'Nutty For Neocell' Product and Cash #Giveaway!

It's time for the month of bers! September, October, November, and December!! Can you believe there are only 4 more months of 2017 left? I was just getting used to it being 2017! Crazy! I recently went to an event where I hadn't seen some friends for a few years. I can tell you, time marches on, whether we are ready or not! But today's beauty advances can help us erase the ravages of time on our faces and body. It's easy with NeoCell!

This blog uses both affiliate and non-affiliate links for reference purposes. Thanks for visiting!

Using the latest findings in beauty science, Neocell can help curtail the onward rampage of time, at least when it comes to youthful skin and healthy looks! They are the #1 collagen brand in the country and a leader in the field of nutritional science.
Just a few of their great products include:
NeoCell Collagen + C With Pomegranate - This provides a boost of Collagen Types 1 & 3, which are the collagens responsible for the skin, nails, hair, and maintenance of the body. It also provides an infusion of antioxidant, Vitamin C from Pomegranate! Best taken on an empty stomach to maximize absorption.

NeoCell Ceramides Hydrator - This is the super nutrient of 2017. It plumps the skin as the moisturizers are delivered into the body!

NeoCell Beauty Bursts - A fruity tasting chewable that delivers collagen to the body quickly and when you are on the go! Delicious! Also contains hyaluronic acid to aid absorption. 

NeoCell is a company that gives back. Since 2011 they have partnered with Vitamin Angels to help a condition that is known as "hidden hunger", children who appear to get enough to eat, but are not receiving the necessary nutrients for proper growth and development. For every bottle of NeoCell Supplement sold, 1 child is given enough crucial dosages of vitamins to sustain them for a whole year, reducing the mortality rate by 24%!

 For more information about their many products, check out their online product catalog!
NeoCell and I are partnering to bring you an awesome opportunity to try out some of their products! One winner will receive a $50 eGift credit to purchase the beauty products of their choice from a NeoCell retailer, plus that winner will also receive a $15 PayPal Credit to their PayPal Account!

Enter in the Rafflecopter below and make sure you follow me on Facebook because you need to be in the know about my other giveaways! Ends on 09/27/17.
Disclaimer: A GAL NEEDS...received product from this sponsor to facilitate the review of this product. Affiliate links may be present. No Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, 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 09/27/17.  1 entrant per household please. Must respond within 48 hours.
After notification, winner will be asked to acknowledge their win by contacting sponsor on Social Media and letting them know of their win.
Entrants with invalid entries will be disqualified.
Sponsor, NeoCell is responsible for delivery of prize package. A GAL NEEDS...is responsible for delivery of cash prize.  
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

How Extra Time Makes You Happier + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

I've always felt that my time is the most precious possession I own, not things, and sometimes I'm very jealous and protective of it. Think of what you can do with time. You can use it to perfect yourself, create something of value, use it for service to others, or you can squander it. Now, my belief has been verified by a study that just came out in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences! It says that "when people spend money on time-saving services such as a house cleaner, lawn care or grocery delivery, it can make them feel a little happier. By comparison, money spent on material purchases---aka things---does not boost positive emotions the way we might expect."   

Image - Ben Milner

I can apply the time saving idea in another way. For 7 years I worked at what used to be my local high school. But for 4 of those 7 years I had to commute because we moved to a city 33 miles away. This school year is different. I actually took a significant pay cut to start at the bottom pay level because, sadly, my years of service in one school district make no difference to another school district. But at least I won't have to commute 66 miles per day! I've only been at work for 4 days and I can already feel the difference! It is amazing what that commute took out of me. In essence, I bought a shorter work week and for me it's worth everything! When I come home after work I'm not feeling like all I want to do is take a nap and recover from not only the work day, but the commute itself! 

I guess what I get from this study is a reaffirmation that Americans could be doing more to make themselves happy. We are lured into the notion that having more material things will make us happier, when it actually could entrap us into an endless cycle of playing catch-up! Instead of throwing down $100 at the local favorite place to shop or friendly internet site, think about paying to have someone mow the yard, pick up your groceries, clean the bathroom or kitchen, or simply give up something that sucks time and energy from your life. Then with that saved time, think of the most enjoyable, productive thing that you can do with it. It may be getting a good nap, reading a great book, or going on a hike somewhere. It may be watching a movie, talking to a friend you haven't seen in awhile, or volunteering for your favorite charity. It's a sure thing that your happiness quotient will go up! I know that I will try to do that more because I have experienced the feeling firsthand when I gave up my commute. Read about the study here!

 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!)  

Make The Latest Beauty Science Work For You #NeoCell Review

The world of beauty is advancing almost as quickly as technology is. What was cutting edge one month is old school 6 months later! Exciting new science is happening in the world of beauty and you can choose what 40, 50, or 60 years looks like. You can dictate it all--from how your body looks and performs, to how your skin, hair, and lashes look, to the way you feel! It's amazing and it's up to you whether you take advantage of the new findings or leave it strictly to chance.

Image Credit: Toni Cox Photography

What I've decided to do is evaluate what my life goals look like. I want to be able to hike mountains for a long time and I want to enjoy grandchildren that I hope to eventually have! (Cross my fingers that it's before I'm 60, my sons are in no rush to have kids anytime soon!) I don't want to be a slave to beauty---constantly trying to upkeep my looks and my physique to the point I don't have time to do anything else. But I DO want to feel healthy and look good in my 50's, 60's, and beyond. It requires some maintenance, but not as much as you would think, if we're smart! A company called NeoCell has done the research and provided the products--all I need to do is make it fit into my routine. Here are a few things I do to save beauty maintenance time!

This blog uses affiliate and non-affiliate links for reference purpose. This 

is a partnered post.

Snack For Beauty. I gotta have me some snacks. But I can make them good for me at the same time! One of the best ways to keep up hair, skin, and nails is to give it the foods it loves. Did you know that collagen is one of the most important components for skin, hair, and nails? Unfortunately, what your body produces naturally in your 20's, diminishes significantly every decade. But there are some really easy ways that you can fortify yourself with collagen. Thanks to NeoCell, the leading company in collagen research and products, you can incorporate collagen supplementation in your daily routine so easily! A product called NeoCell Beauty Bursts Gourmet Collagen Soft Chews are the bomb! They taste like Star Bursts, yet supply you with collagen which is easily absorbed into the body. Just be careful! They are addicting! They are gluten, soy, and palm oil free, not to mention there are no artificial flavors. I am guilty of taking more than a daily serving, which is 2 bites, providing 2,000 mg high absorption collagen 1 & 3, 20 mg Vitamin C, and 20 mg Hyaluronic Acid which is known as "nature's moisturizer" because it hydrates the skin.  I also love their new Collagen Cookie Bars for the same reasons! They are new, and really good! Do I look guilty below, or what?

I may or may not have eaten more than 2 servings today! Beauty Bursts are so good!

Add To Things Already In The Routine. Another amazing product that you can sneak into a smoothie or flavor your water with is the Collagen +C Pomegranate Liquid. It adds antioxidant benefits to clinically tested collagen. We already know that breakfast smoothies are good and we know that water is something we need. It just makes good sense to incorporate all the benefits possible into the good things that are already in our routines. Of course, you can also take the Collagen +C Pomegranate Liquid straight! It's pretty tasty! 

 When taking daily vitamins, make sure to include NeoCell's Ceramides Skin Hydrator in the mix. It's a capsule that contains 30 mg of ceramides, the hottest beauty ingredient of 2017 because it improves skin moisture and reduces trans epidural water loss!

I love the latest beauty science and I love how NeoCell does the research and makes products that fit into my busy lifestyle so I don't have to spend precious time wondering if beauty maintenance is really worth it. Obvs, it definitely is!
(Find Neocell on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!)

Today's Complexities + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

Today wraps up a mystery that has been in our minds here in Utah. On July 27th, a man went missing. He was a husband, a new father, and a son. What was interesting and notable about this was that his disappearance was surrounded by thousands of interested spectators and commentators. People came out of the woodwork to give their opinions as to why he was missing, what the family's role in his disappearance was, and who was to blame for his disappearance. As it so happened, the wife of this man happens to be a well-known blogger named Ashlee.
Well, the hate and rhetoric that was spewed out during the 18 day ordeal before they found him yesterday was...well, it was pretty unprecedented, calling her a phony, a fraud, and calling out false sightings of him with another girl, and everything imaginable. 

No, he wasn't perfect, no one is, and they had been through some really tough times during their marriage, including infertility and some other things that Ashlee had alluded to in at least one post, possibly two. But her strength and vulnerability were both bravely shared with any who wanted to follow along. She was authentic and a role model for those of us who wanted to use her as such. After all, in this world of Facebook and Instagram perfection, it was a little disconcerting to see someone's authenticity exposed so freely. Yet there it was. 

And when he disappeared, there were so many supporters and the haters, of course, wanted to tag along too. The story is still new, knowing only that his body was found in bad condition, floating in Mill Creek, found by employees of a business in the area.  We will probably never know what caused his death, now only suspected as suicide. What combination of events made him lose it? Or was it one single thing that he couldn't shake? 

Life today is so complex and sometimes it can really throw you. It necessitates being able to step back, and simplify the world as you know it, and prioritize what is most important and stick to it! 

My thoughts and prayers go out to Ashley and Paul, their love, family, and their new baby girl who will never have a chance to know her daddy except through others' memories. As I reflect on this tragedy and try to learn something from it, I will again refocus my own priorities and concentrate on simplifying my life. I won't feel guilty about it either. If my summer consists of staycations all summer long, I will feel happy because staying home is something I love. If I don't craft up my home on any given holiday, I will feel gratitude that I have eyes to admire the creations of others who have been able to do so. If I am not known as the one who reaches out to every single person I know in every social situation, then I will appreciate them in my thoughts and love them from afar and will do as much as I can, when I can. And I will keep those who matter close, oh so close!

 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!)  

Just Sue Me + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

 We've heard about it so many times before! Businesses suing other businesses for stealing their logos, designs, trade secrets, etc. One recent & crazy example is how Khloe Kardashian and her sister, Kylie Jenner, have been accused by more than one designer of lifting exclusive designs straight off the designer table and onto their own label. The designers say the sisters did it by e-mailing them, and asking for samples of clothing. The sisters supposedly then took the complimentary samples and made almost exact copies of them and then stuck their own labels on them. Of course, their names on the label would sell a lot of clothing! We'll see how it all plays out in court. 

All The Nuts - Health Benefits of Almonds, Pecans, Walnuts, Etc.

 I grew up in the San Joaquin Valley, home of Diamond Walnuts. As a matter of fact, nuts of all kinds grew there, in addition to any fruit or vegetable you can imagine. It was a wonderful place to grow up. We used to work in the walnut orchards owned by Diamond, as a volunteer project for our church youth program. The trees went on endlessly, as far as the eye could see. Who would have thought that 30 years later, the very existence of the almond and walnut orchards would be on the verge of collapse?

I've been so sad to hear about the conditions recently in northern California and the affect they have had on the nut crops, especially almonds. First it was the extreme drought conditions in 2014 that brought on the necessity for almond farmers to destroy thousands and thousands of acres of almond trees. Now in 2017, it's the opposite. Record rainfall is killing or has already killed the state's almonds. A record 27 inches of rain fell this last winter, the most ever recorded! And it's ironic that water is responsible for killing the trees, because almonds consume huge amounts of water and have even been accused of depriving other resources of adequate water! 

Being as it may, the health benefits of eating those water-greedy nuts is huge! I would urge anyone not to make their dietary plans so constrictive that they can't fit in a handful of some kind of nut into their daily food plan! By the way, peanuts are not nuts. They are legumes. Consider the benefits of eating a handful of nuts!

1) Great source of healthy fat! Of course we know that some fats shouldn't be consumed and other fats should be consumed in moderate amounts. Nut fats are helpful for weight loss, heart health and for brain health!

2) 20% less likely to die for any reason! That is huge! Studies found that a person who ate a small handful of nuts 7 times a week or more, were less likely to kick the bucket!

3) People who eat nuts have better cardiovascular health, lower risk for diabetes, lower mortality rate which then raises your longevity!

Sometimes you want something a little more exciting than just a handful of nuts. There are a lot of ways to dress up those nutritionally-loaded nuggets. 

Maple Cinnamon Pecans
2 cups raw pecans
1/3 cup maple syrup (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2  Tbsp. cinnamon
Cinnamon Sugar for sprinkling

Combine pecans, maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon. Heat over medium heat in a skillet for 6 - 8 minutes until thickened. Spread onto wax paper to cool. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if desired, and store in an airtight container.

Rosemary Garlic Almonds
2 cups raw almonds
1 Tbsp Coconut oil
2 tbsp. fresh chopped rosemary
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients and cook in a medium sauce pan, stirring regularly until toasted and fragrant. Spread and cool on wax paper. Store in airtight container. 

Either recipe is gluten free, vegan, and paleo! I'm such a fan of all the nuts and this is one obsession that I don't feel a shred of guilt for! So enjoy some nuts, and here's to your health!

sources: Grub Street 
Mercola.com
AgAlert 
CenterCut Cook 

Crazy Enough To Succeed + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

Someone has said that "you should aim so high that others will think you're crazy." That describes my friend, Lei, exactly. I think back through our 15+ year friendship and she was just like me in so many ways. We both liked to go to the gym and work out. She ran, I biked, and we both liked to hike. And so it was, until she decided that being status quo wasn't enough for her. She wanted to create something more than the fitness she had already achieved. Mind you, if 80% of women had achieved what Lei had already achieved, they would be very happy. But Lei is different, she wanted to be part of the top 2%.  And so with trainers who saw her drive and potential, she set out to do just that! There were plenty of doubters around, those who thought she was absolutely nuts and narcissistic to go to the gym for periods of 3 hours a day at times.  But those labels would be wrong--she is a driven perfectionist and she shattered the glass ceiling that says women, let alone women over 50, shouldn't presume to achieve such a toned and sculpted body and then compete with it. And why not? Men do it and it is admired. Why shouldn't women do it too?  Of course we have seen a huge surge in female body building and figure competing especially within the last 5 years or so, thanks to gals like Lei.

Image: Alex Barnedt

Now we're on the other side of the 5 years when she first started her journey and has since achieved some amazing things. Her last competition was at FitCon in Utah in April 2017. She placed 1st in Masters, 2nd in Open, and even more impressive, became Nationally Qualified for the 2nd time! Do you think you've got what it takes to become a Nationally Qualified Figure Competitor? Read Lei's story Part I and Part II to see exactly how she got where she is today.

With these impressive qualifications behind her, she is now more than qualified to teach others the formulas to her success and now takes a limited number of clients. I enlisted her nutritional knowledge and she gave me a great paleo high protein meal plan to help me lose a really tough couple of pounds!

This website uses affiliate and non-affiliate links for reference purposes. Thanks for visiting!

But that is only one dimension of multi-faceted Lei. She was born in Hawaii and with a name like Lei, it seems like destiny that she would indeed own her own lei business called 'Lei Of Aloha.' She is skilled at making a variety of different kinds of leis for all occasions. They are keepsakes for the lucky recipient. She will be traveling to many different trade shows during the coming year, but she also takes special orders. She is as driven with her lei business as she is with her figure competing. It's just who she is. Contact her on Instagram and receive a 15% discount when you mention A GAL NEEDS...

Not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur. It takes incredible drive and willpower and an innate belief in yourself that will drown out the ever-present naysayers. But I'm happy to say that I know one, and she is a steel magnolia who just happens to make leis out of them too!

 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!)   

A Jord Watch! Amazon #PrimeDay

I hadn't worn a watch since my Casio died about 7 years ago. I loved it because it was easy to read, and also had a night light. I didn't feel inclined to get another one, however, because I started using my phone to look at the time. But there's something to say about wearing a watch! Don't forget it is part of your overall look, it's a conversation piece. And there's nothing easier than a flick of the wrist and a glance down to get the time when you're wearing a watch. 

This blog uses affiliate and non-affiliate links for reference purposes. Thanks for visiting!

Jord was kind enough to contact me to see if I might like to review one of their watches. Um...hold on, let me check my busy schedule....yep, looks like I'm good for a watch review! (Squeeeee!!) Especially a wood watch review! They look so distinctive, and I've  seen the posts about Jord everywhere. It seems that one can't take a bad picture of a Jord Watch. They are absolutely stunning!

Simplicity in accessories is important to me, and I wanted a neutral watch, one that I could wear with most anything, whether it was out playing disc golf on the weekend, or heading to work during the week. I want a look that I can pair with many looks. I chose the Fieldcrest Series in green sandalwood, for that reason.

The series comes standard, as do all Jord watches, with quartz crystal inner workings, hand finished woods, scratch-resistant mineral glass, and are splash-proof. Ranging in price from $139 - $395, there is a style, wood, and color for all! 

A couple things that I particularly like about this wood watch is the light-weight feel. I often forget to take it off at night because I don't even feel it on my wrist, which is a good thing. Another thing is that it never gets sweaty, sticky, or smelly. When I had a leather band with my former watch, the leather got a funky smell to it after I had worn it and it had absorbed perspiration and dampness. Wood doesn't do that.  I'm thrilled because I have a sensitive sniffer, and the smell of the leather wristband always bothered me. I feel like I'm going to love going back to depending on a watch to check the time! It's the perfect must-have accessory!
It's Amazon Prime Day today and Jord is giving free shipping and 30% off their watches! 

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program!

5 Easy Tricks To Lose 10 Pounds Before The End Of Summer

It feels like summer is half over, even though it just started! Some of us are looking at school right between the eyes! If you didn't quite make your weight loss goals yet, add these 5 tricks to help you achieve that 10 lb. weight loss goal before summer's end! I'm right there with you! I'm doing it too!

This site uses both affiliate and non-affiliate links for reference purposes! Thank you for visiting!

1. Remember that slow and steady helps to win the race.
When you lose too quickly the body is tricked into thinking there is a crisis and will go into crisis mode until you start eating "normally", or at least how the body perceives is normal for you. The body will strive hard to get you back to that "normal" weight. Basically that is why it is so dang hard to keep the weight off once you get to your target weight. 

Beauty That Still Remains + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

This blog contains affiliate and non-affiliate links for reference purposes. Thanks for visiting!

I really should be writing a patriotic post, seeing that tomorrow is July 4th and all, and it's one of my favorite holidays, but I think I wrote one last year. Oops, no I didn't I was really into the Summer Olympics about that time! But I did write a post about one of our founding fathers recently, John Adams! So I think we'll let that suffice! As for today's post.....