National Boys & Girls Club Week

We had a delightful experience of spending an afternoon at Brookhaven Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta GA. We were able to see what its younger members experience on a day to day basis. My boys were thrilled to take part in the art classes and really enjoyed playing a game of pool tailored to their height in the Game Room.  My oldest son particularly enjoyed his tutoring session from one of the teenage members who volunteers to assist the younger kids in the Learning Center. We finished our tour in the garden that was built and maintained by the students of the Boys & Girls Club, very inspiring.

Our day at the Boys & Girls Club really open my eyes to how awesome this program is. The mission statements says it best. To save and change the lives of children and teens, especially those who need us most, to provide a safe, positive engaging envirement and programs that prepare and inspire them to achieve Great Futures. The Boys & Girls Club is for those families who want to provide their children with a positive place to go, care and guidance from professional staffs and impacted-driven programming.

There are so many graduates of the Boys & Girls Club who have gone on to do great things. Including but not limited to Kerry Washington, Denzel Washington, Shaquille O' Neal and host of others you can find online at GreatFutures.org/Alumni. The Boys & Girls Club are all about giving  a young person a start at a great future and while the names before mentioned we can identify with because of their famous status there are also CEOs, attorneys, doctors, small business owners, stay at home moms etc who also attribute their success in some part to the Boys & Girls Club of America.

The program focus on three core areas a childs academic success, healthy lifestyle along with character and leadership development. Which all makes for an excellent formula for creating a successful individual in the future.

• Club members graduate from high school at a rate of 87% compared to the national average of 66%.
• Club members finish college at a rate of 25% compared to the national average of 16%.
• Club membership show an average improvement of 12% in their grades.
• More than 57 % of national Club alumni surveyed said the Club "saved their life." 

If you want to learn more about the Boys and Girls Club now is the perfect time national Boys and Girls Club week Open the Door Take The Tour begins April 7-13, 2013. Local communities are encouraged to visit a local Club and see the magic happening behind their blue doors or, take the virtual Club tour here.

Clubs across the country have planned fun daily activities for club members, their parents, and the entire neighborhood to enjoy. These  events include teen forums, carnivals, health fairs and so much more. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) is launching the “75 Blue Doors” Project to celebrate its 75th anniversary and show how local Clubs are “opening doors” for youth in and around Atlanta. For more information on this initiative please click here.

If you don't have a child between the ages of 6-18, but are interested in learning more and helping out this deserving organization Boys & Girls Club of America is always seeking out volunteers as well as donations and partnerships. If you want to be a part of creating a great future click here.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. I attended an information session and received a gift bag and promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

hCG1234 Drops Update and Giveaway!

As you may have read in my initial post about the 90 Day Challenge with Creative Bioscience, I have been using their product hCG 1234 in an effort to lose weight and things have been going pretty well. At my last update I had lost 22.4 lbs, since than I lost an additional 5lbs and have been working hard to maintain the lose while I go through phase three of the process. During phase three you stop taking the drops and slowly introduce some foods back into your diet (excluding breads and sweets). The reason for this phase is so your body doesn't become accustomed to the drops thus hindering your weight loss progress. The diet protocol states that you should take at least a three week break from the drops.

So that's where I am at the end of phase three holding on tightly to my 27 lb weight loss and ready to gear up again for round two. In round two I am challenging myself to out do myself. :) My goal is simply to do even better than I did the last round even if that is just 1 lb more than I lost last time I will be happy. I do believe going in the second time around I am wiser and now know what to do and what not to do, the obvious being not to cheat it's so not worth it.  I am looking forward to sharing my progress with you.

Speaking of you I would love to have you join me on this weight loss  journey and share your success story here on Your Unexpected Beauty! Three lucky readers will win a 30 day supply of  hCG 1234 to join me on my second round of drops!

Enter to win a 30 day supply by filling out the Rafflecopter below. Good luck! Giveaway runs from March 27th at 12:01am to April 11th  at 11:59PM EST.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  I received a 90-day supply of the product in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are 100% mine and not influenced in any way.

Curly Hair Gone Straight- A Simple How To

Every now and than I get a sudden urge to wear my hair straight and this passed weekend was one of those times. If you hair is curly like my own you know that wearing it straight can be a challenge. I try to keep my hair routine as simple as possible whether I wear it in its natural state or not, so here's how I   straighten my hair in a few simple steps with minimal heat. 

Step 1. Wash hair and deep condition. 

Step 2.  Detangle hair

Step 3. Apply a heat protectant and twist/braid several sections of hair

Step 4. Allow to air dry a few hours 

Step 5. Once hair is only slightly damp blow hair. Working with a small section (1 inch thick and 2-3 inches wide) detangle section if needed and have the dryer follow behind the brush down the length of hair for a straighter end result. (Only need TWO passes of the hair dryer per section). Complete Entire head.

Step 6. Taking an even smaller section (1/2 inch thick and 2 inches wide) of blown dry hair, using the same method as blow drying have the flat iron follow slowly behind the brush take ONE past down the length of your hair. Repeat until your entire head is straight.

*Dryer was set on 125 degrees

*Flat Iron was set on 400 degrees

 ***BONUS***

How To Maintain Hairstyle Without Reapplying Heat

Step 1. Part your hair into two sections

Step 2. Take one section and twist it AWAY from your face and wrap it around itself to for a bantu knot secure with a hair pin.

Step 3. Repeat 

Step 4.Wrap head in a silk scarf

Step 5. Wake to full hair with subtle waves.

Hey curly girls how often do you straighten your hair? Do you do it yourself or get it professionally done?

Wordless Wednesday- Harlem Shake Father & Son Style!

The things they do when moms away!

Wired & Fired a Pottery Playhouse

1000 Marietta Street

Suite 104

Atlanta 30318

The boys and I had the pleasure of attending a blogger event at wired & fired a pottery playhouse. Initially when we began to settle in for our pottery painting session I became a bit concerned whether this was an appropriate event  for my soon to be 3 & 4 year olds. The staff quickly put me at ease sharing that they recommend it for for children three and above. My boys also showed me that they were capable of creating their own little masterpieces as well. Although the control and neat freak in me was screaming to get out and take their brushes from their paint drenched hands and show them how to "properly" do it, but I subdued her and tried to focus on my own piece of pottery. For anyone else with my same concerns the paint easily washed away from both their hands and clothes so RELAX and enjoy your time at wired & fired!

Hours of Operation

Monday - Thursday 11am - 10pm

Friday - Saturday 11am - midnight

Sunday 12pm - 6pm

Listening to the instructor explain best practices for painting their pieces.

A wide range of pieces to select from ranging from $5.50- $60. 

Plus a studio fee of $8 per hour.

wired & fired is great for everyone 3 and up!

Paints are non-toxic and safe for everyone including children and pregnant women!

Feel free to bring in outside drinks an food or better yet make it a PARTY!

Be prepared to leave you master piece to get fired up. To be picked up within the week.

We had an awesome time at wired & fired and love the final pieces. The boys piggy/penguin banks are already filled with coins and my platter is on display waiting for our next party to serve up a dose of cheeriness. I think the boys summed it up best "It was a great day"!

Connect with wired and fired:  FaceBook and Twitter

Disclosure: Our pieces and time spent at wired and fired was gifted to us. No additional compensation was given. All opinions are 100% my own. 

NCAA® MARCH MADNESS® MONDAYS AT THE WORLD OF COCA-COLA

                                                

With two young boys my family hasn't been able to travel as often as we would like to, but thank goodness we live in Atlanta Metropolitan area. So whether it is a staycation for just my immediate family or we are entertaining family and friends from out of town one of our favorite destinations is the World of Coca Cola. Here is your chance to visit one of Atlanta's most popular attractions for a fraction of the cost. Read on for more detail.

The Atlanta Attraction Offers Discounted Tickets Every Monday in March

 As NCAA® Final Four® excitement builds in Atlanta, the World of Coca-Cola is celebrating March Madness® with a slam dunk of an offer. Every Monday in March, the Atlanta attraction is offering $10 general admission tickets for NCAA® March Madness® Mondays. These tickets are available online at www.worldofcoca-cola.com/march-madness.htmand at the World of Coca-Cola ticket windows. 

What:               NCAA® March Madness® Mondays

When:              March 4 (10 a.m. – 5 p.m. entry)

March 11 (10 a.m. – 5 p.m. entry)

March 18 (10 a.m. – 5 p.m. entry)

March 25 (9 a.m. – 6 p.m. entry)              

Where:             The World of Coca-Cola, 121 Baker St. NW, Atlanta GA 30309

Additional Information: Mention NCAA® March Madness® Mondays to take advantage of this offer at World of Coca-Cola ticketing windows or visit www.worldofcoca-cola.com/march-madness.htm to purchase tickets online. Tickets valid for visits on March 4, March 11, March 18 or March 25, 2013 only. For additional information including World of Coca-Cola hours of operation, visit www.worldofcoca-cola.com.

About the World of Coca-Cola

The World of Coca-Cola has welcomed guests from six continents, more than 75 countries, all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Join more than 5 million people who have visited the Atlanta attraction and experience the history of the world's most famous soft drink at the dynamic, multimedia home of the 126-year-old secret formula for Coca-Cola. Get closer than ever before to the vault containing the secret recipe, and see the fully-functioning bottling line that produces a commemorative glass bottle of Coca-Cola for every guest. View more than 1,200 never-before-displayed artifacts, take a trip around the world in a thrilling 4-D movie experience and tempt your taste buds with more than 60 beverages from around the globe.

The World of Coca-Cola is located in Pemberton Place, adjacent to the Georgia Aquarium in downtown Atlanta, and is accessible via the Peachtree Center or CNN/ World Congress Center MARTA stations. Consumers with questions may call 1-800-676-COKE or visit our website at www.worldofcoca-cola.com to purchase tickets. Follow us on Twitter attwitter.com/WorldofCocaCola or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/WorldofCocaCola.

NCAA, Final Four and March Madness are trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Kicken The Winter Blues - $1000 Cash Giveaway

Welcome to the Kickin The Winter Blues Giveaway

Hosted by Jenn’s Blah Blah Blog and Pink Ninja Media

Like so many others I was inspired by all the shows I've seen on television sharing these awesome stories of people saving hundreds of dollars a month by simply using coupons. While I haven't quite reached that status I am well on my way. The very best tip I can give to a newbie at couponing would be to get organized. Couponing can seem very overwhelming at fist but once you find a system that works for you and your lifestyle it will become like second nature. 

About our Sponsor: Rather Be Shopping

 Have you heard of the best place to save money, find online coupons, search coupon codes, and find coupon codes that are updated daily? You might have heard it mentioned on TodayShow.com, L.A. Daily News, MSNBC, Woman’s World, and Readers Digest to name a few. If you haven’t been there yet and love to save money! You should visit Rather Be Shopping. Kyle from Rather Be Shopping is awesome and takes pride in saving money, and it shows. He keeps Rather Be Shopping updated daily with the best online coupon codes, printable coupons, savings, bargains, and for those new to online shopping learn “How Coupons Work.” Don’t forget to get geared up and save on the go with the FREE Rather Be Shopping Coupon App for your iPhone. About the Giveaway: We are super excited to bring FIVE lucky people the chance to win some serious cash! The 1st prize winner will receive $500 PayPal Cash! How exciting is that!

 Check out how the break down will work.

• 1st Prize: $500 Paypal Cash
• 2nd Prize $200 Paypal Cash
• 3rd Prize $150 Paypal Cash
• 4th Prize: $100 Paypal Cash
• 5th Prize: $50 Paypal Cash

Giveaway will run from 02/27/2013 at 12:00am EST - 03/28/2013 at 12:00am EST, open WORLDWIDE! To enter you must be at least 18 years of age, and use the Rafflecopter below. Remember you do not have to complete all entries on the Rafflecopter, but by doing so you are gaining more entries into the giveaway and increasing your chances on winning. There is plenty of time to enter this giveaway as it will run for 4 weeks. Those of you who wish to take advantage of daily entries be sure to visit daily and grab those extra entries.

Special thanks to our fabulous Co-Hosts:

Pink Ninja Blogger, Simply Shawn N Jenn, My Four Littles, Moms Vacation Spots, My Simply Walk, Adventures of a Military Family of 8, PrewChatterly, One Proud Momma, Coupon Gator Mommy, and Happy Home and Family

Thank you for making this event so much fun! Maybe you will be one of the FIVE lucky readers will receive cash! Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This blog was not compensated for being part of the event, nor are we responsible for shipping the prize to the winner. This event is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google or any other social media network. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email. The winning email will come from jennsblahblahblog@hotmail.com. Be sure and add it to your safe list. We sure would hate to have to redraw another winner. If you have any questions about the giveaway you can contact Jenn from Jenn's Blah Blah Blog at jennsblahblahblog@hotmail.com. Good Luck.

Weight Loss Update- hCG 1234

As a Reminder I have been doing the Creative Bioscience 90 Day Challenge.     I elected to try their hCG 1234 drops.  This program is broken down into phases. Phase One gorge on fatty foods for  two days while starting the drops. It sounds a lot more fun than it is. If done right by the end of the first day you are completely over it. You need to store up on fatty foods to prepare yourself for Phase Two were you eat little to no fat and from 500-1200 calories depending on the program that's best for you. I am on a 500 calorie diet. Phase Two can last for 3-6 weeks depending on the amount of weight you need to lose. I have a significant amount to lose so I am creeping upon my fifth week in a six week phase. 

 WHAT I LOVE:
The fact that my meals are a no brainer at home because there is a specific list of foods you can eat.

I enjoyed stepping on the scale everyday and consistently seeing progress for the first two weeks.

I love the ease of taking drops vs. pills.

WHAT I DISLIKE:

At week three my menstrual came on and weight loss stalled for a week and 4 days.

The disappointment of standing on the scale and NOT seeing progress for over a week.

The cheat days (3) I gave my self because of discouragement, pressure and a holiday.


So I have kept you waiting long enough as of the writing of this post 4 weeks and 2 days into the program I have lost 4.5 inches from my waist and *drum roll please* 22.4 pounds!

Overall I am happy with my experience so far and realize after some research that the set back is common for women and it is not something I wil beat my self up for in the future. Also, the cheat days really aren't worth it, while you are taking the hCG 1234 drops if you take fats and sugars into your body you will gain a substantial amount of weight. Which leads us to Phase 3 were you slowly reintroduce foods back into your diet, while the hCG slowly leaves your system. I'll let you know how it goes!

If you are a blogger and interested in joining me on this challenge apply here: Creative Bioscience 90 Day Challenge.

Disclosure:  I received a 90-day supply of the product in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are 100% mine and not influenced in any way.