Mad City Chicks Giveaway

Edited to add:

Ok, my apologies. I made a drawing video and picked the winner and haven't uploaded the results because I am unorganized and unprofessional. But that's why you love me. Right?

RIGHT?!?

Without further ado, the winner is Rebecca!! Congratulations! Enjoy getting all beautiful and clean without icky chemicals and maybe, just maybe, I'll get around to posting that video drawing. Oy. My week has been nuts...



A while back a bloggy friend, Julie from Julie's Rants, sent me a box of bath goodies to try out.

(All of this soap reviewing is starting to feel like the universe is implying something...)

Nevertheless, I forged on with MORE BATHS just for you guys. That's how I roll. Anything for my blog readers. (Fist to the chest and OUT). So, for 2 weeks I abandoned my previous new-found soap loves to try out the natural soaps and oils from Mad City Chicks San Marcos.

I received 2 soaps, lip balm, a cleansing facial oil and a handmade wash cloth. After using them all, I will admit that I adore using the facial oil for removing my make up. LOVE it. I still like to use my facial cream for extra moisture (it's winter!) but I can see how it might not be necessary for everyone. You would think that putting "oil" on your face would cause your skin to be, well, OILY. Surprise! It's not. There is something about the combination of the natural oils that are used ("carrier oils" which don't clog pores) that leave your skin moisturized but not slick. Love it!

My kids loved the bar soaps because they are GONE. Gone! I got to use the pink glycerin goat milk soap twice before the little rugrats demolished it! Needless to say, they thought it smelled nice.

Julie has generously offered a lovely gift box of natural soaps and accessories for one lucky reader! Just enter below and we'll pick a winner on March 7.

Good luck!

Ways to Enter:

~ Comment!

~ Visit their Etsy site and tell me what product looks interesting to you.

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Tweet this giveaway!

~ Subscribe to my blog!

Free Sessions at Pump It Up!

Hey parents: President's Day is tomorrow! Check out this media release for information on a cool offer!!


"Chicago-area residents now have the opportunity to CHOOSE an energy provider! Spark Energy is a multi-state provider of low-cost electric service offering significant long-term savings to current ComEd customers. Learn more at http://www.sparkenergy.com/ .

To Celebrate, Spark Energy in Chicago Offers a FREE Session of Jumping Fun at Pump It Up!
This President’s Day – Monday, February 21st – many children will be off of school and moms will be searching for kid-friendly activities. Spark Energy in Chicago will be offering a downloadable coupon for a FREE session of jumping fun atdesignated Chicago-area Pump It Up locations.

How to download the coupon – available beginning at 5:00 p.m. CST on 2/19:
· Like Spark Energy in Chicago on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/SparkEnergyChicago

· Click on the Offers tab to download and print the Pump It Up coupon for ONE free session of jumping fun for Monday, February 21st – one coupon per adult – while supplies last!

· Present the original printed coupon to one of the designated Pump It Up locations (see coupon for locations) and receive one free session of jumping fun."






I occasionally receive compensation in the form of gift cards and products for posts. However, the opinions I share are solely my own

HomeAway Smushed Mah Face

Did you watch the Superbowl? Did you?Did you watch it for the game or for the commercials? Both? Yeah, me too.

Remember the one for Home Away - Ministry of Detourism? I didn't EITHER, until I went to their site and smacked my head because OF COURSE I remembered their commercial! Who could forget this?



Even cooler is that they have options where you can insert your face into the commercial! Check out my version...

You can make your own, too! I think I may go back and smash a couple of pics of my husband. Nothing says "Happy Valentine's Day" like a smushed face on a glass wall...





Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post but all opinions are my own.

Musselman Makes me Happy...

Aaaahhh... Musselman Applesauce. One of my favorite brands to promote! They've always provided delicious and nutritious products with good morals to boot.

Their latest venture includes supporting breast cancer awareness and prevention by promoting a healthy-lifestyle cook book, "Substitute yourself Skinny." Most of us already know the obvious tricks of substituting low-fat ingredients or using applesauce instead of cooking oil (my fave for muffins and pancakes!) to cut fat and calories of our recipes. But how much are you saving, really? Do you know the breakdown of each substitution?By cutting calories and fat, we reduce our risk of health complications which aid disease and obesity. When our bodies are stronger and healthier, we are in a better position to discourage disease to take hold. If our health should become compromised, a healthy diet and lifestyle enables our body to better fight off said sickness.

This book breaks down the recipes, piece by piece. You KNOW how many calories and fat you are saving by using the substitutions. Just look at the comparison box for the "Not So Fat Tuesday Gumbo":
That's a gumbo that I am happy to feed to my family and myself!

Check out Substitute Yourself Skinny!

Though I was given the applesauce and book, I fully admit that these opinions are my OWN!

Monday Morning

Ok, so I got WAY off schedule with review postings. I am blaming the blizzard for the last time and moving on.

The winner of the MacBeth drawing is #1 - Mary Kate (posted by Rita - thanks!) Enjoy the show! And don't forget to validate your parking!!

My own family is looking forward to another fun week. We'll drive around in this awesome Chevy Traverse on our way to errands and such and then head to the Monster Jam at the Allstate on Friday night. (Still tickets available! Check out my link for a discount on prices.)Wooot! We'll bring it all to a close with a birthday party for my eldest in his last year as a "child." TWELVE YEARS OLD!! Gah. I am ancient.

Healthy Options of Days Gone By i.e. My Favorite Bath Products in the ENTIRE World.

My NEW Favorite thing. Seriously, if I were Oprah, you'd be receiving a whole set of these bath products.

And so would you.

And you.

AND YOU, TOO!!!

Bath scrubs and moisturizers for EEeeeeVVVVeerrryyyyOOOooonnneee!!!

Alas, my parents knew how to spell my name which is "Tracey" and not "Oprah" and so I cannot offer unlimited bath products to you all. (You can blame my parents for this obvious injustice to your skin.) I CAN offer a discount which is practically like a freebie because the prices at Healthy Options of Days Gone By are already really low!

Good Lord. I'm halfway down the page and you don't even know the object of my affection!!Aren't they lovely?? The jars, not the wine which I was drinking while bathing with their scrubs and soaps... ahhh....

Well, trust me. Though small jars of seemingly random oils and minerals, they are ACTUALLY little tubs of MAGIC!!
See? I am GLOWING!

(Ok, truth be told: That is actually a picture of me after shoveling in the midst of Tuesday's blizzard when I thought my husband would be able to make it home that night - he didn't - and I was panting and out of breath.)THIS is me after a bath, all rosy faced and shiny. No make up! Long and crazy hair, getting ready to be cut for Locks of Love and a random towel in the background for that special "lived in" effect.

It's true. I slap some citrus sugar scrub on my face, neck and shoulders and I am magically glowing. I then rub the Tiny Hiney on my arms and legs and, um, HINEY, and I am moisturized without being oily for 12 HOURS!! (Yes. I timed it.) Also, I accidentally got a bit of Sugar Scrub on my lip and it went into my mouth and I didn't DIE! Their products are all natural and made up of ingredients that I can pronounce and even UNDERSTAND! (It actually tasted kind of good. So keep this away from any little ones who like sweets or else you'll be cleaning up some interesting diapers the next day.)

Yummy!

I live in Illinois. It is FEBRUARY.

IL + Feb = SKIN LIKE A DESERT HORNED LIZARD.

However...

IL + Feb + Sugar Scrub and Tiny Hiney = LUSTROUS SKIN equal to that of a 20 year old!!*

I have only one gripe with their products: They're too small! How long will this tub of Tiny Hiney last? Yes, a tiny bit goes a realllllly long way, but it's barely halfway through the winter! I'll let you know when I run out.

Or, you can find out yourself! Healthy Options of Days Gone By has offered a discount of 15% off any purchase when you use the code"PRREVIEW15" at checkout.

Happy browsing and shopping!


* Claims may be slightly embellished. But I swear that I feel great and hydrated without being oily. It's like pouring humidity back into my epidermis. I also swear that all I got from this review was the chance to fall in love with their products.i.e. I wasn't paid, yo.

Winner Winner!

Ok. So, we had a wee bit of snow in the past few days and I have been spending just a tad too much time glued to the weather channel and then shoveling about 4 foot drifts from my driveway. I nearly forgot about the drawings!!!

The winner of the Monster Truck drawing is...

#5 Tiaras and Tantrums! Congrats!

And Garima, MegRyansMom and E... will each receive a packet of Top Trumps card game! Congrats as well!!

Don't forget to enter the drawing for Macbeth, ending on Feb 4!