The deep dark cloud

I've been feeling really depressed and down the past few days. I have a lot going on in my personal life and suffer with major depressive disorder..so a spell like this is not that uncommon for me. True clinical depression is not something that can be easily described to someone that has never experienced it for their self ...it's not as simple as just feeling sad or having a bad day..it's an all consuming deep dark cloud that covers your world.

For me there is often no specific trigger..it just seems to come and go..but when I am under any amount of extra stress it does tend to bubble to the surface more frequently..it's hard on me..but it's also hard on my friends and family..I lose interest in the world around me and find little enjoyment.

I've had people tell me before to just "snap out of it" or to "buck up".. I really wish that it were so simple..I wish that I could flip a switch and everything would magically be ok.. unfortunately that's not a real option so for now I just go through the motions of day to day life and wait to feel better.

Win a full year of VIP FabFitFun subscription boxes AND a $500 LuLu's Giftcard!

Here's a great giveaway I found You can win a $500 LuLu's giftcard AND a year VIP subscription to FabFitFun!



Prizes: A $500 Lulu's giftcard plus a 1 year VIP subscription to FabFitFun Ends 8/08/14 at 11:59pm EST. Good luck!

Click the image or you can Click here to enter!

Date night with the Soudani's

So, that's what a date night looks like right now for my husband and I. I miss this man more than you could possibly imagine. Until I met Majed I never really fully appreciated when people would say that someone completes them. It's hard to understand if you've never had that feeling. Before meeting him I never even knew I was "incomplete" After being apart from each other for almost 9 months now I can say with certainty that I don't feel whole.

The stress of being away from each other is always present. When we talk we usually have at least one small argument over something silly. We're lucky for the fact that we recognize what the real problem is, we miss each other. So, our fights never last long. We also sort of have an unspoken rule that we never leave an issue unresolved and once it it resolved that's the end of it. I don't think that you can have a successful long distance relationship let a lone a long distance marriage without amazing communication.

We do our best to stay in contact. We text every day and have a standing "date" on Fridays and Saturdays. The time difference makes it hard for us to talk to each other "face to face" more often but we do our best. Calling each other is expensive but my husband will also call me throughout the week even if it's only for a minute.

Inshallah (God Willing) , the rest of this time will go fast and easy. We are going through the immigration process and it's so expensive and so time consuming and in general stressful. I pray that we have strength and patience and that we are shown mercy and will be together soon.

Have you or are you now currently in a long distance relationship? What are your tips to keep the relationship strong while you are apart? I would love to hear your stories and personal experiences.

Win a Michael Kors Tote AND More!

Wantable has a new give away going on You can win a brand new Michael Kors Tote and more!



Prizes: 1 Michael Kors Tote, Wantable & Ettika Accessories Ends 7/23/14 at 12 CST. Good luck!

I've ALWAYS wanted to own a Kate Spade handbag, How about you? Click the image or you can Click here to enter!

Club W Wine Wins Giveaway!

Wantable has a new give away going on the Club W Wine Wins Giveaway!



RAISE YOUR GLASS AND CHEERS! You could win in a complete wine prize package including:

1 Club W Wino Starter Kit Wine Enthusiast 18 Bottle Slimline Wine Refrigerator Vivid Wine Decanter & Aerating Funnel Set 12 Bottle X-Cube Wood Wine Rack Rabbit Corkscrew 6 Piece Wine Kit Kate Spade Larabee Dot Stemless Wine Glasses Kate Spade Wine Tag Set

Contest ends 7/14 at 12 CST. Official rules in Privacy Policy. Open to US only, must be 21+ to enter. Good luck! Click here or on the picture to enter!

Herbal Essence Naked Review

I am a member of Influenster. Rescently they sent me some awesome new Herbal Essence Naked Moisture products to try.



The Naked Moisture line from Herbal Essence does not have heavy residues, parabens, and dyes. The moisture shampoo and conditioner restore your hairs natural moisture. It will leave your hair soft and smooth thanks to the natural mint extracts. The new products have a great smell of mint and notes of citrus and herbs.


I was sent all 3 products in the line to try. The shampoo, the conditioner, and the dry shampoo. Here's my take.



Herbal Essences Naked Moisture Shampoo

Like all Herbal Essence products I have tried in the past the smell is absolutely amazing! The shampoo is paraben and sulfate free which is a big plus for me. I really like products that are natural and don't use harmful or damaging ingredients.This shampoo is lightweight and gently cleans your hair. It doesn't leave your hair feeling overly dry and tangled.

Herbal Essences Naked Moisture Conditioner

The conditioner is also paraben and sulfate free. It smells amazing. I felt that the texture of it was a little thin for a conditioner but it left my hair soft, moisturized and free of knots.

Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo

Of the three products I was sent to try this was my favorite! I love dry shampoo because it allows me to go an extra day or two with out having to wash my hair. It's also great for a hair fix if you were out running errands (for me in the Florida heat and humidity) and your hair becomes oily. The Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo does not leave a residue it and it brings your hair back to life while making it smell amazing and you can't beat the price!

Try these products! You'll like them and save money. They work just as well and have a nicer smell than some of the more expensive brands I've used.

Follow me on BlogLovin

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Just wanted to let everyone know I am on BlogLovin if you wanna follow me :-)

I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July. Stay tuned for my review of some Herbal Essence products I received via influenster.

Snubbed

I interact with and follow a lot of brands and even more bloggers because of my interest in giveaways and sweepstakes but also because in some cases I am truly a fan of the various blogs and brands and just want to show my support. It surprises me how much of this communication only goes one way. More often than not I do not get a reply or any type of acknowledgement from the brands or bloggers that I follow. I have to admit this bothers me.

I understand that people are busy. I get it. I happen to be very busy as well. So, as a busy individual it’s kind of a big deal if I am using my time to tell you how awesome you are or how great your products may be. I’m also human. So when my compliments or questions go unnoticed or are blatantly ignored it hurts my feelings and I have to admit .. your lack of acknowledgement makes me think that you as a blogger or a brand are not as nice, friendly, or awesome as I had originally thought .

I know I am just one person in a world filled with billions but it makes me wonder how you treat other individuals. I think that if you ignored those people as you ignored me and if only a fraction of them felt as I do about it you’re losing the confidence of a pretty good percentage of the people that do business with you or take the time from their busy days to read your blogs.

I read something the other day that noted common courtesy is not so common any more. Maybe it’s time for it to make a come back?