Farewell to 2014

While 2014 was full of opportunity, I’m happy to see it off because I know that 2015 holds even more promise!

In 2014, we tried to have a baby with the use of injectable medicine. Did it work? No. Did we learn from our experience? Absolutely. Although heartbroken at the time, we walked away with new goals. I lost 13 pounds, and have changed my eating habits and become more active.

In 2015, I hope to complete the foster-to-adopt paperwork and process with Hubby. Maybe we can have a little one in our home by the end of the year (thinking ahead, much?). I will also be working on losing at least another 15 pounds and becoming more consistent with my healthy eating habits.

What are your goals for the new year?

Lush Skincare

So… This post didn’t post and I don’t know why, but here’s Manic Monday on a Tuesday!

Lush Cosmetics is one of my favorite, go-to brands for body care and bath products. They use many vegan and organic ingredients and everything is hand made. They put much thought into their products and it shows. Another cool thing about Lush is their customer loyalty program. As you use their “Black Pot” products, be sure to save them! When you have five black pots, you can trade them in for a small scrub :).

First up on today’s menu is Skin Drink! Skin Drink is Lush’s most moisturizing facial moisturizer. It is formulated for “parched” skin.

Upon my first use of Skin Drink, I was very turned off by the way it smells. The sesame oil in this moisturizer causes it to have a deep, greasy smell… Almost like fresh, homemade french fries. Despite the smell, the product is really great! I used it consistently around my dry, eczema-stricken eyes, and within days , my skin felt much better. The only thing I would change about this cream is the fragrance of it.

Next up is Dream Cream!

As I’ve mentioned before, my skin is very dry! While it’s very dry, it’s also sensitive. I often struggle with patches of eczema :(. That being said, I chose to use Dream Cream because it is formulated to soothe irritated skin. Upon application, however, I’m not sure if my skin felt at all “soothed.” This cream has a lovely, fresh, fragrance of lavender, but I don’t feel like it is as moisturizing as if needs to be for irritated skin.

What about that… Buffy?? (No… Not the vampire slayer, lol.)

I LOVE THIS STUFF! I’ve used it before and swear by it. This body butter is used as an in-shower moisturizer. You rub the bar all over, focusing on the detest areas, and then rinse. When you step out of the shower, your skin already feels moisturizer and doesn’t need as much body lotion as you’d usually use. It’s truly a skin-saving product! I find that when I use Buffy I don’t scratch at my skin as often, because it stays moisturized longer :).

Last, but definitely not least, Sex Bomb and The Comforter.


These two products will draw the most amazing bath you’ve EVER had in your life! You can use them together or separately. Sex Bomb is a bath bomb and The Comforter is a bubble bar. Bath bombs are used all at once by being dropped into a full bathtub. Bubble bars on the other hand, don’t have to be used all at once. $11 is a lot to pay for one bubble bath, so I break my bubble bars into fourths. Crumble the bar into the bath and wait for the luscious, fragrant bubbles to take over the bath tub.

These are only a few of my favorite Lush products. I’ve had my eye on Flying Fox body wash and Lust solid perfume, as well! Do you use and Lush products? What are your favorites?

Michael Kors Jet Set Top Zip East/West Tote

I received my first MK bag from my parents for Christmas! I’m very impressed with the quality of the purse.

The Michael Kors Jet Set Top Zip East/West Tote is very sleek. It is thinner than the other purses I own, and is incredibly comfortable to hold. Its narrow base makes it. Comfortable to put my arm down over my bag. I feared that because it has two straps, it would be difficult to carry, but the thin, adjustable, straps are actually really comfortable. The leather used to create this bag is beautifully textured. At first, I thought it’s canvas, but it’s actually Saffiano leather. The pretty texture makes me feel confident that this bag will have minimal upkeep to stay looking new. The rich red is absolutely stunning (Go COOGS!)

The Jet Set Top Zip East/West Tote has two pockets on the exterior of the bag, and while they look cosmetic, they’re actually pretty handy. The pockets are a great place to slip your phone or your keys as you load things into your car or if you’re running into the store for a quick errand.

While the bag is slender, the inside is rather roomy! Four pockets and one zippered pouch line the inside as well as a hanging key fob. A lot of thought was put into the design of his bag, because it it acceptionally crafted!

If you’re considering adding a MK to your collection, I would highly recommend this bag!

Very Merry Christmas! Whatcha Get?

I’m so very honored to have such a fantastic husband. He truly went above and beyond this year!

Let me first say, that Hubby and I are both horrible gift-givers, in that we just can’t wait. We want each other to open the gifts we get for one another as soon as we get them, haha.

After Hubby opened two of the little gifts I got him, he brought one of my gifts to me – a gorgeous Pandora charm to add to my bracelet! It truly is so sweet! I finally have a charm to symbolize our sweet little pups, Tucker and Charlie!

Before heading to my uncle’s house for Christmas Eve dinner, we decided to go ahead and finish exchanging gifts (I told you, we’re impatient!) with one another. I loaded hubby up with some Houston Texans gear (an Antigua polo, cap, and crazy socks). He showered me in tons of goodies this year that were quite meaningful. He knows I’m constantly in search of bobby pins and hair ties, so he bought me a pack of each and also a pair of comfy, fuzzy socks. Deeper in the package, I found two moisturizers (Celestial and Skin Drink) and Buffy body butter from Lush. He told me that he wanted to choose a body lotion, but didn’t know which one to choose! So, instead, he purchased two moisturizers thinking that I could exchange one for a body lotion :). Deciding which of the two moisturizers to keep was a toughy for me because my skin is dry and sensitive! I decided to keep the Skin Drink because my skin feels so parched and tight all the time! Hubby also included a vitamin regimen for me to start taking daily, because he knows I’ve become more aware and more active in wanting to be healthy. How thoughtful is he :)?

Be on the lookout for a Lush review post on Manic Monday ;).

Your Pit Bull

Wow. Beautifully written!

Dear River,

I want to tell you a story about your dog, Zoe. We found her cowering at the pound. She wasn’t barking like the other dogs. She was simply laying there, looking up at us. The tag said, “lab mix” and she was slated to be killed in a week. We fell for it, thinking we were buying a lab.

She is not a lab. She is a pit bull.

As Zoe grew, we came to realize the pound had lied. I was scared. I felt irresponsible for letting this type of dog into my home. All of the stereotypes, preconceptions and worries filled my mind. Should I take her back? What would people think of us?

She is the definition of disenfranchised. When first time guests visit we lock her in her cage, not because she is dangerous, but because of unspoken fears. She receives wary glances from strangers as…

View original post 637 more words

Tieks by Gavrieli

Good morning beautiful people! I’m going to start posting weekly “Manic Monday” posts about something I’m really excited or wild about. This week’s post is dedicated to: Tieks by Gavrieli! I received a pair in Ruby Red from my parents as an early Christmas gift :)! This will not be a full review post (that’ll come later), but instead, a brag post to tell you why you need a pair in your life!

If you’re like me, shoes hurt your feet. Even shoes that are built to be comfortable like Clark’s or Born. As a school teacher, I’m up on my feet walking around all day long. By the time lunch rolls around, my feet are usually aching and my shoes are already off and sitting behind my desk. Well.. I received these shoes in the mail on a Friday and wore them to work Monday-Wednesday and again on Friday, and guess what? They didn’t come off of my feet a single time! My feet were comfortable all day long. My goodness. Talk about comfortable!

I know they’re pricey (starting at $175), but you need a pair in your life because –
1) they’re comfortable!
2) they’re trendy!
3) they come in an astonishing variety of colors.
4) they’re foldable and convenient for traveling.
5) they easily slip into your evening bag as a “swap pair” for when your feet start to ache from wearing heels.
6) their rubberized sole gives you the stability and feel of wearing tennis shoes while looking stylish!
7) you can’t feel the ground beneath you while you walk like you can in most other flats (think gravel or cobblestones).
8) they stretch to fit the shape of your foot (only come in whole sizes).
9) their customer service is phenomenal. They work with you one-on-one to take care of your needs. Their exchange policy is, by far, the best around!!

…and last but not least…
10) life is too short to wear ugly shoes!

Red Fringe Scarf

Yay! It’s finally cold enough to wear my red fringe scarf! We attended Hubby’s cousin’s wedding this weekend, and I decided to dress up in a gorgeous navy asymmetrical waist-tie dress from White Plum, paired with a pair of black leggings from Express, my black Bebe winter coat, and black riding boots.

 

I received many compliments on m gorgeous scarf! The material is very soft, and it kept me warm without making me feel suffocated. I’m thinking I should invest in a cream fringe scarf as well! How gorgeous would this outfit have been with a pair of red Tieks :)??