NCVS

I don't know if you recall my trip last summer to Chicago for the National Conference on Volunteerism and Service but this summer the same conference is taking place in Washington, DC. They move the location every year so it is fun to see - the last day of the conference - where it is going to be the following year. Our GS council has had some budget cuts this year - like everyone, I suppose, especially non-profits who depend on others for their income - so we weren't going to be able to send any staff to the conference this year. One of my co-workers and I devised a plan that we would submit a proposal to teach a session at the conference, knowing that if we got accepted, they would pay our registration fee (which, even at early bird rates, is $500). Much to our surprise and excitement, we were accepted! We were asked to join forced with some great ladies from out west (who work for AmeriCorps Vista programs) because our sessions are similiar in nature.

Our session is built on the idea of the Girl Scout Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards - knowing that we can teach girls to engage in meaningful, sustainanable community service projects. And knowing that this training isn't limited to females - that all  youth can be taught to love community service and to begin a lifetime of service by starting young. We will be a part of the youth track of the conference and we are crazy excited!

February Birchbox!!

My February Birchbox was pretty good. The theme was Red Carpet Ready so everything was supposed to be focused around that; some items might have been a stretch but it was still fun so here goes!

 

Here is how it looks when you open it. As always, I avoid turning the card over until I actually see the items in the box (it lists them all and explains each one...sort of ruins the surprise).

This is what it looks like once you open the tissue. Birchbox has also become a big fan of these little inner boxes. I guess it makes you think you've gotten more stuff? I say ditch the box (which I won't reuse for a gift because it has a logo on it) and send me more samples!!!

Another Color Club nail polish. Birchbox loves this brand - this is my 3rd polish. This picture is NOT true to color. It is NOT teal but in fact a lovely emerald green, which is hear is very on trend for spring (or maybe all of 2013??). It will probably make it on my toes first but I tend towards pinks, reds, and neautrals for my fingers. I might just branch out and try it - we'll see.

A bit blurry but of course, the Ghirardelli chocolate was a big hit. It is gone already.

This is Beauty Protector's protect and detangle spray. I am pretty excited to try this. I switched gyms to go back to the YMCA so I can swim again and while I love the pool for exercise, it does a major number on drying out my hair and making it crazy tangle central. I shall deposit this in my gym bag!

 

After being less than pleased with my last Dr. Jart sample, this one is much better. This is a BB cream but it has a SPF of 25 and a nice matte finish. I tried it on my hand but I might actually bring it to my face one morning! It pays to update your beauty profile with your correct skin tone too - this one matches much better than my last sample!

Juice Couture's LaLa perfume. It is described as a mix of mandarin, red currant, lily, and orange blosson and I actually really love this. I am always a fan of citrus scents and red currant so this was a hit with me. I have used it the past two days and I am always a big fan of a perfume sample that is an actual spray bottle instead of the traditional stopper cap. Win!

 

So there you go! I enjoyed this month's box lots!

Want to order a Birchbox of your own? Click here (and I earn an extra 50 points towards more awesome stuff!)

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you remember to give love and that you are loved the other 364 days of the year too...

Going places.

My mom asked for a blog post so here it is. Not news to her but maybe to the rest of the world...

Chad's sister M has been out in Oregon for the last two years working on her Master's at Oregon State (the Beavers, by the way - which I find hilarious). We kept saying that we were going to go out and visit her because it is a good excuse to go somewhere we haven't been before (and I can mark more states off my "See all 50" bucket list. We kept putting it off and finding excuses (like, no money!) but now she is graduating this spring and we are running out of time. We really want to go out and see her so we are biting the bullet and buying tickets (correction: they are already bought!). We are going to fly out to Portland in mid-March and spend a few days hanging out with M and seeing Corvalis (where OSU is actually located). We are then going to take the Amtrak - which I have never done before and I am crazy excited about - up to Seattle for a few more days. Coincidentally, my childhood best friend's younger brother lives in the Seattle area - on an access-only-by-ferry island - and we are going to stay with him and his wife for a couple of days before flying back home.

I am super excited about seeing the Pacific Northwest. I have had family live up there for years and never made it out there and now that particular family lives in New Zealand (which, is additional cause to want to go visit). I am really looking forward to a little trip with my guy - I really love to travel with him. Because of finances and work, this will pretty much be our only trip this year so we are going to make the most of it and really try to enjoy ourselves. Once we get back, I gear up for a crazy busy spring season at work (my busiest) where I will work every weekend in April and May with the exception of Mother's Day weekend. I am desperately looking forward to this trip!