Four Ways For Moms to Relax and Unwind During The Christmas Season

It’s officially Christmas season. As the lights go up, the to-do list just seems to keep growing and growing. Whether it’s remembering to buy everybody’s presents, ordering the turkey in time or simply keeping on top of the Christmas decorations – it is a particularly hectic period for mums. There’s no escaping your usual everyday chores and responsibilities, instead you’re left with twice as much to do with the same amount of time. Consequently it is of utmost importance that you remember to put aside some time just for relaxing – whether it’s a bubble bath, relaxing with your favorite online games or reading a good book. Here are four ways for moms to relax and unwind amidst the stress of the Christmas season:

Treat yourself to a spa day
It might seem impossible but taking one day dedicated to treating yourself can provide the much needed rejuvenation to help you recharge your batteries and keep battling through this stressful period. A spa day is the perfect way to do this. If money is tight, using sites like Groupon can mean that you save a lot of money on the face value of the spa treatment.

Embrace your competitive side with a bit of online bingo
It can be easy to forget to embrace your competitive side as you battle your way through caring for your family and preparing the home for Christmas. Online bingo gets busier over the Christmas period as more people find themselves avoiding the cold and choosing to unwind with a game or two. By visiting the likes of Coral, you could chat to your fellow players and forget the stresses of the day before you by sharing jokes and anecdotes whilst playing a game or two of bingo. If you’re lucky you may even win a few games and have some extra cash for the kitty, which is notoriously short around this time of year.

Lose yourself in a film or book
One of the best things about this time of year is the amount of brilliant quality films and books being released on to the market. As production companies release films in time for the Academy Awards judging, there is no end to the excellent quality entertainment on offer. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin, for instance, has recently been made into a film – whether you want to read the book or watch the film, it’s another way to relax and unwind away from the stress.

Just do nothing
Yes, you read correctly. Keeping aside as little as fifteen minutes to simply sit and reflect on your day can help you maintain a sense of perspective that will help counter the mounting stress. The key is to ensure that you keep this time to yourself and don’t let other tasks encroach upon this time.

There you have it – four ways for moms to relax in the Christmas season to ensure that you don’t feel too overwhelmed by the festive season.

Score a $5 Frozen Honeysuckle Turkey at BI-LO!

Special promotion runs from Friday, November 20 – Sunday, November 22

WHAT:  BI-LO is helping customers prepare for Thanksgiving by kicking-off a new, fresh holiday offer, featuring ANY size of Frozen Honeysuckle White Turkey for $5 each with a qualified grocery purchase of $30 or more, while supplies last. Customers will have the opportunity to pick out their own personal high-quality, Grade A turkey from a variety of sizes, all for one low price.

WHEN:  Now until Sunday

WHERE:  All BI-LO stores.

***Friday Nov. 20 through Sunday Nov. 22 only. Limit one per transaction, per customer. No rain checks. While supplies last. Reward Card required. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Minimum $30.00 purchase, not including turkey, required before taxes. $30 purchase also excludes alcohol, tobacco, gift cards, money orders, postage stamps, pharmacy prescriptions, fees, FTD, charity, Western Union, shipping, utility payments, fuel service departments, vending machine, bottle deposits/refunds, event tickets or lottery.

Top Beauty Gift Ideas 2015 #HolidayGiftGuide

If you are looking for the perfect gifts for all the special women in your life, you're at the right place. I want to share some of my favorite beauty products from 2015 that are perfect to put under the tree, stuff in stockings or doing a gift exchange with a coworker, family member or friend.  Regardless of your budget, there is something for all the ladies on your holiday gift list. 

First up is lip color. Susan Posnick makes an amazing moisturizing lipstick called ColorEssential. These lipsticks glide on so smooth with rich color and luxurious moisture. This is one lip color that does not dry out my lips and stays put relatively well. I love the color collection named after big cities like: London, NYC, Milan and Rio. What makes this lip color so special is that they adapt to any lip color which means in my case is a plus being brown-skinned. They retail for $21 each and can be purchased at SusanPosnick.com. 

Next up for you lips is a product from Fusion Beauty called Lip Fusion. It is a Plump & Shine lipstick that comes in some gorgeous colors. I really love how well this lip color goes on and that little tingle you get that lets you know your lips will look full and plump. It has a really nice shine and is perfect for those date nights out on the town. These scream Holiday Lips! You can purchase them at FusionBeauty.com for $29. 

Do you have an eco-conscious friend or family member? CLEAN fragrances are a smart choice. Just the name "CLEAN" makes me feel good and I am sure the special ladies in my life will agree. These premium products stand behind their name, CLEAN- Simple, Nostalgic and Conscious. The packaging is very attractive and is sure to make any woman feel extra special. They comes in a nice variety of fragrances, but I especially love the CLEAN Rollerball Collection which includes 5 scents; each can be worn alone or layered for a new experience. Prices range from $18-$69 and can be purchases at CleanPerfume.com, Sephora and ULTA. 

For the women who are obsessed with keeping their skin in excellent condition, the Instrumental Beauty Sonic Facial Brush is a winner. You can check out my in-depth review here. The Instrumental Beauty Sonic Facial Brush can be purchased at select drugstores and at InstrumentalBeauty.com for $80.00 and the Yardley Nourishing Elements Soap can be found at drugstores nationwide for $4.99 for a 3-pack.

One of the best stocking stuffers for your teens has got to be related to nails. KISS Nails and Nail Art Kits are the perfect idea. Affordable, fun and easy-to-use, you just can't go wrong! There are so many color and design options to choose from. Now your teen can have a fabulous holiday manicure with minimal effort. KISS Nails are available at Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Rite Aid, Kmart and other retailers.

This last item is one of my absolute favorite, must have beauty tools, the KISS InstaWave Automatic Curler. This curling heat tool is so easy to use and is perfect for anyone who desires gorgeous spiral curls or waves. Please check out my full review here. You can purchase the Instawave ($59.99) at KISSInstaWave.com or at retailers including: Target, Ulta.com and Amazon.com. It's a fabulous styling tool and I highly recommend it if you are currently looking for something great to curl your hair.

I received product samples in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 

3 Doggy Health Hazards to Avoid on Turkey Day

Every year, countless dogs head to the vet after Thanksgiving -- many suffering from digestive problems and canine pancreatitis -- because they've eaten things they really shouldn't.

So how can you say "Bone Appetit" to Fido on Thanksgiving while still keeping your hungry hound happy and healthy?

According to canine health and wellness experts at Milk-Bone, dog parents can start by avoiding these Top 3 major doggy health hazards:

1.  DOGGY HAZARD #1:  LEFT OUT LEFTOVERS

Many dogs get sick not from being fed directly but because they climb up on the table and eat huge quantities of food when humans aren't there.

2.  DOGGY HAZARD #2:  FOOD NO-NOS

Don't give your dog turkey skin, turkey or poultry bones, onions, grapes, raisins, fatty foods, or other holiday items that are harmful or toxic to dogs.

3.  DOGGY HEALTH HAZARD #3:  DENTAL DAMAGERS

Avoid plastic bones, ice cubes, antlers, and bully sticks -- all of which can cause painful doggy tooth fractures.

Get some great tips for your dog's health from this useful infographic provided by Milk-Bone . We wish you and your pup a Happy Woofgiving!

5 Thanksgiving Turkey Carving Tips (Do's and Don’ts)

46 Million Turkey dinners are expected to be served on Thanksgiving.  But cooking is only half the battle. The taste can take a turkey turn downward if you don't slice your bird the right way. 

Dennis Snuszka, Vice President of Food & Beverage at dining destination TooJay’s Deli ( www.toojays.com ) has the must do's and don’ts to make sure you carving and serving of the feature Thanksgiving item is perfect.

  

1)    Don’t Cut Too Soon. Allow the roast turkey to rest 30 minutes before carving. This allows all of the natural juices to redistribute throughout the meat to prevent the turkey from drying out.

2)   Separation is a Good Thing.  Separate the leg from the breast by running a boning knife through the skin between the two. Continue to cut in a downward direction until you reach the thigh joint and carefully separate as you push the leg away from the frame. Cut off drumstick and serve it whole. Place thigh on to a cutting board and slice through the meat on either side of bone straight down

3)  Slicing the Right Size.   Using a slicer knife use the full length of the blade to cut slices no more than a ½” thick starting from the outside of the breast and moving towards the center or breastbone. 

4)  Again and Again.   Repeat these steps until the entire bird has been sliced. Remove the wings from the frame with a boning knife in the same way you removed the leg from the breast. 

5)   Boil and Go.  Make sure that the turkey gravy is brought up to a boil before serving to reheat the sliced turkey.