For me, summertime means fun, freedom, and of course, bright and beautiful colors!

Crystal Light Liquid’s flavors are also inspired by splashes of gorgeous summer color, and to help celebrate the season, they are giving away some fantastic prizes each week in their #FeelTheFlavor Instagram Sweepstakes!

Below are a few of my color-inspired Instagrams to get you in the mood. Keep reading to find out how you can enter!

The #FeelTheFlavor contest is all about finding colorful moments from everyday life inspired by the 6 Crystal Light Liquid flavors, which include: Iced Tea, Peach Bellini, Pomtini, Strawberry Lemonade (my favorite flavor), Mango Passionfruit, and Blueberry Raspberry.

I adore creative sweepstakes like this, and really, I’m a fan of any contest that integrates my love for photography.

Are you a total Instagram junkie like me?

You can enter on the Glam.com Facebook page. Just enter your email address, and you’ll be asked to authorize your Instagram. Next, you’ll be able to Instagram your entries using the hashtag #FeelTheFlavor. One winner will be selected each week for 4 weeks—it’s that easy!

Each week, Glam will announce a winner (chosen at random) to receive a gift bag full of fun summer essentials!

I can’t wait to see your bright and colorful entries on Instagram! Be sure to follow me, and I’ll return the favor!

Crystal Light Liquid. 0 calories. Endless flavor possibilities. For every shade of you. http://www.crystallightliquid.com.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Crystal Light via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Crystal Light.

The post Enter the Crystal Light #FeelTheFlavor Instagram #Sweepstakes! appeared first on Dear Crissy.

I take a lot of family photos, but sometimes, I feel overwhelmed by the time and effort involved in sharing my photos with close friends and family—there are just so many steps involved.

There is nothing like asking a relative what she thought of a photo you recently sent, only to find out she didn’t notice the attachment at the bottom of the email!

Familiar app takes the hassle out of this process and makes sharing pictures instantly between loved ones a snap.

The best part is—Familiar app is totally private.

Photos shared through Familiar app can be seen in real time on screensavers, smart phone or tablets, and while you have the option to publish to your favorite social networks, you can certainly opt to keep photos viewable only by the contacts you choose.

Familiar app gives you complete control over your most precious images.

Staying connected with our close friends and family members is so important to me, and I know that sharing images is one of the best ways to ensure that bond stays strong.

Familiar app has completely won me over because it saves me so much time. I know I’ll be sharing more images now that the process has been simplified!

You can get familiar with Familiar and download the free app now right from the site! If you’re on a mobile device, grab it from iTunes or Google Play.

Win a Google Nexus from Familiar!

Familiar has also generously offered to give one very lucky Dear Crissy reader a brand new $199 16GB Google Nexus 7 Tablet! Giveaway is open to US entrants, 18+. Ends June 8th, enter below.

The post Savvy Photo Sharing with @Familiar App + Google Nexus Tablet #Sweepstakes! appeared first on Dear Crissy.

However, when you put your life and stressors in perspective, things are almost never as bad as they seem. It’s just too bad that good-advice doesn’t quite seem to quell our stress levels, even though we may know it to be the truth!

As I navigate my 30′s, I find that I focus more on finding strategies for managing my stress. The way I see it, we should spend as little time as possible stressing, and as much time as possible enjoying all of the beautiful and wonderful parts of our lives!

Here are my top 5 tips for keeping your stress under control!

5 Keys To Curb Stress

1. Take a Time Out — Parents, you may be used to administering time-outs to your toddlers, but sometimes we all need a little down-time to relax and get our thoughts in order. Try to find some quiet time to relax and clear your mind, it will help keep your stress in check!

2. Take Care of Yourself — On the same note, be sure you’re focusing on your physical and emotional well-being. Drink plenty of water, eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, and make time for exercise and relaxation. Your stress may be amplified when you fail to put your basic needs first.

3. Take A Breath — I’m a big advocate of deep-breathing and visualization. When I’m feeling particularly stressed, I take a series of slow, deep, and cleansing breaths while focusing on a positive outcome to whatever is stressing me.

4. Take Action — I find that often, my stress is tied to procrastination. When I take actions, and take care of the tasks that are causing me worry, I can sometimes find immediate relief to my stress!

5. Take A Look Around — Take stock. Look at the good and positive points in your life (there are no doubt quite a few of them!), and try to put your stress in perspective. I could throw in a few cliches here.

Don’t worry, be happy, perhaps?

So, how do you keep your stress levels down?

There to help you. That’s getting to a better State.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by State Farm via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of State Farm.

The post Sanity Savers: 5 Keys To Curb Stress appeared first on Dear Crissy.

That said, I do everything I can to make each day great, and sometimes the best way to make a good day even better is to get off on the right foot from the start — first thing in the morning!

To get my day started right, I like to jump out of bed and get my blood pumping with a quick workout or jog. Even though the idea of jogging first thing in the morning might not seem like the best idea when you crawl out of bed, it’s a fantastic way to energize your body and your spirit for the day ahead.

Of course, after the jog, I like to take a refreshing shower. This really helps me wake up, and it also relaxes me and gives me a moment to reflect before starting my day.

Breakfast is also an important part of my morning routine. I don’t like to eat a large breakfast, but I do try to get a little protein into my morning meal to fuel my body for the entire day. I usually have two scrambled eggs, a piece of whole wheat toast, and some fruit for breakfast.

I don’t always have time for breakfast, but I can see a definite improvement in my day when I make the time to whip up something quick while I’m cooking for the kids in the morning.

Finally, my favorite way to ensure I have a fantastic day is to have a cup of my favorite coffee. If you’re a Keurig fan like me, you probably enjoy several different kinds of K-Cup packs, but you also probably have that one real favorite brand. For me, it’s Green Mountain Coffee.

Green Mountain Coffee is exceptionally smooth and perfectly balanced for a harmonious blend of flavor, body and aroma. It’s really amazing how a simple cup of coffee can make even a good day better. Green Mountain Coffee compliments my morning routine perfectly!

I’m actually wrapping up my morning routine as I write this post. Green Mountain Coffee is also a big part of my blogging routine, and I love enjoying a cup while I work!

So, those are my tips for making a good day even better. Do you find that your morning routine affects how you feel throughout the day? I’d love to hear how you start your day off right!

Thank you to Green Mountain Coffee and Technorati for being sponsors of this article. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The post Making A Good Day Better #BrewABetterDay #Spon appeared first on Dear Crissy.

In that moment I was filled with joy at the sight of such beauty. I was also haunted by deep insecurity and sorrow.

I had failed to breastfeed my first child, and honestly, I was reluctant to even attempt it again with baby number two. I was scared and unsure. I was so scared and unsure, that I fed Kara formula through her first two days of life, and left the hospital feeling defeated.

I didn’t breastfeed her in the hospital, because I didn’t want to cope with falling short, not again.

I didn’t even try… How could I not have even tried?

When I got home from the hospital, I pushed the thoughts of breastfeeding completely out of my mind. I told myself that I could accept things the way they were, after all, I formula fed Evan, and he is a beautiful, brilliant, and healthy child. I don’t judge any mother who formula-feeds her child, even when it’s simply a choice.

The last thing a mother needs is scorn from other mothers—this—I know.

How everything changed…

On my second home with Kara, during a bottle-feeding and while breathing-in her intoxicating baby-scent, I felt the urge to pluck the latex nipple from her tiny mouth and to replace it with my own.

Within the lonely silence of that late-night feeding, when I knew that no nurses, or lactation consultants, or well-meaning family members were watching me, I tried, and I tried, and I tried again.

Please latch, please, PLEASE just do this.

And she did. I did.

The connection was made, Kara had latched, and I enjoyed the euphoria of motherhood and the tingle of pain that comes from a latch that isn’t quite perfected, for fifteen minutes.

I wasn’t sure if I had waited too long by not trying to breastfeed her for 48 hours after giving birth, I wasn’t sure if this was a fluke, and I really wasn’t sure why I had waited to give this my best effort the second time around. The only thing I did know, was that she seemed eager to breastfeed, and from the start, it was a totally unique experience when compared to the breastfeeding experience I had with Evan.

Kara is now 17-months-old. I exclusively breastfed her until she was 6-months-old, and continued to breastfeed until she was 15-months-old. I kind of feel like a rock star about the whole thing, if I’m being completely honest. I’m totally a rock star, right?

What I want you to know

I want you to know—yes, you—that just because your experience with breastfeeding wasn’t perfect the first time, it doesn’t mean you’re out of the game.

Truly, the second time, or third time, or seventh time may be the charm. If you want to breastfeed a subsequent child, try. Even if you’re scared of failing. Reach out for help, be patient, give it your best effort again.

If it still doesn’t work for you? Everything will be okay in that case, too. You’re still an amazing mom.

I’m so glad that I followed my motherly instincts during that 3:00 a.m. feeding, and that I was finally inspired enough to just keep trying.

It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t perfect, but it was worth it in every way.

Every. Single. Way.

Moms, were your breastfeeding experiences different from child-to-child?

I’d love to hear your stories in the comment section.

The post Breastfeeding Second Or Third Child May Be A Charm #bfing #breastfeeding appeared first on Dear Crissy.

I haven’t done a Wordless Wednesday in… forever.

Did you know that green is my favorite color? It is!

Be sure to check out Tiffany’s Wordless Wednesday Linky if you’d like to see more great images and link up!

The post Wordless Wednesday: Green appeared first on Dear Crissy.

Oh, my babies. My sweet, adorable, hilarious babies — how I love to film you!

There’s really nothing like taking an amazingly-cute video of your little ones with your iPhone, only to receive a message letting you know it’s is too large to send via message.

Sure, YouTube and Facebook are great, but I don’t necessarily want to share all of my private family videos with hundreds of people. In fact, I often only want to share videos with the kids’ grandparents!

Enter Joya App. Joya allows you to send your videos, small and large, to your contacts via email or text — for free. I tried sending a few videos to my mom over the weekend, and found the process not only easy, but really fast.

You’ll be getting notifications that your movies are being viewed in no time!

How does Joya work?

• Just download the Joya app on your iPhone.
• Add contact information for your favorite people (cell or email) to your “favorites.”
• Connect to your iPhone library.
• Send one or multiple videos to your list of favorites.
• The recipient will receive a link via text or email, click it and watch it. No iPhone or software required.

Why I love Joya App

While I am a huge fan of photography, there is something special and visceral about a video.

I know that when I share a video of my children with my parents, they will feel an immediate connection to the kids through the sight of blossoming smiles and the sounds of high-pitched voices and belly-laughter.

Video is emotional. It’s also one of the best ways I know to stay connected, and to share the beautiful and joyful glimpses of my life with the people I love the most in this world — my family and close friends.

Joya App let’s me make those connections easier, and I love that.

Be sure to visit the iTunes store to download Joya, and start sharing your videos today. You can also follow Joya on Twitter and Facebook. Happy video sharing!

The post Joya App Makes Video Sharing Simple #GetJoya appeared first on Dear Crissy.

I’ve really enjoyed sharing my experiences from the #IronMan3Event with all of you, and a lot of the reason, is that it’s been a joy reliving each of the parts of my trip over again as I edit images and write the posts!

A really fun and interesting portion of my time in LA was spent touring and learning more about the El Capitan Theatre, and also, having the opportunity to visit the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store!

Our tour began with a very special breakfast at the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store! Bloggers were served Mickey Mouse waffles, and wow, were they every sweet, fluffy, and delicious. It was a really great way to start the day, and a really unique experience.

We were then led upstairs to begin our tour of the famous El Capitan Theater. Did you know that the legendary El Capitan Theatre opened on May 3rd, 1926, as “Hollywood’s First Home of Spoken Drama?”

In 1989, The Walt Disney Company began a museum-quality restoration of the El Capitan. The theatre reopened in June, 1991, with the world premiere of Walt Disney Pictures’ “The Rocketeer.”

The El Capitan’s glamours history is apparent in every inch of this gorgeous Hollywood landmark, and I am still amazed that I had the opportunity to watch a blockbuster film premiere there! Isn’t it magical?

After our tour of the theatre, we headed back to the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store.

Disney’s Soda Fountain offers a truly charming, old-fashioned ice cream parlor experience, and you can also find a large selection of fun Disney merchandise in the studio store.

Oh, look! It’s the Disney Vault!

I adored having the chance to visit the El Capitan Theatre and Disney Soda Fountain, and I highly recommend these stops for anyone visiting Hollywood!

Iron Man 3 is currently playing at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, CA until June 20th in Disney Digital 3D and Real D 3D. You can also see a Display of Collectibles & Comic Books from the Private Collection of Stan Lee!

Coming this summer at the El Capitan Theatre

June 21st through August 8th: Monsters University (Plus, see Mike & Sulley in the MU Pep Rally with the Sprit Squad Live on Stage!)

August 9th through September 19th: Disney’s Planes.

For tickets call 1 (800) DISNEY6 or visit www.elcapitantickets.com.

More about Iron Man 3

Iron Man 3 opens in theaters on May 3rd. Be sure to like Iron Man 3 on Facebook! You can also visit the Iron Man 3 site, or follow @Iron_Man on Twitter. If you would like to follow along with me and the other bloggers on Twitter, check out hashtag #IronMan3Event, and say hello!

More Iron Man 3 Posts on Dear Crissy

An Interview With Gwyneth Paltrow
‘Iron Man 3′ Red Carpet Premiere At El Capitan Theatre
12 Quirky Homemade Iron Man Finds on Etsy
5 Fun Iron Man-icures!
Iron Man 3 Posters

I received an expenses-paid trip to LA from Disney in exchange for my posts before, during, and after the #IronMan3Event. Opinions are genuine, and all mine.

The post El Capitan Theatre and Disney Soda Fountain #IronMan3Event appeared first on Dear Crissy.

This was our kitchen a few weeks ago.

Because I bought the home I grew up in, it’s also a space where I’ve spent countless hours of my life. Countless hours.

When my husband and I bought the house, those old cabinets (built with the house in 1954) were actually blue. The walls were papered, and the countertops were retro… but not in a good way. Even our kitchen table is a hand-me-down, and not exactly my style.

We made a few minor changes, but in the 5 years since my husband and I bought the house, the kitchen has never felt good to us.

We knew that we wanted to do a true renovation on the kitchen, but we also knew that it would be some time before we had the means to begin. We made a few changes just to get by, but the room still felt dark and outdated.

We have now embarked on a true renovation.

RENOVATION:

1: to restore to a former better state by cleaning, repairing, or rebuilding.
2: to restore to life, vigor, or activity: revive.

Don’t mind the huge dish explosion. I was trying to get everything clean before packing it up prior to the tear-out. I’ve actually never owned a dishwasher, and that’s one of the things I’m most excited about having in the new kitchen!

We’ll be putting in an LG dishwasher with TrueSteam technology. In case you’re wondering, that’s a big leap from Crissy’s-hands-in-dishwater technology.

I know that this isn’t the worst kitchen in the world, but we are definitely excited about upgrading.

I want our kitchen to feel fresh, clean, and most of all, I want it to be a functional room for our family. I want to feel like the kitchen is the heart of our home, because that’s what it should be.

My husband and I are SO ready to have the kitchen of our dreams, but we also know that renovation can be a hard road. We also know that there may be unexpected bumps in that road, that there will be periods of time when we’ll all have to be inconvenienced to reach our ultimate goal, but that in the end, this kitchen renovation is going to have an incredibly positive impact on our little family!

My husband is multi-talented, and much of this renovation will be DIY!

As ready as I was, it was still a shock to go from that before photo, to this…

Oh, and, the things we discovered in those ancient wall cavities. Let’s just say, insulation wasn’t one of them! Sixty years worth of nastiness, that we’ve been living and eating just inches away from? Check.

You also find things like this in the walls of a house built in 1954. Hello, Hopalong Cassidy!

We’re in the trenches of our kitchen renovation now! We have so many changes coming, and I can’t wait to show you different parts of the project along the way. You can also check out this Inspiration & Progress Pinterest Board that will be documenting the process!

Have you ever renovated a major living space in your home? What was the best part about accomplishing your renovation?

LG is providing appliances for my kitchen remodel. Opinions are genuine, and my own. Stay tuned for much more information about my kitchen remodel, and our LG appliances!

The post Our Kitchen Renovation: Before appeared first on Dear Crissy.

Homemade Face Mask Recipes

1. Nutmeg, Honey, and Cinnamon Mask Recipe — This soothing facial mask recipe is the perfect way to relax after a long day. Nutmeg and honey are natural anti-inflammatories, which can reduce swelling and redness in your skin. This homemade face mask recipe sounds lovely!

2. Heavenly Honey Citrus Mask — Marie Clare offers this honey citrus face mask recipe. This luscious honey and orange based mask will give your skin a beautiful healthy glow. Sounds good enough to eat!

3. Avocado Egg White Face Mask Recipe — Combine the oil-fighting powers of avocado with the pore-tightening properties in egg whites, and you get one powerful acne-fighting homemade facial mask! This avocado egg white face mask will do wonders for oily skin.

4. Nourishing Honey and Oatmeal Facial Mask Recipe — If you have dry skin, you’ll want to find a facial mask that can moisturize and nourish. This honey and oatmeal mask will not only add moisture to your skin, but it will soften and smooth even the most tired skin.

5. Homemade Cucumber Mask Recipe — I adore the fresh scent of cucumber, so this cooling cucumber facial mask recipe is definitely at the top of my list. Cucumbers are full of water, so they will not only hydrate your skin, they are loaded with Vitamin A, B, and C, as well as minerals including: magnesium, potassium, manganese, and silicon. You truly can’t go wrong with a cucumber mask!

6. Brightening Daisy Mask — Who ever would have guessed that daisies would be great for your skin? This video tutorial teaches you how to make your own daisy mask at home for brighter, youthful skin.

7. DIY Mud Mask Recipe — Of course, the most common type of mask is a mud mask. I love the way a good mud mask makes my skin feel, and this DIY mud mask recipe looks really nice. This mud mask is particularly great for oily skin.

8. Strawberry Face Mask Recipe — Actually, the strawberry facial mask recipe (which is super-simple) is only one of many in this fabulous round-up of homemade face mask recipes that offers a variety of easy mask recipes for different skin types. This is a great resource, you’ll definitely want to bookmark it!

9. Coffee and Cocoa Face Mask Recipe — Yum, how does a coffee and cocoa facial mask sound? When it comes to homemade face mask recipes, this one is perfect for waking up dull skin, and really, it just sounds too yummy not to try!

10. Lemon-Milk Alpha Hydroxy Mask — Why spend money on expensive alpha hydroxy facial masks, when you can prepare your own homemade face mask recipe at home? This Lemon-Milk Alpha Hydroxy Mask will perk-up your sleepy skin, making it feel fresh and look bright. Both milk and lemon contain natural alpha hydroxy acids. This is such a great way to save money and kickstart your beauty routine!

Whether you have normal, oily, or dry skin, there is a mask for you. I’m a sucker for at-home spa treatments, so I’ll be trying several of these facial mask recipes this summer! Hope you enjoyed learning more about these 10 incredible homemade face mask recipes!

More Beauty Articles on Dear Crissy

Oil Cleansing Method Tutorial
10 Homemade Sugar Scrub Recipes
Homemade Lip Balm Recipes

Images licensed through iStock Photo.

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