For the past year, Walgreens has negotiated with Express Scripts for a new contract to continue as part of its pharmacy provider network. Those negotiations were unsuccessful, and the contract expired on Dec. 31. As a result, Walgreens is no longer part of Express Scripts’ pharmacy provider network as of Jan. 1, 2012. This includes all Walgreens pharmacies nationwide and Duane Reade pharmacies in the New York City area.

What is Express Scripts?

Notice: Walgreens & Express Scripts Update & How This Could Affect You is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

PRETTY follows Bebe Baker, a young woman coming to terms with her boyfriend’s death and her rocky journey to sobriety. Bebe is an ex-everything: ex-stripper, ex-Christian, ex-drug addict, ex-pretty girl. It’s been one year since the car accident that killed her boyfriend left her scarred and shaken. Flanked by an eccentric posse of friends, she is serving out a self-imposed sentence at a halfway house, while trying to finish cosmetology school. Amid the rampant diagnoses, over-medication, compulsive eating, and acrylic nails of Los Angeles, Bebe looks for something to believe in before something – her past, the dangerously magnetic men in her life, her own bad choices – knocks her off course again.

My Thoughts

Pretty is a book I won’t soon forget. Bebe is not someone to pity, but rather someone to watch. All her life she has been searching for who she is. She has been born again and again and is ever hopeful that one day it will stick.

Except for the ex-everything et al., I completely relate to Bebe. Who hasn’t thought about how their life should have been, could have been, should be, could be. Bebe is all about hope. She never loses hope even when she thinks it is all hopeless.

This is not a book about the privileged or the semi-privileged nor is it about the under-privileged. Pretty is about finding one’s way in life, regardless of the path we choose. One wrong turn does not mean game over. There is always another road just waiting to be taken.

About the Author

Jillian Lauren is a performer, writer and author of the New York Times bestseller Some Girls: My Life in a Harem and has an MFA from Antioch University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Weezer bassist, Scott Shriner and their son.

Bonus:

The first 250 people on 9/7 to order “Pretty” on Amazon, and email the receipt to pretty.the.book@gmail.com, will receive a Limited Edition run of the “Pretty” necklace, made by FairyTaleJewels.com.

Win It!

Win your own copy of Pretty by Jillian Lauren.

Please use the Rafflecopter entry form below to enter this giveaway.

Giveaway will end on September 14, 2011 at Midnight EST and is open to residents of the U.S., 18 years of age or older. Winner will be selected using Random.org. Winner will be notified via email. Additionally, I will post the winner’s name on my site in a separate post on or around September 16, 2011. Winner will have 48 hours from the time the email is sent to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. I would not tell you something was wonderful if I did not truly believe it so. Please read my Disclosure Policy for more information. I received a copy of Jillian Lauren’s book ‘Pretty ‘ courtesy of Global Influences for the purposes of this review.

Review & Giveaway – Pretty: A Novel by Jillian Lauren is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

Hydra Refine^® redefines oily skin care with a line of five products that balance your skin’s pH, controlling the production of oil while maintaining facial moisture.  If you’re wondering how it’s possible to fight oil while keeping skin moisturized, the answer lies in the four main ingredients that define Hydra Refine^®:

Featured Ingredients:

• Laminaria Saccharina Seaweed—This unique seaweed helps reduce sebum production and fights the oil oxidation that contributes to the formation of blackheads.  At the same time, it hydrates the skin never leaving you dry or irritated.
• Lemongrass—With antiseptic and astringent properties, lemongrass is ideal for treating oily skin, and is a known anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent.
• Farnesol (Lily of the Valley)—This natural ingredient supplies the skin with protection against acne causing bacteria.
• Cucumber—Cucumber is widely known as a soothing, cooling and healing agent, but the essential oil of cucumber has even greater benefits.  With vital fatty acids and anti-oxidants, such as Vitamin E and Zinc, cucumber oil protects the skin and aids in healing.  Proteolytic enzymes refine the skin and help keep pores clean and clear.

My Experience

I was sent Repechage Hydra Refine One-Minute Clarifying Mask to try and give my opinion. Now, with your typical facial mask you would rub a generous amount over your face and neck, being careful to avoid sensitive areas around the eyes and nose. Then you would wait about 10 minutes before washing your face. Repechage is different. After rubbing over your face and neck there is no long wait, no hardening of the face, no feeling trapped by your facial mask. Just hop in the shower, wait about a minute, then wash off.

The scent is not overpowering and perfume-y like your typical facial mask, either; it’s a clean, fresh scent. Not to mention it doesn’t dry out your skin. I absolutely love that!

Price Point ~ $31.00 for a 2 oz. tube.

Now, before you let the cost scare you, think about what you are getting. You are getting natural, spa-quality, professional skin care in the comfort of your home. You are getting the spa treatment any time (every time) you take a shower, if you so desire.

_______________________
Find out more about Repechage on twitter and facebook.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas a Minneapolis SEO and Web Design firm. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Spring Skin Renewal with Repechage is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FRESCHETTA® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I could eat pizza just about every day.

Now don’t get me wrong, I won’t eat just any pizza. If the crust is thick, then it better have some flavor. If it’s thin, then it better be crisp. The cheese has to be just right and it must be real. No fake, imitation, wannabe cheese for me thankyouverymuch.

Keep the toppings to just a few. I really like pepperoni, but bell pepper (all of the colors of the rainbow, please) and onion adds just the right amount of flavor for my simple taste buds. Oregano, basil, and some red pepper, yum!

But, if the sauce is no good nothing else matters. To me, the sauce IS the pizza.

My first taste…

I have to be honest here. I have never had Freschetta pizza prior to this. And my first attempt at finding FRESCHETTA® By the Slice in the store was a complete fail. Then again, I live in a rural area and this kind of thing is not uncommon. I did find what I wanted at Kroger, so for those of you in the Roanoke, VA area it is available here.

Freschetta By the Slice comes in four varieties:

1. BBQ Recipe Chicken
2. Chicken, Spinach, & Mushroom
3. Six Cheese Medley
4. Vegetable Medley

Like I said earlier, I’m simple when it comes to pizza. I decided to try the Six Cheese Medley. Now, these slices are quite decent in size, almost like a personal-sized pizza without all that roundness. A few minutes in the microwave and you have a slice of pizza that tastes like it came right out of the oven.

Try Freschetta By the Slice for FREE, plus get a 6 piece Freschetta storage set!

Mandatory Entry: Go to FRESCHETTA® By the Slice and tell me what variety you would like to try.

Extra Entries:

• Share your favorite By the Slice variety on Facebook (go the the link above and click on the Facebook icon next to the slice you want to share).
• Follow FreschettaPizza on Twitter
• Like AnneOnLife on Facebook.
• Follow @AnneOnline on Twitter & tweet about the giveaway. (must include Twitter name and link to tweet)

Giveaway will end on April 30, 2011 at Midnight EST and is open to residents of the U.S., 18 years of age or older. Winner will be selected using Random.org. Winner will be notified via email. Additionally, I will post the winner’s name on my site in a separate post on or around May 1, 2011. Winner will have 48 hours from the time the email is sent to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Good Luck!

Freschetta By the Slice, Can You Eat Just One?… plus a giveaway {closed} is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

Currently, body care products are not required to comply with the stringent organic food standards maintained by certification bodies such as the BFA and NASAA in Australia and the USDA in America, hence the plethora of so many “organic” body care products now on the market.

Since water is the primary ingredient in many cosmetics, some manufacturers are claiming to use organic hydrosols, or floral water, to green wash their products and make organic label claims while using the same synthetic toxic ingredients that would NEVER be allowed in organic food products. We believe this practice has the potential to destroy the integrity of the organic name.

Miessence® is currently one of a few skin care products on the planet that has submitted to, and complies with, the rigorous processing and labeling requirements for certified organic food products.

There is a lot of talk these days about going natural or organic, but no one really explains what that is let alone what is considered natural, good for you, or organic. To me natural and organic is simple: no man-made chemicals or additives.

When my family grows a garden we don’t use Miracle Grow or anything like that. In fact, one year our chickens ate the Japanese potato beetles, protecting our potato plants, which in turn produced a tremendous crop of organic potatoes.

If I don’t believe in pesticides or chemicals in my food, then why would I believe in them on my skin?

Simply put, I don’t.

I no longer use commercial shampoo/conditioner, which I can get for free all day long by the way. Of course, I don’t pay a ton for my coconut oil conditioner, lemon juice/water shampoo either. Yet money should not be the number one determining factor when it comes to deciding on what you will put on your body, should it?

I was sent a few samples of Miessence® Rejuvenating products. And before you think I am going to say I like the product because I got to try it for free, know that I only received sample packets much like the image to the right. I am going to say I like the product because I actually like the product.

First thing that struck me was the scent; it was just so earthy. Must be all of those natural ingredients.

certified organic aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, aqua, certified organic rosa rubiginosa (rosehip) seed oil, certified organic simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, certified organic persea gratissima (avocado) fruit oil, certified organic butyrospermum parkii (shea) fruit butter, certified organic ethanol (sugar cane alcohol), non-gmo lecithin, certified organic citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) fruit extract, certified organic olea europaea (olive) juice extract, olea europaea (olive) leaf extract, sclerotium rolfsii gum, certified organic rosa damascena (rose) essential oil, certified organic chamaemelum nobile (roman chamomile) essential oil, certified organic matricaria recutita (chamomile) flower extract, certified organic centella asiatica (gotu kola) extract, certified organic humulus lupulus (hops) extract, certified organic equisetum arvense (horsetail) extract, certified organic urtica dioica (nettle) extract

The second thing I noticed was the color. Unlike your typical white, white lotions, the Miessence Rejuvenating Moisturizer is a creamy tan-ish color. This means no artificial anything to make it look like something pure.White does not mean natural, natural means natural.

Miessence offers four skin care profiles to suit a variety of needs:

1. BALANCING (Normal/Combination Skin)
2. REJUVENATING (Dry/Mature Skin)
3. PURIFYING (Oily/Problem Skin)
4. SOOTHING (Sensitive Skin)

But mostly, I noticed that I love the way my skin feels after I use Miessence. My skin is dry, but many moisturizers make it oily, couple that with getting older and it’s like throwing darts at a wall to find the right product. Because who really wants to look or feel greasy all day?

Your Skin is the Largest Organ of Your Body

Did you know that the average woman applies more than 200 chemicals to her skin by using her skin care products in one day? Did you know that 60% of these chemicals are further absorbed into your bloodstream? These are two of the main reasons that organic skincare is one of the fastest growing areas of the beauty industry today (Benefits of Organic Personal Skin Care Products, www.organic-fair-trade.com).

Price Point ~ Varies with product. Miessence is not for those looking for cheap skincare; it’s for those looking for an organic and natural alternative to all the chemicals typically used. Free samples with every order. Free shipping worldwide on orders of $100 or more.

Be sure to check out Ely Organics on Facebook to find out more about Miessence and its benefits to you and to the environment.

_________________
Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas a Minneapolis SEO and Web Design firm. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Miessence, Truly Organic Skin Care Products is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

Last summer Suze Orman launched a new online community www.MoneyMindedMoms.com, a site devoted to helping moms make smarter money choices.

MoneyMindedMoms community members have free access to valuable, easy to follow advice about topics such as erasing and managing debt, raising money minded kids and coupons and discounts. Providing moms with sound advice is Suze’s top priority and she takes the time to personally respond to questions from members and has even been known to post a video response in some cases. The site offers useful tools like a debt eliminator and expense tracker, a coupon savings center, as well as forums for sharing stories and insights with like-minded moms.

Plus, every month through May, one lucky member will win 1-on-1 time with Suze through the
“Ask Suze” Sweepstakes.

I don’t know about you, but I am getting tired of constantly hearing about the financially ‘trying times’ we are in or ‘in these tough economic’ blah blah blah. The truth of the matter is if we planned better, saved more, and lived within our means these less than ideal times would not hurt near as much. Then again, if we all did that our economy would not grow and we would have fewer millionaires. The world needs spenders and savers AND those who do both in moderation.

Money Minded Moms (and Dads and Kids and …)

Suze Orman has developed a site based on her books and her philosophies about money, then coupled that with a community so we can learn not only from her, but from one another. Many times we feel like we are the only ones going through a particular situation, this is rarely the case. Get financial advice, find a path, gain some perspective, and plan for your future (whether it’s a month or a decade or more).

Win a copy of Suze Orman’s Book Action Plan

Giveaway Rules:

Mandatory entry:

Tell me one thing you learned from the MoneyMindedMoms website.

Additional entries:

Like MoneyMindedMoms on Facebook.

Follow @MoneyMindedMoms on Twitter

do both for 2 extra entries

Please complete the form below to enter this giveaway.

If you have problems with the form, please send me an email with your information [be sure to include MoneyMindedMoms Giveaway in your email] and I will manually add your information to the form according to the time stamp on the email.

Giveaway will end on March 28, 2011 at Midnight EST and is open to residents of the U.S., 18 years of age or older. Winner will be selected using Random.org. Winner will be notified via email. Additionally, I will post the winner’s name on my site in a separate post on or around March 29, 2011. Winner will have 48 hours from the time the email is sent to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Good Luck!

❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀
Disclosure: All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. I would not tell you something was wonderful if I did not truly believe it so. Please read my Disclosure Policy for more information. I received a copy of Suze Orman’s book ‘Action Plan ‘ courtesy of MoneyMindedMoms through MyBlogSpark for the purposes of this review.

Money Matters: What’s Your ‘Action Plan’? {closed} is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pier 1 for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Spring is right around the corner and Pier 1 knows we are just itching to get out of the house and back outdoors. Just check out these great items from their outdoor furniture and accent collection:

Swing in style in this Swingasan Chair (and stand). I imagine curling up with a good book while enjoying the sweet, sweet outdoors that have been so cold and foreboding all winter long. Maybe a tall glass of ice tea (I'll take mine sweet, thankyouverymuch).

Next you could add some color with this awesome looking garden stools. Great for additional seating for those spur of the moment barbecues or as a colorful side table, just because. Wishlist worthy for sure!

Jazz up your existing outdoor furniture with some new cushions. Just like we like to add a few new pieces to our wardrobe each season, why not extend this to your decor.

Did you know?

Many of the furniture pieces at Pier 1 are perfect for Outdoors AND Indoors? Makes bringing a little bit of that wonderful, colorful Spring air inside your home a breeze!

Tweetup with Pier 1

If you live in or near Dallas, Atlanta, or NYC be sure to check out the Pier 1 Tweetups. For more information, dates, and times go to Pier 1 Tweetups,

Deal Alert!

Don't forget to sign up for the Pier 1 Outdoor newsletter and get a special in-store offer for the weekend of March 18 – 20.

Spring Has Arrived at Pier 1 is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

As many of my regular readers know, I am forever working towards obtaining healthy habits. This may be with healthier eating habits or through physical fitness, and, generally it will be a combination of both of these things. So, when the opportunity to try a supplement that would boost my metabolism while not giving me the jitters came about, I decided it was worth my time.

Walgreens Brand Green Tea Dietary Supplement does not make me feel as if I’ve taken some quick fix in obtaining a healthier lifestyle. Honestly, if it’s a quick fix, then it is most likely not healthy. I like that the pills don’t feel plastic or turn my stomach. I’m not big on taking any pills, so this is a big deal for me.

No false or misleading claims, that is also a big deal for me. Walgreens Brand Green Tea Dietary Supplement does not guarantee weight loss, but states it may promote weight loss.

Did you know?

In addition to being an exceptional value, Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products:

a. Are Walgreens pharmacist recommended.

b. Most contain the same active ingredients as other national brands.

c. Have a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

* Helping Local Communities *

Additionally, Walgreens is committed to helping communities by contributing to the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™, to which they contribute up to $3 million annually.

Your Turn

Have you tried Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products? What did you like about them? What would you want to improve? Leave me a comment and tell me what you think.

Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products Deliver is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

I long for the organizational skills of my mother and her impeccable order among the chaos. I yearn for a clutter-free existence. I dream of a place for everything and everything in its place. That is the fantasy.

Reality is an entirely different story

In real life it’s a daily battle of piles, schedules, priorities, answering to myself, answering to others, sleep deprivation, and one big major cluster$*%#!

My coupons lay in a few piles, fairly in order, but rarely in the order needed when it’s time to buy the groceries.

Magazines are not a welcome addition to the onslaught of mail, yet there are a few I rather do enjoy – if only I had the time to read them.

Books, ah, my beloved books. Lately my most read books consist of those I receive to review; it’s better than not reading, right?

About Pretty Neat

Negative self-image. Fantasy-induced overspending. Marital tension. A new kind of airbrushed concoction is wreaking havoc on homes and psyches, and Sarah Welch and Alicia Rockmore have a name for it: org porn. It’s in magazines, coffee table books, advertisements, and TV shows, promoting a perfect — and entirely imaginary — world in which everything is always pristine, serene, and flawlessly organized. Pretty Neat is a handbook that embraces the chaotic reality that lies beneath org porn’s glossy veneer, offering pithy anecdotes and candid advice from experts and real women alike on tackling organizational inertia. Funny, irreverent, entertaining, and helpful, the book covers all facets of clutter-control, from tried-and-true tips for conquering to-do lists and wrangling family schedules to ideas on excavating inboxes, eliminating excuses, and delegating housework. Most importantly, Pretty Neat insists that women need to stop holding themselves to impossibly high standards, and focus instead on defining their own, realistic organizational goals. Full of engaging examples from everyday women, Pretty Neat offers readers unorthodox, surprisingly simple methods to reduce their org porn–fueled stress, insisting that perfection is impossible — and unnecessary — in this messy, unpredictable world called real life.

- product description courtesy of Amazon.com

Pretty Neat gives you permission to establish your own sense of organizational chaos

The stories in Pretty Neat are comfort food for the organizationally challenged. House Beautiful may work for a magazine, but for us in the real world life has a way of happening, all. over. the. house.

I always said I don’t live in a museum. My home needs to be livable. With three kids and a 1400 square foot house, things are not always in their place, but in one of 3 or, possibly 5, places.

Instead of beating myself up over everything I don’t get accomplished, I remain positive of everything that does get done. Pretty Neat reinforces this way of thinking while giving some real world advice to organize your life without driving yourself crazy.

Win a Copy of Pretty Neat

[Additionally... one winner whose information is reported by the deadline established will be chosen at random from across all participating blogs to receive a $200 gift card (same as cash) plus a selection of Buttoned Up products (ARV: $50) to be used towards their own reasonable organizational goals.]

Giveaway Rules:

Mandatory entry:

• Share the area of your home or life that has become the biggest source of organizational stress.

OR

• Share one tip for how to delegate an organizational task inside your home.

Additional entries:

Like Buttoned Up on Facebook.
Follow @GetButtonedUp on Twitter.
Like AnneOnLife on Facebook.
Follow @AnneOnline on Twitter & tweet about the giveaway.

Win a copy of Pretty Neat: get organized & let go of perfection courtesy of @AnneOnline & @GetButtonedUp http://wp.me/pxErl-2rH

do all for 4 extra entries

Please complete the form below to enter this giveaway.

If you have problems with the form, please send me an email with your information [be sure to include Pretty Neat Giveaway in your email] and I will manually add your information to the form according to the time stamp on the email.

Giveaway will end on March 21, 2011 at Midnight EST and is open to residents of the U.S., 18 years of age or older. Winner will be selected using Random.org. Winner will be notified via email. Additionally, I will post the winner’s name on my site in a separate post on or around March 22, 2011. Winner will have 48 hours from the time the email is sent to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Good Luck!

❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀
Disclosure: All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. I would not tell you something was wonderful if I did not truly believe it so. Please read my Disclosure Policy for more information. Thank you to Buttoned-Up and Global Influence for allowing me to review and giveaway Pretty Neat. I received no other compensation, but am eligible to win a $100 gift card and $50 in Buttoned-Up merchandise.

Book Review & Giveaway: Pretty Neat, the buttoned-up way to get organized & let go of perfection {closed} is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

The InstantPeel Natural Exfoliant is one of the most exciting, powerful yet gentle products on the market that is polluted with goods that promise beauty heaven, but deliver just a big price tag. This peel sticks to its promises, for a fraction of the money one would spend in a beauty salon. InstantPeel is easy to use while taking a shower. it is amazing how smoothly dead skin peels off without irritating healthy skin layers. After the short treatment, the skin feels soft and silky with a radiant complexion. I highly recommend InstantPeel to every one who desires younger and healthier looking facial skin.

- Sylvia Janetski, MD

An Affordable At-Home Facial Peel

Okay, some may balk a bit at the affordable claim, but $50 for 6 single-use packets (that’s less than $9 per treatment) is a bargain compared to professional chemical peels, not to mention InstantPeel is gentle on even the most sensitive of skin.

No harsh chemicals

Squeeze a little of the cream onto your fingertips and gentle massage your face and neck; be careful to avoid the sensitive eye areas. You will immediately feel the dead skin cells slough off, leaving smooth new skin in its place. I can say this really does work. In fact, my only complaint would be the packets are troublesome to open. Make sure you have scissors nearby or cut a corner off before entering the shower.

InstantPeel is available online from Earthen Products and sells for $50 for 6 single-use packets. Shipping is free. PayPal is the preferred payment method.

______________
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

InstantPeel, The Natural Exfoliant is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010