A Bright Smile #Giveaway! Alightener Foam Teeth Whitening Kit

Everyone wants a bright smile and now it's easier than ever to get one! Alightener Foam is easy to use, with no mess, and can be used with any retainer! 

Just spray the light, great tasting foam into a dental tray or retainer (including Invisalign Retainers), wear it while you do something else, and have whiter teeth in minutes! 

Read about my experience with Alightener Foam and also follow my Invisalign braces adventure this year!  I'll definitely be using Alightener Foam to keep my smile bright and also the Alightener Retainer Cleaner!

Teeth You Can Live With! Why I Chose To Have Braces

I had started noticing that my teeth were shifting about 6 years ago. It wasn't very noticeable, except to me. But around 2 years ago, my husband commented on what he saw, as well as my son. They both thought that I had chipped my lower tooth because one was higher than the other. I assured them that I hadn't chipped any teeth, but that they were moving. Uh oh....people were starting to notice. That wasn't a good sign.

The thing that I notice and hate the most is when I do videos for this blog, usually on Instagram. I literally see my bottom tooth jutting out like a snaggle tooth when I talk. I really don't like it. I'm not saying that small irregularities in teeth aren't attractive, not at all! In fact, I like little irregularities in a smile because it makes it unique. But I personally didn't like what was going on in my lower bite. It's all great if I'm doing a still shot...

               But start talking and then it's obvious!

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I started doing some research and having consultations with different orthodontists. If there is one thing I know, you want to straighten your teeth utilizing someone who has been extensively trained to do that.  In my book, a dentist just doesn't cut it. Their role is for cleaning and maintaining gum and teeth health. Some dentists do, however, offer teeth straightening services--especially with the new computer simulated 3-D images that can be done of your mouth. Once taken, the images are sent in to a lab where they will make a set of special retainers designed to obtain the ideal look to your teeth, as well as the ideal bite. The retainer you wear changes as your teeth move. I took pictures of the shots that were coming across the screen of my simulated outcome vs. the current dentition. This is just from one angle.

Current dentition

Simulated outcome

The leading company that does this is Invisalign. The first orthodontist I went to didn't even deal with Invisalign. He  claimed he hadn't gotten good results with it. He recommended that I go with the traditional wire braces. His nurse told some stories about how Invisalign patients were generally not pleased with the results that were achieved with the Invisalign product.She said that she had done Invisalign with another dentist and she wasn't pleased with the results. Later she went with this Orthodontist and was very pleased with the traditional metal braces she went with. I totally bought her story, until I went to some more orthodontists. That is when the picture came into focus for me. 

Just like anything, one needs practice to become proficient at something and that includes orthodontia. The more the orthodontist practices, the better he/she becomes. I went to a few more orthodontists who worked almost exclusively with Invisalign, specifically because of great results with patients. Because of what I found out, I went with Invisalign. It is easier to manage with other dental work, it is less obvious that you have braces, the orthodontist can adjust movement at any time, it is guaranteed for 5 years after treatment, and you can take them out if you really need to (like a special photo shoot, a speaking engagement, a job interview, etc.)

One more thing about Invisalign or "retainer" braces. You need to do your part and wear them almost constantly, except for eating. If there would be a challenge for me, that would be it---finding excuses to not wear them. But I am up for the challenge and am ready to do this!

I finally decided on the orthodontist I want to go with. I chose Dr. Michael Cook because of the many success stories he has and the fact that he is listed on the Invisalign site as an expert in Invisalign braces. This is no easy task. It involves expertise, success and great recommendations from patients. 

When I visited his office, I was impressed with the friendly staff, the overall information that was shared about Invisalign, and the professional courtesy shown to me by Dr. Cook. He is very personable and put me quite at ease. 

Stay with me through this next year for updates on the progress I'm making with my teeth. Does Invisalign really work? What are the pros and the cons? We'll definitely find out! 

If you are thinking about straightening your teeth and live in my area (Salt Lake County), definitely check out Dr. Michael Cook. Mention A GAL NEEDS...and get $300 off your total invoice!

The Price Of Shopping + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

When it comes to shopping, there are so many ways to go about it. There is online, department, thrift, bulk, grocery, high-end, low end, U.S. based, foreign based, and specialty stores. If you think about it, we've never had so many choices and so much variety. Yet I, for one, still want to get the very best bargain, at the least trouble, but with the best quality that I can possibly get! 

These past weeks, in my shopping adventures, I've had some good luck and some bad luck. It showed me that if you're not careful, you can end up with a less than stellar deal!

Let's start with the good deal. I have been searching for a good protein bar that doesn't taste like something half-baked and lacking several ingredients. If I'm to be honest, most protein bars, for me, leave a lot to be desired. There are some that are fairly good--good enough that if I'm on a hike or need a quick snack that has protein I will actually half-way enjoy them. But that was then, this is now. I found a great-tasting bar with a fair amount of protein and the taste is amazing! It's like I've started eating candy bars again after 20 years of avoiding them. Have you heard of Chef Robert Irving's Fit Crunch Bars? It's a six-layer bar with a cookie center, peanut butter, chocolate coating, more peanut butter, more chocolate and drizzle! Each bar has 16 grams of high-quality protein, only 3 grams of sugar and it's gluten free! I feel that it's totally worth the cost of about $1.55 per bar!

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Now for the not-so-good buy. It happened because one of the students I work with was simply fascinated by the YouTube videos that have actually gone viral about this candy company. 

It shows the candy being made in huge mixers, with huge paddles, and then being made into different flavors and being cut and packaged. Somehow it's very fascinating to a lot of people, including this student. He begged me to order some--That I'd love it so much. I guess I was feeling very obliging that day. I told him I'd look at it and maybe order some. I figured I would see what all the hype was about. I guess for one thing, instead of high fructose sugar or some other synthetic sweetener, there is actually real sugar in the candy. Didn't that used to be standard back in the day?  I went ahead and ordered their citrus blend. I thought I'd get it before school was out, but I waited and waited. Finally about 2 weeks after school was out and the student who wanted a report (and most likely a sample) of the candy was long gone into summer break and not likely to be seen again by me. The package came. It was a tiny little package, only 2.75 ounces, and the shipping cost was as much as the price of the candy. So for this little bag of candy, I paid more than 11 dollars! I thought how excellent this candy must be! But when I tried it, it wasn't any big huge deal. It basically tasted like old-fashioned hard tack candy. Which leads me to wonder and maybe research, "Is that kind of candy so rare these days?" Maybe in further research I'll find out what the big deal is and why the price seems to be so crazy exorbitant. Until then, I'm sticking with my story and saying that it wasn't one of the best buys I've ever made!

So much for my shopping adventures. I think that with the game of shopping, the price of having such bounty to choose from is occasionally getting a less than stellar deal.  I think I'll still take my chances!! Shop on!

Dog Tales + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

Let's talk about dogs, shall we? This summer my own sweet Evee is into her twilight years. Her snout is turning grey, she has trouble getting up when in resting position, she doesn't run after frisbees like she used to (she's good for about 5 minutes and then she's done). When we go on our morning walks, she really loves it, but it pretty much wears her out for the rest of the day. She and my dad are the biggest pals. They love taking naps together, he in his recliner and Evee at his feet. She's had a happy life. I've gone above and beyond trying to make her life happy. And she has certainly made mine sweeter.

But it's not Evee that I'll be perseverating on today. I have a few recent stories I'd like to share!

Story 1: I occasionally see a certain fellow dog-owner on my walks. She has two dogs with her and she has them leashed per the park ordinance that all dogs must be leashed. One of them isn't so friendly, by her own admission, so she doesn't appreciate people with dogs that aren't leashed because usually those dogs want to approach other dogs and demonstrate their amazing hiney-sniffing skills. Just as an FYI, some dogs and humans don't appreciate being approached by uninvited dogs or pets. It leads to awkward encounters that shouldn't have to be endured when you're out on a walk, minding your own business. But beyond that, some encounters go way past mere awkwardness. For instance this woman told me about a leashed dog who was approached by, not only an unleashed dog, but an unleashed pit bull and true to the stereotype, the pit bull launched into the leashed dog and ripped the unsuspecting dog up. This was documented on the neighborhood app and an alert went out to watch out for that owner and dog. But not to be reliant on an app, my leash-loving friend with the two dogs now carries a gun. She claims she wants to enjoy her walks. Believe me, whenever we cross paths, I make sure to move over and give her a wide berth! But are her fears unfounded? Who wants to meet someone's crazy dog and get into harm's way?

An Individualized Skin Regimen - Y'OUR Skincare #Review

The subscription box has taken the world by storm. We love our subscription boxes! Now there is  a box that has your own individual skin in mind! Y'OUR Skincare is the best way to keep your skin routine going, no matter what happens in your personal life. 

This blog receives product samples to facilitate honest and fair reviews

Just take the quiz, get the 4 essential skincare products shipped via free shipping, try them for 3 months, in which time you can have your products reformulated if you don't find them to be perfect for you! 

I decided to give this a try because I'm always searching for a way to make my skincare routine a little more streamlined, a little more effective and a little less costly. 

More Streamlined:
First of all, the products I receive are already tailored to me. Once I take the quiz, that's all I need to do. No more looking at different skincare labels at the store and trying to ascertain if a specific product would be good for my type of skin. Now I don't even have to go out and get it, since it's delivered to my door! It's like a party for my face!

I like to keep my regimen simple and fast. For instance, I don't want to be waiting on creams that don't absorb into my skin for a long while, therefore making me wait until I can continue with my next step. Y'OUR Skincare has a basic 2-step routine for the day and a basic 3-step routine for the evening. 

White Teeth! An Alternative To Gel Whiteners! #ProductReview

Sometimes I am a reluctant participant in the grooming rituals of today's social norms. For instance, I like white teeth as much as anyone, but I haven't liked to do the whitening thing in the past. It's a fact, I hate the gel that goes into the trays. There is always some that oozes out of the tray after I put it into my mouth and makes my saliva glands go crazy when it does. And of course, I'm not going to swallow it because it's toxic! How toxic? I don't even want to read up on it. I'm constantly leaning over the sink, spitting the residue gel out. To me it's the grossest thing! I've been known to have less than pearly whites for months on end. I've learned to endure a slightly yellow tint except for those truly special occasions and then I'll finally put the gel on the tray and let it percolate for 20 minutes, tops. 

Hooray! That is now all in the past. I can assure you that my teeth are going to look more on point now. I've found the perfect whitener!

Rather than a thick gel that goes into the tray, how about a light foam that tastes like the best mints ever? It is so easy---you just pump a small amount in the tray and leave it in your mouth for however long you want. I usually do 15 minutes, but longer is always nice. It doesn't feel gross and thick. It doesn't make me salivate unwillingly. And it doesn't get stuck to the roof of my mouth when it comes out of the tray. (The things people endure for beauty's sake, gah!)

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The Brain Drain + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

This summer I have decided to do some things for my own self-improvement and also do some projects that haven't had the chance to get done because of work during the school year. 

I have made some lists, some goals, and some resolutions to that end. There are some long range goals, weekly goals, and daily goals.  

I feel pretty motivated so far and some things definitely have been accomplished. But what I've come to realize is that no matter how much free time I have, no matter how motivated I am, there will always be something that makes the accomplishment of my goals more difficult than I had originally planned. 

My brain really wants to accomplish things, but my body isn't cooperating so much. So many wasted minutes and seconds, doing mindless activities like looking at my phone, staring into space, forgetting what I went into a room to do, remembering something I wanted to do but didn't include on my master list and doing it anyway.  Binge eating, binge napping, binge t.v. watching...

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Great Hair! An Organic Hair Elixir That Fixes Dry Hair Immediately #ProductReview

I deem myself fortunate to be able to review the hair serum from InLight Beauty and distributed here in the U.S. by 'Hug Your Skin' 

What I loved about InLight Hair Elixir is that first of all, it comes in a high-quality metal pump bottle. It is very easy to apply. It comes out in a controlled amount that you can add to if you want more.

I am amazed at how quickly it works to fix dry hair problems! One moment you have dry hair, that looks and feels like straw (I'm referring to my own hair--incredibly dry) and the next, it's soft and healthy! It absorbs magically into the hair shaft, with virtually no oily residue.

The Season Of Roses + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

I've noticed that this year the roses are looking so gorgeous!
Is it because of the inordinate amount of rainfall we received in May? Finally tomorrow on June 11th we will be getting our 80 degree temperatures typical of this time of year.

Whatever the reason, the roses are absolutely breathtaking. And here in the desert, rose season doesn't last very long. They're here for a short while and then they're gone.

The only consolation is that we'll get to see them once again in bloom next year. And then we can capture them on our cameras and film to treasure because no rose is ever the same.

I was once told that I was like a rose--beautiful, innocent, and pure. I was also told that once I let myself be "sullied" outside of marriage, my petals would be faded and I would be just a wilted flower, including kissing. 

The unfortunate thing is that I truly believed it. So soon after 12 years of age, I felt like I was a wilted rose. I never shook that belief until many years later, I learned that I am so much more than that, and that purity is a process of becoming--- much more than a single act or series of acts.

I seldom hear that condemning rhetoric nowadays. We have come so much further than what I grew up with. Women can know that moral responsibility doesn't rest solely upon themselves and that men are equally responsible for honor and virtue. 

Furthermore, when mistakes happen, we can have every chance of being pure and full of virtue. Some don't care about that kind of thing. But for those who do, know that it isn't too late if something happened to you or if you made a mistake that you regret. You will bloom as beautifully and brightly as the first day of Spring. Healing will happen, and with it, deeper conviction, firmer roots, and your face will be raised to the sun!

Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of the week's best original content. It's all about posts 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 Better American + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

Today is Memorial Day. How has your day been? Mine was great! I feel like we can't give enough honor to all of the great men and women who have served so selflessly, above and beyond the call of duty. So I ask myself, what can be done to make these men and women's sacrifice more appreciated and worth their fight? And the thought occurred to me that we can do honor to our veterans by being better citizens of the country that they have given their lives to protect, the good 'ol USA!

How can we be better Americans? Here's a couple of ideas that I think would be helpful, based on my experience. I'm sure there are so many others:

• Let's have more respect for one another. When we're out and about, or sitting alone in front of the screen, let's be respectful and aware that there are others who are every bit as entitled to courtesy and an opinion as we are!

• Let's be happy and grateful to put in a good day's work. The ability to work is awesome, and there are plenty of opportunities to do it. The opportunity to get out and contribute to society by providing a service is amazing!

• Let's not be so worried about what the person next to us has.

• Let's vote for our candidates of choice but not go postal if they don't win.

• Let's be respectful of candidates that win by the voice of the people.

• Let's keep our Constitution intact and not tear it apart just so we can get what we want. (Ex. The Founding Father's knew there was a reason for the electoral collage. It provides for people from all walks of life to be represented and counted. Don't try to eliminate it just because it means that your candidate won't win because of sheer numbers. There's much more to it than that.)

• Let's give liberally to the charities of our choice and not simply think that the Government should take care of everyone. It can't, and it never will.

• People always come first. Period.

• Study history, science and other disciplines on your own. Don't just trust what a teacher or professor tells you. Be your own fact checker. There are a lot of pretenders out there,willing to skew facts, data, and outright lie to get their agendas accomplished.

• Let's not trust everything on the internet. Make sure that we know our sources. (That would include this post!) 

And there you have it, my How-to on how to make sure that our veterans are valued even more for the great sacrifices they have rendered to our country! As we become more considerate, thoughtful and smarter about our chosen philosophies, we will render the thanks that every veteran holds dear, a country that is united, free, and indivisible under God!

  Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of the week's best original content. It's all about posts 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)