Arbonne - Sign up today!

Happy Monday!  Today is all about Arbonne. I want to officially introduce you to some of the products and I'm offering an extra incentive if you sign up this month.  Read all the way to the bottom to find out more.

Arbonne's signature line is the RE9 Anti-Aging Regimen.  The recommended five steps are: Facial Cleanser, Regenerating Toner, Intensive Renewal Serum, Corrective Eye Cream, Restorative Day Cream with SPF 20  or Night Repair Cream.  Results happen within the first 24 hours.  Your skin becomes firmer without using harmful ingredients.  In addition to these everyday products, there are some specialty products to target certain areas or problems: age-defying neck cream, instant lift gel, and firming body cream.  It is never too early or too late to start using anti-aging products.

Right now there is a special on anti-aging products, including some RE9 items.

 

Another line that I really like is the FC5 - hair, body and face products.  It makes my skin feel fresh and clean and it has some neat ingredients like kiwi, strawberries, carrots, mangos and pumpkins.

Right now I am using these Genius pads.  I am not going to lie, they are expensive, and I got a good discount when I became an independent consultant, but they are amazing.  They are really clearing up my skin.

We used the ABC Diaper Rash Cream with E while he was in diapers.  It was so much easier to spread around than the other thicker zinc creams.  And I felt better about putting it on his skin than petroleum jelly.  (Did you ever know it's called 'petroleum' jelly?  I had never really thought that it was a petrol product, but it is.)  There is a whole line of baby products, including shampoo, lotion, baby oil, and sunscreen. 

There is a men's line as well with their own version of the RE9 Anti-aging regimen, and includes cleanser, shaving cream, lotion, and a post-shave balm.  Men aren't excluded from using the other skin care products, but these ones are specifically targeted to their needs.

The make up line is really great.  I use the Makeup Primer everyday and it keeps my make up from fading throughout the day, even when it is hot and humid.  There are also many choices for powder, liquid foundation, eye shadows, mascara, and more.

The Holiday Line is available now.  There are lots of fun products that make wonderful gifts.  Get that Christmas shopping done now!!

Arbonne is not just about personal care products, it also offers a line of protein powders, and other nutritional supplements.  I have always been wary of protein powders because of all of the chemicals and stuff in them.  These powders are vegan, dairy free, gluten free, whey and soy free, and they are  not artificially coloured, flavoured or sweetened.  I definitely feel more comfortable adding this to my morning shake.  I also like the idea of the chews.  Sometimes when 3:00 rolls around, I need a little something, but I don't really need a big snack.

I am more than happy to speak to you about any thing you need help with, including helping to find the right products for you. 

I have only just scratched the surface of the products offered by Arbonne.  In a future post I will tell you more about the business opportunities that come with being an independent consultant. 

Today I'm providing you with a special offer for Arbonne.  If you sign up as a Client or Preferred Client by September 30 and spend over $50.00*, you will be entered to win this bracelet from Stella and Dot:

 It's the Bardot Spiral Bangle, and it goes with everything. It was one of the first pieces I bought from Stella and Dot and I have been very happy with it. (I'm not giving you mine, I'll buy a new one for you!)

 

 

Here is what you need to do. 

 

Step 1: Go to arbonne.ca.

Step 2: Click on "Join Arbonne" at the top right hand corner.

Step 3: Select "Client" or "Preferred Client".  There is a fee of $24 to join as a Preferred Client but you get a 20% discount on all purchases and have access to many special promotions.  Then scroll to the bottom

Step 4: Select your country and language, and then enter my Arbonne ID number: 116201315.

Step 5: Fill in your contact information.

Step 6: Browse the site and find your favourite products or new things to try.

 

I will get a notification that you've signed up and ordered, but send me an email or leave a comment to let me know so I can make sure you are entered in the draw for the Stella and Dot bracelet.

 

There is a special offer to those signing up as Preferred Clients: if you accumulate 250 PVQ points then you get your sign up fee for free.  (PVQ points are displayed by each product, they don't necessarily match the price).  This offer officially starts on September 12, but if you sign up before then, you'll just get at $24 voucher in your shopping cart.

*No purchase necessary, contact me for details.

Flashback Friday - Peru Part 1 - Lima and Cusco

 

At the end of my maternity leave in 2012, we took ten days away from E and travelled to Peru.  This was a trip that Dave had wanted to take for awhile, and since it would be unlikely we would want to hike Machu Picchu with a small child, we decided to take this trip while we could.  We flew direct to Lima and spent two days there before proceeding to Cusco to acclimatize for our hike to Machu Picchu.  A few people told us that we shouldn't spend any time in Lima because it is dirty and just another city, nothing exciting. But we wanted to spend a few days there and I'm glad we did.  Lima was out of my comfort zone, even though we stayed in the nicest and safest neighbourhood (Miraflores).  We arrived in the middle of the night and had to wait forever for our luggage.  We had arranged a driver with our hotel and I'm glad we did, he had a nice new car and was waiting for us with a sign.  I had read about carjackings in Lima and I was a little nervous as we drove through the poorer neighbourhoods and sped along the road by the beach.  I wondered why he was going so fast, but I went with it, he must know something we didn't.  We stayed at the Radisson.  It was a nice hotel and I felt very safe.  The next morning we set out for a walk.

 

 

The smog was there the whole time we were there.  I have heard Lima is one of the most polluted cities in the world.

This is the Larcomar mall built right into the side of this cliff.  If you're standing at the street level you can't even see it.

Art in the park.

Parque del Amor. It is covered with mosaics and dedicated to all lovers.

 

These evacuation routes were located all along the beach.  Not many places to go with that big cliff up to the city.

This is the neighbourhood of Barranco.  It is the artsy part of the city with many colourful buildings.

The best churros.  I still think about these. 

The restaurant with the churros.  LA 73

Other restaurants we went to were Saqra and an amazing Mediterranean restaurant.  I can't remember what it was called, but the hummus, the fresh pita, lamb, and salads were amazing.  It sounds weird that we ate at a Mediterranean place in South America, but Lima is actually quite well known for its globally inspired cuisine.  Thank goodness for Tripadvisor and wifi at the hotel.  We just looked for high rated restaurants within walking distance of our hotel and found these places.  Our travel pet peeve is wandering around looking for places to eat while we're hungry hangry. 

On our third morning in Peru, we got on a plane to Cusco.  I had booked our flight to Cusco on Expedia and I was so nervous that we didn't actually book the ticket, but it was all fine. 

View from our hotel.

 

This was our hotel. A very cute loft apartment bed and breakfast. It had so many nice touches - the owners met you with tea when you arrived, they had a picnic basket of treats, and you could have them build you a fire. As much as we enjoyed exploring Lima, we did wish we could have spent more time here.

Tons of shops as you walked around the town.  We got an alpaca scarf (that may or may not be pure alpaca wool), finger puppets, a hat for E, and a painting of Machu Picchu. 

We actually saw a documentary about this wall before we went down. The stones are all laying on top of each other with no mortar, and they have been as straight as an arrow for hundreds of years.

I am always interested by these huge symbols of organized religions plunked down in the middle of these ancient civilizations.  These buildings are so impressive and beautiful.  They represent destruction but also hope for many people. It's hard to reconcile at times.

Our breakfast delivered to our room.

We ventured out of the strictly tourist area to this market frequented by the locals. 

All through the streets are rows and rows of clothing, shoes, luggage, and other items. I could not believe the amount of stuff, and all for so cheap.

 

 

We again employed our practice of going to the top rated restaurants on Tripadvisor.  We ate at some pretty great places - Uchu Peruvian Steakhouse, where we cooked our own food on a hot stone, and we ate twice at Cicciolina where we enjoyed some local ingredients spun into some amazing cuisine. 

 

Next week I'll write about our hike to Machu Picchu in Peru Part 2.  

Pumpkin Cookies

I love summer - I like the heat, the extra long days of sunshine, swimming, popsicles, BBQing, etc.  But I also love fall, or more formally, autumn.  I always loved going back to school in September, and I like getting my jeans and sweaters out, and getting cozy in the cool weather as it gets darker in the evenings.  The smell and sounds of crisp leaves trigger happy memories.  I am so appreciative that I live in a climate where we enjoy all four seasons. 



To welcome fall, I am happy to see the Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks, and I like trying new recipes that incorporate pumpkin.  Last year I made these cookies and took them to work, they were a huge hit.  The original recipe called for brown butter icing, but I had leftover icing from the Apple Cupcakes I made last week, so I am just using that.  I think the brown butter icing is probably a better fit for these cookies, but I didn't want to throw away what I'd already made.  I've included the alternate icing recipe.  

Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp coarse salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups butter - softened
2 1/4 cups brown sugar - packed
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (14 ounces)  (not the pumpkin pie filling, it has sugar and spices added, and you don't need that)
3/4 cups evaporated milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.
Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, and vanilla; mix until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture; mix until combined.
Spoon dough onto baking sheets, trying to make them as round as possible. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until tops spring back, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.
Spread icing on top of cooled cookies.
Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days (if they last that long).

 

 



 

 

Brown Butter Icing Recipe

 

4 cups icing sugar, sifted

10 tbsp butter

1/4 cup + 1 tsp evaporated milk

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

 

Place icing sugar in bowl, set aside.  Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Immediately add to icing sugar, scraping any brown bits from the bottom and sides of the pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Spread about 1 tsp on each cookie. If icing is too stiff, add a little evaporated milk until it reaches the desired consistency.

 

Full disclosure, some of my cookies ran like the photo below.  I think it was due to a lump of brown sugar that didn't get fully mixed in.  Make sure you cream your butter and sugar really well.



Want it Wednesday - TIFF tickets

I have always had a bit of an obsession with celebrities, I'm not ashamed, I love TV and movies, and I am fascinated with famous people.  When we moved to Toronto, one of the things I was most excited about was the Toronto International Film Festival.  Real live celebrities, in the same city as me, with a chance to see them up close!  Needless to say, it was not as easy to spot the celebrities as I thought it would be, and the only person I saw that first year was Dakota Fanning. Every year I've usually had tickets to a few different movies and have seen some of the stars either on the red carpet or on stage after the showing where they answer some questions - Rachel McAdams, Jon Hamm, Zach Galifianakis , Naomi Watts, Kerry Washington, etc.  To my dismay, I haven't become close personal friends with any of them...yet.

The festival starts tomorrow and I'm hoping to get tickets again this year. Here are some of my selections:

The Judge - This one is opening the festival.  It is right up my alley.  Robert Downey Jr. is a big city lawyer who returns to his small hometown where his father, a judge and Robert Duvall, has been charged with murder. 

Foxcatcher - Another one that seems to be made just for me - true crime and sports!  Channing Tatum, Steve Carrell, Mark Ruffalo, the director of Moneyball - I'm in.

Nightcrawler - Jake Gyllenhaal is getting Oscar buzz for this role.  The plot is a little dark though, photojournalists in LA looking for gruesome crime scene photos.

The Riot Club - This is from the director of An Education, which I liked.  This is about a secret club of wealthy and entitled young men of British society.  Perhaps think "The Skulls" meets "Downton Abbey"?

St. Vincent - TIFF is scheduling an entire day to honour Bill Murray, and this movie will be part of that.  It stars Bill Murray, Chris O'Dowd, Naomi Watts and Terrence Howard. The picture on the landing page for this movie makes me want to see it.

Boychoir - Is there anyone who doesn't like Dustin Hoffman?  In this film he is the choir director at a musical boarding school. Kevin McHale (Artie on Glee) also stars.

A Little Chaos - This is Alan Rickman's directorial debut, and I know he is coming to Toronto for this.  You know him (Harry Potter, Love Actually, Dogma), you love him.  And as if that wasn't enough, Kate Winslet and Stanley Tucci star, and it's a period piece set in Versailles.

This Is Where I Leave You - Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Jane Fonda, Adam Driver, this is all you need to know.

Cake - It sounds kind of depressing since it is about a woman in a chronic pain support group, but it does have Jennifer Aniston, Anna Kendrick, and Sam Worthington, so I'd be interested in their performances. 

The Keeping Room - Another thing I am fascinated with is the American Civil War, particularly from the Southern perspective (Gone with the Wind is my all time favourite book).  This is about young women alone on a farm in South Carolina in the final days of the war.  Hailee Steinfeld is in it and she is usually pretty great.

Men, Women & Children - I like pretty much everything Jason Reitman has done (Up in the Air, June), so I'm sure this will be great.  It has an all-star cast of Emma Thompson, Adam Sandler, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jennifer Garner, and others you'd recognize.

While We're Young - A midlife crisis of sorts for middle aged couple, Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts, when a younger couple, Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried, enter their lives and disrupt their routine. Set in New York and Brooklyn. 

Many of the films at TIFF usually get some Oscar buzz so get a head start and pay attention to these movies now.

Weekend Recap - Labour Day

Labour Day always marks the unofficial end of summer, even though our child isn't in public school so there's no change in schedule.  We had a very unusual summer with not only the cooler than normal temperatures, but also Dave's injury.  We didn't get to do a number of things we would have liked to do, but we still kept busy and tried to stay as active as possible. We did buy a house and sell a house so we had that to keep us busy.  We travelled to Nova Scotia and to Northern Ontario, and Dave got to go to Boston. 

For the final weekend of the summer, we went to visit Dave's parents.  Our road trip down to their house included an obligatory stop at McDonalds, and E's first visit to a McDonalds Playplace. 

We had a campfire in their backyard fireplace.  This is E's glow stick hat.

On Saturday we were up early for pancakes and a sail.  It was a beautiful morning on the water and E enjoyed himself.  The yacht club has a nice area for its members to BBQ and have a picnic. 

We also stopped by a festival for a tour around the bouncy castle, some mini-golf, and a balloon animal.  I thought E said he wanted a frog, but he was saying "saw", which really meant a "sword" that some other kid had. He was not pleased with the frog, but I thought it was cute.

Playing baseball in the backyard.

Our future Blue Jay

This crazy kid using his corn for a phone. 

Ice cream!

On Sunday we headed back to the yacht club for their Labour Day weekend party.  Spent some time on the beach and managed to stay awake for the fireworks (and I'm not just talking about E!).

E was very excited that he stole Papa's hat.

Also my gold bag with samples of Arbonne arrived!  So excited to get started with this amazing company.

Happy One Month Blogiversary!

Yes, I made up my own word.  Anyway, it has been one month since I launched this blog.  I want to thank you so much for checking in each day and reading.  I am enjoying this hobby so much and I get so excited when people mention something that they liked.

I know a few people have wanted to leave a comment but have been unable to do it, particularly from their phone.  I think the problem is that Blogger wants you to pick an identity under which to leave a comment, and their default is a Google ID.  If you don't have a Google ID, then you can pick anonymous by selecting where it says "Google" and a scrolly menu will pop up, then you can select "Name/URL" or "Anonymous".  This is the same thing you can do on a regular computer but it isn't as obvious on a mobile device.  Also, if you're just reading from the main page, rather than from the post's own page, you have to click where it says "0 comments" that will take you to the place where you can leave a comment.  Hopefully this clears things up for some of you.

I post a link to Facebook everyday, and sometimes on my Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, depending on the topic.  Most people seem to link in through Facebook, so I can continue that if it means you'll keep reading. 

I'd love to hear your comments on what you like, what you don't like, and any suggestions for future blog posts.  This blog will be a work in progress so your feedback is always welcome.  

If you like reading this blog, please share it with your friends.  There will be lots of exciting things coming up as we pack up our house, move to our new one, celebrate E's birthday, start up my Arbonne business, and get ready for Christmas. 

Did somebody say Christmas?!