Bath and Body works Haul

I may have a problem! Bath and Body was having an awesome sale, and it just so happens to be of one of my supper favorite winter scents. so I went a little crazy!

I got.
Twisted Peppermint
      -- Lotion
      -- Hand cream
      --Wallflowers
      --3 wick candle
      --Foaming hand soap
      --Shower gel
      --Hand sanitizer
Creamy pumpkin hand sanitizer
Winter kiss mint hand sanitizer
Sweater weather wallflower

Little crazy? yeah, probably, but I'm stocked up for a while... Hopefully

Until Next Time!
 

First Pitch to Heroes Banquet

Last weekend, I was lucky enough to attend a wonderful banquet that not only opened my eyes on veterans and everything they have gone through, but it also impacted me a lot more than I ever imagined. 

The banquet was the First Annual “First Pitch to Heroes” put on by my local colleges, Dakota State University, baseball team. It was a fundraiser for the Big Paws Canine Academy and Foundation, Inc. It’s a foundation that trains dogs to be companions for veterans who are dealing with disabilities or PTSD.  

 Please, take a second and check out their Facebook page or website.

We were fortunate enough to listen to three wonderful speakers, two spoke about their time overseas, what it felt like to come home and not know where you fit in anymore, what they dealt with on a daily bases while serving our country. 

The last speaker was Jerry Schemmel, voice of the Colorado Rockies, and originally from Madison, SD. He spoke about the plane crash he survived in 1989 and saved an 11 month old baby girl from the wreckage. ESPN did a feature on him, I encourage you to take 6 minutes and watch this “Humble Hero" 

My brother is currently serving in the National Guard 211^th Engineers Sapper unit out of Madison, SD and has been since 2005. He’s gone overseas once, it was hard to see him leave, but he’s become such a wonderful person and I’m extremely proud of him and all the other men in the 211^th .

Please, take a second to check out the video of Jerry Schemmel, and the website for Big Paws.

Update + 2014 Resolutions

I know its been crazy long since my last post, Sorry.

I spent some time reflecting on last year and the things that I've over come and gone through the last two years. This Holiday season I spend time with family and friends. It was one for the record books in my family.

This year my grandparents, on both sides of my family, celebrated milestone anniversary. My dads side it was their 65th, and my moms side it was their 60th. Their love for each other is so amazing to see and know that I was a product of them in a way.

Anyways here's a list of some of my 2014 Resolutions..

What are some of yours??

Smart Gifts for Hard to buy for Girls

I’m not sure about you, but I always have the toughest time giving gifts. Usually I’m stuck with the question “What do you give someone who has everything already??”  

Here are a few suggestions for teen to 20’s for girls. These are all monthly subscriptions that you can purchase so they will receive a “present” EVERY MONTH!!!! How cool is that? With me I usually forget what I got for Christmas or my birthday within a few weeks, but with this you can get it for a year long. 

1.       Birchbox : Birchbox is great! You receive samples of different products. Everything from shampoo and conditioners to nail polish. November s box even came with chocolate! I know, right! BirchBox has an online store, so if you really love a product you received you can go and get it and not have to search the internet trying to find it. They usually run specials for the products you receive in the monthly box.  (also has a men’s box) 

2.       Ipsy Glam bag : This bag is more makeup oriented. I would say this is a good one for the younger group. It’s great for girls who are just starting out and need a little direction. The cool thing with this bag is they go on to Ipsy.com and take a quiz, this helps decided what kind of products go into your bag.  They also become a part of an online community that is great with showing you how to put looks together with the products you’ve received. Each month a different stylist puts together their bag of some of their favorites.

3.        Julep Maven box : This one is soo cool!.  You get a monthly box of at least 2 nail polishes and other beauty products. You also take a quiz so you control what your box style will be like. This one would be perfect for a girl who loves having their nails done all fancy!.

4.       PopSugar Must have :  This one is a little more like birchbox. You don’t take a quiz but you receive free FULL size products. This box is a little more expensive, but with what all you’re getting it is worth the extra money.

So there you have it! This all are great gifts to give that won’t be forgotten.  Who wouldn’t love receiving a special box every month!  Don’t get me wrong there are starting to be a TON of these companies popping up. But these I feel are pretty perfect for a hard to buy for teen or twenty something girl.

White Chololate Cheesecake

 

Over the weekend I got the itch to do a little baking. So what do I make... CHEESECAKE. First off one of my favorite things to make. Second they are soooo delicious! I've made cheesecakes for a few years and while when I first started making them they didn't turn out the best. But I stuck with it and now its second nature and I haven't had one turn out bad lately (knock on wood!) 

This one is fairly easy to accomplish. 

The Crust:

Graham Crackers ( I use cinnamon kind)

3 Tablespoons butter 

Pre-heat the oven to 350. 

Smash up about 1/2 - 3/4 of a wrapped package. I soften the butter, about 5-10 second in the microwave. Then in a food processor mix the graham crackers and butter together pulsing until mixed well, about 20 seconds. 

Press the mixture into the bottom of a 10 Inch Springform Pan that previously has been lined with parchment paper or tin foil and lightly greased with butter. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set it aside. Turn the oven up to 425°F.

Filling:

8 oz. white chocolate chips

3 - 8oz cream cheese (softened)

1 cup sugar

3 Tbsp all purpose flour

1 tsp almond extract

3 large eggs (room temp)

Beat the cream cheese in a mixer until smooth. Add in the sugar, flour, and almond flavoring beat again until smooth. Next, add in one egg at a time and beat in completely. 

Once you've done that, now it's time to melt the chocolate. Place 8 oz of white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds at a time and stir in between. Let it cool slightly then beat into the filling. 

Pour into the springform pan, and spread evenly. 

Bake the cheesecake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 250°F and continue to bake for another 30-35 minutes. You can tell when the cheesecake is done when it’s barely firm around the edges and the center is just slightly jiggly. It will firm up as it cools. Immediately run a thin knife around the edge to loosen it from the pan, but allow it to cool completely and then refrigerate it for at least an hour before you remove the sides of the springform pan.

Sea Salt Caramel:

1 cup Brown sugar

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp sea salt

In a small saucepan, bring brown sugar, whipping cream and butter to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in almond extract and sea salt. Let it cool and serve on top of the cheesecake.

This is one of my favorite cheesecake recipe. It's super easy to make.. Try it for Thanksgiving or Christmas, you wont be disappointment!!!

Getting Healthy !!

I’ve been on a health kick lately, I believe being healthy and feeling healthy makes every girl confident.

It’s true, not too long ago I started to feel sluggish, and lazy and always tired. So I decided to change something, well not just one thing I’ve changed a lot it seems like...

The two biggest things I’ve changed.

1: I pay attention to what I’m eating.     

By writing down what you eat, it makes you accountable for it. So if you feel like you want a snickers bar in the middle of the afternoon, but you know you’ll regret it once you write it down “Don’t eat it!!”  You’ll be surprised how just that alone will change you’re thinking. Instead of grabbing unhealthy snacks reach for fruits and veggies. 

2. Daily exercise.

Hit the gym daily, even if it’s just for a half hour.  You’ll be surprised how much better you’ll feel with only a half hour of cardio. Get a workout buddy. It pushes you to show up at the gym, and makes you push yourself during your workout.

I’m not going to tell you I know everything about getting healthy, cause frankly, I don’t. This is just what I’ve done.  I’m also not going to tell you what you can and can’t eat. By now you should know what’s good for you or bad for you. 

Yes, I know there are tons and tons of different studies, diets, books.. But the only one that will work for you is the one you find you can do. There are a lot of diet plans that hard unrealistic to follow.  I’ve found that just watching what I eat and making healthy decision has really helped me. 

Have I snuck in a candy bar once in a while? YES! But I don’t find myself sitting down with a handful of candy. I find myself grabbing an apple and slicing it and eating it with peanut butter more than I’m grabbing candy. 

In the next few posts I will be talking more about health, fitness, and how to achieve both in busy lifestyles. I like most of you would use being busy as an excuse to never work out. Now that I’m making it a point to get in at least 30minutes daily, I can’t even believe I used that as an excuse. Plus, it’s a nice 30 minute break from everything, little me time does everyone some good!

October Ipsy Bag

 

In my eyes Ipsy has stepped it up this month. The samples are pretty big sized and they are things that I would actually use on a day to day bases. 

We'll get started, remember if you have any questions about the Ipsy glam bag, go check out their website. 

1. Be Delectable: Hand cream - Talk about delectable, this smells like strawberries and cream. It's amazeballs. Plus it's made with shea butter, coconut oil, and aloe. That right there is the maga 3, you hands will feel soft and hydrated, not to mention they will smell so good!. You can find this at some Targets or Kohls.

 2. H2O: Face Oasis-

• Hydrating marine botanicals rapidly replenish depleted skin and fill surface lines with a surge of moisture
• Multivitamins A and E help skin resist daily damage from environmental stress
• Phospholipid microspheres deliver time-released hydration to keep skin looking revitalized all day

 There are two ways to use this product, as a mask or just as a moisturizing gel. For the mask place in the refrigerator for a few minutes then apply a thin layer over skin, let soak in for 5 minutes and massage in the excess. I can't wait to try this especially with the winter months approaching faster then hoped for.  

 3. Zoya-Neve Nail Polish -I will forever be a fan of nail polish. This color is very cool color, it's a mix between blue and purple plus matallics (picture makes it look really pink). This is the first one of its brand that I have so I dont know how well it holds up against chipping and how easily the color goes on. But I feel a mani coming on and this will have to be the color. Can't wait to try it!. 

 4. Buxom Lips: Dolly lip gloss- If you like tingling lips this is the stuff for you! Sheer lip gloss that tingles and makes lips look plump and shimmery. This lip gloss is made without Parabens, Sulfates, or Phthalats. Avalible in 23 different shades. Available at Sephora. 

 5. Big Sexy Hair: Blow Dry Volumizing Gel - This gel goes in on damp hair to provide volume without alcohol or flaking, it creates a thickness to the strands for added fullness and medium hold. I haven't tried this product yet, but I will. I have a feeling it will be easy to get the 80's volume with this product! 

Well, that wraps up the Ipsy Glam Bag for the month of October. Hope you enjoy and gives you a better look for what to expect in the next bags. If you're on the edge of deciding if you want to receive a bag, try it for one mouth its $10 and shipped to you for free. 

October Birchbox!!!

This month’s Birchbox was Beauty Buzz. It has a lot of favorites, and celebrity faves. So let’s jump in and see what’s in store.

 1.   12 Benefits: Instant Healthy Hair Treatment – First off let me say this stuff smells amazing!. It’s an all-in-one detangler, which protects and heals your hair.

2.       Dr. Brandt: Microdermabrasion – This is an at home microdermabrasion treatment. That is to be used 1-2 days a week with 3 days inbetween each treatment. If you have never tried a microdermabrasion treatment you must. It will leave your skin feeling amazing.

 

3.       Supergoop! : City Suncreen Serum – Anti aging SPF 30 sunscreen, gives a weightless feel while protecting your skin from UV rays. It can be worn year-round.

 

4.       theBalm Cosmetics: Stainiac in the Beauty Queen – This is a lip and cheek stain that gives a rosy tint. A few different cosmetic companies has products like this and some of them are very scented. This is not! I love that about it.

5.       Find alert!!!
This month they added another little something.  ChapStick Hydration Lock. For someone who loves chapsticks especially as the winter is approaching this product is a win! 

If you have any questions about Brichbox and their products I encourage you to check out their website! Here's the link!!