I am in denial that summer is over. There is still some fun weekends and Labor day weekend to squeeze in some fun adventures. If you want to plan something fun for your family, then today's guest blog post is perfect. Whitney has some fun places to visit all within a 6 hour drive of Salt Lake City.
3 Fun Summer Road Trips You Most Likely Haven’t Enjoyed Yet
Author: Whitney Hollingshead
Utah is home to some pretty incredible natural and manmade attractions. If Utah is also home to your family, you don’t have to venture far to find adventure. This year, however, you may want to consider venturing out into some of the nearby states to explore some unchartered territory. Here are three great family friendly destinations that may be new to your family. All three locations are within a six hour car drive from Salt Lake City.

Destination: Bruneau Dunes State Park, Idaho
Hours from Salt Lake City: 5
What to Do:
Sandboard on the Dunes - bring along your snowsled or rent a sandboard from the visitor’s center at the park. You can also hike on and around the dunes and play in the sand. Keep in mind that the sand will most likely be hot on a hot summer day so plan accordingly. Everyone will be covered in sand afterward, so have a plan to deal with the sand.
Star Gaze at the Observatory - special events at the public observatory in the park offer some great star gazing opportunities. Check out the park events schedule and check the weather forecast.
Camp in the State Park - plan to stay the night and pitch your tent. Your family can enjoy fishing, swimming, hiking, and bird watching. Bring along some kites and make the most of the Idaho wind!
Road Trip Tip: The drive through northern Utah and southern Idaho has little to hold the attention of children. Pack some extra car games, activities, fun music, and even audio books to keep the whole family relaxed and entertained.

Destination: Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Hours from Salt Lake City: 6
What to Visit:
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park - ride up the mountain on the gondola tram. Get your heart racing on one of the thrill rides like the Cliffhanger roller coaster. Take in a 4D movie experience with moving seats and challenge the family to a game of laser tag. You should also check out the cave tours included in some of the ticket packages.
Hanging Lake - take the short, steep, hike beginning in Glenwood Canyon. Hanging Lake was formed by glaciers suspended at the edge of the canyon. This lake boasts stunning waterfalls, a lake full of trout, and crystal clear water.
Glenwood Hot Springs Pool - visit the world’s largest hot springs pool. You can swim in the warm mineral water pool the length of a football field. The kids can enjoy the kiddie pool and two waterslides.
Road Trip Tip: Pack a separate bag to stay in the car at all times. Keep an extra simple change of clothes for each family member, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, and a first aid kit. This will help you be ready for the unexpected while you are out having fun. You should also consider stocking up on simple snacks to eat in the car. Doing so will save you time and money when you need to stop for gasoline.

Destination: Thermopolis, Wyoming
Hours from Salt Lake City: 6
What to Visit:
Wyoming Dinosaur Center - visit the dinosaur museum showcasing over 30 mounted dinosaurs, hundreds of displays and dioramas, and a modern preparation laboratory. You can also tour nearby dig sites and see actual excavation of real dinosaur bones from the ground. Special programs are also offered that allow you and your kids to participate in real fossil digs! These special programs do require signing up in advance.
Star Plunge Pool Complex - Thermopolis is home to the Hot Springs State Park. These hot springs are used to heat the local swimming pools. Take the plunge into one of the indoor or outdoor pools. Test out your tricks on the diving board or head down one of the three fast-paced water slides. The adults can relax in an adults-only sauna and there is also a separate kiddie pool.
Legend Rock Petroglyph Site - Hike to one of the most impressive petroglyph areas in the world. In order to visit the site, you must first obtain a key form the Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce in Thermopolis.
Road Trip Tip: Make sure your car is in great condition for your trip. Take care of any needed tune ups or repairs. You may want to consider having your tires checked and rotated before you head out as well. If you have been planning to buy a new car for your family, buying one before your big trip might be the perfect time to make the purchase. Be sure to check out online specials from local dealers to see if you can find what you are looking for and stay on budget.
Summer is the perfect time for exploring. Plenty of time is still available to enjoy a short trip to one of these fun destinations. So clear your calendar, pack the car, and take your family on a summer trip they’ll remember forever.

When we went to Hawaii we had to leave 3 of our 4 kids with loved ones. Of course this is the longest I have ever left any of my kids behind. I was so worried. I typed up every little thing about each kids favorites, foods, and routines. I was mostly worried about my 2 year old. What would my kids do with out me for a whole week?
Turns out it was more like what will I do with out my kids for a whole week?! Everything we did I couldn't help but think how my kids would love it. They were just fine with out mom. Now there were a few things I did to make this a lot easier, besides leaving them with family that I trust completely.
I wrapped presents for each kid for each day I was gone. I labeled each one for each kid and each day of the week. Of course they had little reminders about being good on them. Granted I bought all the items at the dollar store. Some of them were a package of 6 bubbles for a dollar wrapped individually for each kid.

The kids loved them! The "sitter" had to set a time each day to open them, otherwise they tried to get into them first thing each morning. I had in my mind that they would get opened at a time of desperation each day, but it worked out better this way.
The kids really enjoyed having something special from their mom and dad every day, and the "sitter" appreciated something that was time consuming.

These past 4 weeks have pushed me further than I ever have been pushed blogging or writing. I have written at least 6 articles a week on multiple topics. I was surprised at how many topics I enjoyed writing about and will continue to write about, like exercising and food.
Also it's my favorite time of year. I love summer time and summer vacations! I never can fit in everything I want to do in those quick 3 months. I'm glad I did this 4 weeks vacation prep series, because I am that much more ready. Ready to relax on the beach, go swimming and look so hot this summer!
I just want to do a recap of some of my favorite articles.
Week 1- I love the article about working out from home.
               I also loved the guest post from Discover Your Happy.
Week 2- The guest post from Christy Stevenson was amazing! There is a lot of great information and golden nuggets in there.
Week 3- My favorite thing about the guest post from Bootz was about maxi skirts. I love maxi skirts!
Week 4- I can't pick a favorite between Get Waxed and NS Minerals. I love what they both have to offer. Plus they both have a great giveaways going on for a few more days.
Hopefully you got some good tips to help you feel more ready and confident for a fun vacation, or summer in general.

Have you ever made a big hair change right before family pictures or a trip? I have, worst idea ever! If you know you are going out of town, make sure to only make small changes to your hair or do it a few weeks in advance. Once I cut my hair shorter than I ever have had in the past, and then left the next day for a trip to southern California. I kept having to stop at the store for hair clips, or hair product because I didn't give myself enough to get use to how to style it. How to keep it out of my eyes when surfing, or how long it took to do it before going out to dinner. I remember being so frustrated! Make sure to give yourself enough time to get use to how to do it.
Do your research ahead of time. The days of picking out of the lobby books for a new style are out. Look online and print it out or use your phone. That way you take your time to get just what you want and what is right for your hair. Just keep in mind your own hair type. I once had a hair stylist tell me that the hardest thing is when someone comes in wanting something that they don't have the hair for. For instance I have TONS of hair, so I can't pick out a style with light hair, or vice versa.

Make sure if you go swimming to rinse chlorine out of your hair as soon as possible. I even use a clarifying shampoo 1-2 times a week depending on how often we have gone swimming.
If you color your hair be careful of fading from the sun. Try a leave in conditioner with protection from UV rays.

I also air dry my hair a lot, especially in the summer.  To help fight frizz use a anti-frizz serum.
If you can't tell Redken is one of my favorite products, I use it a lot and often. With all my hair I can't use just any product on my hair, I need something to help with my hair in any situation.  Be careful with the heat, sun and styling product to not let your hair get dried out during the summer.
Try making a homemade hair mask with any of the following. Mix, match, and smash then apply to hair. After it sits for about 15  minutes rinse it really well. Then follow up with a regular wash.

Banana- The potassium in the banana helps soften and repair your hair cuticles. Just make sure to rinse this really well.

Avocado-  Avocado is a great deep conditioner and helps make your hair silky and smooth by locking in moisture.

Olive Oil- The antibacterial function in olive oil can help with dandruff and build up.  It's suppose to help with hair loss too.

Mayonnaise-  The eggs, vinegar and lemon juice in the mayo help both individually and combined. Mayonnaise is a great deep conditioner and helps seal split ends

Eggs- The protein in the eggs are healthy for your hair and help add lots of shine.
Enjoy making your own inexpensive hair mask with any of these ingredients.

With it being hot and only getting hotter I don't want heavy make-up. I want something natural looking, easy and light. I mentioned when I went to the What Women Wants show how I found out about NS Minerals. There foundation is gentle and almost silky. It gives you a natural complexion so you still look like you. Plus they have fun colors to use and to mix and match. Whether for day to day use, or dressing up for a night out NS Minerals has you covered.

I was sent their Green Tea Finishing Spray to review. The first thing I did, besides jump for joy, was check the ingredients. The first 3 ingredients are Green Tea, Rose Distillate and Aloe Barbadensis Juice.
I have heard about many benefits of green tea for inside your body, but what about on your body? Apparently because it is such a great anti-oxidant it helps free your skin of free radicals assisting in anti-aging.  It also helps relax your muscles and reduce inflammation. That is how it helps against acne.
The Rose Water and Aloe didn't surprise me. Just on Mothers Day I got an e-card with home-made facial recipes one of which was rose water. It is also an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant like green tea. It is a natural moisturizer and a toner as well. It helps skin feel refreshed, tightens pores and helps your skin feel smooth with out drying it out. Aloe has many healing properties and helps reduce redness and flaking. Random true story about me and healing from aloe:
 When I was in high school I worked at KFC. Long story short I had some very hot oil splashed on my face, leaving me with a good size scar on my left cheek. It was 3-4 inches long, and very noticeable. At 17 years old that could be very traumatic. My mom had an aloe vera plant in our house. I rubbed some straight from the plant onto my face 2-3 times a day. I have absolutely no sign of a scar on my face at all! It was an aloe miracle!
Needless to say these main ingredients are all in the finishing spray for very good and beneficial reasons. So what is the spray for? Besides all the benefits I mentioned it helps set your make up and is VERY refreshing. When you spray it on your face I can't think of a better word than refreshing. Even on days I don't have time for makeup, a spritz of this helps me have a moment of relaxation before heading out the door with my mad house.
 I wanted to know if it would really help set my makeup. I have had a hard time with makeup staying on my face. So after applying I tried to take pictures through out the day to show how well it does work. The lighting in each picture is so different it's hard to tell. By the end of the day my foundation and blush were still set.

 I have been very happy with how well it helps set my makeup. When I used a liquid foundation in the past it would start wearing off after 2-3 hours of application. Now with NS Minerals powder foundation, blush and spray I don't have to worry about re-applying.
Overall I love this product. It's refreshing and useful. Especially if you reapply make-up through out the day. The $ 29.99 will help you save that much more money in makeup. Feeling lucky? NS Minerals is donating a finishing spray to giveaway. Enter the rafflecopter below to enter to win.

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Today is brought to you by Get Waxed in Lindon, UT. It probably was almost exactly 1 year ago that I first went to Get Waxed for the first time. They are not only a full body waxing studio but offer other services like massages, eyelash extensions, and spray tanning.
 Waxing makes summer time and vacations so much easier. Try explaining to a 4 year old that they can't go swimming because you haven't shaved, have ingrown hairs, or embarrassing things like that. My kids are like fish and love swimming often, it's hard to revolve their swimming schedule around your shaving schedule. Don't stress about the salt water at the beach irritating your razor burn on vacation. Take all the fuss and mess out of planning this summer, PLAN AHEAD, and Get Waxed!
Waxing is a great way to live with less hair stress. I recommend a place that focuses on just waxing, especially if you want a thorough or intimate job done. A place like Get Waxed. Get Waxed is owned by Andrea, and she is awesome. Not only does she make sure to follow all OSHA requirements but can help you feel comfortable, both of which are very important for waxing. Who wants to go to a place that double dips? Eww! Andrea and her sister are both estheticians and have both seen several horror stories. Once after having lunch they discussed that it would be nice to have a place that focused on just waxing. A place where it "Wasn't an after thought or an add on, but a true specialty."  So they started Get Waxed 3 years ago. Andrea has been a Master Esthetician for over 12 years.  If you have ever been to someone with little experience (and I have)  you can tell the difference!
Get Waxed does a lot of Brazilian waxes, it's one of their most popular waxing. I remember being so nervous my first time. Just remember if your shy or embarrassed they sometimes do "Manzilian's." These usually help me feel more comfortable, I'm not sure why. You can always go in for just a bikini wax to see how your body reacts and get the "feel" for it.
I recently went in for a bikini line wax and it went surprisingly quick. You can either wear your own set of underwear or they have some disposable underwear that you can use as well. I took some Advil about a half hour before my appointment as well. Make sure to time your appointment properly, don't go right before an event. You usually want at least 2 weeks of hair growth.
Check out their website for FAQ's, Do's and Don't of waxing.  Or just give them a call with any questions, they are very helpful.
Get Waxed has donated a free Bikini or Brow/Lip Wax as a giveaway. Use the rafflecopter below to enter the giveaway. It closes 6/19/13 at 12:00 AM. Utah Residents Only. Winner will be announced within 48 hours of it closing, and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
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We have talked about Exercise, Food, Fashion, and now it's time for the little things. Those little things that add up and add the finishing touch.

Last week was a lot fun week. After 3 weeks on continuing our eating right and working out daily hopefully you will find yourself in need of some new clothes. If you started reading my vacation anticipation series late, just hang in there, the reward of some shopping will come due soon.
We learned some great styling tips here. We had some love for some maxi skirts. I loved shopping for a new swimsuit from Hapari's amazing selection and customer service.
Yesterday had been a long, busy day of cleaning out the fridge and pantry, the kids having friends over and all the other day to day mom duties. Then my daughter had preschool graduation. I didn't have any time to get ready or dressed up. So I took the advice Bootz Inc. gave us. Simple basic shirt and jeans with some accessories. I threw on a big blue necklace and little blue earrings. Not the cutest picture, but you should have seen me minutes before while scrambling to clean up dinner, yikes!

I LOVE the maxi's that are so popular right now. I am trying to stock up while I can. Just like Bootz Inc, said they are so easy to dress up or down. One of my favorites is this ombre purple one I got from Sexy Modest Boutique. I wear it with white tops, black tops and even a mint cardigan. I've worn it on "I didn't shave my legs days," "laundry days,"  or even to nice business luncheons. I may need to buy another in case my first one gets ruined ;)

One blog I stumbled across is Bootz, Inc.  who is also based out of Utah. Before I got so busy with mom things I use to love to read a current fashion magazine and see the fun current trends Now I just follow fashion blog's Like Bootz Inc. She wrote a fabulous guest post on quick summer tips to show you can also master your style.

After 2 hard weeks of exercise and eating healthy it's time for some more fun posts. Don't stop what habits you are forming, because you are getting closer to the shopping part. The more you get healthy the faster you will need new clothes. Plus when on vacation who wants the same mom frumpy day to day clothes. I know I don't!
Think ahead of time when it comes to clothes. Where am I going? What will I be doing? There are some things I still need for Hawaii. For me this trip is half business, half pleasure. Clothes wise I need 2 outfits for when my husband  and I will be in a work banquet setting. Then I need to calculate how many days am I doing the tourist thing, and how many am I chilling on the beach?
Then I need 2 different kind of swimsuits. My husband and I have wanted to surf in Hawaii together since we first met. I need something that I am not adjusting or worried I will fall out in. I just want to be able to paddle out and do my thing with out worrying about how I look, or if I accidentally am showing off more than my talent. Then I need a cute swimsuit for laying around with my husband on the beach. I want to feel comfortable and confident.

This week I will share several reviews with some of my favorite places to meet these exact goals!

Food is a big part of our lives. We need it, but we are also in control of it. Don't let food control you. Set the boundaries for your individual needs and stick to it. All too often we are to nice to say, "No!" This last season of The Biggest Loser I remember one contestant saying something along the lines of- I can't afford to be nice anymore. For example we often don't want to offend if eating at someone else's home. We are too courteous to ask for special preparations when going out to eat. Unfortunately we can't afford to always be nice. It's ok to take your life in control and say no sometimes.
Even the littlest change can make a difference. You don't need to eliminate everything bad in your diet. I suggest keeping a food dairy for at least a week. Track what you eat, when you eat it and how you felt afterwards. Then sit down and make adjustments and goals. Everyone is different. Set better goals for you and your lifestyle. Set goals to help you feel healthier.
Now that we have had a week on exercise options, and now food control we are on the right track for getting more fit and healthy. Next week is the fun week once all the hard work start to pay off and we get to go shopping!

For the giveaway this week we have a $10 Wal-Mart gift card. Hopefully to help get us on track for summer and vacations.
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Closes 6/8/13 an 12:00 AM
Winner will be announced with in 48 hours of closing. Winner has 48 hours to respond or new winner will be announced.

"Are you hungry or are you bored?" I ask my kids this all the time. All too often as a parent when my kids are bored, fighting, need a time filler we use snacks. We also go to food out of habit. What's a movie with out popcorn or a holiday with out baked goods? There are ways to help fight cravings and snack better.
Start out by allowing yourself to have snacks. Schedule your self a snack after breakfast, lunch and dinner. Don't skip them. Otherwise like Christy mentioned here you will binge or run to junk. Eat lean protein, healthy fats, or produce. Easy lean proteins are things like turkey, Greek yogurt, hard boiled egg whites, soy or black beans. Some great healthy fats can be avocado, nuts or almond/peanut butter. If you are going to have a higher sugared or carb snack eat it sooner rather than later. That way you give your body more time to burn it off.

A new study shows raisins as a great snack. Compared to other snacks raisins help you feel more full so that you intake less calories. Raisins are cholesterol and fat free, and have very little natural sodium. Plus they are a great anti-oxidant. Raisins are easy to take anywhere.
Celery and apples with peanut butter are one my kids favorites. I eat mine with almond butter. My son loves to make "peanut butter ants." Which are raisins with peanut butter. It's a little messy but healthier than a fruit snack. Click on the picture below for 100 more snack idea's

What do I do if I still crave things between snacks and meals? Hopefully if you are eating 3 proper meals, and 3 filling snacks you shouldn't crave too much. If you do here are some things I use to help me with cravings.
First of all I use any kind of positive motivation or sayings. I put them on my fridge. I use to have this picture on my fridge, right now it's a Hawaii picture.

If I you are craving sugars try eating a huge spoonful of actual sugar. Chances are you won't be able to do it. Even if you do I wonder if it would be healthier than whatever the alternative was?

When I have a chocolate craving I get out 10 chocolate chips, usually dark chocolate. I eat only 1 every minute. That way for 10 minutes I get a nice chocolaty snack. Usually those 10 minutes and a tall glass of water help hold me over till the next meal.
Try drinking some water or chewing some gum. Try something to keep you busy and occupied. I am sure there is some laundry, or a good book somewhere to help get your mind off food.