Happy Halloween: Coven Review

First, I want to say Happy Halloween from my family! We love Halloween, even though we didn't do all that we wanted to this year, it has still been fun!

Yes, it is sideways, but it is still cute!

On to the book review!
From the time I start realizing that fall is on its way, until it is time to put up the Christmas tree, I crave paranormal everything. I love paranormal/ horror/ witchy TV, movies, blogs, and especially books. There is just something special about curling up in an oversized sweater, thick socks, drinking a nice hot pumpkin spice latte, and reading a good witchy book. Add to that, a view of the chill outside- perfection!

For a few weeks now, the chill has been knocking on our door. I have been enjoying my copy of Coven: The Scrolls of The Four Winds, by Diane Wing.

Synopsis: Centuries have passed since the Coven of the Triad Witches, once charged with protecting the Scrolls of the Four Winds, was betrayed and their memories cast into darkness. They have reincarnated together in many lifetimes, but this time, one of their own intends to wield the power of the Scrolls herself. Sisters in magic with ties more binding than blood, they must face a dangerous journey to rekindle ancient powers and fulfill their true destiny.

This is one of those books that there is something for everyone. Not only is there an amazing story, but there are life lessons taught as the pages turn.

Coven introduces us to friendships that last lifetimes. There are so many elements in this book. There is time travel, treachery, reincarnation, love, sisterhood, friendship, greed, magic, and forgiveness!

Victoria is on a quest for personal power. Because of her tutor, she has alienation herself and has to find her right path. She teaches us many things throughout her journey. She teaches us that friendship can last for eternity, that we can change the negative in life, and that everyone serves a purpose. We may not know everything  but our path will lead us to a better understanding of who we are and what our purpose is.

As with the other books I have read by Diane Wing, this is in my pile of books to read again. I have a feeling that I will get something out of it each time I read it. Diane, thank you for always knowing what my heart and soul need to hear!

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review- all opinions are my own.

The History of the Jack-O-Lantern and Ghost Hunting

As many of you know, I am the Case Manager and Assistant Media Director for Carolina Society for Paranormal Research and Investigation. Helping people who are facing paranormal crisis is something I am very passionate about. When someone is facing the unknown in their home, it can be quite unnerving. Your home should be your sanctuary. Some people are being tormented in their own homes. At Carolina SPRI, we not only investigate homes and provide house blessings, but we are mainly a research team. We want answers, we want to know what is happening. Our team consists of researchers, law enforcement, a demonologist, and others from varying fields. We work together in such a way that meshes believers and skeptics together.

Carolina SPRI began in February of this year (2012) and is already well established. We have big dreams of what the team will become and we are working together to ensure that we get there.

Here are some places you can find out more about our team:

Website

The Paranormal Monitor (Ezine)

Twitter

Facebook

The Paranormal Exchange (Blog)

This month, for the Halloween special, there are some great stories on The Paranormal Monitor. I contributed the History of The Jack-O-Lantern. There are a lot of great stories, so make sure you pop over. While you are there, sign up for the ezine in your email, there will be a new edition out the first of every month.

Geniuses Among Us: Cuppow!

As you guys can tell from my blog design, I LOVE mason jars. I always have and always will. I love that they can be reused for a variety of things. I have recently discovered a product that will take reusing mason jars to the next level!

Cuppow! is now among my favorite products EVER! I never have to buy another travel mug, which makes me oh so happy.  Cuppow retails for $7.99 which is amazing when you happen to have a gorgeous mason or ball jar on hand. You can even do what I did and add a cup wrap to add to the insulating powers of glass. I actually received both sizes of Cuppow! ( The original and wide-mouth variety.) I also had my mother-in-law and mother test out Cuppow, and they loved it just as much as I do. The beauty of it is that the lid is specially designed to fit under the rim of the jar and there is even a slot large enough for a straw to go through without spilling it all over yourself when not using a straw.

Is this not just the coolest product ever?!? I cannot wait to see what they come out with in the future! This project has inspired me to plan a whole series on how amazing mason jars are, with a huge giveaway. Make sure you are following me to get the news on this! I am going to leave you with some Cuppow! Pinspiration!

Source: cuppow.com via Katrina on Pinterest

Source: followgram.me via cuppow on Pinterest

Source: cuppow.tumblr.com via cuppow on Pinterest

Source: via Karin on Pinterest

Source: goodgirlstyle.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: instagram.com via cuppow on Pinterest

Source: instagram.com via cuppow on Pinterest

Source: instagram.com via cuppow on Pinterest

What is your favorite product to make the most use out of your mason jars?

Southern Charm Sunday: Trick Or Treat Etiquette

Every year, on our way to trick or treat, my mom did the same thing. She reminded us of our manners and the dos and don'ts of trick or treating. Now that I am a mom, I want to make sure my own son is taught proper trick or treat etiquette. Good manners make things more fun for everyone. 

Proper Trick-0r-Treat Etiquette

1. Do a costume check. Make sure they are weather appropriate. While you are doing that, do a check for legs and sleeves that are too long and anything that can get snagged.

2. Make sure your child is wearing something light and/ or reflective. Also, carry a flashlight.

3. Before you leave, make sure to remind your children to watch for cars, stay with their supervising adult, and say please and thank you. As parents, we should say thank you as well.

4. Make sure that only children who are of the right age are trick-or-treating. Babies don't get candy and over a certain age, it is time to stop asking for candy. However, if the teen or older kid is chaperoning younger kids, they can receive treats as long as they are dressed up.

5. If you are not participating in the treat giving, remember to turn off your light. If you are the receiver of treats, remember to respect when lights are off. If they are off, the resident is not giving out candy.

6. Do not ask for seconds or if you can trade for something else in the bucket.

7. If you are invited into someone's house, do not go unless you are with an adult you trust.

8. Use the restroom before leaving home, never ask to use someone's restroom.

9. Adults- when trick-or-treating with children, be sure to keep your costume family friendly.

10. Don't walk through yards- that is just plain rude. There are also dangers in lawns that are not well lit.

11. Only knock once.

12. Be courteous of early-to-bedders. If it is after 8pm, make sure to start wrapping up your festivities and keep it somewhat quiet. Also, don't go trick-or-treating before 5pm.

13. If you are trick or treating with a dog, clean up any messes and don't let them get too close to doors or other families.

14. Clean up any mess you make on your trek.

15. Make sure you check all candy before you let your goblins eat it up. If you think it may have been tampered with or it looks iffy, throw it out.

Have fun trick-or-treating and if you mind your manners, others will have fun as well.

90 Day Challenge Update: Day 1 to 4

As you know, I am part of the 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge. It is time for my weekly update.

I finally got the guts up to do a "before" picture. I love having my picture taken, but just not full body. Here I am in all of my chubby (aka fat) glory!

This is me at 210 pounds, with a height of 4'10

I received my HCG drops on Monday, so I began the challenge Tuesday

Here are my stats:

Day 1

Weight: 210

Arms:   14.5

Thighs: 27

Waist:   44

Day 4

Weight: 205

Arms:   14

Thighs: 26 

Waist   41

I'm progressing pretty great, actually. 

I do want to start tracking my other measurements as well, like my bust and waist. I would like to find something to track them with that I can embed on my sidebar or into posts. If you know of anything, I would love to hear about it. 

I am feeling amazing, I have more energy. I also feel more comfortable in my skin. I know that 5 pounds isn't likely to make that much of a difference, but I think it is that I actually have progress and that I am taking steps to a healthier life. 

I will continue to update every Friday for the next 3 months. I will share next week about what I hope to accomplish by doing this. 

Disclaimer: I received the HCG drops in exchange for my participation in the 90 Day weight loss challenge. 

Halloween Learning Activity

As many of you know, we are actively homeschooling the prince, who is 2. He can recognize all of his letters, and most numbers to 10. He is incredibly smart and new opportunities are continuously arising for us in this corner of our lives.  Because of this, I have started a homeschool blog. I will not be posting there as frequently as I do here. The point of Owl Creek Academy is to help other homeschool families with toddlers and to help others get started. We are still at the beginning of our journey, but we are constantly progressing.

Today, at Owl Creek, I am sharing a couple of things:

1. Our top 10 reasons for homeschooling

2. Halloween learning activities. 

What would you like to see on Owl Creek Academy?

Halloween Family Fun

Until my son was born, I didn't realize how scary Halloween can be. I love Halloween, dressing up, scary decorations, and horror movie. It was always just fun for me, so I never thought of a child's perspective.

This is the prince's third Halloween, so I've given Halloween a lot of thought over these years. His first Halloween, he was only a month old, so he slept right through the festivities.

All of these are from Halloween 2010
My little guy's first Halloween

I have been compiling ideas and activities the last couple of years so that we do not run out of Halloween fun for the whole family. Here are some of my ideas.

Boo On Main and other city festivals

Trunk or Treats at churches, community centers, and neighborhoods

Pumpkin Patches

Apple Orchards

Visiting Farms

Boo In The Zoo

Watching Daddy carve pumpkins

Painting pumpkins

Construction paper jack-o-lanterns

Painting ghosts and skeletons on black construction paper

Here is some family Halloween Pinspiration

When you are making plans, consider these things:

1. Who will be attending with you?
2. Time of day
3. Intended audience
4. Time span of event and drive time
5. Costumes accepted (not all events are a free for all)

If you keep these things in mind and relate your own family to them, Halloween should go pretty smoothly. 

Happy Halloween from The Palmetto Queen!

I also want to wish a very happy birthday to the best husband in the world.
Happy Birthday my knight in shining armor!

Get Organized for Halloween

I don't know about you guys, but when Halloween finally gets here, I do the same thing every year. I jump around like a 3 year old that has had espresso and candy! Yep, that's me (I do the same thing we take the tinsel out at Christmas). So, there is no slowing down enough on Halloween day to figure out what we need to do. My solution, I organize myself the week before. This year, I'm doing it today.

Last Halloween

First, I make a list of all the local Halloween activities and sort them by adult vs little ones. The activities that are not for our family, I just mark off the list. Then, I break down the activities into what can be done before Halloween, between Halloween and Thanksgiving, and what is only on Halloween. This allows me to see what else I can squeeze in. Then, I decide what we are doing and put it on our calendar. 

This year, we will be attending a trunk or treat, a city event (possibly), and having a fun Ghost Hunters Halloween Marathon with tons of junk and drinks. We look forward to our marathon every year! 

After activities are decided on, I make a list of what I need to do and purchase. For instance- do I need to pick up costumes or make costumes? This year, I made the prince's costume (its a surprise). We are taking a break from dressing up- we dress up every year. 

We do not give out candy because we live out in the country. We do donate candy to the church to help with the trunk or treat though. 

Next on my list - junk food for the marathon. I decide what we are going to snack on, drinks we are going to mix, and what we are having for dinner. If I don't do this, I will forget to pick it all up. 

Halloween is a favorite in our family, so I stay organized enough for us to enjoy everything, but not so organized that we are on a strict schedule and cannot take a moment to enjoy each other. 

What keeps you organized for Halloween?

Southern Charm Sunday

One of the most important things we can teach our children is etiquette. Near the top of the etiquette list is being a good guest. When we teach our children to be a good guest, it will travel with them throughout their lives. Eventually, these lessons will translate into habits that will benefit their professional lives as well.

The tips for being a guest that I am sharing with you today are lessons that can be implemented by anyone. Just remember, being a great guest is for children, as well as adults.

• Always say thank you
• Remember your manners
• Do not expect to be waited on, although a great hostess will take care of your needs. 
• Do not invite yourself (this is a huge huge no no)
• Enjoy when something is offered, but do not ask for food
• Do not just "pop-in", call ahead of time
• If you are a guest, do not allow yourself to be preoccupied with work, email, phone calls, or other distractions not pertaining to the visit
• If you have children with you, be sure to bring along toys to keep them occupied, and even a snack. 

I have been the victim of horrible guests, and amazing guests. Simple things like those listed above can make a lasting impression on your host. If you remember the golden rule, you will usually be safe!

I remember going to my great-grandparents home and there was always a table full of food. We never asked for any, but never left without eating something. It is not necessary today, but years ago, it was rude if you were offered something and did not take it. Some people would take it as an insult. 

Remember: These are just basic guidelines. There is so much more to being a guest and host. Many things are also ruled by the situation as well. 

Guest Post: Using Technology to Benefit Your Marriage

Kristin Hodnett and I met through a SITS class and were instant blog buddies. Although we have different lives, we have so much in common. It has been a recipe for a great friendship. She writes at KristinHodnett.com about being 30-something and fabulous, about her health struggles, about staying strong, and about her mission to encourage others along her journey. She is inspirational  creative, smart, and I am honored to have her as a friend. 

Isn't she just gorgeous!?!

Last week, I wrote a post about keeping our marriages strong in the face of technology. Kristin, being the girlfriend she is, made me slow down and think about how I was only seeing the negative. Technology can have a positive effect on our marriages as well. So, she is here today to show some creative ways that technology can help our marriages. Thank You Kristin!!! 

Why Technology Can Be Good For Your Relationship

I was stunned when I read Cari’s post on technology and relationships. Who knew the new home wrecker wasn’t the skank at the bar or the flirty co-worker, but Facebook? Oh my gosh!

I love to see the silver lining in everything (or play devil’s advocate, whichever the case may be), and wondered if there were anyways technology could help, rather than hurt, your marriage.

Before I share my ideas on how to use the electronic age to your advantage, I want to make one disclaimer – like just about anything else, a lot of it boils down to the status of your relationship to begin with. If it’s broke, a cell phone ain’t gonna fix it. Alternatively, if it’s good, it won’t break it.

I’m by no means a relationship guru, but my husband and I have been married for almost 5 years and together for 11. We’ve had our share of ups and downs, and I couldn’t be happier with where we are now. And we have some technological advances to thank for that.

Skype and Webcams
Our first holiday as newlyweds, the hubby was sent away to a disaster site at the last minute. I had planned a huge feast to be served on our new china, and was so disappointed that we wouldn’t be spending this milestone together as planned.  While I enjoyed our feast with my BFF and mom and he enjoyed a meal out with his co-workers, being able to connect afterwards and actually see each other over webcam helped make a crappy situation a little better, and we felt like we somewhat got to spend the holiday together.

Face Time

I’m a Mac girl all the way now, and Face Time is another way we love to connect when one of us travels for work.  I’ll admit that holding the iPhone or iPad is not always the most comfortable thing, especially after a few (or several) cocktails with the team, nothing beats the face-to-face good night when you’re doing the long distance thing.

Texting

We’ve all had those days where nothing seems to go your way and you wish you had stayed in bed. Even on a great day, a quick text with a declaration of love from my honey is an instant pick me up. We sometimes forgot to text anything other than a reminder to pick up milk or the kids, but it takes the same amount of time to whisper a virtual sweet nothing via text.

If you’re the adventurous sort (and over 18), there’s nothing wrong with a little sexting J. You can keep it as clean or dirty as you’re comfortable with; tease with words or discreetly share some photos. If you’re sharing photos, leave out your face or any identifiable tattoos. Keep it smart, keep it safe, keep it between you and your partner and make sure you double check the recipient before you hit the send key please!

Video Games

Guys love ‘em, so do some girls. Instead of zoning out and ignoring your partner, find one you can play together. Not only is competition a fun bonding experience that livens up some of our quieter weekends, but with all the new active games you can burn calories while you’re having fun.  They do say that exercise is good for the sex life.

We let our inboxes and ringing phones control our days so much anymore, it’s hard to get away from it. Why not embrace technology and use it to your advantage? Here’s my challenge to you for this week – find one new way to spice up your relationship with your favorite gadget or gizmo. You know it’s glued to you anyways.

Kristin, Thank you for stopping by. I love getting your perspective. I forget sometimes that I use technology in my marriage as well. There is just something about an "I love you" text in the middle of a horrible day! 

90 Day Weight Loss Challenge

For the majority of my life, I have struggled with my weight. I was a chubby kid, chubbier adolescent and overweight teenager. As an adult, I have continued to struggle. I have never been happy with my weight. It is about not only my appearance, but also my health.

I was born with a minor heart condition. Minor in that it does not really affect children, but can cause major problems for adults. There are health problems in my family that I would like to avoid. Many of these can be affected by weight, and include diabetes, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. I have always been in good health, despite my weight- but I feel things changing.

I want to be here to watch my son become an adult and I want to stand beside my husband 60 years from now. These are my motivators. My family comes first, and in putting them first, I have to make my health a priority. I worry about my family’s health, but I tend to leave mine in the back of my mind.

I always start out a weight loss mission motivated and with a great plan. It does not take long for me to have a bad day and give up. It is so frustrating to not feel good and despite denying myself everything, there is still no change on the scale. So, I give up.

Because of this, I have wanted to find something to assist me and give me a good push. This isn’t easy because I can’t take just anything and I can’t swallow pills. Creative Bioscience came to my rescue with the 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

Ideally, I would like to lose 100 pounds, but because this challenge only lasts for 90 days, I am going to amend that goal. I am going to lose 50 pounds in this challenge. I will be posting every Friday about this journey.

I have decided to go with the HCG 1234 drops. I believe this is the best choice for my situation and will give me the best results. I am extremely excited to have been given this opportunity. HCG 1234 Drops are made of hormones, not chemicals that make some diet drugs dangerous for me. It also does not require rigorous exercise. I have a hard time finding the time for a lot of exercise  Thank you Creative Bioscience.

Now that I have found something to help me along and I have you guys for an amazing support system, I have faith that I will be successful.

Note: If you are a blogger who would like to participate in this challenge, they are accepting applications.

Disclosure: I will be receiving product as a participant in the 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge. All opinions are my own. 

10 Fun Facts About South Carolina

I have been posting a lot lately, mostly about some serious topics. I also have some more serious posts coming up. Because of this, I wanted to just share some fun facts about South Carolina.

Here Goes:

1. Campbell's Covered Bridge built in 1909, is the only remaining covered bridge in South Carolina.

2. South Carolina grows more peaches than any other state except California.

3. The oldest formal gardens in the U.S., Middleton Place, was founded in 1740 and took 100 people more than 10 years to complete.

4. The walls of the American fort on Sullivan Island, in Charleston Harbor, were made of spongy Palmetto logs. This was helpful in protecting the fort because the British cannonballs bounced off the logs.

5. The state dance of South Carolina is the Shag!

6. Sumter has the largest Gingko farm in the world.

7. The state beverage is milk. The state hospitality beverage is tea.

8. The Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel was started in 1856 by a railroad company and is bored for more than a mile into the granite heart of fabled Stumphouse Mountain. The coming of the Civil War in 1859 ended the work on the project. Some years ago, Clemson University made Blue Mold Cheese in the tunnel successfully for the first time in the South.

9. Duncan Park Baseball Stadium in Spartanburg is the oldest minor league stadium in the nation.

10. Every few years, Irmo has a sighting of some kind of water monster that inhabits Lake Murray. The monster first 'surfaced' in 1973 when residents of Irmo and Ballentine saw a cousin of the Loch Ness Monster. It was described in The Independent News in 1980 as "a cross between a snake and something prehistoric."

These are just 10 of the many reasons I love South Carolina. I hope you begin to love it as much as I do.

Organizing Your Address Book

This is the time of the year that I spend organizing my address book. Why? Well, there are several reasons.

1. I am strange like that
2. It helps me make sure I cover everyone in the Christmas cards.
3. It helps me prepare for organizing birthday cards for the next year.
4. It gives me a chance to do inventory on everyone's contact information.

This year, I actually need to buy a new address book, so I will not be sharing pictures of my own. My addresses are scattered in the back of my planner, on scrap papers, and jotted in journals. My old one was just too worn out and I never got around to buying a new one.

I like to get my hands on a simple wall calendar with pockets the same time that I decide it is time to organize my address book. I transfer birthdays and make sure that I have their addresses while I organize. It makes getting my birthday cards for the year simpler.

While organizing, be sure to have your list for Christmas cards ready. This will help you make sure you have everyone's addresses as well as make sure you didn't forget to include anyone.

I insist on having an address book that I can add to. This is for a couple of reasons. I don't want to have to buy a new address book when one fills up. I also like to insert business card sleeves for businesses. This helps me keep personal/ business/ organization contacts separate, yet still together.

I hang on to envelopes from cards and such to update my address book with. I keep a file folder at the front of my file box for this purpose. Then, when it is time to update, I pull those out and get to work.

Include birthdays/ anniversaries in your address book. This disposes of the need for a separate birthday book.

Make sure which system you use works. There is no point in doing this if you aren't going to stick with it.

Southern Charm Sunday: Every Day Table Setting

I have written so many times about what it was like growing up in my Mother's house. It was like a charm school (unless I was in trouble, then it was like boot camp). I love looking back on the memories with her and the things I was taught and experienced. Not many people my age have the experiences I have had. Some of my favorite memories involve setting the table. 

In my Mother's house, the table was set every night before dinner. We used cloth napkins (unless it was pizza or barbecue night) every night. We had different ways to set the table depending on the day. There was a different way for week nights, Sunday dinner, and when we had company. Today, I will give you some tips on setting the table for every day use, like we did every night of the week. 

1. Think about what you are serving and choose utensils and dinnerware accordingly. 

2. Decide if you want the plates at the seats or elsewhere before dinner is served. If you want them elsewhere (for fixing kid's plates) place the napkin in the center where the plate would go. 

3. If the plates are at the seat, the napkin goes on the left side. 

4. I have the spoon and fork backwards in this picture. I guess I'm more like Emily Post than I thought (she always was confused by the placement of the bread plate). You can use the work FORKS to help you remember the placement. Fork - Plate (O- circle) - forget about the r - Knife -  Spoon. 

5. The knife blade always faces the plate.  

6. Though for every day use, it is not a big deal, each person should have their own butter/ bread knife. This would lay across the bread plate (upper left hand). 

6. Because this is not a formal setting, all of this is not necessarily. However, it does help teach about etiquette. 

These were just some simple tips to get you started. Next week, I will share "Sunday Dinner" place settings. 

News: I am going to start answering etiquette questions on my YouTube channel. If you have a question, you can comment here, on twitter @nighlon, or even on my Facebook page (http://facebook.com/thepalmettoqueen). 

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Easy Pumpkin Muffins

Growing up, my mom always made THE BEST pumpkin drop cookies. They are my all time favorite cookies, and I love cookies. I love them even more than peanut butter cookies. Anyone that knows me knows how big of a deal that is. The really sad part is that she can no longer find her recipe- this makes me soooo sad! I have been on a mission to make my mom's pumpkin drop cookies. I haven't figured the cookies out yet, but I did come up with an amazing muffin recipe. This recipe will work for cookies if you like cakey cookies, but I don't. (Unless they are whoopie pies!)

I tried the first pan as cookies, then realized they would be better as muffins

Cari's Easy Pumpkin Muffins

2 1/2 cups self rising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup pure canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease muffin pan (or insert liners).

COMBINE flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Fill muffin wells half way.

BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes or until top is firm. Cool in pan for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle Glaze over cookies.

FOR GLAZE:
COMBINE 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.

Enjoy and let me know how you like them!!!

Love Is Louder and Bullying Prevention Month

I'm sure you guys have seen images similar to this floating around the social media world. I don't generally do things like this, with the exception of planking. Most of the time I just laugh or roll my eyes (yes mom, I know that is bad etiquette). Even though I do not usually jump on campaigns like this, I had to with this one. Bullying is a very serious issue that just seems to get worse as our tech world progresses. No one is immune to bullying, so we must all do our part. 

The Jed Foundation, MTV, and Brittany Snow launched the Love Is Louder campaign to us to take action to help prevent bullying and to support those feeling mistreated, useless, or hopeless.

I am not here to state statistics, get you to sign a petition, or donate money. All I want to do is ask you to not bully and to reach out and help someone that is being bullied. I'm not even asking you to stand up to the bully, a smile can do wonders. 

Many people don't realize how common bullying is. It happens in families, schools, churches, non-profit organizations, workplaces, and even in government organizations. It is all around us. I'm sure each of us has been the victim of bullying at some point. Bullying can happen in the competitions of who will throw the best birthday party or who will by the biggest gift. It really is all around us and takes many different forms. 

I have been a victim. I have been lucky enough to have written those people out of my life (for the most part) but not everyone can or will do that. I also hope with every ounce of my being that I have not been the source of these things. 

I ask of you these things

1. If you are bullying or judging, please stop

2. If you are a victim, find help

3. Smile at someone, you never know what a difference that will make.

4. Do something to stand up against bullying. 

Vlog News and Servin Surprises Kitchen Review

I am in the process of giving my YouTube channel a total revamp! Exciting! It will have all new features like personal branding tips, your etiquette questions answered, reviews, and even some #vlogmom moments. I'm sure I'll even be featuring some home school tips and tricks. This will all be rolling out soon, so be sure to subscribe to my channel.

I will be doing a vlog every week as part of the promise I made to myself after reading Sparkle. So, if you have any requests, questions, or suggestions, you can email me at thepalmettoqueen(at)gmail(dot)com or leave me a comment. In the mean time, I will be setting up an easier way for questions and requests.

In the mean time, here is my review of the Fisher Price Servin Surprises Kitchen that was featured in the HouseParty Joy of Learning Play Date!

Happy Life List: 10 Things That Make Me Smile

I have seen a lot of sad stories in the news and on Facebook today. I just wanted to share some happy things with you, so here is a list of 10 things that always make me smile.

1. The way my prince says these words: Shoes, Please, Onyx, Go, Amen

2. The way my husband winks at me

3. That my mom thinks I am amazing

The dedication in my mom's book

4. The way my husband's family acts like I've always been part of the family

5. The way my daddy still calls me his little girl

6. That my little boy says mama in the sweetest voice ever!

7. My husband's hugs

8. My pups

9. My little prince saying his alphabet

10. The sense of accomplishment, whether big or small

So, that's my happy life list- what is on yours?

15 Quick and Easy Toddler Lunches Plus Make Lunch Fun

The little prince fights through lunch time and when he does sit still and eat lunch it ends up being either a cheese sandwich or a peanut butter sandwich. I have had luck with left over dinner, but that is not always feasible. I have been on a hunt for things he will eat, that are easy and healthy. Peanut butter or cheese sandwiches are always the go to on rough days, but here are my ideas. These ideas are to be paired with fruit or veggies as well. I hope these work for you, I am introducing these lunches gradually.

1. Egg Salad. He doesn't eat it on bread, so I give him crackers to go with it. 
2. Tuna Salad with crackers or veggie chips
3. Turkey slices, cheese, tomato (cubed with FunBites)
4. Hummus and crackers 
5. Waffles or French toast and a banana
6. Pasta and Tomato Sauce (I cook the pasta ahead of time and then heat it with tomato sauce)
7. Make small pizzas out of bread, a pita, or bagel. To do this, just spread some tomato sauce, cheese, and anything else your child likes on the bread, pita, or bagel. Then, Just pop it in the oven to toast it and melt the cheese. My mom used to do this for me as an after school snack.
8. Deli Meat and Cheese wraps cut to resemble sushi. Healthy spreads like hummus can even be used in these. 
9. Peanut butter and jelly pancakes (with leftover pancakes from breakfast)
10. Using the pasta made ahead of time, make a cold pasta salad. Just add whatever you have on hand, a little lemon juice, and mix together. 
11. Make a "homemade" Lunchable. Use a divided plate (they make everything more fun) and gather things similar to your little one's favorite Lunchable. 
12. Grilled cheese baked instead of fried.
13. English muffin toasted with peanut butter, hummus, or cream cheese. You could even toast it with cheese or make a regular sandwich out of it. 
14. Fresh Veggies cubed mixed with cubed cheese and throw in some beans. 
15. Leftovers are always easy and usually healthier than a sandwich.

It also helps to make things cute with food coloring, cookie cutters, or this amazing product:

FunBites may be one of the most genius child food preparation products I have ever used! 

FunBites comes in two designs and makes getting kids excited about eating easier. What do kids love more than food their size? 

When I first used this on the prince's lunch, he actually sat and ate his entire lunch without fussing or trying to get up and play. He kept picking up the little cubes, looking at me with a sweet smile on his face and saying "baby." His lunch now usually consists of something cut into cubes. 

I have been wanting to try out kabobs since the prince loves his grill toy, but I honestly didn't want to cut all those things by hand, but now I can! I am going to explore toddler kabobs, I just have to figure out what to put them on. 

I think this is a genius product and is much easier than cutting it into cubes ourselves. 

The only thing about the product is that because it is all plastic, cutting takes a little patience, but I'm okay with that. Because it is all plastic, when the little guy gets older, I can let him do it himself. I love things that can little by little teach him to be independent. 

FunBites.com has a gallery of lunch ideas- I love getting inspiration. 

I love that I can now turn his lunch into artwork, and cannot wait to see what else FunBites come up with as amazing shapes. 

They retail for $12.99 on Funbites.com and there is even a special. If you buy both, they are $22.00 for the set.

My verdict: Definitely worth it and adds a huge fun factor to lunch!

Disclaimer: I received the product in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own. 

Influenster: Naturals VoxBox 2012

As part of the Influenster Network, I get an occasional box of goodies to try out. I never know what I'm getting ahead of time- I just know the theme. I tried out the Mom VoxBox this summer. I recently received the Naturals VoxBox. (Note: not all products are organic.) I love this program because I find products that I wouldn't usually try. I have found at least 2 products that I am in love with out of each box. That is pretty good odds.

I just love opening it up to find all the goodies.

Before I get into my opinions of the products, I want to thank Influenster for having this program. I really enjoy being a part of it!

My take on these amazing products. (Be ware: I pretty much loved them all.)

Dish Drying Mat is really amazing. It allows for more room to dry when you have more dishes than normal or if you have something large to dry. Also, the mat itself dries quickly. I love that it is super cushy so that delicate dinnerware will not clang and bang around. You don't have to hang around all day waiting for it to dry so that you can store it. I love this mat and I see a larger one in my future for specialty pots, pans, and platters. ($4.99 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond)

Lypsyl is an absolutely amazing lip balm. I always have a stick of some in my pocket. Before I got this, it was always Burts Bees or Naked Bee. Lypsyl has replaced them both. It is really moisturizing, smells great, lasts for hours, and has a cute little bee to adjust the stick with. ($2.99 at drugstore.com)

nectresse is a natural alternative to Splenda (that is actually made by Splenda). It is make with Monk Fruit. I don't know much about this fruit, but I'm sure it is healthier than Splenda. I will admit that I am a Splenda girl (when I pay attention to how much sugar I eat) because it is much better than Equal or Sweet-n-low, but still not all that healthy. Its even tastes great! There are several diabetics in mine and my husband's families, so I would love to know if this bakes well or not. ($3.99 for 40 servings)

Shea Moisture Baby This products is designed for babies and to help with Eczema  I don't have eczema  but I do have a toddler. It smells great, lathers up, and is very moisturizing! Most bar soaps dry out my skin, but this doesn't. I am so excited to try it this winter- my skin is always so dry in the winter. I definitely want to try their lotion as well. ($4.99)

EBoost is to boost immunity and energy. I have to say that I'm not a good judge on if it boosts immunity, I just very rarely get sick. I am however in love with anything that gives me more energy. Being a super busy mom of a 2 year old, I can take all the energy I can get. It doesn't work as well as a latte with 4 shots of espresso, but I try my best to stay away from those these days. I am not a fan of orange flavored things (CANNOT stand tang!) I would love to try it in a different flavor. If I find a flavor I like, I will definitely buy this. It travels better than the other energy boosters I use. ($28.00 for 20 servings)

Clean Well I am absolutely obsess with hand sanitizers. I have 2 in my purse, a bag of wipes in my purse, and them sitting all over then house. I can't always wash my hands, so this saves my sanity and my health. I love wipes because they are easier to wipe handles and toddlers hands. I love that this product is alcohol free. I will definitely be buying this product if I find coupons because flu season is on the way and I don't take chances. My little man has only been sick once and I plan on keeping it that way. ($23.99 for 80 packs at drugstore.com)

GeoDeo I love how light and fresh this deodorant is. It goes on clear and is not cakey, like some. Yet, it is still a stick so there's no gel goo- which I just don't like. The smell was spectacular. I received the island scent. Like I said, I love this product, but I am not sure it will do the job in our super hot humid South Carolina summers- I will find out though. ($5.99)

My overall opinion of the box is that the products were great for the most part. There's always bound to be something we just aren't that happy with. Some of the products I wish I had received more of to get a true opinion of the product (like the Boost and Nectresse)

Disclaimer: I received the Voxbox as part of the Influenster program. All opinions are my own.

Managing My Medusa Hair

This photo was taken about 6 years ago and
my hair is  even curlier and crazier now!

I have very thick, dry, coarse, and curly hair. I have struggled for years to find what works. I have made improvements over the years, but all in all, my poor hair still needs help. Here is my routine (until a couple weeks ago)

Wash hair with shampoo/ conditioner 2-in-1

Condition with super moisturizing conditioner

Comb hair with conditioner in and rinse

Spray leave in conditioner

Blow dry/ flat iron or use curl product

Finish with oil

This is a really annoying and long process, especially since even after all of that, my hair was still in a mess (and not even a hot mess).

I am constantly complaining to anyone who will listen about my hair. Lucky for me, Cleopatra's Choice came to my rescue.

About Cleopatra's 

(from their website)

At Cleopatra's Choice our mission is to scour the planet to find the most rare and unique, highest quality and most effective skin care and beauty products and deliver them quickly to your door. We have been in business since 2005 and have had thousands of satisfied customers since then. Because we pride ourselves in highly effective products and personal customer service most of our customers still come back and order from us again and again. Click here to read what some our past clients have emailed us about our products.

I was asked to select a product from their website to test. Since my hair is my problem area, I looked at their hair care. I discovered Hairganic Hair Serum with Argon Oil.

Argan Oil comes from the seeds of Argan trees, which can only be found in southwestern Morocco. The Argan tree was referred to as the tree of life, probably because it produces this superfood for the body and hair. Otherwise known as liquid gold, this oil is completely natural and lightweight. This hair serum reduces frizz and improves the appearance and health of your hair. 

I will admit that I didn't get my hopes up because I don't find products very often that actually make a difference. 

When my package arrived, I decided to give it a real test. That evening, I washed my hair with out conditioning. The next morning, I washed my hair with the 2-in-one shampoo/ conditioner and very carefully detangled. I then rubbed in the Hairganic Hair Serum. I didn't add any other products. 

My first impression was that it is thick and not as "oily" as I had expected. As my hair dried, I could really tell the difference. My hair was not dried out. 

Because I can't wash my curly hair every day, I had to wait a couple days to do it again. This time, I wished and conditioned before applying the serum. Perfection! I am in love with this product. I no longer need to use leave in conditioner and the other oil on it every day. 

Notes:

• The package says to use a dime-size amount. I used a little more than a quarter-size drop. That's okay because my hair is really thick and pretty long. 
• This product does not replace my curl serum or activator, but can be used with it. I just wanted to test it with out my other products. After using it several times, I have discovered that it makes my curl product work better. 

I will continue to use this product. It may just help me keep my sanity and not chop it all off. (Yes, it is that serious of an issue) 

I should also add that my hair is really damaged. Just this summer I went from black to blonde which consisted of 3 bleachings, 2 peroxides, and 2 platinum blonde dye jobs - that is a lot of chemicals. 

Thank you Cleopatra's Choice for saving my sanity and my hair!

Disclaimer: I received the product in exchange for testing it. All opinions are my own.