April Birchbox!

It's April Birchbox time!

Yay!

I've been waiting for it to come...it is a few days later than my box usually comes and the email came 9 days ago. Eeek.  

Chad and I have actually already purchased some Kind brand granola bars at the grocery store so I was excited to see a different kind in my box. This is this month's lifestyle item and usually I am kind of annoyed about tea samples instead of cosmetic samples but this one is OK. :) 

I had been thinking that it would be fun to have a light green color for spring so I am super excited to see this one. Color Club does a lot of partnerships with Birchbox and this is a pretty good one. I think the color is called "Breakfast at..." and it has a little bit of a pearl finish. Might see this one at Easter! 

Sorry the pictures are a little blurry - cell phone pictures cause I got a little excited. This is Anastasia's clear brow gel. I am not entirely sure how to use this but I will definitely try it....since I have unruly brows anyway. :)

This is Camille Beckman's body butter. It smells really good and has a beautiful butterfly on the because the scent is Morelia Monarch. It smells like almonds and a little like vanilla and almonds. I already used it on my hands and it feels reeeeally nice.  

This is the Keims brand energizing shampoo. I love getting haircare samples in my box so I am excited about trying this one. I haven't ever heard of this brand so it should be fun. Peppermint and macadamia? Mmmmmm... 

The theme this month is Rainy Days so the colors were really pretty. The muted teal paper was nice touch since the tissue is usually bright pink.

All in all, a fun month even though there weren't technically any makeup samples this month. Good stuff to try!

Yay Birchbox! 

Upgrade, check!

My phone has been on the fritz for a while now - not only doing weird things but also having a charging issue. My upgrade isn't until next month but thankfully I am on a plan with other dudes who don't use their upgrades the second they appear! Chad broke his phone a couple of months ago and has been using an older phone of his dad's for a while too. So, as of this afternoon - and 3 trips to various wireless stores - we are both sporting new phones!




There is a Verizon place near my office that isn't a full service place and so I went there first...went to a "real" Verizon store...and back to the first place before everyone had the phone they wanted, at the price they wanted, keeping the unlimited data...which was the whole point here. And yes, I've already put an expensive Lifeproof case on my expensive (to me!) phone. This baby can get in the pool! Bring it on summer - I'm ready for you now!


P.S. this is my 999th post. Now taking requests for what I should do for my 1,000th post.

Keepin' it real.

Let's be honest - I only blog because I am trying to keep up with my mom. And give her something to read. Ok, maybe that is a stretch. It isn't the ONLY reason I blog but in this busy life season, I am having trouble coming up with many other reasons. I like to have this little online place where I can go back and see what was going on in life (I mean, for real - I have been blogging since 2008 but I have only blogged 13 times this year so far. Sad.) but it just falls by the wayside fast when life get busy.


Our project team presented to the Board today. I think it went really well. I am incredibly proud of the work we have done and the way we have come together with the same mission at heart. I hope the Board can see that passion and will support our ideas. They had some good question and good suggestions so we'll see where we go from here.


I left Chattanooga at 8am this morning and rolled back in from Knoxville about 6pm. From 6:30 to about 8pm I helped do some Gold Award video interviews for our celebration events this spring. So, my 12 hour day sent me straight home to put on my pajamas. And now, here I sit with my pajamas on. I get an 8 day break before another trip to Knoxville next week...but that'll be a fun day.


If you have called or texted me in the last couple of weeks, please don't think I am intentionally ignoring you. I have been experiencing some phone issues and while it has been nice to sort of operate off the radar some of the time, I think I might have missed some important stuff. So, please don't think it was intentional (I'm talking to you, my 2 readers...who might know my number. Ahem.). The problem might be so bad now that I will be forced to expend some of my limited brain power to make a decision about a new phone. Stay tuned. In the meantime, email me. :)

Still sliding downhill....

I hope I am still sliding down the hill of super busy back into the land of just sort of busy.
Our project team presents to the Board of Directors this week (bring on the nerves!) and then we will be presenting to out entire staff next week. I am excited about potentially wrapping up parts of this project though I know many of them will carry on through the summer as we set the next round of strategic plans and budgets.


My To Do list for today is long....13 items that I hope to mark off in preparation for another long week. This weekend was lovely - lots of time at home and running errands that were abandoned other days this week in exchange for sleep or family time....the least of while is a giant pile of laundry that needs to be folded and put away.


On to it!

Downhill side...

I think I am on the downhill side of the insane work schedule and lots of traveling.
The last two weeks brought a Thursday/Friday and Monday/Tuesday Knoxville combination that was physically and mentally exhausting so I am glad that it is behind me. Our project team meets one more time - next Thursday and Friday - before we are supposed to present our ideas to our Board of Directors on April 7th. Chad and I both decided that we need some days off so we took them!  Putting together this past Thursday and Friday and this upcoming Monday to give us a 5 day weekend was a great idea. We went to see our old college friend Craig and did a little Rome, GA. history tour...and true confessions, eatery tour. Loads of fun, a backyard fire gathering, and lots of laugh. Just what we needed.


Today - on this rainy Saturday - we have plans to try to finish more bathroom projects...maybe actually getting it completed while we are off for the next couple of days. Wish us luck!

March Birchbox!

Oh folks, it is March Birchbox time! 

This is - you won't believe it - my 25th Birchbox. 

This means that I have been receiving these for TWO YEARS and I honestly can't believe it has been that long. I have really loved having this subscriptions so keep them coming secret sender (a.k.a. mom). 

 This is a really good sized sample of Michale Todd's citrus cream moisturizer. It smells truly divine - I am a big things of most citrus things - and the perfect size to throw in my purse. My hands and arms have been crazy dry with this spring/winter/spring/winter weather we've been having so its perfect!

 This is a sample of the OmniPotent Duosity Hair Treatment. You actually tear open both sides and mix them together before you put them on your hair. I am pretty excited to try it - I have some dry ends from taking my time waiting to get a haircut (ahem...embarrassed to say it has probably been over a year since my last one and I might have trimmed it myself two weeks ago...or maybe not...?). I really like the Fekkai product in my January box but I will put it aside long enough to try this one too!

 This is a small sample of Benefit's Big Easy product. I think it is sort of a foundation/BB cream so I'll try it. I use their Fake Up concealer and I really like it (in fact, about to purchase my second one!) but I don't love their "They're Real" mascara (I think it flakes and gives you dark circles under your eyes after a few hours)...so I will definitely give this a go and see if I like it!

 This is Air Repair's Rescue Balm. I am excited because it says you can use it on lips, cuticles, elbows, etc. You have to trim the tip off under the cap to use it so I haven't actually opened it yet but it will be nice to put in my purse too. Depending on the smell/texture, it might be a cuticles only thing or it might end up on the lips too!

Finally, I was hoping to get a sample of this product from theBalm. I have had other products of theirs before and really liked all of them! This is a "How 'Bout Them Apples? Cheek and Lip cream" and I already love it. It is perfect smudged on as a cheek color and just enough pink to give your lips some color. Not sticky, just smooth. I would consider buying the full size of this once I use up the current cheek color I already use (which is also a cream from one of my FIRST Birchboxes!). 

And of course, I'm happy anytime I get chocolate so Ghirardelli is always awesome. I haven't already eaten this but I can't say it will last until tomorrow. 

As usual, this was a pretty good box. Some things I am really excited to try!

If you want a Birchbox of your own (and you probably do!) and you want me to earn the points for referring you, use this link! 

A Series of Unfortunate Events.

I have been gone for the last 6 days - our of town - working in various places. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were all in Franklin, TN. (near Nashville), Wednesday was a day trip to Knoxville for our staff meeting, and Thursday and Friday found me back in Knoxville for our project team meeting. I am exhausted. This week has been a strange series of weird, unfortunate happenings. Nothing terrible but things that just weigh on you and make you thankful to see Friday evening in your own home, preparing to climb in your own bed. While the king size bed I had to myself last night was great, I am looking forward to sleeping with my favorite guy, cat, and dog.


Here is the short version:
- Went to Franklin to present at a conference and only 3 people came to our session. While 3 is better than 0, it was slightly lower than expected. I have a theory about the low attendance but it doesn't really matter now.
- The refrigerator in our room was possessed with a house elf and literally spit our take out boxes back on the floor. Spilled spaghetti.
- Lost my $100 FitBit at the hotel. Realized it later. Went back. The housecleaning people found it. I hugged a stranger.
- We tried to come home but missed our exit and went 20 miles out of the way. Sigh.
- My cell phone died/won't reliably charge. Been flying under the radar all week with no phone (which, p.s. isn't all that bad. It has made me pay more attention to the people and things that matter like a friend at dinner and the sunset over the river.) Upgrade isn't until May. Gotta buy a phone.
- Lost my keys this morning at the hotel. Spent 45 mintues looking for them, making me late for my meeting. Called my husband - his phone was off. Called the neighbors to get them to go make him turn his phone on - they wouldn't answer. Called my mother-in-law (My Hero) who not only convinced me that it wasn't worth sobbing over (I was SO already there) but was also willing to drive a spare key to Knoxville so I could come home this afternoon. Found the keys. In the fridge. With the leftovers (hey - so I wouldn't forget them!).


You know that point when you are so tired you want to cry? That was Wednesday. This is Friday. I am past that point. Beyond thrilled that my mom is in town this weekend. We went and had Indian food tonight (her first time and my first time in SEVEN YEARS...literally it was 7 years ago that I was there?!?). We have reservations for a tea party tomorrow morning. It is going to be a lovely and relaxing day tomorrow. We might even mob a Girl Scout cookie booth or two (meaning, take them balloons, cheer them on, etc.....loads of hilarity).


I am so thankful for a job that I love, a husband that understands and supports me and my crazy work schedule, and family that comes to visit. I am thankful that nothing serious happened this week - just weird kinda strangeness. Thankful to be home and releasing all my pent up tension and spending time with my favorite folks.