"Little Haunts" At 'This Is The Place Heritage Park' Flash #Giveaway

Little Haunts is going full swing at This Is The Place Heritage Park, one of Utah's most family-friendly and fun state parks! I've enjoyed the park many times and each time have enjoyed it just a little differently! This is the not-so-scary place for kids and their families to go for a ton of fun in a safe and friendly environment! Trick or treat around the village, ride the trains and ponies, pan for gold and dig for treasure in Prospectors Pit, hear Halloween stories from the story witch, and see amazing creatures in 'Creature Encounter'! Wait, there's more! Get up close and personal with 'Birds of Prey' and get noticed in the costume parade. But don't worry, you don't have to be in a costume to join in the fun! The candy cannon will be blasting out loads of yummy taffy, plus face painting and fun games like Tug o' War, Stick Pony, Bean Bag Toss, and much more! For more info call 801-582-1847.

Among the many fun activities this year will be a coloring page contest, where the winners will be selected after the last day of Little Haunts, October 29th, and notified on November 1st. One winner from each age group will be selected and gifted with 6 passes to 'Candlelight Christmas', another amazing event at the park, and a gift bag for the winner. Get more details here!

NEW THIS YEAR: Halloween Costume Contest!!! One winner will win a year's pass to 'This Is The Place Heritage Park'! This is such a great prize because it includes all of the amazing activities and events running throughout the year at no charge! Just take a picture of your costume(s) and use the tag @thisistheplaceheritagepark and #thisistheplaceheritagepark It can be from Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Better yet, you can post on all 3 sites to get your story out!!! Don't forget to mention 'A GAL NEEDS...' to get $2.00 off each pass you purchase!

Now, I want to make sure the late-comers get a chance to get in on the action, which is why I am running a Flash Giveaway for 2 winners to win passes to the very last day of 'Little Haunts' on October 29th! Read the instructions below and enter for your chance to win! Winner will be selected and notified on October 28th!! Good luck!!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Choosing Happy + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

I am in quite a quandary right now. I enjoyed the best summer vacation--I got to blog, travel, relax, enjoy family, get creative, and develop myself as a person. Then the school year began and although I like my job, I don't love it. And when things get hard, like when one of our staff is gone and we have to do double duty, then I really don't love it. (In fact, it approaches intense dislike) That is why I've been absent here for awhile. When work gets stressful, my routine suffers. I neglect my health more because I don't take the time to plan my eating routine and work out, etc. My husband starts acting really needy because I don't have time or energy to give him the attention he seems to crave. And my blogging suffers because I am tired and am basically in survival mode. 
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Right now, I need to make sure that I have the right mindset because the most important thing for me is that I am happy during stressful times. If it means I need a pint of Haagen-Daas chocolate ice cream, (which I did "need" today) in order to survive and feel like I am happy, then that is what I'm going to do. However, if over the course of a week, my pants start feeling uncomfortably snug, am I doing a myself a favor? I think not. But are these stupid little stresses even worth worrying about? 

Peanut Butter Grown-Up Style! #Recipe and #Review PB Crave

I grew up eating peanut butter! The taste was so delicious and I'd eat it by the spoonfuls if I wasn't enjoying it in sandwiches and cookies. I must have eaten too much of it, though, because it became one of those flavors that made me say.....meh. I know....it has lots of protein, which is a good thing, yada yada yada!

 One thing that kinda turned me off, however, was finding out that many commercial brands have hydrogenated oils in it, which pretty much neutralizes much of the good in it.
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Then I heard about Peanut Butter Crave, with their 4 yummy flavors and I decided to give it a try! You've got Razzle Dazzle--raspberry jam and organic honey mixed into the peanut butter, Coco Bananas--Bananas and cocoa in the mix, Choco Choco--a chocolate lovers version, and Cookie Nookie--my personal favorite 'cause it's chocolate chip cookie dough mixed in!

What was especially appealing is that it doesn't have hydrogenated oils or artificial flavors for starters. You still have the amazingly high protein content, and of course it is gluten free and has no high fructose corn syrup, or added sugar. Maybe I could become the fan I once was, back in the day! 
After all, peanut butter has reached the status of super food because it is a rich source of niacin, folate, vitamin E, along with other essential nutrients and minerals. It is also high in protein and fiber! It wouldn't hurt to try and fall in love with it all over again!
Long story short, I love this stuff and feel like it's a guilty pleasure. PB Crave was created by women, who have very discriminating taste and created some amazing flavors that make the old, familiar taste of peanut butter a new taste sensation, thus making it exciting again!!! I really enjoy their website because they have great recipes for snacks, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, using all of their awesome flavors!
Easy Recipe
I made 'Overnight Peanut Butter And Chocolate Oats' because it used my favorite flavor, Cookie Nookie! It was delicious! And with 20 grams of protein in a single delicious serving, it is a smart move in the morning! To make it, mix all the following ingredients together!

Tom's Boots & Shoes On Sale! Last 13 Hours!

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Tom's Boots and Shoes are drastically discounted today only! Make sure to take a look at what's left! Everything is going fast! If you would like to get in on Zulily Finds and make sure you have the best selection, sign up for their Fashion Friday and Flash Deal Alerts!

Dark Gray Suede High Desert Wedge $98.00 $59.99

Chocolate & Orange Suede Stripe Leila Ankle Boot $98.00 $64.99

Taupe Crocodile Suede High Desert Wedge $119.00 $74.99

Multicolor Geometric Knit Classics $69.00 $34.99

Gray Suede Moroccan Classics $79.00 $49.99

Red Suede Rope Sole Classics $79.00 $49.99

Black & White Suede Tiles Rope Sole Classics $98.00 $59.99

Why Our Family Dog Sometimes Gets Preferential Treatment

We have been dog-owners for a long time! My first dog was Duke, our German Shepherd. I was around 16 years old and didn't really appreciate Duke because although he was lovable and friendly, I didn't fancy him jumping up and licking me with his "disgusting" slobbery tongue. He just wasn't my cup of tea....until I got older and learned that he could accompany me on walks and runs. We soon became fast friends. I remember how sad we all were when my dad finally had to put him down because of hip dysplaisia. It wasn't until I got married that I rediscovered dogs and the wonderful friends they are. I've brought a few puppies home, to the surprise of my husband and delight of my sons. 

For the last 14 years we have been border collie owners because they are so smart and we both had to agree on one breed. If you can weather the puppy stage with nothing more than a few things chewed up, border collies make the best of friends, as I imagine any other breed does, depending on the characteristics that you prefer.

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Once in awhile my husband gets mildly resentful of how much our dog, Evee, and I get along and my sometimes seeming preference of her over him. He has actually said that sometimes he gets jealous! Imagine that, preferring my dog's company over a man! Here are a few reasons my dog may sometimes get the nod before some humans!

1) No sarcastic comments - Granted, there are usually no comments from Evee, but the sarcastic kind especially are not to be found. I find that very relaxing and refreshing after being at work at a high school! Evee has her own way of telling me where to place my priorities and usually that is by her body position. She literally blocks me with her body from things I may be doing that don't involve her! I somehow find that cute! Now if my husband were to do that....

2) Doesn't bargain for my love - My dog loves me unconditionally, and if I don't feel like being warm and fuzzy at the moment, or the whole day, she will wait patiently until I feel up to it and will love me no matter what.

3) No idle chit chat - A friendly lick, nuzzle, or thump of the tail on the floor is sometimes all I really need or want.

4) Submits to my rules - If I decide that today is an outside day, then outside it is! My chair is my chair and that is that. No sitting in the car front seat and no eating people food (unless it's a special occasion, like leftovers! heh heh) No questions asked, she's happy to oblige. She knows she gets lots of special things and knows that rules are necessary for mama's well-being and happiness!

The Most Versatile Skirt From Cariloha Bamboo

I've had a great skirt to relax, go places, and be comfortable in this summer. But the great thing about it is that it can carry me all the way through fall! It's the 'Bamboo Burnout Reversible Skirt' from Cariloha!

It's so comfortable!

It's casual yet nice-looking

Best of all, it's reversible! That means I can get a few more looks from it!

I can see myself throwing on a vest and some boots for a great multi-season look!

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I love getting mileage out of my money, I like getting quality items, and I like the feel of bamboo! The skirt is so comfy to do anything in and no worries about modesty. The double thickness  of soft bamboo takes care of any transparency issues. Plus, bamboo is naturally odor and allergy resistant! Go check it out!

What Your Gums Could Be Trying To Say To You!

Let's talk about the health implications of the mouth shall we? I'm not talking about the whiteness of the teeth or the minty freshness of your breath. It's the oral bacterial climate in the mouth that is an indicator of your overall health and predictor of future problems that may erupt. 

Gums Can Tell You Things. Your gums should be considered one of the key indicators of your health. They really do tell a story, if you have the information to interpret it. First of all, have we all heard that gum disease not only means your teeth are in danger, but that you may have inflammation in other areas of the body? When your mouth is out of balance, you are at risk for diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer's, to name just a few. Advanced gum disease can raise your risk of heart attack by 10 times, AND if you get a heart attack stemming from gum disease, 9 out of 10 times it will be fatal.

#MyPostMonday Link-Up #27 The Week's Best Original Content

I used to think that once I met my husband and got married, that my life would be set and I would achieve my happily-ever-after. Wow, was that delusional or what? I had so much living yet to do and so many experiences that would make me the awesome, cynical, sometimes-depressed, introverted, and opinionated person that I am. And I know that I'm not even close to done yet! I love the photo below because it really illustrates that one may have done quite a bit to be where they are at an exact moment, but we are certainly not ever done! I believe in continuous movement. Whether that is going backwards or forwards, it is constant. I am the one that will choose which way I want to go!!

Image - Colleen Awsumb

Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  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! (Affiliate links welcome!)

#MyPostMonday Link-Up #26 The Week's Best Original Content

Along The Extra Mile
Suffice it to say that a picture can speak a thousand words and leave it at that! This is one of the many shots my son got while he was hiking in the back country of Wyoming with his college roommates. We have a great working partnership, he and I. He gets all these amazing shots of places that I can't get to 'cause I don't own a helicopter. Then I put nifty captions on them and sometimes put in my two cents worth. Not a bad deal, eh?

image - Ed Whitmore

Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  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! (Affiliate links welcome!)

#MyPostMonday Link-Up #25 The Week's Best Original Content

In The Middle Of Nowhere
The school year has begun and I'm saying a fond good-bye to my summer! I enjoyed it so much! I feel rested and energized. 
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As I walked into the high school early this morning. it was still practically deserted. A few students were sitting in the hallways and on the stairs, probably dropped off by parents who needed to get to work early. They were still rubbing sleep from their eyes, just like I was. Eventually the students that are assigned to my charge arrived on the bus or were dropped off. They seemed happy to see me. One of them offered to buy me a treat from the snack machine! We continued down the hall to breakfast, where I greeted my friends there. Lisa, the head of the cafeteria, one of the nicest women I know, greeted me warmly. There was Steve, the maintenance guy, wearing his familiar kilt. He was high on a ladder, seemingly oblivious to the fact that people who walked underneath might get an eyeful. Maybe someday I just may do that, walk underneath out of sheer curiosity! I'm almost sure he must wear shorts or something underneath, unlike the original Scottish men, who.....didn't! My only question would be, why wear a kilt if you need to wear shorts underneath? Wouldn't it be more comfortable to just wear shorts minus kilt? 

Some people may wonder why I continue to work as a learning assistant, commuting over 30 miles each way, when I have a degree in Special Education. It's easy. I tried the teaching route and I don't like it. I don't like the hours, the paperwork, the meetings, the answering to several groups of superiors--parents, administrators, district officials, psychologists, and the school Special Ed coordinator. Each of them has a specific agenda, each of them has an idea how your classroom needs to be run. However, I love working with the students and my co-workers. We have become really comfortable and we understand the philosophy of our teacher, Troy, who will be retiring this coming year. I'll miss him when he leaves. He has dealt with everything so well, but he leaves a little disappointed in the whole system and the seeming lack of appreciation for all that he has done over the years. I hope that when he leaves that he will be able to get a sense of how much good he has really done during his tenure! 

Because of his and our efforts, there are a few kids who actually will have a chance in life. They have learned things that they may never have otherwise learned. Possibly not things like reading, writing, or math, although that has been a huge part of the day. But more likely things like learning responsibility, how to work for what you have, what to expect when you don't have someone to catch you every time you fall, how to act when you are on the job, how to talk properly to people in public, that you're stronger than you think, and other important life lessons you can't learn in a textbook! It reminds me that no matter what background you come from, there are those who will always find a way to thrive with just a little nourishment!

image - Scott Morgan

Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  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! (Affiliate links welcome!)