The Perfect Stocking Stuffer - YummySnack Bars Wrapped with Santa and Rudolph FREE Printables {+ a giveaway!}

Christmas is just around the corner, which means it's time to start getting presents together! Lucky for you, I've teamed up with a huge group of bloggers and we're all giving away prizes that will be perfect to stuff into stockings this year!

This awesome giveaway hop is hosted by The Mommy Island  & The Kids Did It! Don't forget to enter to win all of the awesome giveaways in this hop, the more you enter - the better your chances of winning all kinds of amazing stocking stuffer items!

My prize in this stocking stuffer giveaway is epic (and delicious), YummySnack Bars are "better than candy bars"! With wholesome, real food ingredients like flaxseed, peanut butter, coconut, natural peanut butter, and cocoa - these bars are healthy, yet they still taste like your favorite candy bar!

All YummySnack Bars are gluten-free, which is a huge bonus in our home since hubby can't eat wheat! Plus, I'm happy to share they only have 8 grams of sugar and no starch, so I'm able to snack on a delicious "candy bar" with no guilt whatsoever!

High in fiber, with 100mg of omega 3s yet totally free of hydrogenated oils, trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives of any kinds, YummySnack Bars are the definition of a the perfect treat without it being a cheat!

Available in a variety of different flavors to suit everyone's taste: Peppermint, Brownie, Coconut, Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate. Which YummySnack bar do you want to try first? Enter to win the giveaway for a sampler pack of YummySnack Bars (4 of each of the six flavors - 24 bars total) using the form below:

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Disclaimer: I  received one or more of the products mentioned above to facilitate my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.This contest will run through November 30th at  11:59pm EST. Must be 18 years or older to win. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter,etc. You understand that you are providing your information to Lauren Paints | a beautiful life and not to Facebook, I will not use your information other than to e-mail you a winning notification if you are the chosen winner. Enter using the Giveaway Tools form above. Void Where Prohibited. Please note that Lauren Paints | a beautiful life is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes.

Not only am I giving away a sampler box of these amazing snack bars, I want to share a few printables that you can use to add some cuteness to all the "candy bars" you giveaway this holiday season. With Rudolph and Santa in tow, we're guaranteed a good time so go ahead and fire up your printer and wrap these cuties around the YummySnack Bars you win from the giveaway above!

Grab the Rudolph printable here and the Santa printable here.

Cut out both of the candy bar wrappers, using a piece of decorative washi tape or just regular tape, attach the new wrapper to the YummySnack bar!

Now you're set to give an adorable gift that everyone will loving snacking on!

Want to find more adorable gifts to give as stocking stuffers? Be sure to enter all the giveaways below:

After you've taken time to enter all of the giveaways, be sure to check out the rest of my holiday gift guide for inspiration this holiday season!

Enter to win $100 AmEx Gift Card & Nominate Your Favorite Nurse for the #ThankYouNurses Awards!

This review was made possible by iConnect and Pampers. I was provided compensation to facilitate this post, but all opinions are 100% mine.

There are so many nurses in the world, doing so many good things...

More specifically, there are so many nurses that have touched my life, from my beautiful best friend from my childhood who's always known she wanted to be a nurse and now works her dream job to the nurse that helped my grandfather whenever he was moved into the hospice unit of the hospital. These nurses represent two completely different parts of my life, but their job duties and their ability to show empathy and care are exactly the same - both of these nurses are amazing people.

While both my childhood best friend and the lovely nurse that helped my family are amazing and I'm super thankful for both of them, I'm most thankful for the nurses that helped bring all of my beautiful nieces and nephews into the world! Those ladies (and gentlemen) were a huge part of changing my family and I'm forever thankful they were there to help make the delivery process smooth for all the little guys and gals that are part of our family.

Each and every one of those nurses touched my life in a way I'll never forget; each provided a service I'll never be able to thank them enough for. Those nurses are the one's who helped with the pain, eased the worry, and just provided genuine, heartfelt care to those I love. Nurses don't get enough credit for all the hard work they do, so I've teamed up with Pampers to invite you to share your story honoring a nurse from Labor & Delivery, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or the Postpartum unit as part of the Thank You Nurses campaign. We want to hear stories about how these nurses helped make life easier and therefore everything was "#betterforbaby"!

Submit your nomination for the nurse that deserves to be recognized here by December 14th! What happens to the lucky nurses that win?

Three finalists, one in each category (Labor & Delivery, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Postpartum), will be announced in March and the grand prize honoree will be announced in May. The three finalists will be honored with short documentary videos showcasing their unique and inspirational nursing stories. Each of the three finalists will receive a one-year membership to the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), attendance at the 2016 AWHONN Convention, Procter & Gamble care packages, and more. Get all the details on the prizes here.

Also, in honor of these nurse winners, three Pampers Swaddlers scholarships will be made available to help nurses from underrepresented groups complete their studies toward a Master of Science in Nursing degree.

Plus, here's a little something for you - get your hands on some awesome prizes at the upcoming twitter party on November 19th, beginning at 8/9c! Prizes for the twitter party range from diapers and wipes to $350 CASH! What will you win?

Not only do you have the chance to win a gift card during the twitter party celebrating the nurses that impacted your life, you can win one now as well! Enter to win a $100 AmEx gift card and a pack of Pampers simply by leaving me a comment letting me know all about your favorite nurse in your life... But don't forget to nominate your favorite nurse by clicking here as well. Use the giveaway tools form to verify you entered and to provide me with your e-mail address and we're set!

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Enter to Win a Dell Inspiron Laptop and #UpgradeWithIntel!

 This post is for my participation in the Intel Program and Sponsored by Lunchbox.

Are you searching for a new laptop? Maybe you're a fellow blogger wanting to stay up-to-date with the latest technology or a business woman wanting to keep her clients satisfied with quick responses from a laptop with no lag time? No matter the situation, your hunt for the perfect laptop is over.

I found an awesome deal on a Dell Inspiron 15.6" laptop from Walmart and I just can't help but share the news with you... This machine is superb, with a 15.6" LED-backlit touchscreen and HD quality resolution! Packed full of features, I'm certain this is the computer you need in your life and now is the best time to upgrade with Intel!

Want some extra awesome news about the Dell Inspiron 15.6" laptop? You have the chance to WIN one of these beasts! Who doesn't want the chance to score something so awesome in a contest?!

Don't miss your chance to win a fancy Dell laptop! Click here (or the banner above) for the opportunity to share, in 400 characters or less, how a Dell Inspiron 15.6" laptop would make your life more amazing!

It's that easy to get your name in the pool to win the laptop! Please keep in mind,  only one entry per email, per person, you can find the complete terms & conditions on the site!

I really hope you win, you will love the chance to upgrade with Intel! After dealing with a few unreliable laptops, I decided to choose an Intel driven machine and I'm so glad I did, I love my new laptop! Are you ready to fall in love with your new laptop? Whether you decide to treat yourself to one or enter the contest, you won't be disappointed with the Dell Inspiron 15.6" laptop from Intel!

Lawn Care Tips For Fall in Florida from TruGreen

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for TruGreen. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Fall in Florida is a little different than it has been any where else I've lived... it's basically an extended summer, with some cooler days. Most days it's a tad bit warm, perfect for sun-bathing and absolutely amazing for outdoor activities.

We've enjoyed every other fall in Florida, but now that we live in a home with a huge, gorgeously landscaped yard we're learning about how to maintain our lawn and landscaping and this fall has been the best one yet. It's been amazing watching our yard transform.

With trees blossoming full fruits over our fence line and yellow flowers sprouting out of a tree that was formerly all green. We've learned a lot about botany within a short amount of time, so when TruGreen asked me to share some Florida Fall Lawn Care Tips with you, I figured I might as well help spread some knowledge and hopefully learn something myself!

As I mentioned before, Florida fall is fairly mild but the few days when the temperature does decrease happens to mean that our lawns actually call for more care than they do in the summer. The transition from summer to winter growth is usually marked by a distinctive decrease in leaf growth, which means you'll be mowing less. I've actually noticed this small adjustment over the last month, as hubby has only had to mow once in the past few weeks vs. every week (like he did in the summer).

While the mowing slows down, the lawn maintenance and the landscaping are still a priority in our home! TruGreen says that we should be sure to make sure our lawn is getting enough water, so that's something we are trying to work on. You would think with the annual rainfall at about 50 inches that our lawn would be wet enough, but with torrential down pours one week and a drought the next - it's obvious that our rainfall is consistent. Therefore, us Florida folk have to make sure our turf isn't thirsty during the fall and winter months! An irrigation system is the best way to deal with watering your lawn and while our yard actually has a pretty spiffy sprinkler system, our county won't allow it to be put in use any more... so I must mention, you have to be mindful of city and county ordinances. My advice is to also try to use captured rain water, if possible!

TruGreen also suggests not letting weeds take over your lawn... which is something we definitely need to work on. Dollar weed and oxtails are the most commonly found in our Florida turf grass, especially if it is over-watered! Using regular maintenance for weed control and putting an irrigation system to work or watering your lawn on a tight schedule are the best ways to avoid weeds in your yard!

Since your mower won't be getting as much use, you might as well take it in to get it's blades sharpened so it's good to go when weekly mowing is necessary again. Until then, plan on only having to mow once every two to three weeks!

The last little tidbit of advice I received from TruGreen was to help the lawn recuperate over the next few months. This time of the year is actually the best time to perform core aeration and overseeding. Plus, well fertilized grass is more likely to last through the winter and look healthy next year!

After educating ourselves about lawn care this year, I've decided I want to plant a tree as well. Luckily, TruGreen even had answers when I asked if I should plant a tree this fall - click here to find out!

We've decided that while our yard is kind of pretty now, we know with the help of TruGreen our HUGE yard can be even prettier. So tell me, are you a fellow Floridian? Do you love your lawn as much as we love ours? I'd love to hear how you keep your house looking spiffy during the winter months in the comments below! Plus, don't miss your chance to win the giveaway below:

TruGreen #LiveLifeOutside Giveaway

Simplify Your Skincare Routine & Get THE Glow You've Been Dreaming Of...

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for AVEENO® POSITIVELY RADIANT®. I received product samples as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Living in Florida in my late twenties means that I have to be really conscious of my skin, I need to make sure that I have a skin care routine that includes SPF while still using products that are gentle on my sensitive skin. Being in your 20's means that wrinkles can and will start appearing unless you treat your skin correctly and lately I've noticed that I really need to be moisturizing, exfoliating, and making sure that I'm protecting my face from super the harsh florida sun and all the stuff in my make up. I love my freckles but I don't need any more of them and I definitely want to avoid break outs, luckily I have the tools to do just that now...

It's serious business making sure your skin looks and feels nice. I'm so over dealing with an entourage of products to make sure my skin still holds it's youthful glow, though... I no longer will carry around a primer, a moisturizer, a deep cleanser, a spot treatment, an eye cream, etc. AVEENO® POSITIVELY RADIANT® has given me an alternative to using so many products, now I just grab my face wipes and my moisturizer and I'm ready to show off my fresh face.

I use a wipe every single morning and evening to make sure my face is clean and fresh and I use the moisturizer as a primer in the morning and as a night cream in the evening. What's the deal with my obsession with AVEENO®? I'll fill ya in...

As you probably already know AVEENO® harnesses the power of active natural ingredients but now they have a new line,  AVEENO® POSITIVELY RADIANT®. This line of products is specifically formulated to help even out tone and texture, transforming dull, tired looking skin into gorgeous, radiant skin with the power packed Total Soy Complex.

I bet you are wondering, what exactly is the Total Soy Complex? It helps to visibly transform the tone, texture, dullness, blotchiness, and brown spots of skin. The complex is included in both the wipes and moisturizer and I've noticed a huge difference in the way my skin looks lately.

The AVEENO® POSITIVELY RADIANT® Makeup removing wipes combine the total soy complex with gentle cleansers to reveal brighter, smoother, healthier looking skin. The skin you've always dreamed of and I'm so excited to share they even help clear up some of my break outs - probably because they are oil-free and noncomedogenic, which means they won't clog your pores.

The other star of the show today is what I use to protect my skin, prep it for makeup application, and sometimes I just use it to freshen up my face -  AVEENO® POSITIVELY RADIANT® Daily Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 15 is a life saver! Formulated to help even skin tone while reflecting light, to make tired skin look bright and more radiant - it's a beauty secret that the world needs to know about!

Replacing a complex skin care routine, with AVEENO® POSITIVELY RADIANT® products has been life changing - in a good way. If you want to start taking better care of your skin now, I suggest you check out what AVEENO® can do for you and your daily routine.

So tell me, what does your skincare routine look like currently? Do you want to simplify your routine? Tell me all about your skin care habits and what you hope to achieve with your routine in the comments below, I look forwards to hearing all about it!

Plus, don't miss your chance to win big - use the giveaway form below to enter for a full Aveeno set up!

AVEENO Positively Radiant AET

A Daily Yoga Challenge + Why I Love Confused Girl Leggings!

Confused Girl sent over a pair of leggings to facilitate today's post,
regardless all opinions expressed below are mine alone!

This time last year, I had just finished hosting a yoga challenge - the Everybody Yoga challenge, to be exact. It was a daily, picture sharing, yoga challenge on Instagram and boy, was it an amazing and trying experience. The 30 day challenge I hosted in 2014 was the last time I practiced yoga on a regular daily basis, for an extended period... and that, my friends, is a bummer and is going to change starting now.

I may not be able to fit an entire hour long yoga class into my daily routine but I'm going to start adding in a few poses before I get my day started and before I lay down in bed in the evening. This won't be a publicized challenge though, my practice will be all for me and I encourage you to do the same.

I want this "daily yoga challenge" to help us all feel more grounded and aware, to help us connect with our surroundings and live in the moment, while also helping us remain calm and balanced. Yoga is capable of changing your view of the world, I know this much... you might as well let it by practicing daily, is my new philosophy.

Practicing headstands, backbends, or simply meditating - my body needs the zen aspects of yoga and wants to feel the stretch. I'm so ready to get the yoga ball rolling, metaphorically and literally.

The thing is, I lost so much weight over the past year or so that none of my work out clothes really fit me anymore. Trust me, I'm not complaining... but I do need new yoga gear to practice in and that's where Confused Girl and their Crystal Inspired leggings come into play.

These gorgeous leggings are the perfect pair to get back into my groove in, the patterns made from images taken of a Gold Agate Crystal. It's like I'm practicing natural healing just by wearing these beauties, especially since Agate enhances creativity and is shown to strengthen intellect - making the pair perfect for this blogger, student, and artist...

Not only are these a groovy-looking and feeling pair of leggings, they are actually comfortable. With 4 way stretch, I don't feel squeezed into them but like they are a second skin - which is an important distinction when choosing yoga pants. They're also eco-friendly, made out of water based ink, made in the USA (in LA to be exact), and totally machine washable... What more could you ask for in a pair of leggings?

How about a story to go with the brand name? Confused Girl may make you question the brand... who wants to buy from someone confused? Well, the statement behind the name is beautiful and makes me want to buy every single crystal-inspired color of these leggings... As Giovanna, the founder of the company says, “It is really easy to accept yourself when you are feeling good and your life is the way you want it. But it isn’t so easy to accept yourself when things are tough and you are confused. We shame ourselves in times we need to be embracing ourselves.” Confused Girl is about accepting yourself just as you are at this moment.

So now, that I've shared why I love my new leggings so much, the story behind my new favorite brand of leggings, and how I plan on getting back into my "yoga groove", I'd love to hear what pair of Confused Girl leggings are your favorite and which yoga pose you favor as well! Leave me a comment and let's chat! Plus, enter to win a pair of HOPE leggings with the giveaway form below:

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If you can't wait to see if you win and you decide to order a pair of these fabulous leggings today, you can score 15% off with the code "BYE FELICIA" plus free domestic shipping! So what are you waiting for?

Fall Fun Giveaway Hop: $50 Visa Gift Card Giveaway!

Thank you for stopping by the Fall Fun giveaway hop
hosted by The Anti-June Cleaver and Our Piece of Earth.

Happy Fall, y'all! I have teamed up with an amazing group of bloggers to bring you a variety of giveaways (and prizes - woohoo!) to make your fall super fun! After you have entered a giveaway visit the linky at the bottom of each post to visit the other blogs and take the time to enter to win all kinds of goodies. Plus, don't miss your chance to win the dual grand prize for this event for the kiddos sponsored by Little Tikes!

You may be wondering, what I am giving away on my blog? In celebration of the fall season and all things fall, I'm giving one lucky reader $50 cold-hard-cash... okay, well, it may come in the form of a Visa Gift Card but it'll spend the same!

Want to enter to win? Use the giveaway tools form below!

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The Anti-June Cleaver, Our Piece of Earth, and the rest of the bloggers participating in the Fall Fun giveaway hop are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.

Don't forget to enter all the other awesome giveaways listed below:

 

You're Invited: Caposaldo Wine Girl's Night Twitter Party

Who likes to party? I know I'm not the only one!

Love a delicious glass of wine after a long, hard day?

Love being pampered and enjoying a little girl talk in the process?

Today's discussion and the discussion on Wednesday are sponsored by One2One Network and Caposaldo Wines, regardless all opinions expressed  are my own.

Go ahead and grab your planner + pencil in GIRL's NIGHT IN
on Wednesday, September 16th at 9pm EST.
It's going to be so much fun!

Now that you've added the event to your calendar, I'm guessing you want all the details on this upcoming shindig - This fantastic little girl's night in is actually going to be a twitter party with Caposaldo Wines, Kendall Rayburn, and myself.

Don't forget to RSVP for the event so you have the chance to win 1 of 6 $50 gift cards or 1 of 4 of the Grand Prize Home Spa/ Girls Night Packages!

That means that you'll want to have a nice, adult-sized glass of Caposaldo wine ready for Wednesday evening (find a bottle in your area with their store locator) as well as your prettiest party dress or your comfiest night gown! Since Caposaldo is the benchmark of Italian wines and comes in all of your favorite varieties, I promise you won't be disappointed in the spirits and Kendall and I will supply all the girl talk fun - this is a twitter party you won't want to miss!

While we have a ton of fun planned, I suggest you add some throwback tunes, a comfy couch, and your favorite finger foods to the mix as well. I'll be honest and reveal that I'll definitely be sitting back on my couch listening to the Spice Girls in my comfiest night gown with all my favorite foods and, of course, a nice glass of the delicious bubbly Caposaldo Sweet Sparkling Peach!


I literally can't wait to share all the fun Kendall, Caposaldo, and I have been planning! It's going to be a blast! So I'll "see" you Wednesday, with my wine glass and my cell phone in hand!

When: 9/16/15 at 9pm EST
Where: Twitter under the #Caposaldo hashtag
Who: Kendall Rayburn, Caposaldo Wine, and Yours Truly
Prizes: 6 $50 Am Ex Gift Cards and 4 Grand Prize Home Spa / Girls Night Packages
Must be a US resident to win!

Click here to RSVP!

The Best Healthy Snacks + a $25 CASH GC Giveaway!

Snacking healthy has become a huge priority for me since I began my weight loss journey, I don't want to deprive myself of food but I also don't want to over-eat or indulge in something that isn't nutritionally sound. While I love, love, love some chocolate bars and fruity candies, I'm learning to balance my sweet tooth with healthy foods and I've finally found some awesome, delicious, and fairly good-for-you snacks lately and I just have to gush about my favorites today!

With so many items on the shelves it was hard to decide what I really wanted to try; but I made some amazing choices, if I don't say so myself! Each and every one of these choices make the perfect snack any time of day and I'm certain that you'll be overjoyed if you decide to add these delicious treats into your meal plan! Plus, if you spend $20, Publix is hooking you up with $5 off - download the coupon NOW!

Fiber One Cookies - These little cookies are the perfect midnight snack or after-dinner dessert. With so much flavor and just the right portion size, I find myself grabbing the Oatmeal Raisin cookies at least once a day! Snacking on something with extra fiber, hello happy body & hello happy tummy!

Fruit Snacks - I'll always be a kid at heart... So fruit snacks will always be a favorite food of mine! I love the Despicable Me fruit snacks because the movie is adorable and the flavors are amazing... but the Mott's fruit snacks are equally as delicious! I always have fruit snacks in the house, just in case I need a little something sweet.

Quaker Chewy Dipps - I grabbed the dips in peanut butter and chocolate and I'm OBSESSED. If you love the peanut butter chocolate girl scout cookies then you'll love these. They are a little piece of heaven each time I have one and since they are fairly healthy, I have one almost every morning!

Yoplait Greek 100 Whips - If you love yogurt, then you'll love these whips! They are fluffy, delicious yogurt coming in at only 100 calories - what more could a girl watching her figure ask for? I love all of the flavor options but the blueberry comes highly recommended in my book!

Naked Juice Smoothies - If you follow the blog, you know I love smoothies (especially Naked Juice)... so it comes as no surprise that these are my favorite healthy snacks lists! In fruit and veggie infused flavors, you'll be able to get all kinds of added nutrition with these juices!

Water - Last but not least, water is the ultimate healthy snack! I make sure that I drink at least 70oz a day! No matter what your nutrition looks like, I've learned water is the most important part of my daily diet.

Which snack option is your favorite? Want some help paying for your groceries on your next trip? Enter to win a $25 gift card with the giveaway tools form below and you'll be able to stock up on all your favorites!

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