Tastykake® Kandy Bar Kakes Review

First product review from my Spring Fever VoxBox from Influenster!  You all knew I'd dig into the food ASAP, right?  Well, the second I saw the Tastykake in there I threw aside any qualms I had about a business spelling their own product wrong, and dug right in!  Thankfully, I was able to control myself long enough to take a few pics (and to tell you that the Tastykake, along with the other items in the Voxbox, were provided to me for free for testing and review, and all opinions on these products are my own!).  Here's my first view of the deliciousness!

Yum!

I was just going to scarf that baby down, but then I remembered you, dear readers, and realized that a picture of an empty wrapper and me with chocolate crumbs on my face probably wouldn't be my best option.  So I decided to make it pretty!

So pretty!

Also, my kids were home sick yesterday, so Mommy decided to be nice and share (sigh).  Especially because once I unwrapped it, I was treated to a constant stream of questions from Knight.  "What is that? Is it chocolate? Can I have some? Can I watch another movie? Is that cake? What's a S'more? Is that what we had yesterday?" (and yes, we did have S'mores the day before at a Memorial Day cookout.)  There were more questions, but I'm not going to torture you with them.

So MANY more questions.

I decided the fairest thing to do was cut it into three sections.  However, I'm not very good at cutting things equally.  So there was definitely a bigger piece.  And guess who got the biggest piece?

ME. That's who.

So we all got our snack on. Yum!  Definitely S'mores-like.  And while I'm sure that the marshmallow fluff and chocolate coating part was pretty easy to replicate in this bar, I have NO IDEA how they got the cake part to taste like graham crackers!  Basically, these are awesome, and I must hunt down more of them!  According to some other bloggers, there was also a Reese's peanut butter cup flavor sent, and I will find it if it's the last thing I do!

Have you ever tried a Tastykake?  And if not, would you?

Palmolive Soft Touch Review

Hello there!

I'm stuck at home with two sick (but still very loud) kids, so I thought while I had them distracted with a movie I'd go ahead and do a review for a product I received from Influenster recently.  May I first start by saying that I have long used dish soaps from the dollar store.  They did the job well enough, and I wasn't expecting much. Soap is soap, right?  Well, then I discovered Dawn - and it's amazing (but harsh) cleaning properties, and I was hooked.  I had found my soap!  It was strong and could cut through anything!  And since I don't do dishes by hand too often (the inventor of the dishwasher has my eternal adoration), the fact that it wrecked my hands didn't matter.  I have plenty of lotion.

Then Influenster sent me two bottles of Palmolive Soft Touch.  I want to say two FULL bottles, but (like many people) one of my bottles busted in the mail.  My package arrived in a plastic bag, packed with paper towels on the bottom.

Eeeeeyuuuwwwww!!!

Part of me wanted to just toss the whole thing, but then I was like well... all the gross gooey stuff is SOAP.  And it will wash off!  So I bit the bullet and opened it up from the relatively non-soaked end.

I did say "relatively", right?

Oh my gosh.  Then I pulled out several feet of soap-soaked bubble wrap.  Thankfully, the first bottle I grabbed (the cocoa butter one) was OK.  But the poor, pink Vitamin E...

That's just sad.

As you can see, between half and two-thirds of the soap is gone!  I'm sorry, I didn't think to take close-ups at the time, but if you look closely, you'll see that the cap part is smashed in on the pink bottle.  Like I said, many people had this issue (some people lost both bottles, other people lost just a bit out of one, and thankfully, most came intact!), and we were provided with an email address to report the issue.  Well, I did - on May 14th.  I'm honestly a bit surprised that I haven't received a reply in over 2 weeks, but I've just decided to do my best with what I've got.  I'm ok with testing the soap - but they did send coupons in the box (that were utterly soaked and destroyed... the barcode ink was blurred, which made them unusable) that I wish had gotten replaced.  But like I said... I'm working with what I've got.

I tried just keeping the smashed cap on the pink one - I unscrewed it and poured soap out when I needed it.  However, this meant I waaaay overpoured the soap when I tried to use it, and I was wasting it!  So I switched caps, thinking that the Cocoa Butter wouldn't be hurt by chilling in the cabinet with a mushed cap til I ran out.  Hopefully I remember to switch the caps back when I get rid of the empty pink bottle!

Ok, enough about the broken bottle, right?  You want to hear about the soap inside!  Well, I'm definitely buying more bottles of this stuff.  I finished washing a few dishes the other day and was both surprised and thrilled at how soft my hands were.  And I didn't lose any of the effectiveness on grease!  This stuff cleans like a champion!  The scent is awesome, too, very soft and floral.  (The cocoa butter is more rich and vanilla-y).  The two bottles are now living happily in my kitchen:

Besties!

I even made a little ad for their "Tough on Grease, Soft on Hands!" slogan!

Mad Men, here I come!

Bottom line is, I definitely recommend Palmolive Soft Touch!  I do advise that you pick it up in person, because if you order it online, you may just have to resign yourself to a soapy box! It's available at Walmart and other big box stores (and probably local grocery stores, too!) So go get yourself some Palmolive!  Don't let your hands get shredded by cheap or harsh soaps!

Have you tried Palmolive?  What's your favorite scent?

Disclaimer - I received these soaps free through Influenster, and am not compensated for my reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Goodies Box May 2013

Ok, first things first... have you entered my Cravebox Giveaway?  Not yet?  Go ahead, click the link and enter it.  I'll wait.  And if you already entered it, go back anyway.  You can get 5 extra entries each day!  I'm cool like that, I know.

And... I'm done shilling for my giveaway.  Until tomorrow.  But now, for Goodies!  They must have heard the giant collective "meh" when we all opened up our boxes in April.  They totally stepped it up for May!  Yay, Goodies!  I was honestly (and sadly) about to cancel after this month if I got yet another mediocre box.    So I am extra thrilled that this month was awesome!  Seriously, check this out!

So much yummy goodness!

Now, if any of this seems familiar, you may have watched my unboxing video for this box:

Yeah, for some reason I look like a demon incarnate in the screenshot (what is wrong with my eyes!?) but I assure you, the video is entirely exorcism-free.  I am happy to say that I have now tried everything in this box, and I have an in-depth review for you all!

The first item in the box was the Beanitos White Bean with Sea Salt chips.  Instead of being made with corn, these beans are made with (wait for it...) beans!  They honestly tasted really close to regular tortilla chips.  My only complaint was that they are a bit bland, but with any kind of salsa or guacamole dip, they'd be amazing.  Definitely a win!

The next item was Bronco Bob's Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce.  There were several varieties sent, so I was happy to get this one! The sauce had a thick, rich texture, and because it was such a tiny jar (2.5 oz), I knew it wouldn't go far - so I substituted it for ketchup in a meatloaf recipe!  It was one of the best decisions I made last week!  The sauce gave the whole dish a nice fruity zing without being overly spicy.  I would buy this again, but I might go for the Orange Ginger flavor.  It's getting some great reviews as a marinade for Asian food.

This bad boy had us all excited once we got tracking numbers.  It made the box weigh over four pounds!  It's Zico Pure Premium Coconut Water, and they sent a full liter!  Coconut water really isn't my thing, but my husband LOVED it, and used it in smoothies all this past week.  He just finished it off this morning.

I love it when they send kid-friendly items, and this was a great treat for the boys!  I did make them "earn" the candy by picking up their toys, concentrating on their homework (well, Knight had homework.  And trouble paying attention.  These totally helped) and helping me make dinner, but it was so worth it to see them giggling and sucking air through the sour straws.  I loved that these were fat-free and had no artificial coloring!  I'll keep an eye out for these next time I'm in the candy aisle!

This was really the only "meh" product for me, I'm just not a big seed fan.  My husband tried a few, I tried a few, we looked at each other and shrugged, and forgot about them for a few days.  Neither of us wanted any more, so I ended up throwing it away.  I felt bad, but no one in the family wanted any more, and I didn't want to try and pawn an open bag off on someone else!  (ok, well I would have if we had extended family nearby, but we don't).  But now I know that I don't like pumpkin seeds, and I won't waste time at Hallowe'en trying to to get all crafty and bake those suckers!

These!  So awesome!  Not only are these California Olive Branch Extra Virgin Olive Oil packets made from olives grown in the USA, but they are the PERFECT size for sauteeing!  I used one last week for some onions and veggies and I was very happy to have these pre-measured packets.  I always, ALWAYS overpour oils into the pan, so these were awesome in helping control portion size!  I'm sure it's sold as a full-size item, but I'm going to check around and see if any packets are available for sale.

For me, tea is always a win.  They sent Moroccan Mint flavor, and while I haven't made my cup o' tea with it yet, I know it's going to be awesome (and if it's not, I will update this post!)  I was also very happy that they sent a coupon!

I may have to go outside of my usual shopping radius to find this brand, but we do have an organic market about 20 minutes away, and I'm sure they carry this brand.  Now, are you ready for my MOST FAVORITE ITEM in this box?

Bam! Chip Clip!

Wholly Guacamole!  It's for a free item, and for some reason, I have been getting these coupons in a LOT of boxes lately.  But you will never hear me complaining!  I love buying the little individual size packets of guacamole, because I make guacamole burgers (sooo much healthier than putting mayo on your burgers!) and while my hubby and I will slather the stuff on, the kids run screaming at the sight of the GREEN OOZE.  So we just split one of the individual packets, and since the other packets are still airtight, I'm not all like "Must use this stuff! Gaaaah!"

I do want to try one of their salsas or pico de gallo soon, so this coupon might go towards trying something new.  Hey, for free I can't go wrong!  Oh and I also got one of these Chip Clips in my Cravebox Resolutions box back in January, and I'm happy to report that the clip is still going strong, and was happy to have a twin join him in the drawer!

Well, my friends, that was the May Goodies Box!  What was your favorite item?

Disclaimer:  I am neither employed by nor affiliated with Goodies Co or any brand in the box.  This box was free this month due to my accumulation of points on their website, but I do normally pay $7 per month to receive it.  All reviews are my own opinions.

CRAVEBOX GIVEAWAY!!!

Whooo!!!

Gonna have to say, these are my favorite posts!  I love giving stuff away, it makes me so happy!  And I seriously love Cravebox for having their blogging/vlogging contests.  This is my second "win", and my first for a video review.  But the awesome news is now, instead of getting the extra boxes and only being able to give you what they send me, I can now give you YOUR CHOICE of Instant Craveboxes!  How cool is that?

You can start entering tonight at midnight, and all entries must be received by midnight on 5/31/13.  Winner will be announced on Friday, June 1st, 2013.

And, because this is a contest, you know there are rules.  Here they are!

1) There is NO PURCHASE NECESSARY to enter this giveaway.

2) This contest is open to US Residents only.  Sorry, but I can't ship internationally.

3) You must be over 18 to enter this giveaway.

4) All entries must be placed by Rafflecopter.  I cannot enter any other entries via email, mail-in, etc.

5) The number of entries will determine the odds of winning.

6) I will attempt to contact the winner via their email address provided.  Winner will have 3 days to reply, after which point I will have Rafflecopter choose a new winner.  Winner must provide me with their choice of currently available Instant Cravebox, their legal name, and shipping address for me to order the Cravebox and have shipped to winner.

7) Read each entry carefully and follow the rules for it.  I.e. if you're entering for the section of following me on Twitter, I WILL BE CHECKING to see if you are a follower at the time that the contest closes.  I would hate to disqualify anyone for not following the rules, but they are there for a reason!

8) Void where prohibited by law.

And as always, remember to have fun!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Best of Luck!

Thursday Thoughts - and GIVEAWAY ALERT!

Yaaay, I remembered this week!  Gotta love my link-up with Ramblings of a Suburban Mom!  Between the end of the school year and all the general craziness around here, I am lucky if I remember.... wait, what was I talking about again?

Oh, Thursday!  Hooray!  And Memorial Day weekend, so a 3-day weekend for the kids!  Thank goodness.  This Thursday I am thinking about....

- Summer vacation!  This will be our first summer in our new house, and I'm so excited that we have a big yard to play in, and a whole street full of kids to play with.  I'm thinking of heading out to pick up a whole slew of outdoor toys for the kids.  Previously, we've had to move a lot (thanks to the hubby's job), and we've lived in apartments with very limited storage space.  So we're lacking in things like frisbees, water guns, and sidewalk chalk that are necessary for a fun summer!

- One thing I will absolutely love this summer is not waking up so darn early!  Unlike most school districts, our elementary schools start first (7:30) and the high school starts later (8:30).  Which means that I'm up over an hour before that, packing lunches, assembling backpacks, and getting outfits together (someday I'll be organized enough to lay their outfits out for the whole week.  Just not today)

- I'm starting to wonder what I'd ever do without having a package to track in the mail.  I may not be getting a subscription in the mail every day (I wish!), but I do usually have at least one or two active tracking numbers at any given time.  I really enjoy that my current selection of boxes is very spread out over the month (I even got Ipsy and Birchbox on different days this time! Hooray!), and in fact, I'm still expecting Starlooks.  And then... the spoilers for June start!

- Guess who's been mastering new recipes lately?  That's right!  I've been using some of the food samples I've gotten lately to make some new and amazing dinners.  Pork chops with fennel pollen (Thanks Conscious Box!), meatloaf with Raspberry Chipotle BBQ sauce (Thanks, Goodies!), and my hubby is so happy to see some new food on the dinner table!

- Knight's first T-Ball practice is this afternoon!  I'm hoping the rain holds off long enough for it to take place.  I can't wait to see a bunch of 5 and 6-year olds running around the field, bumping into each other and generally causing chaos!  Should be fun!  And you know Dragon won't sit quietly on the sidelines, he'll want to be out there too.

- GIVEAWAY ALERT!  I won the vlog (video blog) contest for my unboxing video on Cravebox's Girls' Night In box!  And you know that means I want to pass the goodies on to you!  Bright and early tomorrow morning, I'll be launching a contest for a free Cravebox!  Which one?  I'll tell you... tomorrow!

So that's what's on my mind today!  The craziness of life, the anticipation of long summer days, the joy of watching my sons play sports and learn new skills.  And... oh crap, I forgot to switch the laundry over.

What's on your mind today?

Conscious Box May 2013 (Video)

Here we go, 3rd video! (hey, that kind of rhymes! Go me!)  Also known as the video where my hair just went insane.  Thankfully I checked it before I started filming, because if I let my hair air-dry with a center part, I end up looking like a mushroom.  No volume at the roots of my hair, HUUUGE volume at the ends.  Of course, when I put in a side part, I looked like, totally, a Valley Girl or something with my wavy '80s hair.    Someday I will figure out how to get my hair to air-dry and NOT look ridiculous.  Someday.  Does anyone know of a product that simultaneously boosts root volume, while also smoothing frizzies?  Does this exist?

Soooo.... anyway, here's what you're ACTUALLY here for.  My Conscious Box from May.  This was totally my favorite of the 3 boxes, and it was a Vegan box.  Which is weird, because I'm not vegan.  Which is also weird, because they threw a little packet of fennel pollen into the box, then added a recipe for using it with pork.  In a vegan box.  *facepalm*  (and FYI, apologies to vegans, but it tasted DELICIOUS on pork chops!)

This was my 3rd box in a 3-month sub, and I'm still on the fence about continuing it.  What do you think?

Yuzen Spring 2013 Unboxing

Y'all ready for another video? I have now realized that my voice is seriously QUIET in these things, so my apologies if you have to turn your volume way up.  I'm looking into ways to get around that, maybe a mic, or some elocution courses?

Either way, please enjoy my Yuzen Spring 2013 Box!  I love this sub, it's so pampering and awesome!  It's more expensive than my other subs, at $26 every three months, but because it's only 4x a year, I feel like it's a great way to indulge myself.

Oh, and my hair is so much floofier in this video than my Pacifica Haul Video.  But wait... there's more!  It gets fluffier!  3rd video will come out on the blog tomorrow!  (But, of course, it's on Youtube now, you can check it out here.)




Have a great day!

Pacifica Haul Unboxing! (Video)

Hellloooo, my lovelies!

I was pretty sad when I didn't get any Pacifica items in my Ipsy bag this month.  However, the fun and fantastic ladies of MakeupTalk showed me how to "stack" discount codes (i.e. use more than one per order) on Pacifica's website! Once I found out I could get free shipping (code has now expired), a free item for signing up for their mailing list (this is still going on), and 20% off of my whole order (using the Ipsy code this month!), I lost all sense of reason and sanity and went to their website to buy some pretties.

My justification for this was, I originally thought of buying a few more Ipsy bags to see if I could get some Pacifica.  Then I realized... Buy two more bags, and end up with a bunch of makeup items and maybe some Pacifica, or just go one their website and place a $20 order?  See?  I didn't lose my mind, it was totally logical and reasonable and... well.  Here's what I got!

This is the first of 3 videos I did today, I'll be releasing them on the blog over the next few days (and hopefully adding accompanying pictures and text reviews).  If you want to see something funny, just visit my YouTube channel and watch them sequentially.  I'm wearing my hair curly today and it was still a bit wet in this video.  As I make my way through the other two videos, my hair got dryer... and much more floofy!  What can I say, I'm easily entertained... and will make sure my hair is completely done next time I do 3 review videos in a row!

Enjoy!

May 2013 Ipsy v. Birchbox Beauty Box BEATDOWN!

Let's get ready to rumblllllllllllle!!!! (You know that song just started playing in your head...)  Well guess what?  There was a total TKO in the beauty box ring this month.  It's almost funny how bad one box trashed another.  Curious?  Read on!  I'd love to know if you agree with me!

Here's the lineup this month:

Definitely the best $20 I spend all month long.

First of all, Ipsy had everyone all freaked out and excited this month because, for the first time, they did quite a bit of customization for the bags.  This definitely caused mixed feelings, as some people getting their bags are incredibly thrilled, while others are highly disappointed and feel that they got a bag that is "worse" than the others.  I had mixed feelings. There was definitely an item in there that is not meant for me, whether by my profile answers or the products I've "loved" on the Ipsy website.  You'll see when we get there.  Let's get this party started!

As you may already know, I divide the products up into completely arbitrary categories, decided by me.  This month was actually really hard, as none of the products matched up quite right.  But I did my best.

1) You're a Mouthy One, Aren't You?

From Birchbox, Marvis Toothpaste in "Classic Strong Mint", 0.5 oz.  From Ipsy, Juice Beauty Lipgloss in Pink, 0.14 oz.  When I found out that Birchbox was sending me toothpaste, my first reaction was "Seriously?  Birchbox, you're my splurge, not my mom!"  I know that this is a beauty sub, and can include items from the full range of making yourself (including your teeth) beautiful.  And I'm sure this is just the most spectacular toothpaste ever - you have to admit, the tube is really cute.  But it just will not win against lipgloss.  Organic, non-sticky, beautiful pink lipgloss.  Ipsy? WINNER.

2) Four-letter Words

Runa.  Yaby.  Not the four-letter words you were thinking of, perhaps.  But it's the only way I could find to link them.  I received a 4-pack of Runa tea from Birchbox, and a refill pan of concealer from Yaby (they sent out the cute little eyeshadow pans in March, that fit into the magnetic compact).  I have been WAITING for a concealer from a sub company, and this color (Buff) is perfect!  Although it may only be perfect during the summer months, when my skin has a tiny bit of color.  Although this is a total win for me, this seems to be Ipsy's greatest problem this month with their match technology.  I have seen dark-skinned ladies get Vanilla (lighter than Buff!), and pale ladies get Pecan (a dark, yellow-based shade).  This is definitely an Ipsy WIN for me, but I really hope they get it together for all the disappointed Ipsy subscribers up there! (The tea is supposed to be super-charged with caffeine, so I'm giving them to my hubby.  Caffeine is no bueno for me.)

3) Classic Beauty

What is more classic than red lipstick and black eyeliner?  I got both this month - a full-size Mirabella lipstick in Posy (technically, it's a dark bright pink, but it's close enough to red for me!) from Ipsy, and a sample size Sumita eye pencil in Suman (black).  I. Have. So. Many. Black. Eyeliners.  It's a common thing to send in sample boxes, because who doesn't need a black eyeliner?  Um, me.  And this is actually the second black eyeliner I've received from Birchbox (but I love the Eyeko Liquid Pen, so it's all good).  The reviews so far are good for the liner, but it'll have to wait in line just like all the others.  The lipstick?  I turned it so you can't see, but I've already used it several times!  It's from Mirabella's Colour Sheer line, so it's a very glossy, sheer lipstick that is a great pink!  I bet you can't guess who wins this round... Ipsy!

4) Save Me From the Sun

From Birchbox, Coola Moisturizer with SPF 30, 0.23 fl oz.  From Ipsy, St. Tropez Instant Glow Body Lotion, 1.69 fl oz.  This.  This is the item that I got from Ipsy and immediately went "Whaaaaaat?"  I don't tan.  I mean, I do get some sun accidentally, I have kids that occasionally want to go outside and play, and I generally remember to put on sunscreen about 30 minutes after we go outside.  The Coola, however, is awesome!  It smells good, and I'm putting it into my morning moisturizer routine so my face will never be without sunscreen!  I thought about trading the St. Tropez, but someone on the MakeupTalk boards suggested mixing it with lotion and using it on my legs (which always remain much lighter than my arms).  It is a bronzer, not a self-tanner, so it will wash right off if it looks ridiculous.  But it's definitely not my favorite.  Guess what?  Birchbox WINS this round!

5) Perfect Pastels

Yeah, once again, I had no idea how to link these until I put them next to each other and thought "This looks like an Easter Basket!"  It's my first Zoya polish, and everyone went NUTS when they revealed this as a spoiler.  I got the color Blu, and it was not my first choice.  But I did a manicure with it yesterday, and it's growing on me.  I'm going to try it as a base under glittery polishes, or as a tip for a french manicure.  I also have had the Amika mask before (I bought one from Birchbox after seeing all the rave reviews when it was sent out before).  The mask is good, but once it was gone, I started using one from John Frieda that 1) works just as well and 2) costs way less.  So I'll enjoy having this, I'll use it when I travel, but I'm not going to buy it again.  While there are some Zoya polishes that are just calling my name.  Ipsy?  WINNER!

And finally, just when you think that the contest is over, and Ipsy is the clear winner, well guess what?  Ipsy actually sent me more items!  The bag this month was AMAZING.  It was a Missoni-style chevron print in teal, turquoise, orange, and white, lined in solid turquoise. It is the perfect clutch size, and will be going with me all this summer to farmer's markets, field trips, and anywhere that I don't want to carry a full-size purse.  It already had a trial run at a field trip this Tuesday to a children's museum, and it was great!  But... that's not it. Because I interact with Ipsy on their webpage, Facebook page, I blog about them, and I recently started doing unboxing videos, they sent me (and many other subscribers) a full-size Urban Decay Moondust eyeshadow.  Mine was in the shade Space Cowboy, and it is a super-shimmery nude color, and it is AMAZING.

The bag and eyeshadow.

Actually, that picture doesn't do the eyeshadow justice, so here's a pic from the Urban Decay website:

Image Source

So, can you see why Ipsy totally knocked out Birchbox this month?  I'm hoping Birchbox steps it up next month, I still love them, I swear.  But this:

kicked the pants off of this:

Do you get both subs? Which one did you like better this month?

Birchbox May 2013 Unboxing

Enjoy my first-ever Birchbox unboxing video!  My hubby says I got all rambly at the end... I'll leave you to make your own judgement!

Ipsy May 2013 Spring Fling Video!

I did it!  I came out in front of my camera for my first Ipsy unboxing/unbagging video!  I make some seriously weird faces... but I hope you like it anyway!

Thursday Thoughts

I remembered this week!  So not sure how exactly I managed to forget to link up with Ramblings of a Suburban Mom last Thursday, but I am ON IT now!  What's on my mind this week?  Read on...

- Birchboxes are starting to arrive!  On several of the boxes posted in the MakeupTalk forum, a pen was included as the "Lifestyle Extra."  There is now a hot debate going on about said pen.  Some people (me included) are a bit miffed that a BEAUTY box is sending out a pen.  They shoe-horned in a connection by making this month's theme "Beauty Diaries", but I'm not impressed.  Of course there is another side.  Several people are excited about getting a pen.  They find them useful, will get more use out of a pen than a foil packet of face wash, and find this pen better than several past "extras" that Birchbox has sent (including Twistbands, Luna Bars, and laundry detergent).  What do you think?  Should a box that promises luxurious beauty samples send out pens?

- Ipsy bags are also in the mail!  I am SO geeked out about this month!  I love the bag, I love the contents, and I love that they're starting to include some variety, and customizing the bags!  We're getting a pastel Zoya polish, a Yaby concealer, either a Mirabella lipstick or a Juice Beauty lipgloss, and two of the following eight items: Pacifica Rollerball in Island Vanilla or Gardenia, Anastasia Brow Gel, Pacifica Body Butter in either Bronzer or Crushed Pearl, St. Tropez Instant Bronzer, Macadamia Hair Oil or Nume Argan Oil.  I'm hoping for one of the Pacifica Rollerball perfumes and the St. Tropez bronzer (I don't tan, but I'd like to try a wash-off bronzer).  And seriously, how cute is this bag going to be as a little clutch for when we go to the farmer's market this summer?

From an email Ipsy sent!

- I swear, my subscription boxes aren't the only thing on my mind!  We're heading home the first weekend in June for my brother-in-law's wedding, and I'm way excited!  The whole family is in the wedding (hubby- groomsmen, kids- ringbearers, and I'm doing a reading), and I'm trying to coordinate outfits, tux rentals, schedules, and having to pull the kids out of school for the last few days of the year.  Aaaaargh.  Although, gonna have to say that I'm happy my hubby will be along for the road trip this time!  Especially now that Dragon is potty-train (-ing? -ed? not sure what the right suffix is yet).

- And lastly, my thoughts and prayers go out to the three women who were held captive for over a decade.  Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight are amazing women, and I'm glad that their healing can begin.  And Charles Ramsey (the man that helped Amanda Berry kick down the door) is my hero.  He's awesome.

What's on your mind today?

So What Wednesday!

I am lovin' the blog linkups lately.  I'm definitely far, far away from starting my own, but it's fun to discover new blogs and check out what's going on in everyone's world!  So this week I'm linking up with Life After I Dew.  Here's what I'm saying SO WHAT to this week!

SO WHAT if...

-Dragon is now potty trained for #1, but refuses to do #2 on the potty.  Potty training is a process.  And the end is in sight.

-It is getting way too casual around here.  Once the kids get home from school, Knight goes and puts on PJ's and Dragon takes his pants off.  So classy.

- The crabgrass in our yard is endless.  I'm getting good exercise digging it up (ours looked at the traditional weedkillers and laughed... but it cannot escape my Trowel of Doom!).

- I'm so obsessed with Dancing With The Stars.  I know it's mainly people I've never heard of (and thank goodness they've finally worked their way through all of the Kardashians!), but I'd rather see someone I don't know do a fantastic job than a famous person crash and burn.  And I want to know what kind of boot camp they put the teen Disney stars through... they're always amazing!

- I'm watching Hairspray (for the millionth time) and I still think John Travolta and Christopher Walken make an excellent married couple.   They're just adorable.  (And I've already done a load of dishes, a load of laundry, cleaned the kitchen and picked up the living room.  It's MOVIE TIME!)

- I will never be over my addiction to Dark Chocolate M&M's.  Is there anything more perfect?

- I'm going through subscription box withdrawal.  I know Ipsy will be here soon and I just got tracking information for Birchbox (although I really hope I don't get them both on the same day again).

- And last of all, so what if... I would love a nap right now!  5 more weeks of school, and then the boys and I are going to have some serious sleep-in days!

That's what I'm saying "So What" to this week... how about you?

Sunday Social

I'm doing a new link-up this week!  No, I'm not giving up on Thursday Thoughts... I just completely spaced and forgot to do it this week! But it's a lazy Sunday morning around here and I thought I'd try something new.  So, welcome to Sunday Social from A Complete Waste of Makeup!

This Week's Questions:

1) What are your four favorite things to do on a weekend?

Oooh, I love weekends. On Saturday morning, both kids come into the master bedroom and we have a huge snugglefest.  Knight usually lays between us and chatters nonstop to his daddy (and doesn't mind at all that he only gets an occasional grunt in reply), and Dragon always has to lay directly on top of me (and rebuff any efforts by my husband to hold my hand or put his arm around me.  The Oedipus complex is strong with this child.)  The next thing we like to do on the weekends is eat out.  With all the stuff we do on weekends (playdates, birthday parties, etc), cooking becomes a logistical nightmare!  My 3rd favorite weekend thing is shopping (btw, the Lipstick Queen line is now sold at Ulta!  I picked up the Medieval lipstick I've been drooling over on the Birchbox website for, like, ever!).  And fourth, watching TV.  I try to keep a lid on it during the week, but I let the kids get a little crazy with Netflix over the weekend.

Tres chic, non?

2) What are your four favorite things about your best friend?

My hubby is my best friend (dawwwww), and here are my four favorite things about him:
-He's an amazing father. (And he looks great carrying a diaper bag!)
-He's really strong.  (I know, sounds kinda weird, but trust me, it's nice to have someone to do the heavy lifting!)
-He's a great driver (I hate driving. Don't know why, I just do.)
-He's really hot (He was a finalist in a local Hot Dads contest recently, so I have backup on this from hundreds of Internet voters!)

3) What are four things you'd do with $100,000?

-Pay off our remaining debt (I know, boring)
-Take a family vacation (Disney or Disney cruise? Decisions!)
-Leave the kids with Grandma and go on vacation without them (Paris, anyone?)
-Set up one of those "have a year's worth of expenses" savings accounts that everyone should have, but no one actually does.

Wow.  I'm boring.  Trust me, there would also be a lot of eating out and shopping in there (I would need a whole new wardrobe for Paris, of course) but sometimes you just gotta be an adult, right?

4) What are your four most favorite books you've ever read?

-Persuasion, by Jane Austen
-Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
-The Fire Rose, by Mercedes Lackey
- Her Royal Spyness, by Rhys Bowen

Yep, better than P&P.  Image Source 

5) What are your four most favorite snack foods?

-Dark Chocolate M&M's (I'm obsessed.  And that's OK)
-Cheetos (the poofy kind)
-Peanut-butter filled pretzels and bananas (amazing combo!)
-Tea and toast (I should have been British)

6) What are four things you MUST do daily?
-Get online and check Facebook, email, and MakeupTalk (I'm a moderator now, so I have an excuse to check it every 5 mins!)
-Ask Dragon if he has to go potty at least 50 times
-Read my favorite blogs
-Clean something (otherwise it's a waste of time, right?)

Feel like you know way too much about me now?  Me too.  So do your own Sunday Social!  Pick a question and answer it in the comments!