Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Advertise in August!


You all know you wanna advertise with us!
We've got four fantastic ad spaces for our fellow bloggers plus at a great price!

We had over 6200 blog views last month - per Passionfruit each ad received over 3800 ad views!
That's a LOT of eyes on YOU!

Our Large Ad Space is a 300 x 100 banner - you get 30 days of ad space, a saved spot to guest post during the month, and a sponsor spotlight, a chance to do a monthly giveaway and plenty of love from us during that month! For $5.00, it's been called a steal!

Our Medium space is a 200 x 100 banner - 30 days of ad space, a sponsor spotlight and again, plenty of love from us during the month. It's only $3.00 people! No one can love you for that little!

Our small ad space is a 100 x 100 ad, you can show of your blog for only $2.00, no muss no fuss.

Our newest ad space is called the "Guest Post" space. For $2.00 you get a large ad size (300 x 100 banner) for seven days, (naturally the same week your guest post goes live). This is PERFECT for people who want to do a big guest post and want to get lots of viewers easily! 

Now for the best part? All our ad spaces are 50% off with promo code SUMMERADSALE! That means you can buy two for the price of one and get sponsored into the fall! (Heck, buy yourself a slot for the rest of the year, a large ad space will run you $12.50 until 2014!) 

We love our sponsors and would love you have you join us!
See you on our sidebar!
xoxo-Dani

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Happy Birthday, Wonderful Husband

Today is my husband's birthday! Happy Birthday Bubba!
I'd been contemplating for a few days what I wanted to write about for today's post. We've been together for five years, and been married nearly three of those years. It's been a wonderful, adventure-filled and crazy ride so far, but I cannot think of a better person to have had at my side during all of it. Quite frankly, any two people be in our shoes, they simply would not have made it. Today I wanted to share the story of how we met, and our story until now.


Bubba and I met in a very interesting way. Originally we met when I was in high school. He had graduated, and a mutual friend of ours asked me on what I thought was a date. A few hours before the date, I was asked if some friends could come too, and I agreed. No harm in friends!
Come to find out a few years later that he did ask me on the date, couldn't pay, so he asked his friend what to do. Bubba being the bro to end all bros, said he'd cover it if he could go too, and if he got paid back. The three of us went bowling that night, we enjoyed dancing and acting crazy, pizza and root beer. It was a great night to be had. If you want to get technical, that was our first date. 


About a year later, I was planning on a road trip from Salt Lake City to Phoenix to see that same friend while he was at college. When I was asked by my friend if I was okay with carpooling down with Bubba, I was more than okay to agree to that! Little did I know there would be five of us crammed into what has become our family car. It was a long trip, but what the winning moment was the car ride back to Salt Lake City.

Bubba drove, while I was his co-pilot. I was nominated because I vowed not to sleep on the way home, and to keep him company. As we drove we talked about everything, from our lives, our dreams, our futures, etc. By the time we got back into town I was asking him to drop me off last, because I really didn't want to leave him, and he gladly agreed.



A few years later our paths crossed again. I was unhappy in a relationship, trying to find a way out. He and I texted each other often, him being my emotional rock. We had spent nearly the entire month together, with another friend who was home from Iraq on his vacation leave. We'd gone on multiple adventures, family parties, and holiday events. When I was finally out of the bad relationship and had started dating again, I was stuck between two guys, both guys I had friend-zoned, both guys I had gone on dates with equal amounts of times, and both guys I liked. After being stood up multiple times, Bubba came to me, sat me down and gave me a talking to. He finally told me, "I love you. I care about you, and when you are done messing around, come find me, I'll be waiting for you."


The next night was New Years Eve, and I asked him if he'd be my date.
He took me over to meet his sister, his parents and his family. We didn't kiss at midnight.
We didn't even hug at the door.

We started dating after that. About four weeks into our relationship, under some serious circumstances, I ended up moving in with him at his parents place. His parents took me in as their own, and took care of me. Bubba and I really got a feel of each other and who we were after that.
It was hard, learning who the other was, learning about life, and trying to figure out the balance of meeting each others wants and needs, but somehow, we did it.

Six months later we were driving up Butterfield Canyon. It was the middle of June and lightly raining out. We loved Butterfield Canyon and loved going on road trips together, big or small. We agreed today's venture would be a small one, and we took off up into the Oqurrih Mountains. We found a place to park, put on some hoodies and went for a small hike. Ten minutes into the hike I paused to take a photo. When I turned around to say something to Bubba, I turned to see him on one knee.
We got engaged that day.


That fall Bubba started the police academy. It was a year-long program and we were so excited for him to get into the program. Together we busted our butts, studying, being practice dummies for him, and helping him memorize the ten codes. That winter I had my shoulder operated on and basically reattached. Between my physical therapy, doctors appointments and his classes, testing and training, we hardly saw each other, let alone had time to plan our wedding. We put it on hold until he graduated in the spring, 


That following August we got married. It was a small ceremony in my parents backyard. We had our closest family and friends there, had some chicken salad sandwiches, and cupcakes as our wedding cake. It was a simple, yet very intimate celebration. Quite frankly, the day was perfect.
Even if there were 40 mph gusts of wind. (It made for some FANTASTIC wedding photos though!)
We honeymooned in Arches overnight, a very impromptu honeymoon but so perfect nonetheless. Yet another road trip that marked a big stage in our love story!




Over the fourth of July weekend 2011, we found out we were expecting a baby. We celebrated with fireworks and each other, and were so excited to really start our family. It was a very difficult pregnancy, I was about 8 weeks along when I finally found out, because I had had a miscarriage earlier in the year. When I had gone into the doctors before I had found out, and they kept telling me "It'll be awhile before your normal." or "Thats just what happens." A cute little baby is certainly what happens!
I was placed on bedrest at 16 weeks, just after we found out the gender. I was also sent to a specialist and was seeing multiple OBGYN's to make sure that the baby was alright. It was a rough time for us. I was working three days...and that was all I was allowed to do (and even that was too much!). Bubba stood by me and again, was my rock when I needed him. He stayed up with me while I couldn't sleep, he played video games with me when I couldn't do anything else, and he encouraged the midnight taco bell runs when the cravings hit. 


At 35 weeks I was placed on full bedrest, and at 37 weeks Brayden was born. Bubba immediately became the coolest person I know with how well he adapted into the role of Daddy. He loved snuggling his little guy and loved stealing him from mommy. He took over diaper changes, took over night shifts, and if he could have breast fed, I swear he would have done that too. While our families did the best they could, Little Dude was born in February, which means everyone naturally got the flu the day of or the day after he was born. Bubba was my biggest supporter in becoming a mommy.


After the baby was born I started going  back to school, working on my degree in Nursing to become an RN. That fall semester was my first one back, and it was rough, but there Bubba was, daddy of the year, taking over daddy duty so I could go to school, putting the baby in the bath, putting him into bed, and making sure I was staying sane through all of it. He even helped me numerous times with keeping the little guy entertained so I could do DIY's or even bloggy projects. He has always been my biggest supporter. 


After all these behind the scene photos here is where we end, today. Bubba, I love you. I love our love story, and while I've only told parts of our story, you and I both know all the crazy things we've done and have been through over the last five years. You're the best man I've ever met, and the best daddy I've ever been lucky enough to know. You're my everything, and I wish I could put into more eloquent words how much I love you and how much you mean to me! I hope you have the happiest of birthdays! I am so excited to celebrate with you and our families!
I love you honey! 

Monday, July 29, 2013

Mani Monday: Zoya Blu - Glittered up

I've been really trying to come up with clever nail designs lately, but end up giving up pretty quickly due to mommy duties, being impatient or it simply not working out for me. I convinced myself I'd have to be okay with painting my nails a plain color and doing a review of this polish (BLU by Zoya) I got in a glam bag awhile back. But then, it just wasn't enough.


I had to add glitter.


I just love light colored mani's for summertime, and baby blue with glitter anything just screams summer. It's laid back, pretty, easy-going, and not harsh on the eyes or harsh to keep up. I just love it.
BTW, this polish, Blu by Zoya is fantastic. Goes on evenly, dries well, and with a second polish layered on top of it (Glitter by Forever 21), it doesn't feel bulky or chunky at all. 

What are you sporting on your nails this week? Comment below and let me know!

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Stationery Card

Center Of Joy Christmas Card
Shutterfly has classic, elegant Christmas invitations for your party.
View the entire collection of cards.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Cheez-It Pasta

The other night in an exhausted frenzy to fix dinner before leaving for school, we created this strange sounding concoction, that ended up being delicious! It took 30 minutes total to make, and was family friendly for all of us!


What You'll Need:
Bowtie Pasta
Shredded Cheese
Fettuccine Sauce
Cheese-It's (about a cup, crumbled)

How to do it:
Prepare pasta according to package. Drain and add 1 tblspoon of butter to prevent pasta from sticking.
Add Fettuccine sauce, stir well.
In a baking dish, spray with cooking spray and add a thin layer of shredded cheese.
Add pasta, then top with a layer of shredded cheese.
Mix crumbled Cheez-It's with shredded cheese in a bowl and add as the final layer.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or 300 for 15 minutes and broil for 5 (which is what I did).


Dig in and enjoy!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

WW: Our Weekends Lately (Insta-Style)


Our last few weekends have been super busy! We've been documenting via instagram, but if you don't follow us, here's the updates!
1. (Bottom Row) 7/13 USA vs. CUBA Gold Cup Doubleheader at the RioT. We not only had third row seats to this EPIC game, but we also had passes from Miller Lite to get food and drinks during the game. It was a VIP Experience and we had a great time!
2. (Top Row) 7/19 SLC Bees vs. Arizona. We got tickets to this game at about 2:30 pm on Friday for the game. We made some calls and ended up carpooling with my parents downtown to enjoy the game! Little dude loved the game, enjoyed the snacks and had fun being social.
3. (Middle Row) 7/20 RSL vs. SKC. A filthy match, terrible ref, and an exciting match! Little dude came with to this match too, loved being with the boys, and eating all the popcorn! Opa gave him a churro which he loved, and he actually stayed up and not grumpy until the fireworks, which he loved. 

What can I say? We love sports!
Have a happy Wednesday!



Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Influenster Sunkissed VoxBox Review


I am really excited to review the Sunkissed Voxbox from Influenster today! I've given it a little bit of time to review all the products and I am really excited to share my reviews on these with you today!


Sinful Colors Sinful Shine
You may remember my Mani Monday about this brand of polish. I was really excited to discover this new brand of polish, and loved trying it out! I cannot wait for pay day so I can pick a few more of these up!


Dr. Scholl's for Her High Heel Inserts
These came in the mail the day before a big family wedding. I had just picked up a pair of heels from Target and was feeling anxious about it. As we were walking out the door I was second guessing my heel choice... then I remembered my inserts! I slid those babies in and was able to be a mommy, a wife, dance and enjoy a great wedding!
Yeah, I'll be buying a pair of these for all my heels.


Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream
I'd been wanting to try a BB Cream for some time now, so when I got this in my box (and a full size no less!) I was so excited to try it out! Now that I have... I LOVE IT. I use it as a part of my daily skincare routine, and love how it looks, feels and the sunscreen in it? Definitely an added bonus.
Between you and me? I've already bought another bottle.


Goody Ouchless hair bands.
At first I wasn't sure what to think about these. I wanted to give them a try, but wasn't sure about it. After a few tries I discovered that I LOVE these for nighttime. I pull my hair up into a high ponytail every night and these keep my hair up, loose, untangled and easy to remove in the morning. I really am enjoying these and am excited I got to try them out.
I just wish they'd work for my work hairstyles (working on that!)

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes
Thank you Influenster for allowing me to test these products! I really enjoyed all of them and was able to discover new products! 

Monday, July 22, 2013

Makeup Monday: July IPSY Glam Bag & Review

I just LOVE my glam bag subscription! I always use every item in my bags at least once, and have found so many great products through this service. That being said, IPSY, PLEASE SWITCH DELIVERY PROVIDERS! My bags used to arrive with UPS within 2-3 days, now with DHL it takes almost TWO WEEKS past when they say it will arrive for it to arrive.
Not cool guys, not cool.


Anyways, onto the review! I just LOVE the bag! It makes me just feel happy seeing it! And, all the goodies fit inside with room to spare! 


Pop Pouty Pop Crayon (Lip Balm Crayon) $25 for set of 6 (about $4.15 each)
I LOVE this lip balm! I tried it a few times this last week, work, mommy duties, events, etc, and it lasts really well, easy to apply and the color is so fun! Love it!


Coola Face Tinted Mineral Sunscreen - I wasn't sure what to think, about a tinted sunscreen. Most I've tried are thick, oily and leave me feeling gross, but this one is lightweight, smooth applying, and the color blends so well! Not to mention the great smell!


California Collection Eye shadow Palette -  $5.85
I just love this set of colors. I am actually really excited to try these out, I've never tried BH Cosmetics before, but from their reviews and their website, they look awesome!


Benetint by Benefit Cosmetics - Rose Tinted Lip and Cheek Stain $9.94
I've only ever tried a lip stain once, and wasn't a big fan. That being said, I love Benefit Cosmetics and I'm really excited to try this product out! I love the reviews I've read online about this, looks promising! 


Healthy Sexy Hair - Soy Renewal Beach Spray - $5.44
I LOVE this spray! I've only tried it once, but with my hair having a natural curl, this helps my hair look from a gross "I didn't do my hair" look to "hey she's trying to look beachy" look. It also smells FABULOUS! I love it! 

Total: $10
Products Price (minus one price I couldn't find) $25.38
I love my monthly Glam Bags, and I'm sure you will too! Use the link below to subscribe and join me!

Join me on ipsy and subscribe to the Glam Bag! You get 4-5 beauty products every month delivered to your door, for just $10. Michelle Phan curates the bags!
Check it out here

Friday, July 19, 2013

Foodie Friday: Guest Post: Simple Taco Salad

Meredith from ReadySetEat contacted me and asked to guest post this week. After seeing this recipe I agreed to let her take over for Foodie Friday. She knows how I love easy and delicious dinners, and found us a great recipe for this week!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
In many households, salads can get a bad reputation. And when you’re looking at a pile of lettuce with nothing but a few sad vegetables strewn on top, this reputation can certainly be justified! But salads will only be boring, bland or unsatisfying if you use boring, bland or unsatisfying ingredients; if you’re feeling stuck in a salad rut, it might be time to consider kicking your recipes up a notch.
To turn salads from wimpy side dishes into hearty and delicious easy recipes for dinner, make sure you’re adding lots of protein and a wide variety of ingredients! Salad ingredients can go way beyond just chopped veggies—adding seasoned meat, sweet fruit, tangy cheese or crunchy carbs can not only add tons of flavor to your meals but will also bulk them up a bit and make you actually want to eat healthier!
If you have meat-lovers in your household, a spicy taco salad could be the perfect dish to transition family members into salad-eaters. Filled with ground beef, tortilla chips, salsa, beans and cheese, this salad can definitely keep hungry stomachs satisfied but is a lighter option than your typical taco night. It’s essentially just like eating taco filling, only with a healthier lettuce base in place of tortillas.

This easy taco salad recipe is delicious as is, but don’t feel like you need to limit yourself to just the ingredients listed below—add whatever other taco toppings you’d like! A dollop of sour cream would cool it off, or try adding a dash of hot sauce for an extra kick. Olives, sliced green onions, guacamole or sliced avocado would all make tasty toppings, too. And if you’ve only got ground turkey or chicken in the fridge, don’t hesitate to replace the beef—it’ll taste just as yummy!

Simple Taco Salad
Total Time: 20 min
Serves: 4
  • 1 pound ground round beef (85% lean)
  • 1 can beans in chili seasoned sauce
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 can Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, drained, liquid reserved
  • 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1 ½ cups broken tortilla chips
Cook beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 7 minutes or until meat is crumbled and no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Drain. Add chili beans, chili powder and reserved liquid from tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes or until hot; set aside.
Divide lettuce evenly between 4 serving plates. Spoon meat mixture evenly over lettuce and top each salad with cheese, broken chips and drained tomatoes.

Author Bio: This is a guest post by Meredith K. on behalf of ReadySetEat. Browse through more quick, family-friendly dinner ideas at www.readyseteat.com.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

The Man Behind the Blog Part 2

Boys Behind The Blog
1. What celebrity would play you in a movie about your life?Jack Black.

2. What is your dream car?
1969 Fastback Mustang GT 500 - Midnight Blue

3. Do you have any tattoos? What, where, why?
Yes. Right arm, Wolf/Dream catcher, it represents my family. The wolf is a representation of my mom, the eagle feather my dad. The beads off of the feather represent my two brothers and sister. The dream catcher represents "my future" (he got it at 20), wife, kids, family, etc. The moon and the clouds represent my dreams.
(And I can't get the photo straightened, sorry)

4. Boxers or briefs?
Boxer Briefs!

5. List 3 random facts about yourself...
1. I can do the truffle shuffle.
2. I love to run.
3. My favorite food is Cashew Chicken.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Workman Weds: A Cool Pool Party

My nephew is growing up WAY too fast.
On Sunday we celebrated his NINTH birthday. I mean, come on. Nine already?
Here's some photos of the fun!


Daddy and little dude. He's hamming it up as much as a 17 month old does.


Uncle Cory and Daddy playing like boys play!


I love seeing those smiles! Makes me wish I weighed what he did so I could have fun like that!


Happy Birthday, birthday boy! I can't believe you are NINE already! Thanks for having a birthday so we could all celebrate with you!

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Review: Dust Cutter Beverage Co. & Giveaway Winner Announced!


This is not a paid or sponsored post. I am reviewing this product after having tried it at a Miller tailgate party and after trying the product, enjoyed it and wanted to review it. 

Dust Cutter Beverage Co. is based out of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. They are probably the best lemonades I've EVER had, and that's saying something! The flavors I was able to taste test were Lemonade, Iced Tea/ Lemonade (Also known as an Arnold Palmer, but WAY better than the Arizona kind), and Huckleberry Lemonade. 

My favorite was huckleberry, and my favorite part about the lemonade was that it didn't leave my mouth feeling sticky and me feeling thirsty afterwards! I love that I wasn't left with an after-flavor of sticky and gross and that I actually felt hydrated. In it's metal bottle, it stays cold for quite some time too! It's perfect for summer! While I haven't found a store you can pick it up at, you can buy it online

Pick some up, check it out and enjoy it! Then, come back and let me know what you think!
Happy Tuesday!

P.s. our July Sponsor Giveaway winner is... NATALIE H! Check your e-mail girl! We've got some goodies for you!

Monday, July 15, 2013

Mani Monday: Love & Beauty by Forever 21

A few weeks ago I found a Forever 21 gift card tucked into the back of my wallet. Excited, I checked the balance of it to see what goodies I could score, and found that it was fully loaded with the original amount of $10. If you've shopped at Forever 21, you'll know how excited I was, this meant I could actually score a bunch of goodies. These polishes were only a small part of my haul!


I'd never tried any of their polishes out before, but between the price, the gift card, and the color, I had to try them out! I got three total, Hot Pink, Orange and White/Crystal (the names are very creative as you can tell). 


I love that this polish dried quickly. It dried so quickly, in fact that I was able to blog in between coats of polish. It also hasn't chipped during my mommy duties, meaning its durable. The only downfall is that it took a little while to get the polish off, but it wasn't terribly hard.


Do I recommend this polish? Absolutely. Do I love the colors? Um, yeah! And will I be buying more polishes from Forever 21? Of course! 

BTW... I scored all three of these polishes for $0.50 each! Got to love the online clearance section!

Happy Monday!

Friday, July 12, 2013

Dorito Salad Recipe

I literally have no idea where I found this recipe, be it on Pinterest (I can't find it liked or pinned anywhere to link it if so), work friends, or my Oma's cookbooks, but I had this recipe memorized before I even made it. Either it is just that simple, or I am that big of a Dorito Addict.
Due to this recipe, and this recipe, I'm thinking its the latter.


Dorito Taco Salad Recipe:

What You'll Need:
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
Nacho Cheese Doritos
1 head lettuce

Optional (& pictured):
1/2 tomato - diced.
1/4 can black olives
1/4 can corn
1/4 cup shredded cheese


How to do it:

In a skillet brown your ground beef, add taco seasoning to the beef.
While your beef is cooking, wash and tear your lettuce into bite-sized pieces, add to bowl with a few Doritos mixed in. Add veggies as desired, and top with cheese.
Once beef is cooked, top salad with it. Let sit for a few moments to cool and to let the cheese melt. Top with more Doritos.


Mix well and serve! 
Enjoy!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Celebrating the 4th - Workman Style

On the 4th of July we had the most relaxed Independence Day ever: We watched movies with my parents and hung out around the house, had some burgers and just relaxed. As for the Workman 4th, we had ourselves a little adventure!


My in-laws scored tickets to a Bees game for all of us to go! We even scored tickets to the tailgate party before hand, and we had lots of fun! We got a hot dog, free drinks, got to meet the Bees players, and even got a photo with the Bee! Little dude was TERRIFIED of the Bee, so Bubba wanted to have a photo with him.


That being said, we got rained out! It stormed during the tailgate party pretty bad, and they delayed the game for almost two hours! We opted out of not going, and instead headed home to light our own fireworks and enjoy some time as a family. 


So we lit some sparklers (little dude HATED them), and danced around.
And Aunt Carebear figured out that dancing with sparklers, creates COOL photos!


Our boys, the pyros. 


And now the obligatory firework photos.


With my husband practicing safe fireworks in the left corner.


Hope you're having a fantastic week! Happy Wednesday!