The Photographer's Wife Parenting, Disney, Travel, Reviews & Other Randomness

While most people think the holiday food season starts with Thanksgiving, ours actually starts much sooner…with Halloween! Our family has a large Halloween party every year and all the family members make Halloween-themed dishes. It’s so fun! Brett usually makes at least 2-3 items all by himself and if more than one item requires the stove, he has to plan out what gets cooked first.

Of course, holiday cooking can be hectic, especially if you’re cooking for the entire family. And even if you’re not cooking everything (potlucks are the best!), anyone can benefit from a little time saved in the kitchen that can be put towards entertaining or relaxing with the family.

Did you know that Best Buy offers kitchen appliances with the latest technology to help make your Holiday preparations much easier?

Brett repeatedly mentions how much he would loooooove a stove with a double oven. The Whirlpool WGG555S0BS offers two ovens that allow you to cook two dishes at two separate temperatures but still fits within the space of a standard range. Plus, it looks so nice and modern…kinda makes me want to be the one that cooks. Kinda….

When I do cook, I am pretty bad about being impatient when it comes to water boiling or waiting for burners to get hot enough to start doing anything. So I would actually love the Frigidaire FGIF3061NF plus induction, which enables you to boil water in less than two minutes and reduces clean up time because spills don’t burn on. Brett gets so angry when pasta water accidentally boils over and then it has to be scrubbed off later on.

Holidays are a hectic time for everyone not only for buying gifts but also for cooking and entertaining in the days leading up to and including the holidays. All of this technology will allow you to get the food the way you want it prepared and saves you time so you can spend it with the ones you love.

Learn more about saving up to 25% off appliances during the Best Buy Prep for the Holidays Appliance Event at bestbuy.com/holidayprep

 

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card.

 

This week actually felt jam-packed, considering I’m on maternity leave and don’t leave the house much normally.

The thing I’m most excited about is that I am now an Official Jamberry Nails Independent Consultant! Yay! I’ve done a review before (you can read it here) and I have used them twice since that review. In my 30 year life, the only times I have had nice nails and have not bitten them are the 3 times when I was wearing Jamberry Nail Shields. No lie. The shields last about 2 weeks…so I would put them on, not bite, take them off and be so excited to put every color of nail polish I could find on them…all to have the polish chip within a day and then I mess them up and bite. I was so tired of the cycle, so I joined so I could 1) get discounted products (woo-hoo!) and 2) to share with others how amazing Jamberry is. Here is my personal site if you want to check it out: http://www.lynnsvenson.jamberrynails.net

I also put an image on my sidebar that will lead you to my Jamberry site if you are ever interested in purchasing or joining my team. I promise I won’t bombard you with sales pitches (I made a separate website for that haha) but I will be posting a giveaway on here from time to time (including a big one next week!) and I do expect to post photos of my fabulous nails once I get my kit and products in the mail! One of the first designs I selected was Pumpkin Spice, the sparkly orange one in the photo below.

 

You can call this the week of doctor’s appointments, since we had 3 between the two of us. I had my 6 week postpartum visit. I brought Aubrey along, because I figured the doctor would want to see her, kinda like the reward for 9 months worth of appointments and such. Of course he held her and played with her, but I completely forgot I was getting a Mirena put in, so I had to put her in her carrier, where she immediately got hiccups and was angry and cried. As soon as we were done and she was picked up, the crying stopped and the smiles came back. That girl just wants to be held all day every day.

My next appointment was with a dermatologist (hooray!) where I got a large, bothersome mole removed. It was kinda weird getting it removed, since I’ve had it all my life, but it was on my lower stomach area, so pregnancy was not kind to it and it needed to go. I got stitches, which is the first time I’ve gotten stitches on the outside of my body, and it completely grosses me out…confirming my wise choice of not going into the medical profession.

Also, I can’t jog/run or put any stress on that area for 2 weeks until my stitches come out (and yes, like a dummy, I asked the doctor that before I left lol) so the 2 month post-baby-body post may not have much of an update, we shall see. But I’m not complaining, as I am glad to see that mole go.

 

-In Aubrey news, we have lots of smiling, cooing and facial expressions going on over here!

She has been sleeping SO WELL at night! I try not to say things like that out loud, knowing that it could change at any moment, but she is sleeping in her crib (something I wanted to make sure happened differently than Trent) and only wakes up once, sometimes twice if we go to bed a little early. During the day, she naps much better if she is on me, but sometimes I’ve got stuff to do so she has to come with me while I accomplish things…like taking photos! Thank goodness for baby carriers!

Even though I have the Ergo Baby Carrier, I can’t wear it because it lays right where my stitches are, so I broke out the Baby Bjorn carrier, which was actually more comfortable for her size at the moment. She seemed really comfortable in it, so I will be using this one until she fits better in the Ergo and I no longer have stitches to worry about.

 

-In Trent news, he has been learning so much! He loves ABCMouse on the iPad and his favorite thing to watch is Phonics Farm from LeapFrog on Netflix. He says all the letters, dances and just gets so excited. We love watching him as he watches it. I’ll argue against anyone that says television doesn’t help kids learn. It just depends on what they are watching. I am especially grateful that he can learn even when I may not have as much time to teach him as I used to. My favorite letter is “U” because he says “Euwww”

 

 

Here are some fun things from around the interwebs:

-This Disney wedding cake. So awesome!

-A Bad Lip Reading Video of The Walking Dead. These bad lip reading videos are hilarious and this one is the newest one released last week. It also gets me pumped for the new season of The Walking Dead!

-23 Words That Have A Totally Different Meaning In Florida. All so true, but #9 was my biggest shock when I moved down here. No joke, those things are frickin huge.

-Exactly how much sugar is in that drink? Scary…

 

***Congrats to the winners of the Frozen: The Songs cd and thanks to all who entered! If you didn’t win, you can buy the cd on Amazon (just $9.99! Stocking stuffer idea?).

 

 

It’s that time of year again…open enrollment at many companies, a time for employees to make changes to their benefits. I am very fortunate to work for a company that provides amazing benefits and plenty of options. Because of that, it is up to me to make sure I am taking advantage of what is offered and what is best for my family and me. The past few years have brought many changes to our family, like buying a house, changing job situations and two babies, causing us to re-evaluate our benefits and make changes accordingly.

Selecting the right health insurance plan may be one of the most important decisions Americans will make this open enrollment period, yet many workers do very little research on their health plans. Here are some statistics I have found interesting:

The 2014 Aflac Open Enrollment Survey found that 41 percent of employees spent 15 minutes or less researching their benefit options during the 2013 open enrollment season; and nearly a quarter (24 percent) spent five minutes or less.

In contrast, American workers typically spend more time:

• Researching for new car purchases — 10 hours. (I just recently bought a car and I know I spent more than 10 hours researching and deciding what to do!)
• Planning family vacations — five hours.
• Shopping for new computers — four hours.
• Deciding what television to buy — two hours.

I used to work in a doctor’s office and I was amazed at how little people knew about their own insurance coverage…so I think everyone could afford to spend a little more time learning about what they are paying for.

Those who don’t set aside time to research their insurance options may make hasty benefits decisions and end up wasting money. So I’ve come up with a list of tips to follow during this open enrollment season to help you make the most of your options.

1. First and foremost, make sure everyone that should be covered, is covered. Did you give birth, get married, or get divorced during the year? Typically, when you have a life event like that, you are granted a special time period where you can change your benefits options outside of open enrollment. But if you missed that opening, make sure you make any necessary changes now or you could risk not having someone covered or paying too much for someone that shouldn’t be covered.

2. Review your options. Don’t assume that all your company’s options are exactly the same as the prior year. A plan you’ve had for years could change a deductible amount or coverage amount, so make sure you review what’s offered to make sure you have the coverage and/or payment you need.

3. Consider changing your deductible amount and the impact on your budget/financial situation. A larger deductible could mean a lower monthly payment, or vice versa. Evaluate whether you prefer more cash flow during the month or less of a deductible when you have to use your insurance. If you do choose a higher deductible amount, a good tip is to make sure you have the deductible amount in your savings account, so you don’t go into crisis mode if you end up having to pay it.

4. Make sure your beneficiary information is current. Remember that divorce I mentioned in #1? Well you wouldn’t want your ex getting your life insurance payout would you? I know it’s not fun to think about, but make sure you have the correct people listed on your policy and you could save your family a lot of stress.

5. Prepare for any expected upcoming expenses and consider either using a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HAS). Or if you are already signed up for those, consider changing your amounts if you either underspent or overspent the prior year. These accounts let you set aside pre-tax earnings to pay for things like doctor co-pays, prescriptions and even daycare costs. But if you don’t use the entire amount you have set aside, your benefit might not be as great as you’d want. Don’t just pick any random amount…actually consider your expenses and plan accordingly.

6. Consider supplemental coverage, such as short-term disability or accident coverage, in addition to your standard health care coverage. Only you will know your life scenarios/family history, but there are several options available depending on what you want to be prepared for, many of which are offered by Aflac.

Aflac offers accident, dental, life, vision, cancer, hospital intensive care and more voluntary insurance policies, which are designed to supplement major medical plans, pay policyholders directly for unexpected costs associated with a covered serious illness, injury or loss. In addition, the cash benefits can be used to help pay rent, gas, groceries, child care or any other out-of-pocket expenses a worker may have. For nearly six decades, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. To learn more about these types of policies, visit the Aflac website. http://afl.ac/BH6ZR

7. Attend any informational sessions provided by your company or the benefits company. A benefits representative will always be willing to discuss their options with you, so utilize their knowledge if you have to.

8. Ask your Human Resources Representative any questions! They’re there to help you! Don’t just shrug off reviewing your options because you think everything is too confusing. I’m sure many people feel the same way, especially surrounding the health care reform.

 

The 2014 Aflac Open Enrollment Survey found that 4 in 10 U.S. workers said they waste up to $750/year on mistakes with their insurance benefits. That could go towards a nice family vacation!

 

If you would like to learn more, the 2014 Aflac WorkForces Report shows the impact health care reform is having in the workplace, the growing importance of voluntary benefits to workers, as well as the correlation between good benefits and business success. The fourth annual AWR incorporates responses from 5,209 employees and 1,856 business decision-makers and can be viewed here: http://afl.ac/BH6ZR

Overall, don’t assume. Don’t assume you’re getting the best coverage. Don’t assume you aren’t overpaying. So many changes, both by your family and your company, could affect your choices and decisions. Make the best of each year!

 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

 

I have been waiting for months to see a dermatologist (and finally saw one the other day!). Why months? Well, two reasons actually. The first is that I have a mole that I want removed. I’ve had it since I was born, but I wanted to wait until after I was done having babies to get it removed since it is in a spot that gets stretched during pregnancy. Plus, I didn’t want to do any type of procedure while I was pregnant.

The second reason is because this 2^nd pregnancy blessed me with a rash-like redness around my nose and mouth. It’s dry and flaky and not pretty. Brett says he barely notices it, but he’s just being a nice husband. Either way, I had to wait until after the pregnancy to do anything about it.

Since I know that the rash (we’ll call it a rash, it’s just easier that way) will be cleared up soon, I was excited to get my skin in tip-top shape now.

Step one was getting some great products…and I was so fortunate to have the wonderful folks at Skin Authority contact me to see if I would be interested in reviewing their products. Yes, please!

I really do love trying beauty products out…you just never know what could become a permanent part of your routine because you love it so much. I also love sharing my adventures with you, because you might love it too!

What really impressed me was that I got a skin coach that worked with me to determine which products would be a good match for me (Thank you Ashley!). Even better? The fact that I wasn’t really able to schedule a phone call since I had just left the hospital with Aubrey and had no clue what my schedule was going to be like in the coming weeks…so they offered to consult with me through email. From the beginning they were already delivering top-notch customer service.

My skin coach asked me a series of questions…what my skin was like, if I had any specific concerns, whether I would want a simplified or complex routine, if I preferred gel or cream cleansers, etc. When I told her about my rash, she even asked follow-up questions to see if I really needed the product she had in mind for me. This wasn’t a pushy sales interaction at all, I felt like she was really trying to determine what I needed/what I didn’t need.

After we finalized the products I would get, they arrived at my door within a few days. Yippee!

Here are the products I received:

Essential Skin Kit

Everyone needs to protect their skin from the harmful and harsh effects of sun, aging, lifestyle, and the environment. But there’s not enough time each day for time-consuming skin care regimens. This simple routine can produce healthier skin and protect from future damage in just two steps, day and night. Now it’s easy to include skin care into the busiest lifestyle!

includes:

Daily Cleanser. Lightweight, fragrance free wash gently removes dirt and oil from the face and body, and loosens dead skin cells, leaving the skin refreshed, soft, and primed for daily regimen. 3% glycolic acid, pH 3.95.

Night Revitalizer. Exfoliates and moisturizes while you sleep to help smooth the appearance of fine lines, brighten skin, and stimulate cellular turnover. 8% glycolic acid, pH 3.90.

Sunscreen Moisturizer SPF 30. This lightweight, daily multi-action moisturizer protects from the sun up to 30 times longer than without sunscreen. Protects against damaging UVA & UVB ultraviolet rays to help slow down the signs of aging and help control hyperpigmentation and skin cancer development. Abovenzone 2%, Octinoxate 7.5%, Octisalate 5%, Oxybenzone 5%, pH 3.75.

 

Redness Relief

• Helps calm irritated, inflamed, or chapped skin.
• Helps calm over exfoliated skin or “hot spots” caused by resurfacing treatments.
• Helps treat Eczema or Dermatitis.
• Helps soothe mild sunburn or windburn.
• Helps soothe post cosmetic laser or waxing irritations.
• Replenishes fatty acids to bolster cell strength and moisture.
• Improves regenerative and restructuring qualitys of cells.
• Helps fortify and protect cell membrance to inhibit cell degeneration.
• Helps increase wound healing properties of skin.
• Helps to soften skin.

 

Deep Detox Ritual Mask

• Helps combat harsh environmental damage and stress to promote healthy, radiant skin all over the body.
• Helps hydrate and restore dry, cracked skin for softer, smoother texture.
• Helps reduce redness and inflammation.
• Incorporates a blend of Moroccan Rhassoul Clay, kaolin, and montmorillonite clays that have been clinically shown to reduce dryness and flakiness without adding oil or stimulating oil production.
• Exotic essential oils help relieve stress and promote a sense of well-being.
• Helps create a restoring home spa experience.

 

Here is the routine recommended for me:

AM:

1. Daily Cleanser. (pea sized amount applied to dry skin for surface anti-bacterial effect, add water/manipulate, remove)

*Redness Relief if needed. (pea sized amount for entire face)

2. Sunscreen Moisturizer. (pea sized amount for entire face)

PM:

1. Daily Cleanser. (same as above)

2. Night Revitalizer. (pea sized amount for entire face)

*Redness Relief if needed. (pea sized amount for entire face)

To use the Deep Detox Ritual Mask; apply to clean skin, damp or dry. Let sit for a minimum of 10 minutes. Remove either in shower, or with a warm, damp washcloth (gently).

 

So, as you can see, I chose a fairly simple routine. Just 2-3 products day and night, with a fun specialized product for once a week or so. I would have loved to try more products out, but I wanted to stay on the basic side so I wouldn’t overwhelm myself…I did have a newborn at home to take care of, so to be perfectly honest, I was taking a gamble that I would even have time to wash my face to begin with. :-/

I was very impressed with the products. I loved the gel cleanser. It lathered up really well, removed all my makeup with one application and actually left my skin soft. Sometimes, gel cleansers can overdo it, leaving you with dry skin in desperate need of moisturizer, but this one didn’t do that at all.

The Redness Relief was amazing at removing the redness of my rash. It didn’t get rid of the rash itself (I’m waiting for the dermatologist prescription for that), but it did make it less noticeable in the meantime, which made me a happy gal. I really wish I would have taken a before and after photo!

The Deep Detox Ritual Mask was a nice treat (I’d say once a week or so). I liked that even though it is brown out of the bottle, it goes on kinda clear-ish and not full-on mud mask brown like other masks. This is great if you don’t want to scare your kids before their bedtime!

Overall, I am extremely pleased with Skin Authority. I had never heard of them before, but now I will be adding their website to my list for when I need skin care products. I highly recommend them if you want to try new skin care products but don’t know where to start or what would work best for you. Let their skin coaches help you find the best products for you without leaving the comfort of your couch.

 

To learn more and buy, visit the Skin Authority website.

Connect with Skin Authority:

Facebook

Twitter

I received these products in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. Thanks for reading!

As huge Disney fans, we have been witness to the Frozen phenomenon…from watching the movie itself, to witnessing the changes in the Disney parks. However, our daughter is a bit too young to have fully immersed our household in all things Frozen, but I have been witnessing it with my two nieces. One is a teenager (proving no one is too old for Disney fun) and the other is almost 8 and plans on dressing up as Elsa for Halloween.

Given our Disney-loving status, I am excited to share with you the new cd, Frozen: The Songs, which is being released today!

Here is the track listing for Frozen: The Songs

1. Frozen Heart

Performed by Cast

2. Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Performed by Kristen Bell, Agatha Lee Monnand and Katie Lopez

3. For the First Time in Forever

Performed by Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel

4. Love Is an Open Door

Performed by Kristen Bell and Santino Fontana

5. Let It Go

Performed by Idina Menzel

6. Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People

Performed by Jonathan Groff

7. In Summer

Performed by Josh Gad

8. For the First Time in Forever (Reprise)

Performed by Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel

9. Fixer Upper

Performed by Maia Wilson and Cast

10. Let It Go (Demi Lovato Version)


Performed by Demi Lovato

 

You must get this cd if you have a Frozen fanatic in your house! It would be a great birthday or Christmas present…just think of all the sing-a-long fun they’ll have!

To buy the cd, head over to Amazon!

 

Great news! I have TWO Frozen: The Songs cds to give away! This one has a quicker turnaround than my usual giveaways, so be sure to get your entries in asap!

***GIVEAWAY!***

Prize: Frozen: The Songs cd (2 winners!)

Eligibility: US & Canada

Ends: October 2, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST

How to enter: Use the Rafflecopter form below.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To learn more about Disney Music, you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

If it come to this bloggers attention that the winner of my giveaway has won on a additional blog, this blog reserves the right to choose another winner.

I received a copy of the soundtrack as a member of Entertainment New Media Network. All opinions are my own. Thanks for reading!