Beautifully Poor

PictYear is one of the coolest new apps to create photo books with friends or on your own! To begin you can download the app onto your device. This app is available in the  iTunes App Store  and in  Google Play . Once downloaded create an account with them and begin the fun!! Now the coolest thing is that when you want to add friends, you can add them through email, recent friends you've created one with previously, or Facebook friends who have the app. If you want to create one with your own creative juices, simply click start photobook and it brings you to a place where you can start clicking photos! I like this part because say you at Disney World with your family. Just get the app loaded and start clicking away. You can then add those pictures to your photo book by choosing the picture and sliding the screen up to add to your current book, or you can finish taking all your pictures and go in and choose from the photo gallery in the app. Another option is to up...

I have wanted a nice shower brush for awhile now and am extremely happy with this one!  Perfect for the shower and skin brushing! My favorite part about this brush is that it has soft bristles. I was really expecting something much stiffer but am very pleased with the softness. It also doubles as a massager which works great in the shower. The handle is easy for me to grip and easy to clean, unlike ones that are wooden. Not only for the shower though, it can be used as a whole body brush. Our skin reacts very well to brushing, though that sounds strange slightly. When using it for body brushing start from you feet and work towards your heart, but always be brushing towards your heart. Skin brushing is great for exfoliation, circulation and reducing cellulite. The reason it helps with cellulite is that it brings more blood flow to problem areas and eventually lessens if not eliminates it altogether ~ depending on how dedicated you are to brushing. I prefer to use it before bed or...

I LOVE curry so I wanted to make the dish on my own, tasting like it came from a restaurant BUT with organic ingredients which you can't get at most restaurants. I created this from a few different idea's I had and from a few other recipes I saw and created my own Curry Chicken. This recipe serves 2.  Recipe: 1 chicken breast, cut and drenched in dry rub (recipe below) after sitting at least a half hour 2 carrots cut biased 1/2  large onion or one small/medium onion cut in half and sliced thin 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk 3 teaspoons cornstarch Coconut oil for cooking Combine the coconut milk and cornstarch until no lumps appear; set aside. Cook the carrots and onions down in about 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil until crisp tender. The onions will be a little more done than the carrots. Remove from pan and set aside in a bowl. Add a little more coconut oil and then the chicken. Cook chicken until just about done. Add t...

The Beginner's Bible Kid Sized Devotions by ZonderKidz Illustrated by Kelly Pulley is a great way to introduce your child to devotions in general. It starts off with the creation of the world in Genesis and ends in Revelations. Kid Sized Devotions takes a child through the Bible through simple language and stories right out of the Good Book to help them grasp more firmly who God is and the great people of the Bible. Each devotional starts off with a short scripture then goes on with a short description of the passage and what is being conveyed.  They also have a beautiful picture depicting the passage, which helps with the visual aspect of learning in small children. They then end in a short prayer for the child to read or repeat. At the very end of the book it goes through the ABC's of salvation, but this version is A-Z. My son loves the bright pictures and they are just long enough to grasp information regarding the Bible and just short enough to keep his attent...

*This post contains affiliate links. If clicked and a purchase is made, I will make a small commission. Coloring is something often related to small children and school work. For me, it is a time to relax and unwind. I am not very talented when it comes to drawing, so coloring is naturally more fun for me as I can fill in a pre-printed pattern with a variety of colors to create my own sort of art! Shop Adult Coloring Books at LeisureArts.com Leisure Arts offers 32 different coloring books. From the Kaleidoscope Wonders (pictured above) to a Pixel Gamer Coloring Book, Abstract, Folk Art and Animals, there is something for everyone to choose from. No more coloring in a Children's Super Hero coloring book anymore, unless of course that is your preference. I enjoy all the details put into each page making it a masterpiece once finished. Perfect for personal down time in the evenings with a hot cup of tea. In my coloring book there are 24 designs with the...

Do you like tea or know someone who does? Then this post is a must read! I had never heard of Organic India until  Moms Meet  introduced me to it recently. I have always loved tea (tea parties as a kid anyone?) and a good hot cup of tea is just what I love to relax with; that and a good book. What is unique about Organic India tea is that you will see the word Tulsi on all the boxes. For over 5,000 years Tulsi has been considered to be India's "Queen of Herbs". It is revered as one of the most sacred herbs as they believe it is infused with healing power. Now I'm not sure about the healing power, but it certainly is delicious. I did find that the Sweet Rose was especially relaxing and helped me sleep that night. My second favorite is the Pomegranate Green, which I prefer iced. It is also the only one I received that has caffeine, so the majority of them are perfect for that relaxing cup of tea before bed. There are over 20 different flavors and Organic In...

Have you ever used a glass nail file? I know for me I was hooked on the metal one's for the longest time and thought they were the best way to go. I've never liked emery boards EVER because they are cheap and always fall apart. So when I came across this great invention I was thouroughly intrigued. Aveniro makes glass nail files that have a unique microstructure. Science; cool! The abrasive surface is produced by chemical etching that grinds spikes right into the glass surface so that it won't wear out or go dull. Now that's what I want from a nail file! I've even had metal one's wear out on me, but never the glass ones! Laser Engraved - Photo Courtesy of Aveniro The fun thing about Aveniro is that they don't just offer color based files. They offer printed, logo, photo-print, crytal stone (pictured above at the bottom), sandblasted, laser engraved and the list goes on! Photo Print - Photo Courtesy of Aveniro Metal Decorated - Photo ...

When I started this homeschooling adventure I really had no idea what I was in for. I still wonder if the decision I made is the correct one, but will keep pressing on as I feel it is right for him and will be the best for him in regards to education. For those that do this with multiple children, kudos. It can be hectic and last week between work and homeschooling along with the normal duties of a housewife, I thought I was going to go crazy! It really was a fun experience though and by the end of the week we were getting the hang of balancing work and school and Benjamin was flying through the work I had for him. So Friday night when I was preparing this week's homework I wanted to try to make it a little more challenging so we started working on plurals in phonics as well as reading and comprehension. It looks so good on paper! Then today came. Monday. The dreaded first day of the week. After a wonderful family weekend of catching up on housework and exploring Minneap...

As a busy mom, doing my nails is something that is always a last priority and even when I do them, I end up taking off the polish within a day or two because it annoys me or chips or whatever. There are a few other nail ideas around that claim ease of application and removal but I haven't found anything to make me want to do my nails anymore than I already do; until NOW. imPRESS Maniucure is that answer! Here are the main perks: *NO Nail Damage *NO glue needed (or hair dryer) *NO acetone or soak-off removal ~ just peel off *Ultra-Hold Adhesive Technology *OVER 40 colors, designs and accent nails to choose from *Waterproof *No dry time, no mess *Ultra shine gel *Lasts up to one week *Safe on Natural nails *Apply in minutes To me, that is just the beginning. All you have to do to apply is find the right nail size, peel off the back and press on the nail starting from the center and then the edges. It creates a gap free seal on the nail making it w...

God Bless Our Fall by Hannah C. Hall, illustrated by Steve Whitlow is a book that is charming, bright and tells us what wonderful things that can be enjoyed in the fall that we can be thankful to God for. This book is great for children as they can easily relate to the sweet little animals in the book as they enjoy the wonderful things fall brings. This book was a win as soon as I saw it. The colors are bright yet the illustrations are soft. The font is large enough for a small child learning to read to easily do so. I really enjoy how the story goes through different instances of how fun fall really is, whether it just be chilly to the good food and even the fun festivals that happen this time of year. My 4 year old absolutely loves it and pages through the boardbook on his own. He loves pointing out the small animals and stating what they are doing before I even read the page. It is short enough to keep any small childs attention, yet long enough to be totally worth it....

These labels are extremely cool! They come in a package of 48; 6 sheets of 8 labels. There are 8 different shapes as well which is really nice as they aren't just circles or squares. I love out of the ordinary! This makes them more fun! My son loves that they are different shapes and before we started school, I had him choose labels for his folders. He was very happy to be able to choose a different one for each day of the week. They are easy to peel off the paper they come on and apply to whatever you choose. I gently brushed my finger back and forth on the label as I was applying to eliminate any bubble formation.  The one super cool thing about these is that you can easily remove them, especially for glass. I did this with my gallon sized jar and it left no glue residue and re-stuck just fine. These are also dishwasher and refrigerator safe! How awesome! They are PERFECT for canning and if you are like me you reuse your glass jars every year but don't put ...

Just like most of you, school started today in our home! This is my first year homeschooling and first day EVER homeschooling so today was slightly scary for both of us! It turned out much better than I expected. As you can see from the top picture, Benjamin was pretty unamused this morning with the whole gig of a picture but by the end of the day he was much better at understanding what was going on. At 4 years old the whole concept of school let alone homeschool is kind of far off, especially for him. Since we moved to Minnesota February of 2014 he has been home with me as I taught him preschool. We had bad experiences with the public school system back in Michigan and it broke my heart to hear my 3 year old say he wasn't good enough. Not the outlook I EVER want my child to have about himself.  This year I made the choice to homeschool because he isn't old enough for public school (his birthday being in November and the cutoff is September 1st) and I wanted to kn...

Let's face it. Shoes get stinky no matter what we do. My running shoes in the summer are the worst and my husbands work boots....let's just say yuck. A lot of conventional shoe sprays are chuck full of chemicals, which just cannot be good soaking into our shoes to later soak into our feet. So to find a natural shoe spray that ACTUALLY works is very surprising to me. So let me introduce you to my wonderful find. Say hello to Lumi Outdoors Shoe Spray! Lumi Shoe Spray was created to give the everyday person a natural alternative to the chemically laden shoe sprays out there. It really does work fabulous too! The formula is a combination of essential oils that deoderize, kill bacteria and combat athelete's foot and fungi. The ingredients are as follows: *Water *Witch Hazel *Tea Tree Oil *Peppermint Oil *Clove Leaf Oil *Optiphen Plus ~ A paraben free preservative The directions are quite simple ~ spray the inside of shoes or athletic gear (safe ...

Modern Table Meals was introduced to me through  Moms Meet  which is a wonderful program that brings mom groups together around healthier-for-your-family options, such as Modern Table Meals.  We all get busy with schedules and life, and especially with school starting up or having recently started for some, quick meals are almost a necessity in our busy lives. What I appreciate most about Modern Table Meals is the how HEALTHY it is and how TASTY they really are! Those two words aren't often seen together and to make something healthy that kids will like can be a HUGE challenge!  What makes Modern Table Meals UNIQUE is that the pasta is bean-based. There are 6 meal kits, 5 of which are gluten free, and they have 3 bean pasta meal starters that are gluten free. All of their products are Non-GMO certified, NO artificial colors or preservatives and vegetarian. They are also high in protein (13-24 grams per serving) and fiber (3-8 grams per serving). Here ar...

Measurable Difference Eyeshadow Ice Cream Eyeshadow Platinum Nights Eyeshadow Measurable Difference was created to help the everyday woman retain a youthful glow. We all want to stay young. Looking in the mirror the older I get can seem very daunting. I remember being able to eat anything and not gain one pound! Well times have changed, so I can appreciate the fact that there is a company out there who understands me and wants me to feel my best. The Measurable Difference Desert Nights Eyeshadow product line has 13 different color palettes to choose from including glitter and creme shadows. Brights for the days you want your eye's to pop or a night on the town, black smokey eye selections for the nights a little sexy is wanted and neutrals for every day wear. You can't go wrong with Measurable Difference! Party Eyeshadow Holland Tulips Eyeshadow My favorite part about Measurable Difference is that they promote natural Beauty. We live ...

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.  Make way for the new Apple iPhones by trading in your old iPhone to  Gazelle ! Apple's next-generation phones are expected to be unveiled next week and have faster processing, more RAM, and integrate the Force Touch technology found in the Apple Watch and some MacBook models.  So out with the old, in with the new, as they say! Trade-in your old iPhone at Gazelle — they'll even pay you cash for it! 

Have you heard of Thrive market? Have you tried it yet? Now is YOUR chance if you have been putting it off! For all NEW Thrive users this can all be yours for ONLY $1.95 Shipping: *A 15-oz jar of Nutiva Coconut Oil *15% off your next purchase *A FREE 30-day Trial Membership To experience THIS and everything else Thrive has to offer go here:  Thrive Coconut Oil Offer Thrive is not only wonderful place to find healthy products for you and your family, they also have cleaning supplies, items for your pets and even TOYS! How cool is that! I have been using Thrive for awhile now and am in LOVE with the prices and the products. They give you an option to leave feedback for everything you buy as well, so if you LOVE it you can tell people why and if you weren't a huge fan you can let other customers know the reasons behind it. Thrive is one of the best members-only shopping experiences out there and I highly recommend taking advantage of this wonderful offer! Only $1.95 for a...

This post was created in partnership with eAccountable. All opinions are my own. Heading back to school is always exciting and maybe even a little nerve racking. You’ve got a backpack full of new supplies, some great new clothes and a chance to start fresh. Now’s the time to stand out from the crowd. Whether you’re going back to high school or hitting the college campus, one way to really make an impact and show off your seriously unique style is accessories that will turn heads and make your classmates envious. Get that extra boost of confidence when you wear modern, cool, edgy accessories like ear cuffs, ear jackets, hand sheaths and unique statement rings.  Visible Interest  is a top destination to get the newest jewelry pieces by indie designers who share a passion for the uniquely fresh and modern and who believe in the charm of individuality. Visible Interest has something for every hip chick - sleek and modern options in gold, silver, or mixed metal look...