Showing posts with label Fun. Show all posts

Fun times

As you may have read in yesterday’s post, August was sort of hard.  I hit a lot of road blocks that needed addressing. The good news is I was also able to have some fun throughout the month. I mean it was, “technically” the last month of summer. I couldn’t only use it to contemplate life and not have any fun.

Here’s a quick rundown of things I did. Expect more details to these in the coming weeks!

August 5: LulaRoe in house Pop Up party (I am OBSESSED)

Please excuse the cat hair on my shirt...

August 6: Bridal Shower (Stay tuned for a whole post on this)

Love my girls!

August 12: Celebrated my moms 60th birthday!

August 13: Pampered myself with a massage
 
August 26: Mini trip to Allentown with R (More to come on that)

August 27: First trip to the shore in years! Had a blast!


August 29: Dessert night with a bunch of friends

Baby lemon bundt cake.. yummmm

So there you have it. I had a pretty good August when it's all said and done. Looking forward to September and all that will come with it. Wedding and possibly something else.. Can't share yet though!

But because I love you all, I will leave you with this picture of Grace.. because cuteness!





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If only I were a Youtuber...


Sometimes I think I should be a youtuber who drives around in my car and talks to you all. We'd have amazing conversations about life, important topics, and of course some powerful car karaoke sessions. Then I remember I don't like to be on camera and I probably wouldn't sound as good as I think I sound when I'm driving around talking to myself.

It was a great thought, but honestly I have some of the best thoughts and ideas when I'm driving. I talk out loud and sometimes record what I want to say here. Problem is, is sometimes saying it out loud and then writing it down don't sound the same to me. I know, I'm weird.

Although being the youtuber would have been in my favor this week when it came to blogging because 1. I would have gotten more posted this week. 2. No photos to take. And 3. I think there would of been some great content out there. (Maybe ;)

For real through I'm glad it's Friday. I had some much planned this week for posts, but didn't get the time in to finish them. Posts were written, just no photos to go with them.

Life kind of fell in my lap this week and suddenly my original to-do list changed from blog stuff to wedding stuff that needed my attention immediately.

I am hoping for a nice sunny weekend where I can get those photos taken on top of the rest of my original to-do list.

But for real.. should I do a random YouTube video here once in awhile?

Stop back on Sunday to see my Sunday Snap. More updates on what's coming next week and a little peak into the tea party I attended last Sunday. Happy weekend!

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10 facts you probably didn't know about me

Let me (re) introduce myself. Because some of you are brand spanking new to my blog (Welcome!), and others have been here awhile (Thank you!), I figured it was time to give you a few facts you may not have known about me.

Me and my Grace 

Also it's Friday, and who doesn't love a fun post.. And quick reminder. I will be out of town through Tuesday so maybe follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat which my user name is thetrishlist
to keep up with my adventures..

Well let’s start with the basics. As you all probably already know, my name is Trish

Now on to the more fun items:

I was born on December 31st. I always hated sharing my birthday with the new year. As a child, everyone was on vacation for the holidays so my party always had to be held earlier in the month. When I became an adult, no one wants to party with you unless you are having the “better” party. I have learned to just go with it and be grateful that I always get the next day off because, hello it’s New Years day. 

Both of my parents are twins. I don’t have children yet, but have been warned I may end up with little twins of my own. Not sure how I feel about that yet. 

I have a Bachelor degree in Marketing, but also decided along the way to get a certificate in interior decorating, makeup artistry, and got certified as an optician (I can make you eyeglasses).  

I really enjoy reviewing products. It must be the marketer in me. A few years ago when I was having financial problems, I lived off of freebies. I applied for everything I could because it would be one less thing I had to figure out how to buy. Now my situation has changed, but I still enjoy the frugal life. I love a good freebie, or sale. 

I have Lymes disease. I was lucky enough to get this under control before it really did some damage to my body. I still have aches in joints that slow me down from time to time, but for the most part I’m healthy and I keep moving. 

I got engaged on my mother’s birthday. She was just as thrilled as I was. I will always remember that day as a happy day because my mom was brought into the world that day and I said yes to marrying my best friend. 

I moved to Los Angeles when I was 21 to intern at an entertainment marketing company. I have some of the best memories from that time in my life and still have long time friends. 

I don’t like to drive in a car as a passenger. It sometimes gives me bad anxiety. I have been known to close my eyes while in the car if I am not driving. This stems from a very bad accident I was in as a passenger. I was the only one injured severely, so I now have trust issues. It’s not you, it’s me. 

I am a huge music nut. I am usually the person people come to ask who sang what song and when it came out. I also have worked a few tours in my time. They were some of the best times of my life. Music keeps me moving. 

I have had the same cell phone number for 15 years. I got my first cell phone my first year of college and have held on to that number ever since. No one else has ever had this number, so when I get a wrong number call (which is VERY rare), it truly is that they mis-dialed. It’s a great feeling. 

I hope you learned something new today. Thank you again for sticking with me! I don't think I mentioned this yet, but at the end of each post I will post a random fact about this page. Keep an eye on them. I am probably going to do a giveaway based on those facts..  

*The Trish List fun fact #3: I don't think I am good writer, but The Trish List is sometimes my favorite place to be. Writing for all of you.


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Never feel guily for having fun

Today I wanted to take a minute to catch up with you all. I have once again been a little MIA. This doesn't mean I do not care about this space, nor does it mean I do not care about all of you. If you read my goals for December you would have seen that I am using this month to let loose and have fun. I think this year has been a very hard a stressful one for me. I rarely let myself just relax and enjoy the little things around me.

I am trying to get back to a place where I can feel like me again (More about that soon. I promise). The me that enjoys travel, and playing with my makeup. The me that gets excited over entering sweepstakes and gets that child on Christmas morning feeling every day when I check my mail. The me who loves to laugh with my friends, no matter what the situation is.

I want to be the best person I can be, and right now the way I am doing that is by disconnecting a little more and spending more time on things that I enjoy. I have been writing a lot. I have been coloring in my adult coloring book. I have been entering more sweepstakes (There are SO many 12 days of Christmas giveaways going on right now FYI). I have been spending time with friends.

It has been a really great experience for me and it is allowing me to deal with some of the issues that have put me into this hole. I am able to wake up feeling more cheerful and less drained. I am hoping to be able to continue that feeling through the month and into the new year.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Do lots of fun things and don't feel guilty for it!

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Periscope!

Happy Monday! To be honest I have never been so happy to see a Monday. This past weekend was intense with all of the moving, rain, and tension because of being tired, cranky, and overworked. This is what moving a whole house can do to you in miserable weather.

So today I wanted to bring a little sunshine (because hey if you're in the northeast you probably haven't seen the sun for days..) and announce something fun. If you're a fan of The Bachelorette and are on Periscope, join me and my partner in crime, Nikki tonight as we broadcast live during the show. It's sure to be entertaining! You can follow me at @TrishListBlog and Nikki at @nicoletta182.


Pour  yourselves a glass of wine, turn on The Bachelorette and let's have an entertaining convo about all that drama! Hope to see you all there!



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Happy Easter

Hello blogland! I am headed off for the weekend to visit my folks. Haven't seem them really since Christmas. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and that you spend it with loved ones. I will see you all right back here on Monday with a new post. I hope the Easter Bunny is good to you and brings you lots of peanut butter eggs.. or me.  That's my dream candy :)

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And then it was April

 Well another month has come and gone and now it's time to see how it went. I spent most of March organizing and preparing myself for my move. That was my monthly goal. I can't say I kicked butt this month like I did last month. This is mostly because my move out date got pushed back to the end of April so I have more time to get it together.

Another goal was to keep on reading. I finished 2 books and started a third. I am feeling good in the reading department. I wasn't as social this month as I was last month. This was partially because the weather was nuts and I was trying to focus on my apartment and some personal issues.

March brought the first day of "Spring" and the Spring Blog Staycation. Even though March was pretty bi-polar with its weather swings, the Blog Staycation was pretty fabulous. You can read all about that here.

I have a few opportunities to write for a some other blogs, which is super exciting. Keep a lookout for that. I also have a new series or 2 that I will be unveiling this month. So yay for progress and growth here on the blog!

Now for my favorite part of March. All. The. Goodies.I fell in love with some new products and I want to share them with you! (I received all of these products for review purposes. All opinions are my own and are honest. The Pura D'Or is sponsored by Brandbacker)

Company: Pura D' Or (www.puradoroil.com)
The first thing I want to mention about this company is they are certified organic and no not test on animals. A win-win if you ask me! The conditioner contains no parabens, SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), or harsh chemicals. It is made from 99% vegetable ingredients.

Product: Argan Oil Premium Organic Conditioner in Lavender Vanilla
The first thing I noticed when using this product is it smells AMAZING. The lavender and vanilla work really good together. The product itself its a creamy texture. The directions ask you to apply a small amount to your hand and work through your hair. Leave it on the hair for 2 minutes before washing out.

The outcome: The product worked in well to my hair. It never felt to oily or thick when applying. I left it on the full 2 minutes before washing it out. My hair felt very smooth, and again not oily. After showering I normally blow dry my hair, so I proceeded as normal. My hair looked straight, smooth, and very shiny. I really liked how it felt and made my hair look, until I went outside. My hair was full of static and was all sticking all over my face. That part bothered me because I am one of those people who can't stand my hair on my face.

The next time I washed my hair I used my regular conditioner and my hair seemed back to normal. Hoping it was a fluke I washed my hair on my next wash with the Pura D'Or conditioner and unfortunately my hair went right back to static city. Maybe it is the argan oil? Anyone have any ideas on what may of caused the static issue?

Product: Argan Oil for Body, Hair, and Skin Treatment
I love that this product comes on a glass bottle.  To use this product you can apply the oil as a daily moisturizer, morning and night as a treatment to heal, protect, and condition from head to toe.

The outcome: I have been using this as a hang moisturizer when I get up in the morning. I have applied it to my face at night a few times and I am surprised at how quickly my skin drinks it up. It leaves my skin feeling smooth and soft. I need to dabble more in using it on my breakouts to see if it helps at all. Will update you all on that in a few weeks!

Overall:  I think both of these products are high quality and can do amazing things for your skin and hair. I am still a little frustrated about the conditioner but I am hoping as the weather changes maybe the static reaction will too! Argan oil is pretty neat stuff and I really do recommend these products if you are interested in them.

Product: Tide + Febreeze Laundry Pods
Can I just say how much I love Tide? Thanks to Influenster for introducing us :)  I am one of those folks who loves when my clothes smell pretty. Yes I enjoy the fresh scent of clean clothes right out of the dryer. I love it when it lingers for days.  And I also love how convenient these pods are. I currently live in a complex setting where I have a shared laundry facility. So now instead of lugging up my detergent AND my fabric softer on top of all of my laundry, all I need to do it throw in a few pods and off I go. Super convenient folks!

The Outcome: I love how easy these pods make my life. My clothes comes out clean, smelling fresh, and soft. No more need to carry extra bottles. I recommend these if you need to frequent the laundry mat. You will thank me.


Product: Wonka Randoms Gummy Candy
Okay I needed to get this off my chest and these candies are allowing me to do it. I am a gummy addict. No joke if there were meetings I would be their number one attendee. I was super excited to get these from Smiley 360 to try and review. As you can see this is a mere photo of a photo of these bad boys. I could not contain myself and ate them all within a few days. 

Outcome: I had so much fun eating these. They had all kinds of flavors and textures. Everything I could ever want in a gummy. If you are into gummies, these are for you. Find them in your local grocery store and get randomizing folks!


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Influenster XO VoxBox + Giveaway!

Man do I love a good box full of goodies (For free!). I got another VoxBox from Influenster in February and it always excited me to see what's inside! I did a quick unboxing of it here. This particular box was called the XO VoxBox. Let's get straight to the goodies:


Colgate Optic White Toothpaste and Toothbrush with Built in Whitening Pen: I have tried these products out in the past with Influenster. I liked the toothpaste and the whitening pen that came with the toothbrush. The toothbrush itself was very harsh on my gums. It felt very abrasive and I didn't feel like it was making any difference other then sore gums. I give the toothpaste and pen a B and the toothbrush a D.


 Tide + Febreze Laundry Pods: I gotta say I was really excited for these. I really love the pods for laundry. They are convenient and make laundry time easy. All you have to do is pop in the pod and you are all set. I liked the smell of these and how soft my clothes felt after washing. I give these an A!


Skinfix Hand Repair Cream: This stuff was okay. It didn't strike me as any different then any other hand cream. There was no scent and it made my hands feel less dry, but again nothing special about this particular formula that I noticed. It is in sample size so it's convenient to throw in the purse for on the go use. I give this a B.


 Frizz Ease Beyond Smooth Shampoo, Conditioner, and Primer: I really loved this product, but since I started using it, I  have broken out on my neck. I am not 100% sure if it is a coincidence or if something in the formula caused it. I have never broken out before on my neck/hairline before where my hair hits so I am hoping it is just a freak thing cause I really liked how this made my hair feel. Because of the breakout possibilities I am going to give this a B.

Along with the products this box also included a free month of Adore Me, a sleepwear/lingerie company. I was able to pick something out for Valentine's Day which was pretty sweet. I picked out a cute romper and it even arrived on Valentine's Day! I really love it. It's good quality and fits well.
I will be doing a review on that soon so stay tuned!

 If you have any interest in this service, you can sign up using my --->  referral link and your first purchase is only $25. I also just noticed they carry swimwear just in time for the warm weather! Check it out cause you can't beat $39 for a new bathing suit ladies (or $25 using my link)!



 I have to say overall I was not as impressed with this box as I was with the last 2 I received. 2 of the items in the box were items I have received previously from a brand challenge. Maybe it's just me being cranky but I give the overall box a C. I do this because again 2 of the items are from a previous box and 1 of them possibly broke me out.

As always if you are interested in Influenster, you should sign up! It's one of my favorite sites!

What do you guys think? Good box or could it of been better?

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I am so excited to be participating in such a fun giveaway this month! Thanks to Emily over at the Freckled Fox for hosting such an awesome giveaway! Get yourselves all signed up and entered cause who wouldn't want to win a new CAMERA?!
It's an amazing feeling to send off such an amazing camera to one of you guys, knowing what a massive difference it will make for your blog or shop, or just every-day photography in general:) Even better than that though, is introducing so many of you to this group of such lovely shops, and such hard-working and inspiring woman! I can't tell you how relationships online have influenced my life for the better, so make sure to take a minute and go say hi!
Dressing Dallas      |     Emma Cristy      |     Hello Rigby     |     Dottie Box
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I'm so privileged to have the support of such an awesome group! There are so many involved because we wanted to amp up the prize package, so settle in with a favorite beverage or snack and don't miss out on any of the many entries! You never know which one could be the winning pick!! Here we go:


A couple specs about the giveaway:
- the giveaway will run for ten days after which the winner will be selected at random, contacted, and announced via this post, the post of the day, and all social media outlets! Please check all those places before asking weeks later who won? :)
- Again this is open internationally! hooray!
The winner will receive the Canon Rebel T5i in a kit with an 18-135mm lens, a battery and a battery charger, camera case, tripod, SD card, lens cleaner, and lens hood:) 
- Winner's entry will be verified before the public announcement.


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Lets talk about me!

Christine over at The So-Called Homemaker said I should fill this out so I’m going to!  I encourage all of you to do this, too…such a fun way to get to know each other!

Favorite pet I ever had:
Oh my what a hard question. I have a a few cute little handsome kitties steal my heart in my life. I still have 2 of them around. Bean and Rocky. Both living with my parents and as happy as can be!

Favorite food I’ve cooked:
I really love to experiment with food. Lately I am experimenting with lots of healthier options and I have really enjoyed cooking sweet potatoes. They are so versatile and good for you!

Teacher who changed my life, and why:
My photography teacher in high school really touched me. She always drummed to her own beat and taught me it was okay to do the same. Don't be like everyone else just because its easier. I still love photography and she really helped me fine tune the eye I already had. 

The best paid entertainment I’ve ever seen:
I am a huge music fan. I would have to say some of the concerts I have attended have really blown my mind. Both on the local bands and professional levels. I don't think I could choose just one but that is always my escape when I choose entertainment. 

Favorite hobby activity that makes me get lost for hours:
Freebies and blogging. I get so sucked into all the things that the internet has to offer. I love to sit and read great blogs and search for my next freebie. Sometimes it sounds silly, but I have it down to a science and its worth it.

My greatest skill (past or current)
I have excellent listening skills but I still think I am pretty great at photography. I enjoy it and I know a lot about it. I could talk to someone for hours about it if given the chance.

The best advice I’ve ever been given:
No one has the right to discount your own life or choices. They may disagree with your choices but that doesn't mean they get to make you feel bad about it. 

My favorite flower or plant – personally grown:
I love lillies. They are beautiful and always come back every year just as beautiful as ever. 


The most favorite gift I’ve ever gotten – what and from whom?
My boyfriend took me away to Maine within the first few months of dating. It was an absolutely beautiful weekend with beautiful memories. I will always keep that in my heart and as a gift I will never forget!

My most suspenseful moment:
Waking up from a bad car accident not knowing where I was or if anyone else was alive. It was the most suspenseful and frightening moment of my life. Something I will never forget but wish I could.

My most unexpected achievement:
Moving to Los Angeles and being able to survive by myself alone in a big crazy city!

My favorite paid employment, ever:
Hmm.. Probably working in the prep-room of a world class spa. It was only part-time but it was so fascinating to learn about that world and how quick those ladies and gents have to move in between massages and facials. So much chaos goes on behind the scenes of such a relaxing place!

The favorite dessert I’ve ever eaten
I love cheesecake of any nature! All flavors and varieties!


The most scared I’ve been by a bug or critter:
Hmm.. I don't know when the last time was I was really scared of anything like that. Not many memories of crazy critters or bugs. 

My favorite household chore:
I really do enjoy vacuuming. I could vacuum all day if you let me. 

Favorite item no one knows I own:
What an odd question. I don't think I own anything that I love but no one knows about it. 

The prettiest shiny object I’ve ever owned:
Well.. at the moment I haven't owned much that was shiny except these shoes! lol

 
Favorite outdoor smell:
Burning of leaves in the fall. Such a great time of year.

Favorite song I ever danced to and with whom?
I'll get back to you on this one.

The favorite place I have ever traveled to where I’d spend my whole life if I could?
The Bahamas. I went for a whole week and lived like a local just enjoying the culture. It was so great and beautiful.

The most significant change I’ve had to go through and how it made me better:
Moving myself out of state away from everything familiar. I had to learn to live and I have really made my own life that I am proud of. It has been hard and there's been plenty of bumps, but it's been very rewarding as well.

Favorite environmental sound (rain, thunder, etc.)
Rain for sure.

Best time I’ve had playing with a pet
I love getting my parents dog all wound up. He gets all jumpy and dances. He is an English Bulldog so that can get very fun to watch.

The favorite picture I’ve ever taken?
That's a hard one! I have so many, but let's go with this one: It's like the sign is saying "Stop and look up! It's so beautiful up there!




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Announcement!

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. I know up here in the tundra of NY we had some pretty awesome weather. Yeah it was only 40 but man was that nice! So today I wanted to make a special announcement. If you have been following me for awhile, you are already probably familiar with that I'm about to tell you. Drum roll please...

I am teaming up once again with Julie from Girl on the Move, and Jen from Jenerally Informed to bring you the second installment of The Blog Staycation! If you remember, we did the first ever
Blog Staycation back in August of 2014 and it was a huge hit. Unfamiliar with it? Let me explain.

The blog staycation is a span of 4 days where you dedicate yourself to working on your blog. This means taking care of some of those to do lists, bring more productivity, and meeting some other fantastic bloggers! You can choose whatever it is that you want to work on. You can participate in all 4 days or only what works for your schedule. We will be hosting Twitter and Facebook chats to get everyone pumped up!




Here are the important details that you need to know!

Who Can Join? ANY bloggers…doesn’t matter where you live or what kind of blog you have!

When Is It? The Blog Staycation will launch with a Twitter party on March 25th at 9pm EST.  Then the fun continues all weekend long and here’s the great thing…you can do as much or as little as you want!

What Will Happen? We’ll kick the party off with a Twitter chat and then from there you can decide how you want to participate.  You can stay in your house all weekend and just work to your hearts content on your blog.  You can join in a few Facebook chats over the week to get support and ideas for some of the things on your to do list.  You can choose to just set aside one hour a day during the weekend and work on  your blog.  Do what works best for YOU!

Anything Else?  We can’t tell you everything, because there needs to be a few surprises!

I Have a Few Questions…We’d love to answer those for you!  Comment below or email me!
Got it? Get signed up below!
 I want to participate in the Blog Staycation!

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Where my short girls at? This one's for you.

I measure in at a tall 4'11". Yeah you read that right. You're probably thinking, "aww that's so cute! Everything must look so cute one you!" Wrong. I swear people who make clothes assume someone of my height should also be a size 0. Not only do I need to be a size 0 but I also have to have no chest or booty. In the words of Meghan Trainor, I am all about that bass.

So today I wanted to talk a little bit about the struggles I have encountered being under 5 feet tall (in gifs!)

1. Maxi Dresses. Nuff said.

2. Men love to call your shorty. Like I've never heard that one before guys.*rolls eyes*

 
3. You can't ever escape the words "Short" or Petite" because all of your clothes indicate your vertically challenged height on them.

4. No matter who you stand next to, you always feel like a small child.

 
5.Nothing is ever set up correctly for you. It's assumed everyone is at least 5'7".

 
 
6. Shopping online is a nightmare for pants. If I've never worn the brand before I normally won't purchase online. 
7.Me trying to get onto anything high up. It especially looks true to us shorties trying to get into a large truck.
8. "You can lose weight so much faster because your're short." Um what? Yes that was said to me once.

9. Exercise equipment is not always petite friendly. See exhibit A.

Yeah there's the story of my life. Always the short end of every joke. No pun intended. I think I am going to do a short series on the struggles of being a short girl. I will most likely post places to shop and ways to make your height work for you. What do you think? Would you read? Lemme know if the comments!


Are you short? What drives you nuts about your height? Tell me :)

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10 Awesome Things - March

Today I am participating in Love the Here and Now's link up- 10 Awesome Things. I missed this last month, so when I saw Anne's reminder tweet I made it a point to sit down and start a draft. Lots of amazing things going on, so 10 awesome things will be easy to list ;)

1.  We have had 5 full days of temperatures in the double digits. Folks after weeks of negative and single digits, this is SO awesome! 30 degrees is the new 70 degrees! (I kid, I kid but seriously, yesterday I went out at lunch and was like, do I need a coat? No it's warm out. I'll just put on the fleece. True story.

2. I am apartment hunting! If you read my March goals yesterday I let out a little ditty about moving out of my apartment at the end of this month and then moving AGAIN in June/July to an apartment that better suits the needs of both me and my boyfriend. Because I have somewhere to go at the end of this month, it isn't as stressful as it could be so its pretty freaking awesome to look at all those new places!

3. I am FINALLY starting to lose all of that stress weight I put on over the past year. I added 30 pounds to my small frame (I am only 4'11") making me the heaviest I have ever been.  I was really beyond frustrated with the weight being I was working out 3-4 days a week on top of cutting back portions and eating healthier. The belly fat was just not budging! I owe it mostly to my Thrive supplements and my new favorite past time: Yoga.

4. This dress. So. In. Love. Awesome. 


5. St. Patrick's Day is in March and I am as Irish as they come. I have made it a tradition to make the trip home on the weekend that is closest to the 17th (It's on a Tuesday this year) to have corn beef and cabbage with the folks!

6. I ordered some new hiking sandals on Sunday in hope that it will hurry winter along. I am just dying to get out for a nice hike in the state parks. Unfortunately it's been so cold this winter, I haven't gotten to go at all.

7. Coffee. Cause who wouldn't add it to a list of awesome?

8. I joined Bulu Box. I am so excited to receive my first box this month! My interests have changed so much in the past year. I am pretty sure I am cancelling Ipsy for this. Oops!

9. Blogging has finally become a habit for me. I don't feel like I need to force it anymore. (Well not force it cause I don't like it, but you know what I mean right?) My creative mind is flowing.

10. Lots of awesome things coming this spring on the Blog. I am hosting my first ever e-reading challenge. It started on Sunday. There is still time to join in!

Looking forward to rocking March with all of these awesome things!

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Currently

I have never really done one of those currently posts, and I thinking about all of the things I have been up to lately, so might as well fill everyone in.

I am currently:

Reading: My Notorious Life by Kate Manning, Such a good book!

Watching: Preparing for House of Cards Season 3 so I have been re-watching season 1 and 2.

Wanting (Materialistic): I am really wanting a tablet. Not sure yet if the iPad Air 2 could be on the list of possibilities. What do you think?

Wanting (Life): A new job. I am ready to spread my wings and finally start building my dream.

Source: Facebook





Planning: An event to remember. Can't talk about it yet though ;)

Hoping: I have lost some weight since my last weigh in a month ago!

Over: WINTER. Need I say more?

Wearing: I am love with my new winter coat. I figured this year I needed an upgrade with all of this brutal cold and snow.

Travels: None planned yet but something should be in the works soon.

Blog: Considering some changes. Lots of ideas being thrown around in my head. I consider May 1st my blogiversary because I officially moved over to Blogger and posted more regularly. If I wanted to get technical I started officially blogging my 1 post a week on February 23rd. So maybe some real changes by May 1st :)

What are you all up to? 


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2015 E-Reader Reading Challenge


Hello there my reading loving friends. Today is the day. I am announcing my e-book reading challenge categories! Now notice I keep saying e-book. There is a real good reason for this. A few weeks ago I opened up my kindle and noticed I had a TON of books. I'm a digital book hoarder folks. The struggle is real. I think I enjoy downloading books more then reading them. Odd. I know. So it got me thinking that there's got to be others out there like me.

Now the original thought was to set up categories and have you pick books out of all the books that are already downloaded to your e-reader. It sounded fun and all, but I can also understand that there are people out there who DO NOT hoard books like me. So in order to make this a fun affair, I want to invite all e-readers into the challenge.

Now here are the rules:

*The challenge will run from March 1st to May 31st. Books you are currently reading are not eligible to be used in this challenge. You must start these books on March 1st.

*All books MUST be available on e-readers. I will check to make sure it is as I am offering a prize at the end of this.

*You must finish all books by the deadline. A no brainer, I know.

* Additional points will be added to those who do pick all books from books already downloaded onto their e-reader. Now we are going with the honor system here folks, so lets be honest.


Now here's the categories:

#1 A book with a one word title - 5 points
#2 A book already downloaded that you have not read - 4 Points
#3 A book you would be embarrassed to admit you read (And tell us why) - 3 points
#4 A book with a color in the title- 4 Points
#5 A non-fiction book that will better your life (Example: The Happiness Project) - 4 points
#6 Pi Day is March 14th- Pick a book with 314 pages (Pi = 3.141592653) - 4 Points
#7 Daylight savings is ending and Spring is coming- Pick a book with the word Spring, Daylight, or Savings in the title. - 4 Points
#8 April Fool's day is coming, read a humorous book - 4 Points
#9 April 22nd is Earth Day. Read a book about Nature, the Earth, or living "Green"- 4 Points
#10 May is the kickoff of Summer and a time where we remember our veterns: Read a book with Summer or Remember in the title.  4 Points

You can accumulate 40 points if you follow this list exactly. If you are able to pick a book from each category that you already had downloaded on your e-reader I will give you an additional 5 points for each book. If you pick all of your books from current downloads your points will double so a total of 80 points. Again please be honest with this. I can not physically see each one of your e-readers to check so please be honest when logging your books.

I will give away a $25 Amazon gift card at the end of the challenge. All participants must be signed up (by linking up to this you are signed up!) to be eligible for the drawing.

Thank you all and good luck! Can't wait to see what everyone will be reading!








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Irish Cream Brownies

Yesterday I posted an Instagram photo of one of my favorite Valentine's day treats. It is super easy and super delicious. You can whip this up in under an hour. Be prepared to get asked a lot for the recipe because it's that good. Now prepare to be wowed at how easy this is.


What you need:
1 box of brownie mix (Choose any kind)
2 Eggs
Oil
Water
Heavy Cream
Baileys Irish Cream
Powdered Sugar

Instructions:
Follow directions on brownie mix. Cut the water measurement in half and add the Irish cream as your other half. Bake brownies an extra 5 to 6 minutes.

While the brownies are baking get out a mixing bowl. Pour half a pint of heavy cream in and mix on low. Add half a cup of Irish Cream and 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. Whip on high until you have a stiff cream. Chill in refrigerator.

Allow brownies to cool. Once brownies are completely cooled (this is important), cut into squares and set on a baking sheet. Spread a big scoop of the Irish Cream whipped cream onto each brownie. Place the brownies in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Now wasn't that easy? Serve chilled and enjoy!





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High Five for Friday!

Oh my word has it been a week.  I was so happy to see Friday rolling around, and H54F to save my sorry butt for having NOTHING prepared. I'm not 100% sure why this week was such a disaster. Maybe it was the fact that it snowed EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Or the fact that every one at work was in just as great a mood as me and that didn't mesh well for anyone. No matter what the reason was, I am just so glad we made it to today. I am sure I have 5 positive things somewhere in this week to talk about.

#1. Influenster. That website just makes my whole week. I won a challenge a few months back and it promised me into a VoxBox soon. They put me into the XO box and I couldn't be happier! It's even more exciting because I just wrapped up the Frosty VoxBox, which was a lot of fun! If you are not on Influenster you are missing out folks! Seriously the link is right here----> Join Influenster


#2. I am participating in the online baby shower through Sampler. I participated back in October when they did it and it had such a great response they are doing it again. You are able to participate if you are pregnant, are an aunt/uncle, or grandparent. There are flash giveaways daily as well as sampling events. It's a pretty cool event. Make sure you like "Sampler" online to get involved in the next one as this one ends today.

#3 I am hanging out on Anne from Love the Here and Now's side bar for the next 30 days! I am so excited because I love Anne's blog and her approach to supporting her sponsors. She is a promoting machine! I love that. I can only hope to be as awesome as Anne when and if I decide to offer sponsorships on this blog.

#4.  I keep talking about this reading challenge. Now I suppose I need to get the word out. The challenge is going to start on Sunday, March 1st and run through Sunday, May 31st. This is going to be an e-reader challenge. I will post the categories and sign ups on Friday February 20th. This will give you all enough time to decide on books and all that jazz before the challenge begins. Can't wait!


 #5. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day! Whether you celebrate or not I have some pretty great last minute budget date ideas for tomorrow. Take a peek and see if you can bring out the romantic in you.

I hope you all have a great week! See you back here on Monday! :P