money saving tips

Get Your Smile Camera-Ready with Crest Whitestrips

January 20, 2016 by Rachel Leave a Comment

I have a wedding to attend here in the next two weeks and there are so few things that I can control, looks-wise. Of course, I’ll be rocking the mega postpartum look. But the one thing that I have on point is my hair, makeup, and smile game! Sure, it’s nice to attend a wedding as just a guest (without the pressure of being in the bridal party!), but there will still be pictures. And I want to look flawless in them!

Since I’m a mom on a budget, I’ve been using Crest 3D White Supreme Flexfit Whitestrips, and opting out of those $500+ laser whitening treatments! The ideal time to whiten for a wedding is two weeks in advance of the big day. Crest 3D White Supreme Flexfit Whitestrips whitens in just one hour a day for 2 weeks!

To document my whitening journey, here’s a little before picture:

One thing I can say about motherhood is that we don’t always take care of ourselves and put ourselves first. In fact, I know I’ve pretty much put myself on the backburner. But these last two weeks I’ve been following the whitening routine! And it has worked!!

Here’s my after picture [ignore the silly face… it’s hard to take a serious selfie. I’m just not good at it.]:

A little whitening is a magical thing! And so is a little pre-wedding dress up/makeup time!

Whitestrips use the same enamel-safe, teeth-whitening ingredients dentists use and provide a comfortable at home teeth whitening experience. Bonus? They can be found everywhere! Drug stores, big box retailers, and online for just $64.99 per kit! Way more cost effective than visiting the dentist for treatments!

And now I’m ready for my big postpartum, wedding debut! Watch out, world! And by all means, go out and grab some of these for yourself! ♥ ♥

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

postpartum fitness // wishes + plans

January 17, 2016 by Rachel 1 Comment

I know I’m not postpartum yet, but gosh, I cannot wait to get back to feeling like myself. Don’t get me wrong, I’m giving myself as much time as necessary to heal, postpartum. However, this warmer than usual winter has had me in a bit of a jealous fit from time to time. Especially since it’s been absolutely perfect running weather up until recently. And here I am, barely able to walk up the stairs without peeing myself. Ha!

Postpartum, however, I will not let a little pee stop me from getting my workout on! Thank goodness for Depend Silhouette Active Fit womens briefs. Trust me, I know I will need them after this child is born (heck, I need them now!). And I totally know that I’m not alone! In fact, more people have bladder leakage in their 20s than people in their 80s! And if you’re a mom, you probably know what I mean!

Barre Fly. This studio opened up in Canton a while back and I’ve been dying to try out their aerial yoga! And I’m sure it will feel awesome on my postpartum hips! And perhaps I can even (finally) check out a barre class!
Balance + Brews. Basically, yoga in a brewery. Umm, yes please! Again, these started like right around the time I found out I was pregnant. I’ve been itching to get to one of these classes, because, beer… and stretching!
PureMvmnt. I’ve always wanted to try pole classes. However, I have zero rhythm and absolutely no core strength nowadays. This space was created to empower women! And what better way than by building core strength.
Believe In CLE. I missed the last couple of Believe in CLE yoga events and I’m dying to get back to a huge practice!
GrooveRyde. Dying to try out this new cycling and yoga studio!

Luckily when I head out on my new fitness adventures, no one will have a clue that I’m struggling with some light bladder leakage. And I’ll be spreading #underwareness because they are SO discreet! With a lower rise, Depend Silhouette Active Fit briefs both fit and feel like real underwear — so I don’t have to worry about something embarrassing happening while I’m doing aerial yoga. Ha!

You can try them out for yourself for FREE! Get a free sample here and check out how Depend is entering year three of #Underwareness, a social movement and charitable cause to break down the bladder leakage stigma! And most of all, don’t let a little bladder leakage hold you back from getting out there and moving!!

Many thanks to Depend for sponsoring today’s story and spread #underwareness cause.

Saving Money in the New Year // Direct Energy Savings in Ohio!

January 14, 2016 by Rachel Leave a Comment

Winter has hit us in Ohio, finally! Last year was especially cold. And even though El Niño helped to delay winter this year; it’s definitely, definitely here. And we refuse to let our energy bill skyrocket because of it.

And one way of doing so is by reevaluating our electricity rates and finding if we can, first and foremost, save there.

Compare costs. Ohio residents should contact Direct Energy this month to see what special offers they have available. Save up to 14%* over DP&L’s electricity rate, and up to 10%* over Duke Energy’s electricity rate. There’s more! Save up to *5% over The Illuminating Company’s electricity rate, and up to 3%* over Ohio Edison’s electricity rate!
Make sure your windows and doors are energy efficient. If they aren’t, look into replacing them in the Spring! But in the meantime, use window shrink film to keep as much heat in your home as possible!
Unplug appliances when not in use. Guys. This is a major one in our house! We have something plugged into nearly every outlet in our home. Are these things always on? Absolutely not. But they are still using energy!

We’ve definitely been actively doing these things in hopes of saving a few bucks this winter! In addition, we use our wood burning stove when we are home — and we only burn Eco-bricks, which are made up of sawdust, are CO2 neutral, and burn longer than wood. It also helps that Direct Energy offers a fixed-rate energy plan: so our electricity rate won’t fluctuate throughout your contract term. They’re also the only energy provider to be a part of Plenti. You can earn rewards every month with Plenti!
Just go to their website and plug in your zip code!

*All savings refers to the current difference between Direct Energy’s fixed rate offer and the Utility’s current Fixed Rate for Basic Service as of January 8, 2016, and does not include any other component of the electricity bill. Utility rates are subject to change and there may be no savings following the respective official utility rate change date. Direct Energy’s fixed rates include electricity supply charges only and excludes delivery/transmission charges, taxes, and all other utility-related charges. Offer is limited and valid for new residential customers only.

more pregnancy honesty | #MyPoiseMoment

January 3, 2016 by Rachel Leave a Comment

There’s been no shortage of honesty around this here blog. Always have been, always will be! And as we all know, this pregnancy has been completely and totally different than my pregnancy with Moosh. It has been full of aches and pains and lots of “really??” moments.

Including the fact that every time I sneeze, Baby Girl makes me pee myself a little. So lots of LBL (light bladder leakage). Fun. But it’s not just sneezing. Nope. One day she just moved onto my bladder while I was driving and a teeny bit of pee again. I know (thanks to the internet and lots of truly honest friends) that LBL is completely normal, but it being normal (it happens to one in 3 women!) doesn’t stop it from happening.

Luckily I adapted fairly early on and started wearing Poise liners to avoid any serious mishaps. Poise panty liners stay 3X drier than leading regular size feminine care liners where needed most because they are specifically designed for Light Bladder Leakage. The Absorb-Loc core quickly locks away wetness and protects against incontinence odor to help keep you fresh and dry. Now THINNER, Same Protection! Win-win!

It’s made hauling around a toddler, while 9 months pregnant, SO much less stressful! Chasing Moosh at the Cafe is now a worry-free activity!

As an added bonus, I can now get these liners on the cheap at Sam’s Club. Since we’re members we save an average of $4 off of the cost versus other stores!

Members pay just $11.68 for 132 liners — that’s just 9 cents per liner! If you have to deal with LBL, you might as well do it on the cheap, right!?

Many thanks to Poise®for sponsoring today’s story and encouraging me to try Poise®Liners and share #MyPoiseMoment!

Huggies Little Snugglers // Surviving Life With A Newborn

December 13, 2015 by Rachel Leave a Comment

With the anticipation of Baby Girl coming in just a few short weeks (wishful thinking, I know), we honestly haven’t done much prepping for her arrival. I learned the hard way the first time around — things don’t go as planned and you actually need very little to take care of a newborn. The one thing we have prepared for is the anticipation of needing diapers.

And I’m so happy to say that, yet again, I’ve stocked up on diapers well in advance of this little ones arrival. Specifically, we’ve stocked up on Huggies Little Snugglers from Sam’s Club. THIS is all you need to survive the first few months of parenthood. None of the fancy shmancy things you registered for matter (sorry, but it’s the truth), because you will be in full-on survival mode. That’s it.

We have boxes upon boxes of Huggies Little Snugglers just waiting for Baby Girl to arrive! I know that the new GentleAbsorb liner is there to protect Baby Girls skin and keep her as dry as possible between those stretches of diaper changes. Plus, the leak lock design creates up to 12 hours of protection (though, let’s be real — this child will not go even a few hours without being awake and changed, am I right?).

If you have a Sam’s Club membership and are NOT purchasing your Huggies Little Snugglers there, you’re doing it wrong! These diapers are $39.98 a pack and come in sizes Newborn, 1, 2, and 3.

The size 1 diapers are sold in 204 count packages, which breaks down to less than $.20 a diaper! Score! I love that these diapers are tough on leaks but easy on the wallet!

Besides having Huggies Little Snugglers on hand at all times, I’m really and truly not concerned about having much else on hand. Lots of diapers, some onesies, blankets, and a whole lotta coffee should do the trick!

Sponsored post: Thank you to Huggies Brand for sponsoring today’s post and inspiring me to try Huggies Little Snugglers!

A Betty Tradition // GIVEAWAY!

November 29, 2015 by Rachel 16 Comments

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!! — the holidays!! I seriously don’t even know who I’ve become over these last few months. I’ve never been this pumped up about the holiday season!

Well, due to the recent concerns surrounding my health and the health of Baby Girl, Chad + I decided to cancel our plans to travel to Columbus Thanksgiving Day. That meant that we didn’t spend the holidays surrounded by tons of family. But that’s okay. Because Chad & I are creating our own traditions, complete with turkey and a mashed potato side dish! Cause that’s really all that matters for Thanksgiving, right!?

Between doctor appointments and work schedules, it was a busy week. So we are planned on keeping the holiday super low-key. Easy was the name of the game! Chad made a smoked turkey and I was in charge of the side dishes! Most important? Mashed potatoes. Obviously. The only problem is, I had other things to cook, too. So instead of laboring over potatoes, I used Betty Crocker Potatoes!

Not only does it save time, but Betty Crocker Potatoes are 100% real potatoes, farmed right here in the United States! I keep a packet or box on hand just in case of dinner emergencies (AKA nearly every night), but this time I planned on mixing a pouch with some green onions and bacon!

They turned out amazing. A wonderful addition to our Thanksgiving feast — even if this child did only allow me to eat a tablespoon of each item! You can use this coupon to save $.50 off two packages of Betty Crocker potatoes!

In addition, one lucky reader will win a Betty Crocker Pototoes prize pack valued at $50!! Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Winners will be notified by email and will need to respond with mailing address within 24 hours (prize pack shipped directly from Betty Crocker).