Recipe Alert: At-Home Spa Recipes!

Many of you know that I love my "At Home Spa Recipes"! I think it's crazy to spend tons of money on special products when you have proven ingredients right in your cupboards that will work like a dream!

Here are a few of my faves that I thought that I would share with you...

Basil Toner

This quick and easy toner takes seconds to make and will last over 3 months in your fridge. Having this concoction on hand, especially chilled works wonders for your skin and is very refreshing!

3 Basil Leaves

1 Cup Boiling Water

Simmer, Strain, Bottle & Refrigerate. It's that easy!

Bloody Mary Mask

It's that time of year where most of us are up to our neck with maters! Here's the perfect face mask to use up some of those tasty fruits...or veggies (let's save that debate for later)!

1 Tomato

2 tsp Lemon Juice

1 cup Oats

Blend Tomato and Juice together, add oats. Apply to face and allow mixture to dry.

Reclaim Your Mo-"JOE" Scrub

This is my absolute fave! I use this one just about every other day. I make this recipe up once a week and keep it in my shower. It's a great pick-me-up to start your day!

1 Cup Coffee Grinds

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

Dollop of Honey

Mix & Scrub! It's a great energizer for your face and the caffeine gives you an awesome glow!

I hope you enjoy these fantabulous at-home recipes as much as I do!!! There's nothing more luxurious and powerful than being able to have a get-away in the privacy of your own home, especially when YOU want to! Take 10 minutes to yourself, pick a recipe and recharge your battery...

*Remember...Your life is way more than average, so go out and live it in a BIG way!

Recipe & Web Site Alert: Campbells is "MMM...Good!"

The kids and I have been getting into the habit of checking out the Campbell's Soup web site for quick and easy lunch recipes. They've been having a blast jumping into the kitchen and practically making lunch on their own, with Mama's guidance of course. Today we made "Zesty Chicken Tacos" WITH a side salad and the kids went nuts over it. In fact, they're begging for us to be able to make them tomorrow, so I thought that I'd share: http://campbells.com/ . Just go to the website and simply enter a list of ingredients you have and TONS of recipes will come up for the ingredients that you have in your pantry... It's wonderful! Besides, anything that is so good that it gets my picky children to eat a salad full of fresh veggies with very little dressing on it, passes this Mama's test. Give the site a chance, I'm sure you'll love it!


*Remember...Your life is way more than average, so go out and live it in a BIG way!

Cool Web Alert: Summer Games

Most of you Mama's are well aware that we've just about hit the middle of summer. The ideas for our kids are wearing off and the fun's dying down. I for one, can't wait for that big yellow bus to come and pick my children up for their new year of education!! As much as I enjoy them and cherish every moment of summer, I feel a school with an excellent teacher is just what they need to keep their minds sharp and their mama sane!

We do a lot of outdoor activities in the summer. To this Mama, there's nothing more fun than putting on play clothes and heading out back to get dirty. We've had many outdoor projects going on around the Dearing House to keep our kiddos busy and productive; but fun's a must to!

I've stumbled across this website: www.indianchild.com/outdoor_games.htm , and it's loaded full of games from my childhood, that this Mama has seemed to forgotten along the way and I know that my kids will enjoy. They don't involve supplies or money...just a backyard and tons of giggles!

I don't know about you, but I'm gonna snag my babies up for a game of "Tomato" and enjoy the laughs and fun time with my kids! They don't care how much money you spend on an activity, they just want you there. So put on your play clothes, grab your cooler filled with water and go for it!!!

*Remember...Your life is way more than average, so go out and live it in a BIG way!

You Tube: Chris Cagle's Harborfest Show!

Norfolk's Harborfest this year was absolutely amazing! Our family thoroughly enjoys attending Norfolk's celebration every year; but the kids spent most of the weekend looking forward to the closing concert. Country Music's, Chris Cagle ended the event for the weekend with an awesome concert. That Sunday it was incredibly hot and by the time we had gotten to the stage and claimed our spot for the concert and day, we were already drenched in sweat and still had hours upon hours to wait. During the concert, Cagle tossed Donalyn his guitar pick and from that point on she's been in love! Here's the YouTube video from the concert and if you look closely, you can see Donalyn on her Daddy's shoulders giving Chris the "rock on" sign with her tongue hanging out! I swear, her Daddy better go ahead and make sure that shot gun of his is all cleaned out because we're definitely in for it when she gets older! This was one of the moments of summer that I wish time could have stood still just for a bit, but thanks to You Tube, people who don't forget their cameras for important events and cool artists who think to upload clips like this, this Mama gets to enjoy that day just one more time!





Remember...Your life is way more than average, so go out and live it in a BIG way!

Killer Sale Alert: Lane Bryant!

Ladies, look for your coupon in the mail! If you're a member of LB, you should be getting your usual $25 off coupon...but along with that coupon, you'll receive notice of most of their shirts being on sale for $9.99!!! Also, I looooove their bras!!! My tip for you is to check out their bra clearance every time you go into that store! I've gotten awesome bra & panty sets for as little as 8 bucks. All the hubby knows is that their cute, but he thinks their even hotter once he realizes how little I've spent on them! I come out of there every time with at least 8-10 lingerie sets for as little as 40 bucks and they last forever! Here's the link to the LB site: http://www.lanebryant.com/ ! Huge Tip: Always go to the store's site and jot down the items that you are most interested in. It saves you money in the long run!

*Remember...Your life is way more than average, so go out and live it in a BIG way!

Recipe Alert: Grilled Cedar-Planked Salmon!

Here's an awesome salmon recipe that we've recently tried that I absolutely love! This salmon goes great with some almond couscous and a fresh cucumber & tomato salad loaded with fresh cilantro & lime. Hope you enjoy!

Grilled Cedar-Planked Salmon

1 cedar plank immersed in water (at least 4 hours or overnight)

1/2 cup Kraft Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing

Handful Fresh Parsley

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Sun-Dried Tomatoes

1 Tbsp. Oil

1 Salmon Fillet

Brush Plank with Oil and Grill Salmon topping with marinade every ten minutes until fish is fully cooked.

*Remember...Your life is way more than average, so go out and live it in a BIG way!

Bursts of Inspiration: President Kennedy Inaugural Address

On this 4th of July, I think we all need to be reminded during these hard times in our great nation that it's not about what our country can do for us; but what we can do for her! I'm so proud, thankful and blessed to be an American! I hope you all have a wonderful 4th with your family and friends.




*Remember...Your life is way more than average, so go out and live it in a BIG way!

Recipe Alert: Red White & Blue!

Wow!, What a weekend! I've barely had the chance to sit down this weekend, much less had the time to get together all the recipes that I had planned on posting for the 4th, but I wanted to share with you a couple of quick and easy red, white & blue desserts in honor of the fourth. These aren't my recipes and some of them I have never tried, but here are the links to a few that I am going to be making for our cook out~!

Red, White & Blue Bars: I am dying to try this one! They sound so yummy!

http://http//www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1813,141166-233204,00.html

Red, White & Blue Jello Dessert: You can't have a 4th of July Cook Out without a Jello dessert! Now that just wouldn't be American!!!

http://http//www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,187,146163-246206,00.html

I hope you guys have a safe and fun 4th no matter what you are doing! Please be careful out there and don't forget the real reason that we are able to celebrate our independence is our brave men and women in uniform past, present and future who have fought for this country with so much dignity and pride. May God continue to bless them and this great nation!!!

*Remember...Your life is way more than average, so go out and live it in a BIG way!