Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Winners Announcement + Sneak Peek, Guess what's coming up this week?




A special thanks to our Sponsors Jockey, Purex, and Trop50,  for sponsoring such awesome giveaways! Here are our lucky winners:

We have two very lucky winners:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tamara B. - Winner of the Full Size Purex Crystals + Jockey Sports Bra Giveaway! Ended 01/20

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Chelsea R.  - Winner of the Trop 50 True Resolutions + $50 Spa Week Gift Card Giveaway! Ended 01/31

Join me in congratulating our winners! We hosted the Trop50 giveaway as a Flash giveaway using Rafflecopter and apparently butterflies you really like Rafflecopter! If the Amway giveaway does just as well as the Trop50 Flash Giveaway did, we will continue to use Rafflecopter as a method of giveaway entry, so if you like Rafflecopter, show it by giving our Amway Rafflecopter Giveaway LOTS of love!

And for those of you who tweeted and posted on Duane Reade's Facebook Page regarding my NYC VIP Blogger entry nomination, THANK YOU, I most certainly appreciate it. Many of you that weren't entering a giveaway here did it too and you have no idea just how much it meant to me to see that!

New giveaway coming soon! (Bet you want a hint right? Check out the picture with the Christmas theme on this page HERE, there is something in that picture that will appear as a giveaway this week! Can you guess what it is?)

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Ascending Butterfly received the products mentioned above free of charge for editorial consideration, and is also eligible for additional incentives as part of the Trop50 campaign. However, all opinions expressed are 100% my own. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commisions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Our full Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy can be found HERE.

Monday, January 30, 2012

#MotivationMonday - What did the Doctor Say?





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Sunday, January 29, 2012

{CLOSED} Trop 50 True Resolutions + $50 Spa Week Gift Card Giveaway! Ends 01/31

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Trop50! We look forward to working with you again. The winner is: Entry #139 Chelsea R. Chelsea will receive one $50 Spa Week Gift Card. Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
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Ascending Butterfly's New Year, New You! Giveaway #3, sponsored by:



Trop50 wants to know about your resolutions, and you can get a $1 off coupon for their Trop50 juice beverages just for telling them, but you have to act FAST, as this promotion ends SOON (and by soon, I mean 01/31/12).

One of my resolutions is to continue with my weight loss progress and I did really well last year just by making recipe substitutions in addition to adding fitness games that I play using my Wii. I even found a great beverage substitution that doesn't require me to give up on the fresh taste I love with Trop50. It gets its name because it uses 50% less sugar and calories but it's the same great Tropicana fresh Orange Juice flavor I already know and love.

I'm not a coffee or tea person, so I start my morning every morning with OJ and Tropicana is definitely my preferred brand, I have always loved that it's never made from concentrate and contains no artificial sweeteners.

Each 8oz glass will give you 100% of your day's Vitamin C in addition to being a good source of Thiamin, Potassium, Vitamin E and Vitamin A. And the Trop 50 No Pulp with Calcium and Vitamin D Orange Juice, is an excellent source of calcium as well. Your doctor may even tell you that you don't need an additional Calcium supplement on top of it. I love when I can make a substitution that is good for me and still tastes good.

To get the word and to help you stick with your New Year's Resolutions Trop50 has some fun promotions going on, the first is to visit their facebook app here: http://facebook.com.trop50 and tell them your resolution, you can print out a $1 off coupon after you share your resolution (in fact that's the mandatory entry in our giveaway), then you can enter to win one of FOUR, yes 4 $1,000 Gift Cards to help make 2012 your most fabulous year ever. AND if that weren't enough, you also have a shot at winning a $50 Spa Week Gift Card Right HERE. Now that's what I call a win/win situation!

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below, if it doesn't load for you, hit refresh! (You can let me know in the comments below if you like using Rafflecopter and would like us to continue using it). Start by pressing the big green button that says '+1 Do It' to get started with the Mandatory Entry! (And if you experience any problems using Rafflecopter to get your daily tweets, no worries, just copy the link to your tweet and leave it as a comment on this post instead!

Friday, January 27, 2012

{CLOSED} Amway Nutrilite Vitamins Review and Giveaway #AmwayHealth {Rafflecopter}

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Amway USA! We look forward to working with you again. The winner is: Jeanne F. Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
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Before my recent health scare set me back, I was on a major lifestyle revamp, and had lost 26 pounds and 3 dress sizes very slowly in 2011. I am starting to slowly begin reclaiming my new year and getting back into my routines again! I plan to continue this year to lose more weight, increase my physical activity and of course eat better, pretty much typical New Years Resolutions for most I'm sure.

Did you know that it takes regularly consuming 22 essential vitamins and minerals, 10+ servings of fruits and vegetables, and one serving of ocean fish every day to give our bodies what they need to stay healthy and strong? While I do love seafood, fruits and veggies, I am not about to say I can consume that much in one day, (an on the go schedule doesn't always allow for home cooked meals every single night), that's where dietary supplements come in. I take a multi-vitamin daily, but it wasn't until I was sent a package from our friends at Amway, that I realized I wasn't consuming nearly enough fruits and veggies per day.



NUTRILITE® Concentrated Fruits and Vegetables - Tablets - 60 Count

Description

For just over $1 per day, Amway NUTRILITE Concentrated Fruits and Vegetables provide the phytonutrient equivalent of more than 10 servings of fruits and vegetables, the amount recommended by health authorities. Phytonutrients are the natural nutrients in plants that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors and respective health benefits when consumed.

Benefits
  • Supports heart health with 5 apples’ worth of the phytonutrient quercetin (150 mg) and 2 servings of green tea’s worth of the phytonutrient EGCG1 (90 mg).
  • Supports circulatory health with 3 oranges’ worth of the phytonutrient hesperidin (60 mg).
  • Supports colon health with 1 ½ cups raspberries’ worth of ellagic acid (40 mg).
  • Supports eye health with 1 cup raw spinach’s worth of the phytonutrient lutein (6 mg).
  • Supports prostate health with 1 tomato’s worth of the phytonutrient lycopene (3 mg). 


NUTRILITE® Fruits & Vegetables 2GO Twist Tubes

Description

With NUTRILITE Fruits & Vegetables 2GO Twist Tubes, twisting the health benefits of more fruits and vegetables into your day has never been easier.
Benefits
  • Healthy immune system. Contains the natural vitamin C equivalent of one serving of cantaloupe to help boost and protect your immune system.
  • Eye and skin health. Provides the natural beta carotene of one serving of carrots, beneficial for eye and skin health.
  • Convenient, refreshing, on-the-go nutrition. Slip a tube in your purse or bag and look forward to a delicious Mango-Citrus treat that will help you reach your healthy eating goals.
My Take:

Incorporating 10 servings of fruits and vegetables into a daily diet can sometimes be a challenge. A natural, plant-based dietary supplement is an option for those wishing to fill your “phytonutrient gap.” Amway's online phytonutrient tracker tool is a great first step to evaluate what phytonutrients you are missing in your diet: http://www.amway.com/shop/product/phytonutrientsnapshot.aspx

I have definitely felt more energetic since adding the nutritional supplements to my regular daily multi-vitamin. And the 2Go Tubes are great for mornings when I skip my vitamins since they are portable and fit in my purse, I can leave some there so on mornings I forget to take the dietary supplements I have my vitamins with me on the go. Not to mention, it sometimes gets pretty boring trying to drink 8-10 glasses of plain water, the 2Go helps 'jazz' up your water a bit, so you can get in enough fluids throughout the day and stay hydrated. Keeping hydrated is a must even when you are not excercising, and of course most especially when you are!

Our friends at Amway want to help you stick with your New Year's Resolutions, especially now, February is where most people find they have lost steam and start to drop their resolutions entirely, don't give up!

Win One package of Fruits &Vegetables 2GO Twist Tubes and one package of Concentrated Fruits & Vegetables ($61.80 value) using the Rafflecopter form below, if it doesn't load for you, hit refresh! (You can let me know in the comments below if you like using Rafflecopter and would like us to continue using it, this is our very first Rafflecopter Widget Giveaway!). Start by pressing the big green button that says '+1 Do It' to get started with the Mandatory Entry!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Win a Weekend Getaway in Boston!


Win a Trip to Beantown!

Our good friends at Kettle Cuisine are hosting a really fun and easy contest for a chance to win a weekend getaway in Boston this Spring.  Here’s a  link where you can learn more (www.facebook.com/kettlecuisine).  The Kettle Cuisine team has also created this short video to show you how easy it is to win http://youtu.be/ySqQ4G8_uqY.  All you have to do is take a picture with any of their soup packages in a fun, interesting or every day location and post it to their facebook page.  Then you just get as many of your friends as possible to vote for your picture.  The great news is you win an amazing giftpack, just for entering. The contest is only open for a very limited time so check it out as soon as you can and come back here and post the link to your entry after you enter so the Ascending Butterfly Community can vote for you!

Contest Instructions: Snap a 'soupah' photo of a Kettle Cuisine package in fun, interesting or everyday places for a chance to win a fun filled weekend getaway to Kettle Cuisine's hometown, Boston, MA. To enter, upload your photo to their facebook page (press where it says 'soupah snapshots' on the left hand side, it's 3 down from where the picture is) between January 10, 2012 and January 31, 2012 and tell all of your friends to vote for your submission by liking your photo! (Make sure they vote early and often!) Voting will be open through February 14, 2012. Online votes will determine the top five finalists and a team of soupah smart expert judges will choose the winner.

Prize Details: Win a weekend getaway for 2 to historic Boston, Massachusetts to experience the best the city has to offer. The prize includes: Red Sox tickets (right field box seats! We’re talking 6th or 7th rows back in the ballpark!), dinner for 2 at one of the city’s finest restaurants, a ride through the city with the original Boston Duck Tours, and hotel and travel accommodations. It gets even better because everyone is a winner!  All entrants will receive an official Kettle Cuisine lunch bag! Remember: Only persons who are at least 18 years of age can enter.       

Personal Recos on Places to See and Things to Do: I absolutely LOVE Boston, and I greatly encourage you to enter this contest, you'll love visiting Boston, it's a super fun city with so much to do. Take a New England Aquarium whale watching tour while you are there, eat at Legal Seafood and you have to hang out at Jillians at least once while you are there! If you decide to visit the House of Blues out there, just don't take any pictures on the inside, they are pretty adamant and quite rude about it. Improv Boston is fun (especially with a group). The Cheers Bar is also a must visit, there are two locations. I'm not sure which hotel is part of the prize package, but I greatly enjoy The Lenox when I visit Boston. Remember these are all my personal recommendations of places to go while you are there, these are NOT part of the prize package being offered in this contest.

Souper Considerate!

OK a little pun intended here. But I just wanted to take a moment to personally thank Kettle Cuisine for a recent gesture that truly touched my heart.

When they read about my recent nightmare hospital stay, they sent me a care package box filled with assorted soups! It meant so much to me that they would take the time to do something so thoughtful, and because Kettle Cuisine soups are Gluten Free I knew there would be no conflict with my post hospital dietary restrictions.

I tried:

Angus Beef Steak Chili with Beans - A slow simmered Angus Beef Chili with a blend of Southwestern spices, red beans, ripe tomatoes, peppers and spicy green chilies.

New England Clam Chowder - Fresh Light Cream from local New England Dairies, hand shucked clams, sauteed onions and potatoes.

Southwestern Chicken and Corn Chowder - Fire grilled all natural chicken, hand-chopped fresh red and green peppers, corn chowder infused with cayenne and Southwestern Spices.
Thai Curry Chicken Soup - All natural chicken, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, bell peppers, brown rice combined with aromatic green curry, lemongrass and coconut milk in made from scratch chicken stock gives you a great Southeast Asian Flavor.

My Take:

I have tried pretty much all of Kettle Cuisine's Soups and haven't found one I don't like yet! I love that they are Gluten Free, combine all natural ingredients, come in perfectly portioned sizes, and are fast and easy to re-heat. It gives you the taste of a slow simmered soup, warm and satisfying in no time at all! The soups are also a good source of Fiber and Iron as well as protein. They are good for you, yet taste good too! And if you don't have any bread restrictions, then accompany your soup with a nice crusty bread for a great lunch or dinner.

I love the facebook contest they are currently running, a chance to visit Kettle Cuisine's hometown for the grand prize winner, and everyone gets a lunch bag to tote your Kettle Cuisine Soups to work in style!

And any company with a heart is one that will always have my loyalty, I totally appreciate the care box of love they sent me just to let me know that they were there for me!

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FTC Disclosure: I received a box of assorted Kettle Cuisine Soup to help facilitate this review. All Opinions are 100% my own. I really do love the City of Boston, and think the person who wins this contest will be very happy! I also love Kettle Cuisine Soups!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Tide Coldwater Liquid Laundry Detergent Review

SheSpeaksbutton

The Power of Tide and Cold, that's right COLD Water!

There are certain things I don't compromise with when I shop, brands I refuse to substitute and my laundry detergent is one of them. I have always used Tide, it's what was used in my house growing up and now I still use it. For one simple reason. It works.

I am a SheSpeaks.com member and was invited to participate in their Tide Coldwater Challenge. I gladly accepted because I already knew I could trust Tide. And unfortunately I have been taking this challenge for years now without exactly wanting to. My apartment and regular hot water just don't always happen, so many times I start my load of laundry in hot water, and the load ends up being washed in cold water anyway. So my Tide was already proving itself in cold water before they put out a special Cold Water version.

Tide Coldwater Liquid Laundry Detergent, is specially formulated to help get clothes clean when they are washed in cold water. Washing in cold water is one small step you can take in your daily life to help conserve energy and save money on your utility bill! To think I've been doing this for quite awhile without even meaning to!

Can washing in cold water get your laundry just as clean? I can definitely tell you, yes it can! Tide Coldwater Liquid Laundry Detergent was just as effective on my wash as the regular formulation. When I have a stain, I use it to pre-treat the way I normally would and find the stains gone when I'm done. And one of my favorite cold water tests is that my favorite PJ's don't fade or shrink. And the biggest test for me is how white my whites come out, especially in cold water using the new formulation. I'm happy to say my whites do come out very bright even washing them in cold water with the Tide Coldwater Liquid Laundry Detergent! (And if you run around doing Zumba for Wii at home on your hardwood floors wearing white socks, you need to be able to rely on your detergent to get your whites super bright!)


I am hoping to try out the Pods next (anything to avoid lugging heavy detergent bottles up five flights of stairs!) Keep up with Tide on Facebook to check out what promotions they are currently running and follow them on Twitter too! You can also keep up with all things She Speaks on Facebook too!

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FTC Disclosure: I received a Tide Coldwater Liquid Detergent sample, resources and promotional item from SheSpeaks.com to help facilitate this review. All Opinions are 100% my own.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Where Compassion Begins!



Compassion

We all think we know just how important compassion really is and many of us even think of ourselves as compassionate. But for the most part it's not until your sick and in need of human kindess and compassion that you learn how compassionate (or NOT) the people around you are.

It is believed that we undergo hard times just to learn how to be more compassionate after someone else befalls the same fate. With my recent health scare and horrific hospital stay I quickly learned how compassionate and in some cases what a lack of compassion the people around me exhibited. Oddly enough sometimes during times of stress or illness you will find complete strangers show you more kindness and compassion than people you love and trust.

How can we turn this around? You cannot change someone's true nature, but if you are a parent, you have a shot at raising a compassionate human being, one who shows kindess to others when it's needed most.

Raising Compassionate Children

Compassion is one of those character traits that some children seem to possess in abundance right from the beginning, while others appear to have a woefully short supply of it. There's the tiny tot who runs right over to his friend when he falls, places an arm around that friend's shoulder, and inquires: "Are you okay?" Meanwhile, his peers gawk awkwardly, or continue about their business.

If it's not in your child's nature to be the compassionate one, know that this is completely normal. Many young children simply don't know how to express compassion, or are not tuned in to others' feelings. But you can introduce your child to the significance of compassion and how to express it. Here are some concrete ways how.

Nurture the idea of our connectedness to communities. All children live in a community and spend time daily with a community of peers, whether in a child care or school setting. Talk with your child about how important these communities are to us, what we get out of them, and how we can give back to them, e.g., taking part in 'stream clean up days' or similar community-wide events. The dynamic and reciprocal relationship that exists among healthy communities and their members represents an expression of compassion.

Assign to your child the responsibility of caring for something. Start with a small but significant task. If you have a pet, you can make its daily feeding your child's responsibility. Make sure your child understands the importance of what she's doing, and how this other being relies on her assistance.

Provide your children with the vocabulary of compassion. You're at the playground and the little boy swinging next to your son tumbles to the ground. This is an opportunity for you to say to your child: "Let's make sure that little boy is okay. Why don't we ask him if he is hurt, and if he needs some help." The first few times this happens, your child may just watch as you talk. But over time, he may find the courage to approach another child in need, and he'll know what to say.

Nurture your child's compassionate "niche." Some kids who see an injured bird on the sidewalk have an overwhelming urge to nurse it back to health. Others might walk right by the bird, but be the first to reach their friend who has taken a spill. Encourage your child's compassion in whatever form you find it. There's no one way, or right way, to show it.

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FTC Disclosure: This article was provided and sponsored by Kiddie Academy®. The company has been a leader in education-based childcare for 30 years serving families and their children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old, offering full time care, before- and after-school care and summer camp programs. You can visit the KA Family Essentials blog and LIKE them on FB as well as Twitter @KiddieAcademy for additional information.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Winner's Announcement - Pair of Marc Joseph Shoes of YOUR choice giveaway winners!



A special thanks to the sponsor Marc Joseph NY for sponsoring such an awesome giveaway! 2 winners had the chance to select the pair of their choice in either mens or womens, how sweet is that?

I wanted to also thank you all (as well as our sponsor) for your patience. This giveaway was supposed to close the same night I landed in the hospital which is what caused the delay in getting entries sorted out and processed.

We have two very lucky winners:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Stef
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - JanetFaye

We will return on Monday with the next 'New Year, New You' giveaway promotion!

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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Wordless Wednesday on a Tuesday! Are you going Black for the cause?



Many Blogs are going dark for a cause on Wednesday, there is a great series of articles on the topic on Time Techland that you can read up on if you are not familiar with SOPA. In fact I've been doing quite a bit of reading on this myself to catch up as I've spent my days since the end of December in the hospital and am just getting settled back home.

Quite a few sites across the interwebs will be going dark, sites like Wikipedia are included in the one day shut down to protest SOPA, what about YOU what are you doing to support the cause?

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Monday, January 16, 2012

Todays Words of Inspiration: The Bottom Line


Where is My Monday Motivation?

I was debating on whether or not to write this post, but I've shared the good and now the worst experience of my life, so I figure I should share this one too!

My nightmare from Hell continues, this: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/2012/01/open-letter-to-new-presbyterian.html has now cost me a job too.

The night I landed in the Emergency Room was a night I should have been celebrating, after years of searching not just for a job, but for THE job, I landed it and had over-lapped with the person leaving the role that afternoon. That day of my nightmare started off as the best day ever, on the brink of a new year, with a brand new job I was super excited for, and ended in the E.R. and me spending just under two weeks in the hospital. With me toasting in my new year with Gingerale sick to my stomach on pain meds and more alone than I had ever felt in my entire life.

I used the new job to keep me motivated when things got dark, I kept thinking, one more test, one more day and the quicker I could get past it all the closer I would be to starting my great new job.

Well I got a call today telling me I have no new job to go to. That while I was in the hospital their bottom line was suffering and they could not wait me out. (And I’m thinking how their bottom line was suffering was a particularly insensitive choice of words, technically the one SUFFERING was ME!)

But that’s reality. When life steam rolls you and your world comes to a stop, whether it’s your own illness or the death of a loved one, you find out quite painfully that the world continues to go on, it’s only YOUR world that stops. A cruel blow indeed, but that’s very much life. Corporate America cares only for itself.

So here I am. Grateful to be here after being on the brink of death. Don’t get me wrong, with all the insanity I went through I realize what is important here is that I am still here to tell the tale, but I feel cheated and quite angry.

I’d ask what more 2012 would like to rob me off? But I honestly don’t want the answer to that question.

So where is the Monday Motivation you ask? Take my setback as an example to be grateful and live each moment like it’s the last, because you have no idea when it very well could be.

Yesterday I ate my first meal made by own hands since 2011 and I can tell you it tasted better than any other meal I had made before. I enjoyed it more and savored each flavor. Just because I COULD make it for myself, made it that much better. Sometimes cooking can get tedious, but it’s when you can no longer do something that you realize just how much it means to you.

My kitchen, a small humble one, became a working meditation for me as I prepared a meal for myself with my own hands.

Todays Challenge: REJOICE IN THE LITTLE THINGS – They are NOT as little as you may think.

I am back at square one in my life today on many levels, but I refuse to let it defeat me!

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Friday, January 13, 2012

{CLOSED} Full Size Purex Crystals + Jockey Sports Bra Giveaway! Ends 01/20

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsors Jockey and Purex! We look forward to working with you both again. The winner is: Tamara B., Congrats! Remember there are active giveaways listed on the upper right hand side of the homepage where it reads 'Today's Butterfly'.
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Ascending Butterfly's 2012 New Year, New You! Giveaway #1 brought to you by:


and


Is Fitness part of your new years goals?

As many of you already know I slowly lost 26 pounds over the entire year of 2011, and this year I've lost a bit more weight already but not quite for good reasons (see this post for why: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/2012/01/thank-you-not-quite-way-i-had-in-mind.html). Before my medical setback hit, I had dreams of a Fitness fueled January, I had been enjoying my Wii Dance Games and seeing great results with them.

For me I need a lot of variety in my fitness routines to keep up with them so I can see good results, and my dance games via the Wii have offered me just what I need in terms fitting MY schedule, being challenging (particularly the latest Zumba that really keeps track of your progress and allows for an adjustable intensity in the workouts), and they are FUN. I play both alone and on weekends with family and friends, which makes fitness and health goals much more fun. I can't wait until all this over to get back into my routine again.

Before my medical setback hit in December, I had received an exciting review package from Jockey and Purex that included a Jockey® Sports Bra along with one full-sized Purex Crystals in the 'Tropical Splash' scent. I am both a Jockey and Purex Insider!

About the Jockey Sports Bra

The Bra is a 93% Poly and 7% Spandex Blend with a racerback and an inside key pocket (stash your locker key while at the gym!) with breathable mesh panels and mouisture wicking fabric. I also like Sports Bras as sleep bras (I'm ahem a 'blessed' chested gal) and like the extra support even at night. This bra is my new favorite bra while doing Zumba (under my workout tank of course, I don't think I'll ever be that girl working out in just my sports bra and nothing else over it). And as most workout tanks are made in that racerback style it's nice having a bra that holds up the girls to go under those tanks!

About Purex Crystals

Purex Crystals are 92% natural crystals that go in your wash at the start of the cycle. Which means no more second guessing or remembering to pour in the fabric softener, how convenient is that? The scented crystals get to spend more time with your clothes, infusing them with long-lasting freshness! Purex crystals do not contain oil making them perfect for all your laundry needs. I've made a complete to switch to Purex and find they impart a much more long lasting scent than the liquid fabric softener that I had been using for years!
Why the collaboration between Purex and Jockey? Fabric softeners have oils that can harm garments but Purex Crystals are 92% natural crystals that infuse long-lasting freshness into the fabric fibers of clothing without harming garments. So the crystals impart softeness and a fresh scent without harming in any way the mouisture wicking properties of the sports bra. Which means your Jockey Sports Bra will hold up longer!






 My Take:

Workout clothing and under-garments in general are an investment. Well endowed girls especially know just how quickly straps get stretched and worn out and bras have to be replaced often in that case, which is not cheap! And let's face it, while hand washing will help most garments last longer, WHO has that kind of time? I certainly don't!

I love that Purex doesn't harm the mouisture wicking fabric of the Jockey Terry Sports Bra, and I love using this bra during my favorite Zumba workouts (which I can't wait to get back to!). I definitely recommend them both. I have sensitive skin and there are some fabric softeners I'm actually allergic to, and I love that my skin does not react at all to the Purex Crystals!

You didn't think I'd forget about you right? Who loves you butterfly?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Jockey and Purex would like you to help you keep to your fitness goals this year, and have one prize pack with the same items I reviewed for one lucky winner! Winner will receive a full size Purex Crystals and one Jockey Sports Bra (choice of size which includes: XS, S, M, L, XL)

Don't you just ♥ Purex + Jockey?  I know I do!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - How to Win: (1) You must be a PUBLIC follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. Indicate in your entry that you follow (if your 'comment name/user id' differs from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2)MANDATORY ENTRY: Share your top New Years Resolution for this year and how you have started accomplishing it.  (3) You must also leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com). (If your email is clearly visible in your profile, you can just say so, that's OK!) Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning (or in this case, the A,B,C’s of winning!) This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older. No PO Boxes. No purchase necessary. One entry per Household, see Ascending Butterfly Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "I want this" or "I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Friday, January 13, 2012 until Friday, January 20, 2012 at 03:00 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

EXTRA CREDIT:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - In honor of Bras and Fabric Softener, which is your favorite? Favorite Bra of all time? Favorite Fabric Softener? Share it with us and we'll give you extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment. (If your blog post contains more than just a pic and link you'll get 5 extra credit entries! So be sure to post the URL to your blog post 5 seperate times.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join the Ascending Butterfly Blog Frog Community HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Grab our NEW Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you have our old one, please swap it out, our URL address has changed!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascendingbutterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Ascending1 on Twitter

Tweet This:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - @Ascending1 + Full Size @Purex Crystals +  @Jockey Sports Bra #Giveaway in choice of size! Ends 01/20 - http://bit.ly/wViMxl

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet TWICE per DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.) Please remember we do not process twitter entries from PRIVATE accounts. If your account is private we will not process your twitter entries. NO exceptions so please do not email us regarding this policy.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Like Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Like Purex on Facebook HERE (Tell them you are trying to win Purex Crystals from Ascending Butterfly) - Be sure you leave the link to your comment here for extra credit. (You can get the link the same way you do on twitter, press on the time you left the comment on their facebook wall, and when the page fully loads, highlight and copy the URL address and then paste it into the comment field here). If you say "I wrote on their wall" and do not leave the link that Extra Credit Entry will NOT be processed.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Like Jockey on Facebook HERE (Tell them you are trying to win a Jockey Terry Sports Bra with Purex Crystals from Ascending Butterfly) - Be sure you leave the link to your comment here for extra credit. (You can get the link the same way you do on twitter, press on the time you left the comment on their facebook wall, and when the page fully loads, highlight and copy the URL address and then paste it into the comment field here). If you say "I wrote on their wall" and do not leave the link that Extra Credit Entry will NOT be processed.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's NEW Community/Real Time Chat, Group HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog -This is ONE time per giveaway, NOT daily.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you entered another active giveaway on Ascending Butterfly? Let me know which one and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you commented on a non-giveaway entry? Let me know which one here and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NEW! - I really want to win Duane Reade's VIP Influencer Contest and become one of the ten New York City based bloggers that help Duane Reade get promo and product announcements out and more. Can you visit Duane Reade on Facebook and tell them they should pick Ascending Butterfly as one of their 10 NYC VIP Influencer bloggers? or tweet the following: Hey @DuaneReade I think @Tracy_Iglesias of @Ascending1 should be one of your 10 VIP Influencers! #DReade #CBias

Of course if you do both, post two comments WITH links to your posts on their facebook page and twitter post link and you'll get 2 extra credits!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Press the button below and join, you get an extra entry for this giveaway and a shot at more great prizes, lets win together! (one time extra credit, will be verified before entry can be accepted)


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FTC Disclosure Info for this Giveaway:  This is NOT a sponsored promotion. NO compensation has been received  from the sponsors in exchange for this post. The sponsors are fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the products. All opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor. An Affiliate Link is used for EZ Win game.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

2012 DUANE READE VIP INFLUENCER CONTEST ENTRY + Calling my fellow NYC based bloggers! #DReade


Are you a NYC Based Blogger and LOVE Duane Reade? Duane Reade is looking for 10 NYC based bloggers to become 2012 Brand VIP Influencers. Think you have what it takes to be one of ten Duane Reade VIP Bloggers?

Enter now by writing a blog post telling us why you love Duane Reade and why you should be chosen to be a 2012 Duane Reade VIP Blogger. As a VIP Blogger you'll receive:
  • $200 in Duane Reade gift cards per month
  • Exposure from Duane Reade via Facebook and Twitter.
  • Exclusive knowledge on Duane Reade promotions and products
  • Opportunity to be featured in the Duane Reader, the circular and new website.
  • Opportunity to attend executive level meetings
  • And much more!

As a VIP Blogger, you'll be expected to write up to 2 blog posts a month, share content via Twitter and Facebook, and participate in corporate meetings, in-store events, and serve as a brand advocate. Read Official Rules for more information.

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My #DReade Entry:

So while I'm happy to share the information about this contest with fellow NYC based bloggers, this post today is also my entry!

Working my way through College in New York City I signed up for 10 local temp agencies, I needed flexible schedules and spent my time from week to week and sometimes from day to day being switched to a new company, new department, new team and new desk. My time temping in New York City made me flexible, adaptable, able to learn new proprietary databases with ease and I've even learned to design my own databases since those days. In the begining being somewhere new each week and some weeks each day, was incredibly daunting, and even lonely at times.

The only constant in my travels around the city was and still is Duane Reade. There was always a Duane Reade near my job site. And I found myself visiting pretty much daily. There was something comforting to me about going inside. I have them near my home, near school and work, it gave me something consistent at a time when my life's normal was inconsistency.

Since my College days, nothing has changed and everything has changed. Duane Reade is still my go to no matter what I'm shopping for. Back then it was more soda's and sweet snacks for the afternoon after 3pm slump, now it's more multi-vitamins and dietary supplements as well as household and toiletries, but they are still my first choice for my weekend errands to pick up those essentials!

My lifelong love of my city has often been shared on the pages of this blog. I was also briefly pre-med (I wanted to be cardiologist since Kindegarten, YES I was THAT specific) and was a contributing writer during College to a local newspaper's medical/health section. I can't imagine a more perfect blogging opportunity for me, I love NYC (I know the city quite well), I love Duane Reade, and I love writing about Health topics because although life got in the way of my plans to pursue a career in medicine and treat patients, I still have a love for Science, Medicine and Health topics.

I hope my readers will post a quick comment here or on Duane Reade's Facebook Page, telling them just how much Ascending Butterfly would be a perfect fit for Duane Reade's 2012 VIP Influencer Program! (Never know if giveaways will be part of this program, and if there are, you know Ascending Butterfly always looks out for her readers!)

Duane Reade, I am definitely one of your 10. My approach to wellness - a mind, body and soul endeavor means the sky is literally the limit in the ways I can blog for you! My diverse approach makes me the ideal candidate! Last year I worked with Kmart as part of their 10 Kmart Latina Smart VIP Bloggers, and it's given me great experience working with a brand that is so much a part of people's daily lives and homes, I'd love to do the same thing this year with Duane Reade!

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FTC Disclosure: This post is an entry into Duane Reade's VIP Influencer Contest. This is NOT a sponsored post. All Opinions Expressed are 100% my own.