Monday, May 21, 2012

Essentially Bella!


I came across Essentially Bella from the owner, Jami, as she is a local business in my city of Chicago. I love meeting business people but there’s something about buying locally that really makes my heart happy. First, you are supporting your local economy and second, your product doesn’t have to travel far which means it will be most fresh! Of course, I also care about the chemicals that go into my body via my mouth but also through my skin. As I go through life year after year I meet more and more people whose lives have been changed due to a health scare of their own or a person near and dear to their heart. Through scientific literature you can find out a lot about chemicals. However, lately I’m sure you’re more aware of buzz words that are being used today such as; organic, parabens, formaldehyde, and sulfates. These words are often linked to diseases like cancer. It is with that reason that I look for the BEST of the best out there in terms of what goes into and onto my body and Essentially Bella is one of the best being both local and natural? AWESOME!

Usually I steer clear of scrubs because I often times break out from them and I really don’t want to relive my puberty-driven-pimple-stricken teenage years ever again. However, I decided to give Jami’s Lavender Scrub a shot. When I received my scrub in the mail I opened the box to find a beautifully crafted 7oz container with a simple logo. I love the simplicity of bottles because it just seems so crisp and clean to me. Next I opened the container to get a whiff of the delicious lavender scent and delicious it was; believe me, I couldn’t start my shower soon enough! It comes with a cute wooden paddle on the inside to scoop out the scrub so you don’t have to smash your fingers in it (smart). For my first use I decided to use the scrub on my arms, chest, back, and feet. My chest is the area I was worried about breaking out as it seems more sensitive than other parts of my body. My feet REALLY needed a good scrub. Being a mom and a gym freak I don’t have the time I used to have to get my bi weekly pedi’s anymore. Plus, it’s flip flop season now so my feet need extra TLC.

Well, I can’t rave enough about this product! My skin was instantly silky smooth, I didn’t break out, and I got a compliment about how good I smell right after my shower! Triple whammy! Because this product is made with natural ingredients such as; Sucrose, Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, and essentials oils, you can be sure it is good for you, your health, and the planet.

You can order directly from the Essentially Bella website located here:

And please be sure to “Like” them on Facebook!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

What To Get Mom For Mother's Day!


My future hubby (I’m not too fond of the word fiancĂ©) has been bothering me for WEEKS saying how he got me two fabulous gifts; so I say, I already have two  fabulous gifts (yes I’m a smooth operator). So, that got me to thinking, what did he get me?! What would be a great gift for Mother’s Day? Sure flowers and a card are always amazing, but is there something more personal that will last a lifetime? The answer is yes. I found quite a few things that are super fabulous and trendy but one thing that stuck out to me is monogrammed jewelry. Now-a-days just about anything can be monogrammed; a necklace, earrings, bracelets, rings, etc. So, I found two options to share; Budget friendly and splurge. Budget friendly items can be bought off of websites such as amazon.com and etsy.com. While splurge items (and one of my dream items!) can be bought from the Jane Basch collection that I found at thesassyshopgirl.com that has a specific necklace called the mommy monogram (pictured below). How sweet, right?!


Who's Your Mommy?


This time last year we were gearing up for Mother’s Day, what to buy our moms, grandmothers, and siblings who are mothers as well. We always do something extravagant for Mother’s Day; Navy Pier Cruise Lunch, fancy restaurants, etc. Last year at this time I was beyond excited because we were going to Gibson’s, a top notch steak joint here in Chicago. And of course, as you’ve previously read, my goal is to hit as many restaurants as I can in the Chicago-land area so I was stoked to add this one to the list! This year we are going to Drury Lane which is in Oak Brook for their brunch and this time I will be included in the celebration.The funny thing about last Mother’s Day is that I was already pregnant but had NO CLUE!

Now that it’s my turn to be celebrated as a mom (still sounds so weird, but I love it!) I am so excited. Since becoming a mom I’ve really been able to fully grasp the importance of celebrating mom’s and why a whole day is dedicated to us. When I was younger I always thought about how fun and easy it would be to stay home with your child(ren) and “play” house all day. BOY OH  BOY was I wrong! While I thoroughly enjoy currently being a mom, almost wife (funny term but the word fiancĂ© bugs me), house manager, pillow, chef, maid, soother; you get the idea, I am very much so looking forward to being celebrated for my hard work. Little did I know what type of hard work went into parenting before becoming a parent myself. Sure, I was the older sister who took care of my 3 younger siblings but that doesn’t even compare to being a grown woman who is also a mom. I truly want my son to thrive as best he can. I want him to understand concepts that I didn’t grasp when “all the other kids did.” I want him to always remember and understand how I was there and will always be there for him. I want him to feel safe. I want him to learn to be truthful, loving, caring, honest, smart, happy, and really feel that he can do anything in the world that he wants to do. I want him to know I will always support him even if he wants to be an astronaut or an entrepreneur! 

Because I want all of these things for him and because I truly want to BE THERE for everything; that takes so much more than just feeling or giving him love. It takes pure hard work. It takes teaching him lessons and taking all the time I can with him to teach him how to be the best contributor to society that I can. Being a mom is truly the hardest job in the world and for that reason; mothers deserve all the celebration they can stand. 

Happy Mother’s Day Mommies AND Daddy’s who take on the role as BOTH parents. KUDOS!

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Todays FAB Recipe, Colorful Pasta Salad

Ingredients
  • Eden Organic Vegetable Rotini
  • Garbanzo beans (Chickpeas)
  • Onion
  • Green Onion
  • Tomatoes
  • Bell Pepper
  • Basil
  • Parsley
  • Black Pepper
  • Jalapeno
  • Italian Dressing
Directions
Boil noodles as directed, then run under cold water so the noodles are cold to serve. Place back in the pot and add all of your chopped vegetables (serving size as desired). Add in 1/2 cup of Garbanzo beans, and mix everything in the pot. Add in a TBSP of basil, TSP of parsley, and black pepper to taste. Lastly, add in 2 TBSP of Italian dressing. Mix all together very well and serve!

Enjoy!