Suds Up

Herbal Essences is making it very hard for me not to want to sniff every bottle of their delectable shampoos and conditioners every time I visit Target. The scents are intoxicating and I truly am that girl in the store who is smelling the bottles and then imagines herself sudsing up her hair in the shower. Guess their marketing really hit the mark with me :)

I absolutely love the Orchid and Coconut hydrating shampoo and conditioner and for days I need a little boost, the White Nectarine and Pink Coral Flower is beautiful!

Jennie-O

Lee and I have been trying to substitute red meat with healthier turkey and I've been impressed with the quality and taste of Jennie-O products. Don't get me wrong - if I had my choice between a ground beef or ground turkey burger, I'm going with ground beef. Hello? In-and-Out rocks! However, there are times where substituting is not only healthier, but tastes just as good.

Case in point - I've opted for ground turkey for my brown sugar meatloaf recipe, and discovered that I actually like meatloaf, despite years of protesting the mound of meat.

Another substitution has come with my spaghetti recipe, in which I only use Italian sausage. I've recently swapped that with Jennie-O's Italian turkey sausage.

Finally, Jennie O also makes a great ground turkey product that's seasoned Italian. I made the best meatballs the other day and you couldn't even tell the difference (neither could my husband).

It might take a little effort to add the right dash of seasonings, but the flavor you get from fattier red meat will be made up with healthier, properly seasoned turkey meat.

Food Network

Although I keep myself busy with my regular TV shows, every now and again I find myself switching over to the Food Network. One would ask, "How could you find anything of interest on the Food Network, unless you're a chef?" Well, the Food Network is-a-changin! I do miss seeing Emeril and Mario Batali, but I think the network is realizing that people watch Food Network for more reasons than just cooking shows. I believe they like the culture of cooking and how cooking varies across the nation.

The shows I regularly tune into on Food Network are:
Challenge - they have everything from sugar sculpture challenges to the best Disney character cake...it's amazing to see what is made in eight hours!

Unwrapped - I love this show, because it shows you the "behind the scenes" of how our favorite products are made.

Throwdown with Bobby Flay - this cute show pits a cooking specialist (i.e. Red Velvet Cake maker) against Bobby Flay. Bobby comes into town unannounced to surprise the specialist with a challenge. Who will win? You never know!

Paula's Home Cooking - who can resist a woman with that laugh and Southern Charm? Not to mention that she's not afraid to cook with butter and cheese.

Diners Drive-Ins and Dives - Even though I can't stand the cheesy look of the host, he's growing on me. It's fun to see him visit local "holes in the wall" that you wouldn't expect to run into.

Scent-sational

I'm a creature of habit, so when it comes to wearing a new fragrance, I'm very cautious. I love the two scents I wear all the time, so I never know what I'm going to get myself into when someone else buys me a new perfume.

Perfumes and lotions are so personal, simply because of the way a scent will react to your body chemistry. So, imagine my surprise when I received two new perfumes for my birthday. I initially thought "Hmmm...I wonder if these are my style."

My favorites are fresh and clean scents like Dolce and Gabbana's Light Blue and Philosophy's Pure Grace, so I didn't know if I'd like the new Juicy Couture perfume or Black Amethyst body spray from Bath and Body Works that were gifted to me. These two scents tend to be more sultry and warm, compared to my regular cool, clean scents; however, I'm really enjoying them.

It took a few days for my nose (and head) to get used to them, but I think they'll be nice for fall!

BIN 189

If you're ever in the Lake Arrowhead area and looking for an elegant and delicious restaurant, PLEASE go to BIN 189 at the Lake Arrowhead Resort & Spa.

We went up for the day on my birthday and it was AMAZING. Lunch was delicious and they had an impeccable wine cellar and selection. You can even choose from one of the restaurant's preselected wine flights (three, 2.5 oz. servings...although it seemed like heavier pours) or build your own.

I'm desperate to go back, just so I can spend the night at this beautiful resort and try BIN 189's dinner menu!

Light My Fire

I love Bath and Body Works' candles! I usually purchase a handful of the smaller 4 oz. candles and spread them throughout the house. Some of my favorite scents are: Creamy Nutmeg, Fresh Lemon, Ginger Vanilla, Harvest Berry, Kitchen Spice, Midnight Pomegranate, Pineapple Orchid, Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin and Warm Vanilla Sugar.

Right now, Bath and Body Works is featuring their Stock Up and Save Sale, which means these lovelies are 2 for $10.

Sunday Funday

It's been a while since my last post, so thanks for hangin' in there! I've recently been enjoying a bunch of new shows and new seasons and wanted to share them with you:

Sunday nights are my all-time favorite with the new seasons of: True Blood, Entourage and Mad Men.

I'm addicted to the raw sexiness of True Blood, the comedy of Entourage and the era of Mad Men (not to mention Jon Hamm...yummy!). I've also been enjoying a new series on Lifetime (yes, I said Lifetime), Drop Dead Diva, which also airs on Sunday nights. Sunday is proving to be quite the "Fun Day."

Project Runway is off to a good start on Thursday nights on Lifetime (I'm rooting for the two girls from Charleston, SC), although I think there is better talent on the show.

Can't wait for the new season of Greek to start on Monday and see if Casey and Cappy rekindle their romance.

So, sorry if I've been a troll. I've been glued to my TV.

Mom's Favorites

Here's my Mom's choices of favorites. Guess I'm her daughter, because I like a lot of her selections, too!

Holly D's Favorites

Thanks to Holly Davis for these fun favorites!

Marti's Favorites

These favorites come all the way from my sister-in-"love," Marti White, in Charleston, SC. Marti is a proud Mom of a U.S. Marine son (my nephew), which is why two of her favorites are especially important Bible verses. We can all appreciate those!

Happy 40th Birthday, Baby!

I love you! Hope I don't embarrass you too much with these pics :)

Marcela's Favorites

Thanks to my friend, and former co-worker, Marcela Aldis for these great suggestions!

Matt's Favorites

OK, so it's about time for some favorites from a male's perspective! These come from courtesy of Matt Bowers.

Jessa's Favorites

Thanks to Jessa Stadtler of Bella Inspired for these favorites!

Betsy's Favorites

Day #2 of friend favorites: These favorites come courtesy of Betsy Bowers.

Holly's Favorites

Here's my first entry for my series of "friend favorites." These favorites come courtesy of Holly Lapick of Stupid Lymphoma. Thanks for sharing, Holly!