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The moment you have been waiting for has arrived. My review of a month of Rent the Runway’s unlimited program is here.

My closet, although busting with clothes, seems to always lack what I want to wear prompting me to give Rent the Runway’s unlimited program a try.

The unlimited program allows you to rent up to 3 pieces (clothing or accessories at a time) for a flat rated price. If you are thinking about renting a single piece, I have noticed you are often better off to do unlimited as far as price, however, all of their items are not avaible with the unlimited program (the select is large regardless).

You can give it a try for yourself here —> https://rtr.app.link/e/3ZV0gdnbXM

I sign up, select my three pieces, and wait. 4 days later (yes, it was over a weekend) I’m notified one of my pieces wasn’t avaible. I immediately select another piece and my clothes ship the same day. My pieces arrive the next morning and I try them on, deciding to send a black jacket back immediately because it just wasn’t for me.

I also received a blue jean dress and a romper with black pants and attached white lace top. Both pieces I loved. The dress I would have purchased if it hadn’t of had a small chip missing out of one of the buttons. I wore the dress several times and got compliments both times. The romper fit perfectly and was top notch. However, after discovering there was no way for me to get the darn thing back together after using the bathroom in public I gave up on wearing it out in public.

A week, yes a week, later I call Rent the Runway because the jacket has never been marked as returned on my account nor am I able to select another piece. The very nice customer service representive tells me there was a problem with shipping and allows me to select a new item. I do.

The next day, I am notified the jacket has been returned but the Drapper James jeans I picked to replaced them is no longer available. I select a black romper. It arrives two days later. It fits very oddly.

I dropped all three pieces off to be returned this morning.

The verdict ?

My hope was to rent 5-7 pieces a month to enhance my wardrob (because we all know I am wearing yoga pants the rest of the time). This seems a little unrealistic at this point, shipping seems to take forever. I’m not seeing the two day shipping that was promised. I will probably stick it out another month…so stay tuned for an update. Everybody deserves a second chance, right ? Besides their clothes are FABULOUS.

This post has affiliate marketing.

 Find your passion. What are you good at ? Do you like to write? Start a Blog. Do you have a large social media following? Try your hand at affiliate marketing. Are you a good cook? Start making cakes or catering meals. Are you crafty? Make candles, soaps, or offer quilting classes.

This post has affiliate links. 

I am so excited to have Lindsey from https://raisinghelmblog.wordpress.com back to guest post!   You can find her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lindshelm_/.

 

Starting Over: How To Find God Again
DECEMBER 5, 2016 / LINDSAY HELM
It has been two years since I left the LDS {Mormon} Church and I wrote a very heartfelt post about my decision not long after. I wrote the post, then wrote something else and posted both at the same time, hoping my first post would get lost in the mumbo jumbo because I was scared. That’s the truth. I was scared. I wanted to put it out there just as much as I wanted to crawl under a blanket and hide from everyone who ever looked up to me.

I was scared, but now I’m not.

As I started to hear stories of broken, confused hearts and angry souls, I couldn’t help but shove my own anxiety under a blanket of empathy and understanding love. I found myself wanting to be there as a friend, confidant and shoulder to cry on, because when I was suffering, when I was hiding, I had no one who could possibly understand my self perceived brokenness. I wanted to be the person I never had to someone else. I had spoken to my family, and all of them graciously loaned a listening ear, but I had no one who had walked in the same distressed, confused and troubled shoes that I had walked in for so long. Of course I talked to God on my journey. But the problem is, when you’re going through something like leaving the LDS Church, your perception of God is very distorted. I felt like I had to relearn God.

This post is for the ones that are hurting. The ones that are heart broken. The ones that silently suffer. This is for the people who feel voiceless. I am writing this because I know they exist. I know because I have listened to their pain while they tell me their stories of leaving or wanting to leave. I watch them silently suffer just so the people they love, will love them.

**As a disclaimer I want to say that this post is meant for those who are struggling after leaving the LDS Church. If you are strong in your LDS beliefs, this is not meant to challenge that. This is written from my personal experience and from the wounded hearts of those who have shared their stories with me. This post is not in any way meant to discredit or belittle those who are happy in their LDS faith.**

————————————————————————-

To The Ones Who Are Hurting,

I wish I could hold all of my heartbreak in my hands and show you, like a fortune teller gazing into her crystal ball, everything I have ever felt regarding leaving a Church that I once loved more than anything. It would be easier that way. I could give you a glimpse at my happiness, my confusion, my questions, my anger– the whole gooey, messy enchilada. With each bite you could savor my bitterness that I kept spitting out, unsuccessfully attempting to replace it with positivity and added faith. I could show you my humanity in its flawed perfection. But I can’t do any of those things. All I can do is write to you, hoping my words touch your heart and offer a small amount of healing to your broken spirit.

You are scared. I get it, I really do. You think no one will understand. You think everyone will stand against you. You think all of your friends will dissappear. You are scared of breaking the hearts of those you love. You don’t want to create conflict. All of those feelings are normal; and some of those things might happen, which is why people in this situation seem to shove it in the back of their dark and lonely closet, away from the world, scared that people will not understand. This is what it comes down to–you want the ones you love, to love you despite your evolving relationship with God. You are a human being that wants to be loved and accepted by those you love. You want to be understood and respected, not harshly judged. I want you to know, not everyone will understand at first. And that’s okay.

I want you to know the pain you are feeling is very real. It hurts so bad. And no one will really understand unless they, too, have gone through the same experience. I want you to know that you are not alone. When you are on God’s side, He will fight for you no matter the religion you belong to.

I want you to know that as you seek truth and clarity, you are allowed to ask questions. You don’t need to have everything figured out. This journey is so confusing. All of us grow in different ways, at different times. I have personally accepted the idea that my spiritual growth will be a life long process. As I grow into the woman God intended, I feel that my questions become deeper, maybe even more meaningful. With every new struggle, I learn about the person I am and about the woman I hope to be one day. I make wrong choices. We all do. But with the genuine desire to understand ourselves and God’s will, we are able to make better choices. Please, do not be ashamed of using your God given right to choose.

I want you to know that you are not alone. Stepping away from something that was a central part of your life for so long is terrifying. When you start to look at your life, you realize that every friendship, every memory, every decision you’ve made has revolved around the Church. But you still have life to live that holds new friendships, evolving friendships, new memories, and growth. Many people are in this exact situation. You will be able to share your pain with someone who understands. The weight on your shoulders will become manageable as you begin to realize that you will always find a place to belong.

I want you to know that your opinions matter. If the bells of uncertainty and uneasiness ring relentlessly inside of you, it is okay to question it. It comes back around to the God given right to choose. You matter. Your opinions matter. You were sent to this Earth to learn, grow, challenge, be challenged and to find happiness. God created you and He created difference. Always remember that.

Whatever path you decide to follow, I hope you find joy.

I believe in you. I love you. I am here for you. And so is He.

Be happy & love endlessly.

XO Lindsay

This post has affiliate links.

 

If your house is anything like my house, there’s no time for basically anything. Even after signing up for monthly cleanings and started using a laundry service (which you can read about here: http://bit.ly/2hxEmER ), I still can’t find the time to go to a store and pick out my own clothes. Sign up for these services and make your life easier as they get delivered straight to your door:

Home Chef 

We love home chef at our house! My little people refuse to eat anything I make, unless it comes from a Home Chef box. The meat is always great quality and I often cook it plain for the little people. The big people in the house, love the recipes. I have never had coleslaw I liked before Home Chef! It’s easy to sign up and select the meals you wish to receive each week. It is hassle free to skip a week (seriously, you click a button), or change meals from the meals that are pre-selected for you.

Sign up here: http://bit.ly/2hunxce and get $30 in FREE food when you sign up! Seriously, what can be better than full meals delivered straight to your door, reading for cooking. No need to have ANYTHING on hand. Who needs the grocery store?

 

Stitch Fix 

We know you don’t have time to go to the mall and shop thru dozens of stores, try stuff on with kids yelling they are bored, and actually find what you need. Why not let a stylist do it for you? Stitch Fix requires a $20 “styling fee” which is applied to any of the five items you purchase out of your box. Schedule your box here http://bit.ly/2hq3FDZ ( I don’t do the membership, just the time to time, however, choose what is best for you!) and receive a 20% discount if you keep all 5 items!

 

Adore Me 

Because I know you need new lingerie to go with those new duds you will be wearing from Stitch Fix! Adore Me is a monthly membership where you can log in and select a bra and panty set (or other lingerie) to be shipped directly to you at discounted prices! Use this link to get your first set for under $25! http://bit.ly/2ifHP8r

 

Birch Box

Where else can you get makeup and skin care products, customized to you, delivered start to your door? and it’s only $10 a month! Then, send 5 minutes reviewing your products and get $5 back to send on items you love! Sign up here http://birch.ly/2iGn7NR and get your products on the way!

Amazon Prime 

2 day shipping on basically anything you need? Yes, please! At less than a $100 year, it is well worth the money! Realize your going to need toilet paper? Ship it to yourself and have it in 2 days.

 

Rent the Runway
Rent the Runway offers two options: to rent a single clothing item (or two) for a short period of time (this option is great for formal events) or a subscription service, where you receive $40,000 a year (according to their site) in designer clothing you choose! With the unlimited subscription options you choose three items to receive in up to 2 sizes at a time. You can keep the items as long as you wish and exchange them 1, 2, or 3 pieces at a time. Either option comes with free dry cleaning, free shipping, and free insurance. Check it out here —-> https://goo.gl/06r3qz

Now, that we have are you all set up, you can relax knowing you will have food in the fridge and appropriate clothes to wear!

 

 

 

This post contains affiliate links.

1. Your wow’d when walk in the lobby.

2. They have breakfast, but you have to pay for it.

3. Room service looks like this.

4. There’s Real coffee spoons in your room.

5. Family pool v adult pool

6. Hotel has a private beach for families and a separate one for adults

7. You are served drinks, food, and have a cold towel boy while enjoying the sun, sand, & ocean

8. Your hotel has an outdoor spa on the beach

9. You don’t have to leave the hotel.

10. You don’t have to clean up your own mess.
Photos are from our Christmas trip to Key West. We stayed at the Casa Mana (gotta get those Hhonors points!)

     

Discloser: This post contains affiliate links.

 

Yes! You can actually earn money by grocery shopping! Follow one simple rule: no rebate is too small! and you will be earning cash with your next trip to the grocery store.

Download these 3 APPS to get started today:

Ibotta – offers cash back on products you buy weekly at the grocery store. My favorite ? They offer money back for “any brand” items, fruits, & veggies. Simply, select your store, then the item (sometimes they require you to watch a 15-30 second video or answer a question to unlock the deal).  Sign up here : https://ibotta.com/r/owgwkxi and use code: owgwkxi  to earn $10 when you redeem your first rebate. Watch your money add up and cash out when you hit $20!

Checkout 51 – very easy to use! I love the selcet your own offer option, where you can select a fruit or veggie you bought that week for cash back. Sign up here: http://www.checkout51.com& cash out when you hit $20!

Walmart Savings Catcher – simply download the Walmart app & upload your Walmart receipts to the savings catcher feature and earn money on items that have a lower advertised price. The catch? Unlike, Ibotta or Checkout 51 you can only redeem the money in the savings catcher for Walmart gift cards.

My Young Living box arrived with my Premium Starter Kit last week (at a super fast rate)! Because we were away on our trip to Key West I wasn’t able to open my box until now. 

First, I open my Dewdrop defusser. ((Super easy to use, and wow! Does it put out oils! I bought one on Amazon a couple weeks ago for cheap and it doesn’t work nearly as well as dewdrop. I put Christmas Spirit in it and you could smell it thru the whole house (best part, my door was closed and it still went thru my house! )) 
This is the top of a very nice box my oils came in.I open it to find these 12 oils staring back at me. 
It also, had a sheet to help me sort thru my oils.

Lavender – promots relaxation and sleep

Peppermint Vitality – supports normal digestion, and all the other wonderful benefits of peppermint

Frankincense – helps with the appearance of smooth skin, use in a relaxing massage, or diffuse for meditation.

Copaiba Vitality – promotes wellness

Lemon Vitality – diatary supplement

Thieves Vitality – Immune Support

PanAway – great for use following physical activity

R.C. – diffuse to inhale or dilute and apply to chest, neck, & throat

Purification – neutralizes odors and enhances the air when you diffuse

DiGize Vitality – supports normal digestion

Tea Tree – creates an aromatic environment, can moisturize the skin, used in a lot of spa products

Hidden away in the bottom of the box, Stress Away oil, NingXia Red x2 (nutrician supplement), little bottles to make my own mixes & carry friendly versions of oils, & sample packets of oils with small, description cards to share with my friends! ((Or use as travel size))

The freebies have already started! I got a free bottle of Chrismtas Spirit! ((Already defused it and it was amazing!!))

Want one of your own? 

Use this link to get one:
https://www.youngliving.com/vo/#/signup/new-start?sponsorid=10856298&enrollerid=10856298&isocountrycode=US&culture=en-US&type=member

Questions?

Email me at thekeptwife@thekeptwife.org

This post contains affiliate links. 

Stephanie at http://www.hermommyside.com shared with us her article on spending more family time! You can read more from her at:

Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.com/HerMommySide/

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Her-Mommy-Side-Blog-126953794440445/

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/hermommyside/

We all look forward to those special moments with our family. Even if all we get sometimes is 30 minutes or an hour before bedtime.

I have to admit, there has been those crazy days that led me feeling regretful as I tuck my little girl in bed. I should’ve sat down and played blocks with you little longer.

I realized that no priority is greater than making time to spend with our family.

Spending quality time is so important when it comes to building those strong family bonds. I sat down and really thought about how can I create more time for them.

As moms we get overwhelmed with daily duties and obligations too easily making it difficult sometimes for what matter most to us–our family.

Juggling between the roles of being a wife and mother and trying to find that balance, where I can create and maintain time for everyone was not an easy task. I knew I needed to make something to challenge myself to be more effective each day, so I can spend more quality family time.

PLAN AHEAD MEALS

Talking about sitting down and writing out your meal plan for the month.How I Made More Family Time #mealplanning

Basically, I thought to myself what I could do to shave some time off my hands each day, and not stress or worry about the dreaded “whats for dinner?”

I tend to throw together fast easy meals, or leave the crock pot on all day. I try to incorporate all the food groups- key word try anyway. Gather up your favorite family recipes that you cook often and make a list. When making the list, look over and see if you can find a meal you can double the batch so your have leftovers one or two days of the week. This really helps when saving time!

Here’s an example of my October lunch menu I use with the kids. I change it up every month, and this way you can plan each month’s grocery list, which also saves a bundle on money as well as time!Sample Menu!

GET A CLEANING SYSTEM

Keeping up with daily chores is something I’ve never been good at, but following a schedule that I can do!

The laundry and dishes pile up each day, and there’s no escaping it! I would end up putting it all off until the end of the evening when the kids were in bed. Long story short, this didn’t help me or my family. Mostly, resulted in one tired and cranky mom. Not to mention, I came to dread the evening because I dislike it so much. Some nights I skipped and told myself I’ll do extra the next day. Not A Good Cycle! There’s no benefit from this method of cleaning.I thought it was the best option, because I got to be with the family longer, but it only made things worse in the long run.

Here’s an awesome cleaning schedule that I really liked from The Good Home Blog ((Found here http://blog.goodhomestore.com/quick-cleaning-tips-from-the-good-home-co/. )) How I Made More Family Time in 5 Steps #cleaningschedule

I use the same layout pretty much, only I prefer to get all my laundry done for my family in 3 days every Monday-Wednesday. Doing this saves me a little extra time
.

Once you get in a habit every day, it becomes a second nature and makes everything so much easier at home.

Get yourself something that works for your family, whether you need a daily system like mine or decide to split the chores up with your husband, pick a system and stick with it!

You will see results in your home and end up having more time together as a family stress free.

Do you have a meal plan or cleaning system? I’d love to hear your schedule tips!

BEGIN A TRADITION

This could be as simple as a family movie night where you pop some popcorn and camp out in the living room or try your luck with game night! There’s so many different games to play, your bond to find a few the whole family will love.

Another good choice is pizza night, only get the kids involved and make one from scratch.

Not only are you beginning a tradition, your creating lasting memories! A tradition could be anything. Lets say, everyone could use some more fresh air, then go for an after dinner walk as a family. Maybe open a book and take turns reading stories together. This is a good one to use when you notice everyone is always on media devices, it opens up the door for more family communication.

The key is to keep it going either each week or couple times a month. The kids will start looking forward it and so will you! It is surprising how much we can learn from them!

Having a family tradition set in place really helps us stay in tune with each other, especially after a long week.

INVOLVE THE KIDS

I cant always play with my kids every second of the day, unfortunately that’s life. I would feel guilty having to tell my daughter “could you please go find something to play with while mommy cooks dinner”, or “please leave the kitchen, so I can sweep up real fast”. I came to realize that in her mind I’m ignoring her while she trying to talk or show me something interesting and would rather cook or clean. But that’s not the case at all! I love hearing what she has to say, I guess I took for granted these moments, just in order to get a few quick things finished. When on the contrary, why don’t I involve her more in what I’m doing?!

Young kids love to be around us! They crave that attention, and want to be apart of whats happening. You can easily sit them in front of the TV and have them watch their favorite show while you hurry to fold clothes, but why not ask them to help.

I do this now with everything!How I Made More Family Time in 5 Steps #involvethekids

You can create more time as a family just by involving them more. Both my kids love to help when I’m cooking. Make sure to give them age appropriate tasks and watch them glow.

When its time to switch the clothes from the washer to the dryer, my toddler loves when I hand him the clothes! He has such a blast putting them in the dryer and shutting the door for mommy. He even likes to pick up his toys, when we pretend it’s a game.

Not to mention the life skills, and values were teaching our kids as we involve them. Try it, you’ll see what I mean!

EAT MEALS TOGETHER

Growing up, my family all sat in front of the TV with our dinner trays out all ready and would eat silently watching a favorite program.

This became the norm, for my family especially in the beginning because that’s all we new how to do. It was too easy to turn on a show and slowly chew your food as you gaze at the screen.

As the days continued this way, I thought to myself what I am teaching my kids as they grow… Do I want them to learn table manners, respect, and open communication? The answer is yes I do!

I decided to change things up at home around meal time. I tend to put a lot of effort in preparing a nice meal for the family, and it just feels better to have it served family style where everyone gathers together and helps set the table. This really made a difference for my family.

This created more quality time just by eating meals together. The quintessential family dinner, is AMAZING! I started doing things this way, and never looked back.

We’re all able to talk openly together about our days, laugh over jokes and enjoy each others company while eating a great meal.

These days you have to also take into consideration the kind of presence to set. That is why we remember to keep the electronics off the table, hats off, toys or any other distraction away during this time. Really taking the time to eat together this way makes a huge difference.

Good luck with making more family time in your home! Its about creating those special memories each day, so slow down and enjoy them while you can and make the most of your time.

Discloser

The 2009 the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) revised their guidelines regarding testimonials and endorsements (both you will see on this blog) to protect the public from companies paying for initially misleading information. Because of this, I felt the need to disclose the following to my readers (you):

• My blog and its content is a source of income. It will, at times, we used to promote services, products, and other businesses.
• I promise to only review products I have tried and even if a product has been given to me free of charge, I promise to be honest with you.
• I may not be able to note the mention of affiliates every time they are used.

Privacy 

• I will never share your personal information (including email) with a third party.
• I do not store information about your visit to my blog, other than to analyze and optimize your experience here at The Kept Wife. However, you can turn off your cookies by changing your browser settings.
• I am not responsible for content shared without my permission.
• I use third party advertising  companies to serve ads when you visit The Kept Wife. These companies may use aggravated information in order to provide advertisements that may interest you.

 

These policies were updated on December 26, 2016 and are subject to change at any time. Feel free to contact me with any further questions and I will assist you to the best of my abilities. Email me at thekeptwife@thekeptwife.org