Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Disappointing Products 9.30.2015

Is it really the last day of September? Somehow that is extremely shocking to me.. I don't know where the summer went let alone September. I'm not complaining or anything its just rare that time flies the way it has!

Anyways Tanya reminded me in the most friendly way that my blog game is slacking and well.. she ain't wrong now is she? So I thought I would grace ya'll with my presence today and share a few products that I have tried recently that wasn't worth the money I spent on them! But before we get into that if you have a minute I highly recommend checking out Tanya's latest post in honor of National Coffee Day, you can read it HERE!

As I have mentioned previously I haven't actually been trying as many products lately as I have in the last year because its not as convenient here to do so and I am no longer getting a Birch box subscription which is where a lot of my product sampling came from. However here and there I pick things that I have either heard are worth trying or that I have come across and picked up hoping for the best! As always there are going to be things that you love and things that you hate, I try and share both with you and as I mentioned before what didn't work for me may indeed work for you, this is all about my experience.

So lets jump in!

1. Wet n' Wild with Fergie - Velvet Matte Lip Color


This must be a super new product because I cannot find it online anywhere, not even on the Wet n' Wild website. I came across it last night at Walgreens for $3.49 and I am all about the matte lip color these days and I thought this would be great for fall. I immediately took it out of the package (after buying it of course) and tried it on. My first thought was that it was not at all the color it appeared to be on the outside, like not even close. Its also not as pigmented as I had hoped but it is buildable. I liked the consistency of the product, putting it on my lips it was really hydrating which is definitely not a given when it comes to matte lip products. It wears well, especially considering the price. If you are lucky enough to be able to swatch them before you buy them than I would say you are in good shape but they didn't have any testers at Walgreens and as I said this was not at all the color I had hoped it would be so definitely keep that in mind. 

** I just pulled the product out to swatch it on my hand so I could put a picture here of a swatch the when I pulled the lid off THE WHOLE PRODUCT CAME OUT, it was broken!!! I just bought this last night and used it once. Now I definitely wouldn't recommend it!! **



Let me just start off by saying that the regular voluminous butterfly mascara by L'Oreal is one of my absolute favorite mascaras of all time, so I was really interested in trying the intenza version and I absolutely hated it. First of all I bought waterproof which was my own mistake because I absolutely HATE waterproof mascara but because mascara isn't cheap I figured it was an annoyance I could overlook. What I found interesting about this product that is different than the regular one is the shape of the wand and how its actually hollow in the center, turns out that is not a good thing. I found very quickly that all the product gets stuck in the hollow center and therefore when applying the mascara it clumps on your lashes like CRAZY! Applying the product was absolutely miserable, I have pretty long and easy to work with lashes so it was definitely the mascara and most likely the wand. There is really nothing you can do to get it out of the center of the wand and when you do it happens all over when you dip it back in to pick up more product. I dealt with this twice and tossed it all.. don't waste your money or time. 



I believe that Sonia Kashuk is exclusive to Target so I'm not sure this is a product that will be available to you in Canada but if not you aren't missing out! There is nothing necessarily bad about this product but there is nothing great about it either. I don't find its great or has a very good lasting power. It is said to cost $5.99 on the Target website but I am positive I paid $3.99 so I am not complaining too much. I would suggest trying another brow gel over this one. 



Dry shampoo is a funny thing.. everyone has a different preference and depending on your hair type some may work for you and some may not. I have tried a TON of different dry shampoos and sadly this one did not work for me. I found it on sale for super cheap at Shop Rite one day so I grabbed it, I don't use a ton of dry shampoo so they tend to last me quite awhile. At first I thought I liked this one but truthfully you have to use it prior to feeling any greasiness in your hair because it definitely does not soak up grease. I would recommend this more for adding texture and grit to your hair for an updo or curls rather than trying to get another day out of your unwashed hair. I use texturizing spray so I personally would not purchase this again. 



I was looking for a cheap nail polish because most often I cant bring myself to spend $9.00 on a bottle of nail polish. Anyways I grabbed this one at Target one day and basically you get what you pay for. This line they are all $1.99 and they basically wear crappy. They apply alright but they are by no means long lasting and needless to say I wouldn't recommend it them. If you are looking for something for one day and you need a color you don't have they have a huge variety so grab it for cheap and use it for one day.. but that's about all they are good for. 



I was looking for a cheaper alternative to my OPI top coat because its $10.00 and well I guess I'm cheap. Truth be told I should have spent the money (and might have if they had it at Target when I went to look) because this one sucks. When I use the OPI topcoat on basically any nail polish it lasts me 3 weeks generally before I have to paint my toes again (I only paint my toes). I used this and by the end of the week I have chipping and because I'm a little OCD I have to repaint. Not cool. I say go cheap with the nail polish and spend the cash on the top coat.. just one girls opinion! 



I went out looking to purchase the new NYX brow pencil because I've heard its a dupe for the Anatasia Brow Wiz but it was sold out everywhere that I looked. I always hear amazing things about Sonia Kashuk from everyone and so I thought I would give her brow pencil a try as it was in the same price range as the NYX one I had been looking for and was a good color match for my brows. This product retails for $7.99. 
I really don't like it, you cant sharpen this so it gets extremely dull and therefore has no precision in applying. The texture is waxy and I don't care for the way it applies or wears throughout the day. Its not a terrible product but its not a great one either. With all the brow products out there these days this would probably be one of the last ones I would reach for. 



I love the smell of anything apple and now that fall has officially arrived I wanted the house to smell accordingly. I have always enjoyed Glade candles and wax melts in the previous years so when I saw this years fall scents I couldn't wait to grab one! These did not smell AT ALL, I couldn't smell them while they were burning, not even if I was standing right beside the burner. It was only $2.29 but that's not really the point. I don't know if I got a bad package or if its this particular scent because today at Big Lots I grabbed the Maple Tree scent from last year and its fabulous! So I suppose you could give it a try but I wouldn't recommend the apple scent sadly because it doesn't smell at all. 

So there you have it, a few disappointment products! You are never going to love everything you purchase and I don't come here to complain about them but more so to share my experience and possibly prevent you from wasting your money. 

I hope you are all having a great week! Thank you as always for stopping by! 


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Thursday, September 24, 2015

Fall Bucket List 2015

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!


I am soooo happy that it is officially fall and what is even better is that the weather is actually following suit! I expected it to be hot as hell at least through October but to my surprise the humidity is gone and the crisp air has graced us with its presence! I was so ready for this weather and this time of year, there is something about it that is absolutely magical! Fall has always been and will always be my absolutely FAVORITE time of you!



I thought I would stop by today and share with your my fall bucket list! I had intended to do this yesterday but the day literally flew by! You know those days where you look at the clock thinking it will be whatever time and its actually 2 or 3 hours later.. that was yesterday for me! Not that I am complaining I had a really good day, but I didn't get all that I wanted to accomplish done with the whole.. where the hell did the last 4 hours go! 



Yes I am going to share all the fall sayings I can because I seriously am so thrilled with the fact that its finally here and we plan to make the absolute most of it this year! A lot of years we plan to do a ton of fall things and then Jason works 7 days a week 12 hours a day and it doesn't happen. Or like last year we didn't get to go home much and were in the middle of a huge city and there isn't exactly a pumpkin patch on every corner! This year however things are quite different and I cannot wait to make the most of fall and all it has to offer!! I have put together a fall bucket list and I thought I would share it with you today! 


My 2015 Fall Bucket List


1. Visit an Apple Orchard

2. Visit a Pumpkin Patch

3. Have an Apple Cider & Apple Cider Donut 

4. Enjoy a Caramel Apple Spice Drink from Starbucks (its one of their best drinks!)

5. Take a scenic fall drive (or a million)

6. Do some kind of fall craft

7. Bake at least one old fall recipe & and one new (and share it with you guys)

8. Have a bonfire! 

9. Decorate the apartment (I usually don't but we'll never be home to decorate our house so this year its happening!!)

10. Burn all the fall scented candles

11. Go to a football game, not necessarily an NFL game.. but we are super close to Baltimore

12. Visit a corn maze (already looked one up)

13. Take a walk & explore somewhere new. 

14. Attend a fall fair

15. Attend a Veterans Day Parade

16. Go to the fair 

17. Stomp on crunchy leaves (because I'm 5)

18. Watch the sunrise, because this is the best time of year to do so. 

19. Enjoy the magical littler things and don't take them for granted.. seeing your breath in the crisp air, admiring the beautiful foliage, take in the amazing fresh smell in the air. 

20. Wear scarves & hats! 

21. FROLIC!

22. Take pictures with my camera

23. Watch Football.. obviously. 

24. Make Soup

25. Rake Leaves

26. Eat Candy Corn

27. Unplug from social media & my phone.. just enjoy life!

28. Drink Lattes.. and lots of them! 

29. Watch a fall movie (The witches of Eastwick) with popcorn

30. Go horseback riding. 

31. Hit up the Farmers Market!

32. Listen to Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

33. Major House cleaning.. inside and out! 

34. Make coffee with cinnamon in it. 

35. Visit a small town on a sunny day & take in all it has to offer. 

36. Try a new flavor of tea. 

37. Buy all things fall from the Gap (I have a birthday coming if someone wants to let Jason know about this one ;) )

38. Leave the windows open at night. 

39. Send snail mail. 

40. Enjoy each day. 

If you are interested in making your own Fall Bucket list or one with your kids you can click HERE for a link to a printable fall bucket list. 

Once winter rolls around.. *shudders* I will make sure to stop back and let y'all know what I actually accomplished from this list! I think I have a really good chance at checking them off this year as Jason and I are already in full swing of planning! We have been waiting for cooler weather to make the most of our weekends and it is finally here! Sadly this weekend they are calling for rain all weekend so we'll get some errands done, I plan to do some baking (also on the list) and of course FOOTBALL! 

Alright so there you have it, tonight is also the premier of all the ABC shows and let me tell you I am SO EXCITED! I hate that they conflict with Thursday night football but hey, that's what a DVR is for! 

I hope you have all had a great day, thank you as always for stopping by! 





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Tuesday, September 22, 2015

A Man Named Dave By Dave Pelzer

Good Afternoon,

Last night I spent a bunch of time planning some blog posts and in my book of all things blog I came across a note that I had made to talk about this book and somehow I forgot, big surprise. I haven't reviewed many books here lately although I do read a lot, for awhile I was reviewing so many that I thought everyone must be getting tired of it so I stopped.

I am 12 books away from my goal of reading 50 books this year and I feel really good about it, taking part in Good Reads book challenge is something I definitely plan on doing next year as well.

Anyways into the book! A Man Named Dave, by Dave Pelzer. This is actually the last book in a series of books about a terrible mother and the sons that endured her horrific abuse for years of their lives. The series begins with A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer, The Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer as well as A Brothers Journey by Richard Pelzer. This is the final book in the series by Dave Pelzer and although the other books were hard to read, and extremely well written this one really stuck with me.




I have to say first and foremost that this man truly is amazing, to endure the things that he endured and then have the courage to put it all out there in hopes of helping someone else. I believe the first books were cathartic for him, telling his horrific story and clearing his conscience in a way.. he really struggled with why his mother treated him the way she did and what he could have done to prevent it. This book however was coming to terms with the reality that was his childhood, how it affected him as an adult in his everyday life and relationships and how he had to forgive to move on. 

I cant even begin to imagine how he came to terms with forgiving the women who almost killed him, his very own mother. I really think he got to a point where he truly believed he exhausted all options in getting answers from his mother, he learned more about her and her upbringing and not that it excused her behavior but I think it allowed him to understand that although a large part of this was mental illness a big part was also a bad pattern of learned behavior. 

Its sad to think that back then things were so different, that child abuse wasn't as acknowledged and the hands of teachers and other adults who were well aware of the situations were tied. To know that a child is suffering at the hands of a parent and not be able to say anything, to make it go anywhere is a horrific thought. 

This book isn't about the abuse though, its about overcoming it and learning from it. Its about allowing yourself to be vulnerable and to get the answers you need no matter what the cost. Its about being embracing your self worth and knowing what it is. 

Dave Pelzer took the horrific experiences of his childhood, made himself a hardworking and admiral person but most of all he made himself an amazing father. He learned from his childhood and didn't continue the pattern and become it. He worked hard, he hit low lows and he absolutely deserved the highs. 

This book is truly inspirational and I am all the better for reading it. I would highly recommend that if you get a chance you read it too! 

I hope you are all having a great day! Thank you as always for stopping by! 


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Monday, September 21, 2015

If We Were Having a Chai Tea Latte...

Well good afternoon!

I've come to really enjoy our little chats over various drinks because sadly I don't get to do that with many of you in person anymore and I feel like we cover a lot of ground this way.. or at least I do, I suppose I don't learn much about whats going on with you but feel free to tell me in the comments.

I feel like I am going to regret choosing a drink with such a long name but I know you will all be shocked to find out I am just not a pumpkin spice latte lover. I am feeling incredibly over Starbucks lack of fall drinks so I am going with a oldie but a goodie.

If we were having a chai tea latte... you may actually be drinking something different, such as the above mentioned pumpkin spice latte.. I am OK with that.

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you that today's high is 69 degrees and it is downright glorious!! I am so excited for fall weather, I just want to go home right now and get all my sweaters and scarves. Sadly tomorrow its back up to 75.

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you there were a lot of upsets in football this weekend but I am still in the running to win the pool this week which is good, lets all hope the Colts win tonight!

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you that I was a little irked with Jason yesterday as he INSISTED on trying to stream the game yesterday because they weren't playing it on TV (apparently people really care about the Redskins) and the quality was super crappy.. like I couldn't even see the names on the jerseys, then it kept cutting out and alerting us that we had a virus on the computer.. it was SUPER annoying. We should have just went out.

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would suggest our next meeting be at Einstein Brothers Bagels because it may just be my favorite place ever. Lindsey and I went with Ava and Colton this morning because on Mondays you can get a 13 bagels for $6.00.. AMAZING! Its debatable which is better, their bagels or cream cheese! If you happen to have one around you, I highly recommend making a trip.. their sandwiches are delicious as well.

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you that Jason and I have taken up playing tennis a couple of nights a week and although I wouldn't say that either of us are good we are really enjoying it. I am trying to convince Jason I need a tennis outfit, no not a skirt and polo but either way he isn't on board. Men totally don't understand fashion.

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would ask how things are with you??

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you I have been having a really hard time finding topics of substance to blog about, I guess I have things I want to talk about but I always worry about others interpretation or how people may take it.. so I change my mind.

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you that now that its not boiling hot outside every single second of every day we are making good use of the sun roof in the truck and its making me fall a little more in love with the truck!

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you that I think they sold our old truck and we are both extremely sad about it. Funny story though, Jason mentioned that it was gone when he went to Home Depot last week and then Lindsey mentioned it as well because they too were checking when they drove by. Its a communal sadness basically haha.

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you I want buffalo chicken.. because I always want buffalo chicken but I am trying to refrain because I think Jason is getting sick of it and I really want to avoid that.

If we were having a chai tea latte... (this may not apply to some of you) I would tell you that I got new a bra from Aerie and I am telling you the quality may be better than Victoria Secret, shocking I know but I love it!

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you that the cool weather has put me in the mood to bake up a storm and my grocery list currently has all the ingredients for my favorite banana bread.

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you that I feel that pumpkin stuff is on steroids this year. So far I have seen but is not limited to... Pumpkin spice M&Ms, Pumpkin spice mini wheats, pumpkin fiber one bars, pumpkin cake & frosting, pumpkin cream cheese cookies, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin tea, candles, air fresheners, muffins of all pumpkin variety, pumpkin marshmallows, and the list goes on and on and on! Its nuts!

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you that I have been desperately searching for pecan pie M&Ms and I cannot find them anywhere. I am going to order them online if I haven't come across them in a week.

If we were having a chai tea latte... and talking about treats I would tell you that Utz came out with dill pickle chips and they are rufffles too!! WINNING! (If you didn't know dill pickle chips are a Canadian thing).

If we were having chai tea latte... I would tell you that our laptop is basically junk at this point. We have taken it in a million times at this point and it doesn't get any faster and now its telling us to get a new battery because this one is junk! We have a new one at the house so hopefully that will help until it actually dies and we have to buy a new one. Isn't it crazy the money we spend on a computers and you get maybe 2 years out of them. I know Mac's are different but Jason refuses to get one and I have given up on that argument!

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you that I have run out of books to read and for some reason the ones my mom is sending me wont go on my Nook or our tablet so I am screwed. However I did find a book store around here so I suppose I will have to hit it up soon.

If we were having a chai tea latte... I would tell you that I have laundry to do, floors to wash and a few other things to do so as much as I am thoroughly enjoying your company I should probably run!

Oh how I miss face to face time with so many of you! I hope you all had a great weekend and are enjoy the beautiful weather I hope you guys are all getting as well!


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Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Products Review 9.16.15

Good Morning,

I thought I would stop by today and review a few products that I have recently tried, I haven't done one of these posts in a long time because I am no longer getting a Birchbox which is extremely sad I know and on top of that I really haven't spent all that much time at Target lately which is an out and out tragedy.

So here are a few products that I have yet to talk about here and what I have been thinking of them. Like I always say when I review products these are entirely my opinion and what did or did not work for me, you may have a different skin type, or hair type and have a completely different result.

Lets jump in!

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint in Pearl


This product retails for $40.00 full size which it pricey I am aware but I am totally in love with it. I love that it is basically a BB cream with a bit of glow and sunblock without smelling of it! I do believe with this product you get your moneys worth because a little really does go a long way. I had a sample size from a Birchbox and I used it for about a month which is pretty significant for the size of a sample. If you are a little on the fence about spending that kind of money I highly recommend going into a Sephora, Ulta or Birchbox and trying it out, a lot of these stores will give a small sample upon request and I think you will really enjoy it. Obviously its not full coverage which for me is perfect, its really a your skin but better look.. healthier eve. It was great for summer because its not heavy on your skin at all and it will be great for winter giving your skin an extra bit of moisture. This is a big win in my book! 



These products are $14.00 for the full size, they have a botanical infused formula that cleanses and repairs damage, it is said to add volume and shine. The conditioner is made with refreshing peppermint and is said to detangle, hydrate, soften and tame frizz. The one good thing I have to say about these products was I really enjoyed the packaging, I thought it was super nice... but as far as good things to say that is as far as it goes. The smell was INTENSE and I didn't like it, I didn't feel that the product did anything it said it was going to do either, my hair didn't feel super soft after or detangled by any means, possibly if you have thinner straight hair it would work for you. I would not spend the money to purchase these products or use a sample if I ever received another one. 

I will say I haven't had much luck with shampoo and conditioner samples from Birchbox, it very well could be just me. If you have tried this product and liked it please tell me about it in the comments. 



I received one of these as a free gift in a Birchbox a couple of months ago and I am always excited to try different hair ties and what not because I tie my hair up a lot. I generally stick to the Goody ones you can get at Target but these ones are completely different so I was anxious to give it a try. Unfortunately my hair is super thick and this baby did not work for me, it would not go around my hair enough times to actually tie it up and stretching it enough was not going to happen. Again this didn't work for my super thick hair but I think if you had thinner hair it would be great. They do offer a variety of different colors if you are interested in giving these a try, for a package of 15 they retail for $18.00. 



This is another sample I received in a Birchbox and I will say this was the SMALLEST sample ever, enough for just one application and for some people maybe not even that. It claims to be medium coverage and that may be possible but you would have to use a lot more product, it also claims to control oil and I didn't feel that was the case. I liked the way it applied, I really liked the look of the foundation on the skin. I am pretty neutral on this product but considering it retails full size for $38.00 I don't believe I would purchase it, I have found a lot of drugstore foundations that I like just the same if not better. 



One morning Tanya and I were walking in Time Square and outside of Ricky's someone was handing out samples of this moisturizer, I was super excited as I love trying new products as you probably know. Sadly the product got thrown in my box of products to try and got lost in the mix of moving and so on and I just recently came across it again and decided to give it a try. First thing I will say it this stuff smells like straight up sunblock and its STRONG! I know a lot of people don't love that and I am one of them. On top of that it was really thick and greasy in consistency and my makeup did not sit well on it. After just one use my skin broke out terribly! I'm not saying this is a bad product but it definitely didn't work for me. If you aren't planning on wearing makeup and don't mind the smell of sunblock you may really like it. It does retail for $60.00 full size, so I am assuming someone likes it! 




I was like most everyone else and dying for a beauty blender, the hype was so extreme that I felt like my life was not complete until I gave it a try.. having said that I didn't have an issue with my brush application so biting the bullet and spending $20 on a sponge that I might hate held me at bay. For Easter this year Jason surprised me with an Easter basket and in it was a Real Techniques beauty sponge, he said he asked at Ulta for a Beauty Blender and they gave him this. I wasn't by any means disappointed as some people prefer this sponge over the Beauty Blender and those who don't often refer to it as the closest dupe. I really love it, for $6.00 you really cant go wrong and I promise you will see a difference in your foundation as well as concealer. Basically you dampen this sponge and use to it pat our your foundation and concealer. For me I feel like it makes things look so much more natural and blends so extremely well. If you are not looking to spend the money on the beauty blender but want to try a sponge this is definitely the one for you, I highly recommend it! 




I am a lover of cream products, blushes are up there on the list! I became a huge lover of the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush that I've talked about here before so when I was wondering around Ulta a couple of weeks ago and this stuff was on sale for $2.99 I was excited to give it a try. I went with a little bit of a darker color because I wanted something different from the products I already have and I am so happy I did. This stuff is great, its super pigmented, a little goes a super long way and it blends out like a dream! I dab a little on my cheeks and blend it out with a duo fiber brush and it works fabulously. If you by chance feel like you've put a little too much product after blending it out you can go over it lightly with your powder brush and it softens really easily. I really like this product and feel it has really great lasting power compared to a lot of brushes. They have a great color variety and I think its definitely worth a try! 

So that's what I have for today! I hope you enjoy these posts, I love watching and reading product reviews because a lot of times its a huge money saver! In fact I have recently come across Beauty Broadcast Express which is another Youtube channel by beauty guru Emily who I think is fabulous! This channel of hers is strictly to review beauty products and all videos are 5 minutes or less! If you are thinking about purchasing a new product but haven't heard a lot about it or would like to know a little more I highly recommend checking out her channel, flipping through her videos and seeing if what you are looking for would be there. 

I hope you guys have a fabulous day and are having a great week! Thank you as always for stopping by! 

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Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Weekend Recap!

Good Morning,

Two days in a row.. I know, I know.. basically unheard of lately but lets just run with it OK? This fall like weather is giving me life and thank the lord for that because I haven't slept in days! You know how it goes, every once in awhile my body says a big screw you and absolutely cannot sleep so I spend my nights tossing and turning, sitting on the couch all night watching TV and then eventually it goes away... here's to hoping that happens sooner than later!

Anyways I thought I would come by and recap our weekend, as I said before sometimes I know its not really all that interesting to you to know what we did all weekend and trust me that's fair, I totally get it.. we are not all that interesting but a lot of times I think it will be nice to read back years from now and have a memory book so to speak. In fact I have been looking into printing my blog like into a book, just for me to have... just a though.

But back to our weekend. I feel like I am drawing a blank on what we did on Friday. Jason got off work early as he does on Fridays.. we had dinner and I think we went out and did some running around, we must have. Ok so Friday didn't really mean much!

Saturday they were calling for rain but Jason and Dave planned to go golfing and I planned to go over and see Lindsey and the kids as I hadn't seen them at all last week. With all the plans in the air and getting together we figured we would have dinner together as well. Believe it or not it rained, I know I said they were calling for it but that generally means nothing so when it actually poured rain I was a little shocked. Jason and Dave went golfing in the morning anyways and drove together so I had the truck and planned to go about my plans as they were figuring Jason would be home a lot earlier than expected though. I was right. Jason got home early so we did a few things and than headed over to Dave and Lindsey's!

It rained on and off all day but we made it work! Dave and Jason are building a deck at Dave and Lindsey's rental house so they worked on that. We had a great dinner and then Jason and Dave decided to play football with the neighbors kids. The neighbors have two boys and a girl and the kids father is in the Air Force so he's not around a lot and the boys LOVE the attention Dave and Jason give them. The littlest boy is SO DARN CUTE, I literally want to take him home! He is so sweet and polite and such a joy to be around, so when they decided to play football he politely asked Jason to be on his team.. but then his game face came on! I sat on the side lines hysterical!

Dave was trying to instill better sportsmanship into the older one and the younger one was running around yelling out calls and falling into the ground waiting for Jason or Dave to come around and help him to his feet haha. At one point Stallion (the little one) looks at Jason straight in the face and says "WHEN I TELL YOU TO HIT, HIT IT!!!" I was seriously dying of laughter, I don't even think Jason knew what to say to him or how to respond! Then Stallion wanted to be the one to throw to Jason when they had to the ball, so he's standing there with the ball and Jason is running in circles while Dave and the kids brother is chasing him.. so the three of them are running in circles and every time Jason passes Stallion he's telling him to throw him the ball and Stallion is telling Jason to get back further.. they must have ran in circles for a good five minutes.. I was crying I was laughing so hard!! By the end of the game Jason and Dave were feeling like they weren't teenagers anymore, sweating up a storm.. I don't even know who won and I don't think it mattered, everyone had such a good time.. including me on the sidelines watching!

After that we went home, it was time for the girls to go to bed and the neighbors to go home. We came home and watched a special on the Patriots we had taped the night before, it was an amazing insight into the team and hard work that goes into their dynasty, totally worth watching!

Sunday morning we got up and went to have breakfast at Einstein Bagels, Dave introduced me to it while Lindsey was in the hospital after having Colton ad I have been thinking about it ever since. I'm not big on breakfast and never really care to go out for it but a bagel and cream cheese is a really nice treat. I swear there is something about a fresh bagel and this amazing cream cheese. They basically have every flavor and I cant say enough good things about them. We got bagels and coffees and Jason had his first pumpkin muffin with cream cheese frosting, he was thoroughly impressed.

After that we headed back to Dave and Lindsey's so the guys could work on the deck. Did I mention the weather was absolutely AMAZING on Sunday? It was the first taste of fall and I couldn't have loved it any more! We basically spent the whole day outside all of us in the backyard enjoying the amazing weather.. it was perfect! Baby Colton also got a nice taste of fall like weather and I would say he was a fan...


I am so in love with this babe, he is the tiniest, sweetest thing ever! He literally slept in my arms outside for what seemed like forever, he was really enjoying the fresh air. I could seriously snuggle him all day and it would never get old. 

While Colton was snoozing and Lindsey and I were enjoying the sun the girls were "helping" Jason and Dave with the deck! 


As you can see Lily was the biggest help of all, HAHA! At one point I looked over and she was on Jason's back and had a hold of his ears like she was holding on for dear life, it was hysterical. Jason is such a good sport though he absolutely loves the girls and when he wasn't doing something with the deck he was chasing the girls around the back yard, carrying them around on his shoulders or helping them be gymnasts on the piles of wood in the backyard! 

We had a great afternoon and by the time we left it was too late to cook a big ham for dinner like we had planned but that was totally fine with me, I don't care for a big dinner anyways and because we didn't have time we had sandwiches and salad which is way more my thing! We spent the rest of the night watching football.. it was a really good first week! The Patriots won on Thursday.. best way to start and I won the pool this week! 

Did you all watch the Cowboys vs. Giants game? If not you seriously missed out, poor Dez Bryant though, that is definitely going to hurt the Cowboys! 

So that was our weekend, the weather this week is suppose to be in the low 80s, still not fall weather but cooler than it has been so I will take it! 

I hope you all had a great weekend and are having a great week! Thank you as always for stopping by! 


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Monday, September 14, 2015

Old Recipe with a New Face

Good Afternoon,

So today I thought I would stop by and share with you the new face I put on an old recipe! Do you remember THIS recipe? The mini chicken pot pies? Well Jason has been asking for them for awhile now and seeings how fall weather is gracing us with its presence I figured why not?

The basics of the recipe are still the same, the crust and the filling but instead of putting a lid on this little pie so to speak were going to top it a little differently.

One change I made was to buy the honey butter flaky biscuits from Pillsbury, truth be told I just grabbed them and didn't realize but Jason really enjoyed it.

The second change that needs to be made is to bake the crusts a little before putting the filling inside to make sure the crust get crisp everywhere. I made six little pies and bought a package of 8 buns.. so the two extras I just pulled them into three pieces each and added the 1 piece each to the 6 buns. I rolled them flat and put them into the muffin tins. As I mentioned at this point when you have tucked the crust into the muffin tray you will want to bake the crusts alone for a good 10 minutes on 375 - 400. Make sure before putting your crusts in the muffin tray make sure to butter the cups so your pot pie will slip out without issue when you are ready to eat.

Prior to filling your pie crusts or starting any of the pie itself you will want to make some mashed potatoes! For 6 little pies I believe I used 4 regular sized potatoes. You can make the potatoes however you want, we like garlic whipped so that's what I did.. but however you like them go with that.




After you have baked the crusts you will want to take the crusts out of the oven and add your filling which you can find a recipe for in the post above.. or HERE.


Once you have filled your pies with your stuffing put them back in the oven for another 10 minutes or so until you know your crusts are fully cooked and your filling inside is hot! 

Hopefully your potatoes are still warm at this point, bring out your pot pies that are now fully cooked, switch your oven to broil and top your pot pies with your potatoes. 



As you can see it can get a little messy, probably because in my opinion its better to over stuff than under stuff! I made sure to have a baking sheet under my muffin tray to prevent a huge in the oven as well. Now that you have topped your pot pies stick them back in the oven on the top shelf and let the tops of your potatoes crisp a bit and reheat a little I suppose. If you don't care to crisp the potatoes then you can absolutely skip this step. 



I personally use a muffin stone, its not an actual tin but I believe it will work the same in a tin. As I mentioned above make sure you buttered the inside of the muffin cup before putting in your crust and baking it, you can also use cooking spray. I also made extra gravy to use on top of your potatoes, again this is a preference thing. 

Obviously these are going to be hot coming out of the oven so be careful, but as I said they should slide right out. I just used a knife to cut the pieces that had baked together and then slid them onto a plate. I would make sure to have your plate handy, these things aren't super sturdy and they are hot, you don't want to be carrying them to the other side of the kitchen. 



So there you have it, super easy and so very tasty a great fall or winter dinner! We obviously didn't eat all 6 of these that night so I decided to cover them in foil and reheat them in the oven when we decided to have them the next day for lunch. Reheating them in the microwave would definitely work but I figured with the gravy inside they would potentially go soggy. Take them out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you plan to put them in the oven so they aren't so cold and then they will heat evenly in the oven without burning!

We enjoyed these both ways, with a top and with the potato topping!! 

If you give this recipe a try please tell me what you think! As I have mentioned before you can absolutely make them your own, using beef or turkey as well. You can mix up the vegetables, whatever suits the liking of your family or those you are feeding! 

Thank you as always for stopping by, happy cooking! 

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Friday, September 11, 2015

Friday.. But Not Specifically Favorites!

Good Afternoon,

Sadly I am not here with a High Five for Friday post, I know I haven't done one of those in a dogs age but life seems more day to day at the moment then full of fun things to share with you guys. I'm not really complaining, its just different.. I know we have been in Maryland for awhile now but we or I am still adjusting. It takes time getting use to a new place, a new environment, figuring out where everything is and developing a routine.. it just is what it is.

Although this week was a short week I wont lie.. it didn't feel like it. This week has also been a total scorcher and it has me praying for fall weather sooner than later. I don't know why this summer has felt so long, maybe because its been so hot but as I have said before I am SO READY for all things fall!! I'm ready to bust out sweaters, scarves, boots and fall lip colors!!! Did I mention hot drinks? Apple everything! Fall is my favorite time of year!

I am looking forward to this weekend, Jason and Dave are going golfing in the morning in preparation for the following weeks work golf tournament so I am going to head over to see Lindsey and the kids! We are planning to have a BBQ with them tomorrow night and hoping the rain doesn't get in the way of our day!

Sunday is football which we are so excited about, it seems like forever since football season has graced us with its presence! Of course last nights game was a great way to start the season!!!! Sunday is actually suppose to be a lot cooler than usual (72) which is what I am most excited about, we are planning to go out for breakfast and enjoy the outdoors before football starts!

That's pretty much our scoop.. I mostly wanted to stop in today and acknowledge 9/11 and all the people who lost their lives on that tragic day. Its hard to believe its been 14 years since that day and I feel so lucky to have visited ground zero many times and watched New York rebuild, stronger than ever. If you are ever in New York City the 9/11 memorial museum and ground zero are a must see.


I hope you all have an amazing weekend, if you are somewhere that the weather is getting cooler, embrace it! Thank you as always for stopping by, I always appreciate your time. 



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Thursday, September 10, 2015

In Case You Didn't Know..

Good Evening,

I know this is a random time to post, or I suppose more so this just isn't a typical time that I would post! Either way I didn't figure I would blog today because I just haven't had a lot to say lately, shocker I know.. but then I got an email from Tanya that inspired me to stop by and fill y'all in on a few things, because why not?

Did you know that the Honest Company (Jessica Alba is the founder) has recently released a line of makeup and skincare? ME EITHER! Well until today when Tanya sent me an email informing me! As you know the Honest Company is an organic based brand developed with safe ingredients for your family and their well being. I have tried a few things from the Honest Brand here and there and have absolutely loved everything so I was super anxious to check out what they were offering for makeup.

The range is really new and therefore limited, just a few items for each area of makeup which is a great way to start I would think, test the waters and get some feedback. The packaging is gorgeous, and the prices are extremely reasonable. Makeup prices can range from drugstore which is reasonable and within most peoples budgets to medium priced items such as MAC and then you can go super high end as in Dior and Burberry which are very expensive and although I haven't tried any of these products judging from the company and products I have used that they have developed and the prices on their new makeup and skincare line I would absolutely give them a try!

If you wold like to check out the Honest Beauty you can do so by clicking HERE.

While I was on the makeup kick and checking out things online it reminded me to check back and see if one of my favorite brands were doing online shopping yet. If you remember when we lived in Jersey City they Newport Town Center had one of the very few Kiko Milano cosmetics stores in the States and at that time they did not offer the ability to shop online which was a major disappointment! I miss that store a ton, their makeup is high end quality for super cheap pricing and you really cant beat that. WELLLL... when I checked today you can officially shop online and get free shipping with any $35.00 purchase!!! If you have not checked out their makeup or skin care I cannot recommend it enough!

You can visit their website, HERE.

While we are on the makeup talk I have to just throw it out there that E.L.F (Eyes Lips Face) is a super unrated brand and they always have AMAZING deals online. If you follow them on Instagram you will see all the amazing sales and deals they offer on a very regular basis. You can purchase the basics in Target and quite a few other places now but nothing like they offer online. I have personally used items from their new skincare line and I absolutely love them, in checking online today I have noticed that since the last time I visited the store or online they have actually expanded their skincare range to include cleansers and exfoliators. They have released an amazing new brush line as well as added to their makeup line tremendously. Many of these items are often reviewed and raved about by YouTube Beauty Guru Kathleen Lights and if you visit her channel you can see those. If you are interested in checking out the ELF website you can do so HERE.

As if all that wasn't good enough, Ulta is currently doing their 21 days of beauty, you can view what they are offering each day online and I highly recommend you do! Everyday there is a special and often there is up to 50% off products, this week there was 50% off Too Faced lipsticks!! AMAZING! Today Stila eyeliners are buy one get one for free! If you are interested in what is coming up you can view that HERE.

So there you have it, lots of amazing products for really great prices online and available to you!

If you are not into online shopping.. I don't know why that would be.. BUT if you prefer to go into the store than I have a tip for you as well. Milani has recently released a limited edition liquid matte lipsticks! I wont lie I made a special trip to Walmart to get one or two and they didn't have them, so I made a special trip to Ulta and they didn't have them!!!! I have yet to make it to the Walmart here but its on my list!

I also need to find the pecan pie M&Ms but that's a whole different story!

Anyways I don't have a TON to say these days but I thought I would stop in and share these bits on info with you, because I would want to know!

I am off to get ready for the big game tonight.. I am SO HAPPY football is back!!! In case you were wondering NFL Shop has a ton of sale right now too. Just sayin'... but I'm done now!

True story... mostly. 


Hope you guys had a great day!  





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Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Labor Day Weekend 2015

Good Afternoon!!

I know the first rule of blogging everyone always says is to have a routine and post generally around the same time, I use to really try to make that a priority but right now I feel good about getting a post out everyday! I did intend to post today as it was on my 'to do' list and I am scratching it off as we speak!

I hope you all had a fabulous Labor Day weekend, as I mentioned last week we headed home on Thursday night as Jason had a dentist appointment on Friday morning. I cant tell you how much easier it is to be in Maryland knowing that we get to go home so often! Not to mention because we get to go home as much as we do I don't feel like the time we are there just flies by, we really enjoy it and don't spend the whole time cleaning and getting things done around the house because we get to be there so often, I am so very grateful.

I had everything ready on Thursday night when Jason got home from work so we were able to get right on the road. I anticipated that it was going to be a really long drive being the long weekend and all, plus after years of driving hours and hours and HOURS being in the car more than two hours always feels long. It was a BEAUTIFUL night...



We stopped in Virginia and grabbed subway and then made our way home... we were lucky to hit no traffic on the way and made really good time but none the less it felt like a long drive. It was however really nice to get home and not have a ton of unpacking to do and we didn't shut down the house like we usually do knowing it wouldn't be long until we were back again so the transition was seamless! 

Our time home was so great, the weather was alright but we didn't have anything planned so we just made the most of our time there. I know I say it all the time but I am definitely happiest while home, I sleep so much better there, probably courtesy of the king size bed and all the room.. I love getting up in the morning to the smell of coffee, everything is just perfect! 

Saturday morning the weather was perfect to get out and do something, it was overcast but with no humidity so we decided to go to the driving range. We always enjoy going but this summer we have really gotten into it and go as much as we can. We plan to take advantage to living basically on a golf course here as well. Before you say anything about my golfing attire I will just explain myself.. yes I should be wearing legit shoes but even with no humidity the summers are HOT in the south, its a waste to do your hair and wear shoes no matter what you are doing. Period. 


Although Jason thinks it totally affects my game, I don't see how.. although I am not a pro star golfer by any means! 

While we were home I also managed to get some fall decor ready for the house, and although it may be a little early I was so excited about the wreath that we decided to hang it before we left! I really love the way it turned out, a little pop of color in the middle. Is it just me or is anyone else ready for fall? I literally cannot wait. I say this while it is literally 100 degrees today! 



Overall we had a fabulous weekend and believe or not we left yesterday around 2:30pm and we didn't hit any traffic AT ALL, I was expecting we would sit in traffic for hours because of the long weekend and literally.. nothing! In fact I think we might have made our best time ever, great way to end the weekend. 

I was glad to get back early last night because we decided to bring back some fall stuff because we don't anticipate going home until the beginning of October and we weren't sure what the weather would be like here before than, better to be prepared! Anyways we got home and as we started to put things away I went into panic mode about not having enough room for things! I managed to get things mostly put away and then made a huge 'to do' list for today in order to get things sorted out today and calm my nerves. 

I have literally spent my day purging, organizing, cleaning and I feel sooooo much better about things. I absolutely HATE clutter, disorganization, and crap being thrown places for the sake of having a home when they really don't belong there. I have rectified that today and feel so much better! 

So I wanted to stop by here and recap our weekend and wish you all a fabulous Tuesday! Yay for a short week! Plus this week is regular season NFL!!!!!!!! The Patriots play the Steelers on Thursday and obviously we couldn't be more excited! I think its going to be a good week! 

Thank you all for stopping by, I hope you had a fantastic weekend! 


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