As the days get hotter and hotter, let me recommend one of my favorite products.  Evian Mineral Water Facial Spray.  The link I am giving you is a great way to try the product. It is packaged as a regular bottle and a travel size bottle.  Evian is known for water. This facial spray gives you a very light mist on your face.  I know its just water, but you cannot beat the fine mist it delivers. Great for setting your makeup.  It’s great to use on an airplane to keep your face from drying out.  It claims to increase your skin hydration by fourteen percent. I keep one in my desk drawer at work and when I start getting sluggish or stressed, I spray my face and it instantly refreshes me. The mist is so fine you don’t need to worry about it ruining your makeup. I also keep one on my treadmill. Remember when I told you about Genifique? It seems to go a lot longer if applied on a slightly damp face.  I wash my face and immediately apply the Genifique. However, I have a subscriber who has a large house and showers at one end and her facial products are at another end. I suggested she get the Evian to mist her face prior to using the Genifique. Problem solved.

Party-time! Woo-hoo! Having a lot of family get-togethers, picnics, poolside parties? Where is my invitation? I love Etch-it Plastic Cups when you have a lot of people around, because your guests can write their name on the cup and you don’t have to worry about where you last left your drink. Oh and no pen required, you just use your finger to write your name, or something clever. Maybe a symbol like Prince? Now you know for a germaphobe like me, this is a great solution.  Do you think it would be odd if I brought etch-it cups to other people’s gathering? Is that a little too OCD?  I’ll just call it a hostess gift. . .

There are also Etch-it Labels, which would be great for water bottles, beer, soft drinks.

Party on, dude.

Okay, okay, let me start first by stating that this is a tad expensive.  I have purchased many a blender over the years, and none have ever been able to handle what the Vitamix can handle. At the time that I purchased mine, I did so mainly for the ability to make protein shakes and smoothies. I was delighted to find out that this brand is the same blender that is used at Starbucks and Smoothie King (more commercial grade blender, not the one you need for your home use).  Every day I make a smoothie that contains spinach and frozen fruit, along with oat bran, flax seed, and all other healthy additives, with some milk, protein, and yogurt.  It is delicious, no foolin’. You cannot taste the spinach at all, even though I add about 2 cups of spinach to the blender.  Frozen fruit doesn’t even phase this thing.  It just blends right through. I have made frappuchinos that I would put up against Starbucks any day! This blender will pay for itself in no time! Try a bucket of frozen margaritas this time of year! You can even make ice cream and shakes.  Mine came with a huge recipe book and dvd. Another great selling point on the Vitamix is that I can add just a dot of liquid soap and turn it on at the end and it cleans it thoroughly.  Love that!  It comes with a great seven-year warranty.  So, considering it will plow right through ice, frozen fruit, and even carrots, it will be well worth the price.  There are several models out there. I’m giving you a link on Amazon of the cheapest one here.  I personally got mine from QVC, and it appears they are out of stock there.

Full disclosure here.  Blendtec is a very similar blender, and personally is much more attractive than the Vitamix.  There is also a very big debate as to which one is the better one.  I read all this before making my decision to get the Vitamix.  I was leaning toward this one because the container is glass, vs. Vitamix, which is plastic. However, after I read reviews and researched, I felt like the Vitamix was the better choice.  That is just my opinion.  Both are pricey.

Let me know if you have either the Vitamix or the Blendtec, and how you use yours in the comments section.

Did you know that you can go to youtube.com and find how-to instructional videos? Yes, people youtube is so much more than funny videos. I have programmed the bluetooth in my car, sent links to my boss on instructional soccer and baseball techniques for his little league teams, done small home repairs, and watched instructional makeup application videos.  I hate to admit that I even watched a youtube video on how to create a waterfall on farmtown. The possibilities are endless.

Be prepared to have to watch some snot nosed kid under the age of 10 explain something techy to you.  It will remind you that you are not smarter than a fifth grader, or even a first grader when it comes to technology.

So next time you want to learn how to do something, or if a manual doesn’t make sense to you, just go to youtube and search for the information there. I am a very visual person, so for me, youtube saves me lots of time in figuring out how to do something.  I hope it helps you too.