Wednesday, March 30, 2016

My Magic the Gathering Mirrodin Besieged card set from Golden Groundhog




I'm a big fan of Magic the Gathering cards even if I am not the best at the game itself. I always jump upon the opportunity to continue growing my card sets. Golden Groundhog is a wonderful trading card company on Amazon that sells random card decks that were picked through. There are still a bunch of rare cards to be found within these decks and the cards themselves are in excellent condition.

This particular set of 150 cards comes in a really nice storage box. It's hard to explain the material but it's that really sturdy cardboard type. Everything is packaged very well inside. The three spindown counters are pretty cool. My boxed set came with the more notable cards separated from the set.



There were 31 notable cards in here.

Ancestral Vengeance, The Great Aurora, Temur Runemark, Ivorytusk Fortress, Kheru Spellsnatcher, Mardu Ascendancy, Thousand Winds, Duskmantle Seer, Ainok Guide, Ethereal Ambush, Bold Defense, Master of Pearls, Meandering Towershell, Trail of Mystery, Soul of Shandalar, Grim Contest, Douse in Gloom, Makindi Shieldmate, Necropolis Fiend, Rakashasa Vizier, Trap Essence, Pearl Lake Ancient, Medomai the Ageless, Bathe in Dragonfire, Gore Swine, Retribution of the Ancients, Sultai ascendancy, Villainous Wealth, Sage of Inward Eye, Temur Ascendancy, Daghatar the Adamant


The rest of the cards are a bit much to go through but they were all pretty awesome. 



Golden Groundhog has a bunch of different card sets that have to do with many different games. Magic the Gathering is just one of them. 

50 Ways to use Lavender Essential Oil




I got the opportunity to try out this First Botany Bulgarian Lavender essential oil from Luxor Investments on Amazon. The size of it is 4 ounces. It's been aiding me in relaxation since the scent is quite soothing. If you have trouble sleeping I would recommend it. Read more below to find out how else you can use this amazing essential oil.

You can BUY your own bottle here for $13.45 on Amazon which is an amazing price for the size: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZFAKV7C/



The lavender plant is a small aromatic evergreen shrub of the mint family, with narrow leaves and bluish-purple flowers. Lavender has been widely used in perfumery and medicine since ancient times. It's quite striking and beautiful when you see it all bunched up together like this. It's also nice to decorate with or even grow outside your home. It will definitely give your porch a wonderful scent I am sure.  There's a ton of uses for lavender oil itself.


1- Skin irritations: Therapeutic-grade Lavender oil has been excellent in soothing and healing minor skin irritations. As long as the skin is not broken or raw, Lavender can be used to bring healing and soothing comfort to minor skin irritations.

2- Cure for Ringworm: It's a great, natural therapy for a minor ringworm infection, without the fear of any man-made chemicals touching your skin.

3- Acne treatments: Because acne is often caused by skin oils and bacteria, the antiseptic properties of Lavender can be very effective at managing acne. However, it should be tested on small areas and even diluted for some skin types as it can be a little irritating for very sensitive skin types.

4- Tension / massage: Lavender oil can also be used to help relieve tension in sore and bruised muscles. It can be used effectively to bring relief and relaxation for a muscle massage.

5- Other skin blemishes: Minor rashes, dryness and other skin irritations can be effectively treated with therapeutic-grade Lavender oil.

6- Calming for acute anxiety  By utilizing essential Lavender oil into the post-anxiety relief process and re-programming, one can create stronger, calming memories of the aromas of Lavender while learning to get out of the triggering circumstance and taking control of the situation.

7- Helping little ones prepare for bed: Many children can benefit from a calm, predictable routine at a consistent time each night. When Lavender oil is added to the regimen, it can be even more effective. Rub a few drops of oil on the soles of the little one's feet. We have even put a few drops on our fingers and touched the under-side of their noses so they would smell it and develop a calming routine with a familiar smell. And, since the smell center of the brain is very close to the memory center, this kind of pattern can produce strong, peaceful memories for little ones as they grow older.

8- Winding down before bed as an adult or assisting with sleep disorders - Many adults suffer from sleep disturbances and sleep disorders that range from mild to severe. At many levels, lavender oils and diffusing lavender into the room can help promote calm, restful nights and actually help a person regain some life energy by gaining more restful sleep. Some have used this inside of their CPAP mask and have reported increased sleep effectiveness of up to 35% more sleep per night.

9- Soothing and cleansing common cuts – In World War I, René Gattefossé experimented on soldiers in military hospitals by using Lavender and other antiseptic essential oils with quite positive results. This same oil can be used to help heal minor cuts by safely killing germs that prevent normal healing.

10- Bringing relief to bruised areas – try gently rubbing a few drops of Lavender oil around and on sore, bruised areas to promote blood flow, healing and relief for the tenderness and pain.

11- Soothing minor burns – just as René Gattefossé accidentally discovered the anti-scarring and healing effects of Lavender on a laboratory burn, you can use a few drops on minor burns that are caused from things such as small cooking burns or burns caused by a craft iron or glue gun.

12 - Relief for insect bites – rub a few drops on bee sting areas and other insect bites to speed up the healing and bring instant relief to the burning, itching and irritations of insect bites such as mosquitoes.

13 - Insect repellent that is safe without side effects- Perhaps you have heard of all the dangers of using man-made insect repellents and the toxicity / build up of these kinds of chemicals in the world. Also, there are all kinds of home-remedy type insect repellents or oils that just don't seem to do the trick. Lavender oil is a unique insect repellant that is safe, effective and has no side effects (except positively balancing the mood and stabilizing mental states). Before reaching for the next can of over-the-counter bug spray, try essential Lavender oil.

14 - Safely moisturizing chapped lips – Only pure therapeutic-grade Lavender oil should be considered safe for ingesting or use on skin areas. Be sure your bottle does not say “for external use only” as it is not pure therapeutic-grade and is not worth the money spent on it. Apply as needed to areas of chapped lips in the dry winter season to relieve dry, burning, chapped lips and to promote healing and moisturizing effects.

15 – Winter chapped hands - Lavender oil can triple as a bactericide, moisturizer and reliever of pain, itching and dryness caused by dry, cold winter conditions. Try a few drops as needed and rub into the chapped ares of the fingers and hands.

16 - Eczema relief and dermatitis - Using Lavender oils alone or with other essential oils that are good for the skin can help bring relief to the dryness or the inflammation caused by eczema and dermatitis. Many children have eczema patches as well and eventually grow out of them. Using Lavender oil is safe and effective.

17 - Repelling insects and moths – place a few drops on a cotton ball for closets and linen drawers to ward off insects and moths.

18 - Fabric freshener and deodorizer – Place a few drops on cloth or laundry drier sheet to freshen laundry scent and naturally deodorize

19 - Child's resting place - Place a few drops on your child's stuffed animal or pillow to help comfort them at night and to build comforting memories.

20 - Romance and relaxed social settings - Diffuse the lavender oil to set the mood for a nice romantic evening or for a relaxed social event.

21- Can be used in a day spa for diffusing - Lavender is a nice oil for diffusing, cleaning the air, and bringing balance to any atmosphere. Diffusing it in a certain area of your day-spa can really bring a sense of balance and tranquility.

22 - Lavender infused tea and other drinks – Using Lavender in a nice cup of hot tea can help as a nice wind-down drink after dinner or with a decaffeinated tea before bed. It can also be used with a nice Chamomile tea or “Sleepy time” tea before bed or when trying to relax.

23 - Lavender in breads and cooking – Experiment with Lavender oil (digestible kind) in your fruit breads and other dishes. It can provide a wonderful complexity and aromatics to some of your favorite dishes. Try adding a drop or 2 to a few bites before adding it to a complete recipe to be sure you like it first.

24 - Sunburn relief - Lavender drops can be diluted in water to spray over sunburn to promote relief and healing several times a day. Try using Lavender instead of (or alternating with) aloe-vera gel and diluted apple-cider vinegar to help take away the heat and sting of sun-burn.

25 - To settle throat or muscle spasms- Recently, I had some issues with GERD and esophageal spasms. If you ever had esophageal spasms or IBS, it can be very uncomfortable and at times, painful. I decided take a few drops of Lavender oil on the tongue to see if it had similar muscle relaxation effects on the smooth, involuntary muscles of the digestive system. The Lavender oil was very effective in greatly reducing the spasms and bringing relaxation and relief to the constricting muscles in my throat. It must be therapeutic grade that it pure enough for ingestion, however.

26 - Soothing tension and headaches - Sometimes, rubbing a few drops on the temples and / or on the back of the neck or trapezius muscles can really help bring relief and reduce the headaches caused by tension. Try this before reaching for that bottle of ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

27 - Sinusitis and allergy flare-ups - Both Lavender and Peppermint oil can be very effective for helping to reduce the flare ups from allergies and sinusitis (inflammation of the sinus linings). Place a few drops near the affected areas, nasal passages, temples, forehead, back of the neck, between the eyes (but certainly not in the eyes) – and test some near your eyes to make sure the vapors are not too intense for your eyes as it can irritate or cause the eyes to water a bit.

28 - Great for a relaxing bath oil – sometimes you need to ramp up the relaxing effects of Lavender and diffusing and rubbing it topically don't do the complete trick. Try adding several drops to a warm, relaxing bath, while playing some soft music and lighting some nice candles. A little extra time on those days when you really need a break after work or from the kids can really bring you back to a sense of normalcy.

29 - Relief with heart palpitations – Lavender oil, being a natural tonic and sedative, can also be inhaled in pure form to help with heart palpitations and a rapid heart beat. Practice making calm and quiet surroundings and inhaling Lavender oils when your heart is racing. Be sure to stay with your doctor's advice if you have a condition or are on medications.

30 – Calmness before an exam - Inhale some drops of Lavender before and during a test if permitted to help an older student reset balance to mind and emotions for testing anxieties. Using the Lavender lightly during study times can also help produce calm memories when thinking through particular topics, which can carry over to the testing scenario.

31 – Before a presentation or job interview - You can inhale some Lavender aroma and even put a drop or two under the nasal passages to bring calmness and balance to the mind and emotions before a presentation before peers, colleagues or before a big job interview.

32 – Water fountain or aromatherapy fountain - Placing a few drops of Lavender in your fountain can kill bacteria and promote a nice, balanced, calm atmosphere while keeping the water fresh and free of microbes.

33 – Reducing scar tissue - Be sure to consistently add Lavender oil to areas of skin that are wounded and beginning to heal to help reduce scarring and promote healing, while also experience the antiseptic properties of the oil.

34 – Dry eyes and tear ducts – Do not place Lavender in the eyes. However, you can put a drop or 2 near the bridge of the nose to promote your lacrimal glands to produce tears.

35- Motion Sickness – Experiment with the locations of application, but Lavender can be used to help alleviate symptoms of minor motion sickness. It is not intended to prevent motion sickness on a long cruise or where a stronger medicine may be needed. However, it can be effective in relieving symptoms of the onset of motion sickness.

36 – Bath salts - Not only can Lavender be used by the drop in a relaxing bath, but it can also be mixed with pure bath salts and wrapped up to use later or for a gift for a friend or family member.

37- Ear aches - Sometimes, adults and children get ear aches. Using a warm compress, add a few drops of Lavender oil to the warm, wet compress and massage the areas around and behind the ears, and the sides of the neck under the jaw-line, following the path starting behind the ear lobes. This can help relieve and reduce inflammation around the Eustachian tubes that drains the ears to the throat.

38 – Menstrual cramp relief - Using very warm compresses, also apply Lavender oils around the abdomen while inhaling the diffuse vapors to help calm and relax the muscles, mind and body for less severe cramping.

39 - Respiratory infections - Lavender can be used in a vaporizer to help kill germs and promote healing due to respiratory infections.

40 - Soothe a cough or sore throat - Lavender oil's natural antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and calming effects can help soothe a cough or sore throat due to cough or minor infection. Having some Lavender around for the cold season can bring a lot of safe relief for little ones as well by inhalation or dabbing some drops around the nasal passages and massaging gently around the neck and throat area.

41 - Relief of minor asthmatic and bronchial spasmsR – Many people suffer from minor asthmatic and acute bronchial spasms leading to some bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchial tubes) from pollens, bacteria and other allergens or pathogens. Lavender oil diffusing, inhaling, and rubbing on the nasal passages and around the chest areas has provided relief for minor asthmatic symptoms and bronchial spasms for some.

42 - Hair loss and re-growth for alopecia - Alopecia areata is an auto-immune dysfunction where the hair falls out, often in clumps or patches. In one study documented by the University of Maryland Medical Center, 86 alopecia areata patients went through a split test. Both subjects massaged the scalp daily for 7 months, where as only half used essential lavender oil during the massage. The experimental group that used Lavender oil reported significant hair re-growth over the control group that simply used scalp massage alone.

43 – Reduce agitation in dementia patients - Some studies have shown that aromatherapy and other Lavender oil use can help reduce agitation for aging patients who experience agitation and irritability due to dementia.

44 – Other skin fungal infections like candidiasis – Fungal infections are common in humans. Skin infections caused by fungus like candidiasis have responded very well in many cases and can be treated with topical applications of pure Lavender oil.

45 - Irritation from shingles – Adult onset of shingles due to the Herpes Zoster virus can be quite irritating and downright painful. Some people have used Lavender oil to alleviate the pain, irritation and itching caused by shingles. Also, because shingles can often be associated with life stressors, Lavender can help with that too.

46 – Scabies infections – Scabies has been identified by the WHO (World Health Organization) as a water-borne parasite / illness that can also be transmitted by skin contact from infected persons. Some natural medicinal doctors (NMDs) have used therapeutic-grade Lavender oils and baths in conjunction with other oils such as tea tree oil to effectively kill these parasites that burrow under the skin, lay eggs, and cause allergic irritations and dermatitis. Not only can the Lavender oil kill the parasites, but it can bring relief to the skin irritations.

47 – Overactive nervous system – Sometimes, other voluntary and involuntary muscle spasms can be treated well with Lavender oil massaged on or near the location of the muscle spasms caused by an over-active nerve or nervous system.

48 – After surgery pain relief – Although there have been more reported testimonials, one study done on biopsy patients (reported at the University of Maryland Medical Center) for after surgery pain relief showed significant pain decrease in patients who received oxygen with Lavender aromatherapy versus those who just received oxygen without aromatherapy in post-operative scenarios.

49 – Improve concentration – Because of its ability to stabilize mood, reduce anxieties, and help calm the nervous system, Lavender has been reported by many to help improve the ability to concentrate by reducing other symptoms that can distract thought and the ability to focus.

50 – Deodorants – Pure therapeutic grade Lavender oil can be used as a body deodorant because it kills bacteria that can cause body odors and can also be used with other applications as natural body deodorants. Some ancient civilizations used essential oils for bathing and beautification / perfuming processes weeks and months before weddings and other ceremonies. In addition to its ability to kill odor-causing bacteria, Lavender also adds a delightful light, clear, fragrant floral aroma.


As you can see there are a ton of uses for it. It's just a one bottle miracle for it all.

Monday, March 28, 2016

How to play Chess and Tips for Beginners


Starting a Game

At the beginning of the game the chessboard is laid out so that each player has the white (or light) color square in the bottom right-hand side. The chess pieces are then arranged the same way each time. The second row (or rank) is filled with pawns. The rooks go in the corners, then the knights next to them, followed by the bishops, and finally the queen, who always goes on her own matching color (white queen on white, black queen on black), and the king on the remaining square.
The player with the white pieces always moves first. Therefore, players generally decide who will get to be white by chance or luck such as flipping a coin or having one player guess the color of the hidden pawn in the other player's hand. White then makes a move, followed by black, then white again, then black and so on until the end of the game.



How the Pieces Move

Each of the 6 different kinds of pieces moves differently. Pieces cannot move through other pieces (though the knight can jump over other pieces), and can never move onto a square with one of their own pieces. However, they can be moved to take the place of an opponent's piece which is then captured. Pieces are generally moved into positions where they can capture other pieces (by landing on their square and then replacing them), defend their own pieces in case of capture, or control important squares in the game.

The King

The king is the most important piece, but is one of the weakest. The king can only move one square in any direction - up, down, to the sides, and diagonally.  The king may never move himself into check (where he could be captured).

The Queen

The queen is the most powerful piece. She can move in any one straight direction - forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally - as far as possible as long as she does not move through any of her own pieces. And, like with all pieces, if the queen captures an opponent's piece her move is over.

The Rook

The rook may move as far as it wants, but only forward, backward, and to the sides. The rooks are particularly powerful pieces when they are protecting each other and working together!

The Bishop

The bishop may move as far as it wants, but only diagonally. Each bishop starts on one color (light or dark) and must always stay on that color. Bishops work well together because they cover up each other’s weaknesses.

The Knight

Knights move in a very different way from the other pieces – going two squares in one direction, and then one more move at a 90 degree angle, just like the shape of an “L”. Knights are also the only pieces that can move over other pieces.

The Pawn

Pawns are unusual because they move and capture in different ways: they move forward, but capture diagonally. Pawns can only move forward one square at a time, except for their very first move where they can move forward two squares. Pawns can only capture one square diagonally in front of them. They can never move or capture backwards. If there is another piece directly in front of a pawn he cannot move past or capture that piece.

Promotion

Pawns have another special ability and that is that if a pawn reaches the other side of the board it can become any other chess piece (called promotion). A pawn may be promoted to any piece. [NOTE: A common misconception is that pawns may only be exchanged for a piece that has been captured. That is NOT true.] A pawn is usually promoted to a queen. Only pawns may be promoted.

En Passant

The last rule about pawns is called “en passant,” which is French for “in passing”. If a pawn moves out two squares on its first move, and by doing so lands to the side of an opponent’s pawn (effectively jumping past the other pawn’s ability to capture it), that other pawn has the option of capturing the first pawn as it passes by. This special move must be done immediately after the first pawn has moved past, otherwise the option to capture it is no longer available.

Castling

One other special rule is called castling. This move allows you to do two important things all in one move: get your king to safety (hopefully), and get your rook out of the corner and into the game. On a player’s turn he may move his king two squares over to one side and then move the rook from that side’s corner to right next to the king on the opposite side.  However, in order to castle, the following conditions must be met:


  • it must be that king’s very first move
  • it must be that rook’s very first move
  • there cannot be any pieces between the king and rook to move
  • the king may not be in check or pass through check


Check & Checkmate

As stated before, the purpose of the game is to checkmate the opponent’s king. This happens when the king is put into check and cannot get out of check. There are only three ways a king can get out of check: move out of the way (though he cannot castle!), block the check with another piece, or capture the piece threatening the king. If a king cannot escape checkmate then the game is over. Customarily the king is not captured or removed from the board, the game is simply declared over.

Draws

Occasionally chess games do not end with a winner, but with a draw. There are 5 reasons why a chess game may end in a draw:


  • The position reaches a stalemate where it is one player’s turn to move, but his king is NOT in check and yet he does not have another legal move
  • The players may simply agree to a draw and stop playing
  • There are not enough pieces on the board to force a checkmate (example: a king and a bishop vs.a king)
  • A player declares a draw if the same exact position is repeated three times (though not necessarily three times in a row)
  • Fifty consecutive moves have been played where neither player has moved a pawn or captured a piece.

Looking for a cute small chess board you can practice at home with? This one by Love Park Products is great for traveling. All the pieces are high quality and wooden. I think it's fantastic and use it at home personally.

You can Buy this chess board here on Amazon for $21 : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010RBS5ZI



The easiest piece of advice:

When you decide upon a move, before playing it ... ensure that ALL of your opponent's (forcing moves) in response to your move, i.e.
checks
captures
threats

can be MET by you safely via careful analysis, as  opposed to  *HOPING* you can deal with it later (after he moves!).

If there's something he can play that you can't meet safely, your intended move is clearly wrong ... come up with something else to play.
The vast majority of chess players out there simply ignore this out of cluelessness or arrogantly think  "of course I do this" even though they don't do it consistently on EVERY move.  

If you ever wondered what separates the strong players from the weak ones, the thought process above would be one of the big differentiates.

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1. At the very least, familiarize yourself with the basic principles of the most elementary tactics.  Forks, pins, skewers, etc.  You don't need to be a tactical monster, able to see four and five moves deep.  Just notice the obvious one and two movers.

2. Once #1 is achieved, apply it to your opponent's moves, too, and try real hard not to blunder anything.


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When faced with a threat remember there are 5 ways to deal with something....Move, Capture, Support, Block and Utterly Ignore.  The last one is seldom good.







How to cut back on eating out with meal prepping




Eating out can get really expensive. You can save a ton of money by packing your own meals. It doesn't have to be boring or too time consuming. By prepping on a Sunday for the week you will save so much time and money. This tactic may even work with your kids. Keep everything prepped in the fridge and they will have healthier snacks to eat instead of just chips/cake/junk.

I don't prep to be completely healthy as my main goal is to save time and money. So I figured people want to do the same.

You just need to buy large packs of meat which I get mine at a good price at Walmart. I always buy their large packs of tenderloins. It's so easy to throw half a pack into a large bowl and mix with seasonings. You then just throw it in the oven and BAM you have oven baked chicken for lunches or dinners. You can also cook stove top in a large pan and just use some grape seed oil.



We all love fresh cilantro here at home. It packs a ton of flavor and it's cheap for a large bunch. (Just $1.00 at my Walmart) I will use that as a base in many of my meals. If you want an example of how I season some chicken or chops check below

- Fresh Cilantro
- Fresh Garlic (I use the squeeze garlic in a bottle )
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Powdered Thyme
- Rosemary
- Red pepper flakes
- Red or white wine ( I use red for chops and white for chicken)
- Fresh cracked black pepper , Fresh sea salt
- Honey
- Lime juice


I always just eyeball it and season the meat so everything is covered with just a bit of wine juice at the bottom. Believe me ...my whole family loves this mixture of seasoning. It kinda tastes like Cuban seasoning.





Do you have leftovers? Pack that stuff up! Someone will eat it. I honestly don't really like leftovers but my kids and boyfriend will eat it if I heat it up for them. That's a meal I don't have to cook or pay for. Woohoo money and time saved! I honestly think when meals are packed up in these neat meal prep containers it's more attractive. You'll be more inclined to eat a meal from it instead of a regular tupperware.

Anyway, I got these neat meal prep containers from Chili Cookware. They are really durable and can be washed to be used over and over again. I know they will last me a long time. I actually took it with me to an Easter dinner I attended to take some leftovers with me. It worked great and they have a tight seal on them. There's so much space for food in each compartment. I love them.

You can BUY this set of 10 for $19 on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0187O0I48


Thanks for reading and well wishes on saving money/time with your meal prepping journey!

Thursday, March 24, 2016

What I got from Amazon - Spring Fashion & Jewelry Items March 2016



So I got some pretty cool things from Amazon this month and I wanted to focus on some of the fashion type items I got to check out.

The first thing up is these multi-colored Bohemian styled earrings from Spunkysoul. They have so many beautiful colors that are not tacky. They mesh very well together. I could see myself wearing these for a bunch of casual outfits especially in the Spring and Summer.



You can BUY these Boho earrings on Amazon here for $16.99 : http://www.amazon.com/Long-Mystic-Fringe-Pendant-Necklace/dp/B01C3HPMTQ/ie=UTF8?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&keywords=earrings+for+women


You can also check out SpunkySoul's beautiful jewelry pieces here on their Amazon shop: CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SHOP
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Next up is this Harry Potter Inspired jewelry set from GoodLucky365. This is so cool especially if you're a fan of all types of geekery which I definitely am.

I would have to say that my favorite thing from the whole set is the necklace with the ball and wings on it. I think it's supposed to be the Golden Snitch from the Quidditch games. The bracelet is pretty awesome as well because it looks like you are wearing a few different ones at once. The layered look is so IN right now.



You can BUY this Harry Potter jewelry set here on Amazon for $8.18 : http://www.amazon.com/Goodlucky365-Necklace-Deathly-Synthetic-Bracelet/dp/B019ST4DP6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

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Next up are these non slip Yoga socks from Raylans. They actually sent me a few things for review. There are two kings of Yoga socks usually. There are the standard looking ones that cover the whole foot and the toe-less ones. I think I prefer the ones that look like a regular sock because they still provide traction to help me work out plus keep my toes covered. I can also just use them around the house when I am done anyway.

I know they are called Yoga socks but you can pretty much use them for any type of workout. These are great for martial arts type training as well if you don't wear shoes anyway.


You can BUY Raylan's Yoga socks here on Amazon for $9.18 (4 set) : http://www.amazon.com/Raylans-Pilates-Socks-Cotton-Pattern/dp/B01CA46K8Y?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

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Here's the next piece from Raylans which are lace lingerie undies for women. They come in many different colors but I had my eye on this beautiful dark teal looking color. You don't get to pick a size but they are surprisingly stretchy. I thought they weren't going to fit but I did manage to get them on and I'm usually a Medium in Victoria's Secret panties.

Just so you can see the fit I put them on over my leggings to show you. They are super comfortable as well. Totally recommend them!



You can BUY your own pair of Raylans lace underwear here on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Raylans-G-string-Lingerie-Underwear-Blue-green/dp/B01CA474MA?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

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Next up is this bralette from Raylans. It's like one of those caged tank top thingies. They have quite a few different styles and colors. They do come with breast pads but I usually pluck those out since I hate how they look under anyhow. It's very comfortable and has a nice stretch to it. You can wear these alone or with a shirt underneath. I'd probably wear it over something.



You can BUY your own Raylans bralette here on Amazon for $5.15 : http://www.amazon.com/Raylans-Bralette-Bustier-Cutout-Padded/dp/B01BSKQF2C?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

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Here's the last thing I got from Raylans on Amazon. It's a workout sports bra. Once again this comes with pad inserts in them. I personally pulled mine out since I like a seamless look to it plus it just fits better for me that way. I love the color on it and the stretch is wonderful. This is their size Large and it fits nicely over my clothing and under. They have a ton of colors available but this is their Light Blue version.


You can Buy this Sports Bra from Raylans here on Amazon for $5.77 : http://www.amazon.com/Raylans-Fitness-Racerback-Wireless-Comfort/dp/B01CA48ASC?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage





Hope you enjoyed checking out a few of the things I got on Amazon and be sure to check back with me to see what other goodies I get to try out. The world of shopping can be a fun place but its always changing daily. Let me guide you :}

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Let's make easy mini apple pies with Truvia and Green Moms Meet! So Delicious!



I got the chance to work with some Truvia products thanks to Moms Meet. I'm going to be honest and say I am not the best when it comes to baking desserts but simple recipes are my go to. This recipe came out absolutely delicious. I said that it tasted better than a McDonald's apple pie. My kids cleared them all so quickly. Trust me..everyone who loves sweet stuff will love this.

So basically everything you see here is what you need. I only ended up using two apples though and a little bit of any lemon-lime soda.

You will need the following


  1.  Two apples (any kind)
  2.  One stick of butter ( I used salted but you can use unsalted)
  3.  One pack of crescent rolls (You can find them cheap at Walmart)
  4.  Some lemon-lime type of soda ( sierra mist, mountain dew, seven-up, no name brand kind)
  5.  Cinnamon powder
  6.  Brown sugar (light or full - doesn't matter)
  7.  Truvia baking blend white sugar (or any brand of your liking)
  8.  All purpose flour



So, first thing you want to do is pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Then you want to grease up your small square pan for use. I just sprayed some canola oil on mine.

Now you core your apples and cut them. This handy thing I have in my kitchen makes this part easy. I then took a knife to peel off the skin. After that I cut my apples slices into smaller pieces.



Next you want to unravel your crescent rolls onto a flat surface. I also kind of pressed on them to spread them out a bit to make them larger. (But not too much) You then start adding the apple pieces onto the thicker end. A child can help out with this part. (My 11 year old helped me)



Now carefully roll them up by taking the thicker end and rolling it over by folding it. Take your time and do it slowly or the apples may fall out. Pinch the edges after you roll it up to kind of close it.


So you should have about 6 regular pieces. I had a little leftover dough in my can so I made a smaller one in the middle. So now it's time to measure out all the other ingredients into a bowl.

For my recipe, I used 4 ounces of Truvia Baking Blend Sugar and about 2 ounces of light brown sugar. Truvia makes brown sugar but I couldn't find it at my local Walmart unfortunately. :{

So you pour this into a bowl along with about a teaspoon of cinnamon powder. You also need to add 1 and a half tablespoons of flour. Take that 1 stick of butter and make sure to melt that in a separate bowl in the microwave. You need to add the melted butter to the sugar/flour/cinnamon bowl.

It will be a little thick so what I did was add about 2 splashes of the soda until it was relatively smooth. Do be very careful because if you add too much a chemical reaction might happen and make the mixture fall apart like oatmeal. You're going to spoon the mixture all over your pastries before they go into the oven. Now you add a bit of the soda in between but not on top of the pastries. I put about 4 ounces in between.




Now you just let it bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes. I would keep an eye on it at about 28 mins in.



Here's the finished product. Your house will smell amazing and you will also have a delicious treat for the whole family. I sprinkled some extra cinnamon on top of it after it was done. Believe me when I say this tastes better than a processed apple pie and it's so easy to make. Have it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream , yummy!



Thanks to Truvia and MomsMeet for letting me try this out with my family/friends.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

World of Warcraft Trading Cards Throne of Tides from Golden GroundHog




Looking for a bunch of cards to start playing World of Warcraft TCG? Look no further with Golden GroundHog on Amazon. They have a ton of sets to pick from so you can build up your decks. I love looking through all the cards since HearthStone uses some of the art from the cards in their game. I recognize a bunch of them but I don't really play the TCG. I can still appreciate and recognize a lot of it since I play World of Warcraft as well.

So you get a random box of cards and the set I got was Throne of Tides. There's a decorative deck holder inside the box which is pretty cool. There was a bunch of archaeology fragments but those aren't viable anymore so I just tossed them after looking through. There's just so many cards in here and I love them all. I won't show each of them but as you can see the art is just so nice looking. These are great for just Warcraft fans in general.


You can get a random set of Warcraft cards here on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CIT7530


  • 800+ Assorted World Of Warcraft Cards!
  • Includes Rares & Foils!
  • World of Warcraft Deck Box in Every Bundle!
  • Comes in Epic Collection World of Warcraft Storage Box!
  • Cards Are Near Mint/Mint! Great Variety!






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