*Disclosure: This post contains a sponsored link. However, the story is mine, and all thoughts are my own.

So many (GOOD) things have been happening to our family lately. I’m sitting here, in somewhat of a disbelief.

I’m off my crutches and able to drive again, which is a huge blessing. I really took walking for granted. With both my right leg and ankle being broken, I had to rely on so many others, which isn’t my strong suit. But, I have so many fantastic friends in my life, I never missed a beat. I did however, gain several pounds from not moving as much. Thankfully, those seem to be dropping pretty quickly since being able to get out on my own again. I found out that I didn’t get the teaching position I was hoping for- but it turned out to be a blessing- as I’m still blogging here and with FTT working on their social media and customer service departments at home, and have joined the team at Road Trip ’13 to get the conference rolling. I’m totally in love with what I’m doing!

J finally left his job for an amazing new career with a fantastic company that values his skills. It’s so nice to have my husband come home from work in a GREAT mood. So many things were lifted off his shoulders when he gave his notice. I am so proud of him for being such an upstanding person, and doing everything he could to get the rest of his team trained before his final day. J’s new job in Cincinnati (about a 45 minute drive from us) has already changed our lives significantly. Our insurance is better, as is the pay. In the first week of his job, they announced that he is going to be receiving quite a bit of training! I can’t tell you how excited I was to find Discounts on Vistaprint Products to get everything he needed for his new job (or as we like to call it, adventure!) to fit our budget.

Speaking of budget, we changed some things around a bit, and were finally able to afford another car! It’s new to us, and we love it. It’s primarily J’s car, but it’s fun to ride around in on the weekends. We call it: Ed.

M ended her first grade year on a super-high note with a great report card. She has improved so much in the final quarter. Her academics were near-perfect, and she was essentially “released” from her behavioral plan. Her teacher thinks she’ll really mature over the summer, as she nears 8. his was such a major stress in my life. I just couldn’t convince myself enough that her behavior wasn’t an example of my parenting, no matter how many times her teacher told me that M was making the decision to act the way she did. I always worried what note I would receive in her book bag at the end of the day. But now, we tossed the book bag and are working more on authority and being quiet when asked at home. We’re hoping for an even better start to 2nd grade in a few short months.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

I sincerely can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a dishwasher. Which is good, because I haven’t found a dish soap that I’m not allergic to. Sad for me, aren’t you? Luckily, there are dishwashers that do the work for you, and Cascade Platinum Pacs do the scrubbing to save your manicure. We currently live in a condo, that came with a dishwasher that’s a little on the older side. We’ve struggled through years (and our wallets) to find the right dishwasher soap that works the best in our machine. I can’t tell you how many brands we’ve tried. Under my sink is a waste-land of dishwasher detergent that just didn’t make the cut- even when we pre-rinsed and pre-washed. They made so many streaks, and left so much film that I was embarrassed to bring them out when we had guests over. So, most of the time we’d break out the ultra-expensive paper plates.

So I was really excited for Mom Central to send me samples of Cascade Platinum Pacs. One, they’re small. You don’t need a ton of space under your sink to store them. They have the power of Dawn, so no pre-scrubbing needed. Since using Cascade Platinum Pacs, my dishes come out cleaner, and streak free! We’ve even noticed that we can turn off heat dry (our dishes still come out sparkling) to save on our energy bill. And now that I’m not embarrassed about the way my dishes look, I’m happy to take photos of our meals and invite friends over. It’s a win!

So yes, THEY WORK! And you can check them out on Facebook and join in the contest #MyPlatinum on Instagram (click the link for details on the contest, but it runs for 4 weeks where you can submit your photos for chances to win Cascade prizes-To win, users have to both register and upload  a  photo  with  the  #MyPlatinum  hashtag  and  tag @MyCascade.  Participants  that  have  not  registered  will  be  disqualified  from  winning.).

They’ve even partnered with Gail Simmons from Top Chef and Food and Wine Magazine, a woman who knows that presentation is just as important as how your food tastes. Gail Simmons loves using Cascade Platinum Pacs to impress her guests, so I’m totally like Gail, right?

I’m a huge makeup junkie, and rarely go without it. My absolute FAVORITE brand of makeup is Mary Kay. I have very sensitive skin, and Mary Kay makeup doesn’t bother me at all, AND makes me look my best. They literally have something for everyone- whether you want a bold look, or lean more towards neutral. I’ve compared some of the expensive high-end makeup at the department store counter to Mary Kay, and Mary Kay wins out every time!

I don’t know about you, but I was glued to my phone watching the photos come in of celebrities on the red carpet for the Tony Awards last night! But I wasn’t looking for what gown they were wearing, I was looking at their makeup!

What’s great about Mary Kay Makeup is that you can get the same Tony Awards Red Carpet Makeup Looks at home! My friends at Mary Kay have already put together two of their favorite looks from last night’s awards with some tips you can easily recreate.

Pucker up in a bold red lip inspired by Scarlett Johansson:

•  Cover the entire eyelid with Mary Kay Cream Eye Color in Apricot Twist and dab Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Crystalline onto the inner corners of the eyes and under the brow bones
• Apply Mary Kay Liquid Eyeliner in Black along the top lash line and wing outward.
• Generously coat top and bottom lashes with Mary Kay Lash Love Lengthening Mascara in Black
• Line lips with Mary Kay Lip Liner in Clear. Apply Mary Kay True Dimensions Lipstick in Sizzling Red directly from the tube, using a lip brush if needed. Blot with Mary Kay Beauty Blotters and reapply for intense, long-lasting wear
• Apply Mary Kay Luminous-Wear Liquid Foundation and contour using Mary Kay Mineral Bronzing Powder in Sandstone

Turn heads with defined eyes and a neutral lip inspired by Anna Kendrick:

• Begin with Mary Kay TimeWise Matte-Wear Liquid Foundation then dab Mary Kay Mineral Cheek Color in Sparkling Cider on the apples of the cheeks
• Apply Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in White Lilly to the eyelid and up to the brow bone, then blend Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Silver Satin onto the eyelid up to the crease
• Apply Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Coal to the outer corner of the eye to create a smoky effect then line top and bottom lashes with Mary Kay Eyeliner in Black and smudge with a Mary Kay smudger brush
• Generously apply two coats of Mary Kay Lash Love Lengthening Mascara in Black
• Line lips with Mary Kay Lip Liner in Neutral. Apply Mary Kay True Dimensions Lipstick in Natural Beaute to complete the look.

So now for the giveaway!

• Tell me which look (between Scarlett Johansson or Anna Kendrick) you love the most. You can only pick one in your comment! One winner will win the entire Mary Kay Makeup look they have chosen.

One winner will be chosen on Monday, June 17th at 11:00am by random.org. Giveaway valid for US residents over the age of 18.

As we’re entering the summer months, you’re probably noticing the humidity rising by the amount of frizz your hair is experiencing. Or at least, I am. For some reason, our region of Ohio has the WORST humidity. And with humidity, comes mold and mildew (ew, gross). But here are some of my tips and tricks to keep the mold and mildew away. Or delay it a bit.

To start, make sure you’re keeping things dry. Keep all surfaces wiped down, watch for leaks, and make sure the water from your tub STAYS in the tub. When spills happen on your carpet, make sure you pat the area as dry as you can, and get a fan on it as soon as possible.

In the bathroom, it’s a real struggle to keep the mold and mildew away, and I admit this is one area that drives me bonkers. If you have ceramic tiles, use dishwasher detergent and hot water to rub them down with a good sponge or brush. If you have some stubborn spots, you can use a cut lemon to rub on them and they will dissolve easily. Just make sure you leave the lemon juice on for about 15-20 minutes to let it really do it’s magic.

It’s a lot easier than you think, and by using my tips you can go longer between cleans!

I am SO excited about Road Trip ’13, the blogging conference coming to Cincinnati, Ohio October 10th-12th! I’ll be speaking (wow!) for my first time ever and can’t wait to share my knowledge with everyone. I’ll be sharing the stage with some world renowned speakers, and am just in awe over the entire experience. Want more information about the conference? Well, I’ve got it! It’s a new conference to the scene, but it’s going to be the LARGEST technology innovation, cyber branding, social media and blogging event in the US!

From the site:

WHO IS TEACHING:  Speakers and workshops will feature the best and brightest blogging, public relations and social media pros, “Thought Leadership” and “Digital Delivery Mentors” and experts in North America.  These community leaders will be gathering to mentor new and old friends alike.

WHY:  RoadTrip 2013 (to be a semi-annual event) is a hands-on event for anyone curious about making digital delivery systems work for their brands and their space.  Designed much like a rural central school system, RoadTrip 2013 is jam packed with incredible content, inspiring events, networking and hands-on practical workshops that deliver relevant effective teachings for skill sets of all ages. The size of our conference is perfect – full of synergy and opportunity, but intimate enough to personally benefit from the professional development and fulfilling agenda options. If you walk away from RoadTrip 2013 without learning at least 10 new things, then you are probably a zombie.

There are several different ticket options, but BLUE tickets are the only ticket plans that EXCLUDES hotel accommodations.  Silver and up all include hotel in the cost.  In other words, they only have to figure out how to get there! Which is a huge plus. Very few conferences offer this option. Also, you can split up your payments into 3 installments for a more budget friendly option. You can check out what’s included by clicking here. Want to purchase tickets? My discount code will get you $500 off by typing in “DomesticDebacle” without the quotations. This expires on 7/15/2013, so make sure you reserve your ticket soon! If you choose the payment option, the discount will come off the final payment. If you’re planning on going, you can also click here to grab your badge(s).

Now for the giveaway!

I am giving away one BLUE-Level ticket valued at $1,125! The BLUE-Level ticket includes:

• transportation to and from the airport
• general session access Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8:00am-5:00pm
• all daily networking sessions, “Local Flair” Power Breakout Workshops, “Barber Shop” Large Group Session Q’nA’ Panels
• Comprehensive RoadTrip Curriculum
• all lunches and scheduled snack breaks
• Thursday night Food Nation & entertainment networking and dinner event
• Friday night Hollywood Ball networking and awards dinner
• $10 credit to RT 66 Refueling Cafe & coffee bar credit (the event snack shop)
• $10 American Marketplace credit (the event vendor and tradeshow fair)
• and gifts, resources and free tools.

**DOES NOT INCLUDE HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
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