Discover The Possibilities Life Has to Offer

July 11, 2016

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.

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*

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

July 10, 2016

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

July 7, 2016

“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:

hair collage

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

hair makeover

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!

June 26, 2016

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 visit 20160618_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

June 17, 2016

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.

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.

The apartment by my lil artist Connor:

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

Keep Calm & Carry On…

June 14, 2016

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Uricalm® for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hey lady friends! This post is for you and a subject some of us might be a little shy about, but at the same time we talk about ya know…..STUFF! So, I’m just going to tell you how it is and that’s that!

Have you ever had a UTI? If not consider yourself lucky. It’s something that happens to so many people and it can be extremely uncomfortable and painful. I get them occasionally….and let’s just say it ain’t fun. All I want to do is lay in bed and not get up because that’s the best place to be when a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) strikes. I’m always looking for a solution before I get on heavy antibiotics. Did you know that half of all women will experience a painful urinary tract infection in their lifetime? 20% will experience recurring UTIs, getting as many as 3 per year! That’s craziness! I know when I get one it effects my entire day and sometimes my entire week 🙁

Thankfully I’ve found Uricalm® MAX urinary pain medicine that promptly stops urinary pain, burning, increased frequency and sensation of urgency. It contains 99.5 mg of clinically proven Phenazopyridine Hydrochloride per tablet and 199 mg per dose — the most UTI pain medicine of this type you can buy over the counter.

URICALM® Cranberry: A daily cranberry supplement that helps support your urinary tract health*. Uricalm Cranberry combines the power of cranberries and D-mannose – both shown in studies to help support a healthy urinary tract* — into a delicious, berry-flavored chewable tablet.

URICALM® Max: Uricalm Max is powerful medicine that works fast to stop the excruciating pain, burning, and sensation of urgency that comes with a UTI. Uricalm® Cranberry

The Uricalm Cranberry works best for me because I can take it beforehand for preventative care so I hopefully won’t get a UTI in the first place. It’s easy to take with my breakfast in the morning and tastes good.

Uricalm Cranberry & Uricalm MAX are available nationwide at most major retailers.

Don’t keep suffering, if you are like so many women out there try Uricalm & don’t let a UTI take over your life! Like with everything in your medicine cabinet, please read and follow all directions before using.

You can get a $3.00 coupon HERE

Also, share your tips on urinary tract health and how you deal with UTIs to win a care package (1 Uricalm Max + 1 Uricalm Cranberry + coupons)

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Summertime Shades :) + Win a Pair of Your OWN!

June 13, 2016

I was provided a sample of Aces Sunglasses for my post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Summer time of officially here and y’all it’s HOT outside! We’ve been visiting the pool several times during the week. This summer Babiators is on a mission to protect kids’ eyes while they’re out vacationing and doing fun activities.

Here are just a few reasons the Aces line for kids ages 7-14 stands out from the crowd:

Accessorized: Each pair comes with an awesome sunglasses silhouette bag and a lens cloth.
Safe: UV400 lenses offer 100% UVA and UVB protection and undergo rigorous testing to ensure they’re safe for your child.
Durable: Flexible rubber frames, and impact and shatter-resistant lenses won’t break when you bend or twist them. Trust us, we’ve tried!
Awesome: Mirrored lenses amp up the cool factor on the classic aviator frame and new navigator frame to help kids express their rad personal styles.
Guaranteed: The best part? Aces are backed by the Lost & Found Guarantee™ – if you lose or break your shades in the first year, Babiators will replace them for free. All you pay is shipping.

When I first showed Connor his new sunglasses he said “Wow those make me look so cool Mom!” Not only was he excited, but I was too! Did you know kids receive 3X more annual UV exposure than adults, yet parents are almost 2X more likely to wear sunglasses than their children! I know this is true….because I do it!

TIP: When choosing sunglasses for your kids, always look for:

100% UVA/UVB protection
high-quality, durable frames
A comfortable fit and a great style your kids will love

Doesn’t Connor look SUPER COOL in his new sunglasses??? 🙂

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WIN (1) PAIR OF BLACK ACES SUNGLASSES!

RETAIL VALUE: $30.00 Ends: June 27, 2016

Leave a comment below on what your favorite thing to do is this summer?