It's Christmas Eve 'Eve'

It's the Eve of Christmas Eve!!!

And, I'm totally done!  Wrapping and all!!  My vacation has officially started and I've already been in my comfy pj suit for two hours and counting...and I've already enjoyed one big mug of cocoa!  Now the smells of dinner are filling the room and I can't wait to sink my teeth into it's goodness!  Tonight's menu: Pizza Chicken!  I picked two up my last trip to Grand Butchers on Michigan Street!  I highly recommend them!  ...especially their Jalepeno Cheddar Brats!!!  Mmmmm!!!

The tree is all trimmed and the packages are all ready for gifting!  Can't wait to officially kick off the holiday tomorrow with Rob's family!  And then so excited to see my family on Wednesday!  

Hope you all have a very happy and safe holiday season!!!

...and, in case you were wondering - this is pizza chicken!

It's not much to look at now, but I'm excited to devour it!  It's chicken breast put through a tenderizer and wrapped with mozzarella cheese, ham, and pepperoni, then topped with sauce and baked to perfection!!!  Yum!!

Up and running!!!

We're up and running!!!  Yay!!!  Gatsby has been satisfied with food and we've got power!  Merry Christmas!!!

No Power

Our power went out this morning when I was crawling out of the nest I like to call bed!  Rob was mid-breakfast making, and because he's such an awesome boyfriend, he started with mine!  I got to eat pancakes and the poor guy got nothing but bacon and bits and pieces of what I'm sure was going to be some sort of epic scramble or omelette creation!  

We spent the morning and early afternoon curled up on the couch, Gatsby too, layered with blankets and mountains of throw pillows!  I caught up on my I watched vidoes From some of my favorite YouTubers (Leighann, Ingrid, Fleur, and Stephanie and Tracy) while Rob played on his laptop!  At this point we learned that there were 22,000 people in Kent County without power and that our estimated turn-on time was 11:30pm!  Still in blanket city on couch hill we moved on to watching a few episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia on my little iPad Mini!  

We then made an executive decision to head to Founder's...because they had power, beer, sandwiches...you know, all the necessities!  So, I hopped in the shower and put myself together best I could in the dark (still haven't gotten to play with my Naked 2 palette...boo!)!  Thankfully our water heater is gas and not electric, unlike our stove! 

We just arrived at Founders and much to my surprise they have Frangelic Mountain Brown back on draft!  It's one of my favorites!!!! And they're piloting a batch of Choco Pom, which is (as the name implies) a combo of chocolate and pomagranate!  Can't wait to give that a try!!!  But, alas our cheer is short lived!!!  Now our power back-on estimate is December 26th in he afternoon!!!  And, yes - it's only the 22nd!!  For anyone into facts and numbers, the word on the street is that 10% of the entire community of Consumers Energy users is currently without power!  

Looks like we'll be tising the season old school!  Just pray I don't burn the apartment down!!! 

I'll update as I know more!  But until then, "Cheers!"

Harry Potter FOREVER (Stamps!)

I can't possibly express the level of my excitement when this news happened across my Facebook newsfeed!!  I had to repost....obviously, and tell everyone I could possibly think of who shares my unwavering affection for that little boy wizard we all grew to love!  I also may have pointed my mom in this direction - stating that I wouldn't be at all upset if 'Santa' were to stuff these in my stocking this year!  ;-)  She said she'd pass the message along!



Today they were finally released!  I stopped at the post office on my way out of work and unfortunately, the one I was at hadn't gotten them in yet!  But the wonderful woman working the counter knew exactly what I was there for (maybe it was the fact that I unknowingly grabbed and wore my Gryffindor House Scarf!?)  and I could tell she shared my excitement!

I ended up purchasing some cute Gingerbread House Stamps while I was there, so not to make a total loss of the trip!  Anyway, I thought they'd be cute for Christmas Cards this year!


So as soon as I got home, I jumped on the Interwebs and ordered 5 books of the Harry Potter Forever Stamps!   I will admit, I'm not sure I really needed 5 whole books, but hey, who knows how long these will actually be floating around in the universe for, and I wanted to make sure my inner-muggle was sufficiently satisfied! 

If you're like me and absolutely HAVE to have these, you can find them at USPS.com!

If you do decide to get them, be sure to let me know what your favorite collection is and how many books did you feel the need to buy!!!

Founders Breakfast Stout Breakfast 2013

"You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning!"   - Tex Gellette

 

This wonderful quote is the perfect embodiment of what Founders Breakfast Stout Breakfast is all about!  Actually, this very quote appears on the cute little take-home mugs themselves! 

 

Tickets went on sale back in mid-October and we were lucky enough to score a few again this year!  Albeit they didn't sell out as quickly as they did last year (2ish whole minutes!), they did sell out same-day, within an hour or so! 

Founders Breakfast Stout Breakfast 2013 Event Poster

This year we also attempted to behave ourselves the night before, since last year there was a Hockey Game...and all the general debauchery that comes with it!  Last year was fun, but definitely a bit of a lesson learned type of deal!  Needless to say, it was a rough morning, which we almost missed!  We got there later than we wanted to, and ended up claiming a covered pool table as our eating surface.  I think I ended up suffering through my free beer before switching over to filling my Mug Club Mug with Diet Pepsi (wished it was Coke, but you work with what you've got!)  When the event ended we got a big ole pizza and proceeded to fill our bellies and nap it off back at our place.  Kinda lame, right! 

 

So, we vowed that this year would be different!  Rob and I stayed in Friday night, watched a few random things on the TV and enjoyed a couple drinks (I ended up consuming a bottle of wine and a couple of ciders....it's been kind of stressful at work lately and I definitely needed to unwind!) before hitting the sack!  I woke up early since I wasn't gonna miss anything this time and I really wanted to be able to sit at a for-real table this year!  Big dreams, I know!  We did it though!  We had most of our group meet at our place early so we could ride downtown together and still get there about an hour before go-time!  The five of us (Rob, Ben, Dena, Allison and I) fit pretty snuggly in the Golf, but we made it - early! - and procured a pretty fantastic spot in line!  Brittany met us a few minutes later and soon enough we were in, sipping our morning Breakfast Stout out of our fancy new mugs and about to fill up our plates at the buffet!  OH MY GOSH:  They had 'THE GRITS' again!  I'm telling you, these are the best grits I've ever tasted in my life!  They had them last year too, and we haven't been able to stop thinking about them!  So, so, so happy they kept them on the menu again this year!  There was also biscuits and gravy, French toast, an egg scramble, sausage and cabbage, potatoes (yuck!), and fresh fruit!  The beer was flowing, the food was delicious, the company was terrific!  We were even serenaded by a somewhat creepy 'A CaFella' group.  They went table to table and sang to each little group of people.  We were lucky enough to be sung the longest song ever!  I think it was called Mona Lisa by Nat King Cole.  It was only a little awkward...  Overall, it was a great BSB and I can't wait to go again next year!

 

Once the event was over, and we finished our current beer selections, the five of us (sadly, Brittany had to get going) decided we weren't quite finished.  We headed to Peppino's for lunch (a smattering of different appetizers including Fried Pickles, Mozzarella Sticks and Pizza 'PUFFS' Bites) and of course, more beers!  Then on our walk back to the car, we came across Stella's and, Duh, we had to go in!  ;-)  At Stella's we got a little crazy!  There were delicious stuffed burgers and grilled cheeses galore, a couple pitchers of beer to share and of course the normal nonsense that ensues when the group of us gets together and drunk!  There were voices, songs, creeping through the curtains at rando's outside smoking, more voices, more songs - including,  "Dayman...Fighter of the Nightman...Champion of the Sun..." and fun with our waiter, who also happened to be a big Always Sunny fan! 

 

After a few hours more fun had passed, we managed to get back to the car (some stumbling the whole way there - that's how you know it was a successful day!) and got home!  Don't worry, not all of us were drinking irresponsibly!  At least three of the five of us were perfectly fine and capable of driving safely!  ;-)  Then, home at last...and guess what!  It's only 7pm!  Woah!  It was a good day, filled with good food, good drinks, and good friends - Good Times!

 

❤

Megan 

Seasons of Shoes!!!

My friend and co-worker (we'll call her 'J') and I went out for a long lunch on Friday to hit up the new H & M that just opened at the mall in Grand Rapids.  It was crazy and I'm not sure how, but we landed on the topic of whether or not her shoe choices were seasonally appropriate????  I'm guessing it was something along the lines of:

 J:  "Ohh...I love those leggings!"
 Me:  "I can see you wearing those..."
 J:  "I would wear them with heels!"
 Me:  "In the Winter?!  Heels are not appropriate in the Winter..."
 J:  "What do you mean?!"

I'm 100% certain these are not direct quotes as this was Friday around 1pm and my brain has had lots of other things swimming around in it since then!  But, this sample conversation got me going off on a tangent of which shoe is appropriate to be worn during each season...

What makes a shoe seasonally appropriate you ask,  other than the obvious - don't wear flip flops in a snow storm!?  Which, I must admit, I did used to do - all the way up until my sophomore year in college!  Way too old for freezing my toes off, but, hey, let's face it - I pretty much lived in flops back then!  I have since come to my senses and now keep my toes warmly confined in a nice closed-toe shoe of sorts during those chilled fall and winter days!  And, most days I even throw in some sort of sock-like existence to the mix!  Why?!  Because I'm finally old and responsible enough to tuck my little tootsies in according to the weather!  Blah, being an adult is no fun!  At least I keep it real with my socks (most of the time...I still have some boring plain adult "professional" socks)!  I've been in search of hot dog socks!!!!  Anyone know where I can score some!?

Well, if you were to ask me, this is what I would say!  Keep in mind, I live in Michigan - we experience all of the seasons here, and sometimes it even snows before Halloween! 

✩Fall ✩ 

The 'Do' Shoes:  Flats - of any variety really (they're kind of the all around okay shoe), boots and/or the ever so newly popular booties, and, heels are still mostly okay depending on the slut and chill factors!

 

The 'Don't' Shoes:  I would stay away from aquatic footwear, sandals and probably flops for the most part - unless you're just running out to get the mail or take out the trash, but not as an outfit completer! 

❆Winter!❆

The 'Do' Shoes: Again, flats work well here too, boots and/or booties are still okay, and if you have an occasion (Holiday party, winter wedding, date night), then I'd say rock out in your heels, but probably wouldn't go to super high peep-toes - I mean, come on there's probably six feet of snow out there!

 

The 'Don't' Shoes:  Just say no to aqua socks, sandals and flops!  Bare toes + Snow = amputation from frost bite!  And then you'll never be able to truly slut it up in your six inch peep toe hooker heels again!  And, if you haven't already guessed - no six inch peep toe hooker heels!  They're just a slip and fall on the ice hazard waiting to strike at the most inopportune time ever!!!  

 

❀ Spring ❀

The spring is pretty awesome because everything is pretty much a go!  Green light for whatever shoe your heart desires!!!!  Plus, you can also strut it out in some super cute rain boots!!!  Puddle jumping anyone?! 

☼ Summer ☼

 And, really....who wears shoes in the summer!?!  Oh...right, all of us boring adults with jobs.  Blah!  I typically go for flops, sandals or some cute flats!  By this time I've usually thrown my socks to the wind and just want to let my toes have their time in the limelight - after a good pedi of course!  Again, not really and 'Don't' shoes, but know if you're that girl wearing the mini skirt and rocking the UGGs, someone is probably looking at you like you're insane....


Do you have any seasonal shoe guidelines?!  I know I missed about a trillion different types of shoes, but you should get the gist from this little list!

❤

Megan 

 

 

 

 

 

Go Green Kitty!

In celebration of the big win for the Spartans this weekend I give you this adorable little furry fan!   Meet Gatsby - he's a bit bigger than the typical kitty, but that just means there's more of him to love!  I'm sure he'll be making random occurrences on this blog in the future! I hope you enjoy him as much as I do!

Weekend Adventure: October 26 & 27

This past Saturday I FINALLY got to step foot into an actual Lush store!  I traveled all the way to (almost) Detroit to the Twelve Oaks Mall with a few girlfriends for a day of shopping and adventure! 

 

We wandered about the mall and looked at all the sad puppies locked in the pet store there - discussed the possibility of a PETA-esque rescue mission where we would smash open the glass containers and flea down the halls with a stampede of freshly freed canines bounding along behind us.  Somehow I envision this would be happening in slow motion and there is obviously a giant fan blowing our not-a-strand-outta-place-even-after-a-crazy-puppy-freeing-stunt hair because we'd be heroes and who wants a hero with a bad 'Do!  Seriously though...there were for-real clearance puppies, and if you came from over 100 miles away, you got an additional $100 off.  I thought the whole idea of a "clearance puppy" was just something they said in the movies!?

 

But, on a positive note - I scored a dress for EIGHT BUCKS!  It's an orangey color with an interesting back, perfect for Summer - so you know, I purchased it upon the eve of WINTER!  But, I just couldn't resist such a crazy good deal!  BOOM:  Eight Dollar Outfit - yes please, I'll take two!

 

We moseyed into several other stores and even found these bangs attached to headbands.  Of course we all had to try them on to see what we would look like if we made the chop!  Pretty good learning experience really.  I may go through with it...maybe, if I don't lose my balls on the way into the hair salon next time 'round???

 

And then there was LUSH!  I finally got to try out several of their products via an online purchase I made thanks to my bestfriend!  You can read my review here.  But, they sell face masks so freaky fresh they have to be refrigerated so they don't spoil!  That said, you can't order them online....major bummer since I really enjoy smothering goop on my face and then showing Rob!!  I also really was just looking forward to smelling and touching EVERYTHING in sight!  The store was pretty small and kind of hard to navigate because of the herds of folk every which way, but we managed! 

 

They actually do little demonstrations in the store - which is a great way to test the product before you commit to a purchase!  I ended up with several little treasures, including a couple face masks and two bath bombs (we don't even have a bathtub by the way - just a shower...so I'll be heading to Mom's for a little R&R and to take up residence in her tub!)

 
 
 

Just used my Brazened Honey Fresh Face Mask tonight and it feels like my face went on a vacation to a magical world where everyone has amazing skin! 


And, I can't believe I'm putting this out here on the interwebs but here's what I look like covered in goop! 

 After the mall we went to this little joint called Lucky Stike (or something of that variety).  It was alright - they had an arcade in the other room that looked like fun - kind of reminded me of a casino actually!  All the servers were wearing Halloween costumes - we had the pleasure of being served by 'Officer Naughty-Pants.'  Unfortunatley we did not have time to let our inner children loose in the place since we wanted to make it to the Outlet Mall on our way home and we were definitely running out of time!!!!  Gonna have to save my skeet ball skills for another time I suppose.

 

Sunday was much more relaxed - Rob and I spent a lazy day playing couch potatoes, but we did manage to watch several movies and I did a few loads of laundry so the day wasn't a total wash! 

 

Let's see if I can remember what we viewed....

 

 

1.  Grown Ups 2

2.  The Purge

3.  Monsters University

4.  The Internship

5.  Man of Steel*

 

*Rob Only:  I had seen this one earlier with Allison in D-Box, so I cleaned up the kitchen tornado!

 

 

 

❤

Megan



October 2013 PopSugar

I wasn't expecting this to come until Monday, so I was SO excited to see it Friday when I got home!  I didn't get much time with it then - Rob and I were planning on meeting some friends for dinner that night and had to get going almost as soon as I got home, but I sure tore it open quick just to get a peek inside!  I had to satisfy that curious kitten that lives in me!

 

 

 

Here's the first look!  (I actually remembered to take photos of this this time around....usually I can't contain my own excitement and end up tearing into it immediately!) 

And here's what was under all that pink paper!

 

 

At this point I was already pretty excited about the Wet Brush and  the giant Rice Krispy Treat!!!

 

The October "theme" was PINK (for Breast Cancer Awareness Month), in addition to Halloween and Fall in general (getting back in the kitchen, etc.)! PopSugar is donating $1.00 to Breast Cancer Research for each box sold this month and has also teamed up with some companies this month who are supporting the same!

 

MUST HAVE FOOD

The Can't Cook Book: Recipes for the Absolutely Terrified! |$27.99       

by Jessica Seinfeld

I just finished thumbing through this a few minutes ago!  This cookbook has some really good tips and tricks and also really explains the how-to's for beginners (such as how to wash produce, how to cut garlic, how to zest fruit, etc.) as well as describes the must-have kitchen essentials (knives, pots and pans, bakeware, etc.).  Some of these recipes sound A-Maz-Ing as well!  I'm definitely going to try some out (and post them to the Recipes page so check back!)  This cookbook also features a cute intro by Jessica and really wonderful photos!

MUST HAVE BEAUTY

NYX Cosmetics Liquid Liner and Smokey Shadow Palette | $6.00, $7.00



I actually already have this Smokey Shadow Palette!  I got it with the Mortal Instruments Parallel Worlds Kit a few months ago.  So that's a bummer, but I'm sure I can make use of the liquid liner!  I'll be gifting the shadow palette since I don't really need two!  The NYX shadows are pretty good especially considering how inexpensive they are!  The only complaint I have with them is that they didn't work well with my Urban Decay Primer Potion!  On their own they seem to be fine though!

Julep Duo: Julep Nail Polish and Freedom Top Coat | $14.00, $18.00

I received the color "Char."  It's a pretty, bold blue color that I think will be great for Fall and Winter!  I'm also excited to try the topcoat!  In addition to the Polish and Top Coat Duo, they also sent an offer code for a free Julep Maven Box (Additional value of $19.99)!  I just signed up to receive my free Maven box!  I'm pretty excited about a free box, but I don't know that I'll continue with the monthly subscription once that ships.  I just don't think I need $19.99 worth of nail polish, etc. each month!  But that's just me! ;-) 

The Wet Brush | $8.99

I have the worst tangles when I get out of the shower!  I just heard about this magical brush a couple  months ago or so, and I've been on the hunt for one ever since!  I haven't been able to find one so I opted for something somewhat similar!  But I'm absolutely thrilled to actually have 'the' Wet Brush!  Looking forward to using this puppy tomorrow!  I hope it lives up to all the hype it's been getting on YouTube!  PS.  I love that it's pink! <3

 

MUST HAVE FASHION

Gorjana Griffin Charity Bali Bead Bracelet | $45.00

I love this cute little pink bracelet!  I also love the fact that 100% of the proceeds from these are going to support Breast Cancer Research!  This bracelet is nice and bright but pretty delicate at the same time!  I'm really trying to bulk up my stackable bracelet collection, and this helps! 



  

  Jane Tran Bobby Pins | $12.00

Can never have too many bobby pins!  Plus, these will be cute to hold back lose strands when I throw my hair in a random braid! I know a few of my friends have received other bobby pin sets from Jane Tran in their Birchboxes, but I never did, so I'm excited to see what the buzz is all about!

 

 

 

 

 

 

MUST HAVE FOOD

The Crispery Halloween Crispycake | $3.95

This thing caught my eye immediately!  Maybe because I've been dieting for The Biggest Loser competition at my office...maybe because it was dinner time, or maybe because I have a problem when it comes to sweets!  Heck...I'd say it was D.  All of the above! :-)  Anyway, this crispycake looks so so so SO good!  I can't wait until my final weigh in so I can sink my teeth into this thing!  I'm sure I'll just devour it all at once, practically inhaling it's gooey goodness and then pass out in a sugar high state of bliss!

 

YUMMMM

SPECIAL EXTRA

Stitch Fix Gift Card | $20.00

Rob's Sister-In-Law has been doing Stitch Fix for a little while now!  Last time I saw her she was telling me all about it!  I had never heard of it, but was intrigued with the idea!  It's a kind of personal styling subscription service where you get sent a few hand-selected fashion items so you can try them on in your own home and see how each piece will incorporate into your own wardrobe.  Then you can choose to keep and purchase whatever pieces you choose and return the rest.  I've been wanting to try it since she first told me about it, but didn't want to get into yet another sub service!  I need to have a little bit of self-control!  But, this is a good excuse to try it out once!  If you're interested in this sort of thing, I'm sure they can explain better than me!

 

 

 

I think this might be one of my favorite boxes from PopSugar to date!  The total value of the box was a whopping $162.93 (or $182.92 if you count the free Julep Maven Box!)  Wowza, I'm impressed!

xx

Megan

September 2013 PopSugar

Better late than never!!!

Anyway....here's all the happy-making products that were stuffed into the September Box!

MUST HAVE HOME

Barr-Co. Original Scent Reed Diffuser ($45.00)

The information card tells me this scent is a blend of milk, oatmeal and vetiver....I think it smells clean!  The bottle is HUGE!  I only poured half the oil in the glass at first and hid the rest behind a frame on the same shelf.  This diffuser has a nice simplistic charm to it!  I like the smell and the way it looks, so I'll consider this one a win!

 

Rifle Paper Co. Coaster Set ($16.00)

These are just a pretty floral printed set of those thick cardboard coasters you see at most bars now a days.  Nothing I'm too excited about, but they're pretty and I'll probably use them next time I host a Girls Night In! 

 

MUST HAVE FASHION

P.S. - You're Invited by Erica Domesek ($26.00)

This is a really cute DIY book.  The intro and little notations are all super cute and fun to read and there's some really cleaver ideas in here!  I'll definitely try out some of these projects - but I'm not sure when since we don't have much space for DIYing it in our little apartment!  Although I'm sure the cats would be super interested in "helping!"

 

Shoptiques Gift Card ($25.00)

Shoptiques is an online marketplace where you can shop at all sorts of stores and boutiques local and international at once - all from the comfort of your own home!  I'm excited to browse the site and see what kind of goodies I can find!  I really like that PopSugar has been including Gift Cards lately!  It's fun to find out about new stores and get to pick out something you love for free or at a discount! 

 

MUST HAVE BEAUTY

Kitsch Headbands ($11.99)

I must have a funny shaped head!  These things NEVER stay on me!  They constantly slide back until they just pop off the back of my head!  I'll be gifting these to someone with a more suitable head shape! 

 

MUST HAVE FOOD

That's It. Bar ($1.75)

I received the 1 Apple + 3 Apricots flavor.  I was interested in trying this so I took it to work with me the other day as a mid-morning snack!  When I opened the package I was somewhat confused...it was like a fruit jerky type substance in a bar shape!  Anyway, once the initial shock wore off, I gave it a go.  It was....different, not necessarily good different, but not bad different either...just different! I really tasted the apricot, and it was a bit tart for my liking!  I shared the bar with my co-worker, Brittany...and she seemed to like it less than I did.  I would be up for trying some of the other flavors since I think I was mostly affected by the tartness of the apricots.  They've got 1 Apple + 1 Pear, 1 Apple + 1 Mango, 1 Apple + 20 Blueberries, 1 Apple + 1 Banana, and 1 Apple + 10 Cherries.  These all sound way more appealing to me than Apricots...especially the Banana and Pear ones!

 

MUST HAVE FITNESS

Sharkies Organic Energy Chews ($1.70)

I haven't tried these yet - and I'm not sure what flavor I got since these have been stashed in my purse since my box came.  My plan is to try them on my drive from the office to the gym!  Now, I just need to actually make it to the gym some day after work!  I've been lacking motivation!

 

Total Box Value:  $127.44  Wow!  Not too shabby!

 

xx,

Megan

FIRST Ever Lush Haul and Review!!!

I had been lusting after Lush products for quite some time and SURPRISE....my best friend sent me an E-Gift Card to enjoy for my birthday this year (back in July)!  I was so super psyched to receive this little treasure I immediately took to the website and began eagerly planning out my first purchase! 

After much deliberation and reading something like a hundred reviews this is what I finally decided on....

Well, I've finally gotten the chance to actually test out everything I purchased so here's what I thought! 

Sweetie Pie Shower Jelly:

This cherry-coconut shower gel not only smells amazing but it has some little glitters so it leaves your skin with a little sparkle-farkle! ;-)  I only bought the 3.5 oz. size of this so I could give it a go before committing to the larger size...but Allison and I are planning a day trip to Lush over on the other side of the state in the end of the month - and this will definitely be on my shopping list...especially since I'm down to one more shower's worth!  I found that it's easiest to scoop some out and lather it up on a loofa or sponge/washcloth because it's kind of jiggley and slippery!  It really lathers well and did I mention it smells a-maze-ing!!!  Get your own here! (3.5oz. for $6.95 or 8.5oz. for $11.95)

 

Cynthia Sylvia Stout Shampoo:

There's not a whole lot of suds to this shampoo and it smells a little off but it works great!  Rob told me that people sometimes use a can of straight up beer in the shower as a hair treatment and it's supposed to kind of work like a hair mask and increase shine, etc.  I didn't know how I felt about pouring a completely good beer over my head but then I came across this stuff.  It really does leave my hair super soft and definitely adds some shine!  I even noticed a minor improvement in my frizz monster!  I don't know that I'll purchase this often, but just because I tend to gravitite toward really good smelling shampoos and conditioners!  I liked this but I was really hoping to love it, and I didn't love it more than any other shampoo I've used!  I'd repurchase this in the future, but like I said, probably not too often...  If you want to check it out further you can do so right here.  (3.3 fl. oz. for $9.95 or 16.9 fl. oz. for $29.95)

 

Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter:

 

This was my big splurge product of the bunch!  I had read so much about the Lemony Flutter on blogs and reviews that I was dying to try it myself...plus, I LOVE the smell of anything lemon!  I have really dry skin and this is the perfect cure - not only for cuticles but for any random dry patch like elbows, knees, the random bit of eczema!   The only downfall...if you aren't in the dry skin club, you probably won't love this - it gets pretty greasy before it soaks in.  I've been using it before bed so it has plenty of time to absorb overnight, and that seems to work best.  This product is pretty small but a little goes a looonggg way!  You don't need much, and it seems like the small size of this stuff is going to last forever!!!  Don't wait, with winter approaching, I'm definitely glad to have this laying around in my bathroom!!  (1.5 oz. for $16.95)

 

Mint Julips Lip Scrup:

 

Hello JUNIOR MINTS!  This smells and TASTES wonderful!!  I am absolutely OBSESSED with this lip scrub!  I can't get enough of the minty taste and smell!  Um....and, did I mention that it leaves your lips feeling and looking amazing!  You simply rub it on your lips and lick it off!  That's it!  Yes...I said LICK!  It's completely edible and tastes just like the inside of a Junior Mint!  Delicious!  No chapped lips here - at least not anymore!  This sheds off any dry skin and then I simply apply any old lip balm for absolutely incredible results!  I can't wait to stock up on more of these and try some of the other flavors as well, particularly the bubble gum one!  (.9 oz. for $9.95) - It's small but so worth it!  Gonna give it the true test when winter rears its ugly head here in Michigan!  You can too, right here!

 

Sparkle Toothy Tabs:

 

These are a little weird, but pretty cool at the same time!  I had never heard of them before I began perusing the Lush website and found myself intrigued by these little tabs!  I used to pre-brush my teeth with straight baking soda for the whitening effect, then rinse and use regular toothpaste as a follow-up.  These are along that same school of thought...but conveniently packed in little round tabs.  You just put one in between your front teeth and chew it up.  Add water to your tooth brush and brush like normal.  They taste a little funny since I think they're mostly made of baking soda themselves, but if you can get past that, they really do clean as well as any other toothpaste.  I do feel like they definitely whiten better than normal toothpaste.  I've been going back and forth between them and my everyday Colgate and typically gravitate toward the tabs when I know I have some type of event coming up for the whitening bonus!  And, watch out - these things sure foam!  You can get some to try here! (.3 oz. for $4.95 - I want to say there's 40 tabs in a box). 

 

The Godmother Soap:

 

Lush describes this as a "Candy Scented Magical Pink Soap" and they're not lying.  I really wanted to love this, and I don't dislike it by any means but it just doesn't lather as much as I wanted.  It does smell delightful and it's a pretty color and if it would just lather more, it would be a soap I would definitely purchase again.  I'd like to try another soap from Lush to see if there's one that better suits my lathering needs!  This soap does leaving my skin feeling silky smooth though!  (3.5 oz. for $6.50 here.)

 

 

Over all I'm very impressed with my first ever Lush experience!  I love their products and have been making a new list of all the things I want to try next!  So looking forward to our upcoming shopping trip!  Have you tried any Lush products?  What were your favorites?  Any recommendations?!

 

xx

 Megan

Hard Boiled Eggs: EASIER THAN EVER!

Alright folks, hard boiling eggs on stove-top isn't rocket science, but it can be kind of a pain.  Sometimes their too done, sometimes their only medium boiled, sometimes your pot boils over and makes a huge mess because you get caught up watching something silly on youtube! 

If you're like me and aren't so good with stove tops - this will change your life!

You can hard-boil eggs in the OVEN!  Who knew!!!  It's so easy and my first batch turned out great!

What you'll need:

• Eggs
• A mini muffin pan (a regular sized one will do as well if you don't have a mini....and if you're totally against muffins...you can also use a baking sheet with a wire rack on top)
• Paper Muffin Liners or Parchment Paper

Directions:

1. Pre-Heat your oven to 325 degrees.
2. Line your mini muffin tray with paper liners or parchment squares and insert your eggs.  (If you're using a baking sheet with a wire rack, you might still want to put a sheet of parchment over the wire rack so the shell doesn't actually touch the surface).
3. Bake eggs for 30 minutes.
4. When they come out of the oven put them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.  My eggs had little brown spots on the outside of the shell, but those washed right off when soaking in the ice water bath.  I let them sit in there for about 10-12 minutes. 
5. Boom, that's it...they're good to go - eat, pickle, or decorate away!!!

Best part - doing them in the oven makes them come out so PERFECTLY!  There's no weird greenish tint to the yolk!  The shell actually peels off really easily!

I just tried this out tonight for the first time!  I don't think I'll ever go back to the stovetop method again!  I get too distracted for that! ;-)

September 2013 Birchbox

I was pretty impressed with this month's Birchbox!  I've tested out almost everything I got...except the nail polish, which I'm planning to use as soon as I finish here!

 

Here's what came this month:

 

Benefit Cosmetics Sugarbomb Ultra Plush Lip Gloss

This lip gloss is great!  Not really sticky and has really nice pigmentation!  I typically love whatever Benefit has to offer, and this gloss is no exception!

 

COOLA Tinted Matte SPF 30 Face Cream

This mineral based face cream is lightly tinted and goes on really smooth.  It doesn't feel heavy on your skin and has a nice matte finish.  I can just imagine this would be the perfect thing to wear for a trip to the beach! 

 

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive

I just used this for the first time tonight - I liked it, but we'll have to see if I get any adverse side-effects in the morning!  I could feel the peel doing its thing right away with some slight tingles and after 10 minutes or so I washed it off.  My face felt a little tight, but not necessarily in a bad way.  I followed it up with some Juice Beauty moisturizer and now my face smells like lemons and fruity pebbles!  ;-) 

 

Racinne Ultimate Youth Power Eye Serum

This was my first eye serum experience.  It goes on with almost a water-esque texture (slightly thicker).  I really saw a decrease in my dark circles and my just-crawled-out-of-bed puffiness.  I only wish it did something for fine lines!  It did nicely pair with my eye cream though! (Clinique All About Eyes)

 

Ruffian Nail Lacquer - Color: Delirium

I am about to put this on my fingers now!  It's a really pretty dark purpley color with a little sheen!  I think it'll be a great fall color!

 

 

Info Cards

Lil Man Cake!

It's about the one year anniversary of when I made this cake, which means it's almost the Lil Man's 2nd Birthday, so I though it was fitting to share! 

I made this cake for my boyfriend's nephew's first birthday last year!  The party theme was "Lil Man" complete with little ties and mustaches!  It was a super cute party and I was really happy with the way the cake turned out!  Hope you like it and if you're planning a similar themed party for your own Lil Man that it gives you a little inspiration!  I covered the cake with buttercream frosting and used fondant and gum paste for the huge 1 on top and fondant for the ties and mustaches around the base!

The cake itself was made from three 9'' rounds, homemade white cake, all stacked and filled.  Between the bottom and middle layers I used a raspberry fruit filling and between the middle and top layer I used vanilla pudding for the filling.  The combination of the fruit and pudding offset the simplicity of the white cake perfectly! 

 

Influenster VoxBox: The Good Life Box

I was sooo excited to be chosen to receive The Good Life VoxBox!  It was my very first one!! 

I've been a member of Influenster for few months now just hoping and praying to get to try out a box full of goodies so I was ecstatic when this guy finally arrived in my mail box!  I've tried several of the items so far so this is going to be a combo-unboxing/review! 

Without further ado.....drumroll please!?.....Alright, I can't stand it anymore:  Here it is!

(Please don't judge my crappy photography skills - these were all taken with my phone!)



The Good Life VoxBox: 2013
 

The Products

ZonePerfect Greek Yogurt Bars

I received the Raspberry flavor in my box.  I'm usually pretty skeptical of these types of protein-esque bars, so I wasn't super looking forward to eating it, but I threw it in my purse for a "just in case" type situation.  And, I'm sure glad I did, because it definitely came in handy the other day at the office when I didn't have time to eat a real lunch!  When I first opened the wrapper, the heavenly scent of raspberry sorbet floated out into the open air....so my expectations skyrocketed!  I mean, who doesn't love a good raspberry sorbet!  Then, I bit into it - eh....noting too special.  It wasn't the worst thing I'd ever consumed in a fit of hunger, but it was far from the delicious raspberry sorbet flavor my nose misled my taste buds into thinking they'd soon be meeting!  The bar was alright - I'm not going to be rushing out to the store to purchase these, but then again - if gritty protein bars are your thing, maybe you'd feel differently.  I honestly didn't even finish the last bite because it was starting to leave an icky taste in my mouth.  But, it definitely filled me up and I didn't feel the pangs of hunger until the day was over and I was home looking forward to dinner.  But, I'll be sticking with my Nature Valley Chewy Granola Bars for a quick fix!

 

 

Nonni's THINaddictives

The lovely folks at Influenster sent me the Cranberry Almond Thins flavor of the Nonni's THINaddictives.  I had never heard of these before, but I toted my little package along for a car ride with my BestFriend, Allison, to the first MSU football game of the season - and I even shared them with her!  Sharing is caring afterall....at least that's what the Care Bears always said!

Anyway, we both really enjoyed them!  They kind of remind me of a weird cross breed between biscotti, a cookie, and health food.  Sounds a little out there, I know - but they were actually really good.  Crunchy, but not too crunchy, while being a little soft at the same time, but not too soft.  It's kind of hard to explain, but get yourself some and give it a go!  You won't be disappointed.  They come in several flavors and are packaged in convenient little 3 cookie packs - perfect for the desk drawer, purse, diaper bag, lunch, etc.   And, at only 100 calories a pouch, you don't even feel the tiniest bit guilty!  Also, saw the most amazing idea on their Facebook page - Nonni's a la mode! 

 

***Side note, just visited their website and OhmigoshYouGuys (sorry, Legally Blonde the Musical reference....super catchy songs!) - they have some biscotti that looks to die for!  Definitely going to grab me up some of these!  If you're around the Michigan or surrounding states area and are interested in trying these, I know I saw them at Meijer in the granola bar aisle!  If not, you can find out where to get them near you here.   

 

 

New-Skin Liquid Bandages

I work with a lot of paper, which means you don't get out without a good paper-cut here or there!  Funny enough, I actually got quite a doozie the other day - carbonless paper, in a HUGE stack sliced me up proper, and I was a little excited about it cause I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to try my New-Skin Liquid Bandage spray-on stuff!  All I can say is, "Ouch!"  This stuff really stings and feels kind of strange on your skin.  The spray nozzle makes it difficult to pin-point one area, so I naturally ended up with goop all over my hand - not exactly what I was going for!  As far as open wound cuts are concerned, I'll stick with an old fashioned bandage.  But, I did read another review of this and this brilliant gal used it on the backs of her ankles for protection from new stiff shoes while she broke them in!  Sheer genius!  I just got some new shoes for work, so I'll be giving that trick a try!

 UrgentRx Fast Powders

 I received the headache relief powder in my VoxBox.  I have not actually tried this yet so I don't have much to report!  But, I can't lie - I've been eagerly awaiting a good head ache to come on so I can test this product out!  I don't get headaches too often but there's just something about the idea of a powder you dissolve in water to rid yourself of random aliments that makes me instantly think to something my favorite boy wizard would whip up in potions class!  I know I'm a big dork, but I can't help what I like!  I also kind of hope it's orange like the label!  :)

 

 There's all sorts of different potions to cure whatever ailment you may have: from Upset Stomachs, to Heart Burn, to Allergy Attacks, or Aches and Pains!?  I like the packet idea though - makes it really easy to carry all your pharmaceutical needs in your purse without all the weight of several different pill cases!

 The Vitamin Shoppe Garcinia Cambogia

This came in my VoxBox just in time for my office's annual Biggest Loser Competition!  I haven't seen any results yet - but I'm not super good at remembering to take these a half hour before each meal!  So, hopefully I'll get better at that and then better at going to the gym again - and maybe these will give me a little edge going into this competition!  I'm really hoping so - there's cash money on the line for the top three losers!   After one week, I'm currently in 5th place out of approximately 16-20 contestants! 

 

Wish me luck! 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer:  I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes!

Ahoy, It's a boy!

So, this was a quick set of cakes I did for a co-worker's baby shower.  They're far from perfect, but I loved the theme!  They were, if I don't say so myself, absolutely delish though!  One was chocolate with peanut butter mousse filling (with crushed peanut butter cups and a chocolate ganache drizzle, naturally) and the other was a white cake with raspberry vanilla filling!  Two of my favorites!!!

Posting this from my iPad in bed, so I apologize if it's a bit all over the place!

Pearl Jam Birthday Cake

One of my former co-workers had me make this Pearl Jam themed cake for her 40th Birthday! 

It's a chocolate mocha cake (compliments of Hershey's Cookbook) with vanilla buttercream frosting.  I made the little stick man out of candy melts and the little stars are made out of black fondant! The guitar is not edible - I'm not that good! :-) Overall, I think it turned out really good - and my co-worker was pleased, which is what really counts! 

(Please ignore the bucket, etc.  in the background - my boyfriend homebrews and this is the beginning(ish) stages of something tasty!)