Shoplately and Glint & Gleam

I just received my order from Shoplately and I was so impressed with the site that I wanted to write a review.

Shoplately is a company that have smaller shops in it. You can find jewelry, hair accessories, bags, hose etc. One of the shops is Glint & Gleam which is where I bought my hand chain from.

One thing that I really likes about this site is the $2 flat rate shipping. As long as you purchase your items from the same seller, you pay $2, regardless of the number of items. That is a deal that you can't beat. However, if you get one item from another seller then you will have to pay another $2 because the sellers are the ones who ship your order.

I really like the selection on this site. If out want something that is going to stand out, then you will have a field day. The prices are very reasonable and when you sign up, you get a $5 credit on your first purchase.

Laura Geller Fresh Brewed Beauty Collection

Again, I want to apologize for the slacking off I have done lately. I have tried to update as often as I can, but it looks like I have failed miserably. With the move to Washington, I have finally settled in and have been meaning to write a review on Laura Geller's Fresh Brewed Beauty collection. I have had this since October and am just now getting to write this. Well, better late than never right.

The packaging is just awesome and I love the creativity that went into it. You can purchase this for $60 at QVC. When this first came out, they had a ton of promotional prices on it, so you may be able to stumble across this at a lower price.

I actually won this from Beautystat. They are a wonderful company that reviews all things makeup and beauty and it seems like they are always hosting giveaways. It is also the most random way I discovered them. I checked my twitter one day and saw that I had a follower request and it was from them. I usually don't pay attention to most requests, because of the fact that I have never heard from them and afraid that it may be a spammer. For some reason I decided to follow them and check them out. I am so, so happy that I did, because this is now a regularly visited site for me now.

GIVEAWAY!!! CLOSED Winner Announced

Sorry it's been a while since I posted, but there have been some things going on and I haven't been able to update. Anyways, I have a great post and a giveaway! I'm very excited about this.

If anyone of you have read some of my previous posts. I am a member of Smiley 360 and the link is here. You qualify for certain products and if you do qualify, they send it to your home and give you a chance to try it out and share with your family and friends. So check it out if you are interested.

One certain product I was chosen to test was Sears/Kmart and I received a $15 gift card to use on their Decorate it Forward Christmas decor and such. I don't have a Kmart within a 50 mile radius of where I live, so I did my shopping online.

I absolutely love shopping online, I am able to see what there is in an organized setting which really helps. I was actually able to make the 15 dollars stretch. I will post pictures and their links of what I purchased below. The shipping was fairly quick and I was surprised to get both packages on the same day. One item I purchased was from Sears and the rest were from Kmart, so I figured I would get one package one day and the other the next. I did think it was a little waste of packaging since I only had one item shipped from Sears and the box was a lot bigger than the item itself, but I was still happy with everything. I was able to get free shipping from a trial version of Shop Your Rewards MAX. There is no commitment and it is a 90 day trial. So you can shop online for that entire 90 days and get free shipping on everything and anything. They have their own online Christmas Shop and you can either use that to get some ideas for when you visit their stores, or you can go ahead and get started by purchasing online.

Another great thing about Shop Your Way Rewards is that you get points for every purchase you make and then use those points towards future purchases. This is completely free and you get a little card, or if you have an IOS device, you can use a digital copy for your Passbook. I'm not sure what the differences are between this one and the MAX one other than free shipping, but you can check out this page and they will be able to give you more information.

Right now Kmart has a Decorate It Forward Sweepstakes and you can enter to win a shopping trip with Sandra Lee or Jacklyn Smith. The page has all of the details and it's very easy to enter. Personally, I would love a day with Sandra Lee. I watch her show almost everyday and love her decorating style.

Girlactik Star Glosses

On to my next product that I purchased from OpenSky is the Girlactik Star gloss in Smooch.

I was a little disappointed in the shade when I received it. The picture showed a nice peachy color and I was looking forward to trying out a completely new shade of gloss, lipstick, or any other lip product. After reading the description of the color, I believe they said it was a deep pink color with gold undertones. So I'm guessing that the camera that took the picture picked up the gold making the shade look more on the peachy side.

The packaging was really nice. I wasn't expecting what it came in at all. It was in a cheap, but pretty baby pink sachet and small things like that actually make me like a particular brand better. Don't ask me why, but that's the way I am. It's mainly, because the packaging shows me how much the company cares about their product as well as their customers. Inside the sachet was the box which I really liked as well. It was a chocolate brown box with a pink design around the edges and the corners. There was also a little cut out on the box to show the color of the gloss.

With the flash on

I have the swatch below, but in certain light, it looked a little more on the peachy side and sometimes it looked more like a pinky mauve I guess. However, on the lip, it looked more pink and mostly emphasized the natural color on my lip. It is thicker than most lip glosses I use, but I rarely use lip gloss, so if I have any, they are a cheaper brand. The texture isn't too sticky, but if you put too much product on your lips, it will string when you open your mouth. I just rubbed my fingers over it and that fixed the problem.

With the flash off

                                 It doesn't last too long. I say it lasted about 4 hours, which I don't know if that is long or not so you can comment and let me know if that's a good amount of time. Like I said before, it is a very thick consistency and was rather hard to get it off of my arm where I put the swatch. There also wasn't much transfer when I took a drink out of a cup, which I like.

The scent is a little fruity, but there is no taste to the gloss at all. Yes I licked my lips after applying it to see, but there was nothing. I actually like that a lot. I have used lip glosses that leave a metallic taste after I take a drink and cannot stand it. I also don't like a gloss that has a nice taste either, because it makes me want to lick all of the gloss off. Biggest pro of this gloss. The lid is a little hard to put back on, if you don't get it screwed on enough, the lid tries come back up and that can be a little aggravating.

I haven't tried this gloss on a lipstick yet, but seeing the pigment it has by itself, you are going to see a slight difference in the shade of you lipstick with this on top of it. Let's say you're like me and you have really thin lips. You decide to buy a matte lipstick and realize that matte just emphasizes the thinness of your lips. Don't throw it away, and don't just let it sit in your drawer. Take this gloss, or any gloss for that matter and put it on top. It turns your matte lipstick into a nice shiny finish and you are not out anything.

I might purchase this lip gloss again, but it was not as great as the hype it had with it being a celebrity favorite. I think you could find another gloss that will do the exact same thing at a fraction of the cost. I think it is more of a personal preference, but it is a good gloss all in all.
You might still be able to find this on OpenSky's site, but if not, you can find this on Girlactik Beauty where they have other products that I have actually read some really good reviews on some of their other products, but I didn't find much on this gloss before I purchased it.

Dermelect Anti-Aging Nail Color

I had recently received some credit to OpenSky and one of the few things I ordered came today. I have a previous post about my OpenSky experience, so go check it out if you're interested.

Today I received the Dermelect nail color in Luxurious which is a very pretty lavender/lilac color. I thought the packaging was really cute, but I have never purchased polish online, so I've never seen one in packaging, but I liked it.
                                                                    

This polish is supposed to be the first nail color that is peptide-infused and is supposed to make your nails stronger and In overall better condition. It is also dbp, formaldehyde, and toluene free. It has also stated that this polish should last for 2 weeks without chipping and without a base or top coat needing to be applied. Of course I will have to get back with you all on that one since I just applied it today.

It is a very small bottle, .4 fl oz to be exact, so there is not much. It still has that polish smell (I was thinking for some reason that it might smell different, but no such luck). It is really thin from the other polishes that I have used, almost watery even. However, that did not make a difference to how well it did.

Like I said before, you do not need a base coat or top coat for this polish. I know that is a little scary for some of you, and for such a little amount of polish, you want this stuff to last as long as possible. Here is a picture of just one coat (forgive my nails, I just did this quick an didn't even file my nails so sorry in advance)

It's not a good beginning..it has streaking and is very thin making me think that I will have to use 3 coats. The instructions on the bottle says that the first coat is supposed to instantly bond to the nails. Which makes sense because it dried really fast. Then I applied the second coat and it looked amazing. Well not the way I applied it but the polish itself.


The second coat is supposed to fuse with the first coat to resist brittleness and chipping. The second coat did really well and dried faster than i thought it would.

Would I have bought this if I hadn't had a the credit, probably not. Now if this holds up like it says it will then maybe, but I don't really splurge on nail polish anyways so I couldn't justify spending $18 on this, especially for less than half an ounce.

OpenSky might still have this, but if not then I know that Dermstore has it. Plus there is their website Dermelect if all else fails. I really like the color and how fast it dries, and having a toddler around, I don't really have the time to wait on polish to dry. If anyone has used this brand, please let me know what you think of it.

Influenster has been Revamped!

For those of you who have read my reviews on the products that I received from Influenster, will already have an idea of what I'm talking about. For those of you who have not, then let me tell you all about this company.

Influenster is a company that sends out voxboxes to it's members who fit the criteria of what their box contains. Then the recipients get to try out the products they received, which could range from a variety of categories. I received the summer beauty box and all of what I received are in previous posts and my reviews in detail about them, so if you have the time, go check them out.

You can unlock badges, submit your blogs, or vlogs, and social media. Because the main point of receiving these items is to influence the people around you via social networking. Things have changed for them now with their new site makeover.

You now can unlock 5 expert badges and they will be in categories that you feel like you know enough about to be able to spread the word about products that they could send you.
I was going to post a screen shot, but blogger's image window isn't being cooperative with me. However, you can go sign up (I will have the link at the bottom) and see for yourselves.

Then you have certain tasks from those 5 badges that you will want to complete (because it raises your Influenster score which is new now) and having a higher score means more free products to try. I think that this makeover is much more user friendly and much easier to understand now. The great thing about your Influenster score, is if you have a score of 100 or more, you are guaranteed a voxbox for that expert badge (I think, or it is your overall score and you are guaranteed the next box that comes out regardless) I'm not quite sure, but they mentioned it in their Facebook update.

I am loving their new makeover and I encourage anyone to join. What do you have to lose? Absolutely nothing. I joined in June this year and received the summer beauty box the same month, so that's pretty quick. Go check it out and let me know what you think of the look.

Influenster 

Opensky

I actually have some time on my hands, so I thought I would do a review on Opensky. I have been browsing this site for a while, and I absolutely love it. I'm going to try and explain this the best I can, but will probably fail epically.

This site has a team of members that will find certain products that they think are really great and then Opensky puts there discount on the item, so you get the savings. They have several categories ranging from Beauty to kids. I didn't recognize any of the brands, but I love discovering new brands, and from experience, find better products that way. It has what I call the "love" button, that way you can keep of list of what you like and refer back to them later. Some items sell out fast, depending on what they are and how popular they become, so you do have to act kind of fast.

They also have a reward system as well, which is new, and I really like it. I have already reached the Aqua lvl, which allows me a $10 credit twice a month and it goes up to a sapphire lvl which qualifies you for even better rewards.

Just to point out, they have a promotion going on right now that gives new members a $20 credit and another $15 credit if you connect with Facebook. That is an awesome deal. They also have a share button that takes $5 off of that particular item. You have to share each item with 3 friends to receive that though. Your total also has to be $50 or more to be able to use your credit, but I was able to get 3 items to total that and with the $15 off from sharing them, I was able to get all of them for FREE. It does take some basic math skills, but I really stink at math and I was able to do it, so it can't be that hard. I really hope I explained that how I wanted to, if I confused anyone, please let me know and I will help with any questions or confusion.

I will definitely be a return customer for this site and recommend it for anyone who is looking for a great deal. No one has told me to write this blog and I am not getting paid for it. I just really feel like I should spread the love.

What I got for free:

Dermelect Anti-Aging Nail Polish in Luxurious (the name reminds me of Zoolander ^_^)
 It was $14 originally and I received $5 off of that. They also have the pink for breast cancer awareness that donates some of the money to charities, but (please don't think I am a bad person) with all of the pink that I have accumulated recently and my pink hair, I don't really want to be known as the pink woman

Girlactik Star Gloss in smooch which is a nice peachy color and I don't have that color yet, so I am excited to try it. It was $18 retail, then $16 Opensky price and I then received $5 off of that price.

Cafepress coffee mug in the cream or white color, and I love that it has the press built in and it's a travel mug. This is my favorite out of all that I received. It retails $20 and there was no Opensky discount, but I did receive my $5 off.

  Everything totaled to $50 and with the $15 off for sharing them, it made the total to be $35 dollars and then with my credit made everything free and I did not have to put in my cc information. The shipping was also free as well. I don't really know how, because it said that orders $100 or over would receive free shipping, but I'm not complaining. It will take about 2 weeks to get everything in, but I'm pretty sure they offer faster shipping options.

Once everything comes in, I will do a review on each product and let you know how the quality compares to the prices on this site. So be on the watch!

Catching Up

Okay, so things have been pretty hectic lately and I haven't updated as much as I would have liked to. We moved back to Washington state and are helping my husband's grandma at the moment. She has been in pretty bad shape and needs someone here to help her move around and such. She is doing better now and is working towards getting back to her old self, so that is great news.

I am so happy to be back on the northwest coast. There is nothing like it. The beauty that surrounds you when you step outside and the coastal winds already blowing. It is absolutely awesome. I can't even begin to explain how I feel when I wake up in the morning. We are in a place where you can go to the beach and stand in front of the pacific and turn around and see the mountains. It's amazing. I've never been much for hot weather, so the fact that it hardly goes over 78 degrees outside is really nice. 

I originally am from Kentucky and always felt like I never belonged there. My goal in life was to get out of there and see what else this world has to offer. When I met my husband, he was from WA and it's a long story of how he ended up in KY, so I won't get into that. So we decided to come over here. I wanted a better life for my son then I had back home. He has more opportunities here, and has a chance to go to some great schools. It is a complete culture change here.

For instance, my hair is pink and in KY people would stare at me. Maybe they were in awe, or maybe they were thinking that I was some hooligan. Who knows, but here people do not care what you wear, or how you look, they are more concerned about what they are doing, then what you are doing. For me, I find it relieving. I'm not saying that is how all places are back home, but in the really small town I live in, that seems to be how they are.

Anyways, I will be putting some tutorials up soon and I would like to know what you all would want to see. Let me know in the comments and I will get it up.  

Gender Selection Procedures for soon to be parents

Well I was just browsing the web and came across an article about how people are spending $18,000 for procedures to ensure they get the gender they want when they conceive. I didn't know what to think. I was amazed that someone would want to take away one most exciting parts of of having a baby.

When I found out I was going to have a baby, I was thrilled. One of my favorite parts of the pregnancy was the day I found out whether I was going to have a boy or a girl. I did not care if it was one or the other. I just wanted a healthy baby. I would be happy to have either. I remember people asking me what I thought I was going to have. For some reason I knew I was having a boy. My intuition doesn't really like me most of the time, but in my gut I knew there was a beautiful baby boy growing inside of me. I remember someone asking me what I thought I was having and I told them a boy. They said, "but do you hope its a girl?" Of course I didn't care, I told them that I didn't care. I was going to be happy either way. I remember her looking at me like I had just lied. That every mother should want a girl and that it was wrong of me to try and hide that. I truly did not care. I never once uttered, I hope I have a ____.  It's one of nature's greatest surprises. Why would someone want to ruin the natural course of life?

Do you know what I could do with $18,000, put it in a fund so that when my children get of age, they can use it for college, or use it to get on their feet when it is time for them to get out there on their own.

The article also said that more people are wanting girls. For one, if you have children already and they are boys, how is that going to make them feel, if they find out that you paid all that money because you wanted a girl. Would they feel like you never wanted them? That they were a disappointment because they were the product of what nature intended?

Since when did a child's gender become a choice, like you were picking out a pair of shoes, or shopping for a new car?

Manic Panic Cotton Candy Pink

Well after years of having almost every color of hair. I realized that I had exhausted my options. I have had my hair black, different shades of brown, different shades of red, and finally I risked blonde. Of course that story is in a previous post of mine and you can read all about that, so I won't get into it again.

I have decided that I will try some more eccentric colors. I really liked the lavender hair I had been seeing. It was such a cool (as in cooler and warmer color) color and looked beautifully on fair skin tones. Since my blonde has a warmer shade to it, I feared that it would not come out the way I had expected. So I was browsing through YouTube and came across a video. I cannot remember who it was and I will probably never find it again, but any who. She had the most awesome shade of pink hair. It was a tad bit darker than a cotton candy pink, but after seeing her previous videos, I saw that this was the result of her deep, rich pink fading. I loved it though. It was subtle, but very classy on her. Of course, I got the wild hair (no pun intended) to do the same thing. I wasn't really worried about the light color since I had already made the big step to blonde, and the biggest headache (having to be blonde before I go pink) was already done.

The first step was to get the pink dye. I had recently saw that Ion had come out with their brilliant brights. I heard great reviews about it and decided since it was cheaper than Manic Panic, I would just get that.

I had to apply this stuff twice and it still didn't change the color of my roots. I don't know if it was because I had just bleached them. I don't think that would have anything to do with it, but it was really frustrating to see blonde roots and the rest of my hair a very, very pastel pink. The bad thing was that the more I put on, the more vibrant my ends were getting. I had already went past the point of the color I wanted to achieve and was getting very aggravated.

So...I broke down and got Manic Panic. The price is around $10 at Sally's Beauty and it is surprisingly smaller than when I saw it online. I had a feeling that it wouldn't even cover my head. I picked up Cotton Candy Pink and was hoping that it would fix this mess.

About $10 at Sally's Beauty Supply

 Manic Panic is sold at numerous places and they have their own site Manic Panic

I followed their directions to a T and hoped for the best. I really liked how it didn't take much at all to coat the strands, and combing it through my hair made it go a long way. I put just a plain plastic grocery bag on my head and took a hair clip to pin the extra. I didn't put heat on it, because I didn't want neon pink hair. I just wanted the color on my roots so that my hair would look as even as possible. I left it on for 30 minutes and rinsed it out.

What people will do for beauty. I rinsed my hair in the coldest water I could stand. I was more than ready for it to be out. Another thing that makes this product well worth the money is that it must have a conditioner in it, because my hair felt so soft when I was done.

Before I even started all of this, I washed my hair and only shampooed it. Of course I used Clear Scalp and Hair Therapy. Like I said, this is my one and only brand of shampoo and conditioner I will ever use.

The results??? Well, see for yourself...

I absolutely love it. Now it is a little more vivid in reality. My webcam is crappy, so you can't really see what it looks like if you were standing next to me.  Who knows, maybe I'll try lavender next.

There is a reason Manic Panic is expensive. It works like a charm. I wish I had just bought this instead of purchasing Ion Brilliant Brights, which I will never purchase again, and am very close to writing a bad review on it, but it could have been me doing something wrong.

I will be using this from now on and I can't wait to get under a black light to see it glow :)

Hunt's Delicious Dinners Cravebox

Okay all you Kentuckians, listen up. I don't know if anyone has heard of Cravebox, but I am about to explain, so just sit tight.

Cravebox is a company that offers you the chance to use a number of products for a set price, so that you don't have to waste your money buying a full size product just to find out that it is just not going to work. I know that I have thrown money down the drain so to speak for that reason alone. So you pay one fee per month and you will receive a box full of several different types of products. I know that they have beauty boxes and food boxes. I'm sure they have many more categories, but there are a couple. I have had a huge interest in purchasing a box, but haven't been able to. I will list their site at the bottom. Definitely go and check it out.

Right now they have this Hunt's dinner box. Anyone who lives in Kentucky and is a busy home cook is eligible for this box, and it is only going to cost you $10 to cover shipping and handling. That is an awesome price. It includes a new dinner sauce from Hunt's and the people who purchase this box will be the first to try it. I, personally really like Hunt's products. I am one of those that prefer Hunt's over Heinz, along with other samples to help put together a nice dinner for your family, that will apparently cut your preparation down and is going to make the entire process a breeze.

Being a stay at home mom with a 2 year old that is constantly getting into something. I usually just whip something up fast, so that I can keep my attention on him and be able to cook for my family. I would really enjoy for once to be able to cook something that looks nice and tastes even better, but that is just not in the cards for me right now. I take my hat off to mothers that have more than one that are close to his age. He is my first, so this is a learning experience for me as well. Cooking already makes me nervous, and so I don't really have the time to cook a nice meal. I am hoping that this will give me a new outlook on cooking.

This sauce is supposed to be very versatile. So you can slow cook chicken with it or spread it over polenta or pasta.

Okay, are you ready to hear about the bonus that is coming with these boxes? Trust me, it is epic. 10 boxes are going to contain a $100 VISA gift card and one will contain a $250 card. If that doesn't move you, than I don't know what will. That right there is worth $10 in my opinion. Besides, you probably wouldn't be able to pay $10 for a decent meal at the grocery store.

I think this is a great opportunity, and if you are like me, Kentucky doesn't really top the list of states that gets singled out for things like this. I am really psyched about this as you all should be as well.

Cravebox - go to their site and become a member. Then visit this link https://www.cravebox.com/hunts.asp?ps=1  to purchase their Hunt's Delicious Dinners Cravebox. Enjoy!

A way to have single serve coffee without a single serve machine

Do you know what really stinks? When you buy this box of what you believe to be chai tea latte and then take it home and 2 weeks later find out that you have bought single serve pods. Yes I did that. I love chai tea and I thought it was a new product, and so I just grabbed it.

You should have seen my face when I decided that a nice hot chai tea would hit the spot. I opened it to see pods and my heart sank. It's awful when you have your heart set on something just to find out that its going to crash and burn.

Since I had opened it, I couldn't take it back. I sure wasn't going to just let it sit or throw it away either. So I tried to google how to make this without a single serve coffee maker, hoping that someone else had made the mistake as I did. No such luck. So I examined the pods and tried to see how they worked. This chai tea latte I had purchased had to steps. The tea and the milk pods. Which was even more confusing. I did find a way and I'm going to tell you now.

I took a glass and microwaved some water to almost boiling. Two minutes was fine with me, but 5 minutes will boil water. It is just preference.

Then I grabbed my one cup measuring cup to pour the water in so I wouldn't spill water everywhere.

I took the tea pod, opened it, and put it in a normal coffee filter. Then I gathered the edge of the filter to make a pouch, holding it with my fingers. I did leave a small opening so I could pour the water in, and held it over my mug.

Next, I took my measuring cup and slowly poured the water into the filter. The water is hot enough that it instantly brewed the tea. I kept doing this until my mug was a little over half way full, and then squeezed the filter to get what was left. I would recommend using tongs. I used my fingers and it was a little toasty on my poor little fingers.

For any single serve coffee, those would be your steps, but of course you will fill the cup up all the way. I still had a second step which was the milk.

The milk step was easy. I pulled the top off and poured the milk into the mug. Then I filled the pod up with the water two to three times and that dilutes the milk.

There you have it. A nice drink that took as long as it does to brew on in a single serve machine would. Yes it is a little primitive, but this is what I had to work with and I still was able to make use of my package of pods that would have been useless otherwise. The tea turned out great and I ended up using all of the pods within a week.

A lot of you that read this will probably think I am crazy and I should just go buy one, but I can't see spending 200 dollars on a coffee machine that only makes one cup of coffee, along with the pods that are kind of high as well. I will probably get one sooner or later, but that will be when I have that amount of money laying around that I couldn't use for something more useful to me.

I hope this helped anyone that is in the same situation that I was, and hopefully they will see this that will be as thankful as I would have been if someone had done the same for me.

5 Hour Energy Shot for Smiley360 mission

Let's just start by saying how I came across this mission to try 5 hour energy and why I am writing this review. I am a member of Smiley360. They are a company that sends you samples from some of the biggest manufacturers to try, evaluate, and share your opinions to your friends and followers. They have a huge community, and all of the reviews for these products are from the members. I really like that the pages dedicated to these products are created by the members as well. I've been a member since the beginning of June, and this is my first sample that I received. Well they aren't really samples, but full size products that you received which is awesome by itself. So I didn't have to wait that long to receive something. You have to be quick though, because these missions fill up extremely fast. I missed out on two others due to timing. I really like the site and that it is made for the consumer and very user friendly. So once you get approved for a mission, you will have a mission page, and this page will instruct you how to share your opinion through Facebook and Twitter, and you receive "smiles" for everyone that clicks on your link. You also have a section for sharing by word of mouth to family and friends. You will just click on it and let them know how many people you told on different occasions and how you think it went overall buy clicking on a number from 1 to 10. You can receive up to 50 smiles for each mission, and these smiles help towards getting chosen for more products to review. It's a great little site.

5-Hour Energy

Okay, a little information about 5-hour energy. I first started seeing commercials for this product around 2005, 2006 area. I was working at a nursing home as a CNA, and was living off Monster and Rockstar. I worked the 12 hour graveyard shift usually 3 days a week, but I put in a lot of overtime, so I needed energy to actually get me through the night sometimes.

I'm going to be honest, at first I thought this was like those weight loss pills, and was either going to be bad for my heart, or was just a scam. They're commercial was low budget and it just made me feel wary about the product. In about a few months, a friend of mine brought some to work. We were all getting kind of worn out and I thought, hey, what do I have to lose, and I really didn't feel like hitting up a gas station on my 30 minute lunch break to go grab a Monster. I just remember downing the little bottle. I just knew it was going to last about 30 minutes and I was going to be jittery as well.  However, neither happened. It actually worked. Now it's not a noticeable change, you just gradually feel better and more awake. For me, it lasted the rest of my shift. I did not crash afterwards at all. I was hooked.

B12 is the vitamin that gives you energy. Doctors will give elderly patients a B12 shot, to make them feel better. When you get to a certain point in life, you lay down and takes naps a lot and just feel weak. Which is expected. Your body is wearing down. My grandfather gets these shots about once a week. You can see an instant change in his behavior and mood. He feels better, and moves around a whole lot better and he is 85.
That is what 5 hour is trying to do. They have put a more concentrated amount of this vitamin in this drink. It is a natural energy drink that isn't going to mess up your body. That is why it works, and that is why it is safe (in moderation!). You don't want to down 5 in one day. Of course, too much of any vitamin is not good for you. Well same rules apply here.

They com in a variety of flavors. Pomegranate, lemon-lime, grape, and orange. Then they have their decaf and extra strength (comes in cherry and grape). You can find all of that information on their website.

 I received Pomegranate and Berry. I have tried Pomegranate and I loved it! Plus it is really fun eating the little beads inside. I was ready to try the shot. I pretty much love anything pomegranate flavored. Well no I love one less thing. This tasted awful. It was like drinking really bitter cough syrup. I took a couple of gulps and couldn't finish it. Maybe I have turned into a wuss, or it's been too long since I have drunken an energy drink and lost my built of tolerance to the bitterness of them. Either way, I don't have to tolerance these days to force myself to finish something like that. I'd rather be tired honestly. I had also just woke up, so maybe if I had tried it later in the day, I would have forced it down. I am not to be messed with when I first wake up and extremely irritable. I will be trying the berry soon, but since I know this stuff works, I felt comfortable enough to write a review without having to consume both bottles. Also, the couple of gulps I got down, really helped get me woke up enough to accomplish a few things.

The two flavors I received, Pomegranate and Berry

 I will edit this later when I do drink it, so at least you can read the review on the flavors. Their site has a Q&A section, plus you can go to Smiley's website and read the reviews there. The price for a six pack is 14.99 on their site and a package of 12 is 25.99. It does seem a little high, but for a large can of your popular energy being about 4 or 5 dollars, and a pack of six will last almost to a week. You are definitely going to get your money's worth. I remember being able to buy these single at convenience stores, but I don't know if that option is still available now. It doesn't hurt to check though! The links will be down below.

5-Hour Energy's Facebook page
5 Hour's Twitter
Smiley360's website
5 Hour's FAQ

Nose piercing

I got my nose pierced today, and it turned out much better than anticipated. I would have never gotten my nose pierced before. I always though of a bleached blonde bimbo with a matching belly button ring. I hate stereotyping, but hey, that's what popped into my head.

I am no stranger to piercings and tattoos. I have had my conch, helix, monroe (twice), lip, nipples, belly button, tongue, and I still have my lobes pierced twice. I have four tattoos, one on my hip, my foot, a side piece and my lower back. Usually something happens where I have to take them out, but then I start getting the itch to get something else done, and just like my hair, I hate doing the same thing twice. I always have to try something new. I have no idea why. So for a while now, I have been wanting my nose done. I really wanted a nasallang, but I couldn't find anyone close by that would do those. So I have decided that I will just get two nostril piercings, one on each side. I am only doing these one at a time. Just so I can focus on the healing of just one piercing.

So because I have had so much done, I wasn't nervous at all, and I should have been. Well I was wishing that I had been. It was extremely painful, and I must have a thick nostril. The piercer had a hard time pushing the needle through. I did tear up and it was completely involuntary. As soon as the needle went in, this huge tear ran down my face onto my neck. Of course the hubby thought I was crying from the pain. He knows me well enough that its going to take a whole lot more than a little piercing to bring the waterworks. I expected to tear up, but not as much as I did. It was like someone had put about three drops of eye drops in my eye.
Putting the jewelry in wasn't bad at all and he was done.

I really do like it. I wasn't sure if I had the "nose" for it, but it looks great. I am very happy with it, and I will definitely be getting the other side done after this one heals. :)

I do not get piercings because of other people. I do it for myself and only myself. My husband does not like nose rings, but he knows that if I want to do something, I am going to do it. I don't try to impress people and tattoos and piercings are not just a fad to me. Some of the most beautiful people to me are pierced and tatted up. I love seeing the art work and I think it brings out the inner beauty of a person. To me a tattoo is the inner beauty and personality of a person brought to the surface with their art.  There is always a story behind each tattoo.

Okay now I'm just getting off the subject. The guy who did the piercing is Casey at Tattoos by Casey, and he did an excellent job. They have a Facebook page, so go check them out. He has pictures of his work and their contact info.

My shiny booger ^_^

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Suncreen and Quaker Soft Baked Bar

The final installment of my Summer Voxbox from Influenster is finally here. Yay ^_^. I figured I'd just put these two together, since I really don't have much to say about Quaker, and I hate writing entries that are short. It's just a quirk of mine. *Disclaimer* I received these products complimentary from Influenster, who received them from the manufacturers to use, evaluate, and give my honest opinion about them.

First off, I am so psyched about Hawaiian Tropics Silk Hydration sunscreen/lotion. Yes, they have finally put lotion and sunscreen together. Well to my knowledge, this is the first I've seen. I haven't really had a chance to use it since I'm at home more than I am anywhere else, but I went out for a ride with the hubby on the motorcycle. I have already seen what happens when you don't have protection on when you are going on a 100+ mile ride. It's not a pretty sight. My face was burned, but I had on a long sleeve top because it was kind of chilly and the sun was not out the entire time. I even had a circle on my chest from where the pendant from my necklace sat. I was giving a whole new meaning to farmer's tan. I do know that you can still get burnt when the sun is not out, but I really didn't give it much thought.

Forgive the messy floorboard of my car, we had been out most of the day visiting family. You can find it at pretty much any major retailer and it is $8.99 for a 6oz. bottle.

To me, 30 SPF is good enough, but the fact they have 50 is awesome.

So Sunday, we decided to go for a little joyride. The sun was out and it was a beautiful day. It wasn't too hot or cold and we would have been fools to pass up the opportunity. So my mother in law watched my son and he ended up having an adventure of his own with Granny and Pa. Before I left, I remembered to apply sunscreen. So I slathered it on me. The smell is absolutely awesome, and the consistency was so silky feeling. Wasn't so much creamy, but truly a silky, satin type feeling. It did take a while for me to rub the sunscreen in, but I suppose that's a good thing. The thickness probably adds to the protection that you get from this.

After being out in the sun for about 6 hours, we came back home. When I went to the bathroom, I was not burned on bit. It looked like I had gotten a little bit of sun, but no redness or soreness what so ever. I was ecstatic. The little bottle I received was 30 SPF, but they have 12 and 50 as well. I did however, see where I had missed some spots. I had on a cut out back top and had three little lines on my upper back from where I hadn't applied the sunscreen and low and behold, sunburn!

I did not have to reapply this at all while we were out and I definitely liked that. No one wants to have to try and remember to reapply sunscreen when you are out having a good time. It has also really moisturized my skin. I will be using this as a sunscreen and a lotion. I do put on sunscreen regardless most of the time I go out, so this will save me money. I won't have to buy lotion and sunscreen, just this. I am very impressed with it.

Now on to Quaker's banana bread soft bar. I love their oatmeal cookies and so I was really looking forward to this. What is great about this line of products is that you can microwave them. My favorite part about cookies and banana bread is when they first come out of the oven and they are still warm and chewy. Banana bread with butter is my all time favorite comfort food. So I was more than ready to scarf this down.

I like to open both ends, because if you just open one end of it, one side gets warmer than the other and that is no fun. So I warm it up and eat it. It pretty much just tasted like nuts. This thing was covered in them, and I'm not a big fan of any kind of nut. I can tolerate almonds, but that is about it. I was excited about it because I figured, this will be able to substitute my craving for banana bread, since I want it all the time pretty much. I didn't really taste anything but walnuts. Maybe I just got a bad one. I know that they all don't have the same amount, but I wouldn't want to spend my money on just a guess.

This is just my opinion. This could have been heaven for someone else, but unfortunately, not me. I don't really have much else to say about this. It was okay all in all though.

Tampax and Always Radiant Collection

Another wonderful review from yours truly. I am still in the process of writing a review on the products I received from Influenster. Of course I cannot leave out the disclaimer. I received the products complimentary from Influenster, Tampax, and Always from Proctor & Gamble. I was asked to test, evaluate and give my honest opinion on the product.

Now on with the show. If you do not like reading things such as tampons, periods and such, then you shouldn't read any further, because I do not hold anything back. So you have been warned. I also would have taken more pictures, but by the time it came time to use them, I was in such a hurry that I used them before I even thought about taking a picture, so I just have a couple.

I wish I would have gotten some pictures after I opened the box, but my brain doesn't work right sometimes.
Check out Always and Tampax. They have some great products.

Firstly, I loved the packaging of the tampons. The whole reason I was so excited about receiving these, was their new resealable package. The tampon comes in a package with a little opening. You just pull the tab up, pull the tampon out and when you are done with the process of putting it where it's supposed to go, you put the applicator back in the pouch and close the tab. How awesome is that!? I loved it. It is so discreet and you're not having to worry about company going into your bathroom and seeing a heinous mess in your trash can if you're like me and your can doesn't have a lid.The nasty side of tampons can remain hidden. The tampons that were included however, did not really do the trick for me. Warning, this is a little graphic. I have a very heavy flow and I usually use Kotex Super Plus tampons. I have yet to find another brand that will work for me and these were no different. I would spend more money if I were to continue to buy this brand, and it is a shame, because I did like the packaging that the tampons came in. They may have a super plus, but I have not looked to see, and most other brands that have "super plus" do not compare to Kotex.

The larger pad that was included was great. I loved the colorful wrapper that it had. I also was really excited to see that it was scented. I mean every woman wants to remain "fresh" down there during that time and this really did a great job accomplishing just that. I have not used pads since I was 12, so I don't know if the material that this pad is made of is completely new, but I noticed that it was made differently. It was almost like a gel. I could be wrong, but it absorbed very well and did soak in. It didn't feel like it was just sitting on the pad, but was in the pad. It is thin, but don't let the look deceive you, it works just as well as the big bulky pads that are out there right now, but the upside is it doesn't feel like you are wearing a diaper. I will probably invest in these soon. It also stayed in place. Most winged pads will shift and the wings will pull up and end up sticking to the insides of my thighs. Once this was put in place, it stayed there, and I couldn't have been happier.

The last thing that was included were three panty liners. I thought there was only one when I first looked, but they are so thin that it wasn't until later that I realized there were more. I did like how thin and small they were. So it was almost as if I wasn't wearing one (trust me, I had to go and check to make sure it was still there). It worked okay. The sides curled up and ended up getting lopsided and such, but for most of us, a panty liner is mostly used for when that time is about up and is only used for when we are just spotting. So it did the job, but maybe its too small and thin? Anyways, I was very pleased with all of the products.

We can't forget the cute bag they came in. I really like the bag and I will continue to use the bag to hold my feminine products. It is small enough that it can fit in my small purse, and most people will just think its a makeup bag. I have such a problem with the tampon wrappers opening up and go to look through my purse and see the tampon just laying there with the wrapper no where to be found. Nothing more frustrating than seeing a tampon to go waste like that. I don't know if that's why it was there, but I am going to use it for that anyways.

My final opinion on this product is that this is a great collection. Like I said, the tampons did not work for me, but the quality was great and the resealable wrapper was absolutely awesome. The rest of it worked great for me and I have no complaints. I definitely will be purchasing the pads. If any of you are willing to risk trying a new product, because if you're like me, once you find a great feminine product, you hate to try something new. I definitely recommend trying it.

Clear Scalp and Hair Therapy Review

Here we go with another review on the Summer Voxbox list. I needed a few uses of this shampoo and conditioner before I felt comfortable enough to write an honest reivew.
*Disclaimer: I received this product along with some others by Influenster complimentary, to use, test and evaulate*

Okay, everyone hates dry scalp and flakes. I know I do not want to be wearing a nice black top and look over and looking like I just stepped out of a snow storm. However, I also want my hair to smell nice. Dandruff shampoos do not have the greatest reputation when it comes to the smell of them. So which do you sacrifice? Smell or flakes? Well now you don't have to choose (did I really just type a sales pitch? That was not intentional).

Clear Scalp and Hair Therapy Shampoo and conditioner

When I saw this in my box, I had no intentions on using it. I bleach my hair, so I have a restorative mask that I use every time I wash my hair. Damaged hair is no laughing matter and I refuse to go out looking like I stuck my finger in a light socket. That was my initial reaction. Then I got home and did a more thorough look. I wanted to give it a chance though, at least the shampoo. So I took the lid off and could automatically smell it. I must say it was pretty amazing. It completely caught me by surprise. Most of the time when I'm shopping for shampoo I really have to get my nose to the bottle and usually end up squeezing shampoo into my nose (never fails). I can't really explain the smell, but it smelled clean and sweet. Could this have really been a dandruff shampoo? I honestly thought that it wouldn't work, because there is no scalp shampoo out there that has a scent I would even want to put on my dog.

So the time came to put it to use. I put it in my hair and made a good lather, making sure to massage my scalp (never use your nails to scratch it, it causes damage to the skin). I go to rinse it out and at that point, I didn't even feel the need to use the conditioner. My fingers were going right through my hair wet! It was awesome. Then I thought, if the shampoo made my hair feel this silky, then what will the conditioner do to it. So I actually used a conditioner of than my Argan oil (which is crazy), and of course it made my hair feel even softer. So even if this stuff didn't work, at least my hair would feel and smell great which is a plus on it's own.

There wasn't much of a difference in the way my head felt flaky wise I guess you could say. I don't have a dandruff problem, but I have a dry scalp problem and I can scratch my head and have skin in my nails (yes i'm sure that's a little too much information, but it has to be said). Then I used it the second time, and the next day I went to rub my head and already it had made a difference. It felt like my head had been exfoliated. It was very soft and smooth. The third time had completely gotten rid of the problem.

Three uses and the dry scalp problem is gone. I think I have found my new shampoo. Still can't replace my argan oil mask, but I may cut down on how much I use that and use the conditioner for the days I don't use my mask. I did not think I would be completing a positive review for this product. I have to say that Clear Hair blew my socks off (yep I just said that).

So if you do have a dry scalp, or a dandruff problem, this is a great solution. Not only will it work fast, but it smells great. No one will ever know that you are even using one. There is not one trace of dandruff shampoo smell. I know what the ingredient is that does it, but cannot remember it to save my life right now.I will definitely be buying the full size bottles when I run out of this.

Influenster Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color and Nails & Cuticles Hand Creme

I am so excited about this post. I recently received my summer VoxBox and I am in love with the products I have received.
*Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary to test, evaluate, and review from Influenster*

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30: $8.99 for 6oz bottle and available in SPF 12, 30, and 50
Tampax and Always Radiant Collection
Quaker Soft Baked Bar in Banana Nut Bread: $3.29 per package
Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color: $9.99
Sally Hansen Nails and Cuticles Hand Creme: $5.99
Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner: $4.99-$5.99 for 12.7oz and 12.9oz bottles

I am so excited to tell you about two products in particular that I have tried. Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color, and their hand cream.

Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color 903 Silver Elements
$9.99 at most major retailers.

Sally Hansen Hand Cream

I love these two products. Lets talk about the nail polish. Firstly, I was not to crazy about the color. I don't wear colors like this and it would not have been something that I would have ever chosen for myself. However, after using this polish, I am definitely loving the color. I think that because it is a color I would have never used, I like how edgy it looks. Not only the color, but the effect it gives.

Then, I was thinking, this is going to be time consuming and with a toddler climbing and getting into everything every two seconds, I will never be able to find the time to even get this done. Probably was going to get one hand done and never finish the second. Especially when it says to put on a thick second coat. Let's face it, we have all had the smudges and scratches because a polish has taken forever to dry and then all that time and effort is wasted with a bad manicure.

I was determined to use this and be able to give my review, so I bit the bullet and commenced. The instructions say to put a base coat on, but I do not have a base coat, just a ridge filler. So I skipped that step all together. Then you are supposed to put a thin coat of the polish on all of your nails and let dry. That was very quick and painless and of course dried very fast. Then the dreaded thick second coat. Now with this step, you have to do one nail at a time. You apply the thick second coat and place the magnet above the nail immediately (if you wait to do this it will not work). What is nice about this magnet is it has a nice guide that you place below your cuticle and keeps you from touching it to the polish by accident (I did it anyways, but once I got to the second hand I had gotten the hang of it). Then hold the magnet for about 10 seconds. Now from my first time using it, if you are wanting a more subtle effect then you won't have to hold it that long, but if you are wanting a bolder look then the full 10 seconds will be needed. I was very amused at watching the effect take place, but it doesn't really take much to amuse me. After doing each individual nail, its time to let them dry.

I was very impressed by the time it took my nails to dry. I'm talking within a few minutes they were completely dry. That is just amazing with how much polish you are using. I am all for that. Then I applied a top coat and they looked awesome. It really looked like I had spent a lot of time and energy into my nails and I practically spent 10 minutes to do this. I could not stop looking at my nails and am looking forward to purchasing the other colors that they have. I do know that $9.99 is quite a bit for nail polish, but I'm sure there are a few people that have spent more than that. It is high for me, but when I find a good product, I am willing to invest a little more to have a great quality product.

First hand, not so good, but I accidentally touched the magnet to my middle and pinky finger, so I'm guessing that is why they did not get the effect of the magnet.

Second hand looking much better, and a little polish on my skin (never can avoid that)

 To top everything off with my awesome manicure, the Sally Hansen hand cream. The pictures above were taken before I put the cream on, but it really softened my hand and the skin around my nails that seem to get really tough. This cream reminds me of the beach. It has a scent of lime and coconut, and of course that made me think of pina coladas :) This stuff really works wonders and my hands continued to feel nourished and hydrated for the rest of the day. I did not expect such a great product for such a great price. Right on Sally.

I will have the rest of my reviews in the course of the next few days and I would really recommend these two products to anyone that is wanting an inexpensive manicure that took less than half the time it would take in a salon.

Listia and other things

Sorry it's been a while since I posted last, but I've been busy and whatnot. I got a new phone. It's the Motorola XPRT. I know that the hype about it was that it was great for business professionals that were transitioning from blackberry to android, but I love phones that have a touchscreen and a QWERTY keyboard. I have used an all touchscreen phone and find it difficult to text with. This is a really great phone so far. I haven't really had a chance to really doodle with it, but I will give a more in depth review about it when I have. I'm just happy to have an android again. They are so handy for pretty much anything.

I have discovered a new site called Listia. It is a site like Ebay. You bid on items that you like, but you earn points that can be used towards purchasing items by bidding. I'm not sure if you lose your points when you bid, but as far as I know, if you do not win the auction, you do not lose your points. What I really like about this site is that you can earn points, or use your own money to buy points with to purchase items. The auctions are very similar to Ebay with their layout. So far from browsing the site, there are some really great items that people post and most of them do offer free shipping (gotta love saving money on shipping). There is also a rewards section. Once you have earned (or purchased) enough points, you can turn them in to some really awesome items. I know there was are ipods, cameras, coffee and espresso makers, amazon gift cards, etc. I am really digging this website and it has given me something else to pass the time other than copious.


I am really loving that these sites that have these earning options are coming out of the wood works. I am on a budget and treating myself can be far and few between. So I have received a lot of items from credits, points, reward programs and so on.

I have had problems with some of my family and friends believing me about these sites, even after showing them what I have received. Has it really become a time where people don't think that anything can be free without a catch? It baffles me.

Anyways, that is pretty much it. I haven't had anything going on, but I've been busier than a bee. I don't know how that happens, but it did. I hope you all check this site out, it is the real deal.

Haircut and other things

I am looking forward to a lot of things right now. Saturday is my hubby's birthday, the big 32 and he is not at all psyched about it lol. I tell him that he is only as old as he feels. He said in that case he must be about 70.

This past Sunday which was father's day was great. My dad got to spend the day with his grandson and I was able to get him a card that I received from Cardstore. I did get this for free with free shipping as a promotion they had for father's day. The site was awesome. Did not expect to get the quality that I received for free. I had the choice to insert pictures, customize the greeting and write my own little note. The card was American Greeting, which I though was awesome, and they sent me a coupon for free shipping on my next order (how awesome is that). I had gotten him a gift, but it has not made it yet, which has me a little worried. I hope I receive it soon before he forgets what the occasion will be for.

I also chopped all of my hair off Sunday. It is a pixie cut and I absolutely love it! It feels so nice to not have to worry about my hair sticking to my neck and face in the hot months to come. Oh and check this out, all I have to do to fix it is blow dry it. I have never had a style that allowed me to fix it as fast as I can now. I was a little nervous about going as short as I did, but it was completely worth the worrying I had in the chair while she was cutting my hair off.

It's so short!

We are getting ready to potty train my son. It's a bittersweet time. I am so excited that he is ready for this huge milestone, but it is coming more apparent that he is growing up :(. I never thought he would be ready for potty training before I would. Yet he has made it clear that he is ready for the next stage in his life. I wish I could keep up with him without everything being such a blur. Just too much going on in such a short amount of time I suppose.

I finally got an invitation to review a product from Swaggable. I was so stoked to receive one. It is a great site that I have recently become a member of (less than a month). It is still in it's beta phase I do believe and it completely free to join. They have a list of products that they have sent out and that are getting ready to go out to members. They ask you if you would like to participate in the review and you can choose whether or not you want to go through with it. Once you receive the item, use it and write a review on their site. Not hard at all. I definitely see them expanding. I'm just tickled pink that I finally got invited to do something.

Oh and a side note. In the middle of this blog, my son came up to me with a book. So of course I stopped writing to read the short book with him. It's called Things on Tracks, and it talks about different transportation things on track. Pretty self explanatory. So I start the book and the first two words are Choo-Choo Choo-Choo. So I asked him if he could say it and clear as day, choo choo came out! I am so happy right now, I had to put this in here. He's such a sweetheart.

Finally found out what was wrong with my camera. The battery is done for. Which really sucks because I've only had the camera for 4 months and only charged it once, so I don't see why it would already be exhausted, but oh well. At least the batteries are not cheap and once I get the new battery, I can actually post good pictures instead of my very crappy webcam. I'm such a procrastinator though that it will probably be a while.

Copious

The past few days have been rather hectic, but on the plus side, I did receive my items that I ordered on Copious. When you sign up, you receive a $10 credit. I ended up using that towards a double finger ring that said love and a brand new Revlon Colorstay lipstick. I ended up being able to get both of those items for under 10 dollars. I ended up with 67 cents left I think.

The site is absolutely great. Not only is the credit awesome, but the prices are so affordable. Now they do have some pretty high end items such as Coach, but they also have some great name brands for a great price. For example, I love BKE, American Eagle, Old Navy, and etc. They have all of those brands and more, and most of them I have found are under $20.

I would describe the site as a mixture of Ebay, Etsy, and Pinterest. You connect through your Facebook and sell vintage, handmade, new and used items. The great thing is that there is no bidding, and you can "heart" items that you like, so that you can go back and check them out. There are no fees for how many pictures you post, or how many items. There is a Copious charge, and you can either choose to pay the charge or have the buyer pay it.

One of the things that I love about it, is that I feel like I'm buying from an actual person. They have their photos listed and their Facebook pages connected. Unlike Ebay, where you have no idea who you are buying from or if they will even send you an item after you purchase it. The buyer has a 48 hour time frame that you can be sure that nothing is wrong with the item, or that is was misrepresented. If for some reason it is, you can return it and get a full refund of what you paid.

This is my new addiction. I end up visiting this site just to window shop. I definitely recommend it to anyone.

*Disclaimer*
I'm not a spokesperson for this site and no one has asked me to write a review on this. I truly love this site and love to shop :)

If you want to check it out, I posted my little share link below.   Oh and another thing, if you invite your friends and they make they're first purchase you receive $5 dollars (how awesome is that). Of course when they accept your invite, they also can get a 10 dollar credit. Either you have to qualify for the credit, or you can receive it from an invite. From what I have learned.

http://copious.com/invites/4fce707c8451e05f15002f56

Julep & Cardstore

So I haven't had a chance to write anything over the weekend. It was pretty hectic. I had my son's 2nd birthday party which was better than I could have ever imagined, and everyone had a blast including him. My mom had a barbecue, and I spent the majority of Friday night making his cake. Turned out awesome and I'm so happy its over. Very, very stressful.

Today I went to go get the mail and my julep polishes and the father's day card that I got for free were in the mail! Yay!!! I was so excited and very surprised on how fast the nail polish got here. They sent me an email on the 7th saying that it was shipped out and I received it today. How awesome is that! It did cost me a penny, but hey that is alright with me completely.

I would have posted pictures, but my camera is having a huge problem. I've had it for 4 months and it will not charge now. So I'm in the middle of a technical support email right now and really hope that it will get resolved soon. However, I will get some pictures posted before too long. They also threw in two toe separators (which I'm assuming was a surprise gift. I saw some posts and videos where they received a nail file).  Not really sure if that's what they're called, but that's what I call them. It's been hard not to rip open the box and use them, but I'm going to be patient so that I can get a pic of the beautiful packaging. We'll see how long I can last on that one.

The other freebie that I received was a father's day card for my dad. I don't think the promotion is going on right now, but there are some greeting card sites that still have some promotions for a free card. The site is Cardstore, and I was able to personalize the card the way I wanted, and had the option to put some photos in there, so that was very neat. I really can't recall when I ordered the card. Probably the same day, but I did not expect it to get here so soon. I was very pleased with this. It did come with an envelope and a coupon for free shipping on my next order with a coupon code. I did not pay a cent, nor did I have to put my credit card number in.

Now if you are looking for a similar deal. Treat has a new member promotion for a free greeting card of any type which includes free shipping and no credit card info is needed. They have the same personalization options as well, and hey you can't beat free.

I will be posting my samples and freebies that I receive as I get them. I regularly check a great site Guide2Free and it is always up to date with certain samples, contest, and coupons. So go and check them out.

No one asked me to review anything about this, I just felt like doing it. I definitely did not get paid to mention these companies or products either. I'm just stoked that I received these things for free (julep was practically free). 

Its been 2 years

First off, a wonderful Happy Birthday to my beautiful baby boy. I can't believe two years have come and gone. I feels like yesterday that I was in the hospital, nervous as hell, wondering If I could be a good mother to this unborn baby boy. He is now 2 years old, and as healthy as could be.

Its been rough at times, and there have been moments that I will never forget. The joy of life is nothing short of a miracle. I have been learning just as much as he has, and we have both helped each other along the way. He has let me know that I am good enough for this journey in life, and I hope that I have shown him unconditional love. He is the reason I wake up in the morning, waiting for all the excitement to come for the day. I couldn't have asked for anything better.

I can sit there and just stare, wondering how me and my husband could have made such a beautiful and kind thing. He makes me laugh everyday, and there are times he makes me want to pull my hair out. I love him through it all.

All I can hope for is that I raise him the best of my ability and that it will make him grow into a wonderful person. I want him to feel like he can do anything that he puts his mind to, and I will never put down restrictions when it comes to his dreams. If he wants to be a great artist, go for it. If its a famous composer, awesome. The only thing that can hold him back is himself. Yes, I do know that he is just two, but believe me, planning needs to start immediately. Because once you have a child, you hardly have time to do anything, and the years will fly by. I feel like just a couple months ago, I was making his cake for his first birthday. I can remember almost every detail of that day, down to the weather outside. I wish I could slow time down for just a bit, so that I can savor these moments, but unfortunately that can't be. I suppose that is why parents run around with a camera glued to their hands. You have to get these moments before they pass you by, and time and age take them away from you.

I may not have finished college, or completed some of the achievements that others have, but I do know one thing, and it is the most important. My greatest accomplishment was my son, and for that, I couldn't be happier with my life. I can't wait for the years to come, experiencing everything that life has to offer with children.

Sharing Smiley360 Mission

 I know I just posted, but I came across this site, and it is a great site for samples that you can review, missions, and I believe even some full size products to use and review about. I haven't been on for very long but I recommend at least going to check it out!


Sharing Smiley360 Mission: I just became a Smiley360 member! Sign-up for free at http://bit.ly/lTDqVw Be heard. Be happy. *Please remember the FTC requires you to mention that you received a free sample courtesy of Smiley360 when sharing.