Battle of Boxes - Pt 4

It's that time again. Another subscription box review.

*Ad - Pawalla sent me a free box to review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

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I was actually pretty darn excited to receive and review this box. The kind of excitement that happens when you found out you won the Mega Millions lottery - if only that would actually happen. None of the products from this box could actually be consumed or used by me or A. So what type of subscription box is it? Just keep scrolling. Just keep scrolling, just keep scrolling (think about Finding Nemo while reading that last sentence)

Pawalla Box is a subscription box for dogs and cats. Oh yeah, my little baby gets a little action on this whole battle of the boxes. When Pawalla said they would send me a box to review I didn't know if I would be receiving the Deluxe or Mini box. But to my surprise I had a huge box on the front porch.

Roxi thinks any package that comes in the mail is for her because when we used to live in Cali my mom would send boxes and put dog treats in them. Anyways, this box was no exception and she needed to inspect it right away. 

I received the deluxe box and it was full of a ton of goodies for my little baby. And remember, Pawalla doesn't just have subscription boxes for your pooch, they also have mini and deluxe boxes for your little feline too.

Every box is filled with all natural and/or organic products because our pets should eat better than we do, right? Seriously though, I appreciate a box that is conscious about the products they use. I also like that there were no plush little toys in the box because that would have lasted maybe one hour before she tore a foot or ear off - she is brutal.

This little child is just like me and wants to tear into new products instantly. The quicker I can open things the better.

Here is what we received along with the price:

Nutrisca Turkey and Chickpea Stew (13 oz) = $3.17

Evanger's Organics Cooked Chicken (13 oz) = $2.21

Wigzi Stuff n' Crunch Peanut Butter Flavor (6 oz) - $13.98

Emeral Canine Duck Treats with Blueberry (5 oz) = $7.99

YoPup Happy Belly (7 oz) = unknown - maybe $7.99

PushClean Pet Towlettes = $9.99

American Dog Toys Glow Ball = $7.99

I think Pawalla subscription box is amazing. If I were to sign up for this I would probably just get the mini box because the deluxe box is going to take my little pup months to go through. But I think that is one of my favorite things about Pawalla - choosing between mini and deluxe box.

Have you ever bought a pet subscription box?

McSlackster + Recipes

*Ad - Revolt Fitness is allowing me to participate in the program at no charge so long as I share weekly posts. All thoughts, opinions, and results are my own.*

Just call me Slacker McSlackster. For real, fitness was put of the back burner last week. I did really well with the eating but fitness turned into lifting up the TV remote and sitting my not so fit butt on the couch. I was able to get two really good workouts in during the week but I regretted them both after. The first one was on Thursday and I workout out before work. That meant that one hour after arriving to work I was starving. I could have eaten my fist if I had some salt to add to it. The second workout I did was a lower body workout on Saturday morning. By the end of the day I could feel the pain that my muscles would be feeling the next day. Sure enough, trying to sit on the toilet or walk up three flights of stairs to the bedroom were impossible on Sunday.

Two of my favorite meals from the week were chicken salad and hummus for lunch and raspberry yogurt and granola for breakfast.

Chicken Salad recipe below

recipe below

This week I am changing up the meals a bit and am not following Revolt Fitness's diet at all, although I am maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Here is what I will be eating. As usual, most meals will be repeated once or twice during the week.

Revolt Fitness has really taught me the importance of balancing meals and of course the meal prep has saved my life since getting a job. I do like to change up my meals a lot more than eating the same thing all week and I do like experimenting in the kitchen. But as long as I am smart about the meals I am making then my fitness lifestyle shouldn't fall behind at all.

Do you cook a different meal each day or eat the same thing once or twice during the week?

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Chicken Salad Recipe
serves 4

Ingredients:
- 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
- 6 oz plain greek yogurt
- garlic powder (your desired amount)
- salt (your desired amount)
- fresh cracked black pepper (your desired amount)
- handful of chopped pecans
- handful of dried cranberries
- handful of grapes, cut in half

Directions:
- In a small crockpot, place in chicken and salt and pepper. Cook on high for 2-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
- Once chicken is cooked shred with two forks.
- Mix shredded chicken with greek yogurt and seasonings. Then add in remaining ingredients.
- Allow chicken salad to chill before eating.
- Enjoy!

Raspberry Yogurt and Granola Recipe
one serving

Ingredients:
- 3 oz raspberry greek yogurt
- vanilla protein powder
- handful of no sugar granola
- handful of mini chocolate chips
- fresh raspberries

Directions:
- Mix yogurt and protein powder together.
- Stir in all other ingredients accept for fresh raspberries.
- Top with fresh raspberries.
- Enjoy!

Favorite Vacation - Sneak Peek

I am totally envisioning myself on the most extravagant vacation right now. Why is that? Because I am guest posting over on Holly's blog while she is away on her vacation. Of course I had to post about my favorite vacation which I guess isn't all that extravagant but is a must see destination if you have never been before.

That location isn't my favorite vacation because of the weather, or the beach, or even the shops because this spot doesn't have any of those. But it is my favorite vacation because of the memories and the views are pretty spectacular.
Here is just a glimpse of what you can find over at Back Home Again.

Now I am going to go enjoy some kind of fruity cocktail and pretend I am bathing out in the sun somewhere. That is the ideal vacation, right?

What is your favorite vacation spot?

Battle of Boxes - Part 3

Today I bring you another subscription box!

Every week I am unboxing and reviewing some type of subscription box to see what is the best box(es) out there. Make sure to read about it here if this is your first time seeing the series.

*My Cotton Bunny sent me a free box to review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

I still cannot get over the fact that there are subscription boxes for the time of the month. I mean, it's totally a great idea right? Unless you have some medical issue or are just a freak we all get greeted with our little friend once a month. So why not take advantage of the convienience of having your supplies party poppers hand delivered right to your door.

That means no more awkward glances at the check out lane, no more asking your spouse to go to the store to come back with some depends because they didn't know what they were buying, and no more going to the bathroom only to find out you ran out of tampons.

My Cotton Bunny is just that, a time of the month subscription box. I absolutely love their logo and think it is super girly.

One thing that is great about My Cotton Bunny is that they do not buy their hygiene products in bulk, instead they sent out factory sealed products in the box.

 Also, My Cotton Bunny tries to support local and smaller companies (like Kerfluffles marshmallows).

Here is what I received along with the price.
U by Kotex (qty 18) = $4.99
Honey Stix (qty 2) = $0.17
Kerfluffles Marshmallows (1/2 dozen) = $3.50
Hair Clips = cost is unknown, maybe $6.50

When you subscribe to My Cotton Bunny you can choose whether you want pads or tampons and from brands like Kotex, Tampax, Always, Playtex, and o.b. You will also receive a treat and gift to help make you week a little better even though sometimes a million dollars wouldn't make that week better.

I think My Cotton Bunny is a pretty cool subscription box because I am all about supporting smaller companies.

Have you ever heard of this subscription box?

Would you subscribe to it?

Seeing and Making Changes

*Ad - Revolt Fitness is allowing me to participate in the program at no charge so long as I share weekly posts. 

All thoughts, opinions, and results are my own.*

I cannot believe that just eight short weeks ago I introduced Revolt Fitness into my life. I have seen so many changes in my body, weight, eating habits, cravings, and overall health during that time.

Last week I was not into the workouts one bit. The three days of cardio were Tabata workouts and I despise those. So I decided to swap out the Tabata workouts and just kind of do my own thing. This week they are also Tabata style workouts so I will probably just alter them again. I don't know what it is about Tabata workouts but I just get super bored and tend to not finish them.

This week's meal plan I am pretty excited about. I made homemade hummus for snacks at work and cannot wait to eat it all up. Here is what our meals for the week will look like.

We will alternate breakfasts as desired. Monday and Tuesday for lunch we will eat the chicken salad chicken and Wednesday - Friday we will eat the soup. Dinners on Monday - Wednesday will be the chicken satay and Thursday and Friday will be the pork tenderloin. Repeating meals throughout the week makes things super easy but to eat the same thing every single day is not going to happen in this household. If you wish to see photos of these delicious meals, you should probably follow me on Instagram like yesterday. I mean, what are you doing?

Now lets get to the numbers. You all know since I got a job, I have been trying to work out a daily and weekly routine. Eventually things will fall in their place but I have been struggling getting you my numbers and pictures. This failure cannot fail one more week so below are my numbers.

I cannot believe how noticeable the changes really are. Some days my body feels so bloated then I look at the pictures and remember what I used to be. 

Can you notice the differences?

Battle of the Boxes Part 2

This is part two of the battle of the subscription boxes. If you have no idea what this means then you should probably read about it here. Or just pretend like you know what is going on - up to you.

*Bulu Box sent me a free box to review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

This should definitely not be news to you but I have really been into fitness over the last 6ish weeks. I love experimenting with new products and nutritional supplements. When Bulu Box agreed to send me one of their boxes to review I was pretty excited. 

Bulu Box really offers two different types of boxes - bulu box and bulu box weight loss. I received the regular Bulu Box which includes a well-rounded sampling of health and nutritional products.

I think the packaging is fantastic. There is a lot of inspirational text scattered all over the box and the contents really are 'A feel good discovery'.

 My box contained a lot of products that increased energy or aided with sleep which I thought was pretty unique. I mean, if you are going to get all hopped up on caffeine and energy drinks, good luck going to sleep. I have never taken any sleep aides in the past but if they are natural then I am all about it.

Here is what I received along with the price per item.
Dream Water in pineapple (2.5 oz) = $3.75
Quick Fire (6.5 g) = $1.10
AtEase PM (1 cap) = $0.52
iTrain $50 GC
Aero Shot Energy (0.01 oz) = $2.99
QSpeed CoQ10 100mg (2 tabs) = $1.25

I think Bulu Box is a great subscription box especially if you are looking to just get a one time sample of particular products. The box gives you just a taste of products so you don't have to waste your money on the full size version. Of course the value of the box isn't all that bad either!

Have you ever heard of Bulu Box or tried anything like it?

Revolt Fitness Recap + Recipe

*Ad - Revolt Fitness is allowing me to participate in the program at no charge so long as I share weekly posts. 

All thoughts, opinions, and results are my own.*

Last week was the start of a new Uprising for Revolt Fitness but I completed my 6th week in the program. A new Uprising means that everyone starts over with the detox diet as a way to rid your body of sugar. Most of the foods that are part of the detox diet I have a sensitivity to so I just improvised. I tried to stick with the plan as far as fitness and diet are concerned. But if you remember, yesterday I said I got a new job and I am trying to adjust to working full time and maintaining my fitness routine. It will take time.

I had a few failures but for the most part my diet was pretty clean. I may not have worked out daily and I may have had that donut on National Donut Day but I am learning. I do not consider Revolt Fitness to be a fad diet. I consider it to be a lifestyle change and that means that I will have my up's and I will have my down's but in the end it is a learning process. 

Here is a part of what I ate instead of the detox diet last week.

Recipe below

In 'n' Out Burger secret sauce recipe found here.

Even for not working out or following the fitness routine, my numbers are pretty good. I am going to say that is because I have been really good with my eating habits even with all of the changes that have been happening in this household. Next week I am going to try and get my numbers posted for you all and some before and current photos. I am working on it.

How do you stay healthy while maintaining a full time job?

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Cajun Shredded Chicken and Rice Recipe

serves 4

Ingredients

- 2 chicken breasts 

- cajun seasoning to taste

- 1 cup wild rice or brown rice

- 1 & 3/4 cup water

- handful of frozen corn

- handful of frozen peas

- cajun seasoning to taste

Directions

- In a crockpot, place chicken and cajun seasoning. Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4-6 hours.

- Once chicken is cooked, shred with forks and place back in crockpot on low.

- Boil water in small or medium pot then add rice and reduce heat to low. 

- Cook rice as directed on package.

- Season rice with cajun seasoning and add corn and peas.

- Once corn and peas are heated through then rice is finished.

- Enjoy.

Battle of the Boxes Part 1

How many monthly subscription boxes are you aware of? Did you know that there are well over 100 different subscription box services available? I did not know that fact until I started researching into them. There are boxes for beauty, jewelry, socks, food, beverage, craft, pets, kids, time of the month, and many many more categories. 

So guess what I did? I reached out to 75ish of those subscription box companies to see if they would send me a box for free to review. Can you guess what happened next? Well a few of those companies said yes and I have already received a few of those boxes. This means you will get to see one box a week reviewed here and I will give you my final verdict at the end of this series!!

*Juniper sent me a box for free to review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

When I was doing my research for all the different types of subscription boxes I was surprised to see how many companies were sending out monthly boxes for a ladies special time of the month. You know, when mother nature comes to visit? Or when Aunt Flo is in town? Or the time of the month when you sit in front of the refrigerator until it is empty? You understand where I am going with this.

Juniper is just that. And when they offered to send me a box to review I was kind of excited. Who gets excited for the dreaded period?! And I am not going to lie but I will get personal the box came in perfect timing - as it would if you subscribed to their monthly box service.

One thing I love about the box is that it is plain and simple. There is no advertising all over the box saying to your delivery man, "Whoa, this chick is about to get crazy so knock and run fast!"

Then I opened the box and it was like a party. Each month you receive little treats like pretzels, dried fruit, chocolate, tea, and of course the party poppers and pads. Yes, they are considered party poppers in my house because the atmosphere is the exact opposite of a party!! You also get to choose your favorite party popper from Tampax, Tampax Pearl, U Kotex, o.b., Playtex Gentle Glide, or Natracare so you don't get stuck with a brand of tampon you don't like.

Everything comes packaged so discretely and nicely. Can you even tell that this box is full of tampons and pads?

Here is what I received along with the price per item.
GloryBee Honey Stix (qty3) - about $0.75
Clean Getaway Lip Balm (0.25 oz) - $2.50
Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps (0.5 oz) - about $0.25
Cherry Bay Orchards Montmorency Dried Cherries (1oz) - about $0.50
Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter - about $0.99
Davidson's Tulsi Tea - about $0.75
o.b. Regular and Super tampons (10 each) - about $3.00
Always Infinity Overnight Pads (qty 2) - about $0.85
Always Infinity Regular Pads (qty 3) - about $0.90
Always Infinity Liners (qty 5) - about $0.60
Midol Painkillers (qty 4) - about $1.20

You can also tailor the box to fit your needs. Let's say you didn't need all those super tampons but needed more regular, you just let them know so they can adjust your quantity for next month.

Overall, I think Juniper is a great subscription box because it saves you the headache of rummaging through the house or under the sofa like you would for spare change when you forgot to pick up your monthly necessities. Best of all, Lynn, the founder of Juniper, says in her monthly letter that is included in the box, "...be your effing self." She's a smart, smart lady!

Have you ever heard of a monthly subscription box like this?

What do you think of it?

Bicycle. Bicycle. Bicycle.

I want to ride my bicycle. I want to ride my bike.

Okay, that's enough Queen for the day. Really though, how can the day not be great without some good ol' Queen?!
Now let's get on with the post.

A and I have been enjoying riding our bikes around town just for some leisurely activity. It was my great or not so great idea to challenge our bike riding ability. Our challenge started on Saturday and that challenge is to bike 100 miles in June.
That's 30 days people!!

It's still not to late to join but you are 14.03 miles behind us. If you own a bicycle and enjoy biking then I challenge you to the #100milesinJune challenge.

Oh and today is Tuesday so that means I have a Revolt Fitness recap for you sort of.
Yesterday started the first day of the next Uprising group. New Uprisings start the first Monday of each month and that means new people join, we get new exercises to whip our booties into shape and we also get new meals to enjoy.

Usually the first week of a new Uprising is dedicated to the detox diet. It is a way to rid your body of sugars and jump start your fitness routine. The detox diet is a lot of eggs and a lot of spinach. I am opting out of the detox diet due to food sensitivities but will swap out all meals for healthy alternatives.

Be sure to check in next week because I will show you my delicious meal alternatives. I am about to go eat right now!!

Are you going to join me for #100milesinJune?

*Revolt Fitness is allowing me to participate in the 

program at no charge so long as I share weekly posts. 

All thoughts, opinions, and results are my own.

Monthly Recap {May}

Well happy Monday to you! Ready for a quick weekend recap? We had a guest on Friday night and drank a lot of beer. Saturday was filled with riding bikes 6 miles for one bike to brake then walk the remaining 2 miles home. A took the bike in, got it fixed, then we went back out for another ride. Sunday was spent grocery shopping and preparing for this week.

There. That's it. We lead very exciting lives!

Now onto a bigger and better recap - May blogging recap.

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We had a house guest at the beginning of May and, being the good hostess that I am, I made over two pounds of steak for three people. Did we finish it? Nope, but it was delicious.

In case you are blind, unobservant, or just stopping by for the first time, my little home here in the dot com world got a new facelift. All new colors, new header, and I changed up the layout.

I participated in a linkup where I talked about how I had the best job. Ever!

Chit Chat Thursday vlogs included the equipment I use for home workouts and a taste test review of some nutritional supplements. Also, if you missed this one you should go watch because I had a very special guest!

I shared a little piece of my life here.

And another little piece here.

Every Tuesdayish I am bringing you along with me on the Revolt Fitness journey. You can read all about week two, week three, and week four.

I asked you to share your dirty little secrets with me. If you didn't share already, spill the dirt!

You were able to see the sad little face I get when I exceed my weekly budget.

I shared my input on the differences between the Midwest and West Coast.

I rambled and rambled then shared a secret with you - bloggers are liars.

Favorite Recipes:

Strawberries with Protein Almond Milk Ice Cream

Slivered Garlic Salmon

Slivered Almond Salmon

Favorite Weekend Pictures:

one / two / three

one / two / three / four

Do you have a favorite post from May?

How was your weekend?