Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to everyone!

Hopefully by now you've figured out what you're going to wear trick-or-treating, to the club, or party. John and I had a party at our house last week and I was pretty much working on my costume until the very last possible second. But with the help of mum, we got it done and I was really happy with it.

I was Wordgirl! Well, a version of Wordgirl. This is the only picture of me that night and my eyes are closed.


That is basically my life in a nutshell.

But everything was handmade, mostly by mum, and in a future post I'll go through the step by steps of it all.

I'm hoping to wear it out again tonight with the tutu but make no mistake that shirt will be worn ALL OVER THE PLACE. It'll probably become my favorite shirt. Actually, I think it already has.

WOOOORD UP! 

Couple's Bucket List

Before I was with John I would make a big deal of getting alone time when it came to me and my boyfriends. Even now I need some alone time, but I don't need as much of it as I did before. I genuninely enjoy his company. I find that any event is ultimately better when we both take part in it.

Which led us to start a Bucket List that we both contributed to. Things like getting my sleeve done and cooking more are still on my personal bucket list but this one is nothing but adventures we both want to do and can both participate in.


So here it is, so far, in no particular order.

• Go to a stand up comedy show. 
• Skydive.
• Snorkel.
• Zip line.
• Rock climb.
• Visit Disney World.
• Spelunking.
• Take a volunteer vacation.
• Swim in jellyfish lake. 

• Visit all the city/state bars in San Antonio.
• Chicago
• Vegas
• Miami
• Boston
• London Sub & Pub

• Go to all SA brewies
• Freetail
• Blue Star
• Ranger Creek
• Alamo
• Saint Ides
• The Granary
• Busted Sandal
• Branchline

• Visit all seven continents.
• South America
• Asia
• Africa
• Europe
• Antarctica 
• North America

• Visit All 50 States.
• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Connecticut
• Colorado
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Idaho
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Montana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Michigan
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New Mexico
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Dakota
• North Carolina
• Nevada
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Dakota
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Washington
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

I'm sure this list will just get longer and longer as we get older and maybe we don't do all of them but it's so fun to plan and have fun goals to look forward to - together.


Do you have a couple's bucket list? Do you have some suggestions we should add to ours?

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Review

Because I loved the essie nail wraps so much I decided to give Sally Hansen's Salon Effects a try. I found them on sale so I grabbed as many designs as I could which included:

Red My Tulips 

Glitz Blitz 

Laced Up 

The Bold Rush 

I Love Lacey

Horse A Round

I didn't want to wait until some special event to wear them so I put them on that night while watching The Fault in Our Stars (again!).

The kit comes with 16 nail strips, a file and buffer in one, and a cuticle stick.

Firstly you're supposed to file any jagged edges, take off any old nail polish, wash, dry, and run some acetone over your nails before you begin.

These strips come in two little cases that remind me of contact lenses. Each set has 8 strips. Unlike essie's, these have two slightly different ends. You pick the end that will match your nail shape better. The ones I tried were the Horse A Round so the reverse French tip did look slightly different on each end - one wider and the other narrower.

The strip comes with a film of plastic that you take off and does nothing except keep the design on the strip from messing up.

To put them onto your nail you have to take off the back film and adhere them to your nails.

When you get them right where you want them, you press down and then run the cuticle stick over them to seal them in place.

 Then taking one side of the file you file them over your nail and they tear off.

I found these to be very similar to the essie ones. They are able to stretch a bit so that you get full coverage on your nail but if you do it too much you'll mess up the design or tear them. It sounds great but it's hard to do so I just left them as they were as opposed to trying to stretch them.

The side of the file it says to use isn't a true file. It didn't have that rough sandpaper you'd associate with a file and because of this, it was a lot harder to file off the excess. When I tried using the true file side it tore the strip and was much too rough for it.

After I finished, I had to admit that they looked pretty good. I only ended up tearing one and just used a different strip instead.

I found them to be comparable to the essie sleek stick nail wraps and I'm happy with their result. Even after a few days of wear they were holding up really well. Some of my tips were starting to chip but it wasn't anything too bad.

I only paid a dollar for each of these, but it seems that they start out at about 8.59$. I would pay full price for them for a special occasion.

Have you used these before? What's your favorite design? Have any tips or tricks for making them stay longer?

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
Author: Leslye Walton
Published by: Candlewick Press


Summary from Goodreads:

Magical realism, lyrical prose, and the pain and passion of human love haunt this hypnotic generational saga.
Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava—in all other ways a normal girl—is born with the wings of a bird.
In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year old Ava ventures into the wider world, ill-prepared for what she might discover and naïve to the twisted motives of others. Others like the pious Nathaniel Sorrows, who mistakes Ava for an angel and whose obsession with her grows until the night of the Summer Solstice celebration.
That night, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air, and Ava’s quest and her family’s saga build to a devastating crescendo.

I usually don't rely on the Goodreads summary for my posts but this book is so hard to pin down. It is so difficult to talk about because it seriously just transcends any sort of categorization. It's amazingly simple yet all the characters are complex. It's beautifully written but easy to understand. It's fiction but it speaks of universal truths. It talks about love in its greatest and purest form and it talks about love in its obsessive and flawed forms.

As we go through life and gather knowledge about people and situations, the way we love and learn about love, changes. What we may have described as love in the second grade is no longer the same things we want in a partner when we are 20. Sometimes who we love is completely wrong for us. Or we are in love with them at the wrong time. Other times finding the ability to love is hard and so we become cold to protect ourselves from heartbreak.

This book goes through every situation of love that one may have. And because loving and being loved are such integral parts of people's lives, it touches and resonates the entire time.

The book starts off with Ava talking about how she came to be, by delving into the lives of a few generations before her. It is light-hearted and quirky.


It kind of reminded me of the movie Amelie.  Which is a pretty interesting movie that you should watch.

Watch the trailer here! 

But as the book goes on the light-heartedness slows down. The quirkiness is still there. But the tone becomes a bit more somber.

After we're introduced to Ava, Henry, her grandma, and her mom, the plot revolves a bit more around Ava's problems. There are still many other characters but she is more-or-less the center now. She's been hiding in her house so long, fearful of the way people will react to her wings, that she wants to go out and just be a normal girl.

From the beginning I was intrigued. Some may think that there are too many characters and yet each one brings something to the story. There is no throwaway character. Each has their own mini-plot, mini-addition to the entire outcome - much like real life.

I know my review is probably hard to understand and doesn't do much justice to the book but seriously just go read it. This book is probably the best book I have read this year. It is so beautiful and so completely relatable that even people in their 90s would feel a connection to multiple characters within.

I give it 5 out of 5 cateye.

Enchanted Springs Ranch

This Sunday I had a day off of work so we (Mum, Da, Brother, John, and me) went to Boerne to check out Enchanted Springs Ranch.

Enchanted Springs Ranch is located about about 15 minutes outside of San Antonio in Boerne.

You've probably heard of this place on Oprah or on The History Channel. It's a cute little old western theme park. They shoot commercials, movies, and other shoots because of its old-timey feel and buildings.

We arrived at about 11:30 and got there just in time to see the puppet show.

The puppet show is probably meant mostly for kids but it was very interesting and very informative. They discuss how Enchanted Springs came about and what a day in the life of a cowboy looked like. The show was very punny with more of the adults laughing than the kids. We were one of the few families without any children in our group but we loved it none the less.

Twice a day they bring Woodrow, a longhorn, out for the kiddies to take a picture on and the families can gather around. He was a sweetie and up close you can see just how long those horns really are.

After we wandered around a bit, it was time for another show: Pistol Packin' Paula. Paula shows you all her pistol twirling, throwing, twisting, and overall badass-ing. Then when you think she can't get anymore awesome she brings out her bullwhips. She's pretty much my hero because she's won a few Gun Twirling competitions and she talks about how people didn't take her seriously at first.

After some more wandering we sat down for Professor Schmidlap's show.

After the show, we took a tractor ride around the ranch, getting to see some animals they have.

Lastly we got up close to some buffalo they had on the property and took some pictures.

It was a pretty good time. They have a gift shop with some snacks, Sarsaparilla root beer, some local craft beer, and souvenirs.


If you haven't been, it's definitely worth a look. They have more events during the summer and Christmas time and they also have a Chuck Wagon dinner and a Wild West Show offered on Wednesdays. Be sure to check out their website for more information!

My Favorite Movies to Watch in October

When October comes around, everything starts to feel better. The holidays are upon us. My birthday is drawing near. The weather is cooler. It's all around a great month. 

Of course the biggest draw to October is Halloween. I'm not a big scary/horror movie fan but there are some movies that I just have to watch in October to get into the spooky spirit. 

Here they are in no particular order.

CORPSE BRIDE  

I'm actually not that big a fan of Tim Burton but I love Corpse Bride. I think that Emily is awesome and so much more interesting than Victoria. I feel that Victor and Emily would have been happy together so the end is always a little sad for me. I tell you, sometimes I associate and sympathize with the totally wrong person in movies. But anyway, the songs are awesome, the tone is dark and long-limbed. It just makes me think of Halloween. 

THE ORPHANAGE

I'm a big fan of thrillers and suspenseful movies. I hate newer horror movies because they're all gory and the plot sucks. The Orphange is actually a Spanish film so there will be some reading but it's definitely worth it. When I watched it with Mum & Da we all loved it. The timing is great and keeps you on the edge of your seat. But more importantly, the plot is actually developed and the characters have dimension. 

PSYCHO

My love for Hitchcock is no secret. This movie is a classic and should be watched at least once in your life. John hasn't seen it yet, so I think we'll have to settle in, make popcorn and watch it in the dark. If you like more modern movies, you'll probably find this one slow and a bit disappointing but I love it. It was also one of my favorite movies to write about and dissect when I was taking film classes. 

MISERY 

Along with my love of suspense and thrillers I love when the scary thing is something real. There is nothing scarier than meeting your number one fan who lives in a cabin in the woods. Sometimes people are crazy and they can be seriously scary. 

SHUTTER ISLAND

Leonardo & Scorsese are the best duo in showbiz (in my opinion) and I love their thriller, Shutter Island. Another thriller with a great plot and perfect timing. Along with awesome cinematography, great acting from DiCaprio & Mark Ruffalo, and superb directing the only thing that makes it better is the great storyline.  

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

This movie was mostly advertised as a dark drama. So I went in not knowing what it was about. It left me completely flabbergasted and icky feeling. After you watch it, you wonder if people turn into who they are because of nature or nurture. This movie scared me so I'm going to count it in this lineup. 

What are some of your favorite Halloween/October movies? Did any of yours make my list? Do you have a suggestion for a movie I might like? Leave them in the comments! 

Caliente Vox Box Review

This past June I signed up for Influenster. Influenster allows you to sign up, sync up your social media accounts, and post reviews on tons of products. The more you interact online, on their website, and within your own social circle, the higher your Impact Score goes. Every so often they'll send you a survey to see if you could be a qualifier for a VoxBox. A VoxBox is a box of free goodies that you get to sample and do reviews on.

You can look at my Influenster profile here! 

A couple of months ago I received my first VoxBox from them.

Caliente VoxBox! 

When I first opened the box I was pleasantly surprised to see just how many samples they put in there as well as the type of stuff in there.


I know I've reviewed some things in their own separate post but I figured that I should review them all here as well.



KISS Gel FANTASY - 7.99$

Visit the KISS website here. 

You can read my full review here.
I got these nails in Freshen Up which has a black french tip with silver glitter. I really liked the way they looked on. They come with both adhesive tabs and a tube of glue. I found that the tabs did not work as long or as well as the glue did. I suggest that if you live in a humid climate, skip the tabs and go straight for the glue. The upside is that the nails themselves are really durable. You can easily get two or three wears out of them. I would definitely purchase them again but probably only for a special occasion.


Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Ultra Radiance Lotion Sunscreen - 9.99$

Visit the Hawaiian Tropic website here.

You can read my full review here.
I never wore sunscreen everyday because I hated the way it made my skin oily and my body smell like I'd just come in from a swim at the Y. But this stuff has definitely changed my mind about it. It goes on just like lotion - non-greasy, non-oily, and absorbs very quickly. It has some subtle glitter that gives you a golden glow in the sunlight. It doesn't smell overwhelmingly like sunscreen. Sunscreen is super important for your skin and if you have tattoos it'll help them stay brighter and vivid longer. I'm still using my sample bottle but I will definitely be getting a full-sized one when I'm out.


Kellogg's Rice Krispie Treats Blasted Smores - 2.99$ 

You can visit the Kellogg's website here.

I absolutely love Rice Krispies Treats but I usually make them myself. I find that adding extra marshmallows makes them even better. Though these don't taste like homemade they're not bad. The added chocolate and graham cracker is the perfect summertime treat since it mixes two of the best desserts into one. If you want to skip out on making them from scratch, go ahead and buy these.


Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Nourishing Treatment - 12.99$ 

Visit the Dove website here.

I've always had dry, coarse, curly hair. Lately I've been trying to take better care of it with weekly deep or hot oil treatments. The fact that the Texas sun and heat is sweltering means that my hair is always a bit damaged even though I don't use any heat to style it. My favorite oil is coconut oil since it smells great, but it's not the best for using on your hair when you're going to go out. This dry oil works really well for my tips which is basically the only place I put it. Each morning I'll take a tinytiny bit and rub it onto my ends. It leaves them feeling more supple and less frizzy. I don't know if I'll go out and buy the full-sized version though. I might try other brands first.


Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exofliant - 22.10$

Visit the Paula's Choice website here.

My skin care routine is embarrassingly simple. I use a mix of sunflower oil and caster oil to take off my makeup and cleanse at night. Then in the morning I use Cetaphil to freshen up. That's it. I'm lucky that I don't get blemishes very often but when I do I use Burt's Bees to target spot. So, I admittedly haven't been using this every day like I should. I found that when I use it before putting on my makeup it leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean. When I use it at night I find that it does take off some leftover makeup residue. The best thing is that it doesn't smell. At. All. With all the things I use that have fragrance it is amazing to find something devoid of it. The reviews online seem to love it. But at such a high price for something I won't routinely use I'm going to skip it and stick to what I know.

Have you used any of these? Was there something you were interested in and have a question that I didn't answer? Leave a comment and I'll be happy to help.

*I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes but all opinions are my own.*

The Railway Man

The Railway Man

Directed by: Jonathan Teplitzky
Screenplay by: Frank Cottreel Boyce, Andy Paterson
Edited by: Martin Connor
Based on the life and book of: Eric Lomax 

*This post contains spoilers to both the book and the movie.*

Eric Lomax (Colin Firth) and Patti (Nicole Kidman) meet on a train. Eric is a little awkward, kind of nerdy, and a self-described train enthusiast. Patti is flirty and funny. They hit it off instantly and soon the two of them are married. When Patti discovers that Eric is suffering from PTSD, she tries to get him to talk about his experiences in WWII. Still traumatized, Eric is unable to talk about his past. Patti seeks the help of Finlay (Stellan Skarsgård), Eric's friend and comrade to learn what went on. Through him, she learns a bit more about the imprisonment and torture that Eric endured. When Eric finds out that his torturer, Nagase, is alive and well in Singapore, he travels to confront and question him.


This movie really resonated with me. The strength and endurance of the human condition, to live and survive, is something immensely powerful and beautiful. And yet, that isn't what this movie is about. It's not so much about Eric trying to survive the war, but about him coming to terms with his torturer years later.

When we went to San Diego this summer, we visited the Torture Museum. We all had a gruesome interest about the grisly instruments inside. The museum wasn't very large. It was a single room with plaques and some glass cases holding the instruments. You went at your own pace, reading the name of the instrument, what time period it was used, whom it was commonly used on, and what it did.

They had a lot of the original machinery. They had a rack, and a guillotine, devices that ripped out tongues or breasts, stakes that were punctured through the body, missing vital organs on purpose, for optimal discomfort and a slow death. What was before just a macabre curiosity soon became all too real. I started getting sick to my stomach and couldn't even finish reading everything.

What hit me wasn't the fact that people were mean. I've known my entire life that there are mean people. It was how mean people could be. How uncaring. How they could completely ignore another human being's suffering and then add to it. They watched person after person suffer in cruel and unusual ways and they continued to do it.

At the entrance and exit of the museum were plaques that talked about the need for a Torture Museum. To remember what had been done. But also, and most importantly, to learn from the situations in which torture appeared to be a necessity. The people who used the devices weren't meant to be judged in this gallery. Torture, in all its forms, comes from a desperation. An event of fear, or distrust, or urgency. It explained that in frightening or confusing circumstances those of us who think we could never commit such an atrocity can in fact do so for self preservation. So even though I was disgusted by what I was looking at, I understood that I could never truly understand the situations these people where put in.

Which was what I thought of when Eric confronts Nagase. It's so easy to hate Nagase; to think him horrible and a monster. But all I could think of was the fact that he was thrown into a war, with words like patriotism and heroism and death thrown about. He was lied to about what he was doing. He was trying to do what was right for his country.

It takes such courage to do, or not do, the things that everyone else is doing. In that sense, Eric Lomax is one of the bravest people in any movie or in any life.

To react with rage and anger and hatred when seeing Nagase would have been completely expected and justified.

But to forgive him, to become friends with him, is something that few people would have been able to do. It's this virtue that makes Eric a wonderful and amazing human being and makes this movie a truly incredible story that will inspire you.

I give it 5 out of 5 popcorn.