March Recommendations

Burt's Bees oil cleanser- This has made taking my makeup off so much faster! To be honest while I love makeup and totally try to take care of my skin as much as possible there are still so many nights when I'm in a hurry to just get the gunk off and go to bed. This makes taking off eye liner and mascara a total breeze and I have noticed that it also makes my skin very happy! There are lots of different oil cleansers but I admit I picked this one because it is in the lower price range and no regrets so far! 

Organizers for makeup- My husband bought these for me for Christmas and I LOVE them. If you are a makeup hoarder like myself these are awesome to organize your stash. 

Essential oils- I am totally late to the party but essential oils have changed my cleaning routine as far as laundry and cleaning my mattress goes. They smell awesome and last so long and yeah just take the plunge it's worth it. 

YouTube channels- I'm totally into cleaning/vlogging/mommy videos these days. This might not be up your alley but if you are so inclined my favorites are: 

Love Meg

Beauty and Beastons

Flipside of the Moon 

Wet N Wild Foundation- Super cheap and it has the staying power of a much more expensive foundation. I love a deal and this one is amazing. It has a pretty broad shade range and very build-able coverage! 

Dry Shampoo- Again I'm late to the party but I was sent this sample of dry shampoo and now I'm hooked and basically this will have to be in my regular stash especially with baby boy due in a few months and my knowing that showers will be few and far between once he arrives. I love this one but honestly it is super pricey so if you have any recommendations for something cheaper I am all for it! However I will say this one is worth the money, especially if you are a brunette or darker hair color. 

Podcasts- I've told you all about the Curvy Girl Podcast before and I'm still in love with it but now I have a new podcast that I have been bingeing on and honestly I'm probably late to this party too but: 

I love true crime but I love Karen and Georgia even more. They deliver the stories so well and with hilarity that takes the brutal edge off. Plus they are just realatable and funny and yeah you should listen.


So what are your March Recommendations? 

*Note- No affiliate links here, just stuff I like that you might like!

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Favorite Christmas Reads

Good Morning,

It's kind of a book theme this week isn't it? 

I just thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite reads for getting into the Christmas mood. Yes these are children's book but I'm a firm believe that a truly great book is great because it appeals to all ages. 

Here we go: 

Twas the Night Before Christmas- A classic and always a fun read. It's beautiful and timeless. 

Rocking Horse Christmas-My mom bought me this book years ago and it still makes me cry. It's a wonderful story about imagination, growing up, and things coming full circle.

 

Santa's Snow Cat-  This is story about his snowy white kitty gets lost and searches to find her Santa.

 

Cajun Night Before Christmas- A twist on the classic this book is just hilarious to read. I remember reading it to the group of fourth graders that I was a teaching assistant for when I was in high school. So much fun.

 

McDuff's New Friend- I believe that McDuff has his own series but this is the one that I know best. McDuff the white puppy keeps hearing noises outside and when he goes to investigate he finds Santa's sleigh stuck in the snow!

 

The Snow Bear- A story about a little Polar bear that gets separated from his mother. All the other animals gather to help him create a snow bear to keep him company until she finds him again.  

 

The Polar Express- I wasn't overly fond of the movie adaptation of this one but the book is still considered a classic.

 

 How The Grinch Stole Christmas- I love Dr. Suess. I love the whimsical worlds and I love the life lessons. "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store....maybe Christmas perhaps....means a little bit more."

A Christmas Carol- I have many many editions of this story. I love reading it every year. Slightly creepy. Very moving. It will always have a home on my shelf. 

What are some of your favorite Christmas Stories? Any of these you plan to check out? 


Happy Thursday Everyone.

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What I Read: September 2015 Edition

Good Morning Everyone!

It's that time again! Best Linkup of the Month!

Here's what I read!


The Cure for the Common Breakup by Beth Kendrick- This book was just fun. It was a little predictable and silly but a great one to read if you enjoy lighthearted romance novel types. Also I am so tempted to make the The Cure of the Common Breakup Drink! Also it is labeled as Black Dog Bay #1 so I am hopeful that it will be a series! I had read another book by Kendrick before the Lucky Dog Matchmaking Service and it is one of my favorite books. Also silly, a little predictable, and fun. Sometimes you just need something light!

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky- I own the movie but I had never read the book. I have to say that I was really impressed with how the movie stayed pretty much true to the book! Charlie was even more awkward in the book version however but that was okay. It made me uneasy and I think that is how you are supposed to feel when you read this book. Everything has another level to it and every event feels like a life changer when you are a teen...some of them are life changing and you never even realize it. Great book and of course it has one of the best quotes ever, "We Accept The Love We Think We Deserve" Some of the truest words ever written.

Death by Tiara by Laura Levine- This is number twelve in this series and yep it was predictable as all get out. I never mind though because I have been reading the series forever and I don't mind that it is a cozy mystery with pretty basic and stereotypical characters. I love Jaine and I love her cat Prozac. Her parents are super hilarious as well. This is a good one to read if you don't mind that the mystery is simple and are just in it for the laughs. Another good one for light reading that doesn't involve any effort! 

 

People I want to Punch in the Throat by Jen Mann- I have a love/hate relationship with this one. I loved her wit and her blunt delivery. Some of the things she says I agree with wholeheartedly but some things I just couldn't get on board with, but the one thing that irritated me the most was that she referred to her husband as The HUBS through the whole book. Now this irritates me in general but since I got the book on audio book it was ten times worse. That being said this is a pretty funny book if you are into reading about the ridiculousness of the "mommy wars" and suburban life in general.

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen- I picked this one up on a whim and honestly I enjoyed it. It was a very quick read but the tension in it was very real. Basically the main character ends up stranded on a raft in the ocean. No one knows that she was even on the plane so no one knows where to look for her. Reminded me a bit of Life of Pi but not nearly as in depth. Still it was a good read.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed- To be honest I only picked this up because I saw it was going to be a movie with Reece Witherspoon. It was a good read and I can appreciate her determination to walk her way back to the person that she was....only to find someone better along the way. I did watch the movie and it did a very good job of telling the story and skipping over the slower parts of the book. If this isn't your style of book you might check out the movie.

Room by Emma Donoghue- Another one being made into a movie but I actually picked this one up because of this linkup! This story was really intense at the beginning but slowed for me toward the middle. Written from the point of view of a five year old, it can at times be a little frustrating to read. Jack has lived in "Room" all his life with his mother. "Room" is his entire world and he doesn't understand why his mother so desperately wants to escape from "Room" and from Old Nick. It was a good story but like I said it slowed at the middle for me and I had to kind of push through to finish it. 

Castle Hangnail by Ursula Vernon- This is for my fans of JV fiction, or if you have kids that are ready for chapter books. A very cute story about a band of minions that are taking care of a castle and waiting for a new master to take over before the castle is decommissioned. A new master does arrive in the form of Molly, a young girl claiming to be the new wicked witch of the castle. Loved this one and I am hopeful it will turn into a series because I think Kyra will really love it when she is older!

Down the Rabbit Hole by Holly Madison- So I've stated before that I'm not really into reality TV but when I was in college I did love to watch The Girls Next Door so when this book came out I knew that I would read it. It's a "tell all" style book where Holly Madison recounts her time at the playboy mansion as one of Hugh Hefner's girlfriends. It covers everything from how she got to the mansion, her time there, working on Girls Next Door, and after she left. I personally enjoyed the book but I took it with a grain of salt as well. There are always different sides to the same story and while I did enjoy Holly's side I felt that some of it may have stretched the truth a bit. I would recommend this one if you were a fan of the show, or if you just want to read some down and dirty secrets of the mansion.

Whew! That was a lot of books for the month! I can't wait to read about all of the books you read last month as well! Be sure to join the linkup! 

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What I Read: August Edition

Good Morning Everyone!

It is time for the best linkup of the month!

August was a slow month reading wise for me. A lot of other things were going on and I just didn't make the time for it...I am making up for it in September though! 

Here is what I did manage to read: 


The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry-  This book started off so strong. I was drawn in by the mystery and pretty much hooked all the way up to the end. The end however was an utter disappointment. It was rushed in my opinion. I remember thinking "There isn't enough time for everything...must be a series!" but nope it just....ended....in like twenty pages everything was just cleaned up and done. I was super bummed....it had so much potential!

Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan- So in July I had read Gaffigan's book Dad Is Fat and loved it. I have to say I may have loved this one even more. I laughed out loud SO MANY TIMES. I think I was actually driving my brother and my husband crazy one evening because I just kept giggling to myself all night. I loved reading his stories about different places and the foods he relates with them. I also just really love to read about food. This is a great one if you like to laugh, really love food, and know or are some picky eaters!

One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak- I picked this up because it had popped up on a recommended reading list. I love The Office and even though I didn't like B.J. Novak's character Ryan, I appreciate all the work he did writing for the show. However this was just an "eh" for me. I thought it was going to be kind like a memoir but it wasn't. Just a bunch of short stories.
 It felt very cynical and negative...and honestly it felt like a bunch of papers that he had to turn in for a creative writing class in college. All the stories felt like they were trying to hard. You could probably pass on this one.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen- This book was brilliant. I'm not really sure that there is another way to describe it. Sydney is trying to move on with life after her brother is sent to prison. She is dealing with a lot of guilt and mixed emotions. Also her mother refuses to see the truth of the situation which only makes things harder for Sydney.  I loved Sydney and I loved her best friend and her weird obsession with fries. I did want to punch her mom in the face a couple times though. I also feared the worst for one of the outcomes of the book like Megan had mentioned. No spoilers so if you wanna know you gotta read it!

Have you read any of these? Like? Dislike? Let me know! 

I can't wait to see what all of you read this month! I also can't wait for next month because I have finished some really great ones this past week!

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Easy Games to Play (instead of CAH)

Good Morning Everyone,

It's no secret that I love Tabletop Gaming. 

Seriously we have gotten so far down the rabbit hole that I'm pretty sure we are past the point of no return. 

Today I thought I would share with you some of my favorite games that are both 1. Fun and 2. Easy. 

Also 3. They are not Cards Against Humanity. 

I have no issues with CAH. Actually I get a huge kick out of playing and basically all my friends are terrible human beings that love it as well. However I know it isn't for everyone and I know that sometimes you just don't feel up to playing CAH. So I have a few recommendations for you! 

1. Sushi Go! - This game is super quick and fun. Great for traveling as it comes in a handy(and ADORABLE) tin!  The object of this game is to grab the best combination of sushi dishes as they pass by. You score points by grabbing the best combos of sushi. Either gathering the most maki rolls, a set of sashimi, or matching a set of tempura. Also you want to be sure to collect dessert through all three rounds otherwise you will lose points at the end! A new game to our set but one of my favorites as it is so simple! But be warned you are going to CRAVE sushi by the end!

2. Dixit- This game gets really hilarious if you have inside jokes. Basically the first player describes a card in their hand. Each other player picks a card that they think fits the description. All the cards are put face down on the table and mixed up. Then they are flipped. All the other players try to pick the card of the first player. Points are awarded for those that guess correctly. However if someone picks your card instead of the first players card you get extra points for being sneaky!

3. Resistance- A game of lies and deception. Ever screamed(while laughing hysterically) "You are a LIAR AND A CHEAT!" at one of your friends? Well this is the game that makes that the most likely of scenarios.  Some characters are part of the resistance. Some are spies. You have to complete missions without the spies sabotaging you. Here is the kicker. You have NO CLUE as to who the spies are. You have to try to suss out who is a lying traitor and who is loyal. It's awesome.

4. Love Letter: Batman- This game is really fast paced and REALLY simple. Basically you are just trying to beat out each others hand by using the effects listed on the cards you have in your hand. Some just beat you out by the number value (think WAR) and some have other special effects that can take you out. It's Batman themed so therefore it is epic.

5. Gloom- I love this game. Each player gets a set of cards that make up a family. The object of the game is to make your family as miserable as possible and eventually kill them off. However you are also playing against the other players. They are trying to make their families miserable as well but they are also trying to make good things happen to your family thus taking away your points as you make them miserable. Once a family is deceased  you add up your misery points to see who won. The best aspect of this game is the stories that you tell as you explain how the tragedies outlined on the cards befell them. Very punny and hilarious. Tons of alliteration as well. Great for those with dark senses of humor like myself!

Hope these suggestions where helpful! Let me know if you end up playing any of these or if they are ones that you already own! 

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

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Show Us Your Books: June Reads

Good Morning Everyone, 

Today is the day of my favorite blog linkup ever! It's time to Show Us Your Books! 

I read some really great books this past month and I am very excited to share them with you! There were a couple duds but honestly it was a great month of reading! 

Here we go: 

The Program by Suzanne Young: Suicide is now an epidemic. 1 in 3 teenagers kills themselves before they reach the age of 18 where the epidemic suddenly seems to stop. Teens are monitored closely for any signs of depression, anxiety, or anything deemed "abnormal". If they show any sort of signs they are taken and sent into The Program. --Really liked this one and I am looking forward to reading the next two in the series. Fans of the Hunger Games and Divergent would probably really get into this series! 

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng: This book is basically one of my worst fears as a parent. Trying to right all your wrongs in your children is a dangerous trap to fall into. Sure you want the best for them but there comes a point when it is more about your missed opportunities. I enjoyed this book but the communication issues in this family had me screaming at them more often than not. 

Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay: This book is simply beautiful. I loved the mystery and absolutely fell in love with the characters. I was hooked from page one and could not put it down. I loved how the ending played out as well. Beautiful and heartbreaking all in one. I don't want to give anything away so just make sure to add this one to your list if you haven't already! 

 

The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson: I loved this book. I loved Lilly from the moment I met her. She was brilliant in the scariest of ways but I was on her side immediately. I loved the mystery, all the other characters, and basically everything about the story line. Couldn't put this one down at all! 

Paper Towns by John Green: Womp. Womp. I admit I picked this up because the movie is coming out and the trailer had me intrigued. However this book was a disappointment for me. I know I was "supposed" to like this one as well as a HUGE number of people really do, but after the initial "big night out" I got really bored. I had to force myself to finish because basically I thought that Margo was a brat. Didn't care if they found her or not. Blah. 

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han: Got this one because I read the first one, but I will be straight with you all and tell you up front...I skimmed this. Lara Jean is the most NAIVE high school student ever, like naive to the point of disbelief. Also she is predictable and kinda boring. I just gave up caring about her story. Won't be reading any more of this one if the series continues. 

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon: Okay I don't know where I have been that I missed this one but I am adding it to my recommended reading for all writers. This book is short, brilliant, and SO HELPFUL. I started a Log Book immediately after reading it and it has changed my writing, my worries, my day to day life, and that is NOT an exaggeration. I loved these tips so much that I might just hang them all up on my wall. 

Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins: I was worried about this one. SO many people liked it and I was afraid I was going to be in another Gone Girl situation but I am thrilled to say that did not happen! This book was VERY different from what I expected but I was drawn into that world. I finished this book in one day, that is how intrigued I was. The mystery was excellent and kept me guessing and although I didn't particularly "like" any of the characters I HAD TO KNOW what happened. 

The Martian by Andy Weir: Again another one that I wasn't sure about. People raved about it...a movie is being made about it...but was it something I was going to like? I mean a lot of people had said there was a lot of math type stuff in it and math is not my favorite. That being said....OMG. I loved this book so much that I bought a copy on Audible so I could listen to it over and over again and I will probably by an actual paper copy in the future as well. This book was hilarious. I was rooting for Mark the whole time and on the edge of my seat. I couldn't read fast enough I was so excited and into the story. Once I finished I immediately wanted to reread it and that is saying something. This will probably be a book that I reread every year. BRILLIANT. I cannot wait for the movie! 

So there you have my reads for June! Some really awesome ones and some misses but all in all a great month of reading! A lot of these books came from reading the recommendations from this very linkup and I am SO EXCITED to see what you all read this past month!

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