Pear Havarti Sandwich + A Chance to Win $25K!!!

The coupons for product redemption, information, and gift card have been provided by Oroweat® Bread so that I could try the product and share information about the “2016 America’s Better Sandwich” Contest and my thoughts and information about Oroweat®. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions of Oroweat® Bread.”

Oroweat® Bread is excited to launch their 2016 America’s Better Sandwich” Contest! The sandwich architect whose filling matches the goodness of Oroweat® Bread will win a grand prize of $25,000!!!  Oh my gosh y’all…that would be awesome right?

Do you have a yummy sandwich that you love to share with friends and family?  Why not share it with the rest of us & also have opportunity to win $25,000 dollars…UHM….okay!

I’d love to share with you a healthy option I enjoy.  It’s a sandwich with pear, havarti cheese, and peppery arugula.

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I’m using Oroweat 100% Whole Wheat Bread.  This sandwich is so yummy and good for you too!  Just slice up some pears (thinly), grab some cheese, arugula leaves, butter your bread, and pop it in the toaster to melt.

Why I choose Oroweat® products:

Oroweat® Whole Grains Sliced Breads and Oroweat® Sandwich Thins® Rolls contain/are:

  • 2 to 5 grams of fiber per slice or thin
  • Zero grams of Trans Fat
  • No High Fructose Corn Syrup
  • A cholesterol free food
  • The Oroweat® Healthfull® bread varieties contain/are:
  • Made with 100% whole grains
  • Good source of fiber
  • 80 calories per serving
  • No High Fructose Corn Syrup
  • Heart healthy*
  • Zero grams of Trans Fat

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I have a delicious and healthy…and EASY lunch!  DSC_2261

Would you like a chance to win the 2016 America’s Better Sandwich Contest?

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Before entering an original better sandwich, make sure your recipes include any of the Oroweat® Sliced Breads, including any of the Oroweat® Sandwich Thins® Rolls varieties.

This year’s contest includes five (5) exciting sandwich categories including:

 

  1. “Open-Faced Artistry” (sandwiches are works of art for the world to see, and these snacks and meals should announce their nutritious ingredients—like bright beets or tasty tuna— sans second slice);
  2. “Breakfast in Bread” (these sandwiches, featuring nutrient rich breakfast favorites like eggs and yogurt, invoke images of cozy mornings in bed or boisterous brunches with friends);
  3. “Creative Classics” (nutritious spins on sandwich creations that have stood the test of time, such as grandma’s club sandwich, BLT or other old-time favorites);
  4. “Fueling Good”  (these sandwiches should incorporate ingredients that help boost your energy such as healthful fats, protein, fiber and iron)
  5. “State Favorites” (whether it’s a well-known sandwich in the state you reside, or a must-have local dish that can transition into a sandwich, celebrate your state pride by re-creating these state favorites with better-for-you ingredients)

The recipe in each sandwich category with the highest score will receive a $5,000 category prize.

Entries will be accepted June 15th – August 21st, online consumer voting will take place September 26th – October 23rd, and the winners will be announced on National Sandwich Day- November 3rd.
Oroweat®  bread will donate one (1) loaf of bread (up to 100,000 loaves) to Feeding America for each valid entry submission during the entry period and vote received during the online voting phase of the “2016 America’s Better Sandwich” Contest
More information on the “2016 America’s Better Sandwich” Contest Official Rules and Donation Program terms and conditions can be found at http://www.americasbettersandwich.com .

 

Follow Oroweat® on Facebook  for the latest news!

GMC YUKON- That Week I was a Baller

BALLER:
adjective
 
  1. extremely good or impressive; excellent.

A few weeks ago I got to drive around in a fabulous 2016 Yukon Denali.  To say this would be my dream car would be an understatement.  I could practically live in this car and be happy!  Actually, I could just move into this car instead of buying a house right?  LOL!

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Connor and I were the ones that used it the most during the week.  Connor just LOVED that he could watch Star Wars while we were driving.  The Yukon Denali would be perfect for road trips!  We are planning a trip to Branson with my family in a couple weeks and this would be perfect with two 6-year-olds in the back seat.

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Connor said “Oh my gosh Mom this car is so big we can go camp in it!”  The Yukon Denali comes complete with headphones.  While your little ones are watching movies in the back you can still listen to your music too!5bd231d1-da7a-4401-9e8b-af9a1a0ac4f2

This is a MUST for Texas summers.  It’s been over 100 degrees this past week.  Nothing soothes the summer heat faster than an air conditioned seat.  LOVED this!

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There is plenty of room and storage for EVERYTHING!  a6a1429b-d998-4bdd-b4c1-8858e4db3c81

We had the best time trying out the Yukon Denali and maybe someday we’ll be able to get one of our own.  It’s definitely a dream car.  Thank you #GMC for everything!84645005-281b-4228-8600-cb3ec66120cf

Check out my video below where I talk about all my favorite features 🙂

Discover The Possibilities Life Has to Offer

All views are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Discover Products Inc. and its affiliates

So, we’ve been in our apartment for over a year now. In the beginning we signed a six month lease, which then turned into another  6 month lease.  This process of buying a home has been completely crazy!

Needless to say, I’m happy no matter where we are because we have a roof over our heads and don’t have to worry.  We are debt free, our cars are paid for, our credit is great, and we are saving diligently towards retirement & this kiddo’s future.

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It took us a while to get to this point in life and it doesn’t always happen over night.  I remember when Terence and I first got married we were young and didn’t have much of a credit history.  Our very first loan was for a home computer.  We went to the bank and asked for a personal loan so we could purchase a new computer.  We needed it for school and other various reasons, but we just couldn’t afford one at that point in life.

That personal loan was a first step at building good credit for our future.  Even though we were just starting out in life, it meant a lot that someone was willing to loan us money for something we needed.

Situations like this will pop up throughout your life.  You never know where you’ll end up or what you may be facing in the future.  I’ve worked in the Finance industry for over a decade and have seen how a personal loan can benefit many lives.  Discover Personal Loans can be an ideal solution for individuals with good credit and a strong financial history. With no origination fees you’ll receive 100% of your approved  loan amount. You get competitive, fixed rates with flexible repayment options to help you reach your goals in life.  Whether it be for a wedding, car, or a trip somewhere…. like Scotland for your 15 year wedding anniversary…. *hint* *hint*

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Discover Personal Loans can help with debt consolidation and credit card refinancing (these are actually the number one reasons why people take out a personal loan). Discover has 100% U.S. based loan specialists who can help you decide which loan term works best and how quickly you want to pay it off.

Discover Personal Loans offers fixed rates starting at 6.99% up to 24.99% with flexible repayment terms. You can lock in a lower, fixed rate debt consolidation loan that can help you eliminate hundreds or even thousands of dollars in future interest payments.  Plus, the fixed interest rate on a Personal Loan is generally lower than the higher, variable rates associated with many revolving debts.

Sometimes you need a little help getting where you want to go in life, so why not let someone give you a hand AND save money in the process?  Learn more about Discover Personal Loans here.

Find out how a personal loan can benefit you & how you can erase higher-interest credit card debt.

Follow along for more information on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

How would you use a Discover Personal Loan?

Be sure to visit the Discover brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

The Craziness that is the DFW Housing Market

Well…here we go again.

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I shared with friends and family on Facebook last week that we had finally found a home.  Well, after much thought, an inspection, and looking the house over a couple more times it just didn’t feel like our “home“.  We decided it wasn’t for us and backed out of the offer.  When we sold our house last May in two days I think we thought it would be a piece of cake to jump into another house.

Easier said than done.  The DFW housing market is a legit war zone right now.  You have to fight for what you want, then make a crazy offer, then once it’s accepted take the steps that most buyers would take BEFORE putting in an offer.  To say we’ve felt pressured or a little on edge would be an understatement.  As much as I truly want a house I don’t want to settle….and that is exactly what I feel like we have to were doing.

I know we are looking in a specific area.  One where homes start at $500K and go into the millions.  Our budget is a fraction of that.  It sucks that you have to be a millionaire to get into a good school district.  The whole purpose of our move was to have more family time together and cut Terence’s hour commute in half.  We have our reasons for sticking to our area and our gut.  We’ve built a life here and Connor has made friends…we’d like to stay more than anything.

How many families are that wealthy to afford neighborhoods full of million dollar homes?  I often find myself wondering that?  Did they inherit money, did they win Powerball, do they have a magic genie I don’t know about?  I mean we make a good living by anyone’s standards.  Are we looking in the wrong area?  Are we being too picky?  I know not everyone lives in this area…but it wasn’t always like this.  Should we move to the sticks and commute for hours and just suffer through it for a cheaper home….maybe?  When a home comes up in our budget it’s gone the same day or a few days after…piranhas.

Also, homes we’ve been bidding on appraised for thousands if not a hundred thousand LESS two or three years ago!!!  How is the market that cray cray right now???  When did the housing bubble blow up this big?  Will it pop again and we’ll be screwed?  Is it just in DFW?

UGH.

Our real estate agent has been a Godsend really and shown us so many properties.  We are incredibly grateful that she is sticking with us through this crazy time.  My ultimate goal is to have a home by Christmas.  Everyone that knows me knows how much I love Christmas and to decorate and all that jazz.

I don’t want to seem ungrateful or sound like I’m not thankful for what we have…because I am in so grateful.  I know not everyone owns a home.  We are all happy and healthy and have a roof over our heads.  There is absolutely nothing to be sad about.  I guess I’m just frustrated and writing is my way to vent.  I am by no means a good writer or even a great writer…but it feels good to get it out.

Anyone else experiencing this crazy market and navigating through the rough waters right now?  If so what are your thoughts?

Home is where the HEART is.  That I do know.

God has a reason for everything and a plan…that I know too.

Thanks for listening. xo Becky

 

Nexxus Salon Care: Results You Can See

“This post is sponsored by Nexxus New York Salon Care, a product of Unilever, as a part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.” #TBD #IC

A couple of months ago I got my hair cut really short for the summer.  I mean…short!  I told myself at the end of last year I wasn’t going to cut it at all because I wanted to grow it out super long and be able to do a beloved top knot.  Well, like most women my hair can drive me bonkers.  My hair is naturally curly and most days it’s a battle with my hair just to make myself look presentable.

I’ve had every hairstyle imaginable.  You name it I’ve tried it.  Short, long, blonde, brown, red, or even black…I’ve done it all!

Hair Flashback:

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I’m really picky about hair products and I want to take good care of my hair because I do so much to it.  I dry and straighten it several times a week & this can do a number on my hair!  I recently tried some fabulous products from Nexxus New York Salon Care.

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The Nexxus New York Salon Care Therappe & Humectress Collection smells a-m- a-z- i-n-g!  It left my normally curly, frizzy hair feeling smooth and refined. I have been using all the products above for the last couple of weeks.  I absolutely love the way the Therappe Shampoo and Humectress Conditioner leave my hair.

I’d also like to tell you about some of my other favorites.

The Dry Shampoo Refreshing Mist…I mean really ladies how did we ever survive without dry shampoo?  Now I can got an extra day or two between washing & drying my hair.  This causes less damage to my mane and that helps my hair to grow longer and stronger.

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After I get out of the shower I’ve been applying the Nexxus Encapsulate Caviar Serum on wet hair before blow drying.  Again, it smells delicious and is enriched with 100% pure Elastin Protein which leaves my hair soft and smooth.

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If my hair gets really dry (like the 110 degree heat we had yesterday in TX) then I apply the Nexxus Caviar Complex Replenishing Masque.  This is a super deep conditioning treatment.  If you spend a lot of time in the pool this summer, don’t forget about deep conditioning those locks….chlorine can do a number on your hair.

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The Nexxus Maxximum Finishing mist held like a charm.  Also, one of my biggest pet peeves with hairspray is a clogged nozzle.  This one has yet to clog, goes on super even, and smells so yummy!

Other fab products are the Nexxus Lightweight Conditioning Mist and the Nexxus Volumizing Mousse.  I use these products when I want to give my hair a break from straightening and let it go curly.

Results:

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You can see in these photos that in just a couple of months my hair has grown a pretty good amount.  I’ll definitely continue to use all the Nexxus products, I can tell they’ve really helped nourish my hair the past couple of weeks.

My hair isn’t exactly where I want it to be yet…but by taking great care of my hair with the help of Nexxus maybe I will have a topknot by Christmas 🙂

We shall see!

Follow along for the latest and greatest from Nexxus on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter.

Summerfest Fun at the Gaylord Texan!

Holy Guacamole y’all summer is here in Texas and it’s so hot the chickens are laying hard-boiled eggs!  Just kidding….sort of….

I have a lot of friends from back home in Arkansas that love to come and visit and I always recommend the Gaylord Texan.  The service is above and beyond and the rooms are so very nice!

We’ve been to several events at the Gaylord Texan over the years, including my favorite – ICE!  If you come back in December, please for the love of all things Merry & Bright go visit ICE! at the Gaylord Texan.

Last week the boys and I attended a spectacular event called Summerfest: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.  We got to visit with the Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, and of course Alice herself.  The characters were so good with our kiddos.  We enjoyed a dessert bar and drinks while watching a 3D visual light show called “Breaking Through the Looking Glass”.  It was so cool!

The sweets…oh my!20160618_195558-2 20160618_195607-2

Connor and Brody enjoying the ice cream 🙂20160618_200857-2

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The Queen of Hearts paid a visit20160618_201434-2 20160618_202920-2

That silly Mad Hatter

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We also went through the Alice & Wonderland vortex maze with our 3-D glasses.  It’s a tricky one let me tell ya!  I posted some video of the maze on Instagram if you want to go see.

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The show begins….

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We had the best time & we never leave the Gaylord unimpressed.  It’s our own little piece of magic here in Texas. 20160618_215802-2

The Queen of Hearts “Light Up The Night” Glow Party and 3D visual mapping show “Breaking Through the Looking Glass” are FREE events every Friday and Saturday (Sundays on July 4th and Labor Day weekends) starting at 9pm at the Gaylord Texan!

If you would like to see our past experiences at the Gaylord Texan visit HERE, HERE, HERE, & HERE.

Flashback to our Shrek experience in 2012…my baby!

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Foot In Mouth Syndrome

When I went home a few weeks ago to Arkansas I was out shopping with my Mom and our friend. I went to the pajama section and was promptly greeted by a sales lady who began to tell me how they just got a new shipment of maternity wear in and how great “this” and “that” would look on me.  She even held up a few tops and said how cute they would look.  I then realized the pajama section was right next to the maternity section…

UGH!

Yeah I wanted to run for the hills!  I am not freaking pregnant.  *SLAP!* I wear blousy shirts to cover my “food baby” and yes I know I have a few to lose, but dang.  That sucks and now I want to go throw up.

I know I constantly am putting my foot in my mouth.  For goodness sakes my mind is a land of run-on sentences and exclamation points!!!  Anyway, such is life.

Dear God give me the right things to say and the right time to say them.  Amen.

We’ve been super busy.  Connor started summer school/camp or whatever you want to call it.  We have put in countless offers on more homes…it’s stressful and yeah I just don’t want to talk about it.  I’ve been working and doing a lot of fun blogger programs over the summer- which I mostly post about over on my INSTAGRAM.  Let’s be friends!

I had a fun photoshoot with my BFF Sarah over at Wake Me Up Goods the other day!  Who doesn’t love glitter?  And you are NEVER too old for a tutu 🙂  Shown here is my all time favorite “Choose Your Brew” t-shirt.

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It finally quit raining here in Texas.  There is something about rain that makes me want to burn a thousand candles and read books.  Am I right?

Have y’all tried Diamond Candles?  My sister and I are sort of addicted to them.  Her husband even proposed to her with a Diamond Candle 🙂  I have never gotten a diamond though….maybe one day!  It’s fun and they candles smell lovely.

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The apartment by my lil artist Connor:

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Pretty darn good if I do say so myself.

AND- Happy Father’s Day to the best Daddy a daughter could have and a man who would never stick his foot in his mouth.  He calls me just to tell me how pretty, smart, and amazing I am all the time for no reason at all and that means more to me than anything in the world.  I love you Daddy, you are truly the BEST man ever.  Thank you for not dropping me and Bon on a street corner and leaving us there, even though there were several times you should have.  We weren’t always the best, but you loved us through it all.

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Anyway….y’all I hope to be more “with it” on my little corner of the Internets & I love you bunches!

Terence and I are trying to figure out where to go this summer on an affordable vacay?  Any suggestions?

xo Becky