Halloween Costumes fun for all ages

Halloween is such a fun time! Don't you think? I love all of it! The home decor, food, dressing up and everything else in between. How about you?

Link up your favorite halloween ideas and anything else below! IF it is somehow Fall or Halloween related I will pin to one of my Pinterest Boards! Here are 13 Perfect Costume Ideas  from last week. I just started the collection and what to add more! Do you have any costume ideas on your blog? If so please link below and I will add it to my board.

CHECK out my collection!

Please follow my boards on Pinterest- SusieQTpies Scraps of Life 

Life…Supplemented Healthier Lifestyle Journey

Click the photo to download app

If you have been following my blog, you know that I have posted about my healthier lifestyle journey. On my last post I shared that I was down 30 pounds. I have now made it to 45 pounds lost since April. How did this happen?

There are a lot of reasons for this and one of them is that I have an inner motivation that is giving me the strength to get healthy! This is something that I have to think and do every daily. If not, I will backslide into old habits that I never want to return to. My inner motivation does need help and I found a really fun app to help me with this. I downloaded the Life…Supplemented free mobile application, WannaBeWell. It can be found in the iTunes app store under “WannaBeWell” or by clicking here. It works for iTunes and the iPad.

Since I have to think and act daily in my journey, I found this app helpful because of the daily reminders. This app let me create my own personalized Wellness Coach. There are quite a few choices which is a good thing. I tried several to find the one just right for me! My coach gives me daily tips for motivation and educational messages to keep my focus forward daily. So far most of the tips have been very helpful and I look forward to the new ones each day. As I explore the app and finish missions I earn trophies! This is just enough motivation to keep going daily and keep me focused forward. 

The app also has a reminder function. My 40 something brain needs reminders. The helpful reminders are for my daily supplements. Yes, I do take them and often forget until the afternoon. So now I set the app to remind me to take them in   the morning with food! I can also set reminders for other members of my family to take their supplements and set reminders to restock when our supplies gets low. 

After I downloaded the app, I took a quiz which they call the My Wellness Scorecard. This Scorecard gave me a personalized wellness score. This allows the app to give me tailored tips and insights on what I actually need each day. Yes, I think it is that smart!

There is an online tool associated with this app. It is called The Supplement Resource Center and it has thousands of articles and tips that helped me make informed decisions about what supplements are appropriate for me to take. I actually did some research on supplements a few months back. I wish that I would have known about the Supplement Resource Center back then. It would have saved me a lot of time. Their data base is huge and covers everything from A to Z. 

Another resource with this app is The Supplemental. This is their blog forum full healthy diet tips, more info on the supplements needed and as well as exercise advise. This all comes from their expert panel of bloggers!

This app has inspired me to make good choices. My healthier lifestyle journey is something that I have to do on my own. Even  with that, I love being informed and want to learn new things along the way. It is sweet to have this as an app on my phone so that I can take it wherever I go. 

One last thing with this app. For each WannaBeWell downloaded, a $1 donation (up to $13,500) will be made to Vitamin Angels. Have you ever heard of them? They help reduce child mortality worldwide by connecting infants and children under 5 with the vital nutrients they need.

I wrote this blog post while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Life…supplemented. As a thank you for participating, I received a $25 promotional item, and a $25 donation was made on my behalf to Vitamin Angels.

5 Easy Meals at Home Recipes

Here are five easy meals to make at home for your family.  I'm sharing these because they are some of our family favorites! Not only are they our favorites but they are EASY recipes to make! Enjoy!

Easy Family meal- Spaghetti & Meatballs

Easy & Kids love- Chicken Cordon Bleu

DO you cook every night? I cook Monday- Friday but not every day. Some days are leftovers. I do take the weekend off. I have 3 teen girls so it works for us!

Meals at Home

Crock Pot Cranberry Chicken

Texas Straw Hat

Peanut Butter Pan Cake

5 Fall Recipes for your Family

What are some of your favorite fall recipes? For fall, I cook a lot with apples, pumpkins and other squash family veggies. I'm always on the look out for non sweet apple and pumpkin recipes. Do you have any? If so share in the comments so that I can come check them out this week! 

Slow Cooker Praline Apple Crisp

Quick and Easy Apple Crisp

Bacon Brownies - Fo' Sizzle!

Best Ever Cupcakes

Old Fashion Candy Apples

More Fall Recipes

• 6 Fall Desserts
• 15 Fall Crockpot Beef Recipes
• 20 Apple Recipes for Fall
• 20 Ways to Cook Comfort Food Chicken in the Crockpot
• 20 Ways to Cook Pumpkin Seeds
• 27 Fall Desserts & Fall Comfort Foods

Subscribe to our mailing list

Hot Breakfast Recipes & Coupons

Bacon Muffins (use any meat)

Pumpkin Spice Amish Friendship Bread

Breakfast

• SAVE $1.00 ON TWO when you buy any TWO BOXES any flavor General Mills Big G cereals: Cheerios® • Cinnamon Toast Crunch® • Chex® • Lucky
• 
  
• SAVE 75¢ on any ONE (1) PHILADELPHIA INDULGENCE Spreads (Walmart)
• 
  
• SAVE 50¢ when you buy any ONE BOX Cookie Crisp® cereal
• SAVE $1.00 on any THREE Kellogg's® Apple Jacks®, Corn Pops® and/or Froot Loops® Cereals (8.7 oz. or Larger, Any Flavor, Mix or Match)
• Save $1.00 off any TWO (2) Post Kids cereals- only good on 11 oz size or larger (Redeem at Walmart)
• SAVE 75¢ when you buy ONE BOX Wheaties® or Wheaties Fuel® cereal
• 
  
• Save $1.00 on any one (1) IHOP at Home® French Toast Stuffed Pastry
• Save $1.00 on any one (1) IHOP at Home® Griddle N' Sausage Wrap
• Save $1.00 on any one (1) IHOP at Home® Flatbread Sandwich
• SAVE 75¢ ON THREE when you buy THREE any flavor/variety Pillsbury® Toaster Strudel® OR Toaster Scrambles® Pastries OR Pillsbury® Pancakes

Scrambled Egg Margarita Pizza

End of the Month Coupons Print off!

Here is a huge list of coupons that will not be available after the end of the month! Print away!

• 
  
• $2.00 off Vampire Dog DVD
• Save 25% On Remington Replacement Heads and Cutter
• $2.00 off NECTRESSE™ Natural No Calorie Sweetener
• $1.00 off Weight Watchers Frozen Novelty Carton
• $1.00 off On Any Spot Shot 14 oz. Aerosol
• 
  
• $1.00 off Purina Busy brand Chew Treat
• 
  
• $0.50 off any one Colgate Optic White Toothbrush
• $0.75 off any one Colgate Optic White Toothpaste
• $0.75 off any one Colgate Optic White™ Mouthwash
• 
  
• $1.00 off any TWO O-Cel-O™ Scrub Sponges
• $1.00 off any ONE (1) Fit Foodz product
• $1.00 off 14-oz. Spot Shot carpet stain remover
• 
  
• $1.00 off 1 package of Butterball Turkey Burgers
• $3.25 off Nature's Bounty Optimal Solutions
• 
  
• $2.00 off 2 packages of KOTEX Natural Balance
• $1.00 off Axe Shower Gel product
• $0.40 off THREE boxes of KLEENEX Facial Tissue
• 
  
• $0.75 off 3 Totino's Rolls Snacks
• $1.00 off 5 Totino's Pizza Products
• 
  
• $1.00 off 2 Post Kids cereals
• $0.75 off ONE BOX of Wheaties cereal
• $1.00 off TWO BOXES of Cheerios cereals
• $1.00 off 2 General Mills Big G cereals
• $0.50 off ONE BOX Cookie Crisp cereal
• 
  
• $0.75 off 3 Pillsbury Toaster Strudel
• $0.50 off one Betty Crocker Shake-N-Pour™ Dessert
• $0.40 off TWO Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls
• $0.40 off 3 Pillsbury Refrigerated Grands!
• $0.50 off one Bisquick Baking Mix
• $0.50 off 2 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts
• 
  
• $0.50 off ONE BOX Betty Crocker Box Muffin Mix
• $0.40 off TWO Pillsbury Sweet Rolls
• 
  
• $0.50 off Yoplait Light Fiber Yogurt Multipacks
• $0.50 off Yoplait Fruplait™ Yogurt
• $0.30 off ONE Yoplait Simplait™ Yogurt
• $0.75 off two Yoplait kid products
• $0.40 off six Yoplait Yogurt
• 
  
• $0.50 off one pouch Betty Crocker Cookie Mix
• $0.75 off 3 Hamburger Helper Meals
• $0.60 off 3 Old El Paso products
• $0.50 off 2 boxes of Nature Valley Granola Bars
• $0.75 off 3 LARABAR, UBER OR JOCALAT bars
• 
  
• $1.00 off 2 Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough
• $0.40 off Fiber One Chewy Bars or brownies
• $0.50 off 1 box Fiber One Chewy Bars
• 
  
• $0.50 off 1 package Pillsbury Baguette Chips
• $0.50 off 2 boxes Fruit Flavored Snacks
• $0.50 off Fiber One 90 Calorie Brownies
• $0.50 off 2 boxes Betty Crocker Fruit Shapes
• 
  
• $1.00 off 1 IHOP at Home Griddle N' Sausage Wrap
• $1.00 off (1) IHOP at Home Flatbread Sandwich
• $1.00 off (1) IHOP at Home French Toast Pastry
• $1.00 off Pepperidge Farm Jingos!™ crackers
• $0.75 off one PHILADELPHIA INDULGENCE Spreads
• 
  
• $5.00 off ONE gallon of Benjamin Moore paint/stain
• 
  
• $0.75 off one Minute Maid Juice Box 10-pk
• $1.00 off any Citracal Product
• $1.00 off any THREE Kashi Cereal or Snack Bars
• 
  
• $0.50 off One Kern's 5.5 oz. 6 Pack
• $2.00 off any RID product
• $0.50 off FRENCH'S HONEY MUSTARD DIPPING sauce

Menu Plan with Recipes and Photos

Beef and Snow Pea Stir fry Veggie "Fried" Rice

Welcome back to Menu Planning Monday! I'm running late today! We celebrated our Twins- 18th birthday yesterday! It was a fun day but now I'm a day behind in work :) So no featured bloggers today! I'll make up for it next week!

Thanks to all who stopped in and even linked up! If you link up on Monday I will pin your post to Pinterest. If you are on there, please pin mine, too! If you have a Monday Menu link up, leave the link and I will join in.

Monday- Antipasto Platter and weekend leftovers

Tuesday New Orleans Recipes - pick your choice or Beef and Snow Pea Stir fry Veggie "Fried" Rice

Wednesday Baked Carrot Fries, Chicken Sliders aka Chick-fil-A knock offs

Thursday Chicken Veggie Thai Soup- time to get something really warm with the chill in the air.

Friday-Easy BBQ Chicken Pizza with Honey Pizza Crust

Need something sweet? Try homemade Snickers Bars

Link up your menu or any recipe below! I'm linked up at OrgJunkie Menu Monday.

Provella probiotics promote digestive, feminine and immune health

(Don't you just love this chart? Check out the normal bacteria that your body needs)

Have you heard of probiotics? Have you ever taken any? Do you know what they are? They are all over the news and blogs these days. Here is the scoop!

Probiotics are micro bacteria strains that can be used to restore or maintain the body's normal flora that gets disrupted from medications, foods, changes in hormones, diet, etc. The Provella Probiotic Dietary Supplements have a proprietary blend of 6 bacteria strains specifically chosen to support the female digestive, feminine and immune health. These small pills are not drugs but provide micro bacteria strains that your body actually needs. Did you know that not all bacteria is bad?  

Ever heard of Lactobacillus acidolphilus, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifobacterium bifidum? Sounds like something I learned in Microbiology class! Enjoy this educational video about Provella and learn more about the bacterias.

 

Since the spring, I have been on a healthier lifestyle journey and take multivitamins daily with food. Just recently I started taking the Provella Probiotic Dietary Supplements which by the way isn't required to take with food. I was eager to participate in this product review so that I could see if these supplements would make a difference good or bad with my digestive,feminine or immune health. 

After two weeks of Provera I have to say that I really think they have helped my digestive health and keeping it regular as well as my sinus and seasonal allergies issues. This time of the year with the increased rain and increased mold counts I almost always have to take allergy medicine. So far I haven't taken any! I'm thinking my immune health must be doing pretty good to ward off my normal seasonal allergies and sinus issues. This could all be a combination of my healthier eating and exercise, daily vitamins and the added Provella probiotics. Since all is good, I'm keeping this up!

How about you? After reading this and watching the video have you learned anything new? Is this something you want to try? Guess what? You can print off a Provella coupon to SAVE $6 off and give it a try. Click HERE to get that coupon. You can also purchase Provella online at Drugstore.com.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Provella. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating. 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.

Teens and Back to School Period #KotexMom

By now all of the teens should be back to school and settled in for a long school year ahead of them. My teens have been back for a month now and everyone is looking forward to Thanksgiving break! How about your teens?

If you are a regular reader of my blog then you know that I am one of the U by Kotex Tween Brand Ambassadors. This means that once a month I share with you tips about teens and their period. I'm a mom of 3 teens, two are turning 18 this week and all are girls. So I have seen, heard and done it all when it comes to tween and teen education. Check out the site, www.ubykotex.com/helloperiod to get equipped with information and use it to let your tweens explore topics on what they can expect.

One of the biggest issues that tween and teens face is getting their period when they are at school. Any woman will tell you that this is an issue we face for as long as we have our monthly period. Very few people, if ANY, can predict the exact time they will actually start their monthly period. So how do we go about sharing this with young ones who haven't even had their first period?

During the tween first period talk and other continual discussions, you will want to start preparing them for what will happen if they start when they aren't home.  During the first talk that actually discussed the monthly period, I had visual aids! Yes feminine hygiene products, books, pictures and a little zipped case to shore away a few of the products. Their little case included a few pads of various sizes, travel wet wipes, kleenex, small mirror, breath mint, Hershey kiss and a little note from me.

Most everything is self explanatory in the kit. Pads so they don't have to ask anyone for one at school, travel wet wipes to clean up, kleenex to wipe their tears, small mirror to check their face before leaving the stall, breath mint to suck on before they begin (to take their mind off of all the waste product), a Hershey kiss so that they can remember I love them and a note that briefly explains what has happened, what to do and my phone number if they need to call! lol Back in the day I could have added in 1-2 ibuprofen but of course "drugs" aren't allowed in school.

This little case can be kept in their school bag until needed. Once the first period begins, they need to be instructed on keeping supplies in the bag to have products on hand for the just in case surprise moment. No matter how much they are prepared, the initial shock will be a bit tense when it happens. Best is to prepare them for the sign and symptoms they will experience before hand. Teach them that they can start looking for these changes and after the first time they will get better at knowing when they will start again the following month. Be prepared though, it takes awhile for most teens cycle to get regular!

Other topics like this one:

Tween First Period and how to break the ice

It isn't always being You. The Mother Daughter Talk.

Info for moms!

I wrote this review while participating in a Brand Ambassador Campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of U by KotexTween and received products to facilitate my post and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Kid Bank Accounts S is for Savings

Last week in the S is for Savings series, I gave you resources on how to teach your little ones to save money. We learned that S isn't just for snake! S is also for saving, sharing and spending! As parents we have the power to teach this to our children and prepare them for their future in a fun and engaging way.

Today I am sharing one of the resources that I mentioned. This is the PNC  'S' is for Savings  website and account for kids. As a reminder to you:

• This is a free site.
• It has interactive online banking activities that uses basic money terms.
• It is fun and inspired by Sesame Street.
• You can set up a free account for children 18 and under with no service charge.
• Interest on balances start at $1.00.
• It only takes $25.00 to open an account.
• Parents can add money to the account, easily. This can be done at a PNC band, online and even ATM's.
• Kids can drop their money into jar to give them control - with your guidance-on how to spend, save and share. (This is a really cool feature)

I would love to share with you some screen shots of the site and my experience. Once you set up this easy to do account and log in you will see this screen:

Right away you and your child can see how much money is in the account and gives an update if there has been a deposit. At the bottom of the page, Cookie Monster has three jars for saving, sharing or spending. This is where you can help your child decide what to do with their money. Of course this can be changed at any time.

If you hover over each jar or click on it you can see your designated spend, share and save amounts. This is such a great feature and easy, teaching tool. This allows the kids to actually see what they are doing with their money. 

The Learning Center has information available to you to teach your kids about saving, spending, sharing, lending, needs, wants and more! You can read, listen, watch and try out all the activities together and even let your kids click. 

I found that this is a valuable and FREE resource for parents to teach kids about saving, sharing and spending. Check it out and see what you think! If you do, let me know. I'd really love to hear your thoughts on using these resources.

Disclosure: I received compensation from The PNC Financial Services Group to thank me for my participation in their promotion. My own tasty words and opinions are expressed here.