staying in my cute little home. It was hectic, but I loved having them here (and so did Saylor!). I wanted more than anything to be able to have my home all completely moved in (yea, we still have some boxes here and there) and furnished. I wanted a kitchen table and a couch and a coffee table. My problem is that I am quite particular and have such a distinct taste, but nothing I find is even close to my price range. I have expensive taste, unfortunately. I felt bad that I didn't have a big enough couch for them to sit on, or a big enough kitchen table for all of the kids to dine at. I know that THEY didn't care, but I did. I love to host and I want people to love to come to my home and feel comfortable.

But, see, what I realized as I was thinking about this is: That is a huge part about being a homemaker. That's what I think some people fail to understand! People don't care what kind of couch you have or what your kitchen cabinets look like--they want to feel comfortable and welcome in your home. THAT is what makes a good homemaker, in my opinion.

I've also learned this: I have never met a woman who is amazing at every aspect of homemaking.
I know women who are amazing cooks, but their home is not super clean.
I know women who have immaculate homes, but they will avoid laundry at all costs.
I know women who will garden for hours, but not cook their own meals!

I mentioned above that I am a horrible cook. I thought that I would learn to love it because I am a creative person and maybe now that I have a bigger kitchen, I might. But who knows. As of now, I don't love it. Even after 2 years of marriage. Especially after a long day of teaching, the last thing that I want to do is put together a meal. Plus, it is really hard to cook for two people! I don't particularly want the same leftovers for 5 days.

So yes, sometimes I am a wife who just doesn't have time to prepare from-scratch meals for her husband every day. And that's okay. On nights when I am gone, working late, or simply out on the town, I simply give my husband a STOUFFER'S® Fit Kitchen meal to cook. These meals are easy and balanced and have an incredible source of protein with 25 grams each. They are so convenient it only takes ten minutes to prepare. 

He's very focused while watching tv. Typical guy.

Don't mind my messy, unfurnished home. Ironic ;) See how focused he is while eating his yummy meal?

You can find these meals at your local Walmart in the frozen meal aisle. 

How would new STOUFFER'S® Fit Kitchen fit into your lifestyle?

Follow for more info: 

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What do you love about homemaking?
What don't you love about homemaking? 
What are things that make the process of being a homemaker easier for you? 

Battle Creek Falls // Utah Hiking

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HydrationToGo #CollectiveBias

There is something so therapeutic about doing my exercise outside while doing hikes. I love being outside in nature while getting my exercise. It is peaceful, but rewarding at the same time. I love hikes. I love them! I did another awesome hike called Battle Creek Falls! 

One important thing I need to remember as I embark on my "Hiking Extravaganzas (if you even want to call them that) is to bring water and other things to keep me hydrated and to keep my energy up. It is very dry here in Utah and I have to remember to stop and take drinks because I get light headed so easily in the high elevation and heat. So, for this hike, I put together a little pack to take with me. This pack is super simple and I just throw it into a backpack. 

I shopped at CVS pharmacy to gather my Hydration Kit and went on my way! 

Hiking Hydration Pack Tutorial

Step 1: Go to your local CVS pharmacy and grab any combination of smartwater, vitaminwater, Gold Peak and Honest Tea drinks. I use my ExtraCare card for the ExtraCare bucks. You can easily sign up for a CVS Extra Care card if they don't have one already and it's free! My personal favorites are smartwater and vitaminwater. I have found that CVS pharmacy is the one stop shop for everything I need to stay healthy for the summer as I prepare for these hikes.

 

I found these products in the Drinks Aisle at my local CVS pharmacy store. 

Step 2: Collect your favorite combination of drinks. Pictured below are my favorite drinks. 

Step 3: Add a healthy snack. 

I always add a little snack to take with me just in case I need that extra boost. I found that this helps keep me healthy and happy along the way :) (the struggles of being hypoglycemic!) 

Step 4: Put in your backpack and enjoy your smartwater. This is me loving my smartwater and drinking it BEFORE I head out on my hiking excursions. If I drink before, I find I am less dehydrated later. (this is the best picture I've ever taken--can't you tell I'm already sweaty just thinking about hiking in 90 degree weather!!!). 

Also, right now you can purchase 4 smartwater, vitaminwater, Gold Peak and Honest Tea (any combination) with your CVS ExtraCare card for $5 and receive $2 off your next CVS visit. Deal is valid from 6/28-7/25.

I was ready to hit the hike!

Battle Creek Falls is located in Utah County. Drive up 200 South in Pleasant Grove until you hit the end of the road. The hike is perfect for kids and dogs! It was a great afternoon of exploring, that's for sure.  

ENJOY YOUR HIKE!!!

Other Hikes: Summit Trailhead AF Canyon Hike //  Bells Canyon // Horsetail Falls 


What are some of your favorite hikes?
What are some of your favorite drinks to stay hydrated during the summer?

Mid-Day Date with Yummy Treats!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #ShareFunshine #CollectiveBias

One of the best parts about being a teacher is that on some days during the summer, I don't have to work. I get to spend time with T Money IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. Seriously, that is such an awesome perk. We don't just play all of the time (I wish) but sometimes, ya know, when its 100 degrees here in Utah, we take out our ice cream and spoil ourselves with delicious ice cream treats. 

Some of our favorite frozen treats to cool down are the following items: 

SNICKERS® Ice Cream Bars
Dr Pepper® Cherry & Dr Pepper® Sodas
LifeSavers Hard Candy Variety 
Skittles 
M&M's® Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich 

We love to sit together and enjoy our "marital meetings" while eating these delicious ice cream treats with our yummy candy with them11 

Side note: If you want to enjoy any of these items like we do, you can click HERE to get coupons (hello, cheaper food?! Who doesn't love it!) and enter to win 100 dollars to Walmart. Yes, please!!! 

Share a Little Funshine Sweepstakes


Specifically, One of our favorite ice cream treats that we like to make together on hot summer days is the "Dr. Pepper Cherry Float." 

This is how we make it:
Step 1: Gather all materials- vanilla ice cream, Dr. Pepper Cherry soda, ice cream scoop, and a glass.

Step 2: Scoop 2 good size ice cream scoops into glass. 

Step 3: Pour soda into glass until fizz starts (the fizz is the best part!!!) 

 Step 4: Enjoy!!!!!

Such an easy and simple, yet delicious summer treat!

 These items were found at our local Walmart located in the Soft Drinks aisle and Frozen Foods Aisle.

Also, be sure to download the Blippar app from your Apple or Android store to scan your package and receive exclusive content. And don't forget to click  here to receive instant savings on M&M's®, SNICKERS® Ice Cream Bars, Dr Pepper® Cherry, Skittles®, Pedigree Dentastix®! 

What are some of your favorite treats for making summer FUN?!