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Value

by Laura February 4, 2019

written by Laura

This is the second year that I have come up with my “Word of the Year”. I have shared with you that my word for 2018 was “Balance” and my problems with it as we approached the fall. Because of my recent fail, I was on the fence about having a word define my year and intentions for a whole 365 days. Then the perfect word hit me! VALUE! Yes, I love it, and I’ll tell you why.

You are valuable, I am valuable, our time is valuable, and we deserve for everyone to recognize this.

I even ordered an engraved bracelet to remind me on a daily basis.

Value for my kids

The biggest, most important job I will ever hold is raising my kiddos and making them into upstanding members of society. They need my love, time and attention. Daily valuable time is necessary.

Value for you

This blog is for you! You need to find value in my tips, tricks, recipes and overall support. Please let me know what value you are looking for from me.

My time is valuable

Because I want to be present for my kids, my work day is typically 9:30-2:00 three days a week. Sometimes I can sneak in a little work between when my two oldest go to school before my babe wakes up. The afternoon is dedicated to them and completely slips away with snacks, homework, after school activities and dinner. When I was a mom of 2, I could stay up until 11 each night and complete household tasks. When my third was born, that all went out the window. I am exhausted by the time the kids go to bed. It is so important to do things of high value the 4 hours of quiet time I have during the day.

Value for my family

We are going on 8 years of me being a stay at home mom. While there is no doubt that I have always created value for my family, this year I will provide more monetary value for the household. It’s time for this mama to have a new car. I love my car because it is spacious, comfortable and safe, but she is not so pretty anymore and is ready to retire. Me paying for another car is a goal for 2019.

I need value in return

It seems that I say “Yes” way too much. I want to be at every vendor event, mastermind, networking event and training that I can get my hands on these days. Can you tell that I have major issues with FOMO? I love meeting new people and learning as much as can about them. Truth is: not all these events are created equal. This year I will spend more time researching events that I attend and making sure that they are high value.

Having a word bring me back into focus when I go astray. Do you have a word for the year? I would love to hear it.

February 4, 2019 2 comments

Health & Beauty

A New Line of Haircare

by Laura January 28, 2019

written by Laura

Heads up: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through one of the links, you won’t pay a penny more, but I’ll get a commission, which keeps the tips flowing your way. Thanks!

It has been a mission this past year to use fewer toxic products in my home. Most of this task has been fairly easy and I will share some of these transitions with you in a later blog. One area where I have struggled has been my haircare. I have thick, course, frizzy, curly hair that is hard to control. The products I have used over the past few years work well but I know that they rank pretty bad on the EWG scale. Needless to say, I was super excited for Retro to release their line of haircare products.

All of their topicals are rated 1-2 on the EWG scale and have been developed over years. The most exciting part of the development is that the topicals are combined with FDA-cleared technology resulting in the greatest improvements for problem areas.

The FDA-cleared laser helmet is clinically proven to increase hair density. Can you believe these results from 4 months of usage? (3 times a week for 20 minutes). Luckily, my hair is pretty thick. I do have a little thinning around my part and where I pull my hair back to my signature messy bun. Can you picture me wearing the helmet while I write my blog? That is exactly what I will be doing.

The next incredible product is the Revive Botanical Oil Serum. This uses the purest form of coconut oil and aloe to stimulate hair growth from the outside in. Brace yourself…the coconut oil is not from any coconut. This is a rare One-Eyed Virgin coconut from the Philippines. Don’t worry, it is being responsibly sourced. In a clinical study, after 7 weeks, over 80% of users saw improvement in both texture and density.

Can you imagine combining these two super powers?

Now let’s talk about shampoo and conditioner. Of course, they are a cleaner, greener and healthier approach to haircare free of parabens and sulfates. The two formulas, powered by Redensyl, are available in scented and unscented!!! Redensyl is a proven botanical complex that targets hair follicle stem cells to strengthen and improve hair growth. The RISE combination helps with hair density and strengthens each strand of hair. SHINE (what I use) gives the moisture hair needs to be shiny by using Bamboo Oil Extract while the Redensyl maximizes new hair growth.

These products are a game changer for men and women with thinning hair at a fraction of the cost of alternative, invasive treatments. Best of all, the products are safe as well as being effective.

My family has a history of male pattered baldness and I know that my boys will never have to give a future of a bald head a second thought.

What product are you most excited about?

January 28, 2019 0 comment

Blog

The Great, Good and Mediocre about Being with a New Company

by Laura January 21, 2019

written by Laura

I have been in direct sales for a couple of years. To say that it is an easy business would be a fat lie. It is hard work, but as a mom who wants to be available to my kids as much as possible, it is a perfect fit for me. I will also preface this by saying that I’m a very hard worker, but none of my success would be possible without my family’s support.

The Great:

I recently attended the semiannual conference for a company that I rep and it was incredible. This was my second conference and I have been with the company for about 8 months. As I was checking into the hotel, I spotted the CEO and she came up and gave me a hug. This isn’t the first time that she made me feel special or amazing and I haven’t even known her that long. When it was time to check in for the conference it wasn’t necessary to give my name because I talk to the gal at home office every couple of weeks. Did these things just happen? No, I genuinely want a relationship with these extraordinary people. These are a couple of the many benefits of being at the ground floor of a new company.

I have also been at the other end of things and worked with a very established company and felt like a number. Their conference had so many women no one knew or even cared if I was there. Yes, the systems were in place and comps were good, but I rarely felt special and the CEO definitely didn’t know who I was. To put it in perspective, I went to the top 1% of this huge company in less than a year. It’s hard to recognize everyone in an organization that big and I get that!

The Good:

Everyone wants you to be successful. If something is not working, they want to hear about it. We also have access to incredible mentors. The VP of business development ENCOURAGES me to reach out to her and wants to support me any way that she can. As good as all of this makes me feel, it is offered to anyone who wants to thrive in this company. They want to be successful in this multi-billion-dollar market and that is partly dependent on consultants being educated, fulfilled and compensated.

The Mediocre:

Some kinks are still being smoothed. I came in about 9 months into the soft launch of this company. To say that there have been changes would be an understatement. I wasn’t around for the biggest changes, but I have seen my fair share. People are so resistant to change. This used to be me. Now I embrace it and you know what? The newest changes are amazing. Yes, there will be a learning curve, but I know that it will just make everything even better. Honestly, I don’t really have a mediocre with this company. It is just onward and upward and I’m so excited about the journey!

Tell me the GREAT from your job. I would love to hear from you!

January 21, 2019 0 comment

Blog Family

Conscious Eating Habits for the New Year

by Laura January 14, 2019

written by Laura

Making good, conscious decisions about what my family puts in their body has always been a priority of mine. While this is true, we do have slip ups and my knowledge is sometimes lacking. The big picture is I do the best I can, and I try not to punish myself when we are not perfect, but we all feel better when we eat better. Honestly, my family can always do better and that is 95% on my shoulders.

My main goal in the kitchen is to feed my kids real food. Lately I’ve had many proud mama moments like when all 3 of my kids are excited to have salad on their plate or have them turn down processed foods because it “tastes funny”. Their palates have been developed and no, they don’t eat everything I put in front of them. They do love fresh fruits and veggies and I credit that to starting young. Since my kids were able to eat solid food, they were eating the same foods as the rest of the family. Obviously, things had to modified to what their little chompers could handle. Example: If we have a salad for dinner, I would separate the components and didn’t give them lettuce until they could chew it.

A favorite summer dinner dipped in hummus maybe with some cold cuts and crackers. My carrot and tomato thief got to the plate before I could take a picture.

It has been a lesson over the past few years that simple, fresh food tastes better. My favorite complete meals, along with my family’s, are less than 10 ingredients. Not only is it easier and faster for me to prep, it is also less complicated for their taste buds.

Do we have treats? Ab-So-Lutely! I am a believer in treats because I don’t want my kids to feel deprived or binge on unhealthy foods when given the chance. “Everything in moderation” is a phrase used quite a bit in our home. The EASIEST way to avoid the temptations is to not have the temptations readily available so I try hard to not have an excess of unhealthy choices in the house.

My biggest struggles are the snacks! Those cute little orange fish are a family favorite and are oh so convenient. So, at the top of my goal list for the year is to have clean snacks readily available. Planning and food prep are key to stay on track. It is so much easier to choose something fresh and healthy it is just as convenient as the packaged snacks. Some of these include cheese sticks, homemade yogurt parfaits, pre-cut veggies with hummus, homemade granola bars or protein bites, apple slices with nut or non-nut butter, fresh fruit and smoothies.

What is your struggle? What kind of recipes or ideas would you like to see from me?

January 14, 2019 2 comments

Life & Family

Goodbye 2018

by Laura December 31, 2018

written by Laura

As the year quickly comes to an end I’m thinking about my goals and desires for 2019.

Is BALANCE possible?

In January 2018 I came up with “balance” for my word of the year. I thought I wanted balance between my family and my business but really, I wanted to be a perfect mom, wife, daughter, friend and entrepreneur. It has been a constant struggle. I recently listened to a book that told me that there was no such thing as balance. I felt a little foolish. Did everyone but me know that balance wasn’t possible?

2019 will have some changes. Better systems for home and business will be in place, kids will know limits and expectations and I will be better organized. I will have abundant time for my family and my business because I will implement the systems and time blocking. All of this sounds great, right? Check back with me in March to see how I am doing.

My cup must be filled

While I fully intend for all my goals to happen, big picture, a happy family is my greatest desire. That does not mean just happiness for my kids, but for my husband and me also. It took me a long time to realize that it is really hard to give to my family without first filling my cup. Filling my cup means having a creative outlet and helping women and families make healthier choices. It makes me over the moon happy to help people put forward their best self.

Truth is that I am not super human. Being with my kids as much as possible is my top priority, so some things have to give. Time is ALWAYS working against me and I have to rely on people to help. You never know how you can be equally helping someone reach their goals when they are helping you reach yours.

My Laundry Angel appeared

A mentor of mine asked me this summer what I could remove from my plate that takes me a lot of time and do not enjoy. Laundry was the first thing that came to mind. Crazy thing is, when it was a subconscious thought, my laundry angel appeared. Not kidding! It has freed up so much of my time and energy and I am supporting a small business at the same time. Maybe your task to eliminate is meal planning, grocery shopping or cooking. There are so many options accessible these days to help take the burden off you so that you can give more focus to your goals.

Tell me, what fills your cup? What is your burdening task? Do you have specific goals for 2019?

December 31, 2018 0 comment

Blog Life & Family

Mindset and Gratitude

by Laura December 17, 2018

written by Laura

Mindset is a subject in my life that is recurring every time I turn around recently. Last night I heard a fabulous woman talk about subconscious thinking and it all really hit home to me; a positive mindset, gratitude and the subconscious can provide a happy life with abundance. This is a lesson that I want my family to learn way earlier than I learned myself.

Being negative was no longer how I wanted to live my life

A few years ago, I was going through a rough patch. My husband was getting his MBA while working full time on top of trying to change careers. Because that wasn’t enough, we had a new baby and a three year old. I was constantly bringing my husband into my misery and loneliness. One day he finally snapped and let me know that my negativity had to go. After a few days (or weeks) of self-reflection, I decided that complaining, feeling sorry for myself and being negative was no longer how I wanted to live my life.

Being in a place of gratitude and positive thoughts has changed my world. Yes, life is very busy and overwhelming at times, but I welcome that because I know that I’m making an impact and helping people everywhere that I go. Even on the hardest days I remind myself of my blessings. Finding joy in every situation can keep you on a positive path.

If I want my kids to live a life of gratitude, I must teach it and show them everyday

It has become all too clear these days that my kids rarely come from a place of gratitude. This is a hard pill to swallow because I know that it is because of me. Do I give them too much? Do I do too much for them? Are they too often surrounded by people who have the same mindset as them? The answer to everything is YES! If I want them to live a life of gratitude, I must teach it and show them. It is an everyday journey, but I guarantee big steps will happen in 2019!

The most gratitude I have is for all my family and friends who have supported me and my dreams my whole life even when I wasn’t so grateful. I am also grateful for my friends who I have met through business and networking. Relationships with girlfriends are hard. My original career had some vicious women and it gave me trust issues, but over the past two years I have met some really incredible women and they have shown me what it is like to live a life of gratitude and abundance and where that can lead you. These days I am not taking this for granted because I know that I am blessed!

December 17, 2018 0 comment

Blog Recipes

Santa’s Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies

by Laura December 10, 2018

written by Laura

Tonight, as I started a fire for the first time this season my kids started asking about Santa and how he fits down the chimney when he is so big. My middle baby asked if we will make him homemade cookies this year when my oldest chimed in that we should make him some oatmeal cookies because they are healthier. Talk about a proud mama moment! I have been making a very conscious effort to make our favorite things a little healthier and it warms my heart when my family is on board!

There are a couple “treats” that my husband does not appreciate my changing. One is his mom’s banana bread and the other is the original chocolate chip cookie recipe. I keep the banana bread recipe pretty genuine, but I have mixed up our chocolate chip cookies. While sugar cookies with icing were a Christmas family tradition for me growing up my hubby strongly prefers chocolate chip in our home. Little does my daughter know, we will be making Santa some of our healthier chocolate chip cookies with ground oatmeal that are just as delicious as the original!

We have a house full of chocohaulics and everyone seems to have a sweet tooth. Some simple substitutions I use in our baked goods are whole wheat white flour (no one can tell the difference) in place of white flour and coconut oil (the extra refined has very little coconut flavor) in place of butter or vegetable oil. For these little pillows of chocolate chip deliciousness I’m also using a bit of oat flour (oatmeal ground up in my food processor. You can also buy oat flour). When using chocolate chips, I sneak in dark chocolate. I prefer dark chocolate and it makes me feel a little less guilty for the indulgence and I’ve had no complaints thus far. Another option is to use mini chocolate chips since they have a better distribution in these small cookies.

I don’t know about you, but the hardest part for me about making cookies is waiting for the dough to chill before I bake them. My final secret with these cookies is to scoop them out right after you combine the dough and put the sheet tray with the dough balls in the fridge for 30 minutes. They bake up fluffy and soft.

My kids love these cookies. Because they are smaller, I don’t have to tell them no when they want a second one.

Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies

Laura

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Chilling Time 30 mins

Course Dessert

Servings 30 cookies

Ingredients

¼ C Coconut oil
¼ C unsalted butter softened
¼ C granulated sugar
¼ C light brown sugar lightly packed
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 C White whole wheat flour
½ C Oat flour Rolled oats in a food processor
½ t baking soda
¼ t salt
1/3 C Mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Cream coconut oil and butter in a large mixing bowl. Add sugars and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine two flours, baking soda and salt. Add dry mixture to the wet mixture and beat just until combined. Pour chocolate chips into the mixture and use a spatula or wooden spoon to combine.
For fluffier cookies, chill the dough for at least 2 hours. I prefer scooping out the dough before chilling with 1 TBSP scoop and placing 1 inch apart on a silpat or parchment lined sheet pan. Chill the sheet pan with the dough for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
Makes 2-1/2 dozen small cookies

December 10, 2018 0 comment

Health & Beauty

Looking Fresh for the Holidays

by Laura December 3, 2018

written by Laura

Heads up: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through one of the links, you won’t pay a penny more, but I’ll get a commission, which keeps the tips flowing your way. Thanks!

We are approaching the busiest time of the year for most people. On top of the holidays my husband and I both have birthdays in December. With everything on my to do list between Thanksgiving and the end of the year, unfortunately self-care usually takes a back seat. This year I refuse to let that happen. My skin and health will be right there at the top of my list because it doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming.

A few products that are on my must use list are Vitamin C serum and eye cream. I will go a little into the science behind the plant-based skincare products that I use.

Vitamin C serum

Everyone knows how great Vitamin C is for the inside of your body. It helps boost your immune system, maintain your bones and teeth, but did you also know that it also helps with wound healing and collagen production? With the reduction of collagen, we see fine lines and wrinkles. By applying Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, directly on your skin you get the direct benefits of the increased collagen and neutralization of free radicals in the skin. So, what exactly can Vitamin do for your skin?

Acts as a powerful anti-oxidant
Boosts collagen
Treats photo damage
Brightens and smooths skin

Mix & C Serum from The Retro Company has become my very favorite skin care product. Why is this product different? First, it is plant based. Second, is the technology behind the packaging. The 100% Vitamin C is separated from the hyaluronic acid serum. Not until you pop the membrane will the vitamin C touch the serum. Because of this technology, you are getting the freshest Vitamin C serum available. This is because once Vitamin C is oxidized it loses its effectiveness. When it turns dark orange Vitamin C should be discarded. Hyaluronic acid it the other amazing ingredient in the serum. It pulls moisture from the air into your skin.

Eye Treatment

Have you ever used Aloe on your skin when you have a sunburn? We do this because of its anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to help skin retain moisture without clogging pores or being greasy. Like vitamin C, Aloe is rich in antioxidants.

Sunflower seed oil is a product that not as many people are familiar with but has been used for thousands of years to condition skin and hair. It is a great source of Vitamin E (protects collagen and elastin) and is rich in anti-oxidants (helps in the premature signs of aging).

It is no wonder that Aloe and Sunflower oil are the main ingredients in my favorite eye treatment also from The Retro Company. The benefits of Retro’s Transforming Eye Treatment are:

Visibly reduces the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles
Restores firmness
Deeply hydrates
Soothes tired eyes
Long term results – Healthier looking skin

Along with the infuser tool, you get almost instant results to give you a fresher, non-exhausted look for your holiday parties.

December 3, 2018 0 comment

Life & Family

A Different Kind of Thanksgiving

by Laura November 26, 2018

written by Laura

Thanksgiving in my married life has been very different from my childhood. All my close family lived within an hour from me. Thanksgiving was something we looked forward to, but it was only an afternoon with family. One thing remains the same…pecan pie is still one of favorite Thanksgiving treats.

Our wedding 2008

My husband’s family life was much different. Thanksgiving had always been an event for his extended family. It was a week of being all together and loving it (most of the time). David promised his grandmother that as long as she was alive, he would always be at her house for Thanksgiving and he honored that.

I just celebrated my 12th year with this clan. While we lost Marylou, the matriarch of the family, in April, her traditions and presence were felt throughout the week. All her recipes were used for the Thanksgiving feast. The song that the whole family would sing before the meal was printed on pink paper in her honor. The one thing that was missing, that no one missed, was her tomato aspic. Yeah, I didn’t know what either.

She loved her country

A decision was made for the home, where we all gathered, to be sold before next Thanksgiving and we were encouraged to start our own family traditions. A few years ago, this new tradition idea would have made me happy. Every year seems to get harder traveling with 3 little kids 9 hours in the car and then to be in a strange house. Now, I’m heartbroken that my youngest will not remember Thanksgiving in Virginia and how much his Ma’Mama loved him. And my sweet husband just has memories of his grandmother who was so very important in his life. Part of me is lost because 1/3 of my Thanksgivings have been with this larger than life woman.

Holding her first great-grandbaby Thanksgiving 2009

In true form of the season, I will end with what I am thankful for and it will be in honor of the one and only Marylou. I am so very thankful that she loved my family and me unconditionally. I’m thankful that all my babies spent time with her and my older two had a special bond. I’m thankful for all the wonderful recipes she shared with me that I will always make for my family. Lastly, I’m thankful that every day we can look around our home and be reminded of her.

November 26, 2018 0 comment

Blog

Lifestylex3

by Laura November 26, 2018

written by Laura

Welcome to Lifestylex3! We are all about supporting women through sharing tips, tricks and products to help make your life a little easier, healthier and inspire you to be your best self. My name is Laura White. I’m a born and raised southern girl and love that my husband and I are choosing to raise our kids in the south too. I’ve been a stay at home mom since my oldest of 3 was 15 months old. Being a mom was a dream of mine since I was a little girl and I’m so blessed that my husband was supportive of me staying at home with them. I love being everything for my kids. It has taken me a while to realize that I need to fill my cup too.

The last two years has been a HUGE journey for my family and me. My youngest had just turned one when it all began. While I was so happy being at home with my babies my life wasn’t complete. I joined a direct selling company and my life began to change. I was growing and stepping out of my comfort zone daily. Part of my growth has been sharing my story and my life. Naturally I’m a very private and shy person but being vulnerable actually feels good. A couple of months in I realized that I had created isolation for myself over the past years because I had made my little family my whole world. It wasn’t healthy for any of us. I wanted to show them not only could I be a great mommy, but I could also be a great bossbabe.

Along the way I found an angel who has been guiding me to detox my home, my family’s bodies as well as my own. You hear all the time that you don’t know what you don’t know. Well, I didn’t know all the toxins that fill our world and my home. Ridding the toxins is still a process but we are getting there. While going through this journey I found my true passion for helping people. It is quite remarkable to help empower women to be their best selves in an achievable way. Don’t get me wrong; my journey is not over. I’m still learning and growing every day, but I have so much goodness to share.

Thank you for taking the time to read a little about me. Helping women and families not only fills but overflows my cup. I can’t wait to share my bits of knowledge with you!

November 26, 2018 0 comment