Here's Why I love "Beauty and the Beast"

Ok, I know the live-action Beauty and the Beast movie was released months ago, so it may seem like I'm behind the ball on this one, but as I re-watched this movie, I was reminded of why I love this movie so much.

If you've read through my blog, it's easy to see that I am a Disney fan, but that's not the only reason I love this movie.  I think that sometimes Disney princesses, and fairy-tale princesses in general, get a bad rap.  They're sometimes portrayed as "damsels in distress" and they get criticized for seeking a man's help (more specifically, a prince's help) to get out of whatever trouble their in.  This brings me some of the reasons I love this movie so much, and why I think Belle is one of my favourite princesses.

Please note I am doing my best not to spoil the movie for those who have not seen it, but I can't guarantee that you will not see things that you didn't know about the movie.

1 - Belle is a polite and caring person.  As she walks through the village in the opening seen, she is faced with people calling her peculiar, strange and even rolling their eyes at her.  But she greets everyone with a smile and a polite greeting.  Please don't mistake this to think I mean we have to accept people being disrespectful to us, but I think a smile and a greeting go a long way.  Belle goes on to show a little girl how to read, even though it is not an activity that others in the village believe that little girls can do.

2 - Belle is imaginative and creative.  Not only does she imagine the world outside of her little village, but she puts her creativity to work to come up with a washing machine for herself.  Very clever!

3 - Belle recognizes there is more to a person than just outer appearance.  Gaston may be handsome (and he definitely is in this movie), but his personality is not so attractive.  While others fawn over him, Belle is not taken in by his outward appearance and recognizes his unattractive personality.  And ultimately (SPOILER ALERT) she falls in love with the Beast for who he is on the inside, not his outward appearance.

4 - Belle is brave and strong.  While initially frightened of the Beast (and who wouldn't be scared of this towering creature that has captured your father and locked him away), she is not afraid to stand up to him.  She speaks her mind and openly disagrees with him.  And it goes without saying that when she volunteered to take her father's place as prisoner, that showed the ultimate courage.

5 - The visual effects in this movie are out of this world.  The colours, and the way Disney brings the objects like clocks, candelabras and even a wardrobe to life are amazing.

6 - Le Fou.  Le Fou is sometimes underrated, but there are a few reasons I like Le Fou, and I actually prefer the version of Le Fou in this live-action version of Beauty and the Beast over the cartoon one.  Le Fou holds Gaston in high regard, as many of the villagers seem to, which even results in a song dedicated to Gaston (one of my favourites in the move).  Despite the pedistal that Le Fou places Gaston on, he also has a conscience.  As the movie progresses Le Fou makes a transformation from a follower of Gaston to someone that starts to value himself and recognizes the error of Gaston's ways.  I love this transformation.   And finally, Le Fou injects some great humour in to some darker scenes of the movie, he has some of the funniest lines in the movie.

I could probably expand my list well beyond 6 reasons that I love this movie, but I will leave it there.  If you have not seen the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast, you really should.  If you have seen the movie, do you agree with my list?  What did you think of it?  Leave your thoughts in the comments section, or connect with me on social media to let me know what you think:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/overtiredmama/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Overtired_Katie 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katie_nb/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUfSBYVJfyLpZWn0ihYuoZg

Product Review: Bare Blossom Skincare & Organics

I've mentioned before that I haven't traditionally been the biggest beauty product or makeup user.  But in recent years, my skin has changed and I need to take care of it better than I have been.  This is where Bare Blossom Skincare & Organics comes in.  They offer a range of skincare and other organic products that are locally made in my home province of New Brunswick!

I decided to give these products a try after seeing a few posts on Facebook about them, and that they offered a "sample pack", which offered some sample sizes of a lot of their products, so it was an opportunity to try a number of products without committing to full size.

The first product I tried was the "Goddess Face Mask".  The texture is very similar to "mud".  It can dry out a little if not used right away, but just adding a tiny bit of water and working it through gets it ready for application.

You don't need much, but just apply to your entire face.  It goes on pretty dark, but it dries to about the colour in the picture below.

When it was time to remove the mask, it came off pretty easy.  My skin felt soft and moisturized.  This is my "after" picture:

The Goddess Mask is one of my favourite products.  The full size will last a long time as it is not a "daily use" product.  At the time of publication, the full size of the Face Mask is $25.

Next, I tried the Body Scrub.  This product comes in a number of different scents including Vanilla Cupcake, Coconut Crumble and Coffee.  I picked the Coffee Scent.  I LOVE the scent.  So energizing!

The scrub is granular, similar to a sea salt texture.  It doesn't take a lot, but you can take some in the palm of your hand and rub it on your body.  You can tell by the texture right away that you're getting some great exfoliation!

This is a picture of the product inside the package:

My skin is always dry and it felt great after using this product!  Just a heads up that if you're using this product, I would use it in the shower, as some does fall to the ground.  It would be messy if you used it prior to getting in the shower.

Next is another one of my favourite products - bath bombs.  There is a great variety of these bath bombs.  Not only can you get different scents, but you can get some for you and/or some for your kids!  My daughter's personal favourite bath bombs are the Poke Bomb and the Bling Bomb.  The childrens bath bombs have fun surprises in the middle!  They also smell great and don't irritate your child's skin.

I treated myself to the Orange Creamsicle bath bomb.  I have also tried the Peppermint bath bomb.  They both smell great, but the scent is not overpowering.  

The Bath Bomb in its package.

Bath Bomb - ready for use.

The bath bomb dissolves well and left my skin feeling clean and soft.  At the time of publication, bath bombs were $5 each, or 4 for $20.

The next product I tried was one that was a little strange using for the first time.  The Bare Blossom Whitening Toothpaste uses activated charcoal to help whiten your teeth.   I wasn't sure if this would work for me given that I have sensitive teeth and soft enamel and have been unable to use whitening products in the past.

A word of advice, this is a little bit of a messy process (at least in my experience), so have some cleaning products near by to clean your sink.

You only need a little to brush on your teeth and it stays on for 1 to 2 minutes.  Here's a look at what it looks like with it on your teeth:

I had no pain or sensitivity with the paste on.

When it came time to take it off, it does take a little bit to get it all completely off your teeth.  It does leave a little mess in your sink, but I just took a cleaning wipe and wiped it all up.

I saw immediate results.  Not dramatic results, but results none the less:

I am looking forward to using this a few more times to help whiten my teeth further!

At the time of publication, the price of the paste is $12.  This will last you a while because it's not for daily use.  My understanding is that the price will be going up, so act fast to see if you can still get it at that price!

Finally, I also used the Grit & Bare It face scrub.  For that review, watch my video below:


This is just a small sample of some of the products I tried, there are many, many others.  Check out the Bare Blossom Skincare & Organics webpage to see more of the products offered and to order!  https://bareblossomskincare.com/

Bare Blossom Skincare & Organics ships within Canada and to the United States!

As a bonus, I am giving you an opportunity to win a sample pack of Bare Blossom products!  Unfortunately, this contest is only open to Canadian residents.  Enter through the form below.   The Sample pack contains sample sizes of many of the products offered by Bare Blossom as well as a full size lip balm.

Enter to win the sample pack.  Open to Canadian Residents.  Contest runs until September 15 at 11:59 PM Eastern.

Entry-Form

If the entry form doesn't load, you can also visit: http://giveawaytools2.com/share.php?giveaway=68330191821 to enter.

As a bonus, check out the Bare Blossom Skincare & Organics Facebook page for an AMAZING giveaway that they are running until September 21!  You could win $1000 worth of products!  Wow!!

You Could Win a $150 Nordstrom Gift Card!

When it comes to shopping for Fall, the focus is always on kids and their "Back to School" items, but sometimes Mama needs some new clothes too! I love Nordstrom because they have some great items, with many different brands and styles. There's something for everyone!
Don't need anything for yourself? They also carry men's clothing, children's clothing, beauty products and home decor. So much to choose from! That's why I've teamed up with some fantastic bloggers to give you all an opportunity to win a $150 (US) Nordstrom Gift Card! See below to enter!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Prize: $150 Nordstrom Gift Card

Giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck!

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Giveaway ends 8/18 and is open worldwide. Winner will be notified via email.

Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why Are You Posting Sweaty Selfies?

The title of this post is a question I actually was asked a couple weeks ago.  That's when I started posting post workout pictures on my Instragram (and sometimes my Twitter and Facebook pages).  It's a strange thing to do, I know.  But I thought I would share my thinking behind it.

Did my favourite workout playlist tonight! #Empire #GucciMane #Gaga Check out the playlist on my Facebook page (The Ramblings of an Overtired Mama) #GetIt #GetFit

A post shared by Katie (@katie_nb) on Jul 23, 2017 at 5:44pm PDT

One of my many Instagram posts. 

In January, I went though a time that I was working out a few days a week, and felt like I was on a role, then I took a break for a few days, that turned in to a week, that turned in to a month... you get the picture.  So, when I decided to get back on track this month, I tried to think of ways to keep myself accountable.  Weight loss group meetings don't work for me, as I find it challenging to get there with my school, travel and mom schedule.  And asking my husband to check in with me to make sure I've exercised probably wouldn't end well.  So, I decided to post a bit about my fitness journey on social media, and it quickly became something that was motivating me!

I know there is likely no one that's going to message me to say "where is your sweaty picture today", but the idea that I post one most days of the week has been enough of a motivation to keep me going.  In my own mind, I have to post a new picture most days of the week.  It may seem like a strange way to motivate myself, but it's working for me.

How do you motivate yourself to stay active?  Feel free to share in the comments section, or connect with me on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/overtiredmama/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Overtired_Katie 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katie_nb/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUfSBYVJfyLpZWn0ihYuoZg

Amazon Giveaway!

So, I don't know about anyone else, but I have started noticing that the "Back to School" signs are up in stores already! Didn't school just end??? Well one of my favourite places to do my back to school shopping is Amazon! They have everything! It's a one stop shop for so much of what we need! I can take the school supply list and find everything from the comfort of my home. And as a bonus, you can also purchase clothing..... and maybe add on a little something for yourself. You deserve it!

I've teamed up with some bloggers to offer you an opportunity to get some shopping done with Amazon with this $200 Amazon Gift Card giveaway! 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Prize: $200 Amazon Gift Card

Co-hosts: The Mommyhood Mentor® // Mama's Mission // Surviving Mommy // Dorky's Deals // Coupons and Freebies Mom // Jenns Blah Blah Blog // Capri's Coupons // Lipgloss and Crayons // Ottawa Mommy Club // Java John Z's // Show me Ashley // Made In A Pinch // Misadventures with Andi // Mahogany Closet // Heartbeats ~ Soul Stains // The Frugal Free Gal // Kathryn Anywhere // Mommies with Cents // Ditch the Heels // Sparkles and Shoes // Angie's Angle // Mom and More // Improve Your Mental Health // The It Mom // Oh, The Places We Travel! // Here We Go Again Ready // The Ramblings of an Overtired Mama // Coupon Blessings Now // Southern Momma's // The Dress Matters // Mommy Blog Expert // Linda's Lunacy

Giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck!

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Giveaway ends 8/18 and is open worldwide. Winner will be notified via email.

Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!

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Urban Outfitters Giveaway!

Have you ever started packing for a summer getaway and realized you don't have as many summer clothes as you thought you did?  This happened to me last weekend.  Well I would like to help you out with that.  I've paired up with some fantastic bloggers to giveaway a $150 (US) Urban Outfitters Gift Card!  A good way to get some shopping done, right?

To top it off, there are some great items on sale on their website as we speak!  And, did you know they also sell decor?  So if you aren't in need of clothing, there's still lots to choose from!

Check out the giveaway below, and don't forget to enter often!  There are lots of opportunities to earn ballots!  Good luck!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Prize: $150 Urban Outfitters Gift Card

Co-hosts: The Mommyhood Mentor® // Mama's Mission // Surviving Mommy // Dorky's Deals // Coupons and Freebies Mom // Jenns Blah Blah Blog // Capri's Coupons // Lipgloss and Crayons // Ottawa Mommy Club // Java John Z's // Show me Ashley // Made In A Pinch // Misadventures with Andi // Mahogany Closet // Heartbeats ~ Soul Stains // The Frugal Free Gal // Kathryn Anywhere // Mommies with Cents // Ditch the Heels // Sparkles and Shoes // Angie's Angle // Mom and More // Improve Your Mental Health // The It Mom // Oh, The Places We Travel! // Here We Go Again Ready // The Ramblings of an Overtired Mama // Coupon Blessings Now // Southern Momma's // The Dress Matters // Mommy Blog Expert // Linda's Lunacy

Giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck!

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Giveaway ends 8/9 and is open worldwide. Winner will be notified via email.

Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Target Instagram Giveaway!

I've had an Instagram account for a long time, but I only just recently started to use it more.  I share content on my Instagram that's a little different than my other social media channels.  I tend to share more pictures of my travels, as well as my fitness journey - something I have struggled with.

How do you use your Instagram?  Are they similar posts to what you share on your other social media accounts?

If you've never checked out my instagram, here's an opportunity to check it out AND gives you a chance to win a prize!  I've teamed up with some bloggers to giveaway a $150 (US) Target gift card. For my Canadian readers, I know the Canadian Target folded up shop, but I know there are many  (myself included) that still enjoy shopping at Target on visits to the US.  What would you spend the gift card on if you won?

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Prize: $150 Target Gift Card

Giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck!

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Giveaway ends 8/4 and is open worldwide. Winner will be notified via email.

Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway