Free Products from Influenster

Do you like to get free stuff??  I know I do and that is exactly what I got after signing up for an influenster account.  What is Influenster you ask?  Well it is a website that allows people to learn about and review various products. 

Straight from the influenster website --> www.influenster.com

"Influenster is a free-to-join community of invited trendsetters who live to give opinions of products and experiences. Influenster creates links between brands and members to reward participation and influence future products."

The more you are involved in the site and share your opinion, reviews, answer surveys, etc the more chances you have to get a voxbox in the mail.  A VoxBox is a box full of various products that are geared towards your interests and demographics.  You may not always be chosen for a VoxBox, but the more involved you are the more chances you have.  

I signed up for Influenster in the fall and I was excited to receive an email saying a VoxBox was on its way to my doorstep!!  I was chosen to receive the Holiday VoxBox and couldn't wait to see what would be inside.  

Here is what came in my Holiday VoxBox!!

Yes these were full size items!!  There are many other subscription boxes out there that you can purchase and sign up for but no these were FREE FULL SIZE!!  Woo hoo I love Influenster :)

So here are all the items in my box:

• Quaker Real Medleys Oatmel in Cherry Pistachio Flavor

 I like oatmeal especially since its a yummy quick and easy breakfast and this little cup is perfect for oatmeal on the go.  No need to carry a bowl with you, you can it it right out of the cup.  Just add water, microwave and go.  I love that it came in a different flavor than your average oatmeal flavors like cinnamon.  This was the perfect blend of fruit and nuts and gets a thumbs up from me :)  This retails for $1.79 a cup. 

• NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine 

So I love lip glosses and usually have a few hanging out in my purse.  Lipgloss is an easy way to jazz up your lips and you can have fun with the color, tint, sparkle, soo manu possibilities.  The NYC Liquid Lipshine I got was the Nude York City Shade and its a nude shade with a hint of sheen.  I really enjoy this product, it offers the perfect amount of gloss and color without being over the top.  The applicator actually bends which I thought was great and allows for an even better application.  This lipshine was not sticky at all which was a huge plus, I hate when you put lipgloss on and then get it all over your fingers and its pretty much stuck there unless you scrub your hands clean.  This product has already made its way into my purse for handy use :) This product retails for $2.49

• Kiss Nail Dress

I was pretty excited for this product because I have been enjoying doing an accent nail when doing my nails and thought these would be a perfect accent!! See I already tried them out :) 

These were super easy to use just peel stick and file and voila! Perfectly polished nails.  Such a fun way to spice up your nails and this brand offers a lot of varieties.  The box says it will last for 10 days and so far I am on day 4 and they are going strong!!!  They are really smooth and shiny, the top coat is built into it which is a plus.  I also received a lot of compliments on these while at work this past week.  People were like oh let me see your nails, wow those are cute where did you get them, etc!!  This retails for $6.99

• EBOOST effervescent powder: Pink Lemonade Flavor 

This product claims to boost your mood, focus, and immunity with natural ingredients and no crash.  Just add it to water and get your boost.  It comes in four different flavors, I got the pink lemonade.  I am not a huge lemonade fan in general but I gave this a try.  I poured a sprinkle in my water to taste it and unfortunately I was not a big fan of it.  I did not notice a difference in my mood or focus but I did try it in the morning and only poured a small amount.  I guess when I really need an energy boost maybe I will save it and see if it makes a difference :)  This retails for $28 for a box of 20

• Goody QuikStyle Brush

I was interested to open this product and see what it was because I was like "hey what are those towel like bristles in this brush?"  This brush has absorbent microfiber bristles that remove up to 30% of water as you style.  Like a towel and brush in one.  So far I really like this brush, I have pretty thick hair and it takes forever to dry...I can go to bed with wet hair and wake up with hair that is still damp so I can use all the help I can get when it comes to drying my hair.  I have been using this brush for the past few days and have enjoyed it so far :)  and think it does a good job of absorbing the water.  I wonder how long the microfiber bristles will last though.  This retails for $11.99

• Sole Society:  Included in my Holiday VoxBox was a card for $25 off my first purchase from Sole Society which is a site with the latest trends in footwear.  Shoes on this site start at 49 meaning with this coupon code I will get half off a pair of shoes :)  I am excited to check out what they have and pick out a new pair.  

My Box:

-Oatmeal $1.79

-Lipshine $2.49

-Nail Dress $6.99

-EBOOST $1.40

-Brush $11.99

TOTAL = 24.66

Almost $25 worth of FREE products!!!  That is crazy woo hoo you go Influenster.  I was really happy with my Holiday VoxBox, all of the products (except the EBOOST) are products I give two thumbs up, will use, and would buy more of.    

I am excited to see what will come in the next VoxBox I get :) 

Where did November Go!?!?

Like I feel about every month November has come and gone with the blink of an eye.  Actually I think November went at turbo speed!!  I cant believe that Thanksgiving is over and we are only a few days away from December.  I am excited that the holiday season is upon us.  My tree is up already....

This pic was taken from my phone so its not the best quality but I am excited to be able to plug it in every night and enjoy it.  I don't know what it is but I enjoy all the holiday decorations..Def makes my apartment a little more sparkly for a month or so.  Today in CT it was a chilly day and snowed a little throughout the morning.  I had my tree plugged in, mug of hot cocoa, and patio blinds open to see the snow falling.  It was pretty much a very cliche winter day but I enjoyed it.  I even went out and snapped a pic of the snow.. 

The snow was a minimal snowfall but it still looked nice falling.  

This semester of grad school is over in a week and a half and I cannot believe how fast it has gone by.  (Pretty much a pattern of my life how fast time goes by)  I have a ton of work to get done in that time which I just need to hunker down and get done...maybe a few trips to Starbucks but then it will be complete and that will mean that I only have one more semester of classes left!!  

Holiday Season Already Upon Us?!?!?

So I love the holidays....Filled with so many activities, fun, family, treats, decorations, the list goes on and on.  But I feel like the start of the season gets earlier and earlier each year.  I was at Target the other day (of course, one of my fav stores) and they already have their Christmas section out.  Of course I wanted to be one of everything but held back haha.  Halloween just ended last week and it was out with that section and make room for the Christmas trees.  I work in an outdoor shopping plaza and they already have a huge Christmas tree set up in the middle of the plaza and decorations and lights on all the trees and light poles throughout the plaza and Christmas music playing.  It is barely November!!!  Also I was in Starbucks today getting school work done and here is a shot of that...

Red Cups are back at Starbucks!!!  

Is it too soon??  I think it is a little, I mean cant we just enjoy the fall and cold weather for a few more weeks before bam its Christmas mode.  Working retail I am excited and scared for the holiday season.  Crazy customers, long lines, messy store, packed parking lot on the bad end of things and Christmas carols, cool weather, sweater and scarves, hot cocoa, peppermint mocha's, gift giving, family on the plus side.  The day after Thanksgiving or even the week of Thanksgiving is a good time to get into the Christmas mode.  Lets not forget Thanksgiving though and all we are thankful for.  It is not all about shopping and all the great deals, we need to stop and think about how great our lives are :) 

Hurricane Sandy

It is crazy to think that mother nature can cause soo much damage.  The ocean looks so peaceful and calm when you are at the beach and yet add a little pressure and hurricane to the mix and the ocean becomes a terrifying thing.

  I cant imagine evacuating my house before the storm hit and coming back and seeing it like this.  Luckily where I live in Connecticut was not affected by the hurricane, it was a little windy and some rain but nothing like what happened along the shoreline.  I was worried about losing power, cant imagine how these people must have felt worried about if their home would still be standing when they got back.

This picture amazes me, no this is not a new ride being built in the ocean, Hurricane Sandy dragged the roller coaster into the water!!!  Scary how strong mother nature can be moving huge heavy things a distance in a storm.

I know from last years crazy October snowstorm in Connecticut it is no fun to be without power for an extended period of time.  It is cold, boring, and even though you know you don't have power you still try to turn on the light each time you go into the bathroom haha. I feel for the people still without power and know that they have said it may be several more days before power is restored.

Hopefully nothing like this happens for a very long time, stay calm waters.  We will go to the beach you do not need to bring the beach to us!  After Hurricane Sandy it made me think if I was being evacuated what 5 things would I make sure to take with me.
1. my phone
2. pictures? ( I have them on my computer but there are a couple older pictures that I would want to have)  This makes me want to go organize my pictures neatly in one spot so they could be grabbed quickly because right now they are in several different places.
3. my computer? (It could be replaced) but it does have a lot of important things saved on there.
4. my camera (yeah it could be replaced but means a lot to me)
5. idk my wallet/purse?

This was tough to think of, things can be replaced easily like electronics and all that but the memories cannot be recreated.  That is a reason why I got into photography.  It allows you to capture a moment that you cant get back.  That is why I would want the electronics to help remind me of all the great moments in my life.

My heart goes out to all the people affected by Hurricane Sandy, especially those who lost everything.  I hope everyone can band together and have a speedy recovery and get to a sense of normalcy again.

One good thing about Hurricane Sandy....two days of cancelled classes!!! Woop woop...never too old to get excited for cancelled school.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!!!  Boo :)  Hope you have a great Halloween full of yummy treats!  

Look at these cute little guys all dressed up...

I'm Back

Wow it has been a few months since I have blogged...where has the time gone.  I have been pretty busy and guess blogging got put on the back burner.  I am making a comeback though :)

Well lets see what has happened since the summer...
I am back in grad school and this semester is as busy as ever because I have a part time internship in a middle school two days a week.  Going to the middle school and getting real world experience as a counselor has solidified my interest even more in becoming a school counselor.  I love working with the students and I didn't think I would love middle school as much as I would.  The students range from innocent little fifth graders to mature pre teen 8th graders.  I can see myself working in a middle school, but I guess wait and see what I say next year when I will be working in a high school.  So I go to the middle school two days a week and have classes three days a week.  And part time work on top of that so yeah its a lot of driving around and my planner gets filled up with schedules and to do lists each week.

I am into a routine now and cant believe that the semester will be over in a month.  Craziness I tell ya.

The photography business is still going well, photographed a September wedding and did a couple family shots and still love taking pictures.  I want to try and do a month full of photos where I take a picture every day and post it on my blog.  So lets see if I can get that going starting in November.

I am so happy its fall...I love fall time, especially fall in CT.  The fall foliage is amazing, so beautiful.  I love pumpkin flavored things from soap and candles to bread, coffee, etc.  Apple picking is a fun fall activity, nothing is better than a crisp juicy apple picked straight from the tree :)

A couple weekends ago I went wine tasting with a few friends and it was a great time!  We went to two wineries in CT and got to try lots of tasty wines.  One winery was on a farm with an orchard and winery all in one and we got to try apple cranberry wine, pear wine, and several hard ciders.  Everything was so yummy I had to get some bottles to take home.

All right I think that is all to update for now but I am excited to get back into the blogging :)

Independence Day!!

Happy 4th of July!!!!  God Bless the USA!!!  Enjoy your day, kick back and enjoy fun in the sun, have a cold beverage, eat a hotdog, and watch some fireworks!!!  Hopefully I will be able to catch some rays on this beautiful summer day!!! 

Getaways

Doesn't it feel great to pack up and get out of town for a weekend or a few days??  Travel to a new place and explore and see what else is out there in this world.  It amazes me that living in CT I can travel two hours or so and be in the heart of NYC or Boston.  Places full of so many different people from all walks of life.  Recently I have been lucky enough to go on two quick getaways.

The beginning of June I went to Fire Island for two nights.  My friend Ryan's family owns a house there and a bunch of people went at various times throughout the week.  Fire Island is close to Long Island and is a little secluded island, you have to take a ferry to get there and there are no cars allowed on the island.  There is only one little town with a few stores, grocery and such, and a few restaurants.  The house is a quick 2 min walk to the beach and was a typical beach house complete with a mermaid theme and little mermaid knick knacks all over.  We had a fun time hanging out and kicking back for a few days, the only bad part was that it was cold and rainy the majority of the time I was there :(  I didnt need pretty much anything I packed since I lived in my sweatshirt the whole time but it was still fun.  We hung out played games, did a puzzle, ate yummy food.  It was very relaxing.  I was only there Mon-Wed but it honestly felt like I had been gone for days.  An escape from the everyday life and a time to kick back.  It was funny though cause one morning we were all sitting around and everyone was on their iPhone haha I was like well its a good thing we all brought our phones hahah technology still has a pull on us on vacation haha. 

I love to look out at the ocean and just think...its so peaceful. It also amazes me that there is a whole different world down there full of so many different creatures. 

This deer was just chilling there on our walk to the town.  We were pretty close to it.  Then it pranced off to another bush to eat. 

The second getaway was to Boston Mass for a Red Sox game. I love baseball and have been a Red Sox fan but never went to a game before. Me and three of my friends made a weekend out of it and stayed over in Boston Sat night. It was a perfect summer day and the only wrench in the weekend was when we stepped outside our hotel to get on the T it started raining and not a light little drizzle but a monsoon of rain!!!!! We got soaked like hair drenched looked like we just took a shower outside soaked :( That’s what we get for redoing our hair and prepping for the humidity in the room with straightening and hair spray haha. Besides the quick thunderstorm the night was good. We had dinner before the game near Fenway and then went to the stadium. I was amazed with how small the stadium is, it looks soooo big when you watch a game on tv. We were sitting in centerfield but they were still not bad seats. The Sox's won and we went out after the game which all made for a fun night! And I got to say, I love hearing a Boston accent!!! Sunday we got up and got ready to go out for a late breakfast but due to a long wait and no parking we switched plans and went to Quincy market area and found a very fun restaurant. It is called Dicks Last Resort. When we walked by we saw people wearing funny hats in there and thought it would be cool to check out. We quickly found out that this restaurant prides itself on being rude to its guests haha. It is part of their thing to be rude and funny and it made for a really fun meal. The waiter threw the silverware on the table and said hi losers and then we each got a bib to wear and he made funny hats for a few us with funny sayings. It was funny when my friend Ryan asked for more water and the waiter said "yeah suck on your ice cubes." After lunch we went to the aquarium and it was fun to see all the little animals and creatures, we even got to touch a sting ray!! We then walked around, looked at some stores and then headed back home to CT.

No more getaways planned yet but we will see what the rest of the summer brings :) The only bad thing about getaways is packing and unpacking...I wish I could have a Sabrina the Teenage Witch moment and zap things in and out of my bag hahaha.

Wedding Photography

Wow I feel like I have been on the go this past week.  So much going on but enjoying every minute of it.  Last Saturday I did something that I never imagined myself doing, photographed two weddings!!  I have always had an interest in photography but never imagined I would photograph someones special day.  The wedding pictures their children and grandchildren look back on will be the ones I took.  After working at a portrait studio and starting my own photography business with two partners I can now add wedding photography to my list of photography I do. It was a busy day with two weddings in the same day (whew can you say energy drinks) but at the end of the day it was so fun to take part in two lovely weddings.  There is something magical about a wedding, two people coming together as one and joining their love.  Now I have soooo many pictures to edit and sort through (seriosuly there are hundreds) but I am excited to go through them all and share them with each bride and groom.  We have two more weddings booked already and I already cannot wait for the next one.  Here is a sneak peek at some of the moments I captured

Accessories

I think a fun part of getting dressed is accessorizing.  There are so many ways to accessorize an outfit: jewelry, scarves, etc etc.  I have a lot of jewelry that is fun fashion jewelry that I love but don't always wear.  Its my new mission to make sure I start wearing it!  Here is what I wore today....

Pandora bracelets...these are usually an everyday staple for me.  They can go with pretty much any outfit.  I have a leather one and the typical silver one.  I have enjoyed collecting and filling up my bracelet.

Here is a new ring that I got at a Silpada party my friend had.  I enjoy the aqua color.  I never usually wear any rings but look forward to incorporating this into my style.

I have been wanting to get a watch for a while.  Especially for when I am at work, I like to be able to look down and see what time it is.  I have been wanting a Michael Kors watch that is similar to the above but unfortunately that is not in my budget right now haha.  I recently picked this beauty up at Charming Charlie for 15.00!!  I like the added touch of sparkle around the face, adds a little fun to the watch!!

I got this necklace at one of my favorite stores...Target :)  I love the color and the chunky feel of the beads and hope to incorporate it into a lot of outfits this summer.  Since I tend to go towards dark color clothes this will over an easy way to add a pop of color!!!

 

Top Ten on Pinterest

When I spend time on pinterest I get inspired to be really crafty (yet hardly have time to be crafty), want to get super duper organized (that doesn't happen either), plan my dream house, and redecorate my apt.  Here are the top ten I have found this week :)

Glitter Wine glasses...I am def going to try and make these the next time I am crafting.  Super cute to have for a girls night :)

Reusing a crib mattress.  This is such a good idea and if I had a crib mattress I would totally do this.  I am looking for a bench like this for my bedroom and love the storage baskets underneath

What a fun way to spice up water!!!  I have tried putting cucumbers into water before and trust me it is delish...try it and you wont be disappointed

Look at this guy...cutest thing in the world!!

This is such a good idea, brady bunch style pictures of the bride and groom and their wedding party.  With the upcoming weddings I am photographing I will suggest this to the couple and hopefully they are game for it!! 

I want this!!!  Such a good idea for running out quick without a purse

This made me laugh out loud!!!  Soo many ways Rose and Jack could have fit after the sinking...Jack could have lived ughh Rose!!!

Love this outfit...I have a black maxi skirt and it is seriously sooo comfortable.  I would love to get one in a bright color like this one. 

I need this at my dream home!!!  Sunken seating in the pool...yes please!!!

Look how cool this is...Wish I had this when I was a kid!!!  Prob would use it today too if I had one

Back in Action

So the weeks have flown by...seriously where did May go?????  With the fast pace I have gotten away from blogging, but this is my mark back into it.  So May has been a busy month with classes ending, trip to NYC, busy work schedule and most recently a trip to North Carolina. 

My parents moved to NC when I graduated high school 7 years ago!!!!!!!  That is crazy!!!  I enjoy NC, def a difference from CT but a good different.  I lived in NC for about two years after I graduated from my undergrad and this trip made me miss living in NC a little bit.  It had been a whole year since I was in NC and it made me realize how I do miss living so close to my parents and sisters.  Not that I don't love being close to my friends and family here and going to grad school at UCONN but it was bittersweet to leave this time.  My sister is about to be 13 years old and this time when I saw her I noticed a big difference in how old she is looking now.  She is not a little girl anymore...The trip flew by and I wish I had tons more days there but in the end you always have to come back to reality.  I had a lot of fun visiting with everyone.  I am going to try and make it back down again before the summer is over. 

While in NC I got a lot of photographing done, taking pictures of my sister, my family's dog, and my sister's softball team, and my friends cupcakes from her cupcake business.  It was lots of fun and strengthened my love of photography. 

 all grown up :)

Daisy....seriously the cutest puppy ever!!!  I had so much fun playing with her

 Amanda loves softball...Pitching strikes

Doesnt this just look yummy!!