Pocket Disc is a Fair Trade toy that is fun and supports local artisans abroad #PocketDisc

The Pocket Disc is the most versatile disc on earth.  It is colorful and fun. I love that it is all cotton and very packable...you can have fun anywhere and anytime from music festivals to backyard bbq's. It is the ultimate travel toy...who wouldn't love to join you in playing with this colorful disc? I know people love playing anywhere from music festivals to indoors with their kids on a rainy day.  They are so soft so you can feel good about using them with little ones too. Dogs love 'em too and owners will appreciate that they won't chip their teeth or cut their gums with the specially designed Pocket Disc.  The company doesn't advise that you leave it out as a chew toy but as a play toy the Pocket Disc will last for years for you and your best canine buddy.

The Pocket Disc is a Fair Trade item. The Pocket Disc had a humble beginning as a child's school project and it evolved from there into a Fair Trade flying piece of art. Each one is hand crocheted by Mayan villagers in Guatemala. You can read more on their website....it is a truly touching story.  Six years later and over 1 million discs sold, the Pocket Disc company now helps support over 500 artisans.  They have installed water filtration systems in their villages and the work is enabling the children to stay in school longer, enhancing their education.

The best part of all is that the Pocket Disc is truly fun and an item you can feel good about buying for yourself or as a gift for a friend.  Each Pocket Disc comes in a wide range of beautiful ethnic patterns as well as team color combinations.  You can use the discs for a wide range of peculiar and practical uses  and games. You have to check out their website to get all the details.  The Pocket Disc is simple but inspires creative play and a diversity of games spring forth from children and adults alike.

The company also offer a nice array of support items including 4 styles of Pocket Discs, kicksacks (aka hacky sacks), pet collars, headbands, and more.  You can pick up this Pocket Disc online for easy shopping anytime. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Yu-Be Skincare Travel Set keeps my skin looking gorgeousanywhere plus a #giveaway #Yubeskincare

I tend towards dry skin so I am always looking for help in that department. I recently had the opportunity to learn more about an established skincare brand from Japan that has been around since 1957. I now know why...it really works like nothing else. It was invented by a Japanese pharmacist named Yoshikiyo Nowatari.  Yu-Be (pronounced “YOO-BEE”) is a novel glycerin-based moisturizing cream that is enriched with Vitamin E, Vitamin B2 and Camphor. It has a super high Glycerin content which really helps to make the cream work. I was impressed with the efficacy of Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream on my very dry skin. Even my feet get super soft after using it overnight. 

I also received Yu-Be Foaming Skin Polish. I love that this skin polishing scrub was formulated for the face and body. It makes it really convenient for me to use. You only need a little but it foams up beautifully. It contains natural ingredients like ginger root and ginseng that the company shared helps tone the skin. It also soothes and refreshes the skin with green tea, geranium oil and camphor. The rice fine grains of rice bran and bamboo clean all the dead layers of skin and the combination of ingredients leave my skin with a beautiful glow. I keep it in my shower so I can use it a few times a week. 

I am always putting lip balm or gloss on my lips....like 100 times a day. They just get so dry all the time probably because I am always talking. Maybe not. Whatever the reason I do need to moisturize my lips often and all lip balms are not alike. I was lucky enough to get the Yu-Be Lip Balm to try as well. My lips take a beating in the summer even with my diligent use of SPF. The Yu-Be lip balm drenches my lips with moisturizers like Shea butter, coconut and sweet almond oil. It really helps after a weekend at the beach house. I have taken to keeping it stashed in my purse so I can apply it multiple times during the day. It seems to really help. I give my lips a swipe before I go to bed and they are soft in the morning too.

You can pick up Yu-Be Skincare Travel Set online for easy shopping anytime. Meanwhile, don't forget to enter my giveaway to win your own Yu-Be Skincare Travel Set with my Rafflecopter Giveaway. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

iLock™ Laces Elastic No Tie Shoelaces get me to the gym or out runningin a flash WOMEN #iLockLaces

I am always on the go but must squeeze in my fitness regimen. Sometimes my time is so limited between work and getting to the gym I am literally lacing my shoes as I am running out the door. These iLock™ Laces are a faster way to get out running or to the gym and they look great too on my sneakers and trainers. Life is busy but with these smart and innovative iLock™ Laces I don't have to worry about tying my shoelaces anymore. These are great whether you are running a marathon, squeezing in a class at the gym, playing a round of golf, or a busy mama like me racing to pick the kids up from school. These comfortable patent pending water resistant iLock™ Laces utilize the latest technology in no-tie elastic shoelaces.

Think about how convenient these make working out on the go for anyone from teens to Grammas. They truly are perfect for runners, golfers, professional athletes, fitness buffs, CrossFitters, seniors, kids, toddlers and even individuals with special needs. I know my friend struggled with her son who has special needs to find options for sneakers. He is a teen now and velcro is not cool but these are great. iLock™ Laces makes getting dressed a speedier activity no matter what your age. My own tween is a sweetie but a real slowpoke....these help her get out the door quickly. She thought these colorful iLock™ Laces were great and now all her friends are begging for them as well. They come in every color under the sun including Hot Pink, Sour Apple Green, Royal Blue, Midnight Black, Cool Grey, Blazin' Red, Passion Purple, Navy Blue, White, Neon Orange, and Neon Green. It lets you combine or mix and match to create your own individual sporty style. The best part is that they install on your favorite pair of trainers in under 5 minutes. iLock™ Laces are one size fits all to so no matter if you are a tiny tot or an adult with a larger foot. I do recommend that you slip your shoes on your feet before installing for the perfect fit.  When you buy them, each package contains two iLock™ Locks, two elastic shoelaces in your choice of colors, and three iLock™ clips (a spare clip is included).

I like that these are very well constructed too. You can see when you get them that iComfort™ Support iLock™ Laces use high quality materials. The laces quickly conforms to your feet for the ideal level of comfort and support. I noticed a big difference in comparison to my old nylon or cotton laces. The secret to the fit is that iLock™ Laces actually reduce pressure points on the top of your foot. The benefit is that this increases overall comfort. I actually feel like I can get more done during my workouts because my feet feel secure and comfortable.  Think about it, like iLock™ shared, Life is truly an adventure and now, thanks to iLock™ you can enjoy it fully because you’ll never have to worry about tying your shoelaces again.iLock™ Laces combine high tech with low maintenance. These elastic replacement laces provide firm, yet flexible, stretch-fit comfort. They have a lock that is fast and simple to adjust, and a unique clip to protect lace ends.

Why bother with taking the time to tie? With iLock™ you never have to even think about tying your shoes again. Why tie, when you can convert any shoe into a convenient slip-on? These are truly great for sensitive feet or those recovering from foot injury too. I have a Morton's neuroma which makes my toes sensitive. I find that these make my shoes more comfortable and I don't feel that discomfort with my toes. iLock™ Laces provide a ideal feel for the foot. My experience in the past has shown me that standard laces provide no give or stretch and they are a challenge to adjust properly each and every time. I was always tying, re-tying, and untying knots and double knots. Once I installed iLock™ Laces on your shoes I was done with all that.

If you have small children this is such a time saver. I wish iLock™ was around when my child was a toddler. It took forever to tie my own laces then tie hers. This would have been such a huge help for me. You are a lucky mama or daddy because you can reclaim your freedom from the tyranny of shoelace-tying instruction and service! iLock™ Laces are a great alternative for youth who have difficulty tying their own shoes, and are perfect for young children whose small hands have not yet mastered shoe tying. iLock™ Laces allow children the flexibility to wear any lace-up shoe.

If your parents have challenges with strength and mobility like my mother in law these iLock™ Laces would be a huge help for them. iLock™ are great for senior citizens, who may have lost strength and mobility in their hands and joints, or suffer from manual dexterity problems. This can hand back independence and confidence to a senior who may need assistance. Who doesn't feel good about being able to do things on their own? Let mom or dad feel good about themselves and let them fasten their shoes without assistance. Reduce their dependence on you or other caretakers and it might even improve their quality of their life.

Even hardcore athletes and fitness enthusiasts are loving how iLock™ Laces meet their demands. Think about iLock™ Laces can optimize performance during competition and training. Elastic allows the iLock™ Laces to expand and contract with every stride so they constantly adjust to each foot strike. This makes for an ideal run. It actually feels like you are running in a new pair of shoes every time. If you run in triathlons, iLock™ Laces allow you to maximize your transition speeds. Don’t waste 30 seconds tying your shoes, when you could slip your feet into your running shoes and be ready to go instantly so you can leave competitors in the dust while they struggle with their knotted laces.

You can pick up iLock Laces Elastic No Tie Shoelaces for women on Amazon for easy shopping anytime. 

I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:;" testimonials in Advertising.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Zucchini with White Beans and Garlic Tomato Sauce

I needed an interesting but speedy dinner idea tonight so my brain hatched a new recipe. Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Zucchini with White Beans and Garlic Tomato Sauce was born today and it came out fast and delicious. 

Sometimes I just need to do something a little different.  Tonite was one of those nights. Hubby was stuck at work so it was my turn to cook.  My work schedule is much crazier so he cooks a lot but we are both good chefs. We have totally different styles though. 

This is what I did...Hope you like it too!  I  quartered 1.5lbs of  medium sized fingerling potatoes and roasted them in the oven with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, a 1/4 tsp of fresh black pepper and 1/2 rasp of crushed dried rosemary at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes until lightly browned. Meanwhile I chopped 3 garlic cloves and sautéed them in olive oil for 2 minutes until lightly browned. I did a few turns of the pepper mill. I added one medium onion chopped and sautéed for another 2 minutes. I added 3 medium sliced zucchini and sautéed on medium for 2 minutes. I added 8 oz canned crushed tomatoes with basil and cooked it until zucchini was tender. I added one can small white beans. Add the roasted potatoes and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and dinner is served.