The Scoop Deli & Ice Cream

If you have never been to lunch at The Scoop Deli & Ice Cream in downtown Thomasville, Georgia, you are definitely missing out! They have the best lunch and something on the menu for everyone! A huge plus for me is that I can walk there on my lunch!

[Normally, I would loved to have dined outside- but this was on a cold, windy day!]

[I love the 50's feel- so retro!]

[My husband and myself are small eaters- so we shared the turkey club, chili & a broccoli salad]

I swear, I think I order the Turkey Club every time- it is so good! 

And the chili was perfect-the Scoop knows how to make a good soup, that is for sure.

Not too shabby right?! Especially lunch for two people + a girl who hates budgeting..

If you live in the area or just visiting for the day- make sure you stop by to check out The Scoop Ice-cream & Deli! It's right in the middle of downtown- so grab your girlfriends, go do some shopping & have lunch!

Winner of the Barleans Giveaway!!

It is finally time to announce the winner of the Barlean's Giveaway!!
The winner is...Bella from Dateless in Dallas (how cute is her blog name?!)
Bella, please email me at melindapollard(at)gmail(dot) com with your mailing address so that I can let Barlean's know to ship out your goodies!

Thanks to everyone who entered and come back soon, I will be having another review & giveaway coming up soon- this one is pretty sweet, I promise!!

Mimi's the Look for Less

I couldn't help myself, you guys..I went back to Mimi's again. Seriously, this girl <----- does not like budgets, thanks, but no thanks.

This time I was lured in by their 75% email that I received- an offer that I couldn't refuse! I swear they had even prettier items this time!

I literally went in twice last week, once on lunch then the same day after work because lunch isn't near enough time to shop- duh! I dragged my husband in there twice on one day & to show you how amazing he is- he even held all of jewelry and handbags while I shopped away (swoon..). Exactly, one of the reasons that I love him, but I will save that for another post!

So here are a few things that I bought, and by a few, I mean only about 3 out of 12 items are shown. But in my defense, a couple of the items, my husband bought for my upcoming birthday. So there's that..

[This was one of the necklaces that I purchased a few weeks ago & it's now one of my faves!]

[Left: Natural Stone Ring $10- love this ring! Top Right: Gold necklace $4, 

Middle Right: Black Handbag- $10!!!, Top Right: Tangerine Bangle Bracelet $4]

If you haven't been to Mimi's yet, you should definitely go- they are having their 75% sale until this Saturday!! I would go, but my husband has put me on restriction for 1 month, which I can totally understand since I have been to Mimi's like 10 times in two months.. Any-who, you should go there now!!

Happy Shopping!!

Barleans Product Review + Giveaway!

Hi Lovelies,
Hope that you are enjoying your weekend so far!! I have been catching up on everything from cleaning to laundry and updating my blog!

Today, I have something extra special for my readers- Barlean's sent me some of their Pomegranate Blueberry Omega Swirl to Review & they have offered to throw in an extra bottle for one of my lucky readers as well!! I will tell you in just a minute, how you can enter to win one of these for yourself!

Omega Swirl: Smoothie Taste & Texture

Omega Swirl is an Omega-3 Sensation with the taste and texture of a fruit smoothie! Now everyone can enjoy the benefits of Omega-3 without the oily taste and texture of liquids or having to swallow large capsules. Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, Omega Swirl flax and fish oil supplements are the freshest, best-tasting and most nutritious Omega-3 products, naturally. Omega Swirl is the perfect solution for the whole family! Packed with essential Omega-3s, Omega Swirl was created to nutritionally support: Heart Health* Cholesterol Levels Already Within a Healthy Range* Joint Mobility and Bone Density* Energy and Endurance* Skin, Hair and Nail Health* Mental Health, Wellness and Acuity* Blood Glucose Levels Already Within a Healthy Range* Sexual and Hormonal Health*

Barlean's offers so much more, like greens, chia seed, fish oil, etc.- even omega-3 for kids (that actually taste good!). Usually when I think of Omega-three oils, I think of an unattractive flavor, but the Blueberry Pomegranate tastes like a dessert! I decided to put mine in a smoothie- but if you are in a hurry, it tastes good enough on it's own!

So to win one of those bottles for yourself- here is what you need to do:

+ Like My Life Being Renewed on my Facebook Page
+ Follow Me on GFC (Google Friend Connect on the right side bar) and;
+ Like Barlean's on Facebook

Please leave me a comment below, so that I know that you have entered the giveaway. I will select a winner this upcoming Friday, January 31. Good Luck!!

*The Barlean's Omega-3 Swirl was sent to me to review free of charge, however I was not paid any money to do this product review. Any products that I review are of my own personal opinion and experience with said product.

*I am not a medical professional. This is not intended to be medical advice. Please consult your doctor as needed.

Fit Family Lifestyles Month with a Special Guest!

Recently, Kendra Thornton contacted me about possibly doing a collaboration together. And of course, I said yes! Today, I'm joining up with Kendra for Fit Lifestyles Month!

Kendra Thornton is a Travel Advocate, TV spokesperson, PR businesswoman, proud wife and mama of 3. Seriously, this woman is superwoman- talk about doing it all!! She’s been quoted frequently on travel trends and issues in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, and appeared regularly on the ABC, CBS and CW networks and affiliate stations across the country to discuss travel. 

But today, Kendra will be giving us some tips on staying fit, especially helpful for those who have kids!

Fit Family Lifestyles Month

Being a mom to three young kids means there's no time for inactivity! My motto in life has always been to look good and feel even better! That’s why making an effort to stay active and to keep in shape is important to me while I am traveling with my kids. I wanted to share with you a few of my personal tips and tricks on how to stay fit while traveling.

Pre-plan Before Your Trip

Give yourself permission to enjoy your vacation and to indulge a little. Who wants to count calories while vacationing? If you plan ahead by eating healthy and exercising in the weeks leading up to your vacation, you can afford some extra treats while traveling. With a little planning, you can return from vacation without those excess pounds.

Smart Snacking

Planning is the key. Pack plenty of healthy foods to munch on. String cheese, granola bars, pretzels, fresh fruits, and homemade trail mix are good choices. You can make a healthy trail mix with nuts, raisins, dried coconut flakes, and dried fruit. Satisfy your sweet craving by tossing in some dark chocolate M&Ms.

Trade in Your Heels For Sneakers

Don't stuff your luggage with dinner outfits, business attire, and swim wear. Swap a pair of heels for sneakers. I love grabbing my sneakers and going for an early morning run or a walk on the beach.

Choose a Hotel With Accommodations

Try keeping your children's sleeping environment as close to home as possible. The goal is to recreate their usual sleep routine. Don't forget their favorite blankets, toys, books, pillows, pacifier, or sleep machine if they use one. If they feel at home, they will rest better and so will you.

Planning is the Key

Decide ahead of time what you want to accomplish on your trip. Map out those awesome hiking trails, theme parks, and outdoor museums that will let you and your kids have fun and get plenty of exercise. I am going to Disney World in a month. I know walking through the park and sweating in the Orlando heat will be a great way to get some exercise.

Celebrating Fit Family Lifestyles Month is a fun experience that I do every year with my family! We always make it a point to go ice-skating and enjoy some hot coco afterwards! I enjoyed sharing my tips for staying healthy on the road and hope you got a nice takeaway! I would love to hear how you and your family stay fit and maybe swap some traditions! 

*You can also follow Kendra on Twitter if you would like to keep in contact!

What are some ways that you and your family stay fit while traveling?

Life Lately..

Currently..

//Currently

Eating- Paleo diet

Reading - Skinny dipping by Bethenny frankel

Loving- spending time with my husband:)

Drinking- Pomegranate Juice & water

Obsessing over- my new Andrew Jacobs bag (for another post)

Watching- Mission Impossible II with the husband:)

Looking Forward to- packages to arrive, using my two-week trial gym pass.

What are you enjoying this Sunday?

Week Two..

Okay, so it's week two of January and I have been doing pretty good with my 2014 Resolutions so far.

Health- daily speed walking &  lifting weights, drinking more hot teas & less coffee, more water, taking my vitamins. Eating less at night. Our gym is being remodeled, so it's closed for repairs until the end of January- once it's ready, I plan on being there everyday!

Spa care- steam facials, lemon & sugar scrubs, olive oil for moisturizing, detoxing baths.
Purchased a deal @ Salt Therapy + Juice Bar- hope to have a review in the next few weeks!

Fun- I have been taking one day out of the week to watch chick flicks on Netflix. And I actually read one book on the drive to my MIL last Saturday.

Self- improvement- Not worrying about what other people think & their opinions. Just because someone has an opinion, does not make it a fact. As long as I am being kind & true to myself and not hurting anyone,then I can lay my head down at night and sleep perfectly.

Relationships- I met with my sister for lunch- things have not always been great  in the past, but we are starting over with a clean slate- I hope that we can be close sisters again, that's all I ever really wanted. We had such a great time at lunch! I am also really excited about my MIL's new friend, John- he is so much fun to be around and so kind- which is very rare these days. It's so nice having a positive role-model to be around.

House- We met with the insurance company and set up our house construction & liability insurance and also called contacts for storage units (for building supplies) & restroom units for the work crew. We are meeting with a potential framer tomorrow to get a quote for our re-submitted house-plans with less square footage this time. Hopefully he gives us a great price and his crew can start soon, so we can start seeing some progress!

Work- work is great, I love my boss and I have met some really great people at our monthly meetings- it's also helping me come out of my shell a little more and become more confident, which I definitely need!

Blog- I have a couple of products that I will be reviewing on the blog soon- so stay tuned for that! I will also be giving my blog a make-over soon- I've had this one for over a year and I really want a change- something fresh & different.

These are just a few goals that I have been working on, I have so much more that I want to accomplish this year! 2014 is going to be a great year, full of wonderful blessings- I can't wait for this year to unravel- I am going to enjoy every second of it!

What are some of your goals that you are working on for 2014?

The Weekend.

I love weekends. We had such a wonderful weekend full of fun things like scrabble, shopping, and looking at  different kitchen ideas. My MIL's friend, John treated us at Mellow Mushroom and I was surprised at how great their pizza and salad were- especially for a chain restaurant. We ordered 3 different pizzas- the Holy Shiitake, The House Special and the MellowTerranean pizza. I also ordered the Enlightened spinach salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing & bacon- best salad ever! Next time I want to try some gluten free options for the pizza.

Not too much else exciting happened over the weekend- mostly just laundry, food shopping and I caught up on my Real Housewives {my guilty pleasure}.

What did you do over the weekend- anything exciting?

Pretty Things...

I love anything to do with Pinterest, pretty pictures, fashion, quotes- these are a compilation of some of my favorite things!

I have a Confession..

I have a little confession to make...that New Year Resolution, the one about budgeting. Well, it didn't last long, not even one whole week. Sorry, not sorry..

 In my defense, Mimi's, The Look for Less sent me an email about their 50% off sale and well, I couldn't resist..

This is what I left with- the definition of success, in my book! The good news is, I am doing really well with several of my other New Year's Resolutions which I will be sharing with you later on this week.

Hope you are all having a great week! (And hopefully, doing better on your resolutions than me!)


*These products were paid out of my own money & this review is my own personal opinion.

Weekend!

Unfortunately, 2014 did not start off that great for me! Twice this week- we had vehicle issues and on Thursday my sister sent me a mean text that really upset me and brought back to the surface all of the hurts that my family has put me through. To be honest, last night I was up until almost 1 a.m. writing a very long post about how much my family has hurt me and I decided not to post it because it is just too personal. I am not sure if I am ready to open up that much yet- it's really hard for me to be vulnerable and open myself up to the possibility of being hurt again. At this point, I have enough written about my family, to publish a book. Who knows, maybe I will.. Anyway, enough of that, let's move on to the weekend!!

Friday- we ran most of our errands- paid rent, bank, groceries, ordered Italian takeout, etc. I love doing that, because it frees us up to relax more on Saturday.

I really don't have big plans for the weekend. Just the usual.

+ Go for a walk around the park on Saturday & Sunday
+ Sign extended apartment lease
+ Watch The Bachelor on Sunday!!!
+ Choose outfit to go with new Hunter Rain-boots to wear on Monday (rain is in the forecast!)
+ Clean around the apartment
+ Clean out filing cabinet- throw out all old papers.
+ Have a chick-flick marathon & do facials!
+ Order some more makeup, vitamins, etc.
+ My husband is going to be working on house construction things- talking to contractors, calling for prices, emailing house-plans, etc.


What are your weekend plans?

Things that I am Loving Lately..

Things that I am Loving Lately....

---> Writing in my Journal

---> Enjoying spending time with Roscoe- he is always making me laugh with his silly faces!

----> Looking at Newly Constructed homes & being excited about building our house soon!

---> Walking around Cherokee lake every afternoon.

----> Relaxation.

--->Afternoon snack-time.