As most of you know, I live in Sunny Arizona!  I love living here and most of the time it is absolutely gorgeous.  Now... not so much.  Yep, we've entered that time of year where we're living in a blast furnace!  So when Jocky approached me with the opportunity to try their Staycool products, you better believe I said Yes!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry: 

Follow Jockey on Facebook
Follow Jockey on  Twitter 

Contest ends Tuesday, June 7th, 2011.  One winner will be randomly chosen from all correct entries.  Winner will be notified by email and have 72 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  This contest is open to residents of the US , ages 18 and over. Prize will be shipped directly from the sponsor.

Disclosure:  I was generously given these products for the purpose of a review.  The sponsor has also offered a giveaway.  The opinions are all my own and free of charge!  Ü

Contest is over and winner has been notified.  Thanks to all you amazing readers!
  

It's that time of year... you know, sun-kissed skin, sun-filled days, nights drenched in aloe vera if you're not careful!

I love all the things that summer brings, except that nasty sunburn.  I have very fair skin so I've always had to be very careful whenever I'm out in the sun.  Most suncare products seem to melt off or wear off after awhile.

Enter Episencial!  They have the greatest products and even better, they are great for you!  I had the opportunity to try out their Sunny Sunscreen!

Additional Features & Benefits
•       Multi-purpose moisturizer helps treat rashes and red, irritated skin.
•       Fortified with probiotics, and made with a 50% aloe vera base to help soothe, cool and comfort bothered skin.
•       Insider tip! Great as diaper cream for use with cloth diapers; or to sooth adult skin post shave or wax. 
Lastly I tried the Protective Face Balm.  We went out to the shooting range last weekend and it was really windy.  When I got home my face felt so dry and chapped!  I applied the Episencial Protective Face Balm and aaahhh... it felt so much better!  This works great for kids and babies too for those runny noses or drooly chins that get so irritated.

What I really like about Episencial products is they are great for the whole family, from babies on up!  Plus it's full of things that are good for you, none of the yucky stuff!

Want more info?  You can check them out on Facebook, Twitter, or visit their website!  You can go to Episencial's store locator to find a store near you to purchase these great products!

Want to try some for yourself?  Well, one of you lucky readers can win your own Sunny Sunscreen, Soothing Cream, and Protective Face Balm!  Cool!

Now that I've entered the digital age (very late, I may add) I have tons and tons of pictures just sitting there on my computer, unorganized.  Enter... Mobile Life Studio Plus - External Hard Drive!



This baby is great for organizing all my pictures, but it also is great at backing up  documents, music, and so much more.

The Hitachi Life Studio Mobile Plus External hard drive is available in 250 GB, 300 GB, and 500 GB. It also includes an auto-sync 4 GB USB key.  (My daughter has already grabbed it twice!  She loves it!)

I love that it is simply a plug and go type application.  I am so not computer savvy and I set this up all by myself!
 
The features include:

• Organization and Sharing: First drive that automatically pulls together and organizes photos, videos, music and documents from your computer, connected USB devices or social media outlets; making content easier to access, view and share. Interact with photos on Facebook™, Flickr™ and Picasa™ without leaving the app.
• 3D Navigation: The only external drive that displays files on a stunning 3D wall, eliminating the need to dig through folders and files to find them.
• Backup Redefined: Offers both local and online cloud backup within one interface – no more downloading and installing two separate programs. Online content is stored in its natural format, making files available from any Internet browser.
• Access to Favorite Premium Content: For the first time within an external drive, users can search, filter, watch or subscribe to millions of titles from online content providers. Catch the latest news, TV shows and music videos, or play online games, from within the LifeStudio app.
• Grab n’ Go Flexibility: First in the industry to feature an integrated USB key. Drag content onto the key for use on the go, making it easier to collaborate on team projects, share photos with friends and family, or transport documents between home and work. Modified content syncs with the drive when the key is docked.

I think my favorite feature is the way I can view my photos.  It's like a wall of thumbnails that make it much easier to view and to organize my photos, music files, etc.  If someone as computer illiterate as I am can use this, think how wonderful it will be for you!  I  don't know how I managed to find anything before now that I have the Life Studio Plus.  I also feel a little more secure knowing that those all important photos and documents are backed up onto this hard drive.  That way if something horrible happens to my computer, my images and documents are safe!

So, you want one for yourself now, don't you?  Well, hold on to your hats because one of you lucky readers will win your very own Hitachi Life Studio Plus External Hard Drive, valued at $139.99!


Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

Contest ends Tuesday, June 7th, 2011.  One winner will be randomly chosen from all correct entries.  Winner will be notified by email and have 72 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  This contest is open to residents of the US , ages 18 and over. Prize will be shipped directly from the sponsor.

Disclosure:  I was generously given these products for the purpose of a review.  The sponsor has also offered a giveaway.  The opinions are all my own and free of charge!  Ü
 
Contest is over and winner has been notified.  Thanks to all you amazing readers!

I've noticed that usually sequels aren't quite as good as the original.  That is completely not the case with Pirates of the Caribbean:  On Stranger Tides!





"Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Rob Marshall, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” captures the fun, adventure and humor that ignited the hit franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3D™. Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed adventure. Crossing paths with the enigmatic Angelica (Penélope Cruz), he’s not sure if it’s love—or if she’s a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the “Queen Anne’s Revenge,” the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know whom to fear more: Blackbeard or Angelica, with whom he shares a mysterious past. The international cast includes franchise vets Geoffrey Rush as the vengeful Captain Hector Barbossa and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack’s longtime comrade Joshamee Gibbs, plus Sam Claflin as a stalwart missionary and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid."

I loved this movie!  My hubby and I were graciously invited to attend a preview of "On Stranger Tides".  We had such a fun evening!  We felt like honored guests!  We saw the movie in Disney Digital 3D.  I haven't been a fan of 3D in the past, but this is so different from anything I've experienced before!  The images were so clear, I felt like I was in the jungle with Captain Jack!  The 3D effects were phenomenal!  

The movie is about 2  1/2 hours long, but I had no idea that much time had passed.  I was entertained the whole time!  The movie hooked me from the beginning!  I want to keep telling you about parts of the movie, but I don't want to spoil any of it for you!  I will drop a hint that, the mermaids in this movie are not of the "Little Mermaid" persuasion.  I wouldn't want to meet one while swimming in the ocean!


I definitely recommend this movie!  I think it equals the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie and I enjoyed the 3D effect!  Go see it, you'll be swept away in the story!

Want more info?  Check out Pirates of the Caribbean on Facebook!

Disclosure:  We were offered the amazing opportunity to preview this movie!  The opinions are all my own and free of charge!

As some of you know, my daughter has type 1 Diabetes, and I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.  As you can imagine, sugar is not our friend.  So when I was given the opportunity to try out Splenda with Fiber, I said, "Oh, yeah!"  Well, I've tried it and I'm still saying, "Oh, yeah!"  
 Splenda with Fiber has 3 grams of fiber in every tablespoon.  To give you an idea of how much that is, it's about the same as eating a 1/2 cup of oatmeal.  It's recommended that we (adults) get about 25 grams of fiber in our diet each day so Splenda with Fiber goes a long way to helping me reach that goal.

So does Splenda work?  Yes!  I loved that it measures the same as sugar so I don't have to spend time figuring out how to substitute it in recipes.  I really enjoy the taste.  I don't feel like it has that aftertaste that some artificial sweeteners have.


The other thing I like is Splenda has a great recipe section on their website!  Just this week we made the Choco-chip Recipe and they were great!  Plus they are only 11 grams of carbs per cookies, so much less than cookies made with sugar.

There is also a great section on living with Diabetes, and an amazing Wellnes section!  Go visit, there's great information there!


Splenda with Fiber is now our "go-to" sweetener!  Want to try it yourself?  One lucky reader has a chance to win your own bag of Splenda with fiber!  Sweet!  (hee-hee, pun intended!)

Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

Contest is over and winner has been notified!  Thanks to all you amazing readers!

Sometimes I just can't believe my luck!  This is one of those times!  I had the opportunity to review Shari's Berries and I'm still recovering from the sheer deliciousness of it!

I have very generously sent the Full Dozen Hand Picked Fancy Berries and 3 Mini Cheesecakes   When I opened the box I was almost overcome with happiness!


The Berries and cheesecake came beautifully packaged:

The next surprise came when I opened the box!  Is your mouth watering?  Mine was (and is)!



Look at these cheesecakes!



The pictures don't do these goodies justice!  They are absolutely delicious!  I felt like royalty eating them!  The berries were ginormous and incredibly juicy!  Every bite was a delight!  I can't believe how sad I was when I ate the last strawberry!  Yes, I was a good person and shared them with the hubby and kids, but it took all my will power to do it!  I really wanted to eat them all myself.  Each berry really is big and each bite is an experience!  Can you tell I love Sharri's Berries!

Mother's Day is almost here and these would be a wonderful gift for that special mom in your life.  (Or for yourself... just because!)  They have lots of different selections and some great Chocolate Covered Strawberry Gift Ideas!  Not only the dipped berries, but also cookies, cheesecakes and cakes, to name a few.  You'll have a hard time deciding which to pick!

These are probably one of the most delicious things I've eaten!  I loved them!  Now you can too!  Shari's Berries has offered a 15% discount code to all you amazing readers!  Just enter BERRYGOOD at checkout and receive 15% off your order.  How cool is that! 

These are great any time of the year so if you missed Mother's Day, that's okay!  I live in Arizona and they arrived packed very carefully in ice and not one strawberry was even slightly melted.  Not easy to accomplish here in sunny Arizona, especially this time of year!

I highly recommend Shari's Berries!  Now go get some for yourself or someone you love!  You'll be hooked, just like me!


Disclosure:  I was generously provided product for the purpose of a review.  The opinions are all my own and free of charge!

My daughter and I had the chance to go see a preview of Disney's new movie "Prom"!  Loved it!

Prom is about... well... Prom!

From Disney:

I love skin care products!  I'm always on the search for the latest and the greatest.  So when I was offered the opportunity to try the Z Mei Skin Care Line, I was excited!

Well, I've tried it and I'm even more excited!  I love this line!


 When I first opened the package I felt like it was Christmas!  The products are packaged beautifully!  I ran right into the bathroom and started trying all the goodies!


I started with the Purifying Facial Cleanser.  This stuff smells amazing!  It comes out as a bubbly foam and goes on so nicely!  My face felt great afterward.  Next I applied the Balancing Toner.  I love that you spray it on your face.  It feels so refreshing!  Then I used the Regenerating Night Treatment.  Oh, this is good stuff!  It goes on so creamy, yet soaks right into my skin.  I loved how my skin felt!  I also applied the Perfecting Eye Cream.  I felt so pampered!

The next morning I followed the same routine, but I used the Replenishing Daily Moisturizer.  My skin is usually fairly dry, but this moisturizer makes such a difference!  I love the creamy texture of the moisturizer and I love how quickly it goes into my skin so I can apply makeup over it.

I use the Exfoliating Scrub about twice a week.  I can use it as a scrub - just massage it in and rinse it off - or I can use it as a mask.  I leave it on for about 20 minutes and then add water, massage in a circular motion, and rinse off.  My skin feels so smooth afterwards.

I was able to try the Nourishing and Revitalizing Shampoo and the Hair Repair and Strengthening Conditioner.  My hair felt so soft and looked so shiny afterward.  My hair tends to be a little dry with fly-away ends.  This shampoo and conditioner eliminated my fly-aways.  My hair looks so much better.  Please I love the feel of it, my hair feels clean, not coated like other conditioners have a tendency to do.

Last but certainly not least, I also got to try the Retoning Hand and Body Moisture Therapy, and the Intensive Repair Therapy for Hands.  I have really dry hands that lotion never seems to touch.  I use the Intensive Repair Therapy at night and then the Retoning Lotion during the day.  I am now not embarrassed to show my hands.  They look so much better!

Here's what Z Mei says:

Please leave a separate comment for each entry: