Miss Ohio night One: Preliminary Thoughts

I missed evening gown, oops!

Favorite talents:

Courtney Monk did a good job and her hair was flattering.

Chelsi Howman’s Banjo playing was a refreshing change from the normal dance and singing and she was very talented! I have never seen a banjo player in a pageant.

Amber Bussa’s outfit was cute and she did a good job incorporating little flirty moves into the movement around the stage.

Shannon O’Neill was great, of course I think she’s the one to win the entire crown but her talent was entertaining and one of the voices that actually sounded consistent throughout the song.

Alyssa Waldman was entertaining and a good voice, but I was not a fan of the gown.

Ellen Bryan’s hair pulled back was just stunning!

Entertainment: Ok, I got REALLY spoiled by the great entertainment and strong dancers with good costumes at Miss Virginia, including some really talented teens or preteens to fill in as entertainment. Ohio’s performers just don’t look as “professional” wearing jeans on stage.

Swimsuit picks: Alissa Brumbaugh, Heather Wells (great pace on her walk!) Devon Stansbury (have you seen those calves???)

Old Navy workout pants

It's hard to find the perfect pair of workout pants, but I can now say I highly recommend Old Navy! They have a new set that is moisture-wicking, which makes these pants even better to wear for other daytime activities during this incredibly hot summer. I picked up my workout pants courtesy of Crowdtap, a great online community that allows you to voice your opinion and participate in special sample shares.

What I love about these pants is their lightweight feel and the fact that it feels like they don't weigh you down while working out. They had a great fit and were extremely comfortable to hit the gym in!

I highly recommend checking out Old Navy for your workout needs!

The Monthly "Free"

This list is not exhaustive as I'm sure during a busy day I missed entering something, but it's still helpful. People are always asking if it's really worth it to be a bargain and deal hunter. To give you an idea of the things you can get for FREE using coupons, deals and sample requests, here's a partial list of the items I got for free during the month of April:

-2 laundry detergent samples

-3 free razors for our house

-2 free razor’s for John’s brother

-Air Wick scent and warmer

-Bic lighter

-Microwavable popcorn bowl

-1 can manwich

-1 can pasta sauce

-1 full size Murphy’s Oil Soap Bottle

-1 travel size Jergen’s lotion

-1 Nivea body wash

-1 old spice body wash

-4 travel size deodorants to give to charity

-1 old navy dress, plus 3 for friends

-Entire box of Playtex sport wipes

-EOS lip balm

-Full size CVS hand sanitizer

-Full size Dawn dish detergent

-Full cut of meat for pot roast

-Box of Betty Crocker Potatoes

-Olay body wash

-Travel size gilette shaving gel

-Libman mop

-Dishwasher cleaner

-Strawberries, one pack

-1 Breve coffee creamer

-1 Can chef Boyardee

-1 bottle of Nexxus conditioner

-1 John Frieda shampoo/conditioner sample

-1 Arm and Hammer Toothpaste

-One sample set of Nexxus

Review: Playtex Sport Wipes

Many people know: I don't have air conditioning in my car.

I recently tried the new playtex sport wipes because I am always on the go and I hate
that I get down to my evening classes after sweating through muggy DC traffic!

These are great! Is your team going out for dinner after a major game? Are you always
on the run, going from work to a great date? Want to feel freshened up quickly?
These are a good bet. I'd use them in conjunction with a travel size deodorant for a
midday touch up!

These are new, so go check them out!

Using buxr to find deals

I can't even remember how I discovered this website, but I'm glad I did. I am "friends" with many deal-hunter websites on facebook but when you know you're going to make a purchase somewhere it's too much to sift through.

I highly recommend using this website if you're hunting for a particular coupon or deal. They are posted daily, and it's easy to do a search for your store and see what deals are out there. Plus, members can vote deals up or down, so you can look at the most popular deals and vote down deals that aren't so great. I've found the only downside is that there are a few "superusers" who seem to post deals every ten seconds, so it's hard to be the first to list something, even if the deal was just released. However, they have a ton of contest options to win lots of money, and extra cash never hurts, right? Visiting Buxr is so much easier than trying to google old coupon codes. Deal seekers can see exactly when something expires, too!

Visit the link below to get started- it's free!

Buxr Hot Deals

Using Offermatic

Today I'd like to share Offermatic, a program I have been using for a little over two months now.

I initially joined because they had a special to get $15 off a $30 purchase at Amazon or Target. You got to pick which one. I was hesitant at first because the way this program works is by linking one of your credit or debit cards. Based on your spending history, they will offer you rebates based on your past spending. The way it works is that you "unlock" an offer and then have a certain amount of time to use it. I had one to spend $10 at 7-11 and get $5 back. This is easy for me to do because I work directly across the street from 7-11 so I'm always over there. About two weeks after my purchase, $5 was put back in my bank account. Free stuff!

Now, of course there's that not wanting someone to know everywhere you spent your money. I get that. So link up a credit card you don't use often- you'll still be eligible for rebates. So far I've gotten $20 back so it's worth it to me.

If you're interested in learning more about Offermatic, please click here

Another awesome giveaway!

This time it's for Bod Cami's. I love these because my shirts always get cut too low. I wear tank tops practically every day!

Click here for more info!

You can also sign up for these giveaways available until May 2nd right here!

Another awesome giveaway!

Want to win more free stuff? How about a $100 credit to Eversave.com?

Visit here for details.

Great giveaways!

One of my fave websites, Cuckoo for Coupon Deals, has a wonderful Mother's Day! Please go ahead and check it out and enter yourself! Winning things and getting stuff in the mail free always brightens my day!

Mother's Day Giveaway

Old Navy Dress Sampling

If you haven't visited Old Navy this spring to update your wardrobe, you should! There are some great new dresses (and even cute little complementary jackets if you still feel a chill) available. In fact, I had a hard time deciding what to take into the dressing room!

As member of the Old Navy style council, I received a coupon for myself and three friends to receive a free dress. I gave two of the coupons to my boyfriend's mom and sister and we all went shopping together! Not only was it fun, but I enjoyed getting to see what Old Navy has for sale and help other people choose their dress! I am a member of this program as a result of Crowdtap. Have questions about that or want to get involved? Leave me a comment!


Pictures above are of us redeeming our coupons and John's sister Jennifer off to her sophomore tea in the dress!!

Frank Beamer Award

Last week I got a major surprise. I was traveling down to Virginia for Omicron Delta Kappa (the national leadership honor society) initiation. We left in the morning because the drive to Blacksburg was a long one. We actually made it to the campus just 15 minutes before the ceremony started! It was already such an honor to be nominated and accepted into ODK, so imagine my shock when they announced the Frank Beamer Award for Exceptional Community Service...I was the winner!

An even bigger surprise was that legend Frank Beamer himself (coach of VT football) actually came to give the award and congratulate the winner! I was honored and excited to meet Coach Beamer and have a photo taken with him!

Laura's CVS Haul

Great deals at CVS this week. I wanted to keep my bill as low as possible, so using coupons I got:

1 full size essence of beauty hand sanitizer
1 starburst
1 Gain dishwasing liquid

Total $.06