Hemp Hearts Product Review and GIVEAWAY!!

I was provided an opportunity to try Manitoba Harvest's Hemp Hearts as a Sweat Pink Ambassador through FitApproach. All opinions are my own and are my honest thoughts on this product.

I will be honest, I had absolutely NO idea what Hemp Hearts were before I tried them. I know that I've heard a lot of talk about how healthy Hemp is and I know a lot of people that have been snacking on various Hemp snacks. So as soon as my Hemp Hearts package arrived, I wanted to know more about what the benefits were and how I could use these mighty little seeds, so my first stop was manitobaharvest.com where all my questions were answered!

So, why Hemp Hearts? Here are the top 10 reasons from Manitoba Harvest to give them a try:

That's just 10 of the reasons to try them but I'm sure there are a lot more. So why did I want to give them a try after reading all about them?

My # 1 reason is the Omegas and the Protein! I also love all the other things about them like the magnesium, that they are easy to use, vegetarian, etc., but for me, I'm always looking for ways to get a little boost in my food without adding a ton of extra stuff. So with Hemp Hearts I can sprinkle some on my oatmeal in the morning, throw some in a salad, mix it into a protein smoothie, sprinkle a little on a PB&J...you name it, I can do it because they really do TASTE GREAT and are very complementary to everything I added them to! So what do they taste like? They have a slightly nutty flavor  and are a soft, chewy texture. They don't taste all that different from other nuts or seeds, but pack that mighty punch of Omegas, Protein, Magnesium and more! So they are good for you and taste great. A winning combo for sure!

So this is staged photography at its best because that's just how I roll over here. 😂 Nobody will ever accuse me of not keeping it real. LOL But the important thing here is that some #hemphearts from @manitobaharvest are GOING DOWWWWNNNNN!!! And guess what? They are delicious!!! Packed with protein and Omega 3 & 6 they are complimenting my steel cut oats very nicely! Get some for yourself at www.manitobaharvest.com and get 20% off with discount code HHSP1015. #fueledbyhemp #sweatpink @fitapproach #SPA Giveaway coming on the blog soon...

A photo posted by Kristen Grimes (@kgrimes526) on Oct 6, 2015 at 10:43am PDT

And guess what? You can eat them straight out of the bag too - you don't have to add them to anything!! But just in case you want to get creative, Manitoba Harvest has a bajillion recipes on their website using Hemp Hearts and other Hemp products - you can check those all out here.

Pumpkin Hemp Pancakes? Yes, PLEASE!!!

Alright, I know you can't wait to try them for yourself now, right? But I also know you might have some questions about Hemp and its relation to marijuana. No worries, here's what Manitoba Harvest says about it: Hemp contains 0.001% Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and will NOT cause a psychoactive effect nor will our products cause a false positive drug test. Largely thanks to Manitoba Harvest co-founders’ advocacy efforts, hemp was demystified and Industrial Hemp was legalized in Canada in 1998. From there an industry was (re)born! For more on hemp history click here.

But if you want even more information about it, you can visit their very informative FAQ page as well! If you can't wait to try them, you can also get 20% off of anything in the store at www.manitobaharvest.com with the discount code HHSP1015

So now I know you REALLY can't wait to give these a try. And guess what, you have a chance to win a 2 ounce bag of your very own Hemp Hearts!! There's a lot of giveaways going on right now for this product, so if you have already won on another blog, please leave this opportunity for someone else that hasn't had a chance to win yet. Pretty please, and thank you!!!

It's super easy to enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. The contest will run from today, November 3 through November 12 at midnight. Good luck! Winner will be contacted by email and will have 72 hours to claim their prize before another winner is selected.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!!!!

Vixen Capri Skirt Giveaway Winner!

I feel like a broken record at this point because life continues to derail me from lots of little things...I'm actually really tired of feeling behind the eight ball all the time, but I'm working on it!!

Anyways, I'm here today to announce the lucky winner of my Skirt Sports Vixen Capri Skirt giveaway!! Please join me in congratulating Jennifer D!

Jennifer has been notified via email and has 7 days to claim her prize! There's still a lot of Skirt Sports Ambassador Captain giveaways going so if you didn't win this one, be sure to keep entering those others that are currently running or coming up in the near future. If you like my page on Facebook I will continue posting the contests there!

Lucky girl gets to enjoy one of these hot little numbers!

Or if you want to just pick up some sweet Skirt Sports gear of your own, use discount code SSPQL20 for 20% off at www.skirtsports.com!

My Favorite Season Celebration with a Skirt Sports Giveaway!

It's finally here...today marks the first official day of Fall! Where I live in sunny #SoCal it will feel like summer for several more weeks but it doesn't stop me from celebrating the start of my favorite season of the year!! I will be over here faking it with fall scented candles, football on the telly, autumn colors draped on my mantle, and goodies baking in the oven even if it means cranking down the air because using the oven heats up the entire house. LOL In other words, my fall freak flag is flying high, my friends!! #hellofall #football #fallbakinghasbegun #freakflagflying #favoriteseason

A photo posted by Kristen Grimes (@kgrimes526) on Sep 23, 2015 at 4:02am PDT

Finally - it is officially AUTUMN!! Granted, like it says on my Instagram post from this morning, we still feel like summer - but the PROMISE of Fall weather is lingering in the air just around the corner from here. This season never fails to get me excited! The football, the smells of candles and fireplaces, crisp mornings, sweaters, scarves, baking...oh it's just more than my little heart can contain!!! It's bursting with joy!!

I've been in full fall mode for several weeks already since we basically had fall explode in the house for the baby shower earlier this month, and I'm loving every moment of it. I got my bake on for the shower and having a dirty apron and flour dust in my hair brought me much joy. And one of the things I love the most about Fall is the sharing that this season brings - sharing my baked goods with my co-workers and friends, sharing family memories watching football games, sharing time with friends over warm tea or coffee, sharing updates while out running in crisp cool mornings, sharing gratitude during the Thanksgiving holiday. And now I get to share in a totally new way - I get to share a favorite Skirt Sports item with one lucky winner!!!

It's an item that is perfect for the cooler Autumn mornings as it has all the fun, flirty attitude of the skirt version, but is paired with capris for a little added coverage and/or warmth! Meet the Vixen Capri Skirt!

Check out those ruffles and asymmetrical hemline! And just like the Vixen Skirt, the waistband is a wide, comfortable band with continuous drawcord that works great for any shape. The capri bottoms are attached and feature lightweight wicking material that offers a "barely there" look and feel...and I can totally attest to that! They are seriously so soft and so light. They aren't compression material, so these are perfect for being active, running errands, or lounging around the house. Some of the other details taken from the Skirt Sports website:

• Built-in mesh capri is super light-weight giving you the barely-there look and feel
• Two pockets, one on each thigh of the capri allow you to carry your running essentials
• Features Skirt Sports GoSoft Jersey (skirt) and Sweetest Mesh (capri leggings) with wicking properties
• 100% polyester Under Skirt Liner in capri for extra moisture management
• Comfortable wide waistband with continuous drawcord puts you in control, offering you choices
• Two rows of ruffles circumference the bottom of the skirt with a slight lift on the right side
• Sonic Music Port under skirt waistband for media headset cord
• Skirt length (medium): 11.5 inches on right front, 13.75 inches on left front and back

Something else that you don't see in the picture on the website is this really awesome leg stitching in the same razz color featured in the skirt! Check it out...

Check out that side stitching detail! Such a nice touch!

It just shows the attention to detail and style that Skirt Sports puts into all their designs! The Vixen Capri Skirt is available in the Buzzed/Black print shown above, or in Black and in sizes XS to XXL! I know that I can also add that I love the coverage I get in the Vixen Capri Skirt - the skirt hides all the right stuff in all the right places! LOL I'm definitely going to get a lot of use out of it as the mornings cool down in the coming weeks.

So here's your chance to celebrate Fall with me by entering to win a Vixen Capri Skirt of your own - just use the Rafflecopter widget below. But if you just can't wait to get your own you can use discount code SSPQL for 20% off of any purchase right now! Good luck!!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fine Print: As a Skirt Sports Ambassador Captain I have been provided items free of charge; however, all opinions of the products and company are my own. The full prize value has an approximate retail value of $75.00 US. No purchase is necessary and will not increase your chances of winning. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and have mailing addresses in the US or Canada. The giveaway begins on Wednesday, September 23 and runs until midnight on October 7, 2015. The winner will be announced via a blog announcement on October 8, 2015 and will be contacted via the email provided at the time of entry. The winner will have 7 days to claim their prize; in the event the prize is unclaimed at the end of the 7-day period a new winner will be selected until the prize is claimed. By entering the giveaway you are authorizing the release of your information to Skirt Sports for the purpose of notification. Personal information will not be used or sold by The Pursuit of a Quality Life or Skirt Sports.  By entering this giveaway you release The Pursuit of a Quality Life and Skirt Sports from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the giveaway or delivery, misdelivery or acceptance of any prize. 

Free-Wheelin...

I don't know if my three readers noticed that I actually published on my schedule of Monday-Thursday almost every single day in August! The only day I missed was the very last one on August 31st...whomp, whomp. And then I've had a hard time getting on track so far in September. There's lots of reasons that look a lot like excuses if I examine them too closely though, so let's just agree that life hit me like a Mack truck this week and I'm working hard at digging myself out from under the 18-wheeler.

So I'm going to just share some random pictures with you all today (broken links, so I've removed them as of 12/31/18) so you can see what I've been up to lately. I spent some time at Michael's recently as we are in the midst of planning a baby shower for the little dude that is expected to arrive in October. I know I mentioned that my daughter, Melissa, is expecting her first and we now know that it is a boy! His name is Gavin and we are super excited to meet him next month. She's due on October 22 and we will be having the baby shower on the 12th of this month. Expect to see more on that in upcoming posts.

That's how I kicked off my weekend on Friday afternoon! Nothing like a stop at Target and Starbucks to get drinks for all the girls...especially on one of the HOTTEST days of summer. Seriously, last week was absolutely ridiculous. 106ish degrees with some humidity to boot. I think the evenings cooled off to about 78 degrees. It was not fun, but we paid our dues apparently and have been rewarded with very nice lower than average temps this week. High of 92? I'll take it!!

I had an awesome weekend getaway with the hubs! We stayed at The Portofino Hotel & Marina (if you didn't guess from the life preserver around Sir Barks-a-Lot's neck hahaha) and it was so nice!! The hotel was fabulous and we had awesome views of Kings Harbor in Redondo Beach. If you are ever in Redondo and want a really nice hotel on the waterfront, you can't go wrong with The Portofino (totally not paid to say that...I just think it was an awesome hotel!). We were down in the Long Beach area for my cousin-in-law's 40th birthday party, so we decided to make it a beach getaway weekend and I'm so glad we did. Of course, it left me feeling like I didn't get a whole lot done and I started the week feeling like I was already behind. But that's okay...sometimes we just have to pay the price so I'll quit complaining about that one. #firstworldproblems right? hahaha

Got to have an awesome, if not super humid, run along the beach! My training with Coach Tiffany is going really well so far and I felt great! Stopped to take a few pictures and that one of me running is my first try at doing a run selfie...I definitely need more practice at that! LOL

So, Stand Up Paddleboarding - also known as SUP, is something I want to do SOOOOOO badly!! I'm definitely going to be looking at renting a board and doing a couple lessons to see if it is something I will enjoy. I had no problem picturing myself doing a run along the beach and then jumping on a SUP board for a little swim and paddle in the ocean during the hot summer months of training. I would definitely say that learning SUP is a need, not just a want. :-)

I will leave you with some little goodies since this post is so random and all over the place. Skirt Sports is letting their Ambassador Captains giveaway their favorite product over the next several months, so there will be a LOT of various giveaways running where you have an opportunity to win different items. I will be running my own later this month, so be sure to check back on the first day of Autumn to win one of my faves! But in the meantime, I will share with you each Thursday the Ambassador giveaways that have gone live so far! So this week I have two for you:

I don't have a Lioness myself, but I will say that the gals absolutely RAVE about them! Just click the image to visit Kate's page!

Aleksandra is giving away a Jette skirt! Click on image to visit her page!

Alright - that's all I'm going to dump on you for today...I'll be back to a regular posting schedule next week.

Question: Have you done Stand Up Paddle Boarding or is it something you want to try?

SunRype Giveaway Winner!

First off, before we get to the important part, I just want to thank everyone that took the time to enter the giveaway! I'm still fairly new to the giveaway game as this was only my second one EVER!!! And this was really my first one that I contacted my reps and asked for some items to bulk up the prize pack so I could, hopefully, make it worthwhile for my readers. So, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU SO MUCH for your support!!!

Second thing, if you didn't win but are interested in trying some SunRype, please email me at kmgrimes26@gmail.com with your shipping address and I will send you out some SunRype love with a few samples. See, so everybody's a winner! *wink*

And please take a moment to visit and Like/Follow SunRype on their social networks - they have a lot of really great contests and coupon offers all the time:

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Finally, congratulations to my winner, Ruth C.! I've already contacted Ruth and will be sending out her prize pack this week. Way to go, Ruth - hopefully she enjoys every single flavor!

Hodgepodge, Potpourri, Call it What You Will...

I have such a variety of information I want to share with you guys so I'm just going to kinda do a little brain dump this morning.

Motivation...That Fickle Friend
I wrote a post for the FitApproach team the other day discussing motivation and how she can be such a fickle friend always disappearing when you need her most. But when you couple her with your "girl squad" of Consistency and Accountability that Motivation will want to hang around a lot more often. You can check it out in its entirety by clicking the link or picture above.

SunRype Prize Pack Giveaway
Don't forget that you still have time to enter the SunRype Prize Pack giveaway that is going through this Sunday, August 23rd! Lots of great 100% fruit snacks, a visor and a tote bag are up for grabs...don't miss out on your chance to #tastethesun!

Skirt Sports Virtual Boobie Run
Join Skirt Sports for a Virtual Run that is all about the "girls"! You can run it anytime really, but the actual date is September 12, 2015. You can choose to run 8k (just under 5 miles) or 8 miles - you choose the route, you get your girlfriends together, and you run for a great cause! Plus, with your registration you get a voucher for $70 to purchase a new bra so your girls are supported for every run and activity. And here's the really awesome part - you can use SSPQL20 for 20% off of the registration! Registration is normally $60, but with the discount it is only $48 AND you get the $70 voucher...so really, you are MAKING money by registering for this race!!! (And yes, I use that justification with my husband on a regular basis...LOL). Post your pics to social media using the hashtag #REALwomenmove and #skirtsports and share the love for the ta-ta's! Don't forget that when you use the #REALwomenmove hashtag you are also helping new runners get started through the Skirt Sports Kick Start program so that's like a HUGE bonus to using that hashtag. It's a win-win!!


Are there too many races?
I read the article (click the link to read) recently in the print version of Running Times and found it very interesting. It appears that more and more cities are starting to look at limiting the number of races that they issue permits for because they could potentially have a race every weekend or multiple races on a single weekend especially in areas that are considered "active" such as Denver Colorado. On the one hand I love that there are so many options available and that running is experiencing such a boom! On the other hand, I do understand the frustration of people living in these areas with streets getting shut down, or you have that other trend of races getting cancelled last minute because companies go under or because they didn't meet their registration quota.

Question: What do you think? Are there too many races in your opinion?

Taste the Sun - SunRype Prize Pack Giveaway!

It should be no surprise that I absolutely love SunRype fruit products! When I was selected in early 2014 to be a SunRype Ambassador through the Active Ambassadors program I was super stoked to share my love for the product and brand with others!

As it says on the SunRype website, their products are made with only fruit, and sometimes some veggies. But that is it. They are 100% fruit. Plain and simple. I love that I can eat them and have zero guilt about it. I also love that they are so portable. I can throw them in my purse, a bag, my hydration vest...you get the idea, I can throw them anywhere and have a fabulous snack anytime, anywhere. Looking over the FAQ page you can pretty much get any question you may have about their products answered. Such as: Do their products have preservatives. Answer: No! How about artificial flavors or colors? Nope. And what about animal-sourced products? That would also be no!

Great for taking on the Trail! 2 1/2 servings of fruits & veggies in that single bar!

And in case you're wondering if they can possibly taste good seeing how they are actually good for you - that would be a resounding YES!! These are seriously delicious! The FruitSource bars are thicker and a nice chewy texture without being overpowering. It's basically a bar of fruit that has been mashed together. And the 100% Fruit Strip is more like a typical fruit rollup. Perfect for the little ones or if you are looking for a lighter snack.

So now that I've sold you on this deliciousness, let's get down to the real deal!! You can find these at most local grocery stores in the produce section; not in the fruit snack aisle. You can also purchase them in bulk on Amazon. BUT here's your chance to WIN a SunRype prize pack!! Here's what you can win:

• 1 SunRype Tote Bag (this thing is AWESOME! It has two small internal pockets for cell phone or lipstick and a larger side pocket)
• 1 SunRype Visor by Headsweats (this is the kind with the nice wide elastic headband and a black under-visor to reduce glare - it's also machine washable!)
• 5 SunRype bars of each flavor (45 bars total!)
• 100% Fruit Strip Flavors: Strawberry Watermelon, Wildberry, Raspberry, Strawberry, Strawberry Banana*
• FruitSource Flavors: Strawberry, Blueberry Pomegranate, Mango Strawberry*, Mango Mangosteen

* Fruit & Veggie bars

Some fine print for this prize: The giveaway is sponsored by The Pursuit of a Quality Life with products that have been provided to me free of charge.  I am an Active Ambassador for SunRype and have not been provided compensation by either company to promote the brand; this giveaway is not affiliated with SunRype or Active Ambassadors in any way.  All opinions and thoughts are my own.

One winner will be randomly selected and notified via email. Winner will have 7 days to claim their prize and if unclaimed another winner will be selected and notified. Email addresses and personal information provided will not be shared in any way, shape, or form and is for contact and verification purposes only. The giveaway will run from August 13 to midnight on August 23. Winner will be selected and notified on Monday, August 24, 2015.

Enter below using the Rafflecopter widget and Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Skirt Sports 13er - It's Not Half of Anything...GIVEAWAY

I absolutely love that the Skirt Sports refuses to call their 13er a "half" marathon. I've done 4 half marathons and 1 full marathon and I can tell you right now that they are both very challenging in their own right. Just because it is "only" 13.1 miles, doesn't mean it isn't going to change you in the process of training and running one!!

This is what Skirt Sports says about it on their website: 13.1 ain’t half of anything, it’s a whole race and a big milestone we’re going to celebrate together. For those that can’t join us for our Lousiville, CO 13er, let’s all train together virtually and from mile 1 to 13.1, we’ll have a #runcelebration.

Skirt Sports is holding their 13er Race on June 13, 2015 in Louisville Colorado, or absolutely ANYWHERE with their virtual option! And guess what - you have a chance at winning a Basic Entry valued at $85! As a Skirt Sports Ambassador Captain I have been provided with a free basic entry to either the actual 13er in Colorado or the Virtual 13er for one of you lucky readers. And don't worry if you aren't up to running 13.1 miles - you can also register for the 5k or 10k options and still get all the same awesome swag!

The winner will receive the following with their race entry:

• An awesome finisher skirt! 
  
• A $50 gift certificate to Skirt Sports to be used for absolutely ANYTHING you want!! Keep in mind that on full priced items you can use discount code SSPQL20 for 20% off. (If the item is already on sale or discounted please do not use the discount code as you will be contacted to pay the difference and may delay your order processing)
• A 13er Race Bib
• Swag Bag items from the race sponsors
• Monthly training tips newsletter

And in addition to that, you get to run 13.1 miles with thousands of other awesome women (and men - you all want a skirt too, right??) across the globe! What's not to love, right?? So enter to win using the Rafflecopter form below.

BUT if you don't want to wait to see if you won, or don't want to take any chances, you can register for the race at any time and can use that same discount code (SSPQL20) for 20% off the registration price. To register for the live event in Colorado click here and for the Virtual option click here.

Some details: I have been provided the race entry at no cost to me by Skirt Sports. All opinions regarding the race are my own and have not been influenced by Skirt Sports in any way. The contest opens on 5/13/15 and will close at midnight on 5/20/15. Winners will be notified by email and by entering to win consent to provide their email address to Skirt Sports so they can receive a special congratulations from them. Skirt Sports will not sell, provide, or use the email for any other purposes. Winners have the option of upgrading their registration ($125 or $275 gift certificates upgrades available), but will be required to pay the difference above and beyond the $85 basic entry fee.

Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway