H54F- Up and Coming

We made it! It's Friday... And.. I have nothing prepared today for my post. So I got an idea as I was waking up this morning and ran with it. My High Five For Friday post will consist of 5 up and coming things on the blog. I have been brainstorming some new fresh ideas and I am excited to hear your opinions on them.

#1 I am planning an e-book reading challenge starting in March. The basic idea of this is to pick your books from all of the downloaded books you have already on your e-reader. I know I can't be the only one who hoards books! More about that as it gets closer, but I'd like to know if anyone has interest in this :)

#2 I have been seriously thinking about offering some sponsor options on my blog. It won't be anything big right away. Baby steps. I am still not 100% sure I can commit to having a bunch of sidebar spots, but I think I can certainly handle a weekend spot where I can promote all week for your weekend post. I think it's a good place to start. What do you all think?

#3 Me and Sarah over at Silly Incantations have been talking about teaming up and starting a wellness link up on Thursdays. It will be a place where you can link up what you are doing each week to get yourself motivated to make better choices for your wellness and fitness. I hope you will all come link up with us once we are up and running! More info to come as we get settled in!

#4 Speaking about teaming up, I am always happy to team up with peeps who want to start something. I have a lot of great ideas I would love to share with others to help bring some great content and fun to our blogs. If you ever want to team up please drop me an email.

#5 I have just recently started using Pinterest with my blog. I am still getting used to posting my pins to my own boards. I would love you forever if you would check me out from time to time and help me figure out this Pinterest journey!

So there ya have it! Lots of fun stuff coming up on the blog in the next few weeks!

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Find Books You Love Cheap!

Where are all my bookworms at? Today I wanted to talk a little about where I find all my books and fun (and sometimes free) ways to get the good stuff (books that is). Because let's face it. Books are not cheap to buy. This is not saying I am not trying to support writers, because I certainly do buy books. However sometimes I am looking for a quick read, or want to get into a new author but not sure I will like the style of the writing. So here are a few tips to get yourself back on the reading train finding books you love!


Sign up for a library card: This is probably the cheapest (free) way to check out all kinds of subjects and authors without having to purchase the book. Library cards are free and offer all kinds of options. A typical time frame you get to keep these books is between 2 and 3 weeks. I normally take out only 2 books at a time in order to give myself enough time to read both. Most of the time you can renew your borrowed book if the book is not in high demand.

Book Sales: I really enjoy when libraries and book stores have sales. You can get some pretty great books for a fraction of their original costs. Most of these sales benefit your local library which is pretty sweet. In my town there is an annual book sale and it is HUGE! Books get cheaper as the days go on. You can walk out with loads of books under $10 if you choose.

Buy an E-Reader: Owning a reader like a Kindle or Nook can be fun because you have the library literally at the palm of your hand. Most libraries have electronic book borrowing these days. Same process as checking out a book, but downloaded on your device. When it's time to return the book it magically disappears from your archive. Pretty sweet right?

Along with borrowing electronic books from the library Amazon offers all kinds of books to purchase for less then the hard copy as well as daily free books. There are quite a few sites out there that sift through all of the free books and offer them to you in categories that are easy to follow. Some of my favorites are:

Pixel of Ink
Free Booksey
Hundred Zeros

I have found hundreds of books to read from these sites. It is absolutely insane how much is out there to read!

Goodreads.com: If you are unsure of what to read or want to keep track of what you are reading, Goodreads is the place to go. You can friend people you know and see what they are reading, along with get recommendations from the site based on your likes. There are categories and reviews on almost any kind of subject you can think of.

Library and Kindle books are my fave!
You have so many options out there to get yourself back into reading and finding stuff you love. In the next couple of weeks, once I finish the Winter Reading Challenge I am currently reading, I will be posting a new reading challenge. It will be simple, kinda. If you are like me and have WAY to many books on your kindle/nook this challenge is going to have you pick books by theme from the books you already have stored on your e-reader but never read. Sounds fun right? (I suppose if you also hard copy books laying around you could also do it that way if you don't own an e-reader)

Stay tuned for that. more details to come!

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Yoga Tips from a Beginner

I have recently taken up yoga. I am only a few classes in so I am not going to pretend like I am an expert by any means. I wanted to pass along some tips I would have found helpful before I went into my first class.


Tip #1: Always speak to your instructor prior to your first class about any medical or health issues you are currently going through. This can be both beneficial for you and the instructor. The instructor may be able to guide you into a class that works best for you and your needs.

Tip #2: Verify ahead of time if you need to provide your own mats or any other equipment that may be needed during class.  A lot of places today provide these either complimentary or for a small rental fee.  Never assume they are included in the class cost.

Tip #3: Wear comfortable, yet formfitting clothes. When I went into my first class I was wearing comfy clothes, however they were a little baggy in the legs and I kept getting caught on my pant legs in certain positions.

Tip #4: Leave your phone at home (Or at least turned off). The atmosphere is very quiet and relaxing. The last thing you need is to have your phone going off or your mind on that last message you read right before you walking into class. I find leaving my phone home all together allows me to have a nice peaceful class along with a relaxing peaceful drive home.

Tip #5: Breathe! Yoga is all about using your breath. If you forget to breathe or keep your muscles tense, you could end up pulling a muscle and being sore after.  Never a fun option.

Tips #6: Accept help. Never feel embarrassed if your instructor corrects your position. They are only trying to help you get it correct so you can get the benefit the position is meant for.

Tip #7: Keep a positive attitude while practicing. The energy is amazing with a room full of people all focusing on a better well being. Smile often and always be kind to those around you.

Tip #8: Ask questions if you don't understand something being taught to you. If you allow the question to go unanswered you may become frustrated every time you practice.

Tip #9 Bring extra layers and water. At the end of the class after you have completely let yourself relax, you may become cold. Have water if you need to hydrate after.

Tip #10 Practice what you have learned in your everyday life. Learn to use your breath to relax you in a stressful situation. I have definitely used these techniques a few time and it is amazing how much better you feel when you apply what you learn.

Do you practice yoga? What tips would you add?



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Saturday Extra: Link Love

Happy Saturday folks! I have been so busy this week I rarely got time to catch up on all of my favorite reads. Today I wanted to share with you my favorite posts of the week and hope you all find them as great as I do.


Julia over at Grace Makes New wrote about one of my favorite subject this week! 5 Ways to Earn Free Giftcard. Love me some freebie advice! Be sure to check out Julia's post!

Kaelyn over at My Fair Daily wrote about The Beauty Sleep Challenge and I fell in love with her pajama pants! I found someone else who enjoys a cute pair of skull pj's!

 Anne over at Love the Here and Now always knows how to brighten my day with her inspirational posts. She didn't disappoint in her post on 10 Ways to Brighten Someone's Day. Great advice!

Hello Natural has been one of my favorite reads lately. Stephanie does a great job at bring some pretty amazing articles. 101 Reasons Why Coconut Oil is Miracle Stuff is awesome! It has great ideas when it comes to this stuff that I just can't get enough of already!

Christine over at The So Called Homemaker is doing a series on Real Estate for Real People. I really enjoyed her segment on renting because this is going to be me soon! Great tips if you are looking for real estate!

I hope you find some good reads folks!


I also wanted to talk quickly about my decision to start offering one sponsorship option on my blog. The only reason I am interested in doing 1 option, is I do not want to commit right yet to a full on sidebar full of sponsors that I may or may not be able to promote.

I have noticed my blog gets quite a bit of traffic on Saturday and Sunday's and I rarely post on these days. I am thinking about offering a blog takeover on one of those days each week. This way I will be able to promote you each week and only have one person to commit to weekly instead of 5 or 10. Once I get the hang of it I may offer more options, but I think this is the best way to start off and not make anyone upset with me. What do you all think? Does this interest you?

Lemme know and have a great weekend!



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Work Inspires Me + H54F

I have had a legit busy week! Yes I just used the word legit to describe my week. I am back again to link up for H54F! I don't know about you, but I am so happy to see Friday today! I am focusing my five things on work this week. Even though it was busy, I took a lot from it and figured why not talk about 5 things that happened to me.Work and coworkers can be so inspiring when it comes to writing for me.

#1 Walking into work on Monday was rough. I was really tired and had no real desire to work. I arrived to piles of stuff on my desk that was still lurking from Friday. I applied some of the yoga breathing techniques I learned last week and breathed my way though the day. I smiled and that allowed myself to be more approachable and made for an easier day.

#2 Tuesday was better. I cleaned up a lot of my mess and had a really great meeting. The meeting pumped me up for the rest of my day. Had a little mishap with some ordering but made up for that on Wednesday! Ended the day with dinner with my love.

#3 I was able to save my company a chunk of moolah by using my head and asking the right questions. I was so excited for my accomplishment I couldn't wait to give my news to the head honcho. I was rewarded on the spot with a gift card for my work. Make me feel really appreciated. Such a great morale booster!

#4 One of my coworkers is getting married. Some of the conversation about it brought up some blog ideas. I am so thankful for my coworker muses! They say and do the most inspiring things sometimes. If you're interested in some tips, have a look!

#5 After lots of deadlines with a small window of time I was able to get all my work completed before the company meeting. It took a lot of energy but I made all my deadlines and was able to laugh at all the stressing I was doing. I left on time and had a very relaxing yoga session.

Work reminded me this week that hard work does pay off. It may stress me out and and get busy but I get stuff done when the heat is on.  I hope you all had a great week! See you back here Monday :)

Wedding Tips You May Have Forgotten

Now that we are coming down from the wave of engagement proposals, we are crashing down into wedding planning season. Everyone seems to know one somebody who got engaged during the holidays, or maybe it was you. Brides to be are now working in overdrive to read every tip, blog, and magazine that mentions the word 'wedding'.

As you comb through articles on wedding themes, wedding colors, wedding flowers, wedding dresses, and wedding tips, in order to achieve your dream wedding, we often forget one small detail: wedding guests. When I say guests I also include your wedding party in this category. They are not only representing you and your partner, they are also putting in time and money before hand to make sure your day is perfect as guests.

tips
Now don't get me wrong, this day IS and SHOULD be about you and your partner, but you also want to make sure your wedding guests have a good time too. I know you can't make every single person happy, but from my own experience of all the weddings I have gone to in the past 5 years (always a bridesmaid. never a bride.. lol), I have learned some pretty valuable lessons for planning my own wedding one day.
  • Location: We all want our wedding days to be magical. We often dream of tropical islands with beach backdrops. This is all fine and dandy if your are planning a small intimate wedding with a few close friends and family. And when I say a few I mean under 10. Most people cannot afford to fly to an exotic location for a weekend to watch you get married. I don't say this to be mean or shatter your dreams, but lets be realistic. Choose a location that is easily traveled to and will not cost your guests an arm and a leg.
  • Favors: This day in age we know a lot of people who are not living local to us or where our wedding is going to be. Traditionally weddings happen in the brides hometown, and today most of us do not still live in our hometown. Many guests may be flying to get to you. Think smart when planning favors for everyone. Liquids, jams, and anything over 4 ounces that may be suspicious to a TSA agent at the airport should be crossed off your favor list stat. I take this tip to heart when I packed away some jam that was given me as a gift, not even thinking and was pulled aside and searched at the airport. No fun!
  • Intentions: When getting married, we are left with the duty of choosing our wedding party. This can sometimes be very daunting because we can't pick everyone. Do not invite the people who did not make your bridal party list to participate in the bridal games so to say. A friend and I had this happen. We got invited to do all of the pre-wedding events (ie: mani/pedi's, bridal brunch, ect) yet were left to clean up all of the messes and handle last minute issues. In theory it sounded like a good idea. In reality we were really upset we got stuck with all the problems when we had planned to come and celebrate her wedding. Not be her runner.
  • Children: This is a biggie. If you are NOT planning to have children at your wedding, you MUST make it clear. Never assume your guests understand they should not bring little Johnny to the reception. If you feel like this will be an issue you may either want to call the guests with the children to let them know personally or plan to offer a childcare option for anyone who cannot leave their kids at home. This is a sensitive subject but it is your party and at the end of the day this is your decision.

Now I am sure there are loads more things that I am missing, but these are some biggies. You don't ever want to make it difficult for your guests to make it to your wedding. You never want them to get searched at the airport. Never make your guests into your slave for the day. And certainly never make someone feel bad about having kids. These are all things you can easily fix by thinking ahead. Think ahead and your wedding will be great for everyone involved. 

I am wishing you a a successful journey on all things wedding planning. I hope some of these tips have helped you workout something you haven't even thought about yet.

Do you have any tips you would like to add? Anything happen to you as a guest?



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Where have all the dreams gone?

Do children still have dreams? Do they still want to be firefighters or policemen? I can't remember the last time I was in the presence of a child that really had a dream. I often wonder if this is where the world is heading, or if this is just a little hiccup along the way. The children of today are way more concerned about social media and the latest electronic device, then what they want to do with their adult lives.


When I was 5 I wanted to be a dancer. When I was 10 I wanted to be just like my mom. When I got into middle school I wanted to be a scientist. I wanted to study the stars in the sky, not the stars on the tv. As I got into high school I wanted to be a photographer AND a scientist. I strived to take all of the classes I needed to be the best student for what I wanted to be.

Today I work in science AND take photos. I won't ever be a dancer, but I still enjoy doing it when no one is watching. I'd like to think I am more and more like my mom everyday, even though I do not have any children of my own yet. My dreams to a point did come true. I feel like I lived up to the expectations of my childhood dreams. Not because I felt I had to; because I wanted to.

I recently caught up with a friend who is a school teacher. She said the lack of enthusiasm of her students is really starting to become a problem. They do not want to do the work, but expect to get the good grade. They want to spend all of their time socializing on their phones rather then taking notes in class. Does this make anyone else sad? Where has the innocence and magic of our children gone? Where did all this entitlement come from?

Did you have a dream as a child? What was it? Help bring the magic back into the children's lives.




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High Five For Friday!

Happy Friday folks! I am participating in my very first High Five for Friday or H54F. I am excited to recap my week and be grateful for the week I had. As I mentioned here, I am working on a happiness project this year and January is the month of R & R (Relax and Refocus). I am well into my half way point and this week certainly gave me 5 things that I can be happy about!

1. Monday brought me talk. That sounds funny, but I made the decision this year to talk to a counselor about managing my stress better. With the new job, a serious relationship, and some family chaos, I left 2014 in a pretty big stress mess. This was my second session and I am happy I made the decision.

Bath, Tea, Relax
All of these items make my heart happy!
2. Hot baths (With tea and candles of course!). I received some really nice hand made bath products from a friend for Christmas, and they prove to be heavenly. The relaxing herbs mixed in with epson salts are what my body needed. I got out of the tub and instantly felt ready for bed. So dreamy!

3. Soup and tea with a good friend. It's always nice on a cold wintery night to get together with a friend to catch up over a nice cup of tea and some hearty soup.

Stress
Bad photo, but it was pretty dark!
4. Yoga. I signed up for a stress management yoga class. Yesterday was my first session and I really loved it. This makes me happy because I also wanted to meet new people, and classes are a good way to achieve this. I was able to go to a place that truly made me feel at peace with some of the things I have no control over. I hope to use some of these lessons for years to come.

<3
5. Getting to spend time with my other half. He has been very understanding to my crazy schedule and moods swings as I try to refocus my energies to positive ones. I don't know what I would do without his love and support when I am going through turbulent times.

Stay tuned as I continue to update you on my happiness project and more helpful tips to relax!

The Good, The Better and The Lovely

It's no secret that I am not a fan of Winter. I would be happy if we only had 3 seasons a year. If I really had it my way It would be Summer and Fall. My two favorite times of the year. Although one thing that does get me excited about winter is all the hot tea I consume and all the hearty meals I am making. The things I can live without is my flyaway hairs on my head, dry skin, and products that make the dry skin worse.


Influenster must of been eavesdropping on my thoughts because when I received my Frosty VoxBox it was packed with things to ease the cold punch of winter. You may remember seeing these items on my VoxBox unboxing video. Today I want to talk about all of the products and give them my ratings!


Ecotools Sleek + Shine Finish Brush: This excited me because I really needed a new brush. Mine was a few years old (Oh my god the horror!) and was really starting to fall apart. The bristles on the Ecotool's brush are super soft and non-damaging. I can brush my hair and not have a ton of breakage and it looks nice and shiny when I'm done.  Score: A+

Fruit Vines: These babies were so good they didn't make it past the first day! I am a big vines fan to begin with and having them in bite size pieces is really dangerous. That bag didn't have a chance with me! If you are a fan of the vines you will be a fan of these. Same product, smaller size. Score: A


Rimmel London Just Let It Go: I am not sure how I feel about the name of this because honestly Frozen is EVERYWHERE these days and I am kind of tired of it. #sorrynotsorry. As for the product itself it is pretty great. It is gentle on my skin. It takes off the makeup, especially the dark eye liner.. Speaking of eye liner:

Rimmell London Scandal Eyes Kohl Kajal in Black: I really liked the consistency of this eyeliner. It went on smooth and seemed to hold up all day (and night, racoon eyes ya'll?). But I am also very fond of black eyeliners so it's hard for me to find one I don't like. The combined score for both of these is a B+ (Only because the remover was called "Let It Go..")


 NYC Great Lash in Sugar Plum: This is a really pretty color for winter. It's not to dark or to pink, which is what I tend to get when receiving these samples. I am not a big lip stick person, so I have only worn this one, and I think it was just like all the others I have worn. It didn't last long on me and it caked up in the corners of my lips. To bad because I really loved the color. Score: C


No7 Protect and Perfect Serum: From the sample I received it is really hard to tell if this really works or not. The serum was easily applied and didn't irritate my face. I liked how it felt on my skin once applied. I suppose if I wanted to see if it really worked, I would have to use is consistently to perform a proper review. Score: B

Celestial Candy Cane Lane Green Tea: This stuff is really yummy. I have tried it before this sample so I knew right away I would love it. Also why it isn't pictured. I drank it before I had a chance to take photos! Oops!  This is a very relaxing tea and good before bed. I like to make it and sit with a book. Makes me feel relaxed and content. A must try for any tea fanatic! Score: A+


McCormick Gourmet All Natural Thyme: I love to cook when the cold comes. Nice hearty meals like soups and chilis. Spices are pretty essential to these dishes so getting a new spice to add to my creations make be so happy. I have already incorporated it into a few meals and man is it good. This is a must for any aspiring cook! Score A+


All in all this was a  really great box. I really enjoyed everything that was incorporated into the "Frosty" theme.  Kudos to Influenster for curating a group of great products to make the season feel more festive!

Have you ever received a VoxBox? Did you like it?

P.S. Not sure why I incorporated that "Merry and Bright" bag into every photo. Made it festive I suppose :)







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How to order glasses online

My first post of 2015 mentioned some nifty new glasses I've been sporting from Firmoo.com. They are a pretty sweet deal if you ask me, and are much cheaper then ordering from an optical store. I know how this feels from both ends of the spectrum because I am an ABO certified optician and sold eye wear for many years. As an optician you want your patient to get the best options for their needs and sometimes this gets costly, especially if you do not have insurance.

Online, Eyeglasses

Today I want to share with  you some tips on ordering eye glasses online. It can be quite daunting if you are unfamiliar on how to read your rx (prescription) and what information they are asking for in the ordering process.

The most important thing you need to do BEFORE ordering glasses from an online shop is make sure you have a current prescription. In most states that I am aware of, prescriptions are good for 1 to 2 years. If you haven't had your eyes checked for over 2 years, please do this first. It will save you in the long run.

Once you have had your exam and your doctor is recommending new glasses, I recommend still working with the optician. Try on as many shapes, sizes, and colors as you'd like. This will help you get a feel for what works best for you. Remember when ordering online you cannot try them on. So pay close attention to the sizes you are trying on as well as the shape when you're in your doctors office.

Most frame information can be found either on the temple (or arm if you will) or on the bridge (the area where your nose goes). The pair I have has this information on the arm. Pay special attention to these numbers, as they will help you immensely when selecting a frame online. Here is what each of those numbers mean:

F048: This is the frame style or name.
49: This is the eye size or the area you are looking through when the glasses are on.
18: This number is the bridge; or the size of the area that sits on your nose.
140: This number is the length of the temple (arm).
C1: This is the color of the glasses according to the company that makes it.

The next step is also important and I feel necessary to be done by a professional. The online ordering form is going to ask for your PD (pupillary distance). This is the measurement of the distance between one pupil to the other. Most online ordering companies will instruct you on how to do this but from personal experience, letting the professional do it for you is the better option.

Once you  have your PD measurement, make sure you get a copy of your prescription. Now you should have all the tools you need to order your new pair of glasses online. Once you have picked out the glasses (Remember to write all that info down when you're trying on glasses at your doctors office!) you want you will come to a screen that will look like this:

Source: Firmoo.com

This part is SUPER important and very sensitive to your final product. Please make sure you transcribe your prescription EXACTLY as it is written on the paper provided by your doctor. One little tiny typo can cause you big problems. And most of the time that problem will cost you. If you made the mistake; an online shop normally will not remake these for you without payment. The same thing goes for the frame. This is why you must pay close attention to the details.

Once you have put in all of your prescription items, the site will ask you if you want any other options. These options include things like Anti-Reflective Coating, Transistions (The ones that get dark in the sun), Scratch protection, and so on. Most of the time these things are just options to preference. You do not have to add them.


 Now you just hit send, pay, and your glasses will be on your doorstep in no time!

So what do you think? Will you order your next pair of glasses online?




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New Years Eve in Nashville!

Happy Saturday friends! It has been a week since I got back from my mystery birthday bucket list cross off. Man say that sentence 10 times fast! As you can read in the title of this blog, I was in NASHVILLE, TN. Me and my other half boarded a plane at 5:30am and were wisked away to Louisville, KY. Yeah you read that right. The good new is, we were supposed to land here. The bad new; IT WAS COLD AS HECK! I thought we were supposed to be in the south, or at least more south then New York.

We proceeded to rent a car and head on our way. Fun facts on why we flew into Kentucky: A. It was butt loads cheaper B. We have a work location in Louisville and I have family there; so we got to visit peeps we knew and C. Nashville is only 2.5 hours away. We stopped in and visited our Kentucky co-workers and headed to Nashville.

Nashville

Now I have never been to Nashville, so I wasn't 100% sure on what to expect. On first impression I thought it was SUPER tiny. I didn't realize how small the city is. It was really easy to navigate even with all of the road closures do to construction and that night's big NYE bash. Our hotel was located only 2 blocks from Broadway where all the festivities were. Gold star for the other half! We checked in and got these fun festive cake pops and "Happy New Years" necklaces. I was going to sport these babies ALL NIGHT LONG. Yes I am a teenage girl in a 32 year old's body.


 We got all settled in and went out to see what this city and it's party was all about. I will tell you, it did not disappoint.


So there you have it. That's how I spent my new years in Nashville! I unfortunately did not get any photos of the performers (Gavin Degraw, Lady Antebellum, Chip Eston) because it was way to crowded for any great photos plus I was afraid of breaking my camera. That also goes for the amazing fireworks they shot off. I suppose you get the experience or the photos. I chose the experience all the way!

P.S there was PLENTY of Jack to pass around at this party ;)

I am thinking about doing a new link up on Saturday's. It will be called "Wanderlust Staycation". It will allow you to link up posts to places you have visited or places you want to visit. Give all the readers a place to escape to every weekend. Give me your thoughts on this. I really think it would be fun! I love to read about other peoples vacations and trips. They give me new places I want to see. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

*Disclaimer: Please do not use my photos as your own. I don't like having to plaster my name all over them. All photos are my property and may not be used without written permission from me.


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We are Thrivin' + Giveaway

Hello beautiful people! I am so excited for today's post. It is also Friday so that helps immensely! Today I want to talk about something that I have become passionate about over the past month. When I feel passion for something I want to share it with the world. It's a good thing I have a blog right?

Back in December an acquaintance of mine messaged me about a product she had been using and thought I would get great benefit from. It's no secret that the second part of 2014 was rough for me. I entered into a stressed induced depression. I had no energy, my face was breaking out and I reached for every cookie, cake, pasta, candy, or any other unhealthy item that could fit in my mouth. I wanted them ALL in my belly! Needless to say they all got in my belly, and I packed on the pounds.
 
The THRIVE Experience is a 3 step, 8 week premium lifestyle plan, to help individuals experience and reach peak physical and mental levels. So in simple terms: This means it will help if you are feeling sluggish, having mind fog, needing to lose weight, or just all around want to feel better in life.



Like you, reading this now, I was like "Uhh I don't think I want to try your product so stop bothering me!" Well needless to say she finally got me to agree to a 4 day trial. I paid her $15 and my pack arrived. I paid for it so I was committed to trying this out. It sat for a few days before I was ready.

My pack included The capsules, shakes, and patches for 4 days. Now to use these products you take your capsules first thing "before your feet hit the floor". You want to take them on an empty stomach. 20 minutes later (Or long enough to take a shower in my case) you have a shake. Once the shake is depleted you put on your DFT patch. You wear your patch for 24 hours and repeat all steps the next morning. That's IT! You continue your day normally.

I didn't notice much on my first day, which is pretty common. On my second day I noticed it wasn't as hard to get up. I didn't hit the snooze button 400 times. By my 4th day I was feeling pretty amazing. These products are packed with vitamins. Especially B vitamins. And you know if you are lacking in the B vitamins you tend to be depressed or anxious. I was tested before taking Thrive and I was Vitamin B deficient. My count was REALLY low. Now I am doing better then ever! So much energy, my belly is FINALLY shrinking and my moods are great. 

SO when asking what is Thrive and what does it do? Thrive is:
  • > Weight Management > Cognitive Performance
  • > Digestive & Immune Support > Joint Support
  • > Lean Muscle Support > Inflammation Support
  • > Anti-Aging & Antioxidant Support
Who is it for: EVERYONE- Tired moms, athletes wanting to improve their performance, the professional who is always on the go, college students who never get enough sleep. And now bloggers who need more energy to keep bringing great content! These are all Thrive customers making their day a little easier. 

Now here's the best part. You can promote Thrive. You can improve your health AND your wealth. Join as a promoter (It's 100% FREE) have 2 customers (Your 2 besties of course!) and your monthly Thrive is FREE!
 
Take a moment to learn more and I will give 2 readers a sample pack for FREE. Three ways to enter: Click on the link for all entries: The Thrive Experience

#1 (2 entries) Watch the video and answer this question in the comments below:

How much money on average does one save a day using Thrive?

#2 (5 entries) Sign up to be a customer or promoter. Remember it is FREE and you're not obligated to purchase anything. 

#3 (10 entries) Become a customer or promoter and place an order on autoship.


I will randomly select 2 winners to receive a 4 day trial for free!
If you are interested in a 4 day trial email me!
Follow me on Facebook for all updates and promotions!




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Oops!


Hi all! I am busy working on updating and organizing the blog! I appreciate your patience!
While I'm working to make this space better, take a moment to check out these posts:

If you're new check out my 2014 Year End Review! 2014 was my first year blogging so catch all of the highlights here!

Wanna check out some of the updates and resolutions I have made? Check out: 2015 Updates!

I just updated my "About Me" page. Mosey on over and let me know what you think!

Interested in knowing what my most viewed post was in 2014? I suggest you click ---> HERE!

Do you know what Thrive is? If not you need to check it out! Thrive in 2015

Thank you again for hanging in there for me! I'll see you back here on Friday for a regular scheduled post!

Happy Wednesday!


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My 2015 Personal Goals

Everyone has been writing out their goals for 2015. I am going to be one of those people, only turning my goals into new routines. I have left my old routine at the 2014 door, stepping through into my new goals for my 2015 routine. Yesterday I wrote about 2 goals specifically for my blog. I focused on organization and growth. To read more about what I am planning for my blog specific goals, click here.

As I read through all of the goals and resolutions people are setting, I often wonder if they are all attainable. Do we set ourselves up for failure? I certainly hope we don't but sometimes the goals we set for ourselves are higher then we can achieve in 1 year. 2014 was a real eye opener for me. If I had to choose a word for 2014 it would be Discovery. I learned and discovered a lot about myself. I learned what really makes me tick, how I handle tough situations, and what it really feels like to be in love. 

2014 also brought me new friends, a promotion, and stress induced depression. I got the good and the ugly. Because of all of these things, I really saw the things I needed to change to make my life happy and healthy again. These changes are what my goals for 2015 are going to be based around. The word I am going to pick to describe 2015 is Rejuvenate.


The first goal I am putting into play is a Happiness Project. I read the book by Gretchen Rubin in December and I really related to some of the issues she brought up in her book. For the month of January I am going to be focusing on R & R (Re-focus and Relaxing). This monthly goal will help me cross off joining a class or group, which I have wanted to do for years now.

The second goal I want to achieve this year is to write every day. Even if it is not on this blog, I want to set time at least 30 minutes a day to write down my thoughts. I recently purchased the book 642 Things to Write About. I was so excited to see it in my pile of mail after being away for 5 days. I had a little moment of disappointment when I realized I purchased the "young writer's edition", but got over it when I flipped through it to see some pretty fun topics.

 My next goal is to read more. I am currently participating in a Winter Reading Challenge and it really got me back into reading. I had forgotten how much fun it can be to get lost in a book for hours. My new library card isn't helping either. I keep checking out more then I can read! Oops! The goal is to read 50 new books in 2015. Wish me luck!

I want to set some mental health goals this year as well. The reading and the writing will help with that, but I also want to also make sure I continue to exercise regularly, make "me" time,  breathe, and take mini vacations to get away when the stress is up. It is so important to make time for yourself, so 2015 will literally be "my" year!

When it comes to my blog, personally I want to expand my knowledge and meet more people. I will be working hard over the next week to get everything categorized correctly and cleaned up. I want to update my Start Here page with popular posts and a better intro. When you come to my page I want you to instantly know I got this covered! No more hot mess blank pages for this list!

Month by month I will post my monthly goals along with my Happiness Project goals and updates. I hope you will all follow along! It's going to be a great one! I can feel it. 



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2015 Blog Updates

Hi all. As we make our way into the first full week of 2015, most of us back to work and school, this is a time where we all try to get back on routine. Routine can be exactly as you left it in 2014, or a new one you want to acclimate in 2015. Personally, I have come up with 2 sets of goals this year. One for this blog and one for my own personal development.

I will talk about my blog goals and updates today because they easy said and to the point. The first thing I want to point out if you had not already noticed, the blog has a new look. With the new look came new categories on my side bar. I decided to better plan out my content and make it easier for you all to find. I feel these 4 categories sum up The Trish List the best:

Thrifty
Life
Fitness
Blogging
Central NY

I consider myself a Lifestyle blog so you can find all things "do it yourself", personal stories, recipes, and anything else life related under the category Life.

I have always been pretty good at talking about being healthier and following wellness plans. I decided this year to focus more on that and add it as a category. You can find everything health, fitness, and wellness under the category Wellness.

I talk about free stuff a lot. I am pretty thrifty as well. This was definitely something I needed to categorize on my blog. You can find anything free, thrifty, or just plain shopping awesomeness under the category Thrifty.

Last but not least, I am working on a Happiness Project this year so anything happy and fun related will be under the category Fun.

The new look and the categories are helping me get organized. I feel like this will make a huge difference as I continue my blog journey.

The second goal I want to focus on here is growing. More promotion. More interacting. More great content. I have learned so much in 2014 and hope to learn tons more this year. I want to start applying these skills to make you want to come back for more!

With these 2 goals I feel 2015 will be a great year for growth and new opportunities!

Come back tomorrow to see my personal goals for the year!

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