Frosty VoxBox Review

I received my second Influenster box a few months ago and have just now found the time to review everything in the box. I was so excited to receive this box because it was bigger than my Caliente VoxBox and when I opened it, I saw that there were nothing but full-sized products! 

So first: the Good Stuff. 

Rimmel Eye Makeup Remover  - 7.49

I love this stuff. I use to buy this stuff all the time at Ulta. (But now I just use coconut oil.) It's easy on your eyes, even sensitive ones, and it takes off ALL THE MAKEUP. Even if it's waterproof. It's a big bottle and you only need a little bit so it lasts a long time. Just dab a bit on a cotton ball or washcloth, gently rub your eyes and voila! I would highly recommend this product for anyone.



Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Liner -4.49

Though I wear a hoodie and jeans to work I'm trying to make my style more 50s, so cateyes are my everyday makeup. I have three different kinds of liquid eyeliner floating around for just that purpose. I never would use a pencil for it. But I saw on social media some girls getting some really kick ass lines and I decided to try it. I couldn't believe how much I loved it. It can be tricky at first to get a thin line (you do need your own sharpener) but once you get the hang of it...it's amazing. I loved the true black color and the fact that it's waterproof. My eyes tend to water with the wind which means I mess with them a bit but even after a full day of work there was barely any smudging. I used this eyeliner for both the top and bottom lids and couldn't be happier. I will definitely be buying twenty more of these when I'm done with mine. They're cheap and work great! 

McCormick Gourmet Collection Thyme

I have been cooking a lot more lately and I've really been trying to delve into different spices and flavors. Thyme is nothing new but I never tire of it. It can really kick up a boring old boneless, skinless chicken breast and some potatoes. Which is exactly what I used it for. 

Thyme is also delicious in soups, spaghetti, and even on eggs. It's great. And I love that I got a whole bottle of it! 

Next: The Eh. 

No. 7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED Sachet (Full Size - 22.99)

I mentioned earlier that I only got full-sized items but I forgot about this. This was a trial size. The serum is supposed to reduce the look of lines and wrinkles in two weeks. I didn't hate this...but with such a small size I didn't notice any difference to my skin. I liked that it didn't have much of a smell, wasn't oily or greasy, and wasn't heavy allowing you to use it at night or in the morning underneath your makeup. I wouldn't buy this anytime soon. Maybe when I get older?

NYC Expert Last Lipcolor - Sugar Plum - 1.99 

This isn't the color I received. The one I got was Sugar Plum and it was a nude/brown color which I hated. I'm brown - all it did was wash me out. Butttt! I did like the way it glided, stayed on, and the price! I gave the lipstick to my mum but I will probably by this lipstick in another color because it really is a great lipstick overall. I always have a hard time liking lipsticks that I get sent for free or in packs because, for the most part, they're for cool skin tones and I just end up giving them away. 

Ecotools Full Volume Styler Hairbrush - 10.99

I use EcoTools makeup brushes so I was thrilled to get this full-sized round brush in my box. Until I realized I didn't know how to use it. I have thick, curly, frizzy hair and when I tried it all it did was make my hair...bigger and triangular. Also, from what I've seen round brushes are used with blow dryers for volume and I NEVER blow dry my hair. Ain't nobody got time for that. I'm a wash and let it air-dry girl. I'm hoping that when I start doing fancier vintage hairstyles, a la victory rolls, this brush will come in handy. For now, it sits unused. 

Finally: the bad. Or in this case, the gross.

Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea - Price Not Stated 

I'm a coffee girl through and through. I absolutely hate drinking hot tea. I hate drinking green tea. And I don't drink things that are supposed to be caffeinated but aren't. So this was an all around loser for me. I gave the pack to my mom (and the coupon - it came with a coupon which was cool). She said it tasted like a normal peppermint tea. She liked it. I'm sure if you like green tea and peppermint - you will too.  

Fruit Vines Cherry Bites Bag - 1.79 

These just didn't do it for me. They tasted gummy, were hard to chew, and I'm sorry to say not as flavorful as Twizzlers. These are the candy you'd give to the kids you hate when they come trick-or-treating. 

So that's it ladies and gents. Did you get this box? What were you faves? Your hates? Is there something I should give another try? 

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

The Grinch's Small Heart Grew Three Sizes That Day

Around this time last year, John and I were doing...watching TV when all of a sudden his chest started hurting.


He was having trouble breathing and his grimace told me that his "little bit of pain" was more painful than not. I panicked a bit and told him to lay down (which we would learn later was actually the wrong advice to give). I told him to take it easy but it didn't seem to ease any of the pain. At first we thought that maybe he was just like...really out of shape. But when his breathing didn't even out and the pain didn't diminish we thought that maybe this was something a bit more than just a lack of cardio.


I took him to one of those ERs that aren't really ERs, an urgent care facility. He filled out the paperwork and eventually he got to go the back. They did the whole blood pressure, temperature thing and when everything came back normal he waited to speak with a doctor. The doctor asked him what was wrong and when John told him, they decided to do an EKG.

Some nice nurse came in and hooked him up with the electrodes, started the machine, and when it was done took the machine out and told us that the doctor would be back to explain the results.

He sat there, leaning forward, and breathing better but still with chest pain. The doctor was taking a while which we took to be a good thing. If he was having a heart attack they would have rushed right in, right?

Eventually the doctor came in and told us that John had pericarditis. An inflammation of the lining of the heart - the pericardium.

A viral or bacterial infection could cause the initial symptoms. Shortness of breath, chest pain that lessened when you bent or leaned forward, and fatigue. The doctor asked if John had been sick recently and when he said yes, we all figured that was what the problem was. The doctor gave him some super-ibuprofen and some antibiotics to ensure that all of the infection would clear.

John was supposed to check in with a cardiologist a few weeks after but since he didn't have any insurance and any more symptoms, he never went.

The only time I thought about his heart was when I dusted his abnormal EKG that we framed and put on a table.

Until yesterday that is.

Once again, about a year to the day, John woke up with chest pain. He didn't go to work and swallowed some aspirin but the pain wasn't letting up.

We ended up going to the ER, where they gave him an EKG, and a chest x-ray. Turns out, pericarditis can become recurring, sometimes for years.

They said that it wasn't life-threatening but that he really should see a cardiologist.  They gave him some super-ibuprofen and a painkiller. And he's not supposed to go back to work until the day after tomorrow. He's been sleeping a lot (fatigue at its finest) and hopefully with rest, an anti-inflammatory and some painkillers he'll be good as new in a few days.

So basically, John's heart just couldn't contain all his love and affection and decided it needed some more space. Just like the Grinch, his small heart grew three sizes (not really) that day and he realized that Christmas doesn't come from a store.

He's doing better now and we'll probably make a collage of his EKGs and Xray to hang on our wall.

Sunday Stealing # 2

• What are your favorite smells? 
• Wet earth, coconuts, vanilla, citrus.
• Can you go a whole day without caffeine?
• No. I love coffee too much. 
• Who knows more about you than anyone else?
• John. 
• What song did you last listen to?
• Whatever was on the radio. I don't remember. 
• Do you wear socks to bed?
• Yes but they end up falling off. 
• Can you change a car tire?
• I know what you're supposed to do, but I've never had to do it. 
• If you could choose one color to wear for a whole year, what color would you choose?
• Red. 
• Do you cook often?
• Yes. I've been cooking a lot more! 
• What’s your least favorite season? 
• Summer. It gets way too hot here! 
• Can you sew?
• I'm learning.
• Are you health conscious?
• Nope. 
• Do you think you’re very conscious of the feelings of others or more self oriented?
• I'm conscious of people's feelings. 
• Do you curse a lot?
• Yes all the time. 
• Do you remember lyrics easily?
• Only if I read them while listening to the song. 
• Can you roll your tongue?
• No. 
• Is there a certain food you often crave for no reason?
• Cereal. 
• What was the last book you purchased?
• It was called One Pot and it's a cooking book. 
• Where was your last vacation?
• San Diego, California. 
• Last movie you watched? Did you enjoy it?
• The Maze Runner (Review to come!)
• Think of your oldest friend. If you met them now do you think you would still become friends?
• My oldest friend and I are no longer friends...so that would be a no. 
• Paris, London and New York… which one would you live in, which would you visit for a day, which would you visit for a fortnight?
• Live in Paris, spend a day in New York (I've already been there), and spend a fortnight in London. 
• Do you usually sleep with your closet door open or closed?
• Open so Belle can curl up in there. 
• Have you ever broken a bone? If so, how did it happen?
• Nope. 
• How do you like your eggs?
• Over-hard or fried. 
• What was your last argument about and who with?
• John probably but we don't argueargue. We just like...say something and then get over it. 
• What is your favorite fruit?
• I love raspberries and bananas. 

Culinaria at Cover 3

Every year San Antonio has Restaurant Week, or as we call it, Culinaria.

Participating restaurants have a special prix-fixe menu for lunch and dinner, which gives people the chance to try a whole bunch of dishes and restaurants for a fraction of the normal price. Plus, a portion of the tickets go to benefit the programs that Culinaria does throughout the year.

It's always been something I've heard about but haven't had the opportunity to do, until this year.

I actually lucked out and won two free dinner tickets to Cover 3.

Neither John nor I had ever been so we were excited to get dressed up (more so me than him) and take part in something we both love: eating good food.


Cover 3 is a dimly-lit, business casual restaurant with tons of TVs tuned to whatever sports game is relevant. I know I've mentioned how I hate restaurants with TVs but as this was actually part of the whole experience I didn't mind it.

When we arrived, our waiter gave us a drinks menu and I ordered, on his recommendation, Carrie's Cosmo.

Which tasted a bit like a watered-down, liquored, Jolly Rancher. 

Because we were there for Culinaria, we had a special menu to order from. For our appetizer we decided on the Ahi Tuna.

The noodles and the tuna had a slight sweetness to them with soy sauce and black sesame seeds. The wasabi as you can see is a bit runnier than usual which actually gave each forkful the right amount of heat. I would eat an entire entree plate of this, if I could. It was that good.


Next up, I ordered their Onion Soup and John got their Cover 3 salad.

The onion soup was sweet from the carmelization of the onions but meaty and beefy from the broth they used. Each soup is served in its own bowl that they cover with cheese and then stick under a broiler so you have to break into the cheesey-gooy top to get to the onions underneath. I'd never had onion soup before but I would definitely eat it again.

For the main entree I chose their Filet Mignon with garlic mashed potatoes.

The steak was cooked to perfection. I barely needed the steak knife they gave me. It was seasoned with only salt, pepper, and the Gorgonzola butter they put on top. The potatoes were garlicky, super creamy, and of course, delicious. Though it was good I felt that maybe I should have gotten something different. I know it's hard to cook a steak to perfection but I would have liked a bit more diverse flavors. Steak and potatoes are always a good combination but I probably should have ordered something else to see what flavors they could combine.


Last we each had our pick of dessert. I ended up eating the Peach Pudding Cake.

The cake seemed to have coconut and tons of vanilla. It was super sweet and delicious. Even though this was a single serving, after all the food we had I couldn't finish it.

John had the Brownie which I took a bite of but found that it was so decadently chocolately that I wouldn't have been able to eat it.

All in all, we had a really good time. Our waiter was awesome too. It's always amazing to me how much more enjoyable a dining experience is when you have a good waiter or waitress. He was funny, very helpful, very knowledgeable, and came around to check on us at just the right intervals.

We definitely want to go back. I want to try one of their burgers which they have been ranked #12 in Texas Monthly for. And their flatbread pizzas looked good as well.

This first Culinaria experience was great. I look forward to doing it again next year!

Isla and the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins

Isla and the Happily Ever After 
Author: Stephanie Perkins

Published by: Dutton

This books is considered part three in a series but it can definitely be read as a standalone novel. 

Isla has been crushing on Josh for years. When she sees him in a cafe in New York, the painkillers she's been given for her wisdom teeth removal embolden her to go up and talk to him. The night seems to have ended well, but she doesn't see him again until months later at their boarding school in Paris. They have a few classes together, eventually start talking, and then going out. Things seem to be great until they aren't. Things like parents, school, friends, and lots of detention get in the way.

I loved this book. I was squealing and squeeing throughout the entire thing. I might like it a bit more than others because this story reminded me a lot of  the way John and I ultimately got together.

This book, is completely and totally, a romantic story. It was pretty easy to figure out the hardships and ending but it didn't detract from the story. I still continued reading because Perkin's ability to capture the tiniest moments of a new relationship and make them feel grand was amazing. You'll finish reading it on a giggly high.

I was totally in love with Josh. His artsy-ness, his little bit of rebellion, his ability to bring Isla out of her shell. He was the perfect amount of charming and wit with romance to boot. So sexy. Who wouldn't have a crush on him!

If you're looking for a feel-good, totally predicable, happily-ever-after story set between New York and Paris, then this book should be next on your list.

I give it 5 out of 5 cateyes.

Tiger Lily - Jodi Lynn Anderson

Tiger Lily
Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson
Published by: HarperCollins

Tiger Lily lives in Neverland. When the people in her tribe experience a profound life event they stop aging. When an Englishman is washed ashore, the tribe is scared that helping him will undo the Neverland curse and age them. Tiger Lily, unafraid, goes to his rescue and cements her pariah status within the tribe. When Tiger Lily meets the lost boys and the infamous Peter Pan she falls in love. She and Peter are both brave, stubborn, and immensely lonely. When the village decides that Tiger Lily must marry Giant, she must decide what is more important for her: her love for Peter, however imperfect, or her loyalty and duty to a tribe that doesn't understand her.

This book is completely different and refreshing. I went in not knowing even the basic premise, which I'm glad because if I knew it was a Peter Pan prequel I probably wouldn't have picked it up.


The book is told entirely from Tinker Bell's point of view. This is great because we are privy to characters we wouldn't have been if it was told from Tiger Lily's point. It also adds a personal touch because Tinker Bell cannot tell us everything. She sleeps, she comes and goes, but her lapses in the timeline don't matter so much because it's told in a deeply personal way.

This book is also different from a typical YA. It deals with the idea of loving different people in different times in their lives. Sometimes, for whatever reason, you will not be able to fix it all out. What you thought was going to be your happily ever after - changes. But it doesn't make it any less happy. Less fulfilling.

It also deals with gender identity and this idea of "educating" "lower" cultures. I liked that Tik Tok, Tiger Lily's father, is explained as being gender fluid. This idea is actually more common in other cultures. And the repercussions of the Englishman teaching the tribe what is "right" and "wrong" is heart-crushing in a major way.

I'm glad that this was the first book I read in 2015. It was a great way to start the year and I hope it's an omen of more good reads to come.

If you want to read a hauntingly, beautiful, anti-romantic love story give Tiger Lily a go. You won't regret it.


I giveit 5 out of 5 cateyes.

Sunday Stealing # 1

You may remember that I used to answer random, personal, fun questions for the Sunday Social link up. That link up has since been discontinued but I found another link up with random questions posted every Sunday. I thought I'd give them a go.

NAME YOUR FAVORITE

Place - Our House. 

Person - John and our furbabies.
Color - turquoise, pink, lime green.
Food - cereal. 
Smell - old books, the ground after it starts raining, vanilla, citrus, coconuts. 
Book - Too many to name! 
Movie - Too many to name! 
Music artist - I don't know. I got the Taylor Swift CD for Christmas which was awesome. But I love indie, bluegrass, classic rock, pop, and blues. 
Thing to do when bored - Read, watch Netflix, blog.
Genre of literature - Young Adult, Fiction, & Chick Lit. 
Magazine - I don't read magazines. 
Texture - Smooth. 
Time of day - I love the middle of the day. Noon - 2ish. 
Day of the week - I don't work a regular Monday - Friday so that day shifts a lot. 
Thing to learn about - I love learning about people, society, and media.
Thing about yourself  - My love of learning, reading, and humor. 
Lifehack - You can use vinegar to clean practically anything. 

If you'd like to participate, please visit: Sunday Stealing.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

I bought cranberries the other day. They looked so beautiful I couldn't pass them up.

But I had no idea what I would do with them. So I started scouring the internet for some recipes. 

And I landed on some muffins over at Sally's Baking Addiction.

After mostly following the recipe (I swapped the yogurt for sour cream) I ended up with some really pretty, very tasty...cupcakes.

Yeah, they tasted more like cupcakes than actual muffins. I think muffins as more bready and these were very sweet, very cakey.

That didn't mean that they weren't delicious though. As an added bonus you can put the orange  glaze on top which gives a nice fresh kick of citrus flavor.

Overall, these came out really good. If you still have some cranberries (fresh or frozen) from the holidays that you don't quite know what to do with, give these a try. 

Blog Goals for 2015

Tiffany and Nina recently started this new blogging group, The Blogging Elite. I joined in hoping to get some feedback, info, and overall blog-writing optimism. So far, I haven't been disappointed. The group has already grown so much! This is the first link-up for the year (first link-up ever actually) and I decided to take part.

 I've already said a bit about what I hope to do for 2015 on this post. But if I'm to get cereal about blogging this year I figured I should have some more concrete goals.


1.) Get More Followers - Being a part of The Blogging Elite and the Texas Women Bloggers groups has helped me get some followers across all my social media platforms. I hope that will bring people to my blog and they'll be able to find something they like and stay reading.

2.) Make A Site Map - I've had Google Analytics and Webtools for a while but I've never bothered getting a sitemap done. I tried the other day and it seemed a bit involved so hopefully by the end of the year I'll have one all done up.

3.) Do A Guest Post - This one is already set to be done. I am scheduled to do a guest post on two different blogs and I couldn't be more thrilled!

4.) Post More Recipes - I cooked a lot last year. I mean, a lot. And yet I didn't post many recipes. This year I hope to get my recipe template down and keep everyone up-to-date on the latest and greatest (and sometimes epic fails) that happen in my kitchen.

5.) Get Personal - I have mentioned a few things about my life here but nothing too deep or personal. Yet, some of those posts have the most views. I've always been quiet and shy so even though I have a blog I've had a hard time letting people know too much about me. I don't think I'll ever spill ALL my life onto here but maybe a bit more would be a good thing.

6.) Amazon Associates - I signed up for, and am getting the hang of, Amazon Associates but I still don't know all the tips and tricks. I'm sure one night of looking at it to death will help.


I'm sure there will be other smaller goals that pop up. But for now these are the biggies I want to work on for the year.

Requiem - Lauren Oliver

Requiem (Delirium Trilogy)

Author: Lauren Oliver

Published by: HarperCollins

*This post contains spoilers.*

This is the third, and final book, in a three-part series. You can click on the titles to read reviews of the first two books: Delirium and Pandemonium.

Now that the Cureds have accepted that the Invalids are not only alive and well but thriving, the war between them grows more and more intense. Lena and her group are traversing the Wilds trying to make it to Portland where a huge battle is rumored to occur. Stuck trying to figure things out between Julian and Alex seems trivial at this crucial point in the war, but Lena can't help but think about them both. Lena's friend, Hana is getting ready for her wedding to the mayor and through her we learn what is happening within the city.

Let me start off by saying. I hated this book. I think it was such a disappointment. It was the complete antithesis to Delirium. Where Delirium was about love and left you wanting more: Requiem is bland and slow.

What I really hated was the ambiguous unending of the book. There are some stories that can do this type of ending justice. The movie Inception comes to mind. We're not left with a definite answer but the plot is so intricately woven around itself and its own special philosophy that we don't feel cheated after investing two hours of our time with the characters.

That is not the case with Requiem.

She tells so much in the first two books that to not answer some questions, to not finish the book seems like a cop-out.

And I don't need concrete, solid answers to everything but a bit more (especially after investing a thousand pages in) would have been great.

I hated that the love triangle wasn't sorted out. I like to think that Lena and Alex were meant for each other. But if that is the case, Lena lead Julian on and that just isn't right. She led him on, in a bad way. During war! For survival. He fought alongside her, for her, he anted up when they went to the Wilds and she completely used him. After that, I just can't help but bump Lena down a few pegs. A simple conversation between the two of them would have left her respectability intact.

I also hated the half-a-page reunion between Lena and her mom. I mean, WHAT?! This lady escaped the Crips because she was so full of love for her daughters, for life. And yet she never tries to contact her to tell her? I would understand if Lena had stayed in Portland for the procedure. To contact her then would have been to put Lena in jeopardy. But as soon as Bee knew Lena was part of the Resistance she should have gone to her and screamed it from the rooftops because they can never take that away, remember?!

I also didn't like that we never know what happens to Hana. And I mean more so...was her procedure a botch job or did a lot of Cured people feel this way and they just learned to control it better?

And Grace?! Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? What happened to Grace that she found her voice? After refusing to speak for so long I couldn't help but feel that something major had to go on in her life for that change. A little snippet, clue, throwaway to what that might have been would be awesome.


Ugh. I'm just so, so disappointed.

I'm sorry if this review is just a horrible, incomprehensible rant. You deserve better. But then again, so did I.


I give it one cateye.