Easter Basket Cupcakes | 12 Days of Easter

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“This post is brought to you by Simple Sugars and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.”
I’ve been battling combination skin for just about my whole life…oily with acne popping up in one spot and super dry in another. You would think my skin could balance itself out…but that’s just not how our bodies work. So yes, you will see me with acne one day and red patches from super dry skin the next. Most of the time to tackle these issues I have to use multiple steps and products to get the balanced skin I crave. Not with Simple Sugars! They take that notion and throws it out the window. Simple Sugars is a skin care line is a one-step solution for tackling your skin care problems.
I know what you’re thinking…how can a sugar scrub help tackle my skin care problems? Well, because they are more than just a sugar scrub, Simple Sugars is an all-natural skincare line, specially formulated for people with sensitive skin. This very convenient, super-effective skincare solution is made with nothing but the finest, purest, natural ingredients. They happen to smell amazing, too!
Like I said, I’ve tried other skin care, and most of them have worked and I love, but, it usually takes multiple steps to get the results I want for my skin…like an acne treatment with 2-3 steps, twice a day…then a moisturizer at least 3 times a day. So in all reality that’s like 9 steps! Who’s got time for that when you can tackle it in one!
Okay, so lets talk a little about the three products I have and then a little about the company and why they are unique!
I received two (2) body scrubs, two (2) face scrubs & one (1) foot scrub…
Face Scrubs
Green Tea – One word describes the main skin care advantage of Green Tea: anti-aging. And, that’s a good one. Green tea is an antioxidant powerhouse, so it protects against free radical damage (that’s the anti-aging bit).
Green Tea & Tea Tree – All the greatness of the original Green Tea Facial Scrub with the added bonus of tea tree oil. Studies have shown that tea tree oil is as beneficial for treating acne as benzoyl peroxide but without all of the nasty side effects.This is the one for you if you have oily skin. Also great for breakouts and acne-prone skin.
Even after the first use, I could tell this skin care was different. Suffering from adult acne and dry skin is a pain in the ass. My skin felt so soft after just one use and quickly (after a few uses) saw my skin care problems start to go away…just one use a day, in the shower and no more battling with dry patches and acne? I’m all in!
Lavender – Lavender is a classic. It’s soothing scent is very relaxing and who doesn’t need a little more calm in any given day? The all-natural Lavender scrub is great for times when life is especially hectic( i.e. everyday!).
Almond – Almonds nourish, moisturize, smooth and firm the skin. And, this is possibly the most intoxicating scent of the bunch. It’s just plain yummy! This all-natural body scrub, obviously, contains nuts – actual ground almonds – so nut allergy sufferers beware. Everyone else: indulge and enjoy! (This is the only SS scrub that contains nuts or nut oils.)
I love the smell of both, but in all honesty, I use the Lavender more! I just love lavender after a long day…it really helps my mind and body get ready for bed. The body scrubs are formulated for daily use on even the most sensitive skin to keep you soft & smooth. Get gentle exfoliation and complete moisturization in one easy step, without the need for lotion…another step you can leave off your skin care to-do list! Go NO-LO!
Happy Feet – This scrub should be part of everyone’s routine maintenance! Feet are probably the most taken for granted body part.
Happy feet is a more aggressive exfoliator than the body or facial formulations. It also contains high linoleic safflower oil, for heavy duty moisturizing and softening. Living in South Texas, I wear flip flops or sandals most of the time, and let me tell you, it really does a number on my feet! Usually we break out the sander and go to town…since using Happy Feet, I haven’t had to break it out!
Companies can make or break it when it comes to a product…they can have a great product, but if they don’t believe in or use their own product, then they aren’t going to get very far. So who is Simple Sugars and what sets them apart?
Lani Lazzari started the process in 2005 when her mother wanted the to make homemade gifts for family that year for Christmas. Lani had very sensitive skin and was prone to eczema breakouts since she was a baby, so she decided to make an all-natural product that would be safe for very sensitive skin like hers. After a lot of research, she came up with her formula, and Simple Sugar was born!
You might think the name sounds familiar, and that’s because in 2013 they appeared on ABC’s hit show “Shark Tank” and got an investment from billionaire Mark Cuban. You can now purchase Simple Sugars internationally online & at 700 retail locations.
Still not convinced? Check out some testimonials from customers!
– Nicole from Pennsylvania
Join the #GONOLO revolution and ditch your lotion for good! For an exclusive 10% discount off any purchase on the Simple Sugars website, enter code SPARKLESS at checkout. The discount is valid until April 15, 2017.
Join founder Lani Lazzari for a special Facebook Live event at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 16
Have you already tried Simple Sugars? If not, which would you like to try the most?
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. 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 Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

There are lots of new moms out there that are starting to try and get back into a regular fitness routine. Perhaps you were very active and fit before your pregnancy, continued to do light exercise during it, and now want to really get back to where you were before becoming pregnant.
It’s always a good idea to exercise and be fit after giving birth as this helps you feel good about yourself and combat some postpartum woes. However, before you jump straight back into the swing of things, there are some key things you need to know.
The Body Changes During & After Pregnancy
You don’t need a Ph.D. to know that the human body goes through extreme changes throughout pregnancy. Most women put on a lot of weight, and this can have an impact on your body in many ways. For starters, the added weight can put pressure on your joints, which means you may now have aches and pains in your hips, knees, and ankles – which you didn’t have beforehand. Secondly, if you check out MomsIntoFitness.com, you’ll see an article on diastasis, which essentially means your abdominal muscles can separate after giving birth. So, your body will be in a completely different state to what it was prior to your pregnancy.
What does this mean?
Realistically, this means you may be unable to do things that you used to do with ease. As such, you need to be careful on your first few weeks and months back exercising. Start off light, and work your way back to where you used to be. Furthermore, you may need to dedicate time to rehabilitation exercises, so you help correct things that went wrong thanks to pregnancy. This means doing things to stabilize and strengthen your joints, or working on getting rid of the back pain you developed while pregnant.
Another key thing that changes is your nutritional habits. Let’s face it, most people don’t eat particularly well during pregnancy. We have cravings for all sorts of things, which is usually what leads to the excessive weight gain. Now, if you want to get back into fitness, you need to get back into healthy eating as well. After nine months of weird eating habits and patterns, your body might not be used to healthy foods and more strict eating regimes.
Why does this matter?
Basically, you need to be careful not to flood your body full of things your body isn’t used to all at once. Otherwise, you’ll make yourself sick for a couple of days, which is not what you want when you have a young child! Again, this should be done gradually, ensuring you add more and more healthy foods into your diet until your digestive system can handle them again.
To conclude; you need to be aware of the bodily changes you go through when carrying a baby and giving birth. Jump throw your body into the fitness deep-end as you will struggle, fail to see results, fail to sustain this approach, and start feeling down. Instead, take it slow, take it easy, and work your way back over many months.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. 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 Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Facial redness is something I’ve dealt with for years never really knowing how to deal with it. It was never really a huge deal I’d just cake on the makeup to try to hide the redness on my cheeks. Recently Auspect Skincare sent me a serum called RedNoMore to try out…I was a little excited to try something specifically for my facial redness.
The Rednomore Serum comes in a 5oz vial that is simple to open and easy to use! It is a yellow, olive oil, type serum you place on the “affected area” twice a day. I usually use it after I wash my face in the morning and before bed. Having more of an oil feel, it was a little strange the first time I used it, but it absorbs pretty quickly and has no off-putting odor.
Auspect Serums
Infuse your skin with the purest, active ingredients. Auspect serums provide condition-specific solutions that can be mixed together in on easy application. Airtight packaging ensures you are nurturing your skin with the most active and pure ingredients.
Rednomore
Relaxation therapy in a bottle – for skin on the verge of a nervous breakdown! Facial redness? Skin sensitivity? Chronically dry skin? Uncomfortable tight skin? Uncontrollable blushing? If you identify with any or all of these common signs of stressed-out skin, help has finally arrived.
With the holidays right around the corner, I thought this would be perfect for a stocking stuffer for friends and family who have the same facial redness, sensitive, blotchy, or just plain stressed-out skin as I do. The bottle is the perfect size to conceal in a stocking, yet has enough serum to last and last.
SHOP AUSPECT SKINCARE

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc. All opinions are entirely my own.
Texas Independence Day is approaching fast, which means TexFest is right around the corner…and to celebrate we created these delicious Bacon Wrapped Corn Dogs with Texas brand products from our local H-E-B.
Spring is in the air here in Texas so get-togethers are a must! I always have some Wright® Brand Bacon’s Hickory Smoked flavor on hand for just such occasions. Have you tried Bacon Wrapped Lit’l Smokies® Sausages? They are delish!! We love using Wright Brand Bacon, it’s a brand we’ve grown to love for its deliciously bold flavor & thick cuts, plus it’s a brand we can trust to deliver a quality product no matter the recipe we use it in.
I’m a born and bred Texan who enjoys a variety of bold Texas flavors, from BBQ to TexMex to my favorite fair foods (like corn dogs or anything fried). Over the years I have made simple corn dogs & smoky bacon wrapped dogs for a variety of occasions, in which both are a family favorite, so it only made sense to combine the two!
Ready to get cooking?!
Ingredients Needed:
1 pkg 40oz.Wright Brand Bacon in the Hickory Smoked flavor
3 pkg Cheddar Hot Dogs
2 c Cornmeal
2 c Flour
½ c Sugar
2 tbs Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
2 Eggs (Beaten)
2 ½ c Milk or Buttermilk
2 tbs Vegetable Oil
2 tbs Honey
24 Cake Pop Sticks
48 Toothpicks
Oil for Frying
Instructions:
Wrap each hotdog with one strip of bacon and use toothpicks (2 on each) to hold in place
Grill or fry hotdogs with bacon
Let cool
Heat fryer to 350*F degrees
While hotdogs are cooling mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl
Mix in eggs, milk, veg oil & honey until smooth
Pour some mixture into cup large enough to dip hot dogs into
Remove toothpicks from bacon wrapped dogs & use paper towel to make sure there is no moisture (grease) on them
Put one stick into each bacon wrapped dog about half way
Dip hot dog into batter then straight into fryer
Fry for about 2-3 minutes or until golden
Remove and place on paper towels to drain any excess oil
Repeat for each bacon wrapped hotdog
Makes 24 Bacon Wrapped Corn Dogs
In honor of Texas Independence Day, H-E-B is kicking off a two week celebration of all things Texas. TexFest runs February 24 ‑ March 8, 2016. H-E-B has aisles and aisles of local products, plus Texas‑style events, recipes and savings. It’s an event that’s as big as the Lone Star State.
Wanna make your own Bacon Wrapped Corn Dogs with loads of Texas flavor? Grab a coupon and save on some 40 oz. Hickory Smoked Wright Brand Bacon at your local H-E-B.

In his book,”The Brain That Changes Itself,” the well-known neuroscientist Norman Doidge highlights all sorts of amazing examples of people recovering from severe brain trauma, and “fixing” different conditions that they have been afflicted by, contrary to the medical orthodoxy of the past.
The point is, there’s a lot of evidence, developing virtually every day, that people are a good deal more resilient than many may believe.
What’s more, there are new therapies and strategies emerging almost every day that are proving successful for treating various conditions and helping to resolve various lifestyle issues. Autism therapy is available, and so too are many other positive lifestyle interventions.
Even if you’re feeling pretty down about things today, there’s no reason to assume that you’re just “doomed.”
Better to stay optimistic.
When you start living your life right, with regard to taking positive small steps, there is no knowing what doors may open up along the way
One frequent source of pessimism is ending up in a situation where things seem pretty abysmal, and noticing that there is no visible “light at the end of the tunnel,” or clear path that leads to happiness.
Realize, though, that virtually no one ever knows what’s really ahead of them on the various paths of life. And when you begin taking the right small steps, in the right direction, you only need to trust that each action itself is good, not that it’s all part of a grand strategy.
Just do things that you know are good – or at least, stop doing things that you know are bad – and there’s no knowing what doors may open up for you along the way.
Being too negative may end up becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy
If someone is constantly telling themselves that the world is about to fall down on them, and that everything they try to do with their lives is bound for failure and disappointment, do you think there’s a good chance that person will actually live a happy, fulfilling, and high-achieving life?
Being too negative may end up becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy, in and of itself.
Psychological research has shown, for decades, that we only really “see” what we focus on. So, if you only focus on the negative, how can you expect to find your way to something more empowering?

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Valspar ~ Allen & Roth ● Waverly ● Eddie Bauer
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Behr Premium Plus
Behr Premium Plus Ultra
Benjamin Moore ~ Classic Colors ● Color Preview
Affinity Colors
Glidden Better Homes & Gardens ~ Lovely Lavenders ● Savory Spices ● Blushing Pinks ● Yellow Bouquet ● Soothing Neutrals ● Livable Whites
Sherwin Williams ~ Concept in Color
Martha Stewart Living
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Watch this video for a demo! Very easy to do!
I’m not the greatest Grouter…but I think I did pretty good ????
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Disclaimer: Mom of 3 Boys was provided a free product to review. All opinions are completely honest. Grout Shield has not influenced the editorial nature of this post and no other compensation was received. Please see our disclosure policy for more information.