A lifestyle journey
Serena hated these bites, but they did work on her arthritis. I won’t purchase, because she loved the Mobility Bites. This brand has so many flavors and versions that I am sure you will find something that toy dog likes. They really work, too. I plan on buying mine during a sale or coupon code.
With Love,
I am lucky enough to be working with the Zesty Paws team again bringing you a review of three different dog supplements that they have to offer. I have to admit, my easy going dog Serena did not enjoy the flavor of these as much as she enjoyed the Chicken flavored Omega Bites. She did eat these though when she realized that she wouldn’t get her Greenie if she didn’t eat these first. The flavor is just not her favorite. They are very good for her though, so withholding a treat works with her.
I love that the brand is transparent and you know exactly what you are buying as a consumer. I like knowing all the ingredients, where they come from, and how they are going to affect my dog/the benefits. Right now, Zesty Paws are 50% off, so if you are in need of some good quality dog supplements, I would stock up now while you can. I find that these supplements get sold out fairly often. They must be doing something right!
These bites are pumpkin flavor and Serena is a meat lover. She still ate these bites, though. I also noticed that her breathe didn’t stink as bad after she had been eating these for a few days. These supplements add in digestion and help dogs maintain a healthy immune system. I do see the benefits of digestion, since part of her bad breath does come from her stomach. I would love to see how it helps to improve her breath and tummy issues. She has a sensitive tummy and usually gets sick twice a year.
Remember when I said that Serena only likes meat flavors? Well, that does not include Salmon. She wasn’t crazy about it, but she didn’t mind it. These supplements have a bunch of Omega oils that are really good for the skin, joints, and heart. Serena has a heart murmur and arthritis. I know that this is helping to keep her heart healthy and joint pain at ease. It is a bonus that it is also good for her skin and coat as well. I love the fact that all of the supplements are cut in heart shapes. So cute!
Serena is familiar with the duck flavor and wile it isn’t her favorite, she eats them well. I love that this has coconut oil. It is so healthy for you and great for promoting healthy skin and coat in dogs. This is supposed to be a stronger joint supplement and I do see a slight difference between this one and the Mobility Bites. She seems to run a bit longer eating these supplements. It is also good for immune support and healthy digestion. It is supposed to give your dog more energy and improve cognitive skills. Like I said, I see more energy in her, but she’s always been a smart dog. I didn’t notice her mind being less sharp before these supplements. She’s 10 years old, so these might be better for older dogs are dogs that seem more confused at any age.
Overall, I am so happy to have received more supplements to help out my 10 year old dog Serena. Supplements are great to give at any age, but especially for old dogs to help ease their aches and pains. While she may not gobble these up like the Omega Bites, I know that the benefits are worth a little bit of food coaxing. I highly recommend these supplements and I would try a can while they are on sale.
With Love,
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My dogs are the love of my life. Ever since my cat Shadow passed away, I have been giving more thought into the age and comfort of my two dogs: Serena and Eva.
Serena is a ten year old Chihuahua and Eva is a nine year old Italian Greyhound. They are really getting up there in dog years and I noticed that Serena was having a hard time moving around lately. Due to their age, I figured that Serena in particular was suffering from arthritis and her coat had gotten a little rougher. She also has a benign fatty tumor besides really bad teeth (the ones that haven’t fallen out) that are being worked on next year for better quality of life. She also has a heart murmur. Serena just has a lot of elderly problems, but I want her last years to be good. Eva still acts like a puppy and is very picky about not eating pills or supplement chews.
I am excited to bring to you premium canine supplements that actually work, are affordable, all natural, and even the pickiest dog will love to take these (or not know that they are!). Serena has been trying out the two different chews everyday for the past month and Eva has been given the liquid supplement in her wet food every night. Here is the breakdown of my thoughts on each item.
Serena has been eating these every night and she really looks forward to eating these. They are rather big soft chews that are chicken flavored. This is Serena’s favorite chew out of the two. She always eats this one first. These chews are for healthy skin and coat. The wire-like hair on her back has started to soften and her fur is shedding less since starting on these. I have a 90 day supply, which retails for $25. So, it is like paying $8 to $9 a month for a coat supplement. This brand is made in the USA and doesn’t contain common dog allergens, which is true of the whole brand. Not sure I want to spend $100 a month for a coat supplement that doesn’t really do a whole lot, but if you are tired of a lot of dog shedding, this is the product for you. She doesn’t shed nearly as much as she used to. She probably sheds a quarter of what she used to. I have a toddler, so I vacuum daily already. Her hair doesn’t bother us.
The Mobility Bites are duck flavored and not Serena’s favorite. It has improved her mobility a ton though! I am so impressed with this product and look at how cute it is cut into tiny little hearts. I will be paying $100 a year for this product. It is that good. Serena used to be lazy and not want to get up. I contributed that to her laziness, but the first night that I gave this to her, she jumped up onto my bed. Now, my bed is high and she hasn’t been able to do it before. Now, she jumps up on my bed to cuddle with easy. It is worth the money to see my 10 year old dog run like a maniac in the backyard like she is a puppy again. If you have an older dog, this is a must buy product. She doesn’t seem to be in as much pain moving around. She still sleeps like a lazy bum, but she can move around and get to where she wants to now.
My picky dog Eva doesn’t detect this at all in her wet food. Eva is a very picky eater and any meds that she needs to take, I have to basically shove down her throat. This product makes it nice to just give her a supplement that has everything: healthy heart, joint and immune system, skin and coat, and anit-inflammatory. I love that it has everything and I am planning on purchasing this product myself for both dogs. I just realized just how much good stuff is in one bottle. This is like those two other jars in one plus extras. I really love that Eva doesn’t know that she’s having something really good for her.
After sampling these three products, I’m ready to buy some. A browse through their website shows a lot of unique wholesome products. If you want to take care of your furry family members, I highly recommend this website. They even have stuff for cats!
With Love,
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I managed to read two books in September, which I did meet my goal of two books a month. I have reached my goal while working full time, being a mom, and taking a self study course. I’m pretty damn proud of myself if I do say so. I’m currently half way through two other books, so October could very well be a four book month. That’s my goal anyway. But whose counting? Here are the two books that I managed to read this month:
Chicken Soup for the Soul: I Can’t Believe My Dog Did That!: 101 Stories about the Crazy Antics of Our Canine Companions by Jack Canfield
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
There were some really cute stories in this book. A couple were boring, but the rest were very entertaining. I enjoyed reading this book, which didn’t take me too long to finish. My friend Lisa from Kmart bought me this book for Christmas, because she knew how much I loved reading and my dogs. I understand the appeal of reading Chicken Soup for the Soul books now that I know that they all aren’t religious books. For some reason, I thought they were religious. Where they religious books at one point? This book was a nice break from my usual fantasy YA reads. I might pick up another bowl now!
All-American Girl by Meg Cabot
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If there is a sequel (WHICH THERE IS!), I am definitely reading it. I really loved this book and it was a quick and easy read. I read it in 5 days of pumping, so it only took me four hours to read it. I recommend this book for young girls and fans of a really good romantic YA. It was also very humorous as well. Even if you are not a big book person, you would really enjoy this book and I’m sure that it sounds amazing on audible, which I am considering. Getting audible, that is. So, I can download a book on my Ipod and listen to it while I am at work. We are allowed to listen to music, so I don’t see why not. I’m going off on a tangent here, so I’ll just say read it for fun.
View all my reviews
With Love ❤
I recently teamed up with two different brands to deliver all of you honest reviews on their products. While I was checking those products out with some coupon codes, I decided to pick up a couple of things for Serena. I also recently went bra shopping, so stay on the lookout for another mini haul as well. Without further ado, here’s my little haul and my first impressions of everything that I got!
Remember in a recent post I mentioned how these worked so well for Serena’s teeth, but were way too expensive? Well, I could not believe how cheap they were on Amazon! Either Amazon is giving me a great deal or the price of Greenies went way down from the last time that I bought them, which was a couple of years ago. These treats are made for small dogs. It came in a big cardboard box with two resealable bags of treats in it. It is an upgrade from the last time I bough a box and the treats were just loose inside them like other treats. I hope these work just as well as last time. I keep mine in the fridge, so Serena takes extra long chewing them and getting that stubborn plaque off her teeth. She is getting one a day for a month and then, I will go on from there and check back in with all of you on her progress.
I used a free coupon code provided by the company to redeem this product to review for all of you. Face masks have to be my favorite beauty product to try out. I have had moisturizing sheet masks, but I have never tried a plumping mask before. This mask is supposed to boost collagen production, increase skin radiance, reduce fine lines, and secures skin moisture. My face needs some TLC since having a baby and neglecting my face and needs. I’m just getting back into a facial routine and I will be using this to try to whip my skin back into shape. It does not say how many times a week I can use this product, but since it is a hydrating formula, I would think that I can use it three times a week. I cannot wait to try it tonight! I will be giving a first impressions review sometime this week on all beauty products in this post.
These products look so luxe and the boxes are gorgeous with the gold accents. I like that it is in tinted glass with an easy to use pump. I hate dipping my fingers into pot products. I like that it is tinted orange, because I feel like it helps to minimize my dark circles. This eye cream is supposed to reduce wrinkles, nourish and hydrate, tighten the eye area, brighten dark circles, and restore radiance. While I cannot comment on the wrinkles, I look forward to using this eye cream at night, where I can use some thing a bit thicker.
Another eye product, yes, but this is for morning use and the other was for evening. I feel like gels are lighter for day time use and this one even says that you can use it under makeup. It is suppose to eliminate dark circles and puffiness, soothe and soften the eye area, and give dramatically radiant and youthful eyes. I am excited to be trying natural products that is good for my skin and safe to use while breast feeding. This gel is clear and thick, so I feel like it’s going to do a good job. I cannot wait to use it tomorrow!
I bought this for Serena, because I also think that her bad breath issue could be a stomach issue. She battles constipation from swallowing her food instead of chewing it, so this will at least be good for that if it doesn’t do anything for her breath. This product contains prebiotics and probiotics, which is great for the digestive system. It is a powder supplement that I am giving her once a day at 1/8 of a teaspoon, since she only eats 1/2 cup of food a day. I mix it into her 1/4 cup of dry or wet dog food. Her first treatment is tonight, so we shall see!
Well, that is it for my haul! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. If you have tried any of these products, let me know your thoughts on them in the comments section below. Thanks for participating!
With Love <3
A dental dog snack with ridges that help reduce plaque and tarter buildup and freshen breath. It also has added calcium to support teeth and strong bones.
rice, glycerin, water, wheat flour, chicken by-product meal, sugar, gelatin, parsley flakes, pork.
It smells like a mixture of meat (fake) and mint. It looks like a small dog treat with ridges to really scrub the teeth/gums. It is a hard, biscuit type treat.
I love these treats, because Serena loves them. She has really bad breath/teeth and she hates it when I clean her teeth with teeth wipes and seal it in with the gel. She has grown more tolerable of it, since we have been doing it everyday for almost a year now. It doesn’t seem to be really improving her teeth or breath though but I went on a tangent.
Back to the review!
I freeze these treats to really help scrub her teeth good when she eats it. It does something, but I haven’t found anything that will take away all the plaque/bad breath besides Greenies. They are really expensive. They are like 40 USD for 35 treats. These treats were cheap at 2 USD for 25 treats. That is way more affordable, even if they do’t work as well . They are a great addition to brushing. I might have to search Amazon to see if I can get some Greenies cheaper and maybe something for that bad breath? I’m on the lookout!
With Love <3
Heya Aspiring Gurus!
I just found out about Caturday from my friend Jen over at Dark Charm and I decided to do one myself. Enjoy! Shadow was a bit camera shy today. She was having fun with her kitty station and catnip.
Have a great Memorial Day, you guys!
With Love,
Heya Aspiring Gurus!
Last week, my dad thought some fresh air might do me some good, so we went to Maine on Sunday for the day. It was amazing, but cold. We had local fish and chips that was simply amazing. I wish I took pictures of the meal. Not a lot of chips, but a HUGE chunk of beer battered fresh haddock. I didn’t take much pictures, because I was simply enjoying the day. We did a lot of walking and the dogs absolutely loved it. I did feel loads better that day, but it isn’t an easy fix for what ails me. It was great to get out and have some fun. It was ten dollars in tolls to get there but well worth it. We got to Maine at 7 am and left around 2. I am so glad that my dad surprised me with it at 3 o’clock in the morning. Enjoy!
Like my new haircut?
With Love,
Heya Aspiring Gurus!
It is now day 34 of my blogging for Lent event. I was tagged to do this by Alice over on Strange Made Me. So, without further ado, let’s get to know me.
The Questions:
1. What are you wearing?
I am wearing my Kermit tee shirt 
and a pair of dark wash blue jeans with purple socks with pink hearts on them that my friend Lisa from Kmart bought me for this past Christmas.
2. Ever been in love?
Yes, I have and I am. I am still in love with the first person I ever loved. We did take a break Junior year and I went out with someone else. I was more hurt than in love with that guy. I wasn’t ready for my old relationship to be over. Then, John and I got back together and the rest is history. We still have a bit of rocky history though.
3. Ever had a terrible breakup?
Junior year, when John decided that he wanted to break up because he was going away to Harvard. He thought that I was too young for him and that people would make fun of him for it. That breakup hurt and lasted for about a year until he decided that he wasn’t quite ready to give up on love.
4. How tall are you?
I am roughly 5’4″, but I am actually 5’3″ and 3/4. I get shorter every time I go for my yearly visit. Last year, I measured up at only 5’3″.
5. How much do you weigh?
I weight anywhere nears 100 to 130. My weight fluctuates a lot. I’m not ready to say why yet. My “ideal” weight is 120.
6. Any tattoos?
No, I really want a small heart on my hand though. My dad said he would kill me though, so there is that…
7. Any piercings?
I have my ears pierced and my cartridge on my right ear. I used to have a nose stud, but my dad freaked and made me let the whole close up. That was one too many piercings for him.
8. OTP?
What is opt? [googles] Oh, ummmm…… Zac and Vanessa. I loved them together! But also, Emmett and Bay, too.
9. Favorite show?
I can only choose one? Pretty Little Liars, Chasing Life, Switched @ Birth, Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries…..So many!
10. Favorite bands?
Ummmmm…..A lot? Maroon 5, Avril, Selena Gomes, Miranda Gosgrove, Tov Lov, Carrie Underwood, Smashing Pumpkins…so many!
11. Something you miss?
My hamster Brownie. She died at three years old when I was 11 or 10.
12. Favorite song?
A lot? Undercover, Blown Away, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, Pay Phone, Kissing You, and Alice.
13. How old are you?
I’m still twenty-two and everything will be all right, if you keep me next to you! You don’t know about me! But I know you want to and that’s why I’m doing this tag today.
14. Zodiac sign?
Taurus. I’m a bull with horns and in a china shop. Hear me ROAR! lol
15. Quality you look for in a partner?
HONESTY. That’s a big one for me. One John certainly lacks at times.
16. Favorite Quote?
“When it comes to love, never say never and never say forever.” by Unknown
17. Favorite actor?
Jonny Depp and Jennifer Ansiton.
18. Favorite color?
Purple and Gold. I love royalty, but also Tiffany Blue.
19. Loud music or soft?
I need loud music in my life.
20. Where do you go when you’re sad?
I go to bed and pout or write in my journal or cry. The choice is up to me.
21. How long does it take you to shower?
It takes me roughly 20 minutes to do what I need to do in the shower.
22. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
I need 30 minutes to have my coffee and wake up. I need an hour to get dressed, wash my face, and pile on the products. I also do my hair most days.
23. Ever been in a physical fight?
Not really, no.
24. Turn on?
A man with a mustache. winks at Danielle
25. Turn off?
Sex noises while eating. Your food isn’t THAT good.
26. The reason I made a blog?
I wanted to express my love for literature and it expanded into beauty products as well.
27. Fears?
I HATE spiders and most bugs! UGH! Like seriously, I FREAK out.
28. Last thing that made you cry?
A movie. I believe it was St. Vincent. The ending was so touching!
29. Last time you said you loved someone?
An hour ago.
30. Meaning behind your blog name?
I do beauty and I write about literature. I also think that I’m beautiful [not in a conceded way] when I’m not buried in a novel.
31. Last book you read?
Completely, would be Girls on Film an AList novel. Last book I read from was Dream Walker by Jon Etheredge.
32. The book you’re currently reading?
I am reading three books: Elixir by Hilary Duff, Dream Walker by Jon Etheredge, and a pre-release novel that I cannot talk about yet. YEP, I’m a beta reader in my spare time.
33. Last show you watched?
Carrie. I’m about halfway through it and it’s not really scary yet.
34. Last person you talked to?
My dad. I said, “Yep, that sounds good.”
35. The relationship between you and the person you last texted?
My phone is dead and I have to buy a new one. It’s been dead since the new year. So, I cannot remember.
36. Favorite food?
Garlic Bread from Price Choppers. Only the best that I have ever tasted!
37. Place you want to visit?
Greece. I’m planning a trip there. I want to go before I’m thirty. It’s about 3K. I need a car and house first. Then, I can bread dobermans and get a vacation.
38. Last place you were?
At the mall, sorry! Cannot tell you WHERE. Exactly.
39. Do you have a crush?
No, I am in a relationship. Dani, I am not “officially” engaged, yet. It’s a promise engagement, but he didn’t get down on one knee or anything. I would have shared something THAT exciting with you.
41. Last time you were insulted?
At Sephora, this girl elbowed me in the ribs over the last GlawGlow and I told her to PIPE THE FUCK DOWN with that shit.
42. Favorite flavor of sweet?
Baklava, but if we are talking an actual flavor than lime.
43. What instruments do you play?
My record player. Seriously, I am musically impaired. I’ve tried the flute and the guitar. I’m tone deaf.
44. Favorite piece of jewelry?
My American Indian made silver bracelet with the turquoise stone. 
45. Last sport you played?
Figure skating. It’s been awhile. I’m hoping to go back to it after my toe heals.
46. Last song you sang?
135N8 by Lucas Grabeel
47. Favorite chat up/pick up line?
Is that a banana in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? lol. Makes me giggle.
48. Have you ever used it?
Guilty!
49. Last time you hung out with anyone?
A month ago with Dani.
50. Who should answer these questions next?
Dani and Jen!!!
Thanks for tuning in to 50 Qs!
With Love,
Heya Aspiring Gurus!
It is day 37 of blogging for lent. I did a bit of shopping today that I had been putting off for almost a month! I know! I was lazy, but there was A LOT of weekend snow, too. I bought some beauty things and some clothes. I bough mostly tops, since I really needed those. I have way more bottoms for some strange bizarre reason. I’m actually going to a consignment shop next Saturday to see if they will buy some of my lightly used clothes (and my never worn Prom dress. Yes, Dan. I was planning on making an appearance at our prom. And my other used once Prom dress from when I went to my fiance’s prom. He was declared prom king. I was the default Prom Queen. Yeah, none of the senior class girls liked me after that.) since my chest decided to be the ever-growing bunny. (pun on the energizing bunny that just keeps going and going). Seriously, I wish it would just STOP. It’s not fun to be petite and have a large chest. It makes my chest look even BIGGER sometimes. So annoying. Am I the only one? Where are my busty gals here? Let’s get on with the haul.
KMART
Here are the little things that I picked up. The girls loved their Munchy Pops and I loved that each package was only 1 USD. It is an amazing price! I didn’t realize that they had a dollar section. You guys should check it out, if you have one near you. I also picked up a package of can covers for only a dollar as well. The orange one is for Shadow and the other two are for the Girls. I bought Clearasil Toner Pads 90 ct for 6.19 USD. It is a three month supply if used everyday. I mostly use this the week before and during my period to keep the extra oiliness of my face in check. This one smells nice and is more effect than using my homemade toner. Toner pads are used when I need something extra. I got a Goody styling hair brush for 2.49 for using to put my hair up in a pony or for updos. My paddle brush isn’t good for those things. As you can see by where I am going with this, I will be having a visit by Mother Nature soon. This Neutrogena Spot Treatment was 7.39 USD and it is great for those annoying pimples. I use benzoyl peroxide very sparingly, since it is so drying. I only use it on those hard to get rid of pimples or cystic acne. I use tea tree oil and salicyclic acid on the others.
SEPHORA
I stopped by Sephora, because I really wanted the GlamGlow Cleanser and I had a 10 USD gift card from Yappem. I wanted to get the white bottle for oily skin, but I ended up getting the black bottle by mistake. Now, when I was watching reviews on Youtube, there were only white and blue, not black. The black is brand new and is the AntiAging one out of the line. Basically, it is like the black face mask, the Tingle Exfoliate or something or other. The one I bought was 39 USD and called GlamGlow YouthCleanse. I am going to be trying it tonight. Do you want a first impressions? If I like the initial application, it will go away onto my beauty shelf until I use up the rest of my cleanser. It only has a week or so left in it. That was all I bought! AND I didn’t break my ban, because I was going to buy a new cleanser anyway.
KOHLS
I bought two different colors of the same shirt for 14.99 USD each. They are from the brand Sonoma and they are Sportswear. I take them in a size medium and they wear originally 26 USD each. I only bought those at Kohl’s. I wanted lighter shirts and they wear selling mostly heavy sweaters right now. I would come back to them later in the year though. The colors are sky blue and army green. The green is a bit lighter in real life. This picture makes it look dingy and grey. It is an emerald army green with a sheen.
TARGET
This bra is supposed to be a bright coral pink. It’s looking a little nude in this picture. The bra is from GOM and it is a full coverage bra. The next bra is also a GOM bra and it is lightly lined. They both went for 14.99 USD, which I think is a great price for a good, colorful, pretty bra. I love the roses print! It is super cute! And no, I am not going to share my bra size, except that I wear a 34. You can kinda tell what cup size from the photos. The candy pink/coral a line dress is from XHIL and it was 24.99 for a size medium. I love this dress. It has an appropriate neckline and touches the tops of my knees. Oh, all of these clothes are for work btw. I had to make sure they wear appropriate, but also very fun. I am most excited to wear this dress on Monday. OTP. The grey and black tee shirt with high slits on both sides (it comes to about even with my belly button) is from MB and it was 19.99 USD. The sweet light soft pink sweater with the antique lace detail is from MSC and was 24.99 USD. It was a bit pricey, but I loved it. They are both shorter in the front and longer in the back.
Well, that was my haul! Tomorrow, I am going car looking, food shopping, and getting my eyebrows waxed! See ya soon!
DISCLAIMER: PEPSI DID NOT SPONSOR THIS BLOG POST! I WAS JUST THIRSTY AT TARGET AND BOUGHT IT AND IT ACCIDENTALLY ENDED UP IN MY PHOTOS!
With Love,
Home Sweet Phoenix Cove 