Blog Madness Bracket Challenge and Giveaway

Are you a college basketball fan? Or do you just put up with it because the man in your life is? Well, regardless if you are a fan or not, Jessa, Amie, and I are hoping to make March Madness even more fun for you!

We are hosting the bracket challenge through Yahoo!. If you are the big winner, you will win a $30 Visa gift card and ad space on 7 awesome blogs.

1/2/3/4/5/6/7

Here are the rules:
1. Sign up here. You can log into Yahoo! with either your Yahoo!, Facebook, or Google log-ins.
2. Enter your picks (you can get your sports-loving husband to fill it out for you) by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, March 20th.
3. Add your link below so we know how to get in touch with you if you win.
4. Check back to see how well you are doing!

That's it!

Of course, we would love it if you would follow along with us through GFC, Twitter, Bloglovin, or your social network of choice, but it is not mandatory. Also, feel free to grab a button and put it on your blog so people know you are participating, and maybe engage in some friendly smack-talk.

Good luck!!

<center> <a href="http://followtheruels.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="FollowtheRuels" src="http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b502/followtheruels/MarchMadnessButton_zps20f6ca1d.png"/></a></center>

Meal Planning

My Sunday afternoon typically looks like this:

1. I do a little complaining that the weekend is almost over.
2. I hop on my computer and scour Pinterest, blogs, and other food sites for recipe ideas for the week.
3. I consult B, he is of little help: "how about pasta or pizza?"
4. Anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes later I finally come up with a meal plan for the week and have a grocery list. I almost always forget to add something to that list, which I don't figure out until its too late.

I know what my problem is: I really like trying new things and cooking every night. I am the one putting this undue stress and pressure on myself. I could easily just make the same things every week or have some frozen meals or takeout planned instead.

If only there was something out there that did all this work for me so that I could enjoy my Sunday afternoons.

Oh wait, there is! eMeals!

eMeals creates a customized weekly meal plan for you based on your family size and eating/dietary preferences. For instance, since it's just B and me, I chose a family of 2; and since we like to eat healthy but don't have any other dietary restrictions, I chose the clean eating plan. They have a number of plans to fit your lifestyle: gluten free, low-carb, vegetarian, Paleo, natural and organic, or classic and gourmet meals.

I find the meal plan to be well worth the cost. I signed up for a full year, which is $58. When I break it down, that's less than $2 a week for this service. Is it worth $2.00 to me not to be stressed out every week trying to come up with a meal plan?

Heck yes!

If you don't want to commit for a full year, you can also try out their 3 month or 6 month plans which are $21 and $35 respectively. And still less than $2 a week.

Oh, and the meals are delicious! I made 3 meals from the meal plan this past week and B has already requested that we make them again. Also, the recipes are very easy to follow. B had to take over for me on Monday when I was at the office late, and his pork chops turned out wonderfully!

If you have a big family, a busy schedule, or just don't want the stress of planning meals for the week, you definitely need to check out eMeals!

**This post was sponsored by eMeals, but all opinions are strictly my own. I do not endorse any product or service I would not try on my own.

Yawn

Other than Google trying to ruin my life make by blog reading a little more complicated, this week was kind of boring. Plus the time change is still messing with me. I have been tired all week.

1. I went through my new Gordon Ramsay cook book and tagged a bunch of recipes I want to try.
2. The beginning of the week was kinda gross and rainy. I decided to balance it out and throw on every color in my closet.
3. To make studying for this Fair Credit Reporting Act certification thing I have to do a little better, I treated myself to some goodies at Trader Joes.
4. I finally wore the Ciao Bella Boutique necklace I won on Neely's Trendy on Twitter party.
5. My new glasses came in! I am officially Ray-Ban'd out. What can I say, I am brand loyal.

Next week will be rather exciting thought! I am hosting a March Madness bracket pool with some other awesome bloggers and it's my birthday!! And for my birthday, I think a giveaway is in order. So stay tuned!

A Lucky Shirt

I have seen those mantra shirts everywhere.  Manifesto tees are some of my favorite, but not a huge fan of the price tag. So I thought I would try to make one myself. And it is so incredibly easy!

Materials:

T-shirt - I used an old American Apparel shirt and this bleached a lot easier than some old generic brand t-shirt I had left over from college.
Clorox Bleach Pen - I got this at Target in the laundry section near the detergent, not the bleach.
Chalk - or other washable writing tool
A piece of cardboard or plastic - Really anything to place inside the shirt so the bleach doesn't seep through.

Process:

1. Write your word or saying (or design) on the shirt in chalk.

2. Place your cardboard or plastic on the inside of the shirt under where your design will go.

3. When you are happy with the design, write over the chalk with the bleach pen. Make sure to read the directions on the back of the pen before you start. For instance, you will need to shake up the pen before using, or else it will be to runny. Let the bleach sit on the shirt for 10-20 minutes, or until the color fades. Note that depending on the shirt, the bleach may not completely remove the color and may only lighten it.

4. Rinse the bleach out of the shirt with cold water, then wash and dry as usual.

I will definitely be doing this again. Maybe for Christmas I will try to take on something like Lauren Conrad's Ho! Ho! Ho! sweatshirt.

I'm a Versatile Blogger

I was recently nominated for the Versatile Blogger award by two lovely ladies, Jaime over at Toby's Tails and Kara and Crazy Perfect Life. Thank you both, you're awesome!

Rules:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for the award.
2. Include a link to the person who nominated your blog.
3. Select 10-15 blogs/bloggers that you have recently discovered or frequently visit and nominate them for the award.
4. Include a link to all 15 of the blogs/bloggers that you want to nominated.
5. Lastly, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself. 

My Selections:
Mallory at Mal's Miles
PJ at Planned in Pencil
Mandy at Through the Newlywed Lens
Meredith at Belle in Boots
Andie at Mostly Happenstance
Laura at Luckiest in Love
Brittany at This Beautiful Life
Kate at A Journey in Style
Rebekah at Living && Learning

7 Things About Me:
1. I have hitchhikers' thumbs.
2. B has conditioned me to say "bang" at the end of The Big Bang Theory theme song.
3. I don't like cooked fish, but I love sushi.
4. I have never had any drink with "car bomb" in the name.
5. I have driven clear across the southern portion of the U.S. California to Georgia, just not all at once.
6. I cannot watch scary movies.
7. I'm a dog person.

Black and Blue

My first every outfit post! I definitely have a lot to learn. Like stick the hand that has your hair tie around it in the pocket and hold your purse with the hand that has your super cute watch.

Oh well. Lesson learned.

Dress - c/o eShakti; Necklace - Francesca's (old, similar); Bag - Kate Spade (similar); Watch - Kate Spade; Shoes - Audrey Brooke

I channeled my finest 50's house wife for church on Sunday with this retro style dress from eShakti. Also, 3 out of the 4 things I am wearing are brand new! Dress, shoes, and bag! There is just something about wearing new clothes for the first time. Until the credit card bill slaps me in the face with reality. 

The tag even says "custom"! I feel so special.

This dress is from eShakti, which specializes in custom sized and styled dresses. I got to pick out the length, the sleeve style, neckline, and color. Then the dress was sized specifically to my measurements. I kind of have a weird body shape, so when I buy dresses it will either fit me on the top or the bottom, but not both. And I have bigger arms so the sleeves are always tight. And dresses are almost always to short. Not this dress! It fits me like a glove!

If you have trouble finding clothes that fit you properly or always need things altered, you need to check this site out!

Their selection of dresses, skirts, tops seems endless. I have already picked out a few more items that I might need to get. And the best part is, I don't have to worry about things fitting because its MADE for ME!


Here are some of my other favorites:

Warm Color Processor Dress

Graphic Striped Dress

Scallop Trim Skirt

Tipped Trim Skirt

Oh, and did I forget to mention that just about everything is under $100? My dress was only $75. Custom made dress for $75! Pretty awesome! And when you register with eShakti online you get $25 your first order.

UPDATE: eShakti is hosting a "What do Women Want" contest right now for a chance to win $150 in gift cards.

Would you consider buying a custom made dress?

**This post was sponsored by eShakti, but all opinions expressed are my own. I do not endorse any product or store that I do not believe in or support on my own.**

Linking up with Random Wednesday and What I Wore Wednesday

My Tips for Traveling Abroad

A friend of mine is taking her first European vacation this summer and had recently asked me for some advice on what to expect, what to pack, what to wear, etc.

The Sagrada Familia - Barcelona,Spain

I have been lucky enough to have done quite a bit of traveling in my lifetime, so, while I am no expert, I definitely thought she could benefit from some of my experiences. 

Here were some of my tips:

1. Learn the language.

No, you will probably not be able to become fluent in French before your trip to Paris, but I guarantee that the locals will at least appreciate the effort if you give their language a shot. Learn some key words and phrases, like "Hello", "Goodbye", "Thank you", "Excuse me", "Where is this?" (use when you need to point something out on a map), "How much does this cost?", you get the idea. In some big cities, a lot of people will speak English so you will be able to communicate, but at least try it in their language first. They will realize your French is terrible and save you the embarrassment and speak in English.

Eifle Tower - Paris, France

2. Limit what you keep in your pockets or purse.

I bet your hotel will have a safe in it, so that is a pretty safe place to keep your passport and other important items, including extra cash, credit cards, memory cards, etc. Pick-pocketing is prevalent in any big city (foreign or otherwise) so be mindful of what you keep on you at all times. You do not need your passport just walking around the city, but you will definitely need it when you want to go home, so don't chance it by carrying it around with you. Basically all I carried around with me was a map, camera, and cash. I did not use credit cards at all (depending on what credit card you use, you will probably have certain fees), but I did use my bank card to withdraw money from an affiliated bank.

Buckingham Palace - London, England

3. Bring a watch.

Unless you want to pay extra for foreign roaming service, you probably won't be using your cell phone. And since most people use their cell phone to tell time, bring a watch. Enough said. 

Monserrat - Barcelona, Spain

4. Understand and embrace the culture.

Most of my traveling abroad has been in big groups, and inevitably there are people in those groups who compare everything to how it is done in the States. Guess what. You are in a foreign country, things will not be familiar or "normal" to you. And that is what this adventure is all about! So if you go to Spain and order a tortilla, don't get all huffy and puffy when they bring you what looks like an omelet. Tortillas are not the same in Spain as they are in Mexico, and thus the U.S. Also, things like service in a restaurant, hours of business, or social interaction between the sexes or classes will probably be different than what you are used to. But that is okay. Embrace the culture that you are in. Try new things. And don't complain (especially aloud around locals) about "We would never do this/eat this/see this/etc in the U.S"

Neuschwanstein Castle - Bavaria, Germany

4. Use public transportation

Public transportation is the cheapest and easiest way to get around a new city, so don't be afraid of it. Yes, you will probably have to be extra cautious about where you put your wallet (answer, not in your back pocket). Definitely study a map of where the stops are before you even step foot in the subway station or on the bus. Pulling out a map or loudly discussing how lost your are is like standing under a bright blinking sign that screams "TOURIST". Figure out where you want to go, which line you need to take, and which stop to get off. If you do happen to get lost, ask a nice looking local for help. I guarantee they will be willing to help you. Just remember rule #1.

Gelato - Florence, Italy

5. Don't eat at McDonalds

This isn't really a rule, but I am pleading with you...DON'T EAT AT MCDONALDS! Or any American fast food chain, for that matter. Why would you travel thousands of miles to eat the same food you eat in the U.S.? It doesn't make sense. And I bet the food in the country where you are visiting is wonderful. Even if you "don't like Italian food". What you really don't like is the Americanized version of Italian food. So when you are in Italy, try their food. I bet you will like it. Because it can be overwhelming to figure out where to eat, do your research before you go. Pick out a few restaurants in the city that you want to try before you even leave the States. But also keep an open mind to suggestions from the locals. They really know whats up.

I think those are enough tips for now. I am sure I will have more later.

What are your tips for traveling abroad?

Linking up with Travel Tuesday and Just Because Tuesday