Celebrate the True Spirit of American Beauty with @Almay #SimplyAmerican

This post is part of a collaboration between Almay and SheKnows. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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We had a great weekend at the Texas State Fair.  There is just something about the start of the Texas Sate Fair that says “fall” even if it is still 95 degrees outside.

This year I had the best time visiting the Almay bus at the fair.  I had a chance to spin the wheel of prizes, get a mini makeover, and recharge my phone on the patio and relax.

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Michelle and I chilling on the patio

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Almay has proudly announced its collaboration with the USO, the only military non-profit organization that has supported our troops and families for more than 70 years. Almay will honor the women of the U.S. military and veterans, and focus on troops as they transition from service back to their communities.

I got my picture taken at the “kissing booth” and put on the big American flag.

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This summer, Almay embarked on the ultimate road trip, creating a custom, Simply American experience that will stop at venues such as state fairs and other festivals. Almay will offer make up touch ups and celebrate the people, places and occasions that best exemplify the American spirit, including service women, veterans, military wives and their families.  This means so much to me because we are a former military family.  Terence and I lived on base for almost 6 years right after we got married 🙂

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The Almay Simply American bus tour is going out with a bang on October 3rd, making its last stop at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.  Texas peeps check it out!  I know a lot of friends who are going to the Music Festival, so don’t forget to stop by the bust and get your free makeup touch-ups with Almay makeup artists, Almay product samples, and giveaways!

Makeup samples from AlmayBBP_7585 Here is my makeup artist and my makeover- makeover selfies 🙂

She put the most moisturizing lipstick on me.  My lips are always dry, so I loved this! She also wrote down all the products we used so I could take it home.  #scoreBBP_7604

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Share your #SimplyAmerican beauty photos for a chance to have it featured on Almay’s hub page HERE.  In addition to contributing $250,000 to the USO, Almay will also donate $1 for each approved share, up to $10,000 max donation until 10/6/15.

Find all the stops for the Almay Simply American tour HERE.

Follow on Twitter, Facebook, & Instagram

Just for kicks I’ll share the WORST picture in America!  Ha ha!  I actually suggested we ride the dizzy ladybug roller coaster at the fair.  I can’t tell you how thrilled we all were to be on it.  I look like I have whiplash (because I did!) that ride spins you so hard I could barely stand to get off!  Poor Connor’s face….oh my goodness!  Terence just kept telling me to stop screaming…these are the memories life is made of.  Histerical.

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Pumpkin Crumble Cake #LoneStarEggs

This post is sponsored by Lone Star Eggs. All opinions are my own.

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I shared with you a while ago about Lone Star Eggs.  Well, today I’m going to share a yummy fall recipe featuring Lone Star Eggs found right here in Texas at my local Walmart.

Tis the season for everything PUMPKIN!  So I thought I would share with you a delish recipe for pumpkin crumb cake.

Crumb topping

  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • pinch of salt
  • 3/4 cup flour

In a small sauce pan, cook butter, brown sugar and salt over medium heat stirring constantly until smooth- about 6 minutes.  Add vanilla and stir until combined.  Remove from heat.  Whisk in flour.  Set aside and let cool

Cake

  • 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large Lone Star Eggs
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoons ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, eggs and sour cream until smooth and well combined.  In another bowl whisk together flour, and remaining dry ingredients.  Slowly add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture mixing until just combined. Pour batter into 8×8 pan lined with parchment. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  Sprinkle crumb topping over cake when cooled.

It should turn out looking something like this, mine crumbled a bit…but that is okay because it’s a crumb cake 🙂

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I love shopping at Walmart.  They have everything all in one place.  I also like to support local Texas businesses and foods that are sourced in our great state of TEXAS!  I’m originally from Arkansas, which is actually where Walmart is headquartered.  I married a Texan and now I’ve been here for over 8 years.  Texans have major pride, and I’ll tell you something they are not ashamed to show it!  That’s one of the first things I told my husband when we moved here.

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When I shop at Walmart I feel a little bit of home with me while living in Texas.  I know that sounds silly, but it’s so true!

Now we are raising our own little Texan and we want him to grow big and strong!  That’s why it’s so important to feed him good food.  Lone Star Eggs are a great source of protein 🙂

08172010Check your local paper October 18th for a coupon for $0.75 off a carton of Lone Star Eggs.  It will be in the Dallas/Ft Worth, Houston and San Antonio area newspapers.

Lone Star Eggs is also giving away a year’s supply of eggs on their Facebook page and 52 other winners that will receive 1 dozen free eggs.

Friday Favorites Link Up: Fall TV Shows

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If you’ve ready this blog for any extended period of time you know my love of The Goldberg’s and the crazy Mom Beverly and all her antics.  It’s the funniest sitcom on TV as far as I’m concerned.  It’s set in the 80’s (my favorite era) and everything about it makes me happy!  The hair, the scrunchies, leg warmers, and crazy sweaters oh my!

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Terence and I watched The Blindspot on Monday night and I really liked it!  I love a good mystery and this is going to be one of them…I can tell by the first episode.  We also watched Limitless this week, The Blacklist is a favorite, and Scandal.  On Fridays we like to watch Shark Tank too 🙂

What are your favorite TV shows this fall?  Link up below:


Things that Make My Day

I surprised Connor during lunch today at school and brought Chick-Fil-A.  He had been telling me other parents come visit during lunch time and would really like that so I thought I would go by there.  Until I tried to leave and talk about a MELT DOWN.  Oh my gosh….not a good idea to stop by during the middle of the school day.  Although we did have a great time 🙂

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My new fall bag from Barrington totes.  I have been wanting a tartan bag FOREVER.  When I saw they had this pattern I went nutso.  I have a thing for bags and purses and I just love these totes because I can literally fit my LIFE into them.  I’m ready to Christmas shop ladies and we are headed to the Texas State Fair this weekend….I can fit all my goodies in here!

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Fun mail days are the best.  Leave it to the folks at Dunkin Donuts to make mine.  They sent this fall care package of goodies.  Dunkin Donuts is introducing a Pumpkin Macchiato.  If you know me….then you know Macchiatos are my favorite coffee drink!  National coffee day is this coming Tuesday, September 29th.  Go to any Dunkin’ Donuts store across the country and receive a free medium cup of Dunkin’ Donuts hot or iced Dark Roast Coffee- limit one per guest.  COUNT ME THERE!!!  I don’t discriminate against any kind of coffee- I love it all– especially when it’s FREE 🙂   Thank you Dunkin!

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And last but not least I’ve teamed up with some fabulous bloggers to give away a Toshiba Satellite Laptop.  Holla!  Follow instructions and enter below:

 

Enter for a chance to win a Toshiba Satellite Laptop Computer.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

My Fit Foods: Feel Good & Eat Healthy #PayFitForward #Partner

I’ve partnered with My Fit Foods to bring you this post. All opinions remain my own.

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If you all read my last post I mentioned how I struggle with meals and cooking healthy dinners for our family.  I recently discovered My Fit Foods.  It’s so easy even I can do it!  You can even order online ahead of time and pick up in the store.  I’ve actually been in the store where I live and it’s so easy to find meals that are healthy and the staff is super helpful.  My Fit Foods is like the fairy godmother of “What’s for dinner?” Everything is so simple and laid out for you that all you have left to do is EAT.  It’s healthy too, so that makes me feel even better.

During the month of September, My Fit Foods’ is encouraging people to share healthy lifestyle habits with friends, while simultaneously giving back to those in need. Purchase a meal at My Fit Foods during participating “Pay Fit Forward Fridays” and you will be offered the option to donate a FREE meal either to a friend, or to a local hunger-relief charity.

Here’s how:

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Starting and maintaining healthy habits are better with support.

Buy one of our delicious meals and your second one is free.

You chose where to give your second meal. You can give it to a friend or donate it to a local food bank.

“My Fit Foods is committed to making healthy flavorful meals convenient and accessible for everyone,” said David Goronkin, CEO of My Fit Foods.

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My Fit Foods offers fresh, nutritious portion-controlled meals that are satisfying, convenient, rich in flavor and wholesome.

As part of the “Pay Fit Forward” program My Fit Foods retail stores will guarantee a donation to each of the local charities within the respective markets.

My Fit Foods has been an active contributor to hunger-relief efforts with donations of more than 32,000 meals in Austin alone over the past year.

Donations at local My Fit Foods retail locations will benefit the following charities:

Arizona: Waste Not, a non-profit that collects excess perishable foods from local establishments and delivers the food to more than 100 agencies that feed the hungry.

California: Second Harvest Food Bank, one of the largest food banks dedicated to ending local hunger in the state of California.

Illinois: Lakeview Pantry, one of Chicago’s largest and longest-operating food pantries.

Oklahoma: Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, a private, hunger-relief organization dedicated to feeding the hungry in eastern Oklahoma.

Texas: Keep Austin Fed, a non-profit organization that gathers wholesome and nutritious surplus food and distributes to local charities that feed those in need; North Texas Food Bank, the largest North Texas charity focused on feeding the local hungry; Nourishment for the Needy, a faith-based food pantry in the Texas area “For many Americans battling food insecurity, high-quality and nutritious meals are often out of the question,” said Susan Hensarling Nahkunst, Executive Director of Keep Austin Fed. “Through their donations, My Fit Foods is making healthy eating attainable and convenient for everyone in our community. We are thankful to be part of their ‘Pay Fit Forward’ campaign.”

For more information on the “Pay Fit Forward” campaign or to find the My Fit Foods location nearest you, visit HERE.

Follow My Fit Foods on Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook for the latest and greatest!

Let’s make a date for Friday at My Fit Foods shall we???

 

 

 

What’s in a Home?

I can’t believe it’s already a few months until Christmas.  It seems like every year goes by faster and faster.  Connor is really enjoying Kindergarten and it’s fun to watch him learn and thrive every day.

It’s taken me some getting used to our new schedule.  For so long I worked full time and now that I’m not it’s hard to adjust.  I know what you’re thinking….“REALLY Becky…you are complaining about having MORE time???”  It’s just a new routine and I’m used to having something to do constantly and it’s in my nature I guess.  I LOVE MY JOB.  Thank you Jesus.  Terence and I were both sick with what Connor had a couple weeks ago and everyone was so great about it.  We’ve never really been a sickly family, but since Connor started school it’s like WHAM….bring it!  We had a scare with Terence’s x-ray that came back needing further inspection.  The next day Terence had a CT scan to rule out cancer in his lymph nodes.  After a worrisome 48 hours we were relieved to find out it wasn’t cancer and it was a calcified something-or-other…..but nothing to be concerned with right now.

I am enjoying being able to pick Connor up from school and drop him off.  Help with homework and hopefully go on field trips this fall. I’ve got to step up my game on cooking.  I am not gifted in the kitchen.  UGH.  It’s like torture for me to cook a decent meal.  Meal planning is so hard because I don’t eat a lot of meat, but the boys both like different things.  It’s just three people so why should it be so hard to cook something???  It is though and it stresses me out.  Is that normal?

Connor lost a second tooth at school today.  He looks so cute with his little snaggle toothed mouth 🙂

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We are still house hunting.  It’s been one of the most grueling processes.  I am beginning to wonder if we should have sold our house to begin with….sigh.  I’m ready for some space and a yard again.  I just want some place we can roam, put up a Christmas tree, and get to know our neighbors.  It’s hard in an apartment with kid who wants to bounce and run everywhere.  (And leave tiny itty bitty Legos laying on the floor)  I know God has the perfect place out there for us….I’m hoping we find it soon!  Prayers would be greatly appreciated as we continue this process and we have to put a notice in on our lease soon.

A few weeks ago my best friend Ellen came to visit and the Sheraton hotel in Fort Worth hosted us for the weekend.  It was SO much fun!  We had a great visit and some fun retail therapy!

Sprinkles cupcakes 🙂

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The rooms were so nice.  The Sheraton in Fort Worth recently remodeled and everything was exceptional.  Down to the Starbucks in the lobby 🙂BBP_6852 BBP_6856 BBP_6858 BBP_6860 BBP_6863 BBP_6865

I mean if we can’t find a house right now I can at least stay in an awesome hotel right?

And it was pretty awesome.

Friday Favorites Linkup: Where are you From?

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One of the great things about blogging is meeting people outside of your community.  People from all over the world.  I really enjoy hearing about all of your home towns and where you are from!  One of the fabulous people who I’ve met through blogging is KIM!  She’s also my hostess with the mostess for this link-up.  Join in won’t ya?

So, here’s ME:

I’m currently living in DFW Texas.  I consider myself “from” Arkansas.  We moved to AR when I was in the 3rd grade and I lived there until my husband finished college.  I love Texas, but I miss Arkansas so many days too.  I miss my family and friends every single day.  It’s fun to venture out some place new, but there is nothing like family.

My Arkansas family:

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Friday Flashback:

Terence and I at the Fort Worth Water Gardens.  This is also the place he proposed to me later on.  We were probably around 18-19 years old and this was my first trip to visit his hometown 🙂  Little did I know we would end up here years down the road and settling down.

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So, where are you from and what’s something you love about your hometown?

Link up below:

Another random thing…have any of you tried Rocksbox yet?  I tried it because why not…the first box is FREE!  I loved what I got in it.  You basically go online and fill out a profile on what kind of jewelry you like and they send you 3 pieces that fit your style.  I loved my first box.  I got a necklace, earrings, and beautiful cuff bracelet.  You can return them at any time too!

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Get your first box FREE using code: BECKYBFF113

Next week’s topic:

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