The other day was not a good one.

It started with the upstairs shower leaking into our kitchen; a deep pool of water on the counter kicked off the day. After that I found a container of watermelon that had been left out all night *shudder*; then we received a giant bill from my son’s cardiologist and rounded out the day with sewage coming up the drain of our basement utility sink.

Oh, joy.

After all of that, let me tell you what I didn’t want to do: MAKE DINNER.

What I wanted to do was run away from my house of horrors and go get a drink! And that’s exactly what I did.

Lucky for me, there is an Applebee’s within walking distance of my house. I called a few people, told them to meet me there, and by the time the three of them arrived appetizers had already been delivered to the table!

Lots of appetizers. And, we ate every bit of them.

To compensate for the indulgence of tortilla chips, I ordered the Skinny Bee Margarita (YUM).

Though there weren’t a lot of vegan options on the menu, the waitress was more than accommodating and the manager brought me a list of foods that were meat and dairy free. There were also handy lists for food allergies.

I ended up with this spicy and delicious Sizzling Asian Shrimp and Broccoli (minus the shrimp).

You may also notice there is a beer there. It was spicy. I had to! Plus, the margarita was part of the appetizer.

Some people don’t have to worry about eating meat though. Color me jealous. I’m not going to lie. I stole some of those fries.

Then everyone else ordered this for dessert. This is a picture from Applebee‘s website, because I didn’t have time to take a picture before they started tearing into it.

By the time I got my phone out to snap a picture, it looked like this. Notice how they left one bite of cookie on the plate:

All in all, we had a few drinks, a lot of food and a ton of fun. I love living in a neighborhood where there is a restaurant that I can take my family to or meet a few girlfriends for happy hour. It was the perfect way to end my day on a high note.

Applebee’s knows the value of meeting friends at the end of a stressful day. After all, they like to say: “Life is Better Shared.” They also know sometimes friends can’t meet face-to-face, and they want you to be a part of their online circle of friends. Find them on Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube or Tumblr!

Applebee‘s and BlogHer want you to end your day on a high note too, because they’re giving one lucky reader a $150 Applebee‘s gift card! To be entered for a chance to win, just leave a comment on this post and answer the question, “When’s the last time you had a girl’s night out?

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I use body wash instead of soap. There, I said it.

After 40 years of lathering up, I have finally realized that soap isn’t the best thing for my skin. Maybe it is for you, but not for me, especially during the winter months. Increased water intake and constant slathering with lotion just wasn’t enough to compete with the cold, dry Midwestern air I battle with from October to May.

Not long ago, I realized that while my arms, legs and hands were always very dry, my face wasn’t. I figured out that the difference was the amount of moisturizer in the products I was using to wash my skin and the fact that my face cleanser didn’t contain soap.

That’s when I had a soap epiphany.

If I could clean my face without soap and have soft hydrated skin, why couldn’t I do the same thing with my body? Guess what? I could. And I could actually make my arms and legs feel softer and more moisturized than my face.

When Olay® recently sent me their Ultra Moisture Body Wash with shea butter, I became a permanent body wash convert. Before I even tried the product I liked the subtle scent. I can’t stand overly sweet smelling soaps and lotions and this was like Mama Bear’s body wash, which is to say it smelled just right.

Olay has been making moisturizer since the 50’s and they’re still going strong. They know what they’re doing. When I saw a sticker on the bottle that said, “Over a jar of Olay moisturizers inside” I knew it was going to do a decent job of making my skin feel better. I just didn’t know how much better. It did a great job of cleaning my skin and after a few days of using it I didn’t even have to put on lotion after my shower! This is coming from the person who used to slather on oil before getting out of the shower and apply lotion and STILL had dry skin.

After 40 years of lathering up it’s great to know that I finally have my skin figured out. And I love that I’ve found a product that simplifies my routine. It’s so great!

Now BlogHer wants to do something great for you by giving one lucky reader a $50 Visa gift card! For a chance to win, just tell me what you to do simplify your routine.

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry

This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 3/20 – 4/17

Be sure to visit the Olay Body Wash page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win! While we’re on the subject of looking good, you might want to check out the “Looking Your Best” posts in the Life Well Lived section of BlogHer.com. There are some great tips and expert posts!

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When I was a little girl, I spent a lot of time at my grandma’s house. My parents divorced when I was three and my dad lived with my grandma for many years. When I visited him two days a week and almost every weekend, I was visiting my grandma, too. She was an amazing woman: kind, tolerant, funny and strong. She spent much of her time cooking delicious meals for our large, extended family, who always seemed to congregate at her house. When she wasn’t in the kitchen, she was caring for my cousin who suffered from Muscular Dystrophy.

She was, and still is, the first person who comes to my mind when I think of generosity. Unless you were trying to eat her HoHos®. In her breadbox, my grandma kept a small stash of cookies, Twinkies®, HoHos®, and King Don’s® (that’s what Ding Dongs® were called in my part of the country…many, many years ago) (yes, I’m old). My cousins and I had to be really good if we wanted to get something out of the breadbox. Either that, or really sneaky.

Fast forward 30 years (see that? I really am old), and now I’m the one buying Hostess® products. The latest favorite, in our house, are the New Frosted Devil’s Food Donettes®. When we need a quick and easy breakfast, the moist, devil’s food cake and chocolaty coating go perfectly with some fresh fruit and yogurt, and we always take Donettes® with us when our family goes camping. The last thing I want to do after crawling out of a tent is to make breakfast on a campstove. Have you ever tried to wash cooked-on eggs out of a pan at a campsite? Yeah.

Hostess® has been around since 1930, since before my parents were born. They grew up with Hostess® products; I grew up with them, and now my kids are enjoying them, too. I think my grandma, in particular, would have loved the New Chocolate Crème Twinkies®! Though I have no doubt my 10 year old self would have tried extra-hard to sneak one. I know this because my daughter loves them. She takes after her mother like that.

Now BlogHer wants to know your favorite Hostess® memory and by sharing you can be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card!

SWEEPSTAKES/GIVEAWAY RULES No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 2/29/12 – 3/31/12 Be sure to visit the Promotions & Prizes page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

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One of my earliest memories of traveling with my mother was a trip we took to California to visit my aunt. We went to Disneyland, Grauman’s Chinese Theater, and on a tour of stars’ homes. We ate authentic tacos and sat in the audience for a game show. I had so much fun as I listened to my mom and aunt talk, sing, and laugh.

And, then something happened I will really never forget. I watched them bleach their mustaches. I had no idea that women did such things. I was a little girl, who found the entire act absolutely hysterical. In fact, I actually rolled on the floor and laughed.

For the longest time, I thought this was a crazy Lebanese secret that only we of middle-eastern descent needed to discuss. I was thankful for my dad’s genes that gave me light hair and green eyes and thought I would be spared the growth of hair on my upper lip.

Then I turned 35. Suddenly, hair started sprouting from places that I didn’t expect. My neck and chin grew short, course, gray hairs, while my cheeks took on a thicker peach fuzz. And, above my lip, the dreaded ‘stache.

Although my mom set the example, I was not about to put bleach on my face…well, mostly because you can still see the hair; it’s just lighter. I started to notice women with hairy faces and became thankful for winter when I could wrap a scarf around my neck.

My sister-in-law and I tried waxing, but we both ended up bleeding. If there is anything worse than a hairy lip, it’s a scabby one. Short of taking my husband’s shaving cream and razor to my face, there weren’t too many options. I have sensitive skin. I once had hives for months, for no discernible reason; I couldn’t use cream without burning myself.

This is why I jumped at the chance to try the New Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo, a two-step system that includes a Skin Guarding Balm that goes between the Hair Removal Cream and your skin.

The instructions said to test the products on your forearm 48 hours before applying to your face. I did so and had no adverse reaction. I applied the balm to my face as directed then the cream. I left it on for six minutes, wiped it off with cotton balls, and then rinsed my face with warm water.

I had some minor skin irritation immediately following, with some visible redness, but within the time I dried my hair and got dressed, my skin looked fine and felt amazing. Truly, amazing. I don’t even know what to compare the softness to, because I haven’t felt skin that soft since my babies were born. And now, a day later, it is still soft and completely hair-free!

It was convenient and left me feeling much more feminine than my husband’s razor. Just sayin’.

Now BlogHer and Olay are offering you something to make you feel better!

Just tell me what part of your beauty routine makes you feel most feminine and best expresses your inner beauty, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a $50 Visa gift card!

Rules: This sweepstakes runs from 1/3/2012 – 2/3/2012.
No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.

Be sure to visit the Promotions & Prizes page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

While we’re on the subject of looking good, you might want to check out the “Looking Your Best” posts in the Life Well Lived section of BlogHer.com. There are some great tips and expert posts!

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Email