La Belle Vie Salon and Spa Package

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March 20, 2014

My family and I love to travel. About every two to three months we get a huge itch to travel and about twice a year we actually do. Sometimes we stay just a few hours away and sometimes it takes a plane to get us where we need to be, but however the case, we like to get out and get away.

One place I love to check for travel options is Get Away Today. They offer some great deals on traveling and this month they are featuring their Layaway Lock-in Plans (more information below). But as I’ve been searching for our next vacation for next month, Get Away Today has some great offers like a free day in Disneyland, the second day free at SeaWorld, and kids sail free on cruises. On top of that, they can help you with vacations for multiple locations, cruises, car rentals, flights, tickets to amusement parks, and hotels. They really are a one-stop shop for your vacation needs.

Here’s some facts about Get Away Today:
• Get Away Today is the leader in Disneyland vacations.
• Get Away Today offers the best deals on hotels including free night specials and exclusive offers like free breakfast, free parking and waived resort fees at select hotels.
• Discount Disneyland tickets
• Free gifts with package purchases
• Layaway Lock-in plan allows you to hold your vacation (Southern California only) for as low as $125 down.
1. $125 fee includes non-refundable $50 Layaway Plan fee.
2. $125 down payment for each room if multiple rooms are purchased. $50 fee only applies once if rooms are booked together.
3. Make as many payments as you’d like prior to travel.
4. Vacation must be paid off two weeks prior to travel.
5. Layaway Lock-in plans may be set up online at www.getawaytoday.com or over the phone at 855-GET-AWAY.

So what are you waiting for? I know that I was looking for a vacation as I was writing this article. Use this code (UVM2014) for a $10 discount and get out of here!

Find Get Away Today on Facebook.

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Review: Kiss Me Kate at The Empress Theatre

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March 20, 2014

Attended Saturday, March 15, 2014
The Empress Theater, Magna UT
Utah Valley Moms

The Empress Theater is a small community theater in Magna, UT. During the year they will have a series of shows with the current production being Kiss Me, Kate an endearing tale of love and loss that somewhat draws from Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. This tongue-in-cheek musical comedy was overall a fun ride. It was obvious that all those involved had donated much their time and passion for theater into this production.

Due to the limited funds of the Empress Theater, their sound equipment did cut out from time to time detracting from the actors, their talents, and the story overall. Even considering the audio mishaps, the production is a definite must-see for community theater enthusiasts. For those wishing to contribute to community theater and enhancing the quality of their productions, you are invited to make a donation to the theater on March 20. They hope to raise $10,000.

For those of you in Utah Valley who are reading this and are thinking this is too far of a drive to drive out to Magna, I personally have been out to Magna a few times recently and it’s a shorter drive for me than to to drive to the zoo. If you love theater, this is definitely worth a try!

Entrance to this production was provided as compensation for this blog post. All opinions are those of the author. Photos courtesy of Carrie Johnson.

How Many Pieces in a Bag

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March 19, 2014

As we’ve been planning for our upcoming Spring Event and Easter Egg Hunt, I’ve been learning a lot about candy and how many pieces of candy are in bags or how many pieces of a candy per pound I can get. It’s been a big learning process. However, the bags of candy that frustrated me most were the bags of candy that I found at Costco: Kirkland Signature Mini Favorites (5 lbs), Kirkland FunHouse Treats (5.75 lb), and Gummy Treats (3.5 lbs) because they wouldn’t tell me how many pieces were in each bag or even give me a hint as to how many.

So I bought all three bags and counted all of the pieces of candy in each bag so that I would know how many are in each bag and so that I could share with you. I mean, I could have tried to count how many pieces I could visually see through the bag and then multiply that by how many sections or whatever were in each bag to get a guess at how many pieces of candy were in each bag, however, where’s the fun in that?

As I’ve planned the Easter Egg Hunt, it’s been very important to me to get the best candy for the best price. I was surprised to find out that the bags of candy had more pieces than I expected.

Kirkland Signature Mini Favorites, $13.99
The Signature Mini Favorites bag had 245 pieces of candy and it is perfect yummy candy for the egg hunt. It contains:
3 Musketeers
Baby Ruth
Butterfinger
Kirkland Signature Peanut Butter Cup
Milky Way Midnight
Milky Way
Snickers

Kirkland FunHouse Treats, $13.69
The FunHouse Treats bag had 285 pieces of candy. It contains:
Skittles
Starburst
Twizzlers
LifeSavers Gummies
Jolly Rancher
Gobstopper
Laffy Taffy
Nerds
Chewy Lemonhead
SweetTarts
Sour Punch

Kirkland Gummy Treats, $13.69
The Gummy Treats bag had 140 pieces. It contains:
Swedish Fish
Sour Patch
Mike & Ike
Welch’s
Trolli Crawlers
Planets & Zombies Gummies
Black Forest

Photo Shoot Tips

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March 18, 2014

Blurb is a great company that lets you make books about anything that interests you. I love to make books about my family but there are all sorts of options. If you’re interested in fashion and style—and love to show it off—making a book of your personal fashion is a fantastic way to capture your sartorial genius for all time. Whether you want it just for yourself, so you can look through your greatest hits, or you’re a bit of an Internet fashionista who wants to make a book to sell, you’ll find these tips pretty helpful:

1. It’s all about lighting. To make your fashion really pop, choose natural light or studio light with a soft box (you can even make one from a lamp and last season’s white t-shirt). If you’re using a flash, you’ll probably want to bounce it or stick a diffusion filter on it.

2. Make a shot list. This is a critical step, and even more important if you are photographing models. Even if your model is just your best friend who owes you a favor, they’ll appreciate it if you know exactly what you want to shoot. Think about the poses you want to capture, the outfits you want them to wear, and the details that you want to highlight in every shot.

3. White balance (WB). Accurate color and skin tones come from making sure the WB function on your camera is set to your lighting situation.

4. Choose the right lens/zoom setting. If you’re using a wide angle, you’re going to lose your beautiful lines (and your model may never forgive you). If you have a camera with different zoom levels, zoom out to minimize lens barrel distortion.

5. Keep it stylish. It’s a fashion shoot, after all. Play music, keep things moving, try new angles. Attitude, attitude, attitude.

6. Dress it up. Make your book as fashionable as the clothing featured in it. Choose a simple design that doesn’t upstage the clothing, but still looks chic. Pick a size and paper type that showcases the work brilliantly.

If you’ve ever paid attention to what’s on the catwalk, you know that fashion means different things to different people. Follow your own fashion obsessions and document them in a fashionable book. If you look good today in person, imagine looking great forever on the printed page with Blurb! Start your Blurb book now and Save 25% on print book orders of $75+ at Blurb.

This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by Blurb. Thank you for supporting UVM – our funds go to giveaways and local community events.

Aware of Angels – a Non-Profit Organization

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March 17, 2014

The idea for Aware of Angels started after I had joined a Face Book group for my daughter’s rare genetic disorder. One of the Mom’s in this group was so, so excited that she was selected to have some photography work done for her daughter by a volunteer photographer. I, being a photographer, thought “what a great idea, how can I sign up to be one of these photographers?” I researched this a little bit and found out there is a national organization of photographers who did this voluntarily and I was about to submit an application when I had the thought “why don’t I just do this on my own?” At the time I was really trying to decide what to do with my business and how I could turn it into something I was really passionate about that also had a lot of meaning to me. From there, it became not just about photography but, how can I incorporate photography into something much bigger? Aware of Angels became my project. We are just about to launch, and I am sure over the years it will become what it needs to be but, in the end it is all about these beautiful children and trying to help them the best we can.

After my daughter was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder (2q23.1 microdeletion syndrome) last winter, her geneticist recommended I look for a medical student that needed a “topic” to research for their doctorate program because there were no treatments, information or support available for her syndrome. We have been inspired to organize Aware of Angels to do just this but, not just for her. At that time she was 1 in 100 cases reported worldwide (this year with new medical technology and reporting, cases are closer to 200). Her doctor then referred us to family blogs and face book for information and some support on her rare syndrome-that is all he had available. Many families have shared with me that they are going through the same situation as we are. The idea with Aware of Angels is to feature as many of these children as possible, from all over the world, through an online submission, where their stories and images are shared. There is also the Aware of Angels Photography Project to further this awareness. We believe that awareness will equal research, there is power in numbers! With these Angels we will reach the medical field and the general population to cause interest and awareness in these children, and in genetics. We want families to be able to connect-to help each other with their experiences and knowledge. We want to share this information with doctors and researchers to better achieve results. Aware of Angels wants to help those families that still do not have a diagnosis for their Angels. It took us 5 long years to get a diagnosis for our Angel, and because of that experience we want to provide those that are still looking for a diagnosis an option to keep testing when personal funds and insurance will no longer cover lab work. We also want to donate funds to facilities that are researching our Angels and the future of genetics.

If you have a child diagnosed with a genetic/chromosomal disorder (or one who needs a diagnosis) we would love to feature them. We also want to remember those we have lost, and would love to share their stories as well–they are a critical part of this awareness. You have the opportunity to submit an image(s) of your Angel and answer a few questions describing your experiences. You may also apply to be a part of the photography project. We know the importance to parents for other’s to view their Angel as a child with the same needs and desires which are experienced by all children. We will promote this site to doctors, medical students and universities in the hopes of encouraging research. We are looking for sponsors and volunteers to assist in helping these Angels and the Angels to follow. Funds raised will go to research, diagnosing and sponsoring children for the Aware of Angels-Photography Project.

Please visit our web-site: awareofangels.org

Starting Monday March 17, 2014 we are beginning a “virtual launch” on social media sites, to boost the knowledge of our organization. We want to make it fun, so we have sponsors that have donated to our fabulous giveaways, along with a “gift” if you make a donation! Information on our launch is on our Face Book page under Aware of Angels.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions! [email protected]

Working From Home for the Stay At Home Mom

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March 17, 2014

You’re a mom. Which means by the time you sit down and read this article, you’ve already gotten your family up, gotten your kids dressed, fed them breakfast, pulled Jimmy down from the top of the cabinet, packed lunch, hauled everybody to school, and are likely trying to plan how you’ll finish fixing that hole in the wall before you have to attend your PTA meeting.

You have minimal amounts of free time. But apart from your role as a mom, you’re also a professionally-minded, working individual, with career and life goals. How can you make use of those professional skills, continue to hone your abilities, achieve your long-term goals AND run your home?

Enter the world of working from your home.

The Benefits of Working from Home

The first benefit of working from home is pretty self evident. When you work from home, you get to work from home. You get to be in charge of your schedule. Which means you can fit in any writing, designing, marketing or what have you at any time of the day. You can also keep your skills honed in case you have a desire to enter the workplace full time in the future. And you get to make a little extra income.

The Downsides

The downside of working at home is you have to be your own boss. If managing time is one of your weak points, you may have a hard time getting the work done with no one hovering over you to make it happen. It’s easy to put off work when you don’t have to go to an office every day. It’s also easy to limit your interaction time with other people if you work from home.

Some Tips

Have a designated work space. It’s a good idea, if you decide to work from home, to create a designated office space for yourself. Get yourself a desk that is a permanent work spot. No matter how much you want to, don’t make your kitchen table your temporary work spot. Either your table will be permanently cluttered, or worse, you’ll put off doing work because you don’t want to take everything out to set up your station.

Create a space where you can always work, and where you can safely leave your laptop and all work-related materials. Don’t do any work there but professional work. Let that area remain solely associated with your job and it’ll be easier for you to get into working mode once you sit down.

Create a consistent work schedule. Designate a few, uninterrupted hours of the day to your work, and then stick to that schedule. It’s easiest if the time of day is consistent throughout the week. Don’t plan anything else during those hours if it can be helped. Think of that time as your work time. You wouldn’t leave work during your office hours except for good reason, and the same should be true for your office hours at home.

You’ll be more successful working from home if you take your work time seriously and give it the proper attention. Resist the urge to put off work for other concerns. The last thing you want is for your work tasks to pile up until right before their deadlines.

What Can You Do?

There are a lot of options available to you if you’re interested in working from home. The key is to do your research and have confidence in your skills. Many companies post jobs for work-from-home positions, but many others simply need to be approached with the right game plan to be willing. Here are some positions to consider to help you get back in the game.

Freelancing: Do you have strong writing skills? Freelancing might be just right for you. Businesses often hire out for editing, copywriting or content writing. While freelancing positions may not always be long term or consistent, they can often develop into more regular positions. And if one doesn’t work out, there are always other freelancing positions available.
Design: If you’re fluent in HTML and have a background in design, there might a freelance web or graphic design position open to you. Often you can be hired out by a single company, or do a variety of projects for different clients. If you don’t know much about web design but are willing to put in the time to learn, there are a lot of available resources online to guide you.
Translator: If you’re bilingual, it could quickly become a money-making skill. You might find work with a translating company, or you may work freelance translating articles and websites.
Blogging/E-book Publishing: Now, the wonderful woman who writes this blog will likely tell you that keeping up a blog is a full-time job. It’s also a great way to bring in a little extra income doing what you love. If you love to cook, if you love to fix, if you love to organize, start documenting your experiences. It might take awhile before you see any income from your blog, but once you have a following and have established your authority, you’ll be surprised at what you can earn.E-book publishing is different from blogging, but they often go hand in hand. If you have a great idea and want to share it, start writing an e-book. It’s a great way to earn extra income. And if you keep up a regular blog, you can even market your e-book on your own blog.
Private Label Cosmetics: There are two ways to do cosmetics from home. One is to sign up for a multi-level marketing business. You sell products, earn rewards, and recruit others to do the same. Another approach, and one that tends to give you more freedom, is starting your own line of private label cosmetics.Private label cosmetics are cosmetics manufactured by one company and sold by you under your own label. The benefits to private labels are you can sell quality products at lower prices, because you don’t have to do all the manufacturing and marketing. If you’re interested in marketing, sales, or cosmetics, creating your own private label could be immensely satisfying for you. Plus, it’s something you can do on your own time.

The key to successfully working from home is to keep searching until you find the right fit. Your dream job won’t find you. You have to go looking for it, constantly exploring new options. But once you find the right fit, the reward of being the master of your own schedule will have been worth the work.

Mary Kremer loves, loves, loves writing and traveling. If she could do both forever, she’d be a happy camper. In her free time she hikes, tries to exercise, and bugs her husband about things like women’s issues as he’s trying to fall asleep.

Easter Egg Hunt: Spanish Fork 2014

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March 12, 2014

Spanish Fork Sports Complex on Volunteer Drive
April 19
9 am

Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Spanish Fork Chamber of Commerce and local businesses will be held Sat. April 19 at 9am Sharp! Come to the Spanish Fork Sports Complex on Volunteer Drive to participate. Children 0 to 10 years old will be able to hunt for eggs with candy, coupons, prizes, bikes, and much more.

Easter Egg Hunt: Springville 2014

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March 12, 2014

Springville Community Pool
1015 East 900 South
April 7, 6:30 – 9 pm
$12

Splash and Dash with a super egg hunt in the water – fun for everyone! Family Admission Price is $12.

Easter Egg Hunt: Highland 2014

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March 12, 2014

Heritage Park
5381 W 10400 N
9:30 am

The annual Children’s Easter Egg Hunt & Cookie Decorating will be held on Saturday, April 19th! Come join the Youth City Council at 9:30 AM at Heritage Park (5381 W 10400 N) for the Easter Egg Hunt. Then come to the pavilion to decorate cookies with the Highland Arts Council.

Love UT Give UT 2014

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March 11, 2014

We are very excited about this year’s Love UT Give UT which will happen on March 20, 2014. For more information and to give, visit the website.

On Thursday, March 20, Utahns will again prove their recordbreaking generosity by contributing to their favorite nonprofit organizations and schools.

“Utahns are by far the most charitable people in the United States. Last year Love UT Give UT gave us a chance to demonstrate that generosity in a new way – a 24 hour online day of giving. More than 6,500 people from across Utah raised an astonishing $800,000 for 357 charities in just one day. This year on Thursday, March 20, we’re hoping to blow the roof off that record, and help more than 400 organizations,” said Fraser Nelson, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Utah.

Love UT Give UT’s vision is that everyone contributes to the causes that matter most to them – their school, a favorite charity, or a specific need. It is a day for Utahns of all backgrounds and beliefs to come together for 24 hours of nprecedented giving using an online platform, www.loveUTgiveUT.org. Love UT Give UT appeals to younger donors by setting the minimum gift at only $10, and by accepting donations on smartphones and tablets.

Love UT Give UT is meeting a need not only of nonprofits, but also of Utah’s corporations, who are encouraging their employees to log into LoveUTGiveUT.org, and matching their donations. Flying J Management, for example, will match all employees’ donations up to $50,000. Since the employee picks the charity, companies are not forced to pick a favorite cause, reflecting the increasing diversity of Utah’s workforce.

Love UT Give UT helps nonprofits and schools showcase their work and introduce their organizations to new and potential donors. Last year more than a third of all donors were new to the causes they supported, crucial to the sustainability of our region’s nonprofits.

The Community Foundation of Utah will offer incentives to encourage participation, including:
• Leaderboard Grants – The three organizations that receive the most number of donors during Love UT Give UT in their respective categories will receive additional grants. Categories include: 1) small nonprofits with budgets under $250,000; 2) medium nonprofits with budgets over $250,000 but under $1 million; 3) large nonprofits with budgets over $1 million, and, 4) schools, colleges and universities.
• Golden Tickets – A donor to a nonprofit will be randomly selected to have $100 added to their donations twelve times during the day.
• Matching Funds – Donors will have the opportunity to double their dollars for nonprofit organizations that have secured matching funds from generous supporters.

www.loveUTgiveUT.org is powered by Razoo, a venture funded social enterprise committed to transforming people’s lives through meaningful giving. Its secure online platform facilitates crowdsourced fundraising, streamlines the donation process and offers a suite of free and easytouse fundraising tools that inspire individuals and nonprofits to give and fundraise online.

Research Revolution: March 3-26, Orem Library

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March 11, 2014

Do you love reading? How about science and engineering?

Get the best of the both worlds by visiting the Orem Library on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings in March. Learn from scientists and engineers about cutting edge research and get a free copy of the New York Times bestseller The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (one per household).

Here are a few of the upcoming topics:
March 11: Fire, Wildlife and Aspen Forests (Dr. Sam St. Clair)
March 12: Rockets 101 (Engineer Larry Robison)
March 18: Forensic Science (Crime Lab Director Jay Henry)
Marcy 19: Tumor Suppressing Drugs (Dr. Barry Willardson)
March 26: Super High Mileage Cars (Dr. Jerry Bowman)

These programs are also specifically designed for children:
March 17: Fascinating Creature (BYU Bean Museum)
March 24: Chemistry Magic Show (Dr. Merrill Halling)

Programs start at 7:00 pm and are free and open to the public.

Review: Five Star BBQ & Catering Company

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March 10, 2014

I first learned about Five Star BBQ & Catering Company from my mother-in-law. The owner lived in the same neighborhood as my husband and his family growing up and we were all itching to get to his new restaurant a few years ago. My husband and I lived very, very close to it at the time and so we went often. When we moved, we haven’t been back since and when I went to visit again last week, I remembered why we went so often and now regret spending so much time away from Five Star!

photo from Facebook

The restaurant is on Geneva Road in this old white house. As I walk in, I love the feel of it … fireplace, old walls yet redone … it’s all fantastic. Plus, the smell … oh, the smell. It’s delightful.

photo from Facebook

I tried the Dave Anderson sandwich and it was amazing. I am pretty sure other than my favorite Club Sandwich, I have never tasted a better sandwich in my life. I had a side of mashed potatoes which are seasoned and yummy and a side of mac & cheese which is no normal mac & cheese. I love almost all mac & cheeses but this one is amazing with how creamy it is.

One thing I absolutely love about Five Star BBQ is their sauce selection. I don’t love extra sauces on my food and can’t stand it when a restaurant thinks I know what sauce will be best on my sandwich … especially when it’s 1/2 inch thick. But Five Star BBQ doesn’t do that to you. They have a whole little refrigerator of sauces that you can choose from to meet all of your sauce needs.

Drinks are another thing I am really picky about when I go out to eat. I usually just drink water but if I want something to tingle my taste buds and make my insides fizzle, I want it to be worth it. Five Star BBQ has the option of making Italian Sodas which … mmm. They’re fantastic and perfect!

Find them on Facebook.

Five Star BBQ & Catering Co.
70 North Geneva Road
Orem, Utah 84057

5 Ways to Involve Kids in Home Maintenance

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March 7, 2014

In addition to the important academic knowledge children acquire at school, practical skills about how to care for a home should also be part of a child’s upbringing. Teaching children these skills requires patience and consistency, but you and your child will both grow in the teaching process. Here are five tips Centurion Homes encourages parents implement as they teach their children about home maintenance:

1. Start while they’re young. While involving kids in housework and home maintenance may be time consuming and test your patience, but putting them to work early on will teach them the importance of hard work and caring for a home. Have toddlers hold a flashlight or parts. Teach older children how to replace a light bulb. Teach them about what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and why the project matters.

2. Allow them to imitate. Buy them their own child-size tools and utensils. While you work, allow them to watch you and imitate their own project nearby.

3. Communicate. As you work on home projects such as gardening, painting, repairing, cleaning, tell your child about what you’re doing. Tell them why these tasks are important. Answer their questions as you go.

4. Involve them in decorating their own rooms. A child will spend a lot of time in their room, so creating a space where they are happy and comfortable is important. Let them suggest ideas, encourage creativity, and ask them what makes them happy. You don’t have to spend big bucks–just do what you can with what you have.

5. Assign tasks that are age-appropriate. Assign toddlers tasks such as holding tools for you while you work, or wiping down countertops. As children get older, you can teach them how to flip a breaker when you lose power, turn off the water on an overflowing toilet, check smoke detector batteries, and change furnace filters.

Review: Disney On Ice Presents Rockin’ Ever After

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March 6, 2014

Disney On Ice Presents Rockin’ Ever After is playing at EnergySolutions from yesterday until March 9! There are a lot of different showings and tickets are still available! Here is a look at what we got to see last night:

Review: Parker Orthodontics

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March 6, 2014