That Monster Moon + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

This morning at 6:15 I was so lucky! I was headed out to work, down into the valley to get onto the freeway. Right in front of my fortuitous face was the giant super moon, known to some as the Monster Moon, because since January 1948 it hasn't been this big and is the biggest it will ever be until 2034! Such a feeling of wonder, awe, and peace came upon me! It appeared all-knowing, and aware of the turmoil that is roiling up everywhere because of certain recent events. I thought, "Moon, what do you think of your neighbors on this planet? Aren't we the most pathetic creatures you've ever seen? We fight over nothing and over everything, we want more than we need, we are jealous of our neighbors, friends, and co-workers, and we can never be satisfied. And many of us won't stop until others of us are dead!"  Do you know what the moon said back? She said, "It will all be OK, and I'll be watching! In the meantime, be kind, don't stress, and love life!" So that's what I did today and I was happy!

If you want to have your own conversation with the moon, it will still be observing us brightly tonight through early tomorrow morning! Believe me, she is very wise!

Image - Scott Stoddard

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!) 

Comfort + Style = T-Shirts From Cariloha

I'm glad that sometimes I'm required to dress up, because if I weren't, you'd see me in jeans and t-shirts all day, every day! And for good reason--you don't really have to think too hard to put on a t-shirt and go!
 This site receives product samples to facilitate honest and fair reviews. Sponsor affiliation does not influence my opinion. Thanks for your support!
The look is pretty much appropriate wherever you end up. And although I think t-shirts will never go out of style, t-shirts are having a resurgence of sorts because there are some really attractive-looking tees out there, not to mention comfort! 
Comfort: That's where bamboo t-shirts come in! They are so soft and comfy! Especially the ones from Cariloha! Oh my gosh--ComfortCity.com! (just kidding, that's cariloha.com) Not to mention anti-bacterial and odor resistant! Cariloha has a wide range of tees made from natural and sustainable materials that let you stay comfortable and fresh all day long! And they have lots of styles to choose from--crew necks, V-necks, long sleeve, classic tees, dolmans, scoop tees, and more! Cariloha tees are made from a proprietary blend of bamboo fabric and organic cotton! Bamboo holds onto it's shape longer and better and even has thermal regulating properties!

I love my pocket tee and right now, several colors of this same design are on sale!

I have always loved dolphins, and I found the perfect tee to show my love for them!

This black tee with the ferris wheel print is so much fun!

Even when the weather gets cold, you can still have fun and make a tee work!

A bamboo tee would make a great gift for anyone who loves the combination of comfort and style! Go check Cariloha out today! 
Get social with Cariloha on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter

Wise Decision Making + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

I just read a Facebook thread where the owner of the page wrote, "Name 5 Things You Love About Yourself." There were those who were able to write 5 things and then there were the ones who said, "I can't today" or "I can't at this point in my life." It's kind of heartbreaking when someone can't even see one good thing about themselves. It means that they are living with stress, sorrow, and loads of self-criticism. There is a point when you can't live to please others, you need to nurture and help yourself. Stress, anxiety and depression are caused when we are living to please others. If you find yourself trying to fit someone else's mold, and it isn't making you happy, it's time for a break to find out what you can do to renew yourself! Sometimes making a correct decision is a hard decision. We live so much to please others. So today I want to remind you to find 5 things about yourself that you admire or love. If you can't do that today, then work on it by choosing a path that nourishes your soul!

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!) 

'Pain Buster' #Giveaway with Zim's Max Products!

Welcome To the 'Pain Buster' Giveaway! Muscles and joints are always under stress and occasionally they need the TLC of a great homeopathic remedy! Zim's has been in the pain relief business for over 60 years and that is why they are one of the most trusted brands around. Found in most major retailers, Zim's makes fighting pain easy.

This site accepts product samples in order to provide an honest review. No sponsor affiliation affects opinion or review.

Their first product was developed by a pharmacist in Austintown, OH. Local cement workers were frequently coming to him, complaining about dry and cracked hands. So he experimented and finally came up with an herbal-based formula. He called it 'Cement Workers' Lotion'. Now known as Max Crack Creme, it still heals and soothes dry and cracked skin no matter how you get it!

Today the Zim's brand has expanded to over 26 products, ranging from lotions and creams, to pain relief gels and diabetic care items. Zim's Max Freeze Brand provides an affordable pain relief gel and lotion that emphasizes the use of natural ingredients such as Ilex Flower, Aloe Vera and more!

Their newest product, Max Freeze Patches, are adhesive and deliver real pain relief that lasts for hours! Remember, the rush you get from pushing yourself to the limits is amazing, but the pain and soreness that can sometimes follow is not! In those real moments of pain you want to reach for something that will stick with you! The patches come in 3 sizes to fit the area you need and are individually wrapped. They combine lidocaine and menthol to deliver pain relieving power where you need it! Read about my experience using Max Freeze Patches and other products here! 

Right now on their website you can save with free shipping and buying bundles! Buy any 5 gels or roll-ons and get the 6th one free! 
Giveaway: Some lucky devil is going to win the 6 Zim's products listed above! Each one is effective in pain relief and does it naturally! For U.S. only, one entrant per household and must be 18 or older. Thanks for entering and good luck!
For more disclosures, please read the disclosure statement from the Rafflecopter form below! a Rafflecopter giveaway
 Disclaimer: Open to U.S. only!  A GAL NEEDS...received product from this sponsor to facilitate the review of this product. Affiliate links may be present. No Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Klout nor any other social platforms are involved in any way!
Must be 18 or older to participate, Winner will be contacted by e-mail
after 11/25/16.  Must respond within 48 hours.
After notification, winner will be asked to acknowledge their win by contacting sponsor on Facebook and letting them know of their win. 
Entrants with invalid entries will
be disqualified. 
Sponsor, Zim's USA, is responsible for delivery of prize package. A GAL NEEDS...is not responsible for delivery of product or prize.  

Ways To Have More Gratitude + #Free Gratitude Tee

The CMA Awards was on Wednesday night! It was a pretty good show, although it did have a record low viewership because of the World Series!

Yes, I like me some country music every once in awhile, and apparently Beyonce does too, because she was there and performed with the Dixie Chicks!! Without going into all of the drama there, I wanted to refer to Matthew McConaughey's introduction to Tim McGraw's song of the year - "Humble & Kind". Matthew mentioned that it's good to be a person who is always grateful for the things you enjoy and are blessed with, because people who do that create even more space, which is then filled by more things to be grateful for! I thought that was really profound and I do believe it. The problem is, it's sometimes hard to remember to be grateful when you're running around doing damage control for most of the day.
I have a couple of ways to remember to be grateful. One thing I have is a grateful bench. It's a special bench that I sit on for a few minutes every time I walk my dog. I sit there specifically to think of things that I am grateful for since the last time I went there. And I can tell you sometimes it is so easy, but other times it is difficult, depending on the day or week I've had. But I am always able to stop and think about the things that I have or the good things that have happened--and when I'm done sitting there, I tend to feel happier than when I first sat down.

It also doesn't hurt to have something constantly reminding you to be grateful. I love this gratitude tee for that very reason.  Not only does it have the words emblazoned on the front, but there is a tag on the lower right hem that also has a positive affirmation. It says, "Look, Be, Do Good!" I love it! And especially around this time of year, it's good to be reminded! 

An Array Of Naturally-Based Pain Relief Products

Have you ever had bursitis? You'd know it if you did! It's a muscle injury that is very painful and if it's bad, you won't be able to sleep without medication because any position you take is painful. The best way to treat it is with an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen and cold packs. The first time I got it I didn't know what it was and I did all the wrong things. It was in my arm. I put heat on it, I took aspirin, and I kept using the arm hoping that it would just go away. It didn't. It got worse and worse. I just got another bout of it recently and fortunately, now I know what to do. Out comes the ibuprofen and the cold packs!
This site uses affiliate and non-affiliate links for reference purposes. Products or monetary compensation may be accepted in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are in no way influenced by sponsor affiliation. Thanks for your support!
I was so fortunate to have been introduced to Zim's Max Freeze Products. They are absolutely the best to relieve pain in muscles and joints! So, my pain is in my right upper arm, where the joints are. It is a dull ache that I know could get much worse if I let it. I applied the Max Freeze Roll-On, a greasless, vanishing scent formula, with organic ilex, aloe, arnica and tea tree oil. It felt wonderful. I waited until it absorbed and then topped it off with one of the Max Freeze Patches in medium. I peeled off the backing, and put the moist adhesive cloth soaked in lidocaine and menthol on my arm. It was so soothing and helped my pain immensely! I know to keep my arm still and not to over-exert it for awhile. This time my bursitis will not be so bad and certainly not as painful, thanks to Zim's Freeze Products!

Two other amazing products in my treasure chest of Pain Relief Products are the Max Arnica and the Max Aloe.
Arnica is a known pain reliever and Max Arnica comes in a convenient roll-on or gel! It's great for muscle aches and sprains when your work out pain needs some help. Whatever your normal routine is for minor aches and strains, adding Max Arnica is a wonderful adjunct to the healing process!

Aloe Vera has been highly praised as a soothing remedy for burns and cuts for years. Max Aloe contains Acemannan gel, which is hospital grade aloe vera. It is amaaazing! It feels so good and cool! And especially when you have a painful burn or cut, that you don't want harsh chemicals on. My dad used to love to put hydrogen peroxide on anything and that stuff hurts so much. Aloe Vera Gel is so much better and Max Aloe is the best of the best--right now buy one and get one free!! You can also join their e-mail list to get 15% off your next order! 

Zim's started over 60 years ago because of a need. In Austintown, OH, local cement workers came to the local pharmacy complaining about their dry, cracked hands and feet. The cement was very drying and there was nothing around that helped soothe the discomfort. The pharmacist saw the need and started working on an all-natural, herbal based lotion and when it was finished, named it Cement Workers Lotion. However, it was so effective that it took off and soon developed a loyal local following. After many years, it was renamed Zim's Crack Cream and sold on a national level. As a matter of fact, Zim's Crack Cream can be found in nearly every major retailer in North America, along with their full line of healing, naturally-based products that work!
Follow them on Social Media! Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest Also, stay tuned for an awesome giveaway coming up soon!!!
Question: When you are injured or sore, do you reach for pills, natural remedies or both? Why or why not?

The Road Back + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

I'd like to think that people who are meant to be associated with one another will always find a way to keep in touch. I have lost touch with so many people over the years and many times I wonder what happened to them. In today's fast-paced, text-filled, trans-continental world, it's hard to keep track of how many encounters you actually have. Yet the ones that are meant to be will stick with you and find their way back into your life!
Some people are meant to have many friends and others are happy with just a few. The older I get, the more good friends and quality time spent with them means!

Image - Jim Sands

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!) 

America's Middle Class + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

We are getting ready to vote here in the U.S., with millions of mail-in votes already in, and I have never felt more dismal about the whole thing. I feel like so many things are wrong with how the government governs. I feel like too many burdens are being placed on the backs of decent, hard-working middle class Americans. I feel like we are being lied to by everyone in government. I feel like once the middle class goes, America goes. These are just two stories coming at me TODAY, not even scratching the surface, but still more than I want to even think about. 
This blog uses affiliate and non-affiliate links for reference purposes. Thanks for your support!
1) The pentagon promised 10,000 California National Guard veterans bonuses of varying amounts, the most being $25,000, if they would reenlist. They did this because California was severely short of recruits in the conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan. These were veterans who had already served and were not obligated in any way to reenlist. But they did, with the good faith that if they put out this one extra sacrifice, they would be rewarded. After all, they were already trained and proven, so they would save the military money. Now 10 years later, the government is telling them to repay the money or be subject to aggressive collection. It doesn't matter what the reason is, I feel that it's immoral to go after veterans who kept their promise to defend our country and then take back what was promised them for doing so. Many of these men had served multiple tours and were doing so again in order to somehow support their families doing what they had been trained to do. This of course is the middle class being picked on. If you want to sign a petition protesting it, go here!

2) We have just learned that Obama Care premiums haven't peaked. Not by a long shot. They are going up by double-digits! If you are one of the middle class, who either doesn't have access to job provided insurance or you need additional coverage for existing conditions, etc. you are getting gauged! Middle class folks are getting upset and I can see why! Consider this frustrated voter:

"If you don't think it's real I'll give you a personal example. My company sponsored insurance went from me paying around $550 per month to about $1400 per month. That is ridiculous! Seriously? Who pays that? We had to switch to a lower coverage, higher deductible plan just to get our premiums back to what they were. This Obamacare has destroyed the health care market. And he calls it a growing pain? Easy to say when you're a millionaire with every perk life has to offer. He's destroyed insurability for the middle income. The class that all these presidents vow to help. We are the cash cow that lines the pockets of the elite. We work hard so they don't have to. It's sickening..."

 I don't have the answers. But for a system to be failing so dismally in so many areas, there is only one thing that screams out to me...There is widespread corruption on every level of government, and every level of corporate America, and it has spilled into the citizenry because we have been fed lies of complacency. Wake up America before it is too late! Or is it already too late and we will be facing the consequences in November?

Like fall leaves clinging to the rocks in the rushing water, so are the middle class fighting to just hang on and not be swept away by the headlong tide of governmental control and greed! Are you a middle-class American? How does it feel to be an endangered species?

Image Credit - Jan Munger

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!)

'Peanut Butter Perfection' #Giveaway

PB Crave is simply the best peanut butter out there! Their 4 gourmet flavors add a depth and sophistication to the peanut butter we all know and have gotten bored with!

Health Benefits: Peanut butter is a super food, with extremely high protein content and is naturally gluten free! PB Crave uses that natural nutritional advantage and goes even further by eliminating hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors, added sugars, and high fructose corn syrup.

Taste Factor: PB Crave is artisian-crafted, using quality all natural ingredients like Belgian Chocolate, organic honey, bananas, raspberry, white and dark chocolates, and more! Read my personal review here!
The 4 delicious flavors are Choco Choco, Coco Bananas, Cookie Nookie, and Razzle Dazzle. There are so many great recipe ideas on their website, like these Peanut Butter Pumpkin Spice Truffles!

 Philanthropy: PB Crave is dedicated to support alleviating childhood hunger throughout the world. 2% of every purchase goes to Project Peanut Butter, an organization dedicated to helping children and building stronger communities!

One winner will receive a 4-jar set of PB Crave, including all 4 of their delicious flavors. Giveaway runs from October 22nd through November 11th! Winner will be selected with Rafflecopter Random draw and notified by e-mail on November 6th. U.S. only, must be 18 years or older, one entrant per household, and previous winners of any contests by PB Crave are ineligible! This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or any other social media site. All opinions are 100% my own. I did receive samples to complete my fair and honest review. Please enter in the Rafflecopter below! Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

"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