One of the looks Mary Kay created was the “Ela” Ready to Win look. Everyone wants a winning look, and for Ela, she believes that you should always look good and be ready to win in life and love. This character look developed by Luis Casco is a “winner.”

I was chosen as one of many bloggers to recreate one of the signature looks using Mary Kay products! In the mail I received the products to help recreate the “Ela” Ready to Win look!

Mary Kay® Foundation Primer Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15

Mary Kay® Brow Gel

Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color in Hazelnut

Mary Kay® Cream Eye Color in Beach Blonde

Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color in Coal

Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color in Cinnabar

Mary Kay® Lash Love™ Waterproof Mascara in I ©Black

Mary Kay® Mineral Cheek Color in Strawberry Cream

Mary Kay® Lip Liner in Spiced Tea

Mary Kay® NouriShine Plus® Lip Gloss inCafé Au Lait

Mary Kay® Compact

Mary Kay® Brush Collection

As someone who doesn’t wear makeup often, I was a little intimidated by the products and recreating the look – but I tried to have FUN with it, and here is my recreating of the “Ela” Ready to Win look!

How did I do?

Be sure to tune into Arranque de Pasion on Univision be sure to contact your local Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant or connect with one on Mary Kay today!

To celebrate the partnership with Mary Kay and Univsion I’m hosting a GIVEAWAY! Enter below to win ALL of the products listed above so you can recreate the “Ela” look at home!!

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GOOD LUCK!!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and Mary Kay.  

I love hearing about companies giving back. Paying it forward is the ONLY way to go!!

Planet Fitness, the innovative health club franchise known for its Judgment Free Zone and friendly prices, has a Mother’s Day promotion that gives back in very meaningful ways. From May 8 through May 15, people can join for just $10 down and then $10 a month, and Planet Fitness will donate 100% of the enrollment fee to Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), an independent not-for-profit organization committed to funding scientific research to achieve prevention and a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime.

$10 never meant so much. Not only can people purchase a truly healthy gift for Mom or themselves with a Planet Fitness membership, but they will help raise important money for breast cancer research as well. This is the fourth year Planet Fitness has run this promotion, honoring mothers and all women touched by breast cancer. Over the past three years, Planet Fitness has donated more than $1 million to BCRF towards this worthy cause.

In addition, to honor all moms throughout the country, Planet Fitness is hosting a special “Mom Nom” sweepstakes to find the Best Mom on the Planet. From May 8^th - 15^th, people can nominate a special mom by visiting www.PlanetFitness.com/MomNoms and one lucky person will be randomly selected to win a year membership for themselves and a mom of their choice.

About Planet Fitness

Founded in 1992 in Dover, N.H., Planet Fitness is now the fastest-growing health club franchise in the United States, and has revolutionized the industry with a combination of extremely low prices and a unique, friendly, and hassle-free environment called the Judgement Free Zone®.

Planet Fitness has approximately 650 locations nationwide and has grown to more than 4.5 million members. The company prides itself on giving people an unbeatable value – top-notch facilities at extremely low prices, and an atmosphere that focuses on the needs of occasional or first-time club members rather than hard-core fitness fanatics. All Planet Fitness gyms feature a wide selection of brand-name cardio and strength equipment, and provide unlimited fitness instruction with all memberships. For more information, visit www.PlanetFitness.com.

It’s about three weeks since I’ve begun my health and wellness journey. I’m running, squatting, sweating, and starting to feel good! I was going to get a membership to a super fancy all women’s gym, until I was told the membership prices – $99/month…for one month!! With my upcoming Disney trip and summer camp expenses I knew it wasn’t something I could afford, so I’ve been getting outdoors and working out at home. My body is not yet at the point where I want it to be, and I’m a bit self-conscious, but I don’t want that insecurity to play a role in getting a good workout.

I want to be comfortable and looks good while I’m working out, and am so happy to be partnering with my social media BFF, Albion Fit. I first heard about Albion through a blog last year, and instantly became a fan. Albion Fit makes luscious clothing that woman want to wear! Their garments are fashionable and unique, but more importantly practical and technical. Designed by women, their apparel is crafted for women wherever they may be in their fitness goals. Our clothes easily transition from work out gear to lounging gear: whether she’s running an errand or 26.2 miles across a finish line.

It’s like we’re a match made in heaven! They speak my language

Wondering what their name means? Albion, hails from the Albion Basin at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon in beautiful Utah. They draw upon nature and its energy for their inspiration, always remembering that their ultimate goal is to reflect the power of natural femininity in their designs, as well as their lifestyle.

They really stood out to me because obviously their amazing clothes, but their engagement with people (like me) via social media. Sometimes you reach out to a company, retweet something they’ve tweeted and get no response. Kinda sucks! Whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram Albion appreciates it’s fans, customers, and potential customers – and that’s how you build an audience!

They offer a variety of women’s fitness and swimwear and workout clothing. Below are a FEW of my favorites:

I recently received their Gown Suit in Navy (left) for my June Disney trip. And once I lose a few more lbs I’m going all out and purchasing my *favorite* swimsuit they carry – the Midnight Dip Swimsuit (right)!! I’m in loooove with it!!

Oh and another thing? They are forever having specials on their merchandise! So always checkout their Instagram or Facebook page to learn about their newest deals!

Go off and explore their site, and be sure to use this exclusive promo code alexandra15 up until May 12 to save $15 on any purchase of $50+! And I’m super excited to offer a GIVEAWAY to one lucky reader for the same swimsuit I have the Gown Suit in Navy (above on left), entering is easy – good luck & happy shopping!!

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Disclosure: I received one swimsuit as compensation – but all opinions expressed are my own! 

It seems like forever ago that I booked our trip for Disney, and now it’s only 27 days away! I’ve yet to become excited for the trip…it’s not really  a vacation for me, but I wasn’t thinking about me when I booked the trip, but of my darling daughter. I’ve got to give it up to the folks over at Disney – they haven’t let me forget about my trip and at least every couple weeks they are sending me something in the mail about our trip – they really deserve a pat on the back!!

So with a month until our trip, I’m now trying to figure out what the heck I need to prepare! A month or so ago I started reading blogs of other families that were planning Disney trips – and got overwhelmed, I must give it to the super planners, but I want a sense of freedom when I’m away, and don’t want to be tied down! Their prep was months in advance, which had me down because I have done ZERO prep, other than booking our flight and hotel! For me, preparation for this trip can be broken up into two categories: mental and physical.

Mental Prep:

-          Mental preparing to fly (me no likey)

-          Preparing to be around a whole bunch of people and kids! (I’m kinda a hermit)

-          Being prepared for lil mama to want everything & needed to set limits with her

-          Being OK with being out the office for an entire week (causes me anxiety)

I’ve been working on this mental prep for awhile now. I’ve always been one to avoid super crowded events – you should see me in NYC with lil mama – I’m a mess! There is going to be so much stimulation there and I know she is going to want EVERYTHING, so I need to have a budget in mind and really try to stick with it.

Physical Prep:

-     What to pack? And how?

I generally tend to be an overpacker – I like to pack for any circumstance which always means my suitcase is busting at the seams lol – and let’s not talk about my accessories…I have a lot of skincare products that must travel with me. I need to figure out how I can best pack these without being stopped at the airport! I’ve also decided NOT to bring my laptop, which will be a nice break – I’ll have my Galaxy so I’ll still be connected. I also don’t know the limits on how heavy our bags can be…I don’t fly, and really need to educate myself ASAP so I don’t break no rules!

-   What to wear?

I’m all about comfort – and my standard outfit when I’m not at work is leggings, converse, and a tshirt. Best outfit ever. But I obviously know we’re going to be doing a lot of walking, so I need to be comfortable all the time. So I’ve decided to bring my workout gear, running pants, dri-fit tops, sports bra, and sneakers. I’ll be comfortable and ready to run at any moment! I also had to think about the dreaded topic of a bathing suit. I’ve just begun my fitness journey so I’m not yet seeing the results I want in my body, so I needed a suit that was not only cute and flattering but that sucked in what needed to be sucked and gave an overall slimming look – I recently teamed with Albion Fit and got sent the cutest bathing suit I’ll happily be rocking in Disney!

As you can see there is much prep to be done for our upcoming trip. But the biggest pieces are all done. We have our flights. We know where we’ll be staying. We have our dining plan. We have access to the parks. I’m happy with that and hope that everything else just falls smoothly into place…(a girl can dream!). But, it is important to really start thinking about what I still need to get, what exactly I’m packing, and start organizing! I’m not going overboard, so hopefully it’s not too much work!

Have you been to Disney? What kind of prep did you do beforehand? What advice would you give me?

About the Farm:
Established as a farm in 1651, Belkin Family Lookout Farm in South Natick is recognized as one of the oldest continuously-working farms in the country. The Belkin family is dedicated to continuing 350 years of farm tradition for future generations. They strive to provide healthy, outdoor, family fun activity while maintaining the farm’s long-rooted history and importance within the community for years to come.

If you are around this weekend, you won’t want to miss the open house happening on Saturday May 4 and Sunday May 5 from 11am – 3pm only! Take advantage of free admission in a beautiful landscape! We are headed there first thing Saturday morning with friends and I’m hoping for great weather! Located less than 20 miles from Boston, Belkin Family Lookout Farm is the perfect day trip for the entire family.

At the open house you’ll enjoy
*Free Parking
*Free Admission
*Children’s Play Area
*Moon Bounce
*Burlap Maze
*Facepainting
*Caterpillar rides

Hope to see local families there!

This is not a sponsored post. My family and I are fans and love to support local businesses!

Sure we all may think of dejunking our cabinets or fridge (maybe ‘friends’), but in such a digital world we can’t forget the importance of dejunking our computer and technology.

On my computer I have tonssss of music files, documents from college, blog posts, and pictures, and pictures, and pictures! I won’t even begin to tell you what my desktop looks like! It’s easy to forget about organizing your digital world, but once you do…life will never be the same!

To assist in spring cleaning your digital home, Office 365 Premium has a variety of features to keep you organized and uncluttered. The fact that I can organize from anywhere has been such a lifesaver. I’m forever snapping photos of my daughter, and now I can access them not only from my home computer. I am currently filling out a summer camp application, and was easily able to access my photos through SkyDrive – what a great feature!

I often wake up (as I did last night) in the middle of the night with my brain churning, worrying, but also pondering new ideas, and new ideas for work or my blog. I no longer write on a post-it note next to my bed. With the help of OneNote I can rest assure that all of my random thoughts and ideas are safe all together for me to access.

Since my daughter started school a few years ago, my schedule has become more and more full with school activities, birthdays, and play-dates  It gets so hard keeping it all straight. So now every event – big or small – goes into my Outlook calendar, and I can color code my engagements differently from school events, so it really helps me stay organized.

These are just a few of the ways Microsoft Office 365 has made me a more organized Mom, blogger, and employee! There are plenty more features that I know you’ll love, below are what you get when you purchase:

 What it Includes:

• The latest and most complete set of Office applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access
• One license for the entire household to use Office on up to five devices, including Windows tablets, PCs or Macs, and get Office on Demand from any Internet-connected PC
• An additional 20 GB of SkyDrive cloud storage, nearly three times the amount available with a free SkyDrive account
• 60 free Skype world calling minutes per month to call mobile phones, landlines or PCs around the world
• Future upgrades, so you always use the latest time-saving technology
• Automatic save to SkyDrive, so your documents — and even your personal settings — are always available from virtually anywhere and on your favorite devices

Amazing, right? And it’s affordable! At just $99.99 for an annual subscription you’ll get access to all the above, and the peace of mind that Office 365 is keeping things together for you! With Office 365 you get your information where and when you want it – access is just at your fingertips! Being that its subscription based you have the flexibility to use just one license for your home on up to five devices! Purchase Office 265 at a Microsoft retail store or at Office.com today!

Because I know how this software will change your life, I’m offering up a chance to clean up your digital life!

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How do you organize your digital home?

Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with Social Influenz and Microsoft for Office 365. All opinions expressed are my own.

The new “Run the Rainbow, Eat the Rainbow” contest too understands the importance of healthy kids. Run in collaboration with ChopChop Magazine, The Fun Cooking Magazine for Families, and Boston based New Balance the “Eat the rainbow” campaign helps kids get in the habit of eating a balanced palette of fruits and veggies —and, because different colors are associated with different nutrients, it is an easy way to color your world healthy. What better way to eat multiple colors than with a rainbow fruit kabob?

In celebration of healthy kids and New Balance’s awesome brand-new 890 Rainbow shoe, ChopChop and New Balance invite you to enter the contest for chance to win a monthly prize pack, including a pair of Rainbow shoes, a one-year subscription to ChopChop, and a grand prize of a $400 gift card to a local grocery store. Visit www.newbalance.com/rainbow to enter! The contest is live now and will run through May (entrants must be 18 years or older).

The colorful brand-new 890v3 Rainbow shoe by New Balance are stylish sneakers featuring a synthetic/mesh upper, offering lightweight comfort and support with solid rubber outsole to provide long-wearing durability for active kids. These are my daughter’s new favorite sneakers, I love how they brighten up any outfit, and they’ll be the perfect addition for our upcoming Disney trip!

Be sure to enter today for a chance to win some amazing prizes!
Just for my readers, one lucky reader will win a yearlong ChopChop Magazine subscription AND a pair of the stylish New Balance Rainbow shoe!! They’ll make the perfect addition to any summer wardrobe and they are so comfortable!! You don’t want to miss out on this great giveaway, entering in easy just use the widget!!

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post between ChopChop Magazine and New Balance. I received a pair of New Balance kids sneakers and a ChopChop subscription. All opinions, as always, are my own.

For as long as I can remember I’ve tried to achieve healthy happy skin. Over the years I’ve taken the time to educate myself on what products my skin responds to best and which products are no good. I’ve always been the type of person to want to look better WITHOUT makeup on than covered up with foundation and blush and etc. This has meant I spend a good amount of time listening to my skin and taking care of it. It’s also meant educating myself with the ingredients of the products I use – cause I only get this skin and I don’t intend to lift, tuck, pull, or stretch it!

I’m a product junkie. I have my skincare regimen down to a science. Got my moisturizer, eye cream, moisturizer with spf, and serum for the day and for the evening I’ve got my moisturizer, toning pads, eye cream, and vitamin based night cream. But over the past few years my skin has changed and I’ve had to adapt to it. In addition to my sprinkling of freckles I find that I now have post-acne scars that just aren’t going away, and also I’m experiencing more hyper-pigmentation – which I can do nothing about. And my lack of sleep has resulted in unwanted dark circles.

So I needed a skin pick me up, and happy thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Aveeno and their Active Naturals line because their mission is the same as mine – to unlock the potential to improve your health and beauty. I really appreciate their lack of junk in their products; looking over their ingredient list I was happy to find nourishing ingredients like soy, wheat, and lotus.

I’ve recently added in the AVEENO® POSITIVELY RADIANT® Brightening Cleanser into my routine to help with my skin’s overall texture and brightness. With a Disney vacation coming up in less than two months, I want my skin to be at its best, and I know that this product will help me achieve just that. Not only will it help brighten my skin, it isn’t drying, and helps lift away dirt and makeup – and it smells and feels great against my skin!

Can you tell I’m an Aveeno fan? Their Active Naturals line is fantastic, but we’ve been using Aveeno in our house for years, as the Mom to a daughter with sensitive, their moisturizing lotion is safe enough to use on her delicate skin and I don’t have to worry about any negative reactions! Win-Win!

Mark your calendars! There is an #AVEENOActiveNaturals Bilingual Twitter Party on Monday, April 22d at 6p.m. PST / 9p.m. EST. Please join us! RSVP ON FACEBOOK HERE. 

Do you or your family use Aveeno products? Would you try their Active Naturals line?

Disclosure: This post is in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and Aveeno. All opinions expressed are my own.

So what did I do? Book a trip to Disney! … I swear I’m crazy. Yup, we’re off to the most magical place on Earth! My daughter has been asking for awhile now to go somewhere, on an airplane, stay in a hotel, and of course visit the castle in Florida. I tried to silence her requests and convince her we should go to Puerto Rico and visit the beach! But she was firm – Disney and the castle.

But how to break the news to her? This is a HUGE trip for us! (My pockets sure feel lighter!). I couldn’t just come out and tell her! I needed some mystery; I wanted it to be a surprise! So I decided I would create an Easter Day Scavenger Hunt Revealing our Trip to Disney. I thought I was so slick! After a long day of visiting family and eating delicious food we got back home and I hid clues for her around the house in left over Easter eggs. Until I realized I messed up the clues, so I had to rush and get them all correct. Sigh.

I wanted to make this FUN, so I made a paper chain (love em) with we’re going to Disney, and lil mama LOVES to scrapbook so I got some Florida scrapbooking stickers and even an airplane I wanted this to be special…I was so excited to share this with her.

Once she read the little sign I had created she was off – off to find clues and find out what BIG surprise Mom had in store for her. From her closet, to the TV, to her bagpack, to the Fridge, to the door she went which finally lead her to ‘a place you love to go into after a long day that is usually full of bubbles’ … the tub! Where we was greeted with a special sign, her paper chain, and other goodies. It’s funny, her reaction – many many smirks – was not what I expected. I thought maybe she’d cry or roll around on the floor. But she grinned, she smirked, and she said Moommmmmy we’re going to Disney. It’s weird…it’s kind of like she already knew we were going! Smartypants.

So, yep we’re going to Disney – everyone’s like aren’t you so excited? I’m not…yet. I’m sure once it gets closer I’ll get more excited, but my fear of flying has clouded my excitement – and the fact that the trip isn’t cheap – ouch! But, we don’t go on vacation much, so it’s time to get away, enjoy some sun, and visit the castle! Lil Mama is counting down the days until June 3^rd!