Recently, I introduced you all to an awesome solution for thinning hair from a vegan haircare brand called ColorProof. I was so impressed with their BioRepair-8 Line, I decided I simply HAD to check out more of what this brand had to offer. After all, finding vegan, cruelty-free haircare solutions can be tricky, and I am always looking for those products that pamper my hair without being harsh or damaging. You know, those so-called "Holy Grail" products. 

Well, I found some of those Holy Grail hair products when I discovered ColorProof's ​SuperRich® Collection and DeepQuench® Moisture Masque. Like all ColorProof products, these are all Vegan, cruelty-free, and absolutely luxurious.

Oh, and ColorProof's products are designed with color treated hair in mind! Their complete line of professional luxury products are designed exclusively for color-treated hair. These next generation formulas combine the latest innovations in ingredient technology with best-in-class ingredients to create a new standard in color care.

Everybody WINS: All of my readers can get 15% off all products + Free shipping with discount code: Beauty15 

Fall is here, and I am changing everything out, from my wardrobe-Hello sweaters and boots!-to my beauty routine. The cooler months can be harsh to the skin, so I up my game with Manuka Honey products from PRI. 
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​Pacific Resources International has been delivering Manuka Honey beauty and health products to Americans for over 25 years. Manuka is the gold standard for honey and is produced exclusively in New Zealand from bees and
flowers that are environmentally protected. Enjoy these safe and soothing products every day and feel great using them!

I am a HUGE fan of PRI, and of Manuka Honey in general. Domestic honey has been in the news lately, and not for very good reasons. Thankfully, I don't have to worry about my Manuka Honey, since it comes directly from beautiful New Zealand, and is completely pure and clean. 

Recently, I was sent a fabulous assortment of PRI products that will help me look and feel my best, naturally! I would love to tell you a bit about each of these products, so keep reading for more info. Trust me, you will absolutely love what they have to offer! 

As anyone who is on my personal Facebook friend list is painfully aware, I am an activist. I feel things very strongly and deeply, and I like to discuss the issues while trying to find ways to singlehandedly change the world, making it a kinder, gentler, more inclusive place for everyone. Yes, I do mean EVERY person. 

I'm just one person, though, so my contribution for now is raising children who are kind, compassionate, and always willing to stand up and fight for what's right. We don't stand by and allow anyone to be bullied, and we believe that love always, without fail, wins. Always. 

So naturally, I was absolutely thrilled to learn about some brand new jewelry by Chamilia that speaks to the activist soul in me. 

​Now I'm sure that most are familiar with this coveted brand. Chamilia is all the rage lately, and for good reason! Charm bracelets are a fashion must, and Chamilia has some truly gorgeous options available to suit any style or occasion. 

•FREE Vitamin B-12–60-Day Supply–1,000 mcg (only pay $3.95 S&H)
•FREE Vitamin D–Any D product (baby, child, adult) (only pay $4.95 S&H):
•BOGO–FREE Vitamin C (Sour Cherry or Tangy Orange)–500 mg–Buy One Get One Free

Mark your calendars because September 30th is National Family Health & Fitness Day. It focuses attention on family time to spend the day in healthy and active pursuits–together. We can all eat better, exercise more and make the health of our family a priority every day! Superior Source Vitamins is a company focused on health and making it easier to you're your vitamins because there are NO PILLS to SWALLOW! With over 180 vitamins, there are vitamins for everyone, young old and every need.

Best of all, Superior Source Vitamins are MicroLingual® with “Under the Tongue Technology” that works fast, and are quickly absorbed into the body, dissolving in seconds. Did you know that...by swallowing supplements, as much as 50% of the potency is lost in the high acid environment of the stomach? With Superior Source, this is no longer a problem! 

Ohio ladies! I need your attention for just a second here. Believe it, it's worth it, and could actually end up saving your life. 
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Cuyahoga County Board of Health and The Breast and Cervical Cancer Project Northeast Ohio launched a new campaign, My Body Matters, to reduce breast and cervical cancers and increase the number of screenings provided to eligible women in Northeast Ohio.

Starting September 29, 2017, the program will offer free services to eligible women between the ages of 21 and 74 in the 18-county Northeast Ohio region who are underinsured and fall at or below 250% of the federal poverty level. My Body Matters encompasses the following counties: Ashtabula, Carroll, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas and Wayne.
 
Free services include pelvic exams, pap tests, clinical breast exams, mammograms, case management and diagnostic testing (including biopsy and ultrasound as needed). All women are eligible for our Patient Navigation program, which guides women through community resources, helps healthcare providers and answers all questions.
 
My Body Matters is a program of The Breast and Cervical Cancer Project Northeast Ohio which aims to:

• Increase breast and cervical screening rates
• Reduce the number of breast and cervical cancers
• Reduce incidence and mortality disparities by race, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, geographic isolation and medically underserved groups

 
The United States Preventative Services Task Force recommends:

• Biennial screening mammography for women age 50 to 74 years
• Screening for cervical cancer in women age 21 to 65 years with cytology (Pap smear) every 3 years or,
• For women age 30 to 65 years who want to lengthen the screening interval, screening with a combination of cytology and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing every 5 years

 
To apply, women can visit the My Body Matters website to complete an online or printable PDF application. Women can also call the Cuyahoga County Board of Health at 216-201-2000 or the Breast and Cervical Cancer Project Hotline at 1-800-443-2168 to find out if they are eligible to receive free services.
 
About My Body Matters
My Body Matters is a campaign for the Breast and Cervical Cancer Project Northeast Ohio region. The BCCP project is administered by the Cuyahoga Board of Health, which has been a grantee of the Ohio Department of Health Breast and Cervical Cancer Project since 1994.
Facts about Breast Cancer

• According to the 2016 Ohio Annual Cancer Report:
• In Ohio, breast cancer was the second leading cause of cancer incidence (14.7%) and third leading cause for mortality rates (7.2%) in 2013.
• The incidence rate for Ohio was 125.8 per 100,000, placing Ohio in the second highest tier for incidence rates across the U.S.

• According to American Cancer Society Cancer Statistics Center:

• About 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

Facts About Cervical Cancer

• According to American Cancer Society Cancer Statistics Center:
• An estimated 12,820 women in the United States were diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016.

• According to Ohio Department of Health’s Cancer in Ohio Report:

• An average of 456 new cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed annually in Ohio between 2009 and 2013, a rate of 7.5 per 100,000 (the same rate for the U.S. during this time period).

Recently, we decided that every week, we're going to take the kids somewhere new, educational, and exciting. One of the challenges of homeschooling is making sure that the kids get out enough, and that they also have plenty of chance to socialize. Going on Field Trips, either as a family or with friends' kids, too, is a wonderful way to cover all of our bases. 

Last week, we went somewhere super cool. We went to a real CASTLE. Didn't know we have actual castles here in Ohio? Well, we do, and King James doesn't live in any of them!

The one we went to, Squire's Castle, is located outside of Cleveland, and is part of the Metroparks. There's a picnic area, trails, and yes, a castle. Pretty awesome, right? 

I have to admit, while we chose Squire's Castle because it would be an educational experience, teaching about both architecture and Ohio's history, I also had some ulterior motives.....

​You see, we recently received some gorgeous clothing from Agnes & Dora by my friend, Bethany Minyard, and I wanted to make sure our photo shoot was extra special. What better place than a castle! 

When I was a little girl, I loved playing Dress Up in my mom's clothes. I remember she had lots of fun things like ruffled dresses, a Dolly Parton wig, and even fur coats. Hey, when I was a little child, I didn't realize the ethical issues surrounding coats made from the fur of animals. As an adult, I choose not to wear fur. As a kid? Well, it was all kinds of fun, as I truly just didn't know better. 

Anyway, I still like to play dress up, in a way, although the game has evolved a bit. Instead of pretending to be a Princess, I can throw on an outfit and appropriate accessories and be a sexy librarian, office manager, or even just a hippie chick, not that this is anything new. Oh, and Snapchat filters make playing "Dress Up" absolutely epic for grown women like myself. Follow me there! My user name is BrandyNelson81 and I need new Snapchat friends!

Well, school is back in session here in NE Ohio. My oldest is a Senior in High School, and my younger kids are in 1st and 2nd grades. I'm not entirely how it happened, but my babies are no longer babies. Time to cue a mid-life crisis. 

Anyway, Sophie and Xander both learn at home, online, with the K12 program. While their classmates and teachers meet in a virtual setting and their assignments are largely completed online, they DO offer tons of face to face activities where teachers and students get to know each other.

Yesterday, we had our annual Back to School Picnic, which was held at one of our local parks in a nearby city. When I asked the kids what they wanted to pack, I was expecting to hear sandwiches and chips, or something...well...lunch-like. Nope. My kiddos wanted some fruit and their Party Cake Entenmann’s® Little Bites®. 

Normally, I'd ask them to have something more substantial for lunch, but I figured they'd want to have something smaller so they wouldn't miss out on playground time. After all, I could always whip up something more once we returned home. 

From the mind of Gwen Stefani comes the world of KUU KUU HARAJUKU. The animated series comes to DVD in North America from Shout! Factory in collaboration with DHX Media. The second installment, KUU KUU HARAJUKU: SUPER KAWAII, contains 12 episodes from Season One, as well as new interviews with the show’s voice cast and will be available on DVD on September 26, 2017.

KUU KUU HARAJUKU: SUPER KAWAII is available now for pre-order at Amazon.com and ShoutFactory.com. Initial shipments of the DVD contain nail decals of fun KUU KUU HARAJUKU-inspired emoticons (while supplies last). The 2D-animated series currently airs on Nick Jr. in the U.S. and on Family Channel in Canada.
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The animated series KUU KUU HARAJUKU follows the fun-filled adventures of the band HJ5 – Love, Angel, Music, Baby and G – through their super cute world of music, fashion and style. The inspiration for this popular animated series came from Grammy® Award-winning musician Stefani who wanted to create an animated series for girls that encourages and celebrates creative self-expression, imagination and individuality.  The show’s setting is inspired by the exuberant street fashion and creative youth culture of the Harajuku district but it takes place in a magical fantasy world like nothing you’ve ever seen before. 

Join Love, Angel, Music, Baby and G — five totally talented members of the super cool band HJ5 — as they return with 12 more hard-rocking tales! With help from their loveably incompetent manager Rudie, HJ5 travels all over the globe to put on shows for their fans! That is, of course, if they can actually get through the crazy adventures keeping them from their gigs! But together, HJ5 will do what it takes to perform … and maybe even save the day!