'Sunny Summer Memories' #Giveaway Featuring Del Sol

Fall has long been underway and there is even snow in the forecast in some states! But just because we're entering the winter months doesn't mean we can't still appreciate the memories of summer and even keep them alive! There are a few ways to do that! 
1) You can actually go somewhere tropical and sunny! Think Balize, Jamaica, St. Thomas!
2) You can buy a sun lamp and bask under the glow!
3) You can wear Del Sol color changing clothing and realize that the sun is still up there somewhere, and its rays are making your clothing burst with color!

Welcome To The 'Sunny Summer Memories' Giveaway, where one person will receive $100 to Del Sol, home of color-changing clothing and accessories!

Del Sol uses dye with Spectrachrome Crystals, which when put onto fabrics, plastics or even in liquids like nail lacquer, and in turn exposed to sunlight, become visible to the human eye! Del Sol Apparel and Accessories turn brighter and more colorful when you go outside! Summer memories are really only a step away! 

Del Sol also has a full line of Disney apparel, a Marvel Comic line with Thor, Spider Man, Captain America and more, nail polish that is non-toxic and cruelty free and their Solize line of polarized,100% UVA and UVB protected sunglasses! Look for daily deals and giveaways on their website and social media sites as well!
No, summer definitely doesn't have to be "out-of-sight, out-of-mind". If you want the sun to make itself known, wear Del Sol apparel and accessories. Even on a cloudy day, the colors will burst out in all their glory! Read more about Del Sol in this review by A GAL NEEDS...
  
Discount Code: Take 20% off all purchases (including sale items) when you enter AGalNeedsSun at checkout! Free shipping on all orders $35 and over!

Giveaway: One winner will receive a $100 eGift Code to Del Sol! Open to U.S. only, age 21+, and one entrant per household. All entries are optional! Remember the more entries you complete, the better your chances are for winning! This is a Rafflecopter Giveaway. Winner will be selected through random draw! Also, many thanks to the great bloggers who are participating in this giveaway! Please consider liking all participating bloggers on Facebook. They worked hard to bring you this giveaway and others like it! Don't miss out on any future events! Sponsor is responsible for delivery of prizes, not participating bloggers. This blog received no compensation for the facilitation of this giveaway. Enter the giveawy in the Rafflecopter below! Giveaway runs from 11/2/15 - 11/18/15. Good luck! 

Facts About Diabetes And A Free Wristband! November Is #DiabetesAwarenessMonth

Diabetes or Prediabetic Syndrome is an alarming and growing epidemic that needs to be addressed and then eradicated. It is expensive for tax-payers and very devastating to those who have the disease. I am personally concerned about this disease because when my father passes away, it will probably be due to complications of  his adult-onset Type II Diabetes. He has worked hard all of his life, very hard! In the past, whenever there was a donut, a good cut of meat, pizza, or ice cream, he went for it! He looked at eating as a reward for being such a hard worker, and I totally concur. He deserved to have some kind of reward, for all of his hard work. Except that the reward he chose was bad for his health. Now he has to take his blood sugar every morning and night to make sure his sugar limits are within acceptable levels. Finally the message has gotten through to him that you are what you eat! He eats a huge salad every day filled with good veggies and fruits. But it will never cure him of diabetes. All he can do now is manage it. I don't ever want to live like that (I hate needles, for one thing), so I try to avoid foods that I know are bad for me, sometimes not very successfully. Because once you have it, that's it!

Here are some facts about diabetes you should know:

Disturbing New Trend. There is an emerging global epidemic of diabetes that can be traced back to rapid increases in overweight, obesity and lack of physical activity.

Death Toll Rising. Total deaths in diabetes are projected to rise by more than 50% in the next 10 years. Most interesting is that they are projected to increase by 80% in upper-middle income countries, like the U.S.

Types I And II. Type I Diabetes is characterized by a lack of the body's ability to produce insulin, which is apparent in early childhood. Type 2 diabetes is flagged because of the body's ineffective use of insulin. This can be adult onset and triggered because of a number of factors. Type 2 Diabetes is much more common than Type 1 and accounts for 90% of all the world cases of Diabetes.

Younger And Younger. Reports of Type 2 Diabetes in children, previously rare, have increased worldwide. In some countries it accounts for almost half of newly diagnosed cases in children and adolescents.

Another Type. A third type of diabetes is gestational diabetes, which is characterized by hyperglycaemia, or elevated  blood sugar.

Complications. Lack of awareness or the unavailability of healthcare services can lead to more severe diabetic complications such as blindness, amputation, and kidney failure. 

Widespread Implications. People with diabetes can live with the condition for years and the implications are widespread, the complications many. Often times, upon death, many reports indicate that the primary cause of death is heart disease or kidney failure when, in fact, those conditions are symptoms and complications of diabetes!

Prevention. With these facts in mind, we can see that this is an epidemic which is spreading too fast and much too easily. There are some basic things we can all do to make sure we don't get this "disease of the armchair and donuts". Basically, make sure you are getting at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise on most days and that your diet is healthy, with a minimum of junk food. Know your family history. Do other members of your family have diabetes? If so, you may have a higher risk of getting diabetes yourself! Make sure you are getting plenty of fiber because fiber flushes out toxins and extra sugars that might contribute to diabetes. Avoid white flour and go for the whole grains! Whole grains help to stabilize blood sugar levels. If you are overweight, lose some of the extra weight. Studies show that if you lose even 7 percent of your initial weight, the chance for getting diabetes is reduced by at least 60 percent. So even losing some of the weight will help immensely!

November is Diabetes Awareness Month! Show your support to get rid of this disease by sharing what you know, doing what you can, and wearing the wristband!


Sources: Mayo Clinic, World Health Organization

Faith Instead Of Doubt + #MotivatingMonday Link-Up

Halloween is this next Saturday! I can't believe how quickly it came! And I didn't do half of all the wonderful crafts I came across on various blogs, as I sifted among some most appealing posts in order to feature them on Motivating Monday! I really meant to, but I think it's just meant to be that if we make 50% of our goals in any given week, we are doing really well! But darn it, I WILL make that wreath for my front porch this week!

This past week I focused on our yearly Children's Program at church. I am the song leader, responsible for teaching the kids approximately 8 songs to sing by memory for parents, friends, and lay members. It is one of the most well-attended events of the year and it was so cute to see a family with 3 little boys get out of their minivan. The boys, all decked out in white shirts and bow ties, paused to take a family photo and I thought, "this one is a keeper and will be for the scrapebooks and memories."

It had been a struggle trying to learn the songs, since I had only been in this position for about 2 and a half months and the process usually takes at least 8 months, learning one song per month. Before that, they had been without a songleader for a very long time. I ran into people telling me "this isn't how you're supposed to do it", or "that's wrong", or "they don't know that".  It's as if they still clung to the cute and very vivacious young mom, with the gorgeous singing voice, and visual aids that were works of art, who had previously been leading them. But she moved. They didn't want to let her go, and I certainly don't blame them. She is the standard for song leaders. But unless we had a holodek and could beam her back, she wasn't coming back. Am I her? No. But I had to remember that I have my own strengths, talents, and sense of what needs to happen in order to facilitate and bring out the best in these budding young choir members. I could either have faith in my own strengths or doubt myself. Either one of those attitudes would pay out dividends. I chose to have faith in myself. 

Photo by Terry Baker

To find out the rest of the story, you can visit here!
Today is Motivating Monday!  We all need a little motivation!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for motivating, non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos! Sponsored posts are great and I appreciate the information from well-written and authentic sponsored posts, but I also love non-sponsored posts because they are all about the person and less about a specific brand! If I happen to find a great non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MotivatingMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase! (Affiliate links OK)

 

Del Sol Color Changing Apparel + 20% #CouponCode

Remember the mood rings of the '70's? The rings changed colors based on the temperature of your body. I've always thought it would be great to have clothing that did the same thing. One could gauge all kinds of things with that kind of technology--Identify a fever, or chills, for instance!
We're actually closer than ever to that sort of thing! Now, there is clothing that changes colors with the rays of the sun! So many possibilities, and what a fashion statement! The colors appear more muted when inside, but step outside and the brilliant array of colors burst forth within seconds!

It's a real bang for the buck with Del Sol's color changing apparel and accessories--2 looks for the price of 1! When Indoors, it is definitely a more muted version of the exposed-to-the-elements look. Additionally, what a treat to have your clothing unlock the sun's powerful potential. The technology uses Spectrachrome Crystals in the dye, which when put onto fabrics, plastics or even in liquids like nail laquer, then exposed to sunlight, becomes visible to the human eye. NASA explored it for the space program, Del Sol engineered it, and enhanced it for everyone under the sun! I think you could definitely call it rocket science!

 What if it's overcast? Not to worry, as we've all been made aware that the sun's rays get through those dark and stormy clouds, the clothing picks up color every bit as well. It also serves as a reminder to put on your sunscreen! Even on cloudy days, up to 80 percent of the sun's ultraviolet rays can pass through the clouds. This shirt and sunglasses went outside on an overcast day at around 3 pm. You can definitely see the color changes!

 

Del Sol products make great gifts! My sister-in-law, Alicia, had a  birthday last week and I gave her the long-sleeve 'Tales Of The Sea' tee from Del Sol. She loved it and even modeled it for me! She is a trooper right now, going through a round of chemotherapy to get rid of her Stage 1 breast cancer. We're so glad that she caught it early! The cute little one is her granddaughter!

Del Sol has some great incentives for their customers!

• Shops in 41 U.S. States, including Alaska and Hawaii
• Free Shipping on all orders over $35
• Sol Style nail laquer subscription box with up to 3 color changing polishes and 40% off regular pricing!
• Monthly steals and deals on their website and social media pages
• A fully stocked Disney apparel line
• A fully stocked Marvel apparel line
• Eyewear that is 100% UVA/UVB and polarized!
• And much more!

 Right now their flip flops are on sale for just $15.00! They are so cute! And if you use this coupon code, AGalNeedsSun you can get another 20% off the purchase price of anything on the site! Expires 11/25/15.
 

NASA explored it for their space program, and Del Sol engineered and enhanced it for everyone under the sun! It’s not rocket science but, then again, maybe it is. - See more at: http://www.delsol.com/blog/2015/how-does-del-sol-color-change-work/#sthash.h6D69R1N.dpuf

NASA explored it for their space program, and Del Sol engineered and enhanced it for everyone under the sun! It’s not rocket science but, then again, maybe it is. - See more at: http://www.delsol.com/blog/2015/how-does-del-sol-color-change-work/#sthash.h6D69R1N.dpuf

NASA explored it for their space program, and Del Sol engineered and enhanced it for everyone under the sun! It’s not rocket science but, then again, maybe it is. - See more at: http://www.delsol.com/blog/2015/how-does-del-sol-color-change-work/#sthash.h6D69R1N.dpuf

NASA explored it for their space program, and Del Sol engineered and enhanced it for everyone under the sun! It’s not rocket science but, then again, maybe it is. - See more at: http://www.delsol.com/blog/2015/how-does-del-sol-color-change-work/#sthash.h6D69R1N.dpuf

A Good Scare At The Haunted Village #BeUtahful

It was a dark and stormy night.... The Quaker girl in the long black dress and bonnet was silently standing at the side of the house. Just standing there, no expression on her deathly pale face. When we passed, she followed. It was almost as if she were an apparition. That's when the monkey's started scampering around us, shrieking and jumping over the stair bannister, terrifying me, but mostly Hannah! She screamed and grabbed her boyfriend's hand even tighter!  As we left that house to move on to the next house in the village, I looked back, only to see the Quaker girl, watching us leave. 

Hannah, Gaven, and Edison

And that's how it went the whole way, from house to historical house. You never knew when something might jump out, where something would just amaze you with its creepiness. But it was so much fun! 
I definitely got my Halloween on last weekend in the 'Haunted Village' at 'This Is The Place Memorial Park'. By day it is the home of 'Little Haunts,' where the children run, play, ride ponies, pan for gold, and have a costume parade, where the candy canon shoots out loads of taffy! In addition, the local villagers throw out even more candy, so everyone has plenty! Little Haunts is open for two more days, the 24th and 31st, 10 am - 5 pm, both days are Saturdays.
If you mention A GAL NEEDS...when purchasing admission tickets to Little Haunts, you'll receive $2.00 off each ticket!

But come nighttime, the park belongs to the ghouls and things that go bump (literally) in the night. It's such a contrast!
The Haunted Village is open Wednesday - Saturday, through Halloween, with tickets going on sale at 6:30 pm. Gates open for the fun at 7:30 pm. There is a guide to welcome you and show you to your first house in the village. You walk from there through the rest of the town in about 90 minutes. The train is waiting at the last house to take you back. So much fun! Admission is $20 per person (so worth it) and make sure to print off your $5.00 coupon at their website!

Don't live in Utah? I found a great list of Fall Festivals that are from 25 other states! You should check it out, just in case!

Water and Lamps + #MotivatingMonday Link-Up

Have you ever had one of those sledgehammer types of weeks? Where toxicity in all of its rusty shades tries to erode its ugly way into your heart, brain, and soul? Do you know how hard it is to get up after toxic people get to you? It could even be yourself--negative self-talk, learned after a lifetime of someone else talking negatively to you. The best advice I have is to get away from it as fast as possible!
It's so important to surround yourself with family and friends who are positive, encouraging, and non-judgmental. Thankfully, I have quite a few friends and family members who are like that. I just need to block out the negative forces and influences that try to get into my life. Sometimes it's hard, though. When you have a toxic work environment, a toxic family member or relative, or have been subjected to undeserved toxicity as a child. 
WATER
In 'The Hidden Messages Of Water', by Masaru Emoto, droplets of water are transformed into molecular snowflake patterns by simple one-word introductions, either by voice or print. It is amazing to see how the influence of positive words, music, or ideas will help the water droplets form beautiful and amazing crystals. Just the opposite effect happens, however, when negative words, ideas, or music are placed in the droplet's path--ugly, misshapen, ill-formed crystals are formed.

Image by Leanne Kartchner

Of course we are way more complex than a drop of water, but we are influenced just the way water is. It is just so interesting to see how these influences change a living organism at such a fundamental level. 
LAMPS
If you have been subjected to toxicity, whether in words, music, pictures, or any other kind of negativity, even your own self-talk, I believe you can become healed. It's a personal journey, but I know it's possible! I'm so grateful to friends and family around me who exude goodness and give me courage until I can again walk on my own!
LAMPS
"I met a stranger in the night

Whose lamp had ceased to shine.

I paused and let him light

His lamp from mine.

A tempest sprang up later on

And shook the world about.

And when the wind was gone

My lamp was out!

But back to me the stranger came—

His lamp was glowing fine!

He held the precious flame

And lighted mine!"  --Lon Woodrun, 1940
Today is Motivating Monday!  We all need a little motivation!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for motivating, non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos! Sponsored posts are great and I appreciate the information from well-written and authentic sponsored posts, but I also love non-sponsored posts because they are all about the person and less about a specific brand! If I happen to find a great non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MotivatingMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase! (Affiliate links OK)

Little Haunts At 'This Is The Place Heritage Park' + Discount Code!

The Halloween Season has started at Utah's 'This Is The Place Heritage Park' and they do Halloween up right!

Every year there are fun festivities at the park, starting with The Witches Ball! This is a grown-up event that is loved by Halloween connoisseurs everywhere!  This event has already passed, but make plans for next year!

 Next, the Haunted Village is a whole evening of fun, fantastical and spooky experiences! Recommended for ages 12 and up, the headless horseman rides again! This year's theme is 'Haunted Ever After!' Come if you dare! Open evenings starting October 14th!

Finally, for the little ones it's 'Little Haunts'! Opening today, October 15th, this is a Halloween spectacular that little ones will love! If you mention A GAL NEEDS...when purchasing admission tickets to Little Haunts, you'll receive $2.00 off each ticket!

My nephews and their cute cousin getting into the Halloween Spirit!

What Is Essential In Life + #MotivatingMonday Link-Up

 There are so many things we can focus on these days. It's so great! Any hobby you want to take up, every cause you want to champion, every book you want to find, every question you have, you can easily find out on the internet. It cuts down the long process of research and planning one had to do before the mid-1990s. With that ease of discovery, comes the thirst for more knowledge and interest in more topics. Yet our time stays the same--24 hours in a day!

It's not a secret--children don't raise themselves, dishes don't do themselves, housework doesn't get done on its own and neither do relationships flourish with an occasional text or Facebook post. They all take time, but priorities must be made! No one can decide for someone else what those are.

Some of my favorite memories with my mom are when she would read to me and my sister, one on either side of her, before bedtime. I would blissfully lean my head on her shoulder and everything seemed right with the world. Not that things were perfect in our lives or childhood, but those times were so reassuring to me. It was something she stopped everything to do for us and there was no agenda other than to spend time with us. It made me feel loved and cherished as a child. I recently saw a meme that said, "No App is a substitute for your lap! Read to your child!" How true! I'm glad that I took time to read with my own son and play with him and do all of those things that children love. The time went by all too quickly. 

And there are other things that are so important. It may be a good exercise to list everything that you feel is important to you in your life. When everything is listed, estimate the amount of time that you currently spend on each item. You might be surprised at what things you are devoting more of your time to. I know I cringe when I think about some of the things I spend inordinate amounts of time on, things that are actually lower on my priority list!

Here's to another week, with more time spent on the things that matter most!

Image by Bryan McEwan

Today is Motivating Monday!  We all need a little motivation!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for motivating, non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos! Sponsored posts are great and I appreciate the information from great sponsored posts, but I also love non-sponsored posts because they are all about the person and not the brand! If I happen to find a great non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MotivatingMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase! (Affiliate links OK)

The Cheryl Lee MD Rejuvenation Package + Added Bonus! #AntiAging #Excema

  I'm always on the look-out for fine products that are effective, safe, and of course, have an anti-aging effect. I definitely found it here, plus a bonus effect! A product line named for it's creator, Dr. Cheryl Lee Eberting is steadily gaining momentum. Cheryl Lee MD True Lipids is a product line made to normalize skin that has acquired unhealthy amounts of lipids in the skin barrier. When this occurs, skin becomes susceptible to conditions like:

• excema
• itching
• redness
•  dryness
• abnormal pigmentation
• premature aging
 I had extremely bad excema when I was a child. I remember having red, dry patches of skin in the bends of my elbows and on my hands. I remember various prescription ointments that my mom used for me, all to no avail. Eventually it went away on its own. But a few years ago, it came back. Every summer I get excema on my fingers and hands. It is so uncomfortable when it itches so badly and then becomes dry, cracked, and then painful. I hate it when I squeeze lemons or limes into my water because it really hurts, or when I do dishes because it gets even more exacerbated. I have to use a special dishwashing liquid in order to be able to do dishes at all. Just waking up in the morning and having your hands so itchy and scaly isn't fun, period!
Back to this product line---I got the Anti-Aging Package, which is an anti-aging kit, and includes the TrueLipids TrueTherapy Ceramide+ Cream, the TrueLipids Hydrate, Correct & Perfect Lotion, and the TrueLipids TrueLips Lip Balm.



I began applying the patent-pending products on my face and noticed that at first they didn't seem much different than other creams and lotions I had tried. They do have a distinctive scent--definitely not perfume-like, very mild, not lingering, but like it means business!  Of course my nose is extremely sensitive because there are actually no fragrances, parabens, Polyethylene Glycol (PEG), or formaldehyde added. They are hypoallergenic and non-irritating. But the ingredients they do have are amazing and healing!

The Hydrate, Correct & Protect Lotion is the smaller bottle and has a pump. It is has a thinner consistency and I put this on my face first, like a serum. It absorbs quickly into the skin. The Ceramide+ Cream is the larger tube and is thick in consistency. I put this on after the lotion absorbs. It doesn't absorb quickly and actually leaves a residue that feels like the natural oils on my skin. I suppose it is doing it's job of normalizing the lipids in my skin. The lip balm is also in a tube and feels like lip gloss with no taste or smell. I love the consistency!

Two noticeable results: After two weeks, the pores on my nose are now visibly smaller! That is great news! I have the same effect when I have a facial at my favorite spa and afterwards my pores are temporarily smaller. This has given me the same result, but it is a lasting one. Also I have noticed less redness or "warmth", as they say in spa lingo, again around the nose area and the cheek area as well.

A third, unexpected bonus: I decided to put the Ceramide+ Cream and the TrueLipids Relieve & Protect Ointment (from the sample pack) on some of the dry and itchy places on my hands. I had been trying to keep it under control with some other products, which I feel are excellent. I felt like it was barely working. Now, using these products, within 4 days time my hands were feeling so much better, the itching had stopped and the onward progression of the excema halted. This was such a wonderful bonus for me! The reason I think the products in the anti-aging kit worked for me is because they don't contain harsh chemicals, which can be triggers for excema sufferers. Therefore, the anti-aging products are great for people with excema!

Cheryl Lee MD has many different kits for different kinds of problems. They do have an Ultimate Excema Kit, specifically targeted for the condition. But I am thrilled that my Rejuvenation package has done a great job with my own little excema issue--lol! (If you have any excema at all, you know that having excema is no small issue.)