Mirra Beauty Products Review and Giveaway*

What do women want? According to recent survey results, women believe beauty products made with both natural ingredients and proven scientific technologies work best – and that’s what new beauty brand, mirra™ provides.

In addition to its own consumer research, mirra recently conducted an online survey of over 500 women asking a variety of questions about beauty care products and regimens.   Here’s what women said:

· 77 percent said products that have both natural ingredients and proven technologies, work best. Only nine percent said products with all natural ingredients, alone, were best; and 14 percent said the same of science only products.

· 71 percent chose “Take 10” as the best description of their beauty style and routine. They said they don’t have a lot of time and don’t spend a lot of time on their beauty routine – 10 minutes at most.   Other options included “soak and savor,” “60 minutes,” and  “beat the clock.”

· Their description of a “bad hair day” was evenly split between “flat” (37 percent) and “frizzy” (35 percent). (15 percent said fly-away; 13 percent said oily).

Launching now, mirra products include shampoos and conditioners; hair styling products; body washes and mists; facial and skin care lotions, cleansers and cleansing cloths; eye firming and age defying creams; and cosmetic brushes.

mirra products are made with natural ingredients, such as olive oil, aloe leaf juice, and cranberry, bamboo, honey and chicory root extracts.  Proven technologies are used for many of the products too.  For example, the revolutionary oleosome emulsion technology is used in skin care products to deliver long lasting moisture that keeps protecting and nourishing skin long after application.

mirra products can be found in the beauty care aisles exclusively at all stores that are part of the Kroger Co. family. For a limited time, mirra is offering $5 off when you purchase any two mirra products. To download the coupon visit www.kroger.com\coupons.

Why mirra

“Women tell us they want products that enhance who they are and their natural beauty. They don’t want to disguise or cover up their true selves,” said Linda Severin, Vice President of Corporate Brands for The Kroger Co.   “mirra uses the best of nature and science to provide women a beauty regimen that is both easy and effective.”

A Closer Look at mirra

The natural and scientific ingredients in mirra products are tested for effectiveness.  For example, in mirra’s micro-remodeling cream, aloe and green tea team up with MATRIXL 3000 to reduce wrinkles, provide skin firmness, to sooth and deliver antioxidant properties.  A study of MATRIXL 3000 was shown, in just two months, to significantly reduce wrinkle depth and skin roughness and improve skin tone.

FROM ME : I was recently given the opportunity to test out some Mirra beauty products for myself. I was sent body wash, shampoo, conditioner, day cream, night cream, eye cream, and lotion all full size products. I was asked to try them for a period of 2 weeks and then tell you what I think. Well, first off, I love that they are made with natural ingredients. I have been trying to go greener and also use less harsh things on my body, as well as on my families. So, I was impressed to read this about the Mirra Products.

They even just smell more natural. Which is the next thing I tend to do when trying a new product. I do a “smell test”. If I do not like the smell, I am not going to be putting it on my body or hair. Mirra products smell great, basically there isn’t much of a smell because they are natural, which is great by me.

Now, I must remind you (or if your a new reader) I do have insanely sensitive skin. Also, this winter has harmed my scalp a lot. I have had more flakes of my scalp then we have had snow flakes, well maybe not really, but I have been having issues!

The body wash is great, it didn’t break me out one bit, works nicely, and it made my skin feel soft. The shampoo and conditioner, made my hair very silky feeling and didn’t dry my scalp like other shampoo’s sometimes do (on me).

I like the day and night creams, they helped to keep my skin on my face feeling moist all day long. I didn’t use the eye cream much, just one time per day, and it also felt silky on my eyes.

The lotion also kept my legs and arms soft and moisturized and I didn’t have any problems with break outs. Which I hesitate to try new things due to my sensitiveness but knowing this was all natural I was ok to give it all a try. I am glad I did.

REMEMBER to go and get your coupon here: http://www.kroger.com/in_store/corporate_brands/Pages/mirra.aspx so you can try these great products for yourself. ALSO, you can have a chance at winning a gift pack like the one I received to try.

Here is how you can WIN :

1. Fave my site on momfaves – comment and let me know you have = 1 entry
2. FAN my Facebook page : you can do that by clicking on “Follow this blog” over on my sidebar or by going to Facebook and following The Plus Size Mommy.- Comment and let me know you did = 1 entry.
3. Use stumbleupon, technorati, digg for this site/post. – comment letting me know which you have done = 1 entry per way.
4. Tweet the following on Twitter – ” Win a MIRRA Beauty gift pack on @plussizemommy ’s Blog here :  http://twurl.nl/mt6q7p  ”    – Tweet up to 3 times per day = up to 3 entries per day. Please comment leaving tweet thread, and please leave separate comments for each entry.

This giveaway begins NOW and will end on March 18th, 2010 at 7PM EST.  Winner will be chosen via random.org. Winner must be a subscriber to this blog. Also Winner must reside in US ONLY! Winner will be posted to this site by March 19th. Winners will NOT be emailed.

Thank you for all who enter and Good Luck!

The Plus Size Mommy

*Disclosure – I received these products courtesy of The Kroger Company for review and giveaway as a part of the Global Influence Network. Also the giveaway products will be sent to the winner from the company at no charge to me.

About The Kroger Co.:

Kroger, the nation’s largest traditional grocery retailer, employs more than 326,000 associates who serve customers in 2,469 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Jay C, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith’s. The Company also operates 773 convenience stores, 392 fine jewelry stores, 850 supermarket fuel centers and 40 food processing plants in the U.S. Kroger, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, focuses its charitable efforts on supporting hunger relief, health and wellness initiatives, and local organizations in the communities it serves. For more information about Kroger, please visit www.kroger.com.

DiggersList For Disasters

We often lead ourselves to believe that a natural disaster will never hit our home. Yet, thousands of people’s homes are annually hit by fire, floods, earthquakes, tornados and hurricanes.  What’s worse, many home owners don’t carry the proper insurance to cover damages caused by natural disasters.

Matt Knox, Founder and CEO of DiggersList, a home improvement online resource, has 10 quick and cheap home-protection tips that will help you minimize damages to your home and your wallet.

For earthquakes:

• Fasten lamps, china and other small valuables to shelves or surfaces with puttylike anchoring or museum wax.
• Install latches on cabinet door in order to keep contents inside
• Secure your water heater to a wall stud with a water-heater strap

For fires:

• Install a fireplace screen to keep embers inside
• Have a spark arrestor installed in your chimney

For floods and rain:

• Install weather-stripping on and around doors and windows to prevent water from seeping into your home.
• Install storm shutters or create your own using precut sheets of plywood cut to fit into each window
• Install storm doors

Many of these items can be found via DiggersList, which when compared to stores like Home Depot can get save you 50 cents to the dollar on every purchase.

DiggersList is now available in Arizona, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, and Texas. However, they are looking for referrals to new cities to start lists in. So you can goto DiggersList.com and suggest a new city now.

The Plus Size Mommy

Introducing – Tommee Tippee* & Giveaway!

I would love to introduce to you Tommee Tippee. What is Tommee Tippee you ask ?

It is a Brand New product that is hitting the store shelves in Babies R Us and Toys R Us stores near you!

I have had the great honor of trying their Sippy Cups and Baby Bottles on my daughter, and I wish they would’ve gotten to the USA sooner!

Here is some details of the “‘truly spill-proof first sips cup” -

• unique soft-flex spout
• advance flo- technology for easy drinking (Active Sensor valve system)
• BPA FREE
• Leak Proof
• have been around for 50 years in the UK
• Supports Natural Oral Development
• Progressively Staged

What I thought about these Sippy Cups (My personal opinion) -

Upon first glance of the sippy cups, I immediately noticed the handles. I really like the soft handles that make it easy for my daughter to hold the sippy cup. After opening it, I noticed the creatively designed spout. It is different than any other sippy cup I have ever used with my children. My daughter  seems to like these sippy cups very well. They are easy to clean and also I truly have not had any problems with accidental leakage. Other sippy cups still tend to leak occasionally when turned upside down. The only trouble I had at all with the cup was getting the lid off for the first time. It is really smooth and takes a little getting used to. On the other hand I really like this about the cup, so my daughter cannot get the lid off and spill it every where. And once you get used to the lid, it is a piece of cake.

The Tommee Tippy Cup holds 5 fl oz. of liquid, and retails at Toys R US and Babies R US for approx.  $4.99.

To learn and see more, please visit here : http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3918812

Tommee Tippee Baby Bottles

Upon first glance at the Tommee Tippee bottles, I noticed the wide mouth top, making them so much easier to fill with milk than other bottles. I also love the nipples on the bottles. My daughter took to them right away, with no troubles at all. I love the caps too, they do not fall off like other bottles I have used.

Here are some more specific details on the bottles :

• BPA FREE
• 3 packs cost about $17.99 at Babies R Us/Toys R Us, which to me is a GREAT price for a 3 pack of bottles
• 9 oz bottles instead of typical 8 oz ones
• soft, naturally flexing nipples – making them more natural for babies
• natural shape for babies to latch onto easier
• ultrasensitive anti-colic valve lets babies feed at their own pace with reduced risk of gas and colic
• very comfortable to hold

You can purchase them, read more, and see more photo’s of them, and more reviews here : http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3918819

Right now if you visit www.tommeetippee.com  you can follow them on twitter, and also on Facebook. If you Fan them on Facebook you will have a chance at winning gift cards to Babies R Us

But you can also have a chance to win RIGHT HERE , here is how :

1. Fave my site on momfaves – comment and let me know you have = 1 entry
2. Fave Tommee Tippee on momfaves – comment and let me know you have = 1 entry
3. FAN my Facebook page : you can do that by clicking on “Follow this blog” over on my sidebar or by going to Facebook and following The Plus Size Mommy.- Comment and let me know you did = 1 entry.
4. Use stumbleupon, technorati, digg for this site/post.  - comment letting me know which you have done = 1 entry per way.
5. Tweet the following on Twitter –  ” @plussizemommy is introducing @tommeetippeeUS on her blog, you can WIN  thanks to @BabiesRUs  http://is.gd/8QLxu   ” = up to 3 entries/tweets per day, please leave separate comments for each.

One winner will be chosen via random.org. Winner will win a baby Tommee Tippee gift pack containing a 3 pack of bottles and 2 sippy cups.

This giveaway begins NOW and ends on March 2, 2010 at 7PM EST. Winner will not be notified via email. Winner’s name will be posted to this site by March 3, 2010. Winner will have 48 hours to claim prize. If prize is unclaimed another winner will then be drawn after the 48 hour period. As with ALL giveaways on this blog, winner MUST be a subscriber to this blog in order to win.

Thank you for entering and Good Luck!

The Plus Size Mommy

*I was sent the Tommee Tippee sippy cups and baby bottles to review on this blog. The review of the bottles is my own personal honest review. All comments made by me are my own personal views of these products. The products were sent to me on behalf of Babies R Us to review at no charge to me. Also the prizes will be sent to the winner at no charge to me. – full disclosure

“Snow The Race Horse” – Book Review

When the book “Snow The Race Horse” by Demi Knight Clark came in the mail, my near 2 yr. old daughter was so excited that a new book came for her. The pictures in the book are so cute, and my daughter just loves horses. This alone was enough to catch her attention. This book was very neat how they taught about teamwork and friendship between the  little horse and her friend Tuga  that were trying to win the race. You will want to read this book with your child(ren) to see the outcome of who wins the checkered flag at the end!  Snow’s adventures won’t end just there either, as you can now also pre-order up and coming books in this little series. All which will teach a lesson to your child(ren).

My 4 yr. old daughter loves horses too, and she was very drawn into this book and it is just long enough to keep their attention span.

You can read more about, Joint the mailing list,  order, fan on Facebook, and follow on twitter this book here : http://www.snowtheracehorse.com .

The Plus Size Mommy

*I was sent this book to review for  free on behalf of my relationship with Parent Reviewers. My thoughts and my honest review of this book are my own.

Progresso Light and 100 Calorie Soups!* (WIN)

Celebrate the New Year and a new you with Progresso Light and 100 Calorie Soups because from January 4 through March 15th, you can visit www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to enter the Progresso “Souper You Debut” contest for the chance to win a full makeover in New York City. Three grand prize winners will be awarded a trip for two to New York City from May 21st-23rd. The prize includes roundtrip airfare, a two-night stay in a NYC hotel, a full makeover, a $1,000 wardrobe shopping spree and personal consultation at a New York department store. To enter, you´ll need to do the following:

• Go to www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to learn more and enter the contest
• Submit your essay (200 characters or less) telling Progresso why you love Progresso Light or 100 Calorie Soups and why you would like a makeover
• In addition, please submit a photo of yourself that visually reinforces the theme of your essay

Once you enter, you´ll have the chance for your photo and/or an excerpt from your essay to appear on www.Progresso.com/SouperYou, so be sure to check back frequently! Once the 10 finalists are announced, you can visitwww.Progresso.com/SouperYou from March 29 through April 12 to vote for your favorite. In addition, throughout the duration of the contest you can visit www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to download a coupon for $1 off any three varieties of Progresso Soup! With surprisingly hearty ingredients like pasta, beans, corn and rice, and flavor-packed vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and peppers, Progresso Light and 100 Calorie Soups offer varieties with a good source of fiber and a full serving of vegetables. Satisfying your taste buds, Progresso Light and 100 Calories Soups can help curb your hunger, making it easier for you to stick to your weight management plan. FROM ME : During my recent weight loss challenge I have been eating a lot of soups for lunch. The Progresso soup I was sent for doing this post has definitely been a help. It is about 100 calories per can (each can has 2 servings) but even if I eat the whole can, I am still on track for my 500 cal. per meal diet  (1500 cal./day). The soups are very good. I was sent  several cans, so I haven’t been able to try every flavor yet. I have tried the chicken noodle and the vegetable and I liked them a lot. My children have been eating these too after school, the soup keeps them filled until dinner and it definitely beats junk food. On the recent cold days we have been having there is nothing like a nice hot cup or bowl of soup to satisfy! NOW YOU CAN WIN and try for yourself!!! : This is a GREAT prize pack to win, you will love this It consists of a Progresso Soup Mug, it is like a ceramic material, a Progresso jump rope that counts the # of jumps and other info.!! (kids and I love this),  and  2 cans  of soup from Progresso. This giveaway starts NOW and ends on 2/11/2010 at 7PM EST. Winner will not be notified, but WILL be posted to this site by 2/12/2010. Winner will be chosen via random.org. Winner MUST be a subscriber to this blog. Here is the ways to get an entry :

1. Tweet the following = ” Win a Progressive Soup Prize pack from @plussizemommy  ’s blog here :          ”        you may tweet up to 3 times per day = 1 entry per tweet, separate comments please.
2. Follow me on twitter = 1 entry  (I am @plussizemommy)
3. Use stumbleupon, technorati, digg for this site/post.  - comment letting me know which you have done = 1 entry per way.
4. Fave my site on momfaves – comment and let me know you have = 1 entry
5. What flavor of Progresso soup is your favorite? – comment and tell me = 1 entry

Good Luck to everyone !

The Plus Size Mommy

*The Progresso Soup, gift pack, information, and giveaway were all provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.)

Week 3 update-#Yourshape Challenge*

This week was bitter sweet for me. I was able to drink my water (looking into my food journal, I actually took in about 96 oz. of water per day), I did my workouts everyday, and I upped them to 30 min. from 15.  I have been doing very well staying on my 1500 calorie diet too. The only thing is, I think I overdid it a bit. I hurt my left knee doing exercises at the gym and also my back. I had a whole day where I was laid up in bed with a moist heat pad on my knee and the pain was unbearable, only comparing to that of childbirth!

I think I strained some muscles. And lemme tell you, this hurts BAD. I am doing MUCH better now, but this week, although I am still going to keep everything going as usual, I am not going to push myself so hard.

One of my teammates in the challenge has told me  not to go too fast at this, cause if I am hurting, I am going to want to quit soon. And that is the truth. I have to remember getting to be obese didn’t happen overnight, and even though I want to be healthy and skinny overnight….unless a miracle happens, it too will take time to get my weight off

Amongst the pain, however, I have had a TON of joy this week. I lost 4 pants sizes! And now today when I weighed in I lost another 4.2 pounds !!!! YIPPEEE

I do not understand though, how I lost only 8.2 pounds so far (total) and I lost the 4 pants sizes ? This is confusing to me. But I am thinking maybe my weight redistributed. Also my leader Stacie says I will get muscle by working out, and that can actually cause gain.

Although I haven’t gained weight, I am still kinda sad I didn’t lose more, but again, slow and steady,,,right?!

I have gotten so SO many supportive comments from everyone and even stirred up some people by motivating them to try the #yourshape  program, and also get back into the getting fit groove.

I THANK YOU to everyone who has been cheering me on, I need this, it motivates me so much.  I think part of getting fit and being on this journey IS the support. Without it, I may have already given up. So, please feel free to keep your virtual pom pom’s going for me  and for everyone in the group.

• Toni from A Daily Dose of Toni. @totally_toni
• Kim from Crafty Mama of 4. @craftymamaof4
• Amy From Selfish Mom. @SelfishMom
• Lori from A Cowboy’s Wife. @ACowboysWife
• Claire from The Mom Claire. @TheMomClaire
• Elizabeth from Busy Mom. @BusyMom
• Kelli from The Centsible Life. @CentsibleLife
• Stephanie from Mommy Musings. @MommyMusings
• Jodi from Multitasking Mommy. @JodiGrundig

Sometimes your motivation, and me knowing in my mind that I have to report to everyone online is the difference between buying and eating that candy bar….or NOT.  I have been VERY good on my diet this week, no straying, and I am proud of this.

Here was this past week’s Challenge :

Add 10 Challenge: This week add ten minutes to your exercise routine. Challenge yourself to complete those extra ten minutes each day that you exercise.

Not only did I add 10, I actually added 15, going from 15 min. workouts with Jenny to 30 minutes. And some days I did over an hour. So I met this challenge

In the beginning I thought for sure Jenny was going to “kill me” with upping the time, but I survived, and actually it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I think my stamina and strength has been building up.

You can follow the #Yourshape challenge here : YourShapeChallenge.com

Have you met your weight loss goals this week ? What were your goals ? What shape are YOU in today ? #yourshape

The Plus Size Mommy

* I am participating in the Your Shape Challenge through Collective Bias , I received the game for free
and I am also receicing fun prizes and perks. Your Shape is from Ubisoft.The weight loss and any idea’s are my own.

Do you Do the 5-Second Rule?* (WIN)

Ahh the mighty 5-second rule. Yep, we use it at our home (MOST of the time). Although lately I am thinking renewed stipulations are needed to be told to my children

This came about when my 10 yr. old son was eating spaghetti with meatball’s one night a couple weeks ago, and well, we all know the song…and then my poor meatball fell down to the floor, rolled out the door, and became a spaghetti tree?

NOT HERE…. Nope, after my son’s meatball fell onto the floor he picked it up, and popped it back into his mouth, before anyone could even say a word and ate it ! YUCK, yea, I know…I was so grossed out, he didn’t even look at it to see if any dirt was on it! ICK, I still gag thinking about it. But to a boy of age 10, this was most cool and funny. NOTTT!

So, I ask…Do you incorporate the 5 second rule in your home ?

I mean, if it is like a piece of something that the chance of something sticking to it is slim, I don’t mind, but a sauce covered meatball, this is where I draw the line, lol

A few days ago, I was asked to work with Clorox again on a campaign with Samantha Bee (From the  ”Daily Show”). She discussed the 5 sec. rule , you can read more about it here :  http://simpleandsurprising.com/

WIN!!!!

I am able to offer you a Clorox Gift pack values at $20 with a variety of Clorox Products!

You can enter Just by sharing with us your favorite funny 5-sec. rule story. The guidelines are below to enter to win

• Do you or someone in your family follow the 5-second rule? – comment and tell us who uses it and with what ? = 1 entry
• Who’s more likely to follow the 5-second rule in your house? – comment and tell us who and if anyone is against it, tell that too! = 1 entry
• What are the most popular items to 5-second rule? – comment and tell what are the top 5 items where the 5 sec. rule is used on most frequently = 1 entry
• Do you have a funny 5-second rule story? – comment with your funny story = 1 entry
• Thinking about Sam Bee’s style, what’s your parenting style? – comment and tell us how you parent = 1 entry
• Share a picture or funny video with us (send a link) of someone using the 5 sec. rule – comment with a link to the photo or video = 5 entries !!!!

This contest starts NOW and will end on Feb.  9th, 2010 at 8PM EST. Winners will be posted to this site. As with all giveaways winner MUST be a subscriber to this site, either via subscription or through Facebook feed. Winner will be posted to this site by Feb. 10th, 2010. Winner will have 48 hours to email me to claim their prize.

Have fun with this, I am sure this can generate a lot of funny stories and photo’s, I would love to hear them and share them.

There is MORE… Here are some other bloggers who are also holding the giveaway of the Clorox Prize pack, so you can visit their blogs and have even MORE chances to win!

• CONSUMER QUEEN
• BanteringBlonde

Thank you to all who enter and Good Luck !!!

The Plus Size Mommy

*Please note, stories, video’s, and photo’s may be posted to the Clorox  Facebook page*

*I am being compensated via giftcard for this post*

Be Safe on Superbowl Sunday

The teams are set, the hype is well underway and Super Bowl party planning is in full swing.

While you may not be thinking about the dangers of buzzed driving this time of year, you or someone you know will likely be attending a party where alcohol is served.  So whether you’re rooting for the Colts or the Saints, there are some things you need to know to keep yourself and your loved ones safe before, during and after Super Bowl XLIV.

When you’re heading out to a party or hosting guests, remember to always plan ahead:

• Designate a sober driver or be prepared to find a safe ride home for your guests

• Be ready to take alternate transportation such as a bus or taxi.  Have the phone number of a taxi service stored in your phone before you leave for the party.

In 2008, 11,773 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes.

I’m working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council as they continue their efforts with the “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving” PSA campaign.  Buzzed drivers are those who drink and drive, but do not consider themselves a hazard on the roadway because “only a few” drinks are consumed. The campaign hopes to educate people that consuming even one drink too many can impair driving and that “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.”  So even if you are planning on staying home Super Bowl weekend, please remind your loved ones that buzzed driving IS drunk driving.

To learn more about the impact buzzed driving can have on a life, please watch this important video about the financial and personal repercussions of getting a DUI: http://buzzeddriving.adcouncil.org/sign.php#video

Remember: Buzzed Driving IS Drunk Driving.  Plan ahead and ask your loved ones to do the same.

For more information, visit Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving on Facebook and Twitter(@Buzzeddriving).

*This post is on behalf of my relationship with Global Influence*

The Plus Size Mommy

FREE Pampers with Dry Max TODAY ONLY!

I wanted to share with you a great opportunity to try out new Pampers Diapers Cruisers…. FREE ! If you hurry and go to Pampers.com you can get a 3 pack of Cruisers with Dry Max  to try FREE.  If the sample sent includes a diaper stamped Team USA (randomly inserted in select sample packs), their baby will win a year’s supply of Pampers diapers !

Be looking for a post from me coming soon on how YOU can also win from Pampers !!!  ;)  It will be something wonderful!!!

The Plus Size Mommy

KURU is now on Face Book

Kuru footwear is now on Facebook and they are looking for some new Fans.

You can click on the logo on my sidebar that looks like this one :  

and become a fan now. When you become a fan, write a note on their wall letting them know that The Plus Size Mommy sent you

to learn more and see my review on KURU footwear you can read my previous post about them here : http://theplussizemommy.com/plussize-stylefashion/kuruwho-knew

Thank You for your support

The Plus Size Mommy

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