I love chalkboards. I made the kids one out of an antique desk drawer and a can of chalkboard paint (true story). UrbanWalls offered to send me their chalkboard wall decal and I was all, “Um, how soon can it get here?”.

Decals kinda freak me out because I worry that they will be difficult to apply and look not very cute. I applied this high quality chalkboard vinyl decal in about thirty seconds all by myself and it was probably the easiest thing ever.

I love the matte finish and that it looks brand new every time we wipe it off, which is at least one a week.

Want one to call your very own? Leave a comment telling me where you would hang your chalkboard decal. I put mine by my phone.

Giveaway will close Friday 12/23, one comment per person.

Good luck!

My vision went to crap when I was 12 and I have worn glasses or contacts ever since.  When I was younger, I preferred contacts.  Now that I’m older (see TIRED), I pretty much wear glasses exclusively.  You don’t have to mess with any solutions and you don’t have to put your hands in your eyeballs to take them off (THINK OF THE GERMS).

Also, I think they make me look smart.  And fancy.  Like I want to write cursive and check the stocks when I wear my glasses.

GlassesUSA.com graciously provided me with a pair of spectacles (smart people say spectacles) and they are my new favorite. I was kinda frightened about ordering a pair of glasses online, but GlassesUSA.com guarantees everything and they have a virtual mirror and you can “try” your glasses on before you make your purchase.  I received my glasses in record time and I was able to rock them out immediately.  No hands in my eyeballs needed.

I went with the Noah in gray, a refined yet modern frame. (Imagine I said that in cursive.)

You can check out their Facebook page for exclusive deals and they also have awesome savings on their site in case you want to buy glasses or eyeglasses, OMG THERE IS SO MANY WORDS FOR SPECTACLES.

According to the Vision Council of America (smart people research), about 60% of the adult population uses prescription glasses or contacts.  Do you wear either?  Let’s talk.

Team Smarts 4 Life.

*giveaway is closed*

When I think of Nintendo Wii and video games, I do not immediately think of relaxation and meditation. But that’s exactly what I was in for while playing the Leela Wii game. I’m being serious, y’all.

Healing expert and renowned author Deepak Chopra, M.D. has teamed up with gaming giant THQ to create a new type of video game experience: Leela, which means “pastime, sport, or play” in Sanskrit.

Deepak Chopra’s Leela is inspired by the ancient system of Chakras, which are the body’s seven energy centers through which the life force flows, helping us to maintain physical, mental, emotional and spiritual balance. By using the Wii motion technology, players can focus their attention on specific parts of their bodies to relax and develop a flow state. This is hippie talk for it’s supposed to help you chill out.

Leela consists of two main modes, REFLECT and PLAY. With REFLECT, you can listen as Deepak guides you through traditional meditation practices. You can also choose silent meditation, which are sound meditations that include a time limit you set for yourself. I had a difficult time reflecting because my phone was ringing, and my three year old kept asking for a grilled cheese.

With PLAY, you can get down with Leela through games and active participation. Leela’s seven Movements are games that engage your body, mind, and spirit. Each Movement has seven levels, and you unlock each level by completing the previous level. Here I am in Movement One-Origin, where I used the Wii remote to control my planet and guide it to thrive and bloom by watering and sunning virtual trees and mushrooms at the appropriate times to create energy.

As I expected, being a mushroom farmer is hard. What I didn’t expect was to enjoy this game so much. There are no points or time limits, and I found Leela to be somewhat relaxing. Even if I had to stop and make a grilled cheese.

Enough about me, what about you?

Would you like to win your very own copy of Leela? What about your very own Wii?

This is pretty much the best giveaway ever. To be entered for a chance to win Deepak Chopra’s Leela game, provided by THQ, and your very own Nintendo Wii console, provided by BlogHer, just tell me: “How do you find balance and peace?”

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 11/11/2011 – 12/8/2011.

Be sure to visit the Promotions & Prizes page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

Also check out the Leela Mandala Facebook App to create and customize your own personal “mandala” – artwork that expresses an individual’s unique essence and intentions.

Good luck!

Bare Escentuals believes Beauty is a force.

We aren’t talking about “oh, she’s so pretty” here folks, we are talking about true beauty. I believe beauty comes from the inside; it is a force, like empathy and compassion. That’s beauty, and we all have it. We are all capable of being beautiful.

I love the bareMinerals® message about beauty so much, and I was stoked to try the bareMinerals READY™ Eyeshadow.

I received the READY Eyeshadow 2.0 The Promise, and it contains ‘Vow‘ + ‘Aspire‘. Isn’t that just fabulous?

I have never tried mineral makeup before, and I was hesitant that it would, you know, actually stay on my face.  bareMinerals READY™ Eyeshadow is made with positively-charged sea minerals created through a unique cold-pressed method resulting in pure color that’s wicked long-wearing and amazingly blendable. And! It contains anti-aging benefits, like antioxidant protection and depuffing.

Not only did the Eyeshadow stay put on my eyes, it also serves as a reminder. I am a force, dammit.

May the force (of beauty) be with you.

***

How do you define a Force of Beauty? Share your thoughts and opinion in the comments section for your chance to win a bareMinerals READY™ Eyeshadow 2.0.

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from October 25 – November 30, 2011.

Be sure to visit the Promotions & Prizes page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win. For even more information about the Force of Beauty, like Bare Escentuals® on their Facebook page.

Good luck!

As I get older, my skin is beginning to revolt.

I have more breakouts now at 35 than I did as a teenager. My new personal favorite: Getting a pimple in a wrinkle.

Not awesome.

I was recently given the opportunity to try the new Olay Professional Pro-X Clear skin line, which is oil-free and specifically designed with the needs of mature skin in mind and contains clinically proven fancy face technology to control breakouts PLUS reduce the appearance of pores and refine texture in less than a month.

To me, this means your zits adult acne will go away quickly and your wrinkles appear less noticeable in like less than four weeks.

Most acne treatments are designed for Justin Bieber’s biggest fans AKA people young enough to be my children.  This limits skin care options for women with acne prone skin because grown up skin has special grown up needs.  According to the American Academy of Dermatology, over half the women in the U.S. between 25 and 58 have some form of acne.

FYI and probably TMI: My acne seems to be hormone related.

Olay Professional Pro-X Clear consists of three steps.

1.   Olay Professional Pro-X Clear Pore Clarifying Cleanser I washed my face nightly with this cleanser that contains a salicylic acid that reduces oil and removes dead skin to prevent new acne from forming.

2.  Olay Professional Pro-X Clear Skin Clearing Treatment  After washing my face, I applied this full face leave-on salicylic acid lotion designed to bring acne under control and prevent future breakouts.

3.  Olay Professional Pro-X Clear Complexion Renewing Lotion  The last step is a sheer moisturizer that hydrates and helps fade the look of spots and redness for a overall renewed appearance.  I have debated using this lotion on my entire 35 year old body, I love it so.

Verdict:  Olay Professional Pro-X Clear worked for me and my zits acne and I’m old enough to be the Biebs mom.

BlogHer is giving away a $50 gift card to drugstore.com and you know you want it.

So leave a comment and tell me, What’s your biggest challenge regarding your skin?

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open between October 3rd – November 3rd and to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here and you can check out the BlogHer round up pagefor more chances to win.

Speaking of taking care of your skin, this post by Roxanna Sarmiento in the Life Well Lived section of BlogHer.com has some cool tips for healthy skin habits.

Good luck!