If We Were Having Tea… #10

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If we were having tea… I would tell you its so good to see you again as its been a rough week with getting back into the normal routine again.

If we were having tea… I would tell you that its going to be a busy hockey weekend as we had a game yesterday and one today.

If we were having tea… I would tell you that yesterday we started the 2016 hockey season with a huge bang. We won our game 5-1 and Michael got two goals. He got the first goal of the game and the last one. I have to say the last one was the best one.

If we were having tea… I would tell you that there are some kids who can keep the game classy and some make it a point to ruin the game. Michael was telling me that at one point he was fighting for the puck and the kid from the other team told him to F&^* Off. I think this is very inappropriate and uncalled for.

If we were having tea… I would tell you that I made it a point  that I was easing up on my book buying for 2016 and I failed. I ordered Off The Bookshelf Coloring Book: 45+ Weirdly Wonderful Designs To Color For Fun & Relaxation.

If we were having tea... I would tell you that this week is going to be super busy with hockey (games and a tournament) and a faith first meeting.

If we were having tea… I would tell you so far I am doing good with daily blogging and reading. I am making it a point to blog daily and to read at least one book a week.

If we were having tea… I would tell you that it was great seeing you again this week and that I can’t wait until next week. I hope you have a good week.

Fab Fit Fun The Winter 2015 Edition

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Good Morning everyone. Today I am going to talk about Fab Fit Fun. Its a quarterly subscription service that comes out just a little before each season (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter) and its $49.99 and shipping is to the US and Canada. Certain areas will have to pay $8 for shipping.

What makes Fab Fit Fun a little different then the other subscription services is that they send you the latest in beauty and fashion, fitness, and wellness every season. The box is curated by Guilana Rancic and the FabFitFun team, and each season is guaranteed to have $120+ worth of full sized product!

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This time around I noticed that they change up the product card and turned it into a little magazine that is about ten pages long and its got a few interesting things inside that I have been reading. Which I think makes a nice change and hopefully they will continue this format.

The cards that are shown is FabFitFun teamed up with the ASPCA and if you post a picture of your pet or favorite animal with the hashtags #FFFAnimallove #FabFitFun #ASPCA and tag @FabFitFun and @ASPCA and for every photo FabFitFun will donate $1 to the ASPCA (Up to $90,000). I think that is such a great idea.

The other card is from Sweet & Spark and they included a $40 gift card. I love this kind of card because 1) it doesn’t expire and 2) there is no min to spend in order to redeem it. Its just like cash. If you order less then $40 you don’t need a credit card and shipping is free! I can’t wait to shop with this card lets just hope they ship to Canada.

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The Winter box has a value of $312 US so lets get in and check the box out so that you can be the judge and let me know if you think this is worth it.

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The first item is Candlenut Body Creme by Juara. It retails for $35.00 This has been used for centuries in Indonesia and the candlenut oil  is perfect for dry hands. I love the there is a foil seal on the jar. Plus the jar is cute with the designs all over it. I think this is the perfect item to place in the box and it will be used. I should say that its a thick body creme but it blends into the skin very nicely. It wasn’t greasy but it felt hydrating to the skin. The scent was perfect and not strong.

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The next item was the Wine Stopper & Charm Set. This retails for $15. This came in handy during the holiday season. The bigger guy is the wine stopper and it was perfect because we ended up breaking the cork so having this was a life saver was were the little charms. I love that this was dishwasher save and BPA free as well. Its made from silicone.

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This is a Travel Set with Special Cleansing Gel, Multi-Active Toner and a Skin Smoothing Cream by Dermalogica. This retails for $45. I have yet to try this line but I am excited to give it a try. This will be perfect for traveling when you want to keep things light.

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Next up is Fingerless Gloves by Whitney eve X and they retail for $26. This is another item that is perfect for this box. These came in two different colors black and gray and as you can see I have the gray ones which is perfect for me. They are very well made and I love the button on them. These are perfect for the busy hockey mom like me who needs to have access to her fingers but not wanting the cold hands.

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The gloves are from Whitney Ports collection.

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This is a Diffuser by EJH Brand and it retails for $37. There was a few scents available Cinnamon, Sugar Cookie or Pomegranate. I have become obsessed with reed diffusers lately and this is the perfect one to play upstairs. As you can see I have the lavendar one. I have only got use to lavendar in the last year or so and since using it I have noticed that I am able to relax a little more.

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Finally a subscription box that sends a appropriate nail polish in a box. This is Zoya in the shade Sasha. This retails for $10. I love Zoya polishes they are thick and creamy. There was four berry shades that were available.

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This is The Donna Earbud by Frends and it sells for $80 This is the first time I have heard of this brand. I was in need of some ear buds because the ones I have right now seem to bother my ears and so far these have been pretty good. I love the sound quality from them. I love that there is a play/pause button on them so if you to pause you can do so without having to haul you ipod out.

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Finally the last item is a $25 gift card from Shoptiques. It came packaged in this super cute box. One thing I love about this gift card is that you can spend $25 and not have to worry about a min order to redeem plus if its under $25 no credit card is needed which is another bonus. I really don’t like when they send out cards and there is a min to redeem it. Its like cash. Lets just hope they ship to Canada.

So thats what was in this seasons Fab Fit Fun box what did you think?

Fortune Cookie Soap The Soap Box Winter 2015 Edition

 

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All subscription boxes will include 8 exclusive FCS products in adorable mini-sizes. You will also receive a $10 FCS gift code with each Soap Box, that can be redeemed online or in our retail store. Price includes shipping. 

Cost for the Soap Box is:

  • United States $19.99 and its billed every 3 months
  • Canada $28.00 and its billed every 3 months
  • International $34.00 and its billed every 3 months

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I probably begin each and every Fortune Cookie Soap unboxing post by saying that this is my favorite quarterly subscription box and honestly it is my absolute favorite subscription box out there. Please note that I am not sponsored by them and these boxes are purchased by me so this is my honest and sincere opinion.

The theme this month is Welcome Santa. This box smelled so good when I opened it as it always does each time I get the box. As you will find it this box is based on the movie Elf which happens to be one of our favorite holiday movies.

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The first item on the product card is Buddy- Fortune Cookie Soap

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Nothing says Christmas quite like a 31 year old elf with daddy issues.

With notes of holiday fruits, candy, crushed vanilla, and a hint of mint, this scent will have you feeling just as happy as everyone’s favorite elf!

This is one of six new Fortune Cookie Soaps the other soaps are Cotton Head Ninny Muggins, Yellow Snow, Shower Duet, FCS Cheer, and World’s Best Coffee.

As I was smelling it before I read the card, I was trying to place the scents and I couldn’t think of just one scent and all I can say is that it smells fresh and delicious. I can’t wait to start using this.

With every Fortune Cookie Soap you always get a fortune and that is what mine was.

All the  Fortune Cookie Soap is $3.99 (the ones listed above) apart from the  FCS Cheer which is $4.99

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The next item is Swirly Twirly Gum Drops OCD Hand Sanitizer. It sells for $2.89 for a 1 ounce bottle

Sticky and sweet, this gum drop scent will stay with you through all of your holiday swirling and twirling.

A sweet and whimsical blend of cotton candy, lemon drops, and fresh pear nectar, dancing with tart cranberries and black currants.

This is one of eight new scents: Cotton Head Ninny Muggins, Yellow Snow, Shower Duet, Buddy, Christmas Gram, FCS Cheer, and World’s Best Coffee.

We go through a lot of hand sanitizers and I was almost ready for a new one so this has been put into my purse. This was another one that I had a hard time figuring out what the scents were. Its a nice fresh clean smell that isn’t overwhelming.

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World’s Best Cup of Coffee Whipped Cream. The whipped creams come in two sizes 4 oz for $10.99 and 8 oz for $16.49. Sadly this particular scent is sold out.

You did it! Congratulations! You now smell like the World’s Best Cup of Coffee! Great job, everybody!

Vermont maple syrup, with just the right amount of fresh brewed coffee — gotta get in all those food groups!

This is one of eight new scents: Cotton Head Ninny Muggins, Yellow Snow, Shower Duet, Buddy, Christmas Gram, FCS Cheer, and Swirly Twirly Gumdrops.

This is delicious in smell. It does smell like a coffee that I would love to drink. I love their whipped cream body butters. They are so hydrating and there is no greasiness and it absorbs into the skin.

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The next item is Shower Duet Shave Oil. Sadly this is another item that is sold out. It sells for $10.99 and I am not sure what size the bottle comes in but I did see something about 2 ounce. I just got a little sample size.

Our brand new shave oil all but melts the snow off your chimney, ensuring Santa a clean landing.

Spruce and vanilla, fir and fruits, hyacinth and mint; we’ve created a shave oil that will warm up your coldest winter nights.

All natural shave oil, prevents nicks, cuts and razor burn.

I love the smell of this when I tried it and I have to say that this smells like Christmas. The only thing is that since this is an oil you do have to rinse your razor a lot but I do have to say its so worth it. Normally this time of the year shaving my legs is a task because my skin is dry and itchy from the weather but since using the shave oil I have noticed the skin was hydrated and soft.

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Since getting into the Fortune Cookie Soaps several years ago they were the ones to introduce me to the perfume oils. This one is FCS Cheer Perfume Oil. This is 5ml and it sells for $5.99

The best way to spend Christmas well is wearing this for all to smell.

Rich, buttery vanilla pound cake, over dark frankincense, patchouli, and cedar, create a scent that’s as warm and inviting as Christmas itself.

This is one of  seven perfume oils that are in the new collection. They are Cotton Head Ninny Muggins, Yellow Snow, Shower Duet, Buddy, Christmas Gram, and Swirly Twirly Gumdrops.

I love that it somes in a little spray perfume bottle because its so much easier to use. A little goes along way with the perfume oils so I always try to use a few sprays and massage it into my skin. It doesn’t go on oily like you might think. I really like the scent and its not over powering but I thought that you could smell more of the patchouli then anything else.

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The next item is Yellow Snow Bath Bomb. I couldn’t find this on the site so I am guessing that it might be sold out but upon further digging on the site I do see something called Yellow Snow Gelato Bath Bomb that has the same description as the product card. It sells for $5.99 for a 5.5oz ball.

9 out 10 customers prefer it to smelling like “Beef and Cheese” … but there’s always one in every family.

A juicy blend of ripe plums, whipped caramel, vanilla jasmine, and exotic woods, with just a squeeze of zesty Mandarin oranges. Soothing and revitalizing in one drop.

I used this right away and this was another item that I loved. I loved the smells of the caramel and vanilla jasmine. It was so relaxing.

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The Christmas Gram Face Plant is another new item in the Fortune Cookie Soap line. They sell for $5.99 for 0.5oz each, set of 3.

Watch out — our new scent might just have you singing “I LOVE YOU!” to virtual strangers at the office Christmas Party.

Warm steamy air, fresh with lavender and sea salt spray, mingle with the woody earthiness of sage and dark vanilla.

I recall using something like this years ago and loved it because it was a perfect way to clear out my sinuses to help me breath again and I found this did it for me. I used two at a time and I found that did the trick for me. I think this would be something I would consider purchasing since I noticed it did help with the conjestion.

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Finally the last item is Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins Dry Shampoo. A 2 ounce jar sells for $12.99 and I only got a sample size to try out.

Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins?? There’s gotta be a funny joke in there somewhere…

A refreshi-floral (it’s a word – trust us!) blend, that bursts with lilies, freesia, jasmine, and bayberry, muddled with fresh blackberries and plums, garnished with a sprig of peppermint.

I don’t use a lot of dry shampoo on a daily bases because with my hair being think, long and waxy and a little frizzy at times I tend to wash it daily but I will use dry shampoos is I have gotten a hair cut or style that I want it to look fresh the next day. I liked the scent of this and it made my hair feel clean and refreshed.

This is one of three scents that are available. The other two scents are Christmas Gram and Buddy.

This was another great box that I really loved. This is a box and subscription that I always use. Another great thing about the box is with each box you get a $10 gift card that you can use toward your next purchase online.

CD Review/ Stages by Josh Groban

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  • Band/Artist: Josh Groban
  • Title: Stages
  • Date: April 2015
  • Label: Reprise

Stages is Josh Groban’s  7th studio album. Stages consist of 13 songs from well known Broadway plays. He also includes Kelly Clarkson (wow is all I have to say when I heard her sing All I Ask of You), Chris Botti (another favorite of mine) and Audra McDonald who is a Broadway legend.

I have always enjoyed listening to Josh Groban’s music so I was quiet surprised to see that they had Stages available at my local library to borrow. I am currently listening to it for what is probably the tenth time and I have told my family that this is a must for a Christmas gift for me.

I loved all the songs on this especially All I Ask Of You with Kelly Clarkson. Wow is all I can say. I never realized that she could sing like that since I am use to her singing country. She did a beautiful job and Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite Broadway plays.

Another favorite was Over The Rainbow. I wasn’t sure how it would play out but Josh did an amazing job and I love how he made the song his own while remaining true to the original song.

I loved the songs and I have to say Josh did an amazing job with the selected songs. I don’t know alot of the Broadway plays mentioned and I have to say I am curious and will need to find a way to check them out some of those Broadway Musicals.

This would make the perfect gift for anyone who loves Broadway musicals and/or Josh Groban fans.

Track list:

1. Pure Imagination – Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
2. What I Did for Love – A Chorus Line
3. Bring Him Home – Les Miserables
4. Les Temps Des Cathedrales – Notre Dame de Paris
5. All I Ask Of You (duet with Kelly Clarkson) – Phantom of the Opera
6. Try to Remember – The Fantasticks
7. Over the Rainbow – The Wizard of Oz
8. Children Will Listen/Not While I’m Around – Into the Woods/Sweeney Todd
9. You’ll Never Walk Alone – Carousel
10. Old Devil Moon (fet. Chris Botti) – Finians Rainbow
11. Finishing the Hat – Sunday in the Park With George
12. If I Loved You (duet with Audra McDonald) – Carousel
13. Anthem – Chess

Review/ Unslut A Diary & A Memoir

UnSlut by Emily Lindin
Format: ARC
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on December 29th 2015
Pages: 304
Goodreads
Genres: Biography & Autobiography, Bullying, Dating & Sex, Girls & Women, Juvenile Nonfiction, Social Issues, Women

When Emily Lindin was eleven years old, she was branded a “slut” by the rest of her classmates. For the next few years of her life, she was bullied incessantly at school, after school, and online. At the time, Emily didn't feel comfortable confiding in her parents or in the other adults her my life. But she did keep a diary. Slut/UnSlut is adapted from Emily’s much-acclaimed blog “The UnSlut Project” presenting unaltered excerpts from that diary alongside split-page commentary to provide context and perspective.

I received this book for free from publisher/pr firm in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I picked up this book at #BEA15 purely by luck and I thought at first this wasn’t the book for me because I normally don’t read this kind of stuff but I decided to give it a chance and I managed to breeze through this in two sittings. This is a debut novel.

The book is basically told in a diary format that Emily wrote when she was in grade 6.  The story begins with Emily in grade 6 and it follows her through grade 7 and 8.

Emily is your typical girl trying to fit in with her peers and how one little mistake has labelled her a “slut” in her school. I am trying to remember when I was in grade 6 if we were like that and I honestly don’t remember maybe I just wasn’t hanging out with those kinds of kids or not. Then again I can’t really compare my experiences with kids now a days because its completely different and I have to say that I honestly don’t think I could handle being a grade 6 now. What I went through some thrity years ago is different from what kids are going through now.

Kids can be so nice but yet so cruel. Why are they so quick to label kinds with names and titles that just aren’t right and appropriate? Things like this carry over with these kids and they hold on to that stigma for ever and we need to teach our kids that this isn’t right.

We as parents need to make communication between child and parent very important and stress that no matter what good and bad we are there to listen and help them out.

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #1

It's Monday! What Are You Reading

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye’s Blog   and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are!

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join them!

Good Morning everyone. I have decided that I am going to get back into doing It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? posts again. I use to do them and then just stopped. I think this will be a great way to keep myself organized when it comes to what books I have read in the previous week and what I am going to read.

Since this is 2016 I am going to share with you my first book of 2016 that I am currently reading:

I am about 100 pages into the book and its been a bit of a slow start and I am hoping it will pick up very soon.

What are you reading this week?