Laurel Caverns

This weekend N & I decided to go to the Laurel Caverns.

The Laurel Caverns are located in Hopwood, PA nestled on the top of a mountain.

This is the largest natural cave in Pennsylvania.

They are open daily May through October.

My Fab 5 Of The Week!

I feel like this week went by pretty fast!

1. This week in my Med Lab class the girls & I made blood smears.  We did an amazing job for being our first time ever doing it! I was so proud of us! (Mine is the 2nd from the bottom)

2. I have been a blackberry girl for the past 5 years.  Well, this past week my phone decided to die.  So I decided to get a new phone.  I got the iPhone 4s.  I love it and I love Siri!!!!

3. Nate surprised me and took me to the Laurel Caverns. It was beautiful and we had  a good time!

4. When I went home last weekend my Mom & I went to the drug store and I found these peacock nail stickers.  I was a little annoyed that they didn't go on every well, but they were pretty!

5. I know, I know... totally ridiculous but I love Days of Our Lives.  This week they found Melanie!!!! I can't wait for Monday's episode!...unless the Olympics will block it out for two weeks! I hope not, because I need my Days fix! 

July Look Bag

Well, unfortunately this is my last post about The Look Bag.  They sent me an email the other day telling me that they have had so many problems with it and are discontinuing it.  I am so bummed....Guess I'll have to find another company similar to this. This month had some nice sample in it.

This month came in a pretty pale blue bag.

My 5 awesome samples.

1. Korres Lipstick

2. Ultraflash Gold Standard Mascara

3. Betsy Johnson perfume sample

4. Bremenn Research Labs Miracle Cream

5. Cute little nail polishes.

My Fab 5 Of The Week!

This post is a little late since I had a crazy day yesterday..... but this past week has been a pretty good week.

1. Not only did I get one A, I got 2 A's on the two tests we had this week! :)

2. Nate & I love watching True Blood. My Friend Steph & Mariah love reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Mariah has most of the books so she lent me the first one of the series. I love it so far and it makes me want to watch the first one all over again! I know they won't be exactly like the
show, but I like them so far.  Books are always better than the movie/tv show.

3. I went back home for the weekend and I was excited to see my family.  There was a parade going on and my sister & her boyfriend were in it riding horses. We sat at my cousin Wanda' house to watch the parade with her & her family. 

Behind shot...aren't they cute!

4. Sunday my sister & I entered in a car show.  We entered our Dad's 72 Nova Drag car.  We had a blast.  It was horribly hot, but we made the best of it.  My Dad entered his 40 Mercury, Papaw entered his Model A, and cousin Dan entered his Ford.  It was so much fun! ...And the best part is Steph surprised me with an impromptu visit...even though she should have been doing homework! ;)

Daddy & I in front of his 40 Mercury

5. I love watching the Bachelor/Bachelorette.  I was soooo excited Emily chose Jeff!!!! They are so cute together!!!! That made my week complete! :)

...I'm not gonna lie, I cried!

Jamberry vs. Sally Hanson & Sephora

Sally Hanson Salon Effects

I got some Sally Hanson nail strips a year ago when I lived in Texas.  I wanted to put them on but I put them in a drawer and forgot all about them until recently. They were cute but when I went to Walmart a week ago I found these ones so I decided to try them out.

Sally Hanson Salon Effects

Walmart- $8.50

These strips are super easy to apply.  It probably took me 6 minuets to apply them to my nails. I was a little disappointed that with in a few days it started chipping.

Sephora Trend Tips by OPI

When I went to Georgia earlier this month I went shopping with my friend Nicole & her family at the mall.  We decided to stop into Sephora.  While I was browsing, I came across these Sephora OPI nail strips. I decided I'd go ahead & give them a try. 

 Trend Tips by OPI - Betsy Johnson

Sephora $12.00

When I opened the package the strips were identical to the Sally Hanson strips and they went on the same way too.  Just like the Sally Hanson strips, in a few days the polish strips started to chip.

Jamberry

A few months ago I ordered some Jamberry nails.  I used them twice.  Once on my nails and next on my toes.  I was impressed both times!

Jamberry Nails Pink & Purple Eggs $15.00

Jamberry Nails Tangerine Modern Flower $15.00

Jamberry was different than the Sally & Sephora strips.  Sally & Sephora you just matched up your nail to the correct sized strip and you peel it off & stick it to your nail. Jamberry, on the other hand, is a little more time consuming.  With Jamberry you match your nail to the size shield, peel off the shield (with tweezers) and hold it up to a hair dryer for a few seconds then smooth it over your nail.  Then you file off the excess.  It takes a little while to do this, especially your first time doing it.  But, I must say they stay on for a very long time! I had the Egg one on for 3 weeks and the only reason why I took it off was because Easter was over.  The one on my toes lasted at least 4 weeks.  I only took it off because I got bored with it.  I liked all 3, but I think next time I will use Jamberry.  I feel like you get more of your money out of them!

Homemade Powder Laundry Detergent

My friends Brooke & Nicole have been making their own laundry detergent lately.  It is something I have been wanting to do for a while now & I just haven't found the time to do it.  The other day when my friend Steph came up for a visit, she started telling me about it and how easy it was to make. She got me all excited about it so I decided it was time to hit up Walmart!

20 Mule Team Borax $3.38

Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda $3.24

Fels-Naptha Soap Bar (x2) $.97 each

Purex Crystals (optional) $4.76

1 Gallon Canister $2.97

Steph gave me the recipe she uses.

First get a large bowl for mixing. 

Using a grater, grate 2 bars of Fels-Naptha soap into mixing bowl.  Add 4 Cups of Borax. Then add 4 cups of A&H Washing Soda. You don't have add the crystals to the mixture, but I wanted to have a scent.  (Crystals are totally optional) If you wanted to go completely frugal you can eliminate the crystals. You just put in as much scent as you want to have.  (I used 3/4 the bottle) Mix ingredients together.  I got the gallon canister at Walmart and I filled it up with the powder detergent I just made.

Use 1/8 cup per load of laundry.  This will make 128 loads.

With the Crystals I spent $13.32

Without the Crystals I would have spent $8.56

Steph also informed me that this doesn't suds up.  It will look like dirty water. But it WILL clean your clothes.

After I made this I was so excited to try it out but I realized that the new washer I bought locks.  So when I start the water for a load it locks up and I can't dissolve my detergent.  (I don't like throwing powder detergent on my clothes because sometimes it cakes on your clothes) So I have to dissolve it in water before putting it in.  So I guess I'll find a liquid detergent recipe and share it with you next :)

The lovely part about this is that I still have a lot of the Borax & A&H Washing Soda left over. So it will be even cheaper next time I go to make it.....this would be an excellent gift for someone!



My Fab 5 of the Week!

This weekend has gone by fast! I lead such a boring life that when my friend comes up to visit me it pretty much made my whole week!!!

 

1. My fabulous girlfriend Steph from Ohio came to visit me this weekend.  It was sooooo nice having her come & visit me!



2. I didn't get to see one, but two awesome movies this weekend.  Steph & I went to see Magic Mike & Katy Perry.  Magic Mike was everything I thought it would be ....enough said! 

Katy Perry was not what I thought it would be. It was so much better. She is such a wonderful person. The end of the movie hit really close to home with me. I have so much more respect in her than I did before! ....I mean I really liked her before, but I like her so much more now.

3. Sushi Time! Steph & I decided to eat at Shogun. It was amazing!

4. Toby. The hubs & I got Toby, or who I call "Tubby", a few month back.  Bless his heart he is a good dog, but I am just now starting to warm up to him.  The hubs wanted a dog of his own (which I really wasn't keen on because I had a feeling he wouldn't take care of him) and decided to get a puppy.  I had my little chihuahua of two years and I really didn't want another dog. Long story short, Ryder, my little chihuahua got under our fence and ran into the road and got hit by a car.  I was devastated.  Tubby drove me nuts. It wasn't his fault, but the hubs didn't take care of him.  Tubby chews up EVERYTHING, ruined my flowers, digs holes in our yard, jumps on me constantly, gets our deck dirty and jumps all over our back door and gets it dirty too.  I was so bitter after Ryder died because this stupid loves me so much and I just didn't have it in my heart to love him back because I missed Ryder so much.  Lately I have been getting closer to Tubby.  It's not his fault the hubs doesn't teach him anything.  I have been working on tricks with him and he is slowly coming around. I have to admit, the hubs has just recently been working with him and spending more time with him. I'm starting to love this big goof!

5.  Getting flowers...even if they are from yourself! Out of the whole time the hubs & I have dated & married, he has never once got me flowers.  I absolutely love flowers, so today when I went to Walmart I thought why not!?! They were only $3.88.  That $3.88 put a huge smile on my face today and I love seeing them in my kitchen :) 



Good Reads

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to read.  I am reading all the time. I just wanted to share a website I joined a while back and I love. It's called Good Reads. Liz, one of my friends from high school, was the one who introduced me to the site last September. 

When you join you can add friends, you can see what your friends are reading, comment on the books on their bookshelves, make recommendations and you can add books you have read and rate them too. If you want to join or add me as a friend just click on the blue link above! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Clean Those Brushes!!!

A few months ago my friend Khristina & I were shopping and started talking about make-up.  She started talking about cleaning make-up brushes. It was something I knew I had to do; but something I just didn't think about and completely forgot about doing. (I know I blogged about this on my old blog but since I posted about my foundation brush the other day I figured I should re-post this.) So while Khristina & I were shopping around Target I got some Sonia Kashuk Brush & Sponge Cleaner.

Sonia Kashuk Brush & Sponge Cleaner

$6.69 at Target

The last time I went to Ulta the make up sales associate told me you should clean your brushes at least once a week.  Your brushes are a breeding ground for bacteria.  If you use brushes & your face breaks out a lot, this may explain a lot! Cleaning your brushes are super easy and only takes 5 minutes to do.

Just wet your brush and spray on your cleaner.

Work up a good lather.

Rinse it out...Gross! Look at that!

Just keep rinsing until it comes out clear. After you are finished with your brushes dry thoroughly.

Walmart sells these amazing little things called Brush Guards for $4.95. These are perfect for putting your brushes in so that the bristles dry in place and not spread out.

They are super easy to put on.

Just let dry upright.  Easy-peasy!



Foundation Brush

My Mom & I went shopping the other day.  While we were out, I decided to get some Clinique make up that I was out of.  While I was sitting there letting the Clinique make up artist match my color, I noticed that she was using a sponge.  (One of those triangular white sponges to put foundation on.  I used them all the time.) So I asked her if the sponge was the best thing to use to put on foundation. She surprised me by saying no.  She then took out a mirror and showed me what I am about to show you.

She made 3 dots of foundation on a mirror.  She took her finger on one and swirled the foundation around in a circle.  Then she took a make up sponge and made a swipe.  Finally she took a foundation brush and made a downward stroke.  She said the sponge absorbs most of your foundation and you are not getting as much on your face.  Your fingertip is a little better, but what makes your makeup cover really well is the brush.  She was trying to talk me into buying a brush but I just didn't have the extra cash at the time.  I did buy one at Target just to try out to see if I would like it.

I got this Sonia Kashuk brush from Target for $14.29.  It is synthetic.  With brushes like these you must clean them daily.  It is suppose to make you have a flawless looking foundation application. It does have a 5 star review, but my friend Nicole who used to be a Clinique make up artist, told me that the Clinique foundation brush really is the best out there to use.  So far I really like using the brush. I must say,  I am pleased with the way my face looks afterwards.

My Fab 5 Of The Week!

This has been a fabulous week! Last week was so hard on me.  We had a week off of school so I got one week to relax! I decided to fly to Georgia and visit my very dear friend Nicole & her family.

1. Monday I flew into Atlanta.  I got to visit with Nicole & her kiddos for 4 days.  I had such a great time.  She has the most amazing children! They are so well behaved & so sweet! Nicole & I don't have to be doing much of anything to have a great time.  My favorite part was a night time.  We would sit around chatting quietly while the kiddos slept....pinteresting & facebook stalking. lol!

 

Two of the sweetest kids ever!

2.  I spent the 4th of July with Nicole, her husband & children.  We went to Buckhead ATL for dinner, at Maggianos (which is AMAZING!) And then later on went to Lennox Square to watch the fireworks.  Very beautiful.

3. My parents got a new puppy! He is an Irish Terrier and his name is Kirby.  He is the sweetest little dog, but I think he is part HOLY-Terrier terror because her love to get into everything!!! lol!

Zanesville, OH

4. When my parents picked me up from the airport they took me to Tom's.  Tom's Ice Cream Bowl is the BEST place in Ohio you can get ice cream.  My family has been going there for years.  It's kinda like tradition.  Tom's Ice Cream is home made.  They give you ridiculous amounts of ice cream.  I can never finish my bowl!

5. Family dinner.  I LOVE to cook.  I never used to, but it is something I have acquired since I have gotten married.  Tonight I made my family one of my personal favorites, French's Crunchy Onion Chicken. Here is the recipe: (Also on the  back of the box)

French's Crunchy Onion Chicken

 Prep. 5 min   Cook Time 20 min  Makes 4 Servings

*2 cups (4oz) French's Original French Fried Onions

*2 tbsp. flour

*4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

*1 egg beaten

-Crush French Fried Onions with flour in plastic bag.

-Dip chicken in egg. Coat in onion crumbs. Press firmly to adhere.

-Bake at 400 F for 20 min. until no longer pink in center.